Trump victory provokes global shock

Vice president-elect Mike Pence and Republican president-elect Donald Trump shake hands during his election night event at the New York Hilton Midtown in the early morning hours of November 9, 2016 in New York City. Donald Trump defeated Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton to become the 45th president of the United States. Spencer Platt/Getty Images/AFP

Donald Trump’s improbable victory in the US presidential election provoked global shock and angst on Wednesday over the implications for everything from trade to human rights and climate change.
The bombastic billionaire defeated Hillary Clinton in a result that few predicted, as millions of American voters shrugged off concerns over his temperament, lack of experience, and accusations of sexist and racist behaviour.
Trump’s rise has been keenly watched abroad as he campaigned on a platform of trashing trade agreements, questioning alliances, restricting immigration and dismissing climate change.

In often hushed scenes, many attendees at election-watching events around Asia expressed deep misgivings about Trump taking the reins of the world’s most powerful nation and economy. Dianita Sugiyo, 34, a university lecturer in Indonesia — the world’s most populous Muslim country — said she was concerned by Trump’s calls to temporarily ban Muslims from countries with histories of terrorism.
“He has always been anti-Muslim and I am afraid he will discriminate against Muslims,” said Sugiyo, a member of a leading Indonesian moderate Muslim organisation.
“The United States is a multicultural country and there are a lot of Muslims there, so this is very terrifying,” she added, speaking at a US embassy event in Jakarta.
The election of an opponent of free trade caused financial markets across Asia to plunge, with Tokyo’s main index tumbling more than 5 percent, while stock futures on US and European markets also fell when they opened.
“The world is globalising and if the US, which is one of the economic powerhouses, is going to put up walls, I don’t see that as good for the world economy,” said Clarita Carlos, a political science professor at the University of the Philippines.
“They can practically slow down economic growth for everybody. He is a businessman. He should know better.”
– ‘Dangerous’ for the planet –
Trump has vowed to ditch the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement, perhaps President Barack Obama’s main diplomatic legacy in the region.
Tang Siew Mun, head of the ASEAN Studies Centre at the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore, said such moves would severely damage the US in a region where China is posing a growing leadership challenge.
“For us in the region, we ask these questions: does America still stand for free trade as far as TPP is concerned? Will America stand for and engage internationally as a global leader?” he said, speaking on Channel NewsAsia.
Environmentalists also recoiled, as Trump has threatened previously to “cancel” the historic UN pact struck last year to address climate change.
“What have we become?” asked Greenpeace Southeast Asia’s Executive Director Yeb Sano.
“On climate change, clearly this is a massive blow to our prospects of progress and hope that the Paris Agreement had given us.”
At election events around the region, American Democratic supporters gradually deflated as Trump’s victory materialised, while Republicans were buoyed.
Bradley Jordan, a retired 59-year-old Californian in Bangkok, said a Trump win would “throw the whole world upside down.”
“It’s dangerous for the planet. If Trump wins, we will do nothing about climate change and the planet will be screwed. I just can’t believe this is happening right now,” he said, adding he was contemplating renouncing his US citizenship.
Even some Republicans expressed surprise at Trump’s win.
“To be honest we didn’t really think he would win,” Kym Kettler-Paddock, a US Republican, said at an election event in Hong Kong.
She said the panic over Trump would subside as he makes it known what sort of leader he would be.

“I think after that transition period (the uncertainty) would settle down,” she said.
Others, however, pointed to Trump’s friendly comments toward the likes of Russian President Vladimir Putin as indicating America may no longer carry the torch for human rights.
“The fact that authoritarian leaders around the region find hope in the possible election of Donald Trump as president is a telling indicator of what they think his policies on human rights will be,” said Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director for Human Rights Watch.

Source: The Guardian, Nigeria

27 years old man jailed 21 years for defiling 6-yr-old girl

A foodstuff seller, Chidi Ibiam, 27, was yesterday sentenced to 21 years imprisonment by an Ikeja High Court for defiling a six-year-old girl. They worship in the same church. The presiding judge, Justice Sedoten Ogunsanya, found the convict who lives at Baruwa, Ipaja area of Lagos, guilty of one-count charge of defilement. The judge held: “I have noted all the relevant facts of this case before me. The defendant is, hereby, found guilty of the crime of defilement and is sentenced to 21 years in prison.” During the trial, the prosecution, led by state counsel, Mr Adebayo Haroun, had told the court that Ibiam committed the offence on December 15, 2012, and was caught after the victim reported the assault to her mother. According to the prosecution, the convict is well known to the victim’s family as he was a neighbour and fellow church member. Testifying before the judge, the six-year-old girl (names withheld), had told the court that the defendant had unlawful carnal kno

How is the price of Bitcoin calculated?

How is Bitcoin calculated? I know a lot of people have this question on their mind. Well, here's a good explanation as provided by Luno.com Many people wonder how the price of Bitcoin is calculated, but it’s important to remember that it works no different than it would with other currencies or objects. Let’s first look at how the prices of most things are derived - we can use oranges as an example. What is the price of an orange? Well, it depends. As a starting point, one would derive the price of an orange based on two things: how much someone is trying to sell it for, and how much another person is trying to buy it for. If John wants to sell it for USD2.50 and Sarah is only prepared to pay USD2.00, there is no deal. But if they agree on a price that works for both, let’s say USD2.25, then the transaction will happen. If it’s winter there might be more people wanting to buy oranges, so the price will go up. Or if there is a drought the supply of oranges will become less,

Bethesda's E3 2015 kick off: Fallout 4 release date, Doom, Dishonored 2, and more

At first there was nothing. Empty space. The soft quiet of the void. Darkness. An idea, floating in a barren wasteland. And then, a lone voice—loud and getting steadily louder. " Faaaaaaallllllllllooooouuuutttttt ." Thusly did E3 2015 come into being. And let me extend a warm welcome. Sunday night, Bethesda held its first ever E3 press conference at the historic Dolby Theater in Los Angeles (the same venue as The Oscars). Thanks to rumors, leaks, and Bethesda's own marketing, we already knew almost every announcement ahead of time, but…damn. That Fallout 4 trailer. In case you were busy sleeping, eating, or otherwise going about life as a normal, well-adjusted human, here's what you missed. Bethesda wasted no time, kicking off with Doom (4) . And oh hey— Doom exists. Like, we actually saw a hefty amount of in-game footage, and then a big ol' Doom logo splashed onscreen and somewhere in the ether John Romero's hair probably tingled a bit.

Tell a Tale

Search This Blog