K E R A L A M O N I T O R N E W S JULY 2005 June 2005 Photographs and Links from Recent Months Main Archives Link More News and Pictures -KM News More Recent News Links. Lebanon News- Gulf News Sources - More Recent News CCTV footage of bus bomber released -Row over French bomb arrest claim : Another Indication that the Blast Was Stage Managed - How the British Government Staged the London Bombings in Ten Easy Steps..Hired some Arab Youths to participate in an important exercise to defend London from terrorists...Plant explosives in their homes.. Read More -- The Bombers Wanted to be Famous..Carried Their IDs too - The Convenient Malfunction Of The London Bus Camera -Attacks on Muslims Started: Mosque Attacker Arrested - World Newspapers -Atrocities in American Airports Iraqis sell their blood to survive BAGHDAD, 12 July (IRIN) - Iraqis are selling their own blood to people who are buying supplies for relatives in need, due to a shortage, doctors say. This has caused concern over the spread of disease since the supplies are not checked for blood-bourne infections.Every day hundreds of donors can be seen standing outside the blood bank at the Iraqi National Centre for Blood Donations (INCBD) in the capital, Baghdad. More News Bahrain Malayalis Honour Drama Artist from Kerala Inquire About Galfar Group Plans to Sell Kovalam Hotel to Leela Group When his arch rival Pinarayi Vijayan himself is sinking in deep corruption charges surrounding the controversial contract given to a Canadian Energycompany, V.S.Achuthananthan, who was silent for a while about various corruption charges has filed one more salvo against the Kovalam Palace Hotel deal, especially the recent moves to sell the property a whopping Rs.140 plus crores, with a mind boggling margin of Rs.100 more than the Rs.40 crores invested by the current owner. At a time when the Muslim League Youth Leader K.T.Jaleel has been suspended from the party for levelling serious charges against the League leader and former industry minister Kunjalikutty, the issues raised by V S A assumes added importance. It has been alleged that the Muslim League did not disclose details of the fund raised as part of the tsunami relief campaign through various mosques and party forums. What is apparent in the emerging situation is the close association between a section of the CPM and other parties who have a common stake in covering up many scandals that rocked the state. Private Security Company Engaged in Trial Exercise at the Same Time and Place of London Blasts.. for Jewish Bankers Protection...Click to view Pinarayi Vijayan and Kodiyeri Balakrishnan Accused in Multicrore Scam THIRUVANANTHAPURAM - The latest CAG Report has officially revealed what people knew about the secret and nefarious deals of some of the comrades. The new revelations made by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) say that the state exchquer lost several crores and the Canadian Company gained a whopping Rs.110 crores illegitimate profit. It is not a mere political accusition by Ramesh Chennithala, the new KPCC I President who is trying to revive the sagging image of the Congress Government, which is deep in corruption. The developments around the CAG Report speak volumes about the ulterior motives behind the ongoing class struggle within the party and the witchunt and hate campaign against V.S.Achuthananthan, the leader of opposition, M.N.Vijayan and other genuine leaders who have been marginalised by a coteries of corrupt leaders headed by Pinarayi Vijayan and Kodiyeri Balakrishnan. They justify the witchunt by giving an ideological colour to it. When some of the party leaders names cropped up in controversies like Kiliroor and Kaviyoor sex scandals or the Manichan episoode, the party leadership and intellectuals maintained a studied silence, as if they approved of these heroic deeds. The CAG report has clearly indicated that Pinarayi Vijayan, the then Electricity Minister and Kodiyeri Balakrishnan an informal member in the committee, continued to show the undue favours to the Canadian Company, which started during the Congress Government. CPM is said to be a superior party compared to Congress. Even though it has been a known secret that Kerala politicians including some of the comrades have secrets to hide from public domain, the CAG has found large-scale irregularities in hydropower schemes at three centres in Kerala. Pinarayi Vijayan, Secretary of the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) has already converted the CPM into his private property with the help of a cotery of corrupt comrades and the subtle help of some of the business tycoons . The CAG revelations coming at the end of a witch hunt against V.S.Achuthananthan that culminated in his removal from the editorship of the party mouth piece, Deshabhimani, have put the party in a tight situation. When intellectuals like M.N.Vijayan tried to warn the party leadership against corruption and cultural degradation of a few top CPM leaders and their addiction to multinational projects like theme parks, private channels and IT projects, they remained silent for unknown reasons... Money and markets can play miracles to change anybodys attittudes . It is to be suspected whether part of the Canadian scam money was used to silence senior leaders and intellectuals ? Many leaders had a sudden opinion change against VSA and MNV. The CAG report also reveals how the state government has been conspiring with the CPM leaders to cover up the deal. Was it a reward from Pianarayi Vijayan that he "forgot" to nominate an opposition candidate against A.K. Antony? The former chief minister dilly dallied about the Vigilence Investigation is in Rajyasabha with Pinarayi's support .!!! Some of the comrades secret missions to the Gulf, wining and dining with class enemies from communal parties had raised many eyebrows, especially among the committed comrades. Did any money flew from the Gulf to strengthen the crusade against V.S.Achuthananthan and M.N.Vijayan? - Ramesh Chennithala, the Youth Congress leader wanted to know how the party got so many crores to develop fantasy parks and channels.. On records there is no party leaders name among the major shareholders of the channels...and projects...there are no benami shareholders too...reiterate the comrades in control of the party channel... part of which does not belong to the party.. especially the profitable part from the lucrative Middle East.. Everyone enjoyed the party secretary's witchunt against V S Achuthananthan, M.N.Viajayan and other so called "revisionist leaders...but how long illegitimate pregnancy can be hidden from the public domain? The new breed of party intellectuals recruited by the culturally superior comrades never say that some of the Big Comrades Have no Clothe... Those who dared to say so are already finished off... More. London Underground Bombing 'Exercises' Took Place at Same Time as Real Attack More Report: Mossad behind destroying London Israeli embassy in 1994 - Iranian personality calls Al-Qaeda 'US-Israeli illegitimate child' -An Iraqis Letter to the British People. New Dubai Tabloid Launch may be Delayed... Watch this space Gulf Arabs -Yemeni Girls temporary marriages Create Social Problem SANA, 7 July - Amal Mohammed is an 18-year-old Yemeni woman living in the city of Ibb, 150km south of the Yemeni capital, Sana, who says she is suffering from psychological problems and a constant headache following an unsuccessful marriage to an elderly Saudi man. She says she now sees marriage as a nightmare after being married and divorced in the course of only a few weeks. Amal was the victim of a so-called 'summer' or 'tourist' marriage, as Yemenis call the unwittingly temporary unions which are having a negative impact on religiously and culturally conservative Yemen society. Men from wealthy Gulf states flock to the country where they 'marry' young Yemeni girls. The couples spend their honeymoon in hotels and then the grooms return to their own countries saying they will make arrangements and send for their brides soon. They say they need to arrange visas and make promises of a better life when they are reunited with their new young wives. Most of the girls never hear from the men again. "A Saudi man came to my father and asked to marry me. I was 16 years old then. My father agreed without questioning. Three days later we got married. We spent some good time in the hotel. He left after one month. . Full Report More News CIA Stimulating Iraqi "Insurgents"and Creating Bloodshed in the Region? A report by Frank Morales indicates that the spate of so called terrorist attacks in Saudi Arabia, Lebanon and other parts of the region could be special missions executed by the US Secret Service Agents who are following a secret decision. "According to a classified document prepared for Rumsfeld by his Defense Science Board, the new organization--the "Proactive, Preemptive Operations Group (P2OG)"--would actually carry out secret missions designed to provoke terrorist groups into committing violent acts. The P2OG, a 100-member, so-called "counter-terrorist" organization with a $100-million-a-year budget, would ostensibly target "terrorist leaders," but according to P2OG documents procured by Arkin, would in fact carry out missions designed to "stimulate reactions" among "terrorist groups"--which, according to the Defense Secretary's logic, would subsequently expose them to "counter-attack" by the good guys. In other words, the plan is to execute secret military operations (assassinations, sabotage, "deception") which would intentionally result in terrorist attacks on innocent people, including Americans--essentially, to "combat terrorism" by causing it!." writes the author. According to a May 1, 2005 report by Peter Maass in the New York Times Magazine, two of the top US advisers to Iraqi paramilitary commandos fighting the insurgents are veterans of US counterinsurgency operations in Latin America... The purpose is twofold: to demonize designated enemies and to frighten the public into supporting ever-increasing powers for the national security state Read the Interesting Report K M Exclusive Snakes Everywhere..under The Pillow..in the Shoes..Workers Sleep with Snakes.. AL AIN - Some of the most dangerous snake in the UAE like the Saw Scaled Viper are found in the deserts of Northern and Eastern Emirates. What worries many of the construction workers in Al Ain deserts who are engaged in building a University project in the outskirts of UAE is how to keep the desert snakes away from their labour camps! Workers of a Dubai based company, who are accommodated in the construction site say that they encounter snakes regularly, almost every day, as their accommodation in the Al Ain desert sands is an ideal habitat for these reptiles, which seek cooler places in summer months. "All the workers here are scared of snakes, which are omni present. We must have killed at least 15 snakes and sometimes they are found in the shoes, under the pillow and in the rooms," says one of the workers. Some snakes found in the area are not harmful, but there are poisonous ones too. "We are very careful while wearing shoes or dress. Sometimes snake was fond in such locations like pillows and shoes," added workers. Workers say they are dumped in a temporary accommodation, a virtual sand home. Even though they are working for a University Project in Al Ain, the workers live in constant fear of snakes, which hide during the day time due to high summer heat and come out in the open only in the night.. That happens when the workers are fast asleep... Some of the snakes live a nocturnal existence in the eastern UAE and the Musandam, south to Masirah Island and central Oman. They are stocky with short tails, hinged front fangs and pupils which contract to vertical cat-like slits in bright light. They normally hide under rocks, litter or in rodent's burrows by day and emerge at dusk to eat rodents, toads and other reptiles. More No Summer Break even at Night .. Kalli Vallis sleep in the Open Space.. Nearly 100 Kalli Vallis who work as construction workers, mainly from Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu sleep in the open space on the construction materials dumped near the project site because there is no accommodation and the employees are not given transport facility from the desert site to their residence. Kalli Vallis or the illegal workers as they are notoriously known for their illegal visa status and cheap value as labourers, they enter the Emirate with a visit visa or abscond from their original sponsors who dont pay them regular salary. The fate of migrant workers, mainly from the south Indian state of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu and some Pakistanis and Bangladeshi workers who work for a subcontracting company for a construction project to build a French school at Al Ruwaiya, sleep in the open space, behind the Higher College of Technology, Aweer. . While some are live in narrow shed made of plywood, they don’t have air conditioners or other basic amenities like bathrooms or toilets. The workers have been working for the subcontracting firm Al Rayya for daily wages and some of them say they have been cheated. "They promised as Dhs.60 per day and after four months work, they will give only Dhs.40 per day. They cut substantial part of the salary for silly reasons," says Raja from Andhra who has been working for the company.They work nine to fourteen hours in the day time for daily wages to construct a French school building. "Fifteen of us were recruited promising accommodation with air conditioner and Dhs.60 per day. Many such advertisements are placed in Rolla, Sharjah which are meant to lure such illegal workers. Since they dont have valid documents, companies find them an easy lot to be exploited.. "We dont get any break between 12.30 to 4.30 as promised by the Labour Minister. We get one hour break from 12 PM to 1 PM and just get 15 minutes tea break at 3 PM," said one of the workers. Full Report and More News Arab Financial Services-Euronet to offer ATM and POS Driving in Middle-East - ITI To Manufacture Mobile Equipment With Altacel Technology, Palakkadu Unit to produce New Network Products -Appan Menon Memorial Award for 2005-2006 - Another journalist killing which will not be investigated Joseph is Out of Sharjah....Fly by Air Arabia Flight to Mumbai... DUBAI –Following media reports about the plight of Joseph, who was stranded in Sharjah Airport for four days, Kish Air has given a ticket to the Keralite youth, who was a victim of visa trade. He has already left the Sharjah Airport by the 5.40 flight to Bombay and a private company has offered him a job on returning to the Gulf after a few days. The Story of Joseph has been well received by the Indian community members, whose generosity helped another Joseph from Puthupally to get out of the Jumeirah prison. Keralamonitor.com was the first media to report about the case, but we don’t make any tall claims about the subsequent help which came from various quarters. Thanks to the joint media efforts and the information passed on by Bashir, a silent activist who helps such people in crisis. The Indian Consulate General office has intervened in the matter. Sex Racket Recruits Girls from Plantation, Cashew Areas of Kerala DUBAI – Thanks the serious economic crisis in the agrarian sector of Kerala, especially in the crisis affected plantation districts like Idukki, recruitment agents and human traffickers are luring many young girls and woman, who are promised lucrative jobs in the Gulf and an easy escape from their economic ills and poor living conditions. After a number of plantation companies have unofficially laid off workers in Idukki and adjacent plantation areas, many families have been rendered helpless and live in abject poverty. Same is the case with the cashew factories of Kollam, where large number of women were employed. Recruiting agents and sub agents target such families with good looking young girls and woman. Paradoxically enough, some of them are coming to the Gulf knowing fully that they will be working as prostitutes. Many recruitment agents lure even illiterate girls to work in the Gulf and for circumventing immigration rules and to cover up their final destination, duplicate nursing certificates are made in the name of the victims. Even though they are not educated and don’t know anything about nursing the smart agents make fake nursing certificates and experience certificates to send them to Gulf countries. As the emigration officials have been instructed to maintain a strict vigil in Kerala airports, these girls are taken to Chennai through the Kerala Tamil Nadu boarder. The plantation districts are bordering the Tamil Nadu. Another new modus operandi is to recruit women as computer operators, graphic designers and housekeepers to Gulf countries. The crisis facing the cashew plantation sector of Kollam too has helped recruiting agents lure young woman from Kollam to the trade. A major racket involving a large number of Keralite girls, who are recruited on the pretext of working as nurses has been exposed, after one of the girls made startling revelations at the Open House, organized by the Indian Consulate in Dubai. According to a report by Daniel P.George of Emirates Evening Post, a 30 years old Keralite woman was rushed to a hospital after her captors molested her. The lady was brought to Dubai, with a promise to be employed as a nurse. Even though there are many other cases where "nurses" are lured to the racket by offering jobs in private clinics and government hospitals, some of the recruitees become nurses only to come to the Gulf. Another 28 years old Keralite woman from Kollam was rescued by a teenage boy and brought to the Open House in Indian Consulate. There are clear indications that the sex mafia is a truely multinational operation as Indian girls are send to as far as Morocco and Israel. According to one study, about 65,000 tea plantation workers, having been abandoned, are in critical conditions. . More About Crisis Facing the Plantatiion Sector of Kerala UAE Arrest and Prosecution Plans for 5,000 Women in Immoral Trade US State Report on Human Trafficking 2005 places eight countries including UAE in tier two category. WASHINGTON – The US State Department has said that despite some efforts being made by the Gulf countries for the arrest and deportation of large number of women, who are suspected to be victims of a global network of human trafficking, lack of a comprehensive anti trafficking law is a major problem . Four more countries in the Middle East are added to a US State Department list of nations that are allegedly not doing enough to stop international human trafficking, a practice which the State department described as modern-day slavery. The State Department on Friday said 14 countries could be subject to sanctions because they are not cracking down on trafficking. Eight countries were new to the list: Bolivia, Cambodia, Jamaica, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Togo and the United Arab Emirates. The report has pointed out lacunae's in dealing with the human trafficking problem in countries like Oman, UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. It also highlights the problem of trafficked children from Asia and Africa to work as camel jockeys. More Help me please... dont know what happens Tomorrow.. may be Imprisoned. .. Sharjah - Joseph Thadav from Pulluvila, Trivandrum is a shattered man. He is stranded in the Sharjah airport after spending four days in the Iranian jail. He was deported by the Iranian authorities from Kish Island, the main visa changing destination for expatriates visiting the UAE with visit visia. One Mr. Shajahan from Poonthura in Trivandrum, who was running a maintenance company in Ajman, took Rs.75,000 from Joseph for a visit visa that he promised to change into an employment visa. On reaching the UAE Joseph realized that getting an employment visa is a difficult task. Once the three months validity is expired, he was sent to Kish Island spending Dhs.450 for ticket and hotel stay for a few days. "He was not responding to my phone calls and did not send me a visa to come back to Sharjah. I was in a difficult situation and started working there illegally as I had to feed myself. One day, the Iranian police caught me while working illegally. I wans sent to jail. From there they deported me back to Sharjah Airport and the transfer desk says the return Gulf Air ticket has already expired. "I dont have any money to eat let alone taking a ticket. The agent is missing and his relatives are helpless. I dont know what to do and I am surviving with the alms of Dhs.5 and Dhs.10 given by the Keralites returning to India for vacation. As it is the vacation time, I cannot get a ticket ..the fare is about Dhs.700.. Joseph is one more victim of the rampant visa trade in which several people are trapped. The Indian Associations or other charity organisations should come forward and help the victim. Gulf Air should be kind enough to renew his ticket as he has already paid for the return ticket... Such a gesture will help the innocent soul, father of two young kids, return home and lead a normal life. Otherwise he will be send to the UAE jail.. The Associations which could easily collect Dhs.2 lakh within a few weeks to bail out an Indian from the UAE prison, can easily collect Dhs.700 for a return ticket. They can also request Gulf Air to renew his ticket so that he can go back peacefully and live with his traditional fishing....."I have send four days in the Iranian prison..I could not see the outside world ..and stayed in a cell measuring 3 into 10...How will the Sharjah prison be like?...asks the helpless Malayali stranded in the airport..Anyone there... embassy...consulate.. Indian Assocaition Sharjah...Mr.Kumar of Welfare Council...help please..Joseph is an ordinary Malayali without any relatives..here in the Arabian desert. Take the Message of Eternal India to the World, Singh tells IFS Probotioners The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, has said that the foremost task before the country is to accelerate social and economic growth processes within a democratic framework. Addressing the 2004 batch of Indian Foreign Service probationers, Dr. Singh said that in the present era of interdependence there was a need to develop cooperation among States to tackle formidable problems like environmental degradation and chronic poverty. Foreign Service officers should project India’s values and concerns to the outside world, he added. More News Oman Mobile deploys IP Communications System for Data, Voice, and Mobility Indian Media Forum Versus Dubai Union of Working Journalists... DUBAI - At a time when the Malayalam media in the UAE is witnessing a tremendous growth in number, some of the disgruntled journalists including a few office bearers of the Indian Media Forum are contemplating the idea of starting what they claim is a "genuine" journalist association. Their demand is to reform the Indian Media Forum, which they allege is infected with commercial elements. "We are highly dissatisfied with the manner in which the Indian Media Forum is working, rather not working. A section of journalists are already in touch with the Kerala Union of Working Journalists (KUWJ) to form what they would like to call the Dubai Union of Working Journalists (DUWJ). The IMF is the only informal gathering of journalists and non journalist members, and there is no clear guideline to regulate the profession. "Sometimes it is not functioning like a professional association"Unless and until there is a rethinking on the part of IMF members and officials about its orientation beneficial to the professionals, there will be no other alternative but to form a genuine journalist body," said a senior journalist, who is actively involved in the DUWJ formation. The media world in Dubai is too small for two professional bodies and it is better that everyone is incorporated in the same organization with necessary reforms and protect the integrity of the profession. Some of the IMF members are allegedly close to commercial and political forces which may harm its independence and impartiality. On crucial occasions, the IMF remained a silent body. Two more newspapers are in pipeline and an evening Malayalam paper may also hit the stands soon... More Inside Story.. New Scoop by Gulf Round Up of Biju Abel Jacob.. Watch out Leter from Saju John, Saudi Arabia Saudi Malayali to pay for Mental Treatment of Journalist as recommended by Dr.Pinaray. Me and my family really sad to inform you that the current situation which happening in Marxist party in Kerala. Millions of peoples give their blood and life to Marxist party to get a good life for their children through Marxist party in future. They found good leadership in P. Krishnapillai, AKG, EMS, Nayanar, and sorry to inform you that VS Achudhanandan is last part of the chain in that leadership. We dont know what happened in Marxist party after VS episode is finished? But we are sure that within 3-4 years, Kerala will be worst in Communal crisis than any other states in India. We can wait and see that Sponsored Cross Fire? As everyone says, Mr. Pinarayi will be the next CM. I am also saying Mr. Pinarayi will be the next CM in Kerala? but I want to add more (adjective) in that prediction Mr. Pinarayi will be the first worst CM from Communist Party in Kerala? Mr. Satheesh, Dont feel humiliated and sad due the appreciation from Dr. Pinarayi. We found in you that a journalist who has a stern back bone. And we realize that you are the one journalist, who is saying always The King is naked? full Report 2000 Employees May be Laid Off...No mass sackings at Etisalat: official special report V.M.Sathish Salma Hareb - first lady Chief Executive Officer of Jafza June 26, 2005 The Jebel Ali Free Zone (Jafza), the leading business hub in the Middle East North Africa (MENA) region, has announced major changes in its organizational hierarchy in line with its growth and expansion strategies. The most significant development is the appointment of Salma Ali Saif Bin Hareb as Chief Executive Officer. This appointment makes Hareb the first lady to assume the CEO position of a Free Zone in the UAE and entire MENA region. Other major appointments include Ibrahim Mohamed al Janahi as the Vice President – Sales, Talal al Hashimi as Vice President – Property Management; and Ali Bin Damithan as Vice President – Customer Services.More Pinarayi's Humiliation.. Indian Media Forum remains Mum DUBAI - Deepika International and Malayala Manorama have given reports about an unfortunate incident in Pinarayi's Press Conference organised by Dubai Art Lovers Association (DALA), a gathering of left leaning intellectuals and social workers, who always values freedom of the press. The occasion was the press conference to announce the 250th episode of Pravasi Lokam, a popular programme of Kairali TV. Present in the press conference where a who is who of Indian Media in Dubai including office bearers of the Indian Media Forum (IMF). The press conference was organised by DALA officials on behalf of Kairali TV and those present included John Brittas, Managing Director and a well known left leaning journalist, P.T.Kunju Mohammed, writer, film maker, former MLA and anchor of the Pravasi lokam programme and Anazuddin Aziz,, his brother Rafeeq Rauther, E.M.Ashraf, writer, journalist, activist and Middle East coordinator of Kairali TV. Representatives of almost all the Malayalam newspapers were present. One notable guest from was P.M.Jabbir, Muscat coordinator of Pravasilokam..Pinarayi Vijayan, heading the Communist Party of India (Marxist) is likely to be the next chief minister of the state. He was talking about various Pravasi Issues like unfiar airfare, labour exploitation etc. Apparently the popular leader who was in Dubai as part of a damage control exercise and reverse the party's steep decline in membership and popularity, was briefed by the office bearers about the "trouble making journalist," who was not officially invited to participate in the event. Full Story Sky is the limit in Smart City `wish list', Says the Hindu Report Fate of Madani Family Read the Sad Story of Abdul Naser Madani, a lame man who has been branded as an "Islamic terrorirst" and living in the Coimbatore prison without being convicted for nine long years. Obviously, Madanis prolonged imprisonment allegedly for involving in a Coimbatore serial bomb blast apparently followed a conspiracy between the Communist and religious leaders of Kerala...The covert understanding between the top communist and communal leaders is coming out...Read an interesting report which appeared in a Malayalam publication. It is easy to brand an individual as terrorist and use the state machinery to systematically eliminate him. This is a strategy adopted by corrupt politicians, irrespective of the colour of flag, and it keeps happening in Kerala. M.N.Vijayan, a well respected scholar and intellectual is called a mad man by none other than the CPIM state Secretary Pinarayi vijayan in a secret meeting to control growing seperatism in the party. . More Talks on Iran-Pakistan India Gas Pipeline While India and Iran have been talking about the Iran-Pakistan-India pipeline project since 1994, its prospects of becoming a reality have gained ground only in the recent past. Earlier, hampered by Indo-Pak hostility, the project was viewed as impractical. Now the improving relations between India and Pakistan may make it possible. Petroleum Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar has described his recent talks with his Iranian and Pakistani counterparts as a "great and historic" beginning. The initiation of ministerial level talks is suggestive of the project having received the required green signal from political headquarters in the three countries. To quote Aiyar: "The pipeline looks like a certainty now". Full Report and More Stories More Stories Kiliroor, Kaviyoor Sex Scandals- CBI Questions Jewellery Brothers Fear Grips Leading Gulf Malayalis, Opposition leaders THIRUVANANTHAPURAM - The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) officials have questioned a leading jeweler and his brother in connection with the notorious Kiliroor and Kaviyoor Sex scandals. It was on Friday that the jewellery owner was questioned at the Kochi CBI office about their relation to Latha Nair and serial producers. The jewellery owner was questioned on the basis of the list of names given by the Kiliroor girl Shari S.Nair from her hospital bed. The jewelry owner pretended ignorance about the girl and any involvement in the sex scandal. From the house of Kochuman, Mariyappalli, the CBI has discovered two photographs of the jeweler and the inquiry is progressing to find out how the photos reached his house. The jeweler's close links to the main culprit Latha Nair is clear from the evidences and it was through a serial actress that they became friends. As the CBI investigation is progressing, and the case is at a turning point... CBI comes under the home ministry and A.K.Antony may soon ... The state government approached CBI to take over investigation. A large number of politicians including, reportedly, a serving minister and a well-known opposition leader, are involved. The director of a leading TV channel and a jewellery baron were reportedly involved in the case, reported Indian Express. The police reportedly had leads to not only local VIPs but also leading Malayali expatriates in the Gulf. Is that one reason for the unanimous election of Antony to Rajyasabha.. with an assurance that the CBI investigation will not touch the leaders? . More from the IE George Family Leaves Muscat Airport as Sex Trafficking Continues to Threaten Innocent Kerala Girls A.K.Antony Sworn in as... New Delhi - June 24 The Vice President and Chairman of Rajya Sabha, Shri Bhairon Singh Shekhawat administered oath of office to Shri A.K. Antony as newly elected Member of Rajya Sabha at his chamber in Parliament House, here today. Shri Antony belongs to the Indian National Congress and has been elected to Rajya Sabha representing the State of Kerala in a bye-election caused by the resignation of Shri K. Karunakaran in May, 2005. His term in Rajya Sabha will continue till May 2010. This is Shri Antony’s third term in Rajya Sabha. Earlier, he was the member of Rajya Sabha from 1985-91 and 1991-95. Shri Antony has held many important positions at the State level as well as at the Centre. He has had long innings in the Kerala Leislative Assembly. He was elected to the Kerala Legislative Assembly in 1970, 1977, 1995, 1996 and 2001. He was also the Chief Minister of Kerala from 1977 to 1979, 1995 to 1996 and again from 2001 to 2004. He was the Leader of Opposition in the Kerala Legislative Assembly from 1996 to 2001. He was Cabinet Minister for Civil Supplies, Consumer Affairs and Public distribution, Government of India from 1993-95. The Minister for Urban Development and Parliamentary Affairs, Shri Ghulam Nabi Azad, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs, Shri Suresh Pachauri, Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Shri Jaswant Singh and a number of other MPs and other dignitaries were present on the occasion. Earlier KM report... Home coming for A.K.Antony ...to be Sworn in as Cabinet Minister .. According to reliable Rashtrapathi bhavan sources in New Delhi, A.K.Antony, who had an unceremonial exit from the chief ministership of Kerala, will be sworn in as a prominent Cabinet minister on Thursday. According to sources, Antony will be given the plum Home Ministry portfolio.While Shivaji Patil will be shifted defense department, Pranab Mukherjee will be shunted to some other department..A.K.Antony's exit from the state chief minister'ship and the ascend of Ommen Chandy as the alternative choice are followed a sharp division of the Congress party. K.Karunakaran, the chanakyan of Kerala politics too had an uncomfortable exit from the congress party that caused the formation of another version of Kerala congress....More Chandy did not visit Joy in Prison: Punnakkal Mohammed Ali Punnakkan Mohammed Ali, a senior member of the Indian Overseas Congress who claimed that he accompanied the Chief Minister Omman Chandy during his recent visit to the Gulf has denied that the report in Keralamonitor about his secret jail visit is not true. According to him, the chief minister had a very tight schedule and there was no occassion to visit the prison. Surendran, the private secretary of the Chief Minister was not part of the official delegation, said another IOC spokesman who said the Chief Minister could not get a chance to visit jail during his two days visit... - KM Editor Also see the Story of Abdul Naser Madani who is in jail...Full Report Exclusive Story the first Evening Paper from the Gulf region is undergoing drastic changes.. 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. I am not Chief Minister's Relative: Joy Joseph "I am not a relative of Chief Minister : Joy Joseph, who is just released from the prison a few days ago. Punnakkal Mohammed Ali, social worker says chief minister never visited Joy Joseph in Prison.."We can produce the list of donators who gave the diya money. "I am obliged to the chief minister for getting me released from prison...My family is obliged to him...What you have written in your website is totally wrong... he claimed. We struggled a lot and Keralamonitor report is misleading and false," said one of the self proclaimed leaders, who talked on behalf of the Chief Minister...No businessman could hijack the chief minister..and he cannot be blamed if some of them approached him...He has never taken any gifts or favours from the Gulf businessmen," claimed Punnakal, who was moving around with the Chief minister as a shadow....Reacting strongly to the KM reports, the representatives of Indian Overseas Congress said that they managed to bail out Joseph after much effort. However, they admitted that the chief minister's private secretary visited the jail and came a few days in advance to work for Joy's release, among other assignments. He had to stay back for a few days to get Joy, from Puthupally, released from prison. "We took the initiatives after the family approached us with their problems. .It has been purely a humanitarian gesture which every other media including Kairali TV praised the Chief Minister for that humanitarian gesture......About the other Indian who has been living helplessly in the prison Joy Joseph Says: "He is in prison for committing a major crime...It is not like my case....".."He is not a Malayali and hails from Tamil Nadu," added the representatives of Indian Overseas Congress which stands for a united India..."The Tamilian has not given any complaint to the chief minister ..and how can he interfere in such a matter," asked Punnakkan...Well he has written to all the ambassadors, foreign ministers...and the Indian President tooo.. and the enthusiasm shown by the Indian Embassy is not matched in the case of another prisoner...who is struggling for 19 long years..."I will stand naked in the crowded Dubai city and if you are looking for sensational news come and publish that news," added another self proclaimed leader... The emperor has no clothes and the subordinates too dont care to remove their clothes to prove their loyalty.... Trial and Error... Manorama to Hit Dubai News Stands.... The Malayala Manorama, one of the largest circulated dailies from India, started printing trial copies in the UAE. After much dilly dallying that lasted several years, the Manorama group has finally decided to start printing from Dubai, from where leading newspapers like Gulf Madhyamam, Middle East Chandrika and Deepika International are already scrambling for their market share. Hardly a month after Malayalam News, one of the first Malayalam dailies from the Gulf region, was closed down due to financial and logistic reasons, Manorama has decided to start the Dubai edition with a big bang. It is learned that the Manorama group, which has recently strengthened its Middle East Bureau with the appointment of Pradeep Pillai and his young team of journalists, will hit the news stand within a fortnight. The Manorama copies which are available in the market are printed at a local printing press in the UAE. Israel: Failure to Probe Civilian Casualties Fuels Impunity (Jerusalem, June 22, 2005) — The Israeli military has fostered a climate of impunity in its ranks by failing to thoroughly investigate whether soldiers have killed and injured Palestinian civilians unlawfully or failed to protect them from harm, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today. Since the current Palestinian uprising began in 2000, Israeli forces have killed or seriously injured thousands of Palestinians who were not taking part in the hostilities. However, the Israeli authorities have investigated fewer than five percent of the fatal incidents to determine whether soldiers were responsible for using force unlawfully. The investigations they did conduct fell far short of international standards for independent and impartial inquiries. Full Report Oil and gas corporations bid for US$ 40 billion ‘Rebuild Iraq’ projects Full Report American Man May Have Molested 36,000 Children Jumeirah International Becomes Jumeirah More News Academic freedom essential for democracy, activists say More Rajivs High Tech Dream About Indigenous Technology Came True : Says Sonia Gandhi Full Report and more News Tanmia Open Day for best employment options for UAE Nationals June 20, 2005 The National Human Resource Development and Employment Authority (Tanmia) will be organising Open Day, a Mini Career Fair to explore employment opportunities for UAE National job seekers, on June 22, 2005 at Dubai Women's College. The Open Fair will extend Tanmia's partnership with employers who signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Tanmia, during the recently concluded Careers UAE 2005. Marwan Al Sawaleh, Assistant Director General and Director of the Employment and Skills Development Center, Tanmia, said: "I would like to express my gratitude to the participating employers for demonstrating their support to the Emiratisation drive. Such an initiative fulfills the needs of both employers and jobseekers, as employers have an opportunity to fill job vacancies after interacting with a large pool of National jobseekers, assembled at one common platform. On the other hand, National jobseekers will be able to interact with several prospective employers and get acquainted with various aspects of the UAE job market." Full Report Relatives of some troops killed in Iraq seek hearings on Downing Street memo Daad, Special Dad for68 Children of the Largest UAE Family By V.M.Sathish MANAMA (AJMAN) – Anyone can become a father, but a dad is someone special to his children. Daad is a loving and caring dad for all the 68 children who belong to the biggest family in the UAE. On the Father’s Day the Daad Murad off springs from the eight month old girl child to the 35 years old Ayoob lined up to wish a Happy Fathers Day to their aging and handicapped father who is getting ready for his next marriage. Speaking to KM, children of Daad Mohammed Murad Abdul Rahman, head of the largest family in the UAE said despite the large number of kids that he fathered, each one gets due attention and care and their share of daily poket money – sometimes Dhs.5 in the morning and Dhs.10 in the evenings. For some of the little ones Daad is a generous dad. The Daad family members including the special man of the occasion are not aware of Father’s Day which falls on Father’s Day celebrated in the 3rd Sunday in June (June 19th). However when KM caught up with the family in the UAE to learn how good s their dad they all said everyday is Fathers day for them because their dad is a special man for them. How can a man with more than 70 children be a good and caring father? Full Report KM Exclusive Kochi to Host the Next Pravasi Bharathiya Sammelan NEW DELHI – Kerala has clinched another major achievement by hosting the next Pravasi Bharathiya Divas, a major gathering of Non Resident Indians (NRIs). The first pravasi Bharathiya Divas, the biggest ever event which emerged as the most prestigious gathering of the Indian Diaspora was held in New Delhi, the political capital of the country and the second one was held in Mumbai, the commercial capital of the country. Even though it was speculated that the third NRI summit which has a budget allocation of Indian Rs.100 crores will go back to New Delhi, the venue of the first meeting, a cabinet meeting today decided today to conduct the programme in Kochi, the commercial capital of India. Two leading Non Resident Keralites, Dr.P.Mohammed Ali, Managing Director of Galfar group, Muscat and M.K. Yousuf Ali, the Chairman of the EMKE Group of Dubai, were honoured with the Pravasi Bharathiya Samman. Full Report and More News US psychological warfare experts worked at CNN - Ford recalls about 260,000 vehicles, probing more Gulf First for Bahrain Provides Hope for Domestic Abuse Cases Batelco has opened the Gulf’s first centre dedicated to helping those affected by family violence. The Batelco Care Centre for Family Violence Cases is officially open and will offer services and aid to all victims of domestic violence - including men, women and children of all nationalities. The Centre – which has been opened jointly by Batelco and the Bahrain Society to Resist Family Violence - is located on the first floor of the Budaiya Medical Complex near the Ruyan Pharmacy on the Budaiya Highway. The Society is currently made up of 31 doctors, psychiatrists, lawyers, social workers and media representatives and these professional people are working with Batelco funding to provide free medical, psychological, legal and social assistance to victims of domestic abuse. Full Report and More News Nafeesa will go home with a Return Ticket.. Shall we stop the dirty war of words !!! DUBAI -DUBAI - Nabeesa Salih who lived in the desert in Sharjah for two years is returning home at last as Firoz Merchant, businessman and philanthropist, lent a helping hand to the Keralite woman. The Chairman of Pure Gold Jewellers provided a return ticket bound to Thiruvananthapuram as well as AED 8500 check to pay Salih's debts. Merchant offered help to Salih after learning about the woman's situation through an article published in 7-Days, the new Tabloid newspaper that is creating sensation in the UAE market . The story was first broke by Ahmed Sharief , in Middle East Chandrika followed by the first English article in 7-Days about her. The lady was transferred from her makeshift house to a Jumeirah shelter where she is currently kept. ..More Stories Nafisa Defies English Media Reports in Asianet Radio Talk Show DUBAI - Gulf Time, a Radio Talk Programme aired by Asianet Radio gave a detailed interview of Nabeesa in which she categorically denied misleading reports which appeared in a leading English Evening Newspaper. Talking to Jiji Chandran, Producer of Gulf Times, Nabisa said such misleading reports cause more harm and discourage people who came forward with a helping hand.. "Who said I have no desire to go home. I have already bought sweets and buiscuits for my children," she said in the interview. Defying some of the reports which appeared in some English newspapers, Nabeesa said she is happy to return home after clearing off all the debt. Narrating her story to the Radio interviewer, she said some journalists asked questions, which she did not fully understand. In the middle of the talk show, she started weeping, when she said she missed her "children very badly". "I did not see my children for the last seven years. I have bought sweets and buscuits for them. Allah, who is saying that I am not interested in going back to Kerala,"? she told the interviewer. "I wish Allah will bless the families of all well wishers and journalists who came forward to help me," she said in the edited interview. Even though she spoke to the interviewer for fifteen minutes, the edited interview which lasted for eight minutes, consumed a major chunk of the 10 minute Gulf Time."She is keen that someone give her son a job in Dubai, something which is not a difficult task. Any mother will call her offsprings as children, whatever is their age," says Jiji, the interviewer who says her fifteen minitue phone in interview was one of the touching stories that she ever did for Gulf Times. The radio talk show which just completed one year deals with many issues dealing with Gulf life of Keralite expatriates. Unlike the newspapers which often twisted the stories to suit their convenience, the radio talk was a spontaneously expression of the Desert Lady, who said she is no more a deserted woman. There were No Arabs on Flight 77..September 11 Proves to be a Smart Pentagon Operation? Our left political leaders use double standards. Practice what you preach..Writes angry Young man e-TQM College presents Burj Al Arab Quality Full report and more News Lobbying for the Managing Directors Post in Kochi Private Port NEW DELHI - Eying part of the Rs.1000 Crore worth construction work involved in the private container port in Kochi, a number of contractors are pushing for the appointment of their favourite candidate for the coveted post of Managing Director of the port, which has been recently privatised. Intense lobbying is going on in Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram, New Delhi and even Dubai to makean IAS officer , who is close to many big Non Resident Keralite investors as the Managing Director. It is the first time in the history of infrastructure development in the state that a private company will be tendering out projects worth Rs.1000 crore. Naturally every big contractor worth his name in Kerala wishes to have the "favourite man" on top of the decisiion making process. The MD candidate, an IAS officer who has handled a similar project on behalf of NRI investors, is very close to the Gulf based NRKs with keen interest in major construction projects in Kerala. They dont mind spending lavishly to please state and central ministers and influence seniors in the Gulf region who have considerable say in the appointment. The candidate and his representatives have travelled to a Gulf country to lobby for the coveted post and want the foreign partner to recommend his name to the Indian Government. The Ports Minister T R Balu too is approached for the purpose and money is flowing freely from the contractors lobby who have much stake in the IAS Officer...Other IAS officials are also in the fray but there are not many contractors to support their candidature... One can see many new visitors to Dubai .. Indian Ambassador investigates International School Riyadh Finance...yet another K M Meena in the Gulf? RIYADH - The Indian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, who is also the patron of Indian community school has started an investigation about the dramatic withdrawal of Saudi Rials 2 million from the bank account of International Indian School Riyadh. In a dramatic scene during school functiion organised to congratulate meritorious students, M.O.H Farooq, the ambassador raised the issue. "Do you know how the ordinary parents are making this money,?" he asked the school principal. The Indian schools in Saudi Arabia, as in other gulf countries, are to be run on no profit no loss basis. Despite having 10,000 students and heavvy fees, these schools always report loss! In this case, the annual loss is SR 1 million. The school management raises lot of money through shows and special programmes. More School News Murder in Hypermarket Apartment in Ajman AJMAN - An expatriate employee of a leading hypermarket chain has been allegedly murdered by another expatriate who works for the same company. According to sources, the alleged killer is a Filippino employee who works as butcher. The accommodation of the supermarket chain owned by a leading Non Resident Indian is in Ajman. The early morning murder of the 25 years old Finippino worker by a 45 years old Filippino following a drinking session and quarrell. The security official who heard the two inmates living together in a room called the supermarket manager who rushed to the crime scene. The killer insisted on calling the police before opening the door. "We have quarreled yesterday night and I will not open the door before calling the police," the 45 years old reportedly told the other employees waiting outside the room. Some people who live in the same labour accommodation heard the two expatriates fighting. Apparently both the victims had a heavy drinking session. The hypermarket in Lulu is opened only a month ago. Oscar, the victim has come to Dubai only a few month back and was working in the fast food section. The quarrell is reportedly about a girl.... Kuwaiti woman appointed minister - Arab female minister of Planning, Dr Maasouma Mubarak Long battle ahead to end female circumcision Deeply entrenched cultural and traditional norms continue to hamper efforts to end the practice of female genital mutilation (FGM) in parts of Egypt.Female circumcision involves the partial or total removal of the external genitalia for cultural, religious or other non-medical reasons. It is usually performed on girls between the ages of four and 10.A report released by the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) in May revealed that 92 percent of adolescent girls in six districts of Upper Egypt had been circumcised. Furthermore, one third of all girls in the region were expected to be circumcised at some stage in their lives."This practice is prohibited by several international human rights agreements, such as the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and the Convention on the Rights of the Child," UNICEF assistant child protection officer said Full report Indian worker wants Power of Attorney...for "authorising" his Brother to marry on his behalf? Chandy and Achuthananthan Meeting on Smart City -Power Failure Follow Up: Volt Revolt Hits the City - 1000 Old Buildings in Dubai to be demolished soon. Revealed: how oil giant ExxonMobil influenced Bush Normal life disrupted by Unexpected Power Failure in Dubai First power blackout in Seven years Hit Dubai's Normal Life DUBAI --June 9 Normal life was disrupted by an unexpected and unprecedented power failure that hit the entire city of skyscrapers and high tech facilities as mobile phones, air conditioners, refrigerators and elevators failed to operate from 9.45 AM on Thursday, an official holiday for government departments. Many residents had to come out of their high rise concrete shelters and seek protection outside the building under the shadow of trees and parks. Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has apologised to the public for the power outage which hit Dubai on Thursday. In a statement released today DEWA said a committee had been formed to look into the causes of the outage so as to address them and ensure that such a fault is averted in the future. The UAE official news agency, WAM, said quoting DEWA THAT a sudden fault in the main generating plant in Jebel Ali caused the power cut in Dubai city at 9: 47 this morning. The Emirates Evening Post, the first Evening Newspaper of the fast growing city, came out late with a BlackOut Story in black and white letters, with a breaking news about the four hours power failure. "As traffic lights shut down and air conditioners went off, the city of 2.3 million showed what it was made of and responded to the emergency with a show of togetherness," the Evening Post Team said. "Taxi drivers were reluctant to take passengers because they were not sure of their own fuel position," the EP said. More about Dubais Energy Sector Kerala sex workers Stop Prostitution, start Laundry, Kerala to set up IAS Coaching Institute Dubai Energy launched to spearhead investments in energy sector DUBAI - June 7, 2005 Dubai Holding has announced the launch of its new member Dubai Energy to spearhead its investments in strategic regional and global energy opportunities. The company will focus on building a diversified global energy investment portfolio and further strengthening regional and international alliances. During the past few years, the energy sector has undergone major metamorphosis creating opportunities previously unconceivable. Volatile energy prices, insatiable demand, evolving players, and increasing capital requirements have opened the window of prospects for uniquely positioned entrants. Dubai Energy, located at the cross-roads of the region’s oil and gas reserves, will capitalize on these opportunities to build a set of complementary assets across the energy value chain and exemplify Dubai Holding’s theme.More about Dubais Energy Sector Aiyar Calls for Reviving Silk Route For Oil Supplies to India from Caspian Sea Mr. Mani Shankar Aiyar, Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas and Panchayati Raj today called for opening a new “Silk Route” for supply of oil and gas from the Caspian to oil importing Asian nations like India. Addressing the 12th International Caspian Oil and Gas Conference in Baku, Azerbaijan, today, Mr. Aiyar said that the recently commissioned Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) oil pipeline offered the possibility of transporting the rich oil and gas resources in the Caspian Sea not only to Europe, as planned, but also to India and to South East Asia. He pointed out that crude oil could be pumped into Israel’s Ashkelon pipeline in the reverse flow from Ashkelon-Eilat pipeline in crude carriers in the Red Sea. .More about Dubais Energy Sector Gulf Air and Oman Air Alliance for Mutual Benefit A delegation headed by Oman Air Divisional Manager Commercial Ziad Al-Haremi, met with Gulf Air Vice President Network Fareed Al-Alawi and other senior airline commercial executives in Bahrain last week to increase the areas of co-operation and synergies that will benefit the two national carriers’ strategic partnership and their customers. Discussions centred on areas of co-operation, including the network, the loyalty programme, common pricing, sharing infrastructure, expansion of code sharing, and other opportunities to promote economic development and tourism in the airlines’ owner states. Full Report and More News Saudi Hospital Sends Egyptian's Deadbody to Bangladesh by Mistake Benazir Bhutto Zardari in Secret Negotiations with Musharaff In an attempt to shore up his rule, Musharraf has for months been conducting secret negotiations with the PPP leadership. Bhutto and Zardari have reputedly offered to endorse the general remaining president for two more years in exchange for his agreeing to the staging of new elections this year, rather than in 2007. To facilitate a reconciliation, the authorities arranged for Zardari, who faces a number of corruption and other criminal charges, to be released last November on bail after eight years in jail. Then they permitted him to leave the country to visit his family and consult with Bhutto, who, for fear of herself being hauled before the Pakistani courts on corruption charges, has taken up residence in Dubai. But even if the PPP leadership has bent over backwards to demonstrate its readiness to deal with Musharraf and repeatedly affirmed that the military is the bulwark of the Pakistani state, so isolated is the regime that it dare not allow the PPP to make any public display of its popular support. To thwart the April 16 PPP welcome rally for Zardari, the Punjab provincial government, which is led by the pro-Musharraf Pakistan Muslim League Quaid-e-Azam (PML-Q), invoked Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code. Designed by the British colonial authorities, Section 144 makes gathering of four or more persons illegal. More DNRD opens new branch in Hatta to regulate Oman-UAE Boarder Traffic June 07, 2005 As part of the directives of H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and UAE Defence Minister, who has called all government departments to provide services in order to ease the lives of people living in Dubai, Dubai Naturalisation and Residency Department (DNRD) has announced the opening of a new branch at Hatta. Full Report and More News K.R.Gowri in Dubai to sell Keragold coconut oil to Gulf Malayalis DUBAI - K R Gowri, the senior most member in the Kerala state Legeslative Assembly, has been an unavoidable force in the state politics. As an young lady she married a revolutionary cause in the 1940s. In her mid 80s, she continues to be an integral part of the state politics . She is in Dubai to launch a prestigious brand of coconut oil, Kerafed produced by Kerafed, one of the public sector units, helping ordinary farmers. Arrangements are made to sell Kerafed oil worth Rs.6 crores in the gulf region and each bottle of coconut oil purchased by the Gulf Malayalis can help the agricultural economy of the state, which has been passing through a critical phase due to unfavourable international market and a hostile agricultural policy followed by the Central Government. Even though she is in her mid 80s K R Gowri still retains enough energy to handle several portfolios and fight back at her detractors, and former comrades... Physically she is ailing from old age. A member of the Cabinets headed by E.M.S Nampoothirippadu and E.K.Nayanar twice, she is accompanied by supporters and bureaucrats from her ministries. . Throughout the communist movement in Kerala that brough the first elected marxist government to power in the world, she remained an active revolutionary who was mercilessly abused and assaulted by the police. Gowri Amma's sound is fading, but she continues to be an active leader and mob puller...Watch this space. Amnesty International slams GCC treatment of housemaids -Sexual Cases; US Double Standards? Vatican Seeks Codoleza help to stop Sexual Abuse Case? About 17,000 are being trafficked over borders and into backyards into” the United States. More US Trafficking Report Biased, Says Saudi Arabia Full Report Sex slavery is still alive in the USA, said John Miller, Director of the U.S. State Depart-ment’s Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons. “I’m reading about how they lured these girls from Asian nations, promised them restaurant jobs, modeling jobs, … seized their passports, beat them, raped them, moved them from brothel to brothel. This was not happening in some distant Third World nation, however. “There it was in civil Seattle,” Miller said. Most people, however, would be stunned to know that the United States may be becoming a major importer of unwilling participants in this ghastly enterprise. Virtual sex is not the only decadent delicacy for some Americans; the simple fact is that thousands of trafficked women and girls are ferried into the U.S. for the purpose of illicit sexual encounters," says a report.. More US removes Pakistan from watch list on human trafficking Pope Wants Immunity from Sexual Abuse Cases? While the US State Department has once again failed to practice what it preaches to the rest of the world, the sex trafficking report did not have any mention about the sex trade in the USA, which is not a virgin land anyway...According to one report, the Vatican has sought the intervention of the U.S. State Department to declare Pope Benedict XVI immune from a sexual abuse lawsuit filed here. The report says the church official contacted the State Department May 20, asking it to notify a Houston federal court of the pope's immunity as the head of a foreign state, according to the defense motion. Vatican attorneys requested a delay on the matter Thursday. A spokesman for the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, which also was named as a defendant in the suit, could not be reached for comment Friday. The lawsuit filed by plaintiffs identified as John Does I, II and III accuses the pope, then acting as a cardinal, of conspiring to cover up the alleged abuse about a decade ago. The suit names a former seminary student as the alleged abuser, read More about the US Moral Double Standards Click Sex Trade to the USA In the United States each year an estimated 50,000 women and children are said to be smuggled in from poor countries for use in prostitution. Many of those involved have been kidnapped or tricked into believing they will be working at legitimate jobs. Once inside the country, they are forced into sexual slavery. Trafficking has been heaviest in New York and Los Angeles. Some of the U.S. problem is homegrown. Gangs are accused of kidnapping minors, gang raping them and forcing them into rostitution. Often such gang activities are tolerated by police. More Sex trade ensnares female immigrants in U.S. -Dubai e-Government and Microsoft launch IT training program for prison inmates -Saudi Arabia: Victims of Sexual Abuse Leave the Country without Seeking Justice Bahrain , Saudi Oman, Kuwait Qatar in US Watch list!! BAHRAIN (TIER 2 – WATCH LIST) Bahrain is a destination country for women and men who migrate legally from South Asia and the Philippines and — to a lesser extent — from China, Indonesia, the former Soviet Union, Morocco, and Ethiopia, but fall victim to conditions of sexual servitude, debt bondage, and other exploitative conditions that constitute involuntary servitude. More New Fraud in Airport Counters Haunt Non Resident Indian passengers.. "At the time of the passenger's departure, if the passenger is not looking at the officer while he is stamping the exit, the officer very cleverly tears away one of the pages from his passport!!!. When the passenger leaves the immigration counter, the case is reported on his computer terminal with full details. Now all over India they have got full details of the passenger with Red Flag flashing on the Passport number entered by the departure immigration officer. The officils and airline staff are jointly making their money through this method. On arrival next time, he is interrogated. About 20 to 30 cases are reported every month, claims one source..Every month 20-30 cases are happening all over India to rob the NRIs the minute he lands. Similar case has happened with Aramco's Arifuddin Watch this space. India Keen to Attract More American Investors Speaking at an interactive meeting with the Asia Society in New York today, Shri Kamal Nath, Minister of Commerce & Industry, stated that wooing foreign direct investment (FDI) was an integral part of the economic strategy of both the central and the state governments in India. “What is important is that India has an open system with social and political safety valves, and a regulatory environment that provides comfort, long-term stability and security to the foreign investor”, he said. Full Report and More News Washington Times Report Contradicts Official Version on Health of Saudi King More United Press Institute Report Claims the King is ... Why is Oil price skyrocketing? Touches three-week high Leading Islamic cleric “tortured to death” A prominent Islamic religious leader has been tortured to death, according to information received by Amnesty International. Sheikh Muhammad Ma'shuq al-Khiznawi died on 30 May, 20 days after he “disappeared”, apparently detained by Syrian Military Intelligence at an unknown location. "The Syrian authorities should launch an immediate, independent investigation into Sheikh Muhammad Ma'shuq al-Khiznawi's death in custody," said Neil Sammonds, Syria Researcher at Amnesty International. "The results must be made public and those responsible for his torture should be brought to justice. More News --- Environment lessons for children to be expanded Moideen Koya Stages a come back to Mainstream media Joins Jeevan TV as Programme DirectorMoideen Koya, the popular radio and television journalist in Dubai has staged a major come back to the mainstream visual media by joining Jeevan TV as a programme Director in Dubai. . Koyaji, a well known journalist in town must be definitely a happy man as he is occupying a new hot seat after a long gap. Victim of a misinformation campaign by some of his own friends in the media world, Koya is definitely going to make his presence felt in the Dubai Malayalam Media. The pioneer of Malayalam radio in Dubai, Koya was instrumental in starting Asianet Radio. He has also been associated with other audio and visual media ventures. Even though he has not made it very big in the industry, his main asset is his popularity and reputation that remained in tact. Definitely we can see new faces in the Dubai visual media scene....   Zayed University to offer accredited Mixed Media Training June 1, 2005 Zayed University's Institute for Technological Innovation (ITI) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) today with Australian-based SAE Institute to outline a unique strategic educational alliance which sets the stage for a new level of vocational technology training to be offered in the UAE. Courses offered to corporate and government clients out of the ZU-ITI campus at Dubai Internet City will include digital film making, creative multimedia, digital animation, games programming, graphic design and interactive entertainment to name a few. A proposal is also being considered to include similar courses in the undergraduate ZU curriculum. More News Level of Home violence against Nigerian women shockingly high "On a daily basis, Nigerian women are beaten, raped and even murdered by members of their family for supposed transgressions, which can range from not having meals ready on time to visiting family members without their husband’s permission," said Stephane Mikala, Deputy Director of Amnesty International’s Africa Programme. "Tragically, husbands, partners and fathers are responsible for most of the violence against these women -- and the government has a duty to protect them." Child Labour Rampant in Iraq as Families Dont Send Children to School BAGHDAD, May 2005 (IRIN) - Eleven-year-old Mahmoud al-Obaidi walks seven km every morning to get to work at a carpentry factory in Baghdad so he can save his bus fares.Al-Obaidi is the only male in his family of four, as his father disappeared five years ago and he works to support his family. On average he spends nearly 10 hours a day in the factory earning a living. "I didn't have a choice. Work was the only option. I cannot deny that I would like to be at a school, learning like other children. But I know the responsibility that I have to carry," al-Obaidi told IRIN, as he walked to work. He boy is only one of thousands of Iraqi children forced by poverty to work at an early age.More than a million youngsters work often enduring hazardous conditions, as well as being vulnerable to sexual abuse and violence, according to a report released at the end of 2004. The report was based on a nationwide survey in which 19,610 Iraqis participated. The project was a joint effort between the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and several Iraqi ministries, including the Ministry of Health (MoH), Ministry of Public Works and Social Affairs (MoPWSA) and the Ministry of Education (MoE). Full Story and More News Doctors, Patients in Dubai hospitals Get Wirless Computing...More The Kerala Media is rife with speculations about Dubai Internet City's status...KM gives the following report from the World Economic Forum in which the company itself says the following..... Dubai Holding is a "Company" Holding 20 Companies Including Dubai Internet City Dubai Holding was launched on 5 October 2004 to consolidate the various large-scale projects in Dubai that have been created over the past five years, as well as research, identify and execute future major projects that will benefit the UAE and the region. The company was created with the goal of providing a better future for everyone through the variety of life-improving industries it participates in. All those projects, which are expected to be among the top companies in the Middle East, will further emphasize the role of the country as an international commerce and leisure hub. Dubai Holding currently holds 20 companies working in a variety of industries ranging from health, technology, finance, real estate, research, education, humanitarianism, tourism, energy, communication, industry, biotechnology and hospitality. These companies include: Dubai Internet City, Dubai Media City, Dubai Healthcare City, Dubai Land, Dubai International Capital, Dubai Industrial City, Dubai Properties, Dubai International Properties, Jumeirah International, Dubai Investment Group, Dubai Humanitarian City, Dubai Knowledge Village, Arabian Radio Network, Dubai Outsource Zone, International Media Production Zone, E-Hosting Datafort, Empower, SamaCom, Dubiotech and Dubai Studio City. Read the Full Report from The World Economic Forum.. -- Here is the link. http://www.weforum.org/site/homepublic.nsf/Content/Dubai+Holding http://www.weforum.org/site/homepublic.nsf/Content/Dubai+Holding Chandy, Kunjalikutty have benami Share in Smart City : Thamarakshan Thiruvananthapuram - A major allegation has been made by Thamarashan P, General Secretary of RSP (B). According to a statement issued by him, the former industry minister Kunjalikutty who initiated the Smart City Project and the current Chief Minister Ooommen Chandy who handles the Information Technology Portfolio have benami share in the proposed Smart city project. A report by Malayala Manorama, leading Malayalam newspaper from Kerala, said that the involvement of Kerala ministers in the deal should be investigated by a Legislative Committee. This new allegation adds strength to the earlier allegations made by V S Achuthananthan about the deal. Meanwhile the lobbying and counter lobbying for the project continues at different levels. Read Full Story in Manorama Gulf Air Claims its Aircraft Landed Safely after Hoax Call Bahrain, Manama: Gulf Air confirmed that it had received an anonymous telephone call in which it was advised of an unspecified security threat onboard its flight from Cairo to Bahrain. In line with standard operating procedures, flight GF 070 was immediately recalled to Cairo. Authorities were briefed and the aircraft landed without incident. On arrival at Cairo airport security measures were implemented to ensure the safety of passengers and a comprehensive search was undertaken, during which it was established that the call was a hoax. The aircraft was later cleared for take off and arrived in Bahrain on schedule. Gulf Air places the highest priority on passenger safety and will take all steps necessary to the highest international standards of security and safety are observed. Gulf Air was founded in 1950. Today, it is owned by the Kingdom of Bahrain, Oman and the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and is the only truly pan Gulf carrier in the region. The airline’s network stretches from Europe to Asia and covers 44 cities in 30 countries. The fleet is one of the most modern in the Middle East and comprises 34 aircraft. The airline is in the last year of a three-year strategic recovery programme, headed by President and Chief Executive, James Hogan. The airline, which is making rapid strides towards regaining profitability in 2005, aims to further evolve by taking its renowned cultural strengths, which have been gained over more than half a century, into a global environment. The dramatic turnaround in Gulf Air’s fortunes has won international recognition. In January 2004, The Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA) presented the airline with the prestigious Airline Turnaround of the Year Award for 2003. Gulf Air was also the recipient of the 2003 Platinum Award for the Best Airline in the Middle East and North Africa, recognising the airline’s commitment to service excellence. Earlier KM Report about Gulf Air Crash in Manama -- More about Gulf Air Security Lapses Five from Gulf Employees Charitable Trust Detained in UAE Five people including a lawyer who was flown in to convince investors and intimidate dissidents of the Gulf Employees Charitable Trust, originally planned by some leading Congress politicians from Kerala, have beend etained in the UAE for questioning. As part of a detailed inquiry into the alleged financial fraud in which many ordinary NRKs are believed to be trapped, the Trustees were showing a brave face and planned a major marketing campaign to regain the lost confidence. It is learned that the concerned investigation is on and complaints are sought from various affected parties, who are asked to complaint to the respective Police Stations in the UAE. As reported earlier, the big shots who are the real behind the scam are left free and only Rajendra Prasad, Poovamma and others are in the net... More News Indian Airlines flight Cancellation Leaves 150 Passengers in the Dark... SHARJAH – About one fifty passengers who were supposed to travel by the Indian Airlines flight number IC 596 from the Sharjah International Airport had a virtual nightmare as the flight which was scheduled to take off at 2 AM did not fly. Irritated passengers, at least fifty of them, who were waiting for their boarding pass with heavy luggage, said the airline treated them rudely without informing them about the flight cancellation. "When we reached the airport at 10 PM to board the flight scheduled to fly at 2.10 AM on Monday, the monitor said the flight was delayed," says Haneefa, one of the passengers. They said the airline officials called the police to remove them from the airport. According to Indian Airline officials, the flight will carry all the 150 stranded passengers today and the flight cancellation was because one aircraft did not reach from Calicut, India. More News KM Exclusive.....Earlier report... Gulf Employees Trust President Says P.C.Alexander, Ramesh Chennithala, M M Hassan and Sathish Nampoothirippadu as .... Gulf Employees Chairitable Trust becomes knotty issue for rival Congress factions in Kerala... It appears that the brain behind the dubious insurance scheme under Gulf Employees Charitable Trust is some of the leading political God Fathers from Kerala like the senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala, P.C.Alexander, M.M.Hassan and a senior bureacrat associated with the welfare schemes for Non Resident keralites. The original seven members who signed the trust deed included among others, Sathish Nampoothirippad, said the trust President!. The Gulf Employees Charitable Trust convened a press conference in Dubai to explain the insurance scheme and presented a brave public face in the light of the exposure in Arabia Newspaper. . Showing ample proof to strengthen his claim that senior congress leaders - former Maharashtra Governor Dr.P.C.Alexander and Ramesh Chennithala - are active supporters of the trust, Rajendra Prasad, the Trust President said the three leaders were included in the original trust. Reiterating his claim that the three leaders were patrons of the trust in the first year, he changed his argument later after much grilling by journalists present on the occasion. "They are our well wishers and the original trustees included .Sathish Napoothirippadu," said Rajendra Prasad, the Trust President. They also showed relavent documents and photographs of the politicians close links to the fraudulent scheme. Ramesh Chennithala has reportedly denied his involvement in the insurance scheme or the trust activities, but the GET leaders stick to their position that they have all the required permission from the Indian government to raise fund abroad. Rajendra Prasad, neither denied nor confirmed reports that he paid Rs.2.5 lakhs to O.Rajagopal, former minister and Kerala BJP leader for getting a licens for the trust. "You have to pay money to get anything done in India. We must have paid money," he said. The Non Resident Mavelikkara Association (NORKA), a brainchild of Ramesh Chennithala, has denied reports about the Congress leaders involvement in the deal, but visual media journalists have recorded the press conference which lasted for one and half hours.. It is learned that the trust controversy is spilling over to Kerala politics as Chennithala has reported said that he attended the GET function, which was originally planned to be attended by the senior Congress leader K.Karunakaran. Karunakaran has now formed a rebel congress. The story originally published by Arabia Newspaper is yet to get the attention of mainstream media.The mainstream media, notably Gulf Madhyamam, Middle East Chandrika, Malayala Manorama and Deepika International kept away from the press conference for unknown reasons. While the approach seems to be to sideline Arabia Newspaper for obvious business reasons, nobody can neglect the larger public interest involved in the story... The trust has invested in various hotels in Kovalam and Moonnar to help Gulf returnees..he claimed. BEA eSupport site named one of ASP’s Ten Best Web Support Sites of 2005 Qatar Airways Prepares for New Route to Egypt 30 May 2005 Doha, QATAR – Qatar Airways has announced the schedules for its new flights to the Egyptian port city of Alexandria being launched on June 9. The city will be served non-stop three-times-a-week from Qatar Airways’ operational hub of Doha, capital of the State of Qatar. The route will be operated with an Airbus A320 in a two-class configuration of 12 seats in First and 132 in Economy More News Chennithala Inaugurated Gulf Charitable Trust because Karunakaran Did not Inaugurate !!! Ramesh Chennithala, the Youth Congress leader has denied his involvement in the Gulf Employees Charitable Trust activities through representatives of Indira Gandhi Veeshanam Forum, UAE. Chennithala said through his representative in the UAE that the inaugural ceremony of the Mavelikkara Office of Gulf Employees Charitable Trust was originally decided to be attended by K.Karunakaran, the senior Congress leader turned rebel congress head now. As Karunakaran did not participate in the GET inaugural ceremony, Ramesh Chennithala as a Member of Parliament and M. Murali as Member of Legislative Assembly participated in the event. Other than inaugurating the Trust office in Mavelikkara, Ramesh Chennithala or the Congress party do not have any involvement in the trust activities, especially the fund raising in the name of insurance scheme. Ramesh Chennithala informed this through G.Mohandas, Non Resident Mavelikkara Association Founding President and Indira Gandhi Veeshanam Forum Vice President G.Mohandas. Dubai Journalists Isolate Arabia Editor for boldly reporting Trust Fraud? Arabia Published Charitable Trust Fraud Story which was killed four months ago by Malayalam Newspaper(s) DUBAI - The Indian, journalist fraternity in Dubai seems to be vertically divided about the alleged fraud story filed by Arabia Newspaper, one of the Weekly Malayalam publications from Press Center, distributors of many Malayalam newspapers. The two series of reports published by Arabia with ample evidence should absolutely be an eye opener to the fraud perpetrated by the mushrooming number of trusts and associations with the covert and covert blessings of prominent politicians from India. It is learned that Kairali Channel and Indiavision have plans to give detailed report about the issue. The Malayalam media, which initially took up the matter, seems to be not so keen to report about the tricky issue. Full Story and More News Gulf Charitable Trust Cheats Expatriates with Shady Schemes Arabia Report on the former MP's Dubious Role in Charitable Trust - Is it part of A-I rivalry in Kerala? Who does not know the insurance spouse of prominent politicians? Read More DUBAI - What could be the beginning of a new series of frauds by the mushrooming number of welfare trusts and overseas Malayali associations working under the tutelage of political leaders, a new fraud has been reported from Dubai. Gulf Employees Charitable Trust started with much publicity and media campaign with the blessings of Ramesh Chennithala, the senior Congress leader from Kerala, is alleged to have duped several Non Resident Keralites, especially those living in labour camps. Through a dubious insurance protection scheme conducted in collaboration with a leading Indian insurance company, a Trust has been collecting money from people without any accountability. . The trust which has been registered in New Delhi with offices in Mavelikkara and Kochi has been working in different emirates with a maintenance company license.A group of people allege that they have been duped by Gulf Employees Charitable Trust registered in New Delhi and run by NRKs in the UAE. The trust which has opened UAE operations one year ago attracted expatriates by offering a number of benefits including free insurance coverage, healthcare, free pick up from airports, and education benefits. The Trust is believed to have lured more than 24000 expatriates from Dubai, Sharjah, Al Ain Ras Al Khaimah and other emirates and regularly collects Dhs.100 from each one per month, helping the real mastermind behind these schemes to make a fortune at the cost of ordinary workers. Full Report Dont Trust Mushrooming Number of Trusts and Associations in the Gulf Red Alert - Many politicians from Kerala have been vying with each other to form regional outfits representing Non Resident Keralites Affairs. Each and every village and town in Kerala has a Non Resident Keralite Association. Let it be Non Resident Kottayam Association or Non Resident Mavelikkara Association, the real idea of politicians and their chronies in the Gulf, who are mostly benemi dealers is crystal clear...Normally these trusts and associations invite a prominent politician, the media representatives and other dignitaries to give a legitimate public image to such dubious trusts. It is also a warning to journalists who work in the audio visual media to be careful..The name of a senior journalist is dragged into this controversy now. When journalists associate themselves with such associations ..they are also becoming part of the cheating racket.... Dubai eGovernment plans portal of Entrepreneurs Forum May 30, 2005 Dubai eGovernment is hosting the website of Entrepreneurs Forum (www.efdubai.ae) to facilitate members’ emails, SMS messages and news as part of an effort to promote eHost. eHost is one of the centralised eServices of Dubai eGovernment that is being used by several government departments as well as private sector companies.“By supporting Entrepreneurs Forum, Dubai eGovernment aims to demonstrate the services of eHost as well as develop close links with entrepreneurs for mutual benefit. Members of the Entrepreneurs Forum will be able to showcase their products and services through the portal,” said Salem Al Shair, eServices Director, Dubai eGovernment Full Report Kairali Middle East Diary Interview of KM editor Agitates Associationssssss.. Some people are used to only the praising and pampering press feel uncomfortble to hear different even remotely critical view point raised from any quarters. For the big PR industry which propser under dignitaries who thrive on their positive public image boosting techniques, silencing the press is a critical issue as their growth graph is directly linked to the whitewashed public outlook. For those are always in the limelight of TV cameras and front page. It is natural that some Associations feel agitated but they should remember that it is part of our democratic tradition to hear different points of view..Watch this space. Oommen Chandy's Errors and Omissions in Smart City Project ILFS was not involved as a consultant..Then who decided the Pricing of Land and Kochi Infotech Park Pricing? THIRUVANANTHAPURAM - Chief Minister Oommen Chandy has written a detailed column, which appeared simultaneously in various Malayalam newspapers justifying the state governments arguments for the Smart City Project. In that report, he tried vaguely to justify the hand over of Kochi Info Park as part of the smart deal to Dubai Internet City, giving some lame excuses. While denying the strong allegation made by V S Achuthananthan about the alleged Rs.2 crores "Consultation" fee proposed to be given to the IL & FS, he says the role of IL and FS was only in the initial stages of the project and the final project report was made by senior bureaucrats themselves. While the CM can claim that he has encountered the allegation in a smart way, what he has revealed indicates another flaw in the valuation of property. It indicates that no independent valuation of property was done by the state government before reaching the land price or the property price mentioned by him...Take the Kovalam Palace controversy and the handover of Kovalam hotel to the Muscat based M-Far group for just Rs.45 crores. As reported earlier by KM, Casino group of Kochi was keen to bid for Kovalam at Rs.100 crores – Rs.55 crores more than the Galfar offer. How the situation was manipulated by the former Industry Minister P.Kunjalikutty is well known. The Chief Minister's attention is now drawn towards another interesting news item. If news reports are to be believed, the Galfar group plans to sell Kovalam Palace Hotel to the Leela Group of Captain Krishnan Nair for a whopping Rs.150 crores! What has changed in Kovalam within a couple of years to increase the property price from just Rs.45 crores to Rs.150 crores? Mind you the new transaction between Galfar and Leela group may be excluding the controversial Halcyan Palace Hotel, which is now in a legal tussle. The opposition parties raised a hue and cry in the Indian Parliament about a similar transaction of Centaur Group of Hotels by the original buyer to another group with a margin of Rs.68 crores. Full Report and More News Egypt: Calls for Reform Met With Brutality Witnesses Describe Attacks; Independent Investigation Urgently Needed (Washington, May 26, 2005) — In Egypt, police and supporters of the ruling party attacked scores of pro-reform demonstrators and journalists yesterday, Human Rights Watch said today. Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak must appoint an independent judicial panel to conduct a thorough investigation into these attacks. Full Report Four Hundred Employees of Al Hamad Abstain from Workto get five months Pending Salary United Nations: Iraq Emerging as Transit Point for Narcotics FDA probes blindness among Viagra users Documents about Dubai Sex Racket Leaked Out from Chief Minister's Office DUBAI – Some of the crucial records confidentially culled out and handed over by the Dubai Police to the office of Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy have been alleged leaked out from the CM's. Instead of helping further enquiries to trace the sex trafficking agents, the documents ended up in the custody of the same culprits. The confidential information extracted from various investigations is suspected to have reached some of the leading sex traffickers from Kerala who control the pan Gulf prostitution rings. According to informed sources, CM Oommen Chandy heard many stories about the growing abuse of Keralite woman who are recruited from Kerala and trapped in the UAE brothels. "Ten Malayali women who were caught in the Dubai Ajman police raids were deported on May 24, 2005 by Sharjah Thiruvananthapuram flight. The Chief Ministers office assigned one senior IAS official from Non Resident Keralite Affairs Department (NORKA) to receive them in the airport and facilitate their transfer to their homes. It is said that a private contracting company in Dubai, registered as a class one contractor of Public Works Department, Thiruvanathapuram received these documents in their office fax! Sex trafficking is a multimillion business in which many politicians, travel agents and businessmen are involved. Full Report Earlier KM Report Saudi King is Clinically Dead? Report About Saudi Succession Story Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Abdullah's visit to the United States to discuss oil matters with President George W. Bush, took place amid growing speculation back home that the bed-ridden King Fahd's condition has worsened with the monarch slipping out of conciousness, says reports quoting undisclosed sources from Saudi Arabia..The report says speculation has been rife among Riyadh's ruling elite of Fahd's clinical death but in the absence of any official announcement, such news will not have credence in the region..Sucession is a serious issue and the report by Adnkronos International goes on to speculate about the suspicious" disappearance of King Fahd from public scene Read the Full Speculative Report Bankers linked to Multimillion Pound Enron fraud face extradition -Transcript: Saddam Hussein Interview -Oil prices to top $60 by autumn, analysts warn -Bush planned Iraq 'regime change' before becoming President Media Monitor SRPC Winds Up Dubai Bureau of Malayalam News; Journalists Given Just A Mont's notice by the 16th largest Publishing Group in the World. DUBAI - Saudi Research and publishing Group, (SRPC), the publishers of Arab News, Urdu News and Malayalam News has terminated the services of all the Malayali Journalists who used to work for the group's Malayalam News daily Bureau in Dubai. The paper gave just one month notice to journalists and the Bureau is almost closed down. While other SRPC offices located on the fifth floor of the CNN Building in Dubai Media City are functioning normally, the Malayalam News has stopped appearing on the Newsstand. Leaving the journalists in a difficult situation, the world's 16th largest publishing group apparently took an abrupt decision to close down the Dubai Bureau, due to the heavvy rent outflow every month. More One more KM Exclusive .. KM Exclusive--- KM Explosive Chief Minister's Daughter Employed in Foreign Bank in Dubai. Chandy feels relieved as he has to generate only 32,991 more jobs more from Smart City Oommen Chandy;s youngest daughter has become an NRI too..KM learns that Chandy's daughter joined a leading foreign bank in the UAE. The 19th Chief Minister of Kerala has a son and two daughters...The youngest is the lucky one who got a posting in a leading foreign bank in one of the Emirates in the UAE. She has been hunting for a job in the commercial capital of the Middle East and is lucky to have chief minister as father....Unlike Karunakaran who wanted his two offsprings to become next cheif minister and minister, Chandy's daughter has chosen her career path.. in a commercial bank in the commercial hub of the region.. Karunakaran's son Murali too was working in a Dubai bank for long...Chandy often blames his arch rival Karunakaran of trying to develop a dynastic rule in the state. Chandy often accuses the senior Congress leader Karunakaran, of trying to promote dynasty rule in the State by wanting his son and daughter in key political posts. "Karunakaran is actively promoting his own son and daughter in politics," he was often quoted. While Karunakaran wanted his son and daughter to occupy important political positions, even after their defeat in the polls, Chandy;s daughter opted for a challenging job in a foreign bank.. that too in Dubai..the city that promotes smart professionals. Chandy has two daughters and a son. Though Mariamma, his wife, never wanted her children to enter politics, the younger daughter, Achu, was a student leader in college. Now, his son—Chandy Oommen, a student of St Stephen’s in Delhi—is following in his father’s footsteps. When pressed against the wall for his dynastic ambitiouns, Karunakaran had retorted by pointing out that Chandy himself nominated his own daughter to the State committee of KSU...Chief Minister has been using all permutations and calculations to convince V S Achuthananthan about the magical figure of 33,000 jobs that he promised to generate from the Smart City project in Koch... Can we start the count down..from Dubai... Watch this space. (picture Chandy and wife) Some Interesting Facts about Smart City from an IT Expert Malayali Girl Allegedly Gang Raped by Desert Tour Operators DUBAI – It is alleged that a young girl has been gang raped by nine expatriate men in a distant desert as her mother looked helplessly. The men working with a tour operating company have allegedly lured a woman and her young daughter from Dubai to attend desert camp in Murmum located on the Dubai-Al Ain route and trapped the girl. What appears to be a racket luring families with young girls to participate in weekend picnics and desert camps the young girl who accompanied her mother to a party in the desert was allegedly gang raped by these men. Full Report Smart City: Babu Jacob Denies V S Allegations of Rs.2 Crores Consultation fee Hawa Bastaki becomes first woman director in DM -Empost inks deal with Consulate of Philippines for delivery of passports and Consular documents Iran: Judiciary Stonewalls on Journalist's Death Feature by Jaya Sing More news US military to build four giant new bases in Iraq - Iran: Judiciary Stonewalls on Journalist's Death Is Indian TVs Bankrupt to Take Advertisements from Dubious Dosthy.com Report and More News Lovelorn Chronic Bachelors Taken for an Online Friendship Ride By V.M.Sathish DUBAI - Lovelorn bachelors hunting for girlfriends through Internet date portals be careful. Chronic Indian bachelors from the Gulf region - UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, UAE, Qatar and Kuwait - complain that they have been duped by friendship sites which lured them through television advertisements in leading Indian TV channels. The so called friendship sites create hundreds of fake female profiles to lure men into paying money to meet the opposite sex. A simple search through these sites would show hundreds of beautiful women with sexy photographs who are looking for male friendship. A heavily advertised friendship site www.dosthy.com claims it contains 10,000 male and female profiles. However, some of the victims of the new high tech cheating feel that most of the female profiles in the site are artificially made to lure them and steal their money. "I believe most of these female profiles are created by the company to attract bachelors. There are many profiles of desperate ladies who seek male companion. Many of them are either divorced, live away from their spouses or feel bored and need a male companion immediately," says Joseph, who feel duped after taking a Golden Membership in dosthy.com. Paradoxically enough, the portal was inaugurated by none other than the Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and attended by the former industry minister Kunjalikutty and a crime bursting lady DIG. Full Report and More News Dubai Holding launchesDh. 1 bn investment vehicle for Investment in Jordan Dead Sea, Jordan- May 21, 2005: Dubai International Capital (DIC), the investment arm of Dubai Holding, today announced that following a meeting with HM King Abdullah II of Jordan it will launch an AED 1 billion (US$272 million) investment fund that will target opportunities in the Kingdom's booming economy. The fund was unveiled during the World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting on the Dead Sea by Mohammad Al Gergawi, Chief Executive Officer of Dubai Holding and Chairman of Dubai International Capital. He said: "There is a growing number of feasible and profitable investment opportunities in Jordan. "Through this fund we are looking totap into the wealth of opportunities that exist in the country. We will invest in projects that will generate superior returns for investors. At the same time we are committed to contributing to the development of the country's economy and the scale and type of our investments, many of these in expansion projects, will reflect this." Full Report Pipe Gangadharan in Dubai ... M.P.Gangadharan, leader of the newly formed rebel Congress Party is in a (secret) mission to Dubai..After making serious corruption charges against Oommen Chandy in the Smart City Project, the presence of Gangadharan, notorious for his involvement in the PWD Pipe scandal case is shuttling between different factories in Sharjah and Dubai....Watch this space. Catvision -KoolConnect to provide video-on-demand Jail Skpping Chief Minister Smartly Caught by Opposition Leader When Chief Minister Oommen Chandy made a two day visit to the UAE as part of the Air India Express Service inauguration, he had a very tight schedule. Most of the time he was embedded to the BMW of Yousuf Ali, the number one Non Resident Keralite businessman in the Gulf. However, he found some time to visit a labour camp, donate Rs.50,000 to a Malayali worker suffering from serious problems and even tried to visit various jails in the UAE to get a first hand information about the Keralite prisoners, especially those who are stranded in the UAE jails after being trapped in the sex racket. Every arrangement was made to visit jails in the morning and thanks to Punnakkan Mohammed Ali, of the Indian Overseas Congress, permission ( rather informal, permission) was obtained to visit the jail at 9 AM. However, the next day, there was a total change in the Chief Ministers schedule. Jiji Thomson IAS, the smart bureaucrat was camping in Dubai and Abu Dhabi for three days to arrange Chandy's schedules. The Chief Minister who was supposed to go to the jail to meet the ladies stranded there had a last minute change of mind and instead went to meet the officials of Dubai Internet City and senior officials of another leading Dubai Company which is overseeing the Smart City Project. According to insiders close to the deal, the Chief Minister was invited from Abu Dhabi to visit DIC with the opposition members of the delegatiion. The officials wanted the Kerala Government to take the opposition parties into confidence before making a firm commitment for Smart City project - a prestigious project for both the Dubai and Kerala . While it will generate direct employment the DIC companies get a cheap alternative for software and IT development. As such it is a win win situation, only if the entire deal was conducted in a transparent and open manner. What KM sources revealed is that the CM made a last minute change in his schedule to avoid the opposition MLAs, read the Marxist party MLAs, from being present when heengaged in high level discussion with the DIC/Dubai Government officials. The escuse given by the CM in the subsequent press conference was that the jail authorities did not give permission for the Chief Minister to visit prison. While the questions raised by journalists about the so called "protocol" violation that prevented Chandy from visiting the jails, there is no explanation as to why the Indian Embassy officials were stubborn that the CM did not go to jail at 9 AM? For a Chief Minister wining and dining with the most powerful businessmen and bureaucrats in Dubai, getting permission to visit a jail was that difficult? it is difficult to believe this official explanation. "We expected the CM and other ministers and ruling party MLAs to visit DIC officials along with the opposition group MLAs Rajendran and Radhakrishnan. But instead of taking them with the team to the DIC official meetings, the CM or who were was behind the scene directing his movements, send the Marxist MLAs to the jail," said sources. It was not a big issue to visit jail as the DIG of Prisons allowed Chandy to visit the prison with other MLAs. And even if there was any serious protocol problem, Chandy representing a ruling party at New Delhi could easily make a few phone calls to get the road clear for the jail visit. It is hard to believe that the embassy officials tried to prevent his jail trip because the jail authorities and the prisoners are equally agitated about the unfriendly approach of the embassy officials. Or is it because the CM was trying to avoid the opposition MLAs from being with him during the "crucial" meetings. Whatever be the behind the screen dramas staged to prevent the opposition MLAS from being present at the crucial meetings, V S Achuthananthan, the opposition leader, was smart enough to take a cue from Chandy by vowing to put those who are behind the Smart City project behind jails in Poojappura.... Skipping jail from Dubai to get caught in Kayoor... He may be over reacting, but the whole matter could done in a more transparent manner...as India is definitely a democratic country.. and we need development too. Smart City should come to Kerala..but the middle men should be avoided. (KM Special) .Blair blamed for 4,000 suicides by Indian farmers--US 'backed illegal Iraqi oil deals' -Tanmia's board of trustees review progress of Emiratisation More News Desecration of Koran Had Been Reported Before -New Technique Could Make 300-Carat DiamondsNew Technique Could Make 300-Carat Diamonds Daily Mail of UK plans Middle East Tabloid.. may buy 7-Days. The English newspaper industry in Dubai is all set to witness a major reshuffle as Daily Mail owned by UK media giant Associated Newspapers is negotiating with 7-Days, the new tabloid.. The British group currently owns Daily Mail, the Evening Standard and Metro. The British paper intends to recruit 60 journalists and invest a lot of pounds to create a unique tabloid culture in Dubai. Another high profile English daily is already in a recruitment spree in India and Middle East to select 25 scribes to launch yet another English Daily from Dubai. It is known to be yet another media venture of Dubai Holding, owner of Arabian Radio Network/Dubai Radio Network and Dubai Television. Gulf News and Khaleej Times, the two leading English dailies which dominated the market for decades are getting ready to face intense competition from the new breed of papers. Recently Dubai witnessed two more newspapers, the Emirates Evening Post and 7-Days. Indian School Muscat Terminates Counsellor with 24 Hours Notice..Reason? Watch out Saudi Based Malayalam News Disappears from UAE Stands... DUBAI - Malayalam News, the leading daily newspaper from Saudi Research and Publishing Group, publishers of Arabi News, disappeared from the newstands in Dubai on Friday morning as the company stopped local printing the paper for distribution in the UAE. Both Urudu News, and Malayalam News, which have been published from Dubai for the last three years, have shifted their printing to Dammam in Saudi Arabia due to financial reasons resulting from increased competition among Malayalam Newspapers.. Many regular readers have missed the paper on Friday, which used to be on the stand at 7 AM. It is uncertain whether the paper will be distributed the same day..The paper will be printed in Dammam and distributed in the UAE. .Apparently Malayalam News is the first victim of increased competition among Malayalam Newsppaers which mushroomed recently. For a leading publishing group like SRPC which handles many international news brands, the UAE operation has been a bitter experience. From the beginning the paper was not circulated in some Gulf countries. The overall cost of operation is higher in Dubai. SRPC which started operation two years back with the entire fifth floor of CNN building has apparently succumbed to increased competition from other newspapers, especially Middle East Chandrika and Gulf Madhyamam, which claims to have penetrated the Malayalam Newspaper market. Gulf Madhyamam started a marketing offensive by launching the newspaper in the Saudi market in Saudi Arabi by selling at Dhs.1 per copy. Middle East Chandrika claims that it captured a few thousand copies of both Malayalam News and Gulf Madhyamam..The industry is keenly watching the next Malayalam paper to wind up...Watch this space. New Technique Could Make 300-Carat DiamondsNew Technique Could Make 300-Carat Diamonds Kerala Dinesh Beedi in Crisis Who Disowns the Working Class? Shabeer Vakkom THIRUVANANTHAPURAM - When the Kerala Dinesh Beedi was moving from one crisis to another, the CPI (M) comrades, who were supposed to protect the interest of beedi workers, switched over to private financial investments elsewhere. Overlooking the future of the KDB, the party leadership started new ventures such as AC auditorium, IT park, hyper market, Amusement park, resorts, super speciality hospitals etc. - all came to be seen as a major shift of the party's priorities even as the beedi workers were moving from poverty to starvation. When diversification went wrong (or did not achieve its desired objectives), KDB began to decline. The capital that could have been used for workers' interests with strict planning and monitoring was bound to fall into the hi-tech basket. As the survival of the KDB was very much in doubt, the management decided to introduce austerity measures such as job cuts, freeze on bonus and gratuity etc... If diversification is the potential option, that can still be tried out provided the thousands of working class families in the state, at least, buy and popularize Dinesh brand products, instead of pushing them to run after MNC's brand names. The CPI (M) has now a formidable task before it. If it is seriously concerned about rescuing, at least, a few traditional industries in the state, like KDB, it should ensure a sustainable market in the state for their products, which is not at all a difficult thing in the present scenario. Certainly, the two bye-elections to be held in June in the left bastions of the Kannur district will provide them opportunities to ponder over such issues of the working class Full Column Smart City Project Controversy: Facts and Fictions Panarayi Supports Smart City Project....Achuthananthan may fail again? May 16 2005 A number of journalists are becoming part of a major public relation exercise to whitewash some grey areas in the proposed Smart City Project boldly pointed out by the opposition leader and a section of the ruling Congress party members. Obviously there may be political motives behind such accusations levelled by V S Achuthananthan and K.Muraleedharan, but trying to tarnish V.S.Achuthananthan as the main enemy of development in the state is too silly an approach. Nobody is saying that the Smart City project, a unique venture of Dubai Internet City, is not good for the country. It is no doubt a Dubai government venture, but not a government department as claimed by many journalists. It is a venture of the Government to encourage private investors from around the world to set up business within a Free Zone environment. Quoting the UAE Government Decrees that formed the foundation of TECOM, many reports say the statement of V S Achuthananthan is ridiculing. His statement that those who were involved in the negotiation will jailed is too wild a statement that dampened the spirit of some officials involved in the project. ..Full Report Arab Family Business can Achieve Succeess : Al Ghurair DUBAI 14th May 2005 Abdul-Aziz Abdulla Al Ghurair, CEO of UAE-based Mashreqbank and director of the Dubai-headquartered Abdulla Al Ghurair Group of Companies, says family-run local businesses have entrepreneurial advantages over larger corporations.“The support which the family provides in terms of tolerance for failure, and the help to stand up again, is better. It is the short lead time required to bounce back, and the moral and material support, in case of failure, that puts family-based entrepreneurial activity in an advantageous position,” he said. Al Ghurair, who took over the reins of the highly successful domestic bank in 1991, says entrepreneurial success hinges on innovation rather than investment. “It does not have to be a revolutionary innovation but anything which is ‘outside the box’ or an untested idea - that is the real asset of an entrepreneur. Investments are available to a greater number of people. However, there are very few who have the right idea; the concept without which a successful business is not possible,” he said. Full Report How Free Is the US Press? William Fisher in Arab News - Sunil K Vaidya Bureau Chief Gulf News Writes about Oman's problem with Illegal Migrants from Pakistan -UK Film Says Iraq War Fears Exaggerated -Dubai student top scorer in Kerala board exams Attacker on Police Infomer (who helped Ajman, Dubai Sex Racket Bust)Arrested Omar Abdulla, a Malayali informer of Dubai Police was attacked by a gang of three - two Keralites and a UAE national in the Jumeira area. However, the Dubai Police nabbed two Keralites and search is on for the third culprit. Perakkulam Majeed, driver of the sex racket and Krishnan Kutty Nair from Thiruvananthapuram, a financier of sex business are the arrested criminals. Their Dubai registration vehicle too was nabbed... Kerala Smart City Project of DIC Shrouded in Corruption Charges The first Going Global Project of the Dubai Internet City (DIC), the multimillion, Smart City in Kochi, Kerala to outsource software development and IT work for the companies operating in the DIC is facing a tough time, as opposition to the pricing and other terms of the project agreement between DIC and the state government are questioned by the opposition leader as well as a fraction of the ruling Congress party. The DIC has been negotiating with the Kerala government to set up Smart City, a project similar to the DIC, in Kochi which is strategically located in the IT map of the world as the multinational submarine cable for high speed data communication is emerging from the Indian Ocean to the coastal state in the southern tip of India. The project which involved an investment of Indian Rs.1500 crore is facing many hurdles and may not take off as expected earlier. Kerala has been selected out of nine countries including Iran, Pakistan, Russia, Malta, Egypt and South Africa. The plan is to set up a network of IT development centers for marketing, hardware and software development and service centers around the world. Full Report Job Rackets through Internet and Virtual Offices Loot Overseas Job Seekers May 14, 2005 Dubai Ajman Police Arrest 32 Members of Prostitution Ring DUBAI - Continuing the crackdown on illegal sex traffickers started a few months back, the Ajman and Dubai Immigration Police have jointly arrested 32 young girls, mostly in their 20s and their network of agents in the two emirates and the major financiers who were funding agents to import young girls for the immoral trade. The gang was forcibly keeping Asian girls, mainly from India, and doing illegal prostitution racket. It is learned that the Dubai Police higher authorities have taken a serious decision to control immoral trafficking and depending on the complaints they have been acting swiftly and arresting the culprits. According to Dubai Police sources, the raid followed complaints from the relatives of a lady who escaped from the brothels. "The lady who escaped from the sex racket was forcibly hijacked by the gang without her consent. Her relatives made a formal complaint with the Dubai police which planned the crackdown. Some of the gang leaders were living in Nuaimi and other places in Ajman. "The root of the sex racket with 20 girls in custody was in Ajman. Salim Alias Fakruddin from Calicut and his female companion Sandhya who acted as supervisor were living in a flat in Ajman," added sources. It is learned that Salim had a narrow escape in the last police raid in Diera. For the last three months, Dubai police have been watching the gang and could arrest them only now. It is also rumoured that the police got information from a rival gang, which runs similar syndicate. The morning raids were jointly conducted by the Dubai and Ajman police in three buildings located at Yousuf Al Aka, Al Baraha and Fara Madina. The main culprit who has been facilitating visa and finance for the sex traffic syndicate hails from Trichur, Kerala. Those arrested pimps include Salim alias Fakrudhin from Kasargodu, Kannan from Malappuram, Majeed, Kabir alias Ali and Suresh. According to Police sources, the agents spend nearly Dhs.10,000 to import a girl into the UAE and the financier gives fund for the trade. In return they get good reward from the daily collection of each agent. There are such financiers and visa agents who do business running into millions, said sources. The agents trade in the girls and there are many gangs which specialize in the trade, said sources.F ull Report and More News Misused by Fraudsters to Lure, Cheat Single Woman in Gulf DUBAI - Online dating services have been widely misused by fraudsters who use the service of online dating and matrimonial sites to dupe women, especially the NRI women who are lured with love in exchange for money. A single teacher in Sharjah has been lured by a man, who registered himself for matrimonial and romantic partners through shaadi.com, a popular, rather notorious website which is used by such unscrupulous elements to lure single women. Kerala and Indian chatrooms are full of such swindlers who lure frustrated single working woman offering lover, sex and marriage. One such victim from Sharjah has met a man online through shaadi.com and agreed to meet. After sometimes they developed intimate love affair which has been used as a ploy to extract money from her. She paid Dhs.3,000 to the man. Gulf News, a leading newspaper from the Gulf, said in a report quoting the victim that vulnerable woman in Dubai and other Gulf countries should be aware of the conman who uses nick names like Cutedil, Abhishekh, Abby and Ayoubshaikh used her contacts to lure other women in her friends circle and extract money and sex. Such cases should be an eye opener to the growing number of cyber love and cyber marriages culture which dubious websites cash in. Full Report   Keralamonitor.com is Biased..Alleges Shahul Hameed of Muscat Oman. We publishing here a letter accusing KM of bias. The author regular friend of keralamonitor.com used his pen in new monitor. Hameed can write in KM as newmonitor is already dead! Editor, No doubt Keralamonitor is in the fore front to bring up all juicy news bits of Kerala, this is excellent. But are you unbiased? It looks like you are up against all successful businessmen of Kerala. Some of your news items is tinted with imagination than the truth. You also keep your eyes shut to the politicians, the likes of Achuthanandan who keeps on making remarks against everything under the sun. He cannot appreciate anyone be they are from his own party . Everybody according to him is taking bribe, may be he is not getting any share!! Full Letter Second Part of the Trust Fraud Story Click here ABC News: We're Not Interested in Covering the Iraq War -Chalabi reportedly told Iran that U.S. broke its secret code Kuwait Workers Agitation For Food and Salary Kuwait :A large number of workers from the Integral Services Company Kuwait started an agitation demanding payment of pending salary for three months. The company has allegedly failed to pay them salary and other benefits as per the service terms mentioned in the job contract. As they have come to Kuwait after paying huge amount to the visa agents who promised them five year contract with Kuwait National Petroleum Company. This is an ongoing story of labour exploitation in the Gulf region, especially Kuwait, where large number of Indians are arriving to work for the Iraqi operation of Kuwait/American companies. Chandy Received Rs.500 Crores for the Smart City Project: Alleges MLAS Oommen Chandy Government's Eight Months Corruption Worth Rs.1140 Crores: Rs.10 crores for Kovalam; Rs.500 crore for Smart City...alleges five Congress MLAs.Gangadharan and D.Sugathan. The allegation is about 12 deals including sand mining and the smart city project. The chief minister and five other members of the government are sharing this booty, they alleged in a press conference. They have also quantified the bribe received by the Chandy government from each deal. Sand mining (Rs.50 Crores), Kovalam Hotel (Rs.10 crores), liquor lobby Rs.50 crores, Online Lottery Rs.5750 crores, Electricity Department...and Smart City Project Rs.500 crores.!!! M-Far to approach Supreme Court KM EXCLUSIVE ...What CAG report did not say..... How higher bidders were eliminated.... Casino Group Planned Rs.100 Crores bid for Kovalam Galfar bid was Rs.55 crores less than the Casino group's Kovalam bidding plan with KSIDC. THIRUVANANTHAPURAM - The dubious role of Arun Shourie and the Previous Government in the Centaur Hotel privatization deal has received national attention because the minister has allegedly acted in a hurry to help one private party closely linked to the saffron brigade. According to the Comptroller and Auditor General of India report, all the potential bidders to the hotel were systematically eliminated to favour the beneficiary company, which made a killing by selling the same hotel at several fold the purchase price within six months of the deal. The buyer of the Centaur Airport Mumbai, Batra Hospitality sold the property to the Sahara India Group for Rs 115 crore (Rs 1.15 billion). Batra Hospitality had bought over the hotel, along with flats and petrol pumps for Rs 83 crore in February 2002. Within six months the value of the property has gone up by 30 crores! The latest revelation from a source close to a leading Hotels group in Kerala is that they planned to bid for the Kovalam Palace hotel with a competitive price of Rs.100 crores - Rs.55 crores more than the Galfar offer. "The CASINO group of hotels, the number one hotelier of Kerala, and Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation (KSIDC) jointly decided to bid the hotel in 100 crores. However, Kunajlikutty, the Industry Minister used his influence and fired the KSIDC staff including Jiji Thomson, the then Managing Director of KSIDC . Finally the KSIDC -CASINO joint venture was abandoned and what happened next is history. Jiji Thomson who was in the forefront of the much publicised Gulf Investors Meet (GIM) was later shunted from KSIDC, which had multicrore budget to an insignificant department like NORKA which has just less than Rs.3 crores budget. "Jiji Thomson, the then Managing Director of KSIDC, was keenly interested in the joint venture proposal with the Casino group. However, he was fired by Kunjalikutty and shifted to the less significant NORKA Department," said sources close to the deal. Full Report and More Stories NDA ministers got kickbaks in hotels disinvestment: Nirupam "Few NDA ministers had got kickbacks in the sale of the government hotels belonging to Hotel Corporation of India and Indian Toursim Development Corporation (ITDC), including Juhu Centaur in Mumbai," Nirupam, a former Shiva Sena leader who joined Congress says. Nirupam further said all the hotels that were disinvested during the NDA rule were undervalued.. ..Full Report US tourism ‘losing billions because of image’ - The Most Unfair British Election CIA forms Modern East India Companies to recolonize India through Outsourcing The new intelligence tactics and new techniques for undercover operations may include recruiting prominent politiciansSome politicians from all the parties in India including the Communists are on foreign intelligence pay rolls. The outsourcing bandwagon to India now looks like a reminiscent of East India Company from Britain many hundreds of years back which came to buy cheap spice in India and finally needed up hijacking the country using intelligence techniques, bribing the military commanders of Indian Kings and Sultans like Mirjaffar (Bengal – Palasey) and more. Read an interesting story Click O Rajagopalan's Strong Recommendation to Gulf Employees Charitable Trust for Rs.2.5 lakhs Party Fund -Watch this space. Why IT Multinatiionals come to India - Smart City Rationale.. IBM To Close European Office and Relocate to..cheaper Destinations.. Full Report Construction Worker Dies in Building Wall Collapse in Dubai Media City DUBAI - One Indian expatriate construction worker of Al Habthoor Engineer Company is confirmed dead and seven are seriously injured when the wall under construction of a car parking building in the Dubai Media City collapsed. The tragic accident which happened at around 10 AM, soon after the workers resumed work after the morning tea break. "I saw one dead body of a north Indian worker from Bihar, laying on the open space near the construction site by the rescue team. Police and ambulance services came to the scene and cordoned off the area. "The dead worker, a steel fixer from Bihar was standing on a wafer thin support with other workers to fit water proof material within the four centimeter gap between the steel wall and concrete," said workers of Al Habthoor. Company officials did not disclose any details about the accident. Reporters and photographers of various newspapers and channels who rushed to the accident scene were chased away by the company officials and police. The worker died on the spot and another worker is either dead or seriously injured. Full Report Qatar Airways Enhances Abu Dhabi Flight Capacity US army asked to explain why it is still holding CBS News cameraman after one month Concern about arrests of other journalists - Reporters Without Borders wrote to General John Abizaid, head of US Central Command today calling for the release of Iraqi cameraman Abdel Amir Hussein in the absence of evidence against him. Hussein works for CBS News in Mosul. The letter also voiced alarm about all the other journalists currently detained in Iraq. "Hussein has now been held for a month without the US army producing any concrete proof of its allegations," the press freedom organization said in its letter said, noting that it had already voiced concern about his detention on 9 April. Pope was investigating Knights Templar before his election Kerala government Approves Smart City Project Thiruvananthapuram - The cabinet has given the final approval for the multicrore Smart City project by the Dubai Internet City in Kochi. The official nod was given at the cabinet meet today held amidst political uncertainity, presided over by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy.The final approval was taken after week long discussions held between the officials of the Dubai Internet City and representatives of the state government. A memorandum of understanding would be signed by the state and the DIC soon. The state government will give 100 acres of prime land in Koch for the project and take just 9 per cnet share in the Smart City Project. Dubai Internet City will buy 136 acres of land from Kakkanadu and the Kochi Infotech Park will be sold for Rs.109 Crores. The initial investment for the project will be Rs.1500 crores and the state government will give 100 acres of freeland. Government will also provide infrastructure support for the project, which will be a crucial step in the city development. DUBAI TO BECOME THE VENICE OF THE MIDDLE EAST Dubai Municipality's public transport system is taking an innovative step forward to reduce traffic congestion by introducing Venice's watercraft transport system in the city. A master plan for water transport development is currently being drawn out.As per the plan, Dubai Municipality will introduce water transport service from Sharjah and Jumeirah to Dubai Creek and integrate the same with the traditional abra service, which is being modernised. "We are studying a water transport system and we will not be using the small abras which can accommodate only twenty people in one trip. We are targetting big vessels or boats that can carry 200 people in one trip, reports V.M.Sathish in Khaleej Times. Full Report Dubai plans Smart City in Kochi Infopark : Kunjalikutty UAE companies keen to set up training and outsourcing center in Kerala Dubai based IT companies shifting operation to Kochi Infopark Saudis, Oil, Israel, & America - Says Report How Arabic text of WMD dossier was massaged by Downing St Dubai Ready with Tourism Expertise for the Outside World: Sheikh Mohammed Dubai’s Crown Prince and UAE Defence Minister, HH General Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, said the emirate is now a true tourist city with all the required infrastructure to attract visitors and its expertise could now be offered to other destinations.Speaking after opening the largest-ever Arabian Travel Market, the Middle East’s premier travel and tourism show, which runs at the Dubai World Trade Centre until Friday night, HH Sheikh Mohammed commented: “The growth in this show reflects Dubai’s strong position on the international tourist map. “We have achieved a great deal of progress and have gained much experience in the tourism sector and we are ready to help other countries to utilize this experience.” HH Sheikh Mohammed toured Arabian Travel Market 2005 Full Report and More News Chandity..sorry Charity begins in the Gulf ? What CM Could not Talk About Sex Trafficking....? DUBAI - Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy made headlines when he was here in a three day trip to the UAE. He made an earnest effort to highlight the problems facing the average Keralites in the Gulf. He has visited some of the labour camps in Dubai in which the Gulf Malayalis still live in inhuman conditions. He has tried to visit the UAE jails, but could send only three MLAs to do so because the protocol did not allow him to do so! Nobody knows exactly why the chief minister of the state was not allowed to visit the UAE prison to see the miserable conditions facing the inmates. However, the available information suggest that the negligence of the Indian Embassy was the main reason for the so called technical dichotomy. Those who visited the jails could see at least 30 women from India, mainly Keralites who were duped in the sex trafficking syndicate which operates from Kerala. Just a few days back only a lady reporter from Khaleej Times impersonated as a consulate general and saved a Keralite girl who had been illegally detained for two years by the Kerala based sex traffickers. The Chief Minister was emotional when he spoke about the fate of such girls and the strict action that he plans to take against the criminal gangs. However, the Chief Minister has been more inactive against such sex crimies that created sensation in Kerala . Even though the chief minister could wash his hands off by saying that the Kiliroor sex scandal case has been transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation and that the actual culprits involved in all the sexual harasment cases are strictly handled, he cannot escape from the moral responsibility of colluding with those who are really behind the sex trafficking gangs. Whether it was the sensational Kiliroor sex scandal and the subsequent murder of Shari S.Nair, or the Calicut sex scandal involving Rejina and one of his cabinet colleagues, the action, rather inaction of the Chandy government directly or indirectly helped such gangs to continue operation without any problems. Addressing the members of Indian Media Forum,Dubai the chief minister said the number of women trafficked from Kerala to the Gulf has come down. As the adage goes, charity begins at home and the Chief Minister should address the root of the sex trafficking problem by cracking down the criminal elements in the state who are closely intertwined with the state political fabric. .Of course he could not openly accept the fact that the sex trafficking syndicate in the Gulf is flourishing due to the proximity of some of his close colleagues and their agents...It was another fact that the Chief Minister was found in the company of some of the hoteliers in Dubai who are into liquor trade and sex trafficking...Visit their hotels and see how many Keralite ladies are serving wine and....everything to satisfy their customers.. When KM editor asked Chief Minister about the steps being taken to control such gangs which operate freely in the Gulf... he gave a detailed reply..which was not convincing. And some of the journalists were feeling naughty...as if they are also beneficiaries...Some of them were more keen to know about the feasibility of getting free housing in Thiruvananathapuram..than asking stupid questions about sex traders! .Now that he is back in Kerala in the middle of murky politics, and elections are not too far, the same Chandy will have to seek funding from the same criminal elements.. and their Gulf agents for election fund raising..Or he has already made arrangements for election funding during the closed door meetings with the big wigs....Watch this space. (Click Photo to see more of Chandy's Presence in Gulf). More News Skyrocketing Rent in Dubai, Abu Dhai Affects Expatriate Families... 2 May 2005 The skyrocketing rent level in Dubai, Sharjah and Abu Dhabi is driving people to Northern Emirates, which in turn has put pressure on the fixed-income salaried people who already reside in those areas to migrate to cheaper destinations like Ajman, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah ...Full Report Two Ladies Rescued from Dubai Brothels, Malayali Girl Trapped in Brothel for 2 Years. DUBAI - In a smart operation, two ladies trapped in the Dubai sex racket have been rescued from brothels. While one Keralite girl who has been trapped in the sex racket for two years is evacuated in a smart operation from the Fish Round About area of Naif, Diera, a Bangladeshi girl Shilipa who has been missing for the last one week is traced to a room in the Sana Building near Sharjah City Center. A Keralite girl who was brought to the UAE to work as a sales girl about 18 months back was trapped in the sex racket and her family has been desperately searching to locate the young girl. Three months after coming to Dubai, she stopped calling up her family. According to family friends, she was feared trapped in the sex racket. While the parents complained to the Indian consulate they did not get any help so far. Apparently a bold lady journalist did the wonderful act of posing as a consulate official to search the apartment near Fish Round About and kept her under protection. It was only five months back that the girl called up her parents to tell that she was in prostitution ring and one of her family friends in Dubai helped to release her. Sex racket from Kerala is rampant and even though the controversy about the whole issue following the Kiliroor sex scandal and the Kozhikkodu ice cream parlour cases are over, the sex trafficking from Kerala to the Gulf is going on smoothly with the active support of the ruling elite and powerful politicians. It is the right time that the honourable Chief Minister Ooommen Chandy is visiting the UAE… More Stories on Sex Scandals in Kerala Killing Airindia Express Service ...Step Two.. Travel Agents in Dubai Begins Boycott Dubai Travel and Tour Agents Group (DTTAG) will not sell Air India Express (AIE) services and products from their offices, Plane to Muscat may not take off! Strong lobby working overtime!!! Yousuf Ali Plans His Own Private Airline; Oman Air Subotages Muscat Flight..AirIndia Express may end up with the same fate of Shipping Service. Stop Shedding Crockodiles Tear about NRI welfare when fleezing passengers with Rs.500 users fee!!! Ticket Fare of the low budget airline : UAE Dhs.2920!!! 1000 Dhs. more than ordinary ticket fare: DUBAI - Even before the Air India Express service started taking off, a strong lobby is working overtime to see to it that the airline service end up in trouble so that a private airline run by a coterie of NRI investors can take over the business, which would otherwise go to Air Arabia, which triggered the new competition in the market. Oman Air which was the first foreign airline given permission to start service to Koch is determined to subotage the Air India Express Service to Muscat, which is announced with much publicity today. Even before the plane took off, a strong lobby in collaboration with prominent NRI business groups have started clever move to ensure that the Air India Express Service will end up in trouble, in the same manner the Muscat/Dubai based lobby subotaged the much discussed cheaper shipping service linking Kerala and the Gulf. The leading Indian business groups in Muscat and Dubai who are the major beneficiaries of the jacked up airfare in the Gulf-India sector are moving their steps cleverly, including the launching of an alternative airline as propagated by an award winning Indiian in Abu Dhabi. While the entrepreneur from Kerala, Yousuf Ali, the winner of Pravasi Bharathi Award, has been shedding crocodiles tear about over exploitation of the ordinary passengers from the Gulf region, who are charged very high air fare, the businessman maintains a studied silence about the Rs.500 users fee charged from every passenger passing through the Kochi International Airport. It is an open secret that the Kochi International Airport was built with the help of NRI investors and despite repeated appeals and protests from NRI associations, the airport, managed by Yousuf Ali, Galfar Mohammed Ali and other dignitaries have never bothered to remove that users fee burden. When these dignitaries and award winning NRIs occupied prominent positions in the board of natinal cariers they were never bothered about the high airfare to India. It is an open secret that the first shipping service did not reach Muscat, due to to the Subotage efforts by the Bahwans, Khimjis and Galfar group, with the blessings of Oman Air. The first return flight of the Air India Express Service developed some problems in its return flight!!!! Air India flight to Dubai did not land here because of unknown reasons!!! A day before the service started, Air India employees went on an indefinite strike!!! The take off of the budget airline flight to Muscat is yet to happen..As it is the beginning of the busy season, the business tycoons who have tasted the blood sucked from ordinary passengers through exhorbitant fees dont want to lose millions business generated during the next summer vacation starting soon.. Yousuf Ali is ready with his own private airline plan. If he is too concerned about the poor Indians in the Gulf, he should first stop fleezing them by charging Indian Rs.500 in the name of the so called users fee. Now the NRI lobby is using an emotional appeal to NRKs to invest their hard earned money for another private business, which has the blessings of many prominent Kerala ministers who have their kiths and kins working for ...you know what...And a group of pen pushers are silently enjoying the benefit of keeping mom without saying that the Emperor Has No Clothes--. Kovalam Palace is already in their kitty..next is what...Wath this Space. Air India Express Service Inaugurated Kerala Governor R.L.Bhatia inaugurates the first flight of Air India Express Flight from the Thiruvananthapuram Airport. Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel, M.V.Raghavan, Minister and M.M.Hassan, NORKA Roots Chairman. More Exposed: Blair is a serial liar Qatar Airways Provides Free Internet Access to Passengers. Doha, Qatar– Qatar Airways recently launched an innovative high-tech service for its passengers, providing them with wireless Internet access at Doha International Airport. The new service allows passengers the luxury of browsing the Internet through personal laptops without connecting to a phone line.The new free of charge service is available in both the First Class and Business class lounges, in addition to the Oryx lounge at Doha International Airport. This service is also available for economy passengers who are using Al Maha “Meet and Assist” services. Many NRIs Abandon Their Wives in India, Says Indian Minister The Minister of State (Independent charge) for Overseas Indian Affairs, Shri Jagdish Tytler told the Rajya Sabha today that some cases of abandoning of wives in India by their NRI husbands have been brought to the notice of the Ministry. All States Government has been advised to take remedial measures including creation of separate cells to provide free legal counseling for the prospective brides. A booklet for the guidance of prospective brides and their families is also being brought out by the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs. Replying to a question by Shri Varinder Singh Bajwa, the Minister further added that torture or desertion of Indian wives by their NRI husbands, render all possible assistance with a view to bringing about an amicable settlement. Non-Resident Indian billionaire detained in Dubai for Cheque Bouncing Brother of the arrested hotelier Abdul Rasheed says arrest is part of a business dispute with a big local partner in a hotel lease, seeks more protection to Indian businessmen DUBAI - The family of a senior Indian businessman in Dubai who has been detained by the Dubai Police is running from pillar to post to get him released as the Indian Consulate and others are maintaining a studied silence. Repeating one more case of Indian businessmen facing harassment in the Gulf, Abdul Rasheed, brother of the 58 years old Shoukath Ali says no one from the embassy is coming forward to help the family, which faced problems following a dispute with a local partner. Abdul Rasheed, brother of 58 years old Sayyed Shoukath Ali (Indian Passport No: Z 1288802), Shoukat was running three hotels in Dubai and Abu Dhabi and is a major financier of Indian films. His arrest a few days ago follows a dispute about a five-year lease agreement with a local busmessman to run hotel Bin Saloum Plaza, Rigga Road Dubai. The case, which happened hardly a month after the Indian minister of Overseas Indian's visit to Dubai reiterates the fact that more is to be done to protect the Indian businessmen in the Gulf. It was only a few months back that a leading Indian businessman, who was occupying prominent position in the Government, died in mysterious circumstances..Full Report Saudi Arabia: Bush urged toCall for Dissidents' Release In March 2004, Saudi authorities arrested 13 people in several cities for circulating a petition calling for a constitutional monarchy with an elected parliament, and signaling their intent to form an independent human rights organization. The government released 10 of them after compelling them to sign an agreement that they would cease theirpublic petitioning. More US soldiers are still killing civilians with impunity, while the dead go uncounted Every Iraqi has stories of friends or relatives killed by US troops for no adequate reason. Often they do not know if they were shot by regular soldiers or by members of western security companies whose burly employees, usually ex-soldiers, are everywhere in Iraq, reports the Independent. "US soldiers treat everybody as a potential suicide bomber. If they are right they have saved their lives and if they are wrong they face no penalty, says the report by Patrick Cockburn of the Independent..Full story I Syed Shoukath Ali age 58 years Indian holder of Passport No: Z 1288802 hereby state the following : Letter Written by the arrested Indian to the Indian Government. My earnest request to our Indian authorities to intervene in the matter through official channel and approach the appropriate officials in Dubai to convince Mr. Ali Bin Suloom, to honor the judgments of the Dubai Rent Committees to return my cheques given to him including the Guarantee Cheque of AED 4 million, and let me go back to Dubai to continue my other business activities. If I go back my own to Dubai, I might be put behind bars by Mr. Ali Bin Suloom who has already presented my Guarantee Cheque which must have been returned unpaid due to non-availability of funds in my account. He is not supposed to deposit this Cheque as per law, but he can go to any extent to take actions against. Full Report Shell announces winners of Better Environment Awards in Dubai -Dubai eGovernment adds two new SMS 'pull' services to mDubai portal Bodies Of 50 Iraqis Found near Capital; 20 Iraqi Soldiers Killed (click Image to see more..Warning: The pictures are too graphic) Exactly how many Iraqi civilians have been killed in the last two years is unclear, reports the Independent.. According to Iraq Body Count, a group that monitors casualty reports, at least 17,384 have died." But the group bases its totals only on deaths reported by the media, and says it can therefore only "be a sample" of the total actually killed. Its website says: "It is likely that many if not most civilian casualties will go unreported by the media. That is the sad nature of war.", Read the Fulll Report about US Attrocities in Iraq. According to the Independent, a peer-reviewed report published last year in The Lancet and based on an extrapolation of data suggested that 100,000 civilians may have been killed during the invasion and its aftermath. Full Report Leo Burnett Integrates 'Work' with the Beach More than 150 employees from four disciplines within the Leo Burnett Group of Companies, Dubai, enjoyed creative integration-building and employee appreciation activities Dubai, UAE, April 20, 2005 - It was a step back in time and a day away from the office recently for more than 150 members of the Leo Burnett Group of Companies, Dubai and Kuwait, who shared an employee appreciation and integration-building day beachside. Time was of the essence since this year's event, called "Blast from the Past", marked the 69th anniversary of Leo Burnett's opening in Chicago and decades of the agency's brand-building creative work in the Middle East. In line with the theme, the day's activities involved competition among 10 teams with names drawn from across the ages, beginning with "cavemen", moving on to "gangsters" and "hippies" among others, and ending with "rappers". Full Report and More News   Ajman Water Cos Sell at Dhs.1.50 Same Water sold at Dhs.7 in Dubai!!! AJMAN - An increasing number of people are also driving all the way to the Northern Emirate to procure their water supply at Dh1.50 from 'pure drinking' water companies — one quarter of the price that is being charged by some of the more reputed players in the Dubai market. Some of these companies sell between 2,000 to 3,000 gallons of water per day and the sales are expected to pick up in summer. Abraham, who runs two pure drinking water companies in Dubai and Ajman says, 'All the water companies in Dubai are using Dubal water, which is made according to UAE standards. We are selling pure drinking water at Dh2 per 5 gallons from the Ajman factory because the cost of operation is very less here compared to Dubai where costs, especially rents, have increased over time.Full Report IRAQ Great concern after Al-Jazeera shows video of Romanians with threats by abductors 3,000 Tsunami Victims Yet to be Identified, Preserved in Frozen Containers More than 3,000 decomposed bodies of tsunami victims are being held in a Disaster Victims Identification Centre (DVI) because they have still not been identified. Believed to be of European and American tourists who were holidaying in Thailand when the killer wave struck after the December 26 earthquake, the bodies are must still undergo DNA testing, dental structure identification or fingerprints, said Jan Karlsen, President of Normeca, which supplied mobile hospitals and body decontamination service to the tsunami hit areas of Thailand..by V.M.Sathish in 7-Days Newspaper Full Report Sweety Falls to Death from Fifth Floor of Abudhabi Flat Abudhabi : Sweety, a five year old Malayali girl has fallen to death from the fifth floor of a 12 storied residential apartment in Abudhabi by 4 PM on Monday. The first standard student of St. Joseph School was just back from school and was standing on a sofa set near the window side of the building located near the Eid Khana in the capital City. "Normally this window was closed. Unfortunately, the window was partially open when she looked down through the window. She fell down and died on the spot," said Johny, a relative. The second daughter of Shaju, an employee of Choueisat School, Sweety was having food standing on the sofa set, when the tragic accident happened. It is believed that some buildings in the capital have open balcony and such incidents are reported earlier too. "The dead body is in Central Hospital. The other kids were playing in the other rooms while her mother was checking the homework. The girl's family comes from Uloor in Trichur, Kerala and the family has been living in Abu Dhabi for the last seventeen years. There is a three feet tall fencing on the balcony, but that did not prevent the young girls' fall to death. U.S. forces abuse and torture female detainees in Iraq Iraqi female detainees say that they have been illegally detained, raped and sexually humiliated by U.S. occupation forces. A report by Al Jazeera said Quoting a female detainee “Noor”, that U.S. soldiers at Iraq’s Abu Ghraib raped women and, in many occasions, forced them to strip naked in public. She also said that many female detainees got pregnant. The 1,800 abuse photographs shot by U.S. guards inside Abu Ghraib included images of naked male and female prisoners, a male Military Police guard “having sex” with a female detainee, and naked male and female detainees forcibly arranged in various sexually explicit positions for photographing Full Report Six Years Old Radhika Nair Needs your Help Six years old Radhika R.Nair cannot attend school or mingle with peer groups. Her brain is working properly — as normal as any other child and she can speak three languages. She is one of the rare kids who suffers from a rare disease — Apert Syndrome.Daughter of a middle class Indian working couple, Anitha Raj and Rajashekharan, the family has already spend their life's saving to give Radhika a normal life. The young girl has already undergone five costly surgeries to separate her joined bones and fingers at different times. The first surgery was done when she was just nine-months-old. As she is too young to undergo multiple surgeries in one go, doctors have advised her to go for one surgery after another. A number of specialist doctors have to be present during the day long surgeries, conducted at the Jaslok Hospital, Mumbai. Read full report by V.M.Sathish Those who are illing to help the kid can contact 050-8808253. (Dubai UAE) AED 100 million facility to double production capacity of Technopark Company Fundamentalist Incursion of Imamism Questions Sultan Qaboos of Oman..7 Days Report Jagadish Tytler Stage Manages Labour Camp Visit..in Dubai The Indian diplomats who live in ivory towesr normally misrepresent the reality of working condition facing the large number of Indian workers in the Gulf region. While newspapers from the region are full of labour related stories of exploitation, inhuman working and living conditions and human rights violation, the Indian Minister of State (IC) for Overseas Indian Affairs, Shri Jagdish Jagadish Tytler was taken to a high tech labour camp, apparently under the influence of some lobbies in the region, who are more keen to cover up things from public than even the local Sheikhs. While Sonapur in Dubai is the largest labour camp accommodating Indian workers in Asia, the minister paid a visit to a high tech labour camp there with gymnasium and modern amneties...Normally they are escorted by the diplomats and their chrony businessmen who are not keen to respond to problems haunting the working class Indian community here. "The minister who was on a high profile visit was apparently misguided by the embassy officials who appear to be more keen to hide the real facts...I havent seen many such labour camps in the region," says a seasoned journalist who accompanied the minister. Sometimes dogs become more loyal than the master!!! Any delegations or study groups visiting the Gulf will be hijacked by the coterie who have more to hide... Stealing Kovalam to Help Thalikkulam? - Watch this space. British Passport Issuing System Down for Weeks!!! DUBAI - The British embassy in Dubai and Abudhabi have been unable to proces passport applications due to a serious snag in the passport issuing IT infrastructure. The embassy has been facing the IT problem and could not rectify it till Friday. "There has been some problem with the passport issuing system and I believe it is being rectified by the IT team. I don't have more details about the problem," said a British Embassy official on emergency duty. According to him, the problem is related to the IT system and the embassy could not process passport application requests. Normally it takes minimum 10 working days to process a passport request from UK citizens residing in the UAE. "We are currently experiencing problems with the Global Passport Issuing System. Our colleagues in the UK are doing all they can to resolve the IT issue," said an official from Abu Dhabi quoting a regret note posted on the British embassy website www.britain-uae.org Jaison Smith, the emergency officer of the British embassy in Dubai too confirmed the problem, but did not divulge more details. It was only recently that the British citizens in the UAE were subjected to an identity theft fraud. "We have been alerted to a bogus Inland Revenue letter and form P86 (1991) which has been sent to British citizens in the United Arab Emirates. The letter refers to the 'Not Ordinarily Resident (NOK)' status of the individual and in particular interest on bank and building society accounts being paid gross," says another alert said. Apparently the system is working properly now, at least the warning note from the webstie has been removed. Internet Phone Fraud Hits Omantel Users Again? MUSCAT - Oman Telecommunications Company (Omantel) has received several complaints from Fixed Line Subscribers regarding international charges they have incurred while surfing the internet. As reported earlier by KM, the bills showed calls made to unfamiliar international numbers. "Upon investigating the matter, Omantel has discovered that these subscribers have incurred these charges by visiting restricted Web sites. The way it happens is that subscribers will download and activate a dialer program which will automatically disconnect their modem from the Omantel internet network and dial international telephone number to reconnect them to an Internet provider network of a distant country where the website is appearing. Some dialer programs will show a frame on the PC screen with a list, from which subscribers are asked to select the country they are connecting from.... To control such net users Omantel has apparently disabled voice and video facilitiy, making many regular chat users frustrated about the problem, which has been persisting for the last three years. While the problem seemed to be solved in Ruwi and other capital areas, net users in interior places still face difficulty in connecting webcams or enabling voice chats. Full Report Internet users get monthly telephone bill of ten thousand dollars! Dubai - A large number of Arab and expatriate Internet browsers in the UAE, Oman and other Gulf countries have been duped by dubious telephone companies from the UK which lured them to pornographic sites, hijacked their modem and telephone line to make international calls to certain UK destinations. Internet Service providers from the region have received scores of complaints from customers who have incurred huge telephone bills without their knowledge. Full Report Middle East region's largest themed shopping experience opened DUBAI - Ibn Battuta Mall, the Middle East region's largest themed shopping experience, was opened today, forming the latest addition to Nakheel's portfolio of unique real estate developments. Ibn Battuta Mall has been uniquely designed to accommodate the best of retail, entertainment and eateries, and is set to emerge as Dubai's leading shopping destination. The architectural inspiration behind the unique design of the mall comes from the travels of the legendary Arab explorer Ibn Battuta, through Andalusia, Tunisia, Egypt, Persia, India and China. Full Report/More News WHO Tells Over 3,000 Labs to Destroy Flu Strain Vials -Indian Truck Drivers still Drive to Iraq for Dhs.10,000 per Trip!!! Full Report Gulf Round Up Popularity Soaring -Asianet Scribe Wins One More Media Award DUBAI -The first Indian news based Television programme from the Gulf "Asianet Gulf Roundup " obtained one more recognition. Biju Abel Jacob, director and anchor of the Gulf Round Up has bagged the maiden media award from the Ajman Malayali Samajam. The Gulf based weekly TV show Gulf Round Up focuses on the Indian expatriate population from Kerala. Abel has earlier bagged prestigious media awards from the Dubai based Chiranthana Samsarika Vedi and Ormma Abu Dhabi. "The award is given to Abel in recognition of the serious issues highlighted by the programme Gulf Round Up, the first news based Malayalam programme from the Gulf, which crossed 60 episodes. Started in January 2003, the programme single handedly perceived and directed by Biju Abel Jacob has created a major impact in the Gulf and Kerala by highlighting serious labour issues and severe problems facing the working class in labour camps," said Naseem punnayur , President and Rajan Mavelikkara general secretary of Ajman Malayali Samajam Full Report and More News Old Man in his 90s Spent Four and Half Years in a Dubai Bus Station...Exclusive Story by V.M.Sathish 'He has been coming here regularly for the last four and half years. We normally don't see him during the day, but he arrives at sharp at 6 pm to spend the entire night at the bus station.' According to him, the old man is sometimes taken home by some people, probably his relatives. 'Eventually he is again dropped at the same spot,' he adds. Though there are many people who spend the night at bus stations, no one seems to be as punctual as Khalid. 'As soon as he comes to the area, he buys himself some coffee or tea. A lot of people also help him out with money.' The man is not a nuisance either. 'Unless and until someone provokes him he does not create any problems,' add eyewitnesses. (click Photo for detailed view) India and UK Sign Major Agreement to improve Civil Aviation Links. Air Transport Agreement between India and US Water Companies Make a Killing by Bottling Desalinated Water from DUBAL DUBAI -As the drinking water market is lucrative 47 companies are already selling in a market of 150,000 bottles of water a day in the UAE. water industry sources reveal that the selling price of tanker water is Dh25 per 1000 gallons, which when compared to the retail price is negligible cost. "Drinking water price in Dubai is too expensive. It is ironical that water costs more than diesel or petrol," said a consumer. The industry representatives are also silent about the cost structure of the industry. Many water companies have set up their plant in Ajman, Sharjah and other Emirates with proven water sources Special Story by V.M.Sathish Water Companies Thirsty for More KM Exclusive Five Gallon Water Companies jack up price in Summer by V.M.Sathish DUBAI - With effect from April 14, 5-gallon water bottle companies will rise price by one dirham for the domestic sector and Dh4 for groceries and supermarkets. Houman K. Sha’ar, the Marketing Manager of Oasis water said that the hike in the price of water is due to the drastically increased cost of production, including the high cost of raw materials used in water production. Representatives of 40 plus water companies have announced in a press conference that the price revision is due to increasing cost of raw materials. Even though he did not reply to questions about the cost structure of the industry and the profit margin of 47 companies, which do roaring business during summer, some water companies are selling water at Dhs.7 per 5 litters. KM investigation revaled that the water companies are getting 1000 gallons of water at Dhs.25! When processed and bottled into 200 bottles of 5 gallons, the same quantity of bottled water fetches Dhs.1000! Even after discounting for waste and processing cost, what is the profit margin? No wonder the water company representative remained silent on the cost structure of the industry! There are many so called Pure Mineral Water Companies, and Pure Drinking Water companies, which just fill the desalination water or pipe water after minor modifications and sell at Dhs.5 to Dhs.7 per bottle of five gallons. As the market is lucrative 47 companies are already selling in a market of 150,000 bottles of water a day!!! Water Companies which buy 1000 gallons of drinking water at Dhs. 25 claim that their transport cost and processing cost has been escalating. A leading water company just process the desalinated water from a private producer and sell five gallons at Dhs.7! They use the same quality water used by construction companies!!! While thousand gallon water costs Dhs.25, estimate the cost of five gallons of water!!! You can estimate in fils and the company's claim that the cost of raw materials go up!!!Even some companies which claim to procure pure natural water from the springs and natural wadis are apparently duping the public by transporting the desalinated water to far away places to bottle it in their plants located within ares believed to have strong ground water resources. Even though there was no rain in Hatta for several years, a mineral water company has been increasing production of pure natural spring water!!!! -- Watch this space. Upendran Nair's Work Obsession to Enter the Guinness Book by R.S.Priya. Thiruvananthapuram: Sixty seven years old Upendran Nair is an untiring man, who has worked all his life, without availing a single leave in his long period of dedicated service to the state government and wishes to enter the Guinness Book of World Records. The sincere government servant, who worked as a driver, chauffer and peon continues to work for the government. Energetic and always pleasant-faced, he had succeeded in creating a good rapport with government officials and ministers that he retirement has been postponed two times.. . Ever since joining the government department, he has not taken a single leave. When he was about to retire in 1993, his addiction to work was the talk of town. Day or night, he is willing to carry files within the secretariat ..However, there was strong objection from the drivers union, when his name was to be sent to the Guinness book of world records.Full Report U.S. army pays Halliburton US$1.18 billion for dining services overseas -Fake Microsoft security Trojan on rampage -Who will be the next Pope? Online gambling sites, taking bets on the next pontiff, may be the best predictors.-Coalition partner quits Kerala government Kovalam Palace to be returned to Galfar: HC .Full Report Saudi Arabia: Men 'Behaving Like Women' Face Flogging (Geneva, April 7, 2005)-- In sentencing more than 100 men toimprisonment and flogging after unfair trials for reputed homosexual conduct, Saudi Arabia has advertised its contempt for the basic rights to privacy, fair trials and freedom from torture, Human Rights Watch and the International Commission of Jurists said today."Prosecuting and imprisoning people for homosexual conduct are flagrant human rights violations," said Scott Long, director of Human Rights Watch's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Rights Program. "Subjecting the victims to floggings is torture, pure and simple." Full Report and More News Google and Yahoo! accused of click fraud collusion - Beware of Search Engine Cookies Earlier Report about Rampant Human Rights and Labour violations in Saudi Arabia -Eclipse on Pope's Funeral -Kuwait Kerala Muslim Association Conducts Essay Competition -Girl marries dog in accordance with tribal customs -MTV launches Web-based TV 'channel' Gulf Journalists Payment Hiked to Arrest Poaching by New English Dailies Journalists working for Gulf News, a leading English Daily from Dubai are jubilant after the management jacked up their salary level in tune with the new move by the UAE government to introduce salary hike. In the case of journalists, the hike ranges from Dhs.500 to Dhs.2000 per month, making it one of the best paymasters in the regional English print media . It is the Dubai media which set payment and perks standard in other Gulf countries too. The newspaper industry is witnessing intense competition with the entry of two daily newspapers within the last six months - Emirates Evening Post and 7 Days. There are also vague reports about plans to launch two more English dailies, one named Dubai Times from Dubai and the second from Abu Dhabi, newspaper managements are expecting further poaching of senior staff with lucrative offers and perks. Newspapers, which follow stubborn polices regarding staff benefits are bound to become very liberal to retain good scribes. New entrants in the print media are luring even middle level journalists with tempting offers. Competition to carry good stories and investigative reporting is becoming intense. As part of this a verbal fight has already erupted between the two leading English dailies about a crime story reported from Ajman, while a third group is eagerly waiting to see both the sheeps fight over tricky issues. When precious newspaper space is devoted for mud slinging, it is better to realize that more powerful Jackals are waiting anxiosly to see their credibility weakened by engaging in unhealthy competition. The payment scene in the Malayalam print media continues to remain pathetic as a new paper which offered Dhs.6,000 to a senior journalist, backed off from the offer and did not pay even half the salary in the subsequent months. The journalist had to leave the paper which hit the market with an "international reputation". In the visual media also, Indiavision, the new entrant is luring fresh talents with lucrative offers. While there are "comrade reporters" working for Dhs.1000 per month for a popular channel, one scribe was offered Dhs.10,000 per month... Watch this space. Rumours sweep Rome death was kept hidden A conspiracy theory suggested that Pope John Paul II had died a day earlier than was officially declared but the news was withheld to give the conservatives an advantage. Read Full Story The Legend of Legends Tributes to O.V.Vijayan Dr. K.M.Seethi - O.V.Vijayan, the legend of Malayalam literature and one of the most celebrated Indian writers, is now history. He breathed his last at Hyderabad on 30 March 2005 leaving behind a tradition of writings unmatched by their rich variety and refreshing originality. He is perhaps the only writer in Malayalam who deserves the encomium philosophe. The passionate scepticism, the faith in human freedom, the belief in the essential spiritual humanistic nature of man and the trenchant attacks on monolithic systems are all the characteristics of his work. The creative genius of the writer expressed itself in new forms of craft and composition which surprised many and, at times, outraged others. Vijayan earned celebrities in a wide variety of fields - from novels to short stories, from politics to philosophy and from cartoons to columns...The very style and language of this masterpiece set in a new tradition in Malayalam literature. The English translation of Khasakinte Ithihasam came in 1994. harmapuranam, Madhuram Gayathi, Gurusagaram, Pravachakante Vazhi, and Thalamurakal were some of his best works. Vijayan also wrote very good short stories such as Kadal Theerathu and Kattu Paranja Katha. He won many prestigious literary awards during the last three decades.Full Report Cricket - Wounded in Kochi, buried in Vishakapattanam By Nishad Anwar -Pakistan must be hating the very mention of Virender Sehwag. Well, they can add another name -- that of Mahendra Singh Dhoni -- to their must-hate list. The duo combined to lead India to a 58-run victory in the second One-Day International on Tuesday. In the three-Test series, Sehwag scored 544 runs, at 90.66, and he hasn't put a foot wrong in the first two matches of the One-Day International series either. His brilliant 74, off just 40 balls, set India on course for a huge total before Dhoni, batting at number three, hit a breezy 148 as India posted 356 for 9 at the end of their allotted 50 overs. In reply, Pakistan were bowled out for 298 in 44.1 overs...More Dubai ranks first in the Arab World and 18th worldwide in Digital Governance Full Report and More News Kairali TV Getting Ready for the Media War with Gulf Varthamanam, Melody Bytes Red Channel Getting Ready to Face Amma -League TV channels DUBAI - April 5, 2005 Kairali TV, one of the popular Malayalam channels, is getting ready to face stiff competition from the new entrants in the visual media with new programmes and a separate news channel. At a time when the Malayalam media from the commercial capital of the Middle East is witnessing unprecedented expansion in terms of number of newspapers and channels, rather than an increase in the number of readers or viewership that attract new players, India Vision and Jeevan TV have already started operations and Amritha TV is expected to launch soon with a strong financial muscle power of Indian/international big business. Kairali TV channel, backed by a number of pro-working class associations and caders working in the Gulf region, is financially supported by large number of ordinary shareholders. Keralite expatriates working in the Middle East form majority of the 250,000 shareholders of the channel spread across the world. Full Report Majority of DMC Employees to Use Public Transport System By V.M.Sathish All expatriate staff to use public bus sytem..UAE national Employees, especially woman Oppose the Move. DUBAI - All the Government Departments in Dubai will introduce vehicle use restriction by employees below certain rank. As a bold step to control the growing traffic congestion that plague normal life in the city, the Dubai Municipality is going ahead with a plan to control private vehicle use by its 12,000 odd employees, majority of whom are asked to use the new high tech public bus system introduced by the Municipality. "Employees are given three months period to switch over to the public transport system and the Municipality will not go back in its bold decision to stop giving parking space to its employees up to certain Grade in the office premises," confirmed a senior Municipality official. Expatriates will be the worst affected.. Full Report and More News KM Captures Historic Images of the Demolition of Dubai World Trade Center Hotel Building KM Captures the special moments of the historic downfall of the first part of Dubai World Trade Center Building on April 1, 2005 8 A.M. KM Learns that the main trade center building may not be standing tall on the Dubai skyline after ..may be two years. Read the first report on this demolition plan here..Richard Green scene pictured below refused to comment on the fees that the demolition work fetched the British company and its local partner Al Rasheed Demolition. However KM learns that the duo got a whopping Dhs.6 million to complete the destruction. It is just the beginning of a new wave of demolition and some of the high rise buildings in the city may disappear soon..The list includes a leading five star hotel, a few entertainment centers and much more...Read more about the demolition here..About 3500 holes of three meters depth were drilled on each pillar of the building. They numbered 3,500 and 200 kgs of exclosives, read dynamite, was used to bring down the building. The pillars were then covered with geo-textiles a material used in civil engineering to withstand high explosion. Debris from the explosion was contained within the fencing erected on each pillar.Watch this space. Click here to view photographs taken a few seconds before the demolition 17th GETEX to Host a Dedicated Section on Education Technology March 31, 2005 A dedicated section on Education Technology, Equipment and Supply will debut at the 17th GETEX (Gulf Education & Training Exhibition), which is to be held from April 5 to 8, 2005, at Dubai International Exhibition Centre. This is the first time that manufacturers and suppliers of educational support materials in the Middle East have a consolidated forum to display their products to regional and international educational institutes, as well as interact with their fraternity from across global markets. More News Israeli Ambassador to Ethiopia shot in his apartment in the Addis Ababa Hilton -GCC Currency in 2010: Al-Assaf Rs.300 crore Technology Center : NORKA yielding to a 'Scientific Hoax' !?? The 300 crore 'Nanotechnology Centre' project announced by the Kerala Government' under 'Non-resident Keralite Affairs Department (NORKA)', based on a trivial proposal submitted by two young medical doctors (Drs. Ajith Kumar and Arunkumar) is now facing serious "Scientific Credibility" issues. The project under controversy is included in the 'one year Action Plan' of the UDF ministry, with an aim to attract 'non -resident keralite (NRK) investments' to Kerala for establishing a high tech centre for 'nanotechnology' in Trivandrum. Given below are some points which will give an idea about the proposal and the controversy.As per the Government version, it is an initiative to develop 'nanotechnology' based knowledge as well as products, which will eventually gather a lot of business from the 'world nano' industries. Simply speaking, it's like a 'multidimensional company' which aims a world market with its novel products. The Government will be giving background support for the 300 crore project while the NRK investment will be used for the scientific installations. The project aims to get at least 1% of the world nano business in 10 years which will be a great achievement. The proposal claims to get an 'early bird' advantage on the world business. Full Report