THE NEWS: Toyota pours $500 mn into driverless car tie-up with Uber

Toyota pours $500 mn into driverless car tie-up with Uber



 GETTY/AFP/File / JEFF SWENSEN Uber, which has scaled back its driverless car program, could ramp up efforts as part of a reported alliance with Japanese auto giant Toyota

Toyota will pump about $500 million into ride-share firm Uber as part of a deal to work together on mass-producing self-driving vehicles, the Japanese car giant said on Tuesday.

The deal, which reportedly values Uber at about $72 billion, aims at "advancing and bringing to market autonomous ride-sharing as a mobility service at scale", Toyota said in a statement.

Analysts said the move showed Toyota was motoring full speed ahead towards a driverless car future, in a race involving the world's top auto firms as well as tech giants such as Google and Alibaba.

Technology from both companies will be integrated into purpose-built Toyota vehicles and deployed on Uber's ride-sharing platform, with the first pilot rollout set for 2021.

"Hundreds of vehicles" would be involved in that first phase, a spokesman told AFP.

"The deal is the first of its kind for Uber and signals our commitment to bringing world-class technologies to the Uber network," said CEO Dara Khosrowshahi.

The agreement came after the smartphone-summoned ride service began to rein in its solo effort to develop autonomous vehicle technology.

Uber suspended its self-driving car programme after a crash in March, which killed a woman pushing a bicycle in a street in the US state of Arizona.

Last month, the San-Francisco-based firm took a tentative step towards restarting the programme, putting self-driving cars back on the road in "manual mode", with a driver at the wheel at all times.

The testing will enable Uber to gather data on different scenarios that will be recreated in computer simulations, and also develop more accurate mapping for the vehicles.

- 'Wide-open field' -

Uber is among a number of technology and car companies racing toward what some say is an inevitable future in which vehicles drive themselves.

The statement said the "mass-produced autonomous vehicles" would be owned and operated by "mutually agreed-upon third-party autonomous fleet operators".

Hans Greimel, Asia editor for the specialist Automotive News publication, said Toyota was "gearing up big-time for autonomous driving".

"They are feeling the pressure and they are really turning their attention towards this field," he added.

"It is a wide-open field and everybody is scrambling to feel their way. Maybe Toyota feels a sense of crisis, maybe they had a rough start but I don't feel they are behind."

Traders appeared to welcome the news, pushing Toyota stock up 1.86 percent to 7.096 yen, outperforming the wider market which was 0.64 percent higher.

Toyota had already invested an undisclosed amount in Uber in 2016 via its subsidiary Toyota Financial Services and Greimel said cash was the main attraction for Uber.

"I think what they are after with Toyota is the money more than anything," he said.

However, he added that it was possible that the more conservative Toyota could end up slowing down the Silicon Valley firm.

"Toyota is known for its safety and is more conservative but it could be a downside for a Silicon Valley company used to being very quick and nimble and making fast decisions.

"Toyota needs to double-check, triple-check everything and this might slow them down a little bit," he said.

Khosrowshahi is also looking at shifting cars to scooters and electric bikes for shorter, inner-city trips, he said in an interview published this week.

While he admitted the move would likely cost the firm financially in the near term, he told the Financial Times it made sense as a long-term strategy as "during rush hour, it is very inefficient for a one-tonne hulk of metal to take one person 10 blocks".

THE NEWS: Nadal sends injured Ferrer into Grand Slam retirement

Nadal sends injured Ferrer into Grand Slam retirement
source: AFP

 AFP / Don EMMERT 'Sad' victory: Rafael Nadal hits a return to David Ferrer

World number one and defending US Open champion Rafael Nadal sent his close friend David Ferrer into Grand Slam retirement on Monday when his veteran compatriot was forced to quit their first round match with an injury.

Ferrer, a former world number three but now standing at a lowly 148, called it quits on a hot and humid night on Arthur Ashe Stadium when he led 4-3 with a break in the second set.

Top seed Nadal had taken the opener 6-3.

"This is my last Grand Slam," said Ferrer who was runner-up to Nadal in the 2013 French Open final.

"I have great memories of this tournament and I am just sorry that I couldn't finish it tonight."

Ferrer, 36, will play his last tournament on home ground in Madrid next year.

"I am very sorry for David and sad for him," said Nadal.

"We are close friends and have shared great moments -- the Roland Garros final and Davis Cup wins.

"He is one of the greatest players to have come from our country. He's a great person and great player."

Nadal, chasing his 18th Grand Slam title, will face Canada's Vasek Pospisil for a place in the last 32.

THE NEWS: Pope silent on claim he ignored abuse

Pope silent on claim he ignored abuse
source: AFP

WMOF2018/MAXWELL/AFP / Handout Pope Francis has refused to comment on a claim that he personally ignored sexual abuse allegations against a senior clergyman

Pope Francis has declined to comment on a claim that he ignored sexual abuse allegations against a senior clergyman amid speculation conservative elements in the Catholic hierarchy are using the issue to mount a "putsch" to remove the liberal pontiff.

Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, a former Vatican envoy to the United States, on Saturday said he had told Francis of the allegations against prominent US cardinal Theodore McCarrick in 2013.

But rather than punish McCarrick, who was forced to resign last month, Vigano said Francis had lifted sanctions imposed on him by his predecessor pope Benedict XVI.

"Corruption has reached the very top of the Church's hierarchy," Vigano said in a letter published in the National Catholic Register and several conservative US Catholic publications.

But the pope refused to address the allegation on Sunday.

"I will not say a word about that. I think that the communique speaks for itself," Francis said on his plane as he flew back from Dublin to Rome.


AFP / Laurence SAUBADU, Jonathan STOREY The travels of Pope Francis since 2013


The timing of the letter's release -- right in the middle of Francis's landmark trip to Ireland -- has raised speculation of a campaign against the Argentine pontiff by conservatives in the Church.

Francis told journalists to "read the communique attentively and make your own judgement," referring to Vigano's letter, which called on the pope to resign.

In his 11-page "testimony", Vigano, 77, who was a papal nuncio in Washington between 2011 and 2016, said Benedict XVI imposed canonical sanctions against McCarrick in the late 2000s.

McCarrick was forced to leave his seminary and live a life of penance after former Vatican ambassadors in Washington, now dead, reported him for "gravely immoral" behaviour with seminarians and priests.

- 'Homosexual networks' -

Vigano claimed Francis asked him about McCarrick when he took office in June 2013, but that the pope ignored his warnings.

He said the pope "knew from at least June 23, 2013, that McCarrick was a serial predator," adding that "he knew that he was a corrupt man, he covered for him to the bitter end".


VATICAN MEDIA/AFP / Handout Pope Francis "begged for God's forgiveness" on Sunday for multiple abuse scandals within the Irish church but faced accusations by a former Vatican official that he had personally ignored allegations against senior clergy

The pope accepted the resignation of McCarrick, now 88, in July, making him just the second cardinal ever to lose his status.

In his letter, Vigano condemned the "culture of secrecy" in the Church but also railed against "the homosexual current" he claimed was prevalent in the highest echelons of the Vatican and contributing to a "conspiracy of silence" over abuse.

"The homosexual networks present in the Church must be eradicated," he said. "These homosexual networks ... are strangling the entire Church."

US cardinals Monday defended themselves against Vigano's allegations of a cover-up.

Cardinal Joseph Tobin of Newark, a progressive, expressed "shock, sadness and consternation" at the wide-ranging allegations and Cardinal Donald Wuerl of Washington denied any knowledge that his predecessor had been either sanctioned or accused of abuse.

- 'A putsch is afoot' -

"Make no mistake. This is a coordinated attack on Pope Francis," said an editorial article on the website of the progressive National Catholic Reporter weekly.

"A putsch is afoot and if the US bishops do not, as a body, stand up to defend the Holy Father in the next 24 hours, we shall be slipping towards schism," the author Michael Sean Winters wrote.

"The enemies of Francis have declared war."


AFP / Ben STANSALL The Church's role and standing has been badly dented by the abuse scandals and the Irish have shed traditional Catholic mores, voting earlier this year to legalise abortion after approving same-sex marriage in 2015


Nicolas Seneze, the Rome correspondent for the French daily La Croix, echoed that there is "a clear desire to attack Francis," telling AFP that "those who regard Francis as dangerous will stop at nothing."

Among ultra-conservative Catholics, the pope is regarded as a dangerous progressive more interested in social issues than traditional Church matters.

With his more conciliatory approach to the gay community Francis had raised hopes among that he might steer the Church towards greater acceptance of homosexuality but he remains in line with traditional Church teaching on sexuality and marriage.

- Abuse scandals -

During his visit to Ireland on Sunday the pope "begged for God's forgiveness" for past clerical abuse scandals, which have badly damaged the image of the Church in the Catholic stronghold.

His trip was met with enthusiastic crowds but also protests, with about 5,000 abuse victims and supporters attending a "Stand for Truth" rally in the capital Dublin.

The Catholic Church's standing has been badly dented by the abuse scandals. Stronghold Ireland has largely shed its traditional Catholic mores, voting earlier this year to legalise abortion after approving same-sex marriage in 2015.

Multiple probes in Ireland have found Church leaders protected hundreds of predatory priests and former Irish president Mary McAleese revealed this month that the Vatican had sought to keep Church documents inaccessible to government investigators.

The abuse scandals in Ireland are part of a worldwide crisis for the Vatican.

A devastating report earlier this month accused more than 300 priests in the US state of Pennsylvania of abusing more than 1,000 children since the 1950s.

THE NEWS: Leading journalists join call for EU copyright reform

Leading journalists join call for EU copyright reform
source: AFP

AFP/File / LEON NEAL, LOIC VENANCE The proposed media reforms have been firmly opposed by big US tech firms such as Google and Facebook, as well as advocates of internet freedom

Leading journalists from more than 20 countries joined a call Tuesday for European MPs to approve a controversial media reform aimed at forcing internet giants to pay for news content.

European Parliament lawmakers return in September to discuss the proposal, a first draft of which was rejected last month after a fierce debate.

The so-called copyright and neighbouring rights law aims to ensure that producers of creative content -- whether news, music or movies -- are paid fairly in a digital world.

But the plans have been firmly opposed by big US tech firms such as Google and Facebook, as well as advocates of internet freedom.

An open letter signed by more than 100 prominent journalists from major news outlets warned Tuesday that "this fleecing of the media of their rightful revenue" was "morally and democratically unjustifiable".

"We have become targets and our reporting missions cost more and more," said the letter written by AFP foreign correspondent Sammy Ketz and published in several European newspapers including France's Le Monde.

"Yet, even though (the media) pay for the content and send the journalists who will risk their lives to produce a trustworthy, thorough and diverse news service, it is not they who reap the profits but the internet platforms, which help themselves without paying a cent," the letter said.


AFP / Alain BOMMENEL Trend in spending on newspaper advertising in the EU's 28 member countries from 2009 through to 2016


"It is as if a stranger came along and shamelessly snatched the fruits of your labour."

The editorial urged the European Parliament to "vote massively in favour of neighbouring rights for the survival of democracy and one of its most remarkable symbols: journalism".

Major publishers, including AFP, have pushed for the reform -- known as Article 11 -- seeing it as an urgently needed solution against a backdrop of free online news that has wiped out earnings for traditional media companies.

But opponents have called it a "link tax" that will stifle discourse on the Internet.

Resistance has been especially heated to Article 13: the proposal to make online platforms legally liable for copyrighted material put on the web by users.

Music legend Paul McCartney as well as major music labels and film studios had lobbied politicians urging them to come together and back the changes.

Critics, however, argue the reform will lead to blanket censorship by tech platforms that have become an online hub for creativity, especially YouTube.


Getty/AFP/File / Jason Merritt Music legend Paul McCartney (R, with Dave Grohl) as well as major music labels and film studios have lobbied politicians urging them to back the copyright changes

They say it will also restrict the usage of memes and remixes by everyday internet surfers.

But the journalists on Tuesday rejected this as a "lie".

"Free access to the web will endure because the internet giants, which now use editorial content for free, can reimburse the media without asking consumers to pay," the open letter said.

THE NEWS: Will Myanmar's military face justice over Rohingya 'genocide'?

Will Myanmar's military face justice over Rohingya 'genocide'?
source: AFP

AFP / Dibyangshu SARKAR Rohingya refugees have recounted widespread stories of rape, murder and arson by Myanmar troops

A UN probe has called for Myanmar's military leaders to face justice for alleged genocide and crimes against humanity against the Rohingya, but the road to a tribunal will be long and complex, with China likely to block any prosecution of its ally at the International Criminal Court.

On Monday a damning report by a UN fact-finding mission said members of Myanmar's armed forces, including military chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, should be prosecuted for their roles in violently expelling some 700,000 Rohingya Muslims into neighbouring Bangladesh.

Refugees have recounted widespread stories of rape, murder and arson by security forces as they were driven from their homes.

The report was the most serious step towards accountability in the crisis to date but experts warn of major legal and diplomatic obstacles ahead.

- What's the quickest route to justice for the Rohingya? -

The International Criminal Court (ICC) in the Hague. For proceedings to begin, the United Nations Security Council needs to refer Myanmar to the court.

But geopolitics is likely to get in the way with China and Russia -- which last week hosted Min Aung Hlaing -- able to veto any referral.

China has consistently refrained from condemning Myanmar for its treatment of the Rohingya, describing it as an internal matter.

"Rakhine State has very complex historic, ethnic and religious background," Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying told reporters on Tuesday.

"So how to resolve this problem? Through negotiation and dialogue," she said, adding: "I think that blame on any side, or pressure, does not help resolve anything."

The Security Council is set to discuss Myanmar later Tuesday in New York.

- What about Plan B? -

If legal moves for the ICC stall at the Security Council, it could consider an ad hoc or mixed tribunal similar to ones created for Rwanda, Yugoslavia, Lebanon and Cambodia.

This would in theory require the cooperation of national authorities in Myanmar.

Another possibility stems from an unprecedented request by the chief prosecutor at the ICC, Fatou Bensouda, to extend its jurisdiction to Myanmar, which has not signed up to the court.

That's "uncharted territory", according to Kingsley Abbott of the International Commission of Jurists, who says the move may be possible because they crisis spilled over into Bangladesh, a member of the ICC.

If the court agrees, the prosecutor could launch a preliminary investigation and ultimately issue arrest warrants for Myanmar nationals.

But this would take time, requiring participation from Bangladesh in the investigation and -- somewhat implausibly -- Myanmar to hand over suspects.

- Who could be prosecuted? -


 AFP/File / YE AUNG THU The UN probe names six senior members of Myanmar's armed forces including military chief Min Aung Hlaing


The court targets individuals, not countries. On Monday the UN probe named six senior members of the armed forces including military chief Min Aung Hlaing.

Investigators argue they bear responsibility because of their direct command over troops that carried out "clearance operations" in northern Rakhine state.

But the ICC cannot forcibly bring suspects from Myanmar, and would have to rely on member states to detain them in the event they travel abroad.

This has been problematic in the past.

In December 2017 war crimes judges criticised Jordan for failing to act on the Hague's warrant to arrest Sudanese leader Omar al-Bashir.

- Could Aung San Suu Kyi face trial? -

Highly unlikely. The current calls are aimed at the upper echelons of Myanmar's security forces, and the Nobel laureate has no control over the military.

But the UN probe did call her out for not using her position as leader of the civilian government or her "moral authority" to try to stem the violence.

It also accused her administration of denying any wrongdoing, blocking the UN investigation, and spreading false narratives.

"Through their acts and omissions, the civilian authorities have contributed to the commission of atrocity crimes."

- How is this playing out inside Myanmar? -

Myanmar has long denied accusations it committed ethnic cleansing or genocide.


AFP/File / ROMEO GACAD Min Aung Hlaing's military campaign has enjoyed support from Myanmar's public

It has reserved particular scorn for the ICC prosecutor's request on jurisdiction.

In August the government branded it "meritless" and called for it to be dismissed.

Myanmar says it has also established its own independent commission of inquiry -- a panel critics say is toothless.

The stateless Rohingya garner little empathy inside Myanmar and Min Aung Hlaing's military campaign has enjoyed support from the public, many of whom see it as a defence of the country from militants.

THE NEWS: Rohingya demand justice after UN probe calls for genocide prosecution

Rohingya demand justice after UN probe calls for genocide prosecution
source: AFP

AFP/File / Ed JONES The UN report detailed a horrifying list of atrocities against the Rohingya

Rohingya leaders in Bangladesh on Tuesday challenged the United Nations to ensure Myanmar's generals stand trial after investigators called for top military commanders to be prosecuted for genocide against the minority.

A UN fact-finding mission into violations in Myanmar said the country's army chief and five other senior brass should be investigated over a brutal crackdown last year that drove 700,000 Rohingya Muslims into Bangladesh.

The report commissioned by the UN Human Rights Council detailed a horrifying list of atrocities against the Rohingya, including murder, enforced disappearance, torture, and sexual violence "perpetrated on a massive scale."

Estimates that 10,000 were killed in the 2017 crackdown were "conservative", investigators said.

Myanmar has vehemently denied the allegations, insisting it was responding to attacks by Rohingya rebels.

Community leaders for the roughly one million displaced Rohingya in southern Bangladesh welcomed calls for prosecution, but said they would judge the UN on its ability to deliver justice.

"The UN has to ensure that justice sees the light," Rohingya community leader Abdul Gowffer told AFP by phone.

"The commanders must face an ICC trial," he added, referring to the International Criminal Court in The Hague.

The investigators have called on the UN Security Council to refer the Myanmar situation to the ICC or for the creation of an ad hoc international criminal tribunal.

The Security Council has repeatedly urged Myanmar to halt military operations and to allow the Rohingya to safely return home.

But its initiatives have been limited by council member and top Myanmar ally China, who could also thwart efforts to refer the case to the ICC.

Dil Mohammad, another Rohingya leader, urged the UN to take further steps to ensure their safe return to Rakhine state, a process that has stalled with Bangladesh and Myanmar blaming each other for the delay.

"It already took a year to reach this UN ruling," said Mohammad, who lives in a strip of no-man's land near the Bangladesh-Myanmar border with 6,000 other refugees.

"Many things need to be done very quickly so we can return to our land in dignity and safety," he told AFP.

The investigators were never granted access to Myanmar and based their findings on interviews with 875 victims and witnesses, as well as satellite imagery and authenticated documents, photographs and videos.

THE NEWS: Iran lawmakers reject Rouhani answers on economic woes

Iran lawmakers reject Rouhani answers on economic woes
source: AFP

 AFP / ATTA KENARE Iran's parliament has expressed dissatisfaction with President Hassan Rouhani's answers to its questions over his handling of the deteriorating economy just two days after impeaching his economy minister

Iran's parliament declared its dissatisfaction with President Hassan Rouhani on Tuesday, voting to reject his answers after grilling him over the deteriorating economy.

It was the first time Rouhani had been summoned by parliament in his five years in power, and MPs demanded answers on unemployment, rising prices and the sharp depreciation of the rial, which has lost more than half of its value since April.

The lawmakers, who have already impeached his labour and economy ministers this month, were unimpressed.

In votes at the end of the session, they expressed dissatisfaction with Rouhani's responses to four of their five questions on the economy.

In the coming days, they will decide whether the government's failures on these issues amount to a breach of legal obligations and should be referred to the judiciary.

The economy has been battered by the return of US sanctions following President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw from the landmark nuclear deal between Iran and world powers.

Rouhani trod a difficult line, seeking to acknowledge the problems facing ordinary Iranians without admitting to a full-blown crisis.

"It should not be said we are facing a crisis. There is no crisis. If we say there is, it will become a problem for society and then a threat," he told parliament.

- 'Afraid of our disagreements' -

As usual, Rouhani offered no concrete policy proposals, instead saying the answer lay in showing a united front.


AFP / ATTA KENARE


"You may talk about employment, foreign currency, recession, smuggling... I think the problem is in people's view of the future," he said.

"The people are not afraid of the United States, they are afraid of our disagreements. If the people see we are united, they will realise the problems will be resolved."

But Rouhani's government -- which staked everything on its bid to attract foreign investment through a more "moderate" approach to relations with the West -- has been badly weakened by the return of sanctions.

Most foreign firms have abandoned investment projects in Iran, and the next phase of renewed US sanctions in November will hit the crucial oil sector.

"We will not allow a bunch of anti-Iranians who have gathered in the White House to conspire against us," Rouhani vowed.

- 'Palace of wishes' -


 AFP / ATTA KENARE Iranian lawmakers gesture during President Hassan Rouhani's answers to the their questions in which he sought to shift the blame for the deteriorating economy to Washington even though most Iranians blame his government

But most Iranians blame the government for failing to capitalise on the nuclear deal.

"You created a palace of wishes called the JCPOA," said Mojtaba Zolnour, an MP for the religious centre of Qom, using the technical name for the nuclear deal.

"With one kick from Trump, this palace was demolished, and you didn't have an alternative," he said.

Despite the impeachment of two of his ministers, Rouhani himself is protected by supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who said recently that removing the president would "play into the hands of the enemy".

That may explain the soft line taken by several speakers, with one conservative MP, Hossein Naghavi-Hosseini, emphasising: "We will stand by your government for the sake of protecting the system of the Islamic republic."

But when it came to the votes, lawmakers accepted only one of Rouhani's answers -- related to international banking sanctions, which they agreed were beyond his government's control.

Rouhani has even lost support among reformists who had backed him as the best option after their own leaders were either locked up or barred from standing for office.

Leading reformist Mostafa Tajzadeh, who has spent several years in jail for criticising the system, said Rouhani's parliament appearance was a missed opportunity.

"By explaining the reasons for the country's problems, Rouhani could have taken a big step towards increasing public awareness," he wrote on Twitter.

"Parliament's negative votes shows that failing to disclose the facts will only embolden our rivals and disappoint the people."

The only previous time a president has been questioned was in 2012 when parliament summoned Rouhani's controversial predecessor Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, whose erratic, populist style had alienated him from the establishment and further damaged Iran's international standing.

It was after that session that MPs decided they should vote on the president's answers, deputy speaker Ali Motahari explained to ISNA news agency this week, because Ahmadinejad's responses were so "strange" and unconvincing.

THE NEWS: Given the right to larger families, Chinese may hold off

Given the right to larger families, Chinese may hold off

source: AFP

AFP / WANG ZHAO China seems set to relax its curbs on family size but will parents respond?

China's moves to combat an ageing population by relaxing decades-old curbs on family size have hit an unexpected snag: many parents are no longer interested in having more babies.

The government has indicated it will scrap its policy which limits the number of children per family through tough fines -- and sometimes through forced abortions and sterilisations.

The world's most populous country introduced its one-child policy in 1979 and last tweaked it in early 2016, raising the limit to two children as the nation scrambled to rejuvenate a greying population of some 1.4 billion.

But the pent-up demand for more children has ebbed, experts say. Couples have increasingly delayed having even one child as they devote more time to other goals, such as building their careers.

The skyrocketing cost of raising children in booming China has also given many prospective parents pause.

"Lots of people want to have a second child, but the biggest problem is the financial burden," said a mother in the northeastern city of Dalian, who wants a second and even third child but remains hesitant to bear the financial and career costs.

The proposed policy change was included in a new civil code being discussed by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress this week. The code is set to be completed in 2020.

"Cancelling the family planning policy would mean that the right to decide how many children to have rests with couples and families," said Liu Hongyan of the China Population and Development Research Centre, a think tank under the National Health and Family Planning Commission.

This is "a manifestation of human rights in the field of reproductive health".

-Population trends-

The official Xinhua news agency said regulations on family size were omitted from the draft law due to "changes in the country's demographic situation".

China's working-age population fell by 5.5 million last year, maintaining a downward trend that began in 2012, according to the statistics bureau.

Economists fear the nation will get old before it gets rich, leaving it trapped as a middle-income country burdened with too few workers to support an ageing populace.

By 2050, the World Bank forecasts the proportion of the population aged over 60 will jump from 15 percent in 2015 to 36.5 percent, with a median age of 49.6.

To lesson the pain, Beijing wants its "high-quality" citizens to build larger families, experts say.

There is "heavy propaganda aimed at urban educated Han women" urging them to "marry early and have children early," said Leta Hong Fincher, author of "Betraying Big Brother: The Feminist Awakening in China", referring to the majority Han community.

From the government's perspective, Qiu Chunjuan and Xu Jinhua, who are raising two children in Shanghai, would be ideal candidates for a larger family. But the parents are not considering it.

"With the education environment in Shanghai, the economic enviroment, having two is just right," said the father, Xu.

"We're saturated now," he said. His wife Qiu said that with the cost of private school and additional classes, the pressure was already "quite big".

Hu Yanhua, a 38-year-old mother in Shanghai, said she had her hands full with just one six-year-old boy.

"I need to work and I have limited energy, so I probably won't consider it," she said.


AFP/File / GOH CHAI HIN High education and other costs are deterring some Chinese families from having extra children


-Second child boom?-

When Beijing lifted restrictions and allowed all couples a second child, officials were expecting a flood of new births.

They received a trickle, enough to steady the falling birth count, with 17.23 million births in 2017 -- but well below an official forecast of over 20 million for the year.

Surveys have shown many one-child families harbour little desire for more children.

The white-collar mother in Dalian, who asked not to be named, worried she would fall behind in the workplace if she took time off to have a second child.

"I don't want to give up my job and the feeling of self-worth it brings," she said.

THE NEWS: North Korea still 'serious and imminent threat': Japan

North Korea still 'serious and imminent threat': Japan
source: AFP

 AFP/File / Toru YAMANAKA North Korea looms large in Japan

North Korea still poses a "serious and imminent threat", Japan said Tuesday in its first annual defence review since tensions eased on the Korean peninsula.

Japan's 2018 defence white paper also took aim at China's rise as a military power, saying Beijing was sparking "strong security concerns in the region and international community, including Japan".

Last year's defence review was published at the height of the tensions with North Korea, amid nuclear and missile tests and with US President Donald Trump threatening to rain down "fire and fury" on Pyongyang if it kept up its threats.

But since then, a spectacular diplomatic detente has taken place, culminating in the historic summit between Trump and the North's leader Kim Jong Un in Singapore on June 12.

Nevertheless, Tokyo insisted on Tuesday: "There is no change in our basic recognition concerning the threat of North Korea's nuclear weapons and missiles."

Pyongyang continues to post "an unprecedentedly serious and imminent threat to Japan's security and (to) significantly damage the peace and security of the region and the international community", according to Tokyo.

Japanese Defence Minister Itsunori Onodera acknowledged in the document that North Korea had begun dialogue with its former foes the US and South Korea.

"But we cannot overlook the fact that, even to this day, it possesses and fully deploys several hundred missiles that put nearly all of Japan within range," the minister stressed.

In response, Japan is steadily upgrading its capacity to shield the nation from the North's arsenal, including a plan to spend some $4.2 billion over the next three decades on installing and operating US radar systems.

The defence ministry is expected later this week to request a record 5.3 trillion yen ($47.6 billion) for the budget for the fiscal year starting from April.

Despite the historic handshake in Singapore, there has been little progress in denuclearising the Korean peninsula and Washington-Pyongyang relations appear to have taken a turn for the worse, with Trump abruptly scrapping a planned visit to the North by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

The white paper also reiterated Japan's worries about China's increasing military spending and expanding naval ambitions.

It complained that Beijing was trying to "change the status quo by coercion", referring to such actions as building up disputed islands in the South China Sea and expanding naval activities around East China Sea islands disputed with Japan.

Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying dismissed the white paper as containing "irresponsible" and "baseless accusations".

"We hope that the Japanese will not come up with all sorts of excuses to expand their military strength but instead look at the bigger picture of a stable relationship with China," she said.

The white paper also drew ire from Seoul by repeating Tokyo's longstanding claim of sovereignty over islands which Japan calls Takeshima.

The islands are controlled by South Korea, which calls them Dokdo.

"The Japanese government must bear in mind that repeating such unjustifiable and groundless allegations over Dokdo will not be helpful at all in building forward-looking relations between the two countries," the South Korean foreign ministry said in a statement.

burs-hih/sah/amu

THE LATEST PhD Fellowship at University of Copenhagen in Denmark, 2019

PhD Fellowship at University of Copenhagen in Denmark, 2019

Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology at University of Copenhagen is calling applications from International applicants to apply for its PhD fellowship in Organic Chemistry / Radiopharmaceutical Chemistry. International students are eligible to apply for this fellowship programme.
Course Level: Fellowship is available to study PhD programme.
Eligible Countries: International students are eligible to apply for this fellowship programme.
Eligibility Criteria: Applicants must meet the following criteria:
Required qualifications
As an applicant you must have:

• Obtained a Master´s degree in chemistry, pharmacy or related areas prior to the starting date
• Fluency in English and excellent communication skills

Formal requirements and eligibility 
At the time of commencement, it is required that the candidates have not been awarded a PhD degree and are within the first 4 years (full-time equivalent) of their research careers. Furthermore, the candidates must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in Denmark for more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately prior to their recruitment.
Preferred qualifications
We are looking for highly motivated individuals with a strong background in/experience with organic chemistry, medicinal chemistry, radiochemistry, pharmacy or similar.
Method of Application: The application, in English, must be submitted electronically.
Your application must include:

• Cover letter: Letter stating the interest in and qualifications for the project (max. one page)
• Full CV
• Diploma and transcripts of records: Master´s degree diploma (including grade transcripts for bachelor´s and master´s degrees). Applicants with a Master´s degree from abroad should also enclose a short description of the grading scale used Possible publication list
• Other information to consider: Possible references and recommendations

Online Application

Scholarship Link

Scholarship Application Deadline: September 30, 2018

THE LATEST Faculty Position in Solid Earth Science at University of Tokyo in Japan, 2019

Faculty Position in Solid Earth Science at University of Tokyo in Japan, 2019

The Department of Earth and Planetary Science, Graduate School of Science, the University of Tokyo is inviting applications for the faculty position in the field of solid earth science (tectonics based on a material science approach).
Course Level: This is a faculty position at the level of Assistant Professor.
Eligibility Criteria: Applicants must meet the following criteria:
Required Qualifications

• Ph D or equivalent in a relevant field
• Ability to conduct research and education at the undergraduate and graduate levels in the field of tectonics with an expertise in activities such as field work, laboratory experiments etc.
• Sufficient Japanese ability for instruction at the undergraduate and graduate levels (where this is not possible at the time of appointment, this level of language proficiency is expected within five years)

Method of Application: All documents should be submitted as email attachments in pdf format. The documents can be separated into several separate emails but the total size of each individual mail should not exceed 10 MB. Applications should be sent to and the subject should be Assistant Professor in Solid Earth Science. An acknowledgement will be sent within 2 working days of receipt of the application documents.
Application materials required

• Curriculum vitae (this should include age, email address and other contact details, and summary of academic and professional career from high school including the date of university graduation).
• A summary of the main educational and research activities of the applicant (about 1000 words).
• List of publications and related scientific output, which should be divided into the following 4 types.
  • Refereed papers and review articles (where available include the number of citations for each paper and the name of the database used)
  • Non-refereed papers and review articles
  • Books
  • Other relevant material
• Copies of up to 5 significant publications
• Outline of aspirations and plans for research and education after taking office (about 1000 words)
• Names and contact information for 2 referees who can provide an independent assessment of the candidate.

Scholarship Link

Scholarship Application Deadline: October 19, 2018

THE LATEST Fully Funded Scholarship in Digital Marketing at University of Dundee in UK, 2018

Fully Funded Scholarship in Digital Marketing at University of Dundee in UK, 2018

The School of Social Sciences is delighted to offer fully funded PhD Studentship in Digital Marketing within the University of Dundee School of Business. This studentship is available for home, EU and overseas applicants.
Course Level: Studentship is available to study PhD programme.
Eligible Countries: This studentship is available for home, EU and overseas applicants.
Eligibility Criteria: Applicants must meet the following criteria:
Applicants are expected to have an excellent undergraduate degree and have successfully completed a Masters degree in a relevant area from a UK university, or have comparable qualifications from another recognised higher education institute. Previous work experience in marketing is desirable, ideally within the field of brand management. 
Method of Application: Please apply directly to
PhD-SocialSciences-at-dundee.ac.uk with the following documents:
• Proposal (3,000-5,000 words) to include discussion of research aims, key literature and proposed approach
• A summary CV
• Qualifications
• Letter of application (personal statement)
Please include #udsbstudentship and your full name in the subject line.

Scholarship Link

Scholarship Application Deadline: September 10, 2018

THE LATEST Boya PhD Fellowship at KIAA Peking University in China, 2018

Boya PhD Fellowship at KIAA Peking University in China, 2018

Applications are invited for Peking University Boya Postdoctoral Fellowship for young researchers to conduct research in diverse branches of learning such as basic and applied sciences, social sciences, humanities, management, engineering and education. Researchers of all nationalities are eligible to apply for this fellowship.
Course Level: Fellowship is available to pursue Postdoctoral degree programme.
Eligible Nationalities: Researchers of all nationalities are eligible to apply for this fellowship.
Eligibility Criteria: Applicants must meet the following criteria:
The fellowship is open to highly qualified researchers of all nationalities who received their PhD no more than three years prior to the deadlines of the corresponding calls, as are instructed below. Researchers holding a tenure or tenure-track faculty position are not eligible to apply.
Selection is based on the academic excellence of the applicant, the quality of the proposed research project, compelling demonstration of the anticipated synergy of the proposed research project and the host institution, and the commitment of postdoctoral supervisor at Peking University. The excellent research proposal should include information on how the project will benefit from the research environments of Peking University.
Method of Application: The applicants must identify one faculty member at Peking University who will serve as a postdoctoral supervisor and get his/her written endorsement (Information about postdoc supervisors at Peking University could be found at schools, departments, institutes or centers by visiting. The number of the fellowships is limited to no more than 200 for 2018 academic year and will be awarded through two rounds of application and selection in 2018. No more than 140 fellowships will be awarded for the first round and no more than 60 fellowships will be awarded for the second round.
All application documents must be prepared in Chinese or English and include the following:

1. Application Form of Peking University Boya Postdoctoral Fellowship (see attachment 1);
2. Two recommendation letters (including one from the applicant’s doctoral supervisor), the letters can be sent to the corresponding coordinators (see attachment 2) directly if the referees prefer;
3. One explicit endorsement letter by the postdoc supervisor at Peking University including detailed information on the added value for the research project and a clear statement of commitment regarding the physical and intellectual research environment that the supervisor will provide to the fellow;

Application Form

Scholarship Link

Scholarship Application Deadline: October 15, 2018

THE LATEST PhD Fellowship at Czech Technical University, 2018

PhD Fellowship at Czech Technical University, 2018

The Center of Advanced Applied Sciences of the Czech Technical University in Prague is delighted to announce Postdoctoral Fellowship in Mathematical Physics in Czech Republic. International students are eligible to apply for this fellowship.
Course Level: Fellowship is available to study Postdoctoral degree programme.
Eligible Countries: International students are eligible to apply for this fellowship.
Eligibility Criteria: Applicants must meet the following criteria:
Applicants should have a PhD in mathematics or theoretical physics (or equivalent) obtained preferably after January 1, 2014. They must show strong research promise in at least one of the following research domains:
? Schr¨odinger operators;
? Jacobi and other structured matrices, orthogonal polynomials;
? Spectral theory;
? Partial differential equations;
? Geometric analysis.
An experience in the project topic area is an advantage but not necessary
Method of Application: The applications including

1. Curriculum vitae (including list of publications);
2. Brief research statement (past, current and future interests);
3. Two letters of recommendation;

Should be sent by e-mail to Pavel Exner (exner-at-ujf.cas.cz) and Pavel St’ov´??cek ( ? stovicek-at-fjfi.cvut.cz).
All documents should be submitted as pdf files. The letters of recommendation should be sent directly by the persons providing the reference.

Scholarship Link

Scholarship Application Deadline: November 30, 2018