Iran dismayed at proposal to drop wrestling from Olympic Games

Not the most important thing they should be dismayed about...

Iran’s national Olympic committee says move would a ‘huge blow’ to one of the country’s most popular sports



8 HOURS 15 MIN AGO


LONDON — Iranians are dismayed at the International Olympic Committee’s proposal to drop wrestling form the 2020 Olympic Games.

Earlier yesterday, the IOC’s executive board recommended wrestling to be removed from the 2020 Games, which will be held in either Istanbul, Tokyo or Madrid.


But in Iran, where wrestling has a significant following, the ruling committee’s decision has taken many by surprise and shock, prompting the head of the country’s national Olympic committee to say he would lobby against it.

“This will be a huge blow to our country’s sports,” Mohammad Ali-Abadi, the head of the Iranian national Olympic committee, said, according to the semi-official Mehr news agency.

“Wrestling is one of our country’s most popular and dominant sports,” he said, adding that he would pursue Iran’s objection to the decision with the IOC.

In the 2012 London Games, Iran came third in the wrestling medal table after Russia and Japan, with three golds, one silver and two bronzes. More than half of Iran’s 60 medals in the history of Olympic games are from wrestling and taekwondo.

Thanks to Iran’s good performance in wrestling, the country was the 17th in the total medal count of the London games, which marked the most successful Olympics ever for Iran.

But if the IOC endorses the ruling committee’s decision in September in Buenos Aires, Iranians will have to invest on a different sport.

“This is not the end of the process, this is purely a recommendation,” the IOC spokesman, Mark Adams, said after the board’s vote. “It is the session which is sovereign.” GUARDIAN

Bloomberg: Billionaire Kuok Says His Empire Can Last ’Generations’

A lot of billionaires past thought so...

From Bloomberg, 1 Feb, 2013 6:00:00 AM

When billionaire Robert Kuok introduced a luxury hotel brand in 1971, he named it Shangri-La, after the fictional utopia in which inhabitants enjoy unheard-of longevity.

To read the entire article, go to http://bloom.bg/XWNI7v
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Diplomat: N. Korean nuclear test held despite China warnings

Its better to leave them as they are - backward but "happy".

Diplomat: N. Korean nuclear test held despite China warnings

Published: 02.12.13, 07:43 / Israel News

A UN diplomat said that North Korea conducted a nuclear test on Tuesday despite China's warnings against it. The UN Security Council will convene Tuesday morning for an emergency meeting over the affair.

Earlier Tuesday media outlets worldwide reported a 4.9 earthquake was felt in North Korea, which could be the evidence of a nuclear test. (AFP)

Music stars ooze sex appeal on Grammys red carpet

Too bad I can't appreciate all these strutting around and camera flashing for all these people whose job is  essentially entertaining the rest of us.

 

Music stars ooze sex appeal on Grammys red carpet
Posted: 11 February 2013 0942 hrs


Click to enlarge Photos 1 of 1

Jennifer Lopez arrives on the red carpet at the Staples Center for the 55th Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, California on February 10, 2013. (AFP/Frederic J. Brown)



LOS ANGELES - US television network CBS may have warned stars not to show too much skin on stage Sunday at the Grammys, but A-listers tested the limits on the red carpet in body-conscious, revealing gowns.

Jennifer Lopez, whose plunging barely-there green Versace gown at the 2000 Grammys provided a red carpet moment for the ages, pushed the dress code to the edge with a daring black dress that covered most -- but not all -- of her.

"They didn't say anything about leg!" she told presenter Ryan Seacrest on the red carpet ahead of the main event, her toned bare leg and shoulder on full display in her asymmetrical Anthony Vaccarello ensemble.

In an email leaked to media outlets, CBS warned those appearing on the Grammys stage to "please be sure that buttocks and female breasts are adequately covered."

"Thong type costumes are problematic. Please avoid exposing bare fleshy under curves of the buttocks and buttock crack," read the letter from CBS' Standards and Practices department to representatives of the stars.

The letter continued: "Bare sides or under curvature of the breasts is also problematic. Please avoid sheer see-through clothing that could possibly expose female breast nipples."

Katy Perry clearly did not get the memo, strutting her stuff in a skin-tight cleavage-baring mint green dress, saying she was inspired by the retro glam of Priscilla Presley's look in the 1970s.

Rihanna opted for a body-skimming sheer red dress by Azzedine Alaia, with bright red lips to match.

Pop princess Taylor Swift glittered in a winter white goddess gown from J. Mendel, complete with silver accents at the neck and bustline and a daring slit in the front.

In the opening performance of the night, Swift changed into a white ringmaster's costume with shorts and knee-high boots -- but no curves exposed.

Oscar winner Nicole Kidman, on the arm of singer-husband Keith Urban, wore a sleeveless gold Vera Wang gown, while one-time "American Idol" Carrie Underwood opted for a strapless black Roberto Cavalli with a sheer skirt.

Adele, the big winner at last year's Grammys with six trophies, left her usual basic black at home but followed the rules, opting for a bold red floral Valentino dress with long sleeves and a conservative knee-length hem.

- AFP/ir

For Chinese New Year, Beijing Expects to Be Gasping

For Chinese New Year, Beijing Expects to Be Gasping

On Feb. 10, Beijing will celebrate the Chinese New Year -- assuming the city can catch its breath. January may have been its worst month ever for air pollution. The level of airborne particulates was six times higher than the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency considers safe.

The EPA's Air Quality Index measures small-particulate pollution on a scale that runs from 0 to 500. Last month, Beijing's intraday high was often 360, deemed "hazardous." The daily average was 230, deemed "very unhealthy." A typical reading for New York is 80, considered "moderate." On Jan. 22, Beijing's pollution was literally off the scale. Its AQI score was 755. On five other days, the reading exceeded 500, the nominal maximum.

It's no surprise that the medical effects of breathing air like that are grim. Living in Beijing is equivalent to smoking one to three cigarettes a day, according to C. Arden Pope III, an environmental economist at Brigham Young University. The risk of respiratory and cardiovascular disease increases substantially, Pope said in an e-mail. The risk of death from lung cancer is roughly 40 percent higher, and the risk of cardiovascular disease 30 percent higher (see this 2011 study).

Air pollution, of course, is the textbook case of externality: The costs are borne by everyone, not just those responsible for it. In effect, the polluters are subsidized. Hence they pollute too much. In principle the government should step in, either to "internalize the externality" by pushing the cost back on to the polluters or by regulating to similar effect. But that would slow (conventionally measured) economic growth, something China's government has been reluctant to do.

"Air pollution is obviously not one of the priorities of the Chinese elite, who are not responsive to their middle class, and environmental protections would directly conflict with their strategy for economic growth," said Daron Acemoglu, a development economist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. This isn't just market failure, he said, but a failure of institutions -- a reflection of China's undemocratic politics. "The Chinese political system does not make it so easy for voices to be heard and actions to be taken in response."

Recently though, the situation has gotten so bad that it's becoming impossible even for China's rulers to ignore. Protests have been on the rise and the government has begun to respond -- for instance, by allowing state media to report levels of small particulates, which it had previously resisted. The government has also announced that somewhat stricter vehicle-fuel standards will be mandatory by the end of next year. That's something. At least it's no longer denying the problem.

If real change starts to happen, it may go further than either the city's choking residents or the Chinese government envisage. Acemoglu said, "As the number of middle-class Chinese people unhappy with air pollution increases, and they come to understand that such problems stem from their lack of political voice, this could be a spark for something bigger."

(Evan Soltas is a student at Princeton University and a contributor to the Ticker. The opinions expressed are his own. Follow him on Twitter.)

To contact the writer of this article: Evan Soltas at esoltas@bloomberg.net.

To contact the editor responsible for this article: Clive Crook at ccrook5@bloomberg.net.

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Rio Tinto faces tough talks in Mongolia over Oyu Tolgoi

Robert Friedland is out here having a good laugh!

Rio Tinto faces tough talks in Mongolia over Oyu Tolgoi

Rio Tinto and its subsidiary, Turquoise Hill Resources, last year fended off an attempt by Mongolia to renegotiate their 2009 investment agreement on the mine.

Author: Terrence Edwards and Sonali Paul
Posted: Friday , 01 Feb 2013


ULAN BATOR/MELBOURNE (REUTERS) -

Rio Tinto faces tough negotiations next week in Mongolia, where the government is under pressure to plug a budget deficit and increase its share of the wealth from the $6.2 billion Oyu Tolgoi copper and gold mine.

Oyu Tolgoi, 34 percent owned by Mongolia and controlled by Rio Tinto, produced its first concentrate this week and is on track to start supplying metal and paying royalties by June.

The success of the mine is crucial for both sides as, at full tilt, Oyu Tolgoi will account for nearly a third of Mongolia’s economy, while Rio Tinto is depending on the mine to drive growth beyond its powerhouse iron ore business.

Rio Tinto is not expected to have to give up a bigger share of the mine, but some analysts say it could end up agreeing to provide more funding in areas like infrastructure to remove uncertainty over a project that is expected to produce 425,000 tonnes of copper and 460,000 ounces of gold a year.

Rio Tinto and its subsidiary, Turquoise Hill Resources Ltd, last year fended off an attempt by Mongolia to renegotiate their 2009 investment agreement on Oyu Tolgoi.

The government is drafting a law that would require Mongolians to hold at least a 34 percent stake in mines, however talk that this would apply to Oyu Tolgoi has died down.

Instead, there is speculation the government may press Rio for more funding outside the agreement, which includes a 5 percent royalty on all sales, as Mongolia faces a revenue squeeze despite being touted as the world's fastest growing economy as recently as 2011.

"It looks as if the government of Mongolia will run a large budget deficit in 2013," said Nick Cousyn, chief operating officer at BDSec, an investment bank in Mongolia.

"How they will close this gap is anyone's guess, but we think unilaterally changing the OT agreement is off the table," he said.

UPPER HAND

In meetings scheduled for next week, the government could question why project costs have blown out, raising concern that Rio Tinto may want to slow development due to the steeper costs, as it has done with other major capital projects.

Rio Tinto executives in Ulan Bator and a spokesman declined to comment on the upcoming talks.

Turquoise Hill last year put the total project cost at $13.2 billion, including developing an underground mine and sustaining capital costs, up from a 2010 estimate of $9.55 billion.

A Bloomberg report this week said Rio was considering a temporarily halt of construction to protest against demands by the government for a bigger stake in the project and new royalty rates.

In response to the report that cited two unnamed sources, Rio Tinto said it remained on schedule to start selling ore from the mine in the first half of the year.

One analyst said the firm may be considering delaying the project's second stage to build an underground mine, but others said it was unlikely to hold up the expansion for too long.

"It's not going to kill the project off because it's a cracking asset," said Hayden Bairstow, an analyst at CLSA.

The feasibility study for the underground mine is due to be finished in the first half of 2013. Construction was estimated last year at $5.1 billion.

ANOTHER WRITEDOWN?

Rio Tinto's latest battle in Mongolia poses a challenge for its new chief executive, Sam Walsh, who replaced Tom Albanese in January after the firm reported $14 billion in writedowns in aluminium and coal.

Walsh may want to smooth relations with the government rather than play tough to ensure that the firm does not have to keep fighting off a clamour for greater Mongolian ownership, CLSA’s Bairstow said.

"When it's effectively a third of GDP, getting the entire country offside isn't a go-forward position that's going to work," he said.

If the firm bowed to some of the government's demands and as a result had to take a small writedown, the market may be forgiving, as it would remove uncertainty, Bairstow said.

The talks with Rio Tinto are part of a wider effort by the government to squeeze more out of the mining industry.

At a meeting on Friday, Mongolian miners complained about the proposed new mining law that would impose taxes on exploration and step up local ownership of resources to as much as 51 percent.

Though one of the aims of the law is to make sure resources stay in Mongolian hands, some local miners are just as worried over the legislation as foreign counterparts.

The proposed law includes heavy fines and could even have a company's licensed land revoked by the government, said Enkhsaikhan Batmunk, director general of Magma Mines.

Another concern is that if the state owns 51 percent of a firm, it will be tough to raise money via a public listing.

But while Mongolians recognised the need for foreign investment, "What's under the ground belongs to them like the sky," said Namgar Algaa, executive director of the Mining Association.

WP humble despite victory

Singaporeans can't take the truth. They don't realise they have got the best possible government, and great, they choose today a surgeon over a true middle class woman who can't speak proper english from a 3rd tier university (and proud of it too!)

Well, I guess the surgeon is thankful he didn't need to give up his practice to serve these type of people.

WP humble despite victory
INSIGHT: DOWN SOUTH By SEAH CHIANG NEE
cnseah05@hotmail.com



INSTEAD of reacting exuberantly, the resurging Workers Party (WP) has been talking up its own political weakness.

What’s more, it has also been heaping praises on the achievements of its rival, the People’s Action Party (PAP), which it defeated in a by-election last week.

What is going on?

Political analysts say one possibility is that they reflect the party’s concern that the current bout of anti-PAP sentiments could spread too quickly and weaken the government before the opposition is ready to take over.

Surprised by its victory, some Singaporeans are seeing it as a prelude to the 2016 general election, with the ruling party suffering further losses.

The campaigning has shown some extent of public bitterness over immigration, high cost of living and over-crowding.

The polling result told part of the story. The government lost the relatively safe Punggol East seat that it won only 20 months ago.

Its 54.5% majority in 2011 was overturned by a shocking 11% vote swing to WP.

More surprisingly, these voters came from a cross section of the people, ranging from young to the ageing, from professionals to blue-collar workers and housewives. It cut across genders and races.

It wasn’t just passive support. Videos of large rallies clearly revealed the strong feeling.

It was not lost to the Workers Party.

A veteran political observer said the WP leadership is apparently concerned that the anti-government sentiments were spreading too quickly for the good of stability.

In a clear sign of caution, the party cancelled the traditional gathering place on Polling Day (Jan 26) for its supporters to await the results.

“We hope you can wait for the results at home,” a statement said. Still, 5,000 noisy fans celebrated in neighbouring Hougang.

Subsequently, leaders advised Singaporeans not to read too much into this victory or to regard it as a future trend.

Instead of firing up party fervour, Secretary-General Low Thia Khiang told Singaporeans that his party was too small to be able to form an alternative government.

“I do not want to give the people false hope,” he added. “We are not ready... We don’t have as many resources as the PAP. This is just the beginning for us.”

It would take at least 20 years before it could challenge the PAP’s dominance.

“I don’t think the Workers Party can challenge PAP’s standards in the near term,” Low told Lianhe Zaobao.

His comments seem to reflect a concern about the possibility of the PAP being voted out of power before his party – or any opposition – is ready to take over.

Low’s humility is not without foundation. The PAP has been in power for nearly 50 years and holds a large arsenal of constitutional and non-legal tools far too powerful for its rivals.

An example: Despite its rising popularity, the Workers Party could only field 23 candidates to contest the 87 Parliament seats in the 2011 election.

This was three candidates more than in the 2006 election.

Although its prospects are brighter now, it is unlikely the party could find enough qualified candidates to contest all seats in three years’ time.

Workers Party chairman Sylvia Lim was also a similar voice of moderation.

Political parties here need to avoid partisan politics, but work for the people, said the Aljunied Member of Parliament.

Lim, who is a lawyer, said: “If you want us to take over the government now, this is not the time. But it doesn’t mean we are not building up towards that day.”

However, in another speech, she praised the ruling party’s economic achievements.

“You have to give credit where credit is due … I think the PAP is very proactive in macro-economic issues and finding niches to make Singapore globally relevant and competitive,” she added.

Such tolerant attitude at a time when public unhappiness against the PAP is rising has raised mixed reactions.

While it has gained the admiration of a broad number of Singaporeans who, although angry, still hanker for a PAP government.

“Most strongly want it to reform itself to care for Singaporeans but are reluctant to vote it out of power – at least for now,” said a former journalist.

It is these people, from the broad middle, that had been turning away from the PAP towards supporting this moderate opposition party.

But it has also suffered some erosion of support from youths who condemn its “meekness” in speaking up against government “excesses”.

These people want faster changes and are relying on more outspoken parties to represent them.

“In this sense a two-party system is inadequate in Singapore. We need one or two more which are more active,” said an analyst.