Popular weed killer deemed probable carcinogen by UN - Yahoo Finance: "The French agency has four levels of risks for possible cancer-causing agents: known carcinogens, probable or possible carcinogens, not classifiable and probably not carcinogenic. Glyphosate now falls in the second level of concern.
The new classification is aimed mainly at industrial use of glyphosate. Its use by home gardeners is not considered a risk. Glyphosate is in the same category of risk as things like anabolic steroids and shift work. The decision was published online Thursday in the journal, Lancet Oncology.
According to the French agency, glyphosate is used in more than 750 different herbicide products and its use has been detected in the air during spraying, in water and in food. Experts said there was "limited evidence" in humans that the herbicide can cause non-Hodgkins lymphoma and there is convincing evidence that glyphosate can also cause other forms of cancer in rats and mice. IARC's panel said glyphosate has been found in the blood and urine of agricultural workers, showing the chemical has been absorbed by the body.
Monsanto and other producers of glyphosate-containing herbicides, strongly disagreed with the decision. "All labeled uses of glyphosate are safe for human health," said Monsanto's Phil Miller, global head of regulatory and government affairs, in a statement."
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Saturday, March 21, 2015
Friday, March 20, 2015
Meet the Buddhists Who Hate the Dalai Lama More Than the Chinese Do | Foreign Policy
Meet the Buddhists Who Hate the Dalai Lama More Than the Chinese Do | Foreign Policy: "Dalai Lama might actually be a Muslim because he has not expressly claimed to be a Buddhist. And unlike Obama, another famous person spuriously accused of being a Muslim, the Dalai Lama has never denied being a Muslim"
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Thursday, March 19, 2015
Almost all mosques destroyed in Central African Republic unrest - The Times of India
Almost all mosques destroyed in Central African Republic unrest - The Times of India: "UNITED NATIONS: Almost all of the 436 mosques in the Central African Republic have been destroyed by months of vicious fighting between Christians and Muslims, the US ambassador to the United Nations said on Tuesday, calling the devastation "kind of crazy, chilling."
Samantha Power spoke to reporters after a Security Council visit last week to the country. She expressed concern about an upcoming possible security vacuum as European Union and French forces pull out and a UN peacekeeping force is still not at full strength.
At least 5,000 people have been killed since Central African Republic exploded into unprecedented sectarian violence in December 2013. Nearly 1 million of the Texas-sized country's 4.5 million residents have been displaced. Many of those who have fled are Muslim.
Power said 417 of the country's mosques have been destroyed. She visited the one remaining Muslim neighborhood in the capital, Bangui, and described the residents as "a terrified population.""
'via Blog this'
Samantha Power spoke to reporters after a Security Council visit last week to the country. She expressed concern about an upcoming possible security vacuum as European Union and French forces pull out and a UN peacekeeping force is still not at full strength.
At least 5,000 people have been killed since Central African Republic exploded into unprecedented sectarian violence in December 2013. Nearly 1 million of the Texas-sized country's 4.5 million residents have been displaced. Many of those who have fled are Muslim.
Power said 417 of the country's mosques have been destroyed. She visited the one remaining Muslim neighborhood in the capital, Bangui, and described the residents as "a terrified population.""
'via Blog this'
China Housing Prices Fall at Record Pace in Feb | Mingtiandi
China Housing Prices Fall at Record Pace in Feb | Mingtiandi: "After showing signs of stabilising in December, China’s housing prices fell by an average of nearly 5.5 percent in February, compared to the same month a year ago. The faster fall in home prices came as China’s spring festival holiday combined with increasing consumer caution appear to be pushing the real estate market down an ever slipperier slope."
'via Blog this'
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Wealthy Chinese Buy Pricey Homes in NY, BC, Fiji | Mingtiandi
Wealthy Chinese Buy Pricey Homes in NY, BC, Fiji | Mingtiandi: "Purchases of ultra-high end homes by cashed up Chinese buyers has continued during March, with wealthy buyers from the Middle Kingdom picking up private islands in Fiji and Canada, as well as paying $70 million for a Manhattan apartment and $40 million for a Vancouver mansion.
The splurge on luxury real estate comes as China’s newly wealthy population looks for places to park their cash in the face of a slowing economy at home. Although many observers assert that China’s recent crackdown on corruption is also spurring interest in establishing residences outside the country."
'via Blog this'
The splurge on luxury real estate comes as China’s newly wealthy population looks for places to park their cash in the face of a slowing economy at home. Although many observers assert that China’s recent crackdown on corruption is also spurring interest in establishing residences outside the country."
'via Blog this'
Asia Times Online :: Tehran's success, Riyadh's failure
Asia Times Online :: Tehran's success, Riyadh's failure: "Tehran's success, Riyadh's failure
By Spengler
Each for its own reasons, the world's major powers have decided to accept Iran as a regional hegemon, I wrote March 4 in Asia Times, leaving Israel and the Sunni Arabs in isolated opposition. The global consensus on behalf of Iranian hegemony is now coming clearly into focus. "
'via Blog this'
By Spengler
Each for its own reasons, the world's major powers have decided to accept Iran as a regional hegemon, I wrote March 4 in Asia Times, leaving Israel and the Sunni Arabs in isolated opposition. The global consensus on behalf of Iranian hegemony is now coming clearly into focus. "
'via Blog this'
FEATURE: GTA Muslims concerned about growing Islamophobia | CityNews
FEATURE: GTA Muslims concerned about growing Islamophobia | CityNews: "But women’s rights activist Farzana Hasan has openly criticized the niqab and other aspects of Islam.
“I’m a Muslim woman. I don’t find wearing a niqab, or even wearing the hijab … an expression of equality,” she said.
“It’s being touted as something that women choose to do, and even western liberal feminists have jumped on the bandwagon.”
The growing presence of the niqab in the GTA, Hasan said, is a sign of increasing Islamic conservatism in the area. She told CityNews while most Muslims won’t go off to join ISIL, many secretly sympathize.
Hasan has also spoken out about polygamy, honour killings and segregation even though she feels it has put her life at risk."
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“I’m a Muslim woman. I don’t find wearing a niqab, or even wearing the hijab … an expression of equality,” she said.
“It’s being touted as something that women choose to do, and even western liberal feminists have jumped on the bandwagon.”
The growing presence of the niqab in the GTA, Hasan said, is a sign of increasing Islamic conservatism in the area. She told CityNews while most Muslims won’t go off to join ISIL, many secretly sympathize.
Hasan has also spoken out about polygamy, honour killings and segregation even though she feels it has put her life at risk."
'via Blog this'
Wednesday, March 18, 2015
Buyer of $51.8-million Vancouver home was once a duck farmer in China
Buyer of $51.8-million Vancouver home was once a duck farmer in China: "VANCOUVER -- The Chinese-language Internet is lit up with details that the buyer of a $51.8-million Vancouver mansion was once a duck farmer who became a hotel developer, and is now head of a China-based conglomerate and a member of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, a high-profile advisory body in China.
The Vancouver Sun reported last week that businessman Chen Mailin and his Vancouver-based company Chunghwa Investment (Canada) Co. bought the 25,000-square-foot home on three lots in Point Grey.
The deal, which closed December 2014, is thought to be one of the biggest residential sales in B.C."
'via Blog this'
The Vancouver Sun reported last week that businessman Chen Mailin and his Vancouver-based company Chunghwa Investment (Canada) Co. bought the 25,000-square-foot home on three lots in Point Grey.
The deal, which closed December 2014, is thought to be one of the biggest residential sales in B.C."
'via Blog this'
The dollar's 70-year dominance is coming to an end - Telegraph
The dollar's 70-year dominance is coming to an end - Telegraph: "Although the dollar’s reserve status won’t end overnight, the global payments system is now moving inexorably towards that outcome. The US currency accounted for just 33pc of all foreign exchange holdings in 2013, on IMF numbers, down from 55pc in 2001.
Within a decade or so, a “reserve currency basket” may emerge, with central banks storing wealth in a mix of dollars, yuan, rupee, reals and roubles, as well as precious metals. Perhaps some kind of synthetic bundle of the world’s leading currencies will be developed, with emphasis placed, after years of western money-printing, on assets backed by commodities and other tangibles."
'via Blog this'
Within a decade or so, a “reserve currency basket” may emerge, with central banks storing wealth in a mix of dollars, yuan, rupee, reals and roubles, as well as precious metals. Perhaps some kind of synthetic bundle of the world’s leading currencies will be developed, with emphasis placed, after years of western money-printing, on assets backed by commodities and other tangibles."
'via Blog this'
European giants side with UK in Chinese World Bank row with US - Telegraph
European giants side with UK in Chinese World Bank row with US - Telegraph: "France, Germany and Italy have joined Britain in signing up to the China-backed Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), dealing a further blow to the US government.
Australia is also believed to be rethinking its position to stay allied with the US and reject joining the $50bn bank, which is seen as a rival to the World Bank.
Last week the UK said it believed its decision to become a founding member of the AIIB was in the national interest, shrugging off US concerns about the move.
"There will be times when we take a different approach (to the United States)," a spokesman for Prime Minister David Cameron told reporters, referring to the decision to join the bank. "We think that it's in the UK's national interest."
The AIIB has been feted by Beijing as a way of financing regional development.
Britain's move drew a cautious response from Washington, but Mr Cameron's spokesman said the Prime Minister did not think the episode would damage London's ties with the US, and that Chancellor George Osborne had discussed the matter with his American counterpart beforehand."
'via Blog this'
Australia is also believed to be rethinking its position to stay allied with the US and reject joining the $50bn bank, which is seen as a rival to the World Bank.
Last week the UK said it believed its decision to become a founding member of the AIIB was in the national interest, shrugging off US concerns about the move.
"There will be times when we take a different approach (to the United States)," a spokesman for Prime Minister David Cameron told reporters, referring to the decision to join the bank. "We think that it's in the UK's national interest."
The AIIB has been feted by Beijing as a way of financing regional development.
Britain's move drew a cautious response from Washington, but Mr Cameron's spokesman said the Prime Minister did not think the episode would damage London's ties with the US, and that Chancellor George Osborne had discussed the matter with his American counterpart beforehand."
'via Blog this'
California public workers may be at risk of losing promised pensions - LA Times
California public workers may be at risk of losing promised pensions - LA Times: "As millions of private employees lost their pension benefits in recent years, government workers rested easy, believing that their promised retirements couldn't be touched.
Now the safety of a government pension in California may be fading fast.
Feeling the heat is the state's huge public pension fund, the California Public Employees' Retirement System, known as CalPERS.
The fund spent millions of dollars to defend itself and public employee pensions in the bankruptcy cases of two California cities — only to lose the legal protections that it had spent years building through legislation.
The agency's most significant setback came in Stockton's bankruptcy case. The judge approved the city's recovery plan, including maintaining employees' pensions, but ruled that Stockton could have legally chosen to cut workers' retirements."
'via Blog this'
Now the safety of a government pension in California may be fading fast.
Feeling the heat is the state's huge public pension fund, the California Public Employees' Retirement System, known as CalPERS.
The fund spent millions of dollars to defend itself and public employee pensions in the bankruptcy cases of two California cities — only to lose the legal protections that it had spent years building through legislation.
The agency's most significant setback came in Stockton's bankruptcy case. The judge approved the city's recovery plan, including maintaining employees' pensions, but ruled that Stockton could have legally chosen to cut workers' retirements."
'via Blog this'
Nike with the help from Apple is transforming into a tech company - Yahoo Finance
Nike with the help from Apple is transforming into a tech company - Yahoo Finance: "Nike (NKE), the world’s largest sports gear company, is gradually morphing into something else. “I think of Nike just as much as a tech company as they are an apparel company,” observes Christine Short of Estimize, who expects to hear more progress on partnerships, including one with Apple (AAPL), when Nike reports earnings Thursday. “They are really just re-positioning themselves to move into the space of wearable technology and smart apparel.”
Get the Latest Market Data and News with the Yahoo Finance App
Earlier this month, Nike expanded its global partnerships with companies including Garmin Ltd. (GRMN) and TomTom (TOM2.AS) to offer runners more ways to map their progress using technology. On Thursday analysts are eager to hear how, if at all, Nike works itself into Apple Watch.
Related: Nike expands global partnerships to motivate more runners around the world
Any positive news on wearable technology would likely compliment what is expected to be a strong 3Q ‘15 for the company."
'via Blog this'
Get the Latest Market Data and News with the Yahoo Finance App
Earlier this month, Nike expanded its global partnerships with companies including Garmin Ltd. (GRMN) and TomTom (TOM2.AS) to offer runners more ways to map their progress using technology. On Thursday analysts are eager to hear how, if at all, Nike works itself into Apple Watch.
Related: Nike expands global partnerships to motivate more runners around the world
Any positive news on wearable technology would likely compliment what is expected to be a strong 3Q ‘15 for the company."
'via Blog this'
How Iran Is Taking Over the Middle East - Yahoo Finance
How Iran Is Taking Over the Middle East - Yahoo Finance: "Two weeks ago, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged Congress to ensure the U.S. would not be soft on Iran. Then, 47 Republican Senators wrote to the Iranian leadership to tell them that Congress will need to approve any deal Obama may make with Tehran over its nuclear program. Finally, we had a senior advisor to the Iranian president saying that Iran has become a Middle Eastern empire whose capital is Baghdad.
As U.S. politicians argue about how best to squelch Iran’s nuclear ambitions, the regime in Tehran is exerting itself in other ways, winning powerful influence in neighboring Iraq and across the Middle East.
Related: Iran Pushes Back Against Senate GOP Letter
In the contest for regional dominance with the Sunni kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Iran’s Shiites have extended their reach and created what has been called an “arc of power” or a Shia crescent. The Iranian sphere of power now stretches across Iraq, where Iran has joined in the fighting to beat back ISIS, to Syria, where the government in Tehran has worked to keep President Bashar al-Assad in power throughout the country’s four-year civil war. It stretches to Lebanon, where the Iranian-backed Hezbollah is the unquestioned power and is pushing to enter the political mainstream. And it has spread to Yemen, where Houthi rebels, a Zaidi Shia group, recently took control of the government."
'via Blog this'
As U.S. politicians argue about how best to squelch Iran’s nuclear ambitions, the regime in Tehran is exerting itself in other ways, winning powerful influence in neighboring Iraq and across the Middle East.
Related: Iran Pushes Back Against Senate GOP Letter
In the contest for regional dominance with the Sunni kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Iran’s Shiites have extended their reach and created what has been called an “arc of power” or a Shia crescent. The Iranian sphere of power now stretches across Iraq, where Iran has joined in the fighting to beat back ISIS, to Syria, where the government in Tehran has worked to keep President Bashar al-Assad in power throughout the country’s four-year civil war. It stretches to Lebanon, where the Iranian-backed Hezbollah is the unquestioned power and is pushing to enter the political mainstream. And it has spread to Yemen, where Houthi rebels, a Zaidi Shia group, recently took control of the government."
'via Blog this'
Tuesday, March 17, 2015
At Vancouver’s ‘Cold Harbour’ a neighbourhood hollows out - The Globe and Mail
At Vancouver’s ‘Cold Harbour’ a neighbourhood hollows out - The Globe and Mail: "Their clientele came from all over the world, and they enjoyed the interaction. But they soon discovered that their customers were mostly part-time residents, people who spent only a few weeks or months in Vancouver and couldn’t take on the responsibility of a garden.
They already knew a lot of the condos were investor-owned and empty, but they didn’t know a hefty share of them are occupied for only a few months a year, Tim says.
“One lady said to me, ‘I’d love to have beautiful flowers on my balcony, but I’m here for only two months out of the year,’” says Tim, who has written to the city to try to do something to stimulate growth in the area.
He sees three main groups making up the bulk of Coal Harbour’s transient population; those from abroad, Americans and snowbirds.
“People come from the Middle East, they come from Taiwan, China, Singapore, Korea, from all over. There’s a component from the United States, because it gets too hot in Arizona or Palm Springs during the summer so they come up here, where the climate is so much milder.
“And then the third component is moms and dads who’ve retired and sold their Point Grey home and have gone into a Coal Harbour condo. They go away for the winter.”
After brisk business for most of the summer, September brought a huge drop-off in customers. Many explained they were returning home to the U.S., the Middle East or Asia. Some asked the Hiltzes to over-winter their plants until they returned in the spring."
'via Blog this'
They already knew a lot of the condos were investor-owned and empty, but they didn’t know a hefty share of them are occupied for only a few months a year, Tim says.
“One lady said to me, ‘I’d love to have beautiful flowers on my balcony, but I’m here for only two months out of the year,’” says Tim, who has written to the city to try to do something to stimulate growth in the area.
He sees three main groups making up the bulk of Coal Harbour’s transient population; those from abroad, Americans and snowbirds.
“People come from the Middle East, they come from Taiwan, China, Singapore, Korea, from all over. There’s a component from the United States, because it gets too hot in Arizona or Palm Springs during the summer so they come up here, where the climate is so much milder.
“And then the third component is moms and dads who’ve retired and sold their Point Grey home and have gone into a Coal Harbour condo. They go away for the winter.”
After brisk business for most of the summer, September brought a huge drop-off in customers. Many explained they were returning home to the U.S., the Middle East or Asia. Some asked the Hiltzes to over-winter their plants until they returned in the spring."
'via Blog this'
Stream of Foreign Wealth Flows to Elite New York Real Estate - NYTimes.com
Stream of Foreign Wealth Flows to Elite New York Real Estate - NYTimes.com: "Robert Tsao, who gave up his Taiwanese citizenship after authorities there sued him unsuccessfully for investing in mainland China, owns one of the world’s most renowned private collections of Asian art.
Adam Chen, who graduated from New York University in May, was one of several college students to use the complex as a dormitory. He celebrated his birthday last year at the restaurant Per Se in the Time Warner Center, dining on its famous starter, Oysters and Pearls, all captured in photographs on Instagram.
The precise impact of wealthy foreigners on the city may be more complex, though. As nonresidents, they pay no city income taxes and often receive hefty property tax breaks. A program aimed at new condo development doles out about a half-billion dollars in tax breaks a year, according to the city’s independent budget office. These savings are passed on to owners in the form of lower property taxes. The Time Warner Center was not part of the most lucrative tax break program, but many other buildings around Central Park have benefited.
The city’s first condo costing more than $100 million, which sold in the last few weeks at the new luxury tower One57, had property taxes this past year of $17,268, according to the city’s finance office. Those taxes will go up over time, but for now that is a savings of more than $359,000."
'via Blog this'
Adam Chen, who graduated from New York University in May, was one of several college students to use the complex as a dormitory. He celebrated his birthday last year at the restaurant Per Se in the Time Warner Center, dining on its famous starter, Oysters and Pearls, all captured in photographs on Instagram.
The precise impact of wealthy foreigners on the city may be more complex, though. As nonresidents, they pay no city income taxes and often receive hefty property tax breaks. A program aimed at new condo development doles out about a half-billion dollars in tax breaks a year, according to the city’s independent budget office. These savings are passed on to owners in the form of lower property taxes. The Time Warner Center was not part of the most lucrative tax break program, but many other buildings around Central Park have benefited.
The city’s first condo costing more than $100 million, which sold in the last few weeks at the new luxury tower One57, had property taxes this past year of $17,268, according to the city’s finance office. Those taxes will go up over time, but for now that is a savings of more than $359,000."
'via Blog this'
— The Decline of Vancouver
— The Decline of Vancouver: "CHMC released a survey in 2014 indicating that only 3.4 percent of property in Vancouver was owned by foreign buyers. Within days, this statistic quickly disseminated to newspapers and other media outlets as gospel truth and a cut and dry case that foreign ownership wasn’t actually affecting property prices.
There were several problems with this survey that the media largely ignored. One problem was that its figures excluded the tens of thousands of Canadians (30-50% of whom estimated to buy property in Vancouver) who bought their residency through the recently defunct Immigrant Investor Program. According to our Immigration Minister “There is little evidence that immigrant investors as a class are maintaining ties to Canada or making a positive economic contribution to the country”. Indeed, there is an estimated 300,000 – 400,000 Canadians living in China, the majority of whom are ethnic Chinese.
It’s worth noting that a large minority of immigrant investors fraudulently claimed they would move to Quebec upon residency in order to eschew the longer waits of moving to British Columbia, and subsequently purchased property in Vancouver. The funds generated from this program thus accrue to the Quebec government and represent billions of dollars in loss for B.C. Not only is BC absorbing a disproportionate number of wealthy migrants but its also not receiving its commensurate share of the proceeds as a result of fraud. That’s a whole other can of beans, though.
The second flaw with the CMHC report is that the 3.4 percent rate of foreign ownership is grossly underestimated even if you ignore the “bought” citizenship problem of above. If you consider that foreigners disproportionately buy detached homes as opposed to condos, the problem is further magnified. For instance, A 2011 study by Landcor Data showed that 74 per cent of luxury purchases in Richmond and Vancouver’s west side were by buyers with mainland Chinese names with no western variant. Julia Lau, a real estate agent in Vancouver, told the International Business Times that the figure is closer to 80 percent from her experience."
'via Blog this'
There were several problems with this survey that the media largely ignored. One problem was that its figures excluded the tens of thousands of Canadians (30-50% of whom estimated to buy property in Vancouver) who bought their residency through the recently defunct Immigrant Investor Program. According to our Immigration Minister “There is little evidence that immigrant investors as a class are maintaining ties to Canada or making a positive economic contribution to the country”. Indeed, there is an estimated 300,000 – 400,000 Canadians living in China, the majority of whom are ethnic Chinese.
It’s worth noting that a large minority of immigrant investors fraudulently claimed they would move to Quebec upon residency in order to eschew the longer waits of moving to British Columbia, and subsequently purchased property in Vancouver. The funds generated from this program thus accrue to the Quebec government and represent billions of dollars in loss for B.C. Not only is BC absorbing a disproportionate number of wealthy migrants but its also not receiving its commensurate share of the proceeds as a result of fraud. That’s a whole other can of beans, though.
The second flaw with the CMHC report is that the 3.4 percent rate of foreign ownership is grossly underestimated even if you ignore the “bought” citizenship problem of above. If you consider that foreigners disproportionately buy detached homes as opposed to condos, the problem is further magnified. For instance, A 2011 study by Landcor Data showed that 74 per cent of luxury purchases in Richmond and Vancouver’s west side were by buyers with mainland Chinese names with no western variant. Julia Lau, a real estate agent in Vancouver, told the International Business Times that the figure is closer to 80 percent from her experience."
'via Blog this'
A $250,000 Tour With One Aim: Get Chinese to Buy a Home - Bloomberg Business
A $250,000 Tour With One Aim: Get Chinese to Buy a Home - Bloomberg Business: "EB-5 Visas
Many countries, including the U.S., offer preferential visa treatment in exchange for investment pledges. Last year, Chinese nationals snapped up 85 percent of the U.S. EB-5 visas offered to foreigners who plow at least $500,000 into U.S. development projects. It was the first time that the annual allocation was completely taken up before the end of the year.
In New York, a Chinese insurance company agreed last year to buy Manhattan’s historic Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, saying it planned to add “Chinese elements” such as a Chinese restaurant. Shanghai-based Greenland Holding Group Co. bought 70 percent of Brooklyn’s Atlantic Yards, the 22-acre residential and commercial project, and says it aims to extend the China market abroad.
In the fast-gentrifying Brooklyn neighborhood of Williamsburg, China’s XIN Development, a unit of Xinyuan Real Estate Co., built a seven-story development called Oosten, whose Dutch name, meaning “east,” is a nod to New York’s heritage. Of the 216-unit building’s 75 homes that have been put on the market, a third went to Chinese buyers, according to John Liang, Xinyuan’s New York-based executive vice president."
'via Blog this'
Many countries, including the U.S., offer preferential visa treatment in exchange for investment pledges. Last year, Chinese nationals snapped up 85 percent of the U.S. EB-5 visas offered to foreigners who plow at least $500,000 into U.S. development projects. It was the first time that the annual allocation was completely taken up before the end of the year.
In New York, a Chinese insurance company agreed last year to buy Manhattan’s historic Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, saying it planned to add “Chinese elements” such as a Chinese restaurant. Shanghai-based Greenland Holding Group Co. bought 70 percent of Brooklyn’s Atlantic Yards, the 22-acre residential and commercial project, and says it aims to extend the China market abroad.
In the fast-gentrifying Brooklyn neighborhood of Williamsburg, China’s XIN Development, a unit of Xinyuan Real Estate Co., built a seven-story development called Oosten, whose Dutch name, meaning “east,” is a nod to New York’s heritage. Of the 216-unit building’s 75 homes that have been put on the market, a third went to Chinese buyers, according to John Liang, Xinyuan’s New York-based executive vice president."
'via Blog this'
Friday, March 13, 2015
Americans have insurance but can’t afford to use it - Yahoo Finance
Americans have insurance but can’t afford to use it - Yahoo Finance: "Although more Americans have health insurance coverage, 25 percent of non-elderly Americans don’t have enough liquid assets to cover the deductible on their health insurance plan, according to a new report from the Kaiser Family Foundation.
The report finds that many consumers don’t have the cash on hand to cover the cost of a mid-range deductible or $1,200 for an individual or $2,400 per family. "
'via Blog this'
The report finds that many consumers don’t have the cash on hand to cover the cost of a mid-range deductible or $1,200 for an individual or $2,400 per family. "
'via Blog this'
Sunday, March 8, 2015
Beauty standards, family values in China - Business Insider
Beauty standards, family values in China - Business Insider: "What the Chinese saying 'The ugly wife is a treasure at home' actually means"
'via Blog this'
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Mexican cartel deals drugs, violence with religious fervor | World | McClatchy DC
Mexican cartel deals drugs, violence with religious fervor | World | McClatchy DC: "APATZINGAN, Mexico — As the leader of one of Mexico's most ruthless criminal gangs, Nazario Moreno Gonzalez is the mastermind of hair-raising brutality in his native Michoacan state. He also would like the world to know that he has a pious, loving and huggy-kissy side, and so he's penned a booklet entitled "Thoughts."
"If you want to say 'I love you!' to those who surround you and to your friends, say it today," the drug lord exhorts his readers.
In the 104-page booklet, which was published earlier this year, he offers advice on personal empowerment, Christian living and proper deportment.
"Manners are a way of showing respect for others," he writes. "If you don't have them, don't expect to be respected."
If it's bizarre for the leader of a drug gang that beheads or quarters its enemies to offer advice on Christian living, well, it may be. However, the criminal gang known as La Familia Michoacana is a pseudo-Christian posse that mixes zeal and inspiring slogans in its pronouncements. Its members are ordered to study the Bible and pray the rosary, even as they gun down police, dismember their opponents and manufacture highly addictive crystal methamphetamine.
Unlike other Mexican drug cartels, La Familia portrays itself as religious and patriotic, and deeply tied to the mountain ranges and plains of Michoacan state along the Pacific coast. The group has a distribution network in the U.S. and funnels marijuana, cocaine and methamphetamine to more than a dozen cities. A Mexican army general said La Familia has particularly strong distribution channels in California.
La Familia's thousands of members are often recruited from drug and alcoholism rehabilitation centers and sent to special training courses at secret safe houses in Michoacan.
"They bring in motivational speakers to their indoctrination sessions. Again, it's the U.S. Army 'be-all-you-can-be,' 'you can take your life in your own hands,' 'you can chart your future,'" said George W. Grayson, a scholar of contemporary Mexico at the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Va., who's written about the group.
Grayson said the religious aspect of La Familia "is all propaganda."
"Nazario touts the Bible-pounding and often excuses their savage acts as being the work of the Lord, but I don't think there is an iota of religious conviction."
One might gain a different idea upon reading "Thoughts," which is filled with images of the Bible, crosses and Jesus. "If you want, you can become a good Christian," it says on one page. "Remember not to build walls or barriers but instead build bridges to unite people.""
'via Blog this'
"If you want to say 'I love you!' to those who surround you and to your friends, say it today," the drug lord exhorts his readers.
In the 104-page booklet, which was published earlier this year, he offers advice on personal empowerment, Christian living and proper deportment.
"Manners are a way of showing respect for others," he writes. "If you don't have them, don't expect to be respected."
If it's bizarre for the leader of a drug gang that beheads or quarters its enemies to offer advice on Christian living, well, it may be. However, the criminal gang known as La Familia Michoacana is a pseudo-Christian posse that mixes zeal and inspiring slogans in its pronouncements. Its members are ordered to study the Bible and pray the rosary, even as they gun down police, dismember their opponents and manufacture highly addictive crystal methamphetamine.
Unlike other Mexican drug cartels, La Familia portrays itself as religious and patriotic, and deeply tied to the mountain ranges and plains of Michoacan state along the Pacific coast. The group has a distribution network in the U.S. and funnels marijuana, cocaine and methamphetamine to more than a dozen cities. A Mexican army general said La Familia has particularly strong distribution channels in California.
La Familia's thousands of members are often recruited from drug and alcoholism rehabilitation centers and sent to special training courses at secret safe houses in Michoacan.
"They bring in motivational speakers to their indoctrination sessions. Again, it's the U.S. Army 'be-all-you-can-be,' 'you can take your life in your own hands,' 'you can chart your future,'" said George W. Grayson, a scholar of contemporary Mexico at the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Va., who's written about the group.
Grayson said the religious aspect of La Familia "is all propaganda."
"Nazario touts the Bible-pounding and often excuses their savage acts as being the work of the Lord, but I don't think there is an iota of religious conviction."
One might gain a different idea upon reading "Thoughts," which is filled with images of the Bible, crosses and Jesus. "If you want, you can become a good Christian," it says on one page. "Remember not to build walls or barriers but instead build bridges to unite people.""
'via Blog this'
Saturday, March 7, 2015
Thursday, March 5, 2015
Muslims in New York City Unite on Push to Add Holidays to School Calendar - NYTimes.com
Muslims in New York City Unite on Push to Add Holidays to School Calendar - NYTimes.com: "Estimates of the Muslim population in New York City range widely, from 600,000 to one million. A Columbia University study in 2008 found that about 10 percent of New York City public-school children are Muslim"
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'via Blog this'
New York City, reflecting the people that actually live in it, is now recognizing Muslim school holidays - Quartz
New York City, reflecting the people that actually live in it, is now recognizing Muslim school holidays - Quartz: "WRITTEN BY
Sonali Kohli
@Sonali_Kohli
7 hours ago
In recognition that New York City’s population of 8.5 million is nearly one-eighth Muslim, the city has announced that its public schools will close for Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha next school year."
'via Blog this'
Sonali Kohli
@Sonali_Kohli
7 hours ago
In recognition that New York City’s population of 8.5 million is nearly one-eighth Muslim, the city has announced that its public schools will close for Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha next school year."
'via Blog this'
Muslim Holidays Added to New York Public School Calendar - NBC News.com
Muslim Holidays Added to New York Public School Calendar - NBC News.com: "Estimates of the New York City's Muslim population range from 600,000 to one million. A 2008 study estimated there were 100,00 Muslim students in the city's public school system, representing about 1 in every 10 students from the overall population."
'via Blog this'
'via Blog this'
Liquidity evaporates in China as 'fiscal cliff' nears - Telegraph
Liquidity evaporates in China as 'fiscal cliff' nears - Telegraph: "Home prices fell 3.1pc in January from a year earlier. Average sales have dropped 7pc from a year ago in the large Tier 1 cities, 22pc for Tier 2 and 15pc for the Tier 3 towns.
The inventory overhang has risen to 18 months, three times US levels. New floor space has dropped 30pc on a three-month moving average.
China is not the only country in Asia facing a hangover. Nomura's Rob Subbaraman says housing booms in India, Hong Kong and Taiwan all match or exceed the US bubble in 2008, with Malaysia not far behind. "Asia is setting itself up for a major credit crunch," he said."
'via Blog this'
The inventory overhang has risen to 18 months, three times US levels. New floor space has dropped 30pc on a three-month moving average.
China is not the only country in Asia facing a hangover. Nomura's Rob Subbaraman says housing booms in India, Hong Kong and Taiwan all match or exceed the US bubble in 2008, with Malaysia not far behind. "Asia is setting itself up for a major credit crunch," he said."
'via Blog this'
Real-estate exec on Chinese money: 'There is a huge stake for a lot of local people in keeping this thing going'
Real-estate exec on Chinese money: 'There is a huge stake for a lot of local people in keeping this thing going': "No one knows better than real estate insiders how money flooding in from mainland China is driving up prices in Vancouver, the second-most unaffordable city in the world.
Shanghai-based Dan Scarrow, of Macdonald Realty Ltd., has followed the money and is among the few real estate executives speaking candidly about the transformative impact of Chinese wealth on Vancouver.
“Our analysis last year indicated that roughly one-third of buyers in Vancouver had some connection to mainland China,” Scarrow said. “China represents the greatest rapid accumulation of wealth in the history of the planet. That wealth is now spreading out of China and around the globe. It will transform not just Vancouver, but the entire world.”
The China factor is a sensitive issue in Vancouver. Evidence of a housing market increasingly disconnected from local salaries is mounting. Vancouver voters last fall said their biggest concern was housing affordability. Several months ago Vancouver city council asked staff to study whether vacant homes owned by investors are a problem in the city. That study is not complete and Vancouver’s top housing officials — city manager Penny Ballem, planning director Brian Jackson and chief housing officer Muktar Latif — are unsure exactly what data the city can gather and when the study will be complete."
'via Blog this'
Shanghai-based Dan Scarrow, of Macdonald Realty Ltd., has followed the money and is among the few real estate executives speaking candidly about the transformative impact of Chinese wealth on Vancouver.
“Our analysis last year indicated that roughly one-third of buyers in Vancouver had some connection to mainland China,” Scarrow said. “China represents the greatest rapid accumulation of wealth in the history of the planet. That wealth is now spreading out of China and around the globe. It will transform not just Vancouver, but the entire world.”
The China factor is a sensitive issue in Vancouver. Evidence of a housing market increasingly disconnected from local salaries is mounting. Vancouver voters last fall said their biggest concern was housing affordability. Several months ago Vancouver city council asked staff to study whether vacant homes owned by investors are a problem in the city. That study is not complete and Vancouver’s top housing officials — city manager Penny Ballem, planning director Brian Jackson and chief housing officer Muktar Latif — are unsure exactly what data the city can gather and when the study will be complete."
'via Blog this'
Former ambassador questions Chinese money in Canadian housing market
Former ambassador questions Chinese money in Canadian housing market: "In his new book Middle Power, Middle Kingdom, which critically analyzes Canada’s relationship with China, Mulroney devotes a chapter to the impact of China’s emerging class of super-wealthy individuals who are buying up real estate, especially in Toronto and Vancouver.
And he floats some potentially controversial solutions to deal with the downside of foreign money, including a special tax on non-residents and a requirement that foreigners be allowed to invest only in newly constructed housing."
'via Blog this'
And he floats some potentially controversial solutions to deal with the downside of foreign money, including a special tax on non-residents and a requirement that foreigners be allowed to invest only in newly constructed housing."
'via Blog this'
Wednesday, March 4, 2015
Lord Shiva first messenger of Islam, Muslim cleric says - The Times of India
Lord Shiva first messenger of Islam, Muslim cleric says - The Times of India: "AYODHYA: A lesser known Muslim cleric and leader of Jamiat Ulema Hind, Mufti Mohammad Ilyas Qasmi, stirred up a controversy on Thursday when he referred to Lord Shiva as the first messenger of Islam. Qasmi, a senior leader of the Jamiat who has been propagating Hindu-Muslim unity in Ayodhya, said he backed the RSS view that "every Indian is a Hindu."
Qasmi elaborated that Muslims were also followers of Sanatan Dharma and "have no reservations in accepting that Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati were part of the series of a lakh and twenty four thousand prophets sent to Earth with a mission to establish humanity, true religion and God's rule in the world".
He said he thought there was nothing objectionable or wrong about referring to Indian Muslims as Hindus, since Muslims from India are called 'Hindi' in Arabian countries. "We Indian Muslims are followers of Islam. We believe in 'Allah', but we are, traditionally, 'Hindus'," he said.
Muslim leaders were quick to distance themselves from Qasmi's remarks. While Jamiat's president Maulana Arshad Madani was unavailable, its secretary, Hafiz Irfan, said: "What Qasmi has said are his personal views. There were, indeed, a series of one lakh twenty four thousand prophets sent by Allah to Earth. Lord Rama, Lord Krishna or Lord Shiva may be one of them, but none of this finds mention in the holy Quran. Only God is the creator, not his messengers."
Maulana Khalid Rasheed Firangi Mahali, head cleric of the Aishbagh Eidgah in Lucknow, said Islam showed respect to all religions and religious figures. However, it did not suggest anywhere that Lord Shiva was a Prophet, he added.
Qasmi had arrived in Ayodhya to invite the local Sadhus and Mahants to Jamiat's national seminar on Hindu-Muslim unity, which will be held in Balrampur on February 27."
'via Blog this'
Qasmi elaborated that Muslims were also followers of Sanatan Dharma and "have no reservations in accepting that Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati were part of the series of a lakh and twenty four thousand prophets sent to Earth with a mission to establish humanity, true religion and God's rule in the world".
He said he thought there was nothing objectionable or wrong about referring to Indian Muslims as Hindus, since Muslims from India are called 'Hindi' in Arabian countries. "We Indian Muslims are followers of Islam. We believe in 'Allah', but we are, traditionally, 'Hindus'," he said.
Muslim leaders were quick to distance themselves from Qasmi's remarks. While Jamiat's president Maulana Arshad Madani was unavailable, its secretary, Hafiz Irfan, said: "What Qasmi has said are his personal views. There were, indeed, a series of one lakh twenty four thousand prophets sent by Allah to Earth. Lord Rama, Lord Krishna or Lord Shiva may be one of them, but none of this finds mention in the holy Quran. Only God is the creator, not his messengers."
Maulana Khalid Rasheed Firangi Mahali, head cleric of the Aishbagh Eidgah in Lucknow, said Islam showed respect to all religions and religious figures. However, it did not suggest anywhere that Lord Shiva was a Prophet, he added.
Qasmi had arrived in Ayodhya to invite the local Sadhus and Mahants to Jamiat's national seminar on Hindu-Muslim unity, which will be held in Balrampur on February 27."
'via Blog this'
Young Sikh boy racially abused in US, video goes viral - The Times of India
Young Sikh boy racially abused in US, video goes viral - The Times of India: "NEW YORK: In a shocking case of racism, a young Sikh boy in the US state of Georgia has been called a "terrorist" by a group of school children, with the video of the abuse now going viral on the internet.
In the video posted on Inquisitr, the bespectacled Sikh boy is seen sitting in what appears to be a school bus and is surrounded by students.
He whispers to the camera: "The kids are being racist to me."
A young girl sitting behind him then shouts "terrorist! terrorist!" and points her finger at the boy, who remains calm and even shouts "who cares" when the kids hurl abuses at him.
Inquisitr reported that the video was uploaded by a user named 'Nagra Nagra' and identified the Sikh boy as Harsukh Singh.
Singh apparently uploaded the video initially which has so far got 130,000 views, with the description,"Kids being racist to me and calling me an Afghan terrorist. Please don't act like this towards people like me. If you don't know, I'm not Muslim I'm Sikh."
An online user described the video "disgusting" in which the young Sikh boy is "being bullied with racist chants on a school bus. "The Sikh bravely states that he doesn't care what they think of him.""
'via Blog this'
In the video posted on Inquisitr, the bespectacled Sikh boy is seen sitting in what appears to be a school bus and is surrounded by students.
He whispers to the camera: "The kids are being racist to me."
A young girl sitting behind him then shouts "terrorist! terrorist!" and points her finger at the boy, who remains calm and even shouts "who cares" when the kids hurl abuses at him.
Inquisitr reported that the video was uploaded by a user named 'Nagra Nagra' and identified the Sikh boy as Harsukh Singh.
Singh apparently uploaded the video initially which has so far got 130,000 views, with the description,"Kids being racist to me and calling me an Afghan terrorist. Please don't act like this towards people like me. If you don't know, I'm not Muslim I'm Sikh."
An online user described the video "disgusting" in which the young Sikh boy is "being bullied with racist chants on a school bus. "The Sikh bravely states that he doesn't care what they think of him.""
'via Blog this'
Varanasi's Muslim women want Ram Mandir at Ayodhya Movie Review, Trailer, & Show timings at Times of India
Varanasi's Muslim women want Ram Mandir at Ayodhya Movie Review, Trailer, & Show timings at Times of India: "VARANASI: Mohammad Hashim Ansari, the litigant in Babri Masjid case, who doesn't want to pursue the matter any further and wants 'Ram Lalla' to be free, gets support of Muslim women of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Varanasi.
Supporting Hashim Ansari's stand, these women associated with Muslim Mahila Foundation and Bharatiya Awam Party sent a petition to PM requesting the construction of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. They said that the construction of Ram Mandir would end hatred and strengthen the bond of unity and harmony between Hindu and Muslim. They will also go to Ayodhya to meet Ansari.
The president of MMF Nazneen Ansari along with Najma Parveen, president of BAP, and others submitted the petition at the local office of Modi in Ravindrapuri colony on Thursday. The petition was also sent to RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and senior RSS functionary Indresh Kumar. "
'via Blog this'
Supporting Hashim Ansari's stand, these women associated with Muslim Mahila Foundation and Bharatiya Awam Party sent a petition to PM requesting the construction of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. They said that the construction of Ram Mandir would end hatred and strengthen the bond of unity and harmony between Hindu and Muslim. They will also go to Ayodhya to meet Ansari.
The president of MMF Nazneen Ansari along with Najma Parveen, president of BAP, and others submitted the petition at the local office of Modi in Ravindrapuri colony on Thursday. The petition was also sent to RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and senior RSS functionary Indresh Kumar. "
'via Blog this'
In Gujarat's Banni region, Muslims have adopted Hindu traditions - The Times of India
In Gujarat's Banni region, Muslims have adopted Hindu traditions - The Times of India: "VADODARA: The traditional Ganesh puja, cow worship and Hindu 'Fuleku' custom wherein the bride and bridegroom are taken out on a round of the village by their relatives are some of the practices even followed by the Muslim Maldhari community living in the Banni region of the Greater Rann of Kutch.
A study conducted by a researcher of MS University on Maldharis revealed how the community has adopted Hindu traditions in their culture. These Maldharis, the cattle rearers, most of whom were Muslims, had migrated from Sindh in Pakistan before partition.
Banni region today houses around 51 villages with a population of over 18,000 where Muslims and Hindus live together in harmony. Maldharis live in 'bhungas' - uniquely designed huts made of bamboos, special grass and soil.
"Hindus and Muslims celebrate every festival together. Various fairs are held as a part of their tradition wherein the Hindus and Muslims participate together. Qawalis and Hindu bhajans are sung together at musical programmes.
They follow the tradition of 'athithi devo bhava' and would refrain from consuming meat when a Hindu visits them," said Dr Bharat Pandya, who studied the life, culture and traditions of Maldharis as part of the research study.
Pandya's study 'A cultural study of the folk life, folk arts and folk literature of the Maldharis of the Banni region' aims at providing exposure to the indigenous culture of the Banni which has a rich history of tradition, literature and culture.
"The traditional Ganesh puja before a wedding ceremony, Fuleku, setting up of a mandap and the ritual of peethi or haldi ceremony before the wedding is practised by the Muslim Maldharis. Some of them were Hindus before their conversion to Islam and hence they have continued with this tradition," Pandya said.
"There are two areas called Banni and 'Dhar Banni'. After partition, 'Dhar Banni' went to Pakistan. The Banni area is also known as 'Piran ja Pat' meaning the land of pious people," said Kosha Acharya, a project fellow who is also involved in the study."
'via Blog this'
A study conducted by a researcher of MS University on Maldharis revealed how the community has adopted Hindu traditions in their culture. These Maldharis, the cattle rearers, most of whom were Muslims, had migrated from Sindh in Pakistan before partition.
Banni region today houses around 51 villages with a population of over 18,000 where Muslims and Hindus live together in harmony. Maldharis live in 'bhungas' - uniquely designed huts made of bamboos, special grass and soil.
"Hindus and Muslims celebrate every festival together. Various fairs are held as a part of their tradition wherein the Hindus and Muslims participate together. Qawalis and Hindu bhajans are sung together at musical programmes.
They follow the tradition of 'athithi devo bhava' and would refrain from consuming meat when a Hindu visits them," said Dr Bharat Pandya, who studied the life, culture and traditions of Maldharis as part of the research study.
Pandya's study 'A cultural study of the folk life, folk arts and folk literature of the Maldharis of the Banni region' aims at providing exposure to the indigenous culture of the Banni which has a rich history of tradition, literature and culture.
"The traditional Ganesh puja before a wedding ceremony, Fuleku, setting up of a mandap and the ritual of peethi or haldi ceremony before the wedding is practised by the Muslim Maldharis. Some of them were Hindus before their conversion to Islam and hence they have continued with this tradition," Pandya said.
"There are two areas called Banni and 'Dhar Banni'. After partition, 'Dhar Banni' went to Pakistan. The Banni area is also known as 'Piran ja Pat' meaning the land of pious people," said Kosha Acharya, a project fellow who is also involved in the study."
'via Blog this'
Beef ban in Maharashtra: Congress endorses, NCP opposes - The Times of India
Beef ban in Maharashtra: Congress endorses, NCP opposes - The Times of India: "There is already a blanket ban in the state on slaughter of cows; the amended act bans slaughter of bulls and and calves too. The offence will be non-bailable and will attract a punishment of up to five years in prison, against the six months till now. The fine, too, has been hiked to Rs 10,000 from the current Rs 1,000."
'via Blog this'
'via Blog this'
Tuesday, March 3, 2015
618 expats embrace Islam in Riyadh | Arab News
618 expats embrace Islam in Riyadh | Arab News: "The Office of Call and Guidance in north Riyadh reported on Monday that 618 people from France, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Nepal, India, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar and Ghana had embraced Islam."
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Delhi bus rapist blames victim | Arab News
Delhi bus rapist blames victim | Arab News: "DELHI: One of the Indian men convicted of the Delhi gang rape of 2012 has claimed that his 23-year-old victim was to blame for her sexual assault and murder in an interview for a BBC documentary to be aired on International Women’s Day.
Speaking from jail, Mukesh Singh said that women who venture out at night have themselves to blame if they attract unwanted male attention.
“A girl is far more responsible for rape than a boy,” he said, speaking about the brutal attack against victim Jyoti Singh.
Sing also claimed that had the victim not fought back, the six-strong gang would not have beaten her with iron bars, which led to her death two weeks after the assault on a minibus.
“When being raped, she shouldn’t fight back. She should just be silent and allow the rape. Then they’d have dropped her off after ‘doing her’, and only hit the boy.”
The Indian courts handed out death penalties to the perpetrators, otherwise rarely used in the country, as protests flared over Jyoti Singh’s death.
However, Mukesh Singh appears not to be remorseful.
“You can’t clap with one hand – it takes two hands,” he told the BBC. “A decent girl won’t roam around at 9 o’clock at night. A girl is far more responsible for rape than a boy. Boy and girl are not equal. Housework and housekeeping is for girls, not roaming in discos and bars at night doing wrong things, wearing wrong clothes. About 20 per cent of girls are good.”
He added that the death penalty will make the situation more difficult for women.
“The death penalty will make things even more dangerous for girls,” he said. “Before, they would rape and say, ‘Leave her, she won’t tell anyone.’ Now when they rape, especially the criminal types, they will just kill the girl.”"
'via Blog this'
Speaking from jail, Mukesh Singh said that women who venture out at night have themselves to blame if they attract unwanted male attention.
“A girl is far more responsible for rape than a boy,” he said, speaking about the brutal attack against victim Jyoti Singh.
Sing also claimed that had the victim not fought back, the six-strong gang would not have beaten her with iron bars, which led to her death two weeks after the assault on a minibus.
“When being raped, she shouldn’t fight back. She should just be silent and allow the rape. Then they’d have dropped her off after ‘doing her’, and only hit the boy.”
The Indian courts handed out death penalties to the perpetrators, otherwise rarely used in the country, as protests flared over Jyoti Singh’s death.
However, Mukesh Singh appears not to be remorseful.
“You can’t clap with one hand – it takes two hands,” he told the BBC. “A decent girl won’t roam around at 9 o’clock at night. A girl is far more responsible for rape than a boy. Boy and girl are not equal. Housework and housekeeping is for girls, not roaming in discos and bars at night doing wrong things, wearing wrong clothes. About 20 per cent of girls are good.”
He added that the death penalty will make the situation more difficult for women.
“The death penalty will make things even more dangerous for girls,” he said. “Before, they would rape and say, ‘Leave her, she won’t tell anyone.’ Now when they rape, especially the criminal types, they will just kill the girl.”"
'via Blog this'
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