Global News Post: Law

Famous Spanish Lawyer to Defend WikiLeaks’ Assange

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<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="color: #010000; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">MEXICO CITY (RIA Novosti) --- Spanish ex-judge Baltasar Garzon will head the defense team of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, Ecuadorian media reported.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="color: #010000; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Garzon, who worked on cases concerning Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet and exiled Russian media tycoon Vladimir Gusinsky, has already met with Assange in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London, WikiLeaks said in a statement.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="color: #010000; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Assange has been hiding at the embassy for more than a month to avoid his extradition to Sweden, where he faces a case in a rape trial that he calls politically motivated, Ecuadorian media said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="color: #010000; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Assange’s whistleblowing site WikiLeaks made an enemy of the U.S. government in 2010, when it leaked hundreds of thousands of American diplomatic cables. The U.S. authorities have not ruled out requesting his extradition from Sweden.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="color: #010000; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Assange has requested asylum in Ecuador, whose president Rafael Correa is still considering the request.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="color: #010000; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Garzon, 56, made a name for himself as a judge presiding over several high-profile political cases, including Pinochet's, as well as attempting to investigate crimes of the Franco regime in Spain. He was disqualified from judicial activity in Spain for 11 years in February for illegal wiretapping.<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

Famous Spanish Lawyer to Defend WikiLeaks’ Assange

MEXICO CITY (RIA Novosti) --- Spanish ex-judge Baltasar Garzon will head the defense team of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, Ecuadorian m...

INDIA: Cabinet OKs Bill To Make Laws on Sexual Assault More Stringent

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<div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">NEW DELHI (NNN-UNI) -- The Union Cabinet has approved introduction of the Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill, 2012, in Parliament seeking to widen the scope of sexual offence and replace the word 'rape’ by the words 'sexual assault' to make the offence gender neutral. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">According to official spokesperson, the highlights of the Bill include substituting sections 375, 376, 376A and 376B by replacing the existing sections 375, 376, 376A, <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">376B, 376C and 376D of the Indian Penal Code,1860, replacing the word 'rape’ wherever it occurs by the words 'sexual assault' to make the offence of sexual assault gender neutral. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The cabinet, which met last night, also announced to widen the scope of the offence of sexual assault. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The punishment for sexual assault will be a minimum of seven years which may extend to Life imprisonment and also fine for aggravated sexual assault, i.e., by a police officer within his jurisdiction or a public servant/manager or person talking advantage of his position of authority etc, the spokesperson said. -- NNN-UNI</span></div></span></div>

INDIA: Cabinet OKs Bill To Make Laws on Sexual Assault More Stringent

NEW DELHI (NNN-UNI) -- The Union Cabinet has approved introduction of the Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill, 2012, in Parliament seeking to w...

INDIA: Govt. Invites Bar Associations for Talks

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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">  <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">NEW DELHI (NNN-PTI): The government has invited bar associations for deliberations in wake of threat by lawyers to go on strike from July 11 to protest against the proposed higher education bill and said the legislation will not in any way interfere with legal education.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In a letter to bar associations, Human Resources Development Minister Kapil Sibal said that the Bar Council of India is free to prescribe minimum standards of education for grant of degrees leading to professional practice.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Terming the proposed Higher Education and Research Bill as ”draconian, unconstitutional and undemocratic” and one that infringes on its powers, the BCI had last month threatened that lawyers across the country would abstain from work on July 11 and 12 if legal education is not removed from the purview of the bill.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“There is an impression that the proposed legislation seeks to interfere with disciplinary powers of the Bar Councils over the conduct of members of the legal profession,” Sibal said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“I wish to clarify that the proposed bill does not contain any provision, which seeks to interfere with the powers of BCI or the State Bar Councils in the matter of regulation of the practice of law or with respect to exercise of disciplinary powers qua members of the legal profession,” Sibal said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">He reasoned that the meeting will give, each side, an "opportunity to express their views and enable me to explain issues relating to the proposed legislation”, as it is intended solely to strengthen the higher education system.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">According to the minister, BCI, which currently inspects institutions awarding an LL.B degree for maintaining standards, will continue to exercise these powers under the proposed legislation. -NNN-PTI<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

INDIA: Govt. Invites Bar Associations for Talks

NEW DELHI (NNN-PTI): The government has invited bar associations for deliberations in wake of threat by lawyers to go on strike from Jul...

INDIA: SC Refuses Expresses Displeasure Over Minority Sub Quota

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">NEW DELHI (NNN-PTI): The Supreme Court has expressed its displeasure and pulled up the government for its casual handling of the "complex" and "sensitive" issue of 4.5 percent sub-quota for minorities within the 27 percent reservation for OBCs in central educational institutions like IITs.</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">  <div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">Refusing to stay the Andhra Pradesh High Court order, which had quashed the central government notification for 4.5 percent sub-quota for minorities, a bench of justices K S Radhakrishnan and J S Khehar said it was "unhappy" that the Centre filed an appeal without any supporting documents.</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">Without issuing any notice, the bench asked Attorney General G E Vahanvati to submit it the supporting documents for carving out 4.5 percent sub quota from the existing 27 percent reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBCs).</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">The bench posted the matter for hearing on Wednesday saying "we must have some documents before us".</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">Attorney General Vahanvati submitted that some protection should be granted as the counselling for IITs was on and 325 candidates have qualified for it under the 4.5 percent sub quota and their career and future could be jeopardised if they are not allowed to appear for the counselling.</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">The bench, however, said before it passed any order, the Centre will have to place before it some documents.</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">During the brief hearing, the bench wanted to know from the law officer as to what was the basis and how did the government determine 4.5 percent sub-quota for minorities and carved it out of the 27 percent quota for OBCs.</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">When the Attorney General sought to point out errors in the high court order, the bench said it was natural for the high court to ask questions on which the Centre was complaining.</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">"Without placing documents how can you find fault with the high court (order)," the bench said.  -NNN-PTI</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div></span></div></div></div>

INDIA: SC Refuses Expresses Displeasure Over Minority Sub Quota

NEW DELHI (NNN-PTI): The Supreme Court has expressed its displeasure and pulled up the government for its casual handling of the "com...

INDIA: One Lakh Cases Of SC/ST Atrocities Pending – Govt.

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<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: center 234.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">NEW DELHI (NNN-PTI): With over one lakh cases of atrocities against SCs and STs pending, the government is considering amendments in the existing law to fast-track trial; the Rajya Sabha (Upper House) was informed on Thursday.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: center 234.0pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: center 234.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Social justice and empowerment minister Mukul Wasnik said during Question Hour that a concept note was sent to state governments for comments on amending the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: center 234.0pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: center 234.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">He said that out of over one lakh cases of atrocities pending at the end of 2010, the highest number of 19,939 cases was pending in Uttar Pradesh, followed by 13,590 cases in Madhya Pradesh.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: center 234.0pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: center 234.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Rajasthan had 11,524 cases pending at the end of 2010, Gujarat - 9,437, Odisha - 8,826, Bihar - 7,776 and Karnataka -6,044, he said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: center 234.0pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: center 234.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Wasnik, who did not specify the proposed amendments, said six states had not yet given their opinion.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: center 234.0pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: center 234.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">He said states were being impressed upon to set up special courts to try cases of atrocities on SCs and STs in places where conviction rate is low, pendency is high or registration of cases are high.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: center 234.0pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: center 234.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">He also said public prosecutors would be de-notified if they did not perform their job well. -NNN-PTI<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

INDIA: One Lakh Cases Of SC/ST Atrocities Pending – Govt.

NEW DELHI (NNN-PTI): With over one lakh cases of atrocities against SCs and STs pending, the government is considering amendments in the ex...

NEPAL: HIV-positive children, orphans neglected

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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaQgt3lh8jMJ8mQ2F5uYXh9co7eJr21UZP6knni5fm27gediVSRWeiamDnTo7Hob7a3-aSLWqo7RN-S-SjBWyDbjezjmAlI4iMu6iu4QqrdvUxw_R387s7X3F8LudLOoMaJtbVIk_eqRs/s1600/201103021645360958.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaQgt3lh8jMJ8mQ2F5uYXh9co7eJr21UZP6knni5fm27gediVSRWeiamDnTo7Hob7a3-aSLWqo7RN-S-SjBWyDbjezjmAlI4iMu6iu4QqrdvUxw_R387s7X3F8LudLOoMaJtbVIk_eqRs/s400/201103021645360958.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Photo: <a href="http://www.irinnews.org/photo.aspx"><span style="color: windowtext; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">David Swanson/IRIN</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">There are close to 5,000 children under 14 years of age <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">living with HIV in Nepal today (file photo)<o:p></o:p></span></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">RAKAM (PlusNews) - In the village of Rakam in Dailekh District, about 700km northwest of the Nepalese capital, Kathmandu, 12-year-old Ravi* is living with HIV and has no idea if he will finish his education.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">"I feel weak all the time. My uncle is tired of hearing my complaints," he told IRIN. Barely six when he lost his parents to AIDS-related illnesses, he now lives with his father's brother and family, who are struggling to support him.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">It is proving a challenge. They can't even afford the bumpy eight-hour bus journey to the nearest city of Surkhet for his CD4 count test, which measures immune strength.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">According to the National Centre for AIDS and sexually transmitted disease (STD) Control (NCASC), there are close to 5,000 children under 14 years of age living with HIV in Nepal today, but local NGOs and health workers estimate the real number to be much higher. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">"There could be many more orphans and children living with HIV, but the government of Nepal has failed to pay any attention to their plight. Supplying medicines is not enough," said AIDS activist Deepa Bohara, the coordinator for NGO Parivartan ko Lagi Pahuch (Access for Change). <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">There are as many as 15 HIV-positive orphans and children in Dailekh alone, the group reported. "We are extremely worried about the welfare of these children. We hope to get enough government support to help them," said Khagendra Jung Shah, chief of the Dailekh District Hospital. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">His office can only provide life-prolonging antiretroviral drugs - there is no separate budget to give these children any social support. Moreover, there are no programmes to sponsor their education, pay for medical expenses or offer psychosocial counselling. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Dailekh is one of the poorest districts in the country, with most people living on less than US$1 per day, according to government figures. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Stigma remains high in Nepal, and HIV-positive orphans sometimes face neglect from relatives after their parents die. In one extreme case six months ago, a five-year-old orphaned HIV-positive child (name withheld upon request) died of exposure after his relatives forced him to sleep in the barn out of fear that he would infect the other children. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">"I don't fear dying from AIDS, but constantly worry about the day when my mother dies and I will be alone in this world," said Ashim *, 10, who lives with his HIV-positive mother. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">"We are extremely worried, not only about the orphans, but also those whose HIV-positive parents are alive. What happens after their parents die?" said another health worker, Sushil Bikram Thapa from Nepal STD and AIDS Research Centre, a local NGO. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">According to the National Centre for AIDS and STD Control in the Ministry of Health and Population, there are more than 50,000 adults and children living with HIV, and an estimated overall prevalence of 0.30 percent in the adult population (15-49 years old). <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">*Not his real name <o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

NEPAL: HIV-positive children, orphans neglected

Photo: David Swanson/IRIN There are close to 5,000 children under 14 years of age living with HIV in Nepal today (file photo) RAKAM (Pl...

Registration of companies or LLPS which have one of their objects is to carry on the profession of chartered accountant, cost accountant, architect, company secretary etc.

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</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">New Delhi (PIB) --- The Ministry of Corporate Affairs has clarified that at the time of incorporation of companies where one of the objects is to carry on the business of Banking, Insurance or to practice the profession of Chartered Accountancy, Cost Accountancy & Company Secretaries, then the concerned Registrar of Companies shall incorporate the same only on production of in-principle approval / NOC from the concerned regulator/professional Institutes. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Further, in this connection, it is also stated that where one of the objects is to carry on the business/profession of Architecture, then the concerned Registrar of Companies /Registrar of LLP shall incorporate the same only on production of in-principle approval / NOC from the concerned regulator.</span></div>

Registration of companies or LLPS which have one of their objects is to carry on the profession of chartered accountant, cost accountant, architect, company secretary etc.

New Delhi (PIB) --- The Ministry of Corporate Affairs has clarified that at the time of incorporation of companies where one of the object...

AFRICA: Snake Oil Salesmen And Dodgy HIV "Cures"

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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBbfSkyJGbWE2WkFq3fDRA5X0k8UM-ZoAmhyphenhyphenuOWBJMeol6-Cprm177xkTWaPcRy11YIrmOYHwIgpznmXwdfkTqTDSwFKs5poC1LchqDY3Iuebe9D_CQLMAqPP50x5wXhbOEqzGqAwLiK0/s1600/200641010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBbfSkyJGbWE2WkFq3fDRA5X0k8UM-ZoAmhyphenhyphenuOWBJMeol6-Cprm177xkTWaPcRy11YIrmOYHwIgpznmXwdfkTqTDSwFKs5poC1LchqDY3Iuebe9D_CQLMAqPP50x5wXhbOEqzGqAwLiK0/s1600/200641010.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 8.0pt;">Ubhejane - the traditional medicine which was said to help<o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 8.0pt;">HIV-positive people boost their immune system<o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 8.0pt;">Photo: <a href="http://www.plusnews.org/"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Kanya Ndaki/PlusNews</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div></td></tr>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">NAIROBI/JOHANNESBURG</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> (PlusNews) - <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><b><i>Uganda</i></b></st1:place></st1:country-region><b><i>'s National Drug Authority recently arrested sales representatives of a company selling a drug that purports to cure HIV; the firm's owners are not licensed to sell medicine and are being sought by the police. <o:p></o:p></i></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The drug, known as Virol ZAPPER, was being sold in 37ml liquid doses, each costing about US$210; patients were advised to take 10 drops daily. It was being advertised on local radio and TV stations as a miracle cure for HIV. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The sale of such "cures" is a profitable racket for charlatans willing to take advantage of desperate HIV-positive people; here is a collection of some dodgy treatments that have made the news in <st1:place w:st="on">Africa</st1:place> over the years: <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Tanzania - In 2011, tens of thousands of people from all over East Africa flocked to the tiny village of Loliondo in Tanzania seeking a cure for several diseases, including diabetes, tuberculosis and HIV. Ambilikile Mwasapile, a former Lutheran pastor, was charging 500 Tanzanian shillings - about $0.33 - for a cup for his concoction. <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Several sick people died in the queues, which at their peak numbered 15,000 people. Studies are being conducted to determine the properties of Mwasapile's treatment. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><st1:country-region w:st="on"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">South Africa</span></i></b></st1:country-region><b><i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> - A 2008 <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placetype w:st="on">Cape</st1:placetype> <st1:placename w:st="on">High Court</st1:placename></st1:place> judgment ruled that clinical trials of multivitamins in the treatment of HIV/AIDS by controversial vitamin salesman Matthias Rath were unlawful, and stopped them. The court also prohibited Rath from publishing any more advertisements claiming that his product, VitaCell, cured AIDS, pending further review by the Medicines Control Council. <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Rath, who had been operating in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">South   Africa</st1:place></st1:country-region> since about 2004, claimed his multivitamins treated AIDS, heart disease, cancer, diabetes, bird flu and numerous other illnesses. Rath ran numerous advertisements aimed at convincing HIV-positive people to take his high-dose multivitamins rather than ARVs, available free-of-charge through the public health system, which he claimed were "toxic". <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Kenya - In 2008, the government warned HIV-positive people in the country's eastern <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placetype w:st="on">Coast</st1:placetype> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Province</st1:placetype></st1:place> to reject herbal "cures" peddled by fake herbalists who claimed their concoctions contained unique ingredients that could boost the immune system and even cure HIV. <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">An estimated 80 percent of Kenyans use traditional healers either exclusively or in conjunction with western medicine; the government is drafting regulations to stop fraudulent herbalists from practising. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Gambia - In 2007, President Yahya Jammeh was roundly denounced by AIDS activists when he said he had found a cure for HIV/AIDS and began treating citizens. Shortly after his announcement, Jammeh expelled the most senior UN official in the country for questioning his "cure". <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The programme is still running, but more Gambians are choosing ARVs over Jammeh's treatment. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Ethiopia - In 2007, thousands of HIV-positive patients flocked to Entoto, an ancient mountain north of the capital, <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Addis   Ababa</st1:place></st1:city>, seeking a "holy water" cure for AIDS after local priests said they could cure HIV. <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The Archbishop of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, Abune Paulos, later advised patients to continue with their ARVs even as they sought healing at Entoto.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 8.0pt;">Ubhejane - the traditional medicine which was said to help<o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 8.0pt;">HIV-positive people boost their immune system<o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 8.0pt;">Photo: <a href="http://www.plusnews.org/"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Kanya Ndaki/PlusNews</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> <b><i>S ão Tome and Principe - In 2007, questions were raised about Dorviro-Sida, or "Put AIDS to sleep" in Portuguese, an anti-AIDS herbal remedy produced by Amancio Valentim, president of the Association of Traditional Medicine of São Tome and Principe. Valentim claimed three tablespoons of the brownish syrup, taken every day before meals, could reduce the viral load and make patients feel better; he said four patients who had taken the drug for four years had tested negative for HIV. <o:p></o:p></i></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">AIDS activists were concerned the drug could make HIV-positive people complacent about taking their ARVs, and the health ministry said it did not support Valentim's treatment. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><st1:country-region w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">South Africa</span></st1:country-region><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> - In 2006, a clinic in <st1:country-region w:st="on">South Africa</st1:country-region>'s east coast city of <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Durban</st1:place></st1:city> began to sell "ubhejane" - a herbal mixture believed to treat HIV/AIDS. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The controversial traditional medicine received vast media coverage, mainly due to the backing it received from influential political figures such as the former health minister, Dr Manto Tshabalala-Msimang, and provincial health officials. Ubhejane, a dark brown liquid sold in old plastic milk bottles, had not undergone any clinical trials to test its efficacy. All that the tests confirmed was that it was not toxic. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">But HIV-positive patients were far more willing to accept the traditional medicine as an effective remedy, flocking to the clinic to buy a full course of the herbal remedy that retailed at R374 ($40). <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Uganda - In 2006, the Ugandan government banned the use of a popular anti-AIDS herb remedy known as "Khomeini", after tests found it provided no cure. Iranian Sheikh Allagholi Elahi claimed the drug - which contained olive oil and honey and cost $1,650 per dose - could cure HIV/AIDS and TB in three weeks. <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Studies by experts in <st1:country-region w:st="on">Uganda</st1:country-region> and <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Kenya</st1:country-region></st1:place> found that while patients had gained weight due to the nutritional content of the drug, it was incapable of curing HIV. ---</span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">IRIN<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

AFRICA: Snake Oil Salesmen And Dodgy HIV "Cures"

Ubhejane - the traditional medicine which was said to help HIV-positive people boost their immune system Photo: Kanya Ndaki/PlusNews N...