K E R A L A M O N I T O R N E W S International
BBC broadcast ’fake’ news reports; UK Journalists Work for Government and Military!!
Fake journalists operating in the UK too, reports a webportal. The government pays for their wages and they provide news as if they were normal journalists rather than paid propagandists. Normally they work in a little known outfit with the acronym BFBS, which stands for British Forces Broadcasting Service. BFBS exists to ‘entertain and inform’ British armed forces around the world and is entirely funded by the British Ministry of Defence. BFBS is run by the SSVC. But on this occasion no mention of Ministry of defence funding was made. She was introduced simply as a reporter ’from the British Forces Broadcasting Service’ who ’has been embedded with the Scots Guards’ Read the Full Report
U.S. Military Covertly Pays to Run Stories in Iraqi Press
Washington, December 1 (RHC)-- The U.S. military is secretly paying Iraqi newspapers to publish stories written by occupation troops as part of a propaganda campaign in the occupied Arab country. The articles, written by U.S. military "information operations" troops, are translated into Arabic and placed in Baghdad newspapers with the help of a defense contractor, according to U.S. military officials and documents obtained by the Los Angeles Times. Many of the articles are reportedly presented in the Iraqi press as unbiased news accounts written by independent journalists. The stories praise the work of U.S. and Iraqi troops, denounce insurgents and paint bright pictures of U.S.-led efforts to rebuild the country. The Los Angeles Times says that although the articles are basically factual, they present only one side of events and omit information that might reflect poorly on the U.S. or Iraqi governments. Records and interviews indicate that the U.S. has paid Iraqi newspapers to run dozens of such articles, with headlines such as "Iraqis Insist on Living Despite Terrorism," since the effort began earlier this year.
The operation is reportedly designed to hide any connection with the U.S. military. The Pentagon has a contract with a small Washington-based firm called Lincoln Group, which helps translate and place the stories. The Lincoln Group's Iraqi staff, or its subcontractors, sometimes pose as freelance reporters or advertising executives when they deliver the stories to Baghdad media outlets. The military's effort to disseminate propaganda in the Iraqi media is taking place even as U.S. officials are pledging to promote what they call "democratic principles" and "freedom of speech" in the occupied Arab country. It also comes as the State Department is training Iraqi reporters in basic journalism skills and Western media ethics, including one workshop titled "The Role of Press in a Democratic Society."
The military's information operations campaign has sparked a backlash among some senior military officers in Iraq and at the Pentagon who argue that attempts to subvert the news media could destroy the U.S. military's credibility in other nations and with the American public.
The Bush administration has previously come under criticism for distributing video and news stories in the United States without identifying the federal government as their source and for paying American journalists to promote administration policies, practices the Government Accountability Office itself has labeled "covert propaganda."
One military official told the Los Angeles Times that, as part of a psychological operations campaign that has intensified over the last year, the Pentagon task force also had purchased an Iraqi newspaper and taken control of a radio station -- using them to channel pro-American messages to the Iraqi public. The official refused to disclose which newspaper and radio station are under direct U.S. control.
U.S. law forbids the military from carrying out psychological operations or planting propaganda through American media outlets. Yet several officials said that given the globalization of media driven by the Internet and the 24-hour news cycle, the Pentagon's efforts were carried out with the knowledge that coverage in the foreign press inevitably "bleeds" into the Western media and influences coverage in U.S. news outlets.
One senior military official who spent this year in Iraq said it was the strong pro-U.S. message in some news stories in Baghdad that first made him suspect that the American military was planting articles. The official said: "Stuff would show up in the Iraqi press, and I would ask, 'Where the hell did that come from?' It was clearly not something that indigenous Iraqi press would have conceived of on their own."
According to several sources, the process for placing the stories begins when soldiers write "storyboards" of events in Iraq, such as a joint U.S.-Iraqi raid on a suspected insurgent hide-out, or a suicide bomb that killed Iraqi civilians.
The storyboards, several of which were obtained by The Times, read more like press releases than news stories. They often contain anonymous quotes from U.S. military officials; it is unclear whether the quotes are authentic.
In 2002, the Pentagon was forced to shut down its Office of Strategic Influence, which had been created the previous year, after reports surfaced that it intended to plant false news stories in the international media.
Lincoln Group, formerly known as Iraqex, is one of several companies hired by the U.S. military to carry out "strategic communications" in countries where large numbers of U.S. troops are based. Some of Lincoln Group's work in Iraq is very public, such as an animated public service campaign on Iraqi television that spotlights the Iraqi civilians killed by roadside bombs planted by insurgents.
Besides its contract with the military in Iraq, Lincoln Group this year won a major contract with U.S. Special Operations Command, based in Tampa, Florida. The aim was to develop a strategic communications campaign in concert with special operations troops stationed around the globe. The contract is worth up to $100 million over five years.
Dabhol Restructuring Plan
Various aspects for restart of the Dabhol power project including its financial viability have been deliberated among concerned stakeholders including the Government of Maharashtra under the overall supervision of the Empowered Group of Ministers set up by the Government of India to examine and decide all issues related to the project. Consequent to these deliberations, various activities for early restart of the project have commenced at the project site. Informing the Lok Sabha today in a written reply to a question, the Union Minister of Power, Shri P.M. Sayeed stated that the final power tariff payable would depend upon the purchase price of the fuel i.e. Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) and would be determined by the appropriate Regulatory Commission. The Minister further informed the House that M/s. SBI Caps were appointed as consultants to the Government of India for advice on the financial viability. Due diligence about viability was also carried out by Industrial Development Finance Corporation (IDFC) on behalf of National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) and Gas Authority of India Ltd. (GAIL) who are promoters of the restructured project. These institutions recommended that the project was found viable subject to fulfillment of certain assumptions made at the time of restructuring, he added. Story Courtesy:
Made in the USA “free press” in Iraq
US military covertly pays to plant Favourable stories in Iraqi media\
By Kate Randall
2 December 2005 The same day that the Bush administration, backed by congressional Democrats, was outlining its “strategy for victory” in Iraq, news broke that the US military has been secretly paying Iraqi newspapers to publish pro-American propaganda stories. The Los Angeles Times reported on Wednesday that the articles, written by US troops under the direction of the military’s “Information Operations Task Force,” are translated into Arabic and planted in Baghdad newspapers with the assistance of the Washington-based Lincoln Group and its subcontractor BKSH & Associates.
The Lincoln Group was awarded a $5 million contract for the project in 2004 after a Pentagon advisory committee cited a “fundamental problem of credibility” in winning over Muslim public opinion, and called on the government to reinvent and expand its information programs, the New York Times reported on Thursday.
According to military officials critical of the operation, the US task force has also purchased one Iraqi newspaper outright and taken control of a radio station, using them to pump out pro-US propaganda to the Iraqi people. Neither of these news outlets is identified to the public as under US control.
According to the Los Angeles Times, the US has paid to have scores of articles published in the Iraqi press, the majority of which are presented as unbiased, factual news accounts. Often, the Lincoln Group’s staff in Iraq, or its subcontractors, pose as freelance reporters or advertising executives when they drop the stories off at Baghdad press outlets.
The reports plug the alleged efforts of the US rebuilding effort—with headlines such as “More Money Goes to Iraq’s Development.” Other articles, such as one headlined “Iraqis Insist on Living Despite Terrorism,” peddle the illusion that the population of Iraq supports the US occupation.
One of the stories prepared this week by the US military and delivered to the Lincoln Group for translation and dissemination is titled “The Sands Are Blowing Toward a Democratic Iraq.” It begins, “Western Press and frequently those self-styled ‘objective’ observers of Iraq are often critics of how we, the people of Iraq, are proceeding down the path in determining what is best for our nation.” The article pleads for unity and nonviolence and quotes the prophet Muhammad.
In a country that has been devastated by war—with large portions of its infrastructure in ruins and estimates of more than 100,000 civilians killed—the US has turned to covert psychological warfare in an attempt to sway public opinion under conditions in which the vast majority of people want the occupying troops out of their country.
A number of the newspapers publishing the US-planted stories ran them as news articles, undifferentiated from other reports. One such paper was the Baghdad-based Al Mutamar, a daily run by associates of Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Chalabi, who has close ties to the Pentagon. Luay Baldawi, the paper’s editor, said the articles come in via the Internet and are frequently unsigned.
Nearly $1,500 was paid to the independent newspaper Addustour to run the story “More Money Goes to Iraq’s Development” on August 2. The newspaper’s editor said he had “no idea” of the report’s source.
Al Mada managing editor Abdul Sahra Zaki was angered to learn that three paid stories published by the paper had come from the US military. The Los Angeles Times recounted how the covert operation played out at Al Mada, a newspaper with a reputation among many Iraqis for professionalism and investigative reporting:
“Employees at Al Mada said that a low-key man arrived at the newspaper’s offices in downtown Baghdad on July 30 with a large wad of US dollars. He told the editors that he wanted to publish an article titled ‘Terrorists Attack Sunni Volunteers’ in the newspaper.
“He paid cash and left no calling card, employees said. He did not want a receipt. The name he gave was the same as that of a Lincoln Group worker in the records obtained by the Times.”
US law forbids the military from planting propaganda in American media outlets or carrying out psychological operations in the US itself. Considering the globalized nature of the modern media—including the Internet and 24-hour cable news networks with international audiences—the news-planting operation in Iraq crosses this line. As one private contractor involved in Pentagon information operations told the Times, “There is no longer any way to separate foreign media from domestic media. Those neat lines don’t exist anymore.”
In any event, such prohibitions have not stopped the Bush administration in the past. Last March, the administration instructed US government agencies to ignore an order by the General Accounting Office (GAO) to stop the distribution of “covert propaganda” by US government agencies. (See “Bush administration defends use of covert propaganda in US”)
The GAO ruling was in response to the proliferation of video news releases (VNRs) produced by at least 20 US agencies, including the Pentagon and the State Department. A congressional report estimated that the Bush administration spent $254 million in its first term to produce thousands of these VNRs, which include phony, scripted interviews with government officials and utilize public relations employees posing as on-the-spot reporters.
Many of these “news” segments are broadcast by television producers without any advisory to the viewing public that they have been produced by a government agency. They have included numerous VNRs produced by the State Department and Pentagon aimed at promoting the Iraq war among the US population.
In another instance, it was revealed earlier this year that conservative black journalist Armstrong Williams received $240,000 in US government funds to promote Bush’s “No Child Left Behind” education program on his nationally syndicated television and radio shows. (See “Journalist took $240,000 to push Bush education program”)
The latest revelations of the Pentagon’s news-fabrication operation in Iraq are all the more contemptible in light of Washington’s claims that it is promoting journalistic ethics in the occupied nation. One workshop run by the State Department to train Iraqi reporters in basic journalism skills is named “The Role of Press in a Democratic Society.”
At a Pentagon news briefing on Tuesday, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld claimed that the Iraqi media were making great strides toward democracy, saying the country “has a free media, and they can—it’s a relief valve. They could have a hundred-plus papers. There’s 72 radio stations. There’s 44 television stations. And they’re debating things and talking and arguing and discussing.” The defense secretary made no mention of the fact that the US has been engaged in a multimillion-dollar program to funnel pro-US propaganda into these news outlets, and in several cases has taken them over outright! Asked on Thursday whether the Bush administration approved of the covert propaganda operation, White House spokesman Scott McClellan commented, “We’re very concerned about the reports. We have asked the Department of Defense for more information.”
Government officials, in fact, are well informed on business dealings with the Lincoln Group. Earlier this year, the company won a major contract with US Special Operations Command, based in Tampa, Florida, worth $100 million over five years. The company has been commissioned to develop a strategic communications campaign in connection with US Special Operations troops stationed around the world. Source:
American Military Bribes Gulf Journalists to Plant Stories -
Due to ongoing expansion, Lincoln Group has an immediate need for Sr. Media and Public Relations Professionals to mount an aggressive advertising and public relations campaign that will accurately inform the Iraqi people of the Coalition’s goals and gain their support. To establish structure and assist with the strategic engagement of the Iraqi people. The position is based in the company’s offices in Iraq and will report directly to the Country Manager or the Project Manager for the contract.The candidate should have extensive experience in the Middle East and expertise in all forms of media. A broad range of experience with governments, non-governmental agencies, and private business is essential. Recent experience in Iraq and its neighboring countries is a plus, as is a proven track record of reaching mass audiences in a Middle Eastern nation. Candidate may be western-oriented from the Middle East, with extensive experience in both the United States and Iraq, or just extensive experience in the Middle East. In all cases the candidate should provide information as to his or her print or video media work.Salary: $80K to $150K depending on experience. All company employees receive bonus profit sharing, bonuses, medical, and dental insurance and workers compensation coverage----Watch this space
Dubai's Gold Import projected to touch 540 Tonnes in 2005
IMPRESSIVE 13% RISE IN Q3 2005 UAE GOLD SALES - WGC
A lady checks out jewellery at last year’s edition of the show
With the World Gold Council’s (WGC) recent announcement of a dramatic 19 per cent rise in UAE gold sales in the second quarter of 2005, Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), organisers of the Watch & Jewellery Dubai 2005 (WJD) are bracing themselves for their best exhibition ever. The event is scheduled to take place at the Airport Expo Dubai from December 5th to 9th.
For Q3 2005 alone, gold jewellery demand in the UAE registered a year-on-year growth of 13%, according to recently released WGC figures. Overall the Middle East market grew by 11% while retail investment rose 38%, both in tonnage terms. The emirate’s gold imports alone are estimated to surge to 540 tonnes in 2005.
“Confidence amongst the watch and jewellery sector is high in the run-up to this year’s show,” said DWTC Director General, Helal Saeed Khalfan Al Marri. The move to the recently refurbished Airport Expo Dubai and the incorporation of several new exciting features will further enhance WJD’s position as the regions platform to do business, he noted.Visitors to the show can see one of these new features on the World Gold Councils (WGC) stand as they host for the first time, the hugely successful 'Gold Expressions 2005’.
‘Gold Expressions’ is a unique collection of over 430 trend setting gold jewellery pieces from 69 Italian manufacturers. This latest initiative developed by the WGC is about creating and launching new gold jewellery designs and trends, to expand global consumer demand for gold jewellery. The collection epitomises the innovative craftsmanship synonymous with Italian design. Highly original, yet marketable, the ‘Gold Expressions’ pieces attract international press and buyers, ever-eager scouts of new gold jewellery forms and lines.
Ranked as one of the most exciting, dynamic and responsive markets in the world for luxury goods, Dubai and WDJ therefore make the perfect venue for the WGC to showcase this glittering collection.‘Gold Expressions’ is however only a small part of this five-day event which also sees the display of exquisite jewellery and watch items from around the world including diamond, platinum, plain gold, sliver, pearl and coloured gemstone jewellery, loose diamonds, pearls, precious and semi-precious stones, mountings, watches, packaging and display materials and manufacturing tools and machinery.Watch & Jewellery Dubai continues to build on last year’s unprecedented growth. This year promises new exhibitors, additional pavilions and dedicated industry seminars to entice both consumers and trade visitors.
PM’S STATEMENT RELATING TO VOLCKER COMMITTEE REPORT IN PARLIAMENT
The following is the text of the statement made by the Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, today in both the Houses of the Parliament on Volcker Committee report: “This morning some Honourable Members of the House wanted me to make a statement on a certain interview granted to a TV channel by the Indian Ambassador to Croatia. I have been informed that he has made certain statements regarding the alleged involvement of certain individuals in the matter which is currently under inquiry by the Justice Pathak Inquiry Authority as part of its mandate to inquire into certain transactions mentioned in the Volcker Committee report.The same matter is also being investigated by the Enforcement Directorate.
Ever since the first mention was made of the involvement of certain Indian entities and individuals in the Volcker Committee report as non-contractual beneficiaries in the Iraq Oil-for-Food programme, the Government has been firm, consistent and clear in its stand on the matter. We had said that the references, as they are found in the Volcker Committee’s report, are ‘unverified references’. We had said that we are determined to go to the root of the matter and establish the truth or otherwise of these references. We stand by that position even now.
In order to unearth the facts, we promptly appointed Mr. Justice R.S.Pathak to inquire into the two specific contracts which are of relevance and gave him full powers, in the manner he himself desired, to complete his inquiry speedily and effectively. We appointed Shri Virendra Dayal as a Special Envoy to gather relevant materials, and as the Finance Minister informed this august House the other day, he has been doing his work most expeditiously and, in the space of 10 days, obtained important documents and material.
As for the statements made today – and I am told are likely to be published in a magazine later – they certainly relate to the transactions under investigation. Statements have been made about Shri Natwar Singh and other individuals. These are all a matter of concern.
The Enforcement Directorate will take cognizance of the recent statements attributed to the Indian Ambassador to Croatia and pursue its investigations.
The Enforcement Directorate has assured the Government that their investigations are proceeding on the right track and they would be able to establish the facts expeditiously. We should not pre-judge the final outcome of the investigation or pre-empt the findings that may be given by the Justice R.S.Pathak Inquiry Authority. For us in the Government truth is of utmost importance. We are determined that truth must prevail in this matter. Our Government believes in maintaining high standards of probity and transparency in public life and I can assure the House that no one who is guilty will go unpunished.”
Scope of Overseas Citizenship of India Scheme Expanded
In Pravasi Bhartiya Diwas, 2005, the Prime Minister made a statement on the Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) Scheme to the effect that it has been decided to extend this facility to all overseas Indians who migrated from India after 26th January, 1950, as long as their home country allows dual citizenship under the local laws. He also added that the Government would simplify the application form and format of certificate of registration of OCI and spell out the benefits being given to them.
2. In pursuance of the Prime Minister’s statement, Citizenship Act, 1955 has been amended to extend the scope of OCI to Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs) of all nationalities other than Pakistan and Bangladesh that allow dual citizenship under their local laws in some form or the other. Citizenship Rules, 1956 has been amended to simplify the procedure and application form for grant of OCI registration. Necessary amendments have also been carried out in the Passport (Entry into India) Act, 1920 and Registration of Foreigners Act, 1939 to spell out the following benefits to registered OCIs:
Multi-purpose, multiple entry, lifelong visa for visiting India.Exemption from registration with Foreigners Regional Registration Officer/Foreigners Registration Officer for any length of stay in India.
Parity with NRIs in respect of all facilities to the latter in economic, financial and educational fields except in matters relating to the acquisition of agricultural/plantation properties.
3. Such registered OCIs shall not be entitled to the rights conferred on a citizen of India under article 16 of Constitution with regard to equality of opportunity in matters of public employment, election to Constitutional offices like President/Vice President/Judges of Supreme Court or High Courts/Members of Parliament or Legislative Assembly/Council or right to vote under Representation of the People Act, 1950.
4. Every registered OCI will be issued a registration certificate which is printed like an Indian passport in different colour and an OCI visa sticker will be pasted in the person’s foreign passport. These two documents will have the photograph of the individual and all necessary security features.
5. Applications for grant of OCI will be received by all Indian Missions/Posts outside India and by FRROs/CHIO and OCI Cell in Foreigners Division of MHA in India. An eligible person may apply in the Indian Mission/Post of the country of his/her nationality or in the Indian Mission/Post of any other country if he/she is ordinarily residing in that country. He/she will have to submit proof for his/her parents/grand parents having migrated from India after 26th January, 1950 or having been eligible to be granted Indian citizenship on that date or having been resident of such territories like Goa, Pondicherry, Sikkim which have been merged with the Indian Union after 15th August, 1947. If he/she is claiming his/her eligibility based on the Indian citizenship of his/her parents/grand parents, he/she will also submit a proof of his/her relationship with such person. The application form will have to be accompanied with a demand draft of US$ 275 or equivalent in the local currency as application fees. If the application is rejected, US$ 250 or equivalent in the local currency will be returned to the applicant after deducting US$ 25 as processing fees. 6. Such persons, who have been registered as PIOs by Government of India and are otherwise eligible for grant of OCI may submit their applications for OCI. The application fees for such persons will only be US$ 25 or equivalent in the local currency.
7. Arrangements have been made for online submission of applications for grant of OCI. This application form is available on the MHA’s website: www.mha.nic.in. The application has two parts, part A & B. An applicant can apply directly online or may down-load the application form and submit in hand-written format. A maximum of four persons including spouses and at most two minor children can make a joint application while applying online or otherwise. A bar code and a reference number will be generated automatically by the computer as an acknowledgement on submission of online application in Part A. The Part B of the form can be typed after down-loading or hand-written and be submitted along with online submitted Part A and all necessary enclosures to the concerned Mission/Post/Office. After checking all relevant details, the concerned office will issue an acknowledgment and the number mentioned thereon (file number) or reference number can be used for enquiring status in future. Arrangements have been made for online status enquiry on MHA’s website.
8. It has been organized such that an application where there is no reporting of criminal case against the individual(s) will be granted OCI within a period of one month whereas in cases where there is/are a report(s) of criminal action, it may take four months. Every case whether granted within one month or four months will be inquired into by the security agencies of the Central Government so that an OCI certificate acquired on the basis of concealed information or misrepresentation, could be cancelled under the provisions of the Act. Such persons will be blacklisted for entry into India. 9. Application form, procedure, brochure and FAQs for acquiring OCI have been hosted on MHA’s website: www.mha.nic.in. This Scheme is being operationalized from 2nd December, 2005 when the facility for online application or downloading the application form will be made available from MHA’s website. 10. It has been decided that formal launching of scheme will be done by Prime Minister at Pravasi Bhartiya Divas on January 7, 2006 at Hyderabad by symbolically handing over the first OCI Certificate to a person of Indian origin. 11. It is anticipated that a large number of Indian Diaspora will be benefited by this Scheme for a hassle free travel to their motherland. They will bring economic value and benefits to Indian economy and contribute to the development process
