India Condemns "Racist" Remarks by New Zealand TV Host

Paul Henry
New Zealander TV Host

Paul Henry, the TV Host of a popular morning show broadcast by the state-owned New Zealander chanel TVNZ, laughed and joked about the name of the Delhi Chief Minister, Sheila Dirkshit. The reason for these jokes was the spelling of the politician's surname, which in English language sounds like "Dirxit"(alluding to the bad word sh#t). Mr. Henry told to his viewing audience: "It is a perfect name for her, especially because she is from India".

Indian government's reactions were swift. This morning, India's foreign minister has summoned the New Zealand high commissioner alleging: "This declarations are unacceptable to India and they must be condemned for all the right-thinking people and nations".

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In my Opinion....

India's government has strong reasons to be upset and offended. The comments pronounced by this TV host and important figure for the New Zealand's media were more than inappropriate and out of place. What he thought will be funny joke that would rise his TV show rating, has became in a diplomatic altercation between India and New Zealand and a shame for his own country. I agree with the public opinion in India that there was a considerable dose of racism in his remarks. While people like him, with the same archaic and intolerant ideologies continue behind the microphone or on front of a camera, racism will keep spreading all over the world.

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to read the entire article

China warns EU off yuan pressure

In a speech to European Union, China Premier said that a big change in the value of the yuan can cause " social and economic turbulence " in China. Mr Wen also argued that if China accepted to let it yuan rise many exporting companies will have to close down. The International Monetary Fund chairman Dominique Strauss-Kahn warned that :"There is clearly the idea beginning to circulate that currencies can be used as a policy weapon," he said in an interview with the Financial Times. "Translated into action, such an idea would represent a very serious problem for the recovery of the "Global Economy".

It's clear that the yuan devaluation policy that China is using will not be helping solving the issue of unemployment in a short run in USA and European Union but in the long run this can help.
First of all an appreciation of the yuan will reduce China exportation and cause an increasing in the unemployment rate in China, but this can be corrected by "Dumping" or by decreasing the internal salary level. These two solutions also have their draw back, but if China does not let its currency rise, China will face taxes barrier as the one that the US congress has presented this summer. This can also cause more problems to the world economy and to the Chines economy itself.

The currency policy weapon that IMF is worried about is a current practice now, one example is the reaction of Japan last month and unfortunately we are now in the middle of a struggle for recovery. This is a war that will help saving or creating some more jobs in the short run but this will lead to a decrease of competitiveness in the long run. Moreover, the use of the lower level of the yuan is affecting the equilibrium of the world economy and the consequences of this action would be another crisis if China does not try to adjust its currency to its right level.

This is the right time for the WTO: World Trade Organization to show us what they can do and if its an efficient Organization. The problem is a complex issue and it requires concession from China and also from western economies.

ERIC ROLEX JOSEPH
B.A

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-11488501

Dead Bodies Showing Up on Street View Brazil

This article contained images which some readers may find upsetting, for their safety, I decide not to include them. Therefore, they are still viewable here .

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After the announcement of the “Street view” program’s launching by the Google Company in Brazil, Ireland and Antarctica, while the Google’s camera was traveling through Belo Horizonte streets, in the State of Minas., some pictures of a crime scene had been taken. In Praça Noronha Santos, in Rio de Janeiro, another dead person was appearing into the Google cameras. Following Gizmodo, it was a man hurter to death by a car. Unfortunately It is a fact, users reported more and more those kind of pictures and as soon as they are highlighted by Street view users, Google deleted them.

There are two points in this article that I would like to discuss on. First of all, these kinds of pictures do not have to be found on the Web. There is children surfing on internet and that pictures can shocked even elder persons. I am aware that it is hard to look in details every single picture but if you decide to realize a project of that amplitude you need to use the biggest means. Then the fact that Google deleted these pictures is actually a good think even if it is a bit late but this, I hope, does not mean that the case is classed, as for Google than for the police

Hamadoun ISSABRE

China's and Japan's leaders meet, signal a diplomatic thaw

China's and Japan's top leaders met in Belgium, indicating a thaw in relations since a diplomatic battle broke out last month over Japan's arrest of a Chinese fishing captain off the disputed Diaoyu Islands.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan met Monday in Brussels, on the sidelines of the Asia-Europe Meeting.

They met in a corridor outside the conference venue after a working dinner and spoke for about 25 minutes.

During the dispute, China arrested four Japanese nationals, saying they were being investigated for illegally entering a Chinese military zone. China released three of the four Japanese last week, saying they had made admissions and expressed regret. China continues to hold the remaining Japanese national.

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MY OPINION, both China and Japan try to prove to each other how strong they are, they are deal with this problem without looking to the human rights. However, this case has a new horizon right now, both side start to meet each other using diplomatic dialogue indifferent country. I hope for them best progression in this case.

Court Hears Evidence in Saudi Prince's Murder Trial

34-year-old Saudi prince, Saud Abdulaziz bin Nasser al Saud, has been accused of manslaughter charge. The victim, Bandar Abdulaziz, 32 years old, was found dead with severe injure. He was a homosexual and at that time, they stayed at hotel together. According to police investigation, the prince was “either or that he has homosexual tendency”, and sexual element was involved in the killing. But he himself denied being gay.



When I at first read this article, I was surprised of the difference in the treatment of gay between the U.S and Saudi Arabia. In the U.S we can see homosexual everywhere, but homosexuality is illegal under Islamic Law in Saudi Arabia, and subject to strict penalty – beheading for the worst. These two countries have different attitude to homosexual, and both are right. But this time, the prince in Saudi Arabia not ordinary people may break the rule.　The trial continues now. I'll watch the end.

IKEA has invested $4 billion in Russia since opening its first store in 2000 by Elea Ortega

IKEA Will Focus on Existing Investments

IKEA is changing its strategy in Russia to focus on existing stores rather than expansion to more sites, new IKEA CEO for Russia Per Wendschlag said Wednesday.

No new sites will be opened in the next three to five years, he said.

"We put in the tenants who were waiting," Wendschlag said of the company's Mega malls. Now more attention will be paid to the mix of tenants and to upgrading and expanding the facilities. There are 12 malls currently in operation in Russia.

Investment will continue, Wendschlag said, but it will be funneled "into other things."

http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/ikea-will-focus-on-existing-investments/418610.html

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I consider that is a really smart decision made, because sometimes big enterprises, they just want to grow and grow all around a country, which is not always bad, but it is really important to be focus on the other subsidiaries. Wendschlag also said that, they were going to take a break. And if you click on the link to the complete news you are going to found out, that they had problem because of the previous CEO, that made some mistakes. So I believe that, they are also busy, trying to fix those bad holes that the other guy made. Because now Wendschlag is the responsible of taking care the whole damages if there is any. IKEA is a good company, their products are really good, and they have the advantage that none of the local stores have the products that IKEA has, so they will be good. Furthermore, Wendschlag did not say that they were just not going to open new subsidiaries, they also are going to expand on the ones that already exists so, they will be investing but not opening new subsidiaries in Russia.

Vatican slams Berlusconi over anti-Semitic, sexist jokes

Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi is being strongly criticized by the Vatican's Official Newspaper, after some videos were posted on the Internet where he tells jokes about the Holocaust, a female opposition politician and using a fairly common curse "Pig God". The official Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano called Berlusconi's behavior as "deplorable", even when he apologized about the Holocaust joke.

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In this particular news we have two different main points. First, the freedom of speech, that means everyone has the right to joke or say what they think about any subject and make an opinion or express a judgment. However, as a public figure and also the head of a government of a democratic country, Berlusconi's duty is to behave according to his responsibility. Even in a private setting, he is being watched and judged constantly, therefore, he should keep that in mind before making jokes about sensitive topics such as the Holocaust or religion.

France seeks extradition of al Qaeda suspect in Italy

France has asked to extradite an al Qaeda suspect arrested in Italy who has been identified as Riahd Hennouni, and Didier Allard of the Palais de Justice appeals court said an anti-terror judge in Paris had requested his arrest. But Paris hasn’t heard back from Rome, Allard said. The request comes a day after Italian police told CNN they detained a French citizen of Algerian origin suspected of being a member of al Qaeda. The man was arrested "about a month ago. The Italians say he is 28. The French say he is 34.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/europe/10/04/italy.france.al.qaeda.arrest/index.html?iref=allsearch

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There are always crazy people doing crazy things. Why couldn't al Qaeda get along well with other people? I think France is doing the right thing to extradite terrorists. But I think UN needs to come up with a better solution to combat terrorist attack. Otherwise, it is going to happen again, and 9.11 attack won't be history. Al Qaeda keeps chanllenging the limit of all people's tolerance for his misdemeanor, and it's time for UN to do something for the well being of all humans.