1 Iraqi military hangs on against insurgents (Matt
Bradley & Ali A Nabhan in The Wall Street Journal) Iraqi troops beat back
Islamist insurgents in several areas north of Baghdad on Saturday, as the US
moved an aircraft carrier into the Persian Gulf. A battlefield stalemate
between Iraqi security forces and their militia opponents persisted into a
third straight third day Saturday.
Besides some minor advances by Iraq's military, it
was largely quiet as Iraq's government worked to rebuild the strength of armed
forces left battered and humiliated by a startling series of victories last
week by a Sunni militia known as the Islamist State of Iraq and al-Sham, or
ISIS.
Fighting outside Tikrit, about 87 miles north of
Baghdad, came as young men queued to join Shiite militias to fight the
insurgents. Many of the men were answering calls by a prominent Shiite cleric
and Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki this week for ordinary citizens to help
repel the Sunni militants.
The government's shift toward recruiting civilians
to fight ISIS revealed a lack of confidence in the US-funded-and-trained Iraqi
military. But by relying on civilian fighters, Mr. Maliki also risks
exacerbating bitter sectarian tensions that could lead the country back toward
the kind of religious civil war that nearly broke Iraq apart in 2005 and 2006.
Iraq's military is now using Samarra, about 78 miles
north of Baghdad, as a rallying point for a planned assault on Tikrit. Mosul
remained largely quiet on Saturday as ISIS fighters maintained their grip on
the city. In Tikrit, former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein's hometown, northern
parts of the city remained under ISIS control. ISIS fighters were using
Saddam's well-reinforced presidential palaces as bases of operations as they
fought with security forces in the southern parts of the city.
2 Chinese as the world’s biggest spenders (Linda
Yueh on BBC) Impressively, China accounts for nearly 1 in 10 tourists globally.
This number is set to rise and it shouldn't be surprising since China accounts
for one-fifth of the world's population. Projections are that the 100 million
trips taken each year now will double by 2020. This is with only an estimated
5% of the population holding passports. Though that's already more than the
population of Britain.
Still, with 1.3 billion people, there's a lot more
potential tourists. Chinese tourists are already the biggest spenders globally.
They outspend the Americans and Germans as well as even the Russians on a per
trip basis. In 2013, Chinese tourists spent over $100 billion and they travel
to shop.
The growth of Chinese tourism offers an opportunity
for other countries seeking to attract big spending visitors. But, for
under-developed Chinese tourist sites that are affected by pollution and
lagging services, surely there's a missed opportunity for the Chinese
themselves.
3 India PM Modi’s realistic agenda (Rahul Singh in
Khaleej Times) Two countries that new India prime minister Narendra Modi seems
to admire the most are China and Japan. China for having lifted so many of its
people out of poverty — something which he hopes to do for India as well. The
recent visit of China’s foreign minister to New Delhi (the first important
dignitary to come to India under the new administration, apart from those who
came for the swearing-in ceremony), was an indication of this admiration.
What about Modi’s domestic policy? Again, taking the
cue from China, the stress will be on improving primary education and basic
health care, two areas in which China is way ahead of India. The Chinese
literacy rate is over 80 per cent, while India’s is still under 70 per cent.
The average Chinese can expect to live into his or her late 70s, while an Indian
only into his or her mid-60s.
Another initiative, which Modi has taken and that is
close to his heart is to bring back the huge amount of “black” money that
unscrupulous Indians have illegally stashed away abroad, running to many
billions of dollars. A Special Investigation Team (SIT), headed by a former
Supreme Court judge, has just been set up, with instructions to place the
matter on a “fast track”. I will hazard my own cynical prediction: Nothing will
come of it.
But another initiative has already produced good
results on the ground – making bureaucrats come on time to work. Sauntering in
one or even two hours late and then settling down to a long cup of tea and idle
chatter, used to be the norm. Modi has cracked the whip. He arrives at the
office well before 9am and the “babus”, as civil servants are called, are now
making sure they are also at their desks before then. Too good to last? Your
guess is as good as mine.
4 Dos and don’ts of cubicle décor (Belo Cipriani in
San Francisco Chronicle) You want to make your cubicle as cozy as possible. And
why not? You spend a big chunk of time there every week. But while the singing
fish you bought at the drugstore or the collection of superhero figurines next
to your computer brings you joy, they may be slightly annoying to your
co-workers.
The unclutter: Everyone has a unique style of
arranging their work on the desk. Although you may not be fully aware, you are
subconsciously trying to keep track of every piece of scattered paper on your
desk. Many companies, the most well known being IBM, have a “no clutter after
work hours” policy. This means that you must completely clean up your station
every day before going home. When it comes to decorating, keep picture frames,
stuffed animals, and snow globes to a minimum. Also, it helps to have a designated
area on your desk for food and beverages.
A well-lit path: Fluorescent lights are cheap and
durable, but not super supportive for your eyes. Color karma: Color is very
important, especially at work. The best colors for work spaces are: brown for grounding,
yellow for concentration, green for balance, and orange for inspiration.
Accent your cubicle: Accent pieces should be
visually appealing and functional. While some people find adding a plant to
their work area calming. Other possible accent items are pillows for your back,
a quiet fan or heater, or posters of green, lush places. Remember, too much of
anything is never a good idea. And check with your supervisors before adding
anything to that may distract others. Office décor is all about creating the
right atmosphere for you without offending others.
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