Maoists force shut down of Khetan group's noodle factory

KATHMANDU, Jan 21: A food firm in eastern Nepal has been closed down after the Maoist-affiliated trade union halted work in the factory demanding reinstatement of 138 sacked workers.

The management of Himalayan Snacks and Noodles Private Limited (HSNPL) of Khetan Group in Kavre district, 65 km east from here, shut down the factory yesterday as the All Nepal Trade Union Federation (ANTUF) workers have been obstructing production since Thursday last.

They have been demanding reinstatement of 138 workers, sacked few months ago. There were altogether 215 workers in the factory.

"We've issued notice of indefinite factory closure as workers, who turn up at the factory halted their works," according to assistant director of HSNPL Rabindra Silwal.

The factory has been facing labour problems since it relieved 138 daily wage workers, citing that one of the plants of the factory was out of order.

To press for their demands, the Maoists had picketed the company's administration office on January 10 and a week later they had picketed HSNPL's central office and corporate office in Kathmandu.

"Maoist-affiliated workers do not agree to abide by the agreement reached a year ago," claimed Silwal, adding, "We held dialogue three times, but of no use." He said, the factory could open if workers pledge not to obstruct distribution and production, besides guaranteeing security of the factory.

However, the workers warned to encircle the residence of the Rajendra Khetan, chairman of the Khetan Group. "We had only demanded that workers be given permanent and temporary status and some facilities be increased," said Hom Bahadur Khulal, ANTUF vice-chairman. (PTI)

Less US-dependent Asian economies seenweathering recession

BANGKOK, Jan 21: Asia would be able to weather any recession in the United States, analysts say, because rising trade and investment within the region make it less dependent on the US economy than in the past.

They noted that China and India represent a bigger presence on the world stage than just half a dozen years ago.

While a severe downturn in the United States would drag on Asian growth by eroding demand for exports, a rapidly growing middle class is fuelling orders for automobiles, electronics and housing - much of which will be supplied from Asia itself.

Voracious demand for oil, iron ore and other commodities to build roads, sewage systems, and office buildings - especially in the booming economies of China and India - will also help sustain the region through any US slowdown.

"The US economy is not that important anymore," Hans Timmer, a World Bank economist, said in Singapore earlier this month.

Excluding Japan, 43 per cent of Asia’s exports go to other nations in the region, Lehman Brothers calculates - up from 37 per cent in 1995.

"China and India represent a bigger presence on the world stage than just a half dozen years ago," said David Cohen, director of Asian forecasting at Action Economics in Singapore. China, in particular, has "more it can bring to buffer whatever happens in the US." (AGENCIES)

Sunday is 'worst for a night's sleep

LONDON, Jan 21: Good morning, Monday! Still feeling sleepy? Blame it on Sunday. A new study has found that it's the worst day for a night's sleep.

A team of researchers in Britain has carried out the study and found that almost 60 per cent of employees have their worst night's sleep of the week on Sundays with restless nights forcing one in four to call in sick on a Monday.

Moreover, disrupted sleep has also been blamed for a lack of concentration at work (nearly 46 per cent) on Mondays, increased irritability towards bosses (30 per cent) and the odd impromptu nap at the desk (20 per cent).

"Millions of workers are starting the week tired and unmotivated," according to Leigh McCarron of hotel chain Travelodge which commissioned the research.

However, the survey of 3,500 adults has found that Friday provided the best night's sleep, with eight in ten people getting their least disrupted night's sleep at the end of the working week, according to 'The Daily Telegraph'.

In fact, millions of adults across the world claim they suffer regularly from insomnia and most blame concerns over work for keeping them awake on a Sunday night.

Britons are said to lose an average of 51 minutes of sleep each night to worrying, a total of one month's worth of sleep every year.

Residents of Edinburgh are the biggest victims of work-related insomnia, with 47 per cent struggling to doze off every night, whereas workers in Inverness, Norwich and Brighton get the best night's sleep, the researchers have found. (PTI)

World oil prices higher in Asia

SINGAPORE, Jan 21: World oil prices traded higher in Asia today after US President George W Bush called for a multibillion-dollar stimulus plan to help kick-start his nation's flagging economy.

In late morning trade, New York's main contract, light sweet crude for delivery in February, was 41 cents higher at 90.98 dollars a barrel.

The contract closed 44 cents lower at 90.57 dollars a barrel on Friday, a loss of more than two dollars over the week.

With floor trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange closed today for the Martin Luther King holiday, Tetsu Emori, a fund manager at Astmax asset management in Tokyo, said the market's direction was insignificant.

He said markets had discounted Bush's call Friday for Congress to act quickly on a stimulus plan worth around USD 140 billion to revive the world's biggest economy, which some fear is on the brink of recession. A severe slowdown would likely dampen demand for oil.

"People are still worrying (about) the oil demand in the US," Emori said.

Brent North Sea crude for March delivery was 39 cents higher at 89.62 dollars a barrel after rising 48 cents in London on Friday.

In the past two weeks, the benchmark crude prices have tumbled nearly 10 per cent from record highs set in early January: 100.09 dollars in New York and 98.50 dollars in London. (AGENCIES)

German tourist charged of pornography denied bail

MELBOURNE, Jan 21: A 22-year-old German tourist who entered Australia allegedly carrying child pornography images on his computer has been refused bail by a court here today.

Steffen Wieczorek, of Wolfenbuttel, Germany, was arrested at Melbourne Airport on January 13 after customs officials found 700 images of children as young as three engaged in sex acts on his hard drive.

At the bail hearing, Prosecutor Kelly James argued that Wieczorek, who has no criminal record, might flee.

Rejecting his plea, Magistrate Brian Barrow said, "had the defendant been able to provide today a permanent (Australian) address and satisfied me he had the financial means to sustain himself, I would have granted bail."

However, "there's no evidence to suggest material was brought into this country for the purpose of dissemination or for personal gain," he added.

If found guilty he can be sentenced upto 10 years and fined upto USD 241,000.

Wieczorek arrived in Australia on a three-month visitor's visa and planned to stay 15 days.

The court heard last week that customs officers found 2,000 pornographic images and videos on Wieczorek's portable hard drive, including 700 files of child pornography.

Wieczorek will remain in jail until he appears in court next for a preliminary hearing on March 13. (PTI)

Taiwan may ease China-bound investment restrictions: Reports

TAIPEI, Jan 21: The Taiwanese Government might ease China-bound investment restrictions by the March 22 presidential poll, to woo support for the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), reports said today.

Authorities are studying different ways of defining the net worth of local enterprises, many of which have reached or come close to the China investment ceilings, the Economic Daily News and United Daily News said.

Currently, China-bound investment is capped at 40 per cent of a local company's net worth.

A more relaxed policy towards China, the island's largest export market and favorite investment site, has been a focus of the two Presidential candidates.

Ma Ying-jeou, candidate of the main opposition Kuomintang (KMT), is in favor of friendly ties with the mainland and has called for a further liberalisation and raising of the investment ceilings.

The KMT scored a landslide victory in the January 12 parliamentary vote and the win prompted the pro-independence DPP to amend its China policy, observers said.

DPP candidate Frank Hsieh also says the government should review restrictions and permit investments to China on a case-by-case basis instead of applying the 40 percent limit across the board.

Local business have channeled about 150 billion US dollars into China since Taiwan lifted an investment ban in the early 1990s.

China took some 41 percent of the island's total exports in the first 11 months of last year.

The two sides split in 1949 after a civil war, and while the island has since governed itself, Beijing considers it part of its own territory awaiting reunification. (AGENCIES)

Husain should be allowed to return: Amjad Ali Khan

DUBAI, Jan 21: Deploring extremism and intolerance, sarod maestro Ustad Amjad Ali Khan has said the way M F Husain was treated is "sad" and the noted painter should be allowed to return to India from his self-exile here.

"The way an artist like Husain is treated is sad for the entire artiste community. I hope he is accepted back in his own country," Khan, who was here to perform at a concert on Saturday along with his sons Ayaan and Amaan, said.

Husain, who earned saffron wrath over his alleged obscene portrayal of Hindu gods and goddesses, was also present at the function, organised as part of the celebrations to mark the 60th anniversary of India's independence and hosted by the Indian Consulate-General in Dubai.

"One day I hope he is accepted back by the people who are stopping him to come home. Inspite of everything, India is much more tolerant than the rest of the world," Khan said.

He, however, maintained that India and rest of the world have been swept by the "forces of intolerance" which are threatening the society.

Khan said music gives the message of togetherness which is "soothing" during the times when the world as well as India are facing threats from the culture of intolerance.

"Music has no religion, like water, air and fire. It connects the world, rather than divide," the Ustad said.

He wondered even with so much education, why there was violence and destruction all around the world.

On his plans for the future, Khan said he was composing a sarod concerto in cooperation with a symphony orchestra in Europe.

Asked if the film-based songs are destroying the tradition of classical music, Khan said there should be a balance between westernisation and tradition. The younger generation should particularly keep it in mind, he said.

The sarod maestro also regretted that nowadays, both the parents are working in most of the families and they "hardly gave time to the children."

Deploring the neglect of Indian values, he said many of the TV channels were only Indian by name.

"You can't find anything Indian in them."

Khan, who shoulders the sixth generation inheritance of the legendary Bangash 'gharana', said ancient traditions of India has created musicians like him, Ustad Bismallah Khan and many others.

Noting that it was a rare occasion that he and his two sons are performing together, Khan said he was happy to stage a concert in Dubai, in the Middle East, since the region has a long and colourful history of music.

Tracing the influence of Persian culture on Indian music, he pointed out sitar and sarod were both Persian words. In fact, 'sarod' means music, he said.

"I would like to perform more in the Arab countries," Khan added. (PTI)

Death toll mounts as Kenyan crisis persists

NAIROBI, Jan 21: Two people were killed in clashes in the Kenyan capital's slums, police said today, as a political deadlock spurred by the re-election of President Mwai Kibaki persisted.

The pair were hacked to death in the capital's Huruma slums where feuding tribes clashed late into the night, bringing to 47 the number of deaths over the past six days.

Police said the fighting raged between members of pro-Kibaki tribes and those supporting opposition chief Raila Odinga, who claims he was robbed of victory in the December 27 presidential elections.

Three days of opposition protests that began last Wednesday provoked a fierce crackdown by anti-riot and paramilitary police, and some unarmed civilians were shot down in the capital and the western city of Kisumu.

The fighting has morphed into tribal killings mainly in the capital's crowded slums and ranges in the country's western region where the political crisis has ripped open tribal resentments.

"Police are doing everything to ensure that stability is maintained and we are urging members of the public to operate within the law," national police spokesman Eric Kiraithe told AFP.

Odinga's Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party over the weekend called for a fresh round of demonstrations on Thursday, but police have vowed to block them.

"We won't allow them," Kiraithe added.

Odinga said yesterday that he was open to dialogue as former United Nations chief Kofi Annan was set to arrive in Kenya tomorrow to push for a settlement between the feuding sides. (AGENCIES)

Americans abroad to vote online in the Democratic primaries

MEXICO CITY, Jan 21: This year, for the first time, American expatriates who are Democrats can cast their ballots on the Internet in a presidential primary for people living outside the United States.

Democrats Abroad, an official branch of the party representing overseas voters, will hold its first global presidential preference primary from February 5 to 12, with expats selecting the candidate of their choice by Internet as well as fax, mail and in-person at polling places in more than 100 countries.

Democrats Abroad is particularly proud of the online voting option, which provides a new alternative to the usual process of voting from overseas, a system made treacherous by complicated voter registration paperwork, early deadlines and unreliable foreign mail service.

"The online system is incredibly secure: That was one of our biggest goals," said Lindsey Reynolds, executive director of Democrats Abroad. "And it does allow access to folks who ordinarily wouldn't get to participate."

US citizens wanting to vote online must join Democrats Abroad before February 1 and indicate their preference to vote by Internet instead of in the local primaries wherever they last lived in the United States. They must promise not to vote twice for president, but can still participate in non-presidential local elections.

Members get a personal identification number from Everyone Counts Inc., the San Diego-based company running the online election. They can then use the number to log in and cast their ballots.

Their votes will be represented at the August Democratic National Convention by 22 delegates, who according to party rules get half a vote each for a total of 11. (AGENCIES)

Air Arabia establishes first low-cost carrier in Nepal.........

DUBAI, Jan 21: Aiming to gain access to new destinations in India and South Asia, Sharjah-based Air Arabia has started a joint venture with a Nepalese airlines to launch the Himalayan nation's first low-cost carrier.

FlyYeti.Com's inaugural flight took off from Kathmandu Airport yesterday to Sharjah Airport. The low-cost carrier is a joint venture between Air Arabia and Nepal's Yeti Airlines.

Air Arabia, a major shareholder in the new company, will apply its successful low-cost business model to the management and operation of FlyYeti.Com.

"This newest hub will give air travellers, who use Air Arabia access to new destinations in India and wider south Asia, as well as the far East and central Asia," said Adel Ali, board member and chief executive of Air Arabia. (PTI)

Indian student killing doesn't seem as 'gang violence': Police...

WASHINGTON, Jan 21: The killing of an Indian student in the US state of North Carolina does not appear to be a case of "gang violence", police said, as efforts were being made by the Indian Embassy for sending his body back home.

Abhijeet Mahato (29), an IIT alumnus who was studying for an engineering doctorate degree at the Duke University's Pratt School of Engineering in Durham, was found shot dead by his friends at his residence near the campus on Friday night.

Senior Indian Embassy officials are travelling to Duke University to meet the authorities and make arrangements for sending his body home.

It is hoped that the body of Mahato, a native of Jharkhand, will be released after the autopsy today following which arrangements can be made to take it to India.

Detectives and crime-scene technicians spent the early morning hours of Saturday combing the spot and found "some clues", media reports said. The police chief of Durham, Jose Lopez, has been quoted in local reports as saying that the crime is not believed to be related to "gang violence".

At Duke, officials responded to the news by sending out an all-campus e-mail early Saturday apprising students, staff and faculty that a graduate student had been shot to death. Federal law requires universities to issue timely warnings of any incident that might pose an ongoing threat to students or employees.

The killing of Mahato, who was working in the Duke Computational Mechanics Lab, comes just over a month after two Indian doctoral students from Andhra Pradesh were found shot dead in Louisiana State University campus. (PTI)

Lonely people create ''human beings''..........

LONDON, Jan 21: Percieving pets, gadgets and God like human beings is a clear pointer of you being ''lonely''.

A research shows that people in a way to alleviate their loneliness start treating other living and non-living things as humans who can be their partner in solitude.

''When people lack a sense of connection with other people, they are more likely to see their pets, gadgets or gods as human-like, '' said Nicholas Epley, Assistant Professor of Behavioral Science at the University of Chicago's Graduate School of Business.

Researchers term such behaviour ''anthropomorphism'', Science Daily reported.

''In the movie Castaway, Tom Hanks was isolated on an island and found the social desolation to be one of the most daunting challenges with which he had to deal," said Cacioppo, the Tiffany and Margaret Blake Distinguished Service Professor in Psychology at the University of Chicago.

''He did so, in part, by anthropomorphizing a volleyball, Wilson, who became his friend and confidant while he was on the island.

'' Although fictional, Castaway depicts a deep truth about the irrepressibly social nature of Homo sapiens,'' Cacioppo said.

Three experiments were done to test what lonely people do to make up for their lack of social connection.

In an experiment, people were asked to write about a time when they felt lonely or isolated.

It was found under those circumstances, they were more likely to believe in the supernatural, whether it be God, angels or miracles, than when they were not feeling lonely.

The research also pointed out that not just any negative emotional state produces this effect. ''It's something special about loneliness. Fear, for example, doesn't increase reported belief in God,'' Epley added.

(UNI)