Contents • the Last Month in Brief, Shipping Companies
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GURKHA INTERNATIONAL GROUP Oct 2016 Issue 230 Newsletter Contents • The Last Month in Brief, Shipping Companies ...........................................1 • GI (HK) Business, World Security: Economics, Nuclear, Europe ...........2 • The Arab World, Afghanistan & Pakistan, Palestine, Asia ...................3 • Thailand and Malaysia, The Malacca Straits, Somalia, Africa, The Americas, Myanmar, India ...............4 • Nepal News .....................................5 - 7 • Hong Kong News ........................8 - 9 • Conclusion .........................................10 We publish this month a photograph of the Britannia of P&O Cruises. If you have pictures or postcards of your ship, please send them in to us for future Newsletters. I visited the offices of Fred. Olsen this month, and also had the great plea- We Welcome sure of being taken on board the Saga Pearl with the Crew Managers, V Ships. I was given a tour of the ship and hosted by our crew, to whom I send Norwegian Cruise Lines my warm thanks. Renthanglo Lotha Pun Both shipping companies spoke very highly of our crew and our office staff and their work. Thank you all and very well done! Survey Detail So that we may ensure that you and other crew receive SCTW and other training that meets your needs and the needs of our Clients, we need to assess the quality of the training that you undergo at the Sea Schools you attend. Please take a few SHIPPING COMPANIES minutes to complete this Survey as it will help those who follow you to sea. AND SHIPS LINKED TO US You may simply click this website: https://surveyplanet.com/57c8e32d50530ddd0c7f73e8 We are working with 21 shipping companies, and have 736 men and 168 women on ships, a total of 904 or visit our website (http://www.gurkha.com.hk/). crew and staff under management. Gurkha International Group Newsletter 1 World Security World Security Economics There are no news at the moment. GI (HK) Business Nuclear North Korea tested another ballistic missile this month, this one apparently unsuccessfully. Russia is reported to have moved nu- We are providing security ser- clear missiles to its enclave in Kaliningrad on the Baltic Sea. There vices for 28 Hong Kong Clients has been no change in the situation regarding Iran. and have 104 security staff em- ployed. Europe A stabbing attack took place in Frankfurt Station in Germany on Our employment agency place- 29 October injuring four people and another on a young couple ment service found 0 Bodyguard/ in Hamburg, killing a teenage boy and injuring his girlfriend. Both Driver post position over the last attacks appear to have been carried out by Islamic fundamental- month. ists and have been claimed by ISIS. The Middle East and the Arab World All attempts to broker a ceasefire in Syria have failed and Russia has resumed large scale bombing of civilian areas held by anti-As- sad forces. It has also sent a fleet from its northern waters to take part in the bombardment from the sea off Lebanon and Syria. A humanitarian catastrophe is developing in Syria. In the ongoing civil war in Yemen, on 8 October Saudi Arabian aircraft bombed a funeral, killing 140 and wounding over 500. Editor of Newsletter Derek Lin An updated photo released by KCNA of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. 2 Gurkha International Group Newsletter World Security Afghanistan and Pakistan There have been no major events to report. Somalia Fighting continued in Somalia between the gov- ernment and its international allies and al Shabab Islamic fundamentalists. There are currently no re- ports of piracy off Somalia. Palestine There is little news currently in Gaza or the West Bank. Islamist militant group al-Shabab has been fighting to overthrow the Thailand and Malaysia UN-backed government The King of Thailand died after a long illness. The insurgencies in southern Thailand and the southern islands of the Philippines continue. Asia Tensions remain high in areas of the South China Sea and Sea of Japan claimed by China and many other sur- rounding nations. In statements made by its president, Rodrigo Duterte, the Philippines seemed to edge away from its US alliance and move towards China. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, accompanied by Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade (right) and Defence Secretary Delfin N Lorenzana (left), at a display by Japan’s coast guard drills in Yokohama. Duterte says open to joint patrols with Japan in South China Sea Gurkha International Group Newsletter 3 World Security Africa Boko Haram Islamic fundamentalists continue to battle and evade government forces in Nigeria and other neighbouring countries. The waters off Nigeria, especially the Niger Delta, remain dangerous for local pirate attacks. Zimbabwe lurched once again towards bankruptcy. Myanmar There is no news of a security nature this month. Nigerian Army Chief Faces Death Threats from Boko Haram, But Says He Already Beat Them. The Malacca Straits There is no news this month of piracy in the area. India Kashmir remains disturbed. The Americas Venezuela continued its slide into chaos and poverty. Despite not being signed or accepted in a national referendum, in Columbia the peace accord between the government and left wing FARC rebels appears to have held. The USA elections are drawing near, and have seen a campaign marked for its viciousness and the polarization of the electorate. A Republican Trump victory would have serious implications for interna- tional relations as he has praised Vladimir Putin, President of Russia and indicated that he might not honour international agreements such as NATO. A Democrat Clinton victory might possibly lead to a further period of weak American government if the Republicans control both Houses of Congress. Given the fragile nature of the world’s security systems at present both options are potentially dangerous. Who will be the next President of the United States? 4 Gurkha International Group Newsletter Nepal News The lake had its water levels lowered by over 3m. Nepal News Nepal drains dangerous Everest lake After the outlet was constructed, nearly be evacuated as they suffered from high 31 Oct- Nepal’s army says it has finished four million cubic metres of water was altitude sickness but gradually we all draining a dangerous glacial lake near released - in a process that took two acclimatised ourselves to this place.” Mount Everest to a safe level. months. The draining of the lake is a part of a UN The Imja glacial lake, at nearly 5,000m Top Khatri, the project’s manager with project to help Nepal deal with the impact (16,400ft) high, was in danger of flooding the department of hydrology and of climate change. The UN provided downstream settlements, trekking trails meteorology, told the BBC the process nearly $3m in funding to lower the lake’s and bridges. would now be applied to other lakes. water levels. The lake, which was originally 149m deep “It was a pilot project that we completed Early warning systems have also been in places, has had its water levels lowered without any unfortunate incident and installed for communities downstream. by 3.4m after months of painstaking work, now this model will be replicated to officials say. reduce risks in other glacial lakes as well,” However, many local Sherpas feel too Mr Khatri said. much attention has been given to Imja, Imja is one of thousands of glacial lakes in with alarmist media reports panicking the Himalayas. The project was also challenging because locals, while the risks posted by other of the heavy snow and the dangers of glacial lakes are ignored by officials. Many of the lakes are said to be filling up working at high altitude. fast because of accelerated melting of “We live in fear that we might be glaciers amid rising global temperatures. Officials said teams could only work safely surprisingly hit by floods from glacial Last year’s earthquake in Nepal is also for a few hours each day. lakes that are becoming dangerous but feared to have further destabilised Lake have not received any attention,” said Imja. “We suffered from some level of stress Nimji Sherpa, a leader in Thamo village. and fatigue as we were working at this The military said the project to make it high altitude and extreme location,” Lt- Glacial lakes have broken their banks in safe was the highest drainage project of Col Bharat Shrestha, who headed the Nepal more than 20 times since the early its kind, with army personnel and Sherpas army team, told the BBC from the Everest 1960s. Three of those incidents have been working for six months to construct an region. in and around the Everest region. outlet to gradually release the water. “In the beginning, a few people had to 5 Gurkha International Group Newsletter Nepal News ‘Saving One Another’ reaches Nepal Despite the dark times seen by many of moment. children these kids for the majority of their life, a 11 Oct- In the past five years, the country of light has been shed on their path as they “There was kind of an epiphany moment Nepal and it’s people have plied through look to overcome the obstacles set before on the last day we were there,” Salaber three earthquakes, the constant threat of them courtesy of Saving One Another. explained. “We had 13 kids on a computer human trafficking, and have dealt with the working on their typing with all the kids repercussions of a reshaped government. “There’s a lot of horror stories coming out racing to finish one of the typing contests. of Nepal with child trafficking and all that It was one of those moments in your life But while the problems have continued to horrible stuff,” Salaber said. “We’re trying where you realize that you really are mount for those in and around the capital to set a standard of what our expectations making a difference.