XIN_ENG_20061116.0041

HANOI, Nov. 16 , 2006 (Xinhua)

2nd Ld: APEC ministerial meeting concludes in Hanoi

Trade, foreign ministers and representatives from the 21 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation ( APEC) member economies wrapped up their two-day gathering here Thursday, agreeing to continue the support for WTO negotiations and facilitate trade in the region.

"The ministerial meeting has concluded successfully," Vietnam's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Gia Khiem told a press conference after the meeting.

Khiem said the delegates spent a lot of time discussing the need to resume the stalled Doha round of World Trade Organization (WTO) negotiations, and endorsed the Hanoi Action Plan to implement the Busan roadmap for realization of the 1994 Bogor goals of free and open trade and investment in the region.

The meeting also devoted a lot of time to discussing the reform of APEC to make it more dynamic and efficient, he said.

Documents endorsed by the ministers and representatives will be submitted to the APEC economic leaders for approval during their meeting on Nov. 18-19.

Sharing the view that the support for the WTO negotiations continues to be APEC's top priority, the delegates after discussions agreed on the draft of a stand-alone statement on the Doha round, which they will propose to the economic leaders to issue.

Anti-corruption and human security, including anti-terrorism and health security, were also discussed during the meeting, according to a joint statement issued afterward.

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

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

Nov. 16 , 2006

Thursday

Nov. 18-19


AFP_ENG_20061210.0104

PHNOM PENH, Dec 10 , 2006, 2006

Cambodian military police chief named head of football federation

The Cambodian Football Federation has re-elected a close ally of Prime Minister Hun Sen as its president, despite claims of political interference in choosing the sport's national chief.

Newly-elected Sao Sokha, a military police chief, on Sunday vowed to work to improve the quality of the country's football team after he was chosen unanimously on Saturday by the 11-member executive committee.

He was first brought in as the new president of the Cambodian Football Federation in an April election, but the world football governing body FIFA claimed political interference marred those elections.

FIFA also threatened to suspend its 250,000 dollars in annual funding to Cambodia's national football program, which has struggled to gain international respect after numerous scandals and a dismal record of losses.

"We have nothing now, but we have to boost and encourage our players, to have more players and more supporters," Sao Sokha told AFP.

"When there are more players, more supporters and more matches, we will have more experience and we can choose the best quality players for our nation and for international competitions," he added.

He said that Rene Z. Adad, representative for the Asian Football Confederation, had observed Saturday's election, and labelled them "democratic and good".

Cambodia is currently ranked 184 out of 205 countries by FIFA.

Dec 10 , 2006

Sunday

Saturday

Saturday


XIN_ENG_20051102.0217

BAGHDAD, Nov. 2 , 2005 (Xinhua)

Day 5 roundup: Liu Xiang-mania sweeps Macao

By Sportswriter Cao Jianjie

MACAO, Nov. 2 (Xinhua) -- Liu Xiang's coach pled on a television network on Wednesday, asking overzealous supporters to leave the Olympic champion alone.

Liu's gold medal in the 110m hurdles was one of 26 won by China on Wednesday at the East Asian Games (EAG).

China remains a runaway leader with 74 golds, with Japan in a distant second place with 10, one over arch rival South Korea.

The 22-year-old Liu defended his EAG title in 13.21 seconds, beating teammate Shi Dongpeng (13.36) and Japan's Kota Kumamoto ( 13.89).

Liu became one of China's biggest celebrities when he tied the world record of 12.91 seconds and won the gold medal in the Athens Olympics last year.

Liu soon felt the weight of being famous.

"We are very grateful to our supporters," Liu's mentor Sun Haiping said on Macao's television TDM. "But overzealous fans disrupt his training and distract him from the ultimate goal: the 2008 Olympic Games.

"So, please, please let him do his job."

Spectators in the Macao Stadium looked on races indifferently until Liu showed up. Girls shrieked when the big screen flashed a shot of Liu taking off his trousers.

Liu cleared all the hurdles smoothly and slowed at the finish.

His winning clocking was 0.16 seconds behind his top time this year and a further 0.08 behind this season's best 12.97 set by Frenchman Ladji Doucoure, who beat Liu into second place in the world championships.

Liu said he fared well in this season, in which he competed in 18 meets.

"I didn't fall out of the top three in the international meets I entered and has won all the domestic races," he said.

China also won nine athletics titles on Wednesday: the men's 20m walk (Yu Chaohong, 1:23:51), high jump (Huang Haiqiang, 2.23m); the women's 200m (Chen Lisha, 23.78 seconds), 400m hurdles (Huang Xiaoxiao, 55.33 seconds), pole vault (Zhao Yingying, 4.40m), 800m (Liu Qing, 2:00.11), discus (Song Aimin, 64.32m), 20km walk (Wang Liping, 1:34.01) and javelin (Ma Ning, 61.95m).

South Korean Kim Kun-woo took the grueling decathlon by totaling 7,754 points, while his compatriot Lee Jae-hun clocked 1: 48.60 for the men's 800m crown.

Japan nabbed three golds as Shinji Takahira stormed home first in 20.88 seconds in the men's 200m, Takayuki Koike won the men's 400m hurdles in 50.85 and Kumiko Ikeda leapt 6.54m for the women's long jump gold.

Japan expected a gold rush from the swimming pool, but the first day didn't see that happen.

Chinese swimmers made it six out of eight with Japan taking the remaining three golds.

Olympic champion Luo Xuejuan easily won the women's 50m backstroke in 31.67 seconds, one second ahead of runner-up Sayaka Nakamura from Japan.

Chinese Zhang Lin bettered the men's 1,500m freestyle Asian record by 9.25 seconds as he touched the pad first in 15:00.27.

China also won the men's 4x200m relay, men's 100m breaststroke (Zeng Qiliang), women's 200m butterfly (Li Jie) and women's 100m freestyle (Pang Jiaying).

Japan's golds came from Yuta Shoji in the men's 200 individual medley, and Aya Terakawa and Tajanu Ugarasgu who finished joint first in the women's 200m backstroke.

China dominated the final-day gymnastics competition by sweeping seven golds from the men's pommel horse, rings, vault, parallel bars and women's uneven bars, balance and floor exercise.

DPR Korea picked two golds with Macao, South Korea and Chinese Taipei picking one apiece.

In shooting, China nailed the women's rifle prone event (Shan Hong) and men's 25m rapid fire pistol (Zhang Penghui), with DPR Korean Kim Jong-su pocketing men's 10m air pistol top honor.

China female weightlifter Cao Lei lifted the women's 69kg-class gold and South Korean Lee Ung-jo topped the men's 94kg-division field.

Nov. 2 , 2005

Nov. 2

Wednesday

Wednesday

13.21 seconds

last year

this year

this season

Wednesday

20.88 seconds

31.67 seconds

9.25 seconds


XIN_ENG_20061104.0021

BEIJING, Nov. 4 , 2006 (Xinhua)

conference

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao delivered a speech Saturday afternoon at the opening ceremony of High-level Dialogue and the Second Conference of Chinese and African Entrepreneurs, urging business communities of both sides to cement cooperation for common prosperity.

A total of 27 presidents and 6 prime ministers from Africa attended the opening ceremony of the conference.

Nov. 4 , 2006

Saturday afternoon


XIN_ENG_20051111.0129

KATHMANDU, Nov. 11 , 2005 (Xinhua)

Nepali king leaves for SAARC summit in Dhaka

Nepali King Gyanendra left Kathmandu for Dhaka, capital of Bangladesh, on Friday to participate in the 13th summit of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) to be held in Dhaka on Nov. 12 and 13.

The King is scheduled to address the summit on Nov. 12 and meet heads of state or government of the SAARC member countries on the sidelines of the summit, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

On Nov. 14, the King will leave Dhaka for Riyadh on way to Tunis to participate in the World Summit on the Information Society to be held in Tunis from Nov. 16 to 18, the ministry said in a statement.

The King will also inspect the Nepalese Peace Keeping contingent serving in the United Nations Operation in Burundi.

While returning home, the King will visit the United Republic of Tanzania, the Republic of Kenya, the Republic of South Africa and the Arab Republic of Egypt, the ministry noted.

The King is scheduled to return home on Dec. 2, the ministry added.

Nov. 11 , 2005

Friday

the 13th

Nov. 12

Nov. 12

Nov. 14

Nov. 16

Dec. 2


AFP_ENG_20051215.0315

BANJUL, Dec 15 , 2005

journalist's murder

Gambia's main press union renewed a call Thursday at the start of a conference on media freedom in Africa for foreign investigators to probe the murder a year ago of a journalist in the west African state.

Deyda Hydara, who was AFP's correspondent in Gambia and also worked with the media watchdog Reporters Sans Frontieres (RSF), was an outspoken critic of tough media laws that authorize jail terms for journalists who violate press laws and heavy fines for their publishers.

He was gunned down late at night on December 16, 2004 while driving colleagues home from a party at the offices of The Point, the newspaper he co-edited.

The Banjul media conference, being held Thursday through Saturday, was organized by the Gambian Press Union and was to include a tribute to the slain Hydara as well as to Norbert Zongo, another investigative journalist who was shot and burned in his car in Burkina Faso on December 13, 1998.

"We call on the government to allow the intervention of outside investigators to investigate in the case of Deyda Hydara," GPU president Madi Ceesay said, opening the meeting attended by media representatives from across west Africa as well as members of Hydara's family.

Neither Hydara's murder of that of Zongo, who was deep into a probe seven years ago into the dealings of relatives and associates of President Blaise Compaore when he and three friends were attacked on a lonely road, have been cleared up.

A representative of Paris-based Reporters Sans Frontieres was unable to travel to the conference because the Gambian embassy in France failed to issue a visa in time, the group said.

Despite RSF's daily calls to the embassy, no explanation was given for the delay, it added.

RSF in June joined the Gambian Press Union in condemning an official report into Hydara's murder. It said it was "sickened" by the report by Gambia's National Intelligence Agency, denouncing an official "smear campaign".

The 23-page report described Hydara as "an instigator who stirred up the anger of a number of people through critical reports in his newspaper," The Point, of which he was co-founder.

The Gambian Press Union's president on Thursday reminded his audience of various attacks on media workers in the former British colony.

"In the last ten years we have been operating in a very hostile environment," said Ceesay.

RSF said earlier this week that it "deeply" regretted being unable to attend the conference "to express our solidarity with Gambia's independent press, which has suffered so much in recent years, but we reaffirm our commitment to see justice done."

Dec 15 , 2005

call Thursday

a year ago

December 16, 2004

Thursday

Saturday

December 13, 1998

seven years ago

June

Thursday

last ten years

this week

recent years


AFP_ENG_20061228.0133

LONDON, Dec 29 , 2006, 2006

ATTENTION - EMBARGO, RELEASABLE at 0001 GMT Friday ///

Britain considered abandoning its nuclear deterrent as it cast around for ways to raise money during a humiliating economic crisis 30 years ago, newly declassified papers revealed Friday.

In 1976, the value of the pound sterling against the dollar began a slide which led ministers to ask the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a loan in September.

A 3.9-billion-dollar (2.9-billion-euro) package was eventually agreed, but the image of Britain going "cap in hand" to the IMF did lasting damage to the kingdom's image around the world.

Officials and politicians considered several courses of action to ease the economic pressure, according to papers released by the National Archives in London, under rules which allow them to be made public after 30 years.

In a note marked "top secret", Sir John Hunt, who as cabinet secretary was a highly influential civil servant at the heart of government, mooted defence cuts as one possible solution if negotiations with the IMF broke down.

He wrote that he was against losing British troops stationed in West Germany to protect western Europe from the Soviet Union.

"It would be preferable, rather than cutting BAOR (the British Army of the Rhine), to look again at our eastern Atlantic contribution which involves no treaty commitment and/or the deterrent," he said in the December 1976 note.

"The Americans would strongly resist the former.

"But abandoning the deterrent, or at least scrapping its improvement, would cause much less concern to our allies."

Hunt warned that any such move "would be seen as proof of Britain's definitive disappearance as a major military power".

In September that year, Callaghan had raised the possibility that Britain would face pressure to withdraw troops from West Germany in a telephone conversation with Gerald Ford, then president of the United States.

According to a transcript, Callaghan told Ford he was "deeply concerned" about what was happening to the pound.

"If our sterling balances go and there is no protection, I can only say to you, Gerry, that we would be faced with political decisions that would change our whole attitude as a Western partner," Callaghan said.

He added that Britain was spending 600 million pounds a year in West Germany and that some might question why this should continue, given the domestic situation.

"We are putting great things at risk if this pressure on sterling continues," he added.

Britain had around 56,000 Army, 10,000 Royal Air Force and 28,000 civilian personnel committed to European mutual defence at the time.

Callaghan also sought support from the then West German chancellor Helmut Schmidt in a telephone conversation in November 1976.

Schmidt compared the economic position to "a Churchillian situation in 1940".

According to a transcript, the British premier responded: "In 1940, we got hope because the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbour and it enabled us to see that in the end we would be triumphant.

"Now we've got to have the same sort of hope."

The first document gives historical perspective to the debate currently raging in Britain over the new generation of the Trident nuclear deterrent.

Earlier this month, Prime Minister Tony Blair announced plans for new nuclear submarines at a cost of up to 20 billion pounds (39.5 billion dollars) and a parliamentary vote on the plans is due in March 2007.

Dec 29 , 2006

30 years ago

Friday

September

30 years

December 1976

September that year

November 1976

Now

Earlier this month

March 2007


XIN_ENG_20061109.0202

KATHMANDU, Nov. 9 , 2006 (Xinhua)

Nepali guerrillas, UN representative discuss arms management

The United Nations Secretary General's personal representative to Nepal, Ian Martin, held discussion with the guerrillas' leadership on arms management process on Thursday.

The hour-long meeting was focused on the technicalities of setting up cantonments and arms storages as agreed between the Seven-Party Alliance (SPA) and the guerrillas recently.

The guerrillas' top leader Prachanda and some other guerrillas ' leaders were present during the discussion.

The meeting came two days after a landmark peace deal between the ruling SPA and the guerrillas on the management of arms under the inspection of UN.

As per the agreement, the guerrillas' armed forces would be settled in seven cantonments around the country along with three tributary cantonments around each main cantonment and the guerrillas' weapons will be stored under "single lock" system with close inspection by UN teams while equal number of weapons of the Nepali Army will also be locked up.

According to the guerrillas, their armed forces are more than 35,000 and they have seven divisions.

Meanwhile, UN mission chief Martin told a press conference organized at the UN office in Kathmandu Thursday afternoon that his team would start trilateral negotiations from Friday to finalize the technicalities of management of arms and armies.

He said the government and the guerrillas should come up with a detailed agreement to make easier the process of arms management.

Nov. 9 , 2006

Thursday

two days

Thursday afternoon

Friday


WSJ891030-0037
 = 891030
 891030-0037.
 International Brief -- Erbamont N.V.:
@  Montedison Agrees to Buy
@  Rest of Stock for $37 Each
 10/30/89
 WALL STREET JOURNAL (J)
 MNT ERB
 TENDER OFFERS, MERGERS, ACQUISITIONS (TNM)

   Montedison S.p.A. definitively agreed to buy all of the publicly held shares of Erbamont N.V. for $37 each.

   Montedison now owns about 72% of Erbamont's shares outstanding.

   The companies said the accord was unanimously approved by a special committee of Erbamont directors unaffiliated with Montedison.

   Under the pact, Montedision will make a $37-a-share tender offer for Erbamont stock outstanding.
The tender offer will be followed by the sale of all of Erbamont's assets, subject to all of its liabilities, to Montedison.
Erbamont will then be liquidated, with any remaining Erbamont holders receiving a distribution of $37 a share.

   The companies said the transaction is being structured this way because the laws of the Netherlands Antilles, under which Erbamont is organized, do n't provide for merger transactions.

now


WSJ891027-0189
 = 891027
 891027-0189.
 Security Pacific Corp.
 10/27/89
 WALL STREET JOURNAL (J)
 SPC LJC
 TENDER OFFERS, MERGERS, ACQUISITIONS (TNM)
BANKS (BNK)
 LOS ANGELES

   Security Pacific Corp. has set its sights on buying its second bank holding company this year.

   Security said it signed a letter of intent to purchase La Jolla Bancorp, agreeing to pay $15 of its own stock for each share of La Jolla.
Based on the current number of La Jolla shares, that gives the transaction a value of $104 million.

   La Jolla is the parent company of La Jolla Bank amp Trust Co., which has 12 branches in San Diego County.
As of Sept. 30, the bank had assets of $511 million and deposits of $469 million, Security Pacific said.

   Earlier this month, Security Pacific, which is among the 10 largest bank holding companies in the U.S., completed the acquisition of San Diego-based Southwest Bancorp.

this year

current

Sept. 30

Earlier this month


XIN_ENG_20061102.0235

BEIJING, Nov. 2 , 2006 (Xinhua)

Cooperation

Senior officials from China and 48 African countries concluded a two-day meeting in the Chinese capital Thursday, having made final preparations for the upcoming high-profile Beijing Summit scheduled for Nov. 4-5.

The Senior Officials Meeting has been the fifth in the framework of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), a mechanism for collective dialogue and cooperation jointly established by China and Africa to cope with new challenges and facilitate common development.

China will announce a package of major assistance, investment, trade and other key cooperation projects with Africa at the summit, said Chinese Vice Commerce Minister Wei Jianguo at the Senior Officials Meeting.

Considering the wishes of African friends, the Chinese government has decided to offer more cooperation projects to Africa to deepen mutual benefit and cooperation and realize common development, Wei said.

During the Senior Officials Meeting, delegates from China and African countries reviewed the preparation work for the Beijing Summit and the FOCAC Ministerial Conference, and further exchanged views on the documents to be passed at the summit.

Meanwhile, 15 African leaders arrived in Beijing Thursday, including presidents of Zambia, Ghana and Kenya, and nine others had arrived earlier for the Beijing Summit.

During Chinese President Hu Jintao's talks with James Alix Michel, president of the Republic of Seychelles on Thursday, Hu said "the China-Seychelles relation has become a model for equal treatment and mutual assistance between big and small countries", and China will continue to boost the international community to pay more attention to the development issue of Seychelles and other small-island developing countries.

In a meeting with Sudanese President Omer Hassan Ahmed El- Bashir, Hu said China hopes the Sudanese government can strengthen dialogue with each concerned party on the Darfur conflict and try to maintain stability in the region.

"We hope the Sudanese government can find an appropriate settlement, maintain stability, and constantly improves the humanitarian conditions in the region," Hu said, noting China will continue to make contributions to an early realization of peace and stability in Darfur.

"We are willing to deepen mutual understanding and trust, widen bilateral cooperation in economy, trade, culture, education and health, and strengthen coordination and cooperation between China and Botswana in international affairs to maintain the common interests of developing countries," Hu told Botswana President Festus Mogaein in a meeting the same day.

China's capital has been dressed up in the run-up to the historic summit, with traditional Chinese red lanterns and billboards featuring typical images of Africa and posters proclaiming Sino-African "friendship, cooperation, development and peace" in English and French on major streets in downtown Beijing.

On the sideline the of the Beijing Summit, the Chinese government is also cranking up a campaign to promote African culture among citizens, with two exhibitions opening here Thursday, one of coins and stamps from 48 African countries and the other of African handicraft, to showcase African landscapes, places of historical interest and relations with China.

"It's a good opportunity for ordinary Chinese to have a glimpse of Africa," said Cheng Hui, an avid collector who provided some of the handicraft pieces on show. "Many Africans are born to be artists. Even items from 2,000 years ago still make vogue artwork today."

Johnson Weru from Kenya said the exhibition made him feel at home and would help enhance friendship and understanding between the Africans and the Chinese.

So far over 1,200 Chinese and overseas journalists have been registered for the covering of the summit, including 118 African reporters that have arrived in Beijing. About 300 African reporters are also gearing up for the Third Ministerial Conference on Friday, and the summit over the weekend.

Seeing comfortable environment, convenient communication equipment, broadband, IDD telephone, bulletin boards, many African reporters coming to China for the summit said they feel like working at home.

Nov. 2 , 2006

Thursday

Nov. 4-5

Thursday

Thursday

the same day

Thursday

2,000 years ago

today

Friday

the weekend


XIN_ENG_20051123.0195

ARUSHA, Tanzania, Nov. 23 , 2005 (Xinhua)

AU adopts commodity declaration before WTO rounder

The African Union (AU) on Wednesday adopted an Arusha Declaration and Plan of Action on Commodities to coordinate member states stance on the coming World Trade Organization's (WTO) Hong Kong round of negotiations.

The AU demonstrated determination to develop and implement a common African strategy on commodities and the regional bloc called upon international community and the continent's partners to provide adequate and sustainable support to Africa's efforts to fully utilize its commodities for its own development.

Participants of the Arusha meeting of trade ministers of AU member countries agreed that fair, equitable and stable prices for African commodities play a key role in poverty alleviation and in the improvement of living conditions for Africa's rural population.

Commodity production constitutes the largest source of revenue and employment for African countries.

In many African countries 65 percent of the total exports originate from the commodity sector and approximately half of the countries in Africa derive over 80 percent of their merchandise export income from commodities.

In quite a few African countries three or four commodities represent the main source of export earnings, government revenue and employment.

The trade ministers endorsed the draft declaration worked out by their senior aides prior to Wednesday's ministerial, stressing that it is commodity dependence characterized by low productivity, low added value, low product quality and low competitiveness that hinders the achievement of the required level of economic growth and poverty alleviation.

The Arusha declaration welcomes a WTO consideration in Hong Kong of effective and expeditious reduction in subsidies by developed countries in cotton, sugar and all other commodity products of interest to developing countries apart from announcing that the African countries need flexibility and policy space under the WTO multilateral trade rules to choose the most effective strategy appropriate to the African situation.

From 1977 to 2001, however, the combined UNCTAD price index for all commodities declined by as much as 53 percent in real terms and the combined current price index of commodities has not surpassed the 1995 level despite recent improvement, according to the aides who proposed further South-South cooperation.

"South-South trade has the potential for mutually beneficial exchanges between Africa and developing countries in other regions, " said the declaration. "Indeed there are encouraging prospects that South-South trade provides a 'window of opportunity' for African countries to increase their earnings from commodity exports."

The forthcoming Hong Kong round of the WTO ministerial meeting or otherwise known as the Doha Development Round is expected to settle the issues that will shape the final accord of the Doha Development Agenda.

Nov. 23 , 2005

Wednesday

Wednesday


XIN_ENG_20061129.0438

AMMAN, Nov. 29 , 2006 (Xinhua)

Bush, al-Maliki to meet Thursday: media

A summit between U.S. President George W. Bush and Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki was put off until Thursday, local media reported on Wednesday.

The postponement was announced shortly after Bush arrived in Jordan Wednesday evening for talks with Jordan's King Abdullah II and al-Maliki.

Bush and al-Maliki are expected to discuss the worsening security situation and ways to stem mounting violence in the war- torn country.

The Bush-Abdullah II meeting will proceed as scheduled.

Nov. 29 , 2006

Thursday

Wednesday


XIN_ENG_20051110.0316

BERLIN, Nov. 10 , 2005 (Xinhua)

China's path of peaceful development unswerving: President Hu

Chinese President Hu Jintao said here Thursday that China will adhere to the path of peaceful development characterized by peace, opening up and cooperation.

"China's development will be achieved through striving for a peaceful international environment and its development will promote world peace in return," Hu said at a banquet hosted by the Asian-Pacific Committee of the German Business.

"China will steadfastly adhere to the road of peaceful development," Hu said.

He said China will stick to its basic policy of reform and opening up and will honor its commitments to the World Trade Organization made upon the entry into the global trading body.

China will continue to improve its foreign-related economic structures, strengthen the protection of intellectual property rights, foster a stable and transparent foreign-related economic management system, create a fair and foreseeable legal environment, raise the level of freedom and convenience for trade and investment so as to create a better environment for investment, said Hu.

China will stick to the policies of harmonious development at home and peaceful development internationally, which is conducive to building a harmonious world with everlasting peace and common prosperity, he said.

On China's relations with the European Union (EU), Hu said that this year marks the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two sides.

The development of a comprehensive strategic partnership between China and the EU conforms to the fundamental interests of both sides, he noted.

The trade and economic cooperation between China, the world's largest developing country, and the EU, the world's largest bloc of developed countries, conducted on the basis of equality and mutual benefit is conducive to the healthy development of economic globalization as well as the multi-polarization of the world, Hu noted.

China is ready to develop China-EU relations on the basis of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit and build an even closer partnership.

Germany, the largest economy in the EU and an important driving force for European integration, has over the years offered vigorous support and commitments to closer China-EU cooperation and has thus made important contributions to the development of China-EU relations.

Hu hoped that Germany would continue to play its positive role within the EU and make new contributions to the all-round development of China-EU ties.

The Chinese president arrived here Thursday for a three-day state visit to Germany.

Nov. 10 , 2005

Thursday

the years

Thursday


AFP_ENG_19970413.0281

ISLAMABAD, April 13 , 1997 (AFP)

Pakistan dismisses Indian alarm over situation along Kashmir border (bon pour tous)

Pakistan's defence ministry Sunday dismissed Indian reports of an alarming increase in cross border firing in the disputed Kashmir state.

"It is a ploy to divert attention" from the turbulence in Indian-held Kashmir, a ministry official said.

"There is no unusual situation" as skirmishes have routinely occurred along the Line of Control dividing Pakistani- and Indian-held sections of the disputed Himalayan state, the defence ministry sources said.

Pakistan controls the northern third of Kashmir while the rest is administered by New Delhi.

Officials in Jammu, the winter capital of the Indian held part of the state, earlier said Indian troops were placed on high alert along the Kashmir frontier as they traded fire with Pakistani forces for the fourth successive day Sunday.

One official alleged that Pakistani troops "using heavy artillery stepped up attacks on Indian villages near the Kargil sector."

"We have retaliated. No one was injured (Sunday)," he said.

Two Indians, including a child, were reported killed and eight others injured Saturday in the shooting between the two sides.

India and Pakistan dispute the ownership of the state. The two countries have fought two of their three wars over Kashmir.

A Kashmiri separatist movement in Indian-held territory has claimed some 20,000 lives since 1989.

April 13 , 1997

Sunday

the fourth successive day Sunday

Saturday


XIN_ENG_20061121.0332

LUSAKA, Nov. 21 , 2006 (Xinhua)

Roundup: Malawi court throws out president's plea for appeal in referral case

Malawi's Constitutional Court sitting in Blantyre was on Monday a source of bad news for President Bingu wa Mutharika and his ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) as it threw out his plea for appeal in the Section 65 referral case, Nation Online of Malawi reported on Tuesday.

Mutharika was asking the court for a chance to appeal against its interpretation made two weeks ago of the controversial Section 65 of the Constitution that does not allow lawmakers to cross the floor in Parliament.

The ruling effectively leaves about 85 members of parliament ( MPs) in the line of fire as the speaker of parliament can now unleash the constitutional provision on those legislators deemed to have crossed the floor.

The three-man panel of judges--comprising Healey Potani, Edward Twea and Frank Kapanda--told the packed court that after examining the affidavit sworn by Solicitor-General Alexander Maluza, it found that the plea for appeal had no basis.

"The decision by the speaker will depend on the facts before him. MPs have the right to come to the court on their own right, according to Section 63, part 3 of the Constitution," said Twea, who delivered the 10-minute ruling on behalf of his colleagues.

Twea said Mutharika's argument that the application for the appeal would help avoid unnecessary costs--if by-elections are held following the speaker's decision to invoke the section-- lacked merit and that it only served to show that the president lacks confidence in the court.

"The court, therefore, denies the stay...This application must fail in its totality," said Twea.

Just as the judges went backdoor, cheers of jubilation by opposition members, notably from the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) and the United Democratic Front (UDF), spiced by hand-clapping and waving, filled the court room, according to the report.

Two weeks ago the constitutional court ruled that the parliamentary speaker could declare scores of disputed seats vacant, making possible ouster of President wa Mutharika.

The Constitutional Court sitting in Blantyre said Section 65 of the Constitution is valid and not inconsistent with other provisions of the Constitution. This means the Speaker of Parliament Louis Chimango can now make his ruling on petitions by the opposition UDF and MCP to declare seats of some MPs vacant, arguing they had crossed the floor according to the parties' understanding of Section 65 (1) of the Constitution.

Wa Mutharika's ruling party stands to lose 70 members of parliament in the 139-seat assembly following the ruling on seats occupied by defecting MPs, who defected from the then ruling UDF last year to join the DPP, enabling it to become the governing party.

Nov. 21 , 2006

Monday

Tuesday

two weeks ago

now

Two weeks ago

last year


XIN_ENG_20061109.0149

NAIROBI, Nov. 9 , 2006 (Xinhua)

Thousands flee homes in Kenya slum fighting

Thousands of Kenyans are fleeing their homes in a fourth day of slum gang violence that has left at least eight people dead, witnesses and police said on Thursday.

The fighting between the proscribed Mungiki sect and the local vigilante group "Taliban" began Sunday as they competed for control of the illegal liquor market.

Police spokesman Gideon Kibunja said the death toll rose to eight late Wednesday when a gang member was beaten to death. However, Kibunja said riot police had taken control of most of the slum and were urging people to return home.

Kibunja said four people were hacked to death in skirmishes in Mathare slum between the outlawed Mungiki and Taliban groups while police then shot two people as they attempted to contain the battles that erupted over protection money the gangs levied on brewers of an illegal drink.

"We have arrested some members of the sect and this would continue until calm would be restored," Kibunja said by telephone.

Hundreds of people were expected to sleep outdoors because their homes were destroyed in parts of the slum where fighting between the two rival gangs and Kenyan police had taken place.

"At the moment the situation is under control. The police have normalized the situation and calm seemed to have returned last night," Kibunja said.

Moses Odhiambo, a slum dweller, said he was forced to relocate his family after his house was torched, saying he was afraid to return home due to insecurity.

"I cannot return home if what I saw last night is anything to go about. The gang struck at night because they fear daylight due to police patrol, but in the night the police are nowhere to be seen giving the gangs advantage to roam around," Odhiambo said.

Police has imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew on the slum but many residents camped outside Nairobi's military air base overnight and many people continue to leave the area.

Nov. 9 , 2006

fourth day

Thursday

Sunday

Wednesday

last night

last night

the night


XIN_ENG_20051117.0289

BUSAN, South Korea, Nov. 17 , 2005 (Xinhua)

Roundup: Hu Jintao expounds China's stance on win-win cooperation

Chinese President Hu Jintao on Thursday expounded China's stance on win-win cooperation by urging the APEC member economies to increase mutual understanding through communications and to strengthen cooperation while seeking greater mutual understanding.

Delivering a speech entitled "An Open Mind for Win-Win Cooperation" at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) CEO Summit in South Korea's southeastern port city of Busan, the Chinese president said that building a harmonious world with an open mind is a basic prerequisite to win-win cooperation.

Hu arrived on Thursday in Busan, the second largest city in South Korea, to attend the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting scheduled on Friday and Saturday with the main theme of this year--"Toward One Community: Meet the Challenge, Make the Change."

Meanwhile, the three-day APEC CEO summit was kicked off here on Thursday morning.

The summit is an annual event that gives business leaders from the Asia-Pacific region to participate in highly interactive discussions on regional and global economic and trade issues with APEC Economic Leaders, economists, policy makers and fellow business leaders.

The theme of this year's APEC CEO Summit is: "Entrepreneurship and Prosperity: Building a Successful Partnership in the Asia-Pacific Region."

Hu also termed "deepening mutual trust and expanding trade and economic exchanges" as a solid foundation for win-win cooperation.

China encourages well-established Chinese businesses to go global and, within the framework of market rules and laws and in the principle of reciprocity, mutual benefit and complementarity, participate in international economic and technological cooperation and competition, Hu added.

"Setting store by dialogue and consultation, and seeking a proper settlement of disputes is also an important avenue to win-win cooperation," the Chinese president said.

He also described strengthening solidarity and coordination, and maintaining security and stability as an effective guarantee for win-win cooperation.

Non-traditional security issues, such as terrorism, financial risks and natural disasters, are posing a threat to the very existence and development of mankind, Hu said.

STRENGTHEN DIALOGUE AND COOPERATION TO MAINTAIN WORLD ENERGY SECURITY

The Chinese president pledged to strengthen energy dialogue and cooperation with all countries, to jointly maintain world energy security and stability.

"To achieve balanced and orderly growth in the world economy, the international community must handle well the energy issue," Hu told some 800 APEC business leaders.

Since 2004, the Chinese president said, the surge of oil prices in the international market has affected the economic growth of the world economy, developing countries in particular.

"The most critical thing is for all countries to work together for stability of the world energy market, and to fuel the sustained growth of the world economy with sufficient, safe, economical and clean energy resources," the Chinese president said.

It is also important to take a long-term perspective, intensify energy development, deepen energy cooperation, increase energy efficiency, and facilitate the development and use of new energy resource, Hu added.

The Chinese president also briefed the APEC business leaders on China's energy strategy.

"The core of China's energy strategy has been clearly defined. We will strengthen policy guidance for energy conservation and high efficiency, give priority to energy conservation and rely on domestic resources," Hu said.

"While focusing on developing coal resources, we will develop diverse energy resources, and put in place a system that supplies stable, economical and clean energy," he added.

The development of nuclear, wind and bio-power in China has just started, and there is great potential for future development, Hu noted.

Though China's demand for energy has somewhat increased due to its steady economic growth, its consumption volume in per capita is not high, the Chinese president pointed out.

"China is a major energy consumer. But it is also a major energy producer," Hu told the business leaders.

Since the 1990s, China has always met over 90 percent of its overall energy needs on its own. As a country with coal dominating its energy structure, China still has huge potential for domestic supply.

Hu also briefed the APEC business leaders on China's energy conservation.

"We always work to combine energy development with conservation, and give top priority to conservation," he added.

Hu told the business leaders that China has introduced a mid-and long-term energy conservation program, with the objective of saving 3 percent of energy every year by 2020, or 1.4 billion tons of standard coal in total savings.

MAKING FURTHER CONTRIBUTIONS TO A SUSTAINED EXPANSION OF GLOBAL TRADE

Hu also said that China will make further contributions to a sustained expansion of global trade by changing the mode of foreign trade growth, increasing import and enhancing the protection of intellectual property rights.

He said although China has a trade surplus with some regions, it has a deficit with the Asia-Pacific region, Hu said.

Among China's top 10 sources of trade deficit of 2004, six are in the Asia-Pacific region, and the deficit totaled 127 billion US dollars.

"It is not true that China is seeking a big surplus in foreign trade. As a matter of fact, the enormous domestic demand and the broad internal market are the perpetual driving force behind China's economic development," Hu told the business leaders.

Hu also pointed out that global trade imbalance should be viewed from a dialectical perspective and in the context of world economic development.

"International trade expansion has helped optimize the allocation of global resources, and promoted world economic development as well as the well-being of the people of all countries,"Hu said.

Among the CEOs to attend the APEC CEO Summit are Citigroup Chairman William Rhodes, Microsoft Vice President Craig Mundie and Chevron Managing Director Samuel Snyder, along with top executives from Toyota, China Unicom and Hong Kong's Li and Fung Ltd.

CHINA'S DEVELOPMENT NOT TO POSE THREAT TO OTHERS

Hu said China's development will not stand in the way of anyone, nor will it pose any threat to anyone.

"Instead, it will only do good to peace, stability and prosperity of the world,"Hu said.

"China is becoming an important driving force behind the economic growth in the Asia-Pacific region and the world as a whole," Hu added.

China's economic development not only benefits the Chinese people, but also provides the whole world with more investment opportunities and a bigger market, he added.

"We will continue to take economic development as our central task and top priority, concentrate on development, and work hard to achieve our goals and, at the same time, make our own contributions to regional and global economic developments," he said.

China will continue to purse the basic state policy of opening-up, conduct extensive international cooperation, steadily improve its investment environment, open its market, and endeavor to achieve mutual benefit and win-win results with the whole world, he added.

Since its inception in 1989 in response to the growing interdependence among Asia-Pacific economies, APEC has become a formidable regional forum acting as the primary regional vehicle for promoting open trade and practical economic and technical cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region.

APEC accounts for more than one-third of the world's population (2.6 billion people), about 60 percent of world GDP and nearly half of world trade.

It represents the most economically dynamic region in the world, having generated nearly 70 percent of global economic growth in its first 10 years.

APEC currently has 21 members: Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, China, China's Hong Kong, Chinese Taipei, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, the Philippines, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, the United States and Vietnam.

The chairmanship rotates among its members, with South Korea holding the chair this year.

Nov. 17 , 2005

Thursday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

this

Thursday morning

this year

the 1990s

every year

first 10 years

currently

this year


AFP_ENG_20061228.0292

AFGOYE, Somalia, Dec 28 , 2006, 2006

ATTENTION - ADDS residents confirmation, quotes ///

Ethiopian-backed government troops on Thursday entered northern Mogadishu hours after Islamists abandoned the city they had controlled for six months, the country's premier and residents said.

"We are already inside Mogadishu in some areas," Prime Minister Ali Mohamed Gedi told reporters in Afgoye township, about 20 kilometres (13 miles) west of the capital.

Mogadishu residents in the Suuqaholaha district confirmed the troops had entered into the city from the north, where one said that crowds cheered the government forces he saw accompanied by Ethiopian soldiers.

"I saw government troops in north Mogadishu. They have fully entered the town. People were cheering and shouting that 'Welcome our government'," said Nur Dirie, another resident

"I am telling you that I also saw Ethiopian forces enter, (they) are now in Suuqaholaha. They are eating banana and mangoes and I saw them do that," Dirie added.

"They have come, the Ethiopian troops!" exclaimed Saney Mumin, a resident said.

"I counted 50 Ethiopian armed vehicles. They are now Masnah military camp (in northern Mogadishu)," he added.

"I have seen some government troops who are uniformed enter parts of Suuqaholaha and El-arsid neighbourhood," said Aweys Ibrahim, a resident of northern Mogadishu.

"I never saw Ethiopians, but only government."

Mogadishu residents said the government forces had approached the city from the north, northwest and west, effective surrounding the capital by the land approaches.

In Afgoye, Gedi started talks with elders and other local leaders, amid fears that the Islamists were planning to launch a guerrilla war, an AFP correspondent accompanying him reported.

Gedi, who was carried by an Ethiopian helicopter, said he had no plans to meet Islamic Courts Union officials.

Gedi arrived in this township accompanied by cabinet minister Hussein Aidid and police comissioner Ali Madobe, both former warlords who were routed from Mogadishu by the Islamists in June.

Fighters backing the government took control of the international airport, the sea port and the presidential palace once Islamists had conducted a latest "tactical withdrawal" after Ethiopian troops and aircraft began attacking them on December 20.

Relief workers said the Islamist leadership told them that their gunmen had been forced to split up into clan-based militia similar to those run by the warlords who held Mogadishu until they were routed in June and the Islamic Courts Union's power spread over the south and centre of the country.

Dec 28 , 2006

Thursday

six months

now

June

December 20

June


AFP_ENG_20061218.0172

VIENNA, Dec 18 , 2006, 2006

Muslims face discrimination in Europe: report

Muslims in Europe face discrimination in education, employment and housing and are often victims of verbal abuse and physical attacks, a monitoring group reported Monday.

"The report makes it clear that Muslims... frequently suffer different forms of discrimination which reduce their employment opportunities, and affect their educational achievement," the director of the European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia (EUMC) said in a statement.

The "Muslims in the European Union: Discrimination and Islamophobia" report, published on Monday, said incidents against Muslims were "under-documented and under-reported" and called on European Union countries to improve their methods for reporting racist crimes.

Dec 18 , 2006

Monday

Monday


WSJ891026-0120
 = 891026
 891026-0120.
 Cineplex Chairman Drabinsky Considers
@  Bid of $666 Million to Acquire Company
@  ----
@  By Suzanne McGee
@  Staff Reporter of The Wall Street Journal
 10/26/89
 WALL STREET JOURNAL (J)
 CPX MCA RANKY
 TENDER OFFERS, MERGERS, ACQUISITIONS (TNM)
RECREATION, ENTERTAINMENT, TOYS, MOVIES, PHOTOGRAPHY, SPORTS (REC)
 TORONTO

   Cineplex Odeon Corp. directors said the company's chairman and chief executive, Garth Drabinsky, is considering bidding 780.6 million Canadian dollars (US$666 million) to acquire the company.

   The board said Mr. Drabinsky and Vice Chairman Myron Gottlieb are negotiating financing before offering C$16.40 a share to acquire all of Cineplex's shares outstanding.
The directors added that the two executives have n't reached a final decision to proceed with a bid and that until an offer is made the board will continue seeking higher offers from other bidders.

   The directors said if Messrs.
Drabinsky and Gottlieb mail an offer to shareholders by Nov. 22, it will reimburse them a maximum of C$8.5 million for expenses related to a bid.

   "We consider that his bid is an acceptable bid," said Sandra Kolber, spokeswoman for the independent directors' committee appointed last May to solicit and review bids for the company in the wake of a dispute between Mr. Drabinsky and Cineplex's major shareholder, MCA Inc.

   MCA and Cineplex's other major shareholder, Montreal-based financier Charles Bronfman and his associates, have agreed to tender their holdings to an offer by Mr. Drabinsky unless a higher offer is made by another bidder.
MCA holds half of Cineplex's equity and 33% of its voting rights through restricted voting shares, while Bronfman interests hold about 24% of the company's equity.

   Ms. Kolber said the committee had received other bids.
She declined to identify other bidders but said Mr. Drabinsky's offer "is all cash, and it's for all of the company."
Several Cineplex analysts have speculated that outside bids received by the committee were either disappointingly low or for only part of the company.

   "All this has really established is that MCA and the Bronfmans have agreed on a price at which they can be bought out," said Jeffery Logsdon, an analyst with Crowell, Weedon in Los Angeles.
"If a bid materializes at that price, shareholders will have every reason to be glad, but the question of financing still remains."

   Last April, Mr. Drabinsky and a group of financial backers planned to acquire up to 30.2% of Cineplex for C$17.50 a share from Bronfman associates.
Mr. Drabinsky, who would have had the right to vote those shares for two years, said the purchase, subsequently rejected by regulators, was aimed at consolidating his control of the company.
MCA strongly opposed the Drabinsky group's move.

   The directors did n't indicate the source of financing for Mr. Drabinsky's new proposal, but said MCA and the Bronfman associates agreed in principle to buy for $57 million and then lease back to Cineplex its 18-screen theater complex in Universal City, Calif., if Mr. Drabinsky succeeds in an offer.

   "This is being done at the suggestion of {Mr.
Drabinsky} and to accommodate him, to facilitate his financing arrangements," Ms. Kolber said.

   In addition, the directors said if a bid by Mr. Drabinsky is successful, Cineplex expects Rank Organisation PLC to acquire the 51% of Cineplex's Film House unit it doesn't own, and provide Mr. Drabinsky with additional loan financing.

   Michael Gifford, Rank's chief executive, said the British theater chain's total involvement "would n't exceed $100 million" but declined to give a breakdown between the loan financing and the proposed Film House purchase.

   Cineplex shareholders responded coolly to yesterday's announcement.
In trading on the New York Stock Exchange, Cineplex closed at $11, down 25 cents, with more than a million shares changing hands.
On the Toronto Stock Exchange, Cineplex closed at C$12.875, off 37.5 Canadian cents, well below the C$16.40 level.

   "Where's the bid?" asked Pierre Panet-Raymond, an analyst and broker with Toronto securities dealer McDermid St. Lawrence Ltd. Mr. Panet-Raymond said he does n't think Messrs.
Drabinsky and Gottlieb are "anywhere close" to arranging financing and that investors will need a solid offer before the stock begins to rise again.

   Mr. Drabinsky could n't be reached for comment.

Nov. 22

last May

Last April

two years

yesterday


AFP_ENG_20051216.0239

VAL GARDENA, Italy, Dec 16 , 2005

URGENT Grugger wins World Cup Super-G in Italy

Austria's Hans Grugger won the men's World Cup Super-G race here on Friday ahead of Canadian Erik Guay and Ambrosi Hoffmann of Switzerland.

Dec 16 , 2005

Friday


XIN_ENG_20051117.0041

URUMQI, Nov. 17 , 2005 (Xinhua)

Special loan support provided to help fight bird flu in Xinjiang

China Development Bank (CDB) Xinjiang Branch announced Thursday that it had provided Urumqi, one of the two counties reported with bird flu case in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, northwest China, with 5 million yuan (616,500 US dollars) in emergency loan to combat the avian pandemic there.

Hao Gang, deputy head of the office with the CDB Xinjiang Branch, said they were also discussing details of providing emergency loans to Zepu County, the other county in Xinjiang also spotted with bird flu case, with representatives of the relevant county departments.

By August, CDB has granted 260 million yuan of short-term emergency loans across China since the latter half of 2003, when it began granting loan support to meet a urgent demand cropping up in infrastructure, basic industries, backbone industries and its supportive projects following various kinds of emergencies.

The Chinese Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) Tuesday disclosed that China's National Avian Flu Reference Laboratory had found the deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu in the dead fowls sent from some family farms in Zepu and Urumqi counties, both in southern Xinjiang.

In the two counties hit by the bird flu pandemic, 322,500 domestic fowls within a radius of three km have been culled, and poultry and products markets within 10 kms have been closed, said the ministry.

Nov. 17 , 2005

Thursday

August

the latter half of 2003


XIN_ENG_20061122.0222

NANJING, Nov. 22 , 2006 (Xinhua)

River

Provinces and municipalities along the Yangtze River should cooperate to modernize the world's third longest river, said Chinese Vice Premier Huang Ju.

The improved shipping capacity of the river, which links west, central and east China, would contribute greatly to social and economic development, said Huang in a written instruction on the waterway construction.

The Yangtze River runs through the Shanghai and Chongqing municipalities, as well as Sichuan, Yunnan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangxi, Anhui and Jiangsu provinces.

The government will invest 15 billion yuan (1.875 billion U.S. dollars) in the 2006-2010 period to build the Yangtze waterway, the Communications Ministry announced on Tuesday.

The money will be mainly used for waterway management, port construction, shipbuilding standardization and shipping security projects.

The turnover of containers at ports along the Yangtze River was estimated to grow by 30 percent, according to the ministry.

China's fast economic growth, shortages of energy and resources and increasing environmental pressure have made water transport a favored choice because of the low cost, low energy consumption, low pollution and high handling capacity.

Nov. 22 , 2006

Tuesday


AFP_ENG_20061223.0290

GLASGOW, Dec 24 , 2006, 2006

by Martin Stirling

Celtic captain Neil Lennon could be facing a lengthy suspension after being sent off during his side's 1-0 victory at home to Falkirk.

The Northern Irish midfielder was giving his marching orders for allegedly head-butting the Bairns' on-loan Arsenal striker Anthony Stokes - ironically after winning an injury time penalty.

Following the red card from referee Iain Brines, Lennon flung his captain's armband onto the pitch before facing up to assistant referee Neil Brand, who had flagged to draw attention to the clash between him and Stokes, and screamed his displeasure at the official.

He then kicked the ground as he marched up the tunnel.

In addition to an automatic one game suspension, Lennon could face a further punishment after Celtic manager Gordon Strachan revealed the referee would include Lennon's angry departure in his report.

"We were both called to the referee's room but I was only there to listen. I won't say what went on as that is up to the referee and it will be in his report," said Strachan.

"It was a stupid incident but I'm not saying Neil was stupid and I didn't actually see what happened.

"To be honest I don't know why he became too agitated as we had won the penalty and were winning.

"But he's not been called a diver too often in his career as he's not really the type of player to be driving into the opposition's box so I think the Falkirk players' response to the referee's decision upset him."

Strachan also revealed the Falkirk player involved in the incident had backed Lennon.

"I didn't see the sending off so other people will need to fill me in but by all accounts from what I am hearing from some of the other coaches the two boys met with their heads together," said the former Aberdeen, Manchester United and Scotland midfielder.

"But the word I'm hearing from the Falkirk dressing room is the boy Stokes says he hardly touched him and it was not a sending off. I can only take his word for it."

Strachan himself had looked to have been raging at the referee's decision to send Lennon off but denied he was having a go at Brines.

"I was agitated but I was agitated at some of the things we were doing as well, so there was nothing to it," said Strachan.

Despite the controversial end to the match, the victory - courtesy of a superb strike from Danish midfielder Thomas Gravesen - stretched Celtic's lead at the top of the Scottish Premier League to 16 points.

The only goal, in what was an evenly balanced match, arrived in the 24th minute with a stunning strike from the former Real Madrid midfielder.

Gravesen won the ball on the edge of Falkirk's box and sent a curling right-foot shot from 20-yards beyond Australian goalkeeper Scott Higgins into the top corner of the net.

In injury time Celtic won a penalty after Lennon appeared to be fouled by Kenny Milne - sparking a furious reaction from the Falkirk players who believed the Northern Irishman had dived.

Lennon reacted and appeared to push his head into the face of Stokes and referee Brines showed him a straight red card.

After all that Kenny Miller, who had replaced Polish striker Maciej Zurawski in the 72nd minute, missed from the spot, smashing the ball off the post.

Earlier in the day Rangers defeated Aberdeen 2-1 at Pittodrie to leapfrog the Dons into second place.

First half goals from Spanish striker Nacho Novo and Czech midfielder Libor Sionko gave Paul Le Guen's side all three points despite Stevie Lovell's late consolation.

Dec 24 , 2006

the 24th minute

the 72nd minute

the day


AFP_ENG_20061216.0438

GAZA CITY, Dec 17 , 2006, 2006

ATTENTION - ADDS identity of victim ///

A member of the Palestinian presidential guard was killed and several others injured Sunday in a clash with supporters of the Palestinian ruling party Hamas, medical and security officials said.

A security official said Hamas members tried to storm a southern Gaza training camp for the presidential guard, which Hamas has accused of targeting prime minister Ismail Haniya on Thursday by firing on his convoy.

One of Haniya's bodyguards was killed and one of his sons injured in the crossfire on Thursday.

The security official said one member of the guard was killed in Sunday's clash, which involved automatic weapons and rocket-propelled grenades.

Witnesses told AFP there were explosions and intense exchanges of gunfire. Hamas officials were not immediately available for comment.

Fatah-backed Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas called Saturday for early elections to resolve the political standoff in the Palestinian territories, but Hamas rejected the move as a "coup d'etat".

The Palestinians have been suffering from an aid freeze as the West considers Hamas to be a terrorist organisation. The ruling Islamists have refused to agree to renounce violence, recognise Israel and accept past peace deals.

A Palestinian boy was shot dead and at least 18 others wounded late Saturday as thousands of armed loyalists from both sides, some of them masked, took to the streets of Gaza.

Dec 17 , 2006

Sunday

Thursday

Thursday

Sunday

Saturday

late Saturday


XIN_ENG_20051127.0159

BARCELONA, SPAIN, Nov. 27 , 2005 (Xinhua)

EU, Mediterranean leaders to re-launch Barcelona Process

Leaders from the European Union (EU) and Mediterranean states are gathering in Spanish city Barcelona on Sunday for a two-day summit which would try to re- launch the Barcelona Process.

In spite of ambitious declarations signed in Barcelona in 1995, there is little tangible progress of the so-called Barcelona Process in its first 10 years.

According to EU officials, the summit will seek to overcome divisions between the two shores of the Mediterranean and agree a "Declaration on a shared vision" and a five-year work program.

The EU leaders also try to focus two controversial issues: terrorism and immigration. The code of conduct on combating terrorism is likely to be the topic most hotly debated. Meanwhile, the EU also try to seek promises from its Arabic neighbors to prevent illegal immigration.

The EU is determined to secure a solemn commitment from its partners on a document taking up the United Nations' definition of terrorism and closing all legal loopholes available to terrorists.

This remains a sensitive issue for certain Arab governments, especially in the context of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The EU is also keen to place the issue of migration at the heart of the EuroMed partnership in future at the risk of facing resistance from certain partners. Failing concrete results, the EU hopes the summit will define a "shared vision" to give "fresh impetus" to the issue.

However, with nearly all Arabic leaders, including Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Moroccan King Mohamed VI and Jordan's King Abdullah II, absent from the meeting, major announcements are unlikely.

Nov. 27 , 2005

Sunday

first 10 years


XIN_ENG_20051104.0284

WASHINGTON, Nov. 4 , 2005 (Xinhua)

O'Neal may miss 2-4 weeks with sprained ankle

Shaquille O'Neal may miss two to four weeks with a sprained right ankle during Thursday's team loss to Indiana in Miami.

O'Neal, who flew with his team to Milwaukee on Friday, learned results of an MRI exam performed earlier in the day.

The 12-time All-Star was getting in position for an offensive rebound when he stepped on Ron Artest's foot and rolled the ankle midway through the fourth quarter of the Heat's 102-105 loss. X-rays did not reveal a fracture, but O'Neal left the arena on crutches.

The Heat will turn to Alonzo Mourning to start at center, with undrafted rookie Earl Barron the likely choice to be the first center off the bench.

"You never want one of your best players going down with an injury," Van Gundy was quoted as saying. "It's all also part of the game. We're already dealing with three veteran guys out, now a fourth veteran guy out, so some of these young guys are going to have to step up and play."

James Posey will probably miss a few more games because of an injured thumb, reserve forward Shandon Anderson has been sidelined by back spasms and isn't traveling with the team and backup center Michael Doleac hasn't made his season debut yet because of an injured calf.

O'Neal averaged 15 points and six rebounds in Miami's first two games. He missed nine regular-season games and two playoff games last year because of various injuries. The Heat went 8-3 without O'Neal last season.

Nov. 4 , 2005

four weeks

Thursday

Friday

the fourth quarter

now

last year

last season


WSJ891102-0069
 = 891102
 891102-0069.
 Young's Market Co. to Merge
 11/02/89
 WALL STREET JOURNAL (J)
 TENDER OFFERS, MERGERS, ACQUISITIONS (TNM)
 LOS ANGELES

   Young's Market Co., a wholesaler of spirits, wines and other goods, said it  will merge with a new corporation formed by the Underwood family, which controls Young's.

   Under terms of the agreement, shareholders other than the Underwoods  will receive $3,500 a share at closing, which  is expected in December.
The Underwood family said that holders of more than a majority of the stock of the company  have approved the transaction by written consent.

December


WSJ891102-0040
 = 891102
 891102-0040.
 Business Brief -- Intelogic Trace Inc.:
@  Shareholder Sells 18% Stake
@  In $9.9 Million Buy-Back
 11/02/89
 WALL STREET JOURNAL (J)
 IT DPC
 BUYBACKS, REDEMPTIONS, SWAP OFFERS (BBK)

   Intelogic Trace Inc., San Antonio, Texas, said it bought 2.7 million shares, or about 18%, of its common stock from an unaffiliated shareholder for $3.625 a share, or $9.9 million.

   The move boosts Intelogic Chairman Asher Edelman's stake to 20% from 16.2% and may help prevent Martin Ackerman from making a run at the computer-services concern.
Mr. Ackerman already is seeking to oust Mr. Edelman as chairman of Datapoint Corp., an Intelogic affiliate.

   The action followed by one day an Intelogic announcement that it will retain an investment banker to explore alternatives "to maximize shareholder value," including the possible sale of the company.

   In New York Stock Exchange composite trading yesterday, Intelogic shares rose 37.5 cents to close at $2.75.

   Mr. Edelman declined to specify what prompted the recent moves, saying they are meant only to benefit shareholders when "the company is on a roll."
He added, "This has nothing to do with Marty Ackerman and it is not designed, particularly , to take the company private."

   But Mr. Ackerman said the buy-back, and the above-market price paid, prove that Mr. Edelman is running scared.

one day

yesterday


AFP_ENG_20061218.0127

FRANKFURT, Dec 18 , 2006, 2006

German government expresses confidence in Siemens directors

German Economy Minister Michael Glos said in a newspaper interview Monday that he had full confidence in the management of engineering giant Siemens, currently at the centre of a bribery and embezzlement probe.

"I still have every confidence in Siemens' management," Glos told the daily Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.

But he added: "The case of Siemens is very unfortunate and clearly shows that many control instruments either weren't installed or didn't function."

Last month, prosecutors launched a massive probe at Siemens, raiding the offices and homes of a number of Siemens employees amid suspicions of embezzlement, bribery and tax evasion.

Prosecutors allege that the employees concerned are suspected of collaborating to open slush fund accounts abroad and of operating a system to embezzle company money.

Prosecutors put the sum held in the accounts at 200 million euros (262 million dollars) and some of that money may have been used as bribes to obtain contracts abroad.

A number of arrest warrants were issued against seven current and former employees, two of whom have since been released.

Last week, the Munich prosecutor's office announced that Thomas Ganswindt, former head of Siemens' information and communications unit, had been detained as part of the investigation.

In a weekend newspaper interview, Siemens supervisory board chief Heinrich von Pierer said he had no intention of stepping down over the deepening scandal.

"I will not resign. For me, the question doesn't arise, because I have nothing to feel guilty about," von Pierer told the Welt am Sonntag newspaper.

Dec 18 , 2006

Monday

Last month

Last week


AFP_ENG_19970422.0152

BONN, April 22 , 1997 (AFP)

URGENT German growth of 2.25-2.75 percent seen in 1997-98

The German economy will grow by 2.25 percent in 1997 and 2.75 percent next year, the country's six leading economic institutes said in their spring report published Tuesday.

The institutes' prediction is in line with government estimates.

Germany's gross domestic product (GDP) grew by 1.4 percent in 1996.

April 22 , 1997

next year

Tuesday


XIN_ENG_20051115.0131

CHANGSHA, Nov. 15 , 2005 (Xinhua)

case

Experts from the World Health Organization (WHO) and China's Ministry of Public Health praised the Hunan Provincial Children's Hospital here Tuesday for its successful cure of a suspicious case of pneumonia.

A nine year old boy and his sister developed symptoms of pneumonia in xianggang county, central-south Hunan province, last month after eating a chicken that had died of bird flu. A 36-year-old male was also diagnosed with pneumonia at around the same time. Only the boy and the man survived.

Both brother and sister were sent to the Hunan Provincial Children's Hospital. The twelve-year-old girl died on her second day in the hospital. Her brother surnamed He, left hospital on November 12.

"We must congratulate the hospital on curing the nine-year-old boy. That is really an exciting piece of news," said Julie Hall, WHO's permanent inspector in Beijing, who led a five-member panel to Hunan.

Hall said the panel together with Chinese experts from the Ministry of Public Health will collect disease samples and data from the other two pneumonia patients.

"We will upload the treatment and some related information into the database of the WHO for further studies," she said.

China's Ministry of Public Health reported on Nov. 6 that the pneumonia among the three had unknown causes, and that H5N1 virus could not be ruled out.

Nov. 15 , 2005

Tuesday

nine year

last month

second day

November 12

Nov. 6


XIN_ENG_20061121.0337

BEIRUT, Nov. 21 , 2006 (Xinhua)

Roundup: Lebanese leaders condemn killing of industry minister

Lebanese political and religionary leaders Tuesday voiced condemnation on the assassination of anti- Syrian Industry Minister Pierre Gemayel earlier in the day.

Gemayel was killed by a gunshot on the head when his convoy was attacked on a street in Jedeide, about 15 km northeast from Beirut.

Following the killing of 34-year-old Gemayel, who was also a Christian leader in Lebanon and son of former president Amin Gemayel, Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Seniora said at a press conference that the murder of the anti-Syrian minister "will not terrorize us" and "we will not let the criminal killers control our fate."

The prime minister called for unity in the deeply divided country and pledged that his government will take up all its responsibilities to protect the interests of the people.

He said that the country was more determined to set up the international tribunal for assassinations in the wake of the killing of Gemayel.

The Gemayel assassination "increases our determination to see the creation of the international tribunal" to try suspects in the 2005 murder of former premier Rafiq Hariri, said Seniora.

Meanwhile, Lebanese President Emile Lahoud called on the Lebanese people to unite and start dialogue to overcome political stalemate.

Lahoud described the killing of Gemayel as "a conspiracy that started with the assassination of former premier Rafiq Hariri."

Former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, also a prominent anti- Syrian political figure, was killed in a suicide bombing in February 2005, which led to rising anti-Syrian waves and the withdrawal of Syrian troops from Lebanon.

Nabih Berri, the parliament speaker, said the murder of Gemayel was an action against the Lebanese state and government by undermining stability and security of the country.

Berri also expressed deep condolence to family of the deceased, vowing to do all he could to hunt down those behind the killing of Gemayel and other officials in Lebanon.

In addition, Lebanese Sunni Mufti Sheikh Mohammad Rasheed Qabbani also denounced the assassination of Gemayel.

"The assassination of Pierre Gemayel amid circumstances of tension and defiance currently being observed in the country was a severe blow to all those who wished that the situations could not reach to this extent," he said.

Describing Gemayel as one of Lebanon's national figures, Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun, a Christian opposition leader, also denounced the assassination crime.

Gemayel was the fifth anti-Syrian figure to be killed in the past two years.

Lebanon has witnessed a series of blasts since February 2005 when former premier Rafik Hariri was killed in a deadly bombing attack. The most recent assassination was the killing of journalist Gebran Tueni on Dec. 12, 2005.

Nov. 21 , 2006

Tuesday

February 2005

the past two years

February 2005

Dec. 12, 2005


XIN_ENG_20051115.0198

MADRID, Nov. 15 , 2005 (Xinhua)

quarter profits

Spain's largest airline Iberia netted 372.6 million euros (436 million US dollars) in the third quarter profits, a multi-fold increase over the same period of last year, according to the national carrier's report released Tuesday.

The eye-catching surge against 87.9 million euros (103 million dollars) a year earlier was largely linked to extraordinary gains from the sale of its stake in travel reservations company Amadeus.

The report put Iberia's revenue for the third quarter at 1.98 billion euros (2.32 billion dollar), up from 1.29 billion euros (1.51 billion dollars).

The company's key occupation rate hit a record high in October, when its passenger load factor reached 80.2 percent, representing a rise of 3 percentage points from the same month of last year.

The rise was backed by solid increases in passenger occupation rates at Iberia's intercontinental flights, the report said.

Nov. 15 , 2005

the third quarter

last year

Tuesday

a year earlier

the third quarter

October

same month of last year


AFP_ENG_19970408.0377

HEBRON, West Bank, April 8 , 1997 (AFP)

Deadly violence flares after disappointing Israeli-US peace summit by Samih Chahin

Two Palestinians were killed Tuesday in clashes with Israeli settlers and soldiers in Hebron after an Israeli-US summit meeting failed to offer hope for a quick end to the Mideast peace crisis.

The violence began when two Israeli settlers killed a Palestinian with submachinegun fire in Hebron's central market after they said the man attacked them with tear gas spray, police said.

The settlers were detained by Israeli police.

Several hundred angry Palestinians responded to the killing by throwing stones and firebombs at Israeli soldiers, drawing volleys of rubber bullets that killed a second man and wounded more than 80, one critically, officials said.

Palestinian hospital officials said they had also received Palestinians with wounds from live ammunition fired by Israeli soldiers, apparently after they were targetted by dozens of firebombs during several hours of rioting.

Qassem Rashad Kamel Arafa, 24, was pronounced dead at a Hebron hospital with several of the settlers' bullets in his chest. A second man was killed by a rubber bullet which entered his brain while a third man was in critical condition on a life support system in a Jerusalem hospital, officials said.

The Israeli army reported four soldiers had been hurt by stones.

"We were just walking through the market when suddenly the settler began shooting," said one witness who asked not to be identified.

A third settler was arrested by Israeli forces after firing his gun at stonethrowers, a police spokesman said.

The army sent in reinforcements and imposed a curfew on the fifth of Hebron still under its control following the transfer of most of the flashpoint West Bank city to Palestinian rule in January, officials said.

Palestinian police tried ineffectively to prevent protestors from entering the Israeli area during the clashes, but Israeli security officials complained that not enough was done to curb the rioters.

Palestinian West Bank security chief Jibril Rajub lashed out in return at the 400 settlers who live in army-guarded enclaves amid Hebron's 120,000 Arab residents.

"This is an organized crime encouraged by the Israeli government," he told reporters following Arafa's funeral.

"What happened today shows there can be no coexistence between us and Israeli settlers, who are here against our will and against all laws. This is terrorism itself."

The violence followed talks in Washington Monday between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Bill Clinton organized as part of a US push to resolve the crisis caused by Israel's decision to begin work last month on a new Jewish settlement at Abu Ghneim in disputed east Jerusalem.

Netanyahu defiantly rebuffed demands he halt settlement activity to restore Palestinian confidence in the peace process and insisted the only way back to negotiations was through a Palestinian clampdown on the violence which erupted following construction at Abu Ghneim.

"The construction will carry on, whether it is the Har Homa suburb or in the territories" of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, Netanyahu said.

A spokesman for Palestinian President Yasser Arafat said the Hebron killing was "an immediate result of the policies of Mr Netanyahu."

"I hope he is happy to have this blood on his hands," he said.

Arafat said Netanyahu's refusal to halt settlement expansion "means that he doesn't want peace."

The Palestinian frustrations were echosed by US officials, with State Department spokesman Nicholas Burns saying the peace process was in "a very difficult impasse, a critical point."

Palestinians spoke in despairing terms of the situation.

"We all thought the prime minister would find ways in Washington to give the people of the area the feeling that peace is prevailing, but on the contrary he kept to his ways of deception and distorting facts," Kanafani said.

"We are extemely upset by this," he said.

But Palestinian officials said they would still send a high-level delegation to Washington this week as requested by Clinton to pursue efforts to save the peace.

April 8 , 1997

Tuesday

January

last month

this week


XIN_ENG_20051107.0082

MANILA, Nov. 7 , 2005 (Xinhua)

Rape case not to affect US-Philippine military ties: AFP chief

The chief of Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Monday expressed confidence that the rape case involving six US servicemen would not affect future military exercises between Philippine and US forces.

"They (exercises) would not be affected," AFP chief Generoso Senga said in an interview after swearing in the new sets of officers of the Air Material Wing Savings and Loan Association Inc.

Senga said he is also confident that the Visiting Forces Agreement would not be affected by the case. The agreement states that Philippine authorities shall have the jurisdiction over US personnel with offenses committed within the Philippines.

"The agreement will stay as an agreement until the parties withdraw from the agreement. That's a case that's covered by the agreement so that will not damage the agreement," the AFP chief said.

At least 20 exercises are being held yearly by US and Philippine troops under the Mutual Defense Treaty of 1951 and the Visiting Forces Agreement of 1998, which governs the conduct of US forces while on training in the Philippines.

The six US marine servicemen were on rest and recreation after a joint training at the former US naval base in Subic Bay when they allegedly raped a 22-year-old Filipina from Zamboanga City on Nov. 1.

Nov. 7 , 2005

Monday

Nov. 1


WSJ891030-0036
 = 891030
 891030-0036.
 Investor Group Makes
@  Bid for Dataproducts;
@  Liquidation Is Sought
 10/30/89
 WALL STREET JOURNAL (J)
 DPC
 TENDER OFFERS, MERGERS, ACQUISITIONS (TNM)
 WOODLAND HILLS, Calif.

   A unit of DPC Acquisition Partners launched a $10-a-share tender offer for the shares outstanding of Dataproducts Corp., and said it would seek to liquidate the computer-printer maker "as soon as possible," even if a merger is n't consummated.

   DPC Acquisition is controlled by Crescott Investment Associates, Wilson Investment Group, Kernel Corp. and Catalyst Partners.
The investor group owns 1,534,600 Dataproducts common shares, or a 7.6% stake.

   The offer is based on several conditions, including obtaining financing.
DPC Acquisition said it had received the reasonable assurance of Chase Manhattan Bank N.A. that the financing can be obtained.

   In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, DPC Acquisition said it expects it will need about $215 million to buy the shares and pay related fees and expenses.
DPC Acquisition added that it has not begun discussions with financing sources, and said it expected to repay the amounts borrowed through proceeds of the liquidation.

   Dataproducts officials declined to comment, and said they had not yet seen a suit filed in federal court by DPC Acquisition that seeks to nullify a standstill agreement between DPC Acquisition and Dataproducts.

   Earlier this year, DPC Acquisition made a $15-a-share offer for Dataproducts, which the Dataproducts board said it rejected because the $283.7 million offer was not fully financed.
Dataproducts has since started a restructuring, and has said it is not  for sale.

as soon as possible

Earlier this year


XIN_ENG_20061115.0114

BAGHDAD, Nov. 15 , 2006 (Xinhua)

Iraqi PM pledges to arrest kidnappers of ministry employees

Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al- Maliki pledged Wednesday to arrest all those carried out kidnappings in Baghdad within the "open battle with terrorists."

"We feel sorry to what happened yesterday, but I pledge that we will trail those who put their hands in the hands of the devil," Maliki told a gathering at a Baghdad university.

"This is an open battle with terrorists whatever their names are," Maliki said during his visit to the university after mass abduction of the Higher Education Ministry employees on Tuesday.

The state-run television reported Tuesday that gunmen wearing Iraqi police commando uniform stormed the ministry's Research Directorate building in the Nidhal Street in Karradah district, kidnapping scores of male employees.

"It is not enough for us to release some captives, but also we are keen to bring those kidnappers to justice," he said.

Maliki also said that he rejects any sectarian and political activities in the Iraqi universities.

The Iraqi Higher Education Minister, Abed Thiyab al-Ajili, said Tuesday that the number of hostages was more than 100, including male employees and visitors.

However, the Interior Ministry sources said the number of hostages in the hands of the kidnappers was exaggerated.

Late Tuesday, at least 15 hostages of the mass kidnapping were released, local security and education sources said.

According to the released hostages, there were only some 40 people had been held hostages by the unidentified gunmen.

Nov. 15 , 2006

Wednesday

yesterday

Tuesday

Tuesday

Tuesday

Tuesday


XIN_ENG_20051112.0050

TAIYUAN, Nov. 12 , 2005 (Xinhua)

sustainable economy

Chinese Vice-Premier Zeng Peiyan urged China's major coal-producing province of Shanxi to turn its economy to a sustainable development track.

During his inspection of the province from Thursday through Friday, Zeng expressed his appreciation of Shanxi's contribution to China's economic achievements and urged the province to develop a recycling economy.

Zeng stressed that Shanxi, which boasts rich resources and favourable industry infrastructure, should speed up industrial restructuring in accordance with the requirement of building a resource efficient and environment-friendly society.

Nov. 12 , 2005

Thursday

Friday


XIN_ENG_20051116.0224

DOHA, Nov. 16 , 2005 (Xinhua)

Doha vows to host best ever Asian Games

Doha said on Wednesday it would deliver the the best ever Asian Games.

"I am proud of the phenomenal success the committee has achieved so far in preparations for the Games," Abdulla Khalid Al Qahtani, director general of the Doha Asian Games Organizing Committee (DAGOC), said in a press conference

"We are fulfilling the challenge of hosting the Games with pride and determination while setting an example in the region.

"Our eventual successful hosting the best ever Asian Games becomes more real everyday which is a reflection of the effort and hard work put in by everyone involved."

Qatar is expecting about 10,500 athletes and officials from 45 countries and regions to participate in the 39-event Games, he said, adding that it will be the biggest sporting event in Asia.

International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge, who arrived in Doha on Tuesday for a charity event, also showed the confidence with the DAGOC's work.

"The organizing committee has made a fast progress in their preparation and everything is going smoothly," he said.

"I am sure Doha will bring you an excellent Asian Games next year."

According to Al Qahtani, developments across all the programs have been immense and the DAGOC are determined to make Doha 2006 not only a memorable experience for participants and visitors, but to ensure that there is a lasting legacy in the facilities, skills and enthusiasm the nation can contribute to world sport and the region they were proudly a part of.

Until now, several stadiums are under construction, while some are being refurbished, including the Sports City, a key place for the Games which embraced the newly completed Khalifa Stadium, a state-of-the-art 50,000 capacity sporting arena where the opening and closing ceremonies are to be held.

The Games Village, which will become a home away from home for athletes, is expected to be completed by April next year. Most of the venues are 85 percent complete and should be ready by end of this year.

The 2006 Asian Games will begin on December 1 in Doha, thus making Qatar the smallest country in the world's largest continent to host an Asian Games.

Nov. 16 , 2005

Wednesday

Tuesday

next year

now

April next year

this year

December 1


XIN_ENG_20061129.0307

RIGA, Nov. 29 , 2006 (Xinhua)

Afghanistan

NATO has agreed to consider the idea of setting up a contact group, initiated by French President Jacques Chirac, on Afghanistan, NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer said on Wednesday.

"I, the secretary general of NATO, has been tasked to think about and put forward proposals for the possibility of a contact group for Afghanistan," de Hoop Scheffer told reporters shortly after the conclusion of the NATO summit.

He said that the contact group would not only be relevant to NATO, but to all the other international organizations active in Afghanistan.

Wrapping a two-day summit which started on Tuesday evening, NATO leaders issued a declaration earlier Wednesday, saying that its door remains open for European countries, and encouraged the accession efforts by Albania, Croatia and Macedonia.

"We reaffirm that NATO remains open to new European members under Article 10 of the North Atlantic Treaty," said the leaders in their Riga Summit Declaration.

But they emphasized that actual accession will be strictly performance-based.

"At our next summit in 2008, the alliance intends to extend further invitations to those countries who meet NATO's performance-based standards and are able to contribute to Euro-Atlantic security and stability," said the declaration.

NATO's ongoing enlargement process has been an historic success in advancing stability, peace and cooperation in Europe, and the vision of a Europe, which is whole, free, and at peace, it said.

The leaders welcomed the efforts of Albania, Croatia, and Macedonia to prepare themselves for the responsibilities and obligations for membership.

The three Balkan states are recognized by NATO as formal aspirant countries.

On the last day of the two-day summit, leaders of the 26-member bloc also invited Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro and Serbia to join its Partnership for Peace (PfP) program.

The PfP, launched in 1994, is a program of practical bilateral cooperation between individual partner countries and NATO. It allows partner countries to build up an individual relationship with NATO, choosing their own priorities for cooperation. A total of 20 countries have joined the program.

Nov. 29 , 2006

Wednesday

Tuesday evening

Wednesday

the last day


XIN_ENG_20061120.0181

TIRANA, Nov. 20 , 2006 (Xinhua)

Three released Guantanamo detainees arrive in Albania

Three men released from Guantanamo Bay, the U.S. navy base in Cuba, have arrived in Albania, a government spokesman said on Monday.

"They have arrived, that is all," Neritan Sejamini told reporters without revealing any other details.

Albania admitted on Saturday that it would take from the U.S. three detainees released from the controversial base which has been used to hold terror suspects.

Nov. 20 , 2006

Monday

Saturday


XIN_ENG_20061127.0226

BAGHDAD, Nov. 27 , 2006 (Xinhua)

1st LD: U.S. warplane crash in northwest of Baghdad

A U.S. fighter jet crashed northwest of Baghdad on Monday with one pilot on board, al-Jazeera TV channel reported.

The U.S. military confirmed the incident in a brief statement, saying the U.S. Air force jet, F-16 carrying one pilot crashed in northwest of Baghdad at about 1:35 p.m. (1035 GMT).

The F-16 CG was providing support for the coalition ground forces when it went down in an area located 32 km northwest of Baghdad in the volatile Anbar province, added the statement.

However, the statement did not say what cause the crash or the fate of the pilot.

Nov. 27 , 2006

Monday

1:35 p.m.


XIN_ENG_20061107.0334

WASHINGTON, Nov. 7 , 2006 (Xinhua)

Researchers develop novel treatment for sickle cell disease

Virginia Commonwealth University researchers have developed a unique anti-sickling agent that may one day be effective in treating sickle cell disease, a painful and debilitating genetic blood disorder, according to a statement released by the university on Tuesday.

The research team has shown that 5-HMF, a pure compound developed by the team, has a high affinity for sickle cell hemoglobin and holds promise for the treatment of sickle cell disease.

"Our findings suggest that this anti-sickling agent may lead to new drug treatments and may one day help those suffering with sickle cell disease. This molecule, 5-HMF, is the most promising molecule to treat sickle cell anemia to come from our research group in more than 30 years," said Donald Abraham of the Department of Medicinal Chemistry in VCU's School of Pharmacy,

Sickle cell disease is caused by an abnormality in the hemoglobin molecule. Normal red blood cells carrying hemoglobin are smooth, round and flexible and can travel easily throughout blood vessels. However, sickle cells are stiff, abnormally shaped, red blood cells that do not flow freely through blood vessels. The sickle cells also may clot together causing a blockage to form which results in pain and potentially dangerous complications that can compromise a patient's organs.

According to Abraham, the 5-HMF agent binds to hemoglobin to increase the oxygen affinity of both normal and sickle hemoglobin. In a patient with sickle cell disease, the binding action of 5-HMF would allow sickle cells to move more smoothly throughout the blood vessels of the body and prevent blockages from forming.

The United States Patent and Trademark Office recently issued VCU a Notice of Allowance for a patent relating to a method of treating sickle cell disease with 5-HMF compound. A Notice of Allowance is a written notification that a patent application has cleared an internal review and it has been approved for issuance.

Nov. 7 , 2006

Tuesday

one day


AFP_ENG_20051205.0277

PARIS, Dec 5 , 2005

Assad says Mehlis commission should "correct its mistakes"

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said Monday that he expects the UN commission of enquiry into the murder of former Lebanese prime minister Rafiq Hariri to "correct its mistakes."

"In the first place we expect this enquiry to be professional and the commission to correct the mistakes it made earlier in order to form a report that is fair and objective," al-Assad said on France 3 television.

The Syrian leader was speaking as investogators began questioning five Syrian officials at UN headquarters in Vienna as part of the international enquiry led by German magistrate Detlev Mehlis.

The identities of the five have not been made public, but officials have said that Assaf Shawkat, Assad's brother-in-law and head of military intelligence, is not among them.

"There were witnesses who gave false testimony. Recently there has been a Syrian witness who admitted he was forced to provide evidence that backed up a particular point of view .... That gives us cause for concern," al-Assad said.

Last week state television in Syria showed an interview with Syrian witness Hussam Taher Hussam who said he had provided evidence to the commission under duress.

"There is no proof that Syria was involved (in the assassination). There is no criminal proof, and it was not in the interests of Syria to commit such an act," Assad said.

Dec 5 , 2005

Monday

Last week


AFP_ENG_20061218.0087

THE HAGUE, Dec 18 , 2006, 2006

Dutch temp agency company Vedior to take over Norwegian Corridor

The Dutch temporary employment company Vedior announced Monday that it will take over Norwegian recruitment specialist Corridor for an undisclosed sum.

Corridor specializes in the recruitment and supply of temporary and permanent staff within accounting and finance, sales and marketing, IT and administrative sectors and reported 2005 sales of 6.8 million euros (8.9 million dollars).

Vedior said it will take a majority stake in the company while Corridors existing management will keep a minority interest and will continue to develop the company.

Dec 18 , 2006

Monday


AFP_ENG_20061222.0478

MONTREAL, Dec 22 , 2006, 2006

NHL ponders divisional realignment: report

National Hockey League commissioner Gary Bettman is looking at realigning the league's divisions and altering its schedule makeup, The Sports Network of Canada reported on its website Friday.

Citing unnamed sources, TSN said the overhaul being considered would see the six current divisions reduced to four with each division having seven or eight teams rather than five.

Six club executives, one from each current division, met with Bettman in New York earlier this week to discuss the matter and take information to other clubs in their division for feedback.

Twenty of 30 teams would have to back such a move in order to make it happen next season. That could happen at a board meeting during the NHL All-Star Game in Dallas next month.

New scheduling plans would see teams play division foes six times, rivals from the same conference three or four times and non-conference clubs once.

The Eastern and Western conferences would each stay with 15 teams, with the top two teams in each division taking the four top playoff seeds and the teams with the next four highest point totals also qualifying in each conference.

The Columbus Blue Jackets and Atlanta Thrashers would switch conferences, with Columbus moving to the East and joining a division with Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, Boston, Buffalo and Pittsburgh, which might be relocating after a new arena plan fell apart.

That would leave the New York Rangers and Islanders, New Jersey, Washington, Philadelphia, Carolina, Tampa Bay and Florida in the other Eastern division.

The Western Conference would have an eight-team division with clubs in the Pacific and Mountain time zones, including Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, San Jose, Anaheim, Los Angeles, Colorado and Phoenix.

That would leave seven teams for the remaining division - Dallas, Minnesota, St. Louis, Chicago, Detroit, Atlanta and Nashville.

Dec 22 , 2006

website Friday

this week

next season

next month


XIN_ENG_20051126.0073

BEIJING, Nov. 26 , 2005 (Xinhua)

water pollution

Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing informed Russian Ambassador to China Sergey Razov here Saturday afternoon of the situation with the Songhua River's water pollution and measures taken by the Chinese government to tackle the issue.

The Songhua River in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, suffered major water pollution as a result of a blast that had occurred in the China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) Jilin Petrochemical company on Nov.13. The polluted water in Songhua River is expected to flow into the Heilongjiang River (also called Amur River in Russia) on the Sino-Russian border.

Li Zhaoxing, on be half of the Chinese government, expressed his regret over the possible harms to be done to the Russian people by the major environmental pollution accident, saying China fully understands and attaches great importance to the concerns of the Russian side, and that Chinese leaders have time and again made important directions to tackle the problem

After the water pollution incident occurred, China has repeatedly informed its neighbor of the details of the pollution incident, including various lab test results such as the pollutant's species and density and the location of polluted stretches.

The two sides have agreed to open up a hotline between environmental departments for still better contacts and communication over the water pollution problem, and China informs Russia of the latest developments daily, the Chinese forign minister said.

Nov. 26 , 2005

Saturday afternoon


XIN_ENG_20061129.0452

BELGRADE, Nov. 29 , 2006 (Xinhua)

NATO to open liaison office in Belgrade

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) would open a liaison office in Belgrade in mid December, a senior Serbian official said here on Wednesday.

"The opening of the NATO liaison office in Belgrade is doubly important in the sphere of multilateral cooperation, exchange of experiences and better mutual communication and understanding," said Snezana Samardzic-Markovic, Serbian assistant defense minister for the defense policy.

Samardzic-Markovic told the press that the Serbian government has decided to open this office and that it was offered to NATO officials that this office is located in the Defense Ministry.

Early on Wednesday, NATO's heads of state decided at a summit in Riga to invite Serbia to join the Partnership for Peace program along with Bosnia-Herzegovina and Montenegro.

The Partnership for Peace, which was created by NATO in 1994, was a program designed to facilitate cooperation with partner countries to extend the zone of peace and stability in Europe.

According to the official Tanjug news agency, NATO plans to open its office in Belgrade probably on Dec. 19.

The opening ceremony will be attended by high NATO officials headed by its Deputy Secretary-General Alessandro Minuto Rizzo, the news agency reported, citing diplomatic sources.

Nov. 29 , 2006

December

Wednesday

Wednesday

Dec. 19