Quote:Soros' donation is meant to help Human Rights Watch volunteers around the world entice other donors to give enough additional money to boost the organization's budget from $48 million a year to $80 million within five years. The organization envisions hiring about 120 more staffers -- primarily researchers and advocates -- and [size="6"]setting up new offices to encourage such emerging powers as India and Brazil to make human rights a keystone of their foreign policies.[/size]



But the money also is meant to make its donor base as international as its outlook. Plans call for Human Rights Watch to draw at least half its income and most of its board members from outside the U.S. within five years. Now, about 70 percent of the money and 80 percent of the board members are U.S.-based.

Quote:AGENCIES, Nov 21, 2010, 10.09pm IST NEW DELHI: Terming the Persian Gulf region India's "natural partner", foreign secretary [url="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/search?q=Nirupama%20Rao"]Nirupama Rao[/url] Sunday reiterated that [url="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/India"]India[/url] supports Iran's right to the peaceful use of nuclear energy and will join hands with the international community to counter problems of piracy in the Indian Ocean.



"India's stand on the [url="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Iran"]Iran[/url] nuclear issue has been consistent. We support the right of all states, including Iran, to peaceful uses of nuclear energy consistent with their international obligations," Rao said at the Indian Council of World Affairs (ICWA) conference on "India and [url="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/search?q=Gulf%20Cooperation%20Council"]Gulf Cooperation Council[/url] (GCC) countries, Iran and Iraq: Emerging Security Perspectives".



Nearly 100 delegates from India and the Gulf region are participating in the two-day conference, inaugurated Saturday by Vice President [url="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/search?q=Hamid%20Ansari"]Hamid Ansari[/url].



The GCC countries are [url="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Bahrain"]Bahrain[/url], [url="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Kuwait"]Kuwait[/url], [url="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Oman"]Oman[/url], [url="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Qatar"]Qatar[/url], [url="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Saudi-Arabia"]Saudi Arabia[/url] and the [url="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/United-Arab-Emirates"]United Arab Emirates[/url].



Rao said that the problem of piracy in the Indian Ocean "has dramatically illustrated potential threats that we all face", adding that India has expressed its readiness to play its part in combating this menace with the international community under the leadership of the UN.



Rao also stressed on the need for a stable and peaceful [url="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Afghanistan"]Afghanistan[/url] and Palestine.



"The restoration of stability in Afghanistan and assistance to the people and government of Afghanistan as they build a peaceful, democratic, pluralistic and prosperous society is in the common interest of all our countries."



She said that the issue of [url="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Palestine"]Palestine[/url] is of abiding concern to both the regions and that the situation "requires to be resolved at the earliest... We continue to extend our full support to the Palestinians in realising their aspirations for a sovereign, independent, viable and united state living side by side, and at peace with the state of [url="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Israel"]Israel[/url]".



Rao reiterated India's desire to an enhanced partnership with the GCC countries and Iran and [url="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Iraq"]Iraq[/url].



"This is not only a strategic and economic imperative but would also represent a natural progression from our historical and civilisational ties which have few, if any, parallels in the world," she said.

Quote:An Italian news publication has just announced that Gamal Mubarak, Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak's son who is widely tipped as his successor, has fled to London with his family, Arabic website Akhbar al-Arab said on Tuesday, January 24, 2011.



Gamal Mubarak is seen as Hosni Mubarak's successor. The report is unconfirmed, but goes on to say that the family and 97 pieces of luggage on board left for London on Tuesday from an airport in western Cairo.



The day has seen a revolutionary uprising of Egyptians against the regime of Hosni Mubarak asking for his resignation. Police and protesters clashed, and an anti-riot police officer was killed in Central Cairo.

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