Rajani Anand suicide victim.
Dismantling of Welfare Measures will result in more Suicides
Rajani S.Anand a poor talented engineering student of Kerala had to committ suicide when she failed to meet the high cost of education. The most literate state in India is witnessing a violent reaction to her suicide. Protest marches, attacks against banks and private colleges are a reflection of the growing resentment against blatant commercialisation of education. Rajani's suicide is the direct fall out of an economic liberalization policy started by none other than the current prime minister Dr.Manmohan Singh.
As a former finance minister Manmohan Singh mercilessly removed various welfare measures which traditionally helped the poor to get education, healthcare and other facilities in an affordable way. India is a poor country and the state has a definite responsibility to shield the poor and backward community. The country is also witnessing a number of farmers suicides due to crop failures, poor returns from agriculture due to the sharp fall in the prices of agricultural goods. The crisis gripping the agricltural sector is also a reflection of the liberal import policy adopted as part of the economic liberaliation policy dictated by the IMF-World Bank and Asian Developmnet Bank. In both suicide cases, the biased banking system is a major culprit.
The state education minister Nalakathu Soopy and other Muslim League ministers have been busy minting money through various corrupt deals like taking kick backs for text book printing from a private press. Industry Minister Kunjalikutty, Tourism Minister K.V.Thomas, Revenue minister K.M.Mani and even the Chief Minister have been busy devising strategies to silently steal a public property like the Kovalam palace worth several crores in collaboration with a private NRK businessgroup. Health minister Shankaran has been busy "procuring" medicines for a commission. When the people's representatives who are elected to "serve the people" were busy in such multicrore deals, a poor backward student had to committ suicide because she did not have a few thousand rupees to meet her educational expenses. She approached the local MLA 27 times seeking his "help" to procure an educational loan from a bank. Are we going back to the era of untouchability when education was the privilege of only the economically privilaged few?
K V Shamsudheen
Chairman
Pravasi Bandhu Welfare Trust
We never had a better economic managment team in Centre before. Mr. P Chidambaram's budgest was paradigm change in India's economic policy. We will be very happy if Government levy tax only on high-net-worth NRI individuals.
But The final decision to impose tax on NRI interest is very bad for low income NRIs. NRI has to pay tax only if his income increases general exeptionof Rs 50000 plus additional excemption that means if income exeeds Rs. 62000/ . Banks will deduct tax at source at the rate of 30% if the income is even Rs. 10. Govt. says when you file income tax return, if your income is lees than Rs. 62,000/ you will get full refund .
Out of 5 million NRIs in gulf how many of them have interest income of more than Rs. 62000 ? The majority of the low income people are working 12 house a day. How may of them have expertise, knowledge and time to file income tax return. So, Government is looting from them by deducting tax at source, even though they are not eligible to pay tax.
These poor people do not have organizations, knowledge and ability to react. We have hundreds of NRI organization in Gulf and in India, we appeal to all these organisations to use their political contacts with ruling and opposition parties to pressure to withdraw the tax proposal and save low income people.
K V Shamsudheen
Chairman
Pravasi Bandhu Welfare TrustIndia in touch with Iraq to Save Abducted Indians
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has asked the Home Ministry to get details about the family members of the three Indians kidnapped by a militant group in Iraq to enable the Government to get in touch with them, official sources said today.The Prime Minister's directive has been conveyed to officials in the Home Ministry by the PMO, they said. According to News Agencies, Government is also expected to the make a statement in the Lok Sabha on the issue of kidnapping of the three Indian truckers identified as Tilak Raj, Sukhdev Singh and Antaryami.The External Affairs Ministry is in touch with Indian Embassies in Iraq and Kuwait as part of efforts for their safe and early return."We are trying to get in touch with various sources," they said, observing that Indian envoy to Iraq Brij Tyagi, who was here, left for Baghdad today. Efforts would be made to try and open up channels of communication with the militant group to secure release of the hostages, said reports. A group calling itself 'Black Flags' has taken three Indians, two Kenyans and an Egyptian hostage in Iraq yesterday and threatened to behead them if the Kuwaiti firm for which they work did not pull out of the country. The Indians are Antaryami, Tilak Raj and Sukhdev Singh. The event has created panic among thousands of Indians working in the Middle East.
Dubai Municipality Introduces New Parking Meter System
The Ba
y of International Air Charter at the Middle East Aviation Pavilion in Farnborou
DUBAI - The Car Parking Section of the Roads Department in Dubai Municipality has accomplished two vital projects that will help enhance the overall quality of services provided to the users of car parking facilities in the Emirate of Dubai. The first project, called Central Control System of Pay Parking Machines, is a system to control the pay parking machines through remote control, while the second project is a system for issuing automated fines using computers, said Eng. Nasser Ahmed Saeed, Director of Roads Department. Full Report and more News from Dubai Middle East Full Report
ICDL GCC Foundation grants accreditation to EduBus to deliver ICDL training and certification in remote areas
CompuBase's state-of-the-art mobile training facility aims to take ICDL training and testing everywhere
July 23, 2004 ICDL GCC Foundation has granted accreditation to EduBus, the state of the art mobile training facility of CompuBase, to deliver the internationally renowned ICDL training and certification program to people living in UAE's distant areas that lack access to technological infrastructure for IT training. The move is part of ICDL GCC Foundation's ongoing efforts to raise computer skills among the people of the GCC countries.
'EduBus' is the region's first state-of-the-art mobile IT training unit, equipped with advanced technology and training tools, in a hi-tech learning environment. The idea was conceived by CompuBase, a leading training centre that follows a modern approach to IT training which synergises with the ICDL vision of delivering the highest standards of basic computer proficiency to all.
Jamil Ezzo, Director General, ICDL GCC Foundation, said; "We are pleased to grant accreditation to the EduBus project, as it represents a practical solution to serve remote areas that lack accessibility to IT training facilities. The decision reflects our commitment to work with our partners to develop and deliver innovative educational methods to achieve basic computer skills, with the larger goal of improving the ability to pursue productive careers. This is in keeping with the ICDL mission to offer the opportunity to the members of all social strata in upgrading their computer skills."
Ayman Khalil, Managing Director, CompuBase UAE, said: "EduBus has won strong acceptability among various public and private sectors in the UAE. The National Human Resources Development and Employment Authority (Tanmia) has already benefited from EduBus, with national jobseekers from Sharjah and Ajman acquiring the ICDL certification under its 'Maharat' program. Further, we have completed four on-site ICDL training sessions in association with Al Shareaah Women's Club in Al Shareaah area, a remote place between Abu Dhabi and Dubai. This cooperation between CompuBase and Al Shareaah Women's Club offered a great opportunity for housewives to get ICDL training at their doorstep. EduBus also offers ICDL Certification to employees of city centric enterprises, who choose to undergo the test nearer to their offices."
Khalil added, "As part of our commitment to provide the very latest in IT training and technologies, we have added ICDL training certificate as a foundation program to the various training that EduBus offers. This has allowed us to offer training and certification to different segments, such as army personnel, petroleum company workers or housewives, who are living or working in remote areas, by using state-of-the-art facilities and supported by advanced training tools."
The ICDL training at EduBus covers seven modules that provide each trainee with the basic concepts of IT, management of computer files and equipment, word processing, use of spreadsheets, databases and presentation packages. The training is delivered inside the bus in an idyllic classroom environment.
ICDL GCC Foundation is the governing body of ICDL programme in the Gulf States and the regional arm of European Computer Driving Licence (ECDL), the not-for-profit global governing body of the ICDL member countries dedicated to helping raise the basic computer competency in societies and providing access for all to the information society. The ICDL training program has achieved remarkable success in the Middle East since its introduction in 2001 by UNESCO Cairo Office. Currently several education ministries and academic institutions in the region are adopting the training to enhance IT skills of students and teachers.
Cyber Sex Cafes Mushroom in Kerala?
This picture shows the cyber cafes are the latest randevouz for the young love makers
KM Exclusive - The new generation of Keralite girls and boys find the cyber era more conducive to vent out their suppressed sexual fantasies. The latest is special cyber cafes adjacent to city schools and colleges in Kerala which facilitates physical sex inside the privacy of cafes. Pictured here is one such parlours which provide facilities like blue CDs to be viewed using the cafe. Many cafes in Kerala offer a facility to see hot CDs, browse hot sites which are difficult to view at home or other public places. Some cafes in Kerala cities allow lovers to make actual love, except the actual intercourse. There are four cafes near a private college in Kochi where lovers can come and enjoy foreplay, massaging and everything else except the actual intercourse. In big cities it is becoming the new trend as college girls and boys come to colleges saying that they have special lab session. A lot of Kerala girls are being lured tocyber sex and cyber cafes, which offer special cabins like this one. It is there in Trichur (near west fort), it is there in Ernakulam near a famous college and it may spread to every nook and corner of the state. The Thiruvananthapuram city is infected with many college girls who are engaged in commercial sex business with the aid of high tech equipment like mobile phones and chat. Parents please control the cyber misuse by your young daughters. Dont allow them to maintain cyber sex relationship with multiple partners from multiple cities and towns..Likea girl in Thiruvananthapuram, who indulges in cyber romance with partners in Bombay Dubai, Muscat, New York, Bhuvaneswar, Kochi, London and Thiruvananthapuram to list a few places...Her buddy list exceeds our imagination. Where are we heading buddies....Watch this space. by KM Editor
Fujitsu Siemens Computers launches LIFEBOOK E8010, a full-size high-performance notebook
Comfort and performance for business customers: modular, secure and ergonomic
Dubai, July 22, 2004 Fujitsu Siemens Computers, the leading international IT company, has launched LIFEBOOK E8010, a new feature-rich, secure notebook with desktop-like performance. The system comes equipped with a 15-inch display, and a great graphics solution for excellent viewing and an optional, external graphic. A flexible modular bay concept enables the system to use a large variety of different options. This powerful platform will be available featuring the new Intel Pentium M Processor (codenamed Dothan).
The LIFEBOOK E8010 targets large enterprises that need high-performance notebooks. It is also well placed to deliver effective solutions to small and mid-sized companies as well as freelancers.
"International market research shows that the demand for high-performance notebooks at large enterprises is set to increase by 13 percent over the next two years," said Susanne Lewitzki, Product Marketing Manager, Fujitsu Siemens Computers. "At the regional level too we have noticed an increased interest in this class of notebooks. Fujitsu Siemens Computers' industry-leading features have made our notebooks the first choice among companies that put high performance and security above everything else. The LIFEBOOK E8010 addresses this market very effectively."
The new notebook offers a new high-end platform for the professional mobile user. Integrated security functions such as the security panel and smart card reader, as well as the optional Trusted Platform Module (TPM), provide robust access protection and ensure secure data transmission - even with wireless communication.
Available in different configurations, the LIFEBOOK E8010 is based on Intel® Centrino™ Mobile Technology, which together with the latest recharging technology and an optional second battery, ensures long cable-free operation. For the graphics card, users can choose between integrated i855GME graphics (shared memory) and separate ATI-Radeon 9700 graphics with 64 MB VRAM on board. Two 15.1-inch TFT displays are available: a 1024 x 768 pixel XGA and 1400 x 1050 pixels SXGA+.
There are numerous ports for peripheral components located directly on the LIFEBOOK E8010, and it also comes with the latest b/g standard compatible WLAN. Bluetooth can also be integrated, while additional devices can be connected via a Port Replicator that is also compatible with the LIFEBOOK S7010. The modular bay concept offers customers a wealth of flexibility to add different optical drives, a second hard disk drive or an extra battery on demand, and the same bay module can be used with the entire family of contemporary modular LIFEBOOK models.
LIFEBOOK E Series models come pre-installed with Microsoft Windows XP Professional. The accompanying DeskView system management software developed by Fujitsu Siemens Computers helps to reduce the total cost of ownership. The security panel, an integrated SmartCard controller and a Trusted Platform Module TPM, which is available via "made4you" customizing services, identify the computer in the network and ensure secure authentication and data protection.
Wataniya Telecom Launches "Roaming Without Deposit"
Wataniya Telecom announces new promotional roaming service; postpaid customers not asked to place deposit
Kuwait - 25 July, 2004 Wataniya Telecom, Kuwait's leading mobile operator, has launched a new promotional roaming service for post-paid mobile users. "Roaming Without Deposit" is designed to give its post paid customers greater accessibility to roaming mobile services by eliminating the fee demanded by most operators as a deposit. The new service allows subscription to roaming services on a direct debit billing system.
"Mobiles have become a huge part of our lives," said Andrei Torriani, Chief Product Development and Technology Officer, Wataniya Telecom. "From a business point of view, we are on call 24 hours a day regardless of where in the world we are. For this reason roaming services are an essential component of the services operators provide. However, many mobile users view roaming services as unattractive because of the hefty deposit charges. This service was designed to address this exact issue and ensure that our customers get what they need when they need it."
"Roaming Without Deposit" provides mobile users with up to 150 KD of monthly roaming usage without the need for a deposit. Instead, billing is done through the Direct Debit Credit Card Facility provided by Wataniya. This service is a promotion throughout the summer for post-paid Wataniya Telecom customers.
Subscription can be done through the Wataniya Telecom Branches, Head Sales Office or the Business and Commercial Accounts Departments. The service will be activated within 24 hours of subscription once the customer has subscribed to the direct debit payment facility.
Gardens Community summer camp a runaway hit with the kids
The fun filled camp hosted by Delhi Private School (DPS) draws attendees from across Dubai
July 24, 2004 The Gardens community recently organised a Summer Camp, hosted by the Delhi Private School (DPS), for children aged between five and seven, following the phenomenal success of a similar camp organised last year. DPS Gardens is a part of the internationally renowned chain of DPS schools and has been operating out of the gardens since April 2003. The camp attracted children from within the Gardens community as well as from across Dubai.
"With open spaces, lots of greenery and vibrant cross-cultural community, The Gardens is an ideal location for Summer Camp activities," said Esam Hassan Saleh, Senior Manager, Leasing and Property Management, The Gardens. "The hosting of a summer camp by DPS was a boon to parents of young children living in The Gardens. The activities offered at the camp were designed not just to occupy the children during the long summer mornings, but also to contribute to the all-round development of the child's personality. The camp also provided children with an opportunity to sample the diverse cultures of the different nationalities that make up the Gardens Community, enhancing in the process the people-to-people bonding that makes this community such a great place to live in."
The Summer Camp was packed with activities that engrossed the children in learning key skills to advance their personality, language, social and vocational skills. The various courses included; Drama, Creative Writing and Public Speaking training, IT orientation classes, Arts and Craft workshops, Arabic language courses (for beginners as well as advanced learners), Music instruction included vocal training in classical and semi classical genres as well as the playing of several musical instruments. The camp also held sessions promoting the ancient art of needlework. For the little ones interested in cooking, there were classes that taught recipes, which could be prepared without lighting a fire. For the sporty kids there were a variety of sporting activities, including cricket and table tennis.
Weekly treats arranged for the children provided them with adequate enthusiasm even under the spell of the summer heat. At the grand finale of the Summer Camp, the participating children showcased their talents and newly acquired skills in front of an enthralled audience. A newsletter, "Expressions '04", was also released at the function marking the end of the Summer Camp. The camp ran for two and a half weeks, from 3 to 21 July 2004, 2004, between 9 AM and 12 Noon, Saturday through to Wednesday.
"The Gardens stands apart from its peers as a model township complete with open spaces, greenery and a full set of community amenities. We are a socially alive cosmopolitan group of people playing host to a diversity of cultures, and fulfilling the needs of each other," said Saleh. "The Gardens is happy to have extended the help and the facilities needed for the smooth functioning of the camp to the organisers which made this summer a very memorable one for the children," he added.
Yemen expresses support to IPR issues by warning people against using pirated software
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