Friday, February 27, 2009
United States Navy helps Indian ship, captures pirates off Somalia
The U.S. Navy responding to a distress call from an Indian merchant ship February 12, captured 9 alleged pirates off the Gulf of Aden, according to American Forces Press Service.
The Indian ship, Premdivya, sent out a distress call to USS Vella Gulf when some pirates off the coast of Somalia tried to capture it.
The Vella Gulf is the flagship of Task Force 151, which has been operating in the region since Jan. 8.
Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said the radio message from Premdivya said the ship was under attack by individuals in a small skiff who were attempting to board the vessel.
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The Indian ship, Premdivya, sent out a distress call to USS Vella Gulf when some pirates off the coast of Somalia tried to capture it.
The Vella Gulf is the flagship of Task Force 151, which has been operating in the region since Jan. 8.
Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said the radio message from Premdivya said the ship was under attack by individuals in a small skiff who were attempting to board the vessel.
To read the full article, click here..
To read the ePaper, visit: http://www.newsindia-times.com
Labels: captures pirates off Somalia, Indian merchant ship, Indian ship, pirates, Task Force 151, United States Navy, Vella Gulf
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Filmmaker Supriyo Sen's short film wins 6th ‘Berlin Today Award'
Filmmaker Supriyo Sen's 10-minute short film ‘Wagah' won the sixth ‘Berlin Today Award' at a parallel initiative held at the 59th Berlin International Film Festival on February 9.
Sen's documentary is about the ritual that takes place at the frontier post along the border between India and Pakistan and it was screened along with four other films also shortlisted for the top prize.
‘Wagah' completes the trilogy for the two time National Award winning director who has been exploring the story of the partition of India for almost a decade.
Sen's previous two films are ‘Way Back Home' and ‘Hope Dies Last in War', which has won the Sundance Documentary Grant and the Pusan International Film Festival's Asian Network of Documentary Award in the past.
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Sen's documentary is about the ritual that takes place at the frontier post along the border between India and Pakistan and it was screened along with four other films also shortlisted for the top prize.
‘Wagah' completes the trilogy for the two time National Award winning director who has been exploring the story of the partition of India for almost a decade.
Sen's previous two films are ‘Way Back Home' and ‘Hope Dies Last in War', which has won the Sundance Documentary Grant and the Pusan International Film Festival's Asian Network of Documentary Award in the past.
To read the full article, click here..
To read the ePaper, visit: http://www.newsindia-times.com
Labels: 59th Berlin International Film Festival, Berlin Today Award, Berlin Wall, Filmmaker Supriyo Sen, Indian filmmakers, Sen's documentary, short film Wagah
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Visit underscores Canada's closeness, importance, inspires Indo-Canadians
Ajay Puri, co-founder of Canadians for Obama, could not make it to Ottawa from Vancouver, for the much anticipated visit of President Barack Obama February 19. Instead, he launched a public service drive to mark this day in British Columbia. Aman Bains waiting to kick off the first event, which involves renovating the Center of Integration for African Immigrants on the other side of the Continent, was on her cellphone getting updates on Obama in Ottawa.
Several Indo Canadians joined crowds coming by bus to the capital to get a glimpse if not of Obama, at least of the motorcade taking him inside and out of the locked-down city in a six hour visit.
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Several Indo Canadians joined crowds coming by bus to the capital to get a glimpse if not of Obama, at least of the motorcade taking him inside and out of the locked-down city in a six hour visit.
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Labels: African Immigrants, Ajay Puri, British Columbia, Canada, co-founder of Canadians for Obama, Indo Canadians, President Barack Obama
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
7,000 ‘East Indians' passed through reopened historic landmark
'100 Days, Tara Singh,' momentous words inscribed in Gurmukhi by a man who is counting the days to his release from a holding center called the ‘Ellis Island of the West'.
Words that sound so simple but mask the pain and anguish, the hopes and dreams of just one of the more than 7,000 people of Indian origin who passed through ‘North Garrison' or Angel Island Immigration Station as it used to be called in 1910.
That 'garrison' reopened on February 15, after a $16 million renovation as the Immigration Station Barracks Museum, a place where descendants of those people who may still be around, can go and trace the emotional and poignant cuts on stone and brick, to try to relive what our ancestors in this land went through.
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Words that sound so simple but mask the pain and anguish, the hopes and dreams of just one of the more than 7,000 people of Indian origin who passed through ‘North Garrison' or Angel Island Immigration Station as it used to be called in 1910.
That 'garrison' reopened on February 15, after a $16 million renovation as the Immigration Station Barracks Museum, a place where descendants of those people who may still be around, can go and trace the emotional and poignant cuts on stone and brick, to try to relive what our ancestors in this land went through.
To read the full article, click here..
To read the ePaper, visit: http://www.newsindia-times.com
Labels: Ellis Island of the West, Gurmukhi, historic landmark, immigration records, Immigration Station Barracks Museum, india, North Garrison, people of Indian
Friday, February 20, 2009
Walt Disney Studios to distribute Dream Works' upcoming films
The Walt Disney Studios has agreed to enter into an exclusive long-term distribution arrangement with filmmaker and Dream Works Studios co-founder Steven Spielberg, and partner Stacey Snider to distribute all upcoming live-action motion pictures produced by Dream Works under their partnership with Reliance BIG Entertainment. The announcement was made on February 9 by Dick Cook, chairman of The Walt Disney Studios.
Under the terms of this arrangement, Disney will handle distribution and marketing for approximately six DreamWorks films each year. The first DreamWorks motion picture to be released under the Touchstone Pictures banner is scheduled to hit theaters in 2010, a press release said.
DreamWorks principals Spielberg and Snider partnered with Reliance BIG Entertainment last fall to form a new motion picture company.
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Under the terms of this arrangement, Disney will handle distribution and marketing for approximately six DreamWorks films each year. The first DreamWorks motion picture to be released under the Touchstone Pictures banner is scheduled to hit theaters in 2010, a press release said.
DreamWorks principals Spielberg and Snider partnered with Reliance BIG Entertainment last fall to form a new motion picture company.
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Labels: Disney, Dream Works Studios, DreamWorks motion picture, Reliance Big Entertainment, Touchstone Pictures banner, Walt Disney Studios
Thursday, February 19, 2009
New software allows speedier simulations of moving molecules
Vijay Pande, an associate professor of chemistry and structural biology at Stanford and principal investigator of the Open Molecular Mechanics (OpenMM) project, has, along with his team, developed new open-source software that permits faster simulations of molecular motion on desktop computers, the Stanford Report of February 4, reported. The project is described in the Feb. 3 online issue of the Journal of Computational Chemistry.
Molecules are never still and being able to map out their motions helps researchers get information that is critical to developing vaccines for such intractable diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. Both these diseases result from molecules going haywire.
"Simulations that used to take three years can now be completed in a few days," Pande is quoted as saying in the Stanford Report. "
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Molecules are never still and being able to map out their motions helps researchers get information that is critical to developing vaccines for such intractable diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. Both these diseases result from molecules going haywire.
"Simulations that used to take three years can now be completed in a few days," Pande is quoted as saying in the Stanford Report. "
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To read the ePaper, visit: http://www.newsindia-times.com
Labels: molecular motion, Molecules, Open Molecular Mechanics project, professor of chemistry, small molecular systems, structural biology
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
SpiceJet, others raise fares, government says keeping watch
Low-cost carrier SpiceJet raised fares, with unsustainably low tariffs failing to spur demand as expected, and in line with hikes by peers, and the government on February 11 said it was keeping watch to prevent cartelization.
SpiceJet increased ticket prices by 30-40 percent over the last 48 hours, spokesman Deepa Dey said over the telephone from Bangalore. Earlier, Kingfisher Airlines and Jet Airways said they had raised fares.
Jet Airways late on Feb. 11 said it had introduced discount fares on certain domestic routes for early bookings.
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SpiceJet increased ticket prices by 30-40 percent over the last 48 hours, spokesman Deepa Dey said over the telephone from Bangalore. Earlier, Kingfisher Airlines and Jet Airways said they had raised fares.
Jet Airways late on Feb. 11 said it had introduced discount fares on certain domestic routes for early bookings.
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To read the ePaper, visit: http://www.newsindia-times.com
Labels: discount fares, domestic routes, Kingfisher Airlines and Jet Airways, low tariffs, SpiceJet, SpiceJet raised fares
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Russia, India sign 700 million dollars in nuclear fuel deals
Russia signed more than $700 million in deals on February 11 to supply India's nuclear reactors with fuel pellets, Russia's state-owned nuclear company said in a statement.
Major nuclear powers - including Russia, European states and the United States - are scrambling to sell nuclear services to India, which is trying to build new generation capacity to cope with a projected increase in demand for energy.
Atomenergoprom said its nuclear fuel unit, TVEL, and Indian nuclear officials signed the deals in Mumbai on Feb. 11.
"The total cost of contracts is more than $700 million," it said, adding it was the first long-term nuclear fuel contract signed with India since the 45-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group last September lifted a ban on nuclear trade with India.
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Major nuclear powers - including Russia, European states and the United States - are scrambling to sell nuclear services to India, which is trying to build new generation capacity to cope with a projected increase in demand for energy.
Atomenergoprom said its nuclear fuel unit, TVEL, and Indian nuclear officials signed the deals in Mumbai on Feb. 11.
"The total cost of contracts is more than $700 million," it said, adding it was the first long-term nuclear fuel contract signed with India since the 45-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group last September lifted a ban on nuclear trade with India.
To read the full article, click here..
To read the ePaper, visit: http://www.newsindia-times.com
Labels: fuel pellets, india, India's nuclear reactors, nuclear fuel contract signed, nuclear powers, nuclear services, Nuclear Suppliers Group, nuclear trade, Russia
Monday, February 16, 2009
Premier McGuinty has a special connection to Sri Lanka
The Ontario government is deeply concerned about the current conflict in Sri Lanka, said Premier Dalton McGuinty in a press release. He expressed a special emotional connection to the South Asian island which has been the scene of serious violence and hundreds of deaths including women and children as the armed conflict between government forces and Tamil rebels has escalated.
"My heart goes out to Ontarians who are worried about friends and family members in Sri Lanka during this difficult time. Thanks to my daughter's work as an aid worker, I know firsthand what it's like to wait for the news. We hope for a peaceful and quick resolution to the troubles in Sri Lanka," he said.
In 2006, Premier Dalton McGuinty's daughter Carleen, then 25, spent nearly a year as an aid worker in Sri Lanka. She volunteered through UNICEF and World University Services, Canada.
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"My heart goes out to Ontarians who are worried about friends and family members in Sri Lanka during this difficult time. Thanks to my daughter's work as an aid worker, I know firsthand what it's like to wait for the news. We hope for a peaceful and quick resolution to the troubles in Sri Lanka," he said.
In 2006, Premier Dalton McGuinty's daughter Carleen, then 25, spent nearly a year as an aid worker in Sri Lanka. She volunteered through UNICEF and World University Services, Canada.
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Labels: current conflict in Sri Lanka, emotional connection, Ontario government, peaceful and quick resolution, Premier Dalton McGuinty, South Asian island, Sri Lanka, Tamil rebels, UNICEF, violence
Friday, February 13, 2009
Gambhir leads India to another big win over Sri Lanka
Gautam Gambhir smashed a career-best 150 to lead India to a 67-run victory over Sri Lanka in the fourth one-day international and a 4-0 series lead on February 5.
Sri Lanka off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan became the leading wicket-taker in one-day internationals but his team were bowled out for 265 chasing a huge 333-run target following Gambhir's sixth one-day international century.
Gambhir shared a 188-run partnership with captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who scored 94 from 96 balls, and Suresh Raina chipped in with 49 not out.
Sri Lanka made a bright start to their chase with Tillakaratne Dilshan (38) and Sanath Jayasuriya (27) adding 55 for the first wicket.
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Sri Lanka off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan became the leading wicket-taker in one-day internationals but his team were bowled out for 265 chasing a huge 333-run target following Gambhir's sixth one-day international century.
Gambhir shared a 188-run partnership with captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who scored 94 from 96 balls, and Suresh Raina chipped in with 49 not out.
Sri Lanka made a bright start to their chase with Tillakaratne Dilshan (38) and Sanath Jayasuriya (27) adding 55 for the first wicket.
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To read the ePaper, visit: http://www.newsindia-times.com
Labels: captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Gautam Gambhir, Indian Cricket Players, leading wicket-taker, one day international, Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Citibank launches new online money transfer service
Citibank N.A. has launched a new online money transfer service to India for U.S. based nonresident Indians, the company announced in a press release on February 5.
Citi Online Remit provides nonresident Indians (NRIs) the facility to transfer funds to India from any U.S. checking/savings account or using a U.S.credit/debit card as a direct transfer into the beneficiary's bank account or as a draft couriered to the beneficiary's mailing address in India.
Citi Online Remit has a wide range of security features built into the platform such as Online Identity Verification, Multi-Factor Authentication, Global IP tracking and Account authentication. The platform also offers an online tracking system that allows NRIs to follow their transaction at every stage of the transfer process and facilitates the scheduling of dates for future transfers by setting up recurring transfer instructions.
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To read the ePaper, visit: http://www.newsindia-times.com
Citi Online Remit provides nonresident Indians (NRIs) the facility to transfer funds to India from any U.S. checking/savings account or using a U.S.credit/debit card as a direct transfer into the beneficiary's bank account or as a draft couriered to the beneficiary's mailing address in India.
Citi Online Remit has a wide range of security features built into the platform such as Online Identity Verification, Multi-Factor Authentication, Global IP tracking and Account authentication. The platform also offers an online tracking system that allows NRIs to follow their transaction at every stage of the transfer process and facilitates the scheduling of dates for future transfers by setting up recurring transfer instructions.
To read the full article, click here..
To read the ePaper, visit: http://www.newsindia-times.com
Labels: Citi Online Remit, Global IP tracking, india, new online money transfer service, NRIs, online tracking system t, savings account
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Reading the finest print through holograms
Stanford researchers, led by Assistant Professor of Physics Hari Manoharan, have reclaimed the University's premier status for creating the world's smallest writing, a distinction the university first gained in 1985 and lost in 1990. Their work published online February 1, in the journal Nature Nanotechnology, where they describe how they made letters four times smaller than what the IBM team did in 1990 when it beat a former Stanford record.
The letters they have created are so small that they are assembled from subatomic sized bits as small as 0.3 nanometers, or roughly one third of a billionth of a meter.
The researchers encoded the letters "S" and "U" (as in Stanford University) within the interference patterns formed by quantum electron waves on the surface of a sliver of copper. The wave patterns even project a tiny hologram of the data, which can be viewed with a powerful microscope.
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The letters they have created are so small that they are assembled from subatomic sized bits as small as 0.3 nanometers, or roughly one third of a billionth of a meter.
The researchers encoded the letters "S" and "U" (as in Stanford University) within the interference patterns formed by quantum electron waves on the surface of a sliver of copper. The wave patterns even project a tiny hologram of the data, which can be viewed with a powerful microscope.
To read the full article, click here..
To read the ePaper, visit: http://www.newsindia-times.com
Labels: copper, former Stanford record, Nature Nanotechnology, quantum electron waves, Stanford University, surface of a sliver, tiny hologram, world's smallest writing
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
‘Both my grandparents were from India, 100 percent East Indian'
W hen Washington's Mayor Adrian Fenty took President-elect Barack Obama to Ben's Chili Bowl on January 10, ten days before his historic inauguration, the Mayor wanted to show off a city landmark that caters to the common man and to the famous.
The restaurant survived the 1968 riots and the 1980s building of the Green Line metro station, events that closed many businesses down in that depressed neighborhood. On its 50th anniversary in 2008, Ben's Chili Bowl opened a branch at the D.C. National Park. And this January 23, The Washington Post in its ‘In Town' section noted that "When Bill Cosby is in town, you know you can find him in one of two places: performing at the Kennedy Center or eating at Ben's Chili Bowl."
There's a reason for that. Bill Cosby used to meet his future wife at Ben's and he told Ben Ali he would make the Chili Bowl famous one day. He kept his word.
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To read the ePaper, visit: http://epaper.vaarttha.com
The restaurant survived the 1968 riots and the 1980s building of the Green Line metro station, events that closed many businesses down in that depressed neighborhood. On its 50th anniversary in 2008, Ben's Chili Bowl opened a branch at the D.C. National Park. And this January 23, The Washington Post in its ‘In Town' section noted that "When Bill Cosby is in town, you know you can find him in one of two places: performing at the Kennedy Center or eating at Ben's Chili Bowl."
There's a reason for that. Bill Cosby used to meet his future wife at Ben's and he told Ben Ali he would make the Chili Bowl famous one day. He kept his word.
To read the full article, click here..
To read the ePaper, visit: http://epaper.vaarttha.com
Labels: Ben's Chili Bowl, Bill Cosby, historic inauguration, Indian American, Mahboob Ben Ali, President Barack Obama, Washington's Mayor Adrian Fenty
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Bollywood promoter gets seven years for mortgage scam
A Fairfax County mortgage broker and Bollywood film impresario was sentenced in federal court in Alexandria on January 30 to seven years in prison for defrauding banks of $33 million and scamming fellow immigrants in the local Indian community with phony home loans.
Vijay K. Taneja, 48, was a prominent member of his community, helping people with mortgages while promoting the culture of his homeland by promoting shows with Bollywood stars. A stage producer from Mumbai wrote the court on his behalf, saying that Taneja had played a role "to enlighten the Asian communities overseas of their cultures and traditions."
Federal prosecutors revealed in November, however, that Taneja's persona was a sham, saying some of the money might have financed his high-flying cinematic endeavors.
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To read the ePaper, visit: http://www.newsindia-times.com
Vijay K. Taneja, 48, was a prominent member of his community, helping people with mortgages while promoting the culture of his homeland by promoting shows with Bollywood stars. A stage producer from Mumbai wrote the court on his behalf, saying that Taneja had played a role "to enlighten the Asian communities overseas of their cultures and traditions."
Federal prosecutors revealed in November, however, that Taneja's persona was a sham, saying some of the money might have financed his high-flying cinematic endeavors.
To read the full article, click here..
To read the ePaper, visit: http://www.newsindia-times.com
Labels: Bollywood stars, Fairfax County mortgage broker, federal court in Alexandria, mortgages, U.S. District Court, Vijay K. Taneja
Friday, February 6, 2009
United States, India natural friends, allies, says President Obama
President Barack Obama regards India as a natural ally, said the White House, and he expects to detail his plans on deepening the bilateral relationship in the future.
"… the President believes that obviously the U.S. and India are natural friends and natural allies," said White House Press Officer Robert Gibbs at a press briefing January 28. He was responding to a question on what change could be envisaged in the bilateral relations between the two countries with a new administration.
"The President looks forward over the course of this term to deepen the partnership that's been built between the two countries over these past many years, to strengthen those ties. He will have more to say about that in the future," said Gibbs. Candidate Obama during his campaign, had made several references to resolving the Kashmir dispute, something that did not sit well with New Delhi, and according to South Asia experts,
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"… the President believes that obviously the U.S. and India are natural friends and natural allies," said White House Press Officer Robert Gibbs at a press briefing January 28. He was responding to a question on what change could be envisaged in the bilateral relations between the two countries with a new administration.
"The President looks forward over the course of this term to deepen the partnership that's been built between the two countries over these past many years, to strengthen those ties. He will have more to say about that in the future," said Gibbs. Candidate Obama during his campaign, had made several references to resolving the Kashmir dispute, something that did not sit well with New Delhi, and according to South Asia experts,
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To read the ePaper, visit: http://www.newsindia-times.com
Labels: Afghanistan and Pakistan, india, Kashmir dispute, Manmohan Singh Government, New Delhi, President Barack Obama, President believes, Richard Holbrooke, Special Representative, White House
Thursday, February 5, 2009
India salutes Mumbai attack heroes on Republic Day
India bestowed its highest peacetime gallantry award on January 26 on half a dozen security men killed fighting Pakistani militants in Mumbai last year, an attack that worsened tensions between the nuclear-armed rivals.
Thousands of police and soldiers lined the route of the annual military parade in New Delhi, while the chief guest, Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev, looked on with Indian leaders from a bullet-proof stand.
In a ceremony steeped in symbolism, President Pratibha Patil gave away India's highest peacetime military awards to 11 policemen and soldiers posthumously, including six shot dead fighting Pakistani militants in Mumbai.
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To read the ePaper, visit: http://www.newsindia-times.com
Thousands of police and soldiers lined the route of the annual military parade in New Delhi, while the chief guest, Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev, looked on with Indian leaders from a bullet-proof stand.
In a ceremony steeped in symbolism, President Pratibha Patil gave away India's highest peacetime military awards to 11 policemen and soldiers posthumously, including six shot dead fighting Pakistani militants in Mumbai.
To read the full article, click here..
To read the ePaper, visit: http://www.newsindia-times.com
Labels: annual military parade, Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev, Mumbai attack heroes, nuclear armed rivals, Pakistani militants, peacetime gallantry award, President Pratibha Patil, Republic Day
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Bhatia, Pant among New England magazine's 10 ‘Women to Watch'
Sangeeta Bhatia and Mondira Pant are among ten women "who excel in technological innovation, entrepreneurship and community involvement" and are being honored as leaders in their field through the 6th Annual ‘Women to Watch' Awards, announced January 23, by Mass High Tech: The Journal of New England Technology.
The publication said the ten women exemplified the "best and brightest" among women at the highest level of technology businesses in New England.
They are to be recognized at an evening gala at the Charles Hotel, March 12. They were selected from some 100 nominees. A shortlist of 25 candidates was created and the 10 made it as finalists. This is the sixth year of the awards.
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The publication said the ten women exemplified the "best and brightest" among women at the highest level of technology businesses in New England.
They are to be recognized at an evening gala at the Charles Hotel, March 12. They were selected from some 100 nominees. A shortlist of 25 candidates was created and the 10 made it as finalists. This is the sixth year of the awards.
To read the full article, click here..
To read the ePaper, visit: http://www.newsindia-times.com
Labels: awards, Charles Hotel, New England, New England magazine, Sangeeta Bhatia and Mondira Pant, Women to Watch
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Red Cross demands access into Sri Lankan war zone
With fighting intensifying and civilians trapped, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is demanding that both Sri Lankan government troops and warring separatist rebels allow humanitarian workers into the war-shattered northeast of the South Asian island, where the organization estimates that a quarter of a million people are stuck inside rebel-held territory amid a still-unfolding war.
The United Nations and ICRC said that 250,000 civilians have fled to dense jungle terrain where fighting is raging in the 115 square miles still under control of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, or Tamil Tigers. The Associated Press quoted a government health official on January 28 saying that witnesses reported 250 to 300 civilians have been killed in fighting over the past week and said hospital records showed that more than 1,100 were wounded.
"There are rising concerns about clean drinking water and medicines and shelter.
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To read the ePaper, visit: http://www.newsindia-times.com
The United Nations and ICRC said that 250,000 civilians have fled to dense jungle terrain where fighting is raging in the 115 square miles still under control of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, or Tamil Tigers. The Associated Press quoted a government health official on January 28 saying that witnesses reported 250 to 300 civilians have been killed in fighting over the past week and said hospital records showed that more than 1,100 were wounded.
"There are rising concerns about clean drinking water and medicines and shelter.
To read the full article, click here..
To read the ePaper, visit: http://www.newsindia-times.com
Labels: civilians, International Committee of the Red Cross, Red Cross Demands, South Asian island, Sri Lankan government troops, Sri Lankan war zone, Tamil Tigers
Monday, February 2, 2009
Taliban strike with regularity: impose a ban on the education of girls
I have such fond childhood memories of summer holidays in the Swat Valley in Pakistan's North-West Frontier Province, a place well known among Pakistanis for its breathtaking views, cool summer climate and lush fruit orchards. But today the Swat Valley is experiencing heartbreaking pressures, as the Taliban strike with disconcerting regularity and, among other atrocities, impose a ban on the education of girls.
Even before this ban was put in place on January 15, more than 100 schools for girls in Swat, as well as more than 150 such schools in the greater Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), had been shut down, many after being bombed or torched, leaving approximately 100,000 girls out of school. Radio announcements warned girls that they could be attacked with acid if they dared to attend school, and teachers have been threatened and killed. Recently, five more Swat Valley schools were bombed.
The attacks and threats have not been confined to school girls. Women and girls have been ordered to wear full veils. Directives have been issued requiring that women be accompanied by male family members in public places and forbidding women from carrying compulsory government identification cards displaying their photographs.
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To read the ePaper, visit: http://www.newsindia-times.com
Even before this ban was put in place on January 15, more than 100 schools for girls in Swat, as well as more than 150 such schools in the greater Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), had been shut down, many after being bombed or torched, leaving approximately 100,000 girls out of school. Radio announcements warned girls that they could be attacked with acid if they dared to attend school, and teachers have been threatened and killed. Recently, five more Swat Valley schools were bombed.
The attacks and threats have not been confined to school girls. Women and girls have been ordered to wear full veils. Directives have been issued requiring that women be accompanied by male family members in public places and forbidding women from carrying compulsory government identification cards displaying their photographs.
To read the full article, click here..
To read the ePaper, visit: http://www.newsindia-times.com
Labels: ban on the education of girls, childhood memories, Federally Administered Tribal Areas, government identification cards, pakistan, Swat Valley, Taliban, Taliban strike
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