Iraq: prime minister lashes out at 'reckless' civil servants

Civil service global roundup: Greeks strike against austerity measures and Malaysian officials warned not to speculate on missing plane

Iraq: prime minister lashes out at 'reckless' civil servants

The Iraqi prime minister Nouri al-Maliki accused unnamed government officials of deliberately hampering the political process, on his weekly televised address to the nation.

He said that some civil servants had "an intentional disrespect for citizens with the aim of turning them against the country's new political system and the current government", the Turkish Press reported.

Al-Malaki said that officials were neglecting public services with the intention of eroding public confidence in the government.

Wales: former top civil servant left with £200,000 exit package

Dame Gill Morgan, the former permanent secretary to the Welsh government who left in August 2012, received a payment of up to £195,000, accounts show.

The Labour government's accounts state that she "retired on voluntary exit terms", as reported in Wales Online.

The accounts also show that the former director general is still being paid his old salary, despite having stepped down last September.

The Welsh Conservative party has criticised the "excessive salary top-ups and pay-offs" given to senior civil servants.

Greece: civil servants strike against austerity measures

Around 3000 civil servants, including teachers and hospital staff, took part in a two-day strike this week in protest against austerity measures, U-T San Diego reported.

The Greek government has had to cut wages and jobs in the public sector as part of a package of economic reforms agreed with its international creditors.

Malaysia: civil servants cautioned not to spread rumours about missing plane

A directive has been issued to about 1.4 million civil servants, cautioning them not to speculate or spread inaccurate information about Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 which disappeared two weeks ago.

The director-general of public services Tan Sri Mohamad Zabidi Zainal was quoted in the Malaysia Chronicle saying, "I would like civil servants to be the nation's first line of defence by not adding fuel to fire."

China: teachers and civil servants get the most sleep, survey finds

Civil servants and teachers are getting the best sleep in China while media professionals sleep poorly, according to the 2014 China Sleep Quality Index.

The survey, published by the Chinese Medical Doctor's Association and reported in the South China Morning Post, asked 8000 people from across China to rank the quality of their sleep out of 100.

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