Thursday, January 08, 2009
China's Jobless Migrant Workers Go Home Early
Some hefted their luggage on bamboo shoulder poles. Others carried their things in plastic buckets. All were migrant workers hurrying to get home Thursday before China's Lunar New Year festival — a holiday that triggers one of the world's biggest annual migrations of humans.
Click here to continue reading.
Although the celebration is more than two weeks away, the travelers had to get an early start in a country where 188 million people — more than the population of Russia — were expected to squeeze onto trains during the hectic season.
Many workers were forced to go home even earlier this year because their factories went belly up or their assembly lines were idle amid the global economic crisis.
"Last year, I went back home five or six days before the holiday started. This year, I'm going back about 20 days earlier," said migrant Huang Mingren as he waited for his train.
For Huang and many others, the trip begins at the crowded station in Guangzhou, the capital of Guangdong province, often called the world's factory floor because it's China's key manufacturing base. This is where a huge number of China's 160 million migrant workers churn out Nike shoes, iPods and Nokia mobile phones.
"Lots of factories have been closing. The toy factory I was working at is about to go under, so the boss just told us to leave early," added Huang, a wiry 32-year-old native of central Hunan province.Rockets Fired From Lebanon Hit Northern Israel
Foreign Confidential....
Rockets hit northern Israel Thursday as fighting and rocket fire continued in the south and Gaza.
In southern Lebanon, U.N. peacekeeping forces Deputy Spokesman Andrea Tenenti, confirmed the firing.
"We can confirm that at least three rockets early this morning were fired into Israel from about seven-kilometers east of Naqoura in south Lebanon," he said.
The rockets hit in and around the Israeli border town, Nahariya.
A home for the elderly in Nahariya was hit and two people were reported to have been slightly injured.
Israel responded with artillery fire. Lebanese security officials say they are investigating the incident.
Lebanonese Prime Minister Fuad Siniora condemned the attack as an attempt to undermine stability and also condemned the Israeli response.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility and initial indications were that a splinter Palestinian group in Lebanon may have been responsible and not necessarily Iran's Shiite proxy, Hezbollah, with whom Israel fought a bloody war in 2006.
No SIgn Yet of a Second Front
There is no indication that the rocket fire from Lebanon signals the opening up of a second front of fighting for Israel. But that possibility is something that has Israeli officials concerned.
When he announced the beginning of the ground offensive in Gaza, Defense Minister Ehud Barak said Israel would keep close watch on its northern border.
"We hope the situation will remain calm. Nevertheless, we are ready and alert to face any unwarranted development in that area," Barak said.
Fighting continued in Gaza, including more than 60 Israeli air strikes reported overnight. Palestinian militants also continue to fire rockets into southern Israel.
Israel announced another suspension of fighting for three hours to allow distribution of food, fuel and other humanitarian goods in Gaza and to allow Gaza residents to get supplies and medical help. It is the second day in a row of such a lull in fighting, but aid officials say a three-hour suspension is not enough.
Israel is sending a senior envoy to Egypt to talk about a possible ceasefire. Representatives from Hamas and the Palestinian Authority were also expected to meet separately, in Egypt, to discuss an end to the fighting in Gaza.
Thursday, 8 January 2009
WIlliam Foreman reports from Guangzhou:
Posts
