Tight nosebands on horse bridles can lead to stress, reduced blood flow in the area and ultimately deformed nasal bones

Nosebands on horse bridles are being tightened so much in some equestrian competitions that horses are suffering stress, reduced blood flow in the area and ultimately even deformed nasal bones, according to Professor Paul McGreevy from the University of Sydney.

But relief may be round the corner with the introduction of a simple device, the development of which Professor McGreevy outlines in a recent publication of the Journal of Veterinary Behaviour. The use of restrictive nosebands has become popular as they prevent the horse from opening its mouth which, in dressage, is regarded as a sign of resistance or lack of compliance and attracts penalties for the rider.

Another recent study by Professor McGreevy, from the University’s Faculty of Veterinary Science, and UK-based colleague Dr Hayley Randle has shown that as the tightness of the noseband increases, there appears to be an elevation in horses’ sensitivity to the bit, presumably because it becomes more uncomfortable. So riders may also feel that they have more control of the horse when the noseband is tighter.

“Over-tightened nosebands put so much pressure on horses’ nose and mouth areas, that they cause distress and obvious injuries to the horses,” said Professor McGreevy.

“These tight nosebands restrict virtually all normal jaw and tongue movements in the horses, primarily for the sake of avoiding penalties in competition.

“Nosebands designed to clamp the jaw shut very tightly – the so-called ‘crank nosebands’ – are only a fairly recent innovation in horse bridle design. Thirty years ago nosebands were largely aesthetic rather than functional,” explained Professor McGreevy.

The International Society for Equitation Science (ISES) co-founded by Professor McGreevy, has recently made a number of recommendations for equestrian competition organisers to decrease the harmful effects of over-tight nosebands.

With the 2012 Olympic Games fast approaching and horses being the only animals to compete, Professor McGreevy is particularly keen to see the recommendations on noseband pressure implemented to protect competing horses.

“The recommendation is that competition organisers reinstate the traditional practice of leaving a two-fingers-sized gap under the noseband to demonstrate that it has not been over-tightened. If this is made an official part of competition rules, then riders will comply,” said Professor McGreevy.

“A two-fingers-sized gap below the noseband allows horses to chew naturally and to express tension or seek relief from the pressure of the bit, making competition a far more comfortable experience for the horse. Allowing riders to benchmark their horses’ relaxation is a principle called ‘ethical equitation’.”
“The practice of over-tightening nosebands to avoid penalties in competition covers up poor training at the expense of horse welfare. By instituting rules to make sure nosebands aren’t tightly clamping horses’ mouths shut, we will not only alleviate horse suffering, but also promote excellent training.”

Professor McGreevy has developed a standard simple taper gauge that can be used by stewards at competition, to measure the gap below the noseband in a fair and objective way.

“In most equestrian disciplines, stewards check that all equipment used on horses complies with the regulations specified for that discipline, so adding this simple noseband tightness test would be quite easy for competition organisers,” said Professor McGreevy.

“Adding this quick test to competition protocol would ensure that the detrimental effects of over-tightened nosebands were lessened, making a huge difference to horse welfare in these sports.”

Professor McGreevy is the co-author, with Emeritus Professor Bob Boakes, of Carrots and Sticks – the principles of animal training.

BANGKOK (AP) — A Thai court on Wednesday allowed police to continue to detain one of five Iranian suspects in an alleged terror plot that was exposed by an accidental blast in a residential Bangkok neighborhood.

Police Maj. Gen. Piya Uthayo said Mohammad Kharzei, 42, will be held at a Bangkok prison for at least 12 more days. He was arrested on charges of being an accomplice to possession of unlawful explosives and causing explosions that damaged property and harmed other people.

Iranian bomb suspect Mohammad Kharzei, center, is escorted by Thai police officers. Pic: AP.

Three men identified as Iranians fled the house where the blast occurred Feb. 14. Police found bombs in the house, but are still not clear about the suspects’ intentions.

There is speculation that they planned to attack Israeli targets in the Thai capital as part of a covert battle being waged over Iran’s alleged quest to develop nuclear weapons.

The explosions Feb. 14 came one day after two other incidents in India and the former Soviet Republic of Georgia in which bombers tried to hit Israeli targets with so-called “sticky” bombs that attach magnetically to vehicles.

In Thailand, 43 police officers, including senior-ranking commissioners, have been assigned to work on the case and have found “quite a bit of evidence,” Piya said.

He said Kharzei is the first suspect whose case has proceeded under criminal law. He was arrested at Bangkok’s airport on the day of the blast as he was waiting for a flight to Malaysia. With court approval, a suspect can be detained without formal charges for up to 84 days.

Another suspect, Saeid Moradi, 28, is so far being held for violating immigration law. He was detained soon after the blast after he attempted to hurl explosives at police officers, blowing off part of his legs in the process.

Arrest warrants have been issued for three other suspects, all Iranians: Masoud Sedaghatzadeh, 31, who was detained by Malaysian authorities last week; Leila Rohani, 31; and Norouzi Shayan Ali Akbar, 57. Thai authorities are seeking Sedaghatzadeh’s extradition and believe Rohani and Akbar have returned to their home country.

Piya said investigators have not found any links between the suspects and dozens of stickers bearing the word “SEJEAL” — possibly a reference to a passage from the Quran — that were pasted at various locations in Bangkok. The stickers were identical to ones found under the seat of the Iranians’ motorcycle as well as in an apartment rented by one of the suspects.

“The officers will base their investigation only on the evidence and witnesses, and will use neither speculation, nor imagination in solving this case,” Piya said.

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra on Wednesday assigned two deputy prime ministers to oversee intelligence meetings and prepare security measures. She also asked the Transport Ministry to ensure the safety of travelers at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi International Airport.

Although we don’t interfere with how they do business — we mind our own — the sad thing about it is that the company seems to focus only on profits and apparently neglecting the welfare of the animals it carried. If the trail of carbon footprint isn’t enough, the company appears to take pride in putting lives of marine animals at risk while laughing their way to the bank.

That Boeing 733F cargo plane didn’t carry mere cargo like frozen meat or fresh flowers, it held the lives of five dolphins constrained in a makeshift structure that reminds me of caged housing at Hong Kong’s poorer neighborhoods. Given the journey time between Osaka and Hanoi and brief refueling stop in Hong Kong, these adorable dolphins must have endured at these atrocious conditions for at least seven hours.

Photo credit: Red Door News, Hong Kong

Such is the stark reality for animals involved in the entertainment industry. Plucked from their natural habitat, these animals — you can include those you find at a local zoo or theme park — are used in shows that attract attention and curiousity among paying visitors. Unlike Crown Relocations, whose effort to deliver pandas safely from China to Hong Kong was a source of pride, Hongkong Airlines may not want to be publicly acknowledged for this flight. All it wanted was the monetary bonanza that outstrips even its most profitable passenger route.

And why not? Hongkong Airlines earned HK$850,000 (US$109,600) for the whole one-way trip.

The monetary figure  was so eye-popping that the airline issued a company-wide memo that also featured the image of the dolphins in their makeshift cages.

“It is the first time for Hongkong Airlines to fly this kind of large live animal in its history,” the memo reads. “The smooth handling of such special cargo which is time sensitive and vulnerable, demonstrates that Hongkong Airlines cargo handling capability has further improved.”

The memo goes on: “The B733F fleet utilization rate is increased by operating this charter flight during the aircraft spare time, and an extra cargo revenue income of HK$850,000 (including our own cargo sales income on the position sectors) has been achieved, which equivalent to HK$77,000 per block hour.”

With the “success” of this delivery, the airline hopes to land a similar lucrative deal in the future.

“Based on the experience we have obtained this time, Hong Kong Airlines cargo will develop the business onwards,” the memo continues to say.

Such horrible picture has been shared and re-shared across social media to raise awareness among social media users. Hopefully the message gets across and advocates get the sympathy and support of the public, in behalf of these poor animals.

Certainly transporting of animals comes at a cost. Their irregular bodies don’t fit properly even at business class accommodations so they need special carriages and require extra manpower to handle them. A moving aircraft certainly doesn’t bode well with the habitat where these animals are used to. If flying is terrible to human ears, how much more will it be for creatures like dolphins who make use of sonar when communicating with fellow dolphins? What about other animals who endure the same agony as they leave their natural habitat for good? Monkeys or elephants, lions or tigers, sedated or not, I believe they still feel pain.

So the next time we go to a theme park to be amused by the antics these animals are doing, it’s good to think about what goes behind these attractions that are presented to us. Long hours of travel from their habitat and social networks, stressful training and uncertain future once their entertainment value reaches its end. It’s a vicious cycle.

China Daily has been trying to get the views of Hongkong Airlines but questions remain unanswered, as representatives remained tight-lipped regarding the case. Perhaps out of ignorance, the company isn’t prepared to make a statement aimed at clearing its name. It remains to be seen whether its pride described in the memo turns into shame.

As more people are aware of the situation, the ball is in Hongkong Airlines hands. The clock is ticking.

ISLAMABAD (AP) — A U.S. congressman has sparked outrage in Pakistan by calling for the secession of the country’s largest province, further complicating Washington’s efforts to resuscitate its vital anti-terrorism alliance with Islamabad.

Representative Dana Rohrabacher, a Republican from California, proposed a nonbinding resolution last week stating that the Baluch people, who live in Pakistan’s Baluchistan province and also in parts of Iran and Afghanistan, “have the right to self-determination and to their own sovereign country.”

Nationalists in Baluchistan have waged a decades-long insurgency against the government. Some want greater autonomy within Pakistan and a larger share of the province’s natural resources, but others demand an independent country.

The Obama administration has rejected Rohrabacher’s call for an independent Baluchistan, which received little attention in the U.S., and explained it does not control the actions of congressmen.

But the response has not placated the Pakistani government, which summoned the deputy U.S. ambassador and claimed the resolution violated “the United Nations charter, international law and recognized norms of interstate conduct.”

Rasul Bakhsh Rais, professor of political science at Lahore University of Management Sciences, said Pakistan’s civilian leaders have reacted angrily to prevent the government’s opponents from accusing it of tolerating U.S. meddling.

“Not doing anything would have given the opposition an opportunity to say the government is tolerant of American interference in Pakistan’s internal affairs, and therefore it has overreacted to one man’s move in the House of Representatives,” said Rais.

A nonbinding resolution allows Congress to express its approval or disapproval of an issue, but the motion does not become law.

Conspiracy theorists in Pakistan have long alleged that the U.S. wants to break up the country or take away its nuclear weapons. The storm over the nonbinding resolution reflects this narrative, which is espoused by right-wing Islamist politicians and army generals.

The U.S. has given Pakistan billions of dollars in aid over the past decade to enlist its support in fighting Islamist militants. But U.S. officials have accused Pakistan of being a fickle ally and even supporting Taliban insurgents fighting American troops in neighboring Afghanistan – an allegation denied by Islamabad.

The relationship deteriorated further in November when U.S. airstrikes accidentally killed 24 Pakistani soldiers at two Afghan border posts, fueling already pervasive anti-American sentiment throughout the country.

Pakistani officials often pander to these emotions for political reasons, even though it can make it more difficult to sustain relations with the U.S. and keep American aid flowing, said Rais.

“They are experts in digging their own ditches and then falling in,” said Rais.

The U.S. is keen on keeping the relationship alive, especially because it needs Pakistan’s help to negotiate a peace agreement with the Taliban that will allow American troops to withdraw from Afghanistan without the country descending into further chaos.

Pakistan’s parliament was expected to vote in January on a new set of guidelines for the bilateral relationship that could pave the way for repairing relations. But the vote is now unlikely until mid-March, after Senate elections, said parliament member Fauzi Wahab.

Rohrabacher, the congressman who introduced the Baluchistan resolution, has a history of taking tough stances against Pakistan. He called for the U.S. to cut of aid to the country last year after American commandos killed al-Qaida chief Osama bin Laden in a Pakistani garrison town.

Last week, Rohrabacher said Shakil Afridi, a Pakistani doctor who allegedly ran a fake vaccination scheme for the CIA in Abbottabad to try to confirm bin Laden’s presence, should be given a Congressional Gold Medal. Pakistan’s army, outraged that the U.S. violated the country’s sovereignty to kill bin Laden, has detained Afridi, who could be charged with treason.

Before introducing his resolution, Rohrabacher held a hearing on human rights abuses in Baluchistan that included testimony from Pakistan experts and activists. One of the people who appeared was Ralph Peters, a former U.S. military officer who has advocated an independent Baluchistan.

Hasil Bizenjo, a senator from Baluchistan, said views are mixed in the province about whether nationalists should seek an independent country. Even though he prefers to remain part of Pakistan, he said Rohrabacher’s resolution was positive because it would highlight alleged human rights abuses by Pakistani forces in the province.

“This resolution will increase attention that the killing should stop in Baluchistan, and I think that will be a positive thing for the Baluch,” said Bizenjo.

Baluchistan remains Pakistan’s poorest province despite the presence of vast natural resources that residents complain are mainly exploited to fill the central government’s coffers. They also chafe under what they view as military rule.

The provincial government has accused paramilitary forces and federal intelligence agencies of secretly snatching nearly a thousand people off the street and holding them for years without admitting it – allegations they have denied.

Insurgents have responded with a wave of assassinations against non-Baluch residents that have killed hundreds of people, many of them doctors and teachers from other parts of Pakistan.

The federal government has taken some steps to improve the situation in Baluchistan, including increasing the province’s share of federal tax revenue and passing a constitutional amendment increasing autonomy.

But it has failed to follow through on a package of promised reforms aimed at addressing local grievances, including the status of missing people and the share of natural resource wealth, said Rais, the political science professor.

—

Associated Press writer Zarar Khan contributed to this report.

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CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Australia’s foreign minister resigned Wednesday in a bitter rift with Prime Minister Julia Gillard, who may poll her party’s lawmakers next week on who should lead the country.

Kevin Rudd. Pic: AP.

Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd announced his resignation during a news conference in Washington, where he was visiting on official business, and he said the relentless speculation that he planned to seize power from Gillard had become a distraction.

“I can only serve as foreign minister if I have the confidence of Prime Minister Gillard and her senior ministers,” Rudd said.

Gillard ousted Rudd as prime minister in June 2010 in an internal coup, and their center-left Labor Party scraped through elections later that year to lead a minority government. Polls now suggest Labor would suffer a devastating defeat, but Gillard maintains she has her colleagues’ support.

Gillard released a late announcement of a press conference Thursday to “make a further statement” on Rudd’s resignation. She will announce a leadership ballot of Labor lawmakers at Parliament House on Monday, Australian Broadcasting Corp. television reported.

In recent days, speculation had been mounting that Rudd supporters were planning an attempt to restore him to power. That had become a distraction, Rudd said.

“The truth is the Australian people regard this whole affair as little better than a soap opera and they are right,” he said. “And under current circumstances, I won’t be part of it.”

Rudd left open the option of quitting politics, which would trigger a by-election and could cost Labor its single-seat majority in Parliament. That would give the conservative opposition coalition the chance to form a new government if it can win the support of independent legislators, or it could force early elections.

In apparent anticipation of a Rudd bid for the party’s leadership, Gillard’s deputy Wayne Swan launched a scathing attack on Rudd’s three-year legacy as prime minister.

“For too long, Kevin Rudd has been putting his own self-interest ahead of the interests of the broader Labor movement and the country as a whole, and that needs to stop,” Swan said in a statement.

“The party has given Kevin Rudd all the opportunities in the world and he wasted them with his dysfunctional decision making and his deeply demeaning attitude toward other people including our Caucus colleagues,” he added.

Labor senior strategist Bruce Hawker said he spoke to Rudd before his announcement and that Rudd is likely to challenge Gillard. Hawker said he would be a more popular prime minister, but did not speculate on whether Rudd could attract sufficient support from colleagues.

“He’s popular and a lot of people feel he was badly done by in the way in which he was removed in 2010,” Hawker told ABC.

Before Rudd announced his resignation, Gillard had refused to comment on media reports that she intended to fire him as foreign minister for disloyalty. Rudd then criticized Gillard for failing to defend him from colleagues’ criticisms that he was undermining the government through his own leadership ambitions.

Gillard said she was taken by surprise by the resignation.

“I am disappointed that the concerns Mr. Rudd has publicly expressed this evening were never personally raised with me, nor did he contact me to discuss his resignation prior to his decision,” she said in the statement.

Rudd said he planned to fly back to Australia on Thursday to sort out his future. But in his resignation speech, he was highly critical of Labor’s attacks on him.

“I can promise you this: There is no way — no way — that I will ever be party to a stealth attack on a sitting prime minister elected by the people,” Rudd said. “We all know that what happened then was wrong and it must never happen again.”

Rudd said his duties in Washington will be fulfilled by Australia’s ambassador, Kim Beazley, a former Labor leader whom Rudd deposed in a party ballot in 2006 with the support of Gillard as his deputy.

Many Australians were angry when the government dumped Rudd, who was swept into office as prime minister by general elections in 2007. In Australia’s system, the prime minister is chosen by a majority of lawmakers in the House of Representatives, not by voters.

In 2010, Labor lawmakers moved against Rudd because opinion polls suggested they were unlikely to win elections that year under his leadership.

After the 2010 elections, Labor under Gillard formed the first minority government in Australia since World War II.

Opposition leader Tony Abbott said Rudd’s resignation confirmed that the government is unworthy to continue in office.

Abbott said only his coalition could provide a strong and stable government that would address the issues facing the country and restore hope and opportunity for all Australians.

However, netizens have criticized the move since the Angry Birds are… well, angry and destructive, which seems a bit counter to the campaign’s theme.

As Ayaz Amir noted in his column,

The 20th Amendment is a bit of a minor miracle – ensuring an independent election commission and neutral caretaker setups, going so far as to stipulate that if agreement fails between government and opposition on caretaker names, the final word will lie with the chief election commissioner. If this doesn’t stop the cry of election-rigging in Pakistan nothing ever will.

To the PML-N goes the principal credit for giving final shape to this amendment. It pushed long and hard and finally had its way. This was a far cry from its earlier stand when dark hints were thrown about resigning from the assemblies and forcing early elections. Different voices are often heard in the PML-N but ultimately, as we keep seeing, pragmatism prevails. The Memogate petition in the Supreme Court was an exception, good sense taking a back seat, but no point in pouring salt over an open wound.

The prime minister and his team, especially Khurshid Shah, also deserve credit for showing patience and not losing their cool, and not losing sight of the larger picture. Failure to agree on the 20th Amendment could have jeopardized much more, including the Senate election.

This goes along with a theme I’ve touched upon repeatedly during the last couple years. Namely, that there is a serious disjuncture in this government’s ability to get things done. The capital-p Politics stuff, they’re excellent at. The 18th amendment, marking the first time a head of state in Pakistan gave up power and privileges, for instance. Allowing political parties in FATA. The Balochistan package. The Gilgit-Baltistan reforms. The anti-women violence bill. And now the 20th amendment. On some major institutional and constitutional issues, they’ve done a good job. What they’re seriously bad at is the stuff that impacts people’s day-to-day lives, like the energy crisis or law and order.

To return to the main point of the post, the 20th amendment is an important achievement. You would think Imran Khan would be behind it, given his rhetoric in the past. After all, he’s said things like

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan declared that no general election would be tolerated prior to rectification of bogus electoral lists.

Addressing a joint press conference along with Air Marshal (r) Asghar Khan of Tehreek-e-Istaqlal (TI) on Monday at the latter’s residence, he announced his strong resolve to struggle for an independent Election Commission

He said that he was the man who had introduced neutral umpires in cricket and would also continue his efforts for an independent Election Commission.

So when the cause of independent election commission is served, why is this his reaction?

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairperson Imran Khan said on Tuesday that the 20th Amendment was stacked up against his party in particular because PTI was becoming a real electoral threat to both, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).

“The 20th Amendment was just passed by the PPP and PML-N to strengthen their hold on power and to prevent PTI from sweeping the next general elections,” said Khan.

Strongly rejecting the amendment, Khan said that PML-N continues to support the wrongdoings of the government so that both the PPP and PML-N could have a share in the corrupt power structures prevailing at present.

Calling it a fraud and violation of the Constitution and democratic principles, Imran said the amendment condones elections carried out against the provisions of the Constitution.

“A complete fraud has been committed by the government in collusion with the main opposition party,” Imran stated.

Really? “A complete fraud?” That’s your opinion?

Always ripe for a head-scratching comment, Immy is. Photo: AP

It’s obvious that Imran Khan is being disingenuous here. Even he can’t be that stupid. He obviously believes this is a good step in the right direction, but refuses to say so because he can’t bring himself to say anything remotely nice about the PPP and PML-N. It’s a little churlish and a little immature.

Memo to PTI: sometimes your political opponents do worthy things. A quiet nod of appreciation, even amidst the cacophony of Pakistani politics, would not be remiss.

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Afghan and U.S. officials say they are considering pushing through a long-delayed partnership agreement by relegating the contentious issues of night raids and control over detainees to separate negotiations.

The two countries have been working for a year to nail down terms of a strategic partnership document that would govern U.S. operations in Afghanistan after 2014.

But Afghan President Hamid Karzai has demanded an end to night raids by U.S. troops and control over detainees as a condition of a deal.

An Afghan official and American official familiar with the discussions said the two countries are looking at removing these issues from the long-term agreement and negotiating them separately.

Both officials spoke anonymously to discuss ongoing negotiations.

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Headlines from the Associated Press

The gap between "rich" and "poor" in Japan is growing. Picture: Flikr

It may be one of the largest economies in the world but Japan is quickly becoming a country divided into “rich” and “poor”.

Police believe three people found in their Saitama apartment, yesterday, died of starvation- a sad fate that highlights the worsening state of Japan’s economy.

The three adults, believed to be a family of two parents in their 60s and son in his 30s, appear to have died over two months ago. The building’s landlord discovered them when he came to collect the rent.

The family was in fact 6 months behind in their rent and had the gas and electricity cut off to their small, first floor apartment.

Inside, police found the bodies lying on futons without any external injuries. The apartment had been locked and was described by police as “tidy” suggesting there had been no struggle or fowl play.

A handful of one yen coins were found inside but there was no food apart from some boiled sweets.

NHK interviewed a neighbour who said she hadn’t seen the family since November last year.

“If we had known sooner [that the family were in trouble] maybe we could have done something to help.”

Another neighbour claimed the wife of the family asked if she could borrow some money to cover their rent. When the neighbour advised her to speak to welfare officials she reportedly refused.

Saitama Municipal Government said the family did not register for any welfare benefits. If they had the family would have been eligible for assistance and nursing services.

Extreme poverty and starvation is becoming a frighteningly common occurrence in Japan.  In the last 10 years, over 700 people have died from starvation, many of them elderly individuals, disconnected from their families.

Older people are the most common victims of extreme poverty in Japan. Picture: Flikr

Traditionally, aging parents lived with their children but a survey of Japanese high school students last year showed that only 15.7 per cent planning on caring for the parents in their old age.

Single, older men in their mid to late 50s who are unemployed or have been made redundant also make up a high proportion of those who die of starvation.

In many of these cases, the individuals have applied for welfare benefits but have been refused by the government. Without wanting to shame themselves by asking for money from family or friends, they suffer quietly in tumbledown shacks.

In 2007, the New York Times reported of three men who died of starvation in Kitakyushu – a city who described their welfare system as a “model”. One kept a diary of his final days with his final entry reading: “My belly’s empty … I want to eat a rice ball. I haven’t eaten rice in 25 days.’

The Japanese government estimates that over 1.5 million people are living below the poverty line, however this number is expected to have increased since the Great East Japan Earthquake, last year.

Although the country has a comparatively high percentage of it’s GDP dedicated to public welfare spending (16.9 per cent compared to 14.8 per cent in the US), only 0.2 per cent of the GDP goes towards public assistance to the poor. That’s less than half of the US at 0.5 per cent.

We have featured the former massage parlor tycoon turned anti-corruption vigilante Chuwit Kamolvisit before (see here), whose Rak Thailand Party surprisingly scored a few seats in the House at the elections last year (and where Chuwit also knew how to make a first impression) and positioned themselves as an opposition watchdog. Since then, he has regularly exposed illegal gambling dens and prostitution rings, most of them operating with the knowledge and involvement of police, politicians and other officials.

And if the case we are highlighting today is anything to go by, he is not stopping at his own party either:

Chuvit Kamolvisit, leader of the Rak Thailand Party, has submitted a request to the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) seeking an investigation into whether an MP of his own party had abused his political post for self-interest.

Mr Chuvit accused Chaiwat Krairiksh, a Rak Thailand list MP, of using his political poskition to divert funds of the Rural Roads Department for building a road passing in front of his house in Pak Phanang district of Nakhon Si Thammarat province. (…)

Along with the request, Mr Chuvit submitted to the NACC a video clip which he said was evidence against Mr Chaiwat. 

“Chuvit seeks probe into own MP“, Bangkok Post, February 8, 2012

In the mentioned video (viewable in Thai here), filmed from an obviously hidden camera, Chuwit is seen talking with Chaiwat, the latter candidly talking about his plans, pretty much confirming the allegations (at about the 2:00 minute mark when asked by Chuwit “Why all this?”, he replies “Because it’s in front of my house!”), even being aware of the legal implications (1:20 min: “I know it’s against the law!”) and hinting at a possible concession by the potential contractor who will build the road in front of his house (1:39 min: “I didn’t say I won’t get my share, I WILL get my share”).

Chuwit also mentions an incident in parliament last November, during a vote of no-confidence against justice minister Pracha Promnok for his involvement during the flood crisis as head of the Flood Relief Operations Command. Chaiwat voted in favor of Pracha, much to the anger of his party chief (4:05 min: “…and last time [in parliament], you **** made the wrong vote – even after I told you to change it!”), since the party is in the opposition, and suspects Chaiwat of pandering to the government in hope for benefits in exchange (4:11 min: “You got to finally admit that you’re with the government. You think their budget, you’re jumping through hoops for, is easy to get.”) - to which he firmly admits of deliberately voting for Pracha.

One aspect that makes this case somewhat interesting is the decades-long friendship between these two. In an interview with Matichon Online, Chaiwat notes that they have been friends since school (“ผมเป็นเพื่อนเรียนที่โรงเรียนเทพศิรินทร์มาด้วยกัน”), but parted way during university with him becoming a lawyer and Chuwit earning his (in)famous reputation as a massage parlor tycoon. He also claims that it was him who introduced Chuwit to politics, who was not interested before – so much so as he had never used his right to vote (“วันนั้นคุณชูวิทย์ ยังไม่รู้จักการเมือง คุณชูวิทย์ยังไม่เคยไปใช้สิทธิ์เลือกตั้ง”). Together, they formed the First Thai Nation Party (พรรคต้นตระกูลไทย) in 2003, with Chaiwat being the party’s general-secretary.

Fast forward to 2011 (and several party changes later), Chuwit grew increasingly contempt with Chaiwat, triggered by the deliberate vote in favor of Pracha, to which Chuwit stated that he accidentally made a rookie mistake (source). In January, Chaiwat resigned as secretary-general of the party (source). A few days later, Chuwit talked to Chaiwat, telling him that he was aware of his potential abuse of power, to which the latter supposedly reacted with the exit of the party shortly afterwards.

However, Chaiwat denied having ever signed such a document despite Chuwit’s claims that several party members have witnessed the signing and these documents have been handed to the Election Commission (EC). The now former party secretary-general himself lodged an inquiry to the EC stating that he is not leaving the party and that his signature has been forged (source), thus accusing Chuwit of lying to the EC. In the video, Chaiwat has offered Chuwit to withdraw said inquiry (5:11 min), while also being determined to go through with his road project (5:21 min “But first: I really want to do this project. Second: yes, I will benefit from this project! That is the truth”).

In the Matichon interview, Chaiwat defended himself from the accusation that he has not done any work from the party and not attended any meetings, since according to him there were no meetings (“มีด้วยเหรอประชุมพรรค” ชัยวัฒน์ตอบทันทีและว่า … เพราะพรรคผมไม่ได้มีการประชุม”) and whether it’s politics or his businesses, it’s ultimately Chuwit who decides the direction (“ทั้งพรรคทั้งบริษัท คุณชูวิทย์กำหนดทิศทางพรรคคนเดียว”). Chaiwat said that on the day of the filmed meeting with Chuwit, he has been invited by the latter for a chat ‘as friends’ (“เขาเป็นคนโทรศัพท์คุยกับผมเองว่า มาคุยกันในฐานะเพื่อน”). He insists that he’s in the opposition and not with the government (“ผมอยู่ฝ่ายค้าน ไม่ได้อยู่ฝ่ายรัฐบาล”), even though in the clip he openly admits pandering to them.

Ultimately, Chaiwat asks the question whether or not somebody, who is secretly filming, setting up a scene and conveniently cuts everything together is in the right after all (“ส่วนในคลิปนั้น คุณจัดฉาก ตั้งกล้องแอบถ่าย ตัดแต่งเรียบร้อย สังคมก็กล่าวหาว่าคนแอบถ่ายเป็นคนถูก อย่างนั้นหรือ?”). And that is the crux of the whole story – while Chaiwat was clearly caught red-handed doing something more than questionable, it begs the question if Chuwit’s means sometimes is justified. But that won’t stop the anti-corruption vigilante from exposing the shady businesses of officials – even if it means he has to get his hands dirty and lose a long-time friend.

Saksith Saiyasombut is a Thai blogger and journalist currently based in Hamburg, Germany. He can be followed on Twitter @Saksith and also on his public Facebook page here.

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — Malaysia has banned a nearly 40-year-old sex education book written by a British author following complaints by Muslim activists that it is obscene.

The Home Ministry says that Peter Mayle’s “Where Did I Come From?” contains “elements that undermine societal morals and public interests.”

The book contains cartoons that narrate the reproductive process. It was first published in 1973 and is listed on some international websites on books as being intended for children between 4 and 8 years old.

Members of the youth wing of Malaysia’s ruling party who recently noticed it at a bookstore complained last week.

The Home Ministry said in a statement Wednesday that people caught distributing the book could be jailed three years.

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — In achievement-oriented Taiwan, where studying is a pastime sport among young people, the outdoor complex of basketball courts near National Taiwan University is normally a pretty lonely place, more used to hosting raindrops and discarded food wrappers than pivoting feet and jump shots.

All that is starting to change as the island of 23 million people enters its fourth week of Linsanity, the worldwide phenomenon following the improbable success of New York Knicks guard Jeremy Lin, whose talent has helped energize one of the least dynamic teams in the NBA and whose parents spent their formative years in the central Taiwanese county of Changhua.

Though Lin himself was born and raised in the United States, Taiwan is proud to claim him as its own, seeing in the Harvard graduate’s rapid rise from basketball obscurity to global stardom the same virtues they say propelled their island from agricultural backwater to high-tech powerhouse: hard work, devotion to family and modesty.

On a recent weekday afternoon, the NTU basketball complex featured a spirited one-on-one matchup between Jake Chang and Spencer Wang, two 19-year-old economics students who share a dream of playing in the NBA, even if their modest size and less than lightning speed suggest their studies will lead to a more appropriate career.

“I admit it,” said Wang, smiling broadly. “Banking is probably a better bet for us.”

But that doesn’t diminish Lin’s importance to them or their regard for his accomplishments on the biggest basketball stage in the world.

“Lin really inspires me to be a better player,” said Wang, who hits the NTU courts 3-4 times a week. “The main thing is he’s Asian. He doesn’t have the natural advantages of the black and white players in the NBA. But he practices so much, maybe 7-8 hours a day, just to improve his game.”

Adds Chang: “How can you not be inspired by Lin? He wasn’t very famous, but he worked hard in the offseason and now he’s a star.”

Their comments underscore the durability of the “no shortcuts to success” ethos on Taiwan, a vital cog in the global information technology industry, where parents of third graders routinely exchange tips on how best to approach their children’s math homework.

But Lin’s achievement appears to be promoting an increased appreciation for the importance of sports in creating well-rounded individuals, even on bookish Taiwan.

Noting an upsurge in basketball interest – both in watching and playing – Mayor Eric Chu of the suburban cluster of Xinbei City near Taipei ordered officials to replenish missing nets at community and school basketball courts, and to ensure that night lighting at outdoor facilities was working properly.

“Jeremy Lin’s success tells Taiwanese parents that good players can be good students too,” he said.

His message may be getting through. On Tuesday morning 4,000 Xinbei high school students were allowed time off from classes to see a televised broadcast of the Knicks game against the New Jersey Nets – a contest the Knicks lost after Lin fouled out.

“The students pleaded and I agreed to do this on an experimental basis,” explained principal Wang Chi-kuang, as his charges jumped up and down and clapped red noisemakers to cheer their hero on.

Another Lin convert is Taiwan President Ma ying-jeou, who invoked the star’s name to underscore the closeness of the island’s relations with the United States, while greeting a visiting congressional delegation on Tuesday morning.

“We are both democracies, we are both concerned with human rights and peace, and we both appreciate the basketball skills of Jeremy Lin,” Ma said.

That seems to be an understatement. On the day that Ma spoke, all four Taiwanese morning newspapers ran full color page one photographs of Lin in action against the Dallas Mavericks, while TV news stations aired endless commentaries on his exploits.

While American publications have tried to outdo each other with Lin-based puns, their Taiwanese counterparts refer to him simply as the “Hao” kid, a play on words that exploits his second Chinese name, which means both “good” and “heroic.”

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Headlines from the Associated Press

What better vehicle for giving vent to ire is there than a keyboard? A pen? But, did they not go out fashion except to stick out as props on jackets, coats and shorts?

So here am I – the tech-dependent (though not very savvy) blogger, unburdening on a – by now – suspecting reader.

When I stepped into this profession, during election time you could look in any direction to humour oneself. Now you need to look in only one direction – towards Nirvachan Sadan, off Patel Chowk in India’s capital.

The first thing that will frown at you if you look askance at the building’s façade is the Model Code of Conduct – a set of hastily formulated insertions into an existing rule book in 1996 – but now presented as if India’s Moral Code depends on adherence to it.

The problem is that while most Indians have always believed that politics is sans morality – that, it is the last refuge of scoundrels – they have also taken the belief in their stride. Long before the Election Commission became the behemoth that it is now, the Indian electorate always came up with politically correct verdicts.

India’s first four elections were held in a synchronized manner at the national and state levels. Verdicts followed a pattern in 1952, 1957, 1962 and 1967. If the Congress was given unequivocal mandates in the first three polls, then the electorate just about gave it a jolt in 1967 because the politics of the time necessitated that verdict – a wafer thin majority for the Congress at the Centre and a warning to it that even coalitions could be considered viable options by voters if they were taken for granted.

Regime changes were logical in 1977 and 1980 as was verdict of 1971’s mid-term polls called by Indira Gandhi. I do not think that the Indian electorate made wrong choices in 1984 and 1989. That is when the script begins changing with the entry of TN Seshan in Nirvachan Sadan. Amid the debris of the ambitiously strung together government of Chandrasekhar the Election Commission decide that it shall no longer remain in the shadows of political players.

For reporters, EC became a ‘beat’ over the next few years and Seshan the archetypal Queen of Spades – the middle-class hero projecting himself as the ‘crook-buster’.

The change in the character of the EC between 1990 and 1996 – when Seshan made way for MS Gill – was also when India’s new middle-class emerged with the essential spirit of hating the poor and wanting to be rich. So what was the best strategy? Well, erode the credibility of the system by which the poor threw up ‘correct’ verdicts election after election.

Amid the furor over the Model Code of Conduct let us remember this basic fact: The issue of the powers that EC has if a candidate or party violates the Model Code of Conduct or if the Code itself has any constitutional or legal basis is open to interpretation.

Given that, let no authority don the role of moral enforcers and convert boisterous democratic elections into school assemblies where everyone lifts the hand out of fear of the Principal. And, let no one underestimate the political wisdom of the Indian voters.

BALI, Indonesia (AP) — Security forces have stormed a prison on Indonesia’s resort island of Bali after rioting inmates temporarily took control of the facility, setting fires and throwing rocks at guards.

The violence erupted Tuesday night at the Kerobokan prison following the stabbing of an inmate.

Local police chief Maj. Gen. Totoy Herawan Indra says riot police stormed the compound early Wednesday as hundreds of heavily armed security forces surrounded the perimeter.

Witnesses say several inmates were taken to a hospital with injuries, apparently from rubber bullets.

The prison has around 1,000 inmates, including dozens of foreigners. Those include members of a Australian drug smuggling ring who Australian media have dubbed the “Bali Nine.”

If current government has genuine political reform plan, first of all it should call a unilateral ceasefire  to show sympathy on the war victims and innocent civilians. It should think over the result of this war, a waste of many lives.

In the hope of setting up political dialogue, the KIO signed a ceasefire agreement with the central government on February 24, 1994. However, no political dialogue happened in the 17-year ceasefire and the KIO was pressured to give up its weapons and transform into a Burmese Army-controlled Border Guard Force (BGF) ahead of the 2010 November 7 election. The KIO turned down the BGF plan, saying it cannot accept weakening its armed wing.

KIA officials repeatedly said the civil war would spread across Kachin and Shan states if the government expanded its aggressive offensive against the KIO.  The latest series of armed clashes in Kachin state have prompted observers to think that warfare in the border regions may not be avoidable.

Last week, over 1,500kg of rice recently harvested by farmers in war-torn Kachin state were set ablaze by government soldiers in Waingmaw Township on the Myitkyina-Bhamo road, eyewitnesses told Kachin News Group.

On February 16 and 17, soldiers from the Meiktila-based Light Infantry Division No. 88 ransacked a great quantity of rice paddies in Mali Yang village.  The arson attack followed heavy fighting in the area between the Burmese army and fighters from Brigade 5 of the Kachin Independence Army.

Looting or destroying farmers’ crops is a common policy of Burma Army to carry out communal penalties in conflict zones.

Although the government says it is on the democratic reform path, its armed forces continued destroying civilians’ properties and killing unarmed civilians this month. Even though the battle between the KIO and government troops seemed to ease earlier this year, the intensity of the warfare has gradually increased over the past few weeks.

Fighting has been particularly intense in northern Shan State along the proposed route of the Shwe gas pipeline project.

Peace talks between the two sides which were expected to be held last week failed to take place after the Burmese government delegation objected to meeting again in China.

Although the government has been attempting through two peacemaking teams, the key ethnic rebel groups, Karen National Union (KNU) and Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) are still unconvinced of the move for political settlement.

The ethnic armed groups do not trust the government’s offer of peace talks. The fact is that while offering a peace plan, the government has been increasing its deployment of armed forces in the conflict zones. Besides, the Burma Army’s soldiers are on the loose, committing lots of crimes and human rights abuses in the ethnic territories.

The difficulties of ending the war against the KNU and the KIO are entwined with the natural resources profits in the respective ethnic states. The Myitsone Dam venture and Shwe-gas twin pipeline development projects are entangled with war against KIO and the Dawei deepsea port project needs a security guarantee from the KNU.

Moreover, the government wants to show the international community that their peacemaking course is on track By doing so, the regime could earn the trust from the Western democracies and sanctions may lift at the same time.

Since the end of a 17-year ceasefire between the Burmese government and the KIO in June 2010, more than 70,000 war refugees have abandoned their homes in native Kachin and northern Shan state.  The majority of the refugees have fled to KIO areas where the UN and international NGOs have been unreachable.

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — New Zealanders are gathering in the thousands to remember the 185 people who died in a devastating earthquake one year ago in the city of Christchurch.

They listened to speeches and music at an afternoon service in Christchurch’s North Hagley Park on the anniversary of the magnitude-6.1 quake. New Zealanders are being asked to observe two minutes of silence at 12:51 p.m., when the quake struck.

Earlier, a memorial for the families of those who died was held in Christchurch’s Latimer Square.

The flag at Parliament buildings in Wellington is flying at half mast.

Much of downtown Christchurch was destroyed in the quake and thousands of residents lost their homes. The government has estimated the cost of the quake at about 30 billion dollars ($ 25 billion).

Held in several Indian cities, representatives from over 50 institutes attended the event. The response was overwhelming, dispelling any doubts about the popularity of a UK higher education among prospective international students.

Suchita Gokarn, Head of Education UK Partnerships at British Council India told Asian Correspondent: “At the recently concluded Education UK Exhibition held across 4 Indian cities, the footfall has increased indicating that there is growing interest in the market for studying in the UK. We had an Indian bank representation at the event who was giving out information about student loans to all the visitors.”

Suchita added that the controversial scrapping of the Post Study Work Visa has not affected the popularity of the UK as a study destination.  At a time when university applications from within the UK have dropped by 8.7%, following fee hikes of up to £9,000 per year in English universities, applications from outside Europe, especially those from Southeast Asia, continue to  rise – up 13.7% on last year – according to data released by admissions organisation UCAS.

Pic: City of Bristol College

Reports also show that UK colleges are increasingly becoming a popular option among international students. Asian students, in particular, are realising the importance of a college education – these institutes offer industry-specific training and have courses geared towards employability. They also provide an introduction to the UK education system for international students. Colleges are the perfect place to hone language skills and adapt to a new culture, before applying for programmes at UK universities. With high-quality teaching and small class sizes, these institutes provide a supportive learning environment that is ideal for students who are adapting to a foreign academic and social experience. Studying at colleges is regarded as the first step to securing a spot on a university degree, with students being exclusively prepared to excel in their fields.

Low tuition fees and lenient admission requirements have increased the popularity of colleges among international students. This is the perfect training ground for students who might be suitably qualified but lack the required English language skills for university admission. Colleges also boast collaborations and partnerships that provide their students with the opportunity for work experience and gain on-the-job training. College graduates are skilled individuals with the option to seek further education or employment.

This year’s Education UK Exhibition revealed that popular study-abroad subjects for Indian students are Business and Management, IT & Engineering, Biosciences, Fashion Design, Law, and Social Sciences.

Pic: City of Bristol College

So why do international students continue to prefer the UK as an education destination? Studying in the UK goes beyond academic training and offers a unique cultural experience that Asian students are keen to be part of.

Save time and money: International students invest heavily when choosing higher education abroad, and time is money. Unlike the US, the UK offers shorter duration on their programmes, allowing students to control their expenditure and enter the jobs market faster.

International recognition: The UK has no shortage of world-recognised institutes offering qualifications that can kick start any career. Further, tailored programmes like foundation degrees and industry-specific training from colleges allow a much easier transition into higher education and increase student employability.

Free health care: International students can avail of the UK’s free healthcare system, also known as the NHS, if they are enrolled on courses for more than 6 months. This is greatly beneficial, saving money on doctor’s appointments and prescription medicines.

Living in the UK: Kath Tudor, Head of International Business at City of Bristol College, tells Asian Correspondent: “When compared to other education destinations, many international students choose us for the UK experience. They know they are getting high quality academic training but they are also keen to experience the British culture and our student life.” Kath says it is that balance between academics and an exciting social life that attracts international students to the UK. Living in the UK also allows students to travel within Europe.

Pic: Chichester College

UK educational institutes offer plenty of support to international students on arrival to the country. There are expert teams deployed to make sure students from outside the UK find their feet quickly, with assistance with everything from finding accommodation to counselling on personal matters.

In fact, for most students preparations begin even before they leave their home country. British Council’s Indian Head of Partnerships, Sucheta says: “A pre-departure briefing orientation is held by the British Council every year in different Indian cities for all students who are going to join a UK institution. At this orientation, advice on all aspects of student life in the UK like health and safety, teaching and learning methods used at a UK institutions and general aspects of student life, along with dos and don’ts and student visa information, is given. In addition to this, there is an interactive session with returned alumni who share their first hand experiences of student life in the UK.”

British Council exhibitions and pre-departure briefing orientations are held across Asia – Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Bangkok and China, to name a few. So what should a prospective student consider when choosing higher education in the UK? Sucheta advises: “To begin with, look at the entry requirements and course content of the programmes (of your choice). Following that, speak to alumni who have studied there to know their perceptions. Finally, don’t forget to look at the departmental ratings and the institute ratings.”

Socially, Sucheta’s tips for a fulfilling UK experience are: “Study hard, make new friends and connections with the multicultural population on a UK university campus. These will become friends for life and you can have a friend in every corner of the world.”

Below we have selected some of the leading colleges in the UK for Asian students:

CITY OF BRISTOL COLLEGE

One of the UK’s largest colleges, City of Bristol College is recognised as a leading educator providing high quality teaching and promoting overall personal development. The institute, renowned for its work with adults, young people and employers, has a mission of “achieving potential and creating prosperity” among students and the community. It offers a range of tailored courses that train students to successfully enter either further higher education or the jobs market equipped with industry-specific skills. These approaches have made it a popular choice among employers.

Pic: City of Bristol College

City of Bristol College hosts 8 faculties that offer more than 1,000 full-time, part-time and evening courses across four campuses – College Green Centre, Ashley Down Centre, Soundwell Centre, and South Bristol Skills Academy. This makes it the educator with the widest choice of programmes in England’s South West. Home to 30,000 students, City of Bristol College also provides a popular foundation degree programme in partnership with leading institutes across the country, such as University of West England (UWE), University of Plymouth, Bath Spa University and University of Bristol. Read more here…

SHEFFIELD COLLEGE

Bringing together a federation of colleges – Sheffield City College, Hillsborough College, Norton College and Peaks College – Sheffield College is recognised for providing high quality education and excellent vocational training to its students. The College partners with schools and universities to offer industry-specific training and qualifications to enhance graduate employability. Its extensive range of full-time and part-time courses right from entry level to foundation degrees are popular among international students, looking to either get a grasp on the UK higher education system or improve upon existing skills for better chances of finding a job. These higher education courses for international students range from foundation degrees in Business Management and Enterprise, e-Communications for the Public Sector, Fashion Design & manufacture, Graphic Design, and Media Production; the Medical Foundation Programme prepares international students for the full-time Medical degree programme at the University of Sheffield.

CHICHESTER COLLEGE

Affordable quality education and world class student support are the hallmarks of Chichester College. This English University in West Sussex boasts an excellent reputation for its innovative teaching methods and commitment towards diversity. The College is home to 2500 international students each year representing 80 countries; Chichester College is the recipient of The Queen’s Anniversary Prize for its work with international students. Students can choose from more than 200 full-time programmes, including Engineering, Hospitality & Catering, and Performing Arts. The College also offers hundreds of part-time programmes about 60 bespoke workspace delivery programmes.

Pic: Chichester College

International students can take advantage of the extensive English language training available at the College – offering seven different modules from elementary to advanced training. Read more here…

BIRMINGHAM COLLEGE

Located in the heart of Birmingham city, the UK’s most populous city outside of London with a thriving student population of over 65,000, Birmingham College represents the city’s multicultural and diverse community. Providing an excellent learning environment, the College has a mission of offering one of the best global educations and training relevant to international students and business communications worldwide. Personal tutorial input, small class sizes and additional academic support ensure a successful completion rate. This is a popular choice among international students who want to benefit from the College’s student friendly atmosphere and an exciting social life in a city that boasts a large Asian population. Along with its sought-after English Language Foundation Programme, Birmingham College also collaborates with leading British higher education institutes such as Coventry University, Edge Hill University and Staffordshire University. The College also has overseas collaborations with Asian countries – Gujrat State University and ICFAI Business School (IBS) in India, and Normal Teaching University in China.

CARDIFF COLLEGE INTERNATIONAL

Part of Wales’ Cardiff and Vale College, Cardiff College International (CCI) is a leading educator in the region, offering more than 100 courses to over 25,000 students, spread over 11 campuses – with the City Centre campus and the Trowbridge campus acting as the most important student centres. With an international community representing 40 countries, the students at CCI reflect Cardiff’s multicultural society. CCI offers a range of full-time and part-time courses including General English (Elementary – Advanced), IELTS Preparation and Study Skills, and the International Foundation programme available in Business, Management & IT. The College also offers a range of academic courses that include A/AS levels, and vocational training resulting in BTEC Extended Diploma that can greatly help applications for further higher education.

City of Bristol College hosts 8 faculties that offer more than 1,000 full-time, part-time and evening courses across four campuses – College Green Centre, Ashley Down Centre, Soundwell Centre, and South Bristol Skills Academy. This makes it the educator with the widest choice of programmes in England’s South West. Home to 30,000 students, City of Bristol College also provides a popular foundation degree programme in partnership with leading institutes across the country, such as University of West England (UWE), University of Plymouth, Bath Spa University and University of Bristol. This is an attractive option for international students who receive the necessary academic, English language and soft skills training to help them secure seats at some of Britain’s finest universities.

Pic: City of Bristol College

Head of International Business at City of Bristol College, Kath Tudor, tells Asian Correspondent: “All our lecturers are professionally trained with expertise and links to their relevant industries. This increases our students’ employability as they develop contacts that they receive during their training.”

Employers find that graduates from the College are industry-trained and add value to their business. Providing a vast array of bespoke programmes designed to meet employer needs, the City of Bristol College is educated students in professional knowledge and development for career success. High profile training contracts with top companies such as Airbus, NHS, HSBC, DAF Trucks and Porsche cars, and an 84% satisfaction rate among employers (2007 Employer Satisfaction Survey), have secured the College a spot as one of the best-value colleges in the country with a high return on investment.

“Our students choose us because we have a very good reputation in employability,” Kath says. “We not only prepare students in academics but also train them in soft skills. We understand the market and with 20 years experience in teaching international students, we know how to create a supportive environment, with a classroom-based personal interaction among students and teachers. We train students to be more analytical, encouraging independent participation and presentation skills. These are essential skills to securing a seat in university.”

Academics
The College offers a range of full-time, part-time, and evening courses, along with the availability of training packages for employers. A selection of programmes on offer is outlined below:

Business and Management: These courses include specialisations in Business Management and Business Studies, offered at Ashley Down centre campus and the College Green Centre campus. Students can choose their qualification level from HNC, Foundation Degree, BTEC Diploma and BTEC Extended Diploma to suit their requirements.

Computing and Information Technology: Courses include Computing & IT, General Computing, Networking & PC Maintenance, and Programming.  Specialisations are available in IT (Software Development), Forensic Computing (leading to BTEC Extended Diploma); IT (leading to Diploma); and Computing and Information Technology (Foundation Degree) among others. These courses are spread across the College’s 4 campuses.

Creative Arts & Media: Students interested in Art & Design, Fashion & Clothing, Graphic Design and Media Production can study at one of the College’s many programmes to gain industry-specific skills. Several courses in Music (Music; Music Production; Music Technology), Performance (Dance Theatre Performance; Performing Arts – Acting; Theatre Media Performance) and Photography (including Professional Photography) are also available to offer a choice to students.

Ashley Down campus, City of Bristol College

Life in Bristol
“There is always something to do in Bristol,” says Kath. “There is always a lot going on for every interest. The city has a proud heritage with beautiful architecture and cultural programmes and draws in national and international theatre groups. Boasting some of Britain’s best nightlife, Bristol is also home to some of the country’s biggest shopping centres. In spite of all this activity, Bristol still remains a safe city, making it a popular choice among international students.”

City of Bristol College is home to a diverse community of students who participate in a range of activities to maximise their UK experience. Student support teams are available to help international students adapt to a foreign environment, with advice on a range of topics from choosing the right course, finding suitable accommodation to help on personal matters. This helps Asian students integrate into the British culture and find their footing to get the most from student life.

Student Event Teams are integral to campus life at the College, organising parties, trips, road shows and other activities to create truly memorable student days.

You can connect with City of Bristol College on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube

The College is home to 2500 international students representing 80 countries; Chichester College is the recipient of The Queen’s Anniversary Prize for its work with international students. Students can choose from more than 200 full-time programmes, including Engineering, Hospitality & Catering, and Performing Arts. The College also offers hundreds of part-time programmes and about 60 bespoke workspace delivery programmes.

International students can take advantage of the extensive English language training available at the College – offering seven different modules from elementary to advanced training.

Courses are held across the College’s two campuses in Chichester and Brinsbury.

Pic: Chichester College

Academics

Chichester College offers unique programmes tailored for international students, a few of which are mentioned below:

Summer School: Chichester College’s International Summer School is the perfect option for students looking to increase their English language proficiency while undertaking other modules. Students on this short course can opt to study Business Skills, Holistic Therapies, Current Affairs, and English Cookery, among many others, along with their English training.

Foundation Courses: The College, along with the University of Chichester, offers international students a unique Chichester Learning Experience. Both institutes work together, drawing from their history and expertise in education, to provide high-quality academic opportunities. These include: the University of Chichester International Business Foundation Programme; and the International Business Foundation Diploma Programme.

University of Bath International Foundation Year: Geared towards securing international students a spot on a full-time degree at the prestigious University of Bath, the programme modules comprise two academic subjects, English for academic purposes, and higher education skills.

International Pre-Masters Programme in Business: This intensive one year programme, tailored for degree graduates or three year diploma holders, offers students the skills and knowledge to pursue postgraduate education in business-related courses in UK universities. In June 2011, the course achieved a 100% progression rate from its graduates.

Pic: Chichester College

Studying in Chichester

Located in beautiful and historic Chichester in the South East, this is a vibrant student city with plenty to do when not in the classroom. The College has an active students union, a well-equipped Sports Centre and several free activities for students to participate in. This is one of the safest and friendliest cities in the UK, and boasts many historical sites, restaurants and cafes, and a great shopping experience. An excellent place to study and live, Chichester has excellent rail, bus and road links to London, Portsmouth, and Heathrow Airport.

You can connect with Chichester College on Facebook and Twitter

BEIJING (AP) — Celebrities like basketball star Yao Ming have helped energize China’s animal rights movement by speaking out against shark fin soup and bear bile tonics, an animal welfare group said Tuesday.

Jill Robinson, who established the Hong Kong-based Animals Asia Foundation in 1998, said she’s seen interest in animal rights snowball in China over the last few years, spurred by support from celebrities and shifting attitudes among ordinary people.

NBA star Yao Ming. Pic: AP.

Robinson spoke at an event in Beijing calling for an end to bear bile farming, the practice of extracting bile from the gall bladders of living bears. The animals are caged and milked of bile through catheters, which animal rights groups contend is cruel.

On Saturday, Yao visited one of Robinson’s bear sanctuaries in Sichuan province. The 7-foot-6 (2.29-meter) former NBA center clipped the nails of an anesthetized bear and shook its paw, then strolled around the facility with his wife, looking at the bear enclosures and a bear graveyard.

Yao has also campaigned against the weekly slaughter of an estimated 1.5 million sharks to make shark fin soup. The practice is taking some of the species close to extinction.

The English-born Robinson said a Chinese government official encouraged her years ago to “start the debate” about animal rights in China.

“I’ve never forgotten that and that’s always been our motive, our incentive and finally it’s coming home to roost, finally it’s working,” she said. “It’s almost at the point now where we can step back, as people within the (Chinese) community, within the public, and within the media really take the reins.”

The change reflects both a growing environmental awareness and the increasing affluence of ordinary Chinese, who keep pets, travel overseas and are changing attitudes toward traditions they may not have questioned in the past.

Last week, Chinese voiced outrage when a pharmaceutical company that sells tonics made with bear bile announced plans for a public listing. Dozens of Chinese entertainers, writers and other celebrities signed a petition to the China Securities Regulatory Commission urging it to withhold approval for the initial public offering by Guizhentang, a Chinese medicines maker.

Hundreds of thousands of comments on Weibo, a Chinese microblog, blasted the company for extracting bile from bears.

“In China, it’s a very, very exciting time,” said Animal Asia’s senior veterinarian Monica Bando. “There are more animal protection groups than there have ever been and there are more local groups taking the initiative to rescue dogs from dog meat markets and blogging about various other animals rights issues.”

Chinese activists have staged mass releases of cats and dogs caged for shipment to restaurants and markets, where they are slaughtered for dishes considered to be delicacies or especially nourishing.

Robinson said it’s been gratifying to see a vibrant, homegrown movement taking shape. She recalled a recent phone call from an activist in Shanghai who told her: “You can step back now. This is our fight now.”

“It was just great to hear that,” she said. “It’s something that I’ve been waiting to hear for a long, long time.”

The country’s Islamic Cleric Association said the guidelines would be the solution to religious issues faced by multiracial Malaysia. The guidelines have the backing of former Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi, who pushed for the guidelines “to ensure good relations in multiethnic Malaysia”.

“These guidelines are very necessary. Through these guidelines, we can have good relations. As with the Islam Hadhari I implemented before, they are not in conflict with other religions,” he said.

The Islamic cleric association had earlier urged Muslims not to attend non-Muslim religious festivals, after the current Prime Minister Najib Razak and his wife visited an Indian temple in conjunction with Thaipusam celebrations.

His visit sparked debate among Muslim clerics on whether his visit to an Indian temple was un-Islamic or not.

The Malaysia Department of Islamic Development already has guidelines for Muslims celebrating religious festivals of non-Muslims. Under these guidelines, wearing red costumes like Santa Claus or having Christmas tree are examples of activities against the Islamic law.

The Islamic Cleric Association has called for the National Fatwa Council to be given the task to draw up another guideline to ensure there would be no more dividing opinion from those who did not have authority on Islam. According to The Star, the National Fatwa Council has recently banned Muslims from involving themselves with foreign exchange trading, but trading by money changers or between banks are permitted as they do not involve currency speculation.

Malaysia is made up of a majority of Muslims, but upholds the Federal Constitution as its supreme law. However, the country has a two-court system, whereby offences against the Islamic faith, including conversion of faith, is judged via the Islamic courts.

NEW DELHI (AP) — Police say an executive at an Indian subsidiary of scandal-plagued Olympus Corp. has apparently committed suicide.

Police officer Amarjit Kataria says Tsutomi Omori’s body was found Monday hanging from a railing in a children’s play area at a luxury high-rise apartment complex in the New Delhi suburb of Gurgaon.

Omori, 48, was managing director of Olympus Medical Systems India. So far there has been no indication that his death is linked to the scandal over the coverup of $1.5 billion of losses at the Japanese camera and medical equipment maker.

An apparent suicide note written in Japanese said: “I am ashamed and sorry for the trouble.”

Kataria says three other notes were found addressed to Omori’s father, wife and two sons.