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In This Edition
?Italian caretaker Prime Minister Mario Monti addresses his voters on Twitter to rally support before elections.
?Venezuela re-elects National Assembly president, paving the way for him take over as President of the country should Hugo Chavez be declared too ill to be re-sworn in.
?A court in New Delhi begin pre-trial proceedings in the fatal gang rape of a student on a bus last month.
?And Northeastern Chinese city Harbin inaugurates its popular annual Ice and Snow Festival.
Hot Issue Reports
?Italian Politicians Step Up Efforts to Rally Support before Elections
Italian politicians have stepped up their efforts to rally support ahead of February's parliamentary elections.
Caretaker Prime Minister Mario Monti addressed his voters using Twitter.
Massimo Franco, an Italian political analyst, says Monti adopts the tactics in a bid to better engage with the voters.
"Well I think that Monti actually is trying to understand how to make politics, and I think he is not a professional. I think that in this network he tries to find a new path to reach all the people who did not go to the poll. So he is trying to attract these people in a different way. But of course it is an experiment."
Appointed 14 months ago to save Italy from the Eurozone debt crisis, Monti insisted for months he wouldn't run.
He only jumped recently into politics, encouraged by industrialists, pro-Vatican politicians and centrists.
His rivals include former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, comic and political agitator Beppe Grillo and centre-left leader Pier Luigi Bersani, who leads polls.
Meanwhile, dozens of Berlusconi's supporters crowded around him as he left the offices of the newspaper Corriere della Sera on Saturday.
Berlusconi, surrounded by media and body guards, greeted his supporters, shaking hands and signing autographs.
The 76-year-old politician is facing several legal and sexual scandals, but seems he has not lost credibility among his fans.
Berlusconi recently decided to return to frontline politics to lead the centre-right campaign ahead of the February elections.
?Merkel Highlights Economy as She Kicks off Campaigning for Important State Vote
German Chancellor Angela Merkel is highlighting Germany's economic strength as she kicks off campaigning for an important state election.
Merkel's centre-right party faces a tough battle to extend its ten-year hold on Lower Saxony state, a northwestern region of 8 million people, in the January 20th election there.
Polls suggest the centre-left opposition has a good chance of winning, which would give it a significant boost ahead of September national elections in which Merkel will seek a third term.
Merkel identified opposition plans for tax increases as one battleground.
"We would have liked to give back to the people what the state takes from them via the inflation, but the Social Democrats were not willing to do that, to relieve small and medium-sized incomes. But we believe that tax increases, especially tax increases on capital are not good for the current economic developments, for medium-sized companies in particular but also for big companies."
The strong German economy, and Merkel's hard-nosed management of Europe's debt crisis, have helped keep her popularity high and her party ahead in polls.
The number of Germans out of work averaged just under 2.9 million last year, the lowest since 1991.
Germany's jobless rate of less than 7 percent contrasts with figures well over 20 percent in troubled eurozone partners Greece and Spain.
?Allies of Chavez Propose Keeping the Same National Assembly President
Former Venezuela Vice President Diosdado Cabello was re-elected President of the National Assembly.
The move paves the way for Cabello to take over as President of Venezuela should President Hugo Chavez be declared too ill to be re-sworn in and be unable to name a new Vice President for his new term.
Diosdado Cabello was retained as legislative leader in a vote by a show of hands.
"The oath that we take today before the sovereign people, before our genius liberator Simon Bolivar, before the commander and leader of this revolution Hugo Chavez, before the ministers, before the Armed Forces, before our vice president, before all the people of Venezuela is that as a militant I will never let down the people and we will be at the disposal of the plan put forth by Commander Chavez."
Chavez's allies hold a majority of the 165 congressional seats.
According to the Venezuela constitution, Chavez is to be sworn in before the National Assembly for his new term on January 10.
Chavez, however, remains in a Cuban hospital after undergoing his fourth surgery for cancer. He has not been publicly seen or heard from since December 11.
Vice President Nicolas Maduro said that Chavez could take the oath of office for his next term before the Supreme Court at a later date if he isn't fit to be sworn in next week.
?Myanmar Refugees Fearful after Fighting Escalates between Gov't and Rebels
Ethnic Kachins living in makeshift camps in northern Myanmar have described their terror after the escalation of fighting between the Myanmar army and Kachin rebels.
The conflict has led to an estimated 100-thousand Kachins displaced since the fighting began more than 19 months ago.
Many are in camps in or near Laiza, the Kachin guerrilla-held town right by the border with China.
Salang Kaba Doi Pyi Sa, head of Kachin's refugee relief committee, says the refugees are living in fear.
"In the past, when there was war, we knew that it was happening somewhere else. Now, there is intense fighting in the vicinity of the camps and everyone is fearful. If the army uses heavy artillery, it can reach the camps. It is very urgent to get peace because there are no more places for us to move."
The Myanmar government said that the army had been given orders to cease all offensives against Kachin Independence Army guerrillas, but it had to protect its soldiers after the Kachin continued to set off land mines and ambush government forces.
The Kachin, like Myanmar's other ethnic minorities, have long sought greater autonomy from the central government.
The 19-month fighting between the two sides escalated on Christmas Day when the rebels rejected a government demand that supply convoys be allowed to reach an army base.
The government then used fighter planes and helicopters to mount attacks and seized one of the guerrillas' hilltop outposts.
?IMF Chief Lagarde in Malawi to Assess Reforms
The chief of the International Monetary Fund Christine Lagarde has visited Malawi to show support for the southern African nation's tough economic reforms.
"I am very pleased to confirm that we had a very productive, very fruitful meeting. I'm particularly pleased to be in Malawi to deliver the promises that I made to President Joyce Banda back in June 2012 when she visited Washington and we started discussing the economic situation of Malawi that she narrated after she came to power. I have to say that I am as impressed as I was on that day in Washington today in Malawi."
Lagarde met President Banda, who has been criticized by domestic opponents for sharply devaluing the national currency in line with prescriptions from IMF that are designed to make the economy competitive.
The unpegging of the currency from the dollar led to a devaluation of about 50 percent, and the price of commodities soared.
Banda's policy prompted Western donor nations and agencies, including the IMF, to inject hundreds of millions of dollars into the economy.
Malawi, one of Africa's poorest countries, is struggling with an inflation rate of more than 30 percent.
Interest rates are an average of 36 percent, raising concerns about prospects for growth and investment.
?Protests as Court Hears Rape Case
A court in New Delhi has begun pre-trial proceedings this weekend in the fatal gang rape of a student on a bus last month.
Five men were charged with murder, kidnapping and rape in the attack on the 23-year-old student on a bus, including the bus driver. They could face the death penalty if convicted. A sixth suspect is expected to be tried as a juvenile.
The woman died over the last weekend in a Singapore hospital from massive internal injuries.
Her friend has been recalling the harrowing details of the attack on a bus.
Protesters gathered outside the court in Saket, carrying a banner demanding justice for the victim.
Protesting student Rapali Dayday said that she believed this attitude is endemic not only within law enforcement, but in Indian society as a whole.
"People looked away... no one stopped to help her. The victim's friend also said that there wasn't a single piece of clothing on her body. Still no one gave her clothes. No-one helped her. So along with the police, even the common people of our society are responsible for what happened."
The attack has sparked outrage across India and led to calls for tougher rape legislation and reforms of a police culture that often blames rape victims and refuses to file charges against accused attackers.
The judge ordered the five to appear before her on Monday.
A following hearing was set for 10 January.
?Underground Staff in Madrid Strike over Austerity Cutbacks
Public transport workers in the Spanish capital Madrid continued industrial action for a second day on Saturday, running a heavily disrupted Metro service on a festival weekend.
The reason behind the strike is partly the elimination of the extra Christmas payroll adopted by Mariano Rajoy's government last July, but mostly down to the breach of their collective salary agreement.
Cuts in salaries have been imposed despite ticket prices increasing by 30 percent in the last year.
Metro workers said in a statement that they have established a minimum service during the celebration of the Three Kings on Sunday.
The festival of the Three Kings is hugely popular in Spain and due to its scale, many roads in the capital are closed leading to a general reliance on public transport.
Madrid residents have already experienced transport disruptions in the past two days due to industrial action.
"I had to leave home a bit earlier to be at work on time. All of us put out with no choice but to withstand whatever happens."
"I expect it will take some time to travel today. Everybody has the right to strike, but I do have to say it is a bit of a nuisance."
Spain's economy is plagued by huge debt and it contracts into a double-dip recession triggered by a 2008 real estate crash.
The government has been imposing austerity policies to cut public debt and propel the economy.
?7,000 Toy Weapons Destroyed in Crackdown on Criminal Use of Replica Guns in Mexico
Thousands of toy guns that look very similar to real weapons have been destroyed and trashed in Mexico City on Friday.
The toy guns are made difficult to tell whether or not they are real.
Authorities said the destruction of the fake weapons was an effort to prevent violence.
Mexico City Mayor Miguel Angel Mancera said destroying fake pistols and rifles is because of their widespread use in crimes.
"At least three out of 10 violent crimes committed in Mexico City are carried out using these kinds of fake weapons. Three out of 10."
In Mexico, there is a law governing the manufacture and marketing of toys that are similar to real firearms.
The colours gray, silver and black are prohibited.
The size of the toy guns must also be different from real weapons to avoid confusion.
The destruction of the fake guns took place days before Mexican families celebrate Epiphany, or Three Kings Day, on 6 January, when families traditionally give their children presents.
?Argentine Editor Defends Decision to Run UK Newspaper Ad on Falklands
The editor of an English-language daily in Argentina has defended her decision to run an advert by the British newspaper "The Sun" that warned Argentina to keep its "hands off" the Falkland Islands.
The Buenos Aires Herald published the advert on its front page on Friday.
Its editor, Carolina Barros, said running the advert was a commercial decision by an independent media outlet.
The Sun's advert follows the publication of an open letter from Argentine President Cristina Fernandez to British Prime Minister David Cameron, which was printed in two British national newspapers.
In her letter, Fernandez repeated her claim that the islands belong to Argentina and called for Cameron to honor a UN resolution to negotiate a solution to the sovereignty dispute.
Cameron rebuffed Fernandez's demand that the islands be handed over, saying she should pay heed to the result of a referendum on the islands to be held in March, on whether residents wish to remain British.
Buenos Aires Herald editor Barros said the two countries are involved in an impasse over the Falkland Islands or known as Malvinas in Argentina.
"On the Argentine side it is all about colonialism and on the British side it is all about self-determination for the islanders, so it is like two deaf people trying to make a conversation and they are not listening, both sides, to what the other one is trying to say."
Britain asserted control of the south Atlantic islands by placing a naval garrison there in 1833.
Britain and Argentina fought a brief war in 1982 after Argentina invaded the islands.
More than 900 people died, most of them Argentines.
?Pilot Arrested for Alleged Drink Offences Minutes before Plane due to Take-off
An American Eagle pilot has been suspended after failing an alcohol test as he prepared to fly a plane from Minneapolis to New York on Friday.
The 48-year-old pilot was arrested at Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport the same day.
Passengers said the situation could have been very dangerous.
"I think there should be a no tolerance rule. Obviously you don't want a pilot in the air who's been drinking. So I'd be all for taking his license away, some sort of really heavy sanction so that something like that doesn't happen again."
"That's a shame. I think we put a lot of trust in these people to get our families home safely. I'm glad they caught him though. I mean, it's good that they caught it before it happened as opposed to after. That would have been tragic."
Authorities said airport police officers smelled alcohol as they passed the pilot waiting to get on an elevator.
Officials said the preliminary results of a breath test were well over the legal limit.
Airport police are waiting until blood tests are processed before deciding whether to charge him.
US Federal rules prohibit pilots from flying within eight hours of drinking alcohol.
?Ice Festival Opens in Harbin
Northeastern Chinese city Harbin has inaugurated its annual Ice and Snow Festival with a celebration of ornate ice and snow sculptures illuminated by colorful lights.
This year's "Ice and Snow World" features majestic ice castles and sculptures of fairytale characters equipped with LED lights, bringing a colorful and warm aura to the icy wonderland.
Nie Mingzun is a tourist from the southern Guangdong province.
"I like it a lot. The lights and ice sculptures are so pretty. I have been to many places before, but nothing can compare with this. I feel I am in a fairytale land. It is very good."
The Ice and Snow World covers more than 600,000 square meters, and it used about 150,000 cubic meters of snow and 180,000 cubic meters of ice to create the larger-than-life sculptures.
This year's icy arena boasts a 140-metre long and 20-metre tall ice slide, that has attracted many adventurous young people.
The annual festival has gathered global recognition, drawing more than 13 million visitors in 2012.
That number is expected to be even higher this year considering the number of local and international tourists.
The festival will continue until the end of February.
China Daily: Wary of Yellow Lights
A new traffic regulation that extends severer penalties to drivers running yellow lights has caused widespread controversy across China.
The new rule stipulates that drivers running a yellow light will be treated the same as those running a red light and lose six points. Before, drivers received no penalty if they ran a yellow light.
An editorial from China Daily calls on traffic authorities to conduct a timely review of the new regulation and take measures to increase its effectiveness.
The Ministry of Public Security claims that fewer traffic violations have been reported since the implementation of the new regulation.
But the article argues that decreased traffic violations should not be an excuse for the traffic authorities to turn a blind eye to the chaos and inconvenience that the new rule has caused.
The paper points out that many drivers have recounted rear-end collisions while trying to stop before a yellow light or failing to stop before the light changed to yellow.
The China Daily editorial also cast doubts over the necessity of preserving yellow lights since they now function the same as red lights, according to the latest regulations.
The article notes that bad driving habits are the cause of many accidents, but any measures aimed at changing such bad habits should by no means become a source of new trouble and inconvenience.
Media Management in the Internet Era No Easy Job: Global Times
Heated online discussions about China's media management have erupted following a New Year editorial in the Southern Weekly was altered by government officials.
The original article recounted the difficulties of implementing constitutional governance in China for more than a century.
But in the altered published version, the tone was changed to claim that China is closer to that goal than ever before.
The original version was posted online by editors of the Guangzhou-based newspaper, a rare move to explicitly unmask officials' influence on the media.
A commentary by the Beijing-based Global Times says the incident is a prominent example of how China's current mode of media management is faced with significant challenges.
It says traditional media are integrating with new media in China, resulting in more ways for people to pursue their ideological interests.
But the Global Times article claims that Western values have been influencing Chinese media professionals and it's easier for some journalists to apply "universal values" in China in the internet era.
It argues that no matter how the Chinese media develop, they will never become the same as their Western counterparts.
The newspaper says China's political system differs from the West's, and the media cannot separate itself from a country's political reality.
In conclusion, the Global Times editorial says the progress of Chinese media will not be easy either through regulations or by copying the Western style. |