| Muslim Clerics Call for New Year Celebrations Ban Posted: 26 Dec 2012 12:38 PM PST | Muslim clerics in Kyrgyzstan have issued a fatwa against New Year celebrations due to expense and a lack of Islamic basis. Full Story: Muslim clerics from Krygryzstan have called for a stop to New Year celebrations. The Kyrgyz Muslims' Religious Administration issued a fatwa against the New Year as the celebrations are unrelated to Islam and are too expensive. [Ravshan Eratov, Kyrgyz Muslims' Religious Administration]: "This New Year is not a religious holiday. It is not related to Muslims at all. In our religion we have only two holidays - Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha - as well as jumah (Friday prayer). Only those are our holidays. The rest is not about Islam." The clerics from the predominantely Muslim former-Soviet country said the money would be better spent on other things. [Ravshan Eratov, Kyrgyz Muslims' Religious Administration]: "It would be better to spend this money - which the state or people spend (on New Year) - elsewhere. They may have relatives who live a poor life - it would be better to help them instead, buy something useful. There are those people who celebrate this New Year, spend money on it while at they same time they have their kids going to school without enough school materials, or school bags, or clothes. But they still celebrate this New Year." In the Soviet Union, the New Year was traditionally the year's biggest holiday. Even in Orthodox Christian countries such as Russia, today, the New Year holiday is more widely celebrated that Christmas <b>...</b> | Views: 6 0 ratings | | Time: 02:13 | More in News & Politics |
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| Senior Syrian Military Official Defects to Rebels Posted: 26 Dec 2012 07:05 AM PST | The Head of the Syrian Military Police, General Abdelaziz Jassim al-Shalal announces his defection as the Syrian military struggles to contain rebel advances. Full Story: Military police head General Abdelaziz Jassim al-Shalal announces his defection as the Syrian military struggles to contain rebel advances. Amid unremitting fighting in Syria that has claimed tens of thousands of casualties, another high-profile defection from President Bashar al-Assad's embattled government. The army has failed to protect the country and has transformed "into gangs of killing and destruction," says the now former head of military police, General Abdelaziz Jassim al-Shalal. In this video the senior officer blames the military for massacres against unarmed people. A Syrian security source downplayed the significance of the defection, saying Shalal was due to retire in a month. A number of senior military officials and soldiers have abandoned the bloody battle to crush rebel fighters, with some joining the opposition. Footage of the conflict posted online cannot be independently verified by Reuters. Shalal's announcement comes as government forces combat rebel advances around the country. For more news and videos visit ☛ ntd.tv Follow us on Twitter ☛ http Add us on Facebook ☛ on.fb.me | Views: 169 13 ratings | | Time: 01:02 | More in News & Politics |
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| Egyptians Divided On New Constitution Posted: 26 Dec 2012 06:24 AM PST | The electoral approval of a controversial new constitution in Egypt shows how deeply divided society is over the new legislation. Full Story: Egypt's new constitution - the source of deep rifts in the country over the last few weeks. Tuesday's announcement that the country had approved the new document by 63.8 percent in a referendum continued to divide Egyptians. The charter, drawn up by President Mohamed Mursi's Islamist allies, had been denounced by secular and liberal groups who say it mixes politics and religion dangerously and ignores minority rights. But Mursi told voters that approving the constitution quickly was vital to end two years of political and economic uncertainty. This man says he agrees with the president and the 'yes' vote will create stability and attract new investment so the country can begin to move forward. But others say that divisions around the text don't bode well. "When more than one third don't agree, there won't be any stability or new investment", this man says. This woman says the 'yes' vote came at the expense of national unity and there is now little difference between the Muslim Brotherhood and ousted President Hosni Mubarak's ruling party. "We are very sad - we never wanted just one political group to rule," she says. About a third of the electorate voted in the two-day referendum held this month. The 'yes' vote paves the way for a parliamentary election in about two months time. For more news and videos visit ☛ ntd.tv Follow us on <b>...</b> | Views: 13 1 ratings | | Time: 01:23 | More in News & Politics |
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| Afghanistan Bomber Targets US Base Posted: 26 Dec 2012 05:34 AM PST | At least three people have been killed in a suicide blast at a US base in Afghanistan. Full Story: At least three people have been killed in a suicide blast at a US base in Afghanistan. The victims of the latest suicide bombing in Afghanistan arrive at hospital. At least three people died in the attack on a US base in Khost. Police said the dead were Afghans who were outside the base at the time. The Afghan Taliban said it carried out the attack. Witnesses said it was a loud explosion. [Anwarullah Khan, Khost Resident]: "There was a big ban and some people were wounded, I don't know the exact number, but it was really powerful." Afghanistan's NATO-led force said the bomber didn't get inside the base. It's thought to be the same site where seven CIA employees were killed in a bomb attack three years ago. For more news and videos visit ☛ ntd.tv Follow us on Twitter ☛ http Add us on Facebook ☛ on.fb.me | Views: 1 0 ratings | | Time: 00:43 | More in News & Politics |
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| Homeless at Christmas: Steven's story Posted: 25 Dec 2012 08:29 PM PST | Its 8am Christmas morning and Sydney's usually bustling metropolis is a ghost town. [Steven, Homeless Person]: "After the fourth day of being out on the streets it really really gets to you." Much of the city's white-collar workers have headed off for the holidays. "A meal consists of a two dollar hamburger." But one group is left behind. "Most people that work nine to five couldn't fathom what it'd be like sleeping on the streets." Waking up to very little on one of the world's most celebrated holidays. "There's nothing nice about sitting around in filthy clothes, dirty hair, and you know." Steven, a former banana farmer is one who sleeps rough on the city's streets each night. He became homeless five years ago when two devastating cyclones wiped out his banana plantation in Northern Queensland. "Yeah I just didn't have it in me to rebuild and to start again because when it happened; I'd experienced two major cyclones in five years that pretty much took everything that I owned". It's a lonely time of year for Steven. Family breakdown now means spending Christmas alone; busking, budgeting and watching the leaves fall from the trees. Homeless here, consider themselves lucky if they own Swag or backpack bed. "I was given a bed Swag which is a little one man tent that rolls out, Its only the size of a single bed but unfortunately I put it down in safe storage and it was taken, so someone had a greater need for that Swag, had helped themselves to it." Despite being among <b>...</b> | Views: 33 2 ratings | | Time: 02:41 | More in News & Politics |
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| Brother Says Gao Zhisheng Unreachable Through Xinjiang Prison Posted: 25 Dec 2012 01:09 PM PST | For a year now, Chinese Christian rights lawyer Gao Zhisheng has been locked up in a jail in the remote Xinjiang region. His family recently received a letter, supposedly from Gao, asking them not to visit him. His wife told Radio Free Asia last Friday that they don't believe the letter is real. Gao's elder brother, Gao Zhiyi, has since been trying to reach him at the Sansha Prison where Gao is held. [Gao Zhiyi, Brother of Lawyer Gao Zhisheng] "We've heard nothing from him. We can't reach him. I've been calling the prison constantly, but they don't pick up. It's our right to visit him, but we can't even do that, and there is nothing I can do about it." Gao Zhisheng is renowned for defending religious minorities and other disadvantaged individuals. His activism—particularly his defense of persecuted Falun Gong adherents—led to his own suppression by the Chinese regime. With the holiday season and the New Year approaching, fellow activists have called on the public to do some simple things that can help political prisoners like Gao—for example, sending a greeting card. [Hu Jia, Renowned Rights Activist] "The cards will not reach the political prisoners, but the officials will receive them. It's almost the same as going to express support for the jailed dissidents at Sansha Prison. These warm words from the public may move the prison wardens. It also reminds them that people are watching and they can't just do whatever they want." In December 2011, Chinese state-run Xinhua <b>...</b> | Views: 103 8 ratings | | Time: 02:21 | More in News & Politics |
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| CCP' Unscripted Speeches: Honesty or Chaos? Posted: 25 Dec 2012 09:01 PM PST | Follow us on TWITTER: twitter.com Like us on FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com After the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) 18th congress, Xi Jinping and Li Keqiang began with new leadership rules. Leaders are requested to give speeches by using as less scripts as possible. The CCP' officials' culture is to read every word written in the script. Thus, it is a test for each official to give unscripted speeches, it is important and it influences their career. Will giving unscripted speeches lead to honesty, or chaos amongst officials? Let's take a look. For a CCP' governmental leader, the most important speech is the one of presenting his work report. The Southern Weekly newspaper in mainland China reported that in a serious occasion, such as work report, leaders will read a script without an error, there is no room to play. For some leaders, the script is indispensable: it is a sign of respect to secretarial team and the audience. The report said that in real life leaders talk with formality. Regardless of the meeting, they will read without thinking. They neither take responsibility for, nor are worried about things going wrong. Zhu Xinxin, former editor in Hebei People's Radio Station: "To let an individual talk, there is a risk of making mistakes. Or you'd be seen as not "being on the same page" with others. Therefore this habit of reading scripts had taken place. This system is the leading cause of forming such a stubborn and formal nature: to do things with lack of flexibility <b>...</b> | Views: 0 1 ratings | | Time: 04:02 | More in News & Politics |
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| Chinese Plane Seen 4 Times Over Diaoyu Islands Posted: 25 Dec 2012 07:24 PM PST | Follow us on TWITTER: twitter.com Like us on FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com A Chinese patrol plane has been observed above Diaoyu (Senkaku) Islands on four occasions. On December 25, the Japanese defense ministry said that they found the Chinese plane belongs to the national Coast Bureau. ... | Views: 27 0 ratings | | Time: 02:55 | More in News & Politics |
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| Property Declaration Policy Launched For China Officials Posted: 25 Dec 2012 06:12 PM PST | Follow us on TWITTER: twitter.com Like us on FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com Recently, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) launched a policy requiring officials to declare their property. The state media called it "Sunshine Law". It seems to bring some hopes to civilians. However, experts pointed out that the CCP's corruption has an impact on its whole system. The economic corruption only shows up the problems on the surface. The purpose of the "Sunshine Law" is to suppress economic corruption leading to a reduction of the social pressure. It is to make the CCP corrupted systems survive. The state media in mainland China reported the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) has drafted a proposal of officials' property declaration. This is considered a major move towards anti-corruption. The officials' property declaration policy starts with grassroots level officials internally. Since July 2012, it has been tested in Guangdong. The cadres above county level internally need to declare their property. However, ministerial level cadres don't need to declare anything. The department level cadres at Shixing County in Shaoguan are the officials to make the declaration. Lan Shu, the Current Affairs Commentator believes the CCP is a privileged party. The higher level it is, the better off they can be above the law. The purpose of the declaration policy is to reduce the social pressure by apparently revealing officials' interests. Lan Shu said that if they really wanted to <b>...</b> | Views: 0 2 ratings | | Time: 04:47 | More in News & Politics |
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