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Six killed in forest fires in Kazakhstan
Thursday, 09 September 2010 08:51 DAP-NEWS
ALMATY, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- Forest fires in northern Kazakhstan have killed six people and burned an area of 3,300 hectares, the country's agriculture ministry said Thursday.
The victims included three forestry workers and three local villagers, the ministry's information bureau said.
A ministry official had been sent to the area to guide disaster relief work and the country's fire department was trying to contain the fires using aircraft, fire engines and other equipment.
Philippine President admits he should've been "more active" in resolving hostage crisis
Thursday, 09 September 2010 08:51 DAP-NEWS
MANILA, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- Philippine President Benigno Aquino III said Thursday he should have taken a more active role in resolving the August 23 hostage-taking incident that led to the death of eight tourists from Hong Kong.
"Perhaps, I should have taken a more active role," Aquino said in an interview with the anchors of the country's three largest networks.
Aquino said that he decided not to "micro manage" the situation, believing that the police, led by Manila Police District Chief Rolando Magtibay and Leocadio Santiago, regional director for the National Capital Region of the Philippine National Police (PNP), can handle it.
"My belief that Santiago would oversee Magtibay properly didn't happen," he said.
Aquino recounted his role in the crisis, saying that he was informed of the hostage taking around 11 a.m. At that time, he was busy reviewing the draft for the 2011 budget, responding to the increasing dengue cases and reading newspapers.
Shortly after receiving a text message that there was a hostage taking in Manila, he immediately contacted PNP Chief Jesus Verzosa. He also monitored the incident through watching TV.
In the end, however, he decided to go to the command post in Emerald Restaurant as he was frustrated with the handling of the hostage negotiation.
479 people confirmed to be infected by anthrax in Bangladesh
Thursday, 09 September 2010 08:50 DAP-NEWS
DHAKA, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- With 32 new cases detected in the last 24 hours, total 479 people have been confirmed to be infected by anthrax until Thursday.
Bangladesh's Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) under the country's Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on its website released the latest figure Thursday.
According to IEDCR, 8 districts out of 64 districts in the country have been found anthrax infected cases since the disease first broke out in Sirajganj district, 134 km northwest of capital Dhaka on Aug. 18.
Following the quick spread of anthrax to more new districts, the Bangladeshi government on Sunday announced red-alert across the country and formed committees in all the 64 districts to coordinate all efforts of anthrax prevention and treatment.
Anthrax is a highly contagious disease, usually transmitted on people through contact with meat, blood or skin of a herbivorous animal that has been infected.
Roundup: Millions of Bangladeshis enjoying family renunion before Eid
Thursday, 09 September 2010 08:49 DAP-NEWS
DHAKA, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- Millions of Bangladeshis have deserted the cities and towns, including the capital Dhaka, as they packed buses, trains and ferries to rejoin their kith and kin in villages for Eid-ul-Fitr, one of the biggest festivals celebrated after Ramadan.
Although the three official holidays in the South Asian country will begin on Friday for celebrating the Eid festival, but a major exodus from big cities and towns begins on Thursday as the holy fasting month Ramadan closes on or before Friday based on sighting of the new moon.
Dhaka, used to be a terribly congested city, has already wore a deserted look Thursday after many city dwellers left for their hometowns to celebrate Eid festival.
Millions of people of the capital alone are estimated to head out of town each year for celebrating the Eid. Home-going people crowded in all the outlets of the capital, bringing the transport owners both on land and river routes brisk business.
The government has deployed additional security forces in all the stations of buses, ferry terminals and train stations so that the passengers are not harassed by the transport workers.
Travelling ahead of big festivals like Eid is always risky in Bangladesh, as millions of people make their journey huddling on ferries, trains and buses.
On Thursday, photographs of several ferries, trains and buses were published in some leading local newspapers, which showed a lot of people clinging on the bodies of the ferries and trains risking their lives.
In November last year, ahead of the Eid-ul-Azha, another one of biggest festivals celebrated by slaughtering animals, at least 50 people died in an overcrowded ferry accident in a Dhaka surrounding river. During the last two days, over a dozen people also died in road accidents in different parts of the country.
Authorities said they have strictly enforced control on the overloading of ferries and buses, which they identified as a main reason for the frequent accidents.
To make the travel of the home-bound passengers easy, the government arranged additional services of trains, buses and river vessels. The special arrangements, however, reportedly could not lessen the suffering of the people as the private transport and ferry owners and their staffs have been collecting extra money.
Despite all the hassles, worries and fears, all major stations and terminals in Dhaka had a sense of excitement in the air as the delight of people heading home to see their loved ones and spend Eid with them overrode everything else.
Australian man charged with police murder
Thursday, 09 September 2010 08:49 DAP-NEWS
SYDNEY, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- A 55-year-old man had been charged with police murder after a drug raid on Wednesday night in southwestern Sydney in Australia.
New South Wales (NSW) Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione told reporters on Thursday that Constable William Crews, 26, was shot in the head during a drug raid on a unit in Bankstown, southwestern Sydney and died later in hospital.
Crews was shot while he was executing a search warrant at a unit block on Cairds Avenue in Bankstown about 9 p.m. (local time) on Wednesday.
The Police Commissioner paid tribute to Crews, saying the state had lost "one of its finest".
NSW Premier Kristina Keneally described him as a brave man and told reporters he would be given a full ceremonial police funeral.
The police said in a statement the 55-year-old man had been charged with shooting with intent to murder and a 27-year-old man had been charged with possessing an unauthorized firearm.
Both had been refused bail and would appear in Bankstown Local Court later on Thursday.
Police said no drugs were found at the building after the operation.
Philippine export earnings rise 35.9 pct in July
Thursday, 09 September 2010 08:46 DAP-NEWS
MANILA, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- Philippine export revenues in July surged 35.9 percent on year to 4.5 billion U.S. dollars bolstered by strong demand for electronics, the National Statistics Office (NSO) said Thursday.
Earnings from electronic products shipment account for 63.6 percent of the total export revenue in July. Total earnings from shipments of electronic products reached 2.86 billion U.S. dollars, up 49.4 percent on year.
The three biggest export markets of the Philippines in July were the U.S., Singapore and Japan.
Total merchandise exports for the period January to July 2010 increased by 37.4 percent to 28.2 billion U.S. dollars.
3rd LD Writethru: Japan Coast Guard sends Chinese captain to prosecutors in Okinawa
Thursday, 09 September 2010 08:46 DAP-NEWS
TOKYO, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- Japan Coast Guard sent the captain of a Chinese trawler which collided with Japanese patrol ships in waters off Diaoyu Islands to prosecutors in Okinawa Prefecture Thursday morning.
The 41-year-old captain, Zhan Qixiong, was taken to Ishigaki branch of the Naha District Public Prosecutors Office at around 9: 50 a.m. (0050 GMT), according to Xinhua reporters at the scene.
On Tuesday, two Japan Coast Guard patrol boats and the Chinese fishing boat collided in waters off the Diaoyu Islands.
No injuries were reported, but the fishing boat was then intercepted by Japanese patrol boats.
Japan Coast Guard arrested the captain on suspicion of " obstructing public duties" early Wednesday near the Diaoyu Islands in the East China Sea despite China's protest.
The other 14 crew members, all Chinese, were not arrested, but were kept in an area off Ishigaki and remain there during their captain's questioning.
The Chinese embassy officials met with the captain at the Ishigaki Coast Guard Office in Ishigaki and the other crew members aboard the fishing boat on Wednesday.
The embassy said in a press release sent to Xinhua that the 14 Chinese crew members are healthy and in a stable mood. The embassy had already contacted their families in China.
"The embassy is going all-out to negotiate with the Japanese side, demanding the immediate release of the boat and the crew," the release said.
Also on Wednesday, the Chinese Foreign Ministry lodged a strong protest against Japan over the detention of the boat.
Assistant Foreign Minister Hu Zhengyue summoned the Japanese Ambassador to China Uichiro Niwa to lodge the protest.
This was the second time within 24 hours that the Chinese government summoned the Japanese ambassador and lodged solemn representations on this issue.
Hu demanded that the Japanese side immediately release the ship and crew members on board and guarantee the safety of the persons and the ship.
Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan said the incident will be handled "in a strict manner based on our country's laws," while top government spokesman, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshito Sengoku said he believes the arrest will not affect ties between Japan and China despite exchanges of protests and it is necessary for Tokyo not to "heat up" in dealing with the incident.
Diaoyu Islands appeared on China's map since the Ming Dynasty ( 1368-1644). Fishermen from China's Taiwan and Fujian and other provinces have conducted activities such as fishing and collecting herbs in this area since ancient times.
Geologically, the islands are attached to Taiwan. The waters around the islands are 100 to 150 meters deep, and there is a 2, 000-meter-deep oceanic trench between the islands and Okinawa islands.
Japan never questioned China's sovereignty over the islands before the Sino-Japanese war of 1894-1895.
In June 2008, a Taiwanese fishing boat and a Japanese patrol boat collided about 9 km south of the Diaoyu Islands. The Taiwanese ship sank but all crew members were rescued.
Malaysia not recalling ambassador to Indonesia
Thursday, 09 September 2010 08:46 DAP-NEWS
PUTRAJAYA, Malaysia, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- Malaysia is not recalling its ambassador to Indonesia despite the fact that there was such request by certain people within the country.
Malaysian Foreign Affairs Minister Anifah Aman made this remark on Thursday here, the country's federal administration center.
Anifah said in a diplomatic process, recalling an ambassador was one step away from severing the ties of a country with the other country concerned.
As Malaysia did not want to make the situation worse, Anifah said the Malaysian ambassador to Indonesia would not be recalled.
"There is no reason whatsoever to recall our ambassador," stressed Anifah.
The youth wing of the United Malays National Organization (UMNO) , the largest component party of the country's federal ruling coalition, has recently called for the Malaysian government to recall its ambassador to Indonesia.
Following the arrest of three Indonesian officials accused of encroaching into the Malaysian waters in August, several quarters in Indonesia have been holding protests against Malaysia.
While some threw human faeces into the Malaysian embassy in Indonesia, others stomped onto, or even burnt Malaysian flags.
Local media reported that some Indonesians called for Malaysians to be "swept" away from the Indonesian territory.
Anifah said the disputes between Malaysia and Indonesia was on maritime border, and therefore the border issues must be solved.
He also said that a roadmap was already in place and the relevant technical team would meet for the 16th time to discuss the matter.
Anifah and his Indonesian counterpart Marty Natalegawa met on Monday at Kota Kinabalu, state capital of Sabah in East Malaysia, hoping to ease the tension between the two nations.
At the meeting, both countries agreed that they should fast- track the border negotiations process to prevent future spats.
Feature: Joblessness, flood force eastern India state turn to mass exodus
Thursday, 09 September 2010 08:37 by Karuna Madan
PATNA, India, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- The eastern Indian state of Bihar has always been in the headlines for migration of its inhabitants to neighboring states in search of employment and opportunities. However, now the situation has turned alarming with the state witnessing a mass exodus.
Bihar has a long history of migration dating back to the 19th century, when a large number of people migrated overseas, mainly as indentured labor to the British colonies as well as to other parts of the country such as West Bengal and Assam.
However, over the years the pattern of migration from the state has changed, both with regard to destination as well as its nature.
According to a recent study conducted by a non-governmental organization, during the last two decades, both the intensity and pattern of migration in rural Bihar have considerably changed.
Lack of employment and job opportunities along with poor infrastructure are the prime causes of migration and whatever little is left is wiped away every year by the cruel waters of river Kosi.
The proportion of migrants has approximately doubled and destination of migration has now become widespread. Besides, the nature of migration has largely changed from short-term to long- term.
"Also the migration of workers is fairly distributed across all castes and classes and now upper castes and Muslims report more long-term migration compared to others," said Ravi Shankar Punia, a social activist.
The overall dependence of migrants on middlemen or agents has also declined over the years and people have started migrating on their own, although a significant proportion of the lower caste and class workers still migrate through different private agents and middlemen.
"Every year, thousands of people from Bihar migrate to other parts of India in search of work. The seasonal migrants constitute a big part of India's growing urban poor population," Punia said. "They live in congested slums under vulnerable conditions as they strive hard to send money to support their families."
Migrant workers from lower castes and classes are largely illiterate or less educated and are absorbed in low quality occupations in the urban informal sector.
"As a nation which boasts of becoming the new super power, India has failed to live up to its expectations, for looking after its own citizens," said Hari Prasad Ranjan, a scholar researching the dynamics of the Indian society.
"The political system in India is based on democracy. But as a nation, all that is done in the country is plain and simple talking and promises made by the political leaders which are to be broken after elections," he observed.
Although the proportion of households reporting migration and receiving remittance is higher among higher castes and classes, remittances still constitute a comparatively larger proportion of the total household income of lower caste and class households.
On an average, they account for nearly one-third of the total household income of the migrant households -- the proportion is much higher among landless and small landholders.
The overall impact of migration on the village economy in Bihar is wide-ranging and substantial.
Ironically, the large scale migration of rural workers from the state has resulted in a shortage of labor in the villages of Bihar, particularly during the peak agricultural season.
Accordingly, there have been substantial changes in the internal employment relations as well as real wage rates during the last two decades.
Moreover, the technical know-how acquired by the migrating workers at the place of destination and the small savings by way of remittances, which are being reinvested in the native places, are contributing significantly to its economy.
The increasing trend in non-farm activities in the villages of Bihar provides evidence of this phenomenon.
Again every year, the mass exodus of Biharis due to floods in Kosi river is mammoth and gigantic. In fact, the every-year crisis of floods has brought Bihar on the foreground of national arena.
While Bihar is in a state of upheaval, the political champions are busy making flood as the next agenda for the forthcoming elections instead of procuring a healing touch to the people, tormented and devastated by the flood.
"Even after the flood crisis every year, nothing concrete is done. The relief rations and medicines which on paper are dispatched do not manage to reach flood victims and it is feared that most of the money for the relief work is squandered among the politicians and the authorities," said Ranjan.
The conditions after the floods are not prudent. Lack of rescue measures and medical aids give clear signs of an epidemic outburst.
"Every year, there is scarcity of human amenities like food, drinking water as well as shelter and people are forced to live in unhygienic conditions. This condition in conjunction with other reasons becomes the prime reason for mass exodus of Biharis," Punia said.
Roundup: Indonesia's palm oil industry struggles to resists "black campaign"
Thursday, 09 September 2010 08:37 By Cundoko Aprilianto
JAKARTA, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- Indonesia's palm oil industry that has been supporting life for 2.8 million of family is struggling to resist attacks from government's plan to adopt forest moratorium and from foreign companies that stopped buying crude palm oil (CPO) triggered by black campaign.
Moratorium obligation on primary forest and peat land set in a Letter of Intent (LoI) between Indonesia and Norway is expected to derail the country's palm oil industry as the policy is regarded as counter-productive with the country's status as the world's largest CPO producer.
If the moratorium policy is adopted, there will be no more land expansion for plantation, posing risk of decreasing production.
Besides, 40 percent of palm plantations in Indonesia currently belong to individuals, meaning that this involves 2.8 million families or 10 million people who rely their destiny on the industry.
Meanwhile, the industry was also hit by decision of Burger King to stop buying CPO from PT Sinar Mas Agro and Resources Technology (SMART) early this month, a move following actions by Unilever, Nestle and Kraft.
Corporate Secretary PT SMART Jimmy Pramono said that CPO sales to Burger King was only 0.06 percent of total sales in 2009.
"The temporary business cut did not impact on its financial condition as the transaction value was not significant," he said.
However, this is a bad precedent for Indonesia's CPO industry.
The Association of Indonesian Palm Oil Producers (GAPKI) said that environmental activist group Greenpeace is destroying the country's CPO industry.
"The NGO has planned the scenario. This is a systematic effort to destroy Indonesia's palm oil industry," said Executive Director of GAPKI Fadhil Hasan.
Hasan said that active attack by NGOs and Europe against Indonesia's palm oil industry needs to be addressed with government's intervention and neutral big organization such as the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).
Aviliani, a prominent economist from Institute for Development of Economics and Finance Indonesia (INDEF) told Xinhua in an exclusive interview that the incident is a part of trade war, using NGOs to make black campaign against CPO of Indonesia.
"The black campaign is often to press price or to switch to other suppliers," she said.
She added that government has to take stance to defend domestic companies.
"It's a huge mistake to let the companies struggling by themselves. It will weaken the industry's competitiveness," she said.
Media Campaigner of Greenpeace Southeast Asia Hikmat Soeriatanuwijaya said that Greenpeace is not anti-development and anti-palm oil industry as long as companies promise and commit to adopt sustainable industrial practice and environmental friendly.
According to Campaign Leader of Greenpeace Southeast Asia Bustar Maitar, what his organization has done is to unveil inconsistency of palm oil companies in obeying Indonesia's law.
Meanwhile, Indonesia's CPO export to France dropped 38 percent from 57.86 million U.S. dollars in the second half 2009 to 35.69 million U.S. dollars in the first half 2010 caused by environmental issues.
Coordinating Economic Minister Hatta Rajasa stressed that the government is committed to support the domestic CPO industry.
Rajasa hopes that decision to ban on using CPO from Indonesia should not be adopted unilaterally.
"There should be opinions from independent consultants to provide the recommendation," he said.
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