Lowyat.NET: Latest topics by rivost

Muslim world urged to sever ties with Australia

rivost — Sun, 08 Jun 2014 07:47:32 +0800

Back in the 1970s, Israel was diplomatically isolated, today it is winning friends around. Earlier this year, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, considered the most unabashedly pro-Israeli leader of the Western world, declared in the Israeli parliament, the Knesset, that "Canada supports Israel because it is right to do so. Indeed, Israel is the only country in the Middle East... which has long anchored itself in the ideals of freedom, democracy and the rule of law. We refuse to single out Israel for criticism on the international stage." Harper praised Israel as "a light of freedom and democracy in what is otherwise a region of darkness" and pledged that the Jewish state "will always have Canada as a friend."

Australia says it refuses to recognize East Jerusalem as 'occupied' territory, on the day Palestinians mark the 'Nakba day'

Last month, Chen Yongjie, deputy general secretary of the China Center for International Economic Exchanges and a member of the ruling Chinese Communist Party, the Politburo, says, "Israel is the best place in the world for China to invest and acquire technology the country needs to solve its environmental and social problems. If China was reluctant to fully embrace Israel in the past for fear of angering Arab countries, things have changed. In recent years, we have conducted a much more positive political policy towards Israel."

The newly-elected Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, is touted as Israel's best friend in South Asia. Modi has expressed his desire to deepen and develop ties with Israel. As the leader of right-wing, pro-Hindu nationalist and chief of the conservative Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Modi has long courted political and trade links with the state of Israel when he was the Chief Minister of the western Indian province of Gujarat. Israel has poured billions of dollars of investment into Gujarat and BJP has praised Israel repeatedly as a bulwark against Islamic terrorism. "The entire world acknowledges that Israel has effectively and ruthlessly countered terror in the Middle East. Since India and Israel are both fighting a war against terrorism, therefore, we should learn a lesson or two from them," Hindu nationalist Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh said.

Canada announces that it now firmly stands with Israel

Now Australia is following the footsteps of elder brother Canada. The Abbott government in Canberra has announced that Australia will no longer describe East Jerusalem as "occupied territory", a move welcomed in Israel but slammed by the Palestinian Authority. "The description of East Jerusalem as 'Occupied East Jerusalem' is a term freighted with pejorative implications, which is neither appropriate nor useful. It should not and will not be the practice of the Australian government to describe areas of negotiations in such judgmental language," a statement from the Australian Senate reads.

Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman praised the Australian move, saying "it showed a serious approach to the issue, and indicated Canberra was not willing to try to please and pander to radical Islamist factors, which are scaring anyone who dares to tell the truth regarding the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians." Liberman said he hoped other countries would have the integrity and show the courage to follow Australia's lead. Other Israeli diplomatic officials applauded the move, saying "the sound of wisdom comes from Australia."

Australian PM Abbott and Canadian PM Harper

In May, the Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat wrote a letter to Australia criticizing its ambassador to Israel, David Sharma, for meeting Israeli Construction and Housing Minister Uri Ariel in his east Jerusalem office. Canberra simply ignored the letter. Australia's pro-Israel policy began to surface after the election victory of Tony Abbott's Liberal-National coalition last September, echoing Canada, who began to shift towards Israel after Stephen Harper was elected Prime Minister in 2006.

Last year, to show its solidarity for Israel, the Canadian government under Harper declared total embargo on Iran. The decision is celebrated in Israel. Iran-Canada feud continues, last month, Canadian Foreign Minister John Baird said, "Canada's strong support of Israel as a truly special nation derives from admiration for the way the Jewish people has overcome extraordinary hardships to achieve extraordinary things, creating an exemplary society that stands in stark contrast to other nations in the Middle East."

Israel is winning friends abroad

"Our support for Israel hasn't always won us popularity contests at the UN," said Baird. "But Canada will not apologize for the positions we take, because we stand for what is right." Baird declared that Canada's days of neutral foreign policy in Middle East are 'gone', and the country will now firmly stands behind Israel. Iran on its part, ridiculed Canada. Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Marziyeh Afkham, said, "The incumbent Canadian administration is known as a radical administration, whose positions lack political rationale and are worthless."

The Palestinian Authority threatens Australia that the Palestinians will turn to the Arab League and Muslim states to review their relations with Australia in light of this pattern. Senior Palestinian official Dr. Hanan Ashrawi described the move as disgraceful, "It is appalling that on the very day we mark the 47th anniversary of the Israeli occupation of the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem (Nakba), the Australian government makes such an irresponsible remark. Such a declaration not only blatantly violates international law and runs contrary to the international consensus but also undermines any chance of peace and poisons any attempt to abide by the law."

Australian PM Abbott and Israeli PM Netanyahu

Canberra brushed aside the Palestinian attacks, "The Australian government is irritated by how the Palestinians have chosen to pursue their disagreements with us in public," a senior Australian official said, "This is the kind of behavior you'd expect from the leaders of a student union but not from a government-in-waiting." The official continues, "The Palestinians handled this very badly. Such disagreements are usually handled in private," adding that the Palestinians behavior is as usual, trying to stroke Muslim sentiment against countries who disagreed with it.

Israeli Building and Construction Minister, Uri Ariel, thanked Abbott's and Australia's support for Israel, saying that Israel and Australia have a strong and courageous shared history that is over 100 years old, and that Israel has a warm place in the hearts of the Australian people. The Australian ambassador, in turn, said that Australia has a large Jewish community which has contributed greatly to the country. Jews account for only 0.3% of Australian population, but they made up 5 of the top 10 richest Australians.

Palestinians are fast losing support from China, India, Australia and Canada

The Palestinians are ramping up its threat against Australia. The PLO's chief says it will ask the Arab League and the OIC to downgrade their ties with Australia. "Palestine will request that the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Conference to review the relations of the Arab and Islamic world with Australia in light of Australia's unlawful recognition of the illegal settlement regime in occupied Palestine," Saeb Erekat told media agency Ma'an.

Growing discontent among Arab nations over Canada's pro-Israel stand is also prompting joint talks on retaliation, with some eyeing a campaign to strip Canada of a major UN agency, the ICAO. The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), which sets international rules for airplane transportation, has been headquartered in Montreal since 1947, but Qatar is now bidding to relocate it to the Middle East in 2016. Arab nations seemingly appear to back Qatar's bid in a combined effort to strike back at Canada for its stand on Palestinian issues.

Palestinian Authority threatens Australia, calls on Muslim world to teach it a lesson

SOS:

http://legalinsurrection.com/2014/06/pales...m-announcement/

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jun/...eli-settlements

http://www.sdjewishworld.com/2014/05/15/ba...s-israel-right/

http://www.jpost.com/International/Austral...occupied-355455

http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2014/05/14/jo..._n_5324833.html

http://o.canada.com/news/john-baird-slams-...-advocacy-forum

http://tehrantimes.com/politics/115749-ira...ical-rationale-

http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defe...remium-1.597332

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-06-06/fmr-...788?section=act

Brunei: God says citizens must fully obey Sultan

rivost — Fri, 06 Jun 2014 12:29:00 +0800

Under the newly-implemented Syariah Penal Code Order 2013, citizens of Brunei must obey the Sultan without question, as it is embedded in the Islamic code of conduct, and following the orders of a ruler or monarch is also part of the demands of Islamic Syariah, Dr Hj Japar Mat Dain @ Maidin, Istinbat Officer at the State Mufti's Department of the Prime Minister's Office, said during the Isra' Mi'raj 1435H celebration held for the Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA) and its subordinating departments yesterday.

Brunei: Citizens must fully obey the Sultan because it is 'divinely ordained'

Dr Hj Japar further explained that the Syariah Penal Code Order 2013 is a gratification of the law of Allah the Almighty. Obeying the ruler is therefore divinely ordained, meaning it is an instruction from Allah. He also advised citizens not to listen to what foreigners have to say. "Should there be doubts or confusion in understanding the Order, one needs to enquire with the relevant parties. Stay clear from accumulating outsiders' viewpoints that know little of our country's welfare."

The Sultan of Brunei, Hassanal Bolkiah, is the absolute monarch of Brunei. He is also the prime minister, minister of defence, minister of finance, head of Islam, head of customs, head of the supreme commander of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces, the inspector general of the Royal Brunei Police Force, and chancellor of all universities in Brunei. He has 3 wives (2 divorced) and 12 children, and also owns the world's largest and most expensive private car collections; 7,000 supercars collectively worth US$5 billion, or 25% of Brunei's GDP.

The Sultan is above all laws in Brunei

He stressed that the law which had been placed on the people since May 1 is a law of the highest Islamic discipline, which had been intended to maintain the general welfare of the community, saying it was wrong to regard hudud punishments as unfair or savage as these are the laws of Allah SWT and were meant to benefit the general public. "All the punishments are only going to be given to those who are definitely qualified to be punished through rigorous and careful investigation," the head istinbat said.

Under Brunei's constitution, the Sultan cannot be subjected to the Syariah law. On 9 March 2006, the Sultan amended the constitution to make himself infallible and above all Bruneian laws. That clause is still valid. The document reads, "His Majesty the Sultan can do no wrong in either his personal or any official capacity. No person shall publish or reproduce in Brunei or elsewhere any part of proceedings that may have the effect of lowering or adversely affecting directly or indirectly the position, dignity, standing, honour, eminence or sovereignty of His Majesty the Sultan."

SOS:

http://brudirect.com/0-national/national/n...vinely-ordained

http://bt.com.bn/news-national/2014/06/06/...riah-penal-code

The richest people in Thailand 2014

rivost — Thu, 05 Jun 2014 12:55:01 +0800

Forbes has released its "50 Richest Thai" list today. Months of political turmoil leading to a military coup have caused Thailand's economic engine to stall. Recession looms; after eking out 2.9% growth in 2013, the economy contracted 2.1% in the first quarter of 2014. The baht is down close to 5% since June 2013. Tourism, Thailand's mainstay, which has already seen the number of visitors decline 5% between January and April, seem set for a further lashing.

Agribusiness tycoon and former no.1 Dhanin Chearavanont spent a combined US$16 billion to buy stakes in Chinese insurer Ping An Insurance and cash-and-carry wholesaler Siam Makro, both at a hefty premium. Today that debt-fuelled shopping binge, for which his Charoen Pokphand Group reportedly borrowed $11 billion overseas, looks mistimed. Dhanin was left with dollar debt, at least partially unhedged, while the retail proceeds with which to repay grew more slowly than hoped. He dropped to no. 2. The new No. 1 is the Chirathivat family, owners of the Central Group, a retail and hotel conglomerate that saw group revenues rise 27% to a record $7 billion in 2013. But it now has to contend with a slowdown in consumer spending and empty hotel rooms.

The 10 richest person in Thailand 2014:

10. Thaksin Shinawatra & family
Net Worth: US$1.7 billion
Source: Investments
Company: SC Assets
Ethnicity: Han Chinese (Thailand)

The Shinawatra is a wealthy and powerful Thai Chinese family originated from Seng Sae Khu, a Chinese immigrant to Thailand who made a fortune through various businesses. In 1938, his son changed his surname to Shinawatra and the rest of the family followed suit. Thaksin Shinawatra is the great-grandson of Seng, who founded Advanced Info Service, Thailand's largest GSM mobile phone operator and later consolidated his business empire into Shin corp (now InTouch, one of Thailand's biggest conglomerate). He sold Shin corp to Singapore's Temasek in 2006, which caused great controversy in Thailand. Younger sister Yingluck recently shared his fate: ousted as prime minister in May.

9. Vichai Maleenont & family
Net Worth: US$1.7 billion
Source: Media
Company: BEC Entertainment
Ethnicity: Han Chinese (Thailand)

The Maleenot is a Thai Chinese business dynasty carrying the Chinese surname Xu. Their business, BEC, is an entertainment conglomerate in Thailand that organizes and promotes concerts, owns record labels and produces films and television shows. It also owns Bangkok Entertainment, operator of Thai TV Color Channel 3 and BEC-Tero Radio, which operates 4 radio channels. The company was formed in 1995 by the Maleenont family to combine all its interests in broadcasting and media.

8. Prasert Prasarttong-Osoth
Net Worth: US$2.3 billion
Source: Hospital, media, airlines
Company: Bangkok Dusit Medical, Bangkok Media and Broadcast, Bangkok Airlines
Ethnicity: Thai-Chinese

Dr. Prasert Prasarttong-Osoth founded Bangkok Dusit Medical Services, Thailand's largest private healthcare group with 31 hospitals at home plus two in Cambodia. He is building 9 new hospitals, 6 of which will open this year. Also owns media empire Bangkok Media and Broadcast Co., which launched a satellite TV channel, named PPTV after his initials. Another of his company is Bangkok Airlines, a 4-star airline with 23 destinations across Asia.

(Picture: Right)
7. Santi Bhirombhakdi
Net Worth: US$2.8 billion
Source: Beer, energy drink
Company: Singha Beer
Ethnicity: Thai

Santi Bhirombhakdi is unique in that he is among the few Thai billionaires who are not of Chinese ancestry (Dr. Prasert and Vanich Chaiyawan are part Chinese). The Bhirombhakdi family was awarded a royal warrant in 1939, and their Boon Rawd is the only brewery permitted to display the royal Garuda on the bottleneck. The company's Singha and Leo beers are the best-selling in Thailand, though they briefly faced an informal boycott in the north-east when Santi's niece Chitpas, who had supported anti-government protests, remarked that many Thais, especially in rural areas, did not understand democracy. Her father Chutinant quickly disowned the daughter, prompting her to change her surname.

6. Vanich Chaiyawan
Net Worth: US$3.9 billion
Source: Insurance, beverages
Company: Thai Life
Ethnicity: Thai-Chinese

Vanich Chaiyawan is a rag-to-rich story, he started off selling cigarettes in the streets at the age of 14 and later traded rice. Now heading Thai Life, the country's second-largest life insurer. With family, he still holds close to 60% stake in the insurance company. Also co-owns a small but valuable stake in Charoen Sirivadhanabhakdi's (no.3) Singapore-listed Thai Beverage (ThaiBev)

5. Krit Ratanarak
Net Worth: US$5.1 billion
Source: Media, banking, cement
Company: Bangkok Broadcasting & Television Company, Bank of Ayudhyaand, Siam City Cement
Ethnicity: Han Chinese (Thailand)

The Ratanarak family is a Chinese business dynasty in Thailand founded by Chuan Sae Lee, who came to Thailand from China with his family at the age of 6. From there he created the Ratanarak Group, which included Thailand's most successful terrestrial broadcaster (Bangkok Broadcasting & Television Company), a major retail banking and insurance group (Bank of Ayudhyaand), and the country's second largest cement producer (Siam City Cement). Krit is the son of Chuan. The family are known to be very private; Forbes call them a very secretive clan.

4. Chalerm Yoovidhya
Net Worth: US$9.9 billion
Source: Energy drink
Company: Red bull
Ethnicity: Han Chinese (Thailand)

Chalerm Yoovidhya is the oldest son of Chaleo Yoovidhya, co-founder of Red Bull who died in 2012. Chaleo was born in central Thailand, to a poor Chinese immigrant family who raised duck and grew fruit for a living. Later, he developed an energy-boosting beverage that was first introduced in 1976. Dietrich Mateschitz, an Austrian salesman for a German company, found the drink cured his jet lag, and entered into partnership with Chaleo in 1984. Yoovidhya and Mateschitz each held a 49% share of the new company. They gave the remaining 2% to Yoovidhya's son Chalerm, but it was agreed that Mateschitz would run the company. Red Bull later grows to become the world's largest energy drink maker, with 5.387 billion cans sold in 2013.

3. Charoen Sirivadhanabhakdi
Net Worth: US$11.3 billion
Source: Energy drink
Company: ThaiBev, F&N
Ethnicity: Han Chinese (Thailand)

Charoen Sirivadhanabhakdi is another rag-to-riches story. Born to a poor Chinese street vendor in Bangkok, he left school early, at the age of nine, to work. In 1991 Charoen teamed up with the Danish brewer Carlsberg to tap into Thailand's growing beer market, at the time dominated by the 60-year-old Singha beer. Within five years, his beer had captured 60% of the local market share. Having the market secured, Charoen then dumped Carlsberg, going on his own. His company, ThaiBev, who make the Chang beer, acquired Singapore's Fraser and Neave (F&N) in 2013, becoming Southeast Asia's biggest beverage company. He then listed ThaiBev on Singapore Stock Exchange.

2. Dhanin Chearavanont & family
Net Worth: US$11.5 billion
Source: Agribusiness
Company: Charoen Pokphand (CP) Group
Ethnicity: Han Chinese (Thailand)

The Chearavanont family is a powerful Chinese business dynasty in Thailand founded by 2 brothers; Chia Ek Chor, and uncle, Chia Seow Hui, who left China for Bangkok in the 1920s to begin selling seeds and agricultural chemicals. The company they established, Charoen Pokphand Group (CP), is now one of Asia's largest conglomerates consisting of three core businesses; agribusiness and food, retail and distribution, and telecom. Highly connected to China, Chearavanont's family ties with the mainland enabled CP to become the first foreign company to establish itself in the Shenzhen free trade zone, reaping all the benefits from China's opening. Ek Chor's Son Dhanin recently borrowed heavily (US$11 billion) to invest in China.

1. Chirathivat family
Net Worth: US$12.7 billion
Source: Department stores, shopping malls, real estate
Company: The Central Group
Ethnicity: Han Chinese (Thailand)

The Chirathivat family jumped to no.1 for the first time this year. They are a prominent Thai family of Chinese descent founded by Zheng Ni Tiang, who migrated to Thailand from China and settled in Bangkok in 1927. Tiang started a general merchandise store in 1947 in Samphanthawong district, Bangkok's Chinatown. In 1957, his son opened the first Central Department Store in Wangburapha, Phra Nakhon, Bangkok. The Central Group is today the largest developer and operator of shopping centres in Thailand and also its biggest retail conglomerate.

SOS:

http://www.forbes.com/thailand-billionaires/

http://www.forbes.com/thailand-billionaire...st/#tab:overall

Syrian President Assad won election - 88.7% votes

rivost — Thu, 05 Jun 2014 07:58:30 +0800

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has won a third term in office after securing 88.7% of votes in Tuesday's presidential election, the parliamentary speaker has announced. Syria's constitutional court put the vote turnout at 73.47%. 10,319,723 voted for Assad. Voting took place in government-controlled areas, but not in parts of the north and east held by rebels. Tens of thousands of people have died in three years of civil war in Syria, with millions more displaced. President Assad's key challengers, Hassan al-Nouri and Maher Hajjar, received 4.3% and 3.2% of the vote respectively.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad won election

Syrian opposition in rebel-held areas have dismissed the election as a farce, arguing that it has no credibility in the midst of a civil war. But celebratory gunfire erupted in the Syrian capital Damascus after the results. The win is likely to boost Mr Assad's supporters, with the government side recently made significant military gains and rebel groups fighting among themselves. On the streets of the capital, men cheered and whistled. Some broke into the familiar pro-Assad chant: "With our souls, with our blood, we sacrifice for you, Bashar!"

The Syrian civil war, which activists say has killed more than 160,000 people, has left the international community deeply divided, with the US and its Arab allies backing the revolt against Assad, who enjoys the support of Russia and Iran. That division persisted in perceptions of Tuesday's vote. In Beirut, US secretary of state John Kerry sharply criticized the Syrian election, calling it "a great big zero." He said it can't be considered fair "because you can't have an election where millions of your people don't even have an ability to vote."

Celebration erupted in Damascus after Assad win

The European Union joined the US in condemning the election, saying in a statement that "it cannot be considered as a genuinely democratic vote." On the other hand, delegation of officials from more than 30 countries, including legislators and dignitaries from Iran, Russia and Venezuela, toured polling stations on Tuesday. In a final statement read Wednesday by Alaeddin Boroujerdi, the head of the Iranian parliament's committee on national security, the delegation blamed the US and its allies for "crimes committed against the Syrian people."

Indeed, Assad now appears stronger than he did two years ago. Backed by Russia, Iran and volunteer militias from Lebanon and Iraq, his forces have ejected rebels from significant chunks of territory in the heart of Syria over the past year. "This election sends a signal to Syrians that the regime is here to stay, that there will be no change soon," said Ibrahim Hamidi, a Syrian journalist with the London-based al-Hayat newspaper. "Many Syrians have already started to adapt to this new reality."

Extremists have infected Syria's rebel forces

Ahmed, 25, was among a swarm of Syrian refugees who crossed the border from Lebanon to cast ballots in the town of Jdeidat Yabous. He said he was voting for Assad not because he supports him but because he hopes the election will stabilize Syria enough for him to go home. "I am with the opposition," he said, refusing to give his full name because he fears for his safety. "But the regime is better than many of the rebel factions who are fighting each other."

For some Syrians who supported the uprising but have since lost hope, deciding whether to vote or not was tough. "There is a clash inside my head between what I believe and what I should do to secure myself," said Sarah, 29, a Damascus resident contacted by telephone who still had not made up her mind. She said her friends had urged her to vote in case soldiers at checkpoints start checking identity papers against voting records. "Why vote when the final result will be the same?" she asked. In the end, she decided not to vote.

Assad: I will continue to be the president because people want me

Delegation member Alexey Alexandrov, a Russian senator, told reporters in Damascus that the elections assured "Assad's legitimacy and mean he cannot be removed in a military operation. I am sure that the elections that happened in Syria were done according to all the principles of democracy and international law," said Alexandrov, whose country, along with China, has four times vetoed U.N. Security Council sanctions on Damascus.

SOS:

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-27706471

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jun/...ndslide-victory

http://news.nationalpost.com/2014/06/04/ba...ht-to-oust-him/

http://bostonherald.com/news_opinion/inter...te_in_landslide

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle...0499_story.html

Hong Kong: grave now more expensive than house

rivost — Thu, 05 Jun 2014 05:01:15 +0800

It now costs more to house the dead than the living in Hong Kong

Hong Kong, a city where earning under HK$11,550 (US$1,490) a month would be consider below the poverty line, has one of the world's most expensive real estate prices. According to ECA International, it is now the 9th consecutive years Hong Kong holds the crown for the world's most unaffordable residential rent; it costs double to rent a residential property in Hong Kong than in Singapore; 55% higher than Tokyo; 45% more than London, and around 20% more expensive than New York.

Hong Kong: expensive for the living, expensive for the dead

For businesses, based on data from property consultancy CBRE, commercial rent in Hong Kong is also the highest in the world. Average annual retail rent in Hong Kong was US$4,333 per square feet - this compares to US$3,300 in New York, and US$1,356 in London. For office rent, Hong Kong was the world's most expensive until late 2013, when London overtook it. Office space in London now cost US$259 per square feet per month versus runner-up Hong Kong US$234. New York is not in the top 10 on this.

Buying a spot to park your car in Hong Kong? It costs an average HK$400,000 (US$51,600). Want a home? The Knight Frank Wealth Report reveals that Hong Kong is the world's second most expensive to live only after the tiny principality of Monaco, which itself is a playground for the riches. US$1 million could only buy 15 sqm of living space (strategic areas) in Monaco, 20.6 sqm in Hong Kong, 25.2 sqm in London, and 40.2 sqm in New York. A standard 3-bedroom apartment sized around 110 sqm.

Hong Kong car parking space: average US$51,000 each

The 2014 Demographia International Housing Affordability Survey branded Hong Kong housing market as the world's most unaffordable; average home price was 14.9 times gross annual median household income, compared to the 5.1 times in Singapore, its Asian rival. Household savings rate was 27% and 44% respectively. In other word, one has to work for 55 years in Hong Kong before he or she can buy a home, while for Singapore it is 11.5 years. But things are about to get nastier.

Land shortages in late 1970s forced Hong Kong to ban construction of new permanent burial sites, and public cemeteries were ordered to ensure the remains of the deceased be exhumed and cremated after six years to make way for newcomers. So far the policy has done little to alleviate the grave shortage in a city with more than 40,000 new deaths every year. There is no more lands for the deceased, and even Hong Kong's 40 billionaires will struggle to buy a final resting place on their home turf.

Want a burial site in Hong Kong? US$386,900

Some can get lucky if relatives choose to have the remains of a loved one removed from a public burial site to be cremated, thereby opening the prized permanent space to a lottery system, but plots may only come available every few years. The only other way is if the deceased buying from a temple or church that has private graveyards with a plot available, a very rare instance that can cost up to HK$3 million (US$386,900).

"In Hong Kong, people cannot buy a final resting place even if they have all the money in the world," said Hoi Pong Kwok, funeral director at Heung Fok Undertaker. "The government doesn't just have to settle housing needs for the living. It also needs to address those of the dead." The dead also cannot rest in place if they are buried in non-permanent land. Failure to vacate a plot after six years means the bodies will be exhumed by the government, cremated and put in a communal grave.

Can't wait 5 years? Pay US$129,000 for an A4 paper size plot in crematorium

The funeral policy has resulted in a surge in the number of people being cremated - 90% of the city's dead were cremated in 2013, up from 38% in 1975 - but cremation is by no means the answer for those seeking a resting place. Securing a niche in a public columbarium can take up to five years and there are officially more than 21,800 deceased on the waiting list for a space, which costs more than HK$3,000.

Funeral service providers say there are a further 100,000 jars of remains stored in funeral homes or at funeral companies across the city, some of which are also waiting for plots. Those who can't stand the wait must pay as much as HK$1 million (US$129,000) for a space about the size of a sheet of A4 paper in a privately owned crematorium.

Territory has enormous unused lands, residents blame government for coddling with property tycoons and refusing to release new lands

At Lung Shan Temple in Fanling district, a private plot measuring 0.04 square metres with "the most auspicious position" costs HK$1.8 million. By contrast, a luxury home in Hong Kong costs roughly HK$151,389 per square meter, that means it's more expensive to house the dead than the living. "Permanent burial sites are not available any more. We don't even have enough space for the living," said Barry Law, sales manager at Fortune Wealth Memorial Park Ltd.

"Some will go to mainland China," said Betsy Ma, sales and marketing director at Sage International. Ma added that prices for permanent burial sites in southern China's Guangdong province - just across the border from Hong Kong - had jumped at least 10 times over the past decade to about 200,000 yuan (US$32,000). For a permanent burial plot in Macau - just an hour by ferry from the former British colony - a plot can fetch at least HK$1 million (US$129,000).

SOS:

http://www.voanews.com/content/reuters-gra...g-/1928959.html

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/r...ow/36039381.cms

http://www.straitstimes.com/news/asia/east...living-20140604

Zimbabwean blames president for his high sex drive

rivost — Wed, 04 Jun 2014 09:14:44 +0800

A politician from Zimbabwe's opposition party MDC-T, Job Sikhala, has accused President Robert Mugabe of making him very fertile, leading to the reproduction of 9 children with his wife in 10-year after a 2003 State torture ordeal which targeted his reproductive organs. Sikhala, 42, and the other four, were arrested in January 2003 for allegedly "training a Red Army" to topple President Mugabe.

Zimbabwe politician: it is because of the president I have 9 children in 10 years

While in custody, they went through torture ordeals which allegedly involved applying electric shock on their private parts. At the time, Sikhala only had one child. The former St Marys MP says that torture process has rendered some of his colleagues infertile, so he had to quickly churn out offspring as he fears he might soon lose his fertility, as did happen with fellow torture victims.

"I am a family man and now I have 10 children. And you know it was forced by (President) Mugabe's torture. After l was tortured, l went to South Africa and Denmark for treatment and some of my colleagues who were tortured with me are not even able to produce children by now on the basis of that torture. So l said 'no, Mugabe will not kill my fertily'. By the time l was tortured, l only had one kid in 2003 and you can see that in 10 years, l have to raise more kids before Mugabe kills me (fertility)."

Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe

Sikhala continued: "I am telling you l was afraid because my colleagues are still suffering today; they have tried almost everything for them to be able to produce children... they were electrocuted, they cut the reproductive organs which they also did to me but fortunately l was young at that time. l was able to quickly respond to medication in Denmark and l was able to produce kids; so l realised 'I must do it now'. I must finish it so that when Mugabe comes with his war of attrition, l would have left sons and daughters who would continue with the struggle which l started."

While the firebrand politician would not find friends among family planning campaigners, he is sure to find one in Registrar General Tobaiwa Mudede who last week urged Zimbabweans to ditch condoms and multiply. The top population census official says Zimbabweans should stop using contraceptives religiously, adding that the contraceptives are a ploy by powerful nations to retard population growth in Africa and thereby weaken the nation.

Zimbabwe's Registrar General: must dump condom, more population a country will be more powerful

"When I looked at other countries that are smaller in size than us but with bigger populations. I am pained," Medede said. "Why do you want these foreign products (contraceptives)? It pains me a lot. Where are you going to get soldiers should there be an aggression? We want police officers, workers, nurses. If you are to ask young people today how many children they have you would hear them responding proudly, just two. It is not acceptable."

"You want to be a superpower, you must have big population," he said. He said Nigeria had a population of more than 130 million and its economy was booming while countries like Zimbabwe, which are preoccupied with contraceptives, have subdued economies. Zimbabwe has a nearly 15% rate of HIV/AIDS, but known cases have been on the decline in recent years - which many have attributed to shifting attitudes towards condom use.

SOS:

http://www.bulawayo24.com/index-id-news-sc...-byo-48402.html

http://allafrica.com/stories/201406020258.html

http://www.zimeye.org/stop-using-condoms-s...tobaiwa-mudede/

https://news.vice.com/article/zimbabwe-offi...s-more-soldiers

http://www.bulawayo24.com/index-id-news-sc...-byo-48445.html

The world at war: how the map looks like

rivost — Tue, 03 Jun 2014 20:24:22 +0800

Using data from Wikipedia and Global Security, I created a map depiciting the current conflict spots across the world. How the map looks?

SOS:

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/war/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_ongoing_conflicts

Students can now work for US$1,200/mth part time

rivost — Tue, 03 Jun 2014 13:04:16 +0800

The Seattle City Council unanimously passed an ordinance Monday that increases the minimum wage in the city to $15 per hour, which would make it the highest in the nation, to the rallying cry of fast-food workers and union organizers nationwide, who claimed it was a "historic victory" for the widening movement to lift low paid workers out of poverty. But the new law will also be closely watched for its economic impact on local franchises of fast food corporations, such as McDonald's and Subway, some of the largest employers of low paid workers in the city.

City of Seattle voted $15-an-hour minimum wage, highest in US

The issue has dominated politics in the municipality for months, and a boisterous crowd of mostly labor activists packed the Council chambers for the vote. Mayor Ed Murray, who was elected last year, had promised in his campaign to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour. A newly-elected socialist City Council member had pushed the idea as well. "We did it. Workers did this," said Kshama Sawant, the only socialist City Council member "We need to continue to build an even more powerful movement."

"A hundred thousand low-wage workers in Seattle will be seeing their wages raised to $15 an hour over the next 10 years. That would imply a transfer of roughly $3 billion from the top to the lowest paid workers. Such a transfer has not happened in so many decades because mostly what's happened is the flow of wealth has been from the bottom up. This is really raising the confidence of working people around the country," she said.

City leans towards popular opinion, raise minimum wages

"Having a first city go to $15 is a big step," said Ken Jacobs, chairman of the UC Berkeley Center for Labor Research and Education. "It breaks open that discussion elsewhere. I think we're likely to see other cities follow suit... We're seeing a breakthrough to minimum wages at a level that weren't considered possible just a couple of years ago." San Francisco is discussing raising its minimum to $15, and Los Angeles is looking at $15 for hotel workers. San Diego is mulling a $13-an-hour wage and Oakland is considering $12.25. Seattle's current minimum is the state-mandated $9.32.

A University of Washington study commissioned by the council said the increase would benefit 100,000 people working in the city, reduce poverty by more than one quarter and save the government money by reducing the number of people claiming food stamps and other welfare payments. The pay of full-time workers on the existing minimum wage would increase by about $11,000 a year. Opposition claims that it will drive companies with slender profit margins out of business and force restaurants, which employ the largest number of minimum wage workers in the city, to lay off people.

Seattle's new law angered corporate bosses

The Seattle City Council's approval drew an immediate condemnation from the International Franchise Association, a trade group that represents businesses ranging from fast-food eateries to hotels to carpet cleaners. The association said it would challenge the law on the grounds that it discriminates against hundreds of small franchisees by subjecting them to the faster adoption of the wage increase, treating them like they are big businesses. "Just because you're a franchisee using a common brand doesn't mean that you're part of one giant business," said the trade group's General Counsel Dennis Wieczorek. "You're an independent owner."

In a report to Mayor Ed Murray's minimum wage advisory committee, it argued that, "New research on the effect of minimum wage increases documents important reductions in family poverty rates and enrollments in public assistance programs, such as food stamps. Economists have increasingly recognized that raising the minimum wage does not automatically mean that employment will fall."

City's workers celebrate $15-an-hour wage floor

High-tech, fast-growing Seattle, population 634,535, is home to Amazon.com, Zillow and Starbucks. It also has more than 100,000 workers whose incomes are insufficient to support their families, according to city figures. Around a quarter of the city's residents earn $15 per hour or less, and around 14% of the population lives below the poverty level. Monday's action seeks to reverse that grim reality. "To those who have said that the sky will fall if we pass this legislation, let me assure you that the sun will rise tomorrow," Councilman Nick Licata said, responding to opponents' concerns. "It will rise seeing people having a better chance to feed their families."

Matthew Hollek, owner of a Subway sandwich store, told a council hearing he owns a single outlet and should not be treated the same as a corporation. "I'm not McDonald's. I'm not a wealthy franchiser. I'm not Subway. I pay them for the use of the name. That's it," he said. Jerrod Sessler, the CEO of Seattle-based franchising company, HomeTask, accused the council of putting businesses "in front of a firing squad". Lawyers for the owners of several fast-food outlets say they will sue the city.

Part-time student-workers can now earn up to around $1,200 a month

Seattle has a robust technology and internet industry. 53.8% of the population hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and 91.9% have at least a high school diploma or equivalent. The United States Census Bureau survey showed that Seattle had the highest percentage of college and university graduates of any major U.S. city. The city was also listed as the most literate of the country's 69 largest cities. Education in Seattle is an important part of many Seattleites' lives, and with the new law, students, foreign and local (whom by law may work no more than 20 hours per week while school is in session), can earn up to an approximately $1,200 every month.

SOS:

http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-seattl...0602-story.html

http://online.wsj.com/articles/seattle-cit...wage-1401753432

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jun/...ge-hike-workers

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/06/02/s..._n_5434471.html

Extremists call for Sharia on Australia

rivost — Tue, 03 Jun 2014 11:48:47 +0800

Australia is concerned that its second-generation Muslim immigrant population are succumbing to radicalization. The head of the New South Wales Counter Terrorism Squad, Assistant Commissioner Peter Dein, has issued a rare rebuke to senior members of the Sunni Muslim community, saying they have not done enough to discourage young Muslim men from joining the Syrian jihad. "The Muslim community has failed to grasp the serious threat posed by young men traveling to the battlefields of Syria and has become passive in the face of a growing problem," Dein said.

Australian police calls on Muslim community leaders to do more to stop extremism

"The Muslim community is being very passive about the problem," Dein told The Australian. "They're not openly discouraging fellow community members from traveling. There are some that do, but some community spokespeople who are well respected are not necessarily taking an active role in trying to convince the community not to travel and get involved." More than 150 Australians are now believed to be actively involved in the conflict in Syria. Almost all are fighting with one of the two rebel jihadist groups: Jabhat al Nusra or the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. Both are banned terror groups.

Authorities worry that when the conflict ends, Australia will face a wave of trained, battle-hardened extremists, some of whom could attempt to strike at targets in the country. Dein said the Muslim community reassured him that Syrian jihadists were interested only in toppling the regime of Bashir al-Assad. "Now the community is saying to us, that it isn't going to be a problem, they are basically saying, well, those that are interested in going over there are only interested in acting on overseas soil and would never come back to the homeland with an intention to do any harm. I hope that is the case. But I just don't know."

Protests in Australian streets calling for the country to become an Islamic state with Sharia applied

Australians are increasingly worried that parts of their country may be in danger of being turned into Muslim-only ghettos run by Lebanese immigrants - who are cannon fodder for hardline Muslim preachers. They are part of what Australian police called the "generation jihad". The Australian parliament, in a recent federal parliamentary inquiry into multiculturalism, was swamped by concerns about the rising influence of Islamists in Australia and fears that organizations such as Hizb ut-Tahrir and conservative imams were "promoting the radicalization of second-generation Muslim youth and voluntary social exclusion".

Australians protest against Sharia

"This was thought to support the formation of Muslim-only enclaves in Australia, leading to long-term problems such as unemployment," the parliamentary report said. Some liberal Muslims women groups are complaining about the rise of alarming conservatism that was even demanding gender segregation at weddings "within parts of the Lebanese community in Sydney". So far there is no serious risk of terrorism, but radicals have threatened to "slit the throat" of an Australian police officer and kill soldiers on Australian soil.

And it is not only directed against non-Muslims. The Syrian conflict has spilled over into violence in the Australian city of Bankstown where a gang of Sunni Muslim men have been accused of extorting businesses owned by Shia men in retaliation for the Shia supporting Syrian president Bashar al-Assad. Moreover, Hizb ut-Tahrir's Australian leader recently called on the country to become an Islamic state ruled by Islamic law and for a boycott of Anzac Day. It even setup a website at www.hizb-australia.org, trying to recruit more Australian Muslims into its ranks.

Australia worries that jihad will spread to its soil soon

SOS:

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/...2-1226653324521

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-a...-1226935154168#

Using the same card for Singapore & Taiwan MRT

rivost — Tue, 03 Jun 2014 07:10:42 +0800

Singapore's EZ-Link and Taiwan's EasyCard have announced that they are in progress of developing a cross-border, dual-currency multifunction card to allow Singaporeans to pay for public transport or admission tickets to local attractions in Taiwan, and vice versa. This mean that Singaporeans will soon be able to use their contactless smartcard, commonly used for MRT and bus travel, to access public transport and retail options in Taiwan, and the same is true for Taiwanese travellers visiting the city-state.

The contactless smart card used in Singapore will be usable in Taiwan and vice-versa within a year

The card, named Cross Border Combi Card, will contain separate "purses" to store both Singapore and Taiwanese currencies, according to both companies. "You don't have to buy another card in Taiwan." said EZ-Link's CEO Nicholas Lee. "You can always use that same card you have been using in Singapore. You will have a peace of mind when you come back to Singapore, (because) that balance of money left in that foreign currency can be refunded back to you, or transferred back to your Singapore dollar purse."

Last year, the number of Singaporeans who visited Taiwan grew about 11% to 360,000, compared to 2012. In the same period, some 400,000 Taiwanese came to Singapore - 23% more than in 2012. "If people can travel around the city more easily, there will be more people coming to Taipei," said EasyCard's Chairman Chang Chai-Sheng, "it will encourage more people to visit Taipei, so that way, it will bring a lot of advantage to our economy." The new card will be launched within a year.

Linking up Singapore's EZ-Link and Taiwan's EasyCard, used for MRT/bus travel and over 10,000 retail outlets in both countries

EZ-Link says it's targeting more of such tie-ups with other East Asian countries, which share similarities with Singapore. It already has similar project with its Guangdong counterpart, and is in talks to roll out similar services with its peers in Japan, South Korea and China. Singapore's EZ-Link is currently the most widely used contactless smart card in Singapore; used in over 10,000 convenience stores, supermarkets and restaurants as well as for public transportation. Taiwan's EasyCard likewise, can be used for public transportation and at over 10,000 retail outlets throughout Taiwan.

SOS:

http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/premium/si...n-soon-20140603

http://www.straitstimes.com/news/singapore...-works-20140602

http://focustaiwan.tw/news/asoc/201406020025.aspx

http://www.todayonline.com/singapore/spore...tion-card-works

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singap...ss/1132598.html

7 people died in Cambodia because of US$0.75!

rivost — Tue, 03 Jun 2014 04:45:57 +0800

Seven people died from a lack of oxygen after climbing down a well in Cambodia to retrieve about 75 cents, police and relatives said Sunday. The incident happened late Saturday in a remote rural area of the northwestern province of Siem Reap when an 11-year-old boy and six other people went into the well to collect 3,000 riel (75 cents). The boy's older sister, Che Chhan, 30, said their father had accidentally dropped the money when drawing water from the well.

$0.75 dropped into a well in Cambodia, costs 7 lives

She said her 13-year-old sister and 15-year-old brother also died, as well as four of her neighbors. "My youngest brother thought the amount of money was huge for poor people like us," Che Chhan said by phone. Police officer Muy Norn said the victims died due to a lack of oxygen at the bottom of the 5-meter (16-foot) -deep well. "My 11-year-old brother knew that my father had lost 3,000 riel in the well and he wanted to get it back, without thinking it would be dangerous. And now so many people have died like this. I wanted to blame my father, because if he did not tell them about the money, they would not have died. But it's over now. They would not come back if I blamed my father… but the villagers blame my father and say he was careless."

The trouble started when a 50-year-old man by the name of Tuy Chin accidentally dropped 3,000 riel and his cigarette lighter down a well. 3,000 riel is worth 75 US cents. So he grabbed a ladder and placed it down the 5 meter deep (16 foot) well and descended into it hoping to retrieve his belongings. He was unable to locate them and eventually gave up his search and climbed back out.

Cambodia is one of the world's most poverty stricken nation

Mr. Chin made a critical mistake: he left the ladder in the well, and he shared his story with his children and moved on with his day not knowing they would descend the ladder in the hopes of finding his lost lighter and money. His 11-year-old son was the first one to try and find the belongings, but he did not account for the low-level oxygen in the well which killed him within seconds. His 13-year-old sister came to his rescue only to suffer the same fate. Thus began a death spiral which claimed the life of his 15-year-old daughter and four other well-intentioned neighbors who tried to help them. A fifth neighbor survived, but is in critical condition.

The oxygen typically breathed on the ground is at a concentration level of 21%. In the pit of the well, it dropped to between 4% and 6%. What many people do not realize is that at such a low concentration, a person can succumb to a coma within 40 seconds and if not pulled out immediately, they will cease all breathing activity shortly thereafter. Oxygen levels vary throughout the day with the morning having higher levels, which is what allowed the father to enter in and exit unharmed.

7 people died for 3 pieces of this

"When relatives and villagers saw the boy collapsed at the well's bottom, they subsequently got into the well to help him and they all also fainted and died in the well," Police Capt. Muy Norn told Koh Santepheap Daily. "In total, seven people including two women died in the well. We concluded that they all died of a lack of oxygen in the old and unused well." The Chin family had 13 children before the tragedy on Saturday night, which reduced to 10 now. They will destroy the well. The seven dead have been named as Che Oun, 11; Che Chea, 13; Chea Ratana, 15; Hay Chandy, 12; Hay Sangda, 22; Peat Poung, 35; and Toy Team, 27. "The family is poor, so poor that they don't have enough rice to eat," the daily reported the local village chief as saying.

While to people in the United States, risking one's life over an amount less than a dollar may seem insane, average household income in Cambodia is just $750 per year - and most rural families make well below the average - compared to about $51,000 in the United States. Cambodia is one of the world's poorest countries. According to the Ministry of Planning, around 22.9% of Cambodians live under the national poverty line of US$0.93 per capita per day. It was not until recently did the political situation in Cambodia settled down. Since then, its economy has been growing from strength to strength, driven by the expansion in the garment, construction, tourism and agricultural sector.

22.9% of Cambodians live below $0.93 everyday

However, a good proportion of Cambodians that are living in rural areas are not experiencing the boom especially in the plateau and mountainous region. More than 80% of the Cambodian population is rural and mainly employed in the agricultural sector. Many small-scale farmers practice agriculture at subsistence level, using traditional methods that are low in productivity. Two thirds of the country's 1.6 million rural households face seasonal food shortages each year. Rice alone accounts for as much as 30% of many family's household expenditures.

Rampant corruption amongst the political elites and government bureaucrats is another key factor that has been hindering improvements in poverty levels. China Internet Information Center, operated by the Chinese-government, once published that the 5% ethnic Chinese in Cambodia control around 92% of the country's economy. As discontent for Chinese investments and social inequality grow, this figure was quickly revised to 80%, then 70%.

A vast share of Cambodia's wealth is concentrated among its ethnic Chinese tycoons

The country's wealthiest man, Chinese-Cambodian tycoon Kith Meng, runs the Royal Group, Cambodia's biggest conglomerate which operates businesses in telecommunications, banking, insurance, information technology, infrastructure development, hotels and resorts, media, entertainment, agriculture, agro-industry, cement production, export and domestic-oriented manufacturing, property development, and is expanding into oil and gas, mining, tourism, retail, consumer marketing, fastfood and restaurants, healthcare, food and beverage, energy and power.

SOS:

http://www.nola.com/news/index.ssf/2014/06...ia_looking.html

http://globalnews.ca/news/1367037/7-people...rieve-75-cents/

http://www.ecanadanow.com/world/2014/06/02...cambodia-photo/

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/7-di...ticle-1.1813240

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/ca...-7-dead-3633778

http://time.com/2807487/7-die-in-cambodia-...-money-in-well/

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/as...5p-9472712.html

http://www.news.com.au/world/asia/seven-pe...8-1226940159375

http://www.ndtv.com/article/world/seven-di...-in-well-534276

http://www.worldbulletin.net/news/138001/7...trieve-75-cents

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingne...l-30235223.html

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/wor...l-30320486.html

http://www.independent.ie/world-news/7-die...l-30320484.html

http://www.inquisitr.com/1277538/cambodia-...pped-down-well/

http://www.iol.co.za/news/world/seven-die-...64#.U4zWPXaBdWY

Countries intelligent people like best to work in

rivost — Mon, 02 Jun 2014 17:59:14 +0800

The fifth Global Professionals on the Move Report, released by Hydrogen Group, a leading London-based global recruitment company, and compiled with the assistance of ESCP Europe, the world's oldest business school, found that the number of people willing to work abroad has more than doubled over the last five years. Based on the interviews with 2,444 professional individuals, spanning a wide range of industries from nearly 100 countries, more than a third (35%) of those surveyed say they would be willing to work outside their countries, compared to 16% five years ago. These are people who have a professional qualification over and above a standard degree (i.e. at least Master degree).

35% of professionals say they hope to move outside their countries

The United States is still perceived as the land of opportunity, particularly for oil and gas, finance and technology professionals. 74% of respondents who were working abroad in the US said working in that country has improved their career prospects and 63% experienced a positive impact of the move on their salaries. An impressive 98% of respondents said they would recommend the experience to others and 37% have either already applied for or are or considering permanent residency in the US. But while the US led the list of preferred countries, London beat New York as the top city for relocation.

Kit Malthouse, Deputy Mayor for Business and Enterprise said: "London is the commercial capital of the world and a magnet for top talent from all sectors who want to come here and contribute to our economic dynamism. We have the time zone, the language and the vibe that attracts a remarkable critical mass of talent. With a spectacular array of theatres and museums, together with a vast range of other cultural and sporting attractions it is no wonder that more executives are choosing to relocate to London than any other city in the world."

The most preferred countries and cities for professionals to work

Tim Smeaton, Hydrogen Group CEO, said: "The findings of this report, which track five years of global workforce patterns show that we now have a worldwide talent pool to draw candidates from. Geographic and cultural boundaries as an impediment to hiring have dropped away during the recession as candidates and companies alike have come to understand that they need to consider a global market. As we emerge from the recession, the war for global talent will only intensify and clients will need to think clearly about how they will attract the best talent."

SOS:

http://www.australiantimes.co.uk/move-to-a...-to-work-in.htm

http://www.todayonline.com/singapore/singa...k-abroad-survey

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/us-top-de...port-2014-05-27

http://www.marketwired.com/press-release/u...als-1914141.htm

http://www.hrreview.co.uk/hr-news/recruitm...rk-abroad/51791

http://www.kltv.com/story/25660855/number-...lobal-recession

China: Xinjiang companies must hire 25% minorities

rivost — Mon, 02 Jun 2014 11:53:54 +0800

- China: State-owned companies in Xinjiang must hire at least 25% minorities

- Special fund setup to cover company's productivity losses

China's Xinjiang province announced a new regulation on Saturday mandating that ethnic minorities must make up no less than 25% of the new hires at state-owned companies operating in the region, and that the central government would set up a special development fund to support the goal and to cover any corporate productivity losses, Xinhua reported. Chinese President Xi Jinping has pledged to alleviate poverty and improve ethnic unity in the region. Analysts said the economic disparities between the largely-Muslim Uighurs and Han Chinese is one of the main causes of violence and terrorism.

China: state-owned companies in Xinjiang must hire 25% minorities even if they are unqualified

Separately, the Xinjiang police has started offering cash rewards for weapons and information on caches of weapons. Each bullets surrendered will fetch five 5 yuan ($0.80) a piece, a kilogram (2.2 lbs) of dynamite will get 20 yuan, grenades and landmines are good for 100 yuan and people who give tips that prevent or break up an "explosives-related terrorist case" can be rewarded as much as 30,000 yuan, it added. Residents will be paid 500 yuan for each military rifle, 300 yuan for each non-military gun, and those who surrender long knives not use to prepare food or for personal use, and imitation guns, will be paid a reward based on their market value.

In order to ensure ethnic harmony and territorial integrity, China has in place a policy known as 'Youhui Zhengce', where ethnic minorities are exempted from the one-child policy, receive infrastructural subsidies such as personnel training, budgetary subventions, and given disproportionate public works investments. They can also obtain no-interest loans for their businesses. In addition, minority students applying to universities receive additional 20 merit points on the highly-competitive National Higher Education Entrance Examination, known as gaokao in China, allowing them to get easier entrance to universities.

Uighurs launch terrorist attacks on Han after they couldn't compete in trade and commerce

But the Uighurs, the single biggest ethnic group in Xinjiang, remain lagged behind and couldn't compete with their Han Chinese counterparts even with all the affirmative advantages. In a 2012 statistics, average incomes in mainly-Uighur areas was 3,896 yuan, while the average salary of Han-majority areas was at 12,106 yuan the same year. With their business acumen, the Han Chinese took up a lion share of Xinjiang's economy, leading to resentment from the Uighurs. These resentment, coupled with China's curbs on religion, led to outright terrorism.

Beijing will also give free education to secondary schools in heavily Uighur areas, in contrast to the rest of China, where education is free only until primary school. Xinjiang said at least one member of each Uighur household should be guaranteed employment. A sum of US$150 million will be spent to train Uighurs in traditional trades – handicraft, farming, traditional Uighur medicine and textile-making so they can be self-dependent. The central government is also earmarking 10 billion yuan, aiming at creating one million textile jobs in Xinjiang by 2020. Moreover, the administration will also start 292 projects to create up to 45,000 jobs in the mainly-Uighur part of Xinjiang.

China: no choice but to step in, prop up, and pave the economic destiny for these people

China is dominated by the Han Chinese. They make up over 91% of the population, and they have ruled the country - with a few interruptions - for centuries. The Han are generally richer, better educated and live longer than the 55 minority nationalities, which are a mixture of exotic hill tribes, conquered kingdoms and immigrants. For that reason, the government has sought to win their allegiance with a dizzying array of preferential policies. There is this traditional belief among Han leadership that all minorities are "backward, primitive barbarians" who need the help of their "Han older brothers" to be civilized, similar to the "white man's burden" in the 19th century. The inability of the Uighurs to develop and build up themselves simply reinforce such concept.

But that is what the government says. Many Han are actually resentful of the preferential treatment for "ungrateful" minorities. A Han-Chinese Ningxia government official, China's version of America's angry white man, complained of watching minorities with less experience and "less talent" leapfrog over him to better, more prestigious jobs because of their minority backgrounds. "Of course it is frustrating," said the official, who asked not to be named. "I can't move up even though I am very qualified. Sometimes the Hui who are promoted aren't qualified at all, but I have to listen to their orders."

Ethnic minorities too weak: China's "White man's burden"?

"Many people believe the privileges are bad because the minority students know they don't have to study so hard and they can simply get into the university with that additional 20 merit points awarded to minorities," said Liu Guo Qing, director of the Ningxia foreign-affairs office. "So they become lazy. The government is worried. They know these preferential policies don't work, but the party has no other option."

SOS:

http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/05/31/...N0EB04P20140531

http://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/152...ocal-minorities

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/sns-rt-...,0,530171.story

http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/05/30/...N0OG0YI20140530

Next Syria? Libya on brink of full civil war again

rivost — Mon, 02 Jun 2014 07:42:03 +0800

Libya seems to be heading towards a major civil war after a Benghazi-based renegade general vowed to fight the Islamist government in Tripoli. The situation in the country has deteriorated so much that the US suspended military training of the Libyan forces after a local militia stole a cache of American-provided weapons. According to a report from British newspaper, The Times, French, American and Algerian special forces are on their way to southern Libya to battle Islamic extremists. The US is moving a warship with 1,000 Marines on board towards the coast of Libya.

Rebel general wants to get rid of Islamists from Libya, has support of airforce

General Khalifa Hifter has rebelled against the central government. He has the backing of the airforce. On Sunday, a Libyan air force jet loyal to the general bombed Islamic militants in the eastern city of Benghazi, senior military official said. The airplane missed its target and instead hit a university building. In a separate raid, the airforce also bombed a former royal palace in the western section of Benghazi. General Hifter claims he has now control more than 75% of Benghazi, Libya's second-largest city. In 2011, Benghazi rose up against Gaddafi, leading to the Libyan Uprising that toppled the dictator who ruled for 42 years.

The general's revolt is perhaps the biggest challenge yet to Libya's weak central government and fledgling security forces since Gaddafi's ouster. He said his "Operation Dignity" is aimed at cleansing Islamic extremists from Libya, and also the Islamists political factions dominating the parliament, who are already weakened by constant street protests in Libya demanding its disbandment. In October 2011, Libya's transitional leader surprised the West by announcing that Islamic Sharia law will be the "basic source" of all laws in Libya, but they messed up the national economy and soon the country is again torn by rival militia groups.

Libya parliament wants Sharia, soldiers from renegade general stormed it

Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) urged Libyans to reject Hifter, labeling him an "enemy of Islam". "We call on you to unite to remove this symbol of treachery and apostasy," AQIM said in its statement posted on jihadist Internet forums Sunday. "Thanks to the support of the bloodthirsty [Egyptian President-elect Abdel-Fattah] Sisi, American complicity and funding from Gulf countries, the traitor Hifter has launched a war against Islam on the pretext of fighting terrorism," it said. "We warn our Libyan brothers that the criminal Hifter is carrying out a crusader plan against Sharia, and we especially urge the Libyan heroes of the revolution to strongly resist it."

"Our operation, God willing, will not take too much time. This is a purge to conclusively get rid of the Islamists from our country," the rebel general said. Asked whether he intends to completely purge the Islamist Brotherhood from Libyan territory, Hifter told media agency Asharq Al-Awsat: "Yes... completely. I am not looking for reconciliation. There is only one enemy, and that is the Muslim Brotherhood, the malignant disease which is seeking to spread throughout the bones of the Arab world."

Libyans now fight for whether country should be Sharia or secular

The US denied that it is supporting the general, but say it won't oppose him either. Current US ambassador to Libya, Deborah Jones, says a wave of assassinations carried by extremists, including a bomb attack on graduating military cadets, was what prompted the general to act. "That was the breaking point," Jones said in a May 21 talk at The Stimson Center, a Washington think tank. "Hifter's focus is very specifically on terrorist groups," Jones said, "It's not necessarily for me to condemn his action going against... groups that are frankly are on our lists of terrorists," she said.

The leader of Islamist militant group Ansar al-Sharia warned the United States against interference or face worse than the conflicts in Somalia, Iraq, or Afghanistan. Mohamed Zahawi, head of the Benghazi brigade of Ansar al-Sharia, accused the U.S. government of backing renegade general Hifter, who has begun a self-declared campaign to purge Libya of Islamist militants. "We remind America, if they intervene, of their defeats in Afghanistan, Iraq and Somalia, because they would face in Libya something much worse," he said in a statement. "It was America who urged Hifter to turn the country towards war and bloodshed."

Libyan Islamists want total war with the general and warn the US not to intervene

In Washington, the Pentagon urged American citizens to leave Libya immediately. As fighting escalated between Islamic extremists and rogue nationalist General Hifter and his forces, the move suggested that the United States was preparing for a possible evacuation of US personnel at the embassy in Tripoli or citizens living in Libya. The State Department warned Americans not to travel to Libya and said those already there should leave. "The security situation in Libya remains unpredictable and unstable," the State Department said in its advisory.

SOS:

http://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe...0530-story.html

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-27495894

http://tvnz.co.nz/world-news/jet-bombs-isl...enghazi-5988025

http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Middle-Ea...x#axzz33QgvS0Xr

http://af.reuters.com/article/worldNews/id...lBrandChannel=0

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2014/may/...nes-near-libya/

Brunei's new school subject: Sultan's syair?

rivost — Sun, 01 Jun 2014 10:04:40 +0800

Brunei's Ministry of Education (MoE) is considering the possibility of adding syair (Malay poetry) written by the former Sultan Al-Marhum Sultan Hj Omar Ali Saifuddien into the national school curriculum. All students are to learn and memorize the syairs authored by the late Sultan. This idea was proposed by the Brunei Darussalam Association of Writers (ASTERAWANI) during the first seminar on literature held recently and is now taken into consideration by the Ministry. The last Sultan of Brunei wrote several syairs or poems.

Syair written by the former Sultan is to be incorporated into Brunei's national curriculum?

In an interview with The Brunei Times, Hj Md Firdaus Orang Kaya Kaya Hj Noordin, secretary two of ASTERAWANI and senior lecturer at Universiti Brunei Darussalam, said the Ministry has agreed to assess the recommendation. "The MoE is in the process of researching and discussing the likelihood of including Malay literature texts to general examinations such as O and A level examinations," he said. "Therefore, Malay literature officers and writers are planning to add syair to the educational syllabus subject in primary and secondary schools."

Hj Md Firdaus said this would expose young students to the content in the syair "which is full of wisdom and thoughts on advice, Islamic teachings and statehood". He explained that Islamic literature is the foundation of a civilization that teaches the norms and values of society. "Literature aims to teach people the acceptable behavior on how to live according to the teachings of Islam," he added.

Syair will pull up the academic average of Brunei students, badly bruised by Maths, Science, English but excel in Bahasa Melayu and Melayu Islam Beraja

In the most recent primary school assessment exams, more than 57% of Bruneian students at Brunei-Muara Zone III, which comprised of some of the most developed areas in Brunei, fail mathematics. Meanwhile, the passing rate for science is only 62% while English 67%. On the other hand, students have done well for both Bahasa Melayu and Melayu Islam Beraja subjects, with a pass rate of 87% and 88% respectively. The addition of syair will certainly improve the overall average student's academic performance.

To illustrate the significance of literature, Hj Md Firdaus cited history when the United Kingdom was willing to surrender India. "Literature plays an important role in the development of a civilized nation," he said. "Because of the emphasis on literature, the UK was willing to surrender their colonies," he added.

8% schooling time of North Korean students is devoted to study Kim Il Sung

Some totalitarian states require their citizens to learn and study the publications produced by their leaders. During the Cultural Revolution in China, for instance, the "Quotations from Chairman Mao Tse-tung" or "The Little Red Book" was a studying material not only required in schools but also a standard practice in the workplace as well. After Mao's death, the next leader, Deng Xiaoping, modernized China and phased out the materials. Today, the Little Red Book is mostly a piece of nostalgia, no longer being used except by Mao's admirers.

In North Korea, the educational system revolved around the juche, an ideology founded by Kim Il-Sung, the grandfather of current Supreme Leader Kim Jong-Un. According to South Korean scholar Park Youngsoon, North Korean students devoted more than 8% of their schooling time to something called "Great Kim Il Sung". Deceased Great Leader Kim Il-sung was the author of many works, such as the 100-volume Complete Collection of Kim Il Sung's Works.

Mao's Red Book and Gaddafi's Green Book were once compulsory subject in China and Libya

In Gaddafi-era Libya, Libyan leader Moammar Gaddafi decreed that his political philosophy of how society should be governed, compiled into 'The Green Book', was to be required reading for all Libyans." Libyan children spent two hours a week studying the book as part of their school curriculum. After the fall of Gaddafi, copies of the book were burned by anti-Gaddafi demonstrators.

SOS:

http://bt.com.bn/news-national/2014/06/01/...hool-curriculum

http://bt.com.bn/news-national/2014/05/20/...ls-failed-maths

Saudi bans women working 11pm to 9am

rivost — Sun, 01 Jun 2014 07:20:13 +0800

The Saudi Labor Ministry has banned women from working between 11 PM and 9 AM, Arabian Business News reported. The decision was made to "ensure that women don't begin work too early and don't work after streets become empty", because 'immoral acts' may happen if they do so, the newspaper added. With this laws, women who want to rush their works over the night or go to the office earlier are committing a crime.

Saudi bans women from working 11pm to 9am

It is not clear whether the rule applied to both Saudis and expats but is likely to only apply on local women, who face far stricter working regulations and whom are also banned from driving. Last year, Saudi Arabia announced that it will allow women to enter football stadiums for the first time. The country is building separate male and female stadium sections so that female spectators and journalists can attend soccer matches. Saudi Arabia also recently announced that it would allow girl's physical education (PE) lesson in private schools as long as they do so in line with Islamic law.

The world's top oil exporter has maintained an official ban on sports classes for girls in public schools because religious conservatives believe sports may cause girls to lose virginity. Sheikh Abdullah al-Maneea, a member of the official Supreme Council of Religious Scholars, the highest religious authority in Saudi Arabia, issued the verdict saying, "Football and basketball are sports that require a lot of movement and jumping, and such excessive movement may harm girls who are still virgins, possibly causing them to lose their virginity."

PE lessons not available for Saudi girls in public schools because clerics say sports may cause them to lose virginity

Saudi Arabia is ruled by strict Sharia, or Islamic law, but under King Abdullah, Saudi Arabia has gradually opened up working opportunities for females, targeting specific roles such as assistants in women's shops. However, such shops have been forced to install partitions for male and female workers.

King Abdullah has taken some steps towards social reform, and restrict the ability of clerics to pass fatwas. The Al Saud ruling family have always retained a close alliance with clerics of the strict Wahhabi school of Islam, which controls the judiciary and parts of the education system in Saudi Arabia. Wahhabis endorse a political philosophy that demands obedience to the ruler and have issued fatwas banning anti-government protests, but they have themselves opposed many of King Abdullah's social reforms.

SOS:

http://www.arabianbusiness.com/saudi-arabi...ght-552136.html

http://rapsinews.com/legislation_news/2014.../271440608.html

http://health.yahoo.net/news/s/nm/saudi-au...or-girls-agency

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2014/04/09/u...EA380SZ20140409

US sex & drugs industry bigger than Saudi GDP

rivost — Sun, 01 Jun 2014 06:35:28 +0800

China has created a US$740 billion counterfeiting industry that fakes almost everything across the world. It is enormous, but guess what? American sex & drugs industry are even bigger. The US gross domestic product (GDP) in 2013 totaled US$16.8 trillion dollars, but how much more could it have been if the country counted income from drug sales and prostitution?

The UK and Italy will include drugs and prostitution into GDP figure this year

This is interesting, because in 2014 the United Kingdom and Italy will begin adding income from prostitution and illegal drug sales to its GDP as the country gets in line with new reporting rules from the European Union. The UK's Office of National Statistics announced that paying for drugs and sex adds about £10 billion (or US$16.7 billion) a year to the economy. Overall, illegal activities are still a small part of the UK economy - a mere 0.7%, according to government estimates.

The reason for the change is to harmonize economic reporting across the European Union. Prostitution and some drugs are legal in the Netherlands, and the Dutch count those activities in official government statistics. Since prostitution and many narcotics are still illegal in the United Kingdom, the government is using a combination of police seizures and other data to estimate how much money these activities are adding to the economy. Governments often use surveys to gather this information, but drug dealers are unlikely to answer those.

Both the Chinese counterfeiting and American sex & drug industries are bigger than the entire Saudi GDP

Italy made a similar announcement last week that it would begin measuring narcotics and sex work in its GDP, generating "mafia economy" jokes as the news reached social media. But the Brits and Italians aren't the only ones who measure illegal business activity in their countries. Estonia, Austria, Slovenia, Finland, Sweden and Norway do as well. UK GDP in 2013 totaled about US$2.54 trillion. An illegal addition total of about US$16.7 billion means that "enhanced" GDP would have been US$2.56 trillion.

That got us to wonder how much larger US GDP would be if drug sales and prostitution were counted. Well you see, most research in the US related to drugs and prostitution focuses on the costs to society of these sins. And there are plenty of costs. Nearly 21% of the American prison population is doing time for drug offenses at an annual total cost of around US$8.2 billion. US health care costs are about US$11 billion higher every year due to drug use, and when crime-related costs and lost productivity are added in, the costs total US$193 billion.

We would soon know how big the global sex and drug industry is

Prostitution, often called the world's oldest profession, is equally entitled to be called the world's most dangerous profession. The mortality rate for active prostitutes has been calculated at 229 per 100,000 person-years, 77% higher than the mortality rate among fishermen, officially cited as the most dangerous profession in the United States. How these costs would be lowered were prostitution and drugs legalized is a discussion for another time. What we want to look at now is how much income the two activities would contribute to US GDP.

The Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) prepared a report in 2012 that contained estimates of both the quantity of four classes of drugs and the price paid for those drugs for the years 2001 through 2006. The drug classes are marijuana, cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine. According to the ONDCP report, 15.6 million total marijuana users in the United States spent US$33.7 billion on 4,285.1 metric tons (2,200 lbs.) of marijuana.

Prostitution is the world's oldest profession

Cocaine users totaled 2.78 million chronic users, and they spent US$37.8 billion to purchase 389.6 metric tons of cocaine. There were 1.33 million chronic methamphetamine users, who spent US$17.9 billion on 157.3 metric tons of meth. Finally, 841,000 chronic heroin users spent US$11 billion on 27.6 metric tons of the drug. The US National Drug Intelligence Center estimated that the total cost of prescription drug abuse in the US totaled US$72.5 billion. Overall, according to a report in the International Business Times, an analysis of recent surveys and research studies places the size of the illegal US drug market at staggering US$750 billion per year.

The analysis was done by ConvergE Group, a global brokerage based in New York. On the other hand, estimates on the economic impact of prostitution are harder to find. A study published in March of this year estimated that the "underground commercial sex economy" in seven US cities totaled US$975.3 million. The total population of those cities was about 5.3 million, out of a total US population of 320 million. A back-of-the-envelope calculation puts per capita spending on prostitution at approximately US$184 in the seven cities and a grand total of nearly US$55 billion extrapolated to the entire US population.

Mafia accounts for 11% of Italy's economy

So there you have it, US$805 billion for illegal drugs and prostitution - that is bigger than the entire economy of Saudi Arabia, at US$718 billion in 2013. This represents about 4.8% of total US GDP. In the UK it is only 0.7%. China's counterfeiting industry accounts for roughly 8% of its GDP. Italy is worst, it is the home to several huge organized-crime organizations, and according to a 2012 estimate by Italy's central bank, the country's criminal economy is worth about €170 billion (US$230 billion), around 11% of its GDP. If that estimate is accurate, Italy will report a big jump in GDP this year.

So how big is U$805 billion? It is more than the US$512 billion in GDP supplied by the US agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting industries in 2013. It is more than 30% larger than the US mining industry. It is 7 times the amount of amusements, gambling and recreation industries in the US. Sex and drugs are really big business.

SOS:

http://money.cnn.com/2014/05/29/news/econo...ostitution-gdp/

http://247wallst.com/economy/2014/05/30/u-...itution-to-gdp/

http://www.ibtimes.com/uk-include-17-billi...timates-1592614

http://www.moneyobserver.com/news/30-05-20...uk-gdp-rankings

http://www.ktvn.com/story/25649174/uk-to-c...n-measuring-gdp

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business...es-9424457.html

http://qz.com/212962/drugs-prostitution-an...et-much-bigger/

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business...es-9424457.html

http://www.euronews.com/2014/05/30/illegal...ng-british-gdp/

https://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/sex-and-d...-160233969.html

China: Why Uighurs are so unprogressive?

rivost — Sat, 31 May 2014 07:47:30 +0800

- China to give Uighurs more affirmative benefits

- Leaders express frustration the ethnic group can't develop themselves

- Weakest people in all China?

Among the 56 ethnic groups in China, the Uighurs are perhaps the most problematic. By contrast, the Manchus are quite well-integrated, the Zhuang get along with their own lives, the Miao prefer to live with their own people rather than those of other ethnicities, but they also leave others in peace, the Tibetans want independence, but not to the extent of violence and terrorism. According to China's National Population Census, the Han Chinese account for 91.59% of the overall Chinese population and the other 55 make up the remaining 8.41%. The Uighur is the fifth largest ethnic group.

China to give Uighurs extra affirmative benefits to help prop them up

In order to ensure ethnic harmony and territorial integrity, the Chinese government introduced a series of policies that grant affirmative benefits to ethnic minority groups. Known as the 'Youhui Zhengce', under such system, no taxes in minority regions are required to be sent to the central government; all of it can be spent for the benefits of local minorities. Whereby Han Chinese areas must pay taxes to the central government in Beijing. Minorities are also exempted from the one-child policy, receive infrastructural subsidies such as personnel training, budgetary subventions, and given disproportionate public works investments.

The Chinese government offers no-interest loans to businesses operated by minorities. Minority students applying to universities receive additional 20 merit points on the highly-competitive National Higher Education Entrance Examination, known as gaokao in China, allowing them to get easier entrance to universities. The competition in China's gaokao is very fierce. Many students push themselves to the limit, by studying 13 hours a day for the exams. This is because in China every year, over 9 million students compete for fewer than 7 million university places, and 1 merit point difference may mean acceptance or rejection by the universities.

China continues its crackdown against extremism on Xinjiang

Many Han Chinese loath such affirmative policies, claiming "unfair competition" in favor of minorities. But the government is firmly on its position, citing many countries such as Finland, Australia, New Zealand, India, Canada and the United States likewise have affirmative action catering to their minorities. Only few nations in the world practice reverse affirmative action, providing benefits to the majority in expense of the minorities, they are Zimbabwe, South Africa, Brunei and Malaysia.

In Brazil, some Brazilian universities have created systems of preferred admissions (quotas) for racial minorities (blacks and native Brazilians). In Canada, the Canadian Employment Equity Act requires employers in federally-regulated industries to give preferential treatment to aboriginal people and visible minorities. In the US, some colleges have quotas for under-represented racial group and typically those with lower living conditions, i.e. Blacks and Hispanics. In New Zealand, minority Māori or other Polynesian descent are often afforded improved access to university courses, or have scholarships earmarked specifically for them.

A Han-Chinese majority area in Xinjiang

The issue of Uighurs in China is that even with affirmative acts, they remain lagged behind their Han Chinese counterparts in trade and commerce. Uighurs formed the single biggest ethnic group in Xinjiang at 43%, compared to 41% that of Han Chinese, but they couldn't effectively compete with the Han. The Han Chinese took up a lion share of Xinjiang's economy, leading to resentment from the Uighurs. These resentment, coupled with China's curbs on religion, led to outright terrorism.

Analysts say preferential treatments towards the minorities have adverse effects. Peter Thiel, co-founder of Paypal, described affirmative action in the US "heightened racial sensitivity", which then became "a source of acrimony and tension instead of healing." This is similar in China, for instance, what would a Han parent think when he or she has to send their only child (family planning policy does not apply to minority groups) to rat races such as the Math Olympics and months of midnight oil just for the benefit of a meager increase of grade in the college entrance exam, when a minority child is automatically entitled to such increase?

An Uyghur-majority area in Xinjiang

The result is hiring discrimination. In eyes of many Chinese, recipients of affirmative benefits are weak and retrogressive, and thus Chinese businesses avoid hiring minorities like Uighurs. The Chinese expect the Uighurs to build up on their own, such as the Jews, the overseas Chinese and the overseas Indians in foreign countries. But this is proven wrong. Unemployed Uighurs instead turned to religious radicalization, leading to a string of recent terrorist attacks across China.

Perception is important in China's hiring process. According to Isaac Stone Fish, editor of foreignpolicy.com, White Jewish is valued in China because a Chinese company will employ a foreigner part-time to sit near the front of an office or to join in on meetings because it apparently adds a level of sophistication and professionality to the company. Fish sums up the ideal candidate in China as "a tall, white, male, Jewish, Harvard-educated fluent Mandarin speaker." Ethnic group like Uighurs are considered unproductive and are shunned upon.

Best and most ideal hiring candidate in China: Tall, white, Jewish, Harvard, Mandarin-speaking

China's president Xi Jinping today promised to raise incomes and education spending in the country's restive Muslim north-west in an effort to defuse rising ethnic tensions, while calling for tougher security, following an attack in the region's capital Urumqi that killed 43 people. Xi called for "copper walls and iron barriers" as well as "nets spread from the earth to the sky" to stop religious extremists with ties to overseas Islamist terror groups. He also highlight the broader economic issues in Xinjiang.

13 years ago, GDP per capita of Xinjiang was CNY$7,372 - it has risen by 404% to CNY$33,909 now, making it richer than Thailand. But because the Uighurs cannot compete with the Han in commerce, little economic benefits trickle down to them. Xi promised that the government would focus on employment, education and poverty alleviation. He also pledged more education spending and vowed to enrol more children in school. "We must emphasize absorbing local labour and encourage Xinjiang people to work in the region," he said, in a reference to Uighur workers.

The Uighurs have difficulties competing with the Chinese in trade and commerce

"Employment must be made a priority. Authorities need to help people find employment in the cities as well as find jobs and set up their own businesses near their homes," the official English-language China Daily quoted Xi as saying. China has a policy of offering no-interest loan for minority-owned businesses. Premier Li Keqiang promised to promote bilingual education to increase employment opportunities for Uighurs, who are economically poorer than the Han Chinese.

But Xi also defended Beijing's policies in the region, including those on religion. Official restrictions such as a prohibition on taking children to mosques have angered Muslims. "Our party's strategy on the governance of Xinjiang is proven to be correct and must be continued," the president was quoted as saying. "Focus on fostering a team of patriotic clergy and boosting the general quality of people in the religious circle so as to ensure that the leadership of religious organizations is firmly in the hands of people who love the country as well as religion," Xi added. A recent survey from China's Global Times found that 90% of Chinese citizens supported tougher anti-terror legislation and want an end to religious extremism.

China to give free secondary education to Uighurs areas - rest of China free only until primary

Communist party leaders said they will give free education to secondary schools in heavily Uighur southern Xinjiang, in contrast to the rest of China, where education is free only until junior school. Beijing said at least one member of each Uighur household should be guaranteed employment. A sum of US$150 million will be spent to train Uighurs in traditional trades – handicraft, farming, traditional Uygur medicine and textile-making so they can be self-dependent. The central government was also earmarking 10 billion yuan, aiming at creating one million textile jobs in Xinjiang by 2020.

The bigger issue is that the Chinese have advance too far over the Uighurs and something must be done to artificially prop up the latter. The Communist Party is trying to reduce the gap between Uyghur and Han incomes. In a 2012 Xinjiang statistics, average incomes in mainly-Uighur areas was 3896 yuan, while the average salary of Han-majority areas was at 12106 yuan the same year. That would be quite a lot of works to level up.

SOS:

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2014/05/30/u...N0EA0M320140530

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/may/...xinjiang-uighur

http://blogs.blouinnews.com/blouinbeatpoli...ow-money-at-it/

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http://www.arabnews.com/news/579586

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/31/world/as...ive-region.html

http://english.cntv.cn/2014/05/30/ARTI1401407749222505.shtml

http://www.wantchinatimes.com/news-subclas...000138&cid=1103

http://abcnews.go.com/Travel/china-paid-to...ory?id=23928550

France has become a center of terror in Europe

rivost — Fri, 30 May 2014 08:44:54 +0800

Few days ago, Europe was stunned by the victory of France's far-right National Front party in the European parliament election, who subsequently emerged as the country's biggest political party. Astonishment filled the air across Europe on why the French went to such extent to vote for an ultra nationalist, anti-immigration party. The reason might be partly explained in today's EUROPOL report. The European police force announced that France has become the terror capital of Europe, with 63 of the 152 EU-wide terrorist attacks in 2013 taking place in the country. There were 225 arrests in France for terror related offenses, and concern has spiked over radicalization of EU citizens coming back from Syria.

EUROPOL: France is now the terror capital of Europe

"A total of 152 terrorist attacks occurred in five EU Member States last year. The majority took place in France (63), Spain (33) and the UK (35). The good news however, is that after an increase in 2012, the number of terrorist attacks in 2013 fell below the number recorded in 2011 due to increased security," read the EUROPOL report published on Wednesday. "The threat from terrorism in Europe remains strong, manifesting itself in various forms and driven by diverse motives," Rob Wainwright, Director of Europol said in a statement released alongside the report.

"Be it right or left-wing extremism, separatism or religiously-motivated acts, we need to step up our work to respond to the threat of radicalization. Radicalization leading to violent terrorism is a gradual process and does not happen overnight. In times when populist movements and xenophobic winds are sweeping across Europe, it is more important than ever to keep this in mind." says Commissioner Cecilia Malmström. The majority of the arrests in France were for religious-inspired terrorism.

The far-right won election because the French people could no longer take it

France is facing a renewed threat of terrorism after a jihadist group repeated its call for attacks on French soil as well as the assassination of President François Hollande in revenge for that European nation's recent interventions in Africa. The al-Minbar Jihadi Media Network, a militant Islamist group with ties to Al-Qaeda, says it wants Muslims to stage attacks in France and on French interests elsewhere in support of Muslims in Central African Republic and Mali. "Supporting them is an easy matter for every honest and loyal person, because the embassies of France fill the lands of the Muslims, not to mention the lions of our Ummah who live in the West," it said. Thanks to decades of immigration, France now has the largest Muslim population in the European Union.

To the ire of the French, these immigrants have very high unemployment rates, and the government has to provide them with handouts, eating into France's already deep budget deficit. In some of the neighborhoods, the youth unemployment rate is above 45%. The southern French city of Marseille for instance, who has an estimated 30 to 40% Muslim population, has been ranked as the most dangerous city in Europe, France24 reported. Some neighborhoods in this city have slipped away from police control and fallen under the command of gangsters who earn millions importing and selling North African hashish and settle turf disputes on streets with AK-47 assault rifles.

Immigrants have created 'no-go zones' across France off limit to non-Muslims

The French Muslims are primarily of Algerian, Moroccan Arab descent and other Black Africans. Some districts inhabited by them are so heavily infested with crimes that the French government has recently announced a plan to boost policing in 15 of the most crime-ridden parts of France in an effort to reassert state control over the country's so-called "no-go" zones: Muslim-dominated neighborhoods that are largely off limits to non-Muslims. The French Interior Ministry has designated these areas as Priority Security Zones (zones de sécurité prioritaires, or ZSP), which include heavily Muslim parts of Paris, Marseilles, Strasbourg, Lille and Amiens.

Matters got so bad that last year, nearly six out of 10 French voters would back the idea of sending in the army into Marseille to deal with escalating crime and violence in the Mediterranean port city, according to French language version of the Huffington Post. Only 25% of respondents opposed deploying the army. The idea of deploying troops in Marseille was first floated in 2012 by one of the city's politicians, but dismissed by government ministers.

Marseille becomes the poorest city in France, and ranked as Europe's most dangerous

Marseille, France's second biggest city, is now the poorest in the country. 26% in Marseille as a whole live under poverty. Proportionally, Marseille (with a population over 800,000), now has almost as many drug-related murders as New York (population over 8,000,000). Relation between Muslims and non-Muslims continue to worsen that in March this year, members of extreme right-wing group Génération Identitaire (GI) launched an "anti-scum security tour" in the subway system of the northern French town of Lille, where their members took matters into their own hands and patrol the trains running on the Transpole network, with the goal of imposing a "deterrent presence against thugs who attack and steal with impunity."

Sociologist Farhad Khosrokhavar says about half of the 67,674 prison population in France are Muslim, rising to 70% in some urban areas. This disproportionate ratio of young, disadvantaged Muslims is added to a toxic mix of overcrowding, overtaxed guards and a lack of mainstream Muslim chaplains to discourage radicalization. Villepinte prison guard Blaise Gangbazo described the problem, "You're seeking hope when you arrive in prison, however, some of them are spreading the doctrine to kill the infidels in prison."

The French people hope for a modern day Charlemagne in France

The build up anger of the French people led to the victory of far-right National Front Party last week. And now come the unimaginable, will Le Pen be the French President in 2017? "The way things are now, when Marine Le Pen speaks, people listen to her," said Jean-Daniel Levy of pollster Harris Interactive. "Election after election, she just goes from strength to strength."

Ethnic and religious tension has revived memories of many in France about Charlemagne. Charlemagne, the King of Franks from 768 to 814, defeated the Arabs in the 732 Battle of Tours, in what modern military historian Victor Davis Hanson said is the decisive battle that prevent the entire Europe from becoming Muslim. In 759, he drove the Arabs completely out from France. By 795, Charlemagne created the Marca Hispanica, a buffer zone between France and Muslim Spain to defend the Frankish Kingdom from Islamic invasions of the Moors. He dreamed of driving the Arabs out from Spain, but never fully succeeded in this goal. It was only 700 years later in 1492, the Emirate of Granada would fall, ending the Arab control over Spain.

Anarchy risk: In response to rising crime and immigrants behavior, France's far-right extremists took matter into their own hands, formed vigilante group to patrol the streets

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Saudi cleric: Chatting online is haram

rivost — Fri, 30 May 2014 01:40:42 +0800

A prominent cleric in Saudi Arabia has declared that online conversations between men and women are religiously forbidden, warning that they may lead to sin. According to Saudi daily al-Eqitisadiya, a member of the Saudi Committee of Senior Scholars, Sheikh Abdullah al-Mutlaq, said that chatting online through social networks falls under the forbidden "khulwa" or "khalwat" (a religious term describing a situation where a man and a woman are alone in a private area). The Council of Senior Scholars is the highest religious body in Saudi Arabia, and advises the king on religious matters.

Prominent Saudi cleric: chatting online may lead to online khalwat

Sheikh al-Mutlaq, speaking on a local Saudi radio show, warned that "the devil would be present when women talk to men online" and urged women not to chat to males, even if the purpose of the discussion is to obtain guidance and advice. Saudi social media users took to the Internet to express mixed reactions regarding his statement. Whilst some users praised the cleric and said that he was right, most other users ridiculed him and his views by saying things such as "why don't they (religious clerics) just ban women all together?" Meanwhile, others wondered if online messaging could cause accidental pregnancy.

A large number of fatwas (or religious edits) have been issued in the Middle East recently. For instance, in Egypt, a recent fatwa was issued allowing husbands to run for their lives if they fear that they might be killed defending their wives. Another Egyptian fatwa says a husband can divorce his wife by means of a text message or a telephone call. In Saudi Arabia there is a fatwa prohibiting Muslims from traveling to Western countries. Last year, one fatwa says it is against Islam to travel to Dubai, but the cleric was forced to retract it later.

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