XIN_ENG_20061119.0263

BEIJING, Nov. 20 , 2006 (Xinhua)

China launches long-term biodiversity protection plan

China has launched a long-term protection plan of biological diversity in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River, reports Monday's China Youth Daily.

The project, jointly initiated by the State Environmental Protection Administration and Nature Conservation China, will gradually be implemented across the country.

According to the plan, experts will begin by evaluating the biological diversity of southwest China's Sichuan Province and submit their recommendations to the provincial government.

The long-term protection plan will provide comprehensive and systematic support for biological diversity protection in China and help governments at various levels to take biological diversity protection into consideration when making decisions, according to the plan.

The deterioration of the biological environment, caused by rapid economic development and population growth, has harmed China's biological diversity and threatened China's sustainable development.

The National Development and Reform Commission, State Forestry Administration, State Oceanic Administration, Wildlife Conservation Society and World Wildlife Fund are all cooperative partners in the plan.

launched

reports

initiated

implemented

According

begin

evaluating

submit

provide

help

take

decisions

according

caused

development

harmed

threatened

development


XIN_ENG_20051108.0110

FALLUJAH, Iraq, Nov. 8 , 2005 (Xinhua)

Gunmen kill two Iraqi soldiers near Fallujah

Gunmen ambushed an Iraqi army patrol in a flashpoint town near Fallujah, west of Baghdad, on Tuesday, killing two soldiers and wounding five others, a local journalist told Xinhua.

The attack took place in the morning when unknown armed men opened fire at the army patrol in Ameriyat al-Fallujah town, south of Fallujah, Abdul Rahman said.

In a separate incident, a suicide car bomber drove his explosive-laden car into a US military patrol late last night in the Garma town, east of Fallujah, Rahman said.

The suicide attack destroyed a US Humvee, causing casualties among the soldiers aboard, he said.

The powerful blast prompted the US soldiers to open fire haphazardly, wounding two civilians and causing damage in several nearby houses, he added.

Fallujah, a city some 50 km west of Baghdad in the restive Anbar province, along with nearby towns and villages, has witnessed frequent insurgent attacks against the US and Iraqi forces in the past two and a half years of violence.

ambushed

killing

wounding

told

attack

took

opened

said

drove

said

attack

destroyed

causing

said

blast

prompted

open

wounding

causing

added

witnessed

attacks

violence


AFP_ENG_19970402.0208

WASHINGTON, April 2 , 1997 (AFP)

Chinese reporter commits suicide after planned defection foiled: daily

The Washington bureau chief of the New China News Agency, Xinhua, committed suicide over the weekend in Beijing after a collague discovered he was planning to defect, The New York Times said Wednesday.

China's state-run agency made no public mention of Wei Guoqiang's death, but it was confirmed by several of his colleagues in the Chinese capital, the daily said.

A Xinhua employee said Wei, 47, was called back to Beijing in late March, only one month after his usual yearly visit to the agency's headquarters.

"I heard he was back to discuss something with his superiors, and I was surprised because I had just read one of his articles from Washington," said Wei's colleague, who, like the others, asked not to be identified.

Another colleague said Wei was recalled after he had been discovered by a co-worker in Washington preparing documents to support a political asylum application for himself, his wife, and his 17-year- old daughter.

Once in Beijing, Wei was put under close watch at his home by a relative, but was left briefly alone over the weekend.

He chose that moment to hang himself in the bathroom of his apartment, the colleague said.

committed

suicide

discovered

planning

defect

said

made

mention

confirmed

said

said

called

visit

heard

discuss

surprised

read

said

identified

said

recalled

discovered

support

put

left

chose

hang

said


XIN_ENG_20061109.0107

JAKARTA, Nov. 9 , 2006 (Xinhua)

Indonesian shares close higher

Share prices on the Jakarta Stock Exchange ended higher Thursday led by gains in banking shares.

The composite index rose by 14.2 points to close at 1,660.26 points.

Turnovers totaled 1.5 billion shares worth 1.85 trillion rupiah (203.1 million U.S. dollars).

Advancers beat decliners 69 to 40, with 83 other issues left unchanged.

ended

led

gains

rose

close

totaled

beat


AFP_ENG_20051214.0121

ATHENS, Dec 14 , 2005

General strike shuts down Greek public and private sectors

A 24-hour general strike on Wednesday paralysed the Greek public and private sectors and severely restricted air, sea and rail travel across the country, as the country's two biggest trade unions took to the streets to protest against government fiscal policy.

All aircraft were to be grounded for four hours on Wednesday from noon (1000 GMT) because of action by air traffic controllers.

Flight disruptions were to continue until Thursday, with national carrier Olympic Airlines expecting to cancel 35 flights to foreign destinations and 75 internal flights over the next two days.

Olympic said it would operate one flight a day to each domestic destination and one flight a day to each foreign destination.

Another Greek carrier, Aegean Airlines, said it will cancel a flight to Cyprus and seven domestic flights and will change the timings of 27 of its departures on Wednesday.

The Wednesday strike by the General Confederation of Workers (GSEE) and the Union of Civil Servants (ADEDY) -- which number some 800,000 members among them -- was also expected to cripple shipping, ground intercity trains and halt Athens' public transport systems.

The Athens metro was to operate between 11 am and 4 pm to enable people to join demonstrations planned for 1 pm.

Banks, hospitals and schools would also remain closed because of the strike, which also brought a four-hour break in media coverage.

The unions are protesting against government spending plans and proposals to alter the status of staff working for large public companies.

Police and firefighters carried out their own street protest on Tuesday evening, marching on parliament to demand a hazardous pay bonus.

strike

paralysed

took

protest

grounded

action

disruptions

continue

expecting

cancel

said

operate

said

cancel

change

departures

strike

expected

cripple

halt

operate

pm

enable

join

demonstrations

remain

strike

brought

break

protesting

alter

working

carried

marching

demand


AFP_ENG_20051216.0393

THE HAGUE, Dec 16 , 2005

War crimes court extends gag on Kosovo ex-PM indefinitely

A gagging order on former Kosovo prime minister and ex-guerrilla commander Ramush Haradinaj has been extended indefinitely, the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) said Friday.

Haradinaj, 37, remains barred from making public speeches or participating in political meetings after an appeals chamber ordered the ban to be continued until they have issued a ruling on the matter.

In October 12 a lower court had ruled that Haradinaj could have a limited return to public life, which was supported by the UN peacekeeping mission in Kosovo.

The prosecution appealed the decision and as the matter was pending the decision was stayed three times to allow the appeals chamber to reach a decision.

The last stay was to end on November 21 but the appeals chamber has now extended it indefinitely until they reach a decision.

Haradinaj, a Kosovo Liberation Army commander during the war against Serbian forces in 1998-99, is charged with war crimes, including murder and rape, committed against Serbian and Albanian civilians.

He resigned as prime minister and surrendered to the tribunal in March this year.

extended

said

barred

speeches

participating

ordered

continued

issued

ruling

ruled

return

supported

peacekeeping

appealed

decision

pending

decision

stayed

allow

reach

decision

stay

end

extended

reach

decision

war

charged

committed

resigned

surrendered


AFP_ENG_20061210.0525

TEHRAN, Dec 11 , 2006, 2006

=(PICTURE)=

Iran has for the first time approved a non-cleric to run for the key body that supervises and selects the supreme leader, although he remains a pillar of the Islamic republic's establishment.

Mohsen Esmaili, a 41-year-old law professor, is a member of the conservative electoral watchdog the Guardians Council that vetted 495 candidates for December 15 poll, disqualifying two-thirds of them.

Esmaili, as well as an unspecified number of candidates, had to take an exam to ascertain whether he was sufficiently qualified in Islamic jurisprudence to be termed "mojtahed" and thus qualify to serve in the Assembly of Experts.

The Iranian constitution does not require candidates to be a "mojtahed", but the body, which has autonomy in tailoring requirements for membership, has made that mandatory.

Esmaili believes the Assembly needs to open its doors to non-clerical experts in politics, the economy, international law and administration to play a more effective role as an advisor to the leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

"Those who enter the Assembly of Experts should be able to understand the complicated issues of modern world and present solutions to the leader and the policy-making bodies," he told a press conference, dressed in a smart three-piece suit.

"The leader has shown he is willing to hear different views," Esmaili said, adding he would seek to boost links between non-clerical consultants and the Assembly members if elected.

"We have more accurate information about people's needs because of our presence in universities," said Esmaili, who has formed a coalition with five other candidates in Tehran, and is working to have 40 other candidates representing 20 provinces join the group.

Several non-clerical figures, most notably President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and parliament speaker Gholam Ali Hadad-Adel, have won key posts in recent years, in a change of the trend that prevailed the late 1980s and 1990s.

However the term non-cleric is not synonymous with reformist and both Ahmadinejad and Hadad-Adel are conservatives seen as close to the supreme leader.

Himself a former student of Khamenei, Esmaili said "of course we see the leader as the best person for navigating Iran through the turbulence of today's world but it does not mean that nobody has the right to comment or criticize."

The 86-member Assembly -- which is only elected once every eight years -- is in charge of supervising, dismissing and electing the Supreme Leader, who is appointed for life.

Esmaili stopped short of commenting on the Assembly's past record as it "has not published an official report, so we cannot judge". The Assembly does not publish details of its discussions, only its opening and closing statements.

He believes the Assembly, which meets twice a year, should be more transparent, providing the public with regular reports of its decisions and activities.

"We will take a step forward. The sessions should be open unless the law prevents making something public to protect national interests".

Esmaili expressed regret that some clerical hopefuls snubbed the Islamic jurisprudence exam in the run-up to the election and consequently were excluded from the race.

"We should submit to the instruments of democracy. When there is a condition we should use it," he said of those who regarded the prerequisite as an insult.

Among those who boycotted the test were leading reformist clerics Majid Ansari, who is an incumbent member of the Assembly, and Hadi Khamenei, brother of the supreme leader.

"We should have members representing different views, but the ones who put national interests before personal leanings," he said.

"It's our duty to prove a theocracy is efficient and capable of responding to modern questions."

approved

run

selects

remains

establishment

vetted

disqualifying

take

exam

ascertain

qualified

termed

qualify

serve

require

made

believes

needs

open

play

enter

understand

present

told

conference

shown

willing

hear

said

adding

seek

boost

elected

said

formed

working

join

won

change

prevailed

seen

said

see

navigating

mean

has

comment

criticize

elected

supervising

dismissing

electing

appointed

stopped

commenting

published

judge

publish

believes

providing

decisions

take

open

prevents

protect

expressed

snubbed

run-up

excluded

submit

use

said

regarded

prerequisite

boycotted

leading

put

said

duty

prove

responding


XIN_ENG_20061118.0076

HANOI, Nov. 18 , 2006 (Xinhua)

bilateral ties

Chinese President Hu Jintao and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe met here on Saturday with both leaders expressing the willingness to maintain the good momentum of the development of relations between the two countries.

"The Sino-Japanese ties are now at a crucial juncture," Hu said when he met Abe before the beginning of the 14th Economic Leaders' Meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum slated for Saturday and Sunday.

The talks, the second between the two leaders since early October, demonstrated their common aspiration to improve relations between China and Japan and marked a new era in the Sino-Japanese relations, Hu said.

At their Beijing meeting last month, both leaders agreed that they should view the Sino-Japanese ties from the long-term and strategic perspective so as to achieve the great objective of peaceful coexistence, friendship for generations, cooperation of mutual benefit and common development, the Chinese president said.

"The two sides also reached wide-ranging consensus on enhancing political trust, boosting cooperation of mutual benefit, expanding exchanges of personnel and promoting cooperation in international and regional affairs," Hu said.

To further promote bilateral cooperation, President Hu put forward a five-point proposal -- charting the direction of the development of bilateral ties, deepening friendship between the two peoples, promoting mutually beneficial cooperation, making joint efforts to promote peace, stability and development in Asia, and properly handling the sensitive issues related to Taiwan and the history of Japanese invasion.

The sensitive issues are closely related to the political foundation of bilateral relations between the two countries, Hu said.

The two countries should also speed up consultation on the East China Sea issue in line with the principle of mutual benefit and reciprocity, and make it the "sea of peace, cooperation and friendship," Hu said.

Abe said Japan and China have agreed to build a strategically reciprocal relationship during his October visit to China, and he hoped to maintain high-level exchanges so as to push the Japan-China relations to a new high.

The Japanese prime minister suggested the two sides hold a ministerial meeting at the earliest to coordinate their cooperation in economy and trade, to strengthen cooperation in energy saving and environmental protection, as well as to promote exchanges of personnel and boost cooperation in tourism.

He also recommended both sides launch a joint study on the historical issues, intensify consultation on the East China Sea issue, and boost cooperation among Japan, China and South Korea in investment, environmental protection and tourism.

President Hu Jintao is in Hanoi for a state visit to Vietnam, where he and other leaders or representatives from the 21 APEC members will attend the Nov. 18-19 APEC economic leaders' meeting.

met

expressing

maintain

development

said

met

beginning

slated

talks

demonstrated

improve

marked

said

meeting

agreed

view

achieve

development

said

reached

enhancing

boosting

cooperation

expanding

promoting

cooperation

said

promote

cooperation

put

charting

development

deepening

promoting

cooperation

efforts

promote

development

handling

invasion

said

speed

make

said

said

agreed

build

visit

hoped

maintain

push

suggested

hold

meeting

coordinate

strengthen

promote

boost

recommended

launch

intensify

boost

visit

attend

meeting


AFP_ENG_20061221.0605

HAVANA, Dec 21 , 2006, 2006

by Isabel Sanchez

Interim Cuba leader Raul Castro could signal a passing of the torch to a newer generation of Communist leaders when Cuba's national legislature opens its annual meeting here Friday.

Raul's role as top leader since he took over from his ailing older brother Fidel Castro on July 31 will likely be made clearer at the meeting.

But the probable absence of Fidel, unseen in public since he underwent surgery in July, will spotlight the big question about the future of Cuba and who will lead it, beyond the Castro brothers.

Raul, 75, strongly suggested during a 35-minute speech late Wednesday to the University Students' Federation (FEU) that the time had come for a changing of the guard.

"Whether we like it or not, we're already coming to the end of our duties," he said. "We have to yield to the new generations ... or continue to lead the way for the new generations, gradually of course."

Raul spoke from a table where three generations of Cuban leaders were sitting, including Jose Ramon Machado Ventura, 76, chief of the Organization Department of the Communist Party Central Committee; Vice President Carlos Lage, 55; and his 25-year-old son and FEU chairman Carlos Lage Codorniu.

After the students said in a final statement that they would "defend the martial, Marxist-Leninist, socialist and antiimperialist revolution," Raul replied that he was proud Cuba would be led "by the new generations you represent."

On what style of government they should follow, Raul, also Cuba's defense minister, recommended the leadership should always include exhaustive debate.

He offered a little insight in his own way of doing things: "I confer with a group of 12 generals of one or more stars. They all give their opinions, they all discuss, and in the end, if I don't see a true majority consensus, no conclusion is reached, unless it's an emergency."

With 609 members, the National Assembly of People's Power (ANPP) gives some hints at the future leadership. It is presided over by one of the leading figures of the regime, Ricardo Alarcon, 69, Cuba's former representative to the United Nations.

The legislature comprises now three generations of Cuban leaders, all bound together by "Fidelism" -- from the old guard who rose up behind Fidel Castro in the 1959 revolution, to the newest generation of 30-40 year-olds.

In between are rising figures like Lage; Felipe Perez Roque, 41, Cuba's top diplomat; and Francisco Soberon, 61, president of the central bank.

All were named by Fidel Castro to back his brother in the interim.

Since its creation in December 1976, the ANPP has always been Fidel Castro's venue for laying out in detail the country's direction. His long speeches dominated debates and usually led to unanimous votes backing his views.

It will be only the second time in its 30-year history that Fidel will miss a session of the ANPP.

With a more conservative, quieter style, Raul Castro will preside over the second of the two annual ANPP sessions. In December 2002, his absence was attributed to complications from a mosquito bite.

In the days ahead of the meeting, there has been no indication that he will break from the normal routine. The deputies will review, for instance, the state housing construction program and the "revolutionary" program to protect the environment, themes already discussed Monday and Tuesday by ANPP committees.

Even so, all attention will be focused on any signal about Fidel's health and Raul's future. The meeting takes place with Fidel unseen in public for more than four months and questions about the country's future looming.

"We cannot exclude the possibility that Fidel will choose this moment to make important announcements through his brother, such as laying down the formal process for a transition," said a diplomat from a friendly Latin American country.

The diplomat said Fidel Castro's "political wisdom" could inspire an announcement.

However, he cautioned, "His temperament as a fierce fighter doesn't suggest that he would announce his withdrawal from politics prematurely."

With a personal appearance generally ruled out, the country must hold its breath in wait for a surprise move.

signal

opens

meeting

took

made

meeting

underwent

spotlight

lead

suggested

speech

come

changing

like

coming

said

yield

continue

lead

spoke

sitting

said

defend

revolution

replied

led

follow

recommended

debate

offered

confer

give

discuss

see

reached

presided

comprises

rose

rising

named

back

creation

laying

dominated

led

votes

backing

miss

session

preside

attributed

complications

meeting

break

review

protect

discussed

focused

meeting

takes

looming

exclude

choose

make

laying

process

transition

said

said

inspire

announcement

cautioned

suggest

announce

withdrawal

ruled

hold

move


AFP_ENG_20061218.0530

GENEVA, Dec 19 , 2006, 2006

"Heart of Borneo" reveals astonishing array of new species: WWF

In the second remarkable biodiversity find this year, researchers announced on Tuesday they had identified at least 52 new species of animals and plants on the island of Borneo.

The new discovery including 30 unique species of fish, two new species of tree frog, 16 species of ginger, three tree species and a large-leafed species of plant seen nowhere else in the world, the wildlife group WWF said in a press release.

Many of the species were found in the so-called Heart of Borneo, a thickly forested mountainous region covering around 220,000 square kilometers (85,000 square miles) in the centre of the island.

The finds include the world's second smallest vertebrate, a tiny species of fish that measures less than one centimetre (1.25 inches) in length and thrives in the island's highly acidic blackwater peat swamps.

There is also a catfish with a protruding teeth "and an adhesive belly which allows it to literally stick to rocks," as well as six species of Siamese fighting fish, including one species with a gorgeous iridescent blue-green colouring.

The 52 new species have been covered in the past year alone.

In February, scientists said they had had found a "Garden of Eden" in the Foja Mountains, on the island of New Guinea, where they recorded dozens of new species of butterflies, frogs, palms and rhododendrons.

They also found a unique local species of honeyeater bird -- the first new bird to be sighted on New Guinea for more than 60 years -- and determined that the mountains were the home of one of the most elusive bird species of all, a creature called the Berlepsch's bird of paradise.

WWF said many more species waited to be discovered in Borneo, which is divided between Brunei, Indonesia and Malaysia, but expressed deep concern about the loss of equatorial rainforest, which is being cleared for rubber, oil palm and pulp production.

"The more we look, the more we find," said Stuart Chapman, international coordinator for WWF's Heart of Borneo programme. "These discoveries reaffirm Borneo's position as one of the most important centres of biodiversity in the world."

find

announced

identified

discovery

seen

said

found

include

thrives

stick

covered

said

found

recorded

found

sighted

determined

called

said

waited

discovered

expressed

loss

cleared

look

find

said

reaffirm


XIN_ENG_20051111.0143

BEIJING, Nov. 11 , 2005 (Xinhua)

Chinese vice premier encourages oil, gas prospecting

Chinese Vice Premier Zeng Peiyan Thursday highlighted the prospecting of petroleum and gas as an important task of geological survey work.

Efforts should focus on prospecting of strategic mineral resources, especially oil, natural gas, uranium, iron, copper and aluminium, Zeng said at a conference on geological work held by the State Council in Taiyuan, capital of northwest China's Shanxi Province.

Zeng stressed the importance of the geological survey work, considering it key to easing the impact of resource shortages on economic growth.

He noted that major projects in geological surveying should be launched in accordance with the overall layout of national economic and social development. Enterprises are encouraged to take part in mineral prospecting.

He urged to continue the comprehensive survey and assessment of the geological environment in key economic zones and mineral belts.

highlighted

task

work

focus

said

conference

held

stressed

work

considering

easing

impact

growth

noted

launched

development

encouraged

take

urged

continue


XIN_ENG_20061109.0396

ATHENS, Nov. 9 , 2006 (Xinhua)

Report sees rise in domestic demand, investments in Greece

The economic climate in Greece has returned to a growth course similar to that of the EU-25, while the Greek economy significantly reduced a "shortfall of optimism" that prevailed after the Athens 2004 Olympic Games, a report said.

Economic growth is expected to exceed 3.4 percent this year, boosted by domestic demand and rising investments, said the report issued on Thursday by the Institute for Economic and Industrial Research (IOBE).

It attributed the rising consumption to an expanding consumer credit and stressed that the increasing investments reflected an improving business climate and a recovery in public investments. The economic sentiment index kept rising for the last 12 months.

Consumers, however, remained gloomy over economic developments, the report said. The consumer sentiment index was the third lowest in the EU-25 and the lowest in the Eurozone, a trend prevailing for the last 15 years even in rapid growth periods for the Greek economy.

It underlined a systematic difference between real economic development and how consumers viewed them, the IOBE report said.

The report also blamed the out-of-date laws and regulations, and as for the new legislative initiative, it remained uncontrolled as far as its impact on the economy was concerned.

The report said spending on the country's social insurance system would grow rapidly in the future, warning that if the problem was not timely dealt with, it could undermine efforts for a sustainable reduction of public spending.

returned

reduced

prevailed

said

growth

expected

exceed

boosted

said

issued

attributed

rising

stressed

reflected

recovery

kept

rising

remained

developments

said

prevailing

underlined

viewed

said

blamed

remained

impact

concerned

said

spending

grow

warning

dealt

undermine

efforts

reduction

spending


AFP_ENG_20051206.0284

BRUSSELS, Dec 6 , 2005

ATTENTION - RECASTS with meeting ending in failure ///

EU finance ministers failed to agree Tuesday on a list of services to benefit from exceptionally low value added tax, with the incoming German government blocking a deal particularly important to France.

After two and a half years of talks on the list, the ministers decided to let heads of state and government work out at a summit next week such issues as whether hairdressers and restaurantiers should benefit from low VAT rates.

The European Union's current British presidency has been struggling to broker a deal on which industries should be included, but time is running out before the existing list expire at the end of the year.

"We will try our best to get an agreement on an important dossier which matters to a large number of states," said British finance minister Gordon Brown, who chaired the ministers' meeting.

Brown, who is known to have little appetite for lengthy negotiations with EU counterparts, was upbeat about the prospects for a deal at the December 15-16 summit in Brussels.

"We think there is a good chance of reaching an agreement at the council next week," he said.

Like all issues regarding tax harmonisation in the EU, the list must be unanimously accepted by the 25 member states. Exceptions aside, EU rules do not allow a minimum VAT rate of less than 15 percent.

The stakes are high for the sectors concerned and the current deadlock has left business leaders on the existing list -- which includes activities like building renovation, hair cutting and window-washing -- in limbo, wondering if they will benefit from a VAT tax break next year.

Hoping to pave the way for an agreement, Britain has put forward a compromise list taking up member states' main wishes for reduced VAT on services carried out at a local level and which, therefore, do not affect cross-border competition in the EU's single market for goods and services.

Germany's newly installed government is widely seen as holding the key to a deal because progress so far has been held up by opposition from Berlin.

"I think it's true to say that the new German government wants to look at its position on this matter and I think that it was right to leave this up to the council (summit) so that the German government, which has just come into the administration, can examine this in more detail," Brown said.

Paris has been working its close relations with Berlin -- but with little success so far -- in hope of breaking the deadlock and getting reduced VAT for building renovation prolonged and securing lower rates for restaurants as both industries are huge employers in France.

"Our German colleague, Peer Steinbrueck, the new finance minister, was not able at this point to offer his support," said French Finance Minister Thierry Breton.

However, Breton said he had the impression Germany was ready to make a gesture to help reach a deal

"The German minister is ready to embrace some of the British package, which he considers to be too broad. He is ready to make proposals," Breton said.

failed

agree

benefit

added

blocking

deal

talks

decided

let

work

summit

presidency

struggling

deal

running

expire

try

get

said

chaired

meeting

negotiations

upbeat

deal

summit

think

reaching

agreement

said

accepted

allow

left

cutting

wondering

benefit

Hoping

pave

put

taking

carried

affect

seen

holding

deal

held

think

say

wants

look

think

leave

come

examine

said

working

breaking

offer

said

said

had

make

gesture

help

reach

embrace

make

proposals

said


XIN_ENG_20061124.0221

ISLAMABAD, Nov. 24 , 2006 (Xinhua)

Writethru: China, Pakistan sign free trade agreement

China and Pakistan signed a free trade agreement (FTA) on Friday, which is projected to triple their current bilateral trade to 15 billion U.S. dollars within five years.

Under the agreement, China and Pakistan will begin to reduce or eliminate tariffs on all products in two phases from July 1, 2007.

During Phase I, both sides will reduce the tariffs on 85 percent of the products based on different extents of tariff reduction within five years of the agreement entering into force, and 36 percent of the products will be tariff free within three years.

During this phase, China will mainly reduce tariffs on livestock, aquatic products, vegetables, mineral products and textiles, while Pakistan will mainly reduce tariffs on beef and mutton, chemicals and machinery products.

Phase II starts from the sixth year of the entry into force of the agreement. Both sides will further reduce tariffs on the products on the basis of a review of the implementation of the agreement. The aim is to eliminate tariffs on no less than 90 percent of products, both in terms of tariff lines and trade volume, within a reasonable period of time on the basis of friendly consultation and accommodation of the concerns of both sides.

The Free Trade Agreement also covers investments, including investment promotion and protection, treatment of investments, expropriation, compensation for damages and losses and dispute settlement.

China and Pakistan launched negotiations on the agreement in April 2005. Over the past a year and a half, the two sides have had six rounds of negotiations.

The deal would further upgrade bilateral trade and economic cooperation and inject new vigor into the traditionally friendly relations between China and Pakistan, Chinese officials said.

China-Pakistan trade volume exceeded 4.3 billion dollars in 2005, representing a year-on-year increase of 39 percent. The officials said the trade deal could triple bilateral trade to 15 billion dollars within five years.

China mainly exports high-tech products, chemicals, plastics products and household appliances to Pakistan, and imports textiles, leather and aquatic products from the south Asian country.

The conclusion of the FTA came after one and a half years of negotiations between the two countries on market access for goods, rules of origin, trade remedies, sanitary and phytosanitary measures, technical barriers to trade, investments and dispute settlement.

The agreement is the third of its kind reached between China and foreign countries after the China-ASEAN FTA and the China-Chile FTA.

The deal was signed by Chinese Commerce Minister Bo Xilai and his Pakistani counterpart Jumayun Akhtar Khan, in the presence of Chinese President Hu Jintao and his Pakistani counterpart Pervez Musharraf.

Hu arrived here on Thursday for a state visit at Musharraf's invitation. Pakistan is the last leg of Hu's four-nation Asia tour, which has already taken him to Vietnam, Laos and India.

The visit also coincides with the 55th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Pakistan.

signed

projected

triple

begin

reduce

eliminate

reduce

entering

reduce

reduce

starts

entry

agreement

reduce

implementation

eliminate

accommodation

covers

launched

negotiations

agreement

had

deal

upgrade

cooperation

inject

said

exceeded

increase

said

triple

exports

came

negotiations

remedies

measures

reached

deal

signed

arrived

visit

tour

taken

visit

coincides

establishment


XIN_ENG_20051127.0222

YANGON, Nov. 28 , 2005 (Xinhua)

Indonesia launches direct trade route with Myanmar

Indonesia has established the first direct sea trade route with Myanmar with its vessel MV Forkus operating between Jakarta and Yangon in a bid to broaden its network in the Southeast Asian region, business circle said on Monday.

The route, inaugurated recently, will enable Myanmar export goods to be shipped directly to Indonesia without requiring to transit through intervening ports.

Having a cargo handling capacity of over 8,000 tons, the vessel arrived in Yangon from Chennai Port in India and would proceed to Vietnam after picking up Myanmar goods, a vessel official said, adding that the new route would also facilitate export of Myanmar goods to Malaysia, Singapore, China and India.

There are 24 international shipping lines which stop at four ports of Yangon -- Thilawa, Bo Aung Kyaw, Asia World and Myanmar Industrial Port, of which the Thilawa stands the largest to accommodate the 176-meter-long MV Forkus.

Meanwhile, the two countries' business organizations are also seeking direct trade link between Bandung and Yangon, business circle said.

Indonesia is Myanmar's fourth largest trading partner among members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations after Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia, having a bilateral trade with Myanmar standing at 104.78 million US dollars in the fiscal year of 2004-05 which ended in March, according to official statistics.

Indonesian investment in Myanmar so far went to over 241 million dollars since late 1988 when Myanmar opened to such investment, the figures also show.

established

operating

broaden

said

inaugurated

enable

shipped

requiring

arrived

proceed

picking

said

adding

facilitate

stands

seeking

said

standing

ended

according

investment

went

opened

show


XIN_ENG_20051129.0208

PARIS, Nov. 29 , 2005 (Xinhua)

URGENT: French parliament adopts new anti-terrorism law

France's lower house of parliament on Tuesday adopted a new terrorism law, that would increase the use of video surveillance and allow police more time to question terror suspects.

adopted

increase

use

allow

question


XIN_ENG_20051108.0156

BEIJING, Nov. 8 , 2005 (Xinhua)

upcoming nuke talks

All sides will express views and concerns in the upcoming nuclear talks, and will discuss the implementation of the consensus already reached, said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao here Tuesday.

Liu said at a regular press conference that the first phase of the fifth round of the six-party talks is for all sides to express their political will and to show flexibility and sincerity.

He said the Chinese side hopes the talks will provide a platform for all sides to exchange views, increase mutual understanding and listen to the concerns of each other in an equal and candid atmosphere.

As for how long the upcoming talks will last, Liu said 3 days would be an appropriate choice, and the Chinese side still needs to consult with other delegations on the form, theme, contents and goals of the fifth round of the talks.

He said the six-party talks can be conducted in various forms, which would help the talks make progress, as past experences have demonstrated. He hopes the six parties exchange views on relevant issues and concerns through different forms of contact.

When asked to define the success of the six-party talks, Liu said the talks are just a process before the final goal of denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula is realized, in which all sides are strengthening mutual understanding and accumulating consensus on relevant issues.

He said it needs common efforts from all sides to step forward to the final goal of denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

Liu said difficulties and problems are inevitable in this process, and all sides need to show enough patience, sincerity and flexibility on the nuclear issue of the Korean Peninsula to push forward the six-party talks towards its final goal.

The six-party talks aiming at resolving the nuclear issue of the Korean Peninsula includes China, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), the United States, the Republic of Korea (ROK), Russia and Japan.

express

talks

discuss

implementation

reached

said

said

conference

talks

express

show

said

hopes

talks

provide

increase

listen

talks

last

said

needs

consult

talks

said

talks

conducted

help

talks

demonstrated

hopes

exchange

asked

define

success

talks

said

talks

process

realized

strengthening

accumulating

said

needs

efforts

step

said

need

show

push

talks

talks

aiming

resolving


XIN_ENG_20061126.0012

BEIJING, Nov. 26 , 2006 (Xinhu)

China's young netizens reaches 18.3 million

By the end of the first half of this year,China's netizens totaled 123 million, and those under the age of 18, 18.3 million, accounting for 14.9 percent of the total.

"The Internet has become an important facility in Chinese youth's daily life," an official with the Central Committee of the Communist Youth League said Sunday.

"Through the Internet, the young people can get information for study, work and entertainment," he said,

China's Internet industry is on the upswing and minor netizens are both beneficiaries and a driving force of the industry's development, he said.

"We can cultivate more talents and experts from them through proper guidance," he said.

Meanwhile, the official also pointed out several problems that need to be resolved concerning the influence of the Internet's rapid development on minors.

"The most typical problem is the network addiction," he stressed.

About 13.2 percent Chinese netizens are network addicts, according to a report released in November 2005 by China Youth Association For Network Development.

totaled

accounting

become

said

get

said

development

said

cultivate

said

pointed

need

resolved

concerning

development

stressed

according

released


XIN_ENG_20061117.0392

BRUSSELS, Nov. 18 , 2006 (Xinhua)

Dutch troops mired in scandal of abuse of Iraqi prisoners: paper

Dutch military interrogators in Iraq were involved in abusing dozens of Iraqi prisoners after the U.S.-led invasion of the country in 2003, a Dutch newspaper said on Friday.

The detainees were allegedly subjected to bright lights, soaked with water and exposed to high-pitched sounds, according to the Dutch newspaper De Volkskrant.

The abuses, involving members of the Dutch Military Intelligence and Security Service, occurred in Samawah in the southeastern Iraqi province of Al Muthanna in November 2003, it reported.

Dutch Defense Minister Henk Kamp, however, denied the accusation, saying that an investigation into the alleged case in 2003 did not reveal any wrongdoings.

But Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende said the allegations would be "shocking" if proved true.

He said an independent commission had been set up by the coalition government to re-investigate the case.

The controversy erupted just five days before the Dutch national parliamentary elections.

Opposition politicians have demanded a recall of Parliament to question Kamp about the allegations, and raised suspicion that the government were trying to cover it up.

The Netherlands had about 1,400 troops stationed in the southern province at the time, but most were withdrawn last year.

involved

abusing

invasion

said

subjected

soaked

exposed

according

abuses

involving

occurred

reported

denied

saying

investigation

reveal

said

said

set

re-investigate

erupted

elections

demanded

question

raised

trying

cover

had

stationed

withdrawn


XIN_ENG_20061113.0109

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov. 13 , 2006 (Xinhua)

Malaysia's IPI up 3.6 pct in September

Malaysia's Industrial Production Index (IPI) for September rose by 3.6 percent to 136.8 on a year-on-year basis, the Department of Statistics said Monday.

The positive growth was driven by the increases in the manufacturing and electricity indices, which grew by 5.9 percent to 143.7 and by 4.2 percent to 154.3 respectively.

The mining index, however, declined by 5 percent to 111.3, the department said in a statement released here.

Compared with the previous month, IPI for September decreased by 1 percent.

The decrease was due to the lower indices in all sectors, with the electricity index down 3 percent, mining index down 2.7 percent and manufacturing index, down 0.4 percent.

For the third quarter this year, the IPI rose by 5 percent to 137.2 compared with the same period last year.

From January to September 2006, the IPI surged by 5.6 percent to 133.7 as compared with the same period last year.

The IPI is the measure of the rate of change in the production of industrial commodities in real terms over time. These commodities are obtained from the manufacturing, mining and electricity sectors.

rose

said

growth

driven

increases

grew

declined

said

released

decreased

rose

surged

obtained


CNN_20130321_821

March 21, 2013

How Obama has weaponized wit

Barack Obama would make a great stand-up comic, not because he's the funniest president ever but because he uses jokes the same way many of us comedians do: as a weapon.

Traditionally, the (intentionally) funny lines by our presidents have had one thing in common: They were self-deprecating. Sure, some presidents have used jokes to take jabs at their opponents, but not to the extent of Obama.

During his tenure, he has increasingly unleashed biting comedic barbs against his critics and political adversaries. These jokes are intended to do more than simply entertain you. They have an agenda.

Obama's humor is often delivered the way a comedian dealing with a heckler would do it. He tries to undermine his opponents with it and get the crowd -- in this case the public -- on his side. I can assure you that having a crowd laugh at your critic/heckler is not only effective in dominating them, it's also very satisfying.

make

had

used

unleashed

intended

tries

undermine

assure


XIN_ENG_20051130.0202

WASHINGTON, Nov. 30 , 2005 (Xinhua)

US economy up 4.3 percent in third quarter

The US economy increased at an annual rate of 4.3 percent in the third quarter of this year, higher than the 3.8 percent rate announced at the end of last month, the Commerce Department said on Wednesday.

The strong gain followed an increase of 3.3 percent in second quarter and is the best showing of the US economy in more than a year -- it is equal to the growth rate in the first quarter of 2004.

Analysts said that the performance offered a fresh testimony that the overall US economic situation had managed to improve despite the destructive hurricanes which hit Gulf coastal areas in August and September.

The report showed that US consumer spending, which accounts for about two-thirds of the US gross domestic product (GDP) and is the lifeblood of economic growth, grew at an annual rate of 4.2 percent in the third quarter, stronger than the 3.9 percent growth rate previously estimated. The revised figure marked the fastest pace in consumer spending since the final quarter of 2004.

US nonresidential fixed investment increased at a rate of 8.8 percent in the third quarter, the same as in the second quarter. However, businesses spending on equipment and software increased at a 10.8 percent annual rate during the quarter. That was better than the 8.9 percent growth rate first estimated for the period and close to the 10.9 percent growth rate seen in the second quarter.

Investment in housing construction and other residential projects grew at a brisk 8.4 percent pace in the third quarter. That was up considerably from the 4.8 percent growth rate initially estimated but was down from the 10.8 percent pace registered in the second quarter.

US export of goods and services increased 0.8 percent in this quarter, compared with a strong gain of 10.7 percent in the previous quarter. Imports increased 2.1 percent in the July-September quarter in contrast to a decrease of 0.3 percent in the second quarter.

increased

announced

said

followed

increase

said

offered

managed

improve

hit

showed

spending

grew

estimated

marked

increased

spending

increased

estimated

seen

grew

estimated

registered

increased

gain

increased


AFP_ENG_20051214.0099

WIESBADEN, Germany, Dec 14 , 2005

German inflation steady at 2.3 pct in November

Inflation in Germany, the eurozone's biggest economy, remained steady at 2.3 percent in November, way above the European Central Bank's ceiling of 2.0 percent, final consumer price data showed on Wednesday.

The German consumer price index (CPI) declined by 0.5 percent in November from the figure for October, but was 2.3 percent higher than it had been in November 2004, the federal statistics office, Destatis, said in a statement.

The final November CPI data confirmed a preliminary estimate published late last month.

Using the harmonised index of consumer prices (HICP), which is the ECB's yardstick for inflation, the annual rate of inflation in Germany also stood at 2.3 percent in November, the statisticians found.

The ECB defines price stability as consumer price increases of close to but just under 2.0 percent.

remained

showed

declined

been

said

confirmed

published

Using

stood

found

defines

increases


XIN_ENG_20061101.0264

SOFIA, Nov. 1 , 2006 (Xinhua)

plant shutdown

Bulgaria would inform the European Union of an electricity shortage in the Balkan region due to its nuclear power plant shutdown, the BTA newa agency reported on Wednesday.

Bulgarian Energy Minister Rumen Ovcharovis told the Southeast Europe Economic Forum that Bulgaria was expected to inform the European Energy Commissioner Andris Piebalgs of the decommissioning of units 3 and 4 of the Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant.

Bulgaria asked the European Commission (EC) to take actions to guarantee electricity supply in the region, "as we will not be able to do it any more," the minister said.

The Kozloduy plant the biggest plant on the Balkan Peninsula, is used to generate power for the region. However, the EC had showed concerns about the security of the facility, since part of the units in Kozloduy were of the same type of those in Ukraine's Chernobyl plant, which witnessed the world's worst nuclear disaster in 1986.

As part of the criteria for Bulgaria's bid for entering the European Union, Bulgaria has already shut down units 1 and 2 in Kozloduy in 2003, and is to shut the other two units by the end of the year.

Also due to delayed deliveries of coal for some thermal plants, Bulgaria's electricity exports for the Balkan Peninsula would be ceased to secure the local electricity supply, the minister said, adding that the EC had promised to do its best to plug the power shortfall in the region.

Currently, Bulgaria's National Electricity Company has received requests for electricity supply from Kosovo, a Serbian province which is currently under international administration, Greece and Macedonia, but tenders for electricity exports to Greece and Kosovo in 2007 had been turned down, the minister said.

inform

reported

told

expected

inform

asked

take

actions

guarantee

do

said

used

generate

showed

witnessed

entering

shut

shut

deliveries

ceased

secure

said

adding

promised

do

plug

received

requests

turned

said


AFP_ENG_20061204.0211

PARIS, Dec 4 , 2006, 2006

ATTENTION - ADDS Gallois quotes on capital increase ///

European aircraft manufacturer Airbus is holding talks with partner European governments but no decision on state finance for the new A350 airliner programme is imminent, the head of Airbus said on Monday.

Airbus chief executive Louis Gallois, who is also co-chief executive of parent company EADS, told a press conference that "no decision has been taken or is imminent" concerning a contribution by partner countries to the A350 programme.

Gallois said: "We do not have an imminent need for finance."

He also said: "The board of EADS has asked us to study all possible instruments for financing ... A capital increase is one of them, but only one possibility."

A short time earlier French Economy and Finance Minister Thierry Breton had said that the four partner countries behind the Airbus programme, France, Germany, Spain and Britain, would accompany financing of the A350 programme.

The board of the European Aernoautic Defence and Space Company EADS decided late on Friday to go ahead with the programme to build the A350 series of airliners.

The aircraft was considered to be crucial to the future of Airbus as the main competitor to US manufacturer Boeing, but Airbus is in difficulties over delays of up to 24 months in its other key new programme, for the A380 superjumbo airliner.

Airbus has announced ambitious plans to save money, in part to release funds for the A350 project, but has yet to provide full details of how it will restructure.

holding

talks

decision

said

told

conference

decision

taken

contribution

said

said

asked

study

increase

said

accompany

financing

decided

go

build

considered

announced

plans

save

release

has

provide

restructure


AFP_ENG_19970429.0207

LONDON, April 29 , 1997 (AFP) -

As Britain's general election campaign enters its final 48 hours we plan to file the following stories and portraits of leading figures:

LONDON:     Despite their mutual hostility during the

British election campaign, the ruling

Conservatives and the main opposition Labour

party have only one stark policy difference:

constitutional reform.

Britain-vote

660 words moved

by Jean-Louis Pany

LONDON:     British opposition leader Tony Blair

has managed to break the ruling Conservatives'

traditional stranglehold on the press,

reinforcing his Labour party's support in

Thursday's general elections

Britain-vote-press

600 words around 1115 GMT

By Henry Meyer

LONDON:     The Monster Raving Loony Party, the Elvis

Presley Party, the Legalise Cannabis Party

and a host of eccentrics have all been locked

in intense campainging for elections they know

they cannot win.

Britain-vote-outsiders

540 words moved

by Olivier Thibault

LONDON:     Once nicknamed "Bambi," today measured against

US President Bill Clinton, Labour leader Tony

Blair, 43-year-old barrister, appears likely

to be Britain's next prime minister.

Britain-vote-Blair

600 words around 1200 GMT

LONDON:     Although Tony Blair has transformed the face

of his party into "New Labour," there are

still plenty clinging to the party's

socialist roots, and to avoid losing those

votes, Blair has John Prescott at his side.

Britain-vote-Prescott

500 words around 1030 GMT

LONDON:     With his flame-red hair, permanent frown

and frequent and fiery proclamations, Robin

Cook, chosen by Labour leader Tony Blair as

his foreign secretary if the party wins.

Britain-vote-Cook

550 words around 1040 GMT

LONDON:     Gordon Brown, a 46-year old Scotsman who will

become Chancellor of the Exchequer if the

Labour Party wins May 1 elections, has

fostered the image of a "safe pair of hands"

in running the British economy.

Britain-vote-Brown

500 words around 1045 GMT

LONDON:     Marjorie "Mo" Mowlam, who will become

Northern Ireland Secretary if Labour wins
Thursday, is seen as more dynamic than her

Tory predecessor, but she will have little

room for manoeuvre in the embattled province.

Britain-vote-Mowlam

600 words moved

by Philippe Bernes-Lasserre

LONDON:     Cherie Blair, the wife of the man tipped to

become Britain's next premier, has tried hard

to avoid the reputation that dogs Hillary

Clinton, seen by many Americans as the real

power behind the throne.

Britain-vote-Cherie

450 words around 1100 GMT

LONDON:     His colleagues call him "Honest John," his

opponents label him "Gray Man." Prime Minister

John Major, all but dismissed as loser of the

general elections, leaves a legacy of

transition in Downing Street.

Britain-vote-Major

600 words around 1300 GMT

We have also moved:

Britain-vote-quotes

Britain-vote-Downing

campaign

enters

plan

file

have

moved

managed

break

ruling

reinforcing

support

locked

know

win

moved

nicknamed

measured

appears

transformed

clinging

avoid

losing

chosen

wins

become

wins

fostered

running

become

wins

seen

moved

tipped

become

tried

avoid

seen

call

label

dismissed

elections

leaves

moved


XIN_ENG_20061107.0055

TOKYO, Nov. 7 , 2006 (Xinhua)

Tornado kills 9 in Hokkaido of northern Japan

A tornado hit eastern Hokkaido town of Saroma Tuesday afternoon, killing at least nine people and injuring 10 others at a tunnel construction site, Kyodo News said.

About 20 people were buried under collapsed prefabricated houses at the work site, police and firefighters said, adding that at least six other people are missing.

Some 10 buildings collapsed in the town when the tornado took place at 1 p.m., and electricity to part of the town and to the neighboring city of Kitami was cut off, local officials said.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's official residence has set up a liaison office at its crisis management center to deal with the accident.

hit

killing

injuring

said

buried

said

adding

missing

collapsed

took

cut

said

set

deal

accident


AFP_ENG_19970429.0086

NEW DELHI, April 29 , 1997 (AFP)

India's ruling coalition stunned as party leader scandal by Pratap Chakravarty

India's new ruling coalition was left reeling Tuesday by plans to prosecute the leader of its largest government partner for corruption amid doubts over its future stability, alliance leaders said.

Prime Minister Inder Kumar Gujral's nine-day-old fledgling government has been rocked by the Central Bureau of Investigation's (CBI) plans to prosecute Bihar state Chief Minister Laloo Prasad Yadav.

"This has come as a bolt from the blue to us," Jaipal Reddy, spokesman of the 13-party United Front administration, told AFP.

Reddy said the Front, which assumed office April 21 after the coalition replaced former prime minister H.D. Deve Gowda with Gujral, was assessing the fallout of the CBI's decision.

"We are still trying to come to grips with things," he said as leftist partners of the centre-left coalition and the media mounted pressure on Yadav to quit his political posts and face prosecution.

Another senior Front leader asking to remain anonymous said the possible prosecution of Yadav, who also heads the centrist Janata Dal (People's Party), could effect the new government's stability.

"Yadav is an important man in the Front and this will have an impact on the government's image and stability," he said, but ruled out a split in the Janata Dal, which accounts for 46 of the Front's 180 members of parliament.

The Congress (I) party, which has given its parliamentary support to keep the coalition in office, however, said the crisis could herald the disintegration of the United Front.

"There never was any unity in the Front and now it will fall apart," Congress leader Rajesh Pilot told AFP.

Yadav, a wily politician, Monday refused to step down after the CBI on Sunday implicated him and 55 other politicians and bureaucrats in the 271-million-dollar financial corruption scandal.

Reports Tuesday said the Indian home ministry will rush federal troops to the crime-prone eastern state because of fears of a backlash.

Yadav has also warned he would "govern Bihar from prison" if he is arrested.

India's main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (Indian People's Party or BJP) and other political rivals of Yadav have called a general shutdown in Bihar on May 3 to demand his ouster.

National dailies Tuesday said Yadav must step down and warned Gujral to face his first crisis as premier with wisdom.

"Yadav must resign," The Pioneer said.

"To cling on limpet-like to the seat of power smacks of autocratic disregard for established norms," it said.

But The Pioneer warned: "The other half of the story in the decline of Yadav is the impact it will have on the United Front.

"The knives in the United Front will soon be out, and the crisis may well prove impossible to contain," it said.

The Times of India said Yadav's prosecution would lead to political in-fighting.

Several of the 55 charged by the CBI are already in jail in connection with the scandal, which surfaced January 27, 1996.

The CBI has claimed that a coterie of politicians, bureaucrats and firms in Bihar had been siphoning huge sums since 1977 from a state government fund set aside to buy cattle feed.

left

reeling

plans

prosecute

said

rocked

prosecute

come

told

said

assumed

replaced

assessing

decision

trying

come

said

mounted

quit

face

asking

remain

said

prosecution

heads

effect

impact

said

ruled

split

given

keep

said

crisis

herald

fall

told

refused

step

implicated

scandal

said

rush

backlash

warned

govern

arrested

called

shutdown

demand

said

step

warned

face

crisis

resign

said

cling

smacks

said

warned

decline

crisis

prove

said

said

prosecution

lead

charged

scandal

surfaced

claimed

siphoning

set

buy


AFP_ENG_19970429.0693

TOKYO, April 30 , 1997 (AFP)

Tokyo shares sharply higher on Wall Street upsurge

Japanese share prices got off to a strong start in post-holiday trading Wednesday, following a surge on Wall Street the previous day, brokers said.

The Nikkei stock average gained 307.83 points, or 1.6 percent, from Monday in the first one hour to stand at 18,978.20 at 10 a.m. (0100 GMT).

"The upsurge in New York encouraged market participants here," Harushige Kobayashi of Yamaichi Securities Co. Ltd. said, adding the Tokyo market would probably hold firm for the day.

"The next target for the Nikkei will be around 19,200 points scored in late February," he said.

The Dow Jones index in New York gained 179.01 points Tuesday -- its second biggest one-day rise in terms of points -- to close at 6,962.03.

A broker with a mid-sized securities house here said: "Declines in volume amid the holiday week is having a positive effect on the market, with a smaller number of investors turning sellers on the upside."

Harushige said overall share prices also got a boost from Mitsubishi Chemical Corp.'s share buy-back plans.

The nation's largest chemicals maker announced on Monday it would outlay 40 billion yen (315 million dollars) on a buy-back of 100 million shares.

got

start

following

said

gained

stand

upsurge

encouraged

said

adding

hold

scored

said

gained

rise

close

said

Declines

having

turning

said

got

boost

plans

announced

outlay

buy-back


XIN_ENG_20051113.0292

TAIYUAN, Nov. 14 , 2005 (Xinhua)

At least 10 killed in road accident in north China province

A road accident in north China's Shanxi Province killed at least 10 people, mostly students and teachers, early Monday morning, local police said.

A heavy-duty truck veered to one side of a village highway in Qinyuan county at around 6:00 a.m. Monday, hitting a group of students and teachers who were on their way to a nearby school, said Nan Xinyan, a spokesperson with the county's traffic police headquarters.

Nan said investigation is going on.

killed

said

veered

hitting

said

said

going


XIN_ENG_20061113.0209

BEIJING, Nov. 13 , 2006 (Xinhua)

China, France hail agricultural cooperation

Chinese Vice Premier Hui Liangyu on Monday met with visiting French Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries Dominique Bussereau and hailed the agricultural cooperation between the two countries.

The agricultural sectors of China and France complement each other and boast huge potential for cooperation, Hui said.

It is in the fundamental interests of the two peoples to step up China-France agricultural cooperation, Hui said.

Hui said that he hoped the Chinese and French agricultural sectors would build closer links.

met

visiting

hailed

cooperation

complement

boast

said

step

cooperation

said

said

hoped

build


XIN_ENG_20061129.0098

DOHA, Nov. 29 , 2006 (Xinhua)

Factbox: Athletics in Asian Games

Athletic events represent sport at its purest and are often the centerpiece of major international sporting games. They are the embodiment of the Olympic motto, Citius, Altuis, Fortius - or Faster, Higher, Stronger - with athletes pushing themselves to the limit against their opponents and the record books.

Athletic events can be split into four main categories: track events, field events, road events and combined events.

Track events are running races that take place on a 400m outdoor track in the main stadium. The sprint races provide instant excitement, but look out for clever tactics and fast finishing in the longer races.

Field events are throwing and jumping competitions that usually take place inside the track. Strength, speed and agility are key, while tactics also come in to play in the jumping events.

Road events are long running and walking races that take place on public roads, although they often finish on the track inside the stadium. The men's and women's marathon races will take place along Doha's city streets and Corniche.

Combined events feature a selection of track and field events that take place over two days and are designed to find the best all-round athlete. As such, the decathlon and heptathlon are two of the most respected gold medals.

Track and field athletes are often the main stars of any major Games, and the 15th Asian Games.

History

The word athletics comes from the Greek "athlos" meaning " contest". A track running race, known as the "stade", was the first and only event at the first ancient Olympics in 776BC.

Later, more running distances were added, along with the long jump and a pentathlon event which introduced the discus and javelin.

The end of the ancient Olympics in AD393 also saw the end of organized athletics for more than 1,400 years. Running, jumping and throwing competitions continued, however, on an informal basis in most civilized cultures, often as a part of military training.

Interest in the Olympics was revived when archaeologists excavated ancient Olympia towards the end of the 19th century. Baron Pierre de Coubertain founded the International Olympic Committee in Paris in 1894, and the first modern Olympics followed in Athens two years later.

Track and field athletics was a major part of Athens 1896, although women did not compete until the 1928 Amsterdam Games, and then only in five events. The men's program has varied, but has become relatively standardized at all major games since 1928. Women's events, however, have gradually increased in number to almost match the men's.

The recent addition of women's pole vault, triple jump and 3, 000m steeplechase means the only exclusively male event is now the 50km race walk, although the women run over a shorter distance in the sprint hurdles, over lower hurdles in both events, and take part in a seven-event heptathlon rather than a 10-event decathlon.

The International Amateur Athletics Federation was formed in 1912 as a world governing body. IAAF has staged its own World Championships since 1983, allowing prize money from 1982. In 2001, it changed its name to the International Association of Athletics Federations.

Athletics has been a part of every Asian Games, starting at New Delhi, India, in 1951.

Sources: Doha Asian Games Organizing Committee, International Association of Athletics Federations, Xinhua Database

represent

pushing

split

running

take

provide

look

finishing

throwing

jumping

take

come

play

running

walking

take

finish

take

feature

selection

take

designed

find

comes

event

added

event

introduced

saw

athletics

jumping

continued

training

revived

excavated

founded

followed

compete

varied

become

games

increased

match

addition

walk

run

take

formed

staged

allowing

changed

starting


XIN_ENG_20061129.0486

AMMAN, Nov. 29 , 2006 (Xinhua)

Jordanian king, U.S. president probe regional situation

Jordanian King Abdullah II on Wednesday held talks with visiting U.S. President George W. Bush at Raghadan Palace Wednesday night to discuss regional conflicts and the situation in Iraq.

During the talks, the king explained Jordan's position, "namely underlining the need to make real progress on the Palestinian issue because regional complications and challenges are due to the Palestinian problem," Jordanian Foreign Minister Abdul Ilah Khatib said.

A just solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict will help stem violence in the region, and Palestinian-Israeli peace could be a catalyst for achieving a lasting peace between Arabs and Israelis, Khatib quoted the king as saying.

During the talks, the king urged Bush to work on moving the peace process forward by bringing together Palestinian and Israeli points of views in a bid to resume negotiations as soon as possible.

The establishment of a viable, independent Palestinian state on Palestinian soil living alongside a secure Israel is the only logical and internationally acceptable solution to the conflict, the king said.

He urged the international community and the U.S. administration to help alleviate the Palestinians' suffering and ease economic pressure on the Palestinians to enable Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to maintain national unity and reinforce security.

For his part, Bush said that the United States was committed to a two-state solution to the conflict, adding that it is necessary to create appropriate circumstances to move the peace process forward.

The two leaders also discussed sectarian violence in Iraq, Khatib said.

"The Iraqi matter was also a central issue during the discussions and the talks focused on the importance of working to rebuild stability in Iraq," he said.

The two leaders agreed that the Lebanese should be allowed to resolve political tension in their country without outside influence. They also discussed Iran's nuclear standoff.

held

talks

visiting

discuss

conflicts

talks

explained

underlining

make

said

help

stem

violence

achieving

quoted

saying

talks

urged

work

moving

process

bringing

bid

resume

negotiations

establishment

conflict

said

urged

help

alleviate

ease

enable

maintain

reinforce

said

committed

conflict

adding

create

move

discussed

violence

said

discussions

talks

focused

working

rebuild

said

agreed

allowed

resolve

discussed

standoff


XIN_ENG_20051105.0158

BRASILIA, Nov. 5 , 2005 (Xinhua)

Roundup: US faces daunting challenges in Latin America

by Li Xuejun

MAR DEL PLATA, Argentina, Nov. 5 (Xinhua) -- The United States, having long regarded Latin America as its backyard, had huge difficulty in getting its message through concerning free trade, fight against corruption and democracy to the region at the 4th Summit of the Americas.

Moreover, the country is facing gloomy prospects as its policies are failing and its influence further declining in the region, once Washington's close political and economic partner.

In a big setback to US President George W. Bush, the summit concluded on Saturday after adopting a final declaration that failed to clearly support the resumption of stalled talks on establishing a hemisphere-wide Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA), which Washington had demanded.

This is regarded as an ominous signal to Washington that the US ambition to set up the FTAA might eventually end up in failure.

What is worse, Bush is suffering an image crisis as his presence here drew tens of thousands of protesters and violent clashes erupted between demonstrators and police here and across the country on Friday. Polls in many Latin American nations show Bush as the least popular US leader in decades.

President Bush's father, former President George Bush, first proposed the establishment of the FTAA in the 1990s and at the first Summit of the Americas in the United States in 1994, leaders from 34 countries who attended the summit agreed to set up such a free trade zone, setting January 2005 as the deadline.

However, talks on such a zone have bogged down because of sharp disagreement between the United States and countries like Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay.

President Bush has insisted that free trade is the best way to reduce poverty and create employment and he pushed for resuming such trade talks at the summit. However, Bush's call fell on deaf ears.

Argentina and Brazil, both major food exporters in Latin America, have made it clear that they do not want to join the FTAA as long as the United States does not remove agricultural subsidies. They complain that Washington's agricultural subsidies would eliminate the competitiveness of farm products from other American countries and increase poverty in Latin America.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, an outspoken critic of the United States, has said the FTAA is "dead" as it only helps large US companies at the expense of Latin American workers.

Historically speaking, Latin America, especially South America, has been cool to the US proposal of free trade and economic privatization as those Latin American governments that endorsed the Washington-backed policies were toppled one after another. To the dismay of Washington, key Latin American countries such as Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Venezuela have been shifting toward the left since then.

Likewise, Bush's call for fighting corruption and strengthening democracy, a central theme in his second term, has drawn lukewarm response from his Latin American counterparts at the Summit of the Americas.

Argentine President Nestor Kirchner, in a joint press appearance with President Bush on Friday, warned that any US involvement in Latin America should be "positive and constructive, " a demand that Bush might find hard to accept.

Bush's call for strengthening democracy and fighting corruption has little market in Latin America where poverty reduction is more urgent than corruption and democracy.

Moreover, Latin America has been complaining that the United States neglected the region due to the Iraq war and the war on terrorism.

Observers point out that the United States, to restore its image and influence in its traditional backyard, must first make genuine efforts to help Latin America fight poverty as nearly 40 percent of the 500 million people in the region are living in poverty and some 100 million of them are living on only 1 US dollar a day.

had

getting

fight

facing

failing

declining

close

concluded

adopting

failed

support

talks

establishing

demanded

regarded

set

end

suffering

crisis

drew

clashes

erupted

show

proposed

establishment

attended

summit

agreed

set

setting

bogged

insisted

reduce

create

pushed

resuming

talks

summit

fell

made

want

join

remove

complain

eliminate

increase

said

helps

speaking

proposal

privatization

endorsed

toppled

shifting

call

fighting

drawn

response

warned

involvement

demand

find

accept

call

strengthening

fighting

complaining

neglected

war

war

point

restore

influence

make

efforts

help

fight


XIN_ENG_20061107.0113

JAKARTA, Nov. 7 , 2006 (Xinhua)

Indonesian shares extend gain

Share prices on the Jakarta Stock Exchange ended higher Tuesday after the central bank announced further cut of the benchmark rate to continue making record.

The index rose by 13.3 points to close at 1,654.15 points.

Turnovers totaled 2.3 billion shares worth 2.5 trillion rupiah (274.6 million U.S. dollars).

Losers led gainers 69 to 55, with 91 other issues left unchanged.

ended

announced

cut

continue

rose

close

totaled

led


XIN_ENG_20051108.0091

BEIJING, Nov. 8 , 2005 (Xinhua)

Press center for six-party talks ready for reporters

The press center for the fifth round of the six-party talks on the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue will be open to reporters from 8:00 a.m. Wednesday morning.

The new round of talks, involving China, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the United States, Republic of Korea, Russia and Japan, is to start on Wednesday morning at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse, the venue of previous rounds of talks.

The press center, located at the Diaoyutai Hotel, will be available to reporters from home and abroad from 8:00 to 21:00 everyday. It is equipped with ten desktop computers and four wires for broadband Internet, as well as facilities such as telephones, printers, duplicating machines and fax machines.

More than 100 overseas correspondents have registered to report the talks, sources said.

talks

talks

involving

start

located

equipped

duplicating

registered

report

talks

said


XIN_ENG_20051125.0065

SINGAPORE, Nov. 25 , 2005 (Xinhua)

Singapore shares end lower

The shares prices in Singapore ended lower on Friday with the benchmark Strait Times Index (STI) falling 10.6 points to close at 2,295.7 points.

The overall volume stood at 615 million shares worth 456.3 million Singapore dollars (about 269.6 million US dollars).

Losers led gainers by 236 to 194 with another 715 remaining unchanged.

On Thursday, the benchmark Strait Times Index rose 9.8 points to end at 2,306.3 points.

ended

falling

close

stood

led

rose

end


AFP_ENG_20061205.0349

HELSINKI, Dec 5 , 2006, 2006

=(GRAPHIC)=

The world's richest two percent of adults own more than half of global household wealth, while half the world's population own only one percent, a UN report published on Tuesday showed.

"The study finds wealth to be more unequally distributed than income across countries," Anthony Shorrocks, director of the Helsinki-based World Institute for Development Economics Research of the United Nations University (UNU-WIDER) that published the report, said at a press conference.

The report, entitled "The World Distribution of Household Wealth", found that assets of 2,200 dollars (1,650 euros) or more placed a household in the top half of world wealth distribution in 2000.

To be among the most affluent 10 percent of adults required 61,000 dollars in assets, while more than 500,000 dollars was needed to belong to the richest one percent. This group of the most well off was made up of 37 million people.

The study said it was the first of its kind to include major components of household wealth, including financial assets and debts, land, buildings and other tangible property, and to cover all the world's countries.

The report did not measure income, in the form of salaries, pensions and benefit payments.

A quarter of the world's wealthiest 10 percent of adults lived in the United States while a fifth resided in Japan, the study showed.

Eight percent of the world's wealthiest 10 percent of adults lived in Germany, seven percent in Italy, six percent in Britain and four percent each in France and Spain.

The concentration of wealth within countries was also found to vary significantly.

"The share of the top 10 percent (of wealth) ranges from around 40 percent in China to 70 percent in the United States, and higher still in other countries," the report authors said.

In 2000, the year data for the survey was collected, there were 499 dollar-billionaires and 13 million millionaires throughout the world. These numbers were set to "rise fast in the next decade," the report said.

own

published

showed

finds

distributed

published

said

conference

found

placed

required

needed

belong

made

said

cover

measure

lived

resided

showed

lived

found

vary

ranges

said

survey

collected

set

rise

said


WSJ891030-0115
 = 891030
 891030-0115.
 BellSouth, LIN
@  Sweeten Plan
@  To Merge Lines
@  ---
@  Accord Involves Huge Debt
@  And May Fail to Thwart
@  Rival Suitor McCaw
@  ----
@  By Julie Amparano Lopez
@  Staff Reporter of The Wall Street Journal
 10/30/89
 WALL STREET JOURNAL (J)
 BLS LINB MCAWA
 TENDER OFFERS, MERGERS, ACQUISITIONS (TNM)
TELEPHONE SYSTEMS (TLS)
MEDIA, PUBLISHING, BROADCASTING, ELECTRONIC PUBLISHING (MED)

   The bolstered cellular agreement between BellSouth Corp. and LIN Broadcasting Corp. carries heightened risks and could fail to fend off McCaw Cellular Communications Inc., the rival suitor for LIN.

   Moreover, the amended pact shows how McCaw's persistence has pushed LIN and BellSouth into a corner, forcing huge debt on the proposed new company.
The debt, estimated at $4.7 billion, could mortgage the cellular company's future earning power in order to placate some LIN holders in the short term.

   The plan still calls for LIN to combine its cellular telephone properties with BellSouth's and to spin off its broadcasting operations.
But under new terms of the agreement, announced Friday, LIN holders would receive a special cash dividend of $42 a share, representing a payout of about $2.23 billion, shortly before the proposed merger.
LIN said it expects to borrow the money to pay the dividend, but commitments from banks still have n't been obtained.
Under previous terms, holders would have received a dividend of only $20 a share.

   In addition, New York-based LIN would exercise its right to buy out for $1.9 billion the 55% equity interest of its partner, Metromedia Co., in a New York cellular franchise.
That money also would have to be borrowed.
In effect, McCaw has forced LIN's hand by bidding $1.9 billion for the stake earlier this month.

   "We're taking on more debt than we would have liked to," acknowledged Michael Plouf, LIN's vice president and treasurer.
Although he expressed confidence that the proposed new company's cash flow would be sufficient to cover interest payments on the debt, he estimated that the company would n't be profitable until 1994 or later.

   Analyst estimate the value of the BellSouth proposal at about $115 to $125 a share.
They value McCaw's bid at $112 to $118 a share.
The previous BellSouth pact was valued at about $98 to $110 a share.

   McCaw, the largest provider of cellular telephone service in the U.S., already owns about 9.4% of LIN's stock.
In response to BellSouth's amended pact, the Kirkland, Wash., company extended its own offer to buy 22 million LIN shares for $125 apiece, which would give McCaw a 50.3% controlling interest.
Over the weekend, McCaw continued to call for an auction of LIN. Analysts said they expect McCaw to escalate the bidding again.

   "This game is n't  over yet , " said Joel D. Gross, a vice president at Donaldson, Lufkin amp Jenrette Securities Corp.
"At some point, it will become non-economical for one company.
But I do n't think we're at that point yet."

   Under its revised proposal, Atlanta-based BellSouth would have a 50% interest in the new cellular company and would be responsible for half of its debt.
To sweeten the pact further -- and to ease concerns of institutional investors -- BellSouth added a provision designed to give extra protection to holders if the regional Bell company ever decides to buy the rest of the new cellular company.
The provision, described as "back-end" protection, would require BellSouth to pay a price equivalent to what an outside party might have to pay.

   McCaw's bid also has a similar clause.
Only McCaw's proposal requires the company to begin an auction process in June 1994 for remaining shares at third-party prices.

   To mollify shareholders concerned about the long-term value of the company under the BellSouth-LIN agreement, BellSouth also agreed to pay as much as $10 a share, or $540 million, if, after five years, the trading value of the new cellular company isn't as high as the value that shareholders would have realized from the McCaw offer.

   "We're very pleased with the new deal.
We did n't expect BellSouth to be so responsive," said Frederick A. Moran, president of Moran Asset Management Inc., which holds 500,000 LIN shares.
BellSouth's "back-end protection was flawed previously.
We think this is a superior deal to McCaw's.
We're surprised.
We did n't think a sleeping {Bell} mentality would be willing to take on dilution."

   But Kenneth Leon, a telecommunications analyst with Bear, Stearns amp Co., finds the BellSouth proposal still flawed because the company does n't have to wait five years to begin buying more LIN shares.
"How many shares will be around in 1995?" he asked.
"There's nothing preventing BellSouth from buying up shares in the meanwhile."

   BellSouth's revised proposal surprised many industry analysts, especially because of the company's willingness to accept some dilution of future earnings.
William O. McCoy, president of the company's BellSouth Enterprises Inc. unit, said the revised agreement with LIN would dilute BellSouth earnings by about 9% in both 1990 and 1991 and by significantly less thereafter.
Indeed, BellSouth's cellular operations were among the first in the country to become profitable.

   For 1988, BellSouth earned $1.7 billion, or $3.51 a share, on revenue of $13.6 billion.
Analysts were predicting 1990 BellSouth earnings in the range of $3.90 a share, or $1.9 billion, but now those estimates are being scaled back.

   In composite trading Friday on the New York Stock Exchange, BellSouth shares fell 87.5 cents to $52.125.

   In national over-the-counter trading, LIN shares soared $4.625 to closed at $112.625, while McCaw fell $2.50 a share to $37.75.

   The proposed BellSouth-LIN cellular company, including the newly acquired Metromedia stake, would give the new entity 55 million potential customers, including about 35 million in the nation's top 10 markets.

   Mr. Leon of Bear Stearns speculated that McCaw, in an attempt to buy time, might consider filing an antitrust suit against BellSouth with the Justice Department and U.S. District Judge Harold Greene, who oversees enforcement of the consent decree that broke up the Bell system in 1984.

   Indeed, McCaw seemed to hint at that option in a brief statement.
Urging LIN directors to conduct "a fair auction on a level playing field," McCaw asked how well the public interest would be served "with the Bell operating companies controlling over 94% of all cellular {potential customers} in the nation's top 10 markets."

agreement

risks

fail

fend

pact

pushed

forcing

estimated

mortgage

placate

calls

combine

spin

agreement

announced

receive

proposed

merger

said

expects

borrow

pay

commitments

obtained

received

exercise

buy

borrowed

forced

bidding

taking

liked

acknowledged

expressed

confidence

sufficient

cover

estimated

profitable

estimate

value

value

bid

pact

valued

pact

extended

offer

buy

give

continued

call

said

expect

escalate

over

said

become

think

at

revised

proposal

have

responsible

sweeten

ease

concerns

added

give

protection

decides

buy

require

pay

requires

begin

process

mollify

concerned

value

agreement

agreed

pay

high

pleased

deal

expect

responsive

said

think

deal

think

willing

take

finds

flawed

wait

proposal

surprised

willingness

accept

dilution

said

agreement

dilute

earned

predicting

earnings

estimates

scaled

trading

fell

trading

soared

fell

give

speculated

attempt

buy

consider

filing

broke

seemed

hint

statement