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Ever feel an ethical dilemma when covering a story involving your own ethnic group? Do you hear whispers in the newsroom even if you think you've been fair and balanced? And how do you respond to community leaders who may accuse you of "betraying your brothers and sisters" if you write a critical story?

The South Asian Journalists Association and Asian American Journalists Association are hosting an evening to discuss how reporters deal with these issues.

The meeting is held on Monday, May 24, 6:30 to 8:30 pm at Newseum/NY, 580 Madison Avenue, between 56th and 57th Streets.

AAJA member Victor Merina will lead the discussion on Covering Your Own Race and Ethnicity, featuring a distinguished panel of reporters.

Among those scheduled are:

* Victor Merina, Media Studies Center Fellow and former investigative reporter for the Los Angeles Times, whose research project explores the media's coverage of racial and ethnic communities.

* Peter Noel, Contributing Writer, Village Voice, has written about the black community in New York including reporting on the alleged police brutality cases involving two immigrants one of whom was killed unarmed in a shower of over three dozen bullets, the Million Youth march in Harlem and politics and culture in the African American community.

* Somini Sengupta, metro reporter, The New York Times, has written about immigrant communities including South Asians and Asian Americans, as well as other racial and ethnic communities in New York and Los Angeles.

* Elizabeth Llorente, staff writer, The Record, is a former winner of the Polk Award who has covered immigrant communities including Cuban Americans in Miami and has investigated the federal immigration detention center in Elizabeth, NJ.

Write to Pradnya Joshi or contact: (212) 854-5979; saja@columbia.edu or visit www. saja.org

The Press in Pakistan: Freedom Under Fire

A panel of senior journalists and South Asia-watchers will discuss on Tuesday, May 25, the current threats to the Pakistan press, including the disappearance of Najam Sethi, the distinguished editor of The Friday Times. The venue is Asia Society, 725 Park Avenue @70th Street in Manhattan.

The discussion will be moderated by Professor Philip Oldenberg, associate director, Columbia University Southern Asian Institute.

The panelists:

Zafaryab Ahmed, former editorial writer at various newpapers in Pakistan (most recently, an Oak fellow at Colby College, Maine, and an applicant for US political asylum) .

Kavita Menon, Asia program coordinator, Committee to Protect Journalists.

Anis Mirza, retired newspaper columnist.

M B Naqvi, freelance columnist visiting the US.

Opening remarks by Nicholas Platt, president of the Asia Society and former US ambassador to Pakistan.

Samosas, wine and soft drinks will be served. No charge.

RSVP: 212-327-9386. policy@asiasoc.org

General info: 212-854-5979; saja@columbia.edu

Seminar on Children's Rights

The Bay Area Action Center of Child Relief and You is holding its first annual seminar on Children's Rights and Child Development on May 22 at the Jordan Hall on the Stanford University campus.

CRY, a nonprofit organization, is dedicated to underprivileged children. This seminar is a forum to raise awareness about issues including children's rights, child labor, child abuse, child literacy and children in refugee camps.

Contact Jeydev, (650) 506-4917; visit http://www.us.cry.org/

Bhagwati To Speak On India At the Turn of Millennium

Professor Jagdish Bhagwati, Arthur Lehman Professor of Economics and Professor of Political Science, Columbia University, New York, who also served as Economic Policy Advisor to the Director General, GATT (1991 to 1993) will speak on India at the Turn of Millennium, June 4 at the Bombay Palace Restaurant.

The talk is sponsored by the India-America Chamber of Commerce, New York and the Global Organization of People of Indian Origin.

The event will start with cocktails at 6.30 pm, dinner at 8 pm and the talk at 8.45 pm.

GOPIO has been providing a common platform for people of Indian origin since its inception in 1989. GOPIO membership is open to all people of Indian origin. For more information of GOPIO or become a member, please contact the persons listed above or write to: GOPIO, P.O. Box 1413, Stamford, CT 06904, USA. Fax: 203/322-2233, E-Mail: gopio@t-three.com

Bombay Palace is situated at Rockefeller Plaza, 30 West 52 St, New York City (tel: 212/541-7777).

Contribution: $ 40/person, $ 35/person for sponsoring organization members, $ 20 for students with ID (includes dinner and cocktails).

For reservation and information, call: Dr Thomas Abraham 203/329-8010; Dr Jagat Motwani 516/421-2699; Dr Sushila Gidwani 914/693-4219; Dr Asha Samant 973/994-9770.

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