A legend of Waiting for husband stone

A long time ago, in a small village there was a poor family. The parents had to work hard every day to make ends meet. They left their two children at home. The parents told their son that he had to take good care of his little sister, keep her safe and happy. The mother, knew that the boy liked to play outside with other boys in the village, usually said that if he teased his sister or made her cried, he would be punished. The two little children played and took care of themselves from early morning until the late evening when their parents came back.

One day, the boy was peeling a sugar-cane,sudden his knife was slipped out of his hands and hit his sister’s head. The little girl screamed loudly then fainted away. Her blood dyed her hair. The boy was scared. He called his sister but the girl did not answer. The boy thought his sister died and his parents would be too angry with him so he ran far away. He went through many places, did anything he could ring up himself. Time flew fast. He stopped in a fishing village in Bình Định. He was adopted by a fisher family and learnt fishing. He grew up, became a strong fisherman. The man tried to forget his hurt so he did not tell anyone about his story. He still dared not to come back to his hometown.

When he was about twenty, he met a grace girl and fell in love with her. She was an adopted daughter of a fisherman who lived nearby his village. They married in the happiness of both families. The young couple loved each other very much. When the husband went fishing, the wife stayed at home, knitting fishing-net. When he came back, the wife went to the seashore, welcomed him and took fish to sell in markets. After two years, they had a lovely son. Their small family was always full of laughing.

One day, there were heavy seas running that made the husband stay home. While their son playing in front of the house, the husband helped her wife brush her hair. Suddenly he saw a scar on her head, well covered by hair that he had not seen it before. He asked her about it, she told him about her childhood. The scared was caused by her brother when peeling a sugar-cane when she was about four or five years old. Her brother, after that, was too scare so he ran away, left her there, bleeding and faint. Luckily, her neighbor stopped by and tried to help her. They also called her parents. They hurriedly went home. After that, her parents tried to look for her brother but they did not succeed. They were too sad that they got ill and died. She was too small to live alone so her relative found a good family for her. After many years, she became a young woman in the fishing village which was very far from her hometown. She did not remember anything of her brother and hoped he had a nice life.

Listening to his wife’s story, the man had to try to hold his breath. His heart was broken. He did not know how it could become such a tragedy. He had done everything to forget his terrible memory but now it came back and got him down. He did not want to upset his wife because he knew that if she knew the truth that they were siblings she would be filled with guilt and broken heart. The man could not sleep that night. Without a goodbye, he took the boat and rowed away. He hoped that time would mend his wife’s heart and she would be happy with someone else and forgot him. The man never came home again.

The wife got up, she was so surprised when she did not see her beloved husband. When she did not find out their boat, she knew that he had gone out to the sea. She did not know what happened but she did as she had done: going to the beach and waiting for her husband. Day after day, the husband still did not come back. She climbed on a mountain, looked far away, kept waiting for her husband. Finally, the woman transferred to a limestone which had a shape that looked like a woman with her child in her arms, still waiting for her husband every day and night. People called it “Hòn vọng phu” (Waiting for husband stone). It was considered as a symbol of a faithful love.
In many places in Vietnam, people can show you a Waiting for husband stone. Every stone has its own story which is not much different from the one above. This is the first story of Waiting husband stone I've been heard - that's why I chose it to tell you al.

Read more »

Posted in: Fairy story,Vietnam

Nigeria Christians 'to defend churches from Boko Haram'

Nigerian Christians will have "no other option" but to defend themselves if attacks by Islamist militants continue, a coalition of churches has said.

The Christian Association of Nigeria said the Boko Haram group had declared war with its recent violence.
More than 40 people were killed in attacks on churches across the country on Christmas Day.
Since then, some 90,000 people have fled their homes amid clashes between Boko Haram and police in Damaturu.
Earlier on Wednesday, six children and an adult were injured when a homemade bomb was thrown into an Islamic school in southern Delta state.
A police spokesman said the bomb had been thrown from a moving car - it was not clear who was behind the attack, which has raised fears of retaliatory vigilante strikes.
'Declaration of war' "The consensus is that the Christian community nationwide will be left with no other option than to respond appropriately if there are any further attacks on our members, churches and property," said the leader of the Nigerian Christian Association of Nigeria, a group of Pentecostal churches.

Ayo Oritsejafor was speaking at the St Theresa Church outside the capital, Abuja, where 35 people died in the Christmas Day bombings, the AFP news agency reports.

He said the attacks were "considered as a declaration of war on Christians and Nigeria as an entity," and that while he did not want to encourage acts of revenge, "Christians should protect themselves... in any way they can".
Mr Oritsejafor said the lack of response by Muslim leaders was an "abdication of their responsibilities", and that the Christian community was also "fast losing confidence in government's ability to protect our rights".
Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan, who is a Christian, has held urgent meetings with Muslim and Christian leaders in an attempt to restore calm.
On Tuesday, Nigeria's main Muslim cleric, the Sultan of Sokoto, denounced the Christmas Day attacks and called for calm.
"I want to assure all Nigerians that there is no conflict between Muslims and Christians, between Islam and Christianity," said Muhammad Sa'ad Abubakar.
But the BBC's Africa correspondent Karen Allen says the continent's most populous nation faces the spectre of sectarian violence between the largely Muslim north and Christian south.
Boko Haram, which is believed to have links to al-Qaeda, has claimed responsibility for the Christmas Day attacks.
Last week, its militants were involved in heavy gun battles with government troops in the north-eastern city of Damaturu.
A state emergency management official said the clashes had displaced 90,000 people and that the entire district of Pompomari had been emptied as residents fled.
Boko Haram, which means "Western education is forbidden", wants the imposition of strict Sharia law in Nigeria.
The group carried out an August 2011 suicide attack on the UN headquarters in Abuja, in which more than 20 people were killed.
It was also responsible for a string of bomb blasts in Jos on Christmas Eve 2010.

Source BBC

Read more »

Posted in: Afica,Religion,violence

US warns Iran over threat to block oil route

Admiral Habibollah Sayari says Iran could easily close the Strait of Hormuz

The US Navy has said it will not tolerate disruption to a vital oil-trade route, following an Iranian threat to close it.

Iran warned it would shut the Strait of Hormuz if the West imposed more sanctions over its nuclear programme.
The US and its allies believe Iran is trying to develop a nuclear weapon - a charge Tehran denies.
Reacting to Iran's warning, a US Fifth Fleet spokeswoman said it was "always ready to counter malevolent actions".
The Strait of Hormuz links the Gulf - and the oil-producing states of Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) - to the Indian Ocean. About 40% of the world's tanker-borne oil passes through it.
The US maintains a naval presence in the Gulf, largely to ensure the transport of oil remains open.
The strait "is not only important for security and stability in the region, but also is an economic lifeline for countries in the Gulf, including Iran", Pentagon spokesman George Little said.
"Raising the temperature on tensions in the Gulf is unhelpful", he said, but added that he was unaware of any hostile action directed against US vessels.
US Fifth Fleet spokeswoman Rebecca Rebarich told the BBC the navy would be ready to act if required: "The US Navy is a flexible, multi-capable force committed to regional security and stability, always ready to counter malevolent actions to ensure freedom of navigation."
Closure 'easy' Western nations recently imposed new sanctions against Tehran following a UN report that said Iran had carried out tests related to "development of a nuclear device".
Further measures being considered to target Iran's oil and financial sectors have brought a furious response from Tehran.

Strait of Hormuz

• Narrow strip of water separating Oman and Iran
• 34 miles (54km) across at shortest point
• Used by a third of the world's tanker traffic
• Approximately 15.5m barrels of oil and 2m barrels of oil products pass through each day
• Most oil destined for Asia, US and western Europe
• 50% of China's oil passes through strait

Vice-President Mohammad Reza Rahimi warned that "not a drop of oil will pass through the Strait of Hormuz" if sanctions are widened and Iran's navy chief Admiral Habibollah Sayari said that closing the strait would be "easy".

"The enemies will only drop their plots when we put them back in their place," Mr Rahimi was quoted as saying on Tuesday by the official news agency Irna.
Adm Sayari later told Iran's Press TV that closing the Strait of Hormuz would be "really easy" for Iran's armed forces "or, as Iranians say, easier than drinking a glass of water".
"But right now, we don't need to shut it as we have the Sea of Oman under control, and we can control the transit," he added.
Iran's threats to close the strait have not flustered markets and oil prices actually fell after a senior Saudi oil official said that Gulf Arab nations were ready to offset any loss of Iranian crude.
'Non-compliance' Earlier, US State Department deputy spokesman Mark Toner said the Iranian threats were simply "another attempt... to distract attention from the real issue, which is their continued non-compliance with their international nuclear obligations".
Iran's navy has been staging wargames in international waters to the east of the strait.
Adm Sayari said the manoeuvres were designed to show Gulf neighbours the power of Iran's military over the zone.
Washington and Israel have not ruled out military action against Iran's nuclear facilities if sanctions and diplomacy fail.
Iran has vowed to respond by attacking Israeli and US interests in the region.
An embargo on Iranian oil exports has been considered before but dismissed as it could also drive up global oil prices and harm Western economies, particularly in Europe.
It is believed the new measures could cut Tehran off from global energy markets without raising the price of fuel.

Source BBC

Read more »

Posted in: IRAN,Politics,USA

North Korea to end mourning period for Kim Jong-il

The BBC's Charles Scanlon said Kim Jong-un's prominence was
the most notable thing about the funeral

The official mourning period for the late North Korean leader Kim Jong-il is due to end after an elaborate funeral was staged in the capital, Pyongyang.

Regime officials have joined his son and anointed successor Kim Jong-un at a national memorial service.
Thursday's final stage will be preceded by a three-minute silence, after which all trains and ships expected to sound their horns in unison.
Kim Jong-il died of a heart attack on 17 December, aged 69, state media said.
On Wednesday, thousands stood weeping and wailing in the snow as the funeral cortege passed, images from state television showed.
White snow
Kim Jong-un cried as he walked alongside the hearse. Rows of soldiers bowed their heads in homage in the city's main square.

Analysis

John Simpson World Affairs Editor, BBC News, Seoul

The young Kim Jong-un will have the backing and guidance of his uncle, Chang Song-taek, a senior figure in the leadership who is married to Kim Jong-il's sister, Kim Kyung-hee - a general in her own right.
Will the new team try to keep the lid on North Korea as firmly as his father did? It is much too early to tell, but it is a historical truism that a dictatorship is at its most vulnerable when it tries to ease up.
Yet if North Korea maintains its ferocious grip on the lives of its citizens, there is always the possibility that they will finally be pushed too far.
People who visited Nicolae Ceausescu's Romania as late as the summer of 1989 believed that the ferocity of his rule had wiped out the very instinct for personal freedom among ordinary people. But by late December that year they had risen up, and he and his equally tough wife had been executed.
It is a great deal easier to set up a dictatorship than to change the way it operates.

"Seeing this white snow fall has made me think of the general's efforts and this brings tears to my eyes," Seo Ju-rim, a weeping female soldier, told North Korean television.

One of the myths surrounding Kim Jong-il, who had lain in state for ten days ahead of the funeral, was that he could control the weather.
Kim Jong-un - who is thought to be in his late 20s and who has little political experience - was accompanied by his uncle, Chang Song-taek, expected to be a key player as the younger Kim consolidates power.
The procession was broadcast live on state television.
No foreign delegations have attended any of the events. However, UN offices around the world lowered their flags to half-mast.
A spokesman at the UN headquarters in New York said that the move had been requested by Pyongyang's UN mission but was part of normal protocol for the funeral of any head of state.
Correspondents say the ceremonies echoed the displays of pomp and military might that marked the death of Mr Kim's father, Kim Il-sung, in 1994.
Kim Jong-il - known in North Korea as the "Dear Leader" - was in the process of formalising Kim Jong-un as his successor when he died.
However, the transition was not complete, leaving regional neighbours fearful of a power struggle in the nuclear-armed pariah state.
Source BBC

Read more »

Posted in: Asia,Korea,Politics,Society,violence

LEGEND OF SON TINH (MOUNTAIN SPIRIT) AND THUY TINH (SEA SPIRIT)

Once upon a time, Emperor Hung Vuong the Eighteenth had a beautiful daughter, Princess Mi Nuong. Her beauty was so renowned that many suitors from foreign lands came to ask the Emperor for her hand. However, the Emperor did not believe that any one of them was good enough for his beautiful daughter. He wanted Mi Nuong to marry someone really distinguished and powerful. Her mother, the Empress was very much concerned for Mi Nuong's future. The Empress looked at her daughter saying: "It is time you should get married, my darling. I hope your father will find a suitable man for you".

Image: Just Description.

The Princess could not hide her emotion and happiness, her beautiful eyes were blurred with tear. She said "Mother, thank you so much for your thoughtfulness. It is up to you and Father to decide for me. I understand that I have to get married and bear children like other women. I believe Father will choose a suitable person".

One day, at the court there appeared two young men. One of them was Son Tinh, the Mountain Spirit, and the other one was Thuy Tinh, the Sea Spirit. Both of them were equally handsome, distinguished, and powerful. The difference in character between the two men was that while Son Tinh was gentle and quiet, Thuy Tinh had a fiery temper.

Son Tinh bowed his head and respectfully said to the Emperor: "My name is Son Tinh. My kingdom includes all mountains. I reign over all creatures living on the mountains. I own all the riches of the mountains including all the beautiful trees, plants, and flowers. I can summon lions and birds, I can make the mountains grow high to the sky. I want to marry the Princess and promise to bring her happiness and an eternal life".

Thuy Tinh stepped forward, bowed his head and said: "My name is Thuy Tinh. I am the Spirit of the Seas. I reign over all creatures living in the water. I own all coral, pearls, and treasures under the sea. I can raise the level of the sea as high as the mountain top. I can make rain and gather storms. If the Princess marries me, she will become the Queen of the Sea. The most wonderful undersea world and the most magnificent undersea palace will be hers".

The Emperor listened attentively to the suitors. He was reluctant in his choice because both suitors arrived at the same time and were equally handsome and powerful. Then he said to the suitors: "Tomorrow whoever brings the wedding gifts first, will have the hand of the Princess." The suitors left the court and hurried back to their kingdoms in the hope of getting married with the Princess.

Thuy Tinh had all his men collect the best pearls and jewelry, and the most exquisite sea food and delicious seaweed. Son Tinh rushed back to the mountain. He ordered his men to collect the best diamonds and the most precious stones they could find. He also selected the most delicious fruit and most fragrant flowers on earth for the Emperor and the Empress.

The next morning, Son Tinh and a hundred attendants were the first who came to the court. He brought trays full of jewels and baskets full of mango, grapes, strawberries, roses, orchids, etc. The Emperor was delighted with all the gifts. He agreed to let Son Tinh marry his daughter. Mi Nuong bid farewell to the Emperor and the Empress. Then she stepped into the palaquin and followed Son Tinh to his Kingdom on the mountain.

Alter Son Tinh and Mi Nuong had just left the court, Thuy Tinh came with his men carrying trays of jewels, pearls, and baskets full of sea food. Thuy Tinh was so angry when he heard Mi Nuong had gone with Son Tinh just minutes before. He immediately ordered his men to pursue Son Tinh and to take Mi Nuong away.

Thuy Tinh yelled at his men and flourished his magic sword. Then the creatures in the sea turned into thousands of soldiers. Heavy rains began to fall. Gusty winds began to blow. The water level rose higher and higher. The high waves and the flood washed down thousands of trees and houses.

Son Tinh had his own magic wand, too. He turned the animals on the mountain into thousands of soldiers to fight back. He turned the mountain higher as the water rose. The war between Son Tinh and Thuy Tinh lasted for days. No one won the war. Many lives were lost. Finally, Thuy Tinh and his men ceased and withdrew to the sea.

However, Thuy Tinh could not give up the idea of taking the Princess back for himself. So, every year Thuy Tinh raises the water and gathers storms up to the mountain top where Son Tinh and Mi Nuong are living. However, he never wins the war. Every year, when the war between the two spirits breaks out, people and animals suffer, crops and properties are destroyed.

Collection

Read more »

Posted in: Fairy story,Vietnam

Master TOEFL - Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2

UNDERSTANDING THE TOEFL:

Vocabulary and Reading

Comprehension Section

Developing a good English vocabulary is the most important way to prepare for the

vocabulary you will see on the TOEFL. In addition to developing a good English vocabulary, it is

very important to know the kind of vocabulary you will see on the TOEFL and to understand how it

is tested.

Vocabulary and Reading Comprehension make up Section 3 of the TOEFL. This section contains 30 vocabulary questions and 30 reading comprehension questions. Remember that your general vocabulary is tested in all sections of the TOEFL. However, it is in this section of the TOEFL where your knowledge of specific vocabulary is tested.

You will have 45 minutes to complete this section of the TOEFL. Many test takers report that they do not have enough time to complete the reading comprehension questions, so you should

work quickly in order to complete the vocabulary questions as soon as you can. If you follow the strategies in this book you will have more time to complete the Reading Comprehension section of

the TOEFL.

The Vocabulary Question

Vocabulary questions are written in a formal, academic style, typical of most college or university level texts and journals. The topics of these sentences are those that a first-year college student in North America would be likely to encounter. The topics come from such areas as the

natural sciences, business, liberal arts, and the social sciences. Many sentences contain references to

North American places and personalities. Others will refer to historical events and may include

dates. It is important for you to understand that your knowledge of these areas is never tested on the TOEFL. You do not have to be familiar with the content of the sentences to be successful on this section of the TOEFL.

Each TOEFL vocabulary question consists of a single sentence followed by four choices. These choices are marked by letters (A), (B), (C), (D). Most sentences have one word underlined, and less frequently, some sentences may have a phrase underlined. You must identify the word among the choices that has the same or similar meaning as the under-lined word or phrase in the question. These words are called synonyms. Let's examine a sample question.

Many organisms change their role in habitats from one season to another

(A)         diet (B)          size (C)         color

(D)         function

This question is typical of the Vocabulary section. The topic is from the natural sciences and

the sentence contains a single underlined word. The correct answer is (D) function. Function is a synonym for role. As in this example, the word you select is the one that best matches the meaning

of the underlined word. Note that all four of the choices make sense in the sentence. Vocabulary questions are written so that the con-text of the sentence seldom helps you to determine the meaning

of the word. Therefore, you must understand the vocabulary to select the correct choice

Strategies

Remember that your reading comprehension skills are not tested on this section of the test. Therefore you should not waste time reading the sentences. Simply look at the underlined word and

choose its synonym from among the four choices. This strategy will save you time and prevent

frustration.

You must choose the word that maintains the original meaning of the sentence. Be prepared

for unfamiliar vocabulary presented in unfamiliar contexts, but do not waste time reading the

sentences to determine the word's meaning. You will need this time for the Reading Comprehension section. If you do not know the word tested or can't determine its synonym, choose (B) or (C) as

your answer. On the TOEFL, (B) and (C) answers tend to be used slightly more than (A) and (D).

Also remember that answer choices that contain the same prefix or suffix or are pronounced like the underlined word are seldom the correct answers. Examine the following question.

Swallows are among the most agile passerine birds. (A)         Idle

(B)         swift (C)        fragile (D)         frail

Note that choices (A) and (C), idle and fragile, have sounds similar to agile. Such words are

not usually the correct choice. Such words are often used to distract you. Unless you are sure of the answer do not choose these words.

Let's see how to use our strategy with a sample item. Look at the sentence and look immediately to the underlined word. Do not read any other words in the sentence. Read the four choices and make your selection.

The spider wasp has a slender body with smokey or yellowish wings. (A)    tiny

(B)         long (C)          thin (D)         dark

The following is an illustration of how you should read the sentences.

+++ ++ +++ + ++++ +++ + slender ++++ ++++ ++++++ ++

+++++' +++ +++++ (A)          tiny

(B)         long (C)          thin (D)         dark

You should pay attention only to the underlined word and the choices that follow. If you

know the meaning of the word and recognize the synonym, there is no need to read the sentence. If you do not know the meaning of the underlined word, you must make an educated guess about its synonym. The context will not usually help you to determine the correct choice. All of the choices from this example fit into the sentence.

The spider wasp has a tiny body with smokey or yellowish wings. The spider wasp has a long body with smokey or yellowish wings. The spider wasp has a thin body with smokey or yellowish wings. The spider wasp has a dark body with smokey or yellowish wings.

These sentences show that the context does not help you determine the meaning of the underlined word. If you cannot decide on the answer, read the sentence. It may help you to remember any previous experience you have had with the word. If not, guess, and continue to the next question.

STRATEGIES TO REMEMBER

•             Do not waste time reading the sentences. Immediately look for the underlined word and

search for a synonym among the answer choices.

•             The sentence will not help you understand the meaning of the underlined word.

•             Analyze words quickly. Don't spend too much time studying word roots, prefixes, and suffixes.

•     Work quickly, but carefully. Conserve time for the second part of Section 3. Try to spend only 30 seconds on each question.

•     Words that contain similar sounds and spelling are usually not correct answers.

•     Always answer every question. If you must guess, choose (B) or (C) as your answer.

Read more »

Posted in: Learning English

China and Japan plan direct currency exchange agreement

China has been pushing for the yuan to become
an alternate reserve currency along with the US dollar

China and Japan have unveiled plans to promote direct exchange of their currencies in a bid to cut costs for companies and boost bilateral trade.

The deal will allow firms to convert the Chinese and Japanese currencies directly into each other.
Currently businesses in both countries need to buy US dollars before converting them into the desired currency, adding extra costs.
It is the latest step by China as it seeks a more global role for the yuan.
"Given the huge size of the trade volume between Asia's two biggest economies, this agreement is much more significant than any other pacts China has signed with other nations," Ren Xianfang of IHS Global Insight was quoted as saying by the Bloomberg news agency.
Source BBC

Read more »

Posted in: Asia,Business,Canada,Japan

S. Korean Groups in North Korea to Pay Respects

Two private South Korean delegations have crossed the heavily fortified border into North Korea to pay respects to its late leader Kim Jong Il.

The wife of the late former South Korean President Kim Dae-jung, Lee Hee-ho, center,
and Hyundai Group chairman Hyun Jeong-eun, right, prepare to depart from
the Inter-Korean Transit Terminal from the border village of Paju in the demilitarized zone,
Monday, Dec. 26, 2011.

The delegation were led by the widow of former South Korean President Kim Dae-jung, who held a landmark summit with Kim Jong Il in 2000, and Hyundai Group chairwoman Hyun Jeong-eun, whose late husband had ties to the North.

South Korea only is allowing the two groups to visit and pay condolences for Mr. Kim's death.

Pyongyang accused Seoul of preventing other South Koreans from crossing the border to pay respects, and suggested the move could strain relations between the two countries.

Preparations are under way for a Wednesday funeral for Mr. Kim, who is said to have died December 17.

Source VOA

Read more »

Posted in: Asia,Korea

Head of Arab League Mission Reaches Syria

A Sudanese general arrived in Damascus Sunday to head an Arab League observer mission to Syria, as the country's top opposition leader urged the group to bring the United Nations into the effort to stop the government's bloody crackdown on dissent.

General Mohammed al-Dabi traveled to Syria after meeting Arab League chief Nabil Elaraby in Cairo, where he outlined a "road map" for the mission's work. A group of 50 more monitors is expected to arrive Monday.

A young Syrian Kurd protests outside the Arab League offices
in an eastern neighborhood of the Lebanese capital Beirut on December 25, 2011.

In a video message broadcast Sunday, Paris-based Syrian National Council leader Burhan Ghalioun said the league should step up pressure on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad by asking the U.N. Security Council to adopt the Arab initiative.

Russia and China have blocked efforts by Western powers to use the Council to condemn the Syrian government and impose sanctions on it for continuing the crackdown.

Ghalioun also called on the league to send observers to the besieged city of Homs and other locations where government troops are intensifying a bloody crackdown on dissent.

Syria agreed to the 150-member observer mission under pressure from the Arab League, which wants to monitor Syrian compliance with a plan requiring the government to end its deadly suppression of a nine-month pro-democracy uprising.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights told VOA that pro-Assad forces killed at least six people in Homs on Sunday in shelling and shooting attacks. It said government forces also killed three people in the northeastern town of Deir Ezzor.

London-based Observatory spokesman Mousab Azzawi said Syrian military helicopters were flying over Homs to try to locate the signals of satellite phones used by local activists to inform the rights group about the crackdown.

It is not possible to independently verify casualty figures in Syria because the government bars international journalists from operating freely in the country.

The United Nations estimates 5,000 people have been killed in violence linked to the uprising since it began in March with protests against Mr. Assad's 11-year autocratic rule. Syria says "armed terrorists" are driving the revolt and accuses them of killing 2,000 security personnel during that period.

Source Voanews.com

Read more »

Posted in: Asia,Mid-East,Society,violence

Pope: World Youth Day example of "new evangelization put into practise" against the crisis of faith

Finding an answer to "faith fatigue" is the true "reform" that the Church has needed in recent years. World Youth Days have a sense of belonging to the Church, the gift of their time, adoration of God, awareness of need of forgiveness, joy in being loved by God 

Vatican City (AsiaNews) - A new experience of the universality of the Church, doing good "simply because doing good is good", adoration of God for the "certainty of God’s tangible love," recognizing that " that we need forgiveness over and over again, and that forgiveness brings responsibility" to have the joy that comes from the certainty of being loved. These characteristics of the World Youth Day are, according to Benedict XVI, an example of "new evangelization put into practice" an instrument of the struggle against the "crisis of faith" which is the goal of the Church of our day.

The forum for the exchange of Christmas greetings with the Roman Curia is a traditional occasion for the pope to gave a state of the Church address at the end the year that was and ahead of the year about to begin and even today Benedict XVI highlighted the important events of 2011 in perspective of "the great theme of this year as well as future years": "how to proclaim the Gospel today."

Thus, the "economic and financial crisis" that Europe is experiencing as this year draws to a close "in the final analysis, is based on the ethical crisis that threatens the Old Continent, which is ultimately based on the ethical crisis looming over the Old Continent. Even if such values as solidarity, commitment to one’s neighbour and responsibility towards the poor and suffering are largely uncontroversial, still the motivation is often lacking for individuals and large sectors of society to practise renunciation and make sacrifices. Perception and will do not necessarily go hand in hand. " " In this sense, some quite fundamental questions emerge from this crisis: where is the light that is capable of illuminating our perception not merely with general ideas, but with concrete imperatives? Where is the force that draws the will upwards? These are questions that must be answered by our proclamation of the Gospel, by the new evangelization, so that message may become event, so that proclamation may lead to life".

“Not only faithful believers but also outside observers are noticing with concern that regular churchgoers are growing older all the time and that their number is constantly diminishing; that recruitment of priests is stagnating; that scepticism and unbelief are growing. What, then, are we to do? There are endless debates over what must be done in order to reverse the trend. There is no doubt that a variety of things need to be done. But action alone fails to resolve the matter. The essence of the crisis of the Church in Europe – as I argued in Freiburg – is the crisis of faith. If we find no answer to this, if faith does not take on new life, deep conviction and real strength from the encounter with Jesus Christ, then all other reforms will remain ineffective”.

In this sense, according to the Pope, “the encounter with Africa’s joyful passion for faith brought great encouragement. None of the faith fatigue that is so prevalent here, none of the oft-encountered sense of having had enough of Christianity was detectable there. Amid all the problems, sufferings and trials that Africa clearly experiences, one could still sense the people’s joy in being Christian, buoyed up by inner happiness at knowing Christ and belonging to his Church. From this joy comes also the strength to serve Christ in hard-pressed situations of human suffering, the strength to put oneself at his disposal, without looking round for one’s own advantage. Encountering this faith that is so ready to sacrifice and so full of happiness is a powerful remedy against fatigue with Christianity such as we are experiencing in Europe today”.

“A further remedy against faith fatigue was the wonderful experience of World Youth Day in Madrid. This was new evangelization put into practice. Again and again at World Youth Days, a new, more youthful form of Christianity can be seen,” the characteristics of which Benedict XVI described under five headings.

The first “a new experience of catholicity, of the Church’s universality. This is what struck the young people and all the participants quite directly: we come from every continent, but although we have never met one another, we know one another. We speak different languages, we have different ways of life and different cultural backgrounds, yet we are immediately united as one great family. Outward separation and difference is relativized. We are all moved by the one Lord Jesus Christ, in whom true humanity and at the same time the face of God himself is revealed to us. We pray in the same way. The same inner encounter with Jesus Christ has stamped us deep within with the same structure of intellect, will and heart. And finally, our common liturgy speaks to our hearts and unites us in a vast family. In this setting, to say that all humanity are brothers and sisters is not merely an idea: it becomes a real shared experience, generating joy. And so we have also understood quite concretely: despite all trials and times of darkness, it is a wonderful thing to belong to the worldwide Church that the Lord has given to us”.

“From this derives a new way of living our humanity, our Christianity”. This was witnessed by the 20 thousand volunteers “all of whom devoted weeks or months of their lives to working on the technical, organizational and material preparations for World Youth Day,”. “Those who give their time always give a part of their lives. At the end of the day, these young people were visibly and tangibly filled with a great sense of happiness: their time had meaning; in giving of their time and labour, they had found time, they had found life”. The offered up a part of their lives “looking ahead”. “How often the life of Christians is determined by the fact that first and foremost they look out for themselves, they do good, so to speak, for themselves. And how great is the temptation of all people to be concerned primarily for themselves; to look round for themselves and in the process to become inwardly empty, to become “pillars of salt””. “ut here it was not a matter of seeking fulfilment or wanting to live one’s life for oneself. These young people did good, even at a cost, even if it demanded sacrifice, simply because it is a wonderful thing to do good, to be there for others. All it needs is the courage to make the leap. Prior to all of this is the encounter with Jesus Christ, inflaming us with love for God and for others, and freeing us from seeking our own ego”.

The third element, adoration. “God is indeed ever-present. But again, the physical presence of the risen Christ is something different, something new. The risen Lord enters into our midst. And then we can do no other than say, with Saint Thomas: my Lord and my God! Adoration is primarily an act of faith – the act of faith as such. God is not just some possible or impossible hypothesis concerning the origin of all things. He is present. And if he is present, then I bow down before him. Then my intellect and will and heart open up towards him and from him. In the risen Christ, the incarnate God is present, who suffered for us because he loves us. We enter this certainty of God’s tangible love for us with love in our own hearts. This is adoration, and this then determines my life. Only thus can I celebrate the Eucharist correctly and receive the body of the Lord rightly”.

Another element that characterises the World Youth Days is “the presence of the Sacrament of Coonfession ”. “Here we recognize that we need forgiveness over and over again, and that forgiveness brings responsibility. Openness to love is present in man, implanted in him by the Creator, together with the capacity to respond to God in faith. But also present, in consequence of man’s sinful history (Church teaching speaks of original sin) is the tendency that is opposed to love – the tendency towards selfishness, towards becoming closed in on oneself, in fact towards evil. Again and again my soul is tarnished by this downward gravitational pull that is present within me. Therefore we need the humility that constantly asks God for forgiveness, that seeks purification and awakens in us the counterforce, the positive force of the Creator, to draw us upwards”.

The final characteristic of the spirituality of World Youth Days is joy. “Where does it come from? How is it to be explained? Certainly, there are many factors at work here. But in my view, the crucial one is this certainty, based on faith: I am wanted; I have a task; I am accepted, I am loved. Joseph Pieper, in his book on love, has shown that man can only accept himself if he is accepted by another. He needs the other’s presence, saying to him, with more than words: it is good that you exist. Only from the You can the I come into itself. Only if it is accepted, can it accept itself. Those who are unloved cannot even love themselves. This sense of being accepted comes in the first instance from other human beings. But all human acceptance is fragile. Ultimately we need a sense of being accepted unconditionally. Only if God accepts me, and I become convinced of this, do I know definitively: it is good that I exist. It is good to be a human being.”.

“It would take too long now to go into detail concerning the encounter in Assisi, as the significance of the event would warrant. Let us simply thank God, that as representatives of the world’s religions and as representatives of thinking in search of truth, we were able to meet that day in a climate of friendship and mutual respect, in love for the truth and in shared responsibility for peace. So let us hope that, from this encounter, a new willingness to serve peace, reconciliation and justice has emerged”.

Source: asianews.it

Read more »

Posted in: Christmas,Vatican

Pakistan Imran Khan rally draws tens of thousands

The BBC's Aleem Maqbool said thousands had turned up for the rally

Tens of thousands of people have turned out at a rally in the southern Pakistani city of Karachi for former cricketer turned politician Imran Khan. Mr Khan, who has been an established politician for many years but has struggled to win votes, has seen his support increase recently. Correspondents say he has been riding a wave of disillusionment, particularly among the urban middle class. The next national elections are scheduled for 2013. 'Potent power' The BBC's Aleem Maqbool, at the rally, says there were posters, banners and T-shirts espousing hope - clearly reminiscent of the sentiment that carried President Barack Obama to office in the US. One supporter there told the BBC: "I'm highly optimistic that Imran Khan has the potent power to bring in change which we highly need because our country can't survive without a fair and just leadership. 

"It doesn't matter that he's a cricketer or something else. Whatever he is, he is not a diplomat, he is not a liar."

But our correspondent says that despite winning support from many disillusioned Pakistanis, Mr Khan still has a lot of work to do to clarify exactly what he stands for and whether he really does have the ability to lead the country out of its troubles.

The turnout in Karachi was large, given Mr Khan's
traditional support base is in Punjab province

The two main parties - the PPP and the PML-N - are still strongly entrenched and Mr Khan has yet to spell out the specific policies of his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (Movement for Justice) party.
One policy Mr Khan has won support for his opposition to US drone strikes on militants inside Pakistani territory.
He also argues that foreign aid is fuelling corruption and should be stopped.
Mr Khan has won over key defectors such as the PPP's Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Javed Hashmi of the PML-N.
The turnout in Karachi was large, given Mr Khan's traditional support base is in Punjab province.

Source: BBC

Read more »

Posted in: Asia,Pakistan,Politics,Society

'Anonymous' hackers hit US security firm Stratfor

Stratfor urged its members to notify authorities
about any suspicious credit card activities

The activist hacker group Anonymous says it has stolen thousands of emails, passwords and credit card details from a US-based security think-tank.

The hackers claim they were able to obtain the information because the company, Stratfor, did not encrypt it.
They say Stratfor's clients include the US defence department, law enforcement agencies and media organisations.
The Austin-based company says it has now suspended the operation on its servers and email.
An alleged member of Anonymous posted an online message, claiming that the group had used Stratfor clients' credit card details to make "over a million dollars" in donations to different charities.
Stratfor later announced that it would keep its email and servers suspended for some time.
It also said the disclosure was "merely a list of some of the members that have purchased our publications and does not comprise a list of individuals or entities that have a relationship with Stratfor".
Anonymous has previously claimed responsibility for cyber attacks on financial institutions seen as enemies of the whistleblowing website Wikileaks.

Source BBC

Read more »

Posted in: Computer,Society,USA

Vietnam power utility's salaries subject to further inspection

The labor ministry will inspect salaries at the state-owned power utility Electricity of Vietnam (EVN) and some of its member companies, Tuoi Tre quoted Minister Pham Thi Hai Chuyen as saying Thursday.
Chuyen made the statement after the State Audit of Vietnam’s inspection revealed that EVN failed to “guarantee harmonious benefits among its units,” and to offer reasonable salaries to its employees, given huge losses it is suffering.
The minister said it is unknown when the inspectors will conclude their reviews, but the ministry will urge them to announce their findings as soon as possible, the newspaper reported.
It is impossible for corporations that don’t make profits like EVN to offer high salaries, Chuyen stressed.
According to the state auditors’ previously announced findings, in 2010 each employee of EVN corporation, or the parent company, was paid VND13.7 million (US$650) per month on average.
However, white-collar workers received nearly VND30 million ($1,400), while laborers received between VND7.8-10.8 million ($375-510), auditors said.
They said EVN could have reduced its losses, if it had adjusted salaries reasonably.
The utility’s cumulative losses as of this December 31 would be VND35.981 trillion ($1.7 billion), auditors said. Meanwhile, EVN estimated it would be VND40.4 trillion ($1.9 billion).
Arguments
An EVN official who wished to remain anonymous told Tuoi Tre that every year the utility sends salary proposals to the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs for approval

Under the ministry’s approval in 2009, for every 1,000 kWh of electricity sold, EVN would extract VND5,720 ($0.2) for its salary fund, he said, stressing that its salary payment was always in accordance approved figures.
He was quoted as saying that EVN did not pay salary in accordance with sales, because sales would increase whenever retail price goes up, causing people to misunderstand that it raises prices to increase salaries for its employees.
On the other hand, a source told Thanh Nien that: “The corporation’s current salary distribution is very unreasonable. At the office, some people just play on the computers for the whole day but receive VND30-40 million per month.”
There were 400 white-collar employees at the EVN corporation, and some of them were paid more than VND100 million ($4,700), meaning that every year it has to spend some VND144 billion ($6.8 million) on their salaries, the source said.
Meanwhile, in an interview with Thanh Nien, Nguyen Van Thanh, director of Hoa Binh Hydropower Company, a member of EVN, was surprised at the announced average monthly salary of VND13.7 million at the corporation.
He said his total income in a month was nearly VND10 million ($475), which was nothing compared with those of directors of small private companies.
Hydropower workers required to work in dangerous trenches were paid just VND3-4 million, while senior workers with long-term experience barely received VND10 million, Thanh said.
Since his company still depends on the corporation, it has to contribute its profits to EVN, which employs nearly 10,000 people, according to the director. Hoa Binh’s workers could have received much better salaries, but due to the contribution, they were too low, he added.
Due to low salaries, competent people quit, Thanh said, adding that they had reported the problem to EVN many times, but the issue was never resolved.
A leader of Da Nhim – Ham Thuan – Da Mi Hydropower Plant in the central province of Ninh Thuan also said his workers received VND4-7 million a month, depending on their skills. Just half of the workers were paid high salaries, he added.
Since last month, people have been questioned about salaries at EVN, after its Director General Pham Van Thanh claimed at a meeting on November 19 that his employees were paid VND7.3 million per month in 2009, which he said was too low and that he was “heartbroken” about it.
The statement quickly provoked objections from the public and media, given that an EVN worker’s salary is considered among the top salaries in the state-owned sector where employees are paid VND3.8 million per month on average.

By Mai Ha, Thanh Nien News

Read more »

Posted in: Society,Vietnam

HCMC aims to protect tourists from robberies

Group of security guards help foreign tourists cross the street in Ho Chi Minh City

Ho Chi Minh City authorities are deploying measures to protect tourists in response to the increasing number of robberies aimed at foreigners in the city.
Last Friday afternoon, Trung Hieu, a security guard at Ben Thanh market’s East gate heard two tourists shouting “Robbers, robbers” from a distance.

On arriving at the scene, he found a Japanese woman in her 20s panicking, crying on her boyfriend’s shoulder.

Hieu and his colleagues quickly followed two bag snatchers riding a Dream bike towards Le Loi Street.

Stopped by locals at the Le Loi- Nguyen Trung Truc intersection, the thieves threw their bike down and ran away.

However, they were soon seized by Hieu and his colleagues.

After getting back the stolen iPhone, the Japanese tourists were happy and kept on saying thanks, Hieu recalled.

Tran Duy Phong, who serves as a security guard for the city’s Voluntary Youth League, said robberies in Ho Chi Minh City have recently become complicated. His team’s duty is to ensure safety, help tourists cross the street, prevent them from being disturbed by hawkers, and keep them alert of street robbers.

“When we see tourists exposing a bag or backpack, camera, or phone in an unsafe way, we will advise them to keep it closer to them to prevent robbery. Also, when spot tourists acting as if they are unsure of something, we inquire and help them to find a solution,” he said.

Phong recalled one day when he was patrolling around the De Tham and Bui Vien intersection, in District 1, when he saw a young man riding an Air Blade grab a female Canadian tourist’s purse. Immediately, he and two colleagues ran after the robber.

An electrician working nearby used a wooden ladder to block the way, causing the thief to fall off his bike. He quickly got up and ran away.

But after being chased to a dead end, the thief started to act innocent.

“I didn’t do anything, why did you follow me?” he asked the guards.

However, the tourist’s wallet in his pants pocket told the story. The thief was soon taken to the Ben Thanh ward police station.

According to Phong, guards from the city’s Voluntary Youth League go on shifts to ensure security for tourists visiting Ho Chi Minh City. Although they have limited English proficiency, these young guards can still carry on basic conversations with tourists.

“The end of the year and the Tet holiday are prime times for thievery around the Ben Thanh market; we cannot be inattentive,” Phong warned.

Recently, many local netizens have spread the story of Doris and Kay, two tourists from Hong Kong who had to sell their own pictures in the city’s Pham Ngu Lao backpacker area after being robbed of all their possessions, including passports, last Thursday.

While sitting on the back of a bike, Doris had carefully put her bag between her and the driver. However, the thief still managed to snatch it and get away.

“Thieves are present in every country, but it was the first time I’ve seen someone riding a scooter and robbing bag at the same time. This is a lesson for me if I return to Vietnam,” said Kay, Doris’s boyfriend.

Nguyen Viet Anh, head of the Travel Division of the city's Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, told newswire VnExpress that robberies targeting foreigners in the city happen frequently and are on the rise.

“We held a meeting with the city’s People Committees and related departments to find solutions to reduce robberies in the city,” he said.

The department will cooperate with local police and tighten security and patrol forces to protect tourists from theft.

It also demands that restaurants, hotels, and travel agencies in tourist areas equip travelers with information on how to take care of their belongings, as well as how to deal with robberies.

“Tour guides should know hotlines to call security guards in the area or local police so that they can find a quick solution for robbed tourists,” he said.

Source tuoitrenews.vn

Read more »

Posted in: Experimental Society,Tour in Vietnam,Vietnam