Prince Ranariddh (L) and PM Hun Sen (R).Phnom Penh - Mr. Chea Chanboribo, spokesman for Prince Ranariddh, on 18th December has written a letter rejecting reports published in the
Read more!
Prince Ranariddh (L) and PM Hun Sen (R).Phnom Penh - Mr. Chea Chanboribo, spokesman for Prince Ranariddh, on 18th December has written a letter rejecting reports published in the
Read more!
Seng Sopheak: Victim of bird flu infection
Seng Sopheak, infected by H5N1, rests at Calmet hospital in Phnom Penh December 13, 2008. The 19-year-old Cambodian who ate dead poultry has been confirmed with H5N1 bird flu, the country's first human case in more than 18 months, the World Health Organization (WHO) and government said on Friday. REUTERS/Stringer Read more!
Slowly, but surely: the path to Uncle Ho's Indochinese
Slowly, but surely: the path to Uncle Ho's Indochinese Federation under Vietnamese control
Vietnam boosts legislative ties with Laos and Cambodia
13/12/2008
VNA (Hanoi)
VietNamNet Bridge - Vietnam will continue its legislative cooperation with Laos and Cambodia, including exchange of experiences and mutual assistance in policy making and encouraging people to support commitments made by the countries.
The idea was shared by Vice Chairwoman of the Vietnamese National Assembly Tong Thi Phong with her guests, Deputy Prime Minister and MP of Cambodia Men Sam An, and Vice Chairman of the Lao NA’s Committee for Cultural and Social Affairs Pholsena Phonethep, during their meetings in Hanoi on Dec. 13.
The two foreign officials are leading delegations to attend the Asian Forum of Parliamentarians on Population and Development (AFPPD) which is held in Hanoi from Dec. 13-14.
Phong and her guests exchanged views on social affairs of common concern, such as gender equality, childcare and protection.
She appreciated the Cambodian and Lao delegations to the AFPPD and the role of Cambodian and Lao MPs in boosting the traditional relationship and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam , Laos and Cambodia .
The guests expressed thanks to the Vietnamese NA, Government and people for their wholehearted assistance to the national construction and development of both Laos and Cambodia.
Read more!
Vietnamese Farmers Said Knocking Down Svay Rieng-Tay Ninh
Vietnamese Farmers Said Knocking Down Svay Rieng-Tay Ninh Border Markers
08 Dec 08
Koh Santepheap
Translated from Khmer by Anonymous
After agreeing to plant the border posts between the two countries in Prasat commune, Chantrea district, Svay Rieng province, border defense officials have expressed their desire for a solution to the Vietnamese people's practice of growing rice inside Cambodian territory. Concerning this case, Phea Sam-at, chief of Prasat commune's Border Defense Police [BDP] station, said that the Vietnamese used to grow rice in the border village of Kandal, Prasat commune, Chantrea district. However, on 6 November the border commission headed by Khum Ponban, himself (Phea Sam-at), Oeun Sophal, deputy chief of Prasat commune's BDP station, Kev Chhean, chief of Prasat commune, and several border defense officials cooperated with the Vietnamese side headed by Thuong Minh Duc, chief of the Vietnamese border defense station, the head of Phuoc Chi commune, and several Phuoc Chi militia members in inspecting the borderline. After that, the two sides agreed on demarcating the border and planting border posts No. 178 and 179 adjacent to the Vietnamese border commune of Phuoc Chi in Tan Bien district, Tay Ninh province.
After the official planting of the border posts, the Vietnamese people who used to grow rice on Cambodian soil before tried to plow and till the land again. The Cambodian officials reminded them that both sides had announced that the people should respect the borderline marked by the border posts, and at that time the Vietnamese people who used to grow rice on that land did not raise any objection.
Phea Sam-at further said that when it was time for the dry-season rice cultivation, the Vietnamese side represented by the head of the border defense station who was in frequent contact with him requested that the Vietnamese farmers be allowed to farm the above-mentioned land like before (in relation to the border posts, this land is about 400 meters inside Cambodia), but he himself, as well as all other border defense officials, did not dare to permit the Vietnamese to grow rice there again, preferring to wait for an advice from the higher authorities. Later, on 20 November Oeun Sophal, deputy chief of Prasat commune's BDP station, informed Sin Veasna, deputy commander of Prasat commune's Border Defense Police Battalion [BDPB] 609, of the Vietnamese people's request for permission to resume growing rice near border posts No. 178 and 179. However, Sin Veasna declined to give them the permission, asking them to wait for a decision from higher up. He also informed the Vietnamese side that the higher authorities had yet to give them any permission to resume farming in Cambodian territory. But the Vietnamese then claimed that they had already contacted Men Kengli, commander of BDPB 609, who gave them green light to temporarily grow rice in that area. This permission was given when Thuong Minh Duc, head of the Vietnamese defense station, participated in a meeting in Prasat commune, Chantrea district, and asked Men Kengli to allow the Vietnamese people to temporarily grow rice there. For this reason, on 1 December several Vietnamese started plowing the land with great fanfare and in that process they knocked down some border posts and caused other to lean abnormally. The BDP then made a report on this incident.
Phea Sam-at further disclosed that when he went to inspect border posts No. 178 and 179 and a number of smaller 4x4 posts, these posts were seen lying on the ground while border post No 178 was found leaning askance. Witnessing that, Phea Sam-at went to see the chief of Phuoc Chi commune, Thuong Minh Duc, asking the Vietnamese side to summon the Vietnamese who plowed the rice field for a settlement. The Vietnamese side then summoned the owner of the tractor that ran over the border posts; but the tractor owner claimed that he was only hired to plow the land. He said he was told by the owner of the rice field to plow over the border markers; so, he just did what he was told to do. Although the border posts were bulldozed over, the suspect was not arrested and the Vietnamese still continue to plow the land without listening to our Cambodian police's order to stop. The order was ignored because the Vietnamese said that the Vietnamese government did not stop them from growing rice in that area, and the Cambodian side, namely Men Kengli also had already authorized them to continue cultivating that land, albeit temporarily, until there is an official announcement by the border committees of both sides.
Concerning this case, Colonel Men Kengli, chief of BDPB 609, told reporters that he did not have any power to allow the Vietnamese to grow rice on this land nor did he have any right to forbid them from doing so. This is the prerogative of the higher authorities or the border committees. He went on to say that the border committees have planted border posts to demarcate the borderline, but in the past there was difficulty in transporting materials for planting these border posts because of the road's muddy condition. This is why only small 4x4 posts were used on a temporary basis. As for the case in which the Vietnamese people came in to cultivate the land, he said he did not dare to stop them. He just allowed them to continue growing rice temporarily because this area was state-owned property.
According to Has Phallarith, head of the first group of the border post planting commission, the border posts that had already been planted constituted important landmarks for identifying the borderline. The Vietnamese must not be allowed to touch or damage them. The authorities on both sides must protect these markers, he said. As for the people who used to grow rice in any spot they must be allowed to temporarily continue to grow it there pending the planting of the main border posts and the official demarcation of the borderline. Then, we will ask the Vietnamese people to stop coming in and growing rice there, he said. Also concerning this issue, the border defense authorities have appealed to the higher authorities to resolve the problem in which border posts were knocked down in the place mentioned above so that there is a balance of force between the Cambodian and Vietnamese authorities.
Read more!
Pardoned Prince Ranariddh Appointed Head of King's Supreme Council
Pardoned Prince Ranariddh Appointed Head of King's Supreme Council
Ranariddh (L), Hun Sen (C) and Sihamoni (R) during the latter's crowning11 Dec 08
By Sakkada Moneaksekar Khmer
Translated from Khmer by Anonymous
After the recent fourth parliamentary elections were held, that is, after the two political parties that paid only lip service as royalist were handed the most shameful defeats at the polls on 27 July 2008, a number of royalties have walked out of the political scene in order to hide their shame and disgust.
Among the royal family members who had announced their departure from politics and who were so shamefaced and humiliated that they no longer dare to re-enter the political scene are Prince Norodom Sirivuddh and Princess Norodom Vajjara. And recently, Prince Norodom Ranariddh, former president of the FUNCINPEC [National United Front for an Independent, Neutral, and Peaceful Cambodia] Party, also publicly announced his decision to quit politics, preferring to devote his time helping to handle the affairs of his half-brother, King Norodom Sihamoni.
Prince Ranariddh was sentenced in absentia by the Phnom Penh Municipal Court to spend 18 months in prison as of the day he is arrested and to pay $150,000 to the FUNCINPEC Party through its Secretary-General Nhoek Bun-chhai. Finding himself in an impasse before, Prince Ranariddh then resorted to a political solution. After the 27 July elections Prince Ranariddh announced his refusal to form any political alliance with the Sam Rainsy Party under whatever circumstances. Prince Ranariddh, then head of the Norodom Ranariddh Party [NRP] fleeing into exile in Malaysia to dodge the court's arrest warrant, voiced his recognition of the polls' results and even urged the Cambodian People's Party [CPP] with Hun Sen as its vice president and prime minister candidate to form a coalition government with the two-seated FUNCINPEC Party as soon as possible to avoid the same political deadlock as in the 2003 third general elections.
Sources among the NRP officials said that after being granted royal pardon Prince Ranariddh immediately announced his divorce from politics and offered to assist the king in handling his affairs. His Majesty King Norodom Sihamoni then appointed the prince to the post of chairman of the Supreme Council of the King without waiting for any recommendation from Prime Minister Hun Sen. The sources said the king just signed a royal decree appointing Prince Ranariddh by himself last weekend.
According to the same source, Prince Ranariddh is asking the minister of the royal palace [Kong Sam-ol] to officially appoint dozens of his aides so that they would have their own offices and positions inside the Royal Cabinet. These aides, it was said, are the same men from the sycophant entourage of the prince when he still was NRP president.
Observers said that although Prince Ranariddh used to announce that he would abandon or end his political career he some times appears to still bear great influence over the NRP, keeping it at his beck and call. Moreover, although the NRP has already been handed to Chhim Siek-leng to lead as its provisional president, Chhim Siek-leng is just a nominal party president. All the important leadership decisions, it is observed, is made by Yu Hokkri, secretary-general of the NRP and MP for Kampong Cham constituency. It is also said that Yu Hokkiri is running the NRP together with Sau Rani, another confidant of Prince Ranariddh and MP for Prey Veng constituency of the current fourth National Assembly.The same source further disclosed that after Prince Ranariddh announced his retreat from politics and became very cozy with Hun Sen and other CPP officials, the prince immediately asked for the inclusion of a number of NRP officials, his closest underlings, into the corps of government advisers and advisers of various national authorities. Those peeved for failing to get the advisory jobs left the NRP and defected to the CPP. Some of them were then appointed undersecretaries or secretaries of state while others were made government advisers.
This fourth government is completely led and controlled by the CPP although the FUNCINPEC Party with its two seats has been made its partner in the coalition government and the NRP its partner in the National Assembly. These two satellite parties have not received any important posts in either the government or the National Assembly, not even as members of the National Assembly's specialized commissions. It is only after they submitted applications through the offices of National Assembly Speaker Heng Samrin that the MPs from the FUNCINPEC Party and NRP were included among the members of the House's specialized commissions and were given a bigger salary than the MPs without any posts in the nine specialized commissions of the National Assembly.
Read more!
Vietnam Communists suspend official over Japan bribe case [
Vietnam Communists suspend official over Japan bribe case [-Can't Hun Sen imitate his Vietnamese bosses?]
Dec 12, 2008
DPA
Hanoi - The Vietnamese Communist Party has suspended an official accused of taking hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes from a Japanese company while in charge of Ho Chi Minh City's largest infrastructure project, a party official said Friday.
The accused official, Huynh Ngoc Si, had already been relieved in late November from his government posts as director of Ho Chi Minh City's East-West Highway Project and deputy director of the city's Department of Transportation.
On Thursday, Si was suspended from his Communist Party posts as well.
Si is accused of taking 820,000 dollars in kickbacks between 2003 and 2006 from the Japanese firm Pacific Consultants International (PCI). The case has already put several Japanese executives in jail.
'Si was not shocked, but calm, when I announced the decision' to suspend him, said Ho Hoang Son, head of the Party's supervisory committee for the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Transportation.
'If he is found guilty, we will expel him from the party,' Son said. 'But if he is innocent, we will consider resuming his posts.'
On November 12, four PCI officials accused of bribing Si pleaded guilty in Tokyo district court to violating the Unfair Competition Prevention Law, which bans Japanese citizens from bribing foreign government officials.
The case led to public anger in Japan, but until recently Vietnam said it lacked evidence to investigate Si.
Last week, at an annual meeting of foreign aid donors to Vietnam, Japan announced it was halting all new official development assistance (ODA) to Vietnam until authorities investigated the case thoroughly. Japan provided Vietnam with over 200 million dollars in ODA in 2007.
On Tuesday, Vietnamese police announced they were opening an investigation into the PCI case.
Vietnamese media have noted legal discrepancies which could prove an obstacle to prosecution. Vietnam may find it difficult to summon the four convicted Japanese executives as witnesses in the case because the two countries have not signed an extradition treaty.
Read more!
Students send worldwide message
Students send worldwide message
December 12nd 2008
Martine Chenier, Colonel By
EastOttawa.ca (Canada)
Colonel By’s Amnesty International group has raised the bar in hopes of raising awareness, support and funds for global issues. On Dec. 10, the program is joining many other Amnesty groups across the country to celebrate Human Rights Day in the Write for Rights campaign.
The members will join together to collect signatures to help persuade the Canadian government to aid other countries, and some times our own, in the resolution of world issues.
There will be letters available to protest the forced evictions in Cambodia after officials are threatening to force approximately 150 families from their homes and the land in the centre of the city of Phnom Penh, more commonly known as Group 78, and move them in Andong. Most of those are underprivileged street vendors, teachers and junior civil servants. There are also others demanding justice and the safety of a human rights defender and her family in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and to support Iranians protesting for the equality of women, to name a few.
The group took over the school’s atrium at lunch hour with all the required information and supplies in order to help the cause.
“We’re going to have tables where people can either sign a pre-written letter or write their own letter, as well as an information table, and a bake sale,” states one of Colonel By’s Amnesty International programs leaders, Amar Nijhawan. “The letters will be sent to the appropriate government representatives, depending on the letter-writing case we choose.”
Amnesty International will also be holding a few other events in order to inform Colonel By’s students about the issues around the world.
“We have also talked about having a buy-in with guest speakers and a documentary in late March,” continues Amar about the future goals of the program.
Read more!
Singaporean group introduces "floating" toilets in Cambodia
Singaporean group introduces "floating" toilets in Cambodia
13 December 2008
By Channel NewsAsia's IndoChina correspondent Anasuya Sanyal (S'pore)
CAMBODIA: In rural Cambodia, only 16 per cent of residents have a proper toilet -- the lowest rate in Southeast Asia.
However, one Singaporean group is working to change that.
On Cambodia's great lake, Tonle Sap, water stretches for miles in every direction.
But getting clean drinking water and proper sanitation is another story entirely.
Homes here are floating platforms and must move seasonally, and outhouses are simply a wooden plank over the open water.
Water and sanitation issues are of crucial importance to people who are on Tonle Sap, where safe drinking water comes at a price and toilet facilities are rudimentary.
People have no choice but to contaminate the very same water they use for drinking and washing.
Singaporean non-governmental organisation Lien Aid aims to make a difference in this community of about 10,000 people.
They are introducing the concept of "floating" toilets which are affordable, locally-made, and therefore sustainable.
"It is actually a simple system… We're going to use locally available buckets where they can collect the faeces. We are going to use some locally available agent to dry the faeces, that is, using ashes and other local material," said the CEO of Lien Aid, Sahari Ani.
One key to the project is that locals will have to source and build their own toilets, to ensure that all parts of the community are involved.
"The toilet that we introduce to the community -- they are very happy to get that one and they try to find their own resources to contribute to the project," said the director of the Department of Rural Health Care, Ministry of Rural Development, Chea Samnang.
A young couple, who has two children with another on the way, says they are happy to have a simple and hygienic toilet.
They worry that people's lifelong habits will be difficult to change.
But they hope the affordable toilets will catch on with the lake's residents, just like other modern conveniences that have done so.
And it is testimonies like theirs that makes this project look set to be flush with success.
Read more!
[ASEAN Charter:] Silence raises questions of relevance
[ASEAN Charter:] Silence raises questions of relevance
Saturday December 13, 2008
ACHARA ASHAYAGACHAT
Bangkok Post
ASEAN CHARTER
The postponement of the 14th Asean summit, earlier scheduled for next week (Dec 15-17) in Thailand, raises questions about the relevance of the Asean charter to the current political, economic and security challenges the region faces.
The Asean foreign ministers therefore have to convene a special meeting on Monday to discuss the re-scheduling of the summit and other relevant matters, to shore up the waning confidence in this regional organisation and to celebrate the much-awaited charter at the Jakarta-based secretariat.
Within the region, there have been doubts that the Asean charter, to be spearheaded under the Thai chairmanship, would succeed in "revitalising a people-centred community and reinforcing human development and security for all the peoples of the region".
Even more doubtful is the prospect of the new organs envisaged by the charter, in particular the Asean human rights bodies - expected to be completed by the end of the Thai chairmanship next year. Critics fear that without substantive changes to the way Asean has been operating, the new organs would end up as decorative pieces put in the charter just to lure domestic and international attention.
Asean's relative silence towards the political bickering and airport siege in Thailand that spilled over to the point they could qualify as violations of human rights - apart from the fact that they caused the Asean summit to be postponed - indicates that the core policy of "non-interference" and "constructive engagement" is likely to be the order of the day.
Sunai Phasuk, coordinator of Human Rights Watch in Thailand, said Asean's silence on Thailand's case adds to the impression that the regional body is ineffective in dealing with human rights violations. Burma also would be a case in point.
"It is just a contradictory signal. Asean said the new Asean human rights mechanism will promote and protect the rights of the Asean peoples, but their bulwark non-interference principle certainly goes against the nature of these two human rights aspects, to begin with," said Mr Sunai.
Without any strong reaction from Asean, the grouping is seen as condoning such anti-democratic trends as the week-long takeover of Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang airports in Bangkok by protesters going under the banner of the People's Alliance for Democracy.
"Thailand and Burma are adequate test cases for the toothless Asean. The governments of Asean have preached what they cannot offer. But they need to show to the world that this region also has some effective mechanisms like what Africa has," he said.
Chulalongkorn University associate professor Thitinan Pongsudhirak shared a similar view. The Thai example and how Asean responded to it can be a precedent for countries like Burma, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam, as well as Asean dialogue partners including China, to cite for a future slide along an undemocratic path.
"What happened in Thailand has also affected the spirit of Asean, its efforts in creating a rule of law within the region. China considers our case a lesson. And it may be justified if it chooses to withhold a democratisation process for fear of political turbulence," said Mr Thitinan.
Other regional human rights bodies such as the Asia Human Rights Commission have also called for greater global attention to the political tension in Thailand, which has gone on for several months without any discernible reaction from domestic human rights bodies.
"Having vacillated on the 2006 coup, the international community cannot afford to let things go on without some meaningful intervention this time. If Thailand slips further backwards it will be to the detriment not only of its own but the entire region's. At a time that repressive anti-democratic forces are either making a comeback or strengthening their positions almost everywhere, Thailand cannot afford to be lost," the Hong Kong-based AHRC stated.
Members of the Asean civil society consider the charter a state-centric tool, being written by government officials without genuine, broad consultations with civic groups. The charter provides no institutionalised mechanisms, such as the NGO Consultative Status to the UN, in which a civil society can contribute to or comment on the decision-making process.
Pokpong Lawansiri, from Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (Forum-Asia), said that to Asean leaders, the civil society's role is to be informed about decisions that are made, not to play any role in their making.
He added, however, that the regional body should take note that there has been increasing interest among civil society groups in seeing the association become more relevant and capable of handling issues that concern the peoples of the member countries - migrant workers and human trafficking, among others.
Pairoj Polphet, president of the Union of Civil Liberties, said the new government of Thailand must put the organisation of the Asean summit at the top of its priority list.
"As chairman of Asean under the new context of the charter, our ability to host the summit as soon as possible is a key message to not only the regional bloc but the international community that our political stability has been recovered."
Mr Pairoj added that civil society would not go against Asean cooperation projects but would like to have a say in regional affairs as they would affect people's lifestyles and well-being.
It is now in the hands of Asean officials and governments whether to shape the Asean human rights body (whose official name has yet to be created) to the high expectations people have of it.
Read more!
Economic crisis in Cambodia, from the World Bank's point of view: with bad luck comes some good?
Takeo (Cambodia) 03/09/2008 Rice export may be the only growing sector of the economy. Daily labourers harvesting the first of two yearly crops of a landowner. They are paid the grass that is left after the rice has been threshed. They use it to feed their cows. (Photo: John Vink / Magnum)
11-12-2008
By Stéphanie Gée
Ka-set in English
Click here to read the article in French
Click here to read the article in Khmer
East Asia will not be spared the impacts of the global economic storm which started in the developed countries and has been severely raging throughout the world since September 15th, the World Bank (WB) warned in its latest report, released on Wednesday December 10th. However, according to projections made by Jim Adams, vice-president of the World Bank, the region of East Asia and Pacific, pulled by China's line of dynamism and better-prepared to face the crisis than it was in 1997 when it was hit by the financial slump, will contribute about a third of the total global growth in 2008. But what about the small Kingdom of Cambodia, who stood out over the past ten years with important growth records - GDP growth averaged 11.1% between 2004 and 2007 - achieved thanks to open policies? The WB forecast a GDP of 6.7% for 2008 for the country, but the product should plummet down to 4.9% for 2009.
Hard times for the four key drivers of Cambodia's growth
“The unfavourable external environment will now lead to less demand for Cambodian exports, fewer tourists, and less foreign investment”, Stéphane Guimbert, a senior economist for the Cambodian branch of the World Bank, explained. “Inflows of foreign direct investment are projected to slow from a record high of 10% of GDP in 2007 to 5.2% in 2009, as foreign investors become more cautious about investing in developing countries, in a context of unstable economic situation.
So, the four key drivers of Cambodia's economic growth will suffer severe blows: first of all, the sector of agriculture: it offers substantial opportunities for Cambodia, a rice exporter, but the scope for a robust supply response remains uncertain given the recent decline in prices and limited investment in the sector. Then, the garment industry, hit by the slowdown in the United States, its main export market, weakened by competitiveness issues due to high inflation and an increase in workers' wages, and affected by the lifting in 2009 of safeguards measures by the United States and the European Union on China, a major competitor in garment exports. Thirdly, the sector of construction is slowing down too, due to the consequences of the crisis on Korea who had until now been acting as a locomotive for the Cambodian construction sector. Finally, tourism has been directly affected by weaker global economy on the one hand and the border disputes with Thailand on the other hand. The WB reported that a slowdown in tourist arrivals was noticeable in the first six months of 2008.
The World Bank's recommendations
As some do not hesitate to say that this economic depression may well be the worst in the world since the 1930s, one may wonder what a small country like Cambodia could do to respond to the crisis with its own resources. Vikram Nehru, the World Bank’s Chief Economist for East Asia and the Pacific, admitted frankly, from Tokyo, that “Cambodia was unlucky to [have been] caught in the crisis at this particular time”.
Stéphane Guimbert, for his part, put forward four key policies which could help lessen the impact of the shock wave on Cambodia. To start with, he advocated the strong supervision of the banking sector to avoid financial risks. “The financial sector is still very young in Cambodia. If there is a problem, the situation could get worse very quickly!” he warned, adding that the government was on the right track in this field. He also suggested the establishment of fiscal stimulus meant to support growth without jeopardizing macroeconomic stability.
Another key policy, he added, would be to offer trade and investment facilitation to mitigate the adverse effect of the external environment. And finally, the economist advised that social safety nets should be prepared to help the most vulnerable cope with the slowdown in growth
Keeping the garment sector in good health
In such a context, Cambodia seems bound to lose its market shares in the United States since demand will clearly be reduced. The Kingdom will then be forced to seek new markets, Vikram Nehru advised.
Cambodia must boost its competitiveness - “it must be one of the country's priorities”, Stéphane Guimbert insisted – by facilitating trade, offering fiscal stimulus and dealing with labour-related conflicts. The World Bank economist reminded that the country suffered from its dollarised economy since the American dollar has been appreciating against other currencies circulating in the region due to the inflation this year.
With bad luck comes ... some good?
The World bank economists yet want to believe that there may be a few advantages to take from the current situation of crisis, at least in the medium term. In the case of Cambodia, the sector of agriculture, which is still far from being exploited in the best way, could be boosted more, with a view to support economic growth. “Although the price of rice has gone down after a peak in May-June, it is still higher than it was before. This allows farmers to invest more in their land and buy pumps for irrigation or more seeds and fertiliser to increase their crop yields and make more profit...”, Stéphane Guimbert suggested.
Then, before the crisis actually vanishes and investors, currently sitting on their liquidities, come back to speculate, the latter will keep thinking twice before committing to any project, worried about the financial risks they would potentially take. To Stéphane Guimbert, it is time for Cambodia to do everything in its power to reduce these risks by improving the climate for investment. Moreover, Cambodia, according to the economist, must dare implementing “slightly more ambitious” expenditure policies, particularly when it comes to infrastructure projects and social protection nets, which will have a beneficial effect on potential growth in the medium term. The Cambodian government seems to be taking this track, judging by the 2009 budget, widely increased (US$1.8 billion) and adopted on Tuesday December 9th by the National Assembly.
The measures already taken by the government
In order to slow down inflation and lessen financial sector risks, the Central Bank tightened its monetary policy, as pointed out in the World Bank report. With further details, the WB described that the Central Bank doubled reserve requirements in July 2008, introduced a ceiling on loans to the real estate sector, tripled capital requirements in September 2008 and introduced restrictions on cash withdrawals from the Central Bank in October 2008.
The government continues to advance structural reforms, although with some slowdown at the time of the elections. Progress has also been made in upgrading the legal framework for investment, notably with the enactment of the Law on Secured Transactions, which makes it possible for a business to use its moveable and intangible assets as security for a loan. The World Bank pointed out that this had allowed Cambodia to skip 15 places in the 2009 “Doing Business” Report.
Last but not least, the World Bank assessment quoted another important reform recently enacted, namely the introduction in May 2008 of ASYCUDA, or Automated System for Customs Data, at the Port of Sihanoukville.
Read more!
Faction war hinders plan for new govt
Puea Pandin holds out on Democrats’ alliance
MANOP THIP-OSOD
PRADIT RUANGDIT
A faction of the Puea Pandin party is hampering the Democrat party’s coalition-building efforts by fighting for cabinet seats and refusing to commit to the alliance, sources say.
Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva, secretary-general Suthep Thaugsuban and other key party figures yesterday sought to resolve the problem by visiting Puea Pandin leader Pracha Promnok at his home on Vibhavadi-Rangsit road with a bouquet of red roses.
They were joined at the one-hour talks by key Puea Pandin members Phinij Jarusombat, Preecha Laohapongchana, Mun Patanotai, Pichet Tancharoen and Nimuktar Waba, as well as list-MP M.R. Kittiwatana Chaiyant.
On Saturday and again on Tuesday, members of the Chart Thai Pattana, Ruam Jai Thai Chart Pattana and the dissolved Machimathipataya and Puea Pandin parties, and a faction controlled by Newin Chidchob declared their intention to join the Democrats.
However, Puea Pandin was represented by deputy leader Ranongrak Suwanchawee. Pol Gen Pracha did not take part.
Chart Thai Pattana was set up to replace the dissolved Chart Thai party.
Pol Gen Pracha yesterday sidestepped questions about whether his party would support the coalition-building efforts of the Democrats, or its rival Puea Thai, which is also trying to stitch together a new government.
He said the former coalition parties had yet to consult each other.
He denied Puea Pandin remained undecided because he was demanding cabinet seats.
Sources in the proposed new coalition said Puea Pandin had actually decided to back the Democrats but publicly remained uncommitted because key figures in the party were still fighting for cabinet portfolios.
The factions belonging to Mr Phinij, Mr Preecha and Suvit Khunkitti had approached the Democrat secretary-general for cabinet seats, the sources said.
In the meantime, the factions led by Pol Gen Pracha and Mr Mun were bargaining for portfolios through former foreign minister Surakiart Sathirathai, they added.
‘‘The whole Puea Pandin party backs the Democrat party’s attempt to form a government and supports Mr Abhisit as prime minister. But we don’t want Mr Phinij’s group to have sole authority in allocating [cabinet] positions,’’ another source in Puea Pandin said.
‘‘We will take the issue to the party’s executive board so a majority can make a decision instead of leaving it with Mr Phinij’s group alone. This is all about games within the party,’’ the source said.
hinder – to stop someone or something from making progess or developing; to hamper
alliance – a coalition; an arrangement to work together
cabinet – the group of government ministers who make and approve government policy
key – most important
dissolved – officially ended as a group
intention – a plan in your mind to do something
replace – to put a new person or thing in the place of someone or something แทนที่
sidestep – to avoid something difficult or unpleasant
stitch together – to put together, especially with some difficulty
consult – to ask for information or advice from someone
source – a person who gives information
back – to support
uncommitted – not willing or ready to support an idea, group or person
sole authority – the only one with the power to do something
allocate – to official give something to someone
issue – a subject that people discuss or argue about
majority – more than 50 percent of a group
Read more!
Fresh violence in Athens, man hurt
Listeng Here
At least 70 people have been injured since Saturday when the rioting broke out within hours of the killing of 15-year-old Alexandros Grigoropoulos. Hundreds of stores have been damaged or destroyed.
Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis has ignored opposition calls for early elections and promised shopkeepers affected by riots generous compensation, including 10,000 (464,300 baht) handouts to cover short-term needs.
Although no major protests were planned yesterday, tension persisted in Athens and the northern city of Thessaloniki, students occupying their high schools and university faculties. They planned a demonstration in Athens today.
Authorities have renewed appeals for calm, with influential church leaders joining in attempts to ease tension.
While being generally tolerant of occasional outbreaks of violence during frequent demonstrations, Greeks have been shocked by the ferocity displayed by teenager rioters and the extent of the destruction.
‘‘Is this our youth?’’ exclaimed an elderly woman as she picked her way past the rubble of a burned out shop near the Athens Polytechnic, where some of the most severe rioting took place. ‘‘Who needs youth like this? Why don’t they go and burn the prime minister’s house? What fault was it of these people [who lost their store]?’’
Two separate opinion polls published on Wednesday, before the aid package was announced, showed 68% of Greeks disapproved of the government’s handling of the crisis, and gave a nearly 5 percentage-point lead to the opposition Socialists.
The exact circumstances of the death are disputed.
Two police officers charged in the shooting said they had come under attack by rock-throwing youths, and that one of the officers fired warning shots. Witnesses who have spoken to the media disputed that account.
A prosecutor ordered the two officers remanded in custody late on Wednesday, pending trial. No date has been set.
hurl – to throw something with a lot of force
pelt – to throw objects with force at someone or something
sporadic – not regular or frequent
scores – a large number of people or things (one score is 20)
ignore – to not consider something, or to not let it influence you
generous – more than is usual or expected
compensation – money that someone receives because something bad has happened to them
handout – an amount of money or goods given to people who need them
tension – the feeling caused by a lack of trust between people, groups, or countries who do not agree about something and may attack each other
persist – to continue to exist
demonstration – an occasion when a large group of people protest about something
appeal – an urgent request
tolerant – willing to accept
occasional – happening sometimes but not frequently or regularly
outbreak – the sudden start of war, disease, violence, etc.
ferocity – violence or extreme force
extent – the size or degree to which something happens
rubble – broken pieces of stone and brick from buildings, walls, etc. that have been destroyed
crisis – an urgent, difficult or dangerous situation
circumstances – facts or conditions that affect a situation
disputed – not in agreement
witness – someone who sees something happen
account – a written or spoken report on something that has happened ย
prosecutor – a lawyer whose job is to prove in court that someone accused of a crime is guilty
remand in custody – to keep under police control until a trial is held
pending – waiting for something to happen
Posted by Terry Fredrickson at 09:36 AM
Read more!
Apirak resigns
Apirak resignsBangkok voters will vote in a new governor election in January with Democrat deputy party leader Korn Chatikavanij tipped to run in the contest after Bangkok Governor Apirak Kosayodhin (photo) announced his resignation yesterday.
Mr Apirak’s resignation, which will take effect on Nov 20, came one day after he was implicated in City Hall’s fire engine procurement scandal by the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC). The anti-graft agency ruled that he had violated the Criminal Code’s Article 157 when he opened a letter of credit for the 6.8-billion-baht deal.
Mr Apirak, who was re-elected in a landslide victory on Oct 5, said his decision to step down even though the case has yet to go to court is to set a standard for Thai politics.
Mr Apirak protested his innocence, saying he had sought advice from various agencies, including the Interior Ministry and the Commerce Ministry, and was advised to open the letter of credit for the purchase to go through.
Election commissioner Prapun Naigowit said the new governor election is tentatively scheduled for Jan 11, noting that the Election Commission must fill the post within 60 days of Mr Apirak’s resignation.
He said Mr Apirak is not obliged to pay for the new election.
Mr Apirak also apologised to Bangkok voters who re-elected him as governor, and the Democrat party which backed his bid for re-election.
‘‘I apologise to the people for this. I also apologise to the Democrat party and the executive board. I will return after I go through the justice process,’’ said Mr Apirak.
He said he had decided to run in the city governor election in October because he was confident that he had done nothing illegal.
The party gave full support to Mr Apirak to fight the charges in the Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions.
‘‘I think he has made the right decision. City voters can now choose a new governor instead of waiting in uncertainty,’’ said Democrat party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva.
Mr Korn, a Democrat MP, said the party never doubted Mr Apirak’s transparency and would do its best to help him fight the charges. ‘‘Mr Apirak has taken responsibility in a way that he believes will help the development of democracy,’’ Mr Korn said.
Mr Korn did not rule out running for Bangkok governor, saying he would comply with whatever the party decided.
tip – to say who you think will get a particular job ការនែនាំ
implicate – to show or suggest that someone is involved in wrongdoing ជាប់ទាក់ទង
scandal – a situation in which important people behave in a dishonest or immoral way that shocks people រឿងអាស្រូវ
graft – corruption អំពើរពុករលួយ
rule – (of a court or other group with similar authority) to make and announce a decision
violate – to do something that is against the law ល្មើសច្បាប់
criminal code – the systems of laws dealing with crimes and their punishment ប្រមូលផ្តុំច្បប់ព្រហ្មទណ្ឌ
article – part of a legal document, agreement or law that deals with a particular point មាត្រា
landslide victory – an election victory by a very large margin or amount ការឈ្នះដាច់
protested his innocence – claimed that he had done nothing against the law បញ្ជាក់មិនបានខុស
transparency – an honest way of doing things that allows other people to know exactly what you are doing
rule out – to stop considering something as a possibility ប្រកាស់ថាវាមិនអាចកើតឡើងបាន
comply – to obey a rule or law ប្រព្រិត្តតាមច្បាប់
Read more!
The Queen’s elephants
Chiengmai. Tonsak. Kungrao. Surin. The names of the star elephants at the Copenhagen Zoo are Thai because they are from Thailand.
Actually, most of the elephants at the 149-year-old zoo are principally from Thailand due to long-standing relations between the two countries.
The first two Thai elephants, Chang and Eng, arrived in Denmark in 1878 as a gift from the Danish consul in Siam.
The zoo’s successful elephant breeding programme began when Their Majesties the King and Queen gifted three elephants — Chiengmai, Lampoon and Buag Hah — to Their Majesties Frederik IX and Queen Ingrid as a royal gift during their state visit to Thailand in 1962.
‘‘Chiengmai is now the great-grandfather of 12 calves,’’ said zoologist Bengt Holst proudly. ‘‘They are housed in various zoos in Europe.’’
In 2001, Denmark received another three elephants from Thailand. Two of them — Tonsak and Kungrao — were royal gifts from Their Majesties the King and Queen to Their Majesties Queen Margrethe II and Prince Consort Henrik during their visit to Thailand.
Surin is a gift from the people of Surin province to the Danish people. ‘‘The Thai elephants are our biggest attraction,’’ said the zoologist, adding that they are considered the Queen’s royal elephants in Denmark.
qele2The royal elephants were moved from castle-like quarters to a more natural and stimulating abode this year, a ceremony presided by Prince Consort Henrik and his grandson Prince Christian.
The new Elephant House is covered with glass domes to allow more sunlight, with better temperatures and humidity control. The sand-covered floor helps protect the elephants’ legs and feet while providing a soft ground to lie on.
The outdoor area is shaped like a dry river bed with mud holes and a deep ditch for the elephants to bathe. There is also a distance between each feeding ground, thus forcing the elephants to walk for food as they would do in the wild.
The new Elephant House is designed by famous UK architect Norman Foster.
principally - mainly
consul - an official chosen by a government to live in a foreign city, in order to take care of people from the official's own country who travel or live there, and to protect the trade interests of that government
breeding - the keeping of animals or plants in order to produce young animals from them
calves - the young of various other large mammals such as elephants and whales
zoologist - a person who scientifically studies animals
Prince Consort - the title sometimes given to the husband of a ruling queen
stimulating - if an activity is stimulating, it causes your body to be active
abode - the place where someone lives
presided - to be in charge of a formal meeting or ceremony
ditch - a long narrow open channel dug into the ground usually at the side of a road or field, which is used especially for supplying or removing water, or for dividing land
bathe - wash
architect - a person whose job is to design new buildings and make certain that they are built correctly
Posted by Terry Fredrickson at 03:14 AM
Read more!
Mar's take on Venus
I THINK I'M one of those men who cannot understand women at all and there are several incidents that make me think perhaps I never will be able to.
For example, when my girlfriend and I are in a car and choose some music, I try to play something that she can listen to but she insists on listening to what I like despite the fact that our music tastes are on opposite corners of the universe. When we end up in an argument, she blames me for not giving her any respect and thinking only of myself!
There was once I had to involuntarily tell her stories about my exes and if I have to say, my girlfriend is one of the most jealous women in the country and I know the last thing I should do is to talk about any other woman, but my own mother, to her.
However, she persisted, and forced me to and after that, I was blasted for telling her the most disgusting story in the world. After that, we quarrelled for a whole week because of some bygone nonsense and she managed to make me feel as if I was the worst man in the universe for a while.
Actually, I don't expect girls to understand me but I actually wish they understood what justice means! For God's sake!
MICK VORANISA
Abuse the Youth's vocal/ guitarist
nourishing - if you nourish a feeling, you think about it a lot and encourage it
Mars - men
Venus - women
take on - a particular way of understanding something
incidents - events which are either unpleasant or unusual
insists on - states or demands forcefully, especially despite opposition
blames - says or thinks that someone or something did something wrong or is responsible for something bad happening
involuntarily - not done by choice; done unwillingly
exes - (in this context) ex-girlfriends
jealous - unhappy and angry because someone has something or someone you want
persisted - tried to do or continue doing something in a determined but often unreasonable way
blasted - criticised severely
disgusting - extremely unpleasant or unacceptable
quarrelled - fought, argued
bygone - belonging to or happening in a past time
justice - fairness in the way people are dealt with
Posted by Terry Fredrickson at 02:31 AM
Read more!
68,000 poor families of Cambodia receive emergency food assistance from ADB
68,000 poor families of Cambodia receive emergency food assistance from ADB
PHNOM PENH, Nov. 14 (Xinhua) -- Over 68,000 poor families of Cambodia have received emergency food assistance following the Asian Development Bank (ADB) Board of Directors' approval of the project last month, said an ADB press release here on Friday.
"This assistance is making a very real difference in the lives of Cambodia's most vulnerable, particularly its children," said ADB Country Director Arjun Goswami.
"Putting food on the tables of Cambodia's poorest families, just one month after the project's approval, is a commendable accomplishment by the government," he said, adding that food distribution has been supervised by independent NGO monitors.
One of the primary objectives of ADB's emergency food assistance is to help support Cambodia's efforts to ameliorate the food price inflation shock on the poorest and most vulnerable families in the seven provinces around the Tonle Sap Lake, and in three urban slums around Phnom Penh, said the release.
The project targeted the poorest 20 percent of poor families in 200 selected communes, it added.
The ADB, based in Manila, is dedicated to reducing poverty in the Asia and Pacific region through inclusive economic growth, environmentally sustainable growth, and regional integration.
Established in 1966, the ADB is owned by 67 members, 48 from the region. In 2007, it approved 10.1 billion U.S. dollars of loans, 673 million dollars of grant projects, and technical assistance amounting to 243 million dollars, according to the release.
Read more!
Trojan virus steals banking info
By Maggie Shiels
Technology reporter, BBC News, Silicon Valley
Computer keyboard
Sinowal infects victims' computers without leaving any trace
The details of about 500,000 online bank accounts and credit and debit cards have been stolen by a virus described as "one of the most advanced pieces of crimeware ever created".
The Sinowal trojan has been tracked by RSA, which helps to secure networks in Fortune 500 companies.
RSA said the trojan virus has infected computers all over the planet.
"The effect has been really global with over 2000 domains compromised," said Sean Brady of RSA's security division.
He told the BBC: "This is a serious incident on a very noticeable scale and we have seen an increase in the number of trojans and their variants, particularly in the States and Canada."
The RSA's Fraud Action Research Lab said it first detected the Windows Sinowal trojan in Feb 2006.
Since then, Mr Brady said, more than 270,000 banking accounts and 240,000 credit and debit cards have been compromised from financial institutions in countries including the US, UK, Australia and Poland.
The lab said no Russian accounts were hit by Sinowal.
"Drive-by downloads"
RSA described the Sinowal as "one of the most serious threats to anyone with an internet connection" because it works behind the scenes using a common infection method known as "drive-by downloads"."
sinowal trojan graph from rsa lab
Sinowal has been constantly updated with new variants
Users can get infected without knowing if they visit a website that has been booby-trapped with the Sinowal malicious code.
Mr Brady said the worrying aspect about Sinowal, which is also known as Torpig and Mebroot, is that it has been operating for so long.
"One of the key points of interest about this particular trojan is that it has existed for two and a half years quietly collecting information," he said. "Any IT professional will tell you it costs a lot to maintain and to store the information it is gathering.
"The group behind it have made sure to invest in the infrastructure no doubt because the return and the potential return is so great."
RSA's researchers said the trojan's creators periodically release new variants to ensure it stays ahead of detection and maintain "its uninterrupted grip on infected computers."
While RSA's lab has been tracking the trojan since 2006, Mr Brady admitted that they know a lot about its design and infrastructure but little about who is behind Sinowal.
"There is a lot of talk about where it comes from and anecdotal evidence points to Russia and Eastern Europe. Historically there have been connections with an online gang connected to the Russian Business Network but in reality no one knows for sure."
That he said is because the group is able to use the web to cloak its identity.
Infection
In April 2007, researchers at Google discovered hundreds of thousands of web pages that initiated drive-by downloads. It estimated that one in ten of the 4.5 million pages it analysed were suspect.
Sophos researchers reported in 2008 it was finding more than 6,000 newly infected web pages every day, or about one every 14 seconds.
Debit card and cash
Since May, Sinowal has compromised over 100,000 online bank accounts
RSA's fraud action team said it noticed a spike in attacks from March through to September this year.
That is backed up by another online security company called Fortinet. It said from July 2008 to September 2008 the number of reported attacks rose from 10m to 30m. This included trojans, viruses, malware, phishing and mass mailings.
"The explosion in the number of attacks is alarming," said Derek Manky of Fortinet.
"But trojans are just one of the players in the game wreaking havoc in cyberspace."
Remedies
While attacks are on the increase, there are some simple steps that users can take to protect their information besides using security software.
"We have a saying here which is 'think before you link,'" said Mr Manky.
"That just means observe where you are going on the web. Be wary of clicking on anything in a high traffic site like social networks.
"A lot of traffic in the eyes of cyber criminals means these sites are a target because to these people more traffic means more money," he said.
sinowal trojan raph from rsa lab
The rate at which Sinowal has been compromising online bank accounts
RSA also urged users to be wary if their bank started asking for different forms of authentication such as a social security number or other details.
"People think not clicking on a pop up or an attachment means they are safe. What people don't realise now is that just visiting a website is good enough to infect them."
RSA said it is co-operating with banks and financial institutions the world over to tell them about Sinowal. It has passed information about the virus to law enforcement agencies.
Read more!
Amerian fuck style
All those bitches saying that my jokes ain’t South African are fucked up. What tha fuck did you just say you shit eater with an IQ smaller than that of a fly? Ma jokes ain’t uniquely South African but American? Look around you motherfucker/ The whole shit is dedicated to Bernie/ What you thought we were doing this for David Kau? Or Thabo Mbeki? Huh? Oh! You thought Facebook headquarters are in Zimbabwe or in Idutywa, South Africa? Bernie is American you little twat!!
I’m sick of this shit/ People base everything on Nationality nowa days/ You do that shit? Now what gives you the right to believe that you’re different from a racist bitch? Hell we can’t even have sex one of these days/ “No baby that’s a red-neck style” Why? Is it because while fucking I held you against a trailer? Or I put it in the wrong hole and didn’t feel any difference? I don’t even have a trailer bitch I got a shack/ Get it? A shack down Cape Town in Gugulethu? Damn who knows if our shacks ain’t humping one another? I mean one shack is balancing against another/ Are they doing it the red-neck style or just can’t stand unassisted? They say we’re poor but we all got fire detectors in our shacks/ What do you call a half asleep guy with a big-flat nose? In ma hood you sleep you burn/ If one drunk guy’s shack burns, all our shacks burn too/ You gotta sleep with both yha nostrils open and to tighten up security open one of your eyes as well!!!!
Fuck the American Style/ An American bitch would just unmount from you way before you come/ “Hell no! no! I ain’t going through with this shit, I thought you said you were African, this is just an American size” But I am African “Next time I will have to specify that you need to be a Nigerian”/ I told her fuck you American lady/ You’re the problem here not me/ Fuck!! the whole of Nigeria could fit in there/ Ghanaians are welcome in American Pussy too after a very short interview/ All they gotta do is speak in the Ghanaian accent/ For example they say ‘bark’ when they mean back, or ‘toolita’ instead of two litre/ So there you have it/ If you a Ghanaian you don’t pay for pussy in America, you only speak for it.
You bitch ain’t gonna come and tell me to keep it South African Style/ I mean you come here wearing Levi’s jeans drinking Jack Daniels whisky and still got guts to give me that shit? What do you want me to say? Ek sal joe moer joe kaffer? What about Umnqund’uqala apho ke ngoku? Is that Proudly South African? Wait listen to this one: I couldn’t get HIV I took a shower after it or simply “there’s no crises in Zimbabwe/ Now that has got to be strictly South African/ I will stop going to Wimpy for breakfast instead I will go to “Kwa Shisa Nyama” what about “Pap ‘n Vleis Plek”/ See I am Proudly South African/ I mean I say black foreigners are stilling our jobs instead of saying “God bless America and no place else” Fuck now why would God do that? I mean he ain’t American in the first place.
Fuck American style/ In South Africa we name our productions the Mzantsi way/ Look at Cornerdladla production, Mzantsi for sure,Tsotsi and many more/ India on the other side had to steal Hollywood and change it to Bollywood/ What happened to originality? America don’t give a shit ‘bout you/ If they did they wouldn’t call you terrorist/ They said it so much kids in America scream “Terrorist” when they see Indian Guys/ I was in Time Square the other night when this kid went like “mama do they bite” *Pointing at an Indian guy*/ I was half pleased you know why? Black people are off the hook for once/
I love South Africa/ I’m truly proudly South African/ I mean I would go and lock you up in Robin Island and watch you taking the long walk to freedom/ It will be too late when you get there, I got plan ‘B’ and that is drowning you in poverty/ Told you to take a short walk/ You thought you were cleverer didn’t you? In America they’ll lock you up in Guantanamo Bay indefinitely/Here’s their definition of a terrorist: Anyone with long beard, wearing nighties or toga-like stuff from India is a member of an Al Qaida who plan to destroy America/ I know why Osama Bin Laden is so against America, the thing is Bush knows it too/ They planned to fuck each other up taking turns and that Bush would go first, now Bush fucked Osama and ran without giving Osama his turn/ If yha want this whole thing to be over just tell Bush to let Osama get even/ Let him fuck you back for fuck’s sake/ Bush doesn’t understand that you don’t fuck Indians and get away with it/ Osama will hunt Bush down, and when he gets him, he will fuck him so hard Bush will go home with his ass in his hand with flies rooming around like those planes when they hi WTC.
Fuck American style/ American is based on a lie in the first place/ I mean look at that fucked up Italian called Christopher Columbus/ He claimed he discovered America/ Fuck you man/ There were already people living in there/ What? You thought they were bears or black (As if we ain’t people)? They were not bears nor black/ Ever get the feeling that the Americans misinterpret stuff so that it suits them? Well American chicks think that they are so hot/ You know where they got the idea? When we say that America is a key player in Global Warming/ They think we’re complimenting them/ No bitches we ain’t doin’ no shit/ We’re talking ‘bout the fumes and the nuclear/ Long ago you called what you were doing cold war and now its boiling.
On the contrary I love American Style, its not about being a traitor to South Africa man!! I love the style. Just shut up and continue forcing your self in what you don’t like. The first step is to terminate your facebook account on the bases that it ain’t South African. Remember that I ain’t scared of you motherfuckers!!!
Read more!
2,390 Chinese infants still in hospital over milk scandal
BEIJING, Oct. 29 -- China's Ministry of Health said Wednesday that 2,390 infants nationwide were still receiving hospital treatment for kidney diseases caused by tainted powdered milk.
One was in a serious condition, the ministry said.
The number of baby patients in hospital dropped by one-third from a week ago when more than 3,600 infants were still hospitalized.
It said 48,514 children had recovered and left hospital since milk powder produced by Sanlu Group was found to contain the banned chemical melamine in mid September.
On Wednesday alone, 90 children were newly hospitalized and 218had recovered, the ministry said.
More than 4,500 medical institutions nationwide had conducted free treatment and examination of children feared to have been poisoned in the scandal.
Read more!
FDA approves new drug to treat overactive bladder
WASHINGTON, Oct. 31 -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved a new drug, Toviaz (fesoterodine fumarate), to help patients suffering from overactive bladder (OAB), according to a statement by the agency on Friday.
The drug works by relaxing the smooth muscle tissue of the bladder, thus reducing the urinary frequency, urge to urinate, and sudden urinary incontinence, that are characteristic symptoms of OAB.
"Patients who suffer from overactive bladder face quality of life issues that can hamper their ability to enjoy life to its fullest," said George Benson, deputy director, Division of Reproductive and Urologic Products at the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. "This new drug will provide an additional treatment option to help them manage problems with an overactive bladder."
Toviaz is manufactured by Schwarz Pharma of Zwickau, Germany and is distributed by Pfizer Inc. of New York, N.Y.. The drug will be available by prescription only, as an extended release tablet in either 4 mg or 8 mg dosage strengths. It is to be administered once daily. The recommended starting dose is 4 mg, which can be increased to 8 mg if needed, based upon individual response and tolerability. Toviaz is only approved for adults.
Read more!
Simple blood test predicts obesity
WASHINGTON, Oct. 31 - According to new research by U.S. scientists, the degree of change in blood triglyceride levels following a fatty meal may indicate susceptibility to diet-induced obesity.
The findings, published in the International Journal of Obesity and available here on Friday, open doors to new methods of identifying people, including children, who are at risk for becoming obese.
Triglycerides are a form of fat that is transported in the blood and stored in the body's fat tissues. They are found in foods and also are manufactured by the body.
"These findings suggest we may someday be able to use a simple blood test to identify those at risk for obesity," said senior author Mark Friedman, the researcher at Monell Center. "The ability to identify more susceptible individuals would make it possible to target obesity-prevention resources on those who need them most.
The global obesity epidemic is thought to be caused in part by consumption of a diet high in fat and carbohydrates, which promotes weight gain. This propensity to gain weight and become obese when consuming a high-fat diet is at least partially controlled by genes, with some individuals gaining more than others while eating the same diet.
The researchers screened rats for vulnerability to diet-induced obesity by measuring the increase in blood triglyceride levels following a single high-fat meal. They then fed the rats a diet high in fat over the next four weeks.
They were able to predict which animals would become obese over the four-week period by examining the earlier metabolic response to the high-fat meal: the smaller the triglyceride change, the greater the weight gain.
There currently are no simple biomarkers for predicting susceptibility to diet-induced obesity, and thus no clinical tests that assist physicians in identifying those at risk for becoming obese. The current findings suggest that a change in blood triglyceride levels may someday be used as such a tool.
Future studies will entail a thorough investigation of the mechanism behind differences in the change in blood triglycerides.
Read more!
Where the good places for sex...Click to Read More
Sex education, which is sometimes called sexuality education or sex and relationships education, is the process of acquiring information and forming attitudes and beliefs about sex, sexual identity, relationships and intimacy. Sex education is also about developing young people's skills so that they make informed choices about their behavior, and feel confident and competent about acting on these choices. It is widely accepted that young people have a right to sex education, partly because it is a means by which they are helped to protect themselves against abuse, exploitation, unintended pregnancies, sexually transmitted diseases and HIV/AIDS.1 2 3 4 5
What are the aims of sex education?
Sex education seeks both to reduce the risks of potentially negative outcomes from sexual behavior like unwanted or unplanned pregnancies and infection with sexually transmitted diseases, and to enhance the quality of relationships. It is also about developing young people's ability to make decisions over their entire lifetime. Sex education that works, by which we mean that it is effective is sex education that contributes to this overall aim.
What skills should sex education develop?
If sex education is going to be effective it needs to include opportunities for young people to develop skills, as it can hard for them to act on the basis of only having information.6 7 The kinds of skills young people develop as part of sex education are linked to more general life-skills. For example, being able to communicate, listen, negotiate, ask for and identify sources of help and advice, are useful life-skills and can be applied in terms of sexual relationships. Effective sex education develops young people's skills in negotiation, decision-making, assertion and listening. Other important skills include being able to recognize pressures from other people and to resist them, deal with and challenge prejudice, seek help from adults - including parents, careers and professionals - through the family, community and health and welfare services. Sex education that works, also helps equip young people with the skills to be able to differentiate between accurate and inaccurate information, discuss a range of moral and social issues and perspectives on sex and sexuality, including different cultural attitudes and sensitive issues like sexuality, abortion and contraception.8 9 10
Forming attitudes and beliefs
Young people can be exposed to a wide range of attitudes and beliefs in relation to sex and sexuality. These sometimes appear contradictory and confusing. For example, some health messages emphasis the risks and dangers associated with sexual activity and some media coverage promotes the idea that being sexually active makes a person more attractive and mature. Because sex and sexuality are sensitive subjects, young people and sex educators can have strong views on what attitudes people should hold, and what moral framework should govern people's behavior - these too can sometimes seem to be at odds. Young people are very interested in the moral and cultural frameworks that binds sex and sexuality. They often welcome opportunities to talk about issues where people have strong views, like abortion, sex before marriage, lesbian and gay issues and contraception and birth control. It is important to remember that talking in a balanced way about differences in opinion does not promote one set of views over another, or mean that one agrees with a particular view. Part of exploring and understanding cultural, religious and moral views is finding out that you can agree to disagree.
Attempts to impose narrow moralistic views about sex and sexuality on young people through sex education have failed.
People providing sex education have attitudes and beliefs of their own about sex and sexuality and it is important not to let these influence negatively the sex education that they provide. For example, even if a person believes that young people should not have sex until they are married, this does not imply withholding important information about safer sex and contraception. Attempts to impose narrow moralistic views about sex and sexuality on young people through sex education have failed.11 12 Rather than trying to deter or frighten young people away from having sex, effective sex education includes work on attitudes and beliefs, coupled with skills development, that enables young people to choose whether or not to have a sexual relationship taking into account the potential risks of any sexual activity.
Effective sex education also provides young people with an opportunity to explore the reasons why people have sex, and to think about how it involves emotions, respect for one self and other people and their feelings, decisions and bodies. Young people should have the chance to explore gender differences and how ethnicity and sexuality can influence people's feelings and options.13 14 They should be able to decide for themselves what the positive qualities of relationships are. It is important that they understand how bullying, stereotyping, abuse and exploitation can negatively influence relationships.
So what information should be given to young people?
Young people get information about sex and sexuality from a wide range of sources including each other, through the media including advertising, television and magazines, as well as leaflets, books and websites (such as www.avert.org) which are intended to be sources of information about sex and sexuality. Some of this will be accurate and some inaccurate. Providing information through sex education is therefore about finding out what young people already know and adding to their existing knowledge and correcting any misinformation they may have. For example, young people may have heard that condoms are not effective against HIV/AIDS or that there is a cure for AIDS. It is important to provide information which corrects mistaken beliefs. Without correct information young people can put themselves at greater risk.
Information is also important as the basis on young people can develop well- informed attitudes and views about sex and sexuality. Young people need to have information on all the following topics:
* Sexual development
* Reproduction
* Contraception
* Relationships
They need to have information about the physical and emotional changes associated with puberty and sexual reproduction, including fertilization and conception and about sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV/AIDS. They also need to know about contraception and birth control including what contraceptives there are, how they work, how people use them, how they decide what to use or not, and how they can be obtained. In terms of information about relationships they need to know about what kinds of relationships there are, about love and commitment, marriage and partnership and the law relating to sexual behavior and relationships as well as the range of religious and cultural views on sex and sexuality and sexual diversity. In addition, young people should be provided with information about abortion, sexuality, and confidentiality, as well as about the range of sources of advice and support that is available in the community and nationally.
When should sex education start?
Sex education that works starts early, before young people reach puberty, and before they have developed established patterns of behaviour.15 16 17 The precise age at which information should be provided depends on the physical, emotional and intellectual development of the young people as well as their level of understanding. What is covered and also how, depends on who is providing the sex education, when they are providing it, and in what context, as well as what the individual young person wants to know about.
It is important not to delay providing information to young people but to begin when they are young. Providing basic information provides the foundation on which more complex knowledge is built up over time. This also means that sex education has to be sustained. For example, when they are very young, children can be informed about how people grow and change over time, and how babies become children and then adults, and this provides the basis on which they understand more detailed information about puberty provided in the pre-teenage years. They can also when they are young, be provided with information about viruses and germs that attack the body. This provides the basis for talking to them later about infections that can be caught through sexual contact.
Providing basic information provides the foundation on which more complex knowledge is built up over time.
Some people are concerned that providing information about sex and sexuality arouses curiosity and can lead to sexual experimentation. There is no evidence that this happens.18 19 It is important to remember that young people can store up information provided at any time, for a time when they need it later on.
Sometimes it can difficult for adults to know when to raise issues, but the important thing is to maintain an open relationship with children which provides them with opportunities to ask questions when they have them. Parents and careers can also be proactive and engage young people in discussions about sex, sexuality and relationships. Naturally, many parents and their children feel embarrassed about talking about some aspects of sex and sexuality. Viewing sex education as an on-going conversation about values, attitudes and issues as well as providing facts can be helpful. The best basis to proceed on is a sound relationship in which a young person feels able to ask a question or raise an issue if they feel they need to. It has been shown that in countries like The Netherlands, where many families regard it as an important responsibility to talk openly with children about sex and sexuality, this contributes to greater cultural openness about sex and sexuality and improved sexual health among young people.20
The role of many parents and carers as sex educators changes as young people get older and young people are provided with more opportunities to receive formal sex education through schools and community-settings. However, it doesn't get any less important. Because sex education in school tends to take place in blocks of time, it can't always address issues relevant to young people at a particular time, and parents can fulfill a particularly important role in providing information and opportunities to discuss things as they arise.21
Who should provide sex education?
Different settings provide different contexts and opportunities for sex education. At home, young people can easily have one-to-one discussions with parents or careers which focus on specific issues, questions or concerns. They can have a dialogue about their attitudes and views. Sex education at home also tends to take place over a long time, and involve lots of short interactions between parents and children. There may be times when young people seem reluctant to talk, but it is important not to interpret any diffidence as meaning that there is nothing left to talk about. As young people get older advantage can be taken of opportunities provided by things seen on television for example, as an opportunity to initiate conversation. It is also important not to defer dealing with a question or issue for too long as it can suggest that you are unwilling to talk about it.
In school the interaction between the teacher and young people takes a different form and is often provided in organized blocks of lessons. It is not as well suited to advising the individual as it is to providing information from an impartial point of view. The most effective sex education acknowledges the different contributions each setting can make. Schools programmes which involve parents, notifying them what is being taught and when, can support the initiation of dialogue at home. Parents and schools both need to engage with young people about the messages that they get from the media, and give them opportunities for discussion.
In some countries, the involvement of young people themselves in developing and providing sex education has increased as a means of ensuring the relevance and accessibility of provision. Consultation with young people at the point when programmers are designed, helps ensure that they relevant and the involvement of young people in delivering programmers may reinforce messages as they model attitudes and behavior to their peers.22 23 24
Effective school-based sex education
School-based sex education can be an important and effective way of enhancing young people's knowledge, attitudes and behaviour. There is widespread agreement that formal education should include sex education and what works has been well-researched. Evidence suggests that effective school programmes will include the following elements:
* A focus on reducing specific risky behaviours;
* A basis in theories which explain what influences people's sexual choices and behaviour;
* A clear, and continuously reinforced message about sexual behaviour and risk reduction;
* Providing accurate information about, the risks associated with sexual activity, about contraception and birth control, and about methods of avoiding or deferring intercourse;
* Dealing with peer and other social pressures on young people; Providing opportunities to practise communication, negotiation and assertion skills;
* Uses a variety of approaches to teaching and learning that involve and engage young people and help them to personalise the information;
* Uses approaches to teaching and learning which are appropriate to young people's age, experience and cultural background;
* Is provided by people who believe in what they are saying and have access to support in the form of training or consultation with other sex educators.
Formal programmes with these elements have been shown to increase young people's levels of knowledge about sex and sexuality, put back the average age at which they first have sexual intercourse and decrease risk when they do have sex . All the elements are important and inter-related, and sex education needs to be supported by links to sexual health services, otherwise it is not going to be so effective . It also takes into account the messages about sexual values and behaviour young people get from other sources, like friends and the media. It is also responsive to the needs of the young people themselves - whether they are girls or boys, on their own or in a single sex or mixed sex group, and what they know already, their age and experiences.
Taking Sex Education Forward
Providing effective sex education can seem daunting because it means tackling potentially sensitive issues. However, because sex education comprises many individual activities, which take place across a wide range of settings and periods of time, there are lots of opportunities to contribute.
The nature of a person's contribution depends on their relationship, role and expertise in relation to young people. For example, parents are best placed in relation to young people to provide continuity of individual support and education starting from early in their lives. School-based education programmes are particularly good at providing information and opportunities for skills development and attitude clarification in more formal ways, through lessons within a curriculum. Community-based projects provide opportunities for young people to access advice and information in less formal ways. Sexual health and other health and welfare services can provide access to specific information, support and advice. Sex education through the mass media, often supported by local, regional or national Government and non-governmental agencies and departments, can help to raise public awareness of sex health issues.
Because sex education can take place across a wide range of settings, there are lots of opportunities to contribute.
Further development of sex education partly depends on joining up these elements in a coherent way to meet the needs of young people. There is also a need to pay more attention to the needs of specific groups of young people like young parents, young lesbian, gay and bisexual people, as well as those who may be out of touch with services and schools and socially vulnerable, like young refugees and asylum-seekers, young people in care, young people in prisons, and also those living on the street.
The circumstances and context available to parents and other sex educators are different from place to place. Practical or political realities in a particular country may limit people's ability to provide young people with comprehensive sex education combining all the elements in the best way possible. But the basic principles outlined here apply everywhere. By making our own contribution and valuing that made by others, and by being guided by these principles, we can provide more sex education that works and improve the support we offer to young people.
Read more!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)