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U.S., South Korea start military drills as North protests

July 26, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

(Reuters) – The U.S. and South Korean militaries kicked off large exercises on Sunday to underscore deterrence against North Korea after accusing the reclusive communist state of sinking a warship.

Pyongyang warned that the drill had pitched the peninsula onto the brink of war.

U.S. naval vessels, including the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS George Washington, began the drills by setting off from South Korean ports where they had called last week in a show of force timed with a high-level meeting between the two allies.

North Korea drove tensions to new heights after a team of investigators, led by South Korea’s military, accused it of firing a torpedo in March to sink the corvette Cheonan, killing 46 men.

The United States announced new sanctions on the North last week, freezing the assets of Pyongyang’s leaders it said were earned through illcit activities and cutting off the flow of cash to them. The moves would also ban travel by some individuals.

China had objected to the drills.

Beijing criticized the introduction of large-scale military equipment into the Yellow Sea off the peninsula’s west coast, prompting a move of the bulk of the exercises to areas off the east coast.

On Saturday, the North’s powerful National Defense Commission vowed to launch a “sacred war” against the United States and South Korea at “any time necessary,” in response to the drills, denounced as “reckless.”

VESSELS, AIRCRAFT

The drills involve more than 200 aircraft, including the F-22 Raptor fighter, and three destroyers, including the USS John S. McCain, part of the 97,000-tonne USS George Washington’s strike group.

Four Japanese military officers will be on board the carrier to observe the drills.

Pyongyang has routinely been shrill in voicing its anger in the past when the allies conducted exercises.

But U.S. officials say further provocations are possible in coming months, especially as the North tries to build political momentum for the succession to leader Kim Jong-il, expected to hand power to his youngest son.

North Korea has called for the resumption of six-party nuclear disarmament talks that it had boycotted since late 2008, a move analysts said was an attempt to put the Cheonan incident behind it and win lucrative aid through negotiations with the South, the United States, Japan, Russia and China.

On Saturday, the North’s foreign ministry said it was ready for dialogue but vowed to respond by force if it had to.

“We are not the one who would be surprised by military threats or sanctions,” a ministry spokesman said.

(Editing by Ron Popeski)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: Aircraft Carrier Uss, Cheonan, Communist State, F 22 Raptor, John S. McCain, militaries, Military Drills, Naval Vessels, North Korea, Political Momentum, Provocations, Pyongyang, Raptor Fighter, s south, Sacred War, South Korea, Strike Group, uss george washington, Uss John, yellow sea

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July 24, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

CHENNAI, India, July 23, 2010 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Sify Technologies Limited (Nasdaq NM: SIFY), a leader in Enterprise Services and Consumer Internet Services in India with global delivery capabilities, announced that it will report its financial results for the first quarter of fiscal year 2010-11 ended June 30, 2010 on Friday, July 30, 2010 before the market opens.

In conjunction with the earnings release, Sify will host a conference call at 8:30 ET hosted by Mr. Raju Vegesna, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. CVS Suri, Chief Operating Officer and Mr. MP Vijay Kumar, Chief Financial Officer.

Interested parties may participate in the conference call by dialing +1-877-407-8031 (in the U.S. or Canada) or +1-201-689-8031 (international), which will also be simultaneously broadcast live over the Internet at http://www.sifycorp.com or http://www.vcall.com.

Please allow extra time prior to the call to visit the site and download the streaming media software required to listen to the Internet broadcast.

The online archive of the Web cast will be available shortly after the conference call, or investors can listen to the replay by dialing +1-877-660-6853 (in the U.S. or Canada) or +1-201-612-7415 (international) and entering account number 286 and conference ID number 354421. Please allow for some time post conference call to access the archive of the Web cast.

About Sify Technologies

Sify is among the largest Managed Enterprise and Consumer Internet Services companies in India, offering end-to-end solutions with a comprehensive range of products delivered over a common telecom data network infrastructure reaching more than 600 cities and towns in India.

A significant part of the company’s revenue is derived from Corporate Services, which include corporate connectivity, network and communications solutions, security, network management services, enterprise applications and hosting. Sify is a recognized ISO 9001:2008 certified service provider for network operations, data center operations and customer support, and for provisioning of VPNs, Internet bandwidth, VoIP solutions and integrated security solutions, and ISO / IEC 20000 – 1:2005 certified for Internet Data Center operations. Sify has licenses to operate NLD (National Long Distance) and ILD (International Long Distance) services and offers VoIP back haul to long distance subscriber telephony services. The company is India’s first enterprise managed services provider to launch a Security Operations Center (SOC) to deliver managed security services. A host of blue chip customers use Sify’s corporate service offerings.

Sify also caters to global markets in the specialized domains of eLearning Services and Remote Infrastructure Management Services. The eLearning Services designs, develops and delivers state-of-the-art digital learning solutions for non-profit, for-profit organizations and governmental organizations in the fields of Information technology, engineering, environment, healthcare, education and finance. The Remote Infrastructure Management Services provides dependable and economical solutions around managed services, hosting and monitoring.

Consumer services include broadband home access and the ePort cyber cafe chain cross more than 200 cities and towns in India. Sify.com, the popular consumer portal, has channels on news, entertainment, finance, sports, games and shopping. Samachar.com is the popular portal aimed at non-resident Indians around the globe. The site’s content is available in 8 Indian languages, which include Hindi, Malayalam, Telugu, Kannada and Tamil, Punjabi and Gujarati in addition to English.

For more information about Sify, visit http://www.sifycorp.com.

Forward Looking Statements

Sify: This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The forward-looking statements contained herein are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those reflected in the forward-looking statements. Sify undertakes no duty to update any forward-looking statements.

For a discussion of the risks associated with Sify’s business, please see the discussion under the caption “Risk Factors” in the company’s report on Form 6-K for the quarter ended September 30, 2009, which has been filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and is available by accessing the database maintained by the SEC at http://www.sec.gov.

For further information, please contact

Sify Technologies Limited

Mr. Pijush Das
Investor Relations
+91-44-2254-0777 (ext. 2703)
pijush.das@sifycorp.com

Mr. Praveen Krishna
Corporate Communications
+91 44 22540777 (extn.2055)
praveen.krishna@sifycorp.com

Grayling Investor Relations
Ms. Truc Nguyen (ext. 418)
Mr. Christopher Chu (ext. 426)
+1-646-284-9400
truc.nguyen@grayling.com
christopher.chu@grayling.com

SOURCE Sify Technologies Limited

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: Aids Science, Air France, ancient ship, Cause Of Vertigo, chief executive officer, Consumer Internet Services, Daniel Schorr, Darth Vader, delivery capabilities, E Trade, Earnings Release, Iphone 4, Nasdaq Nm, Physical Response, Police Nab, Raju Vegesna, s south, Sacred War, stress test, Veteran Journalist

UPDATE 1-Kumba H1 export volumes up, sees higher output

July 23, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

JOHANNESBURG, July 22 (Reuters) – Kumba Iron Ore (KIOJ.J), a unit of global miner Anglo American (AAL.L) reported a 10 percent rise in exports sales volumes and said it remained committed to raising annual production volumes.

South Africa’s Kumba said export sales volumes rose to 18.8 million tonnes, while its operating profit was up 64 percent to 11.2 billion rand ($1.49 billion). It said there was uncertainty over future iron ore pricing mechanism.

Kumba said attributable and headline earnings for the period were 20.27 rand and 20.28 rand respectively.

“Export sales volumes into China are expected to normalise at around 60 percent of the geographical sales mix,” the company said in a statement.

China is the world’s largest iron ore buyer and consumes more than half of the world’s traded ore.

Kumba said export sales for the second quarter of 2010 at 9.5 million tonnes was 14 percent lower than a year earlier.

Kumba, currently involved in an iron ore supply dispute with ArceloMittal’s South African unit (ACLJ.J)(MT.N)(ISPA.AS), said domestic sales volumes from Thabazimbi mine remain dependent on the off-take requirements from the Arcelormittal unit. (Reporting by Shapi Shacinda; Editing by Stella Mapenzauswa)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: 5 million, aAl, anglo american, China, Export Sales, Export Volumes, half of the world, Headline Earnings, Ispa, Johannesburg, Kumba Iron Ore, operating profit, Production Volumes, reuters, s south, second quarter, South Africa, Stella, tonnes, uncertainty

Market Chatter — Corporate finance press digest

July 21, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

July 20 (Reuters) – The following corporate finance-related stories were reported by media on Tuesday:

* Hoare Govett, the Royal Bank of Scotland’s (RBS.L) corporate brokering business, has won its first FTSE100 client since it was bought by RBS from ABN Amro three years ago, the Financial Times said on Tuesday. [ID:nLDE66J00H]

* AIA, the Asian life insurance unit of American International Group (AIG.N), is seeking backing from potential investors to cut ties with its U.S. parent by listing more than half its equity in the Hong Kong market, the Financial Times said. [ID:nLDE66J00D]

* Kumba Iron Ore (KIOJ.J) may look for other domestic buyers to take extra ore if ArcelorMittal’s South African unit (ISPA.AS) shuts down one of its plants, Business Report newspaper said. [ID:nLDE66I0NM]

* India’s Tata Steel (TISC.BO) has started talks with lenders including Citigroup (C.N) to refinance as much as 3.5 billion pounds ($5.4 billion ) in loans for its British unit, Bloomberg reported, citing six sources with knowledge of the matter. [ID:nSGE66I0LK] (Compiled by Tresa Sherin Morera)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: Abn Amro, American International Group, arcelormittal, Asian Life, bank of scotland, citigroup c, corporate finance, Finance Press, Financial Times, Hoare Govett, Ispa, Kumba Iron Ore, life insurance unit, Market Chatter, RBS, royal bank of scotland, s south, Sherin, Tata Steel, tisc

U.S. to send stern message to North Korea

July 19, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

(Reuters) – President Barack Obama’s top diplomat and defense chief head to Seoul this week to discuss ways to respond to North Korea and deter it from any future attack after the sinking of a South Korean warship.

But the high-profile visit by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Defense Secretary Robert Gates risks angering China in the process, with an expected announcement of U.S.-South Korean military exercises that have set off alarms in Beijing.

Tension between North and South Korea remain high following the March sinking of the warship, Cheonan, killing 46 South Korean sailors. Pyongyang has denied responsibility and escaped censure this month from the United Nations, which condemned the attack but, in deference to China, did not blame North Korea.

Assistant Secretary of State Kurt Campbell said the talks in Seoul were aimed at assessing the next steps with North Korea, including whether and how to resume stalled talks about Pyongyang’s nuclear program. Pyongyang said this month it was willing to return to disarmament talks, in limbo since 2007.

“The United States is considering a variety of options associated with North Korea and we will be in deep consultations,” Campbell said.

But he stressed that an essential precondition for any new talks would be that Pyongyang cease its “provocative ways” and commit to denuclearization of the Korean peninsula.

Victor Cha, a former director of Asian Affairs at the White House National Security Council under the Bush administration, said he expected that re-engagement will take a back seat to the main message of deterrence during the visit to Seoul.

“Right now on this trip the focus is going to be on the deterrence part, that will be the big public message … But privately, the conversations will also deal with getting these talks back on track,” said Cha, who works for the Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank in Washington.

The visit has symbolic overtones, a show of U.S.-South Korean unity 60 years after the outbreak of the 1950-1953 Korean War. Gates will meet some of the 28,000 U.S. troops stationed in South Korea on Tuesday.

The trip will culminate Wednesday in the first talks between the U.S. and South Korean secretaries of defense and state. U.S. officials say the top-level event, reserved for only the closest U.S. allies, shows how important Obama views relations with South Korea, Asia’s fourth-largest economy.

Clinton also plans discuss the U.S.-South Korea economic relationship, where President Barack Obama has vowed to push through a long-stalled free trade agreement, as well as South Korea’s preparations to hold the a G20 summit this year.

WAR GAMES

U.S. officials say the talks are likely to yield at least one concrete result: the announcement in Seoul of a series of joint U.S.-South Korean military drills over a period of months in both the Yellow Sea and the Sea of Japan.

“These are exercises that enhance our anti-submarine warfare capabilities. They will also, by extension, be a show of force to the North Koreans, and send a message — what we hope to be a very strong message — of deterrence,” said Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell.

China, North Korea’s sole ally, has voiced deep concerns about any U.S.-South Korean drills in the Yellow Sea, which separates China and the Korean peninsula, and urged regional powers to put the Cheonan incident behind them.

U.S. officials, briefing reporters ahead of the trip, dismissed those concerns, saying drills in international waters in the Yellow Sea or elsewhere were “routine.”

“This is about sending a message to (North Korea). It’s not about sending a message to the Chinese. And it should not be interpreted as such,” Morrell said.

John Park, a researcher at the United States Institute of Peace who studies Chinese-North Korean relations, said drills risked aggravating ties between the United States and China.

“As much as the (U.S.-South Korean) announcement will be focused on a sending a message to North Korea, the unintended consequence is that messages are also being sent to China,” Park said.

Beijing broke off military-to-military contacts with the United States this year after the Obama administration notified Congress of a plan to sell Taiwan up to $6.4 billion worth of arms. Underscoring its displeasure, Beijing turned down a proposed fence-mending visit by Gates to China in June.

Park said that inside China, some believe the United States and South Korea are using the Cheonan “as its own pretext to enlarge the scope of the U.S.-South Korean alliance” west toward Chinese coastal waters.

“Their question is: Will the anti-submarine warfare exercises signal an expansion of the coverage area of the U.S.-(South Korea) alliance?”

(Additional reporting by Andrew Quinn; Editing by Stacey Joyce)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: Asian Affairs, Barack Obama, center for strategic and international studies, Deterrence Part, disarmament talks, Hillary Clinton, Korea Reuters, Korean Peninsula, Kurt Campbell, Military Exercises, national security council, North Korea, Profile Visit, Public Message, Pyongyang, Robert Gates, s south, secretary robert, Stern Message, warship

UPDATE 1-Kumba sees higher H1 headline EPS on prices, exports

July 10, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

JOHANNESBURG, July 9 (Reuters) – Kumba Iron Ore Ltd (KIOJ.J) said on Friday it expects first-half headline earnings per share to rise due to higher export iron ore prices and sales volumes.

Kumba, a unit of global miner Anglo American Plc (AAL.L) and the world’s 10th largest producer of iron ore, said headline earnings per share were expected to be between 1,900-2,055 cents, up from 1,076 cents in the comparable six-month period.

“The increase in earnings is largely attributable to an increase in export iron ore prices and a 10 percent increase in export sales volumes in the period,” Kumba said in a statement.

Kumba, currently involved in an iron ore supply dispute with ArceloMittal’s South African unit (ACLJ.J)(MT.N)(ISPA.AS), said it had accounted for revenue at plus 3 percent of cost to the steelmaker in determining earnings for the period in the absence of agreement on an interim price.

Kumba in February terminated the long-term deal under which it sold ore to ArcelorMittal South Africa at a discount and said it would then sell to the steelmaker at market rates from March. [ID:nLDE61P15S] (Reporting by Shapi Shacinda)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: aAl, absence, Anglo American Plc, arcelormittal, earnings per share, Eps, Export Sales, Headline Earnings, interim, iron ore prices, Ispa, Johannesburg, Kumba Iron Ore, reuters, s south, South Africa, steelmaker

Eliseo O. Salinas, MD, MSc Joins Elan as Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer

July 7, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

DUBLIN–(Business Wire)–
Elan Corporation, plc (NYSE: ELN) today announced that Eliseo Oreste Salinas,
MD, MSc, has joined the company as Executive Vice President and Chief Medical
Officer effective immediately, with responsibility for leading the company’s
global development, clinical and medical initiatives. Dr. Salinas will be based
at Elan`s South San Francisco campus, will be a member of the company`s
executive leadership team, and will report to Elan President Carlos Paya, MD,
PhD. As the company`s Chief Medical Officer, he will also retain specific
accountabilities to Elan CEO Kelly Martin relating to patient safety.

Commenting on Dr. Salinas` 20 years of experience in the industry, Lars Ekman,
MD, PhD, member of the Elan Board of Directors and chair of the Science and
Technology Committee said, “During his career, Dr. Salinas has overseen 8
successful New Drug Applications (NDAs), 7 approved Supplemental NDAs, and 4
approved European submissions. He has a proven track record in the US and
internationally and the leadership capability to advance Elan`s robust
biotechnology pipeline and clinical portfolio through development toward those
with unmet medical needs.”

Elan CEO Kelly Martin noted that the company’s hiring of Dr. Salinas reflects
Elan’s highest priority: to become a world-class leader in novel therapeutics
for patients who are afflicted with serious neurodegenerative diseases. “To do
so successfully, we need significant expertise in clinical, regulatory and
leadership development, along with a deep knowledge of CNS (central nervous
system) science. Dr. Salinas brings demonstrated strengths in all these areas.”

Dr. Paya added, “During his career, Dr. Salinas has provided scientific
oversight in therapeutic areas including CNS, Alzheimer`s disease, multiple
sclerosis, Parkinson`s disease, autoimmune and other diseases, overseeing
clinical trials in Eastern and Western Europe and North and South America. His
expertise in regulatory interactions includes the FDA, the European Medicines
Agency and authorities in Japan, Australia, North and South America. His
experience and strategic perspective precisely meet Elan`s needs today and
moving forward.”

Dr. Salinas joins the company from Adolor Corporation, where he was Senior Vice
President of Research and Development and Chief Medical Officer, responsible for
90 scientists and clinicians in discovery, clinical research and development,
pharmacovigilance, regulatory affairs and medical affairs. Previously, he served
at Shire, Inc., as Chief Scientific Officer and Executive Vice President of
Global Pharmaceutical Research and Development, where he managed R&D strategy
and more than 400 employees, achieving six major drug submissions in four years.
Dr. Salinas spent 11 years at Wyeth-Ayerst in progressive leadership positions
including Head of Worldwide CNS, and as such is very familiar with Elan`s
discovery role and progress in Alzheimer`s immunotherapy. He also served as
International Project Leader, CNS at Synthelabo.

He is a member of the Society for Neuroscience, the American College of
Neuropsychopharmacology, the American Academy of Pharmaceutical Physicians &
Investigators, the American Society for Experimental NeuroTherapeutics and other
professional and academic organizations; and, he has published and presented
extensively in academic journals and forums. Educated in Argentina and France,
Dr. Salinas practiced and served as a lecturer in clinical psychiatry in Paris.

Elan`s Chief Medical Officer and Head of Development, Menghis Bairu, MD, will
resume his primary responsibility as Executive Vice President and General
Manager of Tysabri, overseeing this critical part of Elan`s portfolio and
leading integration of medical affairs, commercial, regulatory, global markets,
clinical and safety assessment, life cycle and phase IV investments, as well as
partnering with Biogen Idec to maximize the potential of this therapy for the
benefit of patients globally.

About Elan

Elan Corporation, plc is a neuroscience-based biotechnology company committed to
making a difference in the lives of patients and their families by dedicating
itself to bringing innovations in science to fill significant unmet medical
needs that continue to exist around the world. Elan shares trade on the New York
and Irish Stock Exchanges. For additional information about the company, please
visit http://www.elan.com.

Elan
MEDIA:
Bob Purcell, 866-964-8256
Paul McSharry, 353-1-663-3600
or
INVESTORS:
Chris Burns, 800-252-3526
David Marshall, 353-1-709-4444

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: Carlos Paya, central nervous system, Drug Applications, Elan Corporation Plc, Executive Leadership Team, Kelly Martin, Lars Ekman, Leadership Capability, Leadership Development, md phd, neurodegenerative diseases, novel therapeutics, Oreste, President Carlos, proven track record, s south, South San Francisco, System Science, Therapeutic Areas, World Class Leader

Timeline: Unrest in Kyrgyzstan’s south

June 29, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

Here is a timeline on Kyrgyzstan in the past five years:

March 21, 2005 – Osh, Kyrgyzstan’s second biggest city, falls to opposition control as protests sweep across the south to demand the resignation of President Askar Akayev.

March 24 – Kyrgyzstan’s opposition declares itself in power after seizing key buildings as Akayev vanishes after protests.

March 25 – Opposition party leader Kurmanbek Bakiyev is named acting president. Akayev confirms reports he has left the country, but says he has not resigned.

March 28 – Kyrgyzstan’s new parliament takes over and confirms Bakiyev as prime minister as well as acting president.

July 10 – Bakiyev wins presidential elections.

November 8, 2006 – Parliament adopts a new constitution reducing the president’s powers.

February 19, 2009 – Parliament votes to close the only U.S. air base in Central Asia. Washington later agrees to pay $180 million to Kyrgyzstan to keep the base open.

March 17, 2010 – Thousands of Kyrgyz protesters threaten to oust Bakiyev if he fails to accept their demands within a week.

April 3 – Visiting U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon calls on Kyrgyzstan to protect human rights after protesters shout “help us” as he drove to parliament.

April 7 – Bakiyev orders a state of emergency in Bishkek and three other areas after police clash with protesters. He later flees to southern Kyrgyzstan, his traditional power base.

April 8 – Opposition leader Roza Otunbayeva says she is taking over the president’s and government’s responsibilities.

April 12 – The U.S. welcomes statements from the interim government that it will abide by agreements covering the U.S. air base that supports military operations in Afghanistan.

April 15 – The ousted president Bakiyev leaves Kyrgyzstan for Kazakhstan. At least 85 people are killed in the upheaval.

April 27 – The interim government says it has charged Bakiyev with “mass killing.”

May 13 – Bakiyev supporters seize control of government buildings in the cities of Osh, Jalalabad and Batken. A day later the interim government says it has regained control.

May 19 – A state of emergency is declared in Jalalabad after two people die and 74 are injured in clashes between Kyrgyz and Uzbeks in southern Kyrgyzstan.

– Otunbayeva’s government says she will act as president until the end of 2011, after which she will be replaced.

June 10/11 – Ethnic conflict between ethnic Kyrgyz and ethnic Uzbeks flares up in Osh and the southern region. The interim government declares a state of emergency.

June 13 – Bakiyev issues a statement from Belarus denying he is behind the clashes.

June 18 – The United Nations says 300,000 are displaced in Kyrgyzstan and another 100,000 people have crossed over into Uzbekistan. June 20 – The government extends state of emergency in Osh and three surrounding regions until June 25.

June 21 – Otunbayeva pledges to press ahead with a referendum on June 27.Security forces clash with ethnic Uzbeks near Osh killing at least two. At least 250 people have been killed and the interim government says it could be up to 2,000.

June 27 – Kyrgyz vote in referendum that new rulers hope will pave the way for the creation of Central Asia’s first parliamentary democracy.

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: Acting President, Ban Ki Moon, Bishkek, Central Asia, government buildings, Interim Government, kurmanbek bakiyev, military operations, Moon Calls, opposition leader, Opposition Party Leader, Parliament Votes, police clash, President Akayev, President Askar Akayev, presidential elections, Roza Otunbayeva, s south, state of emergency, u s air

TIMELINE-Unrest in Kyrgyzstan’s south

June 28, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

(Reuters) – Kyrgyzstan voted on Sunday in a referendum whether to become Central Asia’s first parliamentary democracy after a wave of ethnic bloodshed.

Here is a timeline on Kyrgyzstan in the past five years:

March 21, 2005 – Osh, Kyrgyzstan’s second biggest city, falls to opposition control as protests sweep across the south to demand the resignation of President Askar Akayev.

March 24 – Kyrgyzstan’s opposition declares itself in power after seizing key buildings as Akayev vanishes after protests.

March 25 – Opposition party leader Kurmanbek Bakiyev is named acting president. Akayev confirms reports he has left the country, but says he has not resigned.

March 28 – Kyrgyzstan’s new parliament takes over and confirms Bakiyev as prime minister as well as acting president.

July 10 – Bakiyev wins presidential elections.

Nov. 8, 2006 – Parliament adopts a new constitution reducing the president’s powers.

Feb. 19, 2009 – Parliament votes to close the only U.S. air base in Central Asia. Washington later agrees to pay $180 million to Kyrgyzstan to keep the base open.

March 17, 2010 – Thousands of Kyrgyz protesters threaten to oust Bakiyev if he fails to accept their demands within a week.

April 3 – Visiting U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon calls on Kyrgyzstan to protect human rights after protesters shout “help us” as he drove to parliament.

April 7 – Bakiyev orders a state of emergency in Bishkek and three other areas after police clash with protesters. He later flees to southern Kyrgyzstan, his traditional power base.

April 8 – Opposition leader Roza Otunbayeva says she is taking over the president’s and government’s responsibilities.

April 12 – The U.S. welcomes statements from the interim government that it will abide by agreements covering the U.S. air base that supports military operations in Afghanistan.

April 15 – The ousted president Bakiyev leaves Kyrgyzstan for Kazakhstan. At least 85 people are killed in the upheaval.

April 27 – The interim government says it has charged Bakiyev with “mass killing”.

May 13 – Bakiyev supporters seize control of government buildings in the cities of Osh, Jalalabad and Batken. A day later the interim government says it has regained control.

May 19 – A state of emergency is declared in Jalalabad after two people die and 74 are injured in clashes between Kyrgyz and Uzbeks in southern Kyrgyzstan.

– Otunbayeva’s government says she will act as president until the end of 2011, after which she will be replaced.

June 10/11 – Ethnic conflict between ethnic Kyrgyz and ethnic Uzbeks flares up in Osh and the southern region. The interim government declares a state of emergency.

June 13 – Bakiyev issues a statement from Belarus denying he is behind the clashes.

June 21 – Otunbayeva pledges to press ahead with a referendum on June 27.Security forces clash with ethnic Uzbeks near Osh killing at least two.At least 250 people have been killed and the interim government says it could be up to 2,000.

June 27 – Kyrgyz vote in referendum that new rulers hope will pave the way for the creation of Central Asia’s first parliamentary democracy.

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: Acting President, Ban Ki Moon, Bishkek, Central Asia, Interim Government, kurmanbek bakiyev, Moon Calls, opposition leader, Opposition Party Leader, Parliament Votes, parliamentary democracy, police clash, President Akayev, President Askar Akayev, presidential elections, reuters, Roza Otunbayeva, s south, state of emergency, u s air

For sale – New Zealand village with pub, 40 people

June 26, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

June 25 (Reuters Life) – Stressed-out city executives looking to get away from it all have the chance to buy their own rural village in New Zealand, complete with a pub and population of 40.

Lifestyle

Otira, a hamlet on the rainy west coast of New Zealand’s South Island, is on the market for $NZ1 million ($715,000).

Current owners Bill and Christine Hennah bought the rundown village in 1998 after passing through and “feeling sorry for it,” Christchurch-based newspaper The Press reported on Friday.

They paid $NZ80,000 ($56,000) for the hotel or pub, school, railway station, town hall and 18 houses making up the village near the Arthur’s Pass National Park that dates back to 1923.

The village developed when the Otira railway tunnel was opened, and during its heyday was home to about 600 workers and their families.

But the couple, now aged in their 60s, say they no longer have the energy to run the hotel. They are asking $NZ350,000 for the hotel or $NZ1 million for the whole lot.

“We need someone to build it up again. There is a lot of potential and opportunity,” Christine Hennah told The Press.

(Writing by Belinda Goldsmith, Editing by Dean Goodman)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: 60s, arthur, dean, Dean Goodman, goldsmith, hamlet, Hennah, heyday, Lifestyle, New Zealand, railway station, Railway Tunnel, reuters, rural village, S Pass, s south, town hall, Village People, West Coast, whole lot

Sidonis Secures Investment for Next Generation Network Management Software

June 23, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

Private Funding and Research Grant Boost Sidonis` Prospects for Growth
BATH, England–(Business Wire)–
Sidonis, the emerging new leader in service assurance, today announced that it
has secured private equity funding that will herald a new phase in the company`s
growth. Founded in 2006, Sidonis develops advanced software that helps companies
in the telecoms and broadcast, finance and utilities industries manage their
increasingly complex networks and services.

At the same time, Gregor Logan joins the Sidonis Board as a Non-Executive
Director. Mr Logan has over 30 years` experience in the fund management
industry, working as a UK and European stock picker at Fidelity for 13 years,
then as Chief Investment Officer at MGM Assurance and New Star Asset Management.

Sidonis CEO, Don Keir, commented: “Sidonis aims to become a recognised market
leader in the technology required to manage complex communications networks and
services. This investment will help us accelerate our plans to achieve that, and
we welcome the additional experience and insight that Gregor will bring to
Sidonis.”

In October 2009, Sidonis was one of a handful of emerging technology companies
specially selected to present to an audience of venture capitalists and
investors in London. Organised by the SETsquared Partnership (an enterprise
partnership between the universities of Bath, Bristol, Southampton and Surrey),
the annual Investment Showcase event aims to help early stage companies attract
investment. In the last five years, The Partnership has supported more than 200
high tech companies, helped raise more than £150m in capital and created 1000
new jobs.

Sidonis has also just been awarded a research grant by the UK`s South West
Regional Development Agency, to help explore potential extensions of its
advanced software to support other markets. Sidonis CTO, Martin Hobbs,
commented: “It is rare for a software developer to be awarded this research
grant, and we believe this reinforces the clear potential of our technology to
supporting multiple industries.”

About Sidonis

Formed in 2006, Sidonis develops software with the potential to save millions in
service level agreement penalties or lost revenues, by helping service providers
identify the root cause and impact on services of network faults. By combining
service and network modelling techniques with an advanced rules engine, Sidonis
provides far more flexible and lower cost solutions than traditional service or
network management systems. The company has customers in the UK, North America,
South America, Europe and the Middle East, with partners including Aviat
(formerly Harris Stratex), AssureNet LLC, SciSys and IPL. Visit us on the web at
www.sidonis.com

Sidonis
Carol Hopperton
Chief Operating Officer
carol.hopperton@sidonis.com
+44 (0)7769 883367

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: Advanced Software, Bath England, chief investment officer, Early Stage Companies, Emerging Technology Companies, Enterprise Partnership, European Stock, Fund Management Industry, Mgm Assurance, Network Management Software, next generation network, Private Equity Funding, Regional Development Agency, s south, service assurance, Showcase Event, South West Regional Development Agency, Stock Picker, Utilities Industries, venture capitalists

Kyrgyz turmoil could breed Islamist militancy – U.N.

June 18, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

BISHKEK, June 17 (Reuters) – Turmoil in Kyrgyzstan offers an ideal breeding ground for Islamist militancy in the Muslim region north of Afghanistan and the government must act quickly to curb any further violence, a U.N. envoy said.

Kyrgyzstan’s ethnically divided south has been turbulent since a revolt in April toppled its president, Kurmanbek Bakiyev, and brought an interim government to power.

Russia and the West fear that instability in the ex-Soviet republic, which lies on a major drug trafficking route out of Afghanistan, could produce a safe haven to militants, particularly in the over-populated Ferghana valley.

“There is a threat of extremism in Ferghana valley and, more broadly, in Central Asia as a whole, in the sense that Central Asia borders Afghanistan,” United Nations Special Envoy Miroslav Jenca told Reuters in an interview late on Wednesday.

“There are various extremist organisations … And of course in these circumstances they are finding a fertile ground to filfil their plans.”

At least 191 people have been killed since June 10 in Kyrgyzstan’s south in an outburst of ethnic violence between its two main ethnic groups, Kyrgyz and Uzbeks.

The violence has subsided in the last few days in a country where Russia and the United States have military air bases.

Up to 100,000 people have fled their homes and set up camps in Ferghana valley where Kyrgyzstan borders Uzbekistan.

Humanitarian aid has been flowing to the south but obvservers say it is not reaching many neighourhoods that have barricaded themselves in fear of further violence.

Islamist extremism is rare in Central Asia, a secular region ruled from Moscow until the Soviet Union’s collapse in 1991.

But deepening problems such as poverty, illiteracy and people’s growing frustration with their governments have made them more susceptible to Islamist ideas, emboldening radical groups to gain strength in Central Asia.

Those include the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan and the less radical Hizb ut-Tahrir group but there have been no signs of increased militant activity since the April revolt.

The new leadership plans to hold a referendum on June 27 to vote on constitutional changes. Some officials have suggested Kyrgyzstan delay the poll until the situation stabilises.

“If they (elections) are organised incorrectly then of course that would lead to big problems,” Jenca said.

“The government has to assess whether it can organise the referendum in a way that would be legitimate, so it could be recognised.”

(For more on Kyrgyzstan click on [ID:nLDE65A145])

(Writing by Maria Golovnina; Editing by Michael Roddy)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: Bishkek, breeding ground, Central Asia, drug trafficking, ethnic violence, extremism, ferghana valley, fertile ground, humanitarian aid, illiteracy, Interim Government, islamic movement of uzbekistan, military air, Muslim Region, outburst, radical groups, russia and the united states, s south, safe haven, Soviet Republic

Timeline: New clashes in Kyrgyzstan’s south

June 14, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

Here is a timeline on Kyrgyzstan in the last five years:

March 21, 2005 – Osh, Kyrgyzstan’s second biggest city, falls to opposition control as protests sweep across the country’s south to demand the resignation of President Askar Akayev.

March 23 – Police violently break up a protest in the capital, Bishkek, and the interior minister says prepared to use force and weapons to restore order.

March 24 – Kyrgyzstan’s opposition declares itself in power after seizing key buildings as Akayev vanishes after protests.

March 25 – Opposition party leader Kurmanbek Bakiyev is named acting president. Akayev confirms reports he has left the country, but says he has not resigned.

March 28 – Kyrgyzstan’s new parliament takes over and confirms Bakiyev as prime minister as well as acting president.

July 10 – Bakiyev wins presidential elections.

November 8, 2006 – Parliament adopts a new constitution reducing the president’s powers. The opposition, which had staged days of protests calling on the president to quit if he would not cede to their demands, hailed the vote as a victory.

February 19, 2009 – Parliament votes to close the only U.S. air base in Central Asia. Washington later agrees to pay $180 million to Kyrgyzstan to keep the base open.

March 17, 2010 – Thousands of Kyrgyz protesters threaten to oust Bakiyev if he fails to accede to their demands within a week, five years after violent protests propelled him to power.

April 3 – Visiting U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon calls on Kyrgyzstan to protect human rights after protesters shout “help us” as he drove to parliament.

April 7 – Bakiyev orders a state of emergency in Bishkek and three other areas after police clash with protesters. He later flees to southern Kyrgyzstan, his traditional power base.

– Some 1,000 people storm the prosecutor-general’s office in the capital.

– Plumes of smoke billow from the White House, the main seat of government, as crowds rampage through the building.

– Opposition activists also take control of state television channel KTR.

April 8 – Opposition leader Roza Otunbayeva says she is taking over the president’s and government’s responsibilities. She says the government has resigned and the opposition is negotiating the resignation of Bakiyev.

– Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin speaks to Otunbayeva effectively recognizing her government.

April 9 – Otunbayeva says she will guarantee the safety of Bakiyev and allow him to leave the country if he resigns.

April 12 – The U.S. welcomes statements from the interim government that it will abide by agreements covering a U.S. air base that supports military operations in Afghanistan.

April 15 – The ousted president Bakiyev leaves Kyrgyzstan for Kazakhstan. At least 85 people are killed in the upheaval.

April 27 – The interim government says it has charged Bakiyev with “mass killing” and has formally prepared an extradition request.

May 4 – Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko says he will not hand over Bakiyev to face charges over the violent upheaval last month.

May 13 – Bakiyev supporters seize control of government buildings in the cities of Osh, Jalalabad and Batken, kidnap the governor of Jalalabad region and try to take control of the area’s main airport in Osh.

May 14 – The interim government says it has regained control across the south after at least two people die in violent clashes with supporters of the ousted president.

May 19 – A state of emergency is declared in Jalalabad after two people die and 74 are injured in clashes between Kyrgyz and Uzbeks in southern Kyrgyzstan.

– Otunbayeva’s government says she will act as president until the end of 2011, after which she will be replaced.

June 11 – At least 17 people are killed and 253 wounded as ethnic conflict flares up in Osh and in the southern region.

– The interim government declares a state of emergency in four southern regions.

(Writing by David Cutler, London Editorial Reference Unit)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: Acting President, Ban Ki Moon, Billow, Bishkek, Central Asia, interior minister, kurmanbek bakiyev, Moon Calls, Opposition Party Leader, Parliament Votes, Plumes, police clash, President Akayev, President Askar Akayev, presidential elections, prosecutor general, s south, state of emergency, u s air, violent protests

Factbox: Ethnic tinderbox of south Kyrgyzstan

June 14, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

The interim government in Kyrgyzstan, which hosts U.S. and Russian military bases, said it was powerless to stop armed gangs from burning down the homes and businesses of ethnic Uzbeks in parts of Osh. Gun battles raged throughout the night.

Here are some details on Kyrgyzstan’s flashpoint area where hundreds have been killed in unrest in the last 20 years:

* ETHNIC TENSIONS:

– Kyrgyzstan is a mountainous, landlocked former Soviet republic bordering China, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.

– A conflict between Uzbeks and minority Meskhetian Turks in Uzbekistan, which started as a market dispute about the price of strawberries, killed 103 people 1989.

– Arbitrary Soviet borders, which have stranded enclaves of Uzbeks and Tajiks in Kyrgyzstan, and Tajiks in Uzbekistan, contributed to heavy Uzbek-Kyrgyz riots months later in 1990.

– Osh, capital of the south and Kyrgyzstan’s second city, saw most of the clashes between ethnic Uzbeks and Kyrgyz.

– Around 300 were killed in the Osh massacre — sparked by land disputes — before Moscow brought in troops to separate the warring sides.

– In 2005, riots broke out initially in the southern town of Jalalabad as opposition activists denounced presidential election results. Osh fell to opposition control as protests swept across the country’s south to demand the resignation of President Askar Akayev, a northerner.

– The Akayev government fell on March 24, 2005. Opposition leader Kurmanbek Bakiyev became acting president and prime minister and Akayev fled to Moscow. Bakiyev in July 2005 won a landslide victory in a presidential election described as free and fair by Western monitors.

* FERGANA VALLEY:

– The densely populated Fergana valley is largely ethnically Uzbek but is split between Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. The region suffered greatly from the nationalities policy of the 1930s that transformed the previously interconnected areas into something like a puzzle.

– In general, Uzbekistan holds the valley floor, Tajikistan holds its narrow mouth and Kyrgyzstan holds the high ground around.

– The valley mouth is narrow, but the actual valley is vast, covering 22,000 sq km (8,500 sq miles) and the Pamir and Tien Shan mountains that rise above are only dimly visible.

– The Fergana Valley zone includes the Osh, Jalalabad and Batken districts of Kyrgyzstan, the Andijan, Namangan and Fergana districts of Uzbekistan and the Sogdiskaya district of Tajikistan.

– The valley is a major center of cotton and silk production, and the hills above are covered by walnut forests. The valley also has some oil and gas.

– Poverty is widespread. Islamic militancy has deep roots.

* ISLAMIC TENSIONS:

– The Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU) that emerged from the Fergana Valley has cooperated with the Tajik United Opposition, Al-Qaeda elements and the Afghan Taliban with the aim of establishing an Islamic Caliphate. It is active in Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Afghanistan.

– Hizb ut-Tahrir, another outlawed Islamist group, says ideas of Islamic rule are beginning to catch on in Osh. The city has long been synonymous with a post-Soviet rise of radical Islamism in the largely agrarian, cotton-growing region. There are no accurate figures on membership of the group. Some estimates put it at 8,000 in Kyrgyzstan alone.

Sources: Reuters/www.unifem.org/Janes

(Writing by David Cutler, London Editorial Reference Unit)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: Acting President, Armed Gangs, Enclaves, gun battles, Interim Government, Jalalabad, kazakhstan uzbekistan, land disputes, Landslide Victory, Meskhetian Turks, Opposition Activists, opposition leader, President Askar Akayev, presidential election results, s south, second city, Soviet Republic, Tajiks, Tinderbox, uzbeks

Timeline: New clashes in Kyrgyzstan’s south

June 12, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment