Very worrying. China and Japan seem to be sleep-walking into military conflict, with the US not awake at all!
09/02/2014
Five jawans injured in landmine blast by Naxalites in Chhattisgarh – The Times of India
Five security personnel were on Sunday critically injured in a landmine blast triggered by Naxalites in the Sukma district of Chhattisgarh, police said.
The incident took place this morning in the forest near Bodhrajpadar village under Bhejji police station limits, Sukma Additional Superintendent of Police Neeraj Chandrakar said.
A joint squad of Central Reserve Police Force, its specialized unit Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (COBRA) and district police was engaged in an anti-Naxalite operation in the region, which is around 500 km away from the state capital Raipur, for the past few days.
Maoists triggered a landmine blast and opened fire on the security personnel, Chandrakar said.
Five jawans were critically injured, he added. Maoists retreated as the security personnel retaliated and began to encircle them. Two helicopters have been sent to retrieve the injured jawans.
via Five jawans injured in landmine blast by Naxalites in Chhattisgarh – The Times of India.
09/02/2014
India may produce record 263.2 MT foodgrains this year: Pawar – The Hindu
Foodgrain production is likely to touch a record 263.2 million tonnes (mt) this year, beating the previous high of 259 mt achieved two years ago, Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar said on Sunday.
“The country is likely to achieve record 263.2 mt foodgrain production this year. This would be about 4 mt higher than the record of 259 million tonnes achieved two years ago,” Mr. Pawar said at an agricultural exposition here.
The foodgrain production fell marginally to 255.36 mt in the last crop year (July-June) due to drought in some parts of the country.
A good monsoon along with improved sowing of both kharif (summer) and rabi (winter) crops have improved prospects of a better foodgrain production this year.
India has now emerged as the world’s top rice exporter and second-top exporter of wheat and cotton. The country is also the top producer of milk and horticultural crops, Mr. Pawar said highlighting progress made in the farm sector.
via India may produce record 263.2 MT foodgrains this year: Pawar – The Hindu.
09/02/2014
The party and the media: Learning to spin | The Economist
T WAS not a typical government press conference. A journalist had asked a mayor some pointed questions about the safety of a paraxylene chemical factory planned for her city—the same type of plant that has prompted environmental protests around China. The mayor dodged the question in standard government-speak when the reporter, a portly man in a checked shirt and blue jeans, rudely interrupted her: “Please answer my question directly.” The room erupted with laughter.
This was, it turns out, a class at the China Executive Leadership Academy Pudong (CELAP) in Shanghai—one of five national schools for training Communist Party members. The “mayor” and the “journalist” were both low-level officials from Zhengzhou, an inland city, simulating a real-life situation in a class teaching functionaries how to cope with today’s media.
The party still exerts firm control when it comes to anything sensitive. But outside politics the media landscape has changed completely. Consumer programmes, investigative reporters and a noisy mix of microbloggers and middle-class NIMBYs are holding the party more to account. The classes at CELAP demonstrate that the leadership has understood what is at stake, even if it is still learning how to deal with it. Some of the party’s biggest recent problems have come from mishandling the newly probing media.
The message of the classes is clear: officials must be more responsive to the press and the public even as they toe the party line. Environmental protests, angry villagers talking to global media and spokesmen stumbling in news conferences have become teaching opportunities.
via The party and the media: Learning to spin | The Economist.
08/02/2014
Arsenal kick Manchester United off top spot as No 1 team for fans in China | South China Morning Post
Arsenal has edged out Manchester United as China’s favourite football club, according to a recent survey.
The majority of the 15,586 respondents chose the London-based Gunners as their favourite club team and Germany as their preferred national team.
Coventry University’s Centre for the International Business of Sport conducted the survey between September and November on Weibo.
Head of the centre Professor Simon Chadwick said, “Arsenal was a surprise. Although given that Chinese fans like the German national team, the fact that Ozil, Podolski and Mertesacker play for Arsenal make the result rather less surprising.”
The Gunners racked up 3,785 votes, compared with Man United’s 3,210. AC Milan came third with 2,204 votes, followed by Real Madrid (1,959) and Barcelona (1,930).
Arsenal is currently sitting at the top of the English Premier League standings.
08/02/2014
* China increasing coverage of serious illness insurance – Xinhua | English.news.cn
China will expand a program that enables people with serious illnesses to get more compensation from medical insurance schemes to all the country’s regions in 2014.
According to a statement issued by the State Council medical reform office on Saturday, pilots of such programs should be launched in all the country’s provincial-level regions by the end of June this year.
The new move is aimed at reducing the number of cases in which people are reduced to poverty by the burden of medical fees, the statement said.
Six Chinese authorities issued a circular in 2012 on the program, stating that part of the funds collected in the current basic medicare insurance schemes for urban and rural residents could be used to purchase commercial medical insurance, so that a greater proportion of the medical fees of people with serious diseases will be covered.
A latest circular issued by the medical reform office said that local finance, human resources and social security, civil affairs, health and insurance authorities should collaborate for the expansion of the program, according to Saturday’s statement.
There should be more efforts to raise public awareness of the program so as to make the benefits easier for people to secure, it said.
The statement added that the quality and the expenditure of medical services should also be scrutinized to curb unreasonable medical treatments and fees.
via China increasing coverage of serious illness insurance – Xinhua | English.news.cn.
08/02/2014
Maoists torch 10 vehicles of road construction company in Bihar – The Times of India
MUZAFFARPUR: Armed Maoists torched ten vehicles of a private road construction company at a village in Bihar’s Muzaffarpur district.
About 200 armed Maoists stormed the workshop of the JMB construction company at Misraulia village late Friday night and vandalized the camp before torching ten vehicles, Senior Superintendent of Police Saurabh Kumar said.
The attack took place as they did not fulfil their demand for levy, he said.
Kumar said a case has been registered against unidentified Maoists in this connection.
via Maoists torch 10 vehicles of road construction company in Bihar – The Times of India.
08/02/2014
Hindustan Powerprojects to Build Three North India Solar Plants – Businessweek
Hindustan Powerprojects Pvt., formerly known as Moser Baer Projects Pvt., has signed power-sale contracts for three solar plants in northern India.
The company will build two photovoltaic projects of 15 megawatts each in Punjab state and a 20-megawatt plant in Uttar Pradesh, it said in an e-mailed statement today.
Hindustan Powerprojects didn’t provide details describing the terms under which it would sell the electricity to the local state governments.
via Hindustan Powerprojects to Build Three North India Solar Plants – Businessweek.
08/02/2014
India Predicts Climb From Decade-Low GDP Growth Amid Risks (1) – Businessweek
India forecast a faster acceleration in economic growth than analysts had estimated, a prediction facing risks from interest-rate increases to quell inflation and expenditure curbs by the government.
Gross domestic product will rise 4.9 percent in the 12 months through March 31, compared with the decade-low 4.5 percent in the previous fiscal year, the Statistics Ministry said in New Delhi yesterday. The median of 24 estimates in a Bloomberg News survey had been 4.7 percent. The projection may be revised upward later and the final growth rate is unlikely to be less than 5 percent, Finance Minister Palaniappan Chidambaram said in a statement e-mailed today.
India last month joined nations from Brazil to Turkey in raising interest rates, striving to stem the fastest inflation in Asia and shield the rupee from a reduction in U.S. monetary stimulus that’s hurt emerging-market assets. Opinion polls signaling that the general election due by May could lead to an unstable coalition government are adding to risks.
via India Predicts Climb From Decade-Low GDP Growth Amid Risks (1) – Businessweek.
08/02/2014
Trade groups seek more U.S. pressure on India over patent protection | Reuters
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce on Friday called on the government to ratchet up pressure on India over intellectual property rights, in a move that could help prevent Indian companies from producing cheap generic versions of medicines still under patent protection.
In a submission to the Office of U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), the Chamber of Commerce requested that India be classified as a Priority Foreign Country, a tag given to the worst offenders when it comes to protecting intellectual property and one that could trigger trade sanctions.
Other trade groups, including those representing the pharmaceutical and manufacturing industries, echoed the call for a tougher stance on India.
The recommendations, which were due by Friday, were for a document known as a Special 301 Report prepared annually by the Office of the United States Trade Representative.
India is on the U.S. government‘s Priority Watch List for countries whose practices on protecting intellectual property Washington believes should be monitored closely.
via Trade groups seek more U.S. pressure on India over patent protection | Reuters.
CHINDIA ALERT: You'll be living in their world, very soon 