HAITI: THE MAGIC LAND
By Alejandro Guevara Onofre
INTRODUCTION
In 1492 Christopher Columbus wrote about Haiti: "The most beautiful in the world". Certainly, Haiti is a wonderful country in the Caribbean. I think that has a special beauty, with a geography and traditional culture that is totally different from all the other countries in Latin America.
Now, this essay is a historical information about Haiti, the first black republic in the modern history and one of the poorest nations on Earth. Each chapter provides details on history, economy, biographies, sport, awards, foreign relations, culture and other important aspects of Haiti. The people that don’t know Haiti very much think that Haiti is only one of the world’s poorest countries, but the Island is known for its traditional culture, hospitality, superstitions, history. Furthermore, Haiti is the home to National Park History, one of the ancient wonders of the world, and renowned women such as Edwidge Danticat and Michaëlle Jean were born there.
Since then, the dictatorships have destroyed Haitian society, economy, ecology and sport. Since 1950, two million Haitian people emigrated to the United States and other countries. Haitian-American arrived from Haiti with nothing more than their clothes. If we compare the Haiti of today to Haiti of thirty years ago, we see a change: a new multiparty democracy. Today, a vast part of the Third World and more than a billion people are under dictatorships.
Eventually, I would like to finish my introduction with a message by Albert Mangones: "Haiti is unique in history, going directly from slavery to nationhood".
CHRONOLOGY:
1492: Columbus discovered Haiti in the 15th Century.
1520-1697: Haiti is a Spanish territory. In the late 1500 and early 1600, African slaves flocked to Island.
1697-1790: Haiti is a French colony. After 16th Century, Haiti became the most important French colony in the Americas. Island´s export to Europe included sugar, coffee and corn. The beauty of Haiti is recognized by the French in the mid-1700 Century, when they called it "Pearl the Caribbean".
1790-1803: During the French colonization slaves suffers from maltreatment. By the late 1790, pro-independence demonstrations. An Anti-slavery movement under Toussaint L´Ouverture began. L´Ouverture is one of the most important black leaders in the history.During this period of time, Haitian slaves attack villages. Anti-French protests riots brutally suppressed. By the late 1803, under leadership of Jean Jacques Dessalines, Haiti army defeated the French forces at the Battle of Vertieres.
1804-1806:A French colony for more than hundred years, Haiti becomes independent, one of the most important events in the history. Jean Jacques Dessalines became the first president of new republic of Haiti, the first black republic in the modern history. Dessalines is the "Father of Modern Haiti". Haiti occupies the Western third of Hispaniola, the second-largest Island in the Caribbean.
1804-1820: Unfortunately; Haiti is divided into two zones. Northern Haiti is occupied by Henri Christopher, who is named Emperor, while the north is occupied by Alexander Petion. Petion is probably the greatest Haitian politician who ever lived.
1880: Haiti has one of the richest ecosystems in the Caribbean.
1900: Haiti´s modern political has been tumultuous, marked by dictatorships
1915-1934: Haiti has not had an effective national government Invasion by United States forces. US troops sent to Haiti during civil sub-war.
1918: The Presidential Palace, one of the best national palaces in the world, is originally designed by the Haitian Georges Bassan. Bassan is inspired to White House Washington.
1926: Emily Greene Balch, a human rights activist, went to Haiti.
1928: Cator is the only Haitian ever to win olympic silver medal. After, Haitian athlete Sylvio Cator breaks the men’s long jump record in Paris. Cator was given a hero’s welcome when he returned to his country.
1937: In the Dominican Republic, Rafael Leonidas Trujillo ordered national troops to massacre of 20000 Haitian emigrants.
1940-1950: Haiti is one of the most popular travel destinations in the Caribbean.
1944: Dewitt Peters, an American school-teacher, founded the Centre d’Art in Port -au-Prince Since 1944, Centre d’Art became the centre of the Haitian painting. It is now one of Haiti´s biggest tourist attractions, and every year thousands of people came to see the paintings and other work of Haitian art.
1945: Haiti becomes the 26th member of the United Nations in October.
1956: Haiti establishes diplomatic relations with the Republic of China (Taiwan).
1956: Daniel Fignolé is President of the Provisional Council and Head of State of Haiti
1957-1971:After working for a time as a traditional doctor, Francois Duvalier became one of Haiti’s most famous doctors. In 1957, Duvalier is elected President of the Republic of Haiti. President Duvalier announced: "My government will guarantee the exercise of liberty to all Haitians". Francois Duvalier, also known for his nickname "Papa Doc", emerged as Head of State and quickly gained nearly absolute power. In 1961 "Papa Doc" rewrote the National Constitution. After, he became the first "President for Eternity of Haiti". In the 1960s and 1970s "Papa Doc" popularizes superstitions ideas to Haiti through a series of important voodoo rites. The Duvalier dictatorship instituted rig press censorship. International agencies accuse government of grave human rights abuses. His regime of terror resulted in the deaths of least 30000 Haitian. The Island is one of the most dangerous countries in the Third World.
1957-1981: Haitian First Lady Simone Ovide became one of the most dominant women in the history of Haiti. Simone, wife of the most famous dictator of Haiti, gained in influence and power through corruption and crime.
1957-1989: For many decades, Haiti does not have diplomatic relations with the USSR, People’s Republic of China, Cuba, Hungary, South Africa and East Germany.
1960: The Tonton Macoutes, the brutal secret police, initiated a "Haitian genocide" in which political prisoners were tortured and executed.
1964: Joseph Eduard Gaetjens, the idol of millions of Haitians, is arrested and killed by the Tonton Macoutes, the sinister Haitian secret police. Like John Barnes (Jamaica) and Everald "Gally" Cummings (Trinidad Tobago), he was a great footballer in the Caribbean. After, Gaetjens become a world symbol of the struggle against dictatorship in the Third World. He had dual Haitian and American nationality and played at 1950 World Cup for the United States. Son of Haitian mother and Belgium father, he played for many clubs in the United States. The year 1950 was a very important year for Gaetjens: the United States beat England 1-0, the birthplace of the modern football.
1964: Francois Duvalier changed the national flag. Black and red are the colors chosen by Duvalier. Black, which is similar to the Angolan flag, represents the descendants of the patriot Francois Toussaint L’Ouverture and is also the traditional color of the Haitian people. While, red symbolizes the country`s independence. But the original flag, used since 1803, was removed in 1986 by order of the new government.
1966: Haile Selassie, the Emperor of Ethiopia, arrives in Port-au-Prince. Under the leadership of Dictator Francois Duvalier, many African countries maintain official diplomatic relations with Haiti.
1967: The Comedians, a film by British director Peter Glenville, inspired in the cruel Haitian dictatorship by the Duvalier family.
1971: After Duvalier’s death, power passed to his son Jean Claude Duvalier, the man who became known throughout the world as "Baby Doc". Baby Doc is as dictatorial as his father. Haiti is ruled by iron hand. Duvalier, best known for his anticommunist political, is omnipresent. Many opposition leaders were arrested. He is accused of human rights abuses. Thousand of Haitian people fled the country. Corruption is prevalent at all levels of government. The health system is one of the worst in the Americas.
1974: The sporting system is one of the worst in the Third World, but Haiti qualified for the 1974 FIFA World Cup. Haiti beat Trinidad-Tobago in the World Cup qualifiers. Is one of the greatest sporting moment, in the chronology, comparing it to something like Sylvio Cator, who won a silver medal in long jump in the 1928 Olympics Games in Holland.
1975: In El Salvador, Miss Haiti, Gerthie David, is named first runner up at Miss Universe Pageant… transmitting live to millions by CBS. After, Gerthie David is acclaimed in Port-au-Prince as a national heroine. Miss Haiti competed with 71 other women from around the world for the title of Miss Universe, including Miss USA, Summer Barthollomew.
1980: Like Canada, West Germany South Korea and Kenya, Haiti boycott the Moscow Olympic Games in protest for Soviet invasion of Afghanistan
1980-1986: Jean-Claude Duvalier, Haiti’s longtime dictator, married Michelle Bennett, an aristocratic lady. A little more than three months later, Bennett-Duvalier becomes First Lady of Haiti. Like Eva Peron (Argentina) or Jiang Qing (People’s Republic of China), she was a woman with great power. Michelle Bennett promoted her mulatto countrymen to positions of leadership in the dictatorship at his expense of the African-Haitians.
1982: The National History Park (La Citadelle Laferriere, Sans Souci Palace and Ramiers) is designated as a World Heritage Site by the UNESCO. Like Machu Picchu (Peru) and Angkor What (Cambodia), the National History Park is considered among the wonders of the world.
1982: Ronald Agenor wins a gold medal in men’s tennis singles at the Central American and Caribbean Sports Games La Havana. He captures the hearts of the Island.
1983: Pope John Paul arrives in Haiti for a visit. "Things most change here", said John Paul II.
1986: As Jean-Claude consolidated his power, he consistently refused to consider constitutional reform. The insurrection against the dictator Jean Claude Duvalier began…Antigovernment protesters in the capital. Many deaths, injuries and arrests. Seeming end to long Haitian dictatorship with fall of Duvalier regime.
1987: Haiti has one of the America’s rates of HIV infection
1987: The New Constitution restored many of the liberties abolished by the Duvalier family. The National Constitution recognizes both French and Creole as official languages. A new opposition emerged under Jean-Bertrand Aristide.
1988: Writer Rene Depestre wins the Prix Ranandot. Depestre, a Haitian dissident now living in France, was cited his novel Hadriana dans tous mes reves. By the mid-1980s Rene Depestre had become well known in literacy circles outside Haiti.
1990: Ertha Pascall-Trouillot becomes the first black woman elected of head of state in the world.
1990: First multi-party elections. Jean-Bertrand Aristide, a charismatic black leader, was elected president of Haiti. Aristide is the first democratic president since 1804.He was elected with the most popular support of any Haitian presidential candidate in the history.
1991: Military coup in the country. Raoul Cedras, leader of the coup, emerged as head of the new government. This year marked the end of eight months of democracy. Under new government, all political parties were dissolved.
1991-1995: Like Equatorial Guinea, Cuba and North Korea, Haiti has one of the most serious human rights problems in the Third World.
1993: United Nations imposed economic sanctions on Haiti, one of the most densely populated nations in the Americas.
1994: Peaceful occupation by United States forces to restore democratic electoral system. Raoul Cedras and his family went into exile in Panama City. Aristide was restored to power.
1995: In Port-au-Prince, sub-war violence includes assassination of Meireille Durocher Bertin.
1995: In Beijing, the capital of city of the People’s Republic of China, Haiti participated in the UN`s Fourth World Conference on Women
1996:More than 5,000 Haitians had been killed and miles more fled to abroad, United States, Canada, Bahamas and Dominican Republic, since 1991.
1998: Haitian president Renè Garcia Preval arrives in Taipei (Taiwan) for a four-day state visit. He and President Lee will sign a communiqué to strengthen bilateral friendship and cooperation.
1999: Dominican president Leonel Fernandez visit to Haiti as part of a new diplomacy.
2002: In Paris, Dudley Dorival finished 3rd in the 110 hurdles at the World Championships. He becomes the 1st Haitian to win an individual international medal since 1928.Dorival was born in New Jersey, United States, to Haitian parents on 1 September 1975. He in 2000 officially became a citizen of Haiti.
2000: Haiti is one of the thirty poorest countries in the Third World.
2000-2001: The elections were boycotted by the main opposition political parties. Aristide was again elected President. Widespread violent in Haiti allege that Aristide’s election victory is fraudulent. Total political censorship exists in national media.
2004: This year Haiti is celebrating the 200th Anniversary of their National Independence. President Jean-Bertrand Aristide of Haiti flees to Central African Republic following anti-government demonstrations. Haiti has one of the most violent conflict areas in the Americas. After, UN troops sent to Haiti during civil sub-war.
2006: Rene Preval is sworn in as President of Haiti. Since the peaceful transfer of power in February, Haiti is the newest democracy in the Third World.
ECONOMY
Like Bangladesh, Uganda or Tanzania, Haiti is one of the poorest countries on Earth. In 1997, the Haiti’s economic growth rate (real GDP) per capita was U$ 1,300. GDP per capita for Namibia, Botswana and Equatorial Guinea are higher than for Haiti. In the country 4 million people living on less than U$2 a day. More than 6 million of the Haiti’s population still does not have access to potable water and electricity. For years of dictatorships had left the country’s economy in ruins. The country dependent on international aid. Several hundred thousand farm workers migrate each year to Dominican Republic.
In 1997, total exports for the year were U$110 million, while total imports were US$ 486 million. Since 1804, the US market has been the most important export destination for Haiti. Nearly 80 percent of Haiti’s total exports are destined for the United States. Haiti’s exports include sisal, mangoes, coffee, cotton, bauxite, and sugar. The Island’s imports from the United States include cement, oil, food, machinery and transport equipment. France has been the second largest exports destination for Haitian products.
In the past, the tourism industry occupied an eminent place in the Haitian economy, but several political problems have blocked tourism. Haiti was the first country in the Caribbean to promote tourism in an accelerated form. Haiti is a small country with vast mountains, tropical beaches and beautiful historic buildings.
CULTURE
Like Katherine Dunham, Lillian Hellman, W.B. Seabrook, Erik Leonard Ekman, Alejo Carpentier, Selden Rodman, Noel Coward and Angeline Jolie, many people say that Haiti is the most beautiful country in the Caribbean. Known as the "Magic Land", Haiti is famous for its culture. Certainly, Haiti its culture, its superstitions and its music. The superstitions or voodoo plays a profound role in the lives of many Haitians. The voodoo was introduced into Haiti in the late 16th Century. Haiti is also famous for its painting, and finally for its ruins…for example the Sans Souci Palace, the most famous ruins in the Caribbean. Exactly, this enigmatic palace is considered a Cultural Heritage for Humanity by UNESCO. Originally constructed by black slaves, now Sans Souci is one of Haiti’s main tourist attractions.
Since the late 1940s, Haitian painting, best known as "naïve art" or "intuitive art", is famous all around the World. The most important figure was Hector Hyppolite. His work made its biggest splash in the United States in the 20th Century. Other artists known internationally include Rigaud Benoit, Castera Bazile, Joseph Jean-Giles and Jean-Baptista Bottlex.Haiti is famous for its traditional sculpture. The best Haitian sculptor is Albert Mangoes.
FAMOUS HAITIAN
Nelust Wyclef Jean (singer/Haitian-American): Original member of 1990s hip hop group The Fugees. Wyclef Jean is probably the most popular Haitian singer of all time. Jean was born in Croix des Bouquets (Haiti) on October 17, 1972. When he was just ten years old, he moved to the United States. Under leadership of Wyclef Jean and Lauryn Hill, The Fugees had several hits in the 1990s, including The Score (The Score album sold 6 million copies). Since 1997, Wyclef Jean, as soloist, became well-known on the international music scene. Like songwriter and producer, Jean collaborated with superstars as Santana, Withney Houston, Mick Jagger,Bono,Tevin Cambpell, Bounty Killer, Eric Benet, Sarah Connor, Claudette Ortiz, Tarkan, Michael Jackson, Youssou N´Dor, Shakira, Olga Tañon, Carlos Ponce and Julio Voltio. During the last seven years, he has sold more than 10 millions albums worldwide. In 2002, his single Masquerade was a great success.
Since then, Wyclef Jean is a man that always works with love for Haiti, one of the World’s poorest countries. Recently, he makes perhaps his best work: "Yele Haiti", a foundation which works for the human development in the Island. Like Miriam Makeba in South Africa or Bianca Jagger in Nicaragua, Jean loves his roots. In an interview for Magazine, Wyclef Jean discussed about Haitian roots: "I am 100% Haitian. I am proud to be Haitian. I still have my Haitian passport. I represent Haiti in everything that I do. Every head in the industry knows that I am Haitian…they know what I’m about. I was Haitian forst. Haitian till die!", said Jean.
Discography: Wyclef Jean Present the Carnival Featuring the refugee All-Stars (1997) / The Ecleftic:2 Sides II a Book/ Masquerade (2002) / The Preacher’s (2003)/ Sak Pasé Presents: Creole 101( 2004) /Hips Don’t Lie (with Shakira, 2006).
SPECIAL AWARDS
Gerthie David "The Black Goddess"
In 1975, many Haitian people were shocked to open their newspapers and see photographs of Gerthie David Miss Haiti in El Salvador. On the night of July 19th 1975, in San Salvador, Gerthie David, Miss Haiti, was the second black woman to first runner-up in the history of Miss Universe Pageant. After winning the Miss Haiti title, Gerthie went to San Salvador, the capital city of El Salvador, to enter the Miss Universe Contest. The competence was exhausting, very hard, for example Miss Bolivia, Jackeline Gammarra, great favorite, was eliminated. This day, Miss Haiti looks like a black goddess. Her exotic beauty and charming personality are amazing! At 1,72m in height, she was the best in the evening gown competition, but her speech about the Haitian superstitions swayed thousands of applauses in the 25th Edition of the Contest. Certainly, Miss Haiti captive to the judges Sarah Vaughan (American black singer), Maribel Arrieta (Miss El Salvador 1955 and First runner-up at Miss Universe 1955), Jean Claude Killy (French sportsmen) and Leon Uris(American writer ).
When Bob Barker, the host this pageant, announces the final placements, Gerthie was cheered by the entire auditorium. Suddenly, her pulse rate beats at thousand per minute… "First runner-up is Miss Haiti!", said Barker. She was one of the most exotic delegates in all history of Miss Universe. In the 1970s, Gerthie David was a model from Port-au Prince and she became a symbol to the Haitian youth. Next months, in London, Joelle Apollon, Miss Haiti-World, came in sixth place at Miss World 1975.After sixteen years, Marjorie Vincent, formerly Miss Illinois 1991,won the title of Miss America Pageant. The first Miss America to originate from the Caribbean. In other words, Marjorie Vincent has Haitian roots. Furthermore, she was the second black woman to win the pageant.
SPORTS
Like in Brazil or Italy, the football is the most popular sport in Haiti. Certainly, the national pastime is the football. A different of the Dominican Republic or Puerto Rico, the Haitian people don’t like the baseball. In the 20th Century, football became the most popular sport in the Island, thanks to such heroes as Sylvio Cator, Joseph Gaetjens and Emmanuel Sanon. In 1974 Haiti qualified for the World Cup in Germany.
Emmanuel Sanon was one of the Haiti’s most popular players and played at the 1974 World Cup. Sanon made a great contribution to Haitian football because he played in more World Cup qualifiers any other Haitian. He is still very popular with local fans. Other phenomenal talent was Joseph Eduard Gaetjens. He represented both Haiti and the United States. He made FIFA World Cup History: When scored United States opening goal in the 1950 World Cup against England. Joseph came to the United States in the 1940s to play in the American Soccer League. His beautiful play in the Brookhattan Club made in a national star. In 1953, he played for Haiti for the first time.
It’s practically impossible to talk about Haitian athletes without mentioning Sylvio Cator. He is a legend in this sport. Cator won the silver medal in the long jump at 1928 Amsterdam Olympics. Cator returned home to a hero’s welcome. From 1928 to 1930, he was record man in the long jump. Cator was a marvelous jumper and footballer. He also played an important role in popularizing football in the Island (it was the captain of Haitian National Team).
Since then, he is an example for young people in Haiti. He died in November 1938, but today the people of Haiti still think of him with respect. Many years after Cator’s death, the National Stadium in Por-au-Prince was renamed in his honor. Cator was the first of the great Caribbean sportsmen that would come to dominate world track and field.
FAMOUS ATHLETES
Bruny Surin (Canada-Haiti/track field)/ Edrick Floreal (Canada-Haiti/track field)/ Samuel Dalembert ( USA-Haiti/basketball) / Ronald Agenor (USA-Haiti/tennis)/ Sylvio Cator (track and field)/ Yves Jeudy (Box)/ Dieudonne Lamothe (marathon)/ Ludovic Augustin (shooting)/ Ludovic Volborge (shooting)/ Joseph Eduard Gaetjens (Haiti-USA/football)/ Dudley Dorival (track field)/ Fitz Plantin Andre (football)/ Emmanuel Sanon (football)/ Josmer Altidore (Haitian-American/football).
Dudley Dorival (track and field): Dudley Dorival was born on 1 September 1975 in Elizabeth (New Jersey, USA). Dorival is the son of Haitian parents and got Haitian nationality just in time for the XXVII Summer Olympics Games. Since the 2000 Olympics, Dudley Dorival has competed in international competitions under the banner of Haiti. In Sydney (Australia) Dorival finished 7th in the 110m hurdles. He became the first Haitian to Olympic finalist since Yves Jeudy (boxer) in 1976. He won the silver medal at the 1994 World Junior Championship, the bronze at the 2001 World Chanpionship and the gold medal at the 2002 Central American and Caribbean Games El Salvador. Dorival is one of the best sportsman in the history of Haiti.
FAMOUS WOMEN
Michaëlla Jean (Governor-General of Canada)/ Yvonne Neptune (former Prime Minister)/Claudette Werleigh (Prime Minister 1995-1996)/Lina Blanchet (singer)/ Edwidge Danticat (writer)/ Michelle Bennett Duvalier(First Lady of Haiti 1981-1986)/ Luce Turnier (painter)/ Ertha Pascal-Trouillot (Head of State 1990-1991)/ Marie Casimir (journalist) / Sonia Sekula (Painter) / Marie Chauvet (writer)/ Suzanne Comhaire-Sylvain (writer)/ Carmen Brouard (singer)/Dayana Bennett (journalist and actress) / Elie Price (singer)/ Blanche Bosselman (singer)/ Lina Mathon (singer)/ Georgette Moliere (singer)/ Simone Ovide Duvalier (First Lady of Haiti 1957-1981)/ Marleine Bastien (human rights leader)/ Garcelle Beauvais (actress and model)/ Deborah Saint-Phard (track and field)/ Antoinette Gauthier (track and field), Louise Pierre (track and field)/ Rose Gauthier (track and field)
Edwidge Danticat (writer): One of the Caribbean’s most famous writers in the 21st Century. She has written several novels and collections of shore stories, including Kri? Kra!, nominated for a National Book Award. Danticat attracted international attention in 1997 when she wrote perhaps her most famous novel Farming of the Bones, a story about genocide Haitians under the repressive dictatorship of Rafael Leonidas Trujillo.
Garcelle Beauvais (actress): She is the first Haitian actress to star on television. Although she has lived in the United States for many years, the actress and former fashion model Garcelle Beauvais was born in Saint Marc, a city in Haiti, in 1966. She is perhaps best known for her role as Francesca Monroe on TV’s the Jamie Foxx Show. Like Gerthie David, Joelle Apollon, Evelyn Miot, and Marjorie Vincent, she has the classic beauty of the Haitian black woman
REFERENCES:
-Bennet Patterson, Carolyn."Haiti: Beyond mountains, more mountains", National Geographic, Washington DC, January 1976
-Bishop,Randa. "Imponentes monumentos haitianos", Americas, Washington DC, enero-febrero 1987
-Cobb,Charles. "Haiti against all odds", National Geographic, November 1987
-Encyclopaedia Britannica Book of the Year 1981, Encyclopaedia Britannica, Chicago, 1980
-Encyclopaedia Britannica Almanac 2003, Encyclopaedia Britannica, Chicago, 2002
-Guevara Onofre, Alejandro. Enciclopedia Mundototal 1999, Editorial San Marcos, Lima, 1998
-Hunter, Brian. The Statesman’s Year-Book 1991-92, The Macmillan Press, 1991
-Moritz, Charles. Current Biography Yearbook 1972, H.W Wilson Company, NY
-Sconfield, John. "Haiti-West Africa in the West Indies", National Geographic, Washington DC, February 1961
-The International Who’s Who 1996-97, Europe Publications, London, 1996
-The World Almanac 2001, World Almanac Books, New Jersey, 2001
-Tibballs, Geoff. The Olympics´ strangest moments, Robson Books, London, 2004
-Vargas Llosa, Mario. "Haití: la muerte", El Comercio, Lima, 25.4.1994
-Visión. "Imperio del Poder Vitalicio", Santiago de Chile, 17 de marzo de 1967
-Wallechinsky, David. The complete Book of the Olympics, Aurum Press, London, 2004
-Wallechinsky, David-Wallace, Irving. The People’s Almanac2, Batam Book Inc
-WWW.Yotube.com "1975 El Salvador Miss Universe" (video)
Friday, May 1, 2009
Haiti:the Magic Land
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Teenagers planned to bomb British school to mark Columbine massacre
The youths, aged 16 and 17, were preparing to blow up a school and shopping centre on April 20, with the possible loss of hundreds of lives.
Police sources confirmed the date was chosen to mark 10 years since Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold went on the rampage at Columbine High School in Colorado, killing 12 students and a teacher before turning the guns on themselves.
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It is alleged that the British youths had obtained plans of their two targets and had the knowledge and method to carry out a copycat attack.
Both boys appeared flanked by security guards in the dock at Tameside Youth Court in Greater Manchester. They spoke only to confirm their name, date of birth and address during the hearing.
They are jointly accused of a single charge of conspiracy to cause an explosion likely to endanger life and injure property between November 1, 2007 and March 15, 2009.
The elder boy is also charged with possession of child pornography.
The younger boy's father and the other boy's grandfather sat in front of the dock throughout the proceedings.
Both defendants were arrested on Saturday as police swooped in Tameside, Greater Manchester. The teenagers and the school targeted cannot be identified for legal reasons.
Vivien Vince, chairwoman of the bench, remanded both youths into custody to appear at Minshull Street Crown Court, Manchester, on March 30.
Brian Jonestown Massacres the Ogden
Recently my guitarist told me to watch the documentary ‘Dig!’. He said it would be a great thing for me to see as we start to write our new album and try to make the big time. What I watched on ‘Dig’ was 2 bands (the Brian Jonestown Massacre and the Dandy Warhols) struggle with stardom, conflicting personalities and rivalry. Seems as if the antics of Anton (the leader of BJM) destroy every opportunity for financial success, maybe because he is drunk/high on drugs, or maybe just because he can not conform to what the record labels need him to do. His overall attitude and intense creative juices push the two bands apart and show the ups and downs of trying to make it in the music world without compromising your sound and ideas.
The Brian Jonestown Massacre is now coming to our lovely Ogden theater tomorrow night. They also made an appearance this past summer at the Monolith festival at Red Rocks, where I hear Anton threw a microphone into the crowd (so you might want to wear your boarding helmet if you attend). One fan writes,
“I had never seen Brian Jonestown Massacre in concert until I had the good fortune of seeing them at the Monolith Music Festival at the famous Red Rocks venue last September, and it was quite the event. Anton was his impossible self as usual, berating the crowd and band members alike (and making me think he'd call it off at any time--he did walk off the stage several times, only to return), but when the band played, it sounded magical.”
So…we’ll see how tomorrow goes. Many of my ‘music friends’ have expressed interests in the show and have told me its something I have to see. I am a big fan of the psychedelic music experience, and after watching ‘Dig!’ I think the sound will be right up my alley….and when the band could act out at any time, that’s a combination that could make a great visual and audio show.
On a brief and separate note check out Jon B's interview at the Ogden before his show this past Saturday night.
'No footage of BDR massacre found'
Investigators did not find any video footage of the last month's massacre by Bangladesh Rifles members at Pilkhana, a senior CID official said today.
An audiotape containing the speech of Major General Shakil Ahmed was retrieved, the officer said preferring anonymity.
Commerce Minister Faruk Khan yesterday said the investigators found video footage and an audiotape containing evidence of massacre at the Darbar Hall on February 25.
The CID officer said the mutineers damaged nine CCTVs installed at the armoury and the office of the director general.
According to CID sources they found video footage from the CCTV's captured before those were dam
aged.
from: thedailystar.net
Britain looks to keep momentum at track worlds
PRUSZKOW, Poland (AP) — Coming off a dominant 2008, Britain enters this week's track cycling world championships as the team to beat despite the loss of three big-name riders.
The talented and deep British squad took home nine of the 18 gold medals at last year's world championships on their home track in Manchester before claiming seven of the 10 track golds at the Beijing Olympics.
Repeating those performances will be tough at the March 25-29 competition in Pruszkow, Poland, where New Zealand, Australia and France have brought solid squads to challenge Britain's recent run of titles.
"I think we'll do pretty good but I wouldn't expect the same sort of domination as 2008 worlds and the Olympics," said Britain's Ed Clancy, who won gold in the men's team pursuit in Beijing. "It's kind of a development year. ... The British cycling program on the track is based around the Olympics. This is the first year in a four-year cycle, so there's not the big pressure of the Olympics and the world championships that we've had for the last two years in the buildup to the Games."
Britain will be without three of its top stars in Poland. Triple Olympic gold medalist Chris Hoy, who was given a knighthood by Queen Elizabeth II, is out after injuring his right hip in a high-speed crash at the Track World Cup Finals in Copenhagen last month. Bradley Wiggins, who won three golds a year ago, is pursuing a road career, and women's pursuit champion Rebecca Romero is taking a break from the track to ponder her career options.
Clancy called Hoy's absence "a massive loss ... not just in terms of what he'll win on the track, but in terms of what he does for team moral and presence in the team."
"He's always been a good guy, even before he got his knighthood and became a superstar. He was always great for moral and good at the dinner table and he's a good guy to have around. It's a bit of a loss to the team, but I'm sure we'll be doing our best either way."
Still, Britain boasts a bevy of talented riders that figure to fight for gold in Pruszkow. Steven Burke and Wendy Houvenaghel, who took silver in the men's and women's individual pursuit behind Wiggins and Romero, respectively, have strong hopes of winning those events in Poland.
And Britain has the added bonus of Mark Cavendish, who won four Tour de France stages in 2008, as a surprise inclusion on the team. Cavendish is expected to ride in the scratch race and madison.
Clancy, meanwhile, leads a retooled men's pursuit team that expects a stiff challenge from New Zealand and Denmark.
In the individual sprint, Britain's Jason Kenny should contend for a title with Frenchmen Gregory Bauge and Kevin Sireau.
But the bulk of the attention in Poland may fall on American prodigy Taylor Phinney. The 18-year-old Phinney, who is the son of 1984 Olympic medalists Connie Carpenter-Phinney and Davis Phinney, posted strong wins in the 0.63-mile time trial and the individual pursuit at the World Cup in Copenhagen last month, and is the favorite in both events here.
On the women's side, Britain's Victoria Pendleton looks to continue her domination of the sprint and keirin. Australia's Anna Meares, who took silver behind Pendleton in the sprint in Beijing, looks to upend Pendleton.
China, ROK top negotiators to six-party talks meet in Beijing
BEIJING, March 24 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Wu Dawei met here Tuesday with Wie Sung-rak, head of the Republic of Korea (ROK) delegation to the six-party talks on the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue.
"China is very concerned about the current situation on the Korean Peninsula and hopes that all relevant parties could avoid actions that may make the situation more complicated," Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said.
Qin also appealed for an earlier resumption of the six-party talks and urged all relevant parties to work together towards the goals of a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula, better ties among relevant countries, and the peace and stability of Northeast Asia.
Qin said given the current situation on the Korean Peninsula, the most urgent thing for all relevant parties was to keep calm and be restrained, and contribute to the advancement of the six-party talks.
Health ministers to gather in Beijing to combat TB
www.chinaview.cn
BEIJING, March 24 (Xinhua) -- Health ministers from 27 countries dealing with multi drug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) cases will be in Beijing for a meeting next week.
They will talk about how to increase prevention and management of MDR-TB, as well as draft a five-year strategic plan, Liu Yuhong, a program officer for the World Health Organization (WHO) said Tuesday.
WHO is a sponsor of the three-day meeting, which begins April 1,along with China's Ministry of Health and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
Drug-resistant tuberculosis is developed by inconsistent or partial treatment when patients take medicines irregularly, WHO sources said.
According to WHO web statistics, an estimated 1.4 million TB cases occur in China annually. About 600,000 TB patients are infectious. It's not clear how many people in China die every year from the disease or how many MDR-TB cases there are in the country.
TB is contagious. Like the common cold, it spreads through the air. Only people who are sick with TB in their lungs are infectious.
Columbia Global Centers Open in Beijing and Amman
(Media-Newswire.com) - In a concerted effort to deepen its already extensive global perspective, the University is establishing Columbia Global Centers in Beijing, China and Amman, Jordan. They are the first of what the University plans as a network of centers around the world to promote and facilitate international collaborations, new research projects, academic programming and study abroad, enhancing Columbia’s historical commitment to global scholarship.
With panel discussions, special events and alumni gatherings in each city, Columbia’s president, Lee C. Bollinger, is traveling to officially launch both centers together with other members of the University community. The Beijing center opens on Friday, Mar. 20 and the Amman center opens on Sunday, Mar. 22.
“Columbia University is proud to mark the opening of these Columbia Global Centers,” said President Bollinger. “It is essential to a great University that our students and faculty know and understand more about our world and we are committed to providing new opportunities to deepen our engagement with scholars, ideas and challenges across the globe.”
The centers will leverage the University’s diverse intellectual capacities from across the undergraduate, graduate and professional schools, including independent Columbia affiliates Teachers College and Barnard College. To maintain and build on its longstanding international presence on many continents, Columbia envisions the establishment of four to six additional research centers abroad in the years ahead.
While some U.S. universities have built new branch campuses and degree-granting schools abroad, Columbia is taking a different path. Columbia Global Centers will provide flexible regional hubs for a wide range of activities and resources intended to enhance the quality of research and learning at the University and around the world. The goal is to establish a network of regional centers in international capitals to collaboratively address complex global challenges by bringing together scholars, students, public officials, private enterprise, and innovators from a broad range of fields.
“When social challenges are global in their consequences, the intellectual firepower of the world’s great universities must be global in its reach,” said Kenneth Prewitt, vice president of Columbia Global Centers and Carnegie Professor of Public Affairs. “Columbia’s network of Global Centers will bring together some of the world's finest scholars to address some of the world’s most pressing problems.”
Among the new collaborations is Studio-X Beijing, a project of Columbia’s Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation. It is an industrial loft space in a historic neighborhood near the Forbidden City to be used for collaborative research, events, projects, exhibitions, and cultural exchanges involving students, scholars, and designers from Columbia and China.
The China 2049 program is a research partnership through which the National Development and Reform Commission, China’s top economic planning agency, will work with Columbia’s Earth Institute and the Brookings Institution of Washington, D.C., to formulate policies to ensure that China’s long-term growth and development are economically efficient and environmentally sustainable.
In Beijing, launch events include a discussion of the current economic crisis and the global economy with Columbia faculty member Joseph Stiglitz, the 2001 Nobel laureate in economics, and a discussion of perspectives on the Obama presidency featuring Susan Fuhrman, president of Teachers College, and Jeanette Takamura, dean of Columbia’s School of Social Work. President Bollinger leads a conversation focusing on universities in the 21st century joined by the presidents of two Chinese universities.
Teachers College has been active in Jordan for the past two years providing a course on the teaching of English to speakers of other languages. In July 2008, Teachers College sent a delegation of faculty members and consultants to Amman to assist Jordan’s ministry of education in making improvements to the nation’s public schools. Members of the delegation led a five-day retreat to design pre-employment training for newly hired teachers.
New collaborations in Amman include the launch of a major research lab for faculty, students and scholars associated with Columbia’s Architecture School and their counterparts in the Middle East. Students are currently working on restoration projects in historic downtown Amman. The School of Social Work has partnered with Jordanian nongovernmental and government entities to offer an intensive course on the foundations of social work.
In Amman this weekend, Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah will join with President Bollinger and deliver welcoming remarks. Activities include panel discussions on Middle East issues featuring Alan Brinkley, Columbia’s provost; John Coatsworth, dean of Columbia’s School of International and Public Affairs; and Rashid Khalidi, professor of modern Arab studies. Carol Becker, dean of Columbia’s School of the Arts, and Mark Wigley, dean of the University’s Architecture School, engage in a dialog about art and architecture. And the School of the Arts presents an installation of works on loan from its LeRoy Neiman Center for Print Studies and provides entertainment by the Columbia University Jazz Ensemble.
Columbia Global Centers are established to encourage new collaboration across academic disciplines at the University. Some of the research and scholarly initiatives will be regionally focused; others will involve multiple centers, and in some instances the full complement of centers will be engaged across many continents. The centers are also intended to support a significant expansion of opportunities for Columbia students and researchers to do work abroad, with the flexibility to pursue long or short term projects.
Negotiations During Coca-Cola Deal Review Confidential
BEIJING -(Dow Jones)- China's Ministry of Commerce said Tuesday confidentiality rules prevented it from disclosing details about the solution it had sought to ease competition concerns while it was reviewing Coca-Cola Co.'s ( KO) proposed acquisition of China Huiyuan Juice Group Ltd. (1886.HK).
The ministry last week rejected Coca-Cola's $2.4 billion bid to acquire one of China's largest juice makers, saying the deal - which would have been the largest-ever foreign takeover of a Chinese company - would unduly restrict competition.
The ministry said earlier the decision was made after it had attempted to negotiate with Coca-Cola for a more limited deal that would mitigate what it considered the anti-competitive effects of the acquisition.
In a statement on its Web site, the ministry said it couldn't disclose detailed information about the negotiations due to confidentiality clauses in the anti-monopoly law.
The statement came after some observers cast doubt over the decision, which they said wasn't strong enough to justify the competition concerns. Some critics said the rejection could arouse trade protectionism concerns and hurt foreign investment in China.
The ministry reiterated its concerns that Coca-Cola could use its dominance in China's carbonated drinks market, where it has a 60.60% share, to gain advantage at the local juice drinks market.
The ministry said Coca-Cola could use methods such as bundling different types of drinks for sales together, or attaching exclusionary sales conditions, to " seriously harm or even deprive of" the competitiveness of other juice drinks makers on the market.
The ministry didn't give an estimate about what market share Coca-Cola could gain of China's juice drinks market through the acquisition.
Huiyuan is China's largest juice maker. Its share of China's pure-juice sector, in terms of sales value, was 32.6% of that market by the end of the year, according to market research firm Euromonitor, a lower share compared with 44% at the end of June.
The ministry also said its decision was objective and unaffected by nationalist tendencies, unlike what some foreign media have said.
-Victoria Ruan contributed to this story, Dow Jones Newswires; 8610 6588-5848; victoria.ruan@dowjones.com
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Wagalla Massacre: The Nightmare of an Activist
I remember I made an umbrella out of my Kikoi and held over my brother's head so that he could walk in the shade. It was not really an act of kindness but more of a sense of duty to protect my brother. We moved on for days and nights and one day someone from town met us and he had terrible news. The people in town have been collected, detained and killed by soldiers. He told us some of our own uncles and cousins are missing. This made everyone sad, the adults were crying and silence fell over the whole family. There was nothing to do though. The choice was stark, staying in the bushes meant certain death from thirst and hunger while going to the wells may have meant facing bullets and batons. The people chose the latter thinking that thirst and hunger were unbearable at any cost. By the time we reached the wells at Leheley, a small village on the outskirt of Wajir town, most of the goats and sheep had died. We started the journey with six hundred goats and sheep and a hundred camels and when we arrived at the wells and the animals drank water, only twenty five survived, the rest died of prolonged thirst and of drinking the salty well water on an empty stomach.
Fear had gripped the towns; men slept in the bushes at night and only ventured into the town in daylight. Every time the roar of an engine was heard, people ran into the nearest outgrowth or up trees. It was a frightening experience the first time I ever set foot in town. Stories abound of what transpired earlier. The military came into the villages, arrested men and burnt houses. Some men were beaten in front of their wives and children until they bleed from the mouth and nose. People in these reserves had never heard a man begging for mercy and crying visible tears before 1984. There were hushed stories told only among age mates that certain women were raped. The stories were hushed because it was very shameful for the families whose women were raped. Some of the women were young beautiful girls who were waiting to be wedded once the rainy season came. It was a particularly gruesome nightmare. The people hoped and prayed that it was just a nightmare and tried very hard to wake up from it but 1984 was real, the killings, the burning and blunder of wealth and the rape of women were real, there was no waking up from this ghostly dream.
from:americanchronicle.com
BDR massacre was a conspiracy, not mutiny
The bloodbath took place at the BDR Headquarters here on February 25-26 was not a mutiny, but part of a bigger conspiracy which should be unveiled through a fair investigation, speakers told a roundtable here Saturday.
"It's a planned killing and it shouldn't be considered the outcome of an internal conflict between BDR and Army," said former BDR DG Maj Gen (retd) Rezaqul Haider.
The roundtable titled 'BDR Mutiny: Security Implications for Bangladesh and Region' was held at the conference room of The Bangladesh Today in the morning.
The Bangladesh Today and Bangladesh Institute of Peace and Security Studies jointly hosted the roundtable with its President Major General (retd) ANM Muniruzzaman in chair.
They called for a fair investigation into the incident to identify the perpetrators.
The speakers said a body like National Security Council (NSC) should be formed to tackle any national crisis. This should be discussed in parliament so that such incidents do not happen again, they said.
They said it is high time to think about forming NSC that would act as a helping instrument to democracy.
Former State Minister for Foreign Affairs Abul Hasan Chowdhury said the BDR carnage had brought a chance for the nation to get united, but unfortunately it did not happen.
He alleged that the opposition has totally failed to play its due role during and after the brutality in the BDR headquarters.
Favoring the idea of forming NSC, he said the entire nation is waiting to see an acceptable and fair investigation into the carnage.
Abul Hasan Chowdhury urged the authorities concerned to let the investigators to do their jobs freely and fairly.
Rezaqul Haider said there is no dual command in BDR and it is totally working under the Ministry of Home.
He said the government might take steps to restructure and strengthen BDR.
President of Bangladesh Institute of Peace and Security Studies Major General (retd) ANM Muniruzzaman said a major part of the national security has collapsed with the incidents in the BDR Headquarters. "I don't think that our border are now well-guarded which is a threat to us," Muniruzzaman said.
He said some 2,700 BDR jawans still remained untraced and huge arms and explosives went missing which should be searched out.
Muniruzzaman feared that the explosives and arms might fall into the hands of terrorists and the absconding well-trained BDR jawans might join different terrorist outfits, worsening the country's security concern.
"It's a major blow to our national security and we should not deviate from the objective of investigation," he said.
Bangladesh Today Editor Col (retd) Mahmud-ur-Rahman and Research Assistant of Bangladesh Institute of Peace and Security Studies Khaled Iqbal Chowdhury presented two keynote papers in the discussion.
Mahmud-ur-Rahman in his paper said, "Unless politicians and government are willing and able to see changes in this perspective, nothing is likely to change,"
from:nation.ittefaq.com
Monday, March 16, 2009
Things To Do- Roller Derby March 21 Boston Massacre vs. Baltimore + Nutcrackers vs. Cosmonaughties
Date: Saturday, March 21, 2009
Bout #1, 5 pm: Boston Massacre vs. Baltimore
Bout #2, 7 pm: Nutcrackers vs. Cosmonaughties
At 7 pm…The second bout of the evening kicks off our home team season with the Nutcrackers taking on the Cosmonaughties. Will the Nuts have an advantage with a veteran-heavy team? Or will the Cosmos capitalize on the energy of their freshmeat skaters?
Half time show features the tunes of While Rome Burns. And as always, the after party dance floor is open to all, with DJ John Barera spinning until midnight.
Massacre at Winnenden: The failure of German gun control
• The failure of police intervention in protecting victims;
• The failure of strict German gun control to stop what is now the third such incident there in recent years; and
• How experts recount the near impossibility of predicting violent behavior.
The next segment will examine why most multiple victim public homicides occur in ostensibly “gun free” zones, and will document cases in which armed intervention by private citizens minimized losses, and demonstrate the positive impact of concealed handgun laws in reducing these crimes.
A boy places flowers and candles at the crime scene in front of Albertson high school in Winnenden, Germany. (AP Photo/Daniel Roland). For slide show, click on photo.
Mumbai Massacre: How to lose high moral ground?
Mumbai Massacre: How to lose high moral ground?
More than 100 days have passed since roughly 200 Indians, who were minding their business, were ruthlessly gunned down by Pakistani terrorists who hatched and executed their hideous plot on Pakistani soil with the explicit support of Lashkar-e-Taiba and the rogue “intelligence” agency, the ISI. While the loved ones of the dead mourn their loss, the Indian government sits on hands offering empty promises of action and Laskhar-e-Taiba possibly plans another attack on the Indian soul.
We have made our opinion very clear on the weak kneed stewardship of the elected officials of India. They lack, in our very public opinion, the intestinal fortitude to take actions that are necessary to provide security to the great nation of ours. There are several reasons for it, none of them justifiable: greed, corruption, moral ambivalence, indifference to our aspirations, disinterest towards our security, and“non-violence.” We call it cowardice.
We might be called pessimistic but we do not see anything good coming out of the Pakistani investigation which is being conducted by the same group of people whose only goal in life is to create trouble for India since our independence, both from the British empire and the shackles of mugal oppression in 1947, the remnants of this mugal thinking are festering in Pakistan. All its supporters want is to foment trouble in the progressive India which is obviously rising from long predominant hibernation with Pakistan, a 4th world country.
What makes us even sadder is the fact that the India diplomats have now lost the high moral ground by taking to responding to Pakistan’s request for more information. Instead of accusing Pakistan of supporting terrorism and asking it to prove its innocence we are now reduced to answering Pakistan’s questions. In effect, the abettor has now become the judge and the victim is now being asked to provide evidence against the abettor. Instead of calling Pakistan on its bluff, we are now begging Pakistan to do something about terrorism. No wonder Mr. Gilani says that he is now responsible for security of two countries: India and Pakistan. The insult is obvious to everyone but to our somnolent politicians. This would be laughable if it wasn’t a reflection on the ineptitude of the fossilized minds of our elected officials.
We have only one question for Manmohan Singh, Pranab Mukherjee and their coterie of mental midgets: How long are they planning for this farce to continue before they take any action to secure our nation?
“ Peace without strength is a dream.”
Martand Pandey is one of our editorial page writers. Write to him atMartand.Pandey@indopia.com
Far Cry 2 linked to German school massacre
First, we were told that the German teenager behind the murders of 15 people at his school last week was an avid Counter-Strike player, now, The Times reports that Tim Kretschmer was playing Far Cry 2 the night before he committed the atrocity.
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The British newspaper suggests that the troubled 17 year-old played the FPS title, released last year, for over two hours the evening before the massacre, and "remarkable parallels" between his experience in the game and the events that transpired are noted by the publication.
Apparently, the Beretta 92 handgun featured in the game was also the murder weapon - fired 112 times - while the title also features the aiming, firing and re-loading of the handgun in question in "vivid" detail.
The report tempers this connection by adding that it is "nonsense" to suggest the game could be to blame, the teenager having also played Counter-Strike during the evening, as previously mentioned.
Still, these shocking events in Germany have once again placed gaming in the spotlight, politicians on the continent already calling for stronger legislation and more research.
from: play.tm
My Lai massacre’s 41th anniversary commemorated
Hundreds of local people and foreign tourists attended a flower and incense offering ceremony held in Son My village, Quang Ngai province, on March 16 to honour the victims of the My Lai massacre conducted by the US army during the Vietnam War.
US veteran Mike Boehm, a figure in the documentary “The Sound of the Violin in My Lai” directed by Tran Van Thuy, was present at the event and played the violin in memory of the victims. He has frequently attended the annual anniversary over the past 10 years.
After the ceremony, a bell tower worth VND100 million dedicated to the souls of the victims was put into use with its bell to be rung 504 times at 6am every day in commemoration of the 504 Vietnamese victims killed in the slaughter.
On the occasion, veteran Mike Boehm announced the completion of renovations and improvements to the Son My primary school building, the construction of which was made possible with VND1.3 billion in funds raised by Mr Boehm and other US veterans.
On March 16, 1968, the US army cruelly killed 504 unarmed Vietnamese citizens in the hamlets of My Lai and My Khe in Son My village, Son Tinh district, Quang Ngai province. All the victims were civilians, including women, children and old people. Many of them were beaten, tortured, maimed or sexually abused. Some were found mutilated.
from:english.vovnews.vn
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American Idol 8: Ranking The Top 11 – After The Double Massacre
by Sting7 -- 03/16/2009
The American Idol game has definitely changed. This week, we learned about the new rule – the judges’ save! The time is now to show you are save-worthy! Some Idols have proven to be indispensable. Others, not so much. Into which group does Kris (right) fall? Who is heading for the finale, and who is late for the door? Sting7 ranks the remaining 11 contestants.
View Printable version of this article
Two down, ten to go before we get to the winner of American Idol 2009! They all want to win, but who is putting in the hard yards to do it? Just a reminder, these rankings are not just based on singing skill. It's that and all the intangibles. It's who has captured the public’s imagination. Who are they talking about around the water coolers and in the break rooms? Who's gaining, sustaining, and losing momentum? Who is looking the most Idolesque? Put all of those things together, and you get the rankings.
Here's how it all comes together. (The contestants' position last week are show in parentheses.)
1. (1) Danny Gokey – He is still The Guy. Interesting that he was the only performer who chose to punch his arrangement during Michael Jackson week. What it says is that Danny knows what he's doing! Maybe that music director experience? But no matter what you do to an arrangement, you have to deliver it. Danny just does. Time after time. His “P.Y.T.” wasn't pitch perfect, but it was absolutely joyous. He seemed to be lost in the music and he took us with him.
from: foxesonidol
Nepal on verge of losing palace massacre eyewitnesses
KATHMANDU: Eight years after Nepal lost its beloved king Birendra, his queen Aishwarya and eight other members of the royal family in a midnight
massacre in the tightly-guarded Narayanhity royal palace in Kathmandu, the nation is on the verge of losing a key eyewitness who could have thrown light on the national tragedy that led to the unravelling of monarchy in the world’s only Hindu kingdom.
Sarala Shrestha, now almost 92, entered the palace as a teen after she caught the eye of King Tribhuvan, the grandfather of the last king Gyanendra, and became his concubine. After the king, who had two legally married queens, died in 1955, Sarala continued to live on in the palace with the status of a junior wife of the dead king.
She witnessed the reign of Tribhuvan’s ambitious son Mahendra, who seized power with the help of a coup in 1960 and banned the political parties. She also witnessed Gyanendra’s decision to follow in his father’s footsteps in 2005.
In between, she also witnessed the stunning carnage in 2001 which wiped out Birendra’s entire family and paved the way for Gyanendra’s ascension. During the shootout, which was initially blamed on Birendra’s drinks and drugs-crazed son Dipendra, Sarala was inside the palace with Mahendra’s wife, former queen mother Ratna.
However, the three-member high-level enquiry commission formed by the then prime minister Girija Prasad Koirala did not question either of the women. Now, with the new Maoist government of Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda ordering a fresh investigation into the dark deed, it could be too late for Sarala to throw light on the enigma.
The 91-year-old has been admitted to a private nursing home in the capital. Besides breathing troubles and fever, she is also suffering from lapses in her memory. She remembers Tribhuvan and his death but professes to be unaware of the fall of monarchy in Nepal and the transformation of the palace into a museum.
White-haired and gaunt, she is now dependant on Ratna for her upkeep. The former queen mother is also the only member of the erstwhile royal family to visit her.
Though conditioned by the code of secrecy and silence that prevailed in the palace, Sarala however does not believe the enquiry commission report that s frustrated crown prince Dipendra, whose parents were opposing his wedding plan and threatening to disinherit him in favour of his younger brother Nirajan, killed nine people before turning the gun on himself.
"It is a mystery," she repeatedly told Nepal’s official media in her first interview. "It is a mystery who fired the gun and how he did it.
from: indiatimes.com
China Eases Overseas Investment Rules for Companies
By Li Yanping
March 16 (Bloomberg) -- China said it will make it easier for its companies to invest overseas as cheaper commodity and share prices encourage bargain-hunting in industries from autos to energy.
The approval process will be simplified and mainly handled by local rather than central government, Ministry of Commerce spokesman Yao Jian said at a briefing in Beijing today. The procedures take effect May 1, a separate statement said.
China announced $22 billion of planned overseas spending last month, including a $19.5 billion investment in Rio Tinto Group, the world’s third-largest mining company. China’s outbound foreign direct investment may top inflows this year for the first time, Standard Chartered Plc says.
“The ‘Going Out’ policy to encourage more of China’s firms to invest overseas has been in place for a number of years,” said Stephen Green, head of China research at Standard Chartered in Shanghai. “We believe that 2009 will be the year when it really gains some scale.”
In 2008, China’s overseas investment doubled to $52.2 billion, including financial-sector investment, according to the commerce ministry. This year, in February alone, the total was $65 billion, according to a tally by Standard Chartered.
Eighty-five percent of applications for outbound investment that previously needed central government approval will be handled by local authorities in future, Yao said.
Energy, Minerals
The commerce ministry will scrutinize investment plans of more than $100 million and those which involve multiple countries, the ministry said in a separate statement. Provincial commerce authorities will vet smaller deals and those involving energy and minerals, it said.
China’s Minmetals Group is awaiting shareholder and government approvals for a A$2.6 billion ($1.7 billion) takeover of Melbourne-based OZ Minerals Ltd., the world’s second-largest zinc mining company.
Hunan Valin Iron & Steel Group agreed in February to buy a A$1.2 billion ($776 million) stake in Australia’s third-largest iron ore exporter Fortescue Metals Group Ltd. to secure supplies of the raw material.
China Shipping (Group) Co., the nation’s second-biggest sea-cargo company, said last week that it was looking for opportunities to buy assets overseas as shipping lines and port operators struggle with slumping world trade.
A strong currency, cheaper commodity prices and the need for many foreign companies to pay off debt are creating “the perfect opportunity” for China’s firms to ramp up investment abroad, Standard Chartered’s Green said.
‘Flurry of Deals’
“The beginning of 2009 has seen a flurry of deals in which Chinese investors have secured ownership or long-term supply contracts to such things,” he added.
Cnooc Ltd., China’s biggest offshore oil explorer, is seeking opportunities to acquire overseas assets made cheaper by the global financial crisis, Chairman Fu Chengyu said March 5. China, the world’s second-largest energy consumer, entered into oil-for-loans accords with Venezuela, Brazil and Russia last month.
Automakers are being to encouraged to make overseas acquisitions, according to Miao Wei, vice minister of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.
Today’s announcement came after China’s government said last week that it will simplify approvals for overseas capital entering the nation by giving local governments more authority to approve such spending.
More outbound investment “will help to improve China’s balance of payments while China is still running a relatively large trade surplus,” Yao said.
Foreign direct investment in China fell 15.8 percent in February, the fifth straight monthly decline, as companies cut spending to weather the global financial crisis, the commerce ministry said today.
To contact the reporters on this story: Li Yanping in Beijing at yli16@bloomberg.net
Chinese band "Dublingers" puts the Irish in Beijing
BEIJING (Reuters Life!) - The crowd is happy, the music is swirling, and two men jump up, Guinnesses in hand, for a quick jig. It could be any Irish pub on St. Patrick's Day, except that the musicians are Chinese and the pub is in Beijing.
"Dublingers" is a unique band, bringing together four Chinese who taught themselves Irish music and a French jazz player living in Beijing. Their name shows they have one foot in the Chinese capital and the other on the Emerald Isle.
The stories that led the band to perform Irish music are as unusual as their line-up.
"Years ago, I saw the movie Titanic, and I was really taken by the scene when they were all dancing below deck," said Cheng Yafei, a burly coal mining machine salesman by day and blues guitarist by night.
"I thought, Hey! this music sounds great. Where does it come from?"
Cheng, who had migrated to the blues after discovering the guitar and the Beatles in college, then taught himself to play Irish music.
He was invited to join the infant Dublingers by percussionist Li Hong, who learned Irish music while playing in a rock-and-roll band at an Irish pub in Beijing. He picked up the bodhran, or Irish drum, at a music fair in Shanghai.
Violinist Zhang Yang rounds out the band, which plays about three times a month in Beijing and had a busy round of gigs this week.from:reuters.com
College fire put out in Beijing
BEIJING, March 16 (Xinhua) -- Fir-fighters had extinguished a fire in the China Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing by noon Monday.
Thick smoke and flames in a two-story, sheet-metal dormitory building that accommodated security guards, students and some staff were reported to the police at 10:10 a.m.
More than 140 fire-fighters with 24 fire appliances managed to extinguish the fire after two hours.
One man was taken to hospital after suffering smoke inhalation, but his condition was unknown, said an official with the fire-fighters.
Police are investigating into cause of the fire. Their findings are expected to come out in about three days.
Fire-fighting authorities in Beijing have warned students against using high-voltage stoves and electric appliances.
The college was in the eastern Chaoyang district, where the new China Central Television (CCTV) headquarters is located. A new and unoccupied hotel building in the complex was destroyed by fire on Feb. 9, China's traditional Lantern Festival, and one fire-fighter died trying to extinguish the blaze.
Beijing raises stakes with tit-for-tat deployment in South China Sea
Beijing has increased tension in a disputed part of the South China Sea by sending a patrol ship to protect fishing boats after the United States deployed a destroyer in the area. The American move was in response to alleged Chinese harassment of one of its surveillance vessels.
The Yuzheng 311, a converted naval rescue vessel, is the largest and most modern patrol ship in the Chinese Navy, the Beijing News said. It was due to arrive in the Paracel Islands yesterday to patrol China’s exclusive economic zone and to "strengthen fishery administration" in the South China Sea. It will patrol the waters around the Paracels and the Spratly Islands, protecting Chinese fishing boats and transport vessels.
The remote reefs and atolls that comprise the Spratly islands are claimed by China, Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines, Brunei and Taiwan. The islands lie on major shipping routes for oil tankers travelling between the Middle East and Japan, South Korea and China. They may also be above undersea oil reserves.
Beijing was enraged by a law passed last week by the Philippines laying claim to the disputed islands, describing the action as illegal.
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The timing of the deployment of the patrol vessel appeared to be a response to a build-up of American might in the region. The United States dispatched a destroyer armed with torpedoes and missiles to escort its surveillance ships after harassment earlier this month by the Chinese Navy.
Five Chinese ships engaged in what the Pentagon described as aggressive and co-ordinated manoeuvres around the unarmed surveillance ship Impeccable, forcing it to respond by dousing the Chinese ships with fire hoses.
Chinese naval officers said that the US ship was on a spying mission. It said it had made repeated representations to the US to stop sailing so close to Chinese waters and within its exclusive economic zone. Washington says that the confrontation took place in international waters, but Beijing claims nearly all of the South China Sea as its own.
froM : timesonline.co.uk
Olympics-Bird's Nest in battle to avoid white elephant tag
By Nick Mulvenney
BEIJING, March 16 (Reuters) - Six months after 91,000 people packed the Bird's Nest to watch the closing ceremony of the Paralympics bring down the curtain on Beijing's Olympic Summer, its owners are struggling to find a role for the iconic arena.
There are no shortage of examples of Olympic hosts building vast stadiums that are rarely used after the Games and with a price tag of over $500 million, the National Stadium always had the potential to become the mother of all white elephants.
"Most stadiums in the world run in normal methods are not able to make profit," Zhang Hengli, deputy general manager of the CITIC Consortium Stadium Operation Company, told Reuters.
"But China is different. Firstly we have a large population. The other thing is the stadiums in Beijing are mostly located in busy areas so we can guarantee a certain flow of people, which is a foundation of our profit.
"I believe in good economic conditions, the venue in Beijing could quite possibly make a profit."
Economic conditions may not be good, but Zhang said revenue from the 20 to 30,000 tourists currently visiting the site every day could cover the 70 million yuan ($10.24 million) maintenance costs and the 80 to 90 million yuan a year in interest payments.
Zhang recognised, though, that as potent as the memories of the exploits of sprinter Usain Bolt and the spectacular opening and closing ceremonies were, they will eventually fade.
"The Olympics ... endowed the stadium with rich cultural meaning, but such meanings will be expiring with the next Olympics coming up," Zhang said.
"So our task is to make new meanings for it. We are going to add more culture activities into it to attract the tourists visually and psychologically."
The plan, Zhang explained, was to put on two shows a day, one in the afternoon with a sporting theme and another in the evening which he hoped would become a fixture on Beijing's nightscene.
A performance of the opera Turandot is planned for the one-year anniversary of the opening of the Olympics on Aug. 8 and permission is being sought for another large concert in May.
It may, however, be a while until a full house of 80,000 -- the capacity was reduced after the Games -- cheer on athletes at a sporting event.
Plans for the Beijing Guoan soccer team to play their home matches at the stadium were cancelled and the authorities have yet to invite tenders to host the IAAF Diamond League athletics meeting that will take place in China from 2010.
"To be honest, it's not very easy to find regular uses for a stadium," he said. "We have to understand this situation and be innovative."
The cultural performances, moreover, make it more difficult to host sporting events, Zhang said.froM: reuters .com
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