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Sunita to cruise into New Year 16 times Indian nominated as US trial court judge
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UN says Saddam case is different Indians figure in UK honours list
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177 survive ferry disaster, 400 still missing Tuban (Indonesia), December 31 Some 151 survivors were already on land while 15 others were on a Vietnamese ship making its way to the Javanese port of Surabaya, the Transport Department said. "Besides that, there is one victim who is dead and is on board a fisherman's boat which is also bringing 11 survivors to Rembang at the moment," department official Soeharto was quoted as saying by the official Antara news agency. A group of 17 men and one woman was picked up by fishing boats and taken to a Rembang hospital, where most of the survivors of the ferry disaster have been taken for medical check-ups, Rembang police officer Suripto said. The "Senopati Nusantara" (Archipelago Commander) sank late Friday off the north coast of Java with some 600 persons on board while en route from Kumai on Borneo island to the Javanese port city of Semarang. The ferry was carrying 545 passengers and 57 crew, port official Slamet Rahardjo told reporters in Semarang. It was licensed to carry 850. He said the ship was equipped with two lifeboats, 47 liferafts capable of carrying 1,175 persons, and 1,125 lifejackets. As many as seventeen rescued people arrived in Tuban early today and were treated for dehydration. — AFP
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Sunita to cruise into New Year 16 times Houston, December 31 Williams, along with fellow astronauts - American Michael Lopez-Allegria and Russian Mikhail Tyurin, is expected to feast on special rations allowed for New Year: with each astronaut being permitted to take six containers of their favourite food with them. Williams, who loves Indian food, carried a container full of samosas, among other culinary delights. The 36-yer-old Indian-Amercian astronaut spent the past week getting accustomed to life at the ISS and unpacking and stowing away more than two tonnes of equipment and supplies left behind by space shuttle Discovery. During the week, crew members also worked on experiments analysing heart function during long-duration spaceflight, measuring cosmic rays and examining plant growth and changes in blood of long-duration spacefarers. Williams, who reached the ISS on December 12, had an hour budgeted each day to familiarise herself with the station and adapt to life on board. The unstructured hours are scheduled during new crew members’ first two weeks aboard to get them used to the station and its activities. — PTI
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Indian nominated as US trial court judge
New York, December 31 Sabita Singh, who is from Somerville in the state, was nominated by Governor Mitt Romney to the District Circuit Court of Massachusetts. She is among other four people from the minority community, including two other women, who had been nominated for the job. Ms Singh has hitherto been special counsel for criminal rights enforcement in the federal prosecutor’s office in Boston. The new nominees are highly qualified with a demonstrated commitment to public service, according to a statement issued by the governor’s office. —
UNI
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Indian Hajis a harried lot The
exposure by a TV channel of corruption in the Haj pilgrimage from India has brought to light an issue that was talked about for long by those in the know of the stink. But nothing happened. Now that the corrupt have been exposed, the authorities should sack the staff and file criminal charges against them. In my opinion, there is a lot of corruption in the management of Haj pilgrimage. And this extends to various agencies, both in the government and private sector. This is important not only to alleviate the sufferings of the Hajis but also to bolster the image of India abroad. Poor Indian Hajis, who often come from small towns, have over the years been hoodwinked and exploited by the Central Haj Committee and umpteen private tour operators. A complete overhaul of the system is a necessity. For Muslims, Haj is a blessed journey to the sacred precincts of Makkah-e-Muazzamah (Mecca). It is a practical application of all five pillars of Islam and of its major ethical principles. Above all, it is a manifestation of the belief in the unity of god. The plight of Indian Hajis is pathetic right from the start of his journey to the destination. Around 80,000 Hajis usually go each year through the Central Haj Committee. Many also go through private tour operators. A subsidized Haj tour by the Indian Central Haj Committee costs around Rs.80,000. There has been a lot of criticism about the poor arrangements made by the Central Haj Committee in India and by the Indian consulate at Jeddah in Saudi Arab. The fate of Hajis who, desiring better facilities, go to private operators is worse. With no law to regulate such operators, the pilgrims get cheated. There is cheating even while booking the accommodation for the Hajis in and around Mecca. A group called "Building Selection Team" selects accommodation for pilgrims in different categories. Usually photographs of a good building with amenities are shown at the time of booking and the rates settled accordingly. But when the Hajis reach Mecca, they often find that there is a breach of agreement. The accommodation turns out to be without air-conditioners, lifts, water facility and proper toilets. Indian Hajis have complained that the units where they are made to stay are far from Haram Sharif (sanctum sanctorum) of Mecca. The cost of the accommodation depends on its distance from Haram Sharif. The close one is to the sanctum sanctorum, the higher the cost. There are cheaper houses in hilly areas around Mecca's Ring Road but only the sturdy ones can afford this. Yet aged Hajis are put up around these hills. —
IANS
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Executioners taunted Saddam
Baghdad, December 31 In video footage of the execution, apparently captured on a mobile phone and spreading across the Internet today, members of the party carrying out the Sunni leader’s hanging can be heard chanting “Moqtada, Moqtada, Moqtada!” The reference is to Moqtada al-Sadr, a radical Shia cleric whose father Mohammed Bakr Sadr and his uncle were murdered by Saddam’s agents, and who has risen to prominence since Saddam’s fall as a politician and militia leader. — AFP
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UN says Saddam case is different
New York, December 31 “The United Nations stands firmly against impunity, and understands the desire for justice felt by the many Iraqis,” Special Representative Ashraf Qazi, formerly a Pakistani envoy to the United States, said through a spokesman. “Based on the principle of respect for the right to life, however, the United Nations remains opposed to capital punishment, even in the case of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide.”—
UNI
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Indians figure in UK honours list London, December 31 The highest award received by a person of Indian origin is Ramniklal Chhaganlal Solanki, 75, who has been awarded the Commander of the British Empire. Solanki has been the driving force behind a successful publishing group, the Asian media and Marketing Group that publishes the leading Gujarati magazine, Garavi Gujarat. The list is normally announced twice a year - a list is published on the Queen's birthday in June and another list is published on the New Year eve. As in earlier years, people of Indian origin and others working on India have figured prominently in this year's list. The list includes British officials working in various offices in India, including the British High Commission. Ann Leslie, born in British India and a distinguished foreign correspondent with the Daily Mail, has been made a Dame for services to journalism. The Officers of the British Empire (OBE) honour has been awarded to the following: Harmesh Lakhanpaul, director of the Peterborough Race Equality Council, for services to Community Relations; Dipesh Jayantilal Shah, lately chief executive officer of UK Atomic Energy Authority, for services to the energy industry; Rita Sharma, founder and managing director, Best at Travel plc., for services to the travel industry. Jasminder Singh, founder and chair of the Radisson Edwardian Hotel Group, has been awarded the OBE for services to the hotel industry. For services to the fashion industry, The OBE has been awarded to Tom Tar Singh, founder and non-executive director of New Look. This year's list is conspicuous for the lack of awards for political service. This is mainly due to the controversy and intense security under which the honours system has come following allegations that Prime Minister Tony Blair offered peerages for loans to the Labour party. — IANS
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