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[1] Dutch anti-Islam politician won't be charged Monday, June 30, 2008 1:32:05 PM By TOBY STERLING Dutch legislator Geert Wilders will not be prosecuted for inciting hatred of Muslims with his film denouncing the Quran, prosecutor said Monday. Prosecutor said his film "Fitna," or "Ordeal" in Arabic, and statements Wilders wrote in Dutch newspapers were hurtful and insulting but not criminal. The film juxtaposed Quranic verses against a background of violent film clips and images of terrorism by Islamic radicals. It aroused protests around the Muslim world after it was released on the Internet in March. Wilders also was investigated for remarks published in the newspaper De Volkskrant calling the Quran fascist. had enough of Islam in the Netherlands; let not one more Muslim immigrate," he wrote in the paper. "I've had enough of the Quran in the Netherlands: Forbid that fascist book." Prosecution spokeswoman Hanneke Festen said Wilders' statements were allowable under Dutch law, which forbids inciting hatred against groups on the basis of their race or creed but also grants leeway to freedom of speech. "We came to the conclusion that (Wilders' statements) may be hurtful and painful for Muslims but they were made in the context of a debate in society," she said. "That doesn't mean you can say anything, but you have to really cross a line and be unnecessarily hurtful and insulting and not add anything" to the national debate in order for prosecutors to act, she said. Wilders told The Associated Press he was not surprised by the decision because he had stayed within the boundaries of Dutch law. Wilders said that in the months since his film attacking radical Islam was broadcast on the Internet, he had received reactions from all over the world. "Most were very negative, but some were very positive," he said. Mohamed Rabbae, chairman of the moderate National Moroccan Council, said the Dutch group will go to court to ask a judge to order a prosecution of Wilders anyway. "My reaction is one of disappointment and divergence with the point of view of the prosecutor," he said. Rabbae said the prosecutors had decided that Wilders' position did not amount to discrimination against Muslims, but that it criticized Islam. "Islam is a big part of the identity of Muslims, so if you attack Islam it is for us the same as attacking and discriminating against Muslims," he said. Wilders said he hopes prosecutors will send a copy of their decision to prosecutors in Jordan, where he faces a lawsuit. Wilders has said he is worried he could be arrested if he leaves the Netherlands because Jordan has informed Interpol he is wanted to face charges there. ----------- [2] Kashmir: Another Public Uprising By Syed Ali Safvi http://www.countercurrents.org/safvi300608.htm Protests over land transfer have snowballed into public uprising, and with People's Democratic Party (PDP) pulling out from the coalition government it has already trigerred a major political cricis in the State. It is one of those issues which has united the Kashmiris, irrespective of the political divide. There is no denying the fact that the issue will have a gargantaun impact on the forthcoming assembly elections ------------------- [3] From: Abhiyya <abhiyya@yahoo.com Date: Mon Jun 30, 2008 11:27 am Subject: Re: [indiathinkersnet] Dalit, OBC and Muslim relations - Kancha Ilaiah Thanks a lot for you thought provoking comments. With Regards Abi --- On Sun, 6/29/08, I. K. Shukla <ikshukla7@gmail.com wrote: From: I. K. Shukla <ikshukla7@gmail.com Subject: Re: [indiathinkersnet] Dalit, OBC and Muslim relations - Kancha Ilaiah -------------- [4] From: "EMPOWER INDIA" <ttn_empower@sancharnet.in Date: Tue Jul 1, 2008 1:05 pm Subject: New rapid tests for drug-resistant TB for developing countries New rapid tests for drug-resistant TB for developing countries 30 JUNE 2008 GENEVA -- People in low-resource countries who are ill with multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) will get a faster diagnosis -- in two days, not the standard two to three months -- and appropriate treatment thanks to two new initiatives unveiled today by WHO, the Stop TB Partnership, UNITAID and the Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics (FIND). MDR-TB is a form of TB that responds poorly to standard treatment because of resistance to the first-line drugs isoniazid and rifampicin. At present it is estimated that only 2% of MDR-TB cases worldwide are being diagnosed and treated appropriately, mainly because of inadequate laboratory services. The initiatives announced today should increase that proportion at least seven-fold over the next four years, to 15% or more. "I am delighted that this initiative will improve both the technology needed to diagnose TB quickly, and increase the availability of drugs to treat highly resistant TB," said British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who helped launch the Stop TB Partnership's Global Plan to Stop TB in 2006 and whose government is a founding member of UNITAID. "The UK is committed to stopping TB around the world, from our funding of TB prevention programmes in poor countries, to our support of cutting edge research to develop new drugs." In developing countries most TB patients are tested for MDR-TB only after they fail to respond to standard treatments. Even then, it takes two months or more to confirm the diagnosis. Patients have to wait for the test results before they can receive life-saving second-line drugs. During this period, they can spread the multidrug-resistant disease to others. Often the patients die before results are known, especially if they are HIV-infected in addition to having MDR-TB. The initiative comes just one week after WHO recommended "line probe assays" for rapid MDR-TB diagnosis worldwide. This policy change was driven by data from recent studies, including a large field trial -- conducted by FIND together with South Africa's Medical Research Council and National Health Laboratory Services -- which produced evidence for the reliability and feasibility of using line probe assays under routine conditions. "Five months ago, WHO renewed its call to make MDR-TB an urgent public health priority," said WHO Director-General Dr Margaret Chan, "and today we have evidence to guide our response. Based on that evidence, we are launching these promising initiatives." Two projects The new initiative consists of two projects. The first, made possible through US$ 26.1 million in funding from UNITAID, will introduce a molecular method to diagnose MDR-TB that until now was used exclusively in research settings. These rapid, new molecular tests, known as line probe assays, produce an answer in less than two days. Over the next four years -- as lab staff are trained, lab facilities enhanced and new equipment delivered -- 16 countries will begin using rapid methods to diagnose MDR-TB, including the molecular tests. The countries will receive the tests through the Stop TB Partnership's Global Drug Facility, which provides countries with both drugs and diagnostic supplies. As part of the project, WHO's Global Laboratory Initiative and FIND will help countries prepare for installation and use of the new rapid diagnostic tests, ensuring necessary technical standards for biosafety and the capacity to accurately perform DNA-based tests. One country, Lesotho, is already equipped to start using these tests; Ethiopia is expected to be ready by the end of 2008. The tests will be phased in during 2009-2011 in the remaining 14 countries. Under a second, complementary agreement with UNITAID for US$ 33.7 million, the Global Drug Facility will boost the supply of drugs needed to treat MDR-TB in 54 countries, including those receiving the new diagnostic tests. This project is also expected to achieve price reductions of up to 20% for second-line anti-TB drugs by 2010. All the countries receiving this assistance have met WHO's technical standards for managing MDR-TB and already have treatment programmes in place. Some will use grants from the Global Fund against AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria to purchase the drugs. "Through the US$ 60-million support provided by UNITAID, these projects are expected to produce significant results in diagnosing and treating patients as well as reducing drug prices and the costs of diagnosis. These efforts illustrate the way in which innovative financing can be deployed for health and development," said Philippe Douste-Blazy, Chairman of UNITAID's Executive Board. For more information please contact: Glenn Thomas WHO Stop TB department Mobile: +41 79 509 0677 E-mail: thomasg@who.int Judith Mandelbaum-Schmid WHO Stop TB department Mobile: +41 79 254 6835 E-mail: schmidj@who.int Audrey Quehen UNITAID Mobile: +41 792012127 E-mail: quehena@who.int Jewel Thomas FIND Mobile: +41 798306364 E-mail: Jewel.thomas@finddiagnostics.org Yours in Global Concern A. SANKAR ------------- |
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