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India signs UN anti-corruption treaty
US Congress hinders nuclear pact, says newspaper
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Dhaka may ratify Asian highway through India
US healthcare company to send patients to India
India-born Briton dies at 113
IAEA, chief ElBaradei get Nobel Peace prize
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India signs UN anti-corruption treaty
New York, December 10 India’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Nirupam Sen, signed the UN Convention Against Corruption during a brief ceremony at the world body’s headquarters here yesterday. So far, the convention has been signed by 118 countries, including China, Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Maldives in India’s neighbourhood besides the USA, Russia, the UK, France, Germany, Japan, Australia and South Africa. Seen as a major breakthrough, countries agreed on asset-recovery which will support the efforts of nations to redress the worst effects of corruption while sending at the same time a message to corrupt officials that there will be no place to hide their
illicit assets. The provisions of the convention provide for international cooperation and mutual legal assistance in investigation of cases of corruption. Countries are bound by the convention to render specific forms of assistance in gathering and transferring evidence for use in court to extradite offenders. Countries are also required to undertake measures which will support the tracing, freezing, seizure and confiscation of the proceeds of corruption. Topics covered by the 71-member treaty include bribery, illicit enrichment, misappropriation, money-laundering, protection of whistle blowers, freezing of assets and cooperation between states to uncover corruption.
— PTI |
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US Congress hinders nuclear pact, says newspaper
The Bush administration has hit the brakes on its efforts to implement a civil nuclear technology agreement with India following skepticism about the deal from members of the US Congress, according to a Washington newspaper.
The Hill, a newspaper, quoted a congressional source as saying of the agreement with India, “The administration did come and had a discussion with us on general options for their legislative package, but they were not ready to commit on anything.” A Bush administration official told The Tribune, the administration intended to “continue to move forward on this initiative and hoped that India will present a civil-military separation plan and begin its implementation by early 2006.” The Bush administration’s efforts could also be held up by mid-term elections across the United States in 2006. “Next year is going to be a very political year, and the chances for joint congressional action for an issue this complicated could be small unless the administration puts a real push on the Congress,” the congressional source said, adding, “There is not a lot of congressional pressure to do this quickly.” Bush administration officials say India also needs to put in place a plan to separate its civilian and military nuclear facilities - a prerequisite for the cooperation. “While the Bush administration has, I think, been very clear in discussions with the Indian government about its expectations, let me emphasize that any Indian plan will have to pass muster with the United States Congress. That should not be viewed as a threat but rather as a political challenge that should be met,” Sen. Richard
Lugar, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee said at a meeting with Indian policymakers and business leaders this week. Meanwhile, a bipartisan group of 18 former US government officials and non proliferation analysts has asked members of the US Congress to critically examine the proposal for full civil nuclear cooperation before considering amendments to US laws that would allow the agreement to materialise. |
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Dhaka may ratify Asian highway through India
Dhaka, December 10 The Communications Ministry this week opted for linking up the country with the 140,000 km road network, keeping the stretch from Tamabil to Benapole or Banglabandha as the Asian Highway route in Bangladesh, a senior official told IANS. The Foreign Ministry favoured the ratification of the agreement because of the importance of the road network in trade and commerce and relations with neighbouring countries. Under the original plan, Dhaka would join the highway through India. Earlier it tried to avoid India and wanted to join the highway with an alternative route through Myanmar for which Dhaka sought support from other countries. Earlier, in November, seven countries ---- China, Thailand, Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia and Sri Lanka ---- refused to back Bangladesh's proposed amendment plan to recognise the proposed Dhaka-Yangon Road as the Asian Highway in Bangladesh instead of the AH-1 route from Tamabil to Benapole or Banglabandha on the ground of time constraints.
— IANS |
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US healthcare company to send patients to India
New York, December 10 Announcing the plan, the company, IndUShealth, said it had completed treatment referral agreements with Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals and Escorts Heart Institute and Research Center Ltd (EHIRC) — both major medical centres in New Delhi. More than 40 million Americans have inadequate health insurance and many risk financial ruin if an expected medical emergency arises. The company hopes to send thousands of Americans for treatment in various Indian worldclass medical facilities which would also benefit patients unable to meet the cost in their own country. Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of IndUShealth Rajesh Rao said gaining access to affordable healthcare was already a huge issue in the US and “we want to help solve it.” Mr Rao said the newly created IndUShealth had developed a process of acquiring suitable patient references from US-based physicians and arranging transportation to two widely known Indian hospitals for treatment and comprehensive follow-up service in the US. The Apollo Hospital Group is the fourth largest healthcare group in the world and the largest in Asia.
— PTI |
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India-born Briton dies at 113
London, December 10 A mother of five daughters, she is survived by 13 grandchildren, "scores" of great-grandchildren and "numerous" great-great-grandchildren around the globe. She lived through the reigns of five British monarchs, two world wars and the turn of two centuries. She attributed her long life to her "customary sundowner of brandy and dry ginger ale". She became Scotland's oldest resident in 2001 and the oldest Briton in December 2002. Her Edinburgh-trained husband, Abundius d'Abreu, ran his own practice in Waterford in Ireland. After he died in 1971, Lucy remained in Waterford for 14 years, living completely independently until she was 93. Reports say that at the age of 111, she was still reading a newspaper daily, walking with a stick and able to recite passages by Sir Walter Scott. Until the end, she was reported to be enjoying "food, books and conversation". She also liked a small sherry at lunchtime and a brandy and dry ginger or a gin and tonic in the evening. When the Guinness Book Of Records confirmed her status as the oldest Brit, Lucy said: "I have become famous for no reason. God alone knows why I've lived so long."
— IANS |
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IAEA, chief ElBaradei get Nobel Peace prize
Oslo, December 10 ElBaradei and the Chairman of the Board of Governors of the IAEA, Yukiya Amano, received gold medals and Nobel diplomas at a ceremony at Oslo City Hall to applause from about 1,000 guests. They will share 10 million Swedish crowns ($ 1.25 million), which accompanies the award established by Swedish philanthropist Alfred Nobel.
— Reuters |
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