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Read the Khaleej Times Report by V.M.SathishDesperate Man Lives in Park for a Month
Aborted dreams of a taxi driver who failed all the 10 tests due to tension!
DUBAI – Eighteen months after reaching Dubai to become a taxi driver, Shaji spends his time in the Diera public park, virtually his home. The desperate man has been living in the Diera Public Park for the last twenty days, partially in poverty, because his friends could not accommodate him any more in their room without paying rent or give him free food. He came with eighty-three other job seekers who were recruited to work as taxi drivers by a leading taxi company. After spending nearly eighteen months in Dubai, he has failed in ten driving tests and cannot go for more tests because there is no money. He cannot do any other work for other companies because his visa is for a driver. The thirty-nine years old man is just a ninth standard qualified and does not know fluent English, a must for taxi drivers.
“I used to drive a pick up van transporting fish in Kerala. I came to Dubai paying Rs.80,000 to become a taxi driver. I have failed in all the 10 driving tests,” he says, adding, “every time I go for a driving test, I get worried about how to raise money for the next driving class. When I start the vehicle or following the instructors dictates to turn left, right or U-turn, this thought makes me nervous,” says Shaji, who has already taken 150 driving classes, within the last one and half years. He was recruited with others to be groomed as taxi drivers after getting driving license. “I came here on visit visa and the recruiting agent stamped a drivers visa after four months of arrival. Without getting a license I could not work for the taxi company,” he added. And without passing the driving test, it is not possible to be a driver in Dubai.
“Most of the people who came with me have got license. The last one to get a driving license got it after 18 tests. He could regularly get money from his family and friends to continue driving classes. I could not do so,” he said. “The recruitment agency tried to help me during the first nine months. Initially they send me to learn driving with the Traffic Department. After sometimes, it was realized that getting a driving license directly from the Traffic Department was difficult,” he added. “Then I have started going for private training paying Dhs.30 per classes. I went for a couple of tests, but failed,” added the desperate man who has a light-driving license in Kerala. “When I go for test, my tension is how to raise money for the next driving class,” he added.
“I have spend about Dhs.3600 for training alone, part of which was raised by working for a printing press. “Some friends helped me to continue driving practice, but they are unable to help me now. I used to live with them in a small room. Now they have shifted to another room where there is no space for me,” he added. “I came to this park twenty days back and spend most of the time around the area. In the night I sleep in the park and day time I hang around,” he revealed. Sometimes he goes to a friends place in Diera to take bath and change clothes – only one spare dress is kept in a suitcase kept in his friends house. He has sold his old pick up van that he used to drive for fish transport and borrowed the balance money for taking the driver visa. “I called up my family five months back and what they know is that I am in Dubai,” he added. “I have worked five months for a printing press in Ajman, but since labour checking is rampant I am scared to continue there,” he added. “The money that I earned from working was used to learn driving,” he added about his aborted dreams to become a taxi driver in Dubai.
“I cannot continue to live here virtually begging for food. I tried to find out some associations to come forward and help me, but it did not succeed. I go to different shops in Diera seeking, but no one helped me except a few friends, who also want me to go back to Kerala,” he added. The company that recruited me has promised to take a return ticket and one of the managers gave me Dhs.25! he added. Till I get my ticket, I will continue to live in this park, he added, without knowing what to do next. “ I will resume my earlier job of selling fish to pay off debtors, who will start asking money after I reach home. “My passport is with the taxi company and as soon as I get it back I will go back,” he said.
Malayala Manorama Poaching Journalists from Asianet, Kairali..
Malayala Manorama, the leading newspaper group in the state is venturing into television for which high level recruitment is already started. After dilly dalying for almost a decade, the conservative group has finally started head hunting for senior journalists from all the well established channels in the state, especially Asianet, the market leader in visual media. After Asianet was started about a decade ago, a number of channels mushroomed in the state. Now the television market is already overcrowded with two channels each of Asianet, Kairali and Surya TV followed by the entry of India Vision, Jeevan TV and Amrutha TV.
The Chief News Editor of Asianet has already tendered his resignation to join the forthcoming Manorama channel. More heads are poised to roll from these channels as the pay packet in most channels is not attractive. A source in Manorama Dubai office confirmed the group's television venture plans, but said recruitment will be done through open newspaper advertisments only. Despite multimillion revenue flow, the journalists in some of the channels are paid peanuts. The recent recruitment spree by Amrutha TV has already jacked up in the market value for visual media journalists.
Manorama, a good paymaster, is likely to be a favourable destination for many from the visual media, especially those suffering from financial troubles. Leading North Indian channels like Zee TV and Star TV were in talks with India Vision, a popular channel without the corresponding financial muscle power. The Manorama group has been buying satellite television rights for some newly released movies to create a cutting edge over the existing market leaders...The poaching on journalists is not confined to Kerala alone as some of the smart overseas journalists too may come under the Manorama net.. Venturing into visual media is an apt move, because the group's image has been totally damaged by the Integrated Finance tragedy. Watch this space.
Indians in the US Trapped in Cyber Sex Crimes
A computer science professor at Oklahoma State University-Tulsa was arrested Friday after police said he tried to meet a teenage girl he met over the Internet. Ajith Abraham (pictured, left) was taken into custody after authorities said he attempted to meet with someone he believed to be 14 years old. He traveled from Tulsa to Norman to meet with the alleged victim, police said, and planned to send her to Norman by bus to continue a sexual relationship with the teenager. Police detectives intercepted Abraham before he met with the alleged victim.Abraham allegedly started his relationship with the teenager in December 2003 and set up a meeting in early January, authorities said. Police were there, but did not make contact with him, authorities said.The second meeting was to have taken place Friday, when Abraham was arrested, police said.Abraham was booked into the Cleveland County Detention Center on $10,000 bond. Here are more details about the case from a web site, authenticity of the contents could not be verified
The public should be aware of an ever increasing problem with Indians coming to U.S. well educated guys from india, from well to and respectable families are increasingly becoming sexual offenders n U.S and getting convicted for this. This is a serious crime which a lot of well to do indian on H1 and student visas are getting involved in. For example...here is an attachment from a US website regarding a indian professor with PhD degree and to top that he belongs to a leading family of Kochi. Click.
Bill Clinton Sold US Troops for a Donation to Clinton Library
WASHINGTON - In a bombshell interview, former FBI chief Louis Freeh charges that President Bill Clinton had a faulty "moral compass" and sold out U.S. troops killed in a 1996 Saudi bombing - in exchange for cash for the Clinton library. "The problem was with Bill Clinton - the scandals and the rumored scandals, the incubating ones and the dying ones, never ended," Freeh says in an interview to be aired Sunday on CBS's "60 Minutes." "Whatever moral compass the president was consulting was leading him in the wrong direction. His closets were full of skeletons just waiting to burst out." Freeh's most explosive charge is that Clinton let down the families of the 19 Americans killed - and 300 injured - by a truck bomb outside the Khobar Towers apartments housing Air Force personnel in Saudi Arabia on June 25, 1996. Clinton vowed to hunt down the bombers, and dispatched FBI bomb experts to the scene. But Freeh charges that Clinton refused to personally ask Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah to let the FBI quiz the suspects in Saudi custody. In his book, "My FBI," which will be released next week, Freeh contends that the only way for the FBI to get those vital interviews was for Clinton to press Abdullah, who is now king. Instead, the former FBI boss charges, the president took a dive for the Saudis. "Bill Clinton raised the subject only to tell the crown prince that he understood the Saudis' reluctance to cooperate - and then he hit Abdullah up for a contribution to the Clinton Presidential Library," Freeh writes. "That's a fact that I am reporting." Read the full story in New York Post
PAKISTAN: Helicopters top priority 48 hours after huge earthquake
ISLAMABAD, 10 Oct 2005 (IRIN) - Many more helicopters are urgently needed to deploy rescue teams and assist an estimated four million people left in dire need of food, shelter, water and medicine after Saturday's devastating earthquake, aid workers said on Monday. The earthquake has left at least 20,000 people dead and 42,000 injured over northern Pakistan and India.
Many of those trapped beneath collapsed buildings are in areas cut off by road and time is rapidly running out to get to them. "We are having logistic problems at the moment. Roads are not in a condition to carry heavy trucks of supplies. It's time that matters most now," Andrew Macleod, spokesman for the United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) team, said in the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, early on Monday.
The United States is sending eight helicopters from neighbouring Afghanistan, including five Chinook heavy-lift helicopters, along with support staff, to quake-hit Pakistan.
Fixed wing aircraft are of limited use, although C-130 aircrafts can be used to move relief supplies and heavy-lifting equipment into the worst-hit area, they can only land at one airport: Muzzaffarabad, capital of Pakistani-administered Kashmir, Macleod explained. The city, 100 km northeast of Islamabad, was badly hit by the quake.
Amid widespread devastation caused by the quake that registered 7.6 on the Richter scale, Pakistan has deployed its own substantial fleet of helicopters to search for survivors but the scale of the disaster means many more are needed.
Officials announced on Monday that the road to Muzzaffarabad had been re-opened following the earthquake. Trucks carrying relief supplies have arrived in the city, government officials said.
Aid workers warned that Islamabad may soon have to host thousands of people fleeing quake-hit villages, and should prepare shelter, food and medicine for the expected influx.
Pakistan’s seismic and weather experts have recorded over 140 aftershocks, with 21 over 5 magnitude on the Richter scale, since Saturday morning’s massive earthquake.
With more United Nations relief and rescue teams arriving in Pakistan, UN agencies, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and other aid organisations are meeting in Geneva on Monday to plan international relief efforts.
"We know that every hour counts in an earthquake of this magnitude and the United Nations is ready to assist the country affected in any possible manner," Jan Egeland, UN Under-Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, said on Saturday in a statement from UN Headquarters in New York.The UN will issue a flash appeal shortly which is expected to include estimates of the costs of immediate relief operations and longer term reconstruction and development needs of the earthquake-affected regions.
Strategiy.com launch Arabic portal
News portal gears up to reach regional and international audience to promote timeliness and accuracy in Arabic information dissemination
10 October 2005
Strategiy.com, the leading marketing, advertising and media portal, will announce the launch of its Arabic content services at the Media and Marketing Show 2005, to be held from November 7-9, 2005, at the Dubai International Exhibition Centre (DIEC). Strategiy.com was established as a marketing, advertising and media portal in June 2004, and has since witnessed exponential growth in clients and visitors as more and more regional concerns realize the benefits of timely online information services in developing business strategies and goals. The interactive portal's content and services include latest news, discussion forums, agency databases, latest marketing campaigns, exhibition and events calendar, interviews and features on Middle East business leaders, appointments and recruitment services, accessible at no charge. Strategiy.com was recently bought by Maktoob.com, the leading Arabic information and service provider. Strategiy.com is now looking to expand its service portfolio by launching an Arabic portal targeting regional markets at the upcoming Media and Marketing Show 2005. The service is currently being tested at ww.strategiy.com.
“As regional businesses realize the importance of timeliness and accuracy in decision-making information, online portals are quickly becoming a de facto standard in the dissemination of rapid, targeted services that allow clients to make appropriate decisions and cope with rapidly changing circumstances. Online services have the advantage of speed and customization over conventional media, and clients need not undergo a twenty-four hour waiting period to receive updates,” said Ahmed Nasseef, General Manager, Maktoob.com. “Bearing in mind the dearth of quality Arabic online information dissemination services, Strategiy.com is currently testing a comprehensive Arabic portal that will deliver real-time information to regional audiences, enabling local businesses to make empowered decisions about their media and marketing activities.”
The Media and Marketing Show 2005 aims to provide a definitive platform for regional and international media partners to liaise, develop business networks and discuss pertinent issues relating to best practice, accountability and targeted media spending. David Domoney, Managing Director of THE DOMUS GROUP, organizers of the show, said, “The Media and Marketing Show 2005 is committed to bringing the vast diversity of media players in the gulf region and beyond under one roof to discuss business issues and form trade partnerships. In keeping with this resolve, we are extending our list of partners to cover all facets of the marketing and media sectors, from advertising agencies, branding consultants, business magazine publishers and call centres to circulation auditors, consumer magazines, contract publishers, CRM specialists, daily newspapers, designers and directory publishers. The inclusion of Strategiy.com as online marketing partner furthers the reach of the show to include bilingual media, and brings to light the ever-increasing importance of online media in contemporary business.”
Other major regional media players participating in the upcoming Media and Marketing Show 2005 include MEPRA, Khaleej Times, Dubai Media City, Jacobsons, Orient Planet, Saatchi and Saatchi, Fortune PromoSeven Group, BBC World, Dubai Television, Gray Business Communications, ITP Consumer, Al Jazeerah Sports Channel, The Economist, Dubai Radio Network, Flip Media, Canon Middle East, CDP, Dom International, Media Factory, The Concept Group, AME Info, Biz Events, Gulf Air, General Motors, Blue Ocean, Les Affichages Pikasso, Connector Publishing, DIT Publishing, Infinity TV and others. Further information about the exhibition can be found at www.dubaimediashow, the official website for the Media and Marketing Show.
Malabari Cafes, Restaurants and Shops Deny Prayer Time
‘We cant offer Five Prayers a Day due to Work Pressure,” Say Workers
Kerala Muslim Cultural Comrades Deny Prayer Time for Employees!!!!
DUBAI – Offering five formal prayers a day is part of a Muslim’s routine life and most people observer it. However, many small traders, cafeterias, restaurants and trading establishments in the city dont give enough facilities for prayers or permission to perform this basic right by offering a prayer break. While non-Muslims are spared from this problem, some employees are feeling strongly against the denial of prayer timings break.
“We do not get free time to perform five prayers a day. As the work starts from early morning there is no time to do Fajr, the prayer that starts off the day with the remembrance of God. Even though it is performed before sunrise, employees working in cafeterias and restaurants will be busy preparing breakfast and other items for the day. The problem is more serious in the commercially busy areas of the city where workers cannot leave even five minutes for offering prayers. Some of them have to work 12 to 14 hours, seven days a week leaving no time even for prayers. . The timings of the five prayers are spaced fairly evenly throughout the day so that the believer is constantly reminded of God. "Many small traders and cafeteria owners from Kerala, who are members and leaders of leading Muslim associations do pray five times a day but deny the same right to their own workers," said one employee. "About 90 per cent of the cafeterias in the UAE are owned by supporters of a leading religious political party in Kerala, which is part of the ruling coalition. Some of these leaders who control the cafeteria and small scale business dont give their Muslim workers the right to pray during working hours due to business reasons," added sources.“When the azan is called, we will be working because there may be customers waiting outside and no break is available or possible in between,” added another worker. People working in cafeterias, small trading establishments and restaurants face this problem because of work pressure. “We dont have enough space in the shop to do Niskar. There are mosques in the vicinity of the trading hubs and commercial areas of Dubai, but the Muslim employees working in these establishments often dont follow the mandatory five prayers a day schedule due to work related reasons.” Not all employers and traders deny the right to pray. “I work eight to 14 hours a day but get prayer break. But even on Fridays I may not do Juma prayers. So far I have done only three prayers this year,” said employee of a Pakistani restaurant. "Only in Saudi Arabia special prayer break is mandatory. Dubai is a commercial centre and there is no such rule here," reasoned one cafe owner.
“We can offer two or three prayers a day at home and the Mosque when we are not working. But some people have to work 8 to 14 hours continuously and there is no chance to perform at least two prayers a day,” said an employee of a small cafeteria in Diera. Restaurant and cafeteria workers may skip Dhuhr the noon prayer because it is the peak time for business. After the day's work has begun, one breaks shortly after noon to remember God and seek His guidance. In the late afternoon, ‘Asr prayer happens when people are busy wrapping up the day's work.
“It is an important time to take a few minutes to remember God. We can do the prayers at the shop itself, but most of the time it is impossible,” added workers. “It is ironical that some of the shop owners find time for all the five prayers a day denies his employees the same facility for commercial reasons. It requires just ten to 15 minutes to go to the nearest mosque, perform the prayer on hearing the azan and come back to resume work.
Maghrib (sunset) prayer is offered just after the sun goes down to remember God as the day begins to come to a close. 'Isha (evening) prayer is offered before retiring for the night. “There is no time even to wash my clothes as I am working 7 days a week. “We can’t afford to give the clothes to laundry because the salary is less. There is no time for prayers also. During the short break, we will sleep for a while,” he added. Employers have their own justification for not giving the prayer breaks. Either there is no space in the small shop to offer prayers or business will be affected if employees leave in between for offering prayers.
“The employer should is bound to give prayer break which is part of an employees routine life. There are clear labour rules about work timing and breaks. The employee can perform prayers at noon break or coffee break times,” he added. “These issues have to be addressed by the mutual consent of the employer and employee,” says a Researcher of Islamic Affiars . According to him, the employers should observe the work timing and respect the personal beliefs of the employer.
Public Service Training Institute Goes High Tech
Indian Portal on Networking Premier Training Institutes is inaugurated by Shri B. K. Chaturvedi, Cabinet Secretary, here today. This is a website specifically developed as a portal for the 21 Training Institutes of the country that will function as the virtual regional chapter of Commonwealth Association for Public Administration and Management(CAPAM). CAPAM is an organization dedicated to strengthening public management and consolidating democracy and good governance throughout the Commonwealth. This portal, through its link with CAPAM, would be able to access expertise of the other national and regional networks of training institutes in the Commonwealth.
The Portal is a meeting point for all those who are interested in exploring the capabilities and training services provided by these institutions. One can access the portal with simply typing- www.trgnetindia.gov.in. The home page of the Network has hyper links to all the 21 Institutions, their core competencies, their training programmes, contact persons, their phone numbers, etc.
Inaugurating the portal, Shri Chaturvedi underlined the core issues facing the bureaucracy today, especially with the changing times. The Cabinet Secretary emphasized that the perspective should also change for the civil servants. A rule of law, welfare activities are not enough – what is needed more is ` a friendly administration’, Shri Chaturvedi added. He also stressed upon the need of having an `efficient judicial system’ which in turn would eventually lead to `good governance’. He made a special mention of implementing probity in civil service.
The portal was launched as a part of two-day High Level Seminar of CAPAM on October 4-5, 2005 in the Capital. Delegates from 27 member States of the Commonwealth attended the Seminar.
A host of issues like methods of delivering training courses; methodologies for designing different models; exploring avenues to integrate class - room learning with e – learning; facilitating the exercise of sharing of experiences, sharing of best practices and capitalizing on the strengths of networked institutions; forging partnerships; joint ventures and cooperation for exchange of experiences and investing in leadership training for senior executive level were deliberated upon during the Seminar.
CIVIL SERVICES (MAIN) EXAMINATION, 2005
Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has announced that it will conduct Civil Services (Main) Examination, 2005 at 18 centres from 21.10.2005. Admission Certificates to all eligible candidates have already been issued. Letters of rejection citing the ground(s) for rejection have also been sent. If any applicant has not received either of the above communications, he/she may contact UPSC Facilitation Counter on Tel No. 23381125, 23098543 and 23385271 between 10.00 A.M. to 5.00 P.M. on all working days. Candidates can also send message on Fax No. 011-23387310. The information about venue particulars in respect of all the admitted candidates is available on UPSC website at http://www.upsc.gov.in. It is to be noted that Mobile Phones are banned in the campuses of UPSC examination halls.
Kuwaitis Quietly Breach a Taboo: Easing Hostility Toward Israel
By Hassan M. Fattah (New York Times)
KUWAIT, Sept. 30 - Kuwaiti newspapers in recent days have floated the idea that the country could take steps to reduce hostility toward Israel as a means of helping the Palestinians, prompting a quiet debate about Kuwait's decades-old strategy of isolating Israel.
The discussion breaks long-held taboos and brushes at an emotionally explosive subject for Kuwaitis, who had long considered themselves among the standard-bearers for the Palestinian cause. But experts emphasize that it remains no more than a discussion at this point. "After a long time, we have finally decided to leave the Palestinian cause to Palestinians, because it is they who are really concerned with this issue," Ahmed al-Jarallah, editor in chief of the English-language Arab Times, wrote in an editorial on
Sept. 22.
In order to prove that Arabs are seeking peace, he contended, the Arab world must no longer use Palestinians as a tool of its policies. Referring to recent decisions by Bahrain, Qatar and
Tunisia to ease their policies toward Israel, he said, "We Arabs have also reached a unanimous agreement to make peace with Israel as our strategic choice, before conducting negotiations with that
country." A day later, the prominent Kuwaiti daily Al Seyassa, published by the same company as The Arab Times, published an op-ed column calling for lifting the country's longstanding trade embargo on
Israel. "The Israeli withdrawal and a positive Arab response at this particular time would provide a peaceful political process with major momentum that could lead to a historic reconciliation in the Middle East," wrote Yusuf Nasir al-Suwaydan, a Saudi, referring to Israel's recent withdrawal from Gaza. "Normalizing
ties with Israel is an important event, and its positive effect will permeate every aspect of the Arab political, economic, cultural and social life."
The mere talk of normalization, a quiet but growing discussion largely conducted among businessmen and academics, goes to the core of Kuwait's identity and history. "This country was the cashier of the pan-Arab movement and of many Islamist movements," Saad Bin Tefla, a columnist and linguistics professor at Kuwait University, said in an interview, referring to Kuwait's prominent role in financing the Palestinian movement. "There's a long history here of resistance to Israel." But, he said, referring to the recent easing of embargoes on Israel by other Arab countries, "The debate between some people now is this: If it's good for our allies, maybe it's good for us."Pakistan, another Muslim country, has taken a very tentative step toward Israel since its pullout from Gaza and under prodding by the United States. Bahrain agreed to lift its trade sanctions on Israel as part of its recent signing of a free trade agreement with the United States. Qatar, which has long had trade relations
with Israel, agreed to expand the relationship. In August, the foreign ministers of Pakistan and Israel held a
highly publicized meeting in Istanbul. At the United Nations summit meeting at the General Assembly in New York, President Pervez Musharraf of Pakistan met with Prime Minister Ariel Sharon of Israel, while the Israeli foreign minister, Silvan Shalom, held talks with his Qatari and Tunisian counterpartsBut any reduction in hostility toward Israel by Kuwait, with its economic strength and Arab nationalist roots, would be especially symbolic. Such talk would have been considered heresy here just a
few years ago. In the 1950's, Kuwait was the home in exile to Yasir Arafat, the Palestinian leader, and to hundreds of thousands of other Palestinians, who helped build the country. In the 1960's and
1970's, Kuwait was a leading supporter of Arab nationalism and of Palestinian claims to a homeland.
The invasion of Kuwait by Saddam Hussein's army in 1990 cast a pall over relations between Kuwait and the Palestinians, who sided with Iraq. Thousands of Palestinians left Kuwait and were not allowed to return. But Kuwait said it remained committed to the Palestinian cause, and the country's religious and Arab
nationalist politicians, who make up a majority of Parliament, continue to be flag bearers against efforts to normalize relations."This is not about Israel; it is about the holy sites in Palestine and the blood of Palestinians being shed every day," said Mansour al-Khuzam, deputy secretary of the new Islamist-dominated Ummah
Party, which is officially banned because Kuwait does not allow political parties. "I don't think any Islamic country could tolerate this. It can only be based on foreign pressure." But the liberation of Kuwait in 1991 by American-led forces changed many Kuwaitis' view of the nature of the struggle with Israel. Most have abandoned advocating a military solution. Some now even credit Israel's decision not to retaliate against Iraqi missiles during the first Persian Gulf war as a benefit for Kuwait. Retaliation might have caused other Arab nations to support Iraq in that struggle, their thinking goes. "Despite what people say, we are not at war with Israel," Ahmed al-Sarraf, a prominent Kuwaiti banker and commentator, said in an interview this week. "On the contrary, we owe Israel a lot." Had the Israelis retaliated for the Iraqi missiles, he insisted, "it
would have affected our cause significantly." Supporters of engagement insist they are not seeking to abandon the Palestinian cause but in fact hoping to enhance it.
"How can you exert any pressure on someone by not recognizing them?" Mr. Sarraf said. "It hasn't worked for the past 50 years, and it's time to change the thinking." He added: "But supposing instead that Israel becomes dependent on Kuwait for 30 percent of its oil? Then we have greater influence and say in these issues." Reports have circulated that Kuwait will lift its embargo on Israel, but they remain unconfirmed. The Kuwaiti daily Al Qabas noted that Kuwait had not yet signed a free-trade agreement with the United States. Such an agreement would not permit a trade embargo on Israel. But many Kuwaitis read more into the fact that senior members of the government have not denied the assertions about the possibility of lifting the embargo."There's no point in denying the existence of Israel anymore, so there should be nothing wrong with normalizing relations," Mr. Sarraf said. "The Palestinians themselves are speaking to Israel, so why shouldn't we?" Even if the government were to propose such a measure, however, the powerful but hostile National Assembly would put up a big fight. "We cannot make relations with Israel," Muhammad al-Saqer, chairman of the National Assembly's foreign affairs committee, told the English-language Kuwait Times this week. "If Arab countries want to do so, then Kuwait will be the last state to have relations with Israel, and I hope that this will never happen."
But the mere debate may in itself be a milestone, some commentators have said. "I don't know if anything will come of this," said Nabil al-Fathil, a columnist with the daily Al Watan and a proponent of normalization. "I just hope we will be freed from the old language and dialogue."
Technology as an Enabler, Not an Impediment
A viewpoint by Louis Hakim, CEO Philips Middle East
When we look back to the dawn of the 20th century and the origins of today’s consumer electronics industry, we all remember the classic images of a man manually cranking a phonograph player in order to hear a scratchy music recording, or of a family crowded around a TV set displaying a small, grainy black-and-white image.
These scenes are instructive because they help us understand how far this industry has evolved. You couldn’t get too comfortable when listening to the phonograph because soon enough, you’d have to get up and turn the crank to keep it spinning and certainly there was no chance of settling in a comfortable couch to watch the early TVs as you had to be up close to make out the hazy images on the screen.
Despite all the drawbacks, these new technologies were enabling. They allowed people to do things that formerly were impossible, such as sit in their homes and watch news events taking place across the country or the world. They could listen to a famous orchestra play a favourite piece, irrespective of whether they or the orchestra were in the same city.
As these and other electronics products improved over time with the help of technology, the experience they offered to consumers also was enhanced. People could hear the music more clearly and richly, and they could view programs and movies on TV in colour and with sharper pictures.
This trend has continued, with new technologies offering more comfortable and richer user experiences. The problem, however, is that in recent years, the technology that used to be an enabler has now become an impediment.
Today, many products and devices are so full of features, options, submenus and buttons that either it takes many frustrating hours over days and weeks to figure out how something works, or, as is more often the case, most of the features are never used or the product is returned. Meanwhile the maze of buttons and submenus remains, to hamper and diminish the consumer experience.
A few companies, including Philips, recognize that this cannot continue – both for the good of the consumer and the good of the companies operating in the sector. We must return the industry to one that again uses technology as an enabler. At Philips we’re moving in that direction by committing ourselves to “Sense and Simplicity”, a pledge that means all our products must incorporate the latest technologies, be designed around consumer needs and be easy to operate.
For us, it simply is not acceptable that technology cannot be moulded to meet consumer needs in an intuitive and simple way. Our task at Philips, and as an industry as a whole, is reject this trend that lets technology impede the user experience and work to bend technology as enabler of the 21st century lifestyle, which should be characterized by rich experiences that are accessed simply and intuitively.
Embarrassing How Much Disturb Philippine Family?
By V.M.Sathish
Families feel disturbed display “Don’t Disturb” Boards
Eve teasers are causing embarrassment to families who reside in parts of the city and those who come out to spend their weekend in a public park in Diera. A few days back, a Philippine family of four was passing through the Diera Park area when an Asian expatriate passed lewd comments that resulted in a fight. On seeing the young lady who was moving with her male companion in jeans and tea shirt, the Pakistani expatriate mistook her for a call girl and asked “How Much?”, embarrassing the lady and other members of the family.
When the angry lady rebuffed his advances and slapped the man in anger, he retaliated by slapping the lady on her face. The event angered her male companion, who retaliated by attacking the eve teaser and confining him to a corridor near the Municipality Waste box. The lady who said she was embarrassed to be insulted and slapped by a man called Dubai Police for help. A lot of people assembled in the area till the police team came within a few minutes and took the man into custody. “The man asked my madam how much is the rate. It is quite embarrassing because not all ladies who come to the area are bad,” said her male companion.
“The man thought that the lady was one of the call girls who roam around the area courting customers. He did not realize that she was going with a decent family,” said an eye witness. “It is a common problem in Diera park which used to be a family park. Due to eve teasers and alcoholics, not many families visit the park now,” said a cafeteria owner. “Single men who assemble in the park sometimes disturb families with young woman. Earlier many families used to visit the parks but now it is infected with such anti social elements,” he added. Recently Dubai Municipality and Dubai Police have jointly removed many people who used to be frequenting and staying overnight in the Park.
Residents of some areas in Diera and Bur Dubai complain that they are disturbed at mid night by people who knock at their doors. In order to avoid such embarrassing and unwelcome “customers.” Dubai Police conducts periodic raids. Earlier these flats in . Birj Murar, Naif and Nakkal area were used as illegal brothels. When the ladies leave these flats and some families occupy the same, the old customers will come back and knock at the door without realizing that a family is living in the flat,” said a source. “Mostly these customers are drunk and disturb families in Burj Murar, Bur Dubai, Naif, and other pockets in the city,” he added.
“After the police raid many flats are vacated and leased to families. After experiencing such embarrassment for a couple of times, families display a warning note saying “Family Don’t Disturb.” Some flats show this board to keep away unwanted knockers. Due to frequent police raid and increasing rent in Dubai, these ladies have shifted their residence to Sharjah and Ajman, leaving their old dens available in the real estate market. Families that take these flats are sometimes facing such embarrassment. Families living with grown up girls and children are vacating their homes from a particular area in Bur Dubai because of such disturbance. “Some of the flats in the building are frequented by such customers and it is an embarrassing situation for families. Some families have vacated the area and others are looking for better locations,” said a resident of a multistoried building behind a leading hotel in Bur Dubai. The problem which was rampant earlier is now under control, but still families feel embarrassed occasionally.
