A quick tour of police reports worldwide

By: Nury Vittachi, Bangkok 

Aiyeeah. It’s tough being a reporter in Asia. No one tells you anything. Usually. But police officers in Hong Kong, after being criticized, have suddenly gone to the opposite extreme, I hear from a reporter friend named Samantha: “We’re being inundated,” she said.

1) “Insect found” was one of the first alerts to the city’s media after the new policy was introduced. Samantha said: “We neglected to follow up exactly what kind of insect would warrant a report to police and it’s bugged me ever since.”

2) “Child birth,” said a bulletin soon afterwards Samantha said: “Er, doesn’t this happen every day?”

3) “Insane person found,” said a third one. (No, it wasn’t me.)

4) Samantha and her colleagues noticed one particular news alert popping up regularly from the bar districts in the middle of the night: “Drunk person”. Given the time and place, “is this really a surprise?”
she asked.

This has made Hong Kong official news the opposite of the system in mainland China, where the biggest stories are often missed. During the violent breakup of student protests around Beijing’s Tiananmen Square on June 4, 1989, I looked up the Chinese government’s news-wire service. “Flower Show Opens” was the top story.

Negative news from China used to often be astonishingly late. I once got an alert saying something like this: “Breaking news: Panic was seen as a massive earthquake hit the hit the northwestern region of Songpan two months ago, or perhaps late the year before.”

These days, China news announcements are no longer months or years late, but often leave questions unanswered. Like the recent one about a corrupt official caught stealing 2.1 billion yuan “in cash”. How could he could carry so much money? He would have needed a sack the size of a bus. Was that how he was caught? “Excuse me, sir, what’s in that huge sack you’re blocking the street with?” “Just a few personal effects, officer.”

In South Asia, crime reports have a calm tone, however bizarre their contents. Typical police media alerts are like this: “2035 hrs: Petty thief steals bicycle. 2140 hrs: Four million people come to the village to worship a cow allegedly producing divine dung which cures deadly diseases. 2200 hrs: Quiet night, nothing unusual, so police closed station early.”

At least Asian news is entertaining, unlike Western news. Here are two real police alerts from the US earlier this year. The StarTribune of Minnesota published this: “Police report. Medina. Suspicious Activity. A resident of 2400 block of Holy Name Drive called police to report that somebody rang the doorbell, however, no one was there.” And here’s one from the Stowe Reporter of Vermont: “At 7:46 p.m., a woman on Valemont Road reported some inappropriate behavior on her Facebook page.” No wonder Americans watch movies so much. Real life must be so dull.

Samantha and I were discussing press announcements via email when a fresh Hong Kong police news alert popped up on her screen. “Overcooking: Pok Hong Estate, Tin Sum, 1540 hours,” it said. Amazing. If this is now a crime, surely all British people should be immediately rounded up and jailed? “Police better not come to my house then: my cooking’s terrible,” she admitted.

The writer is a columnist and journalist.

source : About Daily

Cancel RIM Launch the New BlackBerry Platform

Liputan6.com, Ottawa: Research In Motion, manufacturer of BlackBerry smart phone maker to cancel the launch of a new BalackBerry platform. Media TGDaily proclaim, Saturday (16/12), a new version of the BlackBerry QNX operating system due out in 2012 will not be launched.

RIM assumes if it is out of its new product on the market. According to the Canadian company, there is no room for such a platform in today's mobile climate. Products from the Android smart phone and IOS continues to grow on a global scale.

Product will be re-launched until it is completely ready for the market to compete against other leading products. For now, the BlackBerry still have to be patient in waiting for his new operating system by using a product that still has roots in the early technologies of the 2000s. (IAN)

 

source : About Daily

Binladin Group Has Sought to Develop Rice Fields in Indonesia

DUBAI, KOMPAS.com — Saudi Arabia's largest dairy company said Wednesday it is buying Argentine farm operator Fondomonte S.A. for $83 million to secure access to a supply of animal feed.

The acquisition will give Riyadh-based Almarai Co. control of roughly 30,000 acres of farmland in the South American nation just ahead of tough new limits likely to be imposed by Argentina's government on foreign ownership of productive land.

Almarai said the deal is in line with the desert kingdom's policy of "securing supplies and conserving local resources." Despite its scorching desert climate, Saudi Arabia for decades produced millions of tons of homegrown wheat with the help of generous farm subsidies.
It is now trying to wind down domestic production because of concerns over dwindling water supplies. Fondomonte operates three farms dedicated to producing corn and soybeans, according to Almarai. The Argentine company's website says it also grows barley, rice and sorghum.

Almarai said it plans to use the crops to feed chickens and cattle. It expects to pay for the deal using in-house cash and loans based on Islamic principles, which generally prohibit the paying of interest.

"This is a relatively significant move, that they're actually acquiring a company," said Farouk Miah, an analyst at NCB Capital in Riyadh. "If anything, I think this is the beginning of a trend."

The Saudi purchase was announced as Argentina's Senate prepared Wednesday to approve strict new limits on foreign land ownership, designed to protect the South American country's food resources.

The proposed law, already passed by the House, would limit individual foreign ownership of rural land to 2,500 acres per titleholder, and bar any more purchases by foreigners once 15 percent of Argentina's land is foreign owned.

No one knows just how much Argentine land is already in foreign hands. The law would create a nationwide land registry to establish who owns what. President Cristina Fernandez has said the law would not take away land already owned by foreigners.

As their populations boom, oil-rich Gulf Arab nations have shown increased interest in buying up farmland and other agricultural assets overseas to ensure reliable food supplies.

Emirati investors have bought farmland in Pakistan, while Saudi Arabia's Binladin Group has sought to develop rice fields in Indonesia. Qatar's sovereign wealth fund set up a company in 2008 known as Hassad Food specifically to target agricultural investments abroad.

Almarai is one of the Middle East's largest food companies. It traditionally focused on milk and other dairy products like yoghurt and cheese, but it has recently begun expanding into new product lines such as juices, baked goods and poultry products.

That expansion means "it's even more critical for them to have secure supplies coming in," Miah said.

source : About Daily

Largest Submarine Purchase Transaction South Korea

SEOUL - Indonesia make sure to buy three submarines from South Korea (ROK). Strategic defense equipment purchase contract is signed by the Ministry of Defence (Kemhan) by Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering (DSME), Tuesday (20/12) yesterday.

Contracts valued at $ 1, 1 billion was referred to as the largest transaction of defense for a South Korean company. This is both an export of the first submarine in the history of the country's defense industry. As per the contract, DSME will make three diesel-powered submarines each weighing 1400 tons. DSME said the submarine would have a length of 61.3 meters and capable of carrying crew of 40 sailors. The plan, contract of three ships to be completed in the first half of 2018.
"The submarine will be fitted with eight holes weapon for launching torpedoes, mines, missile control, and other weapons," said DSME Korea Herald quoted as saying. "We have worked closely with the Government of Indonesia since 2005 for the submarine contract." For the country's ginseng, purchase of submarines by Indonesia has melonjakkan defense industry exports to reach $ 2, 4 billion. South Korea's Ministry of Defense Acquisition Programs (Dapa), as quoted by AFP, said the number was doubled compared to previous year amounting to USD1, 19 billion.
As in 2009 amounted to USD1, 17 billion. In addition to the purchase of submarines, also triggered a surge of export contracts to purchase the aircraft T-50 Golden Eagle is also done Indonesia.Pada last May, the company's South Korean Aerospace Industries (KAI), and Indonesia agreed on export contracts worth 16 training aircraft is USD400 million. Earlier, in 2003, awarded DSME the project upgradekapal dive Indonesia and won a contract for depot maintenance project in 2009.
According to the Head of the Defense Facilities Kemhan Ediwan Maj. Gen. Prabowo, who represents Kemhan, the purchase contract will be followed by further formulation of the transfer of technology that is expected to be completed and will be beneficial to both parties. Based on the contract, the first and second submarine to be built in South Korea with Indonesia involving the company's shipyard, PT PAL in Surabaya. For the three submarines will be manufactured at PT PAL. "We hope the signing of the contract was to be a historic moment for the Government of Indonesia, especially Kemhan, DSME and for the South Korean government," he said.
While the Director and CEO of DSME Sang-Tae Nam said he believed the submarine construction contracts would provide an important contribution in strengthening cooperation and improving relations between the two countries. To note, the procurement process vessel through a long road. Before deciding the tender won by South Korea, a number of countries interested in fighting over the program, namely the Russian Kilo-class, French (Scorpene), Germany (class U), and South Korea (Changbogo class).
Interestingly, although Indonesia has decided to buy from South Korea, Turkey who came later still optimistic that could be involved in the construction of submarines because they feel they are holding a valid license the construction of U-209 class of the manufacturer Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft GmbH (HDW) of Germany. DSME will build a submarine that Indonesia is a shipbuilding industry based in the City Ockpo.
The company has obtained a license from HDW to create a class submarine U-209 and his reputation no doubt because it has managed to produce nine units of the submarine U-209 / 1200 type with KRI Chakra Changbogo class to South Korean Navy since 1989 and its improvement with satisfactory results. Chakras and KRI KRI Nanggala also be overhauled in this place. For Indonesia, the purchase of three submarines will certainly add strength marine Indonesia's defense. Currently, Indonesia has two submarines, the Chakras and Nanggala.
In addition to submarines, Indonesia in the near future will get an additional defense equipment in the form of four Trimaran warship missile. One ship Banyuwangi Lundin production is expected to be finished five months lagi.Kapal worth Rp114 billion over 62.53 meters this is the first ship in the world to use carbon fiber. In addition to Trimaran, PT PAL is currently also building missile escort vessel (PKR) Sigma type 10 514. Defense Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro asked the ship was worth USD220 million accelerated the process. If so, warships equipped with cannons, missiles, and torpedoes it will be the biggest in Southeast Asia.
Technology Transfer
Earlier, Deputy Defense Minister Lt. Gen. Sjafrie said, in the contract there is provision for technology transfer mechanisms from beginning to end procurement completed. As part of technology transfer, Indonesia will send a technician to look at the process of making a submarine. "Procurement of human resources to be sent is a challenge for Indonesia, especially PT PAL, and a relatively large number of at least 50 people," said Sjafrie.
In the procurement of the second stage, the technicians who have been shipped is expected to begin to engage in technical matters regarding this position selam.Pada shipbuilding began to exist a direct physical interaction of the technicians in the process of making our submarine. As many as 50% of the state's role is taken by qualified producers making process Indonesia.Selama two submarines that, the submarine shipyard in Indonesia noble built. Furthermore, in the manufacture of the three submarines can be performed in Indonesia and wholly Indonesian forces.
"That's the basic policy, grand strategy in the mechanism of the weapon system procurement of major equipment (defense equipment) Indonesia set for the procurement of major equipment such as high-tech weapons systems and tech submarines are," said Sjafrie. ● fefy bi Haryanto / andi setiawan / ant

source : About Daily

Haniyeh: Hamas vows to Permanent Make Up Resistance Palestinians Freed

In a comprehensive speech marking 24 years since the founding of the journey of liberation Palestinian Islamist movement, Hamas, the elected Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh in Gaza-based promise to maintain the struggle against the apartheid state of Israel until liberation of Palestine.

Speaking in front of hundreds of thousands of Gaza, Haniyeh said that armed resistance is the only strategic option for the liberation of Palestine.

9 Best Smartphone in 2011

Jakarta - The fans may be overwhelmed by technological developments follow the smartphone market in 2011. Yes, many new models released the vendor, either in the lower classes to high end models.So many, perhaps difficult to distinguish between the smartphone and the other one. Moreover, if the operating system diusungnya same. Still, most smartphones capable of performing brilliantly so make it better than many rivals.What smart phones are considered prominent and presents the best performance in 2011? Consider the following list is in alphabetical order, are quoted from various sources:1. Apple iPhone 4S

Although not carrying the design changes of the iPhone 4, iPhone 4S still brings innovation and proven to be highly in demand. The most prominent feature in this handset is that Siri can recognize voice commands with very sophisticated. With dual-core processors up to 8-megapixel camera, 4S iPhone is Apple's most advanced handset so far.

2. BlackBerry Bold 9900

Empathy for Citizens form Somalia, Arab Restaurants Fines Customers are not Spend The food

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, Damam - Restaurants in the eastern province of Damam, Saudi Arabia gave a penalty to its customers who do not spend all the food on their plates. This is done as a form of solidarity with the poor of the world.

Fines will be distributed to charity. Customers are not concerned with the existence of these penalties. "As long as it's for charity I am not questioning the idea," said one man after visiting the restaurant.

He just hopes that all restaurants in the province will follow suit. Another customer said he was surprised with this policy, but he thinks this is a pretty good move to encourage others to do good.

"There are other countries such as Somalia are suffering from hunger, and I find new ideas helps to promote economic and social awareness, and to teach people to consume the right amount of food, plus, it is environmentally friendly," says a Saudi man voiced concerns with various cases of famine that occurred at the global level.

According to a British government report, as much as 30 percent of food around the world may be lost or wasted, while other estimates have put the number at about 50 percent of food is lost because it was eaten.

 source : about daily