XIN_ENG_20051127.0191

LONDON, Nov. 27 , 2005 (Xinhua)

Fulham beat Bolton 2-1 in English Premier League

Brian McBride scored a brace to earn Fulham a 2-1 win over Bolton in the English Premier League on Sunday.

Fulham went ahead with only four minutes into play as McBride stole in to stab home Tomasz Radzinski's cross.

The American doubled the hosts' lead after 18 minutes with a crisp volley straight from Mark Crossley's goalkick.

Bolton scored through a late Sylvain Legwinski own goal but a frustrating day ended when El-Hadji Diouf was red-carded after full-time for dissent.

The high-flying Wanderers might have started the match as marginal favorites but they looked jaded after their midweek Uefa Cup trip.

Fulham, on the other hand, made a vibrant start.

Steed Malbranque and Radzinski were in inspired form, the latter's pass causing indecision in the Bolton defence and allowing McBride to nip in and score.

Radhi Jaidi might have cut out Radzinski's pass and the Tunisian defender was again at fault for McBride's second when he failed to connect with Crossley's clearance.

In between, Radzinski went close with a deflected shot that span just wide.

Bolton boss Sam Allardyce's response was to haul off Jaidi after just half an hour and Bruno N'Gotty's introduction did seem to shore up the visitors' defence.

However, Bolton struggled in attack too, with only Kevin Davies' aerial threat causing Fulham any problems.

Crossley had a rare save to make in the second half when Davies shot low and hard straight into the keeper's arms.

Bolton's unhappy day was summed up when Joey O'Brien became the seventh Wanderers' player to go in referee Graham Poll's book, meaning the club will be fined.

Fulham were briefly rocked when Sylvain Legwinski scored a strange own goal after Nolan muscled his way into the box but it turned out to be a consolation Bolton barely deserved.

Diouf's second yellow card came after full-time as he allowed his annoyance with the officials to boil over.

Nov. 27 , 2005

Sunday

18 minutes

the second half


XIN_ENG_20051113.0163

NEW DELHI, Nov. 13 , 2005 (Xinhua)

MNC executive key conspirator in Delhi blasts: Indian police

An executive with a multinational company arrested in Indian-controlled Jammu and Kashmir was a key conspirator in the Oct. 29 bombings in the Indian capital that were carried out by four terrorists, the Delhi Police chief said Sunday.

Tariq Ahmed Dar, who was arrested in Srinagar, capital of Indian-controlled Jammu and Kashmir, was described by Delhi Police Commissioner K.K. Paul as "one of the key conspirators" behind the blasts that killed over 60 people and injured more than 200.

Paul said his force had also identified the four terrorists who carried out the bombings in the busy Paharganj and Sarojini Nagar markets and in a bus. "Two of the bombers could be foreigners," Indo-Asian News Service quoted Paul as saying.

Delhi Police confirmed the use of RDX in the blasts and said they had found crucial clues from the blast sites that pointed to the involvement of the outlawed Lashker-e-Taiba.

Dar was not in Delhi on the day of the blasts but had visited the capital in the first week of October to select the targets for the attacks.

Paul also claimed Dar had functioned as a spokesman for the Lashker, saying that soon after the blasts, Dar had contacted a news agency in Srinagar and denied the Lashker's involvement in the bombings.

Dar reportedly joined the Hizbul Mujahideen, the most powerful Kashmiri guerrilla group, in 2003 but later teamed up with the Lashker.

He was helped by two other terrorists to hatch the conspiracy behind the Oct.29 bombings, police said.

Paul said Dar worked as a sales representative for Johnson and Johnson in Srinagar. Dar had obtained a bachelor's degree in chemistry in 1995 and also wrote for the "Mount Valley Magazine" in Srinagar.

Officials said Dar's role in the attacks came to light after a special team of Delhi Police was sent to Kashmir Nov.1 and was asked to probe links between guerrilla groups in that state and the bombings, the worst terror attack in the Indian capital.

"We suspected that the terrorists were from Kashmir and we were hopeful of making a breakthrough," said Paul, noting that around 500,000 rupees was transferred to Dar's bank account just before the blasts.

Police officials said Dar was taken to the blast sites to identify the targets and to confirm his involvement.

According to them, Dar was arrested by the Indian Army on Nov. 10 and handed over to Indian-controlled Jammu and Kashmir Police for questioning. Police said Dar was brought to Delhi on Nov. 11 and was interrogated by senior officials of the Special Cell and intelligence agencies.

Police said Dar was arrested after the army intercepted his telephone conversations.

Nov. 13 , 2005

Oct. 29

Sunday

the first week of October

Nov. 10

Nov. 11


AFP_ENG_19970403.0342

ATHENS, April 3 , 1997 (AFP)

Europe backs timetable for Albanian aid, elections

Europe threw its weight Thursday behind a timetable for getting stricken Albania back on to its feet, firming up its support for an aid operation and early elections.

In return, Albanian Premier Bashkim Fino, meeting here with top EU and OSCE officials, pledged to step up dialogue with the armed rebels who have held the south of the country for more than a month in their bid to oust President Sali Berisha.

"We are convinced that the June elections can be held with being hampered by the armed groups," said Greek Foreign Minister Theodore Pangalos, referring to the polls which, it is hoped, will drag Albania out of crisis and into compromise.

"We must support our Albanian friends so that they can get back on their feet" by the time of June elections, said Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe envoy Franz Vranitzky, after talks with Fino, Pangalos and EU envoy Hans van Mierlo.

A key element of efforts to pull Albania back from the brink involves the dispatch of a multinational force of up to 5,000 troops to shore up security while aid is brought into the chaotic Balkan state.

But Vranitzky warned that a launch date of April 12 proposed for the military mission could be optimistic.

"April 12 is a date we're all working toward. Perhaps it's optimistic, but if it is delayed by five days it won't be a catastrophe," he said. "What we want now is to work as closely together as possible."

In Paris, a French foreign ministry spokesman said a steering committee of representatives of nations contributing to the force -- Austria, France, Greece, Italy, Spain and Turkey -- would meet Friday in Rome.

Pangalos said for his part that the force, due to comprise between 700 and 800 Greek troops, "will not be tasked with disarmament." Instead the Italian-led mission is expected to secure roads, junctions, airports and warehouses and help aid deliveries.

Fino, who later returned to Tirana, said after Thursday's talks that the dispatch of the force marked a key stage in the preparations for the June elections.

And he stressed that he would increase dialogue with the southern rebels and the self-styled committees which are currently running a string of southern towns in a bid to restore "peace and calm" after a month of anarchy.

Albania descended into chaos after protests over the collapse of bogus investment schemes boiled over into a full-blown rebellion. Duped investors and criminal elements armed themselves and called for the resignation of President Berisha, whom they blamed for the financial implosion.

Vranitzky, a former Austrian chancellor, said the OSCE and EU help would be based around three pillars.

The European Union would provide economic and humanitarian aid, the OSCE would help restore democracy, and Italy would lead the multinational force.

Vranitzky said: "None of these pillars can stand by themselves, they are inter-dependent."

"We must restore a decent life, otherwise there can't be public order, and if public order is not restored, elections and democracy won't be possible, and all that must be protected by the very prudent action of a multinational force," Vranitzky said.

More than 13,000 refugees have crossed the Adriatic for Italy, though scores were feared drowned last week when a refugee boat collided with an Italian naval ship.

On Thursday, the first refugees arrived in Italy since that calamity, as a boat with 53 escapees docked in the southern port of Brindisi. Meanwhile, a Russian cargo vessel in the southern Adriatic picked up around 20 Albanian refugees navigating the waters in a rubber dinghy.

April 3 , 1997

Thursday

more than a month

June

April 12

April 12

five days

now

Friday

Thursday

drowned last week

Thursday


XIN_ENG_20061114.0247

MOSCOW, Nov. 14 , 2006 (Xinhua)

Alcohol poisoning kills over 400 across Russia

A total of 406 people have died from drinking illicit liquor in a wave of alcohol poisoning in numerous Russian regions over the past few months, the head of the country's consumer rights watchdog agency said on Tuesday.

Gennady Onishchenko, chief of the Federal Service for Consumer Rights Supervision, said some 10,000 cases of toxic hepatitis caused by toxic alcohol substitutes have been registered in 18 regions, according to the Itar-Tass news agency.

The hardest hit were the Irkutsk, Chelyabinsk and Belgorod regions, where 107 people have been affected and 16 of them died in the past 24 hours alone, Onishchenko said.

A total of 406 deaths from toxic alcohol substitutes have occurred in Russia over the past several months, he added.

The massive wave of poisoning has raised alarm in the country, with top lawmakers calling for state monopoly over alcohol products to help crack down on fake vodka and toxic alcohol substitutes.

Nov. 14 , 2006

the past few months

Tuesday

the past 24 hours

the past several months


AFP_ENG_19970418.0191

BANGKOK, April 18 , 1997 (AFP)

Polish FM says seeking more exports to Thailand, including arms

Poland is seeking to boost political ties and exports of military hardware, engineering and chemical products to Thailand and other southeast Asian countries, the Polish foreign minister said here Friday.

Dariusz Rosati told reporters Poland's broad industrial base stood the former Warsaw Pact nation in good stead for a regional market in Asia that holds "enormous potential and economic prospects."

"We should have much more trade and political cooperation with the (southeast Asian) region," he said, midway through a three-day official visit to Thailand.

Rosati noted Poland has a strong armament sector and discussions with Thailand would cover possible exports of Polish-made military hardware, which included tanks, guns, boats and helicopters.

He added Poland was also open for investment "in every field" from Thailand, including tourism, garment industries and electronics. Foreign investment in Poland was between six and seven billion dollars in 1996.

Part of Poland's regional strategy for reaching into southeast Asia was to join the Asian Development Bank (ADB), he said.

This had been discussed with bank officials in Manila in an earlier stop on the minister's current swing through southeast Asia. He was hopeful of Poland joining the ADB next year.

The foreign minister said he was "very satisfied" with discussions with Thai Prime Minister Chaowalit Yongchaiyudh Thursday, which included an exchange of views on the political situation in southeast Asia and the prospects for Poland's entry into NATO and the European Union.

He was holding talks Friday at the ministry of industry and trade and on Saturday was scheduled to meet with his Thai counterpart Prachuab Chaiyasarn.

They would sign an agreement on cooperation between the Thai and Polish justice ministries, regarding the enforcement of court sentences and the transfer of prisoners, Rosati said.

There are currently eight Poles serving sentences or awaiting trial in Thai prisons on narcotics charges.

Rosati's visit, which included earlier stops in Indonesia and the Philippines, is the foreign minister's first in southeast Asia. It follows a visit to Thailand by the Polish Premier Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz last year.

Two-way trade between the two countries in 1996 was worth 9.58 billion baht (369 million dollars), with the balance of trade more than one billion baht in Poland's favour, a Thai official said.

April 18 , 1997

Friday

next year

Thursday

Friday

last year


AFP_ENG_20061202.0297

BERLIN, Dec 2 , 2006, 2006

=(PICTURE)=

Werder Bremen warmed up for Tuesday's titanic Champions League tussle with Barcelona by moving to the top of the Bundesliga with a 3-1 win over Hertha Berlin on Saturday.

Bremen need a point against Barcelona on Tuesday but three were required against Hertha and the title hopefuls delivered thanks to a stellar display from German international Miroslav Klose.

Klose, top-scorer at the World Cup, scored twice (32, 40) to take his season's tally to ten and show Barca he is in top form.

Brazilian playmaker Diego had opened the scoring with a penalty after Josip Simunic, who also scored Hertha's goal, had handled in the area.

Bremen replaced Schalke 04 at the summit but the latter, now one point behind, can reclaim top spot with victory over FC Nuremberg on Sunday.

Champions Bayern Munich lost ground on Bremen after a 1-1 home draw with lowly Borussia Monchengladbach and now trail the leaders by three points.

Argentine Martin Demichelis headed Bayern ahead on 23 minutes but Michael Delura equalised ten minutes later.

Gladbach held on for the point to delight manager Juup Henyckes, who won the German title as Bayern coach in 1989 and 1990.

Bayern now turn their attention to Tuesday's match with Inter Milan in the Champions League where they aim to secure top spot in the group.

But most neutral fans in Germany will be tuning in to the Bremen match with the 2004 champions needing a point at Barcelona's intimidating Nou Camp stadium to eliminate the holders and join Chelsea in the last 16 phase of the competition.

As it stands four teams - Bremen, Schalke, Bayern and Stuttgart, who drew 0-0 with Mainz 05 on Friday, all have the chance to go into the six-week winter break as league leaders.

In the last 12 seasons the 'winter champions' have gone on to win the Bundesliga with the two exceptions being Schalke in 2001 and Bayer Leverkusen in 2002.

Elsewhere Borussia Dortmund recorded a 1-0 win over VfL Wolfsburg with Ebi Smolarek scoring the winner in the 90th minute.

There was speculation that Dortmund were ready to part company with Dutch coach Bert van Marwijk, contracted until June 2008, with Arminia Bielefeld coach Thomas von Heesen said to be lined up as his replacement.

SV Hamburg boss Thomas Doll is another manager feeling the heat after a 2-1 defeat to fellow strugglers VfL Bochum on Saturday that keeps the club second from bottom.

Zvjezdan Misimovic produced a magical free-kick on 70 minutes to down Hamburg, who had Dutch international Rafael van der Vaart sent off for a brutal tackle from behind.

Hamburg are the only founding club never to have been relegated from the Bundesliga but need to turn things around soon to preserve that record.

Dec 2 , 2006

Tuesday

Saturday

Tuesday

Sunday

now

23 minutes

now

Tuesday

the last 16 phase

Friday

the last 12 seasons

the 90th minute

June 2008

Saturday

70 minutes


XIN_ENG_20051114.0308

SOFIA, Nov. 14 , 2005 (Xinhua)

Bulgaria informs allies over Iraq withdrawal plans

The Bulgarian battalion in Iraq will begin its withdrawal right after Iraqi parliamentary elections planned for Dec. 15, the press office of the Bulgarian Defense Ministry has announced.

The office released a piece of news that the country's Defense Minister Vesselin Bliznakov had sent a letter to the allies in " Central-South" Iraq under Polish command thus officially informing them of Sofia's plans for withdrawal.

In the letter Minister Bliznakov also informed the partners that the Bulgarian Parliament has authorized Council of Ministers to negotiate the "appropriate forms" in future participation in the coalition under the UN solutions and EU and US position on Iraq.

The biggest local newspaper "TRUD" revealed earlier that the Bulgarian government is planning to resend to Iraq a team of 300 soldiers for non-military task.

The National Assembly (Parliament) of Bulgaria approved in May a government plan to withdraw the country's 400 troops in Diwaniya, Iraq by the end of the year after a long mandate of more than 2 years. Thirteen Bulgarian soldiers have already died there by now.

Nov. 14 , 2005

Dec. 15

May

the end of the year

more than 2 years

now


ABC19980108.1830.0711
 NEWS STORY

 On the other hand, it's turning out to be another very bad financial week
 for Asia. The financial assistance from the World Bank and the
 International Monetary Fund are not helping. In the last twenty four hours, the
 value of the Indonesian stock market has fallen by twelve percent. The Indonesian
 currency has lost
 twenty six percent of its value. In Singapore, stocks hit a five year low. In the
 Philippines, a four year low. And in Hong Kong, a three percent drop. More
 problems in Hong Kong for a place, for an economy, that many experts thought was
 once invincible. Here's ABC's Jim Laurie.

 Not that long ago, before the Chinese takeover, the news about real estate
 here was that the sky was the limit the highest prices in the world. So
 when Wong Kwan
 spent seventy million dollars for this house, he thought it was a
 great deal. He sold the property to five buyers and said he'd double his
 money.

 In Hong Kong, is always belongs to the seller's market.

 Now with new construction under way, three of his buyers have backed out.
 And Wong Kwan will be lucky to break even. All across Hong Kong, the
 property market has crashed. Pamela Pak
 owns eight condominiums here.
 Pak ca n't find buyers. She estimates her properties, worth a hundred thirty million dollars in October, are worth only half that now.

 They believe ah it will be always up going up and up ah forever. Nobody believe
 this any more.

 Of all of Asia's economies, Hong Kong is the most robust. But in the past
 three months, stocks have plunged, interest rates have soared and the
 downturn all across Asia means that people are not spending here.

 Hotels are only thirty percent full. You can get seventy percent discounts at the
 shopping malls. Three thousand dollar pearls for eight hundred dollars. A two hundred dollar wool jacket for fifty dollars.
 Still, there are few buyers. And at the big brokerage houses, after ten
 years of boom, they're talking about layoffs.

 I think that the mood is fairly gloomy, and I think it's not going to
 change for a couple of years.

 So for Hong Kong, it's time, as investment bankers like to say, to reposition. To either hold on tight or get out, as much of Asia goes into
 recession. Jim Laurie, ABC News, Hong Kong.

week

the last twenty four hours

five year

four year

Now

October

now

the past
 three months

ten
 years

a couple of years


XIN_ENG_20061110.0140

BEIJING, Nov. 10 , 2006 (Xinhua)

National Exhibition held in Beijing to show Russia's progress

The National Exhibition on Russia was held in Beijing on Friday to show Russia's progress in high-tech industry, aviation, forestry and other fields.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov attended the opening ceremony.

Wen said the exhibition enabled the Chinese people to learn about Russia's economic development, scientific advances and cultural progress.

He said the exhibition reflected the aspirations of both China and Russia to further economic and trade cooperation, saying that he hoped more areas could be explored to facilitate cooperation between the two countries.

Wen vowed to hold a successful exhibition on China in Russia in 2007.

Fradkov said the exhibition was the largest one held by Russia in China, which showed the great potential for Russia-China cooperation and would promote mutual understanding between the two peoples.

Nov. 10 , 2006

Friday


XIN_ENG_20051117.0099

BEIJING, Nov. 17 , 2005 (Xinhua)

all-round way: FM spokesman

China hopes US President George W. Bush's imminent visit to the country will advance Sino-US relations in an all-round day, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Thursday

"We expect that Bush's visit, slated for Nov. 19 to 21, will increase consensus, step up mutual trust, expand exchange and cooperation, and promote Sino-US constructive and cooperative relations in 21st century in an all-round way," Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao told the regular briefing Thursday afternoon.

When asked to comment on President Bush's remarks in Kyoto Tuesday,which touched upon Sino-US relations, human rights and religion, Liu said that China pursues a path of peaceful development.

Noting that China has made remarkable, important progress in the field of human rights, Liu said the Chinese people, in accordance with laws, enjoy all various kinds of democracy and freedom, including the freedom in religious belief.

"All countries should hold exchanges and dialogues on human rights on the principled basis of equality, mutual respect and non-intervention in internal affairs," the spokesman said.

Nov. 17 , 2005

Thursday

Nov. 19

21st century

Thursday afternoon


XIN_ENG_20051125.0288

RIO DE JANEIRO, Nov. 25 , 2005 (Xinhua)

Fire forces closure of Brazil's two nuclear power stations

A fire in an electrical transformer forced the closure of Brazil's Angra I and Angra II nuclear power stations early Friday morning, state-owned nuclear electricity company Eletronuclear said.

The fire triggered the automatic protection system, which immediately shut down the nuclear electricity generation units of the two nuclear power stations, located in Rio De Janeiro state, Eletronuclear said.

The accident happened outside the Angra II plant and was not related to the nuclear generators, said the company, adding that no abnormalities have been recorded inside the plant.

Angra II will remain closed until investigators find the cause of the fire.

The automatic system disconnected Angra I automatically, although it has no problems inside or outside. It will resume electricity generation straight away, Eletronuclear said.

The southeast of Brazil will not have access to the 1,350 megawatts of electricity generated by the two plants, but other generation sources will make up for the loss, it said.

Nov. 25 , 2005

Friday morning


AFP_ENG_20061218.0239

MADRID, Dec 18 , 2006, 2006

=(PICTURE)=

Spanish giants Barcelona will be looking to bounce back, after the disappointment of losing the World Club Cup final to Internacional, by beating Atletico Madrid in La Liga on Thursday.

The game brings an end to the Spanish first division for the year and, having started 2006 on top of the league, Barcelona will want to end it on a high note.

"We've got this game to make sure that we forget about what happened against Internacional," said the Catalan side's star striker Ronaldinho.

"Now we've got to hold our heads up high and get on with fighting for the league and the Champions League," added Barca goalkeeper Victor Valdes in the wake of their 1-0 loss to the Brazilians in Yokohama on Sunday.

Barcelona are currently second in La Liga, one point behind Sevilla who took over at the top after a 3-1 win at Recreativo Huelva on Sunday, but the reigning Spanish champions have one game in hand over last season's UEFA Cup winners.

The problem for Barca is that they face Atletico at a time when they are having a good run of form.

They lie in fourth place, the highest position they have been for nearly two seasons.

Atletico have also turned recently into Barca's Black Beast', the Spanish phrase for a bogey team that always haunts you.

Last year, Atletico were the only team to beat Barca in their Nou Camp stadium and also hammered them in the Spanish capital.

"We've done well in the Nou Camp in recent years but we are well aware that things can always change. However, we are going to Barcelona with lots of confidence. We are not afraid of them anymore," said Atletico's Spanish international striker Fernando Torres.

Torres certainly has no reason to be nervous. He has scored against Barcelona on the last four occasions the two teams have met.

Atletico coach Javier Aguirre was also licking his lips, despite Sunday's lacklustre 1-0 win over local rivals Getafe, at the possibility the Beast' can put the bite on Barca once more.

"If we are fourth playing like this then, if we can play well again at Barca, we can take them apart," said Aguirre.

Sevilla can ensure they end the year on top of the Spanish first division if they beat struggling Deportivo La Coruna at home on Wednesday.

The Andalusia side won their one and only previous championship in 1946 but they are starting to feel that the La Liga trophy might come south after a 61 year absence.

"First place is the only place this team should be," said Sevilla coach Juande Ramos on Sunday.

The big problem for Sevilla is suspensions. They will lose Aitor Ocio, Antonio Puerta and Jose Luis Marti for the visit of Deportivo, who languish in 15th, just three places above the relegation zone, after their 2-0 home defeat by Athletic Bilbao on Saturday.

There have been widespread calls for the sacking of Deportivo coach Joaquin Caparros but at least he will be assured a warm welcome in Sevilla.

Caparros was the Sevilla coach for five years before moving to Deportivo in 2005 and he steered the club out of the second division in 2001.

Real Madrid are third, just two points in arrears of Sevilla and one behind their bitter rivals Barca.

The 29-times Spanish champions play host to Recreativo Huelva on Wednesday and hope to have Italy's World Cup captain and central defender Fabio Cannavaro available to play.

Cannavaro was sent off after receiving a second yellow card during Real's 1-0 win at Espanyol on Sunday because the referee judged that he had handled the ball but television pictures support the player's claim that it only hit him in the face.

If Real are successful in their appeal then Cannavaro will play but otherwise Alvaro Mejia is likely to take his place.

Tuesday (Kick off in GMT)

Valencia v Real Mallorca (2000)

Athletic Bilbao v Real Zaragoza (2000)

Wednesday

Celta Vigo v Real Sociedad (1900)

Getafe v Espanyol (1900)

Gimnastic Tarragona v Real Betis (1900)

Osasuna v Levante (1900)

Racing Santander v Villarreal (1900)

Real Madrid v Recreativo Huelva (2000)

Sevilla v Deportivo La Coruna (2000)

Thursday

Barcelona v Atletico Madrid (2100)

Dec 18 , 2006

Thursday

the year

Now

Sunday

Sunday

last season

nearly two seasons

Last year

recent years

Sunday

Wednesday

61 year

Sunday

Saturday

five years

Wednesday

Sunday

Tuesday

Thursday


AFP_ENG_20051215.0110

GENEVA, Dec 15 , 2005

ATTENTION - ADDS background ///

Switzerland's central bank said Thursday it was raising its key interest rate for the first time since June 2004 by 0.25 percentage points in response to the accelerating growth of the Swiss economy.

The three-month Libor rate would be allowed to vary in a range from 0.50 percent to 1.50 percent, instead of 0.25 percent to 1.25 percent, the Swiss National Bank said in a statement.

The SNB also raised forecasts for Swiss economic growth less than two months since an earlier official revision, predicting 1.5-percent growth of gross domestic product (GDP) for 2005 instead of the previous estimate of 1.3 percent from the Swiss economics ministry.

Growth was expected to be "a little more than two percent" in 2006, according to the bank.

"By raising its target range, the Swiss National Bank is adjusting its monetary policy to economic developments, which are proceeding as expected," the SNB said

"This ensures that the inflation outlook remains favourable," it added.

Annual inflation was forecast to reach 1.2 percent this year, before dropping back to 0.8 percent in 2006 and rising again to 1.2 percent in 2007.

Despite the rate increase announced on Thursday, the SNB said it was maintaining an expansionary monetary policy and would continue to support the recovery.

The bank intended to keep the Libor rate in the middle of the range at about one percent "for the time being".

"If the Swiss franc were to appreciate rapidly, the National Bank would react appropriately," it added.

Swiss economic growth accelerated during the third quarter to reach 2.3 percent over the figure for the equivalent period last year, amid strong consumer spending, according to official data.

SNB chairman Jean-Pierre Roth had signalled on November 2 that a rate rize was on the cards for the end of the year, despite some concerns about the potential longer term impact of higher oil prices on economic growth.

Roth acknowledged in a speech to businessmen that the price of oil had probably made a durable shift to new higher levels but its wider inflationary impact was cushioned.

However, he insisted that interest rates were still at unsustainably low levels.

"It is clear that the generous monetary environment we created in 2001 to 2003, in the wake of the difficulties of the world economy and geopolitical tension, is not adapted to a normalised situation. That should be corrected," Roth said.

Swiss forecasters believe the recovery should continue, provided it encourages a growth in investment in capital goods and employment.

The economics ministry recently warned that the health of the neighbouring eurozone economies represented a "risk factor", because of Switzerland's reliance on its biggest trade partners in the European Union.

It warned that growth in the eurozone was still propped up mainly by exports and was vulnerable to external shocks, including a strengthening of the European currency.

The European Central Bank raised its key interest rates for the first time in five years on December 1.

Dec 15 , 2005

Thursday

June 2004

less than two months

this year

Thursday

the third quarter

the equivalent period last year

November 2

the end of the year

five years

December 1


AFP_ENG_20051206.0323

NEW YORK, Dec 6 , 2005

Wall Street rebounds as oil dips; Dow lifts 0.33 percent

US stocks opened higher Tuesday as year-end rally sentiment returned after a pullback in crude oil futures.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 35.54 points (0.33 percent) to 10,870.55 and the Nasdaq composite pushed higher by 11.69 points (0.52 percent) to 2,269.33 in the first exchanges.

On Monday, the main indexes ended lower, hurt by a rise in oil prices and a jump in long-term interest rates. However, the stock market in general has been rallying during the last five weeks, benefiting from data pointing to economic strength and oversold conditions.

The positive trend was in force once again at Tuesday's opening.

Steve Goldman, chief market strategist at Weeden and Co., said, "There was some skittishness yesterday about oil and bond prices. But that has dissipated a bit. We still have seasonal factors in the back of every trader's mind."

Bob Dickey at RBC Dain Rauscher said the market has held at key levels despite profit taking in recent sessions, suggesting the rally remains intact.

"Any further dips in the market over the next few days are regarded by us as being great buy points for the continuation of the year-end rally," he said.

Dec 6 , 2005

Tuesday

Monday

the last five weeks

Tuesday


XIN_ENG_20051119.0096

MELBOURNE, Nov. 19 , 2005 (Xinhua)

Schedule of Artistic Gymnastics Worlds

Following is the competition schedule of the 2005 Artistic Gymnastics World Championships to kick off here on Tuesday:
November 22: Men's qualifications

November 23: Women's qualifications

November 24: Men's all-around final

November 25: Women's all-around final

November 26: Apparatus finals, Men's - Floor, Pommel horse, Rings

Women's - Vault, Uneven bars

November 27: Apparatus finals, Men's - Vault, Parallel bars, Horizontal bars; Women's - Balance beam, Floor

Nov. 19 , 2005

Tuesday:

November 22

November 23

November 24

November 25

November 26

November 27


XIN_ENG_20061128.0334

DOHA, Nov. 28 , 2006 (Xinhua)

Starting line-up of Qatar against Jordan at Asian Games

Following is the starting line-up of hosts Qatar against Jordan at the second-round of football events at Doha Asian Games here on Tuesday:

Forwards: Abdulrahman Hussain Ya, Quintana Sebastian, Rajab Bilal Mohammed

Midfielders: Mohd Adel Lamy, Al Hamad Mesaad Ali, Abdulmajid Wesam Rizik, Rahmati Younes Ali

Defenders: Saleh Ali Nasser, Koni Abdulla Obaid, Siddiq Majdi Abdulla

Goalkeeper: Ahmed Mohamed Saqr

Nov. 28 , 2006

Tuesday


APW19980322.0749
 NEWS STORY
 03/22/1998 14:57:00

w1834 Cx1f wstm-
r i Cx13  Cx11  BC-NorthernIreland 1stLd-Writethru   03-22 0720

 BC-Northern Ireland, 1st Ld-Writethru

Police find bomb on eve of Sinn Fein's return to peace talks

UR Eds: NEW throughout; RAISES reference to bomb; UPDATES with protest
against Protestant marches, comment from Sinn Fein leader; trims
pvs QL
UR By SHAWN POGATCHNIK QC
UR Associated Press Writer QC

BELFAST, Northern Ireland (AP) _ Police seized a car bomb under
construction Sunday in a town bordering Northern Ireland on the eve
of the return to peace talks by the IRA-allied Sinn Fein party.
Chief Superintendent Al McHugh said the bomb discovered in the
Irish Republic was destined for an unknown target in Northern
Ireland and ``would have caused massive destruction.''
The discovery appeared to be the latest attempt by extremists
opposed to the IRA's 8-month-old truce to undermine the peace
process, set to resume Monday in Belfast.
Extremists have bombed two predominantly pro-British Protestant
towns and fired mortar shells at a police station since Sinn Fein
was expelled from peace talks on Feb. 20 in punishment for two
killings blamed on the Irish Republican Army.
Police found more than 1,300 pounds (600 kgs) of
fertilizer-based explosives Sunday in a shed in Dundalk, 50 miles
(80 kms) south of Belfast.
They arrested two men in connection with the bomb factory, which
also contained circuitry, detonating cord and the Mitsubishi truck
that would have carried the bomb.
The British and Irish governments, which cosponsor the
multi-party talks that are supposed to conclude by May, invited
Sinn Fein to rejoin two weeks ago.
But Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams kept his party out pending
meetings with British Prime Minister Tony Blair 10 days ago and
President Clinton last week.
``We were unjustly pushed out of the talks in February but we
are back,'' Adams said Sunday.
He said the north's substantial Catholic minority demanded a
settlement that would promote Northern Ireland's eventual
unification with the Irish Republic.
``Nationalists in the north are not  a minority in someone else's
country. We are Irish citizens, living in our own country,'' Adams
said, adding: ``Nationalists want to move towards Irish unity and
see this process as a bridge in that direction.''
But the north's pro-British Protestant majority is bitterly opposed to uniting Ireland and instead wants a strong government
for Northern Ireland, which has been ruled directly by London since
1972.
Northern Ireland's biggest Protestant party, the Ulster
Unionists, is threatening to push for Sinn Fein's expulsion once
again. They say IRA commanders are responsible for the recent bomb
attacks.
Also Sunday, more than 2,000 Catholic protesters rallied in
Portadown against the annual parades by the Orange Order, Northern
Ireland's dominant Protestant fraternal group.
Confrontations among Catholic protesters, Protestant marchers
and the police have provoked widespread violence in Northern
Ireland for the past three summers. The crucible is Portadown, 30
miles (50 kms) southwest of Belfast, where Orangemen march each
July from their rural church back downtown _ through the town's
main Catholic area.
Protesters from several Catholic communities crowded into
Portadown's Catholic Garvaghy Road to hear speakers demand
negotiations with Orange Order leaders, and pledge to participate
in each others' road-blocking protests this summer.
``Small nationalist communities are not going to be left on
their own this summer,'' said Gerard Rice, a former IRA prisoner
who leads anti-Orange protests in a Catholic neighborhood of south
Belfast.
Riot police in armored cars, shields and helmets prevented a few
hundred Protestants, many waving British and Ulster flags, from
interfering with the Catholics as they marched within Portadown's
few Catholic streets.
Earlier Sunday, police and militant Protestants clashed in a
religiously polarized part of north Belfast.
Police said an unmarked police car was hit with gasoline bombs
from the Protestant side. Riot police responded with a volley of
plastic bullets that scattered a 50-strong mob.
An elderly Catholic man was hospitalized from cuts after a
Protestant gasoline bomb landed in his back yard. Police arrested
six Protestants on suspicion of rioting.
(sp/eml)

(PROFILE
(WS SL:BC-Northern Ireland, 1st Ld-Writethru; CT:i;
(REG:EURO;)
(REG:BRIT;)
(REG:SCAN;)
(REG:MEST;)
(REG:AFRI;)
(REG:INDI;)
(REG:ENGL;)
(REG:ASIA;)
(LANG:ENGLISH;))
)

AP-NY-03-22-98 1457EST

03/22/1998 14:57:00

Sunday

Monday

Feb. 20

Sunday

May

two weeks ago

10 days ago

last week

February

Sunday

Sunday

the past three summers

this summer

this summer

Earlier Sunday


AFP_ENG_20051215.0333

BAGHDAD, Dec 15 , 2005

Iraq polls close

Polls closed on Thursday in Iraq's historic general election for the first full-term government since the fall of Saddam Hussein, the electoral commission said.

Electoral official Hussein al-Hindawi told AFP people still waiting at polling stations would be allowed to cast their ballots until the last man, even after the doors shut at 5:00 pm (1400 GMT).

Iraqis flooded polling stations during the 10-hour election for a 275-member parliament set to put in place a government that will return the country to full sovereignty following the 2003 US-led invasion.

Dec 15 , 2005

Thursday


AFP_ENG_20061220.0308

STOCKHOLM, Dec 20 , 2006, 2006

Swedish unemployment benefit reforms

The Swedish parliament was on Wednesday set to adopt the centre-right government's plans to raise premiums for unemployment insurance while decreasing payouts to the jobless.

Under existing rules, Sweden's unemployed who previously earned less than 20,075 kronor (2,945 dollars, 2,220 euros) a month, receive eighty percent of their former salary for 300 days, a period which can be extended a further 300 days.

For those whose previously earned more than 20,075 kronor per month, benefits amount to 80 percent of their salary up to a pre-tax ceiling of 16,060 kronor a month for a maximum of 100 days.

This group is also entitled to a pre-tax maximum of 14,960 kronor per month for a further 200 days.

Under the proposed changes all unemployed workers are to receive 80 percent of their salary for 200 days, 70 percent of their salary for the next 100 days and 65 percent for an unlimited period thereafter.

From the 301st day unemployment benefits would be subject to stricter controls, however.

Employees currently contribute on average 100 kronor per month to unemployment insurance.

Under the new legislation their contributions would rise on average by 238 kronor.

If approved on Wednesday, the law will take effect on January 1, although the reduction in payments would take effect in March.

Dec 20 , 2006

Wednesday

a month

200 days

the next 100 days

the 301st day

Wednesday

January 1

March


XIN_ENG_20051125.0165

DAR ES SALAAM, Nov. 25 , 2005 (Xinhua)

Tanzania starts monitoring bird flu via special team

A national team composed of multi-sectoral specialists has started monitoring bird flu so as to assist in the prevention of the fatal epidemic in Tanzania.

The 18-member team is assessing and reviewing the epidemiological status of the disease, undertaking risk analyses and preparing contingency and emergency measures.

The team has already worked out a three-phase operational plan that consists of pre-pandemic, pandemic and post-pandemic stages.

The team will also coordinate epidemic surveillance and bio- security operations and form a national command post in the event of the disease breakout in the country.

Virological studies have so far pinpointed to the probability of wild birds spreading the disease, known by its scientific term as Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza.

Severe winters in Europe this year might lead to an increase of wild migratory birds to East Africa. Europe is experiencing its severest winter in the past 70 years.

Dr. Meta Grasford Yongolo from the virology department of the Animal Diseases Research Institute, predicted that as many as 15 million birds are coming to Tanzania from Europe for warmer and wetter weather conditions.

The bird flu virus is easily transmitted through air from migratory birds to such house fowls as chickens and ducks.

The country has already banned imports of chicken or poultry products while the East African Community has set up a special body and a special fund of 54 million US dollars to coordinate efforts by member states of Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania in the prevention of bird flu.

The coordination body not only consists of public health officials from the EAC member states but also advisors from international institutions like the World Health Organization.

The United Nations has warned the east African countries that there is a serious risk that the scenario of a potential spread of the bird flu through migratory birds to northern and eastern Africa may become a reality.

The East Africa Rift Valley hosts many bird species that relocate seasonally to and from Europe for hot-wet weather conditions. Birds that migrate to Europe return to the rift valley during summer in the southern hemisphere.

The United Nations issued the warning after the H5N1 strain of virus or bird flu virus had been detected in Romania and Turkey in October this year.

The virus has ravaged poultry in East Asia and has spread to Russia, Kazakhstan, Mongolia and now eastern Europe.

The bird flu epidemic is fatal to human beings as it causes deaths if untreated. In 2003, it killed more than 60 people in Asia alone.

Nov. 25 , 2005

the past 70 years

summer

October this year


XIN_ENG_20051105.0075

HONG KONG, Nov. 5 , 2005 (Xinhua)

Results from Hong Kong Open badminton

Following are the results from the 250,000 US dollar Hong Kong Open badminton championship here Saturday (prefxi number denotes seeding):

Men's singles

Semi-finals

1-Lin Dan, China, bt 4-Lee Chong-wei, Malaysia, 15-4, 15-6.

Women's singles

Semi-finals

1-Zhang Ning, China, bt 4-Pi Hongyan, France, 11-3, 13-11

Nov. 5 , 2005

Saturday


XIN_ENG_20061121.0331

SOFIA, Nov. 21 , 2006 (Xinhua)

Bulgarian approves new constitutional amendments

Bulgarian lawmakers on Tuesday approved the new constitutional amendments needed to raise accountability in the judiciary ahead of European Union membership on Jan. 1 next year.

The state-owned BTA reported that in a vote at the National Assembly, the parliament, 203 of 240 deputies backed amendments to end blanket immunity held by judges, prosecutors and investigators and to set up a special parliament-elected inspectorate to monitor the judiciary.

This is the fourth amendment to the 1991 constitution and also the second amendment in 2006.

Changes in the country's basic law are regarded as important steps for Bulgaria's bid for EU membership.

Nov. 21 , 2006

Tuesday

Jan. 1 next year


XIN_ENG_20061107.0274

QINGDAO, Nov. 7 , 2006 (Xinhua)

Philippines

A fleet of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy ended a 79-day voyage and arrived this port city in east China's Shandong Province on Tuesday, after visiting four ports in the United States, Canada and the Philippines.

At 10:00 am, a grand ceremony was held at the Navy port, to welcome the fleet, composing the missile destroyer, "Qingdao", and the depot ship, "Lake Hongze", with 506 officers and men on board.

On Aug. 21, the fleet left Qingdao Port, since then, it traveled 17,000 sea miles and successfully passed through three typhonic centers.

During the journey, Chinese and the U.S. navy held their first joint maritime exercise.

Nov. 7 , 2006

Tuesday

Aug. 21


AFP_ENG_19970418.0422

WASHINGTON, April 18 , 1997 (AFP)

On diplomatic tightrope, Clinton meets Hong Kong democrat Lee by Gretchen Cook

US President Bill Clinton walked a delicate line Friday as he met Hong Kong's Democratic party chief amid warnings from the territory's future China-appointed leader about meddling in the upcoming handover.

The White House downgraded the talks with Martin Lee to a casual drop- in by Clinton in order to avoid angering China, which views Lee's visit as an attempt to win Washington's sympathies to his protests over the July 1 takeover of Hong Kong.

But Hong Kong's chief executive-designate Tung Chee-hwa said he was "disappointed" with Lee Friday and warned him "to please bear in mind that whatever he says it will be carefully read and interpreted.

"The worst thing is, at this juncture, to give people in the United States a wrong impression. So far I have to tell you I am disappointed," he said.

Lee said at the UN headquarters in New York Tuesday that he plans to press Clinton to consider the transition of Hong Kong as an "international" affair rather than the domestic matter China insists it is.

In a specially choreographed arrangement, Vice President Al Gore held an official meeting with Lee which Clinton visited while it was "in progress," the White House said.

But China's kid glove treatment by the White House also comes with a warning.

Thursday, spokesman Michael McCurry said that the US administration will watch the handover anxiously and be ready to pounce on any sign that democratic freedoms are being yanked.

He evoked the 1984 Joint Declaration agreement between Britain and China which calls for the continuation of civil rights in the former British colony and said: "We will assert an interest in preserving that formula into the future."

The United States has already protested China's plans to dissolve the elected legislature and its proposals to clamp down on freedoms of expression and assembly.

As part of the US vigilance, Secretary of State Madeleine Albright will attend the ceremony for the transition of Hong Kong, where there are 40,000 American citizens and some 13 billion dollars in investments.

Clinton agreed to the Lee meeting after pressure from the Republican- led Congress, which is highly supportive of the Hong Kong Democratic leader and often charges the president's handling of China is weak- kneed.

The "drop-by" formula is one often used by the White House in delicate diplomatic situations.

If the Dalai Lama comes to the White House as expected, McCurry said he will likely be greeted here as he was last year.

"In the past, it's been similar to the procedure for Lee today," he said.

Tung said Wednesday that he had scrapped plans to visit the United States.

Media reports in Hong Kong said it was to avoid possible embarrassment should he be refused a White House visit.

McCurry declined to comment on whether the president would meet with Tung, saying that as there were no plans for his visit such meeting would be hypothetical.

April 18 , 1997

Friday

July 1

Friday

Thursday

last year

today

Wednesday


XIN_ENG_20061117.0301

BRUSSELS, Nov. 17 , 2006 (Xinhua)

African leaders want EU aid instead of interference

Leaders from African countries told the European Union (EU) on Friday that Africa needs aid, but not interference in their reforms and policies.

"Stop interfering in the decision-making process of African states," Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni told a conference on state governance in Africa hosted by the European Commission (EC) in Brussels.

The conference was attended by World Bank director Paul Wolfowitz, more than 15 African leaders and EU ministers. Museveni said his country risked an electricity shortage because donors had pressured it to stop building dams on the Nile.

"Do not use your wealth and power to try to create us in your image," said Botswana's President Festus Mogae, adding that governance "cannot be a one-way street, an instrument to be used by the strong against the weak."

The EU dubs itself the biggest aid donor in the world, saying it provided 43.3 billion euros (around 55 billion U.S. dollars) in 2004, of which half went to Africa.

For 2008-2013, some 3 billion euros (around 3.8 billion U.S. dollars) will be allocated to reward countries for applying reforms that the EU calls good governance.

Nov. 17 , 2006

Friday


XIN_ENG_20051115.0008

SINGAPORE, Nov. 15 , 2005 (Xinhua)

Enhancing creative capabilities vital for Singapore: minister

Singapore Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts Lee Boon Yang said here on Tuesday that enhancing the creative capabilities is important for Singapore which is reinventing its economy to cater for the changing international economic landscape.

"Apart from its high growth potential and direct economic contribution in the form of GDP (gross domestic product) growth and jobs, the creative industries harness cultural creativity to differentiate products and services across the entire economy," Lee said at the Global Summit for Creative Industries.

He added that growing the creative industries, which include the arts, design and media sectors in Singapore, will also enhance the city state's image and its attractiveness to talent and enterprises, as well as broadening the definitions of success in the society.

Having invested more than 1 billion Singapore dollars (about 588 million US dollars) on cultural hardware and software in recent years, according to the minister, Singapore will continue to develop its creative human resource, anchor more international creative enterprises and organizations, and forge strong industry engagement and ownership.

Citing the numerous opportunities for trade and collaboration lying in the rise of China's and India's economies and the continued growth throughout Asia, Lee said that Singapore will " reinforce the spirit of Asian cooperation" in the development of its creative economy.

The inaugural Global Summit for Creative Industries is one of a series of events which Singapore organizes under the banner of " Creative 2005 - Reinvent your Future" to promote its creative industries.

Nov. 15 , 2005

Tuesday

recent years


APW19980626.0364
 NEWS STORY
 06/26/1998 07:07:00

w2640 Cx1f wstm-
r i Cx13  Cx11  BC-Germany-RightistsFine     06-26 0198

 BC-Germany-Rightists Fined

German far-right party fined for violating donor laws

BONN, Germany (AP) _ A phony address listed on disclosure forms
for a French donor  will cost the far-right German People's Union
about 549,000 marks (dlrs 305,000), parliament said Friday.
Parliamentary president Rita Suessmuth said the People's Union
correctly listed Jacques de Mathan as  having donated about 274,500
marks in 1995, but gave a false address for him.
German law requires parties  to publish the name and address of
anyone who donates more than 20,000 marks (dlrs 11,000).
The anti-foreigner party said it wanted  to protect the donor
from possible attacks.
Suessmuth  said , however, that the law  does not allow for
providing a false address for any reason. The fine is twice the
donation, as provided for under German party financing laws.
Party spokesman Bernd Droese said the People's Union would challenge the fine in court.
The extremist party recently took a surprising 13 percent of the
vote in elections in a depressed eastern German state, and hopes  to win its first seats in the federal parliament this September.
UR (pfg-xx)

(PROFILE
(WS SL:BC-Germany-Rightists Fined; CT:i;
(REG:EURO;)
(REG:BRIT;)
(REG:SCAN;)
(REG:ENGL;)
(LANG:ENGLISH;))
)

AP-NY-06-26-98 0707EDT

06/26/1998 07:07:00

Friday

recently

this September


AFP_ENG_20051211.0389

LONDON, Dec 11 , 2005

by Julian Guyer

Lawrence Dallaglio wrote off Wasps's European Cup campaign after the English champions went down to a 21-13 defeat away to Llanelli on Sunday that left his side bottom of Pool Six.

There is still a mathematical chance for the European champions of two seasons ago to make it through to the quarter-finals if they win their remaining three games, including a clash with tournament favourites and reigning champions Toulouse in France.

But after Sunday's match, Dallaglio was adamant Wasps had already scuppered their hopes of reaching the last eight.

"I am very disappointed and very angry with everyone, including myself," the former England back-row forward said

"With the quality in our group it was going to be very difficult but we just weren't good enough today.

"At the moment, one or two are putting it in, and one or two aren't. We got what we deserved today. We are out of Europe yes, and we are desperately disappointed because we want to win trophies."

All six Pool winners and the two best runners-up overall will qualify for the knockout stages of European club rugby union's premier competition.

And at a fog-enshrouded Stradey Park, Llanelli boosted their hopes by moving into second place in the Pool, three points behind Toulouse.

Second-half tries from centre Dafydd James and wing Mark Jones saw the Scarlets on their way to victory, while fly-half Gareth Bowen kicked three penalties and a conversion.

Wasps replied with a Tom Rees try, converted by Mark van Gisbergen, and Alex King landed two penalties for the Londoners but there was no denying Llanelli.

Elswehere, Leicester were forced to overturn a 12-6 half-time deficit at home to Neath-Swansea Ospreys before seeing off the Welsh side 30-12 at Welford Road to go top of Pool Three.

Wales centre Gavin Henson, in his first appearance of the season for the Ospreys since sustaining a groin injury during the British and Irish Lions tour of New Zealand, was a lively presence in the first-half.

But Leicester rallied and even came away with a bonus point after tries from Brett Deacon, Harry Ellis, George Chuter and Austin Healey.

Henson's fellow Wales centre Sonny Parker and Adrian Cashmore crossed for the Ospreys who were left bottom of the Pool. Like Wasps, they too must win their three remaining games to have any chance of staying in the competition.

Henson, almost as well-known for his distinctive spiky hair and relationship with Welsh singer Charlotte Church as his rugby, courted controversy with a book published after the Lions tour in which he slammed several of his Wales team-mates.

But having come through the full 80 minutes against the Tigers unscathed, Henson said he was happy to be back playing ahead of Six Nations Grand Slam holders Wales's 2005 tournament opener away to England at Twickenham on February 4.

"It is difficult when you have been off the pace. But it's the first time in a year that I've felt no pain in my groin."

There was controversy at Headingley where Leeds only beat French visitors Perpignan 21-20 after fly-half Gordon Ross's re-taken conversion.

He missed with his first effort to goal fellow Scotland international Gordon Bulloch's injury-time try but Welsh referee Nigel Owens ordered a retake because several Perpignan players had charged too early and shouted, both offences, as they tried to block the kick.

Perpignan finished the day on top of Pool Two but were left level on 10 points with Cardiff and only a point ahead of Leeds.

In the day's other match French giants Biarritz thrashed Italy's Treviso 34-7 to top Pool Four ahead of next week's fourth round Pool matches, which will see all this weekend's fixtures reversed.

Dec 11 , 2005

Sunday

two seasons ago

Sunday

today

today

the full 80 minutes

February 4

a year

next week


XIN_ENG_20051129.0274

UNITED NATIONS, Nov. 29 , 2005 (Xinhua)

UN chief hails resumption of peace talks on conflict in Sudan's Darfur region

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan on Tuesday welcomed the resumption of peace talks in Nigeria between the Sudanese government and rebel groups in western Sudan' s Darfur region.

With the mediation of the African Union, Khartoum and the two rebel groups -- the Sudan Liberation Movement and the Justice and Equality Movement -- started the long-delayed seventh round of peace talks in the Nigerian capital of Abuja earlier in the day.

"The secretary-general strongly appeals to the parties to the Abuja peace process ... to immediately stop all violence and atrocities on the ground," said a statement issued by UN spokesman Stephanie Dujarric.

"He calls on the parties to negotiate a just and comprehensive peace agreement. Individual leaders will be judged on their immediate action to stop the bloodshed in Darfur," the statement said.

The secretary-general urged the parties to the conflict and all other armed groups in Darfur to cooperate fully with the African Union Mission in Sudan and with the United Nations Mission in Sudan.

Annan also appealed to donors to continue supporting both the crucial work of the AU mission in this long suffering region and critical humanitarian assistance for millions of war-affected civilians in Darfur, the statement said.

Nov. 29 , 2005

Tuesday


XIN_ENG_20051130.0111

WUHAN, Nov. 30 , 2005 (Xinhua)

Bird flu quarantine lifted in central China county

The quarantine of the bird flu-hit spots, one poultry farm and one village in Jingshan County of Hubei Province, has been lifted after all signs of the epidemic there were eradicated, the local government announced Wednesday.

Tests on blood samples of domestic birds within 10 kilometers outside the poultry farm and Qibaoshan village, which reported the bird flu outbreak on Nov. 2, show the poultry have been satisfactorily immunized, said sources with the provincial animal husbandry authorities.

No new bird flu cases were reported in the last 21 days in the area, which is the longest incubation period for the H5N1 avian flu virus.

Nine live poultry markets were allowed to reopen after the 28-day quarantine.

Although the quarantine was lifted, veterinarians will continue to monitor the areas, said an official with the provincial agricultural department.

More than 30,000 birds had been culled within a three-kilometer radius of the spots and the local live poultry markets shut down after the national bird flu lab diagnosed the cases of the H5N1 bird flu on Nov. 11.

Nov. 30 , 2005

Wednesday

Nov. 2

the last 21 days

Nov. 11


AFP_ENG_19970419.0145

DURRES, Albania, April 19 , 1997 (AFP)

First distribution of aid by UN World Food Programme

Flour, beans and vegetable oil from the UN World Food Programme were handed out for the first time Saturday to over 20 institutions caring for hungry Albanians across the lawless republic.

Trucks and vans from hospitals, orphanages and homes for the handicapped drove to Albania's main port from around the country to collect their quota.

However, they will make the journey back to their institutions without escorts from the eight-nation protection force which is currently being deployed in Albania.

The UN agency has stockpiled more than 400 tonnes of wheat flour, beans and vegetable oil in warehouses at the delapidated port, enough to feed 7,500 people for three months.

Europe's poorest state has been gripped by unrest and banditry for over a month following street protests over the collapse of bogus investment schemes snowballed into armed insurrection.

The aid is part of a package of measures aimed at restoring stablity to the country which must prepare for elections at the end of June. The protection force is in Albania to help safeguard the aid. French troops have secured Durres port and are guarding the WFP shipment.

WFP's Laura Boldini said: "This is not an operation where you could have a military escort. It's to meet the needs of the institutions which are without food. It's a low profile operation."

April 19 , 1997

Saturday

currently

three months

a month

the end of June


AFP_ENG_20061217.0009

NEW YORK, Dec 16 , 2006, 2006

Nuggets rout Knicks in brawl-marred game

Carmelo Anthony scored 34 points before being ejected with nine other players for throwing a punch as the Denver Nuggets routed the New York Knicks, 123-100 in a game marred by a wild melee.

Marcus Camby had 24 points and nine rebounds for the Nuggets, who angered Knicks coach Isiah Thomas as they kept all their starters on the floor with the game in hand, which may have triggered the brawl.

With the Denver leading, 117-100, with 1:29 remaining, New York rookie Mardy Collins tackled J.R. Smith as he was attempting a transition layup.

Tempers flared and bodies careened into the first row of the stands underneath the Knicks' basket.

Knicks guard Nate Robinson and Smith wrestled, while Knicks guard Jared Jeffries was being restrained by team security.

As the situation was being sorted out, Anthony landed a punch on Collins. All 10 players on the court were ejected.

There is some bad blood between the National Basketball Association teams. Thomas and Nuggets coach George Karl had an argument during a summer league meeting.

Before the fight, Anthony had a remarkable game, demoralizing the Knicks with easy drives to the basket. He shot 15-of-29 from the floor.

Stephon Marbury scored 31 points for New York, which shot 43 percent (41-of-95).

Dec 16 , 2006


WSJ891030-0045
 = 891027
 891030-0045.
 Business Brief -- Rally's Inc.:
@  Investor Group Is Seeking
@  More Than 50% of Stock
 10/27/89
 WALL STREET JOURNAL (J)
 GPO RLLY
 TENDER OFFERS, MERGERS, ACQUISITIONS (TNM)

   A group of investors led by Giant Group Ltd. and its chairman, Burt Sugarman, said it filed with federal antitrust regulators for clearance to buy more than 50% of the stock of Rally's Inc., a fast-food company based in Louisville, Ky.

   Rally's operates and franchises about 160 fast-food restaurants throughout the U.S.
The company went public earlier this month, offering 1,745,000 shares of common stock at $15 a share.
Giant has interests in cement making and newsprint.

   The investor group includes Restaurant Investment Partnership, a California general partnership, and three Rally's directors: Mr. Sugarman, James M. Trotter III and William E. Trotter II.
The group currently holds 3,027,330 Rally's shares, or 45.2% of its commmon shares outstanding.
Giant Group owned 22% of Rally's shares before the initial public offering.

   A second group of three company directors, aligned with Rally's founder James Patterson, also is seeking control of the fast-food chain.
It is estimated that the Patterson group controls more than 40% of Rally's stock.

   Rally officials weren't available to comment late yesterday.

   For the year ended July 2, Rally had net income of $2.4 million, or 34 cents a share, on revenue of $52.9 million.

this month

late yesterday

the year

July 2


XIN_ENG_20061122.0302

OTTAWA, Nov. 22 , 2006 (Xinhua)

Canadian PM says Quebec "nation within Canada"

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper said on Wednesday he would introduce a motion recognizing that "Quebecers form a nation within a united Canada."

"Our position is clear. Do the Quebecois form a nation within Canada? The answer is yes. Do the Quebecois form an independent nation? The answer is no and the answer will always be no," Harper told the House of Commons on Wednesday.

Harper's motion was prompted by a Bloc Quebecois motion to be debated Thursday. It calls for Quebec to be recognized as a nation but does not include the words "in Canada."

Harper said the issue of Quebec's nationhood should not be decided by the federal government but by the Quebec legislation. However, he said the Bloc has forced the government to take a position.

The Bloc motion, which will be debated in the House of Commons on Thursday, states simply: "That this House recognizes that Quebecers form a nation."

Francophone Quebec has previously held two referendums on separation, in 1980 and 1995, but rejected the idea.

The word "nation" is often used in Quebec to describe the province as a distinct cultural entity, even by anti-separatist politicians such as former Premier Jean Charest.

Nov. 22 , 2006

Wednesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Thursday


AFP_ENG_19970403.0519

LONDON, April 3 , 1997 (AFP)

British opposition Labour holds its leads in latest poll

Britain's opposition Labour party has maintained a 24 percent lead over the Conservatives, according to the latest newspaper opinion released on Thursday.

The Independent/Harris poll, to be published in the paper Friday, put Labour on 52 percent and the Conservatives on 28 percent, a drop of two percent for both parties, but still the same margin as last week.

Support for the centrist Liberal Democrats was up three percent, from 11 percent to 14 percent, and anti-European Sir James Goldsmith's Referendum party scored 3.2 percent.

Harris interviewed 1,091 adults face-to-face in their homes between March 27 and 31.

A survey for The Times on Thursday suggested Labour had an unprecedented 27-point lead, five points up, at 55 percent, and the Tories down one percent.

The new polls dash Tory hopes that Labour's lead was beginning to narrow and are in stark contrast to an ICM poll in the The Guardian on Wednesday that showed the Tories cutting the gap from 18 points to 14.

April 3 , 1997

Thursday

Friday

last week

March 27

Thursday

Wednesday


AFP_ENG_20051210.0292

ZAGREB, Dec 10 , 2005

ATTENTION - ADDS details on rallies ///

Thousands of people protested Saturday in the Croatian coastal town of Zadar to express their anger over the jailing of war crimes suspect Ante Gotovina at the UN court at The Hague.

The protests came after a night of unrest in which police made more than a dozen arrests and angry demonstrators set fire to cars and displayed the insignia of Croatia's World War II pro-Nazi Ustasha regime.

The 50-year-old former general was arrested in Spain on Wednesday after four years on the run. He was detained at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia at The Hague on Saturday pending the start of his trial.

Gotovina, who was born near Zadar, is considered a hero by many in Croatia for repelling Serb forces toward the end of the country's 1991-1995 inter-ethnic war of independence from Yugoslavia.

"We demand the government provide general Gotovina and his lawyers all documents (needed for his defence). We also demand that general Gotovina be tried in his country," protest organizer Ante Martinac told a crowd waving Croatian flags and portraits of Gotovina in Zadar's central square.

Gotovina has been presented with the keys to the city and until recently his portrait hung over the main gate in its medieval walls.

More protests are expected Sunday after a veterans' association called a demonstration in the southern coastal town of Split, saying some 100,000 people would attend.

An association of some 20 mostly retired generals has backed the gathering.

"We call all Croatian patriots, all honest Croatians, to be in Split tomorrow at noon to voice support to Gotovina," retired general Ljubo Cesic-Rojs told journalists.

Another retired general, Markica Rebic, stressed however that the protests should not be hijacked by "extremists".

"We want to condemn in advance any attempt to use tomorrow's gathering for any extremist or political goals," he said.

On Friday some 200 high-school pupils chanted insults against the authorities in a protest in Zadar. Some had the insignia of Croatia's World War II Ustasha fascist regime, sang Ustasha songs and used the Nazi salute.

They also burned the flag of the European Union, which had held up talks on Croatia's membership due to Zagreb's failure to arrest the fugitive.

Prime Minister Ivo Sanader said he understood that Gotovina's arrest was an emotional issue but called for people to "show common sense and trust the government".

Gotovina is accused of failing to prevent the massacre of about 150 ethnic Serb civilians during a Croatian offensive to retake the rebel-held Krajina region in August 1995.

The indictment says his troops went on a rampage of looting and destruction in Serb-held areas. The war claimed 20,000 lives with rebel Serbs occupying one-third of the country at one stage.

Pro-Gotovina rallies were also announced for Sunday in neighboring Bosnia, in areas with a majority ethnic Croat population.

Meanwhile, the foreign ministry said that Gotovina asked local media not to disturb his family.

Dec 10 , 2005

Saturday

Wednesday

four years

Saturday

recently

Sunday

Friday

August 1995

one stage

Sunday


XIN_ENG_20051112.0098

MONROVIA, Nov. 12 , 2005 (Xinhua)

Liberia's court rejects Weah's allegation of fraud in presidential runoff

The Supreme Court in Liberia has rejected football star George Weah's allegation of fraud in the presidential runoff and referred them to the National Elections Commission (NEC), Weah's spokesman Sam Quiah told Xinhua on Saturday.

Weah had protested to the NEC that Tuesday's run-off that pits him against Harvard-trained Iron Lady Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf.

He alleged that pre-marked ballot papers intended to be stuffed in ballot boxes in favor of his challenger were intercepted by his supporters and presented photo copy of same to the NEC as evidence to prove his claims.

But while ruling into the case was pending before the NEC, Weah 's party took flight to the Supreme Court, seeking a writ of prohibition on the NEC from announcing the results in which Johnson-Sirleaf has won with 59.4 percent as 97 percent of all polling places has been counted.

"The Supreme Court did the right thing because it cannot go into the case in the absence of a ruling from the NEC," a Liberian legal expert told Xinhua.

International observers including the European Union, regional bloc ECOWAS and the Carter Center were unanimous in their observation that the election was free, fair and transparent.

Calm has returned to Liberian capital of Monrovia following Friday's demonstration in which at least two people were injured when thousands of supporters of the football star took to the streets in what they described as a "peaceful demonstration to show to the international community that there were fraud in the presidential run-off election."

The UN police used tear gas to disperse some of the demonstrators at the diplomatic enclave of Mamba Point in Monrovia, when, according to Liberian police sources, the demonstrators began "throwing stones and attempted to go beyond police lines."

Nov. 12 , 2005

Saturday

Tuesday

Friday


AFP_ENG_19970428.0360

BRATISLAVA, April 28 , 1997 (AFP)

Economic, trade links top agenda as Russian PM visits Slovakia

Visiting Russian Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin gave a thinly veiled warning to Slovakia on Monday that its drive towards NATO membership could affect its relations with Moscow.

According to the spokesman of Slovakian President Michal Kovac, with whom Chernomyrdin met, the Russian premier said that former Warsaw Pact states seeking NATO membership "risked affecting their relations" with Moscow.

Slovakia, itself a former Warsaw Pact member, is the central European country with which Moscow enjoys the best relations. However, its readiness to seek membership of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation is worrying the Russians who remain strongly opposed to NATO expansion.

Kovac said that Slovakia's desire to join NATO, which is favoured by the government and will be put to voters in a referendum in May, was not "directed against Russia" nor motivated by a "threat" from the east.

The two men met during Chernomrydin's 48-hour visit to Bratislava which will coincide with the signature of a dozen commercial and military accords on Tuesday.

The Russian premier has frequently voiced Moscow's opposition to NATO's eastward expansion, most recently during a visit to the neighbouring Czech Republic last week.

The Czech Republic is expected to be among the first former Warsaw Pact states to be offered membership at a NATO summit in July.

The 12 accords due to be signed Tuesday cover a long-term gas contract for Slovakia, barter arrangements and permission for Bratislava to use Russian military technology.

April 28 , 1997

Monday

May

Tuesday

last week

July


XIN_ENG_20051102.0255

STOCKHOLM, Nov. 2 , 2005 (Xinhua)

Aid Agencies in Denmark raises 1.3 million euros for Pakistan quake victims

Aid agencies in Denmark have managed to collect 1.3 million euros to help earthquake victims in Pakistan, Ritzau news bureau reported on Wednesday.

Five major aid organizations in Denmark, including Danchurch Aid, Save the Children, Unicef, the Red Cross, and Doctors Without Borders, have joined forces to raise the funds.

The result was "impressive", according to secretary general of Danchurch Aid, Henrik Stubkjoer, who acknowledged difficulty in getting relief efforts underway.

"The catastrophe grew slowly and we had difficulty obtaining information," said Stubkjoer.

Meanwhile, members of Doctors Without Borders expressed frustration at the Foreign Ministry's decision to postpone sending a well-equipped field hospital to the region.

"Denmark should play a more active role in relief efforts. Getting as much help to the area as quickly as possible should be the priority," said Soeren Brix Christensen, chairman of the Danish division of Doctors Without Borders.

Danish-Pakistani doctors returning from the stricken areas also expressed their confusion about the decision to postpone delivery.

"The Danish hospital is equipped with x-ray equipment and suited to helping people with injuries from the earthquake. There are other field hospitals in the area, but not of the same high quality that Denmark can offer," said Khurran Jamil, a doctor who recently returned from a mission to the area.

The Foreign Ministry explained that other countries had deployed field hospitals, but that there could be an additional need for the Danish field hospital in the coming months.

Nov. 2 , 2005

Wednesday

coming months


XIN_ENG_20061126.0095

XI'AN, Nov. 26 , 2006 (Xinhua)

Mongolian prime minister visits historical city in NW China

Mongolian Prime Minister Miegombyn Enkhbold on Sunday visited Xi'an, a historical city and capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province.

In Xi'an, he paid a visit to a local economic and industrial development zone, Terra-cotta Warriors of Qin Dynasty, Shaanxi Provincial History Museum and the Dayan Tower (or the Big Goose Pagoda) which is a famous cultural relics of Tang Dynasty built more than 1,300 years ago.

In his meeting with Shaanxi Governor Yuan Chunqing on Sunday evening. The two sides expressed the hope to cement cooperation in tourism.

The Mongolian prime minister arrived in Xi'an on Nov. 25 after visits to Beijing and Urumqi, capital of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

Enkhbold started his official visit to China on Nov. 22.

Nov. 26 , 2006

Sunday

more than 1,300 years ago

Sunday evening

Nov. 25

Nov. 22


CNN_20130322_314

March 22, 2013

Obama gets diplomatic coup before heading to refugee-flooded Jordan

President Barack Obama arrived in refugee-flooded Jordan on Friday after scoring a diplomatic coup just before leaving Israel when Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu apologized to Turkey for a 2010 commando raid that killed nine activists on a Turkish vessel in a Gaza-bound flotilla.

The apology, long sought by Turkish Prime Minister Recep Erdogan, eased strained feelings between Turkey and Israel, two vital U.S. allies in the Middle East.

It happened in a phone call to Erdogan during a final meeting between Obama and Netanyahu at Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv minutes before Air Force One departed for Jordan to complete the president's Middle East swing. It is the first foreign trip of his second term.

A statement from Netanyahu's office said the apology included an offer of compensation. However, there was confusion later when the Israeli government dropped a reference in its original statement to normalized relations between the countries with a return of ambassadors.

There also was no word on whether the once-close nations would resume the joint military exercises that were suspended after the flotilla raid.

Turkey had been prosecuting four Israeli soldiers in absentia and Israel initially said the two leaders agreed to the cancellation of legal steps against the troops. Later, however, its amended statement omitted that action as well.

March 22, 2013

Friday

minutes

second term


XIN_ENG_20061103.0101

PHNOM PENH, Nov. 3 , 2006 (Xinhua)

Zambian peasants to grow bio-diesel crop in large scale

Zambian peasants to grow bio-diesel crop in large scale

LUSAKA, Nov. 3 (Xinhua) -- About 300,000 small-scale Zambian farmers are this year expected to grow more than 150,000 hectares of jatropha from which bio-diesel could be produced, local media cited the National Association for Peasant and Small-Scale Farmers of Zambia as saying on Friday.

Association president Rodger Phiri has thus called on the government to quickly develop policy framework for the bio-diesel production, according to Zambia Daily Mail.

Phiri said there was need to develop sustainable agriculture that demonstrates steps towards poverty alleviation and self- empowerment for farmers, noting that the cultivation of jatropha would help rural farmers living in poverty.

He said if agriculture was to be the engine of Zambia's economic development, there was need to increase funding to the sector from the present figures.

"Bio-diesel farming should be encouraged with a road map and targets to be achieved over a number of years," Phiri said.

He also called on the Zambian government to provide training and technological support for farmers to develop jatropha if production of bio-diesel is to be sustained.

Nov. 3 , 2006

Nov. 3

Friday

a number of years


AFP_ENG_19970401.0171

NEW DELHI, April 1 , 1997 (AFP)

Take back 'Rao bribe money', former Indian MP tells court

A former Indian member of parliament Tuesday offered to forego what remained of 114,300 dollars in bribes allegedly paid to him during a vote-buying scandal materminded by former prime minister P.V. Narasimha Rao.

Ajay Burman, counsel for Shailendra Mahato, a leader of a tribal party, told a New Delhi court: "Since it is bribe money paid to my client to get his support for the government during the 1993 no- confidence motion and does not belong to him, it can be confiscated."

Mahato, accused with three other Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM, Jharkhand Liberation Front) politicians of accepting bribes in return for voting for the government in a no-confidence motion in 1993, has agreed to act as a prosecution witness in the affair.

Police found 62,800 dollars in Mahato's account when they froze it in July last year.

Earlier he said that current Congress president Sitaram Kesri, who replaced Rao as party chief and who is currently trying to form a coalition government, knew about the bribes.

Mahato said members of parliament were promised five million rupees (143,000 dollars) each for their votes and three million rupees (85,700 dollars) if they abstained.

The JMM leaders also claimed that Rao promised to back their demand for a tribal homeland in eastern India if they sided with his government.

The prosecution Tuesday said Mahato was unreliable and only making a confession to try and avoid a prison sentence.

Rao, 75, was charged in the case in October. The former prime minister, who held office between 1991 and 1996, currently faces trial in two other corruption cases.

He quit as Congress president and parliamentary leader last year after pressure from his colleagues.

April 1 , 1997

Tuesday

July last year

currently

Tuesday

October

currently

last year


XIN_ENG_20051123.0137

MANILA, Nov. 23 , 2005 (Xinhua)

Pilot killed when training plane crashes in northern Philippines

A light trainer plane crash off on Wednesday in the northern Philippines, killing the pilot and injuring his student, the military said.

Air Force spokesman Lt. Col. Restituto Padilla told a press briefing that the Cessna trainer jet, with tail No. RPC-727, crashed at around 1:30 p.m. in Alabat island in Quezon for still unknown reasons.

The ill-fated aircraft is owned by Master Flying School, said Padilla.

According to Padilla, this was the third crashed Cessna planes this year in the country.

In May, an aircraft hit a coconut tree and burst into flames after taking off from a private airstrip in Tanauan town in Batangas province, killing four people.

In March, another Cessna plane crashed into the sea off Jomalig Island in Quezon while transporting fish products from Palawan to Manila.

Nov. 23 , 2005

Wednesday

around 1:30 p.m.

this year

May

March


AFP_ENG_19970427.0088

KABUL, April 27 , 1997 (AFP)

Taliban slam communists on 19th anniversary of coup d'etat by Terence White

The Afghan communist party which came to power 19 years ago in a coup d'etat was condemned for bringing ruin to Afghanistan by the Taliban in a special seminar in Kabul Sunday.

"We don't condemn the 27th of April, but the black incident and shameful catastrophe which was imposed on our people," declared Mullah Abdurrahman Hotaki, a speaker at the Interior Ministry gathering.

On April 27, 1978 Prime Minister Mohammad Doaud was murdered by the communists and their People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan (PDPA) came to power under the leadership of Nur Mohammad Taraki.

The PDPA's so-called Saur (April) Revolution marked the beginning of what they termed a "class struggle" between "feudals and workers" in order to inprove the living conditions of the common Afghan.

Instead due to internal power struggles and badly implemented reforms the PDPA stirred up popular armed uprisings which led to the invasion of Afghanistan by the then Soviet Union in December 1979.

"In order to challenge (the communists), 1.5 million of our people laid down their lives," said Abdurrahman, of the Taliban Shariat weekly newspaper.

He said the advent of communism created a "stain of shame" on the Afghan people which was washed clean by the sacrifice of mujahedeen freedom fighters and their civilian supporters.

After 10 years of occupation the Russians were kicked out of Afghanistan but the PDPA hung on with Soviet support until April 1992 when the former communist president Najibullah was finally overthrown.

"Thanks to the bravery of our people the super-power ran away and their puppets were defeated," said Haji Mullah Khaksar, deputy interior minister.

Unfortunately the gains of this victory against the communists were nullified by the mujahedeen, who fought among themselves for supremacy from April 1992 until September 1996, when the Taliban seized control of Kabul, Khaksar said.

He said due to "despotism and terrorism" under the former mujahedeen the Taliban movement came into being to bring true Islamic law (Shariat) to Afghanistan.

April 27 , 1997

19 years ago

Sunday

April

April 27, 1978

December 1979

10 years

April 1992

April 1992

September 1996


XIN_ENG_20051110.0321

BELGRADE, Serbia-Montenegro, Nov. 10 , 2005 (Xinhua)

Presidents of Croatia, Slovenia agree to cooperate in solving border dispute

The presidents of Croatia, Slovenia on Thursday agreed to cooperate in solving the border dispute between the two former Yugoslav countries, the Croatian news agency reported.

"I believe a solution could be found if experts from both countries sat down at the negotiating table and, unburdened by politics, determined the land border with the help of existing documents, if our government accepts that way of dealing with this issue," Croatian President Stjepan Mesic said.

Mesic and his Slovenian counterpart Janez Drnovsek had an informal meeting on Thursday in the Croatian border town of Miljana. This is the second informal meeting between the two presidents this year.

The border dispute can be solved by freezing the current situation, finding a transitional solution, or having it settled before the International Court of Justice in The Hague, Mesic said.

"Once the land border is identified, the sea border can be identified with mathematical precision by applying international conventions," Mesic said, reiterating that this would be the best solution.

If this approach fails, the matter should be settled by an international court or through arbitration, Mesic added.

President Drnovsek said that a bilateral agreement on the border issue would be the best solution, but that the two countries should turn to the International Court of Justice if they proved unable to solve the dispute bilaterally

"We don't want to be part of the problem, we want to be part of the solution and help the EU solve some other issues in Southeast Europe which are much more complex," Drnovsek said.

Nov. 10 , 2005

Thursday

Thursday

this year


AFP_ENG_20061209.0246

RAMALLAH,   West Bank, Dec 9 , 2006, 2006

ATTENTION - ADDS Hamas reax, quotes, details, background ///

The executive committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization recommended Saturday that president Mahmud Abbas call early parliamentary and presidential elections to resolve a spiraling political crisis, PLO officials said.

"The executive committee, chaired by Abbas, decided to call on Abbas to hold early parliamentary and presidential elections," executive committee member Saleh Rafaat told AFP.

"This decision came after the failure of the dialogue to form a national unity government with the Hamas movement and is the result of the ongoing political and economic siege against the Palestinian people," he added.

The ruling Islamist Hamas movement, which won a stunning upset in a parliamentary vote less than a year ago, slammed the decision, calling it "a clear coup against democracy."

"The goal of this decision is to kick Hamas out of the Palestinian political scene," the chief of the Hamas bloc of lawmakers, Khalil al-Hiyya, told AFP. "This decison is not in the national interest and will only make the situation more tense."

Officials said Abbas would formally announce his decision to call for early elections in an address to the Palestinian people in the coming days.

But Abbas said that if Hamas were to soften its stance and agree to form a unity government, early elections would not be necessary, according to PLO executive committee member Mustapha Barghuti.

"If they form a national unity government they can end the siege against the Palestinian people, and in that case there will be no need for early elections," Barghuti told AFP.

Palestinian basic law does not address the issue of early elections.

Hamas in recent days has said the absence of such a provision prohibits holding early polls, while Abbas's entourage says that such an election can be held since there is no passage specifically prohibiting it.

The European Union and the United States have frozen aid to the Palestinian Authority ever since the Hamas-led government took power in March two months after its upset parliamentary election victory.

Abbas's Fatah faction and Hamas labored for months to reach a power-sharing agreement that would meet international conditions to lift the siege and end the spiraling crisis, but those talks failed late last month.

Dec 9 , 2006

Saturday

a year ago

recent days

March two months

late last month


AFP_ENG_19970412.0184

KARACHI, April 12 , 1997 (AFP)

Pakistan's new government vows to double exports in three years

The new Pakistani government hopes to double the country's exports in the next three years, Finance Minister Sartaj Aziz said Sunday.

The aim will be achieved by increasing production, improving product quality and ensuring timely shipments, Aziz told reporters.

Exporters and manufacturers are being encouraged to adhere strictly to international quality standards, he said.

Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who took power in February after the national elections, has made the economy his top priority and announced incentives including tax cuts for industry.

The country faces a trade deficit of around 3 billion dollars and a budget deficit of 4 billion dollars during the fiscal 1996-97 ending June 30 next, the finance minister said.

Over the past nine months, of the current fiscal year, the exports stood at 6.129 billion dollars, up from 5.928 billion dollars in the corresponding period last year.

April 12 , 1997

the next three years

Sunday

February

the fiscal 1996-97

June 30

the past nine months

the current fiscal year

the corresponding period last year


AFP_ENG_20061220.0268

GENEVA, Dec 20 , 2006, 2006

Swiss seize 2.7 mln dollars from US drug traffickers

Swiss authorities have confiscated more than 3.3 million Swiss francs (2.7 million dollars, 2.0 million euros) held in a local bank by cocaine traffickers who ferried Colombian drugs to the United States, a magistrate said Wednesday.

The funds were seized from the accounts at a bank in the western city of Lausanne during a probe that was launched in 1994 on a request from US authorities, regional investigating magistrate Jacques Antenen said in a statement.

A first deposit of 1.7 million Swiss francs belonging to an American pilot who organised flights carrying Colombian cocaine from Belize to the US state of Alabama was seized in September 2000.

Another 400,000 Swiss francs from the trafficking ring's radio operator was confiscated later. The operation was completed with the seizure of 1.2 million Swiss francs on December 6 from a Cuban-American who organised money laundering for the network.

All three accused, who were not named, were prosecuted and sentenced in the United States, Antenen said.

No charges were retained against the bank, he added.

Dec 20 , 2006

Wednesday

September 2000

December 6


XIN_ENG_20051130.0204

LONDON, Nov. 30 , 2005 (Xinhua)

Newcastle's Nigerian defender Babayaro banned for three games

Newcastle United's Nigerian defender Celestine Babayaro was banned for three games on Wednesday for a brawl with Everton's Australian midfielder Tim Cahill.

Both players were charged with the same offence on Wednesday and given until 1800 GMT to respond by the Football Association. Babayaro admitted the charge shortly afterwards.

The cases were due to be heard by a disciplinary commission on Thursday.

The pair appeared to lash out after tangling in Everton's 1-0 Premier League victory at Goodison Park on Sunday. Referee Howard Webb, who had not initially seen the entire incident, did not book either player.

Nov. 30 , 2005

Wednesday

Wednesday

1800 GMT

Thursday

Sunday


XIN_ENG_20061116.0420

HANOI, Nov. 17 , 2006 (Xinhua)

APEC CEO summit kicks off in Hanoi

Over 1,100 representatives from leading multi-national corporations of the Asia-Pacific region gathered in Hanoi Friday, kicking off the two-day Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum's CEO Summit.

The summit is considered the biggest event of the business community of the region in 2006.

The event, annually organized along with the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting since 1996, has become an important forum for leaders, businessmen, policy makers and researchers to share experiences and propose suggestions and solutions for strengthening economic cooperation within the region and between the APEC member economies with the rest of the world.

This year's summit is held under the theme of "Towards One Community: Creating New Opportunities for Shared Development."

Presidents and prime ministers of the APEC economies have been invited to attend the event of business executives. Vietnamese President Nguyen Minh Triet, Chinese President Hu Jintao, Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong are among the guests scheduled to speak on the first day of the event.

Founded in 1989, APEC is a major regional forum acting as the primary regional vehicle for promoting open trade and practical economic and technical cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region.

It represents the most economically dynamic region in the world, with its 21 member economies accounting for more than one third of the world's population, approximately 60 percent of world GDP, about 47 percent of world trade.

Nov. 17 , 2006

Friday

This year

the first day


AFP_ENG_20061227.0071

MELBOURNE, Dec 27 , 2006, 2006

by Scott Coghlan

In 2000, good mates Matthew Hayden and Andrew Symonds found themselves in the water struggling for survival, after their boat capsized while fishing near Queensland's North Stradbroke Island.

On that occasion the determined pair swam more than a kilometre to shore and safety.

At the MCG on Wednesday, they again found themselves thrown together under duress, but this time it was Australia's first innings in the fourth Ashes Test that needed rescuing.

And once again the pair toughed it out and overcame the odds, first defying a buoyant England attack and then eventually tearing it apart as they put on a match-turning 279 for the sixth wicket.

Symonds' life was not at stake this time, but his Test career certainly was, and the all-rounder responded with his second timely batting performance in as many Boxing Day Tests.

He came to the crease at 84-5 and with his own place in the side under intense scrutiny after two more failures with the bat in the third Test in Perth, but finished the day an Ashes hero after posting a memorable maiden Test century in front of 75,770 fans.

Despite his belligerent 72 from 54 balls in the corresponding game against South Africa 12 months ago, Symonds averaged a modest 18 with the bat and 40 with the ball in his previous 11 Tests.

With the England bowlers pressing, the powerful right-hander looked uncomfortable early as he tried to survive a testing period directly before lunch, and took much longer than normal to get off the mark.

Arguably playing only because of Shane Watson's injury woes, as Australia looks for its answer to Andrew Flintoff, Symonds was also quite fortunate to survive an lbw appeal by Monty Panesar shortly after the spinner was introduced into the attack, with Rudi Koertzen again failing to raise the finger despite the evidence in front of him.

However, Symonds blossomed as the innings developed and started to play some of the imperious strokes that have made him a one-day matchwinner.

Symonds brought up his first Test century in remarkable fashion, smashing part-time seamer Paul Collingwood way over long on for his first six.

It sparked wild celebrations from Symonds, who leapt high into the air and into the arms of Hayden, before punching the air in jubilation.

For the first time in his Test career, he had mixed aggression and caution with success, facing 151 balls in 221 minutes at the crease, hitting nine fours and the six.

At stumps, Symonds had gone on to be 154 not out and the innings had been chanceless, although he survived another confident lbw appeal, this time turned down by Aleem Dar, from the bowling of a bemused Flintoff when on 142.

Hayden and Symonds had come together with their side trailing by 75 runs and facing a possible first innings deficit.

By the time Hayden fell to Sajid Mahmood for 153, the pair had batted for most of the day and given Australia a lead of 204.

This time it was a shattered England that was all at sea and the possibility of a 5-0 series whitewash was becoming very real.

Dec 27 , 2006

Wednesday

century

221 minutes


XIN_ENG_20061103.0225

BEIJING, Nov. 3 , 2006 (Xinhua)

China to encourage more tourists to Kenya: Hu Jintao

China will encourage more tourists to Kenya in an effort to boost the African country's economic growth and enhance exchanges, President Hu Jintao told visiting Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki Friday.

"We should expand exchanges between our governments, legislatures, parties and peoples to enhance understanding and trust," Hu told Kibaki who is in Beijing for a two-day summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation opening here Saturday.

The Chinese side is willing to train more management and technical professionals for Kenya and will encourage more people to visit Kenya, said Hu.

The number of Chinese visitors to Kenya has been on rise in the last four years, especially after China granted Kenya the Approved Destination Status for outbound Chinese tourist groups in 2004.

The World Tourism Organization has predicted that China will become the world's largest tourist market by 2020.

At the meeting, Hu also called on the two countries to expand trade and overall economic cooperation and enhance collaboration in international affairs.

Recalling his visit to Kenya in April, Hu said he reached extensive consensus with Kibaki on furthering Sino-Kenyan friendly cooperation.

"Our relevant departments are working to implement the consensus and have achieved positive results," he said. "Bilateral trade has continued to rise rapidly and new progress has been made in our cooperation in cultural, education and health sectors."

The development of Kenya-China relations is inspiring, said Kibaki, adding that his country is willing to explore ways to expand cooperation with China and enhance collaboration in international and regional affairs.

China established diplomatic relations with Kenya on Dec. 14, 1963. Kibaki's last visit to China was in 2005. Bilateral Trade totaled 475 million U.S. dollars in 2005.

Nov. 3 , 2006

Friday

Saturday

the last four years

April

Dec. 14, 1963


XIN_ENG_20051103.0298

WASHINGTON, Nov. 3 , 2005 (Xinhua)

Bush's job approval rating hits new low

US President George W. Bush's job approval rating hit a new low of 35 percent, according to a CBS News poll released Thursday.

It is the lowest level since he took office in 2001 and one of the worst for any president.

The survey found that only 35 percent of Americans thought Bush was doing a good job compared with 37 percent in a previous CBS poll in October.

Pollsters attributed the decline partially to a five-count indictment of US Vice President Dick Cheney's former top aide Lewis "Scooter" Libby last Friday.

The CBS poll compared Bush's job approval rating with some other presidents at about the same point in their second term.

In November 1997, in the first year of his second term, 57 percent of Americans approved of Bill Clinton.

The job approval rating of Ronald Reagan in November 1985 was 65 percent.

A Gallup poll in November 1957 found 58 percent approval for Dwight Eisenhower.

Nov. 3 , 2005

Thursday

October

last Friday

second term

November 1997

the first year

November 1985

November 1957