Archive for the ‘Regional news’ Category
Philippines appeals for US help in building armed forces
AFP,30 April 2012
Philippine and US marines speed …
The Philippines, lamenting the poor state of its armed forces, appealed Monday for US and international help in building a “minimum credible defense” amid an escalating territorial dispute with China.
Philippines Foreign Secretary Alberto del Rosario and Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin called for assistance in boosting their country’s armed forces in talks in Washington with US counterparts Hillary Clinton and Leon Panetta.
Del Rosario lamented how the international news media has described the poor state of Philippines armed forces.
“It sounds terribly painful for the Philippines but more painful is the fact that this is true, and we only have ourselves to blame for it,” del Rosario said in a candid assessment as Clinton and Panetta listened across a table.
“For the Philippines to be minimally relied upon as a US regional partner… it therefore behooves us to resort to all possible means to build at the very least a most minimal credible defense posture,” del Rosario said.
“On our own, we will do the best we can,” the Philippines top diplomat said.
“Developing a minimum credible defense posture may however be hastened mainly through an enhancement of the activities we do together with our singular treaty (with Washington) and through a positive consideration of increased assistance that we seek at this time as well,” he said.
“We are concurrently seeking a higher level of assistance from other international partners,” he said.
Gazmin alluded to tension with China over islands in the South China Sea as he called for the need to “intensify our mutual trust to uphold maritime security and the freedom of navigation.”
“We should be able to work together to build the Philippines minimum credible defense posture, especially in upholding maritime security,” Gazmin said.
He also talked of the need to “institutionalize efficient humanitarian assistance and disaster response” as the Philippines armed forces needed to be better prepared to tackle natural disasters.
Clinton, the US secretary of state, said the meetings of four key national security officials of both countries, “allows us to write a new chapter together in our alliance.”
The Philippines and China have been embroiled in a dispute over a shoal in the South China Sea, with both nations stationing vessels there for nearly three weeks to assert their sovereignty.
The Philippines says Scarborough Shoal is its territory because it falls well within its 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone, as recognized by international law.
The Philippines has called for arbitration through the United Nations to end the dispute, but China has refused.
Russia hosts China’s ‘premier-in-waiting’
AFP,27 April 2012
China’s Vice Premier Li Keqiang
Russian strongman Vladimir Putin and outgoing President Dmitry Medvedev were set Friday to host a top Chinese official who is tipped to become premier amid transitions of power in both countries.
Putin, who will return to the Kremlin for a historic third term on May 7, and Medvedev, set to become premier in a job swap with his mentor, will host Vice Prime Minister Li Keqiang for political and economic talks, officials said.
“Political changes in China and Russia do not have any effect whatsoever on bilateral ties,” Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov told AFP. He declined to go into specifics of the upcoming talks.
Russia, the world’s largest energy producer, and China, the world’s largest energy consumer, set much store by their bilateral ties.
Putin has paid frequent visits to China in his capacity as president and prime minister since he took power in 1999.
His first trip abroad since he announced his Kremlin comeback was to China last October.
Putin’s next China visit is set for June, one of his first foreign trips upon reclaiming his old presidential job, the Russian foreign ministry said on Thursday.
“During the talks the sides are planning to exchange opinions on the pressing issues of the Russian-Chinese strategic partnership,” the Kremlin said in a statement, using the phrase it reserves for close friends and allies.
The Kommersant broadsheet reported in February that Putin had earlier refused to host Li due to his busy agenda ahead of parliamentary and presidential polls, putting a strain on bilateral ties.
The newspaper, citing sources in the Russian-Chinese inter-governmental commission, the Russian foreign ministry and the government, said Li had wanted to visit Russia in February ahead of his expected replacement of Prime Minister Wen Jiabao.
The newspaper said Li was forced to postpone the visit when the Russian government indicated that Putin would not be available to host him due to his busy agenda.
Putin’s spokesman Peskov declined to confirm the report on Friday.
A new generation of leaders must take over the reins of power in China within a year.
President Hu Jintao will end his second five-year term as party head this year, while Li is expected to take over from Wen, who will resign in 2013.
Japan pledges 7 bln USD in aid to Mekong region in next 3 year
 (L-R) Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, Laos’ Prime Minister Thongsing Thammavong, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda, Myanmar’s President Thein Sein, Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung attend a joint press conference following the fourth Japan-Mekong summit in Tokyo, Japan, on April 21, 2012. Japan on Saturday pledged to provide about 600 billion yen (about 7.37 billion U.S. dollars) in official assistance to five Mekong basin nations in the next three years to boost the region’s development. (Xinhua) TOKYO, April 21 (Xinhua) — Japan on Saturday pledged to provide about 600 billion yen (about 7.37 billion U.S. dollars) in official assistance to five Mekong basin nations in the next three years to boost the region’s development. The pledge was made during a summit in Tokyo between Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda and his counterparts from Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam. “Development and progress of the Mekong region is the key to development and stability in East Asia,” Noda said at the fourth Japan-Mekong summit. Japanese media said, “Japan wants to bolster its profile in the resource-rich Mekong region as China, which borders the region and shares the Mekong River, continues to raise its presence there.” The visiting leaders are Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, Lao Prime Minister Thongsing Thammavong, Myanmar President Thein Sein, Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung. |
Tibetan monk sets himself alight in China: rights group
BEIJING – A young Tibetan monk set himself on fire in southwestern China before being beaten and dragged away by Chinese security forces, a rights group said on Saturday.
Named as Lobsang Tsultrim, aged 20, the monk raised a fist – a gesture of defiance used by Tibetans who accuse China of abuses – before setting himself alight on Friday, Free Tibet said in a statement.
The incident happened by the Kirti monastery, in Aba prefecture, in Sichuan province, where many Tibetans live, the London-based group said.
The attempted suicide was confirmed by Radio Free Asia, but the propaganda department of Aba refused to comment when contacted on Saturday by AFP.
In the past year, about 30 Tibetans – many of them young Buddhist monks and nuns – have set themselves on fire to protest against Chinese rule.
In the latest incident, witnesses quoted by Radio Free Asia and Free Tibet said security forces hit the monk while he was alight, before extinguishing the flames and taking him, still alive, to an unknown destination.
Many Tibetans in China complain of religious repression, as well as a gradual erosion of their culture, which they blame on a growing influx of majority Han Chinese in areas where they live.
China, however, denies this and says Tibetans are leading better lives than ever before thanks to huge investment in infrastructure, schools and housing.
Beijing has accused overseas organisations of seeking independence for Tibet and blamed the Dalai Lama – Tibet’s exiled spiritual leader – for the unrest.
Tibet’s government-in-exile said more than 200 people died in the March 2008 unrest, but China denies that account, saying there were 21 deaths and that “rioters” were responsible.
Authorities have mounted a heavy security presence in Tibetan-inhabited areas in response to the self-immolations and sometimes deadly clashes between protesters and police in recent months.
WikiLeaks’ Assange to run for Australian Senate…Whistle blower enters politic
17 March 2012 (AFP)
SYDNEY - WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is planning to run for election to the Australian Senate, the organisation announced Saturday on Twitter.
Assange, an Australian citizen, is on bail awaiting a British court decision on his appeal against extradition to Sweden on sexual assault allegations.
He strongly denies the claims, saying they are politically motivated and linked to the activities of WikiLeaks, which has published thousands of confidential documents on the Internet.
WikiLeaks said it appeared that the 40-year-old’s current legal situation did not rule him out of running for Australia’s upper house.
“We have discovered that it is possible for Julian Assange to run for the Australian Senate while detained,” WikiLeaks said on Twitter.
“Julian has decided to run.”
WikiLeaks said it will also field a candidate to run directly against Prime Minister Julia Gillard in her lower house electorate of Lalor, in Victoria, in the elections, which are due in 2013.
“…the state Julian will run for will be announced at the appropriate time,” WikiLeaks said.
The Australian government has previously blasted WikiLeaks, with Gillard describing its release of US diplomatic cables as “grossly irresponsible”.
Gillard’s government ordered Australian police to investigate whether WikiLeaks had broken Australian law, but they reported back in 2010 it had not broken any under their jurisdiction in releasing the cables.
Assange, a former computer hacker, is fighting being sent to Stockholm because he fears it would open the way for his extradition to the US to face charges of spying linked to the leaking of classified military documents by US soldier Bradley Manning.
Manning has been formally charged for allegedly turning over a trove of classified US documents to WikiLeaks in one of the most serious intelligence breaches in US history.
Scientists in Indian-controlled Kashmir clone Pashmina goat…Clone Sihanouk?
SRINAGAR, Indian-controlled Kashmir, March 15 (Xinhua) — Scientists in Indian-controlled Kashmir have cloned the first Pashmina goat, officials said Thursday.
The research efforts were undertaken to increase the numbers of this goat to boost Pashmina trade in this region.
“Faculty of Veterinary Sciences and Animal Husbandry at the Sheri-Kashmir University of Agriculture Sciences and Technology in Srinagar has made a breakthrough by successfully cloning the first Pashmina goat using the advanced reproductive techniques under the leadership of Riaz Ahmad Shah and his team,” a statement issued by the University said.
“The university appreciated the team of scientists for this remarkable achievement and hoped that the technology will help to improve lots of Pashmina goats particularly in the Ladakh region to harness better income opportunities for the people of the region,” it said.
Pashmina, a fine wool, is obtained from the fleece of Pashmina goat – Capra Hircus – found in Himalayas.
Officials said the healthy female kid was born on March 9 using the foster mother.
Pashmina goats are found in parts of the Himalayas and the Tibetan plateau. In Indian-controlled Kashmir, they are found in the upper reaches of Ladakh region. The goats shed the wool found on its fleece. The wool is then spun through a tedious manual process to produce finest quality of Pashmina. In the west, Pashmina and its variants are called Cashmere, a name inspired by Kashmir.
Officials said the research to successfully clone the goat took two years.
Giant manta raised from the depths off Africa by ships anchor
By: Pete Thomas, GrindTV.com
“The stinging Manta ray was killed when the oil rig servicing ship anchored at the middle of ocean near Bonny Island. The anchor of the ship brought the stinging ray up while the ship was about to sail. The stinging Manta ray was killed while resting at the ocean floor.“But guess what? It was sold to fishermen that was around when it was killed at the amount of five thousand naira only. It could have been preserved. My friend is one of the people on the ship deck.”
10 most disgusting S’porean habits
Tuesday, Mar 13, 2012
Hogging empty seats, digging noses and clipping nails are among the 10 most horrible things Singaporeans do on public transport, reported Sin Chew Daily.
Pictures showing the ugly acts, including that of people sleeping on doorways, seats and floors, were posted on a Singaporean website.
Many netizens, however, left their comments by saying that they could not help but to sleep on public transport as they were too tired.
Image consultant Chen Man Nee said she could not stand people clipping nails, hogging empty seats and standing at the doorways of public transport.
She said clipping nails or nose-digging should be done in toilets.
She added: “Many commuters like to stand at the doorways so they can alight the train quickly. I understand their reasons but to me, this is selfish.”
India’s top woman Naxal rebel leader surrenders to gov’t of West Bengal
KOLKATA, India, March 9 (Xinhua) — India’s top woman Naxal rebel leader Suchitra Mahato, who was suspected to have been with rebel leader Kishenji when he was killed last year, surrendered Friday before West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
“This is a success. We want peace. This is a big gift of Holi,” Banerjee told a press conference at the state secretariat here.
Security personnel were on the lookout for Mahato, a Naxal squad commander and widow of slain rebel leader Sasadhar Mahato. She was reportedly injured in the shootout with security personnel in which Kishenji was killed.
Mahato surrendered along with her new husband Pradush Garai. They married Feb. 25 this year.
China congratulates Russia’s Putin on election
Monday, Mar 05, 2012
BEIJING - China’s President Hu Jintao on Monday congratulated Vladimir Putin on his victory in the Russian presidential elections, the foreign ministry said.
Putin won back the Russian presidency, which he held from 2000-2008 before his four-year stint as prime minister, after securing almost 64 per cent of the vote in an election the opposition said was undermined by fraud.
“At 3 o’clock, President Hu Jintao sent a message of congratulations,” said Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Liu Weimin at a regular briefing.
“China respects the choice of the Russian people… We believe that Russia will maintain social and political stability and economic development and play a bigger role in international affairs.”
The official Xinhua news agency said Putin’s victory would “further boost” the already strong relationship between China, the world’s largest energy consumer, and its neighbour Russia, the world’s largest energy producer.
China became Russia’s top trading partner for the first time in 2010 and the two countries are seeking to nearly double trade to US$100 billion (S$125 billion) by 2015 and then to US$200 billion by 2020.
Moscow and Beijing are both veto-wielding permanent members of the UN Security Council, and have infuriated the West by blocking two UN resolutions against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s deadly crackdown on protests.
