Asian shares rise, euro faces pressure |
- Asian shares rise, euro faces pressure
- I won’t change philosophy, says beaten Guardiola
- The Bible speaks about Hudud laws — Stephen Ng
- Japan shares rise as Yen holds losses before BOJ policy decision
- Stern action against contractors found flouting safety rules, says Fadillah
- A guide to the world’s top cemetery tourism destinations
| Asian shares rise, euro faces pressure Posted: 29 Apr 2014 05:56 PM PDT
Investors stayed cautious before central bank decisions from the Bank of Japan and then the Federal Reserve later in the session, as well as key US jobs data on Friday. MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan added 0.1 per cent in early trading, while Japan's Nikkei stock average rose 0.8 per cent after Tokyo markets were closed for a holiday on Tuesday. US equities got a lift yesterday from earnings results from companies including Merck & Co, and a rebound in Facebook and other high-growth shares. Later today, Fed officials are expected to decide unanimously at the conclusion of their two-day meeting to continue tapering the central bank's massive bond-buying stimulus. Investors will focus on what their statement implies about the monetary policy outlook. "For the most part we expect the statement to remain virtually unchanged. Having just shifted to qualitative guidance in March, the central bank is not planning to make any significant alterations in the near future," said Kathy Lien, managing director of FX strategy at BK Asset Management. "Expectations for steady taper explain the dollar's muted reaction to positive and negative data," she said in a note to clients. Against the greenback, the euro steadied at US$1.3812 after losing 0.3 per cent yesterday. Against its Japanese counterpart, the euro inched down to 141.66, after shedding 0.2 per cent the previous day. Preliminary German data showed annual inflation was a softer-than-expected 1.1 per cent in April. European policymakers are concerned about the risk of deflation, with euro zone prices rising around 0.5 per cent, well below the European Central Bank's medium-term target of just below 2 per cent. The latest price report due later today is expected to show euro zone inflation picking up to a still-low 0.8 per cent in April. The dollar was slightly lower against the yen at 102.57 , but remained in sight of a three-week high of 102.79 yen hit yesterday. Against a basket of currencies, the dollar edged down to 79.794. The BOJ is expected to unanimously stand pat on policy, and will also release new economic projections following its meeting. Japan's central bank policymakers will likely keep their inflation forecast for fiscal 2015 roughly unchanged from the current 1.9 per cent, and estimate fiscal 2016 inflation close to 2 per cent, sources have told Reuters. In commodities trading, spot gold was steady on the day at US$1,295.80 an ounce. US crude slipped 0.7 per cent to US$100.58 per barrel. — Reuters  |
| I won’t change philosophy, says beaten Guardiola Posted: 29 Apr 2014 05:51 PM PDT
The former Barcelona boss was forced to defend his philosophy, already under fire in Germany, after his side were outclassed in their semi-final, second leg, losing 4-0 on the night and 5-0 on aggregate. "I know it's a tough night for us, for me and for the players," he told reporters, adding that Bayern lost because they had too little possession, not too much. "The reason we did so badly in the first half is that we did not have possession. We didn't play with the ball. "Against Arsenal and against Manchester United (earlier in the competition) and in the first leg in Madrid, we played with the ball and we controlled the game. "We did not do it in the first half and when you don't have control against a great, great team like this, you don't have a chance." "The argument about my ideas is not valid," he added. "I can't change what I feel and what I feel is that we must play with the ball and attack as much as possible." The Spaniard's opposite number Carlo Ancelotti agreed that there was no need to see yesterday's astonishing win for Real as the death knell for the style which Guardiola pioneered at Barcelona and is attempting to bring to Bayern. Ancelotti said that the match, which helped Real reach their first Champions League final for 12 years where they will face either Chelsea or city rivals Atletico Madrid, should not be seen as anything more than a good performance by his side. "It's a win, nothing more than that, against a strong team, which won the Champions League last year," the Italian said. "That's where it finishes. It was a good game, we controlled it, we blocked their game, we did it well and we deserved to win. "But it is not the end of a philosophy. Bayern will carry on with their game, Guardiola's philosophy will continue because he has won lots and lots." He added: "Reaching the final after 12 years was a big target and it makes me proud that I did it with the team. "When I arrived at Real, you could feel something special in the air, there was a special atmosphere. "The performance of the team was fantastic and I have nothing else to say. We hope we have the same attitude in the final." — Reuters |
| The Bible speaks about Hudud laws — Stephen Ng Posted: 29 Apr 2014 05:43 PM PDT
I quote from Matthew 5:27-29, where Jesus said: "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall not commit adultery.' But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell." This is as far as it goes. Like anything else, if it is quoted out of context, it can mean a whole world of difference. By now, most of us would have either lost an eye, a leg or a hand. We would all be limping around, and wearing the pirate's eye pad on one eye, and the stigma would have prevented us from looking for a job to turn on a new leaf. It is not the woman who commits adultery that should be stoned, but even the man who marries more than one wife, Jesus calls it 'adultery.' I quote: "It has been said, 'Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce. But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, makes her the victim of adultery, and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery." Such is the standard of God's law. Technically, none of us can escape the punishment is meted out against sin. All of us have sinned in one way or another. Here, we are reminded of Jesus' words time and again: "Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her." (John 8:7). And we are told that at that juncture, Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground, apparently every sin that was committed by the so-called 'righteous' men who wanted to stone the prostitute who pleaded to Jesus for mercy. The reason why Christians do not practise the hudud laws is because we see it in a bigger context of things by which we interpret what appears to be 'hudud'-like laws. This is the context (as expounded in Romans 5:18): "For if, by the trespass of the one man (i.e. Adam), death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God's abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!" We are no longer under the laws that lead to death, but under the grace of God which leads to life. Therefore, what Jesus said about the way a man looks at a woman lustfully, he has committed a sin that allegorically, he should in fact, "gouge out the eye that causes him to stumble." But because we are under grace, we talk about God's forgiveness. While there is a room for the criminal justice system, the way we deal with a wrongdoing is different. We talk about repentance and God's forgiveness. Incarceration or even flogging and death penalty will not deal with the real issues of crime. In the light of all this, and the fact that even the judges can err with their decisions, we should therefore treat every prisoner with some respect befitting of another fellow human being. There is a saying: Love the criminal (the person), hate their sins. Often, criminals become who they are because of an unhappy childhood. Dr James Dobson in his book, Building Confidence in Your Child quoted the example of Lee Harvey Oswald, who assassinated President John Fitzgerald Kennedy in 1963. "He (Oswald) began his life with all the classic handicaps and disadvantages. His mother was a powerfully built, dominating woman who found it difficult to love anyone," Dr Dobson wrote. Oswald was abused at home. At school, Oswald was rejected from his earliest childhood. "When he was thirteen years old, a school psychologist commented that he probably didn't even know the meaning of the word, love," Dr Dobson continued. He was then rejected in the Marine Corp. Later, when he went to live in a foreign country, he married a girl, who had been an illegitimate child herself. When they returned to the United States, the wife treated him badly, and threw him out of the house. He was humiliated and tortured by his wife. The story went on: "Finally, in silence, (Oswald) pleaded no more. No one wanted him. No one had ever wanted him. He was a most rejected man. His ego lay shattered in dust! "The next day he was a strangely different man. He arose, went to the garage, and took down a rifle he had hidden there. He carried it with him to his newly acquired job at a book-storage building. And from a window on the sixth floor of the building, shortly after noon, November 22, 1963, he sent two shells crashing into the head of President John Fitzgerald Kennedy." For this reason, we are taught to treat even the worst of criminals with respect as a fellow human being. It is only when we learn to respect them that they will respect us. After all, in the eyes of God, we are all equal. God is the ultimate Judge. By implementing death penalty or the hudud laws, we cannot reverse the injustices committed through human errors in judgement once the punishment is meted. God, being a just God, will not spare those who take the life of innocent people. One cannot help it but to remember the legend of Mahsuri where she was accused of adultery and after she was killed, there was great regret that innocent blood had been shed. Can we afford a repeat of the Mahsuri legend? * This is the personal opinion of the writer and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malay Mail Online. |
| Japan shares rise as Yen holds losses before BOJ policy decision Posted: 29 Apr 2014 05:42 PM PDT
The Topix gained 0.8 per cent to 1,169.68 as of 9:01am in Tokyo, with all but three of the 33 industry groups climbing. The measure is headed for a 2.8 per cent drop this month. The Nikkei 225 Stock Average added 0.8 per cent today to 14,403.72. The yen traded at 102.57 per dollar after weakening for two days. Markets in Japan were closed yesterday for a holiday. The BOJ will leave the monetary base unchanged, according to economists surveyed by Bloomberg. Any easing at today's meeting would be a "positive surprise", Masayuki Kichikawa and Setsuko Yamashita, economists at Bank of America Corp's Merrill Lynch unit, wrote in a note. Futures on the Standard & Poor's 500 Index slid 0.1 per cent. The equity measure rose 0.5 per cent yesterday as Internet stocks rallied for the first time in five days and results from Merck & Co to Sprint Corp topped estimates. Fed policy makers began a two-day meeting in Washington yesterday. They will probably announce a fourth consecutive reduction in their monthly bond-buying programme, according to analysts polled by Bloomberg. The Fed is likely to keep its target interest rate for overnight bank lending in a range of zero to 0.25 per cent. — Bloomberg |
| Stern action against contractors found flouting safety rules, says Fadillah Posted: 29 Apr 2014 05:41 PM PDT
"This is a warning to all the construction contractors to ensure occupational safety and health at the work sites," Works Minister Datuk Fadillah Yusof said when officiating at the graduation ceremony for 306 trainees of the Malaysia Construction Academy, here, today. Fadillah said the Malaysia Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) through the International Human Resource Development Centre (IHRDC), would be introducing the module on safety at the workplace. "This module will be used in the teaching approach at the academy to increase trainees' understanding on the importance of ensuring safety at the workplace. "When this is achieved, they will also be able to create a more conducive work environment." On the construction industry scenario, Fadillah said the country needed to increase skilled workers to 60 per cent towards achieving developed-nation status. He said according to statistics from Bank Negara Malaysia, there were 1.38 million skilled workers in the country's construction sector, with 425,000 of them being foreigners. Meanwhile, CIDB chief executive Datuk Seri Ir Dr Judin Abdul Karim said it was training 28,000 workers in the construction sector for this year to meet the high demand for such workers. "The industry requires about 40,000 skilled workers. Last year, we trained 27,474 construction workers and 75 per cent managed to secure employment," he said. At the event, Fadillah also witnessed the signing of memorandums of understanding between CIDB and seven strategic partners, including five international construction companies, to establish cooperation in high-impact training in the construction field. — Bernama |
| A guide to the world’s top cemetery tourism destinations Posted: 29 Apr 2014 05:37 PM PDT
For ideas on planning a trip around this original concept, just follow the guide provided by Hotels.com. According to the website, which specialises in hotel price comparisons, one of the most affordable cemetery tourism destinations is Palm Springs, where Frank Sinatra is buried at the Desert Memorial Park. The average nightly rate for a double room is US$112 (RM358). Next on the list is Buenos Aires in Argentina, home to the Recoleta cemetery. Though not necessarily famous, most of the wealthy bodies buried here commissioned particularly elaborate tombstones which are definitely worth the trip. A hotel stay near the destination costs €84 (RM378) per night on average. On the other side of the Atlantic, Berlin is one of the most affordable destinations, with the average hotel room costing €85 per night. At the Dorotheenstädtisch-Friedrichswerderscher Friedhof cemetery, visitors can place flowers on the tomb of the playwright Bertolt Brecht and the sculptor Johann Gottfried Schadow, among others. Finally, no list of the world's most prestigious cemeteries would be complete without a mention of the Cimetière du Père-Lachaise in Paris. Edith Piaf, Maria Callas, Jim Morrison and Oscar Wilde are just a few of the notable personalities laid to rest here. Tourists can expect to pay more for their stay, however, as a double room is priced at €131 per night on average. — AFP-Relaxnews |
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