6:10 PM
Judith Ann Braun fingers are magical
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
6:07 PM
Judith Ann Braun fingers are magical
With a career spanning over three decades, Judith Ann Braun
has tested the limits of their artistic muscles. It began as a self-styled
"realistic figure painter", and worked through the common fight
anyone who tries on an artistic quest, that of finding one's voice in the
chosen medium.
Fast forward to the 21st century, where the evolution of
Braun's work has led to the fingering series, a collection of coal dust
landscapes and abstracts "painted" with brushes, but not his fingers.
Braun has a specific interest in symmetry, as evidenced by patterns over a
number of parts and labor Fingering in symmetric Procedures collection. His
fingerprints are evident closely at some of the paintings, but a step back and
grandeur of imagination extends Braun in a landscape of rolling hills,
overhanging trees, delicate flowers, and a thoughtful navigation.
5:38 PM
Kareena Kapoor already married with Saif
Our encounter with Kareena Kapoor arrived with a request: No
more questions about her marriage to Saif Ali Khan, please. But when we met in
the apartment she shares with Saif, filled as it is with paintings, sketches of
Hollywood classics, caricatures and cartoons, books, family portraits and
framed photos of Saif and Kareena, the couple and their son Ibrahim and Sara
daughter, etc, we can not help it.
We have to ask about their relationship. Because if the
floor radiates nawab flavor, it also has a touch bohemian heroin. Ecstatic at
being praised for his performance in the heroine, Kareena let us into her
heart.
Everyone is praising his performance in heroin. What Saif's
take on it?
Saif not see that many Hindi films. Jab We Met (2007) was
the last movie you watched me, and Dabangg (2010) Hindi movie was the last he
saw! As for the heroine, is least bothered about the fuss around him.
The film industry is cruel to married actresses. Are you
ready for this?
I am surprised by this thought cynical and tired! I would
never jeopardize my career for my love, or vice versa. These are two separate ways
in my life. Look at my mother-in-law. His best works were after her marriage.
She is a great inspiration for me to figure. She supports my decision to work
and so does Saif. He is free to work with whomever he chooses and I can work
with anyone I want. Who knows! Maybe it's the change in the game!
As Kareena Kapoor Khan?
Why not? Saif and I have been living together for five
years. We bought this place together and they did it together. I've been
several times Pataudi. Everyone knows it. But we also have our own lives. We do
our respective films and go home to the other. Being together has not changed
our employment status, so how will it change now?
But it will not be Saif Ali Khan Mrs. marks a new chapter in
your life?
Seriously, what's wrong with everyone! Saif and I just I can
not understand the hype around the wedding. Hey, I'm married! We just need to
legalize it in the paper and we are doing very soon!
What are your honeymoon plans?
None, already! We're going on vacation like there's no
tomorrow. The other day my friend Arjun Kapoor (Boney Kapoor's son) told me
that if Saif and I go to another party again, it will be our honeymoon 250th!
But in December we're taking it back.
What is your relationship with Saif's kids?
Great touch wood! I love them and get the same love and
respect from them. They are growing by leaps and bounds. Sarah looks so lovely!
Madhur had approached you for your previous films Page 3
(2005) and Fashion (2008). What was it that appealed to you Heroin?
On page 3, and fashion, so I picked up. The characters that
I made were also lighter and bubbling. But when the movie came out, I was done
with light paper. Heroin is about a rising superstar and imbalanced - a very
brave and bold. I wanted to try if he could take a role like this. I gave 200
percent for this role. It is a very complex, very aggressive, manipulative and
bold, but it is very fragile. And the only similarity between Mahi (Kareena's
character in heroin) and I is that I'm too emotional like her. Otherwise, I am
very calm, composed and tidy girl.
Have you ever gone through what passes through Mahi?
Hello, I'm a superstar in decline! I'm here now. Anyway, I
was born and raised in this industry and I've seen everything. I take seriously
the success and failure. All I do is seriously move forward. If I fall, I get
up and go again.
His cousin Ranbir said he was born into luxury. Can you say
the same?
We have not been brought up in luxury, as people think about
the Kapoor clan. My mother (Babita) and sister (Karisma) really struggled to
give me a better life. Especially my mother, because she was a single mother.
Everything was very limited for us. Lolo went to college in suburban trains,
but I ran away because I did not go to college here. But I took the bus to
school like everyone else. We had a car and not having enough money for a
pilot. It is only because mom raised us as we value everything you have today.
The bad days we have seen we have made very strong and fragile at the same
time. And those experiences have made me a very strong person. You know, a lot
of actors call from within (themselves) to improve their craft.
Like what?
Never try a shot. If it is an emotional, it's easier for me.
I draw from my bank emotions.
What has contributed to your life Saif?
Many. But most important is the realization that there is a
life beyond films. He delivered me as a person. I learned to appreciate the
finer things in life. Often we go on vacations worldwide. There are plenty of
other things we do together. It's nice to go skiing and fishing. I developed a
great interest in art and painting, so let's exhibitions and museums. Little by
little, I am developing an interest in reading as well. I also learned to
appreciate and be with nature. As for holidays, I'm curious by nature, so I
love to travel.
Make a copy of his films. After you marry, will be cautious
when choosing roles?
Of course not! I will be the same Kareena, Kareena
excellence doing the kind of happy and bubbly roles. That said I also do roles
that challenge me as an actress. As heroin. The actors are greedy. They can
never be satisfied. I praise and box office returns. I am part of three major
films that went on to create the Rs. 100 crore club.
With heroin that has touched the top of the action. Now
what?
Hmm. I do not mind playing the bubbly Geet type of character
again. Maybe Imtiaz Ali should come with a Jab We Met 2. It's going to be fun.
Before you ask me who the cast should be, well ... I am the lead actor in the
film, which should be the choice of Imtiaz and I will be working along with
anyone.
What do you like about Saif?
Saif is very English, very desi. Look at it as Langda Tyagi
in Omkara (2006). So real! But the best part about him is his detachment and
least intrusive approach to competition in the industry. He really does not
care. He has his own space, own idea and that's what he loves following. Do not
take all this very seriously, but he is too good at his job.
Will you miss being in Ram Leela Bhansali Sanjay Leela?
Of course. It seems that my relationship with Sanjay is
jinxed. Somehow I just do not go to work together. First was Hum Dil De Chuke
Sanam (1999) and now Ram Leela. However, there is always a next time. He will
write something big again, and this time I'll make sure definitely work
together ... regardless.
In his last memory of his late father-in-law Mansur Ali Khan
Pataudi
He was very smart and kind, sweet in nature and enjoyable to
be around. I looked up at him. Every time I met him was short and sweet. I wish
I had more time with him. That's the biggest regret I will always have.
On how to get along with her mother-in-law Tagore Sharmila
She is a warm, friendly and very liberal that has inspired
me in every way. Praise my performance and compliments me. She thinks I'm very
sensitive. I am very happy to have her as my mother-in-law!
Rantes Heroine: Kareena assume two powerful dialogues of the
film.
"Mumbai newspaper editor ke ho. Stars Tumse nahin ki
dosti hai tumahri kursi yes."
Declaration exceptionally honest and real. Do not be fooled.
We use the other and both sides benefit from it. Niranjan Iyenger, who was a
former journalist who has written the dialogues, has seen it all. However, my
personal position on it is different. I have some very dear friends of the
media and go beyond work. I have some friends journalists from the moment they
were coming to interview my sister, and I was only nine years old then. And
there are others whose careers have grown with mine, we are very good friends.
That's what it is! It is a political and manipulative
industry. The actors vying for the same roles, the films were seized. Have I
ever been manipulated? Yes, but I have not manipulated anyone because if you
think with your heart, can not be calculated. I've spent nights crying.
5:01 AM
Libyans tried to save US envoy'
LIBYA: Libyans tried to save US Ambassador Chris Stevens after
finding him in a locked, smoke-filled room following last week's attack on the
US consulate in Benghazi, according to amateur video footage obtained on
Tuesday by AFP.
"Is there a doctor around? Does anyone know a
doctor," a young man, among a crowd of people gathered around a body
believed to be Stevens, is heard saying in the video footage. Another person is
seen checking the pulse of the victim.
In another scene, protesters are shown dragging a body out
of a window and then placing it on the ground outside a building that has been
burned by flames. AFP
4:17 AM
Russia pulls plug on USAID programmes
Russia has booted the US aid agency out of the country,
closing down its decades-old support for pro-democracy and rights projects, US
officials said Tuesday, in a new sign of tense ties with Moscow.
Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, the US Agency for
International Development (USAID) has spent $2.7 billion in Russia on projects
aimed at promoting a wide range of human rights and civil society programmes.
An annual budget of around $50 million also went towards
funding the fight against AIDS and tuberculosis, as well as protecting wildlife
and combating people trafficking.
Announcing Moscow’s decision to pull the plug on USAID
activities, State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said the US was
“extremely proud of what USAID has accomplished in Russia over the last 20
years.” “While USAID’s physical presence in Russia will come to an end, we
remain committed to supporting democracy, human rights, and the development of
a more robust civil society in Russia,” she said.
A senior US official, who asked not to be named, said: “We
regret this decision by the Russian government... But that does not mean we
have changed our policy of supporting the kind of activities USAID has been
supporting.” Russia told the United States on September 12 it was ending the
programs. While Nuland would not be drawn on the reasons for Moscow’s decision,
she said it was more “their sense that they don’t need this any more.”
AFP
4:17 AM
US in 'aggressive steps' to protect missions - Clinton
US: The United States is taking "aggressive steps"
to protect its embassies around the world, US Secretary of State Hillary
Clinton said Tuesday, denying the US had been warned of an attack in Libya.
"We had no actionable intelligence that an attack on
our post in Benghazi was planned or imminent," Clinton told a press
conference after State Department talks with Mexican Foreign Minister Patricia
Espinosa.
"We are taking aggressive steps to protect our staffs
in embassies and consulates worldwide," Clinton said, amid a wave of
anti-US protests around the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia.
Washington is also "reviewing our security posture at
every post and augmenting it where necessary," she said, adding that the
US was also working with host governments "to make sure they know what our
security needs are."
A suicide bombing in Kabul on Tuesday brought the number of
people whose killings have been linked to a week-long violent backlash over a
trailer for a film mocking Islam to more than 30.
Among the dead are four diplomatic staff in Libya, including
ambassador Chris Stevens, killed when militants besieged the US mission in
Benghazi a week ago on September 11 in a four-hour sustained attack with heavy
arms. "We will not rest until the people who orchestrated this attack are
found and punished," Clinton said. The FBI has launched an investigation
inside Libya, and Clinton said the US was working with the Libyan government,
which is leading its own inquiry, "so we can be assured that we have found
who murdered our four colleagues and under what circumstances." She said
people also had to look at the events strategically. "In a lot of places
where protests have turned violent, we are seeing the hand of extremists who
trying to exploit people's inflamed passions for their own agendas."
But she said most people in the Arab Spring nations were
seeking to build a better future.
"This is part of a larger debate that is going on
inside of these societies," she said, highlighting how moderates had won
the elections in Libya after the fall of Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi.
And Clinton reminded that "our diplomats engage in
dangerous work, and it's the nature of diplomacy in fragile societies and
conflict zones to be aware of the necessity for security, but also continue the
important diplomatic work that has to go on." AFP
4:08 AM
Syria turns into kidnappers’ paradise
LEBANON: Every time violence intensifies in Syria, so do
abductions of civilians, for political reasons and more often for financial
gain, activists and families of hostages say.
The plight of hundreds of people abducted over the past 18
months of conflict has prompted a group of activists to set up a Facebook page
entitled “Missing” where pictures of men, women and children are posted by
anxious relatives. “Our sister, Taghrid Arnus, is missing, please call this
number,” reads one of the messages posted on the Internet site.
“If you have any information on any of the missing, please
send a message to this page,” says another message.
According to the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human
Rights between 2,000 and 3,000 people have been kidnapped across Syria since
March 2011. “Everyone is kidnapping everybody else,” Observatory director Rami
Abdel Rahman told AFP in a telephone interview.
“Pro and anti-regime forces kidnap each other, to exchange
prisoners or demand money, while there’s also bands of criminals who just want
to extort the families of the victims for ransom,” he says.
“Life has become very cheap in Syria.” Abu Ahmad, 66, was
kidnapped one night in mid-August while he was on his way home from work in
Damascus.
“He has a good job,” his son Ahmad told AFP. “That’s why
they went after him.
“We received a phone call. A man from the Popular Committees
demanded $75,000 for baba,” said Ahmad, referring to pro-regime militias that
have been created to defen
3:59 AM
Yahoo’s $7.6 Billion Deal with Alibaba Group
Yahoo announced that it has closed a $7.6 billion deal that
includes selling half its stake in the rapidly growing Chinese company Alibaba
Group and with this deal, Yahoo is expected to gain at least $4.2 billion,
after taxes. Most of this may be distributed to shareholders.
The details of the complex deal include that Alibaba is
paying $7.1 billion to buy back Yahoo’s 20% stake in the company and an
additional $550 million to cover revised technology and licensing agreement.
Yahoo will retain about 20% stake in Alibaba.
This is the first deal closed by Yahoo, after Google Inc.
executive Marissa Mayer took over as CEO of the company.
Source : Alibaba Group
Source : Alibaba Group
11:01 PM
Detainee dies at Guantanamo
Thursday, September 20, 2012
‘At the time of his death, no charges had been filed against
him for any crimes’:
CUBA: A detainee died over the weekend at the US prison for
“war on terror” suspects at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, the ninth since the detention
center opened in 2002, the US military said Monday.
The detainee, who was not identified, pending notification
of his country's government and his next of kin, was found “unconscious and
unresponsive” by guards in the prison's Camp Five on Saturday during a routine
check, the US Southern Command said.
“After extensive lifesaving measures had been performed, the
detainee was pronounced dead by a physician,” it said in a statement.
Camp Five is a facility that “houses those detainees deemed
to be the highest threat to themselves, other detainees or guards,” said Jose
Ruiz, a spokesman for the Miami-based Southern Command.
Eight other detainees have died at Guantanamo since 2002,
including six suicides, Ruiz said.
“At the time of his death, no charges have been filed for a
crime for war and he has not been designated for a prosecution by the office of
the military commission,” said another Southern Command spokesman, Ray
Sarracino. He was on disciplinary status for splashing a “cocktail of urine and
other body fluids” at a guard at least once, Sarracino said.
Prisoners at Guantanamo have staged periodic hunger strikes
to protest their confinement, but Ruiz said the detainee who died over weekend
was not engaged in a hunger strike.
Among the inmates in Camp Five is Omar Khadr, a young
Canadian who pleaded guilty in 2010 to killing a US soldier in Afghanistan in a
grenade attack and has been seeking transfer to prison in Canada.
Most of the 167 prisoners currently at Guantanamo are housed
in Camp Six, a facility that allows communal living arrangements among the
inmates and is designed for less intensive monitoring by guards.
The command, which gave no other details on the circumstances
surrounding the death, said an investigation into its cause and manner had been
opened by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service.
The detainee's remains “are being treated with respect for
Islamic culture and traditions,” it said.
“The remains will be autopsied by a medical examination team
from the office of the Armed Forces Medical Examiner. Upon completion of the
autopsy, the remains will be prepared for repatriation,” it said. The Center
for Constitutional Rights condemned the new death and said there is only party
to blame. “Whatever the cause turns out to be, it is clear that the United
States government is ultimately responsible for his death.” it said in a
statement.
“Military investigations into several of the deaths at the
base remain under a cloud of suspicion; and the Center's clients, families of
two men who died there in 2006, never got their day in court or the chance to
know the truth about what happened to their sons,” it added.
AFP
10:57 PM
Russia proposes Syria conflict conference
FRANCE: Russia is proposing the organisation of a conference
bringing together “all the players” of the deadly Syria conflict, including
opposition groups, citizens and the ruling regime, a top official told a French
newspaper.
“We are proposing to our Western partners the organisation
of a 'Taif conference' between all the players of the conflict,” Russian deputy
foreign minister Mikhail Bogdanov told Le Figaro in an article to appear
Wednesday.
He was referring to an agreement signed in the Saudi city
that brought the end of the Lebanon civil war in 1990.
“This conference should bring together opposition and regime
figures as well as Christian, Alawite and Druze community members,” Bogdanov
added.
“Given the opposition divisions and the weapons reaching the
rebels, the risk of a Somalia-isation of Syria is real, if the regime were to
suddenly collapse tomorrow. According to Le Figaro, the Russian official was in
Paris over the weekend, where he met French diplomats and Syrian opposition
figures.
The Taif agreement was signed October 22, 1989 by Muslim
lawmakers and Lebanese Christians to end the 15-year civil war.
Bombardments by troops saw fighting ground to a standstill
on Tuesday in Syria's second city Aleppo, a watchdog said, amid reports a
civilian refuge was targeted in the same province.
Water supplies were largely restored in the northern city
three days after a main pipeline was ruptured during clashes between government
forces and rebel fighters, witnesses and the Syrian Observatory for Human
Rights said.
The Britain-based Observatory reported shelling attacks on
the Aleppo neighbourhoods of Haidariyeh, Hanano, Meyseer and Shaar overnight,
and that one rebel had been killed in the fighting.
“The rebels have been trying for three days to enter Midan
(in central Aleppo). Last night the army launched an operation and pushed them
north, back toward Bustan al-Basha,” a resident told AFP on the phone. In the
town of As-Safira, “mortar fire from an air defence battalion targeted
residential buildings and a school, where many refugees from disaster-stricken
areas sought refuge.
AFP
10:56 PM
Pakistan bans Salman Khan’s Ek Tha Tiger
MUMBAI: Salman Khan's 'Ek Tha Tiger' (ETT) has been banned
by the Pakistan censor board. Though there is no official announcement from the
board, but Pakistani distributor Atif Rashid told TOI, "I was just told
the film cannot be released in Pakistan and there will be further discussion on
it." ETT was to release with 35 prints in Pakistan on Eid.
Filmmaker Kabir Khan said, "It is sad a film that
promotes peace and friendship between countries has fallen victim to
politics." Trade pundits feel ETT had potential of doing a business of Rs
10 cr. Khan said, "It is not about the money loss but a film with good
intention failed to release in Pakistan though places like Dubai and London
which has a mixed
population of Indians and Pakistanis have reacted positively
to the film."
Nearly half a dozen films in the last five years
have been banned in Pakistan. The last film to be banned in Pakistan was Saif
Ali Khan's 'Agent Vinod' which also had mentions of Pakistan's intelliegence
agency ISI. A Pakistani filmmaker said, "Any Indian film with mention of
ISI will not get a release in Pakistan so filmmakers need to keep that in mind
if they want to help that territory grow."
Source : Bharti Dubey, TNN
10:00 PM
New US ambassador discusses bilateral ties with GL
Ambassador-designate of the United States of America Michele
J. Sison, who arrived in Sri Lanka at the week-end, called on External Affairs
Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris at the Ministry on Monday.
Minister Peiris discussed with Ambassador Sison political
and economic developments in Sri Lanka since the end of the conflict, and the
way ahead. He told the Ambassador that, wherever she travels in the country,
she would find ample evidence of the new mood of confidence among Sri Lankans,
who are looking forward to a secure and prosperous future after the eradication
of terrorism.
Ambassador Sison, with the advantage of extensive experience
in South Asia, expressed her pleasure at the opportunity of serving in Sri
Lanka.
The External Affairs Minister and the American Ambassador
discussed co-operation between the two countries in a variety of fields,
including trade, investment, defence and the environment.
Minister Peiris will be attending an event over the week-end
to mark the 20th anniversary of the American Chamber of Commerce.
Source : Dailynews – Srilanka
9:55 PM
The capital market watch dog, the Securities and Exchange
Commission (SEC) is now in the process of revamping all its activities to
attract the Colombo Stock Exchange locally, as well as internationally. For
this, the SEC is looking to regulate and to develop the CSE, its Chairman Dr
Nalaka Godahewa said.
SEC to strengthen regulatory process of Colombo Stock Exchange
“At present our key focuses are to strengthen the regulatory
process of the Colombo Stock Market and to develop the market in consultation
with all stakeholders, which is now slowly, but steadily happening,” Dr
Godahewa told Daily News Business.
“My main focus is also to implement four objectives in the
SEC Act accordingly which was one of the priorities, “Dr Godahewa said. The SEC
Act, stipulates objectives i.e. creating and maintaining the market in which
securities could be issued in order to create a fair market, protecting the
interest of investors, regulate the securities market to ensure that professionalism
standards are maintained and operation and compensation of funds.
He said that the commission was right now hoping to consult
all stakeholders, including the broker community; unit trust holders and other
stakeholders, get their feedback without rushing for a decision to develop the
market.
Dr Godahewa said that they were employing well experienced
persons to run the SEC and for that purpose, they had appointed top business
personality Dammika Perera as the new Deputy Director General, who would instrumentally
be in charge of surveillance, supervision and investigations of the market.
Further, the SEC Act also could be amended in the future and
the new amended Act would be a comprehensive one which would be addressing most
of the crucial issues pertaining to the market.
This would also help promote the market not only among local
investors, but also with overseas investors to create a strong and credible
market in the region, Dr Godahewa said.
Dr Godahewa also said that not a single pending
investigation of any company, but the commission was only investigating
individuals who were involved in questionable dealings in the market, which had
to be completed in three months.
Source : Dailynews – Srilanka
9:55 PM
President opens Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference
The 58th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference (CPC) was
inaugurated yesterday morning by Vice Patron of the conference President
Mahinda Rajapaksa at the Nelum Pokuna Mahinda Rajapaksa Theatre.
Delegates and invitees arrived around 9 am. About 20 minutes
later, office bearers and Executive Committee Members assembled at the Nelum
Pokuna Lobby.
Commonwealth Parliamentary Association President Speaker
Chamal Rajapaksa arrived followed by Vice Patron of the CPA President Mahinda
Rajapaksa.
President Rajapaksa was received by president of the CPA and
Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa, Secretary General of CPA Dr William F. Sija,
Executive Committee chairman Sir Alan Haselhurst, CPA Vice President Mninwa Johanes
Mahlangu, Deputy Speaker Chandima Weerakkody and Secretary General of
Parliament Dhammika Dassanayake at the entrance to the theatre. After lighting
of the traditional oil lamp, President Rajapaksa was introduced to the
Executive Committee by the CPA Executive Committee chairman.
The official party entered the theatre from the left side
entrance and the second procession led by flag bearers entered from the right
side entrance and took their seats while the delegates and invitees remained
standing.
The Navy performed the fanfare. President Mahinda Rajapaksa,
CPA president Chamal Rajapaksa and other dignitaries took their seats on the
podium and the choir on the stage sang the national anthem.
After reading the message from the Patron of the CPA, Britain’s
queen Elizabeth, the Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa delivered the welcome speech.
President Rajapaksa declared that the 58th Commonwealth
Parliamentary Conference was opened and CPA executive Committee chairman Sir
Alan Haselhurst addressed the meeting followed by a musical interlude.
The President addressed the gathering next.
It was observed that the invitees applauded in between his
address. They clapped when the President said Sri Lanka showed the world that
terrorism could be defeated and democracy could be restored.
They started applauding when the President stated “we are
also aware of how Human Rights can be made a slogan by the worst violators of
such rights, to threaten traditional democracies”. President Rajapaksa’s
address was followed by the vote of thanks by CPA Vice President Mninwa
Johannes Mahlangu.
Thereafter, the President was accompanied by the official
party to the theatre lobby to witness the release of the commemorative stamp at
10.55 a.m.
The delegates assembled at the steps leading to the Nelum
Pokuna Theatre and posed a group photograph. After refreshments, President
Rajapaksa left the Nelum Pokuna followed by delegates and the ceremony came to
an end.
Source : Dailynews- Srilanka
9:46 PM
SriLankan Cargo turns BIA into regional hub
SriLankan Cargo has taken a firm step towards positioning
Colombo's Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) as a regional hub for air
freight, by handling the highest ever volumes of both total cargo and
transhipment cargo in a single month.
Janaka Munasinghe, Senior Manager Worldwide Cargo Operations
at SriLankan, said: “The BIA Cargo Centre is on course for a record breaking
year, if volumes continue as we expect them to.
Our projections are that we will handle over 180,000, metric
tonnes in 2012, which would surpass the existing record.”
The National Carrier is closely supporting the vision of the
government to transform Sri Lanka into a hub for both shipping and air freight.
Remarkably, the SriLankan Cargo Centre has in almost every
month this year surpassed the previous records for those months.
Total tonnage handled in the first seven months of 2012
recorded a 12.5 % increase, while total transshipment cargo registered an 11 %
increase. July 2012 witnessed a single-month record of 16,136 metric tonnes,
surpassing the 16,033 tonnes set in March 2006.
The total transhipment of 3,387 metric tonnes in July 2012
was also a single-month record.
Total transhipment cargo over the first seven months of this
year was the highest ever as well at 19,909 tonnes.
SriLankan Cargo is the sole handling agent for cargo of all
airlines that operate through BIA. SriLankan Cargo operates on the model of a
‘hub in the Ocean,’utilising the island's geographic positioning to link Europe
and the Middle East in the West, Southeast Asia and the Far East in the
East,and the Subcontinent.
Source : Dailynews - Srilanka
9:43 PM
US sours on global role, looks to Asia - poll
Younger Americans are ‘comfortable’ with the Islamic world
and China:
US: Eleven years after the September 11 attacks a record number
in the United States want a less active global role -- and Americans for the
first time see Asia as more important than Europe.
The poll by the Chicago Council on Foreign Affairs found
strong differences by age range, with younger Americans the most comfortable
with the Islamic world and China and the least enthusiastic about the use of US
force abroad.
The poll, released on the eve of the anniversary of the
September 11 terror attacks, said 67 percent of Americans did not consider the
Iraq war worth fighting and only 30 percent said that the Afghanistan
intervention made the United States safer. Sixty-one percent of Americans said
that the United States should take an active role in world affairs, but the 38
percent who disagreed marked the highest level taken by the Chicago Council or
comparable polls since 1947.
Nonetheless, 70 percent of Americans described their country
as the greatest in the world.
“There's a strong sense of specialness that Americans have
and this is across generational and partisan lines,” said Marshall Bouton,
president of the Chicago Council.
The dwindling support for foreign wars is “not a
discouragement about the character of their nation. It's an assessment in their
minds that... the United States has got to trim its sails in certain respects,”
he said.
The study showed public backing for diplomacy and aid,
particularly to Africa, and support for cutting military spending.
Age groups differed on key issues. Only 23 percent of
Americans between 18 and 29 years old said Islamic fundamentalism would pose a
critical threat over the next 10 years, far down from the 50 percent over age
60 who said so.
AFP
Younger Americans are ‘comfortable’ with the Islamic world and China:
9:42 PM
Commonwealth Parliament Conference boost for tourism
The 58th Commonwealth Parliament Conference which is
currently underway in Colombo has presented many opportunities to different
sectors especially for the country’s tourism industry.
The large number of foreign delegates in the country will be
an opportunity for image building and promoting tourism on the sideline of the
conference.
We are confident that first hand experience gained by the
participants will go a long way in promoting the country and developing the
tourism sector, Jetwing Group Chairman Hiran Cooray told Daily News Business.
“The presence of significant number of influential people
from all over the world in the country will have a positive impact. They will
be able to witness the on going development activities in the country and
measures taken to facilitate growth in sectors such as tourism, infrastructure
and agriculture.
The positive comments and opinions of these world leaders
will augur well for the country’s economic progress, " he said.
“The tourism industry is progressing well and we are
confident that it will continue to do well. The current product development and
aggressive marketing initiatives supported by the promotional efforts will further
fuel the industry growth,” Cooray said.
Converging with the purpose to make a difference, to
reinforce change across all nations, the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association
conducted its annual conference for the third time in Colombo under the theme
“ensuring a relevant Commonwealth for the future”.
There were 850 participants representing 179 Commonwealth
Parliamentary Associations from 54 countries while showcasing the values of the
Commonwealth, a series of workshops were lined up to address the issues of
global importance.
9:42 PM
Nearly 150 illegal migrants nabbed in three days
The Navy arrested 151 persons illegally heading for
Australia during the past three days. The total number of asylum seekers
apprehended by the Navy during this year now is 1,848, sources said.
The Navy arrested 146 persons on September 8. They were
arrested with two multi - day trawlers named Theres Nilusha and Mangala,
illegally heading for Australia, 20 nautical miles east of Trincomalee.
The trawlers were brought to the Trincomalee Harbour with
146 persons including 132 Tamils, 10 Sinhalese and four Muslims on board.
Among the arrested included 107 males, 16 women and 23
children. They are residents of Jaffna, Mullaithivu, Vavuniya, Batticaloa,
Arachchikattuwa, Chilaw, Kilinochchi, Trincomalee and Mannar.
Another 45 were apprehended by the Navy, 20 nautical miles
off Negombo on September 10. The trawler named Shaini Baba was also intercepted
along with the asylum seekers. Among the arrested were 35 Tamils, nine
Sinhalese and a Muslim. They are residents of Negombo, Mullaithivu, Vavuniya,
Mannar, Jaffna, Kalmunai, Hatton, Trincomalee and Wennappuwa.
The 151 asylum seekers who attempted to leave for Australia
illegally were handed over the Criminal Investigation Department for further
investigations.
Source : Dailynews – Srilanka
10:15 AM
Serena Dating Her Tennis Coach Frenchman Patrick Mouratoglou
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Tennis brightest star Serena Williams has been spotted
getting close to her coach, Frenchman Patrick Mouratoglou, while on a day out
in Valbonne, southern France. Williams and her ne man have been long friends
according to source he’s not only her coach but her new man. The couple enjoyed
lunch at a French restaurant, as Mouratoglou could be seen affectionately
touching Williams’ shoulder as they converse over meals.
10:09 AM
Anti-corruption cartoonist arrested for sedition in Mumbai
INDIA: Kanpur-based cartoonist Aseem Trivedi (25), who
surrendered to the BKC police on Saturday, was remanded in seven days’ police
custody by the Bandra holiday court on Sunday. Charged with sedition for
insulting national symbols through his cartoons, he refused to engage a lawyer
in protest. The cartoons in question are on the theme Cartoons Against
Corruption and one of them depicts the national emblem as comprising wolves in
place of lions and the slogan Bhrashtameva Jayate in place of Satyameva Jayate.
The complaint against Trivedi was filed by a Mumbai-based
lawyer at the Bandra Kurla Complex police station last December under the
Indian Penal Code's section 124 (sedition), the Information Technology Act's
section 66-A (sending offensive messages through communication services) and
the Prevention of Insults to Nation Honour (PINH) Act's section 2 (imprisonment
for disrespect to the national flag or the constitution or any part thereof).
Trivedi's friends said the police action was politically
motivated.
“Aseem told us the government targeted him because he
supported Anna Hazare in his fight against corruption,” said a friend.
The police were treating Aseem like a criminal, said a
friend, activist Alok Dixit. “He decided not to engage an advocate and wants to
let the court decide. He maintains he is not wrong. That is why he does not see
a need to defend himself.” The Time of
Former judges, lawyers and civil rights activists criticized
the police for the development, in particular the custodial duration. “This is
a very rare instance where such a thing has happened,” said activist and
advocate Mihir Desai. Observing that the case was not maintainable, high court
Justice (retd) H Suresh said, “The charge of sedition is patently misused. In
this case, what is sedition? Moreover, custody of seven days is fundamentally
wrong (in this case).
What further investigations will be conducted while keeping
him in custody? The cartoons, which speak for themselves, are investigation
enough.” The Times of India
7:11 AM
Mahinda Saranapala
Mahinda Saranapala
Kelani Cables to increase exports by 15 %
Thursday, September 13, 2012
Kelani Cables is looking at a record revenue in the excess
of Rs. 5 billion at the end of the financial year. This would be an increase of
more than 25 % from the last financial year. CEO Kelani Cables, Mahinda
Saranapala said that they would increase foreign exports by over 15 % and this
is the main reason for the increase of revenue.
The first shipment received
in Australia Pictures by Saliya Rupasinghe
He said that Kelani Cables became the first Sri Lanka
company to export wires to the Australian domestic market and now they plan to
explore the New Zealand market as well. “We received a Special Quality
Certificate from Australia which would also allow us to export to New Zealand,”
he said. Saranapala said that the first container was exported to Australia
last week to their Australian agent, Custom Electricals. He said that the
factory had to adapt to several ‘new styles’ to meet the Australian standed
which included a flat wire and special plastic coating. “The factory had to do
only a marginal investment for this.”
The Australian market was penetrated through a local
engineer domiciled in Australia. Kelani Cables products are already being
exported to Japan, South Africa, India, Maldives, and Bangladesh which is the
largest market for them. “The revenue from these markets was 15 % of the total
turn over of Rs. 4.34 billion last year.” “Our company profit before tax
meanwhile, increased by 80 % during the year, to Rs. 402 million. With this
strong growth, the group secured an impressive bottom line growth of 113 % of
Rs. 284.8 million during the financial year.
“We strengthened our presence in the North and East of the
country by increasing the number of our agents in these areas and by adding 500
new outlets in Trincomalee, Batticaloa, Kilinochchi, Jaffa and Pudukuduirippu.”
“We have built a new state-of-the-art warehouse in our
premises at Kelaniya. During the day we use skylight to reduce and save energy.
Invested in a new boom truck to improve cable drum handling and to handling
reduce costs.”
The first shipment received
He said that due to low quality exports by some manufactures
the high reputation Sri Lanka has earned is now in jeopardy. “These low quality
cables and wires are also a health and safety hazard for end users due to their
poor insulation capacity. We are deeply concerned to note that such low
quality, dangerous goods are gaining market share on the basis of significantly
lower prices, endangering life and property in the country.
Therefore, we urge the relevant authorities to enforce the
SLSI quality standards within the local cable and wire manufacturing industry,
as a matter of priority and public safety.”
He also said that last year over 89 people died due to burn
injuries in a Calcutta hospital and investigations had revealed that it was due
to a fire originated by low quality wire.
Source : Dailynews
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