Workforce Abuse Jeopardizes US Trade Status: Union

Uncle Sam WARNS you!

If the government continues to ignore labor violations and fails to address working conditions, it risks its special trade access to lucrative US markets, a leading labor leader said in Washington last week.

Marking the 10-year anniversary of a preferential Cambodia-US trade agreement in Washington, Art Thorn, president of the Cambodian Labor Confederation, said unfair practices and poor working conditions will continue without the intervention of the international community.

“They exploit the workforce, and the employers fire factory union leaders or violate workers’ rights when the law isn’t well enforced,” he said at the World Bank’s International Finance Corporation.

“I think what has happened will continue to happen if the government and donor countries such as America do not help,” he said. “Our union is trying to work hard to solve the issues, but in reality our power is very limited. And if the leader of the country doesn’t help, then it will be impossible for us to do it alone.”

Cambodia’s economy is heavily dependent on the garment sector, a major earner of foreign currency, but observers warn that abusive practices and a lack of worker rights could drive buyers away.

The Freed Trade Union of Workers of the Kingdom of Cambodia, the country’s largest union, has warned that factory employers regularly violate labor codes, denying time off and maternity leave, paying salaries irregularly or even declaring bankruptcy and failing to pay workers when they strike. Union leaders say they are routinely discriminated against in their efforts to organize workers.

However, Cambodian trade officials say they have a strong labor law they try to enforce, and they have worked in recent years to brand Cambodian garments under fair practices.

In an interview with VOA Khmer on a trip to Washington last week, Commerce Minister Cham Prasidh said the law is well written and to international standards. His ministry sends monitors to factories often, he said.

“Honestly, we respect our labor rights more than any other countries,” he said. “We have a good law, but sometimes we also have some slow practices and a lack of enforcement.”

Trina Tocco, a member of the International Labor Rights Forum, based in Washington, told VOA Khmer that if Cambodia does not focus on the rights of workers, they will face abuses in the workplace.

John Ritchotte, a specialist in labor relations at the International Labour Organization, based in Bangkok, told VOA Khmer the labor law may need updated.

“The Cambodian labor law is now 10 years old, and like any law it needs to be adjusted and adapted to the change of circumstances,” he said at the IFC in Washington. “And now that there is a growing economy, a more diverse economy, they need to adapt the law to that reality.”

Hun Sen ups his ante to near confrontation

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, smarting from his costly miscalculation in appointing fugitive Thaksin Shinawatra as his adviser, continues to overplay his hand in a big gamble, putting his country at stake in a diplomatic dispute with Thailand. This time, he wants to elevate the spat to a confrontation.

After being put under the spotlight in Tokyo, Hun Sen went home like a bull in a china shop, so to speak, fuming with rage after being snubbed by Thailand's withdrawal of its ambassador and cancellation of a memorandum of understanding on oil reserves that had promised to serve as a cash cow for Hun Sen.

Seeking retaliation to regain lost ground, Hun Sen immediately summoned Thaksin to Phnom Penh to accept the advisory role - as if the damage done so far was not enough to create a crisis with his neighbour.

Of course, the two must have conversed on the phone on how to get out of this embarrassing situation. It was a big blow for their egos and a major setback for Thaksin and his cronies who are fighting for his return to Thailand. Thaksin's first advice, obviously, was that Hun Sen should press ahead and not stand down.

The big bully in Phnom Penh has enjoyed getting his own way for too long. He has hurled various insults at Thailand, without much response - more so with his view towards Prime Minister Abhisit. In Hun Sen's view, partly shaped by Thaksin, he must assume that the Thai leader is a greenhorn with no stomach for an eyeball-to-eyeball confrontation.

Certainly the young politician is not up to Hun Sen's thuggish meanness. Endurance over 24 years in power in Cambodia should be a warning that Hun should not to be taken lightly. With this in mind, Hun Sen has recklessly stepped beyond the diplomatic fine line by honouring an apprentice of tyranny from Thailand with a high position in Cambodia.

The fugitive will perform his first duty as Hun Sen's guru by giving a lecture on economic affairs to about 300 Cambodian experts and technocrats; he'll be telling them how to run their country's economy. He must think that, with his massive wealth, no Cambodian is as smart at making money as he is.

Abhisit today presides over the Cabinet meeting to cancel the MOU on oil drilling in the Gulf of Thailand. He could discuss more counter-measures now that Hun Sen has upped the ante with a challenge that the joint border could be closed, if Thailand wants.

Hun Sen has also challenged Abhisit to call for a snap election to prove his popularity over Thaksin, the patron of the Pheu Thai Party, which is perceived as a potential winner. Well, this was too much. But Hun Sen ignores diplomatic protocol and simple civility.

From barbs and crudeness, Hun Sen is just a step away from open sabre-rattling. At least he saw some sense the other day by instructing his deputy supreme commander to talk to the Thai Army commanding officer on the border that he wants to avoid armed conflict of any kind. It was different from the previous flexing of muscles that Cambodian soldiers were far superior in terms of combat.

How far is Hun Sen prepared to go in the ongoing dispute? Cambodians on the border are worried that a border closure would cause more than just discomfort. Casinos in Poipet would be hard hit without gamblers from Thailand, their major source of income.

By now, Cambodia's people and opposition politicians should feel offended by the entire ruckus. Having a Thai criminal anointed by the king is an insult to Cambodian royalty. What's more? Thaksin just made a grave remark in relation to the Thai monarchy in Timesonline, further causing more anger among Thais towards the fugitive.

Thaksin immediately responded on Twitter, blaming Times for distorting his comments. This is not news. Thaksin always blames other people for anything that goes wrong, and never accepts any responsibility for damage caused as a result of his loose tongue.

This is not the first time Thaksin has broken the taboo regarding the country's revered institution. The latest blatant act of lese majeste will worsen his predicament, so much that he could become the most hated man in Thailand's recent political history.

Not only that, the red shirts and Pheu Thai members will find it difficult to defend their big boss, whose relationship with the bully in Cambodia has seen him branded as a traitor nationwide. Their next campaign to dislodge Abhisit from power is expected to backfire in the face of broad-based public resentment.

The two friends with vested interests will struggle hard to remain in a good light. They have many things in common, including a streak of tyranny, a penchant for graft, a super-ego, and bottomless arrogance and ambition, among other cravings.

How their high-stakes gamble will end up eventually, is not very hard to guess.

2009 Report on International Religious Freedom - Cambodia

Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor
International Religious Freedom Report 2009
The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and other laws and policies contributed to the generally free practice of religion. Buddhism is the state religion.

The Government generally respected religious freedom in practice. There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom by the Government during the reporting period.

There were few reports of societal abuses or discrimination based on religious affiliation, belief, or practice.

The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom with the Government as part of its overall policy to promote human rights.

Section I. Religious Demography

The country has an area of 67,000 square miles and a population of 14.1 million. An estimated 93 percent of the population is Theravada Buddhist. The Theravada Buddhist tradition is widespread and strong in all provinces, with an estimated 4,330 pagodas throughout the country. The vast majority of ethnic Khmer Cambodians are Buddhist, and there is a close association between Buddhism, Khmer cultural traditions, and daily life. Adherence to Buddhism generally is considered intrinsic to the country's ethnic and cultural identity. The Mahayana school of Buddhism claims approximately 31,639 followers and has 88 temples throughout the country.

There are approximately 500,000 to 700,000 Muslims (between 3.5 to 5 percent of the population), predominantly ethnic Cham, who generally are found in towns and rural fishing villages on the banks of the Tonle Sap lake and the Mekong River, as well as in Kampot Province. Some organizations cite lower estimates for the number of Cham Muslims. There are four branches of Islam represented: the Malay-influenced Shafi'i branch, practiced by 88 percent of Cham Muslims; the Saudi-Kuwaiti-influenced Salafi (sometimes called "Wahhabi") branch, which claims 6 percent of the total Muslim population, although this number is increasing; the indigenous Iman-San branch, practiced by 3 percent; and the Kadiani branch, which also accounts for 3 percent. There are 244 mosques of the 4 main branches and 333 small Suravs, which are meeting places that have congregations of up to 40 persons and do not have a minbar from which Friday sermons are given. Suravs may belong to any branch of Islam and are distinct from other types of mosques only in their architectural structure; they are usually much smaller and built in rural areas of the country.

The small but growing Christian community constitutes approximately 2 percent of the population. There are an estimated 100 Christian organizations or denominations that operate freely throughout the country. There are approximately 1,609 churches--1544 Protestant and 65 Roman Catholic. Only an estimated 900 of these churches are officially registered. Other religious groups with small followings include the ethnic Vietnamese Cao Dai and the Baha'i Faith, each with an estimated 2,000 practitioners.

Section II. Status of Religious Freedom

Legal/Policy Framework

The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and other laws and policies contributed to the generally free practice of religion. The Constitution prohibits discrimination based on religion, and the Government does not tolerate abuse of religious freedom, either by governmental or private actors. Buddhism is the state religion, and the Government promotes Buddhist holidays, provides Buddhist training and education to monks and others in pagodas, and modestly supports an institute that performs research and publishes materials on Khmer culture and Buddhist traditions.

The law requires all religious groups, including Buddhist groups, to submit applications to the Ministry of Cults and Religions if they wish to construct places of worship and conduct religious activities. In their applications, groups must state clearly their religious purposes and activities, which must comply with provisions forbidding religious groups from insulting other religious groups, creating disputes, or undermining national security. There is no penalty for failing to register, and in practice some groups do not. Although the Ministry of Cults and Religions attempted to enforce a 2007 regulation requiring all churches to re-register in order to obtain a new operating license, no churches had complied within the reporting period.

The Directive on Controlling External Religions requires registration of places of worship and religious schools, in addition to government approval prior to constructing new places of worship. Places of worship must be located at least two kilometers from each other and may not be used for political purposes or to house criminals or fugitives from the law. The distance requirement applies only to new construction of places of worship and not to offices of religious organizations. There have been no cases documented where the directive was used to bar a church or mosque from constructing a new facility. The directive also requires that religious groups refrain from openly criticizing other groups. During the reporting period, there were no reports that any religious groups encountered significant difficulties in obtaining approval for construction of places of worship.

The Government permits Buddhist religious instruction in public schools. Other forms of religious instruction are prohibited in public schools; however, non-Buddhist religious instruction may be provided by private schools. The Government directed that all Muslim students and government employees be allowed to wear Islamic attire in class and in the office. The decision reflected respect for the beliefs of those other than the Buddhist majority.

All major Theravada Buddhist holidays are observed by the Cambodian Government.

Restrictions on Religious Freedom

The Government generally respected religious freedom in practice. There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom by the Government during the reporting period.

Unlike in previous years, the Government did not close any madrassahs (Islamic schools). The Government has granted permission for the construction of a new Islamic college which will provide general education and skills training to both Muslims and non-Muslims.

There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners in the country.

Forced Religious Conversion

There were no reports of forced religious conversion, including of minor U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the United States, or who had not been allowed to be returned to the United States.

Improvements and Positive Developments in Respect for Religious Freedom

Government officials continued to organize meetings for representatives of all religious groups to discuss religious developments and to address problems of concern. The Ministry of Cults and Religion typically hosts two national interfaith meetings annually in preparation for the Asia-Pacific Regional Interfaith Dialogue. During the reporting period, however, no meetings were held. This was in part due to July 2008 elections during which time a new Minister of Cults and Religions was selected.

Section III. Societal Abuses and Discrimination

There were few reports of societal abuses or discrimination based on religious belief or practice.

Minority religious groups experienced little or no societal discrimination during the reporting period; however, Muslims and Christians reported minor conflicts that were personal in nature.

Some Buddhists expressed concern about the Cham Muslim community receiving financial assistance from foreign countries; however Cham Muslims were generally well integrated into society, held prominent positions in business and the Government, and faced no reported acts of discrimination or abuse during the reporting period.

There are ecumenical and interfaith organizations, which are often supported by funding from foreign public or private entities.

Section IV. U.S. Government Policy

The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom with the Government as part of its overall policy to promote human rights. Embassy representatives met with religious leaders on these issues and contacted representatives of religious nongovernmental organizations and other groups representing Buddhist, Muslim, and Christian religious groups.

The Embassy continued its Muslim engagement efforts, which provide for additional channels of information on the status of religious freedom among the Muslim population while also providing material assistance. The Embassy continued to provide financial support for the Voice of Cham radio station, which provides a forum for discussion of religious and other issues and is the only Cham language radio program in the country. The Embassy hosted a Ramadan reception in Phnom Penh, with more than 150 Cham Muslim guests, and hosted an iftar for the Cham community in Kampot, a region approximately three hours south of Phnom Penh. The event attracted more than 100 leaders of the community, including imams, heads of madrassahs, and religious teachers.

The Embassy has worked to maintain close contact with the Buddhist and Christian religious communities through visits to wats (Buddhist temples) and churches and through joint programs. The Embassy hosted a series of seminars to promote a closer relationship between the Cham community and law enforcement officials in an attempt to broaden dialogue and promote community policing.

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) continued to work with several Buddhist temples on a faith-based approach to helping people infected and affected by HIV/AIDS. Projects with Christian groups included Embassy-hosted events for the "Little Sprouts," a program for AIDS orphans run by the Catholic Maryknoll sisters, and puppet shows presented by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) during U.S. military medical missions. These programs afforded Embassy officers the opportunity to meet with both Buddhist and Christian religious figures on numerous occasions and assess the operating environment for their religious groups in the country.

DA: 'Seriousness of crime' justified charging teens as adults in killing of Long Beach [Cambodian-American] honors student

Melody Ross

Photo: Tom Love Vinson and Daivion Davis. KTLA

An L.A. County prosecutor said his office decided to charge two teens accused of killing a Long Beach honors student as adults because of the "seriousness of the crime."

Deputy Dist. Atty. Dean Bengston told reporters outside a Long Beach court that the district attorney's office charges juveniles as adults only in "rare instances" but that they warranted in this case because of the nature of the shooting and because authorities believe it was gang-related.

"You have to look at the seriousness of the crime," he said.

Tom Love Vinson and Daivion Davis, identified by authorities as 16-year-old gang members, were each charged with one count of murder and two counts of attempted murder, according to the district attorney's office.

Vinson and Daivion allegedly opened fire a week ago outside the school, striking and killing Melody Ross, a popular 16-year-old who police said was a bystander.

Two men -- an 18-year-old and a 20-year-old -- were wounded in the shooting, which occurred about 10 p.m. as crowds of students gathered near Ximeno Avenue and 10th Street for a dance. Police believe that the men may have been the intended targets and that the shooting was the result of a gang feud.

Ross was wearing a superhero costume to Wilson's homecoming game against Polytechnic High School. A number of students at the game were decked out in costumes on the day before Halloween.

On Friday night, students and the Wilson High School football team honored Ross. There was beefed-up security on campus.

The suspects are being held on $3-million bail and face life in prison if convicted. They will be arraigned today in Long Beach.

Exit polls: Independents voting for Republicans in gov races

(CNN) – Independents appear to be playing an important role in the country's two off-year gubernatorial races and in both states, and they are voting Republican.

In Virginia, where 30 percent of voters identify themselves as independent, 65 percent cast their ballots for CNN's projected winner, Republican Bob McDonnell. That's according to early CNN Exit Poll data. Democrat Creigh Deeds earned the votes of 34 percent of independents.

In New Jersey, the projected winner, Republican Chris Christie, took 60 percent of the independent vote while incumbent Governor Jon Corzine, a Democrat, got only 30 percent. The candidate running as an official Independent, Chris Daggett, got just 9 percent of the independent vote. Independents made up 28 percent of the voters in New Jersey race.

Analysis: Elections not a referendum on Obama

Washington (CNN) -- Victories in New Jersey and Virginia Tuesday provided a major shot in the arm for the Republican Party heading into the 2010 elections, but the Democratic losses of these two governorships should not be interpreted as a significant blow to President Obama.

While the economy and jobs were the chief concern for voters in both states, 26 percent of New Jersey residents said property taxes was also a major issue, while another 20 percent mentioned corruption, according to CNN exit polling. In a similar CNN survey taken in Virginia, health care was the most important issue for 24 percent of the voters, while 15 percent named taxes and transportation was mentioned by 7 percent.

Further proof that this election was not solely focused on Obama, 56 percent of Virginians said that the president was not a factor when it came down to their vote. In New Jersey, that number increased to 60 percent of the people who went to the polls on Tuesday.

Perhaps this was the problem for Virginia Sen. Creigh Deeds and New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine.

Neither Democratic candidate was Obama; neither was a great spokesman for "change;" and Democratic strategists and grassroots activists said each candidate failed to give independents a reason to support them.

Still, in the coming days a storyline will develop that this was a referendum on Obama and his policies.

At the same time, another narrative will continue to evolve over the future of the Republican Party as grassroots conservative activists seek to increase their influence following the success of forcing the centrist Republican nominee in a New York congressional special election from the race.Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman's loss to Democratic nominee Bill Owens was just a side note in a greater story about the beginning of a civil war between conservative activists and party leaders as the GOP seeks to rebuild after suffering devastating losses in 2008.

Two story lines, whether right or wrong, that will help shape the thinking, the strategy and the politics of Democrats and Republicans heading into the midterm elections.

Embrace Obama's agenda

The inclination by some Democrats seeking reelection next year might be to run away from Obama and chart an independent path believing that he was at least partially to blame for the defeats of Corzine and Deeds. But Democratic strategists and activists caution that this is the wrong decision to make. In order to win in 2010, these Democrats said candidates need to embrace the president and embrace his policy goals.

"You want to run as somebody who is supporting the Obama agenda, with an exception here or there, instead of being disdainful," said Steve Murphy, a consultant who works with conservative Democratic incumbents and challengers.

Jane Hamsher, founder of the liberal political blog firedoglake, noted that it is freshmen and sophomore Democrats who won by narrow margins in 2006 and 2008, who "are scared" of losing their seats in 2010.

"I would suggest that appealing to Republican interests is not the best way to turn out Democrats," Hamsher said. "It is just a fact of life. They have to turn out Democrats."

The problem does not just lie with House and Senate Democrats. It is an issue for the White House.

Obama's political operatives must decide how best to help their allies in Congress win next year. In 2008, African-Americans turned out for Obama, young people turned out for Obama and independent voters looking for "change" turned out for Obama.

"The political challenges for this White House will be to transfer this kind of political power to other candidates," said a veteran Democratic strategist, who spoke on the condition of anonymity so as not to draw fire from the Obama administration.

On Tuesday, the Obama magic did not rub off on Corzine or Deeds.

In New Jersey, while Corzine overwhelmingly won among African-Americans, only 14 percent of the vote was black; young people, age 18 to 29, made up 9 percent of the vote and 36 percent of them backed Republican Chris Christie. Meanwhile, 60 percent of independents supported Christie as well.

The numbers were worse for Deeds in Virginia. Ten percent of the electorate was age 18 to 29 and Republican Bob McDonnell captured 54 percent of this voting bloc. Deeds overwhelmingly carried the African-American vote that made up16 percent of people who turned out on Tuesday, while 66 percent of voters who identified themselves as independents backed McDonnell.

The White House has already played an active role in the 2010 mid-term elections and now the question is whether the Obama political operation will try to devise a formula to catch lightning in a bottle once again to help Democratic allies on Capitol Hill.

GOP civil war

For the past year, the Republican Party has been without a national leader as it works to rebuild after losing the White House and additional House and Senate seats in 2008. At times, the likes of talk radio host Rush Limbaugh has helped drive the conversation, but it is the grassroots activists who have emerged as important players in the reconstruction of the GOP.

Hoffman's loss certainly doesn't help these conservatives, but it is not a fatal blow, either. The battle for these activists was with the GOP leadership, and they won by successfully pushing GOP nominee Dede Scozzafava out of the race.

It is just the beginning, said conservative leader Richard Viguerie. "We want to take the party back to a small government party," he said. "The train has left the station. The battle has been engaged."

And by engaged, Viguerie means by the non-traditional conservatives who have rallied around the Tea Party idea.

"There are new people," he said. "They are saying it is time to lock and load and go to war with these establishment Republicans."

But is an internal battle in the GOP good for the party?

Conservative columnist Matt Lewis said he thinks that these internal struggles help to strengthen the party in the long run.

"This is a battle for the heart and soul of the Republican Party," Lewis said. "Political parties ought to have vigorous primary campaigns, fight it out in the primaries over ideological battles."

Lewis predicts seeing more primary challengers emerge to take on GOP establishment candidates following a path blazed by Marco Rubio in Florida and Chuck DeVore in California.

"I happen to think when Republicans stay conservative, Republicans win," Lewis said.

China looks to export censorship

Fears about ethnic tension could be motivating China's censorship efforts

A few days before the start of

A few days before the start of this year's Melbourne International Film Festival its executive director received an "audacious" telephone call.

An official from China's consulate in the city called him to "urge" the festival to withdraw a film about the Chinese activist Rebiya Kadeer.

Beijing then tried to persuade the organisers of the Frankfurt Book Fair not to allow two Chinese writers to attend an event.

China says it does not interfere in the internal affairs of other countries.

But some see these acts as an attempt by China to use abroad the tough censorship measures it constantly employs at home.

Intimidation and threats

Richard Moore, the Melbourne festival's executive director, said he was astonished to receive the call from the city's Chinese consulate.

"It came down to [the consular official] saying we need to justify our decision to include the film in the programme. It was a remarkable display of confidence and arrogance," he said.

The festival decided to ignore the advice and go ahead with the film - about an activist who campaigns for better rights for China's Uighur minority - but that did not end the issue.

The festival organisation was subjected to an intense campaign of threats, intimidation and disruption, although it is not clear who - if anyone - orchestrated the campaign.

The festival e-mail address received insulting messages, there were waves of annoying phone calls and the fax machine was jammed with callers.

Chinese officials objected to writer Dai Qing speaking in Frankfurt

Some notes to the organisers contained messages threatening Mr Moore's family.

Internet hackers managed to break into the festival's online booking site, making it appear that session tickets had been sold out.

Hackers also managed to post a Chinese flag on the main website and Chinese film-makers withdrew their movies from the festival.

The film at the centre of the controversy - called The 10 Conditions of Love - was finally shown at a larger venue, partly because the publicity surrounding the row increased interest.

Its subject, Rebiya Kadeer, was also invited to take part in a talk at the festival, which took place in July and August.

But Mr Moore admits that the event organisers will look hard at how to showcase controversial films at future festivals.

The Chinese government was just as direct with the organisers of the Frankfurt Book Fair, an annual event that bills itself as a "worldwide marketplace for ideas".

Walkout

China was the guest of honour at this October's fair and Beijing funded a series of events to showcase its literature and culture.

But Chinese officials were angry when they found out writers Dai Qing and Bei Ling had been invited to a symposium connected to the fair.

China is using its economic influence to threaten its trade partners in order to censor what they don't like Dai Qing, author Anger over web censorship China seeks 'open' control

According to Juergen Boos, the fair's director, China asked the organisers to ban the writers, a request they initially agreed to carry out.

The two Chinese writers were then allowed to speak at the symposium, but when they stood up to make a speech some of the Chinese delegation left the room.

"We did not come to be instructed about democracy," a former Chinese ambassador told the event organisers.

China often asks foreign governments and organisations not to do something that it perceives to be against its interests. It recently complained to Japan when Tokyo allowed Ms Kadeer to enter the country.

But it says this does not contravene its policy of non-interference.

"I believe the Chinese government has not violated the principle of interfering in others' internal affairs," said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu recently in response to a question about this policy.

But writer Dai Qing, who is also an environmental campaigner, believes China's increasing economic muscle has emboldened the country's leaders.

"China is using its economic influence to threaten its trade partners in order to censor what they don't like," she said.

David Zweig, of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, is not so sure the Chinese are doing it from a position of strength.

"Sometimes we cannot tell whether it's confidence or concern," said Mr Zweig, the director of the Centre on China's Transnational Relations, based at his university.

He said China's attempts to prevent Ms Kadeer from speaking publicly, for example, could be linked to concerns about ethnic tension in Xinjiang, where most Uighurs live.

Hundreds of Uighurs rioted in July, killing scores of Han Chinese people.

Mr Zweig added that there could also be another reason behind the pressure - the Chinese government and its people are often quick to take offence at opinions they do not like to hear.

And he said ordinary people were sometimes more sensitive than officials - forcing the government to take a tougher stance internationally.

That could be why China is now trying to censor critical opinions abroad.

Vietnamese see funny side of sex

Despite rapid development, Vietnam is a conservative society

Vinh, a 24-year-old man, says his parents never talked to him about sex.

"But they would make jokes about it so that I know what they expect from me," he says.

Vinh is from Hue, one of the most traditional cities in Vietnam, but this attitude is found throughout the country, according to the authors of the first survey into sex and sexual attitudes carried out in the communist state for 50 years.

By turning it into a joke some parents and children find it is easier to talk about sex without being judged or getting embarrassed.

This attitude seems to apply to all, young and old in Vietnam.

But for some the subject really is no laughing matter. The communist state is deeply conservative and sex is a highly sensitive subject.

Dilemmas

Economic liberalisation and development has made Vietnam a more open society and there has been a noticeable change in sexual behaviour.

Medical experts say increasing numbers of people are having sex below the age of consent, leading to rising numbers of unmarried women having abortions.

There is also the problem posed by unprotected sex and more people contracting HIV.

Faced with these dilemmas, there have been discussions about putting sex education on the school curriculum at an early age.

Based on the findings of the sex survey, some people think that may not be such a bad idea.

All male callers said that sex before marriage for men is normal and okay, but they would not want to get married to someone who has lost her virginity through sex Hong Hanh Radio presenter

Researchers spoke to 245 people in both the rural and urban areas over six years.

They discovered that teenagers or young adults "never" or "hardly ever" talk to their parents about sex.

The parents too admit that they do not speak to their children about it.

For those who do feel they should discuss the subject with their children, just how to broach it is difficult.

Diep Hoa, a mother of two, is typical in this regard. She says she used a letter to talk to her 17-year-old daughter about sex.

"I wrote to her and gave the letter to her on the day she left home to go to study abroad. I told her that I would like her to read it while on the plane", explains Mrs Hoa.

"I mentioned a lot of things in the letter, including sex and relationships. I would like her to understand what love is, what sexual relationships are and the consequences when one loses control of their sexual desires."

Gender prejudice

The survey also found that what is okay for a man is not okay for a woman.

Hong Hanh is a 22-year-old presenter of a live radio programme on HIV and Aids prevention targeted at young people.

"All male callers said that sex before marriage for men is normal and okay, but they would not want to get married to someone who has lost her virginity through sex," Hanh says.

My parents say if you get her pregnant before marriage, you both won't be allowed to go in the house by the front door Vinh, Hue

According to Dr Khuat Thu Hong, one of the three authors of the research, "Vietnamese people have a very poor, misperceived and somehow one-sided view about sex, because there is no open or serious discussion of the matter."

According to her this is very dangerous because "it leads to a lot of wrongly imposed sexual perceptions toward men and women, and it limits both sexes from enjoying a sexual relationship."

Some experts say that sex education, which is only taught in some schools, should be made compulsory because young people would benefit from the knowledge provided to them in a serious manner rather than through jokes.

However, there has been opposition to this suggestion from those who uphold what they call "traditional values".

The funny side

Teachers too find the subject highly embarrassing, and some parents and children see nothing wrong with discussing a highly taboo subject in a humorous way.

Back in his very traditional hometown, Vinh smiles and gives some examples of what his parents tell him.

Report author Dr Khuat Thu Hong says sex should be taken seriously

"They say: 'If you get her pregnant before marriage, you both won't be allowed to go in the house by the front door', or 'you won't be allowed to go near our ancestors' altar'.

"Another favourite is: 'We will have to make a small shed near the pigsty for you to live in!'"

This indirect and light-hearted way that some parents use to talk to their children about sex as a means of educating them is also a warning to children of the consequences of sex before marriage.

But faced with rising underage sex and HIV, Dr Hong says it is about time that Vietnamese learned to talk openly about the subject.

And she hopes that the findings of the first sex survey in half a century will help change social perceptions and understanding of what remains an extremely delicate matter.

Xinjiang police to 'strike hard'

Xinjiang has seen a high security presence since the unrest

Security forces in the Chinese province of Xinjiang have said they will "strike hard" against crime and disorder.

Officials vowed to "root out" crime and "change the face of the public security" in the western province, after deadly unrest earlier this year.

Nearly 200 people died in July's rioting between ethnic Uighurs and members of the majority Han group.

A total of 21 people have been found guilty of involvement in the unrest and 12 people have been sentenced to death.

The Xinjiang authorities, quoted in state media, said the "strike hard and rectify" campaign would run until the end of the year to "further consolidate the fruits of maintaining stability and eliminate security dangers".

They said they would "root out places where criminals breed, and change the face of the public security situation in these areas".

The Xinhua news agency said local police would continue to hunt down suspects in the riots and "keep a close eye on clues and cases involving terrorism and explosions".

Swift justice

The violence in Xinjiang erupted on 5 July, when protest by ethnic Uighurs left at least 197 people dead and another 1,700 injured. Two days later, groups of Han went looking for revenge as police struggled to restore order.

Most of those killed were Han, according to officials, and Urumqi's Han population had demanded swift justice.

Last week, the death sentences against 12 people were upheld by an appeals court.

China says it is facing a separatist uprising from Uighur Muslims in Xinjiang, but critics say Beijing is exaggerating the threat to justify its tight control of the province.

Death toll rise in Vietnam floods

The effects of the floods are worse than initially thought, officials say

Wide-scale floods in central Vietnam have killed more people than officials originally estimated, after a tropical storm wreaked havoc in the region.

Tropical storm Mirinae killed at least 13 people in a number of provinces, although some reports suggest up to 40 perished in the floods that followed.

The hardest-hit provinces include Phu Yen, Kanah Hoa, Gia Lai and Binh Dinh.

Soldiers have been sent in to help rescue people from the estimated 2,600 households destroyed by the storm.

An official from Vietnam's national disaster committee told reporters that most of the recorded deaths were due to the floods, with Phu Yen province worst hit.

'Mass evacuations'

An estimated 338 millimetres (13 inches) of rain fell in Vietnam's central provinces, the disaster committee states.

Around 2,600 houses and 4,400 acres (1,800 hectares) of farmland have been destroyed, it believes.

Vietnam says more than 50,000 people were evacuated from coastal regions before the storm hit on Monday night.

State television showed pictures of people stuck on roofs of houses, and rescuers attempting to take children and the elderly to safety.

Helicopters loaded with emergency food supplies have been dispatched to isolated villages, and to rescue the most vulnerable, the government says.

Over the weekend Mirinae - which was then at Typhoon strength - crossed over the northern Philippines, which is still reeling after being hit by unrelenting bad weather in recent months.

Indonesian anti-graft pair freed

Protests have been held in Jakarta against the police action

Indonesian police have released two of the country's top anti-corruption officials from jail.

They were detained by police last week on suspicion of involvement in a bribery case. They deny the charges.

Critics say the arrests are an attempt by the police to undermine Indonesia's powerful anti-corruption commission.

The case has generated widespread criticism of the Indonesian police, with hundreds of people protesting this week against their actions.

Indonesia is often ranked as one of the most corrupt countries in the world, but the anti-corruption commission has made efforts to try to clean up that image.

Resignation calls

The two anti-corruption officials had submitted tapes of conversations as part of their defence.

Thousands of Indonesians sat glued to their TV sets in their offices and homes as news channels broadcast four hours of the taped conversations, allegedly between a businessman and several people thought to be in Indonesia's police force and the attorney general's office - two of the most powerful forces in the country.

Discussions on the tapes revealed the speakers had plans to weaken Indonesia's anti-corruption commission significantly.

Police arrested the pair last week and say they are suspected in a bribery case and must be investigated.

The case of Bibit and Chandra - as it has been dubbed by the local press - has angered many in Indonesia.

Hundreds protested on the streets of Jakarta on Monday against the police actions, calling for the resignation of the police chief.

Indonesia's anti-corruption commission has made many enemies because it has been so successful in investigating and charging corrupt officials, including those in the police force.

Indonesia's President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is under pressure to come up with a solution to this growing problem.

One of his promises during his campaign for re-election earlier this year was to clamp down on corruption.

How this case is handled will be seen as a test of his commitment.

Fighting off the bear One year after the collapse of Lehman Brothers, these CNNMoney.com readers are repairing their portfolios. Here's what they're d

I started adding bank and insurance stocks to my portfolio in the middle of November 2008 and bought through the end of March. I bought Royal Bank of Scotland, Genworth Financial, GE, Hartford, Lincoln National, Deutsche Bank, State Street, Wells Fargo, Bank of America and Berkshire Hathaway.

I wasn't sure if all the companies would make it out of the crisis but I felt many were victims of panic selling. Although they had short-term balance sheet issues, their business was fundamentally solid enough to recover and build long term shareholder value.

By early March, my portfolio had lost almost 40%. I had friends tell me they were liquidating their stocks because they believed we were in for the next Great Depression. But I fought my urge to panic and decided to see it as a great opportunity.

I held onto the stocks I already had and used the 15% of my portfolio that was in cash to buy more. I'm so glad I did. One year after Lehman Brothers, my portfolio is down less than 15%.

Singer Monica 'Still Standing' after overcoming tragedies

(CNN) -- At first, R&B singer Monica wanted no part of reality television.

"I assumed [producers] would not want a reality show about my life as it really is, because my life is drama-free now," said the Grammy Award-winning artist. "If they wanted drama, they would have had to have caught me 10 years ago."

The singer, whose full name is Monica Denise Arnold, has overcome some terrible experiences.

She witnessed the suicide of a despondent boyfriend and was involved with rapper C-Murder (whose real name is Corey Miller and who is the brother of rapper Master P) when he was arrested for the shooting death of a fan.

But those times are now behind the mother of two young sons. She's happily settled in a committed relationship with her children's father, rapper Rocko, and currently starring in the BET show "Monica: Still Standing." A new album is set to be released in the new year.

While she's had success with singles like "Don't Take It Personal (Just One of Dem Days)," "Angel of Mine" and her duet, "The Boy Is Mine," with singer Brandy, the 29-year-old is looking to break through to superstar status.

"I think this is her moment," said her cousin and longtime manager, Melinda Dancil. "People have seen 'the artist Monica,' but they have never really seen 'the person Monica,' and the person Monica is really what creates her engaging personality."

The singer is quick to point out that "I'm not a victim, I'm a victor," and said she wants her legacy to extend beyond just her reputation as a singer, songwriter and occasional actress.

She spoke to CNN about her career, why you won't see her in a catfight with another female singer and what makes her emotional.

CNN: What do you hope fans take away from your new reality show?

Monica: My main objective is to show some form of strength.

I think people experience a lot, especially in this day and age, and especially young people, and people don't normally speak directly to them.

I think they will take the idea of strength, the idea of faith and the idea of family away from it. The latter two are things that people don't like to talk a lot about or deal a lot with, in my experience.

CNN: At what point are you in your career?

Monica: I'm at the point in my career where it's time for me to start defining who I am as an artist.

I would love for people to look at me as a great singer, but also know exactly who I am, the way that we have loved and respected people like Gladys Knight and Patti LaBelle having gone through the different stages of their lives with them. That's the type of history I want to have.

This is the defining moment where I separate myself from others by whatever it is I do and the way that I do it.

CNN: There was a moment at the 2009 BET Awards where you and Keyshia Cole performed [the duet "Trust"]. You came out singing, and the camera went to Beyonce in the front row where she was grooving.

What is it like to perform for your peers, some of whom may not have been in the business as long as you have, but who may have greater recognition?

Monica: You know, I don't think about it a lot. I look at it like this: They work hard, so I know they want to see great entertainment as well. Any time I perform in front of my peers, I think about it that way.

I think about it the same way I do as when I am out on stage in front of a lot of people I don't know. You give 120 percent, make sure you do your absolute best and try to make sure each performance is memorable.

CNN: What don't your fans know about you?

Monica: I talk a lot about strength, faith and love, but I don't ever talk about the fact that I am one of the most sensitive people in my family.

That might be the most shocking, because you always see me fighting the good fight, with the strong face on, but I am the most emotional.

CNN: What makes you emotional?

Monica: (Chuckles) Anything. I don't like to see children hurt or in need. I don't like to see people troubled or without, I don't like to see death.

Some things make me emotional in a good way. When my son does well in school, I get real emotional because that's a testament to what I'm feeding him at home on a daily basis as far as knowledge goes.

I wasn't so emotional until I had my first son.

CNN: You gave up your teenage years to your career. Any regrets?

Monica: None. I still love it.

I always tell people that the music industry may be frustrating sometimes, but the singing never gets old. It's something I grew up doing, and I take the bitter with the sweet.

CNN: What's frustrating to you about the industry?

Monica: It's frustrating to me to see how much they force people to compete. It's not a competition. What is for me is for me, what's for you is for you.

You can't constantly make these artists feel like they can't like each other or enjoy each other or do songs together because one is from this place and the other is from another. I think it's foolish.

U.S. diplomats land in Myanmar for meetings

(CNN) -- Two U.S. diplomats arrived in Myanmar Tuesday and will meet with imprisoned pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

Assistant Secretary of State Kurt Campbell and deputy Scot Marciel plan to meet with Suu Kyi Wednesday, a spokesman at the U.S. Embassy in Myanmar said.

The visit is part of a new shift in U.S. policy toward Myanmar.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced in September that the United States will try to directly engage with the military leaders of Myanmar, also known as Burma, without abandoning its existing sanctions on the southeast Asian country.

Suu Kyi's detention has been a key component in America's political tangle with Myanmar. Critics of the country's ruling junta have accused the regime of convicting Suu Kyi, 64, to keep her from participating in 2010 elections.

Suu Kyi, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, has been confined in her house for about 14 of the past 20 years. She was sentenced to 18 more months of house arrest after John Yettaw, an American man, swam uninvited to her home in Yangon where she has been confined.

Suu Kyi has accepted the new shift in U.S. policy toward Myanmar, her spokesman said.

It was unclear if the two diplomats would meet with members of Myanmar's military junta.

In August, U.S. Senator Jim Webb became the first American official to meet withe Myanmar's junta leader, Senior Gen. Than Shwe, when he went there to secure Yettaw's release.

Stunned Wilson High students grieve for slain [Cambodian-American] classmate

Odell Smith, 16, covers his face and grieves with fellow Woodrow Wilson High students at the spot where Melody Ross was shot and killed. "I just saw her moments before she was shot...she was smiling," said Smith. (Barbara Davidson/Los Angeles Times / November 2, 2009)
Melody Ross, a pole vaulter, was well-liked and had a positive attitude, friends say. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times / October 31, 2009)

Friday night's shooting jolts parents who consider campus to be the safest school in Long Beach.
Mourning students at Long Beach's Wilson High School gathered Monday by the pavement where classmate Melody Ross was shot after the homecoming football game. Leaving handwritten notes to Melody and her family, the teenagers lit candles and shed tears as they remembered the bubbly 16-year-old.

"Why her?" asked sophomore Micah Mathis, 15, who took French with Melody, an honors student. "That's what I want to know."

The mood at the coastal campus was somber as students, teachers and administrators struggled to comprehend what occurred Friday, when someone fired into a crowd of students leaving the game, striking three people, including Melody, who was fatally wounded.

Police patrol cars circled the school. The principal's voice cracked as she addressed students. Grief counselors met with a steady stream of teenagers, who wore black shirts in Melody's honor and released balloons during a lunchtime ceremony attended by her parents.

"It's a large high school, but it's like a family and it feels like we've lost one of our own," said Chris Eftychiou, spokesman for the Long Beach Unified School District. "The students are very resilient and they are helping each other get through this difficult time."

Wilson has 4,300 students, and is racially and economically diverse. The school serves some of the city's most affluent communities, yet half the students receive free or reduced-price lunches, a measure of poverty. Many parents consider Wilson, an early adopter of school uniforms, the safest high school in the city.

Tamura Howard of Signal Hill said her 14-year-old daughter previously attended a Christian school and that she believed Wilson is safe.

"That's why I put her in this school, it has a reputation for being safe and it's in a relatively good neighborhood," said Howard, noting that her daughter attended Friday's game. "This has given me nightmares."

The week had been a boisterous one on Wilson's campus, with pep rallies leading up to the game, and a dance. Students were hoping for an unlikely drubbing of crosstown rival Polytechnic High School, one of the nation's strongest high school football teams.

"Everyone was so, so excited," said senior Daisha Black, 17. "Everyone kept saying, 'Isn't it a good day to be a Bruin?' "

But minutes after the game, shots were fired on Ximeno Avenue just south of 10th Street, striking Ross and two others who are expected to survive.

Although there were hundreds of people leaving the campus, police have no witnesses or suspects. Anyone with information is asked to call the homicide detail at (562) 570-7244.

The Board of Supervisors is scheduled to vote today to offer a $10,000 reward.

Meanwhile, rumors swirled across campus about who shot Melody.

"People don't want to talk, they don't want to open their mouths," said Black, who was a few feet from Melody when the shooting occurred, and whose boyfriend comforted her while awaiting paramedics.

Students learned about the death Saturday morning through text messages and the Internet.

Madison Guest, 16, didn't believe the rumors until a friend asked her to bring flowers to track practice Saturday. She was on the team with Melody, and recalled hearing her boisterous cheers on the track.

"She was always happy and always supported me in my running," the junior said. "I'm still in shock. I just tried to go on with my day -- that's what she would have wanted."

Melody's parents were sequestered in their North Long Beach home Monday afternoon. The family fled the Khmer Rouge and the killing fields of Cambodia to move to Long Beach before Melody was born.

One month ago, tired of the violence in their last neighborhood, near Anaheim Street, the center of Long Beach's large Cambodian community, the family moved to North Long Beach.

The district's superintendent set up a fund to help the family with funeral costs and other needs

Russian, Cambodian ships collide in Black Sea

SOFIA, November 2 (Itar-Tass) -- The Russian ship Nikolai Psomiadi and the ship Dolian flying the Cambodian flag, collided in neutral waters of the Black Sea off Bulgaria on Monday.

According to the Marine Rescue and Coordination Centre in Varna, the incident occurred outside Bulgaria’s 12-mile territorial zone during a storm. The captains of both ships rejected the offers of help.

The press service of the ministry of transport, communications and information technologies said the Bulgarian Navy has been notified of the incident. A helicopter is ready to fly to the scene of the incident, if need be.

Cambodian's Khmer Rouge trials hits another hurdle

The Extraordinary Chamber of the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) during a hearing on June 30, 2009. Two judges on the tribunal have been accused of taking instruction from their respective governments. [AFP]

The beleaguered Khmer Rouge trials in Cambodia have hit another obstacle.

Two pre-trial judges, including Australian Rowan Downing QC, have been accused of taking instruction from their respective governments in a motion filed last week.

The Extraordinary Chambers of the Courts of Cambodia were created to try the leaders of the Khmer Rouge regime, which is accused of killing more than two million people in the 1970s.

The Khmer Rouge tribunal has endured considerable controversy in its four years of existence and now many people believe its become entrenched in its own politics.

The lawyers of accused war criminal, Ieng Sari, have filed a motion requesting that two pre trial judges, including Mr Downing, be removed from the court due to a public perception of bias.

Radio Australia has obtained a copy of the motion that seizes on comments recently made by the Cambodian Prime Minister, Hun Sen.

Mr Sen alleged the two judges have been acting on the orders of their respective foreign governments.

'Fair trial'

Michael Karnavas is one of the co-defence lawyers who filed the motion.

"What we're saying is we're caught in the middle of all of this, we're entitled to a fair trial," he said.

"The average person in Cambodia believes their Prime Minister, the United Nations hasn't stepped up to the plate, to either defend these judges or to show that they've taken any action to look into these allegations."

"The judges haven't spoken up, I suspect because of their position, but we want this matter cleared."

The two pre-trial judges, Mr Downing and Dutch national Katinka Lahuis are unable to comment on either Hun Sen's comments or the motion being filed against them.

Appropriate behaviour

But a spokeswoman for the court, Yuko Maeda, says the court believes all their court officials are behaving appropriately.

"We believe all the judicial officials who work at the ECCC are performing accordingly, independently from any of the executive bodies."

"This is the international standard, ECCC is following the international standard. We believe that none of the judicial officials who are working at the ECCC are influenced by any executive body."

Heather Ryan, a court monitor with the Open Society Justice Initiative, says she's seen no evidence to confirm the allegations, but says they should be publicly addressed to protect the credibility of the court.

"Many of the international players and the judges are in my view, unfortunately reluctant to speak publicly when statements like this that impact the credibility of the court are made," she said.

"I think it's part of that sort of general reluctance of commentators and officials of the courts to speak about what's going on in the court publicly. There's kind of a conspiracy of silence."

Bribery claims

An early report into the court's activities prepared for the US Agency for International Development concluded corruption was "pandemic" within the administration of local officials with bribery a widely accepted practice.

A subsequent report produced by the court, which was initially suppressed, revealed similar findings.

But there is no suggestion that these allegations relate to the judges of the court.

Lawyer Michael Karnavas dismisses any suggestion that his motion is designed further erode the tribunal's reputation, arguing it upholds expectations of transparency and due diligence.

"I haven't made these allegations, somebody else has. I'm not the one getting kick backs from the national staff. I'm not the one who is hiding the UN report, others are doing that," he said.

"So you can't blame the defence for trying to shed light and trying to make this process as transparent as possible."

Mounting scepticism

Ms Ryan, of the Open Society Justice Initiatives, says the court should be concerned about mounting public scepticism over its transparency and capacity to deliver swift and effective justice.

"The court has an obligation now, if it's to preserve its obligation to the people of Cambodia to go out of its way and take additional steps to be transparent, to scrupulously deal with any allegations of misconduct or wrong doing and to ensure that people can see that they actually are serving the interests of justice."

"Right now when everything is done behind closed doors people don't see that and so when statements like the one that is alleged by Ieng Sari's lawyers are made, it feeds on a kind of inherent suspicion."

Cambodia can deny Thaksin extradition bid by Thailand: Attorney-General

BANGKOK, Oct 30 (TNA) - Cambodia reserves the right to deny a request by Thailand to extradite ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra if he stays in the neighbouring country, but substantial grounds must be provided for the denial, according to the Attorney-General Julasingh Wasantsingh.

Mr Julasingh said he did not focus on anybody in particular, but would touch only on the principle that even though Thailand and Cambodia had signed an extradition treaty, in practice the country which was asked for the extradition has the full right to deny the request.

However, that country must justify its denial in line with international practice.

As for Mr Thaksin’s case, the Office of the Attorney-General has not been informed about his whereabouts so the office could not make the request.

If the police and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirm that Mr Thaksin is in Cambodia, Thai officials would seek extradition, but it depends on Phnom Penh's decision.

He added that Thailand had formerly denied such requests from some countries, but the kingdom was able to provide strong grounds to clarify its decisions in the past.

Mr Hun Sen told reporters during attending the 15th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit in Thailand that Mr Thaksin could remain in Cambodia as his guest and could be his economic advisor, saying he was not interfering in Thailand's internal affairs, but that Cambodia has the right to exercise its sovereignty and make such a decision.

Ousted in a bloodless coup in September 2006, convicted and sentenced to a two-year jail term for malfeasance in the controversial Bangkok Ratchadapisek land purchase, Mr Thaksin now living in self-exile abroad and is reportedly a close friend of Mr Hun Sen.

Microsoft wows the Street Stock soars 10% after the software giant's earnings and revenue beat analysts' forecast. Sales fell 14% to $12.9 billion, de

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Microsoft Corp.'s stock soared early Friday after the software giant reported quarterly sales and profit that fell from year-ago results but easily beat Wall Street's forecasts.

Shares of Microsoft (MSFT, Fortune 500) rose more than 10% in early trading. It surged as high as $29.35 at the open, hitting its highest level, on an intraday basis, since June 13, 2008.

The Redmond, Wash.-based software giant said its first-quarter net income fell 18% to $3.6 billion, or 40 cents per share, for the period ended Sept. 30. Analysts polled by Thomson Reuters were expecting earnings of 32 cents per share.

Sales fell 14% to $12.9 billion, topping analysts' forecasts of $12.3 billion. It was the third consecutive quarter in which sales fell from year-ago levels. In April Microsoft reported that sales fell on a year-over-year basis for the first time in the company's 23-year history as a public company.

"We are very pleased with our performance this quarter and particularly by the strong consumer demand for Windows," said Microsoft Chief Financial Officer Chris Liddell in a statement. "We also maintained our cost discipline, which allowed us to drive strong earnings performance despite continued tough overall economic conditions."

Some analysts said cost-cutting contributed to better-than-expected results, but it's too soon to declare Microsoft's recent struggles over.

"Microsoft did a little deck cleaning before the start of its fiscal year," said Carl Howe, analyst at Yankee group. "They may have beat expectations, but if I looked at this just to analyze the income statement, Microsoft still had a tough quarter."

Windows 7 expected to be a hit. The earnings announcement topped off a high-profile week for Microsoft, in which it unveiled its new operating system, Windows 7.

Microsoft has been hurt in recent quarters by slumping demand for PCs. But many signs point to a rebound in computer sales, including this week's Windows 7 launch. Though analysts don't expect the new operating system to boost PC sales significantly in 2009, a pickup in sales is anticipated for 2010.

Microsoft said PC sales were better than expected in the last quarter, as sales ticked up by between 0% and 2%. The company said businesses will slowly start to buy new computers starting next year and into 2011.

Sales of Windows fell 38.8% in the quarter and profits from the operating system division were sliced in half. That was mostly due to a deferral of $1.5 billion in revenue from Vista sales to provide customers with upgrade coupons for Windows 7.

The company said Windows sales set an all-time record in September -- an encouraging sign for the company and for the success of Windows 7. Microsoft said it will realize $1.7 billion of Windows 7 revenue in the current quarter -- $1.5 billion from last quarter and $200 million from the previous quarter.

"What they really did was ensure that in this [current] quarter, that division will have very nice looking results, since they are pulling in deferred results from last quarter," said Howe. "So the [current] quarter may look much better as a result."

Cost-cutting drives profits higher: Other divisions posted healthy profit increases, largely as a result of cost-cutting.

In January, Microsoft announced its first mass layoffs in its 34-year history in an effort to bolster its bottom line. The company slashed 5,000 positions, a move that is expected to be completed by mid-2010.

The company's headcount was down 4% in the quarter from a year ago -- the largest yearly staffing decline in the company's history.

Revenue from its entertainment and devices division, which includes the Xbox 360 and the new Zune HD, was unchanged from last year, but profit nearly doubled. The company's server unit also had flat revenue, but profits rose 23%.

The company still failed to turn a profit in its online services business though. That division, which includes MSN, lost $480 million in the quarter. Sales in the division were down 6% from the same quarter a year earlier. The company said search advertising revenue continued to decline, but the industry is showing signs of stabilization.

Microsoft unveiled Bing, its new search engine, in June and agreed to an advertising revenue-sharing partnership with Yahoo (YHOO, Fortune 500) that will begin in 2010. Bing's launch has been considered a success so far, but the company still trails industry leader Google (GOOG, Fortune 500) in the online advertising market.

Thai king appears outside hospital

BANGKOK, Thailand (CNN) -- Thailand's King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the world's longest-reigning monarch, emerged from a hospital for the first time Friday since seeking medical attention more than a month ago.

A well-wisher signs a get well petition for Thailand's King Bhumibol Adulyadej.

The 81-year-old appeared outside the Bangkok hospital as onlookers shouted, "God bless the King." He was wheeled to an outdoor area of the hospital, where he paid respects to a statue of King Rama V. He then paid respects to a portrait of his late mother.

The monarch's appearance was televised on local stations.

He was admitted to the hospital on September 20 after complaining of fever and fatigue.

The king was formally crowned on May 5, 1950. Thailand abolished absolute monarchy in the 1930s, so the king wields little political power. But he is revered and enjoys immense popularity.