AFP_ENG_20061203.0372

LONDON, Dec 3 , 2006, 2006

ATTENTION - ADDS Annan quotes ///

The unrest in Iraq is "much worse" than a civil war, United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan told the BBC in an interview to be broadcast Monday.

He said some Iraqis rightly thought they were worse off than under dictator Saddam Hussein, ousted from power after US-led forces invaded in March 2003.

The UN chief voiced his regrets over the invasion, saying it could have been stopped had UN weapons inspectors been given more time to conduct their work, and he added that the wounds had still not healed in the UN.

Turning to Iran, Annan said the UN needed to do whatever it could to resolve the stand-off over Tehran's nuclear programme through negotiations.

And the Ghanaian vowed to prioritise Darfur in his final month in office, even though the international community had neither "the resources or the will" to confront the crisis in the western region of Sudan.

On the sectarian violence between Sunni and Shiite Muslims in Iraq, Annan said: "When we had the strife in Lebanon and other places, we called that a civil war -- this is much worse," he said.

Last Tuesday, Annan had suggested that the international community hold a broad-based international peace conference to find a way out of the vicious struggle that has plunged Iraq into bloodshed.

But Iraqi President Jalal Talabani on Sunday rejected the idea, apparently leaving it dead in the water.

"It is an extremely dangerous situation and I think we all are interested in getting Iraq right and we would want to get it right, but the Iraqis will have to come together and make it happen," Annan said.

"They are going to need help; given the killings and the bitterness I'm not sure they can do it alone. They would need help from the international community and their neighbours."

He added: "I really believed that we could have stopped the war and that if we had worked a bit harder, given the inspectors a bit more time, we could have."

Citizens who say conditions were better under president Saddam "are right in the sense of the average Iraqi's life", he said.

"If I were an average Iraqi obviously I would make the same comparison, that they had a dictator who was brutal but they had their streets, they could go out, their kids could go to school and come back home without a mother or father worrying, 'Am I going to see my child again?'

"And the Iraqi government has not been able to bring the violence under control. The society needs security and a secure environment for it to get on -- without security not much can be done -- not recovery or reconstruction."

Asked about the impasse in negotiations over Iran's nuclear programme and the chances of military action, Annan said he did not think the Middle East could "take another crisis".

"It's in a very precarious and delicate state at this moment and I have indicated quite clearly that on the Iranian issue we need to do whatever we can to get a negotiated solution and that, in my mind, is the only one."

A military solution would be "extremely unwise for that country and for the world and everything should be done to stop it."

Turning to Darfur, where ethnic violence has killed hundreds of thousands of people and left millions homeless, Annan said the situation was "deeply disappointing" as Khartoum has rejected a plan to allow UN peacekeepers in.

"It's tragic but we do not have the resources or the will to confront the situation -- as in, if you did it, would you make the situation worse, or would it be better?"

He said the Sudanese government would be held "individually and collectively responsible for what is happening and what happens".

Annan's second term in office expires at the end of the year, when former South Korean foreign minister Ban Ki-Moon will take over.

Dec 3 , 2006

Monday

March 2003

final month

Last Tuesday

Sunday

the end of the year


AFP_ENG_19970422.0454

MOSCOW, April 22 , 1997 (AFP)

Itochu to build electricity, gas plants for Caspian oil project

Japanese trading house Itochu Corp. will soon start building an electricity generating plant and gas compressor station at two Azerbaijani oilfields in the Caspian Sea region, the Azerbaijani news agency Turan reported Tuesday.

The generating plant at the Neft Dashlary offshore field will cost some 60 million dollars, which will be covered by a Japanese government credit, a senior manager at the Azerbaijani national oil company SOCAR said.

The gas compressor station at the Bakhare field will cost around 100 million dollars, covered by a Japanese Export-Import Bank credit.

In March 1996 Itochu announced it would take a 2.45 percent stake in a multi-billion-dollar international project to develop Azerbaijani offshore oilfields.

British Petroleum and Amoco hold the largest stakes in the contract, worth more than 10 billion dollars, which was signed in September 1994.

April 22 , 1997

Tuesday

March 1996

September 1994


XIN_ENG_20051122.0206

BEIJING, Nov. 22 , 2005 (Xinhua)

Yunnan

China's Ministry of Agriculture on Tuesday confirmed bird flu outbreaks in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, and southwest China's Yunnan Province.

It said in a statement that 38 fouls died last Wednesday in the Dabancheng district of Urumqi city in Xinjiang and they were confirmed by a state avian flu lab as H5N1 subtype highly pathogenic bird flu cases.

Separately, the same kind of bird flu killed 2,500 poultry in Chuxiong city of Yunnan on Thursday.

The disease also killed 230 poultry on Thursday in Yinchuan, capital of Ningxia.

The Ministry of Agriculture has sent teams of experts to help control the disease, and local veterinary departments have culled the poultry within three kilometers of the affected area. They have culled 8,388 fouls in Xinjiang, 99,400 in Yunnan and 66,800 in Ningxia respectively, the statement said.

Nov. 22 , 2005

Tuesday

last Wednesday

Thursday

Thursday


XIN_ENG_20061113.0248

WASHINGTON, Nov. 13 , 2006 (Xinhua)

Democrats to push for troop cuts within months: report

U.S. Democratic leaders in the Senate have vowed to use their new congressional majority to press for troop reductions in Iraq within months, U.S. media reported Monday.

The Democrats - the incoming majority leader, Senator Harry Reid; the incoming Armed Services Committee chairman, Senator Carl Levin; and the incoming Foreign Relations Committee chairman, Senator Joseph R. Biden - said Sunday that a phased redeployment of troops would be their top priority when the new Congress convenes in January, even before an investigation of the conduct of the war.

"We need to begin a phased redeployment of forces from Iraq in four to six months," Levin said in an appearance on the ABC News program "This Week."

Reid also said on CBS television that U.S. troop redeployment from Iraq should start within the next few months.

The White House has said President George W. Bush was open to " fresh ideas," but chief of staff Joshua Bolten said he could not envision the White House signing on to a plan setting a timetable for the withdrawal of troops.

"I don't think we're going to be receptive to the notion there' s a fixed timetable at which we automatically pull out, because that could be a true disaster for the Iraqi people. But what we've always been prepared to do, and remain prepared to do, is indeed what Senators Levin and Biden were talking about, is put pressure on the Iraqi government to take over themselves," he told the ABC television.

On Monday, a bipartisan panel, the Iraq Study Group, headed by former secretary of state James A. Baker III, a Republican, and Lee Hamilton, a Democratic former congressman, would meet Bush and members of his foreign policy team to begin its final round of interviews.

The group, which will also interview British Prime Minister Tony Blair by videoconference and meet with Democratic foreign policy leaders, is expected to make recommendations on the government's Iraq policy, probably next month or early next year.

Nov. 13 , 2006

months

Monday

Sunday

January

four to six months

This Week

the next few months

Monday

next month or early next year


AFP_ENG_19970421.0360

PERTH, Australia, April 21 , 1997 (AFP)

Former Australian health minister charged with perjury: report

Former Australian health minister Carmen Lawrence has been charged with three counts of perjury, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) reported here Monday night.

The charges arise out of evidence Lawrence, one of Australia's best known female politicians, gave to a royal commission examining the circumstances surrounding a controversial petition tabled in the Western Australian state parliament in 1992. Lawyer Penny Easton, who was named in the petition, committed suicide four days after it was tabled.

Lawrence was premier of the state before entering federal politics.

The ABC reported Lawrence was deeply distressed by the decision to charge her and maintained she had done nothing wrong.

It quoted her as saying that since she was innocent she had every confidence of being vindicated in court.

Lawrence said she would stand down from her Labor Party's opposition front bench in Canberra but would not resign from parliament, it added.

A Western Australian state member of parliament, John Halden, has also been charged with one count of perjury arising from the royal commission, the report said.

Lawrence and Halden will appear at the Perth Court of Petty Sessions Thursday.

It was not clear whether Lawrence had been arrested or charged by summons and no further details were immediately available.

April 21 , 1997

Monday night

four days

Thursday


XIN_ENG_20061121.0357

NEW YORK, Nov. 21 , 2006 (Xinhua)

Please withdraw the " Dutch-Household-Consumption" story

Please withdraw the Dutch story headlined "Dutch household consumption keeps rising amid economic recovery."

Nov. 21 , 2006


XIN_ENG_20051113.0247

JOHANNESBURG, Nov. 14 , 2005 (Xinhua)

Briton Mansell wins S. Africa's Grand Prix Masters

Britain's former Formula 1 racer Nigel Mansell edged out Brazilian Emerson Fittipaldi by a fraction of a second to win the inaugural South African Grand Prix Masters at the Kyalami race track in Johannesburg on Sunday.

Mansell was pushed all the way by his fellow former Formula 1 World Champion and crossed the line in a time of 50 minutes 55.154 seconds, reported the SAPA news agency.

Fittipaldi, who won the F1 Championship in 1972 and 1974, followed just 0.408 seconds later. Italy's Ricardo Patrese completed the podium when he was next past the chequered flag in 51 minutes 15.816 seconds.

Mansell, the pre-race favourite, was clearly overjoyed at his success.

"It was unbelievable, I tried to pull away from Emerson but he kept coming at me," Mansell said.

"I didn't have the traction around the corners to pull away. What a race, what a race. He almost got me at the end but I hung on."

Fittipaldi, who also won the Indycar Series in 1989 and 1993, was full of admiration for Mansell's drive.

"Nigel made no mistakes. It was a fantastic display of driving, " he said.

Sunday's Grand Prix Masters race was the first race of its kind for former F1 drivers over the age of 45 and there were more than 70,000 fans in attendance.

While Mansell and Fittipaldi were the only world champions taking part -- Australia's 1980 winner Alan Jones withdrew on the eve of the event -- the 14 drivers in the race were some of the true legends of the sport and the performance they put on was appreciated by all, the SAPA said.

Nov. 14 , 2005

Sunday

0.408 seconds later

51 minutes 15.816 seconds

Sunday


XIN_ENG_20061116.0267

ISLAMABAD, Nov. 16 , 2006 (Xinhua)

Over 96 percent Pakistani quake victims get housing compensation: official

More than 96 percent of quake affectees in northern Pakistan's quake-hit areas have been given compensation for housing, a senior official of Pakistan's Earthquake Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Authority (ERRA) said Thursday.

The construction of over 200,000 houses was under progress in various quake affected areas while the reconstruction work of all the 600,000 damaged houses would be completed by 2008, said Nadeem Ahmed, Deputy Chairman of ERRA, while addressing newsmen in Islamabad.

ERRA has prepared a comprehensive plan for the quake survivors living in 41 camps in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir and three camps in North West Frontier Province (NWFP) to provide them best possible protection during the coming cold season, Nadeem said, while answering a question.

A 7.6-magnitude earthquake struck South Asia on Oct. 8, 2005, leaving over 73,000 people dead and some 3.5 million homeless in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir and NWFP.

Nov. 16 , 2006

Thursday

Oct. 8, 2005


XIN_ENG_20051111.0192

RAMALLAH, Nov. 11 , 2005 (Xinhua)

Beijing unveils 2008 Olympic mascots (updated 3)

by Sportswriter Gao Peng

BEIJING, Nov. 11 (Xinhua) -- To the surprise of all, Beijing unveiled a set of five doll mascots for the 2008 Olympic Games Friday evening, exactly 1,000 days before the event's opening ceremony.

The long-anticipated mascots, which embody the natural characteristics of four of China's popular animals -- the Fish, the Panda, the Tibetan Antelope, the Swallow -- and the Olympic Flame,

were presented at a televised grand ceremony inside the Workers' Gymnasium.

It is the first time that more than three images share Summer Olympic mascot duty. The 2000 Sydney Games featured three animal mascots -- Olly the Kookaburra, Syd the Platypus and Millie the Spiny Anteater.

"We decided to produce five mascots instead of one, because we think no single figure can embody China's profound and diversified

culture," said Han Meilin, chief of the mascto designers' group.

Each of the Beijing Olympic mascots has a rhyming two-syllable name -- a traditional way of expressing affection for children in China. Beibei is the Fish, Jingjing is the Panda, Huanhuan is the Olympic Flame, Yingying is the Tibetan antelope and Nini is the Swallow.

When their names are put together -- Bei Jing Huan Ying Ni -- they say "Welcome to Beijing".

The five elements of nature -- the sea, forest, fire, earth and

sky -- can be found in their origins and headpieces, all stylistically rendered in ways that represent the deep traditional

influences of Chinese folk art and ornamentation.

Each of the mascots also symbolizes a different blessing -- prosperity, happiness, passion, health and good luck.

International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Jacques Rogge sent a letter of congratulation to the BOCOG.

"China is lucky to have so many beautiful animals to represent the Olympic spirit," said Rogge in the letter.

"I love them all. And I am delighted that they will carry traditional Chinese blessings all over the world.

"I believe that this little group of friends -- the carp, the panda, the flame, the antelope and the swallow -- will be extremely popular and will help to spread Olympic messages throughout the world," he added.

Many ordinary citizens expressed their surprise at the number of the mascots.

"I didn't expect that there will five mascots. It's a big surprise," said Henry Mok, a Candian-Chinese who works in Beijing.

"It's a bit surprising (to have five mascots), but if you look at them as a whole, they are more complete than any single image,"

said Li Xiang, a public servant.

The unveiling of the Beijing Olympic mascots also ended a year- long race of hundreds of candidates.

Since the Beijing Organizing Committee for the 2008 Olympic Games (BOCOG) launched a worldwide solicitation in August last year, competition was hot as a handful of areas were vying to have their

local symbols picked.

The country's western Qinghai province was pushing the endangered Tibetan antelope. Fujian province presented the South China tiger. Gansu favored the mythical dragon and Jiangsu promoted the legendary Monkey King.

Dozens of artists and designers were called to cut the initial list of mascot entrants from 662 to 56 and finally to six, with the final choice selected by the BOCOG. The IOC approved the choice in

August.

The first mascot to appear at an Olympics was in the 1968 Winter Games in Grenoble, France. But Schuss the skier was not official. The first official mascot was Waldi the Dachshund, who appeared at the Munich Summer Games in 1972.

Mascots are the most marketable symbols in the Olympics business. The choice is important as sales of licensed products and helps organizers defray costs.

More than 300 kinds of licensed products bearing the mascot will go on sale at 188 authorized shops across China the day after the announcement, with prices ranging from one US dollar for a pen to thousands of dollars for a medal.

"The launch of the mascot will push sales of Olympic products to new heights," said Lai Ming, deputy director of BOCOG's marketing

department.

"We believe the sales volume will be bigger than the previous Olympic Games."

Phevos and Athena, the big-footed sibling mascots of last year's Athens Olympics, generated profits of over 200 million US dollars.

Nov. 11 , 2005

Nov. 11

Friday evening, exactly 1,000 days

a

August last year

August

1968 Winter

last year


AFP_ENG_19970410.0204

WASHINGTON, April 10 , 1997 (AFP)

NASA delays launch of space station for one year

NASA has decided to delay the launch of a future international space station for one year and needs an extra 200 million dollars to replace a key Russian component that has fallen behind.

The new target date for the first launch is "no later than October 1998," NASA Space Flight Director Wilbur Trafton told the space subcommittee of the House of Representatives on Wednesday.

The additional 200 million dollars to build a backup for the missing Russian service module, he said, will come from the US shuttle program, but a decision to build the substitute component will not be made until mid-May.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) had planned to launch the first module of the 43 billion dollar space station Alpha in November of this year.

But the first sign the project would have to be delayed came in February when the Russian space agency announced it was postponing the launch of its part of the station for six or seven months.

The Russian "cargo" module was going to transport construction equipment to build the international station, a project between Russia, the United States, Japan and several European countries.

Committee members were angered by Trafton's announcement. Republican representative Dana Rohrabacher called Russian officials "dunderheads" and "nincompoops" for causing the year-long delay.

The lawmakers were also displeased at Trafton's plan to transfer money from the shuttle program for Alpha's component, but the NASA official explained that it was necessary to avoid further delays.

"To keep from shutting down the program today we need some additional funds today," Trafton said. "For the lack of 200 million today, we could end up costing ourselves several hundred million down the road."

April 10 , 1997

one year

October 1998

Wednesday

November of this year

February

six or seven months

today

today

today


XIN_ENG_20061107.0269

BERLIN, Nov. 7 , 2006 (Xinhua)

German stocks end higher

German stocks ended higher on Tuesday on the Frankfurt market.

The 30-share benchmark DAX Index surged 0.49 percent or 31.31 points to 6,361.96.

The MDAX index of medium-sized companies gained 0.16 percent or 14.17 points to 8,815.42.

The TecDAX index of technologies and science firms rose 1.80 percent or 12.50 points to 705.24 points.

Nov. 7 , 2006

Tuesday


AFP_ENG_20051215.0647

BRUSSELS, Dec 15 , 2005

///

EU leaders agreed Thursday on the urgent need for a budget deal, British Prime Minister Tony Blair said after a first day of negotiations on the issue dividing the bloc.

"We're talking about money, we're talking about very serious issues for a lot of countries and it's going to be a difficult and tough negotiation," Blair said after chairing a first round of talks at a two-day summit.

"I think that everybody realises that if we are going to do a deal on the budget, it's now," he added.

Wrangling over the EU's budget broke off late Thursday with European leaders eagerly awaiting fresh proposals from the EU's British presidency to break the gridlock.

Blair indicated that Britain would present a set of fresh proposals, so long as there was a point in doing so.

"Obviously we have anticipated doing that and said to people that we will, but there's got to be a basis for agreement otherwise there's no point in putting forward proposals."

Leaders had what some have called a "blunt" discussions over Britain's existing proposals on Thursday, even though they did not get into nitty-gritty haggling over concrete figures.

A British source said: "It was a pretty tough discussion. The good thing is that people want to do a deal at this summit," said a British source, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Blair is under particularly fierce pressure to come up with new proposals that would cut down Britain's jealously guarded annual rebate budget contributions.

But the British leaders is refusing to give ground without guarantees notably on reforms to the EU's long-disputed farm subsidy system, of which France is the main beneficiary.

"It's looking difficult but not impossible," said the British source, adding: "There isn't an awful lot of room to play with."

Dec 15 , 2005

Thursday

now

Thursday

Thursday


AFP_ENG_19970423.0231

BANGKOK, April 23 , 1997 (AFP)

US to go it alone on Burma sanctions

Burmese authorities on Wednesday criticized the United States for imposing economic sanctions on the military-ruled country, while its trading partners declined to follow the US example.

A Burmese official accused the US government of using economic sanctions, announced by Secretary of State Madeleine Albright in Washington on Tuesday, to boost its political stock at home.

"The sanctions imposed by the US on Myanmar (Burma) is for the domestic political consumption," the military official said in a short and terse statement received here in response to questions from AFP.

The official also accused the United States of trying to use democracy and human rights as a means of boosting its influence in the region, and said the move would not alter the course being taken by the Burmese government.

"From Myanmar, we have our own set aims and objectives for the good of the nation," he said. "Since Myanmar is working on a straight line towards our goal, we do not have any reason to deviate from our original path."

Albright said the investment ban was due to severe restrictions imposed by the military on the activities of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi and her National League for Democracy (NLD).

The Burmese official's comments were echoed by China, long a critic of the linking of human rights and trade issues by Washington.

"China is always against interference in other countries' internal affairs by making use of economic means," a Chinese foreign ministry spokesman said.

"Isolating and excluding (Burma) will only increase tensions and aggravate confrontation, and will benefit no side," the spokesman said.

Many of Burma's leading trade partners said they would not follow the US example and that Rangoon's bid to join the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) would be unaffected by the sanctions.

"We understand what the US has done, but ASEAN will stick to its agreements and our decision will not depend on other countries," Thai Prime Minister Chaowalit Yongchaiyudh told reporters in Bangkok.

He said that ASEAN -- which groups Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam -- was committed to its decision taken last year to admit Burma at the same time as Cambodia and Laos.

Although the grouping failed to give a date for the entry of the three countries, analysts believe that they will be admitted before the end of the year to mark ASEAN's 30th anniversary.

Chaowalit said ASEAN would discuss the issue further at a special foreign ministers meeting in Kuala Lumpur next month.

Malaysia also voiced its intention to have Burma brought on board.

"We are going to work very hard to get Myanmar into ASEAN," the Bernama news agency quoted Malaysian Premier Mahathir Mohamad as saying.

Japan and Australia issued statements saying they would not follow the US example in slapping sanctions on Burma, although both have criticized Rangoon for its human rights record.

"We have no plan for any sanctions at this moment," a foreign ministry official said in Tokyo. "Our stance has not been changed."

Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said through a spokesman that Canberra had already imposed a number of restrictions on dealings with Burma and had consistently condemned the Burmese junta.

But he added: "I don't believe that the imposition of similar measures by Australia against new investment in Burma would make any significant difference to the situation."

Meanwhile, a leading Burmese dissident group called on the international community to launch a coordinated effort to follow the US initiative.

The All Burma Students Democratic Front (ABSDF) said in a statement that a multilateral approach with regard to economic sanctions was needed to force Burma's ruling junta into bringing about political reform.

Aung San Suu Kyi has repeatedly called for international sanctions on Burma, a stance which has been backed by most Burmese dissident groups.

The United States, thanks largely to the involvement of Unocal Corp. in a 1.2 billion dollar gas pipeline project, is currently the fourth largest investor in Burma in terms of approved investments.

April 23 , 1997

Wednesday

Tuesday

last year

the end of the year

next month


XIN_ENG_20061111.0037

BEIJING, Nov. 11 , 2006 (Xinhua)

Emergency broadcasts to help public during disasters

The public needs to be warned about extreme weather and dangerous conditions and be advised of how to reduce damage caused by disasters, according to the health ministry.

The Ministry of Health (MOH) and China Meteorological Administration (CMA) plan to jointly make special broadcast reports providing information about extreme heat, carbon monoxide levels and epidemics, according to an agreement signed recently by the two agencies.

The expert advisory information will focus on helping people cope and protect themselves during bad weather and public health emergencies, according to the MOH.

The MOH and the CMA will jointly conduct research on how the weather influences people's health and will set up a mechanism for monitoring, forecasting and emergency warning.

Nov. 11 , 2006


XIN_ENG_20061102.0203

PARIS, Nov. 2 , 2006 (Xinhua)

Roundup: Tension looms in Somalia as peace talks collapse

Roundup: Tension looms in Somalia as peace talks collapse

NAIROBI, Nov. 2 (Xinhua) -- Tension looms in Somalia as talks aimed at averting an all-out war between the transitional government and increasingly powerful Islamists have collapsed in Khartoum, Sudan.

The Arab-League mediated peace talks collapsed on Wednesday night after the Supreme Council of Islamic Courts (SCIC) and transitional government refused to meet face-to-face, the mediators said in a statement received here Thursday.

Analysts say a war between the militarily superior Islamists and the government could draw in neighboring countries -- Ethiopia and its arch rival Eritrea -- igniting existing regional bitterness over boundary.

The analysts also fear a conflict which could engulf the entire region is imminent but in a move to avert the looming war, the mediators called for restraint and said further consultations were needed to move the dialogue forward.

Eye witnesses and local reports from Somalia said Islamist forces have taken control of another key Somali port. Residents of Hobyo on the central Somali coast, about 500 km from the capital Mogadishu, say there was no fighting as Islamists entered the town Tuesday.

The transitional government's Foreign Minister Ismail Hurreh had earlier denounced the Islamists as no longer partners for peace. The foreign minister said there was a danger of all-out conflict in the Horn of Africa.

He said his government hoped to avoid war but warned that conflict would become inevitable if the Islamists continued on their current path. The minister said countries in the region were deeply concerned about the SCIC's declaration of "jihad" on their neighbors.

And as talks stalled in Khartoum, Islamist forces remain positioned near the interim government's base of Baidoa, prompting officials there to prepare for a possible attack.

The militia groups loyal to Somalia's Islamic courts have seized control of much of the country's south since winning a battle for the capital Mogadishu in June.

Somalia's interim government has international support but virtually no power outside Baidoa.

The Islamists had indicated before the talks that they will not negotiate until Ethiopian soldiers leave Somali territory. The Islamists say Ethiopia has sent thousands of troops across the border to protect the weak but United Nations backed Somali interim government.

However, Addis Ababa denies this, saying it has sent only a few hundred military instructors.

With neither side willing to accept the other's preconditions for talks, international mediators have called on both parties to exercise restraint.

"The parties are urged to commit themselves to previous agreements reached in Khartoum," a mediators statement issued after the talks collapse, said.

"After long consultations with the two sides and the international community, it was decided that the meeting should be postponed and that (the talks) be held as soon as possible after more meticulous preparations," said Samir Hosny, who heads the African section of the Cairo-based Arab League.

Hosny said neither party was to blame for the failure of the peace talks, and expressed hope that both sides would return to the negotiating table in the future.

"We did not set a date or venue for any upcoming meetings, but the sooner the meetings take place the better -- in a week or two. But we did not set a date," he said.

He added that the decision to call off the talks indefinitely was reached after the Arab League's consultations with both sides, as well as with the United Nations, the African Union and a number of European countries.

"Let us hope that this step does not reflect negatively on the situation on the ground," Hosny said.

There has been no sign of reconciliation on the ground in Somalia, where the Islamic courts seek to impose an Islamic state and the internationally recognized government lacks the force to assert its authority beyond Baidoa, the only town it controls.

The head of the Islamist team, Ibrahim Hussein Adow, praised the postponement and denied his side was planning any attack.

"There was a gap between the parties and substantial issues, so it was necessary to adjourn," he told reporters. "We are not preparing nor planning for any confrontation. We want peace."

But whether the collapse of the talks will give the rival groups ' time to prepare for counter attacks in the Horn of African nation remains to be seen.

Somalia has been in the grip of warlords and militias for years and has not had a functioning national government since 1991.

Nov. 2 , 2006

Nov. 2

Wednesday night

Thursday

Tuesday

June

the future

a week

years


AFP_ENG_20061203.0295

LONDON, Dec 3 , 2006, 2006

Iraq unrest 'worse than civil war': UN chief

The unrest in Iraq is "much worse" than a civil war, United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan told the BBC in an interview to be broadcast Monday.

He said some Iraqis were right to think that they were worse off than under dictator Saddam Hussein, ousted from power after US-led forces invaded in March 2003.

The UN chief voiced his regrets over the invasion, saying it could have been stopped had UN weapons inspectors been given more time to conduct their work, and he added that the wounds had still not healed in the UN.

Turning to Iran, Annan said the UN needed to do whatever it could to resolve the stand-off over Tehran's nuclear programme through negotiations.

And the Ghanaian vowed to make Darfur a priority in his final month in office, even though the international community has neither "the resources or the will" to confront the crisis in the western region of Sudan.

On the sectarian violence between Sunni and Shiite Muslims in Iraq, Annan said: "When we had the strife in Lebanon and other places, we called that a civil war -- this is much worse," he said.

He described Iraq as being in an extremely dangerous situation and raised concerns about the Iraqis' ability to solve these problems by themselves.

But Iraqi President Jalal Talabani on Sunday rejected Annan's idea of an international peace conference on Iraq, apparently leaving the idea dead in the water.

Last Tuesday, Annan had suggested that the international community hold a broad-based peace conference to find a way out of the vicious sectarian struggle that has plunged Iraq into bloodshed.

Dec 3 , 2006

Monday

March 2003

final month

Sunday

Last Tuesday


XIN_ENG_20061109.0191

MOSCOW, Nov. 9 , 2006 (Xinhua)

Moscow expects Tehran to freeze uranium enrichment: lawmaker

Russia expected Iran to freeze uranium enrichment and confirm that its nuclear program will remain exclusively civilian, a senior Russian lawmaker said on Thursday.

"Russia will expect Iran to pledge to freeze its current (uranium) enrichment program until all queries are clarified," Konstantin Kosachyov, Chairman of International Affairs Committee of Russia's lower parliament, said in a commentary posted on the United Russia Party's website.

"We expect Tehran to provide exhaustive confirmation that Iran's nuclear program is not military, that Iran does not plan to transform the current civilian program into a military one, and that it will abide by the nuclear weapons nonproliferation regime, " Kosachyov said.

Russia wanted Tehran to provide detailed confirmation that "it will continue cooperating fully with the International Atomic Energy Agency and ultimately seek a regime of interaction with the world community that would dispel all suspicion regarding its nuclear program," Kosachyov said.

Iranian Supreme National Security Council Secretary Ali Larijani will visit Moscow on Friday for talks in the Russian Security Council and the Foreign Ministry, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said here Thursday.

Nov. 9 , 2006

Thursday

Friday

Thursday


AFP_ENG_19970425.0555

WADI KELT, West Bank, April 25 , 1997 (AFP)

Two Israelis found murdered in West Bank

Israeli police on Friday found the bodies of two young Jewish women stabbed to death on the West Bank, police sources said.

The bodies of the women, one a 23-year-old Israeli settler, were hidden near a stream in Wadi Kelt close to her settlement of Kfar Adumim, northeast of Jerusalem, they said.

The settler was on an excursion in the desert with a friend.

They were reportedly raped before being stabbed several times in the throat, and the murders were believed to have been carried out between 24 and 48 hours before the discovery of the bodies.

Earlier, police sources identified the victims as two teenage girls who went missing several days ago.

Israeli police and the army supported by helicopters combed the area, as the investigation focused on an attack by Palestinian nationalists while not ruling out rather a criminal act.

The security forces have warned against attacks by Palestinian militants to coincide with this week's Jewish Passover holidays.

April 25 , 1997

Friday

48 hours

several days ago

this week

Passover holidays


AFP_ENG_19970407.0127

GUATEMALA CITY, APRIL 7 , 1997 (AFP)

More than 30 injured in concert in Guatemala City

More than 30 people, including 16 policemen, were injured here Sunday when rioting broke out at a concert by the British rock group Def Leppard.

Police officials said that the violence was triggered when some 3,000 inebriated youths attacked security forces, some throwing stones and bottles, trying to get into the concert without paying.

Volunteer firefighters treated 17 concert-goers, three of them teenagers who were sent to hospital, while municipal aid teams tended to the 16 policemen, including the head of the city's emergency response unit.

"It was like an avalanche ... They were all crowded together. Some tried to force their way in and others behind began throwing stones," said national police chief Angel Comte.

Police issued a "red alert," fearing a replay of the rampage last October in which 79 people were crushed to death in the city's national stadium.

Mobilizing in large numbers around the square where the concert was held, police and emergency-response teams quashed the outbreaks of violence.

An hour before the five-man group was scheduled to appear, police decided the situation was under control and allowed the show to go on.

APRIL 7 , 1997

Sunday

last October


XIN_ENG_20051115.0293

BEIJING, Nov. 15 , 2005 (Xinhua)

Xinjiang

China has strengthened supervision and monitoring on the bird flu as new cases of the epidemic outbreak were reported in two counties of northwestern Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Tuesday.

China's National Avian Flu Reference Laboratory confirmed the virus , which was found in the dead fowls sent from some family farms in Zepu Country and Urumqi County, both in southern Xinjiang, the deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu, said the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) on Tuesday.

In the two bird flu-hit counties, a total of 322,500 family birds within a radius of three kilometers have been culled, and poultry and products markets within ten kilometers have been closed, the ministry said

"The epidemic is basically put under control," said Qian Zhi, Vice chairman of Xinjiang, adding the two county have bought a large quantity of vaccine, protective suits and disinfectors to prevent the spread of the disease.

The local government in Xinjiang launched its quick-response mechanism timely, blockading the epidemic zone immediately and disinfecting the people, vehicles and relevant goods going in and out.

All the poultry in the epidemic zone have been killed and disposed of innocuously, and all the poultry markets within 10 kilometers from the epidemic zone have been closed.

Xinjiang's new cases have aroused great attention across the country as just one day ago the MOA announced another highly pathogenic bird flu outbreak at a village near Huainan city of east China's Anhui Province, which involved nearly 130,000 fowls killed.

The ministry has sent expert panels and supervision teams to Anhui and Xinjiang to assist epidemic control.

Other provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities have strengthened monitoring on poultry farms and the migrant birds, which are said to be carriers of the deadly disease virus.

South China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region has set up special monitoring stations at its eight counties bordering Vietnam, which is also suffering from bird flu.

In addition, Guangxi's health departments have resumed the monitoring on fever cases in hospitals and started to vaccine the disease-vulnerable population, such as the old, children, medical workers and poultry farmers, traders and butchers.

In eastern province of Fujian, the provincial forestry department has set up 24 monitoring stations for migrant birds in their major habitats.

The stations are required to make a daily report on whether there are abnormal death of migrant birds.

In Changchun, provincial capital of northeast China's Jilin Province, the government has started to vaccine pigeons in the city in fear of spreading of the disease by the bird.

Amid the uneasy atmosphere caused bird flu, the news that the quarantine on the epidemic was lifted in Tianchang City of Anhui and Xiangtan County of central China's Hunan Province on Tuesday injected confidence for the Chinese government on its disease control capacity.

A bird flu outbreak was reported in Wantang Village, Xiangtan County on October 18 and in Tianchang on October 20 respectively.

All signs of the bird flu there have been eradicated and no new bird flu cases reported in the last 21 days in the two places after a three-week isolation, according to the MOA.

At Wantang Village of Xiangtan county, veterinary staff and villagers celebrated the end of the quarantine by burning their protective suits and warning banners that had been used to cordoned off the area.

The live poultry markets 10 kilometers in circumference from the affected region were also allowed to reopen.

Despite the victory, the provinces of Anhui and Huhan have kept a close eye on the formerly affected areas to avoid reoccurrence of the disease.

Nov. 15 , 2005

Tuesday

Tuesday

one day ago

Tuesday

October 18

October 20

the last 21 days


AFP_ENG_20051213.0038

HONG KONG, Dec 13 , 2005

= (PICTURES) =

The luxury car showrooms are shuttered, the shoppers have been replaced by phalanxes of police and many offices have been temporarily relocated.

Central Hong Kong, some of the most expensive real estate in the world, has been spooked by fear of anti-globalisation violence.

The conspicuous displays of wealth characteristic of a city that revels in its status as one of Asia's consumer capitals were hidden behind metal shutters and wooden hoardings as the World Trade Organisation meeting began.

After violent protests at previous WTO meetings in the United States and Mexico, companies and retailers operating in the Wan Chai district surrounding the meeting venue were taking no chances.

Many workers were advised to operate from home and some companies, such as telecoms firm Reach, temporarily relocated operations to outlying districts, leaving only a skeleton staff for the duration of the six-day meeting.

Instead of office workers crowding the sidewalks of Wan Chai's Gloucester Road, groups of police stood ready in case protests turned violent, part of a massive security operation involving 9,000 officers staged for the WTO meeting.

"Everyone is tense, lots of people stay away," waitress Maya Thapa told AFP at a Wan Chai cafe.

"We had no customers at all yesterday, normally we would be crowded now," she added, gesturing around the empty eatery.

Nearby, luxury car showrooms stood empty, their vehicles garaged in case prestige brands such as Lamborghini and Maserati acted as magnets for demonstrators.

"Sorry for any inconvenience caused," said a note plastered on metal cyclone shutters protecting the Alfa Romeo dealership.

Jewellers and art galleries removed their eye-catching displays, while some banks closed cash dispensing machines along the route of Tuesday's planned protest march.

The management company of one city office block, which houses a major international finance firm, even gave workers in the building supplies of noodles in case protests left them stranded in the workplace for long periods.

Items of street furniture were removed to prevent demonstrators using them as missiles, while the closure of an entire city district discouraged motorists, reducing traffic to a trickle.

Huge golden Christmas decorations remained on display outside the Dah Sing Financial Centre, watched by a large contingent of security guards.

"No one's worried about the locals -- Hong Kong people are very peaceful and have shown they can protest in a non-violent way," expatriate British bar owner Ken Cheshire told AFP.

"We're worried about the people who've been flown in, we know they've caused trouble before."

Cheshire said custom at his bar, The Junk Pub, was down by 50 percent.

"Part of that's seasonal, expats going home for Christmas, but there's definitely been an atmosphere created by the WTO and people are staying away," he said. "You just have to look at the amount of businesses around here that are not opening."

All along the march route, including a section that runs through Causeway Bay, one of the world's busiest shopping areas, stores were shuttered.

Japanese department store Sogo, locked its doors and rolled down its shutters as marchers gathered in the nearby Victoria Park.

And guests at neighbouring hotels suddenly found their digs swathed in yards of green mesh, as hoteliers sought to protect their businesses.

Dec 13 , 2005

now

Tuesday

march

Christmas


AFP_ENG_19970413.0264

GOMA, Zaire, April 13 , 1997 (AFP)

Hopes rise for face-to-face talks between Mobutu and Kabila by Christophe Parayre

Hopes of face-to-face talks between Zairean President Mobutu Sese Seko and rebel leader Laurent Kabila rose Sunday after the two adversaries indicated they were prepared to meet.

The rebels' top foreign affairs official said Kabila was to give a fresh impetus to peace talks with Mobutu's regime, probably with a visit to South Africa where negotiations have been taking place on a junior level.

Rebel "foreign minister" Bizima Karaha told a news conference that Kabila will travel "very soon, probably to South Africa, to boost the negotiations" there.

Asked if this meant the leader of the Alliance of Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Congo-Zaire would be meeting Mobutu, Karaha said: "If necessary, he will meet him."

He reiterated the rebel demand that Mobutu quit power and that no ceasefire could be considered before negotiations take place.

On Saturday, Mobutu offered for the first time to meet Kabila, although he dismissed as impertinent a rebel ultimatum to quit power by Sunday.

"If he asks politely, I cannot refuse to speak to a Zairean compatriot," the president said of Kabila.

His offer was a major step forward, a diplomat said. "He puts the ball in Kabila's court by opening the door to a meeting. This is significant."

On Friday, in an interview with AFP, Kabila said he wanted a face-to- face meeting with Mobutu as a "short cut" to end the fighting.

But he said "Mobutu is ashamed to meet me. They don't know what they would say to me."

Kabila was talking from a position of strength, unlike the cancer- stricken president who is desperately trying to salvage his corrupt 32-year regime.

The rebels now control nearly half of Zaire, including its second and third cities and the vast majority of its huge mineral resources, as a result of the six-month-old offensive against Kinshasa.

Mobutu also has problems in Kinshasa, where the main political opposition, led by sacked prime minister Etienne Tshisekedi, has called a mass strike for Monday.

Deputy interior minister, Lumuna Ndubu, said soldiers would be deployed on the streets of Kinshasa from early Monday to counter the day of inaction, and he urged people to go about their normal daily business.

"The soldiers will be deployed in the streets to ensure the security of the population," he told state television.

Mobutu declared a state of emergency across Zaire on Tuesday.

Karaha, speaking at the news conference in rebel-held Goma, on the border with Rwanda, said a ceasefire before negotiations "will prolong the agony of our people and allow Mobutu to stay in power even longer. We want him to go. If Mobutu goes, that will be the end of the war."

He rejected the idea of immediate elections, arguing they would not be free and fair.

After a rebel victory, he added, a "transition" government comprising only Alliance leaders would be formed, and it would remain in office for a year to organise general elections.

Asked if the rebels favoured military means to take power above talks, he said: "Negotiations can be used to achieve the objectives of the Alliance."

Karah also denied that the rebels considered France as an enemy because of its long-standing support for the Mobutu regime, although Paris has suggested that the president should resign.

"We are not France's enemies. We never have been and perhaps never will be. We have no enemies apart from the dictatorship in Kinshasa."

Meanwhile some 300 displaced Zaireans were flown Sunday from the rebel-held eastern city of Kisangani to their home region of Goma on board a UN plane, UN High Commissioner for Refugees spokesman Peter Kessler said in Nairobi.

UN agencies have already airlifted several hundred Rwandans from eastern Zaire to Goma and Kigali in the past few weeks.

The 80,000 Rwandans near Kisangani are emaciated and ill after fleeing the rebel advance, usually without access to relief food or medical care.

More than 600 of the refugees died of diseases and malnutrition last week, a UNHCR spokesman said Saturday.

April 13 , 1997

Sunday

Saturday

Sunday

Friday

now

Monday

early Monday

Tuesday

a year

Sunday

the past few weeks

last week

Saturday


XIN_ENG_20051125.0277

WASHINGTON, Nov. 25 , 2005 (Xinhua)

Mavericks waives Christie

Doug Christie was waived by the Dallas Mavericks on Friday, reports from Miami said.

Christie, 35, left the team last week to have his surgically repaired left ankle examined by a personal physician. The team signed Christie to a three-year contract this past offseason, but only $3.15 million in salary was guaranteed.

"We appreciate the effort Doug gave us," Mavericks owner Mark Cuban was quoted said Friday by e-mail. "He went through a lot to get back. Unfortunately, it didn't work out."

Christie's agent, Bradley Marshall, did not immediately comment after the team announced its move.

Christie averaged 3.7 points and 2.0 assists in seven games, all starts, this season for Dallas, who was in Miami to play the Heat Friday night. He joined the team after Orlando waived him in August.

Christie missed the final 24 games of last season after having bone spurs removed from the ankle. He averaged only 6.6 points in 52 games with Sacramento and Orlando -- his lowest scoring average since being a reserve for the New York Knicks in 1995-96.

He's averaged 11.3 points, 4.1 rebounds and 3.6 assists in parts of 14 NBA seasons.

Nov. 25 , 2005

Friday

last week

Friday

Friday night

August

last season


AFP_ENG_19970408.0416

MANILA, April 8 , 1997 (AFP)

Net foreign investments in Philippines fall 34 percent

Net foreign investments in the Philippines fell 34.43 percent from a year earlier to 1.055 billion dollars in 1996, figures from the Central Bank of the Philippines showed Tuesday.

Gross foreign investments rose 58.3 percent from a year earlier to 9.414 billion dollars in 1996, but this was offset by the outflow of foreign investments which totalled 8.359 billion dollars, it said.

The difference accounted for the net figure.

Foreign portfolio investments amounted to 8.006 billion dollars while direct equity investments were placed at 1.408 billion dollars, it added.

Debt service payments rose 37.2 percent to 3.639 billion dollars in 1996, with 1.226 billion dollars going to the payment of international bonds which were due last year.

April 8 , 1997

a year earlier

Tuesday

a year earlier

last year


AFP_ENG_19970425.0334

TOKYO, April 25 , 1997 (AFP)

First Japanese hostage returns home

A 59-year-old electronics company executive arrived in Osaka Friday to become the first of 24 Japanese hostages to return home after being held hostage for four months in the Japanese ambassador's residence in Lima.

Shigeru Taki, the president of the Peruvian subsidiary of Osaka-based Matsushita Electric Industrial Corp., arrived at Kansai International Airport with his 60-year-old wife Tetsuyo.

Confined to a wheelchair, Taki was greeted at the airport by his two daughters, aged 27 and 24, along with officials from Matsushita and the Japanese foreign ministry.

Taki said he sprained his right ankle after jumping from the roof of the residence Tuesday when Peruvian troops stormed the compound, rescuing all but one of the 72 hostages and killing all 14 rebels.

"I am home, free at last after 127 days of captivity," he told a news conference at an airport hotel, thanking the Peruvian and Japanese governments, the Red Cross and the panel of guarantors for their efforts to find a solution.

Taki also paid tribute to two soldiers and one hostage who died in the raid Tuesday.

"I sincerely express my regret over the death of Supreme Court Justice Carlos Giusti, with whom I shared every moment, and over the deaths of two soldiers who sacrificed their lives," he said.

His wife travelled to Lima in mid-January for the painful vigil and recalled the moment when the 140 crack troops stormed the residence in broad daylight.

"When I saw the smoke coming out, I thought I would never see him again," she said.

"I was really glad to learn that my husband was safe and sound. I am happy, indeed, that he is back alright."

April 25 , 1997

Friday

four months

Tuesday

127 days

Tuesday

mid-January

broad daylight


XIN_ENG_20061110.0092

JAKARTA, Nov. 10 , 2006 (Xinhua)

Indonesian shares end firmer

Share prices on the Jakarta Stock Exchange ended higher Friday with the composite index up by 4.6 points to close at 1,664.8 points.

Turnovers totaled 1.3 billion shares worth 1.8 trillion rupiah (193.6 million U.S. dollars).

Decliners narrowly led advancers 54 to 51, with 86 other issues left unchanged.

Nov. 10 , 2006

Friday


XIN_ENG_20061122.0048

BANGKOK, Nov. 22 , 2006 (Xinhua)

Schools reopen amid teachers' lingering fear in Thai south

Fifty schools in Thailand's insurgency-plagued southern border province Narathiwat reopened Wednesday following a one-week closure after a local woman teacher was shot dead last week.

Thai News Agency reported that the majority of the 62 schools in Ruso and Srisakorn districts of Narathiwat reopened Wednesday morning, except a few schools including the Lamoh School, where the female victim Kulthida Injumpha had worked as an assistant school principal. The thirty-three-year old teacher was gunned down by a suspected insurgent while she was on her way home on November 15.

Though most schools have reopened Wednesday, only less than half the enrolled students came to classes. In Ruso district, of 186 students enrolled at Sawo school, only 50 students turned up at school, presumably because most students and parents didn't know that the school had reopened.

Meanwhile in nearby province Yala, over 30 schools in Yaha district were closed Wednesday with no schedule for reopening as teachers fear that local people would take them hostages, according to news network The Nation.

Somchai Ronglua, deputy director of Yala's Education Zone II, was quoted as saying that teachers feared for their safety after local villagers protested on Tuesday to pressure border patrol police and troops to pull out from their temporary bases in two schools in the district.

Somchai said although most of the protesting villagers dispersed, teachers believed that they were still dissatisfied so they could stage violent protests, including holding teacher hostages.

He said teachers would not resume teaching until the situation got improved or the authorities could guarantee their safety.

Insurgency-related violence has been on the rise in recent weeks in the three southern border provinces Yala, Narathiwat and Pattani, where over 1,700 people have been killed in the past three years.

Nov. 22 , 2006

Wednesday

dead last week

Wednesday morning

November 15

Wednesday

Wednesday

Tuesday

recent weeks

the past three years


AFP_ENG_20061205.0490

DOHA, Dec 5 , 2006, 2006

Miyashita of Japan wins men's 100m backstroke gold medal

Junichi Miyashita of Japan won the men's 100m backstroke gold medal at the Asian Games here Tuesday in a time of 54.67.

Ouyang Kunpeng of China took the silver and Masafumi Yamaguchi of Japan won the bronze.

Dec 5 , 2006

Tuesday


AFP_ENG_20051206.0608

ABU DHABI, Dec 7 , 2005

Iraq not satisfied with German police training

Iraqi Interior Minister Bayan Baqer Sulagh has criticised the training of Iraqi police recruits by German experts in the United Arab Emirates and said they would no longer participate in the programme.

"We aren't convinced by the level of training of the Iraqi police officers by the German experts, nor by their barely seriously manner" the minister said Tuesday during a press conference here, the UAE news agency Wam reported.

Sulagh said he had expressed his dissatisfaction to the German ambassador to the UAE, adding they were seeking "training programmes which were more serious and more effective".

"Iraq now needs men trained with seriousness and intent, because they are engaged in a real confrontation with terrorism," the minister said.

Sulagh said Baghdad "won't be sending any more Iraqis" to the next training programme starting in March.

Germany was opposed to the US and British invasion of Iraq in 2003 and refused to send German troops to the country, even as part of NATO forces.

It did, however, agree to train Iraqi security forces, police and soldiers outside the Iraqi territory.

Dec 7 , 2005

Tuesday

now

March


AFP_ENG_20061209.0285

RIYADH, Dec 9 , 2006, 2006

URGENT  Arab world waiting to explode: Saudi king

Saudi King Abdullah opened the annual summit of Gulf leaders Saturday with a warning that the Arab world was like a powder keg waiting to explode, citing the situation in the Palestinian territories, Iraq and Lebanon.

Dec 9 , 2006

Saturday


WSJ891102-0039
 = 891102
 891102-0039.
 Business Brief -- Dow Jones amp Co.:
@  Offer for Telerate Common
@  Is Extended Until Nov. 9
 11/02/89
 WALL STREET JOURNAL (J)
 DJ TLR
 TENDER OFFERS, MERGERS, ACQUISITIONS (TNM)
MEDIA, PUBLISHING, BROADCASTING, ELECTRONIC PUBLISHING (MED)

   Dow Jones amp Co. said it extended its $18-a-share offer for Telerate Inc. common stock until 5 p.m. EST Nov. 9.

   The offer, valued at about $576 million for the 33% of Telerate that Dow Jones does n't already own, had been set to expire Nov. 6.

   Dow Jones, which owns about 64 million of Telerate's 95 million common shares outstanding, said that about 24,000 shares have been tendered under its offer.

   Telerate's two independent directors have rejected the offer as inadequate.
In composite trading on the New York Stock Exchange, Telerate shares closed at $19.50, up 12.5 cents.

   Telerate provides an electronic financial information network.
Dow Jones publishes The Wall Street Journal, Barron's magazine, and community newspapers and operates financial news services and computer data bases.

5 p.m. EST Nov. 9

Nov. 6


XIN_ENG_20061130.0055

BEIJING, Nov. 30 , 2006 (Xinhua)

Grenada parliamentary leaders to visit China

Grenada President of the Senate Kenny Lalsingh and Speaker of the House of Representatives Lawrence Joseph will pay an official goodwill visit to China from Dec. 3 to 9.

The Grenada parliamentary leaders will pay the visit at the invitation of Wu Bangguo, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, according to sources with this top legislature of China Thursday.

Nov. 30 , 2006

Dec. 3

Thursday


XIN_ENG_20051113.0236

MEXICO CITY, Nov. 13 , 2005 (Xinhua)

Grenade attack injures 2 police officers in Mexico

A grenade lobbed from a moving car at a police post injured two police officers in the Pacific resort city of Acapulco, Mexico, on Sunday.

The attack took place at a police barricade outside Tres Vidas, where conflict between a private hotel and farming interest has sparked a series of conflict.

Farmers who originally lived in the area claimed that they never agreed to sell their territory. Groups of peasants stormed the area in and around Tres Vidas in recent days, seizing land they claim was stolen from them.

The Tres Vidas police post is located in the city's Diamante beach section, a district popular with well-heeled tourists.

Acapulco was hit by a string of violence this year and grenade as well as shooting attacks have killed at least eight officials and injured six others.

Nov. 13 , 2005

Sunday

recent days

this year


XIN_ENG_20061125.0075

BEIJING, Nov. 25 , 2006 (Xinhua)

exam

China ushered candidates into examination rooms on Saturday as the national civil servant recruitment examination got underway, with on average 42 people competing for each government job in 2007.

The exam is held simultaneously in 31 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions nationwide where more than 530,000 people will compete for about 12,700 jobs, said a spokesman of the Ministry of Personnel, the exam organizer.

The ministry said the administrative aptitude test (AAT) in the morning is followed by an essay test in the afternoon.

Nationwide, north China's Liaoning Province has about 18,000 exam takers, the coastal province of Jiangsu registered 30,000, while the northwestern province of Shaanxi and the southern province of Guangdong have each enrolled about 40,000 people for the exam.

Since 1994, China has organized 13 consecutive civil servant recruitment examinations for central and regional government bodies.

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 5 million.

"The examination is popular because it provides a level playing field for those competing to become civil servants," said Vice Minister of Personnel Yin Weimin.

He said the examination's popularity is also due to the prestige of civil servants and increasing competition on the job market.

Nov. 25 , 2006

Saturday

the afternoon

this year, three quarters

last year


WSJ891026-0131
 = 891026
 891026-0131.
 Who's News:
@  U.S. Trust Names
@  Schwarz Chief,
@  Maurer President
@  ----
@  By James T. Areddy
@  Staff Reporter of The Wall Street Journal
 10/26/89
 WALL STREET JOURNAL (J)
 USTC WNEWS
 NEW YORK

   H. Marshall Schwarz was named chairman and chief executive officer of U.S. Trust Corp., a private-banking firm with assets under management of about $17 billion.

   Mr. Schwarz, 52 years old, will succeed Daniel P. Davison Feb. 1, soon after Mr. Davison reaches the company's mandatory retirement age of 65.
Mr. Schwarz, who is president of U.S. Trust, will be succeeded in that post by Jeffrey S. Maurer, 42, who is executive vice president in charge of the company's asset-management group.

   U.S. Trust, a 136-year-old institution that is one of the earliest high-net worth banks in the U.S., has faced intensifying competition from other firms that have established, and heavily promoted, private-banking businesses of their own.
As a result, U.S. Trust's earnings have been hurt.

   But Mr. Schwarz welcomes the competition in U.S. Trust's flagship businesses, calling it "flattery."
Mr. Schwarz says the competition "broadens the base of opportunity for us."
Other firms "are dealing with the masses.
I do n't believe they have the culture" to adequately service high-net-worth individuals, he adds.
U.S. Trust recently introduced certain mutual-fund products, which allow it to serve customers with minimum deposits of $250,000.
Previously, the company advertised at the $2 million level.

   "We have always taken smaller accounts, but now we are looking for smaller accounts that will grow," Mr. Schwarz says.
"Our bread and butter is still the $2 million to $20 million account," he says.
The new services allow U.S. Trust to cater to the "new wealth," Mr. Schwarz says.

   Quarterly net income this year has risen just over comparable periods in 1988, when year-end net was below the 1987 level.
In this year's third quarter, for example, net was $10.5 million, or $1.05 a share, compared with $10.3 million, or $1.02 a share, a year earlier.
Assets as of Sept. 30 fell to $2.46 billion from about $2.77 billion.
"We  will have a reasonably flat year this year," Mr. Schwarz says.
Mr. Schwarz also said costs associated with U.S. Trust's planned move to midtown Manhattan from Wall Street will continue to be a drag on earnings through 1990.

   Mr. Schwarz's great-grandfather founded the New York toy store F.A.O. Schwarz, but his family no longer has ties to the company.
Mr. Schwarz's father was a U.S. Trust trustee until 1974.

   U.S. Trust also created a four-member office of the chairman, effective Feb. 1.
It  will include Messrs.
Schwarz and Maurer.
Donald M. Roberts, 54, treasurer, and Frederick S. Wonham, 58, who takes responsibility for the funds-service group, were named vice chairmen and will serve in the office of the chairman.
Mr. Roberts continues as treasurer, and Mr. Wonham remains responsible for the offices of comptroller, planning, marketing and general services.

   Frederick B. Taylor, 48, also was named a vice chairman and chief investment officer, a new post.
He previously held similar responsibilities.
Mr. Taylor also was named a director, increasing the board to 22, but is not  part of the new office of the chairman.

   James E. Bacon, 58, executive vice president, who has directed the funds-service group, will retire.

Feb. 1

recently

now

Quarterly

this year

this year's third quarter

a year earlier

Sept. 30

this year

Feb. 1


AP900816-0139
AP-NR-08-16-90 2041EDT
u i AM-GulfRdp 3rdLd-Writethru a0723 08-16 1350
AM-Gulf Rdp, 3rd Ld-Writethru, a0723,1392
Gulf Showdown Takes More Personal Tack: Saddam Calls Bush a `Liar'
Eds: LEADS throughout to RECAST, ADDS background on oil reserves,
food imports, UPDATES with State Department reax to Saddam, EDITS
to trim. No pickup
LaserPhotos
By ROBERT DVORCHAK
Associated Press Writer

   The Persian Gulf showdown between Iraq and the United States
took a more personal turn Thursday when Iraq's Saddam Hussein
called President Bush a liar and said the outbreak of holy war
could bring thousands of Americans home in coffins.
   Bush, commenting on the two-week-old gulf crisis from his
vacation home in Maine, said he saw little reason to be optimistic
about a settlement of the dispute, which stems from Iraq's invasion
of oil-wealthy Kuwait and its subsequent military buildup on the
border of Saudi Arabia.
   After a two-hour meeting at his Kennebunkport home with King
Hussein of Jordan, Bush said, ``I did not come away with any
feeling of hope'' that Iraq would withdraw its army from Kuwait.
   Bush also said Thursday that King Hussein assured him Jordan
would close the last remaining free port to most Iraqi trade as the
economic embargo on materials to Iraq continued unabated.
Foodstuffs are among the goods  being blocked from entry; Iraq
imports about three-quarters of its food.
   Pentagon sources in Washington meanwhile said the Bush
administration plans  to deploy 45,000 Marines to the region to back
up the thousands of Army, Navy and Air Force troops already in
place in the gulf and the Saudi desert.
   At a news conference, Secretary of State James A. Baker III said
Jordan `` is seeking some guidance'' about a provision in the
U.N.-backed trade embargo that allows food for humanitarian
purposes.
   Worries however grew about the safety of Americans and other
Westerners trapped in Kuwait. Iraqi military authorities ordered
all Americans and Britons in Kuwait  to assemble at a hotel,
officials said.
   ``Very few'' of the 2,500 Americans in occupied Kuwait complied
with the order, a senior U.S. official told The Associated Press.
   Iraq said the roundup was  to protect them from unspecified
threats; British Foreign Office minister William Waldegrave called
the order ``grave and sinister.''
   ``What we fear is that they  will  be interned somewhere, most
likely in Iraq,'' Waldegrave said.
   A total of about 3,000 Americans, 3,000 Britons and more than
450 Japanese are in Iraq and Kuwait. Overall, more than 2 million
foreigners are in both countries. Iraq  has called them
``restrictees.''
   In addition to the estimated 45,000 Marines to ultimately be
part of Operation Desert Shield, Stealth fighter planes and the
aircraft carrier John F. Kennedy  are  also headed to Saudi Arabia  to protect it from Iraqi expansionism.
   In Washington, Pentagon spokesman Pete Williams said Iraq  has continued  to increase its armed forces in Kuwait and they now
number about 160,000.
   Saddam has been under international quarantine since his Aug. 2
power-grab, or what he calls an ``eternal merger'' with Kuwait.
   In a long verbal attack read on Iraqi television Thursday,
Saddam repeatedly called Bush ``a liar'' and said a shooting war
could produce body bags courtesy of Baghdad.
   ``We continue  to pray and pray hard to God so that there will be
no confrontation whereby you  will receive thousands of Americans
wrapped in sad coffins after you  had pushed them into a dark
tunnel,'' Saddam said.
   He called U.S. soldiers massing in Saudi Arabia the real
occupiers in the Persian Gulf.
   Replied State Department deputy spokesman Richard Boucher, ``We
have n't  really analyzed the statement in detail but it appears to
be just another example of his outlandish rhetoric and his attempts
 to distort the truth.
   ``We believe that his words cannot distract the world from the
facts of Iraqi aggression.''
   An international land, sea and air force  has mobilized since
Iraq's invasion, which  was sparked by disputes over oil, land and
repayment of war loans.
   In the largest U.S. military operation since Vietnam, an
estimated 20,000 American GIs  have  already massed  to defend Saudi
Arabia.
   ``We  do n't  just arrive,'' said four-star Gen. John Dailey,
assistant commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps. ``We're there to stay for a fairly lengthy period.''
   Egypt, Syria, Morocco and Bangladesh also committed ground
troops, to a much lesser degree.
   The U.S. Navy has 27 ships in the maritime barricade of Iraq.
They  are aided by Britain, West Germany, Australia, Canada, the
Netherlands and Belgium. Bush  was expected  to authorize naval
commanders  to use ``the minimum force necessary''  to interdict
shipments to and from Iraq, a U.S. official said. That
could    include firing across the bow to halt a ship.
   In the air, U.S. Air Force fliers say they  have engaged in ``a
little cat and mouse'' with Iraqi warplanes, which  have retreated
when weapons radar locks onto them. ``They  do n't want  to play with
us,'' one U.S. crew chief said.
   In Kuwait, the Iraqis  have rimmed the capital city with an
air-defense system, according to a U.S. official who spoke on the
condition of anonymity. He declined to say if the weapons included
missiles, but the Iraqis have them in their arsenal. The Iraqis
also possess chemical weapons.
   The combined operations  are designed  to isolate and strangle
Iraq until it retreats from Kuwait. The quarantine hopes  to staunch
the flow of Iraqi oil, which is Iraq's economic lifeblood, and
clamp down on food and supplies going in.
   Iraq now controls 20 percent of the world's oil reserves with
its conquest of Kuwait. Only Saudi Arabia has more oil reserves.
   The economic chokehold appears  to  be working.
   The Lloyd's List International newspaper, which monitors
worldwide shipping, said Iraq's fleet of 80 tankers and cargo ships
 has stopped regular trading.
   John Prescott, a shipping correspondent, said there was no
shipping in Kuwaiti or Iraqi ports and that activity  was trailing off in the Jordanian port of Aqaba.
   Bush's chief objective in his meeting with Hussein was to press
the king  to shut down Iraq's food and oil supply route from Aqaba
on the Red Sea.
   Aqaba is Iraq's only outlet now that an international noose  has tightened. Bush  has indicated the U.S. Navy  will barricade the port
from Iraqi ships. The president also has offered  to help offset
Jordan's costs because 40 percent of its exports go to Iraq and 90
percent of its oil comes from there.
   ``It's our only outlet to the sea and the rest of the world,''
Hussein said. He also said of trade with Iraq: ``There are no
shipments at the moment.''
   A day earlier, scores of trucks, many with Iraqi license plates,
streamed north out of Aqaba to Amman and onto the desert highway
bound for Iraq.
   The Jordanian monarch met this week with Saddam, but he told
reporters he had no message from Baghdad. ``I am not talking on
behalf of anyone in the area ... but myself,'' Hussein said.
   In the United Nations, Libya called for the replacement of U.S.
forces in the Persian Gulf with Arab League forces and U.N.
soldiers.
   Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi, in a letter to the U.N.
Secretary-General, also called for an emergency Security Council
meeting in Geneva  to remove U.S. forces. There was no decision on a
meeting.
   Thirty-two of the 159 U.N. members  had filed compliance reports
by Wednesday, and all  were honoring the sanctions Iraq.
   Also Thursday, Saudi Arabia called for an emergency conference
of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries  to discuss how
much oil  to pump.
   The minister denied the kingdom had notified notified any of its
customers of any cutbacks in oil supply. Reports attributed to the
Japanese foreign ministry said Saudi Arabia told U.S., European and
Japanese oil companies of a 15-20 percent cutback in its oil supply
in September.
   Meanwhile, Egypt's official Middle East News Agency said
Thursday that Saddam was the target of an assassination attempt,
which led to ``large-scale'' arrests, including some close
associates of the Iraqi strongman.
   The agency quoted witnesses as saying tanks and armored cars are
patrolling the streets of Baghdad. There was no independent
confirmation of the report by the government-run news agency, which
did not say when the reported attempt occurred.

08-16-90 2041EDT

Thursday

two-week

two-hour

Thursday

now

Aug. 2

Thursday

a fairly lengthy period

now

now

the moment

A day earlier

this week

Wednesday

Thursday

September

Thursday


XIN_ENG_20051107.0284

OTTAWA, Nov. 7 , 2005 (Xinhua)

Canada's NDP withdraws support for government

Canada's small New Democratic Party (NDP) said on Monday it will withdraw its support for the minority Liberal government in future no-confidence vote, raising the chances of a Christmas election.

NDP Leader Jack Layton said his party will not support the Liberal government in any new non-confidence vote as he rejected a Liberal proposal to protect public health.

"What the government is proposing is unacceptable. There's no basis for our party to express confidence in this government," said Layton in Toronto in a televised speech.

"We cannot express confidence in a government that is under the leadership of a party that cannot be trusted to clean up the politics that it tainted," he said.

The time to let Canadians judge the Liberals is approaching " sooner, not later," said Layton, who, however, did not give any further indication of a time frame.

According to local media reports, since the Parliament is in recess this week, a non-confidence vote is possible as early as the week of Nov. 14, although some speculate a vote might not happen until Dec. 8, when an estimates vote is to be held.

If the government is defeated at the earliest possible time, a vote could be scheduled for Dec. 27. If the government fell on Dec. 8, a vote would likely take place in mid-January, the reports said Sunday.

Layton had said his decision whether to support the Liberals in a future confidence vote rested on the Liberal response to an NDP call for increased protections for public health care.

Last week, Federal Health Minister Ujjal Dosanjh provided Layton with a proposal on promoting public health care, which was criticized by Layton as "disappointing" Friday. Layton said on that day he would consider the proposal carefully over the weekend.

The Health Minister reacted to Layton's Monday speech by saying that "I'm actually disappointed that Jack Layton is playing politics with some very important issues in health care."

"Mr. Layton has made general comments, but not once has he said what specific change he'd like to see to this package that will strengthen public health care," the minister said.

Conservative Leader Stephen Harper, who spoke moments after Layton's speech, said he believes the NDP leader still has not made up his mind and is still negotiating with the Liberals.

"It's the same soap opera. We will continue to assume that Mr. Layton is still bargaining with the Liberal government," said Harper.

The Tory leader said his party will not introduce a confidence motion before Christmas because he does not believe Layton will follow through with a three-party opposition attack.

As for the Bloc Quebecois, leader Gilles Duceppe said Monday that the Liberals can not count on his party to keep them in power.

He said it was up to the NDP and the Conservatives to take action and that the Bloc would go along with whatever they decided.

The leftist New Democrats have been the only group keeping the minority Liberal government in power. Layton propped up the Liberals in a budget vote in May after reaching a deal worth 4.6 billion Canadian dollars (3.7 billion US dollars) in extra spending.

Last week, Justice John Gomery's report laid blame for the flawed running of the sponsorship program with the government of former prime minister Jean Chretien.

While the report cleared Martin of blame in the mismanagement of the 332-million-Canadian-dollar (256 million US dollars) program, all three opposition leaders blasted the Liberal party as riddled with corruption.

Martin has promised to call an election within 30 days after the final sponsorship report is delivered on Feb. 1.

Nov. 7 , 2005

Monday

Christmas

this week

the week of Nov. 14

Dec. 8

Dec. 27

Dec. 8

Sunday

Last week

Friday

that day

the weekend

Monday

Christmas

Monday

May

Last week

30 days

Feb. 1


XIN_ENG_20051103.0004

SINGAPORE, Nov. 3 , 2005 (Xinhua)

trafficker clemency

Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement on Thursday that the city state is unable to change its decision of not granting clemency to Nguyen Tuong Van.

Nguyen, a 25-year-old Australian, had been sentenced to death by a Singapore court last year after being found guilty of smuggling almost 400 grams of pure heroin from Cambodia to Australia via Singapore.

The statement said that Singapore's Foreign Minister George Yeo had written to his Australian counterpart Alexander Downer on Wednesday, stressing that the decision is unable to be changed because of "the seriousness of the offense and the need to hold firm the national position against drug trafficking".

He noted that the city state had carefully considered all relevant factors of this case including Nguyen's sad personal circumstances and his value as a potential source of information.

Yeo added that the Singapore government has the responsibility to protect its people from the scourge of drug addiction and to prevent the country from becoming a conduit for the trafficking of illicit drugs in the region.

Nov. 3 , 2005

Thursday

last year

Wednesday


XIN_ENG_20061117.0170

HANOI, Nov. 17 , 2006 (Xinhua)

Chinese president satisfied with Sino-Australian ties

Chinese President Hu Jintao on Friday expressed satisfaction over the development of Sino- Australian relations.

"The relations between China and Australia have maintained good momentum," Hu said when meeting with Australian Prime Minister John Howard before the economic leaders' informal meeting of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC).

Since the two countries agreed to develop comprehensive and cooperative ties for mutual benefit in the 21st century, they have conducted exchanges actively in the fields of trade and economy, culture, science and technology as well as education and tourism, Hu said.

The Chinese president said both countries should cement their cooperation in energy, push forward talks on China-Australia free trade agreement (FTA), and intensify consultation on international and regional issues.

Howard said Australia hoped to advance the FTA talks with China through further discussions, and expected closer cooperation in energy security, climate changes and exchanges of personnel.

He said his country supported China to play a critical role in solving the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula, and both countries will make efforts to achieve the peaceful settlement of the issue by strengthening consultation and coordination.

President Hu is in Hanoi for a state visit, where he will also attend the Nov. 18-19 APEC economic leaders' informal meeting.

Nov. 17 , 2006

Friday

the 21st century

Nov. 18-19


AFP_ENG_19970429.0135

HONG KONG, April 29 , 1997 (AFP)

Pillar of Hong Kong colonial society wrestles with royal legacy

The Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club, a watering-hole for yachties throughout the British colonial period, has launched a fresh bid to settle the problem of its royal connections as the territory's handover to China looms.

Less than a year after the club was wracked by internal debate about whether to scrap the "Royal" from its name, the organisation told members in a letter received Tuesday that it was floating other proposals to present a less British image.

Ideas put forward "to reflect the change of status of Hong Kong on July 1" include removal of the crown from the logo and club flag, and its replacement by the bauhinia flower, the emblem of the future Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China.

The present club insignia, which sells well on T-shirts, bags and other merchandise, comprises a Chinese dragon topped by the British crown.

Other proposals are that the club "look to the sovereign power for patronage," the letter said, adding future SAR chief executive Tung Chee-Hwa would be solicited for his views.

The letter, from club commodore David Kong, added the club's general committee had resolved "the club will not take any action, or fail to take any action, which may be viewed as inappropriate by the incoming and outgoing government."

In January, club sources said the club was poring over a proposal to ask Chinese President Jiang Zemin to become patron and Tung vice- patron, replacing Britain's Queen Elizabeth II and Governor Chris Patten respectively.

But, despite the comfort and famous setting of the club on Hong Kong's harbour-front, it is unclear whether Jiang, as head of a communist state, would wish to become patron of a club that still has "Royal" in its title.

In May 1996, a bitter internal debate broke out about dropping the word, with some members arguing at a special meeting that the club faced a range of problems, ranging from help from the Chinese navy to administrative hurdles, if it maintained this verbal legacy.

Under the club's statutes, any name change has to be supported by 75 percent of those voting in a ballot.

The motion to drop the royal patronage garnered 2,542 votes, with 1,719 against, or just under 60 percent support. A similar vote in 1995 won 73 percent support for the name change.

The letter said an extraordinary general meeting would be held on June 12 to choose a Chinese name for the club. This was because "Chinese will become the official language of the SAR, (so) it is necessary for our club to register its name in Chinese as part of our proper business title."

Kong could not be reached immediately for further comment.

The royal row has been repeated in clubs and institutions throughout the territory, which returns to Chinese rule on July 1 after more than 156 years as a British colony.

The Royal Hong Kong Golf Club and the Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club, which runs the local horse racing and betting industry, have already dropped the "Royal" tag, as has the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA), which followed suit on New Year's Day 1997.

The Royal Hong Kong Police Force will become simply the Hong Kong Police Force on July 1, complete with a new cap badge.

In 1994, Hong Kong's currency-issuing banks began replacing the effigy of the Queen with the bauhinia.

Ironically, the full name of the pink five-pistilled flower -- bauhinia blakeana -- is named after Sir Henry Blake, a former colonial governor.

April 29 , 1997

Tuesday

July 1

January

May 1996

June 12

July 1

more than 156 years

New Year's Day 1997

July 1


XIN_ENG_20051101.0263

JERUSALEM, Nov. 1 , 2005 (Xinhua)

Israeli army rejects drafting five anti-withdrawal youths

Five Israeli right-wing youths have been rejected from the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) draft due to suspicions they were involved in violence against security personnel during the Gaza withdrawal, local newspaper Yedioth Aharonoth reported on Tuesday.

The recruitment date of the youths, initially set for this month, has been indefinitely delayed, a senior IDF Personnel Directorate officer was cited as saying.

The decision is in accordance with a policy established by IDF Chief of Staff Dan Halutz, according to which the IDF will refuse to draft youths convicted of violence against soldiers and police during the pullout, according to the report.

Currently, more than 100 youths are under examination on possible involvement in anti-withdrawal violence before the IDF decide on whether to enlist them.

Israel withdrew settlers and troops from the entire Gaza Strip and parts of the West Bank in September.

The pullout, designed to "disengage" from violence with the Palestinians, has met with fierce opposition from rightists and some settlers.

Nov. 1 , 2005

Tuesday

this month

September


XIN_ENG_20051116.0057

BEIJING, Nov. 16 , 2005 (Xinhua)

years

China aims to keep the registered urban unemployment rate below 5 percent in the coming five years, with additional 45 million people being employed.

China's Minister of Labor and Social Security Tian Chengping said recently that to achieve the goal, adjustments will be made to enlarge the scope of employment.

China will provide preferential policies in loans to encourage people starting their own businesses. Comparing with current policies, the new loan policies will permit guaranteed micro-credits to laid-off workers, unemployed people in urban areas and military officers transferred to civilian work.

"In the following five years, we'll take measures to enlarge the coverage of basic old-age pension. More efforts will be spent to draw more people into the system, such as people working in private enterprises and the self-employed," said Tian.

The total number of skilled workers is expected to exceed 100 million by 2010, with the number of technicians and senior technicians reaching 5.5 million. Various vocational trainings will be provided to help urban and rural labors take a job or start their own businesses, Tian added.

China reported a 4.2 percent registered urban unemployment rate by the end of September. The rate has been kept below 5 percent in recent years, which was 3.6 percent in 2001, 4 percent in 2002, 4.3 percent in 2003 and 4.2 percent in 2004, according to statistics of the Ministry of Labor and Social Security.

Nov. 16 , 2005

five years

five years

the end of September

recent years


AFP_ENG_19970426.0106

DUSSELDORF, Germany, April 26 , 1997 (AFP)

Kurds demonstrate in favour of peace with Ankara

Some 50,000 Kurds calling for a peaceful resolution to the bloody battle with Ankara for an independent Kurdish homeland, were expected Saturday in Dusseldorf, western Germany, organisers said.

The Kurds were converging here on Saturday from all over Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium for the demonstration, in 450 coaches and two special trains.

At least 10,000 had arrived early Saturday morning, police said. They were due Saturday afternoon to stage a rally at a public space on the banks of the river Rhine.

Some 1,000 police were called in to Dusseldorf to monitor the demonstration.

No incidents were signalled by police.

April 26 , 1997

Saturday

Saturday

early Saturday morning

Saturday afternoon


AFP_ENG_19970415.0517

LONDON, April 15 , 1997 (AFP)

EBRD warns of fragility of economic reforms in eastern Europe By Henry Meyer

The annual conference of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) held here Monday and Tuesday warned of the fragility of economic reforms in some parts of the former Communist bloc, pointing to events in Albania and Bulgaria.

But the more advanced countries of the region, such as Hungary and the Czech Republic, which have sped away from the others on the road towards capitalism, complained that the bank was giving them the cold shoulder as it swung eastwards.

EBRD President Jacques de Larosiere said that the chaotic events in Albania -- where the collapse of pyramid investment schemes in January sparked near civil war -- were "a tragic illustration of how hard-won progress in transition can be lost with frightening speed."

Denouncing the situation there as a "disaster," de Larosiere warned that serious obstacles to a market economy remained in many countries, referring in particular to the ex-Soviet republics such as Belarus, Russia and Ukraine.

The EBRD president criticized the uncertain legal and taxation systems in the region, and the problem of corruption, crime and bureaucratic meddling in the private sector.

"The conduct of good business requires a level playing field, and the rules of the game must be universally known, transparent and fairly applied," de Larosiere said.

He said this unstable business environment was discouraging long-term foreign investment and prompting massive capital flight of billions of dollars a year.

In the background of the meeting, though, a dispute simmered over the downgrading in the bank's role in the top-performers of eastern and central Europe.

The EBRD was set up in 1991 to assist the transition to a market economy in eastern and central Europe and the former Soviet Union.

The Czech Republic, which has been one of swiftest in the region to implement free-market reforms, complained bitterly about the EBRD's lack of activity in the country during 1996.

"Unfortunately, we were rather disappointed with the bank's achievements last year... not a single new project was signed in my country in 1996," said the governor of the Czech central bank, Josef Tosovsky.

Hungary also joined her voice to the protests. The Hungarian Secretary of State for Finance, Tibor Draskovics, said that his country "expects further support from the EBRD during this challenging phase," as Budapest prepares for membership of the European Union around the year 2000.

According to EBRD figures, new projects approved for Hungary plunged from 406 million ECUs (485 million dollars) in 1995 to 133 million ECUs in 1996. The Czech Republic's financing dropped by half, and Slovenia's allocation fell almost as much.

The EU and some European countries made it clear they supported a continued strong role for the EBRD in these richer eastern European countries, as they prepare for EU membership around the turn of the century.

The EU's commissioner for economic affairs, Yves-Thibault De Silguy, said the EBRD could still fill serious financing gaps in infrastructure and in the small and medium-sized business sector.

But the United States, which a year ago advanced the concept of "graduation" -- the staged withdrawal of the EBRD from the most prosperous ex-Communist states, which already have access to private capital -- firmly reiterated this viewpoint.

All joined, however, in urging de Larosiere, whose term expires in September, to stay on at the helm of the bank, especially since the vice-president, American Ron Freeman, is leaving the EBRD in June.

De Larosiere, 67, who has been asked by the board of governors to serve a second four-year term, said he was "still hesitating" because of the health problems of his wife, injured in an accident a year and a half ago.

April 15 , 1997

Monday

Tuesday

January

a year

the year 2000

the century

a year ago

September

June

a year and a half ago


AFP_ENG_19970415.0381

AACHEN, Germany, April 15 , 1997 (AFP)

Aachener + Muenchener reports steady annual profit

German insurance company Aachener + Muenchener Versicherung (AMV) announced Tuesday that it had scored a net profit of 47.3 million marks (27.3 million dollars) last year, little changed from 47.1 million marks in 1995.

A fourth of that amount (11.8 million marks) wil be used to pay dividends, the announcement said, and 18 million marks will be added to the reserves.

The company, part of Aachener + Muenchener Beteiligungs-AG, also announced a capital increase to 140.22 million marks from the current 116.85 million, put through via a transfer of 23.37 million marks from its capital reserves.

April 15 , 1997

Tuesday

last year


XIN_ENG_20051113.0001

ABU DHABI, Nov. 12 , 2005 (Xinhua)

US urges OPEC members to raise oil output

US Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman urged OPEC on Saturday to take measures to increase production at its next meeting on Dec.12 in Kuwait, hoping that the Gulf countries would expand their output capacity.

High oil prices appeared to have caused "some dampening in demand." "I would hope that the (OPEC) ministers would see fit to continue supplying the market," Bodman told reporters in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

He is on a tour of the Gulf members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).

"We encourage producers -- both members of OPEC members and non members -- to make maximum product available to the market," he said.

He urged Gulf states to issue a joint statement detailing plans to increase oil output and refining capacity.

"The goal is to have a more stable pricing environment where you do not get big spikes, either up or down," Bodman added. "That enables companies or countries to make more rational decisions on whether they should expand and if so how rapidly."

He lauded the UAE for taking steps toward increasing capacity, revealing the Emirates had briefed him about new plans for raising production.

"There seems to be evidence that certainly here (UAE) there is significant investment in and interest in expanding capacity ... and I hope that this is what we find when we visit other countries," he said.

Bodman said that signing free trade agreements with the UAE and other countries of the energy-rich Gulf Cooperation Council would help US oil and gas companies make more investment in the energy sector of the region.

At its last meeting, OPEC maintained its official production quota at 28 million barrels per day (bpd). The UAE is currently OPEC's fifth largest producer, with output of just under 2.4 million bpd.

Oil prices fell to below 58 US dollars per barrel Friday, the lowest since July, as swelling fuel stocks eased consumer fears of tight winter supplies.

US oil prices are more than 13 dollars below a late-August record of 70.85 dollars.

Nov. 12 , 2005

Saturday

Friday

July


WSJ891101-0024
 = 891101
 891101-0024.
 International Brief -- Cie. de Navigation Mixte:
@  Credit Lyonnais Unit Buys
@  Stock to Help Defeat Bid
 11/01/89
 WALL STREET JOURNAL (J)
 F.CNM F.CLC F.CFP
 TENDER OFFERS, MERGERS, ACQUISITIONS (TNM)
INSURANCE (INS)
FOOD PRODUCTS (FOD)

   The portfolio unit of the French bank group Credit Lyonnais told stock market regulators that it bought 43,000 shares of Cie. de Navigation Mixte, apparently to help fend off an unwelcome takeover bid for the company.

   Earlier yesterday, the Societe de Bourses Francaises was told that a unit of Framatome S.A. also bought Navigation Mixte shares, this purchase covering more than 160,000 shares.

   Both companies are allies of Navigation Mixte in its fight against a hostile takeover bid launched last week by Cie.
Financiere de Paribas at 1,850 French francs ($297) a share.
Navigation Mixte's chairman had suggested that friendly institutions were likely to buy its stock as soon as trading opened Monday.

   The Credit Lyonnais purchase, for 33,000 regular common shares and 10,000 newly created shares, is valued at about slightly more than 80 million French francs.

Earlier yesterday

last week

Monday


AFP_ENG_20061219.0023

PERTH, Australia, Dec 19 , 2006, 2006

by Scott Coghlan

Despite another failure with the bat as he continues his comeback, Michael Vaughan is expected to return to England's one-day squad later this week and may regain the captaincy.

In his fourth match since knee surgery, Vaughan was dismissed for 14 here Tuesday playing for the England Academy, just hours after England coach Duncan Fletcher had given his rehabilitation a glowing endorsement.

Vaughan had made a duck and nine in his two previous appearances for the England Academy here over the last fortnight, and did not bat in the two-day game England played against WA.

There were mitigating circumstances for Tuesday's failure, as the ball was seaming about prodigiously in overcast and muggy conditions ideal for swing bowling.

Vaughan lasted 32 balls and showed signs of his form returning with a couple of elegant boundaries, before again falling to a mistimed pull shot that was skied to mid-on, as he had done in his previous innings.

Despite his indifferent form, the 2005 Ashes skipper is expected to be recalled when England announces its squad for the triangular one-day series, starting in mid-January, later this week.

Fletcher again ruled out Vaughan playing in the last two Ashes Tests and said the selectors were yet to make a final decision on the form and fitness of the former skipper with regards to a one-day recall.

However, the tone of Fletcher's response suggested the 32-year-old was very much on target to play in the triangular series.

"It is very positive and it is pleasing to see," he said.

"Vaughan has been training with (fitness trainer) Nigel Stockill and he is moving around very freely.

"In fact, he says he hasn't felt so good for some time."

Fletcher confirmed Vaughan was being considered as captain for the one-dayers.

"We'll have to make that decision when we meet with the other selectors," he said.

"The (players) have been happy with (Andrew) Flintoff, we will have to take that into consideration when we pick the one-day side."

Flintoff had said he hoped to remain captain for the one-day series on Monday, just after the third Test loss to Australia.

"If the job is available, of course I will," Flintoff said when asked if he would make himself available to captain in the one-dayers.

Vaughan has not played at the top level for England since the third Test against Pakistan in Lahore 13 months ago.

He has a modest one-day record and his last limited overs appearance for England was against Australia in July last year.

Pace bowler Steve Harmison is likely to return home after the Tests, along with spinner Monty Panesar and wicketkeeper Geraint Jones, while batsman Mike Yardy and pace bowler Stuart Broad will be in the selection mix.

All-rounder Jamie Dalrymple, called into the Test squad following the departure of spinner Ashley Giles and a chance to play in the last two Tests, is likely to be part of the one-day outfit and provide the spin option.

Dec 19 , 2006

this week

Tuesday

the last fortnight

Tuesday

this week

Monday

13 months ago

July last year

the last two Tests