XIN_ENG_20061101.0238

SINGAPORE, Nov. 1 , 2006 (Xinhua)

Namibian president visits Singapore

Namibian President Hifikepunye Pohamba is in Singapore for a four-day state visit.

Being a small island with no natural resources, Singapore's most important resource is people and this is an area where it has shared the experience with Namibia, Singaporean President S.R. Nathan on Wednesday said at a state banquet hosted in honor of his counterpart Pohamba.

Singapore has trained 140 Namibian officials in a wide range of areas including civil aviation, productivity management, public administration and urban development to date, according to a statement issued by the Foreign Ministry.

Pohamba and his delegation arrived here on Tuesday and met Nathan earlier on Wednesday, the statement said.

He also met Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and some of Singapore's cabinet members.

Nov. 1 , 2006

Wednesday

Tuesday

Wednesday


AFP_ENG_19970426.0390

SEOUL, April 27 , 1997 (AFP)

North Korean defector walks into South Korea across DMZ

A North Korean defector walked into South Korea early Sunday across the heavily armed demilitarized zone (DMZ) dividing the two Koreas, the Defense Ministry said.

The ministry identified the defector as Jang Yong-Kwan, 38, a civilian who was found seeking asylum in the eastern section of the DMZ by South Korean border guards at 4:00 a.m. Sunday (1900 GMT Saturday).

"The defector was guided safe into our region and put under protective custody," a ministry spokesman told AFP.

He was the first defector since North Korea's top ideologue Hwang Jang-Yop arrived in Seoul on April 20, 67 days after he sought asylum in Beijing.

The defense ministry said details on the latest defector would be withheld pending an investigation into the motive for his defection and background in the North.

On February 27, a barefoot 25-year-old North Korean woman crossed the DMZ into South Korea in a daylight defection bid.

The woman from the Yongbyon district of Pyongbuk province, north of Pyongyang, told investigators she crossed the border because of hunger and discontent.

April 27 , 1997

early Sunday

4:00 a.m.

Sunday (1900 GMT Saturday

April 20

67 days

February 27


XIN_ENG_20051110.0248

JOHANNESBURG, Nov. 10 , 2005 (Xinhua)

Southern Africa to draft plan against bird flu

Although there is no immediate threat from avian influenza in Southern Africa, countries in the region will set up a regional plan on dealing with the contagious disease, officials said here on Thursday.

South African Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang confirmed that a committee had been mandated to establish a plan for 14 member states of the Southern African Development Community (SADC).

Although the flu has not broken out in the region, there was concern that wild birds, which are the main carriers of the virus, were migrating to the sub-continent for summer.

After a meeting of the SADC health ministers in Johannesburg, Tshabalala-Msimang said people in the region, especially the elderly, should have flu vaccinations because if they were infected with avian flu, it would be severe.

African countries have been warned of the bird flu given their fragile public health systems have already been heavily burdened by other diseases including HIV/AIDS and malaria, as well as poverty and staff shortage.

Bird flu has aroused extraordinary concerns around the world, especially in Asia and Europe, since more than 60 people have been killed and scientists fear that the virus could be more deadly if it mutates to become transferable between humans.

A South African newspaper reported on Thursday that migrant bird droppings collected at the Durban harbor last month tested negative for avian flu.

So far about 4,300 samples have been collected, including 67 from migratory birds captured in Durban harbor. All the samples examined have been negative, KwaZulu-Natal provincial agricultural ministerial spokesman Vusi Zuma told the witness.

He said the department would continue its surveillance, focusing on indigenous and commercial poultry and in some cases migratory birds.

Nov. 10 , 2005

Thursday

summer

Thursday

last month


XIN_ENG_20061113.0316

CAIRO, Nov. 13 , 2006 (Xinhua)

Singaporean president due to visit Egypt Tues.

Singaporean President Sellapan Rama Nathan is due to arrive in Egypt on Tuesday on a four-day official visit, to coincide with the occasion marking the 40th anniversary of establishing diplomatic ties between Egypt and Singapore, Egyptian news agency MENA reported on Monday.

During his visit, President Nathan is scheduled to meet Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, in which the two top leaders will discuss various issues on economy, politics and trade.

Another main topic of their talks will be ways to promote an Asian-Middle East dialogue which Singapore hosted last year, said the report.

Singaporean President will also have talks with Egyptian Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif and other officials during his stay in Egypt.

Singaporean President will be accompanied by a delegation comprising the minister of Information  Communication, minister of state for foreign affairs and a number of other officials and businessmen.

During their visit, Singaporean businessmen will discuss with their Egyptian counterparts a string of trade-related issues.

Egypt and Singapore set up diplomatic relations in November 1966, and Egypt is the second trade partner for Singapore in North Africa, the volume of trade exchanges of the two countries increased within the past five years. However, the report did not give the exact statistics of the two countries in their trade exchanges.

Nov. 13 , 2006

Tuesday

Monday

last year

November 1966

the past five years


XIN_ENG_20051127.0199

LONDON, Nov. 27 , 2005 (Xinhua)

Chelsea to face Premier League probe

Chelsea face a Premier League probe after their former striker Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink claimed that players received unauthorized cash bonuses, BBC reported on Sunday.

Hasselbaink says Blues players received 100,000 pound for reaching the Champions League last four in 2003/04 rather than the 50,000 pound written into their deals.

Premier League rules state bonuses cannot be changed during a season, and Chelsea have denied any wrong-doing.

But the Premier League insists it is "duty bound" to investigate the claims.

Hasselbaink, now at Middlesbrough, said in his book: "At the beginning of the season he (Roman Abramovich) had promised us 50,000 per player if we reached the semi-finals of the competition.

"At the end of the month instead of the promised 50,000 there was 100,000 in our accounts."

A Premier League spokesman said: "We've received assurances from Chelsea that there is no case to answer regarding alleged extra payments to players. We have no reason to doubt these assurances.

"However, given recent comments by Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink we are duty bound to investigate those comments and assess their factual basis."

Chelsea have once again moved to insists they are innocent, and a spokesman said: "Chelsea has already made it publicly clear on two occasions that is has not made any payments to players in breach of Football Association or Premiership regulations.

"The club stands by those statements totally.

"Moreover, two weeks ago, Chelsea invited the Premier League to look at any relevant documentation on this issue before any investigation was considered.

"The Premier League has not taken up that invitation. Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink has made false statements that potentially bring the game, and Chelsea, into disrepute. These should be investigated fully, not Chelsea."

Nov. 27 , 2005

Sunday

now

season

the end of the month

two weeks ago


XIN_ENG_20061128.0480

WASHINGTON, Nov. 28 , 2006 (Xinhua)

environments

A new type of stethoscope was set to enable doctors to hear the sounds of the body in extremely loud situations, such as during the transportation of wounded soldiers in Blackhawk helicopters, American Institute of Physics reported on Tuesday.

Using ultrasound technology, the new stethoscope design will be presented later this week at the Fourth Joint Meeting of the Acoustical Society of America and the Acoustical Society of Japan, which will be held in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Researchers at Active Signal Technologies, Inc., in collaboration with the U.S. Army Aeromedical Research Laboratory, have developed the ultrasound stethoscope that is almost impervious to loud noise and is capable of making accurate readings during noise levels of up to 120 decibels, similar to the volume experienced at the front row of a rock concert.

Current acoustic stethoscope technology picks up and amplifies vibrations that let doctors hear the heart and lungs. These models become difficult to use effectively at around 80 decibels, a noise level comparable to an alarm clock or a busy city street. When noise levels reach 90 decibels, these types of stethoscopes are rendered useless.

Modern electronic stethoscopes have raised the maximum tolerable noise level of 90 decibels to 95 decibels by replacing the ear pieces with loudspeaker inserts that provide a better seal with the ear canal and by replacing the tubing with electrical cables that do not pick up acoustic noise.

The challenge to build a better stethoscope originated from the Army's Small Business Innovation Research program. For soldiers wounded in combat, the first hour after sustaining an injury is known as the "critical hour," when diagnoses and emergency treatment must take place to give them the best chance of recovery. These soldiers are often transported by helicopter, where noise levels prohibit the use of traditional stethoscopes.

Auscultation is an important tool in assessing the integrity of the heart muscle, valves and major arteries.

Lead researcher Adrian Houtsma said traditional stethoscopes transmitted and amplified sound that was within the range of human hearing, from about 20 hertz to 20,000 hertz. Most audible sound, including that of the heart and lungs, takes place at around 100 hertz to 200 hertz.

The ultrasound models transmit a sound signal at 2.3 megahertz into the patient's body. This sound is reflected back to the stethoscope at a slightly different frequency because of the velocity of the internal organs. This is called the Doppler effect.

The difference in frequencies between the sound wave that is transmitted and the sound wave that is received can be computed to determine the motion of the internal organs. This different frequency is then converted into audible sound.

Because they are based on different physical principles to conventional stethoscopes, ultrasound models produce a markedly different sound. Where an acoustic stethoscope yields a "lub-dub" sound from a heartbeat, with the first beat being the strongest, an ultrasound stethoscope will yield a "ta-da-ta" pattern, with the second beat being the strongest.

Houtsma expects this invention to save many lives that otherwise might have been lost.

The ultrasound stethoscopes are nearly ready to begin the process of FDA approval, which is likely to take two to three months. Active Signal Technologies will then begin manufacturing the devices to sell to the armed forces.

The company's chief executive officer, Arthur Cooke, said the commercial release of the stethoscopes would likely be very small at first, since the cost could be anywhere between 250 dollars and 700 dollars.

He hoped that positive feedback from the armed forces would generate widespread interest.

Nov. 28 , 2006

Tuesday

this week

three months


AFP_ENG_19970401.0222

GENEVA, April 1 , 1997 (AFP)

China humans rights record attacked by US official

China's human rights record received a grilling Tuesday by a top US official here who told the Human Rights Commission that abuses in the country were still widespread.

US permanent representative to the UN, Ambassador William Richardson acknowledged that two decades of economic growth had dramatically improved the lives of millions of Chinese.

"However, China's government continues to commit widespread and well- documented human rights absues and to severely restrict fundamental freedoms of speech, the press, assembly, association and religion," he told the 53rd commission session.

"We do not seek confrontation over this issue, but we firmly believe that (China) should be held accountable...to the international standards that China itself has endorsed."

A Chinese delegate interrupted Richardson's address in protest, but was told he would be given a chance to respond later in the day.

An official censure of China at this year's human rights gathering appears a more remote possibility than ever before.

France last weekend announced it would not support the annual resolution condemning China's human rights record, effectively ruling out EU sponsorship of the motion.

Japan on Saturday also indicated it would not sponsor such a measure.

While resolutions have been tabled every year in Geneva since the Tiananmen pro-democracy demonstrations were quashed by the army in 1989, China has managed to pull in a majority of votes to defeat the motion.

Dissident sources and human rights groups said in Beijing Tuesday that treatment of Chinese dissidents was worsening, following a report from China's Justice Ministry on Monday proclaiming "remarkable achievements" last year in judicial guarantees of Chinese citizens' rights.

The UN representative also harshly critized Burma, Cuba, Iran and Iraq for gross human rights violations.

"Despite the efforts of legitimate democratic leaders like Aung San Suu Kyi, the despotic rulers of that poor, beleaguered land insist that their own need for power must take precedence over the rights and choices of the Burmese people."

Regarding Cuba, Richardson said "human rights are the last thing on Havana's mind at the Human Rights Commission."

Cuba was always ready to champion "exotic" rights, but was never ready to move forward on basic human rights -- freedom of speech or assembly for example, he said.

Richardson said the death sentence, or fatwa, pronounced by an Iranian foundation on British writer Salman Rushdie for a book it claims blashpemes Islam, was a "stark" demonstration of Iran's contempt for the international community's commitment to human rights.

In neighbouring Iraq, Saddam's Hussein's massive violations of international human rights law against the city of Irbil and its civilian population "are but one recent example of the kind of brutality he unleashes on his long-suffering people," Richardson said.

April 1 , 1997

Tuesday

the day

this year

last weekend

Saturday

every year

Tuesday

Monday

last year


AFP_ENG_20061201.0410

MILAN, Dec 1 , 2006, 2006

management to resign ///

The Italian government said Friday it would sell half of its controlling interest in flag carrier Alitalia, inviting investors to bid for about 25 percent of the loss-making airline.

Italy currently owns 49.9 percent of Alitalia and had previously pledged not to reduce its holding below 30 percent.

But a government statement said: "The decision was taken in accordance with intentions to seek strategic international alliances, with a possible final decision regarding Alitalia's future to be taken by January 2007."

Shares in the airline jumped sharply higher, provoking two suspensions but showing a gain of 11.15 percent to 0.944 euros in afternoon trades on the Milan stock exchange, where the SP/Mib index had gained 0.38 percent overall.

"At first glance this is a radical change for Alitalia and a positive event for its shareholders," said a Milan-based trader, who asked not to be named.

The statement said the sale would be carried out through "a competitive procedure and direct negotiations".

A senior aide to Prime Minister Romano Prodi quoted Environment Minister Alfonso Scanio as saying that around 25 percent of Alitalia would be put up for sale, bringing the state's stake below 30 percent.

The sale represents "finalisation of the company's privatisation," the government's statement said.

It had reduced its holding from 62.3 percent to 49.9 percent in late 2005 as the result of a one-billion-euro (1.32-billion-dollar) capital increase but pledged at the time to retain at least 30 percent of the national flag carrier.

Alitalia chief executive Giancarlo Cimoli told lawmakers Wednesday however that the airline's future depended on forming an alliance with an international group.

"The only strategic direction for Alitalia is to integrate itself in a big international group," he told a parliamentary commission.

"The board has given me a mandate to explore (possible alliances)," Cimoli added.

Air France-KLM and Alitalia last week revealed that they had begun tentative talks on a possible tie-up, but the French airline has laid down restructuring of Alitalia as a condition for any deal.

Alitalia said in November that its losses this year would surpass the 167 million euros (214 million dollars) it reported for 2005.

In the first nine months of the year, it recorded a pre-tax loss of 276 million euros, against 168 million in the same period of 2005.

Alitalia and Air France-KLM have already exchanged two percent of the shares in each of their companies, but Cimoli told lawmakers he would also consider options with other partners.

The Italian government has appeared divided on whether to favor a European partner or an Asian carrier, but Prodi has promised to define a strategy for the Italian airline by the end of January.

A spokeswoman for the German carrier Lufthansa indicated Friday that it was not planning to bid on the stake, saying: "We've nothing in the pipeline."

But she also refused to confirm or deny the possibility of Lufthansa taking a stake in Alitalia in the future.

"You never know what will happen in the coming weeks," she said.

Italian infrastructure minister Antonio Di Pietro said the government's decision should convince Alitalia's management to resign.

"With today's decision the exit doors are open for those who occupy positions of power at Alitalia because they have failed in their mission," he said.

Dec 1 , 2006

Friday

January 2007

late 2005

Wednesday

last week

November

the first nine months

the year

the same period of 2005

the end of January

Friday

the future

coming weeks

today


XIN_ENG_20051102.0295

UNITED NATIONS, Nov. 2 , 2005 (Xinhua)

Annan appoints adviser for UN management reforms

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan on Wednesday appointed Rajat Kumar Gupta, the former managing director worldwide of MacKinsey, a global consulting firm, as his special adviser for UN management reforms.

Gupta will act as a personal adviser to the secretary-general on overall strategy and participate in a committee led by Deputy Secretary-General Lousie Frechette to implement the decisions of the September World Summit on UN management reforms, UN spokesman Stephanie Dujarric told reporters.

Gupta will help to ensure that the overall management reform program is in line with best global practice and provide focused, specialist assistance on key issues of concern, Dujarric said.

Gupta was managing director of McKinsey  Company from 1994 to 2003 and is currently a senior partner of the firm. He will receive a symbolic annual salary of one dollar from the United Nations.

Nov. 2 , 2005

Wednesday


AFP_ENG_20051213.0637

BRUSSELS, Dec 14 , 2005

by Lorne Cook

The European Union's budget impasse is fueling growing questions about the entire enlargement process barely 18 months after the "big bang" expansion into eastern Europe, officials admit.

EU leaders, meeting at a summit in Brussels from Thursday, will try again to end the dispute over the 2007-2013 spending plans, the first to take into account the 10 newest members.

But two old issues are still blocking accord: Britain;s refusal to give up its annual budget rebate, dating from 1984 and France's refusal to cut the bloc's long-disputed farm subsidy system.

The question increasingly debated in the EU corridors of power is, if the EU can't even overcome these two key issues with 25 member states, how on earth can it expect to resolve them with even more?

"Everyone knows that the European Union does not yet have the solutions to respond to the challenges posed by the enlargement already underway," French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy said on Monday.

"The problem is knowing whether we should launch a new wave of enlargement."

Only last year the expanding Europe's future had seemed so rosy.

Ten countries, many of them former communist states from central and eastern Europe, joined the then 15-member EU in great fanfare in its biggest-ever expansion on May 1, 2004.

But that euphoria gave way to despair just over a year later, after voters in France and the Netherlands rejected the Union's painstakingly prepared constitution and plunged it into its deepest political crisis.

Part of the reason for the "no" vote, was the perceived threat among the public of foreign workers or immigrants flooding into a Europe ill-prepared to absorb more member states, most of them poor by comparison.

Once publicly voiced, those doubts about enlargement gained momentum and have surfaced again as the Union approaches a second major summit still struggling to resolve its financial problems.

The budget is worth more than 800 billion euros (944 billion dollars) and contains much-needed funds for the EU's relatively poor new members from further east.

In London on Friday, British Prime Minister Tony Blair warned that if a deal is not done soon it would leave the last lot of EU newcomers with a vast shortfall in funds and could threaten expansion.

"It would cast a real shadow, not just over the European Union, but over the future of enlargement too," said Blair, whose country holds the EU's rotating presidency until the end of the month.

Romania and Bulgaria are scheduled to join the EU in January 2007, but Macedonia may become the first casualty of the budget dispute.

The tiny Balkan state had hoped to be given the official status of a candidate for EU membership this week, especially given the pace of its drive on reform since the end of an ethnic Albanian uprising in 2001.

"Macedonia is in danger of becoming a little victim of circumstances, but we are going to try to make sure that it is as small a victim as possible," said one European official on condition of anonymity.

France is its most vocal opponent.

"We asked ourselves if the conditions are right today, in December 2005, to officially give Macedonia the status of a candidate. Is this the right time to choose?" Douste-Blazy said at a meeting of EU foreign ministers.

"Granting candidate status like that would send a strong political signal to the former Yugoslav republic of Macedonia, which is positive, but it would also send a signal to the public... that we are heading for more enlargement."

A concrete sign of the malaise and the EU's ability to integrate more members was inscribed in the ministers' conclusions, which called for further discussion on enlargement in 2006.

When asked if France would block Macedonia's candidacy status, Douste-Blazy said: "President (Jacques) Chirac will speak about it when the time is right."

Dec 14 , 2005

barely 18 months

Thursday

Monday

last year

May 1, 2004

a year

Friday

the end of the month

January 2007

this week

December 2005


AFP_ENG_19970425.0404

BKERKE, Lebanon, April 25 , 1997 (AFP)

Maronite patriarch hopes pope's visit will unite Lebanon

Maronite Cardinal Nasrallah Sfeir, head of Lebanon's largest Christian community, said Friday he hopes Pope John Paul II's visit will help the country's recovery from its 1975-1990 civil war.

"I hope this visit will bring the Lebanese together so their wounded country can heal," Sfeir told AFP at his Bkerke residence north of Beirut.

But he painted a bleak picture of the current situation in Lebanon, saying it was "unenviable."

Lebanon's "sovereignty and independence are flouted and it doesn't have the freedom to decide for itself," he said. But "the solidarity of all Lebanese will yield positive results in the long term."

The pope's visit on May 10-11, "while pastoral, will have political connotations because we can't dissociate the spiritual from the social and the political."

Sfeir said the pope "will not directly mention the Syrian or the non- Syrian presence in Lebanon ... even if he was the first to demand that Lebanon recovers its independence and sovereignty.

"But this will occur at the opportune time, because regional and international conditions don't permit it at the present time."

Some 35,000 Syrian soldiers are stationed on two-thirds of Lebanese territory, while the Israeli military occupies a strip of south Lebanon just north of Israel's border.

A synod on Lebanon, which met in November 1995 in Rome at the pope's request, called for the "end of the Israeli occupation" and "the departure of the Syrian troops."

The second point has been criticized by several Lebanese Moslem leaders who said the Syrian military presence does not affect Lebanon's sovereignty.

The cardinal also said the Christian opposition would not be able to meet the pope as it has requested. "Like others, it can always send him a written petition," Sfeir added.

April 25 , 1997

Friday

May 10-11

November 1995


CNN19980227.2130.0067
 NEWS STORY

 Live from Atalanta, good evening Lynne Russell, CNN headline news.
 New evidence is suggesting that a series of bombings in Atalanta and last month's
explosion at an Alabama women's clinic might be related.
 Pierre Thomas has the latest.

 Atlanta nineteen ninety-six. A bomb blast shocks the Olympic games.
 One person is killed.

 January nineteen ninety-seven. Atlanta again.
 This time a bomb at an abortion clinic.
 More people are hurt.
 And just last month, an off duty policeman is killed when a bomb explodes
 at another abortion clinic.
 Location, Birmingham, Alabama.

 This man, Eric Rudolph has already been charged in the Birmingham bombing.
 Now officials are investigating whether, Rudolph, who remains at large, is linked to all three attacks.
 The reason, authorities have discovered tantalizing new evidence.

 Steel plates recovered at the Olympic park bombing appear to match those
 found at the abortion clinic bombing in Atlanta.
 Those plates may have come from a machine shop in north Carolina, where a
 friend of Rudolph worked.

 And nails found in the Atlanta abortion clinic bombing are identical to
 those discovered at Rudolph's storage shed in north Carolina.
 A senior law enforcement source tells CNN, there is a lot of
 circumstantial evidence and it would be extraordinary to have all these
 bits and pieces and there not be a connection.

 And law enforcement sources say they ca n't ignore letters penned under the
 name army of god.
 Army of god is a secret organization that hates abortion providers,
 homosexuals and the US government.

 Army of god letters claim responsibility for the Atlanta abortion clinic
 bombing, a nineteen ninety-seven attack on a gay lounge and the Birmingham assault.

 An intense manhunt conducted by the FBI and the bureau of alcohol, tobacco
 and firearms continues for Rudolph in the wilderness of western north
 Carolina.
 And this week, FBI director Louie Freeh assigned more agents to the
 search.

 Freeh also ordered the investigation consolidate information under the
 Atlanta task force, another indication officials suspect a link between all
 the bombings.
 Privately, authorities say Rudolph has become a focus of their
 investigation.
 Publicly, they are unwilling to make any sweeping assertion.
 The reason, they remember Richard Jewell.
 pierre thomas, CNN, Washington.

last month

nineteen ninety-six

January nineteen ninety-seven

last month

Now

nineteen ninety-seven

this week


AFP_ENG_20061213.0491

LISBON, Dec 13 , 2006, 2006

Naval name Barreto as new coach

Portuguese first division side Naval have secured the services of Mariano Barreto as their new coach on a 18 month contact, club officials said Wednesday.

Barreto resigned as assistant coach of Russian side Dynamo Moscow on Monday. He will take over from interim coach Fernando Mira who has been in charge of Naval since Rogerio Goncalves left to join Sporting Braga in November.

"I want to work to project Naval to a different level," Barreto told a news conference in the port town of Figueira da Foz where Naval is based.

Barreto's past includes a stint as the coach of Ghana's national team as well as time as an assistant coach of German side Borussia Dortmund and Russian side Lokomotiv Moscow.

Naval lie in 10th place in the 16-team Portuguese premier league with 17 points from 13 matches, 17 points behind leaders FC Porto.

Dec 13 , 2006

18 month

Wednesday

Monday

November


AFP_ENG_19970406.0012

TOKYO, April 6 , 1997 (AFP)

Ford, Mazda unifying parts purchases: report

Mazda Motor Corp. of Japan and Ford Motor Co. of the United States plan to unify their parts procurement systems in order to reduce production costs, the Nihon Keizai Shimbun said Sunday.

The move follows the two companies' earlier accord to share basic designs of motor vehicles, the leading economic daily said. The move may be implemented by 2002, the report said.

The automakers' business links have grown since Ford took effective control of Mazda by raising its equity stake from 24.4 percent to 33.4 percent in May last year.

Under Japanese law, if Ford were to increase its stake in Mazda beyond this level it would have been obliged to launch a full takeover bid.

The two companies will select parts suppliers on the basis of international competitiveness, with no preferential treatment given to traditional parts makers in Mazda's "keiretsu" corporate group, the daily said.

Supplier candidates among Japanese firms include car electronic parts maker Denso Corp. and oil seal producer NOK Corp., it said. Both suppliers have capital ties with Japan's auto giant Toyota Motor Corp.

April 6 , 1997

Sunday

May last year


XIN_ENG_20061122.0264

DHAKA, Nov. 23 , 2006 (Xinhua)

Bangladeshi president hopes to present clean general elections

Bangladeshi President Prof. Iajuddin Ahmed said Wednesday night he hoped he would be able to present the country a clean general election with the help of people and all political parties.

In a televised speech, Ahmed said, "I am before you for the second time after I took the charge of the office of Chief Advisor of a neutral caretaker government on October 29. I am committed to discharge the responsibility given on me to hold a free and fair election."

Ahmed, 76, said some political parties questioned about the neutrality of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) MA Aziz. "Since I cannot sack him constitutionally, I had sent three of my advisors to him with a request to Aziz to go on a long leave or resign. Moreover, I had telephonic talks with Aziz. He honoring my request agreed to go on a leave for three months."

Ahmed, a former university teacher, said a political stalemate was created as CEC was sticking to his stand not to resign despite the political parties was wanting. He hoped the political standoff will now come to an end.

The president also said since CEC has gone on leave, he will appoint two more election commissioners for holding a free, fair and acceptable election.

He said he hoped all political parties and the people will maintain restraint, and extend all out cooperation in staging the desired election within the time frame of three months.

Ahmed also called upon the all concerned officials having link with the elections to remain above fear and work with honesty and neutrality for discharging their duties in presenting the nation clean and acceptable election.

Ahmed called upon his advisory council to work to return the normalcy of all activities.

"Our holy responsibility is to present the nation a free and election and we will have to do it for the sake of people of the country," he said.

In Bangladesh a non-partisan caretaker government organizes the general election in line with the country's constitution and hands over power to elected government since 1996.

Nov. 23 , 2006

Wednesday night

October 29

three months

now

three months


ea980120.1830.0456
 NEWS STORY

 The Pentagon said today it  will re-examine the question are the remains inside the Tomb of the Unknown from the Vietnam War, in fact, known?

 CBS News first reported last night that the tomb may contain the remains of Air Force pilot Michael Blassie.

 There was a suspicion the body was Blassie because his uniform and ID card  were found near the body in Vietnam. But subsequently, they  were lost. Blassie's mother now wants the remains in the tomb tested for DNA.

today

last night

now


AFP_ENG_20061231.0102

LISBON, Dec 31 , 2006, 2006

Portuguese paper names Ronaldo sportsman of the year

Manchester United winger Cristiano Ronaldo was named by leading Portuguese sports daily A Bola on Sunday as the country's sportsman of the year.

A Bola chose the player for his "important contribution to the expansion of Portuguese football across the world".

The 21-year-old international finished ahead of Benfica striker Nuno Gomes, the winner of the award last year, and Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho, who won in 2004.

"I'm very happy with what I've managed to succeed up until now," Ronaldo told A Bola after scoring two goals in Manchester United's 3-2 win over Reading in the English Premiership on Saturday.

"I've scored foals and helped my team win. I want to continue at this level in 2007."

Dec 31 , 2006

Sunday

the year

last year

now

Saturday


XIN_ENG_20051118.0124

BAGHDAD, Nov. 18 , 2005 (Xinhua)

1st lead: Blasts at Shiite mosques kill 56 in eastern Iraq

Two suicide bombing attacks on Shitte mosques in eastern Iraq killed at least 56 people and wounded scores of others on Friday, CNN reported.

Two suicide bombers blew themselves up in two Shiite mosques in the town of Khanaqin in eastern Iraq, when people were conducting their Friday prayers, the police said.

Khanaqin is a Shiite-dominated town in the northeast of Baghdad, with Sunnis and Kurds living there.

Reports reaching here from Khanaqin said that local authorities have immediately imposed a curfew in the town near the Iranian border.

Nov. 18 , 2005

Friday

Friday


XIN_ENG_20051129.0253

BAGHDAD, Nov. 29 , 2005 (Xinhua)

Video released on hostages in Iraq: al-Jazeera

Four hostages were shown on a video released by an insurgent group in Iraq, the al-Jazeera reported on Tuesday.

The previously little known group, calling itself the Swords of Righteousness, said the four peace activists were spies working for occupying forces.

The hostages were shown sitting on the ground and one passport was also shown on the video which seemed to belong to a British national.

Meanwhile, two Iranian Shiite pilgrims and an Iraqi female guide were released north of Baghdad shortly after they were taken hostage by gunmen Monday night.

Insurgents often kidnap foreigners in an attempt to force the occupation forces to pull out. Some hostages were killed and many released, in some cases after ransoms paid.

Nov. 29 , 2005

Tuesday

Monday night


AFP_ENG_20061213.0523

DOHA, Dec 13 , 2006, 2006

India take tennis mixed doubles gold over Japan

India's Leander Paes and Sania Mirza combined to win gold in the tennis mixed doubles at the Asian Games on Wednesday.

The pair defeated seventh seeds Satoshi Iwabuchi and Akiko Morigami from Japan 7-5, 5-7, 6-2.

They won bronze together at the 2002 Asian Games.

Paes returned to the court for the gold medal match just minutes after winning the men's doubles title with team-mate Mahesh Bhupathi.

Mirza won silver earlier in the day, losing to China's Zheng Jie in the women's singles final.

Taiwan's Lu Yen Hsun and Hsieh Su Wei and China's Yu Xinyuan and Sun Tiantian share bronze.

Dec 13 , 2006

Wednesday

Japan 7-5, 5-7, 6-2


XIN_ENG_20061114.0255

KUWAIT CITY, Nov. 14 , 2006 (Xinhua)

Kuwait opens to any proposal to bolster oil prices: official

A senior Kuwaiti official said on Tuesday his country was ready to consider any proposal that might bolster the international oil market, Kuwait News Agency ( KUNA) reported.

Eissa al-Oun, Undersecretary of Kuwaiti Ministry of Energy and Oil, made the remarks in an interview with KUNA on the oil-rich Emirate's position towards the coming meeting of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).

The OPEC is set to discuss further measures to balance the global crude oil prices in Abuja, capital of Nigeria, in mid December.

According to KUNA, the average price of OPEC crude basket since the beginning of 2006 till the end of last week was 55.74 U.S. dollars per barrel (dpb), up from 50.64 dpb in 2005.

In October, OPEC's average price dropped to 54.97 dpb from 59. 34 dpb in September.

In the last ministerial meeting in Doha of Qatar last month, OPEC oil ministers decided to cut the cartel's daily crude oil output by 1.2 million barrels as of Nov. 1, without excluding possibility of further cut when necessary.

Nov. 14 , 2006

Tuesday

December

the beginning of 2006

last week

October

September

the last ministerial

last month

Nov. 1


XIN_ENG_20061127.0368

ABUJA, Nov. 27 , 2006 (Xinhua)

Abuja carnival ends with colorful parade

The four-day Abuja carnival has ended in pomp and ceremony with colorful parade, fireworks and musical display, News Agency of Nigeria reported on Monday.

On behalf of Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Malam Nasiru el-Rufai declared the closing of the carnival at the weekend in Abuja.

Describing the carnival as a huge success, the chairman of the organizing committee Olusegun Runsewe hoped that next year's carnival would be bigger and would afford Nigeria another opportunity to present its culture and tradition to the world.

Awards were given to all states that participated at the carnival while Kaduna State with the largest contingent of 500 got a special award as well as the best durbar award.

Some of the participants called on the government to work in collaboration with the private sector for a better carnival next year.

This year's carnival, started from Nov. 23-26, was aimed at repositioning the country in the world tourism map.

Nov. 27 , 2006

Monday

the weekend

next year

This year

Nov. 23-26


AFP_ENG_20051216.0058

PERTH, Australia, Dec 16 , 2005

= (PICTURES) =

Australia recovered from the early loss of Matthew Hayden to reach 173-3 at tea on day one of the first Test against South Africa on Friday.

Captain Ricky Ponting hit a half-century while Brad Hodge (37) and Michael Hussey (20) were the not-out batsmen at the break.

Makhaya Ntini had dismissed opener Hayden for a duck with his second ball to leave Australia on 0-1.

But Ponting and Justin Langer were looking in ominous form as Australia reached 96-1 at lunch.

The visitors then grabbed two quick wickets in the second session to stem the flow of runs.

Ntini dismissed Langer for 37 as the diminutive left-hander botched a pull shot, sending the ball skywards to captain Graeme Smith at mid-off.

Shaun Pollock then trapped Ponting lbw for 71 with a ball which nipped back from the off side, ending the Australian captain's 12-boundary knock.

South Africa then missed a great opportunity to gain the ascendancy when wicketkeeper Mark Boucher missed a thick top-edge Brad Hodge when he was on three.

Had Boucher taken the catch, the Proteas would have had the Australians at 117-4. But the ball went to the boundary instead.

The tourists went into the match without key all-rounder Jacques Kallis who failed a last-minute fitness test on his left elbow.

It was the first time in two years that Kallis has missed a Test match.

Jacques Rudolph was brought into the side while orthodox spinner Nicky Boje was left out in favour of a pace attack on a wicket known for it's speed and bounce.

For Australia, seamer Nathan Bracken was named in their bowling attack.

Dec 16 , 2005

Friday

two years


AFP_ENG_20061229.0182

AFGOYE, Somalia, Dec 29 , 2006, 2006

Somali government plans martial law with parliament backing

Somalia's government plans to impose martial law now that its Ethiopia-backed forces have arrived in Mogadishu, which has been abandoned by Islamist forces, government officials said Friday.

"We need three months' martial law in order to disarm all the militias," Prime Minister Ali Mohamed Gedi said earlier in Afgoye, about 20 kilometres (13 miles) outside the capital.

Deputy Prime Minister Hussein Mohamed Aidid, a Somali clan warlord who has rallied to the transitional administration, said the parliament based in the south central town of Baidoa is expected to endorse the laws on Sunday.

"We need a parliament approval of the martial law for three months. It has been decided already by the cabinet," Aidid told AFP.

"We will go back to Baidoa to present and discuss our laws to the parliament on Sunday," he added.

Somalia has been embroiled in heavy fighting since Islamist fighters launched an attack against the government near their base in Baidoa after a deadline for Ethiopian troops to withdraw.

Ethiopia refused to pull out its forces and launched a heavy attack against the Islamists, forcing them to retreat from front line townships in the south and centre of the country to Mogadishu, which was abandoned on Thursday.

Islamist leaders have fallen back on the port town of Kismayo, where one of their military commanders said Friday that they will never surrender to the Ethiopians and government forces, but carry out guerrilla attacks.

Dec 29 , 2006

now

Friday

Sunday

three months

Sunday

Thursday

Friday


XIN_ENG_20051130.0123

HEFEI, Nov. 30 , 2005 (Xinhua)

province

The last 28 of the 41 people who had close contact with the second victim of bird flu in east China's Anhui Province have been were released from a week-long medical observation, a local health official said Wednesday.

All the 41 people have been declared symptom free, and they will receive follow-up checkups for another week, said Ye Zhonggang, director of the Health Bureau of the Xiuning County.

The other 13 people held for observation were released on Nov. 24, the official said.

A 35-year-old female farmer surnamed Xu in Xiuning developed fever and pneumonia-like symptoms on Nov. 11 after contact with sick and dead poultry. She died on Nov. 22 and test results showed the woman was H5N1 positive. She was the second human cases of bird flu in the province.

The first victim of the province was a 24-year-old woman farmer surnamed Zhou in Zongyang County, who died on Nov. 10.

So far, China has reported approximately 30 outbreaks of bird flu in 11 provinces and autonomous regions and reported three confirmed human cases of bird flu.

Nov. 30 , 2005

Wednesday

another week

Nov. 24

Nov. 11

Nov. 22

Nov. 10


XIN_ENG_20051124.0170

TIANJIN, Nov. 24 , 2005 (Xinhua)

joint statement

A four-day conference for young political leaders in Asia and Europe concluded here Thursday with the adoption of a joint statement featuring agreements on youth issues in the two continents.

The conference, jointly-hosted by the All China Youth Federation and Asia Europe Foundation, was aimed at implementing the proposals from Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao at the fifth Asia Europe Meeting (ASEM).

It was also the first of such activities among young political leaders in the history of the ASEM.

More than 100 young delegates from 34 countries and regional youth organizations attended the conference which started in Beijing on Monday and then moved to the neighboring port city of Tianjin.

Nov. 24 , 2005

Thursday

Monday


AFP_ENG_20061215.0580

MIAMI, Florida, Dec 15 , 2006, 2006

Japanese star Iwamura signs with Tampa

The Tampa Bay Devil Rays agreed to terms on Friday with Japanese infielder Akinori Iwamura on a three-year contract with a team option for 2010.

Financial terms were not disclosed, but Major League Baseball's website reported Friday that the contract is worth 7.7 million dollars while the fourth-year option would pay 4.25 million dollars.

The move came one day after the Boston Red Sox made international headlines by signing Japanese pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka to a six-year contract reportedly worth 52 million dollars.

Dec 15 , 2006

Friday

Friday


WSJ891027-0109
 = 891027
 891027-0109.
 American Medical
@  International Bought
@  By IMA Holdings
 10/27/89
 WALL STREET JOURNAL (J)
 AMI Z.CSU WNEWS
 TENDER OFFERS, MERGERS, ACQUISITIONS (TNM)
HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS, MEDICINE, DENTISTRY (HEA)
 LOS ANGELES

   IMA Holdings Corp. completed its $3 billion acquisition of American Medical International Inc., purchasing 63 million shares, or 86%, of the Los Angeles-based health-care services concern for $26.50 a share.
The price also includes assumption of about $1.4 billion in debt.

   IMA is a group that includes First Boston Corp. and the Pritzker family of Chicago through the leveraged buy-out fund Harry Gray Melvyn Klein amp Partners.
Harry J. Gray and Melvyn N. Klein, along with five other IMA designees, were named to join American Medical's 10-member board.

   The completion of the merger agreement follows months of twists and turns.
In January, American Medical brought in a new chief executive officer, Richard A. Gilleland, 45, who will remain as chairman, president and chief executive.
A few days later, American Medical announced sharply lower earnings, taking charges of $24 million for insurance reserves and canceled real estate leases.

   In March, American Medical received a $24-a-share offer to take the company private from an investor group including large holder M. Lee Pearce.
It also was considering a restructuring to help boost the stock price.
A group including several members of the the Bass family of Texas urged the company to take some steps to maximize shareholder value.

   The following month, the company put itself up for sale.
It received more offers, but the auction was surprisingly won by IMA, which bid $28 a share and asked Mr. Gilleland to stay on as an equity participant.
He indicated that some assets might be sold off to service the debt.

   Then, after extending its offer four times waiting for a congressional tax ruling, IMA early this month lowered its offer to $26.50 a share amid turbulence in the junk bond market.
American Medical accepted the offer, meanwhile indicating it had heard from two other suitors.
But they never materialized and IMA completed the purchase yesterday.

   Other new board members include John S. Harrison and Mark A. Adley of First Boston, James F. Lyons, William S. Goldberg and Harold S. Handelsman.

months

January

A few days

March

The following month

early this month

yesterday


AFP_ENG_20051210.0456

NEW YORK, Dec 10 , 2005

NBA banishes Sonics' Fortson for one game

Seattle SuperSonics forward Danny Fortson was suspended one game by the National Basketball Association here Saturday for a series of violations during a victory Friday at Utah.

Fortson was banished for verbally abusing a referee, failing to leave the court in a timely manner after being ejected and knocking over a water cooler while leaving.

The incident came with nine minutes and 13 seconds to play in the fourth quarter of Seattle's 106-90 victory.

Fortson was whistled for a loose ball foul after having been whistled for three fouls and a technical foul in seven minutes. He argued the call and was ejected.

Teammates restrained Forston as he pressed his case to referee Matt Boland. Fortson, who tossed a chair that nearly hit a fan following an ejection last season, dumped a water cooler on his way into the locker room.

Fortson forfeited 71,277 dollars in salary by missing Seattle's game Saturday against Sacramento. He averages 3.5 points, 2.8 rebounds and 3.6 fouls a game.

Dec 10 , 2005

Saturday

Friday

the fourth quarter

last season

Saturday


WSJ891030-0020
 = 891030
 891030-0020.
 What's News --
@  Business and Finance
 10/30/89
 WALL STREET JOURNAL (J)

   PROGRAM TRADING is being curbed by more securities firms, but big institutional investors are expected to continue the practice, further roiling the stock market.
Bowing to criticism, Bear Stearns, Morgan Stanley and Oppenheimer joined PaineWebber in suspending stock-index arbitrage trading for their own accounts.
Still, stock-index funds are expected to continue launching big programs through the market.

   Several Big Board firms are organizing to complain about program trading and the exchange's role in it.
The effort is being led by Contel.

   ---

   Personal spending rose 0.2% in September, the smallest gain in a year.
The slowdown raises questions about the economy's strength because spending fueled much of the third-quarter GNP growth.
Meanwhile, personal income edged up 0.3%.

   Factory owners are buying new machinery at a healthy rate this fall, machine-tool makers say.
But weak car sales raise questions about future demand from the auto sector.

   ---

   Southern's Gulf Power unit may plead guilty this week to charges it illegally steered company money to politicians through third parties.
The tentative pact would resolve part of a broad investigation of the Atlanta-based company in the past year.

   ---

   LIN Broadcasting and BellSouth sweetened their plan to merge cellular phone operations, offering LIN holders a special $42-a-share payout.
But the new pact will force huge debt on the new firm and could still fail to thwart rival suitor McCaw Cellular.

   ---

   Unisys posted a $648.2 million loss for the third quarter as it moved quickly to take write-offs for various problems and prepare for a turnaround.
But some analysts wonder how strong the recovery will be.

   ---

   RJR Nabisco agreed to sell three candy businesses to Nestle for $370 million.
The accord helps RJR pay off debt and boosts Nestle's 7% share of the U.S. candy market to 12%.

   ---GM and Ford are expected to go head to head in the markets to buy up rival 15% stakes in Jaguar.
GM confirmed it received U.S. antitrust clearance to boost its holding.

   ---

   Sansui Electric agreed to sell a 51% stake to Polly Peck of Britain for $110 million.
Still, analysts said the accord does n't suggest Japan is opening up to more foreign takeovers.

   ---

   Kellogg suspended work on a $1 billion cereal plant, indicating a pessimistic outlook by the cereal maker, which has been losing market share.

   ---

   Insurers could see claims totaling nearly $1 billion from the San Francisco earthquake, far less than the $4 billion from Hurricane Hugo.

   ---

   Nashua strengthened its poison-pill plan after announcing a Dutch firm is seeking to buy up to 25% of the New Hampshire copier company.

   ---

   Mobil is cutting back its U.S. oil and gas exploration and production group by up to 15% as part of a restructuring of the business.

   ---

   Markets ---

   Stocks: Volume 170,330,000 shares.
Dow Jones industrials 2596.72, off 17.01; transportation 1190.43, off 14.76; utilities 215.86, up 0.19.

   Bonds: Shearson Lehman Hutton Treasury index 3406.31, off 19.29.

   Commodities: Dow Jones futures index 129.49, up 0.27; spot index 130.80, off 0.24.

   Dollar: 141.65 yen, off 0.45; 1.8300 marks, off 0.0100.

September

third-quarter

this fall

future

this week

the past year

the third quarter


XIN_ENG_20051101.0153

MACAO, Nov. 1 , 2005 (Xinhua)

S. Korea, DPRK meet in Macao

South Korean and DPR Korean officials met on the sidelines of the East Asian Games for three hours on Tuesday, discussing a joint team to the 2006 Asian Games and 2008 Olympic Games.

"Two sides have reached consensus on sending a joint team to the Asian Games and the Olympics, but a lot of work needs to be done before the final decision is made," said a South Korean official who asked not to be named.

Nov. 1 , 2005

three hours

Tuesday


XIN_ENG_20051117.0202

CHANGCHUN, Nov. 17 , 2005 (Xinhua)

investigation

The chemical plant blasts which left five workers dead and one missing on Sunday in Jilin Province were caused by the incorrect operation by a worker, said investigators on Thursday.

After a five-day probe, experts agreed that the operator forgot to close the valve of the raw material providing system, leaving the temperature much higher than the normal standard.

The longtime overheating then led to a blowout and the cold air went into the T101 aniline processing tower, which was run under negative pressure and triggered the blast at about 1:45 p.m., and other blasts happened afterwards.

The blasts also left more than 60 injured, 23 of who are still in hospital but in safe condition.

Nov. 17 , 2005

Sunday

Thursday

1:45 p.m.


XIN_ENG_20061107.0019

BEIJING, Nov. 7 , 2006 (Xinhua)

Burundi

China and Burundi have deep traditional friendship, and should enhance cooperation in investment, infrastructure, telecommunications and agriculture, said Chinese President Hu Jintao here Tuesday when meeting with Burundian President Pierre Nkurunziza, who is in China for the Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation held on Nov. 4-5.

In recent years, the two countries boosted their exchanges and cooperation in fields of politics, judicature, economy, trade, culture and international affairs, said Hu, suggesting the two sides continue exchanges in all fields and at all levels.

China will continue to support the peace process in Burundi, and urges the international society to enhance attention and assistance to the reconstruction in Burundi, he said.

Nkurunziza appreciates China's long-time assistance to Burundi in areas of education, public health, agriculture, power and infrastructure, saying the political and security situation is basically stable in Burundi.

The Burundian government is making efforts for national reconciliation and economic, social development, he said. Burundi is expecting further assistance from China, and wishes to enhance cooperation with China, he said.

Nkurunziza arrived in China last Friday. He and other 47 leaders and representatives of African countries attended the two- day Beijing summit, which is believed to be the largest diplomatic event between China and Africa since 1949.

Nov. 7 , 2006

Tuesday

Nov. 4-5

recent years

last Friday


XIN_ENG_20051124.0314

WELLINGTON, Nov. 25 , 2005 (Xinhua)

Aircraft lift NZ imports

New Zealand's imports of merchandise goods for October 2005 increased 316 million NZ dollars (221 million US dollars), up 10.4 percent compared with October 2004, and are provisionally valued at 3,341 million NZ dollars (2339 million US dollars), Statistics New Zealand said Friday.

It said driving the increase were higher values for aircraft and parts, valued at 330 million NZ dollars (232 million US dollars). This value is due primarily to the import of two aircraft.

Exports of merchandise goods for October 2005 are provisionally valued at 2,459 million NZ dollars (1721 million US dollars), which is 30 million NA dollars (21 million US dollars) lower than for October 2004. The main contributors to the reduced exports value were wood and wood articles; aircraft; and ships and boats. Partly offsetting these was a higher value for meat.

The trade balance for the October 2005 month is a deficit of 882 million (617 million US dollars), or 35.9 percent of exports. The size of the deficit has decreased for two consecutive months.

The average trade balance for an October month for the past 10 years is a deficit of 462 million NZ dollars (323 million US dollars), 20.2 percent of exports, said the Statistics New Zealand.

Exports to China in October 2005 valued 140 million NZ dollars (98 million US dollars), and are provisionally valued at 1,559 million NZ dollars (1091 million US dollars), and imports from China valued in October 2005 at 388 million NZ dollars (271 million US dollars), and are provisionally valued at 3,945 million NZ dollars (2761 million US dollars), up 21.9 percent compared with last year, thus put China the number two country of New Zealand imports from the third last year, said Statistics New Zealand.

Nov. 25 , 2005

October 2005

October 2004

Friday

October 2005

October 2004

October 2005 month

two consecutive months

October month

the past 10 years

October 2005

October 2005

last year

last year


WSJ891102-0064
 = 891102
 891102-0064.
 International Brief -- Reed International PLC:
@  Net Income for 6 Months
@  Fell 5% to $141.9 Million
 11/02/89
 WALL STREET JOURNAL (J)
 U.REE
 EARNINGS (ERN)

   Reed International PLC said that net income for the six months ended Oct. 1 slipped 5% to #89.7 million ($141.9 million), or 16 pence a share, from #94.8 million ($149.9 million), or 17.3 pence a share.

   The British paper, packaging and publishing concern, said profit from continuing lines fell 10% to #118 million from #130.6 million.

   While there were no one-time gains or losses in the latest period, there was a one-time gain of #18 million in the 1988 period.
And while there was no profit this year from discontinued operations, last year they contributed #34 million, before tax.

   Pretax profit fell 3.7% to #128 million from #133 million and was below analysts' expectations of #130 million to #135 million, but shares rose 6 pence to 388 pence in early trading yesterday in London.

   Reed  is paying an interim dividend of 4.6 pence, up 15% from 4 pence a year earlier.

   Sales fell 20% to #722 million.

   Earnings  were hurt by disposal of operations in its restructuring, Reed said.

the six months

Oct. 1

the latest period

this year

last year

yesterday

a year earlier


XIN_ENG_20061107.0364

MEXICO CITY, Nov. 7 , 2006 (Xinhua)

Mexico seeking to boost trade with China: official

Trade between Mexico and China is growing fast, and Mexico is seeking to further boost its trade with China, a Mexican offcial said on Tuesday.

Roberto Zapata Barradas, director general for multilateral and regional negotiations at the Economy Secretary, told Xinhua that Mexico is seeking to balance its trade with China, due to a large surplus in favor of China.

China has also expressed the willingness to allow more Mexican exports, especially in mining and chemicals, according to Zapata, who said Mexico was drawing up a list of companies that could meet Chinese demand.

Mexico is seeking agricultural hygiene agreements with China so that it can export limes, mangos and beef. It has already reached agreements to export grapes and avocados to China, he said.

He said that Chinese authorities had already authorized a Mexican pavilion for the Latin American Commercial Fair in the first half of 2007 in Beijing.

China-Mexico trade tops eight billion U.S. dollars a year, with China exporting 6.8 billion more goods than Mexico.

Senior officials from the two countries discussed bilateral trade last week in Beijing during the third meeting of the High Level Group.

Zapata said Mexico is seeking deals on steel and electronics, as well as considering possible ways to boost trade between the two nations.

Meanwhile, Mexico is working to set up two forums, one in China and one in Mexico, to promote investment in automobile, and is considering importing Chinese-made cars, he said.

Nov. 7 , 2006

Tuesday

a year

last week


AFP_ENG_19970422.0086

BEIJING, April 22 , 1997 (AFP)

URGENTChinese foreign minister to visit US next week

Chinese Foreign Minister Qian Qichen will visit the United States next week to meet with President Bill Clinton and top-level US officials, foreign ministry spokesman Cui Tiankai said Tuesday.

April 22 , 1997

next week

Tuesday


NYT19980206.0466
 NEWS STORY
 02/06/1998 22:29:00

A6982 Cx1f taf-z
u w Cx13  Cx11  BC-CLINTON-CURRIE-NYT LR      02-06 0277

 BC-CLINTON-CURRIE-NYT

STATEMENTS CONCERNING MRS. CURRIE

UR (bl) LR  QL
UR c.1998 N.Y. Times News Service LR  QC   QL

WASHINGTON _ Following are statements made Friday and Thursday
by Lawrence Wechsler, a lawyer for the White House secretary, Betty
Currie; the White House; White House spokesman Mike McCurry, and
President Clinton in response to an article in The New York Times
on Friday about her statements regarding a meeting with the
president:
Wechsler on Thursday
``Without commenting on the allegations raised in this article,
to the extent that there is any implication or suggestion that Mrs.
Currie was aware of any legal or ethical impropriety by anyone,
that implication or suggestion is entirely inaccurate.''
White House on Thursday
``For the past few weeks we 've  been subjected to false leaks
designed  to mislead both reporters and the American public. We're not going  to dignify the latest false leak with a response.''
McCurry on Friday
``I want to be absolutely clear, to the extent there is any
implication or the slightest suggestion that Mrs. Currie believes
that the President or anyone else tried  to influence her
recollection, that is absolutely false and a mischaracterization of
the facts. I  am shocked and dismayed by the numerous leaks
regarding Mrs. Currie's grand jury testimony.''
Clinton on Friday.
``Once again, I never asked anybody  to do anything but tell the
truth. I know about the stories today. I was pleased that Ms.
Currie's lawyers stated unambiguously this morning _ unambiguously
_ that she's not aware of any unethical conduct.

NYT-02-06-98 2229EST

02/06/1998 22:29:00

Friday

Thursday

Friday

Thursday

Thursday

the past few weeks

latest

Friday

Friday

today

this morning


XIN_ENG_20061127.0287

LONDON, Nov. 27 , 2006 (Xinhua)

next year

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

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

In Rome, Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi said earlier Monday that Italy will complete its troop withdrawal from Iraq by Dec. 2 after the last soldiers turn over their base in southern Iraq to Iraqi forces.

Browne, whose country is a close ally of the United States in operations in Iraq, said "the planning for this (troop reduction in Iraq) has been going on for some months, and I have been pressing our planners to look at all the options, to make sure we do not ask a single soldier to remain in Iraq longer than is necessary."

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

During the speech, Browne expressed hope that local Iraqi troops would take control of Basra in the south of the country in the spring, and he also restated Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett's statement that British-controlled Maysan province could transfer to Iraqi control in January, followed by Basra shortly afterward.

But he stressed that a handover of troops did not mean a withdrawal because the Iraqis would still need back-up.

"We need to be clear that handover does not mean withdrawal," the secretary said, adding "even when all of the provinces are handed over we will still be providing a force to mentor and back up the Iraqi army and police, and to protect Coalition supply routes."

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

Nov. 27 , 2006

Monday

the end of next year

the end of next year

Monday

Dec. 2

some months

January


AFP_ENG_19970408.0252

HONG KONG, April 8 , 1997 (AFP)

Japanese consul calls for more Chinese military transparency (picture)

Japan's consul general here called on China Tuesday to be more transparent in its military strategy, and stressed the importance of the US military presence in the region to maintain stability.

Hideaki Ueda called on Beijing to issue defence White Papers in order to make its defence strategy clear.

"We are arguing with the Chinese side to issue defence White Papers to make the issue more transparent. I think they are trying to improve their transparency in this respect," he told a lunch meeting here.

Last November, Ieda's Consulate General was besieged by protesters backing Chinese claims to a Japanese-occupied island chain in the East China Sea.

The dispute over the islands known as Senkaku to the Japanese and Daioyu to the Chinese has been a long-running bone of contention between the Asian giants, and seen by both sides as a potential regional flashpoint.

Ueda defended the US military role in Asia, and specifically Japan, despite a growing chorus of protest back home against US bases there.

The anger at the presence of 47,000 US troops in Japan has been fuelled by the alleged assault on a Japanese woman by a US navy petty officer and the 1995 rape of a 12-year-old schoolgirl by US troops in Okinawa in 1995.

The United States wants written assurances that its troops and aircraft will be able to use Japanese facilities and move through the country in the event of a crisis on the Korean peninsula, or other conflicts.

"The US military presence in Asia is a very important factor to stabilise the situation," Ueda said.

"It is Japan's security agreement (with the United States) which is responsible for our security and secondly the security of Asia."

While not mentioning the islands row, Ueda said that possible tension was easily visible in the region; "You only have to look at the Korean peninsula."

He said China was, understandably, modernising her military capacity,

Bilateral,and regional meetings through the ASEAN regional foum and other bodies, were useful for increasing mutual understanding between the regional powers, he added.

"Japan welcomes advances in Sino-US relations, and as Japan sees the US and China as the key to peace in Asia, we all depend on China's emergence as a constructive member of the international community and a continued US military presence," Ueda said.

He voiced confidence over Hong Kong's future under Chinese rule and said Japan urged China and Britian "to work together to achieve the smooth handover that will ensure Hong Kong's future prosperity and stability."

"We are ready to support a Hong Kong governed by Hong Kong people, an autonomous Hong Kong backed by the one country, two systems" policy devised for its future, he added.

Hong Kong returns to Chinese rule in July after more than 150 years as a British colony.

April 8 , 1997

Tuesday

Last November

July

more than 150 years


XIN_ENG_20051117.0225

MOSCOW, Nov. 17 , 2005 (Xinhua)

Russian official denies reports of human cases of bird flu

Russian Health and Social Development Minister Mikhail Zurabov on Thursday denied reports of human-to-human transmission of bird flu in the country.

"I don't have any information about the mass contagion of bird flu in the Ulyanovsk region," Zurabov was quoted by the RIA Novosti news agency as saying.

"The data I have lead me to assume this information is somewhat distorted," the minister said.

Isolated instances of humans contracting bird flu have been registered worldwide. They all involved the spread of the virus from birds to humans, not from humans to humans, Zurabov said.

The world community is racing to prevent a bird flu pandemic by various means, including vaccination, he added.

So far, eight Russian regions have been affected by bird flu since its outbreak in July. The virus, strains of which can spread to humans and can be fatal, has claimed the lives of more than 60 people in Southeast Asia since 2003.

Nov. 17 , 2005

Thursday

July


XIN_ENG_20061113.0273

ISLAMABAD, Nov. 12 , 2006 (Xinhua)

Dengue death toll rises to 41 in Pakistan

Pakistani Health Ministry Monday said mosquito-borne dengue fever so far has caused 41 deaths across the country since early October and the patients declared positive for dengue virus reached 1,576.

As many as 4,397 patients with symptoms similar to dengue fever have been admitted to hospitals across Pakistan till Monday evening, said the health ministry, quoted by the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP).

Among the 41 deaths, 39 are from south province Sindh and two others from North West Frontier Province, said the APP.

A total of 664 patients with suspected dengue fever symptoms have so far been admitted to hospitals in federal capital Islamabad and the garrison city Rawlapindi, where positive cases of dengue virus stands at 247, it added.

Dengue fever is an acute, infectious tropical disease caused by an arbovirus transmitted by mosquitoes, and characterized by high fever, rash, headache, and severe muscle and joint pain, according to experts of the disease.

Authorities have launched a nationwide campaign to create public awareness about the disease, and local government bodies have been directed to take precautionary measures to avoid spread of the virus, like spraying mosquitocide, the APP said.

Nov. 12 , 2006

October

Monday evening


XIN_ENG_20061115.0360

ATHENS, Nov. 15 , 2006 (Xinhua)

Survey shows Greeks pessimistic about economy

The majority of Greeks, along with other Europeans, are pessimistic about the state of the economy and their purchasing power, according to a survey by Deloitte released on Wednesday.

In Greece, 59 percent of respondents saw their economy as being in recession, with almost a quarter believing that the financial status of their households will improve.

The remainder either believes that their circumstances will worsen or stay the same, said the report entitled Year-End Holiday Survey 2006.

In addition, Greece belongs to a group of countries that are showing a strong inclination to spend more on gifts on the holiday period this year. The other countries in the group were Cyprus, North Africa and Ireland.

Nov. 15 , 2006

Wednesday

this year


AFP_ENG_19970428.0577

WASHINGTON, April 28 , 1997 (AFP)

IMF call for study of impact of EMU

The top policy-making body of the IMF Monday ordered a broad study of the implications of European Monetary Union (EMU) for the world monetary system.

The committee, grouping finance ministers and central bankers of 24 countries representing the entire IMF membership said in a statement it "welcomed the progress made toward establishing conditions for EMU."

It said the creation of EMU was "one of the most important international monetary developments in the post-Bretton Woods period."

The statement said the IMF's Executive Board "will undertake a broad programme to assess the implications of EMU for the international monetary system and for the Fund."

IMF Managing Director Michel Camdessus earlier told the committee that IMF surveillance of the new euro area, due to come into being in 1999, would be "a challenge for the Fund" because of the weight in the monetary system of the countries likely to take part.

April 28 , 1997


AFP_ENG_20061211.0287

DOHA, Dec 11 , 2006, 2006

=(PICTURE)=

South Korea swept the four golf gold medals at the Asian Games here Monday as Kim Kyung-Tae came from behind to powered the country to its first men's team title in 20 years.

Going out one stroke off Taiwan's 15-year-old Pan Cheng-Tsung, Kim rolled in three birdies against one bogey to finish the 72-stroke men's individual event on 12-under-par 276.

Pan double-bogeyed on the par-4 13th hole where Kim, a 20-year-old university student, birdied and passed him by one stroke. an birdied the 17th hole as desert winds began to blow but could not catch Kim.

"I started one shot over Pan. I focused on our team's win but this gold medal is a big bonus for me," Kim said.

He said his best play of the day was a tee shot on the crucial 13th hole.

"I watched the first and second players shoot and I adjusted accordingly. I changed my club to a five iron and that's how I made it," he said.

Another South Korean Kin Do-Hoon Sr., Singapore's Choo Tze-Huang and Michael Eric Bibat of the Philippines finished tied at 279.

Korea's Kang Sung-Hoo was sixth at 281.

Led by the two Kims, South Korea finished atop the team table, comprising the three best scores in each round, at 836. India finished second at 849 and Taiwan third at 850.

Ryu So-Yeon won the women's title and South Korea retained the women's team title which they wrested from Taiwan at the last 2002 Asian Games in Busan. They carded a total of 534 strokes with Japan second at 547 and Taiwan third at 550.

The 16-year-old Ryu shot six-under-par 67 to finish the 72-hole event with 29-under 263 on a short course for women, followed by Japan's Mika Miyazato at 272 and fellow Korea Cho He-Yong at 273.

Dec 11 , 2006

Monday

20 years

the last 2002


XIN_ENG_20061117.0062

BEIJING, Nov. 17 , 2006 (Xinhua)

Foreign-funded Banks(4)

Article 13 A foreign bank that has already established an operational foreign-funded bank within the territory of the People's Republic of China shall not establish a new representative office if it has already maintained a representative office, with the exception of establishment of a representative office in the areas covered by the regional development strategy or other related policies of the State.

If a representative office is changed with approval into an operational foreign-funded bank, the foreign bank shall go through the procedures for cancellation of registration of the original representative office in accordance with law.

Article 14 Where applying for establishing an operational foreign-funded bank, the applicant shall first apply for the preparation of the bank and submit the following application documents to the banking regulatory agency in the place where the proposed bank is to be established:

(1) an application letter, including the name, location, registered capital or operating capital, the business scope of the proposed bank;

(2) a feasibility study report;

(3) the draft articles of association of the proposed wholly foreign-funded bank or Chinese-foreign joint venture bank;

(4) the business contract signed by all shareholders of the proposed wholly foreign-funded bank or Chinese-foreign joint venture bank;

(5) articles of association of the shareholder of the proposed wholly foreign-funded bank or Chinese-foreign joint venture bank or of the foreign bank applying to establish a branch;

(6) the organizational chart, name-list of major shareholders, overseas establishments and associated enterprises of the shareholder of the proposed wholly foreign-funded bank or Chinese-foreign joint venture bank or of the foreign bank applying to establish a branch and its parent group;

(7) annual reports for the most recent three years of the shareholder of the proposed wholly foreign-funded bank or Chinese-foreign joint venture bank, or of the foreign bank applying to establish a branch;

(8) anti-money laundering systems adopted by the shareholder of the proposed wholly foreign-funded bank or Chinese-foreign joint venture bank, or by the foreign bank applying to establish a branch;

(9) photocopies of the business licence or the financial services permit, and the written opinions on the application issued by the financial regulatory authority of the home country or region of the shareholder of the proposed wholly foreign-funded bank, or of the foreign shareholder of the proposed Chinese-foreign joint venture bank, or of the foreign bank applying to establish a branch; and

(10) other documents specified by the banking regulatory agency of the State Council.

The banking regulatory agency in the place where the proposed bank is to be established shall submit the application documents together with its examination opinion to the banking regulatory agency of the State Council in due time. (more)

Nov. 17 , 2006

recent three years


AFP_ENG_20061223.0310

SYDNEY, Dec 24 , 2006, 2006

by Neil Sands

Forecasters have tipped rough conditions for this year's Sydney to Hobart yacht race, where the "supermaxis" are again expected to dominate the Australian bluewater classic beginning December 26.

Initial warnings that gale force winds would buffet the 78-strong fleet have eased but crews will still have to contend with gusts of 30 knots as they make their way down Australia's east coast.

Conditions mean Australian supermaxi Wild Oats' record time of one day, 18 hours, 40 minutes and 10 seconds set last year is not expected to come under threat in the 62nd running of the 628-nautical mile race.

The Bureau of Meteorology said the weather was expected to be "uncomfortable" rather than "dangerous", as originally forecast.

The easing weather will also lessen organisers' fears of a catastrophe like 1998, when six sailors drowned in mountainous seas, although Quantum Racing skipper Ray Roberts said race-goers would still be wary.

"Everybody's saying the winds are lightening off but I still think 30 knots is not light," Roberts said. "To win this race you've got to finish the race."

He said many people thought Bass Strait, between the Australian mainland and the island state Tasmania, was the toughest part of the race but failed to appreciate the difficulty of sailing the New South Wales coast.

"You've got a relatively shallow continental shelf and a hard southerly breeze pushing against a strong current so you've got very steep waves," he said.

"You could see a few boats damaging their gear in the first 24 hours and that's the trick -- you've got to be nursing the boat in the first 24 hours so that you can take advantage later."

Online bookmaker Centrebet has last year's winner Wild Oats as the favourite for line honours, with the 98 footer (30 metres) supermaxi paying 1.55 dollars for a 1.00 bet.

Next are the supermaxis Maximus from New Zealand, paying 5.00 dollars, and Australia's Skandia, paying 5.50.

Wild Oats won convincingly in a preliminary race on Sydney Harbour earlier this month.

Maximus co-owner Charles St Clair Brown said the race's record keepers would not be troubled if the current forecast held true.

"The sad thing is it's decidedly not a record-breaking forecast and our goal for this boat was to create race records," he said. "We're not going to have a chance to do that."

Ed Psaltis, skipper of AFR Midnight Rambler, said the weather may prevent the supermaxis dominating the early stages of the event.

"The weather forecast is for a slow start and a relatively fast finish which normally suits the smaller style boat,' Psaltis said.

"That's good news for us that no-one's going to get too far away from us in the first day and a half."

However, David Kent, the skipper of Gillawa, the yacht that came last in the 2005 event, four day behind the winner, said merely finishing the race was an achievement for his inexperienced crew.

"I've got a little bit of competitive spirit and I don't like the word last, but in reality, where else are we going to be positioned?" he said.

"I take on the rookies. If I didn't take on the rookies, we'd go a lot faster but it's giving them a chance to get out there and experience racing."

Dec 24 , 2006

this year

December 26

one day, 18 hours

last year

the first 24 hours

the first 24 hours

earlier this month


XIN_ENG_20051108.0331

BEIJING, Nov. 9 , 2005 (Xinhua)

URGENT: Six-party talks begins in Beijing

The fifth round of the six-party talks on the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue began at 10:00 a.m. Wednesday at Beijing's Diaoyutai State Guesthouse.

The talks involves China, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the United States, Republic of Korea, Russia and Japan.

Nov. 9 , 2005

10:00 a.m.

Wednesday


XIN_ENG_20061121.0358

GAZA, Nov. 21 , 2006 (Xinhua)

1st Lead: Two Italians released shortly after abduction in Gaza

Two Italians working for International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) were released unharmed on Tuesday midnight shortly after their kidnapping in Gaza earlier in the day, Palestinian security officials said.

The officials said that the kidnappers had run away after they dropped the two hostages, a male and a female, near a police station in central Gaza Strip.

"Then the two walked towards the police station," they said, adding that security members who arrived the scene shortly after receiving the report from the police station have taken the two to a hotel in Gaza.

However, the kidnappers' identity is still unknown as no one had claimed responsibility for the abduction, said the officials.

For fear of more such abduction of its members, the local Red Cross office announced to suspend its activities in the area shortly before their release.

The two Italians were abducted by unknown militants in an area between the towns of Khan Younis and Deir el-Ballah in the afternoon.

The kidnapping was the latest in a spate of abductions of foreigners and journalists in Gaza in recent months.

In October, two Spanish citizens, one was the photographer of the Associated Press and the other works for a humanitarian organization, were also abducted. They were freed shortly after the abduction.

Nov. 21 , 2006

Tuesday

recent months

October


XIN_ENG_20051116.0126

GAZA, Nov. 16 , 2005 (Xinhua)

Hamas, Jihad reject Palestinian-Israeli deal on Gaza crossings

The Islamic Resistance Movement ( Hamas) and the Islamic Jihad (Holy War) rejected on Wednesday a US- brokered agreement reached between the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) and Israel on Gaza border crossings.

The two groups said in two separate statements that the agreement reached under the sponsorship of the United States has harmed the Palestinian sovereignty and despised the Palestinian dignity.

Hamas condemned the PNA's approval of the agreement that was reached on Tuesday after intense mediation by US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

"The Israelis have the ability to observe the Palestinians or any visitors via the Rafah crossing through cameras and through the joint control room," the Hamas statement said.

Jihad echoed Hamas' criticism, saying the Israeli-Palestinian joint monitoring of the Rafah crossing indicated that the Gaza Strip was still under the Israeli control.

Jihad also rebuked the US for interfering into the Gaza border issue for the sake of Israel while neglecting other important issues such as the Israeli settlement expansion in the West Bank and the building of a separation barrier.

Under the deal, the key Rafah crossing on the Gaza-Egypt border will be re-opened as of Nov. 25 under the presence of European Union security monitors. All Palestinian identification card holders can travel through the crossing in both directions.

The Rafah crossing is the only exit for Palestinians living in Gaza to travel abroad. The terminal has remained closed since Israel withdrew from the entire strip in September.

Fearing that the Rafah crossing might be used by Palestinian militants to smuggle weapons, Israel had insisted on monitoring goods and people through the terminal, but Palestinians asserted that no Israelis should be at Rafah.

The two sides finally reached a compromise that Israeli and Palestinian security officers will co-monitor the traffic at Rafah by remote-control cameras in a control room a few kilometers away from the crossing.

Meanwhile, the agreement says a seaport can be constructed in Gaza, the Karni crossing on the eastern Gaza border will be expanded and that Palestinians can travel between Gaza and the West Bank in bus and truck convoys within months.

Nov. 16 , 2005

Wednesday

Tuesday

Nov. 25

September


XIN_ENG_20061129.0326

DOHA, Nov. 29 , 2006 (Xinhua)

Badminton schedule fixed one day before competition

The team competition schedule of badminton at the Doha Asian Games was fixed here on Wednesday, just one day before the beginning of the events.

Arccording to chief umpire Moham Dharan, the schedule was changed in demands of some teams who were not satisfied with playing twice a day.

"The schedule has been decided already. We don't call it a ' problem' but an 'issue'. All was right in format," said Dharan.

Since there must be a team in each group playing twice a day, the final schedule sets the team lowest in rankings in each group to "suffer" it. "They have to accept it," said Dharan, who refused to call those teams the weakest but the "third teams".

In men's team event, India, Vietnam and Japan are slated to play twice in Nov. 30. Indonesia, Singapore and Chinese Taipei are pitted against two rivals each in Dec. 2.

Nov. 29 , 2006

Wednesday

Nov. 30

Dec. 2


XIN_ENG_20061102.0212

BRUSSELS, Nov. 2 , 2006 (Xinhua)

Roundup: WB praises Africa's progress in poverty eradication

Roundup: WB praises Africa's progress in poverty eradication

NAIROBI, Nov. 2 (Xinhua) -- World Bank says Africa has shown tangible progress in the effort to uplift millions of people out of poverty line.

The World Bank's annual study of the continent found that 16 African states had managed to maintain annual economic growth of more than 4.5 percent since the 1990s.

The report released in Nairobi Thursday said many African countries, including Senegal, Mozambique, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Uganda, Ghana and Cape Verde, have lifted significant percentages of their citizens above the poverty line and might well be on course to meeting the income poverty Millennium Development Goal ( MDG) target of halving poverty by 2010.

The annual World Bank publication, African Development Indicators (ADI) 2006, depicts diverse continent, with several countries making remarkable progress, some stagnating and others lagging seriously behind.

"Africa today is a continent on the move, making tangible progress on delivering better health, education, growth, trade and poverty-reduction outcomes," said Gobind Nankani, the bank's vice- president for the Africa region.

The bank's report highlighted the extreme diversity of economic achievement in Africa.

The report says the full spectrum of achievers and laggards stretches from Zimbabwe, which recorded a negative growth rate of 2. 4 percent -- the only country with a negative growth rate in 2004 on the continent.

"While economic outcomes are increasingly diverse, Africa has made near uniform progress in social outcomes, notably education and health," explained John Page, the bank's chief economist for the Africa region, adding that Africa's per capita income is now increasing in tandem with other developing countries.

The report also noted that inflation on the continent was down to historic lows, and that the region had managed to weather the impact of higher oil prices in recent years.

On a more negative note, the bank said foreign investment in the continent was just 10.1 billion U.S. dollars in 2004 -- only 1.6 percent of global foreign investment -- and that more than 50 percent of the funds were spent in Nigeria and Sudan.

The report also highlighted the difficulty of starting a business in many parts of Africa -- taking, across the continent, an average of 64 days.

In its latest Africa report, the World Bank said that many countries had made good progress in meeting some of the other MDGs, such as getting more young children into primary education and improving child mortality.

Looking forward, it said improved governance and management of natural resources was a key requirement, particularly with African nations due to receive a 200 billion dollars windfall from oil revenues between 2000 and 2010.

It said it was seeing signs that African leaders were taking more responsibility for improving governance and assisting the private sector in attracting foreign investment and boosting trade with growing markets like those in China and India.

"The good news includes confirmation that primary enrollment rates have risen significantly across the continent. HIV/AIDS prevalence and child mortality rates have started to fall and the gender gap has started to shrink in several countries."

"Gross primary enrollment rates as a share of the relevant age group -- a standard indicator of investment in the poor -- shot up to 93 percent in 2004 from 72 percent in 1990, contributing to a rise in literacy rates from 50 percent in 1997 to 65 percent in 2002," explained Page.

He regretted that success increasing primary enrollments from 70 percent in 1991 to above 90 percent in 2004 has not been mirrored in secondary and tertiary education.

Despite the tangible progress, ADI 2006 highlights the numerous challenges facing Africa, the lone region of the world where the number of the poor continues to rise.

The ADI 2006 calls for the lifting of burdensome rules of origin through reforms in the U.S. African Growth and Opportunity Act and the EU's Everything But Arms initiative, but also for reforms " behind the border" (within African countries) to promote intra- African trade.

The report also warns that the immense disease burden posed by HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis, as well as by corruption, anemic aid, cascading tariffs barring made-in-Africa products from entering global markets and dwindling foreign direct investments pose a threat to gains in overall poverty alleviation.

"Improving governance and smart management of natural resource rents are key requirements for improving development outcomes in Africa, where an estimated windfall of more than 200 billion dollars in oil revenue alone will accrue to African governments between 2000 and 2010," said Nankani, reflecting on the fact natural resource-rich economies have tended to make slow progress on the continent despite their enormous wealth endowment.

Nov. 2 , 2006

Nov. 2

the 1990s

Thursday

now

recent years


XIN_ENG_20051124.0246

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov. 24 , 2005 (Xinhua)

Malaysia holds grand fashion festival

Malaysia on Thursday started to hold a grand fashion festival in Asia, which it called the largest fashion marathon in the region.

The four-day event entitled "Kuala Lumpur-Asia Fashion Week 2005" was opened at Avenue K, a shopping plaza in downtown city, bringing together more than 90 fashion designers from 17 countries and regions, including Australia, Japan, India, Cambodia, Malaysia, Singapore, Pakistan, Thailand, Myanmar, the Republic of Korea.

The fashion week will unroll at several places in the city, where people can watch 12 group day shows, including model parades, and four gala nights entitled "Asia Magic," "KL Six," "Tribute to Fashion," and a final award presentation ceremony.

The fashion week will feature a unique trade opportunity for local and international designers, buyers and people in the fashion trade, according to the event organizer Kuala Lumpur-Asia Fashion Week Co.

It also will provide a platform for fashion professionals and the public to network and find good bargains, including fashion goods from bags to folk clothes and handicrafts, the organizer said.

Nov. 24 , 2005

Thursday

week


AFP_ENG_20061228.0120

BAGHDAD, Dec 28 , 2006, 2006

=(PICTURE)=

An Iraqi court published its formal written condemnation of Saddam Hussein on Thursday, putting in motion the legal machinery which will lead to his execution, as bombs rocked Baghdad.

The confirmation of the ousted dictator's death sentence came as his foe US President George W. Bush convened a meeting of his top security advisers to find a way to stem the rising tide of bloodshed in Iraq.

More than three-and-a-half years after a US-led invasion deposed Saddam's totalitarian regime, the country remains in the grip of a vicious conflict that claims more than 100 Iraqi lives per day.

American soldiers are also still dying in near record numbers; the military confirmed the deaths of three more on Thursday, bringing December's toll to 99, and keeping it on course to be the bloodiest month for US troops this year.

Saddam's imminent demise -- on December 26 a court ordered his execution within 30 days -- has been welcomed by Washington, but US forces are nevertheless braced for a backlash from his remaining supporters.

Meanwhile, sectarian and insurgent violence continues to claim scores of lives every day and make a mockery of promises by Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's government to put in place a new Baghdad security plan.

Seven people were killed and 25 wounded when two booby traps exploded in a popular Baghdad market during the busy morning shopping rush, military officials and medics at the Al-Kindi hospital said.

The devices exploded in the Baab al-Sharki neighbourhood in the centre of the Iraqi capital, they said.

Another 10 people were killed and 35 wounded in east Baghdad near the Shaab stadium when a bomb exploded among a crowd queuing for heating fuel, according to a security official and medics at the Ibn-Nafis hospital.

South of the capital, three more civilians were killed in two bomb attacks, according to the defence ministry and the Yarmuk hospital.

Meanwhile, north of Baghdad, two Iraqi soldiers were killed when a booby trap exploded on the highway between the oil refinery depot of Baiji and Saddam's hometown Tikrit, said the local Iraqi-US coordination centre.

Another three soldiers were wounded in the explosion, which destroyed an Iraqi military vehicle, the source said.

In Diyala province north of the capital, a police captain and two civilian women were killed by unidentified gunmen in separate attacks, said Lieutenant Ali Khaled of the Baquba police.

The violence raged on as the Iraqi High Tribunal published a formal written judgement rejecting Saddam's appeal against his death sentence.

The official release of the judgement, signed by Judge Arif Abdulrazzak Shaheen of the Iraqi High Criminal Court in Baghdad, set in motion procedures which should lead to Saddam being executed within days or weeks.

"The court decided to endorse the condemnation and punishment of the condemned, Saddam Hussein, Barzan Ibrahim Hassan and Awad Ahmed al-Bandar, by hanging, for committing a deliberate crime against humanity," it said.

The 17-page ruling was published on the website of the Iraqi High Tribunal, which on November 5 convicted Saddam, his half-brother and intelligence chief Hassan and former judge Bandar of ordering the deaths of 148 Shiite villagers.

Following the formal release of the judgement, the responsibility for organising the execution of the defendants passes to Iraq's government, court officials said. Iraq's cabinet was in session Thursday morning.

Later in the day, in the calmer surroundings of Bush's Texas ranch, the US president was to assemble his top aides to review his Iraq strategy and the role of America's 129,000 troops deployed in the country.

"That will be a meeting of all the members ... of the National Security Council," said Scott Stanzel, a White House spokesman.

"This is a time for the president to be talking with his advisers about all the potential options, making sure that due consideration is given to the next steps, making sure that we're thinking through the new way forward in Iraq."

Bush is expected to deliver a speech announcing a new way forward in Iraq sometime early in the New Year.

Dec 28 , 2006

Thursday

Thursday

December

this year

December 26

30 days

every day

the busy morning

days or weeks

November 5

Thursday morning

the New Year


XIN_ENG_20051129.0175

ZHANGJIAKOU, North China, Nov. 29 , 2005 (Xinhua)

Japan wins men's title of FIS Alpine ski competition in China

Japan won the first gold medal awarded in the 2005 International Ski Federation (FIS) Alpine Ski Competition in China which opened here on Tuesday.

Takeda Ryu clocked a total of two minutes 26.85 seconds in the two runs of the men's giant slalom event to win the gold, followed

by Kim Min-Sung of South Korea with 2:27.13.

The bronze medal went to Hur Seung-Wook of South Korea at 2:27. 14.

In the women's event, South Korean Oh Jae-Eun claimed the title

with 2:34.77 and Yamazaki Yurie of Japan won the silver with 2:36. 50.

China's Dong Jinzhi won the bronze medal with 2:38.35.

"This is the best result of Chinese skiiers in the international competitions." said Tian Younian, vice-president of the China Ski Association, "It is very encouraging for all Chinese skiers."

The competition, runs from November 29 to December 2, featured 120 skiers from seven countries and regions including Japan, South

Korea, Chinese Taipei and France.

Nov. 29 , 2005

Tuesday

two minutes 26.85 seconds

2:27. 14

November 29

December 2