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NRI offers to pay for restoration of door in Golden Temple
India emerging powerful economy, says Sonia
Insensitive portrayal of Ganesha angers Hindus
Sikh-owned gas station burnt in Virginia
Philippine towns marooned;
typhoon nears
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Diana was traumatised by Charles, says videotape
USA to sell 6 anti-ship missiles to Pak
US Homeland Security Secretary resigns
Abortion movie sweeps UK film awards
Foreign firms to develop new sectors in Islamabad
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NRI offers to pay for restoration of door
London, December 1 "The door, known as Darshani Deori at the main entrance to the sanctum sanctorum, has a historic significance and I am prepared to pay for its conservation and restoration," Dr Kartar Singh Lalvani told PTI here. Seventythree-year-old Lalvani, founder chairman of Vitabiotics, Britain's first specialist vitamin supplement company, who is also interested in the preservation of artefacts, said the door was originally part of the historic Somnath Temple in Gujarat before it was plundered by raiders from Afghanistan. Mr Lalvani, winner of the Asian of the Year award last year, said it was Maharaja Ranjit Singh who secured the door from the then ruler of Afghanistan Shah Zaman as part of a treaty after he defeated the marauders from Kabul. The door was first offered to Somnath Temple but it was turned down. A report quoted to the SGPC executive member Kiranjot Kaur said the committee had recently decided to replace the door because its condition had deteriorated over the years. The work was to be entrusted to the Birmingham-based Sikh missionary organisation Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewa Jatha and plans had already been drawn up to import special timber from Africa. However, everything came to a grinding halt after leading conservation experts began questioning the wisdom of the SGPC's decision. Mr Lalvani, who supports many art events and foundations such as the local community theatre 'Open for All', concurred with Gurmit Rai, a leading expert on conservation of historical monuments, that Darshani Deori was of great historical importance and efforts must first be directed at ascertaining whether it was possible to restore it. Experts feel there is a greater need to conserve elements of Sikh history today, when the Golden Temple is being considered by the UNESCO as a possible world heritage site.
— PTI |
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India emerging powerful economy, says Sonia
Port Luis (Mauritius), December 1 Sonia Gandhi was flanked by Mauritian Prime Minister Paul Raymond Berenger and other dignitaries as she unveiled the plaque of the state-of-the-art facility set up with major assistance from the Indian government in terms of technical expertise and training of staff. “I recall that in the early sixties, a dark future of famine, deprivation and even Balkansiation was being predicted for India, but today, she stands tall, self-sufficient in foodgrain, a major agri-exporter and among the fastest growing economies in the world,” Mrs Gandhi said. India has unique and brotherly ties with Mauritius, where people of Indian origin constitute 68 per cent of the population. Mauritius has also traditionally supported India’s candidature for a permanent membership of the UN Security Council, fight against cross-border terrorism and Indian position on the Kashmir dispute.
— ANI |
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Insensitive portrayal of Ganesha angers Hindus
London, December 1 In an episode telecast on November 24, one of the characters, Maya, is shown grabbing an image of Lord Ganesha and threatening another character, Sunita. Maya then whacks the statue down in a rude manner.
— PTI |
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Sikh-owned gas station burnt in Virginia
Washington, December 1 The gas station owned by Sarabjit Singh was burnt on November 24 and ethnic slurs were spray painted on the property of the gas station, the Sikh Council on Religion and Education (SCORE) said in a statement. "We condemn the incident and hope that the officials concerned will investigate the matter and bring the perpetrators to justice," SCORE Chairman, Rajwant Singh said in the statement. The organisation has also tried to contact the offices of Senator Allen and Senator Warner from Virginia. Hate crimes against religious minorities have been on the rise in the USA since 9/11. According to recent media reports, quoting FBI sources, the hate crimes have almost doubled in year 2003. "These crimes against institutions and individuals were because of their race, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, or disability," the report said. Rajwant Singh also emphasised the need for a stronger hate crime Bill, which was rejected last month by the House of Republican Negotiators. The Bill called Local Law Enforcement Enhancement Act (LLEEA) proposed to bring about changes in the existing provisions to expand the protection to all victims of hate crime and financial support for state and local investigations and prosecutions of hate crimes. He said his organisation would continue to raise awareness about Sikhs and their religious practices among the people of the USA to build tolerance control hate crimes.
— PTI |
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Philippine towns marooned;
typhoon nears
Mauban, December 1 Hundreds of soldiers were ordered to carry relief supplies on foot to three devastated towns on the eastern coast after roads were cut off and bad weather grounded rescue helicopters. "We need to bring food, medicine and blankets to affected communities today because another typhoon will hit these areas, "Maj-Gen Pedro Cabuay Cabuay told local radio. Officials said residents were appealing for body bags and lime for hundreds of corpses that were starting to decompose. Ms Neri
Amparo, an official at the National Disaster Coordinating Centre, said more than 70 could have been buried alive when boulders swept by mudslides smashed into the building.
— Reuters |
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Diana was traumatised by Charles, says videotape
New York, December 1 Diana vented her feelings about her life and the British royal family in a videotape made in 1992 by her public speaking coach, former actor Peter Settelen, and broadcast on Monday for the first time in an NBC News special. The princess, who was killed in a car crash in Paris in 1997, discussed her childhood, marriage to Charles, whom she divorced in 1996, and struggle with bulimia in the one-hour program. A second installment will be aired next Monday. Diana spoke of an early warning about Prince Charles’ commitment to her during a “ghastly” TV interview they did in 1981 on the day they announced their engagement to the world. “This ridiculous ITN man said, Are you in love? So I thought, Oh, what a thick question,” she said. “And Charles turned around and said, Whatever ‘in love’ means. And that threw me completely,” she said. “God. Absolutely traumatised me.” Diana, speaking from her couch in her Kensington Palace sitting room, expressed frustration with family members she turned to during troubled times of the marriage. “I wanted to throttle that stepmother of mine because she brought such grief,” Diana said about Countess Raine Spencer. “She kept saying to me that oh, but Diana, you’re so unhappy in your own marriage, you’re just jealous of Daddy’s and my relationship,” she said. She said she confronted Queen Elizabeth in 1986 after she learned that Charles was having an affair with his longtime paramour, Camilla Parker-Bowles. “I went to the Top Lady, and I’m sobbing. And I said What do I do? I’m coming to you. What do I do? And she said ‘I don’t know what you should do. Charles is hopeless.” Diana said five years into their marriage she suspected Charles had gone back to Camilla. “I remember saying to my husband ... Why is this lady around? And he said well, I refuse to be the only Prince of Wales who never had a mistress.” LONDON: Princess Diana suspected that one of her lovers was “bumped off,” according to one tape. She speaks on the tape broadcast about Barry Mannakee, a policeman who was assigned to protect her. Reports that Diana had an affair with Mannakee surfaced in Britain in 1998.
— Reuters, AP |
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USA to sell 6 anti-ship missiles to Pak
Washington, December 1 The Pentagon has notified the US Congress about the proposed sale, which includes Phalanx Close-In Weapon Systems (CIWS), upgrade of six Phalanx CIWS Block 0 to Block 1B, as well as associated equipment and services to Pakistan, a Defence Ministry statement said. Pakistan had requested for six Phalanx rapid-fire 20-millimetre guns for surface ships, and the upgrade of six additional gun systems, spare and repair parts, modification kits, supply and support equipment and publications and technical data. The Pentagon had already notified the Congress of three proposed major defence deals with Pakistan, worth $ 1.2 billion, under which it will give Islamabad eight P-3C Orion surveillance aircraft for its navy, 2000 TOW-2A missiles and 14 TOW 2A Fly-to-Buy missiles.
— PTI |
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US Homeland Security Secretary resigns
Washington, December 1 Mr Ridge, who hogged the limelight with his regular terror alerts and prepared the country for possible strikes in the aftermath of the 2001 attacks, submitted his resignation yesterday. The 59-year-old Ridge, considered a close confidant of Mr Bush, said he would continue in his job till February 1, unless his successor was confirmed by the Senate earlier.
— PTI |
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Abortion movie sweeps UK film awards
London, December 1 "Vera Drake" also snared the Best Actress award for Imelda Staunton and Best Actor for Phil Davis. The film, which deals with a working class abortionist whose views are at odds with the society around her, found similar success at the Venice Film Festival, where it took the Golden Lion for best film and best actress for Staunton. The best documentary award went to ''Touching the Void'', a gripping true story about climbers Joe Simpson and Simon Yates who reached the peak of the Siula Grande in Peru, only to face death on the way down. "Oldboy", a violent Korean film about a man locked up in a hotel room for 15 years who seeks revenge, took the prize for best foreign film.
— Reuters |
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Foreign firms to develop new sectors in Islamabad
Islamabad, December 1 Secretary, Interior Tariq Mehmood on Tuesday reviewed the suggestions of the CDA during a session of the ministerial committee meeting. The Prime Minister, he said, had already endorsed the suggestion regarding the development of new sectors through private firms. The source said the CDA would shortly call bids both from local and international developers. The source said it was yet to be decided whether the eligible private firms would develop new sectors on a built-operate-and-transfer (BOT) basis, joint venture or they would be hired by the CDA like other contractors. According to a decision made in the last Cabinet meeting, seven new sectors would be developed in Islamabad. The proposal prepared by the CDA for the ministerial committee meetings pertained to water shortage and remedial measures, hiring of consultants for amendments to the Master Plan of Islamabad and restructuring of the CDA board. The ministerial committee was also suggested by the CDA that the existing network of water distribution system in the capital should be replaced in phases as according to a study 20 per cent of water supplied to consumers’ became waste. |
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Port Luis (Mauritius), December 1
Rescuers today dug with their bare hands to find survivors from landslides and floods that killed up to 500 persons in a part of the northern Philippines due to be hit by a typhoon over the next 48 hours.
