XIN_ENG_20061129.0123

BAGHDAD, Nov. 29 , 2006 (Xinhua)

1st LD: Saddam trial resumes, defense lawyer arrested

The trial of the ousted Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein and six codefendants on genocide charges against Kurd minority in the 1980s resumed Wednesday, which saw a defense lawyer ejected and ordered to be arrested soon afterwards.

Chief Judge Muhammad Ureibi ordered the defense lawyer Badie Aref, always a vocal presence in the trial, be ejected and arrested for a day for "insulting the court."

Aref is defending Farhan al-Jubouri, the former head of military intelligence during Operation Anfal in 1980s.

He was trying to tell the court that one American forensic scientist, summoned by the court as an expert, should attend the court immediately and not to see any other party before his presence, but Judge Ureibi was angered by the manner and way Aref put his statement.

Wednesday's session is a continuation of Saddam trial over Anfal case which the prosecution says that about 180,000 people, mostly civilians, were killed in the 1987-88 crackdown.

If convicted, Saddam could get his second death penalty following the first one he got from the trial of Dujail.

On Tuesday's session, Clyde Colin Snow, 78, the American forensic expert from the University of Oklahoma took the stand in the Saddam trial to testify on his investigation in 1992 of the mass grave of Koreme village in Iraq's northern province of Dohuk.

Snow said in his investigation, organized by the group of Physicians for Human Rights and Middle East Rights Watch, he had unearthed 27 people from the mass grave in Koreme village, which he described as typical of thousands of other villages targeted in Anfal.

Saddam had insisted that Snow should not be allowed to testify because he was American and demanded neutral international experts, suggesting that the bodies in the grave may have been moved to the location from separate locations.

trial

resumed

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ejected

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arrested

ordered

trial

ejected

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defending

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attend

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session

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trial

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insisted

allowed

testify

demanded

suggesting

moved


XIN_ENG_20051104.0276

ATHENS, Nov. 4 , 2005 (Xinhua)

Greece's lawyers call for removal of Olympic surveillance cameras

The board of the Athens Bar Association on Friday called for complete removal of all the surveillance cameras installed for Olympic security last year citing the reason of violating civil rights of Athenians.

The association outlined a series of objections to the operation of surveillance cameras on the streets of Athens, ostensibly to monitor traffic flow.

The cameras had been installed as a security measure during the Athens Olympics in 2004, but their use has only be sanctioned for monitoring traffic by Greece's independent Authority for the Protection of Personal Data.

It said that the technical capacity of the cameras already installed far exceeds the needs for monitoring traffic and their use can very easily be extended to the visual and audio surveillance and recording to incidents according to the instructions of the system's user.

It added that the government has failed to comply with the conditions set by the Data Protection Authority for the operation of the system, nor its demand for the removal of cameras that don't serve the sanctioned use.

It stressed that the use of surveillance system is in direct violation of the Constitutional rights to social and political freedom, identity, public gatherings, protection from the use of one's personal data and private life.

The association also expressed its opposition to the public order ministry's plans to extend the permitted usage of the cameras and demands that they immediate cease operating and be removed.

called

removal

installed

citing

violating

outlined

objections

operation

monitor

flow

installed

sanctioned

monitoring

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said

installed

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use

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use

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expressed

plans

extend

usage

cease

removed


AFP_ENG_19970410.0290

PARIS, April 10 , 1997 (AFP)

Pressure mounts on Mobutu to quit

International pressure grew on Thursday on Zairean President Mobutu Sese Seko to leave power and avoid more bloodshed as the ailing dictator's former allies deserted him.

With rebels gaining more territory each day and political chaos deepening in Kinshasa, US officials said the Mobutu era is over while French diplomats maintained an embarrassed silence after at one time maintaining that Mobutu could not be excluded from efforts to end the civil war in Africa's third largest country.

But former French development aid minister Michel Roussin said that Mobutu was "a dinosaur... who must go, I think he is actually on the point of departure."

In Washington, White House spokesman Michael McCurry said "We have suggested that the era of Mobutuism in Zaire is over, because the status quo is no longer tenable, given the dire conditions that exist for the people of Zaire."

"It's clear we have to move beyond Mr. Mobutu," he said, calling him "a creature of history."

Mobutu, 66, who is seriously ill with prostate cancer, has lost control of large sections of Zaire to rebels led by Laurent Kabila. The country's second largest city, Lubumbashi, fell Wednesday.

State Department spokesman Nicholas Burns also said Mobutu's rule in Zaire was essentially over.

"We have not asked him to resign or asked anybody else to ask him to resign, but we think the time of Mobutuism is over" Burns said, adding "It is time for the dictatorship to end."

George Moose, assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, set the tone for the US administration on Tuesday when he told Congress: "Mobutu, his regime is a thing of the past."

It was the first time that a US official has publicly acknowledged that Mobutu, a key US ally since the 1960s, had lost Washington's support.

Nonetheless, Moose did leave open the possibility that Mobutu might remain president -- or at least stay in a position of power -- by saying that he could exert a positive influence during a peaceful transition period.

The United States has been distancing itself from the Mobutu regime, once one of its closest allies in Africa, for several years. In 1994, it cut off all economic and military aid.

Meanwhile South African Deputy Foreign Minister Aziz Pahad said Thursday that "despotic rule" in Zaire was "no longer possible," suggesting that President Mobutu Sese Seko stand down.

"Everybody is committed to the fact that there must be a fundamental change in Zaire and that despotic rule is no longer possible," Pahad said in a radio interview.

Pahad co-chaired peace talks that ended in South Africa Tuesday between Zairean rebels and the government.

In Paris, foreign ministry spokesman Jacques Rummelhardt, asked if France still supported Mobutu, declared "We do not support anyone.It is not a case of personality for us. We support Zaire and the future of its people, Zaire as an independent and sovereign state."

Asked if he considered the Kinshasa regime legitimate, Rummelhardt said France "does not recognise governments, but recognises states."

Roussin, a former member of the French secret service, expressed regrets that France "does not get on" with rebel leader Kabila and "has no contacts with him."

Roussin expressed doubts on the credibility of Kabila's rebel movement, hinting that it was supported by foreign powers.

"I would very much like Mr. Kabila... if he wants to be a democrat as he said in November 1966, to sit down at a (negotiating) table as often happens in Africa."

The former minister said he hoped Kabila would take part in a "national conference to prepare a transition and that the fighting be stopped and that negotiations be staged to culminate of course in elections."

Roussin said it was obvious that Kabila's army had not sprung out of nothing. Kabila "is being pushed and obviously he has very powerful allies," Roussin said.

The ex-minister also criticised the French military presence in Africa saying it dated from "the strategic situation of another age." He said that France was perhaps "losing influence" and that the "English- speaking world is gaining ground."

Former French defence minister Francois Leotard, chief of the Union for French Democracy, junior partner in the ruling conservative coalition, recently strongly condemned French African policy and regretted that Paris "has given the impression of supporting to the end a widely discredited regime."

Leotard denounced France's "triple failure, tactical, moral and geopolitical" in Zaire and said his country "lacks a true African policy."

grew

leave

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gaining

deepening

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maintained

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denounced

said

lacks


AFP_ENG_20051203.0268

KIEV, Dec 3 , 2005

ATTENTION - ADDS details, quotes ///

Ukraine on Saturday declared a state of emergency after an H5-type bird flu was detected in its southern Crimea peninsula, as officials awaited tests to see if the strain is of the lethal H5N1 variety that has killed nearly 70 people in Asia.

"Today we received laboratory results that confirmed the existence of the H5 variety of bird flu on Ukrainian territory," Agriculture Minister Olexander Baranivsky told reporters in Kiev.

The virus was found among domestic chickens and geese in two northeastern parts of Crimea, a peninsula that juts into the Black Sea, after more than 1,600 domesticated birds, including chickens, geese, ducks and turkeys, had died in the region during the past three days, Baranivsky said.

Samples had been forwarded to laboratories in Britain and Italy to establish if the virus is of the deadly H5N1 strain, that has killed almost 70 people around Asia over the past two years.

Those who have died are thought to have mainly caught the virus from close contact with poultry, but scientists fear the virus could mutate with a human flu strain, allowing it to transfer between people and sparking a pandemic.

President Viktor Yushchenko, who chaired an emergency government meeting on Saturday, ordered that the affected areas be placed under a state of emergency, according to a statement from his office.

A special commission, headed by Emergencies Minister Viktor Baloga, would be in charge of all bird flu-related measures and would determine the exact areas affected by the state of emergency, it said.

The five Crimean villages where bird flu-affected poultry have been found and areas within three kilometers (1.9 miles) of them were placed under quarantine, and all poultry within them will be destroyed, Baranivsky said.

Special teams would go from house to house, killing birds and testing people for abnormal symptoms, Pyotr Verbitsky, Ukraine's chief veterinary inspector told reporters in the Crimean city of Simferopol.

Sales of live poultry have been banned throughout the peninsula and all people who had come into contact with poultry would undergo regular medical testing and were expected to receive flu vaccination shots, local health officials told reporters in Crimea earlier.

The domestic poultry were likely to have caught the virus after coming into contact with migratory birds, officials said.

The cases are near the Sivash saltwater lake in Crimea's northeast, a popular stopover route for millions of migratory birds from Russia's Siberia and Volga regions, as well as Asia, Verbitsky said.

"The virus is behaving differently than in Russia and Romania," Ukraine's neighbors where bird flu has also been detected, said Verbitsky.

"The sickness passes without any symptoms," he said. "In the evening the birds are healthy and in the morning they are dead."

Although the virulent H5N1 strain has not yet been detected in Ukraine, the country has banned the import of poultry and its derivatives from Croatia, Romania and Turkey, as well as several regions of Russia, along with imports of live wild and pet birds.

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meeting

ordered

placed

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detected

said

passes

said

detected

banned


XIN_ENG_20051120.0110

GUANGZHOU, Nov. 20 , 2005 (Xinhua)

World's leading mobile network supplier to invest heavily in China

Ericsson, the world's leading mobile network supplier said Saturday it will invest 1 billion US dollars to expand its fast growing business in China in the coming five years.

Mats Holsson, president of Ericsson (China) Company Ltd. said the money will go to a variety of sectors including the supply, production, research and development departments.

"We will step up with the development of telecommunication service in China, meanwhile promote the 3G projects here to help our customers cope with the challenge." said Holsson.

Earlier this week, Carls Henric Svanberg, president and CEO of the Sweden-based Ericsson, announced at Guangdong's International Consultative Conference on the Future Economic Development of Guangdong (ICCFED) that the company will donate 10 million yuan (1.2 million US dollars) to promote the province's mobile network construction, joining hands with Guangdong Mobile.

"Guangdong is one of our key markets in Asia. We have set up here a new R company in May this year. It will contribute to the application of the 3G technology." said Svanberg.

Ericsson is a world-leading provider of telecommunications equipment and related services to mobile and fixed network operators globally. More than 40 percent of all mobile calls are made through its systems. It owns over 35 percent of the world's GSM/EDGE market share and 40 percent of the WCDMA market share.

said

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announced

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set

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said

made

owns


AFP_ENG_20051211.0414

LOS ANGELES, Dec 11 , 2005

ATTENTION - ADDS details ///

Paramount film studios, part of Viacom, has purchased DreamWorks SKG for 1.6 billion dollars in cash, the company said in a statement Sunday.

DreamWorks, which created successful computer animated features such as "Shrek," was also sought after by NBC Universal, a unit of General Electric.

In the deal, Paramount assumed DreamWorks debt.

The final deal gives Paramount access to 59 films in DreamWorks' library, including "Gladiator," "American Beauty," "War of the Worlds," "Saving Private Ryan," and "Catch Me if You Can," which Paramount plans to sell off, according to the statement.

Paramount takes over all of DreamWorks' current projects and creates an ongoing partnership with Steven Spielberg, who has directed some of DreamWorks' most successful films.

Spielberg and David Geffen, also of DreamWorks, are to produce four to six live-action films per year of the 14-16 films Paramount said it expects to make next year.

DreamWorks Animation also announced that it had struck a seven-year deal to distribute its films in theaters, television and home DVD and video players worldwide.

The agreement was conditioned on Paramount's purchase of DreamWorks.

"We are pleased with the benefits this new relationship provides DreamWorks Animation," stated Jeffrey Katzenberg, chief executive of DreamWorks Animation.

DreamWorks Animation receives 75 million dollars to pay off debt.

DreamWorks Animation will also be able to collaborate on new television programming owned by Paramount's parent company, Viacom, including Nickelodeon, MTV, Nick at Nite, VH1, BET, TV Land, and Comedy Central.

"Over the past decade, DreamWorks Animation has produced some of the industry's most successful movies including the highest grossing animated movie of all time," said Brad Grey, chief executive of Paramount Pictures Group.

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able

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said


XIN_ENG_20061123.0334

BEIJING, Nov. 24 , 2006 (Xinhua)

Xinhua international news advisory -- Nov.24

The following are some of the major international news stories scheduled to be covered or pursued by Xinhua on Friday.

-- Hu Jintao meets with Pakistani President.

-- Hu Jintao delivers speech in Pakistan.

-- Putin rules out expansion ban on Polish meat to entire EU.

-- Spain, China sign agreement on the environment.

-- Mexico launches action plan as cold weather bites.

scheduled

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XIN_ENG_20061118.0198

LONDON, Nov. 18 , 2006 (Xinhua)

English premier league top scorers

Following are the top scorers of the English premier league on Saturday:

8 Didier Drogba (Chelsea)

Nwankwo Kanu (Portsmouth)

7 Wayne Rooney (Manchester United)

6 Andy Johnson (Everton)

Kevin Doyle (Reading)

Thierry Henry (Arsenal)

Darren Bent (Charlton Athletic)

5 Dirk Kuyt (Liverpool)

Frank Lampard (Chelsea)

Tim Cahill (Everton)

Bobby Zamora (West Ham United)

Louis Saha (Manchester United)

4 Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United)

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (Manchester United)

Robin van Persie (Arsenal)

Gareth Barry (Aston Villa)

El Hadji Diouf (Bolton Wanderers)

Henri Camara (Wigan Athletic)

Yakubu Aiyegbeni (Middlesbrough)

Benny McCarthy (Blackburn Rovers)

Rob Hulse (Sheffield United)


XIN_ENG_20061123.0309

MONROVIA, Nov. 23 , 2006 (Xinhua)

Liberia hosts UN military missions' conference

The 11th inter-mission force commanders' conference of the United Nations Missions in West Africa continued here on Thursday evening with the objective of exchanging and updating information to enhance their military operations aimed at maintaining peace and stability within the region.

The conference brought together UN military force commanders from Liberia, Sierra Leone, Cote d'Ivoire and the military consular of the UN West Africa's office in Dakar, Senegal.

UN Force Commander in Liberia Lt/Gen. Chikardibia Obiakor said the conference was progressing successfully and that by the end of November, various military missions would collaborate in joint border patrols code named "Operation Siskin."

Obiakor disclosed that local security forces including those in Guinea would also participate in the operation.

For Liberians, he said "this would serve as a means of establishing a framework for them to take over security responsibilities when the UN mission leaves the country."

Liberia and Sierra Leone are in their post-conflict period following more than ten years of war while Cote d'Ivoire is yet to restore peace.

The coordination of military exercises involving various UN missions and their local counterparts is seen as a confidence- building measure.

The UN force commander in Sierra Leone Col. Seven-Olof Broman also said condition in the country were calm and his mission was pre-occupied with post-conflict peace-building activities.

"There can not be security without development and there can not be development without security," Broman said.

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seen

said

development

said


AFP_ENG_19970415.0373

BEIJING, April 15 , 1997 (AFP)

WTO chief to get first-hand view of China's progress

The head of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) will see for himself the progress China has made to pave the way for its entry into the group, China's foreign ministry spokesman Shen Goufang said Tuesday.

The coming visit by WTO secretary general Renato Ruggiero would "allow the two sides to get to know each other better and the WTO can take the opportunity to see what China thinks and does," Shen said.

Ruggiero is due to visit China from Friday until April 23 for further negotiations on the country's entry into the WTO.

Shen repeated Beijing's position that "China has already fulfilled all the conditions of admission" into the multi-lateral body.

"We hope that the United States and western countries will put aside political reasons," which have so far blocked Beijing's bid for entry and treat the country "in a realistic fashion."

Ruggiero said last month in Tokyo negotiations for Beijing's entry into the WTO were about to enter their final phase without setting a timetable.

China's candidacy to the General Agreements on Trade and Tarrifs (GATT) which preceded the WTO, was blocked because of differences on the criteria for admission.

The United States maintains the Chinese economy is not comparable because of its size to those of developping countries and has demanded Beijing meet the conditions of entry applied to industralised countries and lift its customs duties.

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made

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said

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allow

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repeated

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hope

put

blocked

bid

treat

said

entry

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blocked

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applied

lift


WSJ891102-0166
 = 891102
 891102-0166.
 Who's News:
@  Magna International's
@  Financial Chief Quits;
@  Chairman Stepping In
 11/02/89
 WALL STREET JOURNAL (J)
 MAGAF WNEWS
 TORONTO

   Magna International Inc.'s chief financial officer, James McAlpine, resigned and its chairman, Frank Stronach, is stepping in to help turn the automotive-parts manufacturer around, the company said.

   Mr. Stronach will direct an effort to reduce overhead and curb capital spending "until a more satisfactory level of profit is achieved and maintained," Magna said.

   Stephen Akerfeldt, currently vice president finance, will succeed Mr. McAlpine.

   An ambitious expansion has left Magna with excess capacity and a heavy debt load as the automotive industry enters a downturn.
The company has reported declines in operating profit in each of the past three years, despite steady sales growth.

   Magna recently cut its quarterly dividend in half and the company's Class A shares are wallowing far below their 52-week high of 16.125 Canadian dollars (US$13.73).
On the Toronto Stock Exchange yesterday, Magna shares closed up 37.5 Canadian cents to C$9.625.

   Mr. Stronach, founder and controlling shareholder of Magna, resigned as chief executive officer last year to seek , unsuccessfully, a seat in Canada's Parliament.

   Analysts said Mr. Stronach wants to resume a more influential role in running the company.
They expect him to cut costs throughout the organization.

   The company said Mr. Stronach will personally direct the restructuring, assisted by Manfred Gingl, president and chief executive.
Neither they nor Mr. McAlpine could be reached for comment.

   Magna said Mr. McAlpine resigned to pursue a consulting career, with Magna as one of his clients.

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XIN_ENG_20051126.0037

CAIRO, Nov. 26 , 2005 (Xinhua)

Xinhua Mideast news advisory -- Nov. 26

The following major international news stories from the Middle East region are scheduled to be covered or pursued by Xinhua News Agency on Saturday.

-- NATO parliamentary forum on the Greater Middle East opens in Doha Saturday. It is to run for two days.

-- Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Seniora arrives in Amman to preside over the Jordanian-Lebanese joint committee meetings with his Jordanian counterpart Adnan Badran. He will also hold talks with top Jordanian officials on regional and international issues of common concern and bilateral relations.

-- Some 242 candidates in 68 constituencies in Egypt's nine governorates are competing in the run-offs of the second phase of parliamentary elections.

scheduled

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AFP_ENG_19970401.0421

ROME, April 1 , 1997 (AFP)

Italian troops will not be sent to southern Albania

Italian troops will not be sent to southern Albania because of anti- Italian feeling in the port of Vlore, after an Albanian refugee boat sank in a collision with an Italian warship leaving 79 people missing, a military source said here Tuesday.

The Italian authorities were "dismayed" by reports from the Albanian authorities on the mood in the south of the country, notably in Vlore from where many of the victims of Friday's accident hailed from, added the source.

At least four people died in the collision and 34 others were rescued. Howver, 79 are still unaccounted for.

However, Italy had not yet taken a final decision on where it would deploy the 2,000 troops it has earmarked for the UN-sanction operation to protect relief supplies to Albania, the source added.

A 5,000-strong multinational force led by Italy , could be deployed within 10 days, Italy's Defence Minister Beniamino Andreatta announced Tuesday.

Vlore is one of the two ports of which the force will control.

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rescued

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deployed

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XIN_ENG_20061116.0111

GUANGZHOU, Nov. 16 , 2006 (Xinhua)

China home entertainment fair opens in Guangzhou

The 2006 China Home Entertainment Fair, the largest of its kind in the country, opened on Thursday in south China's Guangdong Province, attracting hundreds of audiovisual companies from both home and abroad.

The three-day event, held in the Guangdong Audiovisual Industry Base in Guangzhou, the provincial capital, is showcasing 100,000 products from 256 audiovisual firms, according to the organizers.

Spread over an exhibition area of 25,000 square meters, the fair focuses on copyright acquisition and distribution right for audiovisual products and on new audiovisual technologies and techniques.

The fair is also holding a series of seminars on digital movie development and China's audiovisual development strategy.

A number of awards for audiovisual products, graphic design, sales volume and so on, will be made at the fair.

The fair is being sponsored by China's Ministry of Culture and the Guangdong provincial government. It has been an annual event since 2004.

opened

attracting

held

showcasing

according

fair

focuses

fair

holding

awards

made

fair

fair

sponsored

event


XIN_ENG_20051122.0082

TOKYO, Nov. 22 , 2005 (Xinhua)

Dollar moves narrowly in lower 119 yen in Tokyo

The US dollar moved in a narrow range in the lower 119 yen level Tuesday in Tokyo as many investors took to the sidelines ahead of holidays in Japan and the United States.

At 5 p.m., the dollar traded at 119.04-06 yen, compared with Monday's 5 p.m. quotes of 118.99-119.09 yen in New York and 119.27- 29 yen in Tokyo. It moved between 118.96 yen and 119.20 yen during the day, trading most often at 119.12 yen.

The euro traded at 1.1728-1730 dollars and 139.61-65 yen, against Monday's 5 p.m. quotes of 1.1721-1731 dollars and 139.55- 65 yen in New York and 1.1777-1779 dollars and 140.47-51 yen in Tokyo.

moved

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AFP_ENG_19970426.0011

SINGAPORE, April 26 , 1997 (AFP)

Singapore fines man 6.6 million dollars for smuggling cigarettes

A Singapore court imposed a record fine of 9.25 million Singapore dollars (6.6 million US) on a man who pleaded guilty to smuggling two tonnes of cigarettes from Indonesia, a report said Saturday.

Fong Weng Liong, 42, who was also jailed for two years, will have to serve an additional five years in jail if he cannot pay the fine, the Straits Times reported.

Fong, who is unemployed, smuggled eight consignments, totalling 10,100 cartons, this year before he was nabbed by undercover Customs officers, the court was told.

He had evaded paying duty and tax amounting to 245,329 dollars on the smuggled cigarettes worth 434,300 dollars.

Four other men who assisted the 42-year-old Fong in the elaborate smuggling operation were fined between 3.74 million dollars and 4.9 million dollars each.

Cigarettes are smuggled into Singapore largely because of the disparity in prices of cigarettes sold here and in neighbouring countries, where tobacco taxes are much lower.

imposed

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said

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serve

pay

reported

smuggled

totalling

nabbed

told

evaded

paying

assisted

operation

fined

smuggled

sold


AFP_ENG_20061204.0442

MOSCOW, Dec 4 , 2006, 2006

Russia hopes next US ambassador to UN less 'severe'

Russia hopes that the next US ambassador to the United Nations will be less "severe" than outgoing envoy John Bolton, a ministry of foreign affairs spokesman said Monday.

Bolton, whose resignation was announced by a White House spokeswoman, "was a very strong professional, although on a series of issues, including problems of UN reform, he supported extremely severe views," the spokesman was quoted as saying by RIA Novosti.

"We would like to express the hope that his successor will be able to overcome excessive severity in his approach, and at the same time preserve and develop the positive experience of our cooperation," he added.

US President George W. Bush appointed the controversial, tough-talking Bolton in August 2005 in the face of stiff Democratic opposition.

It was unclear when Bush would announce his choice for a successor to Bolton, who will leave his post at the end of the year.

hopes

said

announced

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quoted

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like

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added

appointed

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XIN_ENG_20061124.0219

CHENGDU, Nov. 24 , 2006 (Xinhua)

Yangtze River no risk to panda habitats: Experts

China's large-scale hydropower projects on the Yangtze River's upper reaches pose no risk to nearby giant panda habitats, experts said here Friday.

The climate changes in the area due to the hydropower projects would in fact assist the giant panda's survival, said Yu Jianqiu, vice director of Chengdu Giant Panda Breeding Research Center.

During the past 20 years, China has started or completed more than ten large hydropower stations on the upper Yangtze each with a capacity of at least three million kilowatts.

When small and medium-sized hydropower stations are added in, the total capacity in the area is about five times greater than the Three Gorges hydropower station, said China's Ministry of Water Resources.

On Sunday, the six-million-kilowatt Xiangjiaba hydropower station will start operation. At least 1.4 billion yuan (about 175 million U.S. dollars) of project funds have been earmarked for environmental protection.

Yu said more than 100 wild giant pandas lived in the stations' drainage area and this had sparked widespread concern that their natural environment might be affected.

But the expert said most of the concerns were "unnecessary" because all the projects were built or planned on the Yangtze mainstream, far from the giant panda habitats.

The Mamize Natural Reserve, the closest habitat, is about 50 kilometers from the Xiluodu station currently under construction, Yu said.

The Yangtze tributaries Xining River and Xisujiao River are the main water sources for Mamize, said Gyina Guqe, chief of the natural reserve.

"When completed, the hydropower station will slightly raise the water levels of the two tributaries and the humidity of the natural reserve will also rise," said Gyina, adding that this will help the growth of the subtropical wildlife in the area, especially the 12,000 hectares of bamboos that giant pandas feast on.

The Xiluodu hydropower station will replace local thermal power plants, which means 41 million tons less coal burnt each year, said the official.

About 150 million tons of carbon dioxide and 850,000 tons of sulfur dioxide emissions will be eliminated thanks to the new hydropower project, said Gyina.

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XIN_ENG_20051116.0421

KATHMANDU, Nov. 17 , 2005 (Xinhua)

Nepal begins using Boeing for mountain flight

After introducing jet aircraft service on domestic routes, Cosmic Air, the leading private Nepali airline is gearing up to use its Fokker-100 jet aircraft for mountain flights from Sunday, a statement released by the airline stated on Thursday.

The airline's inaugural mountain flight with its Fokker-100 jet has provided passengers a "spectacular" view of the world's highest peak Mt. Qomolangma and Annapurna mountain ranges on Wednesday.

"We are the first airline in Nepal to use a Boeing for mountain flights covering both the Himalayan ranges," deputy director of sales and marketing division of Cosmic Air Simrik Shrestha said.

The airline is expected to begin its scheduled mountain flights with its Fokker from Nov. 20.

There were 72 passengers, including journalists and crew members, on board the 108 seater aircraft, according to Shrestha.

Mountains of Ganesh Himal, Langtang, Gauri Shankar, Cho Oyu, Pumori, Qomolangma, Kanchenjunga, Manaslu, Annapurna, Machhapuchhre are some of the peaks that can be seen during the mountain flight, he said.

The airline intends to sell only 84 out of 108 air seats per flight so as to provide a better view of the mountains to the passengers.

"The mountain flight today made me feel as if I were in heaven. I felt like I was on top of the mountains," 41-year-old Spanish tourist, Maria Carmen Sane, said.

"It was amazing to see the mountains, I found Mt. Pumori the prettiest of all the mountains," another Spanish tourist, Pablo Uriarte Masio, said.

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XIN_ENG_20051104.0253

MAR DEL PLATA, Argentina, Nov. 4 , 2005 (Xinhua)

Backgrounder: Summit of the Americas, FTAA

The fourth Summit of the Organization of American states (OAS) will take place on November 4-5 at Mar del Plata, Aregentina, to focus on FTAA (Free Trade Area of the Americas), fighting poverty and strengthening democratic governance.

The first Summit of the Americas was held in December, 1994 at Miami, the United States. The meeting endorsed the idea of FTAA and approved Plan of Action to strengthen democracy, eradicate poverty and promote sustainable development in the region.

The first summit was based on the initiative former US President George Bush, father of the current US President George W. Bush.

The 1994 summit, called by then US President William Clinton, occurred just after the signing of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) between Mexico, Canada and the United States.

NAFTA was deemed as an experiment of Washington for future similar agreements with Latin American countries or a continental one.

Four years later, in April 1998, the second Summit took place at Santiago, Chile. The summit decided to promote transparency in matters related to defense policy and the peaceful settlement of disputes in the Hemisphere.

The third Summit was held at Quebec City, Canada, in April 2001.

The 2001 summit stated that commitment to democracy was a requirement for a country's participation in the summit process. The meeting also determined that the OAS was to be the technical secretarial for the process, assuming many of the responsibilities previously taken by the host country.

In January, 2004, Mexico hosted a special summit to address the issues of economic growth with equity, social development and democratic governance. No major results were obtained.

The FTAA, a pet project of the US, which is designed to unite 34 continental and Caribbean countries in a trade pact and originally expected to be created this year, has been delayed by serious disputes in the negotiations between the United States and Brazil, Argentina and Venezuela.

If the FTAA were to come into effect, it would group 34 countries of the continent, representing an economy of 13 trillion US dollars and a population of 800 million.

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WSJ891026-0077
 = 891026
 891026-0077.
 MGM Grand to Pay
@  $93 Million, Stock
@  For Resort Site
@  ----
@  By David J. Jefferson
@  Staff Reporter of The Wall Street Journal
 10/26/89
 WALL STREET JOURNAL (J)
 MGMG RAM
 TENDER OFFERS, MERGERS, ACQUISITIONS (TNM)
REAL ESTATE, REITS, LAND DEVELOPMENT (REL)
CASINOS AND GAMBLING (CNO)
STOCK MARKET, OFFERINGS (STK)
 BEVERLY HILLS, Calif.

   MGM Grand Inc. has agreed to pay $93 million and nearly 1.8 million common shares to buy 117 acres of land along the Las Vegas, Nev., Strip as a site for its planned movie-studio and theme-park resort.

   Of the total purchase price, $50 million cash and $30 million in stock (nearly 1.8 million shares) would be paid to buy the existing 700-room Marina Hotel amp Casino from Southwest Securities, a Nevada limited partnership.
The remaining properties to be acquired are the Tropicana Country Club amp Golf Course, a facility jointly owned by Ramada Inc., of Phoenix, Ariz., and the Jaffe family, and a small parcel owned by MGM Grand director James D. Aljian.

   The purchase price was disclosed in a preliminary prospectus issued in connection with MGM Grand's planned offering of six million common shares.
The luxury airline and casino company, 98.6%-owned by investor Kirk Kerkorian and his Tracinda Corp., earlier this month announced its agreements to acquire the properties, but did n't disclose the purchase price.

   The proposed stock offering and issuance of nearly 1.8 million common shares in connection with the land purchase will bring MGM Grand's total shares outstanding to 28.7 million, of which 72% will be owned by Mr. Kerkorian and Tracinda, according to the prospectus.

   In over-the-counter trading, MGM Grand was bid at $17.50 a share.

   Proceeds from the offering are expected to be used for remodeling the company's Desert Inn resort in Las Vegas, refurbishing certain aircraft of the MGM Grand Air unit, and to acquire the property for the new resort.
The company said it estimates the Desert Inn remodeling will cost about $32 million, and the refurbishment of the three DC-8-62 aircraft, made by McDonnell Douglas Corp., will cost around $24.5 million.

   MGM Grand said the latest stock offering wo n't cover the $600 million or more cost of building the proposed resort and theme park, and added it will need to seek additional financing, either through bank borrowings or debt and equity offerings, at a later date.
Construction is set to begin in early 1991.

   The resort  will include the MGM Grand Hotel, a multi-spired, castle-like facility that  will include 5,000 rooms and 85,000 square feet of casino space.
The facility will be marketed toward families, and room rates will be between $35 and $55 a night, MGM Grand said.

   The prospectus did n't include many details about the studio and theme park, although conceptual drawings, released this month, show that it may feature several "themed" areas similar to those found at parks built by Walt Disney Co.

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XIN_ENG_20051123.0113

DARES SALAAM, Nov. 23 , 2005 (Xinhua)

China-Tanzania relations ever strengthened: senior CPC official

China will join efforts with Tanzania to continuously strengthen and expand the time-tested friendly relations between the two countries, a senior official of the Communist Party of China (CPC) said here Wednesday morning.

Li Changchun, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, made the remark when holding talks with Philip Mangula, general secretary of the ruling Revolutionary Party of Tanzania.

Li said China and Tanzania has maintained a close relationship though the two countries are far apart. This time, he headed a CPC delegation to pay a goodwill visit to Tanzania in order to enhance mutual understanding, reinforce friendship, exchange experience and deepen cooperation, Li said.

Li spoke highly of the achievements that Tanzania and other African countries made in advancing social and economic development.

He said since African countries and their peoples are at a critical stage in all-round national construction and in the process of exploring development routes that suit to their different specific national conditions, China is ready to join hands with the African countries to seize the opportunities to promote China-Africa cooperation and South-South cooperation to a new level.

Li expressed the confidence that under the leadership of the Revolutionary Party of Tanzania, the Tanzanian people will surely be able to cope with various challenges and create a better future. China will as always work with Tanzania to continuously consolidate and expand their time-tested friendship, he added.

On the relations between the CPC and the Revolutionary Party of Tanzania, Li said both parties are ruling parties in their own countries. The relations between the two parties have withstood the test of times and kept vitality.

Li thanked Tanzania for giving long-term support to China on such issues as Taiwan. He emphasized that the CPC is willing to further strengthen exchanges and cooperation with the Revolutionary Party of Tanzania.

Li put forward four suggestions on further strengthening the friendly exchanges and cooperation between the two political parties.

First, Li said the two parties should maintain high-level contact so as to further enhance mutual understanding and political trust between their leaders.

Secondly, the two parties should strengthen exchange of experience on administration and governing the country and learn from each other, Li said.

Thirdly, he said the two parties should carry out personnel exchanges by exploring new ways and new forms in this respect.

Fourthly, Li said the two parties should continue to explore new areas of party-to-party cooperation that will help advance bilateral trade and economic cooperation.

Mangula warmly welcomed Li and the CPC delegation to visit Tanzania. He said the visit will push the friendly bilateral relations that established by older generations of leadership of the two countries to a new era.

Mangula agreed with Li's comment on the relations between the two countries and between the Revolutionary Party and CPC. He highly praised the four suggestions that Li put forward on advancing exchanges between the two political parties.

Mangula said the Revolutionary Party attaches great importance to exchanges and cooperation with the CPC. He said his party is ready to work with the CPC to explore new mechanisms and arrangements for deepening their relations.

Mangula reiterated that Tanzania will continue to stick to the one China policy. He expressed the wish that the Chinese people will realize the reunification of their motherland on an early date.

Li arrived in Dare Salaam Tuesday evening for a two-day goodwill visit to Tanzania.

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AFP_ENG_20051215.0102

HONG KONG, Dec 15 , 2005

Hong Kong gold closes markedly lower

Hong Kong gold prices closed markedly lower Thursday at 501.50-502.00 US dollars an ounce, compared to Wednesday's close of 514.50-515.00 dollars an ounce.

The market opened at 504.30-504.80 dollars an ounce.

closed

close

opened


XIN_ENG_20051130.0057

SINGAPORE, Nov. 30 , 2005 (Xinhua)

Singapore promotes ICT in education: minister

Singapore has made efforts to promote the implementation of information and communication technology (ICT) in education, Minister of State for Education Gan Kim Yong said Wednesday.

"Generally, the use of ICT has expanded learning opportunities for our students, bringing them beyond their classrooms into authentic learning environments," Gan said at the opening of the 13th International Conference on Computers in Education (ICCE).

Apart from adopting the approach of top-down support for bottom- up initiatives to implement innovative ICT-based pedagogical practices in schools, the Education Ministry will also encourage inter-school collaborations to use ICT for teaching and learning, according to the minister.

During the three-day conference, participants will discuss topics such as the development of ICT in administration, the use of blogs and e-learning in a series of panels and workshops.

The ICCE series has been organized by the Asia-Pacific Society for Computers in Education (APSCE), which evolved from the Asia- Pacific Chapter of the Association for the Advancement of Computers in Education (AACE) based in the United States.

The aim of the conferences is to foster the creation and dissemination of knowledge about the use of information technology in education throughout the Asia-Pacific region.

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use


AFP_ENG_20061220.0486

ABIDJAN, Dec 20 , 2006, 2006

Ivory Coast rebels maintain illicit diamond trade: UN

Rebels in the Ivory Coast continue the secret production and illegal export of diamonds to neighboring countries in violation of a United Nations embargo, a report by UN experts said Wednesday.

The experts "found continued evidence of diamond production in Cote d'Ivoire and illicit exporting of diamonds, especially to Mali," said the report prepared for the UN Security Council.

The report identified Malian buyers which "underlines the significant smuggling of Ivorian diamonds to Mali" where the experts observed the illicit activity in November.

In addition to Ghana and Mali, the experts believed there was regular smuggling of Ivorian diamonds to Guinea.

The UN on December 4 reaffirmed its support for the Kimberley Process (KP), a global initiative designed to stop the market of "blood diamonds" -- sold to pay for warfare -- which includes 47 representatives from 71 countries.

"No action could be taken against Mali," since it is not a member of the certification process, but Ghana could be sanctioned in February 2007, the report said.

It cited an instance when a "suspicious shipment of rough diamonds with a Ghanaian certificate of origin was blocked in Dubai in July 2006," saying the group asked for further information from the United Arab Emirates but got none.

"According to scientific examination, the diamonds were not of Ghanaian origin, and the group was surprised that the United Arab Emirates had released the package to the importer."

In previous reports, the UN experts have said that diamonds were a major source of revenue for the New Forces (FN) rebels which have controlled the north of Ivory Coast since September 2002.

The FN rebels have denied the UN accusations of exploiting the country's diamond wealth, saying they get their money from cocoa and coffee and other products.

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XIN_ENG_20061109.0336

NAIROBI, Nov. 9 , 2006 (Xinhua)

UNEP chief appreciates China's efforts in handling climate change

The UN Environment Program (UNEP) Executive Director Achim Steiner has expressed appreciation for what China has done in dealing with climate change and advised the largest developing country in the world to do more in this field.

"It is rapidly gaining pace. There is steward awareness among Chinese leadership, particularly those who are looking at future economic development power of China," he told Xinhua Wednesday during a major United Nations climate change meeting being held here.

Steiner suggested that China exert more efforts in power generation in the future and public transport.

"I know the leadership in China, with international collaboration, is looking at how the power, the electricity that is needed in the future can be generated," he said.

The UNEP chief also advised the Chinese government to work out a plan to manage the public transport as China has seen a rapid growth of private vehicles in the past years.

Steiner also pointed out that forestation and efficient management of lands could help China register sustainable development.

China, which has sent a delegation led by senior officials and diplomats to the climate change conference, is a signatory to the Kyoto Protocol, which is aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emission through global efforts to curb the trend of adverse climate change.

The UN conference on climate change kicked off on Monday, with participating parties exploring an international framework to deal with the issue of global warming after 2012, the last year covered by the current gas emission rules under the Kyoto Protocol.

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XIN_ENG_20051126.0149

BELGRADE, Nov. 26 , 2005 (Xinhua)

International community to stay on in Kosovo: UN envoy

The international community would stay on in Kosovo for a long time to come whatever the outcome of the talks on the Serbian breakaway province, said Martti Ahtisaari, UN envoy on Kosovo future status talks, on Saturday.

"Whatever the status is going to be, I think we all recognize that there is going to be a presence of the international community in Kosovo for quite some time to come," Ahtisaari, former Finnish president and veteran peace broker, told a press conference following meetings with Montenegrin leaders in Podgorica, capital of Montenegro.

Ahtisaari embarked on his first tour of the Balkan region this week to launch the process of defining Kosovo's future status. He has visited Kosovo and Serbia in an effort to collect first-hand material about the situation.

Kosovo is nominally part of Serbia-Montenegro, but it has been run by the United Nations and NATO since mid-1999. Kosovo's ethnic Albanian majority is insisting on independence from Serbia, while Belgrade wants to retain sovereignty over Kosovo.

Ahtisaari said that he expected the direct talks between Belgrade and Pristina to start early next year.

"In order for us to make progress in these talks, it is important to make progress on the (democratic) standards, and that requires not only the actions and measures by the Kosovo Albanians, but also the cooperation of minority population, including the Serbs," Ahtisaari said.

There are some 100,000 Kosovo Serbs, living in isolated enclaves. They have been boycotting the province's institutions, complaining of harassment by majority ethnic Albanians.

Late on Saturday, Ahtisaari traveled to Albania where he met with Albanian leaders. From Albania, Ahtisaari will travel to Macedonia, which also has a sizable restive ethnic Albanian minority.

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AFP_ENG_20061201.0563

LOS ANGELES, Dec 1 , 2006, 2006

LA archdiocese to pay 60 mln dlrs to settle clergy abuse case

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles said Friday it has agreed to pay 60 million dollars to settle accusations by 45 people that they were sexually abused by priests.

"Today's settlement of 45 cases is a positive step forward in the church's efforts to promote healing and reconciliation for those who have suffered abuse by members of the clergy," said Cardinal Roger Mahony, head of the archdiocese.

The Roman Catholic Church in the United States has been rocked by clergy pedophilia scandals in recent years. Several priests have been convicted and at least two dioceses have gone bankrupt after being sentenced to pay huge civil penalties and interest.

The 45 alleged victims in the Los Angeles case represent only a tenth of those who have initiated a legal procedure against the archdiocese.

The archdiocese has said its financial stability would not be compromised by the settlement because it had made budgetary adjustments since last year.

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XIN_ENG_20051125.0223

HARARE, Nov. 25 , 2005 (Xinhua)

SADC launches initiatives fighting HIV/AIDS in Southern Africa

The Southern African Development Community is making a great effort to fight HIV/AIDS which continues to be one of the major challenges in the region, the SADC executive secretary Tomaz Salomao said here on Friday.

Speaking at a press conference, Salomao said the SADC secretariat has organized a number of initiatives at the regional level to benefit member states, which included regional training workshops on mainstreaming of HIV/AIDS, nutrition, prevention of mother to child transmission and behavior change.

He said a platform has also been created for member states to share best practices through the regional and national AIDS forums.

Over and above the regional initiatives, the secretariat has also been supporting a number of initiatives related to the areas and with the cooperation of a number of cooperating partners, said Salomao.

He said the total support for activities related to the strengthening of behavioral change communication, condom promotion and use, support to people living with HIV/AIDS as well as capacity for coordination of the national AIDS response is about 2. 4 million US dollars.

Salomao disclosed that SADC and the International Cooperating Partners HIV/AIDS Group on November 9 of this year signed a 5.3 million-US dollar financing agreement to help the HIV/AIDS unit in building capacity and to assist member states in dealing with HIV/ AIDS.

This is a joint financial technical memorandum signed by Sweden, Netherlands and Britain.

Salomao also called for SADC member states to strengthen cooperation to fight against HIV/AIDS.

Salomao arrived in Zimbabwe on Thursday after visiting Namibia, Madagascar, Swaziland, Zambia, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The purpose of his visit is to get first hand information on what member states expect from the secretariat and exchange views and ideas on regional cooperation and integration issues.

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AFP_ENG_20061230.0065

KABUL, Dec 30 , 2006, 2006

=(PICTURE)=

Afghan President Hamid Karzai used the start of the Islamic Eid festival Saturday to again call on Taliban-led rebels to end their insurgency, which he said was being directed by "strangers".

Karzai made the call after leading some of his cabinet and other officials to Eid al-Adha prayers in a busy mosque in the centre of the city, a departure from his routine of praying inside the heavily defended presidential compound.

"I call upon those who are still committing acts against their land, those who are still acting on orders of strangers in the destruction of their land, to give up fighting," Karzai told reporters.

The president this month accused the government of neighbouring Pakistan of trying to turn his countrymen into "slaves", in his strongest words yet blaming Islamabad for the wave of insurgent violence.

Pakistan has angrily denied the allegations.

The insurgency launched after the Taliban were toppled in a US-led offensive in late 2001 has been at its fiercest this year, with the militants showing new sophistication and launching deadly attacks in the heart of the capital.

The violence has claimed nearly 4,000 lives this year, with most of the dead rebel fighters.

Karzai regularly calls on Taliban foot soldiers to lay down their arms and join a government reconciliation programme.

In his message for Eid al-Adha, or the Feast of Sacrifice, Taliban leader Mullah Mohammand Omar on Friday praised his followers' sacrifices in their campaign and said they would never accept defeat.

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AFP_ENG_19970430.0014

RANGOON, April 30 , 1997 (AFP)

Burma expresses appreciation for ASEAN support

The Burmese government has expressed its "sincere appreciation" for the "support and understanding" of ASEAN in planning to admit Burma to the regional group, the official press said Wednesday.

Foreign Minister Ohn Gyaw made the comments Tuesday at a meeting of Burmese and ASEAN officials here, a week after the US imposed an investment ban on Burma and appealed to the regional grouping to bar Rangoon's admittance.

"We are indebted to the ASEAN secretariat, as well as to our ASEAN friends" for their support, Ohn Gyaw said, adding Tuesday's consultative meeting served to provide a vital link between Burma and the ASEAN countries.

"It illustrates the kind encouragement on the part of our ASEAN friends, as well as our sincere commitment regarding Myanmar's (Burma's) membership," Ohn Gya was quoted as saying in the New Light of Myanmar.

He did not, however, mention the investment ban on US companies in Burma, which was announced by Washington a week ago in response to the junta's continued repression of the pro-democracy opposition.

Most of the countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations have already rebuffed the US appeal to bar Burma's entry into the group, which is expected to occur later this year.

ASEAN groups Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Cambodia and Laos are slated to join the grouping at the same time as Burma.

Ohn Gyaw said Burma had already established a national ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) unit and an ASEAN core group in the foreign ministry as part of its plans to accede to the grouping as a full member.

Thai Foreign Minister Prachuab Chaiyasarn said Tuesday that the admittance of Burma, Cambodia and Laos would be determined by their readiness to observe the obligations of ASEAN membership.

These obligations include an ability to accede to AFTA, under which trade barriers in the region would be dismantled over the next decade.

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dismantled


AFP_ENG_19970422.0762

TOKYO, April 23 , 1997 (AFP)

Nikkei up, dollar at 126.45-47 yen in Tokyo morning

Share prices were higher on the Tokyo Stock Exchange Wednesday morning, but with profit-taking capping the upside, brokers said.

The Nikkei stock average rose 160.02 points, or 0.9 percent, to end the session at 18,704.47, down from a session high of 18,782.08.

Investors turned sellers among banks toward the end of the session and took profits on recent gains, brokers said.

"It is understandable to see such modest profit-taking among banks following their recent sustained gains," said a broker at New Japan Securities Co. Ltd.

The dollar was quoted at 126.45-47 yen in late morning trading, up from 126.32 yen in New York late Tuesday and from 126.02-05 yen here late Tuesday.

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AFP_ENG_19970421.0110

PARIS, April 21 , 1997 (AFP)

Right will lose seats, but retain majority: new poll

The French right would lose a substantial number of seats in the National Assembly, but retain a comfortable working majority, according to a new poll on snap elections expected to be called Monday.

The ruling rightwing bloc, which currently holds 80 percent of the seats in the 577-seat National Assembly, would lose about 150 -- but still have some 40 seats more than an absolute majority, said the poll in the daily Le Figaro.

The bloc -- comprising the Gaullist Rally for the Republic (RPR) and centre-right Union for French Democracy (UDF) -- would end up with 318 seats, said the survey by the SOFRES polling institute.

Most previous polls have also put the right marginally in front if snap legislative elections are called, as expected by President Jacques Chirac Monday evening. One poll last week suggested an alliance of the opposition Socialist Party (PS), communist and greens could edge ahead of the right.

Chirac is expected to announce the dissolution of parliament in a TV address Monday evening, justifying it by the need to clean the decks ahead of the deadline for a European single currency next year.

Critics say he wants to get the election out of the way before implementing a new round of unpopular austerity measures required to prepare France for economic and monetary union (EMU).

The Le Figaro poll also confirmed that most French people back the idea of snap elections, a year ahead of schedule: 53 percent of those asked supported the dissolution of parliament, against 33 percent against.

lose

retain

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expected

called

ruling

holds

lose

said

end

said

put

elections

called

expected

suggested

edge

expected

announce

address

justifying

clean

say

wants

get

implementing

required

prepare

confirmed

back

supported


XIN_ENG_20051122.0210

HARBIN, Nov. 22 , 2005, (xinhua)

Harbin: main factories to operate normally in no-water period

The main factories of Harbin, capital of northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, indicated that their normal operation will not be affected by the whole city's water supply cut-off on Tuesday.

The three most famous and old-line factories, Harbin Boiler Factory Co. Ltd., Harbin Electrical Machine Factory Co. Ltd and Harbin Steam Turbine Plant Co. Ltd., all expressed on Tuesday they have taken effective measures to ensure their companies operate normally and safely.

Tao Zhiyuan, vice-chairman of Harbin Steam Turbine Plant's information bureau, said the company has mapped out a counterplan to guarantee water supply both for life and production during the special period.

So far, the factory has deposited 1,200 tons of water to ensure normal use for three or four days. Given the period be prolonged, Tao said, the factory would utilize fire engines to collect water from other deep waterheads.

Zhang Hui from Harbin Boiler Factory said they will gather water from deep wells in the factory. Harbin Electrical Machine Factory will also take the same solution, sources with the factory said on Tuesday.

For fears that a chemical plant blast on Nov. 13 may have caused a leakage of poisonous substances into the Songhua River, which supplies water to Harbin, the municipality has announced to cut off water supply to the urban areas at wee hours on Wednesday.

indicated

affected

expressed

taken

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said

mapped

guarantee

production

deposited

ensure

use

prolonged

said

utilize

collect

said

gather

take

said

blast

caused

leakage

announced

cut


AFP_ENG_20051209.0140

TOKYO, Dec 10 , 2005

by Martin Parry

The World Cup draw threw up some enticing encounters for Asia-Pacific nations, with newcomers Australia and Asian champions Japan drawn in the same group as holders Brazil.

South Korea, semi-finalists four years ago, have an easier ride, in a group that pits them against Switzerland and Togo but also 1998 winners France.

Saudi Arabia will play perennial underachievers Spain, and also Ukraine and African champions Tunisia while Asia's other representative, Iran, has its work cut out against seeded side Mexico, Portugal and debutants Angola.

Japan and Australia, who also play Croatia, begin Group F action with a clash against each other in Kaiserslautern on June 12, but it is the prospect of meeting five-time champions Brazil that has mouths watering in Asia.

"Perhaps Japan and Croatia have other ideas, but realistically we are looking for the spot behind Brazil," said Australia's coach Guus Hiddink, who has helped spark huge interest in football in Australia.

"They are the favourites and the toughest draw we could have had," added the Dutchman, who steered South Korea to the last four in 2000.

Australia are competing at their first World Cup finals since 1974.

Japan, recently voted Asia's team of the year by the Asian Football Confederation, are more of an unknown entity for Hiddink, but he is not underestimating them.

"Japan have changed a lot since 2002 and, like us, they will want to pull something out of the hat," he said. "We are happy to have qualified, but we are not here to make up the numbers and want to spring a surprise."

For Japan's Brazilian coach Zico, who took over from Frenchman Philippe Troussier after the 2002 World Cup, being drawn against his home country is a dream come true, and he is ready for the challenge.

"A team that has qualified for the World Cup finals must be prepared for any situation whatsoever," Zico, who played for Brazil at three World Cups, told Japanese television in Leipzig after the draw there.

"For us, it is easier to encounter Brazil in the first round. It is better than fighting them after winning through to the second round."

While Brazil are the number one threat, Zico is aware that Australia under Hiddink are dangerous and shouldn't be underestimated.

"They are well guided. It will be very important for us to win the first match and boost the morale of my players," he said.

Australia play Brazil at Nuremburg on June 18 while Japan will lock horns with them in Dortmund on June 22.

South Korea, led by Manchester United star Park Ji-Sung, will fancy their chances in Group G, opening their World Cup against first-timers Togo in Frankfurt on June 13.

While playing down the prospect of another semi-final success, coach Dick Advocaat said his team would be difficult to beat, but acknowledged France were favourites to top the group.

"We have three tough games but the way we are playing we are very difficult to beat at the moment. We have a very young team but it is maturing," he said. "France are slight favourites on paper."

Three-time Asian champions Iran have a tough draw, with manager Branko Ivankovic admitting it will be hard to overcome Euro 2004 runners-up Portugal and Mexico in Group D.

"Our problem will be in adapting to the different styles -- European, African and Latin-American. I hope our players will learn how to respond to the different problems," said the Croatian.

In Group H, Saudi Arabia, in their fourth consecutive World Cup, will need to be at their best to beat Ukraine, the first European nation to qualify for Germany, and Africa's top country Tunisia.

Saudi Arabia suffered a humiliating 8-0 defeat to eventual runners-up Germany in their opener of the 2002 World Cup in Japan, and will be looking to avoid a similar disaster at all costs.

The World Cup finals get underway in Munich on June 9 when hosts Germany meet Costa Rica.

threw

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play

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admitting

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adapting

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said

need

beat

qualify

suffered

looking

avoid

get

meet


XIN_ENG_20051129.0342

BANGKOK, Nov. 30 , 2005 (Xinhua)

Thai oil traders cut gasoline prices

All local oil traders have decided to reduce gasoline and gasohol prices by 0.40 baht (1 cent) per liter upon a continued decline in global fuel prices, but remain the diesel price unchanged, Thai News Agency reported Wednesday.

Effective at 5:00 am on Nov. 30, the prices of premium and regular gasoline, as well as gasohol in Greater Bangkok drop to 24. 84, 24.04 and 23.34 baht (62 cents, 60 cents and 58 cents) per liter, while the diesel price remains unchanged at 22.72 baht (57 cents) per liter.

Chaivat Churitti, senior executive vice president of PTT's Oil Business Group, said on Tuesday that the fuel prices were set to reduce at 5:00 am on Wednesday because the Internal Trade Department made a written request for oil traders to announce the price change 12 hours in advance to facilitate an official check of selling prices at service stations.

He said the latest price cut stemmed from the weakening of crude prices on the world market, resulting in gasoline prices in Singapore declining to 57.64 US dollars per barrel.

decided

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reported

remains

said

set

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made

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announce

change

facilitate

said

stemmed

weakening

resulting

declining


AFP_ENG_20061231.0251

BUCHAREST, Dec 31 , 2006, 2006

New Year rings in EU membership for Bulgaria, Romania

Former communist states Bulgaria and Romania celebrated Monday joining the European Union, a historic moment that drew thousands to midnight concerts but leaders warned reforms were still needed.

The addition of the two former Soviet bloc states brought the number of EU nations to 27, with a total population of almost half a billion people.

celebrated

joining

drew

warned

needed

addition

brought


AFP_ENG_20061211.0198

GENEVA, Dec 11 , 2006, 2006

Israel blocks Tutu's UN mission to Beit Hanun: UN official

Israel has blocked a UN human rights fact-finding mission led by South African Nobel laureate Desmond Tutu into the killing of 19 Palestinians in their homes in the Gaza Strip, a United Nations official in Geneva said Monday.

Israeli authorities will not grant Tutu and his team the necessary travel authorisation, the official added.

The UN Human Rights Council voted on November 15 to set up the fact-finding mission into the deaths during an Israeli artillery bombardment in Beit Hanun.   The mission was intended to assess the situation of victims, address the needs of survivors, and make recommendations on ways "to protect Palestinian civilians against further Israeli attacks".

Tutu, the former Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town, chaired the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission after the end of the apartheid regime.

The decision to dispatch the mission revealed divisions within the Human Rights Council, which has been criticised by the outgoing Secretary General Kofi Annan for excessive focus on the Israeli/Palestinian conflict.

Thirty-two countries in the 47-member Council, mainly from Asia, Africa and the Middle East, voted for the resolution setting up the mission.

Eight countries, including Canada and European nations such as Britain and Germany, opposed the move. Six countries, including France, Switzerland and Japan, abstained.

Nineteen Palestinians were killed on November 18 in the shelling of private homes in the northern Gaza town of Beit Hanun, which the Israeli military blamed on a technical malfunction.

blocked

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PRI19980121.2000.2591
 NEWS STORY

 Now for today's geography quiz.

 We're off in search of an ancient and exotic city.

 An officially sanctioned one, too.
 UNESCO declared it a protected site for its beauty and its
 historical significance.

 The city could have used some special protection in nineteen seventy-nine
 when the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan.
 Most of the city's monuments were destroyed, including a
 magnificent tiled mosque, which dominated the skyline for
 centuries.

 The people here are famous throughout central Asia for their
 skill in fashioning pottery and tile, glass too.
 Some families have kept their glass working secrets for more
 than two thousand years.

 Even though this city is in Afghanistan, most people here speak a
 dialect of the Persian language, and have long standing
 cultural ties with neighboring Iran.

 Think you got it?
 Well, frankly, I do n't  , but the answer is coming up
 in just a few minutes.

quiz

off

search

sanctioned

declared

protected

used

protection

invaded

destroyed

dominated

kept

speak

have

ties

Think

got

answer

coming


XIN_ENG_20061116.0230

ISLAMABAD, Nov. 16 , 2006 (Xinhua)

Pakistan, Russia to boost economic, trade link

Pakistan and Russia Thursday agreed to further expand economic and trade cooperation between the two sides.

Addressing a joint press conference with Pakistani Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmood Kasuri, visiting Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said both the countries have agreed to launch the mechanism to activate Pakistan-Russia Joint Governmental Commission to promote economic and trade relations.

The Commission should meet regularly to review the ongoing projects and issues and explore possibility for further avenues of cooperation, the Russian foreign minister said.

The bilateral trade between Russia and Pakistan has more than doubled last year to over 500 million U.S. dollars, he said.

Kasuri said the bilateral contact between the two countries has increased substantially and the Joint Working Groups on bilateral cooperation, strategic stability and counter terrorism met early this year.

He said "excellent opportunities" for joint collaboration exist in sectors concerning Oil and Gas projects, expansion of Railways, construction of coal thermal and hydel power generating stations.

The Pakistani foreign minister also said Pakistan welcomed Russia's strong interest in Iran-Pakistan-India (IPI) gas pipeline and were considering Russian participation in the project.

agreed

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said

doubled

said

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increased

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said

exist

expansion

said

welcomed

considering

participation


AFP_ENG_20061216.0007

WELLINGTON, Dec 16 , 2006, 2006

ATTENTION - UPDATES ///

Sri Lanka took a firm grip on the second cricket Test against New Zealand here Saturday as they built an overall 363-run lead with five wickets remaining in a confident second innings batting spree.

In a match which again appears destined to finish well inside five days, weather permitting, Sri Lanka were 225 for five in their second innings at stumps on the second day.

The free-flowing scoring on a benign batting pitch was in stark contrast to the rather limp first innings efforts from both sides where New Zealand were all out for 130 in reply to Sri Lanka's 268.

Sri Lanka, seeking to square the series after New Zealand won the first Test by five wickets, were at one stage four for 100 in their second innings with the top order dismissals including danger man Kumar Sangakkara.

After unbeaten centuries in his previous two innings, Sangakkara lasted only 14 balls before cutting Shane Bond to James Franklin at deep point to be out for eight and finish the Test series with an impressive average of 134.

It was Chamara Silva who primarily kept the scoreboard ticking over with a 68-run stand for the fifth wicket with Mahela Jayawardene, and an unbeaten 57-run partnership with Prasanna Jaywardene.

At the close, Silva was unbeaten on 79, his second half century of the match after failing to score in the first Test, while Jayawardene was not out 22.

Lasith "Slinga" Malinga and Muttiah Muralitharan had earlier bowled Sri Lanka to a 138-run first innings lead.

The New Zealand batsmen had no answer to the hostile pace and slinging action of Malinga at one end, and could not read Muralitharan's spin at the other, as they crumbled to be all out before lunch on the second day for 130.

Of the New Zealand batsmen only Brendon McCullum put up any solid resistance. He was dropped on the first ball of the day without scoring and went on to post 43 before he was bowled by Muralitharan to end the innings.

But his knock was not without cost as a Malinga blow to the knuckles forced him to go to hospital for treatment.

Mathew Sinclair replaced McCullum behind the stumps when Sri Lanka came out to bat again.

New Zealand has also lost all-rounder Jacob Oram to a hamstring injury, depleting their bowling options.

Oram was one of seven New Zealand batsmen who failed to make double figures, including senior players Stephen Fleming and Daniel Vettori who failed to get off the mark.

With a mix of bouncers and yorkers, Malinga terrorised the New Zealand order and was rewarded with career-best figures of five for 68, while Muralitharan chimed in with four for 31 to complete the demolition.

In one magical three-over spell, Muralitharan had Oram (1), James Franklin (1) and Shane Bond (8) all trapped leg before wicket.

New Zealand lead the series 1-0.

took

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demolition

lead


XIN_ENG_20061102.0113

BEIJING, Nov. 2 , 2006 (Xinhua)

China's first stealth warship made public

The country's first warship with stealth technology served as the flagship in recent off-shore exercises of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy, according to the PLA Navy sources.

It is the first time that the new-type warship has been made public, the PLA Daily reported on Thursday. It marks a breakthrough in the country's warship building sector, it said.

The stealth destroyer, which is independently designed and built by Chinese, is capable of accomplishing long-distance missions.

In late 2000, China began building the stealth destroyer. Experts involved in the project worked to make it as stealthy as possible, according to Navy sources.

Over 30 percent of the equipment on the destroyer is newly developed.

Module technology was also used on the new warship, making China the third country to use the technology in warship-building.

Before the new destroyer was handed over to the Navy, it made a 9,000-sea mile test voyage lasting more than 120 days. Over 300 problems were found and rectified, the sources said.

served

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said

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developed

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made

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found

rectified

said


AFP_ENG_20051203.0162

BRATISLAVA, Dec 3 , 2005

Hrbaty replaces Beck in Slovak doubles

Slovak Dominik Hrbaty has replaced Karol Beck in doubles for Saturday's rubber against Croatia at the Davis Cup final.

Officials announced the expected change, which will send Hrbaty into the match alongside teammate Michael Mertinak. Croatia will field Mario Ancic and Ivan Ljubicic in a tie which stands level at 1-1.

Beck had also been replaced by veteran Karol Kucera in Friday's opening singles tie.

He had been suffering with a left knee injury during the closing stages of the ATP season, and is also the subject of unconfirmed reports of a positive test for a banned substance at his country's Davis Cup quarter-final victory over Argentina in September.

Ljubicic stormed past Kucera 6-3, 6-4, 6-3 to put the visitors into early command Friday before Hrbaty levelled for the hosts with a 7-6 (7-4), 6-3, 6-7 (4-7), 6-4 victory over Ancic.

replaced

doubles

announced

change

send

field

replaced

suffering

test

stormed

put

levelled

victory


AFP_ENG_20051214.0426

BERLIN, Dec 14 , 2005

untenable'

The new British proposal on the EU budget is "still untenable", a German government source said on Wednesday on the eve of a crucial EU summit in Brussels.

For agreement to be reached, there would have to be a "lasting solution to the British rebate issue", the source said.

However the German government noted that the atmosphere "had clearly improved" compared with the fractious summit in June when no agreement could be found on the issue.

While the 25 EU member states are still not on the same page on the budget, Germany is hoping the better mood will translate into an agreement, the source said.

"There is an urgent need for success," the source added.

proposal

said

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reached

said

noted

improved

summit

found

hoping

translate

said

added


XIN_ENG_20051114.0343

ATHENS, Nov. 14 , 2005 (Xinhua)

Greek stocks close higher

Greek stocks ended higher on Monday, pushing the composite index to its highest closing since December 2000 on the Athens Stock Exchange, traders here said.

The index rose 0.58 percent to end at 3,442.20 points, with turnover an improved 244 million euros (287.7 million US dollars).

The FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavily traded stocks rose 0.54 percent, while the FTSE/ASE MID 40 index and the FTSE/ ASE SmallCap 80 index rose 0.90 percent and 0.27 percent respectively.

Broadly, advancers led decliners by 143 to 133 with another 58 issues unchanged.

ended

pushing

said

rose

end

rose

rose

led


XIN_ENG_20051115.0012

DAR ES SALAAM, Nov. 15 , 2005 (Xinhua)

Tanzania to try cross-border bank robbers

Tanzania is to bring back for trial foreigners suspected of robbing banks and of committing other crimes once identified and is asking neighboring countries for assistance in repatriation.

Tanzanian Director of Criminal Investigation Adadi Rajabu was quoted by local press as saying on Tuesday that the country had spent a lot of money to find out all those involved in bank robberies by foreigners.

"We follow them (suspects) in Kenya and Uganda but in vain and now we have petitioned that they be arrested and be brought to answer charges because they committed crimes here," said the police officer.

In the past three years, Tanzania has witnessed a spate of well- executed armed robberies by foreigners on such financial institutions as the CRDB Bank in Dar es Salaam, NBC Bank branch in Moshi and in Musoma and the Madison Bureau de Change in Dar es Salaam.

Culprits allegedly enter Tanzania easily using loopholes that Tanzanians are not suspicious and trust even foreigners.

The police officer also called on bank managements to introduce modern security facilities so as to better fight robberies.

bring

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committing

asking

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saying

spent

find

follow

suspects

petitioned

arrested

brought

answer

charges

committed

said

witnessed

robberies

enter

trust

called

introduce

fight


XIN_ENG_20061123.0001

JAKARTA, Nov. 23 , 2006 (Xinhua)

Indonesian athletes get moral boost from Susilo

Indonesian athletes got a morale boost from President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono before they left for the 15th Asian Games in Doha, Qatar, on Dec. 1-15.

Indonesia is sending a total of 219 people -- 131 athletes, 36 coaches, 17 team managers, six mechanics, six officials and 23 cooks -- to the Dec. 1-15 event.

The athletes will compete in 84 events from 20 sports, The Jakarta Post newspaper reported Thursday.

"You athletes are those who have been selected, groomed and are experienced after many competitions in and out of the country. So compete and fight for the best," the President was quoted as telling the athletes during a ceremony Wednesday.

The country is hoping to earn at least four gold medals from badminton, bowling, karate, taekwondo, cycling and sailing.

State Minister for Youth and Sports Adhyaksa Dault said many of the athletes had trained in Thailand and Switzerland and their progress had been closely monitored by a government team.

Adhyaksa said he considered the official target of a minimum of four golds as "too pessimistic".

"We can win more than that... at least eight golds from badminton, karate and bowling," he said.

The Asiad would also serve as a training ground for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, he said.

got

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compete

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selected

groomed

experienced

compete

fight

quoted

telling

ceremony

hoping

earn

said

trained

monitored

said

considered

win

said

serve

said


XIN_ENG_20061107.0430

WELLINGTON, Nov. 8 , 2006 (Xinhua)

CNN

FLASH: DEMOCRATS GAIN NECESSARY NET SEATS TO CAPTURE HOUSE CONTROL: CNN

FLASH

GAIN


AFP_ENG_20061211.0325

DOHA, Dec 11 , 2006, 2006

China's Xie wins women's triple jump title

China's Xie Limei won the women's triple jump title here at the Asian Games on Monday.

The 20-year-old jumped a best of 14.37 metres to beat Uzbekistan's Anastasia Juravleva while Li Qian of China took the bronze.

won

jumped

beat

took


AFP_ENG_19970407.0354

BEIJING, April 7 , 1997 (AFP)

China thanks French president for not backing human rights censure

Chinese President Jiang Zemin and Prime Minister Li Peng thanked French President Jacques Chirac Monday for not supporting a European Union move to censure China over its human rights record.

Jiang told reporters the decision by Paris not to support an EU motion to criticize China's human rights record at the ongoing UN Human Rights Commission in Geneva was "very good."

Li told visiting French Defense Minister Charles Million that "we appreciate this perceptive and intelligent decision" by Chirac, state television reported.

He added that China was "happy to cooperate and arrange exchanges with France" in the area of defence and promoting human rights.

"In the past year, we have been happy to see that in bilateral and international fields, France and China have made great progress and in a positive direction," Li told Millon at the start of their meeting.

"We greatly appreciate the importance placed on Franco-Chinese relations by Chirac," he said, adding Beijing was looking forward to Chirac's visit in May."

Millon's five-day visit, which started Sunday, is a clear indication that Paris wants to open a new chapter of ties with Beijing.

During his visit, the first to China by a French defence minister since Paris and Beijing established diplomatic relations in 1964, Millon has invited Chinese defence officials to study in France and called for more visits from the Chinese navy.

Millon's landmark visit is one of the highest-level French visits since the PLA stormed Tiananmen Square on June 4, 1989 and fired on unarmed demonstrators, killing hundreds.

European Union foreign ministers agreed Monday to go ahead with UN resolutions criticising the human rights record of Burma, Zaire, Iraq and Iran despite failing to reach accord on a similar condemnation of China.

The move overcame a standoff when the EU's Dutch presidency threatened not to table any resolutions at the UN's Human Rights Commission's annual meeting in Geneva after France blocked a common EU stance on China.

The EU has jointly sponsored a resolution critical of China in Geneva every year since 1989.

France's stance that it is better to pursue a dialogue with China than to seek confrontation is supported by Germany, Italy and Spain but these three countries were willing to go along with the resolution in the name of EU unity if Paris lifted its veto.

Human rights groups believe France's stance on the resolution is motivated by a concern not to jeopardise a major contract for Airbus planes that Chirac is expected to clinch when he visits Beijing.

thanked

supporting

move

censure

told

decision

support

criticize

told

visiting

appreciate

decision

reported

added

cooperate

arrange

promoting

see

made

told

start

meeting

appreciate

placed

said

adding

looking

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started

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established

invited

study

called

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visits

stormed

fired

killing

agreed

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criticising

failing

reach

move

overcame

standoff

threatened

meeting

blocked

sponsored

pursue

dialogue

seek

confrontation

supported

go

lifted

believe

motivated

jeopardise

expected

clinch

visits


XIN_ENG_20061102.0309

WASHINGTON, Nov. 2 , 2006 (Xinhua)

U.S. rates on 30-year mortgages drop to lowest level in a month

Rates on 30-year mortgages in the United States fell this week to the lowest level in a month as new data showed the economy has been slowing down, mortgage giant Freddie Mac reported Thursday.

In the week ending November 2, rates on 30-year, fixed-rate mortgages dropped to 6.31 percent from 6.40 percent last week. That was the lowest level since those rates averaged 6.30 percent four weeks ago.

Other types of mortgages also declined this week.

Rates on 15-year, fixed-rate mortgages, a popular choice for refinancing, fell to 6.02 percent from 6.10 percent last week.

Rates on one-year adjustable rate mortgages (ARMs) decreased to 5.53 percent from 5.60 percent while rates on five-year ARMs were down to 6.05 percent from 6.14 percent.

A year ago, 30-year mortgages averaged 6.31 percent, while 15- year mortgages stood at 5.85 percent, one-year ARMs were at 5.09 percent and the five-year ARMs at 5.76 percent.

The drops in mortgage rates came after reports showed the economy has been slowing, a development that could help reduce inflation pressures.

Last Friday, the Commerce Department reported that the overall economy grew at a sluggish rate of 1.6 percent in the third quarter, the weakest pace in more than three years.

fell

showed

slowing

reported

ending

dropped

averaged

declined

fell

decreased

averaged

stood

came

showed

slowing

help

reduce

reported

grew


AFP_ENG_19970415.0433

JERUSALEM, April 15 , 1997 (AFP)

Israeli millionaire involved in weapon deals mysteriously disappears

An Israeli millionaire accused of selling chemical arms material to Iran has been missing for several weeks, press reports said Tuesday.

Nahum Manbar, 51, an owner of a Jerusalem basketball team, had been accused by US President Bill Clinton of selling material used in making chemical arms to Iran.

Israel's leading newspapers, the Yediot, Haaretz and Maariv, all reported the story over his "mystery disappearance" and have made independent attempts to contact him.

Manbar, who lived mostly in France owes Israeli banks 150,000 dollars in loans he took for his business deals that totalled 8 million dollars.

Former business colleagues in Israel said Manbar did not always stick to his commitments in deals.

Manbar lived in Nice, France with his wife and two children, who also could not be found. Calls to his home in southern France were not answered.

But a secretary at his French office told Israeli Channel Two television that Manbar had not disappeared.

"When they decide to contact anyone, they will," the unnamed secretary told the television. "I can't say, I don't know where they are."

Manbar was born on the kibbutz Givat Hayim in northern Israel and left the country in 1985.

In 1991 the Israeli defense ministry forbade Israeli contacts with him based on reports he was selling chemical weapons parts to Iran, from China.

Clinton two years ago wrote in a letter to the US Congress that Manbar was involved in selling Iran materials used in the manufacture of chemical weapons.

The US government consequently imposed harsh sanctions on Manbar, preventing US businesses from working with him.

The New York Times reported in 1995 that Manbar had set up fake companies in Britain and Poland, through which he sold the weapons materials to Iran.

The materials, some of which had been produced in China, included those used to produce mustard and nerve gas, according to the New York Times.

Manbar told the Israeli Haaretz newspaper in 1995 that he had not sold such materials to Iran but clothes to protect against chemical attacks and that the appropriate Israeli officials knew of the deal.

Israeli officials told Yediot that Manbar had been the go-between for deals between military companies owned by the Israeli government and countries of the former Soviet Union.

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XIN_ENG_20051115.0145

JAKARTA, Nov. 15 , 2005 (Xinhua)

Indonesia to withdraw over 5,000 troops from Aceh

The Indonesian Military will withdraw 5,556 troops from Aceh in the further phase of military pullout agreed in the Aug. 15 Helsinki peace accord between the government and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM), a high-ranking officer said Tuesday.

"In line with our commitment to the agreed peace process, thousands of non-organic military troops will be relocated in stages to their original bases starting this week, at the same time with the third phase of GAM's arms dismantling," Maj. Gen. Supiadin, commander of the Islandar Muda Military Command in Aceh, was quoted by the Antara news agency as saying.

Under the Helsinki agreement, the government will cut by a half the number of troops in Aceh to 14,700 and reduce its police force to 9,100 before the end of the year.

The police this week will also withdraw 1,350 policemen from Aceh to honor the Helsinki agreement, which ended a civil war of three decades between government troops and GAM guerillas.

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XIN_ENG_20061119.0168

BEIJING, Nov. 19 , 2006 (Xinhua)

Chinese company signs deal for a hydropower project in Laos

China International Water  Electric Corp. (CWE) signed a deal with the Lao government on Sunday to build a hydropower station near Vientiane, capital of Laos.

The hydropower station would have an installed generating capacity of 100,000 kilowatts, and be operated under the model of BOT (Build-Operate-Transfer), said Lu Guojun, general manger of CWE here Sunday.

"With an investment of 142 million U.S. dollars, the deal marks the first hydropower project under BOT model by Chinese companies in Laos, he said.

CWE has participated in three hydropower projects in Laos since it entered the country in 1996, involving the contract value and investment of nearly 178 million U.S. dollars.

"As China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) push for the establishment of a free trade area, ASEAN countries have become popular destinations for Chinese companies eyeing abroad," said Lu.

According to the deal, the concession period of the project will be 30 years, including the estimated four and a half years for project construction. Then CWE will transfer the project to the Lao government.

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AFP_ENG_19970422.0379

CAIRO, April 22 , 1997 (AFP)

Egyptian cabbie robs elderly Briton during 'pharaonic' visit

A taxi-driver robbed an elderly British woman of her jewelry when he took her to visit a "descendant" of Pharaoh Tutankhamun in Luxor, southern Egypt, Al-Akhbar newspaper reported Tuesday.

Morsi Bastawissi, 35, convinced the 84-year-old tourist that one of his friends was a descendant of the boy king who governed Egypt from 1354 to 1345 B.C.

He talked her into going to the descendant's home to see "the daily life of the pharaohs," but grabbed her jewelry when they arrived. The woman contacted the police, who arrested Bastawissi two hours later.

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