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Bangladesh women BOGRA, BANGLADESH, July 30: Inspired by success at the top of the political world, women in rural Bangladesh are building economic freedom .......more Conference
on dharma NEW DELHI,July 30: A three-day dharma conference, organized mainly by second-generation Indian-Americans in the United States, has ended at ...more New
tools to make UNITED NATION, July 30: Concerned over ability of international terrorist groups’, including Al-Qaeda and Taliban......more China aiming missiles WASHINGTON, July 30: China is acquiring short-range missiles at a much faster rate than US officials previously thought........more |
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EU okays Procter
& Gamble takeover of Wella BRUSSELS, July 30: The European Commission gave Procter Gamble Co. conditional permission on Wednesday to take.....more Bush says progress WASHINGTON, July 30: US President George W Bush today said he did not know how close American forces were to......more Bush urges EU to send WASHINGTON, July 30: US President George W Bush today urged the European Union to join him in sending a "clear.....more Bush accepts WASHINGTON, July 30: President George W Bush today accepted personal responsibility for a controversial portion of......more |
Bangladesh women slowly becoming liberated BOGRA, BANGLADESH, July 30: Inspired by success at the top of the political world, women in rural Bangladesh are building economic freedom for themselves, but find their biggest foe is often within the four walls of their home. Eleven years after her home and farmlands were washed away by the chronic floods that plague this riverine nation, Khodeza Begum has managed to build a new house and farm to support her family. Her husband, a day labourer, is unable to find work most of the time. "I have built it with my own income," Khodeza says while showing off her four-room, mud-walled house. She financed the 25,000 Taka ( 430) home with a loan from Bangladesh’s biggest aid group, the Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee (BRAC). She is paying it back from money she earns from poultry breeding, vegetable gardening and a "variety of work". Her 12-year-old daughter Momena, one of four children, helps with the work, and dreams of a life of achievement. Momena says she will become a university Graduate and fight for the rights of women. "I want to be much more than what my mother is. I want greater freedom," she told . There are thousands like Khodeza and Momena in remote villages in Bangladesh’s Bogra district, 220 Km north of the capital Dhaka, and in neighbouring areas where the lives of the women are slowly transforming. Many have been inspired by the country’s two leading politicians — Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia and her predecessor, opposition leader Sheikh Hasina. The two women have been ruling Bangladesh for the past 12 years. "The two are shining beacons, spreading light on the distress of women and making efforts to redress it," said Khodeza’s neighbour Akhtari Banu. Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) are encouraging women to stand in local council elections to "give the womens’ emerging social and economic empowerment a stronger footing", said an official with BRAC. "We have been able to convince them that public representation is a way to preserve and enhance freedom," she said, asking that her name not be used. But grinding poverty — more than half of Bangladesh’s 131 million people live below the poverty line — and problems within the home remain huge hurdles. "They have to go a long way before they can enjoy greater freedom," said journalist Hasibur Rahman, who monitors NGO activities and issues concerning women. In remote villages in the north — and in many other areas where poverty is widespread — women are subject to a range of human rights abuses. Child marriage and demands from the husband’s family for dowry payments are common. If the wives refuse, men can easily start divorce proceedings on a pretext, leaving the woman with almost no hope of ever remarrying. "Husbands give them a Talak (divorce) for reasons untenable under law and the women suffer for the rest of their lives with their children growing up in tatters," said one police officer. "Such abuses are widespread, although declining," he said. Poor parents often see their children as an economic burden and sometimes try to arrange their marriages at the age of six or seven. In most cases, the helpless girls come back soon after their husbands or in-laws begin harrassing them for dowry money. While boys still outnumber girls in school by a ratio of 53 to 47, the gender gap has narrowed significantly in recent years under a Government programme to give stipends to every girl who attends primary and secondary school, the World Bank says. That gives schoolgirls like momena a fighting chance of going to university, a quixotic dream at best for earlier generations of Bangladesh women. Most women have now shed their traditional veils and are competing with men for jobs and fighting for equal rights, said Mohammad-al-Muntazir, an official with Rangpur-Dinajpur rural service, an NGO offering small loans to villagers. "Today they have some say in family decisions, including the education and marriage of their children," he said. Officials said religious leaders and teachers of Islamic schools can play a vital role in mitigating the suffering of women and reducing the divorce rate. "People in the villages rely on what the Imams (head preacher) at Mosques or Madrassa teachers say or preach," said a Bogra official. "So we are urging them to teach the villagers the way of modern living within the purview of Islam," he said. "Islam does not support poverty, rather it asks the believers to earn their own living through honest means and give women an equal status in society." One Madrassa teacher, who asked not to be named, said: "We do believe in equality of men and women, and are trying to bring them at par without violating the teachings of Islam." "But this is not an easy task." (AGENCIES) |
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Conference on dharma concludes in New Jersey NEW DELHI,July 30: A three-day dharma conference, organized mainly by second-generation Indian-Americans in the United States, has ended at Edison township in neighboring New Jersey State. Seminars, workshops, panel discussions and group meetings as well as Garba and Bhangra dances marked the three-day meet that concluded over the weekend after lifting the spirits of many of the participants. Human Resource Development Minister Murli Manohar Joshi, the main Speaker among a galaxy of religious and political leaders who spoke at the July 25-27 event held at the Raritan convention and exposition center, praised the young organizers. "Being a teacher, I had a chance to interact with the youth. I am happy of their being engaged in taking challenges with vision and understanding. I salute this gathering for their effort to create a society based on some moral principles," Mr Joshi, who taught nuclear physics to university students earlier, said on the inaugural day. The minister said, "we must work to create a balanced and integrated society based on spiritual and moral principles to usher in an era of real happiness and satisfaction." Though there are several religions, Mr Joshi noted, all lead to the same path. "Truth or reality is one, but it is defined in various ways by the learned, and this should be the cornerstone of democracy and secularism," he said. The Human Resource Development Minister also stressed the need for learning the Vedas and the Upanishads, which have abundant knowledge. "They are the creations of the cosmic spirit, which enjoins upon us to replenish the environment before we draw from it for our consumption," he observed. "Governor James E Mcgreevey, the top elected official in the State, who lighted the traditional lamp to mark the formal inauguration, described it as a wonderful conference. "Dharma is an ancient Sanskrit which unfolds before us laws of the universe based on moral principles," Mr Mcgreevey said. "It further persuades us to reflect on our actions to ensure that they are based on the rule of law. It also sustains us by reminding us about high principles of truthfulness, compassion and renunciation." "Awami Dayananda Saraswati, new age Guru Deepak Chopra and consul general in New York Pramathesh Rath were among the dignitaries present on the occasion. Saraswati emphasized the need to follow a Code of Conduct. "People must stick to some norms to maintain peace in society," he said, adding, "dharma means respecting others rights and beliefs." Dr Chopra said belief in God would help overcome most difficulties. "Millions are being spent on Weapons of Mass Destruction when most of the people of the world live on 2 dollar a day. Might is being considered right and some nations are acting unilaterally to change the face of the world," he noted. "Dharma is the basis of all evolution and it must be practiced to save the world from destruction." Parag Patel, councilman of Edison township, welcomed the gathering. "It s exciting that the second generation of young men are organizing this historic convention and I am thrilled to host it in my constituency," he said. In a message sent on the occasion, Prime Minister A B Vajpayee pointed out that India has taught tolerance towards its minority religions. "The teachings from the core of Sanatana Dharma, or Hinduism, are evident from such principles as Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam and Ekam sat Viprah Bahuda Vadanti," he said. The Dalai Lama’s message also sought harmony among the world’s religions. "We need to encourage a worldwide sense of pluralism among religions. Religious differences should not be the grounds for antagonism," he said. "Religion should be the basis for friendship, brotherhood and sisterhood. I believe that people with religious interests have special responsibilities in this regard." Though representatives of other religions were present, most represented Hhinduism. About 40 Iindian organizations, mainly religious, co-sponsored the event. (UNI) |
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New tools to make sanctions against terror groups effective UNITED NATION, July 30: Concerned over ability of international terrorist groups’, including Al-Qaeda and Taliban, to finance their activities through drug trade and charities despite efforts by the international community to stop their nefarious designs, India has said there was need to apply new tools to make sanctions imposed on these networks more focused and effective. The Indian suggestion came following a Security Council monitoring committee report that these terror groups continued to finance their activities and procure weapons and ammunition for their nefarious activities. Diplomats said New Delhi is expected to take an initiative in the matter in coming weeks. Participating in a Security Council debate on the committee’s report yesterday, Indian Ambassador V K Nambiar expressed concern that despite international community’s efforts, Al-Qaeda still has the ability to finance its activities through charities and drug trade and continued to procure weapons. Pointing to the continued flow of arms across the Afghan borders resulting in increased attacks on coalition forces in Afghanistan and the use of heavy weapons in Afghan region bordering Pakistan, Nambiar demanded an inquiry into how and by whom such arms and ammunition were being supplied. "The nexus between drug smuggling and terrorism, the organised flow of arms across Afghanistan borders and increasing attack on coalition forces tell their tale of complicity and deceit," Nambiar said without naming Pakistan. Agreeing with the committee’s findings that despite some marked successes against terrorist groups, they still pose a "significant" threat to international peace and security, Nambiar said it is vital that all members of the international community are untied in their preparedness and, more importantly, willingness to tackle this growing menace. "The fight against terrorism can be addressed truly and effectively only when all nations realize that terrorism is a malaise that can strike at will in any part of the world, including those societies that currently may see vested interest in encouraging such tendencies," he added. The committee’s conclusions, he told the council, indicate the limitations of sanctions regime when applied to nebulous non-state grouping such as Al-Qaeda and Taliban. That demanded an in-depth expert examination of new tools to make sanctions against such groups effective. Referring to the committee’s fear about the Al-Qaeda getting access to nuclear and chemical weapons, Nambiar urged the committee to place emphasis on study of possible proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction among non-state actors such as Taliban and Al-Qaeda. Nambiar said India has been in the forefront in the fight against terrorism for over two decades. Only last week, at least 14 persons were killed in Jammu and Kashmir as a result of terrorist attacks against pilgrims and at army camp and there was another terrorist attack in Mumbai Monday. "While there is no direct evidence of the involvement of the Al-Qaeda or the Taliban in these attacks, the motivating factors and the sponsors of such operations are one and the same," he added. (PTI) |
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China aiming missiles at Taiwan
and WASHINGTON, July 30: China is acquiring short-range missiles at a much faster rate than US officials previously thought and is aiming the weapons at Taiwan — and possibly at US targets, in case the Bush administration decides to intervene on the island’s behalf, according to a Pentagon report. "Preparing for a potential conflict in the Taiwan Strait is the primary driver for China’s military modernization," said the report on Beijing’s military assessment. The report, submitted annually to Congress, was released publicly today. China has about 450 short-range ballistic missiles but is expected to increase its inventory by more than 75 missiles each year. The sophistication and accuracy of the missiles have improved, with the Beijing Army developing variants of the CSS-6 missile that have greater ranges capable of reaching as far as Okinawa, Japan, home to more than 33,000 US troops. A senior defence official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said China say be using Okinawa "to checkmate or deter or threaten US involvement." The Pentagon estimated in last year’s assessment that China’s military had acquired 350 ballistic missiles and was adding them at a rate of 50 a year. The report also indicates that China is spending far more on its defence budget than it has acknowledged. US officials estimate that the USD 20 billion military budget Beijing announced early last year actually falls in the range between USD 45 billion and USD 65 billion, and the report noted a potential for annual spending to increase three or four times by 2020. (AP) |
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EU okays Procter & Gamble takeover of Wella BRUSSELS, July 30: The European Commission gave Procter Gamble Co. conditional permission on Wednesday to take over German hair care group Wella, the US group’s largest deal ever. The Commission said in a statement that it "cleared the proposed acquisition...Subject to a package of commitments." Procter & Gamble agreed to grant a five-year license, followed by a three year period without competing, for the entire range of herbal essences hair care products in Ireland, Norway and Sweden. P&G also agreed to similar conditions for its colorant brands: Loving care, lasting color, glints, born blonde and highlights, the wella styling brand silvikrin in Ireland and the wella styling brand catzy in Norway. "The Commission considers the remedy package consisting of the licensing of these brands together with certain other assets offered by the parties, clearly rules out serious doubts in the hair care markets in Ireland, Norway and Sweden." P&G, the leading US consumer products company whose products include Tide detergent, has said the deal moves it into the 10 billion salon products business and strengthens its colouring and styling products business in Europe. The 5.7 billion deal is the largest in P&G’s history, exceeding the 4.95 billion P&G paid for clairol in 2001. The deal gives Wella the marketing and product development firepower to take on France’s L’Oreal, the hugely successful cosmetics giant that is regarded as a best practice benchmark in the sector. It marks a bitter defeat for Wella’s smaller German rival henkel, which had courted the firm in a drive to compete in the top league of consumer cosmetics. The 35 billion global hair care business is one of the fastest growing in the consumer products sector, with people spending more and more on hair colour, styling gels and other primping products. P&G has said that antitrust approval in the United States and Europe was likely the only major hurdle to the deal, but stressed the two businesses have very little overlap. (UNI) |
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Bush says progress being made on capturing Saddam WASHINGTON, July 30: US President George W Bush today said he did not know how close American forces were to capturing ousted Iraqi President Saddam Hussein but added that progress had been made. "I don’t know how close we are to getting Saddam Hussein," Bush said at a news conference in the White House rose garden. "Closer than we were yesterday, I guess. ... And we’re making progress." Bush said the death of Saddam’s sons, Uday and Qusay, "changes attitudes" in Iraq. The brothers were killed last week by US forces in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul. "People didn’t believe that the baathist regime was going to be gone forever," Bush said. "So needless to say, when two of the most despicable henchmen of the Saddam Hussein regime met their fate, the Baathist claim that, you know, at least these two will come back and haunt the citizens, rings hollow." US troops searched for the former dictator in villages near his hometown of Tikrit on Wednesday after a new message purportedly from Saddam vowed vengeance for the killing of his feared sons. (AGENCIES) |
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Bush urges EU to send
‘clear message’ WASHINGTON, July 30: US President George W Bush today urged the European Union to join him in sending a "clear message" to iran that developing nuclear weapons is not in its interest. Asked about the chance of US military action against Iran, he said "all options remain on the table" but added: "I really believe that we can solve this issue peacefully." He said he had discussed the issue with Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, whose country holds the rotating EU presidency, during their recent meeting at Bush’s Texas Ranch. Iran denies US allegations that it is secretly developing nuclear weapons in its civilian nuclear facilities. The international atomic energy agency is due to issue an Iran report next month. Speaking at a White House press conference, Bush added that the Government in Teheran should turn over to the United States Al-Qaeda terrorists captured in the Iran. He also said he understands the Iranian people’s frustration at living under a regime that is "totalitarian in nature". (DPA) |
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union claim on Iraq WASHINGTON, July 30: President George W Bush today accepted personal responsibility for a controversial portion of last winter’s state of the union address dealing with claims that deposed iraqi leader Saddam Hussein was seeking nuclear material in Africa. "I take personal responsibility for everything I say, absolutely," the President said at a White House news conference, seeking to quell a controversy over a claim that has dogged his administration for weeks. (AP) Iraqi governing council picks first leader BAGHDAD, July 30: Iraq’s US-backed governing council named a Shi’ite politican as its first leader today, after adopting a rotating presidency which will give representatives of all major groups a turn at being in charge. Ibrahim Jaafari, a medical doctor who is the spokesman of the Shi’ite Da’wa Party, was chosen as the first president of the self-rule body at a meeting today. After more than two weeks of laborious discussion, the governing council of 25 Iraqis decided yesterday that nine of its members —drawn from various religious, ethnic and political factions — would take turns at being president. The others are Abdul Aziz Al-Hakim of the supreme council for the Islamic revolution in Iraq Kurdish leaders Masoud Barzani and Jalal Talabani Iraqi National Congress head Ahmed Chalabi Iyad Allawi of the Iraqi National Accord Muhsin Abdul Hameed of the Iraqi Islamic Party Shi’ite Scholar Muhammed Bahr Al-Uloum, and former Foreign Minister Adnan Pachachi. Hakim said today the choice of a rotating presidency — and the length of time it took to reach the decision — were not indications of division in the council. (AGENCIES) Bush unsure how close US forces are to Saddam WASHINGTON, July 30: President George W Bush said today that he did not know how close US forces in Iraq were to catching ousted President Saddam Hussein. "I don’t know how close we are to getting Saddam Hussein. Closer than we were yesterday, I guess. All I know is, we’re on the hunt," Bush said at a Solo White House news conference. (AFP) Pakistan proposes dates to India for talks on air links ISLAMABAD, July 30: Pakistan today proposed two sets of dates to India for holding expert level talks to resume air links, severed after the terrorist attack on Parliament on Dec 13, 2001. The Foreign Ministry proposed august 27-28 and sept 3-4 as possible dates for holding talks between civil aviation officials of both sides. "The talks would be held in Islamabad after acceptance of the dates by the Indian side," the ministry said in a statement. Pakistan had earlier sought guarantee from India that it would not unilaterally close its airspace again. While road links have been restored with the resumption of Delhi-Lahore bus service, rail and air links are yet to be resumed between the two countries. (PTI) Last love bug beetle rolls into history books PUEBLA, MEXICO, July 30: The world’s last "love bug" volkswagen beetle rolled off the production line today, ending the long history of a car that was Hitler’s idea but was adopted by hippies and became a hollywood star. The light blue bug — no. 21,529,464 in the car’s 68-year history — came off the line at Volkswagen’s plant in Mexico, serenaded by Mariachi Musicians, and headed for the company’s museum in its hometown of Wolfsburg, Germany. It was a sad day for workers at the plant in Puebla and for die-hard fans around the world, although they said the car will live for as long as someone is still driving one around. (AGENCIES) |
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