XIN_ENG_20051116.0013

BUSAN, South Korea, Nov. 16 , 2005 (Xinhua)

APEC ministers stress anti-corruption, transparency standards

APEC ministers said here Wednesday that APEC's goal of economic prosperity could not be achieved unless corruption, both in the domestic economies and in international business transactions, was effectively addressed and those individuals guilty of corruption were denied a safe haven.

In a joint statement issued on the conclusion of the two-day 17th APEC Ministerial Meeting Wednesday, ministers from the 21 member economies of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) said corruption is one of the largest barriers to APEC's road to free trade, further economic development and greater prosperity.

They reaffirmed that they would continue to look for avenues to effectively address this important issue within APEC and in other fora.

They commended the APEC Anti-Corruption and Transparency (ACT) Task Force for beginning its important work.

The ministers stressed the importance of capacity building programs and encouraged member economies to develop and submit capacity building projects in support of APEC works in transparency as well as in anti-corruption.

The APEC Budget Management Committee (BMC) has approved 85 projects designed to strengthen the infrastructure and capacity of developing areas of the regional economy, worth 5.5 million US dollars in 2005, and a further 2.2 million dollars will be available for projects later in 2006, a committee official announced here Monday.

The APEC ministers encouraged all member economies to take all appropriate steps toward effective ratification and implementation of relevant conventions. They urged all member economies to submit brief annual progress reports to the ACT Task Force on their APEC anti-corruption commitments, including a more concrete roadmap for accelerating the implementation and tracking progress.

The minister pledged to intensify regional cooperation to deny a safe haven to officials and individuals guilty of corruption, and encouraged greater cooperation in the areas of mutual legal assistance, extradition, asset recovery, and forfeiture of the proceeds of corruption.

They agreed to continue APEC's collective efforts to promote good governance, integrity, and transparency.

The ministers reiterated the importance of fulfilling the APEC Transparency Standards and the area-specific Transparency Standards.

Nov. 16 , 2005

Wednesday

Wednesday

Monday

said

achieved

transactions

addressed

denied

issued

Meeting

said

development

reaffirmed

continue

look

address

commended

beginning

work

stressed

encouraged

develop

submit

works

approved

designed

strengthen

developing

available

projects

announced

encouraged

take

urged

submit

accelerating

pledged

intensify

cooperation

deny

encouraged

assistance

agreed

continue

promote

reiterated

fulfilling


XIN_ENG_20051110.0314

UNITED NATIONS, Nov. 10 , 2005 (Xinhua)

Security Council expansion should address Africa's concerns: Chinese envoy

The Security Council expansion should give priority to increasing the representation of developing countries in the United Nations' most powerful organ, particularly African nations, Chinese Ambassador to the UN Wang Guangya stressed on Thursday.

Addressing the UN General Assembly, Wang reaffirmed China's support for necessary and rational reform of the council, including its expansion and the improvement of its working methods, in order to maintain its authority, increase its efficiency and strengthen its role.

He pointed out that the council expansion should be in line with the democratization trend of international relations and give priority to enhancing the representation of developing countries.

"Democratization of international relations is a global trend, which should also find its reflection in the Security Council," he said. "While developing countries account for more than two thirds of the entire UN membership, they are seriously under-represented in the Security Council."

China holds that the council expansion should give priority to augmenting the representation of developing countries in general and African countries in particular, and increase opportunities for more countries, particularly small and medium-sized countries, to participate in the council's decision-making process, Wang noted.

"A reform package that addresses only the concerns of a few states while disregarding those of the majority and treats African and other developing countries inequitably will lead to nowhere," he warned.

Wang also emphasized that the council enlargement should adhere to the principle of equitable geographical distribution and ensure the representation of different cultures and civilizations.

He reiterated China's opposition to imposing an artificial deadline for the council expansion or forcing any expansion proposal through the General Assembly by putting it to a vote.

"The council reform should be based on democratic discussion with a view to reaching the broadest possible consensus. No artificial deadline should be set, nor should a vote be imposed," he said.

"Only when this approach is followed can the relevant decisions command the widest possible trust and support, and meet the common long-term interests of all member states," he added.

The Security Council is currently composed of five veto-holding permanent members -- China, the United States, Russia, France and Britain -- and 10 elected members with two year terms. A fierce debate over the council expansion before the September UN summit failed to produce any agreement.

Nov. 10 , 2005

Thursday

two year terms

expansion

give

increasing

developing

stressed

Addressing

reaffirmed

reform

expansion

improvement

maintain

increase

strengthen

pointed

give

enhancing

Democratization

find

said

account

give

augmenting

developing

increase

participate

noted

addresses

disregarding

treats

lead

warned

emphasized

adhere

ensure

reiterated

imposing

expansion

forcing

proposal

putting

vote

discussion

reaching

set

vote

imposed

said

followed

decisions

command

meet

added

composed

expansion

failed

produce

agreement


XIN_ENG_20061118.0084

HANOI, Nov. 18 , 2006 (Xinhua)

discuss sustainable development

Leaders of the 21 member economies of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) began their annual meeting in Hanoi on Saturday to facilitate free trade and promote sustainable development in the region.

The closed-door meeting opened Saturday afternoon at Hanoi's National Convention Center after a welcome ceremony for the leaders by Vietnamese President Nguyen Minh Triet at the entrance of the center.

The leaders were sitting in a round-table manner in the meeting room, according to a video tape footage shown to the press at the international media center.

During the two hour-long informal retreat, the leaders discussed issues relating to the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the Doha Development Agenda (DDA), and issues on Regional Trade Agreements and Free Trade Areas, said a press release issued after the meeting.

They also discussed and endorsed the Hanoi Action Plan to implement the Busan Roadmap for realizing the Bogor Goals of free and open trade and investment in the region, and issued a statement on the Doha round of WTO negotiations.

"We reaffirm our collective and individual commitments to concluding an ambitious and balanced WTO Doha agreement," the leaders said in the statement. "We are ready to break the current deadlock: each of us is committed to moving beyond our current positions in key areas of the (Doha) Round."

The endorsed Hanoi Action Plan will help translate the Busan Roadmap into reality by elaborating concrete actions for APEC member economies to take in five areas including the promotion of high-quality regional trade arrangements and free trade agreements.

Immediately after the retreat, the leaders had a one-hour dialogue with the APEC Business Advisory Council.

Speaking at the beginning of the dialogue, Triet described the leaders' discussions as "profound" and "rich."

Later on Saturday evening, the leaders and spouses will attend a formal dinner and cultural performance in the National Convention Center, hosted by Vietnamese president and his spouse.

A trip to the Temple of Literature, a site of interest in Hanoi, was arranged for the spouses in the morning.

The annual meeting of Pacific-Rim leaders is a forum of the highest level in the Asia-Pacific region, drawing the presence of such prominent figures as Chinese President Hu Jintao, U.S. President George W. Bush, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

The leaders will meet again on Sunday for the second retreat in the morning, where they will discuss matters concerning human security, economic and technical cooperation, APEC reform and other issues.

A Hanoi Declaration is expected to be issued after they wrap up the two day's meeting on Sunday.

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

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

Nov. 18 , 2006

Saturday

Saturday afternoon

Saturday evening

the morning

Sunday

the morning

two day

Sunday

began

meeting

facilitate

promote

development

meeting

opened

ceremony

sitting

according

shown

retreat

discussed

relating

said

issued

meeting

discussed

endorsed

implement

realizing

investment

issued

negotiations

reaffirm

concluding

said

break

committed

moving

help

translate

elaborating

actions

take

agreements

retreat

had

Speaking

beginning

dialogue

described

discussions

attend

hosted

trip

arranged

meeting

drawing

meet

retreat

discuss

cooperation

expected

issued

wrap

meeting

Founded

acting

promoting

cooperation

represents

accounting


XIN_ENG_20051108.0091

BEIJING, Nov. 8 , 2005 (Xinhua)

Press center for six-party talks ready for reporters

The press center for the fifth round of the six-party talks on the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue will be open to reporters from 8:00 a.m. Wednesday morning.

The new round of talks, involving China, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the United States, Republic of Korea, Russia and Japan, is to start on Wednesday morning at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse, the venue of previous rounds of talks.

The press center, located at the Diaoyutai Hotel, will be available to reporters from home and abroad from 8:00 to 21:00 everyday. It is equipped with ten desktop computers and four wires for broadband Internet, as well as facilities such as telephones, printers, duplicating machines and fax machines.

More than 100 overseas correspondents have registered to report the talks, sources said.

Nov. 8 , 2005

8:00 a.m.

Wednesday morning

Wednesday morning

8:00 to 21:00 everyday

talks

talks

involving

start

located

equipped

duplicating

registered

report

talks

said


XIN_ENG_20061126.0107

BEIJING, Nov. 26 , 2006 (Xinhua)

China bans entertainment places in residential compounds

Chinese Ministry of Culture on Sunday reiterated regulations on entertainment places, noting that new entertainment places can not be set up in residential compounds or historical buildings.

During the enforcement of regulations on the administration of entertainment places, which took effect in March, several problems have emerged and need to be clarified, an official with the ministry told Xinhua.

Newly-approved entertainment places can not be established in residential compounds, museums, libraries or historical buildings under cultural relics protection, said the official, quoting a guideline recently issued by the ministry on enforcing the regulations.

Such places are also banned in crowded places such as railway stations and airports, or inside or near schools, hospitals and government departments. They can only be set up on the ground floor or the first floor underground.

The guideline also sets minimum coverage of area for new KTVs and dancing places, which is 200 square meters with each compartment of eight square meters.

The establishment of any entertainment places must be known by the public and go through public hearings. Representatives from nearby residential committees or schools, hospitals, government departments and stores of dangerous chemicals should be informed to attend the hearings.

Administrators of entertainment places would be punished if they failed to set up archives for their staff or keep business notes, or they are found to have been involved in illegal activities, noted the official.

Apart from the guideline, in the regulations issued by the State Council, civil servants are prohibited from running or getting involved in the management of entertainment places.

It also bans electronic gaming facilities possessing gamble functions in entertainment places, and the use of pirated audio and video products.

Nov. 26 , 2006

Sunday

March

reiterated

noting

set

enforcement

took

emerged

need

clarified

told

established

said

quoting

issued

enforcing

banned

set

sets

establishment

known

go

informed

attend

hearings

punished

failed

set

keep

found

involved

noted

issued

prohibited

running

involved

bans

use


XIN_ENG_20061128.0468

BOGOTA, Nov. 28 , 2006 (Xinhua)

Gold mine collapse traps 15 miners in Colombia

A gold mine collapse in northern Colombia on Tuesday trapped 15 miners, rescue workers told media.

The accident took place in Barranco de Loba, in the Caribbean coast province of Bolivar, which has been suffering heavy rains this week.

The town's mayor, Victor Vasquez, told media that rescuers are supplying oxygen to the trapped miners through a hole on the ground while trying to dig them out. Local residents said that the mine has met basic security standards.

A similar collapse trapped four gold miners in Remedios, a town in the northeastern Antioquia province. The miners were rescued alive after five days. They were able to breathe, but were forced to drink their own urine due to the lack of water.

Nov. 28 , 2006

Tuesday

this week

five

trapped

told

accident

took

suffering

rains

told

supplying

trying

dig

said

met

trapped

rescued

breathe

forced

drink


XIN_ENG_20061113.0033

BEIJING, Nov. 13 , 2006 (Xinhua)

copying

Unauthorized copies of foreign textbooks have been banned from Chinese universities in a move to protect intellectual property rights (IPR).

A Ministry of Education circular has instructed universities to conduct thorough checks for unauthorized foreign textbook copies and to stop IPR violations by the end of this year.

The circular came amid one of the government's moves to wipe out the country's rampant illegal copying of music, films and publications.

Chinese universities have witnessed a growing demand for quality foreign textbooks as the country's education undergoes reforms to embrace globalization and face competition from overseas.

Original copies and authorized editions are too expensive for many college students and photocopying is the only way acquire foreign textbooks recommended by teachers.

The circular bans publishing houses affiliated to Chinese schools from publishing domestic editions of foreign textbooks without the permission of the foreign publisher.

"School leaders will be penalized if illegal copies of foreign books are found in Chinese schools," the circular warns.

It also stipulates that the selection of foreign textbooks should be recommended by teaching faculties and subject to the examination of school administrations.

The New Oriental School (NOS), the biggest private English teaching network in China, was sued by U.S.-based Educational Testing Service (ETS) for publishing and selling ETS's test materials in 2001.

The Higher People's Court of Beijing ordered the NOS pay 450,000 U.S. dollars to ETS in compensation in 2005.

Nov. 13 , 2006

the end of this year

banned

move

protect

instructed

conduct

stop

violations

came

moves

wipe

copying

witnessed

undergoes

embrace

face

acquire

recommended

affiliated

penalized

found

warns

stipulates

selection

recommended

teaching

examination

sued

publishing

selling

ordered

pay


XIN_ENG_20061107.0088

BANGKOK, Nov. 7 , 2006 (Xinhua)

with S. China in marine fishery

HAIKOU, Nov. 7(Xinhua)-- Seychellois President James Alix Michel showed great interest in cooperation with south China's Hainan Province in marine fishery after visiting the Hainan Provincial Fisheries Research Institute on Tuesday.

Li Xiangmin, director of the research institute briefed the president on the development of the fishery industry of Hainan, expressing his hope to cooperate with Seychelles in fishery.

Michel said Seychelles is an island country, and has lots of similarities with Hainan in natural resources.

There is a big potential for cooperation between the two sides, especially in fishery, he said.

He expressed his hope for further exchanges and cooperation between the two sides in the future, so as to benefit from each other.

Michel visited the aquatic products breeding base and showed great interest in its sea-water breeding and cultivation.

Hainan's marine fishery boasts professional experts, advanced technologies and successful experience, said Michel, expressing his confidence in future cooperation in sea water breeding and cultivation.

The president also visited the permanent site of the Boao Forum for Asia.

James Alix Michel on Monday arrived at Haikou, capital city of south China's Hainan Province, and started a 3-day visit to Hainan.

Michel kicked off his state visit to China on Nov. 1 and attended the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation held from Nov. 4 to 5.

Nov. 7 , 2006

Nov.

Tuesday

the future

Monday

Nov. 1

Nov. 4

showed

visiting

briefed

development

expressing

cooperate

said

has

cooperation

said

expressed

cooperation

benefit

visited

showed

cultivation

boasts

said

expressing

cooperation

visited

arrived

started

visit

kicked

visit

attended

held


XIN_ENG_20051108.0310

LONDON, Nov. 8 , 2005 (Xinhua)

Ferguson to splash out at Premiership in January

Manchester United boss Alex Ferguson has claimed that he will be beefing up his squad in January as Premiership is becoming a "numbers game".

Ferguson wants United to build on the 1-0 win against Chelsea at Old Trafford which revived their title ambitions.

He said: "What I will be looking to do is increase the squad in January. It's actually numbers we're lacking.

"But you have to dismiss the possibility of getting players from clubs who think they can win the Champions League."

Ferguson added: "That narrows down your options but we're playing the numbers game right now.

"I'm happy with the quality we have but we're relying too much on our younger players at a time when we're missing the experience of Roy Keane, Gary Neville and Gabriel Heinze."

United have been linked with Real Madrid's Thomas Gravesen and Bayern Munich's Michael Ballack, but both clubs are still contesting the Champions League.

In a previous January transfer window Ferguson signed Louis Saha from Fulham, because he needed to avoid players who were still involved in the Champions League.

It could be that he will now look to complete a similar deal for a player already operating in the Premiership, but not involved in Europe.

Nov. 8 , 2005

January

January

now

now

claimed

beefing

becoming

wants

build

win

revived

said

looking

do

increase

lacking

dismiss

think

win

added

narrows

playing

game

relying

missing

linked

contesting

signed

needed

avoid

involved

look

complete

deal

operating

involved


AFP_ENG_19970407.0123

SEOUL, April 7 , 1997 (AFP)

Seoul shares close 1.1 percent higher

Share prices rose 1.1 percent on the Korea Stock Exchange Monday as local institutional investors went on a buying spree ahead of a planned rise in the foreign shareholding ceiling, dealers said.

The composite index gained 7.48 points to finish at 694.90.

April 7 , 1997

Monday

rose

went

spree

rise

said

gained

finish


XIN_ENG_20061117.0170

HANOI, Nov. 17 , 2006 (Xinhua)

Chinese president satisfied with Sino-Australian ties

Chinese President Hu Jintao on Friday expressed satisfaction over the development of Sino- Australian relations.

"The relations between China and Australia have maintained good momentum," Hu said when meeting with Australian Prime Minister John Howard before the economic leaders' informal meeting of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC).

Since the two countries agreed to develop comprehensive and cooperative ties for mutual benefit in the 21st century, they have conducted exchanges actively in the fields of trade and economy, culture, science and technology as well as education and tourism, Hu said.

The Chinese president said both countries should cement their cooperation in energy, push forward talks on China-Australia free trade agreement (FTA), and intensify consultation on international and regional issues.

Howard said Australia hoped to advance the FTA talks with China through further discussions, and expected closer cooperation in energy security, climate changes and exchanges of personnel.

He said his country supported China to play a critical role in solving the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula, and both countries will make efforts to achieve the peaceful settlement of the issue by strengthening consultation and coordination.

President Hu is in Hanoi for a state visit, where he will also attend the Nov. 18-19 APEC economic leaders' informal meeting.

Nov. 17 , 2006

Friday

the 21st century

Nov. 18-19

expressed

development

maintained

said

meeting

meeting

agreed

develop

conducted

said

said

cement

push

talks

intensify

consultation

said

hoped

advance

talks

discussions

expected

said

supported

play

solving

make

efforts

achieve

settlement

strengthening

visit

attend

meeting


AFP_ENG_20061211.0198

GENEVA, Dec 11 , 2006, 2006

Israel blocks Tutu's UN mission to Beit Hanun: UN official

Israel has blocked a UN human rights fact-finding mission led by South African Nobel laureate Desmond Tutu into the killing of 19 Palestinians in their homes in the Gaza Strip, a United Nations official in Geneva said Monday.

Israeli authorities will not grant Tutu and his team the necessary travel authorisation, the official added.

The UN Human Rights Council voted on November 15 to set up the fact-finding mission into the deaths during an Israeli artillery bombardment in Beit Hanun.   The mission was intended to assess the situation of victims, address the needs of survivors, and make recommendations on ways "to protect Palestinian civilians against further Israeli attacks".

Tutu, the former Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town, chaired the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission after the end of the apartheid regime.

The decision to dispatch the mission revealed divisions within the Human Rights Council, which has been criticised by the outgoing Secretary General Kofi Annan for excessive focus on the Israeli/Palestinian conflict.

Thirty-two countries in the 47-member Council, mainly from Asia, Africa and the Middle East, voted for the resolution setting up the mission.

Eight countries, including Canada and European nations such as Britain and Germany, opposed the move. Six countries, including France, Switzerland and Japan, abstained.

Nineteen Palestinians were killed on November 18 in the shelling of private homes in the northern Gaza town of Beit Hanun, which the Israeli military blamed on a technical malfunction.

Dec 11 , 2006

Monday

November 15

November 18

blocked

led

killing

said

grant

added

voted

set

intended

assess

address

make

protect

attacks

chaired

decision

dispatch

revealed

criticised

voted

setting

opposed

move

abstained

killed

blamed


XIN_ENG_20051114.0166

MANILA, Nov. 14 , 2005 (Xinhua)

Philippines to seek agreement with US over custody of US marines accused of rape

The Philippines said Monday it cannot ask the US government to hand over the six US marines accused of raping a 22-year-old Filipino woman early this month, but will seek an agreement with the US side to solve the issue.

Philippine Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs Zosimo Paredes said that the government can arrange for a bilateral agreement with the United States regarding custody of the suspects before a warrant of arrest is issued by a Filipino court.

"Considering that they will agree that it is an extraordinary case. Any disagreement regarding custody shall be resolved at the diplomatic level. So it has to be bilateral," said Paredes, who is executive director of the US-Filipino Visiting Forces Agreement Committee (VFACOM), which is tasked to cope with cases of alleged offenses by US servicemen visiting the Philippines.

According to the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) signed by the United States and the Philippines in 1999, cases considered extraordinary include heinous crimes such as rape, offenses punishable under the Dangerous Drug Act, and offenses punishable under the Child Abuse Law.

But Paredes said that the US authorities may transfer the soldiers to any US military facility abroad to start serving their sentences if they are found guilty by a US court martial.

"The provision of VFA is clear. Custody shall immediately reside with the US military if they so request. So we can't do anything about it," he said.

The US embassy in Manila said the US military is making a separate investigation into the case.

The six US marines were accused by a Filipino young woman of raping early this month at the former US navy base in Subic Bay. The marines, who are reportedly staying in the US embassy in Manila, have been subpoenaed by a Filipino prosecutor to appear later this month.

Nov. 14 , 2005

Monday

this month

early this month

this month

said

ask

hand

accused

raping

seek

solve

said

arrange

issued

Considering

agree

resolved

bilateral

said

Visiting

tasked

cope

offenses

visiting

According

signed

include

said

transfer

start

serving

found

reside

request

do

said

said

making

investigation

accused

raping

staying

subpoenaed

appear


XIN_ENG_20061107.0395

RIO DE JANEIRO, Oct. 7 , 2006 (Xinhua)

President

Visiting Portugal's President Anibal Cavaco Silva said on Tuesday that the excellent Portugal-Brazil relations will continue through the second administration of Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

Cavoco Silva said the two countries' entrepreneurs are in very close contact and mutual investments have been growing.

"Entrepreneurs from Brazil see Portugal not only as a 10-million-inhabitant country, but also a country that takes part in the European Union (EU), which has over 500 million consumers with high purchasing power," he said.

Cavaco Silva made the remarks in Brazilian city Sao Paulo after he attended the 16th Ibero-American Summit in the Uruguayan capital of Montevideo.

He noted that the relations between the EU and the South American Common Market (Mercosur) was one of the most frequently raised topics at the summit, and he had promised to try to unblock the free trade agreement between the two groups when Portugal takes over EU Presidency in the second half of 2007.

"We count on Brazil because it can help overcome difficulties that exist in the relationship between Mercosur and Europe," Cavaco Silva added.

Oct. 7 , 2006

Tuesday

the second half of 2007

Visiting

said

continue

said

growing

see

said

made

attended

noted

raised

summit

promised

try

unblock

agreement

count

help

overcome

added


XIN_ENG_20061113.0286

NICOSIA, Nov. 13 , 2006 (Xinhua)

initiative on Ankara-Nicosia ties

Cyprus here Monday denied any responsibility for a possible failure to Finland's initiative on Ankara-Nicosia ties in order to avert any possible derailment of Turkey's EU accession course.

Cyprus government spokesman Christodoulos Pashiardis told the press that the failure will be an unpleasant development which the Republic of Cyprus would not be responsible for in the least and the responsibility cannot be allocated to all involved to provide a sense of balance.

Finland, which holds the rotating EU presidency, has been working on a draft proposal, providing for opening of Turkish occupied port of Famagusta (Varosha) under the EU administration for 24 months in combination with the opening of Turkish ports to ships carrying the Cypriot flag and the transfer of Famagusta to the UN.

For the purpose, The EU presidency had prepared the ground for a possible meeting in Helsinki between Cyprus and Turkey before cancelling the consultations on Nov. 2, following Ankara's refusal to meet its EU obligations and Cyprus' position that Turkey must do exactly that before EU accession negotiations are allowed to move further on.

But Finnish Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja, meanwhile, promised that "efforts to find a solution that will enable the uninterrupted continuation of Turkey's accession negotiations and improve the situation of both communities in Cyprus will continue. "

Pashiardis said that "we don't know at the moment of any change of the presidency's original ideas. However, it is aware of our firm position on Varosha, which is a precondition for the successful outcome of the Finnish presidency initiative."

"Our side is demanding something which is logical and rejects the irrational. The Turkish side is demanding irrational things and rejects the logical," he added.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when Turkey militarily intervened and occupied the north of Cyprus following a coup by a group of Greek officers.

Turkey, a country aspiring to become an EU member state, does not recognize the Republic of Cyprus and has failed so far to implement the EU-Turkey Customs Union Protocol, which provides for opening of its ports and airports to Cyprus.

The EU formally launched talks with Turkey over the country's accession last October. The negotiations are expected to last at least a decade and Ankara is required to meet a number of criteria spelled out by the EU before entry.

The Republic of Cyprus, which entered the EU on behalf of the whole island in May 2004, is able to block Turkey's entry talks with its veto.

Nov. 13 , 2006

Monday

24 months

Nov. 2

last October

May 2004

denied

initiative

avert

told

development

responsible

allocated

provide

working

providing

carrying

prepared

meeting

cancelling

following

meet

do

allowed

move

promised

find

enable

improve

continue

said

know

aware

demanding

rejects

demanding

rejects

added

divided

intervened

occupied

aspiring

become

recognize

failed

implement

opening

launched

expected

last

required

meet

spelled

entered

able

block

talks


AFP_ENG_19970427.0300

NEW DELHI, April 27 , 1997 (AFP)

India's federal detectives to prosecute senior politician

India's premier investigating agency said Sunday a senior government politician was to be prosecuted along with 54 other bureaucrats and politicians in a multimillion dollar scandal.

The politicians and bureaucrats are accused of siphoning off 271-million dollars in government funds meant for buying cattle feed, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) said.

Among those to be charged is Laloo Prasad Yadav, a senior member of Prime Minister Inder Kumar Gujral's Janata Dal (People's Party).

CBI director Joginder Singh took the decision to prosecute late Sunday after "considering evidence and material on record and reports of other investigating officers," a CBI spokesman said.

"We also took the opinion of legal officers of the CBI before going ahead with prosecuting the accused," he said.

April 27 , 1997

Sunday

Sunday

said

prosecuted

accused

siphoning

said

charged

took

decision

prosecute

considering

said

took

going

prosecuting

said


AFP_ENG_19970414.0251

MARSEILLE, France, April 14 , 1997 (AFP)

Tapie granted day-release jail

Jailed politician Bernard Tapie left prison Monday after a judge granted his request for day-release custody, 10 weeks after he was jailed over a football match-rigging scandal.

Tapie, who was jailed for eight months in February, is expected to resume working during the day after granted the part-time regime under regulations which allows such leniency for first-time offenders jailed for under a year.

On Monday he was released from the Luynes prison near Aix-en-Provence to be transferred by prison van to the day-release prison at Baumettes in Marseilles, an AFP correspondent said.

Tapie is expected to work for an old Marseilles business colleague, Michel Bigoin, as a representative for his shipbuilding and defence group SECNA. No contract has yet been signed, but Bigoin said Tapie will "be trying to renew links with potential clients."

Under the terms of his custody, he will have to return to the Baumettes prison by 7:00 p.m. every evening.

The day-release regime will be suspended from May 12-30 during a trial involving Tapie's role in illegal funding of his former footbal club Olympique de Marseille (OM).

Tapie, a former French MP and Euro-deputy, has faced a string of legal actions in recent years which have reduced him from a succesful businessman-turned-politician to a prison inmate.

April 14 , 1997

Monday

10 weeks

eight months

February

a year

Monday

7:00 p.m. every evening

May 12-30

recent years

left

granted

request

jailed

scandal

jailed

expected

resume

working

granted

allows

jailed

released

transferred

said

expected

work

signed

said

trying

renew

return

suspended

trial

faced

actions

reduced


XIN_ENG_20061129.0438

AMMAN, Nov. 29 , 2006 (Xinhua)

Bush, al-Maliki to meet Thursday: media

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

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

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

The Bush-Abdullah II meeting will proceed as scheduled.

Nov. 29 , 2006

Thursday

Wednesday

summit

put

reported

postponement

announced

arrived

talks

expected

discuss

stem

violence

war-

meeting

proceed

scheduled


XIN_ENG_20051118.0194

PARIS, Nov. 18 , 2005 (Xinhua)

official

China Focus: China's oil import growth continues to fall in 2006, official

By Xinhua writer An Bei

BEIJING, Nov. 18 (Xinhua) -- China will import less oil and oil products in 2006 than previous years, an official with the Ministry of Commerce (MOC) said recently.

Lu Jianhua, Director of Foreign Trade Department of the MOC, told the Asian Business Forum held recently, that it is unfair to blame China for rising international oil prices.

According to statistics, China imported 105 million tons of crude oil in the first ten months of this year, rising 5.7 percent year on year, and 25.69 million tons of refined oil, down 16 percent from a year ago.

It is estimated that China will import 130 million tons of crude oil in 2005, rising only six percent year on year. This means the rate of growth of oil imports has dropped 30 percent, said Lu.

The price of crude oil on the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX) closed at 56.35 dollars per barrel Thursday, it's lowest since July.

It is reasonable for the price of oil to fall and there's room for it to drop even further, Lu predicted.

This summer the world saw crude oil prices hovering at 60 US dollars per barrel and even surge to a record of 70 US dollars.

Such high oil prices can be attributed to financial speculation rather than the normal market forces of supply and demand.

According to statistics released by BP this year, 2004 witnessed a growth in global oil demand of 3.4 percent, which was lower than that year's growth in production capacity of 4.5 percent. This indicates that China should not be blamed for rising oil prices.

"The world's capacity to supply is still greater than the demand and that has not changed," said Zhou Dadi, Director of the Research Institute of Energy, National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) at a forum on petroleum held last week.

"So it is not valid to say that China's oil imports are the cause of rising international oil prices," said Zhou.

In 2004, China accounted for 11 percent of that year's global energy output, according to statistics of the NDRC. The country produced 1.956 billion tons of coal. Adding its oil, natural gas, and other energy output, it produced a total of 1.85 billion tons of primary energy in terms of standard coal.

China's primary energy consumption in 2004 was 1.97 billion tons of standard coal equivalent and its domestic energy supply capacity reached as high as 94 percent, which is among the highest in the world.

In order to enhance China's security of oil supply it should try to reduce its dependency on oil imports to about 30 percent and not exceed more than 50 percent, said Xu Shoubo, an academic of Chinese Academy of Engineering.

China imported 120 million tons of crude oil in 2004, accounting for 40 percent of its oil consumption.

The Chinese government says reducing the country's energy demand and improving energy efficiency is extremely important.

In the proposal for the 11th Five Year Program, the blueprint for the economic and social development of the country from 2006 to 2010 issued last month, the government made clear the goal to reduce its per unit GDP energy consumption by 20 percent at the end of 2010.

China will continue to make coal it main method of producing energy allowing it to meet its energy demand from domestic sources, said the proposal.

Currently nearly 70 percent of China's energy demand is met by coal. Petroleum accounts for just over 20 percent of its energy supply.

Developing new and renewable resources, improving the country's energy efficiency and keeping its demand for imported oil at a moderate rate of growth will sustain China's energy consumption, said Xu Shoubo.

Nov. 18 , 2005

Nov. 18

previous years

the first ten months

this year

a year ago

year

Thursday

July

This summer

this year

last week

last month

the end of 2010

growth

continues

fall

import

said

told

held

unfair

blame

rising

imported

rising

import

rising

means

growth

dropped

said

closed

fall

drop

predicted

saw

hovering

surge

attributed

demand

released

witnessed

growth

lower

growth

indicates

blamed

rising

demand

changed

said

held

say

rising

said

accounted

produced

Adding

produced

reached

enhance

try

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said

imported

accounting

says

reducing

proposal

development

issued

made

reduce

continue

make

allowing

meet

said

proposal

met

Developing

improving

keeping

demand

sustain

said


AFP_ENG_19970418.0545

WASHINGTON, April 18 , 1997 (AFP)

Senate probe into Louisiana lawmaker's election stirs partisan trouble

A Republican-controlled Congressional committee has decided to beef up a probe into the 1996 election of a Democratic Senator from Louisiana, sparking a fresh partisan furor.

The Rules and Administration Committee angered Democrats by voting Thursday to appoint a top Republican lawyer as head of an expanded investigation into Senator Mary Landrieu's narrow victory last November.

Landrieu won by a mere 5,788 votes over Republican rival Louis "Woody" Jenkins, who has charged that the local Democratic machine committed widespread fraud, including paying voters in impoverished New Orleans neighborhoods to vote more than once.

Last week, two lawyers hired by the committee -- one Republican, one Democrat -- said they wanted to look into three charges relating to voter fraud before making a recommendation on a full-scale investigation.

However, the nine-member committee bypassed their appeals and agreed to a probe headed by Republican heavyweight Richard Cullen, who is set to become the attorney general of the state of Virginia.

The Democrats responded that the Cullen probe would sanction a "fishing expedition" on behalf of a revenge-seeking Jenkins and would undermine the principle of bi-partisanship in Senate investigations.

April 18 , 1997

Thursday

last November

Last week

decided

beef

election

sparking

furor

angered

voting

appoint

investigation

won

charged

committed

paying

vote

hired

said

wanted

look

fraud

making

investigation

bypassed

appeals

agreed

headed

set

become

responded

probe

sanction

undermine


AFP_ENG_20061229.0474

PARIS, Dec 30 , 2006, 2006

Saddam hung despite global condemnation of capital punishment

From Sao Paulo to London to New Delhi, governments worldwide have spoken out against the execution of Saddam Hussein, with the Vatican too lending a voice of moral authority to the anti-capital punishment camp.

"We don't think a crime should be avenged by another crime," Cardinal Renato Raffaele Martino, who heads the Vatican's Justice and Peace department, said this week.

Even Britain, whose Prime Minister Tony Blair has been a staunch US ally since the 2003 invasion of Iraq, reiterated its opposition to capital punishment while saying the decision to execute Saddam rested with Baghdad.

"We are opposed to the death penalty as a matter of principle but the decision is one for the Iraqi authorities" a foreign office spokesman told AFP.

That position was much in line with Washington's own, however.

Asked whether the US government had a hand in deciding when Saddam was to be hanged, a White House spokesman said last week that that "was a matter for the Iraqi people, and we are observers to that process. They are a sovereign government."

Braving the US stand of non-interference, defence lawyers for the convicted former Iraqi chief made a last-ditch bid on Friday and asked a US judge to stop the US military from handing over Saddam to Iraqi authorities for execution.

Hours before Saddam was taken to the gallows, the US Justice Department said the attorneys had filed a request for an immediate "temporary stay of execution", arguing that as a prisoner of war, he deserved protection under the Geneva Conventions.

A US federal judge rejected the request, CBS news reported.

Italy meanwhile, echoing strong opposition to the execution in European Union countries, issued yet another plea for generosity.

"No fault can determine one man to be the bearer of death to another," said Prime Minister Romano Prodi.

"This is a principle that unites all civilisations and all religions. And it is the only principle that can allow the building of solid and lasting peace," he said.

"I issue a final and sad plea for wisdom and magnanimity to prevail", he said, according the ANSA news agency.

Brazil and Chile, both opposed to the US-led war in Iraq, agreed.

Santiago argued against carrying out the hanging after the sentence was confirmed. "The application of the death penalty in such a swift manner is contrary to our principles," a junior minister said Friday.

Brazil added in an official statement that it "does not believe the execution of the sentence contributes to the pacification of Iraq."

In the United States, two major newspapers also wondered what impact the execution of Saddam would have on Iraq and the world.

The New York Times took a critical tone, warning that hanging the deposed Iraqi leader would not solve Iraq's ills. "Toppling Saddam Hussein did not automatically create a new and better Iraq. Executing him won't either."

The Washington Post was more circumspect, saying that the execution came on the heels of an "imperfect" trial for Saddam.

"For those who oppose the death penalty, as we do, any execution is regrettable -- and this one, should it come to pass, will follow highly imperfect judicial proceedings and may, in the short term, inflame sectarian divisions," the daily said.

Not unexpectedly, Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi was far harsher, calling Saddam's execution illegal and he was still a prisoner of war.

"The court which tried him is illegal. Iraq is an occupied country. It is the American and British forces (in Iraq) that judged him and, in this case, decided to execute him, and they bear the responsibility," Kadhafi said Friday.

Although the condemned man himself has said he would go to the gallows as a potential "martyr", India, which enjoyed close ties with Iraq, too appealed for leniency for Saddam this week.

"India hopes the death sentence against... Saddam Hussein will not be carried out," a foreign ministry spokesman was quoted as saying.

In a letter penned in his cell and released Wednesday, the 69-year-old former leader convicted for crimes against humanity wrote: "I sacrifice myself. If God wills it, he will place me among the true men and martyrs.

Dec 30 , 2006

this week

last week

Friday

Friday

the short term

Friday

this week

Wednesday

spoken

lending

think

avenged

heads

said

invasion

reiterated

saying

decision

execute

rested

opposed

decision

told

deciding

hanged

said

Braving

made

bid

asked

stop

handing

taken

said

filed

arguing

deserved

rejected

request

reported

echoing

execution

issued

plea

fault

determine

said

allow

said

issue

plea

prevail

said

according

war

agreed

argued

carrying

sentence

confirmed

said

added

believe

execution

pacification

wondered

execution

have

took

warning

hanging

solve

create

saying

execution

came

trial

oppose

do

come

pass

follow

proceedings

inflame

said

calling

execution

tried

judged

decided

execute

bear

responsibility

said

said

go

enjoyed

appealed

hopes

carried

quoted

saying

penned

released

convicted

wrote

sacrifice

place


XIN_ENG_20051116.0236

CHANGSHA, Nov. 16 , 2005 (Xinhua)

China draws with Bulgaria 0-0 in friendly (updated)

China were held to a goalless draw with East European side Bulgaria in an international soccer friendly here on Wednesday.

China boss Zhu Guanghu's wish of ending the winless record against European teams failed again due to the weaknesses in both the midfield and the forward line in a match lacking excitement.

"As you see I have sent several young players in this match for the sake of preparing for 2008 Olympics and they did a good job," said Zhu after the match.

"It's really a problem that we haven't scored in five matches against European sides. We packed the backline and gave them big pressure, but was not good when we got the ball and began the counter attack. That's what we have to solve."

China dominated the first half in front of a slack Bulgaria squad made up of second-thought players chosen by 1994 World Cup hero Dimitar Penev, packing the guest's half with short passes and long range drives.

After several long range efforts from Cao Yang, Chen Tao and Sun Xiang, midfielder Wang Liang created the best chance for the hosts before the interval with a superb 25m curve after rounding down a defender, which was merely tipped over by a full-stretched Zdravko Zdravkov.

Skipper Li Weifeng went close on 87 minutes to head wide a Wang Liang's fine corner, which was the only highlight of the second half.

"It's a good match anyway. The significance for both teams is not about which one beats the other, but as an exercise for the 2010 World Cup as we both failed to qualify for 2006," commented Penev.

China had suffered four consecutive defeats against European teams like Spain, Ireland, Germany and Serbia and Montenegro this year before this match without scoring a goal.

Nov. 16 , 2005

Wednesday

87 minutes

held

wish

failed

see

sent

preparing

said

scored

packed

gave

got

began

attack

solve

dominated

made

chosen

packing

efforts

created

rounding

tipped

went

head

was

beats

exercise

failed

qualify

commented

suffered

defeats

match

scoring


XIN_ENG_20051108.0187

JOHANNESBURG, Nov. 8 , 2005 (Xinhua)

Update: De Beers sells 26 percent stakes to S. Africa's black-owned firm

Global diamond giant De Beers has sold 26 percent of its South African operation to a black- owned consortium for 3.8 billion rand (about 575 million US dollars) in compliance with the country's mining charter.

The company's South African unit, De Beers Consolidated Mines ( DBCM), said on Tuesday that the upfront sale exceeded the 2009 mining charter target, and put the company in immediate compliance with target for 2014.

South Africa's mining charter stipulates that 15 percent of mining companies' units of production, not 15 percent of their assets, has to be black-owned in the medium term, and 26 percent in the longer term.

It is understood that the deal will only affect DBCM, which were split off from the rest of De Beers during the past 18 months of restructuring at the firm, which mines half of the world's diamonds.

De Beers, 45 percent owned by mining giant Anglo American and 40 percent owned by the Oppenheimer family, has been slammed by the government for not having enough black faces in its management.

Lulu Xingwana, deputy minister of minerals and energy, had fiercely criticized De Beers as a "white cartel" that was "looting " South Africa's mineral wealth.

Ponahalo, the company which bought the stake from De Beers, is owned by Mannie Dipico, a former premier of the Northern Cape province and now head of the election committee of the ruling African National Congress.

In terms of the deal, Ponahalo will utilize 10 million rand ( escalating at five percent per year) of its dividend income to make other investments in South Africa, primarily in areas in which De Beers operated with the intent of aiding economic growth and facilitating job creation, said a SAPA news agency report.

Ponahalo is 50 percent owned by current De Beers employees and pensioners while the other 50 percent is held by Ponahalo Investment Holding.

The deal was described by local media as "the most significant change in ownership" in its 117-year history since the Barnato Diamond Mining Company was merged with De Beers in 1888.

Three weeks ago David Noko became the first black person to run De Beers' local operations, taking over from Johathan Oppenheimer, who is the fourth generation of the Oppenheimer family to have managed the business.

But local newspaper The Star on Tuesday pointed out that the black empowerment deal will be "tricky" because five out of the seven local mines are losing money.

Added to this an eight percent royalty on revenues is being contemplated by the government, which De Beers has warned will close mines.

Reacting to De Beers' announcement, the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) said the deal "sends the right signals in an industry that is seemingly hesitant to wholeheartedly embrace transformation enshrined in the Mining Charter, a document they are signatories to, anyway."

NUM general secretary Gwede Mantashe also noted his union was pleased to see Ponahalo was chaired by Dipico, a former diamond mineworker and NUM shop steward.

"We hope that his experiences will assist in ensuring that this new partnership with De Beers will lead to the betterment of workers and the communities of diamond mineworkers," Mantashe said.

Nov. 8 , 2005

Tuesday

the past 18 months

now

Three weeks ago

Tuesday

sold

said

exceeded

put

stipulates

black-owned

understood

affect

split

owned

owned

slammed

criticized

looting

bought

owned

deal

utilize

escalating

make

operated

aiding

said

report

owned

held

deal

described

change

merged

became

run

taking

managed

pointed

losing

contemplated

warned

close

Reacting

announcement

said

sends

embrace

transformation

enshrined

noted

pleased

see

chaired

hope

assist

ensuring

lead

betterment

said


XIN_ENG_20051129.0062

TEHRAN, Nov. 29 , 2005 (Xinhua)

Earthquake hits northern Iran

Northern Iran was hit by a moderate earthquake on Tuesday, but there were no reports on possible casualties or damage so far.

Local TV said that the earthquake, measuring 5 on the Richter scale, took place in Agh Ghala, a small town in Golestan province of Northern Iran, which is near the Caspian Sea.

An earthquake with a magnitude of 5.9 shook southern Iran on Sunday, killing 10 people and injuring 70.

Earthquakes usually happen in Iran because the country is situated in some of the world's most active seismic fault lines. Statistics showed that on average, there is at least one slight earthquake every day in Iran.

On Dec. 26, 2003, a quake measuring 6.8 on the Richter scale hit southeastern city Bam, killing nearly 262,000 people.

On Feb. 22, 2004, another quake measuring 6.4 left more than 600 dead and 1400 injured on the outskirt of Zarand, a town 250 km northwest of Bam.

Nov. 29 , 2005

Tuesday

Sunday

every day

Dec. 26, 2003

Feb. 22, 2004

hit

said

earthquake

measuring

took

earthquake

shook

killing

situated

showed

hit

killing

left

injured


XIN_ENG_20061122.0222

NANJING, Nov. 22 , 2006 (Xinhua)

River

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Nov. 22 , 2006

Tuesday

cooperate

modernize

said

links

contribute

said

runs

invest

build

announced

used

estimated

grow

according

growth

increasing

made

transport


XIN_ENG_20061113.0337

MOSCOW, Nov. 13 , 2006 (Xinhua)

Russia urges Georgia, West not to belittle South Ossetia referendum

Russia on Monday called the referendum on independence for Georgia's breakaway region of South Ossetia a "milestone" and urged Georgia and Western countries not to underestimate its importance.

Preliminary results showed that 99 percent of the voters in Sunday's referendum backed independence for South Ossetia, the Itar-Tass news agency quoted the local election chief as saying on Monday.

"Like it or not, we face the expression of the free will of South Ossetians through democratic procedures. No matter how hard Georgia or some Western countries may try to scale down the importance of the event, it is nevertheless a milestone," the Foreign Ministry in Moscow said in a statement.

"It would be short-sighted, to say the least, to ignore the event," the statement said.

South Ossetia broke away from Georgia's central government in the early 1990s. The region previously held referenda on independence in 1992 and 2001, but their results were not recognized by the international community.

Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili has vowed to bring South Ossetia and another breakaway region Abkhazia back under Tbilisi's control. The Georgian Foreign Ministry has said the presidential election and the referendum in South Ossetia were unlawful.

The European Union (EU) said on Monday that the EU does not recognize the outcome of the referendum in South Ossetia.

The EU's current presidency Finland issued a statement saying Sunday's referendum "contradicts Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity."

"The European Union considers that the referendum and the elections did not contribute to efforts for peaceful conflict resolution," the statement said.

Nov. 13 , 2006

Monday

Sunday

Monday

the early 1990s

Monday

current presidency

Sunday

called

referendum

urged

underestimate

showed

referendum

backed

quoted

saying

Like

face

try

scale

said

say

ignore

said

broke

held

recognized

vowed

bring

said

referendum

unlawful

said

recognize

referendum

issued

saying

considers

referendum

contribute

efforts

said


AFP_ENG_20061228.0036

SYDNEY, Dec 28 , 2006, 2006

Australian share boosted by resources to fresh record highs

Australian share prices closed at fresh record highs Thursday, as firmer base metal and gold prices boosted major mining stocks, dealers said.

The benchmark SP/ASX 200 rose 17.3 points or 0.31 percent to 5,660.5, beating the previous record closing high of 5,643.2 struck Wednesday.

Meanwhile the broader All Ordinaries Index advanced 17.7 points to a record 5,634.0, beating Wednesday's record of 5,616.3.

Dec 28 , 2006

Thursday

Wednesday

Wednesday

closed

boosted

said

rose

beating

closing

struck

advanced

beating


AFP_ENG_20051207.0424

KATHMANDU, Dec 7 , 2005

Nepalese king rings the changes

King Gyanendra of Nepal reshuffled his cabinet on Wednesday shortly after returning from a foreign trip during which Maoist rebels and opposition parties lined up against him.

"His Majesty the King has reshuffled the present 22-member Council of Ministers to 35 members," said a statement from the royal palace read out on Nepali television.

The king brought in several new faces and dropped senior ministers including those in charge of the home and finance ministries.

His announcement came days after his return from a three-week trip to Africa and amid growing criticism from opposition parties angered by his failure to restore democracy in the Himalayan kingdom.

Maoist rebels, who have been fighting for a communist republic in Nepal since 1996, on Friday extended their three-month unilateral ceasefire by one month.

The Maoists and seven mainstream opposition parties agreed last month to form an anti-royal alliance to restore democracy, setting out a 12-point plan and calling for an end to fighting and for elections held under UN auspices.

Under the agreement, the Maoists would lay down their arms under UN or other international supervision while a new constitution was drafted.

Nepal has been shaken by repeated strikes and protests since the king assumed total control in February, a move he justified by saying the government had failed to quell the Maoist revolt.

The violence and the royal takeover has brought international condemnation for both sides as well as reviews of military and humanitarian aid from several countries, including the United States, Britain and India.

The Maoist conflict has killed more than 12,500 people.

Dec 7 , 2005

Wednesday

days

Friday

one month

last month

February

reshuffled

returning

trip

lined

reshuffled

said

read

brought

dropped

announcement

came

return

trip

angered

failure

restore

fighting

extended

agreed

form

restore

setting

calling

fighting

elections

lay

supervision

drafted

shaken

strikes

protests

assumed

move

justified

saying

failed

quell

revolt

violence

takeover

brought

conflict

killed


XIN_ENG_20051116.0008

BUSAN, South Korea, Nov. 16 , 2005 (Xinhua)

APEC ministers committed to achieve Bogor Goals

The Asian-Pacific Rim foreign and trade ministers on Wednesday reaffirmed their commitment to achieving the Bogor Goals of free and open trade and investment in the Asia-Pacific region by 2010 for developed members and 2020 for developing members as stipulated in the Bogor Declaration.

After wrapping up a two-day meeting in South Korea's southeastern port city of Busan prior to an Economic Leaders' Meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, the ministers expressed the need of APEC to adapt its focus accordingly and to continue to deliver concrete and business relevant outcomes in the years ahead to realize the Bogor Goals.

The Bogor Goals, named after the city in Indonesia where they were declared in 1994, specify APEC objectives for eliminating developed members' trade and investment barriers by 2010, and those of developing members by 2020.

Ban Ki-moon, South Korea's minister of foreign affairs and trade who chaired this year's APEC Ministerial Meeting, said considerable progress has been made toward APEC's central Bogor Goals.

"The results of the mid-term stocktaking of progress toward the Bogor Goals show that APEC has made great strides in liberalizing trade and investment during the past 16 years," he told a press conference after concluding the ministerial meeting.

"The ministers agreed that, while the APEC agenda should be revitalized to keep pace with the new international trade environment, APEC must ensure that the achievement of the Bogor Goals," said a joint statement issued following the APEC Ministerial Meeting.

In order to accelerate progress toward the Bogor Goals, the ministers also emphasized the Busan Roadmap to the Bogor Goals, which outlines key priorities and frameworks, such as support for the multilateral trading system, strengthening collective and individual actions, promotions of high-quality regional trade agreements and free trade agreements (RTAs/FTAs), the Busan Business Agenda, said the joint statement.

The ministers also reaffirmed their deep commitment to the multilateral trading system and their support for the World Trade Organization (WTO).

"APEC economies would continue to make contribution toward the successful outcome of the WTO DDA negotiations and that the APEC Geneva Caucus must redouble its collective efforts to advance the negotiations in all areas of the Doha Development Agenda," the ministers said.

"Once the results of the DDA negotiations were known, APEC members would need to consider what further liberalization steps would be needed to help reach the Bogor Goals," the ministers said in the joint statement.

The ministers agreed that Individual Action Plans (IAPs) and Collective Action Plans (CAPs) were the major vehicles in achieving the Bogor Goals.

The APEC ministers agreed that high-quality RTAs/FTAs maximized the contribution of those agreements to APEC-wide progress toward the Bogor Goals.

Ministers agreed that APEC would develop by 2008 comprehensive model measures as many commonly accepted RTA/FTA chapters as possible for trade facilitation, said the joint statement.

During their two-day meeting, the APEC ministers finalized the wording of statements for the Economic Leaders'Meeting slated on Nov. 18-19.

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

APEC account for more than one-third of the world's population (2.6 billion people), about 60 percent of world GDP and nearly half of world trade. It represents the most economically dynamic region in the world, having generated nearly 70 percent of global economic growth in its first 10 years.

APEC currently has 21 members: Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, China, China's Hong Kong, Chinese Taipei, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, the Philippines, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, the United States and Vietnam. The chairmanship rotates among its members, with South Korea holding the chair this year.

Nov. 16 , 2005

Wednesday

the years

this year

the past 16 years

Nov. 18-19

first 10 years

currently

this year

reaffirmed

achieving

developing

stipulated

wrapping

meeting

Meeting

expressed

adapt

continue

deliver

realize

named

declared

specify

developing

chaired

said

made

show

made

strides

investment

told

conference

concluding

meeting

agreed

revitalized

keep

ensure

achievement

said

issued

Meeting

accelerate

emphasized

strengthening

actions

said

reaffirmed

continue

make

contribution

outcome

negotiations

redouble

advance

negotiations

said

results

negotiations

known

need

consider

needed

help

reach

said

agreed

achieving

agreed

maximized

contribution

agreed

develop

accepted

said

meeting

finalized

slated

inception

become

acting

promoting

cooperation

represents

generated

growth

has

rotates

holding


AFP_ENG_19970408.0074

HO CHI MINH CITY, April 8 , 1997 (AFP)

Communist party chief meets US treasury secretary in former Saigon by Frederik Balfour

In a rare meeting between one of the driving forces of the capitalist world and one of Asia's main communist leaders, US Secretary Treasury Robert Rubin held talks Tuesday with Vietnamese communist party chief Do Muoi.

The 55-minute meeting was described by Rubin as "very focused on the economic development in Vietnam."

Muoi "stressed the 4,000 year history of the country and the fact that much of it has been a troubled history and a proud history. What he would really like to see now is for Vietnam to grow economically," Rubin told reporters after the meeting.

Rubin, who is the first US treasury secretary to ever visit Vietnam, said the meeting was similar to Monday's talks with Prime Minister Vo Van Kiet in Hanoi when they discussed moving ahead on full economic normalisation and impediments faced by US businesses in Vietnam.

Rubin said Muoi told him he "hoped we could move on the various aspects of economic normalisation at a good pace."

But the communist leader also said "he understood that each of these things involves complications."

Rubin said there was clearly warm feelings between Vietnam and the United States.

"He said he had the impression that there is a lot of goodwill towards Vietnam in the congress and the United States, though there were some people that were more reluctant," Rubin said.

The US Congress is expected to ratify the nomination of the first US ambassador to Hanoi, Douglas Peterson later this week.

Rubin added that he had raised impediments faced by American businesses in Vietnam. "He said has discussed those with the prime minister and he is trying to work on those, but this country has done a lot in a short time and things take time.

"I told him things take a lot of time in our country too," Rubin said.

Rubin said his talk with Muoi touched briefly on politics, while Muoi had stressed his focus on education.

"We had a brief conversation about democracy. He greatly valued our values and our democratic position," Rubin said.

Rubin said he told Muoi he had been enormously impressed with the Vietnamese people, as hardworking and energetic.

During his two and a half day visit in Vietnam Rubin has stressed the importance of Vietnam improving its climate for foreign businesses.

"Many companies have found lots of difficulties, and that has slowed foreign investment flows," Rubin told a group of Vietnamese students at the Harvard-funded Fullbright Centre.

"It seems like there are excessive licencing requirements, bureaucratic difficulties, the absence of a clear legal framework and the difficulty of enforcing contracts," hesaid.

Negotiators from the two countries will sit down next week to work on a draft trade agreement that will eventually pave the way for Vietnam to receive most favoured nation status with the US.

Both sides recognise however that there is still a long way to go.

According to one official familiar with talks, the trickiest issue will be the US insistence of national treatment for its companies.

"Maybe the sound of it bothers them. The idea of treating US companies like Vietnamese companies is really tough for them," the official said in Hanoi on Monday.

Rubin met with Muoi in the Independence Palace, the former presidential palace of the Saigon regime, a sprawling building in central Ho Chi Minh City.

In the grounds sits a north Vietnamese tank which crashed through its gates on April 30, 1975, symbolizing the end of the Vietnam war.

Earlier in the day Rubin visited a primary school where the World Bank is funding new classrooms and materials.

Rubin was to meet with the chief of the Ho Chi Minh City Communist Party and acting mayor Truong Tan Sang for a courtesy call before flying back to Washington on a US Airforce jet.

April 8 , 1997

Tuesday

4,000 year

Monday

later this week

next week

Monday

April 30, 1975

meeting

held

talks

meeting

described

development

stressed

like

see

grow

told

meeting

is

visit

said

meeting

talks

discussed

moving

normalisation

faced

said

told

hoped

move

normalisation

said

understood

involves

said

said

had

said

expected

ratify

nomination

added

raised

faced

said

discussed

trying

work

take

told

take

said

said

talk

touched

stressed

conversation

valued

said

said

told

impressed

visit

stressed

improving

found

slowed

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told

seems

hesaid

sit

work

pave

receive

recognise

go

According

treatment

bothers

treating

said

met

sits

crashed

symbolizing

war

visited

funding

meet

Sang

flying


XIN_ENG_20051120.0168

NAIROBI, Nov. 20 , 2005 (Xinhua)

Critics cry foul as Kibaki urges for huge voter turnout in referendum

Critics of Kenya's proposed new constitution on Sunday accused President Mwai Kibaki of breaching electoral laws by campaigning for the draft hours after campaign time elapsed ahead of the Monday balloting.

President Kibaki, in a televised address late Sunday called on his countrymen to vote for the proposed constitution, sparking protests from his rivals and lawyers, who accused him of breaching electoral laws by campaigning after the campaign period elapsed.

"We do not expect him (Kibaki) to indulge in campaigns. The law says campaigns should have ended on Saturday (48 hours) before the material voting day but should he go ahead and campaign, we shall demand a similar opportunity," said Roads Minister Raila Odinga.

In a televised address to the nation, Kibaki urged Kenyans to come out and vote so that the outcome of the referendum will reflect their real wishes.

He expressed confidence that the new constitution creates a good environment for faster growth countrywide.

"As we go to vote tomorrow, we will be making a critical decision that will impact on the current and future generations. I urge you, therefore, not to let this historic opportunity pass without your participation," Kibaki said.

But Odinga, who is leading the "No" campaign opposing to the adoption of the new constitution, said his criticism of the Kibaki should not be construed to mean disrespect for him as the head of state.

The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) also criticized the move by the president to campaign for the draft constitution hours after the campaign period elapsed.

"In respect of free choice, we ask the president to exercise reason," said LSK Chairman Tom Ojienda.

President Kibaki, while addressing the nation, recalled that the journey to a new constitutional dispensation has been long and torturous.

"We have been seeking a constitution that would unify our country and enable us to realize our aspirations for a more prosperous and peaceful country," the Kenyan leader said in Kiswahili.

He reiterated that the government has put in place all the necessary measures to ensure the safety and security of all Kenyans during the referendum.

He urged citizens to shun violence and respect the rights of others to have differing opinions, saying Kenya was a great country that has overcome many challenges in the past.

After several weeks of highly charged, divisive campaigns between those supporting the new constitution and those against, 11.6 million Kenyans will finally vote in the referendum on Monday.

Nov. 20 , 2005

Sunday

Monday

Sunday

Saturday

tomorrow

current

the past

several weeks

Monday

accused

breaching

campaigning

elapsed

balloting

address

called

vote

sparking

protests

accused

breaching

campaigning

elapsed

expect

indulge

says

ended

go

demand

said

address

urged

come

vote

outcome

referendum

reflect

expressed

creates

go

vote

making

decision

impact

urge

let

pass

participation

said

leading

opposing

adoption

said

construed

mean

criticized

move

campaign

elapsed

ask

exercise

said

addressing

recalled

journey

dispensation

seeking

unify

enable

realize

said

reiterated

put

ensure

referendum

urged

shun

violence

respect

saying

overcome

charged

campaigns

supporting

vote

referendum


XIN_ENG_20061127.0017

MANILA, Nov. 27 , 2006 (Xinhua)

Philippine stocks close flat

Philippine stock prices closed flat on Monday with a sluggish session in absence of strong leads, dealers said.

The 30-company composite index was down only 0.28 point at 2, 817.56.

The broader all-shares index rose 0.39 point to 1,759.88.

Losers beat gainers 55 to 46, while 61 stocks ended unchanged.

Trade volume was 4.09 billion shares valued at 2.25 billion pesos (45.3 million U.S. dollars).

Nov. 27 , 2006

Monday

2, 817.56

closed

said

down

rose

beat

ended


XIN_ENG_20051103.0291

UNITED NATIONS, Nov. 3 , 2005 (Xinhua)

Ship hijackings threaten food aid for drought-stricken Somalis, UN agency warns

A recent spate of ship hijackings off the coast of Somalia is restricting delivery of urgently needed food aid, posing a serious threat to the health of 640,000 people in the drought-stricken and war-torn south of the Horn of Africa country, the World Food Program (WFP) warned Thursday.

"The worsening humanitarian situation in southern Somalia is of deep concern to us and to our UN and NGO partners, especially with insecurity on the high seas hampering relief efforts," WFP Country Director Zlatan Milisic said. "We may have to step up our deliveries of food aid, which will be extremely difficult under present circumstances."

The southern Somali coastline is one of the most dangerous in the world. In recent months, WFP's operations have been sabotaged by the hijackings of two vessels carrying relief food. Ship owners are now demanding armed escorts to travel in these waters.

"Given the insecurity off the coast, we are exploring alternative transport routes, including overland from Kenya and via Djibouti, to reach those in desperate need of food assistance. But these other routes raise similar logistical and security challenges," Milisic said.

WFP is also concerned about the lack of access for UN relief flights to several airstrips in the south of Somalia, which has been torn by factional fighting and lacking a functioning central government for the past 14 years.

Malnutrition rates in southern Somalia are unacceptably high, reaching 20 percent in some areas. Drought is a major threat to Somalis living away from rivers in Lower and Middle Juba and Gedo, where poor and patchy rainfall during the second rainy season in October and November are compounding an already desperate situation after the first rains failed earlier in the year.

Despite the hijackings, WFP's operations have continued, with 1, 555 metric tons of food reaching nearly 150,000 people in Jilib and Buale districts in the past two weeks, and a further 830 tons set to be distributed to 78,000 beneficiaries in Sakow district.

WFP still requires 11,000 tons of food aid contributions from donors to provide sufficient assistance to those severely affected by food shortages throughout the country until mid-2006.

Nov. 3 , 2005

Thursday

recent months

the past 14 years

October

the year

the past two weeks

restricting

delivery

posing

warned

said

step

sabotaged

hijackings

demanding

travel

Given

exploring

reach

raise

said

concerned

torn

lacking

reaching

compounding

failed

hijackings

continued

reaching

set

distributed

requires

provide


AFP_ENG_20061231.0180

MOSCOW, Dec 31 , 2006, 2006

ATTENTION - REFILING correcting name typo in para five ///

Russia edged closer Sunday to cutting gas supplies to neighbouring Belarus as talks in Moscow on a price dispute entered their final hours, prompting fears of energy disruptions in western Europe.

Supplier Gazprom's spokesman Sergei Kupriyanov said on national television that marathon negotiations over the weekend had so far failed. "We have not been able to agree, but Gazprom is doing everything so that a contract can be signed on gas delivery for 2007."

But he added later that while the talks were continuing they were "difficult and tense".

"In addition, the Belarussians have started linking to the gas problem questions of relations between Belarus and Russia that have nothing to do with gas," he said, without giving details.

Kupriyanov said that without an accord on a new five-year contract Gazprom would move towards cutting off supplies to Belarus from 0700 GMT Monday.

The Russian gas giant wants to boost its prices from the current 45 dollars per 1,000 cubic metres to 105 dollars, about a third of which would be paid in shares in Belarus's pipeline network.

Kupriyanov's latest pessimistic remarks came despite the presence in Moscow Sunday of Belarus's first deputy prime minister Vladimir Semashko "to take part in the negotiations," according to his spokesman in Minsk.

Gazprom had previously said that without Semashko no deal was possible.

If Gazprom cuts supplies -- as it did briefly in a similar price dispute with Ukraine last January -- many of Belarus's 10 million people may start the New Year in chilly conditions, while the country's industrial base will suffer a major blow.

There are also concerns in the European Union that the row will impact on Russian imports, 20 percent of which transit through Belarus, meeting about five percent of EU natural gas needs.

Late Saturday Semashko announced that the two sides had agreed to a price of 100 dollars per 1,000 cubic metres for 2007 and that the price for 2008-2010 was all that remained to be finalised.

But Gazprom immediately poured cold water on the claim, saying it reflected Semashko's "point of view," not an agreement, and warned of a "critical scenario."

Gazprom, a state-owned giant that produces a third of the world's gas, has mounted a tough campaign to end Soviet-era subsidies to neighbouring countries, as well as expand ownership of infrastructure and other energy businesses throughout Europe.

The company says it wants to put pricing on a market basis. Critics, including many in western Europe, fear the Kremlin seeks to use Gazprom as a tool to reimpose part of its dominance lost at the time of the 1991 Soviet collapse.

Belarus, which lies sandwiched between Russia and the European Union, is in a loose economic and political partnership with Russia and has always argued that gas import prices should be similar to those paid within Russia.

But Kupriyanov on Sunday said this would not be possible, noting that the price demanded was lower than that now being paid by several other ex-Soviet republics, including Armenia, another ally of Russia.

"We take into account the relations that there are between our countries, but all the same Belarus is an independent, sovereign country, and not a region of Russia, and so the prices should be different," Kupriyanov said.

Belarus insists that unless a deal is reached on its own domestic imports, then transit of Russian gas across Belarus to western Europe will also be threatened. This could potentially result in shortfalls for EU members including Germany, Lithuania and Poland.

Gazprom accuses Belarus of preparing to siphon off gas intended for western Europe and says it will closely monitor the line.

The growing threat of an energy war between Russia and Belarus could spell difficulties for Lukashenko, an autocratic ruler who runs a Soviet-style economy largely based on Russian subsidies, analysts say.

Western governments gave strong diplomatic backing to Ukraine's pro-Western president, Viktor Yushchenko, during the gas row at the start of 2006, but Lukashenko is a political pariah in Europe and the United States.

The EU has limited itself to calling on the two parties to reach a deal that does not threaten European supplies, while the authorities in France and Germany say they are not worried by the prospect of shortages.

Dec 31 , 2006

Sunday

the weekend

Monday

last January

Sunday

now

edged

talks

dispute

entered

disruptions

said

negotiations

failed

agree

doing

signed

added

talks

continuing

started

linking

said

said

move

cutting

wants

boost

paid

came

take

negotiations

according

said

cuts

did

dispute

start

suffer

blow

impact

meeting

announced

agreed

remained

finalised

poured

saying

reflected

warned

mounted

end

expand

says

wants

put

pricing

fear

seeks

use

reimpose

lost

argued

paid

said

noting

demanded

lower

paid

take

said

insists

reached

threatened

result

accuses

preparing

siphon

intended

says

monitor

war

spell

difficulties

say

gave

backing

start

limited

calling

reach

threaten


AFP_ENG_20051205.0326

TEHRAN, Dec 5 , 2005

= (PICTURE) =

Iran on Monday warned Israel of "heavy consequences" if its nuclear installations were attacked by the Jewish state, after a former Israeli premier suggested Israel should take an aggressive stance toward Iran.

"The Islamic republic is a tough target and there would be heavy consequences," said Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council.

He was speaking after former Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel needed to "act in the spirit" of the late premier Menachem Begin, who ordered an air strike on Iraq's Osirak nuclear reactor in 1981.

"I view the development of the Iranian nuclear (programme) as a paramount threat and as a real danger to the future of the state of Israel," Netanyahu told the Yediot Aharonot newspaper.

"Israel needs to do everything to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear threat against it," said Netanyahu.

But Larijani said Iran, which maintains its nuclear programme is peaceful, was not afraid of an attack.

"Comparing Iran and Iraq is an error, because Iran is not an easy target. You should not pay attention to such rude comments by Israeli officials," he told a news conference.

Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi also said Iran's response to such an attack would be "devastating and unbearable".

Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, Netanyahu's arch rival, said last week that Israel would never allow its arch-enemy Iran to come into possession of nuclear weapons.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad caused an international backlash in October when he called for the Jewish state to be "wiped off the map".

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in September found Iran in non-compliance with the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, paving the way for the matter to be referred to the UN Security Council if Iran does not halt nuclear fuel work and cooperate fully with an IAEA investigation.

Iran has insisted that its nuclear programme is merely designed to meet domestic energy needs.

Dec 5 , 2005

Monday

last week

October

September

warned

attacked

suggested

take

said

speaking

said

needed

act

Begin

ordered

strike

view

development

told

do

prevent

developing

said

said

afraid

attack

Comparing

error

pay

told

conference

said

response

attack

said

allow

come

caused

backlash

called

wiped

found

paving

referred

halt

work

cooperate

investigation

insisted

designed

meet


AFP_ENG_19970426.0027

HANOI, April 26 , 1997 (AFP)

Vietnam to tighten security on "state secrets"

Prime Minister Vo Van Kiet has issued a directive calling on all levels of government to tighten vigilance against revealing state secrets, reports said Saturday.

According to the April 24 directive, portions of which were published in all daily Vietnamese-language newspapers, "the situation of revealing state secrets in a number of offices and localities is still serious," the Communist party's official mouthpiece Nhan Dan said.

The paper quoted the government as saying that since 1991 when the ordinance on Protection of State Secrets was issued much progress had been made, but there were "cases of abusing regulations on state secret protection."

Vietnam has nebulous laws on state security and press freedom that give the government a free hand in restricting the media. The laws allow for criminal prosecution and harsh prison terms for those who reveal state secrets or damage national interests.

The directive did not provide any list or description of what was included under state secrets.

Instead it called on "ministries, offices of ministerial level, government offices and People's Committees of provinces and cities under central authority to submit lists of state secrets to be approved by the prime minister before the third quarter of 1997," the paper said.

The directive also said the Ministry of Culture and Information needed to regulate news reporting in the press in order "to ensure both the spread of information to the public and the correct implementation of regulations on preserving state secrets."

The government has closed several newspapers in the past to punish them for their reporting. Though there are more than 500 journals and periodicals, the Vietnamese media is state-owned and subject to severe limitations on freedom of speech.

Last month the ministry of culture and information and the State Bank issued a circular aimed at curbing and controlling local media coverage of the banking industry, which included a list of information considered as state secrets in that industry.

Information is tightly controlled in Vietnam, and statistics jealously guarded. Economic data considered routine in other countries, such as the size of the government budget deficit, are not publicly known.

Last year several local journalists were investigated for revealing "national secrets in violation of Article 97 of the criminal code," after reporting possible mishandling of aircraft purchases by Vietnam Airlines.

April 26 , 1997

Saturday

April 24

the third quarter of 1997

the past

Last month

Last year

issued

tighten

said

According

published

said

quoted

saying

issued

made

abusing

restricting

allow

reveal

provide

called

submit

approved

said

said

needed

regulate

ensure

closed

punish

issued

aimed

curbing

considered

controlled

guarded

considered

investigated

revealing

reporting

mishandling

purchases


XIN_ENG_20061113.0008

TAIYUAN, Nov. 13 , 2006 (Xinhua)

1st LD: Fatal coal mine accident reported in north China, 24 dead

Twenty-four people were confirmed dead and 10 others went missing in a deadly coal mine accident early Monday in north China's Shanxi Province.

Thirty-four miners were trapped when the accident occurred at 4:00 a.m. at the Nanshan Colliery in Wangyu Village of Lingshi County, said Gong Anku, head of the provincial administration for work safety.

Rescuers had found 24 dead bodies by midday and were continuing to search for the other 10, he said.

A spokesman of the Lingshi county government said the accident was caused by improper use of explosives that led to combustion in the pit.

Gong said Nanshan Colliery was a village-run coal mine. The safety watchdog is yet to find out if it holds a production permit.

Also on Monday, the death toll in another deadly accident in this coal-rich province climbed to 35, with 12 more missing in the pit of the Jiaojiazhai Colliery in Xinzhou, where a gas blast trapped 47 on Nov. 5.

Nov. 13 , 2006

Monday

4:00 a.m.

Monday

Nov. 5

confirmed

went

occurred

said

found

continuing

search

said

said

accident

caused

use

led

said

find

holds

accident

climbed

blast

trapped


XIN_ENG_20061109.0247

BEIJING, Nov. 9 , 2006 (Xinhua)

China, Singapore vow to strengthen personnel training cooperation

China and Singapore should further strengthen cooperation and exchanges on personnel training, said He Guoqiang, head of the Organization Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee.

"Such cooperation and exchanges are of great significance to promoting mutual understanding between officials of both sides and the development of bilateral friendly relations," He said.

He made the remark in a meeting with Tan Tee How, permanent secretary of the Ministry of National Development of Singapore, who headed a Singaporean delegation of training course for permanent secretaries.

He said the visit by the Singaporean guests was an important part of China-Singapore cooperation on personnel training and he hoped the two sides continue to strengthen exchanges to promote the sustainable, healthy and steady development of bilateral relations.

He added that Singapore has a lot of experience that China can learn from in personnel training.

He also briefed Tan on the recent Sixth Plenary Session of the 16th CPC Central Committee and China's economic and social development and opening up.

Tan said the visit to China was part of the training program of his delegation and the reason for this visit is that he hoped his delegation members to see the significant and fast development in China.

He said the two countries have conducted good cooperation in many fields, among which personnel is a very important one and the Singaporean side hoped to keep regular exchanges with the Chinese side in this field.

The delegation will also visit Tianjin, a port city neighboring Beijing, and Hubei Province in central China.

Nov. 9 , 2006

strengthen

said

promoting

development

said

made

meeting

headed

said

visit

cooperation

hoped

continue

strengthen

promote

development

added

learn

briefed

opening

said

visit

visit

hoped

see

development

said

conducted

hoped

keep

visit


AFP_ENG_19970409.0126

MOSCOW, April 9 , 1997 (AFP)

URGENTYeltsin to take two weeks' holiday in April

Russian President Boris Yeltsin will take two weeks' holiday after his visit to Germany in mid-April, the Kremlin told AFP.

The holiday will be spent in Sochi, on the Black Sea. Yeltsin is expected to be in Germany on April 17-18.

April 9 , 1997

two weeks' holiday

April 17-18

take

visit

told

spent

expected

be


WSJ891027-0104
 = 891027
 891027-0104.
 Norwood May Offer
@  To Acquire Phoenix
@  Technologies Shares
 10/27/89
 WALL STREET JOURNAL (J)
 PTEC
 TENDER OFFERS, MERGERS, ACQUISITIONS (TNM)
 WASHINGTON

   Norwood Partners Limited Partnership of Boston said it may make a tender offer for some or all of Phoenix Technologies Ltd.'s common shares.

   Norwood, Mass.-based Phoenix, a once-high-flying maker of software for personal computers, has had substantial losses in the past two quarters.
Its stock, which was as high as $18.75 a share, has been trading under $4 a share recently.
Yesterday it closed at $4.375 a share, up $1.125, in national over-the-counter trading.

   In a Securities and Exchange Commission filing, Norwood said it's part of a group that holds 525,546 Phoenix Technologies common shares, or a 5.3% stake.

   Norwood has made "no detailed plans," but it has engaged in talks with other shareholders, the filing said.
Phoenix declined to comment.

   Norwood is controlled by Daniel L. Barnett and Paul A. Reese, both officers of Boston-based Oasis Capital Management Inc., a small Boston money management firm.
Also involved in the group is Robert F. Angelo, formerly Phoenix's senior vice president, field operations, who left Phoenix at the beginning of October.
Mr. Angelo was described in the filing as a consultant to Oasis.

the past two quarters

recently

Yesterday

the beginning of October

said

make

offer

had

losses

$18.75 a share

trading

$4 a share

closed

$4.375 a share

trading

said

holds

made

plans

engaged

talks

said

declined

comment

controlled

involved

left

described

consultant

in

at


WSJ891027-0135
 = 891027
 891027-0135.
 Norton Net Declined
@  6% in Third Quarter
 10/27/89
 WALL STREET JOURNAL (J)
 NRT
 EARNINGS (ERN)
INDUSTRIAL EQUIPMENT, MACHINE TOOLS (IND)
 WORCESTER, Mass.

   Norton Co. said net income for the third quarter fell 6% to $20.6 million, or 98 cents a share, from $22 million, or $1.03 a share.

   Operating profit for the abrasives, engineering materials and petroleum services concern was $19.2 million, or 91 cents a share, up 3% from $18.7 million, or 87 cents a share.

   The company had a tax credit of $1.4 million.
In the year-earlier quarter, the tax credit was $3.3 million.
Sales rose 8% to $368.5 million from $340.7 million.

   Operating profit in the company's abrasives segment rose 16% while operating profit in the engineering materials segment rose 2%.
However, the company's petroleum services segment, while profitable, was hurt by high financing costs associated with the company's buy-out of a 50% stake in Eastman Christensen Co. from Texas Eastern Corp. last June.
Norton and Texas Eastern had each held a 50% stake in Eastman in a joint venture.

   Norton announced earlier this month that it was exploring the possible sale of all or part of Eastman Christensen.

   For the nine months, Norton had net of $81.2 million, or $3.87 a share, and a tax credit of $4.4 million.
In the year-earlier period, the company had net of $77.2 million, or $3.68 a share, and a tax credit of $7.7 million.

   Norton had operating profit of $76.8 million, or $3.66 a share, up 11% from $69.5 million, or $3.31 a share.

   Sales rose 8% to $1.15 billion from $1.06 billion.

the third quarter

the year-earlier quarter

last June

earlier this month

the nine months

the year-earlier period

said

fell

rose

rose

rose

hurt

buy-out

announced

exploring

sale

net

credit

net

credit

rose

For

In


XIN_ENG_20061124.0070

BEIJING, Nov. 24 , 2006 (Xinhua)

chemical plant

The State Council has named senior executives of China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) and environmental officials who were responsible for the Songhua River pollution in northeast China's Jilin Province in November last year.

Duan Wende, deputy general manager of the state-owned CNPC and senior vice president of the New York and Hong Kong-listed PetroChina Company Limited, received a "demerit" on his personal record.

Nine other executives, including Yu Li, board chairman and general manager of the Jilin branch of PetroChina, and Shen Dongming, head of the Shuangben Chemical Plant of the Jilin branch, received disciplinary punishments ranging from serious warnings to demotions and dismissal.

Wang Liying, director of the Jilin provincial environmental protection department, received a "serious demerit" on his record. Wu Yang, director of Jinlin city environmental protection bureau, received an administrative warning.

The nitrobenzene fractionating tower of a chemical plant of Jilin branch of PetroChina Company Limited, controlled by CNPC, exploded on Nov. 13 last year. The accident killed eight people and injured 60 others and caused 69.08 million yuan of direct economic losses.

Nov. 24 , 2006

November last year

Nov. 13 last year

named

responsible

received

received

ranging

received

received

warning

exploded

accident

killed

injured

caused

losses


XIN_ENG_20051114.0243

HARARE, Nov. 14 , 2005 (Xinhua)

Zimbabwe builds dams to tackle water problems in Harare

Construction of the Kunzvi Dam is the panacea to the water problems plaguing Harare and its dormitory towns, Zimbabwean Water Resources and Infrastructure Development Minster Munacho Mutezo said on Monday.

"Harare has been facing a major water shortage and implementation of Kunzvi Dam is the solution," he said this while addressing a Chinese delegation from Jiangxi Province which is on a five-day visit to the country to explore areas of possible cooperation.

"We hope the project will be able to work shortly so that the people in Harare and surrounding areas do not have to suffer."

Mutezo said time was ripe for implementation of the project, which had been on the cards for the past eight years.

Suburbs in Harare have been going for weeks without water supplies with satellite towns such as Chitungwiza going for more than two months without supplies.

While aging water infrastructure has been singled out as a major contributor to the woes, declining water levels in major supply dams have been cited as contributory to the problem.

According to Mutezo, the contractors had completed projects such as the Valley Dam and Irrigation scheme in Kezi district, Masvingo Rural, Runde and Mawere water schemes.

And the Marowa Nyathi Dam in Manicaland was being implemented, he said.

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XIN_ENG_20051105.0135

RAMALLAH, Nov. 5 , 2005 (Xinhua)

Recast: Four Palestinians wounded by Israeli gunfire in W.Bank

Four Palestinians were wounded by Israeli troops' gunfire on Saturday night in the village of Qabatia, near the northern West Bank town of Jenin, Palestinian medics and security sources said.

The sources said Israeli soldiers opened fire at a group of Palestinian teenagers in a raid on the village for wanted militants and injured four of them.

An Israeli army spokesman said the troops opened fire at a group of stone- and firebottle-throwing Palestinian young men, aged between 13 and 15, and lightly wounded four of them.

Meanwhile, the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, armed wing of the ruling Fatah movement, claimed responsibility for launching two short-range homemade mortars from the Gaza Strip at Israel.

The group said its militants fired the two mortar shells at the Israeli town of Kfar Azza, east of Gaza, in revenge for the Israeli assassination of the group's commander in northern Gaza last week.

There is no immediate report on any casualties.

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AFP_ENG_20061230.0244

ROME, Dec 30 , 2006, 2006

Venice's 'vaporetti' water buses to hike fares in February

The cost of a single ride on a "vaporetto" -- the water bus that is Venice's main form of public transport -- will rise 20 percent to six euros (eight dollars) on February 1, the ANSA news agency reported Saturday.

An all-day ticket will cost 15 euros, and the three-day fare will rise to 30 euros, the agency said, quoting a statement from the Venice transport authority.

The hikes will not affect card-bearing Venice residents, it noted.

Fare increases are also in store for travellers on Italy's train network Trenitalia.

From Monday, fares will be up an average of nine percent on inter-city and high-speed routes, the company said.

The increases are Trenitalia's first in five years.

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