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        <title><![CDATA[Home/Opinion]]></title>
        <link><![CDATA[http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/menuitem.834aa1e6fcecd3b733492d9253a0a0a0/]]></link>
        <description><![CDATA[Home_Opinion]]></description>
        <pubDate>2012-02-09 16:20:05</pubDate>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[More letters ]]></title>
            <pubDate>2012-02-09 00:00:00</pubDate>
            <link><![CDATA[http://www.scmp.com/vgn-ext-templating/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=04bd4e0da9d55310VgnVCM100000360a0a0aRCRD&s=opinion]]></link>
            <description><![CDATA[As a Hongkonger, I am disturbed by the &quot;anti-locust&quot; campaign recently directed at mainlanders. ]]></description>
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            <title><![CDATA[Thrift works ]]></title>
            <pubDate>2012-02-09 00:00:00</pubDate>
            <link><![CDATA[http://www.scmp.com/vgn-ext-templating/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=305614d2acc55310VgnVCM100000360a0a0aRCRD&s=opinion]]></link>
            <description><![CDATA[Europe seems to be obsessed with austerity. Country after country is being forced by either the financial markets or the European Union to start cutting its public-sector deficit. And, as if this were not enough, 25 of the 27 EU member states have just agreed on a new treaty  that would oblige them never to have a cyclically adjusted budget deficit of more than 0.5per cent  of  gross domestic product. (For comparison, the US budget deficit in 2011 was close to 8per cent of GDP).
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            <title><![CDATA[Lawmakers' pay grab true to the jungle]]></title>
            <pubDate>2012-02-09 00:00:00</pubDate>
            <link><![CDATA[http://www.scmp.com/vgn-ext-templating/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=47d7a5bafec55310VgnVCM100000360a0a0aRCRD&s=opinion]]></link>
            <description><![CDATA[Hong Kong has the world's highest home prices by some measures, despite having some of the ugliest buildings in which it is possible to live. Flats in areas that in other cities would be called ghettos, projects or slums go for prices that in friendlier climes would buy you an estate with orchards and lawns.
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            <title><![CDATA[Threat of violence will not derail relations between China and Africa ]]></title>
            <pubDate>2012-02-09 00:00:00</pubDate>
            <link><![CDATA[http://www.scmp.com/vgn-ext-templating/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=6d1514d2acc55310VgnVCM100000360a0a0aRCRD&s=opinion]]></link>
            <description><![CDATA[Beijing must, however, conduct a thorough risk assessment of its projects and business interests in Africa, so that its nationals are better protected, says <B>Hu Shuli</B>.]]></description>
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            <title><![CDATA[Who said it?]]></title>
            <pubDate>2012-02-09 00:00:00</pubDate>
            <link><![CDATA[http://www.scmp.com/vgn-ext-templating/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=7c12a5deffd55310VgnVCM100000360a0a0aRCRD&s=opinion]]></link>
            <description><![CDATA[Propaganda workers should insist on telling the truth. They should be fearless and take a clear stance, ... so that the evil can be evicted and righteousness be supported]]></description>
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            <title><![CDATA[Flexible policy could help ease pressure for places at city's international schools]]></title>
            <pubDate>2012-02-09 00:00:00</pubDate>
            <link><![CDATA[http://www.scmp.com/vgn-ext-templating/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=98cd4e0da9d55310VgnVCM100000360a0a0aRCRD&s=opinion]]></link>
            <description><![CDATA[Direct Subsidy Scheme (DSS) schools can help ease the burden on oversubscribed international schools if Education Bureau policy is interpreted more flexibly. 
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            <title><![CDATA[Forging a Pax Pacifica ]]></title>
            <pubDate>2012-02-09 00:00:00</pubDate>
            <link><![CDATA[http://www.scmp.com/vgn-ext-templating/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=aea514d2acc55310VgnVCM100000360a0a0aRCRD&s=opinion]]></link>
            <description><![CDATA[Although the relationship between China and the United States is critical to Asia's future, this does not mean the region will become a Sino-American duopoly. The concept of a &quot;G2&quot; is never going to fly in Asia.
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            <title><![CDATA[Talking points]]></title>
            <pubDate>2012-02-09 00:00:00</pubDate>
            <link><![CDATA[http://www.scmp.com/vgn-ext-templating/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=b6b7a5bafec55310VgnVCM100000360a0a0aRCRD&s=opinion]]></link>
            <description><![CDATA[The Zoological and Botanical Gardens holds a briefing on its twin baby orang-utans, which have been removed from their mother, to the distress of animal rights groups. Orang-utan Aid  spokeswoman Mara McCaffery wrote to the <I>Post</I>: &quot;We are also astounded that the Leisure and Cultural Services Department is still undecided as to the fate of these babies, and their plans for improving the orang-utan enclosure at the zoo ... It would seem completely irresponsible to have allowed the breeding to occur without having a clear vision of how any future offspring would be cared for.&quot;
<P>]]></description>
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            <title><![CDATA[How much are our lawmakers worth?]]></title>
            <pubDate>2012-02-09 00:00:00</pubDate>
            <link><![CDATA[http://www.scmp.com/vgn-ext-templating/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=c2ad4e0da9d55310VgnVCM100000360a0a0aRCRD&s=opinion]]></link>
            <description><![CDATA[Public perceptions of how much our lawmakers are worth range from nothing to considerably more than the HK$73,150 a month we pay them now. They may therefore feel they have nothing to lose by suggesting that their salaries be doubled. But it would help if they had a better sense of timing and the public mood. That presents a problem, when we are regularly reminded that the participation of some members in Legislative Council ranges from minimal to erratic, and when a recent survey by the University of Hong Kong found that half of more than 1,000 respondents were dissatisfied with our lawmakers. Admittedly the worst attendance examples are to be found among representatives of functional constituencies, who are not accountable to voters at large. But public perceptions also have been influenced by the disruptive tactics of a splinter group of the pan-democrat camp. 
]]></description>
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            <title><![CDATA[It all comes down to property market]]></title>
            <pubDate>2012-02-09 00:00:00</pubDate>
            <link><![CDATA[http://www.scmp.com/vgn-ext-templating/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=d9dd4e0da9d55310VgnVCM100000360a0a0aRCRD&s=opinion]]></link>
            <description><![CDATA[Despite getting a healthy dose of benefits last week from the financial secretary, the middle class's abiding interest in the budget is how it will affect the property market, especially with an uncertain outlook in Europe and the US. Since high prices have moderated a little, and some observers predict the trend to continue, the government has decided to leave well enough alone for the time being. Instead it will focus on increasing land supply to reduce the underlying pressure on prices.
]]></description>
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            <title><![CDATA[The outsiders ]]></title>
            <pubDate>2012-02-09 00:00:00</pubDate>
            <link><![CDATA[http://www.scmp.com/vgn-ext-templating/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=ec0614d2acc55310VgnVCM100000360a0a0aRCRD&s=opinion]]></link>
            <description><![CDATA[Those who defend Hong Kong's rights and freedoms against encroachment by Beijing should examine their own attitude towards foreign maids and pregnant mainlanders, says <B>Eric Li</B>.]]></description>
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