The head of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations says Burma appears committed to reforms but is far from meeting the international standards.

Surin Pitsuwan's spoke to reporters Friday during a stopover in Bangkok on the third day of his four-day visit to Burma. He said he thinks Burma's leaders are committed to further economic and political reforms as long as they can control the process.

“Just like any government that has been centralized and authoritarian would like to open up, if you don't want to confront instability and tension and confrontation right away you have to be rather measured about it. And, I think they are determined to do that.”

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During his visit ASEAN' secretary general met with President Thein Sein and other government leaders who he says recognize the challenges and opportunities of reforming the country.

He also met for the first time with opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi and her National League for Democracy. He says the party's participation in free and fair elections in April would be an extremely crucial test for international confidence in the reform process.

“Precisely for that reason the international community is waiting for signals from inside whether this is going to be sustained, whether this is going to lead to more opening, or whether this is just a mirage.”

Burma is considering allowing ASEAN election observers, but Surin said an organization outside the 10-nation grouping would be better. In addition to Burma, ASEAN's ten members include developing democracies but also an absolute monarchy, Brunei, and two communist one-party states-Laos and Vietnam. The other members are Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand.

Surin said Burma's hosting of ASEAN meetings in 2014 would help ensure it does not turn back on reform efforts. But he also noted serious preparations were needed in the country, known as Myanmar, including improving roads, telecommunications and Internet, sufficient hotel space, and a stable banking and financial system.

Surin said Burma's largely cash-only finance system is the biggest problem. He said such as system is not adequate to support hosting a year of high-profile economic and political meetings that are the responsibility of the ASEAN chair.

Officials on the southern Chinese resort island of Hainan are vowing to toughen regulations on businesses that serve tourists, after a restaurant was forced to close because it allegedly misled and grossly overcharged customers during January's week-long Spring Festival.

State media reported that the Fulin seafood restaurant in the resort city of Sanya was forced by authorities to close after complaints circulated on social media that staff members had charged one family around $600 for a meal. The message also said staff members bullied a patron into paying for a dish he had not ordered.

The story sparked a flood of similar complaints among Weibo social network users, who shared their own stories of being overcharged, misled, or swindled by merchants in Sanya.

This follows several years of rapid commercial growth for Hainan. In 2010 the Chinese government approved a plan to turn Hainan into an international tourism destination, sparking rapid investment in real estate.

Sanya's local officials have announced the city is launching a three-month crackdown on price-gouging in the seafood market. Local communist party chief Jiang Sixian has apologized for the scandal, saying local authorities have a “zero tolerance” policy for fraud.

State media reports Hainan officials have now set price guidelines for seafood, taxi fares, and hotel rates.

The Red Cross says it’s evacuated women and children from the besieged Syrian city of Homs – and wants all the sick and injured to be allowed to leave ‘without exceptions’.

The ICRC said Red Cross staff and Syrian Arab Red Crescent staff had been on the ground in the Baba Amro district of Homs since this afternoon, and were evacuating women and children from the area. A spokesman told Reuters the organisations were “negotiating with Syrian authorities and the opposition in an attempt to rescue and evacuate all persons in need of assistance, with no exceptions.”

Earlier, the US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, warned the Syrian government would have “more blood on its hands”, unless it allowed in international aid.
Speaking at an international conference of the Friends of Syria group in Tunisia, Mrs Clinton said the Syrian President Bashar Assad would “pay a heavy cost for ignoring the will of the international community, and violating the human rights of your people”.

Foreign ministers from more than 50 countries are joining together to demand an end to Assad’s bloody crackdown on the opposition, and calling for an immediate ceasefire. They’ve pledged to send in aid within 48 hours to besieged cities like Homs and Deraa, once Syrian forces have ended their “assault on civilian areas, and permitted access.”

Although Russia has also called for a ceasefire, they blame both sides for the bloodshed, and have repeatedly criticised the Friends of Syria meeting for being one sided, and failing to be sufficiently inclusive.

As he arrived in Tunis, the Foreign Secretary William Hague urged Russia and China not to oppose the will of the international community. And he said Britain would recognise the opposition Syrian National Council as a “legitimate representative” of the country’s people.

He said the world must “tighten the diplomatic and economic stranglehold” on the Syrian government, but stressed that Britain was not considering the possibility of sending arms to the Syrian opposition. “There may well be people who say that, and it reflects the intense frustration that we all feel,” he said.

“We have in the European Union an arms embargo on Syria, so of course we will observe that arms embargo in all directions.”

That kind of sentiment has disappointed the main opposition Syrian National Council, which said tonight that the Friends of Syria conference had fallen short of the ambitions of the Syrian people.

Channel 4 news

A Chinese company seeking to block the U.S.-based Apple technology giant from using the iPad name to sell its popular computer tablets in China has opened a new legal front on Apple’s home turf.

Proview Electronics said Friday that it filed suit recently against Apple in a California court near the U.S. company’s headquarters. The Chinese company alleged that Apple has engaged in “unfair business and fraud” in claiming that it has the rights to use the iPad name to sell the hand-held tablets in mainland China, where it also manufactures the product.

The lawsuit in the U.S. is the latest legal skirmish between the debt-laden Chinese company and the world’s most valuable company. On Thursday, Apple won the right to continue iPad sales in Shanghai. A court there ruled against Proview’s effort to block sales pending a decision in a similar lawsuit in a higher Chinese court.

Shanghai resident He Ji said various Chinese courts are likely to look at the case in differing ways, leaving the eventual outcome uncertain.

“I think this is a problem with the differences in local courts. After all, there is no final ruling regarding the case in Guangzhou. So for now, we do not know who will finally have the rights to the iPad trademark. So for the question of whether there should be or should not be a ban on iPad sales, different courts would have different opinions.”

The dispute centers on the interpretation of various business transactions the two firms made over the last 12 years.

Proview’s Taiwan affiliate trademarked the iPad name in several countries, including China, as early as 2000, a decade before Apple started selling the product.

Subsequently, in 2009, Apple paid $55,000 to the Proview subsidiary for the rights to the name in 10 countries, including, it says, in China. But Proview says Apple concealed its role in the deal under another corporate name and that the mainland Chinese rights were not included.

The iPad tablets enjoy widespread popularity among technology-conscious Chinese. But earlier this month, authorities in several cities seized the hand-held computers from Chinese retailers while the trademark dispute remained unresolved.

Chinese media have reported that Proview is deeply in debt and needs to win the trademark fight with Apple in order to pay its creditors.

Burmese democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi on Friday told thousands of flag-waving supporters in impoverished upper Burma that growth and prosperity will not be achieved without dialogue and unity among the country's ethnic groupings.

The Nobel laureate and public office hopeful addressed a rally in Kachin state, just weeks ahead of April 1 by-elections.

“The reason peace has not been achieved in Kachin state is due to lack of mutual confidence and mutual respect (between the Kachin people and the national government). And that is caused by the lack of openness and honesty.”

The rally was the second in as many days for Aung San Suu Kyi in the conflict-torn region, as she leads her National League for Democracy party's campaign to enter parliament.

“We are trying for the emergence of a system under which all nationalities will be entitled to an equal share of the common wealth owned by our country,” she said.

Hostilities between rebels in Kachin state and the Burmese army erupted anew last year, sending tens of thousands of locals fleeing into dozens of squalid makeshift refugee camps.

Aung San Suu Kyi spent much of the past two decades under house arrest, a prisoner of the country's former military junta. She gained her release in late 2010 as the military government prepared to cede power.

Her campaign for parliament comes as the new government presses forward with reforms, including promises to resettle all Kachin refugees.

The English-language Myanmar Times said this week that the national government is hoping to resettle the refugees before May, as authorities seek to persuade Western governments to lift harsh economic sanctions imposed on the former junta in the past decade. The United States and the European Union say further moves to ease those sanctions hinge on the conduct and transparency of the upcoming polls.

Meanwhile, local news reports show that stability remains elusive in the far-northern Kachin region, bordered by India and China. The Kachin News group reported Tuesday that government narcotics troops last week burned more that 1,500 kilograms of rice harvested by local growers. The report did not identify a motive for the burnings, but said such action is “a common tactic” used by the army to carry out collective punishment in conflict zones.

Pakistan can be the No.1 team, the most dangerous team,hard to beat in subcontinent,whitewash is certain. These all are the statements which we were listening after the conclusion of test matches between Pakistan and England but all blew up like balloon in the Air as Pakistan humiliated in shorter format of the game and England have “Green-washed Pakistan” in four ODI encounters.

Obviously such results wasn’t expected but there is no need to press a panic button because as we all know that this is the first series defeat in two years and first defeat for misbah under his belt since he has overtaken after Afridi was sacked as a captain.

In most cases Pakistani media and crowd often react so abusive whenever Pakistan looses, X-players come-out of quick and fast changes, media started questions on captaincy and bla bla bla!!!!!!! Well in this current ODI series,We have to accept one thing that Pakistan looked completely out of Color,Out of touch,inclusion of out of form players(rather called undeserving players),Inconsistent final XI.We can easily determine that how unsure Pakistan has been throughout the series that they had three different XI’s in three ODI’s completely perpendicular to England who Insisted and consistent on Same XI’s in Trio ODI’s.

Now, Question of the week, What These “Gooras” did after their horrible test series, One thing we all know that they didn’t do anything unorthodox then what magic they got? The answer of this question is very simple! They just recruit new young blood,shuffling of Batting order with Kevin pieterson appeared as an opener blasted Pakistan in third and fourth ODI with two consecutive match-winning centuries as he jumped in the air by showing his bat with a remarkable century in third ODI after three and a half years, give Pakistan a clear message that batting is possible in every Conditions(Lame-Excuses on batting under artificial Lights).

The star of this series Alaister Cook looked flawless in his batting techniques with two centuries and one half century under his belt, Just missed the milestone of becoming the first ever English batsman to score three consecutive centuries in ODI’s and fourth overall after Pakistan greats Zaheer Abbas,Saeed anwar and South African Hershall Gibbs.

Now ODI’s are over for Pakistan and T20 is starting from today so what should Pakistan do in T20’s? Should go for regular wicket keeper Adnan Akmal but will have to pay in a form of one short batsman.They can play Umar Akmal as a wicket-keeper in this shorter format so we can include one extra Batsman/Allrounder. Hammad Azzam would be a very good option because now we should look for ICC WT20 in Srilanka which is not very far away and it would be an ideal time for Pakistan to utilize these youngsters and provide them this platform to showcase their talent against the No.1 T20 team in the World. Same can be said for Shahid Afridi,to come at 3 or 4 because the three score quick runs, something the team needs but I still believe that Shahid afridi must stick to No.6.

Big “?” on Imran farhat and shoaib malik, Now both should be dropped, both already had millions of chances and it’s time for selectors to go for a deserving young talent rather than go for out-of-form players or white elephants.

The last thing that I’d like to mention here that we must and should start thinking of future by considering the fact that misbah is now 37 and he will have only 1 to 2 years cricket left himself so now PCB must start thinking of 2015 world cup as all other nations have finalized their strategies. Vice-captain should be appointed so he will be groomed under the captaincy of Misbah and by far Mohammad Hafeez is looking a strongest contender to be the next captain of Pakistan. Mohammad hafeez had an outstanding 2011 and sources are confirming that he has a “ powerful say” in Pakistani team strategies and management.Some changes, good captaincy and strong decision can lead this team to highest ebb.

Pakistani team now should play with their full commitment otherwise the heart of its fans will forget their recent success and start criticizing them like they used-to in past.

By Rehan shahzada

American apologies are falling on deaf ears in Afghanistan and neighboring Pakistan, where anger over the burning of Qurans is boiling over.

Thousands of Afghans poured onto the streets following prayers Friday, many chanting “Death to America.”

Afghan officials say at least nine people were killed, seven of them in the western province of Herat, when demonstrations there turned violent. Hundreds protested near the American consulate in Herat, but U.S. officials deny reports that anyone was shot while trying to storm the compound.

There are also reports of injuries from protests in the capital of Kabul. And protesters also took to the streets in the eastern provinces of Nangarhar and Ghazni. At least one person was reported dead in Baghlan province.

Friday's fatalities bring the death toll from four days of unrest in Afghanistan to at least 22. Two American soldiers were among those killed on Thursday.

Protesters chanting anti-American slogans demonstrated Friday in Pakistan's capital, Islamabad, and in the northwestern city of Peshawar.

The demonstrations in Afghanistan have continued despite calls for restraint from NATO and Afghan officials.

On Friday, the commander of U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan, General John Allen, said the joint coalition and Afghan investigation into the “mishandling of religious materials” at Bagram Air Base continues, with witnesses to Sunday's incident being interviewed.

General Allen issued a statement saying “working together with the Afghan leadership is the only way for us to correct this major error and ensure that it never happens again.”

U.S. President Barack Obama has sent a written apology to Afghan President Hamid Karzai about the desecration of Qurans at Bagram.

The U.S. Embassy in Kabul has urged Americans to avoid any unnecessary movement within the South Asian nation.

On Thursday, the Taliban issued a statement calling on Afghans to launch attacks on foreign targets in retaliation for the burning of the Muslim holy book.

Germany on Friday withdrew its troops from a base in northern Afghanistan because of the continuing demonstrations.

Around 50 German soldiers were set to leave the outpost in the Taloqan area of Takhar province by the end of March after security control was transferred to local forces.

But a German military spokesman said the troops left the base Friday and were transferred to Kunduz province after demonstrations in Taloqan.

On Wednesday, President Karzai appealed for calm, saying citizens have the right to protest, but should not resort to violence.

The Afghan delegations assigned to probe the incident have also appealed to the Afghan people to avoid resorting to protests.

The governor of the Syrian city of Homs and the Red Cross are working to evacuate wounded foreign journalists stranded there by Syrian government attacks on opposition rebels, French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe said on Friday.

“I have asked the Syrian authorities for our ambassador to go there. This authorization was not accepted, but the governor of Homs is working with the Red Cross to make this (evacuation) happen as quickly as possible,” Juppe told a meeting of the “Friends of Syria” group in Tunis.

Reuters

Saudi Arabia’s delegation walked out of a “Friends of Syria” meeting in Tunis on Friday over what it saw as the gathering’s “inactivity”, Saudi-owned Al Arabiya television said, but a Saudi official said it had only left to attend bilateral talks.

The television station said Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal left the meeting after saying in a speech that focusing on humanitarian aid to Syria was “not enough”.

Asked about the report, an aide to the Saudi foreign minister told Reuters: “We left to attend bilateral meetings” on the sidelines of the “Friends of Syria” conference.

Reuters