XIN_ENG_20061127.0230

LHASA, Nov. 27 , 2006 (Xinhua)

China's last guaranteed jobs axed, Tibetan graduates face market

A university degree is no longer a passport to a steady job in Tibet, the last Chinese locality to axe guaranteed jobs for college graduates.

Despite the impact on the students, experts say the move will ultimately improve personnel training in Tibet and adapt it to the needs of the local job market.

About 2,730 three-year college graduates -- those who don't get a bachelor's degree upon graduation -- became the first group of Tibetan students to face the job market this summer, and about 700 of them were still looking for work, Purbu Cering, an official with the regional education department, told Xinhua.

Guaranteed jobs for all Tibetan graduates will be phased out next year, according to new regulations issued by the regional government in May to break the "iron rice bowl" of jobs assigned by the government.

Tibet staged its first ever recruitment fair for college students last week in Lhasa, with 53 companies offering more than 700 openings for sales representatives, secretaries, IT engineers, tour guides and hotel staff.

"It's hard to adapt to the changes," said Tibetan University graduate Lhamo Cering as she passes around her CV.

Lhamo Cering has failed to secure a job since her graduation four months ago. "I've got to learn to be more sociable."

But Soinam Toinzhub, a senior student, said he loves the changes because "instead of being assigned a job, students are given more opportunities".

The regional capital Lhasa has offered training to prepare the first-time job seekers for the competition, said Dang Feng, an official with the city's labor and social security bureau.

He said about 356 graduates in Lhasa, about one third of this year's total, are still looking for jobs.

Employment was never an issue during the era of central planning, when only one percent of secondary students gained entry to university and the government assigned everyone a job.

That system changed in 1988 with the first graduate job fair at the Temple of Heaven in Beijing. The last guaranteed job was axed in most Chinese cities in 2000.

Ministry of Education statistics show 4.13 million college students graduated this year, three quarters of a million more than last year.

The number of college graduates in 2007 will be close to five million, about 1.24 million of whom will have no immediate job offers.

Nov. 27 , 2006

this summer

next year

May

last week

four months ago

this year, three quarters

last year


XIN_ENG_20051102.0198

JOHANNESBURG, Nov. 2 , 2005 (Xinhua)

S. Africa may amend law to fight money laundering, terrorism

The South African government may amend a financial intelligence law to give it more stringency in the fight against money laundering and the financing of international terrorism.

The review of the Financial Intelligence Center Act (FICA) could enable the Financial Intelligence Center to have wider supervisory powers, Safety and Security Minister Charles Nqakula said at Parliament on Wednesday, the South African media reported.

The Financial Intelligence Center is an affiliate of the international Financial Action Task Force (FATF), of which South Africa is currently holding the presidency.

Since its inception in February 2003, the center had received 33,435 reports of suspicious financial transactions from reporting institutions, which included banks and other financial institutions, Nqakula said.

Nqakula, also chairman of the justice, crime prevention and security (JCPS) cluster of ministries, said the review of the law would be part of the cluster's attempts to strengthen counter- measures against money laundering and the funding of international terrorism, reported the SAPA news agency.

The act currently provides for the reporting of "suspicious transactions" by financial and other institutions to the center for investigation.

These suspicious acts include money transfers exceeding 100,000 rand (about 15,000 US dollars) and the purchase of specialized goods including expensive cars.

This information, however, may not be used as evidence in court, which Deputy Justice Minister Johnny de Langa said was rather pointless.

"It is all good and well to let everyone report but if you don' t have the power to follow up, to check, to verify then it's absolutely toothless," he was quoted as saying.

He said the decision to extend the powers was still under debate but if the act was amended the center could become an effective tool in the fight against organized crime.

In a drive to expand the intelligence gathering capabilities in Africa, South Africa earlier this week hosted a financial intelligence workshop attended by 14 Eastern and Southern African countries, according to the government's news service BuaNews.

"It is our hope that the seed would have been planted during the sessions to build a solid foundation toward the establishment on the African continent of regimes to counter all financial transactions that relate to organized crime and terrorism," Nqakula said.

Nov. 2 , 2005

Wednesday

February 2003

this week


XIN_ENG_20051130.0021

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 29 , 2005 (Xinhua)

Astronomers claim spotting birth of tiniest solar system

Using a combination of ground-based and orbiting telescopes, astronomers reported on Tuesday that they have discovered the possible birth of a tiny solar system around a failed star.

The failed star, called brown dwarf by astronomers, is less than one-hundredth the mass of the Sun. It is the smallest known star-like object to harbor what appears to be a planet-forming disk of rocky and gaseous debris.

The brown dwarf, Cha 110913-773444, is located 500 light years away in the constellation Chamaeleon. One day the debris around it could evolve into tiny planets and create a solar system in miniature, said a research team led by Kevin Luhman, an assistant professor at the Pennsylvania State University.

The finding will appear in the Dec. 10 issue of Astrophysical Journal Letters.

"The similarity in the disk fractions of stars and brown dwarfs is consistent with a common formation mechanism and indicates that the raw materials for planet formation are available around brown dwarfs as often as around stars," the researchers said in the paper.

The fact that a brown dwarf this small could be in the midst of creating a solar system challenges the very definition of star, planet, moon and solar system.

"Our goal is to determine the smallest 'sun' with evidence for planet formation," said Luhman.

"Here we have a sun that is so small it is the size of a planet. The question then becomes, what do we call any little bodies that might be born from this disk: planets or moons?"

If this protoplanetary disk does form into planets, the whole system would be a miniaturized version of our solar system -- with the central "sun," the planets, and their orbits all roughly 100 times smaller, he said in a statement.

The team detected the brown dwarf with NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope, the Hubble Space Telescope, and two telescopes in the Chilean Andes, the Blanco telescope of the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory and the Gemini South telescope.

"There are two camps when it comes to defining planets versus brown dwarfs," said team member Giovanni Fazio of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics.

"Some go by size, and others go by how the object formed. For instance, this new object would be called a planet based on its size, but a brown dwarf based on how it formed."

Nov. 29 , 2005

Tuesday

Dec. 10


XIN_ENG_20051105.0118

HARARE, Nov. 5 , 2005 (Xinhua)

Zimbabwe to participate at travel showcases in China

The Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) will participate in two major international events this month as part of its continuous efforts to market the country as a prime tourist destination and revive the fortunes of the flagging tourism sector, an official said on Saturday.

ZTA marketing and communications director, Givemore Chidzidzi said they would be participating at the World Travel Market (WTM) in London from November 14 to 17 and at the China International Travel Market (CITM) in southwestern city Kunming from 24 to 27 of this month.

"We have at least 15 companies that will participate on the Zimbabwean stand at the WTM and we will also be seeking to consolidate our presence at the mega show in China," Chidzidzi said.

He said Zimbabwe would have to be more aggressive and tactful in its marketing campaign in China in the wake of more competitors coming on stream from Europe, which has been recently granted an Approved Destinations Status (ADS) by the Asian country.

"We have to be more aggressive now because tourists from China are simply not going to come because we have the ADS," he said.

Zimbabwe was granted the ADS by China in 2003 to become one of the eight African countries that the Chinese government approves for its citizens to travel to.

Meanwhile, Chidzidzi said the delegation to Kunming would travel to Guangzhou, Beijing and Shanghai after the CITM to conduct sales calls with their Chinese counterparts.

Last year the delegates held a workshop in Shanghai during which they met and discussed business with Chinese tour operators.

Chidzidzi said they would also take the opportunity presented by the CITM to make a follow up on the 31 Chinese buyers who participated at the 2005 Zimbabwe Travel Expo held in Harare last month.

Nov. 5 , 2005

this month

Saturday

November 14

24 to 27 of this month

now

Last year

last month


AFP_ENG_20061215.0244

ABUJA, Dec 15 , 2006, 2006

=(GRAPHIC+PICTURE)=

OPEC members meeting in Nigeria this week decided to restrict their output but expand their club, sending strong signals that the cartel is targeting high prices and a tighter grip on world oil resources.

At a gathering in Abuja on Thursday, ministers from the 11 member countries opted to cut their production by another 500,000 barrels per day from February and accepted African producer Angola as a new member from January 1.

The first decision sent oil prices immediately higher; the second portends further expansion, with the admission of another African producer, Sudan, possible in March.

Despite protestations from the Saudi Arabian Oil Minister Ali al-Nuaimi that the cartel was not targeting prices, analysts were united in their opinion that OPEC members had lined up to defend 60 dollars per barrel.

At this level, oil prices are about three times higher than in 2002, but OPEC appears confident that the world economy will continue to grow and inflationary pressures stay contained.

"They've drawn a line in the sand at 60 dollars," said an analyst at investment bank Investec, Bruce Evers.

The decision to cut output was driven by fears of oversupply, mainly because of forecasts of higher non-OPEC production next year, slowing economic growth and mild start to winter in the northern hemisphere.

Furthermore, the impetus for higher oil prices in recent times has come from low spare capacity -- the safety cushion in the world oil system -- and geopolitical tensions. The impact of both has lessened in recent times and inventories have built up.

Some ministers also expressed concern about the weakening dollar, which reduces their revenues from oil exports.

The inclusion of Angola is the first time the group has expanded since Gabon joined in 1975.

The move brings in a fourth African member -- Gabon has left but Algeria, Libya and Nigeria remain -- and binds a country with fast-growing production to the OPEC production system.

OPEC members regulate their oil exports and are assigned production limits under the quota system at the heart of the organisation.

Angola, a former Portuguese colony gripped by civil war for 27 years until 2002, currently produces 1.4 million barrels per day (bpd) and intends to increase this to 2.0 million bpd by the end of next year.

"Angola has vast resources which have only recently started to materialise," commented John Hall of energy consultancy John Hall Associates.

The admission of the country increases OPEC's total production to 32 million bpd, including Iraqi production which is excluded from the quota system.

The cartel, whose members have 75 percent of proven oil reserves worldwide, will have an increased share of the world oil market of about 40 percent.

An OPEC spokesman suggested Thursday that Sudan could join in March as a 13th member after approval from new president Omar al Bashir, while a membership bid by South American producer Ecuador must clear similar political obstacles.

"Both Angola and Sudan feel that OPEC membership will give additional political benefit and protection, while for Ecuador there has to be an additional motive," said John Hall.

"With the administration (in Ecuador) somewhat under the influence of President Chavez of Venezuela we can surely expect some more anti-US behaviour from yet another OPEC member."

Another leftist South American nation, Bolivia, has also expressed a desire to join OPEC despite its modest oil production of 40,000 barrels per day.

The short-term outlook in terms of OPEC's influence on oil prices is likely to depend on the discipline of the cartel and the actual reduction of supplies to the market.

The cartel decided in October to reduce its output by 1.2 million bpd from the beginning of November, but analysts believe the real reduction has been only 500,000-800,000 bpd because of cheating by some members.

The cut of 500,000 bpd in February would reduce the output from OPEC members, excluding Iraq and Angola, to 25.8 million bpd in principle.

Some analysts expressed concern that any reduction in supplies could send prices higher in the months ahead, the peak time for oil demand because of the northern hemisphere winter.

"We view OPEC's decision as putting further pressure on a market which looks already tightly stretched," said London-based analysts at Barclays Capital.

Dec 15 , 2006

this week

Thursday

January 1

March

next year

27 years

the end of next year

Thursday

March

October

the beginning of November

February


XIN_ENG_20051129.0380

BANGKOK, Nov. 30 , 2005 (Xinhua)

Slaughterhouses to be moved out of Bangkok: report

Slaughterhouses will be moved out of the Thai capital to prevent possible spread of bird flu from poultry to people, local press reported Wednesday.

After inspecting abattoirs and stalls selling poultry meat in the Yaowarat area, Bangkok's Chinatown, Tuesday, Thai Public Health Minister Phinij Jarusombat said slaughterhouses are major sources of the bird flu virus and pose a grave risk for both area residents and passers-by.

"Unhygienic slaughtering practices are the prime cause of human infections by the H5N1 bird flu virus as slaughters, poultry sellers and buyers are all in close contact with the birds," he was quoted by the Bangkok Post as saying.

Among 57 poultry slaughterhouses in Bangkok, 19 are in Wattana district where traders are in direct contact with chickens without wearing any protective gear such as gloves and gowns.

As part of the national bird flu prevention scheme, the ministry plans to set up poultry slaughterhouses on the outskirts of Bangkok and placing them under strict sanitary control.

The traditional practice of buying freshly killed poultry for cooking will also be banned in a bid to avert the transmission of bird flu virus, the report said.

The Public Health Ministry and other agencies, including the Livestock Development Department and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, will join hands to draft a plan to control all slaughterhouses in the capital as soon as possible, said Phinij.

Nov. 30 , 2005

Wednesday

Tuesday


AFP_ENG_19970413.0481

WELLINGTON, April 14 , 1997 (AFP)

URGENT Iran recalls ambassador to New Zealand

Iran recalled its ambassador to New Zealand Monday, following New Zealand's temporary recall of its ambassador to Tehran at the weekend in response to a German court ruling.

April 14 , 1997

Monday


XIN_ENG_20061107.0135

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov. 7 , 2006 (Xinhua)

Malaysia stock market ends higher

The key indices of the Malaysia stock market closed higher on Tuesday over stronger regional markets and foreign buying interests in selected heavyweights.

The benchmark Kuala Lumpur Composite Index (KLCI) rose 9.98 points to close at 1,003.28 points after opening at 993.68.

The Second Board Index increased by 1.10 points to 87.77, the Industrial Index edged up 12.77 points to 2,096.23, and Mesdaq rose 2.06 points to 115.79.

The Emas gained 54.62 points to 6,525.33.

Losers led gainers by 675 to 172, with other 259 counters unchanged, 275 untraded and 26 counters suspended.

Volume stood at 875.15 million shares worth 1.22 billion ringgit (330 million U.S. dollars on Tuesday.

Nov. 7 , 2006

Tuesday

Tuesday


AFP_ENG_20061204.0029

TOKYO, Dec 4 , 2006, 2006

ATTENTION - RECASTS, UPDATES, Asian currencies ///

The dollar rebounded from 20-month lows against the euro Monday afternoon as investors bought back the US currency following its recent losses, dealers said.

The euro fell to 1.3316 dollars from 1.3337 in New York Friday when it charted its highest levels since March 2005.

The dollar rose to 115.72 yen from 115.43 yen. The euro slipped to 153.89 yen from an all-time high of 154.11 in New York.

The dollar had taken another beating in the morning after Friday's surprisingly weak US manufacturing data further jolted confidence in the world's largest economy.

"But players bought back the dollar in the afternoon as they were concerned about a fast, continued decline," said Nobuo Kihara, a dealer at BNP Paribas.

"However, dollar-selling momentum has yet to be erased," Kihara said. "There is no guarantee that the day's gains against the euro or the yen will lead to a stable rebound."

The European Central Bank is widely expected later this week to hike interest rates, giving further support to the single unit, while many here predict a rise in Japanese borrowing costs by early next year.

Friday's fall in the dollar was triggered by the Institute for Supply Management's index of US manufacturing activity, which dropped to 49.50 from 51.2 in October, falling below the 50 mark to indicate a contraction in the sector for the first time since April 2003.

Pundits said the fall could end all remaining talk of further interest rate hikes from the Federal Reserve.

Looking ahead, the market is now keenly awaiting US jobs data due later this week and a news conference by the European Central Bank governor, dealers said.

Markets are also braced for the Bank of Japan to raise interest rates to 0.50 percent going into early 2007, the first rate hike since July when it ended five years of zero interest.

Participants are also on alert for Japan's revised third-quarter growth estimate and the central bank's Tankan quarterly business confidence survey due later this month for fresh guidance on the interest rate outlook, dealers said.

The dollar was mixed against Asian currencies. It slipped to 1.5425 Singapore dollars from 1.5427 late Friday and to 927.65 South Korean won from 928.70.

The dollar rose to 49.650 Philippine pesos from 49.470, to 32.349 Taiwan dollars from 32.270, to 35.915 Thai baht from 35.730 and to 9,162.5 Indonesian rupiah from 9,140.0.

Dec 4 , 2006

Monday afternoon

Friday

March 2005

the morning

Friday

the afternoon

this week

early next year

Friday

October

April 2003

now

this week

early 2007

July

five years

this month

Friday


XIN_ENG_20061126.0194

ABUJA, Nov. 26 , 2006 (Xinhua)

Leaders to discuss Darfur crisis at Afro-South American Summit

African Heads of State and Government attending the First Africa-South America Summit will discuss the Darfur crisis on Thursday, according to the summit timetable issued here on Sunday.

The timetable of the five-day summit, which kicked off here on Sunday in the Nigeria capital Abuja with pre-summit technical meeting of officials, shows that Darfur crisis will engage the African leaders when their visiting colleagues from South America will have left.

Some 53 African countries and 12 South American countries are expected to attend the conference.

The timetable also indicates that ministers of foreign affairs of the countries will meet on Monday and Tuesday, and the heads of state will arrive on Wednesday.

Special group meetings of NGOs and civil society organizations will feature before the summit of heads of state and governments.

The summit would largely discuss workable areas of cooperation and understanding that would facilitate genuine strategic development in the two regions.

Nov. 26 , 2006

Thursday

Sunday

Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday


XIN_ENG_20051105.0085

SIEM REAP, Cambodia, Nov. 5 , 2005 (Xinhua)

Chinese CPC delegation visits Cambodia

A delegation of the Communist Party of China (CPC) headed by Liu Yunshan, member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, arrived here on Saturday for a five-day official goodwill visit at the invitation of the Cambodian People's Party (CPP) and the royalist FUNCINPEC party.

Liu and the delegation were greeted at the Siem Reap International Airport by senior leaders of the CPP and the FUNCINPEC, including CPP Secretary-General Say Chhum and Vice- Prime Minister and FUNCINPEC party Secretary-General Prince Norodom Sirivudh.

During his stay in Cambodia, Liu is scheduled to meet with King Norodom Sihamoni; Chea Sim, Senate president and the CPP's chairman; Prince Norodom Ranariddh, National Assembly president and president of the FUNCINPEC; and Hun Sen, prime minister and vice-chairman of the CPP, according to officials of the Chinese Embassy here.

Siem Reap, more than 300 km north of capital Phnom Penh, is home of the world famous Angkor Wat temples.

The delegation arrived here from Thailand after ending a four- day visit there as guest of the ruling Thai Rak Thai Party.

Nov. 5 , 2005

Saturday


XIN_ENG_20061129.0392

WASHINGTON, Nov. 29 , 2006 (Xinhua)

Bush's adviser expresses doubts about Iraqi PM

U.S. President George W. Bush's national security adviser Stephen Hadley has expressed serious doubts about Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri Malik's capacity to control sectarian violence in the war-torn country, the New York Times reported Wednesday.

In his Nov. 8 memorandum prepared for Bush, Hadley recommended that the U.S. take new steps to strengthen the Iraqi leader's position.

"His (Maliki) intentions seem good when he talks with Americans. ..But the reality on the streets of Baghdad suggest Maliki is either ignorant of what is going on, misrepresenting his intentions, or that his capabilities are not yet sufficient to turn his good intentions into action," the memo said.

Hadley suggests that if Maliki fails to carry out series of specified steps, it may ultimately be necessary to press him to reconfigure his parliamentary bloc, a step Washington could support by providing "monetary support to moderate groups," and by sending thousands of additional U.S. troops to Baghdad to make up for what the document suggests is a current shortage of Iraqi forces.

The White House has sought to avoid public criticism of Maliki, who is due to meet Bush in Jordan later Wednesday.

Nov. 29 , 2006

Wednesday

Nov. 8

later Wednesday


XIN_ENG_20061118.0004

WASHINGTON, Nov. 17 , 2006 (Xinhua)

O'Neal to undergo left knee surgery

Shaquille O'Neal will undergo knee surgery and be out of the Miami Heat lineup for four to six weeks, according to the NBA club from Miami on Friday.

The thirteen-time NBA All-Star O'Neal, who has no date been set for the operation, has struggled to stay on the court in recent campaigns. He has missed four of Miami's first eight contests this season with a bruised left knee.

Team medical personnel determined that it was more than a bruise and recommended surgery after an MRI revealled torn cartilage.

O'Neal suffered the injury when he collided with Houston Rockets forward Chuck Hayes in a November 12 game.

Last season, O'Neal missed 23 games with an assortment of injuries but returned to help lead Miami to its first NBA title.

The former MVP is averaging 14.0 points, 7.5 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.0 block in 30.8 minutes per game this season.

Nov. 17 , 2006

four to six weeks

Friday

this season

November 12

Last season

30.8 minutes

this season


AFP_ENG_20051216.0207

OKINAWA, Japan, Dec 16 , 2005

Miyazato misses cut in debut against men

Japanese women's sensation Ai Miyazato missed the cut in the Asia-Japan-Okinawa Open on Friday in a disappointing end to her debut tournament against the men.

Miyazato, whose brother shared the halfway lead in the 830,000-dollar Asian and Japanese-sanctioned event, slumped to a second-round 78 to be 16 over for two rounds.

Defending champion Kiyoshi Miyazato fired a 67 at the par-71 Naha Golf Club for a share of the lead along with countrymen Yasuharu Imano and Kaname Yokoo on seven-under-par 135.

Ai Miyazato, the first Japanese woman to play in a men's tournament, got off to a disastrous start with a triple bogey at the par-four first.

The 20-year-old World Cup-winner had a rollercoaster run with birdies on the second, bogey on the third and birdie again on the fourth.

But she double-bogeyed the par-three eighth hole and dropped another shot on nine. She birdied 10 and 15 but bogeyed four of the last five in a demoralising finish.

Meanwhile Kiyoshi Miyazato fired five birdies against a lone bogey to tie with Imano and Yokoo, who shot a 64 and 70 respectively.

Miyazato had birdies on the par-four third and par-three fifth, dropping a shot on seven but enjoyed a blemish-free back nine with birdies on 11, 12 and 15.

"I was fully focused and gave it my best as I was desperate to score well today which I did," he said. "I had a good day as I was able to gauge the wind and struck the ball consistently well.

Imano, who finished second in the recent Japan Golf Tour Money list with two victories in 2005, was blemish-free as he nailed seven birdies on the card to charge into contention.

Newly crowned Asian Tour Order of Merit winner Thaworn Wiratchant of Thailand fired a fine 67 for a 136 total and shared fourth place with local hope Ryuichi Oda and Australias Chris Campbell.

The Okinawa Open is the opening leg for the 2006 season for the Asian Tour and Japan Golf Tour.

Dec 16 , 2005

Friday

seven-under-par 135

today


XIN_ENG_20061106.0067

BEIJING, Nov. 6 , 2006 (Xinhua)

(China-Africa) Sudanese President visits S. China province

Sudanese President Omer Hassan Ahmed El-Bashir arrived Monday at Sanya, a scenic city in China's southernmost Hainan Province, in an effort to facilitate Sudan- China cooperation.

Wei Liucheng, governor of Hainan Province, briefed the president in a meeting on the development of the tropical agriculture, tourism and oceanic oil resources exploration, and expressed his hope to enhance trade and economic cooperation with Sudan.

El-Bashir said China has already been a leading partner of Sudan in foreign trade and petroleum cooperation, but large room still exists for further cooperation.

In another development, Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf visited Shenyang, an old industrial base in north China's Liaoning Province, to inspect local industries, especially processing, natural resources, communication and agriculture.

The two presidents attended the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation which closed on Sunday.

Nov. 6 , 2006

Monday

Sunday


AFP_ENG_20061227.0457

CRAWFORD, Texas, Dec 27 , 2006, 2006

///

The United States warned Iran Wednesday against heading into a "downward spiral" of non-cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog IAEA after Tehran's parliament authorized the government to limit the agency's access to its atomic sites.

A White House spokesman, Scott Stanzel, urged the Islamic Republic to "immediately" conform to the demands of the UN Security Council to suspend its enrichment of uranium, a practice many fear is a cover for developing nuclear weapons.

"Iran has long been in non-compliance with its Non-Proliferation Treaty and required IAEA safeguard agreements," Stanzel said in Crawford, Texas, where President George W. Bush was spending the end of the year.

Further non-compliance by Iran "will worsen its situation in the eyes of the world" and generate further reports of non-compliance from the International Atomic Energy Agency, he said.

"It is hard to see how such a downward spiral is in the interest of the Iranian people," the spokesman said.

"We hope, therefore, that the Iranian regime will set aside threats and confrontation and will begin immediately to cooperate with all the requirements of the Security Council."

The spokesman's comments echoed an earlier statement by the State Department.

"We assume further reductions in Iran's already insufficient cooperation would likely lead to additional IAEA reports of additional Iranian non-compliance," spokesman Gonzalo Gallegos said.

Earlier Wednesday, Iran's parliament approved a bill obliging the government to "revise its cooperation" with the UN nuclear watchdog in retaliation for Security Council sanctions imposed on Tehran.

The text of the bill, which also tells the government to "accelerate" Iran's controversial nuclear programme, was approved by an overwhelming majority in the conservative-controlled parliament, with 161 in favour and 15 against.

The move is set to further inflame tensions over the Iranian nuclear programme, which the Islamic republic has vowed to expand in defiance of the sanctions agreed by the UN Security Council last week.

Iran has refused to heed the council's demand to suspend uranium enrichment, a process that Western countries fear could be used to develop a nuclear weapon. Iran insists its atomic drive is entirely peaceful.

The formulation of the bill gives the government a free hand to limit cooperation with the Vienna-based IAEA. This could involve limiting UN inspections of its atomic sites, a move urged by several lawmakers.

Dec 27 , 2006

Wednesday

the year

Wednesday

last week


AFP_ENG_20061212.0232

KATHMANDU, Dec 12 , 2006, 2006

Nepal seeks Indian help to resolve Bhutanese refugee crisis

Nepal is seeking Indian help to resolve the problem of Bhutanese refugees languishing in eastern Nepal for more than a decade, officials said Tuesday.

A seven-member team led by Bhutanese refugee leader Tek Nath Rijal met with Nepal's Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala on Monday to press their demands to be repatriated.

"The prime minister said that he has been in regular touch with India and is seeking Indian government's help to resolve the refugee crisis," Balram Poudel, the chairman of the exiled Bhutan People's Party, told AFP.

But he quoted the prime minister as saying that New Delhi continues to view the crisis as a "bilateral issue between Nepal and Bhutan".

More than 100,000 Bhutanese refugees, mostly ethnic Nepalese Hindus, have been living in seven camps in southeast Nepal after leaving Bhutan in 1990 when the Buddhist kingdom launched cultural reforms encouraging the use of Bhutan's language and national dress.

Bhutan later expelled more ethnic Nepalese for allegedly entering the remote Himalayan kingdom illegally. Bhutan and Nepal have argued for years over each other's responsibility for the refugees.

In October, the United States said it was prepared to absorb 60,000 Bhutanese refugees, while Australia and Canada have also said they are willing to grant asylum.

Fresh rounds of talks between Nepal and Bhutan had been scheduled for November this year, but the talks were put off due to the Nepalese government's preoccupation with a peace deal with Maoist insurgents.

Fifteen rounds of bilateral talks between the two Himalayan kingdoms have already been held to address the refugee problem but failed to yield any concrete results.

Dec 12 , 2006

more than a decade

Tuesday

Monday

October

November this year


XIN_ENG_20061116.0226

WASHINGTON, Nov. 16 , 2006 (Xinhua)

U.S. consumer prices drop 0.5 percent in October

U.S. consumer prices dropped by 0.5 percent in October, registering the second consecutive monthly decline, the Labor Department reported on Thursday.

The 0.5 percent drop in the department's Consumer Price Index, an inflation barometer on consumer price levels, matched the decline in September and was better than the 0.3 percent dip expected by analysts.

It was the first back-to-back drops in consumer prices since late last year, providing evidence that inflation pressures started to ease because of declining energy prices and a slowing economy.

The October drop in consumer prices was helped by a decrease of 7 percent in energy prices, which followed a 7.2 percent decline in September.

Gasoline prices plunged by 11.1 percent in October, while prices of natural gas and home heating oil also posted big declines.

However, food costs edged up 0.3 percent in October. Beef, pork and vegetable prices increased but poultry and fruit prices declined.

Excluding volatile food and energy, the "core" consumer prices rose by 0.1 percent in October, the smallest since a similar 0.1 percent increase in February.

Over the past 12 months, "core" inflation is up by 2.7 percent, above the Federal Reserve's comfort zone of increases in the range of 1 percent to 2 percent.

Policymakers at the central bank are hoping that the slowing economy will eventually put inflation in control. During the two years till June 2006, interest rates were increased by 4.25 percentage points, trying to produce a soft landing for the economy.

The U.S. economy grew at an annual rate of just 1.6 percent in the third quarter, compared with gains of 2.6 percent in the second quarter and 5.6 percent in the first quarter.

Nov. 16 , 2006

October

Thursday

September

late last year

October

September

October

October

October

February

the past 12 months

the two years

June 2006

the third quarter

the second quarter

the first quarter


WSJ891102-0086
 = 891102
 891102-0086.
 Financing Business:
@  Rogers Communications Inc.
 11/02/89
 WALL STREET JOURNAL (J)
 RCI.B

   ROGERS COMMUNICATIONS Inc. said it plans to raise 175 million to 180 million Canadian dollars (US$148.9 million to $153.3 million) through a private placement of perpetual preferred shares.
Perpetual preferred shares aren't retractable by the holders, the company said.
Rogers said the shares will be convertible into Class B shares, but that the company has the option to redeem the shares before a conversion takes place.
A spokesman for the Toronto cable television and telecommunications concern said the coupon rate has n't yet been fixed, but will probably be set at around 8%.
He declined to discuss other terms of the issue.


AFP_ENG_19970403.0186

THE HAGUE, April 3 , 1997 (AFP)

Fight erupts between Kurds and Turks after football game

Nine people were arrested here overnight following a fight that erupted between Kurds and Turks in the wake of Tukey's win over Holland in a World Cup qualifying match, police said.

The Turkish victory (1/0) late Wednesday in the Turkish town of Bursa sparked clashes between the two communites, especially in a neighborhood where six members of a Turkish Kurd family died last week in a suspicious fire.

Police said several vehicles were damaged by about a dozen Turks and Kurds.

Fights also erupted in the eastern town of Arnhem.

The incidents came as a Turkish parliamentary delegation was in the Netherlands to assess progress being made by police investigating the March 26 fire that killed a woman and five of her six children.

Dutch Interior Minister Hans Dijkstal was to meet later Thursday with members of the Turkish community to inform them of security measures being taken to protect their neighborhoods.

April 3 , 1997

Wednesday

last week

March 26

Thursday


AFP_ENG_19970425.0290

TIRANA, April 25 , 1997 (AFP)

Albania's central bank gets new governor

Albanian President Sali Berisha on Friday appointed a new head for the country's central bank, which has been without a governor for two months, a presidential spokesman told AFP.

Qamil Tusha, 40, will replace Kristaq Luniku, who left Albania two months ago for the United States, a Tusha aide said.

Tusha was previously deputy director of the Albanian Trade Bank, a state institution. According to opposition Socialist newspapers, Tusha is a close associate of Berisha.

Luniku, 35, had warned of the dangers of pyramid schemes -- the bogus savings schemes whose collapse sparked widespread unrest in January that developed into a full-scale insurgency.

According to the Albanian press, he went to the United States to take up a post as adviser to the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.

April 25 , 1997

Friday

two months

two months ago

January


XIN_ENG_20061127.0371

LUSAKA, Nov. 27 , 2006 (Xinhua)

Zambian president salutes DRC counterpart on re-election

Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa on Monday congratulated Joseph Kabila, president of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), for his re-election in the October presidential run-off.

State-owned Zambia News and Information Services (ZANIS) cited a message from Mwanawasa as saying that Kabila's re-election was a clear testimony of the confidence that the people of DRC have in his proven leadership ability.

Mwanawasa said Zambia has followed the democratic process that has taken place in the DRC, adding that Kabila's re-election was a reflection of people's willingness to participate and consolidate democracy in that country.

Meanwhile, Mwanawasa assured his counterpart of his support as he will work towards reconciliation and development.

The Supreme Court of the DRC confirmed on Monday that incumbent Kabila was the winner of the October 29 presidential run-off with 58 percent support, rejecting the challenge by Vice President Jean- Pierre Bemba.

Nov. 27 , 2006

Monday

October

Monday

October 29


XIN_ENG_20051117.0194

ANKARA, Nov. 17 , 2005 (Xinhua)

FIFA to investigate clash in Turkey

International football's governing body is to launch a full investigation into clashes between Turkish and Swiss players following their play off qualifying match for next year's World Cup final, Turkish private NTV reported on Thursday.

The report said that should it be found at fault, Turkey could be banned from taking part in the 2010 World Cup.

The physical match, which saw Turkey win the game but lose out on a place in the finals in Germany on away goals, was followed by a brawl involving a number of players and officials from both sides on Wednesday.

Switzerland's Stephane Grichting was hospitalized after the mayhem, reportedly after being kicked in the groin and Swiss coach Kobi Kuhn was also hit by coins thrown by the crowd as he left the pitch after the match.

In announcing the investigation, FIFA president Sepp Blatter on Thursday condemned the incidents, saying he had been horrified by the events following the game.

"Something is going wrong in football," he said, adding, "I've never seen anything like it."

Blatter vowed that if sanctions were found to be warranted, they would be applied in full.

"I can tell you this, not as a Swiss, but as the president of FIFA that we will act here and we will act tough," he said.

FIFA has it in its power to ban any country's football association from taking part in competitions or events, up to and including a ban on taking part in the 2010 world Cup.

Nov. 17 , 2005

next year

Thursday

Wednesday

Thursday


AFP_ENG_20061216.0296

JOHANNESBURG, Dec 16 , 2006, 2006

South African cricket championship scores

Scores after third day of South African four-day cricket championship matches on Saturday:

At Newlands, Cape Town

Cape Cobras v Highveld Lions

Lions 508 in 155.5 overs (J.Ontong 155, N.McKenzie 135, V. van Jaarsveld 54; M.Zondeki 4-82). Cobras 215 in 57.4 overs (R.Kleinveldt 63; C.Henderson 6-87, F. de Wet 3-57) and 128 in 33.1 overs (B.Hector 36; T.Henderson 5-37, C.Henderson 4-40)

Lions win by innings and 165 runs

At Goodyear Park, Bloemfontein

Free State Eagles v KwaZulu-Natal Dolphins

Eagles 500-5 dec in 147 overs (H.Dippenaar 132, M. van Wyk 88, N.Boje 80 no). Dolphins 170 in 53 overs (A.Amla 45; R.McLaren 5-57, D. du Preez 3-41) and 211 in 69.4 overs (J.Kent 52, D.Brown 51 no; McLaren 4-59, W.Deacon 3-35)

Eagles win by innings and 119 runs

At SuperSport Park, Centurion

Northern Titans v Eastern Cape Warriors

Warriors 348 in 113 overs (M.Goodwin 77, L.Meyer 72 no, A.Jacobs 70; J.Morkel 4-59) and 105 in 31 overs (A.Thomas 5-50, M.Morkel 3-23). Titans 195 in 40.4 overs (J.Kemp 100 no; L.Tsotsobe 5-45) and 261-6 in 69.5 overs (F. du Plessis 103, M. van Jaarsveld 52; J.Botha 3-60)

Titans win by four wickets

Dec 16 , 2006

third day

Saturday


XIN_ENG_20051130.0226

WASHINGTON, Nov. 30 , 2005 (Xinhua)

By Li Xuejun

With the visit to the United States by German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier on Monday and Tuesday and the expected visits to Germany by US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, relations between the United States and Germany are showing signs of warming up after new German Chancellor Angela Merkel took office.

Steinmeier, who held talks with Rice on Tuesday, raised the sensitive issue of secret CIA prisons in Europe and the CIA transporting of suspected Islamic extremists through Germany but without notifying the German authorities.

However, both Rice and Steinmeier chose the unusual move of not holding a press conference after their meeting as sharp questions from the press might eclipse a sense of good will and cooperation between the two countries after Merkel was sworn in on Nov. 22.

Instead, State Department spokesman Sean McCormack informed the reporters of the meeting and promised that the United States would make a response to European concerns.

"The United States realizes that these are topics that are generating interest among European publics as well as parliaments, and that these questions need to be responded to," McCormack said at Tuesday's briefing.

"These are certainly legitimate questions that are posed by the press in public. And we will do our best to respond," McCormack said.

Political analysts have pointed out that the new style indicates that the new German leadership prefers to discuss its differences with the United States in private rather than airing their differences in public as in the past.

US media has also reported that Steinmeier's visit to the United States was also aimed at paving the way for Merkel's visit to the White House early next year.

In other signs of improving US-Germany relations, Zoellick starts his visit to Germany from Nov. 30 to Dec. 1 and will meet Merkel to strengthen bilateral relations.

Moreover, Rice will also travel to Germany, Romania, Ukraine and Belgium from Dec. 5-9 to highlight the "enduring importance of transatlantic relations."

"Secretary Rice's visit to Germany will be an opportunity to meet with Chancellor Angela Merkel and members of her government to discuss ways to build our long-standing friendship," the State Department said in a statement on Monday.

Merkel, after she was elected as German chancellor, has promised to repair Germany-US relations badly battered because of the Iraq war. Former German chancellor Gerhard Schroeder has been a strong critic of the Iraq war launched by the Bush administration.

However, thorny issues between the United States and Germany might impede the rapid improvement of bilateral relations. On Iraq, Merkel is unlikely to reverse course of Schroeder's policy of not sending troops to Iraq and becomes too close to the United States as in her coalition government, Schroeder's camp holds important positions such as foreign minister and treasury minister.

On Iran's nuclear issue, Germany has insisted that Iran has the right for civilian nuclear power, but the United States has accused Iran of developing nuclear weapons under the civilian cover.

Moreover, the United States has voiced opposition to Germany's bid to become a permanent member of the UN Security Council.

Nonetheless, as US President George W. Bush's war critic Schroeder now steps down, as both the United States and Germany have the same values and need each other in international affairs, the United States and Germany under Merkel's leadership are expected to maintain a stable alliance in the years to come.

Nov. 30 , 2005

Monday

Tuesday

Tuesday

Nov. 22

Tuesday

the past

early next year

Nov. 30

Dec. 1

Dec. 5-9

Monday

now

the years


AFP_ENG_19970416.0315

SOUTHAMPTON, Britain, April 16 , 1997 (AFP)

Labour leader sets out "seven pillars of a decent society"

British opposition leader Tony Blair Wednesday set out "seven pillars of a decent society" to promote prosperity and security as he attacked the ruling Conservatives for displaying "all the leadership qualities of lemmings."

On the day nominations closed for the May 1 general election, which Blair's Labour is widely predicted to win, the party leader spelt out his alternative vision of a more equal society.

In one of four keynote speeches of the campaign, Blair warned the divided society he said the Tories had created, directing all prosperity to a "charmed circle", was morally wrong and could not prosper economically.

Campaigning in the port of Southampton on Britain's south coast, he said it was time to give back "a heritage of hope" to Britain's children.

Blair's seven pillars of a decent society are: a world-class education system; a comprehensive national health service; security and dignity in retirement; security and freedom from the fear of crime; quality housing; a welfare state without dependence; and strong social institutions, from the family upwards, promoting mutual responsibility and a spirit of public and voluntary service.

Blair claimed the Conservatives saw inequality as a sign of success and accused them of denigrating the health service, the basic pension and public education. If they were re-elected, an American-style "underclass" would develop in Britain, he warned.

"Britain is more divided today than at any time since the war," he said. "We have had for 18 years a politics of self instead of a politics of society."

Blair also used the opportunity to seize on fresh Tory divisions over Europe after two government Euro-sceptic ministers defied Major's policy of waiting to see how European Monetary Union (EMU) developed before deciding whether to join.

"We are witnessing the collapse of the Conservative party under the weight of its own divisions," said Blair.

"We are seeing the culmination of six years of weak leadership, a prime minister reduced to a laughing stock by his MPs, his party now a rabble.

Blair concluded that it was a "defining moment" of the campaign.

"Britain deserves better leadership and I believe the choice is now clear: strong and united leadership with Labour or a Tory Party that displays all the leadership qualities of lemmings."

April 16 , 1997

Wednesday

May 1

today

18 years

six years

now

now


XIN_ENG_20061115.0408

AMMAN, Nov. 15 , 2006 (Xinhua)

Late Jordan blitz sinks Oman in AFC Asian Cup qualifier

Jordan drubbed Oman 3-0 and gained a measure of revenge in the AFC Asian Cup 2007 final Group C qualifier here late Wednesday.

In the previous round, Oman had sneaked into the finals with a 2-1 win over the already-qualified United Arab Emirates, rendering inconsequential Jordan's rousing 3-0 defeat of Pakistan.

All the three Jordanian goals were scored in the last 10 minutes. Amer Deeb was the first to hit the net in the 80th minute, followed in quick succession by Rafat Ali (84) and Hassona Al Shaikh (90).

Jordan finished third with 10 points while Oman could not improve on the 12 points they had before today's match.

Nov. 15 , 2006

late Wednesday

the last 10 minutes

the 80th minute

today


XIN_ENG_20051125.0192

TEHRAN, Nov. 25 , 2005 (Xinhua)

Roundup: Palestinians enjoys freedom as Rafah Crossing opens

By Saud Abu Ramadan

RAFAH, Gaza Strip, Nov. 25 (Xinhua) -- It is the first time in the history of the Palestinian cause that the Palestinians enjoy freedom, as an agreement to re-operate Rafah Crossing on the borders between Gaza and Egypt was officially implemented on Friday.

President Mahmoud Abbas, who arrived at the crossing on Friday afternoon for the inauguration ceremony, said that opening of the crossing is a key to achieve peace, security and economic development in the region.

It is the first time ever that the Palestinians control the border crossing of Rafah, which was under the Israeli army control for dozens of years. Israel withdrew from the crossing and the entire Gaza Strip on Sept. 12.

An agreement had been reached between Israel, Egypt and the Palestinians two weeks ago with the mediation of US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who had visited the region and pushed hard on the two sides to hammer out the agreement.

According to the agreement, the Palestinians would be fully responsible for their part of the crossing and the Egyptians would control their side, while EU observers will be present at the crossing.

The EU observers will watch the Palestinian passengers' movement at the crossing, where Gaza Strip residents, who are officially registered as citizens in Gaza, will be allowed only to travel through the crossing.

Nabil Abu Rudeineh, a Palestinian official spokesman told reporters that after inauguration ceremony was held on Friday afternoon, the Rafah Crossing will officially start working on Saturday morning.

"Palestinians can cross through Rafah Crossing from Saturday and it would be opened for four hours in the first ten days as a test and then it will be opened for 24 hours a day,"said Abu Rudeineh.

70 EU observers will observe the crossing during the first ten days, the number of the observers will be minimized to 50 when the crossing is fully opened.

"The first and last decisive word will be in the Palestinians hands. The European presence will never be an alternative to the Palestinian presence, and the Europeans will never be representing the Israeli side at the crossing," added Abu Rudeineh.

EU Middle East envoy Marc Otte and some Arab and foreign representatives participated in the ceremony at the Rafah terminal.

"We are here to help you but not to replace you, it is the Palestinian (National) Authority to be in charge of the border," Otte told Abbas and scores of other high-ranking Palestinian officials.

Otte said that "we want to leave as soon as we can, because when we go it means we have succeeded. Our success is your success. "

Egypt's chief of intelligence Omer Suleiman and other high- ranking Egyptian security officers were also present at the ceremony.

Mahmoud Al-Zahar, leader of the Islamic Resistance Movement ( Hamas), who took part in the ceremony, was seen shaking hands with Palestinian Minister of Civil Affairs Mohamed Dahlan.

Replied the questions by reporters that if his presence at the crossing meant his movement accepted the Rafah agreement to re- operate the crossing, al-Zahar said "our presence here is symbolic and doesn't mean that we accept the whole agreement."

"We are here to say that we only accept the positive parts of the agreement, but if the crossing would be isolated the Palestinians from the Arab world, we will of course fight against the Israeli occupation," said al-Zahar.

The Islamic Jihad (Holy War) said in a leaflet that it boycotts the ceremony, because the agreement is still incomplete and vague.

At the same time, Jihad criticized stationing cameras that reporting to Israelis about the movement of the Palestinians at the crossing.

Dahlan, as the PNA Minister of Civil Affairs said Friday that operating Rafah crossing on the borders between Gaza and Egypt is the first step towards establishing the dependent Palestinian state.

"We open the crossing is to re-creat life for the Palestinian people towards freedom and independence and the establishment of an independent state that borders Egypt,"said Dahlan, adding the step was supported by Jordan, Egypt and the European Union.

Having a crossing and a free access for the Palestinian people is their right and an important step to achieve peace in the Middle East, Dahlan stressed.

Nov. 25 , 2005

Nov. 25

Friday

Friday afternoon

Sept. 12

two weeks ago

Friday afternoon

Saturday morning

Saturday

four hours

the first ten days

24 hours a day

the first ten days

Friday


AFP_ENG_20061211.0318

MOSCOW, Dec 11 , 2006, 2006

ATTENTION - ADDS charge against Gazprom, details, analysis ///

British-Dutch oil group Shell has made new proposals for Russia's Gazprom to enter the massive Sakhalin-2 energy project it heads, Gazprom said Monday.

The offers followed months of pressure on Shell from environmental regulators that analysts said was aimed at giving Gazprom control of the 22-billion-dollar (16.6-billion-euro) project.

"On December 8, a meeting took place between Gazprom chairman Alexei Miller and Shell chief executive officer Jeroen van der Veer," who made "a number of proposals concerning the Sakhalin-2 project," Sergei Kuprianov, a spokesman for the state gas monopoly, said in a statement.

"At the present time these proposals are being analyzed. A decision will be taken in view of the existing problems at the Sakhalin-2 project, including ecological," Kuprianov said.

The British-Dutch energy giant, which controls 55 percent of the vast oil and gas development off Russia's Pacific coast, hit a deadlock in fall 2005 in talks with Gazprom on trading a share of Sakhalin-2 for onshore Gazprom gas assets.

The project came under fire from environmental regulators several months later, leading analysts to interpret the environmental campaign as a negotiating tactic to help Gazprom gain the best possible terms.

Regulators have rejected the claim and pointed to violations on the part of state companies as well, such as top environmental official Oleg Mitvol's claim Monday that "serious violations of environmental law" had been found at Gazprom sites in western Siberia, according to Interfax.

Still, MDM Bank oil and gas analyst Andrei Gromadin said the campaign against Shell "was essentially a catalyst" in compelling the company to return to the negotiating table.

Because Sakhalin-2 was initiated as a production-sharing agreement (PSA) -- a contract between the state and foreign investors that is difficult for the state to change -- "there was very little opportunity for the state to influence the project," Gromadin said.

Shell and Gazprom had reached a preliminary agreement last year to trade a 25-percent stake in Sakhalin-2 for half of Gazprom's Zapolyarnoye gas field in western Siberia.

Talks broke down in September 2005 when Shell more than doubled its initial cost projection for Sakhalin-2 to 20 billion dollars.

"The fact that Shell is proposing something -- whereas earlier they were keeping silent -- means they are willing to give something up," Gromadin said. "If this actually means a controlling stake, Gazprom should be quite satisfied."

Both Gromadin and Aton Bank oil and gas analyst Artyom Konchin said they believed Gazprom would end up with a stake of around 30 percent, which would make it the project's chief operator.

Sakhalin-2's recent regulatory problems have raised questions as to whether the operating consortium will be able to fulfill commitments to begin shipping liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Asia in 2008.

Shell owns a 55 percent stake in the consortium, while Japanese firms Mitsui and Mitsubishi hold 25 percent and 20 percent respectively.

Dec 11 , 2006

Monday

December 8

fall 2005

several months

Monday

last year

September 2005


XIN_ENG_20061114.0347

ATHENS, Nov. 14 , 2006 (Xinhua)

Folli Follie receives retail sales license in China

Folli Follie announced on Tuesday that it has received retail sales licenses in the Chinese market and the immediate beginning of retail operations in China.

Folli Follie is a Greek company which designs, manufactures and distributes jewelry, watches and fashion accessories under the Folli Follie brand. The Folli Follie brand's core values are " affordable, fashionable luxury."

Commenting on the news, G. Koutsolioutsos, Folli Follie vice- chairman, expressed satisfaction over this development, noting that his company was among the few multinational companies to acquire a retail sales license in China.

Folli Follie became famous in China after a popular Chinese TV series which was produced in Aegean island of Santorini.

Nov. 14 , 2006

Tuesday


XIN_ENG_20061102.0263

PARIS, Nov. 2 , 2006 (Xinhua)

Chirac meets with Talabani in Presidential Palace

French President Jacques Chirac met with his Iraqi counterpart Jalal Talabani Thursday afternoon in the Presidential palace l'Elysee.

Accompanied by four ministers, Talabani arrived in Paris Wednesday afternoon for a three-day official visit. It is the second visit of an Iraqi president to France since 2003.

In a speech in the French Institute of International Relations earlier the day, Talabani expressed his wishes to build up a new momentum in France-Iraq relations.

During the meeting, Chirac and Talabani are to discuss the situation in Iraq, the French Presidential office said.

Nov. 2 , 2006

Thursday afternoon

Wednesday afternoon


XIN_ENG_20061121.0169

TOKYO, Nov. 21 , 2006 (Xinhua)

Indian premier to visit Japan

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will visit Japan from Dec. 13 and hold talks with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Kyodo News reported Tuesday.

Singh and Abe are to talk about a bilateral free trade agreement and are expected to discuss a strategic dialogue framework to strengthen ties on security, energy and economic issues, Japanese Foreign Ministry spokesman said on a press conference.

Singh is also scheduled to meet with Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko.

Nov. 21 , 2006

Dec. 13

Tuesday


AFP_ENG_19970422.0733

LONDON, April 23 , 1997 (AFP)

Poll suggests Conservative voters returning to the fold

A newspaper opinion poll published Wednesday, eight days before the British general election on May 1, "electrified" the hitherto predictable campaign by appearing to suggest that previously discontented Conservative voters were returning to the fold.

An ICM poll for the left-of-centre Guardian newspaper suggested a dramatic fall in support for the main opposition party Labour to just five percent.

According to the survey, Labour's lead had fallen nine percent, with Labour support falling three points to 42 percent of voting intentions. The Conservatives were up six on 37 and the centrist Liberal Democrats on 14.

The result, the first time the Labour lead has been measured in single figures since Tony Blair took over as leader three years ago, was balanced by a Gallup poll in the right-wing Daily Telegraph which put Labour's lead at 21 percent.

This suggested Labour had increased its lead still further, rising three points to an absolute majority of 51 percent, while the Tories were down two points on 30 percent and the Liberal Democrats steady on 12 percent.

The last two Gallup polls have shown Labour steady at 16 points ahead but the latest survey of 1,129 voters on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday indicated a shift in mood.

The ICM poll was carried out on 1,004 voters on Sunday and Monday.

ICM reported that nearly half of voters who had chosen Conservative at the last election in 1992 but who had switched to Labour or Liberal Democrat at the beginning of the campaign almost five weeks ago now indicated they would vote Conservative again.

ICM also found John Major was judged to be the best prime minister ahead of Blair, and that the Conservatives would be the best party to handle the economy and represent Britain in Europe.

The result backs up assertions by Major that the polls, which have given Labour leads of up to 28 percent, do not reflect the reception Tory candidates have garnered around the country. A party spokesman declined to comment on the latest findings.

A Labour spokesman said: "It is extremely difficult to take any clear message from tonight's polls. They are so contradictory."

The British press claimed the ICM poll had thrown open the campaign. The Guardian called the result a "bombshell for Labour", the right- wing Daily Mail said the poll had "electrified" the campaign, and the Telegraph quoted Conservative sources who claimed it showed their tactic to focus on Europe and Blair's credibility were paying off.

ICM's result is the lowest any pollster has recorded for Labour for five years, but the company has consistently shown a Labour lead of at least 10 points lower than those reported in other surveys.

In the last election in 1992, polls predicted a Labour victory but the Conservatives eventually won.

In this election, sources from both parties have said the polls were still exaggerating the Labour lead and political analysts agree that there will be no landslide of the kind indicated by a 20-point lead.

Many have said the poll gap between the two main parties will narrow as election day approaches, as has happened in eight of the last nine general elections.

April 23 , 1997

Wednesday

eight days

May 1

three years ago

Sunday, Monday

Tuesday

Sunday

Monday

five weeks ago

now

five years


AFP_ENG_20051203.0117

BELFAST, Dec 3 , 2005

ATTENTION - UPDATES, ADDS quotes ///

Tens of thousands of mourners packed the rain-soaked streets of Belfast to say an emotional farewell to Northern Ireland's favourite son George Best on Saturday.

In what came close to a state funeral, Best's cortege drove from the family's humble home to the splendour of Stormont, the Northern Irish parliament, with the people of the province giving the soccer legend one last standing ovation as the hearse passed by.

Tears were shed along the route as fans from the working-class Protestant Cregagh estate and beyond said a final goodbye to their home-grown hero, the Belfast Boy who dazzled the world.

Flowers and football scarves were thrown onto the hearse before old teammates and his family carried the coffin into the palatial Parliament Buildings to the tune of a piper's lament as driving rain fell.

Three hundred guests squeezed into the Great Hall with the emotional service being broadcast to an expected 30,000 people allowed in the Stormont grounds.

Master of ceremonies Eamonn Holmes underlined Best's importance to Northern Ireland and the nature of the man who hit the highs of international stardom to the lows of wanton -- and equally public -- alcoholism.

Belfast-born broadcaster Holmes called Best "probably the greatest footballer who ever lived".

"In Ulster folklore we have many heroes, many legends. George Best will pass into that folklore as mercurial, as magical, as someone who made his dreams, and as someone who made our dreams come true.

"George would always recognise that however much a genius he may have been, he was also flawed. Maybe that imperfection made us love him more.

"In a country that often cannot rise above religion or politics, George Best did more than most to bring us together as a people. To make us recognise that maybe there is more that unites us than divides us.

"We want to show the world how delighted we are that he came from a country of just 1.5 million people and became the best footballer the world has ever seen."

Former teammates, ex-wives, dignitaries and friends filled the cream-marbled hall.

Fighting back the tears, Best's son Calum, 24, read Mary Frye's poem "Do not stand at my grave and weep."

Old United colleague Denis Law brought smiles as he reminisced on his pal Bestie's character and his battle against the illness that claimed his life.

Best died aged 59 on November 25 from multiple organ failure, after suffering a series of health problems in a London hospital.

The Best family earlier held a private ceremony at their home on the east Belfast estate where Best honed his skills against the terraced house walls.

The funeral cortege left shortly after 10:00 am (1000 GMT) from Cregagh, whose Loyalist paramilitary murals had been painted over and flags taken down for the occasion.

Mourners lined the length of the three-mile (five-kilometre) route to Stormont, which was selected as the site of a funeral for the first time because of the huge crowds expected.

"George was a Belfast boy," said Dawn Purvis, 39, secretary of a small Protestant political party, as she watched through the umbrellas while the cortege slowly left Cregagh.

"We all had an affinity for him. He had charisma, talent, but a great weakness too," she told AFP.

"In a way, he was a tragic hero."

Considered the first "pop-star" footballer, Best brought Northern Ireland a dash of glamour and sporting wizardry as it descended towards sectarian bloodshed.

Best is considered as being among football's finest ever players.

"Maradona good; Pele better; George Best" read a soaked flag at the end of Best's old street.

Best's alcoholism brought on a string of health problems which led to a liver transplant in 2002. He was back on the bottle within a year, however, despite having been told another drink could kill him.

Best made his professional debut for Manchester United in 1963, aged 17, going on to help the club become the first English side to lift the European Cup in 1968. In the same year he was voted European Player of the Year.

Dubbed "El Beatle", his playboy lifestyle involved an unquenchable thirst for alcohol and beautiful women.

He won 37 Northern Ireland caps before heavy boozing took its toll and he unexpectedly quit United for good at the early age of 28.

Best will be buried next to his mother, Ann, in the Roselawn cemetery in the Castlereagh hills overlooking east Belfast and the fields where he first shone as a footballer.

Dec 3 , 2005

Saturday

November 25

a year

the same year

the Year


bbc_20130322_721

2013-03-22

Russian police raid rights group Memorial and other NGOs

Russian police and tax inspectors have raided the offices of the human rights group Memorial and other civil society groups which get foreign funding.

Memorial is famous for documenting human rights abuses in Russia.

The US embassy in Moscow has voiced concern and asked the Russian government for an explanation.

A new Russian law says foreign-funded non-governmental groups (NGOs) linked to politics must register as "foreign agents" - a term which suggests spying.

In the worst repressions of the Soviet period the label "foreign agents" was used to denounce dissidents - or simply political rivals of Joseph Stalin - and could lead to execution.

Memorial says inspectors returned to its Moscow offices on Friday, having already seized 600 documents including accounts on Thursday.

A statement on the Memorial website said the inspections were directly linked to the new law on NGOs and the targeted groups' compliance with it.

Memorial director Arseny Roginsky, quoted by the Russian news website Vesti, said it was "a complete check on everything concerned with our sources of funding".

He insisted that the NGO law "will not change our position at all". "We won't refuse foreign donations, nor will we register as a 'foreign agent'," he said.

Friday

Thursday


APW19980227.0487
 NEWS STORY
 02/27/1998 08:09:00

w2392 Cx1f wstm-
u i Cx13  Cx11  BC-Israel-Rabin     02-27 0300

 BC-Israel-Rabin,0300

Friend of Rabin's assassin regretted praying for Rabin's death

UR By DANNA HARMAN QC
UR Associated Press Writer QC

JERUSALEM (AP) _ Taking the stand in her own defense, a friend
of Yitzhak Rabin's assassin said Friday that she regretted calling
the prime minister a traitor and praying for his death.
Margalit Har-Shefi, 22, has pleaded innocent to charges that she
failed to report Yigal Amir's plan to kill Rabin. She took the
stand for more than four hours Friday in a Tel Aviv magistrate's
court.
Amir, 27, is serving a life sentence for the November 1995
assassination of Rabin at a Tel Aviv peace rally. Newspaper reports
have said Amir was infatuated with Har-Shefi and may have been
trying to impress her by killing the prime minister.
Har-Shefi acknowledged she told police interrogators that Rabin
was a traitor and that she prayed for him to have a heart attack
and die. She said Rabin's murder was ``a black stain on Israel,''
Israel radio and Israel army radio reported.
Har-Shefi said she heard Amir talk about killing Rabin but did
not tell the police because she did not believe he was serious.
Instead, she turned to her community rabbi in the Jewish West Bank
settlement of Beit El and told him about Amir's statements. The
rabbi said called the talk about killing Rabin ``nonsense,'' and
said Jews are prohibited from killing one another, the radio
reports said.
Har-Shefi described Amir as an ``original thinker,'' as well as
delusional and a liar.
She also denied accusations made by Amir's brother, Hagai, that
she joined an anti-Arab underground movement. She said she gave the
Amir brothers false information regarding the location of a weapons
and ammunition cache when they asked her to help organize such a
movement.

(PROFILE
(WS SL:BC-Israel-Rabin; CT:i;
(REG:MEST;)
(REG:INDI;)
(REG:ENGL;)
(REG:AFRI;)
(REG:ASIA;)
(LANG:ENGLISH;))
)

AP-NY-02-27-98 0809EST

02/27/1998 08:09:00

Friday

more than four hours

Friday

November 1995


XIN_ENG_20051115.0246

BEIJING, Nov. 15 , 2005 (Xinhua)

China to launch special inspection over rural tax reform

China will kickoff a special inspection of rural tax and fee system reform in some provinces, the Ministry of Finance announced on Tuesday.

The State Council will send 6 inspection teams to 12 provinces from November 21 to December 5 to check out the reform progress concerning rural tax and fee collection, according to the ministry.

To alleviate the burden on Chinese farmers, the government has been reforming its rural tax and fee systems for years in an effort to eliminate growing administrative and arbitrary fees.

Since the beginning of this year, the government has stopped collecting the agricultural tax in all provinces except three, where agricultural tax ratios have been lowered to 2 percent. Next year, the whole country is expected to annul the agricultural tax.

As local governments collect less taxes and fees from farmers, they are facing fund shortages in supporting education and infrastructure construction. To solve this problem, the central government has allocated huge sums of money to alleviate the fund shortages of local governments.

Nov. 15 , 2005

Tuesday

November 21

December 5

the beginning of this year

Next year


XIN_ENG_20051126.0111

MADRID, Nov. 26 , 2005 (Xinhua)

Three air passengers arrested in Spain for bomb joke

Three air passengers were put into police custody at Malaga airport in Spain on Saturday, for one of them joked that he had a bomb on board a plane from Stockholm.

The crew has overheard that one passenger told his friends he had a bomb on board the plane, according to Niels Blix, a spokesman for Sterling Airlines flight.

However, the captain of the flight decided to carry on to Malaga and landed without incident. The Spanish police then detained the three passengers.

Nov. 26 , 2005

Saturday


AFP_ENG_20061211.0031

DHAKA, Dec 11 , 2006, 2006

Bangladesh cabinet members quit over army deployment

Four members of Bangladesh's interim cabinet have quit in protest at the president's decision to deploy the army to restore order ahead of January's elections, an interim cabinet member said.

"We have sent our resignation letter to the president, because we think that no situation has been created in the country that warranted an army deployment," interim cabinet member Sultana Kamal said.

President Iajuddin Ahmed ordered the deployment late on Saturday to help the civil administration restore order after the country's opposition parties threatened non-stop protests to force electoral reforms.

Dec 11 , 2006

January

Saturday


XIN_ENG_20051124.0362

LISBON, Nov. 24 , 2005 (Xinhua)

agency

Around 10 percent of Portuguese intravenous drug users are infected with HIV, the virus which causes AIDS, European Union experts said on Thursday.

"Portugal reported a very high rate of new infections with 88 new infection cases per million citizens," the European Rapporteur for Drugs and Drug Dependency (OEDT) said in a report published on Thursday, based on 2003 data.

The OEDT said that Portugal had 33 AIDS cases per million citizens in 2003, a number which has been falling since 1999, as many HIV carriers have not developed into full-blown AIDS.

The European Drug Information Agency said in a report on Thursday that "indices of newly-diagnosed cases remained at low levels in recent years,with the exception of Portugal".

The OEDT said that while AIDS infection statistics showed some reduction, the news about hepatitis remained very bad. A very large percentage of intravenous drug users are infected with hepatitis B and C only a few years after they began injecting.

Almost 5 million people were infected with HIV globally in 2005, taking the number living with the virus to a record 40.3 million, according to UN data.

The Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) has killed more than 25 million people in the world since it was first found in 1981, making it one of the most destructive epidemics in recorded history.

Nov. 24 , 2005

Thursday

Thursday

Thursday

recent years

a few years


WSJ891027-0150
 = 891027
 891027-0150.
 GM Seeks to Buy Up to 15% of Jaguar,
@  Heating Up Its Skirmishing With Ford
@  ----
@  By Joann S. Lublin
@  Staff Reporter of The Wall Street Journal
 10/27/89
 WALL STREET JOURNAL (J)
 GM JAGRY F EUROP
 TENDER OFFERS, MERGERS, ACQUISITIONS (TNM)
AUTOMOBILES (AUT)
 LONDON

   General Motors Corp. wants to buy as much as 15% of Jaguar PLC, marking its first salvo in a possible full-scale battle against Ford Motor Co. for control of the British car maker.

   GM sought U.S. antitrust clearance last week to purchase more than $15 million worth of Jaguar shares but does n't own any yet, according to GM officials here and at the company's Detroit headquarters.
The No. 1 U.S. auto maker then wrote Jaguar that it intends "to go to that 15%" level once it wins the U.S. clearance to go beyond $15 million, a Jaguar spokesman said yesterday.

   The GM move follows Tuesday's declaration by Ford, which holds an unwelcome 12.45% stake in Jaguar, that it is prepared to bid for the entire company.
GM is close to completing a friendly deal with Jaguar that is likely to involve an eventual 30% stake and joint manufacturing ventures.
Speculative investors, betting on an imminent clash between Ford and GM, pushed up Jaguar's share price five pence (eight U.S. cents) to a near-record 720 pence ($11.60) in late trading on London's stock exchange yesterday.
Since Tuesday, the shares have gained nearly 4%.

   But an all-out bidding war between the world's top auto giants for Britain's leading luxury-car maker seems unlikely.
"We will not go over a certain level," said David N. McCammon, Ford's vice president for finance, at a news conference yesterday in Dearborn, Mich.
"There's some price at which we'd stop bidding."
He would n't specify what it was.

   And powerful political pressures may convince the Conservative government to keep its so-called golden share, which limits any individual holding to 15%, until the restriction expires on Dec. 31, 1990.

   "I really do n't see the government doing something that Jaguar does n't want over the next 14 months," said Kenneth Warren, a Conservative member of Parliament and chairman of the Select Committee on Trade and Industry in Britain's House of Commons.
"The golden share is a single share, but it is the magic share."

   The government retained the single share after selling its stake in Jaguar in 1984 -- part of a nationalistic practice of protecting former government-owned enterprises to deflect criticism of privatization.
The 15% restriction covers any would-be suitor, British or foreign.

   Ford is willing to bid for 100% of Jaguar's shares if both the government and Jaguar shareholders agree to relax the anti-takeover barrier prematurely.
As Jaguar's biggest holder and Britain's biggest car maker, Ford could turn up the heat by convening a special shareholders' meeting and urging holders to drop the limits early.
Ford might succeed because many shareholders are speculators keen for a full bid or institutional investors unhappy over Jaguar management's handling of its current financial difficulties.

   The government probably would n't give in readily to a hostile foray by Ford, however.
It has relinquished a golden share only once before -- during British Petroleum Co.'s #2.5 billion ($4 billion) takeover of Britoil PLC in 1988.

   In wooing British lawmakers, GM has pointed out that its willingness to settle for a minority stake would keep Jaguar British-owned and independent.
This week, the U.S. auto giant paid for 10 House of Commons members and two House of Lords members to fly to Detroit and tour its operations there.
While the visit was unrelated to Jaguar, GM Chairman Roger Smith answered the legislators' questions about it over lunch Tuesday.
He said Jaguar "should n't be smothered by anyone else , " recalled one participant.

   Politics also influences the government's thinking on the anti-takeover restriction.
The Conservatives do n't dare jeopardize marginal Tory seats in Coventry, where Jaguar has headquarters, nor can the government easily back down on promised protection for a privatized company while it proceeds with controversial plans to privatize most of Britain's water and electricity industries.

   Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher might , however , be receptive to any request by Jaguar Chairman Sir John Egan for the restriction's early removal to let GM amass more than 15% or mount a friendly suitor bid against Ford.
In the end, Sir John -- rather than the government or Jaguar shareholders -- may hold the key that unlocks the golden share.

last week

yet

yesterday

Tuesday

yesterday

Tuesday

yesterday

Dec. 31, 1990

the next 14 months

current

This week

Tuesday


XIN_ENG_20061122.0159

TAIYUAN, Nov. 22 , 2006 (Xinhua)

Creator of China's largest porn website jailed for life

The creator of China's largest pornographic website was sentenced to life imprisonment on Wednesday.

Judges at the Taiyuan Intermediate People's Court handed down the sentence to Chen Hui and ordered the confiscation of 100,000 yuan (12,500 U.S. dollars).

The other eight organizers of the website were jailed for terms ranging from 13 months to ten years.

The nine were convicted of profiting from pornographic dissemination.

Apart from one who is over 50, the average age of the other eight criminals is just 23.

Chen, 28, and his accomplices started the Qingseliuyuetian (pornographic summer) website in 2004 and opened a further three porn websites, attracting more than 600,000 users.

A police source said it was difficult to know the exact illegal profits of the website because most of the money was spent or saved in foreign bank accounts.

The police found about 200,000 yuan (25,000 U.S. dollars) in the Chinese bank accounts of the nine.

A member of the public complained to city police on June 21 last year that a hospital website had changed to become the homepage of a porn website.

Police questioned the administrator of the website, Wang Jianfei, who allegedly admitted he was in charge of the "Qingseliuyuetian" Taiyuan section.

Three months later, police in the provinces of Fujian, Guangdong, Jilin, Liaoning, Anhui and Hubei arrested Chen and other organizers.

All the servers of "China's largest adult community" were based overseas and Chen regularly changed the website's domain name, servers and Internet provider address, the police said.

At first the four websites accepted about 200,000 registered members free of charge, but demanded 199 to 266 yuan (25 to 33 U.S. dollars) in registration fees from people who joined later.

Some paid more for a life membership. According to the police, a "top-level VIP membership" sold at 3,999 yuan (500 U.S. dollars).

Commercial space on the website sold for 1,000 to 3,000 yuan (125 to 375 U.S. dollars) per month.

On Oct. 3 last year, when the website was closed down, the registered members exceeded 600,000 around China.

The website contained more than nine million pornographic images and articles and it had received more than 11 million clicks.

Nov. 22 , 2006

Wednesday

ten years

June 21 last year

Three months

month

Oct. 3 last year


AFP_ENG_19970423.0681

SEOUL, April 24 , 1997 (AFP)

North Korea says more three-way talks needed before peace talks

North Korea on Thursday said it wanted to take part in four party- peace talks, but that three-party talks between South and North Korea and the United States should continue until confidence has been built.

"It is our stand to hold 'four-way talks' for peace and security of the Korean peninsula. We, therefore, put forward a way of realising the talks," the North's Vice Minister of foreign affairs, Kim Kye-Gwan told the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

"In order to make the talks more effective and productive, we proposed to have more rounds of negotiations among the DPRK (North Korea), the United States and South Korea before beginning the 'four-way talks'," Kim said.

Arguing his case, he said "The confidence needed for 'four-way talks' has not yet been built between the DPRK and the United States and, still worse, our equal footing at the talks has not been guaranteed."

"We are ready to have further contacts to this end," added Kim who is also the head of the North Korean delegation to last week's failed talks in New York designed to induce Pyongyang to accept the four- party formula.

The four-party talks would involve South and North Korea as direct interlocutors, with the United States and China in a support role.

In New York, a North Korean official said Wednesday that China should join the talks only after Washington recognizes the North.

South Korea's Yonhap News Agency quoted Han Sung-Ryol, head of the North Korean UN mission, as repeating Kim's insistence that such steps were needed to put the North on an "equal footing" before the four- party talks take place.

The North put forth the "three-plus-one" formula during the last round of meetings with South Korean and US officials in New York on Sunday, Han said.

He noted that while the United States and China recognize South Korea, Washington has no diplomatic ties with Pyongyang. On top of it, the United States still maintains a trade embargo on the North, he said.

The four-party talks could open only after Washington establish ties with Pyongyang and recognizes its socialist system, and only after peaceful co-existence takes root and the North is assured that it would not be absorbed by the South, he said.

Han also told Yonhap in a telephone interview that massive food aid to the hungry North must be realized to build up mutual trust before all countries concerned move toward the four-way talks.

Food aid should not be used as a leverage to force the North to accept talks, he said.

The New York meeting broke up aftr North Korea failed to give a widely-anticipated answer to the US-South Korea talks proposal aimed at replacing the 1953 Korean War armistice with a formal peace treaty.

Although no date has been set for a next meeting, Han said the North was willing to resume contact at any level.

Han noted that North Korean and US officials would sit down for talks on the repatriation of remains of US troops killed during the Korean War of 1950-53 and on restricting North Korean missile exports in New York in May.

April 24 , 1997

Thursday

last week

Wednesday

Sunday

May


AFP_ENG_20061226.0204

ROME, Dec 26 , 2006, 2006

Italian PM says he wants media strikes to end

Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi said on Tuesday he wanted to see a speedy end to a conflict between Italian journalists and media bosses which has led to repeated strikes.

"I am happy that the strike is over because five days without newspapers is very worrying," Romano Prodi said. "I want you to find a rapid resolution to this disagreement," he told journalists according to the ANSA newsagency.

Newsstands were empty for five days when the written press went on strike on Thursday, Friday and Saturday before their two-day Christmas holiday.

Television and newspaper journalists have resorted to industrial action several times to demand the renewal of a collective bargaining charter nearly two years after it expired in 2005.

The journalists' representatives are demanding greater job security for journalists as well as legal recognition of freelancers, while the management stresses the need for flexibility and controlling costs.

Dec 26 , 2006

Tuesday

five days

five days

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

two-day Christmas holiday

nearly two years


XIN_ENG_20061109.0369

CAIRO, Nov. 9 , 2006 (Xinhua)

final

Defending champions Al-Ahly's coach is facing huge pressure before a decisive game with Sfaxien of Tunisia on Saturday in the second and decisive leg of the Champions League final.

Ahly's Portuguese coach Manuel Jose has thrown all his cards into the fray and is waiting for a royal flush, local English newspaper The Daily Star reported on Thursday.

Earlier this week, the Egyptian Football Association agreed to postpone Ahly's game with Giza-based Enppi in order to give the "Red Devil" players enough rest before their away game with Sfaxien.

Ahly, however, were held to a 1-1 draw with Sfaxien on Oct. 29 in the first leg of the African Champions League final.

Owing to the draw, Ahly's home advantage was wasted and its hopes to win a second successive African Champions League title received a big blow.

Despite the urging of local experts that the game would have been a good way to prepare and get in form for the Nov. 11 game with Sfaxien, Jose pushed to get his way and will likely be held accountable should the Egyptians come home empty-handed.

But there is another aspect to consider -- Ahly, Egypt's best soccer club based in Cairo, needs a serious morale booster.

Moreover both Zamalek and Ismailia, Ahly's main competitors in the Egyptian league, failed to win their games this week. Had Ahly played and won this week, the team would have jumped up to second place in the league standings, only one point behind Ismailia and ahead of Zamalek.

With three postponed games still in hand for Ahly, such a scenario could have certainly boosted the team's morale before their Saturday game.

The 1-1 draw with Sfaxien on Oct. 29 was deemed unforgivable by Ahly club senior members and by the 85,000 fans that attended the game.

The Portuguese coach also suspended midfielder Hassan Mostafa before game one and Ahly's midfield has clearly been hurt on both the offensive and defensive fronts.

The embattled coach is clearly firing all guns.

He announced after the poor showing in the first leg of the final that he is the person responsible for Ahly's achievements in the past few years.

In spite of all this, the Egyptian press and Ahly's management sound relatively supportive of the coach and the players. This will certainly not be the case if the cards fail Jose on Nov. 11.

Ahly, considered by some as the best club in Africa, won the African Champions League four times, in 1982, 1987, 2001 and 2005, respectively.

Sfaxien handed Ahly their first continental defeat in two years on July 15 when they beat them 1-0 in Sfax in the opening game of their quarter-finals Group A matches.

But Ahly returned the favor by winning the second match at home 2-1.

Nov. 9 , 2006

Saturday

Thursday

Earlier this week

Oct. 29

Nov. 11

this week

this week

Saturday

Oct. 29

the past few years

Nov. 11

1982, 1987

two years

July 15


XIN_ENG_20051119.0187

OTTAWA, Nov. 19 , 2005 (Xinhua)

H5N1 bird flu found in wild birds in central Canada

Wild birds in Canada's central province of Manitoba have tested positive for a low-pathogenic subtype of the H5N1 avian flu virus, a health official said on Saturday.

The strains are from the family of North American H5N1 viruses, not the forms circulating in Southeast Asia, said Dr. Brian Evans, chief veterinary officer at the Canadian Food Inspection Agency ( CFIA).

"I want to emphasize that the H5N1 subtype detected in Manitoba is completely distinct from the strain currently present in Asia," said Evans

"From a genetic perspective, there are significant strain differences in their structure," he said.

In addition, officials isolated an H5N3 subtype in two birds from Quebec, as part of a cross-country surveillance program to find what avian flu viruses are being carried by wild ducks in this country.

"Finding only low pathogenic avian influenza means that these viruses would cause only mild disease, if any at all, if introduced into domestic birds," Evans said.

Meanwhile, a commercial farm in British Columbia's Fraser Valley remains under quarantine after a duck was found infected with a strain of H5 bird flu on Friday.

North American H5N1 viruses have so far proven to be much milder viruses than their distant Asian counterparts, avian influenza experts say.

"We've got 32 years of surveillance work that says these North American strains in wild birds in the past have never been a threat," Dr. Richard Slemons, an avian influenza expert at Ohio State University, told The Canadian Press.

"Does that mean they won't be a threat in the future? No it does not. But history says they aren't a risk," he said.

The Asian H5N1 viruses, which are highly pathogenic, have infected 130 people in five countries since 2003 and 67 of those people have died.

Nov. 19 , 2005

Saturday

Friday

32 years

the future


AFP_ENG_20061220.0184

ROME, Dec 20 , 2006, 2006

Italian jobless rate plunges to lowest level since 1992

Italy's unemployment rate fell to 6.8 percent of the workforce in the third quarter, its lowest reading since 1992, from 6.9 percent in the second, the statistics agency Istat said Wednesday.

The number of people holding jobs increased 2.0 percent to 23 million from third quarter 2005.

The increase reflected employment gains by foreign residents and people over 50 as well as short-term contracts given to workers under the age of 40, according to the agency.

Dec 20 , 2006

the third quarter

Wednesday

third quarter 2005


WSJ891026-0155
 = 891026
 891026-0155.
 Technology amp Health:
@  Compaq Computer
@  Posts a 51% Surge
@  In 3rd-Period Net
@  ----
@  By Robert Tomsho
@  Staff Reporter of The Wall Street Journal
 10/26/89
 WALL STREET JOURNAL (J)
 CPQ
 COMPUTERS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (CPR)
EARNINGS (ERN)
 HOUSTON

   Compaq Computer Corp. said that its net income rose 51% in the third quarter, bolstered by unusual gains from its investment in a disk-drive maker and reflecting continued growth in its European operations.

   The computer maker said net jumped to $87 million, or $2.02 a share, from $58 million, or $1.40 a share, a year earlier.
Sales increased 36% to $683 million from $502 million.
The latest quarter's results, however , included a pretax gain of $13.7 million, or 20 cents a share, in the carrying value of the company's investment in Conner Peripherals Inc. and a $7.6 million gain, or 11 cents a share, from the sale of one million Conner shares.

   Net for the nine months was $254 million, or $5.94 a share, up 56% from $163 million, or $4.06 a share, a year earlier.
Sales rose 50% to $2.1 billion from $1.4 billion.
Net for the year-earlier nine months also included a gain of $9.7 million, or 15 cents a share, in the carrying value of the Conner investment.

   Michael Swavely, president of Compaq's North America division, attributed the company's third-quarter performance to continued increases in international sales, which accounted for 43% of the company's sales, a 74% increase from a year earlier.

   "Over the next couple of years we would not be surprised to see Europe and international {sales} represent 50% of the company's revenues," he said.

   During the third quarter, Compaq purchased a former Wang Laboratories manufacturing facility in Stirling, Scotland, which will be used for international service and repair operations.
Mr. Swavely said the new space will allow Compaq to increase the manufacturing capacity of its plant in Erskine, Scotland.

   In New York Stock Exchange composite trading yesterday, Compaq shares fell $1.625 to $108.625.

the third quarter

a year earlier

The latest quarter

the nine months

a year earlier

the year-earlier nine months

third-quarter

a year earlier

the next couple of years

the third quarter

yesterday


XIN_ENG_20061128.0315

RIGA, Nov. 28 , 2006 (Xinhua)

Roundup: Hang Seng index records biggest single-day drop

by Xinhua Writer Pan Xiaoyan

HONG KONG, Nov. 28 (Xinhua) -- Hong Kong's Hang Seng index Tuesday slipped 2.94 percent, the largest single-day drop since the "9.11" attack in 2001, dampening the market's enthusiasm promoted by the bull trend for over one month.

Dragged by the falling down of Asian markets and Wall Street, Hang Seng index dived 564.48 points to close at 18,639, with a turnover of 58.9 billion HK dollars (7.59 U.S. dollars). The index of H-shares fell 380 points to close at 8,133 due to the selling pressure on financial stocks.

Hang Seng Index opened 207 points lower in the morning session at 18.996, lost its position above 19,000 bench mark. H-shares followed the trend by starting 143 points lower at 8,370 and continued falling down until the end of the trading.

Chinese financial stocks, which took the lead of going up, sunk the most, with financial index of H-shares declining 207 points, or 2 percent, wiping out the previous gains in one session.

Even the successful land auction by the Hong Kong government Tuesday can not suspend the going down of the stock market. One of the land was sold at a price of 75 percent higher than the base price but only sees the stocks of real estate falling down at larger pace.

Cheung Kong, the property giant of Hong Kong's tycoon Li Ka-shing, fell 5.08 percent after the company gained one of the auctioned land. However, Li said he believed the successful land auction Tuesday reflects the property industry's confidence in Hong Kong's economy.

Financial analyst Lee Wei-shing said though the plummeted markets in Asia and the United States are part of the reason for the fall of Hong Kong stocks, the selling of hedge funds is considered the main factor enlarging the scope of decline.

He believed the market needs a consolidation after a bull run of 4,200 points up, starting from 15,205 in June. Lee said the property stocks did not take the advantage of land auction because the auction's price is much higher than the market's expectation.

Co-director of Friedmann Pacific Investment Holdings Limited Haung De-ji said a series of fresh stocks to be listed in next two weeks, which draw a large part of the capital from the market, speeded up the falling.

However, he believed the market will rebound after a period of consolidation due to the healthy development of both Hong Kong and Chinese Mainland's economy in the long run.

Nov. 28 , 2006

Nov. 28

Tuesday

one month

the end of the trading

Tuesday

June

two weeks


XIN_ENG_20061115.0256

LUSAKA, Nov. 15 , 2006 (Xinhua)

Zambia to enforce law on speed limit

The Zambian government would soon enforce a law to limit the speed of public transportation vehicles, local media reported on Wednesday.

The law would demand all public transport operators to equip their vehicles with a speed limiter, reports said.

Esther Nkandu, chairman of the Road Transportation and Safety Agency, told a meeting on Tuesday that the government was currently in the process of implementing the law.

The law would be enforced with the help of 500 newly recruited traffic police officers who are about to be deployed around the country, Nkandu said.

The public transportation operators, however, argued that the law should not be imposed only on public transportation vehicles, insisting that it must be extended to all vehicles on the road.

Nov. 15 , 2006

Wednesday

Tuesday


AFP_ENG_19970430.0472

CAIRO, April 30 , 1997 (AFP)

Egyptian dancer gets 15-percent belly depreciation

Egypt's most famous belly dancer, Fifi Abdu, has received a 15-percent tax cut from the government for wear and tear on her most exposed asset, her midriff.

"As we do for all belly dancers, we granted Fifi Abdu a 15-percent reduction in taxes every year for wear on her stomach, which is the tool of her work," an Egyptian tax official told AFP.

"But the reduction offered to her is much greater than that of her colleagues because of the great amount of money she earns," said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Fifi Abdu took in 4.5 million Egyptian pounds (1.32 million dollars) between 1993 and 1996, according to the Egyptian government weekly Al- Mussawar.

She dances in extravagant costumes backed by a large orchestra, usually for select audiences willing to pay top dollar.

Egyptian singers such as Amr Diab also have received tax breaks of 10 to 15 percent for wear and tear on their voices.

April 30 , 1997

year for