United Nations - Kofi Anan Reporting on Syria

U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki Moon greeting Nabil al-
Arabi, Secretary General of the Arab League (above)

Today, Kofi Anan, special envoy of the United Nations for Syria, delivered his report to the General Assembly on latest developments of his mission. Anan told the assembly of another massacre that left children and their mothers dead in a Syrian village just the day before. He stressed that even though his six-point plan has not been realized up to now, it would be a mistake to resort to [military] interference as there seems to be a third party involved in the conflict.

In another speech, held some minutes earlier, the Secretary General of the Arab League, Nabil al-Arabi, had already pointed out that Syria was on the brink of a civil war while UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon had stated before that the Syrian leadership lost its legitimacy when it refused to implement Kofi Anan's propositions in order to end the conflict.

Nabil al-Arabi and Kofi Anan speaking (below):


كوفي عنان: قبل ثلاثة أشهر بدأت مهمتي الصعبة في سوريا بتكليف من الأمم المتحدة و [جماعة] الدول العربية

Kofi Anan: About three months [ago] began my difficult mission in Syria on behalf of the United Nations and the community of Arab nations.

يؤسفني أن أبلغكم بأن خطتي في سوريا لم تطبق

I regret to inform you that my plan has not been applied in Syria.

Latest massacres in Qubeir near Hama
as referred to by Kofi Annan (below):


Syria's chief delegate - obviously feeling uneasy (below):


Many nations, represented in the United Nations General Assembly, are disturbed by the actual extent of violence in Syria. However, a change of politics will be difficult to achieve as Russia and China are still decided to block any further pressure on the Assad regime in Damascus. Furthermore, Venezuela recently joined Iran as Syria's principal ally after having passed a solidarity agreement that is considering U.S. influence as an "imperial threat" to Syria. Therefore, those who are suffering from shelling by Syrian military units and unrestrained killings by pro-Assad militias should not be too hopeful.

Explosion of a Syrian army tank in Ariha City on June 5 (below):


The Chinese delegate's response after the speech of Kofi Anan, at least, is showing some pity for the victims of violence. However, it is still not clear whether this would lead to a real change of the Chinese position in the United Nations Security Council.

مندوب الصين: يجب على أطراف الصراع في سوريا أن تقدم دعما لخطة عنان و توقف أعمال العنف

China's delegate: [We] are wishing for the [regions] of fighting in Syria that support would arrive for the plan of [Kofi] Anan and that acts of violence would stop.

Diplomatic timeline of the Syrian conflict (below):

Chinese - Language of Luxury

New York's exclusive shops are recently looking for Chinese speaking staff, thus coping with an increasing number of well-to-do Chinese tourists.

Wealthy Chinese buyers not only dominate by number (about 300.000 this year) but as well by average travel spending which is higher than that of any other foreign country's visitors to the U.S.A..



New York's top shops representing the most appreciated luxury labels are now trying to attract Chinese customers by offering them an appropriate atmosphere consisting of Chinese staff or, at least, Mandarin speaking employees and special programs for such customers. N.Y.'s Montblanc center, for instance, even invited famous Chinese pianist Lang Lang for a concert dedicated to their Chinese target group. Besides, they are selling a special edition of their expensive pens decorated with a dragon, thus reminding the actual year of the dragon.

According to Chinese visitors, luxury products are cheaper in New York than in Beijing or Shanghai which would explain the remarkable spending rate per visitor. [Source: CNN]



I can't help to add a personal remark: This reminds me of the days, years ago, when I applied for a job at a globally involved employer in Germany. When it came to the point of foreign language knowledge, I mentioned Chinese among other idioms I had some knowledge of, and they told me: "You can't get anywhere with Chinese" ("Mit Chinesisch können Sie nichts werden"). Nowadays, it rather seems to me that we can't get too far on a global level without Chinese. - As to Chinese travellers on their shopping tour to New York I would add: This time it's not some nouveaux riches from post-communist Russia but quite a number more ...
By the way, my blog contains several other blogspots dealing with the increasing influence of China and the Chinese language. You are invited to have a look at them:

U.S.A. - China's Bitch ?

Chinese Language Flooding the Web

China's Internet - 500 Million Users




New York based Chinese Lifestyle Website:

Egypt - الأحكام في قضية مبارك - Anger at Mubarak Verdict - مصر

Latest UPDATE merged into text !

Tens of thousands of protesters are now assembling on Tahrir Square in Kairo and elsewhere after an Egyptian law court ruled a life sentence for former president Mubarak who thus evaded a death sentence. His sons and security officials were considered as "not guilty".

While the Muslim Brotherhood and their candidate Morsy immediately called for protest, Morsy's competitor in the presidential elections, Mubarak's former prime minister Shafiq, declared the Mubarak verdict as "just" and added that "nobody should stand above the law" [quotation from CNN, Arabic text below quoted from Al-Jazeera].

أحمد شفيق: الحكم ضد مبارك يثبت ألا أحد فوق المساءلة

Ahmed Shafiq: The verdict against Mubarak confirms that there is nobody above the [(juridical) interrogation].


Mohammed Morsy speaking on Tahrir Square in Kairo:

المرشح الرئاسي محمد مرسي يعقد مؤتمراً صحفياً للتعليق على الأحكام في قضية مبارك

Presidential candidate Mohammed Morsy summons a press conference on the subject of verdicts in the Mubarak case.

محمد مرسي: مطلوب أدلة اتهام حقيقية و تحقيق قضائي على أعلى مستوى للقصاص العادل

Mohammed Morsy: Arguments [or: proofs and witness reports] are being requested for [any] authentic accusations and the juridical investigation on the highest level [in that case of] punishment of the righteousness [or: justness].

حزب النور ثاني أكبر الأحزاب تمثيلا في البرلمان المصري يصف الأحكام بأنها صادمة

The Al-Nar Party, being the second biggest party represented in Egypt's parliament, is considering the verdicts as shocking.


Parents, relatives and friends of "martyrs of the revolution" are deeply shocked by the Mubarak verdict which shows that Egypt has not yet reached the goal of its revolution:

The day before: Public rage against presidential candidate Shafiq. Participants in demonstration holding up their shoes in protest:

[Sources: CNN and Al-Jazeera, English and Arabic channel]

---

Additional information by Al-Arabiya TV:

- News on June 1-2, 2012:

محاكمة القرن.. مبارك والعادلي إلى السجن مدى الحياة

اشتباكات عنيفة داخل قاعة المحاكمة وخارجها فور مغادرة المتهمين والقضاء

Violent conflicts inside the courtroom and [people] boiling [with rage] at the outside when the accused and the court left.

- News on June 3, 2012:

خبراء قانون: علاء وجمال مبارك سيحصلان على البراءة

Legal information: Ala'a and Gamal Mubarak will be considered as innocent.

قالوا إن من بين الخيارات إنقضاء الدعوى بالتقادم أو الانقضاء بالتصالح

It has been reported that among other options [there might be] an end of process [due to] a limitation period or the termination by means of [reaching a settlement].


Ala'a and Gamal Mubarak at court.

---

Latest election news from Al-Jazeera's Arabic website on June 3, 2012:

باحث: الغرب وإسرائيل يفضلان شفيق

Investigator [says]: The West and Israel are preferring Shafiq [as new Egyptian president].

When Al-Jazeera quoted an " eminent German investigator and expert in politics باحث وخبير سياسي ألماني بارز ", they referred to " Udo Steinbach, director of the Asian and African Center at Marburg University مدير مركز آسيا وأفريقيا بجامعة ماربورغ أودو شتاينباخ ".

Portrait of Prof. Dr. Udo Steinbach

News from People's Network, Beijing, on June 4, 2012:

埃及前总理称穆兄会将会把埃带回“黑暗时代”

Egypt's former prime minister [Shafiq] states that the Muslim Brotherhood could carry Egypt back into a "dark era".

News from Al-Arabiya on June 4, 2012:

واصل المرشح الرئاسي أحمد شفيق اختراقه لملفات لم يتعرض لها منافسه. فبعد خطابه في المؤتمر الصحافي، أمس الأحد، عن عدة قضايا وهجومه اللاذع على جماعة الإخوان المسلمين ومرشحها محمد مرسي

Presidential candidate Ahmed Shafiq is continuing to enforce his [claim] that he never [used] the [secret] dossier of his competitor - [at the time of] his speech in the press conference, last sunday, and when he prepared the juridical [comment] as well as his acrid attack at the Muslim Brotherhood and their candidate Mohammed Morsy.

Egypt مصر - Morsy or Shafiq مرسي او شفيق

As first results on May 26 already indicated, there will be a second ballot to decide between Morsy, the presidential candidate of the Muslim Brotherhood, and Shafiq, the former prime minister of ousted president Mubarak. This ballot should take place on June 16 and 17, 2012.

مرحلة الثانية : 16 و17 يونيو القادم

وجاء مرسي في المركز الأول بنحو 5 ملايين و764 ألفاً و952 صوتاً، وشفيق في المركز الثاني بـ5 ملايين و505 آلاف و327 صوتاً، فيما حلّ حمدين صباحي ثالثاً بنحو 4 ملايين 820 ألفاً، وعبدالمنعم أبوالفتوح رابعاً بحوالي 4 ملايين 650 ألفا، وجاء عمرو موسى في المركز الخامس بحوالي مليونين و588 ألفاً 850 صوتاً.

Latest Election Results:

Mohammed Morsy 5.764.952 votes
Ahmed Shafiq 5.505.327 votes
Hamdeen Sabahi 4.820.000 votes
Abdel-Moneim Abu al-Fatuh 4.650.000 votes
Amr Moussa 2.588.850 votes

[Source: Al-Arabiya, Arabic website, May 28]

Elections in Egypt انتخابات الرئاسة المصرية - First Results النتائج الأولية

سباق الرئاسة
Race for Presidency

فرز 95% من الأصوات بانتخابات الرئاسة المصرية و النتائج الأولية تشير إلى حتمية خوض جولة ثانية

The counting of 95% of the votes in the presidential elections of Egypt and first results are indicating the necessity to enter into a second round [of voting].

حزب الحرية و العدالة يدعو التيارات السياسية في مصر إلى الحوار من أجل إنقاذ الثورة

The Party of Liberty and Justice is calling [all] political currents in Egypt [to participate] in a dialogue in order to save the revolution.

First results of the presidential elections in Egypt are seeing Mohammed Morsy, candidate for the Party for Liberty and Justice in the lead with 25% of the votes, followed by Ahmed Shafiq, last prime minister of the Mubarak era, who gained 24%.

Morsy and his party are representing the Muslim Brotherhood:

A rather low result of 11% reached Amr Moussa, the former secretary general of the Arab League.

Two further candidates: Hamdeen Sabahi (20%) and Abdel Moneim Abu al-Fatuh (17%)



Latest news from Saturday, May 26:
Independent candidate Hamdeen Sabahi has lodged a complaint at the central election committee because of irregularities that happened during the voting. Two other candidates joined him. The necessity of a final ballot becomes even more visible.

---

Latest News from Syria:

The Massacre of Houla

Al-Jazeera Arabic TV: On Friday, May 25, Syrian military killed 92 persons comprising 32 children in Houla, community in the outskirts of Homs. Syrian state television blamed "terrorists" for that massacre.

Pictures were shown on Sunday morning, May 27, in the frame of "Revolution Talk", a special broadcast by Al-Jazeera on their Arabic channel. In that program participated Abdel-karim al-Sharida (below), president of the Arabic organization for human rights from Amman/Jordan, among other participants from Beirut/Lebanon, Doha/Qatar and Homs/Syria.

Report of Al-Arabiya on May 26:

الإمارات تدعو الجامعة لاجتماع عاجل حول مجزرة سوريا

مجلس التعاون الخليجي يدين "المجزرة" ويتابع بقلق بالغ التطورات المؤسفة

The Emirates are calling the [Arab] Ligue to an urgent meeting on the Syrian massacre.

The Council of Cooperation for the Gulf feels obliged on the matter of that "massacre" and is following with increasing concern such sad development.

According to Al-Arabiya the death toll of the Houla massacre should have reached "more than 106"
[ راح ضحيتها أكثر من 106 أشخاص من المدنيين]

Elections in Egypt الانتخابات في مصر

Mubarak lurking from behind !

Today, about 50 million Egyptian voters are called to participate in the first democratic presidential elections while 300.000 members of police and armed forces are being deployed to provide secure proceedings. Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter has arrived in Kairo as an independent observer.

Al-Jazeera Arabic TV is continuously reporting from Kairo, Alexandria, Gizeh and other places while the unpredictable outcome of the elections will be overshadowed by severe differences within the Egyptian society, only to mention the influence of Islamist representatives who have been refused acceptance as legal candidates.

Polls did not start closing until 9:00 pm (1900 GMT) after authorities ordered a one-hour extension. A second day of polling is to be held on Thursday, with preliminary results expected on Sunday.

Views of Presidential Elections in Egypt:

لجان الاقتراع في مصر تغلق أبوابها في اليوم الأول من الانتخابات الرئاسية Voting [committees] in Egypt are closing their doors on the first day of the presidential elections.

فاروق سلطان
رئيس اللجنة العليا للإنتخابات الرئاسية في مصر Farouk Suldan, president of the high commission [in charge of] the presidential elections in Egypt.

Acts of Violence on Election Day (May 23):

Headline of Al-Arabiya TV:
إغلاق مراكز اقتراع بمصر.. واشتباك بين أنصار مرشحين
ارتفاع عدد المصابين في انتخابات الرئاسة إلى 13 مصاباً
Voting centers in Egypt are closing, ... Washington is among the supporters [of the elections] ... Toll of victims [due to violence] during the presidential elections has risen to 13.

Image below: A damaged election poster for Amr Moussa, former secretary general of the Arab League and who gave up his position to take chances in the Egyptian elections. Nevertheless, he still seems to be one of the most appreciated candidates.

Same goes for Ahmed Shafiq (below), a former minister under Mubarak. He came under attack from protesters who threw stones and shoes at his convoy as he voted at a Cairo polling station.

During the first day of election one Cairo policeman was reported to be shot in a gunfight between followers of different candidates.

Competitors in the Presidential Elections:

(Top-Left to Right): Mohammed Mursi (Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party) , Abdel Moneim Abu al-Fatuh (Independent), Hamdeen Sabahi (Dignity Party).
(Bottom-Left to Right): Amr Moussa (Independent), Khaled Ali (Independent) and Ahmed Shafiq (Independent).

Private U.S. Company Launched Spacecraft

First step to commercializing space transport.
SpaceX, a California based private company, has launched a space module that is expected to dock at the international space station ISS as soon as next Friday. According to news reports from CNN and BBC, their new space vehicle should be less expensive than the outdated spaceshuttle which is no longer available after NASA stopped that program.

Charles Bolden (image below), NASA administrator for the ISS project, stated that America would remain the leading nation in space flight, even though a private company took over. Recently, U.S. space flight relied on Russia that provided their carrier system.

Assembly of space module at SpaceX laboratories:

Maritime Incident between North Korea and China

Chinese daily reporting on the arrest of Chinese fishermen by North Korea [Source: NHK Japanese TV]

The arrest of 29 Chinese fishermen by North Korean forces could serve to prove how unpredictable the regime in Pyongyang really is. As the Democratic Republic of North Korea has been continuously fostered by China since it came into being, it sounds strange that such incident could ever happen. After China decided to deliver an answer to Pyongyang and that should not have hurt too much, North Korea announced the "happy end" of that story:

朝方称我被扣渔船及船员已全部获释返回

"The North Korean side has stated that our fishing boats and boat crews that have been detained are already entirely released and [sent] back."
[Source: People's Network, May 20, 2012]

Meanwhile, the maritime incident of Huangyan Island in the South China Sea remains to be solved as territorial claims of, both, China and the Philippines have created a problem of general importance. For further information look at a related blogspot of mine.

Solar Eclipse over Asia and U.S. Westcoast

Partial eclipse of the sun as observed in Beijing: