Around The World [10.14.14]

Britain

• MPs back Palestinian statehood alongside Israel (BBC)

"MPs have voted in favour of recognising Palestine as a state alongside Israel.

The House of Commons backed the move "as a contribution to securing a negotiated two-state solution".

The result, 274 to 12, is symbolic but could have international implications.

"Two-state solution"

The full motion stated: "That this House believes that the government should recognise the state of Palestine alongside the state of Israel as a contribution to securing a negotiated two-state solution."

Conservative Nicholas Soames said: "I'm convinced that to recognise Palestine is both morally right and is in our national interest."

More on Britain and related issues

• http://tahsinversion2.blogspot.com/2014/09/around-world-091814.html

"GREAT BRITAIN!"

• http://tahsinversion2.blogspot.com/2014/09/around-world-091714.html
• http://tahsinversion2.blogspot.com/2014/10/around-world-100414.html
• http://tahsinversion2.blogspot.com/2014/09/around-world-09232014.html

A two state solution (Israel and Palestine) is what the future holds. We wish to get there as soon as possible.


Asia

• Asian business is reforming. Its emerging multinationals will change the way we all live (Economist) 

 

"It is the world’s factory, a diverse region of rivals bound together by supply chains. But it lacks brains and global savvy.

Three deeper trends are also at work. 

First, labour costs are rising, not least in China, and East Asia’s workforce is ageing. 

Second, Asia’s middle class is becoming more demanding. They are no longer satisfied with fake Louis Vuitton handbags; they want clean air, safe food and more leisure, and are madly in love with the internet. 

Third, competition has intensified from Western multinationals, which have invested $2 trillion in Asia. They also now use the same cheapish labour, and they generally have much more sophisticated supply chains, brands and R&D."

• Special Report : Business in Asia (Economist) 

"Over the past two decades Asia’s companies have enjoyed huge success. But now they need to reform to become brainier, nimbler and more global.
Politicians and economists may think that they are the drivers and navigators of their countries’ economic destiny, but businesses are every bit as important. 

In 1960-80, Sony, Toyota and other Japanese firms instituted a culture of excellence that made their country rich. Since the 1970s South Korean business conglomerates, or chaebol, most notably Hyundai and Samsung, have made giant and successful bets on shipbuilding and more recently on cars and smartphones. From the 1990s onwards the earnings of India’s technology firms, which miraculously bloomed despite a rotten state, have repeatedly saved India from balance-of-payments crises."
 

China

• China’s leader, Xi Jinping Taps Into Chinese Classics (New York Times)