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sacred hanging gardens are ready after 14 years HAIFA, May 20: Beauty plays a central part in the teachings of the Bahai faith and the gardens and ....more
Military regime creating LONDON, May 20: Attacking the recent statement by Pakistan military regime that Benazir Bhutto ....more Malaysian Indians KUALA LUMPUR, May 20: Malaysia’s largest ethnic Indian party called today for Government.....more |
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Japan’s
fair sex puts different complexion on beauty TOKYO, May 20: Most women in Europe would no more think of carrying a parasol than donning a ........more Pak to screen Afghan ISLAMABAD, May 20: Pakistan announced plans on Saturday to screen the Afghan refugees living .........more
Asian, black votes LONDON, May 20: Asian and black voters in Britain hold the balance of power in at least 80 of the.........more |
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Haifa’s sacred hanging gardens are ready after 14 years HAIFA, May 20: Beauty plays a central part in the teachings of the Bahai faith and the gardens and terraces that surround the centre of this religious community in the Israeli coastal city of Haifa are an expression of this philosophy. "People should feel at peace here," said Fariborz Sahba, the architect behind the complex. "They can replenish their energies and see that the world can be beautiful too," said Sahba who has been toiling for 14 years to complete the 19 terraces of this ambitious geometrically laid-out park. It is due to be officially inaugurated on Tuesday, May 22. The majesty of the peaceful terraces reminds the visitor of magnificent baroque gardens in versailles outside paris or at sansoucci palace in Potsdam, Germany. Climbing roses, ornamental cherry, cyprus and palm trees are framed by a variety of aromatic herbs and flowers. "We have divided the garden into zones for the various times of the year," said Sabha. "At the moment everything is blossoming in red, from june onwards the colour will be pink." The terraces rise 250 metres and cover a total area of around 200,000 square metres. The main red-tiled paths are always close to water. Water which is constantly recycled, as Architekt Sahba says proudly. "We have been praised in international professional circles for the low water consumption we have achieved." In Haifa the shrine of the bab, the second most holy place for Bahai adherents after the shrine of Baha Ullah, and the gardens that surround it are one of the main sources of income for the city and an important employer. The holy site is also Haifa’s top tourist attraction although its main role is a place of pilgrimage and spiritual repose for the young religious community. At the geometrically laid-out shrine of the bab the atmosphere is tranquil. No speaking is allowed in order for followers to meditate in peace. The shrine contains the sacred remains of the founder of the faith, the bab or "gateway" in Arabic. In the mid 19th century he proclaimed the coming of the next Messiah and was able to gather several thousand followers. His teachings met fierce opposition from the Islamic clergy and in 1850 he was executed for blasphemy and for inciting rebellion. Many of his followers were imprisoned. Two years later, Mirza Hoseyn ‘Ali Nuri, one of the Bab’s closest confidants, realised the prophecy. He proclaimed himself to be the prophet and messenger of god and was known from then on as Baha Ullah, which means glory of god. The Bahai faith is named after him. The elevated social standing of his family led to his being sentenced to death and he was exiled too. The Baha Ullah fled to constantinople - now Istanbul - where he was detained by ottoman authorities. They took him to acre in Palestine, now Akko in Israel, and he died there in 1892. In Israel the Bahia are allowed to maintain a religious centre but not form a congregation since this runs counter to the tenets of the Jewish state. Relations with Israel are cordial though, probably because the Bahia do not interfere in the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians. "They are just pleased that our religious centre is not in Jerusalem," said Weinberg. (DPA) |
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Military regime creating political vaccum: Bhutto LONDON, May 20: Attacking the recent statement by Pakistan military regime that Benazir Bhutto will be arrested if she returned, the former premier alleged the leadership was trying to create a political "vacuum" which will be filled by extremists and said a nuclear Pakistan run by a general is a "grave threat" to global security. "By aiming to disqualify the mainstream leaders, the GHQ (military regime) plans a vacuum which can be filled by extremists linked to the Taliban," the people’s party leader said. "The slogan `genuine democracy’ by the new regime (of Gen Pervez Musharraf) is a facade behind which an attempt is being made to create a new leadership of extremists who are beholden to the generals and their vision of militancy, Brinkmanship and nuclear blackmail," she said. Musharraf had recently told British daily ‘The Guardian’ that Bhutto would be arrested immediately if she returned to Pakistan. Bhutto said a nuclear Pakistan run by a general is a "grave threat" to global security. "Extremists’ mindset of the armed forces can trigger the unthinkable in the region — a nuclear holocaust." "An isolated Pakistan is proof that generals are defying global values and their world vision is at variance with the global values of democracy, freedom and respect for everyone irrespective of their race, religion, colour or creed." She said while the regime was indicating flexibility overtly, covertly, it remained unchanged in its direction. "Islamabad wrongly sees its relevance in terms of hot borders creating fears in the international community and thereby buying it security. As such, it has a hot border with Afghanistan and in Kashmir," Bhutto said. She said "the Pakistani Army is infected by the extremists who fought in Afghanistan under the regime of Gen Zia-ul-Haq". The Pakistani Army had power in the last decade through the president and the eighth amendment. It used that power to subvert democracy, undermine liberal forces and promote extremism, she said. "It rigged elections, formed political parties, robbed banks and perverted the course of justice to destroy established political leaders. It systematically sought to undermine civil institutions to build a garrison state dedicated to the export of religious extremism through afghanistan to the shores of europe," Bhutto alleged. The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) was a "front organisation for the extremist forces" who used it to "eliminate" parties and politicians who can win elections over the clerics, she said. "NAB lacks credibility. It is controlled by Brig. Saghir, a man who committed genocide of 275 people in the 1983 democracy movement. One special prosecutor is a convict. The accountability judges lack power acting as proxies for NAB," she charged. "Even the Superior Court judges reportedly receive instructions from the generals in NAB. Judges lack security of tenure and are forced to rubberstamp judgements written by majors in NAB or end up unemployed. Bhutto said the regime was promoting corruption by protecting cabinet ministers from investigation and arrest under NAB laws and added the people of Pakistan and organisations had called for repeal and re-enactment of the accountability law in keeping with the universal principles of justice. Retorting to the accusation against her that she was "mismanaging" and "corrupting" the country, she alleged the charges were trumped up while it was Musharraf and his regime who grabbed land in Sindh and elsewhere to enrich themselves abusing office. She alleged there was discrimination against ethnic minorities, in particular from Sindh and Baluchistan. "These two important regions are being denied due share in water, public sector jobs, civil service representation and protection of its residents under the jurisdiction of their own High Courts." (PTI) |
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Malaysian Indians call for help
to catch KUALA LUMPUR, May 20: Malaysia’s largest ethnic Indian party called today for Government action to help its community catch up with other races. The Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC), part of the ruling national front coalition, urged that Indians be allocated "at least a 10 percent" quota in public universities. Delegates to the MIC annual meeting also called for the establishment of a National Unit Trust Fund to help achieve the official goal of doubling Indians’ corporate stake to three percent in the next 10 years. The delegates, meeting in the southern city of Johor Baru, also urged a minimum wage for rubber plantation workers, efforts to eradicate urban poverty and more jobs for Indians in the public sector. They urged the Government to provide opportunities for Indians in small and medium-size businesses. Under a 30-year-old affirmative action programme malays and other indigenous races — collectively known as bumiputeras — get economic, educational and other privileges to help them narrow the wealth gap with the Chinese. Bumiputeras make up 64 percent of the population and Chinese 25 percent. Indians, who make up eight percent of the population but face continuing problems of poverty and gangsterism, get no special help. But the Government, in its latest development plan, committed itself to trying to double the Indians’ corporate stake. The community’s plight was highlighted when ethnic clashes broke out in March between Malays and Indians in a run-down, partly squatter district near Kuala Lumpur. Analysts said poverty and poor housing were partly to blame for the tensions. According to a senior Education Ministry official quoted this month, state universities already reserve 10 percent of places for Indians, 35 percent for chinese and 55 percent for Bumiputeras. But Samy Vellu, the head of the 548,000-member MIC, said Indians were failing to get places because of poor examination results. "We only get a handful of Malaysian Indian students getting all as (in national examinations)...I think it was about 15 students this year. We need more students getting excellent results," Bernama news agency quoted him as saying. Samy also urged the Government to promote Indians in the police and armed forces, saying some have held the same rank for more than 10 years. He said this was one of the reasons that discouraged indians from joining the police and Army. The forces are overwhelmingly malay. "There is also the mentality among Indians that they will not be successful in getting jobs in the Government service so they don’t apply for any vacancies in the civil sector," Samy Vellu said. "Only when the Government shows its seriousness in employing other races will Malaysian Indians turn to the civil sector for employment," he added. (AFP) |
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Japan’s fair sex puts different complexion on beauty TOKYO, May 20: Most women in Europe would no more think of carrying a parasol than donning a crinoline and riding to work in a horse-drawn carriage. Attitudes are different in Japan, where women have largely abandoned the restrictions of Kimono, but kept a firm grip on their traditional "sun umbrellas". Now the established custom of avoiding the sun is being reinforced by scientific evidence about the dangers of too much exposure to ultra-violet light. Pale and interesting is becoming the look of choice for many Japanese women. Even the once ubiquitous sunbed-tanned teenagers, known as ganguro, or "black faces", are now hard to find. "It is better to be white," said 28-year-old bank worker Yoko Shiokawa, who was shading herself with a black, lacy parasol as she went out for lunch with colleagues. "It is a bit of a bother to carry around, but it’s better than damaging my skin." The upmarket Isetan Department store in Shinjuku, Central Tokyo, says its parasol sales are surging, while most areas of consumer spending are at a standstill. Last summer brought a 35 percent increase in sales on the previous year, and a store spokesman said the trend so far this year points to a similar leap. Most parasols are chemically treated to block out ultra-violet light and they are hardly a bargain at up to 40,000 yen (324.5 dollar) a piece. But women in their 20s are now almost as likely as their mothers to snap up these accessories. Customers can choose any one of hundreds of styles ranging from frilly victorian to a punky, ripped look. Some sun-avoiders cite fear of skin cancer as the reason for their caution, but it is a relatively tiny problem in Japan. In 1995 fewer than 6,000 people developed the disease, compared with around 44,000 a year in Britain, whose population is only half that of Japan. Noriko Takimoto, Deputy General Manager at Sonoko Co Ltd, a cosmetic and health food company, says it all comes down to traditional aesthetics. "Historically speaking, Japan has a good image of the colour white. In sumo wrestling, for example, white denotes the winner and black the loser ... There is no logic behind it, but white is seen as good," she said in an interview. Sonoko Co was created by Sonoko Suzuki, known as the "queen of white beauty", who died last year. After achieving some success as a diet guru, Suzuki was spotted by a television producer and given a slot on an entertainment programme. Her famously pale face became a familiar sight on the small screen and she was best known for make-overs in which she gave bronzed teenagers a more traditional look by applying white make-up. "Her absolute fundamental point was that you must not get a suntan," Takimoto said. "It causes so much damage to your body." She credits her former employer with starting the Bihaku, or "white beauty", boom that has overtaken Japan’s cosmetic market. Creams meant to lighten the skin are now a must product for cosmetics companies and inexpensive versions are even available in the country’s countless convenience stores. Women’s magazines are packed with tips like taking extra Vitamin C to stay pale in Japan’s scorching summer sun. Make-up giant Shiseido Co introduced its first whitening product, shiseido whitening cucumber, which was based on hydrogen peroxide, in 1917. But the company says the market really took off in the 1990s, with sales of its pallor-inducing products doubling to 180 billion yen between 1987 and 1997. Attitudes also changed dramatically over that period. According to a shiseido survey carried out in 1998, only 47.2 percent of women aged 12 to 24 thought a suntan was fashionable in 1998, compared with 70.9 percent in 1988. Alongside sunscreens, the company now sells a whole range of creams and lotions, which it says suppress production of melanin, the substance responsible for skin pigmentation. "Safety is our most important priority," a Shiseido spokesman says, dismissing talk of any health risk. "We spend three percent of our annual turnover, or around 20 billion yen each year on research and development." Women who wish to be white are part of a long tradition in Japan. Kabuki actors, Geisha and brides all paint their faces stark white. And according to a traditional Japanese proverb, a white complexion is powerful enough to hide seven faults. (REUTERS) |
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Pak to screen Afghan refugees to
flush ISLAMABAD, May 20: Pakistan announced plans on Saturday to screen the Afghan refugees living in three camps to flush out those in the country illegally. An announcement by the Government of the frontier province yesterday said the screening would start from June 20 and the illegal immigrants would be repatriated with the help of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Some 400,000 Afghan immigrants live in the Nasir Bagh, Jallozai and Shamshatoo camps designated for the screening. Jallozai camp, with nearly 150,000 refugees, generated a controversy when Pakistan obstructed relief to the fresh arrivals there. Pakistan, already burdened with over two million Afghan refugees for the past 20 years, last November closed its borders to a new influx of Afghans fleeing drought in their country after accepting about 170,000 of them. The UNHCR criticized pakistan for the action and dismissed as "a silly idea" its demand that relief camps for the "economic migrants" should be set up inside Afghanistan. (DPA) |
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Asian, black votes crucial in UK polls LONDON, May 20: Asian and black voters in Britain hold the balance of power in at least 80 of the 659 parliamentary constituencies that go to polls on June 7, analysts here say. "The Asian and black vote is a sleeping giant" said the national co-ordinator for operation black vote, Simon Woolley. Operation Black vote seeks to politically empower ethnic minorities. "We can now have a real impact on the country and force politicians to address issues that are important to ethnic communities," Woolley said. Echoing his sentiments, Prime Minister Tony Blair said "every vote in this election is precious. No one’s support should be assumed. That is the strength of our democracy." While conservative candidates are counting on voters’ apathy to edge out labour, labour candidates have been canvassing house to house to ensure that their supporters cast their votes. Labour candidate John McDonald, who has been campagning vigorously told his supporters in Hayes today that "our main task is to ensure our supporters exercise their franchise on June 7." Mcdonald, who had lost the 1992 elections by 52 votes, is instrumental in getting a 3 million pound grant for the Gurunanak school at Hayes. Recognising the growing influence of Asian and black voters, all the three major political parties in the country have fielded a total of 41 Asian candidates and all of them were vying for the minority votes. The ruling labour party has fielded as many as 14 Asian candidates. Prominent among them are Keith Vaz, Minister for Europe who is seeking re-election from Leicester East and Piara Khabra, fighting a grim battle in ealing southall. While Vaz who won the 1997 elections with a majority of 18,422 votes is unlikely to be unseated, Piara Khabra is being challenged by Dr Avtar Lit, chief of Sunrise Radio, who is contesting as an independent. The conservative party has put up ten Asian candidates, prominent among them being Shailesh Vara, who is seeking to enter the house of commons from northampton south. But the largest number of Asian candidates have been fielded by liberal democrat - 17 including Harpinder Athwal who is challenging Vaz in the leicester east constituency. With the second week of the election campaign drawing to a close the three main parties have issued their manifestos giving the voters the chance to see just what is on offer. In fact the liberal democrats jumped the gun by publishing an ‘ethnic minority manifesto’ before the election was even announced. Neither labour nor the conservatives have followed with manifestos targeted specifically at Asian and black voters. Labour, seeking a second term after four years in power, is resting in part on its record. Its main thrust is on economic stability and more investments in schools and hospitals. (PTI) |
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