PRI19980306.2000.1675
 NEWS STORY

 For The World, this is Pamela McCall in the BBC news room in London.
 More heavy gunfire in the Serbian province of Kosovo. It's the second day
 of an offensive by the security forces against villages populated by ethnic
 Albanians. BBC correspondent Karyn Coleman reports from Kosovo.

 There were more accounts of people fleeing from the villages near where the
 offensive  was taking place. They were too afraid  to stay, fearing the
 forces may  also move their operations further afield. By mid afternoon,
 official Serb sources  were saying the operation was over, but
 that has not  yet been confirmed from Belgrade, the capital of Serbia,
 which is where the whole attack  is thought  to  have been planned. The ethnic
 Albanians here in Kosovo  are  considerably worried about the future and
 fear they  are witnessing the beginnings of a much wider conflict.
 Karyn Coleman, BBC news, Pristina.

the second day

mid afternoon

the future


AFP_ENG_19970422.0442

WASHINGTON, April 22 , 1997 (AFP)

"President" Marsalis would make Mardi Gras national holiday

Pulitzer Prize-winning jazz trumpeter Wynton Marsalis, responding to George magazine's "If I were president" questionnaire, says he would bring a sense of rhythm to the White House.

"The people would never see me clapping on one and three," he says when asked to name a reason to elect him.

His first official act would be to make Mardi Gras "a national celebration."

"I'd also have a big computer called the Match Maker, with everybody's name in it. You could call it up and find your perfect match," he said.

His running mate would be TV talk show host Oprah Winfrey, and his closest adviser would be Danny Sheridan, the oddsmaker.

April 22 , 1997


AFP_ENG_20061218.0090

BEIJING, Dec 18 , 2006, 2006

ATTENTION - ADDS background, quotes ///

North Korea insisted Monday that UN sanctions imposed after its nuclear test must be lifted before it would discuss dismantling its nuclear programs, according to a source present at the six-nation talks with Pyongyang.

North Korea's chief delegate to the talks, Kim Kye-Gwan, also said in his keynote address that US financial sanctions imposed last year on the Stalinist state on allegations of money laundering must also be removed before talks on disarmament could begin.

"The North Koreans said they would take measures to keep strengthening their nuclear deterrent as long as sanctions and pressure continues to exist," the source said.

The six-nation talks resumed after a 13 month break with Kim repeating a list of his nation's long-standing demands and said Pyongyang was "satisfied" with having nuclear weapons, a South Korean official told reporters earlier.

North Korea pulled out of the talks in November last year in protest at US financial sanctions and then stunned the world with its first ever nuclear test on October 9.

The talks bring together China, the two Koreas, the United States, Japan and Russia.

The speech by Kim, North Korea's vice foreign minister, represented a shopping list of long-standing North Korean demands with no new offers, the South Korean official said.

"They (North Koreans) presented a maximum list of their demands. It was like a summary of all of their previous demands," the official said.

Dec 18 , 2006

Monday

last year

13 month

November last year

October 9


XIN_ENG_20061129.0389

KAMPALA, Nov. 29 , 2006 (Xinhua)

UNICEF warns of escalating violence in northeastern Uganda

The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has warned of increasing violence in northeastern Uganda, noting the violence could have a lasting impact on the civilians, especially children.

The UNICEF said in a statement issued here on Wednesday that the violence in areas of northern Kotido district linked to the ongoing disarmament exercise of armed warriors by the Ugandan military could pose both short and long term effects on the children due to sustained exposure to violence.

"Violence can keep children out of school and rob them of the chance to fulfill their potential. Multiplied many times over, violence robs the community of its potential for development," said Martin Mogwanja, the UNICEF representative in Uganda.

The UN's agency again called for restraint of all arms carriers in the region to avoid further escalation of insecurity and to minimize the impact of innocent civilians, especially on the lives of children and families.

Of late the Ugandan military has been carrying out lethal offensives against armed warriors following several attacks by the warriors on the military and civilians.

The latest reports from UN staff in the area confirm that 13 women and nine children have died in connection with the ongoing disarmament operations in the past month.

Following the increasing mayhem in the region, UNICEF, through CARITAS and the Church of Uganda and in coordination with district authorities, has provided emergency humanitarian support in the form of non-food items and first-aid kits to displaced persons in Kotido District.

The UNICEF also supported OXFAM to provide emergency water and sanitation services to provide relief to approximately 1,500 people.

"There must be a redoubling of efforts to enable all children and women in Uganda to have unhindered access to protection, as well as health, education, safe water, shelter and other essential services," said Mogwanja.

The Ugandan military embarked on the disarmament exercise in the region in 2001, following the continued cattle rustling by the warriors.

Since the exercise was launched the military has so far collected over 10,000 guns out of the estimated amount of 40,000 illegal weapons scattered in northeastern Uganda.

Nov. 29 , 2006

Wednesday

the past month


XIN_ENG_20061115.0132

CAIRO, Nov. 15 , 2006 (Xinhua)

Mubarak, Abbas hold talks on Mideast peace process

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak Wednesday held talks with visiting Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on the latest developments in the Palestinian territories and efforts to form a Palestinian national unity government, the official MENA news agency reported.

The two leaders also dealt with efforts to revive the stalled Palestinian-Israeli peace track and halt repeated Israeli attacks on the Palestinians, MENA said.

According to Egyptian presidential spokesman Suleiman Awad, Mubarak expressed support to Abbas as leader of the Palestinian National Authority and support for efforts to form a Palestinian national unity government and revive the peace march.

Mubarak said that Egypt hoped the coming period would witness the formation of a Palestinian national unity which will help reactivate the peace process and end sufferings of the Palestinians, according to Awad.

Abbas arrived in Cairo on Tuesday to brief Mubarak on the latest developments of the ongoing consultations to form such a government, the spokesman said.

Palestinian officials said that Abbas' Fatah movement has reached an initial deal with the Islamic Resistance Movement ( Hamas) on portfolios of a new coalition government.

Broader talks among all Palestinian factions on forming a national unity government are expected to start early next week.

Hamas, bent on Israel's destruction, formed a government in late March. But a boycott by Israel, Europe and the United States has caused political and economic crises in the Palestinian territories.

Nov. 15 , 2006

Wednesday

Tuesday

early next week

late March


XIN_ENG_20051110.0295

WASHINGTON, Nov. 10 , 2005 (Xinhua)

US rates on 30-year mortgages rise to highest level in over two years

Rates on 30-year mortgages in the United States increased this week to the highest level in more than two years, mortgage company Freddie Mac reported Thursday in its weekly nationwide survey.

In the week ending Nov. 10, rates on 30-year, fixed-rate mortgages averaged 6.36 percent, up from 6.31 percent last week, the survey showed. That was the highest level since 30-year mortgages were at 6.44 percent in early September 2003.

This week's rates on 15-year, fixed-rate mortgages, a popular choice for refinancing a home mortgage, averaged 5.89 percent, up from 5.85 percent last week.

The survey also found that rates on one-year adjustable rate mortgages(ARMs) rose to 5.12 percent this week from 5.09 percent last week. Rates on five-year hybrid adjustable rate mortgages nudged up to 5.81 percent from 5.76 percent.

A year ago, 30-year mortgages averaged 5.76 percent, 15-year mortgages were at 5.16 percent and one-year ARMs averaged 4.16 percent. Freddie Mac began tracking on the five-year ARMs this year.

The increases in mortgage rates this week came as financial markets grew more concerned about inflation, according to analysts.

"News that wages grew faster than had been expected in October reinforced fears of inflation in the financial markets and that bumped up interest rates again this week," Freddie Mac's chief economist Frank Nothaft said.

Nov. 10 , 2005

this week

more than two years

Thursday

the week

Nov. 10

last week

early September 2003

This week

last week

this week

last week

A year ago

this year

this week

October

this week


XIN_ENG_20061109.0015

BEIJING, Nov. 9 , 2006 (Xinhua)

30 pct

The net profit of China's listed companies is expected to grow by more than 30 percent year on year in 2006, according to Peng Yan, economist with Guotai Junan Securities.

China's listed companies in the first three quarters this year saw growth of about 21 percent in net profits, two percent higher than that of the revenues of their major operations.

Analysts say the figures reflect the companies' tighter cost controls which grew 9.93 percent in the first three quarters, 1.22 percentage points higher than the same period last year.

"The performance of the listed companies is expected to grow steadily in next two or three years to reflect the less cyclic fluctuations of the micro economy and the businesses," said Peng.

Statistics with the China Merchants Securities show the profit margin declined steadily from 22.11 percent in 2002 to 17.69 percent in the first three quarters this year, 5.14 percent lower than the same period last year.

Nov. 9 , 2006

the first three quarters this year

the first three quarters

last year

next two or three years

this year

last year


XIN_ENG_20051111.0228

LUANDA, Nov. 11 , 2005 (Xinhua)

Portuguese-speaking countries discuss political tensions in Guinea-Bissau

Presidents of five Portuguese- speaking countries have held discussions in the Angolan capital on the simmering political tensions in Guinea-Bissau.

The meeting took place Thursday night on the sidelines of celebrations marking the 30th anniversary of Angola's independence from Portugal on Friday.

According to reports quoting diplomatic sources, the unscheduled gathering lasting more than one hour focused on issues related to the consolidation of democracy and economic development in Guinea-Bissau.

Besides Guinea-Bissau's newly elected president, Joao Bernardo "Nino'' Vieira, other participants were Presidents Jorge Sampaio of Portugal, Jose Eduardo dos Santos of Angola, Pedro Pires of Cape Verde and Fradique de Menezes of Sao Tome and Principe.

Representatives of the Brazilian, Mozambican and East Timorese presidents, who are not attending the Angolan festivities, also took part in the talks that ended without any public statement.

The eight nations make up the Community of Portuguese-speaking Countries that is headquartered in Lisbon.

Meanwhile in Bissau, the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC) which Vieira dismissed from government on October 28 reiterated its charges that the country's new government was "illegal" and "unconstitutional."

The PAIGC party is loyal to former prime minister Carlos Gomes Junior, whom Vieira sacked also on October 28.

According to sources from Bissau, the PAIGC would continue to challenge the legitimacy of the new government of Prime Minister Aristides Gomes, a PAIGC dissident who was suspended from party functions last May for backing Vieira's successful presidential election bid, before the Supreme Court and in parliament.

Nov. 11 , 2005

Thursday night

Friday

October 28

October 28

last May


AFP_ENG_19970421.0048

DHAKA, April 21 , 1997 (AFP)

Trial of alleged Bangladesh 1975 coup plotters to open

The trial of the alleged plotters of a 1975 coup in which Bangladesh's founding leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was killed was set to open Monday in a tightly guarded courthouse, officials said.

District and Session Judge Kazi Golam Rasul are hear witnesses to the killing of Sheikh Mujib, slain with most of his family in the August 15, 1975 putsch.

The case was reopened last year after the election victory of Rahman's daughter, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wajed, who led his Awami League party back to power last June for the first time since the coup.

Past laws granting amnesties to those accused of involvement in the coup have been repealed to allow the trial to go ahead.

Riot police were deployed around the court inside the Dhaka Central Jail ahead of the opening of the hearing. Only reporters and lawyers were allowed inside after a police security check.

Twenty people have been indicted in the case under Bangladesh's penal code, but only six will be present at the trial. Of those five are in jail and one out on bail, while the remaining 14 are still on the run.

The arrests were made soon after Sheikh Hasina's election victory last year.

Sheikh Hasina and her younger sister Sheikh Rehana were abroad at the time of the coup and are the only surviving members of the former first family.

Political analysts have said the coup was a conspiracy by a small group of army officials and a few right-leaning politicians.

They wanted to establish a rightist administration close to the Islamic world by overthrowing the secular and centrist Awami League government of Sheikh Mujib, analysts say.

In November 1996, parliament scrapped an indemnity act which until then had protected the alleged coup plotters from legal action. They had been given diplomatic assignments by successive governments to protect them abroad.

April 21 , 1997

Monday

August 15, 1975

last year

last June

last year

November 1996


AFP_ENG_20061229.0165

MOSCOW, Dec 29 , 2006, 2006

ATTENTION - UPDATES on talks ///

Belarus dispatched a senior energy official Friday to Moscow to join talks on defusing a row over Russian natural gas imports that threatened to disrupt energy supplies to the European Union from Monday.

"An additional delegation is flying to Moscow, headed by Eduard Tovpenets, first deputy energy minister," Andrei Zhukov, an aide to Belarus' energy minister, told AFP in Minsk. "We are flying to reach final agreement. I think the issue will be resolved."

Russian state gas monopoly Gazprom is threatening to switch off natural gas supplies to Belarus at 10:00 am (0700 GMT) Monday, New Year's day, if the ex-Soviet republic fails to agree to a more than doubling of price.

Belarus, which lies between Russia and the European Union, threatens to retaliate by refusing to allow transit of Russian gas to Europe, potentially hitting supplies in Germany, Lithuania and Poland.

Belarus says that without a contract for its own supplies, there can be no contract on transit.

Gazprom vice-president Alexander Medvedev told France's Le Figaro daily on Friday that this amounted to "grotesque blackmail" and warned that European clients could face shortfalls.

Although daily talks have so far ended without compromise, both sides on Friday expressed cautious optimism as Gazprom executives in Moscow met with Dmitry Kazakov, the head of Belarus' gas pipeline company Beltstransgaz.

The situation is "tense, but there is still a chance, of course," Gazprom spokesman Sergei Kupriyanov said.

If no deal is struck, the stage will be set for a New Year's crisis similar to a cut-off of Russian gas 12 months ago to Ukraine during a similar pricing dispute, with knock-on effects through western Europe.

Gazprom insists that its price increases -- already imposed on Ukraine, Georgia, and Moldova -- are part of a legitimate move to end Soviet-era subsidies and charge accepted international rates.

However the Kremlin-connected gas giant's rough tactics against Russia's smaller neighbours has damaged Moscow's image abroad and caused alarm in Europe about what the European Union sees as overreliance on Russian energy supplies.

The EU Commission says it is following the situation "very closely" and has called for a rapid settlement.

Belarus serves as the transit point for roughly 20 percent of Russian gas flowing to Europe, amounting to about five percent of Europe's total gas needs. The other 80 percent of westward Russian exports are piped via Ukraine.

Ukraine announced on Thursday its readiness to increase the transit of Russian gas through its territory in case of possible disruptions on the Belarus route.

"We could increase transit with the volume needed to ensure stable functioning of the economies of our European neighbours," Ukraine's Energy Minister Yury Boyko said.

Currently, Belarus pays Gazprom 46.68 dollars per 1,000 cubic metres of gas.

Gazprom originally demanded an increase to 200 dollars, which is closer to western European prices, unless Belarus agreed to sell 50 percent of its domestic pipeline operator Beltransgaz.

Gazprom has since reduced that demand to 105 dollars per 1,000 cubic metres -- 75 dollars per 1,000 cubic metres in cash payments, plus the equivalent of another 30 dollars in shares of Beltransgaz.

Dec 29 , 2006

Friday

Monday

Monday

Friday

Friday

12 months ago

Thursday


AFP_ENG_20061216.0295

GAZA CITY, Dec 16 , 2006, 2006

ATTENTION - UPDATES toll, ADDS details, color ///

At least 13 Palestinians were wounded in the Gaza Strip as supporters of the ruling Hamas movement and the rival Fatah faction traded fire during protests over president Mahmud Abbas's call for early elections, medics and witnesses said.

The clashes followed Abbas's call for early presidential and parliamentary elections as a way to resolve a months-long standoff with the ruling Hamas movement, which has left the Palestinian administration paralyzed and broke.

Hamas has rejected Abbas's call for elections, warning that it amounted to a call for "civil war" and vowed to fight the measure by bringing its supporters into the streets.

Thousands of armed Hamas and Fatah supporters staged competing protests in central Gaza City late Saturday. Demonstrations were also underway in the south and the north of the coastal strip. Several smaller protests were also staged in the occupied West Bank.

"Oh, Abu Mazen, oh spy!" chanted Hamas supporters, some of them masked and carrying the green flags of the Islamist movement and portraits of prime minister Ismail Haniya, in Gaza City. "No, a hundred times not to early elections!"

"Abu Mazen's call is a provocation and a coup d'etat against legitimacy and democracy," a Hamas spokesman, Ismail Radwan, cried to the crowd, referring to Abbas by his widely-used monicker.

"The government is not responsible for the boycott" of the international community, he said.

The West, which considers Hamas a terrorist organization, froze all direct aid to the Palestinian government after the Islamists formed a cabinet in March, and is demanding that the movement recognize Israel, renounce violence and agree to past peace deals for the badly-needed funds to resume.

"We will neither recognize Israel nor the (peace) agreements," Radwan cried. "We demand a return to the negotiations table" to form a government of national unity.

In calling for early elections, Abbas left the door open to forming a coalition government with Hamas and avoiding the polls.

Abbas's call came after a week of rising tensions and violence between his Fatah party and Hamas, and followed the collapse of months-long talks on forming a national unity government.

Dec 16 , 2006

late Saturday

March

a week


XIN_ENG_20051122.0239

ATHENS, Nov. 22 , 2005 (Xinhua)

Greece's top athletes sworn in as armed forces officers

Greek athletes, who finished in the top eight of their event in the 2004 Olympic Games or in world championships, were sworn in as officers of the three branches of the Greek Armed Forces in a ceremony held at the War Museum amphitheatre on Tuesday.

An honorary officer's post and salary is traditionally given to all top athletes that get medals or finish up to eighth place in major international competition.

Attending the swearing-in ceremony were Alternate Culture Minister Fani Palli-Petralia, Deputy Defence Minister Vassilis Mihaloliakos, the leadership of the armed forces and friends and relatives of the athletes.

Nov. 22 , 2005

Tuesday


XIN_ENG_20051129.0096

DHAKA, Nov. 29 , 2005 (Xinhua)

Countrywide hartal called in Bangladesh to protest against court bombings

A countrywide dawn-to-dusk hartal for Thursday was called in Bangladesh to protest against Tuesday's court bombings simultaneously in southeastern Chittagong and northeastern Gazipur by Islamic militant outfit, killing at least seven and injuring scores.

According to private news agency UNB, the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA), led by its President Mahbubey Alam, announced the hartal after holding an emergency general meeting at the Supreme Court Tuesday noon.

They sought support of all classes of people, including political parties and civil society, to Thursday's hartal.

A suicide bomber of Islamist outfit Jamaatul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) led the bomb attack near a police check-post at Chittagong court building at about 9:05 a.m. (3:05 GMT) Tuesday, killing the bomber and two policemen, and injuring 16 others.

In another explosion thereafter at about 9:45 a.m. (GMT 3:45) at bar library on the Gazipur district court premises, four people were killed on the spot and 50 injured.

One of the four dead might be the suicide bomber, whose body was wrapped up with wire of bombs.

Agitated lawyers of different district bars boycotted courts in an instant protest against the bomb attacks in Chittagong and Gazipur.

Lawyers in Dhaka, Chittagong, Gazipur, Sylhet and other districts staged wildcat strike through boycott of courts and brought out protest march in the court compounds.

On Nov. 14, a JMB suicide squad bombed a court microbus in southern Jhalakati district, killing two senior assistant judges.

Earlier, the activists of the banned JMB staged serial bombings simultaneously at court and government establishments in 63 district headquarters on Aug. 17, leaving two people dead and hundreds wounded.

On Oct. 3, court bombings carried out by the militants in three districts left two people dead.

For last few days, the JMB, calling for establishment of Islamic rule replacing the man-made law, has been issuing warnings to judges and officials along with death threats if they failed to execute Islamic law in Bangladesh.

Nov. 29 , 2005

Thursday

Tuesday

Tuesday

Thursday

Tuesday

9:45 a.m.

(GMT 3:45

Nov. 14

Aug. 17

Oct. 3

last few days


AFP_ENG_20051206.0262

PRAGUE, Dec 6 , 2005

Czech President Klaus criticises British EU budget proposal

Czech President Vaclav Klaus lined up Tuesday with opponents of the British proposal for a European Union budget, saying that it had been drawn up "to the detriment of new countries" of the EU.

"The main thing is not that Tony Blair has put forward a proposal to cut the budget. The main thing is to what extent this share out of the budget ... is just," Klaus commented on a visit to Pardubice, 100 kilometers east of Prague.

"I think this has been rather been done to the detriment of new countries [of the EU] and this is not fair," he added.

Klaus's comments are much more critical of the British budget proposal than those of social democrat prime minister Jiri Paroubek. Paroubek said on Monday that the British proposal "was at least worth very good consideration."

The British proposal includes a reduced EU budget for the 2007-2013 period with a cut in the British rebate accompanied by a reduction in regional aid targeted at new member states.

Dec 6 , 2005

Tuesday

Monday


AFP_ENG_20061204.0057

JERUSALEM, Dec 4 , 2006, 2006

Israeli army told to avoid 'unnecessary friction' in West Bank

The Israeli army has been ordered to avoid "unneccessary friction" with the Palestinians while operating in the occupied West Bank, Deputy Defense Minister Ephraim Sneh said Monday.

"Instructions have been issued to avoid unnecessary frictions and to abstain from actions that could serve as a pretext" for Palestinian militants to break a tentative week-old truce between the Israelis and Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, Sneh told army radio.

Sneh said "the army has not always paid enough attention to avoid such frictions" in the past.

The statement came after 15 Palestinians were arrested overnight in the West Bank by the army on suspicion of belonging to armed groups.

Five people, including a 15-year-old boy throwing stones at Israeli tanks, have been killed in the West Bank since a fragile truce took effect between armed groups and Israeli forces in the Gaza Strip on November 26.

Sneh said the overnight arrests were aimed at preventing attacks and said the army would continue to operate in the West Bank "to prevent suicide attacks."

Palestinians want the truce to be extended to the occupied West Bank and on Sunday, the al-Aqsa Brigades, a group loosely affiliated with president Mahmud Abbas's Fatah party, gave Israel two weeks to enact such a measure or risk renewed rocket attacks from the Gaza Strip.

Under the terms of the truce, Israeli forces withdrew from Gaza and militants were supposed to stop firing rockets into the Jewish state from the coastal strip.

Although a handful of such rockets have been fired since in violation, without causing damage or casualties, the truce has held.

On Sunday Israel's security cabinet decided to continue a policy of restraint in the face of the violations, although Prime Minister Ehud Olmert warned that the policy could be scrapped if rocket fire continued.

Dec 4 , 2006

Monday

the past

November 26

Sunday

two weeks

Sunday


XIN_ENG_20051117.0349

CARACAS, Nov. 17 , 2005 (Xinhua)

FIFA to hold S.America soccer seminar

FIFA, the world soccer ruling body, will hold a seminar next week to educate South America's officials of the sport about how to use funds and facilities properly, local press said on Thursday.

Harold Mayne Nichols, the official representative of FIFA's president, will run the seminar in Venezuelan tourist resort Margarita from Tuesday to Wednesday during which officials from across South America will be taught how to make the best use of the funds provided for financial aid, sports facilities and high yielding centers across the continent.

Last month, FIFA officials inspected Margarita Island's High Yield Center; a training facility for the Venezuelan team, which received a donation from FIFA's Goal Project funding.

FIFA is paying the all the expenses of the 35 attendees to Margarita Island, so it can show off the High Yield Center, because it is a good example of what can be achieved if officials use funds properly, Mayne said.

Nov. 17 , 2005

next week

Thursday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Last month


WSJ891031-0006
 = 891031
 891031-0006.
 International Brief -- Ratners Group PLC:
@  British Jeweler's U.S. Unit
@  Agrees to Buy Weisfield's
 10/31/89
 WALL STREET JOURNAL (J)
 RATNY WEIS
 TENDER OFFERS, MERGERS, ACQUISITIONS (TNM)

   Ratners Group PLC's U.S. subsidiary has agreed to acquire jewelry retailer Weisfield's Inc. for $50 a share, or about $55 million.

   Weisfield's shares soared on the announcement yesterday, closing up $11 to close at $50 in national over-the-counter trading.

   Ratners and Weisfield's said they reached an agreement in principle for the acquisition of Weisfield's by Sterling Inc.

The companies said the acquisition is subject to a definitive agreement.
They said they expect the transaction to be completed by Dec. 15.

   Weisfield's, based in Seattle, Wash., currently operates 87 specialty jewelry stores in nine states.
In the fiscal year ended Jan. 31, the company reported sales of $59.5 million and pretax profit of $2.9 million.

   Ratners, which controls 25% of the British jewelry market, would increase the number of its U.S. stores to about 450 stores from 360.
It has said it hopes to control 5% of jewelry business in the U.S. by 1992; currently it controls about 2%.

yesterday

Dec. 15

the fiscal year

Jan. 31

currently


XIN_ENG_20061108.0232

JOHANNESBURG, Nov. 8 , 2006 (Xinhua)

S. Africa buries apartheid-era president amid calls for burying the past

South Africa on Wednesday held a high-profile funeral for late P.W. Botha, apartheid South Africa 's last hard-line president reviled for his regime's atrocity in the 1980s, amid calls for burying the bitter past for national reconciliation.

South African President Thabo Mbeki, as well as former president and Nobel peace prize winner F.W. de Klerk, attended a public memorial service for Botha, who died at 90 last week, in George, Western Cape.

But former president Nelson Mandela, who Botha kept in prison despite enormous international pressure to free him, as well as Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, who won the Nobel peace prize for his contribution to post-apartheid reconciliation, were unable to attend the funeral.

While mourners including a cabinet minister who served under Botha were packing the NG Mother Church in George, where the funeral service of Botha was held, a group of protesters gathered outside the gates of the church, the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) reported.

The protesters said they witnessed many atrocities under Botha' s rule, and they wanted to make sure that the former state president is buried. Security around the church remains tight, said the national broadcaster.

Botha was prime minister and then president from 1978 to 1989, and oversaw the murder and torture of thousands of black activists, army crackdowns and raids into neighboring countries that backed the anti-apartheid movement.

His death opened old wounds in South Africa, which is healing from the brutality of apartheid 12 years after the country, 80 percent of whose population are blacks, held the first democratic elections.

However, politicians gave him some credit for helping to pave the way for multiracial democracy.

In the late 1980s Botha initiated secret talks with the now ruling African National Congress (ANC), a bold step that ultimately led to the 1994 democratic elections, from which Mandela became the first black president.

After Botha's death, the government had ordered that flags at state institutions fly at half mast in honor of him and President Mbeki had offered condolences to his family. These were seen as the black government's efforts to achieve further reconciliation from the country's bitterly-divided past but it has also caused widespread resentment.

Nofatu Vywer, a protester, told SABC that Botha should be happy that he died of natural causes when many black families lost their loved ones.

"It seems it's the best day for us because some families don't have their families because of this big crocodile," Vywer said.

However, inside the church, the mourners were told that South Africans should bury the past to move towards national building and reconciliation.

Jordanian Christian missionary Dr. Bahjat Batarseh said at the funeral that having bitterness by remembering the past all the time was "like a worm that eats the root of a tree and then the tree collapses," according to the SAPA news agency.

"Bury the past or the past will bury you," Batarseh told the funeral, which was broadcast live on national television.

Nov. 8 , 2006

Wednesday

the 1980s

90 last week

12 years

the late

now


CNN_20130322_1003

March 22, 2013

New York man admits faking his death

 A New York man who was accused of faking his death last summer pleaded guilty to a conspiracy charge Thursday, Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice announced.

Raymond Roth, 48, of Massapequa, New York, was first reported missing in the waters off Jones Beach late last July by his 22-year-old son, Jonathan Roth. Several days into an extensive search involving multiple agencies, New York State Park Police said, authorities learned the missing man was in South Carolina, where he had been pulled over for speeding.

The day before Raymond Roth was pulled over, his wife, Evana, showed authorities e-mails she had discovered that appeared to detail a plan between him and his son to fake his death. Raymond Roth wanted his wife and son to collect at least $410,000 in life insurance benefits while he started a new life in Florida, Rice said.

State police arrested both men in early August on charges of insurance fraud, conspiracy and filing a false report. Raymond Roth on Thursday agreed to plead guilty to the conspiracy charge in exchange for a sentence of 90 days in jail and five years' probation, the district attorney's office said. He also must pay restitution for the cost of the search -- $27,445 to the U.S. Coast Guard and $9,109 to the Nassau County Police Department.

Evana Roth told CNN in August she thought her husband devised the plan after he was fired from his job in July. Her attorney, Lenard Leeds, said she had been unaware of the ruse before she uncovered the e-mail correspondence.

"There needs to be a way for me to find out how things are going. Call me Sunday night at 8 PM at the resort," Raymond Roth wrote in an e-mail to his son the day before the son reported him missing.

The son's case is still pending, the district attorney said. Jonathan Roth's attorney, Joey Jackson, defended his client after his arrest, saying, "There was abuse here, manipulation here, coercion here" from the father.

Raymond Roth's attorney, Brian Davis, denied in August that Roth had involved his son in the scheme.

"We had issues concerning the facts people had whether (Roth) had an agreement with his son," Davis told CNN on Thursday. "He's admitted it now. He's accepted responsibility."

Davis added that his client has been under treatment for bipolar disorder in recent weeks.

During plea negotiations, Raymond Roth asked the district attorney's office not to give his son jail time, Davis said.

On the advice of both their attorneys, father and son have not been in contact since their arrests, Davis said.

"He would like to straighten things out with (Jonathan) when the time comes," he said.

March 22, 2013

last summer

Thursday

late last July

Several days

The day

early August

Thursday

90 days

five years'

August

July

Sunday night

8 PM

the day

August

Thursday

now

recent weeks


XIN_ENG_20051108.0184

BEIJING, Nov. 8 , 2005 (Xinhua)

Beijing Declaration calls for use of more renewable energy

Ministers and government representatives from 78 countries on Tuesday called for urgent efforts to increase the global share of renewable energy in the total energy supply.

They made the call in the Beijing Declaration on Renewable Energy for Sustainable Development, adopted at the conclusion of the Beijing International Renewable Energy Conference 2005.

According to the declaration, increasing energy efficiency and the use of renewables boast multiple benefits.

The benefits include accelerating the eradication of poverty, increasing job opportunities, improving air quality and public health, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, combating climate change and enhancing energy security.

The declaration points out that the doubling of oil prices in less than two years has increased the economic risk of relying primarily on imported energy.

By developing renewable energy such as wind power, hydropower and solar energy, countries can create diversified energy portfolios that are less vulnerable to wide price fluctuations.

The document says that the participating countries have agreed to accelerate the research and development of renewable energy. They will also strengthen support for the transfer of technologies through North-South and South-South cooperation.

The developing countries will enhance capacity building, says the document, including establishing markets for renewable energy and increasing access to finance.

Nov. 8 , 2005

Tuesday

less than two years


AFP_ENG_19970407.0458

NOORDWIJK, Netherlands, April 7 , 1997 (AFP)

EU ministers make little progress on reform by Jean Burner

European Union foreign ministers made little progress on wide-ranging reform of Europe's institutions during a two-day meeting which ended Monday.

The lack of progress prompted German Foreign Minister Klaus Kinkel to say after the summit that there were "plenty of things which point to the need for a special summit on reform of the institutions" at the end of May.

Talks expected to take place in Maastricht on the Dutch-German border have been pencilled in for May 23.

They would be aimed at assessing whether it will be possible to reach a deal on revamping EU policies and institutions -- judged vital if the Union is to bring in up to 10 eastern European countries and Cyprus over the next decade -- in time for the Amsterdam summit on June 16-17.

That summit is due to wind-up the work of the long-running Intergovernmental Conference (IGC), launched at the Turin summit in March last year.

The May meeting would take place after the British general election on May 1, cited as one of the main reasons why so little progress was made here.

Ministers openly admitted here that progress in the negotiations was proving difficult because of the uncertainty created by the looming election.

Britain's current Conservative government stands alone among the 15 EU administrations in its across-the-board opposition to any reduction in the scope of national vetoes in policy decisions.

It is also isolated on plans to transfer responsibiilty on immigration, asylum and border policies and the fight against cross- border crime from national capitals to Brussels, its demands for the power of the European Court of Justice to be curtailed and in its fervent opposition to a common EU social policy.

EU diplomats are optimistic that if, as expected, Labour leader Tony Blair triumphs on May 1, Britain will adopt a more flexible approach.

But while Labour has committed itself to ending Britain's opt-out from EU social policy, the party has otherwise given few indications that it will radically change Britain's approach to Europe.

It also became clear here that Britain is far from being the only major obstacle to a deal being concluded at Amsterdam.

French Foreign Minister Herve de Charette insisted that Paris would not sign up for a new treaty unless the EU's executive arm, the commission, was reduced from 20 to between 10 and 12 members.

This is fiercely opposed by small EU states like Ireland and Luxembourg as it would mean some of them not having a commissioner. Although commissioners are supposed to act in the interests of Europe, countries regard them as an important voice in Brussels' corridors of power.

At present the five biggest countries have two commissioners (Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Spain) and the other 10 one each.

British foreign office minister David Davies said the big countries could not be expected to give up one of their commissioners without getting something in return.

"It is not just for large countries to make sacrifices," he said. If Britain lost a commissioner it would expect its remaining representative to have a bigger say in decisions or to be given one of the more important portfolios, he said.

"If we give up a commissioner that has to be reflected in some other way."

Britain, France and Germany also want voting in the EU Council of Ministers reweighted to bring it more into line with population sizes.

Under the present system, tiny Luxembourg has two votes for a population of 400,000 while Germany has 10 for a population of 79 million.

April 7 , 1997

Monday

the end of May

May 23

the next decade

June 16-17

March last year

May

May 1

May 1


XIN_ENG_20061123.0342

BRASILIA, Nov. 23 , 2006 (Xinhua)

Brazil arrests 33 for illegally exploiting land reservations

Brazil's Federal Police arrested 33 people in a joint operation with the Environment Agency on Thursday, and charged them with illegally exploiting indigenous people's land.

The detainees had taken part in illegal logging operations in Brazil's permanent reserves, and had occupied land reserved for the Kayabi, Mundukuru and Apiaka indigenous groups in the east-central state of Mato Grosso, the police said.

The indigenous reserves cover an area of nearly 1 million hectares, and were created in Oct. 2002 through a decree from the Justice Ministry.

The police began investigations in December 2005 following a request from the Federal Prosecution Office, and found that the illegal seizure of indigenous reserves became more frequent after the 2002 decree.

Up to now, 300,000 square km of indigenous reserves have been deforested and replaced by agriculture and cattle pastures.

Nov. 23 , 2006

Thursday

Oct. 2002

December 2005


XIN_ENG_20061101.0243

JINAN, Nov. 1 , 2006 (Xinhua)

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen visits east China

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen on Wednesday visited east China's Shandong Province.

He said it is great to pay a visit to the hometown of Confucius and he would like to see more enterprises from the province to invest in Cambodia.

Hun Sen made the remarks in a meeting with Zhang Gaoli, head of the Shandong provincial committee of the Communist Party of China.

Hun Sen said Shandong is the home to many great philosophers, mentors and strategists in ancient times and is now home to lots of big business tycoons.

Cambodia is looking forward to their investment, he added.

Zhang said Cambodia has developed rapidly under the leadership of Hun Sen.

Hun Sen visited the memorial temple, mansion and cemetery of Confucius in Qufu, a central city in Shandong and an agricultural hi-tech zone in Jinan, capital of Shandong.

The Cambodian prime minister arrived in Shandong on Tuesday after a commemorative summit on the 15th anniversary of China-ASEAN dialogue relations in Nanning, capital of south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

He will leave here on Thursday.

Nov. 1 , 2006

Wednesday

now

Tuesday

Thursday


XIN_ENG_20051114.0222

HANGZHOU, Nov. 14 , 2005 (Xinhua)

E. China city to hold 5th Forum on China Internet Media

The fifth Forum on China Internet Media is to open Tuesday in Hangzhou, capital city of east China's Zhejiang province, involving more than 200 officials and experts nationwide.

With the theme of 'Internet Media and Harmonious Society', the forum will include discussions on the development of China's Internet media, next-generation Internet technology and the application of Rich Media.

Officials and experts from the State Council Information Office, Ministry of Information Industry and the All-China Journalists Association, will attend the three-day forum together with the presidents of state-owned and commercial Internet media.

"The Internet media are bracing for the second surge of development. China-based Websites can only outdo their global competitors by providing high quality services," said Zhou Xisheng, president of the state-owned Xinhua Online.

Established in 2001, the annual forum is among the most authoritative and influential activities in China's Internet media industry.

Nov. 14 , 2005

Tuesday


XIN_ENG_20051130.0047

MACAO, Nov. 30 , 2005 (Xinhua)

Delegation of Shenzhou-6 space mission starts Macao tour

The delegation of Shenzhou-6 manned space mission arrived in Macao Wednesday for a three-day visit and academic exchange at the invitation of Edmund Ho Hau Wah, chief executive of the Macao Special Administrative Region (MSAR).

The 30-strong delegation, including taikonauts Fei Junlong and Nie Haisheng, disembarked the ferry jetboat at the Macao Ferry Terminal at noon.

A large crowd waving China's miniature national flags and MSAR flags welcomed the space heroes.

The taikonauts smiled, accepted bouquets, shook hands with fans and signed autographs.

The delegation was greeted by Wang Jinxiang, deputy director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the MSAR and Ao Man Long, secretary for transportation and public works.

During its stay, the delegation is to meet local students, give lectures and attend a grand evening gala hosted by the MSAR government.

Fei Junlong, 40, and Nie Haisheng, 41, went into space on Oct. 12 from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center and returned to Earth on Oct. 17. They conducted a series of unprecedented experiments on the spacecraft.

China's maiden space flight in 2003, conducted by taikonaut Yang Liwei, made the nation the third to put human into space following Russia and the United States.

Nov. 30 , 2005

Wednesday

Oct. 12

Oct. 17


XIN_ENG_20051110.0108

COLOMBO, Nov. 10 , 2005 (Xinhua)

Colombo stocks close down

Share prices on the Colombo Stock Exchange closed down Thursday with the key Colombo All Share Price Index moving down 18.12 points to close at 2438.67 points.

On the other hand, the highly capitalized Milanka Price Index lost 37.17 points to close at 3199.05 points.

A total turnover of 223 million rupee (2.23 million US dollars) was recorded during the day with a volume of 9.82 million shares being traded.

Nov. 10 , 2005

Thursday

the day


AFP_ENG_20061217.0397

LONDON, Dec 17 , 2006, 2006

Polonium that killed Litvinenko cost 10 million dollars: report

British detectives believe that the radioactive substance used to kill former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko cost in excess of 10 million dollars (7.6 million euros), The Times reported in an early edition of its Monday newspaper.

According to the newspaper, preliminary results from the post-mortem on Litvinenko's body have shown that he was given more than ten times the lethal dose of polonium-210, large quantities of which were found in his urine.

Litvinenko fell ill on November 1, and died on November 23. Several of his friends have blamed the Kremlin for the murder, but Russia has repeatedly denied that it had any involvement in the ex-spy's death.

"You can't buy this much off the internet or steal it from a laboratory without raising an alarm so the only two plausible explanations for the source are that it was obtained from a nuclear reactor or very well connected black market smugglers," an unidentified British security source told the daily.

United Nuclear Scientific Supplies, based in New Mexico and one of the few companies allowed to sell polonium-210 over the Internet, told The Times that it would take at least 15,000 units of the isotope to kill someone.

With each unit costing 69 dollars, that would mean that it would cost more than 10 million dollars to deliver the fatal dose, the newspaper said.

The Times also said that British detectives currently in Moscow continuing their investigation are due to return to Britain in the coming week.

According to The Times, citing unnamed security sources, Russian officials refused to ask questions of Andrei Lugovoi and Dmitri Kovtun -- both of whom met with Litvinenko on the day he fell ill -- which British detectives wanted answered.

They have not complained publicly, the newspaper added, because of the importance of the case to diplomatic relations between Britain and Russia.

When contacted by AFP, a spokeswoman for London's Metropolitan Police declined to comment on the investigation.

Dec 17 , 2006

Monday

November 1

November 23

the coming week

day


XIN_ENG_20051123.0281

BRUSSELS, Nov. 23 , 2005 (Xinhua)

Merkel says Germany still stands by EU constitution

New German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Wednesday that her country still stands by the European Union (EU) constitution after the charter was turned down by France and the Netherlands in referendums.

"We stand by the constitution. The pause for reflection is not an excuse for putting it aside," Merkel, who is in Brussels for a get-to-know-each-other tour, told reporters after brief talks with European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso.

She refused to take a stand on whether Britain should give up its annual rebate from the coffers of the EU, a focal issue blocking a long-term budget for the 25-nation bloc.

Asked what message she would send to Britain, who hold the EU's rotating presidency, during her trip to London on Thursday, Merkel said the rebate issue should be addressed together with other outstanding issues.

"We need to address concerns of everybody," she said. "My message will be I support an economically strong Europe,"she added.

Merkel pledged support for the work of the EU. She said her visit to Brussels is a signal of the German federal government to support European integration. "Whatever I can do, I will do," she said.

But she stressed that Europe needs economic reforms to keep itself competitive in a globalized world.

Barroso pledged to work closely with Merkel. "Europe needs a strong Germany, and we can do a lot for Europe together," he said.

Barroso also expressed the hope that Merkel can help persuade Britain in striking a deal on pricky issues like the 2007-13 EU budget.

"In the coming weeks, we will be discussing the financial perspective (the budget) ... The commitment and determination of the chancellor will help us convince the (EU) presidency," said Barroso in German.

He asked Britain to act, saying the key to many issues is in the hands of Britain. "There is a special responsibility for our UK friends," he said.

At an EU foreign ministers' meeting on Monday, British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said his country would present budget proposals shortly before an informal foreign ministers' meeting on Dec. 7. The last chance for a deal during Britain's EU presidency would be the mid-December EU summit in Brussels.

Budget talks are stuck as Britain conditions the cancellation of its annual rebate on something France is vehemently against -- cuts in EU's spending on farm subsidies, of which France is a major beneficiary.

Merkel, as his predecessors, Gerhard Schroeder and Helmut Kohl, chose France as destination of her first foreign trip, obviously in an attempt to emphasize the special ties between the two European giants.

In Brussels, before her meeting with Barroso, he visited the NATO headquarters and met NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer as well as European Parliament President Josep Borrell.

Nov. 23 , 2005

Wednesday

Thursday

coming weeks

Monday

Dec. 7


XIN_ENG_20051103.0088

HONG KONG, Nov. 3 , 2005 (Xinhua)

Hong Kong shares close almost flat -- Nov. 3

Hong Kong shares closed almost steady Thursday with blue-chip Hang Seng Index edged up 4.11 points, or 0.03 percent, to 14601.59 after trading between 14546. 88 and 14649.86 during the session.

Turnover totaled 14.94 billion HK dollars, little changed from 15.02 billion HK dollars Wednesday.

The HSI Property Index fell 0.4 percent Thursday to 17,707.61. New World Development dropped 1 percent to 9.65 HK dollars, Cheung Kong fell 0.5 percent to 81.75 HK dollars and Sino Land slipped 1. 2 percent to 8.60 HK dollars.

In contrast, HSBC gained 0.2 percent to 122.40 HK dollars and Hang Seng Bank rose 0.3 percent to 101.70 HK dollars,

PC maker Lenovo was the day's biggest blue-chip decliner, slumping 4.9 percent to 3.40 HK dollars on profit-taking and disappointment after the company said earlier this week its gross margins declined in its fiscal second quarter.

Nov. 3 , 2005

Thursday

Wednesday

Thursday

this week

fiscal second quarter


AFP_ENG_20061226.0239

PARIS, Dec 26 , 2006, 2006

English Premiership results

English Premiership results on Tuesday:
Chelsea 2 (Drogba 38, 72) Reading 2 (Lita 67, Essien 85-og)

Tottenham 2 (Defoe 58, 77) Aston Villa 1 (Barry 81)

West Ham 1 (Sheringham 81) Portsmouth 2 (Primus 16, 38)

Playing later (1500 GMT unless stated)

Manchester United v Wigan Athletic

Everton v Middlesbrough

Blackburn v Liverpool

Bolton v Newcastle

Sheffield United v Manchester City

Watford v Arsenal (1730)

Wednesday

Charlton v Fulham

Dec 26 , 2006

Tuesday:

Chelsea 2 (Drogba 38, 72


XIN_ENG_20061103.0165

JAKARTA, Nov. 3 , 2006 (Xinhua)

Africa's private equity funds drop in 2005

Africa's private equity funds drop in 2005

LUSAKA, Nov.3 (Xinhua) -- Total amounts of private equity funds raised in Africa and overall private equity investments on the continent both declined in 2005, The Post reported on Friday.

The Zambian newspaper quoted the African Venture Capital Association (AVCA) as reporting the amount of private equity funds dropped to 557 million U.S. dollars from 971.8 million dollars in 2004.

The level of overall private equity investment in Africa fell by 27 percent to 948.3 million dollars in 2005.

South Africa recorded the highest level of investment activity accounting for 81.6 percent of the total volume of investment.

Almost two thirds of funds raised were for later stage investment. Later stage funds raised 352.1 million dollars representing 63.2 percent of total funds raised in Africa, and early stage funds saw a significant decline in 2005.

Commenting on the research, Barbara James, AVCA managing director, said "whilst early stage investment has dominated the volume of investment activity in Africa in 2005, the amount of funds raised to focus on early stage has declined significantly. This highlights a growing funding gap, which we believe needs to be addressed to help sustain economic improvement in Africa."

Excluding South Africa, the total value of private equity investment in Africa increased by 50.4 percent to 174.6 million dollars.

Nov. 3 , 2006

Friday


AFP_ENG_19970407.0054

NEW DELHI, April 7 , 1997 (AFP)

Food for India's poor fed to cows: report

A retired Indian police officer has been caught feeding free food provided by the government for the rural poor to his cows, a newspaper reported Monday.

Government officials in the eastern state of Bihar made the discovery when they paid a surprise visit to the officer's village, The Statesman said.

Lakhan Lal Mishra, a voluntary activist, was quoted as saying food intended for village children and pregnant women was being sold illegally.

"We do not like this kind of misuse," one official said.

April 7 , 1997

Monday


AFP_ENG_19970404.0687

TOKYO, April 5 , 1997 (AFP)

Quake jolts southern Japan

A fairly strong earthquake measuring 4.9 on the Richter scale rocked southern Japan Saturday, the meteorological agency said.

There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage.

An agency official said the quake, which struck at 1:24 p.m. (0424 GMT), was believed to be an aftershock of a strong quake on March 26, which had a magnitude of 6.2, injured at least 20 people and caused landslides.

The epicenter of the quake was located in Kagoshima prefecture, the agency said.

April 5 , 1997

Saturday

March 26


XIN_ENG_20051101.0115

BEIJING, Nov. 1 , 2005 (Xinhua)

parliamentary guests

Xu Jialu, vice-chairman of the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress (NPC), met here Tuesday separately with Belgian Defence Minister Andre Flahaut and his party, and a delegation of Secretary Generals of Party Groups in European Parliament led by Vula Tsetsi.

The two groups of guests are invited by the Chinese Ministry of National Defense, and the International Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, respectively.

Nov. 1 , 2005

Tuesday


XIN_ENG_20061129.0386

KHARTOUM, Nov. 29 , 2006 (Xinhua)

regular meetings

The Conference of Sino-Arab Friendship concluded here on Wednesday with a decision of holding regular meetings on the Chinese-Arab relations every two years, the final communique of the conference said.

The communique also announced the establishment of the permanent secretariat of the Sino-Arab Friendship Conference in Khartoum under the sponsorship of the Arab League.

Ahammed Abdul Rahman, Secretary General of the Sudanese Association of World Peoples' Friendship, hailed the conference's decision of selecting Khartoum as the location of its permanent secretariat, describing the decision as "the pride of Sudan".

This year's conference also called for exchanging visits, holding exhibitions, conducting dialogue between China and the Arab countries and establishing sister twinship between the Chinese and Arab cities, universities and regions.

The next Sino-Arab Friendship Conference will be held in Syria, according to the communique.

Nov. 29 , 2006

Wednesday

every two years


AFP_ENG_19970429.0243

MANILA, April 29 , 1997 (AFP)

Manila confirms Chinese frigates in Spratlys

Three Chinese warships have entered territory claimed by the Philippines in the Spratly islands and Manila will file a diplomatic protest to Beijing, Press Secretary Hector Villanueva said Tuesday.

Armed forces chief General Arnulfo Acedera has reported to President Fidel Ramos that the warships were monitored near two South China Sea islands, he said in a statement.

China and the Philippine are among six countries which claim all or part of the Spratlys, which are believed to sit atop oil deposits and command strategic shipping lanes.

Acedera said a military reconaissance plane monitored the three Chinese frigates "in the immediate vicinity" of Kota and Panata islands, which are among eight islands occupied by Filipino troops in the South China Sea chain.

Villanueva said the frigate-type vessels, armed with deck guns, were sighted on April 25. The plane also discovered a "new hut-like structure" built on a reef six miles northeast of Kota island.

He did not say if this structure was manned by Chinese troops.

One of the vessels as "positively identified" as belonging to the Shuguang 04 class with bow number 427. It was "observed to be accompanied by two small fishing boats and was towing two other boats," Villanueva said.

Another vessel, with bow number 420, was identified as belonging to the Hai class, Villanueva said but did not give a description of the third vessel.

"The Department of Foreign Affairs is sending a diplomatic protest to its counterpart in Beijing and will inform its ASEAN counterparts of these developments," Villanueva said.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) groups Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. All but Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand are Spratly claimants. Taiwan also is a claimant.

Villanueva said Acedera has instructed the commander of the Western Command which covers the Spratlys "to undertake continous surveillance of the area."

April 29 , 1997

Tuesday

April 25


XIN_ENG_20061108.0309

KUWAIT CITY, Nov. 8 , 2006 (Xinhua)

Kuwait congratulates Margaret Chan nominated as next WHO chief

A senior Kuwaiti official congratulated on Wednesday the nomination of Dr. Margaret Chan, former health chief of China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, by the World Health Organization (WHO) as the next director-general.

Dharar Abdul-Razzak Razzooqi, head of the Kuwait mission to the United Nations in Geneva, told Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) that his country would support the work of Dr. Chan so that she could successfully fulfill her mandate.

Kazem Behbehani, a senior WHO official from Kuwait, also became one of the five finalists to run for the nomination, but he was eliminated in an earlier voting by the UN agency's decision-making body Executive Board.

"Though Dr. Behbehani did not come out as a winner in the final race, he had solicited the support of 28 countries out of 34 when the short list was chosen on Monday", Razzooqi was quoted as saying.

Margaret Chan's nomination on Wednesday came after four rounds of secret balloting by the UN agency's 34-nation Executive Board, during which four other heavyweight competitors were eliminated.

Chan, 59, joined the WHO in 2003 and has since been the agency' s top official for pandemic influenza, as well as the assistant director-general for communicable diseases.

Nov. 8 , 2006

Wednesday

Monday

Wednesday


AFP_ENG_20051210.0453

SANYA, China, Dec 11 , 2005

= (PICTURES) =

Iceland's Unnur Birna Vilhjalmsdottir began her year-long reign as Miss World 2005 on Sunday after beating 101 other girls in a global pageant staged in this sleepy resort town.

The 21-year-old Reykjavik student and daughter of Miss Iceland 1983 expressed delight and astonishment at winning the title and thanked her mother for her advice.

"It came as a big shock but the feeling is incredible -- I am numb," said the green-eyed brunette. "I did not hear my name at first. I just heard it echo around the room. I only knew it was me because nobody else moved.

"My mum gave me some advice for how to behave, and it seems to have worked," Vilhjalmsdottir said. "She told me to be myself, not be fake in any way, and to relax. I am so pleased that she was able to be here to see me win the title."

Vilhjalmsdottir will serve as a goodwill ambassador and charity fund-raiser for children's causes throughout next year and is likely to profit from a host of modelling and acting contracts.

Organisers said Saturday night's pageant, in its 55th edition, reached an estimated audience of two billion.

Runner-up was Miss Mexico Dafne Molina Lona, representing the Americas, while the third place went to Miss Puerto Rico Ingrid Marie Rivera Santos, representing the Caribbean zone.

Vilhjalmsdottir' mother Unnur Steinsson represented Iceland in 1983 and came in the top five in the global contest.

"I am just speechless," Steinsson said. "There are simply no words to describe my feelings right now. I am now totally beside myself with joy to see her as Miss World."

Vilhjalmsdottir is a student from Reykjavik who has interned as a policewoman during her summer holidays while studying anthropology and aspiring toward a career in law.

Winning the coveted title is likely to change her life, as she embarks on a rigorous year of charity appearances and advocating humanitarian causes.

"In the coming year I want to do just as much as I can to help," she said. "I would love to do what I can do for charity and for the children of the world."

Vilhjalmsdottir beat finalists from six zones, including Miss Italy Sofia Bruscoli, awarded the title of Miss South Europe, Miss Tanzania Nancy Abraham Sumary, who was named Miss Africa, and Miss Korea Eun-Young Oh, who was crowned Miss Asia Pacific.

The cherished title "Beauty With A Purpose" also went to Miss Korea, an award commemorating her humanitarian fund-raising and charity work.

Miss Russia Yulia Ivanova won the bathing suit section, while Miss America Virgin Islands Kmisha-Victoria Counts won the talent contest with her soul singing.

This year, for the first time, all nine judges were former Miss World title holders, including Miss World 1953 Denise Perrier Lanfranchi of France.

Vilhjalmsdottir takes over from Maria Julia Mantilla Garcia, who in a year of globetrotting visited tsunami-hit Banda Aceh in Indonesia as well as Russia, Tibet and her native Peru, where she worked to improve children's education.

Sanya, a quiet tropical resort on the southern tip of China's Hainan Island began holding the Miss World Pageant in 2003.

The venue of next year's contest has not yet been announced, but hopes here are that the event returns to this tropical island that is set to become booming China's top vacation spot.

Dec 11 , 2005

Sunday

next year

Saturday

now

rigorous year

the coming year

This year

a year

next year


XIN_ENG_20061110.0154

BANGKOK, Nov. 10 , 2006 (Xinhua)

ban lifted

Thailand's national security will remain under close surveillance following the revocation of the ban on political gatherings, Supreme Commander Boonsang Niempradit said on Friday.

The agencies responsible for security will continue to monitor the national situation closely because the nation's returning to stability will be the major reason the Council for National Security (CNS) to consider lifting martial law, the next move after agreeing to the proposed lifting of the ban on political gatherings.

The CNS and the interim government it installed revoked the No. 7 Announcement issued on September 20 by the military Council for Democratic Reform (CDR), now known as the CNS, which prohibited gatherings of over five people for political purposes. The National Legislative Assembly (NLA) unanimously voted to endorse lifting the ban when it convened on Thursday.

The supreme commander conceded that he was concerned over the national security after the political gatherings ban was lifted.

"Regarding the security issue, I must take care of it all the time. No matter in the past or present we can't forget about security," Boonsang said. "National security is the same as oxygen. When we're well, we don't think about it. But when we have trouble or lack oxygen, we realize that we badly need it."

As for the lifting of martial law imposed throughout the kingdom since the September 19 coup, Boonsang said he could not give a specific time when it will be revoked since the matter must be discussed and decided by various parties.

NLA Speaker Meechai Ruchuphan said that although the CDR Order No.7 has been revoked, political parties remain unable to perform their political activities because other two relevant announcements also issued by CDR, namely Orders No. 15, and No. 27 prohibiting political parties' political activities remain in effect.

"The revocation of the Order No.7 will allow only the general public to gather or talk politically but political activities carried out by political parties themselves or others supported by political parties are not allowed yet," the assembly speaker explained.

Nov. 10 , 2006

Friday

September 20

now

Thursday

September 19


AFP_ENG_20061224.0227

LOS ANGELES, Dec 24 , 2006, 2006

Schwarzenegger faces surgery to repair leg broken on ski slopes

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger faces surgery to repair his fractured leg, his office said Sunday, one day after the former action hero's Christmas holiday skiing accident.

"Saturday morning while skiing with his family in Sun Valley, Idaho, Governor Schwarzenegger suffered a fracture to his right femur," said Adam Mendelsohn, Schwarzenegger's Deputy Chief of Staff, in a statement.

"After the accident the governor was taken to a local hospital for x-rays and was soon discharged. He is currently at his home in Sun Valley, Idaho with his family."

Mendelsohn said no one else was involved in the accident.

"When the Governor returns to Los Angeles from his scheduled Christmas trip, he will have surgery to repair his femur," the spokesman said.

Dec 24 , 2006

Sunday, one day

Christmas holiday

Saturday morning

Christmas


AFP_ENG_19970425.0449

BONN, April 25 , 1997 (AFP)

Germans put magnetic train project back on rails

A costly and controversial project to link Hamburg and Berlin with a magnetically-suspended high-speed train has been put back on the rails under revised plans presented Friday.

Transport Minister Matthias Wissmann said a revamped consortium would be in charge of realising the "Transrapid" link by 2005 and that the plans had received the blessing of Chancellor Helmut Kohl and Finance Minister Theo Waigel. Parliament approved the original project last year.

Adtranz, a specialist subsidiary of Germany's Daimler-Benz and the Swiss-Swedish group Asea Brown Boveri (ABB), will join with Germany's Thyssen and Siemens, and a fourth member who entered following the pullout of construction firms Philipp Holzmann, Hochtief and Bilfinger + Berger.

Siemens boss Heinrich von Pierer said initial talks were taking place with the Anglo-French group GEC Alsthom. In Paris, the constructors of the French TGV (High Speed Train) said they were ready to consider any interesting proposal.

The German rail corporation Deutsche Bahn will play a central role in running the link, on which work is planned to start next year.

The train is supposed to 'float' at up to 450 kilometres (280 miles) an hour on a T-shaped mono-rail, cutting travelling time between the two north German cities to about an hour for a journey of 292 kilometres (180 miles).

The cost of the project is 10 percent up on original plans.

Total investment is now put at 9.8 billion (5.7 billion dollars), comprising 6.1 billion marks for the track and 3.7 billion marks for the operating system. In 1993 the cost was put at 8.9 billion marks -- with 5.6 billion marks of this coming from the federal state.

Meanwhile, the expected returns have been revised downward. According to German railways boss Heinz Duerr, the new estimates indicated a "modest but reasonable" economic viability. Opposition to the project is based both on the high cost to the public purse and environmental considerations.

April 25 , 1997

Friday

last year

next year

now


AFP_ENG_20061210.0332

ALGIERS, Dec 10 , 2006, 2006

URGENT  Algerian attack on US buses leaves one dead

One person was killed and another injured Sunday in an attack in Algeria on two buses carrying employees from a US company, witnesses told AFP.

Dec 10 , 2006

Sunday


XIN_ENG_20061127.0069

BEIJING, Nov. 27 , 2006 (Xinhua)

URGENT: Hill arrives in Beijing for Korean Peninsular nuclear talks

The U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill arrived here Monday afternoon to continue efforts on resuming the six-party talks on the Korean Peninsular nuclear issue.

Just a week ago, Hill came to the Chinese capital and met with vice foreign minister Wu Dawei. The two agreed to make joint efforts for the restart of the talks.

Nov. 27 , 2006

Monday afternoon

a week ago


XIN_ENG_20061128.0442

MANAGUA, Nov. 28 , 2006 (Xinhua)

Nicaragua president-elect meets U.S. officials

Nicaragua's president-elect, Daniel Ortega, met on Tuesday with Thomas Shannon, the visiting United States deputy secretary of state for the western hemisphere, who had strongly opposed him as a presidential candidate.

Present at the meeting were also Paul Trivelli, the United States ambassador to Nicaragua, and the secretary general of Ortega's party, the Sandinista National Liberation Front.

U.S. embassy official Cristin Stewart told media that the meeting was the first step in building relations between the U.S. government and Ortega's future government.

During Nicaragua's election campaign, Trivelli worked to form a coalition that included all the country's right-wing parties, in a bid to strengthen the anti-Ortega vote, while several senior U.S. officials spoke against Ortega The Organization of American States twice condemned the United States for interfering in the election.

On Nov. 5, after winning the election, Ortega told the press he would work with Washington within a framework of mutual respect.

The United States had backed a different right-winger, Eduardo Montealegre, for president, and distanced itself from the right- wing Liberal Constitutionalist Party (PLC). Arnoldo Aleman, the PLC president of Nicaragua from 1997 to 2002, is currently in jail for corruption.

Shannon arrived in Nicaragua on Monday on his way from El Salvador, and will leave for Panama later on Tuesday.

Nov. 28 , 2006

Tuesday

Nov. 5

Monday

Tuesday


XIN_ENG_20051118.0250

AMMAN, Nov. 18 , 2005 (Xinhua)

Zarqawi says Amman attacks not target Muslims

The al-Qaida in Iraq, led by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, said on Friday that the suicide bomb attacks in three Amman hotels didn't target Muslims.

Zarqawi, the Jordanian-born militant, said in an audiotape released by a website often used by militant groups, that the Nov. 9 attacks on three luxury hotels in the Jordanian capital were intended to target a gathering of US and Israeli intelligence agents.

However, a roof collapsed in the attacks and killed many Muslims who were attending a wedding ceremony in one of the hotels, he said in the tape.

The attacks killed at least 57 people, mostly Jordanians, and wounded over 110 others.

Zarqawi, the top militant wanted in Iraq by the United States with a 25-million-dollar bounty on his head, also vowed in the tape more attacks on foreign targets and apostates.

The al-Qaida in Iraq, a driving force behind a bloody insurgency against US forces and the US-backed government in Iraq, has claimed responsibility for many deadly attacks in the violence- ravaged country.

Nov. 18 , 2005

Friday

Nov. 9


XIN_ENG_20051128.0103

BEIJING, Nov. 28 , 2005 (Xinhua)

China, Sudan to further exchanges, cooperation between armed forces

China attaches importance to the traditional friendship with Sudan and is ready to increase military exchanges and cooperation with the African country, a senior Chinese military officer said here Monday.

The profound traditional friendship between people of the two countries has a solid foundation and a great potential for further development, said Vice-Chairman of China's Central Military Commission Xu Caihou during a meeting with Mohamed Ismail, deputy chief of general staff of the Sudanese armed forces.

Xu appreciated Sudan's consistent position in adhering to the one-China principle and its firm support to China on human rights and other major international issues.

Mohamed said the exchanges between the two countries and the two armed forces have enhanced mutual understanding and trust.

He stressed that Sudan would continue to stick to the one-China policy and develop the friendly and cooperative relationship with China.

Nov. 28 , 2005

Monday


XIN_ENG_20061115.0271

KAMPALA, Nov. 15 , 2006 (Xinhua)

Ugandan army starts withdrawal from southern Sudan as peace talks progress

The Uganda People's Defense Force (UPDF) has started withdrawing its troops from parts of southern Sudan as the ongoing peace talks between the government and the rebel Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) progress, a statement said here on Wednesday.

The statement signed by the army spokesman Maj. Felix Kulayigye said the troops have started withdrawing from areas neighboring Owiny-Ki-Bul, one of the two assembly points in southern Sudan, where the LRA are supposed to gather.

According to the statement, the withdrawal was ordered by the Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, which the UPDF has effective November 13 withdrawn from Magwi, Palutaka and Tibika.

The UPDF said the move is to prove the government and the army is committed to the peace talks in Juba, southern Sudan, to bring an end to the 20 year conflict in northern Uganda.

According to the cessation of hostilities agreement between the government and the rebels, the LRA fighters are supposed to assemble at Owiny-Ki-Bul and Ri-Kwangba in southern Sudan. But the rebels refused to assemble at Owiny-Ki-Bul, citing the UPDF's presence as a threat to their safety.

Kulayigye said the army has withdrawn from the areas which are in a radius of about 30 to 40km from Owiny-Ki-Bul to facilitate the Juba talks.

"We shall continue to fully support the peace process going on in Juba, for the sake of our people in northern Uganda. This is continued testimony to our serious resolve to end the conflict in northern part of our country," said the statement.

"It remains our hope that the LRA will conform to the agreement and assemble in Ri-Kwangba and Owiny-Ki-Bul," it concluded.

Kulayigye noted that the army shall continue to maintain its other positions as per the 2002 understanding with Sudanese government, which allowed the UPDF to enter southern Sudan to flush out the LRA fighter who had their bases there.

The government of southern Sudan is currently mediating the talks, which are seen as the best chance to end the insurgency in northern Uganda that has left tens of thousands of people dead and over 1.4 million displaced.

Nov. 15 , 2006

Wednesday

November 13

20 year


AFP_ENG_19970411.0181

LUANDA, April 11 , 1997 (AFP)

Angola inaugurates government to heal wounds of war

Angola spruced up its battered capital for the inauguration Friday of a new government to heal the wounds after 19 years of civil war which devastated the oil-rich country.

South African leader Nelson Mandela headed for Luanda to join 30 other heads of state at the long-delayed inauguration, but former rebel leader Jonas Savimbi stayed away, citing security reasons.

Friday's ceremony follows a vote early this week approving the special status of Savimbi, the leader of the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA), and recognising him as leader of the country's main opposition party.

That removed the last major obstacle to installing the government of national unity and reconciliation as provided for by the 1994 Lusaka peace accords and including 11 UNITA members.

Mandela's spokesman Parks Mankahlana announced on Wednesday that the South African president would be in attendance on Friday which has been declared a national holiday in Angola.

Luanda, meanwhile, rushed to tidy up its neglected and overpopulated capital, and deployed a hefty contingent of anti-riot forces.

UNITA representative in Abidjan John Marques Kakumba said Savimbi -- who has not appeared in Luanda since 1992 when his party lost elections and civil war resumed -- would not be attending the inauguration.

"Mr. Savimbi will not be in Luanda on Friday. He will not take part," Kakumba said, adding that the former rebel leader was currently in Bailundo, his stronghold in central Angola.

Speaking after a telephone conversation with Savimbi, Kakumba said the UNITA leader had been surprised to see his name listed on the official programme.

For Kakumba, the programme was a "falsehood" and the government was "fully aware" that Savimbi would not travel to Angola.

UNITA considers "conditions are not in place for him to travel to Luanda in the immediate future," he said, although he continued: "reconciliation is well underway, lets say 99.9 percent."

Deputies of the former rebel UNITA movement took up their seats in parliament Wednesday, a day after the assembly approved special status for Savimbi and five years after their election in a vote carried by the ruling Angolan People's Liberation Movement (MPLA).

Also on Wednesday, President Jose Eduardo dos Santos appointed outgoing premier Fernando de Franca Van-Dunem as head of Angola's new government and on Thursday named the other members of the 84-member government.

Following the 1994 peace accords which ended the war which pitted UNITA against the MPLA, the formation of a national reconciliation government had been initially scheduled for January 25, but was indefinitely delayed as UNITA then argued there were still outstanding problems.

Despite signs of ongoing distrust, the remaining difficulties were ostensibly swept away by Tuesday's vote which gave Savimbi the right to regular consultations with the president and members of the government and the right to publish messages in the official press.

Several deputies from the ruling MPLA have criticised the "excessive powers" granted to Savimbi although they followed the party's advice to approve the law.

A UN source said the situation would only fully return to normal after the next general elections are held in two or three years time.

Political commentators in Luanda further stressed that UNITA's return to political life would not be a miracle solution to the problems of a country devastated by a war which caused some 500,000 deaths, thousands of injuries, and ruined its industry and agriculture.

However, it could accelerate the implementation of other terms of the peace accords, such as the formation of a new 90,000-strong army, including 23,600 from UNITA and the demobilisation of some 100,000 troops.

April 11 , 1997

Friday

19 years

Friday

early this week

Wednesday

Friday

Friday

Wednesday

five years

Wednesday

Thursday

January 25

Tuesday

two or three years time


AFP_ENG_20051215.0405

ANTANANARIVO, Dec 15 , 2005

Madagascan opposition chief arrested over bribe claims

Authorities in Madagascar have arrested an opposition leader suspected of involvement in an extortion racket, police said Thursday amid claims the detention is political.

Jean-Eugene Voninahitsy, the leader of the Indian Ocean island's Rally for Social Democracy (RSPD) party and a member of parliament, was arrested after being accused of receiving bribes from a motor vehicle importer, police said.

He was detained Wednesday when police said they caught him and a customs official taking cash from the car dealer as part of a scam to defraud the state of import duties.

"This MP was arrested in flagrante delicto extorting money in a bribery deal involving the customs service," police spokesman Justin Ratsimbazafarison told AFP.

He said Voninahitsy was found with the equivalent of 960 dollars (800 euros) in cash allegedly taken from the car dealer.

"This was just part of the money he was demanding," the spokesman said.

The RSPD said Voninahitsy's arrest was the result of politically motivated entrapment and aimed at scuppering a weekend rally planned by opposition groups on the island.

"This is a political move to try and stop Saturday's meeting," said Jose Rakotomavo, a party official. "We think they wanted to set him up, this is too obvious."

Dec 15 , 2005

Thursday

Wednesday

Saturday


XIN_ENG_20061127.0276

LONDON, Nov. 27 , 2006 (Xinhua)

next year

British Defense Secretary Des Browne said on Monday that British troops in Iraq would be "significantly lower by thousands" at the end of next year.

Addressing at the Royal Institute of International Affairs, a leading think tank in UK, Browne said, "by the end of next year, I expect numbers of British forces in Iraq to be significantly lower by a matter of thousands."

"The planning for this has been going on for some months, and I have been pressing our planners to look at all the options, to make sure we do not ask a single soldier to remain in Iraq longer than is necessary," he said.

"In the end of course, it must depend on conditions on the ground, including the level of threat and the capacity of Iraqis to deal with it, and the final decision will be down to our commanders," he said.

Currently, Britain, a major U.S. ally in Iraq, has some 7,000 troops in southern Iraq, most in the Basra area and about 800 in Maysan province. Since 2003, there are 126 British soldiers killed in Iraq.

Nov. 27 , 2006

Monday

the end of next year

the end of next year

some months


XIN_ENG_20051112.0072

DHAKA, Nov. 12 , 2005 (Xinhua)

2nd lead: 13th SAARC summit opens in Dhaka

The much awaited 13th summit of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) opened here Saturday with a vision to address major issues of the region, including poverty alleviation, environmental hazards, disaster prevention and terrorism.

The summit, postponed twice, was declared open at about 11:30 a. m.(05:30 GMT) in the Bangladesh China Friendship Conference Center by Shaukat Aziz, Prime Minister of Pakistan, the current chair country of SAARC.

After delivering a speech, Aziz handed over the chair of SAARC to Bangladesh Prime Minister Khaleda Zia.

In her speech, Zia stressed the need for mobilizing all necessary human and material resources of South Asian nations for poverty alleviation in the region and proposed declaring the coming 2006-2015 as "the SAARC Decade for Poverty Alleviation."

Zia said that in the last SAARC summit held in Islamabad in 2004, all member states recognized alleviation of poverty as the overarching goal of all SAARC activities. "We must mobilize all necessary human and material resources" to address the poverty on a regional scale, she said.

Widespread incidence of poverty continues to be a major concern for the South Asian nations. Intra-regional trade in South Asia still accounts for just 4 percent of the region's combined trade with the rest of the world. Foreign direct investment in the region accounts for a mere 1 percent of the global total.

Terming accelerating economic growth as major SAARC objective, the prime minister said all member states must ensure that the SAFTA (South Asia Free Trade Area) Agreement enters into force as agreed upon with effect from Jan. 1, 2006.

She also called for a common investment strategy to generate investment flows from within and outside the region.

Terming South Asia as an emerging economic giant with unlimited potential, the prime minister said, "Realizing South Asia's true potential is the challenge facing us today."

The prime minister said the ongoing 13th SAARC Summit enables the South Asian nations "to look to the future and forge a blueprint for the next phase of SAARC activities."

Leaders from Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka arrived in Dhaka on Friday to join the two-day summit to push the regional grouping into the third decade termed as the decade of implementation.

The summit is expected to give an outline of a "new vision" for addressing major issues and charting a road map for economic integration of South Asian nations to improve the lot of nearly 1. 5 billion people inhabiting the region.

SAARC was launched in 1985 with a pledge to ensure peace, strengthen the regional cooperation and adopt common strategies and programs to bring about a positive change into the lives of nearly 1.5 billion people in South Asia.

However, some analysts say that in the last 20 years, SAARC has failed to materialize its vision because of political and territorial disputes among some member countries.

With the improvement in the relationship between the two key players of the region, India and Pakistan, it is expected that from this summit SAARC would get a fresh momentum and ultimately become an effective regional grouping.

The Bangladeshi government has beefed up security to an unprecedented level by deploying over 30,000 security personnel and closing some artery roads ahead of the summit.

Nov. 12 , 2005

Saturday

Jan. 1, 2006

today

the next phase

Friday

the third decade

the last 20 years


AFP_ENG_19970430.0504

VIENNA, April 30 , 1997 (AFP)

Albania to hold elections "before summer": OSCE

The OSCE's troubleshooter on Albania, Franz Vranitzky, said Wednesday he believes general elections will take place in the troubled country "before summer."

The exact date should be fixed "in the next 10 days," he said.

Up to now, plans for the elections -- to be organised and supervised by the Organisation for Security and Coorperation in Europe -- have been stuck on whether votes should be counted on the current majority basis, as President Sali Berisha wants, or on a proportional basis, as wished by Prime Minister Bashkim Fino.

Vranitzky, who has headed the European security body's mission to Albania since its inception March 27, said he believed the present, majority system can be applied again, with a little "perfecting."

"Whether the elections take place June 29 or July 6 is not important," Vranitzky told Austria's APA news agency in Vienna.

He also added that the way food aid was being handed out, under the protection of soldiers from the multinational protection force, was penalising the poor in Albania.

The country itself "isn't suffering from a shortage of food or other products, but from a bad distribution system," he said.

April 30 , 1997

Wednesday

summer

the next 10 days

now

March 27

June 29 or July 6


WSJ891030-0087
 = 891030
 891030-0087.
 New Securities Issues
 10/30/89
 WALL STREET JOURNAL (J)
 SUNW T.CM EUROP F
 BOND MARKET NEWS (BON)

   The following were among Friday's offerings and pricings in the U.S. and non-U.S. capital markets, with terms and syndicate manager, as compiled by Dow Jones Capital Markets Report:
@ CORPORATES

   Sun Microsystems Inc. -- $125 million of 6 3/8% convertible subordinated debentures due Oct. 15, 1999, priced at 84.90 to yield 7.51%.
The debentures are convertible into common stock at $25 a share, representing a 24% conversion premium over Thursday's closing price.
Rated single-B-1 by Moody's Investors Service Inc. and single-B-plus by Standard amp Poor's Corp., the issue will be sold through underwriters led by Goldman, Sachs amp Co.

   Hertz Corp. -- $100 million of senior notes due Nov. 1, 2009, priced at par to yield 9%.
The issue, which is puttable back to the company in 1999, was priced at a spread of 110 basis points above the Treasury's 10-year note.
Rated single-A-3 by Moody's and triple-B by SampP, the issue will be sold through underwriters led by Merrill Lynch Capital Markets.
@ EUROBONDS

   Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (Canada) -- 10 billion yen of 5.7% bonds due Nov. 17, 1992, priced at 101 1/4 to yield 5.75% less full fees, via LTCB International Ltd. Fees 1 3/8.

Friday

Oct. 15, 1999

Thursday

Nov. 1, 2009

Nov. 17, 1992


XIN_ENG_20051108.0281

KAMPALA, Nov. 8 , 2005 (Xinhua)

Profile: Ramsar Award for Science receiver Cai Shuming

Cai Shuming from China received on Tuesday the Ramsar Wetland Conservation Award for Science at the ninth meeting of the conference of the contracting parties on wetland (COP9) in Kampala, capital of Uganda.

Cai, from the Chinese Academy of Science, is being recognized for his research studies on the Yangtze River, as well as for his in-depth research on the effects of the Three-Gorges dam project on the environment, and the assessment and mitigation of natural disasters (e.g. flood and water logging in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River.)

When asked about the importance of the Yangtze River, Cai said that "the (Yangtze) River is the most important water resources of China and its runoff accounts for 35 percent of the whole water amount in China."

Since the 1960s, Cai has been mainly engaged in the study of limnology in the Yangtze River valley, wetlands ecology, use and conservation of natural resources and the overall development of regional agriculture.

A respected figure and twice a member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Congress, Cai has used his scientific achievements to reach practical results for wetland conservation, defending the idea that "wetlands are closely linked to human survival and development."

Cai also stressed the importance of wetlands for sustainable economic development and human well-being, especially in their function as the "kidneys of nature."

With more than 120 publications, Cai's work has provided a basis for the formulation of laws, regulations and management policies in China, as well as contributing to international projects in cooperation with Japan, the United States and Britain.

Nov. 8 , 2005

Tuesday

the 1960s


AFP_ENG_19970425.0352

KATHMANDU, April 25 , 1997 (AFP)

US gives Nepal 30 million dollars for agriculture, health, forestry

The US government has given Nepal 30 million dollars for a range of projects including agriculture, forestry development and health, the US Information Service (USIS) said Friday.

The USIS said a grant of 25 million dollars would be used for expanding the participation of farmers, traders and agro-enterprises in high-value crop markets, the sustainable management of the productive resource base and privatization of state-owned agricultural and forest based enterprises.

The agreement, which was signed by the two governments Thursday, "demonstrates USAID/Nepal's continuing commitment to development activities in agriculture and forestry," it said in a press release.

"These two sectors provide income and employment opportunities for almost 80 percent of Nepal's population," it added.

A further grant of five million dollars will be provided as part of incremental funding to reduce fertility and improve maternal and child health, it said.

"Funds are being provided in support of a 35 million dollar nationwide programme which will increase the availability, quality and use of voluntary family planning reproductive health services; help control diarrhoeal diseases, acute respiratory infections and vitamin A deficiency in children," it said.

"The programme will also reduce maternal mortality, reduce transmission of sexually transmitted diseases (STD) and HIV/AIDS," it said.

"The assistance is expectd to result in a reduction in the total fertility rate from 4.5 in 1996 to 4.0 by 2002, and a reduction in the under five child mortality rate, from 118 deaths per 1,000 live births in 1996 to 85 by the year 2002," it said.

April 25 , 1997

Friday

Thursday

the year 2002


XIN_ENG_20051117.0072

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 16 , 2005 (Xinhua)

Kobe scores 42 points to lead Lakers past Knicks

Kobe Bryant scored a season-high 42 points to help the Los Angeles Lakers beat the New York Knicks 97-92 Wednesday night at Staples Center after a three-game loss.

Bryant took a whopping 36 shots, hitting 15, and making 12-of-14 free throws.

"I went after it a little bit more aggressively and the team did a good job looking for me," Bryant said. "I felt we had to get something going in the third quarter."

"It has to be a balance for us," said center Chris Mihm, who scored 14 points and added nine rebound. "Kobe is a special player, but there is no way that he can shoulder the load himself. We played well together in spurts, but Kobe really was the man."

The Knicks were led by rookie Channing Frye with 21 points. Eddy Curry added 17 points.

Stephon Marbury was held to a season-low four points -- 12 below his average, and had 10 assists. He had 45 points last season against the Lakers.

"I have changed a lot of my game," the point guard said. "Forty-five points is so far away. My game is different now."

It was also the first meeting for Phil Jackson and Larry Brown after two of the NBA's greatest coaches began to oversee rebuilding jobs.

"You saw the apparent schizophrenia of these teams," Jackson said. "They play great for a while and then they have trouble operating. What you see is young teams learning to play a consistent game. No quality in the direction of their discipline."

Jackson improved to 26-13 in head-to-head games against Brown, whose Philadelphia team lost to Jackson's Lakers in the 2001 NBA Finals. Brown's Detroit Pistons eliminated the Lakers in the 2004 Finals.

"I admire and respect him, but I have that feeling for anybody that sits down at that end," Brown said. "But you realize what he's done and that's pretty special."

Brown took the New York job, and got off to an 0-5 start before the Knicks won at Sacramento and Utah.

Nov. 16 , 2005

Wednesday night

the third quarter

last season

now

a while


AFP_ENG_20061230.0155

WASHINGTON, Dec 30 , 2006, 2006

ATTENTION - ADDS details ///

The body of former President Gerald Ford will be flown to the US capital Saturday as part of a nationwide programme of memorials, which got underway with a simple family ceremony in California.

Ford, a Republican president from August 1974 to January 1977 who led the United States out of the turbulent Watergate era after Richard Nixon stepped down in disgrace in 1974, died late Tuesday aged 93.

The body will lie in state at the US Capitol until early next Tuesday when a memorial service will take place at the National Cathedral here.

On Wednesday, Ford's remains are finally laid to rest at the Gerald Ford Museum in his hometown of Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Flags on federal buildings have been flying at half mast since Ford's death was announced, and President George W. Bush has declared January 2 as a national day of mourning.

Hundreds of Washington-based police officers have been mobilized for the New Year's weekend as part of a plan to bolster security at key locations throughout the city.

Friday's prayer service in Palm Desert, California, was held for family and friends of the 38th US president at St Margaret's Episcopal Church, which Ford and his wife Betty had attended for decades.

In accordance with Ford's wishes and in keeping with his down-to-earth, self-effacing image, there was little of the pomp and circumstance which have been the hallmark of other presidential funerals.

A motorcade carrying Ford's remains was greeted by an honour guard at around 12:30 pm (2030 GMT) Friday with members of the military carrying his casket -- draped with the Stars and Stripes -- into the church.

A military band played "Hail to the Chief" as the casket arrived at the church, awaited by former first lady Betty Ford, 88, and her children at the top of the church steps as it was carried into the building.

"We receive the body of our brother, Gerald, for burial," said the church's rector, Reverend Robert Certain.

Betty Ford, escorted by an army general, stood silently as the casket was laid before a wooden altar and three wreaths of white flowers before joining other family members at the President's Pew.

The funeral arrangements are taking place under blanket security, with an estimated 500 military and Secret Service officials descending on Palm Desert to oversee Friday's leg of the ceremonies.

Thousands of members of the public queued for the chance to pay their respects to Ford as his casket lay in repose in Palm Desert on Friday.

On Wall Street, the major stock exchanges said they would close next Tuesday as a mark of respect for Ford, who is best remembered for pardoning Nixon, a decision for which he was vilified.

Some historians have since said that the move was a brave political act by Ford, necessary to help Americans draw a line under the trauma of Watergate.

"My NYSE Group colleagues and I join all Americans in mourning the loss of president Ford, a man of great integrity and vision, and a dedicated public servant," NYSE Group chief executive John Thain said in a statement.

"He assumed a troubled presidency in a critical time, and thoughtfully and skillfully restored credibility and confidence in the presidency.

"President Ford also made significant contributions to the stability and vitality of the US economy and financial markets. It is appropriate that we honor president Ford and celebrate the life of a truly great American."

Dec 30 , 2006

Saturday

August 1974

January 1977

Tuesday

early next Tuesday

Wednesday

January 2

Friday

Friday

Friday

Friday

Tuesday