New Quake Rattles Northern Japan, Felt in Tokyo
Japan continues to be rocked by major earthquakes.
Amidst fears of an earthquake in the North Eastern part of the
UAE, Japan was rocked by another earthquake that measured 6 points
on the Ritcher scale More
Earthquake
Victims facing Stress in Japan. US
is transferring War Crimes by Secretly shifting POWs to US
- US
gave date of war to Britain in advance, court papers reveal
- Hawala Transactions between Kerala
and Gulf
More than 1,000 "hot spots" by 2006
in GCC region will boost wireless connectivity
October 25, 2004 The evolving Wireless Fidelity
(Wi-Fi) WLAN technology that allows high-speed wireless Internet
through access points called "hot spots" at public places
is gathering momentum in the Gulf region in general and Dubai
in particular. The GCC is projected to have over 1,000 "hot
spots" by the end of 2006, with a total number of 250,000
users. More
Dubai plans Smart City in Kochi Infopark : Kunjalikutty
UAE
companies keen to set up training and outsourcing center in Kerala
DUBAI - The Dubai Government has shown keen interest
in developing a smart city at the Kochi Info Park for software
development and outsourcing work for the Dubai Internet City based
companies. P.Kunjalikutty, state industries minister who has been
touring Dubai as part of the Gitex delegation, has met two prominent
officials to further discuss the project feasibilities. "I
met Dr.Umar Sulaiman, Director General of DIFC (Dubai International
Financial Center) and Ahmad Bin Byat has been Director General
of the Dubai Technology, Electronic Commerce and Media Free Zone
(TECOM). Dubai Port Authority is already
developing the Kochi container Terminal and the Emirates Group
wants to develop further and make Kochi its regional hub for the
Indian operations, he said. "We have been holding serious
talks with the Dubai Internet City for the last four years and
Kerala pavallion has attracted many companies from Dubai,"
he added. ..Full
Report and more News
Tremors Continue to Affect Normal life in Dibba,
UAE Gulf region lack quake study labs
The mild tremors which started from the first
day of Ramadan continue to haunt residents of Dibba who have experienced
two moderate tremors on Monday. On an average three to four tremors
are recorded every year from the area and the residents continue
to live a tense life. Meanwhile the UAE authorities are urged
to devote more resources for earthquake monitoring systems. Even
though the UAE is said to be in a seismically active region, adjacent
to Turkey and Iran, two earthquake prone Middle Eastern countries,
there is no sufficient infrastructure to study the natural phenomenon
which happens beneath the ground. The Earthquake Monitoring Centre
of the American University of Sharjah (AUS) has identified leading
international agencies to work out a new building code for the
UAE and is adding new scientific instruments to strengthen the
weak earthquake-monitoring infrastructure in the UAE.
Read the full report by V.M.Sathish in Khaleej Times
Earthquake
rocks Japan killing 21, injuring 1,800 - Aftershocks
from Japan earthquake keep fabs shut down
Love at First Sight - When the famous Malayali
actress Sheela met the celebrity film maker Adoor Gopalakrishnan
for the first time in their life....that too in Dubai while attending
the international Malayali film festival....Photos by Kabir Edavanna
(click image)
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New Delhi - The Human Resource Development Minister,
Shri Arjun Singh, has directed his Ministry to fix responsibility
with regard to sanctioning of 95 Kendriya Vidyalayas in the recent
past. It has now been found that these schools were sanctioned
in violation of the norms for setting up of these institutions
without sanction either by the Government or the executive committee
of the Kendriya Vidyalaya Sanghatan which had not met for three
years. Shri Singh has also ordered that the matter may be taken
to the Cabinet for an appropriate decision for the continuation
of most of these schools and the allocation of resources for them.
He has directed that the careers of the students admitted in these
irregular schools are not jeopardized in any way. Full
Report and More News
Expatriate Dies of Gas Cylinder Explosion in Wadi
Kabir Unit of Oman Industrial Gas Co
MUSCAT - In an explosion within the Wadi Kabir
unit of Oman Industrial Gas Company, a Bangali worker who sustained
80 per cent injuries is confirmed dead and another Pakistani workers
was seriously injured. Some more Indian employees have sustained
minor injuries. Even though many Malayalis are working in the
gas filling station located near the Mazda showroom in Wadi Kabir,
only three of them have sustained minor injuries. The accident
occured when the injured workers were filling a gas cylinder for
a city hospital beyond its full capacity...Watch this space.
Earthquake: More Tremors in Dibba as residents
continue to live in Panic
The Dibba region remained seismically active as
the monitoring station of the American University of Sharjah has
recorded more than three new tremors on Friday. According to experts,
occurance of more than 25 minor earthquakes could be a prelude
to a major earthquake. Expecting the worst, many residents have
spend their life outside their home and two three families are
living together. Those women and children without their husbands
at home are seeking asylum in the neighbouring homes. About 150
odd Malayali families are also worried about the possibility of
an earthquake in the region. Two years back a similar earthquake
in Masafi caused cracks on buildings. The Fujiarah government
is closely monitoring the situation...Watch this space.
Indian Media Forum Members boycott
Iftar party of 8 UAE Based Social Organisations
Journalists raise objections to
skewed statement of UMA head
DUBAI - As a fitting reply to
the baseless allegation made by Naushad Punnathala, head United
Malayali Association (UMA), the Indian Media Forum (IMF) which
represents the Indian journalists in the UAE have boycotted a
high profile iftar party organised yesterday. The informal boycott
call from IMF came in the aftermath of a speech made by Mr.Naushad
at a special award function organised by Chiranthana Samskarika
Vedi to honour Biju Abel Jacob, the Asianet reporter who received
this years best journalism award. In a speech, the UMA head alleged
that journalists in India and Dubai will write anything any time,
if they are bribed with wine and "woman", a statement
to which some of the media professionals raised serious objections.
While journalists may be taking wine from these associations,
an allegation that giving woman as an incentive to get news published
tantamounted to ridiculing the entire journalistic freternity
assembled there to honour the recipient of best journalist award,
Mr.Naushad said from what he claimed was his personal experience
in New Delhi that "journalists have to be provided with wine
and woman toget things done." He extended the allegation
to journalists working in the UAE as well. The iftar party organised
at the Gulf Model School Al Khisis under UMA banner was boycotted
by almost all the journalists including Kairali and Asianet Channels.
The objection raised to his statement by KM editor was supported
by many eminent journalists including Mahsar, M.C.A.Naser (Madhyamam)
Biju Abel Jacob, Ahmed Sharief (IMF Secretary) and K.M. Abbas,
Kairali representative. The UMA iftar party was organised for
leading socio-cultural associations like Bhavana Arts Society,
Dubai Arts Lovers Association, Dubai Kairali Kalakendram, Dubai
Priyadarishni, Emirates Arts Center, Indian Arts Society, Indian
Cultural Association, Indian Relief Committee working under the
patronage of the Indian Consulate General Dubai and the Indian
Association Dubai. It is learned that he iftar party was boycotted
because the organisers discriminated against two journalists who
raised objections to Mr.Punnathala's perverted remarks about the
entire journalists community in India and the Middle East. Even
though the organisers invited many journalists for the Iftar party,
except Deepika International representative Mahsar . While the
IMF gesture is a welcome step to safeguard the dignity and integrity
of journalists in this part of the world, the concerned associations
should take it as an assertion that all journalists cannot be
branded and measured with the same barometer. While there are
corrupt people in any profession including media, it is an unwarrented
allegation to brand all professionals as corrupt. We admit that
there are editors who demand beautiful girls body as an incentive
to get their work done, not all journalists cannot be branded
similar. There are journalists who steal public fund, but not
all.. KM will continue to work for media freedom -- KM
Editor.
Halliburton
may keep billions
of dollars disputed money
- George
Bush Insist on Iraq-Al Qaeda Links - Top
British Composer converts to Islam- US
Airlines Incur Huge Losses
US tried to plant WMDs, failed: whistleblower
A report posted by a retired Navy Lt Commander
and 28-year veteran of the Defense Department (DoD) says the Bush
administration’s assurance about finding weapons of mass
destruction in Iraq was based on a Central Intelligence Agency
(CIA) plan to “plant” WMDs inside the country. Full
Report from the Daily Times
Iran's Missile Test Triggers Minor earthquake
in Oman-UAE boarder
Residents
Worried about Frequent Tremors, Spend night outside flats
DIBBA - Residents of Dibba, a boarder town of
Oman, UAE and Iran, have experienced minor trememours since the
beginning of Ramadan and the worried people of the locality said
they are scared of living in the old buildings in the area. Speaking
to KM, Dibba residents said two tremors were experienced at 1.20
and 1.30 PM on Wednesday and a third tremor was felt at 2 M. Many
families spend their sleepless night outside the buildings and
the tremors continued afterwards. The area witnessed a bigger
tremor at early morning that created panic among people. There
are about 150 Keralite families living in the area. KM suspects
that the tremor was triggered by the underground or under sea
nuclear tests conducted by a Middle Eastern country. More
PDO Gives $500 million Contract to Halliburton
- Three major contracts awards for Halliburton's core services
to boost US Vice President Dick Cheny
MUSCAT/HOUSTON, Texas – Halliburton (NYSE:HAL)
announced today that it has been awarded three major contracts
in Oman by Petroleum Development Oman (PDO). The total value of
these contracts is estimated to be between $400 and $500 million
over five years, with optional extensions of two years. The contracts
cover the provision of cementing services, stimulation services,
directional drilling services, logging-while-drilling services
and mudlogging services More
News
British Airports Authority Withdraws from the
Oman Airport Management plan.
Second blow to hit Oman's privatisation plan after
Hillwood of America divorced the Salalah Free Zone
MUSCT - Giving one more blow to Oman's plan to
capitalise on the expected regional travel, British Airports Authority
which was part of 25 years lease agreement with the Omani government
to manage the Seeb and Salalah Airports have announced their premature
withdrawal from the project, raising serious questions about the
viability of the project and Oman as a safe destination for foreign
capital. Hardly a year after the American real estate multinational
Hillwood withdrew from the Salalah Free Zone Development Plan
allegedly due to the increased risk in the southernmost tip of
Oman due to its adjacent location to the Iraq war zone, the BAA
withdrawal seems to be due to commercial interests. As a number
of multibillion airport projects are coming up in Doha Qatar and
Dubai, UAE Oman's ambitious plans turned out to be non profitable
, say observers. The consortum of local and international investors
including major multinationals like ABB, BAA and the local group
Bahawans have failed to reach financial closure of the project,
obviously due to its weak financials. "It has, however, proved
impossible to achieve financial closure on the terms of the privatisation
and the development of a new terminal at Seeb airport,' BAA said
in a statement. The manner in which the consortium was working
for the project had raised many eyebrows and its multibillion
investment plans never materialised. As KM reported earlier on
one occasion, while most of the passengers using the airport are
middle class and lower middle class expatriates from South Asian
countries, the high tech high cost facilities developed within
the airport terminal were not catering to such passengers. To
cite one example, there are international brands of coffee shops
and eateries, but for an ordinary passenger, it was not affordable
to spend RO 5 for a coffee!!! Most of the passengers or their
relatives who used to sip a cup of tea or coffee stopped buying
it...A new food court featured the first ever Caesar's Pizza in
Oman and marked the welcome return of Dairy Queen burgers and
ice cream. While Oman Air, the national career is stilla white
elephant, Gulf Air, in which Oman is a shareholder stopped direct
operations to Seeb and changed its regional hub to Manama and
Abu Dhabi. The airline came back to Muscat only after the country
threatened to withdraw its shareholding in the airline, as did
by some other GCC countries. "Opening the food court heralded
another step forward in the implementation of the retail strategy
for the airport, the company managing the show claimed. The event
followed the signing of an 8 (eight) year catering concession
agreement between Jawad International Projects LLC and Oman Airports
Management Company (OAMC) and is the first of 2 (two) food courts
to open at the airport, this year. Even the airport employees
and ground staff who could not afford to buy the costly coffee
or pizzas had to search for affordable eateries, which almost
disappeared from the airport. OAMC has a 25 year lease which commenced
in January 2002.More
KM
Special on Earthquakes in the Middle East - Gujarath Earthquake
Iran
successfully tests improved Shihab-3 missile
KM Special Report: Nuclear Explosion and Earthquakes?
Nuclear Testing is responsible for 25 per cent of all earthquakes:
UK Seismic Expert
London: " It is impossible to have an underground
nuclear test without creating an earthquake - not necessarily
in the immediate vicinity but anywhere in the world. Of every
30 major earthquakes, some 21 or 22 follow a nuclear explosion.
There are other reasons for earthquakes, but the vast majority
are the result of underground nuclear testing. We need not test
nuclear bombs. Self-interest is causing these earthquakes,"
said one geologist who has been monitoring the co relation."The
tragic earthquake in Gujarath is a terrible event It is indeed
my information that nuclear testing is responsible for 25 per
cent of all earthquakes, which is obviously an unacceptable amount.
However, this particular earthquake in India is not the result
of nuclear testing but is entirely from natural causes, in this
case, the movement of the tectonic plates in that area of the
world," says Benjamin Creme Editor, Share International magazine,
which has been monitoring earthquakes in different parts of the
world. "My information is that the final death toll will
most likely reach 60,000 when all the dead and missing are counted.
Obviously the multi-storey buildings were not built with earthquakes
in mind ‹ this is something that the Indian Government would
need to enforce. Full Report
Who is the TV channel honcho, two businessmen
figuring in Kiliroor sex racket??
The editor of a Malayalam television channel had
recently met Latha Nair and the girl at a tourist resort in Alappuzha.
Latha Nair, with the girl in tow, met him seeking a chance to
work in some television programmes. They were together in the
resort till noon and parted after having lunch, reported media
quoting police sources. Latha Nairs son is working in Kuwait.
Apparently the sex racket has close links to the blue film racket
in Dubai/Kuwait with the active support of a leading Jewellery
group with branch in Alappuzha. More
TV channel honcho, NRI businessman figure in Kiliroor
sex racket
This was one of the headlines in one
of the main southern online newspaper of today (4-Oct-04). Can
I know why Kerala Monitor is silent on this. If our guess is correct
the TV channel honcho is non other than the one who left Kuwait.
Only recently Kerala Monitor praised his involvement and efforts
in another case- this only prove that a leopard cannot change
its colours and history repeats itself. Such people are only waiting
for a chance to get a pat from people like you and you have given
to him. Can you please correct your mistake? A... (name withheld)
More
Dubai
Municipality Starts Smoking Ban in Public Places Department
of Economic Development joins Dubai eGovernment's AskDubai platform
Veerappan Committed Suicide?
More
Veerappan Stories from rediff STF offensive cocoons Veerappan:
Deccan Herald Expert
suggests DNA profiling to confirm identity Karnataka
to investigate political links of Veerappan
Veerappan Shot Dead by STF Headed
by Malayali IPS officer. -More
News here
Oil
Prices Heading towards $60 per barrel level Jharkand
girl who weeps stones in plea for help
A 15-year-old girl called Savitri from Jharkhand
has been admitted to hospital suffering from tiny stones that
emerge from the corners of her eyes. Doctors said they have never
seen anything like it, and they cannot explain it, read more from
the Guardian.
Gold Exports
touch billion dollar level : Broadband issue in Telecom and More
News
KM Special
Kovalam ITDC Hotel Deal should be investigated
by the Central Government: VS
Even when the state government has allowed the
hotelier Galfar Mohammed Ali to retain many affiliated buildings
surrounding the main Kovalam Palace, the leader of opposition
V.S.Achuthananthan has demanded a central government probe into
the dubious ITDC Hotel deal at a throw away price. The Congress
led central government, in which CPM is a constituent, is conducting
an investigation, a similar probe should be conducted about the
Kovalam hotel deal. Even though the Congress party alleged serious
irregularities in the Centaur Hotel privatisation by the BJP Government,
many of its state leaders have approved the Kovalam hotel deal.
KM learns that the hotel deal involved some prominent NRK businessmen
from Dubai including a leading figure who occupies important position
in the board of a private airport in Kerala. While the so called
M-Far group is an unknown entity, even within the famous Galfar
group, the reason for conducting the business in that name is
yet to be probed. A senior advocate in Thiruvananthapuram is closely
associated with various NRK groups who are involved in the hotel
deal. V.S.Achuthananthan, who is fighting a bitter war against
a fraction of CPM leadership sympathetical to big business houses,
was inaugurating another protest march against the Kovalam hotel
deal. He said quoting sources that the new hotel owner Dr.P.Mohammed
Ali has bribed many politicians and wanted to know the beneficiaries
of his generosity. He added that by allowing the dubious hotel
owner some more time to vacate other buildings in the compound,
the state chief minister has cheated the public.
17
US soldiers held in Iraq after disobeying orders This
war on terrorism is bogus The 9/11 attacks gave the US an ideal
pretext to use force to secure its global domination
KM Exclusive Real
World Face of Faiz: Agent dupes Unemployed Youth from Kerala:
Charges Rs.1.5 lakhs for Visit visas which cost just Rs.5000!
Real World, a company with operations
in Dubai and Bombay (Dongri) is responsible for duping hundreds
of Keralites from different parts of the state. KM investigation
revealed that the main culprit behind these operations remain
anonymous. The man pictured here -one Mr. Faizal from Bombay -
has allegedly duped many Keralites by offering lucrative job in
the Gulf in return for Rs,.1.5 lakh from each candidate. Real
World Importers and Exporters, Real World Manpower Consultants
and other names are used to lure customers through a network of
agents and sub agents. The visa racket members are known in different
names in different places but their original identity is known
to some. It is learned that a leading visa racket member is running
a hotel at Mukkam Kozhikkodu.More
The
United Arab Emirates President, His Highness Shiekh Zayed bin Sultan
al-Nahayan has died, state television reported.. "The royal
court announces to Arab and Islamic countries and the rest of the
world the death of the leader of the nation Sheikh Zayed ... on
Tuesday evening," said an announcement read out on Abu Dhabi
television. Under the UAE constitution, Vice-President and Prime
Minister Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid al-Maktoum, ruler of Dubai, will
act as president until the federal council which groups rulers of
the seven emirates meets within 30 days to elect a new president.
