XIN_ENG_20061101.0308

MOSCOW, Nov. 1 , 2006 (Xinhua)

Georgian FM visits Moscow to mend ties

Georgian Foreign Minister Gela Bezhuashvili met with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, on Wednesday to mend ties between the two neighbors that have dipped to a new low since the Caucasus nation's brief detention of Russian officers in late September.

"We are not meeting in the best period in our relations. I expect that there will be more clarity as a result of this meeting about what we are to do to put right what is an unhealthy situation," Lavrov was quoted by the Interfax news agency as saying at the start of talks with Bezhuashvili.

Moscow, infuriated by the arrest of four Russian officers in Georgia, has imposed an economic blockade on the Caucasus nation by cutting transport and postal links and deported Georgians accused of staying in Russian illegally.

Speaking after talks with Lavrov, which Bezhuashvili described as "very useful," the Georgian minister said Russian sanctions against Georgia were raised at the meeting. "We certainly did. How could I not have brought up this issue."

He also said Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili expected to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin during a planned summit of the Commonwealth of Independent States in Minsk, capital of Belarus, later this month.

Relations between Moscow and Tbilisi have been strained by tensions over Georgia's breakaway regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia and the country's bid to join NATO since Saakashvili came to power in 2003.

Bezhuashvili said current Georgian-Russian relations were not normal, but added: "Our openness gives us reasons to think that we will be able to put the situation on a normal course."

Nov. 1 , 2006

Wednesday

late September

the best period

this month

met

mend

dipped

meeting

expect

meeting

do

put

quoted

saying

start

talks

infuriated

arrest

imposed

blockade

cutting

deported

accused

staying

Speaking

talks

described

said

sanctions

raised

meeting

did

brought

said

expected

meet

summit

strained

bid

join

came

said

normal

added

gives

think

put


XIN_ENG_20051102.0074

BEIJING, Nov. 2 , 2005 (Xinhua)

top legislator

China's coordinated, sustained socio-economic growth, in the final analysis, hinges on science and technology as well as talents. said top legislator Wu Bangguo in a meeting with noted entrepreneurs and scholars to the sixth meeting of the advisory council of the School of Economic Management (SEM) of Tsinghua University Wednesday.

Wu, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, voiced the hope that the SEM and its advisory council would increase innovation capacity and train more talented personnel on science and economic management.

The advisory council, composed of 41 members, was set up in 2000 with the aim to increase the exchanges between Tsinghua University and world-renowned firms such as Goldman Sachs, Sony and Wal-Mart.

Wu expressed his gratitude to the members of the Advisory Council for their support to China's reform and modernization drive, as well as support for the development of the cause of education in the country.

He spoke highly of a positive role the advisory council has played in introducing a new mode to run the SEM, raising the competency of teachers, and instituting an international cooperative platform.

Wu also gave the guests a detailed account of China's economic situation. During the period of the Eleventh Five-year program (2006-2010), he noted, his country will strive to build a harmonious socialist society, and pay more attention to the overall development of economic society and to the mix, quality and effectiveness of economic growth, scientific advancement, and the harmonious coexistence between humans and the nature.

John Browne, the chief executive officer (CEO) of the British Petroleum company, voiced his confidence for China's economic and social growth, and said his company will enhance cooperation with the SEM in all fields.

Nov. 2 , 2005

Wednesday

coordinated

sustained

hinges

said

meeting

meeting

voiced

increase

train

composed

set

increase

expressed

support

development

spoke

played

introducing

run

raising

instituting

gave

noted

strive

build

pay

development

voiced

growth

said

enhance


XIN_ENG_20051123.0056

BEIJING, Nov. 23 , 2005 (Xinhua)

northeastern river

China's State Environmental Protection Administration (SEPA) said here on Wednesday that the Songhua River in northeast China suffered a major water pollution incident owing to the explosion of a petrochemical plant at the upper reaches.

"After the explosion at the Jilin Petrochemical Company under China National Petroleum Corporation, our observation showed pollutants containing benzene had flown into the Songhua River and caused water pollution," said an official with SEPA.

Benzene is a substance harmful to human health.

The official said upon receiving the report, the administration immediately sent experts to Heilongjiang Province to assist local pollution-control efforts. Quality of the river water is under close observation for 24 hours every day.

The Jilin and Heilongjiang provincial governments have activated their contingency programs for environmental incidents, and have taken measures to ensure the safety of potable water, said the official.

He said Jilin had quickly blocked entry of the pollutants into the river and discharged water from a reservoir to dilute pollutants in the river. It also organized environmental, water conservancy and chemical experts to discuss pollution control plans, and beefed up monitoring work.

The finance department of the Heilongjiang provincial government has allocated 10 million yuan (approximately 1.23 million US dollars) specially for handling the pollution incident, said the official.

According to the official, observation data shows the degree of river water pollution has been declining.

Nov. 23 , 2005

Wednesday

24 hours every day

said

suffered

incident

owing

explosion

explosion

showed

flown

caused

said

said

receiving

sent

assist

efforts

activated

taken

ensure

said

said

blocked

discharged

dilute

organized

discuss

beefed

allocated

handling

said

According

shows

declining


XIN_ENG_20061103.0196

TEHRAN, Nov. 3 , 2006 (Xinhua)

2nd lead: Iran test fires three new models of missiles in drills

Iran's Revolutionary Guards test fired three new models of missiles in the ongoing military exercises in the Gulf region, the state-run television reported on Friday.

The television footage showed the missiles were fired from mobile launching carriers on the shore and from warships, and the missiles hit the targets successfully.

According to the report, the new types of missiles, dubbed Nasr, Noor and Kowsar, had been extended of their range and now could cover a range of 170 km.

The missiles are made by Iran itself and could be used in land- to-sea or sea-to-sea warfare, and due to the extension of their range, the missiles are able to hit all potential targets anywhere in the Gulf region and in the sea of Oman, said the report.

"The missiles are suitable to cover all the Strait of Hormuz, the Gulf and the sea of Oman," said Admiral Sardar Fadavi, the deputy navy chief of the Revolutionary Guards.

Iran started a new round of military maneuvers Thursday, during which the Revolutionary Guards also test fired ballistic Shahab-3 missiles with a range of more than 2,000 km.

Major General Seyed Yahya Rahim Safavi, commander-in-chief of the Revolution Guards, said on Wednesday that the 10-day military maneuvers, dubbed "The Great Prophet 2," would be carried out in the Gulf waters, the sea of Oman and 14 provinces of the country.

But he did not disclose the number of Iranian troops participating the drills.

Iran's maneuver was carried out shortly after the U.S.-led naval forces staged a two-day maneuver in the Gulf waters aimed at blocking smuggling of nuclear weaponry material and arms proliferation.

Iranian government spokesman Gholam-Hossein Elham said on Monday that foreign military forces should not damage Gulf peace, saying durable peace and security would be restored through collective cooperation of all countries of the region.

This is the third round of military exercise in Iran this year, the country launched a large-scale military maneuver named " Zolfaghar Blow" in August, and the other drill named "The Great Prophet 1" was also staged in April, during which Iranian army said that it tested advanced weapons including missiles and torpedoes.

Nov. 3 , 2006

Friday

now

Thursday

Wednesday

Monday

this year

August

April

fired

reported

showed

fired

hit

According

extended

cover

made

used

warfare

hit

said

cover

said

started

maneuvers

fired

said

maneuvers

carried

disclose

participating

maneuver

carried

staged

maneuver

aimed

blocking

said

damage

saying

restored

exercise

launched

named

Blow

named

staged

said

tested


XIN_ENG_20061124.0147

KUNMING, Nov. 24 , 2006 (Xinhua)

SW China traffic accident leaves six dead, one injured

Six people were killed and one was injured in a traffic accident happening on Friday afternoon in the county of Songming, Southwest China's Yunnan Province.

The local police source said the tragedy occurred at about 2:40 p.m. in the county's Adalong village when a heavy-duty truck loaded with coal collided with a mini bus.

Six people on the bus, including a two-year-old boy, were killed on the spot and the injured has already been hospitalized, said the police.

Investigation into the cause of the accident is already underway.

Nov. 24 , 2006

Friday afternoon

killed

injured

accident

happening

said

tragedy

occurred

p.m.

loaded

collided

killed

hospitalized

said


XIN_ENG_20061116.0119

BEIJING, Nov. 16 , 2006 (Xinhua)

1st LD: White mice to test food for 2008 Beijing Olympics

White mice will be used to test the safety of food prepared for 2008 Olympic Games athletes, say Beijing officials.

Milk, alcohol, salad, rice, oil, salt and seasonings will be tested by white mice 24 hours before being used in cooking or served to athletes, said Zhao Xinsheng with the Beijing Municipal Health Inspection Bureau.

He told a meeting that mice would develop adverse reactions to poisoning within 17 hours, quicker than test methods like bacterial cultures.

Most food for athletes would be Western style, complemented by Chinese dishes, said Zhen Xiaozhen, from the Beijing Organizing Committee of the Olympic Games medical team, at the meeting on Olympics hygiene safety.

Zhao said all the food would be securely stored, and all food arriving at the Olympic restaurants would be recorded by control headquarters.

Moreover, food deliveries would be vetted by public security personnel and quarantine departments and transported by special vehicles and staff.

The vehicles would be equipped with global positioning systems and food packages would be secured during transport, said an official with the Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau.

Food storage areas would be fitted with alarms, video cameras and fire controls, and kitchens guarded around the clock.

Starting this month, health inspectors would receive training in Western food management and inspection techniques, said Liang Jin with the inspection bureau.

To ensure food safety, experts also suggested eliminating some foods from the menu for Olympic athletes to avoid doping problems.

Yang Shumin of the China Doping Control Center said that Olympic restaurants should not serve food such as animal livers because they might contain traces of drugs or additives consumed by the animal.

Nowadays lots of fowl and livestock are fed with additives that contain blacklisted hormones, he said, noting that athletes who accidentally ate this kind of food might test positive in anti-doping urine tests.

The organizing committee should set strict standards for food suppliers regarding feed for fowls and livestock, banning them from using any additives which could cause doping problems, Yang told a meeting on Olympic food safety in July.

Nov. 16 , 2006

24 hours

17 hours

this month

July

used

test

prepared

say

tested

used

served

said

told

meeting

develop

complemented

said

meeting

said

stored

arriving

recorded

vetted

transported

equipped

secured

said

fitted

guarded

Starting

receive

training

said

ensure

suggested

eliminating

avoid

said

serve

contain

consumed

fed

said

noting

ate

test

set

banning

using

cause

told

meeting


AFP_ENG_20061218.0111

LONDON, Dec 18 , 2006, 2006

=(PICTURE)=

British police were expected Monday to stage a reconstruction of the last known movements of a serial killer's victims, as they seek a breakthrough over the murders of five young prostitutes.

Detectives are also offering an amnesty for drug dealers in the quiet English town of Ipswich, in a bid to persuade them to provide information that could help in the unprecedented manhunt.

Their bodies were all found naked in countryside on the outskirts of Ipswich, 80 miles (130 kilometres) north-east of London, more than 10 days ago, sparking fears that a serial killer is on the loose.

None showed signs of having been subjected to significant trauma or serious sexual assault, fueling speculation that the killer might have been a drug dealer who doped them.

All five women were drug users and police have now offered the amnesty to local dealers in the hope that they will come forward with new information, the Times newspaper quoted the officer leading the probe as saying.

"Dealing class A drugs is a serious offence. However, our priority remains finding the person responsible for these murders ... I'm not interested in any other offences at this time," it cited police chief Stewart Gull as saying.

Officers spoke to members of the public at local rail stations Sunday night where the last known movements of one of the victims, 24-year-old Anneli Alderton, were captured on closed circuit television (CCTV).

The pictures show Alderton, who was three months pregnant, a week before the discovery of her strangled body on December 10.

Her boyfriend, Sam Jefford, 21, told the Sun newspaper that the murderer "has taken away the two most precious things in my life.

"If we were in the same room and I had a gun, I'd shoot him. It's all that he deserves."

Police also seem to compiling a database of local prostitutes' distinguishing features, including tattoos and jewellery, the Guardian reported.

An inquest into the death of one of the victims, Gemma Adams, 25, has already been opened and those of the four others -- Alderton, Tania Nicol, 19, Paula Clennell, 24, and Annette Nicholls, 29 -- were slated to get under way Monday.

But these were cancelled at the last minute by Suffolk Police, prompting media speculation that the investigating team needed to carry out more tests.

Nearly 10,000 calls from members of the public have been received by the investigating team, who are also trawling through 10,000 hours of CCTV footage in the hope of piecing together the final movements of all the women.

They have released footage of Nicol, as well as Alderton, and police are confident that they knew what the women were wearing when they disappeared, which would help determine where they were last seen alive.

Almost 500 officers are working in one of Britain's biggest-ever manhunts, with 350 being drafted in from 31 police forces around the country, including Northern Ireland, to help Suffolk police.

There have been no arrests and officers say that there are no suspects in the case as yet.

The case has triggered comparisons with the Yorkshire Ripper Peter Sutcliffe, convicted of the deaths of 13 women between 1975 and 1980, and Jack the Ripper, who murdered five east London prostitutes in 1888.

Many people, especially women, in the usually quiet market town of Ipswich are terrified to go out alone at night.

The streets of the town are virtually deserted after dark, despite the Christmas party season being in full swing elsewhere in Britain.

Dec 18 , 2006

Monday

more than 10 days ago

Sunday night

a week

December 10

Monday

the last minute

10,000 hours

Christmas party season

expected

stage

movements

seek

murders

offering

bid

persuade

provide

help

manhunt

found

sparking

showed

subjected

assault

fueling

doped

offered

come

quoted

saying

Dealing

offence

finding

murders

cited

saying

spoke

movements

captured

show

discovery

told

taken

were

shoot

deserves

seem

compiling

reported

inquest

death

opened

slated

get

cancelled

needed

carry

received

trawling

piecing

released

confident

knew

wearing

disappeared

help

determine

seen

working

drafted

help

arrests

say

triggered

comparisons

convicted

deaths

murdered

terrified

go

deserted


XIN_ENG_20061115.0456

WASHINGTON, Nov. 15 , 2006 (Xinhua)

Nuggets' Martin ends NBA season for surgery

Denver Nuggets' forward Kenyon Martin underwent season-ending surgery on his right knee, the National Basketball Association club announced Wednesday.

Arthroscopic surgery had revealed more significant damage than was indicated on an earlier MRI, signaling an end to Martin's season and the loss of a key teammate for Carmelo Anthony.

Martin collected 19 points and 20 rebounds in the first two games of the season, but swelling in the right knee forced him to miss last Wednesday's game against the New York Knicks.

Last season, Martin was limited to 56 games due to soreness in the left knee and averaged 12.9 points and 6.3 rebounds.

Obtained from New Jersey for three first-round picks, Martin signed a seven-year contract worth 90 million dollars in July of 2004. Martin helped the Nets reach the NBA Finals twice in his first four NBA season.

Martin underwent microfracture surgery on his left knee after averaging 15.5 points and 7.3 rebounds in his first season with the Nuggets.

Nov. 15 , 2006

Wednesday

the first two games of the season

Wednesday

Last season

July of 2004

four NBA season

underwent

announced

revealed

indicated

signaling

loss

collected

swelling

forced

miss

game

limited

averaged

signed

helped

reach

underwent

averaging

rebounds


XIN_ENG_20051102.0223

BEIJING, Nov. 2 , 2005 (Xinhua)

Chinese top advisor meets Japanese guests

Chinese top advisor Jia Qinglin met with a Japanese delegation here on Wednesday, encouraging Chinese and Japanese non-governmental groups to enhance communication in a bid to improve the troubled relations between the two countries.

Jia, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), made the appeal while meeting the Japan-China Friendship Association delegation headed by its chairman Ikuo Hirayama.

The friendly exchange and cooperation between China and Japan witnessed sound progress since the two countries normalized diplomatic relations 33 years ago, Jia said, noting it is worthy to be cherished and preserved by the two sides.

However, Sino-Japanese relations have encountered severe problems in recent years, he said.

"The main point is that the Japanese leaders violated their commitments to reviewing the history and continuously visited the Yasukuni Shrine, where some top Japanese World War II criminals are honored," Jia said, noting it hurts the feelings and dignity of the Chinese people.

Jia said that China attaches importance to relations with Japan and is willing to develop long-term, steady and good-neighborly cooperative ties with Japan in the spirit of "learning from history and facing the future" and on the basis of diplomatic documents signed by the two countries.

Ikuo Hirayama said that some Japanese people are also worried about the worsening Japan-China relations.

The Japan-China Friendship Association will try to overcome the difficulties and promote exchanges and cooperation between Japan and China in politics, economics and culture in a bid to improve bilateral relations, he said.

Nov. 2 , 2005

Wednesday

33 years ago

recent years

met

encouraging

enhance

bid

improve

made

appeal

meeting

headed

cooperation

witnessed

progress

normalized

said

noting

cherished

preserved

encountered

said

violated

reviewing

visited

honored

said

noting

hurts

said

attaches

develop

learning

facing

signed

said

worried

try

overcome

difficulties

promote

cooperation

improve

said


AFP_ENG_20061221.0099

LONDON, Dec 21 , 2006, 2006

European shares fall at open: London FTSE down 0.16 percent

European stock markets declined in early trading on Thursday, with London's FTSE 100 index of leading shares losing 0.16 percent to reach 6,188.70 points.

In Frankfurt the DAX 30 index shed 0.21 percent to 6,573.37 points and in Paris the CAC 40 lost 0.27 percent in value to 5,499.43.

Dec 21 , 2006

Thursday

declined

trading

reach

shed

lost


AFP_ENG_19970421.0360

PERTH, Australia, April 21 , 1997 (AFP)

Former Australian health minister charged with perjury: report

Former Australian health minister Carmen Lawrence has been charged with three counts of perjury, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) reported here Monday night.

The charges arise out of evidence Lawrence, one of Australia's best known female politicians, gave to a royal commission examining the circumstances surrounding a controversial petition tabled in the Western Australian state parliament in 1992. Lawyer Penny Easton, who was named in the petition, committed suicide four days after it was tabled.

Lawrence was premier of the state before entering federal politics.

The ABC reported Lawrence was deeply distressed by the decision to charge her and maintained she had done nothing wrong.

It quoted her as saying that since she was innocent she had every confidence of being vindicated in court.

Lawrence said she would stand down from her Labor Party's opposition front bench in Canberra but would not resign from parliament, it added.

A Western Australian state member of parliament, John Halden, has also been charged with one count of perjury arising from the royal commission, the report said.

Lawrence and Halden will appear at the Perth Court of Petty Sessions Thursday.

It was not clear whether Lawrence had been arrested or charged by summons and no further details were immediately available.

April 21 , 1997

Monday night

four days

Thursday

charged

reported

arise

gave

tabled

named

committed

tabled

premier

entering

reported

decision

charge

maintained

quoted

saying

vindicated

said

stand

resign

added

charged

arising

said

appear

arrested

charged

summons


XIN_ENG_20061107.0430

WELLINGTON, Nov. 8 , 2006 (Xinhua)

CNN

FLASH: DEMOCRATS GAIN NECESSARY NET SEATS TO CAPTURE HOUSE CONTROL: CNN

Nov. 8 , 2006

FLASH

GAIN


AFP_ENG_20051215.0694

SYDNEY, Dec 16 , 2005

Nineteen arrested in Sydney violence crackdown

Australian police arrested 19 people during a night of simmering unrest in Sydney as they prepared for a major crackdown on a feared new outbreak of racial violence at the weekend, officers said Friday.

Armed with new powers granted by an emergency session of the New South Wales state parliament, police set up check points on a number of main roads in Sydney's troubled southern suburbs.

A wave of arrests followed after several incidents, including a Molotov cocktail thrown at police, an elderly man attacked with a crowbar and an officer injured in a brawl, Assistant Commissioner Dave Owens told the national AAP news agency.

The arrests were made by a special task force set up after a mob of whites attacked people of Arab appearance at south Sydney's Cronulla beach on Sunday, sparking days of retaliatory attacks by mainly ethnic-Lebanese men.

Police used new powers granted by an emergency session of the New South Wales parliament Thursday, after lawmakers were recalled from their summer recess.

The legislation gives police powers to "lock down" suburbs, close pubs, enforce alcohol bans and confiscate cars.

The overnight display of force came ahead of an expected major clampdown at the weekend, when police will treble their numbers to up to 1,500 officers at troubled beaches and suburbs.

Prime Minister John Howard, writing in Australia's Daily Telegraph Friday, said the violence was a result of people who had "no regard for the law" and those who had "no respect for their fellow Australians".

"It is clear the best way to deal with the challenge is for everyone to calm down," wrote Howard, who has dismissed suggestions that Australia is a racist society.

"The most immediate -- and best -- solution is maintenance of law and order."

Despite the attacks, the overwhelming majority of Australians still had "the proper instincts and decent values", he said.

"In the long term we can reflect on whether there are some lessons to be learned or messages to be heeded," he said of the events of the past week.

Meanwhile, the prime minister encouraged Australians to enjoy the holiday season. "Let us celebrate Christmas and the long days of summer," Howard wrote.

"Celebrate the fact Australia is still the greatest place in the world to live."

Dec 16 , 2005

the weekend

Friday

Sunday

Thursday

the weekend

Friday

the past week

holiday season

arrested

simmering

prepared

crackdown

violence

said

granted

session

set

followed

thrown

attacked

injured

brawl

told

arrests

made

set

attacked

sparking

attacks

used

granted

session

recalled

gives

lock

enforce

confiscate

came

expected

clampdown

treble

writing

said

violence

had

had

deal

calm

wrote

dismissed

maintenance

attacks

had

said

reflect

learned

heeded

said

encouraged

enjoy

Let

celebrate

wrote

Celebrate

live


XIN_ENG_20061120.0222

JOHANNESBURG, Nov 20 , 2006 (Xinhua)

Africa urged to improve aviation security

African aviation will have to increase investment to reach international security standards, South African Transport Minister Jeff Radebe said on Monday.

Speaking at the 17th International Federation of Air Traffic Controllers Association (IFATCA), Radebe said: "African aviation forms a small percentage of overall international activities, yet represents a high level of accidents at international level."

He cited an African Development Bank study which found that African countries must invest between 150 billion U.S. dollars and 200 billion dollars on aviation to bring them up to international security standards.

The continent has about 500 national airports, 117 international airports and more than 1,000 airfields.

Although Africa accounted for only 4.5 percent of global air traffic, 25 percent of all accidents in which aircraft were lost in 2004 occurred in Africa, according to the International Air Transport Association.

"With the increased growth in international economies that aviation contributes, it is critical that the industry considers tightening up its safety and security infrastructure to enhance growth and development in travel," Radebe said.

With the 2010 Soccer World Cup to be hosted by South Africa, the Air Traffic Navigation System (ATNS) was investigating ways to improve capacity, staffing and infrastructure locally.

"The ATNS has invested 786 million rand (109 million dollars) in projects and the continued renewal of infrastructure, radar upgrading and rescue navigation systems. A further 125 million rand (17 million dollars) has been allocated to train 50 new people every year for the next five years," Radebe said.

Nov 20 , 2006

Monday

every year

the next five years

increase

reach

said

Speaking

said

forms

represents

cited

study

found

invest

bring

has

accounted

lost

occurred

according

growth

contributes

tightening

enhance

development

said

hosted

investigating

improve

invested

renewal

allocated

train

said


XIN_ENG_20051127.0170

MOSCOW, Nov. 27 , 2005 (Xinhua)

UPDATE-2: Russia's Chechnya votes to elect parliament amid tight security

Amid tight security, Chechens voted on Sunday to elect a parliament that officials say will enable the war-ravaged region to function as a normal part of the Russian state after years of conflict.

The fourth vote in the region since 2003, which came after two presidential elections and one constitutional referendum, this parliamentary poll will give Chechnya a full set of government bodies.

A total of 600,000 voters were registered in Chechnya for the polls, which will elect 58 deputies to the two-chamber parliament - - the Republican Council (upper house) and the People's Assembly ( lower house). The election has drawn 342 candidates from eight parties.

Polling stations opened at 8:00 a.m. (0500 GMT) amid heightened security in this volatile region, where separatist rebels have frequently targeted security forces as well as civilians in bombing attacks for much of the past decade, Russian news agencies reported.

The Interior Ministry deployed 24,000 police and troops to provide security and metal detectors were set up at polling stations to guard against weapons and explosives, the Itar-Tass news agency said.

Chechen President Alu Alkhanov pronounced the poll valid about four hours into voting, citing reports of voter turnout reaching the threshold for validity.

"Based on reports we have received from the heads of districts and territorial election commissions, I can officially announce that the Chechen parliamentary elections are valid," Alkhanov said.

The polls closed at 6:00 p.m. (1500 GMT) and Chechen Elections Commission Chairman Ismail Baikhanov put the turnout at 57 percent.

Preliminary results will be announced by Monday noon but official results will only be available by the end of next week, Baikhanov said.

President Vladimir Putin has called the election a "milestone" that will boost stability in the republic and the whole North Caucasus region.

About 20 observers from international groups including the Council of Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States visited polling stations to monitor the vote.

Alkhanov met with international observers for the election Sunday, saying the election will "confirm Chechnya's path of construction, peace and cooperation with those who share these guidelines."

"Democratic processes in the republic will become more dynamic, as we will have the power body crowning the republican statehood," Alkhanov said.

Alkhanov wanted the new parliament to convene as soon as possible to adopt laws. "We plan to hold the first meeting between Dec. 10-15," he said.

Many in the war-ravaged region expected the new parliament to focus on ending the violence.

"We have a goal of termination of the warfare. Our mission will be complete when shooting ceases and abductions stop," Chechnya's First Deputy Prime Minister Ramzan said.

Nov. 27 , 2005

Sunday

8:00 a.m.

past decade

Monday

the end of next week

Sunday

Dec. 10-15

voted

elect

enable

function

vote

came

give

registered

elect

drawn

opened

targeted

attacks

reported

deployed

provide

set

guard

said

pronounced

citing

reaching

received

announce

said

closed

put

announced

available

said

called

boost

visited

monitor

vote

met

election

saying

confirm

share

become

said

wanted

convene

adopt

plan

hold

meeting

said

expected

focus

ending

violence

warfare

shooting

stop

said


XIN_ENG_20061118.0247

CARACAS, Nov. 18 , 2006 (Xinhua)

Venezuelan army reserve to guard upcoming presidential vote

Venezuelan army reserve troops were trained Saturday to guard polling stations and ballots during the presidential election scheduled for Dec. 3.

The troops were joined by members of the country's Territorial Guard, a special military division created by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.

Army Col. Francisco Salcedo, who supervised training for about 1,000 reservists in Caracas said "We are charged with watching over the safeguarding of election materials and the security of the installations and people."

Chavez, who is running for re-election, has accused the opposition of working with the United States to disrupt the vote.

"Don't make me take drastic measures," Chavez warned. He urged officials, prosecutors and the military to stand ready to ensure laws are upheld and to take action against the "conspirators."

Nov. 18 , 2006

Saturday

Dec. 3

trained

guard

scheduled

joined

created

supervised

training

said

charged

watching

safeguarding

installations

running

accused

working

disrupt

make

take

warned

urged

stand

ensure

upheld

take

action


XIN_ENG_20061114.0312

WASHINGTON, Nov. 14 , 2006 (Xinhua)

U.S. trade deals in Colombia, Peru put to test: report

The election of a Democratic- controlled Congress more skeptical about the value of free trade is forcing Colombia and Peru to decide whether they need to make additional concessions on labor issues to win congressional approval of trade deals they have negotiated with the U.S., The Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday.

The report said the two South American nations have negotiated deals with the U.S. that liberalize trade in a host of areas, including industrial tariffs, textiles, and apparel and service industries.

Peru already has ratified the pact; Colombia plans to sign its agreement next week and ratify it afterwards. Congress isn't likely to take up either measure until next year, after the Democrats take control, according to the report.

Democrats have long complained that the South American agreements -- as well as other deals signed by the Bush administration -- skimp on protections of labor rights. That has presented Colombia and Peru with a dilemma: Should they make concessions beyond what the White House has sought -- which is sure to be controversial at home -- or face possible rejection of the deals by Congress, said the report.

On Monday, Colombian President Alvaro Uribe said he didn't plan to accept changes in the deal. "I consider that the provisions we have included to protect workers in the agreement are clear provisions" and didn't need to be augmented, he said, after a day of lobbying on Capitol Hill. "More than the provisions, we have the political will to protect our workers."

Earlier in the day, Hernando de Soto, a Peruvian economist appointed as special trade envoy, took a more conciliatory stance. He said his country had a "game plan" to present to the U.S. that "should put to rest the concerns many Democrats have concerning labor and other matters," according to Reuters. But he wasn't more specific.

Nov. 14 , 2006

Tuesday

next week

next year

Monday

election

forcing

decide

need

make

win

negotiated

reported

said

negotiated

deals

liberalize

ratified

plans

sign

agreement

ratify

take

according

complained

signed

skimp

presented

make

concessions

sought

controversial

face

rejection

deals

said

said

plan

accept

changes

deal

consider

included

protect

need

augmented

said

lobbying

protect

appointed

took

said

had

present

put

rest

concerning

according


AFP_ENG_20061202.0190

NAGANO, Japan, Dec 2 , 2006, 2006

=(PICTURE)=

Japanese wondergirl skater Mao Asada is heading to Russia to defend the Grand Prix Final after winning the NHK Trophy Friday with the highest ever score for a woman.

Japanese rivals Fumie Suguri and Yukari Nakano, who won the NHK event last year, delighted the home fans by finishing second and third respectively.

Asada, 16, collected 199.52 points in the Japanese competition, having marked 130.02 points in the free skating section and 69.50 from the short program.

The overall point score edged above 198.06 points won by two-time world champion Irina Slutskaya of Russia at the 2005 Cup of Russia.

"I was so happy because this is my first victory this season," Asada said. "About the total score...it was a surprise and I was happy to see that."

Asada gained her international prominence by beating Slutskaya to win the Grand Prix Final last year.

Asada, the crowd's all-out favorite, kicked off her free skating program with a wobbly landing from a triple axel, but her performance improved after that.

"I thought I could ride the wave if I could succeed the triple axel. Today, I landed but kind of wobbled a bit. But it was not a failure and I was on my wave," she said.

"The rest of the programs had jumps that I felt confident about. I was able to do as I wanted, and I was relieved by that," she said.

There was considerable pressure on the high school student, who needed to win the competition to advance to the Grand Prix Final in Saint Petersburg later this month. The NHK Trophy is the last in the six-round qualifying series for the Final.

"This was the first time that I was put in a high-pressure situation like this. I was nervous but I came out OK. Maybe I grew up a little," said Asada, a driving force behind Japan's figure skating craze.

"I want to keep this momentum going into the finals. I hope I can do (a triple axel) there," Asada said.

Second-placed Suguri, 25, the world silver medallist who also came in second at Skate Canada this season, said she had struggled with fitness for the home competition.

"New generations of skaters are growing, even girls who are 10 years younger than I. I must to work more in order to survive," said Suguri, who won a total 179.31 points, scoring 117.39 in free skating and 61.92 from her short program.

"Maybe I failed to build my stamina, and it might have shown at the end," she said. "I want to learn from new ideas from new girls."

Nakano, who failed to defend her title, said she was disappointed about repeated mistakes, particularly in her free skating, but that she would work to sharpen the accuracy of her jumps and spins.

Dec 2 , 2006

Friday

last year

this season

last year

Today

later this month

heading

defend

winning

score

won

delighted

finishing

collected

marked

edged

won

said

happy

see

gained

beating

win

kicked

improved

thought

ride

succeed

landed

wobbled

failure

said

jumps

felt

do

wanted

relieved

said

needed

win

advance

put

came

grew

said

want

keep

going

hope

said

came

said

struggled

growing

work

survive

said

won

scoring

failed

build

shown

said

want

learn

failed

defend

said

disappointed

mistakes

work

sharpen

spins


AFP_ENG_19970411.0363

STOCKHOLM, April 11 , 1997 (AFP)

Swedish protestors urge Dutch to release environmentalist

Swedish environmentalists rallied outside the Dutch embassy here on Friday to urge the Netherlands to release the founder of their group, Paul Watson, wanted in Norway for illegal protest actions against whaling, police said.

Half a dozen environmentalists of the Sea Shepherd group brandished banners outside the embassy urging "Please Holland, free Paul Watson."

Watson, a 46-year old Canadian citizen who is also the co-founder of Greenpeace, was arrested at Amsterdam's Schiphol airport on April 2 under an international arrest warrant.

He is wanted by Norwegian authorities, who have requested his extradition in connection with a collision in July 1992 between his Sea Shepherd Conservation Society boat and a whaler during an operation by environmentalists against whale-hunting.

Watson had been sentenced in Norway to 120 days imprisonment for damage to the whaling ship Nybraenna. He is also wanted in Norway for two other illegal protest actions against whaling.

In July 1994, a Sea Shepherd boat rammed a Norwegian coast guard vessel during an operation by environmentalists against whale-hunting, and in January 1994 he sabotaged the whaler Senet.

Dutch diplomat Rienko Wilton told AFP that Friday's demonstration was "very peaceful."

April 11 , 1997

Friday

April 2

July 1992

July 1994

January 1994

Friday

rallied

urge

release

wanted

actions

said

brandished

urging

arrested

wanted

requested

extradition

operation

sentenced

wanted

actions

rammed

operation

sabotaged

told

demonstration


XIN_ENG_20061106.0079

BEIJING, Nov. 6 , 2006 (Xinhua)

(China-Africa) Egypt grants China full market economy status

China and Egypt signed a memorandum of understanding here Monday on the acknowledgment of China's full market economy status.

In the MOU, signed between China's Commerce Minister Bo Xilai and Egyptian Minister of Trade and Industry Rashid Mohamed Rashid, the African country announced it acknowledges China's full market economy status and promised fair treatment to Chinese companies in international trade.

The two countries also agreed to enhance all-round cooperation in trade, investment, contracted engineering projects and personnel training in an effort to elevate bilateral ties, according to a second MOU signed between the two ministers on further trade and economic cooperation.

Egypt was the first African country to establish diplomatic ties with China on May 30, 1956.

Today, the country is China's sixth largest trading partner in Africa with last year's bilateral trade hitting 2.145 billion U.S. dollars. The figure totaled 1.96 billion U.S. dollars in the first eight months of this year, up 47.6 percent over the same period of 2005. The Chinese side has said it will work to expand imports from Egypt.

The two countries said they will also encourage their businesses to work together in tapping third country markets.

To date, more than 60 countries have granted China the full market economy status, including 14 African countries.

Algeria, Sudan, the Central African Republic and Sierra Leone signed MOUs with China on Sunday to acknowledge its full market economy status, after a landmark summit between China and 48 African countries that have diplomatic ties with it.

Nov. 6 , 2006

Monday

May 30, 1956

Today

last year

the first eight months

this year

the same period of 2005

Sunday

signed

understanding

signed

announced

acknowledges

promised

agreed

enhance

cooperation

contracted

training

effort

elevate

according

signed

cooperation

establish

totaled

said

work

expand

said

encourage

work

tapping

granted

signed

acknowledge

summit


AFP_ENG_20061219.0023

PERTH, Australia, Dec 19 , 2006, 2006

by Scott Coghlan

Despite another failure with the bat as he continues his comeback, Michael Vaughan is expected to return to England's one-day squad later this week and may regain the captaincy.

In his fourth match since knee surgery, Vaughan was dismissed for 14 here Tuesday playing for the England Academy, just hours after England coach Duncan Fletcher had given his rehabilitation a glowing endorsement.

Vaughan had made a duck and nine in his two previous appearances for the England Academy here over the last fortnight, and did not bat in the two-day game England played against WA.

There were mitigating circumstances for Tuesday's failure, as the ball was seaming about prodigiously in overcast and muggy conditions ideal for swing bowling.

Vaughan lasted 32 balls and showed signs of his form returning with a couple of elegant boundaries, before again falling to a mistimed pull shot that was skied to mid-on, as he had done in his previous innings.

Despite his indifferent form, the 2005 Ashes skipper is expected to be recalled when England announces its squad for the triangular one-day series, starting in mid-January, later this week.

Fletcher again ruled out Vaughan playing in the last two Ashes Tests and said the selectors were yet to make a final decision on the form and fitness of the former skipper with regards to a one-day recall.

However, the tone of Fletcher's response suggested the 32-year-old was very much on target to play in the triangular series.

"It is very positive and it is pleasing to see," he said.

"Vaughan has been training with (fitness trainer) Nigel Stockill and he is moving around very freely.

"In fact, he says he hasn't felt so good for some time."

Fletcher confirmed Vaughan was being considered as captain for the one-dayers.

"We'll have to make that decision when we meet with the other selectors," he said.

"The (players) have been happy with (Andrew) Flintoff, we will have to take that into consideration when we pick the one-day side."

Flintoff had said he hoped to remain captain for the one-day series on Monday, just after the third Test loss to Australia.

"If the job is available, of course I will," Flintoff said when asked if he would make himself available to captain in the one-dayers.

Vaughan has not played at the top level for England since the third Test against Pakistan in Lahore 13 months ago.

He has a modest one-day record and his last limited overs appearance for England was against Australia in July last year.

Pace bowler Steve Harmison is likely to return home after the Tests, along with spinner Monty Panesar and wicketkeeper Geraint Jones, while batsman Mike Yardy and pace bowler Stuart Broad will be in the selection mix.

All-rounder Jamie Dalrymple, called into the Test squad following the departure of spinner Ashley Giles and a chance to play in the last two Tests, is likely to be part of the one-day outfit and provide the spin option.

Dec 19 , 2006

this week

Tuesday

the last fortnight

Tuesday

this week

Monday

13 months ago

July last year

the last two Tests

failure

continues

comeback

expected

return

regain

captaincy

match

dismissed

playing

given

rehabilitation

made

played

mitigating

failure

seaming

lasted

showed

returning

falling

skied

done

expected

recalled

announces

starting

ruled

playing

said

make

decision

recall

suggested

play

pleasing

see

said

training

moving

says

felt

confirmed

considered

make

decision

meet

said

take

pick

said

hoped

remain

loss

said

asked

make

played

has

return

called

departure

play

provide


AFP_ENG_20061201.0211

KIEV, Dec 1 , 2006, 2006

URGENT  Ukraine's parliament sacks pro-West foreign minister

The pro-Russian majority in Ukraine's parliament on Friday sacked Foreign Minister Boris Tarasyuk, a key pro-Western politician and major proponent of NATO accession for this ex-Soviet republic.

Dec 1 , 2006

Friday

sacked


WSJ891027-0182
 = 891027
 891027-0182.
 Dresdner Bank Acquisition
 10/27/89
 WALL STREET JOURNAL (J)
 EUROP DRSDY F.SGF
 TENDER OFFERS, MERGERS, ACQUISITIONS (TNM)
BANKS (BNK)
 FRANKFURT, West Germany

   West German and French authorities have cleared Dresdner Bank AG's takeover of a majority stake in Banque Internationale de Placement (BIP), Dresdner Bank said.

   The approval, which had been expected, permits West Germany's second-largest bank to acquire shares of the French investment bank.

   In a first step, Dresdner Bank will buy 32.99% of BIP for 1,015 French francs ($162) a share, or 528 million francs ($84.7 million).
Dresdner Bank said it will also buy all shares tendered by shareholders on the Paris Stock Exchange at the same price from today through Nov. 17.
In addition, the bank has an option to buy a 30.84% stake in BIP from Societe Generale after Jan. 1, 1990 at 1,015 francs a share.

today

Nov. 17

Jan. 1, 1990

cleared

takeover

said

approval

expected

permits

acquire

buy

said

buy

tendered

has

option

buy

from

through

after


AFP_ENG_20061211.0352

JOHANNESBURG, Dec 11 , 2006, 2006

South African lifespans cut short by AIDS

South Africa, which has the world's second heaviest caseload of HIV/AIDS, has seen average life expectancy fall by 13 years since 1990 to 51, a new study has said.

A survey by the Medical Research Council and Actuarial Society of South Africa, based on epidemiological and demographic data, said life expectancy this year was "estimated to be 49 years for males and 53 years for females" or an average of 51.

"By 2005, the HIV/AIDS pandemic has already taken about 13 years off life expectancy," it said.

Senior MRC Researcher Debbie Bradshaw said life expectancy in South Africa was on average 64 years in 1990 and had now dropped to 51.

A mathematical AIDS model was used to determine how much the disease contributed to the decline in population figures.

South Africa is second to India as the country with the highest number of HIV-infected people in the world.

Around 5.5 million people in a population of 47 million are living with HIV or AIDS.

The government has come under fire for delays in rolling out lifesaving antiretroviral drugs.

According to government figures for September, 213,000 infected people now benefit from a government-funded antiretroviral plan, and 11,000 more join each month.

The study said that without the ARV programme "the decrease in life expectancy would be nearly 19 years by 2015, with an average life expectancy of less than 48 years.

Based on a scenario developed by researchers that by 2015 50 percent of those needing treatment will be receiving it, the impact of AIDS deaths could slow down in the coming years.

"With the programme, the difference is expected to reduce below 16 years, giving a life expectancy of 50 years."

Dec 11 , 2006

13 years

this year

53 years

13 years

64 years

September

now

nearly 19 years

the coming years

16 years

50 years

seen

fall

said

said

estimated

taken

said

said

dropped

used

determine

contributed

decline

come

rolling

benefit

join

said

developed

receiving

impact

slow

expected

reduce

giving


WSJ891101-0018
 = 891101
 891101-0018.
 Business Brief -- Cilcorp Inc.:
@  Some Assets to Be Acquired
@  From Hunter Environmental
 11/01/89
 WALL STREET JOURNAL (J)
 CER HESI
 BUYBACKS, REDEMPTIONS, SWAP OFFERS (BBK)
TENDER OFFERS, MERGERS, ACQUISITIONS (TNM)

   Cilcorp Inc., Peoria, Ill., said it agreed  to acquire the environmental consulting and analytical service businesses of Hunter Environmental Services Inc. of Southport, Conn.
   The utility holding company said Hunter  will receive 390,000 shares of a new series of Cilcorp convertible preferred stock with a face value of $39 million for the businesses.
Cilcorp  will  also assume $22 million of Hunter's existing debt.
As part of the agreement, Cilcorp said it  will pay Hunter $4 million in exchange for agreements not to compete.

   Cilcorp said the businesses  to  be acquired had revenue of $76 million for the year ended March 31.

   Separately, Cilcorp said it plans  to purchase as many as 1.4 million shares, or 10% of its common stock outstanding from time to time on the open market and through privately negotiated transactions.

   The company, which currently has 13.5 million common shares outstanding, said it has no specific plans for the shares.

the year

March 31

currently

said

agreed

acquire

said

receive

assume

debt

agreement

said

pay

said

acquired

had

revenue

said

plans

purchase

has

said

has

plans

for

ended


AFP_ENG_20061214.0206

DOHA, Dec 14 , 2006, 2006

China's Li Yan wins Asiad cycling points gold

China's Li Yan won the Asian Games women's cycling points gold medal on Thursday.

South Korea's Lee Min Hye took silver with Nontasin Chanpeng of Thailand winning bronze.

Dec 14 , 2006

Thursday

won

took


XIN_ENG_20061115.0007

WASHINGTON, Nov. 14 , 2006 (Xinhua)

NEWSMAKER: Tie Ning: First woman to head China's literary world

by Xinhua Writer Chang Ai-ling

BEIJING, Nov. 15 (Xinhua) -- As the first woman writer elected as president of the Chinese Writers Association, 49-year-old Tie Ning broke the stereotype of the government-sponsored organization.

"It ends the era of a literary world dominated by great masters and ushers in the age of common people," fellow writer Sun Yunxiao wrote in his blog, commenting on Tie's election.

Born in 1957, Tie was elected president of the association on Sunday at the seventh congress of the association in Beijing, becoming China's top literary official.

The association, founded in 1949, is a non-government body made up of outstanding Chinese writers to encourage Chinese literary activities and promote exchanges between the Chinese and foreign literary circles.

Compared with predecessors -- Mao Dun (1896-1981) and Ba Jin (1904-2005) -- who made their names before the founding of New China with works attacking the feudal society, Tie comes from another age.

"I belong to the generation of writers who grew up with China's economic reform and opening up process," Tie said in an interview with China's major news website sina.com.cn, before the election.

China's literary world has become increasingly diversified since the 1980s, leaving behind the era when the literary landscape was dominated by several great masters who were admired by an awestruck public.

Tie published her first story in 1975. At the age of 25, she won a national acclaim for her prize-winning short story "Ah, Xiangxue," which relates the adventures of a country girl who yearns to know about the outside world and gets on a train by mistake.

Her novel "The Red Shirt Without Buttons" and short story "June's Big Topic" won her another two national awards in 1984. Since the 1980s, Tie has published a number of collections of short stories and novels and become one of China's most well-known writers.

In 1996, 38-year-old Tie was elected vice president of the Chinese Writers Association. Meanwhile, she also served as president of the Hebei Provincial Writers Association.

To many of her colleagues, Tie, who has never been married, is a smart and nice-looking lady, who "has a positive attitude towards life and literature". Her election seemed to be warmly welcomed by Chinese writers, especially of her generation.

"First of all, she is a real writer. Her books demonstrate her talents and creativity. Secondly, she is of good character and is influential among writers," Sun said.

Other writers hope the woman president will introduce "new vitality" into the 57-year-old association.

"Some people may think that a writer of our generation is less weighty than the literary masters as Mao Dun and Ba Jin. But I personally support the election of a young, capable and vigorous writer as the new president," writer Hai Yan was quoted as saying by the China News Service.

"The president of the writers association should not be viewed as a figurehead," Hai said.

The Chinese Writers Association has been criticized for its "officialdom" by writers in recent years and is under huge pressure for institutional reform. Chinese writers have also frequently been chastised by the public for their lack of social responsibility, shallow understanding of social changes, ignorance of history and deliberate avoidance of social conflicts.

The Southern Metropolis Daily commented that compared with Mao Dun and Ba Jin, who either held too many titles to focus on the association or were too old and weak to deal with the association's affairs, Tie was subject to much higher expectations.

The newspaper said it expected that Tie, after the promotion, will continue to write good novels and use her position to reinforce Chinese writers' professional consciences.

Although Tie has turned down all media requests for interviews since the appointment this week, her position in both the literary and political arena, as well as her earlier words and deeds, might still belie her would-be agenda for the organization with more than 7,600 member writers.

In 2002, Tie was elected to the powerful Central Committee of the Communist Party of China as an alternate member at the Party's 16th National Congress.

Responding to questions on her "dual identity", Tie said early this year that she dosen't think that being an official limits her freedom of writing.

"First of all, I personally don't put them at opposite sides. Secondly, being a writer is my job, my duty and my focus," she said. "As a writer, my soul is free. My writing is independent. Nobody forces me to write, neither am I restricted by anyone."

While serving as president of the Hebei Provincial Writers Association, Tie was said to have devoted great efforts to help young writers and create more opportunities for them. She also successfully raised enough money to build a provincial literature center and set up a provincial institute for literature.

But she admitted that being an official is a challenge because she had to get used to mixing administrative issues and writing. "I deal with the issues in the most efficient way and then get back to writing. Such a situation challenges a writer's perseverance."

"If I have certain so-called capability, then it is my ability to return to my soul under any conditions," she said.

Nov. 14 , 2006

Nov. 15

Sunday

the 1980s

the era

the 1980s

recent years

this week

early this year

elected

broke

ends

era

dominated

ushers

wrote

commenting

Born

elected

becoming

founded

made

encourage

promote

made

founding

works

attacking

comes

grew

said

interview

election

become

diversified

leaving

dominated

admired

published

won

adventures

yearns

know

gets

won

awards

published

become

elected

served

married

seemed

welcomed

demonstrate

said

hope

introduce

think

support

election

quoted

saying

viewed

said

criticized

chastised

changes

avoidance

commented

held

focus

deal

said

expected

continue

write

use

reinforce

turned

interviews

appointment

belie

elected

said

think

limits

put

said

writing

independent

forces

write

restricted

serving

said

devoted

efforts

help

create

raised

build

set

admitted

get

used

mixing

deal

get

challenges

return

said


WSJ891030-0145
 = 891030
 891030-0145.
 Waxman Industries Debentures
 10/30/89
 WALL STREET JOURNAL (J)
 WAX
 BUYBACKS, REDEMPTIONS, SWAP OFFERS (BBK)
 BEDFORD HEIGHTS, Ohio

   Waxman Industries Inc. said holders of $6,542,000 face amount of its 6 1/4% convertible subordinated debentures, due March 15, 2007, have elected to convert the debt into about 683,000 common shares.

   The conversion price is $9.58 a share.

   The company said the holders represent 52% of the face amount of the debentures.

   Waxman sells a variety of hardware products for the home repair market.

March 15, 2007

said

due

elected

convert

said

represent


AFP_ENG_19970414.0322

NEW DELHI, April 14 , 1997 (AFP)

Factfile of leading candidates for Indian PM role

Leading United Front candidates for the role of India's 12th prime minister after the fall of H.D. Deve Gowda:

G.K. MOOPANAR: Leader of the regional Tamil Manila Congress (TMC) party, one of the members of the ousted United Front government. Moopanar's party has 20 members in parliament. A former Congress (I) veteran, known for long as the trouble shooter of former premier Indira Gandhi, he split from the Congress last year and floated the TMC, whose power base is confined to the southern state of Tamil Nadu. He is known to be close to most Congress leaders as well as Sonia Gandhi, widow of assassinated former premier Rajiv Gandhi. Speaks poor English and virtually no Hindi, the national language, and is at home only in Tamil. Has never held any government post.

N. CHANDRABABU NAIDU: Chief minister of the southern state of Andhra Pradesh, the country's third most populous state, and leader of the regional Telugu Desam party, floated by his late father-in-law, N.T. Rama Rao. Naidu's party has 17 members in parliament. Naidu was a key figure in the United Front coalition government's negotiations with the Congress after the Front was ousted. Naidu's party, which decimated the Congress in his home state last year, enjoys grass-root support across the coastal state. Naidu is believed to nurse high political ambitions.

April 14 , 1997

last year

last year

Leading

fall

has

split

floated

confined

known

held

floated

has

negotiations

ousted

decimated

enjoys

believed


XIN_ENG_20051112.0145

HARARE, Nov. 12 , 2005 (Xinhua)

Preparations on course for senate elections in Zimbabwe

The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission ( ZEC) said on Saturday preparations for the Senate elections are at an advanced stage with the National Logistical Committee mobilizing resources to ensure everything is in place to conduct the poll on November 26.

ZEC spokesperson Ethloile Silaigwana said logistical committees had been established in all the provinces to mobilize resources for the successful holding of the elections.

"Preparations are at an advanced stage with multiparty liaison committees now functional in the constituencies to attend to issues about the elections," he said.

ZEC established the National Logistic Committee on October 14 this year to mobilize resources for the Senate elections.

Silaigwana said multiparty liaison committees were encouraging political tolerance, peace and good conduct during campaigning and on the date of the elections.

An intensive voter education exercise was also going on in the constituencies, reminding people on their constitutional right to participate in the elections as well as educating voters on the correct documents to take to the polling stations so that they would not be turned away.

Voters were also being educated on the constitutional boundaries so that they went to the constituencies where they were registered, he said.

The exercise started on November 7 and ends on November 20 this year.

Silaigwana said the National Multiparty Liaison Committee that comprised all the candidates participating in the election had set out the ground rules to be observed as well as agreed on a code of conduct that supporters of each party would observe during campaigning.

He said the Committee was a mechanism to ensure that all parties conducted their business in a peaceful manner.

So far the situation on the ground was calm and peaceful and none of the candidates had reported incidences of violence, he said.

"We are predicting a peaceful election," said Silaigwana.

In the past, violence has characterized elections in Zimbabwe, resulting in the death of people and destruction of property.

The Senate elections have caused divisions in the opposition Movement for Democratic Change, one faction opposed to participation while the other is supporting.

Nov. 12 , 2005

Saturday

November 26

October 14

this year

November 7

November 20 this year

the past

said

mobilizing

ensure

conduct

said

established

mobilize

elections

attend

elections

said

established

mobilize

said

encouraging

conduct

elections

going

reminding

participate

elections

take

turned

educated

went

registered

said

exercise

started

ends

said

participating

election

set

observed

agreed

observe

said

ensure

conducted

reported

violence

said

predicting

election

said

characterized

elections

resulting

death

elections

caused

Movement

opposed

participation

supporting


XIN_ENG_20061101.0056

KABUL, Nov. 1 , 2006 (Xinhua)

Afghan, coalition forces kill 3 suspected terrorists

Afghan and the U.S.-led coalition forces killed three suspected terrorists and arrested another in Afghanistan's eastern Khost province, a coalition press release said Wednesday.

"Three armed terrorists were killed and another detained during an early Wednesday morning operation by Afghan and coalition forces near the town of Taranli in Khost province," it said.

They were inside a compound and intelligence information led to their location and finally their elimination, it added.

No civilians were harmed during the operation. There were no casualties on Afghan and coalition forces, it further said.

Khost, a mountainous region, has been a hotbed of Taliban and other militants, who clash with foreign and government forces frequently.

Nov. 1 , 2006

Wednesday

an early Wednesday morning

killed

arrested

said

killed

detained

operation

said

led

elimination

added

harmed

operation

said

clash


XIN_ENG_20051127.0092

BAGHDAD, Nov. 27 , 2005 (Xinhua)

US Marine killed in bomb attack in western Iraq

A US Marine was killed when a roadside bomb struck his vehicle west of Baghdad, the US military said on Sunday.

"The Marine assigned to the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing was killed Saturday in an explosion near Camp Taqaddum, 75 km west of Baghdad, " the military said in a brief statement.

The name of the soldier was withheld pending notification of next of kin, it added.

The death has brought to more than 2,100 the number of US military personnel who have died in Iraq since the US-led invasion in March 2003, according to media reports.

Nov. 27 , 2005

Sunday

Saturday

March 2003

killed

struck

said

assigned

killed

explosion

said

withheld

notification

added

death

brought

died

invasion

according


XIN_ENG_20051117.0406

BANGKOK, Nov. 18 , 2005 (Xinhua)

4 Vietnamese traffickers arrested

HANOI, Nov. 18 (Xinhua) --The Vietnamese police have just arrested a drug seller from a central province and three of his customers from Hanoi capital, confiscating 2.8 kg of heroin, 800 amphetamine and some 8,500 US dollars, local media reported Friday.

The police arrested the three middle-aged men from the capital city's rural districts on Nov. 16 after detecting the drugs hidden in their car, newspaper Young People said.

The men confessed that they bought them from a man named Vi Van May from Nghe An province. When local police approached May's house in Ky Son district on the morning of Nov. 16, he embraced two of his little children and a grenade in the house.

May did not surrender to the police until the afternoon of Nov. 17.

Last year, Vietnamese authorities reported 12,068 drug-related crimes, seized 239.4 kg of heroin, and arrested 18,260 people involved. Under the country's laws, anyone possessing, trading or trafficking heroin of 0.6 kg or above can be sentenced to death or life in prison.

Nov. 18 , 2005

Nov. 18

Friday

Nov. 16

May

the morning of Nov. 16

the afternoon of Nov. 17

Last year

arrested

confiscating

reported

arrested

detecting

hidden

said

confessed

bought

approached

embraced

surrender

reported

seized

arrested

involved

trading

sentenced


XIN_ENG_20051116.0271

WASHINGTON, Nov. 16 , 2005 (Xinhua)

US judge halts Guantanamo trial of Aussie: report

A US federal judge has halted the war crimes trial of an Australian terror suspect detained in the US naval base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, the New York Times reported on Wednesday.

In her ruling, US District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly suspended for several months the US military's plan to resume the trial of David Hicks, the Aussie charged with fighting for the Taliban in Afghanistan.

The move follows a request made by his lawyers, according to the report.

Kollar-Kotelly cited the Supreme Court's decision last week to review the legality of the military commissions being used to try Guantanamo detainees with war crimes.

The court ruling concerns the case of Salim Ahmed Hamdan, who was a driver for Osama bin Laden and has been accused of participating in terrorist activities.

After the Supreme Court agreed to consider the issue, the Pentagon said it would nonetheless go forward with plans to try Hicks under the same procedure.

The military commission which sits at Guantanamo had been scheduled to hear motions in the Hicks case beginning on Friday.

However, Kollar-Kotelly's ruling halted the process. She also ordered that Hicks's trial should be postponed until after the Supreme Court rules in the Hamdan case, which is expected in June next year.

Hicks and Hamdan, along with seven other Guantanamo detainees, have been charged with war crimes.

The Kollar-Kotelly ruling means, in effect, that none of the proceedings can go forward until the Supreme Court resolves the issue of the legality of the military commissions.

Last year, another US district judge ruled that the commissions violated both domestic laws and international conventions.

However, in July 2005, a three-judge appeal court, including John Roberts before he became the chief justice of the Supreme Court in October, overturned that ruling.

Nov. 16 , 2005

Wednesday

last week

Friday

June next year

Last year

July 2005

October

halted

trial

detained

reported

ruling

suspended

plan

resume

trial

charged

fighting

move

follows

request

made

according

cited

decision

review

used

try

ruling

concerns

accused

participating

agreed

consider

said

go

try

scheduled

hear

ruling

halted

ordered

trial

postponed

rules

expected

charged

ruling

means

proceedings

go

resolves

ruled

violated

became

overturned

ruling


AFP_ENG_20061228.0348

AGEN, France, Dec 28 , 2006, 2006

Laporte looks to Irish strategy for World Cup success

France coach Bernard Laporte revealed Thursday that he would be looking to emulate Ireland's strategy as the hosts prepare for next year's rugby World Cup.

Laporte blamed the heavy club schedule of many of France's internationals for their dismal autumn series which included two limp and uninspiring losses to World Cup favourites the All Blacks.

And he said that the two-time world finalists would be using the Six Nations Championship as a springboard for their World Cup campaign.

"We have to win the Six Nations, our reputation is at stake, but we want to use this big gathering to have a look at all the players," said Laporte during the official presentation for the 2007 Six Nations.

And for the first time in the competition, all forty members of the France squad will be mobilised for the tournament from February 3 to March 18.

"Of prime importance will be physical freshness, enthusiasm and spirit of competition," explained Laporte, adding that during the November Test series "(teams like Ireland) showed a totally different level of physical freshness than us".

"A player like (Ireland captain) Brian O'Driscoll plays half the matches of our centres and on the pitch that shows," he said.

Laporte pointed out that they will be looking to build physical fitness with a wide-ranging programme of activites scheduled for the week before each match, with players aware that their place in the World Cup is at stake.

"All (of the 40 players) will play at least one tournament match, but no-one will play all five matches," said Laporte.

Toulouse fly-half Frederic Michalak, who underwent knee surgery in November, will however not be among the group, Laporte added.

France open their Six Nations campaign against Italy in Rome on February 3, followed by Ireland at Croke Park in Dublin on February 11.

Dec 28 , 2006

Thursday

next year

February 3 to March 18

November

November

February 3

February 11

revealed

looking

emulate

prepare

blamed

losses

said

using

win

want

use

have

said

mobilised

explained

adding

showed

plays

matches

said

pointed

looking

build

scheduled

match

play

play

matches

said

underwent

added

open

followed


AFP_ENG_20051206.0280

LJUBLJANA, Dec 6 , 2005

unchanged

The 55 member states of the OSCE have agreed to reform the organisation without changing the role of its election monitoring teams, but a joint declaration at the close of the summit is unlikely, US and European Union officials said Tuesday.

US Under-Secretary of State Nicholas Burns said, hours before the end of the ministerial conference of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in Ljubljana, that all 55 members of the pan-European organisation had agreed on a roadmap for reform as requested by Russia.

He added most of the participants had agreed the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), the OSCE's election monitoring body, "should be strengthened instead of weakened."

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov attacked the ODIHR Monday, saying it had an "unacceptable autonomy" in monitoring elections, mainly in the former Soviet states, and urged the organisation to set clear guidelines for its methodology, composition and work.

While a compromise was reached over OSCE reforms due to start next year, Russia could not agree with the US and the European Union on a joint final declaration, which must be unanimously approved by participants before the end of the conference.

"We are not ready to trade principles for a document," Burns said, adding negotiations had failed because of Russia's refusal to acknowledge the so-called Istanbul commitments to withdraw its military forces from Georgia and Moldova, which Moscow agreed to in 1999.

"The great majority of countries believe we should reaffirm the commitments of Istanbul," Burns said, adding all member states were ready to praise Moscow's progress in pulling out of bases in Georgia, following an agreement signed last May.

"But there has been no progress in Moldova since 2003 in terms of reduction of the Russian forces," Burns said.

The head of the British delegation, John Sawers, said the European Union proposed a compromise over the final declaration that was initially accepted by Washington while the Russians were still considering it.

"The Russians may object to it, in which case the language (declaration) may well be used by the chairman in office," Sawers said, meaning the conference chairman, Slovenia's Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel, would issue a final statement if a consensus cannot be reached over the document.

Dec 6 , 2005

Tuesday

next year

last May

agreed

reform

changing

close

said

said

conference

agreed

requested

added

agreed

strengthened

attacked

saying

had

urged

set

compromise

reached

start

agree

approved

end

conference

trade

said

adding

negotiations

failed

refusal

acknowledge

withdraw

agreed

believe

reaffirm

said

adding

praise

progress

pulling

following

signed

progress

said

said

proposed

compromise

accepted

considering

object

used

said

meaning

issue

reached


XIN_ENG_20061110.0120

HONG KONG, Nov. 10 , 2006 (Xinhua)

for karaoke bars

by Xinhua writer Tian Sulei

BEIJING, Nov. 10 (Xinhua) -- Karaoke bars in China's main cities will have to pay 12 yuan (1.5 U.S. dollars) a day in royalties to music artists for each room, according to a new regulation set by China's National Copyright Administration.

A statement on the administration's website said that royalties would first be collected in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou on a trial basis. The practice will gradually be widened to cover other cities, with the payment rate varying according to local economic conditions.

The move is another measure China has taken to improve its copyright protection in response to increasing pressure and is deemed vital in encouraging innovation.

The China Audio and Video Association has been designated as the temporary agent to collect the royalties for music being played in karaoke bars. This function will be taken over by an association for the collective management of audio and video copyrights after it is granted official approval by the government.

The size of the karaoke bars in China generally range from several rooms to more than 100 rooms.

Liu Wenhe, who is working to establish audio and video copyright association, said the charges collected from the karaoke bars will be paid to producers of the music works, including song writers and music companies.

"We will leave our foreign counterparts to handle payments to foreign companies and individuals," said Liu.

He said a special team will be established to start collecting the fees from karaoke bars, possibly before the end of this year.

Nov. 10 , 2006

Nov. 10

the end of this year

pay

according

set

said

collected

widened

cover

according

move

taken

improve

increasing

deemed

designated

collect

played

taken

granted

approval

range

working

establish

said

collected

paid

works

leave

handle

said

said

established

start

collecting


XIN_ENG_20061125.0052

DAR ES SALAAM, Nov. 25 , 2006 (Xinhua)

Zanzibar attracts more investment this year

The Indian Ocean archipelago of Zanzibar has witnessed increased investment as both foreign and local investors have enhanced their inputs in the first 10 months of this year.

Thirty-one investment projects worth 93 million U.S. dollars have been registered with the Zanzibar Investment Promotion Agency (ZIPA), according to reports reaching here on Saturday.

ZIPA Director Salum Khmis Nassor said 21 of the investment projects had been signed up by companies from such countries as Belgium, Britain, Kenya, Norway and South Africa while the remaining 10 investment projects had been signed by local investors from mainland Tanzania and from the isles.

The new investment projects cover areas including agriculture, fisheries, industries, tourism and air and marine transport.

Tourist hotels and restaurants drew the largest share of investment with 71 million dollars followed by industries (2.79 million dollars), air and marine transport (2.78 million dollars), fisheries (1.41 million dollars) and agriculture (910,004 dollars).

ZIPA is a government agency specializing in promoting foreign and local investment in the development of the Indian Ocean archipelago.

Nov. 25 , 2006

the first 10 months

this year

Saturday

witnessed

increased

investment

enhanced

projects

registered

according

reaching

said

signed

signed

drew

specializing

promoting

investment

development


XIN_ENG_20061124.0262

BAGHDAD, Nov. 24 , 2006 (Xinhua)

1st LD: U.S. helicopters fire into Baghdad's Sadr City, 2 wounded

Two U.S. helicopters opened fire on a funeral in Sadr City in eastern Baghdad on Friday, wounding two people, an Interior Ministry official told Xinhua.

Residents in Sadr City attended a funeral for victims who were killed in Thursday's deadliest bombings and some people fired into the air when two U.S. Apache helicopters flow over, the official said on condition of anonymity.

The choppers fired into the crowd, wounding two people, the official said, adding it seemed to be an accident, not clash.

Earlier in the day, Doha-based al-Jazeera English channel reported that armed clashes erupted on Friday evening between U.S. forces and Shiite militiamen in Shiite stronghold of Sadr City in eastern Baghdad.

On Thursday afternoon, at least 200 people were killed and more than 250 others were injured in four coordinated bombings in Shiite neighborhood of Sadr City.

It was the deadliest bombing attacks since the U.S.-led invasion in 2003.

Nov. 24 , 2006

Friday

Thursday

Friday evening

Thursday afternoon

opened

funeral

wounding

told

attended

funeral

killed

bombings

fired

flow

said

fired

wounding

said

adding

seemed

clash

reported

clashes

erupted

killed

injured

bombings

bombing

attacks

U.S.-led

invasion


XIN_ENG_20061114.0116

CHENGDU, Nov. 14 , 2006 (Xinhua)

cubs in one year

A record 28 pandas have survived so far this year after being born using artificial insemination techniques, a Chinese panda expert said here Tuesday.

A total of 31 panda cubs were born via artificial insemination this year, including 11 pairs of twins and one born to mother panda Lun Lun at the Atlanta Zoo of the United States, said Zhang Zhihe, director of the China Giant Panda Breeding Technical Committee.

Despite the early deaths of three cubs, this is the biggest baby boom for the endangered species since China's first attempt to artificially breed giant pandas in the 1960s, he said.

"We expected to get 10 cubs this year, but, as you can see, we were too conservative," he said.

Twenty-six of all the surviving panda cubs were bred by zoologists in southwest China's Sichuan Province: 17 were born at the Wolong Giant Panda Protection and Research Center and nine at the Chengdu Research Base.

Five-year-old Ya Ya gave birth to two cubs at Chongqing Zoo in neighboring Chongqing Municipality in September, but the careless mother crushed one in her sleep. The other one was sent to Wolong and is healthy, said Li Desheng, an expert at the Wolong Center.

More than 30 female pandas nationwide were inseminated in spring, including one at Beijing Zoo and one in northwest China's Shaanxi Province,said Zhang Zhihe.

A panda cub born at Beijing Zoo but died prematurely and no pregnancy occurred in Shaanxi, he said.

China's forestry administration said about 1,590 giant pandas are living in the wild, mainly in China's Sichuan and Shaanxi provinces. But Chinese and British scientists announced in June that there could be as many as 3,000, after a survey that used a new technology to profile DNA from giant panda feces.

More than 180 pandas have been bred in captivity at zoos worldwide.

Giant pandas have a very low fertility rate because they are sexually inactive. Female pandas become pregnant only once every year and deliver two cubs at most each time.

The fertility of captive giant pandas is even lower because they do not move much, experts said.

Nov. 14 , 2006

this year

Tuesday

this year

the 1960s

this year

September

spring

June

every year

survived

born

using

said

born

said

attempt

breed

said

expected

get

see

said

bred

born

gave

neighboring

crushed

sent

said

inseminated

said

born

died

occurred

said

said

announced

survey

used

profile

bred

become

deliver

move

said


XIN_ENG_20061109.0072

KATHMANDU, Nov. 9 , 2006 (Xinhua)

Nepali government endorses SPA-guerillas latest pact

Nepali government endorsed Thursday the latest six-point agreement between the Seven Party Alliance (SPA) and guerrillas.

The meeting of council of ministers was held on Thursday morning approving the pact singed on Wednesday midnight.

Prime Minister Koirala, on the occasion, briefed about the agreement to the ministers and sought their commitments to implement the pact.

Meanwhile, Koirala also informed about the agreement to the parliament on Thursday noon.

In his speech to the parliament he said that the pact had added extra responsibility to all parties involved and stressed on the need to work united.

He also warned of conspiracy that the reactionary forces might hatch to destroy the historic pact.

Koirala urged the guerrillas to create fearless environment as earliest as possible.

Nov. 9 , 2006

Thursday

Thursday morning

Wednesday

Thursday noon

endorsed

agreement

meeting

held

approving

singed

briefed

agreement

sought

implement

informed

agreement

speech

said

added

involved

stressed

work

united

warned

hatch

destroy

urged

create


XIN_ENG_20051124.0219

BERLIN, Nov. 24 , 2005 (Xinhua)

Agency says 170,000 World Cup tickets still available

About 170,000 hospitality tickets from an original contingent of 346,950 are available, the International Sports and Entertainment AG (iSe) announced on Thursday.

The prices of the tickets for the games next year in Germany are between 633 and 15,000 euros.

"We are confident to be sold out at the World Cup," iSe Managing Director George Tayler told a press conference in the southern German city of Munich.

The company expects huge demand for tickets once the World Cup draw has taken place in Leipzig on December 9, Tayler was quoted by the German news agency DPA.

Regular tickets cost between 35 for the cheapest group and 600 euros for the most expensive final game. However, hospitality tickets start at 633.

Those who want to see the final in Berlin must buy a package including games in other cities.

"Our price is below that of France in 1998," Tayler said.

The iSe paid the world soccer body FIFA 180 million euros for the hospitality tickets license and may gain an estimated 700 million euros if all the tickets were sold out.

Nov. 24 , 2005

Thursday

next year

December 9

announced

confident

sold

told

conference

expects

taken

quoted

cost

start

want

see

buy

said

paid

gain

sold


AFP_ENG_19970417.0441

FARGO, North Dakota, April 17 , 1997 (AFP)

Red River floods set new record high in North Dakota town

Floodwaters from the swollen Red River soared to record high levels in this upper Midwest town Thursday and kept on rising as residents raced to shore up weakening sandbag dikes.

Many residents shook their heads in disbelief as the water kept rolling in and officials said they could not say when the river would crest after nearly two weeks of the worst flooding this century.

The water rose to 13.1 meters (39.3 feet), seven meters (22 feet) above flood stage, eclipsing the previous record of 13 meters (39.1 feet) set in 1897.

Firemen and policemen evacuated four families in the dead of the night as between 15 and 20 homes were flooded.

Two percent of the city was under water. Although there has been no precise estimate of the damage, the flooding is clearly taking its toll. Garbage collection has stopped and several areas are without water.

Several districts are only accessible by boat.

The floodwaters will delay planting of wheat and sugar beets causing an estimated one billion dollars in damages to farmers in the upper plains area.

Protective dikes have been built to a height of 13.3 meters (40 feet) but many are being weakened by the relentless pressure from the floodwaters.

One resident built a 30,000-dollar concrete dike around his home only to see it crack Wednesday. His house was entirely flooded.

In Fargo and in Moorhead, on the Minnesota side of the river, hundreds of volunteers worked throughout the night to shore up leaky levees and dikes or raced to pump water out faster than it came in.

The Red River and its tributaries, swollen by rains and melted snow, spread some 25 kilometers (15 miles) over highways and roads in rural areas here and covered the pancake-flat farmland.

April 17 , 1997

Thursday

nearly two weeks

stage

Wednesday

the night

soared

record

kept

rising

raced

shore

shook

kept

rolling

said

say

crest

flooding

rose

eclipsing

set

evacuated

flooded

estimate

damage

flooding

taking

stopped

delay

planting

causing

built

weakened

built

see

crack

flooded

worked

shore

raced

pump

came

rains

spread

covered


AFP_ENG_20061220.0510

ABUJA, Dec 20 , 2006, 2006

2007 poll

Nigeria's electoral agency said Wednesday that it has started to revalidate 2002/2003 voters cards for use in the April next year's presidential and general elections.

The revalidation of the 2002/2003 voters cards is "to ensure that all eligible voters are able to vote during the forthcoming general elections," the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said in an official statement.

INEC advised all those who registered in the 2002/2003 exercise to take advantage of "this unique opportunity" by visiting the nearest INEC registration centre to obtain new voters cards containing their photographs in replacement of the old ones.

Registration of voters the April 2007 poll formally ended last December 14 amid complaints that tens of millions of citizens were not recorded during the exercise.

The electoral act stipulates that the registration of voters must have been completed 120 days before the start of 2007 gubernatorial and presidential poll, an INEC official told AFP.

Governorship elections are scheduled for April 14 while the presidential poll will be held a week later.

A massive drive to put all over-18s on the electoral roll was beset by technical problems, a situation that drew the ire of the country's lawmakers who twice recently summoned the INEC boss, Maurice Iwu, to explain what they said was his agency's sloppy handling of the exercise.

The lawmakers and most Nigerians criticised the use of hi-tech polling e-machines which store voters' thumbprints and photographs, but proved ineffective in a demonstration in October.

Although 33,000 such machines were judged necessary to fulfil the demand of the populous nation's mandatory registration, officials said that less than 20,000 were deployed for the exercise.

They also cited poor mobilisation and sensitisation of the people for the exercise.

The April 2007 poll is expected to lead in May to the first democratic handover to a new government since Nigeria gained independence from Britain in October 1960.

President Olusegun Obasanjo, who has been in office since May 1999, is expected to hand over power on May 29 after the poll.

Dec 20 , 2006

Wednesday

April next year

the

April 2007

last December 14

120 days

April 14

a week later

October

April 2007

May

October 1960

May 1999

May 29

said

started

revalidate

use

elections

ensure

vote

elections

said

advised

registered

take

visiting

registration

obtain

containing

ended

recorded

exercise

stipulates

registration

completed

start

told

elections

scheduled

held

drive

put

beset

drew

summoned

explain

said

handling

exercise

criticised

use

proved

demonstration

judged

fulfil

said

deployed

cited

expected

lead

handover

gained

expected

hand


XIN_ENG_20051118.0250

AMMAN, Nov. 18 , 2005 (Xinhua)

Zarqawi says Amman attacks not target Muslims

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

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

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

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

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

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

Nov. 18 , 2005

Friday

Nov. 9

led

said

attacks

target

said

released

attacks

intended

target

collapsed

attacks

killed

attending

ceremony

said

attacks

killed

wounded

wanted

vowed

attacks

insurgency

claimed

attacks

violence-


AFP_ENG_20061219.0124

TOKYO, Dec 19 , 2006, 2006

ATTENTION - ADDS Fukui quotes ///

Japan on Tuesday forecast slightly faster growth in the next fiscal year on the back of stronger domestic demand, as the central bank kept super-low interest rates in place so as not to take any chances.

The government predicted 2.0 percent growth in the year to March 2008 in real terms, the sixth straight year of expansion and a notch above the revised 1.9 percent estimated for the current year.

In an outlook approved by the cabinet, the government expected the economy to continue its gradual recovery in the next fiscal year, led by domestic private demand and strong corporate earnings.

The study also forecast the first growth in a decade in a key measure of inflation -- the GDP deflator -- showing that the Japanese economy is finally winning its long bout with falling prices.

But the government revised downward its economic growth forecast for the current fiscal year to a real 1.9 percent from its earlier estimate of 2.1 percent as consumer spending has weakened since the summer.

"Consumer spending is the key to whether the Japanese economy can achieve the forecast next year," said Makoto Ishikawa, a senior economist at the Japan Research Institute.

Private consumption, which accounts for the biggest chunk of the economy, is forecast to rise an inflation-adjusted 1.6 percent in the next fiscal year, faster than the 0.6 percent in the current year.

The Bank of Japan's policy board later Tuesday agreed unanimously to keep the benchmark cost of borrowing at 0.25 percent, declining to raise rates for the first time in six months.

Bank of Japan governor Toshihiko Fukui, who has repeatedly signalled he wanted to raise rates at some point, acknowledged that consumer prices and private consumption had been weaker than previously thought.

"We also found it necessary to make a more careful analysis, given the fact that consumer prices and private consumption have been weak," Fukui said.

"But we maintain our analysis that private consumption is basically in a rising trend, given the continued spill-over of brisk corporate activity to the household," he said.

In its last rate hike in July, the Bank of Japan ended its unorthodox five-year policy of holding borrowing costs at zero in a bid to stimulate the economy and end deflation.

"The BoJ may need to confirm first that consumer spending has accelerated before hiking rates," said NLI Research Institute senior economist Taro Saito, who is looking at a rate increase either in January or February.

The market had widely expected the decision after the mixed economic data, including just 0.1 percent year-on-year growth in core consumer prices.

"We need to watch closely if there is any slightest risk that Japan might return to deflation in fiscal 2007," Economic and Fiscal Policy Minister Hiroko Ota told reporters.

Ota blamed rainy weather and slow income growth for the recent weak consumption data.

"But with the weather factor gone and income eventually picking up with the improvement in the employment situation, this should help buoy private consumption," she said.

On a nominal basis, which does not adjust for inflation, the government projected growth of 2.2 percent in the next fiscal year.

Japan is in the midst of its longest sustained recovery since World War II as it rebounds from the 1990s doldrums.

Last month the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) said that Japan's economic recovery should continue through 2008, albeit at a slower pace.

It trimmed its forecast for Japanese economic growth to a real 2.0 percent in 2007, down from a previous estimate of 2.2 percent, and warned the central bank against raising interest rates again yet because deflation still lingers.

Dec 19 , 2006

Tuesday

the next fiscal year

the year

March 2008

the current year

the next fiscal year

the current fiscal year

the summer

next year

the next fiscal year

the current year

Tuesday

six months

July

January or February

fiscal 2007

the next fiscal year

1990s doldrums

Last month

forecast

growth

kept

take

predicted

growth

estimated

approved

expected

continue

recovery

forecast

growth

showing

winning

revised

weakened

achieve

said

forecast

rise

agreed

keep

borrowing

declining

raise

signalled

wanted

raise

acknowledged

thought

found

make

given

said

maintain

analysis

given

said

hike

ended

holding

stimulate

end

need

confirm

accelerated

said

looking

increase

expected

decision

growth

need

watch

return

told

blamed

growth

gone

picking

improvement

help

buoy

said

adjust

projected

growth

recovery

War

rebounds

said

recovery

continue

trimmed

growth

warned

lingers


AFP_ENG_20061226.0201

LAGOS, Dec 26 , 2006, 2006

At least 200 killed in fire at vandalised pipeline in Nigeria

A blast and fire at a vandalised oil pipeline Tuesday in Nigeria's commercial capital Lagos killed at least 200 people and left dozens more badly burned, according to an AFP correspondent at the scene.

Scores of bodies lay in the foam and water that firefighters were using to bring the blaze in the city's northern Abule Egba district under control.

Dec 26 , 2006

Tuesday

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pipeline

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XIN_ENG_20051108.0148

BEIJING, Nov. 8 , 2005 (Xinhua)

Chinese FM, commerce minister to attend APEC ministerial meeting

Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing and Commerce Minister Bo Xilai will attend the 17th APEC Ministerial Meeting from Nov. 15 to 16 in Busan of the Republic of Korea (ROK), Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao announced here Tuesday.

The two ministers will make preparations for the 13th APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting which will be attended by Chinese President Hu Jintao after he concludes his state visit to Britain, Germany, Spain and the ROK.

APEC, which has 21 members, is the most important forum of economic cooperation in the Asian-Pacific region. Aiming to promote multilateral trade system and eliminate trade barriers within the region, APEC has become an active force that helps make regional trade and investment more liberal and convenient, promote regional economic and technological cooperation and economic development.

According to Liu, the upcoming ministerial meeting will give priority to regional trade planning, economic and technological cooperation, trade and energy security, bird flu prevention and control, and anti-corruption.

Nov. 8 , 2005

Nov. 15

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development

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XIN_ENG_20061123.0116

WARSAW, Nov. 23 , 2006 (Xinhua)

Poland announces national mourning for mine blast victims

Polish President Lech Kaczynski announced three days of national mourning for the victims in a mine blast in southern Poland, the official PAP news agency reported on Thursday.

The mourning period, starting on Thursday, came after all 23 miners trapped in the Halemba coal mine in the southern Polish city of Ruda Slaskain were confirmed dead, the report said.

The accident occurred on Tuesday night when a methane gas explosion 1,030 meters underground shook the Halemba coal mine. There were 31 miners working in the area at that time, and eight of them managed to escape.

The mine accident is the country's deadliest so far this year, bringing the number of miners killed in 2006 in Poland to 43.

Nov. 23 , 2006

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