Archive for June, 2010
Mexican gov’t supports lawsuit against U.S. migratory law
June 23rd, 2010 | Author: admin
The Mexican government said Tuesday that it supports Mexican civil organizations’ lawsuit against a migratory law of the U.S. state of Arizona.
The government decided to join the plaintiffs as an “Amicus Curiae (Friend of the court),” Foreign Minister Patricia Espinosa said in a statement.
The lawsuit was filed by the Mexican-American Fund of Legal and Education Defense, the National Center of Migratory Law and the American Union of Civil Freedoms against Law SB1070 recently approved in Arizona.The plantiffs ask U.S. courts to declare the law as unconstitutional and impede its enforcement.
Espinosa said it is fundamental and imperative to recognize the human rights of Mexican citizens living in Arizona or any other place of the United State.
“Mexico has the duty to protect its citizens and assure that the ethnic origin not to be used as a criteria to commit discriminatory acts against them,” the minister said.
He added that the support to this lawsuit is part of the measures of the Mexican government to strongly protest against any violation to the fundamental human rights of all the Mexicans in Arizona, independently of their migratory status.
Posted in Rich flaunt wealth to lure a wife
June 23rd, 2010 | Author: admin
Do today’s marriages carry a price tag?
The answer is yes, going by a recent beauty contest in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, which drew more than 50,000 applicants from around the world.
In the city of Guangzhou alone, 1,000 single women qualified for the contest. The finalists will be dating millionaire bachelors, each of whom boasts personal assets of no less than 50 million yuan ($73 million).
They will be selected on the basis of their looks, temperament and character. But that is not all. They will also have to take psychological tests and quizzed on their values and family background. Last but not the least, they will be appraised by feng shui masters, who will determine if they have a wang fu, or good luck, face.
Most of the contestants are between 28 and 30, have a college degree or above and are in a decent job. But so far, only a fifth have survived the first round – with most failing the “face” test – and will now move on to showcase their other talents.
In the final round, only 18 girls will be matched with the golden bachelors.
Game, set … match
June 23rd, 2010 | Author: admin
Wan Guoying, 50, who comes from Jiangxi province, can’t understand why her daughter, Xiong Ye, 24, an office worker in Beijing, would rather stay indoors at the weekend than have fun outside.
“She works from Monday to Friday. I want her to make the best of the two days left to socialize, and most importantly, to find a boyfriend,” Wan says.
She said in their native small town, young people hang out with each other after work and many children of her friends and colleagues there, who are of the same age as Xiong, are married and have children.
“I am jealous, and I feel the pressure. I don’t know why my daughter is still single in a big city where there are thousands of eligible men. My husband and I are very anxious about her,” she says.
Wan’s concern exemplifies the large colony of parents, whose intense involvement in the love affairs of their only children has become a conspicuous phenomenon.
In populous metropolises like Beijing, parents regularly gather in parks or outside the venues of matchmaking parties. They hold paperboards carrying their children’s information, and set up prospective dates for them.
UN praises Colombia’s significant progress in anti-drug campaign
June 23rd, 2010 | Author: admin
Colombia gained significant achievements in reducing coca cultivation, and the drug control policy adopted by the government has paid off, a United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) official said on Tuesday.
According to a Tuesday report of UNODC, cultivation of coca, the main raw material to produce cocaine, declined by 16 percent to 68,000 hectares last year from 81,000 in 2008. Peru is likely to overtake Colombia as the world’s biggest coca producer soon.
UNODC representative Aldo Lale-Demoz said the reductions of coca cultivation and cocaine production were attributed to the Colombian government’s drug control policies, matched by manual eradication and education campaigns.
“It is clear that the coca harvest in Colombia has become more difficult and risky for the organized crime,” Lale-Demoz said, hailing Colombia’s fight against drug as an example that deserves the world’s recognition.
Colombian Interior Minister Fabio Valencia praised the work of public forces as a fundamental element in the coca eradication process.
Education reform in China
June 23rd, 2010 | Author: admin
An education reform initiative that the Politburo, the top decision-making body of the Communist Party of China, approved on Monday will go a long way in ensuring social progress in the coming years.
By pledging to increase public expenditure on education and promote fair distribution of educational resources, the Medium- and Long-term National Educational Reform and Development Plan (2010-20) has laid a solid foundation for China to develop into a powerhouse of human capital.
The huge demographic dividend that the nation enjoys has contributed mightily to making the Chinese economy stronger over the past three decades. However, its rapidly aging population means China will no longer be able to rely on ample supply of cheap young labor for economic growth.
Clearly, policymakers have realized that the revamp will sustain growth by bettering education and improving work force quality. This initiative is also a laudable first-step to streamline more public funds into the education sector.
According to the plan, government investment will increase steadily, with the ratio of education expenditure to gross domestic product touching 4 percent by 2012. The ratio stood at 3.48 percent in 2008.
Inter-Korean cooperation in chemistry, biotech, and nano science fields encouraged: think tank report
June 22nd, 2010 | Author: admin
A report suggesting possible inter-Korean cooperation in the chemistry, biotech, and nano-science fields was released Wednesday by a state-run think tank, claiming the gap in the depth of technology between the two countries in such areas is relatively minimal.
The Science and Technology Policy Institute (STEPI) said in its latest “Issue and Policy” report that the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) has traditionally shown advancements in the polymer chemistry industry, nano-science and mathematics sectors, as well as biotech areas including animal cloning, hinting that cooperation between the two Koreas may be fruitful.
The report also said the DPRK has very advanced technology in the nuclear energy and missiles industries but collaboration in such areas would depend on how the country conforms to the denuclearization process recommended by the international community.
However, the STEPI said, the difference in the quality and depth of research between the two countries is too big at this point to push for any quick cooperation, as it suggested gradually building better infrastructure and education systems in the DPRK and taking a step-by-step approach before forming any partnerships.
SEOUL, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) — South Korean President Lee Myung-bak vowed Monday the country will broaden and strengthen diplomatic relations with others, including the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK).
“We need to open a new chapter in relations between South Korea and the DPRK this year,” Lee said in his televised address to the nation, designed to lay out policy blueprint for 2010. Full story
SEOUL, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) — South Korea’s top diplomat said Monday that the country will continue pursuing what is called a “grand bargain” designed to help bring denuclearization of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), local media reported.
“For the complete and verifiable denuclearization of the DPRK, the country will seek a grand bargain based on close cooperation with five other countries in the (six-party) talks,” Seoul’s Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan said.
2009 was lost year for Hungarians, says chamber of commerce chief
June 22nd, 2010 | Author: admin
The year of 2009 was a lost year economically for Hungarians, Hungarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry chief Laszlo Parragh said on Tuesday.
Speaking to local wire service MTI, Parragh said that although “Public Relations governing” prior to the spring of 2009 had seriously hurt the economy, the new Prime Minister Gordon Bajnai had introduced a more sober, restrained policy that was more realistic.
Parragh noted that while Bajnai had restored the budget balance and had managed to avert financial collapse he had failed to move forward with structural reforms, leaving the expenditure structure unchanged, despite cutting back on amounts.
Spending is as inefficient and wasteful as it ever was, Parragh said, warning that unless the structure of public spending — for health care, education, and local governments — was radically altered, the current policy was doomed to failure.
Despite efforts to improve economic dynamics, the real economy of the country declined by 8.5 percent in 2009, he said. In addition, efforts to regroup European Union funds to liven up the economy were but marginally successful.
Parragh said Hungary’s problem was that it was using EU funds according to the logic of an advanced country, when it was in fact only an emerging economy, and that should be spending on technological development, on livening up the economy and on gap reduction. Instead it was making prestige investments that it eventually might be unable to support, he said.
He also noted that the loss of export markets during the economic downturn had seriously hurt the country, costing it over 150,000 jobs.
Bulk message service bridges Party leadership, grassroots officials
June 22nd, 2010 | Author: admin
A million secretaries of Communist Party of China (CPC) grassroots branches received a text message greeting from Vice President Xi Jinping Tuesday, marking the launch of a new Party management system.
The messages were sent through a mobile phone service platform launched by the Organization Department of the CPC Central Committee and China Mobile.
The platform has a server that links the phones of 1 million grassroots Party officials with heads of the organization departments of the CPC provincial, city and county committees.
Grassroots officials can receive and send text messages from and to heads of the organization departments at higher Party organs, and those using 3G phones can communicate through video.
It was an effort to apply modern technologies in Party organization and management, said Xi, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, at the launch ceremony.
Through the platform, the latest guidelines and policies would be sent to the lowest level promptly and local officials were encouraged to express opinions and raise proposals, Xi said.
The CPC expected the service to provide another communication channel between local officials and Party organization department sand a new tool for education and publicity, he said.
It would help smooth vertical communications in the Party framework, promote democracy inside the Party and extend the Party’s influence, he said.
Tracking the awards leading up to the Oscars
June 22nd, 2010 | Author: admin
With movie awards season now in full swing, the Iraq war film “The Hurt Locker” is an early frontrunner, according to an award tracking survey by The Associated Press. But honors have been spread around to a number of movies as well. Jason Reitman’s uber-relevant “Up in the Air,” in particular, continues to win across multiple categories. And then there’s James Cameron’s “Avatar,” another major heavyweight, particularly at the box office.
A lot could still change before the Academy Awards on March 7. In between, the Broadcast Film Critics Association, Hollywood Foreign Press Association, Screen Actors Guild, Producers Guild, Directors Guild and the Film Independent organization all dole out awards.
A summary of the top film honors so far, in alphabetical order:
“(500) DAYS OF SUMMER”
Picture: Golden Globe nomination (comedy or musical)
Actor, Joseph Gordon-Levitt: Golden Globe nomination (comedy or musical)
“AVATAR”
Picture: Golden Globe nomination (for drama), New York Film Critics Online
Director, James Cameron: Golden Globe nomination
Original Score, James Horner: Golden Globe nomination
Original Song, “I See You” by James Horner and Simon Franglen: Golden Globe nomination
“BAARIA”
Foreign Language Film: Golden Globe nomination
“THE BEACHES OF AGNES”
Documentary: National Society of Film Critics, Los Angeles Film Critics Association, co-winner
“THE BLIND SIDE”
Actress, Sandra Bullock: Golden Globe nomination (drama), Screen Actors Guild nomination
“BRIGHT STAR”
Supporting Actor, Paul Schneider: National Society of Film Critics (co-winner)
“BROKEN EMBRACES”
Foreign Language Film: Golden Globe nomination
“BROTHERS”
Actor, Tobey Maguire: Golden Globe nomination (drama)
Original Song, “Winter” by Brothers: Golden Globe nomination
“CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS”
Animated Film: Golden Globe nomination
“CORALINE”
Animated Film: Golden Globe nomination
Top 10: American Film Institute
“THE COVE”
Documentary: National Board of Review, Los Angeles Film Critics Association (co-winner)
“CRAZY HEART”
Actor, Jeff Bridges: Los Angeles Film Critics Association, Golden Globe nomination (drama), Screen Actors Guild nomination
Score: Los Angeles Film Critics Association
Original Song, “The Weary Kind (Theme From Crazy Heart)” by Ryan Bingham and T Bone Burnett: Golden Globe nomination
“DISTRICT 9″
Screenplay, Neill Blomkamp and Terri Tatchell: Golden Globe nomination
Production Design: Los Angeles Film Critics Association
“DUPLICITY”
Actress, Julia Roberts: Golden Globe nomination (comedy or musical)
“AN EDUCATION”
Ensemble: Screen Actors Guild nomination
Actress, Carey Mulligan: National Board of Review, Golden Globe nomination (drama), Screen Actors Guild nomination
“EVERYBODY’S FINE”
Original Song, “I Want to Come Home,” by Paul McCartney: Golden Globe nomination
“FANTASTIC MR. FOX”
Animated Film: New York Film Critics Circle, Los Angeles Critics Association, Golden Globe nomination
Actor, George Clooney: New York Film Critics Circle
Production Design, Nelson Lowry: National Society of Film Critics
“JULIE & JULIA”
Picture: Golden Globe nomination (comedy or musical)
Actress, Meryl Streep: New York Film Critics Circle, Screen Actors Guild nomination
“THE HANGOVER”
Picture: Golden Globe nomination (comedy or musical)
Top 10: American Film Institute
“THE HURT LOCKER”
Picture: National Society of Film Critics, New York Film Critics Circle, Los Angeles Film Critics Association, Boston Society of Film Critics, Golden Globe nomination (drama)
Ensemble: Screen Actors Guild nomination
Director, Kathryn Bigelow: National Society of Film Critics, New York Film Critics Circle, Los Angeles Film Critics Association, Golden Globe nomination
Actor, Jeremy Renner: National Society of Film Critics, Screen Actors Guild nomination
Screenplay, Mark Boal: Golden Globe nomination
Top 10: American Film Institute
“INGLORIOUS BASTERDS”
Picture: Golden Globe nomination (drama)
Ensemble: Screen Actors Guild nomination
Supporting Actor, Christoph Waltz: National Society of Film Critics (co-winner), New York Film Critics Circle, Los Angeles Film Critics Association, Golden Globe nomination, Screen Actors Guild nomination
Supporting Actress, Diane Kruger: Screen Actors Guild nomination
Director, Quentin Tarantino: Golden Globe nomination
Screenplay, Quentin Tarantino: Golden Globe nomination
“THE INFORMANT!”
Actor, Matt Damon: Golden Globe nomination (comedy or musical)
Original Score, Marvin Hamlisch: Golden Globe nomination
“IN THE LOOP”
Screenplay: New York Film Critics Circle
“INVICTUS”
Actor, Morgan Freeman: National Board of Review (co-winner), Golden Globe nomination (drama), Screen Actors Guild nomination
Supporting Actor, Matt Damon: Golden Globe nomination, Screen Actors Guild nomination
Director, Clint Eastwood: National Board of Review, Golden Globe nomination
“IT’S COMPLICATED”
Picture: Golden Globe nomination (comedy or musical)
Ensemble: National Board of Review
Actress, Meryl Streep: Golden Globe nomination (comedy or musical)
Screenplay, Nancy Meyers: Golden Globe nomination
“JULIE & JULIA”
Picture: Golden Globe nomination (comedy or musical)
Actress, Meryl Streep: Golden Globe nomination (comedy or musical)
“THE LAST STATION”
Actress, Helen Mirren: Golden Globe nomination (drama), Screen Actors Guild nomination
Supporting Actor, Christopher Plummer: Golden Globe nomination, Screen Actors Guild nomination
“THE LOVELY BONES”
Supporting Actor, Stanley Tucci: Golden Globe nomination, Screen Actors Guild nomination
“THE MAID”
Foreign Language Film: Golden Globe nomination
“THE MESSENGER”
Supporting Actor, Woody Harrelson: National Board of Review, Golden Globe nomination, Screen Actors Guild nomination
Top 10: American Film Institute
“NINE”
Picture: Golden Globe nomination (comedy or musical)
Ensemble: Screen Actors Guild nomination
Actor, Daniel Day-Lewis: Golden Globe nomination (comedy or musical)
Actress, Mario Cotillard: Golden Globe nomination (comedy or musical)
Supporting Actress, Penelope Cruz: Golden Globe nomination, Screen Actors Guild nomination
Original Song, “Cinema Italiano” by Maury Yeston: Golden Globe nomination
“OF TIME AND THE CITY”
Nonfiction Film: New York Film Critics Circle
“PRECIOUS”
Picture: Golden Globe nomination (drama)
Ensemble: Screen Actors Guild nomination
Actress, Gabourney Sidibe: Golden Globe nomination (drama), Screen Actors Guild nomination
Supporting Actress, Mo’Nique: National Society of Film Critics, New York Film Critics Circle, Los Angeles Film Critics Association, Golden Globe nomination (drama), Screen Actors Guild nomination
Top 10: American Film Institute
“THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG”
Animated Film: Golden Globe nomination
“A PROPHET”
Foreign Language Film: National Board of Review, Golden Globe nomination
“THE PROPOSAL”
Actress, Sandra Bullock: Golden Globe nomination (comedy or musical)
“SERAPHINE”
Actress, Yolande Moreau: National Society of Film Critics, Los Angeles Film Critics Association
“A SERIOUS MAN”
Actor, Michael Stuhlbarg: Golden Globe nomination (comedy or musical)
Original Screenplay: National Board of Review, National Society of Film Critics
Top 10: American Film Institute
“SHERLOCK HOLMES”
Actor, Robert Downey Jr.: Golden Globe nomination (comedy or musical)
“A SINGLE MAN”
Actor, Colin Firth: Golden Globe nomination (drama), Screen Actors Guild nomination
Supporting Actress, Julianne Moore: Golden Globe nomination
Original Score, Abel Korzeniowski: Golden Globe nomination
Top 10: American Film Institute
“SUGAR”
Top 10: American Film Institute
“SUMMER HOURS”
Foreign Language Film: National Society of Film Critics, New York Film Critics Circle, Los Angeles Film Critics Association
“UP”
Animated Film: Golden Globe nomination
Original Score, Michael Giacchino: Golden Globe nomination
Top 10: American Film Institute
“UP IN THE AIR”
Picture: National Board of Review, Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association, Golden Globe nomination (drama)
Actor, George Clooney: National Board of Review (co-winner), New York Film Critics Circle, Golden Globe nomination (drama), Screen Actors Guild nomination
Supporting Actress, Anna Kendrick: National Board of Review, Golden Globe nomination, Screen Actors Guild nomination
Supporting Actress, Vera Farmiga: Golden Globe nomination, Screen Actors Guild nomination
Director, Jason Reitman: Golden Globe nomination
Screenplay, Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner: National Board of Review, Los Angeles Film Critics Association
Top 10: American Film Institute
“WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE”
Original Score, Karen O and Carter Burwell: Golden Globe nomination
“THE WHITE RIBBON”
Foreign Language Film: Golden Globe nomination
Cinematographer, Christian Berger: National Society of Film Critics, New York Film Critics Circle, Los Angeles Film Critics Association
“THE YOUNG VICTORIA”
Law tops table of 10 most difficult professions to get job in China
June 22nd, 2010 | Author: admin
On the last day of 2009, Snow Li, a 24-year-old law school postgraduate student, arose at 7 am and went online to search for company information.
Li wasn’t preparing a court case but instead getting ready for an interview at a local bank’s law department. Since she finished her second year at China University of Political Science and Law (CUPL) last July, Li, like many of her classmates, has been looking for work. She sent out nearly 50 resumes to State-owned companies, banks and law firms, but this is only the third interview she has received.
“Most of my classmates started looking for a job in July, but none of them has had an offer so far,” said Li.
“I really want to be a lawyer or get a job related to law. But if I can’t find one eventually, I will have to turn to some administrative work or jobs less relevant to law.”
Law has topped the list of the 10 most difficult professions to land a job in the country for two consecutive years, taking the No 1 slot in 2008 and No 2 in 2007, according to a joint study released in June 2009 by China’s Academy of Social Science and Beijing-based consulting company Mycos Institute.
The other majors listed include computer science, English, international economics and trade, business administration, clinical medicine, Chinese literature, art design, electronic engineering and accounting.
The study showed that the 2008 unemployment rate for law graduates was 23 percent in the six months after graduation, marginally higher than the average for all majors of 22 percent.
The 2008 Blue Paper on China’s Rule of Law, published by the Procuratorial Daily, also shows law graduates have the lowest employment rate among all bachelor’s of arts degrees.
CUPL law professor Cao Yisun attributes the difficulties to growing numbers of law programs and enrollment along with shrinking demand from employers.
With no standardized curriculum and regulation at law departments, many educational institutions, including private collages or even training schools, have established law departments, which has led to a glut in the number of law graduates, said Cao in an interview with Xinhua.com.
“Law is a particularly specialized major,” Cao was quoted as saying. “Only outstanding students should be qualified to study it.”
According to statistics from the Blue Paper, 634 Chinese educational institutions had law department by Nov 2008. Thirty years ago, the number was six.
By Nov 2008, 300,000 students had graduated with a bachelor’s degree in law along with 220,000 law graduates from vocational school – a 200-fold increase over the number 30 years ago.
Cao said some educational institutions don’t have qualified law professors, so many students don’t receive proper training.
Wang Boqing, president of Mycos Institute, said supply and demand will be the best way to solve the problem. “Students who have already enrolled into a law department but are willing to switch to another major should be encouraged to do so,” Wang said. “Or they can consider studying for a second bachelor’s degree.”
Wang said that education authorities should evaluate faculty and quality of institutions with law departments. Those that receive poor evaluations should be limited in their capacity to offer law degrees, he said.
“Law graduates have the most difficulty in job hunting, which means the supply has exceeded the demand,” Wang said.
“If there is no adjustment in place soon, it is not good for the development of law in the long run.”