1. religion and spirituality
2. islam

www.Asia Times.US
Chicago Edition
May 2015
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Vol 6, Issue 5
Indian-American Vivek Murthy takes oath as
US Surgeon General
37-year-old Indian- American Vivek
Murthy was sworn-in as the US
Surgeon General by Vice President
Joe Biden at a ceremony becoming
the youngest-ever in-charge of the
country’s public health.
Murthy, who took the oath on the
Gita, is now the highest ranking
Indian-American in the Obama Administration.
“To have the opportunity to serve as
Surgeon General is an extraordinary
honour and a profound responsibility,
and I want to thank President Obama
for entrusting me with the stewardship of this office,” he said in his
address on the occasion at Fort Myer
military base.
Murthy is the country’s 19th Surgeon
General. According to the surgeon
general’s website, Murthy received his
bachelor’s degree from Harvard. From
there, he earned his medical degree
and master’s in business adminisration at Yale University.
In addition to practicing internal
medicine at Brigham and Women’s
Hospital, he in 2009 started a nonprofit, Doctors for America, composed of thousands of doctors supporting President
Barack Obama’s healthcare initiatives.
them for the sacrifices they have made,” he said, with his
parents and family members seated in the audience.
job opportunities, always knowing that America was the
destination,” Murthy said.
In his first major policy speech, Murthy vowed to improve the public health of the country.
“He is eminently qualified for the job,” Biden said on the
occasion and described his family as an “incredible” in
particular his grandmother who was also present.
“My family was never supposed to have left our ancestral
village. My father is the son of a farmer in rural India.
He was supposed to have been a farmer, as was I. But for
my grandfather’s insistence that his son get an education - even if that meant going into debt - we might have
never left that village to go out in the world and - as my
grandfather also insisted - start fixing what needed fixing,”
he said.
“I am who I am because of my grandmother’s faith, my
father’s strength, my mother’s love, my sister’s support and
my fiancee’s unyielding belief in me. I am blessed to have
all of them here with me today. I will always be grateful to
“We were not supposed to have become Americans. My
parents stopped in three other countries - including a
brutal dictatorship - on their journey to get here. They
saved up money and scrounged for information about
As the US Surgeon General, Murthy carries the rank of
Vice Admiral. The Health Secretary Sylvia Burwell also
participated in the event.
“Public health does not exist in a vacuum. It is intrinsically linked to education, employment, the environment
and our economy. There is a whole world beyond hospital corridors and clinic waiting rooms where people
are struggling with issues of transportation, housing and
development,” he said.
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PAGE 2
Shahid Lateef with Raga Boys at
a concert in Chicago
May 2015
Asia Times US
ISSN 2159-9645
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Chicago
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PAGE 3
King’s powerful son: Saudi Arabia’s
future crown prince
ern diplomatic source said before the
reshuffle. “He oversees everything
important which is going on in this
country.”
Saudi King Salman’s youthful son Prince Mohammed, appointed Wednesday as second in
line to the throne, wields enormous power and
is leading a war against rebels in neighbouring
Yemen.
The exact age of Mohammed, who
sports a full dark beard, is uncertain.
Analysts and local media have reported various ages but none higher
than 35.
According to a biography from the
MiSK Foundation, which Prince
Mohammed established for youth
development, he had “a professional
career of 10 years” and was active
in business and philanthropy before
entering public service.
Defence Minister Prince Mohammed bin
Salman, in his 30s, was named deputy crown
prince thanks to his “massive capabilities which
became evident to everyone through all the
missions he had been assigned with,” said a
statement by his father, King Salman, 79.
Just weeks after taking charge of the kingdom’s
armed forces Prince Mohammed assumed huge
responsibility when a Saudi-led coalition on
March 26 began an air war against Iran-backed
rebels in Yemen.
His nomination on Wednesday gained “support from the vast majority of members of
the Council of Allegiance,” a committee of 35
descendants of the kingdom’s founder Abdul
Aziz bin Saud.
The council was formed in 2006 to decide on
succession.
Prince Mohammed also retains his position as
head of the economic and development council,
a coordinating body, and was named as second
deputy prime minister.
But he will no longer hold the crucial position
of head of the royal court, a type of gatekeeper
to the king.
In 2009 he became special adviser to
his father who was then the governor
of Riyadh, before heading his court
from 2013 after Salman was named
crown prince.
In April last year Prince Mohammed
became a state minister and cabinet
member, prior to his appointment
as defence minister and chief of the
royal court on January 23, the day
Salman became king upon the death
of his predecessor Abdullah at the
age of about 90.
“He is the strong man in Saudi Arabia,” a West-
China builds 57-storey
skyscraper in 19 days
CHANGSHA, CHINA: A Chinese construction
company is claiming to be the world’s fastest
builder after erecting a 57-storey skyscraper in
19 working days in central China.
The Broad Sustainable Building Co put up the
rectangular, glass-and-steel Mini Sky City in
the Hunan provincial capital of Changsha using
a modular method, assembling three floors per
day, company vice president Xiao Changgeng
said.
The company, which has ambitions to assemble
the world’s tallest skyscraper at 220 floors in
only three months, worked on Mini Sky City
in two spurts separated by winter weather. Its
time-lapse video of the rapid assembly has
become popular on Chinese video-sharing sites
since it was first uploaded on YouTube.
“With the traditional method, they have to
build a skyscraper brick by brick, but with our
method, we just need to assemble the blocks,”
company engineer Chen Xiangqian said.
Such modular approaches have been used for
high-rise apartment blocks elsewhere, including in Britain and the US. Some critics say the
method could lead to cityscapes with overly
uniform architecture.
Liu Peng, associate director of the engineering
consulting firm ARUP Beijing, said the method
is worth developing because it could become
a safe and reliable way to build skyscrapers
rapidly.
“But it is not perfect, and it does not meet
all kinds of personalized demands,” Liu said.
“People nowadays want more personalized
architecture.”
Mini Sky City, which has 19 atriums, 800 apartments and office space for 4,000 people, goes
on sale in May. The structure is safe and can
withstand earthquakes, Xiao said.
A worker operates machinery at the Broad Sustainable Building Co. in central China’s Hunan
Province. (AP Photo)
The Changsha-based company spent 4½
months fabricating the building’s 2,736
modules before construction began. The first
20 floors were completed last year, and the
remaining 37 were built from Jan. 31 to Feb. 17
this year, Xiao said. The company has honed its
technology to accelerate its construction speed
from two floors to three floors a day, he said.
“This is definitely the fastest speed in our industry,” Xiao said.
The company is awaiting approval for its
220-floor Sky City in Changsha.
May 2015
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PAGE 4
May 2015
PAGE 5
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Hinduja brothers no more
Britain’s richest
Three prominent Indian businessmen have
taken a fall in Britain’s top 10 rich list —
two of them mainly in ranking and one in
fortune.
Other Indians in the list include food
industry tycoons Ranjit and Baljinder
Boparan at 608 with £160 million, fashion
trader Nitin Passi at 723 with £133 million
and financial services expert Lord Verjee
at 754 with £125 million.
The Hinduja brothers — Srichand and
Gopichand have been toppled as Britain’s
richest.
Talking about the Hindujas, Sunday Times
Rich List said: “The wedding of a Hinduja
son in Mumbai cost £15 million. That
was small change for the brothers, who
recently purchased the Royal Bank of
Scotland’s jewellery and diamond financing business in India for an undisclosed
sum. It has a loan book worth nearly £500
million pounds.”
Warner Music owner Len Blavatnik
jumped three places from last year to
become Britain’s richest man with a £13.17
billion fortune.
Sri and Gopi Hinduja, who occupied the
top slot last year, were pushed down to the
second spot despite their fortune rising by
£1.1 billion to £13 billion.
There is also bad news for steel baron Lakshmi Niwas Mittal who is now Britain’s 7th
richest- a fall from rank 3 in the last year’s
list. Mittal saw his fortunes plummet by
over £1 billion in just one year and is now
worth £9.2 billion.
Prakash Lohia jumped the rankings too
standing at 34th this time as against 45th
in the last list. He is valued at £2.84 billion
— up by £730 million from last year.
Mining giant Anil Agarwal who is now
worth £1.1 billion also saw his fortunes
plummet by £594 million as he is pushed
down to rank 92 — a fall from 49 last year.
Navin and Varsha Engineer who made
their fortune in pharmaceuticals are
ranked 93 — a massive jump from 123 in
last year’s list. They are now worth £1.1
billion — up by £290 million from last
year.
Hoteliers Jasminder Singh is valued at
£910 million and is ranked 122 while
pharma giants Bhiku and Vijay Patel are
ranked 183rd with wealth of £510 million.
Biocon’s Kiran Mazumdar Shaw made an
entry to the rich list for the first time. She
is ranked 139th and is worth £790 million.
Britain’s head of state and monarch the
Queen, who topped the first rich list in
1989, has dropped out of the top 300 for
the first time.
Valued at £340 million, the Queen is
ranked 302 — a fall from 285 last year.
There are now 117 billionaires on the list,
up from 104 in 2014, with 80 of them living in London.
Nearly 35 of these individuals are of
Indian-origin, with five new entrants in
2015.
The other new Indian origin entrants to
this list include investor Ashish Thakkar
who is ranked 217 with wealth worth £500
million along with industrialist Gautam
Thapar.
International security magnate Dr Diwan
Rahul Nanda with an estimated wealth of
£205 million, up from 2014’s £195 million
has entered the list for the fourth consecutive year.
Dr Nanda climbed 24 places breaking
through the £200 million mark — from
£195 million in 2014 and £187 million in
2013.
Dr Nanda has been the bodyguard for
stars such as Michael Jackson and Angelina Jolie and obtained a PHD in Martial
Arts from the University of Massachusetts.
Chelsea Football Club owner Roman
Abramovich comes in at number 10 on the
list with a fortune of £7.29 billion, down
£1.23 billion on last year while Virgin boss
Sir Richard Branson has seen his wealth
rise from £3.6 billion to £4.1 billion, making him 20th richest in Britain.
Meanwhile NRI industrialist Lord Swaraj
Paul held on to his 47th rank with an estimated wealth of £2.2 billion.
Hinduja brothers also bought Winston
Churchill’s iconic Old War Office building which has more than 1,000 rooms and
two-and-a-half miles of corridors and had
escaped largely unscathed even after being
bombed eight times during World War II.
This year’s richest Blavatnik is a Ukraineborn businessman whose investments
range from metals and oil to music
publishing and digital media. He lives in
a £41-million pound home in London
and has donated £75 million to Oxford
University to build the Blavatnik School of
Government.
Actor George Clooney has been included
in the list for the first time thanks to his
marriage to British-Lebanese human
rights lawyer Amal Alamuddin. They are
number 790 on the list, being valued at
£121 million. Author JK Rowling features
at 193 on the list, her wealth increasing
from £570 millon last year to £580 million.
China to provide 110 fighter jets
to Pakistan
Pakistan will acquire 110 latest JF-17
Thunder fighter jets from China as the
two countries forge closer economic and
defence cooperation following President
Xi Jinping’s visit to Islamabad earlier this
week, a media report said.
Radio Pakistan reported that China will
deliver the first batch of 50 jets over a
period of three years. The head of Chinese
aircraft industry told a Chinese daily that
under the contract signed between the two
countries, Pakistan will receive a total of
110 JF-17 Thunder fighter aircraft from
China.
It is not clear when the delivery of the
remaining 60 jets will be completed.
The JF-17 Thunder is also built in Pakistan
as China has already transferred its technology. But Pakistan needs more of these
jets at faster pace due to its fight against
Taliban militants.
Xi also launched a $46 billion economic
corridor to link China’s western region
to Pakistan’s Gwadar port on the Arabian
Sea.
During Xi’s visit, a fleet of eight JF-17 jets
escorted the Chinese president’s plane
when it entered Pakistan’s airspace. The two
countries signed 51
agreements to boost
economic cooperation during Xi’s trip.
Earlier, reports said
China would provide
eight latest submarines
to Pakistan, more than
doubling its fleet, in a
deal worth $4-5 billion.
May 2015
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PAGE 6
May 2015
PAGE 7
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Times .US
Saudi Arabia’s king declares
new heirs to throne
Saudi Arabia’s new king has announced a major cabinet reshuffle that
puts in place a new generation to succeed him. Saudi Arabia’s new
crown prince, Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, is known for his hard
line on jihadist militants.
King Salman has appointed his nephew, the powerful Interior Minister Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, as crown prince.
The king’s son, Prince Mohammed bin Salman, has been made
deputy crown prince and the foreign minister, Prince Saud al-Faisal,
has been replaced.
King Salman, 78, acceded to the throne in January after the death of
his half-brother Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz.
Abdullah, who was thought to be aged about 90, had been on the
throne since 2005 and Saudi Arabia’s de facto leader for 10 years
before that.
Saudi line of succession (April 2015)
The BBC’s Kim Ghattas, who was recently in Riyadh, says this latest
reshuffle shows King Salman is firmly turning the page on the era of
his predecessor.
He has pushed aside allies of the late monarch such as his half-brother Muqrin bin Abdul Aziz, who until Wednesday was crown prince.
The rise of Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, 55, and Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the defence minister believed to be in his early 30s,
means that for the first time a grandson of the kingdom’s founder,
King Abdul Aziz, is in line to rule.
Both men will continue in their ministerial roles.
The appointment of Prince Mohammed bin Nayef as crown prince
and deputy premier is likely to be welcomed by the United States,
with whom he has a close relationship,
The kingdom’s veteran security chief, he is known for his strong
stance against jihadist militants and narrowly survived an assassination attempt by al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula suicide bomber in
2009.
The new Deputy Crown Prince and Second Deputy Premier, Mohammed bin Salman, has enjoyed a meteoric rise within the Saudi
leadership.
He was appointed defence minister in January, and in the last month
has been overseeing a military operation by a Saudi-led coalition
against Houthi rebels in Yemen.
King Salman has employed a more assertive, muscular foreign policy
to push back against Saudi Arabia’s regional rival Iran, our correspondent says. These new appointments reinforce that trend, she notes.
line
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Nayef
First grandson of the kingdom’s founder, King Abdul Aziz, to join
line of succession
Aged 55; son of late former Crown Prince, Nayef bin Abdul Aziz, and
nephew to new King Salman
Became assistant interior minister in 1999 and led crackdown on
jihadist militants after 9/11
Narrowly survived assassination attempt by al-Qaeda suicide bomber
in 2009
Succeeded his father as interior minister in 2012 following his death
Named crown prince and deputy premier in 2015; will continue as
interior minister
Analysis: King Salman breaks with tradition
line
A royal decree announced the reshuffle, and said Prince Saud alFaisal, who has been in post for almost four decades, had “asked to be
relieved from his duties due to his health condition”.
The 75 year old will be replaced by the Saudi ambassador to the US,
Adel al-Jubeir, whose appointment is a rarity because such a position
normally goes to a member of the royal family.
Meanwhile, the most senior woman in the Saudi government, Nora
al-Fayez, has been removed as deputy education minister for girls, a
post she had held since 2009.
She had sought to introduce sports programmes for girls in state-run
schools, something opposed by religious conservatives.
May 2015
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PAGE 8
May 2015
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Times .US
Are Indian domestics
less attractive for
Saudis?
The Indian consulate in Jeddah has received a few requests to ratify contracts of
the domestic workers in Saudi Arabia after
India imposed a bank guarantee requirement to be fulfilled by employers, a media
report said.
“This requirement is considered as one of
the most important terms set by the consulate to preserve worker’s rights in the
Kingdom,” Arab News quoted a consulate
official as saying.
Indian Consul General BS Mubarak had
earlier made it clear that his government
had no intention to cancel the bank guar-
Saudi officials have denied any link
between less number of recruitment of
Indian workers and the financial requirements demanded by the Indian consulate,
citing instead a lack of suitable workers in
the country.
Yayha Maqbool, head of the recruitment
committee at Jeddah Chamber of Com-
merce and Industry (JCCI), said that
India was not fulfilling its commitments
of providing appropriate workers, adding
that the currently available age groups did
not meet the needs of Saudi families
NRI shot dead in
robbery attempt at
US gas station
NEW YORK: A
39-year-old Indian
man, who worked
at a gas station
in the US state of
Connecticut, has
been fatally shot
at by two masked
men during an
apparent robbery
attempt.
Sanjay Patel, who
worked as a clerk
at the gas station
in New Haven, was
shot three times in
the chest and once
in the hand by two
masked men last
night.
A report in NBC
Connecticut said
Patel was taken
to the Yale-New
Haven Hospital
where he died an
hour later.
Police said they
were searching for
the two men as
the investigation
continued.
Patel’s wife was
pregnant with their
first child.
The report quoted
New Haven Police
as saying that a
gunfire broke out
at the gas station
around 7:30 pm local time during the
apparent robbery
yesterday.
Gas station-owner
Raj Ali told NBC
that the robbers
took Patel’s life “for
a couple hundred
dollars. It’s not
worth it. It’s bad.”
Witnesses said
they saw two
Land rises out of the sea
in Hokkaido, Japan
antee requirement.
“However, Saudis are interested in cheap and qualified
labour, which makes Indian
workers less attractive, as
according to the deal, their
monthly wages can reach
up to 1,500 Saudi riyals
((around $400),” said the
official who did not wish to
be named.
The agreement signed
about three months ago was
intended “to benefit both
parties and ensure these
workers are capable of handling the job
well”, the official added.
PAGE 9
masked men
running from the
scene after the
incident.
swell happened as a result of a landslide”,
local researcher Yoshinori Yajima told the
Hokkaido Shimbun newspaper after he
flew over the area Monday.
The extra stretch of coastline at the town
of Rausu on Hokkaido island has risen as
high as 10 metres from the sea surface in
some places, exposing what used to be the
ocean floor to the elements.
Authorities have not been able to determine exactly when the landslide hit the
snow-covered coastline, but they do not
expect it to expand further, said an official
at the central government’s Hokkaido
Regional Development Bureau.
Initially the phenomenon, in a remote
part of the island, prompted speculation
among residents of mysterious seismic activities, fuelling fears of another big quake
in a nation scarred by the 9.0-magnitude
earthquake and tsunami of March 2011.
But geologists believe the emergence was
probably a result of a landslide nearby,
when melting ice and snow caused a section of land to drop, pivoting the underwater area into the air.
“An aerial survey indicates that the land
“Our understanding is that this is different
from earthquakes,” he told AFP.
Rausu is not the only place where Japan
is expanding: a new island emerged from
the sea 1,000 kilometres (620 miles) south
of Tokyo and continues to grow as the
volcano at its centre spews magma.
In February it was reported to be a
respectable 2.46 square kilometres (0.95
square miles) - roughly the size of 345
football pitches.
pened to him.”
“We are looking
for two people that
may be involved,”
said New Haven
police spokesman
Officer David Hartman.
Police said they
don’t believe there
were any customers inside the gas
station store when
the robbers walked
in and will check
surveillance video
as part of the investigation.
“We don’t necessarily believe that
two were firing
guns. We know at
least one was.”
“Sooner or later,
the police are going
to catch them and
take them,” Ali
said.
Ali remembered
Patel as someone
who knew everybody.
“That’s what we are
expecting. That’s
what we believe.”
“He loved them.
He joked with
majority of the
people,” Ali said. “I
don’t know.I cannot
believe that hap-
TOKYO: Crowded Japan has got a little
bit roomier after a 300-metre (1,000-foot)
strip of land emerged from the sea and
attached itself to the coast.
Ali Baba Market
And Restaurant
Full line of Middle Eastern
Food & Grocery
Fresh Meat and vegetables
2562 45th St. Highland, IN 46322
Phone: 219-924-3660
May 2015
PAGE 10
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Story of an inspirational singer
Manju Ghosh
Macon, Georgia
Anuradha Paudwal’s journey through playback singing
career is not only heart-breaking but very inspirational.
She worshipped the sounds of music, though there was
nothing musical in her family background.
Anuradha has got good looks and could have easily become an actress. However, she loved singing from childhood though her voice was very hoarse. It was so bad that
people used to laugh at her and called her peacock when
she sang and that frustrated her.
When she was in fourth grade and heard Lata Mangeshkar sing, Anuradha became obsessed and wanted to sing
like Lata. She kept practicing Lata’s songs for about a
month but the voice she wanted never came out. Then
suddenly she fell very ill with pneumonia and lost her
voice completely and was in bed for almost 40 days. To
keep herself entertained, Anuradha listened to Lata’s
new album commemorating her 25 years, day and night,
totally immersed in it. All she heard was that voice and it
impacted her psyche even more deeply, because her own
voice was gone.
When she recovered a miracle had happened. Her voice
had changed completely. It was no longer like a peacock’s
cry. After that the Bhagwad Gita and Lata’s voice became
her teacher and inspiration. Anuradha would recite
shlokas (hymns) every day from the Gita and practice.
Though she has not received any formal training in classical music, she just kept practicing for many hours listening to Lata. After she gained confidence, Anuradha started taking part in music events and sing in high school and
college under her maiden name Alka Nadkarni.
After getting married to Arun Paudwal, who was assistant
to music-director Sachin Dev Burman, Anuradha used
to accompany him to the studio were recording sessions
were taking place. When the movie Abhiman was ready
for release, Burman da wanted
to record a shiv sholka to open
the film. Arun asked Anuradha
to sing it, recorded it and took
the tape to Burman da. He
heard it and was amazed that
the voice sounded like Lata’s but
was Anuradha’s voice! It was
supposed to be sung by Lata,
still Burman da kept Anuradha’s
version and that turned out to
be a blessing for her.
Once Anuradha had gone
to a recording session where
Lata sang a Marathi song for
which her brother Hridayanath
composed the music. While
the rehearsals were going on,
Anuradha who was sitting in
the lounge was listening and
grasping every note and tune
and somehow memorizing the
entire song; and sang that next
day in a musical competition on
a radio. When Lakshmikant and
Hridayanath heard it on radio,
they both were shocked that the
song which was recorded only a
day before and not yet released
so how did the radio station
managed to play it on air? Upon
learning that it was sung by
Anuradha, Lakshmikant got
impressed and offered her to
sing for the duo; but Anuradha
politely declined because she
was newly-wed and was shy.
Similarly, Raj
Kapoor had
approached
Anuradha to sing as a dubbing artist for
film Satyam Shivam Sundaram, but she
had turned him down too.
The turning point came when Anuradha
was dubbing two songs for Subhash
Ghai’s hit film Hero. These songs that
she dubbed were to be sung by Lata
in the final version. Luckily, the songs
were retained when Lata decided not
to sing them and from then on she
never looked back. Her next song was
film Kalicharan and that again was a
blockbuster.
Though Lata Mangeshkar threw a lot of
obstacles in Anuradha’s path and tried
to destroy her career, she was so much
obsessed with Lata that Lata’s voice
became her guiding light and Lata’s
songs became her spiritual guru. She
even dressed and laughed like Lata. It
is said that when goddess Saraswati put
her devotee through trials and tribulations, Anuradha remained steadfast. She
perfected Lata’s voice. She even released
two albums of Lata Mangeshker’s songs
in her voice whose stereophonic music
was arranged by husband Arun.
In one album Anuradha sang all the
songs originally composed by ShankarJaikishan and they sounded better than
the original songs. In another album
Anuradha sang Lata’s ghazals origi-
nally composed by Madan Mohan. After listening to
these ghazals no one can deny that Anuradha sang better
than Lata. Both albums became extremely popular, that
infuriated the Mangeshkars more. Lata felt threatened by
Anuradha’s success and
she and Asha used their dominance to oust Anuradha and
Arun from the film industry. Arun was forced to leave S.
D. Burman’s team and producers stopped offering singing
to Anuradha.
Anuradha’s luck was still shining. She joined hands with
T-series tycoon Gulshan Kumar who offered her playback singing in many films. Anuradha belted out one hit
after the other and eventually winning 3 Filmfare awards
in a row when some singers wait years for one. Gulshan
Kumar and Anuradha eventually decided to stop doing
film songs and do the devotional albums. After Arun’s and
Gulshan’s deaths Anuradha’s stars started fading and she
decided to leave playback singing altogether and concentrate on devotional songs only.
Music maestro O.P. Nayyar had once said that Anuradha
was going to replace Lata Mangeshkar soon. Had she
not fall victim to Lata-Asha’s dirty politics, she would
have become as successful as Lata if not more. Anuradha
proved that Lata’s songs are better guru (teacher) than
Lata herself.
From May 8 through May 15, 2015 Anuradha is on eightcity concert tour of North America. Don’t miss to see this
inspirational singer perform live.
Manju Ghosh
Macon, Georgia
May 2015
www.Asia
Times .US
PAGE 11
Aktarer Zaman
Lawsuit filed by United Airlines against
a 22-year-old dismissed in Chicago
United Airlines (UAL) and Orbitz (OWW) had filed
a civil lawsuit in November against Aktarer Zaman, a
young computer whiz from New York City, who launched
a website called Skiplagged.com to help people buy cheap
plane tickets.
Chicago Judge John Robert Blakey of the Northern
District Court of Illinois said the court didn’t have jurisdiction over the case because Zaman didn’t live or do
business in that city.
The dismissal “is definitely a victory,” Zaman told
CNNMoney. “It is pretty amazing...the court just shut
them off.”
Zaman’s Skiplagged.com uses a little-known secret among
frequent fliers to help people find cheaper plane tickets.
The basic idea behind Skiplagged is that it takes advantage
of something called “hidden city” fares, where it might
be cheaper to book a flight with a connection, and then
never actually take the second leg of the trip.
For example, if you want to fly from New York to Chicago,
it might be cheaper to book a flight from New York to San
Francisco with a layover in Chicago, but never go to San
Francisco. Hidden-city travelers can’t check bags (they
would go to San Francisco), and you can only book a oneway ticket.
The site is wildly popular. Last month the site had over 1
million visitors.
United and Orbitz sued Zaman for “unfair competition”
and “deceptive behavior,” alleging that the site promoted
“strictly prohibited” travel. They wanted to recoup $75,000
in lost revenue from Zaman.
Orbitz and Zaman settled their portion of the lawsuit in
February, but United kept fighting.
On Friday, United spokeswoman Christen David said “the
decision was a ruling on procedural grounds and not on
the merits of the case.”
The spokesperson did not comment on whether United
would continue to pursue legal action.
“We remain troubled that Mr. Zaman continues to openly
encourage customers to violate our contract of carriage by
purchasing hidden-city tickets,” she said.
Related: Game is not over in United Airlines vs. 22-yearold
After CNNMoney profiled Zaman in December, he left
his job at a computer software company in New York -which he declined to name -- and committed all his time
to Skiplagged.
Since he makes no money from the website yet, Zaman
raised $79,000 on a crowdfunding site to help pay for
lawyers to defend him. Zaman supports himself through
savings and loans, but says he might turn to investors
once the legal dispute is done for good.
Despite the case’s dismissal in Chicago, Zaman says he
anticipates the airline to come back with another lawsuit
in another jurisdiction.
“The cynic in me says this is an uphill battle,” says Zaman.
“I’m not going to let my guard down.”
PAGE 12
www.Asia
Times .US
Rahul now takes up the cudgels against
govt’s real estate bill
May 2015
New Delhi, May 2 (PTI) A combative Rahul Gandhi
today kept up his attack on Narendra Modi government,
accusing it of working against middle class home-buyers
by “diluting” a bill on regulating real estate sector and
making it “pro-builders”.
The Congress Vice President, who has aggressively targeted the government and the Prime Minister over the
land bill and farmers’ issues since his return from a nearly
two-month leave, today sought to reach out to middle
class, saying he would fight for them the way he has stood
by farmers and tribals.
“Government, which has been working against farmers
and tribals, is working against the middle class in the
same manner,” he told reporters after meeting several
NCR flat buyers here.
With Rahul upping the ante on the amended Real Estate
(Regulation and Development) Bill, the fate of the bill
listed for consideration and passage in Rajya Sabha on
May 5 has become uncertain as the NDA does not have
the numbers in the Upper House to ensure its passage.
“I have assured them that the way I am helping the poor
and the tribals, I will do the same for the middle class. I
will stand by them,” the Congress leader said, as he sought
to link the “suffering” of the middle class home-buyers
with the issue of land, which the Congress has made a
major political plank.
Rahul said that he had learnt that it is not just farmers
and tribals but also the middle class people that are suppressed on matters related to land.
Assuring home-buyers that he would stand by them, Gandhi said that it was due to lack of transparency, the buyers
were left in a quandary.
“They are told that you will get the flat on a particular
day but for years they don’t get the flat. They are told the
super duper area of the flat would be so much but what is
delivered is different,” he said.
He said the government was trying to destroy the Bill
which Congress led UPA had brought to regulate the real
estate sector.
“Main dilution is that earlier there was transparency.
The carpet area that you sign is what would be given.
They have diluted that now and from pro-buyer made it
pro-builder,” he said, firing yet another salvo at Modi government whom he has accused of being “pro-corporate,
anti-farmer and anti-poor” over the land bill.
In the run-up to the Lok Sabha polls also, the Congress
Vice President had made a strong pro-middle class pitch
promising to “create a floor” beneath the feet of 70 crore
population of the country and lift them to middle class
status.
The Congress has decided to take the issue of changes
brought about by the NDA government in the real estate
bill to people and bring out the “contrast” between UPA’s
real estate bill and NDA’s legislation on the line of what it
did in the case of the land acquisition Act.
Court to hear defamation case against
Kejriwal on July 30
A Delhi court today fixed July 30 for hearing a criminal
defamation case filed against Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, his deputy Manish Sisodia and dissident AAP leader
Yogendra Yadav by an advocate.
Metropolitan Magistrate Muneesh Garg, who has already
received a copy of the order of the Supreme Court staying
the proceedings of the case, posted the matter for the next
date.
The case is presently listed for pronouncement of order on
the issue of framing of charges against the accused.
On April 17, the apex court had stayed prosecution of
Kejriwal in the case on his plea challenging constitutional
validity of the penal provisions of defamation law.
The trial court had earlier released on bail Kejriwal, Sisodia and Yadav after they had appeared before it on June 4
last year in pursuance to summons against them.
The summons were issued on the complaint of advocate
Surender Kumar Sharma under sections 499, 500 (defamation) and 34 (common intention) of the IPC, with the
court saying there was prima facie material to summon
the accused.
On March 17, the three leaders were forced to appear in
the court after their failure to do so had irked the magistrate who had remarked they have “no respect for law”.
Sharma, in his complaint, had alleged that in 2013 he was
approached by volunteers of AAP who had asked him to
contest the Delhi Assembly elections on a party ticket,
saying Kejriwal was pleased with his social services.
He filled up the application form to contest the polls
after being told by Sisodia and Yadav that AAP’s Political
Affairs Committee
of the party had
decided to give him
the ticket. However,
it was later denied
to him.
On October 14,
2013, the complainant claimed that
articles in leading
newspapers carried
“defamatory, unlawful and derogatory
words used by the
accused persons”
which have lowered
his reputation in the
Bar and the society.
While issuing summons against AAP
leaders, the court had said, “The press release published
in newspapers as well as testimonies of witnesses reflect
that defamatory remarks were published in the newspaper
which affected the reputation of the complainant in the
society and lowered his reputation in the eyes of other
members of the society.
May 2015
www.Asia
Times .US
Fill vacancies of
professors in medical
colleges: HC
Raising concerns over the large number
of vacancies of professors and associate
professors in medical colleges, the Bombay High Court has asked Maharashtra
government to take up the issue on priority basis and fill up the posts immediately.
A division bench of justices N H Patil
and V L Achliya was hearing a suo moto
public interest litigation on the issue.
The bench was last week informed that
89 posts of professors and 287 posts of
associate professors in various medical
colleges functioning in the state are lying
vacant.
Government pleader Abhinandan Vagyani
informed the court that advertisements
for 117 posts have been given.
He submitted that the government has
taken a decision that the posting of medical teachers is exempted from divisional
cadre regulation.
“The constituted selection committee will
conduct interviews and the vacancies will
be filled within three months,” Vagyani
said.
The court observed that the state government has to maintain necessary infrastructural facility and standards of education in medical colleges.
“We expect the state to take up the issue
concerning the infrastructural facilities
of all medical colleges and hospitals run
by the government on priority basis and
focus on infrastructure, grant, purchase of
modern equipment and service conditions
of medical teachers,” the court said.
The government should also take necessary precaution that administrative posts
like Dean of medical colleges do not lie
vacant, it further said.
The court was also informed that the age
of retirement of medical teachers has been
increased from 63 to 64 years.
The HC directed the government to file an
affidavit on June 22 after due deliberations
on these issues.
50 common signs and symptoms of stress
1. Frequent headaches, jaw clenching or pain
2. Gritting, grinding teeth
3. Stuttering or stammering
4. Tremors, trembling of lips, hands
5. Neck ache, back pain, muscle spasms
6. Light headedness, faintness, dizziness
7. Ringing, buzzing or “popping sounds
8. Frequent blushing, sweating
9. Cold or sweaty hands, feet
10. Dry mouth, problems swallowing
11. Frequent colds, infections, herpes sores
12. Rashes, itching, hives, “goose bumps”
13. Unexplained or frequent “allergy” attacks
14. Heartburn, stomach pain, nausea
15. Excess belching, flatulence
16. Constipation, diarrhea, loss of control
17. Difficulty breathing, frequent sighing
18. Sudden attacks of life threatening panic
19. Chest pain, palpitations, rapid pulse
PAGE 13
I don’t write about
Nepal quake for
publicity: Big B
Megastar Amitabh Bachchan
is furious and has slammed
some online users, who have
accused him of trying to
garner “publicity” by talking
about Nepal earthquake
victims on his social media
pages.
Bachchan, 72, has been active on Twitter, Facebook
and blog with updates and
appeals for the help of quake
victims in the neighbouring
country.
“They comment I write about
it for comment and sympathetic publicity. IDIOTS!
They need to be sent to the
tube for long hours of investigative procedures, and made
to languish in that odoured ‘keechad’
that colours their insides!!,” Bachchan
wrote on his blog.
“Some other in the other medium
slither in the scum of incognito ed
garbage, and wish to learn what I do
in capacity of help and care to those
that remain stranded and scarred,
blemished by nature, as it shakes in its
slumber,” he added.
Saturday but said it was needed to correct those, who were calling his noble
motive a publicity gimmick.
“There is a distaste in my words today,
my apologies. At times it is time for it.
I would not hesitate to deliver what to
me would mean and spell anger and
beyond. No no no... That is not right,
nor correct... It is self destructive...
No... I am not that... I never was... I
never shall... forgive...
The generally eloquent “Piku” star
admitted that his words were harsh on
20. Frequent urination
21. Diminished sexual desire or performance
22. Excess anxiety, worry, guilt, nervousness
23. Increased anger, frustration, hostility
24. Depression, frequent or wild mood swings
25. Increased or decreased appetite
26. Insomnia, nightmares, disturbing dreams
27. Difficulty concentrating, racing thoughts
28. Trouble learning new information
29. Forgetfulness, disorganization, confusion
30. Difficulty in making decisions
31. Feeling overloaded or overwhelmed
32. Frequent crying spells or suicidal thoughts
33. Feelings of loneliness or worthlessness
34. Little interest in appearance, punctuality
35. Nervous habits, fidgeting, feet tapping
36. Increased frustration, irritability, edginess
37. Overreaction to petty annoyances
38. Increased number of minor accidents
39. Obsessive or compulsive behavior
40. Reduced work efficiency or productivity
41. Lies or excuses to cover up poor work
42. Rapid or mumbled speech
43. Excessive defensiveness or suspiciousness
44. Problems in communication, sharing
45. Social withdrawal and isolation
46. Constant tiredness, weakness, fatigue
47. Frequent use of over-the-counter drugs
48. Weight gain or loss without diet
49. Increased smoking, alcohol or drug use
50. Excessive gambling or impulse buying
As demonstrated in the above list, stress can
have wide ranging effects on emotions, mood
and behavior. Equally important but often less
appreciated are effects on various systems, organs and tissues all over the body, as illustrated
by the following diagram.
May 2015
www.Asia
Times .US
PAGE 14
May 2015
www.Asia
Times .US
PAGE 15
President Sirisena for
communal harmony, stability, development!
Dr. Abdul Ruff Colachal
The arrival of President Maithripala
Sirisena, who is seen committed to
people’s causes as well as nation’s pride,
signals the rise of a new phenomenon
in Sri Lanka, governance and politics,
just like what the new political phenomenon the Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal in
Indian politics meant to India. Both have
aroused the hopes of people, conscience
of the nation and government commitment to the national causes.
With the dawn of Sirisena in Lankan
politics with a bang it seems people’s
faith in the political leadership and
government has returned to play its
legitimate role in nation building task in
new beginnings. His balanced foreign
diplomacy added clarity to the purpose
to the cause of national building.
President Sirisena came when Sri Lankans had almost lost their faith in the government, in the national ruling elites, in the future of Sri
Lanka and also lost hopes in their own future as former
president Mahinda Rajapaksa became extremely a despot,
prompting a divisive rule, harming the very purpose and
stature of the nation.
The exit of powerful Rajapaksa, who had taken people for
granted, happened as he and his close associates had appeared well-entrenched. The 69-year-old came to power
in 2005, led his country’s military to a bloody victory over
violent Tamil separatists four years later and surfed a wave
of popularity among the Sinhala majority to win again in
2010. He then had the constitution changed to allow the
third term he hoped to win in January’s poll, which was
called two years early.
The serious allegations of corruption, violent intimidation
of political opponents, attacks on journalists, growing resentment among Tamils and mounting sectarian violence
led to concern at home and abroad. The appointment of
two brothers, a nephew and a son to key posts prompted
charges of nepotism. The constitutional changes led to
accusations of authoritarianism. Taxi drivers, cooks and
shopkeepers in working-class neighborhoods in Colombo
blame the ousted president’s entourage for the steeply
rising prices of basic foodstuffs and major development
projects that do not seem to have improved their lives.
Rajapaksa sought to present his vision of a government
which is unanswerable to people.
Rajapaksa and family lost and Sri Lanka won by voting
Sirisena to power for protecting their genuine interests at
home and abroad.
Voters do not vote for corrupt or ineffective governance
but when that happens they are helpless as they can do
literally nothing to the rulers who can ruthlessly suppress
agitations demanding better governance, and welfare
measures for the poor and needy. They reveal their anger
and anguish in the next general elections by casting their
valuable votes against the government and replace the
incumbent ruling dispensation with a new government.
Generally politicians do not learn anything from people
and their reactions. They just try to mold voter mindset to
suit their designs.
Now the Lankans have regained their faith and hopes
under Sirisena, a well wisher of freedoms and peace.
Understandably, they now look upon the new leader with
high hopes.
A month after his surprise victory over Mahinda Rajapaksa, whose controversial rule had lasted more than
nine years, the new president of Sri Lanka has launched
an ambitious 100-day program of reform and redirection.
The progress report looks fairly satisfying. Already, there
is a change in atmosphere in Sri Lanka that even the usually oblivious tourists filling Colombo’s rapidly proliferat-
people, is eager to change the roadmap of his country
and is now seen too busy as he began his democratic
duty as mandated by the people of this island nation.
He is often busy with a regular stream of officials,
visitors, business people, soldiers and ambassadors
meeting him through the colonial-era gates to his
white-washed residence in Sri Lanka’s principal city.
Yet no one doubts the challenges facing Sirisena and
his new government, which is led by Ranil Wickremesinghe, a veteran of Sri Lanka’s convoluted and
bitter politics. One problem is the instability of the
coalition. Essentially united only by a desire to oust
Rajapaksa, the government faces parliamentary
elections in June and needs to consolidate its hold in
the national assembly to push through new laws and
repeal others. Even before the polls, legislation including major constitutional amendments and a right to
information act has been tabled.
ing luxury hotels must notice. “The people changed the
situation. They want democracy,” a leftist Lankapelli told
the Guardian, speaking in a rundown trade union federation office below a faded portrait of Leon Trotsky.
President Sirisena is encouraging people to live fearlessly.
Many refer to the victory of Sirisena over both Rajapaksa
and Tamil separatists as a reason to vote for him again.
Hana Ebrahim, a respected journalist and former editor
in Colombo, said the “fear has gone”. He’s a good politician who has a link with the poor and rural people,” said
one of his sympathizers, “He knows how to appeal to
them, even if his pure majoritarian policies eventually
backfired”.
Muslim and Christian leaders also said they had been
reassured by the new president’s recent statements. The
issues in the north are complex however, and much
depends on Sirisena persuading Sri Lanka’s powerful
Sinhala-dominated military to give up land, businesses
and a view of Tamils as potential troublemakers.
Representatives of the Tamil minority, who have faced
discrimination and repression in recent years, are equally
upbeat. His supporters say Sirisena’s attempt to reform
and redirect is a big task. “The early signs are very
promising. The mood has totally changed. Earlier, it was
very scary. Now there’s lightness,” a western diplomat in
Colombo said.
Observers were encouraged by the 63-year-old career
politician’s speech on Sri Lanka’s Independence Day last
month, in which the president spoke of the losses of all
communities and made a series of other conciliatory
statements towards the Tamil minority. In an address to
top diplomats last week, Sirisena spoke of matching “the
physical defeat of terrorism” with “a deeper and genuine
peace”. “All people living in the country whatever language they speak, whatever religion they follow, should...
live with feelings of strong brotherhood and with bonds
of unity,” he said.
Such statements have allayed some concerns that the new
head of state might be less inclusive than hoped. Sirisena
was close to Rajapkasa, is a Buddhist like most of the
Sinhalese majority and comes from a conservative rural
background. Brian Keenan of the International Crisis
Group said: “He comes from the same stock but is a very
different kind of person. He is on the softer side of the
Sinhala nationalist spectrum. There are indications that
he wants to be calm, statesman-like reformer who doesn’t
have a personal agenda but keeps the whole process going
forward in a positive way”.
President Sirisena remains unprovoked by negative comments from opposition quarters and that is his positive
mindset the people like.
President Sirisena, known now known as a good and calm
politician who has a link with the poor and feel for rural
One key problem for the new government is an
impending UN report into alleged war crimes committed during the civil war and particularly its last year.
Launched under the Rajapaksa government, largely by the
US and the UK, the report has the potential to embarrass
the new administration as well (if the government approves the Rajapksha regime anomalies) by exposing acts
by Sri Lankan government forces. After Sirisena’s foreign
minister trawled western capitals, the report’s publication
was pushed back to September.
There are also deep economic problems, only partially
mitigated by the Rajapaksa’s investment in infrastructure,
and the scars of the 26-year war are still livid. The closing
phases of the conflict saw thousands of Tamil civilians
killed in army bombardments and confused fighting with
separatist extremists from the Liberation Tigers of Tamil
Eelam (LTTE). Many hundreds of Tamil political prisoners are still believed to be imprisoned, often without
charge“.
There has been an economic crisis in Jaffna and the north
and the new budget created a sense that the economy will
now change. Human rights campaigners said surveillance
and harassment of activists in the north have continued,
however.
The Rajapaksa government swung Sri Lanka closer to Beijing, with scores of agreements signed with Chinese state
firms for huge infrastructure projects and massive private
investment too. The most high profile project involves
building a marina, a Formula One circuit, luxury flats and
businesses on a 200-plus hectare plot reclaimed from the
sea off Colombo itself next to the city’s main port. A strategic tilt towards China also worried the US and India, Sri
Lanka’s northerly neighbour.
Lanka sits astride key shipping lanes down which much of
the oil and gas required by East Asian nations, including
China, travels. The new administration appears undecided over the fate of the project, which will create and
occupy some of the most strategically and commercially
important real estate in south Asia.
Of the first acts of Wickramesinghe, the new prime minister, was to cancel tax breaks given to a huge casino project
launched by Australian gambling tycoon James Packer.
The high-profile investors are easier to see off.
The feeling in Colombo is broadly optimistic because
there is a sense here that people contributed to Sirisena’s
victory, a movement from dictatorship to democracy and
they want to reap the fruits from the changing political
atmosphere in the country under President Sirisena, a
rare leader of the corruption ridden third world.
May 2015
On the lighter side....
www.Asia
Times .US
A driver is pulled over by a policeman and the policeman
approaches the drivers door.
=======================================
Reaching the end of a job interview, the human resources
person asked a young engineer fresh out of MIT, “And
what starting salary were you looking for?” The engineer
said, “In the neighborhood of $125,000 a year, depending
on the benefits package.”
“Is there a problem, Officer?”
The policeman says, “Sir, you were speeding. Can I see
your license please?”
The driver responds, “I’d give it to you but I don’t have
one.”
“You don’t have one?”
The man responds, “I lost it four times for drunk driving.”
The policeman is shocked. “I see. Can I see your vehicle
registration papers please?”
“I’m sorry, I can’t do that.”
The man steps out of his vehicle. “Is there a problem, sir?”
“One of my officers told me that you have stolen this car
and murdered the owner.”
“Murdered the owner?”
The policeman says, “Why not?”
The officer responds, “Yes, could you please open the
trunk of your car please?”
“I stole this car.”
The man opens the trunk, revealing nothing.
The officer says, “Stole it?”
The officer says, “Is this your car sir?”
The man says, “Yes, and I killed the owner.”
The man says, “Yes” and hands over the registration
papers.
At this point the officer is getting irate. “You what?”
“She’s in the trunk if you’d like to see.”
The Officer looks at the man and slowly backs away to his
car and calls for back up. Within minutes, five police cars
show up, surrounding the car. A senior officer slowly approaches the car, clasping his half-drawn gun.
The senior officer says, “Sir, could you step out of your
vehicle please!”
PAGE 16
The officer, understandably, is quite stunned. “One of my
officers claims that you do not have a driving licence.”
The man digs in his pocket revealing a wallet and hands
it to the officer. The officer opens the wallet and examines
the licence. He looks quite puzzled. “Thank you, sir. One
of my officers told me you didn’t have a licence, stole this
car, and murdered the owner.”
The interviewer said, “Well, what would you say to a
package of 5-weeks vacation, 14 paid holidays, full medical and dental, company matching retirement fund to
50% of salary, and a company car leased every 2 years say, a red Corvette?”
The engineer sat up straight and said, “Wow! Are you kidding?” And the interviewer replied, “Yeah, but you started
it.”
=======================================
A young man was walking through a supermarket to pick
up a few things when he noticed an old lady following
him around. Thinking nothing of it, he ignored her and
continued on.
Finally he went to the checkout line, but she got in front
of him. “Pardon me,” she said, “I’m sorry if my staring at
you has made you feel uncomfortable. It’s just that you
look just like my son, who just died recently.” “I’m very
sorry,” replied the young man, “is there anything I can
do for you?” “Yes,” she said, “As I’m leaving, can you say
‘Good bye, Mother’? It would make me feel so much better.” “Sure,” answered the young man.
As the old woman was leaving, he called out, “Goodbye,
Mother!” As he stepped up to the checkout counter, he
saw that his total was $127.50. “How can that be?” He
asked, “I only purchased a few things!” “Your mother said
that you would pay for her,” said the clerk.
The man replies, “I bet you the liar told you I was speeding, too!”
Rao Anwar escapes attack on life,
five assailants killed
Former SSP Malir Anwar’s convoy came under attack in
the Malir area of Karachi where assailants hurled hand
grenades and opened fire on the police vehicles. The
policemen escaped unhurt, however, five attackers were
killed in retaliatory fire, said Anwar.
The SSP said he was returning from slain DSP Fateh Muhammad Sangi’s residence, who was martyred earlier on
Friday, when unidentified assailants, in one car and three
motorcycles, hurled hands grenades and opened fire at his
convoy.
Anwar stated that he was heading to inspect the incident
site where DSP Sangi was killed when his convoy came
under attack. “Police retaliated promptly to the attack,
killing five attackers, who appear to be from Taliban,” said
the SSP.
He further said that weapons and hand grenades were recovered from the killed attackers; however, their identities
were still unknown.
Also read: DSP, guard and driver gunned down in Malir
district
Police vehicle that came under attack. -DawnNews
screengrab
Police vehicle that came under attack. -DawnNews screengrab
DSP Sangi along with his security
guard and driver was shot dead
on Friday morning in a gun attack
that police believed was the job of
banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan.
The four attackers riding motorcycles intercepted the car at ‘Bata
Mor’ in Gulshan-i-Hadeed Phase-I
and opened fire on it from three
different directions, leaving all the
three officials dead on the spot,
said Karachi-East SSP Pir Mohammed Shah who had just taken the
additional charge of Malir SSP after
the late night transfer of SSP Rao
Anwar.
Know more: Sindh IG transfers SSP Malir for ‘misusing’
authority
Sindh Police Inspector General (IG) Ghulam Hyder Jamali had on Thursday transferred Senior Superintendent of
Police (SSP) Rao Anwar from Malir.
The provincial police chief said Rao Anwar “misused” his
authority following which he has been transferred from
Malir district.
The police spokesperson said the IG’s orders came after
Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah took serious notice
of Rao Anwar’s press conference earlier in the day, in
which he leveled serious allegations against Muttahida
Qaumi Movement (MQM).
The SSP had claimed that the MQM has links with Indian
spy agency RAW, and that the party sent workers to India
to get them trained by RAW and eventually use that training to spread terror in Pakistan.
“MQM is a terrorist organisation and it should be
banned,” SSP Anwar had argued, while narrating that
members of MQM went to India through Indian-held
Kashmir, were trained there by RAW and then came back
to Pakistan to spread terror.
“We have solid evidence to prove these allegations. The
two people we arrested have confessed all of this and
they are ashamed of their activities. We recovered a large
amount of explosives, hand grenades, 9mm pistols from
these suspects. We will investigate further during the
remand,” he had said.
May 2015
www.Asia
Times .US
PAGE 17
Hyderabad
Gulf dreams turn nightmare for Andhra
Pradesh, Telangana women - TNN
HYDERABAD: Hundreds of women from Telangana
and Andhra Pradesh are being lured to the Gulf countries with the promise of being employed as maids, but
are ending up getting exploited. What has upset the AP
Women’s Commission (that is still common to both the
states) is that despite requests of taking proactive action
made to the TRS and TDP governments, there has been
no response from them.
“It is difficult to trace many of these women. We wrote to
both the state governments few months ago but there has
been no response. Now, we are forced to write to them
again with the plea that they institute a mechanism to
check the organized crime involving a g ents,” Tripurana
Venkataratnam, AP Women’s Commission chairperson,
told TOI.
Sexual abuse by employers, confiscation of passports,
confinement to home, physical and emotional abuse, long
working hours with no rest time, no holidays, and low
wages or nonpayment of wages are the problems reported
by most of the women who approached the office of the
Protector of Immigrants (IOF) located at Nampally in
Hyderabad. IOF is the common body for both the states
and it reports to the Protector General of Immigrants in
Delhi.
According to sources, in the recent months alone, at least
100 women from the two states approached the IOF for
help to return to India. “In 20 per cent of these cases,
physical abuse of the women is the main reason. While
those who go abroad lured by the offer of good money
range from the illiterate to degree holders, the majority
are those with no or very little education,” sister Lizy Joseph, coordinator for the National Moment for Domestic
Immigrants (NMDI) in both the states, told TOI. NMDI
is the counselling organisation at IOF for such women.
Most women who head to the Gulf nations are from
Kadapa, East and West Godavari districts. “Every year,
nearly 25,000 women from East Godavari district alone
go to Gulf countries” said sister Lizy. In Telangana, the
maximum cases of women going to the Gulf are reported
from Mahabubngar, Hyderabad and Karimnagar districts.
In a new trend, cases are being reported from the AP
districts of Srikakulam, Vizianagaram and Anantapur. The
husband of a 38-year-old woman hailing from Srikakulam
town filed a petition recently with the Women Commission’s stating that his wife, who had gone to Kuwait
as domestic worker, is being subjected to cruelty by her
employers and that he wants help in getting her back.The
commission reported the case to the police department
who wrote to the Interpol seeking help. Till date, the man
has no news of his wife. Kuwait is popularly called Koita
in East Godavari, and many women readily opt to go
there as domestic help as the agents promise them salary
of around Rs 30,000 to 40,000 per month. “In my interactions with several petitioners and others, I found that
most women get the visa of one of the Gulf countries like
Metro rail likely to begin
in October
The Metro Rail project,
conceived to ease traffic
woes significantly in Hyderabad when completed,
is expected to roll out
its services this October.
A 16-km rail stretch
between Nagole and
Begumpet and another
11.9-km stretch between
Miyapur and SR Nagar
are expected to be thrown
open for public, most
likely on Dasara.
Metro Rail thus is set
to emerge as one of the
key planks for the ruling Telangana Rashtra
Samithi and chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao
as he prepares his party to
win the GHMC polls later
this year.
The chief minister’s
renewed focus on the
capital, be it the ‘Swachh
Hyderabad’ campaign
that is set to kick off on
May 16 or the plans for
creating citizen-friendly
infrastructure, road
repairs and building of
parking complexes, point
to the TRS gearing itself
up for the civic polls in
earnest.
Officials of the Metro
Rail project concessionaire, Larsen & Toubro,
said they were asked to
expedite works on the two
above mentioned stretches. The instructions were
issued during a recent
weekly review meeting
of the government, L&T
and the Hyderabad Metro
Rail Limited. A senior official in the department of
municipal administration
and urban development
(MA&UD) confirmed
that the date of commissioning of Metro services
has been fixed tentatively
for October.
“The works are progressing well ahead of schedule. While the exact date
of commissioning is yet to
be decided, we can expect
it to happen before the
year-end,” said
M G Gopal,
principal
secretary,
MA&UD.
Kuwait or Saudi Arabia but end up in other countries in
the re gion,” Tripurana said.
In one case, a 40-year-old woman who recently returned
to East Godavari district after being held in the Gulf for
10 years against her will said she was subjected to physical and emotional abuse. From Kuwait, where she was
taken to on a valid visa, she was led to four other Gulf
countries. I narrate her hellish experience to potential
Gulf-going women in order to dissuade them from going,”
the chairperson said. Many women complained that when
they insisted on returning to India after being subjected
to abuse, their employers demanded monetary compensation claiming they paid huge sums of money to the agents
for procuring them. “In fact, these women pay about Rs
50,000 each to agents. The agent, in turn, takes a huge
sum from the employer for providing these women as
domestic helps,” the sources said.
The commission wants that the two states set up a department on the lines of the nonresident Keralites affairs department that exists in Kerala.”Such a board will have the
record of every woman leaving the country, the employer
details, name of the agent, etc.Together with the labour
department and police, this menace can be checked,”
Tripurana said
Chandrababu Naidu
to meet party
leaders every week
Andhra Pradesh chief minister and Telugu
Desam Party (TDP) supremo N Chandrababu Naidu has decided to allot one day a
week to meet his party MLAs, MLCs and
MPs. With increasing pressure from party
cadres over granting an ear, Naidu on
Friday announced that he will meet party
members from 9.30am to 5pm at Lake
View Guest House every Saturday and
hear out their grievances.
After taking over as the chief minister of
AP, Naidu has become busy and is unable
to spare time for party activities as he used
to do earlier. This has widened the gap between the party and the government and
to overcome this, Naidu encouraged his
son Lokesh to take over some of the party
activities and made him the in-charge of
party welfare fund.
But some leaders say that things have not
improved significantly with some facing
embarrassing moments when the young
leader failed to recognise them and were
also made to wait for hours.
Unaware of the local politics in many
districts, Lokesh tried to encourage a
different set of leaders in the name of
performance, which has further ‘irked’ the
local politicians.
With increasing complaints from party
cadre that they are more comfortable with
Naidu, the party president has decided to
spare one full day for them every week.
Naidu on Friday also decided to expedite the distribution of nominated posts,
which are pending for six months. Though
he has finalised some of his close lieutenants as heads of government-owned
corporations, he is waiting for the right
time to make the announcement.
“This Sankranti, our leader will announce
names of some nominated posts such as
the TTD, Sports Authority of AP, Tourism
Development Corporation and Industrial
Development Corporation. He will also
finalise the names of different temple
committees in AP,” said a senior leader.
Senior leaders, who lost in 2014 election,
are pressuring Naidu to finalise the names
for six MLC posts that are going to be
filled up in a couple of months.
May 2015
www.Asia
Times .US
PAGE 18
Obama’s grandma arrives for Umrah
Sara Omar, grandma of US President Barack Obama, has emphasized the significance of the Prophet Muhammad exhibition in Makkah and said it reflects the moderate teachings of
Islam that calls for tolerance and rejects violence.
Sara has come to Makkah with her son Saeed Obama, uncle of President Obama and her grandson Mousa Obama to perform Umrah.
She commended the Saudi government’s efforts to expand the two holy mosques.
Sara and her family members visited the Prophet’s show, which is located in the Naseem district of Makkah, for two hours. “I am very happy to visit this exhibition, which is a good
example for the propagation of Islam in a modern way, supported by scientific and authentic documents.”
Obama’s grandma also expressed hope that the exhibition would visit other countries with the support of the Saudi government in order to remove the misunderstandings about the
divine religion.
Singer Rinki Talati with her 5
month old daughter
Asia Times US
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CHICAGO PRAYER TIMING April 2015
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