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Chicken disappears from dining tables
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Stamp offends Hindu leaders in Britain
Shah Rukh turns 40, plans
to quit smoking
Quake toll more than 73,000
Riots spread in Paris suburbs
Pak to issue passport to Nawaz Sharif
Law to prevent elder abuse
in Japan
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Chicken disappears from dining tables
Hong Kong, November 2 The dread of the new infection striking anywhere and any time in the ASEAN countries seems to be more overpowering than the palate of most. No one knows from where and when the new strain of avian flu, known as H5N1, would strike. Association of Southeast Asian Nations secretary general ONG Keng Yong claimed that at least 62 persons have died of bird flu in
ASEAN member nations of Cambodia, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam in the past two years since it first appeared in South China provinces. Dread is all the more formidable because people know now that it is fatal and kills violently. Only 50 per cent of the infected persons have a slim chance of full recovery ever. A cement mill worker in a village of Vietnam came out of coma only last week after 10 months in that condition. He was unable to provide any clue as to how he had contracted the disease. Estimates of the possible impact of the flu once it infects humans differ vastly. Some scientists see a possibility of it affecting nearly 150 million persons the world over once it becomes pandemic. The letters H and N refer to the type of hemaggalutinin and neuraminidase protein on the surface of the virus. Some scientists point out that these proteins were ever present in humans in various combinations as was clearly established in 1997 when the Hong Kong flu surfaced. This discovery had led to the successful development of anti-flu virus and Hong Kong is laden with 3.5 million doses of Tami flu that had brought the Hong Kong flu under control. The authorities are taking no chances. However, Ong Keng Young of Asean nations pointed out the difficulties are reluctance of the local authorities and farmers from reporting to the proper authorities any untoward incidents on their farms or villages. They naturally fear that it would lead to culling of the entire bird or animal population from their village and would result in huge losses. However, not only Hong Kong but also other ASEAN nations are preparing themselves to meet the emergencies that could be caused if the disease became pandemic. But the local authorities also point out that it was no more a problem of Asia alone because fresh cases of bird flue infection have now been detected even in Romania and other erstwhile Communist countries. In fact, the USA has become so alarmed by the possibilities of large-scale damage by the new disease that US President George Bush is reported to have sought a fund of $ 7 billion from his Congress for the fight against the disease even before it has made an appearance on a colossal scale. |
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Stamp offends Hindu leaders in Britain
New Delhi, November 2 This unpleasantness between the Hindu community and the Royal Mail has come at a time when Hindus, the third largest faith community in the UK is celebrating Divali. The Hindu Forum of Britain, the representative umbrella body for British Hindus with a formal membership of over 250 Hindu organisations, is spearheading the protest against the stamp. The stamp features the picture of a Hindu couple worshipping baby Christ. The man has a ‘‘tilak’’ marking on his forehead clearly identifying him as a Vaishnava Hindu and the woman has the traditional ‘‘kumkum’’ mark on her forehead identifying her as a married Hindu women. The General Secretary of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, UK and Europe, Kishore Ruparelia, has said that they strongly advise Royal Mail to withdraw the stamp failing which they will take to the streets. Hindu leaders have decided to hit back by asking the community members to clog the Royal Mail headquarters with stampless envelopes carrying letters of protest. It hopes that this will create a logistical nightmare worse than withdrawing the stamp. It has asked members of the community to join the protest march in London that would be organised in case Royal Mail does not withdraw the stamp. It has also asked the community to register its protest on press.office@royalmail.com. The Forum has suggested that a letter of protest could be mailed to Barry Gardiner, MP, Minister for Efficiency at the Department of Trade and Industry who is responsible for Royal Mail to (gardinerb@parliament.uk) The Forum considers Gardiner a good friend of the Hindu community and is counting on him to take note of Hindu sentiments. The Forum leaders have suggested boycott of the offensive stamp and asked letter writers to insist on another stamp of similar denomination at the post office. The Secretary-General of the Hindu Forum of Britain, Ramesh Kallidai, is angry over the abuse of Hindu images from time to time. ‘‘This is not the first time that Hindu images and icons have been used inappropriately in a manner that has hurt the sentiments of Hindus. The list is endless and Hindu images have been used on toilet seats, tissue papers, bikinis, shoes and other goods.’’ Kallidai said that the stamp in question is priced at 0.68 p, ‘‘which is usually the price of stamps on letters sent to India.’’ Reacting to the claim of Royal Mail sources that the original painting printed on the face of the stamp is dated 1620, Kallidai said: ‘‘Even if we accept that an artist in 1620 AD took the artistic license to portray practising Hindus worshipping the baby Christ, we should be asking if this is politically and sensitively correct in the 21st century. We therefore urge the Post Office to withdraw the stamp immediately or issue a redesigned version that does not have the Hindu markings on the foreheads of the two characters in the stamp.’’ Reacting to Royal Mail's explanation that the stamp was a piece of art and could therefore not be offensive, Raman Barber, President of the Sanatan Hindu Temple in Leicester said: ‘‘But just because something is a piece of art does not mean it is appropriate to be put on public display in a way that offends people.’’ |
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Shah Rukh turns 40, plans
to quit smoking
New York, November 2 “It’s completion of four decades (of life) ... sounds nice and good,” said the Padma Shri awardee, who gave a string of hits like “Kuch Kuch Hota Hai”, “Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge” and “Devdas”. A self-proclaimed chain-smoker, he said: “I am planning to quit smoking for a healthier life as I enter another decade.” “Life has been good to me so far and I am happy to know that my birthday was being remembered and celebrated by people in India and everywhere,” said Shah Rukh, who is here to shoot “Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna”. “I am not much into celebrating birthdays ... never been like that ... not even when I was very young,” he said. “I have just finished a hard day’s work, my leg is hurt ... It feels good to be alive because of these pains, these aches. Lack of sleep makes me feel good, so its a nice way to start another new decade in my life,” he told NDTV here. On his film “Paheli” being sent as India’s entry to the Oscars, he said “I will do my best as a producer to do what I am supposed to do.” Asked about the future, he said: “I pray to God that I may enjoy 60, 80, 100, 125 years later. I should be like this ... though with a lot more grey hair.” Making a modest beginning as a television actor who shot to limelight for his performances in “Fauji” and “Circus”, Shah Rukh earned the sobriquet “King Khan” after he turned to films and gave a series of hits. He was lauded for his roles in initial successes like “Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman” and “Maya Memsaab”, but the true potential came out in “Deewana” opposite veteran actor Rishi Kapoor and Divya Bharati.
— PTI |
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Quake toll more than 73,000
Islamabad, November 2 Another 69,000 persons were injured by the 7.6-magnitude tremor which devastated a swathe of northern Pakistan and Pak-occupied Kashmir on October 8, Major-Gen Farooq Ahmad Khan told. Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz told Pakistan’s Parliament yesterday that the death toll was more than 57,000.
— AFP |
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Riots spread in Paris suburbs
Paris, November 2 The unrest has highlighted bitter rivalry between PM Dominique de Villepin and his deputy Nicolas Sarkozy, the Interior Minister, ahead of 2007 presidential elections. |
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Pak to issue passport to Nawaz Sharif
Islamabad, November 2 “Musharraf has allowed them (Sharifs) to proceed to London purely on humanitarian grounds as Sharif’s son Hussain Nawaz is sick,” Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed told reporters here, adding that “the gesture by President Musharraf shows that he doesn’t take politics personally.” The Saudi Arabian government has been informed about the decision, he said. Sharif lives in Jeddah under the patronage of the Saudi royal family. He will be issued the passport by the Pakistan embassy in the Saudi Kingdom, the minister added. Asked whether permission has also been given to the rest of the family members, Sheikh Rashid said it was his personal opinion that they too should be allowed to accompany Hussain Nawaz. “I am saying this in personal capacity and not as a government spokesman. Though I have yet to check all the details,” he said. Sheikh Rashid said the two had been given permission to travel to the UK only. |
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Law to prevent elder abuse
in Japan
Tokyo, November 2 Elder abuse is hardly unique to Japan, but the first public revelation last year of its existence were deeply disturbing to a society long so respectful of its senior citizens that there is even a national holiday in their honour. “At last, Japan is gaining some of the same standards as other nations around the world,” said Soji Tanaka, a professor at Tokyo’s Nihon University.
— Reuters |
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New York, November 2
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