Government To Issue Demonstration Handbooks

The government on Monday announced the launch of public handbooks outlining the rights of demonstrators under a new law passed late last year.

The handbook, which was sponsored by USAID, seeks to prevent legal conflict for protesters following the December 2009 passage of a controversial demonstration law.

Demonstrations in Cambodia sometimes lead to injuries among participants, who clash with armed security forces over issues such as land rights and labor conditions.

Some 200 officials, including provincial leaders, police and military police, as well as non-governmental organizations, took part in the announcement Monday.

Critics say the demonstration law, which restricts non-sanctioned gatherings to under 200 people, is too strict and reduces basic constitutional freedoms and that it does not clarify what issues relate to “national security, public order, health and public morality,” key provisions in the law.

However, officials said Monday that in exercising their rights, people must stay within the law.

“If there are 200 demonstrators, the demonstration leader must inform the local authorities, but doesn’t have to wait for a response,” Interior Minister Sar Kheng told participants Monday. “If there are more than 200 demonstrators, the demonstration leader should inform the authorities of the road of the march and the time of the march.”

This is to ensure security officials can keep public safety, he said.

“We are not banning freedom of expression,” he said. “We are promoting democracy and respect the freedom of expression by the people. If the demonstration has 50,000 to 100,000 people without informing the local authorities and the government, Cambodia may not advance to that point yet.”

Rong Chhun, president of the Cambodian Independent Teachers’ Association, said Sar Kheng’s comments did not reflect the letter of the law. “I think continued discussion is meaningless,” he said.

Ou Virak, president of the Cambodian Center for Human Rights, said the law must be explained to authorities because points on public order and security are unclear.

“If the authorities are strict in implementing the demonstration law, the demonstration and demonstration leaders will suffer from this law,” Chan Saveth, an investigator for the rights group Adhoc, said. “We are very worried for the restriction of the freedom of expression.”

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French Verdict Delayed in Sam Rainsy Lawsuit

The French Court of Appeals has delayed until May 20 the verdict in a lawsuit brought against opposition leader Sam Rainsy by Cambodia’s foreign minister.

“There is no decision yet, because the court will need to take the case under further consideration,” Sam Rainsy told VOA Khmer Friday.

Sam Rainsy was found guilty in a lower court of defamation, for alleging in a memoir the minister, Hor Namhong, had colluded with the Khmer Rouge while supervising a Phnom Penh work camp under the regime.

Hor Namhong has said he was a victim within the Boeung Trabek camp, where several inmates died.

Hor Namhong brought four witnesses to testify in his favor, including Khmer Rouge historian Raoul Jennar, sources who attended a March 25 hearing in Paris told VOA Khmer. Around 50 Cambodians attended the hearing. Sam Rainsy said those who would have come forward on his behalf were afraid for the safety of their families in Cambodia.

“We regret that some of the witnesses who were in the Boeung Trabek correction camp dared not to step forward to be my witnesses,” Sam Rainsy said.

Hor Namhong declined to comment on the case, but a spokesman for the ministry, Koy Kuong, said Hor Namhong had attended the hearing in person.

“This is an important case in which he must try to make sure the French appeals court provides him justice,” Koy Kuong told VOA Khmer.

Sam Rainsy said Friday he had submitted additional evidence to the French court to defend his writing.

Hor Namhong is also among six Cambodian government officials who have refused to appear before the Khmer Rouge tribunal in Phnom Penh, claiming they did not want to create bias in the UN-backed court.

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Employment policy, social protection needed to help garment workers recover from impacts of economic downturn

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia - On the surface, those garment workers who were not laid off as a result of the economic downturn should be considered lucky. But new data from an ILO-led survey shows that even those who kept their jobs were not left unscathed - many have had their salaries significantly reduced and now struggle to cover basic living costs.

The study, which assessed 1200 employed and 800 unemployed Phnom Penh-based garment workers, seeks to better understand the hardships workers are facing as a result of the economic slowdown, as well as their coping mechanisms and job-seeking strategies when they are retrenched.

Preliminary information was gathered between September and December 2009, and follow-up interviews will be conducted at three- and six-month intervals. A full study will be completed during the third quarter of 2010.

The results of the preliminary survey show that employed workers face a range of new hardships, most importantly reduced income in 2009 compared to 2008. Workers now feel they do not have enough money to cover remittances and basic needs such as food, healthcare, and transport. Some employed workers who were retrenched and have since found new jobs are working under less favourable conditions. Many surveyed have sought assistance from trade unions to deal with challenges such as asking for leave and late wage payments.

Most unemployed workers surveyed lost their jobs during factory closures or cutbacks due to reduced orders. One in ten unemployed workers were retrenched two or more times in 2009. While a small percentage of those retrenched have since found new jobs, at the time of the survey, the majority were still looking for work.

The survey also found that laid off workers most commonly look for jobs in other garment factories, although only one in three succeed in finding work. Those who look for work outside the garment sector typically look to the service sector for work as salespeople, tailors, food vendors or tuk-tuk drivers. Very few enrol in training programs, even though many would like to. The families of some workers - both employed and unemployed - have sent additional family members to find work to help cope with reductions in income, mostly female siblings between 16-28 years of age. Significantly, three quarters of unemployed workers said they would return to their home villages if they could not find work within six weeks.

The results of the benchmarking survey already have proven useful, according to Tuomo Poutiainen, Chief Technical Advisor at ILO Better Factories Cambodia. "The information we are gathering through the survey has been helpful in identifying action that can be taken by a range of stakeholders to help struggling workers, strengthen the garment sector, and better prepare the country to deal with future economic setbacks."

Based on the results of this study and other crisis-related research, ILO is proposing a number of recommendations involving action on the part of government, employers, trade unions, and development partners. Employment policies for promoting productive employment, to enhance social protection, and to work with employers to improve compliance with the labour law are called for. ILO also suggests increased consultation between employers and trade unions during layoffs and closures. Development partners are urged to financially and technically support re-training programs, support social programs for workers, and to help unions provide practical advice and assistance to their members during this difficult time.

The study was commissioned by the International Labour Organization (ILO) with UNDP support and conducted by The Cambodia Institute of Development Study (CIDS).

A Research Snapshot highlights some of the findings gleaned through the worker interviews conducted for the benchmarking survey. The Research Snapshot as well as the full version of the Benchmarking Survey Report are available on the Better Factories Cambodia website (www.betterfactories.org). This is the first in a series of Research Snapshots that will be posted online to highlight the ILO's crisis-related research. ILO

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CIMB Applies For Banking Licences In Vietnam, Cambodia

KUALA LUMPUR, March 29 (Bernama) -- CIMB Group Holdings Bhd has applied for new banking licences in Vietnam and Cambodia, group chief executive Datuk Seri Nazir Razak said Monday.

"We have applied for licences in Vietnam and Cambodia, that's all for the moment. But CIMB does have strategies for all other Asean markets," he said.

However, he did not reveal the details of the application or when the outcome is expected. CIMB Group's regional arms are CIMB Bank, CIMB Niaga in Indonesia and CIMB Thai.

He was speaking to reporters after a signing ceremony between CIMB Group and Japan Bank for International Cooperation for a US$300 million fund facility for businesses across Asean.

Asked about the group's dual listing on the Stock Exchange of Thailand, Nazir said it was expected to take place by mid-June this year.

"The process under the FRS139 accounting standard requires us to announce our first-quarter earnings before the submission. That is why the timing is such," he said.

Nazir also did not confirm or deny if the group was working on the relisting of Bumi Armada Bhd when asked, saying: "We are interested in nice transactions."

On other development, Nazir said CIMB Group has a strong capital base and it could fuel its units CIMB Niaga and CIMB Thai if the need arises.

He said CIMB Bank's total capital now was in excess of 15 per cent.

"If CIMB Niaga and CIMB Thai feel that their growth trajectory need more capital, we are quite comfortable in supplying it," Nazir said.

On the other hand, both units were also capable of funding their own operations via bonds as opposed to equities, he said.

CIMB Thai, which has announced a rights issue of RM300 million, is also in the process of selling its "bad loans" to the group's unit that manages such loans, said its chief executive officer Subhak Siwaraksa.

It is also disposing three non-core assets for a total of RM22 million to the group, which includes a car rental firm as part of its restructuring exercise, he said.

Asked if CIMB Thai will remain listed after the dual listing of the group, Subhak said : "For now we will stay listed. Especially with the capital-raising, we will be around for some time."

Separately, CIMB Niaga's president director Arwin Rasyid was quoted by a news report as saying that the unit planned to sell sub-debt of US$300 million by June to boost its capital and repay debts.

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CIMB expanding services to Vietnam and Cambodia

KUALA LUMPUR, March 29 — CIMB Group Holdings Bhd has applied for new banking licences in Vietnam and Cambodia, group chief executive Datuk Seri Nazir Razak said today.

“We have applied for licences in Vietnam and Cambodia, that’s all for the moment. But CIMB does have strategies for all other Asean markets,” he said. However, he did not reveal the details of the application or when the outcome is expected.

The regional operations of the CIMB Group are CIMB Bank, CIMB Niaga in Indonesia and CIMB Thai.

Datuk Seri Nizar was speaking to reporters after a signing ceremony between CIMB Group and Japan Bank for International Cooperation for a US$300 million fund facility for businesses across Asean.

Asked about the group’s dual listing on the Thai Stock Exchange, Nazir said it was expected to take place by mid-June this year. “The process under the FRS139 accounting standard requires us to announce our first-quarter earnings before the submission. That is why the timing is such,” he said.

On other development, Nazir said CIMB Group has a strong capital base and it could fuel its units CIMB Niaga and CIMB Thai if the need arises.

He said CIMB Bank’s total capital now is in excess of 15 per cent. “If CIMB Niaga and CIMB Thai feel that their growth trajectories need more capital, we are quite comfortable in supplying it,” Nazir said.

On the other hand, both units are also capable of funding their own operations via bonds as opposed to equities, he said.

CIMB Thai, which has announced a rights issue of RM300 million, is also in the process of selling its “bad loans” to the group’s unit that manages such loans, said its chief executive officer Subhak Siwaraksa.

It is also disposing three non-core assets for a total of RM22 million to the group, which includes a car rental firm as part of its restructuring exercise, he said.

Asked if CIMB Thai will remain listed after the dual listing of the group, Subhak said : “For now we will stay listed. Especially with the capital-raising, we will be around for some time.” — Bernama

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Forensic tests will be conducted on what two

Remains of Errol Flynn's son, Sean, 'discovered' in Cambodia

Forensic tests will be conducted on what two searchers believe are the remains of photographer Sean Flynn, son of Hollywood star Errol Flynn, who disappeared during the Cambodian War 40 years ago.

Sean Flynn, American freelance photojournalist covering the war in Southeast Asia for Time Magazine in 1968 Photo: AP

A jaw and femur bone that could belong to Sean Flynn were unearthed from a suspected mass grave in Cambodia's central Kampong Cham province earlier this month and have been handed to the US embassy in Phnom Penh for testing.

The 28-year-old's fate has been a mystery since 1970 when he and fellow journalist Dana Stone were captured by communist Khmer Rouge guerrillas while on assignment in the province, and never heard from again.

John Johnson, a US embassy spokesman, said the "possible human remains" were being sent for forensic analysis in Hawaii.

At least 37 journalists were killed or disappeared covering the brutal 1970-75 conflict between the US-backed Lon Nol government and Khmer Rouge guerrillas supported by North Vietnamese fighters.

"We handed over the remains on Friday. We're getting inquiries worldwide as the story spreads," said Keith Rotheram, a Briton, who made the discovery with David MacMillan, an Australian.

Rotheram, a guesthouse owner in coastal Sihanoukville, said the pair based their search on claims by a local villager, who said he witnessed Khmer Rouge soldiers executing a prisoner matching Flynn's description at the spot in 1971.

The jawbone has two fillings which prove the remains come from someone treated by Western dentists, he added.

Flynn, who worked as actor until covering the wars in Vietnam and Cambodia as a photographer, had a striking resemblance to his father who starred in swashbuckling roles in The Adventures of Robin Hood and Captain Blood.

But the Vietnam War photographer Tim Page, a friend of Flynn's who has searched for decades for his remains, said the bones could belong to a dozen journalists suspected to have been killed in the area.

"Until there's positive proof, it could be any of 12 people. My concern is there's 12 of our mates out there. To us they're all important," said Page, who was angered by the alleged use of a mechanical digger at the site.

"They put a Bobcat through the site – this is not how you conduct an archaeological dig.... Unless the remains are properly treated, you can't assume it's anyone," Page added.

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Q&A: North Korea nuclear talks

North Korea has stopped the UN monitoring its nuclear plant

The international community has been pressing North Korea to return to six-nation talks on ending its nuclear programme.

Pyongyang pulled out of the talks in April following widespread condemnation of a long-range missile launch.

International pressure grew following a nuclear test in May - which drew UN sanctions and further missile tests.

Now North Korea is signalling it may be willing to return to talks on its nuclear programme.

What has led to North Korea's seeming change of attitude?

Some analysts say North Korea is feeling the pinch of the UN Security Council sanctions that were passed in June, and is making conciliatory moves in an effort to have them lessened.

The sanctions include the inspection of North Korean ships, a wider ban on arms sales and other financial measures. They were supported by China, North Korea's main ally and trading partner.

North Korea appears to have moved from a posture of negotiation to confrontation - directly challenging the policies of the US and South Korean administrations - and back again.

The US has said it is ready to engage with North Korea but that bilateral talks can only be a precursor to a return to the six-party process - also involving South Korea, China, Japan and Russia.

But given Pyongyang's isolation, the diplomatic tools available to try to limit its behaviour are restricted.

Some analysts say the impoverished and isolated communist regime will never completely surrender its atomic capability as it has few other cards to play.

What led to the recent stand-off?

Pyongyang was enraged when the UN Security Council condemned its long-range rocket launch in April and tightened existing sanctions.

The North insisted it had put a communications satellite into orbit, but many governments saw the launch as a thinly disguised test of Taepodong-2 long-range missile technology, aimed at putting parts of the US within North Korea's reach.

North Korea is forbidden from pursuing this kind of technology by a UN resolution passed in 2006.

In response to the UN criticism, Pyongyang expelled international nuclear monitors and left the long-running six-nation disarmament talks - which were aimed at convincing it to give up its nuclear programme in exchange for aid.

Then came the North's announcement in September that it had entered the final phase of uranium enrichment and that it was continuing to weaponise plutonium.

Uranium enrichment would give Pyongyang a second way to make a nuclear bomb.

What is China's position?

China is North Korea's biggest trading partner and is the country which holds the greatest sway over the secretive Pyongyang regime.

Earlier this year China agreed to tougher international sanctions against the North - with the Chinese ambassador at the UN, Zhang Yesui, saying they showed the "firm opposition" of the world to North Korea's nuclear ambitions.

But analysts say China has too much at stake to entirely withdraw its support; it sees the North as a strategic buffer against US military and allied forces in the region.

It also fears that a regime collapse could lead to an uncontrolled influx of refugees across its shared border.

Where does South Korea stand?

Inter-Korean relations have also become fraught since South Korean President Lee Myung-bak took office.

The conservative leader has insisted there would be no further unconditional economic aid for the North, and that any concessions depended on the North's co-operation on denuclearisation.

This position was repeated in September when Mr Lee offered North Korea a "grand bargain" - giving up its nuclear plans in exchange for aid and security guarantees.

Why does the issue of North Korea's nuclear capability matter so much?

The two Koreas remain technically at war, since no peace treaty was signed after the 1950-53 Korean conflict.

North Korea has a million-strong army. The North-South border is one of the most heavily militarised in the world.

The nuclear test in May has reignited debate in Japan on allowing its military the option to launch a pre-emptive strike if it fears a missile attack.

It could also trigger the risk of an East Asian arms race, as countries like Japan, South Korea and Taiwan consider whether to go nuclear as well.

Could North Korea drop a nuclear bomb now?

North Korea is not thought to have yet developed a ballistic missile capable of carrying a nuclear warhead, experts say.

But the second nuclear test added to suspicions that the North is moving closer to becoming a fully fledged nuclear-armed state.

The country is believed to have enough plutonium to make about six bombs.

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North Korea calls for peace treaty

North Korea's nuclear programme has heightened regional tensions

North Korea has said it could return to talks on its nuclear disarmament in exchange for a peace treaty with the US and an end to sanctions.

The 1950-53 Korean War ended in a ceasefire but not a peace treaty.

The North's statement came as a US envoy said Pyongyang must improve its "appalling" human rights record if it wants better relations with the US.

Robert King, the US special envoy for North Korean human rights, is on his first official trip to South Korea.

In a statement carried on North Korea's official news agency, the foreign ministry said: "It is essential to conclude a peace treaty for terminating the state of war, a root cause of the hostile relations" between Pyongyang and the US."

The North has previously said it could return to the six-party talks on its nuclear programme, but these are believed to be the first conditions that it has set out since the chief US negotiator on the North's nuclear programme, Stephen Bosworth, visited Pyongyang in December.

Mr Bosworth carried a letter from US President Barack Obama calling on North Korea to return to the nuclear talks.

The foreign ministry statement said talks on a peace treaty could be held as part of the six-nation talks, or separately.

'Important condition'

The statement came as Mr King described the North's human rights situation as "appalling". He said human rights must be addressed as part of stalled six-party talks.

"It's one of the worst places in terms of lack of human rights," he said on the first day of a fact-finding visit to South Korea.

"As we have said on many occasions a relationship between the US and North Korea will have to involve human rights," Mr King told reporters after meeting Foreign Minister Yu Myung-Hwan.

"To improve relations between the US and North Korea will have to involve a greater respect for human rights by North Korea. That's one of the important conditions," he said.

Pyongyang pulled out of talks on ending its nuclear programme last April following widespread condemnation of a long-range missile launch.

International pressure grew following a nuclear test in May - which drew UN sanctions and further missile tests.

But in December, North Korea said it would work with the US to "narrow remaining differences" following a visit to Pyongyang by US President Barack Obama's special envoy Stephen Bosworth.

The six-party talks bring together the two Koreas, the US, China, Japan and Russia.

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N Korea calls for US dialogue on Kim Jong-il birthday

North Korea has been holding birthday celebrations for its leader, Kim Jong-il, who, with the military, holds a firm grip on the country.

Officials praised Mr Kim's leadership, but in contrast to tough talk last year also called for dialogue with the US.

The celebrations come as diplomatic efforts continue to try to restart multi-nation talks with North Korea on ending its nuclear programme.

The country is also recovering from a recent chaotic currency revaluation.

The birthday, one of North Korea's most important public holidays, was marked by synchronised swimming displays, a flower festival and gifts of sweets to children.

Poetry recitals also took place at Mr Kim's official birthplace, although he does not attend any of the events himself.

Officials gathered to praise Mr Kim as "peerlessly brilliant", say reports, but the usual stark denunciations of the West were missing.

Look at our faces - are we depressed, are we unhappy, are we hungry? No Ri Ji-hye, North Korean student North Korea's 'Generation next' Who will succeed Kim Jong-il?

Instead, the secretive state's number two leader, Kim Yong-Nam, stressed the need to end hostile relations with the United States "through dialogue and negotiations".

The BBC's John Sudworth in Seoul says that at a supposed 68 years old, Mr Kim has not lost the ability to shock and provoke.

In the past year, North Korea has launched long range missile tests and carried out underground nuclear tests.

But it could also be seen as a year of significant tactical errors, our correspondent adds, with the tests resulting in tougher UN sanctions, backed by North Korea's old ally, China.

China, the US, Russia, Japan and South Korea are keen for the North to rejoin six-party talks on how to end the North's nuclear programmes.

A revaluation of the country's currency two months ago has also thrown the economy into chaos, bringing inflation and a worsening of existing food shortages.

There is also concern about the succession in North Korea following Mr Kim's apparent stroke in August 2008.

'Dictator'

In South Korea, about 100 defectors from the North and other activists shouted "Down with dictator Kim Jong-Il" as they released huge balloons carrying 20,000 flyers just south of the heavily fortified frontier.

Defectors say Mr Kim has deprived North Koreans of their freedom

The balloons also carried about 30 small radios to persuade North Koreans to listen to anti-Pyongyang broadcasts from the South.

The bundles of flyers had $1 bills attached to them to encourage North Koreans to pick them up despite the risk of punishment.

"Our campaign is to tell our northern brothers that Kim Jong-il is not an idol but a dictator who deprived them of freedom," said Park Sang-Hak, who heads a group of defectors from the North.

North Korea has often complained about such leaflet drops but the South says it has no laws against such acts.

Mr Kim, like his father Kim Il-sung before him, has sustained a huge personality cult around his leadership - even his birth year and birthplace remain obscure.

Official accounts say he was born on 16 February 1942, on Mount Paektu, a sacred site for Koreans, with a double rainbow and a bright star marking the event.

Most analysts believe he was in fact born in Siberia, where his father was in exile. Some put his birth year at 1941.

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North Korea issues warning over Mount Kumgang tour ban

Mount Kumgang was meant to showcase co-operation

North Korea has threatened to take "extraordinary measures" unless South Korea lifts its ban on tours to Mount Kumgang resort, an official said.

The warning was issued to a group of South Korean businessmen, who visited the resort after Pyongyang threatened to seize their assets if they did not.

Built with South Korean money, the resort used to earn North Korea tens of millions of dollars a year.

But tours were suspended when a South Korean tourist was shot dead.

Housewife Park Wang-ja, 53, was killed by North Korean guards on 11 July 2008 on a beach near the resort.

South Korea says it wants the killing - when the tourist allegedly strayed into a military area - properly investigated before it allows tours to resume.

Cash-strapped state

The meeting at Mount Kumgang followed threats by the North to begin seizing South Korean-owned property.

Pyongyang last week summoned the companies, saying it wanted to conduct a survey of their property and that those who failed to attend would have their assets seized.

Seoul has questioned Pyongyang's explanation of the July 2008 shooting

According to Yonhap news agency, the group were told at a 15-minute meeting at the resort that the survey - the purpose of which is not clear - would take until 31 March.

They were also told that if Seoul did not agree to restart cross-border tours within a week, unspecified "extraordinary measures" would be taken, one of the South Korean officials there told Yonhap news agency.

North Korea has previously said that unless the tours restart, it will consider cancelling all agreements and contracts, and seek a new business partner.

Observers suggest that the North is becoming increasingly desperate for sources of foreign cash as it labours under a strict sanctions regime, and still suffers the effects of last year's badly managed currency reform.

Mount Kumgang, which was meant to symbolise inter-Korean co-operation, looks increasingly like a token of continuing mistrust and tension, our correspondent says.

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South Korea searches for sailors after sinking

The ship sank quickly after taking on water, reports said

The search is continuing for 46 South Korean sailors missing after their ship sank near the disputed maritime border with North Korea.

The naval patrol vessel sank after an unexplained explosion ripped through its hull, reports say.

Fifty-eight sailors have been rescued, a military official told AFP news agency.

A military spokesman said there was no indication so far that North Korea had been involved in the incident.

The boast sank off the west coast of the divided peninsula, in an area which has seen deadly exchanges of fire between the navies of the North and South in the past.

A spokesman for South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said navy divers were preparing to investigate the cause of the sinking and possibly retrieve bodies.

'Crew jumped'

The 1,200-tonne Cheonan had been on a routine patrol near South Korea's Baeknyeong Island at 2130 local time (1230 GMT) on Friday when it began sinking, Rear Admiral Lee Ki-sik told reporters.

Military officials told South Korea's Yonhap news agency that an explosion tore a hole in the rear hull, shutting off the engine and quickly taking the ship down.

A number of the crew jumped into the water, Yonhap said.

Six naval ships and two coastguard vessels, as well as helicopters, rushed to save the crew, Yonhap and military officials said.

There was no sign of the North's military in the area where the ship sank, Yonhap said, citing officials.

South Korean President Lee Myung-bak convened an emergency meeting of security officials and said all possible causes for the sinking would be investigated.

He ordered the military to focus on rescuing the sailors.

There were reports that another South Korean ship had fired shots toward an unidentified vessel, but officials later speculated the target had been a flock of birds.

The incident comes at a time of tension between the two Koreas. International talks aimed at ending the communist North's nuclear ambitions have been stalled for months.

North and South Korea are still in a official state of war because the 1950-53 Korean War ended only in a truce.

Since then, they have fought three bloody skirmishes in the Yellow Sea.

In January, North Korea fired about 30 artillery shells not far from Baeknyeong. South Korea fired 100 warning shots in response, but no injuries were reported.

South Korea recognises the Northern Limit Line, drawn unilaterally by the US-led United Nations Command to demarcate the sea border at the end of the Korean War. The line has never been accepted by North Korea.

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Israeli tanks 'enter Gaza' after deadly clashes

Israeli tanks are reported to have advanced into the Gaza Strip following clashes with Palestinians in which two Israeli soldiers died.

Witnesses in Gaza said tanks and bulldozers had moved towards the southern town of Khan Younis.

They also said there had been firing from the Israeli navy along the Gaza coastline.

It is the first time Israeli soldiers have died in Gaza since Israel's 22-day offensive there more than a year ago.

Reports say at least two Palestinians have also been killed.

Israel says the fighting started when its troops crossed into Gaza after spotting militants planting explosives along the border.

Reports from inside Gaza say the militants then tried to capture an Israeli soldier.

Retaliation

The BBC's Jon Donnison, in the West Bank city of Ramallah, says many inside Gaza will now expect retaliation from Israel to be stepped up following the deaths of the soldiers.

The army said an officer and a conscript died when gunmen fired on a military patrol inside the Gaza Stip. Two soldiers were injured and two Palestinian fighters killed in the clash, it said.

The two soldiers killed were named by Israel's Haaretz newspaper as Eliraz Peretz, 31, and 21-year-old Ilan Sebiatkovsky.

Army spokeswoman Avital Leibovich described their deaths as "tragic" and "painful".

"I think it's true to say that this is one of the fiercest days we have had since operation Cast Lead happened," she said, referring to the Israeli offensive.

A ceasefire between Israel and Islamist militant group Hamas, which governs Gaza, has largely held since the Israeli offensive.

However, hundreds of rockets have been fired into southern Israel by militants in Gaza.

Hamas's armed wing - the al-Qassam Brigades - said in a statement sent to the BBC that it had killed the two soldiers.

Speaking to Reuters news agency, Hamas spokesman Abu Obeida is quoted as saying: "This was our work, but was carried out for defence."

Militants have been holding another Israeli soldier, Gilad Shalit, for more than three years.

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Iraq PM Maliki vows to challenge vote

Mr Maliki's claims of widespread fraud have been dismissed by officials

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki has vowed to fight the results of parliamentary elections that saw former PM Iyad Allawi win a narrow victory.

Speaking angrily on national television, he said he would challenge the count through what he described as a legal process.

Mr Allawi won by only two seats, paving the way for weeks of political wrangling to form a new government.

Earlier, UN envoy to Iraq Ad Melkert said the election had been credible.

He called on all parties to accept the outcome.

A credible election is seen as crucial in helping to stabilise Iraq before the planned US withdrawal due to be completed by next year.

ANALYSIS Andrew North, BBC News, Baghdad This narrow victory for Iyad Allawi may signal Iraq is beginning to move beyond its sectarian divisions. He is Shia but campaigned on a secular platform. Most of his votes came from Sunni areas, but he attracted significant support from other groups. What matters most now is Prime Minister Nouri Maliki's challenge to the results and whether it sparks new tension, amid the swirl of suspicions and fraud allegations. He has said he will use legal means to appeal. He will be under intense pressure from the Americans to do so. Their withdrawal plans depend on the results being accepted as credible. Power has rarely changed hands peacefully in Iraq - an orderly transition would be just as significant as Iyad Allawi winning.

Some Western observers fear a weak and unstable Iraq would be little more than a puppet of neighbouring Iran.

Mr Maliki said he would not accept the election results, which gave his State of Law bloc 89 seats to the 91 of Mr Allawi's Iraqiyya alliance in the 325-seat parliament.

He repeated his call for a recount.

By law, Mr Maliki has until Monday to register his complaints with the Iraqi election commission.

"When we checked some of the [election] papers we found a large percentage were forged," he said.

"Another thing, witnesses from IHEC [electoral commission] talked about manipulation in the election and underlined this with names and other cases, which made it clear that there was a defect, which should be dealt with through manual counting, as is done in some countries."

Election officials have refused calls for a recount, and international observers have described the election as fair and credible.

"From our vantage point and from the international community's vantage point, we have not seen any evidence of substantial fraud that would fundamentally change the outcome," said US State Department spokesman PJ Crowley.

"This marks a significant milestone in the ongoing democratic development of Iraq."

Mr Allawi, who is a Shia Muslim, fought on a secular platform, and many who voted for him were Sunnis.

He said his bloc would "work with all Iraqi parties, whether they won or not, to form the next government".

There had been fears that the results would spark violence.

Just hours before the results were announced, twin bomb blasts in the town of Khalis, in Diyala province, killed at least 40 people and left more than 60 injured.

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Family of three dies of burns

Archives - Chennai

A family of three died of burns at Thirumangalam this morning. The woman Shanthi (35) who was dejected over her husband’s drinking habit immolated herself and later plunged to embrace both her husband Thangapandian and daughter Janani, police said. . Thangapandian working in a tiffin centre used to come home drunk everyday. Getting irritated over this, Shanthi picked up a quarrel with him. In one such fight on Sunday night, she immolated herself and further hugged her 3-year-old daughter Janani and husband. All the three were rushed to Government Kilpauk Medical College and hospital where they succumbed to burn injuries. Based on a dying declaration from Thangapandian, police have registered a case and are investigating.

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Khakhi or else get a dressing down

Archives - Special Report

. Chennai Police Commissionerate is going ahead with its new rule that reportedly bans policemen from being seen in casual wear jeans and T- shirts to be specific on its premises. . Sources say policemen who come to Commissionerate in mufti both on duty or off-duty have been prohibited from donning casual clothes. The ban applies to every member of the police force irrespective of his/her rank. While a few police constables are opposed to the move, which they dub as ‘unnecessary’, there are senior police officials who are of the view that it is a ‘welcome’ move. The dress code which is to be implemented from the current year has been put in place to ensure orderliness and discipline. However sources say that those violating the rule would be let off with a reprimand. A senior police officer says, ‘police constables would not be allowed to wear ‘objectionable’ outfits like jeans, inside the Commissioner’s office, as such garments invite unnecessary attention. A proper dress code will be in keeping with the formal atmosphere. The new dress code has not found favour with constables. ‘As policemen we are conscious of what we wear to the city chief’s office,’ says a police constable not wanting to be identified. ‘Moreover we wear jeans only during weekends. It is comfortable and need not be washed for days together,’ he feels. Another senior police official who welcomed the restrictions has said that any step taken by seniors to enforce discipline should be encouraged. However, he clarified that the dress code had not been imposed forcibly and that the decision was taken after considering the opinion of several police officers. ‘Though no official orders have been passed in this connection it has been left to the grapevine to pass the message,’ he said.

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DMK will win: CM

Archives - Tamilnadu

Chief Minister and DMK president M Karunanidhi has expressed the hope that his party would emerge triumphant in the 27 March bypoll for Pennagaram Assembly Constituency. Speaking to reporters here before leaving for Pennagaram to address an election meeting scheduled tonight, he said, ‘Our party will surely win the byelection. I have no doubts in it.’ . Asked about a reported remark of Union Minister for Chemical and Fertilisers M K Alagiri that he would never accept anyone other than Karunandhi as his leader, the Chief Minister said, ‘he (Alagiri) would be the better person to answer the question.’ Asked that Alagiri had hinted that no one had the talent to lead the party after Karunanidhi, the octogenarian said, ‘Even I too don’t know from which year I would not be there.’ On the Supreme Court’s ‘backing’ to actress Kushboo’s comments that there is no wrong in premartial sex, Karunanidhi said, ‘some would approach the issue on the basis of Kalaviyal in ancient Tamil literature.’ Meanwhile, the DMK president was given a rousing reception by party workers on the outskirts of Pennagaram, where he would address a mega public meeting in support of DMK candidate P N P Inbasekaran tonight. The DMK, which won all the byelections in the State after 2006, has been concentrating more on Pennagaram, a so-called PMK bastion, ever since the bypoll date was announced. Speaking to reporters recently, Karunanidhi said, ‘I had decided to campaign for the party candidate in Pennagaram constituency because the people are expecting me there. In the past I have visited Pennagaram many times to propagate the ideas of the DMK. Now I don’t like to disappoint the people of the constituency.’ The fact that the octogenarian himself is personally going to campiagn (he had opted out of active electioneering in the previous few byelections) indicates the seriousness with which the ruling party is approaching the challenge. Though there are 31 candidates in the fray, P N P Inbasekran (DMK), T R Anbazhagan (AIADMK), G K M Tamilkumaran (PMK) and Kaveri Varman (DMDK) are the key contestants for the 27 March polling. Campaigning will come to end tomorrow.

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Strengthening partnership with Pak

Archives - World

PTI | Fri, 26 Mar, 2010,10:12 AM . Underlining that the Obama administration has made a 'strategic priority' to strengthen its partnership with Pakistan, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has said the US efforts in that country was vital for American success in Afghanistan. . In Pakistan, our efforts are vital to success in Afghanistan, but also to our own American security. We've made it a strategic priority to strengthen our partnership with the Pakistani people, Clinton said before Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations and Related Programmes. I'm under no illusion that success in this arena will come quickly or easily. But think about where we were a year ago. The extremists were 100 miles from Islamabad. They met little resistance in launching attacks on American troops from border areas. Since then, the Pakistani Government has launched important offences in Swat, South Waziristan and throughout the country, she said. Clinton said the US is moving in the right direction and the progress that they have made is possible because the US has demonstrated a clear commitment to work with the people and the Government of Pakistan. Yesterday at the US-Pakistan Strategic Dialogue, we worked very hard - in fact, late into the night - to advance the resolve that we have begun building with the Pakistani leadership. The USD 370 million we're requesting for assistance and operations in this supplemental will allow us to expand civilian cooperation at a critical moment, Clinton said. The top US diplomat argued that the military offensives have created new humanitarian needs that, if not addressed immediately, could make these areas ripe for extremism. And in much of the country, water, energy, and economic problems create new challenges. So our success depends on rapidly and sustainably scaling up our efforts, especially in high-impact projects that visibly demonstrate our long-term commitment on helping the Pakistanis build capacity while ensuring accountability, she noted.

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Drugs kingpin gives himself up

Archives - Chennai

NT Bureau | Fri, 26 Mar, 2010,02:28 PM . The key accused in the spurious drug cartel Meenakshi Sundaram today surrendered before VIII Metropolitan Magistrate Court at George Town in north Chennai. Meanwhile, a police team led by Assistant Commissioner Balachandran arrested Sundaram’s brother Manickam who was found to possess fake drugs during a raid in his store at Purasawalkam in Chennai. . Meenakshi Sundaram had been on the run ever since the police busted the racket involving sale of fake and recycled expired drugs last week. His anticipatory bail was dismissed yesterday by Madras High Court which said that only custodial interrogation would yield further clues to the sale of such medicine. Following the surrender this morning, police registered cases under IPC section 420, 465 and 468 against him and remanded him to judicial custody till 9 April. During the course of interrogation of Manickam, it was revealed that he had purchased drugs from Meenakshi Sundaran and another dealer Pradeep Chordia, proprietor of G H Pharmacy. He had fled to Rajasthan since the raids began. Yesterday, police caught him at the Chennai airport. The police seized expired drugs worth Rs 25 lakh from his garage at Purasawalkam and sealed four pharmacies, two of them owned by him. Another accused Sekar surrendered before the 13th Metropolitan Magistrate at Egmore yesterday. With Chordia’s arrest, eight persons have been arrested so far in connection with the racket while two others have given themselves up before a local court. It may be noted that the Tamilnadu government has appealed to the people not to panic over the seizure of expired drugs and has affirmed that necessary steps were being taken to stop their sale.

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Best hotels for guys and girls

His and hers ... the best hotel for women might not be a favourite with the men. Photo: Holger Leue/Lonely Planet

While ladies max out the credit card, boys would rather go and play with their gadgets.

And just because you're gallivanting the world doesn't mean your female and male desires are left at home.

There are some hotels that are more likely to keep your requirements satisfied so accommodation website hotels.com has come up with a list of places to stay best suited to his and her needs:

For the ladies:

Harbour Plaza North Point, Hong Kong:

For fashionistas and lovers of couture, Hong Kong is currently hosting The Golden Age of Couture: Paris and London 1947-1957.

This four-star stay is a 15 minute cab ride from the Hong Kong Heritage Museum where the exhibit is being held until the end of September.

The largest shopping centre in Hong Kong, Cityplaza, is a five minute walk from the hotel - shopaholics will be able to take the edge off at one of the 160 outlets.

The hotel's spa will be able to tend to any aching feet.

Park Central New York Hotel, New York:

Located two blocks from Fifth Avenue, this is the perfect place to stay for ladies in the Big Apple.

Central Park is three blocks and high-end labels like Saks Fifth Avenue and Tiffany & Co are a short stroll from your room.

After spending up big, unwind on the 300 thread count Egyptian cotton sheets - this sort of quality is only appreciated by a woman.

UNA Hotel Cusani, Milan:

Home to iconic fashion labels Prada, Dolce & Gabana and Gucci, Milan is arguably the fashion capital of the world.

This establishment sits between the Castello Sforzesco and the Duomo and on the corner of Via Dante and the pedestrian mall.

For girls keen to shop, the hotel has come up with special packages that include bus tickets to the Fox Town Mendrisio outlet where famous brands are set to mates rates.

If you're cashed up and keen to spend on more luxury labels hit the Fashion Quadrilatero - a short walk from the hotel - where the most prestigious boutiques and showrooms are bound to satisfy.

For the guys:

Hotel New Otani, Tokyo:

With all its flashing lights and gadgets, Tokyo is great for the guys.

Tokyo is home to Akihabara, dubbed Electric (or Geek) Town, where you can get your hands on the latest in electronics and gizmos, and browse Yodobashi Camera, one of Japan's largest electronics stores, spread over 15 levels.

The country's first robot store is a five minute cab ride away and a short walk will lead lads to Tokyo National Stadium, where the Bledisloe Cup will be played at the end of October.

The hotel puts on night time pool parties with live jazz, DJs and hula dancing and boys will lap up the chance to try the "all you can drink" draft beer challenge operating during August and September.

Southpoint Casino and Spa, Las Vegas:

Local boys are often heard to mutter "what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas" after a big weekend.

There's a reason this war-cry exists and it's all because of the Strip - bars, clubs, gambling, sports and cars.

The four-star Southpoint Casino boasts a 16-screen movie complex, a 64-lane bowling centre, 2,270 poker machines and over 60 table games on the casino floor.

Mirasierra Suites Hotel, Madrid:

Madrid packs a testosterone punch into any holiday with landmarks like Las Ventas, the largest bullring in Spain, and Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, home of Real Madrid football club.

This five-star hotel is the official pre-match residence for Real Madrid and players are often spotted wandering the halls.

Madrid is a European party haven, with some of the city's best bars and clubs a drunken stumble away.

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The thinker

Rodin: In His Own Words

Whatcom Museum of History and Art
Bellingham WA – through Dec 10

Auguste Rodin (1840-1917), The Thinker (modelled 1880, reduced in 1903, cast about 1931), bronze [Whatcom Museum of History and Art, Bellingham WA, through Dec 10]

The French artist Auguste Rodin (1840-1917) is credited with bringing sculpture to the level of modernism by moving away from the classic academic approach of the 18th and 19th centuries. In his time, Rodin was considered to be the greatest sculptor since Michelangelo.

Rodin: In His Own Words showcases over thirty bronzes and pairs individual sculptures with philosophical quotes by Rodin. It includes original letters written by the artist as well as, a number of works on paper and details about his process of lost-wax casting.

The pieces in this travelling exhibition are drawn from the Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Foundation, the largest private holding of Rodin’s work.

His most famous sculpture, The Thinker, from his monumental Gates of Hell epic, is a key feature of the exhibit.

Auguste Rodin (1840-1917), Spirit of War (c. 1883), bronze [Whatcom Museum of History and Art, Bellingham WA, through Dec 10]

Rodin’s sculpture is distinguished historically by the dramatic contours of his figures and a lifelike sense of movement. He conveys complex emotions through facial lines, gestures and expressive poses. As well, Rodin did not always give his subjects pristine smooth skin or idealized features.

Rather, his works often have rough modeled surfaces that reveal the raw artistic process and allow light to reflect off the crevices and nuances of the bronze material.

He appears to have been more interested in emphasizing the fundamental spirit of humanity, its strength and realism, its morality, distress, weaknesses, passions and beauty. It was Rodin’s ardour and dedication to vitality in life that made his work so genuine, innovative and moving.

www.whatcommuseum.org

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Posted in: History

Anceint Staduim

The Colosseum is the popular name for the Amphiteatrum Flavium (located on the site of the Domus Aurea, Nero’s residence), between the Esquiline and Palatine hills, near the southeast end of the Forum. Construction was started by Vespasian in 69 AD (Nero had committed suicide in 68 AD), finished by Titus in 80 AD, and restored in 217 AD. The Colosseum is 1730 feet around, 180 feet high, and was designed to hold 50,000 people. That’s as high as an 18-story building; it held more people than many of today’s professional baseball stadiums. The arena floor measured 282 by 177 feet, not quite large enough for an American football game. Remember, it was built nearly 2,000 years ago.

To supply the travertine that covered the exterior walls of the structure, a special 20-foot-wide road was built from the Colosseum to a quarry near Tivoli, a town about 20 miles east of Rome. Then in the early-1500s, the travertine marble that covered the Coliseum’s walls was itself “quarried,” and 2,522 cartloads of marble were used to complete St. Peter's Basilica. Uncounted Romans live, work, and worship in buildings constructed with blocks of stone and slabs of marble, from the “Coliseum Quarry.”

One evening we rode the bus from Camping Roma (located on Via Aurelia on the west side of Rome), past St. Peter’s, then on to Piazza Venezia. We walked down Via del Corso, stopping to see the Trevi Fountain, the Pantheon, and finally to the Spanish Steps. To the left of the Spanish Steps we boarded subway Ligne A and rode to the Stazione Termini, changed to Ligne B, and then went to the Colosseum. What a beautiful sight, as we snapped this memory of the floodlit remains of that ancient stadium!
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During our first visit in 1970 the street around the Colosseum was so crowded with traffic it was almost impossible to cross the street for a visit. We’ve been told that some people would hire a taxi to cross the street to the Colosseum. During our visit a few years later the street was dug up, the subject of an archaeological excavation. During yet another visit in Rome, the excavation was complete, but the traffic pattern had been changed so tourists could visit in safety.
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We have visited inside the Colosseum two or three years, and find it very interesting to see that amphitheaters today, are built in much the same manner as they were thousands of years ago. We have visited at least 15 Roman Amphitheaters in several countries.

If you climb to the top of the Colosseum, you can see St. Peter's Basilica, far in the distance.

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Posted in: Travelling to Cambodia

Egypt pyramids

There are over 100 pyramids in Egypt known today from ancient Egypt. The three largest and best-preserved of these were built at Giza at the beginning of the Old Kingdom. The most well-known of these pyramids was built for the pharaoh Khufu. It is known as the ‘Great Pyramid’.

The earliest known Egyptian pyramid is the Pyramid of Djoser which was built during the third dynasty. This pyramid and its surrounding complex were designed by the architect Imhotep, and are generally considered to be the world’s oldest monumental structures constructed of dressed masonry.

Ancient Egyptians believed that when the pharaoh died, he became Osiris, king of the dead. The new pharaoh became Horus, god of the heavens and protector of the sun god. This cycle was symbolized by the rising and setting of the sun.

Some part of a dead pharaoh’s spirit, called his ka, was believed to remain with his body. And it was thought that if the corpse did not have proper care, the former pharaoh would not be able to carry out his new duties as king of the dead. If this happened, the cycle would be broken and disaster would befall Egypt.

To prevent such a catastrophe, each dead pharaoh was mummified, which preserved his body. Everything the king would need in his afterlife was provided in his grave—vessels made of clay, stone, and gold, furniture, food, even doll-like representations of servants, known as ushabti. His body would continue to receive food offerings long after his death.

To shelter and safeguard the part of a pharaoh’s soul that remained with his corpse, Egyptians built massive tombs—but not always pyramids.

Before the pyramids, tombs were carved into bedrock and topped by flat-roofed structures called mastabas. Mounds of dirt, in turn, sometimes topped the structures.

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The great pyramid :

the Great Pyramid is the epitome of the knowledge and experience of all previous pyramids. Khufu had every advantage in growing up in an atmosphere of the several pyramid building projects of his father, King Sneferu. In light of this it becomes easier to understand that Khufu was more than qualified to oversee and organize the grand task of building the monument that is the only surviving member of the Seven Wonders of the World. So much uninformed speculation abounds as to the origin, engineering and construction of the Great Pyramid, though we have a wealth of archaeological evidence to piece together much of the accomplishment. Recently, remnants of ramps have been found by Dr. Zahi Hawass on the south side of the pyramid that attest that some type of ramping was indeed used in the construction of this monument. The attribution of the pyramid to King Khufu is supported by workman’s markings that were found in the pyramid, located in small weight relieving chambers that were never intended to be opened or seen after they were completed.

The precision with which the pyramid was executed is often the source of marvel and speculation. It is likely that the attention to this precision was related to the many structural problems encountered in previous pyramids. To minimize many of the previous errors, the attention to precision produced a pyramid whose base is level within 2.1 cm (less than 1 in!), with the only difference in the length of the sides being 4.4 cm (1.75 in). The blocks used in the pyramid are large, with a commonly stated average of 2.5 tons. Many blocks are indeed smaller than this, the blocks toward the top decrease in size. Some of the casing stones at the base are very large, weighing as much as 15 tons. The heaviest blocks are the granite blocks used to roof the kings chambers and the weight relieving chambers above the king’s chamber. These are estimated to weigh from 50 to 80 tons each!!

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Posted in egypt pyramid | Tagged Djoser, Dr. Zahi Hawass, egypt pyramid, Great Pyramid, Imhotep, pharaoh Khufu, ramping, tombs

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Posted in: Travelling to Cambodia

Gallery

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Posted in: Khmer gallery