"A simple life is a life of deep understanding, not of cultivation. it is not a practice to become poor. You can practice being poor, but through the practice your senses will harden. Practice of anything makes you hard; the softness is lost, the flexibility is lost. Then you are no longer flexible like a child. Then you become rigid like an old man. Lao Tzu says, 'Rigidity is death, flexibility is life.' A simple life is not a cultivated, poor life. Don't make poverty your goal and don't try to cultivate it. Just understand that the more simple, unloaded your body and mind are, the more you penetrate into existence. Unburdened, you can come into direct contact with reality; burdened you cannot come. A rich man always has his bank balance in the way"
smile emoticon
!['@[1443585995907630:274:K.P Sharma Oli] in BALKOT :)
एमाले नेता केपी ओली अभिव्यक्ति कलामा खप्पिस मानिन्छन् । पार्टीभित्र र बाहिरका विरोधीमाथि kp oliजाइलाग्नुपर्दा ओली सन्दर्भ मिल्दो उखान टुक्काको साहारा लिन्छन् ।
गाउँघरमा प्रयोग हुने झर्रा शब्द ओलीका मुखैमा झुण्डिएका छन् । भाषणमा मात्र होइन, अनौपचारिक भेटघाटमा समेत रमाइलो पारामा गफिनु ओलीको विशेषता हो । नजिकबाट चिन्नेहरुका अनुसार ओली व्यक्तिगत भेटघाटमा निकै खुलस्त शैलीमा कुरा गर्न रुचाउँछन् । तर, त्यो व्यहोरा कहिलेकाहीं उनका लागि अभिसाप हुने गरेको छ ।
गएको बिहीबार ओलीको अभिव्यक्तिले त्यस्तै घटना घट्यो । एमाले सम्वद्ध मुसलमानहरुको संगठन नेपाल मुस्लिम इत्तिहाद संगठनको प्रतिनिधि मण्डल बालबोटस्थित ओली निवास पुग्यो ।
नयाँ संविधानको मस्यौदामा मुस्लिम समुदायको अधिकार कुण्ठित पार्न खोजिएको भन्दै संगठनका अध्यक्ष सिराज फारुकी नेतृत्वमा करिब २० जनाको टोली ज्ञापनपत्र बुझाउन ओली निवास पुगेको थियो ।
टोलीमा तनहुँतिरकी खान थरकी एक मुस्लिम युवती पनि थिइन् । परिचयका क्रममा ती युवतीले आफ्ना श्रीमान पनि सँगै आएको बताइन् । रुपकी धनी युवतीको कुरा भुइँमा खस्न नपाउँदै ओलीले प्वाक्क मुख खोले, ‘तपाईंको श्रीमान एउटा मात्रै ?’ युवती रातोपिरो भइन् ।
ज्ञापनपत्र बुझाउन गएकाहरु मुखामुख गर्न थाले । पेशाले व्यवसायी युवतीका श्रीमान पनि वाक्क न बक्क भए । परिस्थितमा एकाएक परिवर्तन आएको देखेपछि ओलीले आफूले गल्ती बोलेको महसुस गरे । उनले परिस्थिति सम्हाल्ने कोसिस गर्दै भने, ‘अप्ठेरो मान्नुपर्दैन, मुस्लिम समुदायमा पुरुषले प्रायः दुई÷तीन वटी श्रीमती राख्ने चलन छ । महिलाले पनि त्यस्तै गर्न मिल्दैन भन्न खोजेको ।’
उनको जवाफले कोही सन्तुष्ट हुन सकेनन् । ज्ञापनपत्र बुझाएपछि मुृस्लिम संगठनका प्रतिनिधि बालकोटबाट बाहिरिए । ती युवतीलाई भने ‘ओलीको बोली’ बाछट चित्त दुखाएकी ती युवतीले पार्टीभित्र आफूसँग मन मिल्नेहरुसँग बालकोटमा पार्टी अध्यक्षबाट आफूमाथि भएको व्यवहारबारे चित्त दुखाउँदै हिंडेकी छन् ।
त्यसो त एमाले नेतृहरु रचना खड्का, रामकुमारी झाँक्री मात्र होइन, उपाध्यक्ष विद्या भण्डारी र अष्ठलक्ष्मी शाक्यलगायतले तत्कालिन कृषिमन्त्री हरि पराजुलीले गत असार १५ गते धान रोपाइँका दिन ‘आर्शिवाद लिने’ नाममा महिलाहरुमाथि गरेको अश्लील हर्कतपछि खुलेरै पार्टीभित्रका महिला असुरक्षित रहेको बताएका थिए ।
-'](https://scontent-lga1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xaf1/v/t1.0-9/q85/p118x118/11822452_1654775018069452_5792652799234451243_n.jpg?oh=fecf232f79e3c20157495901fb0628bf&oe=563CED70)
!['@[401322839975271:274:Singer Nalina Chitrakar] back in US :)
२० असार, बिराटनगर । मोरङको बिराटनगर एवं रानी भन्सारसँग सीमा जोडिएको जोगवनी नाका मानव तस्करहरुका लागि सुरक्षित नाकाका रुपमा प्रयोग हुने गरेको प्रहरी अनुसन्धानले देखाएको छ ।
मानव बेचबिखनमा संलग्न रहेको भन्दै प्रहरीले आइतबार एक महिलालाई सार्वजनिक गरेको छ । ती महिलाले भारत लैजान लागेका पाँच युवतीलाई प्रहरीले उद्धार गरेको छ ।
डरलाग्दो तथ्यांक
मोरङका प्रहरी प्रमुख तारणीप्रसाद लम्सालका अनुसार भारत तथा तेश्रो मुलुकमा रोजगारीको आश्वासनमा यही मार्ग भएर महिला एवं वालवालिकाहरु ओसार्ने गरिएको छ । उनीहरुलाई अरबसम्म लैजाने भनिए पनि भारतमा बेच्ने गरिएको प्रहरीको आशंका छ ।
जिल्ला प्रहरी कार्यालय मोरङमा आइतबार अपरान्ह आयोजित कार्यक्रममा प्रहरी उपरीक्षक लम्सालले एक वर्षको अवधिमा १ सय ४६ जनालाई जोगवनी नाकाबाट उद्धार गरिएको तथ्यांक सार्वजनिक गरे ।
यसरी उद्धार गरिएका मध्ये बढीजसो महिला र वालिकाहरु छन् भने केही वालकहरु छन् । उद्धार गरिएका मध्ये १२ देखि १८ वर्षका ४२ जना वालिका छन् । त्यस्तै १२ देखि १५ वर्षका १७ जना वालकको उद्धार गरिएको छ । तस्करहरुको पञ्जाबाट १८ देखि ३८ वर्षका ८८ जना महिलाको उद्धार गरिएको छ । वर्ष दिनमा यतिठूलो संख्यामा महिला र वालवालिका बेचबिखनमा पर्नु चानचुने घटना नभएको प्रहरीको भनाइ छ ।
प्रहरीका अनुसार सो एक वर्षको अवधिमा मानव ओसार प्रसार तथा बेचबिखन तथा ओसार पसारमा संलग्न १५ जनालाई पक्राउ गरी मुद्दा चलाइएको छ ।
सातदोबाटोबाट उठाएर नाइट बसमा बिराटनगर
वैदेशिक रोजगारमा पठाइदिने बहानामा पाँच युवतीलाई बिराटनगर हुँदै जोगवनी नाकाबाट भारत लाने क्रममा पथरी शनिश्चरे नगरपालिका ८ की मोटी भनिने शान्ता लिम्बुलाई प्रहरीले पक्राउ गरेको छ । उनलाई आइतबार बिराटनगरमा पत्रकार सम्मेलन मार्फत सार्वजनिक गरिएको छ ।
मोरङ घर भई ललितपुरको ठेचोमा बस्दै आएकी ३२ वर्षीया लिम्बुलाई पाँचजना युवतीसहित पक्राउ गरिएको प्रहरीले जनाएको छ ।
मोरङ वयरवन-८ की २१ वर्षीया दुर्गा जोगी, कञ्चनपुर त्रिभुवन वस्तिकी २१ वर्षीया कोपिला तामाङ, म्याग्दी सिंहकी ३८ वर्षीया मनमाया विक, उदयपुर राजावास गाईघाटकी २३ वर्षीय सुकिका दनुवार र सप्तरी ढकली वथनाहाकी २५ वर्षीया मंगलीदेवी रामलाई भारत लैजाने क्रममा लिम्बू पक्राउ परेकी हुन् ।
उनीहरुलाई वैदेशिक रोजगारीका लागि भारतको बाटो हुँदै कुवेत पठाइदिने बाहनामा जोगवनी नाका पुर्याइएको इलाका प्रहरी कार्यालय रानीका प्रहरी निरीक्षक गंगाप्रसाद पाण्डेले जानकारी दिए ।
शान्तिले पाँच युवतीहरुलाई ललितपुरको सात दोबाटोबाट स्थल मार्गको प्रयोग गरी जोगवनी ल्याएकी थिइन् । शान्तिले आफुलाई जोगवनीको बाटो प्रयोग गरी भारत लान एजेन्टले अह्राएको पत्रकार सम्मेलनमा बताइन् ।
भक्तपुरका प्रदीप तामाङ र काभ्रेकी कविता सेवाले आफूलाई जोगवनी पठाएको शान्तिले जानकारी दिइन् । जोगवनीमा रेल सेवाको सहजता भएकाले घुम्न जाने बहानामा तस्करहरुले रानी नाका प्रयोग गर्ने गरेको प्रहरीको अनुसन्धानले देखाएको छ । प्रहरीका अनुसार मानव तस्करहरुले मुलुकका अन्य नाका पनि प्रयोग गर्ने गरेका छन् तर, जोगवनी नाका भने उनीहरुको मुख्य मार्ग भएको पाइएको छ ।'](https://scontent-lga1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpt1/v/t1.0-9/s200x200/11401427_1647047895508831_9163886043760391833_n.jpg?oh=6a41567e037598cd7b0f5579abbc68e4&oe=56829AC9)
!['@[105570792810287:274:Girija Prasad Koirala] vs @[210918849087353:274:Krishna Prashad Sitaula] :)
आज नेपालि राजनीतिका शिखर व्यक्तित्व गिरिजा बाबुको जन्मजयन्ति । सहमति सहकार्य र एकताको सुत्रधार आदरणिय गिरिजाबाबुको स्मरण गर्दै उहाले देखाएको बाटोमा हिडन सबैलाइ प्रेरणा मिलोस । गिरिजाबाबु प्रति हार्दिक श्रद्दासुमन ब्यात्त गर्दछौ ।
शसस्त्र युद्धमा रहेका नेकपा माओवादीका अध्यक्ष पुष्पकमल दाहाल प्रचण्डसँग संवाद गर्न २०६० सालतिर तत्कालिन कांग्रेसका सभापति गिरिजाप्रसाद कोइरालाले छुट्टै मोवाइलको सिमकार्ड प्रयोग गर्थे । कोइरालाले प्रयोग गर्ने सिमकार्ड तत्कालिन शाही सरकारले रेकर्ड गरेको आशंकामा उनले अर्केका नाममा लिएको सिमकार्डबाट माओवादी अध्यक्ष दाहालसँग संवाद गर्थे । शाही शासकलाई झुक्याउर आफ्न्तका नामबाट लिएको सिमकार्ड कोइराला निवास महाराजगन्जबाट एकाएक हरायो । कोइरालाले सिमकार्ड खोज्न आफ्ना सुरक्षा पीएओदेखि छोरी सुजातालाई सम्म खटाए । एक महिनापछि सिमकार्ड पत्ता लागेन तर चोर पत्ता लग्यो भन्दै सुजाताले कांग्रेस नेता कृष्णप्रसाद सिटौलाको नाम लिइन । सुजाताले बाबु गिरिजाप्रसादसँग सिटौलालाई चोरको आरोप लगाएपछि बिगेको सिटौला–सुजाता सम्बन्ध अझै सुधार हुन सकेको छैन ।
करिव १२ बर्षदेखि सुजाता सिटौलाबिरुद्ध छन् । उनले सार्वजनिक कार्यक्रमदेखि पार्टीका बैठकसम्म सिटौलाको विरोध गर्छिन । तर सिमकार्ड चोरको अभियोग लागेका सिटौला सुजाताबिरुद्ध कुनै अभिब्यक्ति दिदैनन् । साबर्जनिक स्थल वा पार्टी बैठक कतैपनि सिटौलाले सुजाताको आलोचना वा प्रशंसा केही गर्दैनन् । विहीबार राजधानीमा आयोजित कार्यक्रममा पनि सिटौलाबिरुद्ध सुजाताले धावा बोलिन् । ‘नयाँ संविधानमा महिलाका अधिकार मास्न खोजे सिटौलाको पद नै खाइदिने’ धम्की सम्म दिन पुगिन् ।
सिटौला कांग्रेसभित्र भारतीय ब्यापारिक लविका ब्यक्ति मानिन्छन् । अख्तियार प्रमुख लोकमानसिंह कार्की र सिटौला भारतीय ब्यापारिका कारण जहिले पनि शक्तिशाली ब्यक्तिकै रुपमा परिचित छन् । सुजाताले सिमकार्ड चोरीको अभियोग लगाउँदा पनि जनआन्दोलनपछि गिरिजाप्रसादको नृतृत्वमा बनेको सरकारमा उनी गृहमन्त्री बने । सिटौला गृहमन्त्री भएपछि सुजाताले उनीबिरुद्ध देशभर विरोध गर्दै हिडेकी थिइन । बाहिर सिमकार्डको कुरा नउठाएपनि माओवादीलाई शान्ति वार्तामा ल्याउँदा गिरिजालाई गुमराहमा राखेको आरोप लगाउने गरेकी थिइन । कोइराला निवास महाराजगन्जबाट हराएको त्यो सिम अहिलेसम्म फेला पर्न सकेको छैन ।
गिरिजाप्रसाद कोइरालाको निधनपछि शक्तिमा आए सुशील कोइराला । सुशील कांग्रेसको सभापति निर्वाचित भएपछि सिटौलालाई मनोनित महामन्त्री बनाउने पक्षमा सुजाताले लविङ गरेकी थिइन । सभापति सुशील पनि उनलाई महामन्त्री नबनाउने पक्षमै थिए । तरपछि भारतीय ब्यापारिको दवाव झेल्न नसकि सिटौलालाई मनोनित महामन्त्री बनाएका थिए ।
फेरी कांग्रेसको महाधिबेशन नजिकिदैछ । सिटौला भए उपसभापति नभए महामन्त्रीमै दोहरयाउने पक्षमा छन् । तर सुजाता भने उनलाई आफ्नो लाइनभित्र कतै स्थान नदिने पक्षमा छन् । सुजाताकै दवावले सुशील महामन्त्रीमा विपी पुत्र सशांक कोइरालालाई चुनावी मैदानमा उतार्ने पक्षमा देखिएका छन् ।
Aap devil ke peeche, devil aapke peeche, too much fun! Yes! Bajrangi Bhaijaan is back in news! Salman Khan always manages to stay in limelight either with his humor or because of his marriage. But this time, he definitely has bagged some limelight for a different reason. That’s Kick 2!
Lately, there have been too many rumors about the sequel of 2012 blockbuster hit Kick. There were reports of Salman giving a personal touch to the Kick 2 as he was going to write the script of the story. He had a story in his mind which Sajid Nadiadwala, the director of Kick also liked. The reports also confirmed that the second part would have more emotional content than the earlier one.
Talking about the Sri Lankan beauty, Salman confirmed that Jacqueline would not be a part of Kick 2, which was expected to release in 2017. There were rumours that Jacqueline has been Kick-ed out of the Kick Sequel.
But the ‘oh shit!’ moment for the fans turned up, when Salman in an interview with DNA said that there’s no Kick 2 and he was just jesting when he said that Jacqueline Fernandez got kicked out from the Kick 2. Seems like he hit the wrong note.
Although, Jacqueline’s response over that was gentle and she didn’t try to hog the spotlight. Instead, she firmly said that being a part of the Kick was the wonderful experience and she would love to work again with Salman Khan in some other movie, if not Kick 2.
As of now, Salman is busy promoting Bajrangi Bhaijaan directed by Kabir Khan, which will be in theatres from July 17, 2015. Also, Salman has reunited with the director of Maine Pyar Kiya and Hum Aapke Hai Kaun, Sooraj Barjatya after 15 years for the movie Prem Ratan Dhan Payo. He will be seen with Sonam Kapoor in this movie that is to release in November 12, 2015.'](https://scontent-lga1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpt1/v/t1.0-9/p110x80/11698682_1646223595591261_7396182503866744919_n.jpg?oh=9dc02997dcfb3a01caa567f278c7f34e&oe=5648B4FB)
!['Comrade @[106063839424862:274:Prachanda] in trouble :)
एमाओवादी अध्यक्ष पुष्ककमल दाहाल प्रचण्डले ललितपुरमा विशाल बंगला किनेको खुलासा भएको छ । प्रचण्डले खुमलटारमा ‘भगवती भिल्ला’ नाम गरेको बंगला एमाओवादीका मनोनीत सभासद् ल्यारकाल लामाको सहयोगमा किनेका हुन् । नक्कली नागरिकतादेखि अनेक विवादमा मुछिएका ल्यारकाल लामालाई केही महिनाअघि एमाओवादीले सभासद् मनोनीत गरेको थियो ।
John Perkins, author of Confessions of an Economic Hit Man, discusses how Greece and other eurozone countries have become the new victims of "economic hit men."
John Perkins is no stranger to making confessions. His well-known book, Confessions of an Economic Hit Man, revealed how international organizations such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank, while publicly professing to "save" suffering countries and economies, instead pull a bait-and-switch on their governments: promising startling growth, gleaming new infrastructure projects and a future of economic prosperity - all of which would occur if those countries borrow huge loans from those organizations. Far from achieving runaway economic growth and success, however, these countries instead fall victim to a crippling and unsustainable debt burden.
That's where the "economic hit men" come in: seemingly ordinary men, with ordinary backgrounds, who travel to these countries and impose the harsh austerity policies prescribed by the IMF and World Bank as "solutions" to the economic hardship they are now experiencing. Men like Perkins were trained to squeeze every last drop of wealth and resources from these sputtering economies, and continue to do so to this day. In this interview, which aired on Dialogos Radio, Perkins talks about how Greece and the eurozone have become the new victims of such "economic hit men."
Michael Nevradakis: In your book, you write about how you were, for many years, a so-called "economic hit man." Who are these economic hit men, and what do they do?
John Perkins: Essentially, my job was to identify countries that had resources that our corporations want, and that could be things like oil - or it could be markets - it could be transportation systems. There're so many different things. Once we identified these countries, we arranged huge loans to them, but the money would never actually go to the countries; instead it would go to our own corporations to build infrastructure projects in those countries, things like power plants and highways that benefitted a few wealthy people as well as our own corporations, but not the majority of people who couldn't afford to buy into these things, and yet they were left holding a huge debt, very much like what Greece has today, a phenomenal debt.
"[Indebted countries] become servants to what I call the corporatocracy ... today we have a global empire, and it's not an American empire. It's not a national empire ... It's a corporate empire, and the big corporations rule."
And once [they were] bound by that debt, we would go back, usually in the form of the IMF - and in the case of Greece today, it's the IMF and the EU [European Union] - and make tremendous demands on the country: increase taxes, cut back on spending, sell public sector utilities to private companies, things like power companies and water systems, transportation systems, privatize those, and basically become a slave to us, to the corporations, to the IMF, in your case to the EU, and basically, organizations like the World Bank, the IMF, the EU, are tools of the big corporations, what I call the "corporatocracy."
And before turning specifically to the case of Greece, let's talk a little bit more about the manner in which these economic hit men and these organizations like the IMF operate. You mentioned, of course, how they go in and they work to get these countries into massive debt, that money goes in and then goes straight back out. You also mentioned in your book these overly optimistic growth forecasts that are sold to the politicians of these countries but which really have no resemblance to reality.
Exactly, we'd show that if these investments were made in things like electric energy systems that the economy would grow at phenomenally high rates. The fact of the matter is, when you invest in these big infrastructure projects, you do see economic growth, however, most of that growth reflects the wealthy getting wealthier and wealthier; it doesn't reflect the majority of the people, and we're seeing that in the United States today.
"In the case of Greece, my reaction was that 'Greece is being hit.' There's no question about it."
For example, where we can show economic growth, growth in the GDP, but at the same time unemployment may be going up or staying level, and foreclosures on houses may be going up or staying stable. These numbers tend to reflect the very wealthy, since they have a huge percentage of the economy, statistically speaking. Nevertheless, we would show that when you invest in these infrastructure projects, your economy does grow, and yet, we would even show it growing much faster than it ever conceivably would, and that was only used to justify these horrendous, incredibly debilitating loans.
Is there a common theme with respect to the countries typically targeted? Are they, for instance, rich in resources or do they typically possess some other strategic importance to the powers that be?
Yes, all of those. Resources can take many different forms: One is the material resources like minerals or oil; another resource is strategic location; another resource is a big marketplace or cheap labor. So, different countries make different requirements. I think what we're seeing in Europe today isn't any different, and that includes Greece.
What happens once these countries that are targeted are indebted? How do these major powers, these economic hit men, these international organizations come back and get their "pound of flesh," if you will, from the countries that are heavily in debt?
By insisting that the countries adopt policies that will sell their publicly owned utility companies, water and sewage systems, maybe schools, transportation systems, even jails, to the big corporations. Privatize, privatize. Allow us to build military bases on their soil. Many things can be done, but basically, they become servants to what I call the corporatocracy. You have to remember that today we have a global empire, and it's not an American empire. It's not a national empire. It doesn't help the American people very much. It's a corporate empire, and the big corporations rule. They control the politics of the United States, and to a large degree they control a great deal of the policies of countries like China, around the world.
John, looking specifically now at the case of Greece, of course you mentioned your belief that the country has become the victim of economic hit men and these international organizations . . . what was your reaction when you first heard about the crisis in Greece and the measures that were to be implemented in the country?
I've been following Greece for a long time. I was on Greek television. A Greek film company did a documentary called "Apology of an Economic Hit Man," and I also spent a lot of time in Iceland and in Ireland. I was invited to Iceland to help encourage the people there to vote on a referendum not to repay their debts, and I did that and encouraged them not to, and they did vote no, and as a result, Iceland is doing quite well now economically compared to the rest of Europe. Ireland, on the other hand: I tried to do the same thing there, but the Irish people apparently voted against the referendum, though there's been many reports that there was a lot of corruption.
"That's part of the game: convince people that they're wrong, that they're inferior. The corporatocracy is incredibly good at that."
In the case of Greece, my reaction was that "Greece is being hit." There's no question about it. Sure, Greece made mistakes, your leaders made some mistakes, but the people didn't really make the mistakes, and now the people are being asked to pay for the mistakes made by their leaders, often in cahoots with the big banks. So, people make tremendous amounts of money off of these so-called "mistakes," and now, the people who didn't make the mistakes are being asked to pay the price. That's consistent around the world: We've seen it in Latin America. We've seen it in Asia. We've seen it in so many places around the world.
This leads directly to the next question I had: From my observation, at least in Greece, the crisis has been accompanied by an increase in self-blame or self-loathing; there's this sentiment in Greece that many people have that the country failed, that the people failed . . . there's hardly even protest in Greece anymore, and of course there's a huge "brain drain" - there's a lot of people that are leaving the country. Does this all seem familiar to you when comparing to other countries in which you've had personal experience?
Sure, that's part of the game: convince people that they're wrong, that they're inferior. The corporatocracy is incredibly good at that, whether it is back during the Vietnam War, convincing the world that the North Vietnamese were evil; today it's the Muslims. It's a policy of them versus us: We are good. We are right. We do everything right. You're wrong. And in this case, all of this energy has been directed at the Greek people to say "you're lazy; you didn't do the right thing; you didn't follow the right policies," when in actuality, an awful lot of the blame needs to be laid on the financial community that encouraged Greece to go down this route. And I would say that we have something very similar going on in the United States, where people here are being led to believe that because their house is being foreclosed that they were stupid, that they bought the wrong houses; they overspent themselves.
"We know that austerity does not work in these situations."
The fact of the matter is their bankers told them to do this, and around the world, we've come to trust bankers - or we used to. In the United States, we never believed that a banker would tell us to buy a $500,000 house if in fact we could really only afford a $300,000 house. We thought it was in the bank's interest not to foreclose. But that changed a few years ago, and bankers told people who they knew could only afford a $300,000 house to buy a $500,000 house.
"Tighten your belt, in a few years that house will be worth a million dollars; you'll make a lot of money" . . . in fact, the value of the house went down; the market dropped out; the banks foreclosed on these houses, repackaged them, and sold them again. Double whammy. The people were told, "you were stupid; you were greedy; why did you buy such an expensive house?" But in actuality, the bankers told them to do this, and we've grown up to believe that we can trust our bankers. Something very similar on a larger scale happened in so many countries around the world, including Greece.
In Greece, the traditional major political parties are, of course, overwhelmingly in favor of the harsh austerity measures that have been imposed, but also we see that the major business and media interests are also overwhelmingly in support. Does this surprise you in the slightest?
No, it doesn't surprise me and yet it's ridiculous because austerity does not work. We've proven that time and time again, and perhaps the greatest proof was the opposite, in the United States during the Great Depression, when President Roosevelt initiated all these policies to put people back to work, to pump money into the economy. That's what works. We know that austerity does not work in these situations.
"What I didn't realize during any of this period was how much corporatocracy does not want a united Europe."
We also have to understand that, in the United States for example, over the past 40 years, the middle class has been on the decline on a real dollar basis, while the economy has been increasing. In fact, that's pretty much happened around the world. Globally, the middle class has been in decline. Big business needs to recognize - it hasn't yet, but it needs to recognize - that that serves nobody's long-term interest, that the middle class is the market. And if the middle class continues to be in decline, whether it's in Greece or the United States or globally, ultimately businesses will pay the price; they won't have customers. Henry Ford once said: "I want to pay all my workers enough money so they can go out and buy Ford cars." That's a very good policy. That's wise. This austerity program moves in the opposite direction and it's a foolish policy.
In your book, which was written in 2004, you expressed hope that the euro would serve as a counterweight to American global hegemony, to the hegemony of the US dollar. Did you ever expect that we would see in the European Union what we are seeing today, with austerity that is not just in Greece but also in Spain, Portugal, Ireland, Italy, and also several other countries as well?
What I didn't realize during any of this period was how much corporatocracy does not want a united Europe. We need to understand this. They may be happy enough with the euro, with one currency - they are happy to a certain degree by having it united enough that markets are open - but they do not want standardized rules and regulations. Let's face it, big corporations, the corporatocracy, take advantage of the fact that some countries in Europe have much more lenient tax laws, some have much more lenient environmental and social laws, and they can pit them against each other.
"[Rafael Correa] ... has to be aware that if you stand up too strongly against the system, if the economic hit men are not happy, if they don't get their way, then the jackals will come in and assassinate you or overthrow you in a coup."
What would it be like for big corporations if they didn't have their tax havens in places like Malta or other places? I think we need to recognize that what the corporatocracy saw at first, the solid euro, a European union seemed like a very good thing, but as it moved forward, they could see that what was going to happen was that social and environmental laws and regulations were going to be standardized. They didn't want that, so to a certain degree what's been going on in Europe has been because the corporatocracy wants Europe to fail, at least on a certain level.
You wrote about the examples of Ecuador and other countries, which after the collapse of oil prices in the late '80s found themselves with huge debts and this, of course, led to massive austerity measures . . . sounds all very similar to what we are now seeing in Greece. How did the people of Ecuador and other countries that found themselves in similar situations eventually resist?
Ecuador elected a pretty remarkable president, Rafael Correa, who has a PhD in economics from a United States university. He understands the system, and he understood that Ecuador took on these debts back when I was an economic hit man and the country was ruled by a military junta that was under the control of the CIA and the US. That junta took on these huge debts, put Ecuador in deep debt; the people didn't agree to that. When Rafael Correa was democratically elected, he immediately said, "We're not paying these debts; the people did not take on these debts; maybe the IMF should pay the debts and maybe the junta, which of course was long gone - moved to Miami or someplace - should pay the debts, maybe John Perkins and the other economic hit men should pay the debts, but the people shouldn't."
And since then, he's been renegotiating and bringing the debts way down and saying, "We might be willing to pay some of them." That was a very smart move; it reflected similar things that had been done at different times in places like Brazil and Argentina, and more recently, following that model, Iceland, with great success. I have to say that Correa has had some real setbacks since then . . . he, like so many presidents, has to be aware that if you stand up too strongly against the system, if the economic hit men are not happy, if they don't get their way, then the jackals will come in and assassinate you or overthrow you in a coup. There was an attempted coup against him; there was a successful coup in a country not too far away from him, Honduras, because these presidents stood up.
We have to realize that these presidents are in very, very vulnerable positions, and ultimately we the people have to stand up, because leaders can only do a certain amount. Today, in many places, leaders are not just vulnerable; it doesn't take a bullet to bring down a leader anymore. A scandal - a sex scandal, a drug scandal - can bring down a leader. We saw that happen to Bill Clinton, to Strauss-Kahn of the IMF; we've seen it happen a number of times. These leaders are very aware that they are in very vulnerable positions: If they stand up or go against the status quo too strongly, they're going to be taken out, one way or another. They're aware of that, and it behooves we the people to really stand up for our own rights.
You mentioned the recent example of Iceland . . . other than the referendum that was held, what other measures did the country adopt to get out of this spiral of austerity and to return to growth and to a much more positive outlook for the country?
It's been investing money in programs that put people back to work and it's also been putting on trial some of the bankers that caused the problems, which has been a big uplift in terms of morale for the people. So Iceland has launched some programs that say "No, we're not going to go into austerity; we're not going to pay back these loans; we're going to put the money into putting people back to work," and ultimately that's what drives an economy, people working. If you've got high unemployment, like you do in Greece today, extremely high unemployment, the country's always going to be in trouble. You've got to bring down that unemployment, you've got to hire people. It's so important to put people back to work. Your unemployment is about 28 percent; it's staggering, and disposable income has dropped 40 percent and it's going to continue to drop if you have high unemployment. So, the important thing for an economy is to get the employment up and get disposable income back up, so that people will invest in their country and in goods and services.
In closing, what message would you like to share with the people of Greece, as they continue to experience and to live through the very harsh results of the austerity policies that have been implemented in the country for the past three years?
I want to draw upon Greece's history. You're a proud, strong country, a country of warriors. The mythology of the warrior to some degree comes out of Greece, and so does democracy! And to realize that the marketplace is a democracy today, and how we spend our money is casting our ballot. Most political democracies are corrupt, including that of the United States. Democracy is not really working on a governmental basis because the corporations are in charge. But it is working on a market basis. I would encourage the people of Greece to stand up: Don't pay off those debts; have your own referendums; refuse to pay them off; go to the streets and strike.
And so, I would encourage the Greek people to continue to do this. Don't accept this criticism that it's your fault, you're to blame, you've got to suffer austerity, austerity, austerity. That only works for the rich people; it does not work for the average person or the middle class. Build up that middle class; bring employment back; bring disposable income back to the average citizen of Greece. Fight for that; make it happen; stand up for your rights; respect your history as fighters and leaders in democracy, and show the world!
भिक्षुको भेषका अनेक धन्दा गरेर अकुत कमाएका लामा पहिला एमालेका सभासद् थिए । उनी झलनाथ खनाल प्रधानमन्त्री हुँदा राज्यमन्त्री समेत भएका थिए ।
प्रचण्डले किनेको नयाँ बंगलामा प्रचण्डपुत्र प्रकाशलाई सार्ने तयारी भइरहेको छ । प्रचण्डले कम्युटर तथा इलेक्ट्रोनिक्स व्यपार गर्ने विजयकृष्ण श्रेष्ठसँग उक्त बंगला खरिद गरेका हुन् । अहिले घरको भित्रीभाग कलात्मक काठले सजाउने काम भइरहेको छ । घरको रेखदेख प्रकाशले कान्छी श्रीमतीको साथमा गर्दै आएका छन् ।
प्रचण्डले आफ्ना एकाउन्टेन फेरेर नयाँ घरको कारोबार गरेका हुन् । पहिला विवादास्पद छविका व्यवसायी अजय सुमार्गीले प्रचण्डको सबै लगानी र हिसाबकिताब मिलाउँदै आएका थिए । पहिछल्लो समय निर्माण व्यवसायी शारदाप्रसाद अधिकारीले प्रचण्डको हिसाब हेर्दै आएका छन् ।
नुवाकोट घर भएका ठेकेदार अधिकारीकै नाममा प्रचण्डले उक्त विशाल बंगाला किनेको दृष्ट्रि साप्ताहिकमा समाचार छ । अहिले प्रकाशको खर्च पनि उनी अधिकारीले हेरिरहेका छन् । सैलुङ कन्ट्रकस्न नामक निर्माण कम्पनी चलाउँदै आएका अधिकारीले ठेक्कापट्टाको काम फाटफुट रुपमा मात्रै गर्ने गरेका छन् । तर, उनको सम्पत्ति दिन दुगुणा, रात चौगुणा बढेको देखेर माओवादीहरु नै तीनछक परेका छन् ।
प्रचण्ड अहिले सुमार्गीको जेठी सासूको नाममा रहेको लाजिम्पाटको बंगालमा वस्दै आएका छन् ।
जेठको अन्तिम साता १६ बूँदे सहमति गर्दा एमाओवादीका शीर्षनेताहरु निकै खुशी थिए । सर्वोच्च अदालतले १६ बुँदेलाई अमान्य घोषणा गर्दा पनि एमाओवादी अध्यक्ष प्रचण्डले सत्तापक्षसँगै स्वर मिलाएर १६ बुँदेको बचाऊ गरे । तर, संविधानको मस्यौदा बनाउने बेलामा चाँहि एमाओवादी नेताहरु कोठाभित्र थुनिएको बिरालोजस्तै बिकल्पहीन बन्न बाध्य भएका छन् ।
प्रचण्डसहित एमाओवादी नेताहरु यति ठूलो पेलाइमा परेर पहिचानको पक्षमा ‘समुद्र-मन्थन’ गरिरहेका बेला विगतमा उनलाई साथ दिँदै आएका जनजाति र मधेसवादी दलहरु चाँहि रमिते बनेर निश्क्रिय बसेका छन् ।
कांग्रेस र एमालेका नेताहरुले विगतमा सहमति भइसकेका विषयसमेत उल्टाएको, प्रस्तावनामा बहुलवाद घुसाउन खोजेको, नागरिकतामा महिलाको अधिकार कटौती गरेको, मजदुरको हडताल गर्ने मौलिक हक कटौती गरेको जस्ता गुनासा एमाओवादी नेताका मुखबाट बाहिर आएका छन् ।
संघीयताको सवालमा प्रदेश र स्थानीयतहको चुनावमा पनि ४० प्रतिशत समावेशी गराउने बाहेक एमाओवादीले रुचाएका कुनै पनि एजेन्डा संविधानको मस्यौदामा घुस्न नसकेपछि नेताहरुले धोका पाएको महसुस गर्न थालेका हुन् ।
एमाओवादी उपाध्यक्ष नारायणकाजी श्रेष्ठले अनलाइनखबरलाई दिएको जानकारीलाई आधार मान्ने हो भने संवैधानिक अंगलगायतका निकायमा समावेशिताको सिद्धान्तलाई पनि कटौती गरिएको छ ।
विगतमा सहमति भइसकेको न्यायाधीशहरुको पुनर्नियुक्ति तथा न्यायालयलाई संसदीय अनुगमनअन्तरगत राख्ने विषयलाई पनि उल्टाइएको एमाओवादीको आरोप छ । तथापि एमाओवादी नेताहरु १६ बुँदे सहमतिपछि संविधान निर्माण प्रक्रियामा सहमति भइसकेकाले अब यो प्रक्रियाबाट भाग्न उनीहरुलाई सजिलो छैन ।
एमाओवादीसँग भएको एउटामात्रै विकल्प भनेको शासकीयस्वरुपमा जस्तै अन्य विष्यमा पनि फरकम मत राखेर अघि बढ्ने कि फरक मत नराखी सहमति जनाएर अघि जाने भन्ने मात्र हो ।
१६ बुँदेपछि लगातार रातदिनको छलफल र माथापच्चिसीमा लागेका चार दलका नेताहरुले मस्यौदा तयार पारिसकेको बताए पनि त्यसमा एमाओवादी नेताहरुले असन्तुष्टि जनाएपछि शनिबार बालुवाटारमा बिहान र बेलुका दुईपटक शीर्ष नेताहरुको बैठक बोलाइयो ।
शनिबारको मस्यौदा समितिको पूर्णबैठकले मस्यौदालाई अन्तिम रुप दिने भनिए पनि बहुलवाद, नागरिकता, संघीयतामा विशेष संरचना, संवैधानिक अंगका पदाधिकारीको पुनर्नियुक्ति, न्यायालय र संसदको सम्बन्ध लगायतका विषयमा विवाद बढेपछि शीर्षनेताको बैठक बस्नुपरेको हो ।
साँझ सिंहदरवारमा बसेको बैठकमा कुनै सहमति जुट्न सकेन । एमाओवादी उपाध्यक्ष नारायणकाजी श्रेष्ठ प्रकाशले थप छलफल आवश्यक भएको बताए ।
China's richest man has said that he considers the UK the best place in the world to invest.
Wang Jianlin, chair of China's largest property company, Dalian Wanda, said the UK had one of the most open markets and that investment was not subject to the same scrutiny as elsewhere.
Mr Wang told the BBC he was looking to invest $1bn (£667m) in the UK entertainment industry.
He is also considering buying an English or Italian football club.
"I've travelled to many countries to consider them for investment, and most admire Britain's market," he said.
"Britain has one of the highest degrees of free market openness, no investment needs to be scrutinised, it's entirely up to you."
He said that he likes the US as well but the Committee on Foreign Investment in the US scrutinises investment and can block it.
He added that China needs to reform its own market.
Mr Wang is estimated to be worth $24.2bn and recently reclaimed the title of China's richest man, overtaking Jack Ma, the boss of e-commerce giant Alibaba, according to Forbes.
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Global portfolio
Mr Wang has already made some eye-catching investments around the world. He purchased Sunseeker, the British yacht maker for the James Bond films; AMC cinemas in the US; and the Swiss company InFront, which holds TV rights for the Fifa World Cup.
He revealed that he has been discussing an investment with London for the past year. It didn't come to fruition but he is still seeking to invest $1bn in the UK.
In a wide-ranging interview, Mr Wang said that he been approached by several English football clubs but the key factor when it came to buying one was the price. He has already acquired a 20% stake in Spanish club Atletico Madrid.
When asked if he was concerned about the possibility of the UK leaving the EU after a potential upcoming referendum, he said that he wasn't.
"I don't think it is a big problem for me whether the UK is in the EU or not. It is a problem between the UK and Europe. The UK is relatively independent in the EU at present. It does not use the euro."
China needs reform
When it comes to his home market, Mr Wang believes that China will open up more over time. He points out that because of the dominance of state-owned firms, the market isn't open enough for private Chinese, as well as for foreign firms, and needs reform.
Six Routes to...
Listen to more about China's economy on Saturday, 14 March at 08:30 GMT on the BBC World Service.
Six Routes to A Richer World, a co-production with US radio's Marketplace, visits six important places in the new global economy.
A Richer World 2015
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"I think China's market should be more open. Maybe China is not as open as the UK or USA at present. It is probably because we are relatively backward in some respects," he said.
Mr Wang also expects China to undertake the privatisation of land. He sees it as the only way to resolve the debt problems confronting local governments.
He says that they owe 20 trillion yuan (£2.1tn; $3.2tn) of debt and do not generate enough revenue to pay it down, so he sees the only solution as allowing land to be privately sold.
When asked if he was certain that the central government would go for this radical move, since land in China is essentially state-owned, he said that he was convinced that it would happen.
If so, that would be a big step in the opening up of China's market and would certainly benefit property developers who can currently only own leaseholds and jointly develop projects on land owned by local governments.
चेपुवामा एमाओवादी
एकीकृत नेकपा माओवादी अब ३० दलीय मोर्चाका अन्य घटकहरु जस्तै संविधान निर्माण प्रक्रियाको विरोध गरेर बाहिर निस्कन सक्ने अवस्थामा छैन । किनभने ऊ १६ बुँदे सहमतिमा बाँधिएको छ ।
तर, संविधानको मस्यौदामा विगतका सहमति तोडियो भन्ने उसको गुनासो सुन्दा भित्रै बसेर संविधान निर्माको प्रक्रियामा पनि एमाओवादी सन्तुष्ट हुन सकिरहेको छैन । नेपाली कांग्रेस, एमाले र राज्यसत्ताको संस्थापन पक्षले संविधान निर्माणको अन्तिम घडीमा जनतालाई अधिकारसम्पन्न हुन नदिने र संघीयता एवं समावेशीताको अधिकारलाई खुम्च्याउने प्रयास गरिरहेको एमाओवादी नेताहरुको गुनासो छ ।
तर, विगतमा जसरी आदिवासी जनजाति र मधेसी समुदायले आफ्नो अधिकार मस्यौदामा सुनिश्चित होस् भनेर दबाव दिने कार्यक्रम बनाएका छैनन् । उनीहरु एमाओवादीले धोका दिएको भन्दै उपचाप बसेका छन् ।
योबेलामा आदिवासी जनजातिको प्रेसर सिर्जना गर्न पाएको भए संविधान लेखनमा एमाओवादीलाई बल मिल्ने थियो, तर त्यो अवस्था छैन, जसले गर्दा एमाले र कांग्रेसमाथि परेका छन् भने एमाओवादी चाँहि तल परेर कुइँकुइँ गर्न बाध्य बनेको छ ।
- सत्तारूढ एमाले र प्रमुख प्रतिपक्षी एमाओवादीले सरकारको नेतृत्व गरेको कांग्रेसले सत्ता लम्ब्याउन खोजेको भन्दै सशंकित भएका छन् ।
१६ बुँदे सहमतिविरुद्ध भएको अदालतको फैसला, राष्ट्रपतिको सक्रियता, कांग्रेसको संस्थापन पक्षले प्रक्रिया लम्ब्याउन चाहेको भन्दै शंका गरेका छन् । दुई दलबीच १६ बुँदे सहमतिको मर्मअनुरुप छिटो संविधान जारी गर्न पहल गर्ने सहमति भएको छ ।
कांग्रेसले संविधान निर्माणमा अलमल गरेर सरकारको आयु लम्ब्याउन चाहेको चर्चा चलिरहेका बेला दुई दलबीच शनिबार भएको छलफलमा त्यस्तो सहमति भएको हो । ‘१६ बुँदे सहमतिविरुद्ध भएको अदालतको फैसला, राष्ट्रपतिको सक्रियता, कांग्रेसको संस्थापन पक्षले प्रक्रिया लम्ब्याउन चाहेको पृष्ठभूमिमा दुई दल मिलेर छिटो संविधान जारी गर्न दबाब दिने सहमति भएको छ,’ सहभागी एक नेताले भने ।
कांग्रेसले प्रक्रिया लम्ब्याउन खोजे अविश्वास प्रस्ताव ल्याएर सरकार फेर्नेसम्मको कुरा बैठकमा उठेको जानकारी ती नेताले दिए ।
बैठकमा एमालेबाट अध्यक्ष केपी शर्मा ओली, बरिष्ठ नेता झलनाथ खनाल, उपाध्यक्ष भीम रावल, महासचिव इश्वर पोखरेल, उपमहासचिव विष्णु पौडेल, प्रमुख सचेतक अग्नि खरेल र एमाओवादीबाट अध्यक्ष पुष्पकमल दाहाल, प्रमुख सचेतक गिरिराजमणी पोखरेललगायतका नेता सहभागी थिए ।'](https://scontent-lga1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xap1/v/t1.0-9/p118x90/10469954_1644692159077738_9017339279489621634_n.jpg?oh=6781c1cf37b663a62c31e6cd9fa0fba1&oe=563D0F60)
!['@[103794787358:274:RAJESH HAMAL] in Cyprus :)
नेपाली विद्यार्थी र याङकी ह्योल्मोको आयोजनामा भएको कन्र्सटमा १४ हजार युरो संकलन भएको छ । भूकम्प पीडित नेपालीका लागि राहत संकलन गर्ने हेतुले सांस्कृतीक साँझ आयोजना गरिएको हो । कार्यक्रममा महानायक राजेश हमाल, कलाकारहरु हिमाल सागर, राजु लामा तुलसी सिवाकोटी लगायत उपस्थिती थिए । राजेश हमालको उपस्थितीमा साइप्रसमा नेपालीले आयोजना गरेको यो नै पहिलो कार्यक्रम भएको आयोजक याङ्कीले शेर्पाखबरलाई जानकारी दिए । नेपाली कलाकारहरुसँग तस्वीर लिनाकै लागि पनि टाडा टाडाबाट त्यहाँ कार्यरात नेपालीहरुको सहभागिता रहेको थियो । कार्यक्रमबाट संकलित सहयोग रकम तत्कालै निर्णय गरि नेपाल पठाउने त्यहाँबाट सोनिया शेर्पाले जानकारी दिए । नेपाली कला, संस्कार, संस्कृतीको जर्गना गर्दै कलाकारलाई माया गर्ने संस्कारको विकास गर्न आगामी दिनमा समेत कार्यक्रम आयोजना गर्न पहल गर्ने आयोजक याङकीले बताइन् । समाजसेवामा अब्बल याङ्कीले भूकम्प पीडितका लागि कुनैपनि हिसावमा सहयोग गर्न कार्यक्रम आयोजना गरेको बताइन् । कार्यक्रममा नेपालीहरुको वाक्लो उपस्थिती भएको थियो ।'](https://scontent-lga1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpf1/v/t1.0-9/p118x118/11666271_1643817875831833_6453801916046865589_n.jpg?oh=c7c40507bf9c628326ac59de666a34ac&oe=564D5F41)
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