| Burma Spitting Ban in the Pipeline Posted: 21 Dec 2012 05:15 PM PST | Campaigners in Burma are pushing to ban spitting in public, in a country where people chew and spit betel nuts, leaving red stains on buildings and public property. Full story: A campaign to ban spitting in public has been gaining momentum in Burma, where the sight of people chewing and spitting betel nuts is widespread. The spitting leaves unsightly red stains on public property and some want it banned. The spitting ban is the brainchild of a Burmese politician who says the ban would keep the streets of Burma clean. [Myint Thu, Burmese Politician]: "What I want is, in our country there are zones like no smoking, no littering and no honking zones. We should have a no-betel-nut-spitting zone. I think that will be more suitable if we approach it like this." He says many buildings and public property are dotted with the characteristic red stains of betel nut spit. This woman has been selling betel nuts for nearly 20 years and says she supports a ban on spitting, but not on betel nuts themselves. [Mar Mar Phyu, Betel Nut Vendor]: "Most of the people who sell betel nuts sell them for their household income. Betel-chewing has existed for a long time, since the time of Burmese kings. If they spit the betel nuts with discipline, then there will be no issues." This Burmese man has been chewing betel nuts for 16 years. He says he wouldn't want to kick the habit but he supports the ban. [Ye Myint, Betel Nut Chewer]: "If they fine someone who spits without caring, without discipline <b>...</b> | Views: 19 1 ratings | | Time: 01:45 | More in News & Politics |
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| Ushering in a New Mayan Era With Ball Game Re-enactment Posted: 21 Dec 2012 04:08 PM PST | Guatemala City residents join in activities, including a Mayan ball game re-enactment, to usher in new era in the Mayan calendar. Full story: Guatemala City residents on Friday December 21st marked the end of an age for the Maya and the start of a new one. Men and women danced around a fire at dawn at an archaeological site in Guatemala City. According to Mayan beliefs, an era came to a close in the Maya Long Count calendar at sunrise on Friday. This event has been likened by different groups to the end of days or the start of a new, more spiritual age. Thousands of tourists have descended on Mayan sites across Mexico and Central America to witness the new calendar ceremonies. [Manuel Camposeco, Guatemalan Resident]: "We are really very happy because what we are experiencing is the realignment of planets that happens every 25800 years. Yourself and me as well as the rest of the world experiencing this should feel very fortunate to witness such as important event." Also, to mark the occasion performers took part in an exhibition game of Maya Ball Game. In the 1960s, a leading US scholar said the end of the Maya's 13th bak'tun - an epoch lasting some 400 years - could signify an "Armageddon" - a theory debunked by experts. Fears of mass suicides, huge power cuts, natural disasters, epidemics or an asteroid hurtling toward Earth have circulated on the Internet ahead of December 21st. The Maya civilization reached its peak between AD 250 and 900 when it ruled over large <b>...</b> | Views: 1 0 ratings | | Time: 01:38 | More in News & Politics |
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| CCTV's Airing of "V for Vendetta" Draws Speculations Posted: 21 Dec 2012 03:19 PM PST | Why would an authoritarian regime show a strident, anti-authoritarian film, that sends a message to overthrow a repressive regime? That's the question many are asking after state-run CCTV, a tightly-managed propaganda mouthpiece, aired "V for Vendetta" last Friday (December 14). No explicit reason was given for the showing of the now seven-year-old film. And that got China's netizens wondering. Many expressed disbelief. Others linked it to the apparent reform efforts of the country's new Communist leaders. But a former propaganda staff isn't so sure. [Zhu Xinxin, Former Editor at Hebei State Radio]: "Just like the media reports on anti-corruption, on arrest of corrupt officials, and so on. It seems that the government is working hard, and the public doesn't have to worry about it. That's actually forming an illusion for the public to keep hope in the regime." Complicating the picture is the huge size of the Communist Party's propaganda apparatus, and the diverse views of those inside the system. Also, the censorship system is not strictly governed by law, and different criteria are used for different subject matters. [Ye Kuangzheng, Cultural Critic]: "It may relax control for a while, but it isn't equal to lifting censorship. It only shows that a specific [Party] official, and not the entire censorship system, may be more open-minded to a certain topic." One thing the film showing conveys for sure, though: At least some insiders are pushing the case for easing China's <b>...</b> | Views: 87 5 ratings | | Time: 01:33 | More in News & Politics |
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| Growing Pains for Controversial Confucius Institute Posted: 21 Dec 2012 03:18 PM PST | With China's rise on the world stage, interest in the Chinese language and culture has also spiked. The Chinese regime has seized the opportunity to expand its soft power. Since 2005, these schools have been rolling out around the world. There are now around 400 Confucius Institutes in 108 countries. But this week, organizers of the institutes say they've hit a bottleneck: teacher shortage. A former professor from Shandong University says that's because the Confucius Institutes are not purely for education. Hanban, the state-backed organization that oversees the schools, has close ties with United Front Work Department. It's a Communist Party branch that garners support for the Communist Party from external groups. [Sun Wenguang, Retired Shandong University Professor] "They set up Confucius Institutes and promote Confucius to embellish the party's communist ideology. They're not always welcome overseas. As for the teacher shortage, those with real talent, aren't interested in teaching there." Confucius Institutes are set up with foreign universities and schools—usually with a handsome amount of investment. [Jin Chu, Guangxi Author] ( "The Chinese government gives a lot of cash to international schools to allow them to set up Confucius Institutes. They're trying to export communist culture. It's a part of the Party's propaganda plan." That aspect has come under close scrutiny. In March this year, this report was submitted to the US House Committee on Foreign Affairs. It <b>...</b> | Views: 40 3 ratings | | Time: 02:20 | More in News & Politics |
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| "These Crimes are So Horrific" Says Doctor Behind Forced Organ Harvesting Petition Posted: 21 Dec 2012 03:17 PM PST | Dr. Alejandro Centurion is one of three US doctors calling for crimes half way around the world to be brought to light. He spoke with NTD exclusively this week, on this petition he helped launch to the US White House. It urges the US to investigate claims of forced organ harvesting in China and to put a stop to it. [Dr. Alejandro Centurion MD, Neurology Specialist]: "These crimes are so horrific that when people first hear about them it is hard to believe." In 2006, the wife of a transplant surgeon in China came forward, and confessed her husband had taken thousands of corneas from prisoners of conscience. [Dr. Alejandro Centurion MD, Neurology Specialist]: "But there has been a lot of evidence, a lot of compelling evidence that has come out in the last, since 2006, which has convinced me and many other medical professionals that these crimes are truly taking place." Dr. Centurion says transplant tourists to China are promised an organ within weeks, if not days of their request, whereas in other countries it takes years. [Dr. Alejandro Centurion MD, Neurology Specialist]: "The main piece of evidence is simply the disparity between the number of transplanted organs in China and the number of organs that are available." The Chinese Health Ministry says it gets the majority of organs from executed prisoners. But even the highest estimates of executions do not explain why organs are seemingly available on demand. Investigators believe the majority of organs actually come from <b>...</b> | Views: 48 3 ratings | | Time: 02:13 | More in News & Politics |
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| Copenhagen Cycle Superhighways Boost Bicycle Commuting Posted: 21 Dec 2012 01:03 PM PST | Long distance commuters can bike to and from Copenhagen on new, specially equipped and almost uninterrupted superhighways. Full story: Copenhagen cyclists can now ride to work on brand new, thoughtfully equipped cycle paths. The superhighway routes to and from the capital have been recently expanded with trails up to 14 miles long. Copenhagen and over 20 local governments have teamed up to develop a bike lane network they hope will increase bicycle traffic by as much as 30 per cent. When completed, 26 paths covering 186 miles will connect parts of greater Copenhagen with as few stops along the way as possible. Clearly marked lanes, sometimes running parallel to the "real" highway or along a quiet field or lake, will be close to public transport stations. Special road signs displaying distances as well as service stations will keep commuters informed while on route. [Ayfer Baykal, Copenhagen Technical and Environmental Mayor]: "We build bicycle lanes all over the city to make it more safe to bicycle. The main thing is not to mix the car traffic and the bike traffic in the same lines. People don't feel safe when they are biking around cars and busses. So that is why we have these major investment in our bicycle infrastructure." Footrests, friendly-angled trash cans and air pumps are thoughtfully placed along the superhighways. [Klaus Nygaard, Cyclist Commuter]: "It's a great idea. It gives me the feeling in the morning that my route is easily accessible and it's practical <b>...</b> | Views: 16 1 ratings | | Time: 02:13 | More in News & Politics |
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| 15000 Handprint Case Scares "610 Office" Posted: 21 Dec 2012 10:26 PM PST | Follow us on TWITTER: twitter.com Like us on FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com Qin Rongqian is a girl from Yichun city, Heilongjiang Province, her father Qin Mingyue was tortured to death. She is resisting immense pressure and has continued to redress the grievance, and received 15000 handprints . These are the support from 15000 local people. The overseas media also initiated more and more public discussion which made the persecutor agency Heilongjiang "610 office" extremely scared. Its officials talked with Qin Yueming's family several imes, and wanted to use some "rich" conditions to discuss the issue in private. In February 2011, Falun Gong practitioner Qin Yueming was due to be released from Jiamusi Prison, but died suddenly. His body was covered in scars when he died. His wife Wang Qiuqing and younger daughter Qin Hailong were seeking the truth of his death, but were illegally arrested and sentenced to Labor Camp for 1.5 years. Now both of them are detained in Harbin's Qianjin Labor Camp. The family's elder daughter Qin Rongqian was tracked, monitored and harassed by different units of the Chinese Communist Party . However, she and her lawyers have not given up, and are continuing to sue Jiamusi Prison. They are asking for a thorough investigation on her father's death. They have even sued the Supreme Court. In June 2012, Qin Rongqian started to collect support on the street. In just over 15 days, she collected more than 15000 fingerprints from local people. In the open <b>...</b> | Views: 23 1 ratings | | Time: 04:37 | More in News & Politics |
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| Who Is In Charge of Hong Kong and Macao? Posted: 21 Dec 2012 10:26 PM PST | Follow us on TWITTER: twitter.com Like us on FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com On Dec. 20th Xi Jinping new leader of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) met Chief Executive of Hong Kong, Leung Chunying, who came to Beijing to give a report on his work. Apparently Xi Jinping only validated Leung's... | Views: 8 0 ratings | | Time: 04:05 | More in News & Politics |
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| Behind China's Increasing Public Insecurity Posted: 21 Dec 2012 10:25 PM PST | Follow us on TWITTER: twitter.com Like us on FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com The newly released China's Anti-Corruption Blue Book has been criticized for "lacking authenticity and authority". The Chinese Academy of Social Sciences just released another Blue Book on China's Public Service (2012). This annual report stated that nearly 40% of Chinese citizens dare not go outside late at night. Lhasa also tops the list as China's safest city. The Blue Book of China's Public Service (2012) reveals that 39.91% of residents in China's 39 cities dare not go outside late at night. 38.69% of citizens say they would worry about home burglary if they were on long-term out-of-town travel. What causes have led to this public insecurity? The Blue Book survey states the following reasons. Social structural transformation has caused increased uncertainty and risk. Distribution of wealth policies have triggered rich-poor polarization, unfair wealth distribution, conflicts between interest groups, and psychological imbalance. Partial low-income groups' hostile actions have created increasing criminal incidents. Liu Kaiming, director of a Shenzhen-based civil think tank, says that primary reasons behind a disorderly situation in China are due to local unemployment, and people's life of hardship. Liu Kaiming (Director, Institute of Contemporary Observation): "It's true that social order is very bad. The commonly overt reasons are robbery and theft. But deeper reasons are income inequality <b>...</b> | Views: 42 0 ratings | | Time: 03:52 | More in News & Politics |
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| Wang Qishan Criticizes US for Political Censorship Posted: 21 Dec 2012 10:25 PM PST | Follow us on TWITTER: twitter.com Like us on FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com Top Chinese and US leaders have met for the first time since the two countries' recent leadership shift. In the meeting of the "23rd China-US Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade", Chinese senior leaders criticized the US for performing political censorship upon Chinese enterprises. What are the reasons for this censorship? Does the US government not trust China, or Chinese enterprises, or are there other reasons? We take a look at the experts' analysis. Chinese Vice Premier Wang Qishan criticized the United States for often performing political censorship towards Chinese enterprises. He claimed that, even Chinese private companies like "Huawei" are also censored, as to "whether it's connected with the Chinese Communist Party(CCP)" in the USA. In September, US President Barack Obama and the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) stopped the wind power project of Chinese owned company Ralls. Ralls is an associated company of Sanyi Enterprise Group. The wind project was close to a military base in Oregon. The US government believes that Ralls belongs to the two executives of Sanyi group. Professer Xie Tian, School of Business, University of South Carolina Aiken: " If Chinese companies invest in USA, maybe it will be censored. If it tries to get some of America's national defense technology, or it relates to the strategic interests of the US, then the US government will review it <b>...</b> | Views: 48 0 ratings | | Time: 04:27 | More in News & Politics |
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| Chinese Media's Frequent Signals for Internet Regulations Posted: 21 Dec 2012 10:25 PM PST | Follow us on TWITTER: twitter.com Like us on FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com Recently, Mainland official mouthpiece media frequently posted to appeal the so-called "China's Internet supervision according to law." "People's Daily" said that managing network chaos is most people's wish. The Standing Committee of the National People's Congress will be held on December 24 to consider the draft on strengthening the protection of Internet information. Some reports stated that the intensified "network anti-corruption" may cause officials' discomfort. The authorities said to cool down in regards to this issue. "Guangming Daily" published an article entitled, "An urgent need to set the bottom line for the Internet" which states strengthening Internet regulations is urgent. People's Daily and Xinhua have also raised the issues of Internet supervision and network corruption. Intensively releasing signals to strengthen the network supervision from authorities has surprised many petitioners, who are worried that there will be no place for them to speak in the future. "Rights movement "director Hu Jun: "Just now, petitioners from Beijing were calling me. They said that officials expand their power and rob ordinary people, who are not allowed to speak anymore. What a dictatorship is afraid most of is truth clarifying. It fears most that people will lift its mask to reveal its hypocrisy. "People's Daily", also published an follow-up article introducing laws, measures, and the network <b>...</b> | Views: 28 0 ratings | | Time: 03:51 | More in News & Politics |
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