Tag:

dw (news)

China Launches First High-Speed Train Line in Fujian Province near the Taiwan Strait

by Chief editor of world-today-news.com September 28, 2023

written by Chief editor of world-today-news.com

Jakarta –

China launched its first high-speed train line stretching across several bays along the coast of Fujian province near the Taiwan Strait, state media Xinhua reported on Thursday (28/09).

According to a Xinhua report, a bullet train departed from Fuzhou, the capital of Fujian province in eastern China on Thursday (28/09) morning, opening the 277 km Fuzhou-Xiamen-Zhangzou railway line.

Xinhua quoted China State Railway Group Co Ltd, the state railway company, as saying that this line is China’s first cross-sea fast line, which will be used by bullet trains across bridges and three coastal bays at speeds of up to 350 km per hour.

Travel time between Fuzhou and Xiamen, China’s economic center and popular tourist destination, is estimated to be less than one hour.

By 2022, China will operate 42,000 km of high-speed rail lines. Meanwhile, the length of the high-speed train line which usually operates at a speed of 350 km per hour has approached 3,200 km in June 2022.

China recently announced details of its plans to turn Fujian into an integrated development zone with Taiwan, which lies across the province. China hopes the project will increase investment opportunities and make travel easier.

Earlier this week, China also launched its first commercial suspension monorail line in Wuhan, a city in Hubei province.

The 10.5 km long monorail is fully automated and only requires human operation in emergencies, China Daily reported. gtp/yf (Reuters)

width=”1″ height=”1″ />

(ita/ita)

2023-09-28 11:17:21
#China #Launches #Seaborne #Bullet #Train #Line

September 28, 2023 0 comments

World

Cardinal Franz Hengsbach: Investigations into Allegations of Sexual Abuse

by Chief editor of world-today-news.com September 20, 2023

written by Chief editor of world-today-news.com

Jakarta –

The German dioceses of Essen and Paderborn separately announced investigations into allegations of sexual abuse against Cardinal Franz Hengsbach (1910-1991) in 2011 and 2022.

Hengsbach was accused throughout his career of sexually assaulting three people, at least two of whom were young women, one a minor.

The first allegation was that he molested a 16-year-old girl in 1954 when he was auxiliary bishop of the city of Paderborn. The victim first came forward with the allegations in 2011, 10 years after Hengsbach’s death.

Accusers also leveled allegations of abuse against Hengsbach’s brother, Paul. Also a pastor, Paul Hengsbach vehemently denied the accusations until his death in 2018.

Church investigators’ initial conclusions ‘questionable’

At that time, the case was first reviewed by the Vicariate General of Paderborn and then sent to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith at the Vatican in Rome. Both dismissed the allegations as “absurd,” and refused to compensate the accusers.

However, officials in Paderborn said that while reviewing the case, they found that the initial assessment was “clearly questionable.”

Diocese of Essen: Allegations of sexual abuse ‘serious’

The second case comes from Hengsbach’s leadership of Essen, the diocese he founded in 1958 and led until his death in 1991.

The crime reportedly occurred in 1967 when Hengsbach was bishop.

Both dioceses have invited anyone who was a victim to come forward as the investigation continues.

The Diocese of Essen called the allegations “serious”. The current Bishop of Essen, Franz-Josef Overbeck, said he first heard about the allegations this March and promised transparency.

Johannes Norpoth, spokesman for the victims’ advisory council of the German Catholic Bishops’ Conference, welcomed news of the investigation.

In an interview with the German Catholic News Agency (KNA), Norpoth said there was no reason to doubt the accuser’s account and praised the courage it took to confront “a legendary figure in the industrial Ruhr region” in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia.

Norpoth accused Essen and Paderborn of irresponsibility when handling allegations about Hengsbach in 2010 and 2011, and said that the two dioceses “did not take the allegations seriously.”

If the allegations are proven true, Hengsbach, who was made a cardinal in 1988, would be the first high-ranking cleric in Germany to be found guilty of sexual abuse.

The victims’ advocacy group “Eckiger Tisch” has called for the creation of an independent commission to investigate the initial investigation, including who led the investigation, why it was stopped, and whether Cardinal Josef Ratzinger who, after leading the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, became Pope Benedict XVI (2005-2013) ) had something to do with the dismissal of the case.

“There must finally be an end to the Church, or the bodies commissioned by it, trying to resolve and deal with abuse cases on their own,” the group called.

The Diocese of Paderborn on Tuesday (19/05/2023) said that a reassessment of the case had led it to conclude that the accusations leveled against Hengsbach were in fact reasonable.

bh/rs (dpa, KNA)

width=”1″ height=”1″ />

Also see ‘Erick about the U-17 Pildun: Preparing the Best Committee – TC National Team to Germany’:

(ita/ita)

2023-09-20 04:49:59
#Catholic #Church #Investigates #Sex #Abuse #Deceased #Priest

September 20, 2023 0 comments

World

Thai Rice Farmers Struggle Amidst Rising Prices and Decreasing Yields

by Chief editor of world-today-news.com September 19, 2023

written by Chief editor of world-today-news.com

Jakarta –

After the last harvest season, Sripai Kaeo-eam rushed to clear his rice fields so he could plant rice in August, despite the directions given by the Thai government which wanted to limit water waste.

“This variety is our hope,” said the 58-year-old farmer, pointing to green rice seedlings that are only a few centimeters tall. Sripai wants to quickly make a fortune because the price of rice is rising sharply, while he is currently in debt of 200 thousand Baht or around Rp. 90 million. The increase in rice prices on the global market was triggered by a ban on rice exports in India.

These conditions should benefit Thai farmers. This white elephant country has long been listed as the second largest rice exporter in the world. In 2022, Thailand exported 7.7 million tonnes of rice to the Middle East, Asia and Africa, according to research institute Krungsri Research.

But what happened was not growth, quite the opposite. The area of rice fields in Thailand has actually decreased by 14.5 percent since the last year. The numbers have been decreasing consistently since 2020.

According to experts, Thailand’s agricultural system is being threatened by high debt levels, a lack of technological innovation and climate change. This pressure has not diminished even though the government has disbursed billions of US dollars in agricultural subsidies over the last decade. Currently, many farming families are in huge debt due to failed harvests after borrowing money to finance the planting season.

“The reduction in rice fields is due to the lack of rain and irrigation,” said Somporn, a senior researcher at the Thai Knowledge Institute Network (KNIT). It is believed that the increasing drought will get worse, following the El Nino season which will last until 2024.

“The government is not doing enough to increase productivity,” continued Somporn. Now, when prices are soaring, “farmers cannot produce rice,” he said, adding that the drought would cut yields by as much as 30 percent over the next two seasons.

Get carried away with past successes

The foundation of Thailand’s success in producing rice was laid at the end of the 19th century by King Chulalongkorn. “He carried out agrarian, land and free trade reforms,” said Nipon Poapongsakorn of the Thai Development Research Institute. Decades of investment and development of superior varieties began to bear fruit in the 1960s, when Thailand achieved rice self-sufficiency. “If you plant superior varieties, you must have an irrigation system,” he added.

However, the lack of investment in the last few decades has also had an impact on the productivity of Thai farmers. In 2018, Thai farmers produced 485 kilograms of rice per 1600 square meters. Meanwhile in Bangladesh, farmers can produce 752 kg and in Nepal 560 kg.

“We are lulled by our own success,” said Nipon. “Our rice varieties are very old and our yields are very low.”

Thai farmers can only plant varieties that have been permitted by the government. They could be subject to penalties if they buy or develop other types of varieties. The decline in research in Thailand was accompanied by massive investment by India and Vietnam. As a result, the productivity of farmers in both countries has now exceeded that of Thai farmers.

Moreover, increasingly erratic weather conditions present new challenges that are not easy to overcome. “Extreme weather patterns brought by the El Nino phenomenon create major risks for farmers,” said Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin last week. This year’s average rainfall was 18 percent lower and clean water storage ponds were only filled at 54 percent of total capacity, wrote the National Water Resources Office.

“There will be consolidation in water management and innovation, in order to increase crop yields and find new markets for Thai agricultural products,” said PM Thavisin.

But for Sripai, despite the government’s plans, the spike in rice prices this time is a rare opportunity to catch up. “We hope to be able to pay off our debts,” he said, sitting in front of the wooden hut he lived in. “We continue to pray.”

rzn/as (rtr,afp)

Watch the video ‘Jokowi: 19 countries limit food exports, rice prices rise in all countries’:

Watch DetikPagi Live:

width=”1″ height=”1″ />

(ita/ita)

2023-09-19 03:21:45
#surge #world #rice #prices #raises #hopes #Thai #farmers

September 19, 2023 0 comments

World

The Ongoing Legal Battle Against Nobel Prize Winner Muhammad Yunus in Bangladesh

by Chief editor of world-today-news.com September 11, 2023

written by Chief editor of world-today-news.com

Jakarta –

A total of 170 world leaders and Nobel laureates signed a petition demanding that the Bangladesh government stop the legal process against Muhammad Yunus. For the last few years, the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize winner has been facing various legal charges.

Signatories include former US President Barack Obama, former UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon and more than 100 Nobel laureates. They voiced concerns about the future of democracy and human rights in Bangladesh.

“One threat to human rights that concerns us in the current context is the case of Professor Muhammad Yunus. We are concerned that he has recently become the target of what we call ongoing judicial bullying,” they wrote in their letter.

A similar warning came from UN Human Rights Office spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani, who believed Yusuf had been the victim of “intimidation and bullying for almost a decade,” she said in a press statement.

However, this accusation was denied by the Minister of Justice of Bangladesh, Anisul Huq. He told DW that the international response was foreign interference into Bangladesh’s legal system.

The wave of allegations is endless

The quarrel between Bangladesh Prime Minister Shekih Hasina and Yunus began when he came to power in 2009. At that time, he accused the Grameen Bank founded by Yunus of using violence to collect debts from poor village women.

As a result, since 2011 the government began examining the bank’s activities and forced Yunus’ dismissal because he was deemed to have violated the retirement age limit.

In 2013, Yunus was charged with receiving money without government permission, including money from the Nobel prize and royalties from his published books.

He also faces charges of corruption and labor rights violations at a number of other companies he owns.

“In total, there are 198 allegations that have so far been presented to Professor Yunus,” said his legal representative, Abdullah Al Mamun.

Why did Hasina target Yunus?

Some political observers in Bangladesh believe that Hasina felt betrayed when Yunus announced he would establish a political party in 2007. However, Yunus abandoned the plan shortly after and has since stayed away from the practical political arena.

“PM Hasina still seems to believe that Yunus is responsible for all the international problems she faces, including the World Bank’s decision to revoke the credit agreement and world pressure for free and fair elections,” said Asif Nazrul, Professor of Constitutional Law at Dhaka University.

“But we don’t know why he thought that,” he added.

According to Yunus’ lawyer, Al Mamun, the lawsuit is an attempt to damage Yunus’ image as an innovator on social issues. “There is no reason to file criminal charges against him,” he said.

Various human rights organizations accused Sheikh Hasina of using legal and security forces to silence opposition voices. It is claimed that this authoritarian style has been widespread since he came to power 14 years ago.

rzn/hp

width=”1″ height=”1″ />

Also watch the video ‘Ship Sinks in Buriganga River Bangladesh, 4 People Died’:

(ita/ita)

2023-09-11 04:26:05
#Bangladesh #suing #Nobel #Prize #winner #Muhammad #Yunus

September 11, 2023 0 comments

World

The Plight of Ukrainian Refugees in the Netherlands: The Push to Remain

by Chief editor of world-today-news.com September 6, 2023

written by Chief editor of world-today-news.com

Jakarta –

Mariam Adeshoga arrived in Kyiv in 2019, hoping for a better career as a female computer programmer than in her native Nigeria. A 30-year-old woman gets a study visa to pursue her master’s degree.

“When I got there, I was blown away by the people, and the serene and beautiful environment,” recalls Adeshoga with a smile. “So I thought, okay, I can build my life and continue my future there.”

She lives with Ukrainian students, learns its language and culture, and works to fulfill her dream of inspiring other young girls to take up computer programming. He made many friends and felt at home in Kyiv.

“I never planned to leave Ukraine,” he told DW. “Ukraine feels very safe to me.”

But then, he said, “everything disappeared” when Russia launched war against Ukraine on February 24, 2022. Like his Ukrainian counterparts, Adeshoga ran for cover in a bomb shelter. After several days of fear, he seeks safety across the border into Poland. Then he continued on to the Netherlands, and ended up in Amsterdam, in a small cabin on a floating hotel meant for short term accommodation.

Adeshoga arrives March 2, 2022, coincidentally on that day the European Union decided to activate the Temporary Protection Directive from 2001 for the first time, to help quickly those fleeing war in Ukraine without forcing them through the asylum application process. The Dutch government enforces a most liberal regime, welcoming all those who have fled Ukraine regardless of their passport.

To date, Adeshoga has received the same package of assistance as most Ukrainian citizens and permanent residents, including housing, health care, living allowance and access to education.

Political change and aid processes

In early 2023, however, the Dutch government decided that around 3,000 people without permanent residency rights in Ukraine must leave the Netherlands, ending all rights and benefits from September 4.

One of those affected, he chose not to be named, shared a letter he received from the Mayor of Haarlem, which demanded he leave state-sponsored accommodation at midnight on September 4.

“If you don’t leave the shelter in time, the municipality may take steps to force your departure… [dan] hold you responsible for any costs incurred in doing so,” the letter read. “If you do not legally reside in the Netherlands, you must leave the country and are no longer allowed to work here.”

In light of this decision, the Dutch government is offering €5,000 in funds to those who wish to leave of their own accord. The condition is that they need to make a statement that their lives will be threatened if they are returned to their home country.

In its decision, the Dutch Immigration and Naturalization Service IND, part of the Dutch Ministry of Justice and Security, said the system of third-country nationals coming to the Netherlands under EU directives had been “abused.”

“It is very important for us to provide protection to people who are not safe in their own countries,” Migration Minister Eric van der Burg said. “At the same time, we don’t want to overburden the municipality.”

Sue to court, hold protests and petitions

Many third-country nationals who appealed against the order filed suit against the courts, and staged a protest. Minister Erici van der Burg finally agreed to delay the expiry of benefits and residence permits.

Lotte Van Diepen and Immigration Lawyer Everaert in Amsterdam represent several third-country nationals, including Mariam Adeshoga, who are demanding the right to remain in the Netherlands. Lotte van Diepen believes people initially covered by the regulation still have the legal right to stay, provided they do not violate Dutch law or other provisions of the protection mechanism.

One of Van Diepen’s arguments is that because the Council of Europe, which consists of heads of state and government of EU countries, activated the Temporary Safeguard Directive, therefore, the abolition of these rights must also go through a decision of the Council of Europe.

“It is not the minister’s authority to decide when it ends. There are provisions in the directive that regulate scenarios in which temporary protection can end,” he explained. “My clients work or study. They start building a life here assuming they are allowed to stay here as long as the Temporary Protection Directive is in effect.”

Now lawyers and sympathizers have helped organize demonstrations, promote online petitions and ask the government to re-evaluate its decisions. Mariam Adeshoga says she is just trying to stay focused on her dream, that one day she can do good things, and inspire more women to become computer programmers wherever they are.

(hp/yf)

width=”1″ height=”1″ />

See also ‘Atmosphere of Erdogan-Putin Meeting, Discuss Potential Food Crisis’:

(it/it)

2023-09-06 00:41:55
#Confused #Fate #Refugees #Ukraine #Netherlands

September 6, 2023 0 comments

World

Iran Takes Legal Action Against Singer for Advocating Headscarf Removal

by Chief editor of world-today-news.com August 28, 2023

written by Chief editor of world-today-news.com

Jakarta –

Authorities in Iran have taken legal action against male pop singer, Mehdi Yarrahi. who in her latest song encourages women to take off their headscarves, the court said on Sunday (27/08).

Mehdi Yarrahi released a song called “Roosarito” which in Farsi means “Your Hijab” on Friday (25/08). The song expresses support for the 2022 protests against Iran’s mandatory headscarf policy, which erupted after Jina Mahsa Amini died in the custody of the country’s moral police.

“A legal case has been filed against Mehdi Yarrahi following the launching of an illegal song which violated the morals and customs of the Islamic community,” said the court’s website Mizan Online.

What does Mehdi Yarrahi’s song contain?

Yarrahi’s lyrics call on Iranian women to “take off their headscarves” and convey that Iranians are demanding that it be made optional.

The music video for the song also features clips of women dancing with their hair down and includes the protest slogan “Women, Life, Freedom”.

Yarrahi was named the best pop singer of 2018 at the Fajr festival, the most important music event organized by the Iranian government. But he has criticized the authorities in recent years.

Another of her songs, “Soroode Zan” or “Woman’s Anthem”, became popular among the protest movement, particularly among students. The court said the legal action taken would also cover this song.

Yarrahi also criticized what he called the marginalization of society in his home province of Khuzestan, which has an Arab minority majority.

yf/hp (AFP, EFE)

width=”1″ height=”1″ />

Watch Video ‘Members of Iran’s Parliament Debate the Hijab Bill’:

(it/it)

2023-08-28 09:35:59
#Iran #Sues #Singer #Mehdi #Yarrahi #Demands #Hijab #Release

August 28, 2023 0 comments

Newer Posts

Older Posts