KI Media: “China has 'confidence' in the euro despite crisis” plus 24 more |
- China has 'confidence' in the euro despite crisis
- "United, we live - Disunited, we perish": Op-Ed by Ven. Maha Phirum
- The Mango Tree - By Peauladd Huy
- SRP to hold its congress on 11 September 2011
- Khmer Krom Dragons Wins Gold at Tampa Bay [-Congratulations to our Khmer Krom brothers and sisters!]
- Wikileaks: UN discussed dropping #003
- Speak Truth To Power Series in KI-Media - Francisco Soberón (Peru) “Human Rights”
- Former Cambodian King In China for Medical Checkup
- Petrol prices squeeze domestic consumers
- Beer promoter in hospital
- PM bodyguards get multi-million tank store
- Tenth ECCC Plenary Session Concludes
- Bart Simpson to the Wise
- Brain Food for those who discriminate against the Poor
- 60+ workers injured in road accident
- Beer promoters burn tires in front of Angkor Beer
- Yim Sovann: I’ve never seen a country leader in the world with so many bodyguards as Hun Xen
- Cambodia prepares biggest handout of mosquito nets to beat malaria
- Q+A: Massive cyber attack dubbed "Operation Shady RAT"
- Biggest-ever series of cyber attacks uncovered, U.N. hit
- PLEASE REMOVE PHOTO FROM THE TOILET ... if you insist
- Cambodia's former king heads to China for check-up (ទៅហើយមកវិញគេហៅថា… ស្អីអ៊ីចេះ?)
- My dignity, my beer
- ‘Worrisome’ NGO Law Moves to Council for Approval
- US Organization Seeks To Unify Cambodian Voice
| China has 'confidence' in the euro despite crisis Posted: 03 Aug 2011 02:50 PM PDT Thursday, August 04, 2011 AFP BEIJING — China said Wednesday it remained confident in the euro despite the deepening debt crisis and considered the European financial market as one of its "primary investment destinations". The comments by foreign minister Yang Jiechi came after Beijing signalled it would further diversify its massive foreign exchange holdings away from the dollar after the US government pushed through a deal to borrow more money. "China has always maintained confidence in the euro zone and the euro and treated the European financial market as one of its primary investment destinations," Yang told journalists during a trip to Albania. "China believes that a prosperous and stable Europe is important for world stability and development," Yang said, according to a statement posted on the foreign ministry website. "We support the proactive measures adopted by the EU and the IMF to bring stability and growth back to Europe." China has previously backed efforts to rescue debt-laden European economies -- key buyers of Chinese exports -- and has vowed to buy euro-denominated sovereign bonds to help the region resolve the crisis. Yang's public support for the euro comes after US President Barack Obama finally signed an emergency bill on Tuesday that averted what would have been a disastrous debt default for the world's biggest economy. China's official Xinhua news agency -- a mouthpiece of the government -- warned that tortured efforts to raise the US borrowing limit had failed to defuse Washington's "debt bomb". Central bank governor Zhou Xiaochuan delivered a more measured statement and welcomed the deal, but indicated China would further diversify its holdings away from the greenback. China, sitting on the world's biggest foreign exchange reserves of around $3.2 trillion as of the end of June, is the largest holder of US Treasury bonds. China Investment Corp, set up in 2007 to invest a chunk of the country's hefty foreign-exchange stockpile, has been trying to diversify since the global financial crisis struck in 2008. The $400-billion sovereign wealth fund has been increasing its already substantial holdings in European bonds to get better returns but exact figures on the size of China's euro holdings are hard to find. Analysts estimate its stockpile is relatively small, with most of it in large countries such as Germany and France.  | ||||
| "United, we live - Disunited, we perish": Op-Ed by Ven. Maha Phirum Posted: 03 Aug 2011 02:37 PM PDT | ||||
| The Mango Tree - By Peauladd Huy Posted: 03 Aug 2011 02:33 PM PDT Asia Literary Review Vol. 17, Autumn 2010 Poetry | Cambodia Before the Bones Peauladd Huy The Mango Tree I know my time is near. Outside, the mango tree has been empty for quite some time now; newer leaves are now budding with clustered flowers. Not long now till the buds mature, weighing down the branches. Sometimes, the limb knows how fragile the mind can be: too much, and it stops redirecting – starts to believe that harm comes from flaws in former lives. Unredeemed sins. This torture. The pain is sharper now, the world more blurred – bars lining the window, a gentler smeary-grey. The shackles blend metal into flesh. How is it possible for other humans to devise these tortures, to have the courage to stomp upon already hollow bodies? O unspeakable human facility to harm one another. The mangoes ripen; the birds, the flies and squirrels will help themselves to the ones high up; and those that fall will be eaten by worms. I think that those same worms which have made me and my grave-mates into soil and bones will eat those sweet, fallen mangoes.  | ||||
| SRP to hold its congress on 11 September 2011 Posted: 03 Aug 2011 01:37 PM PDT   | ||||
| Khmer Krom Dragons Wins Gold at Tampa Bay [-Congratulations to our Khmer Krom brothers and sisters!] Posted: 03 Aug 2011 01:32 PM PDT 
Written by: Cathleen Phimorong Kim Long Beach, California Source: http://www.khmerkrom.net/node/4271 The 2011 International Dragon Boat Federation (IDBF) held their 1st Pan American Club Crew Championship (PACCC) in Tampa, Florida on July 30-31. It was a two day competition where it consisted of 200 meters, 500 meters and 2000 meters at the Seddon Channel in front of the convention center. This was the first time IDBF had made this competition a 10 man dragon boat (small boat) consisting of 12 paddlers (including steer person & drummer). There were different Club dragon boat teams throughout the Pan American regions and international countries that participated in this competition. This was a new race venue for me and for the Khmer-Krom Dragons (KKD). The KKD team is from Seattle/Tacoma, Washington with members ranging from 16 years old to early 50s. While some of the paddlers were of a different ethnicity, they paddle together in unity to represent Khmer-Krom. I was their guest female paddler from Long Beach, California, who paddles with Los Angeles Racing Dragon (LARD). I am also Khmer-Krom and to be invited to paddle with KKD was an honor to me. The first race day (Saturday) was the 200 meters race followed by the 2000 meters in the late afternoon. Upon arrival to the race venue I was surprised to see many members of the Khmer-Krom community looking very excited about the KKD races. Prior to the start of the race, we were all given a traditional blessing by Khmer-Krom monks, Venerable Chantha, Venerable Danh Tol and Venerable Kim Moeun. Our Open Premier team (consisted mostly of youth male paddlers & one 16 years old female paddler) was the first group to race that morning. We came second in the semi-finals. In the finals, we finished second after the Excellent Stores Titians (Spain) with a time of 57.12 seconds. The Open Mixed team (consisted of the adult paddlers with a minimum of 4 female paddlers) was second in the semi-finals and advanced to the grand final. In an exciting race from start to finish, our team came first with a time of 59.49 seconds beating the Red Dragons Miami by less than one second. In the late afternoon the Open Mix participated in the 2000 meters race paddling two laps in a semi square/oval race course (500 meters length & width). This race was based on time to see who places overall first, second and third. The 500 meters race was held on Sunday. Since it was the first time for KKD to race a 10 man boat it made the race even more challenging. Our Open Premier (men squad) team came fourth in the semi-finals, but we still had time to redeem ourselves in the finals. Our Open Mix team came second in the semi-finals, which demonstrated to our men squad team to watch and learn to be prepared for their final race. How did the mix team teach the men squad? It was a slight change of the line up in the seating arrangement of the boat. Cel (female paddler) and I were moved up to stroke because we were more experienced. Earlier in the 2000 meters race we were placed together in the boat where it made the race less intense, but more calm thus eliminating any problems that may occur during the race. The coach made the decision to keep this same line up for the 500 meters. As a result of the move our Open Mix team placed second and advanced onto the grand finals. Learning through observation our men squad team went into the finals and came in second overall. When our mix team was preparing for our heat, thunderstorms put a halt to the races for over an hour. During that time, the IDBF did the award ceremony for the 200 meters. When they called the team to receive the first place (mix team) & second place (men team) medals, our paddlers and supporters erupted in cheers. After all of the awards were given, the weather was finally calm enough for the 500 meters race to continue. At this point of the race the open mix competition was not an easy one. It was a challenging heat where KKD was up against 5 other top teams and that meant it was a fight to the finish. The intensity and aggression from all 6 boats made it a neck to neck race where it was hard to tell who came in what place. Unfortunately, the KKD Open Mix team did not medal in the final, but we took that experience to know what it takes for future races. However, the KKD Open Premier took home a silver medal. Overall, what made both days of racing amazing was how many supporters we had from our Khmer-Krom community. Over 100 supporters from Orlando, St Petersburg, Philadelphia, Arizona, California and many other states flocked to Tampa Bay to see our Khmer Krom Dragons race. An unforgettable sight for me was seeing our Khmer Krom people proudly wave our flags from the starting line and then to hear them cheer louder as we reached the finish line. It is this type of support that gives our team the energy to be "winners." We took home one Gold and two Silver medals. Thank you to everyone in KYA & KKF for their moral and financial support as well as the accommodation for the past two days. Also, a special thanks to KKD for inviting me to participate with your team and making me part of your family.  | ||||
| Wikileaks: UN discussed dropping #003 Posted: 03 Aug 2011 09:52 AM PDT
United Nations officials discussed shutting down Cambodia's war crimes tribunal without hearing a politically sensitive case involving two former Khmer Rouge leaders, according to a classified US diplomatic cable disclosed by Wikileaks. 3 August 2011 By Jared Ferrie, Bangkok International Justice Desk (RNW)
The case – known as 003 – is at the centre of a controversy that has observers questioning the court's ability to act independently of pressure from the Cambodian government, which has repeatedly said it will not allow the trial to go forward. Victims were outraged when investigating judges announced on April 29 the conclusion of the investigation into 003, despite failing to interview witnesses or even the suspects themselves, or inspecting potential mass grave sites. Observers accused judges of failing to properly investigate 003, because they were reluctant to turn up evidence that would force the case go to trial. Many suspected the investigative judges' handling of the case was evidence that the UN had made an internal decision not to bring the case to trial at the tribunal. The judges have strongly denied such claims, and the UN insists there has been no internal decision to shut down the case. "The United Nations categorically rejects media speculation that we have instructed the Co-Investigating Judges to dismiss Case 003," said UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in June 14 statement. He added that the UN would ensure that the court "has sufficient resources to undertake its work." Cable records talk of killing case But a cable from the US embassy in Phnom Penh, recently released by the anti-secrecy group Wikileaks, indicates that UN officials did discuss removing 003 from the tribunal's caseload. During a January 11, 2010, meeting of donors to the tribunal, Knut Rosandhaug, a UN court administrator, cited funding concerns. And, according to the cable, he "broached the subject of transferring case 003 to the domestic court to further reduce the total amount required to the tribunal." Such a move would indeed reduce the financial burden of the court, which continually struggles to find funding. But doing so would also undoubtedly kill the problematic case, as Cambodia's legal system is infamously corrupt and controlled by the very government that opposes 003. Alex Bates, a former prosecutor at the tribunal, said UN officials would have long foreseen difficulties arising with 003 and made contingency plans. "With all the people in the UN – and they've got some good people there who would have thought long and hard about how this will play out – you have to think this was some form of predetermined strategy," said Bates. Legal staff under pressure The implications of any strategy to transfer 003 to domestic courts would have been obvious. "The judges and the prosecutors are completely in the hands of their political masters," Bates said of Cambodia's legal system. He added that Cambodian employees at the tribunal – a hybrid of national and international legal systems that employs dual staff at every level – did not escape such political pressure. "It cannot be underestimated how much my former Cambodian colleagues were being scrutinized by the people in power," said Mr Bates. "Nothing happens in Cambodia without the approval of the CPP (the ruling Cambodian People's Party)." Suspects were high-level cadres Case 003 involves former Khmer Rouge Air Force Commander Sou Met and Navy Commander Meas Mut, according to a confidential court document leaked to journalists. Both men were also influential members of the regime's communist party, prosecutors claimed in the document. "In particular, Sou Met and Meas Mut participated in a criminal plan to purge the RAK [Revolutionary Army of Kampuchia] of all undesirable elements, which resulted in at least thousands and quite probably tens of thousands of deaths," prosecutors alleged. Given the seriousness of the charges, the senior rank of the suspects, and the detailed case built by prosecutors, many questioned why judges failed to perform an exhaustive investigation. Watchdog groups including the Open Society Justice Initiative called on the UN to hold an inquiry into the conduct of the co-investigating judges, Cambodian You Bunleng and German Siegfried Blunk. Officials can't quell concern The UN refused to launch such a probe. And the judges maintained in a May 26 statement that they "have worked independently from outside interference, and will continue to resist all such attempts and are resolved to defend their independence against outside interference, wherever it may come from." In his June statement, Ban sought to reassure critics, saying that closing the investigation into 003 was only "an interim procedural step". The Pre-Trial Chamber is now considering a request by Lead Prosecutor Andrew Cayley to ask the Blunk and You to reopen the investigation. Such a move would certainly bolster the court's battered image. But statements by UN and court officials have done little to alleviate concerns among victims and observers who continue to claim that the tribunal is caving to political pressure. "We expected, to a degree, the Cambodian personnel to align unquestioningly with the dictates of Cambodian politics," said Theary Seng, a Khmer Rouge victim and activist who wrote Daughter of the Killing Fields. "But what is totally unacceptable and sickening is the UN succumbing to the same domestic politics."  | ||||
| Speak Truth To Power Series in KI-Media - Francisco Soberón (Peru) “Human Rights” Posted: 03 Aug 2011 09:39 AM PDT | ||||
| Former Cambodian King In China for Medical Checkup Posted: 03 Aug 2011 09:32 AM PDT
Voice of America Cambodia's ailing former king, Norodom Sihanouk, has left the country for what is being described as routine medical testing in China. The 88-year-old monarch, who remains a revered figure in his homeland, has undergone numerous rounds of testing and treatments in China since first being diagnosed with cancer in the early 1990s. He also suffers from diabetes and hypertension. The king and his wife left Phnom Penh for Beijing Wednesday. Details of his China itinerary have not been disclosed. Sihanouk abruptly quit the throne in 2004 in favor of his son, citing old age and health concerns.  | ||||
| Petrol prices squeeze domestic consumers Posted: 03 Aug 2011 09:23 AM PDT
Wednesday, 03 August 2011 Ty Samphors Vicheka and Sim Virinea The Phnom Penh Post Soaring prices for gasoline and goods have hurt some Cambodian consumers, causing what economists have said was a drop in the living standard of the Kingdom's lower-income population. "People need to spend more money to make ends meet if prices keep increasing," said economist Chan Sophal. The rising costs of gasoline and other goods are weighing on low-income Cambodians, subtracting from their ability to buy the products they need, he said. Gasoline traded at 5,300 riel per litre in Phnom Penh yesterday, an increase of about 12 percent so far this year, according to the Commerce Ministry's daily statistics. Oil prices have increased globally, with Brent Crude trading at US$116.35 a barrel on the London-based ICE exchange yesterday, from less than $80 a year ago. Thorn Sarum, 18, a security guard working in Phnom Penh, said he has struggled with those issues since arriving in the city two months ago. "I earn $90 per month, but I have never sent my salary to my parents back home because everything here is really expensive. I need to pay for rent, water and some food," he said. Others in Phnom Penh are trying to stretch their wages in order to support their families here. Chhay Samrithy, a 42-year-old primary school teacher at Chak Angrey Phum 3, said she earns 340,000 riel a month, or about $85, which isn't enough to meet her family's needs. "I have five children whose studies I spend a lot of money on, and everything is more and more expensive, especially the price of rice, food and gasoline. That makes my family face many challenges," she said. Businesses have also felt the effects of inflation. Thol Sokny, a gasoline vendor in Kampong Cham's Memot district, said the pressure on consumers from higher costs has resulted in declining customer traffic. As a result, she is now considering a salaried job instead. "I want to quit my business to work as a staff for one company because being a seller cannot improve my family conditions," she said. Still, increased prices for some goods benefit Cambodia's producers, particularly farmers. Ministry of Economy and Finance Secretary of State Hang Chuon Naron pointed out that rising prices for agricultural products such as rice benefits farmers. He added the government was taking steps to encourage farmers to plant in-demand crops such as palm oil, and was investing in electricity production to decrease costs. The National Bank of Cambodia is considering a measure to rein in inflation by increasing reserve requirements for domestic banks. NBC Director General and Spokeswoman Nguon Sokha has said inflation could hit up to 9 percent this year. Experts at the Asian Development Bank have said inflation ought to hit about 5.5 percent this year, while the International Monetary Fund estimates Cambodia's average inflation will be about 6.5 percent this year. In July, Minister of Economy and Finance Keat Chhon raised Cambodia's inflation target to 5.5 percent for 2011, from a 5 percent target set previously for the year.  | ||||
| Posted: 03 Aug 2011 09:15 AM PDT
The Phnom Penh Post One Angkor beer promoter was hospitalised yesterday after reportedly being struck by a company minivan and another three feinted from smoke inhalation when police attempted to extinguish flames from tyres they had set alight on the eighth day of their strike. Yoeun Sreymon, 29, was taken to Bayon Hospital after being knocked down by a red Angkor minivan, fellow strikers said. They said she was pregnant and that she was unconscious when they took her to the private hospital for undisclosed injuries. Phnom Penh Police commissioner Touch Naroth said last night he had told his officers to show restraint, but also to prevent the women from burning tyres. "I assure you that my officers did not cause any injuries," he said. The women have been protesting outside the head office of their employer, Cambrew, for eight days in a dispute over unpaid overtime. Cambrew executives have declined to meet them or comment on the strike. Carlsberg, which owns half of the company, said last week it was investigating. The strikers said Carlsberg has yet to speak to any of them about the US$2 of overtime the Arbitration Council ruled on July 7 that Cambrew owed them for each Sunday they worked. More than 30 women were joined yesterday by representatives from another union, the Coalition of Cambodian Apparel Workers' Democratic Union. Its president, Ath Thorn, said Cambrew had agreed to a meeting at 2:30pm and then cancelled. Ath Thorn described this as another example of the company's unwillingness to settle the dispute. If the company did not settle the dispute, his union would take action, Ath Thorn said. Chou Choung Kim, a spokesman for Cambrew, said its lawyer would reach a settlement with the strikers today. Police chief Touch Naroth said: "The police cannot solve this dispute. It's up to the Arbitration Council and the company. I don't know why it has not been solved." He said the municipality would intervene tomorrow. Deputy governor Pa Socheatvong would meet with the strikers and try to find a solution, he said.  | ||||
| PM bodyguards get multi-million tank store Posted: 03 Aug 2011 09:06 AM PDT Wednesday, 03 August 2011 Vong Sokheng The Phnom Penh Post A US$28 million warehouse, in which Hun Sen's bodyguard unit will store its tanks and military vehicles, was opened yesterday. Hundreds of high-ranking military officials attended the official inauguration of the storehouse in Takhmao town in Kandal province yesterday, with the head of the bodyguard unit vowing to support Hun Sen in the 2013 elections and ensure the safety of his family. "We are all determined to ensure the safety of Prime Minister Hun Sen," said Hing Bunheang yesterday. He added that tanks, armoured vehicles and other military equipment would be stored at the warehouse thanks to donations from tycoons and the governments of Vietnam, China and Korea. Official statistics detailing the number of bodyguards is not available. But a participant in the inauguration, who did not want to be named, said yesterday that hundreds of tanks and armoured vehicles were being kept at the store. The strength of the unit has drawn criticism from opposition parties. Yim Sovann, a lawmaker from the opposition Sam Rainsy Party, said: "I have never seen country leaders in the world have as many bodyguards surrounding themselves as has Hun Sen." "I think that spending the national budget to support many bodyguards would impact the living conditions of the poor and create more corruption in the country," he added.  | ||||
| Tenth ECCC Plenary Session Concludes Posted: 03 Aug 2011 09:02 AM PDT Source: ECCC 3 August 2011 PRESS RELEASE TENTH ECCC PLENARY SESSION CONCLUDES The Tenth Plenary Session of the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia concluded today, having met from Monday 1 to Wednesday 3 August 2011. The Plenary considered proposals to amend its Internal Rules in order to promote efficient trial management and more expeditious trial proceedings. By the close of the Plenary, several proposed amendments to the Internal Rules were adopted. The Internal Rules relating to immediate appeals to the Supreme Court Chamber were amended to include provisions requiring the Supreme Court Chamber to issue a decision with a summary of its reasons within three months. In relation to immediate appeals against Trial Chamber decisions which have the effect of terminating proceedings, the Supreme Court Chamber may, in exceptional circumstances, extend the period for issuing such decisions by a further month. If the Supreme Court Chamber does not issue a decision within the limited time prescribed or if it is unable to reach a super-majority on any immediate appeal, the decision of the Trial Chamber becomes final. The rule on conducting an inquiry into the cause of death of a person in custody was amended so that the performance of an autopsy is not mandatory, in compliance with Cambodian practice and applicable rules at international criminal tribunals. A further rule amendment concerned the rule relating to the Judicial Administration Committee, which will now meet at the initiative of the President instead of on a monthly basis. Modifications were made to the Practice Directions concerning the filing of documents and editorial changes were also made to the Appeals Provisions in order to harmonize the three languages of the ECCC Internal Rules.  | ||||
| Posted: 03 Aug 2011 07:54 AM PDT   | ||||
| Brain Food for those who discriminate against the Poor Posted: 03 Aug 2011 07:48 AM PDT My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism. Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in. If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, "Here's a good seat for you," but say to the poor man, "You stand there" or "Sit on the floor by my feet," have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him? But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court? Are they not the ones who are blaspheming the noble name of him to whom you belong? If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, "Love your neighbor as yourself," you are doing right. But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers. For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. For he who said, "You shall not commit adultery," also said, "You shall not murder." If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker. Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
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| 60+ workers injured in road accident Posted: 03 Aug 2011 02:26 AM PDT http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOHjWQFnx7g&feature=player_embedded  | ||||
| Beer promoters burn tires in front of Angkor Beer Posted: 03 Aug 2011 02:23 AM PDT http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bbal4jfrxdo&feature=player_embedded  | ||||
| Yim Sovann: I’ve never seen a country leader in the world with so many bodyguards as Hun Xen Posted: 03 Aug 2011 02:01 AM PDT
03 August 2011 The Free Press Magazine Translated from Khmer by Soch Click here to read the original article in Khmer Yim Sovann, spokesman for the Sam Rainsy Party – the top opposition party in Cambodia, had strongly criticized a CPP party leader who maintains a huge number of bodyguards. Yim Sovann said that this action affects the livelihood of the poor. Yim Sovann's criticisms came yesterday, after the inauguration of a warehouse for tanks belonging to Hun Xen's bodyguard unit which was built a cost of $28 million. Yim Sovann told The Phnom Penh Post: "I've never seen any country leader in the world with so many bodyguards as PM Hun Xen, and I think that the national budget used to maintain this bodyguard unit will affect the livelihood of the poor and it will create corruption inside the country." At the same time, Rong Chhun, President of the Cambodia Independent Teachers' Association (CITA), criticized the fact the PM has so many bodyguards, it will affect social problems. "I believe that the bodyguards for the PM, the ministers and other high-ranking officials have used their influence on social problems, such as in illegal logging, land-grabbing and various disputes etc…" The exact number of bodyguards for Hun Xen is not officially announced. However, based on the size of the warehouse for tanks, armored personal carriers (APC) and military gears yesterday, [Hun Xen's bodyguard unit's warehouse can] store hundreds of tanks and APC in there.  | ||||
| Cambodia prepares biggest handout of mosquito nets to beat malaria Posted: 03 Aug 2011 01:00 AM PDT 03.08.2011 Trend (Azerbaijan) The government said Wednesday millions of at-risk Cambodians would be given mosquito nets in a significant effort to prevent malaria, DPA reported. Dr Char Meng Chuor, the director of the National Center for Malaria Control, said authorities would start distributing 2.7 million nets treated with insecticide next month. He expected the programme would take a month and cost 12 million dollars, paid for by the Global Fund. "This is our biggest distribution (of mosquito nets) and covers all of the high-risk areas of 2.5 million people in 4,079 villages," Char said. The distribution is part of Phnom Penh's strategy to eliminate malaria by 2025. The World Health Organization, which is providing technical assistance, said deaths from the mosquito-borne disease halved between 2009 and 2010 to around 135. "And we are optimistic it will be lower this year," said Dr Najibullah Habib, the project manager at WHO's malaria containment programme. He said Cambodia had a cultural acceptance of using bed nets, and cited a 2009 distribution of several hundred thousand nets to one high-risk area which resulted in a rapid reduction in malaria cases. In June, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria announced it had distributed 190 million insecticide-treated bed nets worldwide since 2003. It said 70 million of those had been handed out in the previous 12 months.  | ||||
| Q+A: Massive cyber attack dubbed "Operation Shady RAT" Posted: 03 Aug 2011 12:54 AM PDT Wed Aug 3, 2011 By Jim Finkle BOSTON (Reuters) - Hackers breached the computer networks of 72 organizations around the world over a five-year period, in the biggest hacking campaign discovered to date, security firm McAfee said on Wednesday. Here are questions and answers on the attacks, dubbed "Operation Shady RAT" by McAfee, which was bought by Intel Corp earlier this year: Q. Who are the victims? A. They include: - Governments of Canada, India, South Korea, Taiwan, United States and Vietnam. - International bodies such as the United Nations, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the International Olympic Committee, the World Anti-Doping Agency. - 12 U.S. defense contractors, 1 U.K. defense contractor. - Companies in construction, steel, energy, solar power, technology, satellite communications, accounting and media. - Other groups ranging from a U.S. insurance association to the Nevada county government and think tanks. McAfee declined to identify many of the victims by name. Q. When and how did the attacks take place? A. McAfee found evidence of security breaches dating back to mid-2006, but said the hacking might have begun well before that. Some of the attacks lasted just a month, others stretched to as many as 28 months. The hackers sent so-called spear-phishing emails, which are tainted with malicious software, to specific people at the targeted organizations. When the unsuspecting individual clicks on an infected link, it allows intruders to jump on to the machine and use it to infiltrate the computer network. Q. What information was stolen? A. McAfee investigators have done their best to guess what was likely stolen, based on interviews with a number of victims. McAfee Vice President of Threat Research Dmitri Alperovitch said the attacker sought data that would give it military, diplomatic and economic advantage. "If you look at an industry and think about what is most valuable in terms of intellectual property, that is what they were going after," Alperovitch said. As examples, he cited email archives, negotiation documents and schematics for electronics. Q. Who did it? A. McAfee's Alperovitch said he believes that a nation state was behind the attacks, but he declined to identify it. He said the attacker is the same country that was behind other security breaches that McAfee has previously investigated. Jim Lewis, an expert in cyber attacks with the Center for Strategic and International Studies, was briefed by McAfee. Lewis said the presence of Taiwan and the International Olympic Committee in the victims list suggest China is most likely the perpetrator of the attack. Q. How valuable is the data that was stolen? A. "This is the biggest transfer of wealth in terms of intellectual property in history," Alperovitch said. "The scale at which this is occurring is really, really frightening." "Companies and government agencies are getting raped and pillaged every day. They are losing economic advantage and national secrets to unscrupulous competitors," he said. Q. How did McAfee learn of these attacks? A. While investigating some attacks against defense contractors, McAfee researchers found a "command and control" server in 2009 used to manage the campaign. In March of this year, they returned to that computer and found logs that revealed all of the attacks. McAfee is typically unable to discuss its investigations because of non-disclosure agreements. The company was able to discuss Operation Shady RAT because it was not bound by any confidentiality agreements in this case. Q. What does the "RAT" in Operation Shady RAT stand for? A. RAT stands for "remote access tool," a type of software that hackers and security professionals often use to access computer networks from afar. (Editing by Tiffany Wu and Martin Howell)  | ||||
| Biggest-ever series of cyber attacks uncovered, U.N. hit Posted: 03 Aug 2011 12:43 AM PDT
Wed Aug 3, 2011 By Jim Finkle BOSTON (Reuters) - Security experts have discovered the biggest series of cyber attacks to date, involving the infiltration of the networks of 72 organizations including the United Nations, governments and companies around the world. Security company McAfee, which uncovered the intrusions, said it believed there was one "state actor" behind the attacks but declined to name it, though one security expert who has been briefed on the hacking said the evidence points to China. The long list of victims in the five-year campaign include the governments of the United States, Taiwan, India, South Korea, Vietnam and Canada; the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN); the International Olympic Committee (IOC); the World Anti-Doping Agency; and an array of companies, from defense contractors to high-tech enterprises. In the case of the United Nations, the hackers broke into the computer system of the UN Secretariat in Geneva in 2008, hid there unnoticed for nearly two years, and quietly combed through reams of secret data, according to McAfee. "Even we were surprised by the enormous diversity of the victim organizations and were taken aback by the audacity of the perpetrators," McAfee's vice president of threat research, Dmitri Alperovitch, wrote in a 14-page report released on Wednesday. "What is happening to all this data ... is still largely an open question. However, if even a fraction of it is used to build better competing products or beat a competitor at a key negotiation (due to having stolen the other team's playbook), the loss represents a massive economic threat." McAfee learned of the extent of the hacking campaign in March this year, when its researchers discovered logs of the attacks while reviewing the contents of a "command and control" server that they had discovered in 2009 as part of an investigation into security breaches at defense companies. It dubbed the attacks "Operation Shady RAT" and said the earliest breaches date back to mid-2006, though there might have been other intrusions as yet undetected. (RAT stands for "remote access tool," a type of software that hackers and security experts use to access computer networks from afar). Some of the attacks lasted just a month, but the longest -- on the Olympic Committee of an unidentified Asian nation -- went on and off for 28 months, according to McAfee. "Companies and government agencies are getting raped and pillaged every day. They are losing economic advantage and national secrets to unscrupulous competitors," Alperovitch told Reuters. "This is the biggest transfer of wealth in terms of intellectual property in history," he said. "The scale at which this is occurring is really, really frightening." CHINA CONNECTION? He said that McAfee had notified all the 72 victims of the attacks, which are under investigation by law enforcement agencies around the world. He declined to give more details, such as the names of the companies hacked. Jim Lewis, a cyber expert with the Center for Strategic and International Studies, was briefed on the discovery by McAfee. He said it was very likely that China was behind the campaign because some of the targets had information that would be of particular interest to Beijing. The systems of the IOC and several national Olympic Committees were breached in the run-up to the 2008 Beijing Games, for example. And China views Taiwan as a renegade province, and political issues between them remain contentious even as economic ties have strengthened in recent years. "Everything points to China. It could be the Russians, but there is more that points to China than Russia," Lewis said. He added that the U.S. and Britain have capabilities to pull off this kind of campaign, but said, "We wouldn't spy on ourselves and the Brits wouldn't spy on us." McAfee, which was acquired by Intel Corp this year, would not comment on whether China was responsible. Security researchers who work for large corporations are often reluctant to link governments to cyber attacks out of fear it could hurt their business in those countries. HACKERS CONFERENCE The UN said it was aware of the report, and that it has started an investigation to ascertain if there was an intrusion. "The idea is to look into the entire Geneva network," said Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, adding that it was difficult to quantify the potential damage without knowing exactly what had been attacked. He declined to be drawn on who might be behind the attacks. When asked what would happen if it turned out to be China, he said: "We'll have to cross that bridge once we find out what happened to our network." McAfee released the report to coincide with the start of the Black Hat conference in Las Vegas on Wednesday, an annual gathering of security professionals and hackers who use their skills to promote security and fight cyber crime. In the scorching desert heat, they will meet to talk about a series of recent headline-grabbing hacks, such as on Lockheed Martin Corp, the International Monetary Fund, Citigroup Inc, Sony Corp and EMC Corp's RSA Security. Experts will disclose security vulnerabilities in commonly used software, computers, services and electronics to help companies and governments combat criminal hackers. The activist groups Anonymous and Lulz Security have recently grabbed the spotlight for temporarily shutting down some high-profile websites and defacing others. But attacks like Operation Shady RAT are far more costly and often undisclosed, as victims fear reputational damage or attention from other hackers. McAfee sees Operation Shady RAT as the tip of the iceberg. "I am convinced that every company in every conceivable industry with significant size and valuable intellectual property and trade secrets has been compromised (or will be shortly), with the great majority of the victims rarely discovering the intrusion or its impact," Alperovitch wrote in the report. "In fact, I divide the entire set of Fortune Global 2000 firms into two categories: those that know they've been compromised and those that don't yet know." (Additional reporting from Tom Miles in Geneva, editing by Tiffany Wu, Martin Howell)  | ||||
| PLEASE REMOVE PHOTO FROM THE TOILET ... if you insist Posted: 03 Aug 2011 12:32 AM PDT | ||||
| Cambodia's former king heads to China for check-up (ទៅហើយមកវិញគេហៅថា… ស្អីអ៊ីចេះ?) Posted: 03 Aug 2011 12:05 AM PDT
AFP "Lengthy longevity bears on me like an unbearable weight" - Sihanouk PHNOM PENH — Cambodia's ailing former king Norodom Sihanouk left his country for Beijing to undergo medical tests, officials said. The 88-year-old monarch, who remains a revered figure in Cambodia, was on Wednesday given a red-carpet sendoff by his son King Norodom Sihamoni, Prime Minister Hun Sen and other senior government officials at Phnom Penh airport. Sihanouk has suffered from a number of ailments, including cancer, diabetes and hypertension, and has received the bulk of his medical treatment in China, although he had been back in Phnom Penh since early April. "He goes back this time to have his health checked to stay healthy and live longer among his people," Prince Sisowath Sirirath, second deputy president of the royalist Funcinpec party, told reporters. He said he didn't know when Sihanouk would next return. Sihanouk, who was travelling with his wife, appeared cheerful and well rested as he pressed his hands together in a traditional greeting to well-wishers before boarding his plane. One of Asia's longest-serving monarchs, the former king abruptly quit the throne in October 2004 in favour of his son, citing old age and health problems. Despite abdicating, the ex-monarch sometimes uses his website to communicate with the outside world. In his most recent message, dated July 30, he apologised for being too tired to receive visitors. "The truth is that... I often fall asleep," he wrote in a handwritten letter posted online. "I spend most of my time in my bedroom." He said in 2009 he had lived too long and wished to die as soon as possible, according to another note on his website. "Lengthy longevity bears on me like an unbearable weight," he said.  | ||||
| Posted: 02 Aug 2011 11:47 PM PDT  My dignity, my beer 03 August 2011 By Mu Sochua Letter to The Phnom Penh Post WOMEN serving Angkor beer have been demonstrating for several days in front of the company's main office in The Phnom Penh. Their demand: decent pay and better work contracts in compliance with the Cambodian Labour Code. Women who serve beer work under the most dangerous conditions in terms of health risks: nightly alcohol over-use, violation and abuse – verbal, physical and sexual. As women in the entertainment industry, they are devalued by society and, without union membership, they have no voice. It is in our collective interest to give our support and to encourage the participation of women in the non-formal sector as they are the core breadwinners and contribute actively to our local economy. The first step is decent work and decent pay. Without a doubt, US$50 is not going to make ends meet; it's not enough to save for the future or for potential shocks such as medical emergencies or poor harvest years. Research by the Cambodian NGO SiRCHESI shows that since 2004, beersellers have consistently been without a living wage, underpaid by 50 per cent or more compared with the expenses they incur to support their families. With international beer companies aware of this situation, and restaurants displaying suggestive advertising posters, some Cambodian men still visit beer gardens believing that buying international brands for an evening may also bring sex. Women beer sellers are often coerced into drinking with the men. Then, with all parties' judgment impaired, they engage in risky or unsafe sexual acts, even in the workplace itself. They do this just to make up economically what their employer systematically withholds in Cambodia but does not dare to do in nearby places such as China, Singapore and Hong Kong, where sellers of the same beer brands earn proper salaries, work in protected environments and do not have to face the nightly risks to health, safety, dignity, self-respect and selfesteem that occur in Cambodia. The general principle we may all agree on is that basically, access to "decent work" – work that is adequately remunerated and covered by social protections – is a requirement for households to meet their bottom lines. Another key ingredient of "decent work" is dignity. When we remain silent to the abuse and exploitation faced by our women working in the entertainment sector, we are a part of the problem. The website www.beergirls.org keeps a memorial list of more than 80 women who died at an average age of 25 while selling beer. We should honour their memories and should become part of the solution, in solidarity with the women currently protesting. Angkor beer, our national beer, should address the decision of the Arbitration Council in July in favour of the beer sellers. Contractual commitments made by beer companies to provide safe working conditions should be fulfilled as part of employers' obligations to the 1997 Labour Law. As consumers, we should give a clear message to beer companies: we support a responsible approach to alcohol and fair business dealings with its sales force, predominantly women, who are responsible for a majority of their sales and profits. As a society, we say NO to the exploitation of women beer sellers. Mu Sochua, MP Sam Rainsy Party  | ||||
| ‘Worrisome’ NGO Law Moves to Council for Approval Posted: 02 Aug 2011 11:09 PM PDT
Tuesday, 02 August 2011 Chun Sakada, VOA Khmer | Phnom Penh
Non-governmental agencies continued to express concern over a proposed law to regulate the sector on Tuesday, as the draft moved closer toward approval for debate. The government says it needs the NGO law to better manage the thousands of organizations operating in the country, but critics say it will hamper their work and make it harder for smaller associations to form. The Ministry of Interior's final draft of the law was sent Friday to the Council of Ministers, which must approve it before it goes to the National Assembly for debate. Sok Sam Oeun, executive director of the Cambodian Defenders Project, said most of the main recommendations from the NGO community were not put into the final draft of the law. Many organizations have said they feel the law requires a heavy amount of reporting and makes them vulnerable to closure for government dissent. There are articles in the draft that "narrow the freedom of NGOs and associations for their establishment," Sok Sam Oeun said. "I still do not favor this law. Ham Sunrith, deputy director for monitoring at the rights group Licadho, said while some points from NGOs had been added to the draft, others remain "worrisome." The draft still contains registration and reporting conditions that many find troubling, he said. Ou Virak, president of the Cambodian Center for Human Rights, said the new draft was improved but some articles remain "unclear." "So with the unclear interpretation, it's not good for the rights of participation of associations and especially individual rights," he said. Nouth Sa An, secretary of state for the Ministry of Interior, said that if organizations want to make more recommendations, they'll have to do so through the Council of Ministers.  | ||||
| US Organization Seeks To Unify Cambodian Voice Posted: 02 Aug 2011 10:55 PM PDT
Tuesday, 02 August 2011 Huy Samphors, VOA Khmer | Washington
The National Cambodian American Organization wrapped up a major meeting in Chicago over the weekend, as members sought to better organize themselves to serve the needs of Cambodians living in the US. The July meeting was to set a strategic plan for the organization for the next two to three years, including efforts to organize other Cambodian groups, improve living standards for Cambodians in the US and lobbying for support of issues faced by the immigrant community. "We gathered in Chicago to build good relations with other organizations and to work closely with those organizations to share information, new laws and other activities that affect the benefits of Cambodian communities," said Samkhan Khoeun, a board member of the national organization. "Therefore, we can help each other out from one community to another." The national organization seeks to help Cambodian-Americans through consultation, training and fundraising. Samkhan Khoeun said he believes that Cambodian communities benefit from having "one voice, like a bunch of chopsticks." The needs of Cambodian-Americans differ from those of other immigrant communities, such as the Vietnamese, Lao and Hmong, he said. "We went through the killing fields, and we came across hardships more than other nations," he said. "If we have no voice, if we don't present our problems and we don't claim our demands, nothing can benefit our communities."  |
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