Yesterday, June 19, Shenzhou 9 spacecraft performed a fully automated docking manoeuvre to Tiangong space station. Here are some quotations from the official website on China's space flight.
Headline:
中国航天员首次进驻天宫 “打开的不仅是天宫之门”
China's astronauts arranged quarters for the first time in the Palace of Heaven - " It's more than just opening the door to Tiangong "
… 他们打开的不单单是天宫的门，更是载人航天工程一个新的实验领域和一个新起点。
They did not just open the door to Tiangong, but even more manned a new domain for experiments and a new starting point [in the frame of that] spaceflight project.
… 看到神九航天员轻松自如地进入天宫一号 …
... [Only] to look at how relaxed and easily the astronauts of Shenzhou 9 entered Tiangong I ...
Chinese comment: "That is what Yang Li Wei proudly told his comrades-in-arms." Background: Yang is another astronaut who earlier experienced space on board of Shenzhou 5.
By the way, the Chinese website on "opening the door to the Palace of Heaven" turned out to be infected with a trojan which is rather unusual for such kind of official information sites. The only other exception of that rule I found was the website of China Daily. As I consider the English website of China Daily to be less useful than Chinese language sites, this was no real problem for me but might be annoying other foreign visitors who make up their target group.
It is still uncertain whether Morsy can be expected to be the winning candidate in the presidential race or not. In fact, it seems that Egypt is extremely polarized on this matter. Even Egypt's press is split on the outcome of the presidential elections [=> BBC].
While some regions are showing a strong preference for the candidate of Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood, others prefer that kind of "peace and stability" which only a former representative of the Mubarak era could offer with some credibility. However, the presidential race will be decided in the densely populated regions rather than some "peaceful and secure" holiday resorts for wealthy tourists or residential areas for the rich and influential of Egypt.
Here are the latest results for the 2nd round of presidential elections in Egypt at 21:30 GMT:
Dakahlia district and its capital El Mansura which is being regarded as Egypt's No. 3 after Cairo and Alexandria:
First, unrefined results from 18:00 GMT for comparison:
The above presented partial results have been provided by the Arabic service of Al-Jazeera TV in a life feed during its regular program. As to the possible source and reliability of these data, there's an interesting article originating from Associated Press and dated on Sunday, June 17. It makes us understand why the followers of Morsy such early took to the streets to celebrate their victory. However, it is clear that this will be a tight race for both candidates:
" ... According to results made public by the Muslim Brotherhood, from just over 80 percent of the more than 13,000 polling stations nationwide, gave Morsi 52.5 percent of the vote and Shafiq 47.5 percent.
The figures were from results announced by election officials at individual counting centers, where each campaign has representatives who compile the numbers and make them public before the formal declaration. The early, partial counts proved generally accurate in the first round of the election last month. "
....................
Identified locations for the last 32 visitors to blueprint news coming from Egypt (below). The map of Egypt might serve as well to locate most places from where regional election data are already available.
With 82.5 percent of the vote counted, official results and a predicted distribution of the 300 seats in parliament are as follows:
"Nea Dimukratia" 30 % => 130 seats pro-bailout
"Syriza" 26.6 % => 71 seats radical anti-bailout
"Pasok" 12.5 % => 33 seats pro-bailout
"Golden Dawn" 6.9 % => 18 seats
"Democratic left" 6.1 % => 18 seats pro-bailout
The parties have deeply varying views about how to use the €240 billion ($300 billion) in bailout loans that Greece has been given by international lenders, and the harsh austerity measures that previous Greek governments had to accept to get the funds.
New Democracy (Nea Dimukratia) leader Antonis Samaras cast Sunday's choice as one between keeping the euro and returning to Greece's old currency, the drachma. He has vowed to renegotiate some of the bailout's harsher terms but insists the top priority is for the country to remain in Europe's joint currency.
"The Greek people today voted for Greece to remain on its European path and in the eurozone," Samaras said after his party won. "(Voters chose) policies that will bring jobs, growth, justice and security."
Picture taken from the Chinese daily MORNING EXPRESS 近日早报 on June 16, 2012.
Today, at 18:37 Peking time (10:37 GMT) a Long March II-F rocket should have been launched, carrying the Shenzhou 9 spaceship with three Chinese astronauts on board.
For the first time, a woman astronaut has been selected for China's space mission: Liu Yang, born in October 1978 in Henan province, is accompanied by two male astronauts from Shanxi province: Jing Hai Peng (* October 1966) and Liu Wang (* March 1969). Jing Hai Peng has already been in space with spacecraft Shenzhou 7 in September 2008.
- Pictures of Liu Yang -
After docking with the 335 km-high Tiangong space station, the crew will spend over a week living and working there, testing new systems and conducting a number of scientific experiments.
Tiangong station after docking of Shenzhou 9
and complete unfolding of its solar cell device
(Position: South-China, South-Korea, Japan)
A remarkable week has its remarkable visitors to blueprint news. Here is an abbreviated weekly visitors report:
Identified locations in Egypt for the last 31 visitors:
Identified locations for visitors from Central and Eastern U.S.A. during the last two weeks:
Identified locations for visitors from California U.S.A. during the last two weeks:
مؤتمر صحفي لحملة المرشح في انتخابات الرئاسة المصرية محمد مرسي
Press conference in the campaign of Mohammed Morsy, candidate in the presidential elections of Egypt.
Yesterday, June 14, Mohammed Morsy who is running for presidency in Egypt on behalf of the Muslim Brotherhood and their political party, summoned a press conference. The following stances have been quoted by Al-Jazeera TV, Arabic channel, in their Arabic subtitles:
مرسي: الثورة التي أزاحت مبارك ما زالت قائمة و نحن قادرون على التحدي
Morsy [said]: "The revolution that ousted Mubarak did not [yet] finish with the [state] and we are [still] able to resist."
مرسي: هناك من يحاول و يسعى و يدبر بسوء لشعب مصر و يريد العبث بإرادته
Morsy: "Here [are] those who are trying to [continue] and are attending to organize the misfortune of the Egyptian people. And [those who] wish [such] mocking out of their [own] decision."
مرسي: إما أن نعيد حق الشهداء ممن قتلهم و إما أن نكون شهداء مثلهم و هذا أمر لا رجعة فيه
Morsy: "Should we celebrate the right of being witness to those who killed you and whom we witnessed presenting [in public] themselves and that irrevocable order."
مرسي: مستمر في خوض معركتي الانتخابية و نحن قادرون على تحقيق أهداف ثورتنا
Morsy: "Constantly in my electioneering campaign we were able to define the goals of our revolution."
مرسي يحذر بأن هناك ثورة جديدة ستندلع إذاتم تزوير إرادة الشعب المصري
Morsy warns that a new revolution [starting] from here would trigger off a distorted manifestation of the Egyptian people's [real] will.
Al-Ahram cartoon showing both opposing candidates in the presidential elections of Egypt: Morsy (left) and Shafiq (right). By the way, Mubarak's former prime minister Shafiq is known for his support of women's rights while Morsy has been characterized by some old-fashioned outfit which might hint at his conservative Muslimic attitude.
The presentation of Mohammed Morsy in the above cartoon reminds me of a funny story from my old book of Arabic lessons. It's about a person with a similar (traditional) outfit and who is named Djukhan. That guy who I understand is some kind of Arabic punch finds it difficult to be accepted by his neighbours as there is always somebody pointing at him and critisizing what he is doing. That story is showing how difficult it can be to satisfy all of your neighbours who are pestering with all of their lousy comments. Maybe, the West and Israel are having problems with Mohammed Morsy because he is representing such kind of person, rooted in the culture of his region rather than being a sneak opportunist ready for any deal whatsoever.
Mubarak - "The End of the Pharao".
Title of Al-Ahram on June 9, 2012.
News UPDATE on June 16, 2012:
Trouble after Court Intervention
- Quoted from BBC -
Egyptians are voting in a two-day run-off election to choose their first freely elected president.
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The build-up to this weekend's run-off has been marred by a Supreme Constitutional Court decision that parliament had to be dissolved.
On Thursday, a panel of judges - appointed by Mr Mubarak - ruled that the law governing Egypt's first democratic elections in more than six decades was unconstitutional because party members were allowed to contest seats in the lower house reserved for independents.
Mr Mursi's Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) won about 100 of its 235 seats in the People's Assembly by running candidates for individual seats. The ultraconservative Salafist Nour party also enjoyed similar success in seats designated for independents.
If parliament is dissolved swiftly by the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (Scaf), whoever wins this weekend's presidential run-off could take office without the oversight of a sitting parliament, and without a permanent constitution to define his powers or duties.
Islamist, liberals and scholars denounced the ruling as a "coup", saying they feared the ruling generals would take back legislative power.
Meanwhile, the Nobel laureate and former head of the UN's nuclear watchdog, Mohamed ElBaradei, warned that Egypt was suffering under worse conditions now than under Mr Mubarak.
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Egypt's presidential election turns toxic amid anger over 'stolen revolution'
- Quoted from THE GUARDIAN / THE OBSERVER -
Egyptian dream of democracy fading, as presidential runoff sees a disillusioned electorate forced to choose between 'Islamic rule' or 'the old regime'.
Today, June 12, the speaker of China's ministry of foreign affairs, Liu Weimin, presided over another regular meeting of journalists. Among other subjects, this meeting was dealing with China's official position in the question of U.S. economic sanctions on Iran.
On the same day, CNN had already reported that some countries should be excluded from a U.S. "blacklist" of countries after having reduced their oil imports from Iran. CNN mentioned that only China would practically remain on that list.
Here's now an official response from China published by People's Network:
外交部:中国从伊朗进口原油完全合法合理 反对单边制裁
Headline:
Foreign affairs ministry: The import of crude oil from Iran is altogether, both, legitimate and reasonable. - Unilateral sanctions [will be] opposed.
Question:
According to reports dealing with a U.S. declaration that their "law which has been authorized [on behalf of] national defence in the fiscal year of 2012" and which is related to the clause of sanctions against Iran should not be applicable against the economies of India, South Africa, South Korea and Taiwan: The U.S. side already and all-sidedly announced the range of sanctions against and urging of the Chinese side, while both sides are still engaged in a dialogue on the subject of those sanctions. Is there any [reaction / reply] from the Chinese side to this subject ? Are there reductions in the import of Iranian crude oil or not ? Are the Chinese and American side continuing their talks or not ?
Answer:
The Chinese side is persistently opposing one country's implementation of unilateral sanctions against another country on the basis of that [acting] country's internal laws. Furthermore, [China] doesn't accept any enforcement of their unilateral sanctions [directed at] the practice of third countries. China needs to proceed [on the basis of] its own economic development, importing crude oil from Iran by using regular channels [of trade], making it public and transparent, without violating the United Nations Security Council's resolutions, without harming the interest of third countries and the international community, altogether, both, legitimate and reasonable. The Chinese side has already made itself clear to the U.S. as to the above-mentioned standpoint.
Such declaration from Beijing is most drastically opposing the statements that Israel's president Shimon Peres made in an interview with Christiane Amanpour in her show on CNN tonight. Not only does he feel "in perfect agreement" with President Obama when it comes to economic sanctions on Iran. Furthermore, he says that military action "should be in Iranian minds".
Long March rocket, propped up for last system test before launch.
Probably on June 16 in the afternoon, China should launch a Long March rocket that will carry a Shenzhou 9 spacecraft to China's first space station Tiangong for a docking test. The spacecraft should have a crew of three astronauts, most probably a woman and two men.
两位女航天员因为其过硬的飞行技术和超强的心理素质，经过重重选拔，确定为首飞女航天员乘组。
Two female astronauts because of having a perfect mastery of flight technology and very best psychological qualities, [and after] having undergone a [most challenging] selection, [are being considered as] able and calm to become the first female astronaut crew [in a flight mission].
The only two female astronauts who are fitting the selection scheme for the Shenzhou 9 mission. Both are born in 1978, Liu Yang (left) in Henan province, Wang Ya Ping (right) in Shandong province.
The Shenzhou 9 spacecraft (left) meeting with the first element of Tiangong space station (right)
Only two days ago, Kofi Anan mentioned a third party that should be involved in the Syrian conflict when he was speaking in front of the United Nations General Assembly.
Today, on June 9, People's Network, Beijing, had the story of "terrorists" acting in Syria on behalf of the U.S.. As this is really hard stuff on a subject I just dealt with in my last blogspot, I decided to enter that information into my blog. Believe it or not - I think the information can be checked by people more powerful than me.
土耳其海军上将： 美国支援恐怖分子在叙利亚进行屠杀
Headline:
According to a Turkish admiral, the U.S. are helping terrorists in Syria to carry out massacre(s)
谁制造了新的屠杀惨案
Subtitle:
Who fabricated the latest incident of a massacre ?
According to a local coordination committee, the case of slaughtering at Qubeir in Syria's central district of Hama on [June] 6 lead to a death toll of 78. Syrian government troops should be responsible for that incident. Besides, there is another version mentioning a death toll of more than 100 produced by that massacre.
..........
Additional to [the generally accepted version of] "Syrian military" and "opposition" [being responsible for the violence], there is yet another version:
Hinting at four related cases of slaughtering in Syria, the Turkish admiral [Turkur], and who just resigned from Turkey's war academy, considered on June 7 that terrorists, accepting U.S. support and assistance, in recent weeks staged terrorist attacks that were aimed at Syrian citizens and security units. Admiral [Turkur] pointed out that such terrorist activity is only trying to interfere with an imperialistic military tactic [applied as a consequence of] Syria's internal politics.
[Editorial remark: I am not sure whether the Turkish admiral's name is really "Turkur" as the Chinese transcription of his name might not be too accurate. However, the Chinese source, People's Network, has shown itself well informed on similar occasions in the past such that the fact itself should be considered as substantial. Maybe, it's all about just another U.S. commando action that went awfully wrong.]
... With global economy on the rise, the situation is going to become grim. New rounds of economic stimulation plannings will follow one after another. Pushed forward by the global mobility [of capital] released and by the turbulent situation in Syria, the international oil prices could bring about a new round of counter-bouncing. ...
Quotation from an article in People's Network (June 9, 2012) on the predicted development of and possible influence on the prices for crude oil:
发改委回应油价降幅低于预期：主要有四原因
" Bringing change by indirect response to the expected dropping of oil prices - Four important reasons "
Latest news on Syria by Al-Arabiya on June 10:
تجاذب بين "الوطني السوري" وموسكو حول دور إيران
Affinity between "Patriotic Syria" and Moscow on the subject of Iran's role [in the conflict].
لافروف دعا إلى مشاركة طهران في مؤتمر دولي حول سوريا.. والمعارضة تتحفظ
[Russia's foreign secretary] Lavrov is calling for a collaboration of Tehran in an international conference on Syria ... while the opposition is on its guard.
For additional information on Syria, refer as well to my last blogspot !
Strange Coincidence
In the same edition of People's Network, Beijing on June 9, I found another unusual article that I'm partly quoting below:
Manifold foreign media reported at local time on the evening of June 7 the appearance of a mysterious light beam, [resembling] a travelling whirl, in the sky over Israel, Syria and some other Middle Eastern countries. Numerous eyewitnesses considered having seen an UFO. However, afterwards the media had to inform that [the observed] strange light beam probably came from the test of a Russian intercontinental ballistic missile.
The actual phenomenon was compared with a similar incident in 2009 when the light effects were even more clearly to be observed:
Light effects over Israel in 2012:
Light effects over Norway in 2009:
When I found this article, I was originally looking for some news on an alleged meeting between Russia and China that should now take place in Beijing and be dealing with the Syrian subject. Such information had been announced by CNN some hours before. Unfortunately, I didn't find any further news on that meeting in the semi-official Chinese source.
U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki Moon greeting Nabil al- Arabi, Secretary General of the Arab League (above)
Today, Kofi Anan, special envoy of the United Nations for Syria, delivered his report to the General Assembly on latest developments of his mission. Anan told the assembly of another massacre that left children and their mothers dead in a Syrian village just the day before. He stressed that even though his six-point plan has not been realized up to now, it would be a mistake to resort to [military] interference as there seems to be a third party involved in the conflict.
In another speech, held some minutes earlier, the Secretary General of the Arab League, Nabil al-Arabi, had already pointed out that Syria was on the brink of a civil war while UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon had stated before that the Syrian leadership lost its legitimacy when it refused to implement Kofi Anan's propositions in order to end the conflict.
Nabil al-Arabi and Kofi Anan speaking (below):
كوفي عنان: قبل ثلاثة أشهر بدأت مهمتي الصعبة في سوريا بتكليف من الأمم المتحدة و [جماعة] الدول العربية
Kofi Anan: About three months [ago] began my difficult mission in Syria on behalf of the United Nations and the community of Arab nations.
يؤسفني أن أبلغكم بأن خطتي في سوريا لم تطبق
I regret to inform you that my plan has not been applied in Syria.
Latest massacres in Qubeir near Hama
as referred to by Kofi Annan (below):
Many nations, represented in the United Nations General Assembly, are disturbed by the actual extent of violence in Syria. However, a change of politics will be difficult to achieve as Russia and China are still decided to block any further pressure on the Assad regime in Damascus. Furthermore, Venezuela recently joined Iran as Syria's principal ally after having passed a solidarity agreement that is considering U.S. influence as an "imperial threat" to Syria. Therefore, those who are suffering from shelling by Syrian military units and unrestrained killings by pro-Assad militias should not be too hopeful.
Explosion of a Syrian army tank in Ariha City on June 5 (below):
The Chinese delegate's response after the speech of Kofi Anan, at least, is showing some pity for the victims of violence. However, it is still not clear whether this would lead to a real change of the Chinese position in the United Nations Security Council.
مندوب الصين: يجب على أطراف الصراع في سوريا أن تقدم دعما لخطة عنان و توقف أعمال العنف
China's delegate: [We] are wishing for the [regions] of fighting in Syria that support would arrive for the plan of [Kofi] Anan and that acts of violence would stop.
Diplomatic timeline of the Syrian conflict (below):
New York's exclusive shops are recently looking for Chinese speaking staff, thus coping with an increasing number of well-to-do Chinese tourists.
Wealthy Chinese buyers not only dominate by number (about 300.000 this year) but as well by average travel spending which is higher than that of any other foreign country's visitors to the U.S.A..
New York's top shops representing the most appreciated luxury labels are now trying to attract Chinese customers by offering them an appropriate atmosphere consisting of Chinese staff or, at least, Mandarin speaking employees and special programs for such customers. N.Y.'s Montblanc center, for instance, even invited famous Chinese pianist Lang Lang for a concert dedicated to their Chinese target group. Besides, they are selling a special edition of their expensive pens decorated with a dragon, thus reminding the actual year of the dragon.
According to Chinese visitors, luxury products are cheaper in New York than in Beijing or Shanghai which would explain the remarkable spending rate per visitor. [Source: CNN]
I can't help to add a personal remark:
This reminds me of the days, years ago, when I applied for a job at a globally involved employer in Germany. When it came to the point of foreign language knowledge, I mentioned Chinese among other idioms I had some knowledge of, and they told me: "You can't get anywhere with Chinese" ("Mit Chinesisch können Sie nichts werden"). Nowadays, it rather seems to me that we can't get too far on a global level without Chinese. - As to Chinese travellers on their shopping tour to New York I would add: This time it's not some nouveaux riches from post-communist Russia but quite a number more ...
By the way, my blog contains several other blogspots dealing with the increasing influence of China and the Chinese language. You are invited to have a look at them:
Tens of thousands of protesters are now assembling on Tahrir Square in Kairo and elsewhere after an Egyptian law court ruled a life sentence for former president Mubarak who thus evaded a death sentence. His sons and security officials were considered as "not guilty".
While the Muslim Brotherhood and their candidate Morsy immediately called for protest, Morsy's competitor in the presidential elections, Mubarak's former prime minister Shafiq, declared the Mubarak verdict as "just" and added that "nobody should stand above the law" [quotation from CNN, Arabic text below quoted from Al-Jazeera].
أحمد شفيق: الحكم ضد مبارك يثبت ألا أحد فوق المساءلة
Ahmed Shafiq: The verdict against Mubarak confirms that there is nobody above the [(juridical) interrogation].
Mohammed Morsy speaking on Tahrir Square in Kairo:
المرشح الرئاسي محمد مرسي يعقد مؤتمراً صحفياً للتعليق على الأحكام في قضية مبارك
Presidential candidate Mohammed Morsy summons a press conference on the subject of verdicts in the Mubarak case.
محمد مرسي: مطلوب أدلة اتهام حقيقية و تحقيق قضائي على أعلى مستوى للقصاص العادل
Mohammed Morsy: Arguments [or: proofs and witness reports] are being requested for [any] authentic accusations and the juridical investigation on the highest level [in that case of] punishment of the righteousness [or: justness].
حزب النور ثاني أكبر الأحزاب تمثيلا في البرلمان المصري يصف الأحكام بأنها صادمة
The Al-Nar Party, being the second biggest party represented in Egypt's parliament, is considering the verdicts as shocking.
Parents, relatives and friends of "martyrs of the revolution" are deeply shocked by the Mubarak verdict which shows that Egypt has not yet reached the goal of its revolution:
The day before: Public rage against presidential candidate Shafiq. Participants in demonstration holding up their shoes in protest:
[Sources: CNN and Al-Jazeera, English and Arabic channel]
اشتباكات عنيفة داخل قاعة المحاكمة وخارجها فور مغادرة المتهمين والقضاء
Violent conflicts inside the courtroom and [people] boiling [with rage] at the outside when the accused and the court left.
- News on June 3, 2012:
خبراء قانون: علاء وجمال مبارك سيحصلان على البراءة
Legal information: Ala'a and Gamal Mubarak will be considered as innocent.
قالوا إن من بين الخيارات إنقضاء الدعوى بالتقادم أو الانقضاء بالتصالح
It has been reported that among other options [there might be] an end of process [due to] a limitation period or the termination by means of [reaching a settlement].
Ala'a and Gamal Mubarak at court.
Latest election news from Al-Jazeera's Arabic website on June 3, 2012:
باحث: الغرب وإسرائيل يفضلان شفيق
Investigator [says]: The West and Israel are preferring Shafiq [as new Egyptian president].
When Al-Jazeera quoted an " eminent German investigator and expert in politics باحث وخبير سياسي ألماني بارز ", they referred to " Udo Steinbach, director of the Asian and African Center at Marburg University مدير مركز آسيا وأفريقيا بجامعة ماربورغ أودو شتاينباخ ".
News from People's Network, Beijing, on June 4, 2012:
埃及前总理称穆兄会将会把埃带回“黑暗时代”
Egypt's former prime minister [Shafiq] states that the Muslim Brotherhood could carry Egypt back into a "dark era".
News from Al-Arabiya on June 4, 2012:
واصل المرشح الرئاسي أحمد شفيق اختراقه لملفات لم يتعرض لها منافسه. فبعد خطابه في المؤتمر الصحافي، أمس الأحد، عن عدة قضايا وهجومه اللاذع على جماعة الإخوان المسلمين ومرشحها محمد مرسي
Presidential candidate Ahmed Shafiq is continuing to enforce his [claim] that he never [used] the [secret] dossier of his competitor - [at the time of] his speech in the press conference, last sunday, and when he prepared the juridical [comment] as well as his acrid attack at the Muslim Brotherhood and their candidate Mohammed Morsy.
