XIN_ENG_20061125.0155

HARBIN, Nov. 25 , 2006 (Xinhua)

2nd LD-Writethru: Colliery blast in northeast China kills 15

Fifteen of the 18 miners are found dead as their bodies have been recovered by 9:38 p.m. Saturday following a colliery gas blast in Northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, according to local sources.

Two of the 18 were rescued and rescuers are searching for the one still missing.

The blast took place at 1:50 p.m. Saturday when 32 miners were working in the shaft of the Yuanhua Coal Mine in Jixi City. Fourteen managed to escape.

None of the survivors are in critical condition, though some are injured, according to local sources.

The accident was believed to be caused by gas discharge in the shaft. At 10 a.m. a power failure occurred. When the power is on at about 1 p.m., workers discharged the accumulating gas in a way of violating work regulations.

Further investigation into the cause is underway.

The Yuanhua Coal Mine is privately-owned with an annual production capacity of 30,000 tons.

Jixi is an important coal producing city in China. A gas blast happened there on June 20, 2002 and killed 124 people. The city also saw a gas blast on Sept. 30 this year, when 13 miners were killed.

Nov. 25 , 2006

Saturday

Saturday

June 20, 2002

Sept. 30 this year


XIN_ENG_20061116.0352

WARSAW, Nov. 16 , 2006 (Xinhua)

Polish, Latvian leaders meet

Polish Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski met here Thursday with his Latvian counterpart Aigars Kalvitis and said after the meeting that it was a meeting of two prime ministers from friendly countries.

Poland and Sweden are the first countries the Latvian prime minister decided to visit after last week's parliamentary elections in Latvia.

"This was a short meeting but I am deeply convinced that together we can achieve a lot," the PAP news agency quoted Kaczynski as saying.

Kaczynski told reporters the talk also focused on energy security, EU relations with Russia and bilateral relations and added that the meeting with Kalvitis was very important both in respect to Polish-Latvian relations and broadly, in the European dimension.

Kalvitis said that the meeting in Warsaw is the beginning of a "further dialogue which is certainly necessary." He believed that possibilities exist in forging good cooperation between Latvia and Poland as well as other European countries.

Nov. 16 , 2006

Thursday

last week


XIN_ENG_20061122.0294

CAIRO, Nov. 22 , 2006 (Xinhua)

1st Lead: exiled Hamas leader arrives in Cairo on unexpected visit

The exiled leader of the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) Khaled Meshaal arrived in the Egyptian capital of Cairo on Wednesday night on a surprise visit, Egpty's official MENA news agency reported.

Meshaal and his accompanying delegation would hold talks with senior Egyptian officials on the latest developments in the Palestinian territories, means to revive the stalled peace process and the forming of a Palestinian unity government, MENA said in a short dispatch, without giving more details.

Nov. 22 , 2006

Wednesday night


AFP_ENG_20051211.0468

HAMBURG, Germany, Dec 11 , 2005

by Phil Seery

With talk of a financial crisis burdening them German club Hertha Berlin could do without any more bad news, but they got it this weekend with a player dispute.

Croat defender Niko Kovac and Brazilian midfielder Marcelinho -- two of the club's leading players -- tore into one another after Saturday's 2-1 defeat at SV Hamburg in which Marcelinho was red-carded.

With just eight minutes gone Hamburg stormed into a two-goal lead through a Dick van Burik own goal and a Mehdi Mahdivikia penalty while Berlin's Brazilian playmaker Marcelinho was booked for complaining.

Marcelinho was then sent off after 52 minutes for a scuffle with Hamburg's Benjamin Lauth and Croatian international Kovac could not contain his rage.

"His lack of discipline can not be excused," fumed Kovac. "He gave the team too much to do. He just complained and that is not on because we could have got something from this match with 11 men."

Hertha manager Falko Gotz admitted he would speak with Marcelinho about his conduct but the Brazilian star hit back at the criticism from Kovac.

"When I have a good game and we win because of me I do not hear a thing from Niko," Marcelinho. "He needs to chill out. I do not need to apologise when I have an off-day."

The 30-year-old Marcelinho, contracted at Hertha until June 2007, was voted German Player of the Year last season after scoring 18 goals from midfield and the media dubbed Hertha 'FC Marcelinho'.

But while his talent is not in doubt his Latin temper can often irk team-mates and last season he had a similar verbal exhange of words with club captain Arne Friedrich.

Marcelinho later apologised for the incident but said he would not accept a punishment from the club this time around.

"I would not accept a fine because I am not an undisciplined player and have only been sent off twice for Hertha," Marcelinho said.

Hertha stay fifth despite the defeat in Hamburg but are ten points points adrift of Werder Bremen who occupy the third and final Champions League spot.

With debts estimated at 35.6 million euros (42 million dollars) Hertha could do with the financial windfall that accompanies the Champions League but it looks like they need to repair team spirit first.

Dec 11 , 2005

this weekend

Saturday

52 minutes

June 2007

the Year last season

last season


AFP_ENG_20061202.0273

DOHA, Dec 2 , 2006, 2006

ATTENTION - CHANGES bronze medal winner ///

Li Du of China won the women's 10m Air Rifle individual title at the Asian Games with a combined qualification and final tally of 501.4 points here on Saturday

Zhao Yinghui of China came second and team-mate Wu Liuxi was third, but the bronze was awarded to fourth-placed Olga Dovgun of Kazakhstan because Asian Games shooting rules stipulate that only two athletes from one country can win medals in one event.

China won all six gold medals on offer on the opening day of competition at the Lusail ranges.

Dec 2 , 2006

the opening day


AFP_ENG_19970415.0338

MECCA, Saudi Arabia, April 15 , 1997 (AFP)

Large fire strikes pilgrim camp near Mecca, thousands evacuated

A large fire broke out Tuesday in a camp for Moslem pilgrims at Mina in Saudi Arabia, burning thousands of tents and forcing a massive evacuation, witnesses and officials said.

Several pilgrims and Saudi civil defense workers were wounded in the blaze, which covered a 25 square kilometer (10 square mile) area, according to witnesses, but there was no official confirmation of the injuries.

"Because of the strong winds, the fire spread north of Mina," the director of Saudi civil defense, General Mohammed ibn Ali al-Sahili, told the official SPA news agency.

The fire, sparked by a gas bottle used for cooking, began at 11:45 a.m. (0845 GMT) Tuesday about five kilometers (three miles) north of Mecca, the home of Islam's holiest shrines, witnesses said.

The blaze was still buring more than five hours later, despite the efforts of civil defense workers backed by helicopters, witnesses said.

The region was closed off by Saudi authorities, and thousands of pilgrims were evacuated to a region outside Mina, where 10,000 tents had to be set up in haste.

Tents occupied by Iranian pilgrims were also burned in the fire, Iran's official news agency IRNA reported in Tehran.

About two million Moslem pilgrims have gathered at Mina to attend the annual hajj pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina. The pilgrimage climaxes on nearby Mount Arafat on Wednesday.

April 15 , 1997

Tuesday

11:45 a.m.

Tuesday

five hours

Wednesday


XIN_ENG_20051120.0114

BEIJING, Nov. 20 , 2005 (Xinhua)

China reports 2 new bird flu outbreaks in Inner Mongolia, Hubei

The Chinses Ministry of Agriculture Sunday confirmed bird flu outbreaks in northern China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and central China's Hubei Province.

It noted in a statement that a total of 176 chickens, ducks and geese died Tuesday in the banner (or county) of Morin Dawa in Inner Mongolia before 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 3,500 geese Wednesday at a development zone in Shishou City of Hubei Province.

The Ministry of Agriculture has sent a team of experts to help contain the disease, and local veterinary departments have culled the poultry near the affected area, the statement said.

Nov. 20 , 2005

Sunday

Tuesday

Wednesday


XIN_ENG_20061120.0119

JAKARTA, Nov. 20 , 2006 (Xinhua)

Over 2,000 Indonesian fishermen deported from Australia

Australian authorities have deported more than 2,000 Indonesian fishermen for illegal trespassing till November this year, an Indonesian official said Monday.

The fishermen were flown back to East Nusa Tenggara province after undergoing legal proceedings in Australia on charges of illegal fishing and border crossing, said Frans Salem, head of the provincial office for social affairs in East Nusa Tenggara.

"This figure is fantastic compared with the previous years," he was quoted by the national Antara news agency as saying.

The fishermen mostly came from the eastern parts of Indonesia, including East Nusa Tenggara, Papua, Sulawesi and Maluku, he said.

"Our fishermen use compass to navigate their vessels, but they have little knowledge about Indonesia-Australia marine borders and can be easily seized by the patrols of the Australian Navy," he said.

Nov. 20 , 2006

November this year

Monday

the previous years


XIN_ENG_20061101.0121

NANNING, Nov. 1 , 2006 (Xinhua)

Chinese premier urges Guangxi to expand cooperation with ASEAN

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao urged Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in south China to expand cooperation with the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), develop economy and improve people's living standard.

The premier made the remarks during a recent two-day inspection tour of Guangxi ahead of the opening of the China-ASEAN Business and Investment summit, which kicked off here on Tuesday.

During the inspection tour, Wen visited Liangmianzhen Co. Ltd, a name brand toothpaste producer, Liuzhou Tech Machinery Co. Ltd and Wuling Motors Co. Ltd in Liuzhou, Guangxi's largest industrial city, and held talks with enterprise officials and workers.

He urged these companies to explore development potential, grasp opportunities and step up development of industries with unique advantages by taking the region's rich natural resources.

He also visited two villages and inquired about farmers rice production, revenues, medical care and the implementation of seeds and farm tool subsidies, stressing that the construction of new socialist countryside should respect farmers will.

The input in rural areas should be increased and efforts should focus on developing roads, water, electricity, telecommunications and other infrastructure facilities so as to lay a foundation for rural development and improving farmers life, he noted.

As for the serious drought problem complained by villagers, Wen called on governments at various levels to build an irrigation system and improve water conservancy facilities in a bid to upgrade drought-fighting ability.

Guangxi, with a population of over 46 million, is home to more than 15 million Zhuang minority people.

Nov. 1 , 2006

Tuesday


APW19980213.1380
 NEWS STORY
 02/13/1998 15:44:00

w2227 Cx1f wstm-
r i Cx13  Cx11  BC-PuertoRico-HostageKil     02-13 0243

 BC-Puerto Rico-Hostage Killed,0246

Police discover dismembered body of man kidnapped Wednesday

UR By HILARIO DE LEON QC
UR Associated Press Writer QC

CAGUAS, Puerto Rico (AP) _ Kidnappers kept their promise to kill
a store owner they took hostage and police found the man's
dismembered and decapitated body Friday wrapped in plastic garbage
bags.
Police confirmed Friday that the body found along a highway in
this municipality 15 miles south of San Juan belonged to Jorge
Hernandez, 49.
Hernandez  was kidnapped from his small, neighborhood store in
the town of Trujillo Alto at 10 p.m. Wednesday, police said. His
kidnappers demanded a ransom of dlrs 1 million, but negotiations
broke off at noon Thursday.
Police gave no details about the negotiations with the
kidnappers for the return of Hernandez.
The store owner's body  was found with the arms and head cut off
and the parts stuffed in separate garbage bags. A passerby called
police  to report the body alongside the road.
Puerto Rico Police Superintendent Pedro Toledo urged people who
might  be targeted by kidnappers to be alert.
``There has been an increase in Puerto Rico in this kind of
thing and some of these bands of kidnappers  are made up of
foreigners,'' Toledo said.
While some Latin American countries such as Mexico and Colombia
 have suffered from a rash of kidnappings in recent years, the crime
has not been common in this U.S. commonwealth.

(PROFILE
(WS SL:BC-Puerto Rico-Hostage Killed; CT:i;
(REG:CRB;)
(REG:ENGL;)
(LANG:ENGLISH;))
)

AP-NY-02-13-98 1544EST

02/13/1998 15:44:00

Friday

Friday

10 p.m. Wednesday

noon Thursday

recent years


APW19980227.0476
 NEWS STORY
 02/27/1998 08:02:00

w2381 Cx1f wstm-
u i Cx13  Cx11  BC-WorldCourt-Lockerbie 5thLd   02-27 0169

 BC-World Court-Lockerbie, 5th Ld

World Court declares jurisdiction in Lockerbie dispute

UR Eds: RECASTS lead to clarify; ADDS detail of U.S. and British
objections in 3rd graf. QL
UR AP Photo staffing QL
UR By MIKE CORDER QC
UR Associated Press Writer QC

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) _ The World Court Friday rejected
U.S. and British objections to a Libyan World Court case that  has blocked the trial of two Libyans suspected of blowing up a Pan Am
jumbo jet over Scotland in 1988.
Libya, which brought the case to the United Nations' highest
judicial body in its dispute with the United States and Britain,
hailed the ruling and said it would press anew for a trial in a
third neutral country.
Both U.S. and British officials filed objections to the court's
jurisdiction in 1995, claiming Security Council resolutions imposed
on Lybia  to force the suspects' extradition overruled a 1971
Convention which gives Libya the right  to try the men.
The decision, 3rd graf pvs.

(PROFILE
(WS SL:BC-World Court-Lockerbie, 5th Ld; CT:i;
(REG:EURO;)
(REG:BRIT;)
(REG:SCAN;)
(REG:ENGL;)
(LANG:ENGLISH;))
)

AP-NY-02-27-98 0802EST

02/27/1998 08:02:00

Friday


AFP_ENG_20061218.0004

LONDON, Dec 18 , 2006, 2006

Blair aides investigated for obstructing probe: report

Aides of British Prime Minister Tony Blair and officials of his governing Labour Party are under investigation for obstructing the "cash-for-honours" probe, The Times reported in its Monday edition.

The report comes after Blair last Thursday became the first serving prime minister to have been questioned as part of a criminal inquiry in what critics said was an embarrassment to the British leader.

According to the newspaper, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has told police that they should look into the fact that some e-mails and documents have not yet been handed over, while others have apparently disappeared.

"There is more than a suspicion that evidence has not been handed over, people have colluded and the police are not being helped," an unidentified prosecution source told the newspaper.

"What these people should remember is that they are not dealing with a parliamentary inquiry; this is a criminal investigation and anyone failing to co-operate is participating in a criminal offence," the source said.

According to The Times, the possibility of charges of perverting the course of justice was discussed by CPS lawyers after they met with the police. The charge carries a maximum life sentence.

Meanwhile, the Financial Times reported that Lord Michael Levy -- Blair's Middle East envoy and Labour's main fundraiser, dubbed "Lord Cashpoint" -- was understood to be the focus of the police investigation into the issue.

The business daily reported that detectives may soon interview Levy for a third time.

Police are investigating claims that seats in the House of Lords, the unelected upper house of parliament, were offered in return for financial help to political parties, including Labour since it became the party of government in 1997, in breach of the 1925 Honours (Prevention of Abuse) Act.

They are also considering whether there was any breach of the Political Parties Elections and Referendums Act 2000 which requires donations and non-commercial loans to parties to be publicly declared.

Critics of the government also pointed out, according to The Guardian, that it seemed to be contradicting previous statements in its response to the investigation -- Blair said earlier that he nominated four Labour Party donors for "expressly party peerages, given for party service".

Their citation documents, however, which were printed in the Independent on Sunday, make no mention of their links to the party, and instead speak of their business and other experience.

John Yates, the Metropolitan Police officer leading the investigation into allegations of "cash for honours", said last month that detectives had conducted 90 interviews.

Of these, 35 were linked to the governing Labour Party, 29 to the main opposition Conservatives and four to the Liberal Democrats, Britain's third biggest party.

A further 22 were non-party interviews.

Dec 18 , 2006

Monday

Thursday

Sunday

last month


AFP_ENG_19970408.0311

ANKARA, April 8 , 1997 (AFP)

Israeli FM begins Turkey visit

Israeli Foreign Minister David Levy arrived here Tuesday for cooperation talks with Turkish leaders, including a meeting with Islamist Prime Minister Necmettin Erbakan, who opposes close ties with the Jewish state.

This is the first high-level political visit between the two states since Erbakan and Israel's hardline Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu came to power in their respective countries last year.

Turkey and Israel, whose relations remained dormant during decades of the Arab-Israeli conflict, boosted their ties to a strategic level last year.

They signed two major pacts on military and defense industry cooperation despite condemnation by radical states such as Iran, Syria and Iraq.

But the boost in military relations could not be matched in political ties, as Erbakan has still not responded to an invitation by Netanyahu to visit Israel.

Levy said in interviews with Turkish newspapers last week that his visit would be aimed at cementing political cooperation.

Diplomats here said Erbakan accepted Levy's request for a meeting at the last minute.

A 630 million dollar agreement under which Israeli Aircraft Industries will upgrade Turkey's aging fleet of 54 F-4E Phantom aircraft took effect last November, the largest-scale defense industry deal between the two countries.

In Turkey, Levy will also meet President Suleymen Demirel, Foreign Minister Tansu Ciller, Chief of the General Staff Ismail Hakki Karadayi and business circles.

The Turkish parliament last Friday approved a free trade agreement signed last year.

With the agreement, the two countries hope to bolster their trade relations, which currently register an annual two-way volume of nearly 500 million dollars.

April 8 , 1997

Tuesday

last year

last year

last week

the last minute

last November

Friday

last year

currently


AFP_ENG_19970430.0116

ZAMBOANGA, Philippines, April 30 , 1997 (AFP)

Four children injured in grenade attack in southern Philippines

Four children were injured when a suspected Moslem rebel lobbed a grenade at their home in a town north of here, the Philippine military said Wednesday.

The four children, aged three, six, seven and 17, suffered shrapnel wounds in the bodies after an unidentified man aboard a motorcycle threw the grenade at their home in the town of Sirawai late Tuesday, the military report said.

Intelligence sources said the attack was a retaliatory move by rebels of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) who had suffered heavy casualties in last week's fighting between their troops and the military in Sirawai.

"This could be the start of their retaliatory attacks," said a military official who asked not to be named.

Last week's clashes, which left 30 rebels and four soldiers dead, came amid an impasse in ceasefire talks between the two sides, which failed to agree on the disposition of its forces around a rebel camp in the town of Buldon east of here.

The MILF is a splinter of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), which last year signed a peace treaty with the government to end a 24-year guerrilla campaign aimed at setting up a separate Moslem state in the country's south.

The MILF, which had refused to join the negotiations, was left out in the political settlement. Manila hopes to forge a similar accord with the MILF to establish development projects in the once war-torn southern Philippines.

April 30 , 1997

Wednesday

Tuesday

last week

Last week

last year


XIN_ENG_20061113.0058

SHANGHAI, Nov. 13 , 2006 (Xinhua)

Srichaphan confirms participation in Doha Asian Games

Thailand's medal hopes at the 15th Doha Asian Games have been boosted as their tennis number one Paradorn Srichaphan has confirmed his intention to compete in the December 1-15 Asian sports jamboree, as the Doha Asian Games official website revealed on Sunday.

With an exhausting schedule and wrist problems, there had been doubts whether Srichaphan would be able to defend the men's singles title he won four years ago in Busan, South Korea.

But following an excellent run of form in recent months at ATP tour, the 27-year-old China Open semifinalist will take to the courts at the tennis in Doha.

Although now not officially recognized as Asia's top player, according the ATP rankings, which places South Korea's Lee Hyung Taik at number 49, four places above Srichaphan, the Thai is still likely to start as favourite.

He won both two previous meetings against Lee, whom he defeated to win the title of the men's singles at Busan Games in 2002.

Nov. 13 , 2006

December 1-15

Sunday

four years ago

recent months

now


AFP_ENG_20051216.0575

WASHINGTON, Dec 16 , 2005

ATTENTION - ADDS details, background ///

US President George W. Bush will make a rare address to the nation from his Oval Office at 9:00 pm Sunday (0200 GMT Monday) to discuss the way forward in Iraq, his spokesman said Friday.

"The Iraqi people just concluded a historic election and we're now entering a critical period for our mission in Iraq, and the president will talk about what we've accomplished and where we're headed," said Scott McClellan.

The last time Bush made an address to the nation from the Oval Office was in March 2003 to announce the beginning of the US-led invasion to oust Saddam Hussein, the spokesman said.

The remarks, which were expected to run 20 minutes or less, were to cap a public relations offensive that saw Bush give four speeches touting progress on the political, economic and security fronts.

The rhetorical onslaught came after deadly violence in Iraq fueled Bush's sharp drop in the polls this year, though they have recently edged up from what had been their lowest levels since he took office in January 2001.

On another front, the US president was to take the unusual step of delivering his weekly Saturday radio address live, as part of an effort to pressure lawmakers into renewing the controversial Patriot Act package of anti-terrorism measures.

Dec 16 , 2005

March 2003

January 2001


XIN_ENG_20051103.0291

UNITED NATIONS, Nov. 3 , 2005 (Xinhua)

Ship hijackings threaten food aid for drought-stricken Somalis, UN agency warns

A recent spate of ship hijackings off the coast of Somalia is restricting delivery of urgently needed food aid, posing a serious threat to the health of 640,000 people in the drought-stricken and war-torn south of the Horn of Africa country, the World Food Program (WFP) warned Thursday.

"The worsening humanitarian situation in southern Somalia is of deep concern to us and to our UN and NGO partners, especially with insecurity on the high seas hampering relief efforts," WFP Country Director Zlatan Milisic said. "We may have to step up our deliveries of food aid, which will be extremely difficult under present circumstances."

The southern Somali coastline is one of the most dangerous in the world. In recent months, WFP's operations have been sabotaged by the hijackings of two vessels carrying relief food. Ship owners are now demanding armed escorts to travel in these waters.

"Given the insecurity off the coast, we are exploring alternative transport routes, including overland from Kenya and via Djibouti, to reach those in desperate need of food assistance. But these other routes raise similar logistical and security challenges," Milisic said.

WFP is also concerned about the lack of access for UN relief flights to several airstrips in the south of Somalia, which has been torn by factional fighting and lacking a functioning central government for the past 14 years.

Malnutrition rates in southern Somalia are unacceptably high, reaching 20 percent in some areas. Drought is a major threat to Somalis living away from rivers in Lower and Middle Juba and Gedo, where poor and patchy rainfall during the second rainy season in October and November are compounding an already desperate situation after the first rains failed earlier in the year.

Despite the hijackings, WFP's operations have continued, with 1, 555 metric tons of food reaching nearly 150,000 people in Jilib and Buale districts in the past two weeks, and a further 830 tons set to be distributed to 78,000 beneficiaries in Sakow district.

WFP still requires 11,000 tons of food aid contributions from donors to provide sufficient assistance to those severely affected by food shortages throughout the country until mid-2006.

Nov. 3 , 2005

Thursday

recent months

the past 14 years

October

the year

the past two weeks


AFP_ENG_19970421.0017

NEW DELHI, April 21 , 1997 (AFP)

BULLETIN Gujral sworn in as Indian PM

Inder Kumar Gujral was sworn in as India's 12th prime minister here Monday.

April 21 , 1997

Monday


XIN_ENG_20061117.0289

LUSAKA, Nov. 17 , 2006 (Xinhua)

Zambian gov't warns against abusers of fertilizer support program

Zambian government Friday warned of stern action against farmers or organizations found guilty of abusing the fertilizer support program.

Agriculture and Cooperatives Deputy Minister Daniel Kayenga said here that the government would not entertain abuse of the program.

Speaking at the national launch of the 60 percent subsidy support program, Kayenga said that misapplication of the program would defeat the government's effort to improve household and national food security in the country.

The government has targeted 1.5 million farmers to benefit from the program for 2006/2007 farming season countrywide, he said.

Kayenga called upon the private sector to assist the government in the provision of finances to the farmers as the government alone could not manage to meet the financial requirements of the farmers.

Earlier, Kapiri Mposhi District Commissioner Jeston mulando appealed to the government to increase the number of farming inputs for the district.

Mulando said that the 432,000 bag of fertilizer meant for the district is inadequate to cater for the growing number of farmers in the area.

Zambian government has allocated 198 billion kwacha (about 51 million U.S. dollars) for the implementation of the 2006/2007 fertilizer support program.

The government provides subsidized fertilizer for the small scale farmers since 2002 to encourage agriculture production.

Nov. 17 , 2006

Friday


WSJ891027-0097
 = 891027
 891027-0097.
 Hudson's Bay Gives
@  Terms of Rights Offer
@  To Raise $337 Million
 10/27/89
 WALL STREET JOURNAL (J)
 T.HBC
 BUYBACKS, REDEMPTIONS, SWAP OFFERS (BBK)
 TORONTO

   Hudson's Bay Co. announced terms of a previously proposed rights issue that is expected to raise about 396 million Canadian dollars (US$337 million) net of expenses.

   Proceeds of the offering will be used to redeem C$264 million of preferred shares and to reduce short-term debt, the company said.

   Canada's largest department store operator said the rights offering will entitle holders of its ordinary shares, except residents in the U.S. and Britain, to subscribe for two additional shares for every five shares held at a price of C$31.25 a share.
The record date is Nov. 9.

   The company has about 31 million ordinary shares outstanding.
On the Toronto Stock Exchange, Hudson's Bay shares closed at C$35, up 12.5 cents.

   Hudson's Bay said that Woodbridge Co., which currently holds about 77% of the ordinary shares, will subscribe for all the shares to which it is entitled and for any shares that are n't otherwise taken up.
Woodbridge is a holding company owned by Toronto's Thomson family.

   Hudson's Bay said it will redeem 9.5 million Series H preferred shares on Oct. 31 at a price of C$27.75 each.
The move was approved at a special shareholders' meeting yesterday.

   Gary Lukassen, chief financial officer, said redemption of the preferred shares, originally issued at C$25 each, will eliminate dividend payments of C$17.9 million annually.

Nov. 9

currently

Oct. 31

yesterday


XIN_ENG_20051127.0116

BANGKOK, Nov. 27 , 2005 (Xinhua)

Thai, Laotian PMs break ground at Nam Thuen II site

Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his Lao counterpart Bounnhang Vorachit Sunday jointly laid a founding stone to start construction of a controversial Nam Thuen II hydropower project, according to local media The Nation.

The ceremony took place at the construction site of the powerhouse at Gnoumalat district of Laos's central Khammouane Province. Some 300 officials from both countries and international financiers and investors attended the event.

During his weekly radio address on Saturday, Thaksin said that Thailand would buy electricity totaling 924 megawatts generated from this dam project annually upon its completion.

He said that Thailand needs to depend more on hydropower and coal and less on natural gas in generating electricity, he said.

Natural gas will be used in domestic transportation system, and, if possible, the country will stop using oil in power generation in the future.

The Nam Theun II hydropower project site is located in Khammouane and Bolikhamxay provinces in central Laos, about 250 kilometers southeast of the country's capital -- Vientiane.

Nov. 27 , 2005

weekly

Saturday

the future


AFP_ENG_20051213.0266

FRANKFURT, Dec 13 , 2005, 2005

RAG wants all or nothing of Degussa, chairman says

RAG, the German energy and mining group, wants to increase its stake in specialty chemicals maker Degussa to 100 percent or it will sell its current majority, RAG chairman Werner Mueller said in a newspaper interview released on Tuesday.

"Either we take it over fully or we'll sell our stake completely," Mueller told the daily Die Welt in a pre-release of an interview to be published on Wednesday.

RAG currently holds a stake of 50.1 percent in Degussa, with further 43 percent owned by energy giant E.ON.

But E.ON wants to sell its stake and is currently negotiating with RAG over a billion-euro (dollar) deal.

"The only thing that is certain is that E.ON wants to sell. How they will do so or whether we're the buyer has not yet been decided," Mueller said.

Asked whether RAG was in a position to finance such a deal, Mueller replied: "We're not going to commit some sort of financial 'harakiri'. We can do this deal if we want to."

Dec 13 , 2005

Tuesday

Wednesday

currently


XIN_ENG_20051113.0037

BUSAN, South Korea, Nov. 13 , 2005 (Xinhua)

APEC seeking to help resolve trade impasse

A draft statement being discussed by senior officials from APEC members warned on Sunday that global trade talks could collapse if the current impasse over agricultural subsidies and other issues were not resolved.

The statement said the 21-member Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum was concerned that "the current impasse in the negotiations may lead to a potential failure" of the Hong Kong ministerial meeting scheduled for next month.

"We all agree that the Hong Kong ministerial (meeting) will be a critical step in achieving this goal" of reducing subsidies and other barriers to free trade, said the statement, whose final wording may be changed.

The APEC summit on Friday and Saturday will bring together APEC leaders, including Chinese President Hu Jintao, US President George W. Bush, Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun and Russion President Vladimir Putin.

The statement said that while the initial expectations of the Hong Kong meeting may not be achieved, "we should nonetheless not compromise the level of ambition for the whole round" launched in Doha, Qatar, in 2001.

The trade dispute centers on agricultural subsidies which protect European farmers from outside competition. The European Union has rejected demands by the United States, Australia and some other APEC members to impose greater cuts in the subsidies.

The APEC statement urged all WTO members to "make further, meaningful contributions to move the negotiations forward." It said, "Doing this will require economically and politically difficult decisions by all WTO members."

Many pin hopes on the APEC summit to pave the way for the Hong Kong ministerial round. "The summit would add momentum to finalize a trade deal in Hong Kong by giving leaders around the world a chance to reaffirm the pledge to make substantial progress in global trade talks," South Korean Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon said earlier.

Expectations were shrinking and hopes plummeting after negotiations last week in Geneva and London failed to end the stand-off.

Participants at the APEC senior official meeting were working hard to come up with a statement for their leaders to sign off. The statement was expected to support the WTO, thus breathing new life into the staggering trade talks.

"What is needed at this moment is a strong message from leaders to keep spirits up," said one participant, who refused identification.

Some participants, however, were worried about the Hong Kong meeting becoming a repeat of the previous ministerial gathering in Cancun, Mexico, in 2003, which broke down in acrimony and paralyzed the WTO for months.

"APEC would like to change this message of crisis into a message of hope," said Kim Jong-hoon, South Korea's senior APEC official.

APEC, with seven of the world's 13 largest economies, constitutes 60 percent of the global economy and almost half of world trade.

Nov. 13 , 2005

Sunday

next month

Friday

last week


XIN_ENG_20061122.0301

CAIRO, Nov. 22 , 2006 (Xinhua)

unexpected visit

The exiled leader of the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) Khaled Meshaal arrived in the Egyptian capital of Cairo on Wednesday night on a surprise visit, Egypt's official MENA news agency reported.

Meshaal and his accompanying delegation would hold talks with senior Egyptian officials on the latest developments in the Palestinian territories, means to revive the stalled peace process and the forming of a Palestinian unity government, MENA said in a short dispatch, without giving more details.

The prisoners' swap deal was reportedly also among the top agenda of Meshaal visit to Egypt.

However, contacts with the Egyptian foreign ministry failed to confirm the report.

But Hamas spokesman in Damascus confirmed the visit at midnight Wednesday, saying Meshaal has arrived Cairo.

Reports on Meshaal's visit to Egypt were abundant since late October.

On Oct. 29, a senior Egyptian official told Xinhua that Meshaal would visit Egypt soon, but failed to give an exact date.

The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said at that time that Meshaal, now in exile in Syria, would visit Cairo in four or five days.

Also on Oct. 29, Egyptian Presidential Spokesman Suleiman Awwad said Egypt had invited Meshaal for a visit to broker negotiations between the Palestinians and Israel on a prisoner swap deal and help major Palestinian political factions to set up a unity government.

But Meshaal didn't come to Egypt in the end. Instead, he sent a delegation, which was led by Hamas representative in Syria Imad al- Alami, to Cairo on Oct. 31.

Egyptians have been aggressively playing a mediating role between Hamas and Fatah led by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, both of which have been at loggerheads with each other over a series of political issues in the last several months.

The rift between Hamas and Fatah was deepened after Hamas defeated Fatah in legislative elections in January and thus given mandate to form the current government.

However, the fledging Hamas government was cornered shortly after it came to power due to the West's suspension of direct aid to the government, which was unable to pay its almost 160,000 civil servants.

Despite the deep financial crisis facing the government, Hamas still adhere to its rejection to international demands of recognizing Israel, honoring signed peace deals with Israel.

In order to walk out of the dual crises of economic and political, Palestinian factions, mainly Fatah and Hamas, have been dedicated to efforts to form a new Palestinian unity government to be accepted by international community.

Egyptian officials have also been actively coordinating a prisoners' swap deal, which involved Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, who was kidnapped and has been held hostage by Palestinian militants in Gaza since June.

The captors of Gilad Shalit call for releasing about 1,700 prisoners out of more than 10,000 detainees who are staying in Israeli custodies. They insist women, children and old prisoners be among those set to release under the swap.

Egypt, the first Arab country to sign a peace treaty with Israel, maintains good relations with both Israel and the Palestinians, and has long been playing a mediating role between the Palestinians and Israel.

Nov. 22 , 2006

Wednesday night

Wednesday

late October

Oct. 29

four or five

Oct. 29

Oct. 31

the last several months

January

June


XIN_ENG_20061122.0140

BERLIN, Nov. 22 , 2006 (Xinhua)

Germany's Merkel condemns Gemayel murder

German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Wednesday condemned the murder of Lebanese Industry Minister Pierre Gemayel, saying it was "a cowardly act.

"We want to see an independent Lebanon and forceful efforts to end violence," she told the German Bundestag parliament.

The German Chancellor extended her condolences in a telephone call to Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora on Tuesday, pledging to continue support for the reconstruction of the Middle East country.

Gemayel, a member of the anti-Syrian faction in the Lebanese government, was shot dead on Tuesday by a gunshot to the head when his convoy was attacked on a street in Jedeide, about 15 km northeast of Beirut.

Nov. 22 , 2006

Wednesday

Tuesday

Tuesday


XIN_ENG_20061124.0116

DOHA, Nov. 24 , 2006 (Xinhua)

Fire breaks out in Doha primary school

A group of girl students preparing for the Doha Asian Games opening ceremony had to be evacuated when a fire broke out at the Al Bayan primary school on Thursday. No casualties were reported.

Qatar's leading English daily The Peninsula reported that fire was caused by an electrical short circuit while some renovation work was being carried out in the sports hall of the school.

The hall was being prepared to train the students for the Asian Games opening ceremony. It was badly damaged in the fire.

School principal Hissa Abdullah was quoted as saying that all the students were safely evacuated from the building.

The Asian Games is slated to open on Dec. 1.

Nov. 24 , 2006

Thursday

Dec. 1


AFP_ENG_20061218.0534

DALLAS, Texas, Dec 18 , 2006, 2006

Cowboy's Owens fined for spitting on Hall

Dallas Cowboys' temperamental wide receiver Terrell Owens was fined 35,000 dollars Monday by the NFL for spitting in the face of Atlanta's DeAngelo Hall in Saturday's 38-28 win.

The fine by new commissioner Roger Goodell is more than double the 17,000 dollars fine levied by former commissioner Paul Tagliabue against Washington Redskins safety Sean Taylor for spitting in the face of Tampa Bay running back Michael Pittman in a playoff game last season.

Taylor was ejected from the game for unsportsmanlike conduct.

Owens spit on Hall after Dallas' sixth play from scrimmage, but it was not seen by the officials.

Earlier in the series, Hall used his forearms to shove Owens. Then after tight end Jason Witten caught a pass, Owens spit on Hall before heading back to the huddle.

"I got frustrated and I apologize for that (spitting)," Owens said. "It was a situation where he (Hall) kept bugging me and getting in my face."

Said Hall, "I lost all respect for the guy. You don't spit in another grown man's face."

Owens later beat Hall for a seven-yard touchdown late in the first quarter and a 51-yard score midway through the second quarter. He has 77 catches for 1,040 yards and 11 touchdowns this season.

Owens played just seven games with the Philadelphia Eagles last season before the club banished him for conduct detrimental to the team. He publicly criticized numerous members of the organization - including star quarterback Donovan McNabb.

Signed to a three-year, 25 million dollar contract in the offseason by the Cowboys, Owens created quite a stir when he was admitted to a Dallas hospital on September 26 for what was classified by police as an "accidental overdose" of prescription painkillers.

Dec 18 , 2006

Monday

Saturday

last season

the first quarter

the second quarter

this season

September 26


AFP_ENG_19970408.0176

SINGAPORE, April 8 , 1997 (AFP)

Singapore blue chips end 0.8 percent higher

Singapore blue-chip share prices closed 0.8 percent higher Tuesday as market sentiment improved following a mild overnight rally by US stocks, dealers said.

The Straits Times Industrials index of leading shares on the Stock Exchange of Singapore rose 16.57 points to 2,104.71.

April 8 , 1997

Tuesday


XIN_ENG_20051124.0351

PHNOM PENH, Nov. 25 , 2005 (Xinhua)

Cambodia ranks second in mine clearing in world

Cambodia ranked second in the world's 84 countries in clearing land mines and unexploded ordnance (UXO according to the latest annual Landmine Monitor Report from the International Campaign to Ban Landmines.

With 32 square kilometers of land cleared of mines and UXO in 2004, Cambodia ranks second in the world when it comes to clearing land from the lethal explosives, The Cambodia Daily quoted the report as saying on Friday.

Denise Coghlan, research officer from Cambodian Campaign to Ban Landmines, said that although more could be done to rid Cambodia of mines, being second out of 84 affected countries was a good sign.

According to the report released on Wednesday, 154 countries including Cambodia have now signed the 1997 Mine Ban Treaty banning stockpiling, producing and transferring landmines.

As a signatory, Cambodia is bound to clear all of its land of mines and UXO by 2010, Coghlan said.

Mine Action and Injury Prevention Coordinator for Handicap International Christian Provoost said that clearing Cambodia of mines in the near future is not a realistic goals.

"If they want to clear everything it will take 150 years more," he said.

Kem Sophoan, director of the government's Cambodian Mine Action Center, said that the highest priority in de-mining was to clear the heavily mined areas along the Thai-Cambodian border.

The Cambodian Mine/UXO Information System's latest report shows that mines or UXO injured or killed 36 in October, bringing the total number of dead or injured so far in 2005 to 775.

Cambodia is one of the world's most-heavily mined counties with an estimated four to six million of the hidden killers buried in its soil during the country's nearly three decades of civil conflicts.

Nov. 25 , 2005

Friday

Wednesday

the near future

October

nearly three decades


AFP_ENG_20061201.0411

ANKARA, Dec 1 , 2006, 2006

by Sinan Fisek

A spectacular gesture of peace to Muslims and an apparent change of heart about letting a Muslim country into the European Union turned Benedict XVI's visit to Turkey into a major event, many analysts agreed, but some took it all with a grain of salt.

Just 11 weeks after he outraged Muslims by appearing to equate Islam with violence, the pope made a stunning conciliatory gesture Thursday, assuming an attitude of Muslim prayer while facing Mecca in Istanbul's Blue Mosque.

The moment was "even more meaningful than an apology" for the remarks made in September in Ravensburg, Germany, said the mufti of Istanbul, Mustafa Cagrici, who was the pope's guide during the mosque visit.

"It is a great gesture of peace," commented Dalil Boubakeur, a moderate French Muslim leader and rector of the Paris Mosque. "One can only see in it a profound indication of the fraternal ties between Islam and christianity."

"It is an act of great symbolic and theological -- even historic -- significance," he said.

The pope's words and gestures about Muslims "turned the page on the sorry episode of Ravensburg," agreed Algerian academic and thinker Mustapha Cherif, who had a private audience with the pope on November 11.

"We have turned a fresh page in relations between Islam and Christianity," Cherif said.

But Turkish researcher and religion expert Aytunc Altindal, scoffed at reports that the pope had "prayed" at the Blue Mosque.

"Like everything in the pope's trip, it was very well orchestrated," he said. "He adopted the prayer stance that all early Christians did until the year 325, the same as the Jews, with hands crossed across the waist."

In any case, he pointed out, the pope did not cross his hands the way Muslims do, right hand clasping left wrist with fingers joined, but "with three fingers spread, in the sign of the Trinity."

Even before the controversy over his remarks on Islam, Benedict XVI had earned the sobriquet of the "anti-Turkish pope" for having said, while still Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, that allowing overwhelmingly Muslim Turkey into the EU would be "a grave error ... against the tide of history."

He made a what was widely perceived as a stunning U-turn moments after arriving in Ankara Tuesday, saying he backed the candidacy in remarks to Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who reported the conversation to journalists.

Most analysts were pleased, but cautious.

"If Benedict XVI maintains his support for Turkey's EU membership after he leaves Turkey, it would be an historic turning point," commented Cengiz Aktar, an Istanbul academic and a specialist on the EU.

"Turkish diplomats have been trying for decades to get a (positive) word from the Vatican, but no avail," he said. "Considering the weight of the Pope's words on Christian-Democratic parties and public opinion in Europe, this is revolutionary."

"I noted with great satisfaction that he changed his stance on Turkey's EU membership," said Fouad Alaoui, a radical Muslim leader from France. "I hope this progress is not simply a requirement of his position, but a personal conviction as well."

"He said extremely friendly things about Turkey," Boubakeur said. "It is a country all Muslims hold dear because we remember that Turkey controlled the destiny of Islam and of Muslims during the Ottoman Empire."

The only sour note again came from Altindal.

"The Prime Minister (Erdogan) misled us" when he said the pope favors Turkey's EU membership, Altindal said.

"In fact, there was no change. He does not want to see Turkey in the first circle of the EU," the researcher said.

"There was only one reason for the pope's visit," he said, "and that was to proclaim the Ecumenic nature of the Orthodox church and take it under the wing of the Vatican. In that, he succeeded."

Dec 1 , 2006

11 weeks

Thursday

September

November 11

the year 325

Tuesday


XIN_ENG_20061106.0264

ISLAMABAD, Nov. 6 , 2006 (Xinhua)

Pakistani PM to leave for New York to attend UN meeting

Pakistani Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz will leave for New York on Tuesday to attend the meeting of High Level Panel of Secretary General of United Nations working to improve the UN system, state-run APP reported on Monday.

Aziz who is among the three cochairs will attend the meeting of UN High Level Panel to develop concrete and comprehensive analysis and finalize recommendations to strengthen the UN operation system in the areas of development, humanitarian assistance and environment.

The Panel has 15 members with prime ministers of Pakistan, Norway and Mozambique as cochairs nominated by the Secretary General of the United Nations.

The cochairs represent the donor community (Norway), middle income developing country (Pakistan) and least development country (Mozambique).

The Panel commenced its work in April 2006 and is expected to finalize its report and recommendations during the visit of Prime Minister Aziz to New York and then the recommendations will be presented to the Secretary General.

The Prime Minister during his stay in New York will also meet American investors besides addressing the Pakistani community.

Nov. 6 , 2006

Tuesday

Monday

April 2006


AFP_ENG_20061229.0487

CHARLOTTE,  North Carolina, Dec 30 , 2006, 2006

Bryant's 58 not enough to lift Lakers over Bobcats

Kobe Bryant poured in a season-high 58 points, but it wasn't enough to stop the Charlotte Bobcats from pouncing for a triple-overtime victory over his Lakers on Friday.

Charlotte's Emeka Okafor was able to dominate the paint, and Matt Carroll scored a career-high 27 points off the bench as Charlotte ultimatedly downed the Lakers 133-124 in a National Basketball Association contest.

Okafor had 22 points and a franchise-record 25 rebounds for the Bobcats, who picked up a victory in the first triple-overtime game in club history in front of the largest crowd ever to see a game in Charlotte.

Bryant shot 22-of-45 from the field and 10-of-12 from the line to record the second-highest scoring performance in the NBA this season. Washington guard Gilbert Arenas scored 60 points against the Lakers on December 17.

However, in the third extra session, Bryant committed one of the cardinal sins of defense.

With his team trailing by two points with 1:14 left, he fouled reserve Derek Anderson, who was attempting a 3-pointer.

Anderson nailed all three foul shots to make it 129-124, and Los Angeles was unable to get any closer.

On the ensuing possession, Bryant fouled out of the game, committing a charge on a wild drive to the basket but leaving with the third-highest scoring game of his career.

Last season, Bryant scored a franchise-record 81 points against Toronto and 62 points in a game against Dallas.

Dec 30 , 2006

Friday

December 17

the third extra session

Last season


AFP_ENG_20061209.0429

BUDAPEST, Dec 9 , 2006, 2006

ATTENTION - UPDATES with mass, burial ///

Hungary observed a day of national mourning on Saturday for the funeral of Ferenc Puskas, one of the greatest footballers of all time who led the "Mighty Magyars" to world dominance in the 1950s and Real Madrid to a string of titles in the 1960s.

Puskas, who died after a long battle with Alzheimer's on November 17 aged 79, was the inspiration of Hungary's "Golden Team," which won Olympic gold in 1952 and was runner-up to Germany in the 1954 World Cup.

One of the game's best-ever strikers, Puskas scored a remarkable 83 goals in 84 international matches for Hungary from 1945 to 1956.

"How many times his fearsome left foot drove defenders crazy and led his team to victory. A nation and the entire world grieves," Jeno Buzanszky, one of only two surviving members of the "Golden Team", told a memorial service at the national stadium.

FIFA president Joseph Blatter, former French great Michel Platini, German icon Franz Beckenbauer and retired Real Madrid aces Raymond Kopa and Francisco Gento, who were Puskas' teammates, were also in attendance.

But only a few thousand Hungarian fans showed up, leaving many disappointed that people could not fill the stadium, renamed after Puskas in 2002, to its capacity as in the glory years of Hungarian football.

"There is hardly anyone here, this indifference makes me so sad. This is an embarrassment and it makes me want to cry," said a choked-up mourner, Janos Szalai.

The "Golden Team" signalled its dominance in 1953 with a stunning 6-3 thrashing of England at Wembley, becoming the first overseas team to beat the English side on their home turf. Puskas scored twice in that match.

After his defection to Spain in the wake of the failed 1956 Hungarian uprising against Soviet domination, Puskas joined Real Madrid where he was a cornerstone of the club which won three European Cup titles and seven league championships during his decade there from 1958 to 1967.

"Ferenc left an indelible mark as a player and as a person. Thank you Hungary, thank you Pancho," Ramon Calderon, Real Madrid's President, said in a tribute at Puskas stadium, using the legend's Spanish nickname.

Following the memorial service, a procession, with a six-horse carriage drawing Puskas' casket, went through the city to Saint Stephen's Basilica, where the legendary player was buried.

The procession stopped for a military salute at Heroes' Square, in honor of the "Galloping Major," so called because of his military rank while playing for his Hungarian club Kispest.

Born in 1927 in Budapest, Puskas was only 15 when he started playing for Kispest, later renamed Honved, or Army, in 1949.

From 1927 to 1956, Puskas scored 358 goals in 349 matches.

He was posthumously promoted to brigadier-general.

"All over the world, the first thing that comes to people's minds about Hungarians is Puskas. Everyone says his name with a smile and with joy," Hungarian President Laszlo Solyom said at a mass before Puskas was laid to rest inside the basilica.

Besides his stellar career as a player, Puskas was also an accomplished coach, directing Greek club Panathinaikos to league crowns twice and to a European Cup final in the 1970-71 season.

In the 1970s and 80s, Puskas coached nearly a dozen teams from North and South America, Europe, Africa and even Australia.

Among the teams he directed from the bench were Chilean club Colo-Colo, Greek side AEK Athens, Egyptian side Al-Masri and Panhellenic Melbourne in Australia.

Puskas settled in Hungary after the fall of communism and briefly held the job of caretaker coach of the national squad in 1993.

This is the first time since the country's transition to democracy that a day of mourning has been declared for the funeral of a sports star, in homage to the legend who became the "best-known Hungarian in the world."

Dec 9 , 2006

Saturday

the 1950s

the 1960s

November 17

the 1954

the glory years

decade

the 1970-71 season

the 1970s


AFP_ENG_20051209.0109

LEIPZIG, Germany, Dec 9 , 2005

Iran coach backs Portuguese for semi-finals

Iran coach Branko Ivankovic believes Group D rivals and Euro 2004 runners-up Portugal can make the World Cup semi-finals.

"Our group contains very good teams," said the Croatian.

"The favourite is clearly Portugal, they will be in the semi-finals.

"Mexico are a good side, I was very impressed by them at the Confederations Cup. Angola are a new team to me. They have a lot of enthusiasm and a game which is difficult to understand.

"I am proud of my team, we have worked hard recently. Our problem will be in adapting to the different styles - European, African and Latin-American. I hope our players will learn how to respond to the different problems."

Dec 9 , 2005

recently


XIN_ENG_20051123.0167

BEIJING, Nov. 23 , 2005 (Xinhua)

Official urges Chinese, Japanese statesmen to boost bilateral ties

Political figures in China and Japan should make more efforts to turn China-Japan relationship to the track of healthy and stable development, Chinese State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan said here Wednesday.

Tang made the remarks when meeting with a delegation of young parliamentary members of Japan's Komei Party, led by Ueda Osamu, director of the International Bureau of the party.

Tang spoke highly of the Komei Party's long-term efforts to promoting China-Japan friendly cooperation, and briefed the guests on China's stance on current bilateral relations.

At present, political figures of both countries should more firmly abide by the principle of taking history as a mirror and facing toward the future, and properly handle historical issues with a right attitude, in an effort to push forward China-Japan relationship and return it to the track of healthy and stable development, Tang said.

Tang expressed the hope that young political figures of the Komei Party carry forward the tradition of friendship, actively make pragmatic exchanges and cooperation in various fields, and contribute more to the improvement and development of China-Japan relations.

Ueda Osamu said the Komei Party always upholds the strong desire to promote Japan-China friendship, noting that the Komei Party will continue its efforts to further push forward the friendly ties between the two sides.

Ueda Osamu paid the China visit at the invitation of the China-Japan Friendship Association.

Nov. 23 , 2005

Wednesday

the future


AFP_ENG_20061201.0416

ANKARA, Dec 1 , 2006, 2006

Regensburg stead Ravensburg. Here is a corrected repetition ///

A spectacular gesture of peace to Muslims and an apparent change of heart about letting a Muslim country into the European Union turned Benedict XVI's visit to Turkey into a major event, many analysts agreed, but some took it all with a grain of salt.

Just 11 weeks after he outraged Muslims by appearing to equate Islam with violence, the pope made a stunning conciliatory gesture Thursday, assuming an attitude of Muslim prayer while facing Mecca in Istanbul's Blue Mosque.

The moment was "even more meaningful than an apology" for the remarks made in September in Regensburg, Germany, said the mufti of Istanbul, Mustafa Cagrici, who was the pope's guide during the mosque visit.

"It is a great gesture of peace," commented Dalil Boubakeur, a moderate French Muslim leader and rector of the Paris Mosque. "One can only see in it a profound indication of the fraternal ties between Islam and christianity."

"It is an act of great symbolic and theological -- even historic -- significance," he said.

The pope's words and gestures about Muslims "turned the page on the sorry episode of Regensburg," agreed Algerian academic and thinker Mustapha Cherif, who had a private audience with the pope on November 11.

"We have turned a fresh page in relations between Islam and Christianity," Cherif said.

But Turkish researcher and religion expert Aytunc Altindal, scoffed at reports that the pope had "prayed" at the Blue Mosque.

"Like everything in the pope's trip, it was very well orchestrated," he said. "He adopted the prayer stance that all early Christians did until the year 325, the same as the Jews, with hands crossed across the waist."

In any case, he pointed out, the pope did not cross his hands the way Muslims do, right hand clasping left wrist with fingers joined, but "with three fingers spread, in the sign of the Trinity."

Even before the controversy over his remarks on Islam, Benedict XVI had earned the sobriquet of the "anti-Turkish pope" for having said, while still Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, that allowing overwhelmingly Muslim Turkey into the EU would be "a grave error ... against the tide of history."

He made a what was widely perceived as a stunning U-turn moments after arriving in Ankara Tuesday, saying he backed the candidacy in remarks to Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who reported the conversation to journalists.

Most analysts were pleased, but cautious.

"If Benedict XVI maintains his support for Turkey's EU membership after he leaves Turkey, it would be an historic turning point," commented Cengiz Aktar, an Istanbul academic and a specialist on the EU.

"Turkish diplomats have been trying for decades to get a (positive) word from the Vatican, but no avail," he said. "Considering the weight of the Pope's words on Christian-Democratic parties and public opinion in Europe, this is revolutionary."

"I noted with great satisfaction that he changed his stance on Turkey's EU membership," said Fouad Alaoui, a radical Muslim leader from France. "I hope this progress is not simply a requirement of his position, but a personal conviction as well."

"He said extremely friendly things about Turkey," Boubakeur said. "It is a country all Muslims hold dear because we remember that Turkey controlled the destiny of Islam and of Muslims during the Ottoman Empire."

The only sour note again came from Altindal.

"The Prime Minister (Erdogan) misled us" when he said the pope favors Turkey's EU membership, Altindal said.

"In fact, there was no change. He does not want to see Turkey in the first circle of the EU," the researcher said.

"There was only one reason for the pope's visit," he said, "and that was to proclaim the Ecumenic nature of the Orthodox church and take it under the wing of the Vatican. In that, he succeeded."

Dec 1 , 2006

11 weeks

Thursday

September

November 11

the year 325

Tuesday


XIN_ENG_20061113.0135

ISLAMABAD, Nov. 13 , 2006 (Xinhua)

Pakistan's delegation leaves for dialog with India

An eight-member delegation headed by Pakistan's Foreign Secretary Riaz Mohammad Khan left for New Delhi on Monday to resume secretary-level dialogue with India after months of suspension.

India had suspended talks with Pakistan following the deadly train blasts in the Indian commercial center of Mumbai, which had killed more than 180 people and injured some 400.

India has alleged that Pakistan-based militant group Lashkar-e- Tayyeba had carried out the blasts with the help of Pakistan's intelligence agency.

Pakistan had denied the charges and said it would offer assistance in the investigation process and said that it would take action if India provided proofs.

The two-day talks to begin on Tuesday will formally mark the resumption of the stalled composite dialogue, considered an integral part of the ongoing Indo-Pakistan peace process.

President Pervez Musharraf and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who met in the Cuban capital of Havana, had directed their foreign secretaries to resume dialogue.

Official sources said that the two sides would discuss mechanism on how to jointly deal with the issue of terrorism.

They will also review progress of talks held between senior officials of the two countries on varieties of key issues including the issue of Jammu and Kashmir.

Nov. 13 , 2006

Monday

Tuesday


AFP_ENG_19970407.0235

TEHRAN, April 7 , 1997 (AFP)

Major petrochemical complex opens in Iran

President Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani inaugurated Iran's largest and most modern petrochemical complex in the northestern city of Tabriz on Monday, official sources said.

The new project in East Azerbaijan province will make Iran the second largest producer of petrochemicals in the Middle East after Saudi Arabia, with an estimated annual output of 13 million tonnes, state radio said.

The new complex has an annual capacity of 311,000 tonnes worth around 300 million dollars, its director Abbas Sedghi told Iran's official news agency IRNA.

"Given the high quality of its products, we expect to export up to 150 million dollars in petrochemicals," he said without elaborating.

Sedghi said Iran had received technical assistance for the complex from France, Italy and Germany and that 750 million dollars in foreign loans had been obtained to finance the project.

Parliament has authorized the government to secure up to 2.8 billion dollars in foreign financing to develop the petrochemical sector during the current Iranian year, which started on March 21.

The assembly on Tuesday imposed a ceiling of 16.7 billion dollars for hard currency spending this year.

Iran expects to earn around 18 billion dollars in oil receipts this year.

April 7 , 1997

Monday

the current Iranian year

March 21

Tuesday

this year

this year


XIN_ENG_20051101.0073

KAMPALA, Nov. 1 , 2005 (Xinhua)

Top Ugandan army officer warns retired officers against dividing army

The newly-appointed Chief of Defense Forces of Uganda has warned retired officers against sowing seeds of divisionism in the army.

General Aronda Nyakairima was quoted by local press on Tuesday as saying that there are some retired army officers who have turned against the Commander in Chief of the Ugandan armed Forces, President Yoweri Museveni and were trying to spread propaganda to disunite the army.

"Some officers, when they retire, turn against the commander in chief but we are in full force. Our response will be terrible for those trying to interfere with the army and dividing us. They stand warned. I am telling politicians that they should not attempt to sow seeds of disunity in the Uganda People's Defense Force (UPDF)," Nyakairima.

Two retired army officers, Col. Kiiza Besigye and Maj. Gen. Mugisha Muntu have been critical of President Museveni and the UPDF.

The two officers belong to one of the major opposition parties in Uganda, the Forum for Democratic Change.

"We have seen governments which have spent only one year, 68 days or even two months in power. The UPDF is determined to defend the country from such and also defend a government which is clearly steering the country into development and stability," said Nyakairima.

Nyakairima's statement comes after President Museveni promoted and retired some of the UPDF officers on October 24.

Uganda is currently going through a political transition period which will see it hold its first ever multiparty general elections in March next year after over 20 years of political parties being in abeyance.

In this transition period some politicians have been critical of the UPDF.

Nov. 1 , 2005

Tuesday

one year, 68 days or even two months

October 24

March next year

over 20 years


XIN_ENG_20061103.0194

HONG KONG, Nov. 3 , 2006 (Xinhua)

Zambia gets loan from African Development Fund

"In Zambia, there is a close correlation between infant mortality and access to potable water and sanitation services. Health statistics in Zambia indicate that diarrhea and other water- related diseases are ranked among the top common causes of outpatient care for all age groups because of poor hygiene and sanitation. During the first phase of the program (2006-2010), 2.1 million will be provided access to safe water and 2.3 million people to improved sanitation services," ADF, the soft loan arm of the African Development Bank (AfDB) said in a statement.

Since AfDB started working in Zambia in 1971, it has financed 11 operations in water supply and sanitation sector with a combined worth of 137.6 million dollars.

Nov. 3 , 2006


XIN_ENG_20061115.0390

ATHENS, Nov. 15 , 2006 (Xinhua)

Anarchists torch banks in Athens

A series of firebomb attacks targeting banks in Athens occurred Wednesday overnight, days before the 33rd anniversary of the Polytechnic students' uprising in 1973.

The first firebomb attack, which targeted a National Bank branch in the Peristeri district, damaged an ATM and the bank's entrance. A few minutes later, the entrance of another National Bank branch in Paleo Faliro was also wrecked by fire.

In Holargos district, a firebomb caused minor damage to a third National Bank branch.

Extensive damages were also reported following a firebomb raid against an Emporiki Bank branch in downtown Athens.

The 1973 uprising was an event marred by violence of self-styled anarchist and anti-state youths and activists.

Nov. 15 , 2006

Wednesday

days

A few minutes


XIN_ENG_20061103.0235

BEIJING, Nov. 3 , 2006 (Xinhua)

Sino-Japanese joint TV documentary to mark Sun Yat-sen anniversary

China Central Television is to broadcast a Sino-Japanese jointly produced documentary on the years of Chinese revolutionary Sun Yat-sen in Japan to mark 140 years since his birth.

The fourth channel of CCTV (China Central Television) will broadcast the 50-minute documentary, entitled "Kyushu -- Following Sun Yat-sen's Path" on Saturday afternoon and night, a CCTV spokesperson said.

The documentary, shot by CCTV, the Soong Ching Ling Foundation, and tourism agency of Kyushu, Japan, over a year, will trace Sun's activities in Japan where he stayed for a total of nine years between 1895 and 1924.

Sun was active in the cities of Tokyo, Nagasaki, Kobe and Yokohama, where his experiences are thought to have shaped his ideas of revolution.

He led the historic revolution of 1911 that overthrew the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), ending China's autocratic monarchical system that had been in place for more than 2,000 years.

Sun died in Beijing on March 12, 1925. His body was temporarily kept in the then Central Park, which was renamed Zhongshan (Sun Yat-sen) Park in 1928.

Sun is a national hero in both Taiwan and the Chinese mainland. Roads and parks named "Zhongshan" are seen all over China. His trademark tunic suit, which bears his name, was once part of a national dress code for the country's leaders and people.

Nov. 3 , 2006

the years

Saturday afternoon and night

a year

nine years

more than 2,000 years

March 12, 1925


AFP_ENG_19970407.0157

SRINAGAR, India, April 7 , 1997 (AFP)

Two Moslem militants killed after Kashmir grenade attack

Indian border guards shot dead two Moslem militants here Monday after a failed grenade attack on a police officer, officials said.

Three other militants were arrested after the shootout with the Border Security Force (BSF).

The initial attack occured in a busy street in a residential area near Islamia College, a BSF spokesman said.

A group of militants threw a grenade and opened fire at the car of deputy superintendent of police Mohammed Shafi Pattro. He escaped unhurt.

Dozens of BSF personnel, who are deployed on Srinagar's streets, rushed to the site and cordoned off several houses from where the militants were firing.

"A prolonged gunbattle followed," an officer said. "We shot dead two militants. Our men later recovered four AK-47 rifles and a universal machine gun.

"We are still looking for other militants."

Moslem militants are fighting for Kashmnir's independence from India. Around 20,000 people have died in the campaign since 1989.

April 7 , 1997

Monday


XIN_ENG_20061109.0247

BEIJING, Nov. 9 , 2006 (Xinhua)

China, Singapore vow to strengthen personnel training cooperation

China and Singapore should further strengthen cooperation and exchanges on personnel training, said He Guoqiang, head of the Organization Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee.

"Such cooperation and exchanges are of great significance to promoting mutual understanding between officials of both sides and the development of bilateral friendly relations," He said.

He made the remark in a meeting with Tan Tee How, permanent secretary of the Ministry of National Development of Singapore, who headed a Singaporean delegation of training course for permanent secretaries.

He said the visit by the Singaporean guests was an important part of China-Singapore cooperation on personnel training and he hoped the two sides continue to strengthen exchanges to promote the sustainable, healthy and steady development of bilateral relations.

He added that Singapore has a lot of experience that China can learn from in personnel training.

He also briefed Tan on the recent Sixth Plenary Session of the 16th CPC Central Committee and China's economic and social development and opening up.

Tan said the visit to China was part of the training program of his delegation and the reason for this visit is that he hoped his delegation members to see the significant and fast development in China.

He said the two countries have conducted good cooperation in many fields, among which personnel is a very important one and the Singaporean side hoped to keep regular exchanges with the Chinese side in this field.

The delegation will also visit Tianjin, a port city neighboring Beijing, and Hubei Province in central China.

Nov. 9 , 2006


AFP_ENG_20061229.0164

DURBAN, South Africa, Dec 29 , 2006, 2006

India set to make 354 to win

India were set a target of 354 to win when South Africa declared their second innings at 265 for eight on the fourth day of the second Test at Kingsmead Friday.

Shaun Pollock made a stroke-filled 63 not out as South Africa pushed for quick runs after lunch. Shanthakumuran Sreesanth was India's most successful bowler with four for 79.

There were 48 overs due to be bowled on the fourth day.

Dec 29 , 2006

the fourth day

Friday

the fourth day


AFP_ENG_20061209.0080

DOHA, Dec 9 , 2006, 2006

by Dave James

Double world champion Nicol David is eyeing revenge over Hong Kong's Rebecca Chiu as she attempts to reclaim the Asian Games squash crown she lost in such miserable circumstances four years ago.

The Malaysian won the title as a 15-year-old in Bangkok in 1998 but crashed to a demoralising defeat in Busan in 2002 when the weight of expectation proved too much.

Now, with another world title under her belt and with her place at the top of the world rankings confirmed by having twice as many points as her closest rival, the 23-year-old insists she is ready to take back her Asian crown.

"The Asian Games is very important to me, in a different way from the World Open," said David who saw off Australia's three-times Commonwealth Games gold medallist Natalie Grinham to retain her world title in Belfast last month.

David, who is seeded to face Chiu again in the final here, defeated the Hong Kong girl to win the gold at the Bangkok Games in 1998.

"At the Asian Games, you are part of your country's whole team of athletes from a number of different sports. There's been a huge build-up to the Games and winning something like this is a whole different feeling," said the woman from Penang.

David is in a rich vein of form with her win in Belfast stretching her unbeaten international run to 33 matches.

After a bye in the first round, she is expected to go on to face Hong Kong's Christina Mak in the semi-finals, before the anticipated final clash with Chiu.

Victory here will also see her bank account boosted by a 25,000-dollar bonus from the Malaysian National Sports Council. Her first world title in 2005 earned her 56,000 dollars

In the men's event, David's compatriot Mohd Azlan Iskandar is the top seed.

His only previous performance in the Games was a semi-final finish four years ago.

Azlan Iskander is seeded to meet compatriot and defending champion On Beng Hee, the defending champion, in the final.

The pair will face stiff competition, however, from Pakistan's Mansoor Zaman and Aamir Atlas Khan, and Indian duo Ritwik Bhattacharya and the Saurav Ghosal.

Azlan Iskander, the world number 14, is the highest ranked player in Asia but recent form has not been encouraging.

He lost to qualifier Alister Walker of England at the Hong Kong Open and then was beaten by unseeded Pakistani Aamir Atlas Khan in the first round of the Pakistan Open on the eve of the Games.

The Malaysian said he will be under pressure when the tournament starts on Sunday.

"Losing twice to players ranked well below me was a setback," said the Malaysian.

"I need to brush up on my technique and tactics quickly to live up to my billing as the number one player in Asia," said Azlan who was a bronze medallist in Busan.

Defending champion Ong Beng Hee, who beat Mansoor Zaman four years ago, believes the Pakistanis, once the kings of the sport, will again pose a threat.

"They will definitely try to stop me and Iskander from reaching the final," said Beng Hee.

"It will be really nice to have all-Malaysian finals in both the men's and women's events."

Dec 9 , 2006

four years ago

Now

last month

four years ago

Sunday

four years ago


AFP_ENG_20061222.0085

KATHMANDU, Nepal, Dec 22 , 2006, 2006

Nepal to recruit ex-Gurkhas for initial arms monitoring

Nepal's government and Maoist rebels have agreed for former Gurkha soldiers to monitor a ceasefire in the Himalayan nation until the arrival of a full United Nations team, officials said Friday.

"The meeting between the government, the UN and the Maoists on Thursday evening agreed to deploy ex-Gurkha soldiers to begin the registration and verification of arms and armies," Maoist negotiator Dinanath Sharma told AFP.

"The retired soldiers will be assisting in the arms management until the full UN monitoring mission arrives in Nepal," said Sharma.

Under a peace deal agreed last month that ended a decade of civil war, the government agreed to let the Maoists enter parliament and government in return for placing their arms and fighters in camps under UN supervision.

But UN monitors are not slated to start arriving in Nepal before next month, and will not immediately have the capacity to cover all the rebel camps.

Gurkha soldiers -- from special regiments of Nepali soldiers in the Indian and British armies -- have a long history of UN peacekeeping missions.

Sharma said that a total of 111 ex-Gurkha servicemen who have retired from the British and Indian armies in the past three years would be recruited.

Earlier this week Ian Martin, the UN chief's personal representative to the peace process, said that formation of a Gurkha interim task force would make it possible for the early start of the arms and armies verification process while UN monitoring strength was built up.

Martin said that an initial party of 35 UN monitors would arrive by mid-January 2007.

Dec 22 , 2006

Friday

Thursday evening

last month

next month

the past three years

Earlier this week


AFP_ENG_20061230.0397

LOS ANGELES, Dec 30 , 2006, 2006

Schwarzenegger leaves hospital after surgery on broken leg

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger was released from the hospital here Saturday, following successful surgery on his right leg to fix a broken bone.

The Hollywood action-hero-turned-politician fractured his right femur on December 23 while skiing in Sun Valley, Idaho, and underwent a 90-minute operation on December 26 to knit the broken bones back together.

"His femur is beginning to mend nicely and I expect him to have a full and speedy recovery from this injury," Doctor Kevin Ehrhart, Schwarzenegger's orthopedic surgeon, said in a statement Saturday.

He added that fractures of that kind usually take about eight weeks to completely heal.

Schwarzenegger said in a statement that he felt "fantastic to return home today as my family prepares to celebrate the New Year together."

He said he was looking forward to beginning 2007 with his formal inauguration, his State of the State Address, and the presentation of a state budget proposal.

Dec 30 , 2006

Saturday

December 23

December 26

Saturday

eight weeks

today


AFP_ENG_20061231.0180

MOSCOW, Dec 31 , 2006, 2006

ATTENTION - REFILING correcting name typo in para five ///

Russia edged closer Sunday to cutting gas supplies to neighbouring Belarus as talks in Moscow on a price dispute entered their final hours, prompting fears of energy disruptions in western Europe.

Supplier Gazprom's spokesman Sergei Kupriyanov said on national television that marathon negotiations over the weekend had so far failed. "We have not been able to agree, but Gazprom is doing everything so that a contract can be signed on gas delivery for 2007."

But he added later that while the talks were continuing they were "difficult and tense".

"In addition, the Belarussians have started linking to the gas problem questions of relations between Belarus and Russia that have nothing to do with gas," he said, without giving details.

Kupriyanov said that without an accord on a new five-year contract Gazprom would move towards cutting off supplies to Belarus from 0700 GMT Monday.

The Russian gas giant wants to boost its prices from the current 45 dollars per 1,000 cubic metres to 105 dollars, about a third of which would be paid in shares in Belarus's pipeline network.

Kupriyanov's latest pessimistic remarks came despite the presence in Moscow Sunday of Belarus's first deputy prime minister Vladimir Semashko "to take part in the negotiations," according to his spokesman in Minsk.

Gazprom had previously said that without Semashko no deal was possible.

If Gazprom cuts supplies -- as it did briefly in a similar price dispute with Ukraine last January -- many of Belarus's 10 million people may start the New Year in chilly conditions, while the country's industrial base will suffer a major blow.

There are also concerns in the European Union that the row will impact on Russian imports, 20 percent of which transit through Belarus, meeting about five percent of EU natural gas needs.

Late Saturday Semashko announced that the two sides had agreed to a price of 100 dollars per 1,000 cubic metres for 2007 and that the price for 2008-2010 was all that remained to be finalised.

But Gazprom immediately poured cold water on the claim, saying it reflected Semashko's "point of view," not an agreement, and warned of a "critical scenario."

Gazprom, a state-owned giant that produces a third of the world's gas, has mounted a tough campaign to end Soviet-era subsidies to neighbouring countries, as well as expand ownership of infrastructure and other energy businesses throughout Europe.

The company says it wants to put pricing on a market basis. Critics, including many in western Europe, fear the Kremlin seeks to use Gazprom as a tool to reimpose part of its dominance lost at the time of the 1991 Soviet collapse.

Belarus, which lies sandwiched between Russia and the European Union, is in a loose economic and political partnership with Russia and has always argued that gas import prices should be similar to those paid within Russia.

But Kupriyanov on Sunday said this would not be possible, noting that the price demanded was lower than that now being paid by several other ex-Soviet republics, including Armenia, another ally of Russia.

"We take into account the relations that there are between our countries, but all the same Belarus is an independent, sovereign country, and not a region of Russia, and so the prices should be different," Kupriyanov said.

Belarus insists that unless a deal is reached on its own domestic imports, then transit of Russian gas across Belarus to western Europe will also be threatened. This could potentially result in shortfalls for EU members including Germany, Lithuania and Poland.

Gazprom accuses Belarus of preparing to siphon off gas intended for western Europe and says it will closely monitor the line.

The growing threat of an energy war between Russia and Belarus could spell difficulties for Lukashenko, an autocratic ruler who runs a Soviet-style economy largely based on Russian subsidies, analysts say.

Western governments gave strong diplomatic backing to Ukraine's pro-Western president, Viktor Yushchenko, during the gas row at the start of 2006, but Lukashenko is a political pariah in Europe and the United States.

The EU has limited itself to calling on the two parties to reach a deal that does not threaten European supplies, while the authorities in France and Germany say they are not worried by the prospect of shortages.

Dec 31 , 2006

Sunday

the weekend

Monday

last January

Sunday

now


AFP_ENG_20051211.0008

BOSTON, Massachusetts, Dec 11 , 2005

Improving Kwan still not 100 percent as US Olympic trials loom

American figure skating star Michelle Kwan said here Saturday she is improving from a hip injury and is confident she can be at full strength for next month's US Olympic trials.

Nine-time US champion Kwan, here to compete in a fan-judged event lacking the pressure of the Grand Prix season she has missed, was forced to withdraw from several events and missed two weeks of training.

"I'm not at 100 percent but I'm getting better," Kwan said. "It will be nice to see where I'm at, even if it's not the best."

Kwan said it would be a "good month" before she is back at full strength, cutting it close to be prepared for the qualifying meet for February's Torino Winter Olympics, the first obstacle in her long quest for Olympic gold.

That US skating showdown is January 9-14 at St. Louis, Missouri. It would be only the second event in which she has competed in an event with the new judging system adopted by the International Skating Union.

"This (injury) just brings up another challenge and the new system is a big enough challenge," she said. "I would rather have that as my main focus."

Kwan, 25, settled for a silver medal at the 1998 Nagano Games and fell to bronze at the Salt Lake City Olympics in 2002.

Dec 11 , 2005

Saturday

next month

season

two weeks

February

January 9-14


XIN_ENG_20051130.0366

PRAGUE, Nov. 30 , 2005 (Xinhua)

Illegal immigrant network busted in Slovakia

Slovak police destroyed a network for illegal immigration during an operation on Tuesday, reports from the Slovak capital of Bratislava said Wednesday.

About 240 police officers participated in the operation to break the network suspected of bringing illegal immigrants into neighboring Austria and the Czech Republic, said Slovak Interior Minister Vladimir Palko.

He added that 28 suspects have been accused of running the network, whose members pocketed around 150,000 US dollars in total from their "clients" from Asian countries.

Last year, more than 8,340 illegal immigrants were detained and 272 of their escorts were arrested in Slovakia.

Nov. 30 , 2005

Tuesday

Wednesday

Last year


AFP_ENG_20061214.0348

YOKOHAMA, Japan, Dec 14 , 2006, 2006

Club World Cup result: Barcelona 4 Club America 0

Result from the FIFA Club World Cup football tournament on Thursday:

Semi-final

Barcelona (ESP) 4 (Gudjohnsen 11, Marquez 30, Ronaldinho 65, Deco 85) Club America (MEX) 0

Teams

Barcelona: Victor Valdes, Motta (Xavi 61), Rafael Marquez, Carlos Puyol (capt), Eidur Gudjohnsen (Ezquerro 66), Ludovic Giuly (Belletti 74), Ronaldinho, Gianluca Zambrotta, Giovanni van Bronckhorst, Deco, Andres Iniesta

Club America

Guillermo Ochoa, Jose Antonio Castro, Oscar Rojas, Duilio Davino (capt), Claudio Lopez (Matias Vuoso 74), Salvador Cabanas (Cuauhtemoc Blanco 45), Fabiano Pereira (Raul Alvin Mendoza 74), Ricardo Rojas, German Villa, Alejandro Arguello, Nelson Cuevas

Yellow cards: Claudio Lopez, Fabiano Pereira

Referee: Oscar Ruiz (COL)

Assistant referees: Wilson Berrio (COL), Rafael Yanez (VEN)

Fourth official: Jerome Damon (RSA)

Attendance: 62,316

Dec 14 , 2006

Thursday


AFP_ENG_19970413.0309

KINSHASA, April 13 , 1997 (AFP)

Japanese begin evacuating from Kinshasa

Six Japanese left Kinshasa Sunday as part of an evacuation called for by the Japanese embassy, embassy charge d'affaire Seromi Okamoto said.

The six, five women and a child, left by ferry across the Zaire river to the Congolese capital Brazzaville. The women were all married to Zaireans.

Okamoto said the embassy had called for the evacuation since Japan did not have troops in the region to rescue its nationals in case of emergency.

The situation is increasingly tense as rebels have said they will be in Kinshasa before June and the government has been cracking down on opposition protests in the capital.

It was apparently the first time in the Zairean crisis that an embassy has urged all its nationals to leave the country.

A Chinese woman Catherine Chan evacuated with the Japanese told reporters: "Yeah, we're afraid. We're frightened. We don't know what will happen.

"The situation really is deteriorating every day," she said.

There were a total of 39 Japanese in Zaire, not counting the five embassy staff in Kinshasa, when the embassy on April 4 urged all Japanese to leave who did not have business in Zaire, Okamoto said.

But three days ago Japanese were advised to leave the country, without any conditions being attached.

Eleven Japanese -- including two children -- are still in Zaire and have refused to leave. Okamoto said there were two Japanese Catholic nuns in Kinshasa and four Catholic nuns elsewhere in Zaire.

Five diplomats, all male, also remain.

US ambassador Daniel Simposon said there was no heightened readiness at the US embassy for an evacuation.

Belgium, Britain, France and the United States have troops in the neighboring Congolese capital of Brazzaville, ready to evacuate their nationals if necessary.

April 13 , 1997

Sunday

June

every day

April 4

three days ago


XIN_ENG_20051129.0185

ANKARA, Nov. 29 , 2005 (Xinhua)

Three Turkish aid workers injured in fire in Pakistan

Three Turkish engineers, who came to Pakistan to aid earthquake victims, were injured in a fire that broke out in their tent on Tuesday, the semi-official Anatolia news agency reported.

The report said the three were injured when their heating equipment suddenly caught flame, which set their tent on fire in the northwestern town Balakot which was largely flattened by the 7, 9-magnitude quake on Oct. 8.

Turkish Prime Ministry Emergency Management Directorate was quoted by Anatolia as saying that a military airplane would leave for Pakistan later on Tuesday and bring the three wounded engineers to Ankara for medical treatment at the Gulhane Military Hospital.

A powerful earthquake hit northern Pakistan on Oct. 8, killing more than 73,000 people and leaving three million homeless in the country.

Turkey is among the first batch of countries to offer aid to the quake-stricken Pakistan and has pledged to donate 150 million US dollars.

Nov. 29 , 2005

Tuesday

Oct. 8

Tuesday

Oct. 8


AFP_ENG_20061201.0444

CAIRO, Dec 1 , 2006, 2006

Egypt detains 10 suspected French Islamists

Egyptian security services have been holding 10 suspected French Islamists for the past 10 days, security sources said Friday.

Eight were picked up in Medinet Nasr, a northeastern suburb of the capital, and the other two in the second city of Alexandria, French diplomatic sources confirmed.

There was no immediate word on the basis of the suspects' arrest beyond their alleged involvement in militant Islam.

Dec 1 , 2006

the past 10 days

Friday


XIN_ENG_20061127.0475

MANILA, Nov. 28 , 2006 (Xinhua)

Tropical storm Durian threatens to enter Philippines

Tropical storm Durian has entered the Philippines' area of responsibility and is threatening to reach Metro Manila by Friday, local weather bureau PAGASA said Tuesday.

As of 10:00 a.m. local time (02:00 GMT), Durian was spotted 870 kilometers east of Samar, central Philippines, with maximum sustained winds of 95 kilometers per hour (kph) near the eye, and gusts of up to 120 kph, said PAGASA.

The storm is moving in the west direction with a speed of 26 kph, it said.

The storm is expected to reach 350 kilometers east of Samar by Wednesday morning and the vicinity of the east-central province of Catanduanes by Thursday morning. It is expected to reach the vicinity of Metro Manila by Friday morning.

Typhoon Xangsane hit Metro Manila and southern Luzon two months ago, killing at least 200 and destroying billions of pesos of properties and infrastructures. Another typhoon, Cimaron, hit the northern part of the country one month ago, killing a dozen people.

Nov. 28 , 2006

Friday

Tuesday

Wednesday morning

Thursday morning

Friday morning

two months ago

one month ago


XIN_ENG_20051101.0367

PARIS, Nov. 2 , 2005 (Xinhua)

Tension mounts in troubled Paris suburbs

The violence which has plagued the Paris suburbs since Thursday spread to several other departments ringing the French capital overnight, with many cars set ablaze, French authorities said Wednesday.

According to Paris police officials, many cars have been set ablaze in cities of the five satellite departments ringing Paris overnight. Throughout the Seine-Saint-Denis area, some 60 vehicles have been torched.

In Sevran and Aulnay-sous-Bois, young people threw rocks at police besides setting cars on fire, while police fired flaring shots in return on Tuesday, officials said.

Police have also reported sporadic incidents involving "very mobile" groups of youths in Val-d'Oise to the north of the capital, Seine-et-Marne to the southeast, and Hauts-de-Seine and Yvelines to the northeast.

More than 150 fires have been reported overnight, most of which were caused by burning cars and garbage cans, according to the police.

Many Parisians believe the troubles were triggered by the deaths of two teenagers in Clichy-sous-Bois on Thursday. The boys were electrocuted in a power substation where they hid to escape police officers who they thought were chasing them. A third boy was injured but survived.

Unrest followed as hundreds of angry young people took to the streets, setting garbage cans and cars ablaze and clashing with police. They also organized large-scale demonstrations in the following days against the police and the authority.

Clichy-sous-Bois is in the suburbs that ring France's big cities and home to immigrants often from Muslim North Africa. Its soaring unemployment and alleged discrimination against these immigrants have aroused great dissatisfaction.

Local people are blaming the tension on the police's rough ways in pursuing suspects and dealing with the unrest, saying they smack of racial discrimination.

On Sunday night, a tear gas grenade believed by the locals to be thrown by police landed in the Clichy-sous-Bois mosque, arousing more anger and resulting in arrests.

In a bid to end the rioting, Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin met Tuesday night with the parents of the three boys and ordered a thorough investigation into the matter, while calling on people to stay calm.

Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy went to Clichy-sous-Bois on Tuesday to discuss a solution to the current unrest.

Despite these efforts, violence continued in other cities in the province and other suburb provinces around Paris.

Nov. 2 , 2005

Thursday

Wednesday

Tuesday

Thursday

the following days

Sunday night

Tuesday night

Tuesday


AFP_ENG_19970402.0689

SYDNEY, April 3 , 1997 (AFP)

Australia's Westpac in 1.4 billion dollar merger with regional bank

Australia's Westpac Banking Corp. Thursday announced a billion dollar bid to merge with the regional Bank of Melbourne Ltd (BML).

"This announcement is a significant milestone in our aim of being the best in Australia and New Zealand," Westpac managing director Robert Joss said.

Westpac has valued the Victorian state banking group at 1.435 billion Australian dollars (1.13 billion US) and launched a 9.75 dollars a share bid.

"This merger reinforces our regional approach and takes the bank well down a path where we now have a critical share in each of our major customers," Joss said.

Analysts said the Westpac bid was fully priced and pitched about 2.6 times net tangible assets, reflecting the value of BML to Westpac.

"Bank of Melbourne is a very attractive asset; it's a very, very efficiently run bank with a very strong local franchise." Shaw Stockbroking's Anusha Srinivasan said.

"As far as Westpac is concerned it strengthens them in Victoria where they've been the weakest of the four (major Australian banks)."

Under the merger, BML and the Victorian retail operations of Westpac would be combined. The merged operation would trade in Victoria under the BML name.

The Westpac brand would continue in the large corporate, commercial and institutional markets.

The merger proposal is subject to necessary regulatory consents and BML shareholder approval.

BML chairman Chris Stewart will join the Westpac board while Westpac managing director Robert Joss and another senior Westpac executive will join the BML board.

"The directors of the Bank of Melbourne believe the merger proposal is very attractive and recognises the strong position that the Bank of Melbourne has achieved in the Victorian market," Stewart said.

Until the merger is approved both BML and Westpac will trade as usual.

Stewart admitted there would be bank closures and job loses arising from the merger.

"There are 360 branches between Westpac and Bank of Melbourne in Victoria and we may end up with two hundred and something," he said.

Treasurer Peter Costello, meanwhile, said the government would not approve any bank mergers before the government announced its response to an inquiry into Australia's financial system.

He said he would have to personally approve any bank mergers, and the Westpac/BML deal would not receive any priority.

"No priority will be given to applications which seek to anticipate that announcement," Costello told reporters.

Analysts say the (Wallis) inquiry is expected to recommend ways to enhance competition and improve regulation.

It has examined whether the government should retain its policy which keeps Australia's six largest finanical institutions -- four major banks and two major insurance houses -- separate from each other.

The report was expected to be with Cabinet next week, Costello said.

BML shareholders are expected to vote on the merger proposal in June.

Analysts said shareholders were certain to embrace the offer with the only hurdle being approval from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.

BML shares surged 95 cents, or 9.9 percent, in early trade to an all- time high of 9.75 dollars following news of the bid.

Westpac shares fell 7.3 cents, or 1.0 percent, to 6.80 dollars.

April 3 , 1997

Thursday

now

next week

June


AFP_ENG_20051221.0053

LONDON, Dec 21 , 2005

European stocks rise at open: FTSE 100 up 0.34 percent

European stock markets climbed in opening deals on Wednesday, with London's FTSE 100 index up 0.34 percent at 5,566.8 points.

Frankfurt's DAX 30 index rose 0.2 percent to 5,367.8 points and in Paris the CAC 40 gained 0.12 percent to 4,709.1.

Dec 21 , 2005

Wednesday