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CHENGDU Southwest China Apr Xinhua Following are the leading final results from the secondday competition at Chinas national spring diving championships here on Thursday
The championships also serve as a qualification tournament for the sport at the th national games from September to October in Nanjing Jiangsu Province East China
Mens onemeter springboard
Wang Feng Shandong points
Wang Tianling Shanghai
Luo Yutong Guangdong
Enditem
CHENGDU Southwest China Apr Xinhua Chinas diving World Cup silvermedalist Wang Feng won the mens onemeter springboard event on the second day at the national spring diving championships here on Thursday
The championships also serve as a qualification tournament for the sport at the th national games from September to October in Nanjing Jiangsu Province East China
The yearold from the eastern Shandong Province won the event with a total score of points on Thursday
World champion in Wang took the second place of the m events both in the world championships and last years World Cup meet
Wang Tianling from Shanghai world runnerup in won the second place and Luo Yutong from southern Guangdong finished third
Fang Min from Sichuan Province won the womens m springboard title with Thursday morning followed by her provincial teammate Hou Yuanyuan and Li Rongjuan from Guangdong
Fang and Hou took the second place in Wednesdays m springboard synchronized event and Li took the events bronze medal Enditem
SINGAPORE April Xinhua The Young Lions defeated Paya Lebar Punggol in a S League match at Yishun Stadium on Thursday night
Ashrin Shariff and Itimi Dickson scored the two goals for the Young Lions Punggol tried but failed to score any goal in the match Enditem
WASHINGTON April Xinhua NBA regularseason attendance averaged this year setting a new mark in league history according to the NBA from New York on Thursday
Total attendance of nearly million topped the previous mark of more than million set during the season Excluding the addition of the expansion Charlotte Bobcats NBA games still drew more than fans this season than last season
This years average attendance mark exceeded the record of and last seasons average of the league reported
Detroit had the highest attendance followed by Chicago and Dallas Charlotte was next to last among the teams while New Orleans had the lowest number Enditem
SINGAPORE April Xinhua Singapores badminton Olympian Ronald Susilo and his wife Li Jiawei a table tennis player have won the countrys Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year titles
According to the Channel NewsAsia reports on Thursday night Susilo who will earn Singapore dollars about US dollars was honored the title as he brought Singapore badminton to a higher level when having competed in the Athens Olympics and narrowly missed out winning a medal for himself
His yearold wife clinched the Sportswoman award for her exploits at the recent Olympics
Meanwhile the team sports award was given to the Singapore national football team or Lions for their victory in the Tiger Cup
Lions coach Raddy Avramovic was nominated for the Coach of the Year title but he lost the title to badminton coach Zhang Qing Jin a ChinabornturnedSingaporean who played a key role in promoting Susilo and other shuttlers to international standards
The Sportsboy of the Year award went to Mohd Saifuddin Julaimi while the Sportsgirl of the Year title was clinched by Saiedah Said
The annual Singapore sports awards are given to local athletes for their excellence performance in their respective fields The winners will be honored in a ceremony later next month Enditem
LONDON April Xinhua Blackburn skipper Andy Todd has been cleared of violent conduct by the Football Association
Todd was charged following a clash with Arsenals Robin van Persie in Saturdays FA Cup semifinal
Van Persie had just scored his second goal in Arsenals win in Cardiff when defender Todd appeared to elbow the striker in the face
Todd denied the charge claiming it was purely accidental and that Van Persie ran into my shoulder
After hearing he was cleared Todd told Rovers website It has been a difficult few days but justice has been done
I can now concentrate on the job of helping Rovers continue to climb the table in the last few weeks of the season Enditem
LONDON April Xinhua Manchester United club director Bobby Charlton said on Thursday that team manager Alex Ferguson will not be sacked though the Red Devils will finish the league emptyhanded again
United lost to Everton on Wednesday and Fergusons position has come under threat after another failed Premiership and Champions League quest
The only way we would ever be separated from Alex Ferguson is if he decides said Charlton
He is the best manager that has ever been certainly in England and we have no reason to change
I think its been an unusual season this year in as much as weve had Chelsea spend a lot of money Charlton added
Theyve brought in really good players and been very successful Thats one of the reasons why we havent maybe been successful
Without Chelsea we might have been champions this year and there wouldnt be a problem Charlton said
United chief executive David Gill recently stated Ferguson was sackable but said his comment had been taken out of context
The Red Devils may be through to an FA Cup final date with Arsenal but they suffered their second successive Premiership defeat on Wednesday at Everton and surely must have to settle for a third place for the second season running
A disappointing UEFA Champions League campaign was ended by Milan as United continued to fail to reach the latter stages of the competition they won in
Ferguson for the first time in years has faced some criticism from sections of the clubs support despite retaining the backing of the majority of fans Enditem
WASHINGTON April Xinhua The Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday released president and general manager of basketball operations Jim Paxson after the team failed to qualify for the playoffs according to reports from Cleveland
The Cavaliers finished the regular season with dropping eight of their final contests New Jersey had the same record as Cleveland but won the seasonseries from the Cavaliers and therefore claimed the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference by virtue of the tiebreaker
Paxson has spent seven years with the organization including six as the clubs GM
Meanwhile Gilbert also announced that Brendan Malone will not be a candidate for head coach next season
Malone took over as the interim coach of the Cavaliers on March replacing Paul Silas He will however remain with the organization in a yet to be determined role
The Cavaliers finished above for the first time since the season Enditem
WASHINGTON April Xinhua Following are final leaders of the National Basketball Association in four statistics at regular season
Scoring
G FG FT PTS AVG
Iverson Phil
Bryant LAL
James Clev
Nowitzki Dall
Stoudemire Phoe
McGrady Hou
Arenas Wash
Carter NJ
Wade Mia
Allen Sea
Redd Mil
ONeal Mia
Maggette LAC
Garnett Minn
Marbury NY
Richardson GS
Pierce Bos
Francis Orl
Anthony Den
Lewis Sea
FG Percentage
FG FGA PCT
ONeal Mia
Stoudemire Phoe
Yao Hou
Haslem Mia
Curry Chi
Patterson Port
Blount Bos
Miller Sac
Boozer Utah
Howard Orl
Rebounds
G OFF DEF TOT AVG
Garnett Minn
B Wallace Det
Marion Phoe
Okafor Char
Murphy GS
ONeal Mia
K Thomas NY
Howard Orl
Nowitzki Dall
Chandler Chi
Assists
G AST AVG
Nash Phoe
Knight Char
Kidd NJ
Marbury NY
Iverson Phil
James Clev
Francis Orl
Miller Den
Bibby Sac
Wade Mia
Enditem
WASHINGTON April Xinhua The Miami Heat may be without Shaquille ONeal when they play aganist the New Jersey Nets in their bestofseven first round East Conference series on Sunday in Florida reports from Miami said
ONeal could miss the opener due to swelling in his right thigh which was kneeded by Indianas Jermaine ONeal in the Heats victory over the Pacers last Sunday
I really cant bend it ONeal was quoted as saying Its pretty swollen Ive been doing double triple treatments Right now I just have to see how it goes Enditem
HAVANA April Xinhua Cuba won seven of the eight divisions in the Manuel Suares In Memoriam International Weightlifting Tournament held here according to the local press on Thursday
Local athletes Yoandri Hernandez kilograms Ernesto Quiroga and Sertanis Teran won gold medals on Wednesday the third and final day of competitions
Hernandez lifted kilograms in the snatch and in clean and jerk establishing a record in this category for the competition and rose to kilograms his personal mark in biathlon enough to leave behind Venezuelan Ingel Daza and Javier Venegas
In the kg category Quiroga got kilograms in the biathlon and was followed by his compatriot Osmany Medina and Mexican Hector Rizo
In the super heavyweight category kilograms Teran was quite superior with a total of to the also Cuban Alberto Pupo and Ecuadorian Luis Zambrano who ended second and third respectively
The only title that the Cubans lost was in the kilogram category won by Venezuelan Octavio Mejias with kilograms in snatch and kilograms in clean and jerk for a total of kilograms
Yadiel Valladares of Cuba and Henry Coy of Guatemala kept the silver and bronze in this order
Previously in representation of Cuba won Lazaro Maikel kilograms Adan Rosales Yordanis Borrero and Aristoteles Fuentes
In the traditional Manuel Suarez In Memoriam tournament participated
athletes from Venezuela Ecuador Guatemala Mexico and Cuba Enditem
SANTIAGO April Xinhua The th International WheelChair tennis Open which counts with the participation of players from Europe and Latin America was inaugurated here on Thursday
A total of representatives from nine countries France Slovakia Sweden Switzerland Czech Republic Canada Brazil Argentina and Chile take part in the contest which has a bourse of US dollars in prizes for the winner
Among the participants is defending champion Miroslav Brychta of Czech Republic world number Slovakian Jozef Felix the world number and the top Chilean wheelchair tennist Robinson Mendez the worlds number
Never has a Chilean won this tournament Last year I reached the semifinals and now I have to defend the honor of Chile and I will do what it takes to win said Mendez who is coached by Horacio de la Pena the coach of distinguished Chilean professional tennis player and excapitan of the countrys Davis Cup team Fernando Gonzalez
The meeting will be held until April in the courts of Bank of Chile Enditem
BRUSSELS April Xinhua Willem II Tilburg claimed a shocking home win over Ajax on Thursday to reached their first Dutch Cup final in years
Tilburg the Cup winners in will meet neighbours PSV Eindhoven in Rotterdam on May after the Dutch leaders beat Feyenoord on penalties Wednesday
Ajax playing for their last chance of silverware this season dominated the match but failed to convert several good chances and the hosts took the lead seven minutes before halftime
Jattoo Ceesay set up the opportunity and when three Ajax defenders failed to clear Tom Caluwe netted from close range at the far post
Tilburg goalkeeper Oscar Moens had done excellent job in the second half when Ajax desperately searched for the equaliser Enditem
BRUSSELS April Xinhua Following are the results from the Dutch Cup Semi Final matches
Semi Final played on Thursday April
Willem II Tilburg bt Ajax Amsterdam
Semi Final Wednesday April
Feyenoord lost to PSV Eindhoven
Enditem
WASHINGTON April Xinhua The NBA on Thursday announced Coaches of the Month for April and New Jerseys Lawrence Frank and Dallas Avery Johnson captured those awards
Frank led the Nets to an mark in April and New Jersey closed out the month by winning its final four games including Wednesday nights win over Boston that clinched the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference
During the month the Nets limited opponents to points per game and their point differential was second only to Dallas
New Jersey though has the unenviable task of battling Shaquille ONeal and topseeded Miami in the first round of the postseason
Johnson guided the Mavericks to a mark in the final month of the season which was his first full month since replacing Don Nelson
Johnson has gone since taking over fulltime on March including a seasonending nine game winning streak During the month Dallas held its opposition to points per game on percent shooting
The fourthseeded Mavericks will take on fifthseeded Houston in the opening round of the playoffs
Other nominees for the Coach of the Month award were Denvers George Karl Detroits Larry Brown and Philadelphias Jim OBrien Enditem
WASHINGTON April Xinhua Philadelphia ers guard Allen Iverson and Phoenix Suns forward Amare Stoudemire were named NBA Players of the Month for games played in April
Iverson won the award in the Eastern Conference after leading the league in scoring by averaging points per game He was fourth in the league in assists as he posted per game and also added rebounds per contest
On April against Charlotte Iverson poured in points and added eight assists and seven rebounds in Philadelphias win The fourtime NBA scoring champion also netted points and handed out assists in an April victory over Miami before recording points the following night in a win over Indiana
The Sixers qualified for the playoffs as the seventh seed and will take on defending champion Detroit in the first round
Stoudemire garnered the honors by ranking second in the Western Conference after posting points per game and hauling in boards per outing
During the month Stoudemire scored points and grabbed rebounds in a loss to Golden State on April In the regularseason finale on April Stoudemire ended with points boards and three blocks in Phoenixs loss to Sacramento
The Suns enter the playoffs having captured the No overall seed and will begin with a firstround series versus Memphis
Other nominees for the awards included Chicagos Tyson Chandler Dallas Dirk Nowitzki Denvers Carmelo Anthony Golden States Baron Davis Houstons Tracy McGrady and New Jerseys Jason Kidd Enditem
MADRID April Xinhua Athletic Bilbao held Real Betis to a goalless draw on Thursday in the Kings Cup semifinal first leg match after a firsthalf goal were denied by the woodwork
In the other semifinal first leg clash on Wednesday Osasuna secured a lead over Atletico Madrid thanks to a firsthalf strike from midfielder Valdo
The second legs are scheduled for May
Bilbao dominated the first half and the game opened up after the interval as Betis came back into the match But for two sides who scored goals between them in their two league meetings this season chances remained at a premium
Bilbao held firm in the closing minutes as Betis substitute Edu and Oliveira fired wide when well placed leaving the tie evenly poised for the return leg in San Mames next month Enditem
MADRID April Xinhua Following are the results from the Spanish Kings Cup Semi Final matches
Semi Final played on Thursday April
Real Betis tied Athletic Bilbao
Semi Final played on Wednesday April
Osasuna bt Atletico Madrid
Enditem
ROME April Xinhua AS Roma skipper Francesco Totti has been handed a fivematch ban on Thursday for violent conduct on the pitch according to ANSA news
Juventuss Zlatan Ibrahimovic was banned for three matches with same reason after the Swedish striker was caught on television elbowing Inter Milan defender Ivan Cordoba
The ban means he will miss the May game between Juventus and title rivals AC Milan
Totti was suspended following his dismissal in Wednesdays defeat by Siena for kicking then hitting an opponent He will return for the last game of the Serie A season
The two players can appeal against the sentence Enditem
BEIJING April Xinhua Chinese Olympic gold medalist Liu Xiang does not plan to break the world record in the mens m hurdles in which is one year ahead of his promise in Athens according to local press on Friday
Lius coach Sun Haiping was quoted by China Sports Daily that the yearold has scheduled to tune up the physical and mental conditions of himself in rather than to set a clock for breaking the world record of seconds
Liu has great potential in breaking the world record as his condition in training now is as good as that before the Athens Olympic Games said Sun
It has been and will always be his target but whether he can make it will also depends on the track the weather the wind direction and speed and so on Its just hard to put it on a timetable
Sun had been reported last week to foretell Lius breakthrough on world record by the end of this year when Sun and Liu arrived in Yichun East of China a week ago for a twoday national track event on April
Feng Shuyong deputy director of Chinas Track and Field Administration Center echoed Suns saying that the national athletic governing body did not force Liu to take on any task of breaking world record in
Liu the first Chinese athlete to win an Olympic gold in the shortdistance race claimed the Olympic crown last August with a time equalling the existing mark of mens m hurdles which was set by Briton Colin Jackson at the world championships in Stuttgart Germany Enditem
YANGON April Xinhua Myanmar will sponsor Olympic sports and literary competitions for different levels of students to raise their interest in sports and promote the development of the sector said a report of the official newspaper The New Light of Myanmar Friday
The competitions are to be held for students at university college and basic education levels in the first week of May and the essay contests are categorized into three age groups of under to and above the report said
The contestants are to choose any topic among the Excelling Oneself the Fair Play the Joy in Effect the Respects for Others and the Balance between Body and Mind it added
Myanmar has participated in the Olympics since th London Olympic Games except s st in Canada In the Sydney Olympic Games contested by its seven athletes Myanmar finished fourth in the womens kg weightlifting event Enditem
NEW YORK April Xinhua NYC the Olympic bidding committee of New York City on Thursday joined children from the citys various ethnic communities in Bridge to Beijing an event featuring display of artwork and writing goodwish messages for Beijing Games
The breadth of New Yorks diversity is unparalleled and the figurative bridge these kids are making reflect exactly what New York City is all about said NYC board member Weillington Chen
This city makes cultural connections like this every day and creates an environment where everyone feels welcome and at home It is this type of atmosphere that New York City can provide athletes and spectators from anywhere in the world if we win the honor of hosting the Olympic and Paralympic Games in he said
Also attending the event were Donna Weinbrecht gold medalist for freestyle skiing at Winter Olympic and Kevin Brown gold medalist for meter hurdles in Summer Games The Olympians joined the children in unveiling the artwork they created during a week afterschool program
These childrens outreach across the world is a perfect example of the efforts this city would make to be an accommodating and welcoming Host City in If the Games came to New York every nationality would be not only be represented in competition but cheering together in the stands and streets said Donna Weinbrecht
As a celebration of Beijing Summer Games children at the program were asked to reach a range of topics such as the Olympic Games New York Beijing and Chinese culture Then they were encouraged to create paintings dioramas collages dragon and rooster and other pieces All the artwork and a banner with signatures and goodwish messages to the Beijing Games will be sent to Beijing said the organizers of the event Enditem
RIO DE JANEIRO April Xinhua Following are the results and standings from the Libertadores Cup Group matches on Thursday
Friday April
Universidad de Chile Chile tied Sao Paulo Brazil
Playing on April
The Strongest Bolivia vs Quilmes Argentina
Playing on May
Quilmes Argentina vs Universidad de Chile Chile
Sao Paulo Brazil vs The Strongest Bolivia
Standings tabulated under matches played won drawn lost goals for against and points
Sao Paulo
Universidad de Chile
Quilmes
The Strongest
Enditem
LONDON April Xinhua Following are the English Premier League fixtures for April to Kickoff times GMT unless stated
Saturday April
Aston Villa vs Bolton Wanderers
Blackburn Rovers vs Manchester City
Chelsea vs Fulham
Crystal Palace vs Liverpool
Everton vs Birmingham City
Middlesbrough vs West Bromwich Albion
Norwich City vs Charlton Athletic
Sunday April
Manchester United vs Newcastle United
Portsmouth vs Southampton
Monday April
Arsenal vs Tottenham Hotspur
Enditem
LONDON April Xinhua Following are the English Premier League standings ahead of the weekends matches tabulated under matches played won drawn lost goals for against and points
Chelsea
Arsenal
Manchester United
Everton
Liverpool
Bolton Wanderers
Tottenham Hotspur
Middlesbrough
Aston Villa
Charlton Athletic
Manchester City
Blackburn Rovers
Birmingham City
Newcastle United
Fulham
Portsmouth
West Bromwich Albion
Southampton
Crystal Palace
Norwich City
Enditem
WASHINGTON April Xinhua Following are the results from the US Mens Clay Court Championships Mens Singles Round matches on Thursday
Nicolas Lapentti Ecuador bt Kevin Kim United States
James Blake United States bt Antony Dupuis France
Sebastien Grosjean France bt Oscar Hernandez Spain
Andre Agassi United States bt Alex Calatrava Spain
Enditem
WASHINGTON April Xinhua Andre Agassi reached the quarterfinals of the US Mens Clay Court Championships in Houston coming back from one set down to rally past Spains Alex Calatrava on Thursday
The yearold Grand Slam winner was forced to draw on his vast experience when his opponent recovered from a break down in the deciding set to draw level at
The secondseeded American held in the ninth game and wasted a match point in the next before finally securing the victory with a backhand winner down the line two games later
Agassi next faces sixth seed Sebastien Grosjean for a place in the last four after the Frenchman overcame Oscar Hernandez of Spain
In Fidays other quarters defending champion Tommy Haas of Germany will play Jurgen Melzer of Austria topseeded American Andy Roddick will meet Luis Horna of Peru while James Blake lines up against Nicolas Lapentti of Ecuador Enditem
MADRID April Xinhua Spanish teenager Rafael Nadal turned in another irresistible display on Thursday beating Slovak Dominik Hrbaty to reach the Barcelona Open quarterfinals
The yearold the youngest player in years to win a Masters event last week in Monte Carlo will next meet Agustin Calleri who claimed a victory over fellow Argentine and fourth seed Guillermo Coria
It wasnt as easy as the scoreline suggests said Nadal It was a tough game I seem to be making few mistakes which is good but I certainly dont feel unbeatable at the moment
Aggressively competing for every point the Spaniard gave his opponent little chance as he reeled off a string of precise twohanded backhands and spectacular running passes on his way to an emphatic victory
Third seed Carlos Moya of Spain was ousted from the third round after losing to bigserving Max Mirnyi of Belarus
French Open champion Gaston Gaudio become the only one of the top six seeds to reach the quarterfinals with a victory over inform Spaniard David Ferrer
The secondseeded Argentine next faces Juan Carlos Ferrero who continued his revival with a comfortable win over fellow Spaniard Alberto Martin Enditem
MADRID April Xinhua Following are the results from the Barcelona Open Mens Singles Round matches on Thursday
Stanislas Wawrinka Switzerland bt Jose Acasuso Argentina
Radek Stepanek Czech Republic bt Guillermo Canas Argentina
Agustin Calleri Argentina bt Guillermo Coria Argentina
Rafael Nadal Spain bt Dominik Hrbaty Slovakia
Nikolay Davydenko Russia bt Thomas Johansson Sweden
Max Mirnyi Belarus bt Carlos Moya Spain
Juan Carlos Ferrero Spain bt Alberto Martin Spain
Gaston Gaudio Argentina bt David Ferrer Spain
Enditem
MANILA April Xinhua Top women surfers around the globe has started to arrive in the Southern Philippines city of Surigao to compete at the st Siargo Girls International Surfing Cup SGISC slated on April
Up for grabs are pesos US dollars worth of trophies and other give away products
The competition jointly sponsored by the Philippine Surfing Federation PSF the municipality of General Luna and the Department of Tourism DOT will be held at the world renowned Cloud off Siargao Island the Philippines surfing capital
Profesional women surfers will come from Hawaii Australia Japan Europe and the Philippines
Congressman Prospero Pichay Jr from Surigao del Sur province is spearheading in the promotion of a surfing as a wholesome sports of Filipinos as well as promoting tourism
Big waves around the coastal waters of Siargo has made the island suitable for surfing comparable to Hawaii the United States
Pichay predicted that the Island of Siargo will soon become the Mecca of surfers in this part of the world Enditem
DAR ES SALAAM April Xinhua The date for the inaugural
Dar es Salaam international marathon race has been set for July
this year with the participation of at least six countries
Dar es Salaam Runners Club organizers of the kilometer
race said that Kenya Ethiopia and South Africa had promised to
participate in the race with three and three runners respectively
Kenya and Ethiopia are distance running powerhouses not only in
Africa but in the world as well
Other countries that have promised to run in Dar es Salaam are
Botswana Zambia and hosts Tanzania
This years race will have a theme of Run Against AIDS as
some antiHIVAIDS campaign groups are sponsoring the race
Runners will race through the major streets and roads in Dar es
Salaam the biggest city in the east African country
Tanzania now has three internationallyrecognized marathons
The other two are the Mount Meru and Mount Kilimanjaro marathon
races held at Arusha and Moshi respectively Enditem
BEIJING Apr Xinhua Following are the scores from the first round of the European PGA Tour Johnnie Walker Classic at the par Pine Valley course on Friday
Adam Scott Australia
Chawalit Plaphol Thailand
Sergio Garcia Spain
Adam Fraser Australia
Chen YuanChi Chines Taipei
TerChang Wang Chinese Taipei
Richard Sterne South Africa
Gary Rusnak United States
Peter OMalley Australia
Retief Goosen South Africa
Colin Montgomerie Britain
Prayad Marksaeng Thailand
Miles Tunnicliff Britain
Shang Lei China
David Bransdon Australia
Scott Drummond Britain
Andrew Pitts United States
Barry Lane Britain
Peter Lawrie Ireland
David Park Britain
Henrik Stenson Sweden
Soren Hansen Denmark
Paul Lawrie Britain
Thongchai Jaidee Thailand
Peter Hanson Sweden
Nick Dougherty Britain
Michael Campbell New Zealand
Terry Pilkadaris Australia
Simon Yates Britain
Edward Loar United States
Brad Kennedy Australia
Simon Wakefield Britain
Adam Groom Australia
Santiago Luna Spain
Christopher D Gray Australia
Unho Park Australia
JeanFrancois Lucquin France
Lin WenKo Chinese Taipei
Kim Felton Australia
Gregory Havret France
Ernie Els South Africa
Liang Wenchong China
Gareth Paddison New Zealand
Oliver Wilson Britain
Richard Lee New Zealand
Miguel Angel Jimenez Spain
Jyoti Randhawa India
Trevor Immelman South Africa
Brett Rumford Australia
Rick Gibson Canada
Marcus Fraser Australia
Anthony Kang South Korea
Peter Fowler Australia
Wade Ormsby Australia
Anders Hansen Denmark
Emanuele Canonica Italy
Steven OHara Britain
Gary Simpson Australia
Jose Manuel Lara Spain
Paul Casey Britain
KJ Choi South Korea
James Nitties Australia
Scott Gardiner Australia
Peter Senior Australia
Thomas Bjorn Denmark
Sam Osborne Britain
Sushi Ishigaki Japan
Simon Dyson Britain
Carlos Rodiles Spain
Ricky Schmidt Australia
TsePeng Chang Chinese Taipei
Maarten Lafeber Netherlands
Marcus Both Australia
Anthony Wall Britain
Terry Price Australia
James Kingston South Africa
Peter Hedblom Sweden
Mark Foster Britain
Luke Donald Britain
Kurt Barnes Australia
Philip Golding Britain
Richard Moir Australia
Clay Devers United States
Malcolm MacKenzie Britain
Thammanoon Srirot Thailand
Zhang Lianwei China
Chris Williams Britain
Pelle Edberg Sweden
Stuart Manley Britain
Jason Knutzon United States
Mardan Mamat Singapore
Hendrik Buhrmann South Africa
Eddie Lee New Zealand
Costantino Rocca Italy
Steve Collins Australia
Matthew Ecob Australia
Marcus Cain Australia
Patrik Sjoeland Sweden
Martin Doyle Australia
Kenneth Ferrie Britain
Boonchu Ruangkit Thailand
SungMan Lee South Korea
Jarrod Moseley Australia
Lin WenTang Chinese Taipei
Craig Carmichael Australia
Christian Cevaer France
Jean Van de Velde France
Wayne Perske Australia
Gregory Hanrahan United States
Simon Hurd Britain
Klas Eriksson Sweden
Adam Crawford Australia
Joon Chung South Korea
Zeng Fa Qi China
Alastair Forsyth Britain
Ted Oh South Korea
Scott Strange Australia
Nick Faldo Britain
Raphael Jacquelin France
Peter Baker Britain
Angelo Que Philippines
Thaworn Wiratchant Thailand
RobertJan Derksen Netherlands
Frankie Minoza Philippines
Craig Kamps South Africa
Edward Michaels United States
Kyi Hla Han Myanmar
Zheng Wengen China
Bryan Saltus United States
David Diaz Australia
Chris Downes Australia
Steven Bowditch Australia
Amandeep Johl India
Nico van Rensburg South Africa
Marten Olander Sweden
Jeev Milkha Singh India
Dean Alaban Australia
Harmeet Kahlon India
Alistair Presnell Australia
Li Chao China
Chris Hanell Sweden
Prom Meesawat Thailand
Charl Schwartzel South Africa
Jon OSullivan Australia
Huang Mingjie China
Xing Xiaoxuan China
Jason Dawes Australia
Mike Cunning United States
Mahal Pearce New Zealand
Rahil Gangjee India
Wang Huiqiang China
Andrew Buckle Australia
Pablo Del Olmo Mexico
Richard Best New Zealand
Enditem
MADRID Apr Xinhua Following are the Spanish first division soccer fixtures for April and kickoff times GMT unless stated
Saturday April
Osasuna vs Atletico Madrid
Real Madrid vs Villarreal
Sunday April
Athletic Bilbao vs Sevilla
Deportivo Coruna vs Racing Santander
Espanyol vs Real Zaragoza
Getafe vs Levante
Malaga vs Barcelona
Numancia vs Real Mallorca
Real Betis vs Real Sociedad
Valencia vs Albacete
Enditem
BERLIN Apr Xinhua Following are the German first division soccer fixtures for April and
Saturday April kickoffs GMT
Borussia Dortmund vs Kaiserslautern
Arminia Bielefeld vs Freiburg
Bayern Munich vs VfL Bochum
Mainz vs Hanover
VfB Stuttgart vs VfL Wolfsburg
Hamburg SV vs Hansa Rostock
Hertha Berlin vs Schalke
Sunday April kickoffs GMT
Nuremberg vs Borussia Moenchengladbach
Bayer Leverkusen vs Werder Bremen
Enditem
PARIS Apr Xinhua Olympique Marseille and France
goalkeeper Fabien Barthez has been given a sixmonth ban three
of which are suspended for spitting at a referee
The sanction handed by the disciplinary committee of the
French Football Federation FFF will take effect on Monday
Barthez will be available for Frances next World Cup
qualifiers against Faroe Islands on September Ireland on
September Switzerland on October and Cyprus on October
Barthez appeared on Thursday before the FFF disciplinary
committee passed sentence on Friday
The disciplinary committee took the following decisions
player Fabien Barthez has been suspended for six months
including three suspended months Olympique Marseille have been
fined euros US dollars the FFF said without elaborating in
a statement published on their website
Olympique Marseille have days to appeal before the FFF
appeal commission or the French National Olympic Committee but
their request will not suspend the ban
Barthez was reported for spitting at referee Abdellah El
Achiri during a friendly between Wydad Casablanca and Marseille
in February
A brawl erupted on the pitch after Marseille defender
Frederic Dehu was sent off with Barthez who had been
substituted getting up off the bench and confronting the
referee The match was abandoned with minutes left
Dehu also appeared at Thursdays hearing and was cleared of
all charges
Barthez who is the only player in the current squad who
played at Euro under Aime Jacquet has won caps since
his debut against Australia in May
He was intrumental in Frances winning the World Cup and Euro
Barthez started his club career at Toulouse before moving to Olympique Marseille in winning the European Cup the following season against AC Milan
He moved to Monaco in before joining Manchester United
in May He left them in October to return to
Marseille although he was made to wait until the January
transfer window to complete the deal
Barthez captained France for their first game under coach
Raymond Domenech in a friendly against Bosnia in August
He then suggested he would not play for France again but
Domenech convinced him to continue until the World Cup
finals Enditem
ROME Apr Xinhua Following are Fridays practice results for Sundays San Marino Formula One Grand Prix at the kilometer Enzo and Dino Ferrari Circuit in Imola Italy with driver country car laps completed and fastest lap time xdenotes test driver
First free practice
xPedro de la Rosa Spain McLarenMercedes laps minute seconds
xRicardo Zonta Brazil Toyota
Jenson Button Britain BARHonda
Michael Schumacher Germany Ferrari
xChristian Klien Austria Red BullCosworth
Takuma Sato Japan BARHonda
Kimi Raikkonen Finland McLarenMercedes
Nick Heidfeld Germany WilliamsBMW
Alexander Wurz Austria McLarenMercedes
Mark Webber Australia WilliamsBMW
Rubens Barrichello Brazil Ferrari
Vitantonio Liuzzi Italy BullCosworth
David Coulthard Britain Red BullCosworth
Felipe Massa Brazil SauberPetronas
Jacques Villeneuve Canada SauberPetronas
Narain Karthikeyan India JordanToyota
Tiego Monteiro Portugal JordanToyota
xRobert Doornbas Monaco JordanToyota
Ralf Schumacher Germany Toyota
Christijan Albers Netherlands MinardiCosworth
Patrick Friesacher Austria MinardiCosworth
Not classified
Fernando Alonso Spain Renault laps
Giancarlo Fisichella Italy Renault laps
Jarno Trulli Italy Toyota laps
Enditem
TOKYO Apr Xinhua Following are the leading results of the finals from the Japanese swimming championships in Yokohama on Friday Q denotes qualifiers for the world championships
Men
m freestyle
Yoshihiro Okumura
Sho Uchida
Daisuke Hosokawa
m freestyle
Takeshi Matsuda
Takehiro Miyajima
Atsushi Nagano
m backstroke
Tomomi Morita Q
Junichi Miyashita Q
Masafumi Yamaguchi
m butterfly
Takeshi Matsuda Q
Ryuichi Shibata Q
Makoto Muto
m individual medlay
Hidemasa Sano Q
Taishi Okude
Yasuaki Mori
Women
m freestyle
Ai Shibata
Norie Urabe
Yaruka Ueda
m backstroke
Hanae Ito Q
Reiko Nakamura Q
Aya Terakawa
m butterfly
Yuko Nakanishi Q
Yurie Yano Q
Saori Haruguchi
Enditem
LONDON Apr Xinhua Manchester United coach Alex Ferguson wants captain Roy Keane to take over the team when he eventually quits the post
Three years ago Ferguson abandoned plans to retire and said
he will be in charge for at least one more year marking the
th anniversary of him taking the job after moving from
Aberdeen in November
I will carry on at United next season and I have a contract
to do that Ferguson told Fridays Sun newspaper
But when I do move on I would like to see Roy Keane taking
over
He is a leader on the pitch and he could be that kind of
leader sitting on the United bench too
Ferguson will be on a month rolling contract next season
Keane has been at United since and is taking his
coaching badges
The Ireland midfielder has been outspoken in his criticism of some of his fellow players in recent seasons and last week said that not every United player could say they were giving percent Enditem
BERLIN Apr Xinhua The World Cup Organizing Committe on Friday started informing football fans worldwide whether their applications for tickets have been successful
Some fans would receive an unfortunately you have not been allocated any tickets for the FIFA World Cup Germany letter
Organizers said that they had received applications from
countries for million tickets
fans from all over the world were drawn in the lottery
that was conducted on April for the tickets on offer in
the first phase
Of the tickets handed out in the first phase were sold as
individual tickets while the others are teamspecific
The organizers started informing fans via email on Friday and a
spokesman for the committee said that they had been satisfied with
the way things had gone Everything went off without a hitch and is
now completed Enditem
LONDON Apr Xinhua Following are the results from the World snooker championship Round Best of matches in Sheffield on Friday prefix number denotes seeding
Stephen Hendry Scotland beats Anthony Hamilton England
Ronnie OSullivan England is level with Allister Carter England
Steve Davis England vs Michael Holt England
Ken Doherty Ireland vs Alan McManus Scotland
Enditem
RIO DE JANEIRO Apr Xinhua Following are the summaries of South
American Libertadores Cup second stage matches played Thursday
Group Three
Universidad de Chile Chile tied Sao Paulo Brazil
Scorers
Universidad de Chile Sergio Gioino
Sao Paulo Luizao
Halftime Attendance
Group Five
In Montevideo
Nacional Uruguay lost to River Plate Argentina
Nacional Gustavo Mendez
River Plate Oscar Ahumada Jose Sand Jesus Mendez
Red cards Luis Romero Nacional Horacio Ameli
River Plate Gustavo Mendez Nacional
HT Attendance
Played on Tuesday
Group Four
In San Cristobal Venezuela
Deportivo Tachira Venezuela lost to Cerro Porteno Paraguay
Scorers Santiago Salcedo Jorge Achucarro
Red card Wilfrido Alvarado Deportivo Tachira
HT Att
In Sao Paulo
Santo Andre Brazil bt Palmeiras Brazil
Scorers
Santo Andre Fernando Rodrigao
Palmeiras Osmar
HT Att
Group Five
In Riobamba Ecuador
Olmedo Ecuador bt Atletico Junior Colombia
Scorers
Olmedo Luis Caicedo Eduardo Hurtado Christian Gomez
Atletico Junior Emerson Acuna
HT Att
Played on Wednesday
Group One
In Asuncion
Libertad Paraguay lost to Atletico Paranaense Brazil
Scorers
Libertad Ismael Blanco
Atletico Paranaense Denis Marques Maciel
Red cards Alan Bahia Atletico Paranaense Fidencio
Oviedo Libertad
HT Att
Group Two
In Montevideo
Danubio Uruguay lost to Santos Brazil
Scorers
Danubio Omar Pouso
Santos Deivid Cristiano Avalos
Red card Cafu Danubio
HT Att
Enditem
LONDON Apr Xinhua Double Olympic champion Kelly Holmes of Britain has decided to conclude her international athletics career at the age of
After winning the double at last Augusts Athens Olympics Holmes will make her British farewell at the Sheffield grand prix on August
She hopes to compete at the Helsinki world championships earlier in the same month and may run at the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne next February
If you look at my career Ive won medals from Commonwealth Games world championships Europeans and Olympic Games so Ive got nothing to prove to myself or anybody elseHolmes told the BBC
Before the Sydney Olympics Holmes did not race at all from February to August but still managed to pick up a bronze in the meters
Holmes would like a world title to add to her Olympic golds before she retires
If Im fit enough to do the worlds and I think I have agreat chance of a medal Ill go If not I wont
After retirement Holmes will concentrate on helping a new generation of potential Olympians
One of my plans is to keep helping these young athletes and passing on my experience she said Middle distance running is the strongest its ever been in Britain at the moment and Ithink well have some great athletes in the future Enditem
ROME Apr Xinhua Following are Fridays practice results for Sundays San Marino F Grand Prix at the kilometer Enzo and Dino Ferrari Circuit in Imola Italy with driver country car laps completed and fastest lap time xdenotes test driver
First free practice
xPedro de la Rosa Spain McLarenMercedes laps minute seconds
xRicardo Zonta Brazil Toyota
Jenson Button Britain BARHonda
Michael Schumacher Germany Ferrari
xChristian Klien Austria Red BullCosworth
Takuma Sato Japan BARHonda
Kimi Raikkonen Finland McLarenMercedes
Nick Heidfeld Germany WilliamsBMW
Alexander Wurz Austria McLarenMercedes
Mark Webber Australia WilliamsBMW
Rubens Barrichello Brazil Ferrari
Vitantonio Liuzzi Italy BullCosworth
David Coulthard Britain Red BullCosworth
Felipe Massa Brazil SauberPetronas
Jacques Villeneuve Canada SauberPetronas
Narain Karthikeyan India JordanToyota
Tiego Monteiro Portugal JordanToyota
xRobert Doornbas Monaco JordanToyota
Ralf Schumacher Germany Toyota
Christijan Albers Netherlands MinardiCosworth
Patrick Friesacher Austria MinardiCosworth
Not classified
Fernando Alonso Spain Renault laps
Giancarlo Fisichella Italy Renault laps
Jarno Trulli Italy Toyota lap
Second free practice
xPedro de la Rosa Spain McLarenMercedes
Jenson Button Britain BARHonda
Kimi Raikkonen Finland McLarenMercedes
xRicardo Zonta Brazil Toyota
Fernando Alonso Spain Renault
Michael Schumacher Germany Ferrari
Rubens Barrichello Brazil Ferrari
Alexander Wurz Austria McLarenMercedes
Giancarlo Fisichella Italy Renault
Takuma Sato Japan BARHonda
Felipe Massa Brazil SauberPetronas
Jacques Villeneuve Canada SauberPetronas
Jarno Trulli Italy Toyota
Nick Heidfeld Germany WilliamsBMW
Ralf Schumacher Germany Toyota
David Coulthard Britain Red BullCosworth
Narain Karthikeyan India JordanToyota
Mark Webber Australia WilliamsBMW
xChristian Klien Austria Red BullCosworth
Tiego Monteiro Portugal JordanToyota
Vitantonio Liuzzi Italy BullCosworth
xRobert Doornbas Monaco JordanToyota
Patrick Friesacher Austria MinardiCosworth
Not classified
Christijan Albers Netherlands MinardiCosworth lap
Enditem
BEIJING Apr Xinhua Following are the scores after the second day of the European PGA Tour Johnnie Walker Classic at the par Pine Valley course here on Friday
Michael Campbell New Zealand after holes
Retief Goosen South Africa after
Peter Hanson Sweden after
Adam Scott Australia after
Chawalit Plaphol Thailand after
Chen YuanChi Chinese Taipei after
Colin Montgomerie Britain after
Prayad Marksaeng Thailand after
Miles Tunnicliff Britain after
Sergio Garcia Spain after
Scott Drummond Britain after
Peter Lawrie Ireland after
Santiago Luna Spain after
Wade Ormsby Australia after
Unho Park Australia after
Gary Rusnak United States after
Richard Sterne South Africa after
Wang TerChang Chinese Taipei after
Marcus Fraser Australia after
Adam Groom Australia after
Trevor Immelman South Africa after
Barry Lane Britain after
Richard Lee New Zealand after
Zhang Lianwei China after
Simon Wakefield Britain after
David Bransdon Australia after
Leading completed second round scores
Michael Campbell
Retief Goosen
Peter Hanson
Colin Montgomerie
Enditem
BRUSSELS Apr Xinhua Ajax Amsterdam defender
Maxwell will be out of action for six to eight months with a knee
injury the Dutch first division club said on Friday
The yearold Brazilian was carried off during Ajaxs
Dutch Cup semifinal defeat at Willem II Tilburg on Thursday
after tearing cruciate ligaments
Ajax is second in the first division points behind PSV
Eindhoven and hosts strugglers Graafschap Doetinchem on Sunday Enditem
HARBIN North China Apr Xinhua Following are the lastday results from the Chinese Spring Swimming Championships here on Friday
Mens meters breaststroke
Wang Haibo Zhejiang seconds
Wang Mengjian Fujian
Zeng Qiliang Guangdong
Mens m individual medley
Wu Peng Zhejiang
Zhou Cong Jiangsu
Li Ziqiang Jiangsu
Mens m freestyle
Zhang Lin Beijing
Zhou Cong Jiangsu
Yu Cheng Zhejiang
Womens m freestyle
Zhu Yingwen Shanghai
Xu Yanwei Shanghai
Zhou Xiaowei Shanghai
Womens m freestyle
Tang Jingzhi Zhejiang
Zheng Lili Shandong
Tan Sen Shandong
Womens Xm medley relay
Shanghai
Zhejiang
Guangdong
Enditem
MADRID Apr Xinhua Following is the result from the fifth day of Barcelona Open tennis tournament in Barcelona on Friday prefix number denotes seeding
Quarterfinals
Juan Carlos Ferrero Spain bt Gaston Gaudio Argentina
Enditem
HARBIN North China Apr Xinhua Olympic swimmer Wu Peng grabbed his fifth title winning the meters individual medley at the Chinese Spring Swimming Championships here on Friday
Led from the start Wu showed his versability in the individual medley touching the pad first in four minutes seconds
Jiangsus Zhou Cong and Li Ziqiang came to second and third in and
Wu who swept m and m butterfly golds two relay titles and two silvers saidIts close to my personal best I just want to test my strength in as many as possible events
Wang Haibo was the fastest mens m breaststroke in ahead of Wang Mengjian of Fujian in and Zeng Qiliang
Freestyle expert Zhang Lin of Beijing won the marathon mens m in Zhou Cong of Jiangsu and Yu Cheng had silver and bronze
Tang Jingzhi of Zhejiang claimed victory in the womens m freestyle in beating Zheng Lili and Tan Sen of Shandong in and
Zhu Yingwen of Shanghai stormed to take the womens m freestyle in her teammates Xu Yanwei and Zhou Xiaowei in and
Shanghai won the womens xm medley relay in Zhejiang and Guangdong came to second and third
The eightday swim event served as qualification meet for the quadrennial National Games in Nanjing Jiangsu province slated in October later this year Enditem
LONDON Apr Xinhua Snookers governing body announced on
Friday that the northern English city of Sheffield will continue to host the World Championships until
World Snooker said Sheffield had beaten off competition from five other
English cities keen to stage the sports premier tournament and added that an academy was to open next year
The Crucible Theatre which has hosted the World Championship since but which holds fewer than spectators remains the events home in the short term although a feasibility study will take place into the construction of a new purposebuilt venue
This is a very important day for the sport said World Snooker chairman Rodney Walker
Sheffield will become the home of snooker which is something we have
wanted for a long time
We will hold our World Championship here and the new Academy is where we will be able to groom the next generation of players This will now become central to our development plans
Sheffield has a strong sporting heritage it has become synonymous with snooker and we are delighted to be able to forge the bond even more closely in future Walker said Enditem
NEW DELHI Apr Xinhua Topseeded China defeated India to top Pool A and enter the final of the Fed Cup AsiaOceania Zone Group I here on Friday
On Saturday China will play the final against secondseeded Australia to decide the Pool B competition as the latter beat South Korea
Zheng Jie who ranked th in the world gave China a flying start beating Rushmi Chakravarthi and before LI Na who placed st in the WTA Tour downed Indias Shikha Uberoi and
In other actions of the day Evie Dominikovic won the opening singles for Australia and against South Koreas Lee Yera before Aussie No Samantha Stosur defeated Kim Jinhee
The winner of Saturdays final will advance to the World Group II playoffs Enditem
LONDON Apr Xinhua Alex Ferguson was furious at the rumours claiming he chose Roy Kean as his successor saying he does not have the authority to decide who succeeds him as Manchester United boss
Ferguson had said I will carry on at United next season and have a contract to do that But when I do move on I would like to see Roy Keane take over
Now the Scot says the story has been spun out of all proportion
Its nonsense he added I wouldnt presume to have the authority to make these decisions These were comments made eight weeks ago
Ferguson has endured a difficult season with United failing to make an impact either in the Premiership or Champions League
That has led to speculation that Ferguson will resign or be sacked and Keane has been mentioned as a possible successor
What I said as I have always said is that Roy Keane has got the potential to be a manager if that is what he wanted to be
He is taking his badges and it all seems quite straightforward But he is our captain and he plays that is his job
Ferguson also took the opportunity to deny any interest in selling Ruud van Nistelrooy Reports have suggested United wanted to bring in Real Madrids Michael Owen in exchange for Van Nistelrooy moving to the Bernabeu
But Ferguson said The idea that we would tout the best forward in Europe around is such rubbish its hardly worth commenting on
The truth is we are not touting Ruud we have not been touting Ruud and there is no chance of us touting him in the future
But Ferguson did not deny taking a swipe at Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho The Portuguese is on the brink of leading the Londoners to their first title in years but Ferguson downplayed Mourinhos role
In an interview with Italian newspaper Gazetto dello Sport Ferguson said It is said that Mourinho is the number one but at Im not jealous of my competitors and what they win
I have been a manager for a long long time and won many trophies Anyway my job is completely different and carries a heavier load than Mourinhos
Mourinho has a completely different culture at Chelsea than I do in charge at Manchester United Im a manager not merely a coach
I make decisions about signings I have the responsibility for the first team plus the reserves and the United academy Enditem
LONDON Apr Xinhua Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said on Friday that injured striker Thierry Henry is doubtful for next months FA Cup final against Manchester United
Wenger said he was waiting for the results of a scan which Henry the clubs main goalscorer was having on a groin injury on Friday
Asked if the France forward would be fit to face United at
the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff Wenger told Sky Sports News
I dont know yet Its impossible to say today
Speaking separately to reporters at Arsenals training
ground Wenger said Thierry is definitely out for the next two
games and how long he will be out for in total I do not know
He wont be out for three months but it might be three or
four weeks and the final is on May which is not far away
Henry missed Arsenals FA Cup semifinal victory over
Blackburn Rovers last weekend and the draw at Premier
League leader Chelsea on Wednesday Enditem
LONDON Apr Xinhua Alex Ferguson must be given time to decide when he steps down as Manchester United boss former Old Trafford and England star Neil Webb was quoted as saying on Friday
Webb played under Ferguson at United for three years and saw the Scot turn the club around and deliver its first league title in years in
When youve won what he has and transformed a club you decide when you go nobody else Webb told BBC Sport
Hes still got the passion I think next season will be his swansong
Webb who played for United from to and won England caps thinks Ferguson will move upstairs at Old Trafford at the end of next season with Roy Keane succeeding him as manager
Webb played with Keane when the duo were at Nottingham Forest under Brian Clough
He was only a kid when we were together at Forest Webb said
But hes gone on to become a great leader and motivator with experience at the very top level so if anyones going to become a top manager youd think it would be him
But its dangerous to predict these things I played with Mark Hughes at United and never thought for a minute he would become a manager
He was very quiet in training and always kept himself to himself But hes gone on to do a great job with Wales and Blackburn
Clough like Ferguson at United achieved such success at Forest that he was regarded as almost unsackable
But in his latter years at the City Ground Forest declined until they were eventually relegated in
Webb discounts any possibility of Ferguson also staying on too long at United
I dont think the same thing will happen at United Webb said
Cloughy had problems with his health and his final season was obviously very difficult
But Sir Alex still has the passion to succeed Hes more relaxed than when I played under him but that doesnt mean hes lost his motivation
He was incredibly intense when I was there because United hadnt won the title for so long
As a player you were always wary of him If you underperformed hed come down on you like a ton of bricks and you always knew your place in the team wasnt assured
He was also very astute tactically His dossiers on opponents went down to the finest detail and he could adjust according to what was happening in a game Enditem
MADRID Apr Xinhua Following are the results from the fifth day of Barcelona Open tennis tournament in Barcelona on Friday prefix number denotes seeding
Quarterfinals
Radek Stepanek Czech Republic bt Stanislas Wawrinka Switzerland
Juan Carlos Ferrero Spain bt Gaston Gaudio Argentina
Enditem
ROME Apr Xinhua Formula One underdog Minardi unveiled its first new car in three years as practice sessions began ahead of Sundays San Marino Grand Prix in Imola on Friday
Though the new PS car is unlikely to drag Minardi from the lower reaches of the F grid team boss Paul Stoddart said it was a welcome boost to his teams modest ambitions
Imola marks the true start of our season and the PS look very promising indeed in terms of our quest for ninth place in this years constructors championship Stoddart said
The PS marks the first time Minardi has given its car a complete makeover since
Minardi drivers Patrick Friesacher and Christijan Albers were the slowest among those to complete timed laps in Fridays practice sessions at Imola
Today was clearly all about beginning to understand the newcar Stoddart said after Fridays practice sessions
At the start of this season Minardi clashed with Fs governing body the FIA over its use of a car that did not meet the design specifications
Minardi was granted an injunction by an Australian court to allow it to qualify for the Australian Grand Prix last month despite a stewards ban
After winning the injunction Stoddart decided against going ahead with legal action and his team modified the cars to fulfill new aerodynamic guidelines introduced for Enditem
LONDON Apr Xinhua Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez has ruled out any possibility of fiedling Dietmar Hamann in Liverpools UEFA Champions League tie with Chelsea
Hamann has not played for The Reds since he suffered a knee injury in last months Merseyside derby with Everton at Anfield
He was initially expected to be only sidelined for a month and it was hoped he would be fit for the semifinal showdown with Chelsea
But the Germany international has failed to recover sufficiently enough to be available for either leg of the Champions League tie
Benitez acknowledged Hamann will not be fit and also confirmed Harry Kewell would not be available for selection for the games with The Blues
Neither Hamann nor Kewell will be ready to play in either game against Chelsea said Benitez
Kewell is training but its not possible for him to recover in time
Didi wont join in with the other players until next week
Kewell has not played for Liverpool since the Carling Cup final defeat to Chelsea with the injuryplagued Australian currently absent with a muscle problem Enditem
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WASHIGNTON April Xinhua Topseeded Andy Roddick scored a win over Perus Luis Horna to advanced into the semifinals of the US Mens Clay Court Championships held in Houston on Friday
In another quarterfinal Austrias Jurgen Melzer overcame a loss in the first set and eliminated defending champion Tommy Haas of Germany
Melzer in the tournaments final four for the second time in three years will face Roddick in Saturdays semifinals
Roddick hit aces and percent of his first serves in the match He ended a close first set by breaking Horna in the th game Horna eluded one set point on Roddicks forehand error but was done in by a Roddick drive to the baseline
Roddick has reached the finals of the tournament four straight years and made quick work of Horna needing only minutes to advance He broke Horna in the fourth and sixth games of the second set and served four straight aces to end it in the seventh game
Haas held serve in the first game of the final set and then Melzer started his charge He lost just one point in the next three games taking a lead by serving two love games and allowing Haas only one point in breaking the German in the third game
Haas held in the ninth game of the third set but couldnt break in the final game losing on the first match point when Melzer hit a winner down the line Enditem
WASHINGTON April Xinhua The five members of the Indiana Pacers charged in connecttion with a November brawl will have their trials heard beginning August according to report Friday from Rochester Hills Michigan
Trials for Ron Artest Anthony Johnson David Harrison Jermaine ONeal and Stephen Jackson will be conducted in separate trials that to be concluded by the end of August
Four Detroit Pistons supporters charged in the brawl also had trial dates set
John Ackerman and Bill Paulson who fought with players in the stands will go on trial July Dave Wallace the brother of Detroit center Ben Wallace will appear in court July the same date the case will be heard against John Green the man who sparked the melee by tossing a beverage cup at Artest
Players involved might face subpoenas to testify in the court cases of the Pistons supporters
The five Pacers players arrived by airplane Thursday and departed Friday for a team practice ONeal Johnson and Jackson will play for the Pacers in their firstround NBA playoff series that starts on Saturday in Boston Enditem
WASHINGTON April Xinhua World number one Lindsay Davenport will play for the United States against Fed Cup debutante Eveline Van Hyfte Saturday when the Americans face Belgium in a Fed Cup firstround tie at Delray Beach Florida
Venus Williams will face Els Callens in Saturdays second match after Fridays draw with the reverse singles set for Sunday before doubles action that sends Davenport and Corina Morariu against Callens and Leslie Butkiewicz
The US women team trying to end a fiveyear title drought are strong favorites to advance with the Belgians lacking both Justine HeninHardenne and Kim Clijsters each recovering their singles form after lengthy injury absences reports said
The United States are against Belgium in Fed Cup matches most recently taking a victory in the semifinals Enditem
SANTIAGO April Xinhua The President of the National Professional Soccer Association of Chile ANFP Reinaldo Sanchez said Friday that the coach of the national soccer team Juvenal Olmos offered him his resignation
This is a different version produced Thursday by the coach who assured he had been fired
The Olmos version is far from what was said over the phone He offered me his resignation and I told him do what you want said Sanchez
Olmos said Friday to two national media that Sanchez fired him after an intense telephone conversation after expressing his upseting over the meeting he was called to take part in at Vina del Mar
Sanchez interpreted the disroted Olmos discourse as an attempt to obtain an indemnification I am not going to accept this type of situations I listened to that on the television and that is lying He is seeking an excuse Hopefully he be as elegant as Marcelo Bielsa who resigned his post as coach of the national soccer team of Argentina
In this way Olmos would leave the Chilean team just when they are in a difficult situation in the South American heat for Germany at the bottom of the table of positions but still with a chance to qualify Enditem
SINGAPORE April Xinhua Sinchi FC and Geylang United drew in a S League match at Jurong Stadium on Friday night
Luo Tong Liang scored the first goal for Sinchi in the th minute while John Wilkinson from Geylang United equalized through a penalty six minutes later
In the second half both teams were denied the chance to win by scoring one goal each Enditem
LONDON April Xinhua Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has confirmed Arjen Robben will return to the Blues in the game against Fulham on Saturday
The Dutch midfielder sidelined since last month when he damaged ankle ligaments while on international duty with Holland has been included in the Blues squad for the clash at Stamford Bridge which is live on Sky Sports
That setback came just a week after Robben had made his return from another ankle injury which had kept him on the treatment table for six weeks
But the yearold is available again this weekend as Chelsea look to inch a step nearer towards the Premiership title at home to Fulham
The Blues boss Mourinho admits Robbens influence has been missed during the past month and he is looking forward to having the Dutch ace at his disposal again
He is a special player and special players are always a plus Mourinho told the clubs official website
Its very important because Damien Duff and Joe Cole because we dont have other solutions for these positions are playing consecutively
Over the last few games I try and protect them take them off for the last ten minutes
Since we left to play our wingers have been very important so it is good to have three for that position again Enditem
LONDON April Xinhua Newcastle United midfielder Lee Bowyer paid more for his brawl with teammate Kieron Dyer when the Football Association decided to suspend him for further three games on Friday
In addition to the suspension Bowyer was fined pound
Bowyer and Dyer had their tawdry bustup at the start of this month as the Magpies slipped to a defeat at home to Aston Villa
Referee Barry Knight sent off Bowyer and Dyer with the former Leeds United midfielder copping an initial fourgame ban for his indiscretion as it was his second red card of the season
Bowyers original suspension was due to conclude after Sundays trip to Manchester United but he will now miss games with Middlesbrough Crystal Palace and Fulham
He will be able to return for the closing fixtures against Everton and Chelsea when he will look to convince manager Graeme Souness that he deserves a future at St James Park
Upon leaving Soho Square after the FA hearing Bowyer admits he had no qualms with his punishment saying I think I got a fair hearing
I just want to concentrate on getting back playing football I just love playing football and thats what I want to do
Meanwhile Newcastle captain Alan Shearer insisted the squad must not wallow in selfpity ahead of Sundays trip to Old Trafford
The Magpies were thrashed by the Red Devils in the FA Cup semifinals last weekend and that came just days after the club were dumped out of the Uefa Cup by Sporting Lisbon
Shearer was eager for a positive response this weekend but accepted it would be another tough test for the Magpies
Its been a tough week it really has Shearer told Sky Sports News But as I keep saying you dont get anything for feeling sorry for yourselves Youve got to stand up and be counted
We are struggling at the moment but the only way to get through that is by hard work and certainly working hard on the training ground
Theyve got some big players so itll be tough for us he said Enditem
LONDON April Xinhua Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho claimed that he had such a luxury of central defenders that he would not pursue Rio Ferdinand a player he admires
Chief executive Peter Kenyon the man photographed having dinner with Ferdinand and agent Pini Zahavi also reiterated that there was no truth in the speculation linking the exLeeds United stopper with a move to West London
Mourinho chosed not to hide his admiration for Ferdinand saying Rio is an amazing player We cannot hide that
But John Terry in this season is the best central defender in England I dont say hes better than Rio people can have different opinions but this season hes the best
Ricardo Carvalho was the best in the Champions League last season and hes an amazing player
Its a pity William Gallas has to play left back because hes a fantastic central defender Robert Huth is in the German national team hes made in Chelsea and a player we want to keep
So its completely impossible that we are interested in a central defender
Kenyon told Sky Sports News that the matter should be closed as Ferdinand continues his contract negotiations with the Blues officials former club Manchester United
I thought we had put it to bed by the statement we made he said
I spoke to David Gill Uniteds chief executive whenever it happened and made it quite clear
Jose said it today weve got some great centre halves and as good as Rio is were not in the market for him Enditem
WASHINGTON April Xinhua Former New York Mets pitcher Grant Roberts was among nine players suspended for games on Friday for violating Major League Baseballs minor league doping policy raising the total this year to
Roberts has a career major league record with a ERA in one start and relief appearances with the Mets from reports said from New York
MLB specified in its announcement that all suspensions were for erformanceenhancing substances reports added
Outfielder Adam Seuss who was released by the Mets and then signed with the Houston Astros also tested positive
Three of the players suspended were from the Baltimore Orioles organization Gary Cates Jr Rafael Diaz and Richard Salazar
Also suspended were James Jurries and Ricardo Rodriguez Atlanta Braves Eider Torres Cleveland Indians and Damien Myers released by the Detroit Tigers
MLB said the latest suspensions resulted from tests taken at Florida spring training camps Of the prior suspensions came as a result of tests at Arizona camps and one from offseason testing
All but one of the previous suspensions were for first offenses with Oaklands David Castillo drawing a game ban the penalty for a third offense Enditem
LISBON April Xinhua Following are the result and standings from the Portuguese championship matches on Friday
Belenenses bt Vitoria Guimaraes
Playing on Saturday April
Boavista vs Moreirense
Sporting Lisbon vs Academica
Playing on Sunday April
Maritimo vs Vitoria Setubal
Rio Ave vs Gil Vicente
Uniao Leiria vs Nacional Madeira
Estoril vs Benfica
Beira Mar vs Porto
Playing on Monday April
Penafiel vs Braga
Standings tabulated under matches played won drawn lost goals for against and points
Benfica
Sporting Lisbon
Braga
Porto
Boavista
Vitoria Guimaraes
Rio Ave
Belenenses
Maritimo
Vitoria Setubal
Nacional Madeira
Penafiel
Uniao Leiria
Academica
Gil Vicente
Estoril
Beira Mar
Moreirense
Enditem
BRUSSELS April Xinhua Following are the results and standings from the Belgian championship matches on Friday
Anderlecht bt Standard Liege
Playing on Saturday April
Club Bruges vs Germinal Beerschot
Ghent vs Racing Genk
Beveren vs Lokeren
MonsBergen vs Westerlo
Oostende vs FC Brussels
St Truiden vs La Louviere
Playing on Sunday April
Charleroi vs Excelsior Mouscron
Lierse vs Cercle Bruges
Standings tabulated under matches played won drawn lost goals for against and points
Club Bruges
Anderlecht
Standard Liege
Racing Genk
Charleroi
Ghent
Cercle Bruges
La Louviere
Lokeren
Westerlo
Germinal Beerschot
Lierse
Beveren
Excelsior Mouscron
St Truiden
FC Brussels
MonsBergen
Oostende
Enditem
CIXI Southeast China April Xinhua Nathan Deakes from Australia claimed mens km title of the third leg of the IAAF Race Walking Challenge here on Saturday morning with a time of one hour minutes and seconds
Chinas Zhu Hongjun came second in followed by his compatriot Cui Zhide in
The competition has seen four Chinese walkers in the top six finishers and all the four broke the Asian record of
The Cixi City is in Zhejiang province of China Enditem
PARIS April Xinhua Paris St Germain stayed on course for next seasons Europe berth with a home win over strugglers Nice in Ligue on Friday
The Paris side rose three spots to seventh in the table with four games left and can reasonably dream of making at least the Intertoto Cup of next season
Nice stay th in the team table one place above the drop zone
Portugal striker Pauleta put them ahead through a penalty on minutes after he was brought down in the box and midfielder Jerome Rothen doubled the advantage two minutes later
Russian midfielder Sergei Semak sealed the victory with six minutes left
Nice pulled one back in injury time courtesy of an own goal from PSG defender Sylvain Armand Enditem
PARIS April Xinhua Following are the leading goal scorers of the Ligue on Friday
Alexander Frei Stade Rennes
Pauleta Paris St Germain Ilan Sochaux
Mickael Pagis Racing Strasbourg
Juninho Pernambucano Olympique Lyon Pascal Feindouno St Etienne
Sebastien Mazure Caen Matt Moussilou Lille Waldir Lucas Ajaccio Frederic Piquionne St Etienne Marama Vahirua Nice Mohammed Kallon Monaco
Daniel Moreira Toulouse Olivier Monterrubio Stade Rennes Philippe Brunel Lille Mamadou Niang Racing Strasbourg Marouane Chamakh Girondins Bordeaux Benjamin Mwaruwari Auxerre
Bonaventure Kalou Auxerre John Utaka Racing Lens Herve Tum Metz
PierreAlain Frau Olympique Lyon Guy Luyindula Olympique Marseille Emmanuel Adebayor Monaco Cyril Watier Caen Laurent Batlles Olympique Marseille Mamadou Bagayoko Nantes Steve Marlet Olympique Marseille
Enditem
PARIS April Xinhua Following are the result and standings from the Ligue matches on Friday
Paris St Germain bt Nice
Standings tabulated under matches played won drawn lost goals for against and points
Olympique Lyon
Lille
Olympique Marseille
Monaco
Stade Rennes
Auxerre
Paris St Germain
Sochaux
Toulouse
St Etienne
Racing Lens
Girondins Bordeaux
Racing Strasbourg
Metz
Nantes
Ajaccio
Nice
Caen
Bastia
Istres
Enditem
PARIS April Xinhua Following is the summary from the Ligue match on Friday
Paris St Germain Pauleta pen Jerome Rothen Sergei Semak
Nice Sylvain Armand og
Halftime Attendance
Playing on Saturday April
Monaco vs Toulouse
Ajaccio vs Girondins Bordeaux
Caen vs Bastia
Istres vs Stade Rennes
Nantes vs Olympique Marseille
Racing Lens vs Sochaux
Racing Strasbourg vs Lille
St Etienne vs Metz
Playing on Sunday April
Auxerre vs Olympique Lyon
Enditem
BRUSSELS April Xinhua Following are the results and standings from the Dutch championship matches on Friday
Heerenveen bt RBC Roosendaal
Played on Wednesday April
Utrecht bt AZ Alkmaar
Standings tabulated under matches played won drawn lost goals for against and points
PSV Eindhoven
Ajax Amsterdam
AZ Alkmaar
Feyenoord
Heerenveen
Twente Enschede
Vitesse Arnhem
RKC Waalwijk
Roda JC Kerkrade
Utrecht
Groningen
Willem II Tilburg
NAC Breda
NEC Nijmegen
ADO Den Haag
RBC Roosendaal
Graafschap Doetinchem
Den Bosch
Enditem
BRUSSELS April Xinhua Following are the summary from the Dutch championship soccer matches on Friday
Heerenveen KlaasJan Huntelaar pen Georgios Samaras Lasse Nilsson
RBC Roosendaal Donny de Groot
Halftime Attendance
Playing on Saturday April
ADO Den Haag vs Roda JC Kerkrade
PSV Eindhoven vs Vitesse Arnhem
RKC Waalwijk vs AZ Alkmaar
Playing on Sunday April
Groningen vs Feyenoord
Ajax Amsterdam vs Graafschap Doetinchem
Utrecht vs Twente Enschede
NAC Breda vs Willem II Tilburg
NEC Nijmegen vs Den Bosch
Enditem
BRUSSELS April Xinhua Following are the leading goal scorers of the Dutch championship on Friday
Dirk Kuijt Feyenoord
Salomon Kalou Feyenoord
Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink PSV Eindhoven KlaasJan Huntelaar Heerenveen
Blaise NKufo Twente Enschede
Mark van Bommel PSV Eindhoven Kenneth Perez AZ Alkmaar
Rick Hoogendorp RKC Waalwijk Georgios Samaras Heerenveen Matthew Amoah Vitesse Arnhem Ali Boussaboun NAC Breda Erik Nevland Groningen
Romeo Castelen Feyenoord Denny Landzaat AZ Alkmaar Nick Hofs Feyenoord
Jason Culina Twente Enschede Jhonny van Beukering Graafschap Doetinchem Geert den Ouden ADO Den Haag Arouna Kone Roda JC Kerkrade Sergio Roda JC Kerkrade Cristiano Roda JC Kerkrade
Romano Denneboom NEC Nijmegen Theo Janssen Vitesse Arnhem Jefferson Farfan PSV Eindhoven Hans van de Haar Utrecht
Enditem
LONDON April Xinhua Following are the collated draws for Fed Cup world group matches being played April and all draws are subject to change at any point by team captains
WORLD GROUP
Italy vs Russia Italian names first Brindisi Italy
R Francesca Schiavone vs Dinara Safina
R Tathiana Garbin vs Elena Dementieva
R Francesca Schiavone vs Elena Dementieva
R Tathiana Garbin vs Dinara Safina
R Tathiana GarbinFrancesca Schiavone vs Elena BovinaElena Dementieva
United States vs Belgium United States names first Delray Beach Florida the United States
R Lindsay Davenport vs Evelyne Van Hyfte
R Venus Williams vs Els Callens
R Venus Williams vs Evelyne Van Hyfte
R Lindsay Davenport vs Els Callens
R Lindsay DavenportCorina Morariu vs Els CallensLeslie Butkiewicz
Spain vs Argentina Spanish names first Jerez Spain
R Nuria Llagostera Vives vs Gisela Dulko
R Anabel Medina Garrigues vs MariaEmilia Salerni
R Anabel Medina Garrigues vs Gisela Dulko
R Nuria Llagostera Vives vs MariaEmilia Salerni
R Marta MarreroMaria Sanchez Lorenzo vs Mariana DiazOlivaGisela Dulko
Austria vs France Austrian names first Portschach Austria
R Yvonne Meusburger vs Nathalie Dechy
R Tamira Paszek vs Amelie Mauresmo
R Yvonne Meusburger vs Amelie Mauresmo
R Tamira Paszek vs Nathalie Dechy
R Sandra KlemenschitsYvonne Meusburger vs Mary PierceVirginie Razzano
WORLD GROUP
Switzerland vs Slovakia Swiss names first Neuchatel Switzerland
R Timea Bacsinszky vs Martina Sucha
R Myriam Casanova vs Lubomira Kurhajcova
R Myriam Casanova vs Martina Sucha
R Timea Bacsinszky vs Lubomira Kurhajcova
R Timea BacsinszkyMyriam Casanova vs Eva FislovaStanislava Hrozenska
Germany vs Indonesia German names first Essen Germany
R AnnaLena Groenefeld vs AtuFani Damayanti
R Julia Schruff vs Wynne Prakusya
R AnnaLena Groenefeld vs Wynne Prakusya
R Julia Schruff vs AtuFani Damayanti
R Anca BarnaSandra Kloesel vs Wynne PrakusyaRomana Tedjakusuma
Thailand vs Croatia Thai names first Phuket Thailand
R Tamarine Tanasugarn vs Sanda Mamic
R Suchanun Viratprasert vs Jelena Kostanic
R Tamarine Tanasugarn vs Jelena Kostanic
R Suchanun Viratprasert vs Suchanun Mamic
R Montinee TangphongNapaporn Tongsalee vs Jelena KostanicSanda Mamic
Czech Republic vs Japan Czech names first Prague Czech Republic
R Iveta Benesova vs Akiko Morigami
R Nicole Vaidisova vs Aiko Nakamura
R Nicole Vaidisova vs Akiko Morigami
R Iveta Benesova vs Aiko Nakamura
R Iveta BenesovaKveta Peschke vs Rika FujiwaraSaori Obata
Enditem
MADRID April Xinhua Juan Carlos Ferrero and fellow Spaniard Rafael Nadal moved into the semifinals of the Barcelona Open with Fridays wins in the euro million US dollars claycourt tournament
Ferrero continued his revival with the victory over Argentine Gaston Gaudio while Nadal was granted the win as Agustin Calleri retired with back problems after losing the first set and trailing in the second
The former world number one Ferrero showed he is recovering the form on claycourt tennis in a threehour epic against the secondseeded Gaudio
I was playing against one of the best claycourt players in the world and felt very good said Ferrero who will next meet seventh seed Russian Nikolay Davydenko It was a great game and I feel very happy with my form at the moment
The yearold Nadal who became the youngest winner of a Masters Series tournament in years with last weeks victory in Monte Carlo proved too powerful for the Argentine Calleri who was suffering the aftereffects of three exhausting matches
Nadal faces in the semis Radek Stepanek of the Czech Republic who ended Swiss qualifier Stanislav Wawrinkas fine run with a comeback win Enditem
MADRID April Xinhua Following are the results from the Barcelona Open Mens Singles Quarterfinal matches on Friday
Radek Stepanek Czech Republic bt Stanislas Wawrinka Switzerland
Rafael Nadal Spain bt Agustin Calleri Argentina retired
Nikolay Davydenko Russia bt Max Mirnyi Belarus
Juan Carlos Ferrero Spain bt Gaston Gaudio Argentina
Enditem
WASHINGTON April Xinhua Following are the results from the US Mens Clay Court Championships Mens Singles Quarterfinal matches on Friday
Andy Roddick United States bt Luis Horna Peru
Juergen Melzer Austria bt Tommy Haas Germany
Enditem
CIXI Southeast China April Xinhua Following are the leading results of mens km of IAAF Race Walking Challenge here on Saturday
Nathan Deakes Australia one hour minutes and seconds
Zhu Hongjun China
Cui Zhide China
Li Gaobo China
Xing Shucai China
Yu Chaohong China
Enditem
CIXI Southeast China April Xinhua Following are the leading results of womens km of IAAF Race Walking Challenge here on Saturday
Jiang Jing China one hour minutes and seconds
Yang Yawei China
Jiang Qiuyan China
Note Chinese athletes sweep top eight of the competition Enditem
LONDON Apr Xinhua Following are the results from the World snooker championship in Sheffield on Saturday
Round Best of matches
Ronnie OSullivan England bt Allister Carter England
John Higgins Scotland vs Shaun Murphy England
Jimmy White England vs Matthew Stevens Wales
Enditem
WASHINGTON Apr Xinhua Following are the results from the US Mens Clay Court Championships matches in Houston on Friday prefix number denotes seeding
Mens singles quarterfinals
Andy Roddick United States bt Luis Horna Peru
Juergen Melzer Austria bt Tommy Haas Germany
Nicolas Lapentti Ecuador bt James Blake United States
Sebastien Grosjean France bt Andre Agassi United States
Enditem
BANGKOK Apr Xinhua Following are the results from the Fed Cup World Group II match between Thailand and Croatia played Saturday in Phuket
Tamarine Tanasugarn Thailand bt Sanda Mamic Croatia
Jelena Kostanic Croatia bt Suchanun Viratprasert Thailand
Enditem
VIENNA Apr Xinhua Frances world number three Amelie Mauresmo has pulled out of the Fed Cup clash with Austria with stomach pains
Virginie Razzano ranked th in the world and a late callup for the
injured Tatiana Golovin will play Mauresmos singles rubber against untried yearold Austrian Tamira Paszek Enditem
HONG KONG Apr Xinhua Three Thousand primary school students competed in easy sports in the annual Interschool Easy Sport Competition Saturday at the Shek Kip Mei Park Football Pitch and Sports Center in Hong Kong
Easy sports are a range of simplified sports introduced by Hong Kong Leisure and Cultural Services Department LCSD to give primary school students an early start in popular competitive sports
Sport events held today include badminton shuttlecock fencing tennis cricket rugby football volleyball table tennis squash basketball handball and netball
The interschool competition was a major event of the School Sports Programme SSP funded by the LCSD and organized by various National Sports Associations with assistance from the Education and Manpower Bureau the Chinese University of Hong Kong and Hong Kong Baptist University
Deputy Director of Leisure and Cultural Services Mr Alan Siu Yubun said on the opening ceremony that since its launch in the SSP has become the platform of sports development in schools More than students participated in activities last year The number of schools taking part in the programme has increased from to
At todays ceremony famous athletes of Hong Kong received certificates of appointment as School Sports Ambassadors to promote sports in schools Enditem
SOFIA Apr Xinhua Following are the results Saturday from the European Weightlifting Championships here on Saturday
Men
kg
Ruslan Novikau Belarus kg kg snatch kg cleanand jerk
Valeriu Calancea Romania
Arsen Melikyan Armenia
Oleksandr Cherpak Ukraine
Tigran Martirosyan Armenia
Mkrtich Pogosyan Russia
Enditem
TOKYO Apr Xinhua Following are the leading results of the finals from the Japanese swimming championships in Yokohama on Saturday Q denotes qualifiers for the world championships
Men
m freestyle
Takeshi Matsuda Q
Sho Uchida
Yuji Sakurai
m backstroke
Tomomi Morita Q national record
Junichi Miyashita Q
Junya Koga
m breaststroke
Kosuke Kitajima Q
Takehiko Mizuta
Genki Imamura
Women
m freestyle
Norie Urabe
Atsumi Yamada
Kei Aoki
m freestyle
Ai Shibata Q
Sachiko Yamada
Yumi Kida
m backstroke
Mai Nakamura Q
Hanae Ito Q
Reiko Nakamura
m breaststroke
Sayaka Nakamura Q
Yoshimi Miwa
Yuko Sakaguchi
m individual medlay
Maiko Fujino
Hiromi Takeuchi
Aiko Morishita
Enditem
ROME Apr Xinhua Following are Saturdays practice results for Sundays San Marino Grand Prix at the kilometer Enzo and Dino Ferrari Circuit with driver country car laps completed and fastest laptime
Fourth free practice
Jenson Button Britain BARHonda laps minure seconds
Fernando Alonso Spain Renault
Kimi Raikkonen Finland McLarenMercedes
Michael Schumacher Germany Ferrari
Giancarlo Fisichella Italy Renault
Alexander Wurz Austria McLarenMercedes
Mark Webber Australia WilliamsBMW
Nick Heidfeld Germany WilliamsBMW
Takuma Sato Japan BARHonda
Felipe Massa Brazil SauberPetronas
Ralf Schumacher Germany Toyota
Rubens Barrichello Brazil Ferrari
Jarno Trulli Italy Toyota
David Coulthard Britain Red BullCosworth
Jacques Villeneuve Canada SauberPetronas
Vitantonio Liuzzi Italy BullCosworth
Narain Karthikeyan India JordanToyota
Tiego Monteiro Portugal JordanToyota
Not classified
Patrick Friesacher Austria MinardiCosworth
Christijan Albers Netherlands MinardiCosworth
Third free practice
Michael Schumacher Germany Ferrari laps minute seconds
Rubens Barrichello Brazil Ferrari
Felipe Massa Brazil SauberPetronas
Kimi Raikkonen Finland McLarenMercedes
Mark Webber Australia WilliamsBMW
Vitantonio Liuzzi Italy BullCosworth
Giancarlo Fisichella Italy Renault
Ralf Schumacher Germany Toyota
Alexander Wurz Austria McLarenMercedes
Nick Heidfeld Germany WilliamsBMW
David Coulthard Britain Red BullCosworth
Jenson Button Britain BARHonda
Takuma Sato Japan BARHonda
Narain Karthikeyan India JordanToyota
Tiego Monteiro Portugal JordanToyota
Jacques Villeneuve Canada SauberPetronas
Jarno Trulli Italy Toyota
Christijan Albers Netherlands MinardiCosworth
Patrick Friesacher Austria MinardiCosworth
Not classified
Fernando Alonso Spain Renault
Enditem
ROME Apr Xinhua World champion Ferrari will supply Formula One newcomer Red Bull Racing with engines for and the Fiatowned team said on Saturday
We are pleased to have reached this agreement with Red Bull Racing to supply them with our F engines Ferrari team boss Jean Todt said in a statement
This collaboration fits in with the fact that since with a break from to Ferrari has supplied its F engines to other teams
Red Bull owned by Austrian energy drink billionaire Dietrich Mateschitz is using Cosworth engines this year after buying the Jaguar team from Ford last November
The Swissbased Sauber team currently uses Ferrari engines under the Petronas name of their major Malaysian oil company sponsor
Sauber has been linked with Williams partners BMW who has also said it is willing to supply a second team although Ferrari has supplied two other teams in the past Enditem
TOKYO Apr Xinhua Following are the results and standings from the Japanese Jleague matches on Saturday tabulated under games played won drawn lost goals for against and points
Gamba Osaka FC Tokyo
Kashiwa Reysol Nagoya Grampus Eight
Oita Trinita Vissel Kobe
Sanfrecce Hiroshima Kawasaki Frontale
Shimizu SPulse JEF United Ichihara
Tokyo Verdy Albirex Niigata
Urawa Reds Cerezo Osaka
Standings
Kashima Antlers
Nagoya Grampus Eight
Sanfrecce Hiroshima
Yokohama FMarinos
Gamba Osaka
FC Tokyo
Cerezo Osaka
JEF United Ichihara
Tokyo Verdy
Oita Trinita
Kawasaki Frontale
Albirex Niigata
Omiya Ardija
Shimizu SPulse
Jubilo Iwata
Urawa Reds
Kashiwa Reysol
Vissel Kobe
Enditem
BUENOS AIRES Apr Xinhua Following is the result of an Argentine championship Clausura match played on Friday
San Lorenzo de Almagro lost to Argentinos Juniors
Playing on Saturday April
Quilmes vs Estudiantes
Velez Sarsfield vs Racing Club
Sunday April
Almagro vs River Plate
Boca Juniors vs Colon
GimnasiaLa Plata vs HuracanTres Arroyos
Independiente vs Rosario Central
Lanus vs Instituto
Newells Old Boys vs Arsenal
Olimpo vs Banfield
Enditem
BUENOS AIRES Apr Xinhua Following are the standings of the Argentine championship Clausura after a match played on Friday tabulated under games played won drawn lost goals for against and points
Rosario Central
River Plate
Racing Club
Velez Sarsfield
Estudiantes
Boca Juniors
Colon
Lanus
Newells Old Boys
Banfield
Quilmes
Arsenal
Argentinos Juniors
Instituto
Olimpo
Independiente
GimnasiaLa Plata
Almagro
San Lorenzo de Almagro BA
HuracanTres Arroyos
Enditem
MADRID Apr Xinhua Following is the result from the sixth day of the Barcelona Open tennis tournament in Barcelona on Saturday prefix number denotes seeding
Semifinals
Juan Carlos Ferrero Spain bt Nikolay Davydenko Russia
Enditem
PRAGUE Apr Xinhua Following are the results from the first round of the Fed Cup Group Two match between the Czech Republic and Japan here on Saturday
Czech Republic tied Japan
Akiko Morigami Japan bt Iveta Benesova Czech Republic
Nicole Vaidisova Czech Republic bt Aiko Nakamura Japan
Enditem
BELGRADE Apr Xinhua Following are the leading results from the Belgrade marathon here on Saturday
Men
Medeksa Derba Bedade Ethiopia
David Chepkwony Kenya
Collins Edep Kenay
Onesmus Nzioka Kilonzo Kenya
Kipyego Isaac Kiprono Kenya
Women
Inga Abitova Russia
Victoria Zoueva Russia
Tiringo Kentago Shiferaw Ethiopia
Tatjana Perepelkina Russia
Marijana Lukic Serbia and Montenegro
Enditem
VIENNA Apr Xinhua Following are the results from the Fed Cups World Group I Quarterfinal match between Austria and France in Poertschach on Saturday
Austria leads France
Yvonne Meusburger Austria bt Nathalie Dechy France
Enditem
MADRID Apr Xinhua Following are the results from the Fed Cups World Group I Quarterfinal match between Spain and Argentina in Jerez Dd La Frontera Spain on Saturday
Spain leads Argentina
Nuria Llagostera Vives Spain bt Gisela Dulko Argentina
Enditem
ROME Apr Xinhua Following are the results of the Fed Cups World Group I Quarterfinal match between Italy and Russia in Brindisi Italy on Saturday
Italy leads Russia
Francesca Schiavone Italy bt Dinara Safina Russia
Enditem
NEW DELHI Apr Xinhua China clinched a victory over Australia in the Fed Cup AsiaOceania Zone Group I final Saturday and advanced to the World Group II playoffs
Sun Tiantian playing her first singles match of the tournament
gave China a winning start with a scoreline against Evie
Dominikovic
Chinas No player Li Na did not play Saturday She returned
home earlier in the day to arrange a visa for a WTA Tour event in
Europe next week
Zheng Jie ranked th in the world overcame WTA Tours
thranked Samantha Stosur to secure Chinas passage into
the playoffs and smash Australias hopes of regaining the World
Group berth
Australia seventime title winner failed to make it to the
World Group for the first time in the tournaments history
Sun bagged the first set in the opening match with a service
break in the second game against Dominikovic who began hitting
strongly in the second set
In the second set Sun gained an early advantage by breaking
Dominikovic in the first game Dominikovic drew level by breaking
back in the th game but dropped her next service point before Sun
served out the set in the th game
Zheng lost her first service against Stosur but made two
consecutive service breaks in the fourth and sixth games to clinch
the first set
Zheng made the initial break of the second set in the first game
The rivals exchanged two breaks each between the fourth and seventh
games before Zheng wrested the set by winning the th game
rendering the doubles inconsequential Enditem
BEIJING Apr Xinhua Following is the result of a fifth round match of the Chinese Super League played on Saturday home team first
Shenyang Jinde tied Shanghai Zhongbang
Playing on Sunday
Dalian Shide vs Chongqing Lifan
Tianjin Kangshifu vs Shandong Luneng
Qingdao Zhongneng vs Sichuan Guancheng
Wuhan Huanghelou vs Liaoning
Shanghai Shenhua vs Shanghai International
Playing on Monday
Shenzhen Jianlibao vs Beijing Hyundai
Enditem
BEIJING Apr Xinhua Following are the standings of the Chinese soccer Super League after a second round match played on Saturday tabulated under games played won drawn lost goals for against goals differential and points
Dalian Shide
Shandong Luneng
Shanghai Shenhua
Beijing Hyundai
Wuhan Huanghelou
Tianjin Kangshifu
Shenzhen Jianlibao
Shanghai International
Qingdao Zhongneng
Shanghai Zhongbang
Chongqing Lifan
Sichuan Guancheng
Liaoning
Shenyang Jinde
Enditem
SOFIA Apr Xinhua Following are the results from the European Weightlifting Championships here on Saturday
Men
kg
Hakan Yilmaz Turkey kg kg snatch kg clean and jerk
Andrey Skorobogatov Russia
Konstyantyn Piliyev Ukraine
Nikolaos Kourtidis Greece
Vladislav Yarkin Russia
Santiago Martinez Spain
kg
Ruslan Novikau Belarus
Valeriu Calancea Romania
Arsen Melikyan Armenia
Oleksandr Cherpak Ukraine
Tigran Martirosyan Armenia
Mkrtich Pogosyan Russia
Enditem
BELGRADE Apr Xinhua Derba Bedada Medeksa of Ethiopia and Inga Abitova of Russia won the mens and womens titles in the th Belgrade Marathon on Saturday
Medeksa beat Kenyan runners David Chepkwony and Collins Edep to clock in two hours minutes and seconds Chepkwony finished second by seconds
The yearold Ethiopian also beat the Serbian capitals race record of set in by Ukraines Vladimir Buhanov
Abitova won the womens race in ahead of countrywoman Victoria Zoueva who clocked with Ethiopias Tiringo Shiferaw third in
Sammy Karanja of Kenya won the mens halfmarathon finishing in a record for the city His compatriot Maslia Ndunge won the womens halfmarathon in Enditem
NEW DELHI Apr Xinhua Following are the results of AsiaOceania Zone Fed Cup results on Saturday
Pool A final
China bt Australia
Sun Tiantian China bt Evie Dominikovic Australia
Zheng Jie China bt Samantha Stosur Australia
China promoted to World Group II playoffs
Third place playoff
India bt South Korea
Lee Yera South Korea bt Ankita Bhambri India
Shikha Uberoi India bt Kim Jinhee South Korea
Shikha UberoiRushmi Chakravarthi India bt Chang KyungmiLeeJina South Korea
Playoffs for thth places
New Zealand bt Singapore
Paula Marama New Zealand bt Ong Shao Fang Singapore
Marina Erakovic New Zealand bt Ng Yunling Singapore
Chinese Taipei bt Kazakhstan
Chao Hsiaohan Chinese Taipei bt Tatyana Ignatchenko Kazakhstan
Chen Yi Chinese Taipei bt Mariya Kovaleva Kazakhstan
Singapore and Kazakhstan relegated to Group II
Enditem
BEIJING Apr Xinhua Following are the scores from the European PGA Tour Johnnie Walker Classic at the par course on Saturday
Adam Scott Australia after holes
Henrik Stenson Sweden after
Gary Rusnak United States after
Steven OHara Britain after
Retief Goosen South Africa after
Richard Sterne South Africa after
Luke Donald Britain after
Scott Drummond Britain after
Prayad Marksaeng Thailand after
Wade Ormsby Australia after
David Park Britain after
Santiago Luna Spain after
Ernie Els South Africa after
KJ Choi South Korea after
Michael Campbell New Zealand after
Trevor Immelman South Africa after
WenKo Lin Chinese Taipei after
Brett Rumford Australia after
Colin Montgomerie Britain after
Sergio Garcia Spain after
Richard Moir Australia after
Peter Hanson Sweden after
Gregory Havret France after
Terry Price Australia after
Anthony Wall Britain after
Thongchai Jaidee Thailand after
Chawalit Plaphol Thailand after
Kenneth Ferrie Britain after
Peter Lawrie Ireland after
Miles Tunnicliff Britain after
Simon Wakefield Britain after
Emanuele Canonica Italy after
Paul Casey Britain after
Kim Felton Australia after
Barry Lane Britain after
Jose Manuel Lara Spain after
Unho Park Australia after
Thomas Bjorn Denmark after
David Bransdon Australia after
Scott Gardiner Australia after
Soren Hansen Denmark after
Chen YuanChi Chinese Taipei after
Marcus Both Australia after
Maarten Lafeber Netherlands after
Richard Lee New Zealand after
James Nitties Australia after
Gareth Paddison New Zealand after
Paul Lawrie Britain after
JeanFrancois Lucquin France after
Simon Dyson Britain after
Liang Wenchong China after
Marcus Fraser Australia after
Ricky Schmidt Australia after
Simon Yates Britain after
Zhang Lianwei China after
Martin Doyle Australia after
Terry Pilkadaris Australia after
Edward Loar United States after
Wayne Perske Australia after
Miguel Angel Jimenez Spain after
Steve Collins Australia after
Anders Hansen Denmark after
Kurt Barnes Australia after
Peter Fowler Australia after
Peter OMalley Australia after
Marcus Cain Australia after
Peter Senior Australia after
Adam Groom Australia after
Wang TerChang Chinese Taipei after
Peter Hedblom Sweden after
Gary Simpson Australia after
Christian Cevaer France after
Anthony Kang South Korea after
Carlos Rodiles Spain after
Christopher D Gray Australia after
Patrik Sjoeland Sweden after
Enditem
LONDON Apr Xinhua Londons bid team for the
Olympics has withdrawn the offer of inducements for sporting
bodies announced in Berlin last week
The International Olympic Committee Ethics Commission had
been asked to examine the financial incentives offered by London
and New York and IOC President Jacques Rogge said he feared the
inducements could lead to a bidding war
In light of President Rogges remarks and the importance of
London s commitment to working in close cooperation with
the IOC we feel it is in the best interests of the Olympic
movement to withdraw the charters at this stage a London
statement said on Saturday
New Yorks bid team was cleared on Friday of any wrongdoing
by the IOC over their offer of inducements Enditem
MADRID Apr Xinhua Following are the results from the sixth day of the euro Barcelona Open ATP tennis tournament on Saturday prefix number denotes seeding
Semifinals
Rafael Nadal Spain bt Radek Stepanek Czech Republic
Juan Carlos Ferrero Spain bt Nikolay Davydenko Russia Enditem
ROME Apr Xinhua Renault confirmed here Saturday that leading
driver Fernando Alonso and managing director Flavio Briatore will stay with the team until the end of
Renault has grown into a championship winning team since Briatore took the helm and currently is tipped a favorite to take the title this season after winning the first three races with ease
Briatore manages Alonso whose contract came to an end this year and he confirmed the team have taken up an option on the Spaniard for to retain two vital parts of the Renault jigsaw
Briatore said I am very happy about staying with the team and for
Alonso you talk about he is confirmed but after that no he is like us
We want to stay at Renault just keep Renault competitive I dont know the future But I know the people from Renault for many years we won together and develop together
There is a lot of confidence between us a lot of trust between me and the other management and there were recently a lot of rumours it was finish Formula One and this and that
Now we have all the top engineering together Fernando together Giancarlo Fisichella so this is the package we have we are a very strong team and we want to stay together
We have developed together and I believe in a very quick time we are very competitive We have a great organisation a fun team and we give Renault what they deserve
But I feel that Renault is the last challenge in Formula One for me and at the moment when I leave Renault I leave Formula One that is very clear Enditem
MADRID Apr Xinhua Teenager Rafael Nadal defeated Radek Stepanek on Saturday to set up an allSpanish clash against Juan Carlos Ferrero in the final of the Barcelona Open
The yearold who became the youngest winner of a Masters
Series event in years after last weeks victory in Monte Carlo brought the crowd to its feet with another exhibition of aggressive highquality claycourt tennis against his Czech opponent
Earlier former world number one Ferrero reached his first ATP final in more than a year with an assured victory over Russian Nikolay Davydenko
Ferrero who beat French Open champion Gaston Gaudio in the quarterfinals began to find his rhythm midway through the first set pressuring the Davydenko serve in the seventh game and then breaking in the ninth to go up
The Russian broke back in the following game with a fine backhand pass and gave himself a set point at only to see Ferrero produce some brilliant baseline defence to hold his serve
Ferrero who lost to Guillermo Coria in the semifinals of last weeks Masters Series event in Monte Carlo then blast through the tiebreak
He raced into a lead at the start of the second set as he pinned his opponent on the baseline with a succession of precise groundstrokes
Davydenko who beat former Australian Open champion Thomas
Johansson and the bigserving Max Mirnyi on his way to the semis crumbled under the pressure and was forced into a string of errors
Ferrero wrapped up the second set in a little over minutes to earn himself a place in Sundays final his first since Rotterdam in February Enditem
BERLIN Apr Xinhua Following are the results of German first division soccer league matches played on Saturday
Arminia Bielefeld bt Freiburg
Bayern Munich bt VfL Bochum
Borussia Dortmund bt Kaiserslautern
Mainz bt Hanover
Hamburg SV bt Hansa Rostock
Hertha Berlin bt Schalke
VfB Stuttgart tied VfL Wolfsburg
Playing on Sunday
FC Nuremberg vs Borussia Monchengladbach
Bayer Leverkusen vs Werder Bremen
Enditem
BERLIN Apr Xinhua Following are the top scorers of the German Bundesliga after matches on Saturday
Marek Mintal Nuremberg
Marcelinho Hertha Berlin
Delron Buckley Arminia Bielefeld
Dimitar Berbatov Bayer Leverkusen
Jan Koller Borussia Dortmund
Ailton Schalke
Miroslav Klose Werder Bremen
Roy Makaay Bayern Munich
Andriy Voronin Bayer Leverkusen
Kevin Kuranyi VfB Stuttgart
Cacau VfB Stuttgart
Sergei Barbarez Hamburg SV
Oliver Neuville Borussia Moenchengladbach
Thomas Brdaric VfL Wolfsburg
Ivan Klasnic Werder Bremen
Claudio Pizarro Bayern Munich
Michael Ballack Bayern Munich
Lincoln Schalke
Martin Petrov VfL Wolfsburg
Silvio Meissner VfB Stuttgart
Ewerthon Borussia Dortmund
Vratislav Lokvenc VfL Bochum
Gerald Asamoah Schalke
Enditem
MADRID Apr Xinhua Juan Carlos Ferrero overcame second seed Gaston Gaudio of Argentina on Friday to reach the semifinals of the Barcelona Open tennis touranment
Czech Radek Stepanek joined Ferrero in the last four after coming from one set down to beat Swiss qualifier Stanislas Wawrinka
Ferrero who won the French Open in took an evenly balanced first set after earning himself a break point in the th game with a delicate drop volley and then finished off with a clever crosscourt winner
Gaudio the only one of the top six seeds to make it into the quarterfinals fought back hard to claim a lead at the start of the second set and although Ferrero pulled it back to he wrapped up with a confident service game
Neither player gave any quarter in the decisive third set trading a succession of powerful ground strokes during the course of some lengthy rallies
But Ferrero stretched his opponent around the court and gained the crucial breakthrough in the eighth game breaking to go up when he forced Gaudio into a forehand error and the Argentine then double faulted
Gaudio saved three match points but succumbed at the fourth sending the home fans into joy
Teenager Rafael Nadal takes on Agustin Calleri in another SpanishArgentine duel later on Friday
In the other quarterfinal Max Mirnyi of Belarus faces Russias Nikolay Davydenko Enditem
BERLIN Apr Xinhua Following are the standings of German first division soccer league after matches played on Saturday tabulated under games played won drawn lost goals for against and points
Bayern Munich
Schalke
VfB Stuttgart
Hertha Berlin
Werder Bremen
Hamburg SV
Bayer Leverkusen
Borussia Dortmund
VfL Wolfsburg
Kaiserslautern
Arminia Bielefeld
Hanover
Nuremberg
Mainz
Borussia Moenchengladbach
VfL Bochum
Hansa Rostock
Freiburg
Enditem
BERLIN Apr Xinhua Following are the summaries of German first division soccer league matches played on Saturday
VfB Stuttgart
VfL Wolfsburg
Halftime Attendance
Borussia Dortmund Ewerthon Sebastian Kehl Jan Koller
Kaiserslautern Halil Altintop Ioannis Amanatidis
Halftime Attendance
Arminia Bielefeld Massimiliano Porcello
Freiburg Ellery Cairo
Halftime Attendance
Bayern Munich Claudio Pizarro Michael Ballack Roy
Makaay
VfL Bochum Filip Tapalovic
Red Card Rein van Duijnhoven
Halftime Attendance
Mainz Mathias Abel Fabian Gerber
Hanover
Halftime Attendance
Hertha Berlin Yildiray Bastuerk Marcelinho pen
Nando Rafael
Schalke Ebbe Sand
Red Card Christian Poulsen
Halftime Attendance
Hamburg SV Emile Mpenza Colin Benjamin Naohiro
Takahara
Hansa Rostock
Halftime Attendance
Enditem
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WASHINGTON April Xinhua Following are the result of the Fed Cups World Group I quarterfinal match between United States and Belgium on Saturday in Delray BeachFlorida
Lindsay Davenport United States bt Evelyne Van Hyfte Belgium
Venus Williams United States bt Els Callens Belgium
Enditem
WASHINGTON April Xinhua Topseeded Andy Roddick reached his fifth straight US Clay Court Championships tennis final in Houston on Saturday with a straight set win over Jurgen Melzer from Austria
Roddick of the United States rallied after losing the first three games to beat the seventhseeded
He will play for the title Sunday against either qualifier Nicolas Lapentti of Ecuador or sixthseeded Sebastien Grosjean of France
Grosjean reached the semifinals with a triumph over secondseeded American Andre Agassi the champion in this event in both and
Lapentti advanced with a thrilling threeset win over American James Blake to reach his first semifinal since July
Roddick who won this dollar red clay tournament in and is seeking his second title of after a victory at San Jose California in
February
After dropping the first three games to Melzer Roddick held then broke Melzers serve three times in a row to take the set Enditem
MADRID April Xinhua Following are the results from the Spanish
first division soccer matches on Saturday
Osasuna bt Atletico Madrid
Real Madrid bt Villarreal
Playing on Sunday
Real Betis v Real Sociedad
Deportivo La Coruna v Racing Santander
Espanyol v Real Zaragoza
Getafe v Levante
Numancia v Real Mallorca
Valencia v Albacete
Malaga v Barcelona
Athletic Bilbao v Sevilla
Enditem
MADRID April Xinhua Following are the Spanish first division soccer standings after the matches played on Saturday tabulated under games played won drawn lost goals for against points
Barcelona
Real Madrid
Sevilla
Villarreal
Real Betis
Espanyol
Valencia
Athletic Bilbao
Atletico Madrid
Deportivo La Coruna
Real Zaragoza
Real Sociedad
Osasuna
Getafe
Malaga
Levante
Racing Santander
Real Mallorca
Albacete
Numancia
Enditem
WASHINGTON April Xinhua The defending champion Detroit Pistons helped by Rasheed Wallaces points beat the Philadelphia ers in the first game of the NBA playoffs Saturday in Auburn Hills Michigan
Detroit will host Game in the bestofseven series on Tuesday
The seventhseeded Sixers were led by Allen Iversons points and assists started the game very well and built a point lead in the first quarter before Detroit went ahead for good late in the second quarter
Antonio McDyess scored of his points in the second quarter to lead Detroits comeback Tayshaun Prince finished with points Richard Hamilton had and Chauncey Billups added Ben Wallace tied a Pistons playoff record with seven blocks and had seven points and rebounds
Chris Webber scored for the Sixers with Samuel Dalembert and a seasonhigh
rebounds Enditem
MONTEVIDEO April Xinhua The womens tennis team of Puerto Rico defeated Canada Saturday in the final of the American Zone I of the Federation Cup held at Montevideo
The Puerto Ricans won the two singles matches and by mutual agreement of the captains the doubles match was not played
With their victory the Puerto Rican team qualified to play a repechage
series in September for a ticket in World Group II of Federation Cup disputed since
In the tournament also participated the national teams of Brazil Uruguay Cuba Mexico Bolivia and Paraguay Enditem
MADRID April Xinhua Argentine Walter Samuel French Zinedine Zidane and Spanish Michel Salgado will not be able to play the coming league match of Real Madrid against Real Sociedad
In the Real Madrid vs Villarreal match Samuel was expelled from the pitch for accumulation of yellow cards while Zidane got a direct red card in the last moments of the match after a quarrel with fullback Quique Alvarez who also got a red card
Michel Salgado who scored for Real Madrid in the match that ended with a victory of the locals received a yellow card in the second half and will not make it for the away match against Real Sociedad for accumulation of cards Enditem
LONDON April Xinhua Chelsea moved within touching distance of their first ever Premiership title with a home win over Fulham on Saturday while Crystal Palace dragged themselves out of the relegation zone and Norwich City moved off the foot of the table
West Brom slipped back into the bottom three courtesy of a defeat to Middlesbrough while Everton were held at home by Birmingham City
Aston Villa and Blackburn Rovers were also held on their own patch by Bolton Wanderers and Manchester City respectively
Joe Cole fired the Blues in front but Fulham were level before half time courtesy of a welltaken effort from Collins John
But second half goals from the everimpressive Frank Lampard and Eidur Gudjohnsen left Chelsea just a win away from the title although an Arsenal slipup against Tottenham could hand Jose Mourinhos side the championship on Monday
Evertons push for a UEFA Champions League berth suffered a setback as they had to come from behind to earn a point at home to Birmingham
Former Liverpool striker Emile Heskey returned to haunt his old Merseyside rivals with the opener after five minutes but Duncan Ferguson rescued a point four minutes from time
Palace moved out of the bottom three as Andy Johnsons header was enough to sink Liverpool at Selhurst Park
Middlesbrough produced a rampant first half performance to ensure a miserable return to The Riverside for West Brom manager Bryan Robson
The exBoro boss saw his side start brightly but three goals in the space of minutes kept Boro on course for a Uefa Cup place and plunged West Brom back into the drop zone
Szilard Nemeth netted on and minutes with his double salvo coming either side of a closerange finish from Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink while Stewart Downing curled home a late free kick
Mathias Svenssons acrobatic volley two minutes from time made it three home wins in a row for Norwich as the Swede returned to haunt his former club Charlton
Bolton stayed on course for at least a Uefa Cup spot after coming from behind at Aston Villa Fernando Hierros own goal had given the hosts the lead but Gary Speeds header earned The Trotters a point
At Ewood Park Blackburn and Man City shared a draw in a drab encounter which had endofseason written all over it Enditem
BUENOS AIRES April Xinhua Retired soccer player Diego Maradona is about to work with Boca Juniors announced Saturday the boss of the Argentine soccer club
Next week there will be a meeting of the board of directors to discuss this issue Mauricio Macri President of Boca told Argentine Radio Mitre station as he was taking part in the installation of pope Benedict XVI in Italy
The boss declined to reveal what position Maradona will take
Maradona who retired from soccer in and has been struggling to control obesity and drugaddiction since then said he would never take a job as a clubs offcial and he wishes to share his experience with players
The Boca president however backed the coach Jorge Benitez who was in conflict with striker Guillermo Barros Schelotto and assured the player wants to leave the club
The thing is that there is a player Barros Schelotto who for seven years has been a key of the team and now there is an alternative Rodrigo Palacio for his position according to the coach he pointed out
Thus Macri backed Benitez as saying his responsibility is to form the best team possible and this has to be clear from Guillermo all the way to the youngest player of minor leagues whoever doesnt understand this is wrong and loses Enditem
MADRID April Xinhua Following are the leading goal scorers of the Primera Liga on Saturday
Samuel Etoo Barcelona
Diego Forlan Villarreal
Ricardo Oliveira Real Betis
Ronaldo Real Madrid Fernando Torres Atletico Madrid
Julio Baptista Sevilla
Juan Riquelme Villarreal
Nihat Kahveci Real Sociedad
David Villa Real Zaragoza Maxi Rodriguez Espanyol
Marco Di Vaio Valencia Michael Owen Real Madrid Ismael Urzaiz Athletic Bilbao Santiago Ezquerro Athletic Bilbao Luis Garcia Real Mallorca Edu Real Betis
Antonio Pacheco Albacete Albert Luque Deportivo Coruna
Richard Morales Osasuna Diego Tristan Deportivo Coruna
Enditem
MADRID April Xinhua Following are the summaries from the Primera Liga matches on Saturday
Osasuna John Aloisi
Red Card Carlos Cuellar
Atletico Madrid
Halftime Attendance
Real Madrid Ronaldo Michel Salgado
Red Card Walter Samuel Zinedine Zidane
Villarreal Juan Riquelme pen
Red Card Quique Alvarez
Halftime Attendance
Playing on Sunday
Deportivo Coruna vs Racing Santander
Getafe vs Levante
Numancia vs Real Mallorca
Espanyol vs Real Zaragoza
Real Betis vs Real Sociedad
Valencia vs Albacete
Malaga vs Barcelona
Athletic Bilbao vs Sevilla
Enditem
MADRID April Xinhua Nineman Real Madrid came from behind to beat Villarreal at the Bernabeu on Saturday after Zinedine Zidane and Walter Samuel had been dismissed with red card
With the home win Secondplaced Real moved up to points three behind Barcelona who travel south to play Malaga on Sunday Champions Leaguechasing Villarreal are third on points with a game in hand on Real
Argentine midfielder Juan Roman Riquelme put Villarreal in lead from the penalty spot before the break
Real however recovered in the second half as Ronaldo headed the equaliser on minutes and provided for defender Michel Salgado to fire the winner four minutes later
Real were reduced to men after minutes when Argentina defender Samuel received his second yellow card The home side then lost Zidane to a straight red in stoppage time as the French international scuffled with Villarreal defender Quique Alvarez who was also marked
Earlier Osasuna overcame Atletico Madrid to record their second victory in four days over the capital club and all but secure their Primera Liga place Enditem
LISBON April Xinhua Following are the results and standings from the Portuguese championship matches on Saturday
Boavista tied Moreirense
Sporting Lisbon tied Academica
Played on Friday April
Belenenses bt Vitoria Guimaraes
Standings tabulated under matches played won drawn lost goals for against and points
Sporting Lisbon
Benfica
Braga
Porto
Boavista
Vitoria Guimaraes
Rio Ave
Belenenses
Maritimo
Vitoria Setubal
Nacional Madeira
Penafiel
Uniao Leiria
Academica
Gil Vicente
Estoril
Moreirense
Beira Mar
Enditem
ROME April Xinhua Following are the results from the Serie A matches on Saturday
AC Milan bt Parma
Siena lost to Udinese
Playing on Sunday April
Atalanta Bergamo vs Palermo
Bologna vs Fiorentina
Brescia vs Reggina
Chievo Verona vs Cagliari
Livorno vs Lecce
Messina vs Inter Milan
Sampdoria vs AS Roma
Lazio vs Juventus
Enditem
ROME April Xinhua Following are the standings from the Serie A matches on Saturday tabulated under matches played won drawn lost goals for against and points
AC Milan
Juventus
Inter Milan
Udinese
Sampdoria
Palermo
Lazio
Cagliari
Livorno
Messina
Bologna
AS Roma
Reggina
Lecce
Siena
Parma
Chievo Verona
Fiorentina
Brescia
Atalanta Bergamo
Enditem
ROME April Xinhua Following are the leading goal scorers of the Serie A on Saturday
Vincenzo Montella AS Roma
Alberto Gilardino Parma
Luca Toni Palermo
Zlatan Ibrahimovic Juventus Cristiano Lucarelli Livorno Adriano Inter Milan Mauro Esposito Cagliari
Andriy Shevchenko AC Milan David Di Michele Udinese
Mirko Vucinic Lecce Francesco Flachi Sampdoria Francesco Totti AS Roma Valeri Bojinov Fiorentina Alessandro Del Piero Juventus
Andrea Caracciolo Brescia Hernan Crespo AC Milan
Vincenzo Iaquinta Udinese Christian Vieri Inter Milan Fabrizio Miccoli Fiorentina
Enrico Chiesa Siena Tommaso Rocchi Lazio Franco Brienza Palermo Obafemi Martins Inter Milan
Riccardo Zampagna Messina Arturo Di Napoli Messina Claudio Bellucci Bologna
Enditem
ROME April Xinhua Following are the summaries from the Serie A matches on Saturday
AC Milan Kaka Jon Dahl Tomasson Cafu
Parma
Halftime Attendance
Siena Massimo Maccarone Rodrigo Taddei
Udinese David Di Michele Vincenzo Iaquinta
Halftime Attendance
Playing on Sunday April
Atalanta Bergamo vs Palermo
Bologna vs Fiorentina
Brescia vs Reggina
Chievo Verona vs Cagliari
Livorno vs Lecce
Messina vs Inter Milan
Sampdoria vs AS Roma
Lazio vs Juventus
Enditem
ROME April Xinhua AC Milan cruised past Parma on Saturday to temporarily move three points clear of Juventus at the top of Serie A before the Old Lady visit Lazio on Sunday
With the goals from Brazilians Kaka and Cafu and Dane Jon Dahl Tomasson Milan eased to a win which put them on points
Udinese claimed a away win at Siena on Saturday and climbed above Sampdoria into fourth place thanks to two goals from David Di Michele
Milan without the injured Andrea Pirlo and the suspended Gennaro Gattuso dominated from the outset and took the lead after minutes
Rui Costa had a shot parried by Parma keeper Sebastien Frey and after Andriy Shevchenkos followup was blocked Kaka pounced on the loose ball
European Footballer of the Year Shevchenko then provided then second goal and Tomasson beat Frey to fire home at
Milan made it when Ukrainian Shevchenkos shot was half blocked and Cafu lashed in the rebound in the st minute
Carlo Ancelottis side face freshly crowned Dutch champions PSV Eindhoven in the first leg of their Champions League semifinal on Tuesday Enditem
BRUSSELS April Xinhua Following are the results and standings from the Belgian championship matches on Saturday
Ghent lost to Racing Genk
Beveren lost to Lokeren
Club Bruges bt Germinal Beerschot
MonsBergen bt Westerlo
Oostende bt FC Brussels
St Truiden bt La Louviere
Played on Friday April
Anderlecht bt Standard Liege
Playing on Sunday April
Charleroi vs Excelsior Mouscron
Lierse vs Cercle Bruges
Standings tabulated under matches played won drawn lost goals for against and points
Club Bruges
Anderlecht
Standard Liege
Racing Genk
Charleroi
Ghent
Lokeren
Cercle Bruges
La Louviere
Westerlo
Germinal Beerschot
Lierse
Beveren
Excelsior Mouscron
St Truiden
MonsBergen
Oostende
FC Brussels
Enditem
PARIS April Xinhua Following are the standings from the Ligue matches on Saturday tabulated under matches played won drawn lost goals for against and points
Olympique Lyon
Lille
Monaco
Olympique Marseille
Stade Rennes
Auxerre
Paris St Germain
St Etienne
Sochaux
Toulouse
Racing Lens
Girondins Bordeaux
Metz
Racing Strasbourg
Nantes
Ajaccio
Nice
Bastia
Caen
Istres
Enditem
PARIS April Xinhua Following are the summaries from the Ligue matches on Saturday
Caen
Bastia PierreYves Andre
Halftime Attendance
Racing Strasbourg Mamadou Niang
Lille Matt Moussilou Stephane Dumont
Halftime Attendance
St Etienne
Metz
Halftime Attendance
Nantes Olivier Quint
Olympique Marseille Benoit Pedretti Koke
Halftime Attendance
Monaco Javier Saviola Ernesto Chevanton pen
Toulouse David Suarez
Halftime Attendance
Racing Lens Daniel Cousin pen John Utaka pen Olivier Thomert
Sochaux Francileudo Santos
Halftime Attendance
Istres
Red Card Patrick Leugueun
Stade Rennes Toifilou Maoulida Alexander Frei
Red Card JeanJoel Perrier Doumbe
Halftime Attendance
Ajaccio
Girondins Bordeaux
Halftime Attendance
Played on Friday April
Paris St Germain Pauleta pen Jerome Rothen Sergei Semak
Nice Sylvain Armand og
Halftime Attendance
Playing on Sunday April
Auxerre vs Olympique Lyon
Enditem
PARIS April Xinhua Following are the results from the Ligue matches on Saturday
Ajaccio tied Girondins Bordeaux
Monaco bt Toulouse
Caen lost to Bastia
Istres lost to Stade Rennes
Nantes tied Olympique Marseille
Racing Lens bt Sochaux
Racing Strasbourg lost to Lille
St Etienne tied Metz
Played on Friday April
Paris St Germain bt Nice
Playing on Sunday April
Auxerre vs Olympique Lyon
Enditem
PARIS April Xinhua Following are the leading goal scorers of the Ligue on Saturday
Alexander Frei Stade Rennes
Pauleta Paris St Germain Ilan Sochaux
Mickael Pagis Racing Strasbourg
Juninho Pernambucano Olympique Lyon Pascal Feindouno St Etienne Matt Moussilou Lille
Sebastien Mazure Caen Mamadou Niang Racing Strasbourg Waldir Lucas Ajaccio Frederic Piquionne St Etienne Marama Vahirua Nice Mohammed Kallon Monaco
Daniel Moreira Toulouse John Utaka Racing Lens Olivier Monterrubio Stade Rennes Philippe Brunel Lille Marouane Chamakh Girondins Bordeaux Benjamin Mwaruwari Auxerre
Bonaventure Kalou Auxerre Herve Tum Metz
Enditem
BRUSSELS April Xinhua Following are the results from the Dutch championship matches on Saturday
ADO Den Haag lost to Roda JC Kerkrade
PSV Eindhoven bt Vitesse Arnhem
RKC Waalwijk bt AZ Alkmaar
Played on Friday April
Heerenveen bt RBC Roosendaal
Playing on Sunday April
Groningen vs Feyenoord
Ajax Amsterdam vs Graafschap Doetinchem
Utrecht vs Twente Enschede
NAC Breda vs Willem II Tilburg
NEC Nijmegen vs Den Bosch
Enditem
BRUSSELS April Xinhua Following are the standings from the Dutch championship matches on Saturday tabulated under matches played won drawn lost goals for against and points
PSV Eindhoven
Ajax Amsterdam
AZ Alkmaar
Feyenoord
Heerenveen
Twente Enschede
Vitesse Arnhem
RKC Waalwijk
Roda JC Kerkrade
Utrecht
Groningen
Willem II Tilburg
NAC Breda
NEC Nijmegen
ADO Den Haag
RBC Roosendaal
Graafschap Doetinchem
Den Bosch
Enditem
BRUSSELS April Xinhua Following are the summaries from the Dutch championship matches on Saturday
ADO Den Haag Wesley Verhoek
Roda JC Kerkrade Arouna Kone Laszlo Bodnar
Halftime Attendance
RKC Waalwijk Kew Jaliens og Robert Fuchs
AZ Alkmaar Barry Opdam
Halftime Attendance
PSV Eindhoven JiSung Park Mark van Bommel Gerald Sibon
Vitesse Arnhem
Halftime Attendance
Played on Friday April
Heerenveen KlaasJan Huntelaar pen Georgios Samaras Lasse Nilsson
RBC Roosendaal Donny de Groot
Halftime Attendance
Playing on Sunday April
Groningen vs Feyenoord
Ajax Amsterdam vs Graafschap Doetinchem
Utrecht vs Twente Enschede
NAC Breda vs Willem II Tilburg
NEC Nijmegen vs Den Bosch
Enditem
PARIS April Xinhua Thanks to goals by inform striker Matt Moussilou and midfielder Stephane Dumont Lille claimed a victory at Racing Strasbourg on Saturday to stay on course for the title race in French Ligue
With victory Lille strengthened their second place on points and reduced the gap to eight points on leaders Olympique Lyon who visit Auxerre on Sunday with five matches remaining
Moussilou netted from close range in the th minute to lift his tally for the season to goals while Dumont struck from meters on minutes as Lille claimed their third league win in a row
Strasbourg struggling to avoid relegation reduced the deficit through Mamadou Niang on minutes but could not prevent their second home defeat of the season
Lille are four points ahead of thirdplaced Monaco who beat Toulouse while Olympique Marseille in fourth lost ground with a draw at Nantes Enditem
BRUSSELS April Xinhua Following are the leading goal scorers of the Dutch championship on Saturday
Dirk Kuijt Feyenoord
Salomon Kalou Feyenoord
Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink PSV Eindhoven KlaasJan Huntelaar Heerenveen
Mark van Bommel PSV Eindhoven Blaise NKufo Twente Enschede
Kenneth Perez AZ Alkmaar Arouna Kone Roda JC Kerkrade
Erik Nevland Groningen Georgios Samaras Heerenveen Ali Boussaboun NAC Breda Matthew Amoah Vitesse Arnhem Rick Hoogendorp RKC Waalwijk
Romeo Castelen Feyenoord Denny Landzaat AZ Alkmaar Nick Hofs Feyenoord
Jason Culina Twente Enschede Jhonny van Beukering Graafschap Doetinchem Geert den Ouden ADO Den Haag Sergio Roda JC Kerkrade Cristiano Roda JC Kerkrade
Theo Janssen Vitesse Arnhem Romano Denneboom NEC Nijmegen Jefferson Farfan PSV Eindhoven Hans van de Haar Utrecht
Enditem
WASHINGTON April Xinhua Following are the simefinal results of the sixth day of the US dollars ATP US Clay Court Championships in Houston on Saturday prefix number denotes seeding
Andy Roddick United States bt Jurgen Melzer Austria
Sebastien Grosjean France bt Nicolas Lapentti Ecuador
Enditem
BRUSSELS April Xinhua PSV Eindhoven clinched their th league title in the Netherlands after breezied past Vitesse Arnhem on Saturday even without half a team of starters
The Dutch leaders took in front at after South Korean international Park Jisung pulled the trigger from meters and skipper Mark van Bommel fired home Parks through ball a minute before the break to double the lead
Gerald Sibon made it with three minutes to go
With the victory Guus Hiddinks side now have points and can now not be caught by secondplaced Ajax Amsterdam on with four matches remaining
With an eye on Tuesdays Champions League semifinal first leg at AC Milan Hiddink took no risks and left out Alex Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink Lee YoungPyo Wilfred Bouma and Johann Voge while Philip Cocu was suspended
AZ Alkmaar who visit Sporting of Portugal in the UEFA Cup semifinal first leg on Thursday remain third with points after a defeat at RKC Waalwijk Enditem
LONDON April Xinhua Following are the results from the Premier League matches on Saturday
Aston Villa tied Bolton Wanderers
Blackburn Rovers tied Manchester City
Chelsea bt Fulham
Crystal Palace bt Liverpool
Everton tied Birmingham City
Middlesbrough bt West Bromwich Albion
Norwich City bt Charlton Athletic
Playing on Sunday April
Portsmouth vs Southampton
Manchester United vs Newcastle United
Playing on Monday April
Arsenal vs Tottenham Hotspur
Enditem
LONDON April Xinhua Following are the standings from the Premier League matches on Saturday tabulated under matches played won drawn lost goals for against and points
Chelsea
Arsenal
Manchester United
Everton
Liverpool
Bolton Wanderers
Middlesbrough
Tottenham Hotspur
Aston Villa
Manchester City
Charlton Athletic
Blackburn Rovers
Birmingham City
Newcastle United
Portsmouth
Fulham
Crystal Palace
Norwich City
West Bromwich Albion
Southampton
Enditem
LONDON April Xinhua Following are the leading goal scorers of the Premier League on Saturday
Thierry Henry Arsenal
Andy Johnson Crystal Palace
Jermain Defoe Tottenham Hotspur
Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink Middlesbrough
Yakubu Aiyegbeni Portsmouth Robbie Keane Tottenham Hotspur Andy Cole Fulham Robert Pires Arsenal Eidur Gudjohnsen Chelsea
Frank Lampard Chelsea Fredrik Ljungberg Arsenal Didier Drogba Chelsea Kevin Phillips Southampton Peter Crouch Southampton Rob Earnshaw West Bromwich Albion
Wayne Rooney Manchester United Paul Dickov Blackburn Rovers Milan Baros Liverpool Robbie Fowler Manchester City Shaun WrightPhillips Manchester City Tim Cahill Everton
Paul Scholes Manchester United Luis Boa Morte Fulham Emile Heskey Birmingham City Nolberto Solano Aston Villa El Hadji Diouf Bolton Wanderers Luis Garcia Liverpool
Enditem
LONDON April Xinhua Following are the summaries from the Premier League matches on Saturday
Crystal Palace Andy Johnson
Liverpool
Halftime Attendance
Blackburn Rovers
Manchester City
Halftime Attendance
Aston Villa Fernando Hierro og
Bolton Wanderers Gary Speed
Halftime Attendance
Chelsea Joe Cole Frank Lampard Eidur Gudjohnsen
Fulham Collins John
Halftime Attendance
Everton Duncan Ferguson
Birmingham City Emile Heskey
Halftime Attendance
Middlesbrough Szilard Nemeth Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink Stewart Downing
West Bromwich Albion
Halftime Attendance
Norwich City Mathias Svensson
Charlton Athletic
Halftime Attendance
Playing on Sunday April
Portsmouth vs Southampton
Manchester United vs Newcastle United
Playing on Monday April
Arsenal vs Tottenham Hotspur Enditem
WASHINGTON April Xinhua Following are the results from the NBA Playoffs st Round matches on Saturday home team in CAPS
st Round
T
BOSTON CELTICS
Indiana Pacers
Bestofseven series
DETROIT PISTONS
Philadelphia ers
Bestofseven series
SEATTLE SUPERSONICS
Sacramento Kings
Bestofseven series
Houston Rockets
DALLAS MAVERICKS
Bestofseven series
Enditem
WASHINGTON April Xinhua Sebastien Grosjean of France set up final clash with topseeded Andy Roddick in the US Mens Clay Court Championships as the sixth seed battled past qualifier Nicolas Lapentti of Ecuador on Saturday
Earlier the day former world number one Roddick reached final for a fifth consecutive year with a victory over Austrias Jurgen Melzer in Houston
Roddick holds a record against Grosjean who Saturday earned his first finalsince Queens Club last June where he lost to Roddick
Its a ritual I enjoy and hope to continue said the American who suffered subsequent final defeats to Andre Agassi and Tommy Haas after winning the event in and
Grosjean upset second seed Agassi on Friday to reach the semifinals and continued his good form with a strong first set against Lapentti
In the second set the Frenchman came back from trailing to force a tiebreaker where Lapentti surged ahead before Grosjean started his charge with a backhand passing winner
The Frenchman edged ahead with another passing shot at and secured his place in the final when Lapentti doublefaulted on the first match point Enditem
WASHINGTON April Xinhua Following are the results from the Fed Cups World Group I Quarterfinal matches on Saturday
Italy is leveled with Russia
United States lead Belgium
Spain lead Argentina
Austria is leveled with France
Enditem
ROME April Xinhua Formula One newcomers Red Bull Racing will be powered with Ferrari engines for and announced the world champions at Imola Italy on Saturday
We are pleased to have reached this agreement with Red Bull Racing to supply them with our F engines Ferrari team boss Jean Todt said in a statement
This collaboration fits in with the fact that since with a break from to Ferrari has supplied its F engines to other teams
With this deal the Swiss Sauber team who have been powered by Ferrari engines for the last nine years may switch to BMW and Red Bulls former engines providers Cosworth will be left with just struggling Minardi
Red Bull owned by Austrian energy drink billionaire Dietrich Mateschitz are powered by the privatelyowned Cosworth engines this year as a legacy left behind when they bought the Jaguar team from Ford last November Enditem
BELGRADE April Xinhua Ten people including six fans three polic officers and a security steward were injured in a fans riot after Belgrade derby on Saturday reported local media
The match between Serbia and Montenegro champions Red Star and league leaders Partizan was played accompanying with rival fans ripping plastic seats and pelting each other and finished in fought running battles with riot police according to Belgrades B radio
A senior official of Belgrades Anlave clinic said the fans and the steward had sustained minor injuries
The game ended in a draw and kept Partizan five points ahead of their bitter rivals in a twohorse title race with six matches remaining
Its a pity that the crowd trouble marred an otherwise splendid evening said Partizan coach Vladimir Vermezovic Enditem
BRUSSELS Apr Xinhua Following are the results from the Fed Cups World Group I quarterfinal matches on Sunday
Italy levels with Russia
United States leads Belgium
Spain leads Argentina
France leads Austria
Enditem
ROME Apr Xinhua Following are the qualifying results from the Formula One Grand Prix of San Marino at Imola on Sunday
Kimi Raikkonen Finland McLaren
Fernando Alonso Spain Renault
Jenson Button Britain BAR
Mark Webber Australia Williams
Jarno Trulli Italy Toyota
Takuma Sato Japan BAR
Alexander Wurz Austria McLaren
Felipe Massa Brazil Sauber
Nick Heidfeld Germany Williams
Rubens Barrichello Brazil Ferrari
Ralf Schumacher Germany Toyota
Jacques Villeneuve Canada Sauber
Giancarlo Fisichella Italy Renault
Michael Schumacher Germany Ferrari
David Coulthard Britain Red Bull
Vitantonio Liuzzi Italy Red Bull
Narain Karthikeyan India Jordan
Tiago Monteiro Portugal Jordan
Patrick Friesacher Austria Minardi
Christijan Albers Netherlands Minardi
Enditem
BEIJING Apr Xinhua Following are the scores from the European PGA Tour Johnnie Walker Classic at the par course in Beijing on Sunday
Adam Scott Australia
Retief Goosen South Africa
Michael Campbell New Zealand
Henrik Stenson Sweden
Richard Sterne South Africa
Ernie Els South Africa
Colin Montgomerie Britain
Brett Rumford Australia
Luke Donald Britain
Scott Drummond Britain
Sergio Garcia Spain
Santiago Luna Spain
Steven OHara Britain
David Park Britain
Gary Rusnak United States
Simon Dyson Britain
Gregory Havret France
Thongchai Jaidee Thailand
Terry Price Australia
Trevor Immelman South Africa
Wade Ormsby Australia
Unho Park Australia
Emanuele Canonica Italy
KJ Choi South Korea
Kenneth Ferrie Britain
Prayad Marksaeng Thailand
Gareth Paddison New Zealand
Terry Pilkadaris Australia
Anthony Wall Britain
Thomas Bjorn Denmark
David Bransdon Australia
Paul Casey Britain
Steve Collins Australia
Martin Doyle Australia
Soren Hansen Denmark
Peter Hanson Sweden
Maarten Lafeber Netherlands
Christian Cevaer France
Kim Felton Australia
Scott Gardiner Australia
Anders Hansen Denmark
Peter Lawrie Ireland
Richard Moir Australia
Peter Senior Australia
Miles Tunnicliff Britain
Simon Wakefield Britain
Wang TerChang Chinese Taipei
Barry Lane Britain
Jose Manuel Lara Spain
Lin Wenko Chinese Taipei
James Nitties Australia
Ricky Schmidt Australia
Adam Groom Australia
Paul Lawrie Britain
Liang Wenchong China
Simon Yates Britain
Chen YuanChi Chinese Taipei
Marcus Fraser Australia
Peter OMalley Australia
Patrik Sjoeland Sweden
Peter Fowler Australia
Chawalit Plaphol Thailand
Marcus Both Australia
Christopher D Gray Australia
Anthony Kang South Korea
Edward Loar United States
JeanFrancois Lucquin France
Wayne Perske Australia
Zhang Lianwei China
Kurt Barnes Australia
Peter Hedblom Sweden
Miguel Angel Jimenez Spain
Richard Lee New Zealand
Carlos Rodiles Spain
Marcus Cain Australia
Gary Simpson Australia
Enditem
BANGKOK Apr Xinhua Following are the results Sunday from the Fed Cup World Group II tie between Croatia and Thailand in Phuket
Croatia bt Thailand
Jelena Kostanic Croatia bt Tamarine Tanasugarn Thailand
Suchanun Viratprasert Thailand bt Sanda Mamic Croatia
Doubles
Jelena Kostanic and Matea Mezak Croatia bt Tamarine Tanasugarn and Napaporn Tongsalee Thailand
Played on Saturday
Tamarine Tanasugarn Thailand bt Sanda Mamic Croatia
Jelena Kostanic Croatia bt Suchanun Viratprasert Thailand
Enditem
BUENOS AIRES Apr Xinhua Following are the results from the Argentine championship Clausura matches on Saturday
Saturday April
Quilmes lost to Estudiantes
Velez Sarsfield bt Racing Club
Friday April
San Lorenzo de Almagro lost to Argentinos Juniors
Playing on Sunday April
Almagro vs River Plate
Boca Juniors vs Colon
GimnasiaLa Plata vs HuracanTres Arroyos
Independiente vs Rosario Central
Lanus vs Instituto
Newells Old Boys vs Arsenal
Olimpo vs Banfield
Enditem
BUENOS AIRES Apr Xinhua Following are the standings of the Argentine championship Clausura after matches played on Saturday tabulated under games played won drawn lost goals for against and points
Estudiantes
Velez Sarsfield
Rosario Central
River Plate
Racing Club
Boca Juniors
Colon
Lanus
Newells Old Boys
Banfield
Quilmes
Arsenal
Argentinos Juniors
Instituto
Olimpo
Independiente
GimnasiaLa Plata
Almagro
San Lorenzo de Almagro BA
HuracanTres Arroyos
Enditem
SOFIA Apr Xinhua Following are the results Sunday from the European Weightlifting Championships at the Universiada Hall
Men
kgs
Vladimir Smorchkov Russia kg kg snatch kgclean and jerk
Bunyamin Sudas Turkey
Ramunas Visnauskas Lithuania
Dmitri Lapikov Russia
Robert Dolega Poland
Martin Tesovic Slovakia
Enditem
TOKYO Apr Xinhua Following are the leading results of the final days finals from the Japanese swimming championships in Yokohama on Sunday Q denotes qualifiers for the world championships
Men
m freestyle
Makoto Ito
Daisuke Hosokawa
Takeru Sasaki
m freestyle
Takeshi Matsuda Q
Yota Arase
Takehiro Miyaujima
m backstroke
Takashi Nakano Q
Tomomi Morita Q
Kazuki Watanabe
m breaststroke
Kosuke Kitajima Q
Genki Imamura
Makoto Yamashita
m butterfly
Ryo Takayasu Q
Ryuichi Shibata
Masahiro Okuno
m individual medley
Hidemasa Sano Q
Jiro Miki
Yuta Shoji
Women
m freestyle
Kaori Yamada
Nanami Urata
Kaori Naito
m freestyle
Sachiko Yamada Q
Yumi Kida Q
Kanae Iwai
m backstroke
Reiko Nakamura Q
Hanae Ito Q
Aya Terakawa
m breaststroke
Sayaka Nakamura
Fumiko Kawanabe
Yuko Sakaguchi
m butterfly
Yuko Nakanishi
Kozue Watanabe
Ayako Doi
Enditem
TOKYO Apr Xinhua Following are the results and standings from the Japanese Jleague soccer matches on Sunday tabulated under games played won drawn lost goals for against and points
Sunday April
Kashima Antlers Jubilo Iwata
Yokohama FMarinos Omiya Ardija
Saturday April
Gamba Osaka FC Tokyo
Kashiwa Reysol Nagoya Grampus Eight
Oita Trinita Vissel Kobe
Sanfrecce Hiroshima Kawasaki Frontale
Shimizu SPulse JEF United Ichihara
Tokyo Verdy Albirex Niigata
Urawa Reds Cerezo Osaka
Standings
Kashima Antlers
Nagoya Grampus Eight
Sanfrecce Hiroshima
Yokohama FMarinos
Gamba Osaka
FC Tokyo
Omiya Ardija
Cerezo Osaka
JEF United Ichihara
Tokyo Verdy
Oita Trinita
Kawasaki Frontale
Albirex Niigata
Shimizu SPulse
Jubilo Iwata
Urawa Reds
Kashiwa Reysol
Vissel Kobe
Enditem
BERLIN Apr Xinhua Following are the leading results from Hamburg marathon here on Sunday
Men
Julio Rey Spain
Wilfred Kigen Kenya
Jote Ashebir Demissu Ethiopia
Jacob Losian Kenya
Dimitri Baranovski Ukraine
Women
Edith Masai Kenya
Malgorzata Sobanska Poland
Claudia Dreher Germany
Alina Ivanova Russia
Kutre Dulecha Ethiopia
Enditem
BRASILIA Apr Xinhua Following are the results of Brazilian soccer championship matches played on Saturday
Atletico Mineiro bt Figueirense
Flamengo tied Cruzeiro
Parana lost to Goias
Sao Caetano tied Palmeiras
Playing on Sunday April
Atletico Paranaense vs Ponte Preta
Brasiliense vs Vasco da Gama
Corinthians vs Juventude
Fluminense vs Sao Paulo
Fortaleza vs Coritiba
Internacional vs Botafogo
Santos vs Paysandu
Enditem
BRASILIA Apr Xinhua Following are the standings of Brazilian soccer championship after matches played on Saturday tabulated under games played won drawn lost goals for against and points
Atletico Mineiro
Goias
Palmeiras
Sao Caetano
Cruzeiro
Flamengo
Atletico Paranaense
Botafogo
Brasiliense
Corinthians
Coritiba
Fluminense
Fortaleza
Internacional
Juventude
Paysandu
Ponte Preta
Santos
Sao Paulo
Vasco da Gama
Parana
Figueirense
Enditem
VIENNA Apr Xinhua Following are the results of Fed Cup World Group One match between Austria and France played in Portschach on Sunday
France bt Austria
Virginie Razzano France bt Yvonne Meusburger Austria
Nathalie Dechy France bt Tamira Paszek Austria
Played on Saturday
Yvonne Meusburger Austria bt Nathalie Dechy France
Virginie Razzano France bt Tamira Paszek Austria
Enditem
OTTAWA Apr Xinhua Organizers of the Winter Olympics in
Vancouver have chosen a traditional stone scuplture used as a directional
landmark by the Inuit people as the Games logo
The inukshuk has become a representation of hope friendship and an
external expression of the hospitality of a nation that warmly welcomes the people of the world with open arms organizers said
The distinctive formations are found across the country from coastlines to mountaintops from small towns to large cities in a variety of styles Enditem
BEIJING Apr Xinhua Australias Adam Scott held on his early lead on Sunday to win the Johnnie Walker Classic golf tournament in Beijing
The world number had led from the start of the million US dollars event but he met in the last round tough challenge from South Africas Retief Goosen who closed to within one shot
Scotts nerve held however and he produced a gritty evenpar to finish on an under total of giving him his ninth career title
Today was tough in the wind but I did what I needed to do and Im proud of myself for that said Scott It wasnt looking good at one point down to one shot
US Open champion Goosen settled for second place on under after a closing while three men tied for third a further two strokes back
Scott set a course record with a in the first round and his halfway total of under matched the tournament best for the first holes
The majority of players were finishing their third rounds early on Sunday after heavy winds forced the abandonment of play in Thursdays first round at Beijings Pine Valley
Scotts victory earned him dollars and took his career prize money to more than million dollars
South Africas Richard Sterne former champion Michael Campbell of New Zealand and Swede Henrik Stenson tied for third on under
World number three and twice champion Ernie Els of South Africa finished joint sixth with Britains Colin Montgomerie and Australian Brett Rumford a further shot behind
The event was jointly sanctioned by the European Asian and Australasian tours Enditem
BERLIN Apr Xinhua The organizers of the World Cup
finals in Germany are furious after tickets were found on the black market just hours after the first sales period ended
The World Cup organizing committee OK have been racking their brains to ensure tickets were purchased through the proper channels but on Saturday tickets were available to buy on the online auction site ebay
This is the sort of thing we were keen to avoid OK vicepresident Horst R Schmidt told Bild am Sonntag
We will take all the legal measures we can to combat it
Schmidt confirmed that the OK had asked ebay not to sell World Cup tickets but the two had failed to come to an agreement
I can only advise the fans not to buy tickets via an auction said
Schmidt There are still a lot of tickets on offer
In total million tickets are on sale to the general public and only the first batch of tickets have been sold with four more sales periods still to come
But the OK and soccers governing body FIFA have been inundated with
emails complaining about the shortage of tickets available to fans and with demand outstripping supply many fans have turned to the black market
Ticket prices range from euros to euros for the sports biggest
showpiece running from June until July Enditem
BEIJING Apr Xinhua Following are the results of the fifth round matches of the Chinese Super League played on Sunday home team first
Dalian Shide tied Chongqing Lifan
Tianjin Kangshifu lost to Shandong Luneng
Qingdao Zhongneng bt Sichuan Guancheng
Wuhan Huanghelou bt Liaoning
Shanghai Shenhua bt Shanghai International
Played on Saturday
Shenyang Jinde tied Shanghai Zhongbang
Playing on Monday
Shenzhen Jianlibao vs Beijing Hyundai
Enditem
BEIJING Apr Xinhua Following are the standings of the Chinese soccer Super League after matches played on Sunday tabulated under games played won drawn lost goals for against goals differential and points
Dalian Shide
Shandong Luneng
Shanghai Shenhua
Wuhan Huanghelou
Beijing Hyundai
Qingdao Zhongneng
Tianjin Kangshifu
Shenzhen Jianlibao
Shanghai International
Chongqing Lifan
Shanghai Zhongbang
Sichuan Guancheng
Liaoning
Shenyang Jinde
Enditem
ROME Apr Xinhua Following are the results from Sundays San Marino Grand Prix in Imola over laps of kilometers totalling kilometers
Fernando Alonso Spain Renault hour minutes seconds
average speed kph
Michael Schumacher Germany Ferrari seconds behind
Jenson Button Britain BARHonda secs
Alexander Wurz Austria McLarenMercedes secs
Takuma Sato Japan BARHonda secs
Jacques Villeneuve Canada SauberPetronas secs
Jarno Trulli Italy Toyota secs
Ralf Schumacher Germany Toyota secs
Nick Heidfeld Germany BMWWilliams secs
Mark Webber Australia BMWWilliams secs
Vitantonio Liuzzi Italy Red Bull Racing secs
Felipe Massa Brazil SauberPetronas one lap
David Coulthard Britain Red Bull Racing one lap
Narain Karthikeyan India Jordan one lap
Tiago Monteiro Portugal Jordan two laps
Did not finish
Giancarlo Fisichella Italy Renault
Patrick Friesacher Austria Minardi
Kimi Raikkonen Finland McLarenMercedes
Rubens Barrichello Brazil Ferrari
Christijan Albers Netherlands Minardi
Fastest lap Michael Schumacher Ferrari
Pole position Kimi Raikkonen McLarenMercedes combined times of Saturday and Sunday
Enditem
ROME Apr Xinhua Following are the drivers standings after Sundays San Marino Grand Prix in Imola
Fernando Alonso
Jarno Trulli
Giancarlo Fisichella
Michael Schumacher
Ralf Schumacher
David Coulthard
Rubens Barrichello
Juan Pablo Montoya
Kimi Raikkonen
Mark Webber
Nick Heidfeld
Jenson Button
Alexander Wurz
Takuma Sato
Pedro de la Rosa
Jacques Villeneuve
Christian Klien
Felipe Massa
Constructors standings after of races
Renault
Toyota
McLarenMercedes
Ferrari
BMWWilliams
Red Bull Racing
BARHonda
SauberPetronas
Next race Spanish Grand Prix on May in Barcelona Enditem
NANJING East China Apr Xinhua Following are the results from the Chinese Basketball Association league finals here on Sunday home team first
Jiangsu Tigers lost to Guangdong Hongyuan
Guangdong wins the bestoffive tie to successfully defend its title Enditem
ROME Apr Xinhua Following are the results from the Italian Serie A matches on Sunday
Atalanta Bergamo Palermo
Bologna Fiorentina
Brescia Reggina
Chievo Verona Cagliari
Livorno Lecce
Messina Inter Milan
Sampdoria AS Roma
Saturday April
AC Milan Parma
Siena Udinese
Next Fixtures
Lazio v Juventus
Enditem
ROME Apr Xinhua Following are the standings from the Italian Serie A league after matches on Sunday tabulated under games played won drawn lost goals for against and points
AC Milan
Juventus
Inter Milan
Sampdoria
Udinese
Palermo
Livorno
Messina
Lazio
Cagliari
Bologna
AS Roma
Reggina
Lecce
Siena
Chievo Verona
Fiorentina
Brescia
Parma
Atalanta Bergamo
Next Fixtures
Lazio v Juventus
Enditem
ROME Apr Xinhua Following are the top scorers of the Italian Serie A on Sunday
Vincenzo Montella AS Roma
Alberto Gilardino Parma
Luca Toni Palermo
Cristiano Lucarelli Livorno
Zlatan Ibrahimovic Juventus
Adriano Inter Milan
Mauro Esposito Cagliari
David Di Michele Udinese
Andriy Shevchenko AC Milan
Francesco Flachi Sampdoria
Francesco Totti AS Roma
Mirko Vucinic Lecce
Alessandro Del Piero Juventus
Valeri Bojinov Fiorentina
Hernan Crespo AC Milan
Andrea Caracciolo Brescia
Fabrizio Miccoli Fiorentina
Vincenzo Iaquinta Udinese
Christian Vieri Inter Milan
Enrico Chiesa Siena
Tommaso Rocchi Lazio
Arturo Di Napoli Messina
Franco Brienza Palermo
Obafemi Martins Inter Milan
Enditem
SOFIA Apr Xinhua Following are the results Sunday from the European Weightlifting Championships at the Universiada Hall
Men
Over kgs
Victors Scherbatihs Latvia kg kg snatch kgclean and jerk
Evgeny Tchigijichev Russia
Ashot Danelyan Armenia
Gennadiy Krasilnikov Ukraine
Ara Vardanyan Ukraine
Velichko Cholakov Bulgaria
kgs
Vladimir Smorchkov Russia kg
Bunyamin Sudas Turkey
Ramunas Visnauskas Lithuania
Dmitri Lapikov Russia
Robert Dolega Poland
Martin Tesovic Slovakia
Enditem
MADRID Apr Xinhua Following are the leading results Sunday from the Madrid marathon
Men
Daniel Rono Kenya two hours minutes seconds
John Kirui Kenya
Willy Cheruiyot Kenya
Saina Lawrence Kiptoo Kenya
Moses Kemei Kenya
Stephen Biwott Kenya
Henry Tarus Kenya
David Kirui Kenya
Echchadle Mytahar Morocco
Yeret Asmeron Ethiopia
Women
Larissa Malikova Russia
Sonia Martin Spain
Luna GarciaMiguel Spain
Nuria Aubeso Spain
Ingrid Rodriguez Spain
Enditem
MADRID Apr Xinhua In his marathon debut Kenyan Daniel Rono won the mens event in Madrid on Sunday while Larissa Malikova of Russia took the womens title with a race record
Rono completed the course in two hours minutes and seconds just seconds behind the Madrid mens record of set years ago by John Burra of Tanzania
Malikova who ran in Hamburg last year set the womens record in the third year in a row that the record has been broken
Seven of Ronos countrymen followed him to across the finish line as African runners took the first places in the mens race Spains Jose Antonio Casajus was th
Race organizers said a record number of entries had been accepted although only were able to meet the requirements for starting Enditem
BEIJING Apr Xinhua Bulgaria striker Zoran Jankovic scored a lastgasp penalty kick to salvage a draw for Dalian Shide against Chongqing Lifan in the fifth round of the Chinese soccer Super League on Sunday
Dalian the sixtime Chinese league winner is level with Shandong Luneng on points after five games but the former is at the top of the standings for having scored more goals
China international Zheng Zhi hit a double to help Luneng beat Tianjing Kangshifu
Dalian missing several firstchoice players through injuries went into the match lively with Jankovic and midfielder Hu Zhaojun posing constant threat to the visitors
But it was Lifan who took the lead when Wang Xie drove home a powerful shot in the st minute Shi Jun doubled their lead minutes after halftime when he sidefooted a neat cross from defender Wei Xin
Trailing the home side pressed forward and their attacks paid off when Zou Jie pulled back one goal from a corner in the minute
Just as Lifan players were going to celebrate their victory Dalian was awarded a spot kick after a Lifan player handled a freekick by Jankovic just inside the penalty area Jankovic kept his cool to convert it and leveled the score
In a match dubbed as the Shanghai Derby Shenhua upset International thanks to a conversial goal by Xiao Zhanbo
In other action Qingdao Zhongneng defeated Sichuan Guancheng Wuhan Huanghelou edged Liaoning
Defending champion Shenzhen Jianlibao hosts Beijing Hyundai Monday in the last match of the fifth round Enditem
PRAGUE Apr Xinhua Following are the results here on Sunday in the first round of the Fed Cup Group Two match between the Czech Republic and Japan
Czech Republic beat Japan
Akiko Morigami Japan bt Nicole Vaidisova Czech Republic
Kveta Peschkeova Czech Republic bt Rika Fudziwara Japan
Kveta PeschkeovaIveta Benesova Czech Republic bt Akiko MorigamiSaori Obata Japan
Saturday
Akiko Morigami Japan bt Iveta Benesova Czech Republic
Nicole Vaidisova Czech Republic bt Aiko Nakamura Japan Enditem
ROME Apr Xinhua Following are the results of Fed Cup Group One first round match between Italy and Russia in Brindisi Italy on Sunday
Italy Russia
Elena Bovina Russia bt MariaElena Camerin Italy
Elena Dementieva Russia bt Francesca Schiavone Italy
Saturday
Francesca Schiavone Italy bt Dinara Safina Russia
Elena Dementieva Russia bt Tathiana Garbin Italy
Enditem
ROME Apr Xinhua Renault driver Fernando Alonso held his nerve to keep a charging Michael Schumacher at bay and win a thrilling San Marino Grand Prix in Imola on Sunday
While Alonso celebrated his third win in a row and the French manufacturers fourth out of four he was pushed to the limit by the seventimes champion he hopes to dethrone
Schumachers charge from a seemingly hopeless th place on the starting grid to second in front of Ferraris home fans was even more impressive
Blasting out fastest lap after fastest lap the Germans red Ferrari harried Alonsos blue Renault nosetowheel to the chequered flag in the closest race yet this year
Time and again over the last laps he tried to find a way past and each time the yearold Spaniard closed the door on the wily veteran winning by just of a second
It was probably one of the best fights I have had said Alonso who leads the drivers standings with points from Toyotas Jarno Trulli with
I knew Michael was a second faster than me and my only chance was hold him up a little bit in the corner to leave that little space for the straights and it worked well
I was ready to fight in the last few laps I really wanted the victory here
Briton Jenson Button second at Imola last year after starting on pole showed BAR was back on the fast track with third place and the Hondapowered teams first points of the season
Austrian Alexander Wurz standingin for injured Colombian Juan Pablo Montoya at McLaren was fourth with BARs Japanese Takuma Sato fifth
Canadian former champion Jacques Villeneuve his place at
Sauber a subject of constant speculation after a poor start to
the season took his first point since leaving BAR in with
sixth place
Italian Trulli was seventh and his team mate Ralf Schumacher
was eighth
There was major disappointment for McLarens Kimi Raikkonen
who threw his steering wheel across the team garage in anger
after retiring He had led from pole position until his car
slowed on the ninth lap
Alonsos Italian team mate Giancarlo Fisichella also retired
for the third race in a row
It was the first time since a that anyone outside the
Schumacher family had won at Imola Michael having won for five
of the last six years and his brother Ralf winning in Enditem
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WASHINGTON April Xinhua Following are the results after Sundays matches in a Fed Cup World Group I tie between the United States and Belgium held in Delray Beach Florida
Reverse singles
Lindsay Davenport United States bt Els Callens Belgium
Venus Williams United States bt Leslie Butkiewicz Belgium
Doubles
Lindsay Davenport and Corina Morariu United States bt Kirsten Flipkens and Eveline Vanhyfte Belgium
Total Uninte States bt Belgium
Enditem
WASHINGTON April Xinhua Dwayne Wades points and Damon Jones helped the Miami Heat overpower the New Jersey Nets with a NBA playoff careerhighs in scoring on Sunday in Miami
Jones was for shooting including for from point range while Wade had scored on for in the field and had eight assists as the Heat had two players score or more in a playoff game for the first time in team history
Cen ter Shaquille ONeal who suffered a deep right thigh bruise a week ago and has been hampered since finished with points and rebounds in minutes He was well off his point career playoff scoring average but with the way Miamis backcourtperformed the Heat didnt need a monster game from him
Vince Carter led the Nets with points and rebounds Jason Kidd added points nine rebounds and four assists New Jersey won of its final games to get the Eastern Conferences No seed but is now against Miami this season Enditem
LONDON April Xinhua Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho is sure that winger Arjen Robben will perform better to torment Liverpool in the Champions League semifinal first leg
Robben returned from an ankle injury in the win over Fulham and Mourinho said Arjen will be better for Wednesday
He can train from now through to the day before the game so he has three more days to get his confidence back and be more comfortable on the pitch
Of course he is a very important option as he is a special player
The yearold Dutchman had been out since the end of March when he damaged an ankle tendon in his countrys win over Romania
He played the whole of the second half against Fulham at Stamford Bridge and Mourinho was buoyed by his performance
I think that without Arjen Robben we wouldnt have won this game added Mourinho
He was sharp and because of that he brought a different pace and intensity to the game Enditem
LONDON April Xinhua Wayne Rooney scored a stunning secondhalf equaliser and Wes Brown hit in a rare goal on Sunday when Manchester United beat Newcastle United to keep pressure on Arsenal in the race for secondspot
As Chelsea are virtually assured of the title on points what is up for graps in the second place for the Red Devils The win moved them to points one point adrift of Arsenal who are to face Tottenham Hotspur in the north London derby on Monday
On the other game of Sunday Portsmouth thumped Harry Redknapps bottomplaced Southampton with the latter remaining the prime candidates for relegation after consecutive seasons in the top flight
Newcastle thumped by United in Cardiff just seven days ago turned in a thoroughly improved display but it was still not good enough
Despite being without a host of first teamers Newcastle started positively and although defending deeply were not solely intent on sitting back in their own half
The Red Devils gradually warmed up to the pace of the game as Ryan Giggs began to stretch his legs and he could have easily opened the scoring on minutes but he fired straight at Shay Given after Rooneys run dragged most of the visiting defence with him
Rooney a constant threat should have put his side ahead after a great run saw him surge into the area He beat JeanAlain Boumsong with his pull back but his left footed effort was parried brilliantly wide by Given
Newcastle scored first Darren through Ambrose just before the half hour but it was little surprise that the goal came through a Howard error
The American fluffed a straightforward clearance as he found Ambrose yards out the midfielder played a onetwo of sorts with Ameobi before continuing his run into the area and firing coolly past Howard
Just before the interval and the home side were denied a penalty as Smith tangled with Andy OBrien the United players were insistent that a spot kick should have been awarded but referee Neale Barry waved away the protests
United pushed forward at the beginning of the second half but they lacked any sort of spark and it was evident why they had not scored in over six hours of Premiership football
However just before the hour Rooney who had been looking sluggish after picking up a knock in the first half then registered a real candidate for goal of the season as he fired home from yards
It was a defensive error from young Ramage as he looked to head clear but the ball fell straight for Rooney who lashed home a wicked curling effort into the top corner leaving Given with no chance at all
In the th minute from the resulting corner Newcastle hearts were broken as Brown held off Ameobis challenge to rise and head into the corner his first ever Premiership goal and only his second in his career Enditem
WASHINGTON April Xinhua Andy Roddick of the United States beat Sebastien Grosjean of France easily for his th career title and third US Mens Clay Court Championship in five years on Sunday in Houston
Roddick playing his first tournament since a wrist injury forced him out of the ATP tournament at Key Biscayne three weeks ago needed just minutes to complete a run through the tournament field without losing a set
With his wrist in a splint for days Roddick used the time off the court to do extra training and footwork It paid off against Grosjean
It was Roddicks fifth straight appearance in the clay court final the longest streak on the ATP tour since Russias Yevgeny Kafelnikov reached the title match at Moscow from winning the last five
I feel as good as I have Roddick was quoted as saying I hit it training hard A couple of weeks I couldnt do much I was just focusing a lot on offcourt stuff and I felt it paid dividends this week I felt I was moving really well
Roddick earned and Grosjean who upset secondseeded Andre Agassi en route to the final took for his first final Enditem
LISBON April Xinhua Following are the results and standings from the Portuguese soccer matches on Sunday
Sunday April
Maritimo Vitoria Setubal
Estoril Benfica
Rio Ave Gil Vicente
Beira Mar Porto
Uniao Leiria Nacional Madeira
Saturday April
Boavista Moreirense
Sporting Lisbon Academica
Friday April
Belenenses Vitoria Guimaraes
Standings P W D L F A Pts
Benfica
Sporting Lisbon
Braga
Porto
Boavista
Vitoria Guimaraes
Rio Ave
Belenenses
Maritimo
Uniao Leiria
Vitoria Setubal
Nacional Madeira
Penafiel
Academica
Gil Vicente
Estoril
Moreirense
Beira Mar
Next Fixtures
Monday April Penafiel v Braga
Enditem
PARIS April Xinhua Following are the results from the Fed Cups World Group I Quarterfinal matches on Sunday
Russia beat Italy
United States bt Belgium
Spain bt Argentina
France bt Austria
Enditem
LONDON April Xinhua Chelsea captain and defender John Terry beat teamates Frank Lampard and Petr Cech to win the English Professional Footballers Association player of the year award on Sunday
Among the nominees also included Arsenal striker and last years winner Thierry Henry Liverpool midfielder Steven Gerrard and Crystal Palace striker Andrew Johnson for the prestigious award
Terry is the first Chelsea player to receive the award and the first defender to win since Paul McGrath in
The England defender has been in imperious form this season as Chelsea head for their first league title in years and he has also been instrumental in leading his side to the Champions league semifinals
He also has eight goals to his name this season Enditem
LONDON April Xinhua Celtic striker John Hartson and Rangers midfielder Fernando Ricksen lifted together the Scottish Professional Footballers Associations Player of the Year award on Sunday
Wales striker Hartson has hit goals for Celtic who are closing in on the Scottish Premier League title and are in the Scottish Cup final
Dutch midfielder Ricksen has captained Rangers with authority all season and scored in their thrashing of Motherwell in the Scottish League Cup final Enditem
LONDON April Xinhua Following are the results of the second round Best of matches at the snooker World Championship on Sunday
Stephen Lee England leads Peter Ebdon England
Shaun Murphy England leads John Higgins Scotland
Matthew Stevens Wales leads Jimmy White England
Mark Williams Wales leads Ian McCulloch England Enditem
LONDON April Xinhua Matthew Stevens was one frame win within the snooker world championship quarterfinals as the Wales player has a lead over Jimmy White at the Crucible Theater in Sheffield on Sunday
The yearold Welshman was up when play resumed on Sunday evening and he lost only one of the eight frames in the session where six times runnerup White had few opportunities at the table
Stevens finished with a flourish compiling backtoback centuries in the last two frames
The match plays to a finish on Monday afternoon with Stevens requiring just one frame to reach the last eight
Qualifier Shaun Murphy was up overnight against Scotlands John Higgins
The pair were tied at when played resumed and it was Murphy who edged ahead winning the first two frames of the session
Higgins opened his account for the evening in the th frame but Murphy went three frames ahead at with breaks of and
Higgins who won the title in reduced the arrears by winning the final frame of the session with a break
Twotimes champion Mark Williams posted a lead over Ian McCulloch at the end of the opening session in their second round match
Williams who won the tournament in and followed his maximum break in the first round with two century breaks
McCulloch had a good chance to level at but his positioning on the black let him down and Williams potted it to end the session with a twoframe lead
Stephen Lee established a lead over Peter Ebdon in a low scoring affair lasting nearly four hours Enditem
ROME April Xinhua Race Classification from the Formula One Grand Prix of San Marino at Imola on Sunday following penalty for Ralf Schumacher which dropped him from eight to th place Toyota have appealed
Fernando Alonso Spain Renault one hour minutes seconds
Michael Schumacher Germany Ferrari
Jenson Button Britain BAR
Alexander Wurz Austria McLaren
Takuma Sato Japan BAR
Jacques Villeneuve Canada Sauber
Jarno Trulli Italy Toyota
Nick Heidfeld Germany Williams
Mark Webber Australia Williams
Vitantonio Liuzzi Italy Red Bull
Ralf Schumacher Germany Toyota
Felipe Massa Brazil Sauber lap
David Coulthard Britain Red Bull lap
Narain Karthikeyan India Jordan lap
Tiago Monteiro Portugal Jordan laps
r Christijan Albers Netherlands Minardi laps
r Rubens Barrichello Brazil Ferrari laps
r Kimi Raikkonen Finland McLaren laps
r Patrick Friesacher Austria Minardi laps
r Giancarlo Fisichella Italy Renault laps
rank r retired nc not classified
Fastest Lap Michael Schumacher lap Enditem
ROME April Xinhua Driver and constructor standings after the Formula One Grand Prix of San Marino at Imola on Sunday following penalty for Ralf Schumacher which dropped him from eight to th place Toyota have appealed
Drivers Points
Fernando Alonso Spain Renault
Jarno Trulli Italy Toyota
Giancarlo Fisichella Italy Renault
Michael Schumacher Germany Ferrari
Ralf Schumacher Germany Toyota
David Coulthard Britain Red Bull
Rubens Barrichello Brazil Ferrari
Juan Pablo Montoya Colombia McLaren
Kimi Raikkonen Finland McLaren
Nick Heidfeld Germany Williams
Mark Webber Australia Williams
Jenson Button Britain BAR
Alexander Wurz Austria McLaren
Takuma Sato Japan BAR
Pedro de la Rosa Spain McLaren
Jacques Villeneuve Canada Sauber
Christian Klien Austria Red Bull
Felipe Massa Brazil Sauber
Tiago Monteiro Portugal Jordan
Vitantonio Liuzzi Italy Red Bull
Narain Karthikeyan India Jordan
Patrick Friesacher Austria Minardi
Christijan Albers Netherlands Minardi
Constructors Points
Renault
Toyota
McLaren Mercedes
Ferrari
Williams BMW
RedBull Cosworth
BAR Honda
Sauber Petronas
Jordan Toyota
Minardi Cosworth
Enditem
MADRID April Xinhua Following are the summaries from the Spanish first division matches on Sunday
Valencia Mista Miguel Angel Angulo
Albacete
Red Card Miquel Buades
Halftime Attendance
Malaga
Red Card Marcio Amoroso
Barcelona Oleguer Ludovic Giuly Gerard
Halftime Attendance
Deportivo Coruna Albert Luque
Racing Santander Yossi Benayoun Javi Guerrero
Halftime Attendance
Real Betis Joaquin Ricardo Oliveira
Real Sociedad Mikel Labaka Jose Javier Barkero Gari Uranga
Halftime Attendance
Athletic Bilbao Julen Guerrero
Sevilla Julio Baptista Jesus Navas
Halftime Attendance
Espanyol Raul Tamudo Maxi Rodriguez
Real Zaragoza David Villa
Red Card Alvaro
Halftime Attendance
Getafe Michel
Levante
Halftime Attendance
Numancia Carlos Merino
Real Mallorca Victor Mark Iuliano
Halftime Attendance
Saturday April
Osasuna John Aloisi
Red Card Carlos Cuellar
Atletico Madrid
Halftime Attendance
Real Madrid Ronaldo Michel Salgado
Red Card Walter Samuel Zinedine Zidane
Villarreal Juan Riquelme pen
Red Card Quique Alvarez
Halftime Attendance
Enditem
MADRID April Xinhua Following are the results of the Spanish first division soccer matches on Sunday
Athletic Bilbao Sevilla
Deportivo Coruna Racing Santander
Getafe Levante
Malaga Barcelona
Numancia Real Mallorca
Espanyol Real Zaragoza
Real Betis Real Sociedad
Valencia Albacete
Played on Saturday
Osasuna Atletico Madrid
Real Madrid Villarreal
Enditem
MADRID April Xinhua Following are the standings after Spanish first division soccer matches played on Sunday tabulated under games played won drawn lost goals for against and points
Barcelona
Real Madrid
Sevilla
Espanyol
Villarreal
Valencia
Real Betis
Atletico Madrid
Athletic Bilbao
Deportivo Coruna
Real Zaragoza
Real Sociedad
Getafe
Osasuna
Malaga
Racing Santander
Levante
Real Mallorca
Albacete
Numancia
Enditem
MADRID April Xinhua Following are the leading scorers of the Spanish first division after matches played on Sunday
Samuel Etoo Barcelona
Diego Forlan Villarreal Ricardo Oliveira Real Betis
Julio Baptista Sevilla
Ronaldo Real Madrid Fernando Torres Atletico Madrid
Juan Riquelme Villarreal
Maxi Rodriguez Espanyol David Villa Real Zaragoza Nihat Kahveci Real Sociedad
Michael Owen Real Madrid Ismael Urzaiz Athletic Bilbao Santiago Ezquerro Athletic Bilbao Marco Di Vaio Valencia Luis Garcia Real Mallorca Edu Real Betis Albert Luque Deportivo Coruna
Antonio Pacheco Albacete Raul Tamudo Espanyol
Richard Morales Osasuna Diego Tristan Deportivo Coruna Ludovic Giuly Barcelona Enditem
MADRID April Xinhua Barcelona moved a step closer to their first league championship in six years after thrashing Malaga on Sunday to stand six points clear
Barcelona move up to points with five games left to play six points clear of Real Madrid who beat Villarreal in the Bernabeu on Saturday
Oleguer fired in from close range to put the visitors ahead after minutes and Ludovic Giuly headed a second in the rd
The French midfielder made it midway through the second half and Malagas resistance crumbled completely when striker Marcio Amoroso was sent off minutes from time Gerard headed the fourth in the final minute
Sevilla climbed up to third on points as Julio Baptista scored twice in seven and minutes and Jesus Navas struck in the st minute to condemn Athletic Bilbao to a home defeat
The fourth Champions League place is filled by Espanyol on points after they beat Real Zaragoza with two goals from Raul Tamudo
At the foot of the table thplaced Real Mallorcas win at rockbottom Numancia kept their survival hopes alive as they closed to within seven points of thplaced Levante who lost at Getafe Secondfrombottom Albacete lost in Valencia Enditem
PARIS April Xinhua Following is the result after a French first division match played on Sunday
Auxerre Olympique Lyon
Played on Saturday
Ajaccio Girondins Bordeaux
Monaco Toulouse
Caen Bastia
Istres Stade Rennes
Nantes Olympique Marseille
Racing Lens Sochaux
Racing Strasbourg Lille
St Etienne Metz
Played on Friday
Paris St Germain Nice
Enditem
PARIS April Xinhua Following are the standings after a French first division match played on Sunday tabulated under games played won drawn lost goals for against and points
Olympique Lyon
Lille
Monaco
Olympique Marseille
Stade Rennes
Auxerre
Paris St Germain
St Etienne
Sochaux
Toulouse
Racing Lens
Girondins Bordeaux
Metz
Racing Strasbourg
Nantes
Ajaccio
Nice
Bastia
Caen
Istres
Enditem
PARIS April Xinhua French first division leaders Olympique Lyon grabbed a victory at AJ Auxerre on their course to a fourth consecutive title on Sunday
Defending champions Lyon with four matches to play are now points clear in the standings where Lille stand in second place on points and Monaco are third on Lille and Monaco both have five matches remaining
Lyon need five points to seal the title
Midfielder Juninho beat Auxerre goalkeeper Fabien Cool from meters in the th minute to put Lyon on course for their first victory in three outings
Midfielder Mickael Essien made it heading home a freekick from Juninho in the injurytime of the first half before defender Cris put the issue of the match beyond doubt in the th
Auxerre are sixth in the club standings level on point with PSG who crushed Nice on Friday
Lille winners at Racing Strasbourg on Saturday are away at Monaco next weekend in a match which could be decisive in the race for the next seasons Champions League Enditem
PARIS April Xinhua Following are the leading scorers of the French first division on Sunday
Alexander Frei Stade Rennes
Pauleta Paris St Germain Ilan Sochaux
Juninho Pernambucano Olympique Lyon Mickael Pagis Racing Strasbourg
Pascal Feindouno St Etienne Matt Moussilou Lille
Sebastien Mazure Caen Mamadou Niang Racing Strasbourg Waldir Lucas Ajaccio Frederic Piquionne St EtienneMarama Vahirua Nice Mohammed Kallon Monaco
Daniel Moreira Toulouse John Utaka Racing Lens Olivier Monterrubio Stade Rennes Philippe Brunel Lille Marouane Chamakh Girondins Bordeaux Benjamin Mwaruwari Auxerre
Bonaventure Kalou Auxerre Herve Tum Metz
Enditem
PARIS April Xinhua Following are the summaries from the French first division after a match played on Sunday
Auxerre
Olympique Lyon Juninho Pernambucano Mickael Essien Cris
Halftime Attendance
Played on Saturday
Caen
Bastia PierreYves Andre
Halftime Attendance
Racing Strasbourg Mamadou Niang
Lille Matt Moussilou Stephane Dumont
Halftime Attendance
St Etienne
Metz
Halftime Attendance
Nantes Olivier Quint
Olympique Marseille Benoit Pedretti Koke
Halftime Attendance
Monaco Javier Saviola Ernesto Chevanton pen
Toulouse David Suarez
Halftime Attendance
Racing Lens Daniel Cousin pen John Utaka pen Olivier Thomert
Sochaux Francileudo Santos
Halftime Attendance
Istres
Red Card Patrick Leugueun
Stade Rennes Toifilou Maoulida Alexander Frei
Red Card JeanJoel Perrier Doumbe
Halftime Attendance
Ajaccio
Girondins Bordeaux
Halftime Attendance
Played on Friday April
Paris St Germain Pauleta pen Jerome Rothen Sergei Semak
Nice Sylvain Armand og
Halftime Attendance
Enditem
ROME April Xinhua Following are the results of the Italian first division matches played on Sunday
Atalanta Bergamo Palermo
Bologna Fiorentina
Brescia Reggina
Chievo Verona Cagliari
Lazio Juventus
Livorno Lecce
Messina Inter Milan
Sampdoria AS Roma
Played on Saturday
AC Milan Parma
Siena Udinese
Enditem
ROME April Xinhua Following are the standings after Italian first division matches played on Sunday tabulated under games played won drawn lost goals for against and points
AC Milan
Juventus
Inter Milan
Sampdoria
Udinese
Palermo
Livorno
Messina
Lazio
Cagliari
Bologna
AS Roma
Reggina
Lecce
Siena
Chievo Verona
Fiorentina
Brescia
Parma
Atalanta Bergamo
Enditem
ROME April Xinhua Following are the summaries from the Italian first division matches on Sunday
Messina Arturo Di Napoli Rafael Pereira da Silva
Inter Milan Julio Ricardo Cruz
Halftime Attendance
Bologna
Fiorentina
Halftime Attendance
Brescia Luigi Di Biagio Marius Stankevicius
Reggina
Halftime Attendance
Atalanta Bergamo Luigi Sala
Palermo
Halftime Attendance
Chievo Verona Sergio Pellisier
Cagliari Massimo Gobbi
Halftime Attendance
Lazio
Juventus Pavel Nedved
Halftime Attendance
Sampdoria Max Tonetto Francesco Flachi pen
AS Roma Vincenzo Montella pen
Halftime Attendance
Livorno Cristiano Lucarelli
Lecce
Halftime Attendance
Saturday April
AC Milan Kaka Jon Dahl Tomasson Cafu
Parma
Halftime Attendance
Siena Massimo Maccarone Rodrigo Taddei
Udinese David Di Michele Vincenzo Iaquinta
Halftime Attendance
Enditem
ROME April Xinhua Leading scorers of the Italian first division after matches played on Sunday
Vincenzo Montella AS Roma
Alberto Gilardino Parma
Luca Toni Palermo Cristiano Lucarelli Livorno
Zlatan Ibrahimovic Juventus Adriano Inter Milan Mauro Esposito Cagliari
David Di Michele Udinese Andriy Shevchenko AC Milan
Francesco Flachi Sampdoria
Mirko Vucinic Lecce Francesco Totti AS Roma Alessandro Del Piero Juventus Valeri Bojinov Fiorentina
Hernan Crespo AC Milan Andrea Caracciolo Brescia
Vincenzo Iaquinta Udinese Christian Vieri Inter Milan Fabrizio Miccoli Fiorentina
Enrico Chiesa Siena Tommaso Rocchi Lazio Franco Brienza Palermo Arturo Di Napoli Messina Obafemi Martins Inter Milan
Enditem
ROME April Xinhua Juventus managed to stay level with AC Milan at the top of Italian first division with a win at Lazio on Sunday
Pavel Nedved struck five minutes at his former club Lazio and the win leaves Juventus on points with Milan who beat Parma on Saturday
In the battle for the other two Champions League slots third placed Inter Milan suffered a defeat at Messina ending their unbeaten away record this season
Sampdoria take over from Udinese in fourth place after they defeated AS Roma in Genoa
The defeat leaves Roma with just a single point from their last eight games drifting dangerously close to the relegation zone
Palermos bid for Champions League football looks over after their defeat by bottom club Atalanta Enditem
EDITOR We will be running a series of stories on the world table tennis championships slated for April May in Shanghai The series include profiles on previous world singles champions and items on table tennis history The package starts with the story of table tennis legend JanOve Waldner from Sweden
Hat off to J O
By Sportswriter Cao Jianjie
SHANGHAI April Xinhua In the last eight years of his yearlong fight against Chinas dominance in table tennis Waldner had many times misled us to believe that he was aging and fading out before he won big again
After snatching two points in Swedens team final loss to China in the world championships the Swede was ousted by Canadian oldie Johnny Huang in the singles quarterfinals at the Olympic Games He won the singles crown at the world championships but lost to yearold Chinese Ma Lin in the semifinals He returned to a convincing semifinal victory over talented Chinese Liu Guoliang in the Olympic Games and stretched inform Chinese Kong Linghui to five sets before losing the final
In the world championships Waldner was crushed in straight sets by Belarus Vladimir Samsonov and shut out of the doubles top In the championships in Paris Waldner joined the first round casualties losing to a player ranked outside world top and didnt make it to the doubles top either
After the Paris Worlds we concluded mistakenly that Waldner was done and it was time to say goodbye to the sports wisest man
In our farewell story China head coach Cai Zhenhua said highly of the Swedish veteran
I am always enlightened by his games said Cai To Waldner table tennis is a profession Even in poor form he will try to show the crowd who he is and he would rather lose in a spectacle than win a boring game Unlike Chinese players who tend to choke under pressure and play conservative games in clutch moments Waldner is daring and able to change tactics as situations change
Neither Europeans nor Chinese including Liu Guoliang cleverest on the Chinese team in the eyes of Cai can match Waldner in composure adaptability and tacticsconsciousness
A Chinese idiom says onlookers see most clearly while participants seem at loss But Waldner as a participant sees things as clearly as any onlookers and can take advantage of his opponents weaknesses Hes awesome
Liu Guoliang said of his longtime adversary on Monday
Sometimes you feel Waldner is lighthearted and doesnt care about the result You are wrong Its his style His style is constantly changing until his opponent gets lost He likes to show all his stuff in a single game He likes adlib which makes him above the rest of the world
Waldner sat out the world team championships in Doha in March after he picked up injuries in training Pundits drew a wrong conclusion again that he was no longer a force to reckon with at a sunset age of
Several months later in the Athens Olympics Waldner proved us wrong On August Waldner dealt two heavy blows to the allmighty Chinese team which had swept all the titles in the previous two Olympics He and Jorgen Persson totaling years in age combined to oust pregames favorites Kong Linghui and Wang Hao in the doubles Seven hours later Waldner played an unusually aggressive game to edge out Chinas second seed Ma Lin in the singles
The Swedes fifth Olympics which may be his last was wrapped up on August when he lost the singles bronze medal to Chinese Wang Liqin
The result mattered to Wang but not to Waldner or over Swedish spectators that included Swedish King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia Waldner received a standing ovation after the game and he returned the favor by throwing his Tshirts to his supporters
It was really touching recalled Kong Linghui who watched the bronze medal playoff I applauded with the other spectators to show my respect to the legendary table tennis player Enditem
BERLIN April Xinhua Following are the results of German first division matches played on Sunday
Nuremberg Borussia Moenchengladbach
Bayer Leverkusen Werder Bremen
Saturday April
Arminia Bielefeld Freiburg
Bayern Munich VfL Bochum
Borussia Dortmund Kaiserslautern
Mainz Hanover
Hamburg SV Hansa Rostock
Hertha Berlin Schalke
VfB Stuttgart VfL Wolfsburg
Enditem
BERLIN April Xinhua Leading scorers of the German first division on Sunday
Marek Mintal Nuremberg
Marcelinho Hertha Berlin
Delron Buckley Arminia Bielefeld
Dimitar Berbatov Bayer Leverkusen Miroslav Klose Werder Bremen
Roy Makaay Bayern Munich Ailton Schalke Jan Koller Borussia Dortmund
Andriy Voronin Bayer Leverkusen Kevin Kuranyi VfB Stuttgart Cacau VfB Stuttgart
Sergei Barbarez Hamburg SV
Oliver Neuville Borussia Moenchengladbach Thomas Brdaric VfL Wolfsburg Ivan Klasnic Werder Bremen Claudio Pizarro Bayern Munich
Enditem
BERLIN April Xinhua Following are the summaries from the German first division soccer matches on Sunday
Nuremberg
Borussia Moenchengladbach
Halftime Attendance
Bayer Leverkusen Jacek Krzynowek Marko Babic
Werder Bremen Miroslav Klose
Halftime Attendance
Played on Saturday April
VfB Stuttgart
VfL Wolfsburg
Halftime Attendance
Borussia Dortmund Ewerthon Sebastian Kehl Jan Koller
Kaiserslautern Halil Altintop Ioannis Amanatidis
Halftime Attendance
Arminia Bielefeld Massimiliano Porcello
Freiburg Ellery Cairo
Halftime Attendance
Bayern Munich Claudio Pizarro Michael Ballack Roy
Makaay
VfL Bochum Filip Tapalovic
Red Card Rein van Duijnhoven
Halftime Attendance
Mainz Mathias Abel Fabian Gerber
Hanover
Halftime Attendance
Hertha Berlin Yildiray Bastuerk Marcelinho pen
Nando Rafael
Schalke Ebbe Sand
Red Card Christian Poulsen
Halftime Attendance
Hamburg SV Emile Mpenza Colin Benjamin Naohiro
Takahara
Hansa Rostock
Halftime Attendance
Enditem
BERLIN April Xinhua Following are standings after German first division matches played on Sunday tabulated under games played won drawn lost goals for against and points
Bayern Munich
Schalke
VfB Stuttgart
Hertha Berlin
Werder Bremen
Hamburg SV
Bayer Leverkusen
Borussia Dortmund
VfL Wolfsburg
Kaiserslautern
Arminia Bielefeld
Hanover
Nuremberg
Mainz
Borussia Moenchengladbach
VfL Bochum
Hansa Rostock
Freiburg
Enditem
By Sportswriter Cao Jianjie
SHANGHAI April Xinhua Following is what Chinese coaches and players say about table tennis legend JanOve Waldner of Sweden
Cai Zhenhua China head coach
We had learnt a lot from Waldners entry to the mens singles semifinals in the Athens Olympics He shows the world that age isnt a problem for table tennis players and thats why I encourage Chinese veterans Kong Linghui and Wang Nan to carry on Table tennis is a technical sport not a sport that needs body contact Waldner hadnt received systematic training and had become a secondrate player before the Athens Games but he changed his style and added a sting to his play when big moments came He is able to make the best of his skills and tactics when it counts He gives us a good lesson on how to put it all together for a better result
Jiang Jialiang former world champion
I have watched Waldner very closely since I became a TV commentator in the Olympics His games are pearls in my most cherished memory He is more like an orchestra conductor than an athlete and he bemuses his rivals and amuses spectators
I didnt expect much from him in the Olympics but he made it to the final Four years later in Athens I believed he could pull off some surprises as a veteran good at controlling his rivals and spectators He outmaneuvered young players who might be techinically better but not as wise I felt sorry for his loss to South Korean Ryu Seung Min He told me in an interview that he would rather lose to South Koreans than Chinese because he wanted to prove Chinese were not unbeatable
Wang Tao former Olympic doubles champion
In the Olympics which was my first Games and where I paired up with Lu Lin to win the doubles gold medal Waldner was at the top and deserved the singles gold Twelve years later he made it to the championship final in a feat really seen in the sport
In competition Waldner can easily dwarf his rivals by exerting pressure He has played world championships and might not value the event as much as before But the Olympics is still important for him He told me he would win the Olympic gold when we met once before the Games He almost did it
He had singlehandedly confronted six generations of Chinese players Wherever he is he is a brand of table tennis People give him applause no matter he wins or loses He is a legend an example a symbol
Lu Lin former Olympic doubles champion China coach
World top players are very close and the winner must have something that others dont have Waldner plays a wise game and he is concentrated whenever he is taking initiative or forced into defense His stroke isnt heavy but it surely makes you uncomfortable In his Olympic duel with hardhitting JeanPhilippe Gatien Waldner dominated in every aspect and beat the Frenchman in straight sets
Waldner is born for table tennis He is an ordinary man off the table tennis court no girlfriend unable to drive busy with competing and making money yet leaving his finances to his elder brother Except table tennis he is good at almost nothing
Liu Guoliang former Olympic and world champion Chinese mens team head coach
Waldner came to Athens to prove himself He had won everything but something still motivated him He wanted to show he wasnt old and he was still able to work wonder He wanted due respect from the table tennis world
Waldner looked well prepared in the Athens Games after training with Austrian and Italian players as well as European stars Vladimir Samsonov and Zoran Primorac for over a month
Kong Linghui had exactly the same feeling He had won everything but wanted to prove his value in the Chinese team with a doubles gold medal
Athletes need spiritual backbone to carry on For a long time Europeans had been afraid of Chinese players but Waldner proved Chinese were not invincible After beating Kong Linghui and Wang Hao in the doubles a more confident Waldner routed Ma Lin in the singles and then ousted Timo Boll of Germany Kong Ma and Boll underestimated Waldners potential and they all paid for their mistakes
Boll was afraid of Ma Lin and didnt want to meet him After Waldner shut out Ma Boll thought his time had come because he beat Waldner in his international debut and had a better encounter record A loss was a heavy blow to the German
Ryu Seung Min is young and toughminded and his play is much like Chinese youngster Chen Jis Waldner tried to lure the South Korean into the same mistakes by Boll but Ryu stuck to his game and triumphed Chinese mens Olympic setbacks started with WalnderPerssons win over KongWang To some extent Waldner ruined our Olympic plan Chinese young players should learn Waldners spirit
Kong Linghui former world and Olympic champion
I sat with Jorgen Persson Chen Weixing and Johnny Huang while Waldner defeated Timo Boll in the Olympic quarterfinals According to Persson Waldner had told his teammate and doubles partner that he would beat Boll Waldners confidence was built on his battle experience
Few would bet on a yearold before the Olympics or expected him to beat Ma Lin and Boll He hadnt beaten Ma Lin for six years and Boll for three years His games against Ma and Boll are table tennis classics Conservative tactics and hesitation at clutch moments cost two youngsters dearly
Twice finalist and once semifinalist in singles in five Olympic Games may be a difficult record for his successors to beat He may not have the best techniques in the world but he does possess worldclass mentality and unmatchable experience He can easily see through his opponents and baffle them with his everchanging styles I was deeply moved when I saw he wore a lumbar pad He had received operations and had a steel tube planted in his injured leg Many spectators rooted for Waldner in his bronze medal match against Wang Liqin He is a table tennis legend
Ma Lin Olympic doubles champion
I lost to Waldner in the Olympics and I felt bad about it I have lots of respect for Waldner In the past several years he had never beaten me and it seemed I was up and up and he was on a free fall I didnt expect him to play so well in Athens
Wang Liqin former world and Olympic doubles champion
I had a tough game against Waldner in the Austrian Open early outlasting him With a wrong impression that he was aging I underestimated him I survived that game because I played a little better at the end Waldners Olympic victims made the same mistake as I did in the Austrian Open When I vied for the Olympic bronze I saw him as a top player instead of an old player Waldner is an example He still plays at If I can make it to the Olympic semifinals at I will be very happy Enditem
SHANGHAI April Xinhua Following are Swede JanOve Waldners results at major table tennis events
Olympics
Olympics Seoul
Singles
bt Leszek Kucharski Poland
Quarterfinals lost to Kim Ki Taek South Korea
Doubles
Quarterfinals lost to Ilijia LupuleskuZoran Primorac Yugoslavia
Olympics Barcelona
Singles
bt Carl Prean England
Quarterfinals bt Jorg Rosskopf Germany
Semifinals bt Kim Taek Soo South Korea
Final bt JeanPhilippe Gatien France
Olympics Atlanta
Singles
lost to Johnny Huang Canada
Doubles
Quarterfinals Lost to Yoo Nam KyuLee Chul Seung South Korea
Olympics Sydney
Singles
bt JeanMichel Saive Belgium
Quarterfinals bt Vladimir Samsonov Belarus
Semifinals bt Liu Guoliang China
Final lost to Kong Linghui China
Doubles
lost to Damien EloiChristophe Legout France
Olympics Athens
Singles
bt Alexander Karakacevic Serbia Montenegro
bt Ma Lin China
Quarterfinals bt Timo Boll Germany
Semfinals lost to Ryu Seung Min South Korea
Bronze medal playoff lost to Wang Liqin China
Doubles
bt Kong LinghuiWang Hao China
Quarterfinals lost to Michael MazeFinn Tugwell Denmark
Enditem
EDITOR We will be running a series of stories on the world table tennis championships slated for April May in Shanghai The series include profiles on previous world singles champions and items on table tennis history The package starts with the story of table tennis legend JanOve Waldner from Sweden
Hat off to J O
By Sportswriter Cao Jianjie
SHANGHAI April Xinhua In the last eight years of his yearlong fight against Chinas dominance in table tennis Waldner had many times misled us to believe that he was aging and fading out before he won big again
After snatching two points in Swedens team final loss to China in the world championships the Swede was ousted by Canadian oldie Johnny Huang in the singles quarterfinals at the Olympic Games He won the singles crown at the world championships but lost to yearold Chinese Ma Lin in the semifinals He returned to a convincing semifinal victory over talented Chinese Liu Guoliang in the Olympic Games and stretched inform Chinese Kong Linghui to five sets before losing the final
In the world championships Waldner was crushed in straight sets by Belarus Vladimir Samsonov and shut out of the doubles top In the championships in Paris Waldner joined the first round casualties losing to a player ranked outside world top and didnt make it to the doubles top either
After the Paris Worlds we concluded mistakenly that Waldner was done and it was time to say goodbye to the sports wisest man
In our farewell story China head coach Cai Zhenhua said highly of the Swedish veteran
I am always enlightened by his games said Cai To Waldner table tennis is a profession Even in poor form he will try to show the crowd who he is and he would rather lose in a spectacle than win a boring game Unlike Chinese players who tend to choke under pressure and play conservative games in clutch moments Waldner is daring and able to change tactics as situations change
Neither Europeans nor Chinese including Liu Guoliang cleverest on the Chinese team in the eyes of Cai can match Waldner in composure adaptability and tacticsconsciousness
A Chinese idiom says onlookers see most clearly while participants seem at loss But Waldner as a participant sees things as clearly as any onlookers and can take advantage of his opponents weaknesses Hes awesome
Liu Guoliang said of his longtime adversary on Monday
Sometimes you feel Waldner is lighthearted and doesnt care about the result You are wrong Its his style His style is constantly changing until his opponent gets lost He likes to show all his stuff in a single game He likes adlib which makes him above the rest of the world
Waldner sat out the world team championships in Doha in March after he picked up injuries in training Pundits drew a wrong conclusion again that he was no longer a force to reckon with at a sunset age of
Several months later in the Athens Olympics Waldner proved us wrong On August Waldner dealt two heavy blows to the allmighty Chinese team which had swept all the titles in the previous two Olympics He and Jorgen Persson totaling years in age combined to oust pregames favorites Kong Linghui and Wang Hao in the doubles Seven hours later Waldner played an unusually aggressive game to edge out Chinas second seed Ma Lin in the singles
The Swedes fifth Olympics which may be his last was wrapped up on August when he lost the singles bronze medal to Chinese Wang Liqin
The result mattered to Wang but not to Waldner or over Swedish spectators that included Swedish King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia Waldner received a standing ovation after the game and he returned the favor by throwing his Tshirts to his supporters
It was really touching recalled Kong Linghui who watched the bronze medal playoff I applauded with the other spectators to show my respect to the legendary table tennis player Enditem
By Sportswriter Cao Jianjie
SHANGHAI April Xinhua Following is what Chinese coaches and players say about table tennis legend JanOve Waldner of Sweden
Cai Zhenhua China head coach
We had learnt a lot from Waldners entry to the mens singles semifinals in the Athens Olympics He shows the world that age isnt a problem for table tennis players and thats why I encourage Chinese veterans Kong Linghui and Wang Nan to carry on Table tennis is a technical sport not a sport that needs body contact Waldner hadnt received systematic training and had become a secondrate player before the Athens Games but he changed his style and added a sting to his play when big moments came He is able to make the best of his skills and tactics when it counts He gives us a good lesson on how to put it all together for a better result
Jiang Jialiang former world champion
I have watched Waldner very closely since I became a TV commentator in the Olympics His games are pearls in my most cherished memory He is more like an orchestra conductor than an athlete and he bemuses his rivals and amuses spectators
I didnt expect much from him in the Olympics but he made it to the final Four years later in Athens I believed he could pull off some surprises as a veteran good at controlling his rivals and spectators He outmaneuvered young players who might be techinically better but not as wise I felt sorry for his loss to South Korean Ryu Seung Min He told me in an interview that he would rather lose to South Koreans than Chinese because he wanted to prove Chinese were not unbeatable
Wang Tao former Olympic doubles champion
In the Olympics which was my first Games and where I paired up with Lu Lin to win the doubles gold medal Waldner was at the top and deserved the singles gold Twelve years later he made it to the championship final in a feat really seen in the sport
In competition Waldner can easily dwarf his rivals by exerting pressure He has played world championships and might not value the event as much as before But the Olympics is still important for him He told me he would win the Olympic gold when we met once before the Games He almost did it
He had singlehandedly confronted six generations of Chinese players Wherever he is he is a brand of table tennis People give him applause no matter he wins or loses He is a legend an example a symbol
Lu Lin former Olympic doubles champion China coach
World top players are very close and the winner must have something that others dont have Waldner plays a wise game and he is concentrated whenever he is taking initiative or forced into defense His stroke isnt heavy but it surely makes you uncomfortable In his Olympic duel with hardhitting JeanPhilippe Gatien Waldner dominated in every aspect and beat the Frenchman in straight sets
Waldner is born for table tennis He is an ordinary man off the table tennis court no girlfriend unable to drive busy with competing and making money yet leaving his finances to his elder brother Except table tennis he is good at almost nothing
Liu Guoliang former Olympic and world champion Chinese mens team head coach
Waldner came to Athens to prove himself He had won everything but something still motivated him He wanted to show he wasnt old and he was still able to work wonder He wanted due respect from the table tennis world
Waldner looked well prepared in the Athens Games after training with Austrian and Italian players as well as European stars Vladimir Samsonov and Zoran Primorac for over a month
Kong Linghui had exactly the same feeling He had won everything but wanted to prove his value in the Chinese team with a doubles gold medal
Athletes need spiritual backbone to carry on For a long time Europeans had been afraid of Chinese players but Waldner proved Chinese were not invincible After beating Kong Linghui and Wang Hao in the doubles a more confident Waldner routed Ma Lin in the singles and then ousted Timo Boll of Germany Kong Ma and Boll underestimated Waldners potential and they all paid for their mistakes
Boll was afraid of Ma Lin and didnt want to meet him After Waldner shut out Ma Boll thought his time had come because he beat Waldner in his international debut and had a better encounter record A loss was a heavy blow to the German
Ryu Seung Min is young and toughminded and his play is much like Chinese youngster Chen Jis Waldner tried to lure the South Korean into the same mistakes by Boll but Ryu stuck to his game and triumphed Chinese mens Olympic setbacks started with WalnderPerssons win over KongWang To some extent Waldner ruined our Olympic plan Chinese young players should learn Waldners spirit
Kong Linghui former world and Olympic champion
I sat with Jorgen Persson Chen Weixing and Johnny Huang while Waldner defeated Timo Boll in the Olympic quarterfinals According to Persson Waldner had told his teammate and doubles partner that he would beat Boll Waldners confidence was built on his battle experience
Few would bet on a yearold before the Olympics or expected him to beat Ma Lin and Boll He hadnt beaten Ma Lin for six years and Boll for three years His games against Ma and Boll are table tennis classics Conservative tactics and hesitation at clutch moments cost two youngsters dearly
Twice finalist and once semifinalist in singles in five Olympic Games may be a difficult record for his successors to beat He may not have the best techniques in the world but he does possess worldclass mentality and unmatchable experience He can easily see through his opponents and baffle them with his everchanging styles I was deeply moved when I saw he wore a lumbar pad He had received operations and had a steel tube planted in his injured leg Many spectators rooted for Waldner in his bronze medal match against Wang Liqin He is a table tennis legend
Ma Lin Olympic doubles champion
I lost to Waldner in the Olympics and I felt bad about it I have lots of respect for Waldner In the past several years he had never beaten me and it seemed I was up and up and he was on a free fall I didnt expect him to play so well in Athens
Wang Liqin former world and Olympic doubles champion
I had a tough game against Waldner in the Austrian Open early outlasting him With a wrong impression that he was aging I underestimated him I survived that game because I played a little better at the end Waldners Olympic victims made the same mistake as I did in the Austrian Open When I vied for the Olympic bronze I saw him as a top player instead of an old player Waldner is an example He still plays at If I can make it to the Olympic semifinals at I will be very happy Enditem
BERLIN April Xinhua Bayer Leverkusen clinched a home win over Bundesliga champions Werder Bremen on Sunday
Victory kept Leverkusen in seventh place within a point of fifthplaced Werder in the final UEFA Cup qualification slot
Leverkusen took a lead with goals from Jacek Krzynowek and Marko Babic and held off a determined fight back after Miroslav Klose had reduced the arrears
Bayern Munich have the title all but secured after they beat Bochum on Saturday to move nine points clear
With four games left to play Bayern have points followed by Schalke on after they were beaten at Hertha Berlin also on Saturday
VfB Stuttgart are a point further back in third after a goalless draw at home to VfL Wolfsburg with Hertha fourth on Enditem
LONDON April Xinhua Following are the results of the Premier League matches on Sunday
Manchester United Newcastle United
Portsmouth Southampton
Played on Saturday
Aston Villa Bolton Wanderers
Blackburn Rovers Manchester City
Chelsea Fulham
Crystal Palace Liverpool
Everton Birmingham City
Middlesbrough West Bromwich Albion
Norwich City Charlton Athletic
Enditem
LONDON April Xinhua Following are the summaries from the Premier League matches on Sunday
Manchester United Wayne Rooney Wes Brown
Newcastle United Darren Ambrose
Halftime Attendance
Portsmouth Yakubu Aiyegbeni pen Arjan de Zeeuw Lomana LuaLua
Southampton Henri Camara
Halftime Attendance
Played on Saturday
Crystal Palace Andy Johnson
Liverpool
Halftime Attendance
Blackburn Rovers
Manchester City
Halftime Attendance
Aston Villa Fernando Hierro og
Bolton Wanderers Gary Speed
Halftime Attendance
Chelsea Joe Cole Frank Lampard Eidur Gudjohnsen
Fulham Collins John
Halftime Attendance
Everton Duncan Ferguson
Birmingham City Emile Heskey
Halftime Attendance
Middlesbrough Szilard Nemeth Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink Stewart Downing
West Bromwich Albion
Halftime Attendance
Norwich City Mathias Svensson
Charlton Athletic
Halftime Attendance
Enditem
LONDON April Xinhua Following are the standings after the Premier League matches on Sunday tabulated under games played won drawn lost goals for against and points
Chelsea
Arsenal
Manchester United
Everton
Liverpool
Bolton Wanderers
Middlesbrough
Tottenham Hotspur
Aston Villa
Manchester City
Charlton Athletic
Blackburn Rovers
Birmingham City
Newcastle United
Portsmouth
Fulham
Crystal Palace
Norwich City
West Bromwich Albion
Southampton
Enditem
LONDON April Xinhua Leading scorers of English Premier League on Sunday
Thierry Henry Arsenal
Andy Johnson Crystal Palace
Jermain Defoe Tottenham Hotspur
Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink Middlesbrough Yakubu AiyegbeniPortsmouth
Andy Cole Fulham Robert Pires Arsenal Eidur Gudjohnsen Chelsea Robbie Keane Tottenham Hotspur
Kevin Phillips Southampton Peter Crouch Southampton Frank Lampard Chelsea Fredrik Ljungberg Arsenal Didier Drogba Chelsea Wayne Rooney Manchester United Rob Earnshaw West Bromwich Albion Enditem
MADRID April Xinhua Spanish sensation Rafael Nadal lifted his fourth title on clay Sunday when the yearold wore down fellow countryman Juan Carlos Ferrero to win the Barcelona Open
Nadal assuming the favorites role at the French Open on May joined world number one Roger Federer with the most wins this season on the ATP with
Nadal spent two hours minutes to beat former world number one Ferrero to take the euro tournament title
Nadal ranked th will become the youngest player since Andrei Medvedev in June to break into the top when the new rankings are released on Monday
After taking an hour apiece to lift the first two sets Nadal broke it open in the third with a break for
But it became hard going in a longrunning fifth game where Nadal saved four break points before finally pulling ahead
Four games later he served out the victory on his first match point after breaking Ferrero four times during the afternoon Enditem
BRASILIA April Xinhua Following are the results and standings
from the Brazilian championship matches on Sunday
Atletico Paranaense Ponte Preta
Brasiliense Vasco da Gama
Corinthians Juventude
Fluminense Sao Paulo
Fortaleza Coritiba
Internacional Botafogo
Santos Paysandu
Played on Saturday April
Atletico Mineiro Figueirense
Flamengo Cruzeiro
Parana Goias
Sao Caetano Palmeiras
Standings tabulated under games played won drawn lost goals for against and points
Atletico Mineiro
Santos
Botafogo
Goias
Fluminense
Coritiba
Ponte Preta
Brasiliense
Corinthians
Juventude
Palmeiras
Sao Caetano
Vasco da Gama
Cruzeiro
Flamengo
Sao Paulo
Atletico Paranaense
Fortaleza
Internacional
Parana
Figueirense
Paysandu
Enditem
WASHINGTON April Xinhua Topranked show jump rider Meredith MichaelsBeerbaum of Germany won the World Cup showjumping title in Las Vegas on Sunday
Riding Shutterfly yearold MichaelsBeerbaum finished the threepartcompetition with a score of four penalties
Shutterfly dropped the top rail in the third fence of acombination to drop MichaelsBeerbaum into a tie with Brazilian Rodrigo Pessoa riding Baloubet du Rouet
After the field was pared to and the jumps were reduced to nine Baloubet du Rouet pulled down the first part of a double combination and the vertical fence that followed for eight penaltiesand a final score of dropping Pessoa to seventh
MichaelsBeerbaum and Shutterfly then cleared all the fences toget the winners check of US dollars from the total purse of dollars
Michael Whittaker of Britain finished second He rode Dutchbredmare Portofino through two clear rounds but exceeded the time limit to incur a penalty in each finishing with seven penaltiesLars Nieberg of Germany riding Lucie and countryman MarcusEhning aboard Gitania tied for third with nine penalties each Enditem
WASHINGTON April Xinhua Following are the results of Sundays National Basketball Association conference quarterfinal playoff games home team in CAPS
Eastern Conference
MIAMI bt New Jersey
Miami leads bestofseven series
CHICAGO bt Washington
Chicago leads bestofseven series
Western Conference
Denver bt SAN ANTONIO
Denver leads bestofseven series
PHOENIX bt Memphis
Phoenix leads bestofseven series
Enditem
WASHINGTON April Xinhua Topseeded Miami Heat sailed to a victory over the New Jersey Nets in Eastern Conference in the first round of the NBA playoffs on Sunday
Dwyane Wade scored points and Damon Jones added while Shaquille ONeal shook off a deep thigh bruise to add points and rebounds in minutes to take the opening game of the bestofseven series for the Heat
Game Two is in Miami on Tuesday
Udonis Haslem added points and had rebounds for the Heat the heavy favorites over the eighthseeded Nets who needed wins in their final games just to make the playoffs
Vince Carter led New Jersey with points and rebounds and Jason Kidd added points for the Nets while Travis Best Clifford Robinson and Nenad Krstic all had points for New Jersey
AllStar forward Richard Jefferson returned to the Nets lineup after missing the final games of the season with a wrist injury
In other games Ben Gordon scored points as the Bulls won their first playoff game since the days of Michael Jordan in with a win over the Washington Wizards in Chicago
Andres Nocioni added points and rebounds while playing all minutes for the Bulls who took the opening game of the bestofseven Eastern Conference quarterfinal series
Game Two is in Chicago on Wednesday
Kirk Hinrich added points for the Bulls who are without injured stars Eddy Curry and Luol Deng for the series
Larry Hughes led Washington with points while Antawn Jamison added points and seven rebounds
In San Antonio Andre Miller scored points as the Denver Nuggets stunned the Spurs in the first game of their Western Conference quarterfinal
Carmelo Anthony added points despite foul trouble for the seventhseeded Nuggets while Marcus Camby had points and rebounds for Denver
Manu Ginobili led the secondseeded Spurs with points but San Antonio missed its last shots from the floor in a sloppy performance that cost the team homecourt advantage against the Nuggets who went to end the season under new coach George Karl
The Spurs did not have a field goal in the final minutes
Tim Duncan had points and rebounds for the Spurs while Nazr Mohammed chipped in with points and had rebounds
Game Two is in San Antonio on Wednesday
In Phoenix Shawn Marion had points and rebounds as the Suns opened their Western Conference quarterfinal with a win over the Memphis Grizzlies
Quentin Richardson added points for the topseeded Suns while Steve Nash dished out assists with points and Stephen Hunter added points off the bench
Mike Miller had points Jason Williams added and Pau Gasol chipped in with for Memphis
Game Two of the series is in Phoenix on Wednesday Enditem
CAIRO April Xinhua Cameroon became the second African womens team to secure a world championship final round spot after defeating Tunisia to win the womens world championship first round tournament Africa Pool C in Vacoas Mauritius on Sunday
Cameroon used the artistry of their star players Ondouna Messina the top scorer in the match with points and the solid block of Rose Beleng to win the deciding match in minutes of exciting volleyball
After Cameroon won the first set following little Tunisian resistance the Tunisian superstar Arbia Rafrafi led her team to win the most thrilling set of the tournament However Cameroon soon regained their rhythm in the second and third sets and used the solid block of Beleng and captain Mbeya Ambatta to penetrate the Tunisian defense and clinch the famous victory
We were confident even when we lost the second set Cameroon head coach Lavoisier Yende said This victory today is for all this generation of players who are so talented Now we can focus on Japan in
We got beaten by a more experience side Tunisia coach Lofti Ben Slimane said My girls are still learning I hope now that we can participate in these tournaments more often so we can progress and build on this performance
Hosts Mauritius claimed the other victory on the final day of the tournament after beating Uganda to leave them in third position in the final standings and winless Uganda in fourth
Cameroons victory means they now join Egypt who won a first round tournament in March and the automatic qualifiers hosts Japan and defending champions Italy in the prestigious final round There are now of the vacancies left to be determined in the world championship final round including the third and final CAVB ticket Africa Pool B which will be held in Kenya in June
The next tournament to feature in the world championship is a first round event CAVB Pool C in France from April May featuring the hosts Finland Norway BosniaHerzegovina Belgium where the top two place getters will advance to the second round
The next tournament to feature in the mens world championship is a first round event Asia Pool B in Ratchaburi Thailand from April May featuring the hosts Saudi Arabia Uzbekistan and Afghanistan where the two top place getters will also advance to the second round Enditem
BERLIN April Xinhua The World Cup tickets have already been available for auction on the internet less than four days after fans worldwide were informed whether they had been lucky in the World Cup tickets lottery
The local organizing committee OC informed soccer fans worldwide on Friday whether they had managed to secure tickets for World Cup matches and within a day the first tickets were being on auction the German version of eBay
The OC however has warned that they will try to prevent this from happening It can well be that we bar tickets from being used if we suspect something untoward with them OC spokesman Jens Grittner said In that case the fans will not only lose the money they will also not be able to get into the stadium
He added that they were aware that tickets were being offered for sale on the internet We tried to do as much as possible to prevent ticket touts from getting tickets and we managed to stop widescale fraud with the tickets but we cant stop everything
The OC had been hoping to prevent a blackmarket with the tickets developing by issuing them to specific individuals who were only allowed to change them for others with valid reasons It would be a warning signal if a lot of people try to have their tickets changed to other names in the next few days We can only keep on warning people not to get their tickets via unofficial channels
OC vice president Horst Schmidt also called on fans not to make use of internet offers for tickets I can only suggest to fans notto use such internet offers There are still a few opportunities to buy tickets officially We want to stop the sale of tickets on the blackmarket
On the weekend tickets for several matches were on sale on the internet including a ticket for a semifinal that was on sale for more than euros At one stage a bid for a quarterfinal ticket had stood at euros but the ticket was then withdrawn fromebay
On Sunday the next phase of ticket sales starts but only teamspecific tickets will be on sale during this second phase which lasts till November From December till January fans can once again buy tickets for individual matches The final two phases will run next year from February to April and May till July
The first phase saw tickets of a total million tickets being offered The OC received applications for million tickets from people in countries and regions I do not expect many people wanting to change their tickets said Grittner Enditem
By Sportswriter Cao Jianjie
SHANGHAI April Xinhua Werner Schlager became the first Austrian in years to win the table tennis world championships on May beating South Korean Joo Se Hyuk in six sets
This was the first year since China did not have a male finalist The last Austrian world champion was Richard Bergmann in
Schlager seeded sixth won He defeated defending champion Wang Liqin of China in the quarterfinals in which he saved four match points and ousted Olympic champion Kong Linghui of China in the semifinals
Born into a railway engineers family in Schlager had a worryfree childhood He liked riding his bike skiing playing soccer and climbing mountains and spent weekends with the family
Brought up in a country of music Schlager had played violin for four years and turned to rock and roll in his adolescent years He had never thought of being a professional table tennis player nor did he think of being a world champion
As an avid table tennis fan Schlagers father brought his two sons to table tennis games on weekends Schlagers talent was quickly shown as he won the Austrian tournament for age in
Table tennis was just a major hobby of Schlager since the father expected the son to become an engineer and sent him to a fiveyear engineering school
Schlager soon lost interest in engineering and wanted to be a table tennis professional He finished runnerup in doubles in the European youth championships at and two years later he quitted the school to join a table tennis club affiliated to the military
Unlike Kong Linghui and Liu Guoliang who were world champions at Schlager is a latebloomer He made progress through hard training and upset world champion JeanPhilippe Gatien of France and European champion JeanMichel Saive of Belgium in and respectively
Schlager claimed his first international title in the Polish Open and has become the only player to qualify for both singles and doubles in all of the ITTF Pro Tour Finals since
Schlager overdue breakthrough came in the world championships where he finished third in singles and combined with Karl Jindrak in a memorable quarterfinal loss to Liu Guoliang and Kong Linghui in which the Chinese saved eight match points to survive
He then beat Kong Linghui JanOve Waldner and Jorgen Persson both of Sweden en route to finishing runnerup in the World Cup
Technical improvement isnt the most important recalled Schlager Since then I knew how to use my brains
The winning momentum continued The Austrian triumphed in the European Top in and won the mixed doubles crown in the European championships in
Schlager thought he was one of the luckiest in the Paris worlds Liu Guoliang the man he was most afraid of had retired to be a coach while Liu Guozheng to whom he had lost three straight times had been eliminated In his quarterfinal against Wang Liqin he saved four match points and came from down to win over the lanky Chinese In the semifinals Kong Linghui missed an easy kill on his match point before Schlager snatched the deciding seventh set Schlager easily beat Joo Se Hyuk in the final because he had got used to defensive game after years of training with another top defender Chen Weixing
In September Austrian Post CEO Anton Wais presented the new special issue Werner Schlager World Champion Table Tennis at the Vienna Haus des Sports
The Austrian National Printing office produced copies of this stamp with a face value of euro
Schlager had to reduce his workload after the Paris Worlds due to the recurring injuries to his back left knee shoulders and a toe The year of ended with an early exit from the World Cup
In the world team championships the Chinese men kept unbeaten and won games out of to defend the crown successfully The only lost game was won by Schlager who edged then world No Ma Lin To beat No was a sweet experience he recalled
Schlager was the only European to beat Chinese in the Pro Tour Finals as he came from down to defeat Kong Linghui But he lost to Chinese Wang Hao his junior in the quarterfinals after squandering a lead I hope I could be years younger he lamented
Werner Schlager Factfile
Date of birth Sept
Height cm
Most memorable wins and losses
Wins singles quarterfinal and semifinal in the world championships
Loss losing eight match points in a doubles quarterfinal against Liu Guoliang and Kong Linghui in the world championships
Favorite city and country Vienna and Australia
Favorite movies and music Matrix Butterfly Effect U and Robby Williams
Favorite food Pizza and pasta
Players he respects most JanOve Waldner and Ma Lin
Best Friend Karl Jindrak
Motto Enjoy life
Favorite car Renault
Unlike other heavyhitting Europeans Schlager has medium physique and power He likes to take chances He has a set of deceptive and spinning serves and a nearly perfect backhand
Results
rd in world championships
st in European Top
Semifinalists in singles and mixed doubles in European championships
th in World Cup
st in mixed doubles in European championships
st in singles in world championships
nd in singles in European Top
Enditem
By Zhang Xiaopeng and Cao Jianjie
SHANGHAI April Xinhua When we talk about the playing styles it is recommended to first of all categorize the types of players and then study and understand their playing techniques This suggests that there are many different playing techniques for both choppers and attackers offensive players We summarize those as follows
Choppers
Chopping was the mainstream technique from Players dominantly used it to compete in international table tennis tournaments During the s choppers started to develop the technique of wideangle long chop followed by counter attacks in addition to straight defensive chops Zoltan Berczik of Hungary was a master chopper who produced extreme backspin on his shots Chinese players even exaggerated that they would need a crane to lift the balls over the net Ferenc Sido of Hungary former mens singles world champion was the prototype of the attacker after a long wideangle chop
During the s players developed variations of chopping with spin and no spin Players even used rubber sheets with different characteristics on the other side of their racket and flipped racket sides as they played to induce errors from opponents who were unable to make proper adjustments to return the shots Most Chinese choppers were playing with this style
During the s choppers further added the techniques of attacking after serves topspin loops and counterattacks that augmented the chopping game Chen Xinhua is a typical example
During the s we saw the new attackchopping style requiring choppers to attack more to win points as opposed to relying on straight defense Ding Song for example had a scoring ratio of attacking after serves that frequently exceeded that of some offensive players He was able to counterattack and counterloop with good power in addition to chopping with great variations Liang Geliang is an outstanding example
Penhold Attacker
During the s the Japanese represented the backcourt topspin playing technique that was then the mainstream style
During the s Chinese players developed closetotable offensive techniques Attack from both sides backhand and forehand and backhand blockforehand attack This type of players ruled the world Zhuang Zedong was the master of the first method and Ron Guotuan Xu Yinsheng and Li Furong brilliantly performed the second method Meanwhile midcourt attacking from both sides and backcourt forehand topspin styles still remained popular and effective Wang Chuanyao played with the former style and most Japanese players performed the latter style
Chinese players needed to enhance their counter abilities against topspin loops in the s The backhand blockforehand attack style for pimpleout penholders became the mainstream style Typical examples were Xu Shaofa Li Jingguang and Li Zhenshi However as Chinese produced fewer elite players who attacked from both sides the Japanese stayed with this technique and produced Mitsuru Kohno who won the mens singles title at the th World Championships in Meanwhile penholders with inverted rubber also performed well as demonstrated by Xi Enting of China and Seiji Ono of Japan who won the world singles championship in and respectively
During the s pimplesout penholders further improved their skills against topspin loops ie forehand counter smashing and backhand blocking Xie Saike Jiang Jialiang and Chen Longcan were masters Inverted rubber penholders such as Guo Yuehua and Cao Yanhua were also pretty dominant and the best in the world
In the s penholder closetotable attackers had revolutionary improvements Pimplesout attackers maintained the traditional excellent forehand attacks were capable of performing steparound forehand attacks and had highquality attacks from serves Players were capable of blocking topspin loops looping with inverted rubber on the backhand side and improved offensive abilities and Players became good at flipping their racket after they served and looped or attacked A typical example was Liu Guoliang There were more great inverted rubber penholders whose forehand topspin loops were excellent and powerful were very capable of backhand looping from the backside of their rackets and blocking topspins such as Ma Lin and Yan Sen etc Another type of penholder such as Wang Hao did not use blocking techniques on the backhand side but looped with the backside of his racket On the other hand South Korean penholders had playing styles that were very different from the Chinese They had very powerful forehand strokes but did not adopt the same backhand looping techniques Instead they strengthened the traditional backhand blocks and smash attacks to solidify the backhand side but ultimately relied on their powerful forehand strokes for winning shots They proved that this style was equally effective The elites of this type are Kim Taek Soo and Ryu Seung Min
Shakehand Offensive Style
The shakehand offensive style consists of Looping Fast Attack and Fast Attack looping
Looping Fast Attack
This playing style was commonly used in the s in particular in European countries During the s Istavan Jonyer of Hungary Anton Stipencic and Drugutin Surbek of former Yugoslavia were the masters Andrzej Grubba of Poland and Mikael Appelgren of Sweden were examples of the s This technique however became dated but we still see Zoran Primorac playing with it competitively
Fast Attack Looping
This style is the most popular in modern table tennis The first time we saw this was in the early s performed by Swede Stellan Bengtsson and Czech Milan Orlowski and then JanOve Waldner Erik Lindh and Jorgen Persson of Sweden in the s
In the s this playing style was further developed Techniques focused on faster and more powerful games eg JeanPhilippe Gatien of France Jorg Rosskopf of Germany Jean Michel Saive of Belgium and Wang Tao of China and Techniques focused on an allaround game eg JanOve Waldner of Sweden Kong Linghui of China and Vladimir Samsonov of Belarus
It is also notable that in the s some players who utilized different characteristic rubber sheets ie longpips or anti on their backhands were troublesome to most elite players and won world championships these players included Liang Geliang Cai Zhenghua and Deng Yaping of China
Since we moved to mm balls in these two styles have been mixed together Players focus more on the quality and strength of each stroke in order to be dominant in the early stages of the game to win points effectively Players tend to be fierce in attacking as long as they have position in order to have a powerful game This trend can be seen in the games of Wang Liqin and Liu Guozheng of China and Werner Schlager of Austria Enditem
BEIJING April Xinhua Adam Scott newly crowned champion of the Johnie Walker Classic golf tournament reckoned a strong future of Chinas golf when he held Monday a golf clinic in Beijing
The yearold Australian who outclassed South African veteran Retief Goosen to win his fifth European Tour International Sunday in Beijing mentored a couple of Chinese kids at the Huatang International Golf Club as an extension event of MasterCards commitment to the support and development of golf in China
They are very talented kids and theyve all spoken English very well Its very impressive said Scott who had an enlighting class with seventeen years old kids at the clinic
These kids are only or and they can hit the ball straight and far Maybe someone here today will be a star in a year timeto become Chinas Tiger Woods Hopefully Im retired then and wont be beaten by them Scott told Xinhua
Scott who is ranked th in the world thought its important to be interactive with kids and help them enjoy the game He shared his own experience in playing golf and turning into professional
When I was just years old its fun to play golf Its lucky for me that I was a pretty good junior golfer I just kept playing golf and finally I knew I wanted to play golf for my life said Scott who thought of becoming a complete professional golf player at and made it in
His advice to Chinese golf kids was to have fun and keep doing what you are doing
When you were very young you just need to have fun and enjoy it I just got some instruction from my dad and never had anyone pushing me to play golf Its always my choice to play If you have someone pushing you youll never enjoy it
Li Chao and Zhang Na two promising golfers from China joined Scott at a charity putting contest where the participants made successful putts and raised US dollars for charity
MasterCard will donate all proceeds from this event to the Soong Ching Ling Foundation a charity organization dedicated in improving the lives of youths in China
The Johnnie Walker Classic champion is Scotts fifth European Tour International Schedule victory and his ninth overall win
Recovering from a disappointed campaign in Marchs Player Championship Scott began the week with a course record and finished Sunday with a final round for an under par total of to finish three shots clear of the twotime US Open champion Goosen who closed with a for
At Scott became the youngest winner in the year history of The Players Championship The defending champion however pulled a iron left in the water at the nd hole of this years tournament the kind of mistake that could haunt a player his entire career
Regarded the one who was on the verge of surpassing Sergio Garcia as the best young player in the game Scott never looked back He told Xinhua that his next step is winning a major and the victory in Beijing would be the best preparation for him ahead of the US Open slatted six weeks later
Hopefully I can keep winning tournaments I want to win a majorchampionship he said Six weeks from now is US open Thats my focus
I would not be disappointed if I dont win a major until Its not too late he added Enditem
HONG KONG April Xinhua Following is the Hong Kong squad for the World table tennis championships slated from April to May in Shanghai China
Mens singles
Leung Chu Yan Ko Lai Chak Cheung Yuk Lee Ching Tse Ka Chun
Womens singles
Tip Nga Na Lau Shui Fei Lam Ling Cheung Shui Song Ah Sim Yu Kwok Sze
Mens doubles
Ko Lai ChakLee Ching Leung Chu YanCheung Yuk
Womens doubles
Tip Nga NaCheung Shui Lau Shui FeiSong Ah Sim Lam LingYu Kwok Sze
Mixed Doubles
Cheung YukTip Nga Na Ko Lai ChakCheung Shui Leung Chu YanSong Yh Sim Lee ChingLau Shui Fei Tse Ka ChunYu Kwok Sze
Enditem
JOHANNESBURG April Xinhua South African media on Monday slammed the countrys slow move in preparing the Soccer World Cup saying little has been done as the deadlines for venue upgrading and construction are looming
A delegation from FIFA the world soccers governing body will come to South Africa next week to review progress but it is unlikely to find much on which to report said the national newspaper The Star
It is almost a year since South Africa was awarded the World Cup and given until to get ready for the worlds greatest sporting showpiece yet precious little has been done it said
The Local Organizing Committee LOC the body which will stage the entire World Cup has not yet been established And without the LOC the World Cup cannot be organized
Compounding this situation was that two vital laws the FIFA World Cup Special Measures Act and the FIFA World Cup Financial Measures Act that govern finances and infrastructure will be passed only in December said the newspaper
South Africa the first African host of the World Cup has committed itself to finalizing the building and upgrading of stadiums before the end of FIFAs deadline for the final assessment of readiness is June
However the promised endofApril deadline for upgrading one of the main venues the Loftus stadium in Tshwane Pretoria with additional turnstiles and modernized electronics is only five days away
Upgrading and construction work on the countrys other premier venues such as Soccer City and Ellis Park in Johannesburg also appears to be behind schedule said the newspaper
But Danny Jordaan preliminary head of the LOC argued that a legal framework should be established at first for the success of any major event and it takes time
The period between and is for compliance and making sure that what we presented in the Bid Book including the infrastructure is in place he said
Jordaan also said it was local municipalities responsibilities to build renovate and prepare all venues for the tournament We need to find out from municipalities how they plan to meet the targets They need to convince us they will be able to provide services like telecommunications electricity a disastermanagement plan security water and hospitals he told the newspaper Enditem
LONDON April Xinhua Following are the leading world golf rankings issued on Monday US unless stated previous ranking in
brackets
Tiger Woods points average
Vijay Singh Fiji
Ernie Els South Africa
Phil Mickelson
Retief Goosen South Africa
Adam Scott Australia
Padraig Harrington Ireland
Chris DiMarco
Sergio Garcia Spain
David Toms
Mike Weir Canada
Luke Donald Britain
Stewart Cink
Davis Love III
Darren Clarke Britain
Kenny Perry
Stuart Appleby Australia
Miguel Angel Jimenez Spain
Chad Campbell
Scott Verplank
Enditem
WARSAW April Xinhua Amelie Mauresmo was forced to pull out of this weeks dollar WTA event in Warsaw after sustaining an abdominal injury
The problem occured while she was preparing for the weekends Fed Cup tie between France and Austria a tie France went on to win
The latest setback to the injuryprone French number one is a blow to her preparations for the French Open which begins at Roland Garros on rd May Enditem
By Cao Jianjie and Zhang Xiaopeng
SHANGHAI April Xinhua Following are the top doubles pairs in years voted by Chinese table tennis coaches and players
Wang TaoLu Lin
The duo had swept most of the major doubles gold medals from to as the Chinese mens team started to regain an advantage over Europeans The pair were perfectly combined as Wang Tao pressured their rivals with lightning shots and Lu Lin was consistent and made few unforced errors Wang Tao was dangerous while playing close to the table and using his backhand pimpled rubber for flat shots Lu Lin was good at topspin attacks when he was forced to play away from the table
Results
st in the Olympics in Barcelona
st in the world championships
st in the world championships
st in the Olympics in Atlanta
Qiao HongDeng Yaping
The then worlds top two womens singles players combined to be a lethal weapon They were consistent aggressive and quickfooted Qiao had steady play and excelled at producing spins Deng was fast and able to control rhythm and speed with her longpimpled backhand rubber The two had the best singles results at their times and their partnership had proved invincible
Results
st in the world championships
st in the Olympics in Barcelona
st in the world championships
st in the national championships
st in the Olympics in Atlanta
Liu GuoliangKong Linghui
The combination of Liu Guoliang and Kong Linghui was a major representative for Chinese mens dominance in the sport Liu played a clever game creating opportunities with deceptive serves and placement receives while Kong cashed in on chances to make forehand kills They had allround techniques and were able to deal with various styles including defensive play fast attack and top spin game They were also good at adapting to changing situations
Results
st in the Olympics in Atlanta
st in the world championships
st in the world championships
nd in the Olympics in Sydney
nd in the world championships
Wang LiqinYan Sen
The two were a perfect combination Yan Sen wasnt a top singles player but he played an aggressive and quick game and had very good serves to set up easy kills in doubles The lanky Wang was good at long rallies and could cover the whole table
Results
nd in the world championships
st in the Olympics in Sydney
st in the world championships
st in the world championships
Wang NanLi Ju
Just like QiaoDeng Wang and Li were a duo of worlds top singles players Besides godgiven touch both were good at rallies forehand and backhand attacks and top spin game Their secret to victory was rally and spin
Results
nd in the world championships
st in the national championships
st in the world championships
st in the Olympics in Sydney
st in the world championships
Wang TaoLiu Wei
The mixed doubles pair needs the male player to have superb doubles capability Wang Tao was just like that Liu Wei played a manly game and possessed a deadly backhand flip Liu Wei pressured both male and female players and gave her partner time and energy to make kills Both had very good serves as Lius squat serve always counted in the clutch moment
Results
st in the world championships
st in the world championships
st in the world championships
st in the national championships
JanOve WaldnerJorgen Persson
World singles champion in and respectively JanOve Waldner and Jorgen Persson were late boomers in doubles The Swedish pair have rich experience and various tactics and are decisive and precise in the clutch moments They ousted morefavored Chinese duo Kong Linghui and Wang Hao in the Olympic Games Waldner has an array of wickedly deceptive serves and different ways to receive serves While in rallies Persson is good at both offense and defense
Results
nd in the world championships
JeanPhilippe GatienPatrick Chila
Its rare for two lefthanders to pair up in table tennis The French duo of JeanPhilippe Gatien and Patrick Chila both lefthanded played a unique wellcoordinated game to make a dent in the table tennis world Other doubles players found it difficult to face the two lefthanders at the other end of the table Gatien had worldclass serves and deadly closetothetable backhand flips and drives while Chila boasted of a good touch in receiving serves and had a different rhythm in loop drives making his opponents uncomfortable
Results
rd in the Olympics in Sydney
Werner SchlagerKarl Jindrak
The main characters of the duo are superb cooperation and distinctive division of the work Schlager takes the initiative in attacking while Kindrak sets up for his partners killer shots Schlager has a slew of firstrate serves including an anticlockwise spinning forehand serve Jindrak is a bit slow while Schlager is aggressive and able to play unexpected counterattacks
Results
Top eight in the world championships
Top eight in the world championships
Jorg RosskopfSteffan Fetzner
The two had fared much better in doubles than singles They were good at speculation and calculation Fetzners beeline attacks and Rosskopfs backhand rallies had proved deadly weapons
Results
st in the world championships
nd in the Olympics in Barcelona
nd in the world championships
Top in the world championships
Top in the world championships
Enditem
By Sportswriter Cao Jianjie
SHANGHAI April Xinhua Wang Liqin is the one loved and hated in the same measure by Chinese table tennis supporters He is a man of contrasts a man who defies a consistent judgment
Since he made his world championship debut in he impressed the table tennis world as a technically and physically strong athlete without an obvious loophole in his game
He was tipped as a title favorite in every competition he entered From the Manchester Worlds to Paris Wang had made big news good or bad He lost with a waferthin margin in lost again in in an embarrassing fashion won the title in in an electrifying final and lost pitifully in Every defeat either in the Olympics or world championships has been remembered by the player himself as well as his supporters or detractors
From Manchester to Eindhoven
Reporter In your first world championship appearance in you had led and in the third set before you lost the quarterfinal What was wrong
Wang Liqin I thought I would soon win the match when I was leading I was upset after Vladimir Samsonov came back to take the third set I was ahead in the fourth set but lost it which ruined my state of mind
As a newcomer I wasnt known to the world at that time Samsonov was better than me and I had studied his game thoroughly Actually I did pretty well at the start of the championships ousting JeanPhilippe Saive of Belgium and Jorgen Persson of Sweden In the game against Samsonov my inexperience and lack of confidence were exposed That loss more or less hurt my confidence
Reporter Compared with the th world championships your loss in the th was even a heavier blow You were seen dumbstruck for a while after losing to Frenchman Damien Eloi
Wang Yes it was I had been in super form before the game against Eloi as I took the mens singles and doubles titles at the ITTF Pro Tour Finals The problem was that I put too much pressure on myself prior to the world championships and vowed never to let the gold medal slip away this time I was a bit slow in adapting to varying situations
Reporter You had the most advanced techniques in the sport and Eloi wasnt a top player Why loss
Wang It had something to do with my training I had a simple way of thinking and thought too much about my own game instead of how to deal with others Once the game went beyond my scope of preparation I tended to be controlled by my rival One loose link would trigger a chain reaction that affected my serve and rally
Reporter The coaching team had a conflicting judgment of you They trusted your technical strength but never your mentality They benched you during Chinas crucial matches in the th world team championships Did that further hurt your confidence
Wang Coaches choose team players according to their form and play My game always went to the extremes of very good and very bad Unlike other players who are able to hang on even with poor form and to win over their rivals with experience and an everchanging game I was ridiculous No coach would trust such an unpredictable player like me
From Sydney to Osaka
Reporter You were the biggest upset in the th world championships as Eloi shut you out of the top After that game then head coach Cai Zhenhua said you had not overcome a mental obstacle Your coach Li Xiaodong did lots of work to make you a better player and he said your personality and way of doing things had affected your game Since when did you listen to their advice and decide to change
Wang Coaches had reminded me many times of adjusting my state of mind before the th world championships I didnt feel that was important Instead I was a bit rebellious I was introverted and didnt have much contact with teammates not mention with the outside world I had never thought my personality would affect my game Only after the th world championships did I realize my problem One should never be selfcentered on or off the court and shouldnt consider too much about the result To be a good player one should have an open mind and good character I started to communicate with my teammates and played with Liu Guoliang and Kong Linghui on weekends I have learned a lot from them I also learned to observe others games and understand their minds I now get along well with every teammate and feel warm at heart
Reporter You were barred from playing singles at the Olympics although you had changed a lot How did you deal with it
Wang I really wanted to play singles in Sydney After the humiliating loss to Eloi in the th world championships I was no longer afraid of losing As a result I did pretty well in international competitions and returned to the worlds top ranking Because I desperately wanted a singles berth in the Olympics I focused on singles practice instead of doubles and my teamup with Yan Sen went wrong Coaches thought I was prone to mistakes when I wanted something too much They dropped me from the singles list to make me concentrate on doubles instead They thought I would win nothing if I were entered in both events
Reporter Was your mental obstacle gone after you won the doubles gold medal
Wang We thought that would be a victory if we met Kong Linghui and Liu Guoliang in the final When the championship final came we didnt feel under pressure Kong and Liu were defending champions and we were underdogs We just needed to fight to the last point We came back from down to take the first set before we lost the second We had trailed before we won the third set In the fourth set Kong and Liu had canceled our lead before we hang on to win
Reporter The fourth set could be a turning point of your career Did the Olympic victory lay a foundation for your singles win in the world championships
Wang Yes Pressure was gone since the Sydney Olympics Games looked easier to me since the Olympic victory But the road to the top wasnt always smooth In the th world championships I lost to Timo Boll in Chinas win over Germany in the quarterfinals I felt very bad about it Coach Shi Zhihao asked me what I thought about later games I said I wanted to play But I was benched in the final and I felt so sorry while others celebrated the championship victory In previous championships I felt completely lost once I lost an important game But I didnt in Osaka After several difficult singles games I felt my best form in the quarterfinals In the final against Kong Linghui who was more experienced and techinically solider I lost the first two games but I didnt give away as before I remained composed and didnt think about the result After winning the third set I knew the gold medal would be mine
From Paris to Athens
Reporter You found yourself in an unusual role as defending champion in the world championships During the preparation for the Paris Worlds you always made yourself uncomfortable in training Could you explain that
Wang I had put in long hours and lots of hard work but the results were not always good So I tried to make myself uncomfortable in training because your rivals would prevent you from playing your best game in the competition I asked my sparring partners to put the balls on the most difficult spots for me to return
Reporter Did the sixth set against Werner Schlager in which you wasted four match points still haunt you
Wang As a matter of fact I did pretty well in the Paris Worlds even in my losing quarterfinal against Schlager I led and in the sixth set Schlager closed it to and then I made two forehand misses following my own serves to see the score tied at all My two serves were not well thought out and they were put at the same spot When I led I should have slowed the pace and fought for every point
Reporter Did your state of mind change at
Wang No I didnt If I really thought the victory was closer the result could have been different I would have pushed long on the first of Schlagers serves and waited for him to loop drive I wasnt concentrated enough after and didnt have clear tactics I didnt play well in the deciding seventh set in which there was something wrong with my defense Because I was nervous I made quite a few errors and was indecisive both in attack and defense
Reporter Did that loss hurt
Wang Not very much It was a shame that I lost so closely Anyway it was on a learning curve
Reporter You had been tipped as a title hopeful for the Olympics You were not excited enough in your semifinal loss to Wang Hao Why so
Wang I rarely shout in games against my teammates except at clutch moments That game was a bore Wang Hao didnt play his best and I played an even poorer game
Reporter After losing the final to South Korean Ryu Seung Min Wang Hao said he understood why you played such a poor game in the semifinals
Wang Yes He should I had a better record against Wang Hao while Wang Hao had beaten Ryu six straight times The final and our semifinal were very much alike The man who had a better record was afraid of losing When Wang Hao led in the semifinal I knew I would lose this match Unlike the point match in which one can rally from down for victory you had little time to adjust while you are down in the point scoring system
Reporter Did you think of a rematch with Wang Hao after your semifinal loss
Wang It was myself to blame It was useless to regret
Reporter You claim you are a man of extremes What do you mean by extremes
Wang When I am at the top of my game I am decisive and loopholefree When I am at a low point I am an easy target
From Doha to Shanghai
Reporter Qatar Open was the last international event before the Shanghai world championships China had never won the mens singles title in the Qatar Open for years You broke Chinas jinx in Doha Does that mean something to you
Wang It was a breakthrough I had beaten a few difficult rivals en route to winning the event I beat Chinese Taipeis Chuan ChihYuan to whom I lost in a European tournament in and I also beat Timo Boll to whom I lost twice in the Japan Open and ITTF Pro Tour Finals These two are the major threats to the Chinese team and wins over them are morale boosting
Reporter You are an idol figure in Shanghai and victories in your birth city will mean a lot to you Whats your plan
Wang My problem is that I always lose when I want to win too much I dont think Ryu was more ambitious than us in the Athens Olympics but he emerged as a singles winner If you think about the outcome too much you can hardly pull off your best game I dont want any distractions
Reporter You cant help thinking about the outcome can you
Wang I will forget the outcome once I am into the game
Reporter Do you care about what people talk about you
Wang I did But I dont care any more
Reporter How can you do that
Wang As I am getting older and more experienced and thoughtful I am not longer carried away by compliments or bothered by harsh opinions I know where my problems are and what I need to do
Wang Liqin Factfile
Date of birth June
Height cm
World ranking
Wang who plays topspin game in handshake style started his game at six and joined the Shanghai team in the national team in Wang possesses the strongest physique in the Chinese team and long limbs which easily cover the whole table As a technically solid allrounder he serves forehand sidespin short backspin and long straight to set up killer attacks He excels at rallies and loop drives away from the table His backhand is a bit weaker than forehand and lacks power and speed
Results
st in team singles and mixed doubles in Asian championships in Osaka Japan in
st in team and mixed doubles in Asian Games in Bangkok in
st in singles and doubles in ITTF Pro Tour Finals in
nd in singles in world championships in Eindhoven in
st in doubles in Olympic Games in Sydney in
st in singles and doubles in ITTF Pro Tour Finals in
rd in World Cup in Yangzhou China in
st in team singles and doubles in world championships in Osaka in
st in team and singles in Asian Games in Busan South Korea in
st in doubles in world championships in
st in team in world team championships in Doha in
st in singles in ITTF Pro Tour Finals in Beijing in
st in singles in Qatar Open in
Enditem
DAR ES SALAAM April Xinhua Three Somalian soccer players have been expelled from the current Kagame Cup central and east African clubs championship after they attempted to rough up one of referees
The expelled players are Mohamed Nur Abdi Issack and Omary Othman according to reports reaching here on Monday
Their expelsion was made by the Confederation of East and Central Africa Football Associations following Saturdays Group A preliminary match between Elman of Somalia and Atletico Olympic of Burundi at Mwanza in northern Tanzania Atletico defeated Elman
We cannot keep hooligans here said confederation secretarygeneral Nicholas Musonye This is soccer where rules and regulations should be maintained This must be a lesson for other players who may have the same habit
On Sunday Mtibwa of Tanzania was held to a oneall tie by Awasa of Ethiopia while Ulinzi of Kenya the runnersup of last years cup tourney downed KMKM of Zanzibar with an unanswered goalin the Group B preliminaries
SC Villa of Uganda plays Elman while Atletico takes on Rayon Sports of Rwanda in Group A on Monday Enditem
BEIJING April Xinhua China is to build a garbage disposal plant expected to be the biggest of its kind in Asia this year in this eastern metropolis of Shanghai
The plant with an estimated investment of to million US dollars is designed to dispose of tons of consumer waste daily says a report by the Beijing Daily Messenger Monday
The project was designed and would be constructed by Veolia Environment the top environmental service provider in the world based in France
Bottom of the disposal area would be bedded with an impervious layer to avoid possible pollution of the underground water resource
The report claims that both design and technology of the project are advanced worldwide
Marsh gas resulting from the disposed rubbish will be used for power generation But the report does not give details on power generating capacity and how the electricity would benefit local residents or plants
Shanghai Chinas largest city with a population of million produces tons of solid consumer waste each day
Shanghai introduced a threeyear plan aiming at environmental protection in and initiated a project disposing of solid waste with World Bank loans
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LONDON April Xinhua Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez is confident that his side will beat Chelsea to reach the UEFA Champions League final
The Spanish coach has fared well in his first season at Anfield given the injury problems he has had to deal with
The Reds have reached the Carling Cup final and the Champions League semis but Benitez is more concerned with what looks will be a futile pursuit of Everton in fourth place
Benitez says that his sides displays in Europe have not surprised him at all and believes they can keep their run going by beating Chelsea
They are the favorites Benitez told Marca But they have their weaknesses and our mission is to find those
I am not surprised that Liverpool have played well in the Champions League
I consider it to be more surprising that we are not in the top four in the Premiership
We have let some incredible points slip away from us
Benitez says he is determined to make Liverpool successful in the years to come and will continue his rebuilding process with an assault on the summer transfer market
This Liverpool team is still in a period of transition During the summer break we will be in a better position to do things
I am lucky to have a great people working with me and that helps guarantee that we will do well responsibly
I do not know about the short or medium term but I believe that in the long term this system will bring us success
Benitez is an ambitious character and admitted that one day he would like to go on to become Spains national team manager Enditem
HAVANA April Xinhua Cuba will play against Italy Dominican Republic and Germany at the start of the womens volleyball Grand Prix slated for June July in several Italian and Asian cities local press said Monday
The teams from these nations form Group B of the competition which will be based on the Italian city of Reggio Calabria
Cuba will be represented by Ymilka Ruiz Yanelis Santos Nancy Carrillo Yanisey Gonzalez Maisbelis Martinez Daimi Ramirez Leanny Castaneda Yaima Ortiz Rachel Sanchez Yuleinis Herrera Liana Mesa and Rosir Calderon
Also in the team are Anniara Munoz Kenia Carcases Yusedey Silie Nataly Grilan Marta Sanchez and Zoila Barros The team is coached by Luis Felipe Calderon and Eugenio Geroge
Twelve teams are distributed into three groups Japan South Korea Brazil and Poland make Group A based on Tokyo Japan
China United States Thailand and the Netherlands form Group C based in Manila Philippines
The competition will be played in three weekends during which the integration of groups is changed In the final stage on July at the Japanese capital will qualify the best five teams and Japan as a host Enditem
LONDON April Xinhua Jose Antonio Reyes scored a firsthalf winner to help Arsenal beat Tottenham Hotspur on Monday ensuring Championelect Chelsea having to wait until Saturday to clinch their first league title in fifty years
Arsenal are now points behind Chelsea and all eyes will be on the Blues in five days when a win at Bolton will hand them the Premiership crown
With that margin now all but unbridgeable Arsenal will take more satisfaction in that they pulled four points clear of Manchester United in the race for second
Reyes started in attack with Robin van Persie and the pair linked for the first chance of the game after a mere seconds
The Dutchman played in Reyes but after rounding the keeper he found the angle too acute and his rightfooted effort hit the sidenetting
It was a golden opportunity but Reyes shrugged off the setback and made amends after minutes
A neat exchange in the middle of the park between Cesc Fabregas and Patrick Vieira finished with the young Spaniard releasing his compatriot
This time Reyes made no mistake on his favored left foot after racing on to the ball behind a static Spurs defence
Arsenal had played overelaborate football at the back to gift a chance to Defoe but after creating space to shoot he opted for power over placement and Lehmann stood tall to parry Enditem
HAVANA April Xinhua Director General of the Colombian Sports Agency Coldeportes Daniel Garcia started Monday a visit here in search for further cooperation with Cuba
Garcia has plans to meet Monday with President of the National Sports Physical Education and Leisure Institute INDER Humberto Rodriguez
There will also be a visit in the facilities of the Cerro Pelado superior school for the training of highperformance athletes
Garcia will also meet President of the Cuban Olympic Committee Jose Ramon Fernandez Enditem
HAVANA April Xinhua The Cuban womens judo national team will train for days in Ecuador to prepare for the world championships in September in Egypt
The Cuban team will include stars Driulis Gonzalez kilograms Yurisleidis Lupetey and Yurisel Laborde said coach Ronaldo Veitia
The rest of the members of the team are young athletes Dayani Mestre Yanet Bermoy Edilia Amoros Yaritza Abel Onis Cortes and Yanelis Castillo as well as experienced Ibis Duenas
The world judo championships will take place on September in Cairo
In the previous world championships two years ago in Osaka Japan the Cubans obtained one gold three silver and two bronze medals Enditem
By Sportswriter Cao Jianjie
SHANGHAI April Xinhua Outshone by dual Olympic champion Wang Nan for years Zhang Yining savored the sweetest moment of all in
Athens will be remembered for the yearold winning Chinas th Olympic gold since the country took its firstever Olympic title years ago
With this gold Zhang vindicated her world top ranking and her leadership in Chinas new generation of womens table tennis
Also Zhang stands the third Chinese women paddler who has won both singles and doubles gold medals at one Olympics following Wang Nan in Sydney and Deng Yaping in both Atlanta and Barcelona
Zhang took up the sport at five and gained an early fame in when she finished runnerup to Wang Nan in the world championships It should have been three or four years earlier for the Beijinger who emerged as the cream of a crop of youngsters in the starpacked Chinese team to overtake Wang Nan since the latter hit the bottom in two years following her glorious run in Sydney
However the defeat by Wang in the worlds was just the beginning of a chain of losses of Zhang in domestic and international tournaments
In May Zhang was denied a world title by Wang and five months later she lost in another comeback game of Wang in the Chinese National Games
Those moments should not be repeated in Athens vowed the pencilslim player before leaving for Athens
In Athens Zhang disposed of DPR Korean Kim Hyang Mi in minutes to win the singles final two days after she combined with Wang Nan for the doubles gold
The Athens Olympics was a payday said Zhang
In early Zhang showed her maturity in the world championships being instrumental in Chinese womens th team trophy
Chinese table tennis chief Cai Zhenhua said Zhang showed her makings as the new Chinese team leader in Athens
Zhang followed her Olympic success with a World Cup title in October and the victory looked sweeter at the cost of Wang Nan
Now Zhang looks at
I will try to repeat a gold double when Beijing hosts the Olympics she said
SPENDING YEARS SHARPENING SWORD
After snatching the championship point in Athens Zhang ran to the stand to hug Li Sun her coach for years It took years to sharpen a sword Li exclaimed eyes brimming with tears
I can never thank my coach enough and words are pale and powerless said Zhang He has been in different roles as I need him to be He is my coach and also like my father and best friend
Zhang had been Lis charge since she joined the Beijing team at the age of in Two years later Zhang made it to the Chinese youth team coached by Qi Baoxiang In Li was named a coach of the womens national team and reunited with Zhang who tells Li her secrets she would not share with her parents
There are two types of Olympic champions said Li One has been through trials and tribulations before reaching the top The other is headlong fighter who strikes gold in Olympic debut Zhang is the former The Chinese National Games was Zhangs first major tournament in which she upset more famed national teammates to be the only unbeaten player in the team tournament
Before she left for the world championships she asked her uncle to predict the singles winner Her uncle said It could be Wang Nan Li Ju or Yang Ying Why not me Zhang asked
The uncle was proven right In that worlds Zhang squandered a lead and lost the gold medal to Wang Nan who staged a heroic comeback The defeat was devastating Zhang recalled I wept in the rest room but fortunately nobody saw me I vowed to win back the championship
To Chinese coaches second place wasnt bad for the yearold Zhang and she was included in the provincial lineup for the Olympic Games But then came a cruel twist to Zhangs career She lost her game against Xu Jing in Chinas victory over Chinese Taipei in the world team championships
The downslide continued and she fared poorly in the Asian qualifying tournament for the Olympics Two straight losses took away my confidence and I began doubting myself I felt like living on the edge of a cliff and didnt feel sunshine Coach Li admonished her favorite student Its only you who can save yourself If you want to carry on with the sport you must overcome this obstacle
I was down for several months Zhang recalled I love table tennis and I dont want to quit so easily Once I sang karaoke with my family and I shouted to microphone Zhangs era is coming Zhangs era is coming My parents were stunned but they knew what I was thinking about
Zhang swept singles titles in the Polish and Swedish Opens in late and was crowned winner in the ITTF Pro Tour Finals in early
In the world championships in Osaka Japan Zhang lost to Wang Nan in the semifinals In the Chinese National Games late that year Zhang made the same mistake as Wang came back from near defeat to beat the younger teammate in the final
As Wang Nan experienced the lowest of her career in the Asian Games in Zhang claimed the singles crown in Busan South Korea and went on to sweep the World Cup and Pro Tour Finals to top the world rankings for the first time
In the world championship final against Wang Nan Zhang came from
down to make it but lose the deciding set She lost confidence once again
She was just less experienced said Li Sun We had to rebuild her confidence In nine out of talks I encouraged her to be the best
Zhang said she wanted to be the strongest in the Chinese team if not the wisest In the past four years I had experienced all kinds of difficulties I had finished with silver medals so many times Defeats are not useless and they have become my assets she said
Coach Cai Zhenhua said I would be the leader of the Chinese team and I know its not easy to be looked up to I will work even harder she addedMore
MOTHERS WARM VEST
Ning Ning nickname is a good girl and shes like a warm vest to me said Zhangs mother
Zhang started table tennis in a sports school in Beijings Dongcheng District and her agility and understanding of the sport was shown at the very beginning I was born for table tennis If I didnt take up table tennis I would still become a fairly good athlete Zhang said
Zhang plays best billiards and badminton in the Chinese team and is an avid fan of European and Argentine soccer She reportedly has a talent for foreign languages and once talked with a German lady in English for two hours but her teammate Li Nan disclosed that Zhang was just not afraid of making mistakes
Although her parents live just an hours drive away from her training center Zhang can only go home on holidays Once she is home she chats with her mother till or oclock early morning On the eve of Zhangs championship final in the Athens Olympics her mother received a text message from the daughter which read Mom I feel almighty
We felt Ning Ning would make it in Athens recalled her mother I saw her eyes sparkling which we had never seen before
When we sent Ning Ning to sports school we didnt expect her to be world or Olympic champion We just thought she would land a good job with a bit sports background
The mother had a unique way to console the daughter After Zhang lost the Pro Tour Finals she quipped Ning Ning is a magic chef She is good at making roast duck Once the duck was done it flies away These words made Zhang laugh
Zhang has bought numerous gifts to her mother who uses highend cosmetics wears a table tennis batshaped necklace and carries a cell phone with the screen reading take better care of yourself all from the daughter
Zhang Yining Factfile
Date of birth Oct
Height cm
World ranking
Zhang embodies the technical best of womens table tennis and plays high quality forehand and backhand loops She is consistent and has no obvious weakness She mostly serves sidespin backspin and nonspinning short with forehand and sidespin and backspin with backhand Her loop is the most consistent in the Chinese team if not the heaviest Zhang is also good at dealing with pipsout players She doesnt have the strongest legs but is very fast Zhang prefers placement forehand returns or backhand flick on opponents serves
Results
st in team in Asian championships in Osaka Japan
nd in singles in world championships
st in world team championships
st in singles in ITTF Pro Tour Finals in Kobe Japan
st in singles and team rd in doubles in world championships in Osaka
st in World Cup in Wuhu China
st in World Cup in Singapore
st in singles and nd in doubles in ITTF Pro Tour Finals in Sweden
st in singles nd in doubles and team in Asian Games in Busan South Korea
st in doubles and nd in singles in world championships in Paris
st in world team championships in Doha Qatar
st in World Cup in Hangzhou China
st in doubles in ITTF Pro Tour Finals
st in singles and doubles in Olympic Games in Athens
st in singles in Qatar Open
Enditem
WASHINGTON April Xinhua The National Basketball Association handed out separate fines Monday to Sacramento Kings guard Cuttino Mobley and Dallas Mavericks head coach Avery Johnson on Monday
Mobley was slapped with a US dollars fine for making an obscene gesture toward fans with seconds left in Sundays playoff game at Seattle The SuperSonics won the contest to take a lead in the bestofseven Western Conference quarterfinal series
Meanwhile Johnson was handed a US dollars fine for failing to leave the court in a timely manner following the conclusion of Saturdays postseason contest versus Houston The Rockets posted a victory in Game of the Western Conference quarterfinal series Enditem
LONDON April Xinhua Following are the results from the snooker world championship Round Best of matches in Sheffield on Monday
Peter Ebdon England bt Stephen Lee England
Shaun Murphy England bt John Higgins Scotland
Matthew Stevens Wales bt Jimmy White England
Ian McCulloch England bt Mark Williams Wales Enditem
LONDON April Xinhua Twotime world champions Mark Williams was knocked out of the snooker world championship in Sheffield on Monday losing to Englishman Ian McCulloch
Wales Williams who made a maximum break in his first round match was joined by Scotlands John Higgins who was at the end of a defeat by English qualifier Shaun Murphy
Another former world champion Peter Ebdon booked a place in the last eight as he ground out a victory over Stephen Lee after trailing and
Sixtime finalist Jimmy White will have to wait another year to see if he can ever win the title as he was knocked out by Matthew Stevens of Wales in a reverse which he blamed on his atrocious play
McCulloch conqueror of last years finalist Graeme Dott in the first round had to sit and watch Williams rally from down to take the first four frames of the evening session
However he regained his composure and levelled at before Williams enforced a deciding frame which McCulloch took Enditem
By Sportswriter Cao Jianjie
SHANGHAI April Xinhua Few have reached the dizzying height of King Kong
Kong Linghui was expected to retire after he beat legendary JanOve Waldner of Sweden in the mens singles final of the Sydney Olympics Games in But he didnt He was expected again to hang up his bat after the illfated Olympic tour But he refused to call it quits
Competing in an Olympics hosted by my own country is a onceinalife opportunity I need to work harder he said
Kong jumped out of oblivion by nabbing two gold and one silver medals in the world championships held in north Chinese city Tianjin He hadnt expected to win the singles gold and was just satisfied with joining the team competition
Kong saw Tianjin as his lucky place because he also won his first ITTF Pro Tour Finals there
The singles draw of the championships didnt look good for Kong because he had to face Swedish veteran Peter Karlsson whom he had never won a set from and defending champion JeanPhilippe Gatien of France I was down in the final against Liu Guoliang and I was lucky to come back to win the singles title said Kong
Chinese coach Yin Xiao didnt think Kongs win was based on luck He had predicted two Chinese players including Kong were good enough for the singles honor
I played with high spirits years ago and now play with experience and tactics Kong said I want to celebrate the th anniversary of my first world championship with a good result in Shanghai
Kong ranked first in the first intrasquad competition prior to the world championships The Chinese team policy is the top four finishers in the first two intrasquad competition are qualified for world championships Number of world championship appearances means nothing to me Kong said Only gold medal matters to me
At Kong joined the Chinese youth team coached by Yin Xiao In Cai Zhenhua took the helm of the Chinese mens team and called Kong and Liu Guoliang to service Kong was sent to Sweden to study European style in and two years later he claimed the singles title at the Asian championships
An early singles exit in his Olympic debut in was a heavy blow to Kong and made him mature overnight As an athlete one has to be alert all the time and otherwise chances will easily slip away he said
Kong still regrets his semifinal loss to Austrian Werner Schlager in the world championships If I had beaten Schlager I would have played singles in the Olympic Games he said
Kong failed to make the cut when the Chinese team announced its Athens Olympic lineup on March He was later included in doubles because Yan Sen who paired up with Wang Liqin to win the doubles gold was injured in a car accident Kongs third Olympics lasted only minutes
I had never been ousted in the first round he said still smart with the humiliating loss
The yearold Kong said he would never become a coach because of his short temper I am not a coach type Good athlete doesnt always make good coach
Most popular with Chinese table tennis supporters Kong met a throng of fans at the Beijing airport when he returned from Athens Other people welcomed Olympic champions we came to see our hero said a keen Kong fan
Kong Kinghui Factfile
Date of Birth Oct
Height cm
Started to play table tennis at and joined the Heilongjiang provincial team in the national youth team in and the national team in He is the third grand slam winner of Olympic world championships and World Cup singles titles after JanOve Waldner and Liu Guoliang and the first Chinese world champion playing in the handshake style Kong expertly mixes Chinese finesse with European topspin game and has no technical loophole His serves are well placed and set up his killer attacks
Results
st Asian youth championships in
st in mens team singles and mixed doubles in Asian championships
st in mens team in the Asian Games in
st in mens team and singles in world championships in
st in World Cup in
st in mens singles and doubles in Asian championships in
st in mens doubles in Atlanta Olympics in
st in mens team doubles rd in mens singles in world championships in
st in World Cup in
st in mens team and doubles in Asian Games in
st in mens doubles in world championships in
st in world team championships in
st in mens singles nd in mens doubles in Sydney Olympics in
st in mens team and singles nd in doubles in world championships in
st in mens team in Asian Games in
nd in World Cup in
nd in mens doubles rd in mens singles in world championships in
st in world team championships in
st in mens doubles in Qatar Open in
Enditem
By Sportswriter Cao Jianjie
SHANGHAI April Xinhua For a decade Liu Guoliang has been mentioned in the same breath with Kong Linghui
In the two players helped China claim the world mens team crown and several days later they squared off for the singles title Although they were less than years old Liu and Kong had showed they were ready to take on the rest of the world
Liu is bold and unrestrained while Kong is composed and introverted Both have won a grand slam of Olympic world championship and World Cup singles titles The only other grand slam winner is JanOve Waldner of Sweden In the Athens Olympics Liu became the youngest head coach ever on the Chinese team while tenacious King Kong made his third Olympic appearance
Coaching is one of many job options for retired Chinese athletes Liu took the coaching job to extend his table tennis career Trusted by table tennis authorities and his mentors Liu triplejumped from assistant coach to coach to head coach He is compared to an adventurer who looks at other higher summits once he scales a mountain
On the eve of Chinas team final against Sweden in the world championships Liu Guoliang asked to be sent on but was refusedAs a young and key player I really wanted to be sent to take on Swedes recalled Liu But from a tactical point of view the coaching team benched me and I still felt bad about it when the singles competition started
China beat Sweden and Waldner alone took two points I beat Waldner in the singles before I made it to the final added Liu who in the ensuing five years beat Waldner in all of their meetings
Liu is regarded as one of the wisest in the business As a player Liu played with brains more with brawn and his serves were wickedly deceptive As a coach he is good at pinpointing players strengths and weaknesses and making his words heard and understood Kong Linghui said he would not be a coach because he was not as patient as Liu
Lius grand slam was completed in the world championships in Eindhoven the Netherlands as he won the championship final against teammate Ma Lin although he was not at his best
Liu said he played over his best as he claimed the Olympic gold in but in the championships he just performed percent of his top form Lius tactics was to prevent Ma from pulling out his best game when he failed to play his best himself As the deciding set was tied at all Liu knew the gold medal was his because Ma tended to choke at clutch moments
Lius athletic career wasnt always smooth In he failed a drug test but was later clear of doping suspicions after a lengthy battle to prove his innocence I feel so relieved said Liu after hearing the news You can hardly imagine what a kind of life I led in past six months
After a test in a Dutch laboratory suggested an elevated value of epitestosterone Liu had been under great pressure I didnt take anything illegal but I didnt know how to explain or convince others I couldnt sleep well often jolted awaken by bad dreams Liu said
The International Table Tennis Federation ITTF cleared Lius name after a threemonthlong investigation showed no evidence for exogenous origin of epitestosterone in Lius samples and there was no doping offense
Liu tested positive on August the day he won the world singles championship in Eindhoven One day earlier he tested negative after taking the mens doubles event with Kong Linghui ITTF didnt notify Liu of his positive test until October when Liu was playing in the Austrian Open
It was shocking Liu recalled You are finished I told myself I didnt know what to say what to do I called the Chinese Table Tennis Association CTTF and they said they trusted me
Liu took two unannounced tests by the ITTF investigative officials on February and Both tests cleared Liu said then CTTA general secretary Yang Shuan
ITTF has used the most advanced method of doping check and they have proved Lius innocence said Yang Another CTTA official said the world ruling body of the sport had used IRMS Isotopic Ratio Measurements to test Lius samples
Weve never lost trust in Guoliang said then Chinese head coach Cai Zhenhua We let him play the final of the world team championships because we believe he is clean
China lost to Sweden in the mens final in Kuala Lumpur in February as Liu lost to both Waldner and Jorgen Persson
In the Olympics Liu shaved his head for a new start and took a singles bronze medal That bronze was more important to me than the two golds I won in Atlanta Liu said
After the mm ball was adopted Liu was forced to change his rubber and bat I couldnt play my best in pushes and drives and was struggling in finding a way out he said In the world team championships Liu sat courtside witnessing Liu Guozheng anchor the Chinese to a championship win over South Korea
In the point scoring system and nohiding service rules were adopted and Liu knew his career was nearing an end He officially retired before the Asian Games Guoliang is a perfectionist He wants to make things perfect and prove his value said Kong
Lius coaching trial in the Asian Games fell short because of a lack of experience in making decisions for others but he got some credit as Ma Lin claimed the World Cup late in the year Liu was promoted to head coach in a team reshuffle that took place after the world championships
Yet he received two blows on the opening day of the ITTF Pro Tour finals as world No Ma Lin and No Wang Liqin fell in the first round both having listened to Lius courtside advice
It is a real test for me to be head coach of the Chinese mens team Liu said at that time I need to learn from Cai Zhenhua and other senior coaches
Cai one member of Chinas allconquering squad took the helm of a mens squad in decline in He groomed his stable and perfected their differing styles which had proved some troublesome to the Europeans
In Cais team snatched the mens team title from Sweden in the world championships in northern Chinese city Tianjin where China cleanswept seven trophies and Liu Guoliang finished second to Kong Linghui in the mens singles
Cai later gave his job to Yin Xiao when he was promoted as general head coach But it was still Cai who called the shots
Unhappy with Yins indecision in major events Cai had planned to replace Yin with Liu Guoliang who has many adorers in the team because of an enviable record as a player and a pleasant personality
Beating off the opposition Cai handpicked Liu as the youngest head coach of the Chinese mens team Cai had taken the same job at
Liu has high caliber as a coach said Cai He is resourceful and players admire him because he has won everything
Being a head coach does have a change to Lius life
I feel lonely sometimes he said When I was a player I spent a lot of time playing soccer or singing Karaoke with teammates Now they are shunning me partly because I pulls a long face to look serious
The biggest test for Liu came in the Olympics Newly combined Ma Lin and Chen Qi who joined the Olympic team through a string of qualifying tournaments claimed the doubles gold in Athens but Chinese young star Wang Hao fell to South Korean Ryu Seung Min in the singles final
I knew Coach Cai was upset but he kept saying kind words to encourage me said Liu It wasnt a bad start for me as head coach as the team swept three out of four golds although Chinese wanted more
Fairly good results in should be owed to Coach Cai who left a strong team to me
To me real tests will only come after The team lost the mens singles in the Olympics and that loss will surely motivate us in
The team tournaments will be added to the Olympics and they will be more challenging to the Chinese team I want to leave judgments of my coaching ability to
Lius mentors Cai Zhenhua and Yin Xiao have both left the Chinese team one appointed as director of the Chinese Table Tennis and Badminton Administration and the other named as head coach of the Luneng club I make my own decisions now and stand up against challenges alone Liu said
Unlike Cai who rules with a heavy hand Liu has replaced direct orders with regulations and stresses the marketing of the sport In the commercialization drive of sports table tennis is no exception Liu said Marketing makes table tennis prosper If people no longer care about this sport the mere number of gold medals will mean nothing
Liu cherishes his friendship with Kong We lived together when I was a player and we watched videos together said Liu
Kong is a good athlete as well as a good man He has many virtues which I dont have and appeal to me
We wish each other well He kept a low profile when he won the world title in and I kept lowkey too when I won the Olympic gold in Since I became a coach I have little time with him but we remain good friends
Kong looks forward to perfection as an athlete in and so does Liu as a coach The two good friends are expected to pull off more pleasant surprises to Chinese table tennis Enditem
By Sportswriter Cao Jianjie
SHANGHAI April Xinhua Having long hair cut short Wang Nan looks more mature and feminine One of the most decorated table tennis stars in the world is going to celebrate her th birthday and she has steeled herself following three successive defeats in the Olympics World Cup and ITTF Pro Tour Finals
Seven is a worry free age for most kids but the sevenyearold Wang was sent to the Fushun sports school in Northeast China starting her table tennis career Brought up in a poor family Wang has been worldly wise and tough minded since she was very young Only after she had enough ball practice was she allowed a cup of water by her father who believed her daughter would amount to something
Pushed by her parents Wang trained hard enough to join the Liaoning provincial team at and make it to the top eight in the th national games at the result good enough to secure a spot at the national team She had been coached by fatherly Zeng Chuanqiang mentor of former world champion Qiao Hong for three years the period which laid a solid foundation for Wangs future
A successful athlete more or less has a different personality said Zeng So does Wang Nan She never easily quits when she sets about things She is cleverer than other girls With medium power and speed she uses tactics very well
Qiao Hong and Wang Nan are the most successful students of mine Qiao is tenacious and solid while Wang has wits and inspirations
In the rd world championships held in Tianjin in Wang Nan advanced into the singles quarterfinals and she made herself better known in the CCTV tournaments In the runup to the Olympic Games Wang Nan became a charge of new coach Lu Yuansheng My first impression was that Wang Nan was very clever and wanted to better others but she had less patience She dared to be mad at senior teammates said Lu
For more battle experience Wang Nan competed in the Asian qualifying tournament for the Atlanta Olympics although the Chinese lineup had already been decided
In the th world championships in Manchester England in Wang Nan was included in the Chinese roster yet regarded a fourth player after Deng Yaping Yang Ying and Li Ju In the team semifinal against Germany Yang Ying beat Nicole Struse Deng downed Jie Schopp and Wang Nan escaped a loss Because of that game Wang lost her berth in the championship final
I was mad about being benched for the final and I vowed that someday everybody would be watching and enjoying my game Wang recalled
Several days later Wang Nan romped into the singles final to take on then world No Deng Yapping After taking the first set I was daydreaming and lost the following three sets said Wang I never regret that match and I was happy because I didnt lose in straight sets
In the Asian Games in Bangkok Wang Nan swept four gold medals after she ousted Koyama Chire a former Chinese world champion who switched allegiance to Japan and upset Deng Yaping in the Asiad
The Bangkok Games was a turning point said Lu Yuansheng Wang has become a different person since
In the world championships in Eindhoven Wang Nan came from two sets down to beat teammate Zhang Yining to clinch her first world singles gold In the Olympics Wang survived four match points to edge out Singapores Li Jia Wei en route to winning a singles gold
My object for was simple To be world champion and the top ranked player said Wang In the Sydney Games I knew I would win over Li Jia Wei even with down and in the fourth set
The year of was disastrous for Wang Nan and it is still haunting her Wang Nan lost two points in Chinas loss to DPR Korea in the womens team final at the Busan Asian Games and she yielded her singles crown to Zhang Yining on a score of Having lost golds but never confidence Wang said then she would return to the top after a month of systematic training In the world championships in Paris Wang Nan completed a hattrick of singles titles under the guidance of her former teammate Qiao Hong who was called to the national team to help the struggling Wang
On Aug Li Jia Wei took a sweet revenge by beating Wang Nan
in the Athens Olympics While leaving the court Wang faked a smile and shook hands with teammates who came to console her
I kept reminding myself Dont cry Dont Wang said of her feeling then Wang didnt take shuttle bus and walked from the competition venue to the Athletes Village and that walk seemed to last a whole year She felt so lonely
I am very emulative and thinks table tennis is my whole life said Wang I feel the end of the world once I lose a game of any kind I lost sleep after the Olympics All of a sudden I realized the meaning of the sport No matter how good I am I will be surpassed sooner or later I should enjoy table tennis when I still can More
Reigning dual Olympic champion Zhang Yining said highly of her doubles partner Wang Nan is a mature honest and hardworking athlete We both are emulative and tenacious but we are different in expressing our feelings I have learned a lot from her Zhang said
In the ITTF Pro Tour Finals in Beijing in late Wang Nan beat Zhang Yining but lost to youngster Guo Yue I am not upset about the defeat said Wang I see myself as a new national team member who has just started a career
The Shanghai world championships is a new challenge for me and I will do my best The gold medal is my goal When I pick up a bat no one can say for sure she will beat me
Wang Nan Factfile
Date of birth Oct
Height cm
World ranking
Wang plays in handshake grip a topspin game characterized with speed and spin and she serves lowtoss or hightoss that sidespins backspins or doesnt spin to set up her attack While returning serves she uses placement shots and rhythm to rattle her opponent Wang is even in forehand and backhand and her backhand can hit and drive Her footwork isnt the best and her power wasnt the strongest but she is one of the most tacticsconscious players in the world and rarely chokes at clutch moments Her forehand sideways attack following her own serve is always deadly
Results
Asian championships
st in team doubles and mixed doubles in Singapore in
st in team singles and mixed doubles in Osaka Japan in
Asian Cup
th in singles in New Delhi in
Asian Games
st in team singles doubles and mixed doubles in Bangkok in
st in team nd in singles semifinalist in doubles and mixed doubles in Busan South Korea in
Asian youth championships
st in team and singles in Japan in
Asian Top
st in singles in
ITTF Pro Tour Finals
st in doubles nd in singles in Hong Kong in
st in singles and doubles in Paris in
st in doubles in Melbourne Australia in
nd in singles semifinalist in doubles in Osaka Japan in
st in singles in Hainan China
nd in doubles semifinalist in singles in Guangzhou China in
st in doubles semifinalist in singles in Beijing in
World Cup
st in Shanghai in
st in Taipei in
nd in Phnom Penh Cambodia in
st in Hong Kong in
nd in Hangzhou China in
World championships
Quarterfinalist in singles top in doubles in Tianjin in
st in team nd in singles and doubles semifinalist in mixed doubles in Manchester England in
st in team singles and doubles semifinalist in mixed doubles in Eindhoven the Netherlands in
st in team in Kuala Lumpur in
st in team singles and doubles in Osaka Japan in
st in singles doubles and mixed doubles in Paris in
st in team in Doha Qatar in
Olympic Games
st in singles and doubles in Sydney in
st in doubles quarterfinalist in singles in Athens in
Enditem
By Sportswriter Cao Jianjie
SHANGHAI April Xinhua On Aug yearold Ryu Seung Min the world No from South Korea broke the Chinese stranglehold on Olympic table tennis gold medals when he defeated Wang Hao in a mens singles final battle of speedy penholders
It was the first Olympic singles gold for South Korea since Yoo Nam Kyus triumph in Seoul in The victory tasted even sweeter because Ryu had lost to Wang six straight times before the Olympics
I dont think I am genius as media said of me said Ryu Years of hard training a good touch and a bit of talent made me become what I am now
Ryu was born in Seoul in and moved with his parents to Incheon in when Yoo won an Olympic table tennis gold and set off a nationwide frenzy for the sport Ryus father built a table tennis club and taught the son to play the game Ryu won his first tournament as a thirdgrader and then claimed a string of national events of his age He vowed to beat Chinese after he suffered a humiliating loss to Chinese teenager Tan Ruiwu in the nd East Asian championships
Ryus doubles partner Lee Chul Seung says Ryu is hardworking and methodical He doesnt need anyone to worry about him and he thinks about table tennis all the time
In Ryu as a high school student finished fourth in his group full of national team players and made it to the final qualifying tournament for the Asian championships All of a sudden South Korean media trained their attention on the slim teenager Pressure knocked Ryu down ill days before the tournament He ranked seventh out of after garnering a lackluster record of five wins and five losses but was invited to observe the Asian championships in Singapore because table tennis authorities believed Ryu would amount to something
In the th Asian youth championships in Ryu landed the mens singles and doubles gold medals and was hailed as Hope of Asia His then teammate Kim Taek Soo who later became Ryus coach said at that time Ryu will be a key player in the South Korean team and he will reach the top of the world
Ryu made his Olympic debut in Sydney in hoping to win a doubles medal with Lee Chul Seung But they only finished fourth and Ryu was eliminated early in the singles competition I was young and nervous I could only sleep two or three hours every night in Sydney If I could play to half of my best I would have won a bronze medal
Ryu joined a Chinese professional club in and stood on the top podium in the Asian Games in when he combined with Lee Chul Seung to win the mens doubles Meanwhile Ryu was released of military service and had more time for training
In his preparation for the Athens Olympics Ryu trained six hours everyday including one used to deal with Chinese players Chinese knew my game and I wanted to know theirs he said
Ryu realized his dream as well as mine in the Athens Olympics said coach Kim Taek Soo He never shrinks from difficulties in life or training
He has type O blood and so do I Hes very serious while doing things We are alike
Chinese coach Yin Xiao said there was a difference between Ryu and Kim Both play aggressively but Kim is more experienced and more tacticsconscious said Yin Kim choked at clutch moments just as he did in the team championship final against China Ryu didnt choke in the Olympics
I am bold in competition but not so bold in my life said Ryu Ryu strained his back two weeks before the Olympics and he didnt have any training in Athens He was fully fit until his championship final against Wang Hao
Ryu won and had it not been for Wangs sheer nerve and fighting spirit the score would have been easier Ryu bulleted his ferocious forehand through Wang in the first game to win easily The weapon that Wang might have hoped that would have given him the edge over the lighteningfast moving Korean his unusual penhold topspin backhand let him down
In the second game Wangs backhand got more consistent which allowed him to move about and keep out Ryus dangerous forehand forcing Ryu to make more forehand errors When Ryu saved the first of two game points with a big forehand loop Wangs corner called timeout Ryu then missed a forehand and the game score was even
The third game was again very close both players attacking aggressively from either side of the table with their forehands or trying to keep each other out with short pushes Ryu both won and lost more points by going for forehand winners but the strategy paid off including a power forehand flick of a short ball and he won the game from The fourth game followed a similar pattern with Ryu adding punched backhands to take a couple of points At up he counterattacked a rather too pensively a Wang backhand wide to his forehand but he made sure of winning the second game point with a strong forehand loop crosscourt to Wangs forehand
Ryu went to a fifth game lead but Wang demonstrated his character by leveling at attacking on both wings and forcing mistakes from the South Korean by awkward placements wide or at the body Nevertheless Ryu got his first match point when a Wang block just missed but Wang saved it with a backhand loop Ryu went game point behind missing from his extreme forehand but won the next long rally forcing Wang to retreat on his backhand A Wang backhand loop to the center which Ryu blocked into the net and then a Ryu missed forehand loop gave Wang the game and he was back in the match
Once again in the sixth game Ryus aggression led to an lead but once more Wang heroically fought back to pressuring mistakes from Ryu Wang then missed with a forehand push wide on his forehand and Ryu had his second match point This time he made sure of victory with a strong course attack to Wangs forehand
I think that my gold medal was because of hard training and good luck The Chinese are still the strongest and the best and I should not be complacent I will keep training hard and analyzing European methods and reflect that in my training in order to become a future world champion Ryu said after the match
Ryu Seung Min Factfile
Date of Birth May
Height cm
Ryu plays topspin game in the traditional Korean penhold style and has a strong heavyspin and wideangled forehand He also has the fastest footwork in the world With almost the same flick of the wrist he can serve lefty topspin and backspin and righty topspin and backspin He can block and attack with backhand
Results
Semifinals in Asian youth championships in
nd in doubles in world youth championships in
st in singles and doubles in Asian youth championships in
th in doubles in Sydney Olympics in
st in doubles in China Open in
st in doubles nd in mixed doubles in Asian Games in
st in doubles in Croatia Open in
st in singles and doubles in Egypt Open in
st in singles and doubles in US Open
st in singles in Athens Olympics in
Quarterfinals in Qatar Open in
Enditem
By Sportswriter Cao Jianjie
SHANGHAI April Xinhua The year of was the apex of Deng Yapings athletic career as the table tennis queen swept the womens team singles and doubles gold medals at the world championships in north Chinese city Tianjin
In the following years Deng was busy She defended her Olympic titles studied in universities retired from competition joined the Olympic bid team obtained her master degree took a marketing post in the Beijing Olympics organizing committee and returned to the State Sport General Administration of China as an assistant to director of Sports Equipment Department
Deng nabbed her th and last major title in the Manchester world championships in May Six months later she was admitted to the prestigious Tsinghua University as an English language major becoming one of few athletestudents After receiving three months of crash courses Deng went to study in the elite Cambridge University in England in February In August she returned to prepare for the Asian Games only to see youngsters Wang Nan Li Ju and Yang Ying were good enough to take on challenges She faded out of the national team since September to concentrate on her studies
The reason behind Dengs decision to pursue further studies was Mr Juan Antonio Samaranch International Olympic Committee president from two decades After the world championships Mr Samaranch recommended Deng to the IOC Athletes Commission and Deng realized besides table tennis she could make more contributions to China
The member Athletes Commission communicated in English or French but Deng spoke neither and had to bring a translator to meetings Deng decided to study English in Tsinghua University When she was about to retire Deng asked herself what else she could do except becoming a coach Failing to find a quick answer Deng decided to carry on with her studies
Reflecting on her days in Cambridge Deng said Teachers liked to teach me grammar in English but I didnt understand much English not mention grammar
Things got better as days went on Five months later Deng returned to Tsinghua from Cambridge In a coincidence Deng met the president of Nottingham University and decided to return to England Deng studied one year in Nottingham University and finished an English research paper entitled History and Development of Chinese Table Tennis Deng obtained the bachelor degree on June a week before Tsinghuas graduation ceremony because she had to join the Olympic bid team in Moscow
Deng enjoyed campus life so much that she decided to work for a master degree in womens sports in Nottingham In December Deng completed her first book From Bound Feet to Olympic Champions A Social and Cultural Explanation and received an MA diploma
Since Deng has been working for a PhD in an area of Olympic brands in Cambridge Named one of five bid ambassadors for the Olympics at the end of Deng traveled the world to advocate the Beijing bid In February Deng was recalled from England to receive an IOC inspection delegation She still remembers an encounter with a shop clerk in early who told Deng that she would remove her home immediately to make way for an Olympic venue if Beijing won the bid
Deng has recounted this encounter many times to her IOC colleagues and also told the story to the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg She explained The Olympics ought to visit the worlds largest populous country and it can inspire billion people to work faster higher and stronger and to improve their life That is what the Olympics is all about
Deng says what she is doing now is more important than winning gold medals Winning gold brings national pride but cant help the less advantaged She calls for more attention and care to the needy people
As an IOC Athletes Commission member and chairwoman of Chinese Top Laureus Champions Committee Deng actively participates in all kinds of charities and social functions She is building the Laureus China Fund which gathers sponsorships donations and income of memorabilia auctions
This fund will be used to help less advantaged people who have helped Chinese sports and should never be forgotten said Deng Enditem
LIMA April Xinhua Peru national soccer team coach Paulo Autuori has resigned after lawmakers raised question of whether his monthly salary US dollars is too high
The Peruvian Football Federation and Mr Paulo Autuori deMello have by mutual consent decided to rescind the contract with no obligation to pay any compensation it said ina statement
The Brazilians resignation comes amid an investigation bylawmakers into the Football Federations financial affairs which raised the question of whether his salary about times theaverage minimum wage represents good value for money given Perus poor results on the pitch
In their most recent World Cup qualifier Peru were held to a draw by Ecuador after a late miss that dealt a severe blow to Perus ambitions of reaching their first World Cup since
Peru are seventh in the nation South American group with points Argentina lead the table on points and reigningchampions Brazil are second on
Autuori who has been in charge of the Peruvian team since declined to answer lawmakers questions on Friday in Congress
It was not immediately clear who would succeed Autuori Perus next World Cup qualifier is against Colombia on June Enditem
LISBON April Xinhua Following are the first round results from the Estoril Open ATP event on Monday prefix number denotes seeding
Santiago Ventura Spain bt Gilles Muller Luxembourg
Guillermo GarciaLopez Spain bt Ivo Karlovic Croatia
Michal Tabara Czech Republic bt Tomas Berdych Czech Republic
Gaston Gaudio Argentina bt Jan Hernych Czech Republic Enditem
LONDON April Xinhua Following are the summaries from the English Premier League matches on Monday
Arsenal Jose Antonio Reyes
Tottenham Hotspur
Halftime Attendance
Sunday April
Manchester United Wayne Rooney Wes Brown
Newcastle United Darren Ambrose
Halftime Attendance
Portsmouth Yakubu Aiyegbeni pen Arjan de Zeeuw Lomana LuaLua
Southampton Henri Camara
Halftime Attendance
Played on Saturday
Crystal Palace Andy Johnson
Liverpool
Halftime Attendance
Blackburn Rovers
Manchester City
Halftime Attendance
Aston Villa Fernando Hierro og
Bolton Wanderers Gary Speed
Halftime Attendance
Chelsea Joe Cole Frank Lampard Eidur Gudjohnsen
Fulham Collins John
Halftime Attendance
Everton Duncan Ferguson
Birmingham City Emile Heskey
Halftime Attendance
Middlesbrough Szilard Nemeth Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink Stewart Downing
West Bromwich Albion
Halftime Attendance
Norwich City Mathias Svensson
Charlton Athletic
Halftime Attendance
Enditem
LISBON April Xinhua Following are the results and standings from the Portuguese premier league matches on Monday
Penafiel Braga
Sunday April
Maritimo Vitoria Setubal
Estoril Benfica
Rio Ave Gil Vicente
Beira Mar Porto
Uniao Leiria Nacional Madeira
Saturday April
Boavista Moreirense
Sporting Lisbon Academica
Friday April
Belenenses Vitoria Guimaraes
Standings tabulated under games played won drawn lost goals for against points
Benfica
Sporting Lisbon
Braga
Porto
Boavista
Vitoria Guimaraes
Rio Ave
Belenenses
Maritimo
Penafiel
Uniao Leiria
Vitoria Setubal
Nacional Madeira
Academica
Gil Vicente
Estoril
Moreirense
Beira Mar
Enditem
LONDON April Xinhua Following are the result and standings from the English Premier League matches on Monday
Arsenal Tottenham Hotspur
Sunday April
Manchester United Newcastle United
Portsmouth Southampton
Saturday April
Aston Villa Bolton Wanderers
Blackburn Rovers Manchester City
Chelsea Fulham
Crystal Palace Liverpool
Everton Birmingham City
Middlesbrough West Bromwich Albion
Norwich City Charlton Athletic
Standings tabulated under games played won drawn lost goals for against and points
Chelsea
Arsenal
Manchester United
Everton
Liverpool
Bolton Wanderers
Middlesbrough
Tottenham Hotspur
Aston Villa
Manchester City
Charlton Athletic
Blackburn Rovers
Birmingham City
Newcastle United
Portsmouth
Fulham
Crystal Palace
Norwich City
West Bromwich Albion
Southampton
Enditem
LONDON April Xinhua Following are the leading scorers of the English Premier League on Monday
Thierry Henry Arsenal
Andy Johnson Crystal Palace
Jermain Defoe Tottenham Hotspur
Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink Middlesbrough Yakubu Aiyegbeni Portsmouth
Andy Cole Fulham Eidur Gudjohnsen Chelsea Robert Pires Arsenal Robbie Keane Tottenham Hotspur
Frank Lampard Chelsea Fredrik Ljungberg Arsenal Kevin Phillips Southampton Peter Crouch Southampton Didier Drogba Chelsea Wayne Rooney Manchester United Rob Earnshaw West Bromwich Albion
Tim Cahill Everton Paul Dickov Blackburn Rovers Robbie Fowler Manchester City Shaun WrightPhillips Manchester City Milan Baros Liverpool
Emile Heskey Birmingham CityJose Antonio Reyes Arsenal Luis Boa Morte Fulham Nolberto Solano Aston Villa Paul Scholes Manchester United El Hadji Diouf Bolton Wanderers Luis Garcia Liverpool Enditem
PARIS April Xinhua French first division strugglers Nice have decided to put an end to its contract with coach Gernot Rohr after a series of poor results the club said in a statement on Monday
Mr Rohr is blamed for behaviour incompatible with his duties a statement from the club said This has had consequences on the sides results
Nice are taking disciplinary action to try to terminate his contract
which still has two years to run Should the club fail they would owe Rohr million euros in wages
With four games left Nice are th in the strong table just one spot above the relegation zone
The yearold German coach had been in charge since January He is the ninth Ligue coach to lose his job this season Enditem
SHANGHAI April Xinhua Following are technical innovations in Chinese table tennis
From one side to two sides
The year of was a watershed in the technical development of Chinese table tennis Since the th world championships in in which Swede JanOve Waldner won the mens singles crown Europeans started to accept the Chinese concept of using forehand attacks as a major weapon hitting the ball early and taking the initiative in offense and witnessed the maturing of an extremely aggressive style represented by Frenchman JeanPhilippe Gatien Belgian JeanMichael Saive and German Jorg Rosskopf Around Chinese learned from the successes and defeats of penhold attackers Jiang Jialiang and Chen Longcan and handshake attacker Teng Yi producing a secret weapon represented by Kong Linghui to deal with Europeans
While making full use of their forehand power European players failed to mend their weaknesses especially in backhand That made them technically unbalanced and gave Chinese opportunities to catch up Since Jiang Chen and Teng called it quits Chinese had fear for heavy loops and long rallies by Europeans They knew Gatien and his likes had weaknesses but they didnt have the ability to turn the tables In the early s the Chinese were jolted awake by a fact that they were disadvantageous in long rallies against South Koreans and Swedes After realizing the problem Chinese coaches stressed the importance of forehand attacks and taking the initiative They urged players to expose backhand loopholes of then top players like Saive and Gatien by attacking their forehands and pressuring backhands Chinese regained the dominance in by cleansweeping all the seven world titles
In terms of thirdball attacks and attacks on serves Chinese had gradually switched from the use of one side to two sides From the th to th world championships while most Europeans were struggling in dealing with Chinese serves and receives Waldner his teammate Jorgen Persson and Gatien had found effective ways to deal with deep returns by Chinese At that time Chinese top players Jiang Chen and Teng could hardly control the table once they lost the initiative in attacking Defeats were inevitable in the and world championships In the championships a new generation of Chinese players Kong Linghui Liu Guoliang Ma Wenge and Wang Tao appeared and they all could attack with two sides of the racket Then started an ensuing decade of China vs World
Quality of shots
Since the World Cup the table tennis world has focused on the quality of every shot Chinese have enriched their tactics by adding the change of attacking directions to the traditional way to attack the ball early Europeans have added more spin to their play and learned from Asians on speed
The introduction of the mm ball in had prompted both Europeans and Asians to ponder over new styles and tactics The quality of backhands is even more important Kalinikos Kreanga of Greece and Werner Schlager of Austria have perfected their backhand skills while South Korean Ryu Seung Min has developed a better and stronger backhand block Chinese players while honing every technical aspect have developed into two major schools Ma Lin Wang Liqin and Liu Guozheng are more dangerous with killer forehands Liu Guoliang and Kong Linghui are balanced in offense and defense and have very good connection between shotsThe ITTF adopted the use of the mm ball over the mm ball in for all table tennis competition worldwide affecting players in different ways The new ball took a sting out of Lius serves and attacks as the Chinese penholder crashed out of the quarterfinals in the world championships Thanks to the new ball Kreenga Ma Lin and Chuan ChihYuan have more or less improved their play
When it comes to short balls either Chinese or nonChinese players have a new understanding of placement shots They have no dead corner and can attack from every spot of the table That was unimaginable years ago Another innovation is that players now dare return backspin long and then switch from defense to offense Pipsout attackers and choppers
The pipsout penhold style has been in decline since the retirement of Olympic and world champion Liu Guoliang while the defensive play has revived with the appearance of Joo Se Hyuk South Korea Kim Kyung Ah South Korea Chen Weixing Austria Lin Ju Dominican Republic and Viktoria Pavlovich Belarus Nowadays defensive pipsout penhold and pipsout handshake styles have little room to develop and many people have discouraged their children from these styles It takes twice time to become a defensive player because one has to practice both chops and attacks
In theory the pipsin penhold still has a bright future although in the Chinese team Wang Hao and Ma Lin are the only promising players in this style Japan had more penholders than any other country but it dropped this style in a belief that it would never catch up with South Korea which has produced two penhold Olympic singles champion Pipsin penholders have strong forehand and weaker backhand They tend to heavily favor their forehand The obvious strategy for handshakers would seem to be to exploit their weaker backhand but since many penholders display superb footwork this is not as easy as it might seem To work their backhand you need to move the ball around especially out wide Do this in random fashion so they cant predict where you will direct the ball next Chinese invented a unique penhold style with which one can drive and hit with the reverse side of the racket It seems South Koreans have mastered this style too and will train more such playersPhysique and Rules
Table tennis is a highly technical sport that tests every aspect of a human body Obviously being in good physical shape is important to play at ones best level and can be the difference between two players with the same technical ability Moreover we see many players form and footwork degrade after several matches on a tournament day causing them to make mistakes they normally dont make Better conditioning would help these players maintain the footwork required to play their best
A table tennis player should improve his or her stamina or aerobic conditioning Bicycling swimming for example are all great methods of aerobic exercise Jump rope has an additional benefit beyond building stamina to some degree it also simulates the footwork needed and works the muscles needed for quick movement in table tennis Besides improving stamina one should also train those muscles used in table tennis Exercising all muscles is important for overall health but for table tennis we especially recommend exercises that focus on the legs and abdominals
Chinese researchers have recently switched their attention to the rules of competition After the point scoring system and nohidden service rule were introduced people have paid more heed to taking chances at the beginning of the competition Statistics shows that percent of the players who first reach the fivepoint mark turn out to win the set The reforms by the ITTF are aimed to evenly develop table tennis in the world and make the sport more of a spectacle The point system requires athletes to have a strong mind get into game quickly and make full use of their strengths New methods of mental training are needed and we should no longer babysit our players in tediously long training sessions As a frontrunner in technical innovations the Chinese team has tried to make their daily training more like real competition Enditem
SHANGHAI April Xinhua Following are factfiles of Chinese players for the world table tennis championships
Ma Lin
Date of birth Feb
Height cm
Ma Lin plays with pipsin rubbers in penhold grip and possesses a deadly forehand drive His serves vary in speed spin and directions However his forehand isnt as strong as that of Olympic champion Ryu Seung Min although both have worldclass footwork
Results
st in doubles in the ITTF Pro Tour Finals in
st in mixed doubles in the th world championships in
nd in team in the th world championships in
st in singles in the ITTF Pro Tour Finals in
st in team in the Asian Games in Busan South Korea in
st in doubles in the and ITTF Pro Finals
st in mixed doubles in the th world championships in
st in doubles in the Athens Olympics in
Wang Hao
Date of birth Dec
Height m
Wang playing with pipsin rubbers is unable to block like other penholders and uses the reverse side of the racket for backhand instead Albeit inconsistent his forehand drive is strong and lightening
Results
st in singles in Egypt Open in
st in singles Dutch Open in
st in singles in Croatian Open in
st in singles and team in the Asian championships in
st in singles in the ITTF Pro Tour Finals in
nd in doubles in the th world championships in
st in the th world team championships in
nd in singles in the Athens Olympics in
rd in World Cup in
Chen Qi
Date of birth April
Height
Chen plays with pipsin rubbers in lefthanded shakehand style and boasts brilliant serves As a flamboyant player he is better in offense than defense and tends to lose composure in clutch moments
Results
st in doubles in the ITTF Pro Tour Finals in
st in doubles in Korea Open in
st in doubles in Japan Open in
st in doubles in ITTF Pro Tour Finals in
st in doubles in the Athens Olympics in
Liu Guozheng
Date of birth March
Height cm
Liu started out at six and joined the provincial team in the national youth team in and the national team in With strong nerves Liu plays a consistent topspin game He saved seven match points to win a classic attacking game against South Korean veteran Kim Taek Soo in the deciding match of the team championship final in
Results
st in singles in China Open in
st in singles in the ITTF Pro Tour Finals in
st in singles and doubles in Swedish Open in
st in team in the th world championships in
st in team in the th world championships in
st in team in the Asian Games in Busan South Korea in
st in singles and doubles in Malaysian Open in
st in mixed doubles in the th world championships in
st in mixed doubles in the Asian championships in
st in the th world team championships in
Niu Jianfeng
Date of birth April
Height cm
Niu plays with pipsin rubbers in shakehand style She started to play table tennis at five and joined the national team in Niu is evenly good in forehand and backhand and has brilliant serves including a squat serve which easily sets up her followup attack
Results
st in doubles in the ITTF Pro Tour Finals in
st in singles and doubles in the ITTF Pro Tour Finals in
st in team and singles in the Asian championships in
nd in doubles in the th world championships in
nd in World Cup in
st in the th world team championships in
rd in doubles in the Athens Olympics in
Guo Yue
Date of birth July
Height
Guo playing with pipsin rubbers in shakehand style started out at six and joined the Liaoning team in and the national team in She is fast and has a good touch
Results
nd in doubles in the th world championships in
st in doubles in the ITTF Pro Tour Finals in
st in the th world team championships in
rd in doubles in the Athens Olympics in
st in singles in the ITTF Pro Tour Finals in
Guo Yan
Date of birth June
Height cm
Guo plays with pipsin rubbers in shakehand style and started the game at seven She made it to the Beijing team in and the national team in With a superb physique she plays a manly game
Results
st in singles in Croatian Open in
st in singles in Swedish Open in
st in doubles in Korea Open in
nd in team in the Asian Games in Busan South Korea in
st in singles in Korea Open in
st in team and doubles in the Asian championships in
Enditem
SHANGHAI April Xinhua Chinese coaches see the following players as threats to the Chinese teams in the world table tennis championships
Timo Boll
Germany
Lefthanded shakehand looper
Born March
Height cm
Boll received table tennis training when he was and started representing his country in international competitions when he was In he won his first major title in the World Cup He reached the world No ranking in January the following year Boll has excellent forehand serves with good placements and variation of spin His backhand and forehand fast loops coordinate nicely He has conquered the usual shortcoming of many European players a strong backhand but weak forehand His slices flicks and fast loops enable him to take the initiatives always In counterlooping he is fast and ferocious However his weakness is his conservative tendency during crucial moments His reception of serves lacks variety and power In spite of a series of setbackslosing to Kim Taek Soo in the Olympics losing to Qiu Yike in the Paris World Championships losing to Waldner in the Athens Olympic he is still the most threatening rival for the Chinese team
Vladimir Samsonov
Belarus
Righthanded looper
Born April
Height cm
Samsonov started table tennis training when he was and he joined the German League in His game is solid and his serves are remarkable He handles short shots with good finesse He makes very few unforced errors and always does well in long rallies Even though his style is not aggressive his defense is strong It very much resembles the Chinese Taichi In He and Zoran Primorac finished as doubles runnersup in the World Championships In the Atlanta Olympics in he lost to Wang Tao in the quarterfinal In the Manchester World Championships in he came second after eliminating Chinese Kong Linghui Samsonov is consistent but tends to lose crucial matches for a lack of passion and aggressiveness More
Chuan ChihYuan
Chinese Taipei
Righthanded looping offensive player
Born April
Height cm
Born into a table tennis family Chuan started practicing under his mothers supervision when he was He was sent to the secondstring Chinese national team for more advanced training in He joined the German League in His low toss forehand serve is outstanding His backhand loop in receiving short serve is unique He usually stands close to the table and plays his backhand loop very fast and to wide angles He also makes up his average power forehand loop with excellent footwork The year of was his breakout year He defeated Kalinikos Kreanga of Greece in the singles final at the ITTF Pro Tour Finals He has since been viewed as the player with the most potentials Nevertheless he is not in very good form lately and there is room for improvements when he meets a lefthanded player or a chopper
Kalinikos Kreanga
Greece
Righthanded looper
Born March
Height cm
Kreanga has been among the elites for over years He traded matches with Ma Wenge and Wang Tao in the mid s In the World Cup he lost to Ma Lin in the final He has excellent power partly due to the fact that he was a gymnast and makes some extremely difficult shots at times His backhand loop stands out power angles His serves are average and he has problems in handling serves on his forehand side sometimes He is not very consistent but capable of beating any player when he is in the zone
JeanMichel Saive
Belgium
Righthanded shakehand looper
Born November
Height cm
Saive is the representation of the early aggressive European style He always takes the initiatives and is good at third ball attack Despite his age his loops and lobs are still at high caliber level He plays closer to the table than most European players More
Chiang PengLung
Chinese Taipei
Righthanded penhold looper
Born July
Height cm
Chiang made his first appearance in the Asian Games in Hiroshima Japan He teamed up with Chen Jing to finish third in the mixed doubles Chiangs forte is his punch block which acquired from famous former Chinese team player Zhou Lansun This particular forte enjoys the reputation of Devils punch block throughout the world In the World Championships in Osaka Japan Chiang lifted a singles bronze after ousting Chinese Liu Guoliang Despite all these he has some problems with footwork
Michael Maze
Denmark
Lefthanded looper
Born
Height cm
Maze possesses excellent serves and his attacks open up quickly Compared to the powerful backhand counterloop his forehand is slightly slow yet has a lot of spin In early he won the European Top and found his way to a bronze medal in the doubles event in the Athens Olympics
Chen Weixing
Austria
Chopper forehand inverted rubber backhand long pips
Born April
Height cm
Leung ChuYan
Hong Kong China
Righthanded penhold looper
Born April
Height cm
Petr Karlsson
Sweden
Rightedhanded shakehand looper
Born May
Height cm
World ranking
More
Petr Korbel
Czech Republic
Shakehand looper
Height cm
Korbel is an allround player who has equally good forehand and backhand His backhand reception of short serves is particularly outstanding He registered wins when he played against China in the World Championship team event In the Atlanta Olympics he made it to the semifinals He also eliminated Liu Guozheng in the Paris World Championships
Trinko Keen
Netherlands
Lefthanded looper
Born May
Heightcm
Oh Sang Eun
South Korea
Righthanded shakehand looper
Born April
Height cm
Oh is considered to be big and tall for an Asian His powerful forehand and backhand loops are also rare among Asians His best serves are mainly from forehand and his forehand serve reception is equally good Nevertheless his shortcoming in shots selection become an obstacle for reaching the elite class More
JanOve Waldner
Sweden
Righthanded shakehand offensive player
Born October
Height cm
Waldners greatest contribution to table tennis is that he merges the Chinese closetotable attack style with the European midrange looping He continuously recombines different table tennis techniques His marvelous serves raise the standard of serve and attack among all European players Some may think the legendary JO is over the hill But he still managed to raise so many eyebrows by eliminating Ma Lin and Timo Boll in the Athens Olympics
Ko LaiChak
Hong Kong China
Lefthanded penhold looper
Born May Heightcm World ranking
Adrian Crisan
Romania
Righthanded shakehand looper
Born July
Crisan is an up and coming player His serves reception and backhand are exceptional He can play quality short shots consistently and play fast backhand shots close to the table There are very few unforced errors His shots lack power but he beat Wang Hao both in Japan Open and Qatar Open early this year
Jorg Rosskopf
Germany
Lefthanded shakehand looper
Born May
Height cm
More
Lucjan Blaszczyk
Poland
Righthanded shakehand offensive player
Born February
Height cm
He has good serves and is able to open up his attacks quickly He can loop and hit with both forehand and backhand when he is close to the table In the Olympics he and his partner gave the eventual winners Ma Lin and Chen Qi a lot of trouble in the doubles event
Zoran Primorac
Croatia
Righthanded shakehand looper
Born May
Height cm
Alexei Smirnov
Russia
Righthanded shakehand looper
Height cm
Smirnov started playing table tennis when he was His handling of short shots is excellent His forehand loops usually go down the line while his backhand fast loop can go either direction He made the final four in the German Open Brazilian Open and Qatar Open In the World Cup he scored victories over Boll Chiang and Johnny HuangHe also won the European Top in
Jorgen Persson
Sweden
Righthanded shakehand loope
Born April
Height cm
Enditem
Li Ching
Hong Kong China
Righthanded penhold looper
Height cm
Patrick Chila
France
Lefthanded shakehand looper
Born December
Height cm
Torban Wosik
Germany
Righthanded shakehand looper
Aleksandr Karakasevic
SCG
Offensive player
Slobodan Grujic
SCG
Offensive player
Tomasz Kreeszewski
Poland
Offensive player
Players were having a lot of problems with his serves before the amendments of the rules
Kaii Yoshida
Japan
Righthanded penhold looper
Originally from Hebei China He plays excellent forehand with great footwork Instead of using the trendy reversed backhand he uses traditional block to control the pace of the game
Li Jia Wei
Singapore
Righthanded shakehand offensive player forehand pipsout backhand inverted rubber
Born August
Height cm
Li plays in the same fast attack style of the Beijing tradition She is very much like former Chinese national team player Teng Yi Her wide variety of serves prove to be deceptive Her backhand also produces loops and flat hits Her pipsout forehand is equally formidable Ironically her Achillies heel is also her forehand She has problems in dealing with deep heavy backspin serves In the Olympics she lost a heartbreaker to eventual gold medalist Wang Nan In the Korean Open she beat one of the best young Chinese players Guo Yue In the Athens Olympics she had her sweet revenge by eliminating Wang and made it to the semifinals
More
Kim Kyung Ah
South Korea
Righthanded shakehand chopper forehand inverted rubber backhand long pips
Born May
Height cm
Kims style is very much of a traditional chopper Her orthodox game offers very little variations yet her mental power is outstanding In she defeated Sun Jin of China while playing barefooted shoes were damaged In the World Championships in Doha Qatar her racket was broken in the middle of a match against Wang Nan With a new racket she still managed to squeeze by in the th game In the Athens Olympics her consistency brought her a single bronze medal and a place in the final four in the doubles event
Tmara Boros
Croatia
Righthanded shakehand looper
Born December
Height cm
Boros became famous in the Professional Circuit when she took the then No Deng Yaping to the fifth and final game She can serve high toss meters with both forehand and backhand Her style resembles her fellow Croatian Zoran Primorac and the power of her loops is peerless However shortcomings on her forehand stops her from reaching the pinnacle In the World Championships she finished third by beating Gao Jun of the United States
Kim Kyang Mi
Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea
Righthanded shakehand fastattack looper forehand inverted rubber backhand pips out
Born
Height cm
Kims serves offer little variation but her entire game is very aggressive Her pipsout backhand usually controls the pace of the game and she has excellent footwork In the Asian Games she beat Wang Nan In the Athens Olympics she beat Nu Jianfeng and Li Jia Wei on her way to become the silver medalist
Aya Umemura
Japan
Righthanded shakehand looper
Born December
Height cm
Being tall Umemura covers tremendous range Her backhand loop is very aggressive and ferocious Since when she started international competitions she improves steadily In the Asian Games she battled Zhang Yining to the seventh game and lost In Qatar after beating Zhang in the semifinals she took Wang Nan to the seventh game She used to play with pips out on her backhand She changed to inverted rubber upon her coachs suggestion Since then she has raised her game to a new level
More
Viktoria Pavlovich
Belarus
Righthanded chopperforehand inverted rubber backhand long pips Even though Pavlovich is a little short of being the elite she is well capable of pulling surprises Recently her consistency improves and she flips her racket well to make best use of the two different rubbers
Gao Jun
United States
Penhold pipsout hitter
Born January
Height cm
Gao is a traditional penhold pipsout hitter Despite the fact that her forehand lacks power she is a seasoned veteran who makes great use of her forte backhand block In the Paris World Championship she beat Kim Kyung Ai by playing steady topspin shots In both and World Cup she beat Wang Nan in the group
Liu Jia
Austria
Shakehand looper
With good serves and solid fundamentals Liu plays her backhand flick differently In the World Championships she beat Yang Ying and made the quarterfinals In the ITTF Pro Tour Finals she was in the semifinals In she won the European Top title
Kim Hyon Hui
Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea
Lefthanded shakehand offensive player forehand inverted rubber backhand long pips
Born
Height cm
Kim made her mark in Atlanta Olympics when she fought her way into the quarterfinals by beating Chai BoWah of Hong Kong In the World Cup she was in the final In the Asian Games she made her contribution to her team by beating Wang Nan She has very strong will and can always be viewed as a threat More
Tie Yana
Hong Kong China
Righthanded shakehand hitter
Born December
Height cm
Tie who has never played on the Chinese national team won the World University Games by beating Zhang Yining and Nu Jianfeng Though her forehand is not particularly strong her backhand placement and tenacity are two lethal weapons She can always outlast her opponents Nevertheless she has problems taking the initiatives and dealing with long pips choppers
Mihaela Steff
Romania
Lefthanded shakehand looper
Born August
Heightcm
Steff is a representation of the trend of European women players masculine plays Her backhand serves flicks and loops are outstanding She may not be as aggressive as Boros yet more consistent She does not response very well to changes of pace and placement She still has a resume of registering victories over Zhang Yining Li Ju and Chen Jing
Lau Sui Fei
Hong Kong China
Righthanded penhold looper
Born July
Height cm
Lau has a good high toss serve aggressive forehand consistent backhand block and jab She has beaten Boros and Steff many times At the Qatar World Championships she gave Wang Nan a hard time In the World Cup she beat Niu Jianfeng in the group
Lin Ling
Hong Kong China
Righthanded shakehand looper
Born January
Height cm
Lin is a former Chinese national team member In the World Championships she held her own and eliminated Chen Jing and Liu Jia and took a silver medal When she is on she gives everybody trouble However her game lacks variations and her forehand is a bit slow More
Lee Eun Sil
South Korea
Pipsout penhold hitter
Born December
Height cm
Lee is a veteran of the South Korean team Her serves are either short or placed at the right side around the centerline She is aggressive but she handles the pace of the game poorly and her footwork needs improvements
Saki Kanazawa
Japan
Lefthanded penhold looper
Height cm
Originally from Hebei China she has good high toss serves Her game is consistent but lacks power
Ai Fujinuma
Japan
Lefthanded shakehand offensive playerforehand inverted rubber backhand pipsout
Height
She made her reputation by beating Li Ju at the Qatar World Championships She has a good high toss serve and third ball attack Her forehand is aggressive yet lacks consistency However she can be a big threat when she is on She only enters two doubles events this World Championships
Kim Yun Mi
Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea
Righthanded penhold reverted rubber and long pips
Born
Height cm
Kim does not flip her racket She simply uses the reversed side long pips to look for opening for her inverted forehand In the Osaka World Championships she beat Toth Steff and Li Ju to make to the semifinals In the Asian Games she beat Li Nan in the team event to give her a precious point for the championship Her offense does seem weak when she runs into steady loopers like Niu Jianfeng
Nicole Struse
Germany
Shakehand looper
Height cm
World ranking
Despite being a veteran she still plays with a lot of passion She has powerful loops on both forehand and backhand She is the winner of European Top this year There are many victories over Chinese players under her belt
Jie Schopp
Germany
Shakehand chopper forehand inverted rubber backhand long pips
Born January
Height cm
Schopp came from Hebei China She never plays on the Chinese national team She uses the two different sides of rubber to confuse her opponents She plays very little offense but still manages to beat a lot of good Chinese players More
Otilia Badescu
Romania
Shakehand pipsout hitter
Born October
Height cm
Her brilliant moment came when she lost to the eventual winner in the semifinals of the World Championships Ten years later she still managed to gain the European crown Another tough player to play when she is on
Tan Monfardini Wenling
Italy
Shakehand offensive player forehand inverted rubber backhand long pips
Height
Tan came from China and her game depends on the backhand to control the pace She has led the Italian team to her team title in European Championships She added a single title at Chilean Open in
Elke Wosik
Germany
Shakehand looper
Height cm
With her tall statue she covers a lot of space with powerful loops In the World Championships she played Wang Nan a tough game match in the semifinals of the team event In the Paris World Championships she beat Wang Nan
Csilla Batorfi
Hungary
Shakehand looper
She is another veteran from the late s She has excellent high toss serves and spinny loops despite being slow She beat Lin Ling in the th World Championships In she teamed with Toth to beat Wang NanZhang Yining in Qatar Open
Krisztina Toth
Hungary
Shakehand looper
She is a powerful player and has won the European singles title She plays doubles well with Batorfi and got a bronze medal in both the Olympics and the rd Worlds
Ai Fukuhara
Japan
Righthanded shakehand offensive player forehand inverted rubber backhand pips out
Born November
Height cm
Zhang Xue Ling
Singapore
Righthanded shakehand offensive player forehand inverted rubber backhand pips out
Born
Height
Li Chungli
New Zealand
Penhold pipsout hitter
Height cm
Maria Fazzkas
Hungary
Shakehand looper
Height cm
Wu Xue
Dominica originally from Beijing
Lefthaded penhold hitter
Svetlana GaninaRussia righthanded chopper forehand inverted rubber backhand long pips
Sayaka Hirano
Japan
Righthanded shakehand looper
Allround game with average power
Enditem
SHANGHAI April Xinhua Unquestionably the greatest single influence in the development of table tennis can be attributed to the proliferation of surface variations of the racket more popularly referred to as the bat Let us therefore take a closer look at the development that has taken place from the rigid and unyielding bats to the cushioned resilient weapons we have today
The very earliest bats that were used for table tennis were vellum battledores originally made for the ancient game of Shuttlecock a primitive form of Badminton These battledores were not entirely suitable for the table game on two counts On the one hand the vellum became slack in damp conditions and the other hand the overall length of the battledore became an encumbrance when quick fire play was needed First came wood and cork faced bats but they had severe limitations in shot production so a search for bat covering that would provide better control and impart spin persisted Baize felt leather and ever sandpaper were tried but without any noticeable spin the game degenerated into a stonewalling contest In Mr EC Goode cut down the rubber spikes of a chemists cash mat and stuck it to the blade of a wooden bat After only a few weeks practice his form improved immeasurably and he went on to win the English championship with comparative ease He became the first player ever to win a tournament with a rubber faced bat It was the celluloid ball in contact with the rubber surface that allowed for a new range of shots and different spins From a drawing room diversion the game took on a new dimension and the pimpled rubber bat lasted until the fifties when sponge and sandwich rackets took over and changed the pattern of the game by adding greater spins and increased speed of shots
The advent of sponge
Experiments with bats covered with sponge had taken place in the thirties and forties An English player became quite proficient with a thick sponge racket and was rewarded with an international badge However it was not until that the effects of a sponge bat were first felt in the World Championships A yearold Austrian named Waldemar Fritsch became a veritable giant killer by notching up victories over four of the worlds top ranked players in Swaythling Cup matches Most of his wins were made over three games where it seemed his then secret weapon was most effective Over the longer course of five games his opponents had more opportunity to fathom out the problems he created and he was eventually tamed by Ferenc Sido In the World Championships moved to Asia and marked the beginning of Asian dominance The Japanese used sponge bats with great effect causing confusion among their opponents with guile and considerable control The winner of the Mens singles was Hiroji Satoh who used a thick sponge bat and simply mesmerized the European stars by variations and unusual bounces he managed to produce The lack of noise upon impact was very disconcerting to opponents and several experts who were there voiced the opinion that is would kill table tennis as a spectator sport The ITTF however thought otherwise and decided to allow sponge to be used in International competition At the th Congress considerable discussion took place as to whether or not sponge should be banned and a compromise was made that was to become operative on st July Finally it was agreed upon that sponge could be used in matches
In an exaggerated topspin shot was developed which was classified as a loop drive It was not necessarily a new shot but when executed with modern rubbers and sandwich bats its spin effects were quite violent The s brought about an escalation in another direction when at the World Championships Chinas Liang Geliang caused consternation by using a technique that won many points particular from the service by deceiving his opponents He used a bat that was faced on one side with long pimpled rubber and on the other side it was faced with inverted soft rubber Just before making contact with the ball particularly when serving he would turn the face of the bat to confuse his opponent Furthermore and to prevent detection by sound he would stamp his foot on the floor so that it was not possible to determine which side from the bat he was about to use
The th ITTF Congress held in Gothenburg Sweden in dealt with a considerable number of rule change proposals and the one with the most impact concerned a new regulation for racket covering It read The surface of one side of the racket shall be bright red and surface of the other side shall be black whether or not both sides are used for striking the ball
One of the major issues of the nineties was a debate on whether liquid glue should be banned as it had been proved to be harmful if inhaled According to the decisions made by the ITTF in liquid glue should have been banned since that year However that resolution was not actually implemented In liquid glue was once again discussed by the ITTF and the final decision will probably be made during this world championship in Shanghai
At the latter part of the nineties debate was centered on the length of pimpled rubber and it was decided that as from the st July a reduction in the length of long pimples should be made by millimeters
The adoption of larger balls in the year of prompts the further development of the covering of the racket The socalled innerenergetic sandwich rubber was widely used which lessens peoples reliance on the glue to some extent At the same time manmade fiber rackets are more and more recognized by people for it conforms to the trend of the powerful and quick playing style at present However the limitations contained in the rules on fiber might encounter some challenges as well Enditem
SHANGHAI April Xinhua Following are introductions to seven world table tennis championship trophies
Swaythling Cup
Swaythling Cup was donated by Mrs Swaythling the mother of the first ITTF president Mr Lvor Montayu As the sponsor of the first World Championships Mrs Swaythling picked an elegant silver cup from Montayu familys warehouse as the trophy for the mens team event
Marcel Corbillon Cup
Womens team event was added on the list of the World Table Tennis Championships in Mr Marcel Corbillon the former chairman of French Table Tennis Federation donated the trophy as the winners token for the womens team competition
Saint Bride Cup
If youre the winner of the mens singles event you will be awarded the Saint Bride Cup Donated by C Corti Woodcock the Saint Bride Cup was to honor Englands FJPerry who was the champion of the World Championships
G Geist Prize
The trophy for womens singles event is named after its creator Mr GGeist former chairman of Hungarian Table Tennis Federation
Iran Cup
At the th World Championships held in Iran in the King of Iran presented the Iran Cup as the token for the mens doubles event
WJPope Trophy
The womens doubles trophy W J Pope Trophy came into being at the th World Championships held in London in The trophy was named after Mr W J Pope the honorary president of the ITTF
Zdenek Heydusek Prize
Zdenek Heydusek Prize for the mixed doubles was named after its donator the former secretary of former Czechoslovakia Table Tennis Federation Mr Zdenek Heydusek Enditem
By Zdenko Uzorinac
SHANGHAI April Xinhua The true origins and birthplace of table tennis one of the fastest and most dynamic sports ever have never been properly explained or established
Available data are scant and varied and call for general consideration of the history of ball and similar games The original homeland of ball games according to different sources is Asia England even North America with its Indians There are however quite a few data showing that China with its very developed culture and ancient Egypt were also familiar with ball games According to Ivor Montagu cave inscriptions discovered in Yenan suggest that the precursor of table tennis was known in ancient China
The beginnings of table tennis proper are to be traced to last quarter th century England Major progress was made following the invention of the rubber ball filled with compressed air Winfield Lawn tennis was played outdoors when the weather was bad they played indoors on a table with tennis rackets and a board row of books or tins serving at the net The game was named Miniature Indoor Lawn Tennis Game and initiated a major step towards presentday table tennis Different variants of miniature tennis were played at the time throughout the United Kingdom and her colonies and America with nonstandard accessories and without any special rules
Table tennis appeared in print for the first time in the catalogue of the firm game played on a table with rubber balls and square rackets coated with cardboard or cloth in order to produce some rotations
The major advance in the development of the game is to be credited to James Gibb English engineer and excellent crosscountry runner who while traveling in America in found a celluloid ball in a toy shop It was a kind of toy ball with fine elasticity He then brought several balls back and replaced the cork balls After some improvement on the ball he started to manufacture and market celluloid balls They marked a turning a turning point in the development of the ball which in began to spread rapidly throughout England
J Gibb gave table tennis the onomatopoeic name of PingPong imitative of the sound of the ball when striking the table or the wooden bat mainly used at the time The game was played all over England in summer and winter alike in apartments clubs and in hotels They also played it extensively in cafes and restaurants frequented by the privileged class in tails and evening dresses
Competitions were organized and the first tournament was held at Londons Royal Aquarium presentday Central Palace in Westminster In the early nineteenhundreds England had a PingPong Association at the Park halland later on a Table Tennis Association at the Royal Aquarium Each played by its own rules differing mainly in scoring and serving In Parker Brothers USA bought the right to use the name PingPong in the States for one million balls The sellers kept inventing new names thus the game also used to be called Gossima in England and WhiffWhaff in America
Initially table tennis was played with rackets of all forms made of different materials First there were the socalled banjorackets cm coated with parchment and with large handles There followed rackets made of cardboard canvas glasspaper wood rope or cork
The Englishman EC Goode who was supposed to compete at a major London tournament dropped in at a pharmacy to buy some medication for his headache and noted the rubber pad used by the pharmacist to give change to the customer An excellent idea dawned upon him as he grasped the concept of how he could make use of the rubber studs to his advantage He glued the rubber to his bat This gave him longer contact with the ball better control and a harder stroke He practiced hard over the weekend perfected the backhand drive and won the coming tournament along with a number of others
The first unofficial rules were drawn up in England as early as the late th century However they did not apply to all countries as there was no international table tennis body At the time it took points not to win a set Until they served directly across the net
English tourists and sportsmen spread the game to the Continent In Vienna was the venue of the first international tournament and won by Edward Shires of England Following that event were several international tournaments After a period of stagnation throughout Europe the game was revived again first of all in England in and made headway into countries where it had not been played before The English PingPong Association was founded and soon dissolved and on the same day its officials founded the English Table Tennis Association the first association of this kind in the world Enditem
SHANGHAI April Xinhua Following is a list of International Table Tennis Federation presidents
Ivor Montagu
Montagu is of men who met in Germany in January and set in motion a series of events that made table tennis an international sport In Montagu initiated the creation of the International Table Tennis Federation and served as its first president for years until The ITTF began with four member countries and grew to national associations during his leadership
The constitution and laws of the sport of table tennis were adopted and the World Table Tennis Championships established during a meeting at the family home of Lord and Lady Swaythling Montagus parents At age he was a founder of the English Table Tennis Association ETTA and served as its chairman from to from to and again from to He was also the ETTAs president from to and to
H Roy Evans
Second ITTF President Evans began to play table tennis in Wales at the age of and had been an ITTF secretary until he took the helms of the ITTF In With his tenacious efforts table tennis became an Olympic medal event in
In Evans lost his presidency to Japanese Ichiro Ogimura in a voting in favor of the latter and was named ITTF honorary president The mens World Cup Evans Cup was named after him
Ichiro Ogimura
Third ITTF President Ogimura began to play table tennis at and had won world championship titles for Japan He had been an ITTF executive board member and first vice president before he was voted as president In Thanks to Ogimuras efforts South Korea and DPR Korea sent a historical joint team to the world championships
Lollo Hammarlund
Fourth ITTF president Hammarlund had coached the Swedish team from to and was voted ITTF president in He died of an illness In October He was known as a fair sport leader
Xu Yinsheng
Fifth ITTF president Xu was a key player in the Chinese mens team which won the th th and th world team championships and later became head coach of the Chinese team Xu who had been Chinese vice sports minister ITTF vice president took the ITTF presidency in He proposed mm ball in an aim to make the sport more of a spectacle He didnt seek ITTF reelection in and still holds the presidency of the Chinese Table Tennis Association
Adam Sharara
Sixth ITTF president Born in Cairo Sharara started to play table tennis at and joined the Canadian national team in He was voted as ITTF president in Under his leadership the mm ball is used and point scoring system adopted As a reformminded leader Sharara put forward P policy Participation Popularity Profit Planning which is the point of reference for all ITTF plans and activities and serves as the underlying philosophy of the ITTF Enditem
ROME April Xinhua AC Milan defender Jaap Stam has recovered in time for the Champions League semifinal first leg against PSV Eindhoven on Tuesday
The Dutch international was included in a man squad after suffering a muscle strain during a win against Serie A rivals Parma at the weekend underwent fitness tests on Monday
His recovery will come as a relief to Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti who had already lost his other firstchoice central defender Alessandro Nesta to suspension
Milans other injury worry midfielder Andrea Pirlo was also named in the squad and is expected to feature in the starting lineup after training as usual on Sunday Enditem
SHANGHAI April Xinhua Following are the leading world rankings ahead of the world table tennis championships slated for April May
Wang Liqin China
Ma Lin China
Wang Hao China
Vladimir Samsonov Belarus
Timo Boll Germany
Ryu Seung Min South Korea
Chen Qi China
Chuan ChihYuan Chinese Taipei
Werner Schlager Austria
Kalinokos Kreanga Greece
JeanMichel Saive Belgium
Kong Linghui China
Adrian Crisan Romania
Chen Weixing Austria
Alexei Smirnov Russia
Chiang PengLung Chinese Taipei
Petr Korbel Czech Republic
Liu Guozheng China
Michael Maze Denmark
Leung Chu Yan Hong Kong China
Enditem
SHANGHAI April Xinhua Following are the womens world rankings ahead of the world table tennis championships
Zhang Yining China
Wang Nan China
Niu Jianfeng China
Tamara Boros HRV
Guo Yue China
Li Jia Wei Singapore
Tie Yana Hong Kong China
Guo Yan China
Liu Jia Austria
Kim Kyung Ah South Korea
Lau Sui Fei Hong Kong China
Cao Zhen China
Mihaela Steff Romania
Viktoria Pavlovich Belarus
Li Ju China
Zhang Rui Hong Kong China
Lin Ling Hong Kong China
Li Xiaoxia China
Gao Jun United States
Song Ah Sim Hong Kong China
Enditem
WASHINGTON April Xinhua The international Softball Federation ISF announced Monday that June will be World Softball Day coinciding the date when the sport was added to the program of the Summer Olympics in
Throughout we are celebrating the th anniversary of the first ever world softball championship which makes this the right time to celebrate the day that our sport became a part of the Olympic program said ISF president Don Porter
The first world softball championship played in February of in Melbourne Australia featured five womens teams each from Australia Japan New Guinea Zew Zealand and the United States Australia eventually won the title
The athletes who have played in the first three Olympic softball competition are asked to be softball ambassadors on the newly declared special day for the sport Enditem
DAR ES SALAAM April Xinhua SC Villa of Uganda and Rayon Sport of Rwanda each scored five unanswered goals to clinch their respective group matches at the Kagame Cup central and east African clubs championship in Mwanza of northern Tanzania
Kenyan international Ben Mwalala hit a hattrick in Villas match against Elman of Somalia on Monday while Haruna Mawa brought forth another hattrick to pace Rayon to its rout of Atletico Olympic of Burundi according to reports reaching here
The routing was an insult to injury to Elman as the club has had three of its players suspended from the current cup tournament that drew clubs from six countries
The Confederation of East and Central Africa Football Associations expelled Elmans Mohamed Nur Abdi Issack and Omary Othman as the trio had attempted to rough up a referee after the clubs defeat to Atletico in an earlier preliminary round
On Tuesday defending champions APR of Rwanda meet KMKM of Zanzibar while Ulinzi of Kenya the runnersup at last years cup tourney meet Awasa of Ethiopia Enditem
WASHINGTON April Xinhua Following are the results of Mondays National Basketball Association conference quarterfinal playoff games
home team in CAPS
Eastern Conference
Indiana bt BOSTON
Bestofseven series tied at
Western Conference
Houston bt DALLAS
Houston leads bestofseven series
Enditem
WASHINGTON April Xinhua Chinese center Yao Ming scored points and Tracy McGrady added as the Houston Rocketss beat the Mavericks Monday in Dallas to clinch the second straight road win in the NBA playoff series
Yao was for from the field and McGrady making the winning basket withless than three seconds remaining added assists and eight rebounds
The series moves to Houston for Game Three on Thursday with the Rockets on a ninegame winning streak including the last seven of the regular season
Houston trailed with to play before McGrady and Yao teamed up to rally the Rockets into a commanding lead in the bestofseven series
The Mavericks called a timeout after McGradys final basket but a last second shot from Michael Finley failed sealing the Mavs fate
Jon Barry added points off the bench for Houston while Bob Sura had points
Dirk Nowitzki had points to lead the Mavericks who were outscored in the final quarter
Josh Howard added points for Dallas and Jason Terry chipped in with points
Reggie Miller scored points including the gamewinning basket as the Indiana Pacers leveled their playoff series against the Boston Celtics with an road victory on Monday
Miller scored a footer with seconds remaining with Ricky Davis and Paul Pierce both missing late shots for the Celtics
With the bestofseven Eastern Conference quarterfinal all square at the teams head to Indianapolis for Games Three and Four
Miller who plans to retire at the end of the playoffs went for from the floor while playing a teamhigh minutes
Stephen Jackson added points for the Pacers while Jermaine ONeal chipped in with
Pierce led all scorers with points for the Celtics who shot just percent yet still held a sevenpoint lead with eight minutes remaining
Antoine Walker added points and seven rebounds for Boston but no other Celtic managed more than six points Enditem
BEIJING April Xinhua Primera Liga powerhouse Real Madrid will begin its China tour with all heavyweight players for the second time between July and announced the clubs deputy president Butragueno at a press conference in the Great Hall of People here on Tuesday
Its Reals second visit to China after the legendary club held a training camp in Kunming and had a match with the Chinese Dragon team in Beijing two years ago This time they will face Beijing Hyundai club on July
Certainly We will bring all the star players here this summer including Raul Zidane Ronaldo Figo Beckham Owen and Carlos confirmed Butraguenuo When we travelled to Beijing two years ago we were deeply impressed by the warm welcome and great kindness of the Chinese fans here thats why we decide to come to Beijing again
We would try our best to give the Chinese fans a fantastic match as a kind of reward
Real is in fierce competition with big rivals Barcelona for the title of the Liga The capitals club now have points and rank second at the standings six behind leaders Barcelona with five games left Enditem
CANBERRA April Xinhua The super middleweight title fight between Australian Anthony Mundine and WBA champion Mikkel Kessler has been postponed indefinitely after the latter was injured officials said Monday
The fight was originally planned to take place at the Sydney Entertainment Center on May
Mundines manager Khoder Nasser said Monday he had been told that Kessler injured his back while training in Denmark
The yearold Mundine has an overall record of wins with knockouts and two losses
He lost his first challenge for a world title when he was beaten by German Sven Ottke for the International Boxing Federation super middleweight title in
Mundine then won the WBA title when he beat American Antwun Echols in September before losing it to Puerto Rican Manny Siaca in May last year Siaca has since lost the title to Kessler
A former professional rugby league player Mundine announced earlier this month that he wanted to return to his former sport Several rugby league teams have expressed an interest Enditem
YANTAI East China April Xinhua The China Swimming Association CSA on Tuesday awarded Chinese cities and districts and swimming pools for their contributions to promote the sport in the world most populous country
The cities districts and swimming pools have made contributions to mass up swimming talents and bring them up through basic and systematic training programs
Among the cities and districts are Dalian in northeastern Liaoning Province Shangcheng District of eastern city Hangzhou Yangpu and Huangpu districts of Shanghai and the city of Shantou in southern Guangdong Province
The swimming pools awarded include the ones in the Beijingbased national training camp and the national Olympic complex the Qian Hong Swimming Pool in Baoding of northern Hebei Province which is named after and run by former world and Olympic champion swimmer the Fujian Provincial Sports Bureau swimmingand diving pools and Shanghais Pudong Swimming Pool
They have contributed to bringing up such world and Olympic champion swimmers as Luo Xuejuan from Zhejiang Province and Qi Hui from Fujian Province and double Olympic champion diver Guo Jingjing from Hebei Province
The pools also help gather swimming talents and boost local economy Many pools have run swimming clinics for youngsters which help pick up promising swimmers And the pools run in a wellschemed andeconomic way have produced sufficient profit both forfurther development and standing out as good taxpayers
And these advanced swimming pools also provide training facilities for the countrys national orlocal teams They the swimming pools have contributed a lot to Chinese sport of swimming and brought about numerous swimmers and divers who have won glories at Olympic Games and other major eventssaid Li Hua secretarygeneral of the CSA Enditem
LISBON April Xinhua Following are the results at the Estoril Open tennis tournament prefix number denotes seeding
Mens singles first round
Tomas Cakl Czech Republic bt Kenneth Carlsen Denmark
PaulHenri Mathieu France bt Jiri Novak Czech Republic
Agustin Calleri Argentina bt Rui Machado Portugal Enditem
BERLIN April Xinhua Following are the results from the Munich Open ATP tournament on Tuesday prefix number denotes seeding
Singles first round
Paradorn Srichaphan Thailand bt Peter Wessels Netherlands
Wayne Arthurs Australia bt Irakli Labadze Georgia
Igor Andreev Russia bt Jiri Vanek Czech Republic
Enditem
LONDON April Xinhua Following are the quarterfinals from snooker world championship in Sheffield on Tursday prefix number denotes seeding
Matthew Stevens Wales leads Stephen Hendry Scotland
Enditem
SHANGHAI April Xinhua Topseeded Shanghaiese Wang Liqin was bundled with easy rivals in Tuesdays draw and expected to at least reach the semifinals at the world table tennis championships slated for April May
Wang world champion is grouped with teammates Kong Linghui and Chen Qi in the first quarter of the draw which also includes Chinese Hong Kongs Ko Lai Chak Austrian Chen Wexing Frenchman Patrick Chila and German Jorg Rosskopf
Kong world champion and Olympic gold medalist is no match with Wang after losing the world championship final to the lanky teammate
Chen Olympic doubles gold medalist in Athens has yet to prove himself as a serious singles contender
Chen Weixing who plays a defensive game is the only worthy rival to Wang
Olympic silver medalist Wang Hao youngster Hao Shuai Liu Guozheng were placed in the second half led by fellow Chinese Ma Lin seeded second
Defending champion Werner Schlager was drawn into a second quarter with European champion Vladimir Samsonov of Belarus Euro Top winner Alexei Smirnov of Russia and legendary JanOve Waldner of Sweden Only one of these European stars will make it to the top four
Chinese vow to win the mens singles gold in Shanghai since Schlager took it in the world championships and Ryu Seung Min of South Korea grabbed the singles gold in the Olympics at the cost of Wang Hao
In the womens draw topseeded Chinese Zhang Yining and teammate Cao Zhen were drawn in the first half and the other five Chinese including threetime Olympic gold medalist Wang Nan in the second
China has never lost the womens singles gold since and it is expected to easily win the mens doubles womens doubles and mixed doubles events
Chinese swept the top three seeds in both the mens and womens doubles draws and top five in mixed doubles
Last time China hosted the world championships in when host players cleanswept five individual and two team titles Enditem
LUSAKA April Xinhua Zambia has earned the right to host the AllAfrica Games which was last held in Abuja Nigeria four years ago the official Times of Zambia newspaper reported Tuesday
Zambia was granted the right after the withdrawal of other bidders at the last minute when the Supreme Council for Sport in Africa met in Algeria last week the report said
Sports Minister Gladys Nyirongo was in Algiers the venue for the games to make Zambias bid it said
Sonstone Kashiba former Zambian director of sports was elected unopposed for the post of the Supreme Council for Sport in Africa
The quadrennial AllAfrica Games is the biggest sporting event in Africa The report called on the southern African country to improve its infrastructure to international standards and raise teams for defunct sports like hockey softball and handball Enditem
KATHMANDU April Xinhua At least expedition teams areattempting to scale several peaks including Mount Qomolangma thisspring season from Nepali side an official told Xinhua Tuesday
All of the teams having members had already left Kathmandu to summit different peaks said Rajendra Dev Pandey officer of the Trekking and Mountaineering section of the Ministry of CultureTourism and Civil Aviation
All together teams including three Nepali expedition team submitted their applications in order to get permission to scale several peaks he noted adding teams including a Nepali were allowed by the Nepali government to scale
They will attempt Mount Pumori Dhaulagiri Makalu Manaslu Kanchanjunga Annapurna Lotse and Himlung among others
The teams are from the United States Britain Japan Germany South Korea Belgium Austria Spain Italy and others
According to the ministry all together members from expedition teams scaled several peaks from Nepali side at spring and autumn seasons in Enditem
SINGAPORE April Xinhua The Warriors ofthe Singapore Armed Forces SAF defeated Geylang United by in a S League match on Tuesday night
Aleksandar Duri scored the only goal for the Warriors in the th minute and this has put the Warriors ahead of defending champions TampinesRovers Enditem
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LONDON April Xinhua Chelsea who could claim the league title with a win at Bolton on Saturday will not turn out to be a oneseason wonder said club chief executive Peter Kenyon on Tuesday
Chelsea are points ahead of Arsenal who kept the Blues waiting for their first topflight crown since with a win over Tottenham on Monday
What has happened this season is a remarkable achievement said Kenyon who predicted more Chelsea success
But theres nothing with the team or setup that suggests its a oneoff The key for us is that its sustainable
And on Monday the Blues announced a record club sponsorship deal of million pounds over five years with electronics firm Samsung
But the club are committed to breaking even within that period rather than continuing to rely on the millions of owner Roman Abramovich
And coach Jose Mourinho is well aware that his spending over the summer will be controlled
Kenyon said We have plans and parameters and Jose is very comfortable and happy with those
Clearly there are two aspects to this company becoming profitable one is the ability to grow sales and the other one is to control costs
Everyone has bought into that including Jose and were committed to our academy system and youth structure
Jose feels that whether its one million or ten million being spent needs to justify it Each player is one of and he needs them to perform well
Its not about pressure from Abramovich Hes a serious businessman and is committed completely
But although there is a lot of flexibility we all think for the longterm that Chelsea have to reach a position whereby the club is run right as a business as well as on the field
I dont think that one is in conflict with the other Its about the longterm sustainability of Chelsea FC Enditem
WASHINGTON April Xinhua The NBA is working on plans for three or four of its teams to hold the major part of their training camps in Europe before the season
Commissioner David Stern said Monday night he would meet Tuesday in New York with the mayor of Rome Walter Veltroni Sponsorship and logistical issues still need to be worked out according to the AP from Boston
Thats our next step in the testing of the European markets said Stern before Game of the IndianaBoston playoff series We need to find sources of support for it
He said teams could spend to weeks training in Europe playing up to six games each against EuroLeague teams then return to the United States for their last two exhibition games Enditem
LONDON April Xinhua Liverpool star Milan Baros is worried about his fitness to play away against Chelsea in the UEFA Champions League semifinal on Wednesday
The Czech striker is expected to feature for The Reds in the allEnglish tie to decide who go through to the final stage
However Baros told the Czech press that he is still feeling the knee injury that he has been struggling with and has doubts about his own fitness
The knee still hurts Baros told Idnes I feel it but there is time to do something about it
Its not too swollen but it is weak and I have a big bruise there I will take an injection to ease the pain and I will see how it goes
I cant say if I will be able to play We will see on Wednesday
Liverpool have already suffered three defeats to Chelsea this season but Baros insists that his side have enough talent to inflict a shock
If we hadnt deserved something out of those three games maybe we would be worried asserts Baros
We were better than them in the home match and we learned they are beatable
And in the League Cup final we were leading for minutes and then scored an unlucky own goal
I dont mind playing the first leg away I dont really think it makes a difference
Saying that we did practically seal our progression against Leverkusen and Juventus in the first home leg but this time we will be looking for the best result for the second leg
A draw would be great he said Enditem
LONDON April Xinhua Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez says they should be handed a place in next seasons Champions League if they win the competition this season but their city rivals Everton think otherwise
The Reds could deny Everton who are favorites to finish fourth in the Premiership if they miss the top four but are crowned European champions
Liverpool would need the Football Associations approval to replace them
But Benitez said Common sense says that if you win a trophy next year you need to defend this trophy
But Everton chief executive Keith Wyness said Its also common sense that the domestic league which is games as opposed to a cup competition which probably is about or games should also take priority
I understand the thought that the cup winners want to defend their trophy but nevertheless I do believe that the domestic league is the cornerstone of football
ExEverton boss Howard Kendall also thinks they deserve Champions League football if they finish fourth in the Premiership
Kendall whose side were excluded from Europe after the Heysel disaster told BBC Five Live Evertonians will be looking back and thinking oh no not again
We believed we were the best then and we were denied the chance to prove it
Kendalls team won the league in the year in which English clubs were banned from Europe after Heysel
We won the league that year the Cup Winners Cup and we were looking forward to the European Cup he said
Of the current side Kendall added Everyone was tipping us for relegation with the sale of Wayne Rooney I think theyve done a magnificent job and deserve to go into the Champions League
Everton will be back in Europe for the first time in years following Tottenhams defeat at the hands of Arsenal
It means they cannot finish below seventh in the Premiership guaranteeing them at least a UEFA Cup place
UEFA reaffirmed on Monday it will not offer an extra Champions League place for an English team next season even if Liverpool win this years tournament and finish outside the Premierships top four
If that happens the FA will have to decide who enter next seasons competition the fourthplaced team or the Reds
And Toffees boss David Moyes fully focused on claiming fourth spotsaid The players have done everything they can we are really pleased with the way the season has gone here and we are optimistic that we can finish on an even more positive note
Considering what people were saying about us at the beginning of the season this is a magnificent effort by the lads he added Enditem
LIMA April Xinhua Bolivias Bolivar and Ecuadors Liga Deportiva Universitaria LDU will meet Wednesday in a decisive match to move on in Liberators Cup
The hosts undergo a grave institutional crisis due to the possible strike of players who protest against the delay in the payments of salaries and bonuses
The visitors arriving on Monday expect to have a favorable result
Although coaches Vladimir Soria and Peruvian Juan Oblitas have not mentioned what their lineups will be speculations are that the Bolivian champions count with Argentine Zermatten who did not play a whole month because of a lession
The match will take place at Hernan Siles Suazo Stadium of La Paz at
hours local time GMT
Group of Libertadores Cup after four matches is led by Santos Brazil with nine points and Bolivar LDU and Danubio Uruguay have six each Enditem
HAVANA April Xinhua The th Giraldilla Badminton International Tournament to be held on June at the capital city will grant points for the world rankings to the participants organizers said Tuesday
Badminton players from Mexico Spain and Japan confirmed their participation in the event held at the Kid Chocolate Sports Center
President of the Cuban Badminton Federation FCB Miguel Diaz announced that each winner will receive points for the world rankings so chances are that in the Havana event come some of the best players of the world who seek points to qualify in the world circuit
The first edition of the Giraldilla Tournament took place in and has been an annual event Enditem
HAVANA April Xinhua The Cuban mens national volleyball team currently training in Russia will travel in May to Argentina for three friendly matches to prepare for the World League
According to local press on Tuesday the matches are slated on May at Salta May at Catamarca and May at Cordoba
Both teams are preparing for the World League in lateMay
The Cubans will compete in Group B along with Bulgaria Italy and France while the Argentines will play in Group C against Serbia and Montenegro Greece and Poland Then in Group A will be Brazil Venezuela Japan and Portugal
The Cubans will start their European training camp in Greece
In addition to the participation in the World League the Cubans will participate this year in the U World Championship on August at the Indian city of Visakhapatnam Enditem
ROME April Xinhua Crisishit Serie A club Roma thinks AC Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti is the man to sort out its woes an Italian sports daily reported Tuesday
Corriere dello Sport a daily with sources close to the champions claimed Ancelotti was interested in the job
It quoted him as saying Roma is a club I really like You might say no to other clubs but not Roma
Roma has lost its last seven games and hovers dangerously close to the relegation zone
Caretaker manager Bruno Contis contract runs out this summer
According to Corriere the club has set May for signing a newcoach with former coach Zdenek Zeman of Lecce and exPerugia coach Serse Cosmi also in the frame
Ancelotti who played with Conti in Romas scudettowinning side of has just renewed his contract with Milan which he led to the Champions League title and last years Italian league crown Enditem
BRASILIA April Xinhua Topmodel Daniella Cicarelli wife of international soccer star Ronaldo of Real Madrid suffered a miscarriage Tuesday accoring to her press adviser
Cicarelli was hospitalized in Albert Einstein Hospital of Sao Paulo in the early hours of Tuesday She left the medical center later and will spend some days with her family at the capital of Sao Paulo state
Ronaldo said through a communique while in Madrid he lamented what happened and said what matters is that she is fine is young healthy and will be pregnant again
On April the model announced a pregnancy of some weeks after denying for some days press reports in this sense
Cicarelli and Ronaldo got married in January in a much publicized wedding ceremony in France She was in Brazil recording a MTV program Enditem
BUENOS AIRES April Xinhua Boca Juniors president Mauricio Macri will officially announce on Friday that Diego Maradona once considered the best player of the world will start working for the team this week
Macri told reporters here Tuesday that the club want Diego to be the image of Boca and create a executive post for him
Nonetheless other sources reminded that a few days ago Maradona did not hide his intention to become the coach of Bocas senior team
When the Boca Juniors Board gather on Friday Diego will be officially a member of the club after eight years of absence Macri said
Yet in spite of the wishes of the parties involved some sources assure that the terms of Macri and Maradona do not coincide although they do not say which so according to some it will be necessary to wait and see what happens Enditem
LIMA April Xinhua Boca Juniors of Argentina arrived here Tuesday to play against home side Sporting Cristal in a Liberators Cup group match
Boca arrived with its first choice lineup but without one of its stars Guillermo Barros Schelotto due to presumed differences with coach Jorge Benitez
Barros will be replaced by young player Rodrigo Palacio considered as one of the best players currently in the Argentine professional league
Cristals Argentine Edgardo Bauza has yet to announce the lineup but the possible roster for the game against Boga would be Delgado Villalta Mosquera Rodriguez Prado Quinteros Soto Zegarra Torres Moisela Figueroa and Bonet
Boca Juniors would go out with Abbondanzieri Alvarez Schiavi Morel Calvo Cagna Gago Cardozo Guglielminpidgfo Palacio and Palermo
The match is due Wednesday at hours local time GMT in Monumental Stadium of this capital in the first leg the Argentine won
Boca with better goal difference share the Group Eight lead with Cristal with eight points followed by Pachuca Mexico with seven and Deportivo Cuenca Ecuador with two Enditem
ROME April Xinhua AC Milan posted a win over Dutch side PSV Eindhoven at the San Siro Tuesday in the first leg of a Champions League semifinal
European Footballer of the Year Andriy Shevchenko broke the deadlock with a cool finish three minutes before halftime for his sixth goal in eight European matches before substitute Jon Dahl Tomasson doubled Milans advantage with a closerange effort in stoppage time
Victory leaves the Italian giants in a strong position to reach their second Champions League final in three seasons
The recentlycrowned Dutch champions also produced some strong performance but squandered chances to lose the game
Midfielder Andrea Pirlo and central defender Jaap Stam formerly of PSV both overcame injuries to start for Milan joint leaders of Serie A alongside Juventus
With Alessandro Nesta suspended Kakha Kaladze came into the starting lineup to play at leftback and captain Paolo Maldini moved into the heart of Milans defence alongside Stam
PSV coach Guus Hiddink who made himself the most unpopular man in Italy three years ago when his South Korean team beat the Azzurri in the second round of the World Cup was able to field his strongest team with no injuries or suspensions
Milan were crowned European champions for the sixth time in when they defeated Serie A rivals Juventus in a penalty shootout Enditem
ROME April Xinhua Following is the result of the Champions League semifinal first leg in Milan on Tuesday
AC Milan Italy bt PSV Eindhoven Netherlands
Scorers
Andriy Shevchenko Jon Dahl Tomasson
Enditem
LONDON April Xinhua Following are the results from bestof quarterfinals at the snooker World championship in Sheffield on Tuesday
Ronnie OSullivan England leads Peter Ebdon England
Shaun Murphy England leads Steve Davis England
Stephen Hendry Scotland is level with Matthew Stevens Wales
Alan McManus Scotland leads Ian McCulloch England Enditem
LONDON April Xinhua Defending champion Ronnie OSullivan eased to a lead in his first session against Peter Ebdon in the best of quarterfinals at the snooker world championship in Sheffield on Tuesday
Seventime world champion Stephen Hendry clawed his way back against Matthew Stevens to maintain his hopes of a place in the last four as the two level at
Another multiformer champion Steve Davis is however facing a tough day on Wednesday after the yearold fell victim to the talents of English qualifier Shaun Murphy who finished their first two sessions ahead
Alan McManus of Scotland made sure he stayed in the hunt after he overcame a disastrous start against Ian McCulloch conqueror of twotime champion Mark Williams on Monday to finish the first session ahead of the Englishman
Hendry considered by many to have been the worlds greatest ever cueman with a record seven world crowns relaunched his campaign after falling behind to Stevens earlier in the day
The Scot resumed play with a century to turn his deficit into a lead before the Welshman hit back to tie the contest Enditem
LONDON April Xinhua Following is the summarys from the English Premier League matches on Tuesday
West Bromwich Albion Kieran Richardson
Blackburn Rovers Brett Emerton
Halftime Attendance
Enditem
LONDON April Xinhua Following are the result and standings from the Premier League matches on Tuesday
West Bromwich Albion tied Blackburn Rovers
Standings tabulated under games played won drawn lost goals for against and points
Chelsea
Arsenal
Manchester United
Everton
Liverpool
Bolton Wanderers
Middlesbrough
Tottenham Hotspur
Aston Villa
Manchester City
Charlton Athletic
Blackburn Rovers
Birmingham City
Newcastle United
Portsmouth
Fulham
Crystal Palace
West Bromwich Albion
Norwich City
Southampton
Enditem
LONDON April Xinhua Following are the leading scorers of the Premier League on Tuesday
Thierry Henry Arsenal
Andy Johnson Crystal Palace
Jermain Defoe Tottenham Hotspur
Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink Middlesbrough Yakubu Aiyegbeni Portsmouth
Andy Cole Fulham Eidur Gudjohnsen Chelsea Robert Pires Arsenal Robbie Keane Tottenham Hotspur
Frank Lampard Chelsea Fredrik Ljungberg Arsenal Kevin Phillips Southampton Peter Crouch Southampton Didier Drogba Chelsea Wayne Rooney Manchester United Rob Earnshaw West Bromwich Albion
Tim Cahill Everton Paul Dickov Blackburn Rovers Robbie Fowler Manchester City Shaun WrightPhillips Manchester City Milan Baros Liverpool
Emile Heskey Birmingham City Jose Antonio Reyes Arsenal Luis Boa Morte Fulham Nolberto Solano Aston Villa Paul Scholes Manchester United El Hadji Diouf Bolton Wanderers Luis Garcia Liverpool Enditem
GENEVA April Xinhua Spains Oscar Pereiro won the first prologue of his career in a km trial and led the Tour de Romandie ProTour race on Tuesday
The yearold Swiss Phonak rider set a time of four minutes seconds in the race around a twisting city center to edge out Italys Paolo Savoldelli by seconds
Another Italian Stefano Garzelli was third in with Australias Bradley McGee winner of the prologue last year a second behind in fourth
Prerace favorite and Giro dItalia winner Damiano Cunego of Italy finished seconds down on Pereiro who will wear the race leaders jersey during Wednesday km first road stage in and around Avenches Enditem
GENEVA April Xinhua Following are the leading results from the Pro Tour Tour de Romandie prologue a km time trial on Tuesday
Oscar Pereiro Spain Phonak four minutes seconds
Paolo Savoldelli Italy Discovery Channel at same time
Stefano Garzelli Italy Liquigas seconds behind
Bradley McGee Australia Francaise des Jeux
Erik Dekker Netherlands Rabobank
Fraenk Schleck Luxembourg Team CSC
Alexandre Moos Switzerland Phonak
Sebastien Rosseler Belgium QuickStep
Luis Perez Rodriguez Spain Cofidis
Ryder Hesjedal Canada Discovery Channel
Markus Fothen Germany Gerolsteiner
Jose Ivan Gutierrez Spain Illes Balears
Angel Vicioso Spain Liberty Seguros
Manuele Mori Italy Saunier Duval
Beat Zberg Switzerland Gerolsteiner at same time
Enditem
LISBON April Xinhua Following are the first round results from the mens singles event at the Estoril Open on Tuesday prefix number denotes seeding
Carlos Moya Spain bt Felix Mantilla Spain
Juan Carlos Ferrero Spain bt Marcos Baghdatis Cyprus
Tomas Cakl Czech Republic bt Kenneth Carlsen Denmark
PaulHenri Mathieu France bt Jiri Novak Czech Republic
Tommy Robredo Spain bt Frantisek Cermak Czech Republic
Davide Sanguinetti Italy bt Frank Condor Spain
Juan Antonio Marin Costa Rica bt Juan Ignacio Chela Argentina
Agustin Calleri Argentina bt Rui Machado Portugal
Joachim Johansson Sweden bt Alex Calatrava Spain
Feliciano Lopez Spain bt Alex Corretja Spain
Albert Montanes Spain bt Galo Blanco Spain Enditem
LISBON April Xinhua Following are the first round results of womens event at the Estoril Open on Tuesday prefix number denotes seeding
Olga Savchuk Ukraine bt Flavia Pennetta Italy
Mariana DiazOliva Argentina bt Melanie Gloria Canada
Michaella Krajicek Netherlands bt Severine Beltrame France
Lucie Safarova Czech Republic bt Virginia Ruano Pascual Spain
Gisela Dulko Argentina bt Stephanie Foretz France
Martina Mueller Germany bt Marta Marrero Spain
Zheng Jie China bt Henrieta Nagyova Slovakia
Maria Sanchez Lorenzo Spain bt Lilia Osterloh United States
Li Na China bt Stephanie CohenAloro France
Katerina Bondarenko Ukraine bt Melinda Czink Hungary
Enditem
ESTORIL April Xinhua Top seed Carlos Moya set up an allSpanish second round fight against former world number one Juan Carlos Ferrero after he clinched a win over fellow countryman Felix Mantilla on Tuesday
Ferrero saved a match point to beat Cypriot youngster Marcos Baghdatis
Reigning champion and ninth seed Juan Ignacio Chela failed to get past the first hurdle as the Argentina suffered a shock defeat by lucky loser Juan Antonio Marin of Costa Rica
Ferrero who is playing himself back into form after a terrible was feeling the effects of a tough week in Barcelona where he lost to Rafael Nadal in the final as he labored to beat Baghdatis
The French Open champion saved two break points at in the third set and then Baghdatis dumped a forehand into the net on match point before double faulting to hand Ferrero victory
Seventh seed Jiri Novak of the Czech Republic joined Chela as a seeded casualty losing to Frenchman PaulHenri Mathieu
Womens top seed Flavia Pennetta of Italy was sent packingher with a surprise defeat by qualifier Olga Savchuk of Ukraine Enditem
BERLIN April Xinhua On the strength of highenergy performances from the likes of Iain Hume Josh Simpson and Atiba Hutchinson Canada took Dubai by storm at the last FIFA world youth championship in
Head coach Dale Mitchell will be back at the finals in the Netherlands this June but without the services of some of his stellar standouts of two years ago Last time around we came together in a bigway the coach told website FIFAcom
We had two players named to the finals AllStar team Hutchinson and Simpson and thats rare for Canada But I think theres just as much chance that two or three of our players can get into a similar run of form this time around
Without the hustle and bustle of Tranmere Rovers Humeand his outrageous array of hairstyles it seems the goalgetting burden will fall to Ryan Gyaki of Sheffield United The attacking midfielder scored all four of Canadas goals in three qualifying wins in January and looks likely to take up the scoring mantle at the finals
Whether his goals can see the Canadians to within a hairs breadth of a semifinal where they ended up two years ago still remains to be seen But Mitchell who lined up for Canada at the countrys only FIFA World Cup appearance in has supreme confidence in his yearold dangerman
Ryan is a good finisher he can score and likes to get into deeper positions and run at the defense the coach commented The fact that he scored four goals in three games in qualifying was a bit of a surprise but he got hot at the right time and hopefully he can do it again in Holland
Currently in Frankfurt Germany for a twoweek training tour the Canadians will play a friendly against Chinas Us FC Mainzs reserves and another game against a team to be announced later Mitchell a true believer in positive team chemistry has no complaints about the spirit in the camp The chemistry is great he was quick to remark We had three consecutive camps before the qualifiers The group really came together then and have stuck together as a tight unit I think in terms of spirit this team is right up there with the one we had in the United Arab Emirates
When asked about the hardedged quality that seems to define Canadian football sometimes referred to as Canuck Spirit the coach chuckled a bit before explaining In the history of Canadian athletics strong character has been very important We are known for giving percent and its always expected no matter what the sport
He was also quick to add Thats not all were about though as our performances in UAE showed We are in line with the demands of the modern game and our technique is getting better every year
The Canadians began their campaign in UAE with a clash against eventual champions and eternal entertainers Brazil This time around an opener with unknown Syria leaves them in perhaps a trickier position When we took on Brazil we really had nothing to lose Mitchell said Syria are not as well know as some other teams and the danger for us would be to underestimate them
The squad will be bolstered by the inclusion of two UAE veterans in goalkeeper Josh Wagenaar and Nikolas Ledgerwood Both were fringe members of the side from two years ago who have emerged as leaders in the new team and will show they way for the young ones according to Mitchell
Along with the Syrians Canada will have to navigate their way past South American champs Colombia and the alwaysdisciplined Italians in a tough Group E And even with the successes in UAE Mitchell and his men are keen to take things one step at a time Our goal is still just to advance from the group stage We want to be one of the teams to play a fourth gameand then go on from there Enditem
GENEVA April Xinhua At the halfway point of the financial period FIFA is on course to meet its targets as the organizations Centennial year of drew to a close with surplus income of million swiss francs CHF and an increase in equity which now stands at CHF million
The world footballs governing body can look back on a financial year with a great deal of satisfaction FIFA said in a statement issued in Zurich Switzerland on Tuesday
The second quarter of the fouryear period up to and including brought income of CHF million and expenses of CHF million resulting in a profit of CHF million according to International Financial Reporting Standards IFRS When compared to s result CHF million this represents an increase of CHF million percent
In terms of income FIFA surpassed the budgeted figure due to accelerated collection of revenue FIFA also had its costs fully under control despite all the celebrations marking FIFAs Centennial year in As of expenses FIFA kept to its budgeted figures and in some cases exceeded expectations it said At the end of FIFA had liquid assets amounting to CHF million This positive financial development has allowed FIFA to decide two years before the final competition of the FIFA World Cup in Germany to increase the total prize money payments for the finalist teams by percent to CHF million
FIFA President Joseph S Blatter is delighted with FIFAs robust financial health and the outlook for the governing body We have taken another significant stride towards our goal of having equity of between CHF and million by the end of That equity together with the results we have already posted from marketing will further strengthen FIFAs solid financial foundations he said Ninetyfive percent of the total revenue of CHF million in related to income from FIFAs competitions and the FIFA World Cup in particular FIFA also spent CHF million on competitions and a further CHF million on development projects Consequently percent of FIFAs income in has been reinvested in the game of football
For the firstever time FIFAs balance sheet has broken the CHF billion mark FIFAs assets of CHF billion are countered by current and noncurrent liabilities of CHF million and as mentioned earlier equity of CHF million according to the statement
Note US dollar Swiss francs Enditem
HANOI April Xinhua Austrian Alfred Riedl signed a threeyear contract here Tuesday to take over as the coach of Vietnams national football team local newspaper Vietnam News reported Wednesday
This will be the third time that the Austrian coach who led Vietnam to a silver medal in the Tiger Cup and the Southeast Asian SEA Games has held the position
The period is the necessary time for a coach to fulfill his target with the team both in SEA Games this December and the Asian Cup in said Mai Liem Truc chairman of Vietnam Football Federation VFF at a press conference Tuesday
Riedl is the first coach to sign a threeyear contract with Vietnams national football team the chairman noted The position was vacated last December when Brazilian Edson Tavares resigned following the national teams first round exit from the Tiger Cup in
Riedl has been criticized by the media for only earning silver medals in the Tiger Cup and SEA Games but still is the most successful coach in Vietnam since He will be offered a monthly salary of between US dollars and US dollars said the report
According to VFF Riedl will also be in charge of the National Olympic and U teams Enditem
DAR ES SALAAM April Xinhua Defending champions APR of Rwanda demonstrated their title retaining form by brushing aside KMKM of Zanzibar in their opening match at the Kagame Cup central and east African clubs championship
The Rwandans sealed off their victory through Kenyan international Titus Mulama and substitute Yusuf Kuyihura who each scored two goals
In Tuesdays other Group B preliminary played in Mwanza of northern Tanzania Ulinzi of Kenya the runnersup at last years cup tourney were held by Awasa of Ethiopia to a draw
Elman of Somalia takes on Rayon Sports of Rwanda while Atletico Olympic of Burundi meets Simba SC of Tanzania on Wednesday in Group A also in Mwanza
Ten clubs are competing in the current Kagame Cup soccer tournament in two preliminary groups of single roundrobin matches Enditem
DAR ES SALAAM April Xinhua Following are the group standings of Kagame Cup central and east African clubs soccer championship after games played on Tuesday tabulated under games played won drawn lost goals for against and points
Group A
SC Villa
Rayon Sports
Atletico Olympic
Simba SC
Elman
Group B
Ulinzi
APR
Awasa
Mtibwa
KMKM
Enditem
MANILA April Xinhua The Philippine table tennis association is mulling to invite a Chinese coach as a measure to foster worldclass athletes in the future a local newspaper reported Wednesday
President of the association Victor Valbuena told Manila Bulletin that the national table netters are eyeing for no less than a gold at Novembers Southeast Asian Games SEAG which the country hosts
The presence of a Chinese coach is a must if the country intends to build worldclass athletes in the future Valbuena said
Thats why were seriously considering hiring a Chinese coach because even though the origin of the sport is in England China excel in the sport he added
The president will lead a group of national players to Shanghai Friday to compete in the World Table Tennis Championships and then stay there for two more months training for the SEA Games
However Valbuena ruled out the possibility of importing foreign athletes to play for the country a practice common in some Asia
Theres no reason for our national athletes not to excel he said
Whats really important is we give more exposure for athletes and have them play more tournaments abroad I believe we could win a gold this year in Manila he added Enditem
HANOI April Xinhua Vietnams Ho Chi Minh City will host its first ATP Tour event in September replacing the Heineken Open in Shanghai
Ho Chi Minh City will stage the indoor tennis tournament from Sept Oct at the Phu Tho Sport Center the ATP said on Tuesday
Two hard courts will be constructed in the seat main stadium
Chinese port city Shanghai won the right to host the seasonending
Tennis Masters Cup for the next three years
The Tennis Masters Cup Shanghai featuring the top eight singles and doubles players will be held on Nov
Ho Chi Minh City previously hosted an ATP Challenger event in March Enditem
GENEVA April Xinhua Italian cyclist Mario Cipollini considered one of the sports most celebrated riders announced his retirement at the age of on Tuesday
world champion Cipollini had victories under his belt in his year career holding the Giro dItalia record for the most stage wins of and winning stages in the Tour de France
Explaining his decision via a statement from his Liquigas team who are in Switzerland for this weeks Tour de Romandie Cipollini said Announcing my retirement just over a week before the Giro is a difficult but honest decision Hopefully people will understand
I would have liked to be at the start of the Giro in Reggio Calabria to try to win again and perhaps take the pink jersey but perhaps an oldie like me who has given a lot to cycling but also received a lot should know when to choose the right moment to stop
The Liquigas team announced that Cipollini nicknamed the Lion King would reveal further details of why he has decided to retire at a press conference in Milan on Friday
Born in Lucca on March Cipollini turned professional in with the Del Tongo team and won at least one race in each of his seasons as a rider
In he won the world road race title in Belgium and also won the prestigious MilanSan Remo oneday classic as well as a stage of the GhentWevelgem classic in Belgium
He wore the yellow jersey at the Tour de France for a total of six days and won stages between and Enditem
SANTIAGO April Xinhua Nelson Acosta returned to the post of Chiles national soccer team coach on Tuesday to replace Juvenal Olmos the South American countrys National Association of Professional Football ANFP confirmed on its official website
The ANFP said he would be officially presented to the media on Wednesday
Chilean Acosta leading his country to the World Cup finals also confirmed his appointment in a television interview before the side he currently coaches Chilean champions Cobreloa faced Argentinas San Lorenzo in a Libertadores Cup tie
Acosta began the South American World Cup qualifying competition in charge of Bolivia but resigned in March last year after a home defeat against his home nation
After leading his nation to a bronze medal at the Olympic Games in Sydney Acostas previous stint with Chile ended almost exactly four years ago following a poor run of results in the qualifying competition for the World Cup
Chile are currently eighth in the nation South American group with points from games although they are only two points below fifth place which would earn them a playoff against the winners of the Oceania region
Olmos was dismissed on Thursday after arguing with ANFP president Reinaldo Sanchez over the venue for a meeting of the national team committee Enditem
WASHINGTON April Xinhua Following are the results of Tuesdays National Basketball Association conference quarterfinal playoff games
home team in CAPS
Eastern Conference
DETROIT bt Philadelphia
Detroit leads bestofseven series
MIAMI bt New Jersey
Miami leads bestofseven series
Western Conference
SEATTLE bt Sacramento
Seattle leads bestofseven series
Enditem
WASHINGTON April Xinhua Former Nets center Alonzo Mourning had points and Dwyane Wade had points and assists as the Miami Heat clinched a win over the New Jersey nets to take a lead in their first round of NBA playoff series on Tuesday
Shaquille ONeal Eddie Jones and Damon Jones each finished with points for the Heat which moved to at home this season
Nenad Krstic had points for New Jersey which also got points from Vince Carter
Rasheed Wallace scored of points in the third quarter to lift
the Detroit Pistons to a victory and a lead over Philadelphia
Allen Iverson scored points on of shooting and Chris
Webber had for the ers but their scoring wasnt enough to keep
the game close against the defending NBA champions They combined for points Saturday in Detroits victory
Game is Friday in Philadelphia NBA teams trailing have rallied to advance just eight times in bestofseven series
Detroits Richard Hamilton scored points while Chauncey Billups had points and eight assists Samuel Dalembert had points and rebounds for the Sixers
In Seattle Ray Allen scored points and Jerome James added
points and nine rebounds to give Seattle a win and a lead over Sacramento in the Western Conference playoff series
The Sonics who took control with a decisive third quarter held off a fourthquarter charge with the Sacramento starters on the bench
Mike Bibby had points and eight assists a respectable followup after his for shooting effort in Game Bobby Jackson scored points after going for in the opener
Game is Friday in Sacramento Enditem
WELLINGTON April Xinhua A teenage soccer player almost froze to death during a New Zealand club match as the temperatures dropped to below the freezing point at Featherston km miles north of the capital Wellington on Sunday a newspaper reported in its Wednesday edition
Azim Sheikh suffered severe hypothermia and had stopped breathing when he reached hospital after the match between Wairarapa United and Featherston The Wairarapa TimesAge newspaper reported
The match was called off in the second half when Wairarapa management noticed several of its players were affected by the cold
Sheikh who moved to New Zealand from Fiji two years ago made a quick recovery after being rushed to hospital and was released late Sunday
He told the newspaper he had been cold during the first half and his condition worsened during halftime
The next thing I knew I couldnt do anything he told the Wairarapa TimesAge I couldnt walk and then I blacked out
They his teammates told me it was probably because I come from a warm country and am not used to the weather he added Enditem
BRASILIA April Xinhua Following are the result and standings from the Libertadores Cup Group one matches on Tuesday
Independiente Medellin Colombia bt America Colombia
Standings tabulated under games played won drawn lost goals for against and points
Atletico Paranaense
America
Independiente Medellin
Libertad
Enditem
BRASILIA April Xinhua Following are the result and standings from the Libertadores Cup Group Seven matches on Tuesday
Cobreloa Chile bt San Lorenzo de Almagro BA Argentina
Standings tabulated under games played won drawn lost goals for against and points
Cobreloa
Guadalajara
Once Caldas
San Lorenzo de Almagro BA
Enditem
SHANGHAI April Xinhua Swedish male paddlers will aim at winning a singles medal in the th World Table Tennis Championships slatted here Saturday said coach during their training session at the Shanghai Gymnasium on Wednesday
Peter Sterneborg coach of Sweden mens team declined to comment on Chinese players the favorites but said that we have chance when facing Chinese
The chance we beat Chinese is just slim although Waldner the legend is capable of beating anyone said Sterneborg who leads a fiveman squad consisting of veterans JanOve Waldner Jorgen Persson and Peter Karlsson oncefamed giantkiller Jens Lundqvistand Par Gerell
He took Karlsson for the one in his team with best chance in winning a medal not certainly a gold medal in the mens singles event of the worlds after comparing the yearold Swedes performance during recent training to others
Karlsson a member of Swedens title winning team in world tabletennis championships in and failed to make last eight of mens singles event at every worlds he had taken partin and is far from being a favorite for the Saint Bride Cup here
Sweden battled against China for the best table tennis nation inthe world over a decade from the late s to the s while Waldner has been always considered one of the toughest opponents foralmost every top paddlers of China
China came up to face three consecutive loses of the Swaythling Cup at world championships before sweeping the seven gold medals in in Tianjin at the biannual event
Last August in Athens the yearold Waldner overcame Chinas Ma Lin and Timo Boll from Germany before he was beaten by later crowned South Korean Ryu Seung Min in the semifinals of the Olympic table tennis tournament Enditem
ANKARA April Xinhua The Union of European Football Associations UEFA will carry out doping tests in Turkey in the new season semiofficial Anatolia News Agency reported on Wednesday
Marc Vouillamoz the head of UEFA AntiDoping Unit was quoted as saying that they wanted to work with Turkish Doping Control Center in Ankara as the official laboratory of UEFA in the season of
In a letter to the Center Vouillamoz said that they aimed to sign an agreement in the beginning of the new season
UEFA has currently been carrying out doping tests in a center inNyon Switzerland Enditem
KAMPALA April Xinhua The world governing body Federation of International Football Association FIFA is to send its delegation to Uganda between May to begin the normalization program and discuss with the Ugandan government on steps towards normalcy and stability of football administration in the country
The spokesman of Ugandas Ministry of Education and Sports Aggrey Kibenge told Xinhua on Wednesday that FIFA deputy General Secretary Jerome Champagne communicated to the ministry of the pending visit
Kibenge said that many issues will be discussed with FIFA concerning football administration in the country
Ugandas Minister of Education Namirembe Bitamazire last week wrote to FIFA demanding that the investigation report written by a FIFA delegation which investigated the scum in Ugandas soccer administration body Federation of Uganda Football Association FUFA be shared for official information
FIFA however replied that it will visit the east African country and discuss the stability of FUFA with the minister and other sports officials
The Ugandan government recently sacked the FUFA executive for alledgedly mismanagement and mandated the National Council of Sports NCS to run the game
However FIFA set up a committed to run the game but government refused the committee and insisted that NCS runs the game
Soccer analysts in Uganda argue that the corruption in the administration of football in the country has stalled the development of the game Enditem
LISBON April Xinhua Following are the results from the third day of the Estoril ATPWTA Open here Wednesday prefix number denotes seeding
Womens first round
Dinara Safina Russia bt Claudine Schaul Luxemburg
Second round
Gisela Dulko Argentina bt Alyona Bondarenko Ukraine
Li Na China bt Nicole Pratt Australia
Dally Randriantefy MAD bt Maria Sanchez Lorenzo Spain
Zheng Jie China bt Martina Muller Germany
Enditem
BERLIN April Xinhua Following are the results from the Munich Open ATP tournament on Wednesday prefix number denotes seeding
Peter Luczak Australia bt Florian Mayer Germany
Jarkko Nieminen Finland bt Bohdan Ulihrach Czech Republic
Michal Mertinak Slovakia bt Julien Benneteau France
HyungTaik Lee South Korea bt JeanRene Lisnard France
Enditem
LONDON April Xinhua Following are the results from the World Snooker Championship at Sheffield on Wednesday prefix number denotes seeding
Quarterfinals best of frames
Matthew Stevens Wales bt Stephen Hendry Scotland
Frame scores Stevens first break break
Shaun Murphy England bt Steve Davis England
Frame scores Murphy first
Enditem
WARSAW April Xinhua Following are the second round results from the Warsaw Cup WTA tournament on Wednesday prefix number denotes seeding
Kim Clijsters Belgium bt Maria Kirilenko Russia
Elena Bovina Russia bt Daniela Hantuchova Slovakia
Silvia Farina Elia Italy bt Zuzana Ondraskova Czech Republic
Enditem
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LONDON April Xinhua Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho claimed that he was left very very very confident of Chelseas prospect to reach the final after they were held to a home goalless draw by Liverpool on Wednesday night
The Premiership championselect were left frustrated by another fine defensive performance from The Reds in their UEFA Champions League semifinal first leg clash at Stamford Bridge
The result leaves the tie well poised for next Tuesdays second leg and Mourinho is confident his side can claim victory at Anfield
He said We will score goals in Liverpool and they will have to play a different way percent of Liverpool fans will be thinking at the moment they have one foot in the final but they arent It is very difficult for them
Im happy with the result is not the result we fought for we tried to win the game and created enough chances to win it
Its a game everyone participating in it can be quite proud of but I go home very confident The result leaves me very very very confident we will get to the final
Rafael Benitez is a great manager but I think we are in a very good position I expect us to win and Im confident we can score goals if we dont lose more players because our situation isnt good with injuries but I think we will go to the final the Portugese said
Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez was delighted after seeing his side continued to surprise in the UEFA Champions League by stifling the Premiership championselect to just a handful of chances at Stamford Bridge
We have played a good game Benitez said The team worked hard and controlled the game they had some chances but at the end a draw is a good result
We had more counterattacks and they started playing with long balls We knew what to do against Chelsea we know they have a lot of good players who can create opportunities
The Spaniard thinks The Reds will have the upper hand next week in front of their vocal support at Anfield
The most important thing is we need only to win at Anfield he added
It is a good situation We have very good supporters they will be with us at Anfield and we need to win
We always have confidence and we need to believe in ourselves he added Enditem
ROME April Xinhua Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi hinted on Wednesday hed like unsettled Roma captain Francesco Totti for his starstudded soccer club AC Milan
Asked whether he had a hankering for the temperamental striker Berlusconi replied I cant say anything but nodded and gave an impish grin when pressed on the subject
Last week Totti was slapped with a fivematch ban for kicking and punching a Siena defender during his teams fourth home defeat in a row on April
Totti known internationally more for a Euro spitting incident than his consummate skills kicked Sienas Francesco Colonnese off the ball and was sent off with Roma needing to make up a goal against the lowly Tuscans
The incident was aggravated by a blow to the defenders face as Totti was leaving the field
Almost inevitably Romas fortunes dipped further after the lossof their influential captain and they ended up losing sliding further down the Serie A table
The ban will keep Totti out of the RomaLazio derby on May The player was also docked a third of his monthly wages
Angry statements after Romas defeat to Juventus five matches before also led to penalties for Totti and his club
Totti was found guilty of bringing the game into disrepute after suggesting officials favored Juventus
The player was fined euros and Roma was fined the same amount for objective responsibility
Roma one of the preseason favorites for the scudetto is now just five points away from the relegation zone
New coach Bruno Conti one of Roma and Italian soccers icons asa lavishly gifted winger and member of Italys World Cup winning side may now be in danger of losing his job the fourth coach Roma has employed this season
But unless Roma does slide into real relegation danger the management is expected to stick with its original plan of helping Conti make as dignified end to the season as possible before seeking a more experienced coach this summer
As for Totti his recent temperamental outbursts have increased speculation he is prepared to do the unthinkable and quit the club he has always said he would never leave
With six matches to go Roma are in joint th place with Reggina points behind coleaders Juventus and Milan Enditem
ROME April Xinhua Ferrari driver Rubens Barrichello is confident the Italian team can win its first race of the season when the Formula circus travels to Barcelona for the May Spanish Grand Prix local media reported Wednesday
Speaking on the sidelines of his tests at the Mugello track in Tuscany the Brazilian said We can go to Barcelona with our headsheld high I am convinced we can win our moment has arrived just as it has in the past
Barrichellos confidence stemmed from his teammate Michael Schumachers spectacular race last Sunday at Imola where he battled his away up from a th place start to finish second glued to the tail of winner Fernando Alonsos Renault
This was the seventime champions best finish so far this year after being forced to retire in the Australian and Bahrain Grand Prix and coming in th in Malaysia
Barrichello has also had a poor start to the season and after taking second in the season opener in Melbourne he dropped out in both the Malaysian and San Marino Grand Prix and was only th in Bahrain
The season started well for me but then the problems set in But whats important now is that the new car is very competitive the aerodynamics are perfect and the tires have improved immensely the Brazilian said
We have always done well on the Spanish track even in the tests we did there a few weeks ago This is why I am confident and convinced we can win the race Barrichello added Enditem
ROME April Xinhua A new Italian soccer hooligan plan would clear police out of grounds where they are often become targets for violent fans a senior police officer said Wednesday
Rome Police Chief Achille Serra said police could be more usefully employed controlling fan movements outside grounds
Stadium security should be left up to clubs he said
Serra said this system had greatly contributed to the defeat of hooliganism in England
Recent fan violence has led to a crackdown including stringent checks for flares missiles and weapons and the threat of ground closures
The crackdown has so far resulted in a sharp drop in soccer violence but Serra said more measures were needed Enditem
CARACAS April Xinhua The preparations are ready for the VenezuelaCanda series of Group I of the Davis Cup America Zone to be played on April May at the central Venezuelan state of Carabobo said sport sources
The captain of the Venezuelan team Alfonso Mora assured Wednesday that the series will be played at the refurbished courts of the Rafael Yanez Gordils de Valencia complex
Mora said we have the firm purpose to have an honorable participation in the name of Venezuela visavis a rival that is considered favorite I believe it is not impossible to win though
The Venezuelan team is made by the top players of the country Jose Antonio De Armas Jonathan Medina Yohny Rivero and Daniel Vallberdu as replacement
On April there will be two singles games at hours local time while the doubles game will take place on Saturday The last two singles are due Sunday
The Canadian team headed by captain Martin Laurendau has Frank Dancevic Frederic Niemeyer Phil Berter and Robert Steckley
Canada with four victories and Venezuela will play for the seventh time in the Davis Cup and in this occasion the winner will play a repechage game with one of the teams losing in the first round of the World Group Enditem
LONDON April Xinhua Middlesbrough moved two points clear of Tottenham in the fight for a UEFA Cup place by gaining a deserved point when they held Newcastle to goalles draw in an uninspiring local derby on Wednesday
Boro keeper Brad Jones denied Newcastle a muchneeded win with a superb save off a James Milner effort and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink had earlier wasted a fine opportunity for the visitors when he chipped into Shay Givens arms
The Magpies had the better of a dour first half but had only Milners volley to show as the opening stages were riddled with misplaced passes and a Charles NZogbia shot which was blasted over
Graeme Souness recalled Kieron Dyer after suspension and injury and the England midfielder had an early penalty chance waved away by referee Mark Halsey after a fine surge into the area
Just after the half hour mark Newcastles hopes suffered a blow when Dyer suffered a recurrence of his hamstring strain and was replaced by Shola Ameobi
Boro came back stronger after the break with a Ray Parlour cross hit just wide by Slovakian international Szilard Nemeth
But Newcastle showed the fatigue of their eighth game in days before they slowly awoke from their slumber and NZogbia shot wide before Milner unleashed his strike
Darren Ambrose did his best to try and set up a late winner and Alan Shearer crossed for NZogbia to fire over in the dying seconds but in the end they had to settle for a point Enditem
LONDON April Xinhua Paul Scholes reckons his form for Manchester United has been below expectations this season
The yearold who retired from international duty following Euro had hoped to maintain his consistency with only club football on his mind
Scholes main threat is his ability to chip in with goals but the attacking midfielder has failed to hit the tengoal mark in The Premiership despite recent strikes
My performances in the league this year have not been great he told the clubs official magazine
I have scored goals but it took me a while to get off the mark and overall I should probably be doing a lot better
With United out of the title race Scholes has admitted he has not enjoyed the season due to the sides inability to claim silverware
You always enjoy the season more if you are winning things he said
In the league we paid the price for not having the best of starts and in the Champions League we just didnt play well enough
Winning the FA Cup would be a decent prize at the end of the season and I will feel a lot better if we win it but at this club we do expect more than that Enditem
SINGAPORE April Xinhua The Young Lions defeated Sinchi by in a SLeague match on Wednesday
Shi Jia Yi scored the only one goal for the Young Lions in the st minute
Sinchi made up of all Chinese players tried to equalize but failed and its two players Qiu Li and Zhang Jiang received yellow cards in the th and th minutes respectively
So far Sinchi has lost five matches and is languishing at second to the bottom of the table with just five points ahead of Paya Lebar PunggolEnditem
HAVANA April Xinhua The Puerto Rico national baseball team will travel to Cuba next August to complete its preparation for the World Championship in September in the Netherlands Cuban sports authorities said on Wednesday
President of the Cuban Baseball Federation Carlos Rodriguez said the Puerto Rican team will arrive here on August on a sevenday visit
Rodriguez said that several friendly games have been scheduled between the visiting team and Cuban clubs without ruling out the possibility of a clash against the Cuban national team which won the world championship here in and will defend it on September in the Netherlands Enditem
CARACAS April Xinhua The Venezuelan national table tennis team will participate in the World Championships in Shanghai and seek good results local press said Wedneday
The sports authorities cited Wednesday by the Bolivarian News Agency ABN said the team will participate in the singles and doubles competitions for both mens and womens categories in the April May tournament in China
The sports authorities said that the Venezuelan competitors will seek to be among the best of Latin America
The womens team is made of Olympians Fabiola Ramos and Luisana Perez as well as Maria Ramos and Mariana Guanchez while the mens team consist of Henry Mujica Antonio Gianinnin Luis F Diaz and Jonathan Pino Enditem
WASHINGTON April Xinhua Dennis W Pauley a Detroit Pistons fan was charged Wednesday for throwing at Allen Iverson with a coin during a NBA playoff game held in Auburn HillS Michigan according to reports
Iverson was hit on Tuesday during the Pistons victory while he sat on the Philadelphia ers bench with about two minutes remaining Auburn Hills police Sgt Rick Leonard said in a statement
The yearold Pauley was charged with throwing the object onto a playing surface and Michael A Roberts was charged with occupying a seat without a proper ticket
They could be sentenced to days in jail and fined US dollars
Pauley was arrested after the incident and released pending a review Enditem
TIRANA April Xinhua The former Albanian football star Panajot Pano received Wednesday in Tirana the title Albanian Football Player of the Century accorded by FIFA the Albanian Telegraphic Agency ATA reported
Pano got the title during a social gathering hosted by the Albanian Football Federation FSHF on Wednesday night in the Tirana International Hotel
Pano used to be a great man of sports said the Albanian Prime Minister Fatos Nano who handed over the title to him adding that it was hard to be another like him
I am happy at this estimation and I would like to dedicate this to the public that has supported me and all the coaches who have trained me to make me be what I am Pano was quoted by the ATA as saying
According to the President of the FSHF Armand Duka the title for Pano extended by FIFA in the framework of its th anniversary was proposed by the FSHF
Meanwhile Pano was also honored by the Albanian President Alfred Moisiu with the title Great Master of Work which was handed over by the Minister of Culture Youth and Sports Blendi Klosi in the gathering
The exforward Pano who in his career had played for the Tirana club team and then Partizani has become known in the international arena under the red and black colors of the Albanian national team Enditem
LISBON April Xinhua Portugal coach Brazilian Luiz Felipe Scolari Wednesday refrained from saying whether Real Madrid midfielder Luis Figo is coming back with him
You have to ask that to Figo he is the one who knows said Scolari during a tribute ceremony for him by the PortugueseBrazilian Chamber when questioned about the hypothesis of the return of the Real Madrid star who claimed he would not return to the national team at the end of the Euro held in Portugal
Figo recently hinted at a prompt return to the national team coached by Scolari who has reiterated he talks often with the player and that the teams doors remain open for the midfielder
The day he decides to come back he would only have to talk to me said Scolari
On August Figo said he was taking a pause in his participation in the national team after years of being summoned to it in different categories
The yearold midfielder has played matches with the national team the last one on July in the Euro final the host lost to Greece
Figos debut in the national team took place on October in a match against Luxembourg which ended Enditem
PRAGUE April Xinhua Lucie Kovarikova and Michal Jon returned to the Czech Republic on Sunday after a three year cycling tour around the world which started on May Day
Kovarikova is the first Czech woman to make such a journey
The kilometers long journey included all continents though in the Antarctica they only symbolically rode several meters before the bicycles got stuck in the snow
Kovarikova and Jon are the first Czech duo to cycle around the world They had no accompaniment and took all their equipment with them on the bikes
They said there were moments during the journey when they were scared We were certainly afraid when a bush in Australia was on fire behind us and we had to ride fast away And also when there was shooting close to our tent in Russia Jon said
Kovarikova said they had to change their itinerary twice once because of snow in Japan and once because of a flood in South Africa
When asked how they managed to live with each other three years all the time Kovarikova said that all problems were easy to solve as each of them had his own bike and could ride on his own for a while
The journey started in Prague and led via Asia Australia and New Zealand to South and North America with the short visit to the Antarctica and finally from South Africa back to Europe
Kovarikova and Jons journey had two patrons Vitezslav Dostal who cycled around the world in and Jan Vesely who was a cycling champion in the s and who died recently
Jon said they saved ten years to have money for the journey which cost million crowns about dollars and which was partly covered by sponsors
Kovarikova and Jon are partners language teachers by profession and they have published three books on their experience from their travels
crownsEnditem
LONDON April Xinhua Chelsea striker Mateja Kezman disgruntled by his lack of firstteam action has threatened to walk out on Chelsea
The Serbia Montenegro star has only scored four goals in games for the Blues and is regularly on the bench
He has said I cannot cope with this for very much longer I am now at the peak of my career
If I have another year like this ahead it makes no more sense and I will go to the big boss and talk to him
Kezman who scored goals in games for PSV to earn his fivemillion pounds transfer to Stamford Bridge added At this moment there are clubs interested in me
He told Voetbal International magazine I am keeping the PSV option open and know I am always welcome there and still want to play there In my head I am keeping my options open but I dont know where my future lies Enditem
HAVANA April Xinhua The Group B matches in the nd World Womens Basketball League will be held on May here it was said here on Wednesday
BC Havana will meet University of Dakar Senegal in the opening round The Cubans will meet the Regional Dynamo of Moscow Russia on the second day and the Ourinhos Center Brazil on day
The host team finishing seventh in the previous edition of the league in Russia will thus start its international program for
The top two finishers in Group B will join the Group A first and second placed teams decided in Seoul South Korea on May to participate in the eightteam final in October in Russia
At the Asian venue will play Australias Dandenong Rangers another team of Dynamo of Moscow plus clubs from South Korea and Japan
The final rounds will be played at the Russian cities of Samara and Moscow on October Four of the best teams of the world are invited including the European champions and defending champions the Volgaburmash of Samara
After seven months without participating in international competitions the Cubans have plans to also participate in the FourNations Tournament in China and friendly games with Canada
The Caribbean team will also participate in the PreWorld Cup Tournament of the Americas on September in Dominican Republic Enditem
CARACAS April Xinhua The Venezuelan team will play in the World Volleyball League after a year of absence and are scheduled to take on world champions Brazil here on May
Secretary General of the Venezuelan Volleyball Federation FW Alejandro Terenzani said Wednesday that the Venezuelan team along with Argentina will occupy the places left by Spain and China in the world elite league
Venezuela asked for the place for the world tournament from the International Volleyball Federation FIVB which decided last year to reduce the number of teams from to said Terenzani
The official said that the VenezuelaBrazil game will be played in the Caracas Sports Complex and broadcast via Staterun VTV channel which has national and international signals Enditem
LONDON April Xinhua The English Football Association has asked Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson to clarify a remark he made after Sundays game against Newcastle
Ferguson said it was sinister that his side had not won more penalties this season after the referee Neale Barry opted to turn down Alan Smiths claims for a penalty against Newcastle
He has until Tuesday to respond to the FA and could then face a charge of misconduct and a potential fine
It is getting ridiculous now I am not sure if they are instructed but it is looking sinister to me Ferguson told MUTV
That is the same referee who gave Portsmouth a penalty against us for the slightest tug by Rio Ferdinand and also denied us an absolute certainty when Louis Saha was fouled at Chelsea in the Carling Cup semifinal
Since that penalty kick against Arsenal in October it seems to me we are not going to get another one no matter what the circumstances are
One of our players will need to get shot for us to get one Enditem
WASHINGTON April Xinhua Twotime Olympic medallist Bernard Lagat has notified USA Track and Field his new citizenship as an American two weeks ago USATF spokeswoman Jill Geer said Wednesday
Hes a US citizen and we welcome him Geer said As soon as he is eligible to compete for Team USA he can compete in our national championships
The Kenyan middle distance runner received US citizenship three months before the Athens but still competed for Kenya and bagged a silver medal in the mens m
The yearolds medal will be stripped if it is determined he was ineligible to compete for Kenya
Lagat announced on April that he had become a US citizen on March
US media reported last week that he had actually changed his nationality on May and received his passport on March
The USATF announced the Lagats nationality switch in a news release dated April a couple of days after Geer said Lagat first informed them of the change
Lagat may not be able to compete for his adopted country until
International athletics rules stipulate that athletes who change citizenship must wait three years before returning to competition for their new country Enditem
WARSAW April Xinhua Following are the secondround results of the Warsaw Cup WTA event here on Wednesday prefix number denotes seeding
Silvia Farina Elia Italy bt Zuzana Ondraskova Czech Republic
Kim Clijsters Belgium bt Maria Kirilenko Russia
Elena Bovina Russia bt Daniela Hantuchova Slovakia
Svetlana Kuznetsova Russia bt Anna Smashnova Israel Enditem
LONDON April Xinhua Defending champion Ronnie OSullivan the Rocket suffered a surprise exit at the snooker world championship Wednesday as Peter Ebdon staged an astonishing fightback to win in the bestof quarterfinal
Eighthseed Ebdon came back from down to book a semifinal clash against Shaun Murphy who ended sixtime world champion Steve Daviss interest as he eased into the semifinals
and winner OSullivan had stopped the rot to go before champion Ebdon held his nerve to clinch a famous victory
Davis exited just an hour after another multitimes champion Stephen Hendry had also gone out as the seventime champion let an lead slip to a defeat at the hands of Waless finalist Matthew Stevens
Murphy though has been the revelation of the tournament as the
yearold ranked in the world has seen off world champion John
Higgins and now the legendary Davis who even at showed there was still
enough ability to make the last eight
Stevens reeled off four frames in a row to come from down and end
Hendrys dreams of an eighth title
The yearold sixth seed claimed a place in the semifinals for the fifth time in six years thanks mainly to an uninspiring performance by Hendry who missed a golden chance to make it and from then on the confidence ebbed away from the yearold who has not won the title since
In an errorridden final session it was Stevens who remained the more
patient and calmer of the two and looks as if he could improve on his losing effort in the final Enditem
WARSAW April Xinhua Belgiums Kim Clijsters booked a quarterfinal berth at the Warsaw WTA clay court tournament on Wednesday by defeating Russian teenager Maria Kirilenko
Seventhseeded Clijsters returning from a careerthreatening wrist injury was on course for her third title after she won in Indian Wells and Miami
Clijsters dominated most of the match conceding her serve just once immediately after taking a lead
Playing with confidence and striking the ball much more cleanly than in her opening clay court match of the season on Tuesday her strength of shot often forced her yearold opponent into errors
Clijsters regained her advantage when a deep backhand forced a mishit from Kirilenko and gave her a break for and a huge forehand forced another error on set point
Clijsters who has won of matches since her return then allowed Kirilenko just one point on the opening three games of the second set before a winning return gave her a lead and left her serving for the match
Second seed Svetlana Kuznetsova the US Open winner was made to toil to overcome Israels Anna Smashnova
Elena Bovina seeded five was stretched by Daniela Hantuchova before winning
The Slovak held a break point to lead in the final set but netted a forehand and Bovina then broke in the next game
But Hantuchova still made the Russian fight for her place in the quarterfinals holding a break point and fighting off five match points before conceding
Eighth seed Silvia Farina Elia also advanced to the quarterfinals when she beat qualifier Zuzana Ondraskova of the Czech Republic Enditem
LONDON April Xinhua Following are the results from the World
championship Quarterfinal Best of matches on Wednesday
Peter Ebdon England bt Ronnie OSullivan England
Shaun Murphy England bt Steve Davis England
Matthew Stevens Wales bt Stephen Hendry Scotland
Ian McCulloch England bt Alan McManus Scotland Enditem
LONDON April Xinhua Following is the summary of the Champions League Semi Final first leg match between Chelsea and Liverpool on Wednesday
Chelsea
Liverpool
Halftime Attendance
Enditem
LONDON April Xinhua Following is the summary from a Premier League match on Wednesday
Newcastle United
Middlesbrough
Halftime Attendance
Played on Tuesday April
West Bromwich Albion Kieran Richardson
Blackburn Rovers Brett Emerton
Halftime Attendance
Enditem
LONDON April Xinhua Following are the results and standings from a Premier League match on Wednesday
Newcastle United Middlesbrough
Tuesday April
West Bromwich Albion Blackburn Rovers
Standings tabulated under games played won drawn lost goals for against and points
Chelsea
Arsenal
Manchester United
Everton
Liverpool
Bolton Wanderers
Middlesbrough
Tottenham Hotspur
Aston Villa
Manchester City
Charlton Athletic
Blackburn Rovers
Birmingham City
Newcastle United
Portsmouth
Fulham
Crystal Palace
West Bromwich Albion
Norwich City
Southampton
Enditem
LONDON April Xinhua Following are the leading scorers of the Premier League on Wednesday
Thierry Henry Arsenal
Andy Johnson Crystal Palace
Jermain Defoe Tottenham Hotspur
Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink Middlesbrough Yakubu Aiyegbeni Portsmouth
Andy Cole Fulham Eidur Gudjohnsen Chelsea Robert Pires Arsenal Robbie Keane Tottenham Hotspur
Frank Lampard Chelsea Fredrik Ljungberg Arsenal Kevin Phillips Southampton Peter Crouch Southampton Didier Drogba Chelsea Wayne Rooney Manchester United Rob Earnshaw West Bromwich Albion Enditem
GENEVA April Xinhua Following are the leading results of the km first stage of the Pro Tour Tour de Romandie in Avenches on Wednesday
Alessandro Petacchi Italy Fassa Bortolo three hours minutes seconds
Tom Steels Belgium Davitamon Lotto
Andre Korff Germany TMobile
Stefano Garzelli Italy Liquigas
Jose Ivan Gutierrez Spain Illes Balears
Oscar Pereiro Spain Phonak
Luke Roberts Australia Team CSC
Josu Silloniz Spain Euskaltel
Robert Foerster Germany Gerolsteiner
Paolo Savoldelli Italy Discovery Channel
Volodymyr Bileka Ukraine Discovery Channel
Manuele Mori Italy Saunier Duval
Addy Engels Netherlands QuickStep
David Loosli Switzerland Lampre Caffita
Mirco Lorenzetto Italy Domina Vacanze all at same time
Enditem
GENEVA April Xinhua Italys Alessandro Petacchi won the km first stage of the Tour de Romandie on Wednesday
Fassa Bortolo rider Petacchi had a perfect lead in the final kilometers of the stage and then hit the front as the road climbed to the finish in the Roman town of Avenches
Belgiums Tom Steels finished second and Andre Korff of Germany was third both in the same time as the yearold Italian
Petacchi and Tuesdays prologue time trial winner Oscar Pereiro of Spain have the same time in the overall standings
It was Petacchis th win this season and the rd of his year career
Thursdays hilly second stage is over kms around the town of Fleurier Enditem
GENEVA April Xinhua Following are the standings after the km first stage at the Pro Tour Tour de Romandie inAvenches on Wednesday
Oscar Pereiro Spain Phonak three hours minutes seconds
Alessandro Petacchi Italy Fassa Bortolo at same time
Paolo Savoldelli Italy Discovery Channel two seconds behind
Bradley McGee Australia Francaise des Jeux
Sebastien Rosseler Belgium QuickStep
Alexandre Moos Switzerland Phonak
Stefano Garzelli Italy Liquigas
Erik Dekker Netherlands Rabobank
Tom Steels Belgium Davitamon Lotto
Fraenk Schleck Luxembourg Team CSC
Luis Perez Rodriguez Spain Cofidis
Ryder Hesjedal Canada Discovery Channel
Markus Fothen Germany Gerolsteiner
Jose Ivan Gutierrez Spain Illes Balears
Angel Vicioso Spain Liberty Seguros
Manuele Mori Italy Saunier Duval
Beat Zberg Switzerland Gerolsteiner
Joost Posthuma Netherlands Rabobank
Olaf Pollack Germany TMobile
Enditem
DAR ES SALAAM April Xinhua Atletico Olympic of Burundi held Simba SC of Tanzania to a goalless draw in their Group A preliminary dashing the host clubs hope to advance further in the team Kagame Cup central and east African clubs championship
The draw pinned down the Tanzanian league titlists from last year to just one point from one draw against one defeat in the roundrobin group matches played in Mwanza in northern Tanzania
Abeid Mulenda found the net at the th minute to pace Rayon Sport of Rwanda over Elman of Somalia to top the Group A standings with six points according to reports reaching here
SC Villa of Uganda also garnered six points from two group matches
On Thursday Awasa of Ethiopa play defending champions APR of Rwanda while reigning runnersup Ulinzi from Kenya meet Mtibwa Sugar of Tanzania Enditem
DAR ES SALAAM April Xinhua Following are the standings after of the team Kagame Cup central and east African clubs championship tabulated under games played won drawn lost goals for against and points
Group A
SC Villa
Rayon Sports
Atletico Olympic
Simba SC
Elman
Group B
Ulinzi
APR
Awasa
Mtibwa
KMKM
Enditem
WASHINGTON April Xinhua The NFLs steroids policy is tough but not perfect the head of a US congressional committee said on Wednesday adding that he plans to introduce a bill governing drug testing across the spectrum of US sports
Representative Tom Davis opened the House Government Reform Committees second hearing on steroids by saying the NFL had been more cooperative than Major League Baseball was when its drug program was examined publicly by the panel last month according to the Association Press
But Davis said that all sports leagues must be acknowledge that their
testing programs need improvement
Such an effort would face obstacles in Congress which has been reluctant to legislate professional sports policy over the years
In prepared testimony submitted to the committee NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue and NFL Players Association chief executive Gene Upshaw said the league is tripling from two to six the number of random off season tests that players can face the AP reported
The league and union recently agreed to add new substances to the list of banned performance enhancers to put in writing previously agreedto policies to test for designer steroids and to lower the testosterone ratio threshold
Some lawmakers criticized the NFLs penalties as too lenient and raised questions about whether amphetamines should be banned
While boosting strength steroids can lead to heart attacks strokes cancer sterility and mood swings using most steroids without a doctors prescription for medical purposes has been illegal since
The NFL began testing in added suspensions in and instituted yearround random testing in Fiftyfour players have been suspended
The percentage of NFL players who test positive for steroids is very low Waxman was quoted as saying Is this because the policy is working or is this because players have figured out how to avoid detection
Gary Wadler a member of the World AntiDoping Agency that oversees Olympic drug testing and penalties knocked the NFL policy for leaving out amphetamines and he urged the league to adopt blood testing to detect Human Growth Hormone
In the NFL a first positive test draws a fourgame ban a quarter of the season and a second gets a sixgame suspension Only two players failed tests twice and they both retired the AP added Enditem
LISBON April Xinhua Following are the results from the Estoril Open mens singles matches on Wednesday prefix number denotes seeding
Second round
Juan Antonio Marin Costa Rica bt Agustin Calleri Argentina RET
Guillermo GarciaLopez Spain bt Joachim Johansson Sweden
Feliciano Lopez Spain bt Albert Montanes Spain
Gaston Gaudio Argentina bt Michal Tabara Czech Republic
First round
Albert Costa Spain bt Nicolas Massu Chile
Enditem
MANILA April Xinhua The Philippine Bureau of Internal Revenue BIR Thursday filed charges of tax evasion before the Department of Justice against the local manufacturer of NBA sportswear for failing to pay estimated million pesos million US dollars in back taxes
Basketball is the most popular sport in the Philippines and NBA sportwears are sold very well in the country
BIR deputy commissioner Licerio Evangelista said Columbia Sports Corporation failed to declare its income for fiscal years and despite importing over billion pesos million US dollars worth of resins used for their products
There is no declaration at all for two years That is a serious violation under the tax code notwithstanding the amount or volume of importation made by the company per records of the Bureau of Customs he said in an interview with local ABSCBN News television network
He said Columbia Sports Corporation is the local manufacturer for imported sports apparel including the National Basketball Association National Football League and American Baseball League He said some of Columbias products are exported
Evangelista said company management failed to settle tax arrearages despite receiving letters from the BIR
The BIR earlier said it would make weekly filings of tax evasion charges under its Run Against Tax Evaders RATE program
The agency earlier filed tax evasion raps against local celebrities Regine Velasquez and Richard Gomez
The BIR also sued officials of Italcar Pilipinas Inc Glo Herbal Philippine Telephone and Telegraph Corp Enditem
LOS ANGELES April Xinhua US boxer Oscar De La Hoya said Wednesday that he is teaming with a Los Angeles real estate firm to launch a million US dollar redevelopment effort for California Latino communities
We aspire to a new vision of urban redevelopment a vision that will support the dreams and aspirations of the people who livein these underserved Latino communities the boxer said
De La Hoya said his company Golden Boy Enterprises and Los Angelesbased developer Highridge Partners will form Golden Boy Partners which plans to invest million dollars over the next three years in primarily Latino California cities in blighted areas
John Long head of Highridge Partners said the new firm expects to announce its first project within six weeks
Our goal is to transform existing properties through redevelopment and new development building as needed to create mixeduse environments that combine housing retail and commercial that will serve local residents Long said
De La Hoya and Long both grew up in innercity Los Angeles
De La Hoya said the new company is also considering financing new and existing businesses to ensure communities have a mix of needed services and available jobs
De La Hoyas Golden Boy Enterprises has interests in Latino newspapers in Los Angeles New York and Chicago and recently purchased an office building on New Yorks Madison Avenue The company also operates a boxing promotion firm Enditem
BRASILIA April Xinhua Following are the result and standings after a Libertadores Cup Group match played on Wednesday
Bolivar Bolivia LDU Quito Ecuador
Standings tabulated under games played won drawn lost goals for against points
Santos
Bolivar
LDU Quito
Danubio
Enditem
BRASILIA April Xinhua Following are the results and standings after Libertadores Cup Group matches played on Wednesday
Deportivo Cuenca Ecuador Pachuca Mexico
Sporting Cristal Peru Boca Juniors Argentina
Standings tabulated under games played won drawn lost goals for against points
Boca Juniors
Pachuca
Sporting Cristal
Deportivo Cuenca
Enditem
WASHINGTON April Xinhua Following are the results from the
NBA Playoffs st Round matches on Wednesday home team in CAPS
CHICAGO BULLS bt Washington Wizards
Chicago Bulls lead the bestofseven series by
PHOENIX SUNS bt Memphis Grizzlies
Phoenix Suns lead the bestofseven series by
SAN ANTONIO SPURS bt Denver Nuggets
The bestofseven series is tied at
Enditem
BRASILIA April Xinhua Following are the summaries of South American Libertadores Cup second stage matches on Wednesday
Group Two
In La Paz Bolivar Bolivia tied LDU Ecuador
Scorers
Bolivar Cristian Zermatten Limberg Gutierrez
LDU Carlos Espinola Roberto Palacios
Red card Marco Sandy Bolivar
Halftime Attendance
Group Eight
In Lima Sporting Cristal Peru lost to Boca Juniors Argentina
Scorers Pablo Ledesma Marcelo Delgado Martin Palermo
HT Att
In Cuenca Ecuador Deportivo Cuenca Ecuador tied PachucaTuzos Mexico
Scorers
Deportivo Cuenca Cristian Carnero
Pachuca Andres Chitiva
Red cards Raul Noriega Deportivo Cuenca Braulio Godinez Pachuca
HT Att Enditem
WASHINGTON April Xinhua Twice NBA MVP Tim Duncan grabbed points and nine rebounds and Tony Parker added points as the San Antonio Spurs took a win over the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday to level their Western conference first round playoffs at
Game of the bestofseven series shifts from San Antonio to Denver on Saturday
The Spurs bounded from their first game loss making nine of their first shots and leading by at the half
Parker scored points in the first quarter matching his total contribution from Game One
Argentine Manu Ginobili contributed points to the Spurs cause off the bench and Brent Barry chipped in with
The Nuggets had only three players in double figures DerMarr Johnson leading the way with points while Andre Miller had and Carmelo Anthony
In Phoenix Amare Stoudemire Shawn Marion and Steve Nashall had doubledoubles as the Suns fought off the determined Memphis Grizzlies to clinch a win and a lead in their Western conference quarterfinal
Game is to be played in Memphis on Friday
Stoudemire had a game high points and rebounds while Marion scored and and Nash hit for while dishing out assists for the top ranked Suns who got all they could handle from the eighth seeded Grizzlies
Joe Johnson added points and Quentin Richardson chipped in with points
Spains Pau Gasol led the Grizzlies with points and rebounds and Jason Williams hit for but will still return to Memphis searching for the franchises first ever playoff win
In Chicago Kirk Hinrich poured in a career high points including in the fourth quarter and Antonio Davis added to power the Bulls to a win over the Washington Wizards and a lead in their Eastern conference quarterfinal
The bestofseven series now shifts to the US capital for game three on Saturday
Hinrich who has often played in the shadow of Bulls rookie of the year candidate Ben Gordon had the spotlight in game two making of shots including for threepointers
Gordon had points while Argentine Andres Nocioni contributed points and seven rebounds to the Chicago cause
The Bulls took control of the contest in the third quarter going on a run to surge ahead taking the point lead into the final frame
Gilbert Arenas had a game high for the Wizards while Larry Hughes had a doubledouble with points and rebounds
The Wizards return home to the MCI Center with plenty of work to do having not won a playoff series since Enditem
KATHMANDU April Xinhua Nepal Badminton Association willhost the Nepal Asian Satellite Badminton Championship in Kathmandu on June the association said here Thursday
As many as of invited countries and regions have confirmed participation so far it said in a press release
Asian Badminton Confederation has announced a US dollars contribution for the tournament and will also provide technical assistance to the Nepali authority to hold the competition the press release added Enditem
SHANGHAI April Xinhua After his consecutive victories in and with partner Yan Sen world mens doubles winner Wang Liqin looks forward to his hattrick success at the th World Table Tennis Championships to be held from May here in China
Wang and Yan were placed the seed among pairs behind Athens Olympic champions Ma LinChen Qi in mens doubles
We felt good during the training sessions here Wang said here on Thursday
WangYan Sydney Olympic doubles winners suffered a blow by missing the Athens Olympic Games last year
Yan was injured before the Asian qualification event last year But now we are ready to fly high together one more time Wang said
The mens doubles gold is planned within the reach of our Chinese players Id better to think how to win the doubles before I go to the singles
If the Chinese pair win this time they may have a dupulicate of the Iran Cup as the thirdtime mens doubles champions in a row
For Wang ranked number one in the singles was tipped one of gold medal contenders besides No teammate Ma Lin Athens Olympic champion Ryu SeungMin of South Korea and a group of European paddlers
Wang a native from Shanghai saidMaybe I can enjoy some home advantages but there are also disadvantages for too much expectations on me Ill try to not to think too much and play with a cool mind
The most important thing is to battle for the doubles title Wang said Enditem
LONDON April Xinhua Former Olympic meter champion Maurice Greene will take on Britains best sprinters on their own turf at the Norwich Union International in Glasgow on June th the event organisers annouced on Thursday
Greene arguably one of the greatest sprinters of all time will compete for the USA over meters in the threeway match against Britain and Russia at Scotstoun Stadium
He said Im really looking forward to competing in Glasgow in June I always get a warm reception from the crowd in the UK and enjoying running there The Norwich Union International will be a good test for me as I prepare for the World Championships in August and Im hoping to put on a great show
Although not quite the dominant force he once was Greene showed that he was still one of the worlds top sprinters by clocking to take the bronze medal in a fast and extremely competitive Olympic meter final in Athens last year However he was beaten into second place on the anchor leg of the X meters relay when Mark LewisFrancis held on to take the godl for Britain
The American says he is confident that he can take on the Brits in Glasgow and win
It will be good to run against Britians best sprinters who are very talented but still have a lot to prove in the individual event They are Olympic gold medallists in the X meters relay but the meters is the biggest chanlenge and the main goal for any sprinter
Greene topped the world rankings at meters from to winning the Olympic meters title in Sydney three consecutive world titles at meters and one at meters This year he is hoping to add another to the list
He said is an important year for me and Im aiming to regain my meters world title later this summer I proved last year that Im still a force to be reckoned with and I know what it takes to add a fourth meters world gold medal to my collection
The meters will be one of the highlights of a top class meeting which will include Dame Kelly Holmes last ever appearance on the track in Scotland The double Olympic gold medallist has made herself available for selection to the British team in meters Enditem
SHANGHAI April Xinhua Though one step away from the world titlist Deng Yapeng Chinese table tennis sweetheart Wang Nan insisted to surpass herself instead of Deng
Deng a legendary women player in China has won a record golds from the World Championships World Cup and Olympic Games during s and been considered the queen of table tennis
Wang has golds in hands However she said she never think about the winning record and to replace Deng
If you want to surpass someone you have to surpass yourself In my game I never spare a second to think about this kind of stuff Wang said here on Thursday before the th World Table Tennis Championships
Since Wang grabbed her first world title in Eindhoven Netherlands in she has embraced her golden time before the sudden slump in Busan Asian Games
Though Wang restored her reputation in worlds by winning both singles and doubles titles she began to lose more frequently to lowerranked teenagers within the Chinese national team
I just want to prove myself as the one who can beat anyone in the world I need to play carefully against each rival and remain focused on the game Wang said
Wang world number two in the singles after Zhang Yining will compete in singles doubles with Zhang and mixed doubles with Wang Hao during the sixday worlds Enditem
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LONDON April Xinhua Chelsea midfielder Joe Cole has warned Liverpool not to be too opmistic about their UEFA League prospect after they managed a goalless draw at Stamford Bridge
Cole is adamant that Chelsea have just as much chance as the Reds heading into next Tuesdays Champions League semifinal second leg
Theres no way that theyre favourites and were every bit as much in this game as them said Cole
The onus is on us and if we play like we can well win this tie
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho accused the Liverpool fans of thinking they are through to the final while the Anfield camp denied that there was an air of over confidence over their challenge
The Reds have yet to beat Chelsea in four attempts this season and Cole knows the Merseysiders suffered a major blow when Xabi Alonso picked up a yellow card and was ruled out of the second leg
Cole added Were very confident and our away results this season have been fantastic
Its not exactly what we wanted but its a decent result and were happy
Theyve not come here and scored and we all know how important away goals are in Europe We passed the ball well particularly in the first half but didnt stick the ball in the back of the net
We werent surprised by Liverpool as theyre an excellent side and weve got a lot of respect for them
Theyve played very well against us in every game and weve got the wins so theyre a good side Enditem
LIMA April Xinhua The specialized press of the country applauded Thursday the performance of Argentine club Boca Juniors in its victory over locals Sporting Cristal after the Wednesday meeting at National Stadium of this capital
The press highlighted this victory with headlines such as Boca crashed Cristal They were but an apetizer Cristal stepped over This match is part of the activity of Group in Libertadores Cup
Other specialists applauded the attitude efficiency order and tactics of Boca in the match versus Cristal who were apathetic without pride and affected by stress
Boca who scored the three goals in the first half has already moved on to the next stage while Cristal will have to play its next match against Mexicos Pachuca to define who end second and advance to the second round
Pachuca and Cristal have the same number of points seven after the draw of the Mexicans as visitors against Deportivo Cuenca of Ecuador who are already out Enditem
SINGAPORE April Xinhua Albirex Niigatabeat beat Paya Lebar Punggol in a Singaporean League match at Hougang Stadium on Thursday
Issey Farran Nakajima scored the first goal for Albirex Niigata in the early th minute but Moudourou Moise of Paya Lebar Punggol equalized in the th minute
Hidetoshi Wakui won the second goal for Albirex Niigata in the th minute
In another match Woodlands Wellington defeated Balestier Khalsa at Toa Payoh Stadium Enditem
ROME April Xinhua Juventus will get one million euros a match for a twogame summer tour of Japan club sources said on Thursday
The tour by the time Italian champion is scheduled for May to June and may also take in Hong Kong
However it may be called off if a scudetto playoff is needed with Juves fellow Serie A leader AC Milan
Many of Juves stars will be missing from the lineup because of World Cup qualifiers but the clubs legions of Japanese fans are not expected to complain
The two matches will be played in Tokyo against the Japanese title winners and the winners of the countrys top cup competition
Many big Italian clubs have summer tours abroad to thrill their foreign fans and boost their coffers Enditem
WASHINGTON April Xinhua Bobby Simmons of the Los Angeles Clippers was a winner of the NBA Most Improved Player award on Thursday topping Miami AllStar Dwyane Wade and Detroit standout Tayshaun Prince despite playing on a losing team
Simmons who will be an unrestricted free agent after this season is the first Clippers player to win the award that started following the season according to reports
Simmons received firstplace votes and points in voting by sports writers and broadcasters Wade got firstplace votes and points and Prince had firstplace votes and points
The yearold Simmons averaged career highs of points rebounds assists steals and minutes in games including starts A year earlier in his first season with the Clippers he averaged points rebounds and minutes in games including eight starts
Simmons a meter forward signed a twoyear million US dollars contract with the Clippers two years ago after being released by the Washington Wizards He was a secondround draft choice of Seattle in before being traded to Washington where he averaged points in games over two seasons Enditem
WASHINGTON April Xinhua Following are the leaders of the NBA playoffs in four statistics through April
Scoring
G FG FT PTS AVG
McGrady Hou
Allen Sea
Hinrich Chi
Hughes Wash
Iverson Phil
Wade Mia
Arenas Wash
Carter NJ
Marion Phoe
Nowitzki Dall
Jackson Ind
Pierce Bos
Gasol Mem
Gordon Chi
D Jones Mia
R Wallace Det
Yao Hou
Stoudemire Phoe
Duncan SA
Miller Den
Webber Phil
FG Percentage
FG FGA PCT
Mourning Mia
D Jones Mia
Yao Hou
Dampier Dall
McDyess Det
Hunter Phoe
LaFrentz Bos
Davis Chi
Hamilton Det
Williams Mem
Rebounds
G OFF DEF TOT AVG
Dalembert Phil
Marion Phoe
Nocioni Chi
Camby Den
James Sea
Evans Sea
Gasol Mem
Mohammed SA
ONeal Mia
Duncan SA
Stoudemire Phoe
B Wallace Det
Assists
G AST AVG
Nash Phoe
Iverson Phil
Wade Mia
McGrady Hou
Duhon Chi
Arenas Wash
Bibby Sac
Billups Det
Johnson Ind
Miller Den
Parker SA Enditem
WASHINGTON April Xinhua The US womens national volleyball team will host Brazil counterparts from June in a series of three matches it was announced by USA Volleyball Association on Thursday from Colorado Springs
The matches will be the American womens first international competition of the season and the first under new Chinese head coach Jenny Lang Ping who was named on February
The matches with Brazil will be a great test and prepare us for our upcoming tournaments since we will not have had enough time to get the team together for training said Lang Ping It will also give us a good chance to get to know our players better in game situations
The series starts on Thursday June at the Auraria Events Center on the campus of Metro State College in Denver
The second match is scheduled for Saturday June at Fossil Ridge High School in Fort Collins The series then concludes on Monday June with a match at the United States Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs
Before the Olympic Games in Greece last summer the United States captured the silver medal at the Montreux Volley Masters and a bronze medal at the World Grand Prix In Athens Team USA finished the Olympics tied for fifth place after losing to Brazil in the quarterfinals
Brazil along with the United States was one of the favorites to earn an Olympic medal in Athens but fell short in finishing fourth Enditem
BRASILIA April Xinhua Brazilian Midfielder Marcio Rodriguez Magrao suffered from a face fracture and head trauma when vying for ball possession with Guatemala striker Hernan Sandoval during the friendly won by Brazil on Wednesday medical sources said on Thursday
Magrao who plays for Palmeiras got hurt minutes into the match held at Pacaembu Stadium of Sao Paulo
Magrao was replaced by Marcinho and left the stadium in an ambulance for Sao Luiz Hospital where he is hospitalized
The player underwent several tests to assess his situation and he will be out of action for four to six weeks the sources said
Bazilian national team coach Jose Luiz Runco who accompanied Magrao to the hospital ruled out any neurological damage on the player
Palmeiras doctor Vinicius Martins said Magrao will be sidelined for at least four weeks
Magrao remains hospitalized under observation and will have to undergo new tests before released from hospital Enditem
LONDON April Xinhua CSKA Moscow and Sporting Lisbon moved one step closer to a UEFA Cup final showdown after scoring positive results in their semifinal clashes on Thursday
CSKA held Parma in Italy to a draw while Sporting beat Dutch side AZ Alkmaar to enjoy a narrow edge ahead of the return in the Netherlands
Giving priority to their battle against relegation from Serie A Parmatwice winners of the UEFA Cup fielded an understrength side and omitted leading goalscorer Alberto Gilardino and influential midfielder Domenico Morfeo from the squad
Parmas best opportunity fell on Francesco Ruopolo in the th minute
The yearold found himself in plenty of space but dragged his shot wide from a good position
CSKA then came close to breaking the deadlock minutes from time when a freekick from Brazilian Daniel Carvalho cleared the bar by inches
In Lisbon a long distance strike by Chilean substitute Mauricio Pinilla in the th minute gave Sporting Lisbon a win over AZ Alkmaar
The yearold Pinilla had only been on the field for minutes when he made his dramatic contribution He dribbled the ball to yards out and unleashed a powerful drive which left Alkmaar goalkeeper Henk Timmer with no chance
It was tough luck on the Dutch side who had taken the lead in the first half and had plenty of opportunities to win the tie themselves
Sporting who had knocked out English sides Middlesbrough and Newcastle to reach the last four had most of the possession in the first half but fell behind after minutes
Alkmaar defender Kew Jaliens broke down the right and his cross was met first time by skipper Denny Landzaat who swept the ball past Ricardo in the Sporting goal
However the Portuguese side were level within a minute
A longrange shot came off the legs of Ron Vlaar and fell invitingly into the path of Cameroon striker Roudolphe Douala who scored with a low drive past Timmer Enditem
LONDON April Xinhua Chelsea defender William Gallas has revealed that he is a transfer target for Spanish league leaders Barcelona
Gallas has recently been forced to play at leftback rather than his preferred centraldefensive role at Chelsea because of injury problems
And the France defender has voiced his dismay at the situation prompting speculation that he may leave Chelsea
Asked whether other clubs had expressed an interest in him Gallas said Yes Barcelona want to sign me
Gallas may find it difficult to reclaim his centerhalf position with John Terry Ricardo Carvalho and Robert Huth all competing for places
But the Frenchman is believed to want to hold discussions with Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho before deciding his future plans
Gallas revelation comes just one day after Chelsea striker Mateja Kezman said he was ready to go directly to club owner Roman Abramovich about his lack of firstteam action
The Serbia Montenegro star has only scored four goals in games for the Blues and is regularly on the bench
Now the yearold said I cannot cope with this for very much longer I am now at the peak of my career
If I have another year like this ahead it makes no more sense and I will go to the big boss and talk to him Enditem
LONDON April Xinhua Liverpools midfielder Xabi Alonso claimed on Thursday that he did not deserve the booking which has put him out of the Champions League semifinal second leg against Chelsea
Midfielder Alonso is banned for one match after his third yellow card of the tournament for a foul on Eidur Gudjohnsen in the goalless first leg
You can see on the replay I didnt touch him he told the Reds website
When I saw the yellow card I couldnt believe it as I knew what it meant I feel so sad to miss the second leg
He added I hoped after seeing the tackle again maybe the referee could change his mind but weve been told its not possible to appeal
Its a big disappointment for me to miss the game at Anfield because it will be a special night
Now I just hope we can get through to the final so I have another chance to play in the competition
Alonsos midfield teammate John Arne Riise admits it will be a blow to be without the influential Spaniard who has only recently returned from a long absence with an ankle injury
Were going to miss Xabi as hes just come back into the team said Riise
Hes absolutely distraught and anyone would be disappointed Were going to play the game for him
He says it wasnt a yellow card so its a massive blow for him personally and also for the team because he has done very well since he came back
Weve got to cope without him Didi Hamann is coming back from injury so perhaps he can slot in
Hamann has been out with a knee injury since March when Liverpool beat Everton
And Reds boss Rafael Benitez is hopeful that the German will play on Tuesday He said Didi is training normally and I think he will be fit for the second leg It is good news Enditem
BUENOS AIRES April Xinhua Argentine soccer great Diego Maradona said Thursday that on May he will go to Spain to play golf match with Brazilian international Ronaldo and meet Arrigo Sacchi and Vanderlei Luxemburgo the soccer director and coach of Real Madrid respectively
He also said he will witness the training sessions of Atletico de Madrid and if possible will go to Barcelona to say hi to Brazilian Ronaldinho
In remarks to cabletelevision channel TyC Sports of Buenos Aires Maradona said he will likely stay in Europe until May and on the th he will go to the birthday party of his daughter Giannina and if possible he will stay for one or two days in Italy
The explayer said he will talk with the President of Boca Juniors Mauricio Macri about the trip although he said that he is not linked with Boca yet
After indicating that in the coming hours he will head for Cuba Maradona revealed he has asked Macri to work with young players and said he also has an offer from San Lorenzo de Almagro whose coach Hector Veira resigned last Tuesday
As for the possibility of working with young players he said This possibility attracts me I want to give my experience to kids Enditem
LAGOS April Xinhua A man Nigerian delegation have left Lagos for Casablanca Morocco to take part in the African Amateur Boxing Championships opening on Saturday an official from the Nigeria Amateur Boxing Association NABA said here Thursday
According to the official the team is made up of eight boxers including those who won their bouts and finished as runnersup at the justconcluded African Zone III Tournament held earlier this month in Lome the capital of Togo
The official said Francis Gbiri secretary of the Nigeria Amateur Boxing Association NABA led the delegation which also included three coaches a doctor and a refereejudge The Nigerian boxers would contest in six categories of bantamweight welterweight middleweight lightweight heavyweight and super heavyweight
They would be joined by boxers from Benin Republic Togo Burkina Faso and Ghana Benin and Togo will send four each while Burkina Faso and Ghana have three each The championships are scheduled to end on May Enditem
LAGOS April Xinhua The West African University Games WAUG has decided to organize more competitions among the universities to strengthen ties among the youths of the subregion a top official from the Nigeria University Games Association NUGA said here Thursday
NUGA Secretary Bola Orodele told reporters in Nigerias commercial capital Lagos that competitions among West African universities would highten the spirit of the Economic Community of West African States ECOWAS and promote unity among the youths
In the past we held just major games every four years But now we have championships in between the games he said adding that this is aimed at promoting the spirits of ECOWS among our youths They now have more opportunities to interact and visit other countries within the subregion
Orodele said the success of the justended basketball championships organized by WAUG at the Ahmadu Bello University Zaria in Nigerias northern state of Kaduna was an indication of the acceptance of the idea of inbetween games competitions in the subregion
The basketball championships held in Zaria was a huge success hesaid adding that it really has encouraged us to organize more of such championships
Orodele said more of such championships would be held According to him West African universities will in June hold football and hockey championships at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology Ghana while Benin Republic will host volleyball and handball tournaments in December
All the competitions will open to all interested universities in the subregion he said
The NUGA secretary urged corporate sponsors to identify with the championships as a way of engaging the youths Enditem
ROME April Xinhua RAI state TV aired a stunning video tape Thursday where Italy captain Fabio Cannavaro was shown using performanceenhancing substance prior to a UEFA match
Cannavaro was shown injected with Neoton a creatine phosphate that is not on any banned lists in Italy in the tape filmed the night before the UEFA Cup final in a Moscow hotel room shortly before Parma beat Marseille for the title
Look what were reduced to before the UEFA Cup final Cannavaro was heard saying as a Parma team official administered the medicine Im years old and theyre killing me
Cannavaro sent a request to RAI a few hours before the tape was aired asking that it be pulled from broadcast but RAI went ahead and had Cannavaros lawyer Paolo Trofino in the studio to take part in an open discussion after it was shown
Trofino emphasized that taking Neoton was not doping and also made reference to the playful nature of the tape in which Cannavaro often pokes fun at himself
Cannavaro played seven seasons for Parma from to and now plays for Juventus Enditem
MADRID April Xinhua Following are the result of rearranged
thround match in the Spanish first division on Thursday
Osasuna bt Villarreal
Playing on Saturday
Atletico Madrid vs Athletic Bilbao
Numancia vs Valencia
Real Sociedad vs Real Madrid
Playing on Sunday
Zaragoza vs Osasuna
Mallorca vs Espanyol
Levante vs Malaga
Villarreal vs Getafe
Racing Santander vs Real Betis
Barcelona vs Albacete
Sevilla vs Deportivo La Coruna Enditem
MADRID April Xinhua Following are the standings in the Spanish firstdivision soccer league after Thursdays rearranged thround match tabulated under games played won drawn lost goals for against points
FC Barcelona
Real Madrid
Se villa
Espanyol
Villarreal
Valencia
Real Betis
Atletico Madrid
Athletic Bilbao
Deportivo La Coruna
Zaragoza
Real Sociedad
Osasuna
Getafe
Malaga
Racing Santander
Levante
Mallorca
Albacete
Numancia Enditem
LONDON April Xinhua Following are the results of the UEFA Cup semifinal first leg matches played on Thursday home team first
Parma Italy tied CSKA Moscow Russia
Sporting Lisbon Portugal bt AZ Alkmaar Netherlands
Second Leg
Playing on Thursday May
CSKA Moscow Russia vs Parma Italy
AZ Alkmaar Netherlands vs Sporting Lisbon Portugal
Final
Wednesday May
At Lisbon Portugal Enditem
ESTORIL April Xinhua Following are the results from the Estoril Open mens singles round matches on Thursday prefix number denotes seeding
Davide Sanguinetti Italy bt Albert Costa Spain
Carlos Moya Spain bt Juan Carlos Ferrero Spain
PaulHenri Mathieu France bt Tomas Cakl Czech Republic
Tommy Robredo Spain bt Santiago Ventura Spain Enditem
BRASILIA April Xinhua Brazil striker Grafite became the target of racists on the soccer field Thursday during a friendly against Guatemala in Sao Paulo local media said on Thursday
A banana with Grafites name and the word monkey written on it was thrown onto the field before Wednesdays match at Pacaembu stadium the Agencia Estado news service said
Police did not immediately identified who threw the banana among the fans nearly all rooting for Brazil
Grafite said he did not find out about the insult until talking to reporters after the match
Grafite who scored once in Brazils victory was subjected to racism two weeks ago in an episode that led to the arrest of Argentine defender Leandro Desabato on charges of using racist remarks against the Brazilian in a Copa Libertadores match
Desabato spent nearly hours in jail and was allowed to leave Brazil only after signing a legal document promising to return for all legal proceedings He faces three years in prison if found guilty and could also be suspended by the South American soccer confederation CONMEBOL Enditem
SHANGHAI April Xinhua Following are the latest world table tennis rankings ahead of Sundays start of the th world championships in Shanghai
Men
Wang Liqin China
Ma Lin China
Wang Hao China
Vladimir Samsonov Belarus
Timo Boll Germany
Ryu Seung Min South Korea
Chen Qi China
Chuan ChihYuan Chinese Taipei
Werner Schlager Austria
Kalinokos Kreanga Greece
Women
Zhang Yining China
Wang Nan China
Niu Jianfeng China
Tamara Boros Croatia
Guo Yue China
Li Jia Wei Singapore
Tie Yana Hong Kong China
Guo Yan China
Liu Jia Austria
Kim Kyung Ah South Korea
Enditem
WASHINGTON April Xinhua Following are the results from the NBA Playoffs st Round matches on Thursday home team in CAPS
st Round
ET ET T
Miami Heat
NEW JERSEY NETS
Miami Heat lead the bestofseven series by
INDIANA PACERS
Boston Celtics
Indiana Pacers lead the bestofseven series by
Dallas Mavericks
HOUSTON ROCKETS
Houston Rockets lead the bestofseven series by Enditem
MUNICH April Xinhua Following are the second round results from the Munich Open mens singles matches on Thursday prefix number denotes seeding
Wayne Arthurs Australia bt Igor Andreev Russia
Tommy Haas Germany bt Lee HyungTaik South Korea
Andrei Pavel Romania bt Sjeng Schalken Netherlands
Raemon Sluiter Netherlands bt Nikolay Davydenko Russia
David Nalbandian Argentina bt Peter Luczak Australia
Juan Monaco Argentina bt Paradorn Srichaphan Thailand
Jarkko Nieminen Finland bt Mario Ancic Croatia
Michal Mertinak Slovakia bt Ricardo Mello Brazil Enditem
LONDON April Xinhua Former champion Peter Ebdon edged toward the snooker world championship semifinal on Thursday by taking a lead over fellow Englishman Shaun Murphy
Ian McCulloch bidding to become the first qualifier to reach the final since Terry Griffiths in also took a advantage against finalist Matthew Stevens
world champion Ebdon took three of the opening four frames before Murphy narrowed the gap a break but the young qualifier struggled to find the form which saw him beat John Higgins and Steve Davis earlier in the tournament
Ebdon who produced a great comeback to knock out defending champio Ronnie OSullivan in the quarterfinals continued to hold the upper hand and finished the afternoon with breaks of and to establish a fourframe lead
McCulloch won a scrappy opening frame against Welshman Stevens and the Englishman also claimed the next threeincluding a clearance
Stevens opened his account in the fifth frame but a break of restored McCullochs fourframe advantage
Stevens won the penultimate frame of the session but McCulloch ended the evening with an break to lead by four frames overnight Enditem
LONDON April Xinhua Following are the results from the World snooker championship semifinal Best of matches on Thursday
Peter Ebdon England leads Shaun Murphy England
Ian McCulloch England leads Matthew Stevens Wales Enditem
WARSAW April Xinhua Following are the results from the Warsaw Cup Womens singles matches on Thursday prefix number denotes seeding
Justine HeninHardenne Belgium bt Maria VentoKabchi Venezuela
Ana Ivanovic Serbia and Montenegro bt Vera Zvonareva Russia
Nathalie Dechy France bt Marta Domachowska Poland
Patty Schnyder Switzerland bt Julia Vakulenko Ukraine Enditem
LISBON April Xinhua Top seed Carlos Moya overcame fellow Spanish Juan Carlos Ferrero in a marathon secondround match at the Estoril Open claycourt tournament on Thursday
Moya will play PaulHenri Mathieu in Fridays quarterfinals after the Frenchman thrashed Tomas Cakl
Fourth seed Tommy Robredo booked the last eight ticket defeating countryman Santiago Ventura and experienced Italian Davide Sanguinetti a winner over Spains Albert Costa
Moya and Ferrero both former world number ones and French Open champions toiled two hours minutes
Moya won the first set thanks to a lucky netcord and had three match points in the second set before Ferrero battled backto force a decider
In the womens draw second seed Dinara Safina stormed into the quarterfinals by beating Katerina Bondarenko
Mariana DiazOliva beat Olga Savchuk American Jill Craybas overcame Ludmila Cervanova and Lucie Safarova defeated Michaella Krajicek to complete Fridays quarterfinal lineup Enditem
CHANGCHUN April Xinhua China Network Communication Group Corporation China Netcom Group Jilin Branch on Friday became the first official partner of the Winter Asian Games
The company signed a contract here with the organizing committee of event
Donating million RMB about million US dollars China Netcom Group Jilin Branch will provide network service computer technology and communication service for the Games which is to be held in Changchun capital city of northeast Chinas Jilin Province
The Jilin company will invest in the sectors of network engineer multimedia information system and ebusiness system to provide service for the Games Enditem
SHANGHAI April Xinhua JeanMichel Saive runnerup of this years European championships reckoned Ma Lin from China has the best chance to win the Saint Bride Cup here at the World Table Tennis Championships starting on Saturday
The yearold Belgian who participated in his first training section at the Shanghai Gymnasium on Friday thought the reigning European champion Vladimir Samsonov who beat Saive in mens singles final earlier this month has a better chance than him to claim the mens singles title as the yearold of Belarus has been drawn in a quarter without a Chinese player
Samsonov is the best hope for Europe since he got a better drawsaid the world silver medalist in Gothenburg Sweden Chinese however have the best chance to win the mens singles title
They are very strong and have done good preparations for this championships so what Europeans can do is just focus on your own game
I dont have any plans here but to go match by matchIll try to play and show my best table tennis to make a small space through those tough Chinese
Saive who will meet Ma Lin if both of them make it through to quarterfinals of the mens singles event said he has been in verygood physical conditions and has no injury worries before his eleventh attempt for the biennial topclass pingpong tournament Enditem
DAR ES SALAAM April Xinhua Mtibwa Sugar of Tanzania has kept alive the hope of the Kagame Cup hosts to see one of its three clubs advance beyond the preliminary rounds at the central and east African clubs championship now being played in Mwanza of northern Tanzania
Striker Aboubakar Mkangwa scored two goals while Joseph Kaniki found the net once himself to pace Mtibwa to a victory over Ulinzi of Kenya the reigning runnersup from last years version of the cup tourney
Mtibwa Sugar has garnered one win and one draw against no defeat while Ulinzi has got each of a win draw and defeat on their scoresheet
Defending champions APR of Rwanda downed Awasa of Ethiopia in the other Group B match on Thursday to top the group with two straight wins
Ten clubs are competing in this years cup tournament that started with two fiveteam roundrobin group preliminaries
Tabulated under are current team standings after Thursdays matches clubs played won drawn lost goals for against
Group A
SC Villa
Rayon Sports
Atletico Olympic
Simba SC
Elman
Group B
APR
Mtibwa
Ulinzi
Awasa
KMKM Enditem
WASHINGTON April Xinhua Following are the results and
standings from the Libertadores Cup Group matches on Thursday
Friday April
The Strongest BOL Quilmes ARG
Friday April
Universidad de Chile CHI Sao Paulo BRA
Thursday April
Sao Paulo BRA Quilmes ARG
The Strongest BOL Universidad de Chile CHI
Thursday March
Quilmes ARG Sao Paulo BRA
Wednesday March
Universidad de Chile CHI The Strongest BOL
Friday March
Quilmes ARG The Strongest BOL
Thursday March
Sao Paulo BRA Universidad de Chile CHI
Thursday March
The Strongest BOL Sao Paulo BRA
Tuesday February
Universidad de Chile CHI Quilmes ARG
Standings P W D L F A Pts
Group
Sao Paulo
Universidad de Chile
The Strongest
Quilmes
Next Fixtures
Thursday May
Quilmes ARG vs Universidad de Chile CHI
Sao Paulo BRA vs The Strongest BOL
Enditem
BRASILIA April Xinhua Following are the results and standings from the Libertadores Cup Group matches on Thursday
Friday April
Cerro Porteno PAR EC Santo Andre BRA
Wednesday April
Deportivo Tachira VEN Cerro Porteno PAR
EC Santo Andre BRA Palmeiras BRA
Friday April
Cerro Porteno PAR Deportivo Tachira VEN
Thursday March
Palmeiras BRA EC Santo Andre BRA
Thursday March
EC Santo Andre BRA Cerro Porteno PAR
Palmeiras BRA Deportivo Tachira VEN
Thursday March
Cerro Porteno PAR Palmeiras BRA
Wednesday March
Deportivo Tachira VEN EC Santo Andre BRA
Standings P W D L F A Pts
Group
Cerro Porteno
Palmeiras
EC Santo Andre
Deportivo Tachira Enditem
MADRID April Xinhua Following are the fixtures from the Primera Liga matches on Friday
Saturday April
Atletico Madrid vs Athletic Bilbao
Numancia vs Valencia
Real Sociedad vs Real Madrid
Sunday May
Barcelona vs Albacete
Levante vs Malaga
Racing Santander vs Real Betis
Real Mallorca vs Espanyol
Real Zaragoza vs Osasuna
Sevilla vs Deportivo Coruna
Villarreal vs Getafe
Enditem
LISBON April Xinhua Following are the fixtures from the Portuguese championship matches on Friday
Friday April
Academica vs Boavista
Saturday April
Benfica vs Belenenses
Nacional Madeira vs Estoril
Porto vs Maritimo
Gil Vicente vs Uniao Leiria
Moreirense vs Beira Mar
Vitoria Setubal vs Rio Ave
Sunday May
Braga vs Sporting Lisbon
Monday May
Vitoria Guimaraes vs Penafiel
Enditem
LONDON April Xinhua Following are the fixtures from the Premier League matches on Friday
Saturday April
Birmingham City vs Blackburn Rovers
Bolton Wanderers vs Chelsea
Fulham vs Everton
Liverpool vs Middlesbrough
Manchester City vs Portsmouth
Newcastle United vs Crystal Palace
Southampton vs Norwich City
Sunday May
Charlton Athletic vs Manchester United
Tottenham Hotspur vs Aston Villa
Monday May
West Bromwich Albion vs Arsenal
Enditem
BEIJING April Xinhua Following is the finalized lineup of the Chinese team for the Sudirman Cup world badminton mixed team championships announced here Friday
Firstchoice lineup
Womens singles Zhang Ning Xie Xingfang
Mens singles Lin Dan Chen Hong Bao Chunlai
Womens doubles Gao LingHuang Sui Yang WeiZhang Jiewen
Mens doubles Fu HaifengCai Yun Sang YangZheng Bo
Mixed doubles Zhang Jun Chen Qiqiu
Substitutes
Womens singles Gong Ruina Zhou Min
Mens singles Chen Yu Xia Xuanze
Womens doubles Zhao TingtingWei Yili
Mens doubles Xie ZhongboGuo Zhendong
Mixed doubles Zhang Yawen
Enditem
BEIJING April Xinhua The Sudirman Cupbounded players are all in good forms said Chinese head coach Li Yongbo here Friday ahead of the world badminton mixed team championship
Li expressed his satisfaction for his shuttlers preparation following several fiecelycompeted test matches in the afternoon and later announced the finalized firstchoice lineup of
They are all in good forms which you can see from the fierce competition Every match was stretched into full three sets said Li who has led the Chinese team to clinch the Thamos Cup world mens team title and Uber Cup top honor for the womens team
Zhang JunZhang Yawen came from behind to beat Chen QiqiuZhao Tingting in the mixed doubles before world number one Xie Xingfang outlasted Olympic and world champion Zhang Ning in the womens singles
The mens singles saw world number one Lin Dan brushed aside fourthranked Chen Hong and newcomer Xie Zhongbo and Zheng Bo upset world number four pair Cai Yun and Fu Haifeng in the mens doubles
We have done well in the past few weeks and will spend more time studying our opponents in the next days added Li
The Sudirman Cup won by South Korea two years ago was scheduled to open on May and runs through to
China was pooled in Group B with Indonesia Hong Kong of China and Sweden while Group A features South Korea Denmark England and Thailand Enditem
LISBON April Xinhua Following are the results from the Estoril Open WTA tournament on Friday prefix number denotes seeding
Singles quarterfinals
Lucie Safarova Czech Republic bt Mariana DiazOliva Argentina
Gisela Dulko Argentina bt Zheng Jie China
Li Na China bt Dally Randriantefy Madagascar
Dinara Safina Russia bt Jill Craybas United States
Enditem
LONDON April Xinhua Following are the semifinal results at the snooker world championship at Sheffield on Friday prefix number denotes seeding
Semifinals Best of
Shaun Murphy England leads Peter Ebdon England
Ian McCulloch England leads Matthew Stevens Wales
Enditem
OTTAWA April Xinhua A yearold professor in Canadas Ottawa University attempting to become the oldest Canadian to climb to the summit of Mount Qomolangma died Friday on the mountain it is reported here
Dr Sean Egan died before noon local time after leaving the base camp on his way to a lower altitude He had been suffering from a respiratory infection and was going to seek medical help Its believed he suffered a cardiac arrest said a news release from Tim Redpath a spokesperson for the expedition
A professor of human kinetics Egan had been leading a team of about Canadian climbers from Ryerson University and the University of Ottawa
Egan was an experienced climber and selfdescribed fitness fanatic It was his third trip to the mountain and was to be his first summit attempt Enditem
SHANGHAI April Xinhua Defending champion Werner Schlager of Austria relvealed here on Friday that he hope to repeat the miracle in Paris two years ago at the th World Table Tennis Championships to be held during May
In Schlager was the surprised winner in Paris to lift the trophy of mens singles beating South Koreas JOO Se Hyuk in the final and Chinese former Olympic champion Kong Linghui in the last four
It can be called a miracle Because the victory was not only based on my own strength It needed luck the luck of the draw and the luck from my rivals Schlager said
So I start to pray that I can repeat the Paris miracle in Shanghai this time the yearold joked
As the reigning champion Schlager admitted that he had a lot of pressure on him
Of course I got pressure from my rivals and myself But what in my mind is to defend the title Only when I forget the title I can concentrate on my game and defeat my rivals Schalger said
Schlager admitted though he was not in good shape he expected to reach his hightide during the competition
The bottom line for me is not to play which is impossible Schalger laughed The best result is to win the title In between everything is possible and accecptable
Maybe I am not in good form now but I can be in a surprised shape in the competition Who knows Thats why I said I pray to play the Paris miracle here in Shanghai he said
Schlager will play mens singles doubles and mixed doubles during the sixday worlds Enditem
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SINGAPORE April Xinhua Tampines Rovers beat Home United in a Singaporean League match at Tampines Stadium on Friday night
In the rd minute Noh Alam Shah scored the first goal for defending champions Tampines Rovers whose second goal was scored by Mirko Grabovac in the second half
Thanks to the efforts made by Indra Sahdan Daud Home United the champions finally got one goal in the st minute
Currently Tampines Rovers is at the top of the table with points while Home United stands at th spot with points Enditem
LIMA April Xinhua Soccer clubs The Strongest of Bolivia and Quilmes of Argentina were eliminated from Liberators Cup after the first one defeated the second Friday said the Bolivian press
The match was played Thursday at Hernan Siles Suazo Stadium of La Paz with a sparse audience as the local team did not have any option after having obtained only two draws after five matches while the visitor needed a draw or a victory
Tufilo and Desabato scored for the locals while Quilmess goal came through Saavedra
The table of positions of Group ended like this Sao Paulo Brazil points Universidad de Chile Chile Quilmes Bolivia and The Strongest Bolivia Enditem
PRAGUE April Xinhua The international Peace Race cycling event will not be held for financial reasons this year its director Pavel Dolezel said Friday
The th edition of the race which has been held without interruption since was to be contested on May to
After long negotiations with marketing partners the organiser the Czech Cycling Association who owns the race has been forced to announce that the Peace Race will not be held this year says the associations official statement
No mens race listed in the international calendar will be run on Czech territory this year The Peace Race was ranked in second category last year
The race has faced problems stemming from protracted disputes around property rights to the registered trademark and the name of the race This has caused us huge problems we particularly could not start marketing negotiations Dolezel said
Czech Cycling Association president Marian Stetina will on the days ahead register the Peace Race with the International Cycling Union for May
The Czech German and Polish cycling associations will by the end of May sign an agreement on the future organisation and shape of the Peace Race in the years to come Stetina said
The idea of organising an international cycling race after the war came from the journalists of then Czechoslovak daily Rude Pravo and the Polish daily Glos Ludu to reflect the reconstruction of Europe devastated by World War Two
The Peace Race also referred to as PragueBerlinWarsaw race had its official name recognised by the International Cycling Union in November Enditem
MADRID April Xinhua The United Nations Childrens Fund UNICEF on Friday appointed Cameroonian striker Samuel Etoo of Spanish soccer club Barcelona as its ambassador
The official appointment will take effect on May at the Economic Social Council of Madrid said UNICEF in a communique
Etoo is very aware about the social reality of the country both in his country and in his continent said the head of the UNICEF program in Catalonia Nieves Prieto
The striker has the profile of an athlete who has shown sensibility towards children and humanitarian causes said UNICEF
Etoo will share the UNICEF honors with Spanish Formula pilot Fernando Alonso
UNICEF praised the sensibility of the player who comes from Cameroon a country affected by the acquired immune deficiency syndrome AIDS hunger and other calamities
Etoo participated during a week in the production of five publicity spots as part of the campaign Sport for Development
The player said helping people in Cameroon is an additional motivation as what I do is for the whole world Enditem
BUENOS AIRES April Xinhua Boca Juniors offered Friday to Maradona the charge of director general of the youth divisions said president of the club Mauricio Macri who affirmed that this task could grow in the organization
The post was chosen by the former player who will respond to the offering by midMay Now it all is up to him said the president
We offer Maradona to start working on June or August when he could start said Macri after the announcement of the direction in La Bombonera Stadium offices
With this we seek to start relations between Boca and Diego in an increasing way lasting the whole life Everyone knows how important it would be to us having him linked to the club he indicated
Macri commentted that Maradona will travel Friday to Cuba and next week to Spain We expect to have his reply upon his return and know whether or not he will work with Bocas amateur teams he said
He added that his work will consist in searching new talents for the youth divisions and the formation of players a task that until recently was made by the clubs coach Jorge Griffa
We see a Diego who is eager to work a Maradona who wants to do something for a club that is his own There is no better place for him to start working We all want to work together and start to move along this path said Macri
According to the leader during the talks held with Maradona possibilities were analysed to start working with the least possible pressure with a timetable without a rush and always thinking that this work could increase in possibilities
In principle Boca Juniors wanted to offer Maradona the post of sports ambassador which he rejected outright saying he would die working in a desk
Later different spokespersons of the club said he could be the general sports director soccer coordinator or technical secretary until Maradona said this week he would love to work with young players
Maradona was champion of the Argentine League with Boca Juniors in and retired in with this team Enditem
LONDON April Xinhua James Beattie whose transfer cost Everton six million pounds admitted on Saturday that his form has been a major disappointment since his arrival at Goodison Park from Southampton
Beattie has scored only two goals in nine appearances and was criticised for a headbutt on Chelseas William Gallas that earned him a threematch ban
He said Theres nobody more disappointed with the start to my Everton career than myself
Im a big selfcritic and I know that there are better times to come
Beattie was hoping his move to Everton would reignite his England career but a struggle for form has also not been helped by a knee injury
He said With lack of matches between now and the end of the season and for the fact that I havent played many games since I signed its probably going to be next season before the fans see me at my best
Its disappointing and it kills me to say it but its a sensible thing to say Im looking to get a good preseason behind me stay injury free and Im sure Ill be flying
Everton require six points from their final four games to seal a place in the Champions League having already ensured a Uefa Cup spot
And Beattie hopes to be involved when Everton travel to Fulham on Saturday
He said Im looking forward to the next game and helping the team achieve what we want to achieve If Im involved in some way at Fulham that will be fantastic
I am just here and ready to do my best whenever Im called upon and I will do it for the fans my teammates and for the club
Even though weve qualified for the Uefa Cup the feeling around the camp is one of we havent finished yet Enditem
BRASILIA April Xinhua The former coach of the Peruvian national soccer team Paulo Autuori was named coach of Sao Paulo replacing Emerson Leao local media said Friday
Brazilian Autuori who resigned to the Peruvian team on April has signed with Sao Paulo a contract runnning to December and will make his debut on May in the match against Corinthians in the third round of the Brazilian championship
According to Internet magazine pelenet the former coach of Peru will earn US dollars a month with Sao Paulo
This is the second time Autuori coaches a Sao Paulo club In he had an ephemeral participation with Santos
The yearold coach was born in Rio de Janeiro and was an Physical Education major
The most outstanding title in his career came in when he led Botafogo to win the Brazilian championship and two years later he won the Liberators Cup with Cruzeiro
In addition to these clubs the Brazilian coached America of Rio de Janeiro Benfica of Portugal Flamengo Internacional and Peruvian clubs Alianza Lima and Sporting Cristal Enditem
WASHINGTON April Xinhua Dallas Mavericks forward Keith Van Horn has been diagnosed with a sprained left ankle and is doubtful for Game of his teams Western Conference contest against the Houston Rockets on Saturday
Van Horn will travel back to Dallas with the team after Game and receive an MRI He will be reevaluated at that point it was reported from Houston on Friday
Van Horn left Thursdays win over Houston in the second quarter after landing awkwardly on his left leg while trying to secure a rebound He fell to the court in obvious pain and had to be helped to the locker room
Dallas trails Houston in the bestofseven series Enditem
WASHINGTON April Xinhua Boston Celtics Antoine Walker was suspended onegame by NBA Friday for grabbing a referee during his teams loss to the host Pacers Thursday
The veteran forward was banished after grabbing referee Tom Washington on the arm in the game that gave the Pacers a lead in the bestofseven opening round series according to reports from New York
Walker will miss Saturdays game but could return for game five in Boston on Tuesday
Walker was ejected after his second technical foul following a hard blow to Indianas Jermaine ONeal in the fourth quarter Walker grabbed Washington during the incident which also saw ONeal push Walker and grab his jersey
For his role in the incident ONeal was fined US dollars Enditem
LONDON April Xinhua Rio Ferdinand in response to Alex Fergusons demand claimed on Saturday that he would stay at Manchester United
Ferdinand backed by Ferguson during an eightmonth ban for failing to take a drugs test has yet to sign a new deal
And Ferguson warned We are not going to be messed about We have shown great faith in signing these players and we need to see it returned
But Ferdinand said I want to stay at Manchester United I have said that from the beginning
Ferguson was also angry about Ferdinands meeting with Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon in a London restaurant even though the Stamford Bridge club have been at pains to insist they have no interest in signing him
Now he has demanded an end to the saga saying Rios agent is apparently out of the country There is nothing much we can do about that but when he gets back we want a decision
It is important to the Manchester United fans that they get one
But Ferdinand said I can understand the fans frustrations but people have to understand contract negotiations do not happen over one or two days
They can take time and this is one of those situations My agent is out of the country which has slowed things down a touch but hopefully they will be speeded up in the coming days
I am happy at Manchester United and I want to sign but these things do not happen overnight
Ferguson meanwhile claims to be mystified by the comments from Roy Carrolls agent Francis Martin that the Northern Ireland international would be willing to sign a new deal this summer if the United boss pledged not to buy a new keeper Enditem
BOGOTA April Xinhua Colombian soccer coach Luis Fernando Montoya was released Friday from Las Americas Clinic where he spent days after going quadriplegic as a consequence of two shots during an assault said local media
The former coach of Once Caldas the Liberators Cup Champion left the clinic aboard an ambulance accompanied by a medical team to recover in his Caldas estate Antioquia department northwest
He wrote a letter to thank all who helped him When I am going home I want to express my thankfulness to all the medical team the paramedics and the personnel of the clinic for the care they had for me making this difficult process to bear They have my recognition and gratitude the letter reads
To the civil military and church authorities to all the citizens of Colombia and the countries from where I received messages of support thank you and may the Lord bless you Montoya wrote
On the other hand doctor Javier Orozco said his general conditions are good he is in good mental and physical condition and his neurological and respiratory situation is stable
Montoyas leaving the hospital does not mean he recovers from the quadriplegia as he remains connected to an artificial lung but this will be the start of a new life for the coach Enditem
LONDON April Xinhua Liverpools prospect of playing Champions League next season turned dim when UEFA insisted on Saturday that The Reds would not be guaranteed entry unless they finish fourth in the Premiership
Liverpool could win the Champions League but miss out by finishing outside the top four league placings for next seasons entry
UEFA communications director William Gaillard said the trophy would not be devalued if the holders were missing
He told BBC Radio Five Live We dont feel the competition would be damaged or we would have it in the rules
Fourth place is currently occupied by Liverpools rivals Everton who need six points from four games to qualify for the Champions League
UEFA have made it clear it is up to the English Football Association to decide which four teams they enter
But there are widespread reports claiming the FAs board confirmed they will enter the top four Premiership teams after a meeting on Thursday
That means the pressure is mounting on Liverpool to clinch Champions League qualification via the Premiership
Liverpools Champions League semifinal clash with Chelsea is goalless after the first leg at Stamford Bridge
But Gaillard is adamant the Champions League would still be as prestigous next season even if the holders were not playing
He said It is something we have contemplated and we wouldnt have a second thought about it
At the same time we would not be outraged if we were asked to include the winner instead of the fourthplaced team It is up to the FA to decide
Gaillard added For Liverpool to enter the Champions League next year they have to finish in the top four spots in the English league
The rules are clear but at this stage we are still rather far away from this because Liverpool have to win two games to win the Champions League and there is also nothing to stop them finishing fourth in the English league
Our chief executive officer LarsChrister Olsson was quite clear on this He said the rule had been made so that teams would qualify through their national league and this is the way we would like the Champions League to continue he said Enditem
SHANGHAI April Xinhua For former world number one Timo Boll of Germany the most tough rivals are not the alwaysstrong Asians but the Romanian rising star Adrian Crisan
Boll said here on Saturday He is dangerous He is only He could be a threat to anyone on road to mens singles title
In the European Championships three weeks ago Boll lost to Crisan in the quarterfinals And this was not the first time Boll lost to him
Crisan even shocked a group of big stars including the Chinese young favorite Wang Hao Once was in last years Japan Open This year in Qatar Open Wang lost to him Boll said one day before the th World Table Tennis Championships to be held on May
Crisan who plays in a German club has kept a higher winning record in the League and earned a nickname Little Samsonov Vladimir Samsonov from Belarus is the current European title holder
Crisan has improved a lot Id rather to play with Chinese or South Koreans I dont like to meet him
Boll predicted that the host players may win the mens singles but Crisan can be the giantkiller
Be careful of him he can beat anyone even the Chinese players
However Boll keeps lowkey to his chance to win the gold My shape is not very good so I cant expect a better result My target is to reach the top and then well see what is going on said the yearold Enditem
PARIS April Xinhua Following is the result from a th round match of the French firstdivision soccer league home teams listed first
Auxerre bt Toulouse
Playing on Sunday
Monaco vs Lille
Saturday May
Bastia vs Istres
Bordeaux vs Auxerre
Lille vs Paris SaintGermain
Marseille vs Caen
Metz vs Lens
Nice vs Nantes
Rennes vs Monaco
Sochaux vs Strasbourg
Toulouse vs SaintEtienne
Playing on Sunday
Lyon vs Ajaccio Enditem
PARIS April Xinhua Following are the standings in the French firstdivision soccer league after Fridays game tabulated under games played won drawn lost goals for against points
Lyon
Lille
Monaco
Marseille
Rennes
Auxerre
Paris SaintGermain
SaintEtienne
Sochaux
Toulouse
Lens
Bordeaux
Metz
Strasbourg
Nantes
Ajaccio
Nice
Bastia
Caen
Istres Enditem
WARSAW April Xinhua Following are the results of the Warsaw Cup WTA event here on Friday prefix number denotes seeding
Quarterfinals
Svetlana Kuznetsova Russia bt Silvia Farina Elia Italy
Ana Ivanovic Serbia and Montenegro bt Nathalie Dechy France
Kim Clijsters Belgium bt Elena Bovina Russia
Justine HeninHardenne Belgium bt Patty Schnyder Switzerland Enditem
PARIS April Xinhua Hosts France overcame a determined Belgium side in a classic fiveset battle between the two unbeaten sides of the Womens Volleyball World Championship first round tournament Europe Pool C in SaintDie France on Friday
Finland collected their first victory beating Bosnia Herzegovina in the Europe Pool C
Meanwhile Estonia and Israel made the perfect start on the opening day of the Mens World Championship first round tournament Europe Pool D in Tallinn Estonia by beating Albania and Bosnia Herzegovina respectively
France collected their second victory of the tournament as they won and remain as the only unbeaten side past Belgium in just over two hours
Both teams remain as favorites to book a ticket through to the next round but Finlands victory their first of the tournament keeps them in contention
The top two teams will advance to the second round with the winner of the tournament joining Greece Ukraine and another first round team in June while the second placed side will head to Azerbaijan in May to play the hosts Romania and Spain
Unbeaten France will now play Bosnia Herzegovina who are yet to win a match in the tournament on Saturday followed by Finland taking on Norway with Belgium receiving the rest day
In Tallinn the hosts collected a comfortable win over Albania who were playing their first World Championship match for years while Israel beat Bosnia Herzegovina
Estonian headcoach longtime national player and Beach Volleyball Olympian Avo Keel was satisfied with his first match in charge
In the first set my players were a little confused because the Albania players play in different playing positions for their clubs he said
However despite the final result we took this match very seriously
Saturdays matches which see Israel play Estonia followed by Bosnia Herzegovina taking on Albania will go along way to deciding who will win the tournament
Winner of the fourteam event will advance to a second round tournament in Portugal in May to play with the hosts Latvia and Austria for a chance to advance to the third round Enditem
WARSAW April Xinhua Kim Clijsters and Justine HeninHardenne moved one step closer to an allBelgian final as the two reached the semifinals of Warsaw WTA event here Friday
Seventhseeded Clijsters beat Russias Elena Bovina while HeninHardenne downed No Patty Schnyder
In the other quarterfinals Ana Ivanovic defeated Nathalie Dechy of France and No Svetlana Kuznetsova beat Italys Silvia Farina Elia
In Saturdays semis Klijsters coming back from injury to win Indian Wells and Miami titles will play Kuznetsova and HeninHardenne Charleston winner takes on Ivanovic
Clijsters led Bovina in the first set before the Russian rallied to force a tiebreaker In the second set Clijsters dropped her serve when leading but broke with a forehand winner down the line and served out the match for here th straight victory
The unseeded HeninHardenne beat Schnyder in an hour
After dominating the opening set HeninHardenne was broken twice at the start of the second She broke straight back each time and won five games in a row to close out the match Enditem
LISBON April Xinhua Former French Open champion Carlos Moya led fellow Spanish Tommy Robredo and Guillermo GarciaLopez into the semifinals at the Estoril Open Friday as Argentine Gaston Gaudio occupied one last four berth
Top seed Moya tournament champion broke once in the first set and twice in the second to quell the upset hopes of Frances PaulHenri Mathieu in the euro event
Moya has been successful in a reconstruction effort this week on his game after losing in the first round at Monte Carlo and the third round last week in Barcelona
Current Roland Garros holder Gaudio followed the form book with an easy win over Spains eighth seed Feliciano Lopez
Gaudio beat countryman Guillermo Coria in an allArgentine final for the Grand Slam championship in Paris months ago
Robredo beat Italian veteran Davide Sanguinetti and GarciaLopez put out Juan Antonio Marin of Costa Rica
On the womens US dollars side of the draw Dinara Safina reached her second semifinal in as many appearances rolling over American Jill Craybas
The Russian second seed was stopped in a lastfour showing by German Anna Barna
Safina younger sister of mens Australian Open winner Marat Safin will face a tough challenge Saturday from Chinas Li Na the fourth seed who turned in another straightforward victory on the clay
The first Chinese woman to lift a WTA title when she won in Guangzhou last October ran over number six Dally Randriantefy of Madagascar
Argentine third seed Gisela Dulko kept China from collecting half the places in the semifinals as she defeated Zheng Jie
She meets Czech qualifier Lucie Safarova who closed out the semifinal lineup with a win over Argentine Mariana DiazOliva Enditem
BUENOS AIRES April Xinhua Following are the result and standings from the Argentine championship Clausura matches on Friday
Argentinos Juniors tied Olimpo
Standings tabulated under games played won drawn lost goals for against points
River Plate
Estudiantes
Velez Sarsfield
Rosario Central
Racing Club
Boca Juniors
Lanus
Colon
Olimpo
Newells Old Boys
Banfield
Arsenal
Argentinos Juniors
Quilmes
Independiente
Instituto
GimnasiaLa Plata
Almagro
San Lorenzo de Almagro BA
HuracanTres Arroyos Enditem
LISBON April Xinhua Following are the result and standings from a Portuguese championship match on Friday
Academica bt Boavista
Standings tabulated under games played won drawn lost goals for against points
Benfica
Sporting Lisbon
Braga
Porto
Boavista
Vitoria Guimaraes
Rio Ave
Belenenses
Maritimo
Penafiel
Uniao Leiria
Vitoria Setubal
Academica
Nacional Madeira
Gil Vicente
Estoril
Moreirense
Beira Mar Enditem
LONDON April Xinhua Following are the results from the bestof semifinals at the world championship in Sheffield on Friday
Peter Ebdon England is level with Shaun Murphy England
Matthew Stevens Wales is level with Ian McCulloch England Enditem
LONDON April Xinhua Peter Ebdon and English qualifier Shaun Murphy tied at Firday at the snooker world championship semifinal matches in Sheffield
Walesman Matthew Stevens is level with another Englishman Ian McCulloch at in the best of semifinals
Young English qualifier Murphy came back from down to take a lead in the session played on Friday morning
But Ebdon who beat titleholder Ronnie OSullivan in the quarterfinals won the first three frames when play resumed in the evening to edge back in front
Murphy refused to let his opponent move more than a frame clear however finishing the evening with a superb clearance to make the match allsquare
Stevens who was a losing world finalist in won the first two frames of the afternoon with breaks of and
McCulloch briefly stopped the rot with a break in the th frame to go up
But Stevens won four out of the next five frames to draw level for the first time in the match
The best offrames matches play to a finish on Saturday Enditem
LISBON April Xinhua Following are the results from the Estoril Open mens singles quarterfinal matches on Friday prefix number denotes seeding
Carlos Moya Spain bt PaulHenri Mathieu France
Tommy Robredo Spain bt Davide Sanguinetti Italy
Guillermo GarciaLopez Spain bt Juan Antonio Marin Costa Rica
Gaston Gaudio Argentina bt Feliciano Lopez Spain Enditem
GENEVA April Xinhua Following are the leading results from the third stage of km from Aigle to Anzere at the Pro Tour de Romandie on Friday
Damiano Cunego Italy Lampre Caffita three hours minutes seconds
Denis Menchov Russia Rabobank same time
Santiago Botero Colombia Phonak four seconds behind
Daniel Atienza Spain Cofidis
Manuel Beltran Spain Discovery Channel
Marco Fertonani Italy Domina Vacanze
Alberto Contador Spain Liberty Seguros
Mauricio Ardila Colombia Davitamon Lotto
Alexandre Moos Switzerland Phonak
Aitor Osa Spain Illes Balears
Tadej Valjavec Slovenia Phonak
Ruben Lobato Spain Saunier Duval
Vladimir Miholjevic Croatia Liquigas
Oliver Zaugg Switzerland Saunier Duval
Georg Totschnig Austria Gerolsteiner
Peter Luttenberger Austria Team CSC
Roberto Heras Spain Liberty Seguros
Joerg Jaksche Germany Liberty Seguros
Miguel Angel Martin Perdiguero Spain Phonak
Oscar Pereiro Spain Phonak Enditem
GENEVA April Xinhua Italys Damiano Cunego did a good job in the km climb to finish first in the ski resort of Anzere taking the km third stage at Tour de Romandie Friday
Cunego beat Russias Denis Menchov and Santiago Botero of Colombia to seal his first victory of the season
Thanks to setting a faster time in the prologue time trial stage on Monday Botero took the overall lead in the sixday race
Botero will have to defend his overall lead during Saturdays km mountain stage from Chatel St Denis to Les Paccots and will hope to clinch victory in Sundays km time trial in Lausanne Enditem
GENEVA April Xinhua Following are the standings after the third stage of km from Aigle to Anzere at the Pro Tour de Romandie on Friday
Santiago Botero Colombia Phonak hours minutes seconds
Damiano Cunego Italy Lampre Caffita two seconds behind
Denis Menchov Russia Rabobank
Manuel Beltran Spain Discovery Channel
Daniel Atienza Spain Cofidis
Marco Fertonani Italy Domina Vacanze
Alberto Contador Spain Liberty Seguros
Mauricio Ardila Colombia Davitamon Lotto
Alexandre Moos Switzerland Phonak
Aitor Osa Spain Illes Balears
Tadej Valjavec Slovenia Phonak
Ruben Lobato Spain Saunier Duval
Vladimir Miholjevic Croatia Liquigas
Oscar Pereiro Spain Phonak
Peter Luttenberger Austria Team CSC
Joerg Jaksche Germany Liberty Seguros
Georg Totschnig Austria Gerolsteiner
Oliver Zaugg Switzerland Saunier Duval
Miguel Angel Martin Perdiguero Spain Phonak
Roberto Heras Spain Liberty Seguros Enditem
WASHINGTON April Xinhua Following are the results from the NBA playoffs st round matches on Friday home team in CAPS
PHILADELPHIA ERS bt Detroit Pistons
Detroit Pistons lead the bestofseven series by
Phoenix Suns bt MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES
Phoenix Suns lead the bestofseven series by
SACRAMENTO KINGS bt Seattle Supersonics
Seattle Supersonics lead the bestofseven series by Enditem
WASHINGTON April Xinhua The Philadelphia ers pulled one match back in the NBA playoff first round Friday as they beat the Detroit Pistons
Allen Iverson scored points and had assists as the Sixers rallied from a point deficit and cut Detroits lead to in the bestofseven Eastern Conference quarterfinal series
Game four in the series is on Sunday in Philadelphia
Iverson was for from the field as the reigning NBA champions one of the best defensive teams in the league failed to contain him Philadelphia outscored Detroit in the fourth quarter
Chris Webber shot points for the ers nine of them coming in the pivotal fourth quarter as Philadelphia rebounded from two lopsided losses
Rodney Rogers added points for the Sixers while Samuel Dalembert chipped in with points and rebounds Andre Iguodala added points and had seven steals for the Sixers who shot percent
Ben Wallace had a careerhigh points and rebounds for the Pistons who shot percent
Richard Hamilton added points and assists for the Pistons while Tayshaun Prince added points
Amare Stoudemire scored points as the Phoenix Suns defeated the Grizzlies in Memphis
Joe Johnson added points for the topseeded Suns who took a commanding lead in the bestofseven opening round Western Conference series with the victory
Phoenix can wrap up the series with a sweep with a win in game four Sunday in Memphis
Jim Jackson had points for the Suns while Shawn Marion had points and rebounds and Steve Nash had points and eight assists
Lorenzen Wright led Memphis with points while Pau Gasol and Mike Miller had points each
In Sacramento Mike Bibby scored points as the Kings beat the Seattle SuperSonics
Kenny Thomas had points and Cuttino Mobley added for the Kings who still trail the bestofseven Western Conference opening round series Game four is on Sunday in Sacramento
Ray Allen led the SuperSonics with points while Jerome James added Enditem
SHANGHAI April Xinhua Chinese table tennis players are getting into their best shape and ready for the th World Championships a top Chinese sports official said here on Saturday
Cai Zhenhua director of the Administration Center of Table Tennis and Badminton made the remarks at a pretournament press conference
Our players have undergone closeddoor training sessions before they came here said Cai the former Chinese head coach They are now in their best form
The Chinese mens team trained for a month in southeastern city Xiamen and their women counterparts honed skills in northern city Zhengding prior to the world championships Sports psychologists researchers and senior coaches were enlisted to help Chinese players whip up form
China who last hosted the world championships in Tianjin in is expected to cash in on home court advantage for another titleclean sweep at the biennial tournament which runs from April May
Cai also played down concerns about Zhang Yinings shoulder injury saying the world topranked woman player is totally fit for the showcase event
We hope this world championships will witness another peak of Chinese table tennis he said Enditem
SHANGHAI April Xinhua On the eve of the th World Table Tennis Championships Japans sweetheart Fukuhara Ai asked for applause from Chinese audience
China is my second hometown so please do not hesitate to give me applause and cheers when I am playing said the diminutive Fukuhara here on Saturday
At the age of Fukuhara has a longtime tie with China Fukuhara has been popular in Japan since she first appeared in a TV show holding a big paddle in front of a large table against adults at age
She has been taught by many Chinese coaches since then and stayed in China most of the time
Fukuhara also signed a contract with Liaoning club where her favorite star Wang Nan and young talent Guo Yue stay in Chinas Super League on April
Im very lucky to train in China play with Chinese players and even have a Chinese coach said Fukuhara in fluent Chinese
Wang Nan and Zhang Yining are her idols They are the top two players in the world and they are always polite and gentle not like some other bignames
Playing in China helped Fukuhara to place rd in the ITTF world rankings the highest womens singles player in Japan
Maybe thats because Im closer to the best In the world championships Ill try to turn Shanghai into my home court and show my best she said
So please support me and give me applause Enditem
SHANGHAI April Xinhua Newlycrown European champion Vladimir Samsonov from Belarus said defending champion Werner Schlager has a better chance for the mens singles crown at the world table tennis championships which started on Saturday
Samsonov ranked fourth as the toprated European in the world claimed the mens singles title at the European Championships early April by beating Belgian veteran JeanMichel Saive
I was in good form three weeks ago and won the title but it does not mean Im the best in Europe Samsonov said on Saturday
Schlager is the defending champion and has a better chance to win the mens singles again among our European players
Samsonov described Schlager as a wonder maker He always surprises others Sometimes he was in a poor form but he could play unexpected beautiful games Samsonov said
His mental power is the biggest weapon that helps him turn to an unbeatable person He won the world champion two years ago in Paris he can do that again in Shanghai
Compared with Schlager Samsonov has a lowkey target for himself Who knows whether I can keep the shape three weeks ago into the worlds now he said
I felt tired and sleepy after and a half hours long journey from my home to Frankfurt and to Shanghai
I dont think I can win the title and I have no expectation for the worlds at all I just need to play each game and each rival carefully Enditem
ROME April Xinhua Following are the standings after two of Saturdays five special stages in the rally of sardinia the fifth race in the leg world championship series
Sebastien Leob France Citroen hours minutes seconds
Petter Solberg Norway at seconds
Harri Rovanpera Finland Mitsubishi
Markko Martin Estonia Peugeot
Toni Gardemeister Finland Ford
Marcus Gronholm Finland Peugeot
Mark Higgins Britain Ford
Armin Schwarz Germany Skoda
Roman Kresta Czech Republic Ford
Juuso Pykalisto Finland Citroen
Enditem
SHANGHAI April Xinhua Though tipped as a hot gold medal contender Olympic champion Ryu Seung Min toned down his chance of winning the mens singles title at the th World Table Tennis Championships
The South Korean clinched the mens singles gold in the Athens Olympic Games last year after he stunned the sports alltime great JanOve Waldner of Sweden in the last four and Chinese star Wang Hao in the final
Ryu prevented the powerful Chinese from repeating the feats in Atlanta and Sydney where they swept all four table tennis golds
A rematch of Ryu and Wang who were bundled in the same quarter in Tuesdays draw is expected to catch a lot of attention in the world championships However Ryu dodged the question about the rematch and instead said there were many strong rivals besides Wang
There are more than players good enough for the trophy not only Wang said the yearold
The Chinese are tough and one of them will walk away with the singles title this time he said I dont think I can be that lucky as in Athens
Ryu No in the ITTF world rankings revealed the South Koreans had a good preparation for the worlds and even practiced with the German squad including for three days
Training together ahead of the worlds is helpful for both of us For them they could adjust to the time difference weather and Asian techniques for me I played against the high level Europeans Ryu said
I dont know how far I will go in Shanghai but Ill try my best he said Enditem
By Sportswriters Gao Peng and Cao Jianjie
SHANGHAI April Xinhua Chinese table tennis players launched their attack at another titlesweep as the fiveevent individual world championships opened here on Saturday
Wu Bangguo Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Chinese National Peoples Congress declared open the tournament that runs through May in the supermodern and sportscrazy Chinese city
A total of players from countries and regions both a record for the world championships will compete in the sports showcase event
When last time China held the world championships in host players walked away with seven top honors including two team titles The biennial championships was split into two tournaments team and individual since except for when Japans Osaka hosted the last unified championships
China made it seven out of seven in Osaka but the country which regards table tennis as its national game lost the precious mens singles gold in the championships in Paris and suffered a heavier blow in the Athens Olympic Games when South Korean Ryu Seung Min stunned Chinese Wang Hao in the mens singles final
Table tennis may be just a sport in other parts of the world but it is about the national pride in China said Cai Zhenhua director of the Administration Center of Table Tennis and Badminton
Our top priority is to win back the mens singles crown at any cost he added
World No and top seed Wang Liqin is widely tipped to take the event which the lanky Shanghaiese first won in He lost to eventual winner Werner Schlager of Austria in the world championships
If he wins the singles event at home Wang will be the third most important sports celebrity in Shanghai after Yao Ming and Liu Xiang said Xia Wa editorinchief of Chinas Table Tennis Magazine
Yao Ming plays for the NBA Houston Rockets and Liu won the meters hurdles with a world recordtying race in the Olympics
Wang is an oddson favorite for the singles title said Italian La Gazzetta dello Sport journalist Gennaro Bozza He plays the most advanced game in the world and has a huge home court advantage
Possible threats to Chinas singles attempt are defending champion Schlager European champion Vladimir Samsonov of Belarus former world No Timo Boll of Germany and Ryu Seung Min of South Korea
China will face little challenge in defending their womens singles and doubles mens doubles and mixed doubles titles
Wang Nan is seeking her fourth straight womens singles crown while her teammate and top seed Zhang Yining aims to follow her Olympic singlesdoubles sweep with a first world singles championship
Action was already underway Saturday with qualification round matches taking place Enditem
By Sportswriter Gao Peng
SHANGHAI April Xinhua Shanghai dubbed as the cradle of table tennis world champions is destined to write a new chapter in the sports history as the world championships is being held in the Chinese city for the first time
Ninety Chinese have been crowned table tennis world champions since Rong Guotuan claimed the countrys first ever world title in Among them came from Shanghai
Xu Yinsheng and Li Furong were instrumental in Chinas winning the mens world team title in while Lin Huiqing and Zheng Minzhi played pivotal roles when China first claimed the womens team trophy in Zhang Xielin and Cao Yanhua followed in their footsteps to win world titles
This time world No Wang Liqin the mens world champion will take over the mantle of his fellow Shanghai natives for a shot at new glory
Apart from Wang Liqin there are other Shanghai natives playing in the world championships albeit representing their adopted countries or regions
Yang Min born in Shanghai years ago now plays for Italy
I was years old when I started to play Yang said Everything in Shanghai has changed so quickly Im pleased to come back
Yang ended his days on the Shanghai team in moving to Italy in to revive his table tennis career The penhold fast attacker made his world championship debut in and has become a regular on the Italian team since
Certainly Im excited about playing here I know many friends of mine will come to watch me certainly its very special for me said Yang
Like Yang Croatias Jiang Weizhong Bulgarias Feng Zhe and Singapores Xu Yan also grew up and spent their early sports life in Shanghai
Xu Yinsheng president of Chinese Table Tennis Association CTTA believed that hosting the world championships will promote table tennis in the sportscrazy city
I hope more world table tennis champions will come from Shanghai he said Enditem
LISBON April Xinhua Following are the results from the sixth day of the Estoril Open tournament here Saturday prefix number denotes seeding
Womens semifinals
Li Na China bt Dinara Safina Russia
Lucie Safarova Czech Republic bt Gisela Dulko Argentina
Enditem
WARSAW April Xinhua Following are the results at the Warsaw Cup WTA event here on Saturday prefix number denotes seeding
Semifinals
Svetlana Kuznetsova Russia bt Kim Clijsters Belgium
Justine HeninHardenne Belgium v Ana Ivanovic SEM
Enditem
MADRID April Xinhua Following are the results from the Spanish
first division soccer matches played on Saturday
Atletico Madrid ties with Athletic Bilbao
Numancia ties with Valencia
Real Sociedad lost to Real Madrid
Playing on Sunday
Zaragoza v Osasuna
Mallorca v Espanyol
Levante v Malaga
Villarreal v Getafe
Racing Santander v Real Betis
Barcelona v Albacete
Sevilla v Deportivo La Corun
Enditem
MADRID April Xinhua Following are the Spanish first division soccer standings after the matches played on Saturday tabulated under games played won drawn lost goals for against points
FC Barcelona
Real Madrid
Sevilla
Espanyol
Valencia
Villarreal
Real Betis
Atletico Madrid
Athletic Bilbao
Deportivo La Coruna
Zaragoza
Real Sociedad
Osasuna
Getafe
Malaga
Racing Santander
Levante
Mallorca
Albacete
Numancia
Enditem
LONDON April Xinhua Chelsea clinched their firstever Premiership title the second league title in clubs history when they beat Bolton away on Saturday
Frank Lampard turned out the hero for Chelsea with both goals in the second half to seal their first title success in years
The Blues were made to work hard for the victory with their resilient defence paving the way for the victory after Bolton dominated the first half
Bolton missed a golden opportunity to break the deadlock on minutes when Kevin Davies got on the end of Bruno NGottys free kick unmarked six yards from goal but he got his header all wrong sending it wide of the target
Chelsea came out for the second with renewed vigour and Tiago volleyed over the crossbar from the edge of the area on minutes
The visitors then grabbed the breakthrough they were so desperately seeking on the hour mark with Lampard netting his th goal of the season
The England international shrugged off the challenge of Vincent Candela inside the box to collect Didier Drogbas flick on and he kept his cool to cut inside Tal Ben Haim before drilling his shot past Jussi Jaaskelainen to send the away fans into raptures
With Bolton pushing more and more men forward they were leaving gaps at the back and on minutes Chelsea caught them on the break through Lampard to seal the win and the championship
Claude Makelele picked the ball up inside his own half sending Lampard racing clear on goal with a great through ball down the middle and Lampard coolly rounded Jaaskelainen before tapping the ball into the empty net and spark wild scenes of celebration among the Chelsea players
Liverpool Chelseas Champions League semifinal rival was held to a home draw by Middlesbbrough
The Merseyside played the first half as if the Champions Leaguewas on their mind they face Chelsea in the second leg of their semifinal on Tuesday
Middlesbrough looked hungry for a UEFA Cup place as inform Szilard Nemeth ran through the defence to curl in a superb opener after four minutes
Liverpool looked more interested in the second half and Steven Gerrard grabbed a deserved equaliser with a fantasticlongrange drive seven minutes after the restart
Birmingham City beat Blackburn Rovers thanks to a th minute goal from Emile Heskey Jonathan Stead put the Rovers ahead after mintues but City substitute Robbie Blake came on in the th minute and equalised with almost his first touch two minutes
later
Everton continue to do their best to throw away a place in the Champions League with another offbeam performance as they lost to Fulham in London
Collins John lashed Fulham ahead after minutes and former Everton striker Brian McBride thumped in a fine header after
Manchester City took their unbeaten run to six games with a home win over PortsmouthA Sylvain Distin header and a Robbie Fowler free kick inside the first minutes proved the difference
Substitute Henri CamaraAn found net with two minutes remained to help Southampton to beat Norwich in a match held between two bottom sides The goal lifted Southampton from last place to fourthlast and out of the drop zone
Newcastle was held to a goalless home draw by Crystal Palace Patrick Kluivert then had a goal ruled out for offside in the last minutes as gritty Palace held on for a draw Enditem
PANAMA CITY April Xinhua Panamanians celebrated the victory via knockout of local Roberto La Arana Vasquez against Colombian Antonio Beibis Mendoza thus winning the miniflyweight of the World Boxing Association WBA
The fight took place Friday night at Figali Convention Center of Panama
City and the celebrations continued into the early hours of Saturday
Calle th Street one of the main avenues of the capital was visited by hundreds of Panamanians who honked their vehilces and waved Panamanian flags
The victory of the Panamanian in th th round led to exitement of the fans who saw the fight as it was being won in principle by the Colombian who until then was the champion of the category
Vasquez in spite of being badly hurt managed to knock his rival out in the th round
Friday nights fight was just as expected a clash of warriors who were serious from the first round read local daily El Panama America Enditem
MADRID April Xinhua Brazilian Vanderley Luxemburgo the coach of Real Madrid was satisfied with the result obtained by his team which was preceeded by a demanding work in the first half and the the search for victory at the end of the game against Real Sociedad
They controlled the ball longer but could not score whereas in the second half we were superior although this effort took its toll on the physical condition of the players We endured minutes not said Luxemburgo after the game
On the other hand Real Sociedad coach Jose Maria Amorrortu thought the same happened with his team saying they had a control of the game but Real Madrid were more effective and did not complain about the victory of the Madrid club
Finally Luxemburgo said the League is not over and Barcelona will have to work hard to win it Enditem
MONTEVIDEO April Xinhua About couples started Saturday to compete in Uruguay the US dollar award for the hour dancing Marathon to be registered in the Guinness Book of World Records
The contest taking place for the third year in a row in the main square of the city of Toledo kilometers from this capital will obtain funds for the contruction of a shelter for the elder and a school said the organizers of the event to the media
The winning couple will receive dollars and appear in the Guinness records The dancing contest will be recorded in video
The couples will have food water fruit and chocolate to endure the hours of dacing which will have minutes of rest per every hour at first until the final part of eight hours of dance in a row Enditem
WASHINGTON April Xinhua Marion Jones won her first race in months Saturday sprinting to victory in the meters at an IAAF Grand Prix meet at ForteDeFance Martinique
Jones led from the start and paced an American sweep in the event finishing in seconds ahead of Wyllesheia Myricks and Melissa Barber who each finished in Frances Sylviane Felix was fourth in according to reports
The winning time at the Meeting du Conseil General was well off Jones personal best of set in
Jones got off to a slow start this season finishing last in the meters at the Mount San Antonio College Relays At the Kansas Relays Jones relay team was disqualified after a poor handoff Enditem
BERLIN April Xinhua Following are the German first division soccer results on Saturday
Kaiserslautern lost to Bayern Munich
Borussia Moenchengladbach bt VfB Stuttgart
Hansa Rostock bt Hertha Berlin
Freiburg tied Borussia Dortmund
Schalke tied Bayer Leverkusen
VfL Bochum lost to Mainz
Werder Bremen bt Arminia Bielefeld
Playing on Sunday May
Hanover v Nuremberg GMT
VfL Wolfsburg v Hamburg SV GMT
Enditem
BERLIN April Xinhua Following are the German first division soccer standings after the matches played on Saturday tabulated under games played won drawn lost goals for against points
Bayern Munich
Schalke
VfB Stuttgart
Werder Bremen
Hertha Berlin
Bayer Leverkusen
Hamburg SV
Borussia Dortmund
VfL Wolfsburg
Kaiserslautern
Arminia Bielefeld
Hanover
Mainz
Nuremberg
Borussia Moenchengladbach
VfL Bochum
Hansa Rostock
Freiburg
Enditem
BERLIN April Xinhua Following are the summaries from the German first division soccer matches on Saturday
Hansa Rostock Tim Sebastian Jari Litmanen
Hertha Berlin Yildiray Bastuerk
Halftime Attendance
Borussia Moenchengladbach Oliver Neuville Vaclav Sverkos
VfB Stuttgart
Red Card Fernando Meira
Halftime Attendance
VfL Bochum Vratislav Lokvenc Tommy
Bechmann
Mainz Benjamin Auer Michael Thurk
Fabian Gerber Antonio da
Silva Benjamin Weigelt
Conor Casey
Halftime Attendance
Kaiserslautern
Bayern Munich Michael Ballack Roy Makaay
Halftime Attendance
Freiburg Wilfried Sanou Soumaila
Coulibaly
Borussia Dortmund Ewerthon Jan Koller
Halftime Attendance
Werder Bremen Ludovic Magnin Tim Borowski
Miroslav Klose
Arminia Bielefeld
Halftime Attendance
Schalke Lincoln Ebbe Sand
Bayern Leverkusen Paul Freier Dimitar Berbatov
Andriy Voronin
Red Card Roque Junior
Halftime Attendance
Next Fixtures
Sunday May
Hanover v Nuremberg GMT
VfL Wolfsburg v Hamburg SV
Enditem
BERLIN April Xinhua Roy Makaay made a brilliant hattrick to send Bayern Munich to their th German first division soccer champion with a win over Kaiserslautern on Saturday
With Schalke s challenge fizzling out in a draw against Bayer Leverkusen Bayerns win gave them an unassailable point lead at the top of the standings with three games to play
Bayerns fifth Bundesliga title in seven years came in their
first season under new coach Felix Magath
With games played Bayern lead with points followed
by Schalke on after they squandered a lead at home to
Leverkusen and failed to take advantage of the sendingoff of
Roque Junior with over minutes still to play
Bayern will seal a domestic double if they beat Schalke in
the Cup final in Berlin on May
Michael Ballack set Bayern on their way with a topclass
finish
Ballack captaining the side in the absence of injured
goalkeeper Oliver Kahn pounced on a backheel from Makaay and
drilled in at the near post in the th minute
Makaays flick header from a Willy Sagnol cross made it
in the th minute and the Dutch international smacked in the
third three minutes into the second half after nodding an Owen
Hargreaves through ball past the keeper to set up the chance
Makaay completed his hattrick in the th minute when he
took a long ball forward from Ballack and steered the ball past
the keeper Enditem
BERLIN April Xinhua Following are the top scorers of the German first division soccer league after the matches played on Saturday
Marek Mintal Nuremberg
Marcelinho Hertha Berlin
Roy Makaay Bayern Munich
Miroslav Klose Werder Bremen
Dimitar Berbatov Bayer Leverkusen
Delron Buckley Arminia Bielefeld
Jan Koller Borussia Dortmund
Andriy Voronin Bayer Leverkusen
Ailton Schalke
Kevin Kuranyi VfB Stuttgart
Cacau VfB Stuttgart
Oliver Neuville Borussia Moenchengladbach
Lincoln Schalke
Sergei Barbarez Hamburg SV
Ivan Klasnic Werder Bremen
Ewerthon Borussia Dortmund
Michael Ballack Bayern Munich
Claudio Pizarro Bayern Munich
Thomas Brdaric VfL Wolfsburg
Martin Petrov VfL Wolfsburg
Vratislav Lokvenc VfL Bochum
Silvio Meissner VfB Stuttgart
Gerald Asamoah Schalke
Enditem
BERLIN April Xinhua Following is the list of champions and
runnersup since the German first division soccer league started in the season
CHAMPIONS RUNNERSUP
Cologne MSV Duisburg
Werder Bremen Cologne
TSV Munich Borussia Dortmund
Eintracht Braunschweig TSV Munich
Nuremberg Werder Bremen
Bayern Munich Alemannia Aachen
Bor Moenchengladbach Bayern Munich
Bor Moenchengladbach Bayern Munich
Bayern Munich Schalke
Bayern Munich Cologne
Bayern Munich Bor Moenchengladbach
Bor Moenchengladbach Hertha Berlin
Bor Moenchengladbach Hamburg SV
Bor Moenchengladbach Schalke
Cologne Bor Moenchengladbach
Hamburg SV VfB Stuttgart
Bayern Munich Hamburg SV
Bayern Munich Hamburg SV
Hamburg SV Cologne
Hamburg SV Werder Bremen
VfB Stuttgart Hamburg SV
Bayern Munich Werder Bremen
Bayern Munich Werder Bremen
Bayern Munich Hamburg SV
Werder Bremen Bayern Munich
Bayern Munich Cologne
Bayern Munich Cologne
Kaiserslautern Bayern Munich
VfB Stuttgart Borussia Dortmund
Werder Bremen Bayern Munich
Bayern Munich Kaiserslautern
Borussia Dortmund Werder Bremen
Borussia Dortmund Bayern Munich
Bayern Munich Bayer Leverkusen
Kaiserslautern Bayern Munich
Bayern Munich Bayer Leverkusen
Bayern Munich Bayer Leverkusen
Bayern Munich Schalke
Borussia Dortmund Bayer Leverkusen
Bayern Munich VfB Stuttgart
Werder Bremen Bayern Munich
Bayern Munich to be decided
Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Maltas Mario Genovese is one of the most experienced players at the th world table tennis championships He first played for the small Mediterranean island as yearold in an African invitation tournament in Libya born in the town of Attard he now lives in the islands capital Valetta and at the age of is on duty in Shanghai for the country that he has represented so well for almost years
Playing at international level for such a long time is something that few can match and during that time he has played some of the worlds great stars
Desmond Douglas Ulf Carlsson and Cai Zhenhua come immediately to mind said Genovese As for the world championships well perhaps my best year was in when I reached the first round of the main draw and lost to Stefan Kovac now of Slovenia but perhaps the most satisfying match in my career was leading two games to nil against Olivier Marmurek at the Mediterranean Top in eventually I lost but I think it was one of my best ever performances
In the s Genovese left the shores of Malta somewhat to his mothers concern as he is an only child to further his table tennis career in Europe I played in Norway for one year in and in England in and he explained Also in I had one year in Sweden and spent three years in Denmark from to
Leaving the island in order to improve his playing standard was the only option open to Genovese However table tennis is now changing in Malta an association that has long been guided by JoeBorg Cardona who has exciting plans for the future Table tennis is very popular on the island but in the past its been very much as a hobby not as a serious sport said Genovese
I know when Ive visited the island Ive been quite amazed by the number of houses that have table tennis tables in the garage or in the basement no heating is necessary its always warm enough in Malta he said However as Genovese explained the future looks bright
I started to play in the Salesias Youth Center in Sliema when I was he said
However now we have a Table Tennis Academy in Valetta Joe Borg Cardona is making many changes Im helping by coaching its quite an exciting time
Certainly the future looks bright but any players emerging from the academy will be hard pushed to match the successes of Genovese He has been the islands leading player for almost three decades hes been the national mens singles champion times It is an incredible record
However there is more to Genovese than just being a good table tennis player He is a man who cares for others and he is a superb athlete Genovese wanted to help a hostel in Malta for handicapped children the Dar Tal Providenza in Siggiewi the children in this hostel are severely handicapped and sadly some have been abandoned by their parents
Genovese owns a chain of boutiques in Malta and is a family man married to Alexandra he has two daughters Sasha aged six and Therese aged nine both girls enjoy sports Therese is a keen gymnast whilst Sasha is the table tennis player it seems the Genovese sporting dynasty is set to continue and no doubt his children will compete with the same integrity as their father Enditem
by Cao Jianjie
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Former Chinese world table tennis champion He Zhili who played in the Japanese name of Koyama Chire for her adopted country in the Asian Games attended a gathering of Chinese world titlists during the th world championships here on Sunday
Fortynine out of the Chinese world champions met in Shanghai Hope Hotel recalling their past times and showing they were not rusty in exhibition games hosted by the world championship organizers
I am so happy to see my mentors coaches and teammates said He the womens singles winner This championships is set to better the previous versions
He had disobeyed an order to deliberately throw a match against one of her teammates before she won the singles crown in the world championships angering Chinese table tennis authorities
He from Shanghai moved to Japan after she failed to make it to the Chinese team for the Olympics and married a Japanese table tennis coach whom she has divorced
In the Asian Games in Hiroshima Japan He beat Chinas world top two ranked players Deng Yaping and Qiao Hong to claim the singles title enraging quite a few Chinese who called her turncoat and traitor
Only until several years ago did Chinese recognize the former Chinese players who have switched their allegiance as Chinese table tennis ambassadors
It was relatively calm in China when Chinese volleyball legend Iron Hammer Lang Ping took the helm of the US womens team early this year Lang from Beijing is certain to lead the US team to challenge defending champion China in the Olympic Games
We are more openminded than a decade ago said Beijingbased sportswriter Qu Beilin We were mad about He Zhili years ago and now we would congratulate Lang Ping Enditem
NAIROBI May Xinhua The International Cricket Council ICC Intercontinental Cup match between Kenya and Namibia is set for June to in Namibian capital Windhoek Kenyan media reported Sunday
According to local newspaper Sunday Nation the match was supposed to have been played from February to but the ICC postponed it due to the wrangles which engulfed cricket administrations in Kenya
The chaos in Kenyan cricket administration began more than three months ago On January Kenyan Minister for Sports Ochillo Ayacko fired Kenya Cricket Association chairman Sharad Ghai and his entire executive committee accusing the leadership of not accounting for sponsorship money and operating illegally for seven years
Four days later Ghai obtained a temporary court order rescinding the governments decision while a suit against the dismissals went forward
With the backing of the Kenyan government a new cricket body Cricket Kenya was founded However the Kenya Cricket Association was still in operation and claimed that the governments move to register a new governing body was unconstitutional
The dispute between the two cricket bodies and other stakeholders was resolved on April by a delegation from the Africa Cricket Association ACA led by the ACA chairman Peter Chingoka who is also the Zimbabwe Cricket Union boss
According to an agreement the two cricket bodies Kenya Cricket Association and Cricket Kenya will jointly run the game until elections for a new governing body which will take place on May
Kenya cricket team had cleared their first hurdles towards reaching the ICC Intercontinental Cups semifinals when they beat Uganda by runs last Sunday
Kenyan cricket was on its peak in after the national team reached the World Cup semifinals Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Adham Sharara was reelected as the president of the International Table Tennis Federation here on Sunday
The yearold Canadian who took the helm of table tennis ruling body from Chinese Xu Yinsheng in was the sole candidate for the presidency
Born in Cairo Sharara started to play table tennis at and joined the Canadian national team in Under his leadership the mm ball is used and point scoring system adopted
As a reformminded leader Sharara put forward P policy Participation Popularity Profit Planning which is the point of reference for all ITTF plans and activities and serves as the underlying philosophy of the ITTF Enditem
HONG KONG April Xinhua Hong Kong elite athletes may obtain extra financial support for their quest of another successful life after retirement from international competitions
Hong Kong Elite Athlete Charitable Trust established by the Hong Kong Elite Athletes Association HKEAA in Saturday announced that they would offer a financial subsidy to retired Hong Kong elite athletes who won honor for the Chinese Hong Kong at toplevel international competitions
Athletes who retire from tough training and competitions will have to face a lot of challenges in living a new life Objective of this scheme is to help them transit more smoothly said The HKEAA head Henry Wu
The program covers educational and vocational training opportunities as well as medical care which is one of the essential needs among retiring athletes
Applicants may apply for a funding up to percent of the tuition fees for taking academic of vocational courses at recognized universities and tertiary institutes
As to benefit as many athletes as possible qualifications to this financial subsidy are flexible Any retired athlete who holds a Hong Kong identity card or is eligible to reside in the Special Administrative Region may submit an application that will be vetted and approved by the Trustees
A successful applicant may obtain a subsidy for a maximum of two years Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Following is a list of International Table Tennis Federation presidents
Ivor Montagu
Montagu is of men who met in Germany in January and set in motion a series of events that made table tennis an international sport In Montagu initiated the creation of the International Table Tennis Federation and served as its first president for years until The ITTF began with four member countries and grew to national associations during his leadership
The constitution and laws of the sport of table tennis were adopted and the World Table Tennis Championships established during a meeting at the family home of Lord and Lady Swaythling Montagus parents
At age he was a founder of the English Table Tennis Association ETTA and served as its chairman from to from to and again from to He was also the ETTAs president from to and to
H Roy Evans
Second ITTF President Evans began to play table tennis in Wales at the age of and had been an ITTF secretary until he took the helms of the ITTF In With his tenacious efforts table tennis became an Olympic medal event in
In Evans lost his presidency to Japanese Ichiro Ogimura in a voting in favor of the latter and was named ITTF honorary president The mens World Cup Evans Cup was named after him
Ichiro Ogimura
Third ITTF President Ogimura began to play table tennis at and had won world championship titles for Japan He had been an ITTF executive board member and first vice president before he was voted as president In Thanks to Ogimuras efforts South Korea and DPR Korea sent a historical joint team to the world championships
Lollo Hammarlund
Fourth ITTF president Hammarlund had coached the Swedish team from to and was voted ITTF president in He died of an illness In October He was known as a fair sport leader
Xu Yinsheng
Fifth ITTF president Xu was a key player in the Chinese mens team which won the th th and th world team championships and later became head coach of the Chinese team Xu who had been Chinese vice sports minister ITTF vice president took the ITTF presidency in He proposed mm ball in an aim to make the sport more of a spectacle He didnt seek ITTF reelection in and still holds the presidency of the Chinese Table Tennis Association
Adam Sharara
Sixth ITTF president Born in Cairo Sharara started to play table tennis at and joined the Canadian national team in He was voted as ITTF president in Under his leadership the mm ball is used and point scoring system adopted As a reformminded leader Sharara put forward P policy Participation Popularity Profit Planning which is the point of reference for all ITTF plans and activities and serves as the underlying philosophy of the ITTF Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Five Chinese table tennis players
including Olympic and world champions Liu Guoliang and Zhang Yining
have been enshrined to the Hall of Fame of the International Table
Tennis Federation ITTF the sports world ruling body announced
here on Sunday
Also joining the elite club are Qiao Hong who paired up with
lendegary Deng Yaping to win two Olympic doubles golds in and
current mens singles world No Wang Liqin and Li Ju women
s doubles gold medalist at the Sydney Olympics in
The ITTF Hall of Fame which was launched in now boasts of
standout players Eighteen of them are Chinese
The ITTF introduces several players to the Hall of Fame every
two years based on their achievement in the sport Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Table tennis little fry Seychelles have been satisfied for taking part in the th world championships as they ended their short campaign in two days when powerhouse China have yet to play a match here on Sunday
Weve foreseen the results that none of our four players could go through the qualification rounds in the worlds said Francis Remie the team leader of Seychelles Theres no regrets now after taking part
Three male and one female players from Seychelles had arrived here for the worlds topclass tournament of the sport and all of them suffered early exits in qualification rounds of the mens singles womens singles mens doubles and mixed doubles events
We should be satisfied after joining so many world champions here and watching their playing added Remie
Vincent Isaac who was beaten Saturday by Icelands Guomundur Stephensen in one of his group round matches said his best wish was to prove that he was not the worst
I love the sport since I enjoy every game during playing said the yearold African who has played table tennis for only four years Ive been wishing to play Chinese because they are the best in the world but Im not good enough right now to get a chance
Seychelles participated in the nd rd th and th worlds before coming here but never made the first round in years
With a population of Seychelles has developed table tennis without a professional system and all the budgets are covered by the government of the island country in the western Indian Ocean Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua South Chinese city Guangzhou has won
the right to host the world table tennis team championships in
the International Table Tennis Federation ITTF announced here on
Sunday
We have allocated the world championships to China and
Guangzhou has shown strong interest in hosting the event said
ITTF president Adham Sharara
Denmark had initially planned to host the world
championships but withdrew its bid at the last moment putting the
sports showcase event in doubt China then offered to stage the
tournament
Chinese ITTF vice president Yang Shuan said that China is
always ready to support the ITTF and promote the sport
We welcome the world championships back to China three years on
said Yang
The th world table tennis championships are being held in
Shanghai Enditem
TOKYO May Xinhua Following are the results from Japanese JLeague soccer matches on Sunday
Shimizu SPulse Cho JaeJin
Omiya Ardija Yokoyama
Urawa Red Diamonds Tanaka Emerson
Nagoya Grampus Eight
Gamba Osaka Endo Oguro
Vissel Kobe Matsuo
Oita Trinita Magno Alves Dodo
FC Tokyo Kurisawa
Kashima Antlers
Cerezo Osaka Furuhashi
Kawasaki Frontale Nagahashi
JEF United Chiba
Kashiwa Reysol
Jubilo Iwata Nakayama pen Ota Maeda
Kawaguchi
Sanfrecce Hiroshima Galvao Sato Oki Mogi
Albirex Niigata
Tokyo Verdy Washington
Yokohama Marinos Nasu
Enditem
TOKYO May Xinhua Following are the Japanese JLeague soccer standings after Thursdays matches tabulated under games played won drawn lost goals for against points
Kashima Antlers
Nagoya Grampus Eight
Sanfrecce Hiroshima
Kawasaki Frontale
Cerezo Osaka
Gamba Osaka
Omiya Ardija
JEF United Chiba
Yokohama Marinos
Oita Trinita
Shimizu SPulse
Jubilo Iwata
Urawa Red Diamonds
FC Tokyo
Tokyo Verdy
Kashiwa Reysol
Albirex Niigata
Vissel Kobe
Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua International Table Tennis Federation ITTF president Adam Sharara said on Sunday that doubles matches will not disappear from Olympic table tennis tournament although team event is to replace doubles event
The Olympic team event will include both singles and doubles matches Sharara told a press conference after ITTFs annual general meeting
Last year the ITTF proposed to replace doubles with team event at the Beijing Olympic Games in in an attempt to intensify the competition and make the sport more of a spectacle
Sharara said the detailed competition format for Olympic team events is not decided yet
Maybe it includes four singles matches and one doubles or three singles and two doubles said the yearold Canadian who won reelection unopposed on Sunday
We will decide it at a later stage
According to Sharara the number of participating teams for Olympic table tennis tournament will be set at Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Following are the womens doubles first round results at the world table tennis championships here on Sunday
WANG Nan CHN ZHANG Yining CHN bt HALAS Helena SVN TODOROVIC Biljana SVN
FERLIANA Christine INA SILIR Rovani INA lost to KOMWONG Nanthana THA MUANGSUK Anissara THA
LEE Hyang Mi KOR MOON Hyun Jung KOR bt BUDIENEGARKAUSKAITE Ruta LTU MISIKONYTE Lina LTU
GUANCHEZ Mariana VEN RAMOS Maria VEN lost to KOSTROMINA Tatyana BLR PAVLOVICH Viktoria BLR
FUJINUMA Ai JPN FUKUHARA Ai JPN bt ASHRAF Ayatollah EGY OSMAN Bacent EGY
PEREZ Luisana VEN RAMOS Fabiola VEN lost to STRBIKOVA Renata CZE VACENOVSKA Iveta CZE
FADEEVA Oksana RUS VORONOVA Anastasia RUS lost to BEH Lee Fong MAS BEH Lee Wei MAS
LATT Katlin EST LINDMAE Karin EST lost to LI Jia Wei SIN XU Yan SIN
LAU Sui Fei HKG SONG Ah Sim HKG bt LI Qiangbing AUT PETZNER Martina AUT
KRAVCHENKO Marina ISR PRITULA Olga ISR lost to HEINE Veronika AUT LIU Jia AUT walkover
SILBEREISEN Kristin GER STRUSE Nicole GER bt CHIU Soo Jin MAS NG Sock Khim MAS
EKHOLM Matilda SWE JONSSON Carina SWE lost to GANINA Svetlana RUS PALINA Irina RUS
HUANG IHwa TPE LU YunFeng TPE bt QIAN Lian DOM WU Xue DO
LEE IChen TPE PAN LiChun TPE bt PARKER Joanna ENG SIBLEY Kelly ENG
MERAL ALI Yildiz TUR OZTRK Bilgen TUR lost to TIE Yana HKG ZHANG Rui HKG
BAI Yang CHN GUO Yan CHN bt SKABAR Petra SVN TOMAZINI Jana SVN
CHAKRABORTY Kasturi IND SAHA Nandita IND lost to HAINHOFMANN Tanja GER WOSIK Elke GER
BAKULA Andreja HRV PAOVIC Sandra HRV bt OLAIDE ATINUKE NGR OWOH Atisi NGR walkover
EDEM Offiong NGR OSHONAIKE Funke NGR lost to KANAZAWA Saki JPN UMEMURA Aya JPN walkover
STEFANOVA Nicoletta ITA TAN MONFARDINI Wenling ITA bt PRAHBU Mamta IND VIJAY Vishaka IND
NEVES Anna POR SILVA Ana Lucia POR lost to LIN Ling HKG YU Kwok See HKG
JUN Hye Kyung KOR KIM Hye Hyun KOR bt DIAO Yi SMR YAN Chimei SMR
NGAN Anna CAN YAN Shirley CAN lost to BATORFI Csilla HUN TOTH Krisztina HUN
KIM Kyung Ah KOR KIM Soong Sil KOR bt BANH THUA Tawny USA LEE Jacqueline USA
GRUNDISCH Carole FRA PHAI PANG Laurie FRA lost to KIM Jong PRK KO Un Gyong PRK
GAO Jun USA REED Jasna USA bt JUNKER Laurence BEL LI YUN FEI BEL
FILI Christina GRE NTOULAKI Ekaterina GRE lost to BOROS Tamara HRV VAIDA Cornelia HRV
KIM Hyang Mi PRK KIM Mi Yong PRK bt GOUGH Tammy AUS MIAO Miao AUS
KOVTUN Elena UKR SOROCHINSKA Tetyana UKR lost to FAZEKAS Maria HUN POTA Georgina HUN
TAN Paey Fern SIN ZHANG Xueling SIN bt DVORAK Galia ESP RAMIREZ Sara ESP
KMOTORKOVA Lenka SVK ODOROVA Eva SVK lost to GUO Yue CHN NIU Jianfeng CHN
Enditem
TimeliTimeli
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IFFHS
SHANGHAI May Xinhua World number one Wang Liqin served his townees a wonderful aperitif here on Sunday after the Shanghaiborn paddler wrapped up his singles opener in the th world table tennis championships
Indian qualifier Achanta Sharath Kamal ruined the otherwise perfect first round performance of the former world champion in coming back to win the third set after losing in the first three
Wang one of the hottest favorites here to win back for China the Saint Bride Cup claimed by Austrian Werner Schlager in Paris in quickly overcame a sluggish start and came back to win the decider to set up a second round meeting with the winner between DPR Korean Pak Won Chol and Bartosz Such of Poland
I did not show my best game tonight and neither had I done enough preparations before facing the unfamiliar rival said Wang who earlier the night played a lackluster doubles match with Olympic gold winning partner Yan Sen
Table tennis Grand Slam winner Kong Linhui swept Peter Sereda from Slovakia in another mens singles first round clash while yearold Chinese Chen Qi overwhelmed Spaniard Carlos Machado in straight sets
In mens doubles play on Sunday Athens Olympic gold pairs Ma LinChen Qi and Kong LinghuiWang Hao who were ousted in the first round of last years Olympics breezily made it to second round with victories while Yan SenWang Liqin stumbled to win
Chinese doubles expert Yan Sen nearly ruined his world championships return from injury trailing before the defending champion paired with Wang rallied to win over Indonesian David Jacobs and Yon Mardiono in seven sets
The golden duo Olympic mens doubles gold medalists in Sydney in got the jitters in their doubles opener and had to come from down for a sevenset victory
Im intimated by the tense of the game since Ive been missing so many big games on international level said Yan who broke his left arm in a traffic accident in late and missed last Augusts Olympic Games in Athens
Its better for them to play some tough table tennis in the earlier stage said coach Shi Zhihao Yan needs time to find his touch after more than one years absence from competition but I can assure you that it wont take long Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Following are the mens doubles first round results at the th world table tennis championships here on Sunday
CHEN Qi CHN MA Lin CHN bt FAZEKAS Peter HUN PAZSY Ferenc HUN
GORAK Daniel POL SUCH Bartosz POL lost to KREANGA Kalinikos GRE PAPAGEORGIOU Konstantinos GRE
CRISAN Adrian ROU FLOREA Vasile ROU bt LIU Song ARG TABACHNIK Pablo ARG
KLASEK Marek CZE KOSTAL Radek CZE
PERSSON Jorgen SWE WALDNER JanOve SWE bt CHIANG PengLung TPE CHUAN ChihYuan TPE
ALHASAN Ali KUW ALHASAN Ibrahim KUW lost to CHIANG HungChieh TPE WU ChihChi TPE
HEISTER Danny NED KEEN Trinko NED bt KIM Hyok Bong PRK PAK Won Chol PRK
IGNJATOVIC Sasa SVN TOKIC Bojan SVN lost to JINDRAK Karl AUT SCHLAGER Werner AUT
MAZE Michael DEN TUGWELL Finn DEN bt CHENG Yinghua USA LUPULESKU Ilija USA
CARNEROS Alfredo ESP DURAN Marc ESP bt CARNEROS Alfredo DURAN Marc
KORBEL Petr CZE PAVELKA Tomas CZE
CHOI Hyun Jin KOR OH Sang Eun KOR bt GARDOS Robert AUT HABESOHN Daniel AUT
CHANG YenShu TPE CHOU TungYu TPE lost to BOLL Timo GER SUSS Christian GER
BLASZCZYK Lucjan POL WANG Zeng Yi POL bt HOYAMA Hugo BRA MONTEIRO Thiago BRA
JIANG Weizhong HRV SURBEK Dragutin Jr HRV lost to SAIVE JeanMichel BEL SAIVE Philippe BEL
PRIMORAC Zoran HRV TOSIC Roko HRV bt JAKAB Janos HUN ZWICKL Daniel HUN
ERLANDSEN Geir NOR WANG Jianfeng NOR lost to KO Lai Chak HKG LI Ching HKG
KONG Linghui CHN WANG Hao CHN bt ALI SALEH Ahmed EGY LASHIN ElSayed EGY
BERTIN Christophe FRA BOBILLIER Loc FRA lost to BENTSEN Allan DEN MONRAD Martin DEN
MIZUTANI Jun JPN YOSHIDA Kaii JPN lost to HE Zhi Wen ESP MACHADO Carlos ESP
KUZMIN Fedor RUS SMIRNOV Alexei RUS bt GIONIS Panagiotis GRE TSIOKAS Ntaniel GRE
LEE Jung Woo KOR RYU Seung Min KOR bt MEROTOHUN Monday NGR TORIOLA Segun NGR
ABIODUN Bode NGR NOSIRU Kazeem NGR lost to CHILA Patrick FRA ELOI Damien FRA
KARLSSON Peter SWE LUNDQVIST Jens SWE bt AN Chol Yong PRK KIM Song Chol PRK
JACOBS David INA MARDIONO Yon INA lost to WANG Liqin CHN YAN Sen CHN
Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua After a easy win over their firstround rivals here on Sunday Germanys new pair Timo BollChristian Suss were ready to go further at the th World Table Tennis Championships
Boll No in the world and Suss No have just teamed up for less than one year and winning two titles and one silver from three ITTF Pro Tour events last year
Compared with World Cup winner Boll the yearold Suss appeared more mature and experienced
Suss saidI never expected a perfect partner like Boll Im good at receiving service so I can create attacking chance for him
I hope we can bring a medal for Germany at the worlds I know its difficult that there are so many strong rivals including Europeans as well as Chinese and Koreans
Its my first world championships but I feel no pressure I want to give a try in doubles and we have the chance Suss said
Boll praised his partner as clever and agile Hes brave but cautious on the court He knows when to change tactics
In their second round the German pair will meet South Koreas Oh Sang EunChoi Hyun Jin If they win they may next play against the Belgian Saive brothers Jean Michel and Phillpe
Boll saidI feel that Im back on my good form during the practice in Shanghai We hope we can go as far as possible in the doubles Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Coming back from her shoulder injury Olympic champion Zhang Yining showed her trademark fierce attacks in the singles first round at the th World Table Tennis Championships here on Sunday
Zhang top player on the ITTF world rankings had suffered the shoulder injury and was absent from training two weeks ago before the worlds
However in front of the sellout crowds Zhang appeared free from injury and snached a comfortable win over qualifier Paula Medina from Columbia
Zhang saidI was a little bit nernous in front of the sellout crowds but I wanted to show them my best performance
I didnt feel any hurt from my injury But its the first day competition I will meet stronger rivals in the next few days and I need to be percent in form Zhang said
In other singles matches world No Tamara Boros of Croatia trounced Veronika Heine of Austria seed Li Jiawei of Singapore romped Helena Halas of Slovenia and Viktoria Pavlovich of Belarus defeated Fabioia Ramos of Venezuela
The first round womens singles will continue in the afternoon on May and the second round begins in that evening
Earlier on Sunday Zhang and her Athens Olympic Games doubles champion parter Wang Nan claimed victory in the doubles beating Helena HalasBiijana Todorovic from Slovenia
In the doubles second round ZhangWang will meet Nanthana KomwongAnissara Muangsuk of Thailand secondseeded Guo YueNiu Jianfeng of China will play Tan Paey FernZhanq Xueling from Singapore Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Following are the mens singles
first round results from the th world table tennis championships
here on Sunday
WANG Liqin CHN
KAMAL ACHANTA SHARATH IND
PAK Won Chol PRK
SUCH Bartosz POL
BENTSEN Allan DEN
LIVENTSOV Alexei RUS
LASHIN ElSayed EGY
KO Lai Chak HKG
KEEN Trinko NED
TABACHNIK Pablo ARG
TORIOLA Segun NGR
HIELSCHER Lars GER
LI Ching HKG
MILICEVIC Srdan BIH
HOYAMA Hugo BRA
CHEN Weixing AUT
KONG Linghui CHN
SEREDA Peter SVK
ALI SALEH Ahmed EGY
GARDOS Robert AUT
FEJERKONNERTH Zoltan GER
LENGEROV Kostadin AUT
LEE Jin Kwon KOR
CHILA Patrick FRA
ROSSKOPF Jorg GER
RI Chol Guk PRK
WU ChihChi TPE
WANG Zeng Yi POL
SAIVE Philippe BEL
KIM Song Chol PRK
MACHADO Carlos ESP
CHEN QI CHN
CHUAN ChihYuan TPE
FILIMON Andrei ROU
MIZUTANI Jun JPN
WANG Jianfeng NOR
YANG Min ITA
MATSUMOTO Cazuo BRA
JENKINS Ryan WAL
KARLSSON Peter SWE
PRIMORAC Zoran HRV
GIONIS Panagiotis GRE
BERTIN Christophe FRA
YOSHIDA Kaii JPN
HE Zhi Wen ESP
KLASEK Marek CZE
SKACHKOV Kirill RUS
SCHLAGER Werner AUT
SMIRNOV Alexei RUS
GORAK Daniel POL
PAZSY Ferenc HUN
CIOTI Constantin ROU
LUNDQVIST Jens SWE
ILLAS Erik SVK
JINDRAK Karl AUT
OH Sang Eun KOR
WALDNER JanOve SWE
CHOU TungYu TPE
MOLDOVAN Istvan NOR
TSIOKAS Ntaniel GRE
ERLANDSEN Geir NOR
CHOI Hyun Jin KOR
GRIGORYEV Artur RUS
SAMSONOV Vladimir BLR
Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Following are the womens singles first round results at the world table tennis championships here on Sunday
ZHANG Yining CHN
MEDINA Paula COL
ISTIYANI Lindawati INA
VAIDA Cornelia HRV
LI YUN FEI BEL
YAN Chimei SMR
RAMIREZ Sara ESP
FAZEKAS Maria HUN
KIM Hyang Mi PRK
BANH THUA Tawny USA
QIAN Lian DOM
KO Un Gyong PRK
KIM Jong PRK
MEDINA Iizzwah HON
LEE IChen TPE
ZHANG Rui HKG
PAVLOVICH Viktoria BLR
RAMOS Fabiola VEN
MUANGSUK Anissara THA
HUANG IHwa TPE
HIRANO Sayaka JPN
PARKER Joanna ENG
TODOROVIC Biljana SVN
STRUSE Nicole GER
UMEMURA Aya JPN
BEH Lee Fong MAS
REED Jasna USA
BATORFI Csilla HUN
STEFANOVA Nicoletta ITA
MISIKONYTE Lina LTU
LEE Jacqueline USA
TIE Yana HKG
LI Jia Wei SIN
HALAS Helena SVN
EKHOLM Matilda SWE
SILBEREISEN Kristin GER
ODOROVA Eva SVK
BEH Lee Wei MAS
YU Kwok See HKG
GAO Jun USA
ZHANG Xueling SIN
XU Chris CAN
DVORAK Galia ESP
NEGRISOLI Laura ITA
FADEEVA Oksana RUS
HAN Hye song PRK
KOVTUN Elena UKR
CAO Zhen CHN
LIN Ling HKG
MOCROUSOV Elena MDA
GONCALVES Joana POR
XU Yan SIN
LI Qiangbing AUT
BAKULA Andreja HRV
MERAL ALI Yildiz TUR
TAN MONFARDINI Wenling ITA
GANINA Svetlana RUS
MIROU Maria GRE
CHIU Soo Jin MAS
BUDIENEGARKAUSKAITE Ruta LTU
HAINHOFMANN Tanja GER
PAN LiChun TPE
HEINE Veronika AUT
BOROS Tamara HRV
Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Chinese paddlers eased past their first round hurdles as the main draw of the world table tennis championships kicked off here on Sunday
World number one Wang Liqin served his townees a wonderful aperitif after the Shanghai native wrapped up his singles opener
Indian qualifier Achanta Sharath Kamal ruined the otherwise perfect first round performance of the former world champion in coming back to win the third set after losing in the first three
Wang one of the hottest favorites here to win back for China the Saint Bride Cup claimed by Austrian Werner Schlager in Paris in quickly overcame a sluggish start and came back to win the decider to set up a second round meeting with the winner between DPR Korean Pak Won Chol and Bartosz Such of Poland
I did not show my best game tonight and neither had I done enough preparations before facing the unfamiliar rival said Wang who earlier the night played a lackluster doubles match with Olympic gold winning partner Yan Sen
Table tennis Grand Slam winner Kong Linghui swept Peter Sereda from Slovakia in another mens singles first round clash while yearold Chinese Chen Qi overwhelmed Spaniard Carlos Machado in straight sets
Coming off a twoweek shoulder injury layoff Olympic and world champion Zhang Yining didnt show any signs of rust as she crushed Columbian qualifier Paula Medina in the womens singles first round
I was a little bit nervous in front of the sellout crowds but I wanted to show them my best game said Zhang after the match
I didnt feel any hurt from my injury But today is the first day of the tournament I will meet stronger rivals in the next few days and I need to be persent fit added the yearold girl
World No Tamara Boros of Croatia and sixseeded Li Jiawei of Singapore also emerged comfortable first round winners Boros trounced Austrias Veronika Heine while Li whitewashed Helena Halas of Slovenia
Earlier in the day Zhang and her parter Wang Nan claimed victory in the doubles beating Helena HalasBiijana Todorovic of Slovenia Another Chinese golden pair Guo YueNiu Jianfeng dropped one set in their victory over Lenka KmotorkovaEva Odorova of Slovakia
In mens doubles Athens Olympic gold medalists Ma LinChen Qi and Kong LinghuiWang Hao who were ousted in the first round in Athens breezed into the second round with victories while Yan SenWang Liqin stumbled to win
Chinese doubles expert Yan Sen nearly spoiled his world championships return from injury trailing before the defending champion pairing with Wang rallied to defeat Indonesian David Jacobs and Yon Mardiono in seven sets
The golden duo Olympic mens doubles gold medalists in Sydney in got the jitters in their doubles opener and had to come from down for a hardearned victory
Im intimated by the tense of the game since Ive been missing so many big games on international level said Yan who broke his left arm in a traffic accident in late and missed last Augusts Olympic Games in Athens
Its better for them to play some tough table tennis in the earlier stage said coach Shi Zhihao Yan needs time to find his touch after more than one years absence from competition but I can assure you that it wont take long Enditem
LONDON May Xinhua Manchester United made light of their recent scoring problems by cruising to a win away to Charlton Athletic at The Valley on Sunday closing the gap in the Premiership on secondplaced Arsenal to a point
Former England midfielder Paul Scholes capitalised on a fumble by debutant Addicks goalkeeper Stephan Andersen to score a th minute tapin and Scotland international Darren Fletcher struck a welltaken second minutes later
England strikers Alan Smith and Wayne Rooney completed the rout Smith scoring in the nd minute after robbing Talal El Karkouri of possession and the unmarked Rooney striking a fourth past sorry Charlton five minutes later
United who remain third in the Premiership need to overtake fellow FA Cup finalists Arsenal to qualify directly for the group stages of next seasons Champions League
Arsenal can restore their four point advantage if they beat struggling West Brom away on Monday
Charlton suffering their traditional endofseason slump had won just once in previous Premiership matches and the defeat leaves them th in the table and all but blows their hopes of qualifying for the UEFA Cup
While Charlton was slaughtered their city rival Tottenham Hotspur notched up an impressive win over Aston Villa to move closer to UEFA Cup football next season
A day after Chelsea won the Premier League title with a win at Bolton Wanderers the chase for European football continued with Spurs moving into a provisional UEFA Cup slot inseventh place
Spurs were up inside the opening half hour after two goals from Mali international striker Frederic Kanoute and one from captain Ledley King while Gareth Barry pulled one back from the penalty spot for Villa just before the break
Andy Reid added the fourth with a superb metre strike and Stephen Kelly completed a miserable afternoon for Villas standin keeper Stefan Postma with a closerange effort on minutes Enditem
LONDON May Xinhua Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson prefers experience when he decided to recall Roy Carroll to the Manchester United goal in place of Tim Howard
Carroll is now expected to retain the keepers spot for the FA Cup final although Ferguson refused to confirm that the Northern Ireland international will definitely make up for the disappointment of not starting last years final win over Millwall
With Howards poor clearance contributing to Newcastle Uniteds goal last weekend through Darren Ambrose the United manager has suggested that the American still needs to learn to keep his concentration during long periods of inactivity in games
Its coming up to the final Ferguson told Sky Sports Roy had a spell out which has brought him on actually In training sessions hes been fantastic
For Tim its really about experience He plays in games for us every week and sometimes only has one save in a game to make and thats the difficult part of being a keeper at our club
So therefore Roys experience today comes on top of Tims lack of experience He needs more and more games more to do more action to bring him on that step because Tim is a tremendously technically gifted keeper
He is lightning quick his distribution is terrific and there are lots of good parts to Tim that will come on in the years ahead
Ferguson stopped short of announcing Carroll will play against Arsenal in Cardiff but the Irishman needs only to perform as well as he did at Charlton to keep his place
What I want to do is have the two of them getting football behind them and when it comes to final day hope I pick the right one he declared
Carroll has still to agree a new contract at Old Trafford and may be leaving under the Bosman Ruling in the summer
The Red Devils chief was also quick to pay credit to newlycrowned champions Chelsea
Theyve had a fantastic season and thoroughly deserve it he stated To win the Premier League takes a very good team and they have been that this season Theyve been worthy champions Enditem
LONDON May Xinhua Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech admitted clinching the Premiership title was by far the biggest moment of his career to date
The Czech shotstopper has enjoyed a tremendous first season in England and was chosen for the PFA Premiership team of the season last week
He gave another demonstration of his quality with an important save from teammate Geremi in the win at Bolton Wanderers that cemented The Blues first league title in years
Cech revealed that celebrations after the triumph at Bolton had remained largely lowkey with next weeks UEFA Champions League clash with Liverpool in mind but was delighted to have picked up the first honour of his club career
I enjoyed it it was a great feeling remarked Cech
The celebrations continued in the dressing room Everybody was celebrating players the management coach Mourinho
We raised a small toast after dinner but the big celebrations are still to come
Its certainly the biggest success of my club career
When it was still I knew we were very very close to it but it still wasnt over because I told myself they could still score
There could have been a free kick and it would be level again but when we had scored the second goal I knew it was all over
Cech paid tribute to Chelseas team spirit and insisted their triumph had been built on the back of camaraderie and not just Roman Abramovichs chequebook
Everyone was waiting to see whether Abramovichs money could help us But it wasnt only about money we are mainly a team Enditem
LONDON May Xinhua Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson insisted on Sunday he did not want to railroad Rio Ferdinand into signing a new contract but was keen for the England defender to make a quick decision on his future
Ferdinand has as yet refused to sign the new deal that Manchester United have tabled him leading to speculation about his commitment to the club
After revelations of clandestine meetings with Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon sections of the clubs support have grown increasingly concerned about the players failure to extend his contract at Old Trafford
During the win at Charlton Athletic on Sunday United fans began chants urging Ferdinand to put to paper but Ferguson moved to try and diffused what would become something of an unwanted saga
We dont want to make a monster out of this thing Ferdinands deal Ferguson said
You can maybe push players into these things and you can make it worse
He knows we want him to sign and thats important and he knows the fans want him to sign so we dont want to be shoving the lad into something he is not sure about
If hes not sure then he should take time but the most important thing is we want him to do it quickly Enditem
LONDON May Xinhua Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has admitted he might be interested in signing David Beckham if Real Madrid were willing to sell the midfielder
We will have some money to spend in the summer and if there was a chance to sign David Beckham we would look at it Wenger said
If the situation arises that it is possible why not
Last month England captain Beckham distanced himself from speculation linking him with a return to Britain
Ive said many times that Im very happy in Madrid My life is very happy he said
I have two years left on my contract and I want to finish my career playing football for Real Madrid
Beckham played for Real in their win over Real Sociedad on Saturday Enditem
WASHINGTON May Xinhua Dwyane Wade nailed points and dished out nine assists to lead the Miami Heat complete a sweep of their Eastern Conference first round series against the New Jersey in Game Sunday at Continental Airlines Arena
Eddie Jones added points for Miami which swept a bestofseven series for the first time in franchise history
Shaquille ONeal scored all of his points in the second half and also pulled down eight rebounds after firsthalf time drought in scoring
The Heat top seed in the Eastern Conference will meet the winner of the Chicago and Washington series in the conference semifinals
Jason Kidd paced New Jersey with points and seven assists Vince Carter added points and rebounds for the Nets who have lost nine straight games against Miami dating back to the regular season
At Philadelphia Rasheed Wallace was a key to win the game by scoring eight of his points in overtime as the Detroit Pistons beat the ers in Game of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals
Chauncey Billups recorded points seven assists and six rebounds for the Pistons who have a lead in the bestofseven series with Game slated for Tuesday night at The Palace
Philadelphia was led by Allen Iversons gamehigh points and eight assists Chris Webber scored points for the ers who have never come back to win a playoff series after losing the first two games of the series Enditem
LONDON May Xinhua Following are the results from the English Premier League matches on Sunday
Sunday May
Charlton Athletic Manchester United
Tottenham Hotspur Aston Villa
Saturday April
Birmingham City Blackburn Rovers
Bolton Wanderers Chelsea
Fulham Everton
Liverpool Middlesbrough
Manchester City Portsmouth
Newcastle United Crystal Palace
Southampton Norwich City
Next Fixtures
Monday May
West Bromwich Albion v Arsenal
Enditem
LONDON May Xinhua Following are the standings from the English Premier League after soccer matches on Sunday tabulated under games played won drawn lost goals for against and points
Chelsea
Arsenal
Manchester United
Everton
Liverpool
Bolton Wanderers
Tottenham Hotspur
Middlesbrough
Manchester City
Aston Villa
Charlton Athletic
Birmingham City
Blackburn Rovers
Newcastle United
Portsmouth
Fulham
Southampton
Crystal Palace
West Bromwich Albion
Norwich City
Enditem
LONDON May Xinhua Following are the top scorers of the English Premier League after soccer matches on Sunday
Thierry Henry Arsenal
Andy Johnson Crystal Palace
Jermain Defoe Tottenham Hotspur
Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink Middlesbrough
Yakubu Aiyegbeni Portsmouth
Frank Lampard Chelsea
Eidur Gudjohnsen Chelsea
Robert Pires Arsenal
Andy Cole Fulham
Peter Crouch Southampton
Robbie Keane Tottenham Hotspur
Wayne Rooney Manchester United
Rob Earnshaw West Bromwich Albion
Robbie Fowler Manchester City
Kevin Phillips Southampton
Fredrik Ljungberg Arsenal
Didier Drogba Chelsea
Tim Cahill Everton
Paul Scholes Manchester United
Shaun WrightPhillips Manchester City
Emile Heskey Birmingham City
Paul Dickov Blackburn Rovers
Milan Baros Liverpool
Nolberto Solano Aston Villa
El Hadji Diouf Bolton Wanderers
Luis Garcia Liverpool
Jose Antonio Reyes Arsenal
Luis Boa Morte Fulham
Enditem
LONDON May Xinhua Following are the summaries from the English Premier League soccer matches on Sunday
Sunday May
Tottenham Hotspur Frederic Kanoute Ledley King Andy Reid Stephen Kelly
Aston Villa Gareth Barry pen
Halftime Attendance
Charlton Athletic
Red Card Chris Perry
Manchester United Paul Scholes Darren Fletcher Alan Smith Wayne Rooney
Halftime Attendance
Saturday April
Newcastle United
Crystal Palace
Halftime Attendance
Manchester City Sylvain Distin Robbie Fowler
Portsmouth
Halftime Attendance
Birmingham City Robbie Blake Emile Heskey
Blackburn Rovers Jonathan Stead
Halftime Attendance
Bolton Wanderers
Chelsea Frank Lampard
Halftime Attendance
Fulham Collins John Brian McBride
Red Card Pape Bouba Diop
Everton
Halftime Attendance
Liverpool Steven Gerrard
Middlesbrough Szilard Nemeth
Halftime Attendance
Southampton Matthew Oakley Peter Crouch Graeme Le Saux Henri Camara
Norwich City David Bentley Danny Higginbotham og Leon McKenzie
Halftime Attendance
Next Fixtures
Monday May
West Bromwich Albion v Arsenal
Enditem
BERLIN May Xinhua Following are results from the German Bundesliga soccer league on Sunday
Sunday May
Hanover Nuremberg
VfL Wolfsburg Hamburg SV
Saturday April
Kaiserslautern Bayern Munich
Borussia Moenchengladbach VfB Stuttgart
Hansa Rostock Hertha Berlin
Freiburg Borussia Dortmund
Schalke Bayer Leverkusen
VfL Bochum Mainz
Werder Bremen Arminia Bielefeld
Enditem
BERLIN May Xinhua Following are the standings from the German Bundesliga league after soccer matches on Sunday tabulated under games played won drawn lost goals for against and points
Bayern Munich
Schalke
VfB Stuttgart
Werder Bremen
Hertha Berlin
Bayer Leverkusen
Hamburg SV
Borussia Dortmund
VfL Wolfsburg
Hanover
Kaiserslautern
Arminia Bielefeld
Mainz
Nuremberg
Borussia Moenchengladbach
VfL Bochum
Hansa Rostock
Freiburg
Enditem
BERLIN May Xinhua Following are the top scorers of the German Bundesliga league after soccer matches on Sunday
Marek Mintal Nuremberg
Marcelinho Hertha Berlin
Roy Makaay Bayern Munich
Miroslav Klose Werder Bremen
Dimitar Berbatov Bayer Leverkusen
Delron Buckley Arminia Bielefeld
Jan Koller Borussia Dortmund
Andriy Voronin Bayer Leverkusen
Ailton Schalke
Kevin Kuranyi VfB Stuttgart
Cacau VfB Stuttgart
Oliver Neuville Borussia Moenchengladbach
Sergei Barbarez Hamburg SV
Lincoln Schalke
Michael Ballack Bayern Munich
Claudio Pizarro Bayern Munich
Ivan Klasnic Werder Bremen
Ewerthon Borussia Dortmund
Martin Petrov VfL Wolfsburg
Thomas Brdaric VfL Wolfsburg
Vratislav Lokvenc VfL Bochum
Silvio Meissner VfB Stuttgart
Gerald Asamoah Schalke
Enditem
BERLIN May Xinhua Following are the summaries from the German Bundesliga league after soccer matches on Sunday
Sunday May
VfL Wolfsburg Martin Petrov
Hamburg SV
Red Card Mehdi Mahdavikia
Halftime Attendance
Hanover Jiri Kaufman
Nuremberg
Halftime Attendance
Saturday April
Hansa Rostock Tim Sebastian Jari Litmanen
Hertha Berlin Yildiray Bastuerk
Halftime Attendance
Borussia Moenchengladbach Oliver Neuville Vaclav Sverkos
VfB Stuttgart
Red Card Fernando Meira
Halftime Attendance
VfL Bochum Vratislav Lokvenc Tommy Bechmann
Mainz Benjamin Auer Michael Thurk
Fabian Gerber Antonio da
Silva Benjamin Weigelt
Conor Casey
Halftime Attendance
Kaiserslautern
Bayern Munich Michael Ballack Roy Makaay
Halftime Attendance
Freiburg Wilfried Sanou Soumaila
Coulibaly
Borussia Dortmund Ewerthon Jan Koller
Halftime Attendance
Werder Bremen Ludovic Magnin Tim Borowski
Miroslav Klose
Arminia Bielefeld
Halftime Attendance
Schalke Lincoln Ebbe Sand
Bayer Leverkusen Paul Freier Dimitar Berbatov
Andriy Voronin
Red Card Roque Junior
Halftime Attendance
Enditem
ROME May Xinhua Following are the results from the Italian Serie A soccer matches on Sunday
Sunday May
AS Roma Brescia
Inter Milan Siena
Juventus Bologna
Lecce Lazio
Messina Sampdoria
Palermo Chievo Verona
Parma Livorno
Udinese Atalanta Bergamo
Saturday April
Cagliari Reggina
Fiorentina AC Milan
Enditem
ROME May Xinhua Following are the standings from the Italian Serie A league after soccer matches on Sunday tabulated under games played won drawn lost goals for against and points
AC Milan
Juventus
Inter Milan
Udinese
Sampdoria
Palermo
Messina
Livorno
Cagliari
Lecce
Lazio
Bologna
AS Roma
Reggina
Parma
Siena
Chievo Verona
Brescia
Fiorentina
Atalanta Bergamo
Enditem
ROME May Xinhua Following are the top scorers of the Italian Serie A league after soccer matches on Sunday
Alberto Gilardino Parma
Vincenzo Montella AS Roma
Cristiano Lucarelli Livorno
Luca Toni Palermo
Andriy Shevchenko AC Milan
Mirko Vucinic Lecce
Zlatan Ibrahimovic Juventus
Adriano Inter Milan
Mauro Esposito Cagliari
Francesco Flachi Sampdoria
David Di Michele Udinese
Tommaso Rocchi Lazio
Alessandro Del Piero Juventus
Andrea Caracciolo Brescia
Valeri Bojinov Fiorentina
Francesco Totti AS Roma
Hernan Crespo AC Milan
Vincenzo Iaquinta Udinese
Christian Vieri Inter Milan
Fabrizio Miccoli Fiorentina
Riccardo Zampagna Messina
Franco Brienza Palermo
Obafemi Martins Inter Milan
Enrico Chiesa Siena
Arturo Di Napoli Messina
Enditem
ROME May Xinhua Following are the summaries from the Italain Serie A matches on Sunday
Sunday May
Messina Riccardo Zampagna
Sampdoria Francesco Flachi Sergio Volpi
Halftime Attendance
Juventus Fabio Cannavaro Marcelo Zalayeta
Bologna Federico Giunti
Halftime Attendance
Palermo Luca Toni Lamberto Zauli
Chievo Verona Sergio Pellisier Franco Semioli
Halftime Attendance
Inter Milan Julio Ricardo Cruz pen Christian Vieri
Siena
Halftime Attendance
Parma Alberto Gilardino Andrea Pisanu Fabio Henrique Simplicio
Livorno Cristiano Lucarelli pen
Halftime Attendance
Lecce Samuele Dalla Bona pen Mirko Vucinic Souleymane Diamoutene
Red Card Samuele Dalla Bona
Lazio Tommaso Rocchi
Red Card Cesar
Halftime Attendance
AS Roma Simone Perrotta Daniele De Rossi
Missed penalty Vincenzo Montella
Brescia Pierre Wome Andrea Caracciolo
Halftime Attendance
Udinese Stefano Mauri Vincenzo Iaquinta
Atalanta Bergamo Andrea Lazzari
Halftime Attendance
Saturday April
Fiorentina Enzo Maresca
AC Milan Andriy Shevchenko
Halftime Attendance
Cagliari Rolando Bianchi
Red Card Antonio Langella
Reggina Giuseppe Colucci
Halftime Attendance
Enditem
MADRID May Xinhua Following are the results from the Spanish Primera Liga matches on Sunday
Sunday May
Barcelona Albacete
Levante Malaga
Racing Santander Real Betis
Real Mallorca Espanyol
Real Zaragoza Osasuna
Sevilla Deportivo Coruna
Villarreal Getafe
Saturday April
Atletico Madrid Athletic Bilbao
Numancia Valencia
Real Sociedad Real Madrid
Enditem
MADRID May Xinhua Following are the standings from the Spanish Primera Liga after soccer matches on Sunday tabulated under games played won drawn lost goals for against and points
Barcelona
Real Madrid
Sevilla
Villarreal
Valencia
Espanyol
Real Betis
Real Zaragoza
Atletico Madrid
Athletic Bilbao
Deportivo Coruna
Real Sociedad
Osasuna
Getafe
Malaga
Racing Santander
Levante
Real Mallorca
Albacete
Numancia
Enditem
MADRID May Xinhua Following are the top scorers of the Spanish Primera Liga after soccer matches on Sunday
Samuel Etoo Barcelona
Diego Forlan Villarreal
Ricardo Oliveira Real Betis
Ronaldo Real Madrid
Julio Baptista Sevilla
Fernando Torres Atletico Madrid
David Villa Real Zaragoza
Juan Riquelme Villarreal
Maxi Rodriguez Espanyol
Nihat Kahveci Real Sociedad
Michael Owen Real Madrid
Marco Di Vaio Valencia
Luis Garcia Real Mallorca
Edu Real Betis
Ismael Urzaiz Athletic Bilbao
Santiago Ezquerro Athletic Bilbao
Albert Luque Deportivo Coruna
Antonio Pacheco Albacete
Raul Tamudo Espanyol
Yossi Benayoun Racing Santander
Savio Real Zaragoza
Diego Tristan Deportivo Coruna
Richard Morales Osasuna
Ludovic Giuly Barcelona
Enditem
MADRID May Xinhua Following are the summaries from the Spanish Primera Liga after soccer matches on Sunday
Sunday May
Barcelona Samuel Etoo Leonel Messi
Albacete
Halftime Attendance
Racing Santander Yossi Benayoun
Real Betis Dani
Halftime Attendance
Sevilla Adriano Correia Jesus Navas
Deportivo Coruna
Halftime Attendance
Real Mallorca Campano Juan Arango
Espanyol Hugo Ibarra Maxi Rodriguez
Red Card Alberto Lopo
Halftime Attendance
Villarreal Juan Pablo Sorin Diego Forlan Santi Cazorla
Getafe
Halftime Attendance
Real Zaragoza David Villa Savio Oscar David Generelo
Osasuna Moha
Halftime Attendance
Levante
Malaga Fernando Baiano
Halftime Attendance
Saturday April
Atletico Madrid Gonzalo Colsa
Red Card Jose Garcia Calvo
Athletic Bilbao Joseba Etxebarria
Halftime Attendance
Real Sociedad
Real Madrid Ronaldo
Halftime Attendance
Numancia Luis Tevenet
Valencia Vicente pen
Halftime Attendance
Enditem
PARIS May Xinhua Following are the results from the French Ligue soccer matches on Sunday
Sunday May
Monaco Lille
Friday April
Auxerre Toulouse
Enditem
PARIS May Xinhua Following are the standings from the French Ligue after soccer matches on Sunday tabulated under games played won drawn lost goals for against and points
Olympique Lyon
Lille
Monaco
Olympique Marseille
Stade Rennes
Auxerre
Paris St Germain
St Etienne
Sochaux
Toulouse
Racing Lens
Girondins Bordeaux
Metz
Racing Strasbourg
Nantes
Ajaccio
Nice
Bastia
Caen
Istres
Enditem
PARIS May Xinhua Following are the top scorers of the French Ligue after soccer matches on Sunday
Alexander Frei Stade Rennes
Pauleta Paris St Germain
Ilan Sochaux
Juninho Pernambucano Olympique Lyon
Mickael Pagis Racing Strasbourg
Matt Moussilou Lille
Benjamin Mwaruwari Auxerre
Pascal Feindouno St Etienne
Mamadou Niang Racing Strasbourg
Sebastien Mazure Caen
Waldir Lucas Ajaccio
Frederic Piquionne St Etienne
Marama Vahirua Nice
Mohammed Kallon Monaco
Olivier Monterrubio Stade Rennes
Daniel Moreira Toulouse
John Utaka Racing Lens
Philippe Brunel Lille
Marouane Chamakh Girondins Bordeaux
Bonaventure Kalou Auxerre
Emmanuel Adebayor Monaco
Herve Tum Metz
Enditem
PARIS May Xinhua Following are the summaries from the French Ligue soccer matches on Sunday
Monaco Sebastien Squillaci Emmanuel Adebayor
Lille
Red Card Efstathios Tavlaridis
Halftime Attendance
Friday April
Auxerre JeanSebastien Jaures Benjamin Mwaruwari
Toulouse David Suarez
Halftime Attendance
Enditem
LISBON May Xinhua Following are the results from the Portuguese championship soccer matches on Sunday
Sunday May
Braga Sporting Lisbon
Saturday April
Benfica Belenenses
Nacional Madeira Estoril
Porto Maritimo
Gil Vicente Uniao Leiria
Moreirense Beira Mar
Vitoria Setubal Rio Ave
Friday April
Academica Boavista
Next Fixtures
Monday May
Vitoria Guimaraes v Penafiel
Enditem
LISBON May Xinhua Following are the standings from the Portuguese championship after soccer matches on Sunday tabulated under games played won drawn lost goals for against and points
Benfica
Sporting Lisbon
Porto
Braga
Boavista
Vitoria Guimaraes
Rio Ave
Belenenses
Maritimo
Vitoria Setubal
Uniao Leiria
Nacional Madeira
Penafiel
Academica
Gil Vicente
Moreirense
Beira Mar
Estoril
Enditem
BERLIN May Xinhua Following are the results from the final day of the euro US dollar BMW Open tennis tournament in Munich on Sunday prefix number denotes seeding
Singles final
David Nalbandian Argentina bt Andrei Pavel Romania
Doubles final
Mario AncicJulian Knowle CroatiaAustria bt Florian MayerAlexander Waske Germany Enditem
VIENNA May Xinhua Following are the results and standings from the Ice Hockey world championship preliminary round matches on Sunday
Germany Kazakhstan Group D
Switzerland Czech Republic Group D
Ukraine Sweden Group C
United States Slovenia Group B
Monday May Schedule times CET
Slovakia v Russia Group A Vienna
Finland v Ukraine Group C Innsbruck
Sweden v Denmark Group C Innsbruck
Belarus v Austria Group A Vienna
Standings matches played won lost goals for against and points
Group A
Russia
Slovakia
Belarus
Austria
Group B
United States
Canada
Latvia
Slovenia
Group C
Sweden
Finland
Ukraine
Denmark
Group D
Czech Republic
Kazakhstan
Germany
Switzerland
Enditem
VIENNA May Xinhua Mike Knuble scored two goals as the United States routed Slovenia the opening game for both teams at the ice hockey world championship on Sunday
In the early game in Vienna the Czech Republic scored three goals too beat Switzerland
Sweden the and runnerup escaped with a win over Ukraine behind Daniel Alfredssons winner in Innsbruck while Kazakhstan beat Germany in the other late game in Vienna
The United States welcomed Slovenia a newcomer to international hockeys toplevel annual event with a goal by Knuble seconds after the opening faceoff
It was one of the fastest goals in the history of the worlds but not for Knuble an eightyear National Hockey League veteran who played with Swedens Linkoping this past season
In the NHL I had two goals in the first seconds set a record once there for the fastest two goals in a game Knuble said
In Viennas Stadthalle Vaclav Prospal and Jaromir Jagr converted on a pair of power plays in the first of the game and the Czech Republic easily handled Switzerland
Severin Blindenbacher also scored on a power play midway through the first but Frantisek Kaberle restored the twogoal advantage early in the third on another manadvantage
Alfredsson beat Ukraines goalie Kostyantyn Simchuk to the glove side with a wrister from the slot at to clinch Swedens victory
Sweden led on firstperiod goals by Magnus Kahnberg and Kenny Jonsson Ukraine rallied in the second
Bogdan Savenko left unmarked in front made it at Just over six minutes later Sergei Klymentyev tied it with a shot past screened Swedish goalie Henrik Lundqvist
Dmitri Upper and Yevgeniy Koreshkov scored for Kazakhstan against Germany Tomas Martinec scored the Germans only goal Enditem
LONDON May Xinhua Following are the scores at end of the th day of the World Snooker Championships at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield on Sunday prefix number denotes seeding
Final best of frames
Matthew Stevens Wales leads Shaun Murphy England
Frame scores Stevens first
Break
Match resumes Monday
Enditem
LONDON May Xinhua Matthew Stevens led over Shaun Murphy at halfway in the final of the snooker world championship in Sheffield on Sunday
Stevens who was up at the end of the opening session won the opening two frames after play resumed
Englishman Murphy the first qualifier to reach the final since Terry Griffiths in produced a clearance in the th frame and also clinched the following one to reduce the arrears
Murphy looked on course to cut Stevens advantage to two frames when he was leading in the final frame of the day but he fouled four times attempting to get out of a snooker and then missed the green That allowed his Welsh opponent to clinch the frame
Stevens is making his second appearance in the final of the tournament after losing to Mark Williams in
The bestofframes final continues on Monday with the winner earning a cheque for pounds US dollars Enditem
RIO DE JANEIRO May Xinhua Following are the results from the second round of the Brazilian soccer national championship home teams listed first
Saturday
Palmeiras Brasiliense
Goias Sao Caetano
Vasco Fortaleza
Sao Paulo Parana
Ponte Preta Atletico Mineiro
Sunday
Juventude Atletico Paranaense
Figueirense Flamengo
Botafogo Corinthians
Cruzeiro Internacional
Paysandu Fluminense
Coritiba Santos
Enditem
RIO DE JANEIRO May Xinhua Following are the standings in the Brazilian national soccer championship after Sundays games tabulated under games played won drawn lost goals for against and points
Santos
Botafogo
Fluminense
Atletico Mineiro
Goias
Palmeiras
Cruzeiro
Ponte Preta
Juventude
Flamengo
Coritiba
Sao Caetano
Vasco
Brasiliense
Sao Paulo
Fortaleza
Corinthians
Parana
Atletico Paranaense
Internacional
Paysandu
Figueirense
Enditem
BEIJING May Xinhua Following are the collated results of the Davis Cup tennis on Monday
ASIAOCEANIA
Group I
Second Round home team first
India Uzbekistan
Pakistan Chinese Taipei
Group IV
Pool A
United Arab Emirates Syria
Bangladesh Kyrgystan
Pool B
Singapore Oman
Jordan Iraq
EUROAFRICA
Group I
Second Round
Italy Morocco
Belgium Serbia and Montenegro
AMERICAS
Group I
Second Round
Venezuela Canada
Ecuador Paraguay
Enditem
LONDON May Xinhua Following are the disciplinary situation ahead of this weeks Champions League semifinal second leg ties
CHELSEA v LIVERPOOL Tuesday
Chelsea
Suspended None
Will miss next match if booked Ricardo Carvalho William
Gallas Glen Johnson
Liverpool
Suspended Xabi Alonso one match ban
Will miss next match if booked Jamie Carragher Stephen
Finnan Dietmar Hamann Stephen Warnock
AC MILAN v PSV EINDHOVEN Wednesday
PSV Eindhoven
Suspended Andre Ooijer onematch ban
Will miss next match if booked Phillip Cocu Mark van
Bommel Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink Johann Vogel Gomes
AC Milan
Suspended none
Will miss next match if booked Massimo Ambrosini
Enditem
WASHINGTON May Xinhua Following are the results from the NBA
Playoffs first round matches on Sunday home team in CAPS
st round
Miami Heat
NEW JERSEY NETS
Miami Heat win the bestofseven series by
Detroit Pistons
PHILADELPHIA ERS
Detroit Pistons lead the bestofseven series by
Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Following are the scores from the European PGA Tour Asian Open at the par course here on Monday
Ernie Els South Africa
Simon Wakefield Britain
Thomas Bjorn Denmark
Eddie Lee New Zealand
JeanFrancois Lucquin France
Luke Donald Britain
Stuart Little Britain
Soren Hansen Denmark
James Kingston South Africa
Peter Hedblom Sweden
Edward Michaels United States
David Park Britain
Jeev Milkha Singh India
Simon Dyson Britain
Zhang Lianwei China
Raphael Jacquelin France
Joong Kyung Mo South Korea
Jyoti Randhawa India
Patrik Sjoeland Sweden
Christian Cevaer France
Kenneth Ferrie Britain
Mark Foster Britain
Adam Groom Australia
Jason Knutzon United States
Wade Ormsby Australia
Anthony Wall Britain
Niki Zitny Austria
Francois Delamontagne France
Miguel Angel Jimenez Spain
Jean Van de Velde France
Larry Austin Australia
Chris Hanell Sweden
Gregory Hanrahan United States
Peter Hanson Sweden
Jose Manuel Lara Spain
Peter Lawrie Ireland
Colin Montgomerie Britain
Terry Price Australia
Richard Sterne South Africa
Miles Tunnicliff Britain
Marcus Both Australia
David Bransdon Australia
Peter Fowler Australia
Philip Golding Britain
Jarrod Lyle Australia
Adam Blyth Australia
Michael Campbell New Zealand
Alastair Forsyth Britain
Anders Hansen Denmark
Lin WenTang Chinese Taipei
Oliver Wilson Britain
Ross Bain Britain
Brad Kennedy Australia
Liang Wenchong China
Mardan Mamat Singapore
Thammanoon Srirot Thailand
Nick Dougherty Britain
Kim Felton Australia
Edward Loar United States
Ted Oh South Korea
Peter OMalley Australia
Carlos Rodiles Spain
Charl Schwartzel South Africa
Thaworn Wiratchant Thailand
Rahil Gangjee India
Prom Meesawat Thailand
Costantino Rocca Italy
Jason Dawes Australia
Nick Faldo Britain
James Heath Britain
Anthony Kang South Korea
Ben Mason Britain
Bryan Saltus United States
Paul Casey Britain
SungMan Lee South Korea
Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Thirdranked Ernie Els led from start to win the million dollar BMW Asian Open by shots to record his third victory of the year here on Monday
The yearold South African who pockets the cheque of dollars finished at under par for the tournament with a final round of to stand alongside his earlier rounds of and
Englands Simon Wakefield ranked th in the world took second spot finishing at under while Thomas Bjorn of Denmark closed a shot further back at the European and Asian Tour event
Eddie Lee of New Zealand shared fourth spot with Frenchman JeanFrancois Lucquin at under par a shot ahead of English duo Luke Donald and Stuart Little
Everything just went right Everything just clicked and I had a great week said Els winner of the British Open and and US Opens Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Following are the mixed doubles first round results at the world table tennis championships here on Monday
Wang HaoWang Nan bt Par GerellMatilda Ekholm Sweden
Knostantinos PapageorgiouEkaterina Ntoulaki Greece bt Tiago ApoloniaAnna Neves Portugal
Avci SafaOzturk Tur Turkey bt Amirban NandyKasturi Charraborty India
Peter FazekasKrisztina Toth Hungary bt Thilina PiyadasaGayanthika Herath Kalpani Sri Lanka
Danny HeisterLi Jiao Netherlands bt Jonathon PinoMariana Guanchez Venezuela
Peter SeredaLenka Kmotorkova Slovakia bt Sas LasanJana Tomazini Slovenia
Tomas PavelkaIveta Vacenovska Czech Republic bt Victor SanchezGalia Dvorak Spain
Li ChingLau Sui Fei Hong Kong China bt Antonio GianniniFabiola Ramos Venezuela
Qiu YikeCao Zhen bt Sasa IgnjatovicMartina Safran Slovenia
Alexei LiventsovAnastasia Voronova Russia bt Mudh Shakirin IbrahimLee Wei Malaysia
Bojan TokicHelena Halas Slovenia bt Joselito AlmazanArlene Borja Philippines
Marek KlasekRenata Strbikova Czech Republic bt Fedor KuzminIrina Palina Russia
Zoltan FejerKonnerthNicole Struce Germany bt Kaii YoshidaSaki Kanazawa Japan
Cheng YinghuaJasna Reed United States bt Irfan TavukcuogluNevin Mutlu Turkey
Jun MizutaniAya Umemura Japan bt Chiang HungChiehLee IChen Chinese Taipei
Ryu Seung MinKim Hye Hyun South Korea bt Vallot VainulaKarin Lindmare Spain
Hao ShuaiNiu Jianfeng China bt Lubomir PistejEva Odorova Slovakia
Aleksandr DidukhTetyana Sorochinska Ukraine bt Emad MoselhiAyatollah Ashraf Egypt
Kamal Achanta SharathMamta Prahbu India bt Bode AbiodunAtisi Owoh Nigeria walkover
Cao Xiao LiLi Jia Wei Singapore bt Khoa NguyenJacqueline Lee United States
Yang MinNicoletta Stefanova Italy bt Uros SlatinsekBiljana Todorovic Slovenia
Richard GonzalesMary Louise Tabulao Mary Philippines bt Ravi BhurtunSharon Knubley Mauritius
Faazil KassamShirley Yan Canada bt Kazeem NosiruOlaide Atinuke Nigeria walkover
Chuan ChihYuanHuang IHwa Chinese Taipei bt Andreas TziambosLouiza Kourea Cyprus
Leung Chu YanSong Ah Sim Hong Kong China bt Choi Hyun JinJun Hye Kyung South Korea more
Dzimitry ChumakovaVeronika Pavlovich Belarus bt Erik Illas Viktoria Lucenkova Slovakia
Janos KakabMaria Fazekas Hungary bt Tse Ka ChunYu Kwok See Hong Kong China
Bastian StegerElke Wosik Germany bt Joao MonteiroLucian Silva Ana Portugal
Ryusuke SakamotoAi Fukuhara Japan bt Soumyadeep RoyVishaka Vijay India
Yannick VostesLaurence Junker Belgium bt Alexandr SmirnovMarina Morozova Estonia
Taku TakariwaSayaka Hirano Japan bt David ZhuangTawny Banh Thua United States
Liu guozhengBai Yang China bt Ri Chol GuKo Un Gyong DPR Korea
Chen QiZhang Yining China bt Daniel ZwoicklCsilla Batorfi Hungary
Chang YenShuPan LiChun Chinese Taipei bt Simon WallaceYang Jiang New Zealand
Yan SenGuo Yan China bt Bence CsabaAnna Ngan Canada
Adrian CrisanOtilia Badescu Romania bt Loic BobillierLaurie Phai Pang France
Feng ZheAssia Kassabova Bulgaria bt Artur GrigoryevOksana Fadeeva Russia
Alexei SmirnovSvetlana Ganina Russia bt MassimilianoWenling Monfardini Italy
Cheung YukTie Yana Hong Kong China bt Yoon Jae YoungKim Sooning Sil South Korea
Werner SchlagerLiu Jia Austria bt Darius KnightJoanna Parker England more
Karl JindrakLi Qiangbing Austria bt Chan Koon WahNg Sock Khim Malaysia
Ilija LupuleskuGao Jun United States bt Wu ChihChiLu YunFeng Chinese Taipei
Oh Sang EunLee Hyang Mi South Korea bt Chong Chit ShengChiu Soo Jin Malaysia
Ko Lai ChakZhang Rui Hong Kong China bt Kim Hyok bongKim Mi Yong DPR Korfea
Lee Jin KwonKim Kyung Ah South Korea bt Subhajit SahaNandita Saha India
Xiao HanLili Yipo United States bt Marcos FreitasJoana Goncalves Portugal
Wang LiqinGuo Yue China bt Luis DiazMaria Ramos Venezuela
Enditem
WASHINGTON May Xinhua Following are the results from the NBA
Playoffs first round matches on Sunday home team in CAPS
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Miami Heat
NEW JERSEY NETS
Miami Heat win the bestofseven series by
Detroit Pistons
PHILADELPHIA ERS
Detroit Pistons lead the bestofseven series by
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Phoenix Suns
MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES
Phoenix Suns win the bestofseven series by
Seattle Supersonics
SACRAMENTO KINGS
Seattle Supersonics lead the bestofseven series by
Enditem
WASHINGTON May Xinhua Dwyane Wade had points and nine assists as the Miami Heat completed the first fourgame sweep in franchise history with a victory over the New Jersey Nets in the firstround playoffs of the National Basketball Association on Sunday
The topseeded Heat advanced to the NBA quarterfinals for the second straight year and will have a week in Miami as they await the winner of the Chicago BullsWashington Wizards series
Wade was unstoppable throughout the series He averaged points assists and rebounds while shooting percent from the field
The AllStar guards big series took the pressure off Shaquill ONeal who still is nursing a bruised thigh
ONeal scored all of his points in the second half including in the third quarter when Miami took the lead for good
Jason Kidd halved the deficit with a threepointer but the Heat answered with a pair of demoralizing shots a threepointer by reserve Keyon Dooling and a layup by Wade
Eddie Jones scored points for the Heat who had six players in double figures for the third time and shot better than percent for the series
Kidd scored points and Vince Carter added on just sixof shooting for the eighthseeded Nets who won of their last games to make the playoffs
In Memphis Steve Nash guided his Phoenix Suns to wrap up their firstround playoff series on Sunday dispatching the host Grizzlies
The Grizzlies got off to a terrible start against the Suns who completed their first postseason series sweep in years
The eighthseeded Grizzlies formerly of Vancouver were totally overmatched as they fell to alltime in the postseason
They surrendered an average of points and were toyed with by the Suns who earned themselves a week off
The Suns raced to a lead after one quarter
Joe Johnson scored points to lead six players in double figures for the Suns who completed their first fourgame sweep in franchise history
Phoenix swept a threegame series from Portland in the first round in
In Philadelphia Chauncy Billups scored of his points in the fourth quarter as Detroit Pistons registered a win over the ers for a lead in their firstround playoff series
In Sacramento Ray Allen scored playoff careerhigh points as Seattle SuperSonics took a commanding series lead with a win over the Kings
The Sonics can wrap up the series with a win in game five on Tuesday in Seattle Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Athleteturned journalist Zdenko Uzorinac from Croatia has bettered his own world record of attending most world table tennis championships
The th world championships being held here is the yearolds th worlds The Croatian hailed as Table Tennis Hemingway by his compatriots made his world championship debut in where he was knocked out as an yearold in the qualification round
He competed in three more world championships including the tournament in which he helped Yugoslavia take a team bronze medal Playing a defensive game Uzorinac had claimed Croatian titles and six Yugoslavian championships
Uzorinac became a table tennis journalist after he retired as a player and has covered world championships since
Uzorinac joined the International Table Tennis Federations Media Committee in and is the longestserving member of any ITTF committee
The table tennis veteran has published books on sports including Table Tennis Legends Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Following are the mens singles first round results at the world table tennis championships here Monday afternoon
Vladimir Samsonov Belarus bt Artur Grigrev Russia
Wang Hao China bt Izak Abramov Israel
Tomas Pavelka Czech Republic bt Lin Ju Dominican Republic
Aleksandr Didukh Ukraine bt Bojan Tokic Slovenia
Cheung Yuk Hong Kong China bt Simon Gerada Malta
Michael Maze Denmark bt Thiago Monteiro Brazil
Feng Zhe Bulgaria bt Loic Bobillier France
Chiang PengLung Chinese Taipei bt Alfredo Carneros Spain
Kalinikos Kreanga Greece bt Liu Song Argentina
Damien Eloi France bt Seiya Kishikawa Japan
Christophe Legout France bt Radek Kostal Czech Republic
Leung Chu Yan Hong Kong China bt Marc Duran Spain
Hao Shuai China bt Adam Robertson Wale
Christian Suss Germany bt Cao Xiao Li Singapore
Danny Heister Netherlands bt Tiago Apolonia Portugal
Ryu Seung Min South Korea bt An Chol Yong DPR Korea
Timo Boll Germany bt Joao Monteiro Portugal
Jorgen Persson Sweden bt Guomundur Stephensen Israel
Liu Guozheng China bt Peter Fazekas Hungary
Adrian Crisan Romania bt Faazil Kassam Canada
JeanMichel Saive Belgium bt Safa Avci Turkey
Petr Korbel Czech Republic bt Daniel Zwickl Hungary
Lee Jung Woo South Korea bt Yaroslav Zhmudenko Ukraine
Ma Lin China bt Kazzeem Nosiru Nigeria
more
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Following are the womens singles first round results at the world table tennis championships here Monday afternoon
Martina Safran Slovenia bt Lu YunFeng Chinese Taipei
Iveta Vacenovska Czech Republic bt Funke Oshonaike Nigeria walkover
Guo Yue China bt Ekaterina Ntoulaki Greece
Guo Yan China bt Ng Sock Khim Malaysia
Veronika Pavlovich Belarus bt Assia Kassabova Bulgaria
Tatyana Kostromina Belarus bt Vishaka Vijay India
Ai Fukuhara Japan bt Anastasia Voronova Russia
Song Ah sim Hong Kong China bt Sandra Paovic HRV
Jun Hye Kyung South Korea bt Natalia Bolshakova Russia
Miao Miao Australia bt Tatyana Pronskaya Kirgizstan
Kim Kyung Ah South Korea bt Ceria Nilasari Indonesia
more
Mihaela Steff Romania bt Petra Skabar Slovenia
Nanthana Komwong Thailand bt Laurie Phai Pang France
Lee Hyang Mi South Korea bt Irina Palina Russia
Otilia Badescu Romania bt Laurence Junker Belgium
Moon Hyun Jung South Korea bt Bacent Osman Egypt
Wu Xue Dominican Republic bt Melanie Eggel Switzerland
Wang Nan China bt Yiu MeiJu Chinese Taipei
Enditem
LONDON May Xinhua Following are the leading standings from the ATP Tour singles previous rankings in blanket
Roger Federer Switzerland points
Lleyton Hewitt Australia
Andy Roddick United States
Marat Safin Russia
Gaston Gaudio Argentina
Tim Henman Britain
Rafael Nadal Spain
Carlos Moya Spain
Andre Agassi United States
David Nalbandian Argentina
Guillermo Coria Argentina
Joachim Johansson Sweden
Guillermo Canas Argentina
Ivan Ljubicic Croatia
Tommy Robredo Spain
Nikolay Davydenko Russia
Radek Stepanek Czech Republic
Thomas Johansson Sweden
Mario Ancic Croatia
Fernando Gonzalez Chile
Nicolas Massu Chile
Tommy Haas Germany
Jiri Novak Czech Republic
Dominik Hrbaty Slovakia
David Ferrer Spain
Mikhail Youzhny Russia
Feliciano Lopez Spain
Sebastien Grosjean France
Taylor Dent United States
Nicolas Kiefer Germany
Enditem
LONDON May Xinhua Following are the leading standings from the ATP Tour Champions Race singles
Roger Federer Switzerland points
Rafael Nadal Spain
Lleyton Hewitt Australia
Marat Safin Russia
Andy Roddick United States
Ivan Ljubicic Croatia
Gaston Gaudio Argentina
Andre Agassi United States
Nikolay Davydenko Russia
Guillermo Coria Argentina
Juan Carlos Ferrero Spain
David Ferrer Spain
Fernando Gonzalez Chile
Radek Stepanek Czech Republic
Joachim Johansson Sweden
David Nalbandian Argentina
Mario Ancic Croatia
Carlos Moya Spain
Guillermo Canas Argentina
Mariano Puerta Argentina
Olivier Rochus Belgium
Taylor Dent United States
Max Mirnyi Belarus
Thomas Johansson Sweden
Tommy Robredo Spain
Tim Henman Britain
Dominik Hrbaty Slovakia
Alberto Martin Spain
Feliciano Lopez Spain
Tommy Haas Germany
Enditem
LONDON May Xinhua Following are the leading standings from the WTA Tour singles
Lindsay Davenport United States points
Maria Sharapova Russia
Amelie Mauresmo France
Serena Williams United States
Elena Dementieva Russia
Anastasia Myskina Russia
Svetlana Kuznetsova Russia
Alicia Molik Australia
Jennifer Capriati United States
Vera Zvonareva Russia
Venus Williams United States
Nadia Petrova Russia
Patty Schnyder Switzerland
Elena Bovina Russia
Justine HeninHardenne Belgium
Nathalie Dechy France
Kim Clijsters Belgium
Elena Likhovtseva Russia
Tatiana Golovin France
Silvia Farina Elia Italy
Shinobu Asagoe Japan
Ai Sugiyama Japan
Daniela Hantuchova Slovakia
Jelena Jankovic Serbia and Montenegro
Karolina Sprem Croatia
Francesca Schiavone Italy
Mary Pierce France
Paola Suarez Argentina
Fabiola Zuluaga Colombia
Amy Frazier United States
Enditem
LONDON May Xinhua Following are the leading standings from the WTA Tour Champions Race singles
Lindsay Davenport United States points
Maria Sharapova Russia
Serena Williams United States
Kim Clijsters Belgium
Amelie Mauresmo France
Patty Schnyder Switzerland
Elena Dementieva Russia
Alicia Molik Australia
Justine HeninHardenne Belgium
Nathalie Dechy France
Svetlana Kuznetsova Russia
Venus Williams United States
Tatiana Golovin France
Nadia Petrova Russia
Silvia Farina Elia Italy
Ana Ivanovic Serbia and Montenegro
Shinobu Asagoe Japan
Daniela Hantuchova Slovakia
Dinara Safina Russia
Nicole Vaidisova Czech Republic
Jelena Jankovic Serbia and Montenegro
Evgenia Linetskaya Russia
Maria Kirilenko Russia
Conchita Martinez Spain
Samantha Stosur Australia
Marion Bartoli France
Anastasia Myskina Russia
Li Na China
Flavia Pennetta Italy
Elena Likhovtseva Russia
Enditem
By Sportswriter Gao Peng
SHANGHAI May Xinhua International Table Tennis Federation ITTF president Adam Sharara has strongly denied an antiChina bias saying all rule changes are introduced for the sake of the sport itself
Its normal to think this way Any nation that dominates a sport if you make any changes to the rules of the sport they would feel it will affect them first said Sharara
But actually not only Chinese players all top players are affected he added
After years of Chinas dominance in the sport the ITTF in recent years introduced specific measures many believe are intended to shackle the countrys superiority
Rule changes since the Sydney Olympics include a reduction from point to point in sets and using a bigger ball
Over time maybe at the beginning of any changes the Chinese are affected but very quickly they rise to the top again said Sharara
However Chinas failure to land the mens singles title at the last world championships in Paris won by Austrias Werner Schlager is regarded as an example of the effect the rule alterations have had on the Chinese game
Chinese officials fear dominance at the ongoing world championships in Shanghai could lead to more changes being enacted in the lead up to the Beijing Olympics in
It is certainly great to sweep all five events of the World Championships but now I wonder whether the ITTF will take some more measures to cripple Chinas players if we clinch all titles said Cai Zhenhua director of the Chinese Administration Center of Table Tennis and Badminton
Sharara a strong advocate of rule changes since his election as the ITTF chief in played down Chinas concerns
We will concentrate on presenting the sport better said the yearold Canadian
All Olympic sports face a vote this July at the International Olympicv Committee Session in Singapore to decide whether they will be part of the Olympics If they are to be on the program in they have to win per cent support from the IOC members
When asked if he is worried about the future of table tennis Sharara said he was very confident that the sport will remain in the Olympics
All the elements that are being used to judge the sport like universality and TV coverage we are very strong he said Enditem
LAGOS May Xinhua The Nigerian government still rejects a foreign coach for the Super Eagles the countrys Vanguard daily says Monday despite a FIFA threat to sanction it over improper government interventions in football affairs
The idea of employing a foreign coach for the Super Eagles has been ruled out as federal government does not see the need when there are capable hands in Nigeria sports minister Musa Mohammed was quoted as saying
Mr President Olusegun Obasanjo has made it categorically clear that he is not in support of bringing a foreigner to train our athletes or sportsmen and women He will prefer to have a Nigerian occupy the position Mohammed added
The call for a foreign coach for the Eagles was reawaken shortly after the March World Cup qualifying game in which the Eagles had to wait for two late minute goals to survive the Panthers of Gabon
Nigerian fans and some officials of the Nigeria Football Association NFA accused indigenous coach Christian Chukwu of lacking the technical knowhow to manage the Eagles and said that leaving the team in the hands of Chukwu will amount to a great risk
The NFA then in April held a twoday emergency meeting and reportedly agreed that there is urgent need to hire a foreign coach
Two weeks ago NFA Chairman Ibrahim Galadima secretly flew to Germany and according to news reports had contact with German coach Klaus Toppmoeller about coaching the Eagles
But the football association could not make the final decision as it is in the control of the government under a decree which world footballs governing body FIFA has ordered Nigeria to repeal this year or be excluded from the going World Cup qualifiers
The west African country currently tops its qualifying group with points followed by Angola
The last unsuccessful attempt by the NFA to hire British Bryan Robson was also aborted by the sports ministry which condemned the move as a breach of due process Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Following are the mens doubles
results from the th world table tennis championships here on
Monday
Second round
Chen QiMa Lin China bt Kalinikos KreangaKonstantinos
Papaeorgiou Greece
Chiang PengLungChuan ChihYuan Chinese Taipei bt Lars
HielscherJorg Rosskopf Germany
Danny HeisterTrinko Keen Netherlands bt Karl JindrakWerner
Schlager Austria
Michael MazeFinn Tugwell Denmark bt Alfredo CarnerosMarc
Duran Spain
Timo BollChristian Suss Germany bt Choi HyunJinOh Sang Eun
South Korea
Lucjan BlaszczykWang Zengyi Poland bt JeanMichel Saive
Philippe Saive Belgium walkover
Ko Lai ChakLI Ching Hong Kong of China bt Zoran PrimoracRoko
Tosic Croatia
Kong LinghuiWang Hao China bt Allan BentsenMartin Monrad
Denmark
Slobodan GrujicAleksandar Karakasevic Serbia and Montenegro
bt He Zhi WenCarlos Machado Spain
Fedor KuzminAlexei Smirnov Russia bt Dzimitry Chumakov
Vladimir Samsonov Belarus
Cheung YukLeung Chu Yan Hong Kong of China bt Seiya Kishikawa
Ryusuke Sakamoto Japan
Lee Jung WooRyu Seung Min South Korea bt Chen Weixing
Kostadin Lengerov Austria
Peter KarlssonJens Lundqvist Sweden bt Lee Jin KwonYoon Jae
Young South Korea
Wang LiqinYan Sen China bt Massimiliano MondelloYang Min
Italy
Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Following are the womens doubles
results from the th world table tennis championships here on
Monday
Second round
Wang NanZhang Yining China bt Nanthana KomwongAnissara
Muangsuk Thailand
Lee Hyang MiMoon Hyun Jung South Korea bt Tatyana Kostromina
Viktoria Pavlovich Belarus
Ai FujinumaAi Fukuhara Japan bt Renata StrbikovaIveta
Vacenovska Czech Republic
Li Jia WeiXu Yan Singapore bt Beh Lee FongBeh Lee Wei
Malaysia
Lau Sui FeiSong Ah Sim Hong Kong of China bt Veronika Heine
Liu Jia Austria
Kristin SilbereisenNicole Struse Germany bt Svetlana Ganina
Irina Palina Russia walkover
Huang IHwaLu YunFeng Chinese Taipei bt Lindawati Istiyani
Ceria Nilasari Indonesia
Lee IChenPan LiChun Chinese Taipei bt Tie YanaZhang Rui
Hong Kong of China
Bai YangGuo Yan China bt Tanja HainHofmannElke Wosik
Germany
Saki KanazawaAya Umemura Japan bt Andreja BakulaSandra
Paovic Croatia
Nicoletta StefanovaWenling Tan Monfardini Italy bt Lin Ling
Yu Kwok See Hong Kong of China
Csilla BatorfiKrisztina Toth Hungary bt Jun Hye KyungKim Hye
Hyun South Korea
Kim Kyung AhKim Soong Sil South Korea bt Kim JongKo Un Gyong
DPR Korea
Tamara BorosCornelia Vaida Croatia bt Gao JunJasna Reed
United States
Kim Hyang MiKim Mi Yong DPR Korea bt Maria FazekasGeorgina
Pota Hungary
Guo YueNiu Jianfeng China bt Tan Paey FernZhang Xueling
Singapore
Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Swedish duo JanOve Waldner and Jorgen Persson crashed out of the mens doubles in the world table tennis championships losing in five sets to Romanians Adrian Crisan and Vasile Florea
The thseeded pair lost their second round match
The Shanghai championships is the swansong for the yearold Persson who has decided to call its quits and it may not be the last major event for the yearold JanOve Waldner the undisputed king of the sport
Fifthseeded Karl Jindrak and Werner Schlager from Austria lost to the Dutch combination of Danny Heister and Trinko Keen
As Chinese cruised into the third round without breaking a sweat Olympic bronze medalists Michael Maze and Finn Tugwell from Denmark had to come back from two sets down to subdue Spains Alfredo Carneros and marc Duran Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Following are the mens doubles
results from the th world table tennis championships here on
Monday
Second round
Adrian CrisanVasile Florea Romania bt Jorgen PerssonJanOve
Waldner Sweden
Patrick ChilaDamien Eloi France bt Zoltan FejerKonnerth
Bastian Steger Germany
Chen QiMa Lin China bt Kalinikos KreangaKonstantinos
Papaeorgiou Greece
Chiang PengLungChuan ChihYuan Chinese Taipei bt Lars
HielscherJorg Rosskopf Germany
Danny HeisterTrinko Keen Netherlands bt Karl JindrakWerner
Schlager Austria
Michael MazeFinn Tugwell Denmark bt Alfredo CarnerosMarc
Duran Spain
Timo BollChristian Suss Germany bt Choi HyunJinOh Sang Eun
South Korea
Lucjan BlaszczykWang Zengyi Poland bt JeanMichel Saive
Philippe Saive Belgium walkover
Ko Lai ChakLI Ching Hong Kong of China bt Zoran PrimoracRoko
Tosic Croatia
Kong LinghuiWang Hao China bt Allan BentsenMartin Monrad
Denmark
Slobodan GrujicAleksandar Karakasevic Serbia and Montenegro
bt He Zhi WenCarlos Machado Spain
Fedor KuzminAlexei Smirnov Russia bt Dzimitry Chumakov
Vladimir Samsonov Belarus
Cheung YukLeung Chu Yan Hong Kong of China bt Seiya Kishikawa
Ryusuke Sakamoto Japan
Lee Jung WooRyu Seung Min South Korea bt Chen Weixing
Kostadin Lengerov Austria
Peter KarlssonJens Lundqvist Sweden bt Lee Jin KwonYoon Jae
Young South Korea
Wang LiqinYan Sen China bt Massimiliano MondelloYang Min
Italy
Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Following are the mixed doubles second round results at the world table tennis championships Monday afternoon
Wang HaoWang Nan China bt Peter FazekasKrisztina Hungary
Li ChingLau Sui Fei Hong Kong China bt Danny HeisterLi Jiao Netherlands
Qiu YikeCao Zhen China bt Helena HalasBojan Tokic Slovenia
Zoltan FejerKonnerthNicole Struse Germany Ryu Seung MinKim Hye Hyun South Korea
Hao ShuaiNiu Jianfeng China bt Cai Xiao LiLi Jia Wei Singapore
Yang MinNicoletta Stefanova Italy bt Chuan ChihYuanHuang IHwa Chinese Taipei
Leung Chu YanSong Ah Sim Hong Kong China bt Janos KakabMaria Fazekas Hungary
Liu GuozhengBai Yang China bt Ryusuke SakamotoAi Fukuhara Japan
Chen QiZhang Yining China bt Lin Ju Dominican Republic
Yan SenGuo Yan China bt Park Won CholKim Hyang Mi DPR Korea
Seiya KishikawaAi Fujinuma Japan bt Adrian CrisanOtilia Badescu
Kim Song CholKim Jong DPR Korea bt Cheung YukTie Yana Hong Kong China
Werner SchlagerLiu Jia Austria bt Ilija LupuleskuGao Jun United States
Oh Sang EunLee Hyang Mi South Korea bt Lee Jung WooMoon Hyun Jung South Korea
Ko Lai ChakZhang Rui Hong Kong China bt Lee Jin KwonKim Kyung Ah South Korea
Wang LiqinGuo Yue China bt An Chol YongHan Hye song DPR Korea
Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua All seven Chinese mixed doubles pairs romped into the last after winning their second round matches at the world table tennis championships here on Monday
Topseeded Wang HaoWang Nan downed Hungarys Peter FazekasKrisztina while second seeds Wang LiqinGuo Yue whitewashed DPR Koreas An Chol YongHan Hye Song
Hao ShuaiNiu Jianfeng Qiu YikeCao Zhen Liu GuozhengBai Yang Chen QiZhang Yining and Yan SenGuo Yan also made it to the third round Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua As the highestranked European woman Croatian Tamara Boros combined with Cornelia Vaida to advance into the third round of the womens doubles at the th world table tennis championships here on Monday
Boros world number four in singles was third in the Paris championships two years ago by beating Gao Jun of the United States
In the second round doubles Boros met Gao once again and defeated Gao and her partner Jasna Reed
Boros said I dont expect a better result here in Shanghai because it was a miracle last time in Paris when I took a bronze medal It was a surprise
All the Chinese players are tough and playing on the home turf I dont think I can reach higher than I did two year ago Boros said
Unlike BorosVaida Belarus Tatyana KostrominaViktoria Pavlovich missed the chance after losing a sevenset hard battle to Lee Hyang MiMoon Hyun Jung of South Korea
Looking a head taller than their South Korean rivals KostrominaPavlovich came back from two sets down and were closer to the victory with a lead
However LeeMoon stormed in the next two sets to earn a ticket in the last LeeMoon will next play defending champions and Olympic champions Wang NanZhang Yining of China and Csilla BatorfiKrisztina Toth of Hungary meet Nicolette StefanovaTan Monfardini Wenling of Italy
In the mixed doubles third round reigning mens singles champion Werner Schlager and Liu Jia of Austria will face Oh Sang EunLee Hyang Mi of South Korea and Chen QiZhang Yining play teammates Yan SenGuo Yan Enditem
BERLIN May Xinhua Following are the results from the Berlin Open womens singles first round matches on Monday prefix number denotes seeding
Virginie Razzano France bt Karolina Sprem Croatia
Maria VentoKabchi Venezuela bt Alina Jidkova Russia
Peng Shuai China bt Ai Sugiyama Japan
Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Chinese veteran Kong Linghui played better table tennis partnering Olympic silver medalist Wang Hao said his coach after Mondays mens doubles second round here at the th world championships
Kong is playing better and the pair is more concentrated said Wu Jingping after Kong and Wangs victory over Danes Allan Bentsen and Martin Monrad
KongWang had entered the second round after easing past Egyptian qualifiers Saleh Ahmed Ali and ElSayed Lashin on Sunday but Wu said the duos opening performance was mediocre
Kong has been quicker in pace and better in following Wangs serve Wu added
The second round match is not as easy to win as it seemed said Kong Opponents are stronger and therere more uncertainties in doubles compared with singles What we can do is just to prepare well and to come all out in the game
Kong a Grand Slam winner of Olympics World Championships and World Cup is carrying both singles and doubles duty here He said earlier that he would spare no efforts in the Shanghai campaign and would carry on with the sport though rumors had been around that the th worlds might be the last for the yearold
Kong who had won two world doubles titles with Liu Guoliang who is now the Chinese mens team head coach suffered a first round exit with Wang Hao in the Athens Olympic Games Enditem
LONDON May Xinhua Following are the leading world rankings issued on Monday US unless stated previous ranking in brackets
Tiger Woods points average
Vijay Singh Fiji
Ernie Els South Africa
Phil Mickelson
Retief Goosen South Africa
Adam Scott Australia
Chris DiMarco
Padraig Harrington Ireland
Sergio Garcia Spain
David Toms
Stewart Cink
Mike Weir Canada
Luke Donald Britain
Davis Love III
Darren Clarke Britain
Kenny Perry
Stuart Appleby Australia
Miguel Angel Jimenez Spain
Chad Campbell
Tom Lehman
Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua The Austrian Table Tennis Association announced here on Monday that it will bid to host the world table tennis individual championships in the city of Linz
The Austrian table tennis delegation which is here taking part in the th world championships launched its bid at a ceremony held at the Huating Hotel in Shanghai
Austrian Minister of Sports Karl Schweitzer said the bid was not a whim The bid to host the world table tennis championships is not something that we have recently decided This bid comes as the culmination of many years of successful development of table tennis in Austria said Schweitzer
is a very special year for Austria In it will be exactly years since the first international table tennis competition was played in Austria he added
Gottfried Forsthuber the president of the Austrian Table Tennis Association said that should the Austrian bid be successful the world championships would be held in Linz in the region of Upper Austria the center for the countrys table tennis
Japan India Denmark and Brazil have also shown interest in staging the championships The deadline for submission of official bidding documents is September
The International Table Tennis Federation ITTF will select the venue in
The world individual championships will be held in Zagreb Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Chinese women were so dominant in the world table tennis championships that they didnt drop a set in the singles second round on Monday
Zhang Yining Wang Nan and Niu Jianfeng seeded first to third and No Guo Yue No Guo Yan No Cao Zhen No Fan Ying cruised over their rivals in an identical score of
Only Wang Nan threetime singles world champion had a scare as she won the third and fourth sets by a margin of two points against former Chinese Wu Jia who plays for the Dominican Republic Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Following are the womens singles second round results at the world table tennis championships here on Monday
Zhang Yining China bt Cornelia Vaida Croatia
Yan Chimei Malta bt Sara Ramirez Spain
Kim Hyang Mi DPR Korea bt Ko Un Gyong DPR Korea
Zhang Rui Hong Kong China bt Kim Jong DPR Korea
Viktoria Pavlovich Belarus bt Anissara Muangsuk Thailand
Sayaka Hirano Japan bt Nicole Struse Germany
Csilla Batorfi Hungary bt Aya Umemura Japan
Tie Yana Hong Kong China bt Nicoletta Stefanova Italy
Li Jia Wei Singapore bt Kristin Silbereisen Germany
Gao Jun United States bt Eva Odorova Slovakia
Zhang Xueling Singapore bt Laura Negrisoli Italy
Cao Zhen China bt Han Hye Song DPR Korea
Lin Ling Hong Kong China bt Xu Yan Singapore
Wenling Tan Monfardini Italy bt Andreja Bakula Croatia
Svetlana Ganina Russia bt Ruta BudieneGarkauskaite Lithuania
Tamara Boros Croatia bt Pan LiChun Chinese Taipei
Niu Jianfeng China bt Kim Mi Yong DPR Korea
Georgina Pta Hungary bt Tan Paey Fern Singapore
Krisztina Toth Hungary bt Hiroko Fujii
Liu Jia Austria bt Marina Kravchenko Israel
Lau Sui Fei Hong Kong China bt Renata Strbikova Czech Republic
Fan Ying China bt Saki Kanazawa Japan
Elke Wosik Germany bt Martina Safran Slovenia
Guo Yue China bt Iveta Vacenovska Czech Republic
Guo Yan China bt Veronika Pavlovich Belarus
Ai Fukuhara Japan bt Tatyana Kostromina Belarus
Song Ah Sim Hong Kong China bt Jun Hye Kyung South Korea
Kim Kyung Ah South Korea bt Miao Miao Australia
Mihaela Steff Romania bt Nanthana Komwong Thailand
Li Jiao Netherlands bt Lee Hyang Mi South Korea
Moon Hyun Jung South Korea bt Otilia Badescu Romania
Wang Nan China bt Wu Xue Dominican Republic
Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Spaniard He Zhi Wen eliminated defending champion Werner Schlager of Austria in the mens singles second round of the world table tennis championships here on Monday Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Athen Olympic semifinalist Li Jia Wei from Singapore survived a sevenset battle to reach the third round of the womens singles at the th world table tennis championships here on Monday
Back from one set down Li turned the situation by snatching three sets over Kristin Silbereisen of Germany
However Li had dimmed fifth and sixth sets before she finally woke up in the decisive moment for a win
Li who stunned former Olympic champion Wang Nan in the Athens Olympic Games said that she played five matches on Monday and lost concentration for a while during the match
Li No in the ITTF world rankings said I was a bit tired My safe play left chances to my German rival who is young and aggressive
Silbereisen was very tough today and she has improved a lot said Li who will next face Gao Jun of the United States
I havnt played against Gao for a long time I need a good rest and sound sleep tonight she added
Olympic doubles winner Wang Nan also had a hard time though she beat Wu Xue from the Dominican Republic
Wang only one title less from Chinese legend Deng Yapings golds from world championships World Cup and Olympic Games said Its a long day I felt tired and fortunately I survived
In other singles matches Olympic champion and world top player Zhang Yining snatched an easy win over Cornelia Vaida of Croatia and diminutive Japanese Ai Fukuhara swept past Tatyana Kostromina of Belarus
Croatias world No Tamara Boros Belaruss Viktoria Pavlovich Hungarian Csilla Batorfi and Georgina Pota and Romanian Nihaela Steef all sailed into the next round tomorrow Enditem
BERLIN May Xinhua Following are the results from the Berlin Open womens singles first round matches on Monday prefix number denotes seeding
Klara Koukalova Czech Republic bt Marta Marrero Spain
Virginie Razzano France bt Karolina Sprem Croatia
Maria VentoKabchi Venezuela bt Alina Jidkova Russia
Peng Shuai China bt Ai Sugiyama Japan
Kveta Peschke Czech Republic bt Angela Haynes United States
Anabel Medina Garrigues Spain bt Tatiana Panova Russia
Flavia Pennetta Italy bt Anca Barna Germany
Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Following are the mens singles second round results at the world table tennis championships on Monday
Wang Liqin China bt Bartosz Such Poland
Allan Bentsen Denmark Ko Lai Chak Hong Kong China
Trinko Keen Netherlands bt Segun Torola Nigeria
Li Ching Hong Kong China bt Chen Weixing Austria
Kong Linghui China bt Ahmed Ali Saleh Egypt
Zoltan FejerKonnerth Germany bt Lee Jin Kwon South Korea
more
Jorg Rosskopf Germany bt Wu ChihChi Chinese Taipei
Chen Qi China bt Kim Song Chol DPR Korea
Jun Mizutani Japan bt Chuan ChihYuan Chinese Taipei
Peter Karlsson Sweden bt Yang Min Italy
Panagiotis Gionis Greece bt Kaii Yoshida Japan
He Zhi Wen Spain bt Werner Schlager Austria
Alexei Smirnov Russia bt Ferenc Pazsy Hungary
Oh Sang Eun South Korea Jens Lundqvist Sweden
JanOve Waldner Sweden bt Istvan Moldovan Norway
Vladimir Samsonov Belarus bt Geir Erlandsen Norway
Wang Hao China bt Tomas Pavelka Czech Republic
more
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Dutch Danny Heister beat Olympic champion Ryu Seung Min of South Korea in the mens singles second round of the world table tennis championships here on Monday
The scores were and Enditem
Cheung Yuk Hong Kong China bt Aleksandr Didukh Ukraine
Michael Maze Denmark bt Roko Tosic Croatia
Feng Zhe China bt Chiang PengLung Chinese Taipei
Kalinikos Kreanga Greece bt Damien Eloi France
Christophe Legout France bt Leung Chu Yan Hong Kong China
Hao Shuai China bt Christian Suss Germany
Danny Heister Netherlands bt Ryu Seung Min South Korea
Timo Boll Germany bt Johnny Huang Canada
Jorgen Persson Sweden bt Par Gerell Sweden
Liu Guozheng China bt Martin Monrad Denmark
Slobodan Grujic SCG bt Adrian Crisan Romania
Bastian Steger Germany bt JeanMichel Saive Belgium
Lucjan Blaszczyk Poland bt Aleksandar Karakasevic SCG
Petr Korbel Czech Republic bt Finn Tugwell Finland
Ma Lin China bt Lee Jung Woo South Korea
Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Following are the singles results at the world table tennis championships here on Monday
Mens second round
Wang Liqin China bt Bartosz Such Poland
Allan Bentsen Denmark Ko Lai Chak Hong Kong China
Trinko Keen Netherlands bt Segun Torola Nigeria
Li Ching Hong Kong China bt Chen Weixing Austria
Kong Linghui China bt Ahmed Ali Saleh Egypt
Zoltan FejerKonnerth Germany bt Lee Jin Kwon South Korea
Jorg Rosskopf Germany bt Wu ChihChi Chinese Taipei
Chen Qi China bt Kim Song Chol DPR Korea
Jun Mizutani Japan bt Chuan ChihYuan Chinese Taipei
Peter Karlsson Sweden bt Yang Min Italy
Panagiotis Gionis Greece bt Kaii Yoshida Japan
He Zhi Wen Spain bt Werner Schlager Austria
Alexei Smirnov Russia bt Ferenc Pazsy Hungary
Oh Sang Eun South Korea Jens Lundqvist Sweden
JanOve Waldner Sweden bt Istvan Moldovan Norway
Vladimir Samsonov Belarus bt Geir Erlandsen Norway
Wang Hao China bt Tomas Pavelka Czech Republic
Cheung Yuk Hong Kong China bt Aleksandr Didukh Ukraine
Michael Maze Denmark bt Roko Tosic Croatia
Feng Zhe China bt Chiang PengLung Chinese Taipei
Kalinikos Kreanga Greece bt Damien Eloi France
Christophe Legou France bt Leung Chu Yan Hong Kong China
Hao Shuai china bt Christian Suss Germany
Danny Heister Netherlands bt Ryu Seung Min South Korea
Timo Boll Germany bt Johnny Huang Canada
Jorgen Persson Sweden bt Par Gerell Sweden
Liu Guozheng China bt Martin Monrad Denmark
Slobodan Grujic SCG bt Adrian Crisan Romania
Bastian Steger Germany bt JeanMichel Saive Belgium
Lucjan Blaszczyk Poland bt Aleksandar Karakasevic SCG
Petr Korbel Czech Republic bt Finn Tugwell Finland
Ma Lin China bt Lee Jung Woo South Korea
Womens second round
Zhang Yining China bt Cornelia Vaida Croatia
Yan Chimei San Marino bt Sara Ramirez Spain
Kim Hyang Mi DPR Korea bt Ko Un Gyong DPR Korea
Zhang Rui Hong Kong China bt Kim Jong DPR Korea
Viktoria Pavlovich Belarus bt Anissara Muangsuk Thailand
Sayaka Hirano Japan bt Nicole Struse Germany
Csilla Batorfi Hungary bt Aya Umemura Japan
Tie Yana Hong Kong China bt Nicoletta Stefanova Italy
Li Jia Wei Singapore bt Kristin Silbereisen Germany
Gao Jun United States bt Eva Odorova Slovakia
Zhang Xueling Singapore bt Laura Negrisoli Italy
Cao Zhen China bt Han Hye Song DPR Korea
Lin Ling Hong Kong China bt Xu Yan Singapore
Wenling Tan Monfardini Italy bt Andreja Bakula Croatia
Svetlana Ganina Russia bt Ruta BudieneGarkauskaite Lithuania
Tamara Boros Croatia bt Pan LiChun Chinese Taipei
Niu Jianfeng China bt Kim Mi Yong DPR Korea
Georgina Pta Hungary bt Tan Paey Fern Singapore
Krisztina Toth Hungary bt Hiroko Fujii
Liu Jia Austria bt Marina Kravchenko Israel
Lau Sui Fei Hong Kong China bt Renata Strbikova Czech Republic
Fan Ying China bt Saki Kanazawa Japan
Elke Wosik Germany bt Martina Safran Slovenia
Guo Yue China bt Iveta Vacenovska Czech Republic
Guo Yan China bt Veronika Pavlovich Belarus
Ai Fukuhara Japan bt Tatyana Kostromina Belarus
Song Ah Sim Hong Kong China bt Jun Hye Kyung South Korea
Kim Kyung Ah South Korea bt Miao Miao Australia
Mihaela Steff Romania bt Nanthana Komwong Thailand
Li Jiao Netherlands bt Lee Hyang Mi South Korea
Moon Hyun Jung South Korea bt Otilia Badescu Romania
Wang Nan China bt Wu Xue Dominican Republic
Enditem
ROME May Xinhua Following are the results Monday from the euro million US dollars Italian Open an ATP Masters Series event prefix number denotes seeding
Singles
First round
Dominik Hrbaty Slovakia bt Ricardo Mello Brazil
Andy Roddick United States bt Greg Rusedski Britain
Fernando Verdasco Spain bt Nikolay Davydenko Russia
Andre Agassi United States bt Alessio Di Mauro Italy
Sebastien Grosjean France bt Kenneth Carlsen Denmark
Nicolas Almagro Spain bt Igor Andreev Russia
Albert Costa Spain bt Albert Montanes Spain
Enditem
BBC
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SHANGHAI May Xinhua Defending champion Werner Schlager and Olympic gold medalist Ryu Seung Min both crashed out of the mens singles second round in the world table tennis championships here on Monday
Schlager from Austria succumbed to Chineseborn He Zhi Wen of Spain and one hour later South Korean Ryu lost to highflying Dutchman Danny Heister in seven sets
Schlager seeded ninth in singles had been ousted earlier in the afternoon from a mens doubles clash against Dutch combination of Heister and Trinko Keen
Air conditioning bothered me a lot during my match Schlager complained after losing to the yearold He who became a Spanish citizen years ago
Chuan ChihYuan of Chinese Taipei the th seed also suffered a second round exit beaten by Japanese qualifier Jun Mizutani
Cheered on by the home crowd Chinese paddlers all cruised into the third round in both singles and doubles
Ma Lin was the only Chinese who had met some difficulties in wrapping up his third round match as he was extended to six sets
Bartosz Such of Poland failed to match the strength of world number one Wang Liqin going down to grant the home sides favorite a third round position against unseeded Dane Allan Bentsen
In the mens doubles competitions thseeded Swedish duo JanOve WaldnerJorgen Persson crashed out from the second round losing in five sets to Romanians Adrian Crisan and Vasile Florea
Olympic bronze medalists Michael Maze and Finn Tugwell from Denmark had to come back from two sets down to subdue Spains Alfredo Carneros and marc Duran Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Liu Guoliang head coach of Chinas mens table tennis team said the earlier exits of high seeds wont benifit Chinese and warned that matches at the th world championships are getting tougher
It reminds us that the mens singles event will have more upsets said Liu who was expelled from the court in Ma Lins second round clash against unseeded Lee Jung Woo of South Korea for shouting at courtside
In Mondays second round of mens singles events defending champion Werner Schlager of Austria reigning Olympic gold medalist Ryu Seung Min from South Korea and Chinese Taipeis top player Chuan ChihYuan were ousted from the early stage of the biennial tournament
They are just few among the favorites to win the championships and we have to take care of those who are triumphantly matching on Tougher games are waiting for our players in the next stage said the head coach
Liu a former world and Olympic champion himself before retiring due to rule changes was slightly scared when second seed Ma Lin met big challenge from Lee before winning in six sets
As Liu yelled come on come on to cheer up Ma Lin umpire Denis Vigeant mistook his lip move for talking tactics and flashed him to leave the court Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Defending mens singles champion Werner Schlager suffered an early exit from the world table tennis championships on Monday when he lost to Spains He Zhi Wen in the second round
Joining the Austrian as second round victims are Athens Olympic gold medalist Ryu Seung Min world No Chuan ChihYuan of Chinese Taipei former world number one JeanMichel Saive
Ryu a surprise winner at last years Athens Olympics failed to repeat his magic and went down to unseeded Dutchman Danny Heister
In other sevenset marathon Chuan was ousted by Japanese qualifier Jun Mizutani and Saive fell at the hands of Bastian Steger Schlager attributed his surprise defeat to the wind and ball
The airconditioning affected my serves and the ball is too soft said the world champion at the postmatch press conference
Under this condition I cant play normal game he added In sharp contrast all the Chinese players advanced to the mens singles third round World number two Ma Lin was the only Chinese who had met difficulties in wrapping up his second round match The threetime World Cup winner was extended to six sets before overcoming South Korean Lee Jung Woo
Liu Guoliang head coach of the Chinese mens team warned his proteges against complacency
Today witnessed several major upsets take place in mens singles We must take them as a lesson and make sure in next stages such upsets wont happen to us said the former world and Olympic champion
China underscored its perennial dominance in the womens singles event as seven Chinese players didnt drop a single set in the second round
Zhang Yining Wang Nan and Niu Jianfeng seeded first to third and No Guo Yue No Guo Yan No Cao Zhen No Fan Ying defeated their rivals in an identical score of
Only Wang Nan threetime singles world champion had a scare as she won the third and fourth sets by a margin of two points against former Chinese Wu Jia who plays for the Dominican Republic
In mens doubles Swedish duo JanOve Waldner and Jorgen Persson bowed out of the tournament losing in five sets to Romanians Adrian Crisan and Vasile Florea
The thseeded pair lost their second round match
The Shanghai championships is the swansong for the yearold Persson who has decided to call its quits and it may not be the last major event for the yearold Waldner the undisputed king of the sport
Fifthseeded Karl Jindrak and Werner Schlager from Austria succumbed to the Dutch combination of Danny Heister and Trinko Keen
As Chinese cruised into the third round without breaking a sweat Olympic bronze medalists Michael Maze and Finn Tugwell from Denmark had to come back from two sets down to subdue Spains Alfredo Carneros and marc Duran
In womens and mixed doubles China also saw its pairs all progress through the next rounds Enditem
WASHINGTON May Xinhua Detroit Pistons Ben Wallace was named NBA defensive player of the year for the third time in four years on Monday
The foot inch pound center joins Dikembe Mutombo who was winner in and as the only player in NBA history to win the award three or more times
Wallace averaged rebounds blocks steals and points a game in games this season
He received first place votes and points in balloting conducted by sportswriters and broadcasters across the US and Canada
San Antonio Spurs Bruce Bowden was second in voting with Denver Nuggets Marcus Camby in third
Wallace whose defending champion team lead the Philadelphia ers in the bestofseven Eastern conference first round was also named top defensive player in and Indiana Pacers Ron Artest interrupted the Wallaces reign taking the honour last season Enditem
LONDON May Xinhua Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho is unsure if key duo Arjen Robben and Damien Duff will be fit for Tuesdays UEFA Champions League clash with Liverpool
Robben is struggling to recover from an ankle injury he sustained on international duty in March
The Dutchman featured as a substitute in the first leg draw with Liverpool last week at Stamford Bridge but rested for the victory at Bolton at the weekend
Duff has missed the last two games with a hamstring problem
Although the two players trained on Monday Mourinho is doubtful if they will be fit enough to make the game at Anfield
Asked whether Liverpool would miss the suspended Xabi Alonso Mourinho replied Theyll miss him no more than we miss Robben or Duff in other matches and maybe tomorrow again
Alonso is a very good player of course but they have Igor Biscan Steven Gerrard Dietmar Hamann and Harry Kewell
They have a lot of solutions For us its more difficult as we only have two wingers If we lose one we are in trouble If we lose two then its a problem that you cannot solve
Mourinho admitted Robben is working hard to be fit for the game and he is likely to give him up until the last minute to prove his fitness
Its a very difficult moment for him Robben added Mourinho He wants to play and help the team to arrive at an important moment Hes been very important for us all season
But now at the decisive moments hes not involved He didnt play in the Carling Cup final he didnt play at Bolton and although we dont know maybe he cant play tomorrow either
Everyone supports him though Hes ready to risk a little bit or play not at the maximum of his quality Hes always in my first plans but sometimes its impossible
Mourinho is also confident that his sides title success at the weekend will not affect their preparations for the tie with Liverpool
Its a big game so it is easy to concentrate he said
The best way to forget the title is to have a big game to play
We are very confident Not just because of the title but because of the way weve played all season Enditem
LONDON May Xinhua John Terry has revealed that a halftime verbal volley from boss Jose Mourinho inspired the Blues to the Premiership crown on Saturday
Mourinho wanted the title wrapped up at Bolton and the eventual win means that Chelsea can now focus on Tuesdays Champions League tie at Liverpool
He was fuming and said Give the shirt to assistant coach Steve Clarke and he will work harder said Terry
It was directed to everyone as we had all underperformed
Mourinhos peptalk had the desired effect because minutes after the break his side took the lead through Frank Lampard at the Reebok Stadium He then added another goal in the th minute
England defender Terry has played down concerns that Chelsea will be physically or mentally tired when they face Liverpool in the second leg of the Champions League semifinal at Anfield
Chelsea crashed out to Monaco at the same stage of the European competition last season
After a goalless first leg the second encounter with Liverpool is finely poised but Terry insisted Believe me when we get there and see our fans and their fans any little bit of tiredness will go out of the window
It is such a big night and such a big occasion Last season we got knocked out at this stage
That was one of the worst feelings I have ever experienced and I do not want to experience it again Enditem
WASHIGNTON May Xinhua Seattle SuperSonics guard Ray Allen says NBA players should be paid for appearing at the Olympics
Allen scored a Seattle playoff recordtying points as his team defeated the Sacramento Kings Sunday in the Western Conference first round
He said that paying NBA players might entice them to the Olympics reports from Raleigh North Carolina said
Im by no means saying I need to get paid he was quoted as saying but youre talking about some of these young players who are some of the best players in the world and why would they want to play in the summer
Most athletes they hunger for the Olympics every four years They spend their lives wanting to get there and thats what they want to do But were different Weve just finished an game season and we want to chill out
The yearold Allen was responding to proposals to help the US regain the Olympic title after a surprise bronzemedal finish in Athens last year
Phoenix Suns chairman Jerry Colangelo who will oversee the selection of the team for the Beijing Olympics has proposed that NBA players should be tried out for the squad
Allen who won a gold medal with the US in said he would be opposed to tryouts Why would you need any one of these guys in the NBA to try out he said You know what everybody does you have all of the video tape in the world Enditem
LONDON May Xinhua Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho said on Monday that his side can be proud no matter what the result of their Champions League semifinal against Liverpool
The Blues secured their first ever Premiership title at the weekend and are looking to follow that up by seeing off Liverpool at Anfield
But Mourinho said We will go back to London as heroes whatever this result because we won the championship If they lose they will have nothing I think the pressure is on Liverpool
Mourinho says his players have not been sidetracked from focusing on the semifinal which is finely balanced at by their title celebrations
He added Its easy to concentrate on this game Its the best way to forget about winning the title because we have a big game
The group deserves to celebrate the Premiership in a different way than we did
It was a quick celebration and then we finished No families no wives no more champagne nothing We just stayed in the hotel and prepared for this game
I will give the players a day off on Wednesday and Thursday instead For now they want to play this game
My players want to keep on winning things They have now the Carling Cup and the championship in their pockets but they want more in their lives Enditem
LONDON May Xinhua Arsenal regained the fourpoint lead over Manchester United in the battle for second place when they beat West Brom away on Monday
Robin van Persie grabbed the first goal taking Jose Reyes pass and slotting coolly past Russell Hoult And substitute Edu hit the second to break West Brom hearts after Dennis Bergkamp had played him in in stoppage time
With this win Arsenal with points enlarged the gap between them and Manchester United to four points while flinging West Brom deeper in the relegation zone
The Baggies knew a win would take them out of the drop zone and they came fly out of the blocks with the impressive Kieran Richardson at the heart of their forward momentum
An early inswinging Richardson corner was not cleared by Arsenal and it dropped to Zoltan Gera who produced an acrobatic overhead kick only to send the ball wide
The Baggies were not ripping through the Gunners defence at will Philippe Senderos and Kolo Toure made sure of that but they were causing problems with their movement and Kevin Campbells linkup play was proving effective
In contrast the high tempo Arsenal usually play at was missing and they only sparked into life near the end of the half Van Persie forcing a fine save from Hoult as Laurens pass carved West Broms defence open
Gunners strike pair Reyes and Van Persie had barely threatened as Darren Moore and Thomas Gaardsoe worked hard to keep them at bay but halfway through the half their class finally told
But in the th mintue Reyes found space on the edge of the West Brom box and his crisp pass enabled Van Persie to work an opening and slot clinically past Hoult with his left foot from yards
Moments later when the revitalized Reyes took Van Persies pass and went on a mazy run only to see his shot cleared off the line by Neil Clement
The Baggies responded with Richardson foiled from yards by Lenmann before Robson decided to go for broke by bringing on three strikers in Kanu Rob Earnshaw and Geoff Horsfield
But they could find no way through and Arsenal closed out the contest with Edu collecting Bergkamps pass and lifting the ball into the net via Hoults shoulder in the injury time Enditem
QUITO May Xinhua The Ecuadorian national soccer team left in two groups from Quito and Guayaquil to meet Paraguay in New York United States on Wednesday
The players from clubs in the capital had gathered in the Parcayacu Superior Military School
Those players who play in clubs at the Ecuadorian coast gathered at Guayaquil before flying to New York via Miami
The EcuadorParaguay match will be played at the New York Giants Stadium Enditem
HAVANA May Xinhua The sports press of Cuba generates great expectations over the announced fight between twotime Olympic champion Mario Kindelan and talented English boxer Amir Khan
Kindelan kilograms considered as the worlds best pugilist in the last decade confirmed last week he will fight on May against Khan in Liverpool
It is a rematch as Kindelan got his second Olympic title after a victory against Khan in the Olympic final in Athens
The threetime world champion said then he would leave the ring to dedicate more time to his family after a year career
Nevertheless Kindelan accepted the challenge which he termed as attractive although he said it is risky for him to expose his hierarchy after a long period of inactivity in competitions
Preparation goes well not saying I am at my peak for I am training specifically for a fourround fight it is not a contest said the Cuban pugilist winner of all of the titles in dispute within the International Boxing Federation
On the other hand Khan also announced he would leave behind his amateur career and start a professional life with a rematch which he is certain to win
I want to show everyone I can defeat the Olympic champion said Khan who commented he has studied the video of the Athens combat with Kindelan I will change some things some tactics he said
The event made the experienced Cuban champion enthusiastic who went back to training to cope with this last fight with the world youth champion Enditem
LONDON May Xinhua Young English qualifier Shaun Murphy won the world snooker title on Monday after scoring a thrilling victory over Welshman Matthew Stevens in Sheffield England
Murphy ranked th in the world became the first qualifier to win the tournament since Terry Griffiths in
It was a second defeat in a world final for Stevens the sixth seed who was beaten by Mark Williams five years ago
Murphy came back from down overnight winning five out of the seven frames in the afternoon to trail by just a frame at going into the final session
Murphy produced a clearance in the opening frame of the evening to level and then made a break of in frame to go in front the second time in the match according to a Reuters report from Sheffield
Stevens responded with a break to level at but Murphy claimed the next two frames to regain the lead and he maintained his twoframe advantage at
Following some high quality snooker from both players Stevens knocked in breaks of and to level at
But a run of in the following frame saw Murphy edge ahead again and he clinched victory with an break
The yearold received a cheque for pounds US dollars Enditem
LONDON May Xinhua Result from the snooker world championship final Best of in Sheffield England on Monday
Shaun Murphy England beat Matthew Stevens Wales Enditem
LONDON May Xinhua World snooker champions since after English qualifier Shaun Murphy beat Welshman Matthew Stevens in the final in Sheffield England on Sunday
John Spencer England
Alex Higgins Northern Ireland
Ray Reardon Wales
Reardon
Reardon
Reardon
Spencer
Reardon
Terry Griffiths Wales
Cliff Thorburn Canada
Steve Davis England
Alex Higgins Northern Ireland
Davis
Davis
Dennis Taylor Northern Ireland
Joe Johnson England
Davis
Davis
Davis
Stephen Hendry Scotland
John Parrott England
Hendry
Hendry
Hendry
Hendry
Hendry
Ken Doherty Ireland
John Higgins Scotland
Hendry
Mark Williams Wales
Ronnie OSullivan England
Peter Ebdon England
Williams
OSullivan
Shaun Murphy England
Enditem
VIENNA May Xinhua Results and standings from the world ice hockey championship preliminary round matches here on Monday
Results
Group A
Belarus Austria
Slovakia Russia
Group C
Finland Ukraine
Sweden Denmark
Standings P W T L F A Pts
Group A
Russia
Slovakia
Belarus
Austria
Group B
United States
Canada
Latvia
Slovenia
Group C
Sweden
Finland
Ukraine
Denmark
Group D
Czech Republic
Kazakhstan
Germany
Switzerland
Schedule
Tuesday May times CET
Group B Innsbruck
Canada vs Slovenia
United States vs Latvia
Group D Innsbruck
Kazakhstan vs Switzerland
Czech Republic vs Germany Enditem
LONDON May Xinhua Summaries from the Premier League matches on Monday
West Bromwich Albion
Arsenal
Robin van Persie Edu
Halftime Attendance
Sunday May
Tottenham Hotspur
Frederic Kanoute Ledley King Andy Reid Stephen Kelly
Aston Villa
Gareth Barry pen
Halftime Attendance
Charlton Athletic
Red Card Chris Perry
Manchester United
Paul Scholes Darren Fletcher Alan Smith Wayne Rooney
Halftime Attendance
Saturday April
Newcastle United
Crystal Palace
Halftime Attendance
Manchester City
Sylvain Distin Robbie Fowler
Portsmouth
Halftime Attendance
Birmingham City
Robbie Blake Emile Heskey
Blackburn Rovers
Jonathan Stead
Halftime Attendance
Bolton Wanderers
Chelsea
Frank Lampard
Halftime Attendance
Fulham
Collins John Brian McBride
Red CardPape Bouba Diop
Everton Halftime Attendance
Liverpool
Steven Gerrard
Middlesbrough
Szilard Nemeth
Halftime Attendance
Southampton
Matthew Oakley Peter Crouch Graeme Le Saux Henri Camara
Norwich City
David Bentley Danny Higginbotham og Leon McKenzie Halftime Attendance Enditem
WASHIGNTON May Xinhua Houston Rockets head coach Jeff Van Gundy received a US dollars fine from the NBA on Monday for comments made to the media on Sunday regarding NBA officiating
It marks the largest fine ever issued against a coach
Van Gundy is upset about the referees treatment of center Yao Ming in the playoff series against the Mavericks He went on to say that Dallas owner Mark Cuban is to blame
Van Gundy told reporters at the team hotel in Dallas on Sunday that a referee not working the playoffs called him and said that officials were looking at Yao harder because of Marks complaints to the league office He said that Cuban has been hard on them and hes gotten the benefit
I didnt think that really worked in the NBA but in this case it has Van Gundy added He did not identify the official he spoke to
Yao played only minutes in the opening game of the set before fouling out He was whistled for four fouls in Game when he netted points then received five fouls in each of the last two contests versus the Mavericks Enditem
ROME May Xinhua Andy Roddick opened his European claycourt campaign with a win over Greg Rusedski as the top seeds all enjoyed comfortable advance in the opening round of the Rome Masters tennis tournament here on Monday
Roddick who took over as number one seed after Roger Federer withdrew for a foot injury was joined in the second round by former champion Andre Agassi who beat wild card Alessio Di Mauro
Fourth seed Tim Henman underlined his confidence on clay with a win over threetimes French Open winner Gustavo Kuerten
Roddick was making his first competitive outing since winning the ATP claycourt event in Houston last month
He gained the decisive break of the first set by drawing his opponent into the net before whipping over a crosscourt forehand that beat Rusedski
The Briton then netted a routine volley to drop serve at the start of the second set Roddick broke again and held on to close out the contest
The result came as a relief for the American who was eliminated in the opening round of last years Rome tournament by Guillermo Canas
Roddick next faces former French Open champion Alberto Costa
Agassi the champion had to dig in the first set against Di Mauro who had a point to take a lead
As the Italian crumbled to a defeat Agassi next plays Richard Gasquet who thrashed Thailands Paradorn Srichaphan
Last month the yearold Gasquet knocked Federer out of the Monte Carlo Masters event one of just two defeats the world number one has suffered this year
Henman won over Kuerten partly because of unforced errors by the Brazilian who is not yet back to his best following hip surgery last September
But the Briton also produced some intelligent net play as he began his preparation for Roland Garros where he was a surprise semifinalist months ago
The only notable casualties of the day were Russian th seed Nikolay Davydenko who lost to Spains Fernando Verdasco and th seed Swede Joachim Johansson defeated by Italian Andreas Seppi
In Tuesdays matches second seed Marat Safin plays Jiri Novak Carlos Moya opens the defense of his title against local favorite Potito Starace while Spains Rafael Nadal takes on Mikhail Youzhny Enditem
ROME May Xinhua Results from the Italian Masters tennis tournaments mens singles first round matches here on Monday prefix number denotes seeding
Tim Henman Britain beat Gustavo Kuerten Brazil
Dominik Hrbaty Slovakia bt Ricardo Mello Brazil
Sebastien Grosjean France bt Kenneth Carlsen Denmark
Richard Gasquet France bt Paradorn Srichaphan Thailand
Andre Agassi United States bt Alessio Di Mauro Italy Andreas Seppi Italy bt Joachim Johansson Sweden
Thomas Johansson Sweden bt Feliciano Lopez Spain
David Ferrer Spain bt Cyril Saulnier France
Victor Hanescu Romania bt Juergen Melzer Austria
Juan Monaco Argentina bt Robin Soederling Sweden
Nicolas Almagro Spain bt Igor Andreev Russia
Andy Roddick United States bt Greg Rusedski Britain
Albert Costa Spain bt Albert Montanes Spain
Stanislas Wawrinka Switzerland bt Tomas Berdych Czech Republic
Fernando Verdasco Spain bt Nikolay Davydenko Russia Enditem
LONDON May Xinhua Top scorers of the Premier League on Monday
Thierry Henry Arsenal
Andy Johnson Crystal Palace
Jermain Defoe Tottenham Hotspur
Frank Lampard Chelsea Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink Middlesbrough Yakubu Aiyegbeni Portsmouth
Peter Crouch Southampton Robert Pires Arsenal Andy Cole Fulham Robbie Keane Tottenham Hotspur Eidur Gudjohnsen Chelsea Wayne Rooney Manchester United
Rob Earnshaw West Bromwich Albion Didier Drogba Chelsea Robbie Fowler Manchester City Fredrik Ljungberg Arsenal Kevin Phillips Southampton
Shaun WrightPhillips Manchester City Emile Heskey Birmingham CityMilan Baros Liverpool Tim Cahill Everton Paul Scholes Manchester United Paul Dickov Blackburn Rovers
Nolberto Solano Aston Villa El Hadji Diouf Bolton Wanderers Luis Garcia Liverpool Jose Antonio Reyes Arsenal Luis Boa Morte Fulham Enditem
By Sportswriters Cao Jianjie and Gao Peng
SHANGHAI May Xinhua An International Table Tennis Federation ITTF official on Tuesday criticized defending world champion Werner Schlagers sour grapes remark made after the Austrians sevenset loss here in the world table tennis championships on Monday
The yearold Schlager was sent packing by yearold He Zhiwen of Spain Monday evening and complained the official ball used in the Shanghai worlds was unofficial
The ball is too soft and might be OK for basic training but not for serious training not mention the world championships said the Austrian
Yao Zhenxu chairman of the ITTFs Technical Committee defended the choice of ball saying Schlager just couldnt accept defeat
Losers always complain and its human nature said Yao
The sports technical chief a Shanghai native stated the ball was fair to every competitor
Schlager said on Monday that there was something unknown behind the ball choice It has something to do with business and it is too complicated
The Shanghai championships uses equipment produced by Doubles Happiness a Chinese table tennis manufacturer based in Shanghai with one exception
The competition ball was produced by Nittaku a Japanese brand which has joint ventures with Double Happiness
Chinese players have been using both Nittaku and Double Happiness balls prior to the championships
Wang Liqin topranked and world champion said the ball was good for competition but complained about airconditioning
I feel the wind in the gymnasium and it is no good for lobs and long rallies he said
Yao said the competition venue was first class and complainers were making a fuss
Swedish veteran JanOve Waldner had been a chronic complainer but he didnt complain about this gymnasium or any equipment Yao said
Despite the ball row the SchlagerHe Zhiwen game was spectacular
Schlager led and made the better start in the sixth set in which the Austrian led then and elected to call a Time Out However the break worked in favor of his Spanish opponent who promptly won the next seven points and thus leveled matters at three sets all
In the seventh set He was dominant and amazingly restricted the defending champion to one single point and that was a net cord by Schlager that He Zhiwen failed to return when trying to make a forehand smash and leading
At the beginning of the match I just tried to return the ball on the table but I had problems when he served long said He Werner served long I returned long then he attacked quickly and I had no answer
A change in tactics was therefore necessary I served short so that he couldnt topspin He continued Also as the match progressed I started to play more positively and I became more confident he was under pressure being the world champion
Certainly He did play more positively and he belied his years The adopted Spaniard played in the world championships as long ago as when he reached the last of the mens singles and the mens doubles semifinals Furthermore he has been eligible to play in veterans events for the last three years
I reached the quarterfinals in losing to Chinese Yan Sen added He In the past Ive beaten Vladimir Samsonov and JeanMichel Saive but to beat the world champion is amazing
He a Chinese national team player in the s actually cleared the biggest hurdle for the Chinese bidding for a cleansweep in Shanghai
Werner is good against Chinese players He said
Another upset on Monday was created by unseeded Dutchman Danny Heister who ousted Olympic champion Ryu Seung Min of South Korea in seven sets Ryu had beaten Chinese Wang Hao in the Olympic final
Its the best victory of my life exclaimed Heister I beat the reigning Olympic champion I beat him at the world championships and I beat him on television Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Following are the mixed doubles
results from the th world table tennis championships here on
Tuesday
Fourth round
Wang HaoWang Nan China beat Li ChingLau Sui Fei Hong Kong China
Qiu YikeCao Zhen China bt Zoltan FejerKonnerthNicole Struse
Germany
Hao ShuaiNiu Jianfeng China bt Yang MinNicoletta Stefanova
Italy
Liu GuozhengBai Yang China bt Leung Chu YanSong Ah Sim Hong
Kong China
Yan SenGuo Yan China bt Chen QiZhang Yining China
Seiya KishikawaAi Fujinuma Japan bt Kim Song CholKim Jong
DPR Korea
Werner SchlagerLiu Jia Austria bt Oh Sang EunLee Hyang Mi
South Korea
Wang LiqinGuo Yue China bt Ko Lai ChakZhang Rui Hong Kong China Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Following are the womens doubles results from the th World Table Tennis Championships here on Tuesday
Third round
Wang NanZhang Yining China beat Lee Hyang MiMoon Hyun Jung South Korea
Ai FujinumaAi Fukuhara Japan bt Li Jia WeiXu Yan Singapore
Lau Sui FeiSong Ah Sim Hong Kong China bt Kristin SilbereisenNicole Struse Germany
Tie YanaZhang Rui Hong Kong China bt Huang IHwaLu YunFeng Chinese Taipei
Bai YangGuo Yan China bt Saki KanazawaAya Umemura Japan
Csilla BatorfiKrisztina Toth Hungary bt Nicoletta StefanovaWenling Monfardini Tan Italy
Tamara BorosCornelia Vaida Croatia bt Kim Kyung AhKim Soong Sil South Korea
Guo YueNiu Jianfeng China bt Kim Hyang MiKim Mi Yong DPR Korea Enditem
LISBON May Xinhua Chilean Mauricio Pinilla scored the three goals in Sporting Portugals victory over Sporting Braga in the Portuguese superleague on Monday
The victory placed Sporting Portugal only three points away from leaders Benfica
In the new round of games Benfica kept its leadership with a victory over Belenenseswhile Sporting Braga dropped to the fourth position and Porto is third after a victory over Maritimo
The defeat by Sporting of Portugal was the first of Braga in matches against the big three in the superleague this season
Pinilla best known as Pinigol scored all the goals in the second half He has scored four goals in less than a week as last Thursday he scored the goal for the victory over the Dutch side of AC Alkmaar in the first league of the UEFA Cup semifinals
In the final part of the tournament Benfica goes to Penafiel Sporting Clube de Portugal meets Vitoria de Guimaraes and Porto will play against Moreirense Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Chinese swept six quarterfinal berths for mixed doubles at the world table tennis championships here on Tuesday
Top seeds Wang Hao and Wang Nan edged out Li Ching and Lau Sui Fei from Hong Kong China Secondseeded Wang Liqin and Guo Yue beat another Hong Kong pair Ko Lai Chak and Zhang Rui in six sets
Only one out of seven Chinese pairs were eliminated by teammates
Japanese Seiya Kishikawa and Ai Fujinuma and Austrians Werner Schlager and Liu Jia clinched the other quarters spots
Schlager mens singles champion in was ousted by yearold Spanish He Zhiwen on Tuesday when he also lost his mens doubles game Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Following are the mens doubles
results from the th world table tennis championships here on
Tuesday
Quarterfinals
Chen QiMa Lin China beat Chiang PengLungChuan ChihYuan
Chinese Taipei
Timo BollChristian Suss Germany bt Lucjan BlaszczykWang Zeng
Yi Poland
Kong LinghuiWang Hao China bt Cheung YukLeung Chu Yan Hong
Kong China
Wang LiqinYan Sen China bt Lee Jung WooRyu Seung Min South
Korea Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Olympic champions Ma Lin and Chen Qi almost stumbled at the semifinals coming back from a deficit to beat Chiang PengLung and Chuan ChihYuan at the world table tennis championships here on Tuesday
The Chinese pair took complete domination after the first two sets to win the quarterfinal over their Chinese Taipei opponents
After losing the first two sets quickly Ma and Chen used a thirdset win to calm down and find the rythme of the game
They took an early lead on every set from then on and never let any chance to their opponents who are tagged as the best pair in Chinese Taipei team
Chiang and Chuan popped up some challeng on the final set when they were down They stopped powerful forehand strikes of the Chinese pair to make it
The faster and more dedicated Chinese were not intimadated and ran on to take the game for good Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Olympic silver medalists Li Ching and Ko Lai Chak of Hong Kong China were sent home on Tuesday after losing to Polands Lucjan Blaszczyk and Wang Zeng Yi in the mens doubles third round of the th world table tennis championships here
The fourth seeds who claimed the first Olympic table tennis medal for Hong Kong last August in Athens surrendered a lead to lose
Li will vie for a berth in the last against Dutchman Trinko Keen later on Tuesday while Ko has been ousted from the mens singles second round after going down to Allan Bentsen from Denmark on Monday
Olympic bronze medalists Michael Maze and Finn Tugwell from Denmark lost to Germans Timo Boll and Christian Suss
As Chinese sailed into the quarterfinals Chiang PengLung and Chuan ChihYuan from Chinese Taipei had to play full seven sets to win over Dutch duet Danny Heister and Trinko Keen Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Following are the womens doubles results from the th world table tennis championships here on Tuesday
Quarterfinals
Wang NanZhang Yining China beat Ai FujinumaAi Fukuhara Japan
Tie YanaZhang Rui Hong Kong China bt Lau Sui FeiSong Ah Sim Hong Kong China
Bai YangGuo Yan China bt Csilla BatorfiKrisztina Toth Hungary
Guo YueNiu Jianfeng China bt Tamara BorosCornelia Vaida Croatia Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Following are the mens doubles results from the th world table tennis championships here on Tuesday
Third round
Chen QiMa Lin China beat Adrian CrisanVasile Florea Romania
Chiang PengLungChuan ChihYuan Chinese Taipei bt Danny HeisterTrinko Keen Netherlands
Timo BollChristian Suss Germany bt Michael MazeFinn Tugwell Denmark
Lucjan BlaszczykWang Zeng Yi Poland bt Ko Lai ChakLI Ching Hong Kong China
Kong LinghuiWang Hao China bt Slobodan GrujicAleksandar Karakasevic Serbia and Montenegro
Cheung YukLeung Chu Yan Hong Kong China bt Fedor KuzminAlexei Smirnov Russia
Lee Jung WooRyu Seung Min South Korea bt Patrick ChilaDamien Eloi France
Wang LiqinYan Sen China bt Peter KarlssonJens Lundqvist Sweden Enditem
TIANJIN North China May Xinhua Preparations are going on well for the th tournament open world water ski championships set for this northern Chinese port city in August organizers said here on Tuesday
Listed on the program of the August championships are mens and womens slalom tricks jump overall and team events
The championships sanctioned by the sports world governing body the International Water Ski Federation are to be held in the International Aquatic Center in the Dongli Lake
The organizers said a field of some athletes from more than countries and regions is expected including those from the United States Canada Brazil Mexico France Britain Belgium Australia New Zealand Japan and hosts China Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Athens Olympic champions Ma Lin and
Chen Qi took one step closer to the mens doubles title as they joined two other Chinese pairs in the semifinals at the world table tennis championships here on Tuesday
Kong LinghuiWang Hao set up an allChinese semifinal matchup with teammates Wang LiqinYan Sen who dispatched Cheung YukLeung Chu Yan from Hongkong China in the quaterfinals
WangYan defeated South Koreans Lee Jung WooRyu Seung Min for a semifinal berth
Ma and Chen came from a deficit to beat Chiang and Chuan in another quarterfinal match
They will face Germanys Timo BollChristian Suss who beat Polands Lucjan BlaszczykWang Zengyi to claim the last semi berth
After losing the first two sets quickly Ma and Chen used a
thirdset win to calm down and find the rythme of the game
They took an early lead on every set from then on and never give any chance to their opponents who are tagged as the best pair of the Chinese Taipei team
KongWang ran away with a lead to take the driving seat of the game and won Their Hong Kong opponents pulled down one set at but could not turn the tide
WangYan had big challeng at the start of another quaterfinal tie as
they lost the first set before taking the next two and
The South Koreans let the game loose after being downed and WangYan
won the next two sets to seal the match in their favor
BollSuss also took an easy win at when they won the final three sets Enditem
By sportswriters Zhou Xin and Zhu Feng
SHANGHAIMay Xinhua After the shocking early exit of defending world champion Werner Schlager in the mens singles second round at the world table tennis championshipsAustrian referee Josef Waiznger contributed the loss to failing to be in top form in the opening rounds
Schlager world number nine led and made the better start in the sixth set before losing in seven games to the yearold He Zhiwen from Spain Monday evening
The yearold Austrian was also eliminated in the mens doubles second round together with Karl Jindrak by Danny HeisterTrinko Keen from the Netherlands
Two early defeats made Schlager complaining unofficial the ball used and airconditioning in the gymnasium
Waiznger an Austrian ITTF referee didt agree with Schlagers excuse
In my opinion Schlager lost to himself I knew him for years and have watched his games for a long time I know what happened to him and whats his problems last night Waiznger said here on Tuesday
I dont want to deny that Schlager is an excellent player a wondermaker He is clever and good at mentle works
He can perform outstanding plays in unexpected moment especially in the quarter or semifinals no to mention the finals
He can show beyond his best usually when he faces strong rivals His winning desire is awesome Waiznger said
The problem is here he only plays his best in the worthy games in his mind and does not pays percent attention to his rivals in the early rounds Thats why he was usually out of the competition in the first two rounds
He thinks he is a better player than those who appear in the first two rounds They are usually weak and lowerranked He saved energy and he lost
Schlager has being suffering from a knee injury for a few years which may affect his performance in Shanghai
However Waiznger said I dont think his chronic injury is too bad to play His problem is being too proud not injury or other excuse
It seemed that Schlager noticed his problem and started to play his game more seriously when he and partner Liu Jia struggled from a escape over Oh Sang EunLee Hyang Mi of South Korea entering the quarterfinals of the mixed doubles
Schlager said I couldnt walk away from yesterdays defeats at first But later I was in my fighting mood I hope I can perform my best to make me stay longer at the worlds Enditem
DAR ES SALAAM May Xinhua Mtibwa Sugar of Tanzania have managed to live up to the expectation of home fans by securing a berth in the semifinals of this years Kagame Cup central and east African clubs soccer championship
The host team beat KMKM of Zanzibar with two unanswered goals to garner two wins and one draw from three matches in Group B of the team tournament played in Mwanza of northern Tanzania according to reports reaching here on Sunday
Defending champions APR of Rwanda topped the roundrobin Group B preliminary with three wins from as many matches defeating Ulinzi of Kenya
Ulinzi were the runnersup from last years Kagame Cup
The top two teams from each group enter the semifinals
Tabulated under are current team standings after Saturdays matches tabulated under games played won drawn lost goals for against
Group A
SC Villa
Rayon Sports
Simba SC
Atletico Olympic
Elman
Group B
APR
Mtibwa
Ulinzi
Awasa
KMKM Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua The womens doubles semifinals at the th world table tennis championships here become an allChinese affair as three pairs from China and one from Hong Kong China reached the events last four on Tuesday
Wang NanZhang Yining Athens Olympic gold medalists and defending champions swept past Japanese pair Fukuhara AiTatiyana Kostromina
Coming back from a shoulder injury and a thirdround defeat from mixed doubles earilier on Tuesday Zhang said The injury and loss didnt affect my play in the doubles Ill also try my best in the singles
Bai YangGuo Yan stopped Hungarians Csilla BatorfiKrisztina Toth
Croatian Tamara Boros the highestranked European woman and her partner Cornelia Vaida were eliminated by Chinese Guo YueNiu Jianfeng at
In a battle against teammates Tie YanaZhang Rui showed no mercy to Lau SuifeiSong Ah Sim of Hong Kong China with a victory
WangZhang will play TieZhang and BaiGuo face GuoNiu in the womens last four on the championships last day on May Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Following are the womens singles
results from the th world table tennis Cchampionships here on
Tuesday
Third round
Zhang Yining China beat Chimei Yan San Marino
Kim Hyang Mi DPR Korea bt Zhang Rui Hong Kong China
Viktoria Pavlovich Belarus bt Sayaka Hirano Japan
Tie Yana Hong Kong of China bt Csilla Batorfi Hungary Walkover
Gao Jun United States bt Li Jia Wei Singapore
Cao Zhen China bt Zhang Xueling Singapore
Lin Ling Hong Kong China bt Wenling Tan Monfardini Italy
Tamara Boros Croatia bt Svetlana Ganina Russia Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua In a battle against teammates ace Chinese woman player Zhang Yining and Olympic mens doubles champion Chen Qi suffered the first defeat for the hosts in the third round of the mixed doubles at the th world table tennis championships here on Tuesday
Zhang womens singles and doubles champion in Athens and Chen took the control in the first three sets at before Guo YanYan Sen came from behind to snatch the next three sets by winning
In the last set Guo who plays a trademark manly style with a superb physique came from down to a lead as Zhangs returning ball flew out of the table
I felt Im reaching my peak form and having nothing to loss on the court I was nervous in last two days in front of the fullhouse audience said yearold Guo
Yan twotime mens doubles world champions said It was a hard game against teammates because we are familiar with each other
In the quarterfinals later on Tuesday GuoYan meet Fukuhara AiSeiya Kishikawa of Japan who had a victory over Kim Song CholKim Jong of DPR Korea
Top seed Wang NanWang Hao of China also struggled from a win over Li ChingLau Sui Fei of Hong Kong China
WangWang will play teammates Qiu YikeCao Zhen in the last eight while Werner SchlagerLiu Jia of Austria face Wang LiqinGuo Yue
Schlager defending champion in mens singles was stunnd in the second round on Monday was ousted from the mens doubles and losing to yearold Spanish He Zhiwen in the singles
After their survival from Oh Sang EunLee Hyang Mi of South Korea Schlager said I was hampered by yesterdays defeats at first But later I entered my fighting mood I hope I can perform my best to save my last chance in the worlds
Liu GuozhengBai Yang runnersup in the Paris worlds two years ago will meet countrymen Hao ShuaiNiu Jianfeng in the last eight Enditem
PARIS May Xinhua Fixtures from the French first division soccer league on Tuesday
Friday May
Girondins Bordeaux vs Auxerre
Saturday May
Olympique Marseille vs Caen
Metz vs Racing Lens
Sochaux vs Racing Strasbourg
Lille vs Paris St Germain
Nice vs Nantes
Stade Rennes vs Monaco
Bastia vs Istres
Toulouse vs St Etienne
Sunday May
Olympique Lyon vs Ajaccio Enditem
BERLIN May Xinhua World Cup organizers have warned prospective fans that a computer virus disguised as a ticketing confirmation message should be ignored
They said fans receiving emails from the addresses Ticketfifade and Gewinnfifade should not open attachments supposedly confirming ticketing arrangements for next years finals tournament in Germany
The first phase of ticket sales was oversubscribed by times and those fans who were successful in the lottery have already been informed
The second phase selling only Team Specific Tickets on a first come first served basis began on Monday
Fans buying those tickets receive immediate confirmation at the end of their booking Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua World number one Wang Liqin was too strong for his third round opponent Allan Bentsen beating the bald headed Dane in straight four sets here on Tuesday at the world table tennis championships
Wang a yearold former world champion who beat compatriot Kong Linghui in the worlds final to claim the mens singles title in Osaka Japan wrapped up his third round match
Ive been well prepared for the match said the top seed I know Bentsen is strong rival with slow paces so my tactic is to move quicker switch faster and play smart
The only challenge made by Bentsen to Wang was in the last set when allaround Wang was forced to come back from trailing to win the decider with earning three straight points
Wang who will next face in the clashes of last said that every player making this stage will be tough and be able to upset any higherranked one
Those ousted by lower positioned players in the second round must have themselves to be blamed I guess some of them might have not done well their job of preparation and have underestimated their enemy in some degree said Wang
Fans from my hometown do make me feel the tension here but I will try to concentrate on the game and think less of the pressure added the Shanghai native Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua JanOve Waldner was knocked out of
the th world table tennis championships on Tuesday by Belaruss
Vladimir Samsonov in straight sets
To the disappointment of a sellout Chinese crowd the year
old Swede lost his thirdround match
The first Grand Slam winner of Olympic world championships
and World Cup singles titles Waldner is the most popular foreign
table tennis player in China Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Following are the mens singles results from the th world table tennis championships here on Tuesday
Third round
WANG Liqin China beat Allan Bentsen Denmark
Li Ching Hong Kong China bt Trinko Keen Netherlands
Kong Linghui China bt Zoltan FejerKonnerth Germany
Chen Qi China bt Jorg Rosskopf Germany
Peter Karlsson Sweden bt Jun Mizutani Japan
Oh Sang Eun South Korea bt Alexei Smirnov Russia
Vladimir Samaonov Belarus bt JanOve Waldner Sweden Enditem
LHASA Southwest China May Xinhua A mountaineering expedition from southwest Chinas Tibet Autonomous Region is ready to set off for a mission to scale the worlds th highest peak Mount Gasherbrum I the expedition chief told Xinhua here on Tuesday
The expedition has scaled high peaks in the world that rise meters and higher The metertall Mt Gasherbrum I at the SinoPakistani border is the last such peak the team has targeted
The autonomous regions expedition attempted on the peak from the Pakistani side in but they had to give up their efforts due to bad weather
The climbers of the team had completed a fourmonthlong physical and tactical training that started from late last December team captain Sangchu said
The team and individual climbing gear food and other supplies have been airlift to Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region southwestern China he said
The Chinese climbers will leave here on Thursday for Urumchi Xinjiangs regional capital where they will enrich their food medicine and other supplies before flying to Islamabad in midMay
The expedition plans to reach the mountain area in early June to seek best weather conditions for their summit efforts
We are confident to complete our Grand Slam efforts of scaling the worlds all the high peaks m and higher the expedition chief added Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Chinese swept the semifinal spots at the mixed doubles competition of the world table tennis championships here on Wednesday
Qiu YikeCao Zhen edged out Wang HaoWang Nan and Liu GuozhengBai Yang routed Hao Shuai and Niu Jianfeng in four sets in the allChinese quarterfinals
Chinese Yan Sen and Guo Yue defeated Japanese Seiya Kishikawa and Ai Fujinuma while another Chinese pair Wang Liqin and Guo Yue whitewashed Werner Schlager and Liu Jia from Austria Enditem
BEIJING May Xinhua I hope the good luck that brought me the world championship title years ago will be on our team again at the coming Sudirman Cup championships Chinese badminton teams head coach Li Yongbo told Xinhua here on Tuesday
The Chinese team began their finalstage preparations for the th Sudirman Cup or world mixed team championships slated for May in the Capital Gymnasium in the Chinese capital
The seat facility built in the s hosted the world championships where the then national team player Li teamed up with Tian Bingyi to take mens doubles title
At his first visit to the facility on Tuesday the veteran playerturn coach made suggestions to such improvement as the height of the lighting system and court surface
Chinese players will begin training in the gymnasium for two to three hours everyday from now on in the afternoon and evening And they will be joined by other participating teams from Saturday May Li said
Of course I wish to regain the trophy with victories the best the head coach joked
China won the Sudirman Cup or the world mixed team championships between and but they lost to South Korea in the final of the tournament Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Hungarian veteran Csilla Batorfi stormed out of the court over a controversial service call at the womens singles third round of the world table tennis championships here on Tuesday
Batorfi former European number one and currently ranked th in the world flew into a rage as the umpire called her opening serve illegal in the game against Tie Yana from Hong Kong China
The Hungarian demanded to have the umpire replaced When chief umpire Sun Qilin turned it down Batorfi packed up and stormed out of the court
Tie Yana was then awarded a walkover win and will take on Viktoria Pavlovich of Belarus on Wednesday
Her Batorfis request was unreasonable Sun commented later Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua JanOve Waldner was knocked out of the th world table tennis championships on Tuesday by Belaruss Vladimir Samsonov in straight sets
To the disappointment of the sellout Chinese crowd the yearold Swede lost his mens singles thirdround match
Samsonov got off to a strong start needing just five minutes to take the opening game
The second game was a seesaw affair with either player never leading by more than three points Waldner saved two game points and squandered another before Samsonov closed out at
The Swedish veteran played the rest of the match catching up his Belarussian opponent
Despite his defeat to Samsonov Waldner said that the Belarussian is unlikely to win the mens singles event He needs to play better if he wants to win the title said Waldner
Waldner had tipped Chinas Wang Liqin and Ma Lin as top favorites for the most coveted title at this championships
Dubbed Old Wa in China Waldner was a household name because of his longtime confrontation with Chinese paddlers The first player to become a Grand Slam winner of the Olympic world championships and World Cup titles Waldner has been causing troubles to Chinese since the s When Cai Zhenhua was a player Cai is now an official of the national badminton administration
Speculations have been circulating about when the sports alltime great will call it quits
When asked if this would be his last world championships Waldner said Its possible But I need to take a rest for one or two months and then make the decision
As Waldner left the court a dozen of heartbroken Chinese fans loudly cheered on him tears in eyes I knew he would quit world competitions sooner or later but I really cannot imagine not seeing him anymore said Wang Jingfang a yearold college student
Basking in the adoration of thousands of Chinese fans Waldner said he was very grateful to the crowds I really thank them for their support he said Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua The th world championships marks the end of the years on the Media Committee of the International Table Tennis Federation for Croatias Zdenko Uzorinac a man whose contribution to table tennis is incalculable
Uzorinac is the great historian in the sport of table tennis his knowledge is phenomenal
The charming man always with a smile on his face that exudes a caring personality was born in Zagreb on July He started to play table tennis in at the Hask club in his home town the club of the late Zarko Dolinar
I used to play table tennis with friends in the outdoors of course that was just for fun said Uzorinac However Hlask was a very strong club I improved and after a period of two years I won the mixed doubles title at the Zagreb Championships
Uzorinacs formative years were during the Second World War but table tennis continued in Zagreb although sometimes access to table tennis equipment was difficult
The problem we had was that sometimes there was a dent in the ball and I became an expert at repairing table tennis balls smiled Uzorinac I used acetone to repair the ball the problem was that you could never totally mend the ball and make it round so when you played it wobbled
Uzorinac played during the war years in national and intertown competitions and eventually graduated to the national team He was primarily a defensive player He played in four world championships London Vienna Utrecht and Dortmund the most successful being in Vienna where he gained the bronze medal in the mens team event
Undoubtedly he would have played in more but Yugoslavia was recovering from the effects of World War Two and financial restrictions limited participation
A native of Zagreb Uzorinac represented his citys club team and played a major role in their success the team winning the Europe Club Cup of Champions in in he turned his attention to coaching directing the fortunes of the Mladost Club and in the three year period that he was in charge the club won three national club title
However it is his writing for which he is best known Actually as early as I started writing explained Uzorinac
The first book was From London to Sarajevo depicting the development of the world championships many works followed including Fifty Years of Yugoslav Table Tennis and a biography on Anton Stipancic who died at such a young age however his masterpiece supported by the International Table Tennis Federation is undoubtedly Legends of Table Tennis a whos who of table tennis from the very beginnings
He has an outstanding knowledge on the sport of table tennis which was recognized in the late s by the Yugoslav government when Marshal Tito presented Uzorinac with the prestigious Order of Merit further accolades followed from the Croatian government and the ITTF recognized his efforts by awarding him the Order of Merit
Uzorinac was also a fine player he has played some of the very best and beaten some of the best He has attended world championships and in typical caring fashion believes its now time to step aside for a younger person
Ill still be there in the background he said Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Table tennis legend JanOve Waldner from Sweden was beaten in four straight sets by the newly crowned European champion Vladimir Samsonov here on Tuesday
The defeat which was not processed in a calm way as it seemed sent the alltime great home as Waldner and his partner Jorgen Persson had lost to Romanians Adrian Crisan and Vasile Florea in the mens doubles Monday to crash out of the world table tennis championships
Waldner the Grand Slam winner of world championships Olympic s and World Cup titles lost his third round singles match Tuesday afternoon
Im not satisfied I won against J O Waldner Of course Im satisfied that I solved it really well today playing very compactly and also I was very lucky in the second and last sets said the the yearold Samsonov from Belarus
Some one may think its win so its easy but it wasnt he added Im very happy now that I entered the next phrase
I think the second set is importantIt looks like he had some problems with the humidity
A few days again when I played for the first time I met some difficulties because there is wind in the hall but today I dont have any problems Samsonov commented on the airconditioning in the Shanghai Gymnasium
Waldner didnt feel regret for losing the game saying that Samsonov played very well and that playing in the main hall was an honor for him though he have to meet Samsonov because the unideal draw due to his st rank
In his yearlong legendary in the sport Waldner had many times misled the world to believe that he was aging and fading out before he won big again
Waldner won the singles crown at the world championships but lost to yearold Chinese Ma Lin in the semifinals He returned to a convincing semifinal victory over talented Chinese Liu Guoliang in the Olympic Games and stretched inform Chinese Kong Linghui to five games before losing the final
He was crushed in straight games by Samsonov in worlds and joined the first round casualties two years later in Paris
Last August in Athens however the Swede edged out Chinas second seed Ma Lin in the singles and made it to the semis before losing to South Korean Ryu Seung Min who later claimed the title by beating Chinas promising star Wang Hao
Though Waldner was beaten to an underdog position during the game against Samsonov on Tuesday audience in the stands always made extra efforts for the Swede and applauded for every point he gained
I know hes very popular in China but its quite OK If I win a few world championships and Olympic Games people will support me too
Waldner declined to give a hint about his retirement from international competitions though rumors had been around for months that the Shanghai would be the last for the Swede
Im asked everywhere about the date of my retirement said Waldner who had been suspected to have retired after last years Olympic Games in Athens I dont know Ive not decided yet not this afternoon maybe tomorrow next week or three months later Ill take a rest firstly and think about it later
It will be a pity for me if he retires said Samsonov
For me hes the greatest table tennis player ever and of course hes very talented player and on the other hand he works very very hard all his life
You could never know what happens next time and hes capable to do anything he want with the ball said Samsonov when asked what he foresees if he meets Waldner next time Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Chinese swept the semifinal spots at the mixed doubles competition of the world table tennis championships here on Wednesday
Qiu YikeCao Zhen edged out Wang HaoWang Nan and Liu GuozhengBai Yang routed Hao Shuai and Niu Jianfeng in four sets in the allChinese quarterfinals
Chinese Yan Sen and Guo Yan defeated Japanese Seiya Kishikawa and Ai Fujinuma while another Chinese pair Wang Liqin and Guo Yue whitewashed Werner Schlager and Liu Jia from Austria Enditem
SHANGHAIMay Xinhua South Korean Moon Hyun Jung stunned threestraight time champion Wang Nan of China in the womens singles third round of the world table tennis championships here on Tuesday
The scores were Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Following are the womens singles results from the th world table tennis championships here on Tuesday
Third round
Zhang Yining China beat Chimei Yan San Marino
Kim Hyang Mi DPR Korea bt Zhang Rui Hong Kong China
Viktoria Pavlovich Belarus bt Sayaka Hirano Japan
Tie Yana Hong Kong China bt Csilla Batorfi Hungary walkover
Gao Jun United States bt Li Jia Wei Singapore
Cao Zhen China bt Zhang Xueling Singapore
Lin Ling Hong Kong China bt Wenling Tan Monfardini Italy
Tamara Boros Croatia bt Svetlana Ganina Russia
Niu Jianfeng China bt Georgina Pota Hungary
Krisztina Toth Hungary bt Liu Jia Austria
Fan Ying China bt Lau Sui Fei Hong Kong China
Guo Yue China bt Elke Wosik Germany
Guo Yan China bt Ai Fukuhara Japan
Song Ah Sim Hong Kong China bt Kim Kyung Ah South Korea
Li Jiao Netherlands bt Mihaela Steff Romania
Moon Hyun Jung South Korea bt Wang Nan China Enditem
SHANGHAIMay Xinhua Before the th world table tennis championships in Shanghai South Koreas Olympic champion Ryu Seung Min didnt understand why preevent favorite fell under pressure
He does now after he crashed out in the second round of the mens singles event losing to Danny Heister of the Netherlands
Now I realize why Chinese hot favorite Wang Hao lost to me in Athens Ryu said
Before Athens Wang kept a perfect record against Ryu Wang looked a different person and didns play his style in Athenssaid Ryu
He was belowpar in the final At that time I couldnt understand him
He was under great pressure because all the Chinese fans pinned their hopes on him The pressure limited his performance Just like I did in Shanghai
After the Olympic Games I became popular in South Korea and felt more and more heavy burdens on me The pressure tortured me and restricted my play against Heister
Rye said he lacked confidence to face Europeans though he had played for a German club for the last few years and went to an Austrian club where defending champion Werner Schlager played early this year
The more I play Europeans the less confidence I have Because I only kept a percent winning record Sometimes I lost to nobody Ryu said
Ryu also owed his loss to a knee injury I know it was a bad excuse but my knee injury is very bad that I couldnt move fast
I had a jinx in the worlds as I never made it to the third round not to mention the quarterfinals I was always eliminated in the first two rounds in the singles Ryu said
Ryu entered the last eight of the mens doubles together with Lee Jung Woo but lost to defending champions Wang LiqinYan Sen of China
His mixed doubles journey stopped in the last on Monday Enditem
BRUSSELS May Xinhua Belgium have been fined Swiss francs US dollars by FIFA after crowd problems during last months World Cup qualifier against Bosnia
Fireworks were thrown on to the pitch during the Brussels match on March which Belgium won
A spokesman for the Belgian Football Association said on Tuesday it was disappointed with the decision
However as with all games under our jurisdiction we will continue to endeavour to stop fireworks getting in to the stadium and to make all our games as safe as possible for the fans the spokesman said Enditem
MOSCOW May Xinhua Russias newly elected soccer chief Vitaly Mutko has vowed to investigate allegations of widespread doping by Spartak Moscow in
UEFA handed down a oneyear ban to Spartak captain Yegor Titov in January after he tested positive for the banned stimulant bromantan after the first leg of Russias Euro playoff against Wales in November He was an unused substitute at the game
Doping allegations are always a serious matter and we must do a complete and thorough investigation a spokesman for the Russian Football Union quoted Mutko as saying on Tuesday
Mutko was voted RFU president last month replacing former chief Vyacheslav Koloskov
Despite allegations that doping has been rife in Russian soccer for years the Titov case shocked many within the game
Wales lodged appeals with UEFA and the Lausannebased Court of Arbitration for Sport CAS to try to overturn Russias victory and take their place in Euro
The appeals were rejected by both UEFA and the CAS
Russian media has now accused Spartak of systematic doping in and that the countrys soccer authorities knew about it and tried to cover it up
The players were simply used as guinea pigs former Spartak defender Maxim Demenko was quoted as saying by SportExpress newspaper last Friday
I know that sooner or later we will suffer the aftereffects of all that doping added another exSpartak player Ukraine international Vladislav Vashchyuk Enditem
PARIS May Xinhua France striker David Trezeguet has been banned for two matches by FIFA for headbutting an opponent during last months draw against Israel in a World Cup qualifier
That is the minimum for a player hitting another player said a spokesman for the French football federation
Trezeguet will miss Frances Group qualifiers against the Faroe Islands on September and in Ireland on September
The Juventus striker will be back for Frances last two qualifiers in Switzerland on October and against Cyprus on October Enditem
CAIRO May Xinhua Results from the Rabat Open tennis tournaments womens singles first round matches in Rabat Morocco on Tuesday
Michaela Pastikova Czech Republic beat Maria Elena Camerin Italy Enditem
SINGAPORE May Xinhua Home United defeated Young Lions in a Singapore League match at Bishan Stadium on Tuesday night
Midfielder Peres De Oliveira scored the first goal for Home United in the st minute and six minutes later striker Sutee Soksomkit added another goal to the team
Hme United lost to Tampines Rovers last Friday
De Oliveira scored the third goal for Home United just before time
Tuesdays victory moves Home United to joint fifth position with the Young Lions in the table but the former is ahead on goal difference Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Following are the mens single results from the th world table tennis championships here on Tuesday
Third round
Wang Liqin China beat Allan Bentsen Denmark
Li Ching Hong Kong China bt Trinko Keen Netherlands
Kong Linghui China bt Zoltan FejerKonnerth Germany
Chen Qi China bt Jorg Rosskopf Germany
Peter Karlsson Sweden bt Jun Mizutani Japan
Oh Sang Eun South Korea bt Alexei Smirnov Russia
Vladimir Samaonov Belarus bt JanOve Waldner Sweden
Wang Hao China bt Cheung Yuk Hong Kong China
Michael Maze Denmark bt Feng Zhe Bulgaria
Kalinikos Kreanga Greece bt Christophe Legout
Hao Shuai China bt Danny Heister Netherlands
Timo Boll Germany bt Jorgen Persson Sweden
Liu Guozheng China bt Slobodan Grujic SCG
Lucjan Blaszczyk Poland bt Bastian Steger Germany
Ma Lin China bt Petr Korbel Czech Republic Enditem
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SHANGHAI May Xinhua Threetime champion Wang Nan was stunned by South Koreas Moon Hyun Jung in the womens singles third round at the world table tennis championships here on Tuesday
Facing the ndrankend Moon Wang was unable to show her world number two sharp attacks but made many unforced mistakes instead losing in seven sets
Though Im not in my peak form I thought I was the champion and should beat Moon easily I couldnt believe that I lost to such lowlyranked player said the winner of titles from World Cup world championships and Olympic Games
Usually I was the one who waits for my rival to make mistakes but today I was too eager to win and made quite a few unforced errors
Moon is only years old She will probably be the top South Korean player in the near future
It was Wangs second upset in one day as she was stopped in the mixed doubles quarterfinals with Wang Hao losing to teammates Qiu YikeCao Zhen
Wang one title shy from legendary Deng Yapings major titles has to pin her hope on the womens doubles with Zhang Yining They will face Tie Yana Zhang Rui of Hong Kong in the semifinals
Veteran Gao Jun from the United States clinched a marathon victory over Olympic semifinalist Li Jia Wei from Singapore with scores of
The yearold Gao played a giantkiller for two consecutive years by upsetting Wang Nan in group matches at the World Cup in and
Im not afraid of any strong rivalssaid Gao But my next game against Chinese Cao Zhen will be tough Cao is fast and unknown to me
Tamara Boros of Croatia Krisztina Toth of Hungary Viktoria Pavlovich of Belarus and Li Jiao of the Netherlands are the four remaining Europeans in the last Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Lady luck was on Ma Lins side as the secondseeded Chinese outlasted Czech veteran Petr Korbel here on Tuesday as all seven Chinese made it to the last in the mens singles event at the world table tennis championships
Table tennis legend JanOve Waldner from Sweden was beaten in four straight sets by the newly crowned European champion Vladimir Samsonov The defeat sent the alltime great packing since Waldner and his partner Jorgen Persson had crashed out of the mens doubles in the championships losing to Romanians Adrian Crisan and Vasile Florea Monday
Waldner the Grand Slam winner of world championships Olympics and World Cup titles lost his third round singles match
Threetime World Cup holder Ma Lin clawed back from and down for a victory
Korbel was one step away from upsetting Ma by leading in the decider as Chinese mens head coach Liu Guoliang was expelled from the courtside again for a move blamed to be directing Mas game
Ma chased back to before Korbel called a timeout and he returned for three consecutive points before holding two match points at
The yearold was too nervous at the for the moment and dropped his bracket on his serve but held his nerve to win
Olympic silver medalist Wang Hao stumbled too before reaching the fourth round with a victory over Cheung Yuk from Hong Kong China
The yearold Chinese star ran for but wasted the huge lead before he held on to win
Chinese Chen Qi downed Jorg Rosskopf in another third round clash stopping the German veterans th world title campaign with a victory
Chinese Kong Linghui Wang Liqin and Hao Shuai were too strong for their opponents wrapping up their third round matches all in straight four sets
Liu Guozheng claimed a victory over Slobodan Grujic from Serbia and Montenegro
In the mens doubles quarterfinals Olympic champions Ma Lin and Chen Qi rallied from two sets down for a sixset win over Chiang PengLung and Chuan ChihYuan from Chinese Taipei
Kong and Wang set up a Chinese matchup with Wang LiqinYan Sen after dispatching Cheung YukLeung Chu Yan of Hong Kong China WangYan defeated South Korean pair Lee Jung WooRyu Seung Min Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Chinese paddlers move closer to another clean sweep of title at the table tennis world championships as the sevenday tournament is halfway from the end
JanOve Waldner of Sweden was eliminated by Belarussian Vladimir Samsonov from the mens singles event while Olympic and world champion Wang Nan fell a victim to unknown South Korean Moon Hyun Jung in a sevenset womens singles thriller
To the disappointment of a sellout Chinese crowd the yearold Swede was beaten in the third round
Dubbed Old Wa in China Waldner was a household name because of his longtime confrontation with Chinese paddlers The first player to become a Grand Slam winner of the Olympic world championships and World Cup titles Waldner has been causing troubles to Chinese since the s
With guile and guts Moon used her lethal forehand attacks and placement shots to subdue Wang
In apparent disappointment Wang refused to speak to reporters after the match
Despite Wangs shock exit China still has six representatives in the last World number one Zhang Yining whitewashed Yan Chimei of San Marino and Niu Jianfeng eased past Hungarys Pota Georgina with an identical score
Tie Yana from Hong Kong China was awarded a walkover win after her Hungarian opponent Csilla Batorfi stormed out of the court over a controversial service call
Batorfi former European top player and currently ranked th in the world flew into a rage as the umpire called her opening serve illegal in the opening game
The Hungarian demanded to have the umpire replaced When chief umpire Sun Qilin turned down the request Batorfi packed up and left the court
In mens singles Chinas threetime World Cup winner Ma Lin and Wang Hao were both stretched to seven sets before reaching the last
Their fellow Chinese Wang Liqin Kong Linghui and Hao Shuai had a comfortable passage
Unable to cope with Czech Petr Korbels backhand loops Ma trailed and down in sets But the Chinese penhold attacker cheered on by the electrified home fans fought his way back afterwards and closed out the match
Wang Hao the Athens Olympic silver medalist outlasted Cheung Yuk from Hong Kong China
Ma and Wang played their normal games today said Liu Guoliang head coach of the Chinese mens team
Liu who was sent off the court on Monday for speaking during a match was again dismissed for a gesture which was believed to give Ma instructions
Maybe Im still too young as a coach said the former world champion I lack experience in courtside coaching
Spains He Zhiwen who ousted defending champion Werner Schlager on Tuesday continued his impressive run here by beating the defensive skills of Greek Panagiotis Gionis in seven sets
China is already assured of the mixed doubles gold after its allconquering pairs swept the semifinal slots
In mens doubles three Chinese pairs reached the last four Athens Olympic champions Chen QiMa Lin will take on German duo Timo BollChristian Suss in the semifinals And defending champions Wang LiqinYan Sen have to vie for a final berth with teammates Kong LinghuiWang Hao
Wang Nan still has a chance to match legendary Chinese Deng Yapings record of winning world and Olympic titles The yearold and Zhang Yining reached the doubles semifinals where they face Tie YanaZhang Rui of Hong Kong China The other semifinal is an allChinese affair with Guo YueNiu Jianfeng playing Bai Yang and Guo Yan Enditem
LIVERPOOL May Xinhua Thanks to a controversial goal from midfieder Luis Garcia Liverpool beat Chelsea to reach the Champions League final on Tuesday
The goal came in the third minute when Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard superbly deflected forward a square pass from John Arne Riise on the left and striker Milan Baros lobbed it over Chelseas advancing goalkeeper Petr Cech who brought down his Czech countryman inside the area
Garcia followed up to knock the ball goalwards and it took a slight deflection off Chelsea captain John Terry before William Gallas hooked it out from under the bar The goal was given though TV replay could not make clear whether it was in or not
The sole goal was enough to put Liverpool who played a nearperfect defensive game through with a aggregate semifinal win to their sixth European Cup final which will be held in Istanbul on May They are to meet the winner between AC Milan and PSV Eindhoven
Chelsea newlycrowned as Premier League champions on Saturday suffered the heartbreak of losing at the semifinal stage of the Champions League for the second year running after their aggregate defeat by Monaco last season
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho said The best team lost Noboby knows if it was a goal not even the linesman
Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez said We have qualified for the final which means we have done a good job When you have your supporters behind you you run a little bit more
The London side battled to the end though and Liverpool had to soak up almost continual Chelsea pressure throughout a second half onslaught that produced few clear chances because of the brilliance of Liverpools defending
The nearest Chelsea came was with almost the last kick of the game when Icelandic striker Eidur Gudjohnsen fired wide from a tight angle Enditem
WASHINGTON May Xinhua Chicago Bulls firstyear guard Ben Gordon has won the NBAs Sixth Man Award honoring the leagues top player in a reserve role the NBA announced from New York on Tuesday
Gordon who becomes the first rookie to win the award earned of a possible firstplace votes and points from a media panel
Ricky Davis of the Boston Celtics finished second in the voting with points and Earl Boykins of the Denver Nuggets came in third with
Gordon appeared in all regular season games averaging points rebounds and assists
A first round pick by Chicago in the NBA Draft third overall Gordon helped the Bulls return to the playoffs for the first time since Enditem
WASHINGTON May Xinhua Former pitcher Tom House and his several teammates used steroids during his career and said performanceenhancing drugs were widespread in major league baseball in the s and s according to the San Francisco Chronicle Tuesday
I pretty much popped everything cold turkey House perhaps best known for catching Hank Aarons th home run ball in in the Atlanta Braves bullpen told the Chronicle in a story published on Tuesday
We were doing steroids they wouldnt give to horses That was the s when nobody knew The good thing is we know now Theres a lot more research and understanding
The yearold House a former pitching coach with the Texas Rangers and cofounder of the National Pitching Association near San Diego is one of the first players to describe steroid use as far back as the s
He was drafted in by the Braves and pitched eight seasons for Atlanta Boston and Seattle finishing his career with a record and ERA
House estimated that six or seven pitchers per team were at least experimenting with steroids or human growth hormone He said players talked about losing to opponents using more effective drugs Enditem
WASHINGTON May Xinhua Baseball commissioner Bud Selig asked players to agree to a game suspension for firsttime steroid offenders and a lifetime ban for a third violation according to the AP
In a letter sent this week to union head Donald Fehr Selig proposed a game ban for a second offense He also asked the union to ban amphetamines to have more frequent random tests and to appoint an independent person to administer the major league drugtesting program
Under the rules that began this season a first offense gets a day suspension with the penalty increasing to days for a second positive test days for a third and one year for a fourth For a fifth positive the penalty is at the commissioners discretion
Baseball currently has no penalties for amphetamine use by players on man major league rosters Amphetamines are banned for players under minor league contracts Enditem
HAVANA May Xinhua The Cuban womens national basketball team will go to the PreWorld Tournament of the Americas on September in Dominican Republic in search for qualification for the Rio de Janeiro World Championship
It was informed Tuesday here that in addition to Brazil the other participants in the hemispheric contest are Guatemala Costa Rica in representation of Central America and the Caribbean and the United States and Canada for North America
The South American participants will come from the South American tournament of Cali Colombia due June July said Ruperto Herrera President of the Cuban Basketball Federation
He said the qualifying tickets contenders to the world championship will be only six teams as the United States team have already qualified as Olympic and world champions while the Brazilians are the hosts
The Cuban team prepare at the Cerro Pelado Superior School for the Formation of HighPerformance Athletes of this capital and on May will start here their international participation in Group B of the nd World League
Later the Cubans will have a preparation in Guatemala and in July they will participate in the tournament of the Four Nations in China along with the local team Russia and Australia
Coming August the Cubans are due to have three matches against Canada one of the rivals in the search for a ticket to the World ChampionshipEnditem
HAVANA May Xinhua Ukranian grand master GM Vassily Ivanchuk is due to arrive here Tuesday to participate in the Capablanca In Memoriam International Chess Tournament due May at Havanas TritonNeptuno complex
Ivanchuk and ranked sixth in the world standing with ELO points will be the main attraction of the elite group in which will also participate Cuban GM Lazaro Bruzon and his compatriot GM Leinier Dominguez the winner of the Capablanca tournament
The European has important victories in important contests such as the prestigous Linares in which he obtained two victories over former world champions like Russians Garry Kasparov and Anatoly Karpov
Also in Cuba for the mentioned competition is Georgian GM Baadur Jobava
The list of participants is completed by locals Neurys Delgado Jesus Nogueiras and Walter Arencibia
The Capablanca Tournament has a XV category and an ELO average above Enditem
LONDON May Xinhua Following is the final overview of the Champions League semifinal second leg match between Liverpool and Chelsea on Tuesday
Liverpool Scorers Luis Garcia
Chelsea
Halftime
Attendance
LiverpoolJerzy Dudek Steve Finnan Jamie Carragher Sami Hyypia Djimi Traore Luis Garcia Antonio Nunez Dietmar Hamann Harry Kewell Steven Gerrard c Igor Biscan John Arne Riise Milan Baros Djibril Cisse
ChelseaPetr Cech Geremi Robert Huth Ricardo Carvalho John Terry c William Gallas Tiago Mateja Kezman Claude Makelele Frank Lampard Joe Cole Arjen Robben Didier Drogba Eidur Gudjohnsen
Referee Lubos Michel Slovakia
Enditem
VIENNA May Xinhua Following are hte results and standings from
the ice hockey world championship preliminary round matches on Tuesday
Results
Canada bt Slovenia Group B
Czech Republic bt Germany Group D
Kazakhstan lost to Switzerland Group D
United States bt Latvia Group B
Standings
P W D L F A Pts
Group A
Russia
Slovakia
Belarus
Austria
Group B
Canada
United States
Latvia
Slovenia
Group C
Sweden
Finland
Ukraine
Denmark
Group D
Czech Republic
Kazakhstan
Switzerland
Germany
Enditem
RABAT May Xinhua Following are the results on second day from the dollars WTA Rabat Open here on Tuesday prefix number denotes seeding
First round
Li Na China bt Nicole Pratt Australia
Olga Savchuk Ukraine bt Tamarine Tanasugarn Thailand
Ludmila Cervanova SVQ bt Tathiana Garbin Italy
Zheng Jie China bt Catalina Castano Colombia
Claudine Schaul Luxemburg bt Maria Sanchez Lorenzo Spain
Emilie Loit France bt Sybille Bammer Austria
Michaela Pastikova Czech Republic bt Maria Elena Camerin Italy
Yan Zi China bt Shikha Uberoi United States
Vives Nuria Llagostera ESP x bt Bahia Mouhtassine MAR
Jelena Dokic SEM bt Lubomira Kurhajcova Slovakia
Maureen Drake Canada bt Adriana Serra Zanetti Italy
Barbora Strycova Czech Republic bt Sandra Mamic Croatia
Enditem
ROME May Xinhua Following are the results at the euro US million Italian Open ATP tournament here on Tuesday prefix number denotes seeding
Singles first round
Dominik Hrbaty Slovakia bt Ricardo Mello Brazil
Andy Roddick United States bt Greg Rusedski Britain
Fernando Verdasco Spain bt Nikolay Davydenko Russia
Andre Agassi United States bt Alessio Di Mauro Italy
Sebastien Grosjean France bt Kenneth Carlsen Denmark
Nicolas Almagro Spain bt Igor Andreev Russia
Albert Costa Spain bt Albert Montanes Spain
Victor Hanescu Romania bt Jurgen Melzer Austria
Tim Henman Britain bt Gustavo Kuerten Brazil
Richard Gasquet France bt Paradorn Srichaphan Thailand
Stanislas Wawrinka Switzerland bt Tomas Berdych Czech Republic
Juan Monaco Argentina bt Robin Soderling Sweden
David Ferrer Spain bt Cyril Saulnier France
Thomas Johansson Sweden bt Feliciano Lopez Spain
Andreas Seppi Italy bt Joachim Johansson Sweden
Davide Sanguinetti Italy bt Max Mirnyi Belarus Enditem
BUENOS AIRES May Xinhua The President of Argentine soccer club Boca Juniors Mauricio Macri considered Tuesday that in time it will be natural for Diego Maradona to become coach of the team
Without a doubt as the onetime worlds best player he could be the coach of any team he chooses as long as he is in peace and healthy said the Boca official in reference to Maradona
Macri added that Maradona has to lose some weight to leave the heartattackrisk zone
Bocas board offered Maradona to take on the General Direction of the clubs amateur soccer but according to Madri nothing has been said in this sense He took the plane to Cuba and then will go to Europe as he announced
Macri said that the Boca proposal is in line with what he Maradona had said that he did not want to be behind a desk that he wanted to be closer to the pitch
The Boca official said that as director of the clubs amateur soccer Maradona would be near the coaches all the time and would be supervising a large group of people
Nevertheless the director said hiring Maradona would be such a gambling It is true everything is fine For ten years he said no but now I find a different Diego he wants to work Macri said Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Former world champion Jorgen Persson was disappointed at losing his final match on the big stage
The winner departed the arena at a world table tennis championships for the last time in his career on Tuesday losing to German star Timo Boll
I dont feel so good said the Swedish veteran I dont feel nostalgic at all I think that might come in a few years time
There are never any easy points against Timo Boll I thought I had a chance if I could have won the fourth game but I lost it and I played badly in the fifth
Timo won the fifth and he was confident thats that
Persson will complete his program of matches in the Japanese Super League before leaving in the later summer to take up a coaching appointment in Qatar
Im sorry I finished his career said Boll
I remember as a young boy I went and asked Jorgen for his autograph smiled Boll Jorgen of course signed the autograph I still have the piece of paper on which he signed his name continued Boll Hes been a really great player one I admire greatly Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua World table tennis championship debutant Moon Hyun Jung whose giantkilling run here has brought down threetime world champion Wang Nan said she wanted to be a world champ herself
My dream is to be world champion said the yearold South Korean who won over Chinas world No a winner of world championships Olympic and World Cup titles in the third round on Tuesday
Moon is a penhold grip player who uses one side of the racket only reversed rubber fast footwork and a determination to succeed
Throughout the contest against Wang she sped around the court making every effort to execute her favored forehand topspin however she proved very effective when blocking on the backhand in the traditional penhold grip manner being especially successful in the fast exchanges Furthermore being a penhold grip player the superior grip over the table she was very adept when playing close to net being able to flick the ball quickly and thus kept her opponent under pressure
Wang experienced problems in the fast exchanges with both players winning points when they attacked wide the forehand however when Wang imparted heavy topspin on the ball she more than often won the point It was a case of fast attack versus controlled topspin and on the day the former style reigned victorious
I felt very nervous at the start said Moon However once the match started and I won a game I became more confident
Ive beaten some Chinese players before but never anyone like Wang Nan I wanted to win the last point and not finish the match with her making a mistake Enditem
KATHMANDU May Xinhua An American climber died on Mount Qomolangmas Nepali side while trying to scale the worlds highest peak with his brother officials said here Wednesday
Michael OBrien of Washington slipped and fell into a crevasse as he and his brother Chris were returning to their base camp on Sunday Rajendra Dev Pandey officer of the Trekking and Mountaineering section of the Ministry of Culture Tourism and Civil Aviation told Xinhua
The OBriens were attempting to be the first American brothers to summit Mt Qomolangma together Pandey noted
OBrien is the second casualty on meterhigh foot high Qomolangma this year
Last week Canadian climber Sean Egan died on the mountain after an apparent heart attack
Since New Zealander Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay Sherpa first conquered Qomolangma on May more than climbers have scaled the mountain
About people have died so far while trying to scale the highest peak Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Following are the mixed doubles results from the world table tennis championships here on Wednesday
Semifinals
Liu GuozhengBai Yang China bt Qiu YikeCao Zhen China
Wang LiqinGuo Yue China bt Yan SenGuo Yan China
Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Chinas Wang LiqinGuo Yue defeated teammates Yan SenGuo Yan on Wednesday to reach the mixed doubles final at the th world table tennis championships
WangGuo will vie for the title with another Chinese pair Liu GuozhengBai Yang who advanced with a victory over Qiu YikeCao Zhen in the other semifinal
The final will take place on Wednesdays evening
China has never lost the mixed doubles event since
Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinha Following are the womens singles fourth round results at the world table tennis championships on Wednesday
Zhang Yining China bt Kim Hyang Mi DPR Korea
Tie Yana Hong Kong bt Viktoria Pavlovich Belarus
Gao Jun United States bt Cao Zhen
Lin Ling Hong Kong China bt Tamara Boros Croatia
Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Former world doubles champion Gao
Jun revived her table tennis career as the yearold veteran
outlasted Chinese youngster Cao Zhen to reach the womens
singles quarterfinals Wednesday at the world championships
Gao a former Chinese national player who now represents the
United States won the Dual of Generations
Playing in penhold style Gao combined her consistant blocks and
placement shots to hold her yearold opponent at bay
Gao the womens doubles winner at the world championships
had earlier knocked out fourthseeded Li Jia Wei of Singapore on
Tuesday
Gao next faces Lin Ling of Hong Kong China in the quarterfinals
Lin stunned world number four Tamara Baros of Croatia to reach
the last eight Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Following are the mens doubles semifinal results at the world table tennis championships here on Wednesday
Timo BollChrstian Suss Germany bt Chen QiMa Lin China
Kong LinghuiWang Hao China bt Wang LiqinYan Sen China
Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Germanys Timo BollChristian Suss shocked Olympic champions Ma LinChen Qi of China Wednesday to reach the mens doubles final at the th world table tennis championships
The German duo will vie for the gold medal with another Chinese pair Kong LinghuiWang Hao a winner over twotime world titlists Wang LiqinYan Sen in the other semifinal
We played to our limit and it was a perfect game said Boll who hugged Suss to celebrate their stunning victory
Hopefully I will play better tonight said the former world No Boll referring to his fourth round game against Chinese Liu Guozheng
After narrowly losing the first set MaChen easily drew level by taking the second
Just as the home crowd thought the duo would carry on the momentum to score a fightback victory Boll and Suss came back strongly and went ahead in sets
Unable to cope with Susss lethal forehand attacks Ma Lin was hesitant on many occasions and missed several easy kills in the fourth set After saving two set points the yearold penholder sent a forehand long to let his opponents close out at
MaChen raced to a and lead in the fifth set but were then caught up at The heavily favored Chinese were on the defensive for the rest of the set as Boll and Suss reeled off three points in a row at to seal the victory Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Liu GuozhengBai Yang and Wang LiqinGuo Yue will vie for the mixed doubles gold in the world championships after their wins over fellow Chinese in Wednesdays semifinals
LiuBai runnerups at Paris worlds in and seeded first since the reigning champion Ma LinWang Nan didnt team up this time outfoxed youngsters Qiu YikeCao Zhen for a victory
We have stronger desire and more experience though they are in top form after eliminating Wang NanWang Hao in the quarterfinals Liu said
Maybe they are so anxious that they made many unforced mistakes added Bai
LiuBai will meet Wang LiqinGuo Yue winners over Chinese Yan SenGuo Yan in the final to be held later on Wednesday
WangGuo who have just paired for the worlds are tipped as the most dangerous duo with fierce attacks
Wang is tall and righthanded while Guo is a diminutive left hander It will be a hard fight in the final that I dont want think of the results said Bai who shed tears following her loss two years ago
This time I dont want to cry because the gold belongs to China I will try my best and leave no regrets Bai said Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinha Following are the womens singles fourth round results at the world table tennis championships on Wednesday
Zhang Yining China bt Kim Hyang Mi DPR Korea
Viktoria Pavlovich Belarus bt Tie Yana Hong Kong China
Gao Jun United States bt Cao Zhen
Lin Ling Hong Kong China bt Tamara Boros Croatia
Niu Jianfeng China bt Krisztina Toth
Guo Yue China bt Fan Ying China
Guo Yan China bt Song Ah Sim Hong Kong China
Li Jiao Netherlands bt Moon Hyun Jung South Korea
Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua German duo Timo Boll and Christian Suss nailed down Chinese top pair Ma Lin and Chen Qi as they beat the Athens Olympic mens doubles gold medallists at the world championships semifinals on Wednesday
The topseeded duo expected to join Chinese teammates in the mens doubles final lost to Boll and Suss the pair tagged as the best in Europe
Kong Linghui and Wang Hao who suffered a first round exit in last Augusts Olympic Games in Athens outlasted compatriots Wang Liqin and Yan Sen to set up final on Thursday night against the German pair
Ma and Chen struggled from the very beginning as they lost the first set by
The Chinese pair won the second set in style and seemed to be ready to set up an allChinese final
They tied at in the third set before the Germans broke away with five straight points to retain the driving seat
The fourth set was decisive when MaChen twice squandered a point lead
After exchanging leads after the Germans overcame the nerve and held the fate of the semifinals
For me the most important thing is to play the ball to my limit said Boll the one expected to break the dominance by Chinese We played against the best doubles weve ever played and put extra pressure on them
It was a close game Everything was fine today mentally physically and technically We were moving very well andeverything was perfect today
We lost some crucial points on the first and the fourth sets Those were main reasons for the loss said Ma Lin Boll and Suss are very good pair We did not underestimate them They just came out and play a good game Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Gao Jun of the United States smiled while Chinese young star Cao Zhen left the court crying badly
In the womens singles fourth round the yearold Gao showed her elegance and patience to dipatch Cao earning a quarterfinal ticket at the world table tennis championships here on Wednesday
I didnt expect to beat Cao because she is young fast and unknown to me Any young Chinese player is tough said the former Chinese national team member
Gao admitted she dropped guard after lead when Cao came back to tie it
I thought she would lose determination when I lead but I was wrong She changed tactics while I lost my focus in the following two games Gao said
In the seventh game I noticed that Cao became impatient and made more errors while I was still relaxed Ive experienced many big events but Cao has none Thats the difference said Gao who won the doubles world champion in Chiba Japan in
Gao believed great pressure destroyed the yearold Cao who has only competed in three ITTF Opens since
She didnt show her real strength as she was under pressure from home audience coaches and teammates She should be a better player than me as Im old and slow Gao smiled
Though Gao entered the last eight in Paris she refused to predict her fortune in Shanghai
Its enough that Im in the quarterfinals again I keep the same level as two years ago I just want to enjoy the competition and I have no target at all
Gao will next play Lin Ling of Hong Kong who ousted Tamara Boros of Croatia
Ive never beaten Lin before I guess this time I will be the loser again She will be my terminator Gao laughed Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Former world champion Kong Linghui was knocked out of the mens singles competition at the world table tennis championships on Wednesday after losing in straight sets to fellow Chinese Chen Qi
Chen shrugging off his defeat in mens doubles semifinals held Kong at bay throughout with relentless loops and earned a quarterfinal berth with a victory
Earlier Chen and partner Ma Lin was eliminated from mens doubles semifinals by German duo Timo Boll and Christian Suss
The yearold Kong is the third Grand Slam winner of Olympic world championships and World Cup singles titles after JanOve Waldner and Liu Guoliang Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua World number one Wang Liqin snatched a win over Li Ching of Hong Kong China to enter the quarterfinals of the mens singles competition in the world table tennis championships here on Wednesday
Wang will face teammate Chen Qi who beat Chinese Kong Linghui after defeating Li
Leading by Wang almost had the game on hand as Li who is ranked th in the world had no strategy or techniques to compete against the Chinese top player
Two critical winning points on the third and fourth sets turned the tables as the Hong Kong player put up confidence to make the game an even matchup
Wang never found his game as he did in the starting two sets only hanging on due to his overwhelming and home stand support from his native Shanghai audiences
After a timeout at Wang picked up some strength to paste his way into the last eight which was good enough for him to kill off the game with a lucky net ball Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua With the support from a fullhouse audience Li Jiao nobody from the Netherlands ended carpetride of South Korean giant killer Moon Hyun Jung in the womens fourth round at the world table tennis championships here on Wednesday
Moon a penhold topspin player ranked nd in the world stunned world number two and defending champion Wang Nan on Tuesday
Li became killer herself by bringing down the yearold South Korean
Im also a penhold grip player so I know clearly our weakness is backhand I kept attacks on her backhands and I got the victory said Li who was born and raised in Qingdao Shandong province before she went to the Netherlands in
Starting from last year Li competed for her adopted country and tied for a third place finish together with Tamara Boros of Croatia in this years Europe championships where Austrias Liu Jia and Romanias Mihaela Steff Merutiu won the gold and silver
I felt fantastic that all the fans were screaming my name when I played with Moon Ive never expected to enter the quarterfinals I just wished I could play more and stay longer in my first worlds
I should say I was lucky that I didnt meet any Chinese players so far But in the last eight I will face Guo Yan I dont think I can be lucky any more Li said
The womens quarterfinals will be held later on Wednesday as Athens Olympic champion Zhang Yining plays Viktoria Pavlovich of Belarus Gao Jun of the United States meets Lin Ling of Hong Kong China and Niu Jianfeng clashes with teammate Guo Yue Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Following are the mens singles fourth round results at the world table tennis championships here on Wednesday
Wang Liqin China bt Li Ching Hong Kong China
Chen Qi China bt Kong Linghui China
Peter Karlsson Sweden bt He Zhiwen Spain
Oh Sang Eun South Korea bt Vladimir Samsonov Belarus Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Chinese Hong Kong paddler Li Ching blamed the punishing match schedule of the th world championships after being knocked out of the tournament here on Wednesday
Li lost to world number one Wang Liqin in the fourth round of mens singles event Li and partner Ko Lai Chak the Athens Olympic doubles silver medalists had earlier been eliminated from the mens doubles competition
The match schedule is so tight that I dont have enough time to rest said Li after his narrow defeat by Wang
One day I played five matches including singles and doubles but had only two or three games at the last world championships in Paris
Li a former Chinese national team player in the early s was even more blunt by saying the schedule was set to the advantage of Chinese players
The home players are the only beneficiaries added the yearold refering to Chinas advantage in the number of participants
But Wang dismissed Lis remarks as groundless
If you enter more than one event you need to be physically fit he said I also had to play about five matches each day but I think its okay The match schedule is fair to all added the Shanghai native
Wang entered mens singles mens doubles and mixed doubles events Enditem
CAIRO May Xinhua World soccers governing body FIFA has rejected the decision of Egypts government to alter the statutes of the Egyptian Football Association EFA the British Broadcasting Cooperation reported Wednesday
The government unilaterally increased the size of the EFAs congress from to members and changed several rules for the forthcoming elections
The action of the government has been ruled to be in contravention of FIFA regulations which state that FA congresses are the supreme law making bodies for national associations
FIFA warned that the forthcoming EFA poll will be invalid if the government refused to respect the EFAs approved laws
FIFA will not be in a position to recognize the results of the elections currently scheduled for June if those elections are not strictly based on the EFA statutes FIFA said in their letter of May to the EFA
Sanctions including a ban from all international competitions could be imposed on Egypt if they fail to comply with FIFAs orders Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua South Korean Oh Sang Eun overcame fourthseeded Vladimir Samsonov of Belarus on Wednesday to reach the mens singles quarterfinals at the world table tennis championships
Oh who had lost all three previous meetings with Samsonov took a sweet revenge on the reigning European champion with a victory
Im quite happy with the result said Oh
I hope I could set a good example for South Koreas young players added the yearold South Korean
Oh was the only South Korean player left in the quarterfinal after Athens Olympic champion Ryu Seungmin Lee Jin Kwon and Choi Hyun Jin all had crashed out in earlier rounds
Fully aware of Samsonovs slow footwork Oh played smart with placement shots and powerful loops while the reigning European champion was inconsistent and lacked aggressiveness in attacks
I made a lot of preparations last night for the match and they paid off today said Oh
Oh next faces Swedens Peter Karlsson who outlasted Spains He Zhiwen in a sevenset marathon Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Despite uncomfortable feeling against longtime doubles partner Guo Yue blitzed over Niu Jianfeng to reach the womens singles semifinals at the world table tennis championships here on Wednesday
Guo world No overcame the early setback to knock out the thirdranked Niu
I felt strange to play Niu because she is my doubles partner We are so familiar with each other and have been teamed up for more than two years since the Paris worlds We also competed in the Athens Olympic Games said the yearold Guo
Thats why I lost in the first set I began more focused on my game
Guo fifth place finisher in the Paris worlds is closer to her dream to win a medal in Shanghai
I just got closer to my goal Its hard to say whether I can go further or not My next rival is my another teammate Guo Yan I need to show percent of my form against her Guo said
Guo Yan romped over Li Jiao of the Netherlands one hour after Li outclassed Moon Hyun Jung of South Korea
Li bronze medalist in the European championships in April admitted she was exhausted after her fight over Moon
I had never imagined that I could reach the quarterfinals in my first worlds Im satisfied though I was out of the last four said Li a native from Qingdao Shandong province before she went to the Netherlands in
Olympic champion Zhang Yining showed a class over Viktoria Pavlovich of Belarus beating the defensive player and booking a semifinal seat against Lin Ling of Hong Kong China who clinched a win over American veteran Gao Jun
Gao earlier had a hard battle to eliminate Chinese Cao Zhen
The womens singles semifinals will take place in Thursday morning and final on Friday Enditem
BERLIN May Xinhua Following are the results from the Berlin Open womens singles matches on Wednesday
Round
Meghann Shaughnessy United States bt Dally Randriantefy Madagascar
Svetlana Kuznetsova Russia bt Magdalena Maleeva Bulgaria
Conchita Martinez Spain bt Gisela Dulko Argentina
Round
Justine HeninHardenne Belgium bt Iveta Benesova Czech Republic Enditem
WASHINGTON May Xinhua Following are the results of Tuesdays National Basketball Association conference quarterfinal playoff games home team in CAPS
Eastern Conference
Indiana BOSTON
Indiana leads bestofseven series
DETROIT Philadelphia
Detroit wins bestofseven series
Western Conference
SEATTLE Sacramento
Seattle wins bestofseven series
Wednesday May schedule
Eastern Conference
Washington at CHICAGO
Bestofseven series tied at
Western Conference
Denver at SAN ANTOINO
San Antonio leads bestofseven series Enditem
BRASILIA May Xinhua Following are the results and standings from the Libertadores Cup Group matches on Tuesday
Wednesday May
Atletico Junior Columbia Nacional Uruguay
River Plate Argentina Olmedo Ecuador
Standings tabualted under games played won drawn lost goals for against points
Group
River Plate
Atletico Junior
Olmedo
Nacional Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Denmarks Michael Maze caused a major upset at the world table tennis championships on Wednesday when he overwhelmed Athens Olympics silver medalist Wang Hao in the mens singles fourth round
The thseeded Maze took less than forty minutes to subdue Wang and earn a berth in the last eight
Mazes relentless forehand topspins kept the pressure on Wang whose closetothetable style had little effect on the Dane
Wang who committed too many errors in long rallies saved three matches points but wilted on the fourth Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Denmarks Michael Maze caused a major upset at the world table tennis championships on Wednesday when he overpowered Athens Olympics silver medalist Wang Hao in the mens singles fourth round
The thseeded Maze took less than minutes to subdue the thirdranked Chinese and earn a berth in the last eight
To beat a Chinese in the world championships in Shanghai is like a dream said Maze
Mazes relentless forehand topspins kept the pressure on Wang whose closetothetable style had little effect on the Dane
Wang who committed too many errors in long rallies saved three matches points but wilted on the fourth
I was so anxious that I missed a lot of easy kills I didnt expect the result lamented Wang who lost his unbeaten record against Ryu Seung Min in the Olympic singles final Enditem
ROME May Xinhua Following are the results from the Italian Masters mens singles round matches on Wednesday
Andy Roddick United States bt Albert Costa Spain
Fernando Verdasco Spain bt Stanislas Wawrinka Switzerland
Dominik Hrbaty Slovakia bt Julien Benneteau France
Guillermo Coria Argentina bt Nicolas Kiefer Germany
David Ferrer Spain bt Thomas Johansson Sweden Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Third seed Wang Hao came out the first Chinese beat by a European in the Shanghai world table tennis champinoshihps losing in four straight sets to Michael Maze of Denmark here on Wednesday
The yearold Olympic silver medalist failed to find his game and squandered good chances with unforced errors in the first two sets which finished
Trailing in the third set Wang served to tie the points on before Maze broke Wang at and held on to run out the set
Hes an unbelievable person in Chinese team he has won almost everything I think he is a little bit nervous and a little bit surprised and have so many mistakes When he made some mistake I continued to hold the game I think this is the most important day Maze said
Wang wasted a chance to come back in the decisive set holding three set points in and saved five match points before succumbed to the thranked Maze
This might be my best game ever I played well from the very beginning said Maze
I always believe that when I enter the tournament Im able to win Otherwise Ill just stay in home and sleep
But Ive thought it might be more difficult to beat one Chinese in China Its always difficult and it makes even more nice to win
Wang Hao said he had been too eager to win and kept thinking of beating up Maze on a stroke which made it more difficult for Wang to hold his nerve
Maze performed better than me today said Wang Hao I wasted some really good opportunities on crucial points and this happened in every set
My coach and I have foreseen that there should be a close game against Maze but we cant believe that I have been beaten in four straight sets
Ill just let it go since the game has been over and put all my force on the double final added Wang who reached the mens doubles final of the Shanghai worlds pairing with Kong Linghui Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Following are the mens singles fourth round results at the world table tennis championships here on Wednesday
Wang Liqin China bt Li Ching Hong Kong China
Chen Qi China bt Kong Linghui China
Peter Karlsson Sweden bt He Zhiwen Spain
Oh Sang Eun South Korea bt Vladimir Samsonov Belarus
Michael Maze Denmark bt Wang Hao China
Hao Shuai China bt Kalinikos Kreanga Greece
Liu Guozheng China bt Timo Boll Germany
Ma Lin China bt Lucjan Blaszczyk Poland Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Following are Thursdays mens and womens singles fixtures at the world table tennis championships
Womens semifinals
Zhang Yining China vs Lin Ling Hong Kong China
Guo Yue China vs Guo Yan China
Mens quarterfinals
Wang Liqin China vs Chen Qi China
Peter Karlsson Sweden vs Oh Sang Eun South Korea
Michael Maze Denmark vs Hao Shuai China
Liu Guozheng China vs Ma Lin China Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Third seed Wang Hao came out the first Chinese sent packing by a European in the world table tennis championships losing in four straight sets to Michael Maze from Denmark on Wednesday
The yearold Olympic silver medalist failed to find his touch and squandered good chances in the first two sets which finished
After trailing in the third set Wang served to tie before Maze broke Wangs serve at and held on to run out the set
Wang was a little bit nervous and I was surprised that he had made so many mistakes said Maze When he made some mistakes I continued to hold the game I think this is the most important today
Wang saved five match points before succumbing to the thranked Maze
This might be my best game ever I played well from the very beginning said Maze I always believe that when I enter the tournament Im able to win Otherwise Ill just stay in home and sleep
But I thought it might be more difficult to beat a Chinese in China Its always difficult and it makes even more nice to win
Wang Hao said he was eager and kept thinking of putting away the shot Maze played better today Wang Hao said philosophically I wasted some really good opportunities on crucial points and this happened in every set
My coach and I had been ready for a close game against Maze but I didnt expect a result
Ill just let it go since the game was over and put all my energy on the doubles final added Wang who reached the mens doubles final pairing with Kong Linghui Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Chinese Liu Guozheng showed strong nerves again in his sevenset win over former world No Timo Boll at the world table tennis championships here on Wednesday
Liu who saved seven match points from Kim Taek Soo in Chinas world championship team final win over South Korea in overcame the more fancied German
The stout Chinese will take on world No Ma Lin in Thursdays quarterfinals
Ma Lin advanced at the cost of Polands Lucjan Blaszczyk who looked different from a fighter in his previous games and lost in straight sets
Chinese youngster Hao Shuai a winner over Greek Kalinikos Kreanga will play against Dane Michael Maze who shut out world No and Olympic silver medalist Wang Hao of China in four sets
Chinas world No Wang Liqin will fight for a semifinal spot with teammate Chen Qi and Swedish veteran Peter Karlsson will face South Korean Oh Sang Eun Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Chinese Liu Guozheng upset fifth seed Timo Boll to earn a quarterfinal berth in the mens singles event at the Shanghai world table tennis championships on Wednesday
The former world number one German was extended to full strength by the thranked Chinese squandering a lead to lose
Earlier the night third seed Wang Hao came out the first Chinese sent packing by a European here losing in four straight sets to Michael Maze from Denmark as five Chinese made it to the quarters
No Wang Liqin set up a last eight clash against compatriot Chen Qi after the yearold Chen blew off the Grand Slam winner Kong Linghui with an instyle victory
Oh Sang Eun became the only South Korean after outlasting newlycrowned European champion Vladimir Samsonov of Belarus in a marathon game
The South Korean veteran is to meet Swedens Peter Karlsson who handed a defeat to the Chineseborn Spaniard He Zhiwen whose giantkilling run brought down defending champion Werner Schlager in the second round
Wang Hao Olympic silver medalist in Athens failed to find his touch when facing Maze wasting good chances in the first two sets and lost
After trailing in the third set Wang served to even before Maze broke Wangs serve at and held on to run out the set
Wang saved five match points before succumbed to the ranked Maze
This might be my best game ever said Maze But I thought it might be more difficult to beat one Chinese in China Its always difficult and it makes even nicer to win
The Dane will meet Chinese debutant Hao Shuai in the quarterfinals Hao seeded th rallied to beat Greek Kalinikos Kreanga
Liu Guozheng next faces teammate and threetime World Cup winner Ma Lin who outclassed Lucjan Blaszczyk from Poland in four sets
In the mens doubles semifinals Olympic gold medallists Ma Lin and Chen Qi were nailed down by German combination of Timo Boll and Christian Suss while Kong Linghui and Wang Hao overcame defending champions Wang Liqin and Yan Sen in an allChinese clash Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Wang LiqinGuo Yue beat Liu GuozhengBai Yang in an allChinese mixed doubles final at the world table tennis championships here on Wednesday
The scores were Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Wang LiqinGuo Yue beat Liu GuozhengBai Yang in an allChinese mixed doubles final at the world table tennis championships here on Wednesday
The scores were
Yan SenGuo Yan and Qiu YikeCao Zhen tied for third Enditem
CEO
CEO
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Asian table tennis players underlined their dominance over European counterparts in the sport as they are going to turn the world championships into a regional tournament
China scooped its first trophy at this world championships when Wang LiqinGuo Yue defeated teammates Liu GuozhengBai Yang in the final of the mixed doubles
This victory rounds out my perfect grand slam winning said Wang who had had mens singles and doubles to his credit
It is the th time that Chinese players lift the Heydusek Cup and China has kept the trophy since the world championships
South Koreas Oh Sang Eun scored the first point for the Asians when he stunned reigning European champion Vladimir Samsonov to reach the quarterfinals of the mens singles
Oh who had lost all three previous meetings with Samsonov was the only South Korean player remaining in tournament after Athens Olympic champion Ryu Seung Min Lee Jin Kwon and Choi Hyun Jin all had crashed out in earlier rounds
Im quite happy with the result said Oh
I hope I could set a good example for South Koreas young players added the yearold South Korean
Chinese youngster Hao Shuai playing his first world championships saw off Greek backhand expert Kalinikos Kreanga and Ma Lin made short work of Polish veteran Lucjan Blaszczyk and won in straight sets in less than half an hour
Liu Guozheng who made a fame for good nerves saved three match points before outlasting Timo Boll in the most seesaw match
He Liu is really a mentally strong player said Boll
Denmarks Michael Maze caused a major upset of the day when he overwhelmed Athens Olympics silver medalist Wang Hao
Mazes relentless forehand topspins kept the pressure on Wang whose closetothetable style had little effect on the Dane
Swedish veteran Peter Karlsson was the other European left in the mens singles event The yearold went through at the cost of Spains He Zhiwen
Wang who committed too many errors in long rallies saved three matches points but wilted on the fourth
World number one Wang Liqin who has vowed to win the mens singles title before home crowds had to battle seven sets before edging Hong Kongs Li Ching
I was a little bit hesitant in the third and sixth set but fortunately I survived the game said Wang
I will try to avoid such problems in future games and not to let the home fans down added the Shanghai native
With Wang Liqin next facing Chen Qi and Liu Guozheng playing Ma Lin China is virtually assured of at least two berths in the semifinals
In womens singles Chinese trio Zhang Yining Guo Yue and Guo Yan forged into the semifinals with Lin Ling of Hong Kong China snatching the other slot in the last four
Zhang showed consistent form nailing two straight victories over Kim Hyang Mi of DPR Korea and Viktoria Pavlovich of Belarus The world number one will take on Lin on Thursday while the two Guos square off against each other
In the mens doubles Boll and partern Christian Suss stunned Olympic champions Ma LinChen Qi of China to set up a final showdown against another Chinese pair Kong LinghuiWang Hao
We played to our limit and it was a perfect game said Boll who hugged Suss to celebrate their impressive victory
KongWang who suffered firstround elimination at last years Athens Olympics vindicated their ability by defeating twotime world champions Wang LiqinYan Sen in the other semifinal Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua In an allChinese matter Wang LiqinGuo Yue snatched the first gold by beating Liu GuozhengBai Yang in the mixed doubles final at the th world table tennis championships here on Wednesday
Wang the mens top singles player and Guo No in the womens world rankings performed fluent teamwork against the errorprone LiuBai winning in
It was difficult to play with teammates Though we just paired up for a month and havent been toned perfectly we believe in ourselves and trust each other Wang said
It was the turning point to take the fifth set because we became more confident
We took the advantage that Bai was too anxious to win while Liu was exhausted after his fight with Timo Boll in the mens singles fourth round Wang said
It was the second time that LiuBai collected a silver at the worlds after they placed runnerups in Paris in bowing out to teammates Ma LinWang Nan
Liu should not be sorry as he just came from a trilling sevenset win over Timo Boll of Germany minutes before the mixed doubles final
Wang admitted that Liu was a hero who swept away a strong rival for the Chinese team
It was great that Liu had two big battles with only minutes in between I feel proud of him Wang said
After WangGuos victory the yearold Guo was not excited as in the Athens Olympic Games where she and Niu Jianfeng had a bronze in the womens doubles
Im not as happy as when I placed third in Athens I didnt play my best in the mixed doubles for lack of practice Guo said
I will leave the trophy behind me and focus on my singles and doubles events Guo said Enditem
LAGOS May Xinhua The head of the Ghana Football Association GFA resigned Wednesday angrily shortly after a court ruled that the association can go ahead with impeachment proceedings against him
The high court ruling makes my position untenable and I believe I must resign said Nyaho NyahoTamakloe in a letter to the sport ministry according to reports reaching here
NyahoTamakloe has been at loggerheads with the GFAs man executive council since he became GFA chairman in April
And after the council publicly declared that it had no confidence in him to function as the associations chairman NyahoTamakloe took the matter to a high court in the capital Accra
But the high court ruled that for daring to make reforms of the football association the executive council can go ahead with impeachment proceedings against me said angry NyahoTamakloe
It was absurd that the GFAs statutes give control of football matters to the executive council while the management board is put in charge of administration he continued
The GFA has an unwieldy body of members superintending the daytoday activities of a fivemember board which makes neither common nor business sense he charged
World football governing body FIFA has said the GFA structure is extremely complex with the superposition of three bodies the congress the executive council and the management board
The structure creates instability and therefore should be streamlined and simplified FIFA stressed Enditem
WASHINGTON May Xinhua Charlotte Bobcats forward Emeka Okafor has been named NBA Rookie of the Year narrowly beating Ben Gordon of the Chicago Bulls according to the NBA reporting on Wednesday
Okafor received a total of points which included out of a possible firstplace votes Gordon finished with points and firstplace votes while Dwight Howard the No overall pick in last years draft was a distant third and received total votes
Gordon who became the first rookie to ever win the Sixth Man of the Year Award when he was named top reserve on Tuesday averaged points and boards per outing this season He was the third overall pick in the draft
Okafor and Gordon who helped lead the Bulls to the playoffs for the first time since Michael Jordan guided the club to the NBA title in played together at the University of Connecticut and helped lead the Huskies to the national championship
Okafor who was the second overall pick in last years NBA Draft had a terrific season for the expansion Bobcats He averaged points and rebounds per game while also ranking second among all firstyear players in blocks by posting per contest
The Okafor was a threetime winner of the Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month Award November December April and also had a string of consecutive doubledoubles from November to January which was the longest such streak by any NBA player in Okafors string is the longest by a rookie since time NBA AllStar Elvin Hayes registered straight doubledoubles during the campaign
On the season Okafor had doubledoubles and guided Charlotte to wins in its first campaign
Okafor became just the third player to win the award from an expansion team and the first since Damon Stoudamire Toronto accomplished the feat following the season Enditem
SINGAPORE May Xinhua Defending champions Tampines Rovers downed Woodlands Wellington in a Singapore League match at Woodlands Stadium on Wednesday night
Mustafic Fahrudin and Sead Muratovic scored one goal each for Tampines Rovers in the first half and Mirko Grabovac won the third goal for the defending champions
Following Wednesdays victory Tampines Rovers lead the table with points points ahead of Singapore Armed Forces in second place and Woodlands Wellington is third with points Enditem
PARIS May Xinhua Following are the results of the European Champions League semifinals played on Tuesday and Wednesday
Wednesday
At Eindhoven The Netherlands
PSV Eindhoven Netherlands Park Cocu
AC Milan Italy Ambrosini
on aggregate AC Milan win on away goals rule
Tuesday
At Liverpool England
Liverpool England Luis Garcia
Chelsea
Liverpool win on aggregate
Final
May
Istanbul
Enditem
EINDHOVEN Netherlands May Xinhua AC Milan was beaten Wednesday by PSV Eindhoven but still advanced into its th European Cup final thanks to more away goals
AC Milan won the first leg and needed an injurytime header from Massimo Ambrosini to advance to its th final on May against Liverpool in Istanbul Turkey
It was a happy end for us but we were unable to take control of play Milan defender Alessandro Nesta said Only in the last minute we realized it was possible to attack and score
PSV Eindhoven dominated most of the match and needing at least two goals to send the series to extra time the Dutch champions attacked the goal relentlessly
Park Jisung gave PSV hope with a goal in the ninth minute and Phillip Cocu made it in the th with a header but Ambrosinis first Champions League goal sent Milan through to the final Enditem
OTTAWA May Xinhua The Canadian Soccer Association revealed Wednesday the four cities that will join Toronto and Edmonton as hosts of the FIFA World Youth Championship
Montreal Ottawa Vancouver and Victoria will stage games at the under championship a soccer tournament second in size and scope only to the World Cup
The announcement was made at a Toronto news conference held by FIFA vicepresident Jack Warner and the president of Canadian Soccer Association CSA Andy Sharpe
We are extremely pleased with the quality of the submissions received and I would also like to thank all groups who expressed interest in working with the CSA in hosting the championship said Sharpe
Other cities in the running for the four host spots included London in Canadas Ontario Province Quebec City Sherbrooke and Laval in Quebec Province
Toronto and Edmonton were announced as two of the six host cities when FIFA soccers world governing body first awarded the tournament to Canada last August
The opening game of the team match tournament kicks off in Toronto on July with the championship game slated for July The CSA said the final will be staged either in Toronto or Edmonton Enditem
RABAT Morocco May Xinhua Following are the results from the Rabat Open Womens Singles second round matches on Wednesday prefix number denotes seeding
Lourdes Dominguez Lino Spain bt Michaela Pastikova Czech Republic
Nuria Llagostera Vives Spain bt Anne Kremer Luxembourg
Antonella Serra Zanetti Italy bt Olga Savchuk Ukraine
Tathiana Garbin Italy bt Barbora Strycova Czech Republic Enditem
HAVANA May Xinhua Cuba announced Wednesday the team with which it will debut against Bulgaria in the th World Volleyball League which starts on May at the tourist city of Varna
Cuba along with Argentina Venezuela and Brazil the reigning champion are part of the Latin American representation in the world tournament
Coach Roberto Garcia said the main lineup will be Pavel Pimienta captain Yasser Portuondo Osmany Juantorena Henry Bell and Odelvis Dominico
The team is completed by Javier Gonzalez Raydel Poey and Raidel Corrales plus Dariel Garcia Sirianis Mendez Yoandry Diaz and Roberlandi Simon
Garcia said the preparation in Russia was quite successful adding that on Monday Cuba will travel to Argentina for a series of four matches and then to Greece to complete their preparation prior to arriving in Varna for the World League
Cuba will play two matches in Italy on June and and in France on June and then play return series in Cuba against Bulgaria Italy and France Enditem
BUENOS AIRES May Xinhua The profitable sale of Argentine soccer players abroad was put Wednesday to a rigorous fiscal control to prevent tax evasion and money laundering
The high income for the sale of players now will have to be liquidated here and not in fiscal havens as has been the case until now said the Central Bank of Argentina
The new control is mainly aimed at soccer teams which last decade sold players for million dollars but also considers the liquidation in Argentina of patents copyrights licencing concessions leasings and transfer contracts said the institution
The disposition of the Central Bank commenced while Brazil investigates possible money laundering in the sale of Argentine striker Carlos Tevez to Brazilian club Corinthians for over million dollars through an MSI investment fund
This operation has been considered by analysts as the most expensive in the history of Brazil for a foreign player
The position of the International Soccer Federation FIFA with respect to this decision in Argentina has not been disclosed yet Enditem
HAVANA May Xinhua Grand masters GM Lazaro Bruzon of Cuba and Jan Timman of the Netherlands will hold a game on June at the island of Curazao said Wednesday the Cuban Chess Commission
The series will start with four fast minute games two per day and other conventional ones said international referee Serafin Chuit who will be in charge of the game
Bruzon and an ELO is ranked th in the International Chess Federation FIDE thus becoming the worlds best Cuban in history He recently won again the national championship
On the other hand Timman has an ELO and his career has been marked by important triumphs in tournaments such as the Wijk ann Zee in and the Linares in and the Amsterdam on five occasions
The confirmation of the BruzonTimman game coincides with the presence in Cuba of Ukranian GM Vassily Ivanchuk the worlds number six with ELO points who will participate here from Thursday in the International Capablanca Tournament Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua World topranked Zhang Yining guaranteed at least a finish by Chinese in the womens singles competition of the world table tennis championships on Thursday
Zhang dual Olympic champion gave a beating to Lin Ling from Hong Kong China in the semifinals closer to her first world singles crown
Shaking off a lackluster start the pencilslim woman from Beijing played a consistent attacking game to nail a victory
Guo Yue and Guo Yan will clash in an allChinese semifinal
Guo Yue from northeast Chinas Liaoning province clinched the mixed doubles gold with world topranked male Wang Liqin from Shanghai
China is set to nab the womens doubles title as three semifinalists are from the Chinese national team and the other from Hong Kong
Wide open are the mens singles and doubles German pair Timo Boll and Christian Suss take on Chinese Wang Hao and Kong Linghui in the doubles final and at least one nonChinese will make it to the singles semifinals Enditem
WASHINGTON May Xinhua Memphis Grizzlies Jason Williams was fined US dollars Wednesday for his behavior following Sundays loss to the Phoenix Suns according to reports from New York
After the Grizzlies were swept in the opening round of the playoffs on Sunday Williams grabbed a pen from Geoff Calkins a columnist for The Commercial Appeal in th look room
The point guard took a pen from Calkins twice and hollered in his ear while the reporter tried getting quotes from other Memphis players
Williams was upset over a critical column Calkins wrote about the Grizzlies efforts in the postseason Calkins also added a quote from Williams Im happy I go home and see my kids and my wife and Im OK All of this stuff is secondary to me
The yearold Williams who set a playoffhigh with points in Game and had points and eight assists in Game was selected in the first round of the NBA Draft by the Sacramento Kings Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Two girls from the Olympic host Beijing will vie for the womens singles crown at the world table tennis championships
Guo Yan nipped compatriot Guo Yue in Thursdays semifinals and Zhang Yining handed a loss to Lin Ling from Hong Kong China
Eightseeded Guo Yan upset fifth seed Guo Yue wasted a chance to turn the tables as Guo Yan came from down to steal the fourth set
Zhang Yining world topranked and dual Olympic champion is closer to her first world singles crown
Shaking off a lackluster start the pencilslim woman from Beijing played a consistent attacking game to nail a victory
At Guo should be happy with her show in Shanghai
The lefthanded girl from northeast Chinas Liaoning province clinched the mixed doubles gold with world topranked male Wang Liqin from Shanghai and she will play her doubles semifinals late Thursday
China is set to nab the womens doubles title as three semifinalists are from the Chinese national team and the other from Hong Kong
Wide open are the mens singles and doubles German pair Timo Boll and Christian Suss take on Chinese Wang Hao and Kong Linghui in the doubles final and at least one nonChinese will make it to the singles semifinals Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Chinas promising star Chen Qi failed to continue his giantkilling run here on Thursday ousted by his veteran teammate Wang Liqin in the quarterfinals of the mens singles event at the Shanghai world table tennis championships
Wang notorious for choking in clutch moments showed sturdy minds here as both paddlers played a desperately aggressive game
Comparing with the world number one Wang Chen was just a little bit in the dry tree when both players vied on the serving and receiving to grab the driving seat of the game losing
The fourth set was later proved critical as the two exchanged the lead throughout the set
Wang world champion in then struck on every point to force a series of errors from Chen and wrapped up the match in style
The yearold Chen who proved himself a promising reserve for next generation of Chinas table tennis with an Olympic doubles gold to his credit opened the first set with a lead held four set points in and took a advantage with after Wang saved two set points
Chen continued to give Wang a difficult time in the second set before Wang overcame a deficit to take a crucial point on his serve and came back for Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua South Korean Oh Sang Eun shut out Swedish veteran Peter Karlsson to reach the mens singles semifinals at the world table tennis championships here on Thursday
The lanky Oh played a more aggressive game to subdue the former European champion making up for an early exit by teammate and Olympic champion Ryu Seung Min
Oh will take on Chinas world No and champion Wang Liqin in the semifinals Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Chinas promising star Chen Qi failed to continue his giantkilling run here on Thursday ousted by his veteran teammate Wang Liqin in the quarterfinals of the mens singles event at the Shanghai world table tennis championships
Wang notorious for choking in clutch moments showed sturdy minds here as both paddlers played a desperately aggressive game
Compared with world number one Wang Chen was just a little bit in the dry tree when both players vied on the serving and receiving to grab the driving seat of the game losing
The fourth set was later proved critical as the two exchanged the lead throughout the set
Wang world champion in then struck on every point to force a series of errors from Chen and wrapped up the match in style
The yearold Chen who proved himself a promising reserve for next generation of Chinas table tennis with an Olympic doubles gold to his credit opened the first set with a lead held four set points in and took a advantage with after Wang saved two set points
Chen continued to give Wang a difficult time in the second set before Wang overcame a deficit to take a crucial point on his serve and came back for
Ive shown the best part of my game especially in the second set when I had to fight back from down said Wang
Its harder to win over teammates than foreign players The most important thing is to keep a positive attitude believing that you can make it
Chen felt uncomfortable facing a teammate and said that he didnt come all out against Wang
I hadnt met serious challenge before this game he said Wang is tough to everyone and I should have thought out better tactics lamented the seventh seed Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Following are the womens singles semifinal results at the world table tennis championships here on Thursday prefix number denotes seeding
Zhang Yining China bt Lin Ling Hong Kong China
Guo Yan China bt Guo Yue China
Enditem
HARARE May Xinhua One of the countrys top sprinters Talkmore Nyongani is now rated as the thbest meter runner in the world a local newspaper the Herald reported on Wednesday
The yearold sprinter a product of Hararebased Millennium Athletics Academy won the mens m race in seconds in Pretoria in March
That was the fastest time of the year over the distance and this saw Nyongani move from th to th place in the worlds m rankings
Nyongani has now garnered points but he is two places behind his compatriot Lewis Banda who is still ranked as the thbest meter runner in the world with points
Alleyne Francique of Grenada tops the meter table with points and still ranked ahead of American Otis Harris points while another American Derrick Brew is placed third with points
There is only one African in the top Eric Milazar of Mauritius who is ranked th with points
But Nyongani could soon move into the top as he is currently in Europe preparing for the World Championships set for Helsinki Finland in August
Nyongani is reported to be currently in Seville Spain where he will be based for oneandahalf months and is scheduled to run in the Super Grand Prix in Qatar on May
He is also set to run in another Super Grand Prix event in Helsinki on June before competing at the World Championships where he is aiming at reaching the final of the mens m event Enditem
NAIROBI May Xinhua Africa will host grand prix athletics meets for the first time next year Kenyan media reported on Thursday
Athletics Kenya secretarygeneral David Okeyo said the meets will be held in Algeria Kenya Morocco Senegal and South Africa
There will be good money to attract all the top runners so that African athletics fans can have a chance to watch their stars on their own soil Okeyo was quoted by local newspaper Daily Nation as saying
An African athletics meeting the Tusker Athletics International is to be held in Kenya at this weekend Kenya will be doing battle with a host of foreign stars as Athletics Kenya showcase the countrys ability to host an international meet to the standards of the lucrative International Association Athletic Federation IAAF grand prix
Kenyas meter steeplechase champion Ezekiel Kemboi and meter silver medalist Isabella Ochichi will be joined by Eritreas meter bronze medalists Tadesse Habteselassie Tedese
Others expected to compete on Saturday are South Africas meter runner Sello Hezekiel Sepeng and African meter recordholder Eric Milazar of Mauritius Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Michael Maze from Denmark became the sole European beating two Chinese to reach the mens singles semifinals at the Shanghai world table tennis championship after overcoming a deficit to win over Chinas world championship debutant Hao Shuai
The seeded Maze who ousted Chinese sensation Wang Hao in Wednesdays clash found his game in the fifth set and took control in the sixth set before wrapping up the quarterfinal clash
Hao Shuai used his wellprepared strategy to move Maze around the table in the first three sets but failed to hold on his tactics and lost the last four after being led by the opponent who forced many long balls
Maze found a little bit his game after losing the first set taking an upper hand in on long ball in the second set
But Hao who upset backhand expert Kalinikos Kreanga from Greece in a last round match on Wednesday played even much smarter and earned six points in straight with closetothetable play to wrap up the set
The Dane however saved four match points in the fourth set coming back from to win after losing the third as he failed to hold his nerves
Hao too eager to beat the strongminded Maze was forced several errors in the fifth set squandering a lead to and beaten after twice striking wide
The ranked wasted a lead in the sixth set with two underthenet shot beaten after saving two set points
In the decider Hao fought back from a deficit to before Maze held five match points in but failed to come back further
Maze will face in the semifinals the winner between Chinese Ma Lin and Liu Guozheng in a later quarterfinal Enditem
By Sportswriters Cao Jianjie and Zhang Han
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Denmarks Michael Maze on Thursday clawed back from in sets and in the fourth set becoming the sole European representative in the mens singles semifinals at the world table tennis championships
Maze an Olympic bronze doubles medalist who upset second seed Wang Hao on Wednesday fought back from the edge of elimination beating Chinese youngster
With three sets to his credit th seed Hao from north Chinese city Tianjin dropped his guard while leading in the fourth set while thseeded Maze member of the newly crowned European champion team cashed in on the chance to pull a crucial set back
The surprise loss of the fourth set really got on Haos nerves as the agile and fast Dane won the fifth and sixth sets
Maze virtually sealed the victory by leading in the deciding seventh set He kept his lead at and A backhand flip which kissed the net and flew off the end put the score at but exactly the same mistake made by Hao sent Maze into the semifinals
I took it easy when I led in the fourth set lamented Hao Shuai I should have never dropped my guard
While forced into defense Maze played deep and high lobs which really baffled Hao who missed as many easy kills as Wang Hao the Olympic silver medalist who had lost to the Dane in four straight sets
I have good feelings with high ball said Maze Last night I used it to beat Wang Hao I think maybe it will be also effective against Hao Shuai
Ive been showing that I can beat the best Chinese I surely will try to keep the momentum entering next game I know Chinese are hungry to win the tournament but I have shown I can beat them I am so proud of myself
The Flying Dane will take on the winner of an allChinese quarterfinal featuring Ma Lin and Liu Guozheng
In Fridays other semifinal the worlds topranked Chinese Wang Liqin will play against South Korean Oh Seung Eun who advanced at the cost of Swedish veteran Peter Karlsson
I love to see two nonChinese in the semifinals said Chinese Yao Zhenxu chairman of the International Table Tennis Federations Technical Committee
Ticket sales will be good because of two Chinese vs nonChinese semifinals he continued In terms of the mens game Chinese are on the same par with Europeans and South Koreans
I like to watch real competition added Yao If Chinese sweep all the semifinal berths peoples interest in the event will be gone
Quite a few Chinese spectators switched their allegiance and turned to cheer on Maze as the Dane was fighting back
I really enjoyed this game said Wang Qingguang director of the Chinese team training center in Zhengding in north China
Of course I hope Chinese will win back the mens singles title lost in but I was so moved by Mazes fighting spirits and amazing techiniques that I could not help rooting for him Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Following are the mens singles quarterfinal results at the world table tennis championships here on Friday prefix number denotes seeding
Wang Liqin China bt Chen Qi China
Oh Sang Eun South Korea bt Peter Karlsson Sweden
Michael Maze Denmark bt Hao Shuai China
Ma Lin China bt Liu Guozheng China
Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua World number eight Guo Yan entered the womens singles final setting up a clash with her national and Beijing team teammate Zhang Yining at the world table tennis championships here on Thursday
Guo winner in team and doubles in the Asian Championships in took the advantage of teammate Guo Yues errors in the second set winning
It was my first world championships as well as my first final Ive never imagined that I could reach the final I have been in a low since last year said the yearold
Guo Yue just claimed the mixed doubles title together with Wang Liqin I guess she was too anxious to reach the final
Guo will meet world No and dual Olympic champion Zhang in the final Zhang conceded the first set her only set lost at the worlds so far but she was good enough to nail down Lin Ling from Hong Kong China for a victory
Zhang needs a singles title to become a Grand Slam winner as she has already taken the womens singles trophy at the Olympics and World Cup
Starting to practice table tennis at age of seven Guo has been one of the leading women in the world However she insisted Zhang stands a better chance
I am not as strong and experienced as Zhang I will not think too much of win or loss I just want to hold on to the last moment
More important is that a Chinese player will be the champion Guo said
The womens singles final will take place Thursday evening
China has already sealed the first gold at the worlds with Wang LiqinGuo Yue winning the mixed doubles on Wednesday Enditem
By Sportswriters Cao Jianjie and Gao Peng
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Denmarks Michael Maze clawed back from in sets and in the fourth set becoming the sole European representative in the mens singles semifinals at the world table tennis championships on Thursda
Maze an Olympic bronze doubles medalist who upset second seed Wang Hao of China on Wednesday fought back from the edge of elimination beating Chinese youngster Hao Shuai
With three sets to his credit th seed Hao from north Chinese city Tianjin dropped his guard while leading in the fourth set as thseeded Maze member of the newly crowned European champion team cashed in on the chance to pull a crucial set back
The surprise loss of the fourth set really got on Haos nerves as the agile and fast Dane swept the fifth and sixth sets
Maze virtually sealed the victory by leading in the deciding seventh set He kept his lead at and A backhand flip which kissed the net and flew off the end put the score at but exactly the same mistake made by Hao sent Maze into the semifinals
I took it easy when I led in the fourth set lamented Hao Shuai I should have never dropped my guard
While forced into defense Maze played deep and high lobs which really baffled Hao who missed as many easy kills as Wang Hao the Olympic silver medalist who had lost to the Dane in four straight sets
I have good feelings with high ball said Maze Last night I used it to beat Wang Hao I think maybe it will be also effective against Hao Shuai
Ive been showing that I can beat the best Chinese I surely will try to keep the momentum entering next game I know Chinese are hungry to win the tournament but I have shown I can beat them I am so proud of myself
The Flying Dane will take on world No Ma Lin who shut out fellow Chinese Liu Guozheng
In Fridays other semifinal the worlds topranked Chinese Wang Liqin will play against South Korean Oh Seung Eun who advanced at the cost of Swedish veteran Peter Karlsson
I love to see two nonChinese in the semifinals said Chinese Yao Zhenxu chairman of the International Table Tennis Federations Technical Committee
Ticket sales will be good because of two Chinese vs nonChinese semifinals he continued In terms of the mens game Chinese are on the same par with Europeans and South Koreans
I like to watch real competition added Yao If Chinese sweep all the semifinal berths peoples interest in the event will be gone
Quite a few Chinese spectators switched their allegiance and turned to cheer on Maze as the Dane was fighting back
I really enjoyed this game said Wang Qingguang director of the Chinese team training center in Zhengding in north China
Of course I hope Chinese will win back the mens singles title lost in but I was so moved by Mazes fighting spirits and amazing techiniques that I could not help rooting for him Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua A quarterfinal in the mens singles event at the world table tennis championships on Thursday witnessed Ma Lin beat Liu Guozheng in an allChinese clash of contrasting styles
They are both right handed but Ma Lin is the penhold grip player who excels in the area of service and a strong first attack in this aspect of table tennis he is arguably the best in the world Meanwhile Liu is a shakehands grip player consistent able to topspin with venom with both backhand and forehand the man you want in your team in a crisis
In the world ranking events the pair had met on five occasions prior to their encounter here and the player with the better record is Ma He won the first two times they met those being in September at the ITTF Pro Tour Japan Open and in March in the Asian Olympic Qualification Tournament
The next time they had met was at the Swedish Open in November when Liu was victorious but when they encountered each most recently the German Open in November it had been Ma Lin who had prevailed
However the meeting prior to the duel in Germany was perhaps the most poignant victory for Ma Lin The reason the encounter was at the world championships in Osaka in April and furthermore it was a mens singles quarterfinal match Ma Lin won in five sets the full distance for in those days individual games were up to twentyone points and matches in the worlds premier tournaments were best of five sets
In Shanghai Ma established a three sets to two lead and went ahead in the sixth then as Liu Guozheng netted a backhand drive but you can be sure there will be no surrender from the latter He won the next point but then short serve dynamic forehand and Ma Lin again had a two point cushion he extended his lead to the stage at which Liu Guozheng called Time Out
It was to minimal avail Ma Lin went ahead then a Ma Lin Time Out He knew he was nearing victory but the pressure was mounting The gladiators returned Ma Lin serving won the next point he had four match points Liu Guozheng fought to then as a result of a fierce Liu backhand a Ma Lin error the crowd was animated was another great escape on the menu
No but fantastic table tennis Ma Lin on the ropes lobbing like Michael Maze and then tragedy for Liu an attempted forehand kill went into the base of the net giving Ma a victory Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Double Happiness a Chinese manufacturer of table tennis equipment has been designated as the official equipment supplier for the Olympic Games in Beijing the International Table Tennis Association ITTF announced here on Thursday
We give the priority to Double Happiness because the Olympic Games will be held in China ITTF president Adam Sharara told a press conference
But Double Happiness is also the best equipment supplier he added
The agreement is subject to the approval of the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Olympics BOCOG said ITTF vice president Yang Shuan
Generally speaking if an equipment manufacturer gets the nod from the International Federations the organizing committee of the Olympic Games will give the greenlight said Yang who is also BOCOGs executive vice president
It is the third time that Double Happiness becomes the official Olympic equipment provider following the Sydney Games in and last years Athens Games
Double Happiness had also been selected as the equipment sponsor for the seven world championships including the ongoing th edition in Shanghai Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Top and second seeds Wang Liqin and Ma Lin made it through to the mens singles semifinals after beating table tennis sensations Chen Qi and Liu Guozheng on Thursday in allChinese clashes at the Shanghai world championships
Michael Maze of Denmark came out the sole European remaining after the quarters and set up a meeting with Ma Lin of China in Fridays semifinals by a comeback win over Chinas worlds debutant Hao Shuai
Chinese star Chen Qi failed to continue his giantkilling run when facing the world number one Wang ousted as both players vied on the serving and receiving to grab the driving seat of the game
Threetime World Cup winner Ma Lin was given a very difficult time by Liu who rallied past Germanys top table tennis player Timo Boll in the last round as Ma had to fight back from down to win the ensuing three sets
Swedens Peter Karlsson missed his second chance to reach the semis in his year attempts at the worlds beaten by veteran Oh Sang Eun of South Korea
Maze who ousted Olympic silver medalist Wang Hao of China in Wednesdays fourth round was fired up after advancing into the semis by beating second Chinese
I always believe that I can beat anyone here at the tournament and Ive shown that Im able to beat the best Chinese said the yearold Dane
He was forced to come back from three sets down and use his strengths long rallies and high and deep lobs to take control of the sixth set before wrapping up
Hao Shuai used wellprepared strategy to move Maze around in the first three sets but failed to hold on to his tactics and lost four in straight
Maze found a little bit his game after losing the first set taking an upper hand in on long rallies in the second set
But Hao who upset backhand expert Kalinikos Kreanga from Greece in a last round match on Wednesday played even much smarter and earned six straight points with closetothetable play to take the set
The Dane however saved four match points in the fourth set coming back from to win after losing the third set where he failed to hold his nerves
Hao too eager to beat the strongminded Maze was forced several errors in the fifth set squandering a lead to and beaten after he twice struck wide
The ranked player wasted a lead in the sixth set after hitting twice into the base of the net beaten after saving two set points
In the deciding seventh set the Chinese narrowed a deficit to before Maze pulled away with a topspin stroke
Then a Maze shot kissed the net and flew off the end but Hao made exactly the same mistake to send the Dane to the semifinals Enditem
BERLIN May Xinhua Following are the results from the Berlin Open womens singles round matches on Thursday prefix number denotes seeding
Patty Schnyder Switzerland bt Kim Clijsters Belgium K Clijster retired
Nadia Petrova Russia bt Mary Pierce France Enditem
WASHINGTON May Xinhua Following are the results from the NBA Playoffs st Round matches on Wednesday home team in CAPS
st Round
T
Washington Wizards
CHICAGO BULLS
Washington Wizards lead the bestofseven series by
SAN ANTONIO SPURS
Denver Nuggets
San Antonio Spurs win the bestofseven series by
Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Third seeds Kong Linghui and Wang Hao from China beat the ninthseeded German duo Timo Boll and Christian Suss to win the mens doubles gold medal at the world table tennis championships here on Thursday
China has never lost the mens doubles event since Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Third seeds Kong Linghui and Wang Hao from China beat the ninthseeded German duo Timo Boll and Christian Suss to win the mens doubles gold medal at the world table tennis championships here on Thursday
It is Chinas th world doubles championship
China has never lost the mens doubles event since Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Third seeds Kong Linghui and Wang Hao from China beat the ninthseeded German duo Timo Boll and Christian Suss to win the mens doubles gold medal at the world table tennis championships here on Thursday
It is Chinas th world doubles championship
China has never lost the mens doubles event since
Chinese Wang LiqinYan Sen and Chen QiMa Lin finished joint third Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Kong Linghui and Wang Hao extended Chinas winning streak in mens doubles to seven straight times after beating Timo Boll and Christian Suss from Germany in a fiveset final at the Shanghai world table tennis championships on Thursday
With great support from the home crowd the thirdseeded Chinese duo defeated Boll and Suss
Suss who had been influenced a lot by the passionate host audience was waved yellow card for gesturing to a spectators stand in the fifth set and the pair lost two points on the rivals serves and struck the ball to the net to lose the game
In the second set Boll and Suss who ousted Olympic gold medalists Ma Lin and Chen Qi to reach the final were ruled two serves of Suss illegal
The doubles gold is the first ever world title for Wang Hao the Olympic singles silver medalist in Athens and the eighth for the Grand Slam winner Kong Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Former Sweden coach Anders Thunstrom Thursday defended Chinese dominance in table tennis by saying that it is other countries instead of China to blame
I dont think that kind of dominance is Chinas fault said Thunstrom who steered Sweden to win the mens team event at the and world championships
The others have to find a way to beat the Chinese he added
There has been perennial criticism of Chinas dominance in table tennis and many hold that it would hinder the development of the sport
Thunstrom now the marketing director of the International Table Tennis Federation ITTF believed the root cause for Europes ebbing is lack of talented young players
We have to use new young players like Michael Maze When young players are coming out we can play the best Chinese said Thunstrom
The yearold Maze caused major upsets at the ongoing world championships when he ousted Chinas Athens Olympic silver medalist Wang Hao and rising star Hao Shuai to reach the semifinals of the mens single event
Sweden had been the only team to challenge Chinas dominance but as JanOve Waldner and Jorgen Persson are past their prime the Scandinavian country can hardly be a threat
Thunstrom believed that every team has its ups and downs
Its difficult to produce top players all the time he said But since the sport has history and tradition in Sweden Sweden will still produce very good players although maybe not always on the top of the world
When Sweden has exceptional players like Waldner we will come back to the top of the world again Enditem
CAIRO May Xinhua There is uncertainty in Egypt over how to respond to world soccers governing body FIFAs order for the government to stop meddling in soccer affairs the British Broadcasting Cooperation BBC reported Thursday
FIFA is unhappy with governmentinspired changes to the constitution of the Egyptian Football Association EFA FIFA has also taken issue with new eligibility rules for the forthcoming EFA elections and has given the country until May to reverse its decisions
But a spokesman for the Ministry of Youth and Sport was quoted by BBC as saying that they are yet to reach a consensus on how to respond to the FIFA order
We have nothing to say regarding the current situation spokesman Mahfouz Ali said adding that The interim committee is responsible for replying to FIFA
Ministry officials say the matter will be handled by the EFA transitional committee headed by Mohamed Abdu Saleh El Wahsh
But El Wahsh told BBC Sport that his committee cannot respond to FIFAs letter of May without consulting Sports Minister Mamdouh El Beltagy
We also need to consider Fifas previous decisions in similar scenarios El Mahsh said
Im not sure whether we will be able to hold the elections as planned
FIFA has warned that it will not recognize the outcome of the planned elections should the Egyptian government ignore its order Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua World topranked Chinese Zhang Yining beat her Beijing team and national team mate Guo Yan to nab her first world singles crown at the world table tennis championships here on Thursday
The Olympic champion triumphed
It is Chinas th and sixth straight womens singles title
Chinese Guo Yue and Lin Ling from Hong Kong China finished joint third Enditem
NAIROBI May Xinhua Kenya Football Federation KFF has adopted the creation of a Professional Premier League starting next season local media reported Thursday
According to local newspaper Kenya Times KFF Premier League chairman Erastus Okul said on Wednesday that it has been agreed by the federations executive that a professional league is put in place starting the coming season to help improve the standards of the game in the country
Okul was speaking shortly after a FIFA Federation Internationale de Football Association meeting with local Premier League clubs which was chaired by FIFA Development Officer Ashford Mamelodi
Okul said the executive committee of the federation will convene a meeting soon to discuss the number of teams to be relegated from the current league of two zones
We want to whittle down the teams participating in the league to eighteen next season and then to sixteen the coming season We have to deliberate on the number of teams to be relegated and this will be decided by the executive when they meet soon said Okul
Mamelodi urged Kenya to go full professional in the game if they hope to be among the best in Africa Kenya has a good reputation as a great tourist destination They should capitalize on this by improving on their football structure he said Enditem
AMMAN May Xinhua The rd Jordan International Rally and the
th round of the Middle East Championship started at pm GMT Thursday with a spectacular ceremonial ceremony in downtown Amman
A total of participants including a record number of Jordanian teams from countries will be competing in the event considered as one of the toughest rounds and most unique in the Middle East Championship
The event organized by Jordan Motorsport will bring back the challenging twisty forest and mountainous Jordan Valley and Dead Sea special stages
The drivers will have to cover special stages held over two days before returning to Ammans Hussein Gardens on Saturday to announce the champions the Rally Director Ziad Louza told reporters
They will be covering a total distance of km in which km are special stages The track will take them to the Dead Sea shores at feet below sea level and a couple of stages with twisty mountain routes at feet above sea level
This years rally is very important and has a different taste as the country hopes to host a future round of the FIA World Rally Championship WRC
Title holder and Jordans champion Amjad Farrah will be leading a list of international drivers
All eyes will be watching Farrah who last year became the first Jordanian to win the Jordan International Rally Farrah will be driving his Mitsubishi Lancer Evo with his experienced codriver Khaled Zakaria and will be trying his best to repeat last years feat
We will do what we know best and put the pressure we feel aside We have been focusing on this event for sometime now and hope we will be able to do well Farrah told reporters before the game
Rallys favorite Nasser Al Attiyah of Qatar will be a difficult driver to beat Attiyah is currently leading the Middle East Championship with points Enditem
NICOSIA May Xinhua With just one week to go until the start of the Cyprus Rally organizers are working hard behind the scenes to ensure that this years event is the greatest yet one that was oversubscribed leaving a number of drivers disappointed during which spectators will be watching a battle for honours between some of the worlds leading rally drivers it was announced at a press conference here Thursday
Takis Kyriakides Clerk of the Course for the Cyprus Rally told the press conference that the Rally to take place between the th and th of May includes factory entries which are the top hand of each of the WRC events to be flanked by very good and quite promising semifactory participations
World Champion Sebastien Loeb heads the field in his Citroen Xsara Car No followed by Subarus Petter Solberg Car No and then the Peugeot s of Markko Martin Car No and Marcus Gronholm Car No
Next up is the Ford Focus of Toni Gardemeister Car No followed by the Mitsubishis of Harri Rovanpera Car No and Gilles Panizzi Car No The opening ten is rounded of by the Citroen Xsara of Francois Duval Car No and the Fords of Roman Kresta Car No and Henning Solberg Car No
Cypriot entries are headed by local ace Andreas Tsouloftas in th position Car No followed by Andreas Peratikos in th Car No
This years event welcomes a truly international lineup with drivers from all over the world competing including Qatars Nasser AlAttiyah starting th in Car No Omans Hamed AlWahaibi starting th in Car No and the Subaru Russia team which welcomes two of Russias top drivers Sergery Uspenskiy starting th Car No and Alexander Dorosinsky starting th Car No Japans Toshi Arai who currently leads the Production Car Championship board will also compete starting th in Car No
As popular as ever this years Cyprus Rally was oversubscribed leaving a number of drivers disappointed For those who made it onto the Start List this promises to be an event to remember as they leave the coastal resort of Limassol to do battle on the challenging tracks of the Troodos mountains Competitors face an event of km overall with km of rough tough beattheclock action over Special Stages
One of the events most popular Special Stages Kelephos Bridge has been upgraded for following overcrowding at the site during last years event In order to meet the strict safety guidelines of the FIA the new Kelephos Bridge stage facility is now open to passholders only
Enditem
RABAT Morocco May Xinhua Following are the results from the Rabat Open womens singles round matches on Thursday
Zheng Jie China beat Maureen Drake Canada
Arantxa Parra Santonja Spain bt Yan Zi China Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua World topranked Chinese Zhang Yining completed a grand slam of Olympic world championship and World Cup singles titles by winning the singles final against Guo Yan here on Thursday
As a dual Olympic champion Zhang hadnt faced much difficulty until she met club and national teammate Guo Yan Experience counted as Zhang won
Guo world No had a highflying start by taking the first set which was the second setloss for Zhang at the world championships
Zhang snatched the next two sets before Guo dominated the fourth
The determined Guo fought strongly as she saved three match points rallying to all from down and then led in the sixth set
However Zhang who keeps a dominant record over Guo since surged ahead again to and forced Guo to return to the net for
Im very happy that I won my first world singles title and realized my grand slam drema Zhang said But at the same time Im not happy with my performance as I didnt show my best form and technical advantages
My fighting spirit and the spectators helped me go through the difficulties
Zhang has been suffering a shoulder injury and stopped training for a few days before the worlds
I was under great pressure Fortunately I overcame my injury and burden she added
While asked to compare herself with Olympic dual champion also a grand slam winner Zhang said From now on all the glory has become the past I am not a successor to Wang but a teammate and good friend of her She is still an outstanding player in the world
Zhang and Wang defending champions in the womens doubles will play their semifinal against Tie YanaZhang Rui of Hong Kong China Friday morning Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Kong Linghui and Wang Hao extended Chinas winning streak in mens doubles to seven times after beating Timo Boll and Christian Suss from Germany in a fiveset final here on Thursday at the world table tennis championships
With great support from a home crowd the thirdseeded Chinese defeated the Germans
Suss who had been influenced a lot by the passionate crowd was flashed a yellow card for gesturing to spectators in the fifth and last set and the pair netted Wangs two serves and struck the ball under the net to lose the game
In the second set the German pair saw two of Suss serves ruled illegal and then lost Suss said bluntly he was not happy with the umpire Our play wasnt as good yesterday when we beat Olympic champions Ma Lin and Chen Qi he said We were unlucky that the umpire ruled out our serves
Its not OK for us He umpire gave them a chance but he didnt give us Its so important in a final said Suss
I dont want to say my service is perfect but the Chinese service are not either
He denied that he was annoyed by audiences and said there was good atmosphere in the hall and hed just be happy to play here in Shanghai Though they were a little bit louder but it was just OK he added
Boll looked depressed at the news conference after the match but he said he was just tired
Of course Im sad to lose the final but we have won against the real Olympic champions Ma Lin and Chen Qi in the semifinals said Boll
Im tired after these days when there were so much pressure on me physically and mentally added Boll
Maybe for Chinese players a second place is not ok but its not bad for Germans
The doubles gold is the first ever world title for Wang Hao the Olympic singles silver medalist in Athens and the eighth for Kong
Kong contributed the win to their thorough preparation and strong nerves
Wang Hao played well today especially on receiving said Kong a Grand Slam winner of Olympics world championships and World Cup
The yearold Kong said the most crucial set was the first after which he and Wang just kept rolling
Kong Linghiu and I have paired up for a long time said Wang We have once beaten Boll and Suss in a lesser tournament We just saw this final as a usual one and maybe they thought differently Enditem
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SHANGHAI May Xinhua China is halfway to another clean sweep at the table tennis world championships
Kong LinghuiWang Hao defeated Germanys Timo BollChristian Suss in the mens doubles final smashing the Europes hopes of winning the event for the first time in more than a decade
The last mens doubles gold medal won by a European pair was in when Peter Karlsson and Tomas Von Scheele of Sweden won in Japan
Zhang Yining lived up to her billing as the world number one when she downed younger Chinese teammate Guo Yan to win her first womens singles world title
The yearold Beijing girl became the third Grand Slam winner of Olympic world championships and World Cup singles titles after retired legend Deng Yaping and Wang Nan
Im very happy that I won my first world singles title said Zhang the Athens Olympic double gold medalist and the doubles champion at the worlds
China had scooped its first trophy at the world championships Wednesday thanks to Wang Liqin and Guo Yue in the mixed doubles
The host nation is set to nail the womens doubles title as three semifinalists are from the Chinese national team and the other from Hong Kong China
Yet the mens singles is wide open with Wang Liqin and fellow Chinese Ma Lin facing tough tests in the semifinals Wang the world number one will play South Korean Oh Sang Eun a winner over Swedish veteran Peter Karlsson while Ma will take on inform Dane Michael Maze
Wang booked his passage after brushing aside rising star Chen Qi and Ma advanced at the expense of countryman Liu Guozheng
Maze continued his impressive run at the tournament when he came from three sets down to beat Chinese youngster Hao Shuai in the quarterfinals
The yearold Dane who had earlier knocked out Chinas Athens Olympic silver medalist Wang Hao won the dramatic marathon
With three sets to his credit Hao suffered a slip in concentration while leading in the fourth set as Maze member of the newly crowned European champion team cashed in on it to pull a crucial set back
The surprise loss of the fourth set really got on Haos nerves as the agile and fast Dane swept the fifth and sixth sets
Maze virtually sealed the victory by leading in the deciding seventh set He kept his lead at and A backhand flip which kissed the net and flew off the end put the score at but exactly the same mistake made by Hao sent Maze into the semifinals
I thought I was going to win when I led in the fourth set lamented Hao I should have never dropped my guard
While forced into defense Maze played deep and high lobs which really baffled Hao who missed as many easy kills as Wang Hao who had lost to the Dane in straight sets
I have good feelings with high balls here said Maze Last night I used it to beat Wang Hao and it gave a lot of confidence
Ive shown that I can beat the Chinese Im proud of what I have done
Although Zhang Yining started as clear favorite in Thursdays final it was Guo Yan who took the initiative
Guo playing a manly game with powerful loops won the first set Shaking off the lackluster start Zhang came back strongly and took the next two sets
Guo then pulled even at before Zhang went ahead again
Leading in the sixth rubber Zhang looked hesitant and missed several kills allowing her opponent to score four points in a row and overtake the lead for But Zhang stayed cool and sealed the victory by winning three straight points
China swept all seven titles at the and world championships when individual and team events were not yet split Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua World topranked Chinese Zhang Yining completed a grand slam of Olympic world championship and World Cup singles titles by winning the singles final against Guo Yan here on Thursday
As a dual Olympic champion Zhang hadnt faced much difficulty until she met club and national teammate Guo Yan
Experience counted as Zhang won
Guo world No had a highflying start by taking the first set which was the second setloss for Zhang at the world championships
Zhang snatched the next two sets before Guo dominated the fourth
The determined Guo fought strongly as she saved three match points rallying to all from down and then led in the sixth set
However Zhang who keeps a dominant record over Guo since surged ahead again to and forced Guo to return to the net for
Im very happy that I won my first world singles title and realized my grand slam dream But the excitement only lasted for a couple minutes as its not a big vicotry as I lifted the title in Athens Olympic Games I dont want to indulge myself in the victory too much Zhang said
To be honest Im not happy with my performance as I didnt show my best form and technical advantages I didnt play as good as we did in our daily practice I was bit relaxed when I led in the last set
My fighting spirit and the spectators helped me go through the difficulties
Zhang has been suffering a shoulder injury and stopped training for a few days before the worlds
I was under great pressure Fortunately I overcame my injury and burden Sometimes you have to forget the fame and glory she added
While asked to compare herself with Olympic dual champion also a grand slam winner Zhang said From now on all the glory has become the past I didnt think about the grand slam before the competition and I dont want to think it in the future am not a successor to Wang but a teammate and good friend of her She is still an outstanding player in the world
Zhang and Wang defending champions in the womens doubles will play their semifinal against Tie YanaZhang Rui of Hong Kong China Friday morning
Zhang is the third Chinese womens player to win at all three major events in World Cup world championships and Olympic Games besides Wang Nan and legendary Deng Yaping
I still need to learn more and improve more I wish I could show you a much more experienced and excellent player in Olympic Games Zhang said Enditem
SINGAPORE May Xinhua Singapore Armed Forces SAF beat Sinchi in a Singapore League match on Thursday night
The two goals were scored by Farizal Basri and Aleksandar Duric in the th minute and the th minute respectively
In another match Balestier Khalsa defeated Albirex Niigata Akihiro Nakamura scored the only goal for Balestier in the th minute
Currently SAF is two points behind defending champions Tampines Rovers with points Enditem
ATHENS May Xinhua Greek local governments on Thursday voiced their opposition to the central governments bill on the postGames use of Olympic venues which was tabled in Greek Parliament last month
The Central Union of Municipalities and Communities of Greece KEDKE said that the bill is not based on any comprehensive or specialized studies but rather was drafted and tabled under time pressure
It stressed that the bill also conflicts with institutional rights and powers of regional authorities citing the example of the issuance of operating licenses for food establishments which was handed back to the government even though it constitutes a local issue
KEDKE argues that the provision for longterm leasing which is equivalent to the selling of thousands of acres of public property to private entities by Olympic Properties SA is not monitored by Parliament the State Council or the Audit Council
KEDKE President Paris Koukoulopoulos called on the government to withdraw the bill and to hold a real dialogue before drafting a new bill that will respect state institutions and the law
KEDKEs Executive Board will meet on Tuesday for a more detailed discussion of the bill Enditem
LONDON May Xinhua Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand has committed himself to Englands tour of the United States
United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has criticised the trip and threatened to withdraw his players
But Ferdinand told BBC Radio Five Live Ill go on the trip You want to play for your country simple as that
The club pay your wages and if they make a decision and the FA agree with it then you stand back but there is no doubt in my mind I want to play
Ferdinand has come in for criticism from Ferguson and United fans due to the delay over him signing a new contract with the club
But he added It might be done before the end of the season I am not keeping anyone guessing we will just have to wait and see
Ferdinand missed last summers European Championships because of his eightmonth suspension for a missed drugs test
He is anxious not to sit out any more internationals and plans to be available for the games against the USA on May in Chicago and Colombia three days later in New Jersey
Chelsea captain John Terry and midfielder Frank Lampard look set to miss Englands tour as they need surgery on toe injuries and are likely to have operations at the end of the season Enditem
LONDON May Xinhua Chelsea striker Mateja Kezman has hinted that he will remain in England even if he opts to quit Stamford Bridge
Kezman is frustrated at his lack of firstteam action having been brought off the bench times
Its nice to be part of the English atmosphere and to feel the spirit and maybe it will be more than just one season we will see said Kezman
We need to talk about my future because Im not happy I cannot cope with it much longer
PSV Eindhoven coach Guus Hiddink has admitted to considering a move to bring Kezman back to the club
The Serbia Montenegro striker scored goals in games for PSV to earn his m transfer to Stamford Bridge
Kezman admitted he has found it hard adjusting to being a substitute so regularly
He said It has been a difficult season but Im proud of myself because I changed my mentality a little bit
Last season I was always the star of the team the goalscorer and the best player this season Im a little behind and I accept that and I have changed myself into a player who just plays for the team
When I need to play five minutes I die in those five minutes Its difficult and I dont know how long I can do it like this but for this one year Im very proud and very happy
About my future we have three more matches and its not correct to talk about it before the end of the season I like this club the supporters are behind me all the time Enditem
LONDON May Xinhua Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho confirmed on Thursday that he would add three players to his squad for next season
Mourinho already boasts a topquality squad at Stamford Bridge but he is determined not to rest on his laurels after ending the clubs year wait for the title
The Portuguese tactician who signed a new contract with The Blues on Wednesday is keen to use Roman Abramovichs millions again in the summer
But Mourinho is not planning a major overhaul of his squad following the UEFA Champions League semifinal exit to Liverpool but is merely looking to tweak his options
He has trained his sights on bringing in a left back a midfielder and a striker and is now likely to be linked with a string of the globes biggest names
While he has confirmed he wants to inject some extra quality into his squad Mourinho also accepts that it could lead to departures from Stamford Bridge
Mateja Kezman has already voiced his discontent at playing only a peripheral role this term and Mourinhos desire to boost his attacking options places a huge question mark over the Serbs future in West London
Mourinho acknowledged that players will be unhappy at not having played regularly this season but it will not stop his pursuit of new signings
There are always one or two who are not very happy with their personal situation Mourinho told Chelsea TV
Of course they are happy with the success and they belong to the success but some of them are not very happy because they are not my first choice
They didnt play so much as they believed they should and they prefer to change their lives thats normal at the end of the season
I think its normal that one or two players they will want to leave and it is normal we are looking for three players who can improve our squad
I want to bring in a left back bring in a midfielder bring in an attacker and then we will improve in every department of the squad and our group will be even better next season Its simple Enditem
LONDON May Xinhua The Football Association confirmed on Thursday that the top four teams in the Premier League will enter next seasons Champions League
This will not be changed whatever the outcome of Liverpools Champions League Final in Istanbul on May against AC Milan the FA said in a statement
The FA also believes that if Liverpool win in Istanbul and do not finish in the top four in the Premiership an extra place should be allocated to them in the Champions League next season
This is ultimately a matter for European soccers ruling body UEFA but the FA will continue to make representations on this issue at the highest level the FA added
However UEFA has already confirmed that it is not within the Champions League regulations to allow one country to have more than four teams entering Europes showpiece competition
This is the best way for the competition as far as next season is concerned UEFA spokesman William Gaillard told Sky Sports News
The rules stand for one simple reason theres no free lunch If you give a fifth spot to an English team you would have to take it away from another nation
Liverpool who beat newlycrowned Premier League champions Chelsea on Tuesday to reach the Champions League final are fifth in the Premier League three points behind Merseyside rivals Everton who also have a game in hand
Liverpools remaining two matches are against Arsenal at Highbury and Aston Villa at Anfield but Everton could clinch fourth place if they beat Newcastle United at home on Saturday and Liverpool fail to win on Sunday
If Liverpool win the Champions League they could find themselves in a similar situation to Real Madrid in when the Spanish side won the European Cup but came fifth in La Liga
Then the Spanish FA nominated Real to defend the trophy and sent fourthplaced Real Zaragoza into the UEFA Cup
The FAs main board took its decision to confirm the qualification of the top four after a recommendation from its Professional Game Board which met earlier on Thursday Enditem
LONDON May Xinhua Thierry Henry returned to training on Thursday but is still doubtful for Arsenals FA Cup final date with Manchester United as he struggles to regain fitness
The Premierships top scorer has missed the Gunners last four games due to a groin injury and will also be absent for the next two league fixtures
Henry is recovering steadily from the injury and was rated last week as having a chance of being fit for the cup final on May
The France international appears to be improving but Gunners boss Arsene Wenger is concerned Henry will be short of sharpness for the final
Freddie Ljungberg is also being hampered by a hip complaint and like Henry will not play against Liverpool and Everton
Both players have a chance to feature in the final day clash against Birmingham City but Wenger remains less than upbeat about the duos condition
Thierry Henry and Freddie Ljungberg will both be out for the next two games Wenger told the clubs official website
It is difficult to say when they will be back
Freddie has not even started training whereas Thierry has but even then we have to wait a little bit to see how he responds
Ideally you would want them to be available before and at least play a game but we have to be cautious
It just depends who is available on the day he said Enditem
LONDON May Xinhua Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez admitted on Thursday that he would like to stay at Liverpool for years
The Spaniard has established himself as a huge fans favourite by guiding The Reds into the UEFA Champions League final in his very first season at the club
Benitez is determined to help Liverpool back to winning ways and he hailed the supporters following their victory over Chelsea on Tuesday
As a manager Im young and if Im at Liverpool for another years I hope to reach many more finals and win many more trophies said Benitez
I dont know if Ill be here that long but I hope so When youre happy here youre winning and you see the supporters why wouldnt you want to stay for so long
I was expecting the club to be like this when I joined but only when I experienced nights like the Arsenal and Olympiakos matches did I realise how good it was
On Tuesday people spoke about the St Etienne match in but for us this is more important because its about now and the future
Ive never seen supporters like those against Chelsea It was fantastic Enditem
LONDON May Xinhua Thanks to a dramatic lastminute extratime goal Sporting Lisbon brushed aside AZ Alkmaar with more away goals on Thursday and set up a UEFA Cup final clash with CSKA Moscow
The Russian side thrashed Italian outfit Parma but the Moscow club could be in trouble with the European governing body after Parma goalkeeper Luca Bucci was hit on the head by a firework thrown by the crowd
Alkmaar would rued their bad luck when Sporting defender Miguel Garcia scored at the end of extra time the crucial goal to put Sporting into the final which will be played at their own Jose Alvalade stadium on May
The Dutch side thought they had done enough to make the final themselves when defender Kew Jaliens gave them a lead on the night and on aggregate in the ninth minute of extra time
But in an astonishing climax Garcia headed in a corner in the second minute of injury time at the end of the extra period to make the final score to Alkmaar and on aggregate but Sporting who won the first leg went through on away goals
Alkmaar who were runnersup to Ipswich Town in the UEFA Cup in stunned Sporting with an opening goal after just six minutes
Moroccan international Tarik Sektioui got to the byline and his cross was met by Sebastien Perez who headed in past Ricardo in goal
Sporting equalised on the stroke of halftime through Brazilian striker Liedson but Alkmaar then took the lead on the night and levelled the tie on aggregate when substitute Stein Huysegems scored in the th minute
In the th minute of extratime Jaliens buried what the Dutch hoped would be the winner but just as the little Dutch side were dreaming of the final up popped Garcia to deliver the killer blow
In Moscow CSKA Moscow reached their first ever European final with a second leg win over cashstrapped Parma
After a goalless draw in Italy last week the Russians were indebted to two goals from Brazilian midfielder Daniel Carvalho who scored in the ninth and rd minutes while Vassili Berezoutski added the third on the hour mark
The win means CSKA are the first Russian side to reach a European final since but the tie was overshadowed by the injury to Bucci who was forced to leave the field in the th minute when he was injured by the flare thrown onto the pitch and was replaced by veteran Sebastien Frey Enditem
WASHINGTON May Xinhua Dwight Howard Emeka Okafor and Ben Gordon the first three picks in last Junes draft were rewarded Thursday with unanimous selections on the NBA AllRookie Team
GLuol Deng Gordons teammate with the Chicago Bulls and Andre Iguodala also were selected in voting by coaches Coaches were not permitted to vote for players on their own team
The team is headed by Okafor of the expansion Charlotte Bobcate who edged out Gordon for Rookie of The Year honors Wednesday
Okafor and Gordon were selected in the draft after the Orlando Magic chose Howard out of high school
Okafor led all firstyear players in scoring points and rebounding He was fourth in the NBA in both rebounding and doubledoubles and th in blocks
While he was edged out by Okafor Gordon on Tuesday did become the first rookie to win the leagues Sixth Man Award
Gordon played in all games coming off the bench in and averaged points on percent shooting along with rebounds and assists
The top overall pick Howard also averaged a doubledouble with points and rebounds He was eighth in the NBA in rebounding th in fieldgoal percentage and th in blocks He also had doubledoubles
Deng the seventh overall pick averaged points assists and assists in games He suffered a seasonending wrist injury on March
Led by Gordon and Deng the Bulls returned to the playoffs for the first time since
The athletic Iguodala the ninth pick of the Philaephia ers ranked eighth in the league in steals per game sixth in total steals and steals per game He averaged points and rebounds while playing in all regularseason games and helping the Sixers reach the playoffs
Nenad Krstic of the New Jersey Nets Jameer Nelson of the Magic Al Jefferson of the Boston Celtics and Atlanta Hawks teammates Josh Smith and Josh Childrss were selected to the AllRookie second team Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua The International Table Tennis Federation ITTF plans to launch a Table Tennis Academy in China next year as part of its junior development program
We will start a table tennis academy at Beijing University in September ITTF president Adam Sharara told Xinhua
In line with the ITTFs junior development program a limited number of talented young players will be selected from the world Africa and America in particular and sent to train at the academy
Table tennis has been dominated for decades by Asia and Europe while players from other continents are rarely seen in international tournaments
Sharara reelected as the ITTF president a week ago said his organization will make continued efforts to develop table tennis in the continents outside Asia and Europe
If table tennis is only popular in Asia one day it will die said the yearold Canadian So we must keep the sport alive by developing it everywhere
Sharara attributed the regional imbalance to the lack of chances of playing competitive games in other parts of the world
We need to organize tournaments at the junior level so a player can play tournaments a year without having to travel all the way to other countries said Sharara
At present however there are world junior circuit events every year So there is a long way to go he said Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua The Chinese team has secured its fourth gold medal at the fiveevent world table tennis championships as Olympic champions Wang Nan and Zhang Yining on Friday handed a defeat to Tie Yana and Zhang Rui from Hong Kong China
Top seeded WangZhang sent off the Hong Kong pair
Bai Yang and Guo Yue are playing the other womens doubles semifinal against fellow Chinese Guo Yue and Niu Jianfeng
China has won the mens doubles Kong LinghuiWang Hao womens singles Zhang Yining and mixed doubles Wang LiqinGuo Yue Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Table tennis grand slam winner Kong Linghui said on Thursday that retirement is not on his agenda yet and he will fight until the Olympic Games
The yearold pairing up with Wang Hao won the mens doubles title at the world championships here after edging German duo Timo BollChristian Suss in the final Thursday night
This is the first major title that I have won since the Sydney Games said Kong the mens singles gold medalist in Sydney
Kong was rumored to retire soon after he and Wang were knocked out in the first round of mens doubles at last years Athens Olympics But the player from northeastern Chinas Heilongjiang province wont give up and hopes to play until the Olympics
Table tennis fans gave us a lot of support said Kong the most popular male player in China I will wait and see whether I can play in the Beijing Games
Kong is the third grand slam winner of Olympic world championships and World Cup mens singles title The other winners are Liu Guoliang of China and JanOve Walder of Sweden Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Following are the womens doubles semifinal results at the world table tennis championships here on Friday
Wang NanZhang Yining China bt Tie YanaZhang Rui Hong Kong China
Guo YueNiu Jianfeng China bt Bai YangGuo Yan China
Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua World number one Wang Liqin eased into the mens singles final at the Shanghai world table tennis championships after beating Oh Sang Eun from South Korea here on Friday
Oh was too nervous to find his game losing
Wang a Shanghai native who stopped at the Olympic semifinals last August in Athens as he was beaten by teammate Wang Hao took an upper hand after winning the first three sets without difficulty
Wang however trailed with consecutive errors at the beginning of the fourth set
He narrowed the deficit to but Oh who held two sets points in after his coach Kim Taek Soo called timeout capitalized on Wangs errors to take the set
The yearold Wang recovered quickly and came back from to lead and wrapped up the game with a spectacular rally Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Following are the mens singles semifinal results at the world table tennis championships here on Friday
Wang Liqin China bt Oh Sang Eun South Korea
Ma Lin China bt Michael Maze
Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua China has guaranteed a clean sweep at the world table tennis championships as the last two finals will be contested between Chinese on Friday
World secondranked Ma Lin ended a giantkilling run by Dane Michael Maze winning Maze had ousted Chinese Olympic silver medalist Wang Hao and Hao Shuai
Ma will play the mens singles final against Wang who edged out South Korean Oh Sang Eun
The womens doubles final will be played between Olympic champions Wang NanZhang Yining and Guo YueNiu Jianfeng
Zhang had claimed her first world singles crown and Kong LinghuiWang Hao triumphed in the mens doubles with Wang LiqinGuo Yan taking the mixed doubles Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Denmarks Michael Maze failed to repeat his comeback wins when he was beaten by second seed Ma Lin to guarantee an allChinese mens singles final at the Shanghai world table tennis championships on Friday
The yearold Dane who came back from three sets down Thursday against Chinese debutant Hao Shuai to reach the semifinals lost
Maze showed again his sturdy mind which helped him beat Chinese leading paddlers Wang Hao and Hao coming back from to lead in the first set
Threetime World Cup winner Ma was not disturbed by Maze He regained his composure to claim five points in a row and held on to his wellprepared tactics to take the first thress sets
While forced into defensive at down Maze used his specialty lob in order to turn the tables But Ma didnt execute a heavy smash which the Dane likes and instead angled the bat to bounce the ball back on which Maze made a mistake to face the match point
Maze saved one match point and then hit the ball to the net to end his heroic run in Shanghai Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Table tennis fans sent red roses to Chinese star Wang Nan at the world table tennis championships here on Friday
We support you forever whenever you win or lose shouted members of Wang Nan Fans Club each waving a bunch of roses
Ive nver seen so many roses in my life especially after my defeat in the singles I felt so sorry sobbed Wang number two in the world
She was stunned by South Koreas Moon Hyun Jung in the third round but recovered to reach the doubles final with Zhang Yining
Thank you for your support Wang told her supporters Its a precious gift that is more important than my victory at the Olympic Games Its an honor that I will probably never have in my life
The yearold Wang who has collected titles from the World Cup world championships and Olympic Games is only one less away from the legendary Deng Yapings record of trophies
I guess its my last worlds and big competiton I will fight for the doubles title for all of you Wang said
As Olympic and defending champions WangZhang will play teammates Guo YueNiu Jianfeng in the final Saturday evening Enditem
PYONGYANG May Xinhua The Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea DPRK on Friday condemned the decision taken by the Disciplinary Committee of the FIFA against the behaviors of Korean spectators defining it as an unreasonable one
If the FIFA Disciplinary Committee allows such partial refereeing to go on this will cast a darker shadow on the development of the world soccer in the future Cheyuk Sinmun Sports News said in a commentary
The committee decided on April to hold the match between the DPRK team and the Japanese team in a stadium without spectators in a third country instead of having it in Pyongyang on June as scheduled
The committee has left a blot on its history by taking such an unjust decision against the DPRK team which took just actions while respecting rules concerning discipline instituted by the FIFA the commentary said
The FIFA Disciplinary Committee defined the DPRKs spectators behaviors at the match held between the DPRK and Bahrain Iranian as disturbance or commotion in the decision
It lashed the Korean people into great fury because they deem the national dignity as their life and soul the commentary said
The commentary also condemned the committee more attentively listening to the advice made by Japan and not properly fulfiling its duty
The commentary again demanded the FIFA Disciplinary Committee to sternly punish those who partially refereed the matches and applied sanctions against them It also demanded the committee to reexamine the issues and make a wise judgement for the development of football and the future of the FIFA Enditem
DAR ES SALAAM May Xinhua Defending champions APR of Rwanda were fully stretched before going one step closing to retaining their title at the central and east African clubs soccer championship
The APRs overwhelmed their countrymen Rayon Sport through spotkicks after being forced to a oneall draw in regular time of play in Mwanza of northern Tanzania
Ugandan international Manfred Kizito found the net at the th minute to give the defending champions the lead but APR defender Abubakar scored in a goalmouth melee an own goal to level the game for opponents in the dying minutes
APR will take on Ugandas SC Villa in the grand finale scheduled on Saturday
SC Villa defeated Mtibwa Sugar of Tanzania in the other semi final match with the score of
Ceacer Semisa headed home the lone goal at the st minute in the first semifinal match
Also on Saturday Mtibwa and Rayon Sport will play to decide the thirdspot finisher of the club tournament which drew teams also from Ethiopia Somalia and Kenya Enditem
By Sportswriters Gao Peng and Zhang Han
SHANGHAI May Xinhua The final day of the world table tennis championships witnessed Michael Maze lost in Ma Lins tactical maze and Oh Sang Eun succumbed to Wang Liqin in a duel of Titans
An allChinese singles final Friday evening has assured China of the elusive mens singles top honor and a Chinese clean sweep of five titles
The hosts had claimed the mixed doubles mens doubles and womens singles trophies with the womens doubles final to be contested between two Chinese pairs
It was a sweet day for Chinese players following two heartbroken experiences
Austrian Werner Schlager produced a major upset at the last world championships in Paris when he ousted Chinese players en route to clinching the mens title while South Koreas Ryu Seung Min stunned Chinese Wang Hao in last years Olympic final
Playing a tactically smart game Ma crushed the thseeded Maze to set up the championship match against local boy Wang a winner over Oh
Yet the victories came not as easily as the scores suggest
Ma had a highflying start racing to and in the first set The Dane recovered to all but was unable to forge ahead as the Chinese penholder scored four straight points to take the set
Ma a threetime World Cup winner then combined his powerful forehand kills and placement blocks to deadly effect to win the following two sets
Trailing in the fourth set Maze clawed his way back to When forced into defensive the yearold Dane used his specialty lob which had baffled Chinese youngsters Wang Hao and Hao Shuai but Ma beat his trick with a clever drop shot
After saving a match point Maze sent the ball into the net and allowed the secondseeded Chinese to seal the breathtaking victory
Ma Lin played very clever and he knows how to handle the high balls said Maze Im disappointed at the result but I have shown that I can beat Chinese
Maze produced an incredible fightback in his quarterfinal against Hao Shuai on Thursday recovering from three sets down and saving three match points to win the most dramatic match in the table tennis history Earlier the lefthander inflicted a demolition of Wang Hao Olympic silver medalist
In the other semifinal world topranked Wang Liqin started strongly against Oh by taking the opening set
The second set was a seesaw affair which witnessed Wang and Oh both standing meters tall tie at and
A forehand topspin from Oh hit the top of the net and flew off the table handing Wang an lead The South Korean then sent a backhand long to go down in sets
After losing the third set a tenacious Oh played more aggressively and pulled one back in the fourth
Oh kept the momentum to lead and in the fifth set but couldnt win any more points as Wang rallied to
Oh survived the first match point but surrendered at the second sending the home crowds into ecstasy Enditem
JOHANNESBURG May Xinhua South African athlete and the Atlanta Olympic m silver medalist Hezekiel Sepeng could face a ban of up to two years after testing positive for an illegal substance
Athletics South Africa ASA has confirmed that Sepeng tested positive in an outofcompetition test conducted by the International Association of Athletics Federations IAAF in February national newspaper The Star reported on Friday
ASA general manager Linda Ferns said she had been informed by the IAAF of the positive test
We have informed him Sepeng that he now has until Monday to tell us how the substance came to be in his body and if he wants his B sample tested If he does that test will have to take place in Barcelona Ferns said
If there was a positive finding on the A sample an athlete could admit guilt or request a test of the B sample
Ferns could not confirm what the substance was but if it proves to be an anabolic steroid the yearold could be banned for two years which would more than likely spell the end of the career of South Africas first black Olympic medalist
Sepengs coach Jean Verster said he was in the dark about the positive result according to the report
Sepeng has had his fair share of ups and downs in his career He has for years seesawed between being the darling and the bad boy of South African athletics Enditem
By Sportswriters Gao Peng and Zhang Han
SHANGHAI May Xinhua The final day of the world table tennis championships witnessed Michael Maze lost in Ma Lins tactical maze and Oh Sang Eun succumbed to Wang Liqin in a duel of Titans
An allChinese singles final Friday evening has assured China of the elusive mens singles top honor and a Chinese clean sweep of five titles
The hosts had claimed the mixed doubles mens doubles and womens singles trophies with the womens doubles final to be contested between two Chinese pairs
It was a sweet day for Chinese players following two heartbroken experiences Austrian Werner Schlager produced a major upset at the last world championships in Paris when he ousted Chinese players en route to clinching the mens title while South Koreas Ryu Seung Min stunned Chinese Wang Hao in last years Olympic final
Playing a tactically smart game Ma crushed the thseeded Maze to set up the championship match against local boy Wang a winner over Oh
Yet the victories came not as easily as the scores suggest Ma had a highflying start racing to and in the first set The Dane recovered to all but was unable to forge ahead as the Chinese penholder scored four straight points to take the set
Ma a threetime World Cup winner then combined his powerful forehand kills and placement blocks to deadly effect to win the following two sets Trailing in the fourth set Maze clawed his way back to When forced into defensive the yearold Dane used his specialty lob which had baffled Chinese youngsters Wang Hao and Hao Shuai but Ma beat his trick with a clever drop shot
After saving a match point Maze sent the ball into the net and allowed the secondseeded Chinese to seal the breathtaking victory Ma Lin played very clever and he knows how to handle the high balls said Maze Im disappointed at the result but I have shown that I can beat Chinese
Maze produced an incredible fightback in his quarterfinal against Hao Shuai on Thursday recovering from three sets down and saving three match points to win the most dramatic match in the table tennis history Earlier the lefthander inflicted a demolition of Wang Hao Olympic silver medalist In the other semifinal world topranked Wang Liqin started strongly against Oh by taking the opening set
The second set was a seesaw affair which witnessed Wang and Oh both standing meters tall tie at and A forehand topspin from Oh hit the top of the net and flew off the table handing Wang an lead The South Korean then sent a backhand long to go down in sets
After losing the third set a tenacious Oh played more aggressively and pulled one back in the fourth
Oh kept the momentum to lead and in the fifth set but couldnt win any more points as Wang rallied to The South Korean survived the first match point but surrendered at the second sending the home crowds into ecstasy Enditem
CAIRO May Xinhua Following is the result of an Arab Champions League semifinal first leg result played on Thursday
In Jeddah
Al Ahli Jeddah Saudi Arabia lost to CS Sfaxien Tunisia
Playing on Monday
In Riyadh
Al Hilal Saudi Arabia vs Al Ittihad Jeddah Saudi Arabia
The return legs will be played on May Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Olympic champions Wang Nan and Zhang Yining successfully defended their world womens doubles title at the world table tennis championships here on Friday
WangZhang downed teammates Guo YueNiu Jianfeng in four sets
It was Chinas ninth straight womens doubles title and Wang Nans fourth Wang had paired up with Li Ju to win the and events
Third place was shared by Chinese duo Bai YangGuo Yan and Tie YanaZhang Rui from Hong Kong China Enditem
WASHINGTON May Xinhua Following are the results and standings from the Libertadores Cup Group matches on Thursday
Friday May
Guadalajara Mexico bt Cobreloa Chile
San Lorenzo de Almagro Argentina lost to Once Caldas Colombia
Standings tabulated under games played won drawn lost goals for against points
Group
Guadalajara
Once Caldas
Cobreloa
San Lorenzo de Almagro BA Enditem
LONDON May Xinhua Following is the list of English Football Writers Association winners after Chelseas Frank Lampard was voted FWA Footballer of the Year on Friday
Stanley Matthews Blackpool
Johnny Carey Manchester United
Joe Mercer Arsenal
Harry Johnston Blackpool
Billy Wright Wolverhampton Wanderers
Nat Lofthouse Bolton Wanderers
Tom Finney Preston North End
Don Revie Manchester City
Bert Trautman Manchester City
Tom Finney Preston North End
Danny Blanchflower Tottenham Hotspur
Syd Owen Luton Town
Bill Slater Wolverhampton Wanderers
Danny Blanchflower Tottenham Hotspur
Jimmy Adamson Burnley
Stanley Matthews Stoke City
Bobby Moore West Ham United
Bobby Collins Leeds United
Bobby Charlton Manchester United
Jack Charlton Leeds United
George Best Manchester United
Tony Book Manchester City
Dave Mackay Derby County
Billy Bremner Leeds United
Frank McLintock Arsenal
Gordon Banks Stoke City
Pat Jennings Tottenham Hotspur
Ian Callaghan Liverpool
Alan Mullery Fulham
Kevin Keegan Liverpool
Emlyn Hughes Liverpool
Kenny Burns Nottingham Forest
Kenny Dalglish Liverpool
Terry McDermott Liverpool
Frans Thijssen Ipswich Town
Steve Perryman Tottenham Hotspur
Kenny Dalglish Liverpool
Ian Rush Liverpool
Neville Southall Everton
Gary Lineker Everton
Clive Allen Tottenham Hotspur
John Barnes Liverpool
Steve Nicol Liverpool
John Barnes Liverpool
Gordon Strachan Leeds United
Gary Lineker Tottenham Hotspur
Chris Waddle Sheffield Wednesday
Alan Shearer Blackburn Rovers
Jurgen Klinsmann Tottenham Hotspur
Eric Cantona Manchester United
Gianfranco Zola Chelsea
Dennis Bergkamp Arsenal
David Ginola Tottenham Hotspur
Roy Keane Manchester United
Teddy Sheringham Manchester United
Robert Pires Arsenal
Thierry Henry Arsenal
Thierry Henry Arsenal
Frank Lampard Chelsea Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua The final day of the world table tennis championships witnessed Michael Maze lost in Ma Lins tactical maze and Oh Sang Eun succumbed to Wang Liqin in a duel of Titans
An allChinese singles final Friday evening has assured China of the elusive mens singles top honor and a Chinese clean sweep of five titles
The hosts had claimed the mixed doubles mens doubles and womens singles trophies with the womens doubles final to be contested between two Chinese pairs
It was a sweet day for Chinese players following two heartbroken experiences
Austrian Werner Schlager produced a majorupset at the last world championships in Paris when he ousted Chinese players en route to clinching the mens title while South Koreas Ryu Seung Min stunned Chinese Wang Hao in last years Olympic final
We had been under great pressure since the Olympic loss said China coach Liu Guoliang We had set the mens singles title as our top priority for this world championships
Playing a tactically smart game Ma Lin crushed the thseeded Maze to set up the championship match against local boy Wang a winner over Oh
Yet the victories came not as easily as the scores suggest Ma had a highflying start racing to and in the first set The Dane recovered to all but was unable to forge ahead as the Chinese penholder scored four straight points to take the set
Ma a threetime World Cup winner then combined his powerful forehand kills and placement blocks to deadly effect to win the following two sets Trailing in the fourth set Maze clawed his way back to When forced into defensive the yearold Dane used his specialty lob which had baffled Chinese youngsters Wang Hao and Hao Shuai but Ma beat his trick with a clever drop shot
After saving a match point Maze sent the ball into the net and allowed the secondseeded Chinese to seal the breathtaking victory Ma Lin played very clever and he knows how to handle thehigh balls said Maze Im disappointed at the result but I have shown that I can beat Chinese
Maze produced an incredible fightback in his quarterfinal against Hao Shuai on Thursday recovering from three sets down andsaving three match points to win the most dramatic match in the table tennis history
Earlier the lefthander inflicted a demolition of Wang Hao Olympic silver medalist In the other semifinal world topranked Wang Liqin started strongly against Ohby taking the opening set
The second set was a seesaw affair which witnessed Wang and Oh both standing meters tall tie at and A forehand topspin from Oh hit the top of the net and flew off the table handing Wang an lead The South Korean then sent a backhand long to go down in sets
After losing the third set a tenacious Oh played more aggressively and pulled one back in the fourth
Oh kept the momentum to lead and in the fifth set but couldnt win any more points as Wang rallied to The South Korean survived the first match point but surrendered at the second sending the home crowds into ecstasy Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Wang Liqin beat Ma Lin in an allChinese final to win the mens singles title at the world table tennis championships here on Friday Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Top seed Wang Liqin beat Ma Lin in an allChinese final to win the mens singles title at the world table tennis championships here on Friday
Wang a Shanghai native defeated second seed Ma Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua World No Wang Liqin beat No in an allChinese mens singles final at the world table tennis championships here on Friday
Wang champion came from down for a victory
It was the second singles silver for Ma Lin who finished second to Liu Guoliang in the championships Enditem
JOHANNESBURG May Xinhua The South African triathlon team has been announced that the nominated best in the country will compete against the worlds best triathletes in September in Japan
New mother and star performer Dominique Donner along with Kate Roberts and Robyn Adendorf will compete in the elite women section in the International Triathlon Union ITU World Championships on September in Gamagori Japan local newspaper The Citizen reported on Friday
Richard Woolrich Brad Storm and Hendrik de Villiers will be representing South Africa to challenge the worlds best men
South African triathletes will also participate in the Under woman and man sections and the youngsters section
The course for the m swim km cycle and the km run is expected to be a tough challenge for all contestants Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Local boy Wang Liqin proved his world No billing by beating secondranked teammate Ma Lin in the mens singles final of the world table tennis championships here on Friday
Wang world champion jumped to a start but lost the following two sets
The turning point came at in favor of Ma Lin in the fourth set as Shanghai spectators jeered and booed at Ma who was serving Mas following block went directly into the net and Wang then made it with a wideangled drive Another loop drive by Wang gave the Shanghaiese the fourth set
The lanky Wang surged to in the fifth set but Ma made it as Wang made a series of attacking mistakes The top seed regained composure to pull away but Ma fought back to all Two spectacular long rallies won by Wang electrified the crowd and put the Shanghai boy three to two up
Ma Lin born in northeast China tried to use drop shots to force errors from his rival But a firedup Wang played an even more aggressive game to wrap up the sixth and last set
Denmarks Michael Maze and South Koreas Oh Sang Eun shared the third place Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Local boy Wang Liqin proved his world No billing by beating secondranked teammate Ma Lin in the mens singles final of the world table tennis championships here on Friday
Wang world champion jumped to a start but lost the following two sets
The turning point came at in favor of Ma Lin in the fourth set as Shanghai spectators jeered and booed at Ma who was serving Mas following block went directly into the net and Wang then made it with a wideangled drive Another loop drive by Wang gave the Shanghaiese the fourth set
The lanky Wang surged to in the fifth set but Ma made it as Wang made a series of attacking mistakes The top seed regained composure to pull away but Ma fought back to all Two spectacular long rallies won by Wang electrified the crowd and put the Shanghai boy three to two up
Ma Lin born in northeast China tried to use drop shots to force errors from his rival But a firedup Wang played an even more aggressive game to wrap up the sixth and last set
Denmarks Michael Maze and South Koreas Oh Sang Eun shared the third place
Wangs victory was a fitting ending for the world championships in which China swept all five gold medals
Earlier Friday evening Zhang Yining paired up with Wang Nan to win their second womens doubles trophy Zhangs second in Shanghai
Zhang Olympic champion and world No saw off her Beijing club and national team mate Guo Yan in the womens singles final on Thursday thus completing a grand slam of Olympic world championships and World Cup singles titles
Deng Yaping and Wang Nan are the other grand slam winners
Fridays doubles gold was Wang Nans fourth The Olympic dual gold medalist had partnered with Li Ju to win the and doubles event
Kong LinghuiWang Hao had claimed the mens doubles at the cost of Germanys Timo Boll and Christian Suss and Wang LiqinGuo Yue triumphed in the mixed doubles final on Wednesday Enditem
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Defending champions Wang NanZhang Yining retained the womens doubles gold medal by sweeping aside younger teammates Guo YueNiu Jianfeng at the th world table tennis championships here on Friday
WangZhang Olympic champions and ranked in the world singles rankings didnt leave many chances to secondseeded GuoNiu lifting the trophy
With a perfect start WangZhang didnt meet strong challenge and only conceded the third set after wasting two set points
It is Wangs fourth straight world doubles title twice with now retired Li Ju and as many with Zhang
We played over the top said the yearold Wang Usually we had poor results against GuoNiu within the national team Maybe they are too young and too anxious to win
GuoNiu had defeated WangZhang once at the ITTF Pro Tour Finals in but they were the losers at the Pairs worlds two years ago as well as in the Athens Olympic Games
Its my fifth worlds and Ive experienced too much happiness and sorrow I was in a low after my early defeats in singles and mixed doubles but everything is gone now said Wang who suffered a upset to South Koreas Moon Hyun Jung in the third round and to teammates Qiu YikeCao Zhen in the mixed doubles quarterfinals
With a doubles gold to her credit Wang has tied legendary Deng Yapings record of major trophies from worlds World Cup and Olympic Games
Ive never thought about any record or surpassing someone What impressed me most is not the gold but the roses which my supporters sent to me this morning Im so honored Wang said
Wang hinted the Shanghai worlds might be her swansong in major international event I will compete in the National Games in October and I will think about retirement she said
Zhang also gave thumbs up to Wang She has been a role model for years The gold is a prefect ending for her Zhang said Enditem
RABAT Morocco May Xinhua Following are the results from the Rabat Open womens singles quarterfinal matches on Friday
Jie Zheng China bt Tathiana Garbin Italy
Nuria Llagostera Vives Spain bt Arantxa Parra Santonja Spain Enditem
ROME May Xinhua Following are the results from the Italian Masters mens singles quarterfinal matches on Friday
Andre Agassi United States bt Dominik Hrbaty Slovakia
David Ferrer Spain bt Alberto Martin Spain
Enditem
KUWAIT CITY May Xinhua The Asian handball Associations executive bureau has in a meeting in Kuwait selected countries to host tournaments in
Bader Theyab Associations Treasurer told media that China would host the Asian men handball championship from February to as part of qualifying matches for the world cup
The official also Secretary General of Kuwaits Handball Federation was speaking after a meeting of the executive bureau under the chairmanship of the Association President Kuwaits Ministry of Energy Sheikh Ahmad AlFahad AlSabah
China will also host the th Asian women handball championship from July to within the world cup qualifiers as well he said
Japan will organize the th Asian male youth handball tournament from September to as well as the female youth from June to said Theyab
The executive bureau said Theyab approved a Syrian bid to host the th champion tournament on December of next year Enditem
NBLTC
VBSTimofonica
SHANGHAI May Xinhua Local boy Wang Liqin dumped the tag of big time choker into garbage can as he rallied to beat Ma Lin and won his second world singles title on Friday
The world topranked Shanghaiese gave a perfect ending to the world championships with a victory over threetime World Cup winner
Wang who lost close games in the and world championships mainly because of weak nerves jumped to a start but lost the following two sets
The turning point came at in favor of Ma Lin in the fourth set as Shanghai spectators jeered and booed at Ma who was serving Mas following block went directly into the net and Wang then made it with a wideangled drive Another loop drive by Wang gave the Shanghaiese the fourth set
The champion surged to in the fifth set but Ma made it following a series of attacking mistakes by Wang The top seed regained composure to pull away but Ma fought back to all Two spectacular long rallies won by Wang electrified the crowd and put the Shanghai boy three to two up
Ma Lin born in northeast China tried to use drop shots to force errors from his rival But a firedup Wang played an even more aggressive game to wrap up the sixth and last set
Denmarks Michael Maze and South Koreas Oh Sang Eun shared the third place
Wang Liqin is a mature player now said Chinese table tennis chief Cai Zhenhua He didnt look upset at all with down and instead he played a more tactical and offensive game to win three sets in a row
Earlier Friday evening Zhang Yining paired up with Wang Nan to win their second womens doubles trophy Zhangs second in Shanghai
Zhang Olympic champion and world No saw off her Beijing club and national team mate Guo Yan in the womens singles final on Thursday thus completing a grand slam of Olympic world championships and World Cup singles titles
Deng Yaping and Wang Nan are the other grand slam winners
Fridays doubles gold was Wang Nans fourth The Olympic dual gold medalist had partnered with Li Ju to win the and doubles event
Kong LinghuiWang Hao had claimed the mens doubles at the cost of Germanys Timo Boll and Christian Suss and Wang LiqinGuo Yue triumphed in the mixed doubles final on Wednesday Enditem
SINGAPORE May Xinhua Geylang United defeated Paya Lebar Punggol in a Singapore League match on Friday night
Fazrul Nawaz and Chimaobi Nwaogazi scored two goals for Geylang United in the first half while Jerry Bartholomeusz and John Wilkinson added two more goals for the team in the second half
With the win Geylang United is now in sixth spot with points but Paya Lebar Punggol is at the bottom of the Singapore League table by losing all its nine matches so far Enditem
HAVANA May Xinhua The th International Jose Raul Capablanca In Memoriam Chess Tournament starts Friday with the rounds of games of its four groups at Havanas NeptunoTriton Hotel Complex with the participation of players from countries
Among the games of the day stands out the one between grand masters GM Vassily Ivanchuk of Ukraine and Leinier Dominguez of Cuba of the Elite Group of the XV category with the participation of seven GMs
Ivanchuk ranked sixth in the International Chess Federation with ELO points and first in the champion team of the Calvia World Olympiad Spain is the favorite to win On the other hand Dominguez st with points won the past edition of the Capablanca tournament in
Also GM Baduur Jobaba of Georgia will meet Cuban Walter Arencibia
Local GMs Neurys Delgado and Jesus Nogueiras complete the activity in this category with recent national champion Lazaro Bruzon resting in the first day
On Friday also start the activity in grups Premier I and II with IX category and players and Mixed XI category with competitors including women Enditem
BUENOS AIRES May Xinhua The Argentine Soccer Federation AFA set the value of the tickets for the match between Argentina and Brazil on June within the framework of the South American heat for the Germany World Cup said the press Friday
Prices are as follows San Martin and Belgrano Media section dollars San Martin and Belgrano Baja dollars San Martin and Belgrano Alta dollars Almirante Brown and Centenario Media dollars Almirante Brown and Centenario Baja dollars and Centenario Alta seven dollars
Popularsection tickets will cost dollars while children below will pay dollars
The Centenario Media and Centenario Baja sections were destined for the Brazilian fans
AFA sources said that the tickets will be on sale one week before the match and that no restrictions will be taken Enditem
ROME May Xinhua Following are the results from the Rome Masters mens singles quarterfinal matches on Friday prefix number denotes seeding
Guillermo Coria Argentina bt Fernando Verdasco Spain
Andre Agassi United States bt Dominik Hrbaty Slovakia
David Ferrer Spain bt Alberto Martin Spain
Rafael Nadal Spain bt Radek Stepanek Czech Republic
Enditem
BERLIN May Xinhua Following are the results from the Berlin Open womens singles quarterfinal matches on Friday prefix number denotes seeding
Justine HeninHardenne Belgium bt Maria Sharapova Russia
Patty Schnyder Switzerland bt Svetlana Kuznetsova Russia
Nadia Petrova Russia bt Amelie Mauresmo France
Elena Bovina Russia vs Jelena Jankovic Serbia and Montenegro to be finished Enditem
VIENNA May Xinhua Following are the results and standings from
the ice hockey world championship qualifying round matches on Friday
Results
Russia drew with Switzerland Group E
United States drew with Finland Group F
Standings
Group E
Czech Republic
Russia
Slovakia
Switzerland
Kazakhstan
Belarus
Group F
Sweden
Canada
United States
Finland
Ukraine
Latvia
Enditem
WASHINGTON May Xinhua The Washington Wizards advanced to the second round of the NBA playoffs for the first time in years after they beat the Chicago Bulls at home on Friday
With the game tied at Jared Jefferies scooped up a Chicago turnover and raced down the court for the game winning dunk with seconds remaining
Antawn Jamison Gilbert Arenas and Larry Hughes all scored points as the Wizards took the bestofseven games Eastern Conference quarterfinal
Washington will now meet the topseeded Miami Heat in the conference semifinals starting in Miami on Sunday
The series win put the Wizards into the second round of the playoffs for the first time since
We did a great job staying confident and staying positive Jamison said in a courtside interview after the game Enditem
WASHINGTON May Xinhua Chinas national team lost to WNBAs Sacramento Monarchs in a basketball match on Friday
Cristi Greenwalt led five players in double figures with points Friday to pace the Monarchs to an easy victory
This is the Chinese national teams only preseason game against a WNBA team China played against Seattle earlier this week and is scheduled to have another match in San Antonio on May
Miao Lijie and Nicole Powell each scored points for the Monarchs who led in the first half Both Kara Lawson and Erin Buescher had points
Ji Xiao scored points for China Zhang Xiaoni scored points before fouling out early in the second half and Song Liwei added points Enditem
BERLIN May Xinhua Following are the results from the Berlin Open womens singles matches on Saturday
Quarterfinal
Jelena Jankovic Serbia and Montenegro beat Elena Bovina Russia
Enditem
BERLIN May Xinhua Serbias Jelena Jankovic scored a victory over Russian eighth seed Elena Bovina to reach the semifinals of the German Open on Saturday
Tying in the first two sets after bad light stopping play on Friday Jankovic broke early in the final set and held on to the advantage to secure victory at the Steffi Graf stadium
Jankovic will have to be back on court later on Saturday to contest her semifinal against another Russian sixth seed Nadia Petrova
Former world number one Justine HeninHardenne of Belgium who beat top seed Maria Sharapova of Russia on Friday will face Switzerlands Patty Schnyder for a place in the final Enditem
TOKYO May Xinhua Following are the results from the Grand Prix in Osaka Japan on Saturday
Mens m
Justin Gatlin United States
Brian Lewis United States
Obadele Thompson Barbados
Mens m
Alleyne Francique Grenada
Jun Osakada Japan
Yuzo Kanemaru Japan
Mens m
Bernard Kiptanui Kiptum Kenya
Fumikazu Kobayashi Japan
Josephat Muchiri Ndambiri Kenya
Mens m Hurdles
Liu Xiang China
Masato Naito Japan
Yuji Ohashi Japan
Mens m Hurdles
James Carter United States
Ian Weakley Jamaica
Kenji Narisako Japan
Mens m Steeplechase
Wesley Kiprotich Kenya
Richard Matelong Kenya
Julius Nyamu Kenya
Mens x m Relay
International Team
Japan B
Japan
Mens Pole Vault
Dmitri Markov Australia
Brad Walker United States
Daichi Sawano Japan
Mens Triple Jump
Hristos Meletoglou Greece
Tim Rusan United States
Gu Junjie China
Mens Hammer Throw
Vadim Devyatovskiy Belarus
Krisztian Pars Hungary
Libor Charfreitag Slovakia more
Grand Prix Japan Grand Prix menwomen results last
Womens m
Allyson Felix United States
Angela Daigle United States
Tomoko Ishida Japan
Womens m
Miho Sugimori Japan
Brigita Langerholc Slovenia
Michelle Ballantine Jamaica
Womens m
Lucy Wangui Kenya
Jane Wanjiku Kenya
Philes Ongori Kenya
Womens m Hurdles
Andrea Blackett Barbados
Satomi Kubokura Japan
Makiko Yoshida Japan
Womens x m Relay
Japan
Japan B
Womens Long Jump
Maho Hanaoka Japan
Grace Upshaw United States
Gu Yingnan China
Womens Hammer Throw
Wenxiu Zhang China
Olga Kuzenkova Russia
Gu Yuan China Enditem
BERLIN May Xinhua Following are the results from the Berlin Open womens singles matches on Saturday
Semifinal
Justine HeninHardenne Belgium bt Patty Schnyder Switzerland
Quarterfinal
Jelena Jankovic Serbia and Montenegro bt Elena Bovina Russia Enditem
BUENOS AIRES May Xinhua Following are the results and standings from the Argentine championship Clausura matches on Friday
Friday May
Independiente Colon
Standings tabulated under games played won drawn lost goals for against points
Estudiantes
River Plate
Velez Sarsfield
Rosario Central
Racing Club
Colon
Lanus
Boca Juniors
Banfield
Arsenal
Newells Old Boys
Olimpo
Independiente
Argentinos Juniors
Quilmes
Instituto
GimnasiaLa Plata
San Lorenzo de Almagro BA
Almagro
HuracanTres Arroyos Enditem
BERLIN May Xinhua Former world number one Justine HeninHardenne overpowered seventh seed Patty Schnyder to reach the German Open final on Saturday
The Belgian breezed past the Swiss opponent to extend her winning streak to matches and will face either Jelena Jankovic or Russian sixth seed Elena Bovina in Sundays title match as she bids to win her third German Open
Ranked th in the world after a long spell out through illness last year and an injury at the start of this season the resurgent Belgian has won two of the three previous events she has played since returning to the circuit in March
Having triumphed at Roland Garros in HeninHardenne current run of form has made her one of the frontrunners for the claycourt grand slam which begins in Paris on May rd Enditem
LONDON May Xinhua Following are the results and standings from the Premier League matches on Saturday
Saturday May
Chelsea beat Charlton Athletic
Wednesday May
Fulham lost to Newcastle United
Standings tabulated under games played won drawn lost goals for against points
Chelsea
Arsenal
Manchester United
Everton
Liverpool
Bolton Wanderers
Tottenham Hotspur
Middlesbrough
Manchester City
Aston Villa
Charlton Athletic
Newcastle United
Birmingham City
Blackburn Rovers
Portsmouth
Fulham
Southampton
Crystal Palace
West Bromwich Albion
Norwich City
Next Fixtures
Saturday May
Aston Villa vs Manchester City
Blackburn Rovers vs Fulham
Crystal Palace vs Southampton
Everton vs Newcastle United
Middlesbrough vs Tottenham Hotspur
Norwich City vs Birmingham City
Portsmouth vs Bolton Wanderers
Manchester United vs West Bromwich Albion
Sunday May
Arsenal vs Liverpool Enditem
LONDON May Xinhua Following are the top scorers of the English Premier League on Saturday
Thierry Henry Arsenal
Andy Johnson Crystal Palace
Jermain Defoe Tottenham Hotspur
Frank Lampard Chelsea
Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink Middlesbrough
Yakubu Aiyegbeni Portsmouth
Peter Crouch Southampton
Robert Pires Arsenal
Andy Cole Fulham
Robbie Keane Tottenham Hotspur
Eidur Gudjohnsen Chelsea
Wayne Rooney Manchester United
Rob Earnshaw West Bromwich Albion
Didier Drogba Chelsea
Robbie Fowler Manchester City
Fredrik Ljungberg Arsenal
Kevin Phillips Southampton
Shaun WrightPhillips Manchester City
Emile Heskey Birmingham City
Milan Baros Liverpool
Tim Cahill Everton
Paul Scholes Manchester United
Paul Dickov Blackburn Rovers
Nolberto Solano Aston Villa
El Hadji Diouf Bolton Wanderers
Luis Garcia Liverpool
Jose Antonio Reyes Arsenal
Luis Boa Morte Fulham
Enditem
RABAT Morocco May Xinhua Following are the results from the Rabat Open womens singles semi final matches on Saturday
Zheng Jie China beat Li Na China N Li retired Enditem
ROME May Xinhua Following are the results from the Italian Masters mens singles semi final matches on Saturday
Rafael Nadal Spain bt David Ferrer Spain
Enditem
BERLIN May Xinhua Following are the results and standings from the Bundesliga matches on Saturday
Saturday May
Mainz lost to Bayern Munich
Standings P W D L F A Pts
Bayern Munich
Schalke
VfB Stuttgart
Werder Bremen
Hertha Berlin
Bayer Leverkusen
Hamburg SV
Borussia Dortmund
VfL Wolfsburg
Hanover
Kaiserslautern
Arminia Bielefeld
Mainz
Nuremberg
Borussia Moenchengladbach
VfL Bochum
Hansa Rostock
Freiburg
Next Fixtures
Saturday May
Nuremberg vs VfL Bochum
Arminia Bielefeld vs Schalke
Bayer Leverkusen vs Hansa Rostock
Hertha Berlin vs VfL Wolfsburg
Freiburg vs Kaiserslautern
VfB Stuttgart vs Hanover
Sunday May
Borussia Dortmund vs Werder Bremen
Hamburg SV vs Borussia Moenchengladbach
Enditem
BERLIN Germany May Xinhua Following are the top scorers of the Bundesliga on Saturday
Marek Mintal Nuremberg
Roy Makaay Bayern Munich
Marcelinho Hertha Berlin
Dimitar Berbatov Bayer Leverkusen
Delron Buckley Arminia Bielefeld
Miroslav Klose Werder Bremen
Ailton Schalke
Andriy Voronin Bayer Leverkusen
Jan Koller Borussia Dortmund
Kevin Kuranyi VfB Stuttgart
Cacau VfB Stuttgart
Lincoln Schalke
Michael Ballack Bayern Munich
Oliver Neuville Borussia Moenchengladbach
Martin Petrov VfL Wolfsburg
Sergei Barbarez Hamburg SV
Ewerthon Borussia Dortmund
Thomas Brdaric VfL Wolfsburg
Claudio Pizarro Bayern Munich
Ivan Klasnic Werder Bremen
Silvio Meissner VfB Stuttgart
Vratislav Lokvenc VfL Bochum
Gerald Asamoah Schalke
Enditem
ROME May Xinhua Spanish teenager Rafael Nadal reached his sixth final of the year after beating compatriot David Ferrer at the Rome Masters on Saturday
Nadal next faces either ninth seed Guillermo Coria or Andre Agassi who is trying to reclaim the title he won in
The yearold Nadal who became the youngest semifinalist at the claycourt event since Sergi Bruguera in quashed Ferrers challenge to extend his winning streak to matches Enditem
STOCKHOLM May Xinhua JanOve Waldner former Olympic and world champion in table tennis has been chosen as this years Swede in the World Radio Sweden reported on Friday
Awarded by the Association of Swedes in the World the group motivated their choice saying Waldner is internationally known for his extraordinary efforts as an athlete in the world of table tennis
Waldner who earlier this week announced his retirement won the mens singles title at the Barcelona Olympics and the world championships in Manchester in
Previous winners of the Swede in the World award include chidlrens author Astrid Lindgren football coach SvenGoeran Eriksson and last years winner European Union Commissioner Margot Wallstroem Enditem
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MADRID May Xinhua Ronaldo Nazario the striker of Real Madrid scored his th goal since he first arrived in Spain in the match against Racing of Santander through a penalty kick although he had time to score again in the second half
The Brazilian striker is ending the season in perfect conditions Wtih the two scores he had eight goal in five matches after a twomonth period without a single goal
Since he arrived in Spain with Barcelona Ronaldo has scored on occasions in the Spanish League including this season
In the match versus Racing he also gave a pass for the goal of English Michael Owen
Thus now Ronaldo is exerting pressure on the top scorer of the Spanish league Barcelonas Samuel Etoo
In the end with two more goals in the second half by captain Raul Real Madrid defeated Racing Enditem
MADRID May Xinhua Following are the results from the Spanish first division soccer matches played on Saturday
Athletic Bilbao bt Real Zaragoza
Osasuna ties with Real Mallorca
Real Betis bt Sevilla
Real Madrid bt Racing Santander
Playing on Sunday
Albacete vs Levante
Getafe vs Real Sociedad
Malaga vs Villarreal
Espanyol vs Numancia
Valencia vs Barcelona
Deportivo Coruna vs Atletico Madrid
Enditem
LONDON May Xinhua Jose Mourinho claimed on Saturday that Chelseas title celebrations will be the start of a glorious period in their history
A magnificent ceremony was held after Chelsea beat Chalton Athletics to celebrate their first topflight league title in years which moved Mourinho to tears
I now know that a lot of people didnt believe we could do it in our first season but we did it he said
Im happy with that but my nature is not to be happy with what we have done We want more Ive got my hands on the trophy but now I want to win it again
This is the start of a process not the end I want more for me and Chelsea
Mourinho said he thought the turning point in the title race was on January when Chelsea won at Tottenham and Arsenal lost at Bolton
When we played against West Brom on October Arsenal drew at home and we went top for the first time he added
After that we never left that position and you increasingly feel you are strong tactically and mentally
But for me the moment when we celebrated for the first time not the title but that it would be very difficult to take it from us was after we beat Tottenham
We were in the bus on the way back and Arsenal lost at Bolton Our lead went from five points to eight points It was the first time that we had celebrated
Now I am happy tired I would like to go on holiday I am proud
Captain John Terry echoed his managers thoughts after a day of celebration at Stamford Bridge
Its unbelievable Its been a long time coming but were making the most of it and weve fully deserved it this season said Terry
Now Ive got my hands on the trophy its started to sink it It was a really special moment Im not letting it go now
Weve now got to make sure that we show were the dominant force for years to come
The spirit here is unbelievable and the manager takes a lot of credit for that Thats been one of our main strengths this season Enditem
MADRID May Xinhua Following are the Spanish first division soccer standings after the matches played on Saturday tabulated under games played won drawn lost goals for against and points
FC Barcelona
Real Madrid
Sevilla
Real Betis
Villarreal
Valencia
Espanyol
Athletic Bilbao
Zaragoza
Atletico Madrid
Deportivo La Coruna
Real Sociedad
Osasuna
Getafe
Malaga
Racing Santander
Levante
Mallorca
Numancia
Albacete
Enditem
LONDON May Xinhua Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich broke selfimposed silence as he pledged his commitment to the club and vowed to make them the biggest in the world
The Russian tycoon is savouring the title success and he claims that it is only the start of the glory trail
I view this championship as just the beginning of a new era for Chelsea and would like to reiterate my longterm commitment to the club Abramovich told the clubs match day programme
Much has been said about the financial outlay over the past two years
We have made solid investments on the field in players management training facilities and an academy that will nurture the next generation of homegrown talent
Off the field a team of executives and senior managers has been put together to grow the business and capitalise on the playing success
All of this is a deliberate longterm strategy with the aim of building the most successful football club in the world in the next years and beyond
Under chairman Bruce Buck chief executive Peter Kenyon and Jose Mourinho we have a strong leadership team that shares my vision
I offer my heartfelt congratulations to the board of directors Peter Kenyon Jose Mourinho John Terry the staff and especially the players on bringing the title to Stamford Bridge
Winning the league this year is especially moving as it comes on the th anniversary of Chelseas last title and at the beginning of the clubs centenary year celebrations
I would especially like to congratulate the fans You have waited patiently and this victory has only been possible thanks to your support I am very honoured to share in your joy
My heart also goes out to the longterm supporters who did not live to see Chelsea reach the pinnacle of English football once again and I would like to dedicate this trophy to them
Fifty years is much too long to wait and I am confident that we will not have to wait that long again Enditem
LONDON May Xinhua Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez denied on Saturday the rumours claiming he would be allured to join Real Madrid
The Spaniard has been linked with Real for some time with the future of Wanderley Luxemburgo still looking uncertain
Benitez insists he has no plans to quit Liverpool and is only concentrating on helping Liverpool back to the glory days
I am not thinking about my future said Benitez
Someone says to me about a long contract I am very happy now I dont have any problems
I want to win trophies this season and the next seasons with Liverpool
I was happy with Extramadura where we were promoted and Tenerife where we were promoted
At Valladolid I was sacked and I was happy there also
Valencia was fantastic the last three years and here it is the same I enjoy my job
I dont want to think of a new contract I dont want to put anyone under pressure I dont need to think about it
Jose Mourinho has more years at Chelsea Thats fine Good for him If I have five or years its the same he said Enditem
LONDON May Xinhua Relegation candidates scored positive results to move the battle to the final round while newlycrowned Chelsea celebrated their first championship in years with a win over Chalton thanks to Claude Makeleles lastminute contraversial penalty kick on Saturday
The relegation battle will go to the last round of matches after Crystal Palace and Southampton drew Norwich City beat Birmingham City and West Bromwich Albion earned a surprise draw at Manchester United
Makelele had never scored for the Blues in his twoseason career in English football but bundled in the rebound after missing a dubious penalty
Frank Lampard stumbled outside the penalty box under minimal pressure from Jonathan Fortune to win the spotkick before the League Cup winners were awarded their second domestic title years on from their last championship
Chelseas England midfielder Joe Cole supporting Eidur Gudjohnsen in attack created the two best chances of the opening exchanges
His first effort from outside the penalty box minutes in was well held by Andersen but after cutting into the area five minutes later his curling shot sailed wide
Blues leftback William Gallas created a good chance for Lampard in the rd minute but he headed the France internationals cross just over the bar
Andersen pulled off an excellent save ten minutes before the interval to keep matters level
Coles curling shot from the top of the penalty box was heading in but Andersens diving tip was enough to deflect the ball onto the crossbar
Blues skipper John Terry was next to hit the woodwork the England centrehalfs header from a Glen Johnson cross striking the bar eight minutes after the break
Charlton could have taken the lead in the th minute when Lisbie played in captain Matt Holland but the midfielders strike across goal was well saved by Cudicini
Earlier there was a flurry of red cards and plenty of thrills in the drop zone where any one of the bottom four clubs could still survive on a dramatic final afternoon next Sunday
Norwich beat man Birmingham thanks to a Dean Ashton penalty but their fans could barely celebrate at the final whistle as their team were still in the bottom three
A few minutes later Norwich were hoisted clear of the drop zone as a thminute strike by Danny Higginbotham earned Southampton a draw in a relegation dogfight at Crystal Palace after a delayed start
With their final matches to play next weekend Norwich are th on points Southampton are above Palace on goal difference with points each and West Brom are bottom with
Everton stayed fourth and took a major step towards next seasons Champions League third qualifying round with a win over man Newcastle United
They now have a sixpoint lead over Merseyside rivals Liverpool who have played the same number of games and face their penultimate match at Arsenal on Sunday
Sixthplaced Bolton Wanderers sealed a UEFA Cup place with a draw at Portsmouth while Middlesbrough beat Tottenham Hotspur to become favourites for Englands final European spot Enditem
PRAGUE May Xinhua Prague will host the elite European League Final Four mens basketball tournament next year in the Sazka Arena Ceska sportovni agency spokesman Karel Tejkal said Saturday
Tejkal said that the contract to host the event was signed by agency head Tomas Petera in Moscow on Saturday
The tournament will take place at the end of April This is the first time that the finals of the top European club basketball competition will take place in the Czech Republic Czech teams however do not participate in the competition which began in
Its a risky proposition because the Czech Republic is not a European basketball power and will not have its own club in the Final Four But this decision is in accordance with our longterm concept competition chief Jordi Bertomeu said
The newlybuilt Sazka Arena was the deciding factor for Prague which can house fans for basketball as was the popularity of Prague as a tourist destination
This is the last year that the tournament will be played in an arena with a capacity of under Bertomeu said
Currently Moscows Olympic Arena which has a capacity of fans is holding the tournament Maccabi Tel Aviv Panathinaikos Athens CSKA Moscow and Tau Vitoria are playing for the championship In recent years the Final four took place in Tel Aviv Barcelona or Paris
Ceska sportovni first contacted European League representatives a year ago We held intensive negotiations all over the world in the last four months It was difficult We have to guarantee hotel reservations which is difficult when we had not been awarded the tournament yet Tejkal said
After we have signed the agreement we are at the beginning but also halfway there Tejkal said According to him the cost of holding the tournament will run into millions of crowns The details of the project will be presented in July Enditem
HAVANA May Xinhua The Cuban national soccer team left Saturday for Argentina where it will prepare for the United States Gold Cup
The team is composed of players of which will be selected for the participation of Cuba in the most important tournament of the North Central American and Caribbean Soccer Confederation CONCACAF
The Cuban Soccer Association informed that the team will play several friendly matches against Argentine clubs which will be announced until after the arrival of the Caribbean team in Argentina
Also the Cuban players are to stay in Argentina until May and then they will continue their preparation in a European tour that includes France Holland and Norway in lateMay and earlyJune and then they will play two matches against Mexican club Atlante
Gold Cup will be held on July in several US cities and the Cubans will play in Group B along with the national teams of Costa Rica Canada and the United States
Cuba will open their participation on June against the locals and two days later they will play against Costa Rica Both matches will be in Seattle while on the th the Cubans will meet the Canadians in Foxboro Boston
In Group A are Honduras Panama Trinidad and Tobago and guest team Colombia This group will be based on the Orange Bowl Stadium of Miami
Finally Group C is made by Guatemala Jamaica Mexico the defending champion and South Africa the other guest team and is going to be headquartered in Carson and Memorial Collisseum stadiums both in Los Angeles and in Reliant Stadium of Houston Texas Enditem
TIRANA May Xinhua The Tirana soccer team at the end of the matches in the th week of the Albanian national soccer championship of superior division on Wednesday was assured the title of the season
The Tirana defeated Teuta in Wednesdays match after which it leads the superior division with points from victories draws and losses
The eight points more than the following Elbasan assured the Tirana the title winner two weeks before the end of the championship
It is the nd time that Tirana has won the national championship during the total seasons held in Albania Last year the team was declared the champion three weeks before the end of the season Enditem
VIENNA May Xinhua Sweden edged Canada while the Czech Republic gave Slovakia a drubbing at the World Ice Hockey Championships on Saturday
Kenny Jonsson scored at of the third period to break a deadlock as the unbeaten Swedes handed Canada their first defeat of the tournament
The Czechs meanwhile were making a statement of their own with their easy victory over rivals Slovakia as Jaromir Jagr returned to action despite a broken finger
Canada twice held two goal leads but Sweden battled back both times and took a lead at of the second period on a score by Detroit Red Wings forward Henrik Zetterberg
We kept fighting and it paid off Our team really has a lot of confidence right now Zetterberg said
Rick Nashs power play goal at of the third period had appeared to salvage a tie for Canada who have beaten the Swedes in the last two finals
Nash leads the tournament with seven goals in four games while Dany Heatley leading scorer last year also finally found the finishing touch with his first goal at the championship
Shane Doane and Joe Thornton were the other scorers for Canada who are second in Group E of the qualifying round with four points behind the Swedes who have six
The US and Finland have three points each while Latvia earned their first two points with a win over Ukraine who have lost all their three games
The Czechs who were disappointed to finish out of the medals last year on home ice in Prague showed a vast array of offensive weapons in handing the Slovaks their first defeat
Petr Sykora gave the Czechs the lead just into the game and Los Angeles Kings forward Martin Straka doubled it before the first period ended
Martin Strbaks power play blast early in the second period gave the Slovaks hope but goals by Tomas Kaberle Ales Hemsky and Pavel Kubina inside two minutes blew the game wide open
Rastislav Stana a surprise starter in the Slovak net was pulled after Kubinas goal at of the second period but the damage was done
Jagr who broke the little finger on his left hand earlier this week played a regular shift and appeared to have good control of his stick after being fitted with a special splint
The New York Rangers forward the highest paid player in the NHL had two assists
The Czechs lead Group F with six points followed by Russia on four with Slovakia and Switzerland each having three points Belarus scored their first points in the group with a win over pointless Kazakhstan earlier on Saturday Enditem
ROME May Xinhua Australian cyclist Brett Lancaster became the first leader of this years Giro dItalia with his victory in the meter prologue timetrial on Saturday
The yearold Victoria Stateborn Panaria rider won in a time of one minute seconds for the sprint down the seafront
Italys Matteo Tosatto of the Fassa Bortolo team was second in a time of and his compatriot and team mate Alessandro Petacchi was third in
In the overall standings Lancaster leads Tosatto by one second after the times were rounded down to the nearest second
Lancaster used the skills he learnt riding as part of Australias successful track racing team to reach an average speed of kph
He was part of the gold medalwinning team pursuit quartet at the Athens Olympic Games
Italys Paolo Savoldelli was the best of the overall Giro contenders in the prologue setting a time of to finish fourth
The Giro dItalia winner Damiano Cunego was nd in a time of Enditem
ROME May Xinhua Following is the general classification from the ProTour Giro dItalia after Prologue Reggio di Calabria Reggio di Calabria km on Saturday
Brett Lancaster Australia Panaria
Matteo Tosatto Italy Fassa Bortolo
Alessandro Petacchi Italy Fassa Bortolo
Paolo Savoldelli Italy Discovery Channel
Olaf Pollack Germany TMobile
Stuart OGrady Australia Cofidis
Jann Kirsipuu Estonia Credit Agricole
Mark Renshaw Australia Francaise des Jeux
Sergi Escobar Spain Illes Balears
Sven Krauss Germany Gerolsteiner
Bradley Wiggins Britain Credit Agricole
Leonardo Bertagnolli Italy Cofidis
Paolo Bettini Italy QuickStep
Rony Martias France Bouygues Telecom
Michael Barry Canada Discovery Channel
Thomas Ziegler Germany Gerolsteiner
Robbie McEwen Australia Davitamon Lotto
Ryder Hesjedal Canada Discovery Channel
Alberto Ongarato Italy Fassa Bortolo
David Zabriskie United States Team CSC
Marco Velo Italy Fassa Bortolo
Damiano Cunego Italy Lampre Caffita
Jan Hruska Czech Republic Liberty Seguros
Thomas Dekker Netherlands Rabobank
Filippo Pozzato Italy QuickStep
Mirco Lorenzetto Italy Domina Vacanze
Baden Cooke Australia Francaise des Jeux
Danilo Di Luca Italy Liquigas
Paride Grillo Italy Panaria
Aurelien Clerc Switzerland Phonak Enditem
VIENNA May Xinhua Following are the results and standings from the World championship qualifying round matches on Saturday
Results
Group E
Belarus bt Kazakhstan
Slovakia lost to Czech Republic
Group F
Canada lost to Sweden
Latvia bt Ukraine
Group standings tabulated under games played won drawn lost goals for against and points
Group E
Czech Republic
Russia
Switzerland
Slovakia
Belarus
Kazakhstan
Group F
Sweden
Canada
United States
Finland
Latvia
Ukraine
Enditem
LONDON May Xinhua Following are the results and standings from the Premier League matches on Saturday
Saturday May
Aston Villa Manchester City
Blackburn Rovers Fulham
Chelsea Charlton Athletic
Crystal Palace Southampton
Everton Newcastle United
Manchester United West Bromwich Albion
Middlesbrough Tottenham Hotspur
Norwich City Birmingham City
Portsmouth Bolton Wanderers
Wednesday May
Fulham Newcastle United
Standings tabulated under games played won drawn lost goals for against and points
Chelsea
Arsenal
Manchester United
Everton
Liverpool
Bolton Wanderers
Middlesbrough
Manchester City
Tottenham Hotspur
Aston Villa
Charlton Athletic
Newcastle United
Birmingham City
Blackburn Rovers
Fulham
Portsmouth
Norwich City
Southampton
Crystal Palace
West Bromwich Albion Enditem
LONDON May Xinhua Following are the top scorers of the Premier League on Saturday
Thierry Henry Arsenal
Andy Johnson Crystal Palace
Yakubu Aiyegbeni Portsmouth
Jermain Defoe Tottenham Hotspur
Peter Crouch Southampton
Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink Middlesbrough
Frank Lampard Chelsea
Robert Pires Arsenal
Eidur Gudjohnsen Chelsea
Andy Cole Fulham
Robbie Keane Tottenham Hotspur
Wayne Rooney Manchester United
Rob Earnshaw West Bromwich Albion
Robbie Fowler Manchester City
Kevin Phillips Southampton
Shaun WrightPhillips Manchester City
Fredrik Ljungberg Arsenal
Tim Cahill Everton
Didier Drogba Chelsea
Emile Heskey Birmingham City
El Hadji Diouf Bolton Wanderers
Paul Scholes Manchester United
Paul Dickov Blackburn Rovers
Milan Baros Liverpool
Nolberto Solano Aston Villa
Luis Garcia Liverpool
Jose Antonio Reyes Arsenal
Luis Boa Morte Fulham
Enditem
ROME May Xinhua Andre Agassis Rome Masters bid
was ended after he lost to Argentine ninth seed Guillermo
Coria in the semifinals on Saturday
In the final Coria will play another claycourt specialist
Spanish teenager Rafael Nadal who beat compatriot David Ferrer
The match will be a repeat of last months Monte
Carlo Masters final which Nadal won in four sets
Corias victory ended Agassis hopes of reclaiming the title
he won in
It was an erratic performance by the yearold American
whose flashes of brilliance were undone by often wayward
groundstrokes
A break down after the seventh game Agassi produced a pair
of winning service returns to level at In the next game
however a series of long forehands gifted Coria the chance to
serve out for the set
The Argentine tightened his grip on the match when Agassi
committed another series of unforced errors to drop serve in the
opening game of the second set
He levelled with a volley winner and a serve return that
rocketed down the line to go a break up but another shaky
service game sent the set into a tiebreak
Agassi made four more unforced errors to lose it to love and
gift Coria a place in the final Enditem
BEIJING May Xinhua Kang Young Joong of South Korea has
been elected new president of the International Badminton
Federation here Sunday ahead of the Sudirman Cup
The decision taken at the Annual General Meeting gave Kang a
fouryear term in the office which was held previously by Korn
Thapparansi of Thailand
I am deeply touched and humbled for being offered such a huge
opportunity as this Kang said in his inaugural speech I
promise you that i will show my appreciation through hard work and
results during my term in office
I realize I am joining IBF at the most crucial and testing time
the time when our vision is being streamlined and refocused the
time when fresh faces appear on the management scene and new
projects are being cultivated he said
Some people might say that the IBF is moving into an obscure
future and could get lost however with you by my side ladies and
gentlemen believe we can sail through these uncharted waters
unscathed and moreover we can claim the prize at the end of the
voyage
Kang was elected president of the South Korean badminton
association in July and president of the Asian Badminton
Confederation in October
He founded Daekyo Noonnoppi Womens Badminton Team in for
the expansion of the base of badminton
He also has been supporting the Noonnoppi Korea Open Badminton
Championships the biggest badminton event in South Korea with the
highest prize money for the last four years
Former IBF vice president Punch Gunalan was named deputy
president a newly created post in the badminton world governing
body Enditem
KATHMANDU May Xinhua A member Russian motor rally
arrived in Kathmandu Saturday from Zhangmu port of China after completing a day
journey from Russia
The rally comprising five jeeps had begun the journey from
Novosibirsk of Russia on April and crossed over to Mongolia and
China before arriving in Kathmandu
Nepal is the final destination of their journey which covered a
distance of kilometers
Nepal Tourism Board organized a welcome program in honor of the
visiting members of the rally On the occasion Alexey Zhadanov
member of the team recalled his journey as exciting and memorable
and said he loved to be in Kathmandu again to see its beauty and
culture Enditem
MANILA May Xinhua The Philippine Basketball Association PBA coaches were shocked and saddened by a decision Friday made by the PBA league office to freeze foreignbred players for their failure to complete requirements needed to prove their Filipino lineage according to a report by the Philippine Daily Inquirer on Sunday
Several teams have been put into disarray after the decision as they expect to play from Sunday For example the Alaska team has lost six players because of the ruling
Hopefully they will be able to come up with the requirements by Wednesday said Tim Cone Alaskas coach whose team will play Red Bull on Wednesday
Its what the ruling is and we will abide with it said San Miguel coach Jong Uichico who has lost two most powerful players including its top scorer
San Miguel and Shell play Sunday against two other teams unaffected by the league ruling
Of the foreignbred players in PBA teams only seven were cleared
Im saddened by the news not only for my team but for the league as well said CocaCola coach Eric Altamirano Enditem
AMMAN May Xinhua Nasser Al Attiyah of Qatar on Sunday
clinched victory in the Jordan International Rallyth round of the
Middle East Rally Championship
Attiyah and codriver Chris Patterson in a Subaru Impreza WRX
Sti cruised through the twoday special stages and stopped Amjad
Farrah who was the first Jordanian to win the last years rally
of defending his title
With this win Attiyah leads the standings for this season with
points
Attiyah clocked hours minutes and secondsleaving UAEs Suhail Ben Khalifa Al Maktoum and codriver Ahmed Ghaziri in the second place with and his rival UAEs Khalid Al Qassimi and codriver Michael Orr in the third place with
The rd Jordan International Rally and the th round of the
Middle East Championship started on Thursday with a spectacular
ceremonial ceremony in downtown of Amman
A total of participants including a record number of
Jordanian teams from countries and regions competed in the event considered as one of the toughest rounds and most unique in the Middle East Championship
They had covered a total distance of km in which km
are special stages The track took them to the Dead Sea shores at
feet below sea level and a couple of stages with twisty
mountain routes at feet above sea level Enditem
KATHMANDU May Xinhua Five mountaineers who had
sustained minor injuries when a massive avalanche struck Camp I of
Mount Qomolangma on Nepali side Wednesday morning were evacuated
to Kathmandu Saturday a mountaineering agent told reporters here
Sunday
All the climbers including two Americans two Canadians and a
Nepali Sherpa guide were taken for medical examination upon their
arrival in Kathmandu Saturday said Murari Krishna Sharma
managing director of Everest Parivar Trek the company that handled
the International Lhotse Parivar expedition to which all five
climbers belonged
Sharma quoted doctors as saying that all of them were OK
A massive avalanche struck Camp I of Mt Qomolangma on Wednesday
morning but most of the climbers who were staying at tented camps
there escaped unhurt Sharma revealed
The five climbers who had sustained minor injuries were brought
down to Qomolangma Base Camp on Thursday Sharma noted adding A
chopper on Friday could not be sent to the Qomolangma region due to
bad weather but dispatched it to the region as soon as there was
some improvement in the weather Saturday morning
The climbers who arrive here are generally aware about the
risks involved while climbing high mountains in Nepal But this
group was really lucky as all of them escaped unhurt Sharma noted
Other members of the expedition are on their way to ascend the
highest peak on the earth and have already reached Camp III of Mt
Qomolangmas Nepali side Sharma added
Last week an American climber Michael OBrien and
a Canadian climber Sean Egan died on Mt Qomolangmas Nepali
side while trying to scale the worlds highest peak
Since New Zealander Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay Sherpa
first conquered Qomolangma on May more than
climbers have scaled the mountain About people have died so
far while trying to scale the highest peak Enditem
WASHINGTON May Xinhua American Diego Corrales rebounded from a
pair of knockdowns in the final round to score a technical knockout over Jose Luis Castillo winning the World Boxing Council lightweight title
Corrales added the WBC belt to his World Boxing Organization title with the stunning win Saturday at the Mandalay Bay casino Las Vegas
In a classic slugfest from the beginning referee Tony Weeks warned
Mexicos Castillo for low blows twice in the ninth round
Corrales won despite the knockdowns both by left hooks and difficulty seeing out of his left eye
Weeks stopped the fight just over two minutes into the final round as
Corrales swarmed Castillo on the ropes
Castillo won the WBC lightweight belt for the first time in and
successfully defended it three times before losing it Floyd Mayweather
He regained the vacant title with a unanimous decision over Juan Lazcano months ago and has since defended the crown twice including a thround technical knockout of Julio Diaz in March Enditem
WASHINGTON May Xinhua Stephen Jackson scored points to help the Indiana Pacers crush the Boston Celtics winning their National Basketball Association Eastern Conference quarterfinal series on Saturday
After missing an opportunity to win the series in Game Six at home on Thursday Indiana pulled away in the second half to set up an Eastern Conference semifinal against archrivals the Detroit Pistons
Game One of the bestofseven series is at Detroit on Monday
The victory over Boston also ensured that veteran Indiana star Reggie Miller will continue playing for at least one more series
The yearold has announced he will retire after the Pacers final game this season
To win three games on the road and this series is unbelievable Miller said
Our bench showed up tonight and hopefully this can be a spark for us
In Dallas Jason Terry scored points as the Mavericks advanced to the second round of the Western Conference playoffs with a Game Seven mauling of the Houston Rockets
John Howard added points and rebounds for the Mavericks who win the bestofseven opening round series
Dallas becomes just the third team in NBA history to win a series after losing the first two games of the series at home
The Mavericks will play the Phoenix Suns in the second round
Dirk Nowitzki added points and rebounds for the Mavs while Michael Finley added points
Yao Ming led Houston with points and rebounds and Tracy McGardy had points seven rebounds and seven assists for the Rockets
Dallas led at the half and increased the lead to points after three quarters in one of the most lopsided deciding games in NBA playoff history Enditem
WASHINGTON May Xinhua Following is the National Basketball Association conference semifinal playoff schedule after the final
opening round games on Saturday prefix number denotes seeding
All series are bestofseven games
Eastern Conference
Washington vs Miami
Sun May at Miami
Tue May at Miami
Thu May at Washington
Sat May at Washington
Mon May at Miami x
Fri May at Washington x
Mon May at Miami x
Indiana vs Detroit
Mon May at Detroit
Wed May at Detroit
Fri May at Indiana
Sun May at Indiana
Tue May at Detroit x
Thu May at Indiana x
Sun May at Detroit x
Western Conference
Dallas vs Phoenix
Mon May at Phoenix
Wed May at Phoenix
Fri May at Dallas
Sun May at Dallas
Wed May at Phoenix x
Fri May at Dallas x
Sun May at Phoenix x
Seattle vs San Antonio
Sun May at San Antonio
Tue May at San Antonio
Thu May at Seattle
Sun May at Seattle
Tue May at San Antonio x
Thu May at Seattle x
Sun May at San Antonio x
x if necessary
Enditem
DAR ES SALAAM May Xinhua Rayon Sport of Rwanda beat
Mtibwa Sugar of Tanzania in penalty shootout to finish third
overall in the team central and east African clubs soccer
championship known as the Kagame Cup
The Rwandans scored four of their five penalty kicks against
the Tanzanians two converted goals after a scoreless regulation
played in Mwanza of northern Tanzania on Saturday
The winners of the thirdplace playoff took home a prize of
US dollars
Defending champions APR of Rwanda play SC Villa of Uganda on
Sunday in the grand finale of the annual tournament that also drew
teams from Ethiopia Somalia and Kenya
Earlier the APRs were fully stretched before entering the
finals by winning on the penalty kick spot The defending champions
won the postmatch penalty shootout over Rayon Sport in the
semifinals
SC Villa defeated Mtibwa Sugar in the other semifinal match
with the score of Enditem
BEIJING May Xinhua If she wins the Sudirman Cup she can
call it a grand slam in her career said Olympic and world
champion Zhang Ning two days prior to the world mixed team
badminton championship
If I have the Sudirman Cup then it will be no regret in my
entire career said Zhang who has collected titles at all the
major tournaments such as the World Championships in Birmingham
the Uber Cup and the Athens Olympic Games
Zhang turning on May four days after the final day of
the Sudirman Cup has been dreaming of the perfect birthday
A championship will be the best gift she said Zhang is the
oldest among her teammates
Selected into the natinal team at Zhang was once rated the
most promising youngster in the starstudded Chinese squad But her
peak came at a surprisingly low speed when she first lifted the
womens singles world title at the age of in
She then anchored in the Uber Cup victory in and stood on
the top of the podium in Athens later that year
I bought a small cabinet three years ago for my trophies and
medals and I thought it would be enough said a recalling Zhang
No one including myself have ever expected I began taking
back one titles after another So I have to change a bigger one
she said smiling
I hope I can keep changing she added Enditem
BEIJING May Xinhua Denmark who never lifted the
badminton Sudirman Cup before hopes to make the breakthrough with
their doubles superiority in the tournament slated from May
to in Beijing
Peter Gade Dane leading mens singles shuttler admitted China
and South Korea are favorites but believed they have chance to win
We have good chance to go into the semifinals and when you are
there everything could happen the current world Number three
told Xinhua
Demark will start their campaign against defending champion
South Korea Thailand and England in group A Hosts China keen to
regain the world team title theyve won on four previous occasions
will first battle with Indonesia newly promoted Chinese Hong Kong
and Sweden in group B
Gade hoped denmark could beat South Korea to lead the group and
avoid China in the semis
I expect Demark to meet China in the final Chinese are
definitely strong but I think we are better on doubles category
We have choices on mens doubles and in case of mixed doubles
you never know the Chinese They could be very good but sometimes
not Gade said
His teammate Kenneth Jonassen current world number two shared
the opinion
We rank after China and South Korea but we still could beat
them he said
The yearold sang high praise for the returned South Korean
mixed pair Ra Kyung MinKim Dong Moon but regarded Chinese Olympic
champions Gao LingZhang Jun as out of form
Denmark who beat Indonesia to the bronze in have named
their strongest players in a bid to become the first European
country to win the Cup
Despite Gade and Jonassen they also boast the world top two men
s pairs Jens EriksenMartin Lundgaard Hansen and Lars PaaskeJonas
Rasmussen
Their formidable mixed duo Mette ScholdagerJens Erikssen
harvested Olympic bronze medals in Athens Camille Rytter Juhl and
Thomas Laybournare reigning AllEngland champions
Gade thinks Denmark is close to China in overall strength
referring to the Sudirman Cup in Copenhagen where they lost to
China in the final
Also in the Thomas and Uber Cups we have very close results a
few times Its a team competition and we always did well as a
whole he said
For China they might be nervous to fight at home As hosts
You would have support and also pressure
If chosen to play in mens singles against China Gade expected
his opponent to be Lin Dan who was ousted in the firstround in
his firstever Olympic Games last August but has resurged to top
the world rankings
He is good but I will try my best Gade said Enditem
NAIROBI May Xinhua Kenyas Minister for RoadsPublic Works and Housing Raila Odinga joined colleague Ochillo Ayackos call for Kenya to bid for the Olympics
Raila said a country needed to be ambitious and Kenya had a right to bid for the games as it produced some of the best athletes in the world local newspaper Sunday Nation reported
Raila said this on Saturday while watching the Tusker Athletics International held in Kenya Hundreds of athletes from African nations competed in the oneday meeting Raila Sports Minster Ochilo Ayacko and VicePresident Moody Awori were among thousands of fans who watched the athletics meeting in Nairobis Moi International Sports Center
Kenya first announced its intention to bid for the Olympic Games on January The surprise announcement was made by Ayacko in the presence of visiting International Olympic Committee IOC President Jacques Rogge
Kenya is the first African country to win an Olympic gold medal and wants to be the first African country to host the Olympic Games Ayacko said
At the meeting with Rogge Raila promised more land would be made available for sports
I was very pleased to hear that Now Kenya wants to host the Olympic Games That will require a lot of land Rogge said
Sports commentators and officials have cautiously welcomed the announcement Many of them note the East African nation has got no modern facilities to stage Olympics while others argue that is still far and Kenya has chance to improve its infrastructure
Rogge said Kenya would have to make big infrastructure improvements for its bid to be taken seriously and a successful bid would require the commitment of vast tracts of land the Kenyan government does not currently have available
Even if Kenya does not win billions of money would have to be spent just for the bid to reach a stage at which the IOC could vote on it Enditem
MADRID May Xinhua McLarens Kimi Raikkonen took the pole position on Sunday as Renaults championship leader Fernando Alonso was pushed off the front row for his home Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona
With thousands of cheering fans willing him on Alonso could only qualify third behind Raikkonen and Australian Mark Webber in a Williams
Ferraris seven times world champion Michael Schumacher meanwhile saw his run of five successive pole positions at the Circuit de Catalunya come to an end with a distant eighth place on the starting grid
The German will have to make Formula One history if he is to win for the fifth year in a row in Spain one of the most predictable races on the calendar
Since the circuits debut years ago no driver has won in Barcelona from lower than third place on the grid and of the winners have come from pole position
Alonso chasing his fourth victory in a row this season starts alongside the Toyota of Ralf Schumacher Enditem
MADRID May Xinhua Following are the qualifying results from the Formula One Grand Prix of Spain at Circuit de Catalunya Barcelona on Sunday
Kimi Raikkonen Finland McLaren
Mark Webber Australia Williams
Fernando Alonso Spain Renault
Ralf Schumacher Germany Toyota
Jarno Trulli Italy Toyota
Giancarlo Fisichella Italy Renault
Juan Pablo Montoya Colombia McLaren
Michael Schumacher Germany Ferrari
David Coulthard Britain Red Bull
Felipe Massa Brazil Sauber
Vitantonio Liuzzi Italy Red Bull
Jacques Villeneuve Canada Sauber
Narain Karthikeyan India Jordan
Tiago Monteiro Portugal Jordan
Christijan Albers Netherlands Minardi
Patrick Friesacher Austria Minardi
Nick Heidfeld Germany Williams
Rubens Barrichello Brazil Ferrari
Enditem
SINGAPORE May Xinhua Australias Sydney Kings defeated Jordan Fastlink to win the inaugural Singapore Cup basketball tournament on Sunday
The two sides champions in their respective professional leagues thrilled the crowd of at the Singapore Indoor Stadium with fast break points and threepoint shooting
Jordan Fastlink led at the end of the first minute period aided by their aggressive inside play and strong outside shooting as the Kings sought to find their rhythm
When play resumed in the second period the Kings upped the tempo as they played with more aggression and made more drives to the basket The Australians held a fourpoint lead at the end of the second period with the score at
The Kings guard Bradley Sheridan was the teams top scorer with points
For Jordan Fastlink guard Scott Thurman was leading scorer with points followed by forward Ontario Lett who had points
In the earlier match for third and fourth placing Chinas Beijing Ducks defeated the TG Xers of South Korea
The assistant director of the Singapore Sport Councils sports business division Bernard Lim said earlier that the fourteam weekend event was being held to promote basketball development in Singapore and throughout Asia Enditem
MOSCOW May Xinhua A fleet of decorated vessels staged a
theatrical celebration of the Olympic Games along the banks of the
Moscow River on Sunday
Called Olympic River the huge water performance emphasized
the role that the Olympic Games have played over the past years
in uniting the world
Held on the sixtieth anniversary of Russias Victory Day the
river extravaganza consisted of decorated vessels
representing the Olympic host cities of the past years The
other two ships the first and last in the procession
represented Moscows current bid to host the Olympic and
Paralympic Games
Spectators along the river embankment opposite the Kremlin saw
each vessel appear through the span of the Kremlin Bridge Music
songs dances and architectural features unique to each of the
previous host cities also characterized each vessel
As the procession drew to a close the final ship representing
Moscows bid for the Games sailed through a fountain of water
as thousands of balloons and birds were released
It is important that the Olympic Games are seen in the context
of the part they have played in helping to promote peace and
unifying nations worldwide over the last years said Alexander
Chernov General Manager of the Moscow Bid Committee
If selected as host city for the Games Moscow would have
an opportunity to demonstrate this ability and would undoubtedly
mark a historic moment in the Olympic movement he added
The event was attended by a variety of State Moscow City and
sporting officials as well as many of the hundreds of Olympic
champions currently living in Moscow Enditem
BEIJING May Xinhua The International Badminton
Federation IBF has awarded the right to hold the World
Championships to Kuala Lumpur it announced here on Sunday
Denmark and Malaysia had a fierce competition in the bid for
hosting the World Championships Through democratic procedures
the International Badminton Federation decided to award the right
to Kuala Lumpur Malaysia said Kang Young Joong newly elected as
president of the sports world governing body Sunday morning
It will be the first time since an Asian country hosts a
badminton World Championships following the successful bid of Kuala
Lumpur becoming new headquarter of the IBF in October this year
Europe has been hosting the world championships since until
the version was awarded to California United States
The new IBF council also decided that Incheon of South Korea will
play host to the junior world championships
The IBF held the annual general meeting here Sunday morning
naming Punch Gunalan from Malaysia deputy presient and selecting
six vice presidents as well as council members
The newly elected IBF officials will preside over the Sudirman
Cup to be held here through May to Enditem
MADRID May Xinhua McLarens Kimi Raikkonen who started from the pole position won the Spanish Grand Prix on Sunday the Finns third Formula One victory
Raikkonen whose previous victories came in Malaysia in and Belgium last year spoiled the homecoming of Renaults championship leader Fernando Alonso who finished second ahead of Italian Jarno Trulli in a Toyota
Seventimes world champion Michael Schumacher who had won the last four Spanish grands prix retired with laps remaining after one of his tyres failed him when he was running in third place
The field was reduced to cars by the absence of the BAR team who were starting a tworace ban for a breach of technical regulations at the last round in Imola Enditem
MADRID May Xinhua Ferraris seventimes world champion Michael Schumacher retired from the Spanish Grand Prix on Sunday
The German suffered a tyre nightmare at the Circuit de
Catalunya a venue that has favoured him above all others in
recent years
He made an unscheduled stop on the th of laps with a
deflating rear left tyre while he was in third place
His front left tyre then failed two laps later sending him
ploughing through the gravel He cruised lamely back to the pits
and drove into the garage
Schumacher has won the last four Spanish grands prix and
another win would have equalled the record of five in a row at a
single venue set by the late Brazilian Ayrton Senna at Monaco
from Enditem
VIENNA May Xinhua Following are the results and team standings from the World championship Relegation Round matches on Sunday
Result
Denmark Austria
Team Standings tabulated under games played won drawn lost goals for against and points
Slovenia
Denmark
Germany
Austria Enditem
MADRID May Xinhua Following is the race classification from the Formula One Grand Prix of Spain at Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona on Sunday
Kimi Raikkonen Finland McLaren
Fernando Alonso Spain Renault
Jarno Trulli Italy Toyota
Ralf Schumacher Germany Toyota
Giancarlo Fisichella Italy Renault
Mark Webber Australia Williams
Juan Pablo Montoya Colombia McLaren lap
David Coulthard Britain Red Bull lap
Rubens Barrichello Brazil Ferrari lap
Nick Heidfeld Germany Williams lap
Felipe Massa Brazil Sauber laps
Tiago Monteiro Portugal Jordan laps
Narain Karthikeyan India Jordan laps
Retired
Jacques Villeneuve Canada Sauber laps
Michael Schumacher Germany Ferrari laps
Christijan Albers Netherlands Minardi laps
Patrick Friesacher Austria Minardi laps
Vitantonio Liuzzi Italy Red Bull laps
Enditem
SINGAPORE May Xinhua Australias Sydney
Kings have won the inaugural fournation Singapore
Cup Basketball tournament by defeating Jordans
Fastlink at the Indoor Stadium here on
Sunday
The Jorbans basketball team had a good start
but the Australian team performed well in the
rest of the match and were finally crowned
champions
Chinas Beijing Ducks which has some exNBA
players like Menke Bateerhave won the third place
after beating South Koreas TG Xers by
On Friday Australian League champions Sydney
Kings downed Beijing Ducks while Fastlink
defeated TG Xers
With the successful hosting of the tournament
Singapore has plans to bring in more teams next
year for the Cup Enditem
MADRID May Xinhua Following are the driver and constructor standings after the Formula One Grand Prix of Spain at Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona on Sunday
Drivers Points
Fernando Alonso Spain Renault
Jarno Trulli Italy Toyota
Kimi Raikkonen Finland McLaren
Giancarlo Fisichella Italy Renault
Ralf Schumacher Germany Toyota
Mark Webber Australia Williams
Michael Schumacher Germany Ferrari
Juan Pablo Montoya Colombia McLaren
David Coulthard Britain Red Bull
Nick Heidfeld Germany Williams
Rubens Barrichello Brazil Ferrari
Alexander Wurz Austria McLaren
Jacques Villeneuve Canada Sauber
Pedro de la Rosa Spain McLaren
Christian Klien Austria Red Bull
Felipe Massa Brazil Sauber
Vitantonio Liuzzi Italy Red Bull
Tiago Monteiro Portugal Jordan
Narain Karthikeyan India Jordan
Jenson Button Britain BAR
Patrick Friesacher Austria Minardi
Christijan Albers Netherlands Minardi
Takuma Sato Japan BAR
Constructors Points
Renault
Toyota
McLaren Mercedes
Williams BMW
Ferrari
RedBull Cosworth
Sauber Petronas
Jordan Toyota
BAR Honda
Minardi Cosworth
Enditem
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KUWAIT CITY May Xinhua Arabi soccer team won the th Kuwaiti Amir Cup Sunday after they beat Kazma at Kuwait Sport Club Stadium in the penalty shootouts
Both sides failed to find the net in the first half And in the second minute of the second overtime half Kazmas forward player Fahad AlFahad scored the first goal for his team to further boost the finals fever
Seven minutes later Arabis Syrian professional player scored a goal to bring his team back to the game
The overtime ended with a tie forcing the teams to shoot penalties which favored Arabi over Kazma after the winners goalkeeper Falah Dabsha blocked two of Kazmas shots
Arabi was crowned as champion of Amir Cup in seasons and Kazma won the same title six times Enditem
LONDON May Xinhua Wigan won promotion to the English soccer Premiership with a win over Reading on Sunday
After a promising start Lee McCulloch slotted home from close range on minutes following good work by Jason Roberts and Ian Breckin
Roberts doubled the lead moments later having been played in by Nathan Ellington who capped the win with a late header from Jason Jarretts cross
The result ended Readings own playoff hopes but Steve Sidwell turned in Dave Kitsons cross for a consolation goal
Wigan were only elected to the Football League in and the win caps a remarkable climb through the games tiers and sparked scenes of mass celebration at the JJB Stadium
Both teams came into the game with plenty to play for Wigan knowing a win would see them go up while the visitors needed points to keep up their push for the playoffs
But despite the size of the prize at stake Wigan betrayed few signs of nerves and started by far the better
Reading failed to test home keeper John Filan until the closing moments of the first half when Nicky Forster missed two glorious opportunities
By then they were already two goals adrift with their playoff hopes in tatters Enditem
LONDON May Xinhua Arsenal beat Liverpool on Sunday to help fourthranked Everton secure a berth for next seasons European Champions League for the first time
The Gunners win left Liverpool languishing in fifth ranking with points points adrift of Everton with only one game remained
Arsenal look virtually certain to finish as runnersup and qualify directly for the European Champions League as goals from Robert Pires Jose Antonio Reyes and Francesc Fabregas put Arsenal six points ahead of Manchester United with two games left
Pires precision freekick put Arsenal ahead and soon after Jose Antonio Reyes run and angled shot exposed some lax Liverpool defending
Steven Gerrards deflected freekick on st minutes gave Liverpool hope but in stoppage time Cesc Fabregas rounded off a sweeping move for Arsenals third
As so often this season Liverpool packed their midfield leaving Milan Baros up on his own in attack in an attempt to stifle Arsenal
For the start of the second half manager Rafael Benitez introduced Djibril Cisse and Harry Kewell a change that saw a more ambitious approach but the poverty of their play in the opening period proved too much of a mountain to climb
A flavour of Liverpools insipid firsthalf display came on minutes when a mistake from Sami Hyppia and a Jerzy Dudek fumble allowed Reyes to score from close range only for the goal to be disallowed for offside
Dudek did better to thwart Lauren pushing the Cameroonians header on to the bar though the Arsenal defender fluffed his shot in trying to convert the rebound
Arsenal had their own lucky escape when John Arne Riise eluded the Arsenal defence to collect Dietmar Hamanns pass
With Luis Garcia calling for the ball Riise opted to shoot an effort deflected away by Jens Lehmanns feet
By the midway point of the first half Arsenal had gathered a head of steam demonstrating wonderful individual play allied to a great collective ethic
First Pires curled a shot narrowly wide and in the th minte the Frenchman punished Liverpool following Hamanns crude tackle on Patrick Vieira
From just outside the box Pires flighted the ball over the Liverpool wall into the net with Dudek only able to look on from the other side of the goal
Four minutes later Reyes waltzed his way through the Liverpool defence and slipped the ball past the advancing Dudek for the second
After the interval Liverpool quickly pulled a goal back Fabregas turning his back on Gerrards freekick and deflecting the England internationals shot past Lehmann Gerrard then unleashed a fierce drive that produced an athletic Lehmann save
Liverpool kept plugging away but with time running out substitute Dennis Bergkamp flicked the ball through to Fabregas who rattled a shot past Dudek Enditem
WASHINGTON May Xinhua Phoenix Suns point guard Steve Nash was named the National Basketball Associations Most Valuable Player on Sunday
The official announcement came during halftime of ABCs NBA playoff telecast two days after the leagues worstkept secret was widely reported according to reports from New York
Nash who helped the Suns tie a franchise record for wins this season edged Miami Heat center Shaquille ONeal for the award It was a close vote Nash received just more points than ONeal from a panel of sportswriters
I didnt know what sportswriters knew until they voted on this award Nash joked at a press conference
At foot Nash became the third shortest MVP in history He is the second MVP in Suns history Charles Barkley in and just the fourth point guard in the awards history
The Suns posted just victories in but the offseason acquisition of Nash from the Dallas Mavericks sparked a win turnaround and the team finished with the NBAs best record at this season
I really just want to share this with my teammates Nash said For me to come to a new situation and be accepted the way Ive beenand for us to be able to a form a bond the way we have has been special
Nash averaged a leagueleading assists and points during the regular season both figures well above his career numbers Under his floor generalship Phoenix scored a leaguebest points per game
I just try to be a good teammate and thats the only way for me to really highlight what I do as a basketball player Nash said
ONeal averaged points and rebounds in his first season with Miami leading the Heat to wins tops in the Eastern Conference and tied for second in the league with San Antonio
Dirk Nowitzki Nashs old teammate in Dallas finished third in the voting San Antonios Tim Duncan was fourth and Allen Iverson of Philadelphia came in fifth Enditem
MADRID May Xinhua Following are the results from the Spanish Primera Liga soccer matches on Sunday
Sunday May
Albacete Levante
Deportivo Coruna Atletico Madrid
Getafe Real Sociedad
Malaga Villarreal
Espanyol Numancia
Valencia Barcelona
Saturday May
Athletic Bilbao Real Zaragoza
Osasuna Real Mallorca
Real Betis Sevilla
Real Madrid Racing Santander
Enditem
MADRID May Xinhua Following are the standings from the Spanish Primera Liga after soccer matches on Sunday tabulated under games played won drawn lost goals for against and points
Barcelona
Real Madrid
Villarreal
Sevilla
Espanyol
Real Betis
Valencia
Athletic Bilbao
Deportivo Coruna
Real Zaragoza
Atletico Madrid
Real Sociedad
Getafe
Osasuna
Malaga
Racing Santander
Levante
Real Mallorca
Albacete
Numancia
Enditem
MADRID May Xinhua Following are the leading scorers in the Spanish Primera Liga after matches over the weekend
Samuel Etoo Barcelona
Diego Forlan Villarreal Ronaldo Real Madrid
Ricardo Oliveira Real Betis
Julio Baptista Sevilla
Fernando Torres Atletico Madrid
David Villa Real Zaragoza Juan Roman Riquelme Villarreal
Maxi Rodriguez Espanyol
Nihat Kahveci Real Sociedad
Santiago Ezquerro Athletic Bilbao Michael Owen Real Madrid
Marco Di Vaio Valencia Edu Real Betis
Luis Garcia Real Mallorca Albert Luque Deportivo La Coruna
Ismael Urzaiz Athletic Bilbao
Antonio Pacheco Albacete Raul Tamudo Espanyol
Yossi Benayoun Racing Santander Ludovic Giuly Barcelona
Chengue Morales Osasuna Savio Real Zaragoza
Diego Tristan Deportivo La Coruna
Enditem
MADRID May Xinhua Following are the summaries from the Spanish Primera Liga soccer matches on Sunday
Sunday May
Valencia
Red Card Carlos Marchena
Barcelona Ronaldinho Samuel Etoo
Halftime Attendance
Getafe Michel
Real Sociedad
Halftime Attendance
Albacete Francisco Redondo Mark Gonzalez
Red Card Santi
Levante Sergio Garcia
Red Card Sergio Garcia Gustavo Reggi
Halftime Attendance
Malaga
Red Card Marcelo Romero
Villarreal Juan Riquelme Santi Cazorla
Halftime Attendance
Espanyol Jose Emilio Amavisca Corominas Antonio og
Numancia
Halftime Attendance
Saturday May
Real Madrid Michael Owen Ronaldo pen Raul
Racing Santander
Halftime Attendance
Real Betis Ricardo Oliveira
Sevilla
Halftime Attendance
Athletic Bilbao Ismael Urzaiz Jose Maria Lacruz
Real Zaragoza
Halftime Attendance
Osasuna Savo Milosevic
Real Mallorca Francisco Farinos
Halftime Attendance
Enditem
PARIS May Xinhua Following are the results from the French Ligue soccer matches on Sunday
Sunday May
Olympique Lyon Ajaccio
Saturday May
Metz Racing Lens
Sochaux Racing Strasbourg
Lille Paris St Germain
Nice Nantes
Olympique Marseille Caen
Stade Rennes Monaco
Bastia Istres
Toulouse St Etienne
Friday May
Girondins Bordeaux Auxerre
Enditem
PARIS May Xinhua Following are the standings from the French Ligue after soccer matches on Sunday tabulated under games played won drawn lost goals for against and points
Olympique Lyon
Lille
Monaco
Olympique Marseille
Stade Rennes
Auxerre
St Etienne
Paris St Germain
Racing Lens
Sochaux
Toulouse
Girondins Bordeaux
Racing Strasbourg
Metz
Nantes
Ajaccio
Nice
Bastia
Caen
Istres
Enditem
PARIS May Xinhua Following are the top scorers of the French Ligue after soccer matches on Sunday
Alexander Frei Stade Rennes
Pauleta Paris St Germain
Mickael Pagis Racing Strasbourg
Ilan Sochaux
Pascal Feindouno St Etienne
Juninho Pernambucano Olympique Lyon
Matt Moussilou Lille
Benjamin Mwaruwari Auxerre
Sebastien Mazure Caen
Mamadou Niang Racing Strasbourg
Waldir Lucas Ajaccio
Marama Vahirua Nice
Mohammed Kallon Monaco
Frederic Piquionne St Etienne
Olivier Monterrubio Stade Rennes
Daniel Moreira Toulouse
John Utaka Racing Lens
Philippe Brunel Lille
Marouane Chamakh Girondins Bordeaux
Bonaventure Kalou Auxerre
Emmanuel Adebayor Monaco
Cyril Watier Caen
Laurent Batlles Olympique Marseille
Herve Tum Metz
Guy Luyindula Olympique Marseille
Enditem
PARIS May Xinhua Following are the summaries from the French Ligue soccer matches on Sunday
Sunday May
Olympique Lyon Sidney Govou Claudio Cacapa
Missed penalty Juninho Pernambucano
Ajaccio Yohan Demont
Red Card Mamadou Seck
Halftime Attendance
Saturday May
Toulouse
St Etienne Lamine Sakho Pascal Feindouno
Halftime Attendance
Sochaux Jaouad Zairi
Racing Strasbourg Pascal Johansen Mickael Pagis
Halftime Attendance
Stade Rennes
Monaco
Halftime Attendance
Nice
Missed penalty Marama Vahirua
Nantes
Halftime Attendance
Metz Richard Socrier
Racing Lens Jussie
Halftime Attendance
Olympique Marseille Laurent Batlles Guy Luyindula
Caen Sebastien Mazure Julien Valero Cyril Watier
Halftime Attendance
Bastia Fabrice Jau Youssouf Hadji
Istres
Halftime Attendance
Lille Kevin Mirallas
Paris St Germain
Halftime Attendance
Friday May
Girondins Bordeaux
Auxerre
Halftime Attendance
Enditem
PARIS May Xinhua Olympique Lyon clinched their fourth consecutive French Ligue soccer title with a win over AC Ajaccio on Sunday with goals from Sidney Govou and Claudio Cacapa
Lyon have an unassailable point lead over secondplaced Lille in the team league with three matches remaining
The champions opened the scoring with a diving header from striker Govou in the th minute
AC Ajaccio goalkeeper Stephane Porato saved a penalty and a dangerous freekick in the first half and the Corsican side played the second half with men after defender Mamadou Seck was sent off for deliberate handball in the nd minute
Striker Johan Dumont pulled a goal back for the visitors just after the interval before Lyon captain Claudio Cacapa scored the winner in the nd minute
Lyon join the former giants of French club football St Etienne and Olympique Marseille as the only clubs to win four league titles in succession
Les Verts were in a class of their own from to while Marseille dominated between and
AC Ajaccios defeat leaves them th in the standings only one point above the relegation zone Enditem
BRASILIA May Xinhua Following are the results from the Brazilian soccer championship matches on Sunday
Corinthians Sao Paulo
Coritiba Palmeiras
Internacional Flamengo
Vasco da Gama Botafogo
Saturday May
Goias Figueirense
Parana Juventude
Ponte Preta Paysandu
Santos Atletico Paranaense
Enditem
BUENOS AIRES May Xinhua Following are the results from the Argentine soccer championship Clausura matches on Sunday
Almagro Arsenal
GimnasiaLa Plata Banfield
Lanus Estudiantes
Olimpo Instituto
Rosario Central Racing Club
San Lorenzo de Almagro BA River Plate
Saturday May
Quilmes Newells Old Boys
Velez Sarsfield HuracanTres Arroyos
Friday May
Independiente Colon
Enditem
LONDON May Xinhua Following are the results from the English Premier League matches on Sunday
Arsenal Liverpool
Saturday May
Aston Villa Manchester City
Blackburn Rovers Fulham
Chelsea Charlton Athletic
Crystal Palace Southampton
Everton Newcastle United
Manchester United West Bromwich Albion
Middlesbrough Tottenham Hotspur
Norwich City Birmingham City
Portsmouth Bolton Wanderers
Wednesday May
Fulham Newcastle United
Enditem
LONDON May Xinhua Following are the standings from the English Premier League after soccer matches on Sunday tabulated under games played won drawn lost goals for against and points
Chelsea
Arsenal
Manchester United
Everton
Liverpool
Bolton Wanderers
Middlesbrough
Manchester City
Tottenham Hotspur
Aston Villa
Charlton Athletic
Newcastle United
Birmingham City
Blackburn Rovers
Fulham
Portsmouth
Norwich City
Southampton
Crystal Palace
West Bromwich Albion
Enditem
LONDON May Xinhua Following are the scorers of the English Premier League on Sunday
Thierry Henry Arsenal
Andy Johnson Crystal Palace
Yakubu Aiyegbeni Portsmouth
Jermain Defoe Tottenham Hotspur
Peter Crouch Southampton
Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink Middlesbrough
Robert Pires Arsenal
Frank Lampard Chelsea
Eidur Gudjohnsen Chelsea
Andy Cole Fulham
Robbie Keane Tottenham Hotspur
Wayne Rooney Manchester United
Rob Earnshaw West Bromwich Albion
Robbie Fowler Manchester City
Kevin Phillips Southampton
Shaun WrightPhillips Manchester City
Fredrik Ljungberg Arsenal
Tim Cahill Everton
Didier Drogba Chelsea
Jose Antonio Reyes Arsenal
Emile Heskey Birmingham City
El Hadji Diouf Bolton Wanderers
Paul Scholes Manchester United
Paul Dickov Blackburn Rovers
Milan Baros Liverpool
Nolberto Solano Aston Villa
Luis Garcia Liverpool
Luis Boa Morte Fulham
Enditem
WASHINGTON May Xinhua Dwyane Wade overcame a poor start to score points Shaquille ONeal added points in foulplagued minutes as the Miami Heat defeated Washington Wizards Sunday in Game of their NBA Eastern Conference semifinal series
The Heats depth was a key factor with Miamis reserves outscoring Washingtons Keyon Doolin had points Edde Jones scored and Damon Jones for the Heat whove won five straight playoff games for the first time in franchise history and are against Washington this season
Gilbert Arenas had points on for shooting for Washington Larry Hughes added Ataw Jaison had before leaving in the fourth quarter with a sore right knee Ean Tomas with five points was the only Washington reserve to score
Game is Tuesday night with the Wizards looking to snap a ninegame losing streak against the Heat
Miamis point lead was trimmed to one early in the third quarter but the Heat never lost the lead and Wade got rolling just in time He had points and four assists in the third quarter and keyed a run to end the period that pushed Miamis lead to
ONeal did not speak with reporters after the game It took seconds for fans to start chanting MVP to ONeal after tipoff Phoenixs Steve Nash was named the leagues Most Valuable Player on Sunday Enditem
BERLIN May Xinhua Following are the results from the German Bundesliga soccer matches on Sunday
Borussia Dortmund Werder Bremen
Hamburg SV Borussia Moenchengladbach
Saturday May
Nuremberg VfL Bochum
Arminia Bielefeld Schalke
Bayer Leverkusen Hansa Rostock
Mainz Bayern Munich
Hertha Berlin VfL Wolfsburg
Freiburg Kaiserslautern
VfB Stuttgart Hanover
Enditem
BERLIN May Xinhua Following are the standings from the German Bundesliga after soccer matches on Sunday tabulated under games played won drawn lost goals for against and points
Bayern Munich
Schalke
VfB Stuttgart
Hertha Berlin
Werder Bremen
Bayer Leverkusen
Hamburg SV
Borussia Dortmund
VfL Wolfsburg
Kaiserslautern
Hanover
Arminia Bielefeld
Nuremberg
Mainz
Borussia Moenchengladbach
VfL Bochum
Hansa Rostock
Freiburg
Enditem
BERLIN May Xinhua Following are the top scorers of the German Bundesliga soccer league on Sunday
Marek Mintal Nuremberg
Roy Makaay Bayern Munich
Marcelinho Hertha Berlin
Dimitar Berbatov Bayer Leverkusen
Delron Buckley Arminia Bielefeld
Miroslav Klose Werder Bremen
Ailton Schalke
Andriy Voronin Bayer Leverkusen
Jan Koller Borussia Dortmund
Kevin Kuranyi VfB Stuttgart
Cacau VfB Stuttgart
Lincoln Schalke
Michael Ballack Bayern Munich
Oliver Neuville Borussia Moenchengladbach
Martin Petrov VfL Wolfsburg
Sergei Barbarez Hamburg SV
Ewerthon Borussia Dortmund
Thomas Brdaric VfL Wolfsburg
Claudio Pizarro Bayern Munich
Ivan Klasnic Werder Bremen
Silvio Meissner VfB Stuttgart
Vratislav Lokvenc VfL Bochum
Gerald Asamoah Schalke
Enditem
BERLIN May Xinhua Following are the summaries from the German Bundesliga soccer matches on Sunday
Sunday May
Hamburg SV
Borussia Moenchengladbach
Halftime Attendance
Borussia Dortmund Tomas Rosicky
Werder Bremen
Halftime Attendance
Saturday May
Arminia Bielefeld
Schalke Lincoln pen Ailton
Halftime Attendance
Bayer Leverkusen Dimitar Berbatov Andriy Vororin
Hansa Rostock
Halftime Attendance
Freiburg Zlatan Bajramovic
Kaiserslautern Stefan Blank Ferydoon Zandi pen
Halftime Attendance
Mainz Benjamin Auer Michael Thurk
Bayern Munich Roy Makaay Michael Ballack
Halftime Attendance
Nuremberg Markus Daun Marek Mintal
VfL Bochum Martin Meichelbeck
Halftime Attendance
VfB Stuttgart Kevin Kuranyi
Hanover
Halftime Attendance
Hertha Berlin Arne Friedrich Marcelinho
pen Alexander Madlung
VfL Wolfsburg Martin Petrov
Halftime Attendance
Enditem
ROME May Xinhua Following are the summaries from the Italian Serie A soccer matches on Sunday
Reggina Ricardo Esteves
Bologna Claudio Bellucci
Halftime Attendance
Chievo Verona Davide Mandelli
Fiorentina Fabrizio Miccoli Valeri Bojinov
Halftime Attendance
Atalanta Bergamo Adriano Antonino Bernardini
Messina Riccardo Zampagna
Halftime Attendance
Brescia
Inter Milan Obafemi Martins Christian Vieri
Halftime Attendance
Lazio
Udinese Vincenzo Iaquinta
Halftime Attendance
Livorno Cristiano Lucarelli pen Corrado Colombo
Red Card Fabio Galante
Siena Stefano Argilli Enrico Chiesa Simone Vergassola Massimo Maccarone
Halftime Attendance
Parma Domenico Morfeo Alberto Gilardino pen
As Roma Antonio Cassano
Halftime Attendance
Cagliari
Palermo
Halftime Attendance
Sampdoria Aimo Diana Vitali Kutuzov Mark Edusei
Lecce
Halftime Attendance
AC Milan
Juventus David Trezeguet
Halftime Attendance
Enditem
ROME May Xinhua Following are the results from the Italian Serie A soccer matches on Sunday
AC Milan Juventus
Atalanta Bergamo Messina
Brescia Inter Milan
Cagliari Palermo
Chievo Verona Fiorentina
Lazio Udinese
Livorno Siena
Parma AS Roma
Reggina Bologna
Sampdoria Lecce
Enditem
ROME May Xinhua Following are the standings from the Italian Serie A after soccer matches on Sunday tabulated under games played won drawn lost goals for against and points
Juventus
AC Milan
Inter Milan
Udinese
Sampdoria
Palermo
Messina
Cagliari
Livorno
Bologna
Lazio
Lecce
Reggina
AS Roma
Parma
Siena
Fiorentina
Chievo Verona
Brescia
Atalanta Bergamo
Enditem
ROME May Xinhua Following are the top scorers of the Italian Serie A on Sunday
Alberto Gilardino Parma
Cristiano Lucarelli Livorno
Vincenzo Montella AS Roma
Luca Toni Palermo
Andriy Shevchenko AC Milan
Mirko Vucinic Lecce
Zlatan Ibrahimovic Juventus
Adriano Inter Milan
Mauro Esposito Cagliari
Francesco Flachi Sampdoria
David Di Michele Udinese
Valeri Bojinov Fiorentina
Andrea Caracciolo Brescia
Alessandro Del Piero Juventus
Tommaso Rocchi Lazio
Francesco Totti AS Roma
Vincenzo Iaquinta Udinese
Christian Vieri Inter Milan
Fabrizio Miccoli Fiorentina
Hernan Crespo AC Milan
Riccardo Zampagna Messina
Obafemi Martins Inter Milan
Enrico Chiesa Siena
Enditem
ROME May Xinhua Spaniard Rafael Nadal won his toughest test to date on Sunday taking his third straight claycourt title by edging French Open runnerup Guillermo Coria and at the Rome Masters
In a match that lasted more than five hours Nadal appeared exhausted when he fell behind in the fifth set However the yearold found the energy to rally for another victory
This was the toughest match of my life Nadal said I want to thank the fans without whom I would have lost
The match was a repeat of Nadals victory over Coria in the Monte Carlo Masters final last month
A week after Monte Carlo Nadal also won in Barcelona part of his tourbest record on clay this season
His fifth title of the season drew him even with topranked Roger Federer for most on tour His only loss in a final this year came against Federer in March at the Masters Series event in Key Biscayne Florida where he squandered a twoset lead
Nadal is the first teenager to win five titles in a season since Andre Agassi won six in
With a blister on his left index finger after winning the third set Nadal fell behind in the fourth set and was treated again before starting the fifth
Nadal broke serve to make it in the fifth set and took a lead in the tiebreak
Coria fought back and Nadal couldnt finish the match off until his fourth match point when Corias volley sailed long
Nadal who turns next month is the youngest winner in Rome since Jimmy Arias took the title when he was years months in
Bjorn Borg holds the record for youngest champion in Rome taking the title when he was in shortly before he won his first French Open Enditem
BUENOS AIRES May Xinhua Following are the standings from the Argentine firstdivision soccer league after Sundays games tabulated under games played won drawn lost goals for against and points
Estudiantes
Velez Sarsfield
River Plate
Racing Club
Rosario Central
Banfield
Lanus
Arsenal
Colon
Boca Juniors
Olimpo
Argentinos Juniors
Quilmes
Newells Old Boys
Independiente
Instituto
Gimnasia
San Lorenzo
Almagro
Huracan
Enditem
BRASILIA May Xinhua Following are the standings in the Brazilian
firstdivision national soccer championship after Sundays games tabulated under games played won drawn lost goals for against and points
Santos
Botafogo
Fluminense
Ponte Preta
Coritiba
Goias
Juventude
Sao Caetano
Sao Paulo
Atletico Mineiro
Cruzeiro
Palmeiras
Flamengo
Vasco
Brasiliense
Internacional
Parana
Fortaleza
Figueirense
Corinthians
Atletico Paranaense
Paysandu
Enditem
VIENNA May Xinhua The United States snapped Swedens fourgame winning streak winning in ice hockeys World Championship while Russia ended the Czech Republics unbeaten string Sunday evening
Mike Knuble Yan Stastny Erik Cole Mike Modano and Brian Gionta scored for the United States which moved to five points and second place in the Group F standings
Twotime defending champion Canada which tied Finland earlier also has five while Sweden kept the lead with six points
In another Group E game Slovakia beat Switzerland
In Vienna Ilya Kovalchuk and Andrei Semin scored for Russia which had not defeated the Czechs since in the worlds
The win puts Russia in top spot in Group E level on six points with the Czechs However the Russians remain the only unbeaten team in the entire tournament Slovakia is third with five points and Switzerland fourth with three points
In the early Group F game Rick Nash and Patrick Marleau scored seconds apart midway through the last period helping Canada earn a point against Finland
Earlier Denmark rallied from two goals down in the opening period to edge Austria in a relegationround game in Innsbruck
Slovenia and Denmark have two points each atop the standings Germany and Austria have one point each The two top teams in the relegation round will stay in the championship next year the last two are demoted Enditem
VIENNA May Xinhua Following are the results from the ice hockey world championship qualifying round matches on Sunday
Canada Finland Group F
Czech Republic Russia Group E
Slovakia Switzerland Group E
Sweden United States Group F
MONDAY MAY SCHEDULE
Russia v Kazakhstan Group E Vienna
United States v Ukraine Group F Innsbruck
Finland v Latvia Group F Innsbruck
Switzerland v Belarus Group E Vienna
Enditem
VIENNA May Xinhua Following are the world ice hockey championship qualifying and relegation round group standings after Sundays matches tabulated under matches played won drawn lost goals for goals against points
Group E
Russia
Czech Republic
Slovakia
Switzerland
Belarus
Kazakhstan
Group F
Sweden
Canada
United States
Finland
Latvia
Ukraine
Relegation group
Slovenia
Denmark
Germany
Austria
Enditem
MOSCOW May Xinhua Maccabi Tel Aviv clinched the Euroleague basketball title for the second consecutive year with a victory over Tau Ceramica of Spain in the final on Sunday
The Israelis dominated the match and held on for a victory despite Tau pulling within two points late in the third quarter
We made history today said Maccabis Lithuanian playmaker Sarunas Jasikevicius voted the Final Four MVP Its just an amazing feeling to be a part of this team
Jasikevicius who became the first player to win three successive Euroleague crowns since was the games top scorer with points while Argentine forward Luis Scola led Tau with points
After going down in the first two minutes the Israelis assumed complete control of the game taking a lead at halftime
Tau who were making their first Final Four appearance fought hard to close the gap but could not shut down Jasikevicius who also had assists and grabbed six rebounds
The Spaniards who upset pretournament favourites CSKA Moscow in Fridays semifinals trimmed Maccabis lead to with one minute and seconds left in the third quarter
Earlier Panathinaikos Athens edged CSKA Moscow after two overtime periods to salvage third place in European club basketballs premier event
The Russians were considered overwhelming favourites to win their first major European basketball title since on home soil after posting a remarkable winloss record in regular season
But for a second consecutive game they crumbled under pressure to finish a disappointing fourth Enditem
BEIJING May Xinhua President of the International Volleyball Federation FIVB Ruben Acosta arrived here on Monday for a sixday visit to the host city of the Olympic Games
Acosta will inspect Olympic venues and have meetings with Wang Qishan Mayor of Beijing and executive president of the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games BOCOG and Liu Peng president of the Chinese Olympic Committee COC
Yang Shuan BOCOG executive vicepresident greeted Acosta at the airport
Acosta has been guiding the FIVB since first elected as president in in Los Angeles Enditem
BEIJING May Xinhua Following is the factbox of the world
mixed team badminton championships for the Sudirman Cup to kick off
here on Monday
Trophy the cup stands centimeters high is made of carat
goldplated solid silver and stands on an octagonal base made of
jati wood The body of the Cup is in the form of a shuttlecock and
is surmounted by a replica of the Borobudur temple The handles are
in the shape of stamens symbolising the seeds of badminton
Competition the teams are divided into groups based on their
performance on the previous occasion to fight for the chance of
promotion to a higher group and to avoid relegation Only those in
the top group can win the Cup There is no prize money for this
event just the prestige of playing for your country In addition
there are valuable IBF world ranking points to be earned and this
is particularly important for countries in the lower groups
Previous contests the Cup has only ever been won by Asian
nations with China having the strongest record in the event with
four wins The reigning titleholders Korea have won on three
occasions while Indonesia won the inaugural event on home ground
in
Denmark has the best record of any nation outside of Europe
they were silver medallists at the competition and have been
semifinalists at the seven other editions of the event Enditem
BEIJING May Xinhua Badmintons world governing body has
made several changes to the qualification system of the
Olympic Games in a bid to bring more countries and regions into the
Olympic competition
The International Badminton Federation IBF is aiming to see
countries and regions in the Beijing Olymics in the badminton
competition as against in Athens last year newly elected IBF
deputy president Punch Gunalan said here Sunday
We have made some changes in the qualification system for the
Olympic Games and submitted to the IOC the Malaysian said
We hope the changes can bring about teams into the Beijing
Olympics
According to Gunalan the total number of players in the Games
will remain the same as in Athens but the places for mens
and womens singles increase from to respectively and places
for mens womens and mixed doubles each drop from pairs to
We shifted the balance between the singles and doubles in order
to give chances for more countries and regions Gunalan said
The new regulations also state that one IBF member may have a
maximum three playerspairs in an event as long as playerspairs
are ranked to in the IBF rankings in that event Otherwise the
member can only have two playerspairs
Previously the IBF member can have three playerspairs as long
as they rank to in that event Enditem
DAR ES SALAAM May Xinhua SC Villa of Uganda surprised defending champions APR of Rwanda to snatch away the Kagame Cup with three unanswered goals in the final of this years central and east African clubs soccer championship
Kenyan international Bernard Mwalala found the net twice while Robert Sentogo scored the other goal to seal the victory over hitherto unbeaten APRs in the team championship held in Mwanza of northern Tanzania
APRs head coach from Kenya Jacob Mulee said after the grand finale that his defenders had overconcentrated on Mwalala so as to give other Villa players opportunities to create moves according to reports reaching here
Villa took home a prize cash of US dollars while the runnersup got dollars
The APRs could have got on to the scoresheet but Villa goalie Dennis Onyango denied an early attempt from Titus Mulama another Kenyan import
Rayon Sport of Rwanda finished third overall after they defeated Mtibwa Sugar of Tanzania The Rayons took home dollars as prize money Enditem
by sportswriter Ma Xiangfei
BEIJING May Xinhua The International Badminton Federation may have a small relief thanks to badmintons good performance in the Athens Games but it still worries its fate in the Olympics
Badminton faces two crucial moments this year to decide its Olympic future as the IOC will vote in July to choose the Olympic program and meet again in October to see whether badminton competition can stay unchanged in the Olympic Games
The IOC evaluation for the Athens Olympic Games events has yet to finish But I can say badminton left a good impression on the IOC and I expect good result in July evaluation said newly elected IBF president Kang Young Joong from South Korea on Sunday
According to IBFs TV audience research the mixed doubles final between China and Britain on August attracted a combined viewing audience of million including over five million in Britain
The cumulative TV audience in China reached just under one billion throughout the Olympic badminton competition the research said
Now the IBF is waiting for the July evaluation where the IOC members will vote by secret ballot on each of the sports that were part of the Olympic program in Athens The results of the vote will only be announced at the end of the proceedings
If one or more sports is not admitted to be part of the Olympic programme because they do not obtain a majority more that of the votes this sport will remain an Olympic sport but will not be on the program for the Games
Although high audience figures may weigh in IOCs evaluation CEO of the IBF Andrew Ryan admitted We all recognize that badminton is not yet a sport with global appeal in the sense that soccer for example
And an IBF official said on the annual meeting here Sunday that badminton fared really well in Athens but one thing the IOC was not satisfied with was the number of participation in terms of countries and regions
According to IBF deputy president Punch Gunalan countries and regions showed up in the badminton competition in Athens Olympic Games where about countries and regions made their appearances
Thus the IBF made several changes to the qualification system of the Olympic Games in a bid to bring teams into the Olympic competition
We are trying our best to let more teams into the Olympics said Gunalan
According to Gunalan the total number of players in the Games will remain the same as in Athens but the places for mens and womens singles increase from to respectively and places for mens womens and mixed doubles each drop from pairs to
We shifted the balance between the singles and doubles in order to give chances for more countries and regions Gunalan said
The new regulations also state that one IBF member may have a maximum three playerspairs in an event as long as playerspairs are ranked to in the IBF rankings in that event Otherwise the member can only have two playerspairs
Previously the IBF member can have three playerspairs as long as they rank to in that event
We have made some changes in the qualification system for the Olympic Games and submitted to the IOC the Malaysian said
But there is one problem the IOC may not accept the changes They may even eliminate the mixed doubles out of the Olympics said Gunalan We really hope not
We will see whether our changes approved by the IOC in October he said Enditem
WASHINGTON May Xinhua The San Antonio Spurs got off to a quick start in the second round of the National Basketball Association playoffs beating Seattle SuperSonics at home on Sunday
Tony Parker scored of his points and Tim Duncan scored of his in the first quarter for the Spurs seeded second in the Western Conference who shot percent of in the first quarter to open a lead
Then the Spurs had a run to open a cushion when Parker split a pair of free throws with remaining in the first half
The thirdseeded SuperSonics also lost forward Vladimir Radmanovic and AllStar guard Ray Allen who averaged points against the Sacramento Kings in the first round to sprained right ankles
Xrays were negative for both players but neither returned
AllStar forward Rashard Lewis scored points to lead Seattle
But Spurs coach Gregg Popovich saw plenty of room for improvement in San Antonios second half effort when the SuperSonics outscored them Enditem
WASHINGTON May Xinhua Following are the results from the NBA
playoffs nd round matches on Sunday home team in CAPS
Eastern Conference
MIAMI HEAT
Washington Wizards
Miami Heat lead the bestofseven series by
Western Conference
SAN ANTONIO SPURS
Seattle Supersonics
San Antonio Spurs lead the bestofseven series by
Enditem
BEIJING May Xinhua Following are all the titleholders of the badminton Sudirman Cup before the th edition to start here on Tuesday tabulated under the year host city country competing associations champions runnersup
Jakarta Indonesia Indonesia South Korea
Copenhagen Denmark South Korea Indonesia
Birmingham England South Korea Indonesia
Lausanne Switzerland China Indonesia
Glasgow Scotland China South Korea
Copenhagen Denmark China Denmark
Seville Spain China Indonesia
Eindhoven Netherlands South Korea China Enditem
BEIJING May Xinhua China will face strong challenges
from Denmark Indonesia and defending champions South Korea in
their run for the Sudirman Cup said Chinese head coach Li Yongbo
Monday
Li showing cautious confidence in keeping the mixed team
badminton championship in China singled out the three teams one
day before the sixday tournament kicks off here
China has been rated the strongest contender for the Cup but it
is only in theory said Li leading the team to the womens
singles doubles and mixed doubles victories at Athens Olympic
Games last year
Things tend to change once you are competing on the court he
added
I have to say Denmark Indonesia and South Korea are all tough
opponents who have some very good playrs We have to do our very
best to beat them in order to win the trophy he said
Denmark boasting mens world number two singles player Kenneth
Jonassen and Peter Gade ranked third as well as top mens doubles
Jens Eriksen and Hansen Lundgaard Hansen was pooled with South
Korea in Group A while China and Indonesia are in Group B
Kim Dong Moon and Ha Tae Kwon clinched the mens doubles title
for South Korea in Athens and Indonesia takes pride in their
Olympic mens singles champion Hidayat Taufik and recently crowned
Swiss Open mens doubles champins Wijaya Canfra and Budiarto Sigit
We have been preparing for the Sudirman Cup since winter and
all the players are doing well till now said Li Enditem
by Gong Bing
BEIJING May Xinhua Li Yongbo head coach of Chinese national badminton team downplayed South Korean mixed double players Kim Dong Moon and Ra Kyung Min here on Monday
In a press conference Li said that Kim and Ras return formed no threat to China since they didnt play any games after the Athens Olympic Games
In Sydney Chinese Zhang Jun and Gao Ling beat them in the quarterfinal and went on to win the gold at last which gives us psychological advantage Li added
In their second attempt for Olympic gold medal Kim and Ra were beaten in the quarterfinal by Danish pair Jonas Rasmussen and Rikke Olsen while Zhang and Gao defended the title
Kim JongSoo head coach of South Korea team gave no definite answer whether Kim and Ra would pair for the Sudirman Cup insisting that their emphasis would be put on mens doubles womens doubles and mixed doubles
As for South Koreas chances to defend the title the head coach said ten percent Enditem
BERLIN May Xinhua Following are the results from the INDESIT ATP Race Hamburg Masters mens singles first round matches on Monday
Mikhail Youzhny Russia beat Karol Beck Slovakia
Mario Ancic Croatia bt Florian Mayer Germany
Greg Rusedski Britain bt Philipp Petzschner Germany
Enditem
LONDON May Xinhua Leeds United have signed striker Rob Hulse from West Bromwich Albion for a fee that could rise to million pounds if Leeds win promotion
Hulse has signed a threeyear deal after spending the past three
months on loan at Elland Road scoring six goals in appearances
I am pleased weve got something sorted now Hulse told Leeds website
Ive had a brilliant couple of months here It was nice to get back into playing again at a fantastic club
Hulse said he will be expecting to get at least goals next season
Leeds boss Kevin Blackwell said Signing Rob Hulse shows that the club is coming out of the terminal decline it was in and we are serious about moving forward
Leeds almost went bankrupt last year as debts piled up to million
pounds and they were forced to sell their best players as they were relegated from the Premiership
They were within three months of being served a windingup order when
former Chelsea chairman Ken Bates completed a million pound takeover in
January Enditem
ROME May Xinhua Following are the results from the Italian Masters womens singles first round matches on Monday prefix denotes seeding
Catalina Castano Colombia beat Tatiana Perebiynis Ukraine
Elena Bovina Russia bt Mashona Washington United States
Enditem
LONDON May Xinhua Following are the leading world golf rankings issued on Monday US unless stated previous ranking in brackets
Tiger Woods points average
Vijay Singh Fiji
Ernie Els South Africa
Phil Mickelson
Retief Goosen South Africa
Chris DiMarco
Adam Scott Australia
Sergio Garcia Spain
Padraig Harrington Ireland
David Toms
Stewart Cink
Luke Donald Britain
Mike Weir Canada
Darren Clarke Britain
Kenny Perry
Davis Love III
Stuart Appleby Australia
Jim Furyk
Miguel Angel Jimenez Spain
Chad Campbell
Enditem
NAIROBI May Xinhua Athletics Kenya AK officials confirmed that another top Kenyan athlete Nicholas Kemboi has defected to Qatar local media reported Monday
I received a letter from International Association of Athletics Federations IAAF last week confirming that Kemboi is now a Qatar citizen and will run for the gulf state in World Championships in Helsinki Finland AK secretarygeneral David Okeyo was quoted by newspaper The Standard as saying
In April Kenyas Athens Olympics m silver medalist Bernard Lagat became a citizen of the United States
Kemboi last ran for Kenya in World Cross Country Championships in Dublin Ireland and was seventh in the junior mens km race He emerged as one of the best m runners in when he ran in Golden League in Brussels Belgium when he lost narrowly to Ethiopias twice Olympics m champion Haile Gebrselassie
Kenya has been losing top athletes to Qatar and Bahrain with Commonwealth Games and World m steeplechase champion Seif Saeed Shaheen the biggest star to defect to Qatar in
Athletics is threatened in this country With athletes like Kemboi and Lagat going I cant imagine what the situation will be in the next years It is very alarming said Kenyas former national head coach Mike Kosgei Enditem
PARIS May Xinhua Paul Le Guen who masterminded Lyons fourth
consecutive French first division soccer league title triumph announced Monday that he was quitting as coach
Ive decided not to extend my contract Le Guen told a press conference
I am proud of my achievements I thank everyone in the club JeanMichel Aulas president the training staff and the players who
have all allowed me to have three exceptional years
Lyon wrapped up the title with a win over Ajaccio on Sunday to make
sure of the championship with three games still to play and join St Etienne and Marseille as only the third French club to have put together such a fourinarow record
Since succeeding Jacques Santini the yearold former Rennes coach Le Guen has proved himself a manager out of the top drawer
Le Guens departure will likely start a chase for his services next season with some of the biggest club sides in Europe bidding to become his new employers Enditem
ROME May Xinhua Following are the results from the Italian Masters womens singles first round matches on Monday prefix denotes seeding
Anna Chakvetadze Russia beat Lubomira Kurhajcova Slovakia
Catalina Castano Colombia bt Tatiana Perebiynis Ukraine
Maria Elena Camerin Italy bt Nathalie Dechy France
Elena Bovina Russia bt Mashona Washington United States
Paola Suarez Argentina bt Karolina Sprem Croatia
Enditem
BERLIN May Xinhua Topranked Roger Federer returned to
action Monday after a threeweek injury layoff and beat Fernando
Verdasco in the opening round of the Hamburg Masters tennis tournament
Federer last played when he lost in the quarterfinals of the
Monte Carlo Masters to Richard Gasquet only his second defeat of
the season He then took a break because of inflammation in both
feet
Looking rusty in the opening games Federer soon found his rhythm
on a cool and wet afternoon
The defending champion broke Verdascos serve to win the first
set and broke serve again for a decisive lead in the second
Joachim Johansson became the first seeded player to exit losing
to Sebastien Grosjean
Juan Ignacio Chela defeated Thomas Johansson and
Gasquet advanced when Ivo Karlovic retired in the second set
Gasquet was leading
Also advancing to the second round were Mario Ancic Mikhail
Youzhny Greg Rusedski Nicolas Kiefer and Christophe Rochus
Enditem
TOKYO May Xinhua Japan national soccer team coach Zico on Monday called up Europebased pair Junichi Inamoto and Shinji Ono for this months home friendlies against Peru and United Arab Emirates
The May and games will serve as warmup matches for next months Asian World Cup qualifiers against Bahrain and DPR Korea
Hamburg striker Naohiro Takahara was also called up to face Peru and UAE in Niigata and Tokyo Fiorentinas Hidetoshi Nakata is set to join the squad after May
Both teams have different styles but that will stand us in good stead for the two qualifiers said Brazilian Zico
Peru and UAE will face each other in between the two Japan games at Toyota Stadium on May
Japan play Bahrain away on June and DPR Korea five days later
Squad
Goalkeepers Yoichi Doi FC Tokyo Seigo Narazaki Nagoya Grampus Eight Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi Jubilo Iwata
Defenders Atsuhiro Miura Vissel Kobe Makoto Tanaka Iwata Tsuneyasu Miyamoto Gamba Osaka Alex Urawa Reds Yuji Nakazawa Yokohama FMarinos Keisuke Tsuboi Urawa Akira Kaji FC Tokyo
Midfielders Takashi Fukunishi Iwata Mitsuo Ogasawara Kashima Antlers Masashi Motoyama Kashima Junichi Inamoto West Bromwich Albion Shinji Ono Feyenoord Yasuhito Endo Gamba Osaka
Forwards Takayuki Suzuki Kashima Naohiro Takahara Hamburg Keiji Tamada Kashiwa Reysol Masashi Oguro Gamba Osaka
Enditem
BEIJING May Xinhua Chen Bingde director of the General Armament Department of the Chinese Peoples Liberation Army PLA left here Monday for an official goodwill visit to Italy Belarus and Britain
Chen also member of the Central Military Commission paid the visit at the invitation of the armed forces of the three countries Enditem
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LONDON May Xinhua Following are the leading prize money winners on the European PGA Tour after Sundays Italian Open Britain
unless stated
Retief Goosen South Africa euros
Ernie Els South Africa
Adam Scott Australia
Luke Donald
Miguel Angel Jimmez Spain
Stephen Dodd
Thomas Bjan Denmark
Ian Poulter
Steve Webster
Henrik Stenson Sweden
Nick OHern Australia
Peter Hanson Sweden
Colin Montgomerie
Trevor Immelman South Africa
Gregory Havret France
David Howell
Niclas Fasth Sweden
Vijay Singh Fiji
Nick Dougherty
Charl Schwartzel South Africa
Enditem
NICOSIA May Xinhua The injury of a football fan last
week has led to the the Cyprus government taking stricter measures to finally put an end to the dangers of football local press reported Monday
With violence and football seemingly going handinhand in
Cypriot stadiums the government finally weighed in on the problem
calling a meeting at the weekend in which they told all those
responsible to take stricter measures
The move was sparked by the injury to a yearold APOEL fan
who lost four of fingers during his sides draw with Dighenis
Morphou in the Cyprus semifinal last week The accident occurred
after a firecracker he was preparing to hurl onto the pitch
exploded in his hand dismembering his fingers as well as injuring
four people around him
Following the lengthy meeting at the Presidential Palace
Justice Minister Doros Theodorou has called on all those involved
in the game to take full notice of the fact that President Tassos
Papadopoulos has spoken out about it and that they should now take
the problem far more seriously
He added that new procedures will be given to police officers
before kickoffs such as checks on buses carrying fans to and from
stadiums
Commenting on suggestions that dangerous objects are smuggled
into stadiums by footballers themselves Theodorou answered by
saying that footballers will no longer be exceptions and that they
will also be searched from now on
Meanwhile the President of the Cyprus Sports Organization KOA
Titos Christofides added that the new measures were a sign of
determination from the highest level that they want the phenomenon
of football violence finally ended Another measure which
Christofides describes as crucial is the government subsidy cut to
any club found guilty of failing to stop dangerous objects being
smuggled into their grounds Other penalties include spectator bans
as well as playing games behind closed doors Enditem
NICOSIA May Xinhua Cyprus football club Anorhosis have won the Cyprus championship title one match before the end of the League season This is Anorthosis th championship title
According to local press reports Monday Anorhosis defeated Sunday fellow Famagusta football Club Nea Salamina with taking advantage of the draw of second in the championship standings Nicosia Football Club APOEL with Apollon of Limassol
Omonoia the Champions defeated Limassol Club AEL with securing third place while Digenis of Morphou the surprise of this years championship defeated Aris with climbing to fourth place
However the th weekend did not clear which teams will form the triplet to be relegated with only one team Aris of Limassol definitely going to the second division One match before the finish three football clubs namely Alki Akchna and Pafos have equal chances of being relegated Enditem
ROME May Xinhua Following are the results from the second stage of the Tour of Italy held over km between Catanzaro and Lido here
Robbie McEwen AUS DavitamonLotto hours minutes and seconds
Isaac Galvez ESP
Robert Forster GER
Alessandro Petacchi ITA
Baden Cooke AUS
Francisco Ventoso ESP
Stuart OGrady AUS
Steven De Jongh NED
Paride Grillo ITA
Uros Murn SLO
Rony Martias FRA
Volodymyr Bileka UKR
Olaf Pollack GER
Ivan Quaranta ITA
Jaan Kirsipuu EST
Aurelien Clerc SUI
Walter Beneteau FRA
Cristian Moreni ITA
Henk Vogels AUS
Mauricio Ardila COL
DNF Alberto Lopez de Munain ESP
Enditem
HAVANA May Xinhua The games between grand masters Vassily
Ivanchuk of Ukraine and Jesus Nogueira of Cuba and that between Cuban
Leinier Dominguez and Georgian Baduur Jobaba featured the fourth round of the Elite Group of the XL International Chess Tournament Jose Raul Capablanca in Memoriam
At Havanas NeptunoTriton Hotel Complex Ivanchuk ranked th in the
International Chess Federation FIDE will have the white pieces
In the third game of this group that includes seven GM Cubas national champion Lazaro Bruzon will take the white pieces against compatriot Neurys Delgado Walter Arencibia will rest
During the third round the three games DelgadoIvanchuk Bruzon Jobaba and ArencibiaNogueira ended in draw
The tournament is led to this moment by Ivanchuk and Delgado with two points each followed by Bruzon and Jobaba a point and a half each Dominguez and Arencibia and Nogueira point
Premier II group counts with the participation of FIDE Master FM Cuban Fidel Corrales who has three victories in a row
Premier I is headed by International Masters IM Diego Flores of
Argentina and Miguel Mosquera of Colombia with points each
In the Mixed Category of XI range for women the first position is
currently kept by Mexican Manuel leon winner in his three games followed by locals Sulennis Pina and Maritza Arribas
The competitions calendar will extend until May It is designed as a roundrobin twoleague series contest Enditem
MEXICO CITY May Xinhua Twentytwo sport ministers of IberiaAmerican countries are to meet at the eastern Mexican city of Merida Yucatan state on May to analyse issues such as the combat against doping violence and racism
The secretary of State for Sport of Spain Jaime Lissavetzky will present in the meeting of the IberiaAmerican Sport Council CID a National AntiDoping Plan as a central part of the meeting
This meeting comes in advance to the th assembly of the American Sports Council CADE
The agenda is based on the issues of racism xenophobia along with violence to be completed with a conference on ties between governmental organizations with the national Olympic committees and federations in charge of Mexican official Nelson Vargas
CID founded in as an initiative of Spain Guatemala Mexico and Uruguay has become consolidated in its first decade as the forum to discuss and reach consensus around regional policies
The council aims at being a forum of communication between countries with similar structures and problems as well as a way to exchange technical cooperation competition organization and exchange of athletes
The organization has met in Santiago Chile Cartagena de Indias Colombia Santo Domingo Dominican Republic Mexico City Mexico Madrid Spain Lima Peru and Puerto Rico Enditem
LONDON May Xinhua UEFA President Lennart Johansson said on Monday that he backed Liverpools bid to defend the UEFA Champions League if they lift the trophy in Istanbul later this month
Johansson said that he supports the Merseysiders cause but stressed the final decision rests with The Football Association and it is their responsibility to submit a formal proposal
Of course nothing can be done until the outcome of the final with Milan is known and at least Everton know there is no question of any repeat of the situation in Spain four years ago when Real Madrid usurped Real Zaragoza despite finishing below them in the table
Lets deal with it when we know the facts after the final of the Champions League explained Johansson And then see to it that we are crystal clear that the champion must always be given its opportunity to defend the title
That we see to it in the future that we have rules and regulations that are understandable from the very beginning
In the view of the reactions that came now I personally on one hand think that someone has qualified under the present regulations for the next Champions League and on the other hand I understand the champions like to defend its title
If the association FA would like to do so if they are taking contact with us they should make a proposal that would mean extending the number of teams from England in the Champions League next time from four to five
Although accepting Liverpools feelings on the subject Johansson is adamant that everything must be done through the proper channels
They cannot just explain their feelings he added They must go to other things if they feel this would be correct
They should sit down and write a letter to the Uefa executive committee with a request to extend the number of teams from England from four to five Enditem
LONDON May Xinhua Boltons Fernando Hierro announced on Monday that he will retire from the sport of soccer at the end of the season
The Spaniard has been in superb form for The Trotters this season with his polished displays in midfield helping the club into Europe for the first time in their history
Sam Allardyce had been keen to keep hold of the yearold for another season to lead their UEFA Cup campaign but the veteran has decided to hang up his boots
Im clear about the decision but I wanted to leave it while Im still playing at a high level Hierro told Radio Marca
Hierro was a mainstay of the Real Madrid side during his years at El Santiago Bernabeu and lifted the European Cup three times and Spanish title six times during his spell in the Spanish capital
The former Valladolid man joined Bolton on a month contract last summer after a season in Qatar and his displays surprised a few people who thought his best days were behind him Enditem
LONDON May Xinhua Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger reiterated that Sol Campbell is far from assured of a place in his FA Cup final team
The England stopper has failed to dislodge Philippe Senderos after recovering from an ankle injury such has been the form of the Swiss fledgling
Senderos has proven a revelation at the heart of The Gunners backline and has now given himself a realistic chance of starting against Manchester United in the Millennium Stadium showdown
However with two Premiership games still to play before the old rivals meet up in Cardiff Campbell could yet be handed an opportunity to impress between now and the seasons close
Philippe is playing well and is deserving of his place but I also feel frustrated for Sol because he is working hard to get back in the team said Wenger
I just have to make a decision and I will try to be fair Its a fair competition between them Sol will get his opportunity again but as I say Philippe is doing well
He is on a wave of improvement where he seems to develop from game to game so you have to keep him on that wave
If you were to cut him down now it certainly wouldnt help him Im honestly not thinking about possible FA Cup lineups at the moment
I dont see the FA Cup final as a reward for players I just see it as the next game in which you want to field your best possible team
You dont just pick somebody because they have played the whole season you pick your best team for that game
I will try to make the decision as fairly as I can as I do for every game Enditem
MADRID May Xinhua Diego Maradona the former captain of the Argentine national soccer team analysed the present situation of the Spanish league saying Barcelona will be a worthy winner of this years league and added that Real Madrids Sacchi and Luxemburgo need time to leave their mark in the club
Maradona said with the players Real Madrid has the team will never have a crisis although Sacchi and Luxemburgo need time to organize the team and prepare them to win championships
Diego Maradona did not doubt the capacity of Real Madrid and assured it has players a coach and a president who like their team to look good on the pitch that is why it will win titles in the future
He added that Barcelonas coach Rijkaard has done a superb job and that all the players collaborate and balance the team
Barcelona deserves to win the championship said he but added that Real Madrid will not make it easy for the Catalonians
With respect to the players Maradona said Ronaldinho is the worlds best player without a doubt He plays happy and attractively and these are important things in soccer said Maradona
As for the offer by Boca Juniors to become a member of the clubs technical staff he said were talking about it Professional soccer does not interest me as I am rather keen on getting involved with junior forces of Boca he added
He also addressed the departure of Jorge Valdano from the sport direction of Real Madrid and said I was sad about it but soccer is like this When no victories come heads start to be chopped and Jorges turn came Maradona said Enditem
MADRID May Xinhua Former Argentine soccer player Diego Armando Maradona arrived Monday flying from Cuba in the Spanish capital to hold meetings with officials and players of Real Madrid
Maradona said his stay in Spain will include meetings with soccer director of Real Madrid Italian Arrigo Sacchi Brazilian coach Vanderlei Luxemburgo and players like Roberto Carlos and Ronaldo
I will say hi to friends Arrigo Sacchi who is a longtime friend Roberto Carlos Ronaldo and Vanderlei Maradona said in his first contact with the press at the Madrid International Airport of Barajas
He recognized he has lost kilograms and said the operation has been successful in reference to the gastric bypass surgery he underwent on March in Colombia to lose weight
Maradona also said he arrived in Madrid with all his problems sorted out and I am fine with my daughters which is what matters the most
As for his cocaine addictin he said that thanks to the treatment he followed in Havana it is over now
I live in Cuba I am there with Fidel Castro very well as he is an honorable person said Maradona
When questioned about the offer by the Argentine team Boca Juniors to be part of the club Maradona only said I am listening to the offer Enditem
RIO DE JANEIRO May Xinhua Brazil without playin on Monday move on to the quarterfinals of the first edition of the FIFA World Beach Soccer Championship thaks to the Spanish victory over Thailand
The hosts of the tournament in Rio de Janeiro are to meet Spain on Tuesday The Iberian team confirmed its presence in the tournament after defeating Italy in the decisive match of the European heat
On Sunday Thailand lost against Brazil becoming the first team to conclude its competition in the tournament
Spain and Brazil meet Tuesday at hours local time GMT The Spaniards had a hard time to break the defense of the Thais and could only score until the second quarter through Amarelle who scored once again in the third quarter
David scored two more goals for Spain
In Group B activity Japan defeated the United States earning the applause of the Brazilian fans
Through the victory Japan and Portugal top the group On Tuesday the United States have a chance for reivindication playing against Portugal
Also on Tuesday Uruguay will play Ukraine and France face Argentina Enditem
BERLIN May Xinhua Following are the results from the ATP Race Hamburg Masters mens singles first round matches on Monday prefix number denotes seeding
Mikhail Youzhny Russia bt Karol Beck Slovakia
Mario Ancic Croatia bt Florian Mayer Germany
Juan Carlos Ferrero Spain bt Juergen Melzer Austria
Sebastien Grosjean France bt Joachim Johansson Sweden
Nicolas Kiefer Germany bt Philipp Kohlschreiber Germany
Tim Henman Britain bt Lars Burgsmueller Germany
Greg Rusedski Britain bt Philipp Petzschner Germany
Juan Ignacio Chela Argentina bt Thomas Johansson Sweden
Ivan Ljubicic Croatia bt Luis Horna Peru
Christophe Rochus Belgium bt Santiago Ventura Spain
Radek Stepanek Czech Republic bt Cyril Saulnier France
Richard Gasquet France bt Ivo Karlovic Croatia retired
Nicolas Massu Chile bt Andy Roddick United States
Roger Federer Switzerland bt Fernando Verdasco Spain
Gustavo Kuerten Brazil bt Andrei Pavel Romania
Tommy Robredo Spain bt Alexander Waske Germany
Enditem
ROME May Xinhua Following are the results from the Italian Masters womens singles first round matches on Monday prefix number denotes seeding
Anna Chakvetadze Russia bt Lubomira Kurhajcova Slovakia
AnnaLena Groenefeld Germany bt Antonella Serra Zanetti Italy
Jelena Jankovic Serbia and Montenegro bt Dally Randriantefy Madagascar
Catalina Castano Colombia bt Tatiana Perebiynis Ukraine
Maria Elena Camerin Italy bt Nathalie Dechy France
Francesca Schiavone Italy bt Meghann Shaughnessy United States
Silvia Farina Elia Italy bt Maria Kirilenko Russia
Stephanie CohenAloro France bt Nathalie Vierin Italy
Samantha Stosur Australia bt Yuliana Fedak Ukraine
Anabel Medina Garrigues Spain bt Alina Jidkova Russia
Elena Bovina Russia bt Mashona Washington United States
Paola Suarez Argentina bt Karolina Sprem Croatia
Enditem
BERLIN May Xinhua Second seed American Andy Roddick and inform Spaniard Rafael Nadal made early exits while topranked Roger Federer scored a convincing win in the Hamburg Masters tennis tournament on Monday
Roddick suffered a blow when he was beaten and by Chiles Olympic champion Nicolas Massu in the first round and Nadal pulled out of the tournament with a blistered racket hand suffered during his victory at the Rome Masters last week
In contrast top seed Federer beat Spains Fernando Verdasco and showing no sign of the foot ligament strain that caused him to miss last weeks Rome event
My feet are good I dont know if theyre one hundred percent yet that will show after the tough long matches added Federer who is hoping to complete his grand slam collection by winning the French Open
Roddick said he remained optimistic for the French Open
Im disappointed but you have to realise you are going to have bad days in this chosen profession the American world number three said
Its a little disheartening losing sucks theres no way round it
Fellow Spaniard Carlos Moya the seventh seed also pulled out on Monday saying he was only percent fit
British fifth seed Tim Henman will play compatriot Greg Rusedski in the second round after a comfortable firstround win over German Lars Burgsmueller
Rusedski earned his first ATP Tour victory on clay for almost four years beating German Philipp Petzschner ranked th in the world
Threetimes former French Open champion Gustavo Kuerten of Brazil thrashed Romanias Andrei Pavel and another former Roland Garros champion Juan Carlos Ferrero of Spain beat Austrian Juergen Melzer
Swedish th seed Joachim Johansson lost to Frenchman Sebastien Grosjean and his compatriot Thomas Johansson was beaten in three sets by Argentinas Juan Ignacio Chela Enditem
VIENNA May Xinhua Following are the results from the ice hockey world championship qualifying round matches on Monday
Finland Latvia Group F
Russia Kazakhstan Group E
Switzerland Belarus Group E
United States Ukraine Group F
TUESDAY MAY SCHEDULE
Kazakhstan v Slovakia Group E Vienna
Ukraine v Canada Group F Innsbruck
Sweden v Latvia Group F Innsbruck
Czech Republic v Belarus Group E Vienna
Enditem
VIENNA May Xinhua Following are the ice hockey world championship qualifying and relegation round groups standings after Mondays matches tabulated under games played won drawn lost goals for goals against points
Group E
Russia
Czech Republic
Slovakia
Switzerland
Belarus
Kazakhstan
Group F
United States
Sweden
Canada
Finland
Latvia
Ukraine
Relegation group
Germany
Slovenia
Denmark
Austria
Enditem
VIENNA May Xinhua Brett Hauer scored in the third period to help the United States rally for a draw with lastplaced Ukraine while Russia beat Kazakhstan to remain the only unbeaten team at ice hockey world championship on Monday
In Group F where the United States held a leading position Finland tied Latvia
The United States and Sweden have six points each Canada and Finland five each
Latvia with three points can still make the quarterfinals depending on the results Tuesday when twotime defending champion Canada plays Ukraine and Sweden faces Latvia
In Group E Russias victory clinched the top seed and will face the fourthplace team from Group F in the quarterfinals Switzerland beat Belarus in the other Group E game behind goals by Goran Bezina and Thomas Ziegler
Russia led Group E with eight points Kazakhstan finished last with zero points The Czech Republic Slovakia and Switzerland wrapped up the other quarterfinal berths from the group Enditem
CAIRO May Xinhua Following are the result of an Arab Champions League semifinal first leg soccer match on Monday
In Riyadh
Al Hilal Saudi Arabia Al Ittihad Jeddah Saudi Arabia
Played on Thursday
In Jeddah
Al Ahli Jeddah Saudi Arabia CS Sfaxien Tunisia
The return legs will be played on May
Enditem
LISBON May Xinhua Following are the results from the Portuguese soccer championship matches on Monday
Monday May
Sporting Lisbon Vitoria Guimaraes
Sunday May
Estoril Gil Vicente
Moreirense Porto
Rio Ave Maritimo
Beira Mar Academica
Uniao Leiria Vitoria Setubal
Saturday May
Boavista Braga
Penafiel Benfica
Friday May
Belenenses Nacional Madeira
Enditem
LISBON May Xinhua Following are the standings from the Portuguese soccer championship after matches on Monday tabulated under games played won drawn lost goals for against and points
Sporting Lisbon
Benfica
Porto
Braga
Vitoria Guimaraes
Boavista
Belenenses
Rio Ave
Maritimo
Vitoria Setubal
Penafiel
Uniao Leiria
Nacional Madeira
Academica
Gil Vicente
Estoril
Moreirense
Beira Mar
Enditem
RIO DE JANEIRO May Xinhua Following are the results of the beach soccer World Cup results and standings tabulated under games played won drawn lost goals for against and points
Group A
Brazil
Spain
Thailand
Sunday May Brazil Thailand
Monday May Spain Thailand
Tuesday May Brazil vs Spain
Group B
Portugal
Japan
United States
Sunday May Portugal Japan
Monday May Japan United States
Tuesday May Portugal vs United States
Group C
Uruguay
Ukraine
South Africa
Sunday May Uruguay South Africa
Monday May Ukraine South Africa
Tuesday May Uruguay vs Ukraine
Group D
France
Argentina
Australia
Sunday May France Australia
Monday May Argentina Australia
Tuesday May France vs Argentina
Enditem
RIO DE JANEIRO May Xinhua Spain became the first team to secure its quarterfinal berth at the inaugural Beach Soccer World Cup here on Monday thrashing Thailand
Ramiro Figueiras and David Coprdon scored two goals apiece for Spain while Anupong Polasak netted Thailands lone goal
The second consecutive defeat in Group A eliminated Thailand which was beaten by Brazil on Sunday
Mondays results decided six of the quarterfinal berths also earning spots for Brazil Uruguay Ukraine France and Argentina The top two teams from each of the four groups advance to the Thursdays knockout round
In Group B the only group to remain undecided Japan upset the United States on goals by Naoyuki Kuroki Masahito Toma and the winner by Tadaomi Nakamura Benny Astorga and Edy Testa tallied for the Americans
On Tuesday the American team takes on Portugal which beat Japan on Sunday A Portuguese victory will earn Japan a spot in the quarterfinals while the Americans will need to win by two or more goals
In Group C Yevgen Varenytsya scored three goals and Ukraine overwhelmed South Africa On Tuesday Ukraine will take on Uruguay to decide first place in the group
Dmytro Koryenyev scored twice for Ukraine while Sergiy Bozhenko Victor Moroz and Oleksandr Pylypenko accounted for the other goals Darren Dicks scored a late consolation goal for South Africa which was eliminated with its second loss
In Group D Argentina eliminated Australia on two goals by Federico Hilaire and another by Alberto Acosta Gianpaulo Buonavoglia accounted for Australias goal
The weeklong tournament that began on Sunday is being held at Rio de Janeiros famed Copacabana beach
Brazil is the defending world champion and has won nine of titles All previous championships have been under Beach Soccer Worldwide not FIFA
Beach soccer is played on a sand field about yards long and yards wide Each game is divided into three minute periods with unlimited substitution Enditem
PRAGUE May Xinhua Following are the results from the Prague Open womens singles first round matches on Monday prefix number denotes seeding
Jelena Kostanic Croatia bt Lilia Osterloh United States
Yoon Jeong Cho South Korea bt Eleni Daniilidou Greece
Iveta Benesova Czech Republic bt Andrea Hlavackova Czech Republic
Henrieta Nagyova Slovakia bt Tamarine Tanasugarn Thailand Enditem
ROME May Xinhua Following are the results Monday from the
second stage of the Giro dItalia cycling race from Catanzaro Lido
to Santa Maria del Cedro
Robbie McEwen Australia DavitamonLotto hours
minutes seconds
Isaac Galvez Lopez Spain Illes Balears same time
Robert Forster Germany Gerolsteiner same time
Alessandro Petacchi Italy Fassa Bortolo same time
Baden Cooke Australia Francaise des Jeux same time
Francisco Ventoso Alberdi Spain Saunier Duval same time
Stuart OGrady Australia Cofidis same time
Steven De Jongh Netherlands Rabobank same time
Paride Grillo Italy Ceramica Panaria same time
Uros Murn Slovenia Phonak same time
Rony Martias France Bouygues Telecom same time
Volodymir Bileka Ukraine Discovery Channel same time
Olaf Pollack Germany TMobile same time
Ivan Quaranta Italy Domina Vacanze same time
Jaan Kirsipuu Estonia Credit Agricole same time
Overall standings after of stages
Robbie McEwen Australia
Paolo Bettini Italy seconds behind
Alessandro Petacchi Italy
Isaac Galvez Lopez Spain
Paolo Savoldelli Italy
Marco Velo Italy
Damiano Cunego Italy same time
Filippo Pozzato Italy same time
Baden Cooke Australia same time
Danilo Di Luca Italy same time
Juan Manuel Garate Spain
Stefano Garzelli Italy
Andre Korff Germany same time
Erik Zabel Germany same time
Dario David Cioni Italy same time
Enditem
WASHINGTON May Xinhua Lang Ping stepped onto the court for the first time Monday afternoon as head coach of the US womens national volleyball team when she held her first practice at the US Olympic Training Complex in Colorado Springs Olorado
The atmosphere in the gym was a little more quiet than it normally will be considering only eight players were in attendance on the first day said USA Volleyball in a news release from Colorado Springs
But as the days go on more and more players will slowly filter into camp the release added
We wont have all of the players together for a while admited Lang Ping who was named Team USA head coach on Feb I have never seen most of them I just have to tell myself to be patient and get to know all of our players
The United States which will be competing at the World Grand Prix the NORCECA World Championship Qualifier and the NORCECA Championships later this summer opens the season against Brazil in Denver from June to
Its not really about results this year continued Lang Ping a member of Chinas Olympic goldmedal winning team in and the head coach of the silvermedal winning team of China in the Olympics
Its a true learning experience I have to figure out what kind of teamwork we will have for the future I cant decide anything right now until I learn the situation Lang said Enditem
BEIJING May Xinhua World soccer governing body FIFA has ordered DPR Korea to play its World Cup qualifier against Japan behind closed doors in Bangkok next month
In Mondays statement on its website FIFA said DPR Koreas soccer association had not appealed in time against an April decision to punish it for crowd trouble during its previous qualifiers against Bahrain and Iran in Pyongyang in March
The Organising Committee for the FIFA World Cup SubCommittee for Urgent Matters has today announced that the Korea DPRJapan preliminary competition match will be played on June at a neutral venue in Bangkok Thailand the statement said
There was no immediate reaction from Pyongyang
FIFA made the decision after crowd trouble during DPR Koreas home defeat by Iran on March
Angry fans hurled bottles rocks and other projectiles in protest at a late sendingoff in the game at Kim Ilsung Stadium and soldiers were called in to restore order as home fans prevented Irans team bus from leaving the stadium
FIFA said the measure also took into account unspecified incidents during DPR Koreas home defeat to Bahrain on March Enditem
BEIJING May Xinhua A group of security experts gathered
here on Tuesday to offer Beijing advice and knowhow on the
security of the Olympic Games
The International Permanent Observatory on Security Measures
during Major Events IPO closeddoor meeting which lasts through
Wednesday will mainly focus on venue access transport security
and bombexplosive ordnance
Lv Shimin director of the Security Department of Beijing
Organizing Committee for the Games BOCOG said that Beijing
is ready to draw on the experiences of other cities and countries
that have hosted international events
In line with the openminded principle of our Olympic
preparatory work it is very important to keep close contacts with
the IPO said Lv
I believe this meeting will contribute to a secure Olympic
Games in he added
The IPO launched in February by the United Nations
Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute UNICRI and the
European Police Office EUROPOL specialize on different aspects
of security regarding three main categories of major events
sporting events highlevel politicalreligiouseconomic summits
and mass events
Beijing is also cooperating with the security organs of other
countries such as the United State Germany Britain France and
Russia to enhance its defence against riots or terrorist attacks
Lv said Enditem
BEIJING May Xinhua Beijing is soon to unveil its
security budget for the Olympic Games a top official said
here on Tuesday
We have figured out the security budget for the Olympics
but it is subject to the governments approval said Qiang Wei
Deputy Secretary of the Beijing Municipal Committee of CPC
Qiang made the remarks on the sidelines of the International
Permanent Observatory on Security Measures during Major Events IPO
closeddoor meeting held in the Chinese capital
But Qiang also head of the Beijing Olympic Security
Coordination Group refused to reveal the budget saying it will be
unveiled in a very short time
Athens which hosted the Olympic Games last year spent more
than billion euros billion US dollars on security Enditem
WASHINGTON May Xinhua Following are the results from the NBA second round playoffs on Monday home team in CAPS
DETROIT PISTONS
Indiana Pacers
Detroit Pistons lead the bestofseven series by
PHOENIX SUNS
Dallas Mavericks
Phoenix Suns lead the bestofseven series by
Enditem
WASHINGTON May Xinhua Detroit Pistons breezed to a win over Indiana Pacers in the opener of their NBA quarterfinal playoff series in Michigan on Monday
The teams were meeting for the third time here since the November brawl that saw Indiana players fighting with Detroit fans
The incident led to a seasonlong suspension for Indianas Ron Artest and lengthy bans for his teammates Jermaine ONeal and Stephen Jackson Both Jackson and ONeal are playing in this series but Artest is still suspended
On Monday the Pacers had no answer for Ben Wallace who became a surprise offensive force while controlling the backboards
Wallace the NBAs Defensive Player of the Year had points and rebounds in the first half helping the Pistons build a lead and finished with points rebounds and four steals
Richard Hamilton scored points to lead the secondseeded Pistons who led by double digits the entire second half
Detroit also held Indiana without a basket for more than six minutes during one stretch in the second half
Last season the Pistons defeated the Pacers in six games in the Eastern Conference finals
ONeal scored points for sixthseeded Indiana which needed seven games to beat Boston in the first round a series that ended Saturday Enditem
WASHINGTON May Xinhua Amare Stoudemire had a careerhigh points while MVP Steve Nash chipped in with points and assists as the Phoenix Suns opened their NBA Western Conference semifinal with a home win over the Dallas Mavericks on Monday
After sweeping the Memphis Grizzlies in the opening round of playoff eight days ago the Suns unleashed the NBAs most explosive attack on the Mavericks with all five Phoenix starters finishing in double figures
Joe Johnson contributed points to Phoenixs cause while Shawn Marion made points and rebounds
Dirk Nowitzki had points and rebounds for the Mavericks who lacked their intensity coming off a sevengame series against the Houston Rockets in the opening round
Jerry Stackhouse added points while Michael Finley Jason Terry and Marquis Daniels each had
The Mavericks will have a day to recover with Game Two scheduled for Wednesday in Phoenix
The game began in party atmosphere as Nash who moved from Dallas to the Suns in the offseason for a fiveyear million US dollars deal received his MVP trophy from commissioner David Stern before the opening tipoff
There was no let up in the celebrations as the Suns never trailed roaring to an lead before increasing their advantage to at the half and after three quarters Enditem
BEIJING May Xinhua Following are the results in the morning session from the Sudriman Cup mixed team badminton championship here on Tuesday
Group B
Japan bt Ukraine
Singapore bt Germany
Group A
Norway lost to
Switzerland bt Kazakstan
Group B
Australia bt South Africa
France bt Peru
Group A
Italy bt Luxemburg
Enditem
BEIJING May Xinhua Following are the results in the morning session from the Sudriman Cup mixed team badminton championship here on Tuesday
Group B
Japan bt Ukraine Japan names first
Mens singles
Hidetaka Yamada bt Vladislav Druzchenko
Womens singles
Kaori Mori bt Elena Prus
Mens doubles
Keita MasudaTadashi Ohtsuka bt Atrashchenkov ValeriyValerij Strelcov
Womens doubles
Kumiko OguraReiko Shiota bt Larisa GrigaElena Nozdran
Mixed doubles
Shintaro IkedaTomomi Matsuda bt Atrashchenkov ValeriyElena Prus
Singapore bt Germany Singapore names first
Mixed doubles
Hendri KurniawanSaputra Jiang Yanmei lost to Ingo KindervaterKathrine Piotrowski
Mens singles
Ronald Susilo bt Bjoern Joppien
Womens singles
Li Li lost to Xu Hualwen
Mens doubles
Lee Yen HuiHendra Wijaya bt Kristf HoppIngo Kindervater
Womens doubles
Jiang YanmeiLiu Fan bt Nicole GretherJuliane Schenk
Group A
Norway lost to Estonia Norway names first
Mens singles
Jim Andersen bt Raul Must
Womens doubles
Helene AbusdalMonica Halvorsen lost to Piret Hamer Helene Reino
Mens doubles
Steinar KlausenHelene Abusdal bt Heiki Sorge Ants Mangel
Womens singles
Helene Abusdal lost to Kati Tolmoff
Mixed doubles
Jim AndersenMonica Halvorsen lost to Ants MangelPiret Hamer
Switzerland bt Kazakstan Switzerland names first
Mixed doubles
Christian BosigerJeannine Cicognini bt Mikhail Zakharov Yuliya Okuneva
Mens singles
Oliver Andrey lost to Anuar Mussafirov
Womens singles
Corinne Jorg lost to Saule Kustavletova
Mens doubles
Christian BosigerMichael Andrey bt Anuar Mussafirov Mikhail Zakharov
Womens doubles
Corinne JorgJeannine Cicognini bt Saule Kustavletova Yuliya Okuneva
Group B
Australia bt South Africa Australia names first
Mixed doubles
Travis DenneyKate WilsonS bt Ddorian JamesMichelle Edwards
Mens singles
Stuart Brehaut bt Christian Dednam
Womens singles
Tania Luiz bt Annari Viljoen
Mens doubles
Travis DenneyBoyd Cooper bt Christian DednamRoelof Dednam
Womens doubles
Kate WilsonSmithKellie Lucas bt Michelle Edwards Chantal Botts
France bt Peru France names first
Mixed doubles
Jean Michel LefortWeny Rahmawati bt Andres Corpancho FortValeria Rivero Modenesi
Mens singles
Olivier Fossy bt Javier Jimeno Goicochea
Womens singles
Pi Hongyan bt Claudia Rivero Modenesi
Mens doubles
Thomas QuereErwin Kehlhoffner bt Andres Corpancho Fort Javier Jimeno Goicochea
Womens doubles
Weny RahmawatiElodie Eymard bt Valeria Rivero Modenesi Meng Jie
Group A
Italy bt Luxemburg Italy names first
Mixed doubles
Guiovanni TrainaFrederica Panini bt Yves Olinger Claudine Barnig
Mens singles
Klaus Raffeiner bt Mathieu Serebriakoff
Womens singles
Agnese Allegrini bt Hariati
Mens doubles
Klause RaffeinerAlexander Theiner lost to HargionoYves Olinger
Womens doubles
Ding HuiAgnese Allegrini bt HariatiClaudine Barnig Enditem
BEIJING May Xinhua The first final of the Shooting World Cup meet in Fort Benning of the United States proved to be a Chinese civil war
Du Li Olympic gold medalist and her teammates took the entire podium of womens meter air rifle while the Olympic quota place went to Russia according to the official website of the International Shooting Sport Federation
Du winner of Athens Olympics won the gold medal after winning the shootoff by to against her teammate Zhao Yinghui gold medalist of the recent World Cup meet in Changwon South Korea
Zhao Yinghui who started the final round with a score of one point ahead of Du Li finished second
The bronze medal went to Wu Liuxi the runnerup in the m rifle three positions in Changwon
Since China had already secured its second quota place at the World Cup in Changwon next to its assigned first quota place for being the host country of the Olympic Games the quota went to Russia won by Tatiana Goldobina The yearold World Cup gold medal winner of Athens ended the fourth place behind the Chinese trio
I knew Du Li would win the shootoff She just has the better nerves said Wang Yifu the multi Olympic pistol medalist and the present head coach of the Chinese team
The icecool Chinese girl who overtook Russias Lioubov Galkina by the last shot to take the first gold of the Athens Olympics failed to qualify for the air rifle event in Changwon but recovered in a few weeks and won her first air rifle title this year
The Chinese shooters dominated the World Cup meet for all events in Changwon last month by winning five golds and three quota places Enditem
SEOUL May Xinhua South Korea coach Jo Bonfrere named a man squad on Tuesday for next months World Cup qualifying matches against Uzbekistan and Kuwait
The World Cup semifinalists who are top of Group A in the
final round of Asian qualifiers will play Uzbekistan on June and Kuwait five days later
yearold Park Chuyoung was named in the squad for the first time alongside a host of experienced foreignbased players the Korea
Football Association said in a statement
Squad
Goalkeepers Lee Woonjae Suwon Bluewings Kim Youngkwang
Chunnam Dragons Kim Youngdae Pusan Icons
Defenders Kim Jinkyu Jubilo Iwata Japan You
Kyoungyoul Ulsan Tigers Park Donghyuk Chonbuk Motors Kim
Youngchul Seongnam Ilhwa Kim Hanyoon Bucheon
Midfielders Lee Youngpyo PSV Eindhoven Park Jisung
PSV Eindhoven Kim Sangsik Seongnam Ilhwa Kim Dongjin FC
Seoul Kim Jungwoo Ulsan Tigers Kim Doheon Suwon
Bluewings Park Kyuseon Chonbuk Motors
Forwards Ahn Junghwan Yokohama FMarinos Cha Duri
Frankfurt Lee Donggook Pohang Steelers Chung Kyungho
Sangmu Phoenix Kim Daeeui Suwon Bluewings Kim Jinyong
Ulsan Tigers Park Chuyoung FC Seoul Enditem
LISBON May Xinhua Following are the fixtures from the Portuguese championship matches on Tuesday
Saturday May
Academica v Moreirense
Benfica v Sporting Lisbon
Nacional Madeira v Penafiel
Maritimo v Uniao Leiria
Gil Vicente v Belenenses
Rio Ave v Porto
Braga v Beira Mar
Vitoria Guimaraes v Boavista
Vitoria Setubal v Estoril
Enditem
MADRID May Xinhua Following are the fixtures from the Spanish Primera Liga matches on Tuesday
Saturday May
Sevilla v Real Madrid
Levante v Barcelona
Sunday May
Numancia v Osasuna
Racing Santander v Getafe
Real Mallorca v Athletic Bilbao
Real Sociedad v Malaga
Real Zaragoza v Deportivo Coruna
Villarreal v Albacete
Atletico Madrid v Real Betis
Espanyol v Valencia
Enditem
ROME May Xinhua Following are the fixtures from the Italian Serie A soccer matches on Tuesday
Sunday May
AS Roma v Lazio
Bologna v Brescia
Fiorentina v Atalanta Bergamo
Inter Milan v Livorno
Juventus v Parma
Lecce v AC Milan
Messina v Cagliari
Palermo v Reggina
Siena v Chievo Verona
Udinese v Sampdoria
Enditem
LONDON May Xinhua Following are the fixtures from the English Premier League soccer matches on Tuesday
Tuesday May
Manchester United v Chelsea
Wednesday May
Arsenal v Everton
Sunday May
Birmingham City v Arsenal
Bolton Wanderers v Everton
Charlton Athletic v Crystal Palace
Fulham v Norwich City
Liverpool v Aston Villa
Manchester City v Middlesbrough
Newcastle United v Chelsea
Southampton v Manchester United
Tottenham Hotspur v Blackburn Rovers
West Bromwich Albion v Portsmouth
Enditem
PARIS May Xinhua Following are the fixtures from the French Ligue soccer matches on Tuesday
Saturday May
Nantes v Lille
Auxerre v Olympique Marseille
Ajaccio v Nice
Monaco v Bastia
Caen v St Etienne
Istres v Toulouse
Paris St Germain v Sochaux
Racing Lens v Stade Rennes
Racing Strasbourg v Metz
Sunday May
Olympique Lyon v Girondins Bordeaux
Enditem
HONG KONG May Xinhua Hong Kong Jockey Club has outlined five measures to improve crowd safety at the racecourses the Chief Executive of the club Lawrence T Wong said here Tuesday
The fivepoint plan would be set up more distribution points for gifts and souvenir items in the racecourse public stands suspend the use of redemption coupons on all major race days increase staffing levels at distribution points and arrange a senior program manager on site to manage all promotions and distributions activity In addition the clubs Executive Director of Security will signoff all operational planning for redemption and distribution programs to ensure crowd safety
These measures are based on recommendations arising from an inquiry into the incident at Sha Tin racecourse on April when a horse made its record breaking th consecutive win
Twentyeight people were treated for injuries amid crowd disorder during the distribution of complimentary Silent Witness caps to race goers at Sha Tin
Wong said he had decided to take these steps after examining every aspect of the event with the senior management The team fully supported the plan and would start immediately to implement all the charges
We all recognize the importance of ensuring that such an incident never happens again Wong said Enditem
BEIJING May Xinhua Following are the results from the
afternoon session at the badminton Sudirman Cup here on Tuesday
Group A
South Korea beat Thailand
XD Ra Kyung MinLee Jae Jin bt Saralee ThoungthongkamSudket
Prapakamol
MS Shon Seung Mo lost to Boonsak Ponsana
WS Seo Yoon Hee bt Salakjit Ponsana
MD Kim Doog MoonHa Tae Kwon bt Sudket PrapakamolPatapol
Ngernsrisuk
WD Lee Kyung WonLee Hyo Jung bt Saralee ThoungthongkamSujitra
Ekmongkolpaisarn
Denmark bt England
XD Mette SchjoldagerJens Eriksen lost to Gail EmmsNathan
Robertson
MS Kenneth Jonassen bt Aamir Ghaffar
WS Tine Rasmussen bt Tracey Hallam
MD Jens EriksenMartin Lundgaard Hansen bt Nathan Robertson
Robert Blair
WD Helle NielsenPernille Harder lost to Gail EmmsDonna Kellogg
Enditem
BEIJING May Xinhua The reigning titleholders South
Korea made the first step to keep the Sudirman Cup beating
Thailand in their opening Group A match here on Tuesday
Ra partnered with Lee Jae Jin and started the mixed doubles
category for South Korea They hammered Japan Open champions
Saralee Thoungthongkam and Sudket Prapakamol
Thai launched the fightback as mens singles player Boonsak
Ponsana survived a fullset marathon battle to conquer Shon Seung
Mo
But the South Koreans then won womens singles and mens doubles
both in straight sets to seal the victory Seo Yoon Hee beat
Salakjit Ponsana and Kim Doog MoonHa Tae Kwon overcame Sudket
PrapakamolPatapol Ngernsrisuk
Lee KyungWonLee HyoJung surpassed Saralee Thoungthongkam
Sujitra Ekmongkolpaisarn in the final game of womens doubles to
complete a victory
In another allEuropean battle held at the same time Denmark
overcame the defeat to their star mixed pair Mette SchjoldagerJens
Eriksen and outclassed England
Denmark will next meet Thailand with South Korea battling
against England Enditem
BEIJING May Xinhua The reigning titleholders South
Korea made the first step in retaining the Sudirman Cup beating
Thailand in their opening Group A match here on Tuesday
The defending champions won with their returned former world No
mixed duo Ra KyungMinKim DongMoon playing separately
Ra partnered with Lee JaeJin to start the mixed doubles
category for South Korea They hammered Japan Open champions
Saralee Thoungthongkam and Sudket Prapakamol
Thai launched the fightback as mens singles player Boonsak
Ponsana survived a fullset marathon battle to conquer Shon Seung
Mo
But the South Koreans then won womens singles and mens doubles
both in straight sets to seal the victory Seo YoonHee beat
Salakjit Ponsana and Kim DoogMoonHa TaeKwon overcame Sudket
PrapakamolPatapol Ngernsrisuk
Lee KyungWonLee HyoJung continued to surpass Saralee
ThoungthongkamSujitra Ekmongkolpaisarn in the final game of women
s doubles to complete a victory
South Korean head coach said he was still testing the RaLee duo
I knew KimHa should have no problem but still keep watch on
the newlypaired RaLee head coach Kim JongSoo But Im
satisfied with their performance tonight
In another allEuropean battle held at the same time Denmark
overcame the defeat to their star mixed pair Mette SchjoldagerJens
Eriksen and outclassed England
SchjoldagerEriksen lost the opening game to current world
Number one Gail EmmsNathan Robertson but Dane then
collected three points in a row on mens and womens singles and
mens doubles
Denmark will next meet Thailand with South Korea battling
against England Enditem
LONDON May Xinhua International Softball Federation ISF chief Don Porter is to hold talks on a unified DPR Korean and South Korean
team for next years womens world championship in China
Porter will visit Pyongyang and Seoul as part of an Asian tour over the next days where he will talk with sports officials about the combined team
There have been previous discussions on this issue by the
ISF with DPR Korea and South Korea but nothing was finalised
Porter said
I will discuss this issue again when I visit both countries next week
I feel that the two teams combined would provide for a
formidable and strong team for next years World Championship in
Beijing
However the final decision of course is up to the two
National Federations
DPR Korean and South Korean athletes marched together under a
unification flag a blue image of the Korean peninsula on a
white background at both the Sydney Olympics and the
Athens Games last August
The South Korean Olympic Committee said last year that both
DPR Korea and South Korea were working towards a combined team for
the Olympics in Beijing
Softball made its Olympic debut at the Games in Atlanta
Enditem
PRAGUE May Xinhua Following are the results from the Prague Open womens singles first round tennis matches on Tuesday prefix denotes seeding
Jill Craybas United States beat Martina Sucha Slovakia
Klara Koukalova Czech Republic bt Shahar Peer Israel
Michaela Pastikova Czech Republic bt Ludmila Cervanova Slovakia
Jamea Jackson United States bt Arantxa Parra Santonja Spain
Kristina Brandi Puerto Rico bt Emilie Loit France
Mariana DiazOliva Argentina bt Marlene Weingaertner Germany Enditem
JINAN East China May Xinhua A home draw on Wednesday for
Shandong Luneng against Yokohama F Marinos will guarantee Ljubisa
Tumbakovics men a place in the last eight of the Asian Champions
League
Yet it will condemn the J League champion to another
season of underachievement in Asias premier club competition
The China FA Cup winner goes into the penulatimate Group F
fixture with points from five games three ahead of the Marinos
with just one game to go needing just one point to advance to the
quarterfinals
Although both sides could finish the campaign on the same number
of points should Shandong lose its final game and the Marinos win
competition rules state that the team with the better headtohead
record shall advance In this case that would be Shandong who
beat the Marinos in March
Shandong has yet to taste defeat this season in both the AFC
Champions League or the domestic league
Shandongs last game was on May after a hectic schedule which
saw the team play nine games in days They should be well rested
going into Wednesdays game and is likely to include China
international Zheng Zhi who should have recovered from a slight
fever in the starting lineup
Han Peng who scored the winner against PSM Makassar in
Indonesia will definitely miss out after being sent off in the
return game against PSM
But forwards Lin Jinyu and Ionel Danciulescu should both return
to bolster Shandongs attacking line
It is at the other end of the pitch where Shandong is more
impressive conceding just four goals in eight China Super League
games and one in four AFC Champions League games
We have proved our defensive strengths this season said
defender Shu Chang who has played in all four of his teams AFC
Champions League matches this season
Anh didnt play in the away match but the inform striker is
likely to start in this game and we have to watch him closely
I watched him play in last years Asian Cup and he is dangerous
with deft skills and pace but I believe our defensive line are
capable to cope with him as long as we play total football well
When the two met on March the Marinos was without striker Anh
Junghwan who was sidelined with an ankle injury
The South Korean striker returned to action at the beginning of
April and has been in devastating form ever since including a run
of six goals in five games
Okada rested Anh at the weekend together with three other first
teamers as the Marinos ended a winless run of six JLeague games
with a victory over Sanfrecce Hiroshima on Sunday
The Marinos should be at full strength for the game with Ahn
likely to pair up with Daisuke Sakata The return of central
defender and skipper Yuji Nakazawa is a real boost for the team
after his absence from the last three domestic games through injury
Enditem
HANOI May Xinhua A draw against Binh Dinh on Wednesday
will allow Busan I Park to join defending champion Al Ittihad in
the quarterfinals of the AFC Champions League
The South Korean FA Cup holder may have floundered on the
domestic front finishing in last place in the Hauzen Cup
competition but Ian Porterfields side has completely dominated
Group G of the AFC Champions League winning all four games
scoring goals and conceding none in the process
We have divided our season into a series of little targets and
our first main target was to qualify for the quarterfinals of the
AFC Champions League said Porterfield former Omans national
coach
We were fortunate to get a fairly easy group but thats the
luck of the draw You cant take anything away from the players who
have been nothing short of terrific so far
Overall we have performed well in our games so far and can
only grow in confidence from the experience added the yearold
Scot
I Park was pitted against Vietnam National Cup holder Binh Dinh
and the league champions of Indonesia and Thailand Persebaya
Surabaya and Krung Thai
Busans demolition of Binh Dinh in its first meeting in
March means that few are expecting Busan to stumble in Wednesdays
rematch in Vietnam
We set the tone very well in our first game against them said
Porterfield
We were very positive and professional right from the first
whistle To win by such a big margin was good for us and Im not
worried about them being complacent when we take them on in Vietnam
We may have almost assured ourselves of qualification but we do
not intend to take it easy as we want to continue to do well in
this group
Indeed Porterfields only real concern may be fatigue as his
side played a Hauzen Cup match on Sunday defeating Daegu FC
Our schedule is tight because we had the game on Sunday before
traveling on Monday he said
We have a small squad so we cant field a reserve team in our
domestic games and we have to be careful to avoid injuries
Busan has no major injury or suspension problems for the game
Meanwhile Binh Dinh who drew with defending VLeague
champion Hoang Anh Gia Lai on the weekend will be missing Nguyen
Van Hien through suspension The yearold sits out after
picking up his second yellow card in the win against Krung Thai
Bank in Bangkok three weeks ago
The victory against Krung Thai Bank thanks to Worrawoot Srimaka
s first half penalty was Binh Dinhs first win in the AFC
Champions League after losses in seven of their previous nine
matches in the competition Enditem
SEOUL May Xinhua Suwon Samsung Bluewings coach Cha Bum
keun vowed to beat Hoang Ahn Gia Lai by at least three goals on
Wednesday to improve his sides prospects of reaching the last
eight of this years AFC Champions League
The KLeague champion currently trails Shenzhen Jianlibao on
goal difference in Group E but with the Chinese champion facing a
tricky visit to thirdplaced Jubilo Iwata Cha knows that they
could overturn that advantage before the crucial showdown between
the top two sides in Shenzhen on May
Cha isnt looking too far ahead though
The game in China will be important but first we have to try
and establish control of the group We know we can beat Hoang Ahn
we have done so before and we must do so again by a minimum of
three goals said the South Korean football legend
As Group E could ultimately be decided on goal difference if the
top two finish level on points with similar headtohead records
Cha knows that his side have a great opportunity to improve their
goal tally against Hoang Ahn Gia Lai the groups weakest team who
has conceded goals in its previous four games
The Asian Club Championship winner of and will have to
meet their bosss demands without a number of their big names
Prolific striker Nadson will miss the game as he is serving a
suspension for the red card he received during their win over
Jubilo Iwata The Brazilian will be replaced by compatriot Sandro
who came off the bench to blast home the late winner against the J
League team
As well as his fitness Sandros goalscoring instincts have
improved We are not worried about him said Cha former South
Korean national coach
Suwons other scorer in that victory national team
midfielder Kim Namil recently had a foot operation and will miss
the match along with fellow World Cup star Song Chunggug
The former Feyenoord player picked up an ankle injury in Sundays
victory over last seasons AFC Champions League finalist
Seongnam Chunma
Croatian defender Mato Neretljak is still nursing a facial
injury after breaking a bone in his nose but he is likely to play
with a mask as he did against Seongnam on the weekend Enditem
RIYADH May Xinhua Al Ahli looks set to become the
second club from Saudi Arabia to book its place in the last eight
of the AFC Champions League
A home win against Al Zawraa of Iraq will see Geninhos side
advance to the quarterfinals as the Group D winner regardless of
whether or not Pakhtakor beat Syrias Al Jaish in the groups other
game on Wednesday
According to competition rules the winner will decided by head
tohead record when two team are level on points
Given the fact that Al Ahli beat the Uzbeks in Jeddah but
lost in the reverse fixture in Tashkent the Saudis would
advance thanks to a superior goal difference
Al Ahli is fifth in the Saudi league and unlikely to make the
endofseaon playoffs for the top four sides so it is important
for Geninhos side to secure a place in the last eight of Asias
premier club competion
Al Ahli will be looking to their Brazilians Rogerio Flavio and
Alessandro to score the goals Defender Mohammed Al Khlewy and
midfielder Taiseer Al Jassam will miss the game due to suspension
Abbas Hassan who has scored nine league goals this season
returns to Al Zawraa after recovering from ankle injury and should
play his first AFC Champions League game
Also returning to action are Fawzi Abdulsada and Haidar Sabah
both of whom were suspended by the club for disciplinary reasons
but have since been forgiven following an apology to club officials
Striker Ali Jawad and defender Saad Attiya both miss out due to
injury Enditem
TOKYO May Xinhua Shenzhen Jianlibao will face an uphill
task when it plays away to Jubilo Iwata in an AFC Champions League
Group E match on Wednesday
Jianlibao and Suwon Samsung Bluewings head into Wednesdays
games level on point at the the top of the group
With Suwon expected to bag all three points and a hatful of
goals against underdog Hoang Anh Gia Lai the pressure is on Chi
Shangbins men who need to keep alive their chances of qualifying
for the last eight of Asias premier club competition by beating
the Emperors Cup winner
But Jubilo will be looking to avenge the defeat by Shezhen
back on March in the opening game of the competition
When these two last met the JLeague season had just begun and
the China Super League had yet to commence so neither side had any
real form going into the game
Twoandahalf months later Jubilo is languishing in midtable
with four wins from games while Shenzhen has yet to win in
eight games in the China Super League
Continental glory is clearly the focus of Chi but he has
difficulty patching up the teams damaged morale ahead of Wednesday
s game
Four key players national team skipper Li Weifeng Yang Chen
club captain Li Yi and goalkeeper Li Leilei have been at odds
with Chi and were excluded from the last couple of domestic games
But Chi has recalled them for Wednesdays game and they vowed to
put their differences aside in the pursuit of continental
silverware
I have been out for some time so my performance will be
mediocre even if I start the match said Li Weifeng
But about one thing I can be sure I will do my best to
fulfill my responsibility and duties as a veteran player
We represent not only the club but also the nation on
international stage added Li Yi who missed the last game against
Hoanng Anh through suspension
I will work hard if I play he added
Internal conflict may not be the only problem Jianlibao faces
for eight players have picked up a yellow card in the competition
Another one for any of them would see them miss out on that all
important game in two weeks time Enditem
by Ma Xiangfei
BEIJING May Xinhua Hosts China opened their query for
the Sudirman Cup Tuesday easing to a victory over Sweden in a
Group B match as all the four title favorites bagged victories
Chen Qiqiu and Zhao Tingting replacing the firstchoice pair
and Olympic champions Zhang Jun and Gao Ling opened Chinas run
for the title of the mixed team badminton championship
The world number four pair took the first set from Swedish
opponents Fredrik Bergstrom and Johanna Persson ranked th but
was forced to trail from the beginning of second until they managed
to level at before clinching set
We met with stiff challenge in the second set I think
that was partly because of the wind and our strategy also had some
problemsaid Chen Luckily we adjusted it in time
Top mens singles player Lin Dan collected an expected win over
Rasmus Wengberg ranked nd in the world before
Olympic and world champion Zhang Ning sealed the victory for China
beating Elin Bergblom and
AllEngland winners Fu HaifengCai Yun beat Henrik Andersson
Fredrik Bergstrom and in the mens doubles before world
champions Gao LingHuang Sui breezed past Elin BergblomJohanna
Persson
Former Sudirman Cup winners Indonesia secured an irreversable
victory
The mixed doubles win over Hong Kong of China as Nova Widianto
Lilyana Natsir push aside Albertus Susanto NjotoLi Wing Mui with
two
Whereas their Olympic mens singles champion Taufik Hidayat was
stretched into three sets by Ng Wei He eventually won
and
Womens singles Jo Hari S lost and to Wang Chen who
was inspired by thunderous cheers by the Chinese fans
But Candra WijayaSigit Budiarto managed to seal the win as they
scraped through Liu Kwok WaAlbertus Susanto Njoto and
Jo NovitaGresya Polii are to face Koon Wai CheeLi Wing Mui in
the last match of the evening
In the afternoon defending champion South Korea secured a
win over Thailand and Denmark came from behind to outclass England
South Korea won with their returned former world No mixed duo
Ra KyungMinKim DongMoon playing separately
Ra partnered with Lee JaeJin to start the mixed doubles
category for South Korea They hammered Japan Open champions
Saralee Thoungthongkam and Sudket Prapakamol
Thai launched the fightback as mens singles player Boonsak
Ponsana survived a fullset marathon battle to conquer Shon Seung
Mo
But the South Koreans then won womens singles and mens doubles
both in straight sets to seal the victory Seo YoonHee beat
Salakjit Ponsana and Kim DoogMoonHa TaeKwon overcame Sudket
PrapakamolPatapol Ngernsrisuk
Lee KyungWonLee HyoJung continued to surpass Saralee
ThoungthongkamSujitra Ekmongkolpaisarn in the final game of women
s doubles to complete a victory
South Korean head coach said he was still testing the RaLee duo
I knew KimHa should have no problem but still keep watch on
the newlypaired RaLee head coach Kim JongSoo But Im
satisfied with their performance tonight
Denmarks star mixed pair Mette SchjoldagerJens Eriksen lost
the opening game to current world number one Gail EmmsNathan
Robertson but Dane then collected three points in a
row on mens and womens singles and mens doubles
Denmark will next meet Thailand with South Korea battling
against England Enditem
BEIJING May Xinhua Following are the results in the
evening session Tuesday from the Sudriman Cup mixed team badminton
championship here
Group B
China bt Sweden China names first
Mixed doubles Chen QiqiuZhao Tingting bt Fredrik Bergstrom
Johanna Persson
Mens singles Lin Dan bt Rasmus Wengberg
Womens singles Zhang Ning bt Elin Bergblom
Mens doubles Fu HaifengCai Yun bt Henrik AnderssonFredrik
Bergstrom
Womens doubles Gao LingHuang Sui bt Elin BergblomJohanna
Persson
Group B
India bt Wales India names first
Mens singles Anup Sridhar bt Paul Le Tocq
Womens singles Trupti Murgunde bt Harriet Johnson
Mixed doubles V DijuGutta Jwala bt Paul Le TocqJoanna Sullivan
Mens doubles Thomas SanaveRupesh Kumar lost to Matthew Hughes
Martyn Lewis
Womens doubles Gutta JwalaShruti Kurian bt Harriet Johnson
Robyn
Ashworth
Scotland lost to United States Scotland names first
Mixed doubles Andrew BowmanKirsteen McEwanMiller lost to Tony
GunawanEva Lee
Mens singles Craig Goddard lost to Raju Rai
Womens singles Susan Hughes bt Mesinee Mangkalakiri
Mens doubles Craig RobertsonAndrew Bowman lost to Howard Bach
Khankham Malaythong
Womens doubles Yuan WemyssSusan Hughes bt Mesinee Mangkalakiri
Eva Lee
Group
Sri Lanka bt Mongolia Sri Lanka names first
Mixed doubles Thusara EdirisinghRenu Chandrika bt BatIreedui
DashdavaaMunkhnaran Tumurbatar
Mens singles Niluka Karunaratne bt Enkhbat Olonbayar
Womens singles Thilini Jayasinghe bt Gerelmaa Batchuluun
Mens doubles Duminda JayakodyThusara Edirisingh bt Enkhbat
OlonbayarBatIreedui Dashdavaa
Womens doubles Renu ChandrikaRasangi Ranatunge bt Gerelmaa
BatchuluunMunkhnaran Tumurbatar
Enditem
SINGAPORE May Xinhua Woodlands Wellington defeated Paya Lebar Punggol FC in a Singapore League match at Hougang Stadium on Tuesday
The two goals were scored by Azmi Mahamud and Ahmad Latiff Khamarudin for Woodlands Wellington
Paya Lebar FC is now at the bottom of the table without a point after games in the Singapore League Enditem
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BEIJING May Xinhua Following are the results in the
evening session Tuesday from the Sudriman Cup mixed team badminton
championship here
Group B
China bt Sweden China names first
Mixed doubles Chen QiqiuZhao Tingting bt Fredrik Bergstrom
Johanna Persson
Mens singles Lin Dan bt Rasmus Wengberg
Womens singles Zhang Ning bt Elin Bergblom
Mens doubles Fu HaifengCai Yun bt Henrik AnderssonFredrik
Bergstrom
Womens doubles Gao LingHuang Sui bt Elin BergblomJohanna
Persson
Indonesia bt Hong Kong China Indonesia names first
Mixed doubles Nova WidiantoLilyana Natsir bt Albertus Susanto
NjotoLi Wing Mui
Mens singles Taufik Hidayat bt Ng Wei
Womens singles Jo Hari S lost to Wang Chen
Mens doubles Candra WijayaSigit Budiarto bt Liu Kwok Wa
Albertus Susanto Njoto
Womens doubles Jo NovitaGresya Polii bt Koon Wai CheeLi Wing
Mui
Group B
India bt Wales India names first
Mens singles Anup Sridhar bt Paul Le Tocq
Womens singles Trupti Murgunde bt Harriet Johnson
Mixed doubles V DijuGutta Jwala bt Paul Le TocqJoanna Sullivan
Mens doubles Thomas SanaveRupesh Kumar lost to Matthew Hughes
Martyn Lewis
Womens doubles Gutta JwalaShruti Kurian bt Harriet Johnson
Robyn
Ashworth
Scotland lost to United States Scotland names first
Mixed doubles Andrew BowmanKirsteen McEwanMiller lost to Tony
GunawanEva Lee
Mens singles Craig Goddard lost to Raju Rai
Womens singles Susan Hughes bt Mesinee Mangkalakiri
Mens doubles Craig RobertsonAndrew Bowman lost to Howard Bach
Khankham Malaythong
Womens doubles Yuan WemyssSusan Hughes bt Mesinee Mangkalakiri
Eva Lee
Group
Sri Lanka bt Mongolia Sri Lanka names first
Mixed doubles Thusara EdirisinghRenu Chandrika bt BatIreedui
DashdavaaMunkhnaran Tumurbatar
Mens singles Niluka Karunaratne bt Enkhbat Olonbayar
Womens singles Thilini Jayasinghe bt Gerelmaa Batchuluun
Mens doubles Duminda JayakodyThusara Edirisingh bt Enkhbat
OlonbayarBatIreedui Dashdavaa
Womens doubles Renu ChandrikaRasangi Ranatunge bt Gerelmaa
BatchuluunMunkhnaran Tumurbatar
Enditem
by Ma Xiangfei
BEIJING May Xinhua Hosts China opened their query for
the Sudirman Cup Tuesday easing to a victory over Sweden in a
Group B match as all the four title favorites bagged victories
Chen Qiqiu and Zhao Tingting replacing the firstchoice pair
and Olympic champions Zhang Jun and Gao Ling opened Chinas run
for the title of the mixed team badminton championship
The world number four pair took the first set from Swedish
opponents Fredrik Bergstrom and Johanna Persson ranked th but
was forced to trail from the beginning of second until they managed
to level at before clinching set
We met with stiff challenge in the second set I think
that was partly because of the wind and our strategy also had some
problemsaid Chen Luckily we adjusted it in time
Top mens singles player Lin Dan collected an expected win over
Rasmus Wengberg ranked nd in the world before
Olympic and world champion Zhang Ning sealed the victory for China
beating Elin Bergblom and
AllEngland winners Fu HaifengCai Yun beat Henrik Andersson
Fredrik Bergstrom and in the mens doubles before world
champions Gao LingHuang Sui breezed past Elin BergblomJohanna
Persson
Former Sudirman Cup winners Indonesia was met with surprisingly
fierce competition from Hong Kong China although they clinched the
victory at last
The mixed doubles win over Hong Kong of China as Nova Widianto
Lilyana Natsir push aside Albertus Susanto NjotoLi Wing Mui with
two
Whereas their Olympic mens singles champion Taufik Hidayat was
stretched into three sets by Ng Wei He eventually won
and
I was so inspired by the vocal Chinese fans who pushed me to
strive for each pointNg Wei said about his surge of form in the
second set
Womens singles Jo Hari S lost and to Wang Chen who
was again was greeted by continuous thunderous cheers by the
Chinese supporters
But Candra WijayaSigit Budiarto managed to seal the win as they
scraped through Liu Kwok WaAlbertus Susanto Njoto and
In the last match of the night Jo NovitaGresya Polii had to
spend minutes to quiet Koon Wai CheeLi Wing Mui
in an already empty Capital gymnasiam
In the afternoon defending champion South Korea secured a
win over Thailand and Denmark came from behind to outclass England
South Korea won with their returned former world No mixed duo
Ra KyungMinKim DongMoon playing separately
Ra partnered with Lee JaeJin to start the mixed doubles
category for South Korea They hammered Japan Open champions
Saralee Thoungthongkam and Sudket Prapakamol
Thai launched the fightback as mens singles player Boonsak
Ponsana survived a fullset marathon battle to conquer Shon Seung
Mo
But the South Koreans then won womens singles and mens doubles
both in straight sets to seal the victory Seo YoonHee beat
Salakjit Ponsana and Kim DoogMoonHa TaeKwon overcame Sudket
PrapakamolPatapol Ngernsrisuk
Lee KyungWonLee HyoJung continued to surpass Saralee
ThoungthongkamSujitra Ekmongkolpaisarn in the final game of women
s doubles to complete a victory
South Korean head coach said he was still testing the RaLee duo
I knew KimHa should have no problem but still keep watch on
the newlypaired RaLee head coach Kim JongSoo But Im
satisfied with their performance tonight
Denmarks star mixed pair Mette SchjoldagerJens Eriksen lost
the opening game to current world number one Gail EmmsNathan
Robertson but Dane then collected three points in a
row on mens and womens singles and mens doubles
Denmark will next meet Thailand with South Korea battling
against England Enditem
LONDON May Xinhua Champions Chelsea broke two Premiership records on Wednesday when they came from behind to beat Manchester United
Ruud Van Nistelrooys superb finish from closerange gave United an early lead in the eighth minute though thereafter the home side struggled to break down Chelsea
Tiago produced a wonderful equaliser in the th minute surprising Roy Carroll with an arcing shot while his pass set up Eidur Gudjohnsen who dinked in the second in the minute
Joe Cole added to Uniteds misery converting a Frank Lampard cross eight minutes from the end
The win put Chelsea on points with one match to go of their game season surpassing Manchester Uniteds record total of in which was a game campaign
The victory also meant the Blues have broken the Old Trafford clubs record of wins in a game Premiership season
Chelseas defence is also on course to concede the fewest number of goals in a season with Van Nistelrooys goal the th they have conceded in the league
Arsenal hold the record in the Premiership era having conceded in the season although the alltime mark was set by Liverpool who let in just in
Both those records will be smashed if Chelsea can concede one or fewer goals at Newcastle on Sunday Enditem
LONDON May Xinhua Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson expressed his hope on Tuesday that Arsenal would play in the FA Cup final as professionally as Chelsea after suffering a defeat to the champions at Old Trafford
Magnanimous in defeat Ferguson took positives from Uniteds performance despite Chelseas dominance in the second half but expressed his hope that Arsenal would play in a similar spirit to Jose Mourinhos men in the FA Cup final in days time
What you saw tonight Tuesday was two teams of professionals playing good football said Ferguson
I hope we see that at the weekend
Its the last chance for both clubs to win a trophy so it is likely to be intense and I dont think any quarter will be taken or given
Ferguson believes that Chelsea were good value for their win Its always disappointing to lose but I thought Chelsea deserved it
Until their second goal I thought it was great game of football The tempo and speed of play was top class but their second goal put us on the back foot
Ferguson was asked if he was disappointed with a muted and slightly hostile reaction to his teams lap of honour at the end of the game a traditional event in the final home match of the season
I think supporters these days are like that said the Scot
In England you have this tribal warfare If you look at the country there is north and south and I suppose it is unavoidable Enditem
LONDON May Xinhua Arsenal striker Thierry Henry is set to return from injury against Everton and stake a claim for an FA Cup final spot manager Arsene Wenger said on Tuesday
Henry once considered a doubt for the May final after being out since April with a groin problem can possibly start in the game against Everton on Wednesday said Wenger
Wenger said Thierry can play and he could start Im very surprised but he will have to see how he reacts to playing and training regularly
Freddie Ljungberg is not in the squad but Sol Campbell will play in one of the next two league games
Campbell has been fit to play for almost a month but he has been kept out of the side by young Swiss centreback Philippe Senderos
Wenger said Sol understands there is competition He is very intelligent and ambitious
Speaking ahead of Wednesdays game with Everton Wenger praised the achievements of the Toffees in qualifying for next seasons Champions League
For me what Everton have done is a miracle said Wenger After the first game of the season I thought they would go down and I felt sorry for them
But then they got on a run that has been incredible I think David Moyes deserves a lot of credit with his staff and the players as well Every point they have earned has been through hard work
It just shows how strange and good football can be Moyes was the bet to be one of the first managers sacked in the league
Then at the end of the season he is maybe the guy who deserves more reward than anyone else It shows that you can be rewarded if you keep faith in your manager Enditem
LAGOS May Xinhua Nigerias sports minister said Tuesday the west African country will compete in six sports at the th Commonwealth Games in Melbourne Australia in
Musa Mohammed told reporters in Abuja Nigerias capital that Team Nigeria will feild athletes in weightlifting hockey athletics special sports boxing and basketball
Mohammed was in Abuja to inaugurate the boards of the national sports associations including basketball badminton judo athletics cycling hockey and chess
The minister also appealed to the associations to ensure early preparation for a successful outing Enditem
NAIROBI May Xinhua Kenyas national soccer team Harambee Stars began residential training on Tuesday to tune up for its World Cup qualifying match against Guinea in Conakry early next month
Addressing a media briefing head coach Mohammed Kheri said the players who had reported at the camp would be joined by others at the training ground later in the day
The Harambee Stars second in Group Five of the African qualifying zone need four points out of their two fixtures in order to improve their qualifying chances for the quadrennial world football gala
Kheri has already named a men squad in the domestic league who will join other six professionals based in foreign clubs
Harambee Stars which will play Guinea on June will rely on their veteran goalkeeper Francis Onyiso who was recalled since Kenyas loss to Senegal in the African Cup Nations in Tunisia
Other recalled in the squad are midfielder Godfrey Osama who has been missing in action for the last three years and Tuskers Wilson Oburu
Kheri said he had spoken to the Kenya Football Federation to arrange a buildup match with a West African country but negotiations were still underway
A match would be a good idea to help us acclimatize with the climatic conditions that Guinea share Kheri said Enditem
PRAGUE May Xinhua Following are the results from the Prague Open womens singles first round matches on Tuesday prefix number denotes seeding
Nicole Pratt Australia bt Yvonne Meusburger Austria
Zuzana Ondraskova Czech Republic bt Jelena Dokic Serbia and Montenegro
Jill Craybas United States bt Martina Sucha Slovakia
Maja Matevzic Slovenia bt Meilen Tu United States
Klara Koukalova Czech Republic bt Shahar Peer Israel
Dinara Safina Russia bt Libuse Prusova Czech Republic
Michaela Pastikova Czech Republic bt Ludmila Cervanova Slovakia
Anne Kremer Luxembourg bt Barbora Strycova Czech Republic
Jamea Jackson United States bt Arantxa Parra Santonja Spain
Kristina Brandi Puerto Rico bt Emilie Loit France
Laura Pous Tio Spain bt Anastasiya Yakimova Belarus
Mariana DiazOliva Argentina bt Marlene Weingaertner Germany Enditem
CAIRO May Xinhua Following are the collated African Confederation Cup fourth round first leg soccer results
At Algiers
USMA Algeria Hocine Achiou AS Marsa Tunisia Khalid alHirech
At Abidjan
Africa Sports Cote dIvoire Arab Contractors Egypt
At Luanda
AS Aviacao Angola Kadima Silva FC Libreville Gabon Juste Otomo
At Rabat
FAR Rabat Morocco Mohamed Armoumen Enugu Rangers Nigeria
At Port Harcourt
Dolphin Nigeria Kelechi Osunwa Endurance Idahor SuperSport Utd South Africa Obinna Nnodim og
At Lusaka
Red Arrows Zambia Stanley Banda King Faisal Babes Ghana Eric Gawu
At Conakry
Fello Star Guinea Mamadi Fofana Bamboutos Mbouda Cameroon
Second leg May
Ismailia Egypt bye
Kaizer Chiefs South Africa withdrew
Note Winners will be split into two groups at a draw on May in Cairo Enditem
CAIRO May Xinhua Following are the leading African Confederation Cup scorers after the fourth round matches
Alaa Abdelghani Arab ContractorsEgypt
Daine Klate Tsweu Mokoro Abram Raselemane SuperSport UtdSouth Africa Lusadisu Basisila Iyong Ngokele Cimenterie LukalaDemocratic Republic of Congo Bertrand Bouty Foxi Kethevoama FC LibrevilleGabon Eric Gawu King Faisal BabesGhana Khalid alHirech AS MarsaTunisia Kelechi Osunwa DolphinNigeria
Koena Mathope Dale Studinski Tony Tsabedze SuperSport Faycal alAgab Cheikh Diop AlMerreikhSudan Faneva Andriantsima Rakodondravelo USCAFOOTMadagascar Cheikh Benzerga Sofiane Daoud Mouloudia OranAlgeria Samir Labiadh Ahmed alMasli AlIttihadLibya Mohamed Abougreisha IsmailiaEgypt Sumaila Alhassan King Faisal Philippe Belinga Union DoualaCameroon Samba Diabate Stella AbidjanCote dIvoire Edou Dimitri FC Jerome Dote AS DouanesTogo Andre Lomami APRRwanda Ugochukwu Okeke Enugu RangersNigeria Antar alSherbini Arab Contractors Hassan Souari Olympic KhouribgaMorocco Geoffrey Sseronkuma Kampala City CouncilUganda Enditem
BERLIN May Xinhua Following are the results from the ATP Race Hamburg Masters mens singles first round matches on Tuesday prefix number denotes seeding
Guillermo Coria Argentina bt Vince Spadea United States
Fernando Gonzalez Chile bt PaulHenri Mathieu France
Marat Safin Russia bt Alberto Martin Spain
Mariano Puerta Argentina bt Olivier Rochus Belgium
Nikolay Davydenko Russia bt Michael Llodra France
Filippo Volandri Italy bt Nicolas Almagro Spain
Feliciano Lopez Spain bt Andre Agassi United States
Robin Soederling Sweden bt David Nalbandian Argentina
Albert Costa Spain bt Max Mirnyi Belarus
Gaston Gaudio Argentina bt David Sanchez Spain
Juan Monaco Argentina bt Igor Andreev Russia
Jiri Novak Czech Republic bt Paradorn Srichaphan Thailand
Andreas Seppi Italy bt Rainer Schuettler Germany
Guillermo Canas Argentina bt Fabrice Santoro France
Dominik Hrbaty Slovakia bt Tommy Haas Germany
Tomas Berdych Czech Republic bt David Ferrer Spain
Enditem
BERLIN May Xinhua Both Andre Agassi and David Nalbandian were knocked out of the Hamburg Masters in the first rounders on Tuesday
Agassi suffered a defeat of and to unseeded Spaniard Feliciano Lopez while ninth seed Nalbandian lost and to Swede Robin Soderling
However Argentines Gaston Gaudio and Guillermo Coria won easily as did Russian Marat Safin
Lopez ranked th in the world outplayed yearold Agassi in cold conditions on the slow clay of the Rothenbaum center court
The former world number one has been in good form this season but his defeat meant he joined fellow American Andy Roddick among several seeds to go out early at the preFrench Open event
Second seed Roddick lost to Chiles Nicolas Massu on Monday
French Open champion Gaudio seeded four brushed aside Spains David Sanchez and to meet French Open champion Albert Costa of Spain
Coria the th seed thrashed American Vince Spadea and showing no sign of tiredness after his fivehour defeat by Spanish teenager Rafael Nadal in the Rome Masters final on Sunday
Russian third seed Safin the Australian Open champion signalled a return to form by beating Spanish Alberto Martin and to set up a secondround match against French Open champion Juan Carlos Ferrero of Spain
Czech teenager Tomas Berdych beat Spains David Ferrer and to face top seed and world number one Roger Federer the player he beat in a major surprise at last years Athens Olympics
Thailands Paradorn Srichaphan was eliminated and by Czech Jiri Novak while Germans Rainer Schuettler and Tommy Haas lost to the disappointment of home fans Enditem
ROME May Xinhua Following are the results from the Italian Masters womens singles matches on Tuesday prefix number denotes seeding
Second round
Maria Sharapova Russia bt Anabel Medina Garrigues Spain
Paola Suarez Argentina bt Svetlana Kuznetsova Russia
First round
Gisela Dulko Argentina bt Virginia Ruano Pascual Spain
Evgenia Linetskaya Russia bt Tathiana Garbin Italy
Flavia Pennetta Italy bt Shinobu Asagoe Japan
Ana Ivanovic Serbia and Montenegro bt Tatiana Golovin France
Ai Sugiyama Japan bt Magdalena Maleeva Bulgaria
Maria VentoKabchi Venezuela bt Virginie Razzano France
Mara Santangelo Italy bt Fabiola Zuluaga Colombia
Conchita Martinez Granados Spain bt Angela Haynes United States
Anna Smashnova Israel bt Elena Likhovtseva Russia
Mary Pierce France bt Peng Shuai China
Sanda Mamic Croatia bt Daniela Hantuchova Slovakia
Roberta Vinci Italy bt Denisa Chladkova Czech Republic
Enditem
ROME May Xinhua Top seed Maria Sharapova began her bid to claim the world number one spot with a win over Anabel Medina Garrigues of Spain at the Rome Masters womens tennis here on Tuesday
However her victory came on a day when her compatriots fifth seed Svetlana Kuznetsova bowed out to Argentinas Paola Suarez and number Elena Likhovtseva lost to Israels Anna Smashnova
Sharapova will replace American Lindsay Davenport at the top of the rankings if she wins in the Italian capital this week
A Wimbledon champion Sharapova often struggled to reproduce her best form on clay where she only reached two quarterfinals in her previous six tournaments
Against slowcourt specialist Medina Garrigues the Russian said that overall I dont think I played great tennis Im just happy to have won it
Both players twice traded early breaks of serve before Garrigues mishit a forehand to give Sharapova the break she needed to take the first set
Sharapova then grabbed a decisive lead in the second set when she whipped a forehand crosscourt winner to break in the sixth game
Reigning US Open champion Kuznetsova never found her rhythm as she fell to doubles specialist Suarez in the second round who played solidly from the baseline and took advantage of a string of unforced errors by the Russian
French th seed Tatiana Golovin fell at the first hurdle beaten and by Ana Ivanovic of Serbia Montenegro Enditem
VIENNA May Xinhua Following are the results from the ice hockey world championship qualifying round matches on Tuesday
Czech Republic Belarus Group E
Kazakhstan Slovakia Group E
Sweden Latvia Group F
Ukraine Canada Group F
Enditem
VIENNA May Xinhua Following are the standings from the ice hoceky world championship qualifying round after matches on Tuesday tabulated under matches played won drawn lost goals for against and points
Group E
Russia
Czech Republic
Slovakia
Switzerland
Belarus
Kazakhstan
Group F
Sweden
Canada
United States
Finland
Latvia
Ukraine
Enditem
LONDON May Xinhua Following are the summaries from the English Premier League soccer matches on Tuesday
Tuesday May
Manchester United Ruud van Nistelrooy
Chelsea Tiago Eidur Gudjohnsen Joe Cole
Halftime Attendance
Next Fixtures
Wednesday May
Arsenal v Everton
Sunday May
Birmingham City v Arsenal
Bolton Wanderers v Everton
Charlton Athletic v Crystal Palace
Fulham v Norwich City
Liverpool v Aston Villa
Manchester City v Middlesbrough
Newcastle United v Chelsea
Southampton v Manchester United
Tottenham Hotspur v Blackburn Rovers
West Bromwich Albion v Portsmouth
Enditem
VIENNA May Xinhua Sweden took the top spot in Group F at the world ice hockey championship on Tuesday closing out the qualifying round with a win over Latvia
Rick Nash scored in the third period to help twotimes reigning champions Canada edge Ukraine for the second spot ahead of the United States and Finland heading into the quarterfinals
In Group E the Czech Republic beat Belarus but could only manage second place behind unbeaten Russia Slovakia finished third after a win over Kazakhstan and Switzerland placed fourth
In Thursdays quarterfinals Russia play Finland in Vienna while the Czechs face off against the Americans In Innsbruck Sweden will play the Swiss and Canada face a test against Slovakia
Needing a win to move on Latvia came out flat against the Swedes and were never really in the match
Niklas Kronvall Daniel Alfredsson and Christian Backman all scored in the first period and the rout was on while starting goalie Arturs Irbe sat the rest of the game
Thomas Rhodin and Magnus Johansson scored in the second and Jorgen Jonsson had a pair in the third along with singles by Peter Nordstrom and Jonas Hoglund
Maris Ziedins broke Henrik Lundqvists shutout bid halfway through the third period
Ukraine who had not won a game in the qualifying round looked likely to tie Canada who are to tie former Soviet UnionRussia with overall gold medals
But Nash the tournaments top scorer broke the deadlock with a wrist shot from the face off circle that whizzed into the top corner of the net with left to play
Vancouver Canucks forward Brendan Morrison gave Canada the early lead with a goal at of the first period until Andrei Sryubko scored to even things up four minutes later
The Czechs opened up a three goal lead through the halfway mark on goals by Petr Cajanek Jan Hlavac and Jaromir Jagr
Konstantin Koltsov got one back for Belarus just before the end of the second period but that was the only time Tomas Vokoun saw the red light go on behind him
Martin Straka and Vaclav Varada scored the final two Czech goals
Slovakia had goals by the NHL trio of Miroslav Satan Zigmund Palffy and Michal Handzus to lead them past Kazakhstan
The knockout format quarterfinals will be held on Thursday with the semifinals on Saturday The final and bronze medal game are on Sunday Enditem
CANBERRA May Xinhua Secondranked Lleyton Hewitt is in doubt for the French Open tennis tournament after injuring two ribs in a fall at his Sydney home
Hewitt withdrew from Australias lineup for next weeks World Team Cup in Germany after consulting doctors following the accident on Monday local newspaper Sydneys Daily Telegraph reported on Wednesday
The yearold hasnt competed on the ATP Tour since undergoing surgery on his right foot after reaching the final at Indian Wells in March
It is an unfortunate mishap and very disappointing Hewitts coach Roger Rasheed was quoted saying We will do our best to be ready for the French Open
Hewitt reached the French Open quarterfinals last year and then made the final at Wimbledon Enditem
WASHINGTON May Xinhua Phoenix Suns coach Mike DAntoni was named NBA coach of the year on Tuesday two days after point guard Steve Nash was chosen league MVP
DAntoni received firstplace votes and points from a media panel in the United States and Canada ahead of secondplace finisher Rick Carlisle of the Indiana Pacers who had firstplace votes and points
Nate McMillan of the Seattle SuperSonics finished third Scott Skiles of the Chicago Bulls came in fourth
With Nash serving as the quarterback in DAntonis uptempo offence the Suns finished with the leagues best record at a win improvement from the previous season
DAntoni was hired by the Suns to replace Frank Johnson on December and guided them to a record for the remainder of the season Enditem
RIO DE JANEIRO May Xinhua Following are the results of the beach soccer World Cup results on Tuesday tabulated under games played won drawn lost goals for against and points
Group A
Brazil
Spain
Thailand
May Brazil Thailand
May Spain Thailand
May Brazil Spain
Group B
Portugal
Japan
United States
May Portugal Japan
May Japan United States
May Portugal United States
Group C
Uruguay
Ukraine
South Africa
May Uruguay South Africa
May Ukraine South Africa
May Uruguay Ukraine
Group D
France
Argentina
Australia
May France Australia
May Argentina Australia
May France Argentina
Quarterfinals
May France vs Spain
Portugal vs Ukraine
Uruguay vs Japan
Brazil vs Argentina
Semifinals
May FranceSpain winner vs UruguayJapan winner
BrazilArgentina winner vs PortugalUkraine winner
Final
May
Enditem
RIO DE JANEIRO May Xinhua Romario showed up at the inaugural beach soccer World Cup on Tuesday setting up a goal to help Brazil beat Spain for a quarterfinal match against archrival Argentina
Brazil rallied from an early deficit after Ramiro Figueiras gave Spain the lead Benjamin equalized off a feed from Romario Negao added a blast from the edge of the penalty area and Nenem and Juninho converted penalties to complete the victory
Portugal beat the United States to earn itself a quarterfinal against Ukraine and eliminate the Americans
In other matches Uruguay beat Ukraine to win Group C while France topped Argentina to claim the Group D title France will face Spain while Uruguay will take on Japan in the other quartefinals on Thursday
Madjer scored three and Alan two for Portugal whose victory also sent Japan into the quarterfinals
Two goals by Jorge Sena one each by Ricardo Martinez and German Parrillo and an own goal by Victor Moroz lifted Uruguay past Ukraine while Thierry Ottavy and Didier Samoun scored twice each to pace Frances rout of Argentina
The weeklong tournament that began on Sunday is being held at Rio de Janeiros famed Copacabana beach
Brazil is the defending world champion and has won nine of titles All previous championships have been under the auspices Beach Soccer Worldwide not FIFA
Beach soccer is played on a sand field about yards long and yards wide Each game is divided into three minute periods with unlimited substitution Enditem
WASHINGTON May Xinhua Tan Zongliang of China won a veteran match in mens meter pistol at the shooting world cup meet in Fort Benning Georgia Tuesday while the Olympic quota place went to Martin Tenk of Czech Republic
Tan followed the steps of his fellow women shooters who swept the medals in the meter air pistol on Monday dominated the only event of the day winning with a total score of four points ahead of Tenk
Tenk bronze medalist of the Sydney Olympics kept his second place during the final and won the silver medal
In third place was Mikhail Nestruev from Russia The winner of the Athens Olympics shot a fine final score of making up for his two points difference to Francesco Bruno from Italy who started the final round on third place
The quota place for Beijing Olympic Games went to Tenk as Tan had optimized his possibilities in winning one quota place for his country in the world cup in Changwon a few weeks ago where the Chinese took one third of the golds and Olympic berths Enditem
JINAN May Xinhua Police has tightened the security for the upcoming soccer match between two clubs from China and Japan emphasizing the importance of keeping Japanese soccer fans safe in China
The home team Chinas Shandong Luneng in the eastern city of Jinan will compete against its Japanese rival Yokohama F Marinos Wednesday night for the Asian Champions League ACF qualifier a highprofile event after antiJapanese protests erupted in several Chinese cities in the past month
Sources with police in Jinan said they had increased police force around the stadium on the citys major roads and at main pulic places to guarantee a safe game for both teams
But the priority is to ensure the safety of Japanese fans sources said adding that a team of police health workers and receptionists had stayed with the over Japanese fans who arrived in Jinan Tuesday with the soccer club
According to the police they had staged an antiviolence rehearsal around the stadium on Monday night and had mapped out emergency plans
In addition to steppedup security the police issued a pulic notice calling for football fans to stay calm for the game Fans were warned not to throw things into the stadium not to woo the rival team not to shout uncivilized slogans and any insulting gestures slogans were strictly forbidden the notice said
Stepping on the seats breaking objects in the stadium or setting things on fires were also forbidden it said
Shandong Luneng leads Group F in the League with points and the Marinos stays in the second place with nine points Luneng won the first match with Yokohama F Marinos this March in Japan Enditem
WASHINGTON May Xinhua The postseason honors for the Phoenix Suns continued to pile up on Tuesday as Mike DAntoni was officially named the NBAs Coach of the Year
On Sunday point guard Steve Nash was named the NBAs MVP
DAntoni guided the Suns to a win turnaround in as the club went from wins a year ago to the leagues best record at this season It marked the thirdbest improvement in NBA history
It was a joy to coach these guys a humble DAntoni said We just turned the corner and there were no lows It just kept getting better
DAntoni earned firstplace votes for a total of points while Indianas Rick Carlisle finished second place with firstplace votes for a total of points
Seattles Nate McMillian finished third in the voting while Chicagos Scott Skiles was fourth with Denvers George Karl finishing fifth
The only other Suns coach to win the leagues top honor was Cotton Fitzsimmons in He led Phoenix to a win jump from the previous season
DAntoni has been the head coach of the Suns since December when he took over for Frank Johnson following an start Phoenix was under DAntoni to end the season and the club signed him to a twoyear contract extension last May
The Suns made a couple of moves in the offseason the biggest being the acquisition of Nash to run the uptempo style preferred by DAntoni Phoenix responded by leading the league in scoring average at points per game
DAntoni has spent years in professional basketball as a player coach front office executive and scout in the NBA ABA and the Italian League He joined the Suns staff on June as the top assistant coach
This is the second NBA head coaching stint for DAntoni who guided the Denver Nuggets during the shortened lockout season in compiling a record He was the clubs director of player personnel in
DAntoni was also on the bench as an assistant for Portland in the season and was hired as a scout for San Antonio during the campaign
As a head coach in Italy he was twice honored as Coach of the Year Enditem
ROME May Xinhua Following are the km stage results of the ProTour Giro dItalia from Diamante to Giffoni Valle Piana on Tuesday
Danilo Di Luca Italy Liquigas
Damiano Cunego Italy Lampre Caffita ST
Stefano Garzelli Italy Liquigas
Mirko Celestino Italy Domina Vacanze
Francisco Jose Ventoso Spain Saunier Duval
Paolo Bettini Italy QuickStep
Luca Mazzanti Italy Panaria
Cristian Moreni Italy QuickStep
Christophe Le Mevel France Credit Agricole
Paolo Savoldelli Italy Discovery Channel
Marzio Bruseghin Italy Fassa Bortolo
Christophe Brandt Belgium Davitamon Lotto
Markus Fothen Germany Gerolsteiner
Giampaolo Caruso Italy Liberty Seguros
Dario Cioni Italy Liquigas
Laurent Lefevre France Bouygues Telecom
Michele Scarponi Italy Liberty Seguros
Gilberto Simoni Italy Lampre Caffita
Andrea Noe Italy Liquigas
Sergei Gontchar Ukraine Domina Vacanze
Mauricio Ardila Colombia Davitamon Lotto
Ivan Basso Italy Team CSC
Steve Zampieri Switzerland Phonak
Vladimir Karpets Russia Illes Balears
Haimar Zubeldia Spain Euskaltel
Tadej Valjavec Slovenia Phonak
Emanuele Sella Italy Panaria
Wim Van Huffel Belgium Davitamon Lotto
Alexandr Kolobnev Russia Rabobank
Jan Hruska Czech Republic Liberty Seguros
Enditem
KATHMANDU May Xinhua Eurocopter the leading helicopter manufacturer of Europe is trying to set a high altitude record in the Mount Qomolangma region with its ASB helicopter an official told reporters Wednesday
An member team from the company has already reached Lukla on the way to Mt Qomolangmas Nepali side with an aim to create a new record in the history of rotary wing aviation said Sonam Sherpa managing director of Thamserku Trekking Pvt Ltd the coordinator of the flight
The flight will begin from Thursday and the team will try to fly the helicopter at the altitude as high as to meters he revealed
Delsesalle Didier a French pilot is leading the team Sherpa noted adding The test flight will last for a month with daily flight during the period
Rajesh Raj Dali director general of the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal said that the government has allowed the team to carry out the test flight after thoroughly evaluating the technical aspects of the involved helicopter and expertise of the crew members
The test flight will add up to the effort of rescuing climbers in high altitude areas Dali noted adding If it is successful the attempt will be written down in the annals of the aviation history Enditem
WASHINGTON May Xinhua Following are the results from the NBA
Playoffs second round matches on Tuesday home team in CAPS
MIAMI HEAT
Washington Wizards
Miami Heat lead the bestofseven series by
SAN ANTONIO SPURS
Seattle Supersonics
San Antonio Spurs lead the bestofseven series by
Enditem
WASHINGTON May Xinhua Miami Heats and San Antonio Spurs defeated their respective rivals for a overall lead in the bestofseven series of the NBA second round playoffs on Tuesday
Dwyane Wade had points including a threepoint play with left and added a careerhigh assists to help the Heat for a victory over the Washington Wizards
With a lead of in the Eastern Conference semifinal series Heats will travel to Washington for Game on Thursday where they have won times in their last tries
Eddie Jones added points Shaquille ONeal and Damon Jones Udonis Haslem had a point rebound effort for Miami
Antawn Jamison had a playoff careerhigh points for Washington Gilbert Arenas added for the Wizards while Larry Hughes missed his first shots to finished with points
In San Antonio Manu Ginobili made of shots for points to lead the Spurs for a win over the Seattle SuperSonics
Tim Duncan scored points and grabbed nine rebounds And Tony Parker added points
Game in Seattle is Thursday
Ray Allen scored points for the Sonics Rashard Lewis added Enditem
BEIJING May Xinhua Chinese Olympic Committe COC president Liu Peng met with Ruben Acosta president of the International Volleyball Federation FIVB here on Wednesday
Liu also one of the three executive presidents of the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games BOCOG extended warm welcome to Acosta and made a brief introduction to him about Beijings preparations for the Olympic Games
We have great confidence that we can host the Olympic Games to be a distinctive and highlevel Games said Liu in the meeting
Acosta who had been guiding the FIVB since first elected as president in asked Liu and BOCOG to do their best to make volleyball and beach volleyball a great success in the Beijing Games
We need your help Acosta said We need you to stand by volleyball and beach volleyball
In response Liu said he would give his full support to the development of volleyball and beach volleyball in China
I hope we can extend our good coopertaion and lets always be good friends Liu added
Acosta was here for a sixday visit to the host city of the Olympic Games He will also have a meeting with Wang Qishan Mayor of Beijing and executive president of the BOCOG Enditem
RIO DE JANEIRO May Xinhua Following are the results and standings from the Libertadores Cup group stage soccer matches on Tuesday tabulated under games played won drawn lost goals for against and points
America COL Libertad PAR
Atletico Paranaense BRA Independiente Medellin COL
Group
Independiente Medellin
Atletico Paranaense
America
Libertad
Group
Santos
Bolivar
LDU Quito
Danubio
Group
Sao Paulo
Universidad de Chile
The Strongest
Quilmes
Group
Cerro Porteno
Palmeiras
EC Santo Andre
Deportivo Tachira
Group
River Plate
Atletico Junior
Olmedo
Nacional
Group
Tigres
Banfield
Alianza Lima
Caracas FC
Group
Guadalajara
Once Caldas
Cobreloa
San Lorenzo de Almagro BA
Group
Boca Juniors
Pachuca
Sporting Cristal
Deportivo Cuenca
Next Fixtures
Thursday May
Group LDU Quito ECU v Danubio URU
Group Santos BRA v Bolivar BOL
Group Quilmes ARG v Universidad de Chile CHI
Group Sao Paulo BRA v The Strongest BOL
Friday May
Group EC Santo Andre BRA v Deportivo Tachira VEN
Group Palmeiras BRA v Cerro Porteno PAR Enditem
NAIROBI May Xinhua African m champion Olosoji Fasuba of Nigeria has defended athletes who defect to other countries saying everyone wants to have a bright future according to local media reports
The Kenya Times quoted Fasuba as saying that African governments have done little to help the athletes who bring glory to their countries and once other countries recognize them then there is no reason they should not defect
The Nigerian took part in the Tusker Athletics International in Nairobi on Saturday and clocked a handtimed seconds in the m semifinal the fast time of the season
He said the athletes have done much to bring glory to their countries but their efforts have not been recognized
I have no problems with my countrymen running for other countries as they have to go where they are appreciated Kenya Times quoted Fasuba as saying
Fasuba who won the African championship in Brazzaville Congo last year and also a meet in Dakar Senegal could not however say whether he was planning shift his allegiance
The issue of athletes changing citizenship has been prominent in most African countries and worse here in Kenya where local runners have been shipped to the rich gulf states like Qatar
Kenyan Sports Minister Ochillo Ayacko has been condemning athletes changing citizenship saying the gulf sates were robbing talent from Kenya
The minister has even formed a committee to look into the issue of defection and at the same time told the athletes who have changed citizenship that they will have to be coming to Kenya as foreigners
This has however not stopped athletes from moving to other countries with the latest been Nicholas Kemboi who has taken Qatar citizenship and also the high profile defection of Olympic silver medalist Bernard Lagat who has taken up United States citizenship
When asked whether the action taken by the Kenyan minister to treat the athletes who had defected as foreigners was right Fasuba said there was no problem with that
Once you have taken up citizenship of another country then do not expect to be treated well when you go back to your former country Fasuba said Enditem
QOMOLANGMA Tibet May Xinhua Twenty two Chinese mountaineers Wednesday morning left the base camp of Mount Qomolangma starting their ascent of the earths summit
The delayed ascent originally scheduled on May is aimed to remeasure the peak of the world which is meters according to Chinas first measurement in
The peak that straddles the border between China and Nepal is respected as Mother Goddess by Tibetans It is known to westerners as Mount Everest
The mountaineers will stay at a camp at meters above sea level for acclimation for a few days before they start an assault prior to May a director of the survey said
An earlier ascent attempt was hampered by bad weather late last month after which climbers retreated to the base camp at meters
Another team of mountaineers will start their ascent later the director said Enditem
WELLINGTON May Xinhua New Zealand will lodge a comprehensive and compelling bid to host the Rugby World Cup sports officials announced here Wednesday
Sport and Recreation Minister Trevor Mallard and New Zealand Rugby Union NZRU chairman Jock Hobbs said this work has highlighted the significant benefits of staging the tournament in New Zealand
The bid will now be lodged with the International Rugby Board IRB and Rugby World Cup Ltd RWCL and copies of the bid documents leave New Zealand Wednesday to be lodged with the IRB in Dublin by May
Mallard and Hobbs said that the partnership between the Government and NZRU underpinned the strength of New Zealands case to host the Rugby World Cup with both parties contributing resources and expertise to ensure the bid has the best chance of success
I am very proud that New Zealand is in a position to put a compelling case forward to the IRB to host the Rugby World Cup here in said Mallard
In New Zealand rugby is more than just a sport It has helped shape the character of our nation It inspires us at home and on the world stage But perhaps most importantly our passion for rugby and sport is part of being kiwi and being proud to be kiwi said Mallard
Hobbs said the bid emphasizes the rich heritage and history of New Zealand Rugby as well as the experience that a tournament in New Zealand would create for players supporters and officials
An assessment of the economic impact indicates that the tournament will generate significant economic benefits for the country adding million NZ dollars million US dollars to GDP and tax revenue in excess of million NZ dollars million US dollars Enditem
HAVANA May Xinhua The National Volleyball Federation of Russia signed with its Cuban counterpart and the Sports Medicine Institute IMD of Cuba cooperation agreements for the Olympic Cycle said the local press Tuesday
The document signed at this capital considers the scientific exchange through athletes and coaches to raise the technical and competitive level of the teams from both countries
The program also includes the preparation of training bases for the womens and mens teams of each country in each others facilities as well as the participation in exhibition games that include the junior teams
Russia will participate in the Cuban olympiads with their best teams during the fouryear period while beach volleyball teams will have training bases in Cuba from October to March and will participate in the national circuit
Cuban media added Tuesday that the beach volleyball teams of Cuba will take part in the Saint Petersburg tournament as part of this scheme
The agreement between IMD and the Russian Federation includes the advice of Cuban doctors to Russian specialists and the attention of athletes from the European country in a rehabilitation center of Cuba
One of the document was signed by doctor Mario Granda the IMD Director and Rebeca Moreira expert of this institution and Russian sportsscience adviser Apoligen Oleg
The other document was signed by President and Secretary General of the Cuban Volleyball Federation Omelio Castillo and Jorge Enrique Luzon in this order and Russian Volleyball Federations Director General Yuri Sapega
Humberto Rodriguez President of the Cuban Sports Physical Education and Recreation Institute INDER said this agreement will further strengthen the bilateral sports relations and said that sport contributes to happiness hope and peace among nations Enditem
HAVANA May Xinhua The first Games of the Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas ALBA are to take place in Cuba on June with contests in disciplines
The announcement was made at this capital by President of the Cuban Sports Physical Education and Recreation Institute INDER Humberto Rodriguez who termed the competition as the expresion of a true Latin American and Caribbean sports integration
The official said the event will take place in eight Cuban provinces and that Venezuela will sent a strong delegation including topoftheline athletes who in those dates will not have international activity
Rodriguez also said that among the other countries of the region only Panama confirmed its participation in eight disciplines but that in the coming days other ratifications are expected
Cuba a renown sports power will also be represented by its best athletes and for the moment will be the fixed venue for this biennial competition said the INDER director to the press
He explained that the celebration of this event is included in the sports chapters of the agreements signed between Cuba and Venezuela a few months after the creation of ALBA
As well Rodriguez reminded that the document includes in this aspect three other projects including the creation of a joint venture for sports articles to meet the needs of the countries participating in this form of integration
The Cuban official pointed out that in the June games the first ALBA sports articles will be utilized
This production includes all kinds of balls for basketball handball waterpolo soccer and baseball as well as boats for rowing kayaking and canoeing plus the elements required for boxing he also said
He said that part of the agreement is the establishment in Venezuela of a sports academy for integral highperformance professors
Also in Venezuela an antidoping lab will be set up for regional competitions Until it is completed the Cuban facilities will be utilized
For the ALBA sports event there will be seminars and exchange of experts on sport and science and technicalassistance information with medical services avilable Enditem
LISBON May Xinhua Sporting of Portugal profited with the defeat of Benfica which could not defeat Penafiel in the nd round of the Portuguese Super League and moved to the top after the victory over Vitoria de Guimaraes on Tuesday
After several weeks in the first position Benfica coached by Italian Trapattoni lost the leadership with a draw with Penafiel
Porto did not know either how to profit and only got a draw with Moreirense
Sporting thus could overtake its most direct rival now with points like Benfica
In the next matches of the Super League Porto will meet Rio Ave Sporting Braga BeiraMar and Vitoria Guimaraes Boavista Enditem
BEIJING May Xinhua Following are the results of the
morning session at the Sudirman Cup badminton tournament here on Wednesday
Group B
France beat South Africa
XD Jean Michel LefortWeny Rahmawati bt Dorian JamesMichelle
Edwards
MS Erwin Kehlhoffner bt Christian Dednam
WS Tatiana Vattier bt A Viljoen
MD Erwin KehlhoffnerThomas Quere bt Christian DednamRoelof
Dednam
WD Elodie EymardPi Hongyan bt Chantal BottsMichelle Edwards
Group A
Poland beat Finland
XD Robert MateusiakNadiezda Kostiuczyk bt Petri Hyyrylainens
Leena Loytomaki
MS Przemyslaw Wacha lost to Ville Lang
WS Kamila Augustyn bt Nina Weckstrom
MD Michal LogoszRobert Mateusiak bt Tuomas KarhulaPetri
Hyyrylainens
WD Kamila AugustynNadiezda Kostiuczyk bt Leena LoytomakiSaara
Hynninen
Group B
Lithuania beat Turkey
XD Donatas NarvilasKristina Dovydaityte bt Ali KayaEzgi Epice
MS Kestutis Navickas bt Mehmet Tural
WS Ugne Urbonaite bt Nursel Dogan
MD Donatas NarvilasKestutis Navickas bt Ali KayaMustafa
Yalvarici
WD Akuile StapusaityteUgne Urbonaite lost to Nursel DoganEzgi
Epice
Group A
Malaysia beat Russia
XD Lee Chong WeiChin Eei Hui bt Vladimir IvanovValeri Sorokina
MS Muhammad Hafiz Hashim bt Vladimir Malkov
WS Wong Mew Choo bt Ella Karachkova
MD Koo Kian KeatChan Chong Ming bt Alexander NickolaenkVitali
Durkin
WD Wong Pei TtyChin Eei Hui bt Nina VislovaValeri Sorokina
Group A
Netherlands beat Chinese Taipei
XD Jurgen WoutersMia Audina lost to Tsai ChiaHsinChien Yu
Chin
MS Dicky Palyama bt Liao ShengShiun
WS Yao Jie bt Huang ChiaHsin
MD Eric PangGerben Brujstens lost to Huang ShihChungChien Yu
Hsun
WD Mia AudinaJudith Meulendijk bt Cheng WenHsingChien YuChin
Group B
Australia beat Peru
MS Stuart Gomez bt Andres Corpancho Fort
WS Tania Luiz lost to Claudia Rivero Modenesi
MD Boyd CooperAshley Brehaut bt Andres Corpancho FortJavier
Jimeno Goicochea
WD Kate WilsonSmithKellie Lucas bt Valeria Rivero Modenesi
Meng Jie
XD Travis DenneyKate WilsonSmith bt Javier Jimeno Goicochea
Claudia Rivero Modenesi
Group A
New Zealand beat Bulgaria
XD Daniel ShirleySara Runesten Petersen bt Konstantin Dobrev
Petya Nedeltcheva
MS Geoffrey Bellingham bt Stilian Makarski
WS Rachel Hindley bt Linda Zechiri
MD Daniel ShirleyJohn Gordon bt Georgi PetrovKonstantin Dobrev
WD Sara Runesten PetersonNicole Gordon lost to Petya
NedeltchevaMaya Ivanova
Enditem
QUITO May Xinhua Hundreds of persons took part in the funeral of striker Otilino Tenorio who died last Saturday in a road accident
The crowd accompanied the coffin from the Ecuadorian Soccer Federation to the General Cemetery of Guayaquil west of the country
Tenorio of El Nacional club of Quito died Saturday at when his car crashed onto a truck on the QuitoGuayaquil highway
He had played for the teams CS Emelec El Nacional and the national team He also played in Saudi Arabias Al Nassr
Last week Tenorio played with the national team in the victory over Paraguay in a friendly that took place in New York United States
The coach of the national team Luis Fernando Suarez said in reference to Tenorio we lost a wonderful person with a great charisma Enditem
HAVANA May Xinhua Ukranian Grand Master GM Vassily Ivanchuk will play his Cuban counterpart Walter Arencibia in one of the three games of the Elite Group of the th International Capablanca In Memoria Chess Tournament here on Tuesday
Ivanchuk ranked sixth in the International Chess Federation FIDE defeated Monday Jesus Nogueiras also from Cuba and heads the competition with three out of four possible points
Second comes GM Baduur Jobaba from Georgia with points who defeated Leinier Dominguez Cuba on Monday and Neurys Delgado Cuba who drew with Cubas national champion Lazaro Bruzon
Tuesdays round is completed with the BruzonNogueiras and DelgadoDominguez duels in the Elite Group Enditem
BEIJING May Xinhua Beijing will establish a special security center and an information center in to guarantee the security of the Olympic Games said the source with the sixth closed conference of International Permanent Observe forum here on Tuesday
The conference was held to discuss the security maintenance of international largescale activities in which the security of Beijing Olympics became one of the most important topics
Lu Shimin vice head of Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau said Beijing will set up a security headquarters in every stadium and gymnasium of the Olympics which are under the control of the security and information centers
The official who is also the head of security department of Olympics Organizing Committee said Beijing has already started to give specialized counterterrorist training to a batch of policemen
More than experts from countries attended the conference who also shared their experiences in security maintenance of the Olympics Enditem
BEIJING May Xinhua Defending champions South Korea and
Denmark both booked their berths in the semifinals at the Sudirman
Cup Wednesday as the two sides defeated respective opponents in the
world mixed team badminton championship
Threetime Sudirman Cup winners South Korea whitewashing
England started their second day battle with Lee Hyun Il
taking on Nicolas Kidd in the mens singles
The world number player clinched the first point for South
Korea before Lee Yoon Hee overcame Elizabeth Cann
South Korea fielded a mens doubles with Yim Bang Eun replacing
Olympic doubles champion Kim Dong Moon to be paired up with Ha Tae
Kwon The new partners pushed aside Anthony Clark and Robert Blair
Yim and I began to be paired up after the Athens Olympic Games
and we have yet to cooperate very wellsaid Ha I think I will
play the doubles with my old partner Kim again in this tournament
but I am not certain whether we can still be partners after it
Lee Kyung WonLee Hyo Jung beat Ella TrippJoanne Wright
in the womens doubles before Lee Jae JinRa Kyung Min
defeated Nathan RobertsonGail Emms
Denmark in run for their first ever Sudirman Cup at the ninth
edition of the event disposed Thailand
The th seeded mixed doubles Thomas Laybourn and Rytter Juhl
found their good match when Prapakamol Sudket and Thoungthongkam
Saralee ranked fifth in the world stormed to the first set win in
But the determined Dannish pair turned things over in the second
set to win before they favored in two cases of disputes took
the third with
We are very excited about the mixed doubles because the win was
the key to beat Thailand said Denmark coach Jan Sandahl Jorgensen
who reserved world nubmer three mixed doubles Mette Schjoldager and
Jens Eriksen Wednesday
We gave the chance to the young players to see what they can do
They had good performance Jorgensen said adding that all his
players did a great job
The mens singles seemed to be a sure answer for Denmark when
secondranked Kenneth Jonassen pushed aside Boonsak Polsana
in minutes
Tine Rasmussen secured the victory for Denmark as the year
old world number edged th ranked Salakjit Polsana
Top mens doubles Eriksen and Martin Lundgaard outclassed
Prapakamol Sudket and Ngernsrisuk Patapol before
Pernille Harder and Helle Nielsen posted win over Thoungthongkam
Saralee and Chankrachangwong Sathinee
Denmark take on South Korea for the top place in the group
Enditem
ANKARA May Xinhua Halil Mutlu Nurcan Taylan and Taner
Sagir of Turkey who won gold medals at Olympic Games were
admitted as honorary freemen of Athens
Greek Ambassador Michael Christides presented the titles to
Mutlu Taylan and Sagir at a ceremony on Wednesday
Christides wished Turkish athletes to be more successful in
Beijing Olympic Games and win more gold medals
Turkish Youth and Sports Director General Mehmet Atalay said at
the ceremony that the aim of sports is to contribute to friendship
and make countries closer
He added that steps which were taken for this aim continued with
matches between Turkey and Greece
Sagir won mens weightlifting kg gold medal Taylan broke two
world and three Olympic records in the Olympic weightlifting in the
womens kg class and Mutlu won weightlifting gold medal in the
mens kg category during the th Summer Olympics in Athens in
August Enditem
JINAN East China May Xinhua Chinas Shandong Luneng and Japans Yokohama F Marino both scored one goal in the first half of their Asian Champions League qualifier held here Wednesday
Japanese defender Daisuke Nasu lifted Yokohama to lead only four minutes into the game with a header
However Chinas international Zheng Zhi scored a goal for Luneng in the th minute and inspired his team to stage series of attacks
Shandong stayed atop Group F in the Asian Champions League with points winning all four matches including a away win over Yokohama F Marinos in March The Marinos came up in second place with nine points A draw on Wednesday can make Shandong advance into the quarterfinals
Around Chinese fans and Japanese fans were in the seat stadium Enditem
BEIJING May Xinhua Following are the results from the afternoon session at the badminton Sudirman Cup here on Wednesday
Group A
South Korea beat England
MS Lee HyunIl bt Nicholas Kidd
WS Lee YunHwa bt Elizabeth Cann
MD Ha TaeKwonYim BangEun bt Anthony Clark Robert Blair
WD Lee KyungWonLee HyoJung bt Ella Tripp Joanne Wright
XD Lee JaeJinRa KyungMin bt Nathan Robertson Gail Emms
Group A
Denmark beat Thailand
XD Thomas LaybournKamilla Juhl bt Sudket PrapakamolSaralee Thoungthongkam
MS Kenneth Jonassen bt Boonsak Polsana
WS Tine Rasmussen bt Salakjit Polsana
MD Jens EriksenMartin Lundgaard bt Sudket PrapakamolPatapol Ngernsrisuk
WD Pernille HarderMette Schjoldager lost to Saralee ThoungthongkamSathinee Chankrachangwong
Group B
Singapore beat Ukraine
WS Li Li bt Elena Nozdran
MD Hendra WijayaLee Yen Hui bt Vladislav DruzchenkoValerij Strelcov
WD Jiang YanmeiLiu Fan Frances bt Larisa Griga Elena Prus
MS Ronald Susilo bt Valeriy Atrashchenkov
XD Hendri Kurniawan SaputraJiang Yanmei bt Vladislav DruzchenkoElena Nozdran
Group B
Japan beat Germany
MS Shoji Sato bt Bjoern Joppien
WS Eriko Hirose bt Xu Hualwen
MD Keita MasudaTadashi Ohtsuka bt Kristof Hopp Ingo Kindervater
WD Kumiko OguraReiko Shiota bt Nicole Grether Juliane Schenk
XD Keita MasudaTomomi Matsuda Kristof Hopp Kathrine Piotrowski
Group A
Luxembourg beat Cyprus
MS Mathieu Serebriakoff bt Demetris Kyprianou
WS Hariati bt Dometia Ioannou
MD Yves OlingerHargiono bt Savvinos Iasonos Nicolas Panayiotou
WD HariatiClaudine Barnig lost to Dometia IoannouMaria Ioannou
XD HargionoClaudine Barnig bt Demetris KyprianouMaria Ioannou
Group
Sri Lanka beat Jamaica
MS Niluka Karunaratne bt Bradley Graham
WD Renu ChandrikaRasangi Ranatunge bt Nigella SaundersAliya Lewis
MD Duminda JayakodyThusara Edirisingh bt Charles PyneGarron Palmer
WS Thilini Jayasinghe bt Aliya Lewis
XD Thusara EdirisinghRenu Chandrika lost to Bradley GrahamNigella Saunders Enditem
JINAN East China May Xinhua Chinas Shandong Luneng edged Japans Yokohama F Marino here on Wednesday topping the group F of the AFC Champions League with five wins Enditem
NICOSIA May Xinhua Last years Cyprus Rally winner and
defending FIA World Rally Champion Sebastien Loeb will be hoping to
extend his slender onepoint lead in the championship when he leads
international teams to the ceremonial start of the Cyprus Rally
in Limassol on Thursday evening local press reported Wednesday
The Citroen driver currently has a single point advantage over
the FIA World Rally Champion Petter Solberg in the Drivers
Championship courtesy of a trio of outright victories this year in
Monte Carlo New Zealand and Sardinia
Solberg won the other two rallies in Sweden and Mexico as the
Frenchman and the Norwegian have pulled clear of their closest
rivals Markko Martin Marcus Gronholm and Toni Gardemeister at this
early point in the season
Loeb starts as the slight favourite to win the gravel stage
event along the sinuous tracks of the Troodos mountains north of
Limassol as he bids to add to Citroens points tally in the battle
with Peugeot Subaru and Ford for the Manufacturers title His
team carried out a fourday test in Greece after the last event in
Sardinia
It has been a good start to the season said Loeb Perhaps
better than last year In my third win came after the event in
Cyprus This year I won in Sardinia When I feel that the
combination of the Xsara my tyres and myself are in a position to
win then I push
In what is developing into the closest WRC for many years
Peugeots Martin and Gronholm have given the French manufacturer an
point lead in the series after five rounds
Mitsubishis Harri Rovanpera has shown a rich turn of form in
recent Cyprus rallies and was runnerup two years ago in a Peugeot
WRC
The new Lancer showed promise in New Zealand last month and the
Finn will be keen to change the Japanese companys run of poor
fortune Belgian Francois Duval and Frenchman Gilles Panizzi cannot
be ruled out either
This years Cyprus Rally also counts as the third round of the
FIA Production Car World Rally Championship and sees Japans Toshi Arai
hoping to extend his threepoint lead over Spains Xavier Pons in
the pointsstandings
Both drivers have taken a victory apiece so far this season and
already have a good lead over the likes of Italys Angelo Medeghini
and Fabio Frisiero and Japans Fumio Nutahara
The Cyprus Rally is the Middle Easts round of the WRC and this
years event will see Omans Hamed AlWahaibi pitched against Qatar
s Middle East championship leader Nasser Saleh AlAttiyah for the
second time this year
Both drivers missed the opening round in Sweden and the Qatari
got the better of his Omani rival in New Zealand slipping from
second to fourth overall late on
AlWahaibi and British codriver David Senior will be hoping to
redress the balance in the Troodos mountains but AlAttiyah is
unbeaten in the Middle East since last September and set fastest
stage times during last weekends WRC candidate rally in Jordan
Last weekend has given me great confidence for this rally
said AlAttiyah The stages around the Dead Sea were rocky and
twisty and very similar to Cyprus We have managed to get as close
to the Cyprus Rally setup for the car as we could
A strong Cyprus contingent bolsters the lower reaches of the
entry list
Multiple Cyprus National Champion Andreas Tsouloftas fresh
from taking sixth place in Jordan last weekend takes part in a
Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution Tsouloftas finished ninth overall in
Cyprus last year and is joined by the likes of Andreas Peratikos
Chris Thomas Kikis Koutsakos Yiotis Hartoupalos and Demetris
Papasavvas
Teams carried out their detailed reconnaissance of the route on
Tuesday and today Wednesday and will take part in a timed
shakedown stage on Thursday
After a ceremonial start at local time GMT on
Thursday evening on the Promenade in Limassol competitive action
begins at local time GMT on Friday morning with the
first of six timed stages in leg one
A further six special stages take place on both Saturday and
Sunday with the event reaching a conclusion on the seafront in
Limassol at local time GMT on Sunday afternoon
Following are the Cyprus Rally top starters
Sebastien Loeb FDaniel Elena F Citroen Xsara
Petter Solberg NPhilip Mills GB Subaru Impreza WRC
Markko Martin EEMichael Park GB Peugeot WRC
Marcus Gronholm FINTimo Rautiainen FIN Peugeot WRC
Toni Gardemeister FINJakke Honkanen FIN Ford Focus RS WRC
Harri Rovanpera FINRisto Pietilainen FIN Mitsubishi Lancer
WR
Gilles Panizzi FHerve Panizzi F Mitsubishi Lancer WR
Francois Duval BStephane Prevot B Citroen Xsara
Roman Kresta CZJan Mozny CZ Ford Focus RS WRC
Henning Solberg NCazto Menkerud N Ford Focus RS WRC
Following are FIA World Rally Championship
Drivers positions after round of
Sebastien Loeb F pts
Petter Solberg N pts
Markko Martin EE pts
Marcus Gronholm FIN pts
Toni Gardemeister FIN pts
Harri Rovanpera FIN pts
Manufacturers
Peugeot pts
Citroen pts
Subaru pts
Ford pts
Mitsubishi pts
Skoda pts
Enditem
TOKYO May Xinhua Three secondhalf goals from Keisuke
Funatani and substitute Yoshiaki Ohta gave Jubilo Iwata a
victory over Shenzhen Jianlibao on Wednesday evening in an AFC
Champions League Group E match
The loss Shenzhens first of the competition combined with
Suwon Samsung Bluewings demolition of Hoang Anh Gia Lai in the
groups other game means that Chi Changbins side will have to
beat the South Korean side in its next game to progress to the
quarterfinals of Asias premier club competition
Given the fact that Jubilo has virtually ended its run in the
tournament Shenzhens defeat handed the advantage to the Bluewings
who are riding high after winning the Hauzen Cup at the weekend
With Robetrt Cullen and Rodrigo Gral leading the line for Jubilo
the home side dominated the first half restricting the visitors to
a couple of opportunities on the break
Cullen had the first opportunity of the game after just five
minutes when the yearold hooked a firsttime volley wide after
being put through Gral whose industry caused problems all night
for the visitors
Shenzhen hardly managed to make it out of its half in the first
minutes and it was not until the th minute that it had first
real attack Li Yi dragging a shot wide off the far post from a
tight angle
Four minutes later only the woodwork prevented Jubilo from
taking the lead Gral picking the ball up from deep twisted and
turned his way past Zhang Yonghai on the left before cutting inside
and curling a shot from just outside the box over Shenzhen keeper
Li Lei Lei and onto the top of the bar
The best chance of the half fell to Jubilo with Cullen once
again the architect Gullen sent a cutback from the byeline into
the path of Gral who would have scored from close range but was
denied by an intervention from Marek Zajac
Shenzhen had its best chance of the game just seven minutes
after the restart when Li Yi played a clever pass behind the Jubilo
defence into the path of striker Djima Abiodun Oyawole He had time
to look up and pick his spot but his powerful drive from the top of
the box flew inches past the goals far post
The miss proved to be disastrous for the Chinese side because
four minute later Jubilo took the lead
Cullen weaved his way down the left flank and after beating
Zajac with some neat footwork passed the ball to Funatani who
sidefooted the ball wide of Li Leilei from eight yards out
Shenzhen should have levelled minutes later when midfielder
Li Fei jinked his way past a couple of Jubilo defenders into the
box but his shot was too close to Yohei Sato who gathered at the
second attempt
Moments later a cross from the right by Li Yi deflected off the
back of Shun Morishita and onto the underside of the bar with Sato
beaten
Jubilo doubled the lead on minutes when slack marking allowed
Ohta to fire home past a diving Li Leilei
Funatani made it with a yard effort on minutes
Enditem
SEOUL May Xinhua Suwon Samsung Bluewings captured the
top spot of Group E in AFC Champions League after trashing
Vietnamese League champions at Suwon World Cup Stadium on
Wednesday evening
South Korean FA Cup holders Busan IPark clinched their
qualification for the final eight in the Group G of Asia Football
Confederations Champions League with a win over Vietnamese FA
Cup winners Hoalam Bin Dinh on the same night
Suwons Kim Donghun tucked away a goal from a through pass in
the goal mouth just after the starting whistle while midfielder
Lee Byoungkeun hammered home another past the Vietnamese goalie Vo
Van Hanh just out of box three minute after hitting the net in the
th Kim Donghun went on to score another in the st
Suwons players relentlessly stepped up their attack to widen
their lead in Group E over Chinese SuperLeague champion Shenzhen
Jianlibao
As the final whistle blew they threw their hands up into the
air to celebrate their return to the top of the group as a stadium
announcement said Jubilo Iwata had beaten Shenzen at Yamaha
Stadium in Shizuoka Japan
Suwon still has to win or tie their second leg against Shenzhen
in an away match on May to confirm their progress to the final
eight
Suwon had failed to score in their tie with Shenzhen in the
first meeting despite outnumbering their opponents for the final
minutes of the game after a Chinese player was kicked off the
field by the referees
Cha Bumkeun Korean football legend and Suwon coach had no
mercy to show to the Vietnamese side
Going into Wednesdays game Chas team needed at least three
goals to provide a cushion for calculating goal differences with
the Chinese rivals for the top of the group table But his boys
added three more than Chas order
With the help from Jubilo and a small measure of luck we can
top our Group table Cha said in a press conference after the
match
I especially thank Kim Dongheon and Lee Byoungkeun who
successfully filled the hole left by injured players such as Kim
Namil and Croatian defender Mato Neretljak Mato Busan IPark
qualified first among the group leaders to the quarter finals by
trashing winners of the Vietnamese FA Cup Hoalam Binh Dinh at
Quy Nhon Stadium in Binh Dinh Vietnam on the same night
Busan midfielder Do Hwasung tapped in a loose ball from the
goal mouth in the th to score Following a brace by Brazilian
striker Luciano in the th and th Cameroonian forward for Busan
Felix Nzeina celebrated their move to the next stage by firing home
a goal from the left box in the nd
With the victory and points Busan will not have to worry
about their next match against Thailand Krung Thai Bank at their
home Busan Asiad Stadium on May Busan beat the Thai team in
their first meeting
The winner of the Asian Champions League earns a ticket to FIFA
s Clubs Championship in Tokyo Japan in December
The quarter finals reserved for the seven group leaders plus
the current defending champions Al Ittihad of Saudi Arabia are
scheduled to kickoff on Sept
The draw will take place at AFC House in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia
next month Enditem
BEIJING May Xinhua The official result from a group
match between Denmark and Thailand in the Sudirman Cup badminton
tournament will not turn official until Thursday due to Thailands
protest the International Badminton Federation IBF said here
Wednesday
Referee Keith Hawthorne said the result has to remain unofficial
as Thailand refused to sign on the result sheet which forced the
IBF to hold a meeting Thursday to discuss the matter
Denmark beat Thailand in the second round of the Group A
to progress into the last four with one match remaining after they
clinched a victory over England Tuesday
The IBF did not reveal more details about the dispute but a
couple of protests from the Thai players occurred during the mixed
doubles competition between Denmarks world number Thomas
LaybournRytter Juhl and reigning Japan Open champions Prapakamol
SudketThoungthongkam Saralee
Sudket twice protested that Denmark players hit the shuttle too
wide while the umpire made decisions in favor of Denmark in the
third set where Denmark trailed Enditem
JINAN East China May Xinhua Chinas international Zheng Zhi scored two goals on Wednesday night to help Shandong Luneng rally to edge Japans Yokohama FMarinos and jump into the quarterfinals of Asian Champions League
Despite one game left Shandong won all its first five matches and have guaranteed their leading role in Group F with points Yokohama came up at the second place with nine points
Japanese defender Daisuke Nasu lifted the guests to lead with an accurate header only four minutes into the game
However Zheng Zhi equalized the score in the th minute with a powerful shot in the penalty area The first half ended with a draw which was enough for Shandong to advance into the quarterfinals
Yokohama enhanced its offensives in the second half by substituting striker Tatsuhiko Kubo and midfielder Koji Yanase for two defenders and tried hard to penetrate Lunengs defense line They nearly made a goal in the th minute but the ball was blocked off right on the goal line by a Luneng defender
Four minutes later Zheng Zhi made his double by a low drive after he danced past two Japanese defenders and the goal keeper in fast speed
Around Chinese fans and Japanese fans were in the seat stadium Fans were not allowed to take bags bottles or food into the stadium and warned not to insult Japanese footballers and fans
A Japanese goalkeeping coach was sent off the playground by the umpire in the last three minutes Enditem
HANOI May Xinhua South Korean FA Cup holder Busan I
Park became the first team to join defending champion Al Ittihad in
the last eight of this years AFC Champions League when it beat
Vietnamese side Binh Dinh on Wednesday
Midfielder Do Hwasung set the tone for the South Koreans when
he opened the scoring with a ninthminute tapin raising his tally
in this years AFC Champions League to four goals
Luciano made it on minutes pouncing on a loose ball
after Binh Dinh goalkeeper Tran Quoc Viet had fumbled a shot and
the Brazilian striker extended the advantage right before half time
when he fired home after the Vietnamese sides defence failed to
clear a corner kick
Cameroonian forward Felix Nzeina sealed the victory when he
lashed in Busans fourth goal with a rightfoot shot from the left
corner of the Binh Dinh box in the nd minute
Binh Dinh was denied a late consolation when an effort by Do
Xuan Hung was disallowed for offside
Busan has won all five of its Group G games scoring goals
and conceding none Busan could complete its group stage campaign
with a perfect record if it wins its final home match against
Thailands Krung Thai Bank on May
Obviously were very happy with the result Busan coach Ian
Porterfield told FootballAsiacom after the match
The conditions were very hot and we had little time to
acclimatize as we only arrived in Binh Dinh yesterday But Do Hwa
sungs early goal relaxed us and we won quite comfortably at the
end
Its been a superb team effort to win five games in a row and I
must congratulate each and every Busan IPark player that has
played a part for us in this competition added the Scot
The knockout stage of the AFC Champions League starts in mid
September Enditem
SEOUL May Xinhua Ahn Junghwan has been rewarded for
his fine form in Yokohama F Marinos earning a recall to the South
Korean national squad for its forthcoming World Cup qualifiers
against Uzbekistan and Kuwait
Ahn was sidelined for four months with an ankle injury suffered
during South Koreas win over Maldives in the first round of
the World Cup qualifiers last November
However the prolific form of the yearold who has scored
seven goals since returning to action in early April has convinced
national coach Jo Bonfrere to add his name to his man squad for
the visits to Tashkent on June and Kuwait City on June
With forwards Seol KiHyeon and Lee Chunsoo unavailable due to
military service commitments Bonfrere has also called up AFC Young
Player of the Year Park Chuyoung of FC Seoul and Ulsan Horangi
striker Kim Jinyong both of whom have bagged six goals each in
the recentlyconcluded Hauzen Cup competition
The South Koreans are not short of striking options with Lee
Donggook of the Pohang Steelers Suwon Samsung veteran Kim Daeeui
and Eintracht Frankfurts Cha Doori all available for the matches
Midfielders Kim Namil and Yoo Sangchul and defender Park Jae
hong have been sidelined by injury with the latter being replaced
by Kim Hanyoon of Bucheon FC who earns his first national callup
The squad will gather for a training camp at the Paju National
Football Center on May before departing for Uzbekistan a week
later
South Korea currently leads Group A with six points from three
games followed by unbeaten Saudi Arabia with five Kuwait with
four and lastplaced Uzbekistan with only one point
The top two in the group will advance directly to the World
Cup finals with the thirdplaced side advancing to a playoff for an
additional spot in Germany
Squad
Goalkeepers Lee Woonjae Suwon Bluewings Kim Yongdae Busan
I Park Kim Youngkwang Chunnam Dragons
Defenders Kim Hanyoon Bucheon FC Park Donghyuk Chonbuk
Motors Kim Jinkyu Jubilo IwataJapan Ryu Kyoungyoul Ulsan
Horangi Kim Youngchul Seongnam Chunma
Midfielders Lee Youngpyo Park Jisung both PSV Eindhoven
Netherlands Kim Jungwoo Ulsan Kim Dongjin FC Seoul Kim Do
heon Suwon Park Kyusun Chonbuk Chung Kyungho Gwangju
Sangmu Kim Sangsik Seongnam
Forwards Lee Donggook Pohang Steelers Kim Daeeui Suwon
Kim Jinyong Ulsan Park Chuyoung Seoul Ahn Junghwan
Yokohama MarinosJapan Cha Doori Eintracht FrankfurtGermany
Enditem
BEIJING May Xinhua Hosts China and Indonesia both
hammered their Group B rivals at the badminton Sudirman Cup on
Wednesday to fill in the remaining two spots in the semifinals
The two traditional powerhouses left no chance for their
opponents to produce surprise Hosts whitewashed Chinese Hong Kong
and Indonesia beat Group minnows Sweden
Both sides keep unbeaten with two matches played and have moved
into the semifinals with one group tie yet to go The other two
teams in Group B went with two defeats and have been eliminated
Earlier in the afternoon South Korea and Denmark of Group A
booked the first two semi berths after defeating England and
Thailand respectively
China is to meet Indonesia and South Korea will clash with
Denmark on Wednesday for the group top places Enditem
BEIJING May Xinhua Denmark is aiming at taking the top
place in the Group A at the Sudirman Cup badminton tournament in
order to avoid hosts China in the semifinals said Denmark coach Jan
Sandahl Jorgensen here Wednesday
Denmark beat Thailand in their second group match Wednesday
following their victory over England Tuesday and next takes on
defending champion South Korea on Thursday
But the official result between Denmark and Thailand will not be
finalized until Thursday because Thailand refused to sign on the
result sheet referee Keith Hawthorne revealed The International
Badminton Federation is to hold a meeting Thursday to discuss the
matter
We will do everything to win South Korea because we do not want
to play China If we beat South Korea we will become the winner of
our groupsaid Jorgensen We believe that China will win the
other group and Indonesia will finish runnerup
According to the schedule Group A winner will meet the runner
up of Group B
Jorgensen admitted that South Korea would be a very tough
opponent to beat especially when they were not certain whether
South Koreas world champions Kim Dong Moon and Ra Kyung Min would
be paired up for the mixed doubles
The two were playing separate matches in the first two days and
we watched their games he said We did a lot of video filming
But we cant tell you what we are thinking about them and what we
will do It is part of the game Enditem
BEIJING May Xinhua Following are the results from the
evening session of the group phase at the Sudirman Cup mixed team
badmiton championship here Wednesday
Group B
China bt Hong Kong China China names first
Mens singles Bao Chunlai bt Agus Hariyanto
Womens singles Xie Xingfang bt Yip Pui Yin
Mens doubles Cai YunFu Haifeng bt Liu Kwok WaAlbertus Susanto
Njoto
Womens doubles Yang WeiZhang Jiewen bt Wang ChenYip Pui Yin
Mixed doubles Zhang JunGao Ling bt Agus HariyantoLi Wing Mui
Indonesia bt Sweden Indonesia names first
Mixed doubles Nova WidiantoLilyana Natsir bt Fredrik Bergstrom
Johanna
Persson
Mens singles Taufik Hidayat bt Hugi Heimirsson
Womens singles Andrianti Firdasari lost to Elin Bergblom
Mens doubles Luluk HadiyantoAlvent Yulianto bt Joakim Hansson
Henrik
Andersson
Womens doubles Jo NovitaLita Nurlita bt Elin BergblomJohanna
Persson
Group B
Scotland bt Wales Scotland names first
Mens singles Craig Goddard bt Martyn Lewis
Womens singles Yuan Wemyss bt Harriet Johnson
Mens doubles Craig RobertsonAndrew Bowman lost to Matthew
HughesMartyn Lewis
Womens doubles Yuan WemyssSusan Hughes bt Joanna Sullivan
KerryAnn
Sheppard
Mixed doubles Andrew BowmanKirsteen McEwanMiller bt Matthew
HughesRobyn Ashworth
India bt United States India names first
Mixed doubles V DijuGutta Jwala bt Tony GunawanMesinee
Mangkalakiri
Mens singles Arvind Bhat bt Raju Rai
Womens singles Trupti Murgunde bt Eva Lee
Mens doubles Thomas SanaveRupesh Kumar lost to Howard Bach
Khankham Malaythong
Womens doubles Gutta JwalaShruti Kurian bt Eva LeeMesinee
Mangkalakiri
Group A
Switzerland bt Estonia Switzerland names first
Mixed doubles Christian BosigerJeannine Cicognini bt Ants
MangelPiret Hamer
Mens singles Oliver Andrey lost to Raul Must
Womens singles Sabrina Jaquet lost to Kati Tolmoff
Mens doubles CChristian BosigerMichael Andrey bt Raul Must
Ants Mangel
Womens doubles Corinne JorgJeannine Cicognini bt Piret Hamer
Helene Reino
Norway lost to Kazakhstan Norway names first
Mixed doubles Jim AndersenMonica Halvorsen bt Anuar Mussafirov
Yuliya Okuneva
Womens singles Helene Abusdal lost to Saule Kustavletova
Mens singles Jim Andersen bt Mikhail Zakharov
Womens doubles Helene AbusdalSara B Kverno lost to Saule
KustavletovaYuliya Okuneva
Mens doubles Lars AbusdalSteinar Klausen lost to Mikhail
ZakharovAnuar Mussafirov
Enditem
JINAN East China May Xinhua Following is the summary of the AFC Champions League Group F match between Shandong Luneng and Yokohama F Marinos here on Wednesday
Shandong Zhengzhi
Yokohama Nasu Daisuke
Halftime Attendance
Enditem
TOKYO May Xinhua Japan coach Zico has decided to stick
with an experienced squad for international soccer friendlies against Peru
and the United Arab Emirates later this month
The Brazilian has opted not to include any new faces in the
man squad that will play Peru on May in Niigata and the UAE on
May in Tokyo in the annual Kirin Cup competition giving an
early indication of the side that will play against Bahrain and DPR
Korea in crucial World Cup qualifiers in June
The Japan coach sees the Kirin Cup games as a warmup for the
World Cup qualifiers
It will be a good preparation for the match against Bahrain
because although the UAE failed to reach the final qualifying
round they have beaten DPR Korea in the first round said Zico
Their style of football is similar to Bahrains Besides Peru
are very strong They still have the chance to qualify for the
World Cup This is the squad for these two games
Only three foreignbased players midfielders Shinji Ono of
Dutch side Feyenoord and Junichi Inamoto of English Premiership
club West Bromwich Albion and Hamburg SV striker Naohiro Takahara
have been called up for the Kirin Cup
But Italian Serie A players Hidetoshi Nakata Shunsuke Nakamura
and Atsushi Yanagisawa along with Koji Nakata of French side
Marseille could return for the World Cup qualifiers
Japan is currently in second place in Group B of the World Cup
Asian Qualifiers with six points from two games Iran leads the
fourteam group with seven points
Japans squad for Kirin Cup
Goalkeepers Yoichi Doi FC Tokyo Seigo Narazaki Nagoya
Grampus Eight Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi Jubilo Iwata
Defenders Atsuhiro Miura Vissel Kobe Makoto Tanaka Jubilo
Tsuneyasu Miyamoto Gamba Osaka Alessandro Santos Urawa Reds
Yuji Nakazawa Yokohama F Marinos Keisuke Tsuboi Urawa Akira
Kaji Tokyo
Midfielders Takashi Fukunishi Jubilo Mitsuo Ogasawara
Kashima Antlers Masashi Motoyama Kashima Junichi Inamoto West
Bromwich AlbionEngland Shinji Ono FeyenoordNetherlands
Yasuhito Endo Gamba
Forwards Takayuki Suzuki Kashima Naohiro Takahara Hamburg
SVGermany Keiji Tamada Kashiwa Reysol Masashi Oguro Gamb
Enditem
SEOUL May Xinhua KLeague champion Suwon Bluewings
boosted its hopes of reaching the quarterfinals of the AFC
Champions League after trouncing Vietnams Hoang Anh Gia Lai to
go to the top of Group E
The Bluewings never looked back after taking the lead through
Kim Donghun only seconds into the game Wingback Lee Byoung
keun extended the advantage with a brace of goals in the th and
th minute before Cho Wonhee struck on minutes to make it
at halftime
Brazilian striker Sandro scored Suwons fifth on the hour mark
and Kim Doheon completed the rout with the final goal minutes
from time
With Chinas Shenzhen Jianlibao losing to Jubilo Iwata in
the nights other Group E match Suwon will only need a draw in
Shenzhen in its last group match to secure its passage into the
last eight of Asias top club competition
The victory takes the South Korean champion onto points with
one game remaining three points ahead of the Chinese Super League
titleholder The two meet on March in a showdown that will
decide which team advances to the quarterfinals
The Vietnamese champion on the other hand left a damp Suwon
World Cup Stadium still pointless and still firmly rooted to bottom
spot
It took less than half a minute for the hosts without suspended
striker Nadson as well as injured trio Kim Namil Song chongguk
and Mato Neretljak to take the lead as Lee Byoungkeun in space
on the right rolled the ball across invitingly for Kim Donghun to
tap the ball into the gaping net
There was no let up for the visitors as the Bluewings attacked
in waves and it was only a matter of time before Suwon added a
second
It duly came after minutes as Sandros freekick was parried
by goalkeeper Vo Van Hanh into the path of Kim Donghun The
strikers shot somehow hit the diving Vo but Lee Byoungkeun made
no mistake with the rebound
The defender added his second and his teams third in more
spectacular fashion after minutes as he pounced on a loose ball
in the penalty area blasting a halfvolley into the top corner of
the goal
Nineteen minutes later Lee was involved again his cross
finding Cho Wonhee with the midfielder guiding the ball home from
just inside the penalty area
Suwon goalkeeper Lee Woonjae was finally called into action a
minute before the break getting down well to smother a shot from
an unmarked Nyugen Minh Hai
Five minutes after the break substitute Kim Daeui beat the
offside trap and squared the ball to an unmarked Sandro who side
footed the ball home
A goalkeeping mistake from Vo Van Hanh capped off a miserable
night for the southeast Asians With minutes remaining
midfielder Kim Doheon hit a shot straight at the keeper which
somehow squirmed under his body and bobbled into the net Enditem
MPV
MPV
TT
S
S
by Li Li
BEIJING May Xinhua No surprise came out as four
traditional powers booked their berths in the semifinals at the
Sudirman Cup Wednesday all with two wins out of two ties
In Group A reigning titleholders South Korea whitewashed
England and European powerhouse Denmark crushed Thailand to
move into the semifinals first
Hosts China and Indonesia filled in the remaining two spots
later in the afternoon session crushing Chinese Hong Kong and
Sweden respectively
China was obviously testing new combination of their big guns
The fourtime Cup winners fielded a totally different lineup from
the previous day but still wrapped up all the five points
Only Cai YunFu Haifeng continued to play in mens doubles and
they gave China the winning point beating Liu Kwok WaAlbertus
Njoto of Chinese Hong Kong
Bao Chunlai replaced current world No Lin Dan to start mens
singles for the hosts He overcame the second games defeat to win
over Agus Hariyanto
We lost the only game on Bao but thats because his opponent
is strong said Chinese head coach Li Yongbo Agus was playing in
the Indonesian national team
Li was satisfied with the team performance but stressed
Wednesdays showdown against Indonesia to top the group
We will present our strongest lineup to meet Indonesia tomorrow
evening he said
Indonesia lost one point on womens singles but won the other
four matches with their top mixed pair Nova WidiantoLilyana Natsir
Olympic champion Taufik Hidayat current world No mens duo
Luluk HadiyantoAlvent Yulianto and womens couple Jo NovitaLita
Nurlita
South Korea started their second day battle with Lee Hyun Il
taking on Nicolas Kidd in the mens singles
The world number player clinched the first point for the
defending champion before Lee Yoon Hee overcame
Elizabeth Cann
South Korea fielded a mens doubles with Yim Bang Eun replacing
Olympic doubles champion Kim Dong Moon to be paired up with Ha Tae
Kwon The new partners pushed aside Anthony Clark and Robert Blair
Yim and I began to be paired up after the Athens Olympic Games
and we have yet to cooperate very wellsaid Ha I think I will
play the doubles with my old partner Kim again in this tournament
but I am not certain whether we can still be partners after it
Lee Kyung WonLee Hyo Jung beat Ella TrippJoanne Wright
in the womens doubles before Lee Jae JinRa Kyung Min
defeated Nathan RobertsonGail Emms
South Korea will next clash with Denmark for the top place in
Group A Enditem
LONDON May Xinhua Liverpool striker Milan Baros admitted on Wednesday that he is frustrated at not playing more firstteam football
Baros who will vie with fitagain Djibril Cisse for a starting place in the Champions League final said It is not true that I had or have had disputes with boss Rafael Benitez
But I am annoyed that when Im fit I only warm the bench or when Benitez takes me off during a game even if I havent used up all my energy
Baros who has been substituted times during appearances this season added I need to play Only then will I be better than I am now
The Czech Republic striker was substituted for Cisse at halftime in Sundays match against Arsenal
And with Benitez expected to select only one recognised striker in the Champions League final against AC Milan on May there appears to be a direct competition between the two players for the starting berth Enditem
LONDON May Xinhua Dennis Bergkamp gave a virtuoso performance to inspire Arsenal to a home win over Everton in an English Premier League soccer match on Wednesday
Thanks to Bergkamps vision and touch Arsenal had scored twice in the opening minutes the Dutchman setting up Robin van Persie and Robert Pires
Bergkamps pass for Arsenals third was even better releasing Patrick Vieira who deftly chipped Richard Wright
After the break Pires bagged a second Edu fired in a penalty Bergkamp capped a superb display with the sixth with Mathieu Flamini completing the rout
Arsenals control was so total that manager Arsene Wenger was able to introduce Thierry Henry after the break the Frenchmans return from a groin injury a timely boost ahead of the FA Cup Final
Everton were restricted to a few hurried shots two from Mikel Arteta and one from James Beattie
The margin of Arsenals victory a record win under Arsene Wenger and a record defeat in the Premiership for Everton was even more astonishing given the Toffees qualification for the Champions League
Visiting manager David Moyes who had asked his team to enjoy the occasion after securing fourth place in the Premiership ordered them to go and apologise to their travelling fans at the end
Bergkamp has still not yet been offered a new contract by Arsenal but on the evidence of his performance he is likely to be finding gainful employment at Highbury come the start of the new season
The Dutchman who turned on Tuesday was by far the best player on the pitch his every touch his every pass drawing appreciation from the Highbury crowd
In a Dutch combination Van Persie ran on to a superb ball that Bergkamp threaded through the Everton defence in the eighth minute to shoot low past goalkeeper Richard Wright
Three minutes later Bergkamp found Jose Antonio Reyes out on the left and the Spaniard pulled the ball back into the centre where Pires shot low past Wright
The keeper dived full stretch to parry the ball upwards and Pires following up sent a looping header into the far top corner from close to the penalty spot
Bergkamp was also involved in the third goal which came from another fine move not long after the half hour mark that was finished by Vieira who ran on to the Dutchmans pass to chip Wright as he dived at the French midfielders feet
Before that Pires added a fourth early in the second half and Brazil midfielder Edu who plans to leave Arsenal when his contract ends this season scored the fifth with a penalty minutes from time after a handball by Lee Carsley
In the th minute Bergkamp rounded off a fine performance with a deserved solo goal for Arsenals sixth
Flamini struck the seventh goal his first for the club five minutes from time at the end of a fine move started by fellow substitute Thierry Henry back after a month out with a groin injury Enditem
LONDON May Xinhua Gary Neville admitted on Wednesday that Manchester United have a mountain to climb if they are to overhaul Chelsea in next seasons Premiership
The England right back was disappointed to trudge around Old Trafford in front of a sparse following as many of the home supporters left long before United performed their traditional endofseason lap of honour
It was an experience Neville did not want to repeat in a hurry but he could understand the fans frustrations after a home reverse to the champions
We were hoping we could win the game and start our preparation for next season he told Sky Sports News And it wasnt to be
We started pretty well but at the end we were left with an empty feeling But I think not one of any of us as players would want to experience too quickly walking around that pitch at the end again
It was disappointing to say the least I can totally understand why they went the only disappointment for us is for the ones that did go we could not clap them for their support this season But I can totally understand why they went
Its not easy for a Manchester United fan to see the champions I suppose and their team having to clap another team onto the pitch and then watch the champions go and beat Man United on their own patch Its a lot to take for our fans because theyve come to expect better and we expect better as players but thats the way it is
I feel like were at the bottom of a mountain and Chelsea are at the top but weve got people in the club who have climbed that mountain before and we have to go and climb it again Its a huge challenge
Not for the manager Theres no doubt about the manager facing the challenge because hes done it over a period of about years but its up to us as players to accept the challenge and win the championship
We have to win the championship Its as simple as that Nothing less than that is acceptable it never has been but more than ever next season we have to win it
Neville conceded that the stakes have been raised by Arsenal and Chelsea in the past couple of seasons but he maintained United can reach the pinnacle of the domestic game again
Its getting harder and harder he complained The standard has been raised by the last two champions Arsenal not losing a game Chelsea this time amassing a great number of points
Even in our championship seasons over the last years we would not have won it in the last two seasons That is the level we have got to get to next season
One thing I know is we are capable of going on that run Weve shown for five or six months of this season that we are capable of being unbeaten so its not something that scares us
We have to apply ourselves mentally adjust our minds to being ruthless and clinical and doing everything we possibly can to win the games Enditem
LONDON May Xinhua Newcastle United Presidenet Freddy Shepherd claimed that on Wednesday that he intents to appoint Alan Shearer as Newcastles next manager
Current incumbent Graeme Souness has always insisted that Shearer should be the man to replace him although not in the near future
However Souness is already under pressure following Newcastle miserable run of form recently which has seen them crash out of the Uefa and FA Cups and also slump to lower midtable in The Premiership
With Sounesss position being called into question some Newcastle fans are already calling for a change at the top
Graeme Souness has already said that he wants Alan Shearer to take over as manager when he leaves said Shepherd
Its what the most of our supporters want and as I am also a supporter its what I want
Shepherd insisted that everyone at the club including himself should take responsibility for their poor campaign
Nobody at St James Park did a good enough job this season and that includes me he said
All we can do is to promise the supporters that we will work even harder to bring them the success they want and deserve
Shepherd insisted that the club will again back Souness in the transfer market
Noone can ever accuse the board of not backing our manager in the transfer market and Graeme Souness will get our full backing he continued
In fact I had a threehour meeting with the manager yesterday and there are no prizes for guessing what we are talking about Enditem
NAIROBI May Xinhua Kenyas national soccer teams preparations for next months World CupAfrican Nations Cup qualifier against Guinea on Wednesday received yet another blow after their training camp was deferred to next Monday
The Harambee Stars spent two days waiting outside Nairobis Moi International Sports Center after gates were locked in a dispute over the nonpayment of million shillings about US dollars owed by the Kenya Football Federation
Head Coach Mohammed Kheri said they decided to call off their training to give soccer authorities time to sort out their differences with the Stadium Management Board who runs the sports center
We were assured of three weeks of training Now it is down to only two weeks and yet when the team performs poorly its the coach who is sacrificed Im very disappointed Kheri said by telephone
Kenyan team lies second in Group Five of the World Cup qualifiers which also serves as the qualifying tournament for next years African Nations Cup
They will play Guinea in Conakry on June before facing the group leader Morocco at home two weeks later Enditem
HAVANA May Xinhua The game between grand masters GM Neurys Delgado of Cuba and Baduur Jobaba of Georgia featured the sixth day competition in the th International Chess Tournament Capablanca in Memoriam
Delgado and Jobaba are placed second with points apiece behind Ukranian GM Vassily Ivanchuk ranked sixth in the world who has four points and has a rest day on Wednesday
Also running second is Cuban national champion and GM Lazaro Bruzon who is to meet local Walter Arencibia on Wednesday
The third match of the Elite Group will be played between Leinier Dominguez and Jesus Nogueiras both from Cuba
During the fifth round Ivanchuk defeated Arencibia Dominguez beat Delgado and Bruzon divided the point with Nogueiras
Dominguez winner of the past edition of the Capablanca tournament stands fifth with two points with Arencibia and Nogueiras behind with one point each Enditem
HAVANA May Xinhua Cuban Mario Kindelan twotime Olympic boxing goldmedalist and threetime world champion in light weights will meet Britains Amir Khan at the English city of Liverpool on Sunday
Kindelan will give the rematch to Khan whom he defeated in the final of the light weights kilograms in the Athens Olympic Games
The Cuban is considered by the experts the worlds best lightweight amateur pugilist of the last decade
Although Kindelan had announced his retirement after winning all possible amateur titles of the past years he accepted the challenge of a new fight against Khan
The Briton world youth champion said he will defeat Kindelan prior to becoming a professional
I want to show everyone I can defeat the Olympic champion said Khan
In the same program three other Cubans will meet British pugilists The Caribbeans are midweight champion Emilio Correa featherweight Eddy Flores and semiheavy weight Yunieski Gonzalez Enditem
MADRID May Xinhua Following are the summaries from the Spanish Kings Cup semifinal matches on Wednesday
Wednesday May
Athletic Bilbao
Real Betis
Red Card Juanito
Real Betis won after penalties
Halftime Attendance
Next Fixtures
Thursday May
Atletico Madrid v Osasuna
Enditem
ROME May Xinhua An thminute strike from defender Valerio Bertotto helped Udinese tie AS Roma in their Italian Cup semifinal first leg on Wednesday
The away goal gives Udinese who have never won the Cup an excellent chance of progressing after their home second leg next week
Roma went in front in the th minute when French defender Philippe Mexes headed home an Antonio Cassano free kick for his first goal for the club
The home side included Francesco Totti who is serving a fivematch ban in Serie A and enjoyed the better possession and chances throughout
Udinese keeper Morgan De Sanctis was forced into a fullstretch save to keep out a Totti freekick in the th minute and Romas Brazilian wingback Mancini also went close with a backheel
With five minutes remaining Bertotto ran on to a loose ball and rattled home a fierce shot from meters
Cagliari host Inter Milan in the other semifinal on Thursday Enditem
WASHINGTON May Xinhua James Toney was stripped of his WBA heavyweight title victory over John Ruiz last month and suspended for days by the New York State Athletic Commission on Wednesday for violating its illegal substance policy
Toney claimed a onesided round points victory over title holder Ruiz in their April bout in Madison Square Garden but New Yorks governing body for boxing is changing the official outcome to a No Decision because of the failed drug test commission chairman Ron Scott Stevens said
Mr Toney has been suspended for days effective April and he has been ordered to pay a fine Once the days expires in order to be reinstated he would have to submit himself for drug testing Stevens said but declined to reveal what Toney tested positive for
This is a medical issue and it would be a breach of his confidentiality and the privacy that we owe him I can only say it was a violation of our illegal substance policy he said Enditem
LONDON May Xinhua Following are the summaries from the English Premier League soccer matches on Wednesday
Wednesday May
Arsenal Robin van Persie Robert Pires Patrick Vieira Edu pen Dennis Bergkamp Matthieu Flamini
Everton
Halftime Attendance
Tuesday May
Manchester United Ruud van Nistelrooy
Chelsea Tiago Eidur Gudjohnsen Joe Cole
Halftime Attendance
Next Fixtures
Sunday May
Birmingham City v Arsenal
Bolton Wanderers v Everton
Charlton Athletic v Crystal Palace
Fulham v Norwich City
Liverpool v Aston Villa
Manchester City v Middlesbrough
Newcastle United v Chelsea
Southampton v Manchester United
Tottenham Hotspur v Blackburn Rovers
West Bromwich Albion v Portsmouth
Enditem
ROME May Xinhua Following are the summaries from the Italian Cup semifinal matches on Wednesday
AS Roma Phillipe Mexes
Udinese Valerio Bertotto
Halftime Attendance
Next Fixtures
Semi FinalThursday May
Cagliari v Inter Milan
Enditem
LONDON May Xinhua Following are the results and standings from the English Premier League after soccer matches on Wednesday tabulated under games played won drawn lost goals for against and points
Wednesday May
Arsenal Everton
Tuesday May
Manchester United Chelsea
Chelsea
Arsenal
Manchester United
Everton
Liverpool
Bolton Wanderers
Middlesbrough
Manchester City
Tottenham Hotspur
Aston Villa
Charlton Athletic
Newcastle United
Birmingham City
Blackburn Rovers
Fulham
Portsmouth
Norwich City
Southampton
Crystal Palace
West Bromwich Albion
Enditem
LONDON May Xinhua Following are the top scorers of the English Premier League on Wednesday
Thierry Henry Arsenal
Andy Johnson Crystal Palace
Robert Pires Arsenal
Yakubu Aiyegbeni Portsmouth
Jermain Defoe Tottenham Hotspur
Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink Middlesbrough
Peter Crouch Southampton
Eidur Gudjohnsen Chelsea
Frank Lampard Chelsea
Wayne Rooney Manchester United
Rob Earnshaw West Bromwich Albion
Andy Cole Fulham
Robbie Keane Tottenham Hotspur
Robbie Fowler Manchester City
Shaun WrightPhillips Manchester City
Fredrik Ljungberg Arsenal
Kevin Phillips Southampton
Didier Drogba Chelsea
Tim Cahill Everton
Paul Scholes Manchester United
El Hadji Diouf Bolton Wanderers
Paul Dickov Blackburn Rovers
Jose Antonio Reyes Arsenal
Emile Heskey Birmingham City
Milan Baros Liverpool
Enditem
ROME May Xinhua Third seed Serena Williams bade farewell to the Rome Masters when she lost and to home favourite Francesca Schiavone on Wednesday
The American champion on her first outing since an ankle sprain forced her to withdraw from tournaments in Amelia Island and Berlin looked desperately short of match play against the unfancied Italian ranked th in the world
Asked whether her game had been affected by the injury Williams replied No I had a really good warmup I thought everything would come together but it didnt
In earlier second round matches fourth seed Elena Dementieva of Russia lost and to Gisela Dulko of Argentina while defending champion Frenchwoman Amelie Mauresmo cruised past Australias Samantha Stosur and
Dementieva was also carrying an injury a hip problem that forced her out of last weeks Berlin Open The world number five joined compatriots Svetlana Kuznetsova and Elena Likhovtseva in exiting the tournament
However wins for seventh seed Nadia Petrova and sixthseeded Vera Zvonareva meant the Russians retained their formidable presence at the event
Petrova who reached the final in Berlin confirmed her recent good form with a win over Italys Mara Santangelo while Zvonareva saw off the challenge of Serbia and Montenegros Jelena Jankovic
Second seed Mauresmo who received a bye in the opening round was barely tested by Stosur She next faces th seed Silvia Farina Elia who beat French qualifier Stephanie CohenAloro
There were also wins for fourtime former champion Conchita Martinez who beat Israels Anna Smashnova and winner Mary Pierce who set up an intriguing third round clash with top seed Maria Sharapova by defeating Sanda Mamic Enditem
BERLIN May Xinhua Following are the results from the ATP Race Hamburg Masters mens singles second round matches on Wednesday prefix number denotes seeding
Tim Henman Britain beat Greg Rusedski Britain
Juan Ignacio Chela Argentina beat Robin Soederling Sweden
Christophe Rochus Belgium beat Ivan Ljubicic Croatia
Gaston Gaudio Argentina beat Albert Costa Spain
Jiri Novak Czech Republic beat Juan Monaco Argentina
Andreas Seppi Italy beat Guillermo Canas Argentina
Dominik Hrbaty Slovakia beat Radek Stepanek Czech Republic
Richard Gasquet France beat Nicolas Massu Chile
Roger Federer Switzerland beat Tomas Berdych Czech Republic
Tommy Robredo Spain beat Gustavo Kuerten Brazil
Guillermo Coria Argentina beat Mikhail Youzhny Russia
Mario Ancic Croatia beat Fernando Gonzalez Chile
Juan Carlos Ferrero Spain beat Marat Safin Russia
Nikolay Davydenko Russia beat Mariano Puerta Argentina
Sebastien Grosjean France beat Nicolas Kiefer Germany
Filippo Volandri Italy beat Feliciano Lopez Spain
Enditem
ROME May Xinhua Following are the results from the Italian Masters womens singles second round matches on Wednesday prefix number denotes seeding
Mary Pierce France bt Sanda Mamic Croatia
Elena Bovina Russia bt Roberta Vinci Italy
Gisela Dulko Argentina bt Elena Dementieva Russia
Evgenia Linetskaya Russia bt Flavia Pennetta Italy
Ana Ivanovic Serbia and Montenegro bt Anna Chakvetadze Russia
Patty Schnyder Switzerland bt AnnaLena Groenefeld Germany
Vera Zvonareva Russia bt Jelena Jankovic Serbia and Montenegro
Catalina Castano Colombia bt Maria Elena Camerin Italy
Ai Sugiyama Japan bt Maria VentoKabchi Venezuela
Francesca Schiavone Italy bt Serena Williams United States
Nadia Petrova Russia bt Mara Santangelo Italy
Conchita Martinez Granados Spain bt Anna Smashnova Israel
Silvia Farina Elia Italy bt Stephanie CohenAloro France
Amelie Mauresmo France bt Samantha Stosur Australia
Enditem
BERLIN May Xinhua Juan Carlos Ferrero of Spain defeated third seed Marat Safin of Russia while world number one Roger Federer savored a sweet revenge at the Hamburg Masters on Wednesday
Ferrero the French Open winner beat Australian Open champion Safin and in an illtempered second round tussle to signal his threat at Roland Garros in days time
Top seed Federer enjoyed a victory over Tomas Berdych the yearold Czech who stirred a major upset by beating the Swiss at last years Athens Olympics
Ferrero who slumped to in the rankings due to fitness problems remains one of the worlds finest players on clay
Safin won the first set after Ferrero doublefaulted at but lost his cool at down in the second set after an overruled line call Then Ferrero who beat Safin at last months Monte Carlo Masters took full advantage
The Spaniard sealed the second set with a superb drop shot and ran away with the decider to set up a last meeting with another Russian Nikolay Davydenko
Defending champion Federer broke yearold Berdychs serve in the opening game of each set and sealed a minute victory with a decisive backhand volley on his first match point It was his th win in matches this year
The Wimbledon and US Open champion next faces Spains Tommy Robredo who coasted to a victory over Brazils threetime former French Open champion Gustavo Kuerten
Argentine Guillermo Coria the runnerup in last weeks Rome Masters and at the French Open sped through to the third round by beating Russian Mikhail Youzhny
Tim Henman won his allBritish duel with Greg Rusedski and
French Open champion Gaston Gaudio the fourth seed beat former Roland Garros champion Albert Costa while French yearold Richard Gasquet who upset Federer in Monte Carlo last month defeated Olympic champion Nicolas Massu of Chile
Italian qualifier Andreas Seppi also continued his fine run knocking out Argentine th seed Guillermo Canas Endtiem
ROME May Xinhua Following are the km fourth stage results in the Pro Tour Giro dItalia from Giffoni Valle Piana to Frosinone on Wednesday
Luca Mazzanti Italy Panaria
Dario Cioni Italy Liquigas ST
Michele Scarponi Italy Liberty Seguros
Paolo Bettini Italy QuickStep
Mirko Celestino Italy Domina Vacanze
Filippo Pozzato Italy QuickStep
Erik Zabel Germany TMobile
Danilo Di Luca Italy Liquigas
Robbie McEwen Australia Davitamon Lotto
Cristian Moreni Italy QuickStep
Damiano Cunego Italy Lampre Caffita
Stuart OGrady Australia Cofidis
Stefano Garzelli Italy Liquigas
Julian Dean New Zealand Credit Agricole
Emanuele Sella Italy Panaria
Giampaolo Caruso Italy Liberty Seguros
Isaac Galvez Spain Illes Balears
Uros Murn Slovenia Phonak
Jan Hruska Czech Republic Liberty Seguros
Alessandro Petacchi Italy Fassa Bortolo
Ivan Basso Italy Team CSC
Matthias Kessler Germany TMobile
Fabio Sacchi Italy Fassa Bortolo
Theo Eltink Netherlands Rabobank
Volodymyr Bileka Ukraine Discovery Channel
Gilberto Simoni Italy Lampre Caffita
Andrea Noe Italy Liquigas
Leonardo Bertagnolli Italy Cofidis
Sven Montgomery Switzerland Gerolsteiner
Markus Fothen Germany Gerolsteiner
Enditem
PRAGUE May Xinhua Following are the results from the Prague Open womens singles second round matches on Wednesday prefix number denotes seeding
Mariana DiazOliva Argentina bt Nicole Pratt Australia
Zuzana Ondraskova Czech Republic bt Jelena Kostanic Croatia
Jill Craybas United States bt Yoon Jeong Cho South Korea
Klara Koukalova Czech Republic bt Maja Matevzic Slovenia retired Enditem
PARIS May Xinhua Following are the sSummaries from the French Cup semifinal matches on Wednesday
Wednesday May
Monaco
CS Sedan Ardennes II Mickael Citony
Halftime Attendance
Tuesday May
Auxerre Bonaventure Kalou pen Teemu Tainio
Nimes Olympique Matthias Verschave
Red Card Siramana Dembele
Halftime Attendance
Enditem
CAIRO May Xinhua Following are the results of Arab Champions League semifinals first leg matches
At Riyadh
AlHilal Saudi Arabia
AlIttihad Jeddah Saudi Arabia
At Jeddah
AlAhly Jeddah Saudi Arabia
CS Sfaxien Tunisia holders
Second leg May
Enditem
WASHINGTON May Xinhua Chen Ying of China Valerian Sauveplane of France and Vladimir Gontcharov of Russia split the three gold medals and Olympic berths of Beijing at stake on the third day of the shooting World Cup meet in Fort Benning of the United States Wednesday
Chen started the final of womens meter pistol with a one point lead over Maria Grozdeva of Bulgaria Olympic gold medalist of Syndey and Athens However the difference was not crucial as Grozdeva was known for the outstanding performances during the final rounds But Chen shot a decisive last series to take the gold medal with a final score of and an Olympic quota place for China
Grozdeva was second with On the third place was Chens teammate Fei Fengji world junior champion in
Gontcharov shot a great final of leaving three other close contestants behind and took home the gold medal and an Olympic quota place with a total of His teammate Mikhail Nestruev was second with followed by Frank Dumoulin from France
The five times world cup gold medalist and Olympic winner of Sydney struggled during the final and ended on the third place in a shootoff with Francesco Bruno of Italy
Mens rifle prone final was a necktoneck race between Sauveplane and Eric Uptagrafft from the United States both with the best possible qualification score of Sauveplane made a decisive ninth shot of winning the gold medal and quota place for his nation with a total score of
Uptagrafft came second with while Guy Starik from Israel took the third Enditem
WASHINGTON May Xinhua Following are the results from the NBA playoffs second round matches on Wednesday home team in CAPS
Indiana Pacers
DETROIT PISTONS
The bestofseven series is level at
Dallas Mavericks
PHOENIX SUNS
The bestofseven series is level at
Enditem
WASHINGTON May Xinhua Veteran Reggie Miller scored of his points in the second half as the Indiana Pacers defeated Detroit Pistons in Michigan on Wednesday to level their National Basketball Association playoff series
Jermaine ONeal scored points and Jamaal Tinsley had points assists and seven rebounds for the Pacers who tied their Eastern Conference bestofseven secondround series at one victory each
Games three and four are on Friday and Sunday at Indianapolis
The Pacers have not lost consecutive games in the playoffs and are in the postseason on the road
Defending NBA champion Detroit seized a point lead after the first quarter and a halftime edge before Miller ignited Indianas comeback knowing that his career will end when the playoffs are done for the Pacers
Hes such a threat ONeal said He makes two or three defenders watch him In the second half he came out firing and even when he missed he was opening up things for us
The Pacers who suffered through a brawl with spectators here last November silenced the Pistons fans thanks largely to the late contributions of Jeff Foster inside
Foster began an Indiana run with a follow shot with remaining that gave the Pacers a lead Miller added a pointer ONeal sank a jumper and Foster had backtoback baskets inside to spark the spurt
Foster added a block and a dunk in the final seconds finishing with eight points and six rebounds in the final quarter
The Pacers allowed Detroit only one basket in the final of the fourth quarter
Ben Wallace pulled down rebounds but was held to three points after scoring in the game one victory Enditem
WASHINGTON May Xinhua Michael Finley scored points and Dirk Nowitzki added points rebounds and the gamewinning basket with seconds remaining to give Dallas a victory over Phoenix Sunds here Wednesday
The victory pulled the Mavericks level at in the bestofseven National Basketball Association second round series with games three and four in Dallas
Nowitzki hit a fadeaway jumper for the winning points and the Suns who had the leagues best regularseason record and a homecourt edge throughout the playoffs lost when Quentin Richardson missed a pointer at the buzzer
Finley who scored points in the second half blamed the Mavericks loss in game one on fatigue from being extended to seven games to eliminate the Houston Rockets in the first round
The Mavericks can advance by winning three home games but know the task ahead remains a tough one
Mavericks center Erick Dampier contributed points of of shooting and pulled down rebounds
Amare Stoudemire led Phoenix with points and rebounds while Canadas Steve Nash the NBA Most Valuable Player and Shawn Marion each added points Marion also had rebounds Enditem
RIO DE JANEIRO May Xinhua Following are the results and standings from the Libertadores Cup group stage matches on Wednesday
Wednesday May
Group
LDU Quito Ecuador Danubio Uruguay
Santos Brazil Bolivar Bolivia
Group
Quilmes Argentina Universidad de Chile Chile
Sao Paulo Brazil The Strongest Bolivia
Tuesday May
Group
America Colombia Libertad Paraguay
Atletico Paranaense Brazil Independiente Medellin Colombia
Enditem
RIO DE JANEIRO May Xinhua Following are the standings from the Libertadores Cup after group stage matches on Wednesday tabulated under games played won drawn lost goals for against and points
Group
Independiente Medellin
Atletico Paranaense
America
Libertad
Group
Santos
LDU Quito
Danubio
Bolivar
Group
Sao Paulo
Universidad de Chile
Quilmes
The Strongest
Group
Cerro Porteno
Palmeiras
EC Santo Andre
Deportivo Tachira
Group
River Plate
Atletico Junior
Olmedo
Nacional
Group
Tigres
Banfield
Alianza Lima
Caracas FC
Group
Guadalajara
Once Caldas
Cobreloa
San Lorenzo de Almagro BA
Group
Boca Juniors
Pachuca
Sporting Cristal
Deportivo Cuenca
Enditem
by Ma Xiangfei
BEIJING May Xinhua Thailand has accepted their defeat by Denmark in a Sudirman Cup Group A match held Wednesday after receiving a letter of apology from referee Keith Hawthorne the team manager said Thursday
Because the referee of the tournament has appologized to me I finally signed on the result sheet Thai team leader Chumpon Choompon Leelatian to Xinhua
Thailand refused to sign on the result sheet Wednesday after their match against Denmark
Chumpon said the referee failed to inform their team at once that Denmark changed one of their womens doubles players after they had handed in the lineups four hours ahead of their match Wednesday evening
The referee of the Sudirman Cup would like to apologize to the team manager of the Badminton Association of Thailand for not informing him that I had allowed Denmark to make a subsititution to their team as is allowed under Rugulation of the Sudirman Cup said the letter signed by Hawthorne
There is nothing in the regulations to say I have to notify the opposing team manager but I accept that it was inconsiderate of me not to have done so and again I apologize for this the letter said
We were not against changing players but not happy that the referee did not inform us at onceChumpon said
Denmark subsititued Mette Schjoldager with Helle Nielsen due to the formers injury
The IBF tournamnt doctor certified that the Danish player was unable to competesaid the letter Enditem
MEXICO CITY May Xinhua Costa Rican club Saprissa
won the CONCACAF Champions Cup despite losing the second leg of
the final away to Mexicos UNAM to qualify for the World
club championship in Japan at the end of the year
Saprissa took the trophy the North Central American and
Caribbean equivalent of Europes Champions League for the
third time on aggregate after last weeks home victory
The club also winners in and are coached by
former Costa Rica forward Hernan Medford and owned by flamboyant
Mexican businessman Jorge Vergara who also owns Mexicos most
popular club Guadalajara Enditem
ATHENS May Xinhua The organizing committee of the Athens Olympics said on Thursday it had managed to post a profit of more than million euros million US dollars
With a budget of about billion euros to stage the Games it said it had produced revenues of billion due to increased profits from television rights sponsors and ticket sales
We have succeeded in not only meeting the balanced budget but securing a surplus of over million euros it said in a statement
The committee said million euros from the profits had already been spent on a series of projects ahead of the Games as agreed with the government in a bid to speed up preparations
The committee said it would post a final profit of about seven million euros in its balance sheet to be published soon Enditem
ROME May Xinhua Following are the results from the Italian Masters womens singles third round tennis matches on Thursday prefix denotes seeding
Patty Schnyder Switzerland beat Ana Ivanovic Serbia and Montenegro
Vera Zvonareva Russia bt Catalina Castano Colombia Enditem
ROME May Xinhua Following are the results on the fourth day of the Rome Masters WTA event here on Thursday prefix denotes seeding
Third round
Vera Zvonareva Russia bt Catalina Castano Colombia
Patty Schnyder Switzerland bt Ana Ivanovic
Enditem
BEIJING May Xinhua Following are the results of
afternoon session of the Sudirman Cup mixed team badminton
championship here Thursday
Group A
Chinese Taipei bt Russia Chinese Taipei names first
Mixed doubles Tsai Chia HsinChien Yu Chin bt Vladimir Ivanov
Valeri Sorokina
Mens singles Liao Sheng Shiun bt Stanislav Pukhov
Womens singles Huang Chia Hsin lost to Ella Karachkova
Mens doubles Huang Shih ChungChien Yu Hsun bt Vitali Durkin
Alexander Nickolaenk
Womens doubles Cheng Wen HsingChien Yu Chin bt Nina Vislova
Valeri Sorokina
Malaysia bt Netherlands Malaysia names first
Mixed doubles Koo Kian KeatWong Pei Tty bt Jurgen WoutersMia
Audina
Mnes singles Wong Choong Hann bt Dicky Palyama
Womens singles Wong Mew Choo lost to Yao Jie
Mens doubles Koo Kian KeatChan Chong Ming bt Eric PangGerben
Brujstens
Womens doubles Wong Pei TtyChin Eei Hui lost to Mia Audina
Judith Meulendijk
Group A
New Zealand bt Finland New Zealand names first
Mixed doubles Daniel ShirleySara Runesten bt Petri Hyyrylainen
Leena Loytomaki
Mens singles Geoffrey Bellingham lost to Ville Lang
Womens singles Rebecca Bellingham bt Nina Weckstrom
Mens doubles Daniel ShirleyJohn Gordon bt Petri Hyyrylainen
Tuomas Karhula
Womens doubles Nicole GordonSara Runesten bt Leena Loytomaki
Saara Hynninen
Group B
Wales lost to United States Wales names first
Womens singles Harriet Johnson lost to Eva Lee
Mens singles Paul Le Tocq lost to Raju Rai
Womens doubles Harriet JohnsonRobyn Ashworth lost to Eva Lee
Mesinee Mangkalakiri
Mens doubles Matthew HughesMartyn Lewis lost to Tony Gunawan
Howard Bach
Mixed doubles Paul Le TocqKerryAnn Sheppard lost to Malaythong
Mesinee Mangkalakiri
Scotland lost to India Scotland names first
Mixed doubles Andrew BowmanKirsteen McEwanMiller lost to V
DijuGutta Jwala
Mens singles Craig Goddard lost to Anup Sridhar
Womens singles Susan Hughes lost to Trupti Murgunde
Mens doubles Craig RobertsonAndrew Bowman lost to Thomas
SanaveRupesh Kumar
Womens doubles Yuan WemyssSusan Hughes bt Gutta JwalaShruti
Kurian
Group A
Kazakhstan lost to Estonia
Mixed doubles Mikhail ZakharovYuliya Okuneva lost to Heiki
SorgeKati Tolmoff
Mens singles Anuar Mussafirov lost to Raul Must
Womens singles Saule Kustavletova lost to Kati Tolmoff
Mens doubles Anuar MussafirovMikhail Zakharov bt Ants Mangel
Heiki Sorge
Womens doubles Saule KustavletovaYuliya Okuneva lost to Helene
ReinoPiret Hamer
Norway lost to Switzerland Norway names first
Mixed doubles Jim AndersenMonica Halvorsen lost to Christian
BosigerJeannine Cicognini
Mens singles Steinar Klausen lost to Marco Fux
Womens singles Helene Abusdal lost to Sabrina Jaquet
Mens doubles Lars AbusdalJim Andersen lost to Christian
BosigerMichael Andrey
Womens doubles Helene AbusdalMonica Halvorsen lost to Corinne
JorgJeannine Cicognini
Enditem
BEIJING May Xinhua Hot favorites China in a bid to
reclaim the badminton Sudirman Cup on home ground beat Group B
rival Indonesia here on Thursday to top the group
Indonesians champions of the inaugural event in produced
little trouble to Chinas big guns
Hosts started their last group battle with twotime Olympic
medallists Zhang JunGao Ling taking on newlypaired Flandy Limpele
Yunita Tetty in the opening mixed doubles category
The Indonesian duo put on real challenge when they overcame a
deficit to win the first game ZhangGao regained their
form and finished the remaining two games
In mens singles where current world Number one Lin Dan and
Indonesian Olympic champion Taufik Hidayat were expected to meet
before the match Indonesian sent Sony Dwi Kuncoro instead
Depite a narrow win in the first game Lin proved his
world top form to outclass Kuncoro in the second
Sony plays well and Lin always has trouble with him in the
first game Chinese head coach Li Yongbo said
I think my players have given their best and I hope they will
keep the winning form in the following semifinals and even in the
final
Lins girlfriend Xie Xingfang winner of six IBF tournaments in
a row hammered Fransisca Hari S to secure the victory
for China
In the remaining mens and womens doubles Chinese Fu Haifeng
Cai Yun will clash with former world number one pair C WijayaS
Budiarto with Gao LingHuang Sui to meet G PoliiL Natsir
China has won three out of the three ties to top the group In
the semifinals on Saturday they will meet the loser of the Group
A match between South Korea and Denmark which is still under way
Enditem
NANNING May Xinhua Chinese and foreign experts and scholars discovered two new frog species in a recent expedition into a highly forested mountain on SinoVietnamese border
Further study is necessary to know more about the newlyspotted frog species said Mo Yunming director of biology department with the Museum of Natural Sciences of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region who is also a member of the expedition team
The expedition team consisting of researchers from the United States Indonesia Canada and China made an inspection tour of Shiwan Mountain in southern Guangxi from April to May and studied fauna resources there
During the trip the researchers collected specimens of kinds of animals mostly birds and amphibians of which were spotted for the first time in Guangxi accroding to Mo
Shiwan Mountain nature reserve was ratified by the State Council in June with its forest cover rate reaching percent It is now home to kinds of plant species and animal species Enditem
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BEIJING May Xinhua Denmark grabbed the top position of
Group A to meet Indonesia in the semifinals at the Sudirman Cup
badminton tournament Thursday in a match marred by a tragic
incident that Tine Rasmussen injured her ankle in the womens
singles against Seo Yoon Hee
Rasmussen was leading at in the second set when the year
old twisted her left ankle and painfully dropped to the court
Doctor put icebag on her ankle and Rasmussen was rushed to the
hospital soon after
We hope Tine is OK It is very sad We have to wait and see
Jonas Rasmussen said after his mens doubles victory
South Korea then received the walkover win to level the score at
World number three Peter Gade on bench in the past two days
opened the nights battle for Denmark but was outpaced by South
Koreas Lee Hyung Il ranked nd in the world in the opening set
The Dane enjoying huge popularity in China gradually found his
form when he scraped to win a seesaw second set before
clinching the first point for Denmark with a third set win in
minutes
At first he was not sure of the wind condition because there
was strong wind in the hall After he overcame that he can
concentrate said Denmarks head coach Steen Pedersen
It was reigning Korea Open champion Gades fifth win over Lee in
their eight meetings and Gade admitted it was a hard one
It was my first game in this Sudirman Cup and it was very
difficult the spectators and the tension It was serious said
the yearold
I worked very hard in the second set kept fighting and
fighting and fighting When I won the second set I thought I had
good chance to win the third he said
Denmark took the lead again as their mens doubles Lars Paaske
and Jonas Rasmussen made an easy victory over Kim Dong Moon and Ha
Tae Kwon
We were surprised that we made so many easy mistakes but the
other side also had many mistakes so we know we just needed keep
fighting and pushing on We knew we could do it said Rasmussen
But Denmark soon lost their advantage in the fourth match where
world number womens pair Lee Kyung Won and Lee Hyo Jung made easy
work in winning Helle Nielsen and Pernille Harder ranked th in
the world in minutes
Jens Eriksen with Kamilla Rytter Juhl replacing his world number
three partner Mette Schjoldager fought a determined battle against
Lee Jae Jin and returning world Ra Kyung Min
The Dannish duo sailed to a and
Denmark plays Indonesia on Saturday while host China meets
defending champion South Korea Enditem
BEIJING May Xinhua Hot favorites China in a bid to
reclaim the Sudirman Cup badminton tournament on home ground beat
Group B rival Indonesia here on Thursday to top the group while
Denmark grabbed the top position of Group A in a match marred by a
tragic incident that Tine Rasmussen injured her ankle in the women
s singles against Seo Yoon Hee
Indonesians champions of the inaugural event in produced
little trouble to Chinas big guns
Hosts started their last group battle with twotime Olympic
medallists Zhang JunGao Ling taking on newlypaired Flandy Limpele
Yunita Tetty in the opening mixed doubles category
The Indonesian duo put on real challenge when they overcame a
deficit to win the first game ZhangGao regained their
form and finished the remaining two games
In mens singles where current world Number one Lin Dan and
Indonesian Olympic champion Taufik Hidayat were expected to meet
before the match Indonesian sent Sony Dwi Kuncoro instead
Depite a narrow win in the first game Lin proved his
world top form to outclass Kuncoro in the second
Sony plays well and Lin always has trouble with him in the
first game Chinese head coach Li Yongbo said
I think my players have given their best and I hope they will
keep the winning form in the following semifinals and even in the
final
Lins girlfriend Xie Xingfang winner of six IBF tournaments in
a row hammered Fransisca Hari S to secure the victory
for China
Chinese Fu HaifengCai Yun disposed former world number one pair
C WijayaS Budiarto before Gao LingHuang Sui
dismantled G PoliiL Natsir
Rasmussen was leading at in the second set when the year
old twisted her left ankle and painfully dropped to the court
Doctor put icebag on her ankle and Rasmussen was rushed to the
hospital soon after
We hope Tine is OK It is very sad We have to wait and see
Jonas Rasmussen said after his mens doubles victory
South Korea then received the walkover win to level the score at
World number three Peter Gade on bench in the past two days
opened the nights battle for Denmark but was outpaced by South
Koreas Lee Hyung Il ranked nd in the world in the opening set
The Dane enjoying huge popularity in China gradually found his
form when he scraped to win a seesaw second set before
clinching the first point for Denmark with a third set win in
minutes
At first he was not sure of the wind condition because there
was strong wind in the hall After he overcame that he can
concentrate said Denmarks head coach Steen Pedersen
It was reigning Korea Open champion Gades fifth win over Lee in
their eight meetings and Gade admitted it was a hard one
It was my first game in this Sudirman Cup and it was very
difficult the spectators and the tension It was serious said
the yearold
I worked very hard in the second set kept fighting and
fighting and fighting When I won the second set I thought I had
good chance to win the third he said
Denmark took the lead again as their mens doubles Lars Paaske
and Jonas Rasmussen made an easy victory over Kim Dong Moon and Ha
Tae Kwon
We were surprised that we made so many easy mistakes but the
other side also had many mistakes so we know we just needed keep
fighting and pushing on We knew we could do it said Rasmussen
But Denmark soon lost their advantage in the fourth match where
world number womens pair Lee Kyung Won and Lee Hyo Jung made easy
work in winning Helle Nielsen and Pernille Harder ranked th in
the world in minutes
Jens Eriksen with Kamilla Rytter Juhl replacing his world number
three partner Mette Schjoldager fought a determined battle against
Lee Jae Jin and returning world Ra Kyung Min
The Dannish duo sailed to a and
Denmark plays Indonesia on Saturday while host China meets
defending champion South Korea in the semifinals Enditem
SINGAPORE May Xinhua Sinchi a Chinese team beat Japans Albirex Niigata in a Singapore League match at Jurong Stadium on Thursday
The two goals for Sinchi were scored by Zhou Fanqiang and Luo Tong Liang in the th minute and the th minute respectively while Norikazu Murakami scored one goal for Albirex Niigata in the th minute
With the second victory for Sinchi after matches the Chinese team is now second bottom last from the table with eight points one point behind the Japanese team Albirex Enditem
BEIJING May Xinhua Hot favorites China in a bid to
reclaim the badminton Sudirman Cup on home ground whitewashed
Group B rival Indonesia here on Thursday to set the showdown
with defending champion South Korea in the semifinals
Indonesians champions of the inaugural event in produced
little trouble to Chinas big guns
Hosts started their last group battle with twotime Olympic
medallists Zhang JunGao Ling taking on newlypaired Flandy Limpele
Yunita Tetty in the opening mixed doubles category
The Indonesian duo put on real challenge when they overcame a
deficit to win the first game ZhangGao regained their
form and finished the remaining two games
In mens singles where current world Number one Lin Dan and
Indonesian Olympic champion Taufik Hidayat were expected to meet
before the match Indonesian sent Sony Dwi Kuncoro instead
Depite a narrow win in the first game Lin proved his
world top form to outclass Kuncoro in the second
Sony plays well and Lin always has trouble with him in the
first game Chinese head coach Li Yongbo said
I think my players have given their best and I hope they will
keep the winning form in the following semifinals and even in the
final
Lins girlfriend Xie Xingfang winner of six IBF tournaments in
a row hammered Fransisca Hari S to secure the victory
for China
In the remaining mens and womens doubles Chinese Fu Haifeng
Cai Yun downed former world number one pair Candra WijayaSigit
Budiarto and Gao LingHuang Sui crushed Gresya Polii
Lilyana Natsir
China has won three out of the three ties to top the group
In a Group A match which ended later Denmark shocked reigning
titleholder South Korea to top the group with a unbeaten record
China will meet South Korea and Denmark is to play against
Indonesia in the semifinals on Saturday Enditem
BEIJING May Xinhua Following are the results of Group
one at the badminton Sudirman Cup here on Thursday
Group A
Denmark beat South Korea
MS Peter Gade bt Lee HyunIl
WS Tine Rasmussen lost to Seo YoonHee win by walkover
MD Lars PaaskeJonas Rasmussen bt Kim DongMoonHa TaeKwon
WD Helle NielsenPernille Harder bt Lee KyungWonLee HyoJung
XD Jens EriksenKamilla Rytter Juhl bt Lee JaeJinRa KyungMin
Group B
China beat Indonesia
XD Zhang JunGao Ling bt Flandy LimpeleYunita Tetty
MS Lin Dan bt Sony Dwi Kuncoro
WS Xie Xingfang bt Fransisca Hari S
MD Fu HaifengCai Yun bt Candra WijayaSigit Budiarto
WD Gao LingHuang Sui bt Gresya PoliiLilyana Natsir
Enditem
BEIJING May Xinhua Following is the fixture of the
badminton Sudirman Cup semifinals to be played on Saturday
Court
Denmark vs Indonesia start at GMT
Court
China vs South Korea start at GMT
Enditem
MANCHESTER May Xinhua American business tycoon Malcolm Glazer threw in a millionpound bid for the takeover of Manchester United on Thursday after stealthily acquring shares from the clubs biggest single investors
A statement released by Glazers bankers said he would make a pencepershare cash offer to United shareholders valuing the worldfamous club at million pounds billion euros billion dollars
Uniteds share price jumped by percent to pence in late London stock market trading while the capitals FTSE index of leading shares rose percent to points
Glazer is the majority shareholder at United with per cent stake after buying Irish racing tycoons JP McManus and John Magniers per cent stake in the club
The Irish duos stake was snapped up by Glazers investment vehicle Red Football Limited for pence a share automatically triggering a bid for the remaining stake under British takeover rules
Manchester United said its board would review Glazers bid before making a further announcement
Glazers bid triggered a furore among Manchester United supporters who flocked to the Old Tradfford stadium holding hign banners saying not for sale or sell your shares sell your souls Some wrathful fans even burned Glazer in effigy
They fear his offer will saddle United with heavy debts force up ticket prices and divert funds which could be used to buy players for the team which will finish a disappointing third this season in Englands top soccer league Enditem
LAGOS May Xinhua Nigerian Senate President Ken Nnamani on Thursday urged its sports committee not to delay in ensuring the repeal of a decree that allows the government to control the football association
The world football ruling body FIFA had threatened to ban Nigeria if the decree which was promulgated in and approved by FIFA at that time was not repealed
The mood of the nation is to comply with requirements of the international community the official News Agency of Nigeria quoted Nnamani as saying Anything the National Assembly can do to be FIFA compliant we shall do it he added
The president the third most powerful person in Nigeria ensured that the bill on the repeal of the decree would be given accelerated hearing by the senate in consonance with international requirements
Kanti Bello chairman of the senate sports committee said that they hoped to come to a decision in the best interest of all sides since FIFA advocates for the autonomy of football associations worldwide
Musa Mohammed the sports minister however denied knowledge of any FIFA threat to ban Nigeria saying that it was the work of mischief makers
But if Nigeria suffers FIFAs sledge hammer its very likely the country will lose its qualifying slot for the Germany World Cup in Nigeria currently tops its qualifying group with points followed by Angola Enditem
LIMA May Xinhua Argentine Ruben Insua became the second coach resigning in the last hours in a Peruvian soccer club due to poor results this season said local sports league on Thursday
First it was Oscar Malbernat who coached Deportivo Universidad San Martin de Porres the club he saved from the second division in but now runs last with only one victory in rounds of games
Insua the coach of champion Alianza Lima resigned due to the teams bad performance in Libertadores Cup and in the face of the historical thrashing against new team Sport Ancash
On the other hand Edgardo Bauza of Sporting Cristal is about to resign after a poor performance in Libertadores Cup and the series of defeats in the local league the last two in their own stadium
Meanwhile also Argentine Jose Basualdo of Universitario de Deportes does well with his team topping the league in spite of having lost their condition of undefeated Wednesday in their own pitch against Union Huaral
Jorge Sampaoli from Argentina as well coaching Bolognesi Tacna at the bottom of the league got their first victory in eleven rounds in its visit to Sporting Cristal Enditem
HAVANA May Xinhua Grand Masters GM Lazaro Bruzon of Cuba and Vassily Ivanchuk of Ukraine played the most interesting games of the th International Capablanca In Memoriam Chess Tournament here on Thursday
Bruzon summed three points with his victory over compatriot Walter Arencibia while Ivanchuk who had a rest Wednesday kept the lead with four points
In other matches of the seventh round GMs Jesus Nogueiras of Cuba meets Baduur Jobaba of Georgia Cuban Leinier Dominguez the winner faces Walter Arencibia
In the Elite Group which includes seven GMs Ivanchuk is followed by Cuban Neurys Delgado who has pointes after defeating Georgian Jobaba in the sixth round
Bruzon ranked third chased by Dominguez and Jobaba with points each Nogueiras and Arencibia
In Premier I Group international masters Diego Flores and Yuri Gonzalez both of Argentina shared the top spot with points while Premier II saw Alfredo Jiaccio of Argentina atop
The fourth and final mixed group has Mexican international master Manuel Leon at the top
Chess players from countries and regions participated in the tournament at the NeptuneTriton Hotel Complex which will conclude on May Enditem
PRAGUE May Xinhua Following are the results from the Prague Open womens singles second round matches on Thursday prefix number denotes seeding
Dinara Safina Russia bt Michaela Pastikova Czech Republic
Iveta Benesova Czech Republic bt Anne Kremer Luxembourg
Kristina Brandi Puerto Rico bt Jamea Jackson United States
Laura Pous Tio Spain bt Henrieta Nagyova Slovakia Enditem
LISBON May Xinhua England football coach Sven Goran Eriksson is the latest sports personality to confirm attendance at the sixth annual Laureus World Sports Awards at the Casino Estoril Portugal on the evening of Monday
Also present at the ceremony will be fourtime Olympic champion rower Matthew Pinsent and French rugby legend Abdel Benazzi
From the world of entertainment English actress Joely Richardson will be a guest along with Cuba Gooding Jnr who won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his performance as American Football star Rod Tidwell in the film Jerry Maguire
Other top names in the ceremony will include Boris Becker Abdel Benazzi Darren Berrecloth Bertrand Berry Sergey Bubka Jackie Chan Bobby Charlton Sebastian Coe Nadia Comaneci GunnRita Dahle Roger Federer Morgan Freeman Edwin Moses Robby Naish Martina Navratilova Luis Felipe Scolari Mark Spitz Daley Thompson andKatarina Witt
Switzerlands World No tennis star Roger Federer who has been nominated for the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year Award will be present in Estoril along with other nominees like Britains Kelly Holmes who won the gold medal in Athens in the and meters Yelena Isinbayeva Russias gold medal pole vaulter and Otto Rehhagel coach of the European Football Champions Greece
The confirmed guests include great names of sport such as former World Middleweight Champion Marvelous Marvin Hagler Portuguese football legend Eusebio Portugals football coach Luis Felipe Scolari and Australian cricket captain Ricky Ponting
Among Laureus Academy members who will be in Estoril will be Boris Becker Bobby Charlton Sebastian Coe Nadia Comaneci Emerson FittipaldiMichael Johnson Edwin Moses Gary Player and Katarina Witt They will be joined by stars from the world of entertainment including renowned Hollywood actor Morgan Freeman Owen Wilson Jackie Chan and Teri Hatcher
The Laureus World Sports Awards has established a unique place in the sporting calendar honouring the greatest sportsmen and sportswomen from around the world and across all sports
The winners are selected by the ultimate sports jury the Laureus World Sports Academy a unique collection of of the greatest sportsmen and sportswomen of all time led by Chairman Edwin Moses
The sixth annual Laureus World Sports Awards will be held in Estoril from May The Awards Ceremony which is seen by a worldwide first run TV audience of million will be staged at the Casino Estoril on the evening of Monday May Laureus TV programming annually attracts an audience of over one billion
Last years Awards Ceremony was one of the highlights of the sporting year Football legend Luis Figo was in the audience along with Hollywood actors Michael Douglas and Morgan Freeman renowned tenor Placido Domingo and His Excellency Jose Barroso the former Prime Minister of Portugal and currently the European Commission President
The Laureus Awards Ceremony is the climax of two days of exciting sports events including the Laureus Golf Challenge the Laureus Beach Festivalat Tamariz Beach and the Laureus Regatta in Cascais Bay
The Laureus Golf Challenge hosted by Laureus Academy member and golfing legend Gary Player one of only five men to win golfs Grand Slam will take place at Penha Longa the Robert Trent Jones II designed course between Sintra and Cascais
The Laureus Beach Festival which will take place on the spectacular strip of sand between Estoril and Cascais will include beach volleyball football and tennis while the Laureus Regatta will feature yachts crewed by members of various Americas Cup teams Enditem
ROME May Xinhua Following are the leading results from the km stage five in the ProTour Giro dItalia from Celano to LAquila on Thursday
Danilo Di Luca Italy Liquigas
Marzio Bruseghin Italy Fassa Bortolo ST
Mauricio Ardila Colombia Davitamon Lotto
Bjoern Leukemans Belgium Davitamon Lotto
Ivan Basso Italy Team CSC
Damiano Cunego Italy Lampre Caffita
Stefano Garzelli Italy Liquigas
Paolo Savoldelli Italy Discovery Channel
Patrice Halgand France Credit Agricole
Luca Mazzanti Italy Panaria
Tadej Valjavec Slovenia Phonak
Christophe Le Mevel France Credit Agricole
Vladimir Karpets Russia Illes Balears
Juan Manuel Garate Spain Saunier Duval
Alexandr Kolobnev Russia Rabobank
Michele Scarponi Italy Liberty Seguros
Samuel Sanchez Spain Euskaltel
Dario Cioni Italy Liquigas
Christophe Brandt Belgium Davitamon Lotto
Daniel Atienza Spain Cofidis
Cristian Moreni Italy QuickStep
Manuele Mori Italy Saunier Duval
Laurent Lefevre France Bouygues Telecom
Aitor Gonzalez Spain Euskaltel
Haimar Zubeldia Spain Euskaltel
Emanuele Sella Italy Panaria
Markus Fothen Germany Gerolsteiner
Unai Osa Spain Illes Balears
Gilberto Simoni Italy Lampre Caffita
Andrea Tonti Italy Lampre Caffita all same time
Enditem
ROME May Xinhua Italys Danilo Di Luca won the fifth stage of the Giro dItalia and led the cycling race by three seconds on Thursday
The Liquigas rider triumphed at the end of the uphill sprint in the center of LAquila ahead of compatriot Marzio Bruseghin and Colombias Mauricio Ardila
Thanks to the second time bonus awarded to stage winners Di Luca now leads overall from compatriot Paolo Bettini Another Italian Luca Mazzanti is third seconds behind
Di Luca comes from the Abruzzo region in central Italy where the stage ended and was congratulated by his parents and friends
The hilly km stage was characterised by a long break by Bettini and others but Di Lucas Liquigas team rode perfectly and brought the race together just in time for the finish
Di Luca is the leader of the new ProTour seasonlong competition series and this latest stage victory was his sixth of the season and the th of his eightyear career
The Italian won the amateur version of the Giro in Enditem
BERLIN May Xinhua Following are the results from the Hamburg Masters mens singles third round matches on Thursday prefix number denotes seeding
Roger Federer Switzerland bt Tommy Robredo Spain
Guillermo Coria Argentina bt Mario Ancic Croatia
Nikolay Davydenko Russia bt Juan Carlos Ferrero Spain
Filippo Volandri Italy bt Sebastien Grosjean France
Juan Ignacio Chela Argentina bt Tim Henman Britain
Christophe Rochus Belgium bt Gaston Gaudio Argentina
Andreas Seppi Italy bt Jiri Novak Czech Republic
Richard Gasquet France bt Dominik Hrbaty Slovakia
Enditem
BERLIN May Xinhua Defending champion Roger Federer overwhelmed Spains Tommy Robredo at the Hamburg Masters on Thursday to set up a quarterfinal showdown with losing finalist Guillermo Coria of Argentina
Yet Argentinas French Open champion Gaston Gaudio Britains Tim Henman and Spaniard Juan Carlos Ferrero all suffered threeset defeats as the exodus of seeded players continued in Hamburg
Swiss world number one Federer sprayed winners all over the Rothenbaum centre court to record his sixth win in as many meetings with Spaniard Robredo and signal his return to peak form days before the start of the French Open
Coria also scored his win over Mario Ancic and earned applause even from his Croatian opponent
Ive got my confidence back said th seed Coria a loser to Spanish teenager Rafael Nadal in the finals of both the Monte Carlo and Rome Masters on clay this past month
Federer who missed last weeks Rome event because of a minor foot injury has won of his matches this year
Of the top seeds Federer and Coria are the only ones left in the tournament with Andy Roddick Marat Safin Andre Agassi and David Nalbandian all beaten earlier this week Spaniards Nadal and Carlos Moya pulled out injured
A sluggish Gaudio lost to littleknown Belgian Christophe Rochus the world number who will play Argentinas Juan Ignacio Chela in the last eight
Chela beat fifth seed Henman a surprise semifinalist at Roland Garros last year
Ferrero the French Open winner who beat third seed Safin in the second round lost to Russian Nikolay Davydenko the world number on court one
Davydenko faces a quarterfinal against Italys Filippo Volandri who beat Sebastien Grosjean of France
French yearold Richard Gasquet demolished Slovakias Domink Hrbaty to line up a quarterfinal against yearold Italian qualifier Andreas Seppi who upset Czech Jiri Novak
Gasquet ranked in the world beat Federer in one of the shock results of the season at the Monte Carlo Masters last month Enditem
ROME May Xinhua Following are the results from the Italian Masters womens singles third round matches on Thursday prefix number denotes seeding
Maria Sharapova Russia bt Mary Pierce France
Elena Bovina Russia bt Paola Suarez Argentina
Evgenia Linetskaya Russia bt Gisela Dulko Argentina
Patty Schnyder Switzerland bt Ana Ivanovic Serbia and Montenegro
Vera Zvonareva Russia bt Catalina Castano Colombia
Francesca Schiavone Italy bt Ai Sugiyama Japan
Conchita Martinez Granados Spain bt Nadia Petrova Russia walk over
Amelie Mauresmo France bt Silvia Farina Elia Italy
Enditem
LISBON May Xinhua The world of fashion and the world of sport come together on Sunday May in a celebration of style at the exclusive Vogue Party to be staged at the chic Farol Design Hotel in Cascais Portugal on the eve of the sixth annual Laureus World Sports Awards
Among the guests at the party hosted by Vogue the eternal arbiter of taste in fashion are Jean Paul Gaultier who has been at the forefront of fashion for over years Isabella Blow style queen and supporter of new designers Eva Cavalli former Miss Universe now married to iconic Italian designer Roberto Cavalli Sofia Kokosalaki the brilliant new Greek designer Angela Missoni the current force behind the Italian knitwear company Philip Treacy the celebrated English hat designer and Joaquin Cortez the exciting Flamenco dancer
The venue for this exclusive event the Farol Design Hotel is perched on cliffs overlooking the sea near the center of the historic resort of Cascais Formerly owned by the Count of Cabral this remodelled th century mansion combines a new infrastructure with a unique contemporary minimalist design which bridges time
Among the guests at the Vogue Party include Stefan Bartlett Boris Becker Sergey Bubka Isabella Blow Michael Johnson Amir Khan Edwin Moses Martina Navratilova and Eric Wright
The day after the Vogue Party the sixth annual Laureus World Sports Awards will be held in nearby Estoril The Awards Ceremony which is seen by a worldwide first run TV audience of million will be staged at the Casino Estoril on the evening of Monday May Laureus TV programming annually attracts an audience of over one billion
The Laureus World Sports Awards has established a unique place in the sporting calendar honouring the greatest sportsmen and sportswomen from around the world and across all sports The winners are selected by the ultimate sports jury the Laureus World Sports Academy a unique collection of of the greatest sportsmen and sportswomen of all time led by Chairman Edwin Moses
Last years Awards Ceremony was one of the highlights of the sporting year Football legend Luis Figo was in the audience along with Hollywood actors Michael Douglas and Morgan Freeman renowned tenor Placido Domingo and His Excellency Jose Barroso the former Prime Minister of Portugal and currently the European Commission President
The Laureus Awards Ceremony is the climax of two days of exciting sports events including the Laureus Golf Challenge the Laureus Beach Festival at Tamariz Beach and the Laureus Regatta in Cascais Bay
The Laureus Golf Challenge hosted by Laureus Academy member and golfing legend Gary Player one of only five men to win golfs Grand Slam will take place at Penha Longa the Robert Trent Jones II designed course between Sintra and Cascais The Laureus Beach Festival which will take place on the spectacular strip of sand between Estoril and Cascais will include beach volleyball football and tennis while the Laureus Regatta will feature yachts crewed by members of various Americas Cup teams Enditem
ROME May Xinhua Following are the summaries from the Italian Cup soccer semifinal matches on Thursday
Cagliari Gianfranco Zola
Inter Milan Obafemi Martins
Halftime Attendance
Wednesday May
AS Roma Phillipe Mexes
Udinese Valerio Bertotto
Halftime Attendance
Enditem
VIENNA May Xinhua Following are the results from the Ice Hockey World Championship quarterfinal matches on Thursday
Czech Republic United States op
Canada Slovakia
Russia Finland op
Sweden Switzerland
Enditem
ROME May Xinhua Top seed Maria Sharapova of Russia had a smooth progress into the quarterfinals of the Rome Masters with a win over Mary Pierce of France here on Thursday
Meanwhile defending champion Amelie Mauresmo of France eliminated Italys Silvia Farina Elia to set up a clash with fourtimes former winner Conchita Martinez
Sharapova had never gone beyond the last eight in her previous six tournaments on the surface and was facing a claycourt expert who won the Rome title in and the French Open
The Russian started aggressively firing groundstrokes deep in an attempt to close out each point as quickly as possible And Pierce fended off six break points before a long backhand put the Russian up in the sixth game
Sharapova again came out on top of a seesaw opening to the second set which included five consecutive breaks of serve She finished off by lashing a winner down the line
The early exits of her highlyranked compatriots Elena Dementieva and Svetlana Kuznetsova have left the draw wide open for Sharapova who will wrestle the world number one ranking from Lindsay Davenport if she triumphs in Rome this week
That would be an amazing feeling but Im just taking it one match at a time said the second seed
This is only my second claycourt tournament of the year and Im trying not to think too much about the expectations
Sharapova next faces ninth seed Elena Bovina who battled past Argentinas Paola Suarez Enditem
VIENNA May Xinhua Sweden Russia the Czech Republic and Canada all rallied to win and advanced to the semifinals of the ice hockey world championship here on Thursday
The Swedes edged Switzerland for their fifth consecutive semifinal where they will meet the Czech Republic who beat the United States after a penalty shootout
Unbeaten Russia also advanced after a penalty shootout a win over Finland and will face in the second semifinal against Canada the winners over Slovakia
The semifinals will be played on Saturday with the final and bronze medal game set for Sunday
Finland took the lead on scores by Petri Pakaslahti and Jukka Hentunen before the Russians tied it up with goals by teen sensation Alexander Ovechkin and Sergei Gusev
Kimmo Timonen restored Finlands lead until Pavel Datsyuks goal at of the second period and neither side could score any more till the penalty shootout where the Finns scored two and Russia three
Daniel Sedins second period goal was the winner in Swedens victory over the Swiss who had an early lead when Martin Pluss deflected a shot in after just seconds
But Kronvall made up for the early error scoring at to level the score
Joe Thornton gave Canada the lead for good after they rallied three times from a onegoal deficit to beat Slovakia keeping alive their hopes of a third consecutive gold medal
The Canadians were in danger of losing a chance to tie the former Soviet UnionRussia with overall titles until Thornton blasted a slap shot from the top of the faceoff circle
Simon Gagne scored twice and Dany Heatley and Ryan Smyth once each
The Czechs took revenge on the US for a quarterfinal loss last year coming back from a twogoal gap to win as Martin Rucinsky was the only scorer in a penalty shootout
The US who knocked the Czechs out of last years tournament with a penalty shootout win in the quarterfinals took a lead into the third period on goals by Mike Modano and Mark Parrish
The Czechs could not beat DiPietro until Marek Zidlickys long shot passed through a maze of players and into the net with gone in the final frame and eight minutes later Jaroslav Spacek tied things up Enditem
BRASILIA May Xinhua The mother of a Brazilian soccer player who remained as a hostage for days was rescued Thursday by the police
Sandra Helena Clemente the mother of striker Luis Fabiano was kept in a farm of Sao Paulo state said the Public Security Ministry of the zone
Two persons guared the spot but ran away when the police arrived in the farm in the rural area of Manrique in the Sao Paulo region of Sorocaba
The mother of Fabiano who plays for Porto of Portugal had been captured by two armed individuals in her house of the city of Campinas kilometers from the city of Sao Paulo
Fabiano said through a communique that his mother was fine and thanked the support of people
This is the sixth case of the kidnapping of the mother of Brazilian players all of them in Sao Paulo state
With respect to Clementes release it is not know whether the release resulted from a police action or the payment of a ransom
The police investigates the kidnapping of the mother of fullback Mario Custodio Nazare Marinho of Brazilian club Corinthians She was taken by force out of her house in Santos port Enditem
YANGON May Xinhua Myanmar has targeted to pocket gold medals in the upcoming rd Southeast Asian SEA Games slated in Manila the Philippines in NovemberDecember this year an official of the Ministry of Sports said on Friday
The target will be the highest since Myanmar participated in the games the official noted
Out of disciplines in the games slated for Nov Dec Myanmar athletes will compete in events wushu golf volleyball boxing chess cycling football gymnastics judo karatedo rowing sepak takraw swimming shooting table tennis tennis taekwondo martial arts archery tracks and fields billiards body building pencak silat weightlifting yatching baseball and equestrian
Myanmar athletes competed in sports each at the SEA Games in Malaysia and SEA Games in Vietnam respectively
In the SEA Games which was the nd Myanmar won golds silvers and bronzes Enditem
MADRID May Xinhua Following are the Spanish Cup semifinal second leg result on Thursday
Atletico Madrid Osasuna
Osasuna win on aggregate
Wednesday
Athletic Bilbao Real Betis
on aggregate after extra time Betis win on penalties
Final
June
Betis v Osasuna
Enditem
ATHENS May Xinhua The organising committee of the Athens Olympics and Paralympics ATHOC turned a sevenmillioneuro profit from last summers Games an IOC press release on Thursday
ATHOC garnered billion euros from television rights sponsorship payments tickets and merchandise sales and paid billion euros on Games technology operational costs ceremonies and marketing the release said
An additional million euros was spent by ATHOC on Games overlays finalstage equipment and modifications demanded by Olympic requirements
Final figures will be released at a later date but the committee said that the revenue garnered far exceeds the billion dollars billion euros initially expected
Despite sluggish ticket sales in the runup and early period of the Games ATHOC also exceeded its estimated revenue of million euros grossing million
The top earners for ATHOC were TV rights million euros and international and domestic sponsorship payments million euros Merchandising and licensing brought in a further million euros
The committees costliest items included technology million euros Games operations such as transport food and waste disposal million euros and support services such as volunteer training million euros
ATHOCs positive tally is largely independent from the huge amount of money the Greek state spent on stadium construction and transport infrastructure for the Games
Overall Greece spent over nine billion euros on the Athens Olympics over twice the sum originally predicted Security at the Games alone cost over a billion euros the largest sum ever paid for this purpose Enditem
WASHINGTON May Xinhua San Antonio Spurs star forward Tim Duncan was named to the National Basketball Assocations AllDefensive Team for the eighth straight season on Thursday
The firstteam honors also went to Minnesota Timberwolves forward Kevin Garnett Detroit Pistons center Ben Wallace Spurs guard Bruce Bowen and Washington Wizards guard Larry Hughes
Wallace who had picked up his third NBA Defensive Player of the Year award led all players with points in voting by the leagues coaches
Named to the AllDefensive Team for the fourth straight season Wallace ranked second in the league in rebounding per game and total blocks He also ranked fifth in blocks at per game
Garnett who averaged rebounds to lead the league and collected an NBAbest doubledoubles was named to the team for the sixth straight season
Bowen garnered his fifth straight selection
Garnett and Bowen tied for second in voting with points each Duncan received points and Hughes
Duncan and Bowen helped the Spurs hold opponents to a leaguelow points per game Duncan a twotime league Most Valuable Player ranked third in the league in blocks at per game
It was the first selection for Hughes who recorded steals per game He became the first player to top steals per game since Gary Payton in Enditem
WASHINGTON May Xinhua Chinas Wang Feng and He Chong outpowered nine teams to win the mens meter synchronized final at the FINA diving Grand Prix in Fort Lauderdale Florida on Thursday
Wang and He executed three of the five dives with a degree of difficulty at least which enabled them for a winning score of in the first day of the fourday event
We had very good dives today Wang said All of our dives were very well We were ahead of the other teams all of the time
The Chinese pair pulled away in the third dive where they cleanly executed a forward somersaults twists in pike position with a degree of difficulty of for a score of
Canadas Philippe Comtois and Arturo Miranda were second with points Andreas Wels and Tobias Schellenberg of Germany silver medalists at the Athens Olympics were third with Enditem
WASHINGTON May Xinhua Zhu Qinan from China made an incredible move in the final round of mens meter air rifle event from the eighth position to grab the gold medal from Peter Sidi of Hungary and win an Olympic quota place for his nation at the shooting World Cup meet in Fort Benning of the United States Thursday
The Chinese youngster was the coworldrecord holder of this event and the only one to win gold medals since he first competed in late
With his last shot of Zhu put his contestant Sidi who was continuously on top during the final on position two taking away the gold medal and the Olympic berth for Beijing with a total score of
Sidi multiple World Cup medalist lost his fourpoints advantage start during the final and was left on the second place with a tenth of a difference
Everything can happen in the final that is the beauty of shooting said Zhu the Olympic gold winner of Athens according to the official website of the International Shooting Sport Federation
Thomas Farnik from Austria was third The yearold leaped from seventh place after the qualification round to win the bronze medal
Tatiana Goldobina from Russia held her three points lead during the final round of womens meter rifle three positions and won the gold medal with a total score of
Yin Wen from China sealed the silver medal with a final shot of putting the coleader after the qualification round Olga Dovgun from Kazakhstan on place three
The young Chinese shot the highest score of during the final and also won the quota place for Beijing since Goldobina has already won the quota in the meter air rifle event at the first competition day of the meet
Goldobina finished fourth of that event behind three Chinese girls but fortunately got the quota as China had already secured their second quota place of the event at the World Cup Changwon next to their assigned first quota place for being the host country of the Olympic Games Enditem
VIENNA May Xinhua Following are the standings of the Ice Hockey World Championships after matches on Thursday tabulated under games played won drawn lost goals for against and points
Group A
Slovakia
Russia
Belarus
Austria
Group B
Canada
United States
Latvia
Slovenia
Group C
Sweden
Finland
Ukraine
Denmark
Group D
Czech Republic
Switzerland
Kazakhstan
Germany
SECOND ROUND
Group E
Russia
Czech Republic
Slovakia
Switzerland
Belarus
Kazakhstan
Group F
Sweden
Canada
United States
Finland
Latvia
Ukraine
RELEGATION
Group G
Denmark
Slovenia
rGermany
rAustria
rrelegated for
QUARTERFINALS
May
At Vienna Austria
Czech Republic United States Czech Republic wins in
penalty shootout
Russia Finland Russia wins in penalty shootout
At Innsbruck Austria
Canada Slovakia
Sweden Switzerland
SEMIFINALS
May at Vienna Austria
Sweden vs Czech Republic
Russia vs Canada
BRONZE MEDAL
May at Vienna Austria
GOLD MEDAL
May at Vienna Austria
Enditem
PRAGUE May Xinhua Topseeded Dinara Safina of Russia beat Michaela Pastikova on Thursday to face doubles partner Iveta Benesova in the quarterfinal of the Prague Open tennis tournament
Safina played a fantastic game and if she continues in this way it wont be difficult for her to win the tournament Pastikova said
Fifthseeded Benesova who overcame Anne Kremer of Luxembourg will be Safinas third straight Czech opponent on Friday And Safina will be trying to reach her second singles semifinals in three weeks
Puerto Ricos Kristina Brandi beat Jamea Jackson of the United States to make her first quarterfinal appearance this season and her first ever on clay
Brandi will meet Spains Laura Pous Tio the lowest ranked player in the last eight at rd after defeating Henrieta Nagyova of Slovakia
In the other quarterfinal matchups secondseeded Klara Koukalova of the Czech Republic plays Jill Craybas of the United States while another Czech Zuzana Ondraskova meets Argentinas Mariana DiazOliva Enditem
WASHINGTON May Xinhua Following are the results from the NBA
Playoffs second round matches on Thursday home team in CAPS
Miami Heat
WASHINGTON WIZARDS
Miami Heat lead the bestofseven series by
SEATTLE SUPERSONICS
San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio Spurs lead the bestofseven series by
Enditem
WASHINGTON May Xinhua Following are the results Thursday from the Fina Diving Grand Prix at Fort Lauderdale Florida
Mens m synchronized
Wang FengHe Chong China points
Philippe ComtoisArturo Miranda Canada
Andreas WelsTobias Schellenberg Germany
Troy DumaisJustin Dumais United States
Nicola MarconiTommaso Marconi Italy
Rommel PachecoYahel Castillo Mexico
Cesar CastroCassius Duran Brazil
Antonio AllyPeter Waterfield Britain
Phil JonesChris Colwill United States
Enditem
WASHINGTON May Xinhua Veteran Alonzo Mourning and guard Dwyane Wade led the Miami Heat to a victory over Washington Wizards for a lead on Thursday in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association playoffs
In the absence of center Shaquille ONeal sidelined by a bruised right thigh Wade finished with points and Mourning had points and rebounds
The Heat seized a lead in the bestofseven series and can complete a sweep here on Saturday No team in NBA history has ever overcome such a playoff deficit to advance
This is not a one or twoman team no matter who is out Mourning said Were continuing to prove people wrong
Miami stretched a clubrecord playoff win streak to seven games and the Heat defeated Washington for the th time in a row over the past two years
Wade went of in the first half with points and six turnovers and was miserable in the locker room at halftime with the Wizards leading
The Wizards opened a lead early in the second half but Miami answered with the next points part of a run that pushed the Heat to a edge
The Wizards made two runs in the fourth quarter but Wade ended both threats with baskets
Mourning has struggled for years with kidney porblems but after seasons he hungers for his first NBA title
Im in great shape I had a kidney transplant I havent forgotten how to play the game Mourning said Enditem
WASHINGTON May Xinhua Back home with two defeats the Seattle SuperSonics found their feet and handed the San Antonio Spurs a defeat in the National Basketball Association playoffs on Thursday
In their bestofseven Western Conference secondround series SuperSonic rallied to after dropping the first two games by double digits in San Antonio
The Spurs went a dismal of from the free throw line in the fourth quarter to finish at of overall and superstar Tim Duncan missed a short shot in the final seconds to allow the SuperSonics back into the series
It was a win the Sonics knew they needed since no team has ever come back from a deficit in the NBA playoffs
It was gutcheck time said Seattles Jerome James who scored points on of shooting
Down Duncan made one of two free throws before Antonio Daniels scored both free throws with for a threepoint lead Then came Manu Ginobili who also went of at the line seconds later for a twopoint deficit
Ginobili went to the line again with seconds left but again only split two free throws bringing the Spurs to The Argentinian AllStar an percent freethrow shooter in the regular season made just of in the fourth quarter
Seattle AllStar Ray Allen was held scoreless in the fourth quarter and missed a jumper from the baseline before Robert Horry grabbed the rebound with seconds left
Duncan took an inbounds pass but his fourfooter bounced off the front of the rim as time expired
Allen scored points and Daniels of his in the fourth quarter for the thirdseeded Sonics who host game four on Sunday
Duncan had points and rebounds and Ginobili and Tony Parker scored points apiece for West secondseeds San Antonio Enditem
LUANDA May Xinhua A World Cup qualifier between Angola and Algeria has been postponed because of fears over an outbreak of the Marburg virus that has killed nearly people in the country
The African zone Group Four match slated for June at Angolas capital will be played on August FIFA told the Angolan Football Federation
And it could still be moved to a neutral venue later in the year if the epidemic is not brought under control
The Angolans are two points behind leaders Nigeria in the group with Algeria in bottom place after failing to win in their last six matches
The Angolan Football Federation on Friday criticised the FIFA decision citing the distance from the epicentre of the outbreak to the capital
There have been casualties in the northern province of Uige the World Health Organisation WHO said last week
The rare haemorrhagic fever is transmitted through bodily fluids including blood and saliva Enditem
RIO DE JANNEIRO May Xinhua Following are the results and standings from the Libertadores Cup group stage soccer matches on Thursday tabulated under games played won drawn lost goals for against and points
Group
EC Santo Andre BRA Deportivo Tachira VEN
Palmeiras BRA Cerro Porteno PAR
May
Group
LDU Quito ECU Danubio URU
Santos BRA Bolivar BOL
Group
Quilmes ARG Universidad de Chile CHI
Sao Paulo BRA The Strongest BOL
May
Group
America COL Libertad PAR
Atletico Paranaense BRA Independiente Medellin COL
Standings
Group
Independiente Medellin
Atletico Paranaense
America
Libertad
Group
Santos
LDU Quito
Danubio
Bolivar
Group
Sao Paulo
Universidad de Chile
Quilmes
The Strongest
Group
Cerro Porteno
Palmeiras
EC Santo Andre
Deportivo Tachira
Group
River Plate
Atletico Junior
Olmedo
Nacional
Group
Tigres
Banfield
Alianza Lima
Caracas FC
Group
Guadalajara
Once Caldas
Cobreloa
San Lorenzo de Almagro BA
Group
Boca Juniors
Pachuca
Sporting Cristal
Deportivo Cuenca
Enditem
BEIJING May Xinhua Retired Chinese champion diver Fu Mingxia will enter the International Swimming Hall of Fame ISHOF slated to kick off in Lauderdale Minisuda the United States on Friday
Among the Class of Honorees Fu is listed together with David Berkoff of the United States as the Honor Swimmer John Henry Rob Derbyshire of Britain as Honor Pioneer Swimmer and Water Polo Coach Thea de Wit of the Netherlands Cindy Nicholas of Canada Yoshiko Osaki of Japan Randy Reese from United States Norbert Rosza of Hungary and Craig Wilson of United States
Fu had completed a remarkable diving career that earned her the title Queen of Diving Over a period of three Olympic Games she earned four gold and one silver medals more than any other diver in history
She retired after Sydney Olympic Games and married then Hong Kong Financial Secretary Antony Leung Kamchung in July
Though giving birth to two kids the yearold Fu is still the sweetheart for many Chinese fans
Fu is Chinas forth honor diver after Zhou Jihong first Olympic champion in Olympic gold medalists Xu Yanmei and Gao Min Enditem
NICOSIA May Xinhua A total of cars participated in
the Friday morning start of the Cyprus Rally in Limassol
After a ceremonial start on Thursday evening on the Promenade in
Limassol competitive action began at local time GMT
Friday with the first of six timed stages in leg one
A further six special stages take place on both Saturday and
Sunday with the event reaching a conclusion on the seafront in
Limassol at local time GMT on Sunday afternoon
Todays first leg contains six special stages with a total
distance of kilometers Enditem
LAGOS May Xinhua The Nigeria Football Association NFA
has been fined a sum of US dollars for allowing players to
wear jersey without their names at the back in a match at the
ongoing African Junior Championship
The NFA was fined by the Confederation of African Football CAF
for flouting jersey rules when the Golden Eaglets played their
opening group match against South Africa last Sunday the CAF said
in a statement cited by Nigerian media Friday
The commissioner of the abovementioned match has reported to
the CAF Disciplinary Board that your team played without the
names of the players on their shirts the statement said
Hence the board has decided to impose a fine of dollars
on your national association for not respecting the regulations of
the competition You are kindly required to take the necessary
measures to print the names of the players on their shirts before
their next match it added
New sets of jerseys from kits reportedly have arrived at the
Eaglets camp in The Gambia the host of the championship
Also to pay the same amount of fine is Zimbabwe which also used
jerseys without players names printed on them in the match against
Cote dIvoire Enditem
JOHANNESBURG May Xinhua South Africas star athlete Hezekiel Sepeng now has to hold up all his plans to compete in Europe after an international athletics body provisionally suspended him from all competitions
The Atlanta Olympic m silver medalist is waiting for the analysis of his Bsample and the outcome of a disciplinary hearing one week after it was confirmed that he tested positive in a February test conducted by the International Association of Athletics Federations IAAF
National newspaper The Star said on Friday that Sepeng tested positive for the banned substance Norandrosterone which is a byproduct of the anabolic steroid Nandrolone
The IAAF announced on Thursday that Sepeng has been provisionally suspended from all competitions
The provisional suspension is normal procedure once athletes have tested positive requested a testing of their B sample and are awaiting their hearings
What it means for Sepeng is that he will no longer be able to compete at the international Hengelo meeting in Belgium where he was planning to kick off his European season said the newspaper
Sepengs coach Jean Verster defended his athlete saying Sepeng would never take a banned substance on purpose
At this stage its our job to narrow down the possibilities of how he could have produced a positive sample said Verster We have narrowed it down to three or four possibilities none of which involves him taking anything intentionally
Local media had hinted that Sepeng could be banned for as long as two years if the substance proves to be an anabolic steroid and that would more than likely spell the end of the career of South Africas first black Olympic medalist
Its very difficult to say at this point if he does get a ban whether this will be the end of his career Verster told The Star
If he gets a ban he will put all his efforts into educating and advising sportsmen coaches administrators and doctors about the dangers of whatever it was that caused him to produce the positive sample Verster said Enditem
BEIJING May Xinhua China Team will race in the nd
edition of Americas Cup sailings oldest tournament the Chinese
Yachting Association CYA announced here on Friday
The Americas Cup Management has approved China Teams request
to enter the competition CYA secretarygeneral Li Quanhai told a
press conference
It is the first time that a Chinese team enter this prestigious
sailing event
Besides the China Team cofounded by Chinese businessman Wang
Chaoyong and French company Le Defi teams from nine other
countries will enter the nd edition of Americas Cup
The Americas Cup which was launched in is held every
four years The tournament is split into challengers races and Cup
defenders race
The China Team will take part in the Louis Vuitton races the
challengers race for the Americas Cup Enditem
BEIJING May Xinhua President of the Xinhua News Agency Tian Congming met with Ruben Acosta president of the International Volleyball Federation FIVB here on Friday
Tian Congming said Xinhua shares sound relations with the FIVB and hopes to further keep their good cooperation
Acosta expressed his thanks to Xinhua for its attention and care given to the sports of volleyball
Acosta was here for a sixday visit to Beijing the host city of the Olympic Games Enditem
BEIJING May Xinhua Chinese doubles star Fu Haifeng has
clocked the fastest smash ever with a racket in the ongoing
badminton Sudirman Cup here according to International Badminton
Federation
IBF is conducting speed trials for the first time at one of its
major events with microwave sensors recording the speed of smashes
on the main TV court court during this ninth edition of the
World Mixed Team Championships
Fu has clocked the fastest smash of kph so far while
Denmarks Kenneth Jonassen has recorded the fastest smash for a
singles player at kph mph
IBF said in a statement on its official website that badminton
could firmly stake its claim to be the worlds fastest racket sport
with the record
With womens singles shuttler Huang Sui hitting at kph
mph tennis star Andy Roddicks worldrecord serve of kph
mph is some way off of badmintons blistering pace
According to the statement the speedtesting equipment is
currently only able to record speeds of up to around kph
mph so the star shuttlers are already pushing the limits
The fastest recorded smash in badminton previously came from
Englands Simon Archer at kph mph Enditem
HONG KONG May Xinhua Italian soccer giants Juventus will play in Hong Kong on June The historic visit of the Italian Champions is the first ever to these shores
Invited to Hong Kong by local footabll team Kitchees Chief Executive Ken Ng Juventus will play in the event known as the Grand Promenade Cup Kitchee Vs Juventus in the United Christian Medical Service Charity Challenge
Juventuss opponents Kitchee football team last year thrilled and surprised fans with two outstanding displays against AC Milan and Newcastle United
Organizers announced that Juventus has guaranteed the attendance of some of the worlds leading footballing stars They include Alessandro Del Piero Pavel Nedved and Lilian Thuram There is also a reasonable chance that French international star David Trezeguet will be included in the line up
Organizers acknowledged that some of the other Juventus international players will be missing from the Tour as they will be on national duty at that time
Organizers made it clear that if Juventus finish the season tied on points with AC Milian they would have to cancel their tour to both Japan and Hong Kong as they would have to play in a twoleg playoff match to determine the Serie A Champions Enditem
BEIJING May Xinhua Following are the results from the
afternoon session of the Sudirman Cup badminton tournament here
Friday
Group
England bt Hong Kong China
Mixed doubles Robert BlairGail Emms bt Ng WeiLi Wing Mui
Mens singles Aamir Ghaffar lost to Agus Hariyanto
Womens singles Tracey Hallam bt Yip Pui Yin
Mens doubles Anthony ClarkRobert Blair bt Liu Kwok WaAlbertus
Susanto Njoto
Group
New Zealand bt United States
Mixed doubles Daniel ShirleySara Runesten bt Khankham
MalaythongMesinee Mangkalakiri
Mens singles Geoffrey Bellingham lost to Raju Rai
Womens singles Rebecca Bellingham bt Eva Lee
Mens doubles Daniel ShirleyJohn Gordon lost to Howard Bach
Tony Gunawan
Womens doubles Nicole GordonSara Runesten bt Eva LeeMesinee
Mangkalakiri
Finland lost to Scotland
Mixed doubles Petri HyyrylainenLeena Loytomaki lost to Andrew
BowmanKirsteen McEwanMiller
Mens singles Ville Lang bt Craig Goddard
Womens singles Saara Hynninen lost to Yuan Wemyss
Mens doubles Petri HyyrylainenTuomas Karhula bt Andrew Bowman
Craig Robertson
Womens doubles Leena LoytomakiNina Weckstrom lost to Yuan
WemyssSusan Hughes
Bulgaria bt Wales
Mens singles Konstantin Dobrev lost to Martyn Lewis
Womens singles Petya Nedeltcheva bt Harriet Johnson
Mens doubles Krasimir YankovGeorgi Petrov lost to Matthew
HughesMartyn Lewis
Womens doubles Diana DimovaLinda Zechiri bt Joanna Sullivan
KerryAnn Sheppard
Mixed doubles Stilian MakarskiPetya Nedeltcheva bt Matthew
HughesKerryAnn Sheppard
Group
Kazakhstan lost to South Africa
Mixed doubles Mikhail ZakharovYuliya Okuneva lost to Dorian
JamesMichelle Edwards
Mens singles Anuar Mussafirov lost to Christian Dednam
Womens singles Saule Kustavletova bt Annari Viljoen
Mens doubles Anuar MussafirovMikhail Zakharov lost to Roelof
DednamDorian James
Norway bt Peru
Mixed doubles Jim AndersenMonica Halvorsen bt Andres Corpancho
FortValeria Rivero Modenesi
Womens singles Sara B Kverno lost to Claudia Rivero Modenesi
Mens singles Jim Andersen bt Javier Jimeno Goicochea
Womens doubles Monica HalvorsenHelene Abusdal bt Valeria
Rivero ModenesiMeng Jie
Enditem
PRAGUE May Xinhua Following are the results from the Prague Open Womens Singles Quarterfinal matches on Friday prefix denotes seeding
Dinara Safina Russia beat Iveta Benesova Czech Republic
Laura Pous Tio Spain bt Kristina Brandi Puerto Rico
Zuzana Ondraskova Czech Republic bt Mariana DiazOliva Argentina Enditem
BERLIN May Xinhua Following are the results from the fifth day of the million euro Hamburg Masters ATP tournament on Friday
Nikolay Davydenko Russia bt Filippo Volandri Italy
Enditem
BEIJING May Xinhua Malaysia gained promotion into the
top division of the badminton Sudirman Cup with a victory over
Japan on Friday
Malaysia in a bid to return to the elite group in the mixed
team championships started their playoff campaign with Wong Choong
HannWong Pei Tty taking on Keita MasudaTadashi Ohtsuka of Japan
The Malaysian mixed duo met little resistance from their
opponents and eased into a win
The mixed category is crucial for us to make it to Division One
for next edition said Malaysian head coach Yap KimHock
We are stronger on mens singles and doubles As long as we win
the opening mixed match were almost certain to beat Japan
Current world Number five Lee Chong Wei continued the winning
streak to crush Shoji Sato in mens singles but Japan
launched fightback with Eriko Hirose overcame Wong Mew Choo
Malaysia clinched the winning point for the sole promotion spot
as their mens pair Koo KianKeatChan ChongMing conquered Keita
MasudaTadashi Ohtsuka
In the second group Malaysia has already made known that they
would not be satisfied with any other result than a direct
promotion to the top group as they consider themselves as the only
top badminton country not to be in the top group
The Sudirman Cup was Malaysias sole experience in the
first division Enditem
BEIJING May Xinhua Following are the results from the
evening session of the Sudirman Cup badminton tournament here
Friday
Group
Thailand bt Sweden
Mixed doubles Sudket PrapakamolSaralee Thoungthongkam bt
Fredrik BergstromJohanna Persson
Mens singles Boonsak Polsana bt Hugi Heimirsson
Womens singles Salakjit Polsana bt Elin Bergblom
Sweden relegated to Group
Group
Malaysia bt Japan
Mixed doubles Wong Choong HannWong Pei Tty bt Shintaro IkedaT
Matsuda
Mens singles Lee Chong Wwei bt Shoji Sato
Womens singles Wong Mew Choo lost to Eriko Hirose
Mens doubles Koo Kian KeatChan Chong Ming bt Keita Masuda
Tadashi Ohtsuka
Malaysia promoted into Group
Group
Poland bt India
Mixed doubles Robert MateusiakNadiezda Kostiuczyk bt V Diju
Gutta Jwala
Mens singles Przemyslaw bt Wacha A Sridhar
Womens singles Kamila Augustyn lost to Trupti Murgunde
Mens doubles Michal LogoszRobert Mateusiak Thomas Sanave
Rupesh Kumar
Group
Switzerland lost to France
Mens doubles Christian BosigerMichael Andrey lost to Erwin
KehlhoffnerThomas Quere
Mens singles Marco Fux lost to Jean Michel Lefort
Womens doubles Corinne JorgJeannine Cicognini lost to Elodie
EymardWeny Rahmawati
Estonia lost to Australia
Mixed doubles Ants MangelPiret Hamer lost to Travis DenneyKate
WilsonSmith
Mens singles Raul Must lost to Stuart Brehaut
Womens singles Kati Tolmoff lost to Kellie Lucas
Group
Italy bt Lithuania
Mens singles Klaus Raffeiner lost to Kestutis Navickas
Womens singles Agnese Allegrini bt Ugne Urbonaite
Mens doubles Alexander TheinerGuiovanni lost to Traina Donatas
NarvilasKestutis Navickas
Womens doubles Ding HuiAgnese Allegrini bt Akuile Stapusaityte
Ugne Urbonaite
Mixed doubles Klaus RaffeinerDing Hui bt Donatas Narvilas
Kristina Dovydaityte Enditem
ROME May Xinhua Australias Robbie McEwen of the Davitamon team won a sprint finish to take the sixth stage of the Tour of Italy here on Friday
Italys Paolo Bettini of the Quick Step team regained the leaders pink jersey from compatriot Danilo di Luca of the Liquigas team
McEwen who won Mondays second stage saw off the challenges of Estonian Jaan Kirsipuu Ukrainian Volodymyr Bileka and Isaac Galvez of Spain at the end of the kilometer stage for his seventh career win in this event
McEwens teammate and fellow Australian Henk Vogels led the race for the line and was ahead with just metres to go before being overtaken and finally coming in fifth
Italian Alessandro Petacchi suffered a setback with four kilometres to ride when his teammate Marzio Bruseghin fell and caused a pileup at the head of the peloton
Enditem
SANTIAGO May Xinhua Coach of the Chilean national soccer team Nelson Acosta summoned players for the World Cup qualifiers against Bolivia and Venezuela in the South American zone for Germany
On the list there are players who had not been considered by his predecesor Juvenal Olmos
The rooster almost exclusively formed by players of the local league counts with the presence of important figures of the Under national team who participated in the South American PreOlympic Tournament namely midfielders Luis Pedro Figueroa and Rodrigo Millar and striker Jose Luis Villanueva
Acosta also recalled national team fullbacks Marcos Gonzalez and Waldo Ponce and included several rookies like defender Hugo Droguett midfielders Marco Millape Jose Luis Jerez and Nelson Pinto plus strikers Humberto Suazo Cristian Canio and Eduardo Rubio
From foreign leagues he also summoned up strikers Sebastian Gonzalez and Patricio Galaz from Atlante Mexico
Following are the rooster
Goalkeepers Claudio Bravo Johnny Herrera and Nelson Tapia
Defenders Cristian Alvarez Hugo Droguett Luis Fuentes Marcos Gonzalez Moises Villarroel Rafael Olarra and Waldo Ponce
Midfielders Jorge Acuna Jorge Valdivia Jose Luiz Jerez Juan Luis Gonzalez Luis Pedro Figueroa Marcos Millape Nelson Pinto Rodrigo Millar and Victor Cancino
Strikers Cristian Canio Humberto Suazo Jose Luis Villanueva Patricio Galaz Sebastian Gonzalez and Eduardo Rubio Enditem
BRASILIA May Xinhua The Brazilian Senate decided to pay tribute to Sao Paulo player Edinaldo Batista Libanio alias Grafite as a symbol of resistance against racial prejudice
On May Brazil celebrates the years of the abolition of slavery when the senators issued a vote of solidarity with the player who denounced having been discriminated in a soccer match
He said he was insulted by Argentine player Leandro Desabato during the match between Sao Paulo and Quilmes of Argentina last month in Brazil
The Argentine player was arrested by the Brazilian police at the end of the match and will face trial for racial discrimination
In the Friday session of the Senate participated leaders of the AfroBrazilian movement Minister for Race Equality Promotion Matilde Ribeiro and other authorities who praised the Brazilian athlete
Also received by Senate was exparliamentarian Abdias Nascimento who was in Congress in the s and s and is renown for his activism against race discrimination Enditem
NEW DELHI May Xinhua A ninemember army rowing team from India is gearing up to negotiate the Nile the most treacherous river in the world and hopes to create a new record by making the journey in fibreglass boats
To build up stamina and to condition their bodies for the arduous journey the team will take an endurance exercise along the Ganga River from Farakka to Kolkata a distance of kms in seven days IndoAsian News ServiceIANS reported
They will cover kms daily testing their endurance against the vagaries of nature These boats are made of fibre glass and are feet in length and inches in width The crew will be rowing without life jackets
This team from the Army Ordnance Corps had earlier entered the Limca Book of Records by rowing a distance of kms from North Indias Haridwar to Hooghly of Eastern India in days
Choudhuri who has won gold in Amateur Rowing of East Asia in will lead the team IANS said
Rowing over a distance of km through Sudan and Egypt the team will be the first ever to attempt the Nile in fibreglass rowing boats and try to create a new record in the Guinness Book IANS quoted Indian defence sources as saying here Friday Enditem
NICOSIA May Xinhua Citroens defending FIA World Rally Champion Sebastien Loeb and French codriver Daniel Elena led the Cyprus Rally by seconds after four times special stages Friday in the Troodos mountains north of Limassol
The Citroen driver moved into the outright lead in the second Kourdali stage and stayed ahead of the Norwegian Subaru driver Petter Solberg after a second run through the Lagourda test on Friday afternoon
Solberg complained of engine overheating and a slipping clutch on the first loop of three stages but the Cyprus Rally winner maintained second position
I have made a good start said Loeb No punctures no problems I just need to make sure that we keep going like this
The revelation of the opening stages was Austrias Manfred Stohl in his OMVbacked Citroen Xsara He held fourth position with Austrian codriver Ilka Minor after three stages and moved up to third position in SS
Ford drivers Henning Solberg and Roman Kresta were wellplaced just outside the top five at the start of the fourth stage but Solberg moved up to fourth overall after the fourth stage
Through the punishing opening Lagoudera stage Loeb had acted as the road sweeper and completed the kms in m s but he was beaten by Subarus Solberg as the stage proved to be Peugeots undoing
Former FIA World Champion Marcus Gronholm was quickest at the kms point but succumbed to a timing belt failure and Estonian team mate Markko Martin suffered from an exploding tyre and a second puncture and lost over seconds
Mitsubishi suffered the ignominy of first stage enginerelated problems for Frenchman Gilles Panizzi who dropped minutes to Solberg alone on the first stage He was down in rd position after three stages
But there was better news from Finlands Harri Rovanpera who held th position after four stages
It was not an easy start said the Finn We had gear selection problems and bad tyre wear We changed the gearbox as a precaution after three stages
Skoda lost Armin Schwarz when the Fabia shed its alternator belt on the road section to service after three stages and team mate Janne Tuohino was down in th position behind a struggling Martin who recovered to fifth position after the fourth stage
Finlands Toni Gardemeister held third place in the leading Ford Focus RS after three stages but hit trouble in the second Lagoudera stage lost three and a half minutes changing a puncture and slipped out of the top
On each stage this morning the engine overheated said the yearold Finn This caused the antilag system to stop working and the engine went into a safe mode which meant we had less power
Former British Rally Champion Mark Higgins was in flying form in the FIA Production Car World Rally Championship and held a second advantage over Qatars Nasser Saleh AlAttiyah the FIA Middle East Rally Champion after three special stages
I slowed down because the stages were so tricky said the Qatari I was expecting to be overtaken but ended up doing rather better than I thought Everyone was in the same position
Japans championship leader Toshi Arai punctured and hit transmission problems in the second stage and this moved Italys Marcos Ligato into third place ahead of Italys Brice Tirabassi
Omans Hamed AlWahaibi held seventh place in his Subaru Impreza WRX STi despite serious shock absorber problems but Malaysias Karamjit Singh Italys Fabio Frisiero and Chiles Luis Mujica Rosselot were forced out with mechanical problems
A further six special stages take place on both Saturday and Sunday with the event reaching a conclusion on the seafront in Limassol at hrs on Sunday afternoon Enditem
ROME May Xinhua After years of battling for Serie A championship glory AS Roma and Lazio meet on Sunday afternoon with a more modest aim in mind avoiding relegation
Both teams have slithered towards the danger zone in recent weeks and are looking for three points that should guarantee Serie A survival
Lazio is th with points five points above the relegation zone while Rome is th with
And both go into the game which is being billed as the Derby of Dread in dismal form
Lazio has lost its last three outings while AS Romas record is even worse
Roma tipped as a title contender at the start of the season has lost eight of its last ten games and drawn the other two
The clubs last taste of victory was back on February a win over Livorno
Lazio captain Paolo Di Canio took a knock to his right foot in training midweek but is expected to recover for Sunday
Roma however will be without its captain Francesco Totti who is serving a fivematch ban for kicking and slapping Siena defender Francesco Colonnese in a league match last month
Roma also has a long injury list that includes goalkeeper Ivan Pelizzoli Greek stopper Traianos Dellas and midfielder Alberto Aquilani
In Tottis absence young forward Antonio Cassano will lead Roma into action
Cassano will be joined in attack by Vincenzo Montella who has scored goals so far this season
The skyblues only major absentee meanwhile will probably be injured Portuguese defender Fernando Couto
Having taken control of the title race by beating AC Milan away last week Juventus must overcome Parma in Turin to hold on to its advantage at the top of the table
With three games to go Juventus has points three more than Milan in second place
Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic Juves top marksman with strikes should return after serving a threematch ban for violent conduct during a recent defeat to Inter
Ibrahimovic is expected to replace David Trezeguet to form a strike partnership with captain Alessandro Del Piero
Ruben Olivera and Stephen Appiah will probably come in for injured midfielders Alessio Tacchinardi and Mauro Camoranesi
Having lost its share of the top spot and with the Champions League final against Liverpool on the horizon Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti looks set to rest some of his key players in Lecce on Sunday
Massimo Ambrosini is expected to replace Clarence Seedorf in the centre of the park while Manuel Rui Costa should be handed Andrea Pirlos deep playmaking role
Both Seedorf and Pirlo have looked shattered in recent weeks
Thirdplaced Inter Milan which has won four of its last five matches is looking to continue its fine run of form at home to Livorno th
Udinese and Sampdoria which are tied in fourth place with points meet in a game that may decide which takes Italys final Champions League slot
Palermo th plays host to Reggina th while Sicilian rival Messina th welcomes Cagliari th
The three other ties of the weekend all involve teams fighting for their topflight survival
Bottom club Atalanta takes on fourthfrombottom Fiorentina away from home
Brescia takes a trip to Bologna th
Chievo which sacked coach Mario Beretta this week after losing to Fiorentina and slipping into the relegation zone Sunday travels to meet Siena side that is three points above it in th place Enditem
SINGAPORE May Xinhua The Young Lions beat Balestier Khalsa in a Singapore League match at Yishun Stadium on Friday night
Greg Nwokolo scored two goals for the Young Lions and Ashrin Shariff scored the third goal for the team Kengne Ludovick scored the only one goal for Balestier Khalsa in the th minute
With the defeat Balestier Khalsa stood at the fourth spot in the league standings with points Enditem
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BOGOTA Dec Xinhua Colombia has been delcared clear of any kind of bird flu the countrys agriculture minister said in a statement on Thursday
A large number of Latin American countries banned poultry imports from Colombia after a mild version of the bird flu was discovered on three Colombian farms two months ago
Tests conducted by the Colombian Agricultural Institute working alongside a US laboratory determined that this version of the flu in Colombia had been eliminated thanks to the countrys health measures
The particular strain of the bird flu which had appeared in Colombia was the H type which is not fatal
The deadly HN strain of the bird flu has killed at least Asians most of whom were in Vietnam and had worked in close contact with infected birds
No cases of the deadly virus have been reported in either American continent Enditem
CARACAS Dec Xinhua The Venezuelan state oil company is exporting barrels of crude oil to China per day the firms supply and trade director Asdrubal Chavez said on Thursday
The United States for which Venezuela provides million barrels per day bpd accounts for the largest share of the countrys oil exports Chavez said but adding PDVSA is seeking more buyers
During Venezuelan President Hugo Chavezs visit to China in the two countries signed a series of deals on petroleum natural gas trade and telecommunications
PDVSA has two contracts with Chinas National Petroleum Corporation It aims to sell China bpd of petroleum and derivatives
Venezuela is the worlds fifth largest oil exporter Caracas is building up its oil shipping fleet for sales to Asia and other distant regions Enditem
MEXICO CITY Dec Xinhua Latin Americas three major stock markets closed mixed on Thursday
Mexico Citys stock market IPC index dropped by percent and closed at points A total of million shares were traded at million US dollars
The Buenos Aires stock market closed with the Merval index up by percent and ended at points The trade volume was million dollars
In Sao Paulo Latin Americas biggest bourse the leading Bovespa index closed at points down by percent The trade volume was million dollars Enditem
GENEVA Dec Xinhua An agreement reached last Sunday at the World Trade Organizations WTO ministerial meeting in Hong Kong though not satisfactory to many managed to keep global trade talks alive
But with all the toughest issues remaining untouched at the meeting due to huge gaps between the United States and the European Union EU as well as between the developing and the developed world WTO members will have a hard time next year trying to meet the end deadline to complete the Doha Round of talks
We have managed to put the Round back on track after a period of hibernation WTO DirectorGeneral Pascal Lamy said after the Hong Kong meeting a key event for the WTO in
The agreement reached by the WTOs members in Hong Kong though described by Lamy as a modest result can be seen as significant progress since a framework deal was reached on Aug
The aim of the Hong Kong ministerial conference is to secure the round of trade talks launched in in the Qatari capital of Doha to deliver a package accords by the end of to remove global trade barriers
The Hong Kong meetings main achievement was a package of trade and aid measures intended to help the worlds poorest countries and to bring relief to struggling African cotton producers In addition to increasing technical aid rich countries agreed to remove most of their restrictions on imports from those least developed countries
The EU reluctantly accepted a deadline for eliminating all farm export subsidies a concession by Europe that came three years later than previously sought by the United States and developing countries
The agreement appears largely symbolic because internal EU reforms already plan to eliminate most such subsidies by
That is why EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson told reporters in Hong Kong that the deal was a result of European compromise and leadership and French President Jacques Chirac praised him in France for resisting pressures for major concessions
The agreement will contribute to the development of the poorest countries but also preserve the vital potential of European agriculture said Chirac
Ministers patched up some bitter disputes at the Hong Kong meeting but none of them moved beyond the longestablished negotiating positions
The expectations for the meeting had been set low to avoid an embarrassing collapse after the failure of preparatory talks in October Originally billed as a makeorbreak negotiating session its goals were steadily downgraded after Lamy concluded in November that no big breakthroughs were possible
After the Hong Kong meeting Mandelson warned that the pace of negotiations needed to quicken You have to ask how long can we maintain enthusiasm for talks that crawl along at this pace My hunch is that the Doha Development Agenda the rounds official name has about a years energy left in it
For Lamy the round is percent complete but the remaining percent could prove a huge challenge
The key issues still facing the negotiations in are when or how to eliminate or reduce the billions of dollars paid each year in agricultural production subsidies to farmers in Europe and the United States
In return for such a deal developing countries might have to open their markets in service and manufacturing industries
The United States said Europe should move and open its longprotected farm market before the WTO talks could advance far The key to development is market access Agriculture access is the top challenge said US Trade Representative Rob Portman
Developing countries have put more blame on farm subsidies than export subsidies for distorting world trade and keeping their largely farming populations poor
France the largest recipient of EU farm subsidies and other big agriculture producers in Europe insist on retaining the subsidies to prevent further drops in their farming populations
Meanwhile the US cotton farmers also urged a hold on the billions of dollars they have been receiving as subsidies which countries in Africa blamed for keeping them away from the benefit of the world cotton market
The legislative authority that the US government needs to conduct international trade talks will expire in July and Washington has said that it would be difficult for President George W Bush to persuade Congress to renew or extend the authority particularly if the WTO talks make little progress in the next months
Under the circumstances substantive negotiations in the round have to be completed by the end of next year which means that a detailed agreement on tariff cuts should be reached no later than April
However that is not to say the EU will become any more willing to slash its agricultural tariffs Meanwhile next years congressional election campaign will make it even harder for the United States to offer concessions sought by its WTO partners
European Commission chief Jose Manuel Barroso also warned on Monday in Brussels that the EUs WTO partners should not expect further concessions on farm aid from the bloc next year
Many analysts fear without more substantial progress in the WTO itself might collapse and the world as a consequence will face an era of bilateral and regional trade deals and heightened protectionism Enditem
MADRID Dec Xinhua Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero pledged Thursday to strengthen his countrys relations with Asia which he described as the worlds center of gravity the local media reported
Spain has to get into Asia the prime minister told the press when presenting Spains action plan
Spains allies which are also its main commercial competitors have already set themselves up in the region and have been intensifying trade relations with the economies which he said are the most dynamic on the Earth
He called on Spanish firms to boost their Asian presence particularly in Japan China and India
Meanwhile Rodriguez Zapatero said Asia together with Latin America and the Mediterranean will be crucial in deciding Spains role on the international arena
He suggested that Spain strengthen its cooperation with Asia in external security improve their dialogue both in political and economic terms and establish industrial and tourism promotion bodies in the region
Notably Spain is seeking to strengthen its ties with China
According to Rodriguez Zapatero Spain plans to set up consulates general both in Beijing and South Chinas Guangdong Province
Spain will also establish a body aiming to boost friendship between the Spanish and Chinese parliaments and will set up a cultural center in Beijing as part of a move to promote the year of Spain in China in Enditem
RIGA Dec Xinhua The Latvian defense minister Einars Repse resigned on Thursday after the government announced a preliminary anticorruption inquiry into his financial dealings
In spite of denying any wrongdoings Repse has decided to give up his parliamentary seat suggesting that he would not hide behind parliamentary immunity to avoid prosecution However he will remain leader of the New Era Party
Repse claimed that he had been exposed to a smear campaign from other politicians particularly from Prime Minister Aigars Kalvitis who announced the probe into his business dealings on Wednesday which according to Repse was not meant to be made public
The New Era Party the biggest of the fourparty incumbent government will decide within weeks whether it would stay in the coalition said Repse If it decides to leave the government could collapse
In a TV interview Latvian President Vaira VikeFreiberga called on the government to stay stable stressing that it was a sensitive time for the country which hosted a NATO summit in November
Repse prime minister from November to February had acquired lat about US dollars in real estate property deals in according to reports in the Latvian press
He has been under parliamentary investigation since February On Wednesday parliament voted to extend by six months the mandate of the commission conducting the anticorruption investigation
A spokesman for the anticorruption bureau stressed however that Repse was not charged with any crime and that the inquiry was in its early stages Enditem
LONDON Dec Xinhua The British government is considering to propose a set of measures to ensure the safety of large industrial sites local newspapers reported on Friday
The measures could include exclusion zones around oil storage or other potentially dangerous industrial sites such as chemical plants The Financial Times said
The report disclosed that even before the devastating blast at the Buncefield oil storage in the northwest of London on Dec the Cabinet Office had been thinking of reducing dangers at industrial sites
More than people were injured and thousands evacuated in the oil storage blast which also polluted the air and led to a fire lasting for several days Enditem
CARACAS Dec Xinhua The gross income of the stateowned oil company Petroleos de Venezuela PDVSA rose percent in to billion US dollars Venezuelan Energy Minister Rafael Ramirez said Thursday
Ramirez who also heads PDVSA told reporters that the companys net profit hit billion dollars an increase of percent over last year
The minister said that in the companys average output was million barrels per day bpd and would rise to million next year
In PDVSA is expected to focus projects like the Gran Mariscal Industrial Complex in Ayacucho whose cornerstone will be laid in January and on gas production and heavy oil deposits in Venezuelas Orinico strip
The companys investment will reach billion dollars next year percent higher than that of this year and about percent of the money will be used in exploration and production
Under a plan called Seeding Petrol Venezuela the worlds fifth largest oil producer hopes to increase production by more than folds to million bpd by and produce billion cubic feet of natural gas a year Enditem
WARSAW Dec Xinhua Polish Prime Minister Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz said Iraqi military forces were not yet ready to take over the Polishled zone during his twoday visit to Iraq Polish Press AgencyPAP reported
The visit which ended on Thursday came as the country awaits a decision on whether Poland will keep its troops in Iraq or withdraw by January
The prime minister said Iraqi forces need months to get ready to take responsibility for the Polishled zone in Divaniyah adding a sudden withdrawal of troops from the centralsouth zone would create a safety vacuum
But he refused to reveal his personal opinion on Polands military mission in Iraq saying the decision is to be made by the entire government and president of the country
The prime minister said his government would make the decision in the coming days and submit it to President Lech Kaczynski
During his twoday visit to Iraq the prime minister met Polish soldiers at their Echo base in Divaniyah and held talks with Iraqi Prime Minister Ibrahim Jaafari and President Jalal Talabani Enditem
QUITO Dec Xinhua Ecuador and other developing countries had been included in the European Unions new tariffreducing scheme SGPplus the Ecuadoran Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Thursday
The EU General System of Preferences SGP is a system of preferential trading arrangements through which the EU extends to developing countries preferential access to its markets
SGPplus a new SGP scheme adopted in June will come into force on Jan and remain unchanged until the end of But a provisional form of the SGPplus concerning special incentive scheme for sustainable development and good governance was already in place in July
To benefit from SGPplus Ecuador needs to ratify international agreements on human rights workers rights environmental protection and fight against drug trafficking
The other countries admitted are Bolivia Colombia Peru Venezuela Costa Rica El Salvador Guatemala Honduras Nicaragua Panama Moldova Georgia Mongolia and Sri Lanka Enditem
LOS ANGELES Dec Xinhua The swirl around South Korean researcher Hwang Woo Suk is expanding while US Science journal on Thursday announced to launch a review of his earliest achievement
Hwangs paper titled Evidence of a Pluripotent Human Embryonic Stem Cell Line Derived from a Cloned Blastocyst described how his team harvested human embryonic stem cells from cloned embryos first in the world The paper was published in the online edition of February and in a printed edition a month later
This paper while attracting the scientific community and making Hwang a worldclass star last year has aroused more suspicion today when Hwangs other claims are under investigation Editors of Science journal said they will check the paper more cautiously
An earlier paper by Hwang and his colleagues attracted much attention as the first demonstration of the derivation of a pluripotent embryonic stem cell line from a cloned human blastocyst chief editor of the journal Donald Kennedy said in a statement
Given the concerns raised about the paper we are undertaking a careful review of the paper as well and expect to consult with outside advisors as needed he said
In this study Hwangs team collected tissue cells and eggs from the same donor Then the researchers drew the nucleus out of the egg and poured the nucleus of the tissue cell in and cultivated this new egg into an early embryo
Some researchers now raised the question that Hwang might have faked his cloned embryos with embryos developed from one germ cell Thus the embryos should be like natural twins but not cloned ones
Hwangs paper also published in Science described how his team derived embryonic stem cell lines specific for patients with different diseases This paper is under an official investigation by the Seoul National University in Korea and the Pittsburgh University in the United States
Earlier this day Nature another prestigious scientific journal based in Britain said it would review Hwangs latest published paper which claimed success of cloning a dog first in the world Enditem
WASHINGTON Dec Xinhua The cancer death rate continues to decline in the United States thanks to efforts for early detection of cancers and improvements in behavior aimed to prevent cancers the National Cancer Institute of the United States said in a biennial report on Thursday
The death rate for all cancers continued to drop at per in down from a year earlier The same downward trend was seen in the death rate of the four most common cancers prostate breast lung and colorectal the report said while noting a continuing rise in lung cancer death rates in women
The rate of new cases of cancer stabilized at per Americans in which was compared to the rate of a year earlier At the same time there have been further increases in the cases of breast cancer in women and of prostate and testicles cancer in men The incidence of leukemia nonHodgkin lymphoma myeloma melanoma of skin and cancers of the thyroid kidney and esophagus also rose
The report said increased use of screening tests for early detection of breast cervical and colorectal cancers have helped bring down the death rates of these cancers
Meanwhile people have been taking some steps to protect themselves from cancers the report said citing reductions in smoking declines in alcohol and fat consumption and efforts to prevent sun exposure Enditem
WASHINGTON Dec Xinhua The Food and Drug Administration FDA of the United States on Thursday recommended a stricter limit of lead which is allowed to be contained in certain types of childrens candy
The new limit recommended for the highly toxic metal in childrens candy is within onetenth of a part per million compared to the previous decadeold level of onehalf a part per million
The step was taken after it was found additional ingredients such as chili powder tamarind pulp and some salts used in some sweets can boost the lead content beyond allowable levels
The lead is believed to come from improperly washed and stored ingredients grown in leadcontaminated soils Another source is the candy wrapper printed with inks containing the metal
This new guidance level will further reduce an already minimal risk from lead exposure in candy said Acting FDA Commissioner Andrew von Eschenbach
The new guidance is expected to take effect next year the FDA said
Lead poisoning is linked to behavioral problems and learning disabilities and can even cause seizures or death The risk is the highest for children under age because of their quick growth Enditem
by Wu Liming
BRUSSELS Dec Xinhua China and the European Union EU have deepened their strategic partnership in an allaround way in a year that marks the th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two sides
CHINAEU POLITICAL DIALOGUE ENHANCED
Celebrating the th anniversary of the bilateral diplomatic ties has offered plenty of opportunities for China and the member bloc to strengthen their political dialogue
The ChinaEU summit initiated in by then Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji and British Prime Minister Tony Blair is the highest level of regular political dialogue mechanism between China and the EU
In September the th ChinaEU summit was held in Beijing Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao Blair whose country holds the current EU presidency and European Commission EC President Jose Manuel Barroso held talks and signed a series of cooperation agreements including those on climate and space programs
The summit has injected important impetus into the development of the allaround strategic partnership between the two sides EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana said
During the summit China and the EU also agreed to set up another regular political dialogue mechanism vice ministeriallevel strategic dialogue
Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Yesui visited London in December to hold the first such strategic dialogue with the EU president
Apart from regular political dialogues leaders from China and the EU have exchanged frequent visits this year
Chinese President Hu Jintao attended the Group of Eight G summit in Scotland in July and also visited Britain Germany and Spain in October
In December Premier Wen made a tour of four EU member states France Slovakia the Czech Republic and Portugal and signed many agreements of cooperation China and Portugal announced the establishment of an allaround strategic partnership
For the EU besides leaders from its member states eight commissioners from the EC including Barroso himself visited China this year which was described within the EU headquarters as a China year
For Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson alone he has visited China three times in
In addition scholars from China and the EU also conducted a series of symposiums increasing communications and exchanges among academic circles of the two sides
TRADE SOARS DESPITE QUARRELS
After the biggestever enlargement in May last year the EU has become the largest trading partner of China and China the second largest trading partner of the EU
In trade between the two sides remained robust
According to statistics issued by Chinas customs authorities ChinaEU trade from January to November hit billion US dollars up percent from that of the same period last year
In November Chinese Commerce Minister Bo Xilai during a visit to the EU headquarters said bilateral trade would surpass billion dollars for the whole year
During Premier Wens fourday official visit to France early December China and France signed a deal on purchasing midrange Airbus A jets worth nearly billion dollars the biggest single deal in the history of Airbus
However despite the achievements made by the two sides there are still disputes between China and the EU over some trade issues
Over the year the EU has launched several antidumping investigations against various Chinese products such as shoes while quotas on Chinas textile remain one of the knottiest issues in their trade ties
In view of the good atmosphere of the SinoEU relations the two sides have properly dealt with their trade disputes over textile products
The EU will set a transition period for canceling quotas while China agreed to properly handle stockpiles of textile at EU ports
Just as Bo Xilai put it the number of disputed areas in the ChinaEU trade is very small which does not hamper a smooth expansion of the ChinaEU economic cooperation
In addition China and the EU have made more progress in scientific cooperation and cultural exchanges
Highlighting the SinoEuropean hightech cooperation is Chinas active participation in the Galileo satellite navigation system a major European project
In July the two sides signed three application contracts making China the first country outside Europe to join the Galileo Project
Moreover China and the EU together with four other partners decided in June to locate a billiondollar project for International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor at Cadarache in southern France a site proposed by the EU and backed by China
TALKS ON NEW PARTNERSHIP PACT EXPECTED
Looking ahead China and the EU are facing an impending job to launch talks on a new partnership framework agreement in a bid to replace the Trade and Economic Cooperation Agreement
In May EC external relations commissioner Benita FerreroWaldner said the EU hoped to start the talks within the year
According to wellinformed sources both sides are currently making preparations for launching the talks
For the EU side it has invited at least two institutes in Brussels to conduct studies on China and the EUChina relations aiming to solicit advice on launching the talks
A new agreement will make it much easier for us to realize the full potential of our partnership and will be a strong signal of our mutual commitment to deepening our relationship Solana said Enditem
LOS ANGELES Dec Xinhua Studies that follow evolution in action claim top honors as the Breakthrough of the Year the Science journal and its publisher the American Association for the Advancement of Science AAAS announced on Thursday
In scientists discovered new details about Charles Darwins famous theory and this indepth information could help us lead healthier lives in the future the journal said
Many of this years breakthrough studies followed evolution at genetic level including a map of the chimpanzee genome and a map of singleletter variations in the human genetic sequence
By comparing the two maps scientists will get a better glimpse of the human species evolutionary history
And the two maps give scientists new material for studying conditions from AIDS to heart disease laying the groundwork for a future of personalized genetic medicine according to Donald Kennedy chief editor of the journal
Sequencing of the Spanish flu virus could have a more immediate impact on medicine Understanding the evolution of the virus which jumped directly from birds to humans in last century may help the world predict and cope with the current bird flu threat the journal said
Other evolution findings include small changes in DNA can trigger dramatic evolutionary events behavioral differences such as what to eat and when to mate may be enough to turn a single population into two species
These observations and other experiments showed that evolutionary studies are as relevant to as they were to Kennedy said
Other important scientific achievements picked by the journal include
Planetary research With spacecraft at or on the way to the moon Mercury Venus Mars a comet an asteroid Saturn and the very edge of the solar system planetary discovery soared in The high point may be the landing of the European spacecraft Huygens on Titan Saturns largest moon
Plant studies Several key molecular cues behind flowering and other plant mysteries and surprises came to light in
Exploring the nature of Neutron Stars New instruments yielded vivid insights into the most violent behaviors of neutron stars
Link between brain wiring and disease Several studies in suggest that diseases such schizophrenia Tourette syndrome and dyslexia are rooted in faulty wiring of the brains neural circuitry during development in the womb
The Earths birth place Researchers took another look at Earth rocks and meteorites that resemble the starting material of the solar system and found that their atoms were significantly different
Key proteins closeup The most detailed molecular portrait to date of a voltagegated potassium channel was unveiled These channels gatekeeper proteins that usher potassium ions in and out of cells are as key to nerve and muscle functioning
More evidence of climate change From the warming of deep ocean waters and increased frequencies of the most intense tropical cyclones to continued reductions in ice cover in the Arctic Ocean and altered bird migratory patterns evidence for climate change built up
Cell Signaling Dynamic views of how cells respond to the chemical and environmental signals all around them took hold in thanks to efforts to track multiple inputs and outputs of cell signaling networks simultaneously
ITER Lands in France The struggle over the location of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor ITER worlds first fusion reactor has ended
The journal most prestigious in world scientific community also chose the cancellation of two major experiments and talk of an early closing for one of the three existing particle colliders in the United States as a major breakdown of the year
Drug and vaccine development for avian flu RNAinterference in humans hightemperature superconductors the microbial family tree detection of the merging of two neutron stars and ultrahighenergy cosmic rays will be the hot spots of research the journal said Enditem
WASHINGTON Dec Xinhua Rates on year fixedrate mortgages in the United States declined to percent this week from percent last week mortgage giant Freddie Mac reported Thursday in its weekly nationwide survey
This was the second weekly decline in rates on year mortgages These rates had hit a twoyear high of on Nov
The survey also showed that rates on year fixedrate mortgages a popular choice for refinancing a home mortgage decreased to percent this week from percent last week
But rates on oneyear adjustable rate mortgagesARMs rose to percent from percent last week For fiveyear hybrid adjustable rate mortgages rates nudged up to percent from percent
A year ago year mortgage rates averaged percent while year mortgages were at percent and oneyear ARMs at percent Freddie Mac began tracking rates on fiveyear ARMs this year Enditem
SEOUL Seoul National University SNU said Friday South Korean stem cell researcher Hwang Woosuk fabricated the result of his research in the paper published in May this year in journal Science SKoreaStem cell
LONDON British Prime Minister Tony Blair on Thursday hinted that British troops could start to pull out of Iraq next year as the ability of Iraqs security and police forces is improving BritainIraqMilitary
LOS ANGELES Studies that follow evolution in action claim top honors as the Breakthrough of the Year the Science journal and its publisher the American Association for the Advancement of Science announced on Thursday ScienceBreakthrough
BRUSSELS Microsoft may face a fine of up to million euros million US dollars per day if it fails to comply with a March antitrust decision of the European Commission
Microsoft is given five weeks to respond to a statement of objections of the commission issued on Thursday said the commission the executive body of the European Union EU MicrosoftEU
BAGHDAD The trial of former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein was adjourned on Thursday until Jan a court judge said SaddamTrial
NEW YORK Leaders of the Transport Workers UnionTWU in New York have agreed to take steps to return to work while continuing negotiation with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority said transit strike mediator Richard Curreri on Thursday New YorkStrike Enditem
BAGHDAD Dec Xinhua US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said on Friday that the US troops in Iraq will be cut by two brigades
Rumsfeld announced the decision during a lightning visit to Fallujah Enditem
BAGHDAD Dec Xinhua US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said on Friday US troops in Iraq will be cut by two brigades
President George W Bush has authorized an adjustment in US combat brigades in Iraq from to Rumsfeld said addressing US troops in a military camp east of Falluja
Two army brigades which are now stationed in Fort Rilley Kansas and Kuwait will no longer need to go to Iraq
The effect of these adjustments will reduce forces in Iraq by the spring of below the current high of during the Iraqi election period to below the baseline that had existed before the most recent elections Rumsfeld said
Rumsfelds remarks were the first he has made proposing a drop in troop levels below the baseline
His aides said details about the cut would be given later at the Pentagon Enditem
LONDON British Prime Minister Tony Blair on Thursday hinted that British troops could start to pull out of Iraq next year as the ability of Iraqs security and police forces is improving
According to Reuters Blair made the signal during a surprise visit to British forces stationed near Basra Iraqs southern city This was Blairs fourth trip to Iraq since the USled invasion UKIraqTroops
WARSAW Poland will strengthen its transatlantic relations based on the NATO structures and bilateral ties with the United States Polish Foreign Minister Stefan Meller said here on Thursday
The European Union plays an important role in the dialogue said Meller when addressing a conference on continuity and change in Polands foreign policy
It is time to open a new chapter in the Polish foreign policy after Poland entered the EU and completes the stage of economic and political transformation said Meller PolandUSRelations
SEOUL South Korean Seoul National University SNU said Friday South Korean stem cell researcher Hwang Woosuk fabricated the result of his research in the paper published in May this year in journal Science
The tentative conclusion was made by a special panel of the SNU announced its preliminary report on its investigation of the authenticity scandal surrounding its professor Hwangs stem cell research SKoreaClone precessorFalse
SEOUL South Korean embattled stem cell researcher Hwang Woosuk Friday afternoon expressed intention to resign his professorship of Seoul National University SNU
Earlier in the day the SNU issued an interim report over the investigation over Hwangs stem cell research which tentatively concluded his team fabricated results of the research SKoreaClone ProfessorQuit
BAGHDAD US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said on Friday US troops in Iraq will be cut by two brigades
President George W Bush has authorized an adjustment in US combat brigades in Iraq from to Rumsfeld said addressing US troops in a military camp east of Falluja
Two army brigades which are now stationed in Fort Rilley Kansas and Kuwait will no longer need to go to Iraq USTroopsIraq Enditem
LONDON Dec Xinhua Following are major news items in leading British newspapers on Friday
The Independent
Britain will discard more waste this Christmas than ever before with an estimated three million tons of rubbish a tenth of the annual total accumulated over the next few days
The Guardian
British Prime Minister Tony Blair indicated during a lightning visit to Basra on Thursday that a phased withdrawal of British troops from Iraq could begin within six months in the first official confirmation of an exit plan
The Times
Police authorities and chief constables across England and Wales have rebelled against plans by Charles Clarke the Home Secretary to create a network of larger forces
Financial Times
The British government is drawing up proposals for reducing the potential hazards from large industrial sites across Britain in the wake of this months explosion at the Buncefield petroleum storage depot in Hertfordshire
The Daily Telegraph
The Christmas and New Year travel plans of millions of people faced disruption on Thursday as the RMT transport union announced strike plans in several parts of the country over extra time off for working the holidays Enditem
WARSAW Dec Xinhua Lech Kaczynski was inaugurated Friday in Warsaw as new president of Poland
At a ceremony before the National Assembly Kaczynski vowed to be faithful to the countrys constitution protect dignity of the nation independence and security of the state Enditem
MOSCOW Dec Xinhua Russias lower house of parliament passed a controversial bill regulating nongovernmental organizations NGOs in the country on Friday in its third and final reading
The State Duma voted to approve the bill with seven abstentions the Interfax news agency reported
The bill breezed through the State Duma after some of the proposed restrictions on NGOs were lifted following an outcry against the original text from Western NGOs which said it will make it very difficult for them to operate in Russia
The original bill required foreign NGOs to register with the authorities and included financial screening of NGOs accounts
Earlier this month President Vladimir Putin stepped in with suggestions to revise the bill that would soften restrictions on foreign NGOs
The bill now requires foreign NGOs to register with the Federal Registration Service rather than with the Foreign Ministry as is currently the case
Foreign NGOs not registered as Russian legal entities will be allowed to keep their current status
The bill still needs to be approved by the upper house before it is sent to Putin to be signed into law Enditem
NEW YORK Dec Xinhua New York transport workers went back to work early Friday ending their threeday strike to protest the stalemate between the transport union and the transportation authority over pension benefits
NYC Transit has resumed full overnight subway and bus service the Metropolitan Transportation Authority said on its website
During the morning rush service on NYCT subways and buses and on MTA bus lines will ramp up incrementally the service added
The end of strike came amid mounting fines and the rising wrath of millions of commuters with some million New Yorkers having to walk drive or ride bicycles to work New York State Justice Theodore Jones has fined the union million US dollars a day for striking
Local commuters feel relieved after hearing the news as they dont have to walk in the freezing coldness to do the Christmas shopping The New York government also expressed rejoice toward the news
In the end cooler heads prevailed Mayor Michael Bloomberg said We passed the test with flying colors We did what we had to do to keep the city running and running safely
New York state governor George Pataki said the end of strike was very positive for all New Yorkers saying the stoppage had caused an enormous inconvenience and hardship
However the end of strike didnt solve the disputes between the Transit Workers Union TWU and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority MTA as both sides agreed to further negotiate It was reported that the MTA had improved its wage offer but insisted on reducing pension and health care benefits for transport workers Enditem
GENEVA Dec Xinhua Faced with severe shortages of food and funding the UN World Food Program WFP said Friday that it would be forced to reduce rations by half to the Angolan and Congolese refugees in Zambia from Jan to assure them some level of food assistance in the months ahead
This is certainly not our preferred course of action We simply have no choice Although we had a stable pipeline for refugees through to December this year we have received no contributions from David Stevenson WFP Zambia Country Director said in a statement released here
This is an extremely serious situation as these refugees live in camps and settlements in remote areas of Zambia and rely entirely on the WFP for their food supplies he added
The WFP the UN refugee agency UNHCR and the Zambian government appealed for million US dollars to provide food aid for these refugees
There will be increased morbidity mortality and stunted growth Social problems such as prostitution and child labor will increase and refugees may become uncontrollable as a result of the food cuts said Ahmed Said Farah UNHCR regional representative in Zambia
Zambia has been very generous in hosting refugees for years said Farah It is now up to the international community to do its share by funding the WFP
The WFP the worlds largest humanitarian agency gives food to an average of million poor people including million hungry children in at least of the worlds poorest countries Enditem
GENEVA Dec Xinhua Swiss drugmaker Roche announced Friday that it has granted a sublicense to the Indian company Hetero Drugs for the production of antiinfluenza drug Tamiflu
The agreement with Hetero is focused on providing oseltamivir for government pandemic use and will have an immediate effect on the availability in India and developing countries Roche said in a statement
As a result of a period of intense production planning we are pleased to announce the partnership with Hetero Drugs as the latest step in our scaleup efforts to meet the needs of governments in preparing for the potential public health threat posed by avian influenza said David Reddy Roches Pandemic Taskforce Leader
Earlier this month Roche granted the first sublicense for the production of Tamiflu to Chinas Shanghai Pharmaceutical Group Roche said it is also in talks with other companies to let them take part in the production process
Tamiflu is considered the most effective treatment available to counter HN bird flu and Roche has been under pressure to allow third parties to produce Tamiflu amid a surge in demand over fears that HN bird flu could trigger a human influenza pandemic
Tamiflu was invented by USbased Gilead and licensed to Roche in Roche based in Basel now has exclusive worldwide rights for the manufacturing and marketing of the medicine Enditem
LONDON Dec Xinhua The British government is drawing up proposals for reducing the potential hazards of large industrial sites across the country in the wake of an explosion at the Buncefield petroleum storage depot in Hertfordshire
The Cabinet Office launched a study several months ago which will draw on lessons learned from the Buncefield explosion one of Britains biggest industrial accidents the Financial Times reported on Friday
Exclusion zones around industrial sites which would have to be free of any buildings in case of a blast or fire are said to be part of the proposals
On Dec a series of blasts ignited giant oil storage tanks at Buncefield near Hemel Hempstead injuring people and forcing to leave their homes Dozens of businesses suspended operation for several days which ended in hundreds of millions of pounds in economic losses
The Cabinet Office study is expected to point to ways that the potential bill for tightening up health and safety in industrial plants which could run into hundreds of millions of pounds could be shared by private sectors and taxpayers
The Health and Safety Executive the agency responsible for workplace safety launched an investigation into the Buncefield explosion this week Enditem
WARSAW Dec Xinhua A former mayor of Warsaw Lech Kaczynski was inaugurated Friday as Polands new president promising to fight corruption and boost the economy
At a ceremony before the National Assembly Kaczynski vowed in a speech to be faithful to the countrys constitution and protect dignity of the nation independence and security of the state
He focused his minute speech on domestic issues including getting rid of corruption and promoting the economy
Kaczynski a yearold former Solidarity activist and exWarsaw mayor said The state is not performing its duties properly it must be cleansed and rebuilt
Kaczynski sticks to traditional social values
In foreign affairs he said Poland would go on to seek strong relations with the United States and pledged to make ties with Russia an important issue for his presidency
He won the presidency in an Oct runoff election Enditem
ROME Dec Xinhua An Italian court on Friday issued arrest warrants for alleged CIA agents suspected of kidnapping a Muslim cleric in Italy local media reported
The warrants were issued by a Milan court Italys Sky TG news channel reported
Egyptian cleric Hassan Mustafa Osama Nasr was allegedly kidnapped by CIA agents in a Milan street in February and flown to Egypt for interrogation
He was reportedly tortured during interrogation Enditem
WARSAW Dec Xinhua Former Mayor of Warsaw Lech Kaczynski was inaugurated Friday as Polands new president promising to fight corruption boost the economy and carry out more diplomatic activities
At a ceremony before the National Assembly Kaczynski vowed in a speech to be faithful to the countrys constitution and protect dignity of the nation independence and security of the state
He focused his minute speech on domestic issues including getting rid of corruption and promoting the economy
Kaczynski a yearold former Solidarity activist and exWarsaw mayor said The state is not performing its duties properly it must be cleansed and rebuilt
Kaczynski sticks to traditional social values
In foreign affairs he said the countrys top duty was to guarantee Polands security and favourable political and economic conditions for domestic reconstruction
He said Poland would go on to seek strong relations with the United States and pledged to make ties with Russia an important issue for his presidency
Kaczynski said that in relations with the European Union Poland cannot just defend its current interests We have had great success improvement in relations with Germany and France But Poland should undertake more term projects
He won the presidency in an Oct runoff election Enditem
ROME Dec Xinhua Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi Friday said that a probe by the countrys antitrust authority over subsidies approved by his government to Italians who buy digitaltelevision decoders was unfounded
This is a shame and the antitrust authority will prove me right said Berlusconi in a response to the probe the latest in many legal cases launched against the premier recently
Italys competitions regulator said Thursday that the probe related to money that was set aside in the budget for which was approved by Parliament the same day
Buyers of digital decoders in Italy received a total of million euros million US dollars from the government as subsidies since
The decoders are used to put digital broadcasts into a format that can be viewed on an analog set and the government said the subsidies were given to promoting the countrys digital TV
However critics say the subsidies favor Berlusconis television broadcasting empire Mediaset SPA Enditem
LONDON Dec Xinhua A student allegedly involved in the abortive London terror attacks on July has been remanded in custody in the British capital
The yearold Adel Yahya from north London is accused of conspiring with others on or before July to cause explosions that are likely to endanger life or cause serious injury to property Sky news reported on Friday
Yahya was arrested early Tuesday morning after he arrived at London Gatwick airport on a flight from Addis Ababa Ethiopia and became the rd person detained in connection with British polices investigations into the bombing attempts
Five men have been charged with plotting to murder passengers on Londons transport network two weeks after the July bombings which left dead and injured
Yahya was remanded in custody at Bow Street Magistrates Court in central London until January when he will appear at the Old Bailey Criminal Court Enditem
SOFIA Dec Xinhua Bulgaria and Libya have agreed to set up a special fund for AIDSinfected children in the Libyan city of Benghazi where five Bulgarian nurses have been sentenced to death for allegedly spreading the deadly disease Bulgarias foreign ministry said on Friday
The fund was agreed on in talks Wednesday and Thursday in Tripoli which also included representatives of the European Commission the United States and Britain the ministry said in a statement
The move was part of international efforts to secure the release of five Bulgarian nurses and a Palestinian doctor
The six medics were imprisoned in in Libya for allegedly injecting children with HIVtainted blood and were sentenced to death in
At least of the infected children have reportedly died heightening the pressure on Libyas government to carry out the sentences Angry families of the Libyan victims have been waging protests wanting retribution
However Bulgaria and its allies the European Union and the United States have condemned the verdicts saying the Libyan court ignored a testimony from AIDS experts that the epidemic started before the nurses arrived in the city and was probably caused by poor hygiene Enditem
ROME Dec Xinhua Italian police arrested three Algerians Friday in Naples one week after a raid on Algerian extremists in a southern city
The three men were suspected of breaching international terrorism laws and carrying false documents a police spokesman said
They were part of a cell set up by the Algerian Salafist movement linked to alQaida
On Dec Italian police stormed apartments and shops linked to a strong Algerian group which was suspected of financing extremist groups in Algeria
In their operations police found fake documents forged money and cell phones destined for extremists but made no arrests
Police said their investigation showed that those materials were sent to Algeria on buses running from Naples to southern France before transported to the North African country
Police said they had stopped such a bus loaded with similar supplies near the border between Italy and France Enditem
WASHINGTON Dec Xinhua Orders of durable manufactured goods in the United States increased by percent in November the largest gain in the past six months the Commerce Department reported on Friday
The report showed that orders to US factories for durable goods items expected to last for more than three years increased to a record high of billion US dollars last month following a percent gain in October It was the biggest onemonth advance since a percent rise last May
The strong advance was led by a percent surge in orders for commercial aircraft and parts Orders in this category jumped to billion dollars from billion dollars in the previous month
Orders for all types of transportation products were also up by percent as the strength in commercial aircraft was offset by a percent drop in orders for motor vehicles and parts
However US orders for durable goods excluding transportation declined by percent in November That was the third straight drop in durable goods orders outside of transportation Enditem
WASHINGTON Dec Xinhua The following are major news items in leading US newspapers on Friday
The New York Times
Thousands of New York City transit workers put down their picket signs and streamed into bus depots and railyards Thursday night to restart the nations largest transit system after leaders of their union agreed to a tentative framework for a new contract and ended a hour strike that hobbled the city
In a frantic finish before adjourning for the year Congress extended on Thursday the broad antiterrorism bill known as the USA Patriot Act by five weeks after the Republican chairman of the House Judiciary Committee balked at the longer extension
The Washington Post
The House balked Thursday at a Senate plan to extend the USA Patriot Act by six months to give Congress and President George W Bush more time to work out their differences instead forcing the Senate and the administration to accept a onemonth extension
USA Today
US troop levels in Iraq could fall to the lowest since March if the Pentagon goes ahead with plans to cancel the scheduled deployment next month of two Army brigades Enditem
ROME Dec Xinhua The Italian Senate Friday gave final approval to a bill that reforms the Bank of Italy the countrys central bank
The government gained two confidence votes on controversial amendments of the bill which aimed at better protecting savers interests earlier Friday before the Senate approved the reform
The reform bill brought forward measures to punish those found guilty of defrauding savers and to improve the internal and external regulation of Italian companies
It also stipulates that the central banks governor would serve a fixed sixyear term from an openended appointment And some of the banks regulatory powers would be transferred to Italys competition authority
The reform was originally mapped out by Premier Silvio Berlusconis centerright government after a billion billion US dollars euro fraud scandal at dairy giant Parmalat two years ago Enditem
NEW YORK Dec Xinhua New York City subway trains are rolling again and buses are back on the streets Friday morning following the end of a hour transit strike that plunged the city into disarray
The citys subway stations opened at midnight with the first trains making their way to each of the systems stops for the first time in three days
MTA officials said Thursday that management personnel had been monitoring the systems infrastructure during the work stoppage to guarantee the condition of the rails switches and signals
Authorities said earlier that all the citys subway trains and city buses would be fully functional for Friday mornings commute
Bowing to pressure from numerous fronts including mounting fines and possible jail time the Transport Workers Unions executive board voted Thursday to end the massive strike that frustrated commuters and tourists over three hectic days
Although an agreement has not yet been reached between the TWU and the MTA the union voted by a count of to send their members back to work without a new contract just three days before Christmas
The first sign of significant progress toward ending the threedayold transit strike came early Thursday morning when representatives from the union and the MTA unexpectedly returned to the Midtown Grand Hyatt to meet separately with mediators from the state Public Employment Relations Board
The breakthrough came at the end of the session when mediators suggested that the MTA drop its pension proposal in exchange for savings in another area such as health benefits
It is on this basis that we have requested the leadership of the TWU direct its membership to immediately return to work and they have agreed to take such actions said state mediator Richard Curreri at the conclusion of the talks
Although the majority of the TWU board voted to return to work the five union executives who voted to continue the strike said they did so because a deal is still not in place However other board members said they believe a contract will be in place next week
Meanwhile State Supreme Court Judge Theodore Jones adjourned all legal proceedings Thursday afternoon without hearing the contempt case against TWU President Roger Toussaint and other union leaders The leaders could face jail time for authorizing the illegal strike which violated the states Taylor Law Those court proceedings have now been postponed until January
Governor George Pataki maintained Thursday that the strike was illegal under the Taylor Law and that the union will be fined for its actions
Theres a reason for the law Pataki said at a Thursday afternoon press conference The reason is that when there is an illegal strike by essential public employees it doesnt just devastate our economy it has enormous negative consequences to the health and the safety of the people in New York and I think there is a lesson to be learned from this No one is above the law and when you break the law the consequences are real
MTA officials said riders who have purchased MetroCards that are good for a specific time period would not be charged for the lost days Unlimited ride cards will also be extended by three days
The walkout which began early Tuesday was the first citywide transit strike in years Enditem
ROME Dec Xinhua Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi said on Friday that national elections will be held on April and the parliament would be dissolved at the end of January
The election date has been confirmed for April and consequently so has the date of Jan for dissolving parliament Berlusconi told a yearend news conference
According to poll results released on Thursday by ISPO one of Italys main polling institutes Berlusconis coalition would garner between percent and percent of the votes while between percent and percent would vote for the centerleft headed by former Premier Romano Prodi Enditem
NEW YORK New York transport workers went back to work early Friday ending their threeday strike to protest the stalemate between the transport union and the transportation authority over pension benefits
NYC Transit has resumed full overnight subway and bus service the Metropolitan Transportation Authority said on its website USTransportationStrike
WARSAW A former mayor of Warsaw Lech Kaczynski was inaugurated Friday as Polands new president promising to fight corruption and boost the economy
At a ceremony before the National Assembly Kaczynski vowed in a speech to be faithful to the countrys constitution and protect dignity of the nation independence and security of the state PolandPresidentInauguaration
BAGHDAD Two US soldiers were killed in Baghdad on Friday said the US military in a statement
The soldiers assigned to Task Force Baghdad died when their vehicle struck an improvised explosive device in Baghdad the statement said BaghdadUS SoldiersToll
ROME The Italian Senate Friday gave final approval to a bill that reforms the Bank of Italy the countrys central bank
The government gained two confidence votes on controversial amendments of the bill which aimed at better protecting savers interests earlier Friday before the Senate approved the reform ItalyCentral BankReform
BAGHDAD Unidentified abductors in Iraq kidnapped six Sudanese including a diplomat on Friday in Baghdadthe Qatarbased alJazeera TV channel reported
The Sudanese were abducted after they attended a Muslim prayers ceremony said alJazeera adding the diplomat was Sudanese embassys second secretary IraqKidnap Enditem
TIRANA Dec Xinhua Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha on Friday vowed to uphold the oneChina policy and deepen friendly ties with China
Berisha made the overture in his meeting with visiting Chinese Deputy Foreign Minister Zhang Yesui according to a press release from the Albanian Council of Ministers
He said Albania will firmly develop relations with China hoping for the expansion of cooperation in the fields of politics economy and trade as well as infrastructure
The two countries should also enhance coordination and cooperation in key issues in the region and the world he said adding that the Balkan country expects China to make its contribution to the settlement of the Kosovo issue
Berisha welcomed investments from China in his country especially in the energy and mining sectors
The Chinese deputy foreign minister said China and Albania have huge potential to develop ties as they enjoy good foundations based on traditional friendship
Cooperation between the two countries must be extended even in other fields and I express my pleasure for the increase of mutual trade exchanges he said
Zhang arrived here Thursday for political consultations between the Chinese and Albanian foreign ministries Earlier this week he attended the first round of the ChinaEU strategic dialogue in London Enditem
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BERLIN Dec Xinhua Former Olympic champion Petra Schneider wants her national record for the meters medley annulled because her performance for then East Germany was influenced by doping she said on Thursday
Schneider who won gold at the Moscow Games clocked four minutes seconds for the medley in Guayaquil Ecuador in August and it remains the fastest time by any German woman in the discipline
My record is only a record of the past I would like the current record list to be started afresh she told the German public television programme ARD Kontraste
My record was influenced by doping said Schneider according to the ARD website Enditem
PARIS Dec Xinhua France will play Mexico and Denmark to tune up for the World Cup finals next year in Germany
Les Bleus will host Mexico one of the eight seeds in the World Cup at the Stade de France in Paris on May the French Football Federation said in a statement on Thursday
France will then take on Denmark who failed to qualify for the finals in Germany at the Stade Bollaert in Lens four days later
A third game is scheduled on June but the opponents and venue are not yet known
France begin their World Cup countdown with a match against Slovakia in Paris on March Enditem
JOHANNESBURG Dec Xinhua South Africa has named a provisional man squad for next years African Nations Cup finals coach Ted Dumitru said on Thursday
The squad is to be trimmed by three players by Jan the deadline for the submission of the man squads to the Confederation of African Football for the tournament starting on Jan
South Africa has been drawn in Group C with defending champion Tunisia Guinea and Zambia
Squad
Goalkeepers Emile Baron Kaizer Chiefs Moeneeb Josephs Ajax Cape Town Calvin Marlin SuperSport United Avril Phadi Jomo Cosmos
Defenders Tonic Chabalala Orlando Pirates Siboniso Gaxa SuperSport United Pierre Issa OFI Crete Greece Ricardo Katza SuperSport United Mbulelo Mabizela Valerenga Norway Aaron Mokoena Blackburn Rovers England Jimmy Tau Kaizer Chiefs
Midfielders Daine Klate SuperSport United Gift Leremi Joseph Makhanya both Orlando Pirates Vuyo Mere Benson Mhlongo both Mamelodi Sundowns Elrio Van Heerden FC Copenhagen Denmark Benedict Vilakazi Orlando Pirates Papi Zothwane Lamontville Golden Arrows Sibusiso Zuma Arminia Bielefeld Germany
Forwards Benedict McCarthy FC Porto Portugal Lebohang Mokoena Orlando Pirates Katlego Mphela SuperSport United Siyabonga Nomvete Djurgardens Sweden Nkosinathi Nhleko Viking Stavanger Norway Asanda Sishuba HeusdenZolder Belgium Enditem
OTTAWA Dec Xinhua World AntiDoping Agency WADA will continue its investigations into doping allegations against seventimes Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong said WADA president Dick Pound
Were dealing with all the spins out there right now but behind scenes there are investigations quietly proceeding said Pound There is no urgency because he is not going to be in another race
After Armstrong recorded his seventh Tour victory last July French sports daily LEquipe published a story alleging him had taken the banned blood booster EPO erythropoietin in
Armstrong who retired after the race has denied ever taking performanceenhancing drugs Enditem
SOFIA Dec Xinhua Bulgarias world chess champion Veselin Topalov was elected as the Best Bulgarian Athlete on Wednesday
Next to him are GrecoRoman wrestlers Nikolai Gergov and Armen Nazarian sumoist Kaloyan Mahlyanov woman runner Ivet Lalova swimmer Petar Stoilov boxer Aleksei Shaidulin tennis player Sesil Karatancheva rowing double Rumiana Neikova and Miglena Markova and freestyle wrestler Serafim Burzakov
Bulgarian president Georgi Parvanov chairwoman of the Bulagrian Olympic Committee Stefka Kostadinova chief of National Bureau for the Youth and sports Vesela Lechva attended the ceremony
After the cereminy Topalov donated his huge prize a suv Land Rover Freelander in latest type to the charity fund of Bulgarian Christmas which supports Bulgarian children in poorest and weakest condition
Topalov was born on March in the northern city Russe Enlightened by his father Topalov started his chess career from seven and got his first international champion at
He is currently ranked third in the World Chess FederationFIDE rankings next to Russian chess tsar Gari Kasparov and Indian player Vishvanatan Anand Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The volleyball world governing body FIVB said that Italy will host the mens volleyball world championship
In a press release issued in Lausanne on Thursday FIVB said that it has concluded an agreement with FIPAV the Italian Volleyball Federation after four months of intense negotiations
FIVB and RAI have agreed on the terms for the host broadcasting and acquisition of exclusive TV rights for the tournament
The agreement follows negotiations between RAI Sports Rights Acquisition Director Antonio Marano FIVB President Dr Rubn Acosta Hernandez and Mr Bruno Grande FIVB TV Marketing Director which started in September
The agreement is among RAIs biggest deals for televised sport A final contract is expected to be signed in January
Meanwhile the Swiss Volleyball Federation Rudi Kunz the promoter of the Gstaad Open tournament on the SWATCH FIVB World Tour in Beach Volleyball and the FIVB have finalised an agreement on the terms to hold the Beach Volleyball World Championships in Gstaad in
A separate agreement has also been reached that elevates the Gstaad Open tournament to Grand Slam status for the and seasons Full details of both agreements will be revealed in early Enditem
HELSINKI Dec Xinhua Finland coach Erkka Westerlund named Thursday a man ice hockey squad for the Winter Olympics in Turin from February
Squad
Goalkeepers Kari Lehtonen Atlanta Thrashers Fredrik Norrena Linkvping Miikka Kiprusoff Calgary Flames
Defenders Kimmo Timonen Nashville Predators Ossi Vddndnen Colorado Avalanche Sami Salo Vancouver Canucks Aki Berg Toronto Maple Leafs Teppo Numminen Buffalo Sabres Toni Lydman Buffalo Sabres Joni Pitkdnen Philadelphia Flyers
Forwards Teemuj Seldnne Anaheim Mighty Ducks Saku Koivu Montreal Canadiens Olli Jokinen Florida Panthers Tuomo Ruutu Chicago Blackhawks Ville Peltonen Lugano Antti Miettinen Dallas Stars Mikko Koivu Minnesota Wild Antti Laaksonen Colorado Avalanche Sami Kapanen Philadelphia Flyers Jukka Hentunen Lugano Jere Lehtinen Dallas Stars Jarkko Ruutu Vancouver Canucks Niko Kapanen Dallas Stars
Coach Erkka Westerlund Assistant Hannu Virta
Enditem
CAIRO Dec Xinhua Following are the draw of the African Confederation Cup released on Thursday
First round
Entente Mauritania vs Chlef Algeria
Sahel Nigeria vs Sewe San Pedro Cote dIvoire
Esperance Zarzis Tunis vs US Ouagadougou Burkina Faso
Akonangui Aquatorial Guinea vs Impots or Unisport Bafang Cameroon
USCA CAR vs Astres Douala Cameroon
Tourbillon Chad vs Diables Noirs Congo
Bakau Utd Gambia vs JC Abidjan Cote dIvoire
AlAkhdar Libyan vs Harass alHodoud Egypt
Rayon Sports Rwanda vs Awassa City Ethiopia
Mighty Blackpool Sierra Leone vs Casamance Senagal
Kenya representative vs Revenue Authority Uganda
Dynamic Togo vs AS Bamako Mali
Kabasha Democratic Repubic of Congo vs Sogea Gambia
SMB Seychelles vs Township Rollers Botswana
Zesco Utd Zambia vs Pointe aux Sables Mates Mauritius
Zimbabwe representative vs Moro Utd Tanzania
Ferroviario Beira Mozambique vs Elan Mitsoudje Comoros
JKU Zanzibar vs USJF Ravinala Madagascar
st leg Feb nd leg Mar
Second round
Entente or Chlef vs Douanes Senegal
Sahel or Sewe vs Hussein Dey Algeria
Zarzis or Ouagadougou vs Olympic Khouribga Morocco
Akonangui Impots or Bafang vs Lobi Stars Nigeria
USCA or Astres vs Petro Atletico Angola
Tourbillon or Diables vs Berekum Arsenal Ghana
Bakau or Abidjan vs Iwuanyanwu Nationale Nigeria
Akhdar or Hodoud vs Kaloum Guinea
Rayon or Awassa vs Union Alexandria Egypt
Blackpool or Casamance vs Esperance Tunis
KEN or Revenue vs AlMerreikh Sudan
Dynamic or Bamako vs King Faisal Babes Ghana
Kabasha or Sogea vs InterClube Angola
Zesco or Mates vs SMB or Rollers
ZIM or Moro vs TP Mazembe Englebert Democratic Republic of Congo
JKU or Ravinala vs Beira or Mitsoudje
st leg Mar second Mar Apr
Third round
Sahel Sewe or Hussein Dey vs Entente Chlef or Douanes
Akonangui Impots Bafang or Lobi vs Zarzis Ouagadougou or Khouribga
Tourbillon Diables or Arsenal vs USCA Astres or Petro
Akhdar Hodoud or Kaloum vs Bakau Abidjan or Iwuanyanwu
Blackpool Casamance or Esperance vs Rayon Awassa or Alexandria Dynamic
Bamako or Faisal vs KEN Revenue or Merreikh
Zesco Mates SMB or Rollers vs Kabasha Sogea or InterClube JKU
Ravinala Beira or Mitsoudje vs ZIM Moro or Englebert
st leg Apr nd leg May
Winners qualify for playoffs against African Champions League third round losers during July Enditem
CAIRO Dec Xinhua Following are the draw of the African Champions League released on Thursday
First round
Renacimiento Aquatorial Guinea vs Africa Sport Cote dIvoire
Stade Malien Mali vs Satellite Guinea
Kenya representative v Red Sea Eritrea
Kadiogo Burkina Faso vs USMA Algeria
Douanes Togo vs Port Autonome Senegal
Civics Namibia vs Sagrada Esperanca Angola
East End Lions Sierra Leone vs ASEC Cote dIvoire
Mbabane Swallows Swaziland vs Orlando Pirates South Africa
ASPL Mauritius vs Mitsamiouli Comoros
Police Uganda vs AlHilal Sudan
Police Botoswana vs Enugu Rangers Nigeria
Mangasport Gabon vs Enyimba Nigeria
LPRC Oilers Liberia vs Diaraf Senegal
Renaissance Chad vs Cotonsport Garoua Cameroon
St Eloi Lupopo Democratic Republic of Congo vs Police Congo
Central African Republic representative vs DC Motema Pembe Democratic Republic of Congo
ASFNIS Nigeria vs CS Sfaxien Tunis
APR Rwanda vs Aviacao Angola
Aigle Dschang Cameroon vs Asante Kotoko Ghana
La Passe Seychelles vs Ferroviario Mozambique
Likhopo Lesoto vs Mamelodi Sundowns South Africa
Excelsior St Joseph REU vs USCAFOOT Madagascar
Wallidan Gambia vs Hearts of Oak Ghana
St George Ethiopia vs ENPPI Egpyt
Polisi Zanzibar vs Civil Service Utd Malawi
AlIttihad Libyan vs JS Kabylie Algeria
Young Africans Tanzania vs Zanaco Zambia
Inter Stars Burundi vs CAPS Utd Zimbabwe
Ahmedi Mauritanien vs Raja Morocco
Byes AlAhly Egypt holders FAR Rabat Morocco Etoile Sahel Tunis
st leg Feb
nd leg Mar
Second round
Malien or Satellite v Renacimiento or Africa
KEN or Red Sea v Ahly
Douanes or Port v Kadiogo or USMA
Lions or ASEC v Civics or Sagrada
ASPL or Mitsamiouli v Swallows or Pirates
Police or Enugu v Police or Hilal
Oilers or Diaraf v Mangasport or Enyimba
Lupopo or Police v Renaissance or Cotonsport
ASFNIS or Sfaxien v CAR or Motema Pembe
APR or Aviacao v FAR
Passe or Ferroviario v Dschang or Kotoko
St Joseph or USCAFOOT v Likhopo or Sundowns
St George or ENPPI v Wallidan or Hearts
Polisi or Civil Service v Etoile Sahel
Young Africans or Zanaco v Ittihad or Kabylie
Ahmedi or Raja v Inter or CAPS
st leg Mar
nd leg Mar Apr
Third round
Malien Satellite Renacimiento or Africa v KEN
Red Sea or Ahly Douanes Port Kadiogo or USMA v Lions ASEC Civics or
Sagrada ASPL
Mitsamiouli Swallows or Pirates v Police Enugu Police or Hilal Oilers
Diaraf Mangasport or Enyimba v Lupopo Police Renaissance or Cotonsport
ASFNIS Sfaxien CAR or Motema Pembe v APR Aviacao or FAR
Passe Ferroviario Dschang or Kotoko v St Joseph USCAFOOT Likhopo or
Sundowns
St George ENPPI Wallidan or Hearts v Polisi Civil Service or Etoile
Young Africans
Zanaco Ittihad or Kabylie v Ahmedi Raja Inter or CAPS
st leg Apr
nd leg May
Enditem
WASHINGTON Dec Xinhua Following are the results from the NBA matches on Thursday home team in CAPS
Cleveland CHICAGO
Dallas SACRAMENTO
Enditem
WASHINGTON Dec Xinhua Following are the standings from the NBA on Thursday tabulated under games won lost winning percentage and games behind
EASTERN CONFERENCE
ATLANTIC DIVISION
Philadelphia
New Jersey
Boston
NY Knicks
Toronto
CENTRAL DIVISION
Detroit
Indiana
Cleveland
Milwaukee
Chicago
SOUTHEAST DIVISION
Miami
Washington
Orlando
Charlotte
Atlanta
WESTERN CONFERENCE
NORTHWEST DIVISION
Minnesota
Denver
Seattle
Utah
Portland
PACIFIC DIVISION
Phoenix
LA Clippers
LA Lakers
Golden State
Sacramento
SOUTHWEST DIVISION
San Antonio
Dallas
Memphis
NO Oklahoma City
Houston
Enditem
KAMPALA Dec Xinhua Ugandas junior table tennis teams won the matches at the East Africa InterSchool Games that took place in Rwanda local press reported on Friday
Ugandas Mutabazi Mwanja and Nyakika won boys team event after beating Rwandas team while Lukaaya Kibone and Nekesa helped the girls team win the finals with a victory over Tanzania
In the singles the boys singles final became an allUgandan affair with Mwanja stopping Mutabazi to become champion
Ugandas Lukaaya won the girls singles after defeating fellow Ugandan Nekesa in a lopsided final Enditem
CHANGCHUN Northeast China Dec Xinhua China is to implement its national fitness project for hundreds of millions of farmers in Chinas General Administration of Sports announced at a working conference recently held in Changchun captial city of its northeast Jilin province
The project will become a significant measure to fully implement the National AllForFitness Outlines and also a specific step to fulfil the call of the CPC Central Committee for a new socialist countryside said Xu Chuan deputy director of the Department of Sports for the Masses
The project aims to bring Chinas vast countryside into its nationwide allforfitness service system to change farmers life styles and to enhance their living qualities through basic sports services and rural sports activities said Xu
According to Xu the priority for developing rural sports is to provide facilities for rural sports fans
From the experiences of some local govenments the General Adminstration of Sports has put forward tentative plans for the rural sports infrastructure construction
Local govenments will finance the funds the administrative villages offer the space the sports departments provide facilities and the farmers exert their efforts to join hands for the construction of playgrounds in the villages in want of public sports facilities
The project has been recommended by the National Development and Reform Commission to be included into Chinas th FiveYear Development Plan
Thus the General Administration of Sports has decided to allocate some million yuans about million US dollars from the sports lottery welfare fund to initiate the project at the beginning of the year in said Xu Enditem
TOKYO Dec Xinhua The Pan Pacific Open to be started at the end of January has attracted a string of big names including former world number one Martina Hingis and current topranked Lindsay Davenport organisers said on Friday
The million US dollar event which runs from January to February will also feature Russian Maria Sharapova and American Serena Williams
Hingis who retired three years ago with injuries has accepted wildcards to play in Sydney before competing at the Australian Open The yearold won the last of her five grand slam singles titles at the Australian Open
Both Hingis and Davenport have won the Pan Pacific title four times
Former French Open champion Anastasia Myskina and fellow Russian Elena Dementieva are also scheduled to play at the Pan Pacific Open Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Beijing Olympic organizers plan to start selling tickets for the Games in the first half of said a top official at the local organizing committee
The Olympic ticketing program is due to be unveiled next year and ticket sales will start in the first half of said Liu Jingmin executive vice president of the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Olympics BOCOG Thursday during an interview with a local radio program
According to the traditional practice some per cent of the tickets are reserved for national Olympic Committees sponsors international sports federations and broadcasters
Liu also vice mayor of the Chinese capital said that most of the tickets will be available to the public
In principle the organizing committee will not issue free tickets he said
As for ticket pricing Liu said that BOCOG will take into consideration the consuming power of Chinese people to make sure that ordinary people can afford to buy tickets
But prices for the opening ceremony and some events final competition should be a little bit higher said Liu
Earlier BOCOG conducted a public opinion poll on the prices for the games Enditem
ROME Dec Xinhua Italian first division soccer club Fiorentina have been ordered to play their next home match at a neutral venue because of a crowd trouble at their game at Empoli on Sunday
Local reports said Friday that a group of visiting Fiorentina fans threw objects including bottles on to the field injuring a steward in that game
The Italian Football Leagues Disciplinary Commission ruled that Fiorentinas Jan game against Chievo Verona should be played at a neutral ground
Fiorentina fourth in the ongoing league can appeal the decision and the club are also looking at using a team of their own stewards for away games Enditem
JERUSALEM Dec Xinhua Alex Gilady a senior Israeli member of the International Olympic Committee IOC said Friday that one of his fellow IOC members mistakenly voted for Paris instead of Madrid resulting in the latters early elimination in the voting process
Gilady told Army Radio that in the third round of voting with Moscow and New York already out and only London Paris and Madrid remaining in the race one IOC member asked to recast his ballot but was told it was too late
Apparently he forgot who he voted for and wanted to change his vote Gilady said The Israeli did not reveal the name of the IOC member in question but Britains Press Associated identified him as Greek delegate Lambis Nikolaou
Gilady said the delegate had wanted to vote for Madrid instead of Paris That he said might have allowed Madrid to stay in the race for a final round and possibly beat London In the end London beat Paris for right to host the Olympics
In the third round Paris got votes to Madrids Changing the vote would have tied Paris and Madrid at votes apiece
Gilady predicted that had Madrid won the third round it probably would have prevailed in the end because all the Paris votes would have gone to Madrid against London
Gilady the Israeli member of the IOCs London Coordination Commission stressed that all three cities were worthy in his mind of hosting the games and once the final result was announced there was no going back He said crucial Olympic votes are often determined by simply being in the right place at the right time Enditem
HANOI Dec Xinhua Two players of Vietnams national U soccer team will likely face a lifelong ban for allegedly having fixed two games at the rd Southeast Asian Games local afternoon Saigon Times Daily reported Friday
Local police has arrested the midfielder Le Quoc Vuong and striker Pham Van Quyen as Vuong is charged for gambling and organizing gambling while his teammate Quyen Vietnams Golden Ball winner is charged for gambling only
The detained players have confessed that they enticed their several teammates to rig the qualification match against Myanmar and the semifinal game against Malaysia at the rd SEA Games in the Philippines last month
Each of the corrupt players received million Vietnamese dong VND nearly US dollars from local bookmakers after Vietnam won Myanmar and also got billion VND over dollars after defeating Malaysia Enditem
MADRID Dec Xinhua Spanish soccer powerhouse Real Madrid named its former coach Benito Floro as the clubs director of football on Friday
Floro who coached Real between and will work alongside coach Juan Ramon Lopez Caro who took charge of the team when Vanderlei Luxemburgo was sacked at the start of the month
Former Italy and AC Milan Arrigo Sacchi quit as director of football on December a year after joining Real
Real have not won a major trophy since June and have made a disappointing start to this season They lie fifth points behind league leaders and archrivals Barcelona
Floro made his name as a coach when he steered Albacete from the third to the first division in the space of three seasons in the early s
He was snapped up by Real Madrid in and guided them to victory in the Kings Cup They lost the league championship on the final day of the season and he was fired during the following campaign after a string of poor results Enditem
LONDON Dec Xinhua England manager Sven Eriksson said on Friday that England will warm themselves up for next years World Cup finals by playing a friendly with Hungary in May
Hungary th in FIFAs world rankings are scheduled to face England on May at the rebuilt Wembley Stadium
The match should be the first England international at the new Wembley
However the Football Association has booked the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff as backup for the FA Cup final just days before
Eriksson is hoping to have three friendlies before the World Cup gets underway
Hungary have a huge football tradition Eriksson told the FA website
Although they have not qualified for major tournaments recently they are always a technical imaginative team
They have some regular players with English clubs like West Broms Zoltan Gera and Crystal Palaces Gabor Kiraly who we will be watching closely
I know there is a great deal of history attached to England versus Hungary fixtures
Hungary were the first team to beat England on home soil winning in November Enditem
LONDON Dec Xinhua Bobby Charlton urged Manchester United players to play to their full on Friday by blaming the Red Devils Champions League exit on their lack of commitment
United failed to even gain a place in the UEFA Cup after finishing bottom of their group
The Old Trafford director said United do not have a divine right to qualify and hopefully the players will learn from the experience
They will look back at this season and remember what can happen if you dont give one hundred percent
United are in the semifinals of the Carling Cup but find themselves nine points behind runaway Premiership leaders Chelsea
But Charlton is adamant manager Sir Alex Ferguson will find the solutions that mean such a European demise will not be repeated
He said Im certain Sir Alex will put his thinking cap on and work out why it happened how it happened and how we can put it right
I really dont know what it was I wish I did
Maybe the opposition did not motivate the players I really dont know Enditem
MOSCOW Dec Xinhua Spartak Moscow defender Nemanja Vidic wants to prove himself in English Premier League with Manchester United likely to be destination
Spartak is a great club but I want to play in a bigger and better league the yearold Serbian international was quoted as saying in Fridays SportExpress newspaper
Vidic who joined Spartak from Red Star Belgrade in July has reportedly been the target of several top clubs including United and European champions Liverpool Enditem
BUCHAREST Dec Xinhua Dinamo Bucharest coach Ioan Andone resigned on Friday even though his team lead the Romanian first division soccer league
Im really sad to leave my team but I have to do it now because I dont want to be fired Andone told Reuters without elaborating on his surprising decision
Local media reported that there has been rising tension between Andone and club executive president Ioan Becali
Andone chosen by several dailies as the best Romanian coach of the year led Dinamo to the title During his three years at the club Andone won three Romanian cups and a Super Cup
Dinamo who failed to advance to the last of the UEFA Cup ealier this month hold a onepoint lead over archrivals Steaua Bucharest in the league Enditem
BERLIN Dec Xinhua German first division soccer powerhouse Bayern Munich chairman KarlHeinz Rummenigge believes Germany captain Michael Ballack will leave at the end of the season
I think he will go If you cant extend your contract inside six months then you also wont manage to do so afterwards Thats my experience Weve been speaking to Ballack from May to November Rummenigge told Germanys topselling Bild newspaper on Friday
Ballack says he has not yet decided whether he will remain at Bayern after the season
The playmakers agent has fuelled speculation of a possible move on a free transfer to a top club in Spain Italy or England next season after his Munich contract expires Real Madrid are favourites to sign him Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Following are the results of the th round matches from the Chinese Basketball Association CBA league on Friday home teams in CAPs
DONGGUAN NEW CENTURY bt Jilin Northeast Tigers
Beijing Ducks bt FUJIAN SBS
ZHEJIANG CYCLONES bt Shandong Flamming Bulls
Bayi Rockets bt HENAN JIGANG
Shanghai Sharks bt SHAANXI DONGSHENG
GUANGDONG HONGYUAN bt Liaoning Hunters
XINJIANG GUANGHUI bt Jiangsu Dragons
Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Following are the standings of the Chinese Basketball Association CBA league after the th round matches played on Friday
South Conference
Guangdong Hongyuan
Bayi Rockets
Jiangsu Dragons
Yunnan Honghe
Shanghai Sharks
Zhejiang Cyclones
Fujian SBS
Dongguan New Century
North Conference
Beijing Ducks
Xinjiang Guanghui
Jilin Northeast Tigers
Shandong Flaming Bulls
Liaoning Hunters
Shaanxi Dongsheng
Henan Jigang
Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Following are the fixtures of the Chinese Basketball Association CBA league th round matches to be played on Sunday home teams listed first
Shanghai Sharks vs Dongguan New Century
Bayi Rockets vs Fujian SBS
Liaoning Hunters vs Xinjiang Guanghui
Zhejiang Cyclones vs Yunnan Honghe
Jilin Northeast Tigers vs Shaanxi Dongsheng
Shandong Flamming Bulls vs Beijing Ducks
Jiangsu Dragons vs Guangdong Hongyuan
Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Tickets for the Beijing summer Olympics will go on sale in early and the those for the Games opening ceremony and the finals of some hot events will be more expensive according to the organizing committee of Beijing Olympic Games on Friday
We will not unveil the tickets sales scheme until early next year said Liu Jingmin vice mayor of Beijing and vice executive president of the Games organizing committee
Except for those reserved for the Olympic family most of the tickets will be sold on the market Foreign spectators in countries and regions worldwide can buy the tickets via their own Olympic committees said Liu
The number of the tickets is yet to be determined since some stadiums are still under construction and their seating capacity remains unknown
The ticket prices will undergo scientific survey and calculation according to Liu
We have conducted a poll on our official website to collect public opinions and constructive suggestions to make sure that common people can afford the tickets he said
But one thing is certain that the prices of the tickets for the opening ceremony and some popular events will be relatively high said Liu
As to how and where to buy the Olympics tickets Liu said the organizing committee is yet to come up with a decision Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Following are the major domestic news items scheduled to be covered or pursued by Xinhua on Friday
China exclusive China declares war on commercial bribery
Chinas new generation of trainer aircraft passes state appraisal
Beijing Olympics tickets to go on sale in early
Beijing authorities declare Lunar Embassy illegal
Press Conference by State Administration of Work Safety investigation results about several major accidents
Video Conference on RuralUrban Development by Ministry of Construction
Minister of Commerce give full play to role of import in national economy
China initiates state technological innovation program
WHO press conference on bird flu in China
Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Highlights of major Beijingbased newspapers on Friday
Peoples Daily
Chinese central stateowned enterprises SOEs are expected to realize total profits of billion yuan billion US dollars in and the central SOEs got a profit of billion yuan billion dollars in the first months of up percent yearonyear according to a press conference held in Beijing on Thursday
Peoples Daily overseas edition
China expounded its peaceful development road concept in a white paper issued here on Thursday pledging that China is now taking the road of peaceful development and will continue to do so when it gets stronger in the future
China Youth Daily
Beijing police on Thursday destroyed million items of inferior firecrackers confiscated in the first months this year
China Daily
The advancement of democracy in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region SAR of China suffered a blow when opposition lawmakers voted down the governments constitutional reform package officials and political leaders said on Thursday Enditem
By Xinhua writers Bai Jie Xu Song
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Chinese scholars and diplomats are denouncing the absurd rhetoric of Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Aso who said China was beginning to pose a considerable threat
The newly appointed Japanese foreign minister told a news conference on Thursday that China has an atomic bomb Its military spending has been rising for consecutive years There is no transparency and I view that as a concern a threat
Liu Jiangyong a professor with Beijingbased Qinghua University said Japanese Foreign Minister made the remarks to go along with the wishes of Japanese rightwing in the hope of raising his political popularity
Aso is expected to be a leading candidate to succeed Prime Minister Koizumi next September Since the minister took office in late October he has been scolded by Japanese media and people abroad for making derogatory remarks about relations with China and the Republic of Korea ROK
Last month the foreign minister attacked China and the ROK after they expressed deep concern over Koizumis visits to a shrine that honors convicted class A war criminals Aso rejected Chinas and ROKs concerns saying they were the only countries in the world to fussy about the shrine visits
Professor Liu who has studied ChinaJapan relations for a decade said the Japanese ministers tirade is leading the ChinaJapan relations into an abyss
Asos remarks received a strong condemn from Chinas foreign ministry
It is highly irresponsible for the Japanese foreign minister to make such comments said Qin Gang spokesman of Chinese Foreign Ministry
We would really like to know his real motive Qin said adding that Chinas development has contributed to world peace and stability
Professor Liu said Aso lacks political assets which is crucial to his aspiration of succeeding Koizumi Liu believes the minister is only trying to cater to the Prime Minister by supporting his controversial visits to the Yasukuni Shrine
Liu feels that the Japanese cabinet turned sharply to the right in
A survey in November conducted by conservative Japanese newspaper Yomiuri and the US Gallup Market Research Corp showed that some percent of Japanese respondents believe BeijingTokyo relations have worsened
The Tokyobased Kyodo News Agency was also critical of Asos recent belligerence toward Japans neighbors saying Aso was not contributing to relations with China and the ROK What he has done is pouring oil on the fire said a Kodyo editorial which also condemned Aso for having no courage to face history
If Aso goes on with his ravings against the development of ChinaJapan relations he will eventually find himself a victim of rightwing forces in Japan Liu said
Coincidentally the Information Office of Chinas State Council issued a white paper on Thursday which said the country seeks to provide more development opportunities and bigger markets for the rest of the world
China did not seek hegemony in the past nor does it now and will not do so in the future when it grows stronger the white paper said Enditem
HONG KONG Dec Xinhua Hong Kong stocks went up points or percent to open at on Friday Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua A Beijingbased company called Lunar embassy in China was deprived of its business license by Beijings industrial and commercial watchdog for having allegedly sold land on the moon
The Lunar Embassy whose moon land sale fell in the category of speculation and profiteering was also ordered to pay a fine up to yuan US dollars according to the Chaoyang District Branch of the Beijing Municipal Administration of Industry and Commerce
It was reported that clients had bought acres of the moon land from the company involving deals of more than yuan US dollars
The company has refunded all the clients except three who are now abroad and out of contact according to Li Jie CEO of the Lunar Embassy
Some clients had preferred keeping the land ownership certificates to getting refunded so the company left the certificates in their hands as souvenirs but refunded them all the same said Li
Li said that he will appeal to the Beijing municipal government against the penalties imposed on his company on Dec
Registered on Sept this year the socalled Lunar Embassy claimed that it was selling land on the moon at yuan US dollars per acre The sales formally began on Oct but were ordered to stop in just three days Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The parents of two boys suffering from cancer have been left heartbroken as they can afford proper treatment for only one of them China Daily reports Friday
Hu Shuzhang who has Ewings Sarcoma a highly malignant tumour is currently being cared for at Beijings Jishuitan Hospital His younger brother Hu Shuai is at home in east Chinas Anhui Province because the family cannot afford full treatment for his blood cancer
Their parents a poor rural family from Jinzhai County of Anhui Province were only able to send the elder boy to Beijing after raising yuan US dollars from relatives and wellwishers The fund however is dwindling fast
The two brothers both diagnosed with cancer in October had to draw lots to decide who would receive treatment in Beijing Both boys are studying at a township junior high school and the elder brother is a top student in his class
The familys plight will be eased slightly when the Chinese Red Cross Foundation offered on Thursday to donate yuan US dollars It has called for public donations as several hundred thousand yuan is needed to provide treatment for both boys
After three courses of chemotherapy the elder brothers outlook has improved slightly and he is now waiting for an operation But doctors said the operation would be extremely difficult as the tumour is at the bottom of the boys backbone Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua A university professor in south Chinas Guangdong Province has been sacked for plagiarizing a dissertation from another teacher
Hu Xingrong who worked at the Cheung Kong School of Journalism and Communication at Guangdongbased Shantou University was dismissed after Zhang Zhian revealed on the Internet that Hu had copied his work China Daily reports Friday
Hu who obtained a doctors degree at Beijing University published an essay on the China Media Report a Chineselanguage publication featuring academic essays on media in
But Zhang who is currently studying in the Shanghaibased Fudan University discovered early in October this year that Hu had obviously copied a paper of his own without even mentioning his name
I tried to contact him demanding an apology but Hus apology was unacceptable and his essay was pirated so I had to publicize his cheating on the Internet Zhang was quoted as saying
Chen Wanying an official with the Shantou University said Hu was sacked after he submitted a resignation to the university Enditem
GUIYANG Dec Xinhua A liquefied ammonia spill killed two people on Thursday on an expressway in southwest Chinas Guizhou Province the local government said early on Friday
A tanker truck carrying tons of liquefied ammonia hit a pickup truck on the expressway linking the provincial capital Guiyang and Xinzhai causing a chemical leakage from the damaged tanker
The accident also caused a traffic standstill that lasted at least four hours
The provincial environment watchdog is monitoring the air quality closely For safety considerations the local government has evacuated all residents living near the leakage area and the expressway will be closed for two or three days Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The world leading communications solution provider Siemens will launch a massive campaign to tap into the business of digital television over the Internet known as IPTV in the Chinese market
Senior executives announced on Wednesday that the German company will enhance its investment and research and development capabilities to develop and localize its IPTV technology and services in order to better meet the needs of local customers China Daily reports on Friday
IPTV will be the core of our future business said Norbert Muhrer president and chief executive officer of Siemens Communication Networks Ltd Beijing a SinoGerman joint venture formerly focused on switching systems and solutions
Muhrer said his company is well prepared to expand its IPTV solution in the Chinese market and negotiations with more partners are under way
China is one of the largest IPTV markets in the world Andreas MuellerSchubert president of Fixed Networks Solution of Siemens Communications Group Siemens AG was quoted as saying
China is among the first in the world to put IPTV services in commercial trial operation Statistics show there are million TV viewers and million broadband users in the Chinese mainland creating a huge potential for development of IPTV services Enditem
WUHAN Dec Xinhua The Higher Peoples Court of central Chinas Hubei Province on Friday sentenced Peng Ming a Chinese national extradited from Myanmar to life imprisonment after convicting him of organizing and leading terrorist organizations kidnapping and holding fake currencies Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The revised China Life Insurance Mortality table a statistical table showing probable death rates in each age group will take effect from Jan the China Insurance Regulatory Commission CIRC announced
China released the first such life insurance table in The CIRC began compiling statistics for the new table from insurance records in August
The revised table is split into nonpension business and pension business It shows the average life span for men who buy nonpension products is years and for women years both up years from
In the pension business these two figures are for men and for women an increase of years and years respectively according China Daily
Based on the new table the price of safeguardoriented products such as fixedtime life insurance policies would fall said Chen Wenhui director of the life insurance regulatory department at the CIRC
The price of savingsoriented products that are seldom affected by mortality rates will see very little change For lifelong pension products the price will maintain its upward trend as insurers have to pay more as people live longer he said Enditem
CHENGDU Dec Xinhua Fortytwo people were confirmed dead and others injured in the gas explosion at a road construction site in southwest Chinas Sichuan Province as of Friday morning according to the provincial work safety watchdog
The blast occurred at pm Thursday in a tunnel of a highway under construction between Dujiangyan and Wenchuan cities in the province
Most of the victims were construction workers Thirtyone bodies were found in an overnight search at the blast site bringing the confirmed death toll up to
Search and rescue operations are still underway while medical workers have arrived at the locale to provide oneonone treatment for the injured
The exact number of casualties remains unclear and the work safety authorities have launched investigation into the cause of the accident Enditem
WUHAN Dec Xinhua The Higher Peoples Court of central Chinas Hubei Province on Friday sentenced Peng Ming a Chinese national extradited from Myanmar to life imprisonment after convicting him of organizing and leading terrorist organizations kidnapping and holding fake currencies
The court also deprived Peng of his political rights for life and fined him yuan about US dollars upholding a verdict issued in the first instance trial in October
Court investigation showed that since November Peng had disseminated and pushed forward his propositions of violence and terrorism recruited terrorists and incited kidnapping murder and other terrorist activities through publishing books and Internet articles and had formulated teaching schemes on terrorism
To obtain funds for his terrorist activities Peng masterminded organized and directed six kidnaps in Wuhan Changsha and Beijing from early to May
The court found that Peng plotted and established a terrorist training base in Myanmar from June of to early and demanded all trainees of the base enroll new members and carry out terrorist activities after returning to China
Peng was arrested by Myanmar police on May when he was carrying yuan about US dollars of fake Chinese currency into Myanmar from Thailand A local court in Myanmar sentenced Peng to seven years in jail on May Later Myanmar handed over Peng to the Chinese judicial authorities in accordance with an agreement between the two countries
The Intermediate Peoples Court of Wuhan City capital of Hubei issued a verdict in the first instance trial in October and Peng raised an appeal Enditem
HONG KONG Dec Xinhua Hong Kong stocks went up points or percent to finish the morning session at on Friday Enditem
HANGZHOU Dec Xinhua A plastics factory fire has killed six workers in east Chinas Zhejiang Province on early Friday morning the local fire department said
The fire occurred at am at the Hesheng Plastics Factory in Gaobu Township of Shaoxing City killing five women and a man
As the fire spread to over square meters five fire engines with firemen were sent to the locale immediately The fire was extinguished within an hour
A total of nine people were in the building when the fire broke out Only three escaped
The factory is a private firm for making pastry coverings The cause of the accident is still under investigation Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Chinas domestic consumption rate is expected to grow by percent in serving as a major driving force of the countrys economic growth China Securities Journal reports on Friday
Meanwhile Chinas gross domestic products GDP will rise by percent or percent in and the gross domestic product GDP is to grow by percent the Journal quoted Yao Jingyuan chief economist of the National Bureau of Statistics as saying
However there exist some unstable factors in Chinas economy in such as oversupply in some industries and an imbalance between international income and expense
Yao advised the central government to reform the monopolized energy prices so as to realize a smooth growth of national economy
To encourage domestic consumption Yao said the central government should further enlarge the domestic market of motor vehicles and houses by increasing the income of Chinese people
Yao forecasts the growth of investment will be slowed down in the next year but it will maintain at a high level about percent or above
Chinas exports will maintain a rapid growth said Yao The export from nongovernmental enterprises will be energetic Enditem
GUIYANG Dec Xinhua Chinas new generation of trainer aircraft the JL has passed appraisal by a statelevel expert panel in Guiyang southwest Chinas Guizhou Province
The JL advanced trainer aircraft has proven very good performances at takeoffs landings and during flight and can effectively perform pilot training mission said Song Wencong an academician with the Chinese Academy of Engineering and head of the appraisal team
The aircraft is equipped with an advanced avionic system and its cabin design is very similar to that of the thirdgeneration fighter aircraft he said
JL has multifunctional displays that make it easier for the pilot to acquire access and use data said Song
The aircraft designed and manufactured independently by Guizhou Aviation Industrial Group had the first successful trial flight at the end of
The month state appraisal test started in June and by the end of November the two JL aircraft under test had flown for hours and had takeoffs and landings Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua ABB the Switzerlandbased power and automation technology group announced its th branch in China a new tractive transformer joint venture in China will start production in August said Beijing News
The Chinese language newspaper said that ABB has just signed a contract with Chinas Datong Electronic Locomotive Co Ltd on establishing the Datong ABB Tractive Transformer Co Ltd
The new company has a total investment of million US dollars with each party investing half of the total
The new company will produce and sale ABB tractive transformers specially in the Chinese market said sources with ABBs China Office
From now to the year the Chinese government will invest a total of billion dollars on railway transport with onethird to be used to purchase locomotives and trains
ABBs China Office predicts that its tractive transformers will have a large share of the market in China
ABBs total investment in China has exceeded million dollars and the company plans to input another million dollars in China before for developing new products and opening new plants
Based in Taiyuan capital of north Chinas Shanxi Province the Datong Electronic Locomotive Co Ltd is one of Chinas key bases for electronic locomotives Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The Chinese government on Friday announced its decision to give disciplinary punishment to two vice provincial governors for their responsibility over fatal mine accidents
The State Administration of Work Safety said at a press conference that the State Council Chinas cabinet has decided to record a demerit on Gong Deshun former vice governor of the northwestern Shaanxi Province for his responsibility for a coal mine gas explosion on Nov which killed miners
The State Council also decided to record a severe demerit on You Ningfeng vice governor of the southern Guangdong Province for a local coal mine flooding accident on Aug which killed people
Gong and You are two of the officials that received different disciplinary penalties for their roles in six major coal mine accidents across the country Among them have been handed over to judicial departments for criminal investigation Enditem
QINGDAO Dec Xinhua The berth shipping efficiency of east Chinas Qingdao port reaches containers each hour ranking the worlds top according to the latest statistics provided by the world leading shipping company Maersk Sealand Group
As of mid December Qingdao port has reported an aggregate throughput of million tons and the volume of containers handled by the port surpassed million achieving the goal of this year half a month ahead the schedule
An official with the port said the yearly handling capacity of the Qingdao port was set to be million tons And it is the high efficiency of the port that maximizes its capacity
Currently foreign trade throughput of Qingdao port remains in the second place among Chinas coastal ports
The port also enjoys world largest ore throughput and its ore shipping efficiency renews the world record for four times
The official said the high shipping efficiency saves a huge quantity of costs for the customers Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua China increased its funding by a big margin for the equalization of basic public services this year while building a mechanism for coordinated regional development according to China Financial and Economic News
In the Chinese central government earmarked billion yuan billion US dollars of transfer payments up percent over according to the newspaper which is published by the Ministry of Finance
The newspaper quoted Finance Minister Jin Renqing as saying the figure excluded billion yuan billion dollars of payments in returned tax revenues to localities
The Chinese central government began this year to launch a threeyear program to help counties and townships with financial difficulties he said
The central government has allocated billion yuan to support poor counties to boost local economy said Jin
The move has helped bring the initiative of local governments into full play in cutting their debts and downsizing government departments he said
The provincial governments of southwest Chinas Yunnan Sichuan Guizhou and north Chinas Hebei which are involved in the program have taken a series of measures to help those financially difficult county and township governments
Meanwhile economically developed coastal regions such as Guangdong Zhejiang and Jiangsu provinces have offered economic aids to their poor counties and townships
The transfer payments to central and western parts of the country totaled billion yuan in up percent over or an annual average increase of percent he added
The mechanism helped to promote the equalization of public services and alleviated the financial difficulties of some counties and townships he said Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua About university students of Beijing commit suicide since the beginning of this year Beijing Youth Daily reported on Friday
A sevenyear survey by Beijing Huilongguan Hospital shows that out of every Chinese commit suicide every year totaling Among them percent are young people at the ages between to the newspaper said
According to the survey nearly juveniles are estimated to commit suicide every year the newspaper said
Life education deficiency and increased social pressure have triggered psychology problems of juveniles who finally chose suicide the paper quoted Xiao Chuan professor of Beijing Normal University as saying
Xiao suggested that Chinese schools to open life education classes which may help Chinese juveniles pay more attention to life respect and cherish life
Fifty four Middle and primary schools in Shanghai have become the first pilot schools for extending life education since March this year Education departments in Shanghai noted that they will put life and moral education elements into classes as Chinese math history and geography Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Some people were punished according to law for being responsible for six catastrophic coal mines accidents that occurred throughout the country since November last year Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The Composite Stock Index on the Shanghai Stock Exchange closed at points on Friday up points from the previous close
A Share Index points up points
B Share Index points up points
Total Turnover yuan Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The Component Stock Index on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange closed at points on Friday up points from the previous close
A Share Index points up points
B Share Index points up points
Total Turnover yuan Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The Hushen Index reflecting the whole fluctuation of Chinas Shanghai and Shenzhen stock exchanges closed at points on Friday up points from the previous close
About one fifth of the total shares listed in the two markets have been chosen as samples of the Hushen Index accounting for percent of the market value in Chinas stock market Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua A total of people were punished after being held responsible for six catastrophic coal mine accidents that occurred across China since November last year a government press release said here on Friday
The press release briefed the media about the central government investigation into and handling of the six major accidents It said that officials including two vice provincial governors received disciplinary penalties within the Party or the government while others were stripped of their administrative posts
Among the punished have been handed over to the judicial departments for criminal investigation it added
At a press conference jointly held here on Friday by the State Administration of Work Safety SAWS and the Ministry of Supervision SAWS Director Li Yizhong said the six major accidents had led to a total of deaths Enditem
HANGZHOU Dec Xinhua The private sectors have risen to become the mainstay of manufacturing and building industries in east Chinas Zhejiang with their employees outnumbering the stateowned companies according to the latest economic survey
According to the survey as of the end of Zhejiang has private companies in the field of manufacturing industry accounting for more than three quarters of the provinces total and create jobs for million people
The province also sees private companies in building industry about percent of the total
The survey said that as of the end of Zhejiang has industrial companies or enterprises accounting for percent of Chinas total with an employment of million people Enditem
HANGZHOU Dec Xinhua The expressway connecting economically dynamic Shanghai with Hangzhou capital of Zhejiang Province reopened to traffic Thursday following construction to widen the highway
The widening project started at the end of July has been expanded from four lanes to eight lanes The speed limit has been increased from km per hour to km
The completion of construction is expected to ease traffic which is considered to be heaviest in the country Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Report on the quality of air in major Chinese cities Dec to Dec Beijing Time released by the China Environmental Monitoring Center
City Major Pollutant Air Quality Level
Beijing particulate matter III
Tianjin particulate matter III
Shijiazhuang particulate matter III
Qinhuangdao particulate matter II
Taiyuan sulfur dioxide III
Hohhot particulate matter III
Shenyang sulfur dioxide III
Dalian particulate matter II
Changchun particulate matter II
Harbin particulate matter III
Shanghai particulate matter II
Nanjing particulate matter II
Suzhou particulate matter II
Nantong particulate matter II
Lianyungang particulate matter II
Hangzhou particulate matter II
Ningbo particulate matter II
Wenzhou particulate matter II
Hefei particulate matter II
Fuzhou particulate matter II
Xiamen particulate matter II
Nanchang particulate matter II
Jinan particulate matter II
Qingdao sulfur dioxide II
Yantai sulfur dioxide II
Zhengzhou particulate matter II
Wuhan particulate matter III
Changsha particulate matter III
Guangzhou particulate matter II
Shenzhen particulate matter II
Zhuhai nitrogen dioxide II
Shantou particulate matter II
Zhanjiang particulate matter II
Nanning particulate matter II
Guilin sulfur dioxide II
Beihai particulate matter II
Haikou particulate matter II
Chongqing particulate matter III
Chengdu particulate matter III
Guiyang sulfur dioxide III
Kunming particulate matter II
Lhasa particulate matter II
Xian particulate matter III
Lanzhou particulate matter V
Xining particulate matter II
Yinchuan sulfur dioxide III
Urumqi particulate matter II
The center classifies air quality in Chinas urban areas into five levels level I or excellent pollution reading not exceeding level II or fairly good pollution reading to level III or slightly polluted pollution reading to level IV or poor pollution reading to and level V or hazardous pollution reading over
The cities monitored by the center include the four municipalities of Beijing Tianjin Shanghai and Chongqing provincial or autonomous regional capitals and major cities in economically developed coastal areas and tourist attractions Enditem
HEFEI Dec Xinhua A firecracker plant explosion killed one person and injured two others in Chaohu a city in east Chinas Anhui Province on Thursday afternoon sources with the local government said on Friday
The two injured are still under treatment in hospital
According to the work safety watchdog of Juchao District of Chaohu City the explosion occurred at Ruilong Firecracker Factory in Sanbing Township at pm Thursday
All firecrackers factories in the district were required to suspend production for safety check
The blasthit factory is a qualified firecracker producer with complete licenses but the owner of the factory was unable to be located following the accident Investigation into the cause of the accident is underway Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Chinas budgetary spending on social security totaled billion yuan billion US dollars up percent over the figure of according to the China Financial and Economic News
The newspaper published by the Ministry of Finance quoted Chinese Finance Minister Jin Renqing as saying that the central government had provided funds for three provinces in northeast China to experiment with urban social security reform and improve the basic pension system of the corporate sector
Chinas budgetary spending on education in stood at billion yuan up percent said the minister
About million poor students at primary and secondary schools in central and western parts of the country were given free textbooks Some were even given subsidized boarding thanks to a billion yuan of funds provided by central and local governments
The students include million in poor counties eligible for special central government aid
The central government allocated billion yuan in and billion yuan in for building public health service systems including emergency aid information law enforcement supervision and disease control and prevention networks at provincial city and county levels the minister said
With the approval of the State Council the ministry earmarked billion yuan for SARS control and prevention in and billion yuan for avian flu control and prevention in
The central government earmarked billion yuan this year as government assistance for bankruptcies of Stateowned enterprises and arrangement of laidoffs Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Han Qide vicechairman of the Standing Committee of Chinas National Peoples Congress NPC met here Friday with Namibian Defense Minister Charles Namoloh
Namoloh is here at the invitation of Chinese Defense Minister Cao Gangchuan Enditem
HONG KONG Dec Xinhua Hong Kong stocks went up points or percent to close at on Friday Enditem
MACAO Dec Xinhua Macaos composite consumer price index CCPI in November rose percent yearonyear standing at according to official statistics issued here on Friday
The figures from the governmentrun Statistics and Census Service SCS showed that the index stood almost flat compared with that of October
The index grew percent in the first months over the same period of according to the figures
Local analysts attribute the increase of CCPI to the rising prices of cigarettes and gas and the residential housing rent as well Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Rural students in Chinas relatively backward western region will enjoy free compulsory education from according to a government decision
The treatment will be granted to rural students in the middle and eastern regions in according to the decision reached Friday at an executive meeting of the State Council chaired by Premier Wen Jiabao
In addition students from poor rural families will be granted free textbooks Boarding students will receive subsidies to support their daily lives according to the decision on beefing up the guarantee system for rural compulsory education Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The General Administration of Civil Aviation of China CAAC is considering adjusting the landing and parking fees for both domestic and foreign airlines the Beijing News has repoted
According to a proposal issued recently by the CAAC it plans to lower the landing and parking fees for foreign airlines by average to percent
Meanwhile the landing and parking fees of domestic airlines for international destinations will be raised by around percent and that for domestic routes will be lifted by more than percent
The proposal is expected to formally come into force after being revised and approved by concerned departments in the first quarter next year Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua An expert with the Chinese Academy of Sciences suggested a gene bank of rare animal species be built in Tibet
Their genes should be collected for molecular biological studies he said
Tibet is home to many droughtresistant and coldresistant plants and animals
Zhang said ecotourism in Tibet should be given national priority as the region is home to many species like the Tibetan antelope which lives at an elevation of meters
He also wants outdated and laborintensive agriculture production stopped stressing we should rationally develop ecological mineral and tourist resources in Tibet He added that this place has huge potential to develop ecotourism
Rational development of ecotourism can both protect wildlife there and increase revenue for the local people he said Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Weather forecast for major Chinese cities Dec Dec Beijing Time temperatures in Celsius
Min Max Condition Wind scale
Beijing clearcloudy
Harbin clearsnow shower
Tianjin clear
Urumqi clear
Xian cloudy
Lhasa clearcloudy
Chengdu cloudy
Chongqing overcast
Kunming drizzle
Nanjing clearcloudy
Shanghai clear
Wuhan clearcloudy
Hangzhou clearcloudy
Taipei cloudy
Guangzhou clearcloudy
Hong Kong clear
Macao clear
SOURCE Central Meteorological Station China Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Weather forecast for world cities Dec Dec Beijing Time temperatures in Celsius
Min Max Condition Wind scale
Beijing clearcloudy
Tokyo clear
Bangkok overcast
Sydney showerovercast
Karachi clear
Cairo cloudy
Moscow snow showerovercast
Frankfurt showerovercast
Paris cloudy
London overcast
New York overcast
SOURCE Central Meteorological Station China Enditem
HONG KONG Dec Xinhua Share prices on the Taiwan Stock Exchange rose Friday with the weighted index the markets key barometer moving up points to close at according to news reaching here from Taipei
The bourse opened at and fluctuated between and during trading A total of billion shares changed hands on a market turnover of billion new Taiwan dollars billion US dollars
Seven of eight major stock categories gained ground with construction stocks moving up the most at percent followed by machinery and electronics shares at percent textile stocks at percent cement shares at percent financial issues at percent foodstuff stocks at percent and plastics and chemicals stocks at percent Paper and pulp shares lost ground moving down percent
Gainers outnumbered loser to with stocks remaining unchanged Enditem
HONG KONG Dec Xinhua Following are foreign exchange rates against the Hong Kong dollar released by the Bank of China Hong Kong Limited at on Friday
Buying Selling
Japanese yen
Swiss franc
British pound
Australian dollar
Canadian dollar
Euro
US dollar
Enditem
HONG KONG Dec Xinhua Following are Fridays major Hang Seng Indexes managed and compiled by HSI Service Limited a wholly owned subsidiary of the Hang Seng Bank
Index Previous Close Close Change
Hang Seng Index
Subindices
Finance
Utilities
Properties
ComInd
Hang Seng Composite
Index
Hang Seng Hong Kong
Composite Index
Hang Seng Mainland
Composite Index
Hang Seng China
Enterprises Index
Hang Seng ChinaAffiliated
Corporations Index
Turnover
million HK dollars
million US dollars
Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The density of nitrobenzene continues to drop in the Bacha section of the Chinese part of the Heilongjiang River km up stream of Fuyuan section
According to a report released by Chinas State Environmental Protection Administration SEPA Friday the nitrobenzene was measured at am Friday at a density of mg per liter in the Fuyuan section km away from Russias eastern city of Khabarovsk of Helongjiang River of Chinese side
At OO pm Thursday the chemical was tested at a concentration of mg per liter in Chinese sides Bacha section Enditem
TIANJIN Dec Xinhua The imports and exports of Tianjin Chinas northern port city topped billion US dollars as of Friday morning a yearonyear rise of percent according to the statistics offered by the citys customs
Tianjin bounded into the countrys top four port cities and its port revenues are now second next to Shanghai
During the first months of this year imports and exports of foreignfunded firms in the city were worth billion US dollars up percent and accounting for percent of the citys total
Meantime private enterprises registered billion US dollars up percent year on year
The imported and exported merchandise from other provinces handled via Tianjin ports were valued at billion US dollars an increase of percent
Some billion US dollars worth of goods were imported up percent while exports were valued at billion US dollars up percent in the first months Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The second China International Press Photo Contest CHIPP is to be held in Shenzhen south Chinas Guangdong Province from March to May the organizers said Friday morning
The contest which is organized by the Photojournalism Society of China CPS and sponsored by the Shenzhen Association for International Cultural Exchanges and Shenzhen Press Group follows the same theme as this years contest which is Peace Development
The CHIPP jury will be made of members five from the Chinese mainland one from Taiwan and seven from overseas countries all of whom are experienced photojournalists
Awards will be given in eight categories including spot news general news sport news and economic and technological news Each category will have a topprize winner which will compete for the sole prize of Photo of the Year
The first CHIPP which was held in March received entries from photographers and photojournalists from countries and regions
Wounded Iraqi Boys by photographer Fares ALDLIMI working for Agency FrancePress in Iraqs Fallujah scooped last years Photo of the Year swaying the jury with its strong visual impact rendered by a grimace of an Iraqi boy wounded during a US air strike on Iraq
Yu Ning head of CPS said the organization will make efforts to run the international event better and turn CHIPP into a contest with an international reputation Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Chinas Ministry of Science and Technology announced here Friday that it will invest seeds funds in a bid to inspire more innovative enterprises and sharpen their competitiveness in global markets
In a new initiative incubating innovative technologies the ministry plans to use its seeds funds to attract more investment from enterprises in research and development While calling it an ambitious plan Deputy Ministry of Science and Technology Li Xueyong did not provide the precise scale of the states seeds funds He promised that the state will use taxation and financing leverage as well as technological transfer policies to encourage such innovation activities
Capacity building for innovative competitiveness will be symbolized in intellectual properties and market response to their products Li said The ministry will also help forge lax industry alliances combining universities research institutes and enterprises
In the coming five years Li said the ministry will encourage more enterprises to apply for state hitech projects The state and regional scientific research and technological development should be more devised for addressing urgent needs of key state enterprises
The initiative does not rule out further borrowing of technologies from overseas However Li said China could not in the long run rely on developed countries for edging innovations
China is in urgent need to speed up innovative capabilities of enterprises against the backdrop of more interwoven global economic networking in which profits distribution is largely decided by positions in the technological knowhow hierarchy
Statistics showed that about percent of invention patents are held by multinationals headquartered in developed countries The multinationals occupy a monopoly over markets of hitech products and remain at the top of the hierarchy
Latest domestic statistics indicated that only one quarter of Chinas large and mediumsized enterprises have their own research and development organs Their research and development expenditure accounted for only percent of their revenues Of all invention patent applications in China enterprises from developed nations held over a half Some percent of patent applications for computing technologies are from foreign firms percent for biotechnologies percent for informationrelated technologies and percent for semiconductors
Concrete steps of the initiative will include incentives for hitech commercialization encouragement for more research and development centers in enterprises and establishment of uniform technical and service platform for hitech startups Enditem
BEJING Dec Xinhua Beijing plans to build new suburban towns to divert the capitals increasing population from its crowded core
The suburbs featuring cheaper housing prices convenient public services and pleasant environment are expected to absorb to million people by when the citys total population is predicted to hit million according to a new city plan
The new suburbs will greatly relieve the pressure on the management of Beijings central urban areas said Wang Wenhong deputy director of the municipal city planning committee
As the core of this year ancient capital the central urban area within the second ringroad which is mainly made up of the districts of Dongcheng Xicheng Xuanwu and Chongwen has a population density of more than people per sq km six times of that in Beijings suburb according to the municipal commission of population and family planning
White collar workers and retired grayhair generation are the major target residents of the new suburbs in Yanqing Changping Mentougou Huairou Miyun Pinggu Shunyi Fangshan Daxing Yizhuang and Tongzhou according to Wangs committee
Currently Beijing has a permanent population of million with million people from other places of the country
By the population living in the central urban area will be around down from the current million Enditem
LIAOYUAN Jilin Dec Xinhua Donations are being raised to support the reconstruction of the Liaoyuan Hospital in northeast Chinas Jilin Province after a fatal fire claimed lives and burnt parts of the hospital
More than hospital staffers have volunteered to join the fundraising activity hoping the reconstruction work will start as soon as possible
So far the hospital the largest in Liaoyuan City has received funding of more than one million yuan about million U S dollars from the provincial government and other medical institutes in the province
The blaze burnt some square meters of the fourstorey buildings All the inpatients treated at the hospital have been transferred to other hospitals for further treatment
Most of the victims killed in the fire have been identified and DNA tests are underway on other remains An initial investigation shows that the fire was caused by an electrician who has been detained by police Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The local government of Russias Irkutsk Region donated a new year tree to Beijing on Friday according to the regional official
At the donation ceremony held here Friday Beijing ViceMayor Zhang Mao said China and Russia enjoyed a traditional friendship and that the tree serves as a curtainraiser to the Russia Year in China scheduled for
The new year tree is a meter spruce from the virgin forest in Siberia said Governor of the Irkutsk Region Boris Govorin
The decorations on the tree made by children in Iskutsk send good wishes for Beijing citizens the governor said
Russian Ambassador to China Sergey Razov was also present at the trees unveiling Enditem
HONG KONG Dec Xinhua Hong Kong shares ended flat Friday with the bluechip Hang Seng Index edging up points or percent to after trading between and during the session
Turnover totaled billion HK dollars billion US dollars down from billion HK dollars billion US dollars Thursday
The biggest gainer on Friday among the Hang Seng Index constituent stocks was port conglomerate COSCO Pacific which gained percent to HK dollars on news it will take a percent stake in a joint venture that will operate Shanghais Yangshan Port
Henderson Land Development gained percent to HK dollars after it said Friday that it is considering spinning off some of its real estate assets into a real estate investment trust
Asia Financial gained percent to HK dollars with million shares changing hands after it disclosed Friday it has received nonbinding bids for its Asia Commercial Bank unit Enditem
HONG KONG Dec Xinhua Hong Kongs Hang Seng China Enterprises Index rose points or percent to close at on Friday
The index initiated in August and rebased on Sept tracks the overall performance of Chinese mainland stateowned enterprises listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange
Hang Seng ChinaAffiliated Corporations Index also went down points or percent to close at
The index tracks the performance of locally listed companies with a significant equity interest held by entities in the Chinese mainland
Hang Seng Mainland Composite Index rose points or percent to close at
Introduced on Oct Hang Seng Mainland Composite Index gauges the performance of Hong Konglisted companies with principal places of business in Hong Kong and the mainland Enditem
HONG KONG Dec Xinhua The gold price in Hong Kong rose HK dollars to HK dollars per tael on Friday according to the Bank of China Hong Kong
The price is equivalent to dollars a troy ounce up dollars at Fridays exchange rate of one US dollar against HK dollars Enditem
HONG KONG Dec Xinhua Following are temperatures and weather forecast of Dec for AsiaPacific cities dispatched by the Hong Kong Observatory on Friday
CITY MINIMUM MAXIMUM FORECAST
HONG KONG FINE
MACAO FINE
GUANGZHOU CLOUDY
SHANGHAI FINE
BEIJING CLOUDY
TAIPEI CLOUDY
SEOUL CLOUDY
TOKYO CLOUDY
MANILA CLOUDY
HANOI OVERCAST
HO CHI MINH CITY BRIGHT
BANGKOK CLOUDY
KUALA LUMPUR THUNDERSTORMS
SINGAPORE THUNDERSTORMS
NEW DELHI CLOUDY
MUMBAI MIST
KARACHI FINE
JAKARTA RAIN
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN SHOWERS
SYDNEY WINDY
MELBOURNE SHOWERS
BRISBANE FINE
Enditem
HONG KONG Dec Xinhua Three men aged to have been jailed for up to years for dangerous drugs manufacturing and trafficking in Hong Kong
According to a government press release Friday a yearold man was sentenced to years while his yearold accomplice received years A yearold defendant was sentenced to years imprisonment
The drug offenses were discovered when police were watching a residential building on Shanghai Street in Yau Ma Tei on Jan
The younger man was acting suspiciously when he left a flat inside the building Officers stopped him after a brief struggle
Police then entered the flat where the other two men were found The yearold was found trying to flush some dangerous drugs down the toilet
Officers seized about grams of a mixture containing about grams of heroin The haul could have fetched over HK dollars US dollars if sold in the retail market
The trio was arrested and charged for making and trafficking in dangerous drugs Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua An official with the World Health Organization WHO on Friday urged China to provide more virus sequence information of HN strain of bird flu to the international community
Chinas Ministry of Agriculture shared five virus sequences last year but this year it has only shared virus sequence information from an outbreak of wild birds in Qinghai Province northwest China which occurred in May said Dr Shigeru Omi WHO regional director for the Western Pacific Region
Although there have been more than reported outbreaks in domestic birds in none of those viruses have been made available to the international community so far Omi said at a news conference in Beijing after visiting central Chinas Hunan Province this week
The Ministry of Agriculture officials have told me that they understand the importance of sharing viruses but time is of the essence he noted
The ministry has made no timetable yet on how soon provide the information said Omi
On Tuesday the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention CDC handed over two samples of human cases of HN to WHO to help trace the virus mutation and develop antiretroviral drugs
The two strains were isolated from the two fatalities from bird flu in east Chinas Anhui Province said Dr Julie Hall coordinator of epidemic alert and response in WHOs Beijing office
WHO will seek more virus samples from other Chinese human cases in provinces of Liaoning Jiangxi and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region from the Ministry of Health she told reporters
China has reported six human cases of bird flu and about outbreaks of bird flu in poultry this year The government has pledged to spend billion yuan million US dollars in battling the disease and vaccinate all its billion domesticated birds It has also strengthened monitoring and diagnosis of possible human cases
On Thursday the WHO delegation including Henk Bekedam WHOs representative in China Lee ChinKei project officer of WHO in China and Roy Wadia WHOs information officer in China congratulated Hunan for successfully treating the nineyearold boy
They met with local health officials in Hunan and called for the prompt and quick detection of human cases of bird flu and enhancement of the reporting of animal outbreaks Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua It is still too early to say whether China National Petroleum Corporation CNPC should be penalized for water pollution and the chemical plant explosion in northeast provinces said the director of Chinas work safety watchdog Friday
Li Yizhong director of the State Administration of Work Safety SAWSsaid at a press conference that the investigation organized by the State Council is still probing the cause of the accident
A blast took place on Nov in a chemical plant which is a subsidiary of CNPC in northeast Chinas Jilin Province It later spilled large amounts of benzene into the Songhua River causing a fourday water stoppage in the downstream city of Harbin capital of neighboring Heilongjiang province
When the causes for the accident are confirmed all people directly or indirectly responsible for it should be punished according to the law said Li head of the investigation team
According to a preliminary probe the accident was caused by operations failure and it was categorized as a work safety accident he said
A supervision team sent by SAWS is checking safety conditions in chemical factories along rivers lakes and seas of the country mainly in East Chinas Jiangsu Province he said
At an emergency conference held by SAWS ordered major chemical enterprises to check their safety provisions and emergency procedures Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua An automatic subway ticket system will be fully put into use in the Chinese capital as of Beijing Subway Operation Co said Friday
The operator of Beijings subway system said that automation machines for subway cards are under instalment on the No and No subway routes to do away with paper tickets in the future
Launched in August with an investment of billion yuan million US dollars the project has been undertaken between am to am every day without interrupting normal subway operation
The change in subway admission system is only one step being taken by the government to upgrade the citys public transportation to cope with the huge crowds during the Olympic Games
So far Beijing has km of subway and plans to build another km in the near future Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua A book made entirely of gold containing Dr Sun Yatsens manuscripts was unvieled at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Friday
The book made of percent gold is a collection of scripts written by Sun between and as well as eight rare pictures of Dr Sun Yatsun said Chang wenguang deputy director of Research Center of China Yanhuang Culture
The cover of the book features a portrait of Dr Sun
The book was published by China Yanshi Publishing House to coincide with th th anniversary of Dr Suns birthday in The Shanghai Coin Foundry under the Peoples Bank of China was entrusted to mint the gold book
Only copies of the book will be published at home and abroad
Born in in Xiangshan County now Zhongshan City in south Chinas Guangdong Province Dr Sun Yatsen is known across the country as a great revolutionary forerunner and great statesman who led the Chinese Democratic Revolution which overthrew the imperial Qing Dynasty and put an end to feudal rule in China
Dr Sun founded the Republic of China in Nanjing in after the fall of imperial Qing Dynasty He died of an illness in Beijing on March Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Beijing is encouraging its citizens to send their complaints and suggestions over the internet with aiming of speeding up the process
Mayor mailbox has now been automated so Beijingers can simply go to the municipal government official website and lodge their complaints via the internet
The system connects various bureaus offices and departments under the jurisdiction the municipal government
The new system directs complaints to the appropriate department and then follows up on how they are handled
Mayor mailbox was originally set up in by Beijing Letters and Complaints Bureau Enditem
SHANGHAI Dec Xinhua With three expressway sections put into services Friday afternoon Chinas economic powerhouse Shanghai has increased its total mileage of expressway network to kilometers according to sources with the Shanghai communication department
An official with the municipal communication department said that Shanghai has newly built kilometer expressway in the period
The municipality has targeted at building a road web in the next five years During the period Shanghai is expected to add km expressway and km highway so as to form a convenient traffic network linking with its neighboring provinces of Jiangsu and Zhejiang Enditem
HONG KONG Dec Xinhua The Exchange Funds total assets surged billion HK dollars billion US dollars to trillion HK dollars billion US dollars in Hong Kong according to the Monetary Authority Friday
Foreign currency assets rose billion HK dollars billion US dollars while Hong Kong dollar assets rose billion HK dollars billion US dollars the Monetary Authority said
The rise in foreign currency assets was due mainly to valuation gains on foreign currency investments income from foreign currency assets and an increase in securities purchased but settled in the following month which were partly offset by a decrease in Certificates of Indebtedness according to the authority
The increase in Hong Kong dollar assets was due mainly to placements received from fiscal reserves and valuation gains in the market value of Exchange Fundheld Hong Kong equities which were partly offset by a decrease in bank borrowings Enditem
TIANJIN Dec Xinhua China will declare war on businesstobusiness bribes next year while maintaining its focus on corrupt government officials that take kickbacks
The country is revising laws and regulations and calling for concerted efforts from the government business circles as well as citizens to battle against corruption in businesses which could become a major threat to Chinas investment environment
It was quite common for those bidding for business in China to offer potential customers or partners kickbacks ranging from cash and luxury goods to paid holiday travel Many companies believed that the practice was a tacit rule of the Chinese market until a Los Angeles company was fined in the United States for paying bribes in China
DPC Tianjin Co Ltd or DePu the Chinese subsidiary wholly owned by the Los Angelesbased Diagnostic Products Corp had to pay million US dollars in May to settle issues related to bribery allegations
The company was found to have paid about million US dollars to doctors and others who worked in public hospitals and then recorded the illegal payments as legitimate sales expenses
The DPC scandal is just a tip of the iceberg say sources attending a recent symposium on the eradication of bribery in Tianjin Unless the practice is uprooted business bribes and subsequent market corruption will hinder Chinas economic development said Prof Cheng Baoku a professor of law with the Tianjinbased Nankai University
The problem has drawn the attention from the of the Communist Party of China CPC Central Committee and the central government A special mission was established recently to curb bribes in the business sector headed by a senior official from the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection the CPCs anticorruption arm
The State Administration for Industry and Commerce is also soliciting complaints from the general public who are inspired to dial the consumers hotline at to report business bribery cases
The Ministry of Commerce has also chipped in with a corporate creditability management mechanism to fight bribes in the sales and marketing process
Besides government intervention the Chinese public should also play a larger role in curbing bribes says Dr Long Taijiang with Hunan Universitys clean government research center Citizen involvement will help build up a sound value system that disapproves of kickbacks and other forms of bribes in the business community
Meanwhile China is working to revise its law against unfair competition which was promulgated in but requires amendments to gear to the presentday market situation and varying forms of commercial bribes
The revised law will define the various forms of commercial bribes and mete out more sever administrative penalties said a legal expert with the State Administration of Industry and Commerce who is involved in the law revision
He said it is also imperative to improve the accounting system and enhance coordination between relevant departments in the settlement of bribery cases
Between and June Chinas market watchdog investigated into businesstobusiness bribery cases that involved billion yuan about million US dollars Enditem
HONG KONG Dec Xinhua A spokesman for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government expressed on Friday disappointment about the statement on HKs constitutional development made by the State Department of the United States
We would not wish any foreign governments to give the impression that they were meddling in Hong Kongs affairs the spokesman said
He said the question of Hong Kongs progress towards universal suffrage would be dealt with in strict accordance with the Basic Law and the decision made by the Standing Committee of the National Peoples Congress NPC in April last year
Any changes to the electoral methods will require the support of three parties the Legislative Council the Chief Executive and the NPC Standing Committee Any suggestion that the matter may be handled otherwise is inappropriate he said
The proposed package for the electoral methods for put forth by the government would have greatly enhanced the democratic representation in the two electoral methods and brought significant progress to Hong Kongs constitutional development he said
It is regrettable that the package which was supported by the majority of the public and more than half of the Legislative Council members was not endorsed by a twothirds majority of all Legislative Council members as required in Annexes I and II of the Basic Law the spokesman said
He added that the Commission on Strategic Development had already commenced discussion on a roadmap for universal suffrage Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua A ceremony was held at Beijing Art Museum on Friday to mark the th birth anniversary of Hu Jieqing a master of Chinese painting
Hu is also wife of Lao She one of the bestknown Chinese writers who killed himself at the beginning of the Cultural Revolution
At the ceremony the children of Lao She and Hu Jieqing donated their mothers paintings to the Lao She Memorial Hall
In Hu began to follow Qi Baishi a great master of Chinese painting in modern China and later she became very skillful at painting trees and flowers
A painting show of Hu was opened Friday at the museum and will last to Dec Meanwhile Jieqing Gallery was opened online at the Web site of the Lao She Memorial Hall Enditem
HONG KONG Dec Xinhua The HK Stock Exchange has set an annual turnover record of trillion HK dollars billion US dollars in with market capitalization hitting an alltime high on Dec of trillion HK dollars trillion US dollars
According to a press release from the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited on Friday during the year the total equity capital raised reached billion billion US dollars comprising equity capital raised by Initial Public Offers of billion HK dollars billion US dollars
The equity capital raised by IPO for has not only set a new record but also exceeded the postIPO capital raised for the first time
The Hang Seng Index Futures trading volume rose percent to a record million contracts while stock options volume rose percent also to a record million contracts
Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited Friday published the market statistics for up to Dec
The derivative warrant market set a new record with a total of newly listed derivative warrants and posted a record turnover of billion HK dollars billion US dollars
The total number of newly listed company excluding REITs was with on the Main Board and in the Growth Enterprise Market Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua A Stateowned company is hoping to build Chinas first coalfired power plant that would release almost no emissions of pollution
With a budget of billion yuan million US dollars the new company known as Green Coal Power Co will develop technology to produce hydrogen through gasifying coal and technology for collecting and storing carbon dioxide produced during power generation
The company hopes to build the power plant within years using kw hydrogen turbine generating units and fuel cells
The company is set up by China Huaneng Group one of the countrys power giants in cooperation with other power groups China Datang Corp China Guodian Corp China Power Investment Corp Shenhua Group the countrys biggest coal producer State Development and Investment Corp China National Coal Group
In a meeting with representatives of those companies on Friday Chinese VicePremier Zeng Peiyan hailed the new company as another step by energy giants in China to develop environmentally friendly energy technology
It represents a step forward for China to develop clean energy technology and reduce greenhouse gas emissions he said
He called on the new firm to develop core technology for the program while conducting cooperation and exchanges with other parts of the world to commercialize the technology for zeropollution gasified coalfired power plants
Coal dominates Chinas energy supplies as three quarters of the countrys installed power generating capacity comes from coalfired power plants which consumes half of the countrys annual coal output said Zeng
Coal will continue to be a dominant source of energy for China for a long time to come said the vicepremier Enditem
JINAN Dec Xinhua Wild swans in Weihai a booming coastal city in eastern Chinas Shandong Province endangered by blizzard are expected to live safely through the winter as locals provide them with food
More than frontier guards and staff with a local swan protection center on Wednesday put a first batch of tons of food in various sites all over the snowcovered swan lake
Migratory swans had nowhere to seek food after the swan lake was frozen in the dead of the winter The swan protection center the frontier station of Longyan Port and local media on Tuesday launched a rescuing swans drive calling on residents to donate food and materials
The frontier guards of the station donated more than kilograms of rice and maize and kg of Chinese cabbage to feed these swans
Flocks of migratory birds including swans come to the swan lake located in Chengshan Town Weihai late October every year to live through the winter Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Chinas import and export volume this year is expected to exceed trillion US dollars times of that in the starting year of Chinas reform and openingup Chinese Minister of Commerce Bo Xilai was quoted as saying by Fridays Peoples Daily
In the first three quarters this year Chinas revenue from customs duties totaled billion yuan billion US dollars accounting for percent of the countrys total tax revenue Bo said
China has made remarkable achievement in foreign trade this year concluding negotiations with Russia Ukraine and Vietnam on their market access conditions concerning accession to the World Trade Organization WTO he said
China has just successfully held the WTO Hong Kong meeting and signed free trade area FTA agreement with Chile he said
Actually China is talking with countries and regions on the establishment of nine FTAs according to the ministry
The Sixth WTO Ministerial Conference was held from Dec to in Hong Kong with fruitful achievements The WTO members agreed to eliminate all forms of agricultural export subsidies by the end of and provided a formula for tariff reduction on nonagricultural products
During the meeting developed nations also agreed to eliminate cotton export subsidies in and implement dutyfree and quotafree market access for all products from leastdeveloped countries
China has also made progress in market economy status issue this year Bo said Figures from the Ministry of Commerce showed countries had officially acknowledged Chinas market economy status
On Chinas textile talks with the European Union and the United States this year Bo said the trade dispute involved interest of over million Chinese textile workers
The final agreements with the European Union and the United States are fair and winwin and gain a relatively favorable international market for domestic textile industry Bo said
Since the elimination of global textile quota at the beginning this year Chinas rocketing textile export has caused trade disputes with the European Union and the United States
After rounds of talks China signed a textile agreement with the European Union in June and with the United States in November According to the two agreements some Chinese clothing and textile exports have been placed under import restrictions in the next few years
The huge trade surplus will affect the balanced development of national economy Bo said when asked to comment on the possible billion US dollars of trade surplus this year
He suggested that China increase the import of important energy and resources and the import of advanced technology equipment and software so as to push forward domestic industrial innovation and upgrade
More than percent of Chinas economy now depends on foreign trade which has been growing at an annual rate of over percent for years official statistics showed Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Xiamen Airlines Company has confirmed the order of ten Boeing aircraft thus bringing the Boeing companys aircraft order to the mark
This is an amazing milestone that reflects how much our clients appreciate the s technology efficiency safety and profitmaking capability said Alan Mulally Boeing Commercial Airplanes president and chief executive officer
Xiamen Airlines will take delivery of its s as of mid The airplanes will be equipped with performanceboosting blended winglets
This order allows us to simplify our fleet with the most costefficient and superiorperformance airplane in its class acknowledged Yang Guanghua president of Xiamen Airlines The Boeing will help us meet our goal of reducing operating costs and increasing return on investment for our shareholders Additionally with its passengerpleasing interior the new s will carry our customers in utmost comfort on all our domestic routes
Xiamen Airlines founded years ago is the first local airline company in China The airline currently operates an allBoeing fleet of Boeing s and nine Boeing s on approximately domestic and international routes
Since entering commercial revenue service in the Boeing fleet has carried more than billion passengers and flown more than billion miles worldwide Boeing s have scheduled service into countries and into more than cites around the world Its industryleading reliability fuel efficiency and low operating costs enable operators to serve both longer transAtlantic routes and shorterrange routes profitably Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The foreign direct investment FDI structure in China this year has become more reasonable and it is natural to witness FDI drop in some years Chinese Minister of Commerce Bo Xilai told the Peoples Daily in an interview which was published on Friday
Chinas actual FDI dropped slightly in the first months of down percent to billion US dollars statistics released by the Ministry of Commerce showed
According to figures except September actual FDI has been falling since April in comparison with the same months of last year with a twodigit slump in the AprilJune period which was rare in recent years
Bo attributed the drop of actuallyused FDI to the appreciation of Renminbi fierce international competition in attracting FDI and more objective statistics in China
The countrys FDI quality rather than quantity should be emphasized he said
More FDI has been flowing to service industry which is expected by the government when taking macrocontrol policy the minister said
The actuallyused FDI in China this year is estimated to reach billion US dollars In the first three quarters the output of foreigninvested enterprises totaled billion yuan billion US dollars accounting for percent of the countrys industrial output according to Bo
Those foreignfunded enterprises handed over tax worth billion yuan during the three quarters accounting for percent of the countrys total and employees in foreignfunded enterprises accounted for percent of the total urban employees he said
Thanks to successful attraction of FDI for years China has become a major manufacture country in real sense but its own investment in other parts of the world is still quite limited he said
China with forex reserve of more than billion US dollars is now qualified to increase investment in foreign lands he said
In the first eleven months this year the FDI volume from China reached billion US dollars up percent figures from the Ministry of Commerce showed
During the period the business volume of Chinas contracted projects in other countries and its labor export volume reached billion US dollars and billion US dollars up and percent respectively
China was the third largest FDI receiver in only after the United States and Britain according to official statistics
During the JanuaryNovember period this year the number of newly foreignfunded enterprises came to up percent yearonyear with the contractual foreign funds of billion US dollars an increase of percent over the same period of figures from the Ministry of Commerce showed
The top investors included Japan the Republic of Korea the United States Singapore Germany and Chinas Hong Kong and Taiwan regions Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Some people were dealt with according to Chinese law as they were allegedly responsible for six catastrophic coal mine accidents that had occurred throughout the country since November last year
According to a press release Friday on the investigation and handling of the six coal mine accidents among the people have been handed over to the judicial departments got disciplinary punishment and had been stripped of their administrative posts
At a press conference jointly held Friday by the State Administration of Work Safety SAWS and the Ministry of Supervision SAWS Director Li Yizhong said people were killed in the six coal mine accidents
He attributed the occurrence of the accidents to resistance to law enforcement and illegal production production beyond the capacity intensity and headcount allowed chaotic management and impotent regulations ineffective supervision by relevant departments and corruptive forces as protective umbrellas behind the accidents
Li said the investigation results of the six catastrophic accidents indicated that some coal mines have not implemented the work safety policies laws and regulations in a serious responsible manner
He accused some local authorities of not being effective enough to rectify or close those coal mines that do not meet the work safety standards and the illegally operated coal mines and safety watchdogs and industryspecific regulators of failing to fulfill their responsibilities
The liable persons involved in the six accidents have been punished in accordance with relevant laws and regulations and the NotLetGo Principle Li said
The official also said Where crimes are constituted the offenders have been handed over to the judicial departments for justice Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua More than priests from north Chinas Hebei and Shanxi provinces who travelled to Tianjin to lodge complaints over construction projects there have returned to their parishs to organize Christmas celebrations
A spokesman for Chinas State Administration of Religious Affairs made the remarks here Friday saying that the Tianjin municipal governments timely resolution of the conflict is very important
The priests and Catholic believers several of whom got into a a conflict with construction workers agreed to the settlement plans raised by the municipal government and relevant departments he said
Meanwhile he said the Hebei and Shanxi provincial governments Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association and Chinese Catholic Bishops Conference have asked Catholic priests and believers to convey their complaints and petitions through normal channels protect their legal rights and interests through legal means and help to maintain normal social order
The Tianjin municipal government and relevant local governments are steadfast and explicit that relevant policies be carried out toward religious housing and protecting the legitimate rights and interests of religious believers said the spokesman
He promised the issue regarding the Catholic real estate in Tianjin of some parishs will be addressed properly and step by step in compliance with regulations on religious affairs and relevant policies
Some overseas media have disseminated false information acknowledged the spokesman
He wished all Catholic friends a Merry Christmas Enditem
by Pei Chuang Yu Fei
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The China Studies Club which teaches traditional Chinese philosophies to entrepreneurs will enroll its first students next month in Beijing
The tuition fee of the clubs two or threeday course is so high about yuan US dollars per person its been the boss class as it is oriented toward business owners or highranking managers of companies
Wang Zhenglun who is in charge of the the club said that compared with other courses on traditional Chinese philosophies and literature his club offers classes that can be put to practical use
These new study courses on traditional Chinese philosophy have Confucianism at its core Confucius thought dominated Chinese society for thousands of years but was banished from mainstream culture in China in the early and middle parts of the th century as new China tried to break from the often oppressive ideas and rigid societal structures of the past
To date the study of Confucius thought and traditional philosophies have recently regained increasing popularity in China An institute of traditional Chinese culture was established by the Renmin Peoples University in Beijing in May of the first such institute since
This year also saw a number of forprofit training organizations such as the China Studies Club set up shop in China
Sun Jiazhou vice president of the China Studies Institute of the prestigious Renmin University said that courses on traditional Chinese culture and literature have been offered since the end of the s but mainly to cultural and academic circles
The newly popular studies on traditional culture and philosophies underscore practical knowledge for managing affairs
Wang Zhenglun said the club attempts to combine traditional philosophy and thought for the modern life
Some noted scholars agree that the study of traditional culture should give practical lessons that can be used in the new socialist market economy
These scholars acknowledged that traditional culture and thought advocates cultivating the mind and acting with discretion The ideas can be applied to the development of career family health and other aspects of life
The wisdom of traditional culture and thought should be offered to every Chinese said an expert
Mr He owner of a travel agency said he prefers attending the courses on traditional thought instead of attending a business management course
Management training only teaches expertise while Chinese traditional philosophies teach principles said He
After the course I felt peace of mind and have found my own tempo in business He said
But some traditional culture studies courses have been criticized for excessive commercialism
Scholar Xu Youyu said he felt uneasy about the current fever for China studies The expensive boss class as a matter of fact goes against the doctrines of the ancient Chinese saints he says
Yet Sun Jiazhou of Renmin University nevertheless said that interest in traditional Chinese philosophies in business circles is positive Were delighted to see people pursue wealth but also respect traditional culture and thought Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Some people were dealt with according to Chinese law as they were allegedly responsible for six catastrophic coal mines accidents that had occurred throughout the country since November last year
According to a press release Friday on the investigation and handling of the six coal mine accidents among the people have been handed over to the judicial departments got disciplinary punishment and had been stripped of their administrative posts
At a press conference jointly held Friday by the State Administration of Work Safety SAWS and the Ministry of Supervision SAWS Director Li Yizhong said people were killed in the six coal mine accidents
He attributed the occurrence of the accidents to resistance to law enforcement and illegal production production beyond the capacity intensity and headcount allowed chaotic management and impotent regulations ineffective supervision by relevant departments and corruptive forces as protective umbrellas behind the accidents
Li said the investigation results of the six catastrophic accidents indicated that some coal mines have not implemented the work safety policies and laws and regulations in a serious responsible manner
He accused some local authorities of not being effective enough to rectify or close those coal mines that do not meet the work safety standards and the illegallyoperated coal mines and safety watchdogs and industryspecific regulators of failing to fulfill their responsibilities
The liable persons involved in the six accidents have been punished in accordance with relevant laws and regulations and the NotLetGo Principle Li said
The official also said Where crimes are constituted the offenders have been handed over to the judicial departments for justice
We hope that all coal mines will learn from the bitter lessons that these accidents have taught us by strengthening their various measures to improve work safety Li stressed
According to Li from Jan to Dec a total of persons were killed in accidents including traffic accidents throughout the country a decline of percent and percent respectively compared with the same period of last year
Since the beginning of this year accidents each killing at least persons have occurred in coal mines four of them each with a death toll of over Li revealed
Again he expressed the resolve to close about illoperated coal mines
Coal is the major energy resource in China covering percent of the countrys consumption structure of all primary energy resources
In recent years the Chinese government has issued a series of regulations and measures to improve coal mine safety
But the situation is still grave Official statistics said from January to September this year people were killed in coal mine accidents
A deadly colliery blast on Nov in northeast Chinas Heilongjiang Province killed coal miners Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Rural students in Chinas relatively backward western region will enjoy free compulsory education from according to a government decision
The treatment will be granted to rural students in the central and eastern regions in according to the decision made Friday at an executive meeting of the State Council chaired by Premier Wen Jiabao
In addition students from poor rural families will be granted free textbooks Boarding students will receive subsidies to support their daily lives according to the decision
The decision which is on beefing up the guarantee system for rural compulsory education also orders raising the basic standard for public expenses of rural primary and high schools guaranteeing funds for schoolhouse maintenance and guaranteeing timely disbursement of wages to teachers
It says the central government will share the cost for schoolhouse maintenance in the western and central regions with local governments
Various localities and departments should give priorities to the development of rural compulsory education and strive to address the problem of inadequate input to ensure sustained and health development of the sector said the decision
In recent years China has beefed up support of rural compulsory education which lacks adequate funds and highquality teachers Rate of dropouts is high in many rural schools Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Beijing police Thursday destroyed more than million pieces of shoddy subquality firecrackers confiscated in the past three months since the municipal government lifted its year ban on fireworks on September
Though we destroyed inferior quality firecrackers during the past two years but even their total quantities could not match this years said Li Wei director of Beijing firework matters office
At an open ground in outskirtan Daxing district in southern Beijing the fireworks launchers were lined up like trench mortars At three pm some million pieces of inferior firecrackers were detonated with a resultant mushroom cloud and thunderous blasting in the air
The sales value of such shoddy firecrackers amounts to million yuan about US dollars and gasoline was spilled on them to speed burning and cracking and otherwise the setting off of these firecrackers could last two days according to the police
Beijing instituted the fireworks ban in in a bid to reduce the fireworksrelated fatalities that often accompanied the traditional spring festival or the Chinese lunar New Year
But a survey conducted among Beijing residents earlier this year showed that more than two thirds of respondents were opposed to the ban
So the city government issued a new rule reallowing the setting of firecrackers within the citys fifth ring road during the New Year holiday
The Lunar New Year usually falls on late January or February when the people in China love to spend their most joyous festival with the pitterpatter cracks
However since early Oct people died in serious accidents caused by firework blasts since Oct according to the police source Nine of these ten tragedies were caused by the illegal production of fireworks with a toll of lives
In a sample check of fireworks and firecrackers of producers on Dec the State Quality and Quarantine Administration found that only percent of the products met the quality standards set by industrial authority Enditem
ZHENGZHOU Dec Xinhua Eleven passengers were killed and three others injured after their bus suddenly caught fire in wee hours of Friday morning in central Chinas Henan Province a local police chief said
The tragedy took place at about am when the passenger bus carrying people was parking at a road section in Yanling County Xuchang City according to Zhai Huafu head of the citys public security bureau
The bus caught fire when the driver was relieving himself in the field but its doors kept locked according to police officer witnesses at the site
Whether the tragedy was a selfignition accident or a criminal case could not be confirmed yet the police said
Those injured have been hospitalized and investigation into the causes of the fire is underway Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Overseas students and experts in Beijing are able to apply for scholarship from the municipal educational committee now the educational authority announced Friday
With the establishment of the scholarship on Friday overseas applicants are expected to get tuition fees in different amount if they pass the required examinations according to Xian Lianping deputy director with the committee
Overseas postgraduate students for doctorate will get around yuan US dollars every year postgraduates will receive some yuan US dollars each year while undergraduates can get an annual aid of yuan US dollars
Senior overseas experts who make research in Beijing will enjoy a yuan aid every semester and students studying language or other specific majors are also expected to get some scholarship
The move is expected to attract more overseas students and experts and maintain Beijings leadership in the education of overseas students said Xian
A management committee will conduct regular assessment on the distribution of the scholarship and decide whether the students or experts can continue to enjoy the aid in the next year
Beijing started to receive foreign students in and more than students from some countries have studied in universities here official statistics show Enditem
GUANGZHOU Dec Xinhua Leader of a smeltery blamed for a river toxic spill in southern Guangdong Province is relieves of his post for making a selfcriticism sources said Friday
Zhang Weijian director of the smelting works in Shaoguan City was relieved of his post Thursday evening said Zhang Shuijian general manager of the Shenzhen Zhongjin Lingnan Nonferrous Metals Co Ltd the parent company of Shaoguans smeltery
The Nonferrous metals Co is looking into the matter now Zhang said
The yearold Shaoguan smeltery with a working staff of some can produce about tons of lead and zinc products he said
Local environmental protection authorities found in the stateowned smeltery in Shaoguan that the excessive discharge of waste has made the volume of cadmium in the river section of Shaoguan surge nearly times above the safety standard seriously affecting the water safety in the rivers lower reaches
The smeltery has halted operation and closed the waste water outlet blamed for excessive discharge according to the environment protection office of Shaoguan City
Guangdong has set up monitoring posts along the river to keep a close watch on the water quality
The density of cadmium kept dropping after local governments began diluting the polluted water by increasing the discharge of the water of reservoirs at Beijiangs upper reaches according to environmental protection experts
Experts forecasted that the diluted water will unlikely threaten the drinking water source for Foshan and Guangzhou Nevertheless the two downstream cities have been asked to start emergency plans to ensure safe drinking water
Cadmium is a soft bluishwhite metallic element occurring primarily in zinc copper and lead ores that is easily cut with a knife and is used in lowfriction fatigueresistant alloys solders dental amalgams nickelcadmium storage batteries nuclear reactor shields and in rustproof electroplating
According to Zhang the Shaoguan smeltery has reclaiming equipment for cadmium and to percent of the metallic element can be recollected through the reclaiming equipment The rest of the cadmium that cannot be retrieved will exist in smelting residues and waste water
After treatment the cadmiumcontained waste water will be released in a density lower than national standards into the Beijiang River tons per hour he said Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Beijing Capital International Airport BCIA has received its millionth passengers as of Friday enabling the airport to be listed in the top airports in the world
BCIA is Chinas number one gateway normally termed as the window to the outside world So far there are altogether passenger airline companies at the airport including nine domestic ones and foreign ones
The airport had received its millionth passenger byn Nov And the number kept increasing since early with average growth rate reaching percent
Aviation insiders said that the development of BCIA reflected Chinas growth in aviation industry Chinas total aviation turnover reached billion metric ton kilometers in with million passengers transported Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The Chinese government will launch a nationwide campaign to check the efficiency of its urban and rural planning sector a remarkable way to fight against corruption
The Chinese Ministry of Construction and the Ministry of Supervision held a joint videophone conference in Beijing Friday announcing the national campaign will begin in January
Minister of Construction Wang Guangtao said the campaign will target on all governmental departments and staffs involved with the sector of urban and rural planning and any illegal behaviors such as changing urban plans blindly and causing the waste of land resources for personal purpose will be punished according to law
The nationwide check will last till June said Wang Enditem
JINAN Dec Xinhua Local maritime authorities had to wrap up rescue efforts after more than one days search without any finding of the missing sailors from a east China sea shipwreck
The hope for the survival of the missing sailors is very slim Its sad but human beings could hardly survive in freezing sea water for these long hours said an official from Shandong maritime bureau in the eastern Shandong province who declined to be named
He said the bureau had phased out salvage work since late night Thursday and by Friday afternoon no bodies had been found yet
The cargo registered in eastern Zhejiang province capsized in high winds at around pm Wednesday when it tried to anchor at Longkou Port of Yantai All the Chinese crew members onboard fell into the water and only one was rescued by local rescuers
It was carrying tons of clay from Shantou of southern Guangdong Province to Laizhou of Shandong before it sunk
The shipwreck came days after maritime salvage team of Yantai announced an advanced vessel had been applied for maritime rescue
The meter ship was reported to cost million yuan for manufacture It was equipped with GPS satellite navigating system electronic maritime map and was able to sail sea miles for one time the salvage officials said
Bohai Bay provides major water routes linking the northeastern heavy industrial base of Liaoning Shandong peninsular and industrial belt around Tianjin But the area was notorious for frequent shipwreck due to special weather and geological conditions
On Nov passengers were drowned as a ship carrying people capsized near Yantai which was the most serious shipwreck in China since
Earlier this month two shipwrecks were reported in the area leaving five fishermen missing Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The front line battle against avian flu in China is at the grassroots level and it needs improvement in public awareness and surveillance said an official with the World Health Organization WHO here Friday
I have seen with my own eyes that China at all levels in truly committed to the fight against HN avian influenza said Dr Shigeru Omi WHO regional director for the Western Pacific Region at a news conference but the ability to spot poultry outbreaks and possible human cases at the grassroots level is still a major challenge
Accurate and complete reporting of outbreaks in animals and humans is vital he said Of the six confirmed human cases so far five had not received reports of poultry outbreaks in the local community according to Omi
There is therefore a need for a concerted and greater focus at the the grassroots level so the community will be strengthened particularly in terms of awareness and surveillance he said
WHO officials also revealed that Chinese people have little access to Tamiflu a drug produced by Roche Pharmaceuticals that is currently one of the four drugs known to work against influenza
Julie Hall coordinator of epidemic alert and response in WHOs Beijing office said the government should try to make more Tamiflu available
On Thursday Omi and the WHO delegation including Henk Bekedam WHOs representative in China Lee ChinKei project officer of WHO in China and Roy Wadia WHOs information officer in China congratulated Hunan for successfully treating a nineyearold boy who survived a bout of the flu
They met with local health officials in Hunan and called for the prompt and quick detection of human cases of bird flu and enhancement of the reporting of animal outbreaks
Throughout Asia a total of laboratoryconfirmed human cases of bird flu involving deaths have been reported by WHO on its website
China has reported six human cases of bird flu and about outbreaks of bird flu in poultry this year The government has pledged to spend billion yuan million US dollars in fighting the disease and vaccinate all its billion domesticated birds and has strengthened monitoring and diagnosis of possible human cases Enditem
SHANGHAI Dec Xinhua Warner Bros is looking forward to a still closer cooperation with Chinese peers which will contribute to the development of Chinas film industry an official with the world famous film company said here Friday
Chinas film industry has a great potential as the top five movies at Warner Bros cinemas in were all Chinese films namely the Hero Kung Fu Hustle House of Flying Daggers A World without Thieves and Myth said Jon Terence Green vicepresident of Warner Bros International Cinema Inc WBIC at a press conference marking the centennial of Chinese film and the growth of Warners business in the country
However China to date does not have enough cinemas for a huge market for both domestic and overseas cinema companies Green noted
Relevant statistics show that every Chinese people only share a film screen in whereas in the United States the ratio is more than
Warner Bros was the first Western company to engage in film distribution business in China Having eight cinemas with more than seats in China the company has raked in some million yuan nearly million US dollars by the end of November this year up percent against last year
We are ready to make further progress along with Chinese film industry said Green underscoring that the combination of international expertise and local resource is the key to success on Chinas film market
The company is planning to open Chinese film rooms in its cinemas in the country ensuring a home for all types of Chinese films in Warner Bros cinemas according to Green
A subsidiary company of Warner Bros in China the WBIC takes the lead in the cinema business by sharing percent of Chinas box office Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua China has become Asias top exporter of tourists and thats got the worlds tourism retail and banking circles rubbing their hands in glee
According to the statistics from Global Refund Group Chinese traveling outside of China spent on shopping alone an average of million US dollars a month making them as a whole the worlds most prolific souvenir buyers
Hoping to cash in on the Chinese spending spree Europeans are planning to provide more ATM machines for Chinese bank card holders said Gu Jian general manager of Europe Express Company
Chinese people typically spend less on accommodation and transportation but more on souvenirs said Yang Yu chief representative of Netherlands Board of Tourism and Convention in China
Its a Chinese tradition to return home from a trip loaded with gifts for friends family and even colleagues Chinese people buy gifts during their trips abroad no matter how rich or poor said Dr Ding Xuelin a researcher on consumer behavior
According to the Visit Britain Organization Chinese travelers will spend million pounds in the United Kingdom by around and million pounds by
From Sept to Sept Chinese spent up to million US dollars in Germany That was more than Italians Australians and travelers from Britain
The World Tourism Organization estimates that China will have more than million outbound travelers in years The number of Chinese tourists have already surpassed Japans to become Asias biggest nation of tourists
In Chinese travelers were only allowed to exchange an equivalent of US dollars in foreign currency Now they can exchange as much as US dollars Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua A price war has bitten into profits of laptop makers this year even though more of the computers were sold on the Chinese market according to a report by the China Center for Information Industry Development CCID
Laptop makers battled between offering price breaks to consumers in order to maintain sales
Thought no accurate figures for profits and sales were provided many new laptop models sold for about yuan some US dollars down from prices last year
Lenovo C laptop dropped to yuan in the first half this year and even the PC leader Dell offered products at yuan some US dollars and yuan US dollars in China
The age of lowpriced laptops has arrive the CCID acknowledged
Once the technology monopoly was done away with it said manufacturers had to choose a lowprice strategy to cater for more customers which has led to a drop in profit
The lowered prices have also meant a percent growth rate since said CCID Enditem
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ROME Dec Xinhua An Italian court on Friday issued arrest warrants for alleged CIA agents suspected of kidnapping a Muslim cleric in Italy prosecutors said
The warrants were issued by a Milan court they said
Egyptian cleric Hassan Mustafa Osama Nasr whom Italian investigators have accused of ties to al Qaeda and recruiting combatants for Iraq was allegedly kidnapped by CIA agents in a Milan street in February and flown to Egypt for interrogation
The former Imam who is also known as Abu Omar alleges he was tortured and beaten while being questioned in prison in Egypt
The Italian move means the American agents may be arrested in any of the European Unions member states
A European Union warrant which was agreed by the European Union in the wake of the Sept attacks on the United States in is automatically valid across the European Union and does not require approval of any government
A recent report by the Washington Post alleges that the CIA agents had lied to Italy about the suspects whereabouts and that they had briefed their Italian counterparts about his abduction
Italy has arrested around terror suspects in the aftermath of the Sept attack on the United States according to Interior Ministry data The vast majority of the suspects however were later released for lack of evidence Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua An Azerbaijani plane with people onboard crashed soon after taking off from Baku Friday night and all the people aboard the plane were killed officials of the airport and transport police said
The An plane owned by the staterun Azerbaijani Airlines took off at GMT with passengers and five crewmembers onboard on a flight to Aktau Kazakhstan and crashed eight minutes later near the capital city a Baku airport official was quoted by the ItarTass news agency as saying
Following is a chronology of major air crashes since
March An Algerian Boeing crashes shortly after takeoff from Tamanrasset airport killing all but one of the passengers and six crew members on board
July A Sudanese airliner bound for Khartoum goes down with the loss of all but one of the passengers and crew members aboard
Dec A plane owned by the Guineanbased airline UTA crashes into the sea off the West African country of Benin killing of the passengers and crew members on board
Jan An Egyptian charter plane belonging to Flash Airlines crashes into the Red Sea killing at least people
Feb An Iranian passenger plane crashes and bursts into flames near Sharjah International Airport in the United Arab Emirates killing of the passengers and six crew members on board
Aug Two Russian planes departing from a Moscow airport crash within minutes of each other killing at least people in a terror attack Explosives were found on both aircraft
Nov A Lion Air passenger plane skids off the runway and crashes during heavy rains in central Indonesia killing at least people and injuring with others missing
Feb An Afghan airliner crashes into a mountain near Kabul killing all the people on board The Boeing was operated by Afghanistans only private airline Kam Air
March An An twoengine turboprop aircraft crashes and catches fire while trying to reach an airport near the oil port of Varandei in the Nenets autonomous region on Russias Pechora Sea killing of the people on board
May An An passenger plane crashes in the eastern mountain area of the Democratic Republic of Congo DRC killing all the passengers and crew members on board
Aug A Tunisian ATR plane crashes into the sea off Palermo in Sicily Italy killing of the passengers and crew members on board with three others missing
Aug A Cypriot Boeing operated by the private Helios Airways crashes in north Athens killing all the passengers and crew members on board
Aug A jet carrying French tourists crashes in the mountains of western Venezuela killing all the people on board
Aug A Peruvian Boeing crashes in the Amazon jungle killing at least of the people aboard
Sept An Indonesian Boeing with on board crashes into a residential area in the city of Medan Indonesias thirdlargest city killing more than people aboard and on the ground
Oct A Boeing operated by Nigerias Bellview Airlines crashes on the outskirts of Lagos Nigerias commercial capital killing people on board
Dec A plane with passengers and seven crew members on board crashed in the southern Nigerian oil city of Port Harcourt killing people Enditem
NEW YORK New York City subway trains are rolling again and buses are back on the streets Friday morning following the end of a hour transit strike that plunged the city into disarray
The citys subway stations opened at midnight with the first trains making their way to each of the systems stops for the first time in three days MTA officials said Thursday that management personnel had been monitoring the systems infrastructure during the work stoppage to guarantee the condition of the rails switches and signals USNYTransit Strike
ROME An Italian court on Friday issued arrest warrants for alleged CIA agents suspected of kidnapping a Muslim cleric in Italy prosecutors said
The warrants were issued by a Milan court they said Egyptian cleric Hassan Mustafa Osama Nasr whom Italian investigators have accused of ties to alQaida and recruiting combatants for Iraq was allegedly kidnapped by CIA agents in a Milan street in February and flown to Egypt for interrogation ItalyCIAArrest Warrants
BAGHDAD Thousands of Sunni Arabs on Friday demonstrated in the street of Baghdad against the partial results of the Dec parliamentary elections announced by the electoral commission calling for a revote
The demonstrators held Iraqi national flags banners and big pictures of Sunni political leaders in the street in southern Baghdad after Fridays prayers said Xinhua photographer at the scene IraqSunnis demonstration
COLOMBO At least Sri Lankan Navy soldiers were killed and three others injured in an attack triggered by suspected Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam LTTE rebels defense officials said Friday
The attack took place near Thalaimannar about km north of the capital Colombo at around pm local time GMT A bus and a truck carrying sailors were moving along the PesalaiTalaimannar Road when it was attacked said Naval spokesman Jayantha Perera Sri LankaRebelToll
MOSCOW A passenger plane crashed in Azerbaijan on late Friday and passengers and five crew on board were feared killed Russias RIA news agency reported early Saturday
The plane which flied between Baku the capital and the Kazakh city of Aktau disappeared minutes after takeoff Its wreckage was found later km from Baku the report said AzerbaijanPlane Crash Enditem
UNITED NATIONS Dec Xinhua UN members on Friday night reached a lastminute agreement on a budget Enditem
MEXICO CITY Dec Xinhua Latin Americas three major stock markets closed mixed on Friday
Mexico Citys stock market IPC index rose percent and closed at points A total of million shares were traded at million US dollars
The Buenos Aires stock market closed with the Merval index up by percent and ended at points The trade volume was million dollars
In Sao Paulo Latin Americas biggest bourse the leading Bovespa index closed at points down by percent The trade volume was million dollars Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Following are some of the major international news stories scheduled to be covered or pursued by Xinhua on Saturday
Uzbek interior minister resigns
Lithuania to cut by half its troops in Iraq
Chad government says relations with Sudan become tense
Castro says any attempt to unseat Cuban government will fail
UN members reach budget deal Enditem
HAVANA Dec Xinhua Cuban leader Fidel Castro told the countrys parliament on Friday that any attempt to unseat Cubas socialist government would fail condemning in particular the activities of the UScreated Help Free Cuba Commission the local media reported
The Cuban revolution which will be years old in is invincible and very strong Castro told the second day of the legislative sessions in Havana
He criticized US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rica who told the commission on Monday that the time had come for radical change in Cuba
The commission formed by US President George W Bush has a page program of measures to accelerate the fall of Cubas government
The yearold Cuban leader also criticized the decision by the US government to refuse visas to the Cuban national baseball team which had been scheduled to take part in the World Classic match in March Enditem
MOSCOW Dec Xinhua The Russian Foreign Ministry slammed Ukraine on Friday for trying to politicize the tense row over gas supplies which has soured relations between the two former Soviet countries
In a statement posted on its official website ministry spokesman Mikhail Kamynin criticized Ukrainian Prime Minister Yuri Yekhanurov for attempting to take the gas problem outside the framework of bilateral commercial negotiations
He was referring to Yekhanurovs meeting with Western ambassadors Wednesday which touched upon RussianUkrainian relations
Russia announced from the very start that gas relations with Ukraine should be settled between economic entities of the two countries Kamynin said We kept asking Ukraine not to politicize the issue
Russia is a key gas supplier to Ukraine and most of its gas exports to Europe pass through Ukrainian territory
Ukraine now buys Russian gas at a discounted price of US dollars per cubic meters but Russia has demanded an end to the preferential prices and offered cash payments for gas transit
Ukraine said it is willing to switch to market prices for Russian gas but insisted it needs a transitional period
Kamynin meanwhile promised to guarantee gas supplies to Europe despite the fact that Russia has threatened to cut gas to neighboring Ukraine should the two countries fail to cut a deal by Jan
Russia will strictly abide by the existing agreements and contracts with Western partners in the delivery of natural gas Kamynin said Enditem
MADRID Dec Xinhua The Spanish government has agreed to give the World Health Organization WHO some million US dollars to help the organizations antibird flu programs local media reported on Friday
The WHO is developing international structures of support mostly to Asian and African countries to halt the spread of the disease and help them adopt measures to protect their people
At the same time Spain is giving some million dollars to European Unions research program to develop antiHuman Immunodeficiency Virus HIV vaccines as part of the European and Developing Country Trail Program whose activities include research and development of technologies used to fight malaria tuberculosis and HIV Enditem
LISBON Dec Xinhua Portuguese customs officials seized kg of cocaine smuggled from Venezuela at the Lisbon airport on Thursday the Portuguese customs said in a statement on Friday
This represented the largest amount of cocaine seized at Portuguese airports this year the statement said
The drugs were hidden in a trunk which has been handed to the law enforcement police
The statement did not mention the owner of the trunk
So far this year up to kg of cocaine has been seized at Portuguese airports
Customs officials captured kg of cocaine and detained a Brazilian at the Lisbon airport on Dec
Last month law enforcement officials seized in a warehouse near Lisbon tons of cocaine from Colombia the largest ever capture in Portugal and the biggest amount seized in Europe this year
According to the Portuguese police international drug smuggling organizations have taken Portugal as a transfer station for smuggling from South America to European countries in recent years Enditem
RIGA Dec Xinhua Lithuania will withdraw half of its troops from Iraq by January reports from the Lithuanian capital Vilnius said Friday
Lithuanian Foreign Minister Antanas Valionis and Defense Minister Gediminas Kirkilas said in a joint statement that the Lithuanian government made the decision in view of the improving political and economic climate in Iraq and the strengthening Iraqi security forces
In the wake of the Dec general election the Iraqis are able to shoulder more responsibilities in controlling the situation in their country said the statement
As the Iraqi security forces are increasingly strengthened the mission of foreign troops is shifting to training Iraqi soldiers it said
Lithuania while preserving some of the troops necessary for fighting terrorists will send officers to train the Iraqi forces it said
Meanwhile US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said Friday on a visit to Baghdad that the United States will withdraw some of its combat forces from Iraq early next year Enditem
QUITO Dec Xinhua An earthquake measuring on the Richter scale rocked the center of Ecuador and shook buildings in Quito Ecuadors capital city in the north of the country Ecuadors Geophysical Institute said on Friday
The earthquake occurred at local time GMT The epicenter was close to Puyo capital of Pastaza province km southeast of Quito
Only people at the top of tall buildings felt the quake which caused scant damage
The institute said that a collision between the Nazca ocean plate with the Ecuadorian continental plate caused the quake forcing a noisy phenomenon called subduction Enditem
CARACAS Dec Xinhua Venezuelan Minister of Land and Agriculture Antonio Albarran said on Friday that the government had confiscated country estates linked to drug trafficking making them state property
The properties are mostly in the western state of Tachira which borders Colombia he added
The land will be incorporated into a governmentpromoted social program to give land to small and mediumsized farmers working in cooperatives the minister said
Venezuela has become one of the main transport routes for cocaine to the United States and Europe due to its large border with Colombia the worlds number one cocaine exporter Enditem
UNITED NATIONS Dec Xinhua UN member states on Friday reached a lastminute agreement on a budget that includes a spending cap of million US dollars for
The General Assemblys Fifth Committee is preparing an immediate formal meeting to approve the budget resolution some UN diplomat told Xinhua Friday night on condition of anonymity
In accordance with the resolution which states reached after months of intense talks UN spending would initially be capped at million dollars on a billiondollar twoyear budget
The spending cap of million dollars will be enough only for the first six months of the year until UN SecretaryGeneral Kofi Annan requests in May or June to release funding for the second half of on condition of enough reform having been adopted
The General Assembly will hold plenary meeting late Friday to take action on the recommendation of the Fifth Committee as soon as the committee adopts the budget resolution formally Enditem
ALMA ATA Dec Xinhua Uzbekistans Interior Minister Zokirjon Almatov resigned for health reasons the ministrys news bureau announced on Friday
During a ceremony held in his honor Almatov was given a national award for his outstanding contributions to the country by order of the countrys President Islam Karimov said reports from Uzbek capital of Tashkent
Almatov has been serving as the interior minister since and has close personal relations with President Karimov
He was heavily criticized by the international society for his role in quelling the Andijan unrest in May
Some international human rights groups asked that Almatov should be put on trial for killing peaceful demonstrators and the European Union EU also denied his entry into any EU country as punishment
Soon after the Andijan incident the Uzbek media reported the worsening health conditions of the disputed interior minister
It is reported that Anvar Salikhbaev leader of the Uzbek National Security Commission will most likely be chosen as Almatovs successor Enditem
CARACAS Dec Xinhua Venezuelas oil company Petroleos de Venezuela PDVSA exported million barrels of crude and fuel oil to China and Singapore last week the company said in a statement on Friday
The stateowned PDVSA said it sent a Very Large Crude Cargo VLCC supertanker carrying million barrels of crude oil to China and two more VLCC ships filled with fuel oil to Singapore on Dec and Dec respectively
According to the PDVSA this was its first multiple supply operation and the move represented part of the companys policy of diversifying markets away from the United States which is currently the companys largest single client
The company said on Thursday that it was exporting barrels a day to China and intended to more than double the amount to barrels
Venezuela is the worlds fifth largest oil exporter and supplies percent of the United States gas needs although relations between the two countries have always been tense
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez believes that the United States was behind the coup attempt which ousted him for hours Enditem
LIMA Dec Xinhua The Peruvian government has formally approved of the charges that it plans to present in the extradition case against former president Alberto Fujimori Peruvian prosecutor Antonio Maldonaldo told the local media on Friday
Maldonaldo said that among the approved charges are human rights violations and the payment of million US dollars to former National Intelligence Service chief Vladimiro Montesinos adding that full charges will be released in the official gazette later
He also said the cabinet has sent the remaining five charges against Fujimori back to court officials for further review
The Peruvian government will make a formal extradition request to Chilean judicial authorities by Jan
Fujimori had been in exile in Japan since his government collapsed in amid corruption scandals Despite repeated Peruvian requests Japan refused to extradite Fujimori citing his Japanese citizenship as a son of Japanese immigrants to Peru
Fujimori arrived in Chile on Nov and was arrested later at Perus request He said he intended to begin a campaign for the Peruvian presidential elections using Santiago as a base Enditem
ALMA ATA Dec Xinhua The Shanghai Cooperation Organization SCO should further strengthen cooperation in cutting off fund sources of terrorist activities to fight international terrorism effectively an SCO official said Friday
Vyacheslav Kasymov chairman of the executive commission of the SCO Regional AntiTerrorism Structure RATS made the remarks at a meeting of law enforcement authorities and financial institutions of SCO members according to reports from the Uzbek capital of Tashkent
Any terrorist groups ability to carry out sabotage acts relies on an unblocked fund channel and the amount of money it has acquired he said
International terrorist organizations are continuing to diversify and conceal their fund channels and this calls for further cooperation and coordination in antiterrorist operations he added
One of the important tasks of SCO members is to strengthen cooperation in probing how terrorist groups use their money and in launching a joint investigation on financial institutions nongovernmental organizations and charity groups which provide funds for them Kasymov said
He said SCO members should work out unified criteria for countering terrorism enhance information and experience exchanges and boost communication and coordination with other international organizations and relevant countries
The SCO a regional organization founded in June groups China Russia Kazakhstan Tajikistan Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan
RATS headquartered in Tashkent was opened in June with a mission to strengthen coordination between SCO member states and other international groups in combating terrorism separatism and extremism Enditem
TUNIS Dec Xinhua Bulgaria and Libya have agreed to set up a fund for the HIVinfected children in Libya as part of the international efforts to solve disputes over six medics sentenced to death for infecting children with the virus reports from Libyas capital Tripoli said Friday
The United States the current EU president Britain and Bulgaria which have denounced the verdict have all signed up to the fund Libyas official news agency reported on Friday
The Libyan and Bulgarian sides will meet next week to decide the precise amount of compensation as well as medical care and welfare for the HIVinfected children and their families official said
The EUproposed fund was part of the move by the international community to save five Bulgarian nurses and a Palestinian doctor who were sentenced to death by a Libyan court last year for infecting children with HIV in a Libyan hospital About of the children have died
Libyas Supreme Court has scheduled an appeal hearing for Dec as the nurses claimed their confessions were made under torture
AIDS experts said the outbreak began before the nurses arrived at the hospital in Libyas port city of Benghazi and was probably caused by poor hygiene
Bulgaria has insisted that the nurses are innocent and Bulgarian President Georgi Parvanov said on Friday that his country is willing to pay a high price for the release of the nurses
Reports say there is a possibility that Libya may allow the five nurses who have been in jail in Libya since to be extradited to Bulgaria
Libya has in the past suggested the verdict could be annulled if the children and their families receive sufficient humanitarian aid
Bulgarian Foreign Ministry spokesman Dimitar Tsanchev said on Friday that the fund was intended only to help the families of the sick children adding that Bulgaria will not pay compensation that could be seen as an admission of the nurses guilt Enditem
YAOUNDE Dec Xinhua Chad is in a state of belligerence with neighboring Sudan following a recent attack on one of its border towns which Chad has accused Sudan of backing reports from Ndjamena quoted a Chadian government spokesman as saying on Friday
Chad is today in a state of belligerence with Sudan The friends of Chad must support it by all means possible in this ordeal government spokesman Hourmadji Moussa Doumgor told a press conference
Doumgor accused the Sudanese government of supporting a group of army deserters who formed military groups in eastern Chad and have created unrest in the past two months to press for the dismissal of Chadian President Idriss Deby
Last Sunday Chadian militants coming from the territory of Sudan raided the Chadian frontier town of Adre with the collaboration of the army deserters
Doumgor said Sudan should take full responsibility for the attack accusing the Sudanese government of arming equipping and forming the military columns
Chad said its forces repulsed the assaults killing about of the attackers capturing many and pursuing the others across the border into Sudan and destroying their bases there
Doumgor also called on the African Union and other regional bodies to take an unequivocal stance and condemn Sudans action
Sudanese Foreign Ministry spokesman Jamal Mohammed Ibrahim on Thursday denied his countrys involvement in the ongoing unrest in Chad describing it as internal affairs to which Sudan has no relation
The Sudanese Foreign Ministry has also clarified its innocence in a statement issued on Wednesday
The statement said False accusation will not serve movement of bilateral relations and brotherhood between the two countries and will not help realize stability and positive interaction between overlapping population on the borders
Recent weeks have seen a volley of accusations between Chad and Sudan with Ndjamena accusing Khartoum of hosting rebels and a growing wave of army deserters in order to destabilize Chad and Sudan accusing Chad of supporting the antigovernment forces in its western Darfur region Enditem
SANTIAGO Dec Xinhua Several Latin American countries have upped their issuance of local currencydenominated external debt the Economic Commission of Latin America and the Caribbean ECLAC said in a report released on Friday
This allows them to obtain longer maturity instruments larger quantities of borrowing and lower interest rates but they have to face problems when issuing debt in their own currencies said the report
Brazil Mexico Chile Colombia and Uruguay are among the countries that have issued external debt in their own currencies
The move should reduce the risk of very serious economic crisis in those countries said the ECLAC an economic body of the United Nations
If external debt is denominated in hard currencies such as US dollars euros British pounds or yen and a devaluation occurs debt service costs will rise sharply increasing job losses and hitting production capacity the report said
Emerging economies especially Brazil and Mexico have made great efforts to boost local currency issuance
International investors have percent of government bonds issued locally but percent of Mexican government bonds with years or longer maturities are owned by international buyers said the report Enditem
LIMA Dec Xinhua The European Union EU will finance a study in Bolivia to determine what proportion of the coca leaves grown there should go to manufacturing cocaine and what part be consumed domestically reports from Sucre quoted an EU official as saying on Friday
Angel Gutierrez head of the EU mission to Bolivia told the media that the EU agreed to finance the study at the request of Bolivias new President Evo Morales and euros US dollars would be granted to the study
Morales who was confirmed as winning the countrys election this month with an unprecedented percent of the vote owns a coca farm His Socialist Movement Party grew out of the coca farmers union of which he was a leader
The union has fought to prevent the eradication of coca which is grown on hectares of land across the country Cocaine is the most famous product of the leaf which however is also used in traditional religious ceremonies and by indigenous Bolivians who chew it to fight fatigue
Morales has vowed to legalize cocaleaf growing for traditional uses saying he was opposed to cocaine trafficking but defends the right to grow coca leaf Enditem
LUSAKA The International Monetary Fund IMF has approved a percent debt relief to Zambia amounting to million US dollars the official Zambia Daily Mail said Friday
The deal is part of the billion dollar debt relief for poor countries approved by the IMF executive board under the Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative on Wednesday ZambiaIMF debt
JAKARTA The Indonesian governments decision to revoke luxury tax on automotive products is aimed at luring investment in the sector an official said Friday
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono agreed Thursday to revoke the threemonth old government regulation no on luxury goods tax which was issued as part of the governments energy conservation campaign
Following the decision motorcycle manufacturer Yamaha announced a plan to enlarge its plant in January said Minister of Industry Fahmi Idris IndonesiaLuxury Tax
WASHINGTON Orders of durable manufactured goods in the United States increased by percent in November the largest gain in the past six months the Commerce Department reported on Friday
The report showed that orders to US factories for durable goods items expected to last for more than three years increased to a record high of billion US dollars last month following a percent gain in October It was the biggest onemonth advance since a percent rise last May USDurable GoodsOrders
KAMPALA The International Monetary Fund IMF has extended percent debt relief for Uganda amounting approximately million US dollars
IMF representative in Uganda Peter Allum was quoted by local media on Friday as saying that Uganda qualified for the IMF debt relief because of its overall satisfactory recent macroeconomic performance progress in poverty reduction and improvements in public expenditure management
The debt relief under the Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative MDRI was approved on Wednesday by the IMF executive board and is effective January UgandaIMF debt
UNITED NATIONS UN member states on Friday reached a lastminute agreement on a budget that includes a spending cap of million US dollars for
The General Assemblys Fifth Committee is preparing an immediate formal meeting to approve the budget resolution some UN diplomat told Xinhua Friday night on condition of anonymity UNBudget
SANTIAGO Several Latin American countries have upped their issuance of local currencydenominated external debt the Economic Commission of Latin America and the Caribbean ECLAC said in a report released on Friday
This allows them to obtain longer maturity instruments larger quantities of borrowing and lower interest rates but they have to face problems when issuing debt in their own currencies said the report
Brazil Mexico Chile Colombia and Uruguay are among the countries that have issued external debt in their own currencies ChileDebt Enditem
UNITED NATIONS Dec Xinhua The UN General Assembly approved late on Friday a twoyear budget with a million US dollars spending cap for a move to link UN management reforms to budget process
The member Assembly finally adopted the billion dollars twoyear budget after weeks of arduous talks between wealthy and developing member states
The budget unprecedentedly capped the UN spending next year at million dollars an amount only enough to fund the UN operation for the first six months of after which UN Secretary General Kofi Annan has to ask for authority from the Assemby to spend the rest of the money for the year
The United States has indicated it will oppose the release of additional money without UN management reforms by June which include reviews of old UN programs and UN rules and regulations with one goal being to give Annan greater flexibility in running the world body
The adopted budget resolution was based on a comprise proposed Thursday by the EU Russia and a UN grouping known as JUSCANZ comprising Japan the United States Canada Australia and New Zealand
Its a new concept it is to cap the expenditure within a year for a given amount and to then say when youve run out of that money or are about to come ask us for some more but then people can make a judgment said Britains Ambassador Emyr Jones Parry who played a key role in the negations on the budget
The powerful Group of which represents mainly developing
countries and China had said it would only agree to a
billion dollars cap on UN spending Several key members including Egypt and India objected to any link between the new budget and management reforms
After arduous talks both sides reached a compromise agreement on the budget Friday night However there are still gaps on the understanding of relationship between the budget and the reforms
Jamaican Ambassador Stafford Neil the chairman of the G explained to reporters that developing nations had fought against the spending cap
They reluctantly went along with the deal after receiving assurances that it was an exceptional measure not to be repeated and use for the future he said
He stressed that there was no linkage in the deal between implementing reforms and UN funding for the second half of the year saying the additional funding would depend on the secretarygenerals recommendation
US Ambassador John Bolton insisted the existence of the linkage noting that if management reforms were not satisfying the United Nations will once again face a financial crisis
The UN General Assembly must approve a budget plan by Dec in order to maintain the running of the organization Enditem
ANKARA Dec Xinhua An earthquake with a magnitude of on the Richter scale shook western Turkey on Saturday the Kandilli Observatory said
The quake occurred at am GMT and the epicenter of the quake was at the town of Akhisar in Manisa province but no casualties were reported
The neighboring town of Akhisar and Izmir province also felt the quake
Earthquakes are frequent in Turkey A strong quake hit western Turkey in killing more than people Enditem
MOSCOW Dec Xinhua One Briton one Australian and a Turk were killed in the air crash Friday night in Azerbaijan reports from Azerbaijans capital city of Baku quoted an airport official as saying on Saturday
According to the official among the people aboard the plane there were also one Georgian and four Kazaks
The An flight heading to Aktau Kazakhstan crashed eight minutes after takeoff from Baku Friday night and all the passengers and five crew members aboard the plane were killed officials from the airport and transport police said earlier
The wreckage of the plane was found some km from Baku and all the aboard the illfated plane were dead an official of the transport police department said
The official said rescue workers are working at the site of the crash but the black boxes the flight data and cabin voice recorders of the plane have not been found Retrieving efforts were complicated by rainfall at the scene
Azerbaijani Airlines bought the plane two years ago from Ukraine The An is a mediumrange plane with two propeller engines that can seat up to passengers
An Azerbaijani Airlines cargo plane crashed in west China in May killing all seven crewmen on board Enditem
SANA Dec Xinhua Yemeni kidnappers released the two Austrians Saturday they abducted three days ago in northern Yemen said the official Saba news agency
The two Austrians a man and a woman were kidnapped Wednesday while visiting a site in Marib Enditem
WASHINGTON US President George W Bush has ordered the core force of combat brigades inside Iraq to be trimmed to brigades early next year The New York Times reported Friday quoting Secretary of Defense Donald H Rumsfeld
The net reduction of American forces in Iraq under this order was between to troops and the decision signals that a cautious realignment has begun which was intended to bring US troop levels in Iraq soon to their lowest point since mid the report quoted officials as saying BushIraqTroops
MOSCOW Russia will fully comply with a deal with Iran to supply it with the TorM air defense systems despite US objections a senior Defense Ministry official said Friday
The Russian side despite objections from the United States will honor its contract with Iran for the supply of the upgraded version of the Tor system the official was quoted by the ItarTass news agency as saying RussiaIranArms Deal
WASHINGTON The International Monetary Fund on Friday approved a new million dollars of loan for Iraq giving the country a critical endorsement of its economic performance IMFIraqLoan
MOSCOW An Azerbaijan Airlines passenger plane carrying at least people has gone missing the ITARTass news agency reported early Saturday
The report quoted an unnamed source at the international airport in Baku the capital as saying that the plane disappeared while flying between Baku and Aktau Enditem AzerbaijanPlane Crash
WASHINGTON US President George W Bush and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin have agreed to complete trade talks needed for Russia to join the World Trade Organizationas soon as possible the White House said on Friday
The president called President Putin today to discuss the negotiations on Russias accession to the World Trade Organization US national security council spokesman Fred Jones told reporters USRussiaWTO Enditem
WASHINGTON Dec Xinhua The US Naval Observatory said Friday that New Years Day will begin one second late due to a timing adjustment made to keep pace with the rotation of the Earth
A leap second will be added to the worlds clocks just before midnight of Dec by tweaking their atomic clocks the worlds most precise timekeepers so as to be consistent with the Earths rotation
Leap seconds are inserted because atomic clocks tend to go slightly ahead of the Earths rotation largely because the rotation of the Earth has been slowing down
It will be the first extra second in seven years and the rd leap second that has been inserted since when an international timekeeping agreement was signed Enditem
LONDON Dec Xinhua Following are major news items in leading British newspapers on Saturday
The Independent
The family of Norman Kember the British hostage being held in Iraq will mark Christmas without him by placing an advert in Iraq newspapers and radio programs calling for his release
The Guardian
Detainees held by the British army in Iraq have been involved in disturbances this week in protest at being held without charge or trial the Guardian has learned
The Times
A former postman in London was jailed for six and half years on Friday for masterminding a million pounds about million US dollars scam involving stolen chequebooks
Financial Times
The housing boom of the past decade has belatedly reached Britains farflung corners in with prices in parts of Scotland Northern Ireland and Wales jumping by more than a quarter
The Daily Telegraph
The worlds most successful cloning scientist Prof Hwang Woosuk who was hailed as a superstar with Gods hand in his native South Korea has resigned in disgrace over his teams faked results Enditem
LONDON Dec Xinhua The number of Asian and black people being searched in London streets by police increased more than fold after the July bombings The Guardian newspaper reported on Saturday
In the two months after three underground trains and a bus were bombed more than people were stopped and searched by the Metropolitan police under the antiterror act However none of the searches resulted in an arrest or a charge related to terrorism
Police figures indicated that Asian people were already more likely than their white fellow Londoners to be stopped even before the terrorist attacks but the bombings made them more vulnerable
According to Metropolitan Police figures Asian and black people were stopped while walking compared with last year The increase is more than twice the rise recorded by the police for white people searched in the two months after the attacks
The Terrorism Act allows a police officer to search someone in a vehicle or who is walking if it is believed necessary to prevent terrorism
Between July and September this year percent of the people stopped in the street by police were Asians who make up percent of Londons population Half of those stopped were white who make up percent
Police have denied targeting ethnic groups But after July street stops on whites increased fivefold compared with the same period of whereas for AfroCaribbean and Asian people they increased fold
The July attacks were carried out by Britons of Pakistani descent while the failed July attacks led to people of African origin being charged Police have been accused of ethnically profiling suspects for stopping people merely because of the way they look
Azad Ali chair of the Muslim Safety Forum said People are being stopped if they fit a certain profile such as being Asian looking and carrying a rucksack or are driving in a potentially sensitive area They can stop people but it has to be based on intelligence It The Terrorism Act alienates the very communities the police need to get onside
Metropolitan police authority member Peter Herbert said This means the police are not using their information from intelligence properly because they are too busy making random stops which deter no one and which alienate large numbers of people and wastes time and resources Enditem
MOSCOW Dec Xinhua An Azerbaijani plane carrying people crashed soon after taking off from the capital city of Baku Friday night and all the people on board were killed according to news reports reaching here
The An plane owned by the staterun Azerbaijani Airlines took off at GMT with passengers and crew members on board on a flight to Aktau Kazakhstan and crashed eight minutes later near the capital city a Baku airport official was quoted by the ItarTass news agency as saying
The wreckage of the plane was found some km from Baku and all the aboard the illfated plane were dead an official of the transport police department told the RIA Novosti news agency
The official said rescue workers had arrived at the site of the crash but the socalled black boxes the flight data and cabin voice recorders of the plane had not been found Retrieval efforts were complicated by rainfall at the scene
Reports said a Briton an Australian and a Turk were killed in the air crash and there were also a Georgian and four Kazaks on board
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived at the scene and ordered an investigation the countrys semiofficial ATV channel reported
Television footage showed fragments of the plane both on land and in the sea and it appeared the airplane struck a building under construction knocking down a wall
The plane crashed near the town of Nardaran about kilometers miles north of Baku the site of an important Shiite shrine which thousands of pilgrims from around the Shiite world visit every year
Fragments of the plane and the black box have not been studied yet Azerbaijans official AZTV network quoted Deputy Prosecutor General Rustam Usubov as saying
The black box an onboard automatic recording device had not been recovered by Saturday afternoon
Azerbaijani Airlines bought the plane two years ago from Ukraine The An is a mediumrange plane with two propeller engines that can seat up to passengers
An Azerbaijani Airlines cargo plane crashed in west China in May killing all seven crewmen on board Enditem
LONDON Dec Xinhua A hour strike on the Tube network is set to go ahead on New Years eve in London as talks to avert it broke down
The Financial Times reported on Saturday that the strike was announced on Thursday after London Underground station staff voted by more than five to one to take action over disagreements about the working week manning levels and safety
The underground staff and the National Union of Rail Maritime and Transport Workers RMT tried unsuccessfully to settle the dispute
RMT said the fourhour talks had failed to resolve the row over backdoor station staff cuts on the London Underground
It said union members were due to strike on New Years eve and on Jan in the dispute over the companys refusal to withdraw unsafe rosters and mass staff displacements imposed without agreement
The underground network with lines is one of the key transport systems for Londoners Enditem
MADRID Dec Xinhua Six men suspected of belonging to a cell that recruits Islamist radical volunteers for suicide attacks in Iraq and other countries were held in custody in Madrid on terrorism charges on Saturday
They were carrying out operations of proselytism and recruitment of people who after the necessary indoctrination would have been sent to Islamist conflict zones local media reports quoted judge Fernando Andreu as saying
Spanish police arrested terror suspects in a wave of raids early this week in the eastern Catalonia region Andalusia in the south and on the Mediterranean island of Mallorca Two others gave themselves up to police in Andalusia
The judge freed other suspects but ordered them to report to the court weekly
Andreu said the recruiting cell was led by Iraqi man Hiyag Maan who was among the six held in custody He was said to have links to Abu Mussab AlZarkawi head of the Iraqi branch of the alQaida network
Andreu said the charges though preliminary and which stop short of a formal indictment allow the judge to keep the suspects in prison for up to three years while the investigation continues Enditem
WASHINGTON Dec Xinhua The following are major news items in leading US newspapers on Saturday
The Washington Post
Supreme Court nominee Samuel A Alito Jr once argued that the nations top law enforcement official deserves blanket protection from lawsuits when acting in the name of national security even when those actions involve the illegal wiretapping of American citizens documents released Friday show
US Marine airstrikes targeting insurgents sheltering in Iraqi residential neighborhoods are killing civilians as well as guerrillas along the Euphrates River in far western Iraq according to Iraqi townspeople and officials and the US military
The New York Times
The National Security Agency has traced and analyzed large volumes of telephone and Internet communications flowing into and out of the United States as part of the eavesdropping program that President George W Bush approved after the Sept attacks to hunt for evidence of terrorist activity according to current and former government officials
Fastrising pension costs for government employees the issue that helped set off this weeks transit strike in New York City are a problem confronting cities counties and states nationwide causing many budgetary experts to predict a wave of painful fights over efforts to scale back government retirement programs Enditem
KABUL One policeman and three Taliban militants were killed Friday in a firefight between the two sides in Afghanistans southern province of Kandahar a spokesperson of the Interior Ministry said Saturday
Last night at about pm a group of Taliban militants attacked a highway police checkpost in Maiwand district After the firefight between the two sides one policeman and three Taliban militants were killed Yusuf Stanizi told Xinhua AfghanistanTalibanFight
MOSCOW An Azerbaijani plane carrying people crashed soon after taking off from the capital city of Baku Friday night and all the people on board were killed according to news reports reaching here
The An plane owned by the staterun Azerbaijani Airlines took off at GMT with passengers and crew members on board on a flight to Aktau Kazakhstan and crashed eight minutes later near the capital city a Baku airport official was quoted by the ItarTass news agency as saying AzerbaijanPlane Crash
BAGHDAD Iraqs leading Shiite alliance rejected revote on Saturday and called for Sunni parties to accept the Dec election results
There will be no revote of the elections Jawad alMaliki a senior member of the Shiite alliance told a news conference held here on Saturday IraqShiiteRevote
FALLUJAH Iraq Four US soldiers were killed when their vehicle was run over by an Iraqi truck outside Iraqs western flashpoint city of Fallujah early on Saturday a police source told Xinhua
An Iraqi truck ran over a US Humvee parking near a checkpoint at the southern entrance of Fallujah killing four US soldiers aboard the source said on condition of anonymity IraqUSToll Enditem
LISBON Dec Xinhua Portuguese Prime Minister Jose Socrates made an unannounced visit to Afghanistan Saturday to meet Portugals peacekeepers in the country local media reports quoted a government official as saying
Socrates was being accompanied by Defence Minister Luis Amado and top military officers on his first visit to the country said the reports
He dined with Portuguese troops responsible for running Kabuls airport Socrates is also scheduled to hold talks with Afghan President Hamid Karzai
The first batch of Portuguese troops arrived in the wartorn Asian country in Portugal currently has troops with the strong International Security Assistance Force ISAF in Afghanistan Enditem
MOSCOW Dec Xinhua A technical problem caused a plane to crash in Azerbaijan killing all people on board including eight foreigners officials said on Saturday according to reports reaching here
The Azerbaijani plane crashed soon after taking off from the capital city of Baku on Friday night
The initial analysis says the plane had problems with the controlling systems Ilham Amirov a representative of the flight safety department for national flagship carrier AZAL which operated the flight
The An plane owned by the staterun Azerbaijani Airlines took off at GMT with passengers and crew members on board on a flight to Aktau Kazakhstan and crashed eight minutes later near the capital city a Baku airport official was quoted by the ItarTass news agency as saying
A Briton an Australian and a Turk were killed in the air crash and there were also a Georgian and four Kazaks on board reports said
The wreckage of the plane was found some km from Baku and all the aboard the illfated plane were dead an official of the transport police department told the RIA Novosti news agency
The official said rescue workers had arrived at the site of the crash but the socalled black boxes the flight data and cabin voice recorders of the plane had not been found Retrieval efforts were complicated by rainfall at the scene
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived at the scene and ordered an investigation the countrys semiofficial ATV channel reported
Television footage showed fragments of the plane both on land and in the sea and it appeared the airplane struck a building under construction knocking down a wall
The plane crashed near the town of Nardaran about kilometers miles north of Baku the site of an important Shiite shrine which thousands of pilgrims from around the Shiite world visit every year
Fragments of the plane and the black box have not been studied yet Azerbaijans official AZTV network quoted Deputy Prosecutor General Rustam Usubov as saying
The black box an onboard automatic recording device had not been recovered by Saturday afternoon
Azerbaijani Airlines bought the plane two years ago from Ukraine The An is a mediumrange plane with two propeller engines that can seat up to passengers
An Azerbaijani Airlines cargo plane crashed in west China in May killing all seven crewmen on board Enditem
KIEV Dec Xinhua Ukraine plans to offer a public tender for the exploration of oil and gas fields in the Black Sea Ukraines Deputy Prime Minister Stanislav Stashevsky said Saturday
It is estimated that the total investment for the exploration of the fields off the coast of the Kerch Peninsula would amount to billion US dollars Stashevsky told local media
Some billion cubic meters of gas and million tons of oil could be produced per year in the fields he added
The statement came after Russia decided to raise prices for gas to be sold to Ukraine
Russias gas giant Gazprom has sent a new gas bill to Ukraine for under which the price of cubic meters is to climb to US dollars from a preferential rate of about dollars
Gazprom says it will cut off supplies in the New Year unless Ukraine agrees to the rise Enditem
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MADRID Dec Xinhua Brazil defender Cicinho from world club champions Sao Paulo has signed a fiveyear deal with Spanish first division side Real Madrid the Spanish side announced on Friday
Real said the yearold attacking right back would begin training with his new team on December when they returned from their Christmas break
Cicinho who has an Italian passport and so will not take up one of the three berths permitted for nonEuropean Union players is the fifth Brazilian international in the squad
He joins Ronaldo Roberto Carlos Julio Baptista and Robinho at the Primera Liga club who sacked former Brazil coach Vanderlei Luxemburgo earlier this month Enditem
WASHINGTON Dec Xinhua LA Clippers forward Corey Maggette will be out at least four more weeks because of an injured left foot according to reports from Los Angeles on Friday
Maggette who is the Clippers secondleading scorer hasnt played any NBA game since a victory over the Miami Heat on December when he scored points before landing on another players foot at the end of the third quarter
The yearold had a sprained left foot and he was listed as daydoday But he returned to Los Angeles on Thursday a day after the Clippers lost at Indiana and a CT scan revealed a small separation of the ligament between the bones in the foot
Maggette is averaging points rebounds and minutes in games this season his sixth with the Clippers and seventh in the NBA Enditem
HARARE Dec Xinhua Zimbabwe has raised billion Zimbabwean dollars about US dollars off the required billion Zimbabwean dollars about US dollars for its soccer team to compete in the Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt next month
Tendai Savanhu chairperson of the fundraising committee said on Friday that there has been an overwhelming response from the corporate world
So far Savanhu said Caps Holdings has been the largest donor pouring in billion Zimbabwean dollars about US dollars
Thirtyfive tables for the dinner dance that was set for the same day had been bought at million dollars Zimbabwean dollars about US dollars each said Savanhu
Of those who attended the press briefing were deputy Information and Publicity Minister Bright Matonga and Science and Technology deputy Minister Patrick Zhuwawo
Also present was Masvingo South Member of Parliament Walter Mzembi deputy minister of Youth Development and Employment Creation Saviour Kasukuwere and Zimbabwe Football Association chairman Rafik Khan
The committee was about beating its target having managed to raise percent of their target within two days of their having assumed duty
The Zimbabwean government recently gave the Warriors billion Zimbabwean dollars about US dollarsfor the tournament in the national budget
The squad is currently in camp preparing for the tournament Enditem
LUANDA Dec Xinhua Angolas national soccer team will play China on December or this year in Malaga Spain in its first friendly match ahead of the African Cup of Nations slated for January next year in Egypt
According to Angola Press Angop on Friday the game is intended to be a preparation for the African competition in which Angola will play its first match against Cameroon in a group that includes Togo and Democratic Republic of Congo
The national team will hold its last training session on December before leaving for Malaga via Lisbon for the final stage of the preparation towards the Cup of Nations
In Spain Angola will also play friendlys against Bayer Leverkusen Hertha of Berlim and Brugges of Belgium
As part of the preparation program the national team played Japan on November in Tokyo losing Enditem
MONTEVIDEO Dec Xinhua Francisco Maturana former manager of Colombias national soccer squad told Uruguayan media on Friday that he was tempted by an Uruguayan league club Penarols offer to manage their team
A businessman asked me if I was interested in working in Uruguay I said Yes if there were a serious project then I would have no problems Maturana said He said that leading Penarol would be a priviledge for any manager
The club is one of Uruguays most internationally successful with three Intercontinental Cups and five Libertadores Cups The clubs bosses decided not to renew the contract of Fernando Morena its manager in
I am tempted by Penarol because the club represents Uruguay for me I have a lot of friends and a lot of teachers in that counry that is why I have a special affection for the place Maturana said
Maturana who managed Colombian during Italys World Cup and the USs World Cup said he had not had a formal offer from Penarols bosses But he added that at this stage of his professional career what matters is the sporting project not the financial reward
Under Morena the previous manager Penarol had a mediocre season during whitch it failed to win either of Uruguays titles the Opening tournament and the Special and also failed to classify for any international competitions Enditem
BUENOS AIRES Dec Xinhua Thousands of soccer fans have joined a campaign to get former Argentine soccer star Diego Maradona to play at least five minutes in each Argentina game in the World Cup local media reported on Friday
Raul Champredonde a computer technician told media fans have signed the petition at his website wwweldiezalcomar The title means number for referring to the shirt Maradona wore when he played
There is no doubt that Maradona was the best player in history But because of his life story for his recovery from so many things and for the excitement he still makes us feel we love him much more than that the site says
Chamredonde said the petition has been signed by people from all Argentina as well as countries including Spain Italy Brazil Mexico Guatemala El Salvador and Cuba
Before he hung up his boots in Maradona was Argentina captain helping the team win the World Cup twice with the under team in and in in Mexico
The president of the Argentina Football Association Julio Grondona recently asked him to join the training team for the national squad
The idea of proposing a homage to Diego in the World Cup came to me while watching La Noche del Chamredonde said Maradona presented that Argentine television program this year after quitting his careerdestroying addictions
Seeing him so well lucid tranquil and calm with a will to live I began to dream of how exciting it would be to see him once more on the football field in the Argentina shirt even though I am well aware he is not of an age to compete in another World Cup said Chamredonde Enditem
MADRID Dec Xinhua Benito Floro who was appointed manager of Spanish soccer club Real Madrid on Friday told local media that his challenges will be to give the squad style unity a plan of attack and above all to make it clear that they know how to play
Floro who led the team in the s returns to the team after an year gap He said that he wants to give players a style that has to be followed in grassroots football as well as a technique that will make the team coalesce
Floro will take over from temporary Italian manager Arrigo Sacchi who resigned citing homesickness
Real Madrid has been sliding in league tables after a nightmare year Brazilian trainer Wanderei Luxemburgo who took over from Mariano Garcia Remon has boosted the results of the team but left them a long way behind league leaders Barcelona
Results were also disappointing in the open Kings Cup competition where Real was defeated by second division Valladolid and the Champions League defeated by Italys Juventus
Madrid does not lack talents however Their team includes Sergio Ramos Uruguayan stars Pablo Garcia and Carlos Diego as well as Brazilian star Robinho much lauded by Pele the Brazilian former superstar Enditem
HAVANA Dec Xinhua Cuban news agency Prensa Latina said in a statement on Friday it had awarded Cuban javelinist Osleidys Menendez and Brazilian footballer Ronaldinho Gaucho as sports people of the year for
The two lead the polls in the news organizations surveyed by the agency Menendez who won a gold medal and set a world record at Helsinki games was chosen best athlete by news organizations beating fellow Helskinki medal winner Bahamas Tonique WilliamsDarling by points
Ronaldinho who recently won the European golden ball award won votes versus votes from Argentine basketball star Emanuel Ginobili who plays for the Detroit Pistons in the United Statess National Basketball Association legue
The top ten included other eight athletes Jamaican sprinter Asafa Powell Cuban meters runner Zulia Calatayud Ecuadorian walker Jefferson Perez Colombian motorbiker Juan Pablo Montolla Dominican major league baseball player Albert Pujols Argentine football player Lionel Messi Cuban judo champion Yurisel Laborde and Cuban cyclist Lisandra Guerra Enditem
WASHINGTON Dec Xinhua Following are the leaders of the National Basketball Association through Dec
Scoring G FG FT PTS AVG
Iverson Phil
Bryant LAL
James Clev
Arenas Wash
Wade Mia
Nowitzki Dall
Pierce Bos
Brand LAC
Redd Mil
Allen Sea
Anthony Den
Carter NJ
Richardson GS
Bosh Tor
ONeal Ind
Lewis Sea
Garnett Minn
Hamilton Det
Duncan SA
Davis Bos
FG Percentage FG FGA PCT
Haywood Wash
Mourning Mia
Brezec Char
AbdurRahim Sac
Parker SA
Wallace Char
Brand LAC
Garnett Minn
Gooden Clev
Bogut Mil
Rebounds G OFF DEF TOT AVG
Camby Den
Howard Orl
Duncan SA
B Wallace Det
Marion Phoe
Jamison Wash
Brand LAC
ONeal Ind
Garnett Minn
Magloire Mil
Assists G AST AVG
Nash Phoe
Davis GS
Billups Det
Knight Char
Miller Den
Kidd NJ
Iverson Phil
Cassell LAC
Ford Mil
Paul NOk
Enditem
ROME Dec Xinhua Italy on Friday named the following man ice hockey squad for the winter Olympics in Turin from February
Goaltenders Guenther Hell Jason Muzzatti Bolzano Rene Baur Valpusteria
Defenders Florian Ramoser Bolzano Michele Strazzabosco Armin Helfer Christian Borgatello Milan Andre Signoretti Cortina Carter Trevisani Asiago Robert Nardella Uhl
Forwards Stefano Margoni Stefan Zisser Bolzano Mario Chitarroni Joe Busillo Milan Giorgio De Bettin Anthony Tuzzolino Cortina John Parco Jason Cirone Giulio Scandella Lucio Topatigh Asiago Manuel De Toni Alleghe Luca Ansoldi Renon Anthony Iob Klagenfurt Enditem
BUDAPEST Dec Xinhua Lajos Baroti who coached Hungary in four World Cups has died at the age of
He was the best coach in our history Hungarian Football Association president Imre Bozoky told the national news agency MTI on Friday
He has most appearances as national coach but that is not what made him special His love of the game and stamina was unbelievable
Baroti played twice for Hungary and as a coach led his country at the World Cups of and
He guided the team to the bronze medal at the Rome Olympics and to third place at the European Championship in Spain Enditem
SOFIA Dec Xinhua Bayer Leverkusen striker Dimitar Berbatov was named Bulgarias player of the year for the second time on Friday
In a poll by sports writers Berbatov who has scored goals in games for Bulgaria beat Celtic midfielder Stilian Petrov to second and Levski Sofia midfielder Daniel Borimirov third
CSKA Sofias Miodrag Jesic won the coachs award ahead of Stanimir Stoilov of Levski Sofia and Litex Lovechs Lupko Petrovich Enditem
MADRID Dec Xinhua Cicinho who has made his name for both Sao Paulo and Brazil has signed a fiveyear contract with Real Madrid of Spain said the Spanish soccer club on Friday
The yearold Brazilian who also has Italian nationality will join the seven time European champions next week
Reals official website confirmed that The player one of the major hopes of Brazilian football will be integrated with the team after the Christmas break at the next training session on December Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Following are the mens ice hockey rosters for the Turin Olympics
Canada
Goaltenders Martin Brodeur New Jersey Devils Roberto Luongo
Florida Panthers Marty Turco Dallas Stars
Defensemen Rob Blake Colorado Avalanche Adam Foote Columbus
Blue Jackets Ed Jovanovski Vancouver Canucks Scott Niedermayer
Anaheim Mighty Ducks Chris Pronger Edmonton Oilers Wade Redden
Ottawa Senators Robyn Regehr Calgary Flames
Forwards Todd Bertuzzi Vancouver Canucks Shane Doan Phoenix
Coyotes Kris Draper Detroit Red Wings Simon Gagne Philadelphia
Flyers Dany Heatley Ottawa Senators Jarome Iginla Calgary
Flames Vincent Lecavalier Tampa Bay Lightning Rick Nash Columbus
Blue Jackets Brad Richards Tampa Bay Lightning Joe Sakic
Colorado Avalanche Ryan Smyth Edmonton Oilers Martin StLouis
Tampa Bay Lightning Joe Thornton San Jose Sharks
Czech Republic
Goaltenders Dominik Hasek Ottawa Senators Milan Hnilicka
Liberec Tomas Vokoun Nashville Predators
Defensemen Frantisek Kaberle Carolina Hurricanes Tomas
Kaberle Toronto Maple Leafs Filip Kuba Minnesota Wild Pavel
Kubina Tampa Bay Lightning Marek Malik New York Rangers Jaroslav
Spacek Chicago Blackhawks Marek Zidlicky Nashville Predators
Forwards Jan Bulis Montreal Canadiens Petr Cajanek St Louis
Blues Martin Erat Nashville Predators Milan Hejduk Colorado
Avalanche Ales Hemsky Edmonton Oilers Jaromir Jagr New York
Rangers Robert Lang Detroit Red Wings Rostislav Olesz Florida
Panthers Vaclav Prospal Tampa Bay Lightning Petr Prucha New York
Rangers Martin Rucinsky New York Rangers Martin Straka New York
Rangers David Vyborny Columbus Blue Jackets
Finland
Goaltenders Kari Lehtonen Atlanta Thrashers Fredrik Norrena
Linkoping
Defensemen Aki Berg Toronto Maple Leafs Toni Lydman Calgary
Flames Teppo Numminen Buffalo Sabres Joni Pitkanen Philadelphia
Flyers Sami Salo Vancouver Canucks Kimmo Timonen Nashville
Predators Ossi Vaananen Colorado Avalanche
Forwards Jukka Hentunen Lugano Olli Jokinen Florida
Panthers Niko Kapanen Dallas Stars Sami Kapanen Philadelphia
Flyers Mikko Koivu Minnesota Wild Saku Koivu Montreal Canadiens
Antti Laaksonen Colorado Avalanche Jere Lehtinen Dallas Stars
Antti Miettinen Dallas Stars Ville Peltonen Lugano Switzerland
Jarkko Ruutu Vancouver Canucks Tuomo Ruutu Chicago Blackhawks
Teemu Selanne Anaheim Mighty Ducks Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Following are the mens ice hockey rosters for the Turin Olympics
Germany
Goaltenders Thomas Greiss Kolner Haie Olaf Kolzig Washington Capitals Robert Muller Krefeld
Defensemen Christian Ehrhoff San Jose Sharks Sascha Goc Adler Mannheim Lasse Kopitz Kolner Haie Andreas Renz Kolner Haie Stefan Schauer Nurnberg Christoph Schubert Ottawa Senators Dennis Seidenberg Philadelphia Flyers Alexander Sulzer DEG
Forwards Alexander Barta Hamburg Jan Benda Litvinov Petr Fical Nurnberg Marcel Goc San Jose Sharks Michael Hackert Frankfurt Jochen Hecht Buffalo Sabres Klaus Kathan DEG Daniel Kreutzer DEG Eduard Lewandowski Kolner Haie Thomas Martinec Nurnberg Marco Sturm Boston Bruins Stefan Ustorf Eisbaren Berlin
Italy
Goaltenders Rene Baur Valpusteria Gunther Hell Bolzano Jason Muzzatti Bolzano
Defensemen Christian Borgatello Milan Armin Helfer Milan Robert Nardella Rockford Florian Ramoser Bolzano Andre Signoretti Cortina Michele Strazzabosco Milan Carter Trevisani Asiago
Forwards Luca Ansoldi Ritten Joe Busillo Milan Mario Chitarroni Milan Jason Cirone Asiago Georgio De Bettin Cortina Manuel De Toni Alleghe Anthony Iob Klagenfurt John Parco Asiago Stefano Margoni Bolzano Giulio Scandella Asiago Lucio Topatigh Asiago Anthony Tuzzolini Cortina Stefan Zisser Bolzano
Kazakhstan
Goaltenders Vitaliy Kolesnik Colorado Avalanche Sergey Ogureshnikov UstKamenog Vitaliy Yeremeyev Dynamo Moscow
Defensemen Artyom Argokov Sibir Novosibirsk Alexey Koledayev Sibir Novosibirsk Oleg Kovalenko UstKamenog Yevgeniy Pupkov SKA St Petersburg Denis Shemelin Neftekhimik Alexey Troshchinskiy Avangard Omsk Alexey Vassilchenko Neftekhimik
Forwards Nikolai Antropov Toronto Maple Leafs Sergey Alexandrov UstKamenog Dmitriy Dudarev AK Bars Kazan Alexander Koreshkov UstKamenog Yevgeniy Koreshkov UstKamenog Andrey Ogorodnikov UstKamenog Andrey Pchelyakov Krylia Sovetov Fedor Polishchuk SKA St Petersburg Andrey Samokhvalov Nizhny Novgorod Konstantin Shafranov Krylia Sovetov Andrey Troshchinskiy UstKamenog Dmitriy Upper CSKA Moscow Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Following are the mens ice hockey rosters for the Turin Olympics
Latvia
Goaltenders Arturs Irbe Salzburg Edgars Masalskis Neftyanik Almetyevsk Sergejs Naumovs Khimik Voskresensk
Defensemen Viktors Ignatjevs Linz Rodrigo Lavins Brynas IF Sandis Ozolinsh Anaheim Mighty Ducks Georgijs Pujacs Riga Arvids Rekis Augsburg Agris Saviels Nizhnynovgorod Karlis Skrastins Colorado Avalanche Atvars Tribuncovs Mora IK
Forwards Girts Ankipans Riga Armands Berzins Riga Aigars Cipruss Riga Vladimirs Mamonovs Liepajas Metalurgs Aleksanders Nizijvs Nizhnynovgorod Grigorijs Pantelejevs Dmitrov Mikelis Redlihs IF Bjrklven Umea Aleksanders Semjonovs Malmo Janis Sprukts HPK Hameenlinna Leonids Tambijevs Basel Herberts Vasiljevs Krefeld Maris Ziedins Stockton
Russia
Goaltenders Nikolai Khabibulin Chicago Blackhawks Evgeni Nabokov San Jose Sharks Ilya Bryzgalov Anaheim Mighty Ducks
Defensemen Andrei Markov Montreal Canadiens Alexei Zhitnik New York Islanders Darius Kasparaitis New York Rangers Fedor Tyutin New York Rangers Daniil Markov Nashville Predators Anton Volchenkov Ottawa Senators Sergei Gonchar Pittsburgh Penguins Dmitri Bykov Dynamo Moscow
Forwards Ilya Kovalchuk Atlanta Thrashers Pavel Datsyuk Detroit Red Wings Alexei Kovalev Montreal Canadiens Alexander Ovechkin Washington Capitals Alexei Yashin New York Islanders Viktor Kozlov New Jersey Devils Alexander Frolov Los Angeles Kings Evgeni Malkin Metallurg Magnitogorsk Maxim Afinogenov Buffalo Sabres Alexander Kharitonov Dynamo Moscow Alexei Zhamnov Boston Bruins Maxim Sushinsky Dynamo Moscow
Slovakia
Goaltenders Peter Budaj Colorado Avalanche Karol Krizan Modo Jan Lasak Pardubice
Defensemen Zdeno Chara Ottawa Senators Milan Jurcina Boston Bruins Ivan Majesky Washington Capitals Andrej Meszaros Ottawa Senators Martin Strbak CSKA Moscow Radoslav Suchy Columbus Blue Jackets Lubomir Visnovsky Los Angeles Kings
Forwards Lubos Bartecko Lulea Peter Bondra Atlanta Thrashers Pavol Demitra Los Angeles Kings Marian Gaborik Minnesota Wild Michal Handzus Philadelphia Flyers Marcel Hossa New York Rangers Marian Hossa Atlanta Thrashers Richard Kapus Novokuznetsk Ladislav Nagy Phoenix Coyotes Miroslav Satan New York Islanders Josef Stumpel Florida Panthers Marek Svatos Colorado Avalanche Richard Zednik Montreal Canadiens Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Following are the mens ice hockey rosters for the Turin Olympics
Sweden
Goaltenders Stefan Liv HV Henrik Lundqvist New York Rangers Mikael Tellqvist Toronto Maple Leafs
Defensemen Christian Backman St Louis Blues Kim Johnsson Philadelphia Flyers Kenny Jonsson Rogle Niklas Kronwall Detroit Red Wings Nicklas Lidstrom Detroit Red Wings Mattias Norstrom Los Angeles Kings Mattias Ohlund Vancouver Canucks
Forwards Daniel Alfredsson Ottawa Senators PerJohan Axelsson Boston Bruins Peter Forsberg Philadelphia Flyers Mika Hannula HV Jorgen Jonsson Farjestad Fredrik Modin Tampa Bay Lightning Markus Naslund Vancouver Canucks Daniel Sedin Vancouver Canucks Henrik Sedin Vancouver Canucks Samuel Pahlsson Anaheim Mighty Ducks Mikael Samuelsson Detroit Red Wings Mats Sundin Toronto Henrik Zetterberg Detroit Red Wings
Switzerland
Goaltenders David Aebischer Colorado Avalanche Marco Buhrer SC Bern Martin Gerber Carolina Hurricanes
Defensemen Goran Bezina GeneveServette Severin Blindenbacher ZSC Olivier Keller EHC Basel Mathias Seger ZSC Martin Steinegger SC Bern Mark Streit Montreal Canadiens Julien Vauclair Lugano
Forwards Flavien Conne Lugano Patric Della Rossa Zug Paul DiPietro Zug Patrick Fischer Zug Sandy Jeannin Lugano Marcel Jenni Kloten Romano Lemm Kloten Thierry Paterlini ZSC Martin Pluss Frolunda Ivo Ruthemann SC Bern Adrian Wichser ZSC Thomas Ziegler SC Bern Kevin Romy Lugano
United States
Goaltenders Rick DiPietro New York Islanders Robert Esche Philadelphia Flyers John Grahame Tampa Bay Lightning
Defencemen Chris Chelios Detroit Red Wings Derian Hatcher Dallas Stars Jordan Leopold Calgary Flames JohnMichael Liles Colorado Avalanche Aaron Miller Los Angeles Kings Brian Rafalski New Jersey Devils Mathieu Schneider Detroit Red Wings
Forwards Jason Blake New York Islanders Erik Cole Carolina Hurricanes Craig Conroy Los Angeles Kings Chris Drury Buffalo Sabres Brian Gionta New Jersey Devils Scott Gomez New Jersey Devils Bill Guerin Dallas Stars Mike Knuble Philadelphia Flyers Mike Modano Dallas Stars Mark Parrish New York Islanders Brian Rolston Minnesota Wild Keith Tkachuk St Louis Blues Doug Weight St Louis Blues Enditem
WASHINGTON Dec Xinhua Following are the results from the NBA matches on Friday home team in CAPS
LA Lakers ORLANDO
ATLANTA Philadelphia
LA Clippers CHARLOTTE
New Jersey MIAMI
NY KNICKS Utah
MEMPHIS Chicago
DETROIT Golden State
CLEVELAND Indiana
Portland MINNESOTA
MILWAUKEE NO Oklahoma City
SAN ANTONIO Toronto
DENVER Houston
Washington PHOENIX
Enditem
CANBERRA Dec Xinhua Russian Maria Sharapova has pulled out the Australian womens hardcourt tennis tournament at Gold Coast due to a strained right shoulder
I am very disappointed to have to withdraw because my right shoulder is not yet ready to allow me to compete at the tour level Sharapova said in a statement on Saturday
I hope to be able to play there in and will be doing everything possible in consultation with my doctors to be healthy enough to play the Australian Open in January
Sharapova suffered the injury later this season after she became the first Russian woman to reach the top ranking She reached the quarterfinals at all events she played losing to the eventual champion at all four majors this year Enditem
WASHINGTON Dec Xinhua Following are the results from the NBA matches on Friday home team in CAPS
LA Lakers ORLANDO
ATLANTA Philadelphia
LA Clippers CHARLOTTE
New Jersey MIAMI
NY KNICKS Utah
MEMPHIS Chicago
DETROIT Golden State
CLEVELAND Indiana
Portland MINNESOTA
MILWAUKEE NO Oklahoma City
SAN ANTONIO Toronto
DENVER Houston
Washington PHOENIX
Dallas SEATTLE
Enditem
WASHINGTON Dec Xinhua Following are the standings from the NBA on Friday tabulated under games won lost winning percentage and games behind
EASTERN CONFERENCE
ATLANTIC DIVISION
New Jersey
Philadelphia
Boston
NY Knicks
Toronto
CENTRAL DIVISION
Detroit
Cleveland
Milwaukee
Indiana
Chicago
SOUTHEAST DIVISION
Miami
Washington
Orlando
Charlotte
Atlanta
WESTERN CONFERENCE
NORTHWEST DIVISION
Minnesota
Denver
Seattle
Utah
Portland
PACIFIC DIVISION
LA Clippers
Phoenix
LA Lakers
Golden State
Sacramento
SOUTHWEST DIVISION
San Antonio
Dallas
Memphis
NO Oklahoma City
Houston
Enditem
KAMPALA Dec Xinhua Ugandas junior swimming team is ready for the third edition of the Zambia SubSaharan International Swimming Championship scheduled on January
The Ugandan team composed of a record of swimmers will depart in two shifts
Coach George William Mukasa was quoted by local press on Saturday as saying that the first group will leave on December while the second leaves on January
The team was handed a national flag on Friday by Uganda Swimming Federation president Patron David in Kampala Enditem
NAIROBI Dec Xinhua Kenyas soccer team the Harambee Stars has officially been locked out of the LG Cup tournament that will kick off in Egypt next week local media reported Saturday
The organizers of the tournament have picked Uganda Cranes as a replacement local daily The Standard reported
According to FIFA recognized Kenya Football Federation KFF Secretary General Moni Wekesa the organizers were upset by the Stars delay in confirming whether they would take part
It is the second tournament in two months Kenya is missing out on
The Stars failed to take part in the East and Central African Challenge Cup after wrangling KFF officials failed to pay players allowances sparking a goslow
Wekesa said on Friday the federation had been informed that tickets earlier issued to players and officials had been cancelled and blacklisted
He said visa applications for the Kenyan team had also been rescinded as had their hotel bookings
Wekesa however said the Korean sponsors of the tournament would not sue Kenya for failing to take part
Ugandan media also confirmed that the Cranes would replace Stars
Reports from Uganda indicated that the countrys newly appointed football administrators were looking forward to the teams first international assignment under their watch
They have already picked a team to start preparations for the fournation tournament that will also feature hosts Egypt Ecuador and Senegal
The tournament which has a generous prize kitty would have provided a great opportunity for Kenyan players to showcase their talent Enditem
MADRID Dec Xinhua Real Madrid legend Alfredo di Stefano from Argentina suffered a heart attack on Friday night
Doctors have managed to stabilise the legendary players condition and it is expected that he will be admitted to the intensive care unit in the next few hours the club said on Saturday
Di Stefano led Real Madrid to five consecutive European Cups between and and eight Spanish league titles Enditem
TOKYO Dec Xinhua Japan international striker Masashi Oguro who helped Gamba Osaka to their first JLeague title this month signed a contract on Saturday with the French seconddivision club Grenoble
We wanted Oguro who could play solid football in front of the goal He will be a force to lift us to the first division Grenoble general manager Kazuyoshi Tanabe told reporters
He added the contract will last a number of years starting January
Grenoble now ranked eighth in the club division reached a basic agreement on the transfer with Gamba Osaka and yearold Oguro on Saturday the JLeague club said
Oguro may be able to make his French debut in a FA Cup match on January wearing the numbernine jersey he added
Oguro has scored five times in internationals and has goals from JLeague matches since his debut with Gamba Osaka in Enditem
SHANGHAI China Dec Xinhua WBA World Boxing Association and PABA PanAsian Boxing Association round belt championship was held for the first time in China here on Saturday
It was the first time for China to hold WBA professional boxing games The three games in the afternoon saw six boxers from China South Korea Thailand The Philippines competing
WBA drew up new rules especially for this round belt championship The three winners in todays games will be qualified for next years games chasing for two golden belts of WBA And the beltwinners will be qualified to challenge Asian and world champions
In the mens kg fights Rodney Alba from The Philippines knocked down Tossoporn Atohanakon from Thailand in the first round so did Chinas Jiang Weiyang who met South Korean Bae Sumyung
In the womens kg fight the yearold Gao Lijun from China beat South Korean Mihb Kang after six rounds
Yang Zeming an organizer said that there will be WBA championship games held in China next year Enditem
SAO PAULO Dec Xinhua Brazilian Alex Barros is quitting the MotoGP to ride in the World Superbike championship next season local media reported Saturday
The Brazilian said he made the decision after failing to receive
any good offers from MotoGP teams for
I dont want to compete if I cant be a contender Barros
told the sports daily Lance My goal now is to be a world champion
in the Superbike
The yearold who had raced seasons in the MotoGP said he
expects to sign a contract with a Superbike team sometime soon Enditem
LONDON Dec Xinhua Michael Owen scored his th and final goal for Liverpool the last time he played at Anfield against Newcastle
When he returns on Monday months later the Magpies striker will be out to end thirdplace Liverpools sevenmatch winning streak in the English Premier League
Newcastle bought Owen for million pounds million US dollars in August one year after Liverpool had sold him to Real Madrid for half that amount He has scored seven goals in eight games for Newcastle including a hat trick against West Ham last week to continue his prolific form
The yearold has averaged about a goal every two games for England and Liverpool while he netted goals in games for Madrid despite rarely making the starting team Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua A logo with cartoon images of a Chinese panda and a Russian brown bear joining their hands unveiled here Friday for the Russia Year scheduled in in China
Against the background of the Temple of Heaven in Beijing and the Church of Ascension in Moscow in the round logo the two cartoon animals wear Chinese and Russian national flags respectively walking together with hand in hand under the slogan of Join hands and move forward in both Chinese and Russian
Li Hui assistant to Chinese foreign minister and Sergei Razov Russian ambassador to China unveiled the logo at a ceremony Friday
Li said the Russia Year in China in and China Year in Russia in are unprecedented events to promote bilateral relations adding that they will help to strengthen the friendship between the people from the two countries
Razov said the logo fully displays the friendship mutual understanding and affection between the two nations
The goodwill events will help further step up the strategic partnership of coordination between the two countries he added
He hoped the Russia Year in China will offer the Chinese an opportunity to have a better knowledge of Russias past and today
Chinese President Hu Jintao and Russian President Putin will formally announce the kickoff of the event
The Russia Year in China is expected to include activities on culture education economy political systems and traditional customs Enditem
JINAN Dec Xinhua The port city of Yantai in east Chinas Shandong province has signed an agreement with the Japanese city of Kitakyushu in a bid to enhance cooperation in shipping and logistics between the two cities
According to the agreement the two cities will join hands to attract sea routes investments to promote the cargo and passenger transportation and to grant favorable policies to logistic companies from the partner city
In addition the two cities will conduct research and analysis jointly to work out plans on how to make efficient use of the ports
The two cities expressed their wish to cooperation in the Republic of Korean city Incheon this July and the agreement signified a significant step forward in the area of logistics said the Yantai government
Kitakyushu is a major port in Western Japan also the international distribution base to Asia and around the world It signed a shipping cooperation agreement with north Chinas port city of Tianjin in November Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Sidney Shapiro the veteran expert who has long worked in China and dedicated his energy to China celebrated his th birthday with relatives and friends at Beijing Hotel here Friday
During the celebration Liu Yunshan head of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China CPC Central Committee spoke highly of the positive contributions Shapiro has made to Chinas revolution and construction saying that the Party the country and the Chinese people will always remember what Shapiro has done for them
Liu said Shapiro has also made great efforts in promoting mutual understanding and friendship between the Chinese and foreign peoples
Shapiro native of the United States came to China in and joined the Chinese nationality in
After new China was founded in Shapiro devoted himself to translating Chinese literary works and gained his reputation after he put Chinese classic Heroes of the Marshes into English
He worked as an expert in the Foreign Languages Publishing and Distribution Administration rounding off the English versions of a large number of modern Chinese literary works like The Family and The Immense Forest and Snowfield which were sold to other parts of the world
He served as member of the National Committee of the Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Conference Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The following are domestic news items released by Xinhua on Friday
Market exchange rates Dec
Beijing Olympics tickets to go on sale in early
Xinhua home news advisory Dec
Highlights of major Beijingbased newspapers Dec
China exclusive China severely rebukes Japanese FMs remarks on China threat
Hong Kong stocks open higher Dec
Moon land owners get full refund from Lunar embassy
Road accident causes liquefied ammonia spill in SW China two killed
URGENT Chinese court sentences terrorism organizer to life imprisonment
Death toll rises to in SW China gas explosion
UPDATE Chinese court sentences terrorism organizer to life imprisonment
Hong Kong stocks finish higher at midday Dec
FLASH CHINA DISCIPLINES TWO VICE PROVINCIAL GOVERNORS FOR RESPONSIBILITY OVER FATAL MINE ACCIDENTS
Chinas domestic consumption to grow pct in economist
Chinas new generation of trainer aircraft passes state appraisal
New ABB joint venture to operate next year in China
URGENT China punishes officials for responsibility over fatal mine accidents
Qingdao port enjoys world highest shipping efficiency
About Chinese juveniles estimated to commit suicide yearly
URGENT people punished for coal mine accidents
Shanghai stock index up Dec
Shenzhen stock index up Dec
Hushen index up Dec
UPDATE people punished for coal mine accidents
Private companies become industry mainstay in east China province
Air quality of major Chinese cities Dec
One killed two injured in E China firecracker plant explosion
NPC vice chairman meets Namibian defense minister
Hong Kong stocks close slightly higher Dec
Macao sees CCPI yearonyear rise in November
Urgent Rural students in Chinas west to enjoy free education in
CAAC considers adjusting landing and parking fees
Expert suggests gene bank for wildlife be built in Tibet
Weather forecast for major Chinese cities Dec
Weather forecast for world cities Dec
Taiwan stocks close higher Dec
Foreign exchange rates in Hong Kong Dec
Trading on Hong Kong stock exchange Dec
Chemical density in Heilongjiang Rivers Bacha section declines
Second China International Press Photo Contest to be held in SChina city
Russian Irkutsk Region donates new year tree to Beijing
Hong Kong stocks end flat Dec
Hang Seng China Enterprises Index closes higher Dec
Gold price higher in Hong Kong Dec
Weather information for AsiaPacific cities Dec
Trio jailed for drug offenses in HK
WHO urges China to share more virus samples of bird flu with intl community
Too early to blame on CNPC for water pollution related to petrochemical blast in NE China official
Automatic subway ticket system to be fully introduced in Beijing in
Gold version of Sun Yatsens scripts published in Beijing
Total mileage of Shanghais expressway network reaches km
HK Exchange Fund assets up billion HK dollars
China Exclusive China declares war on business bribery
HK disappointed about US statement on constitutional development
HK stocks turnover hits record trillion HK dollars
China to build first zeropollution coalfired power plant
Xiamen Airlines confirms order of Boeing aircraft
st lead Some people dealt with according to law for coal mine accidents
Property rights of N China Catholic housing will be addressed properly says authorties
Yearender Traditional Chinese cultural studies enter business circle alluring entrepreneurs
nd lead Some people dealt with according to law for coal mine accidents
Rural students in Chinas west to enjoy free education in
Beijing to offer scholarship for overseas students experts
China to fist on corruption in fulfiling urban rural plans
Rescue work wraps up off EChina coast crew members remain missing
China needs enhanced antibird flu efforts at grassroots level WHO official
Warner eyes growing film business in China
Yearender Booming outbound travelers attract worlds attentionon
Enditen
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The following are Chinas home news items released by Xinhua on Friday
Beijing Olympics tickets to go on sale in early
China exclusive China severely rebukes Japanese FMs remarks on China threat
Moon land owners get full refund from Lunar embassy
Ailing brothers await help
Professor sacked for plagiarism
China targeted as top market for Internet TV
URGENT Chinese court sentences terrorism organizer to life imprisonment
Revised life insurance mortality table to take effect next year
Death toll rises to in SW China gas explosion
UPDATE Chinese court sentences terrorism organizer to life imprisonment
Factory fire kills six people in E China
FLASH CHINA DISCIPLINES TWO VICE PROVINCIAL GOVERNORS FOR RESPONSIBILITY OVER FATAL MINE ACCIDENTS
Chinas domestic consumption to grow pct in economist
Chinas new generation of trainer aircraft passes state appraisal
New ABB joint venture to operate next year in China
URGENT China punishes officials for responsibility over fatal mine accidents
Qingdao port enjoys world highest shipping efficiency
China increases funding for equalization of basic public services
About Chinese juveniles estimated to commit suicide yearly
URGENT people punished for coal mine accidents
UPDATE people punished for coal mine accidents
Private companies become industry mainstay in east China province
Expanded expressway trunk in E China reopens
China spends more on social security education public health this year
NPC vice chairman meets Namibian defense minister
Urgent Rural students in Chinas west to enjoy free education in
CAAC considers adjusting landing and parking fees
Expert suggests gene bank for wildlife be built in Tibet
Chemical density in Heilongjiang Rivers Bacha section declines
N China municipality posts bln US dollars in foreign trade
Second China International Press Photo Contest to be held in SChina city
China to invest seeds funds inspire innovative enterprises
Beijing plans new towns for increasing population
Donations raised for hospital reconstruction after fire in NE China
Russian Irkutsk Region donates new year tree to Beijing
WHO urges China to share more virus samples of bird flu with intl community
Too early to blame on CNPC for water pollution related to petrochemical blast in NE China official
Automatic subway ticket system to be fully introduced in Beijing in
Gold version of Sun Yatsens scripts published in Beijing
Beijing government begins to deal with complaints online
Total mileage of Shanghais expressway network reaches km
China Exclusive China declares war on business bribery
Renowned artists anniversary marked
China to build first zeropollution coalfired power plant
East China coastal city rescues swans in blizzardhit winter
China makes remarkable achievement in foreign trade this year minister
Xiamen Airlines confirms order of Boeing aircraft
Foreign investment structure in China more reasonable minister
st lead Some people dealt with according to law for coal mine accidents
Property rights of N China Catholic housing will be addressed properly says authorties
Yearender Traditional Chinese cultural studies enter business circle alluring entrepreneurs
nd lead Some people dealt with according to law for coal mine accidents
Rural students in Chinas west to enjoy free education in
Beijing destroys million pieces of shoddy inferior firecrackers
Bus fire claims lives in C China province
Beijing to offer scholarship for overseas students experts
Smeltery director blamed for river pollution relieves of his post in southern Chinese province
Beijing Intl airport receives million passengers this year
China to fist on corruption in fulfiling urban rural plans
Rescue work wraps up off EChina coast crew members remain missing
China needs enhanced antibird flu efforts at grassroots level WHO official
Warner eyes growing film business in China
Yearender Booming outbound travelers attract worlds attention
Chinas laptop market sees profit drop
Chinese airlines share a cake of Boeing airplanes
Enditem
BEIJING Dec XInhua Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Qin Gang said here Friday that China will never allow any foreign interference in Hong Kong affairs
Responding to the comments on the development of Hong Kongs political system made by the US State Department spokesman on Dec Qin said that Hong Kong is Chinas Hong Kong and affairs concerning Hong Kong Special Administration Region HKSAR are Chinas internal affairs leaving no room for foreign interference
The US side has once and again made rash comments on Hong Kong affairs for quite a period of time violating the principle of noninterference in other countries internal affairs Qin said
Qin noted that the noninterference in the domestic affairs of other countries constitutes the basic norm in dealing with international relations
Qin expressed strong dissatisfaction at and firm opposition against such comments made by the United States
China asks the US side to stop any comments or acts interfering Chinas own affairs and putting obstacles in the way of HKSAR governments governance said Qin Enditem
GUANGZHOU Dec Xinhua Southern Chinas Guangdong Province began on Friday to purify the polluted Beijiang River hoping to dilute the excessive cadmium
The plan was launched in the river section in Yingde City under supervision of local experts by adding iron or aluminium polymer at the upper reaches of the river to induce cadmium sedimentation
The toxic stretch resultant from excessive cadmium discharges from a smelting works in Shaoguan city on Dec has polluted the Beijiang River in the province
The measure is the most economical and reasonable choice to deal with the cadmium pollution said experts adding that tons of such component can reduce the toxic density by percent
The move is expected to ensure a safe water quality at the lower reaches of the river said experts
The downstream cities of Guangzhou and Foshan have launched emergency plans to ensure safe drinking water supplies to their residents as the toxic stretch approaches Enditem
CHENGDU Dec Xinhua Chinas newest geographic survey on the QinghaiTibet Plateau dubbed as the Roof of the World has led to finding of three large ironrich ore deposits a senior survey official said here on Saturday
Each of the three deposits boasts a potential reserve of more than million tons with that of the largest exceeding million tons said Zhang Hongtao deputy director of the China Geological Survey Bureau
China produced percent of world steel in but percent of the iron ore it needs has to be imported due to short of resources which forced the country to accept a percent rise in the iron ore price this spring
The newly found iron ore deposits are expected to help ease domestic supply and boost the development of Chinas vast west region
Zhang disclosed at a meeting on their survey results that the QinghaiTibet Plateau is also rich in oil resources with potential reserve estimated at more than billion tons
Widely recognized as the worlds third pole the QinghaiTibet Plateau covers an area of million square kilometers almost one sixth of Chinas territory
The geochemical survey of the vast plateau filled the last blank in the medium scale geochemistry map of the countrys land Some geologists from organizations and institutions have been working on the often snowcapped plateau for the past seven years on the survey project which was completed in September Enditem
HONG KONG Dec Xinhua A yearold man wanted for theft of about million HK dollars million US dollars was extradited from the United States to Hong Kong on Friday and will appear in a local court on Saturday
Initial inquiries revealed that the man was the shareholder of a company in Hong Kong In March he sold percent of the companys shares to two purchasers without transferring percent of them after sale according to a police press release
Between November and April the man on several occasions withdrew money from the company account without consent from other shareholders
The victim filed a report to the Police in September
The police Commercial Crime Bureau took up the investigations and the man was found having left Hong Kong before the case was reported
Upon the request from the Hong Kong police the man was subsequently arrested by the US authorities in April
The man will be charged with counts of theft later and will appear in the Eastern Magistrates Court on Saturday Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua A new website wwwngocbcsrnprjcn was launched in this national capital recently aiming to bring together Chinese NGOs nongovernment organizations and local and foreignfunded companies to carry out charity programs in the country
The website is operated by the NGOCBCSRN Network and cosponsored by Lafarge China Co Ltd and Beijing Hong Shang Consultancy Company according to Nicolas Lecerf a communications official with the French company Lafarge
For a long time NGOs have contributed immensely to public welfare and thus social progress said Nicolas
The website which is named after the organisation will provide a platform for the muchneeded exchange of ideas between companies and NGOs he said adding Also it will be conducive to the cooperation in such areas as poverty alleviation orphan protection disabledcaring as well as environmental conservation
Lafarge is a world leader in manufacturing building materials while its partner a sponsor of the charity website Hong Shang is mainly engaged in introducing French investment in China Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Highlights of major Beijingbased newspapers on Saturday
Peoples Daily
Rural students in Chinas relatively backward western region will enjoy free compulsory education from according to a government decision
Peoples Daily overseas edition
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said here Friday that China will never allow any foreign interference in Hong Kong affairs
China Youth Daily
The Chinese government on Friday announced a decision to give disciplinary punishment to two vice provincial governors for their responsibility over fatal mine accidents
China Daily
The first ticket for the Beijing Olympic Games is expected to be sold in the first half of announced a senior Chinese official Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Following are the major domestic news items scheduled to be covered or pursued by Xinhua on Saturday
A governmental delegation of the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea led by VicePremier Ro Tu Chol is expected to arrive in Beijing for a visit to China
Chinas top legislature to abolish regulations on agriculture tax amend Criminal Law to enhance crackdown on financial fraud
Beijing leads other provinces in building rural endowment insurance system
Shinsegae the top retailer of the Republic of Korea expected to launch its first chain store Emart in the Chinese capital
Birthplace of Chinese film to be entered in Guinness Book of World Records
Beijing launches municipal network for study of human resources
Enditem
GUIYANG Dec Xinhua Guizhou Province will record its first annual coal production of more than million tons this year when total output is expected to reach million tons officials said Saturday
This would result in a percent growth from last year said officials with a meeting on the provinces reform and development
Guizhou which boasts the riches coal reserve in the southern party of China has steadily increased coal production for electricity generation over the past years to cater to the major national project for sending electricity from the resourcesrich west region to fuel economic growth in the energythirsty south and east coastal areas
Currently the provinces combined installed capacity has increased from million kilowatts in late to million kilowatts
During the first months this year the electricity generated in Guizhou rose by percent from a year earlier which met the demand of both the eastbound electricity transmission project and the local consumers
With the completion of some new projects the province will strive to expand its installed capacity by million kilowatts next year Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Ro Tu Chol vice premier of the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea DPRK arrived here Saturday morning for a fourday visit to China
During the visit Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and Vice Premier Zeng Peiyan are expected to meet with him Enditem
CHENGDU Dec Xinhua Chinas first tons of rails that can accommodate trains traveling at kilometers per hour rolled off the mill and have passed quality appraisal experts said Saturday
The rails produced in the Panzhihua Iron and Steel Co a major steel production base in Sichuan Province southwest China are each meters long and weigh kilograms per meter will soon be transported to Xian in neighboring Shaanxi Province for the construction of a test fast train section said experts with Chinas rail science research institutes which conducted the quality test
With Chinas rapid economic and social development railway construction will enter of period of boom between now and when the total length of railways in operation across the country is expected to extend from kilometers to kilometers
The Chinesemade rails for fast trains will help boost the construction of highspeed passenger rail lines according industry insiders
The production of the rail will also enhance our companys competitive capacity with foreign companies said a company executive but he did not disclose the annual production capacity of the rail Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua A centuryold cinema in Beijing was listed in the Guinness Book of World Records for having been screening films for a hundred years
Shanghai Guinness Book of World Records center declared the information on Friday
Daguanlou Film House is acclaimed as the birthplace of Chinese film One hundred years ago Ren Qingtai owner of a photo shop produced and screened Chinas first film featuring Beijing Opera performance at the house
In the past century the movie house witnessed the earliest staging of Chinese silent films in and sound films in In Daguanlou was renovated into the first cinema in Beijing for widescreen threeD films
Daguanlou has been undergoing a thorough renovation to fully restore its original appearance featuring the architecture of the Qing Dynasty
Beijings first association of film fans was set up at the film house on the same day
The association plans to hold various activities at the cinema including film premieres film review exchanges and meetings between fans and stars in a bid to boost the centuryold cinema Enditem
SHANGHAI Dec Xinhua Wang Daohan president of the mainlandbased Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits passed away in Shanghai on Saturday Enditem
HONG KONG Dec Xinhua Following are foreign exchange rates against the Hong Kong dollar released by the Bank of China Hong Kong Limited at am on Saturday
Buying Selling
Japanese yen
Swiss franc
British pound
Australian dollar
Canadian dollar
Euro
US dollar
Enditem
HONG KONG Dec Xinhua The gold price in Hong Kong went down HK dollars to HK dollars per tael on Saturday according to the Bank of China Hong Kong
The price is equivalent to dollars a troy ounce down dollars at Saturdays exchange rate of one US dollar against HK dollars Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Christmas trees and baubles are decorating homes shops restaurants and office buildings in major Chinese cities while images of Santa and Rudolph are young urbanites favorites
About percent of Chinese recently surveyed said they would have special arrangements on Christmas Eve reported Saturdays China Daily
Bars and karaoke halls are expected to be packed with customers on Saturday night as percent of respondents are planning to have a night of revelry according to the survey conducted by the Social Survey Institute of China in big cities
Christmas is a season for partying shopping and even romance Its a reward for our one year of hard work said Zhang Yapeng a yearold computer software salesman in Beijing on Friday quoted by the paper
Bar owners are expecting to cash in on the Christmas Eve We expect to have about customers tomorrow night four times than usual said Chen Jie owner of Nashville in the eastern part of the capital on Friday
Christmas banquets in star hotels in Beijing priced between to yuan US dollars per person have almost all been ordered two days ahead of the big day
Meanwhile stores are seeing a surge in preChristmas retail spending Almost all stores in Beijing extend their closing time on Christmas Eve some to to am
Churches in Beijing will witness a large attendance in masses on Saturday night Many will just go there to experience the Christmas atmosphere Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The Chinese national capital will lead the nation to bring its more than million rural residents under protection of a safe net known as the social oldage insurance system
A government document the Opinions of Guidance on the Establishment of A Social Security OldAge Insurance System in Rural Areas of Beijing will be implemented beginning the forthcoming New Years Day said an official with the municipal government on Saturday
According to the document all male residents aged between and and all female residents aged to in rural areas of the national capital will be welcome to take the accumulative oldage insurance by opening their own accounts
Finance departments at the municipal and district levels as well as village collectives are requested to set aside special funds for subsidizing those rural residents who will have held oldage insurance policies said Sun Yan deputy head of the municipal bureau of labor and social security
The rural oldage insurance system will be pulled through with the insurance system for urban grey heads said Sun
Beijings move will not only remove the farming populations worries in their old ages but also produce an positive impact on the establishment of the oldage insurance system in rural areas nationwide said Lu Haiyuan a senior official with the Ministry of Labor and Social Security
Beijing has a population of million and of the total rural people make up million Only rural residents of the city had taken commercial insurance policies of different kinds by late November this year Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Beijing BenzDaimlerChrysler Automotive Corporation a SinoGerman joint venture announced that MercedesBenz Eclass sedans manufactured in Beijing were on sale as of Thursday and they were accepting orders beginning the same day
On sale are E and EK sedans and retail prices are yuan US dollars and yuan US dollars each respectively said An Qingheng chairman of the board of the joint venture
Beijing BenzDaimlerChrysler is a new joint venture of DaimlerChrysler and Beijing Automotive Industry Holding Company BAIC The joint venture has built a new plant in the Beijing Economic and Technological Development Zone at Yizhuang southern Beijing
DaimlerChrysler and BAIC each have a percent stake in the joint venture with a cooperation term of years The joint venture which has a registered capital of million US dollar is responsible for production of MercedesBenz E and CClass sedans in China
Production in the new plant began in mid
An predicted MercedesBenz EClass cars would be sold by the end of the year and the volume of sale would amount to million yuan million US dollars Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Shinsegae Group the top retailer of the Republic of Korea ROK is expected to launch its first chain store Emart in the Chinese capital according to a letter of intent signed earlier this week
Shinsegae signed a partnership agreement with a Hong Kong company on Tuesday to build an individual commercial complex for the upcoming Emart store in the Wangjing residential area in northeastern Beijing where Koreans living in Beijing densely assemble
Sources with the company said that Shinsegae has taken two years to choose a favorable location for its first outlet in Beijing
The company has previously opened several outlets in the Chinese cities of Shanghai and Tianjin Its expansion plan in the China market has been set to open EMart discount stores across the country by
The ROK retail giant boasts some outlets in its home country or percent of the market share far ahead of Carrefour and WalMart two of the worlds largest retail giants Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The number of inbound tourists to China reached million in November up percent from a year earlier according to an official with the state tourism administration on Saturday
In November the number of inbound tourists from most continents except the other parts of Asia grew Visitors from Britain grew percent Canadians visiting here increased percent and the number of tourists from the United States rose percent
China reaped a foreign exchange revenue of billion US dollars from the inbound tourists up percent year on year Overnight visitors spent billion US dollars accounting for percent of Chinas overall tourism revenue
From January to November the number of inbound tourists totaled million percent more than in the same period last year Foreign exchange revenue for the period reached billion US dollars a rise of percent Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Airbus will expand its overall cooperation with China to an unprecedentedly large scale next year including supply of fullrange airplanes and industrial and technological cooperation according to a company executive
Laurence Barron Airbus senior vice president and Airbus China president said earlier this week that a new joint venture will be set up by Airbus and China Aviation Industry Corporation AVIC I and AVIC II next year in Beijing
With the establishment of the Beijing engineering and technology center China will participate in the designing and manufacturing of percent of the body of the allnew A aircraft
The engineering center plans to recruit Chinese engineers by and the new office building will also break the ground
In Airbus will continue to work closely with the State Development and Reform Commission to carry out a feasibility study of establishing a final assembly line for Airbus single aisle aircraft in China Barron added
In order to cope with the fast expansion of the Airbus fleet in China and provide Chinese customers with the best technical support and services Airbus will further expand its training and support facilities
In Airbus will also continue to hold seminars or training courses regularly on safety management flight operation maintenance and other fields with the General Administration of Civil Aviation of China relevant authorities and airlines
Barron said that Airbus main focus in is to be further represented in the marketplace with its complete family of aircraft by means of looking at all the elements of the market including major regional and startups
He said Airbus hoped to get percent market share in China and will continue to make efforts in order to catch up with the competitor
Airbus plans to deliver aircraft to Chinese airlines in compared with the deliveries in which will represent one fifth of Airbusnew deliveries next year Enditem
HONG KONG Dec Xinhua The Hong Kong government planned to tight its No Fakes pledge scheme in the coming new year part of its efforts to boost tourism spending
Stephen Selby Intellectual Property Director of Hong Kong said on a radio program Saturday that the criteria to join the No Fakes pledge scheme would be tightened in
Selby said the scheme encouraged participating retail merchants to set a good example by pledging not to sell or distribute counterfeit or pirated products promoting honest trading practices
Hong Kong ranked the seventh most welcomed scenic spots for tourists according to the statistics of tourists in released by the World Tourism Organization in May
And one of the most important attractions of this international city is shopping because of the colorful collection and the trustworthy trading practices
To improve the scheme the names of any member companies confirmed to have breached the schemes code of ethics will be disclosed The schemes organizers and supporting parties will also keep a close watch on member companies operations Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The Chinese government has called on localities across the country to use timber more efficiently and step up the development of timber substitutes in order to enhance efficient utilization of natural resources and environmental protection
According to an official document on advancing the efficient use of timber and timber substitutes which was made public on Saturday China aims to save million to million cubic meters of timber annually by the year when relevant laws and regulations standards policies and information service systems will be basically established
By then Chinas comprehensive timber utilization rate will be increased to over percent and nearly percent of the domestic wood products will be antisepticized
To achieve this goal the country will boost the development of the timber processing industry for better use of wood resources supported by numerical controlled machines and enterprises with strict quality control Timber protection technologies will be adopted to prolong the lifespan of wood products while a recycling system will be established to make use of old or waste wood products
To develop timber substitutes to improve the structure of timber consumption efforts will be made to boost the production of woodbased plates bamboo products and other products based on residues of crops said the document
China is in short of wood resources with its forest coverage and per capita forest acreage reaching only threefifths and a quarter of the world average levels respectively
Currently Chinas comprehensive timber utilization rate only percent compared with above percent in developed countries The countrys irrational modes of timber production and consumption coupled with the poor processing and recycling level result in serious waste of resources
We must take save timber and use timber substitutes as a pressing task for developing a recycling economy and build a resourcesconservation society says the document
All localities and departments concerned should also make it a longterm strategy and formulate concrete regulations on saving timber and using timber substitutes in the fields of production construction and consumption it says
The government will constitute policies to encourage timber conservation and the use of substitutes by fiscal taxation and price measures and give necessary supports for technological research and the development of new energy resources
The document was jointly issued by the State Reform and Development Commission the Ministry of Science and Technology the Ministry of Finance the Ministry of Personnel the Ministry of Construction the Ministry of Railways the Ministry of Agriculture the Ministry of Commerce the State Administration of Taxation the State Administration of Quality Supervision Inspection and Quarantine the State Environmental Protection Administration and the State Forestry Administration Enditem
HONG KONG Dec Xinhua Shopping malls splendid decorations theme parks wonderful ideas and the charities caring action all this allows Hong Kong to be filled with joy love and care in this Christmas Eve
Giant Christmas trees lovely giftboxes and dazzling lights have been put up in most shopping centers to attract visitors The indoor fireworks display at Metrocity in Tseung Kwan O should have become the most conspicuous one of all
A Christmas tree nine meters high and fitted with light bulbs spurted golden sprinkles into the air as music starts and light goes up creating a jawdropping effect This is the firstever indoor fireworks display being carried out in a shopping center
Hanging around in the International Financial Center mall at Central visitors are able to enjoy a string of performances including dancing singing acrobatics which together interweave classical episodes of The Nutcracker
Moving to the Kowloon side Festival Walk is using the silver gold color of platinum to create an atmosphere of a white Christmas A meter huge backdrop is being put up with many Christmas accessories like little angels Christmas stockings and tiny bells hanged on it The backdrop together with the snow and huts scenes set up in mall interweaves a delightful environment
Presenting gifts to each other plays an important part in Christmas By joining the caring action organized by charities Hong Kong people can try and act as Santa Claus this year to deliver presents of love to those who are in need
The Salvation Army of Hong Kong is holding a monthlong activity namely Christmas Red Kettle Appeal spreading the message of Sharing is caring They put red kettles at the Hong Kong International Airport and shopping centers all over the city to appeal for funds for the poor
Everywhere public contributions to the kettles enable the Salvation Army to bring the spirit of Christmas to those who would otherwise be forgotten the aged and lonely the ill the poor and unfortunate
Apart from doing shopping and sightseeing going for blood donation can also be considered as one of the Christmas programs during the holiday The Hong Kong Blood Transfusion Service has called on the public to join the Lets Give Blood in Heartwarming Winter campaign to help patients in need of blood transfusions
Heartwarming donation hanging bags and Christmas celebration activities are specially prepared for those who join the campaignFurthermore blood donors are also encouraged to join the Creative Blood Donation Promotion Short Clip competition to motive more people especially the youth to give blood
The Hong Kong Disneyland is celebrating its first Christmas in Hong Kong and recorded a full house on Dec which is the second time since it opened in September The first time that it has got tickets sold out was on Dec
A party was held on Christmas Even in Po Leung Kuk a local charity for children who lacked the care of parents A bunch of Disney friends were also there to share love and joy with the children
Another theme park Hong Kong Ocean Park has invested over million Hong Kong dollars about million US dollars for a festive program A machine that can produce tons of real snow a day has been introduced into the park Visitors can start a snow battle or try to make a snowman with real snow
The park also invites visitors to officiate the lighting up ceremony of a meter tall Christmas tree every evening during the program building a climax of the day Enditem
SHANGHAI Dec Xinhua Wang Daohan president of the mainlandbased Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits passed away in Shanghai at am Beijing time on Saturday
Wang died of disease in the Shanghai Ruijin Hospital at the age of
Wang native of Jiashan Anhui Province in east China once served as secretary of the Shanghai Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China CPC vicemayor and mayor of Shanghai and adviser to the Shanghai Municipal Peoples Government
He was a member of the former CPC Central Advisory Commission delegate to the th th and th CPC National Congress and deputy to the th and th National Peoples Congress or the national legislature
The Association for Relations Across Taiwan Straits was founded in December and Wang took the presidency In April Wang and Koo Chenfu chairman of the Taiwanbased Strait Exchange Foundation SEF held in Singapore the first ever highlevel nongovernmental talks across the Straits
The talks were known as the WangKoo meeting
In October they held the second talks in Shanghai and reached a consensus on four points involving dialog across the Straits on political issues
Wang also served as professor of economics with many prestigious universities including Beijing University Fudan University and Tongji University Fond of reading Wang had done considerable research into politics economics and management and had wide interest in literature history music arts and drama Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua A motion on abolishing the regulation concerning the agricultural tax was submitted to a legislative session of Chinas top legislature for deliberation and approval on Saturday
Chinas more than yearold agricultural tax will be rooted out if it is approved at the th session of the Standing Committee of the th National Peoples Congress which is held here from Dec to Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The sixth draft amendment to Chinas Criminal Law was submitted to a highest legislative session for the first deliberation on Saturday aiming to intensify crackdown on financial fraud money laundering and sexselective abortion Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Disaster relief work should be strengthened to ensure the basic life of people in disasterstricken areas Li Xueju minister of civil affairs said here on Saturday
In particular food and drinking water should be brought to the disasterhit areas within hours if any disaster is reported Li said at the closing ceremony of a training class on disaster emergency response for local officials
He called on local officials to establish a highly efficient emergency response system with clearcut responsibilities continue to improve their emergency plans and rescue capabilities regularize reconstruction put the emergency response management into the local overall planning of social and economic development
The ability to forecast and prevent disasters should be enhanced depending on the development of science and technology while reconstruction after disasters should also be strengthened to quickly bring to normal peoples life and production as well as social order Li added
China has seen various mishaps this year making it an urgent task for the government to build up disasterwarning networks
Up to November lives were claimed in natural disasters in China and direct economic losses totaled billion yuan billion US dollars according to the Ministry of Civil Affairs
In July this year the State Council or Chinas cabinet decided to set up a general emergency response plan including subplans for specific emergencies and ministerial ones Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Leaders of the Chinese Kuomintang KMT and the People First Party PFP the two main opposition parties in Taiwan expressed their condolences over the death of Wang Daohan on Saturday
Wang president of the mainlandbased Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits died of disease in Shanghai Saturday morning at the age of
On hearing the news KMT Chairman Ma Yingjeou and PFP Chairman James Soong also expressed their sympathy and solicitude to relatives of Wang according to reports from Taiwan
Ma said that Wang had played an important role in the development of crossStraits relations The KMT is considering sending representatives to the mainland to pay their last respects to the remains of Wang
Soong expressed the hope that there could come other heavy weight like Wang to work for the settlement of problems between the two sides of the Taiwan Straits Enditem
CHENGDU Dec Xinhua Fortyfour people were confirmed dead and others injured in the gas explosion at a road construction site in Sichuan Province as of Saturday according to the provincial work safety watchdog
The blast occurred at pm Thursday in a tunnel of a highway under construction between Dujiangyan and Wenchuan cities in the province
Most of the victims were construction workers Two bodies were discovered on Saturday bringing the death toll to
The injured were hospitalized and two of them in critical condition are out of life danger Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The draft passport law was on Saturday submitted to a legislative session of Chinas top legislature for first deliberation
The draft law aims to simplify passport application procedures for citizens as the number of Chinese going abroad for study business or travel keeps grow when the country opens wider to the outside world Enditem
HONG KONG Dec Xinhua The success of the WTO Sixth Ministerial Conference MC has reinforced Hong Kongs image in the international arena as Asias World City and enhanced the citys civil services reputation as one of the most efficient in the world Hong Kong Secretary for the Civil Service Joseph Wong said on Saturday
In his letter to all civil servants on Saturday Wong said that throughout the conference police showed diligence and professionalism in maintaining law and order and in taking measured and robust action against the sometimes violent protesters
Our worldclass police force has demonstrated once again their outstanding performance in handling a crisis situation At the same time thousands of civil service colleagues from other bureaus and departments also worked tirelessly round the clock in support of the conference
Planning for this mammoth exercise started many months ago and involved many bureaus and departments also worked tirelessly round the clock in support of the conference
Describing their contribution as instrumental to the success of the conference he said I am sure our civil service will continue with the fine tradition of serving the community with dedication and commitment
Hong Kong hosted the MC between Dec and and about delegates nongovernment organization representatives and correspondents attended the conference Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Priority should be given to the management in emergency response so that more human and material resources could be used in social management and public service said Minister of Civil Affairs Li Xueju said here Saturday
The responsibility of central and local governments in emergency response management should be clarified and coordination and information exchange between the management departments should be strengthened Li said at the closing ceremony of a training class on disaster relief for officials at prefecture and city level
Disaster prevention and the quick reaction system should be improved to increase the social ability to prevent and control disasters especially in large cities with high density of population and buildings Li said
China has seen various mishaps this year making it an urgent task for the government to build up disasterwarning networks
In this July this year the State Council or Chinas cabinet decided to set up a general emergency response plan including subplans for specific emergencies and ministerial ones Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Lien Chan honorary chairman of the Chinese Kuomintang KMT party in Taiwan expressed deep condolence over the death of Wang Daohan on Saturday
Wang president of the mainlandbased Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits died of illness in Shanghai Saturday morning at the age of
Lien recalled his contacts with Wang this year saying they had happy talks in Shanghai in May when Lien leading a KMT delegation visited the mainland
Lien said he had intended to pay a visit to Wang as he went to the mainland again in October But he was sorry to know that Wang was ill and he and his wife sent flowers to Wang to show their respects
Both Wang and Lien were conferred an honorary doctorate by the Chinese University of Hong Kong in December But Wang didnt go to Hong Kong to receive the title due to his illness Lien conveyed his greetings to Wang via Wangs daughter Lien said
Lie praised Wang for his great contribution to the development of crossStraits relations saying that Wang is a model for successors in dealing with the issues between the two sides of the Taiwan Straits Enditem
ZHENGZHOU Dec Xinhua Six prisoners were sentenced to death for rioting and escaping from prison in Zhoukou a city in central Chinas Henan Province court sources said Saturday
They also had their political right deprived of according to a verdict issued by Zhoukou Municipal Intermediate Peoples Court on Friday
Zhou Liubing and the other five inmates started in June this year plotting escapes by digging holes or picking locks with selfmade tools for several times but the attempts all failed according to the sources
On early Aug the six prisoners successfully escaped after opening the ward door and prison gate with selfmade tools They beat three police guards and another hostage during the process
They were seized afterwards Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Local governments have been seen quite active in bulldozing private residences to pave the way for urban construction which result in widespread disputes and protests across the country
At the same time they have done little to stop local factories that are draining out waste water and belching out foul smoke
To curb the wide spread government abuses of power and nonfeasance on other occasions Chinas national legislature on Saturday began reviewing the countrys first administrative mandatory law
It aims to tell the government how to limit personal freedom of certain individuals and freez their properties for the purpose of protecting the public interests said Xin Chunying deputy director of the Legislative Affairs Commission of the National Peoples Congress Standing Committee Saturday when explaining the draft law to the parliament
Because of the lack of the administrative mandatory law some government bodies have been found to be lax in law enforcement in face of severe violation of the statute while on other occasions abusing their power of mandatory sanction she said
According to the draft law no mandatory sanction by the government shall be carried out unless it is provided for by the law and it shall be enforced by the government body with authorization by the law
To counter the widelycomplained government intrusion of private property and illegal check up of business account books the draft law says the government body must show legal basis in advance otherwise the related party has the right to refuse
Commodities of small vendors along the street shall be confiscated by lawenforcement bodies for the purpose of maintaining street order it says
One of the important of mandatory sanctions is they should be carried out in a proper manner to minimize the losses that may occur to the receivers Xin said
According to her the draft law does not apply when the government take emergency measures in case of disasters public health crisis or social order crisis or government orders on financial matters or technical monitor and control measures on export or import goods because they are or will be covered by separate laws Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Report on the quality of air in major Chinese cities Dec to Dec Beijing Time released by the China Environmental Monitoring Center
City Major Pollutant Air Quality Level
Beijing particulate matter III
Tianjin sulfur dioxide III
Shijiazhuang particulate matter III
Qinhuangdao sulfur dioxide II
Taiyuan sulfur dioxide III
Hohhot particulate matter III
Shenyang particulate matter III
Dalian sulfur dioxide II
Changchun particulate matter II
Harbin particulate matter III
Shanghai particulate matter II
Nanjing particulate matter II
Suzhou particulate matter II
Nantong particulate matter II
Lianyungang particulate matter II
Hangzhou particulate matter III
Ningbo particulate matter II
Wenzhou particulate matter II
Hefei particulate matter III
Fuzhou particulate matter II
Xiamen particulate matter II
Nanchang particulate matter III
Jinan particulate matter II
Qingdao sulfur dioxide II
Yantai sulfur dioxide II
Zhengzhou particulate matter III
Wuhan particulate matter III
Changsha particulate matter III
Guangzhou nitrogen dioxide III
Shenzhen particulate matter II
Zhuhai nitrogen dioxide II
Shantou particulate matter II
Zhanjiang particulate matter II
Nanning sulfur dioxide II
Guilin sulfur dioxide II
Beihai particulate matter II
Haikou particulate matter II
Chongqing particulate matter III
Chengdu particulate matter III
Guiyang particulate matter III
Kunming particulate matter II
Lhasa particulate matter II
Xian particulate matter III
Lanzhou particulate matter IV
Xining particulate matter II
Yinchuan particulate matter III
Urumqi particulate matter V
The center classifies air quality in Chinas urban areas into five levels level I or excellent pollution reading not exceeding level II or fairly good pollution reading to level III or slightly polluted pollution reading to level IV or poor pollution reading to and level V or hazardous pollution reading over
The cities monitored by the center include the four municipalities of Beijing Tianjin Shanghai and Chongqing provincial or autonomous regional capitals and major cities in economically developed coastal areas and tourist attractions Enditem
HONG KONG Dec Xinhua Following are temperatures and weather forecast of Dec for AsiaPacific cities dispatched by the Hong Kong Observatory on Saturday
CITY MINIMUM MAXIMUM FORECAST
HONG KONG FINE
MACAO FINE
GUANGZHOU CLOUDY
SHANGHAI CLOUDY
BEIJING FINE
TAIPEI CLOUDY
SEOUL RAIN
TOKYO FINE
MANILA SHOWERS
HANOI OVERCAST
HO CHI MINH CITY MIST
BANGKOK CLOUDY
KUALA LUMPUR THUNDERSTORMS
SINGAPORE THUNDERSTORMS
NEW DELHI CLOUDY
MUMBAI SMOKE
KARACHI FINE
JAKARTA RAIN
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN SHOWERS
SYDNEY FINE
MELBOURNE FINE
BRISBANE FINE Enditem
HONG KONG Dec Xinhua Hong Kong police were highly praised by the government on Saturday for its professional performance during the conference of World Trade Organization WTO which concluded here last week
In a letter to all civil servants Secretary for the Civil Service Joseph Wong said that throughout the conference Hong Kong police showed diligence and professionalism in maintaining law and order and in taking measures and robust action against the sometimes violent protesters
He said Our worldclass police force has demonstrated once again their outstanding performance in handling a crisis situation At the same time thousands of civil service colleagues from other bureaus and departments also worked tirelessly round the clock in support of the conference
Donald Tsang chief executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region also paid tribute to police performance in maintaining law and order throughout the conference
Wong added in the letter that the success of the WTO meeting has reinforced Hong Kongs image in the international arena as Asias World City and enhanced the citys civil services reputation as one of the most efficient in the world Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Chinese national legislature the National Peoples Congress NPC Standing Committee Saturday started to deliberate a draft amendment to the penal code which will make whitewashing embezzled funds and money resulted from financial crime punishable by law
An official with the Legislative Affairs Commission of the NPC Standing Committee said on Saturday that the draft law widens the scope of upstream crimes constituting money laundering from the four kinds provided by existing laws namely unlawful incomes and related earnings of narcotics crimes organized crimes of sinister gang nature crimes of terrorist activities and smuggling crimes to six kinds added by incomes of corruption crimes and financial fraud crimes
The additions are made to strengthen the crackdown on corruption and financial crimes which are crucial for the financial security of the country and stemming the outflow of public funds he told lawmakers at the Great Hall of the People
According to the law perpetrators of the crime may face imprisonment up to years in addition to heavy fines Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua A draft amendment to Criminal Law was submitted to Chinas top legislature the National Peoples Congress Standing Committee for the first hearing Saturday aiming to intensify crackdown on financial fraud
Additions were made in the draft to make obtaining bank loans by means of fraudulent activities and generous banking staff releasing unusual amount of loans to clients punishable by the criminal code
Bank swindlers may face up to seven years in prison if they use fraudulent means for loans the draft says in addition to up to yuan of fine
Bank staff who lend unusual amount of loans in violation of bank rules may face up to five years in prison and yuan of fine the draft says
Bank tellers have also been found to keep clients deposits to themselves instead of entering into bank books
Such a crime may be punishable by more than five years in prison and yuan of fine the draft law says
Shocking bank crimes have been frequently unveiled in recent years as China is striving to reform its banking system whose rate of nonperforming loans stood at percent on average by the end of
Early this year the head of the Bank of Chinas Hesongjie subbranch in Harbin capital of Chinas northernmost Heilongjiang province embezzled a hefty amount of deposits from a local highway management company and then disappeared
During a loan fraud scandal the former head of Foshan Branch of the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China ICBC took eight million yuan about US dollars in bribes from a private businessmen who had taken huge bank loans and local governments financial loans totaling dozens of billions of yuan by falsifying company performance records and conspiring with bank and government officials in south Chinas Guangdong Province Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua China and the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea DPRK signed an agreement here Saturday on the joint development of offshore oil
The document was signed after Chinese Vice Premier Zeng Peiyan met with a DPRK government delegation led by Vice Premier Ro Tu Chol
During the meeting Zeng said the ChinaDPRK relations have achieved new progress this year thanks to the joint efforts the solicitude from the top leaders of both countries in particular
The two sides have maintained frequent exchanges of highlevel visits continuously expanded bilateral economic cooperation and trade said Zeng adding that they have also strengthened cooperation on the Korean Peninsular nuclear issue and other major regional and international issues
Zeng stressed that it is Chinas resolute strategy to consolidate and further develop the traditional friendship and cooperation between the two neighbors
Ro said the traditional friendly and cooperative relations between the DPRK and China have entered a new stage of development
Bilateral exchanges and cooperation in various fields are advancing smoothly he said
The DPRK party and government will continue their efforts to push forward mutually beneficial cooperation and realize common development in accordance with the consensus reached by the top leaders of the two countries
Ro arrived here Saturday morning for a fourday visit to China as guest of Zeng Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Smuggling of fossils of ancient vertebrate animals and ancient men is expected to face fixedterm imprisonment or even death penalty in China
Chinas top legislature on Saturday started to discuss a draft judicial interpretation on Criminal Law applications in smuggling destroying illegal selling and transferring fossils of ancient vertebrate animals and ancient men
The fossils will be put under protection as same as cultural relics in China if the judicial interpretation is approved at the th session of the Standing Committee of the th National Peoples Congress NPC which is held here from Dec to
The Criminal Law of China stipulates that smuggling theft destroying illegal selling and transferring cultural relics will face imprisonment or even death penalty if the case is very serious
An Jian vice director of the Commission of Legislative Affairs of the NPC Standing Committee said that in judicial practice there are different understandings on whether the provisions on cultural relics in the Criminal Law also apply to fossils of ancient vertebrate animals and ancient men
Therefore the Supreme Peoples Court and other related departments suggested the NPC Standing Committee make judicial interpretation on it An said
A large number of ancient animal fossils have been smuggled out of China in recent years The judicial interpretation is expected to check the problem said some experts Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Improving farming practice is fundamental to curb the spread of the deadly HN bird flu which needs to be stressed more as a longterm solution said a senior official with the World Health Organization here Saturday
We cannot kill all the chickens and ducks to prevent bird flu from spreading among them and to humans therefore we have to make sure the chickens ducks and humans do not mingle together said Dr Shigeru Omi WHO regional director for the Western Pacific
Segregation is one of the fundamentally important methods Omi told Xinhua in an interview but we cannot do it overnight as China has a huge poultry population
Thats why we have to step up improvement of the primitive farming practice in Chinas rural regions especially the backyard feeding of chickens and ducks in many rural households he said
As Omi noted that China has billion poultry and most Chinese rural families have close proximity with chickens and ducks which are kept in their backyards or even houses
The official also stressed surveillance timely reporting and diagnosis of bird flu outbreaks at grassroots level need to be strengthened
WHO has suggested the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Agriculture train more health and agriculture staff in rural areas so that they may help with the monitoring and detection of new cases
China has reported six human cases of bird flu this year involving two fatalities and outbreaks in poultry It has reported fewer cases in December
It is too early to say the epidemic is under control said Omi
But he noted that he appreciates Chinas collaboration with WHO and other international communities on the issue of bird flu
On Thursday Omi and the WHO delegation including Henk Bekedam WHO representative in China Lee ChinKei project officer of WHO in China and Roy Wadia WHO information officer in China congratulated Hunan for successfully treating a nineyearold boy who survived a bout of the flu
They met with local health officials in Hunan and called for the prompt and quick detection of human cases of bird flu and enhancement of the reporting of animal outbreaks
The Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Agriculture have shared a few virus samples with us and other international organizations which is very good I hope they could share information more promptly and more regularly in the future he said Enditem
by Xinhua writer Ni Siyi
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Local governments have been seen quite active in bulldozing private residences to pave the way for urban construction which result in widespread disputes and protests across the country
At the same time they have done little to stop local factories that are draining out waste water and belching out foul smoke
To curb the growing trend of government abuses of power and nonfeasance on other occasions Chinas national legislature on Saturday began reviewing the countrys first administrative mandatory law
It aims to tell the government how to limit personal freedom of certain individuals and freeze their properties for the purpose of protecting the public interests said Xin Chunying deputy director of the Legislative Affairs Commission of the National Peoples Congress NPC Standing Committee Saturday when explaining the draft law to the parliament
Because of the lack of the administrative mandatory law some government bodies have been found lax in law enforcement in face of severe violation of the law while on other occasions abusing their power of mandatory sanction she said
According to the draft law no mandatory sanction by the government shall be carried out unless it is provided for by the law and it shall be enforced by the government body with authorization by the law
Such sanctions include restriction of personal freedom sealing up or sequestrating property freezing bank account intrusion of private residency by force Followup actions may include fines auction of sequestrated property and transfer of funds from bank accounts
To counter the widelycomplained government intrusion of private property and illegal check up of business account books the draft law says the government body must show legal basis in advance otherwise the related party has the right to refuse
Commodities of small vendors along the street shall not be confiscated by lawenforcement bodies for the purpose of maintaining street order it says
One of the important of mandatory sanctions is they should be carried out in a proper manner to minimize the losses that may occur to the receivers Xin said Other principles also include
Mandatory sanctions should be adopted as the last resort if other options are available
Reconciliation with the receiver shall be encouraged in resolving disputes under the condition that interests of the public or other related parties are not affected
NPC statistics show that means of mandatory sanctions are visible in national laws and regulations issued by the State Council
Referring to the abuse of mandatory sanctions Li Yuan legal expert with the Legislative Affairs Commission of the NPC Standing Committee said there are more than specific mandatory measures in total in China
Such abuses are expected to be curbed after the new law is approved He said
The new law will also mark the completion of Chinas legal framework concerning the government conducts which is composed of laws on government punishment and government permit she said
The draft law does not apply when the government take emergency measures in case of disasters public health crisis or social order crisis or government orders on financial matters or technical monitor and control measures on export or import goods because they are or will be covered by separate laws Xin said Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua A website on human resources research was launched Friday in Beijing to provide professional human resources services for the municipal government and the public
The website was sponsored by Beijing Municipal Human Resources Research Center an institution on human resources development and management under the Organization Department of the Beijing Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China CPC
The research center and the website are expected to pool the human resources in Beijing and provide professional strategic suggestion to the municipal government and the public said Du Deyin deputy secretary of Beijing Municipal Committee of the CPC
Since the research center was launched a year ago it has set up Capital Human Resources Cooperation Department Beijing Municipal Human Resources Management Consultative Committee and a database on human resources Enditem
SHANGHAI Dec Xinhua A forum was held here Saturday to promote cultural exchanges across the Taiwan Straits attracting about scholars from the mainland and Taiwan
The twoday forum is organized by the Friendship Association of Cultural Circles of China with an aim to discuss how to promote crossStraits exchanges and carry forward elite traditional Chinese culture
The crossStraits cultural exchanges have increased in recent years in areas like literary art and folk custom said Zhang Aiping deputy director of the Hong Kong Macao and Taiwan affairs department under the Ministry of Culture
The mainland cultural authorities have approved about projects on crossStraits cultural exchanges since involving participants Zhang said
Shanghai has been an attractive destination for Taiwan investors
The improving investment environment in Shanghai has attracted many Taiwan businessmen and about compatriots from Taiwan are living in the metropolis including many engaged in cultural cause said Liu Jian a senior official with Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture Radio Film and TV Enditem
SHANGHAI Dec Xinhua Experts on Taiwan issue and residents in Shanghai where Wang Daohan passed away Saturday began to commemorate the renowned man who worked for the promotion of relations between the Chinese mainland and Taiwan for many years
Wang president of the mainlandbased Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits died in a hospital here at am Beijing time at the age of
The biggest regret for him was not able to visit Taiwan compatriots personally said Zhang Nianchi deputy director with Shanghai East Asian Institute Zhang has maintained a year acquaintanceship with Wang
But what he felt gratified most was witnessing the establishment of a communication mechanism between the Communist Party of China CPC and some major parties in Taiwan said the expert
What we should learn from Wang is his deep affection to Taiwan compatriots he stressed
Wang has always said that all the people across the Taiwan Straits are the Chinese and they share bloodandbone relationship There is no enmity or prejudice that could not be dispelled
Wang is a sagacious and wise man and he has worked hard to create a better environment for us said Chen Luyi vice president with the Shanghaibased Taiwan Investment Association
Wang once served as secretary of the CPC Shanghai Municipal Committee vicemayor and mayor of Shanghai held the landmark talk with Koo Chenfu chairman of the Taiwanbased Strait Exchange Foundation in Singapore in which was the first ever highlevel nongovernmental talks across the Straits
Five years later after the famous WangKoo meeting the two men held the second talks in Shanghai and reached a consensus on four points involving dialog across the Straits on political issues Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The draft law on labor contract was on Saturday submitted to a legislative session of Chinas top legislature for first hearing
The draft law aims to crack down on illegally docking or delaying employees pay and build up harmonious employment relationship
Tian Chengping minister of Labor and Social Security told the th session of the Standing Committee of the th National Peoples Congress held here from Dec to that Chinas labor contract system which was set up in once played an important role in the allocation of labor resources in the market economy
However with the rapid industrialization and urbanization over the recent years an increasing number of laidoff workers and rural redundant labors emerged causing that the countrys supply of labor resources for long exceeded its demand
Therefore some employers started to infringe on employees rights and interests including terminating labor contracts with their employees at will misuse of labor force and pocketing part of employees pay in various means
Under such circumstances a labor contract law is quite necessary to curb work right infringements said Tian
The draft law on labor contract gives detailed stipulations on the endorsement performance change and termination of labor contracts and nails down the legal responsibilities for violations of the stipulations Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Leaders of three major opposition parties in Taiwan expressed Saturday their deep condolences over the death of Wang Daohan a renowned man for his contributions to promoting the relations across the Taiwan Straits
Wang president of the mainlandbased Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits ARATS died of disease in Shanghai Saturday morning at the age of
Wang had played an important role in promoting the crossstrait relations and made great contributions to the development of peaceful exchanges across the Taiwan Straits said Ma Yingjeou chairman of the Chinese Kuomintang Party in his message of condolence to the ARATS
The ARATS was founded in December when Wang took the presidency In April Wang and Koo Chenfu chairman of the Taiwanbased Strait Exchange Foundation SEF held in Singapore the first ever highlevel nongovernmental talks across the Straits
In October they held the second talks in Shanghai and reached a consensus on four points involving dialog across the Straits on political issues The talks were known as the WangKoo meeting
With his gentle rational and innovative style Mr Wang had played a key role in enhancing peaceful exchanges and made outstanding contribution said Ma
Both the efforts and the contribution he made will be permanently admired by all circles of life and the people from the two sides will remember him forever Lien Chan honorary KMT chairman and James Soong said in his message of condolence
James Soong chairman of the Taiwanbased People First Party expressed his appreciation and admiration of Wangs efforts for and contributions to the development of crossstrait relations while recalling his meeting with Wang in Shanghai in May
Yok Muming chairman of the Taiwanbased New Party expressed his gratitude to Wang for opening the door to peace across the Taiwan Straits Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Chinas first draft passport law aimed at standardizing passport application issue and management was on Saturday submitted to Chinas top legislature for first hearing
As more and more Chinese going abroad for study business or travel after the country opens wider to the outside world the existing regulation on passport application has no longer adapted to the changing situation said Cao Kangtai director of the Legislative Affairs Office of Chinas State Council at the th session of the Standing Committee of the th National Peoples Congress
Cao said the draft law specifying the categories and the application process of passports is greatly needed to meet the increasing demand
Official statistics show that China issued more than million passports in while before the annual average figure was only
In this regard China has gone through a process of reform In the late s the government used to strictly control Chinese going abroad After its reform and opening to the outside world it simplified the procedures for the passport application Now the Chinese citizens can apply for passports according to their needs Especially after China joined the World Trade Organization in Chinese citizens have much easier access to passports
In order to suit the needs of antiterrorism the international civil aviation organization has asked its members to use fingerprinting passports before Cao said the draft law should accord with the international practice of antifraudulence and antiterrorism
The draft passport law also specifies legal consequences on any passportrelated crimes including faking passports and profiting from passport purchase Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Nineteen of the total Boeing airplanes that China ordered one month ago have found their owners Beijing New reported Friday
Major Chinese domestic airlines started to share a cake of the big deal with US aircraft giant Boeing this week
According to the newspaper report Shanghaibased Eastern airlines bought four NG plans for billion yuan about million US dollars this week The four plans will be delivered from August to October
Officials with the Eastern Airlines noted that these new plans will be used on the rising domestic middle and short trip routes
The Shenzhen Airlines in south China also inked a deal for buying five planes which would likely be delivered starting from summer of
Another Chinese airline the Xiamen Airlines will purchase ten plans from Boeing
Domestic Chinese airlines also showed great interest on the big order of A plans signed recently between China and the Airbus And relevant distribution on the deal have also been started among Chinese airlines
Moreover sources from the Shenzhen Airlines said that the company plans to buy six airbus planes next year Enditem
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Building boom destroying Spains Mediterranean coast
By Sinikka Tarvainen dpa
Madrid dpa Tourism in Spain is synonymous with the sea and
sun but it has become difficult to find a shore to enjoy them
without the backdrop of crammed hotels and apartment buildings
The construction boom along Spains Mediterranean coast is
reaching a new frenzy with some of the last virgin areas in Murcia
and Almeria now being targeted by property developers according to
media reports
The European Parliament recently criticized a similar boom in the
Valencia region while in the luxury resort of Marbella on the Costa
del Sol the municipal authorities are facing disciplinary measures
for having allowed the building of homes on illegal permits
Not only does property speculation muddle urban planning and
damage the environment but it also threatens to damage tourism
one of Spains biggest money spinners in the name of which the
coastline is being crammed with hotels and holiday apartments
About million tourists visit Spain annually while hundreds of
thousands of foreigners mainly northern Europeans own second
residences in the country
Current urban policies can kill the goose with the golden eggs
because tourists seek areas free of buildings and with an
environmental value Environment Minister Cristina Narbona has
commented about the building frenzy
The construction boom on Spanish coasts which turned fishing
villages into tourist resorts has gathered speed over the past
decade
Environmentalist groups say urban developments cover per cent
of Spains Mediterranean coast and even more than half in some areas
such as Malaga
Some of the last untouched shores are now threatened with
municipalities planning to allow the construction of flats
or houses and golf courts near Murcia and Almeria where lack of
transport links and water supplies had held investors at bay
The imminent arrival of a motorway and of desalination plants
have encouraged developers who intend to build housing for
million people in an area which now has residents according
to the daily El Pais
We do not have agricultural or industrial development said
Felix Lopez mayor of Vera town We believe the future lies in
tourism
In Valencia a semiautonomous region of six million academic
experts forecast the construction of up to million homes over a
decade The European Commission has threatened Spain with court
action unless Valencia revokes its draft urbanization legislation
Corruption helps to fuel the boom as has become particularly
evident in Marbella a resort favoured by the international jetset
where more than a third of the houses or flats have been built
with illegal permits
Eleven of Marbellas municipal decisionmakers have been
sentenced or indicted for illegal practices Andalusian regional
premier Manuel Chaves said
Most of the illegal homes were built or started between and
under the late populist mayor Jesus Gil y Gil known for his
unpolished manner and weakness for kickbacks
The Andalusian regional government now intends to withdraw the
authority over urban development from Marbella
The city may legalize most of the illegal buildings but faces
having to bulldoze homes in prohibited areas and to pay their
owners damages
In other regions owners also face the threat of demolition of
houses built on illegal permits or in some cases with criminal
money as earnings from the international drugs and arms trade have
been sunk into Spanish coastal real estate
In the Valencia region owners have been ordered to cede a part of
their properties to pay urbanization costs or even pressured to
sell their homes to make room for housing estates according to press
reports
Coastal urbanization has had a devastating effect on the
environment with per cent of Spanish coastal municipalities
dumping untreated waste water into the sea according to the
environmental group Greenpeace
Up to per cent of Spains coasts show signs of serious
environmental damage Greenpeace said
The building boom is even threatening nature reserves such as the
Cabo de Gata where the government recently stopped the construction
of a hotel complex
The devastating consequences of the urbanistic madness can
only be stopped by rallying public opinion El Pais commented
dpa st emc ds
Britain facing possible EU court action over recycling rates paper
LONDON Dec AFP Britain is facing the wrath of the European Union
because barely a quarter of the estimated three million tons of waste it will
throw away this Christmas will be recycled it was reported Friday
The Independent said the EU had become so exasperated at Britains
failure to improve its recycling rates that it has threatened legal action
Central to the row are repeated delays in introducing the EU Waste
Electrical and Electronic Equipment WEEE directive to reduce the dumping of
televisions computers and other electrical goods it added
London could find itself in the European courts as early as next month
said the newspaper which regularly champions worldwide environmental issues
It quoted European Commission spokeswoman Barbara Helfferich as saying the
delay was not acceptable
We need to abide by the law We have waited a long time and it is time for
the directive to be transposed If not the United Kingdom will have to face
the court she said
Britain lags behind its European neighbours for recycling despite efforts
to improve the situation over recent years
The government has launched a campaign this year to highlight the amount of
waste that will be generated by households over the festive period
phzbm
EssexThames GatewayCommission for Architecture and the Built EnvironmentOPDM
British biologist uses carbon trading to grow forests
By Clarence Fernandez
KUCHING Malaysia Dec Reuters British biologist Ian
Swingland took up the idea of trading commodities to fund
afforestation programs after he witnessed the devastation
caused by logging in the Malaysian rainforests of Borneo in
two decades after his first visit there
Swingland lived alone for two years in the s on the
coral atoll of Aldabra in the Indian Ocean There he studied
the giant tortoises numbering around the islands
only other inhabitants
Now his company has bought about hectares
acres of Kangaroo Island Australias thirdlargest island to
demonstrate that afforestation can offer a major investment
opportunity through trading in carbon credits
Conventional conservation is a disaster story Swingland
the founder of Britains Durrell Institute of Conservation and
Ecology at the University of Kent said in an interview
What isnt a disaster is where you make a business of it
and everybodys lives are improved by it and we give them
ownership of their own future
Kangaroo Island off the state of South Australia is home
to two nature reserves with koala populations but about
hectares acres of native bushland exists on privately
held land
We are going to reforest the area with pine and eucalyptus
species that are indigenous to the island said Eric
Bettelheim chairman of Sustainable Forestry Management Ltd
the company he and Swingland have set up with a third partner
Carbon trading is a key part of the European Unions
strategy to cut emissions of heattrapping gases under the
Kyoto Protocol
The EU Emissions Trading Scheme launched this year covers
European manufacturing plants and power stations and
lets companies that emit below their limits sell credits into
the market where they trade as a commodity Under the scheme
million tonnes of carbon dioxide which is blamed for
global warming have been traded Industry groups forecast the
value of business this year at billion
A major initiative in trading of emission credits is the
clean development mechanism that gives companies credits for
funding environmentally friendly projects in developing
nations
A WINWIN SITUATION
Other scientists welcomed Swinglands initiative at the
meeting in Sarawak one of the two Malaysian states on the
island of Borneo which teems with luxuriant plant and animal
life
I think its a winwin situation said Mick Poole former
chief of Australias CSIRO Centre for Environment and Life
Sciences and an expert on how climate change affects farming
Not only do you put in trees it has other benefits such
as improving soil salinity and the watershed and so on
New South Wales is the only Australian state where carbon
is traded said Noel Ryan a climate change analyst with the
Wilderness Society But other states and national territories
are in talks to establish a national emissions trading system
Theres a lot of opposition from the federal government at
the moment but everybody expects that there will be carbon
trading everywhere in the future Ryan said
Analysts say Australias federal government which is not a
signatory to the Kyoto Protocol believes that putting caps on
emissions of gases would hurt industry and curb job growth
Sustainable Forestry Management which has similar projects
in countries from Brazil to Morocco and Tanzania chose
Australia for its mature financial and forestry sectors and
experienced local partners who could meet Western standards of
accountability and transparency Bettelheim said
Trees in tropical countries store far more carbon than
those in more temperate zones offering Asia an edge in the
carbon storage business said Bettelheim a lawyer who worked
on derivatives trading contracts in Chicago
Theres a lot of rain a lot of sunshine and it never
freezes he said He estimated that a tropical tree could
absorb up to tonnes of carbon from the atmosphere each year
against just one tonne for a tree in a temperate zone
Sir Peter Crane director of the Royal Botanic Gardens at
Kew agreed with Bettelheim I could believe that he said
Its quite likely that you have a lot more biomass locked up
in lowland forests I could believe certain types of forests in
the tropics not all forests but certain types of forests
Bettelheim said his company had investors mostly
individuals who had poured in tens of millions of dollars But
he gave no names or sums
The firm hopes to start operations in Asian countries such
as Malaysia or India once they begin to frame legal and
financial rules to permit carbon trading he added
Malaysian officials are examining carbon trading regimes
across the world to understand how they could benefit
Sarawak forestry official Cheong Ek Choon said the state
was studying different nations schemes but had made no
decision
Some types of plantations qualify some dont he said
At least now there is some monetary value being placed on
trees
Chief Minister Mahmud Taib said it was a tough balancing
act to weigh Sarawaks development needs against conservation
aims and only the prospect of concrete benefits would spur
people to protect the environment
As you know this carbon sink scheme has never taken off
the ground very much he said If you dont even have
incentives how can you get people to look after the
environment
S Koreas environmental spending growth accelerates in
SEOUL Dec Yonhap South Koreas spending on
environmental protection grew at a faster pace in than a year
earlier as public spending on incinerators and food waste
recyclers increased the nations central bank said Thursday
South Koreas government corporate and household spending on
environmental facilities rose percent yearonyear to
trillion won US billion last year compared with a
percent advance in according to the Bank of Korea BOK
Public spending on waste treatment facilities such as
incinerators and food waste recyclers contributed to the surge
said Lee Kwanghan an assistant head of the BOKs economics
statistics bureau Spending on sewage treatment also accounted
for the largest portion of the government spending
The environmental spending accounted for percent of the
nations total gross domestic product last year up from
percent in the bank said
South Korea bought trillion won worth of environmental
facilities from overseas up percent Public imports rose
percent to trillion won the bank said
END
French ecologists seek to stop transfer of mothballed ship to India
PARIS Dec AFP French ecologists said Friday they plan to take legal
action to try to stop the transfer of the decommissioned aircraft carrier the
Clemenceau with asbestosladen insulation to India to be broken down into
scrap metal
Two groups Ban Asbestos and the National Association for the Defense of
Asbestos Victims or ANDEVA had talks Friday with the office of Frances
defense minister Michele AlliotMarie
We disagreed on the issue and due to that we will pursue legal action
said Annie ThebaudMony a spokeswoman for Ban Asbestos
The dispute centers on the amount of asbestos still present in the ship
between to tonnes ThebaudMony said
According to the government tonnes of the ships asbestosladen
insulation have already been removed in the French southern port city of Toulon
and there are only several dozen tonnes of asbestos left
The Clemenceau will leave for a shipbuilder in India in the next few
days said ministry spokesman JeanFrancois Bureau who added that in order to
tow the mothballed ship to India it could not be totally dismantled in France
Greenpeace and other rights groups have argued against the industrialized
nations exporting ships to Asia where the workers in the shipyards are not
sufficiently protected from dangerous substances such as asbestos
mopcmtdbockjm
EssexThames GatewayCommission for Architecture and the Built EnvironmentOPDM
EssexThames GatewayCommission for Architecture and the Built EnvironmentOPDM
EssexThames GatewayCommission for Architecture and the Built EnvironmentOPDM
EssexThames GatewayCommission for Architecture and the Built EnvironmentOPDM
Robert ClarkGeorgia Innocence Project
space burialSpace Services Inc
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KHABAROVSK Russia Dec Xinhua China will provide an additional tons of activated carbon to help Russia fight the chemical slick from Chinas Songhua River the Chinese consul general in the Far Eastern city of Khabarovsk said on Saturday
China has already provided Russia with tons of activated carbon and nine chromatographs for testing water samples and informed Russian officials of the trail of the chemical slick on a daily basis Consul General Fan Xianrong told Xinhua
A Chinese working group visited Moscow Khabarovsk and the Jewish autonomous region on Dec to brief Russian officials on the status of the chemical slick and discuss cooperation in monitoring water quality Fan said
The chemical spill in the Songhua River was caused by a blast at a petrochemical plant early November in northeastern Jilin province About tons of benzene a harmful chemical are believed to have spewed into the river
The toxic spill from the Songhua River reached Khabarovsk on Thursday and is expected to move out on Tuesday Fan said
Benzene levels in Khabarovsks rivers have not exceeded the safety norm Water supply in the city was not affected and residents did not stockpile on bottled water Fan added Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Following are some of the major international news stories scheduled to be covered or pursued by Xinhua on Sunday
Fujimoris sons visit him in Chilean jail
Guatemala protests against US antimigrant law
Technical failure blamed for Azerbaijani plane crash
Bird flu detected again in Romania Enditem
NEW YORK Negotiators for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority MTA and the Transport Workers Union TWU continued their negotiation Saturday in a bid to hammer out a contract following the unions threeday strike
The two sides are meeting under a media blackout but word is leaking out that significant progress has been made New YorkStrike
KHARTOUM Sudan on Saturday denied connection with the conflict in neighboring Chad vowing not to interfere in Chadian internal affairs
These statements were made by AlSemani AlWasila AlSemani minister of state with Sudanese Foreign Ministry following talks with an African Union AU delegation mediating between Sudan and Chad SudanChad
BAGHDAD Kidnappers threatened to kill a staff of the Jordanian embassy in Iraq unless Jordan releases a female suicide bomber involved in the triple bomb attacks that hit Amman in November according to a video aired on Saturday by the alArabiya satellite channel
The kidnappers identifying themselves as the Hawk Brigades also demanded the Jordanian government withdraw its diplomats in Iraq and cut all ties with the Iraqi government backed by the United States within three days according to the channel IraqHostage
KINSHASA Voters in the Democratic Republic of Congo DRC have given a commanding YES to a postwar constitution paving the way for general polls next year according to partial results released Saturday
About percent voters voted YES in nearly three quarters of polling stations in last Sundays referendum while percent chose No the Independent Electoral Commission said giving the new constitution unassailable lead CongoReferendum Enditem
SANTIAGO Dec Xinhua Former Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori had received a visit from three of his four children in the Military Police School in Santiago where he is being detained the Chilean press reported Saturday
Keiko Hiro and Kenji Fujimori came to the jail and visited their father along with Andres Reggiard leader of the Change coalition which brought Fujimori to power in according to the reports
Fujimori who is awaiting court proceedings for extradition to Peru will spend Christmas in jail accompanied only by the prison staff and all presents he receives will be thoroughly checked prison officials told the press
Fujimori who fled Peru after his decadelong government collapsed five years ago arrived here after years in exile in Japan to prepare for the presidential election scheduled for April in Peru He was arrested by the Chilean police on Nov
Peruvian President Alejandro Toledos cabinet approved on Friday charges against Fujimori a key step toward formally requesting the former presidents extradition from Chile to stand trial
The charges include the killing of people in two death squad massacres illegal phone tapping diversion of state funds to the intelligence service and bribing of politicians
Fujimori has denied all the accusations saying they are part of efforts to sabotage his plans to again run for president Enditem
BUENOS AIRES Dec Xinhua The first South American international physics and mathematics center will be set up in Argentina and start work in a government official said on Saturday
Fidel Schaposnik a researcher from La Plata National University will be director of the center which is financially supported by all South American countries
The establishment of the center is part of the activities of the international year of physics which marks the centenary of the publication of Albert Einsteins theory of relativity Enditem
MEXICO CITY Dec Xinhua Seven people were killed in two separate road accidents in Mexico and Brazil media reports said on Saturday
A fatal accident in Brazil killed three including the bus driver and left more injured It occurred on the President Dutra Highway linking Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo Brazils highway police told the local media on Saturday
A Brasileiro Espresso coach veered off the road and smashed into a tree after the driver lost control while speeding passengers told the media The scene of the accident was close to Volta Redonda a city in the Rio de Janeiro state
In Mexico four people died and two others were hurt when a car returning from a Christmas party drove into the opposite lane on the MoreliaUruapan highway in southwestern Mexico and hit a van headon representatives of Mexicos Federal Preventative Police told the local media on Saturday Enditem
KINSHASA Dec Xinhua UN peacekeepers and government troops of the Democratic Republic of Congo DRC on Saturday regained the control of a town used as a military base by a militia gang after days of a joint operation
Some UN peacekeepers and Congolese soldiers launched an attack on Nioka in the eastern Ituri province and won control of the town after days of fighting a spokesman of the UN forces in Congo was quoted by press reports as saying
About gunmen were killed in the combat the spokesman added The militia with about gunmen had been using Nioka as a base to mount attacks and rob civilians
The fighting came days after percent of the Congolese voters agreed to a postwar constitution in the Dec referendum paving the way for general polls next year
The DRC formerly Zaire is rich in minerals but ravaged by its last war from to which left nearly million people dead most from disease and hunger
The war officially ended in but bands of gunmen refused to be disarmed and continued terrorizing civilians in large areas of the country particularly in the lawless but mineralrich eastern region Enditem
LIMA Dec Xinhua Bolivias Presidentelect Evo Morales will impose a new tax on people with more than US dollars in property after he takes office in January Alvaro Garcia Linera who Morales named as his vice president said on Saturday
But the new tax will be very different from the measure that brought down former President Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada in Garcia Linera said according to reports from the Bolivian capital of La Paz
We would be crazy to impose the kind of tax that we fought years ago he said The measure was a progressive income tax whereas the currently proposed tax would only apply to betteroff people
On Friday outgoing Finance Minister Waldo Gutierrez said economic conditions in Bolivia are currently very good
Bolivias gross domestic product GDP is projected to grow by percent in and a similar performance is expected next year Inflation is estimated at percent this year down from percent last year The government has slashed its fiscal deficit to an estimated percent of GDP in down from percent in
In addition the International Monetary Fund agreed this week to forgive million dollars owed to it by Bolivia percent of the countrys total foreign debt
Economist Carlos Villegas top adviser to the incoming government said Bolivias free market approach has driven up unemployment and fed the countrys informal economy but he added that Morales team has not yet worked out a reform plan
Bolivias electoral court announced on Wednesday that Morales has won the presidential election making him the first indigenous president in the Andean country Enditem
ABU DHABI Dec Xinhua The Arab satellite TV channel alArabiya aired on Saturday an audio recording allegedly from Ayman alZawahiri the secondhighestranking leader of the alQaida terror network
In the recording Zawahiri Osama bin Ladens righthand man said the Taliban still controls large parts of Afghanistan
The Islamic administration is thanks be to God still present It controls large parts of the east and south of Afghanistan and is waging a sustained guerilla campaign against the crusaders and apostates said the voice purportedly from Zawahiri
AlArabiya said it was unable to determine the exact date of the recording as Zawahiri did not speak of recent events
On Dec the Qatarbased alJazeera TV channel also broadcast a video in which Zawahiri claimed that bin Laden was still alive and called upon alQaida fighters to unite in the holy war against the West Enditem
BOGOTA Dec Xinhua Colombian soldiers found a bag containing explosives and bombmaking materials outside President Alvaro Uribes ranch in the countryside a presidential spokesman said on Saturday
The C explosives detonator cords and other bombmaking materials were found Friday after a neighbor reported a suspicious bag near a road on which Uribe used to jog the spokesman said
Uribe left the ranch km northwest of Bogota on Saturday morning after spending the night there
Since taking office in the president has been the target of several assassination attempts including a rocket attack during his inauguration and an attack against his motorcade
He is running for reelection next year on promises of continuing his offensive against rebels
Colombia has been locked in a fourdecade civil war the longest in Latin America in which government forces leftist guerrillas and farright paramilitaries fight one another The conflict kills more than people annually Enditem
MEXICO CITY Dec Xinhua The Guatemalan government lodged a protest to the United States against its planned antiimmigration bill and agreed with Mexico to fight it together the Guatemalan Foreign Ministry said on Saturday
Under the bill a fencing of km will be built along the km border between the United States and Mexico Military technologies will also be used to prevent undocumented immigration
Illegal immigrants and those who help them including their family members will be taken as criminals the bill said
The draft has been passed by the US House of Representatives and is being considered by the Senate
Guatemalan Foreign Minister Jorge Briz told reporters that the initiative is discriminatory and potentially harmful to Guatemalans who travel to the United States without documents
The Guatemalan government would also present similar complaints to leaders of the two US parties Briz said
The official added that he would go to Mexico next week to meet with his Mexican counterpart Luis Ernesto Derbez coordinate a campaign against the bill
About million Guatemalans are living in the United States and percent of them have no legal documents Enditem
WASHINGTON Dec Xinhua US President George W Bush telephoned Colombian President Alvaro Uribe on Saturday to discuss regional developments a White House spokesman said
The two leaders wished each other a Merry Christmas and noted the progress in bilateral relations over the past year said the spokesman Allen Abney
They also briefly discussed developments in the region and the work ahead in including reaffirming their commitment to a free trade agreement he added
As a close Washington ally Uribe is running for reelection next year after the countrys Constitutional Court last month approved his candidacy
The United States has provided billions of dollars of military aid to the Colombian government which is fighting rampant drug trafficking and a yearold insurgency Enditem
STOCKHOLM Dec Xinhua Swedish Foreign Minister Laila Freivalds blamed for slow response to help Swedes caught up in the Asian tsunami has decided to pull out of a ceremony marking the disasters first anniversary
Out of consideration to those who are grieving I will therefore honor the tsunami victims by following the ceremony in another way she said in a statement on Saturday
Freivalds had been due to attend the ceremony in Stockholm on Monday together with Prime Minister Goran Persson But plans for her presence had sparked strong reactions from the bereaved families who will also attend the event
Sweden was the hardesthit country outside Asia A total of Swedes died in the disaster mostly at Thai sea resorts Enditem
BUCHAREST Dec Xinhua Another case of bird flu was discovered on Saturday in southeastern Romania where domestic birds were quickly killed the Mediafax news agency reported
All domestic birds in the village of Albesti were culled after preliminary tests showed that some of them were positive for the H type of bird flu an official of the national veterinary authority said
More tests are being made to see if it is the deadly HN strain which has killed nearly people in Asia in the past two years
It is the third incident of bird flu detected this week in the Ialomita county following outbreaks in the villages of Stelnica and Traian
Bird flu has been found in villages in or near the Danube Delta on the Black Sea the Agriculture Ministry said adding that more than birds have been killed in the country since the first case was detected in October
Romania has seen the bird flu virus spread rapidly although most cases have been confined to the Danube river delta located some km from Bucharest on a major migration path of wild birds So far no human cases have been reported Enditem
ALMA ATA Dec Xinhua A blast struck a regional administration building in Kyrgyzstan on Sunday but no casualties were reported at present according to reports from the Kyrgyz capital of Bishkek
The explosion shattered windows of an administration building and nearby houses in the southwest Osh region a spokesman for local police said
The spokesman said preliminary information showed that the explosion was the result of a gas leak but he did not rule out the possibility of a terrorist act
Were working on the terrorist act version as well he added Enditem
SOFIA Dec Xinhua Bulgarian President Georgi Parvanov said he was expecting a breakthrough in talks to win the release of five Bulgarian nurses and a Palestinian doctor sentenced to death in Libya for infecting children with HIV
Parvanov indicated that negotiations with Tripoli to secure the medical workers release had entered a new more positive stage before Libyas Supreme Court was to hear an appeal on Sunday
I have reasons to expect a development of the negotiation process which would lead to a breakthrough to a positive result which is expected for such a long time Parvanov said in comments published on Saturday in the Hours daily newspaper
In a case that become a hurdle to Tripolis efforts to improve ties with the West the five nurses and the doctor were convicted in May of transfusing HIVcontaminated blood into Libyan children at a hospital in the Mediterranean port of Benghazi and they were sentenced to death by firing squad
At their trial in May all the six defendants pleaded not guilty The nurses said they are innocent and their confessions were extracted under torture
AIDS experts have said the outbreak started before the nurses arrived and was probably caused by poor hygiene
Sofia Brussels and Washington have denounced the verdicts as unfair and have repeatedly pressed for the release of the six medical workers while Libya has highlighted the tragedy of the families of the infected children
The two sides came closer on Thursday with an agreement to set up a special fund to help the families of the victims
The fund whose size has not been specified was agreed on in talks on Thursday in Tripoli which also included representatives of the European Union the United States and Britain Bulgarias Foreign Ministry said
Sofia agreed to the fund in Thursdays deal although it has rejected paying compensation to the families of the HIVinfected children in previous talks saying this would be seen as admission of guilt Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Christmas celebrations reached a climax at the weekend with people around the world praying for peace for the upcoming year
In the West Bank town of Bethlehem thousands of tourists and pilgrims gathered on Saturday evening in festivities that capped the most peaceful year since the outbreak of IsraeliPalestinian fighting in September
Latin Patriarch Michel Sabbah the top Roman Catholic official in the Holy Land called on Israel and the Palestinians to halt years of violence and begin a new era of peacemaking during his midnight Mass sermon on Christmas Eve
He said the two sides should put the past on hold to make room for a new future to begin while celebrating mass at St Catherines Church adjacent to the traditional birthplace of Jesus
Sabbah also called for an end to Israels killing of Palestinian militants saying the practice has failed to improve security or halt the cycle of violence
Both Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said in messages that they were committed to peacemaking in
In our bitter and painful reality we use this spiritual and religious occasion to send a message of peace to our Israeli neighbors said Abbas
Sharons office said the prime minister also hopes that the new year will bring Israel and the Palestinians peace and security
We all need peace and I intend to make every effort to achieve it said Sharon who is standing for reelection in March on a platform of ending conflict with the Palestinians
Across the Mediterranean Pope Benedict lit a candle for world peace at the window of his apartment as thousands of pilgrims gathered at the Vatican for the first midnight mass of his pontificate
On this night when we look toward Bethlehem let us pray in a special way for the birthplace of our Redeemer and for the men and women who live and suffer there Benedict said in his homily at the traditional midnight mass in St Peters basilica attended by thousands of faithful
We wish to pray for peace in the Holy Land Look O Lord upon this corner of the earth your homeland which is so very dear to you Let your light shine upon it Let it know peace
In Baghdad minority Christians celebrated the midnight mass several hours before dusk because of a night curfew and the danger of being out late at night
Iraqi national television broadcast live part of the ceremony led by the patriarch of Babylon and head of the Chaldean Catholic Church Emmanuel III Delly
We will all ask God for peace and security because he is the king of peace he said in his sermon
Earlier Delly said before the mass I do not want to make a distinction between Christians and Muslims we are all Iraqis A car bomb kills without distinguishing between Christians and Muslims
In the meantime disharmonious incidents occurred in some Asian countries with Indonesian bomb squads scouring churches amid fears of a repeat of Christmas Eve bombings by extremists five years ago which claimed lives
Indonesians were warned to beware of bombs possibly giftwrapped and left in public places with anxieties heightened over possible revenge attacks for last months killing of Malaysian bombmaker Azahari Husin a key member of the Jemaah Islamiyah extremist network
In Sri Lanka a legislator of the Tamil National Alliance was shot dead at a midnight mass in the Eastern Province police said
Joseph Pararajasingham was shot at about am GMT at close range by two gunmen at St Marys cocathedral church at Batticaloa about km east of the capital Colombo
In Kabul a rocket explosion shook the Afghan capital on Saturday evening when many international forces were celebrating their biggest festival
The rocket hit a house in Yaka Tut area of Kabul city just now but left no casualty till now Sabir the police chief of District of Kabul told Xinhua
Yaka Tut area is in the east part of Kabul city and many camps of the International Security Assistance Force and some UN compounds are located there Enditem
COLOMBO A leading legislator from Sri Lankas Tamil party Tamil National Alliance TNA was shot dead at a midnight mass in the Eastern Province police said Sunday
The yearold Joseph Pararajasingham was shot at about am GMT at close range by unidentified gunmen at St Marys cocathedral church at Batticaloa about km east of the capital Colombo Sri LankaMPKilling
BUCHAREST Another case of bird flu was discovered on Saturday in southeastern Romania where domestic birds were quickly killed the Mediafax news agency reported
All domestic birds in the village of Albesti were culled after preliminary tests showed that some of them were positive for the H type of bird flu an official of the national veterinary authority said RomaniaBird flu
ABU DHABI The Arab satellite TV channel alArabiya aired on Saturday an audio recording allegedly from Ayman alZawahiri the secondhighestranking leader of the alQaida terror network
In the recording Zawahiri Osama bin Ladens righthand man said the Taliban still controls large parts of Afghanistan Saudi ArabiaAudio recordingTaliban
KABUL Four Taliban militants were killed in an explosion Saturday when they installed the explosives in Afghanistans southern province of Kandahar a local official said Sunday
Last night at about pm a group of Taliban militants were installing some explosives in the roadside of Ashqabad village of Maiwand district when the explosives suddenly exploded We have found the bodies of four Taliban militants and the investigation work is still going on Mohammad nabi Edari the district chief told Xinhua AfghanistanTalibanExplosion Enditem
ISLAMABAD Dec Xinhua An earthquake rocked Pakistans
capital on Sunday but there were no immediate reports of injuries or
damage Enditem
TIRANA Dec Xinhua Albanian police seized over one tonne of marijuana and arrested people in separate operations on Christmas Eve the countrys police chief said on Sunday
In an operation dubbed Buna police discovered one tonne of marijuana and kg of marijuana seeds while conducting search in the northern districts of Shkoder and Malesi Emadhe said Albanias police chief Bajram Ibraj Four suspects were captured in the raid
In the southwestern port city of Vlore kg of marijuana was seized when four members of a local drugtrafficking group were netted in operation Bobi
During coordinated actions in the capital Tirana and the coastal area of Lushnje police stormed eight locations where stolen cars were stored and arrested ten people Enditem
MOSCOW Dec Xinhua A Russian carrier rocket put three satellites of its Global Navigation Satellite System GLONASS in orbit on Sunday the Space Troops said
A ProtonK rocket carrying the three GLONASS satellites blasted off from the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at am GMT said Alexei Kuznetsov spokesman of the Space Troops quoted by the ItarTass news agency
The satellites separated from the carrier rocket and reached their target orbits later
GLONASS is designed to provide navigation to sea air space and land users in any part of the globe Fourteen GLONASS satellites are currently in orbit Enditem
BERLIN Dec Xinhua A crashed car burst into flames in a tunnel in the southern German state of BadenWuerttemberg on Sunday killing all its five passengers and injuring four others local police said
The car first crashed against the tunnel wall and then collided with another car coming from the opposite direction before finally slamming into the wall and bursting into flames
Its five passengers all killed in the accident were young people aged between and
The four injured were in the car being crashed into The injuries were not severe as they were allowed to leave hospital after some medical treatment
The police said they were traveling to an Austrian ski resort when the accident happened
The cause of the accident is being investigated Enditem
BUENOS AIRES Dec Xinhua Martin Palermo forward for Boca Juniors soccer club married former model Lorena Barrichi on Friday in the San Benito Abad church in Buenos Aires the Argentine press said on Saturday
The ceremony came a scant few days after Boca won both the Copa Sudamericana and the Argentine opening league tournament
Palermo began seeing Barrichi six years ago after separating from his first wife Jaqueline Dutra with whom he has one child
Boca teammates at the luxurious reception included goalkeeper Roberto Abbondanzieri forward Guillermo Barros Schelotto and defender Rolando Schiavi Other footballing colleagues travelled to the wedding from Spain where Palermo had played for league club Villarreal from to
On Sunday Dec Boca beat Pumas soccer club from Mexicos National Autonomuous University to win the Copa Sudamerica Enditem
RIO DE JANEIRO Dec Xinhua Brazilian soccer forward Ronaldo Nazario told Brazilian television on Saturday that he wants to set a new World Cup goal record at the Germany World Cup
The current goal record was set by Germanys Gerd Muller who scored goals in the Mexico World Cup and four in Germanys World Cup
Germany will be a unique opportunity to enter history and set a record that will be hard for anyone to beat said Ronaldo
The Brazilian scored four goals in France in and eight in the JapanSouth Korea World Cup in when Brazil won its fifth World Cup trophy Enditem
SAO PAULO Dec Xinhua Alex Barros will quit the MotoGP to ride in the World Superbike championship next season local media reported Saturday
The Brazilian said he made the decision after failing to receive any good offers from MotoGP teams for
I dont want to compete if I cant be a contender Barros told the sports daily Lance My goal now is to be a world champion in the Superbike
The yearold who had raced seasons in the MotoGP said he expects to sign a contract with a Superbike team sometime soon
Barros won seven races in his MotoGP career which began in He finished eighth overall this year with the Camel Honda team Enditem
WASHINGTON Dec Xinhua Following are the leaders of the National Basketball Association through Dec
Scoring G FG FT PTS AVG
Iverson Phil
Bryant LAL
James Clev
Arenas Wash
Nowitzki Dall
Wade Mia
Pierce Bos
Brand LAC
Redd Mil
Allen Sea
Carter NJ
Anthony Den
ONeal Ind
Richardson GS
Bosh Tor
Hamilton Det
Garnett Minn
Lewis Sea
Duncan SA
Davis Bos
FG Percentage FG FGA PCT
Haywood Wash
Brezec Char
Mourning Mia
AbdurRahim Sac
Bogut Mil
Parker SA
Garnett Minn
Brand LAC
Gooden Clev
Wallace Char
Rebounds G OFF DEF TOT AVG
Camby Den
Howard Orl
B Wallace Det
Duncan SA
Marion Phoe
Brand LAC
Jamison Wash
ONeal Ind
Magloire Mil
Garnett Minn
Assists G AST AVG
Nash Phoe
Davis GS
Billups Det
Knight Char
Miller Den
Kidd NJ
Iverson Phil
Ford Mil
Paul NOk
Cassell LAC
Enditem
NAIROBI Dec Xinhua Woman boxer Conjestina Achieng of Kenya won the World Boxing Foundation middleweight boxing title here on Saturday
Achieng who had her IBF crown won the foundation title when Argentine opponent Guillermina Fernandez conceded her defeat seconds after the opening bell
Thus Achieng improved to her fourth victory by technical knockout Fernandez fell to Enditem
NAIROBI Dec Xinhua Thousands of spectators on Saturday exploded into thunderous applause as Kenyas Conjestina Achieng easily stopped Argentine Guillermina Fernandez to lay hands on the World Boxing Foundation WBF middleweight world title local newspaper reported Sunday
According to newspaper The Sunday Standard the venue for the historic match that later turned into a mismatch was the Kenyatta International Conference Center Plenary Hall in Nairobi where Kenyas first proboxing bout in postindependent Kenya was staged in
It took Achieng just minute and seconds to silence the Argentine after a flurry of punches that prompted coach Carlos Herrera to throw in the towel
Fans felt cheated by the Argentines flair and pace as she at no time posed threat to the Kenyan glamor girl
Guillermina didnt look like a boxer and was always backtracking all the way as if to shirk from Achiengs onslaught
At first Achieng played it cool but exploded with a series of devastating shots that slumped the Argentine to the canvass
Guillermina survived the mandatory count and rose to her feet Little did she know the deadly shots that were on the way
A few seconds later Achieng bombarded her opponent with swift left and right deliveries that sent her reeling on the ropes
It was just as I had predicted that she would kiss the canvass soon after the opening gong I had trained for six months and I am now calling on the big girls of the middleweight to come forward and challenge me They have been avoiding me all through but now their days are numbered a jubilant Achieng said
Achieng who lost two of her titles early last month said the WBF would open doors for bigger fights abroad
She is planned to fight American Yvonne Reiss for the World Boxing Council world title in March in Nairobi Enditem
NAIROBI Dec Xinhua Thousands of spectators on Saturday exploded into thunderous applause as Kenyas Conjestina Achieng easily stopped Argentine Guillermina Fernandez to lay hands on the World Boxing Foundation WBF middleweight world title local newspaper reported Sunday
According to newspaper The Sunday Standard the venue for the historic match that later turned into a mismatch was the Kenyatta International Conference Center Plenary Hall in Nairobi where Kenyas first proboxing bout in postindependent Kenya was staged in
It took Achieng just minute and seconds to silence the Argentine after a flurry of punches that prompted coach Carlos Herrera to throw in the towel
Fans felt cheated by the Argentines flair and pace as she at no time posed threat to the Kenyan glamor girl
Guillermina didnt look like a boxer and was backtracking all the way as if to shirk from Achiengs onslaught
At first Achieng played it cool but exploded with a series of devastating shots that slumped the Argentine to the canvass
Guillermina survived the mandatory count and rose to her feet Little did she know the deadly shots that were on the way
A few seconds later Achieng bombarded her opponent with swift left and right deliveries that sent her reeling on the ropes
It was just as I had predicted that she would kiss the canvass soon after the opening gong I had trained for six months and I am now calling on the big girls of the middleweight to come forward and challenge me They have been avoiding me all through but now their days are numbered a jubilant Achieng said
Achieng who lost two of her titles early last month said the WBF would open doors for bigger fights abroad
She is planned to fight American Yvonne Reiss for the World Boxing Council world title in March in Nairobi Enditem
MADRID Dec Xinhua Real Madrid legend Alfredo Di Stefano who led the Spanish giants to five consecutive European Cups between and and eight Spanish league is in serious condition after suffering a heart attack
Local reports said Sunday that Di Stefano is in need of bypass surgery
Di Stefano is suffering from an acute heart condition with a ventricular malfunction requiring a bypass the hospital statement which appeared on Real Madrids official website reported
The dual European Footballer of the Year suffered the heart attack in the early hours of Saturday morning
Di Stefano was born on July in Buenos Aires and began his career at River Plate Argentina and Bogotas Millionarios Colombia before making his mark at Real between and Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Following are the results of the th round matches from the Chinese Basketball Association CBA league on Sunday home teams in CAPs
SHANGHAI SHARKS bt Dongguan New Century
BAYI ROCKETS bt Fujian SBS
LIAONING HUNTERS bt Xinjiang Guanghui
Yunnan Honghe bt ZHEJIANG CYCLONES
JILIN NORTHEAST TIGERS bt Shaanxi Dongsheng
Beijing Ducks bt SHANDONG FLAMMING BULLS
Guangdong Hongyuan bt JIANGSU DRAGONS
Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Following are the standings of the Chinese Basketball Association CBA league after the th round matches played on Sunday
South Conference
Guangdong Hongyuan
Bayi Rockets
Jiangsu Dragons
Yunnan Honghe
Shanghai Sharks
Zhejiang Cyclones
Fujian SBS
Dongguan New Century
North Conference
Beijing Ducks
Xinjiang Guanghui
Jilin Northeast Tigers
Liaoning Hunters
Shandong Flaming Bulls
Shaanxi Dongsheng
Henan Jigang
Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Following are the fixtures of the Chinese Basketball Association CBA league th round matches to be played on Tuesday and Wednesday home teams listed first
Playing on Tuesday Dec
Liaoning Hunters vs Shaanxi Dongsheng
Playing on Wednesday Dec
Jiangsu Dragons vs Dongguan New Century
Bayi Rockets vs Yunnan Honghe
Jilin Northeast Tigers vs Xinjiang Guanghui
Beijing Ducks vs Henan Jigang
Zhejiang Cyclones vs Fujian SBS
Shanghai Sharks vs Guangdong Hongyuan
Enditem
MOSCOW Dec Xinhua German Klaus Toppmoeller will be Georgias national soccer team coach for the next two years Nodar Akhalkatsy president of the Georgian soccer federation said on Sunday
The German would sign a formal contract within two weeks Akhalkatsy told reporters
Toppmoeller will replace caretaker coach Gaioz Darsadze who quit following a poor World Cup qualifying campaign in which the Georgians finished second from bottom of European Group Two
Toppmoeller has been out of work since October when he was fired by Bundesliga club Hamburg SV after a string of poor results
He was named German Coach of the Year in after leading Bayer Leverkusen to the Champions League finals the German Cup and second place in the Bundesliga But the next season proved to be disappointing and Toppmoeller was sacked by Leverkusen in February Enditem
BERLIN Dec Xinhua Toyota are planning to offer Finnish Formula One driver Kimi Raikkonen a five year contract worth an estimated million euros from German newspaper Bild reported on Sunday
The Finn who finished runnerup to Fernando Alonso this season after winning seven races is contracted to McLaren until the end of
Enditem
SANYA Dec Xinhua Thousands of foreign tourists spent a green and sunny Christmas eve Saturday in Chinas southernmost scenic city of Sanya
Most western tourists who were accustomed to white Christmas now found the religious festival quite different in this tropical city in Hainan Province which boasts tropical plants and fruits that give you an impression of spring
I have never spent a Silent Night like this in my life I can drink champagne with my family near the shore bathing in the warm breeze with the fresh smell of the sea said Luca Ivanova from St Petersburg Russia which is undergoing the freezing winter season
The women who came along with a Russian tourist group said all her partners enjoyed the celebration activities very much which include barbecue performance games and firework playing
Jiang Guifang a middleaged tourist from northeast Chinas Liaoning Province said it was her third time to spent winter in Hainan and each time she has seen throngs of foreign tourists enjoying a warm and green Christmas here Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua An underground railway stretching for about nine kilometers will connect two major railway stations in Beijing in
The project was launched Saturday in a bid to provide conveniences for passengers who need to transfer between the two stations Beijing Railway Station and Beijing West Railway Station according to Beijing Railway Department
The project is also expected to relieve the stressed ground traffic situation in urban Beijing
Millions passengers transfer trains between the two stations annually It would take them at least half an hours ride to travel between the two stations
The project involves about billion yuan million US dollars and is expected to be completed and put into operation in Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua A replica of ancient timer instrument Beilou was unveiled and put into use Saturday at Beijing Drum Tower the former imperial tower used to tell time for the ancient capital
The instrument showed one of the ways ancient Chinese used to calculate time The wooden clock is about meters in height and meters in width with zigzag copper pipes standing inside according to Beijing Bell and Drum Tower Relics Protection Department
Operators would put copper balls from the upper part of the stelelike timer and the balls would roll down and make pleasant sounds when knocking against the curving copper pipes to tell time said Chen Meidong a scientist with China Academy of Sciences Chen took part in making the replica
The first ball was operated artificially while the others would follow automatically with the help of certain mechanism and each ball would follow the other every seconds and thus balls need minutes and balls would cost hours Chen said
The ancient timer was said to be developed by a monk in the Tang Dynasty and had been used in the dynasties of Tang Song Jin and Yuan according to historical records
Drum Tower is a historic structure perching on the northern end of Beijings central axis Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua A play by a group of Chinese amateur dramatists has collected waves of applauses from audiences by exploring ways for people to refresh their love and marriage
The play called In Heaven and On Earth was staged in Beijing Friday ahead of the Christmas Eve telling the story of a Chinese couple who are fed up with their boring life and looked forward to finding new love
Some time later they found their dreams failed and came to realize that it was themselves that have caused the problems within their marriage instead of others
The play has been staged times for a consecutive four years hitting the record box of a single performance in the range of small theater
The play teaches people what marriage is and how to live with it said Yuan Hong a wellknown drama critic in China claiming that most actors with the play are Chinese folk opera performers who have little practical experience in staging drama Enditem
By Xinhua Writer Meng Na
BEIJING Dec Xinhua A motion on abolishing the regulation concerning the agricultural tax was submitted to a legislative session of Chinas top legislature for deliberation and approval on Saturday
Chinas more than years old agricultural tax will be rooted out if it is approved at the th session of the Standing Committee of the th National Peoples Congress which is held here from Dec to
Liu Jibin vice director of the Financial and Economic Committee of the NPC said with decades of economic development the country had established a fine industry system at the same time the gap between industry and agriculture and the gap between city and countryside have widen
In a bid to narrow the income divide between urban citizens and rural citizens it is necessary to root out agricultural tax Moreover abolishing agricultural tax is conducive to building up a unified tax system for urban citizens and rural residents he said
Agricultural tax emerged in China as early as in the Period of Warring States BC And then agricultural taxes were collected in almost every feudal dynasties
In the NPC adopted the Regulation on Agricultural tax
Feng Shuping vice director of the Commission for Budget Affairs under the NPC Standing Committee said since the founding of the Peoples Republic of China in the Chinese government had always upheld the principle of increasing grain output but reducing taxes
In a Chinese farmer should bear grain tax as much as kilograms a year while the figure reduced to kilograms in although the annual grain output increased remarkably during the time
She said abolishing agricultural tax would help reduce farmers economic burden increase income and sharpen the countrys agricultural competitive power
In March Premier Wen Jiabao announced in his annual government work report that the Chinese government would reduce agricultural taxes year on year and finally exempted it
Since then provinces have decided by themselves to exempt agricultural taxes reducing tax burden worth of billion yuan for million farmers
Governments endeavor of reducing and exempting agricultural tax has accumulated experiences for the countrys top legislature to finally root out the category of agricultural tax Liu said
He said the economic losses caused by agricultural tax abolishment was within the countrys fiscal capacity
Statistics show that in agricultural tax revenue took up to percent of the countrys total tax revenue the percentage dropped to merely one percent in In the Chinese government only collected about billion yuan of agricultural taxes Therefore rooting out agricultural taxes could not influence the countrys financial revenue too much he said
He said abolishing agricultural taxes will reduce the local fiscal revenues For the economic welldeveloped provinces the losses caused by rooting out agricultural tax will be burdened by themselves for those backward western provinces or grain produce bases the central government arranged billion yuan to subsidize them in Enditem
GUANGZHOU Dec Xinhua A total of people responsible for the coal mine flooding that claimed lives four months ago in southern Chinas Guangdong Province have been punished the provincial discipline supervision authority announced Saturday
Among them including the chief of the provincial work safety watchdog and many other provinciallevel officials were given punishment in accordance with the disciplines of the Communist Party of China and government punishment
Another received criminal punishment on dereliction of duty bribery or detention
The Daxing Coal Mine of Xingning City was flooded on Aug when a total of miners were working underground Only four miners escaped
The mine had been operating without a licence and in violation of local government orders to shut down for inspections after a July flooding at another pit in the same city that killed Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua An amendment to the Criminal Law aiming at preventing baby gender selection was submitted to Chinas top legislature the National Peoples Congress NPC Standing Committee for deliberation Saturday
Earlier Chinas population and family planning authorities stated that baby gender selection has brought serious unbalanced gender ratio in some parts of China
The artificial gender selection can jeopardize Chinas population structure and greatly incur social instability said An Jian deputy director of the Commission of Legislative Affairs of the NPC Standing Committee
As a quite number of Chinese families particularly the rural residents prefer boys to girls underground trade for ultrasonic check prevails between some parents and local hospitals These parents will ask for abortion if fetus is found not male
Chinas boygirl ratio at birth is about to much higher than the world standard of to
The amendment specifies anyone who helps others or provides tools for baby selection purpose will be sentenced three years in jail and a fine
China has intensified its crackdown on such gender selections as provincial congresses have enacted regulations ruling that all baby gender selections of nonmedical necessity should be strictly prohibited Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua More than Christians and ordinary people attended a sacred ritual in a newlyestablished church in northeastern Beijing Saturday to mark the Christmas eve
The rite was the first grand ceremony held in the Chaoyang Christian Church the first of its kinds built in the capital city since when the Peoples Republic of China was founded according to Yu Lixin a senior priest with the Christian Association of China
The church located in the Chaoyang District began to receive Christians on Dec after a month construction which involves an investment up to millions of yuan from the Beijing Municipal Government
Constriction of another three churches is expected to finish next year in the districts of Fengtai Haidian and Yanqing according to Yu
Statistics from the municipal bureau of religion show that there are more than Christians and some priests in this capital city of China where about officially registered churches are offering Christian services
The municipal government has been working hard to provide a better environment for religious believers A large amount of fund has been injected to the renovation of some key churches in the downtown regions
However going to churches is not the only choice for ordinary Chinese to spend the Christmas eve
Christmas traditionally a Western holiday is becoming more and more popular in the oriental country and its people especially the youth are taking various ways to experience the exotic festival
Numerous young people thronged to bars KTVs night clubs and other entertainment facilities Saturday night Many shopping centers postponed their service time by several hours to meeting the purchase boom
Christmas is not only a purely religious festival for many Chinese as more consider it a nice opportunity to add some color to the life Enditem
CHONGQING Dec Xinhua Four people were poisoned to death and others are still suffering from food poisoning Saturday in southwestern Chinas Chongqing Municipality according to the local government
Many villagers were participating a birthday banquet for an elderly person in Qixing Village of Fengjie County and of them felt sick in the evening Most of the poisoned were children
Four villagers died in the hospital and three of the hospitalized are in critical situation doctors said
Investigation into the cause of the food poisoning is still underway Enditem
HANGZHOU Dec Xinhua Many young people ambitious to start their own businesses gathered here Saturday to search aid and channels for their future business development
A fiveday event jointly sponsored by the Central Committee of Communist Youth League of China and the Ministry of Labor and Social Security was kicked off in the city of Taizhou in east Chinas Zhejiang Province to help inexperienced young Chinese start businesses
Activities will be held during the period including seminars successful scheme presentation and project fairs
Some officials from across the country in charge of the youth campaign business experts successful young entrepreneurs and enterprises offering projects for young people participated the event
Official statistics show that over young people have started their own businesses in Zhejiang under the help of the provincial youth league
The local youth leagues at all levels have provided million yuan million US dollars on more than projects and created training and practicing bases for them
Chinese young people are faced with fierce competition in the labor market for million to million young people are added to Chinas labor force annually
Encouraging young people to start their own businesses in various sectors is considered to be an effective way to solve the employment problem in China Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The following are domestic news items released by Xinhua on Saturday
FM spokesman China allows no foreign interference in HK affairs
Guangdong launches purification plan on polluted water
Iron ore deposits found on QinghaiTibet Plateau
Theft suspect extradited to HK from US
Highlights of major Beijingbased newspapers Dec
Xinhua home news advisory Dec
Coal output in SW China province tops mln tons
DPRK vice premier starts China visit
China turns out first batch of rails for fast train
Birthplace of Chinese film listed in Guinness Book of World Records
URGENT Wang Daohan passes away in Shanghai
Foreign exchange rates in HK Dec
Gold price down in Hong Kong Dec
More farmers in Chinese national capital to be covered by safe net
Chinese version of MercedesBenz Eclass sedans hit market
Chinas inbound tourism keeps increasing
Airbus wants to expand cooperation with China to new level next year
Tightening antifakes program to boost HK tourism
China issues document to encourage timberuse efficiency and substitute
Roundup Christmas full of joy love care in Hong Kong
Wang Daohan passes away in Shanghai at age of
URGENT Chinas top legislature to vote to abolish regulation on agricultural tax
URGENT China amends Criminal Law to intensify fight against financial fraud
Peoples life in disasterhit areas should be ensured minister
Taiwans opposition party leaders express condolences over death of Wang Daohan
Death toll rises to in SW China gas explosion
URGENT Chinas top legislature to deliberate draft passport law
MC shows HK civil services efficiency HK official
Minister of Civil Affairs stresses emergency response management in disaster relief
KMT honorary chairman expresses condolence over Wang Daohans death
Prison breakers sentenced to death in central China province
China legislates against govt abuse of power nonfeasance
Air quality of major Chinese cities Dec
Weather information for AsiaPacific cities Dec
Efficient HK police build up reputation
China mulls revision to penal codes to combate money laundry
China amends Criminal Law to intensify fight against financial fraud
Fossil smuggling likely to face serious legal punishment
Interview Improving farming practice fundamental to fight bird flu in China
China Excusive China legislates against govt abuse of power nonfeasance
Website on human resources launched in Beijing
Shanghai people mourns death of Wang Daohan
China cracks down on illegally docking employees pay through legislation
Leaders of major parities in Taiwan express condolence over Wang Daohans death
China drafts passport law to standardize passport application
Bus runs into freezing river leaving passengers missing
Experiencing green Christmas eve in S China city
Underground line to connect two railway stations in Beijing
Ancient timer unveiled in former imperial tower in Beijing
Chinese amateur dramatists portraits common peoples marriage dilemma
China focus China to abolish more than years old agricultural tax
People responsible for coal mine accident that leaves dead punished
China amends criminal law for gender balance of population
Newlybuilt church in Beijing marks its first Christmas eve
Four killed in food poisoning in SW China
China encourages young people to tart their own businesses
Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The following are Chinas home news items released by Xinhua on Saturday
FM spokesman China allows no foreign interference in HK affairs
Guangdong launches purification plan on polluted water
Iron ore deposits found on QinghaiTibet Plateau
China sets up first website aiming to bridge between NGOs businesses
Coal output in SW China province tops mln tons
DPRK vice premier starts China visit
China turns out first batch of rails for fast train
Birthplace of Chinese film listed in Guinness Book of World Records
URGENT Wang Daohan passes away in Shanghai
Christmas becoming more popular among Chinese
More farmers in Chinese national capital to be covered by safe net
ROKs top retailer to launch first store in Beijing
Airbus wants to expand cooperation with China to new level next year
China issues document to encourage timberuse efficiency and substitute
Wang Daohan passes away in Shanghai at age of
URGENT Chinas top legislature to vote to abolish regulation on agricultural tax
URGENT China amends Criminal Law to intensify fight against financial fraud
Peoples life in disasterhit areas should be ensured minister
Taiwans opposition party leaders express condolences over death of Wang Daohan
Death toll rises to in SW China gas explosion
URGENT Chinas top legislature to deliberate draft passport law
Minister of Civil Affairs stresses emergency response management in disaster relief
KMT honorary chairman expresses condolence over Wang Daohans death
Prison breakers sentenced to death in central China province
China legislates against govt abuse of power nonfeasance
China mulls revision to penal codes to combate money laundry
China amends Criminal Law to intensify fight against financial fraud
China DPRK sign agreement on offshore oil development
Fossil smuggling likely to face serious legal punishment
Interview Improving farming practice fundamental to fight bird flu in China
China Excusive China legislates against govt abuse of power nonfeasance
Shanghai forum to promote crossStraits cultural exchanges
Shanghai people mourns death of Wang Daohan
China cracks down on illegally docking employees pay through legislation
Leaders of major parities in Taiwan express condolence over Wang Daohans death
China drafts passport law to standardize passport application
Bus runs into freezing river leaving passengers missing
Experiencing green Christmas eve in S China city
Ancient timer unveiled in former imperial tower in Beijing
China focus China to abolish more than years old agricultural tax
People responsible for coal mine accident that leaves dead punished
China amends criminal law for gender balance of population
Newlybuilt church in Beijing marks its first Christmas eve
Four killed in food poisoning in SW China
China encourages young people to tart their own businesses
Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Luo Gan member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China CPC Central Committee arrived here Sunday morning after an official goodwill visit to Argentina Uruguay and Cuba
His entourage arrived aboard the same plane including Wang Jiarui head of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee Wang Shengjun secretarygeneral of the Committee of the Political Science and Law under the CPC Central Committee Ma Wenpu deputy head of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee Zhang Xinfeng vice minister of public security and Duan Zhengkun vice minister of justice
Luos Latin American tour started on Dec Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Beijing is seeing a surge in automobile sales this holiday season with some license plates being issued daily since mid December
The Beijing Traffic Management Bureau said it usually issues about license plates everyday
The increased volume is putting a strain on local offices of the bureau We used to issue license plates daily but these days its more like said Wang Jianying deputy director of the Jinghai substation of automobile administration
The parking lot of his substation was packed with newlybought vehicles He said even more vehicles were expected in the afternoon rush as they form a queue that runs down the street
There are million automobiles and million drivers in Beijing according to latest statistics from the Beijing Traffic Management Bureau which also estimates that new automobiles will be sold in Enditem
KUNMING Dec Xinhua Ladies First the sole female symphony orchestra in the world will launch its first concert in China next week a New Years gift for the Chinese audience sponsor of the performance said
The Ladies First Symphony Orchestra from Germany will debut the New Years concert on Monday in this capital of southwest Chinas Yunnan Province according to the Kunming branch of the China Minsheng Banking Corporation
During the concert the musicians will play various musical instruments sing dance and declaim in the fascinating stage sceneries and lighting which is expected to entertain the audience
The band kicked off its China tour in the northeastern Jilin Province They will also visit Shanghai Hangzhou Suzhou and some other cities The ladies will give a concert in Shanghai on New Years Eve celebrating the coming of
The member orchestra consists of women only and has made domestic and international concert tours since The ladies accompanied the famous rock band YES in their European tour in the year
A Chinese man surnamed Ding who once watched their performance said the audiences were enthralled not only by the orchestras superb performances but also by the beauty and charm of the performers Enditem
URUMQI Dec Xinhua Northwest Chinas Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region is expected to chalk up a percent annual growth in gross domestic product GDP to hit billion yuan billion US dollars in a senior official of the region said Friday
The valueadded output of the regions industrial sector amounted to billion yuan billion US dollars in the first months of the year a percent increase yearonyearsaid Wang Yongming head of the Xinjiang Economic and Trade Commission
A steady investment growth and robust consumer goods market contributed significantly to the regions industrial production Wang said He forecast that Xinjiangs valueadded industrial output will exceed billion yuan billion US dollars for the whole year
Since China began to carry out the strategy to develop its western regions in Xinjiang has seen a steady and fast economic growth
The region plans to realize billion yuan billion US dollarsin valueadded industrial output in up percent over the yearearlier level Enditem
By Xinhua writer Dong Lixi
BEIJING Dec Xinhua A Chinese expert predicted the job hunting pressure in China with a rocketing increase in the active labor force will reach its climax in the Beijingbased China Youth Daily reported
In the number of newlyadded active labor force in China will peak and then continue to decline said Du Yang director of the Research Institute of Population and Human Resources of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences CASS
By the end of theth FiveYear Program the newlyadded active labor force will decrease to million Du was quoted by the paper as saying
China has encountered unprecedented pressure for employment during the th FiveYear Plan said Zhou Tianyong an expert with the Party School of the Communist Party of China Central Committee
It may be almost the same during the th FiveYear Program with newlyadded urban laborers of around million to million every year Zhou said stressing that actually every year million to million laborers need jobs considering the urbanization process and reemployment
Zhou said the only solution to Chinas jobhunting pressure is to develop selfemployed jobs small or mediumsized companies
In Chinas private companies limitedliability companies and selfemployed businesses provided percent of Chinas job opportunities with private companies ranking first according to government statistics
Zhou also cited the examples of developed countries like Britain Germany and the United States saying that percent to percent of employees work for small or mediumsized companies there
Zhou urged the government to take more concrete measures to facilitate the development of small or mediumsized businesses
Cai Chuang director of the CASS Research Institute of Population and Labor Economy said economic growth in the past was mainly due to Chinas sound population structure
China has plenty of labor supply of human resources and professional personnel in the past but the situation will change in the future since the active labor forces supply is not unlimited he said
According to the United Nations statistics China has become an aging society since
Cai stressed that the quality of labor should take the place of quantity in the future Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Highlights of major Beijingbased newspapers on Sunday
Peoples Daily
A motion on abolishing the regulation concerning the agricultural tax drafts of the Criminal Law draft passport law were submitted to a legislative session of Chinas top legislature for deliberation and approval on Saturday
China Youth Daily
Leaders of three major opposition parties in Taiwan expressed Saturday their deep condolences over the death of Wang Daohan a renowned man for his contributions to promoting the relations across the Taiwan Straits
Wang president of the mainlandbased Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits ARATS died of disease in Shanghai Saturday morning at the age of
Economic Daily
Shanghai Beijing and Shenzhen ranked the top three on a list of the overall strength of Chinese cities according to a release by the National Statistics Bureau of the Peoples Republic of China on Saturday
Beijing Daily
Construction on a subway linking the Beijing Railway Station and the Beijing West Railway Station started on Saturday expected to complete in when the city hosts the Olympic Games Enditem
SHIJIAZHUANG Dec Xinhua Fatigue driving was found out to be the major cause of an expressway accident that claimed lives last Monday in north Chinas Hebei Province a local official said Sunday
The tragedy occurred at about pm on Dec on an expressway in Hebeis Wangdu County when a truck which had just been hit by another truck in the tail collided with a bus carrying passengers said Wang Bingyong director of the Hebei Provincial Traffic Control Bureau
The bus was from Hebeis Handan City and the truck with which it collided was from Hebeis Chengde City while the other truck was from Huludao City of northeast Chinas Liaoning Province Wang said
The expressway links Beijing with Shijiazhuang capital of Hebei
Thirteen people aboard the bus and four in the trucks died at the scene and three other people were injured
Wang Zhen driver of the Huludao truck was found out to be fatigue driving when the accident happened Wang said
The victims were from provinces of Hebei Liaoning and Shandong and their identities have all been confirmed he said Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Chinas employees in the accommodation and catering industry totaled million by the end of the countrys first national economic census has found
Among the total million people work in corporate bodies in the accommodation and catering industry according to the economic survey bulletin released by the National Bureau of Statistics NBS
Another people work for private runners in the accommodation industry and the remaining million work for million private runners in the catering industry said the survey
The survey showed that among all corporate bodies in the accommodation and catering industry percent are stateowned percent collective entities percent private ones percent Hong Kong Macao and Taiwanfunded entities and percent foreigninvested entities
Among all employees in the accommodation and catering industry percent are stateowned percent collective percent private percent Hong Kong Macao and Taiwanfunded entities and percent foreigninvested entities
In the staple service income of corporate bodies in the accommodation and catering industry reached billion yuan billion US dollars and the business income of private runners in the accommodation industry and catering industry totaled billion yuan and billion yuan respectively
The result of the survey was jointly published by the Leading Group of the First National Economic Census of the State Council and the NBS
The firstever national economic survey which formally began on Dec was designed to draw an economic panorama of the countrys fastexpanding secondary and tertiary industries and complete a database covering all economic sectors
The survey was also expected to help policymakers and experts have a better understanding of the overall situation of the two sectors so as to help policymakers draft the countrys economic and social development program during and formulate macroregulation policies and industrial readjustment and restructuring Enditem
HONG KONG Dec Xinhua Hong Kongs economic grew by percent in the first three quarters of this year and various research organizations have already raised Hong Kongs annual economic growth rate to percent to percentage points higher than the expectations at the beginning of this year
The consumption investment and export have become dynamic forces for driving Hong Kongs economic growth experts here observed
The private consumption grew percent in the third quarter over last years same period while the figure was percent up in the first half of this year Goods export and service export remained surging in the third quarter by percent and percent respectively The volume of investment on fixed assets also grew by percent in the first nine months this year
The economic growth also helped increase job opportunities in Hong Kong and additional posts have been created since with percent of them in the lowerskilled category and the unemployment rate went down to percent in October lowest level in the past four years
The consumer prices have also been controlled within a small range In the first months this year the average consumer price index was percent
Despite the ongoing uncertainties of high oil prices rising US interest rates and exchangerate movements Hong Kongs economic prospects remained optimistic Hong Kong Financial Secretary Henry Tang said in late November
The International Monetary Fund also predicted that Hong Kongs economy in is expected to grow by percent or percent
Major Hong Kong based banks such as HSBC Hang Seng and Bank of China Hong Kong believed that though Hong Kong may witness a slower economic growth in Hong Kongs economy will grow steadily
At the same time the positive effects of the Chinese mainland Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement CEPA have begun to show
Since September Hong Kongs exports to the Chinese mainland have been increasing and CEPA is expected to promote trade and investment of Hong Kong businesses
Tourism one of Hong Kongs pillar industries is also expected to witness a further growth with the opening of Hong Kong Disneyland and Asia Expo this year and the opening of Wetland Park next year
In the first months this year the number of visitors to Hong Kong reached million and the tourism departments hope to receive million tourists this year
The Tourism departments also expect to receive million of tourists in Hong Kong in Hong Kongs retail and hotel sectors are also expected to benefit from the growth of tourism
However some uncertainties including bird flu outbreaks affect over economic growth still remained unpredictable and Hong Kong would keep vigilant watch on the international economic situation said experts Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The QinghaiTibet Plateau dubbed as the Roof of the World is facing the threat of deteriorating environment according to a latest geological survey
The China Geological Survey Bureau has recently made public of its milestone geological survey on the QinghaiTibet Plateau according to which environment of the plateau is getting worse as a result of geological movement
Geologists said drought of lakes shrinking of glaciers and decrease of grassland are the major problems threatening the plateau
Government statistics show that the desert area on the QinghaiTibet Plateau has expanded to million square kilometers with more and more lakes dried up making up about percent of the total area
In addition from the s to the grassland in the area decreased by percent while the glacier area also shrank square kilometers each year said the geologists
The QinghaiTibet Plateau is the cradle of three main Chinese rivers the Yangtze Yellow and Lancang rivers Most of the Chinese civilization emerged along the valleys of the Yangtze and Yellow rivers Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The comic dialogue in Taiwan despite a lot of differences from that of the Chinese mainland will always bear in mind and pass on the Chinese tradition
Lai Shengchuan the wellknown modern drama director from Taiwan made the remarks Wednesday when asked to comment on the ongoing competition of comic dialogues in Beijing The annuallyheld competition invited Lai as a juror
Four programs from Taiwan entered the final round of the competition
The comic dialogue in Chinese called Xiangsheng is one of the most popular folk art forms in China It emerged in the Qing Dynasty during the reign of Emperor Xianfeng Xiangsheng can be performed by one person solo comic talk two players comic dialogue and three or more people group crosstalk with the comic dialogue by two players being the main form of the performance
Xiangsheng has undergone an unusual development in Taiwan Lai said Xiangsheng first appeared in Taiwan in the s It saw a boom in the s yet a decline only years later At present there are no more than professional Xiangsheng performers in Taiwan
Lai has a special affection for Xiangsheng as he grew up listening to the comic dialogue performed by the migrated Xiangsheng performers In Lai promoted the first Xiangsheng play in Taiwan which was something between Xiangsheng and traditional Chinese operas This play not only attracted a large audience but also gave rise to Xiangsheng in Taiwan
My original purpose was not to perform Xiangsheng but to look for something representing our precious tradition Unexpectedly I found this something in Xiangsheng In other words after many years of exploration in solitude and agony I eventually saw the sparkle of hope in the ashes of tradition Lai said
According to him the current situation of Xiangsheng in Taiwan is still not that good as several local troupes have each produced only one new show every year
However this kind of art has been written into primary school textbooks and won the favor of children Lai stressed
He noted that the tradition and essence of Xiansheng have transferred into other forms of art and will sometimes borrow comic dialogues Some TV programs on political issues will also use comic dialogues to express a sense of sarcasm or reflect public opinions
Disregarding the pessimistic opinion about Xiangsheng by some insiders Lai is still dedicated to producing one Xiangsheng play every four to five years Some insiders commented that his play takes the form of Xiangsheng to enrich dramas
In his plays the selfishness or cowardliness hidden at the bottom of peoples hearts are exposed to some degree
Lai believes that the essence of the traditional Xiangsheng lies in the ridiculing human experience The loss of this essence is the fundamental reason for the decline of Xiangsheng today
If we look back into our history we Chinese never have a true comedy or a comedy maestro like Chaplin or Moliere since our motherland tasted too much bitterness Lai said Sometimes I have pity on Chinese people since except Xiangsheng there seem to be no other comedic art forms that can amuse the audience to such a degree
Due to its humor sarcasm and unique aesthetic effects Xiangsheng has spread far and wide Vernacular Xiangsheng or Xiangsheng performed in ethnic languages such as Tibetan Xiangsheng have appeared in remote regions and areas inhabited by ethnic minorities Furthermore Xiangsheng has been introduced abroad and become popular in Southeast Asia including Myanmar Singapore and Malaysia
Therefore he said we should keep passing on Xiangsheng to release the public opinion and the burden of the people and to evaluate our society as well
By and large the essence of Xiangsheng is humor Lai concluded Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua A new highest skywheel around the world will be build in Xiamen a scenic coastal city in east China Sundays Peoples Daily reported
The wheel with a diameter of meters will be placed in a park and rotate once for half an hour The illuminations on the wheel will change with the seasons the newspaper said
It will replace the London Eye which was built in and has a diameter of meters as the new champion wheel in the world it said
The wheelfeaturing project will cover square meters and is estimated to cost million US dollars
The paper did not say when the project is scheduled to open and finish Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The National Library of China NLC will provide free digital resources to the public the Peoples Daily has reported
Readers can log on the search engine Google to enter the NLCs website for the free digital resources the paper said
The NLC said they will open the full texts of digital resources without reserved copyrights to the public
Besides ancient books or rubbings of ancient bronze and stone carvings of China rare books bought from Western countries including academic works from to will also be available to the public the paper said Enditem
URUMQI Dec Xinhua Urumqi capital of northwest Chinas Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region reported imports and exports of billion US dollars during the first months according to the statistics offered by the regional trade and development bureau Friday
The city had a record trade surplus of million US dollars during the period And its border trade totaled million US dollars up percent accounting for percent of the total exports
The exports for precious metals topped million US dollars giving a new boom to the citys exports
Its imports were mainly copper zinc and cotton which increased by percent times and percent respectively while the imports of steel and plastic products saw drastic drops
Currently the city has established business contacts with countries and regions more than last year The city does percent of its foreign trade business with neighboring Kazakhstan Enditem
HONG KONG Dec Xinhua Hard working Hong Kong people also joyfully planned their holidays Christmas and New Year with the further improvement of the economy Traveling and shopping have become their major choices for spending the holidays
Traveling around is a tradition for Hong Kong citizens both white and blue collared ones Saturday saw Hong Kong people traveling out through Hong Kongs various checkpoints
Saturday was the first day of the fourday Christmas day holidays
About on Saturday went through Lo Wu Check point Hong Kongs biggest land cross border check point for touring the Chinese mainland cities
Another people chose to go overseas by air and airlines landed and took off on Saturday dozens more than that of in other holidays
The business volume of Hong Kong travel agencies went up percent over last years same period
Shopping before the major holidays is also a tradition here Even on the eve of Christmas shopping malls like Harbor City Landmark Pacific Place Times Square and Sogo were crowded with customers
In Sogo Department Store customers queued up before the branded shops like Gucci and Prada for their limited space A lovely handbag a purse or a pair of shoes might be the choice of women while choosing a smart shirt other kinds of fashion accessories or small electrical appliance products might be the choice of some male customers
Merry Christmas was the greeting of shop assistants on Saturday and a number of fashion items were sold at half prize in quite a number of shops
Mini concerts were also held in some big shopping centers including Landmark to add festive mood Customers enjoyed wonderful music while shopping
Young people and kids with Christmas caps also sent small gifts to passersby in Causeway Bay and some other downtown areas
Evening fireworks and laser shows along both sides of the Victoria Harbor also attracted about people in Hong Kong Saturday night Only the garbage collected in Tsim Sha Tsui one side of the Victoria Harbor in the small hours of Sunday reached tons
Artificial snows also created in front of the Harbor City one of the biggest shopping centers in Hong Kong
A total of pairs also chose the Christmas Eve as of the important days in their life registration for marriage
In the Central and many big departments stores big Christmas trees were installed to add festival atmosphere Many Hong Kong citizens and tourists to Hong Kong hang their wish cards on the trees expecting stable development of Hong Kong and good luck
Hong Kong also received about Chinese mainland tourists on Saturday Hundreds of tourist groups visited Hong Kong Disneyland and Ocean Park Enditem
HANGGIN BANNER Inner Mongolia Dec Xinhua Search went on Sunday for the missing people in the Yellow River after a bus fell into the icy water late Saturday in northern China even though there is almost no chance of survival rescuers said
The bus with passengers and one driver aboard suddenly fell into the Yellow River while driving on the frozen surface at the section of the Hanggin Banner prefecture in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region at about pm Saturday said Bao Shengrong secretary of the Hanggin Banner Committee of the Communist Party of China
Only eight persons were saved and the other were still missing Bao said adding that the eight survivals are receiving treatment in a nearby hospital
Initial investigation shows that the cavein of the icy road caused the bus to sink into the freezing river and the bus has actually seats according to local authorities
There is a large crack on the icy surface and rescuers couldnt go near at night Bao said
By am Sunday the local government had mobilized a group of armed police officers firemen six divers and emergency vehicles to the scene for salvage
But there is basically no chance of survival for the missing people a rescuer at the scene who didnt want to be named told Xinhua citing the chilly weather frozen river surface and deep water six meters in depth at the cavein site
The firemen have started breaking the ice for further rescue operations Enditem
SHANGHAI Dec Xinhua Microsoft and Google reached an agreement to settle the dispute on Googles employment of Mircrosofts former employee Lee KaiFu
The agreement was confidential and all the sides were satisfied with it since it settled the dispute according to a statement from Microsoft Shanghai Company on Friday
The agreement indicated the end of a fivemonth wrangle on Lees jobhopping
Lee a ChineseAmerican and former Microsoft vicepresident left Microsoft and sought a position in Google to head Googles research business in China this July
Lee said Google had a kind of enterprise culture and entrepreneur spirit that he treasured and felt proud of and he also liked Googles teamwork spirit energetic environment and respect for individuals
Microsoft sued Lee and Google in a Washington state court contending that Lees job at Google would violate confidentiality and noncompetition clauses in his employee contract Microsoft also accused Lee of using insider information to get his job at Google
Google responded with its own lawsuit against Microsoft in the US District Court in San Jose California Enditem
HANGZHOU Dec Xinhua An ink landscape painting album by Huang Binhong a renowned Chinese masterwas auctioned off at million yuan about US dollars Saturday in this capital city of east Chinas Zhejiang Province
The volume entitled Sketch album of landscape is a collection of eight paintings depicting Taoist culture on the Longhu Mountain They were painted in when Huang was
The works were hailed as Huangs masterpieces by leading Chinese artist Pan Tianshou and has never been seen in public before according to Hu Xilin with the Hangzhoubased Xiling SealEngraving Society Auction Co Ltd the organizer of the largescale auction
Founded in December the Xiling auction firm was a subsidiary to the centennialold Xiling SealEngraving Society a famous Hangzhoubased academic group that specializes in sealengraving a traditional Chinese art
A native of east Chinas Zhejiang Province Huang was a master of freehand landscape painting who was well versed in traditional techniques for the use of ink including shading and layering His work was also known for its powerful brushwork and its fresh approach to composition
Thirteen other works of Huang were also put up at the same auction
The auction came to an end Sunday registering a record business volume of million yuan million US dollars said the auction firm Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Almost percent of Chinese middle school students have serious problems with their parents the Beijing Morning Post quoted a survey as saying
The survey showed percent of the surveyed students are afraid of their parents while percent of them loathe their parents and percent were extremely disgusted with or even hate their parents Only percent of the young people surveyed said they like their parents
The recently conducted survey among middle school students in a Beijing district asked questions about their attitude toward their parents and family education the paper said
For many families conflict between parents and children center on the students school grades their weight and their friends The survey showed that parental influence over children is decreasing the paper said
Xiao Xiao a third year junior middle school student is perhaps typical of most kids when she complains I was scolded by my mother because I didnt come first in the class in a midterm exam
Xiao Xiao in fact is already one of the top students in her class the paper said stressing Xiao Xiaos parents hope she can study at the Beijing University or even attend Harvard in the future
Sun Yunxiao an expert with the China Youth and Children Research Center said parents pin unrealistically high expectations on their children
The research centres own survey of parents showed about percent of parents hope their children will study for a doctoral degree and percent require their children to rank in the top of their class
Conflicts between parents and their children not only come from too high education expectations Other causes of disconnection between parents and children are family violence parents old fashioned ideas interference in a childs privacy including their choice of friends and time spent surfing the web the paper said
Mr Hu a father of a middle school student wasnt surprised by the survey results He says too much concern over school marks is putting tremendous pressure on families
The paper said schools and family institutions should work to improve family education and relations between parents and children Enditem
SHENZHEN Dec Xinhua About percent of Chinese population suffer from various mouth diseases of different degrees and existing dental doctors cant cope with the demand for their services an expert on oral health has said
An average of Chinese share a specialist in oral health compared with the to one ratio in some developed countries Zhang Zhenkang president of the Chinese Society of Stomatology said in this booming city of south Chinas Guangdong Province
China had some officially registered doctors on mouth diseases as of and over students majored in oral health graduate from dozens of medical universities every year said Zhang
Chinas oral medicine lags far behind developed countries particularly in terms of technology equipment materials human resources and management said Zhang as he called for more effort to promote the growth of the sector Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua A group of actors will do similar jobs in an experimental drama as mass media which are reviewing major domestic and international news events happening throughout as the year is ending
The drama titled Discussion On the Nonexistent Blackness draws materials from major news events including the super girls singing show the successful fight of the Shenzhou manned spacecraft the mainland visit of Taiwan scholar Li Ao the naissance of five doll mascots for the Beijing Olympic Games the breakout of bird flu and the hurricane and flood in the United States said the producer Zhang Bing
The drama will not comment on the events instead it will narrate the lives and thinking of individuals in the background related to these events Zhang said
Pieces of actions and dialogs will replace an integral and clear story in the drama he said adding that every characters identities will change
One may be a witness of an event an observer of an event or an actor on the stage as time goes Zhang said
Places outside the theater such as a street lined with bars will become another stage while the drama will be live broadcast on the Internet which is experimental in drama performances in China according to Zhang
Zhu Xiuyang a Chinese poet and Chen Shu a student in the Central Academy of Drama wrote and directed the drama which is scheduled at the Oriental Pioneer Theater affiliated to the National Theater Company of China from Dec to Jan Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua China is expected to consume million tons of natural rubber by the year with twothirds having to be imported from abroad according to a forecast of the industrys development strategy
The Ministry of Agriculture said China the worlds top natural rubber consumer needs to import million tons of natural rubber by to meet domestic demand as the countrys output will stand at tons
In China consumed more than million tons of rubber
An insufficient supply of natural rubber has seriously affected the sustained development of the industry industry sources said
Currently Hainan and Yunnan provinces in south and southwest China are the main rubber production bases In the countrys natural rubbergrowing areas reached hectares Enditem
XIAN Dec Xinhua Local authorities have sacked two officials in charge of safety production in northwest Chinas Shaanxi Province blaming their grave dereliction of duty for a coal mine blast that claimed seven lives last Monday the local government said Sunday
A gas explosion occurred at pm on Dec at the Majiahe Coal Mine located at the Yaotou Township Chengcheng County Weinan City of Shaanxi leaving seven miners dead and three others injured
Twentytwo miners were working underground when the accident took place and managed to escape
The privatelyowned coal mine with an annual output capacity of tons was found out to have been keeping production before the accident happened even though all its licenses had been suspended since September when Shaanxi Province launched an overhaul over all its coal mines according to Gao Xinghong director of the Coal Mine Safety Supervision Bureau of Weinan City
It had been ordered to rectify and improve its production Gao said
Therefore Liu Haiguo and Liu Xiaofeng officials of the Coal Mine Safety Supervision Bureau of Chengcheng County who were dispatched in September to stay at and supervise the Majiahe Coal Mine failed to fulfill their responsibility Gao said
Relevant authorities have kept the owner of the coal mine in house arrest and are investigating his operation and businesses and all the coal mines crude coal and properties have been seized
All the coal mines in Chengchen County have been ordered to halt operation till Feb next year for a general safety checkup Gao said Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Yuan has been a top dancer drawing eyeballs from fund clubs to kabob stand tables Rumors are cooking and speculations mushrooming while he said the key to the Chinese currency lies on reform
Flexibility and fluctuation are the key words instead of revaluation he a central bank official related told Xinhua Friday on condition of anonymity
China on July reset the yuans value at to the dollar a percent appreciation from the pegged level where it had been held since and started managing its value against a basket of currencies including the euro and yen
The yuan has since fluctuated some base points closing at to the dollar Thursday up base points from July
is a lot he said and the next is to improve the market mechanism
A recent central bank meeting on monetary policies reiterated that
efforts should be made to let market supply and demand play a fundamental role in the determination of yuans value and speed up the development of domestic foreign exchange market
A new mechanism should be built to allow market forces to set the currencys value said a report issued after the meeting
The central bank official interviewed by Xinhua said The point is that traders are expected to learn and take the foreign exchange fluctuation risks financial institutions to provide more riskcontrol products especially derivative services and the State Administration of Foreign Exchange SAFE to follow suit
The Peoples Banks of China PBoC or the central bank has stated it would widen the yuan floating band at a proper time and now China is letting the currency rise or fall by percent a day against the US dollar and a maximum of percent against the euro and the yen
Industry insiders speculate that the central bank may widen the yuans fluctuation range against the US dollar for example to percent the Shanghai Securities News reported
The timetable of yuan reform depends on the firms endurability the markets maturity and the regulators ability the central bank official said however Therefore China will take a walkandsee position instead of making any great leap forward
He warned that the yuan although witnessing ups twice as much as downs in trading days over the past five months could go in another way to depreciate
The more foreign currencies come in the more pressure on depreciation will be seen he explained
Chinas trade surplus swelled more than sevenfold to billion US dollars in the first months of this year rocketing from billion dollars a year earlier
Some developed countries typically the United States have been arguing that the yuan is too low in value giving Chinese exporters an unfair advantage in trading activities and hurting job markets in other countries
Although a report released by the US commerce department in November admitted currency manipulation does not exist in China some parliament members are still pressing China in this area
China began to consider the yuan reform as early as in Actually it was the international speculation and pressure that delayed the process the central bank said
Our foreign exchange reform is marketoriented and China will do it in an independent controllable and progressive way without bowing to pressure from outside Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Limited ICBC said Sunday it had extended billion yuan billion US dollars or over percent of its new loans in to small firms
A bank spokesman said Chinas biggest bank assetswise this year attached strategic importance to the support for small enterprises a dynamic sector that has however long been disregarded by state lenders
Chinese commercial banks piled up a mountain of bad debts analysts say resulted from reckless lending to big stateowned enterprises over the past decades
The ICBCs loans for small firms recorded a nonperforming loan ratio of merely percent this year the spokesman said
Money loaned to such firms exceeded billion yuan each in September November and December
The spokesman said the ICBC will push for the development of credit business benefiting small firms in the coming year Enditem
HANGGIN BANNER Inner Mongolia Dec Xinhua Rescuers have given up searching for the missing people Sunday afternoon but turned to salvage their bodies in the Yellow River after a bus fell into the icy water late Saturday in northern China citing there is no chance of survival
The bus with passengers and one driver aboard suddenly fell into the Yellow River while driving on the frozen surface at the section of the Hanggin Banner prefecture in the Ordos City of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region at about pm Saturday said Bao Shengrong secretary of the Hanggin Banner Committee of the Communist Party of China CPC
Only eight persons including five males and three females were saved and are receiving treatment in a nearby hospital Bao said
Wang Rong the bus driver aged about wasnt among the survival list
The yearold survival Feng Zhanrong told Xinhua that he kicked and broke the window when the bus was sinking He escaped with two other passengers Another survival Li Qiang escaped by opening the door
The yearold girl Hao Na was overfrightened and cannot answer questions
The details of how the other four survivals escaped were not immediately known
Initial investigation shows that the cavein of the icy road caused the bus to sink into the freezing river and the bus has actually seats according to local police adding that human errors have been excluded
There is a large crack on the icy surface and rescuers couldnt go near at night Bao said
The local government has mobilized a group of armed police officers firemen six divers and emergency vehicles to the scene for salvage
There is no chance of survival for the other people said Gao Yi deputy director of the Publicity Department of the CPC Ordos City Committee citing the chilly weather frozen river surface and deep water six meters in depth at the cavein site
The Bayannur City Branch of the PICC Property and Casualty Co Ltd has sent staffs to the scene for compensation affairs Enditem
CHENGDU Dec Xinhua The number of giant pandas in the wild totaled in southwestern Chinas Sichuan Province according to the provincial forestry bureau
The number of giant pandas in captivity climbed to making up percent of the national total and percent of giant panda communities are in this region said Yang Dongsheng director of the bureau
Yang attributed the number growth of giant pandas in the wild to effective protection on the proven habitat now covering an area of square kilometers in the province percent of the total in the country
Thanks to scientists artificial fertilization technologies a hundred percent of artificiallybred baby pandas have survived in the Panda Research Center in Wolong over the past six years including since the beginning of this year
The State Forestry Administration announced in June this year that China has more than giant pandas including at least in the wild a sharp rise from reported in and raised in captivity Enditem
WUHAN Dec Xinhua Nine tons of firecrackers were ferreted out Friday at a shipment wharf near the Three Gorges dam located in central Chinas Hubei Province local police said Sunday
The firecrackers were seized by police from a truck which parked at a rollon rolloff wharf at the Zigui port and was bound for Wanzhou City of southwestern Chinas Chongqing Municipality for sale
The driver was ordered to move the truck The contents were described as a powder magazine by the policemen and were going to a depository specially built to store dangerous goods in Zigui County
As flammable and explosive goods firecrackers are forbidden to be shipped without any safeguards said Zhao Shihong director of the Yichang Substation of the Yangtze River Navigation Police Bureau
Firecrackers are easily detonated by any possible collision or impact between rollon rolloff ships each of which can carry people and vehicles noted the sources
However some shippers have attempted to sail under false colors as Chinas traditional Spring Festival draws near To ensure the dams safety a hour waterborne patrol now is required around the local rollon rolloff wharfs
According to the police a total of tons of firecrackers had been seized from over vehicles since the beginning of this year Enditem
SHANGHAI Dec Xinhua With the cooling down of property market and a stagnant stock market Chinas economy powerhouse Shanghai saw a surge of savings deposits in the past months according to statistics from the Shanghai Banking Regulatory Commission
Savings deposits increased by billion yuan billion US dollars billion yuan billion dollars more than that in the corresponding period last year statistics show
The surge means that every month billion yuan billion dollars poured into financial institutions
The commission said the surge of savings deposits was due to higher interest rates stagnant stock market cooling down of property market and appreciation of renminbi
Chinese commercial banks in Shanghai had provided loans of billion yuan billion dollars to selfsupporting companies doing real estate business as of the end of November billion yuan billion dollars less than that of the corresponding period last year
The property market in Shanghai cooled down after the government introduced various measures to prevent overheating in the real estate industry which had attracted speculative funds Enditem
HONG KONG Dec Xinhua All tickets to the Hong Kong Disneyland on Sunday have been sold out announced Hong Kong Disneyland Sunday
This was the third time that Hong Kong Disneyland sold out all of daily tickets since its opening on Sept
The first time was on Dec when the Sixth Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization began and the second time occurred on Dec
The park at present has a ceiling daily visitor receiving capacity of about
Since the parks opening at the beginning of December an average of passengers visited Hong Kong Disneyland almost reaching the expected level of daily guests of
According to Hong Kong Disneyland among over million visitors it received percent came from the Chinese mainland percent from overseas and another percent were Hong Kong citizens
To attract more passengers Hong Kong Disneyland arranged Christmas decorations music and food to add festive mood
The park also prepared kinds of Christmas goods and limited amount of specially designed pins for its visitors Enditem
GUIYANG Dec Xinhua Twelve miners working underground were trapped due to a coal mine fire in southwest Chinas Guizhou Province and their fate remain unknown local authorities said Sunday
The fire broke out at about pm Saturday at the Xiangshui Coal Mine located at the Panxian County of Liupanshui City according to the Guizhou Provincial Coal Mine Safety Bureau
Firemen have been rushed to the scene for rescue operation
The fire is keeping pouring out of the mine shaft with a blaze of six meter above the mouth to the shaft which kept men at the shortest distance of meters rescuers said
Experts are studying how to put out the fire
The coal mine with an output capacity of million tons a year is affiliated with the Pannan Power Plant in the county
The cause is yet to be found out Enditem
XIAN Dec Xinhua Residents in a northwestern Chinese city of Xian have been told to keep their indoor temperatures between to degrees Celsius during the heatingservice period this winter in a bid to save natural gas
The move came after Xian capital of Shaanxi Province witnessed a tension of natural gas supply during the past month of this winter
Meanwhile governmental organs businesses commercial and office buildings shopping malls classrooms and other public places were also asked to keep their temperatures within degrees according to a bulletin issued by the municipal government of Xian
For hotels and entertainment places they can adjust their temperatures to degrees but no more according to the bulletin
All natural gas users were required to regulate the heating and temperatures along with changes of weather conditions the bulletin said
In times of natural gas shortage the government will offer gas supply only at designated periods and designated volume and citizens are encouraged to use alternative energies such as solar energy the bulletin said
A no mans place must be cut off heating service it said
Similar practices have been adopted in Beijing
The Chinese capital has asked hotels in the city to keep their temperatures between to degrees during the heatingservice period for the winter
Meanwhile shopping malls office buildings and other public areas are to keep their temperatures within degrees
In Chinese cities the heating service period generally runs from Nov this year to March next year
The central government has asked the nation to endeavor to build an energysaving society Enditem
CHONGQING Dec Xinhua Another person has died in a food poisoning case in a southwestern Chinese village raising the death toll from Saturday nights four to five local authorities said Sunday
The food poisoning has meanwhile left others in hospital for treatment an increase of from last nights figure with of them being in a grave state according to sources with the government of the Fengjie County Chongqing Municipality
The mass poisoning accident took place when a number of villagers were participating a birthday banquet for an elderly person Saturday evening at the Qixing Village Kangle Township in Fengjie County
Initial investigation shows that the food was poisoned by a raticide called Dushuqiang and was most likely by someone intentionally according to the local government
The Chongqing municipal government has sent a team of medical experts there to save the patients and local police are looking into the case Enditem
LANZHOU Dec Xinhua Exports from foreignfunded enterprises in northwestern Chinas Gansu Province gained a sharp rise in the first months this year
According to statistics from the provincial customs exports from the enterprises climbed to million US dollars up percent year on year
Their exports and imports reached to million US dollars in value making up percent of the total in the province said the customs
Meanwhile the stateowned enterprises registered a foreign trade volume of billion US dollars percent of the total up percent from the previous year Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Report on the quality of air in major Chinese cities Dec to Dec Beijing Time released by the China Environmental Monitoring Center
City Major Pollutant Air Quality Level
Beijing particulate matter III
Tianjin particulate matter III
Shijiazhuang particulate matter III
Qinhuangdao sulfur dioxide II
Taiyuan sulfur dioxide III
Hohhot particulate matter III
Shenyang sulfur dioxide II
Dalian sulfur dioxide II
Changchun particulate matter II
Harbin particulate matter II
Shanghai particulate matter II
Nanjing particulate matter III
Suzhou particulate matter III
Nantong particulate matter II
Lianyungang particulate matter II
Hangzhou particulate matter III
Ningbo particulate matter III
Wenzhou particulate matter III
Hefei particulate matter III
Fuzhou particulate matter II
Xiamen particulate matter II
Nanchang particulate matter III
Jinan particulate matter II
Qingdao sulfur dioxide II
Yantai sulfur dioxide II
Zhengzhou particulate matter III
Wuhan particulate matter III
Changsha particulate matter III
Guangzhou nitrogen dioxide III
Shenzhen particulate matter II
Zhuhai particulate matter II
Shantou particulate matter II
Zhanjiang particulate matter II
Nanning particulate matter III
Guilin sulfur dioxide II
Beihai particulate matter II
Haikou particulate matter II
Chongqing particulate matter III
Chengdu particulate matter III
Guiyang particulate matter III
Kunming particulate matter II
Lhasa I
Xian particulate matter III
Lanzhou particulate matter IV
Xining particulate matter III
Yinchuan particulate matter III
Urumqi particulate matter V
The center classifies air quality in Chinas urban areas into five levels level I or excellent pollution reading not exceeding level II or fairly good pollution reading to level III or slightly polluted pollution reading to level IV or poor pollution reading to and level V or hazardous pollution reading over
The cities monitored by the center include the four municipalities of Beijing Tianjin Shanghai and Chongqing provincial or autonomous regional capitals and major cities in economically developed coastal areas and tourist attractions Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Weather forecast for major Chinese cities Dec Dec Beijing Time temperatures in Celsius
Min Max Condition Wind scale
Beijing clear
Harbin clear
Tianjin clear
Urumqi clearfoggy
Xian cloudy
Lhasa overcastcloudy
Chengdu overcastcloudy
Chongqing overcast
Kunming drizzlemoderate rain
Nanjing cloudyclear
Shanghai clearcloudy
Wuhan clearcloudy
Hangzhou clearcloudy
Taipei cloudyshower
Guangzhou cloudy
Hong Kong cloudy
Macao cloudy
SOURCE Central Meteorological Station China Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Weather forecast for world cities Dec Dec Beijing Time temperatures in Celsius
Min Max Condition Wind scale
Beijing clear
Tokyo cloudy
Bangkok overcastshower
Sydney clearcloudy
Karachi clear
Cairo clearcloudy
Moscow snow shower
Frankfurt drizzle
Paris overcastshower
London cloudyovercast
New York overcastdrizzle
SOURCE Central Meteorological Station China Enditem
HANGGIN BANNER Inner Mongolia Dec Xinhua Another passenger has been found alive Sunday afternoon in a bus accident that has left people presumably dead after it fell into the icy Yellow River late Saturday in northern China rescuers said
The bus with passengers and one driver aboard suddenly fell into the Yellow River while driving on the frozen surface at the section of the Hanggin Banner prefecture in the Ordos City of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region at about pm Saturday said Bao Shengrong secretary of the Hanggin Banner Committee of the Communist Party of China CPC
Previous official report said that only eight persons including five males and three females escaped from the sinking bus and were saved and they are receiving treatment in a nearby hospital
The newly found survival a yearsold man Xu Housheng wasnt actually saved by rescuers but managed to escape by himself on Saturday said Zhang Gui vice mayor of the Ordos City
Xu then spent a night at a relatives family in a nearby village and is now back at his own home Zhang said
The young man sent word at pm Sunday to the rescuers at the scene of the accident that he is still alive and the news was confirmed later Zhang said
Gao Wei and Liu En two witnesses and also rescuers said they didnt notice Xu on Saturday due to the chaotic situation
Wang Rong the bus driver aged wasnt among the survival list
Wangs wife and his yearold daughter were also in the bus and sank into the river according to Gao and Liu also colleagues of Wang
Initial investigation shows that the cavein of the icy road caused the bus to sink into the freezing river and the bus has actually seats according to local police
However according to Gao the drivers imprudence should also blamed for the accident
The river usually has a frozen thick icecovered surface in deep winter season and local residents often drive on it But the temperature was high at noon Saturday decreasing the intensity and sustainability of the surface Gao said
The yearold Gao was also driving a bus carrying passengers in the Saturday afternoon and arrived at the surface earlier than Wang But Gao didnt dare to pass he walked onto the icy surface and tested its strength with a wooden club
However Wangs bus came up subsequently and went onto the icy road immediately without testing first Wangs bus sank into water after he moved for about meters on the surface
I suppose Wang was loosening up his vigilance then Gao said adding that Wang had been driver for more than years at this route line in addition he had just passed the icy surface in the morning
Eight passengers were later saved by Gao and other people with clubs
The yearold survival Feng Zhanrong told Xinhua that he kicked and broke the window when the bus was sinking He escaped with two other passengers Another survival Li Qiang escaped by opening the door
The yearold girl Hao Na was overfrightened and cannot answer questions
The details of how the other four survivals escaped were not immediately known
The local government has mobilized a group of armed police officers firemen six divers and emergency vehicles to the scene for salvage on Sunday
There is no chance of survival for the other people said Gao Yi deputy director of the Publicity Department of the CPC Ordos City Committee citing the chilly weather frozen river surface and deep water six meters in depth at the cavein site
Rescuers have found the bus in the river but it is yet to be salvaged
The Bayannur City Branch of the PICC Property and Casualty Co Ltd has sent staffs to the scene for compensation affairs Enditem
HONG KONG Dec Xinhua Following are temperatures and weather forecast of Dec for AsiaPacific cities dispatched by the Hong Kong Observatory on Sunday
CITY MINIMUM MAXIMUM FORECAST
HONG KONG FINE
MACAO FINE
GUANGZHOU CLOUDY
SHANGHAI CLOUDY
BEIJING FINE
TAIPEI CLOUDY
SEOUL FINE
TOKYO FINE
MANILA SHOWERS
HANOI DRIZZLE
HO CHI MINH CITY MIST
BANGKOK CLOUDY
KUALA LUMPUR RAIN
SINGAPORE THUNDERSTORMS
NEW DELHI NO DATA
MUMBAI SMOKE
KARACHI DRY
JAKARTA RAIN
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN SHOWERS
SYDNEY FINE
MELBOURNE FINE
BRISBANE THUNDERSTORMS
Enditem
CHENGDU Dec Xinhua The State Council Chinas cabinet established Sunday a work team to investigate Thursdays gas explosion which claimed lives at a tunnel construction site in southwestern Sichuan province
Liang Jiakun deputy director of the State Administration of Work Safety was assigned as head of the work team which comprised of officials of the work safety administration and the provincial departments of supervision communication and public security
In addition all the injured from the explosion were out of danger according to local government
Wang Shufang one of the injured came with four other women to pick up firewood in the mountains where the tunnel runs through
The explosion happened when they were about to meters from the tunnel recalled Wang a farmer from Dujiang Village nearby the construction site
I fell onto the ground in a huge sound and saw thick smoke pouring out of the tunnel said Wang
The blast occurred at pm Thursday in a meterlong tunnel of a highway under construction between Dujiangyan and Wenchuan cities in the province
The China Railway Engineering Company is responsible for the highway project
Most of the victims were construction workers from the provinces of Fujian Sichuan Gansu and Hubei
Rescue operation at the site ended on Saturday night but the cause of the explosion is unclear so far Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Chinese Vice Premier Huang Ju said here Sunday that central Stateowned enterprises SOEs should strive to change development mode for a growth of better quality next year
The national economy has gained good momentum in and the central SOEs have deepened reforms and improved their assets quality in the year said Huang at a meeting held here on Sunday
In the first year of Chinas th FiveYear Plan the central SOEs should play an important role in the balance of Chinas reform development and stability Huang said
The stateowned capital should further concentrate on important industries and key areas vital to the national economy said the vice premier adding that big enterprises and company groups with international competitiveness should be formed
Huang also urged the SOEs to invest more in hitech and new product development and set up a mechanism favorable to innovation
SOEs should be models of saving resources and protecting environment he said asking the companies to speed up concerned technology research and develop recycling economy
The vice premier also urged SOEs to implement goout strategy and improve their work safety Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Fiftyone Chinese central Stateowned enterprises SOEs had completed or started the split equity structure reform by Dec this year
This was revealed by Li Rongrong director of the Stateowned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission SASAC at a meeting held on Sunday
Li had announced at an earlier press conference that companies had passed their reform scheme on split equity structure including central SOEs
The reform has been going on smoothly among companies of bluechip stocks including Changjiang Power and Wuhan Steel and that has helped stabilize the market expectation Li said at Sundays meeting
To promote the split equity structure reform will be one of the major tasks of SASAC next year Li said
He urged concerned listed central SOEs to complete their reform on slit equity structure as soon as possible
The split share structure refers to the existence of both tradable shares and a large volume of nontradable shares owned by the state and legal persons
To make all their shares tradable listed companies participating in the reform have to offer additional shares or funds to public investors as compensation Enditem
HANGZHOU Dec Xinhua Jiang Renmei who regarded Christmas as a hard word in her middleschool textbook is now working for a company that exports containers of Christmas ornaments a year
Jiang and more than fellow workers have to color up to plastic Christmas decoration balls in Yiwu Festival Arts and Crafts Co located in the Yiwu City of east Chinas Zhejiang Province
Yiwu is the countrys largest distributing center for small commodities
About percent of the Christmas trees and decoration balls selling in the United States are produced by our company said Wan Fuli office director with the company
With a total investment of million yuan about million US dollars by a local privatelyowned company Xianrong Group Yiwu Festival has now more than staff members
Yiwu Festival begins to take in orders in February or March each year enters its prime production season from May and concludes delivery before midDecember according to Wan
Most workers have gone back home for new year holidays The executives however are preparing for the Frankfurt gifts trade fair slated for next January when I may have contact with most of our overseas clients Wan said And one container of display items has already landed in Germany
Customs statistics show as of the end of November local companies in Yiwu exported million US dollars of Christmas accessories this year And the export volume hit million dollars within the Jinhua City the superior authority of Yiwu
The actual export volume may be higher because the statistics have excluded items like Christmas trees and lamps the Jinhua Customs official Li Ning said
According to Yang Dabiao secretarygeneral with the Zhejiang Yiwu Artware Industry Association more than manufacturers of Christmas goods are nestling in Yiwu and its neighboring areas
About percent of Chinas exports of Christmas products come from Yiwu with the European Union the United States Russia Latin America Japan and the Republic of Korea as destination Yang said
Qiu Zengfa head of the Yiwu administration for industry and commerce said more than businessmen from about countries and regions around the world are living in this countylevel city for business and up to foreign businessmen come here each year making bulk buys of small commodities to sell all over the world
Christmas accessories and related goods are laborintensive products with low added value Wan said
But we are now considering developing our own products so as to maximize profits Wan said Enditem
WUHAN Dec Xinhua Three people have drowned and eight others remain missing from a ship collision on Sunday morning in the Yangtze River in central Chinas Hubei Province local government said
Two others were rescued according to the government
The accident occurred on the rivers middle reaches near Shishou City at am Sunday when a ship from Changsha capital of the neighboring Hunan Province collided with a local ship Altogether people fell into the water
The governments of Shishou City and the neighboring Jinzhou City have mobilized more than vessels and some people to take part in the rescue operation Rescuers were searching for the missing within a range of km downstream from the accident site according to local sources
Investigation on the cause of the accident is underway Enditem
by Wei Wu
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Key newspapers from Taiwan Hong Kong and Macao have lamented the death of Wang Daohan praising his great contributions to the development of the relations across the Taiwan Straits and praying for earlier reunification of China
Wang president of the mainlandbased Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits ARATS died of disease in Shanghai Saturday morning at the age of
The Taiwan based United Daily news spent large spaces to describe Wangs contributions and comment on the effects that may be rendered by his death
After Chenfu died at the head of this year Wang passed away because of diseases at the end it said
Early this year Koo chairman of the Taiwanbased Strait Exchange Foundation SEF died on Jan at the age of
Wang once served as secretary of the Shanghai Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China vicemayor and mayor of Shanghai held the landmark talks with Koo in Singapore in which was the first highlevel talks across the Straits
In the aspect of crossStrait relations the newspaper said there were some fruits reaped anyway in but concerns remain
The Taiwan based Central Daily News said Wang and Koo had opened the door for exchanges and contacts and the channel for consultation and dialogue between the mainland and Taiwan
In which ways to fill the historical blank will depend on when can the Taiwanese authority can face up to the historical reality of the Consensus reached by Wang and Koo it said
It took the Hong Kong based Ta Kung Pao four full pages to detail Wangs contributions political achievements and his concrete conditions in his last period of life
Wen Wei Po also Hong Kong based said Wang still cared much about the situation of the crossStraits relations even when he was dying
The newgeneration leadership of China have embodied many of Wangs ideas into their policies on Taiwan it commented
The Macao Daily released a series of articles and photos showcasing how various social circles in Taiwan express their condolences over Wangs death
Local personages in Taiwan also mourned Wangs death
Jiao Renhe former secretary general of SEF who had met Wang several times said He was an amiable and respected elder all the way
According to Jiao despite their disagreements on crossStraits relations Wang had given him many directions of long and overall views
We people from the two sides should continue to further our efforts perseveringly to help develop the crossStraits relations he said Enditem
HOHHOT Dec Xinhua A bus ran into freezing water of the Yellow River at a section in north China Saturday leaving the other passengers still missing while eight rescued rescuers said at the site
The bus with passengers aboard suddenly fell into the Yellow River while passing the section of the Hanggin Banner prefecture of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region at about pm Saturday
Initial investigation shows that the cavein of a icy road caused the bus to slip into the nearby freezing river according to local officials
The hope for the survival of the missing is very slim rescuers at the site said
Rescue operation is still underway despite the chilly night and deep water level Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Chinas safety supervisor said here on Sunday that by Dec altogether coal mines had been closed down across the country due to safety problems
The State Administration of Coal Mine Work Safety announced here on Sunday a namelist of the first batch of closed coal mines
Among these closed mines were in Beijing in Hebei Province in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region in Jiangxi Province in Hubei Province and in Sichuan Province
According to regulations on coal mine work safety promulgated by the State Council the Chinese cabinet coal mines which failed to get safety licenses within a certain duration must stop production for rectification If they could not pass the safety check later the mines should be shut down
By Dec altogether coal mines were ordered to stop production due to safety problems and of them have been closed down said sources with the administration
In recent years the Chinese government has adopted a series of regulations and measures to improve coal mine safety
But the situation remains grave as official statistics showed that from January to September this year people had been killed in coal mine accidents Enditem
NANNING Dec Xinhua Three were killed and others injured in a truckminibus collision on Saturday in the southern Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region local government said on Sunday
The accident occurred at am Saturday when a truck carrying aluminum ore collided with a minibus due to a brake failure at the regions Tiandong County The minibus turned over killing three people aboard on the spot according to local police
The injured were sent to hospital immediately The truck driver and two minibus passengers were still in serious conditions according to the Peoples Hospital of Tiandong County
Investigation into the accident is underway Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Starting from Jan next year all Chinese coal mines should deposit a certain amount of money as safety guarantee and emergency funds in case of accidents
This is a new rule set by Chinas safety watchdog in the hope of improving work safety at the countrys accidentprone coal mines
Mines with an annual production of tons or less should deposit to million yuan to US dollars said sources with the State Administration of Work Safety
Those mines producing to tons of coal every year are asked to put million to million yuan in their safety account said the sources adding that the ceiling of such safety deposits is six million yuan US dollars
The deposited money will be used to handle safety accidents for purposes like paying compensations to the victims families in case the mine bosses fail to take up the responsibility within a required duration said the administration
For coal mines with no accidents in a whole year the deposits would remain in the account and the mine owners need not make new savings for the following year
All coal mines across the country are subject to this new measure which aims at strengthening the sense of safety at the mines the administration added
Coal is a major energy resource in China covering percent of the countrys total consumption of primary energy resources
In recent years the Chinese government has adopted a series of regulations and measures to improve coal mine safety but the situation remains grave
Official statistics showed that from January to September this year people had been killed in coal mine accidents Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The following are Chinas home news items released by Xinhua on Sunday
Senior CPC official returns home after visit to three Latin American countries
Automobile sales in Beijing peak before holidays
Worlds unique female orchestra to debut in China
Xinjiang to see doubledigit GDP growth this year
Expert predicts Chinas jobhunting pressure to peak in
Fatigue driving blamed for expressway accident that claims lives in N China
Chinas employees in accommodation catering industry total mln
Roof of the World threatened by deteriorating environment
INTERVIEW Lai Shengchuan comic dialogue in Taiwan to pass on Chinese tradition
Worlds highest skywheel to be built in SE China
National Library of China to provide free digital resources to public
NW China region posts mln US dollars in foreign trade revenues
Search for missing people going on despite rare chance of survival in N China road accident
Microsoft Google reach agreement on employee dispute
Painting album of noted Chinese artist fetches mln yuan in auction
pct Chinese middle school students dislike their parents survey
China in desperate need of oral doctors
Chinese experimental drama to review news events in
Two safety officials sacked for fatal mine blast in northwest China
China Exclusive Yuan to revalue or to reform Central bank official affirms the latter
Chinas biggest bank offers small firms strong loan support
Rescuers turn to salvage bodies of missing in Yellow River in northern China
Wild giant pandas number in SW China province
Nine tons of firecrackers seized near Three Gorges dam
miners trapped in coal mine accident in Chinas southwest
Citizens asked to keep room temperatures within degrees to save natural gas in NW China
Death toll in food poisoning rises to five in SW China village
Another passenger found alive in northern China bus accident
Chinas cabinet sets up investigation team for fatal gas explosion in SW China
Vice premier urges betterquality development of central SOEs next year
listed central SOEs undertake split equity structure reform
Chinese small city of Yiwu prepares Christmas ornaments for big world
Ship collision leaves drowned missing in Yangtze River
Taiwan Hong Kong Macao media lament Wang Daohans death
China shuts down coal mines in
Truckminibus collision kills injures in south China
Coal mine bosses required to deposit money as safety guarantee
Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The following are domestic news items released by Xinhua on Sunday
Senior CPC official returns home after visit to three Latin American countries
Automobile sales in Beijing peak before holidays
Worlds unique female orchestra to debut in China
Xinjiang to see doubledigit GDP growth this year
Expert predicts Chinas jobhunting pressure to peak in
Highlights of major Beijingbased newspapers Dec
Fatigue driving blamed for expressway accident that claims lives in N China
Chinas employees in accommodation catering industry total mln
Roundup HK economy witnesses balanced growth in
Roof of the World threatened by deteriorating environment
INTERVIEW Lai Shengchuan comic dialogue in Taiwan to pass on Chinese tradition
Worlds highest skywheel to be built in SE China
National Library of China to provide free digital resources to public
NW China region posts mln US dollars in foreign trade revenues
Roundup HK people spend holidays by traveling shopping gathering
Search for missing people going on despite rare chance of survival in N China road accident
Microsoft Google reach agreement on employee dispute
Painting album of noted Chinese artist fetches mln yuan in auction
pct Chinese middle school students dislike their parents survey
China in desperate need of oral doctors
Chinese experimental drama to review news events in
Chinas natural rubber consumption expected to reach million tons by
Two safety officials sacked for fatal mine blast in northwest China
China Exclusive Yuan to revalue or to reform Central bank official affirms the latter
Chinas biggest bank offers small firms strong loan support
Rescuers turn to salvage bodies of missing in Yellow River in northern China
Wild giant pandas number in SW China province
Nine tons of firecrackers seized near Three Gorges dam
Savings deposits in Shanghai banks surge as property market cools down
All tickets to HK Disneyland sold out on Christmas Day
miners trapped in coal mine accident in Chinas southwest
Citizens asked to keep room temperatures within degrees to save natural gas in NW China
Death toll in food poisoning rises to five in SW China village
NW China foreignfunded enterprises register sharp rise in export
Air quality of major Chinese cities Dec
Weather forecast for major Chinese cities Dec
Weather forecast for world cities Dec
Another passenger found alive in northern China bus accident
Weather information for AsiaPacific cities Dec
Chinas cabinet sets up investigation team for fatal gas explosion in SW China
Vice premier urges betterquality development of central SOEs next year
listed central SOEs undertake split equity structure reform
Chinese small city of Yiwu prepares Christmas ornaments for big world
Ship collision leaves drowned missing in Yangtze River
Taiwan Hong Kong Macao media lament Wang Daohans death
China shuts down coal mines in
Truckminibus collision kills injures in south China
Coal mine bosses required to deposit money as safety guarantee
Enditem
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JERUSALEM Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is scheduled to preside over a weekly cabinet meeting later Sunday in a show of vigor after recovering from a mild stroke
His office said Sharon will meet the cabinet ministers later Sunday after returning to a full work schedule because of his recovery from the illness
Doctors said Sharons blood pressure and cholesterol levels are normal despite the fact he is overweight
Sharon was rushed to the hospital on Dec after he briefly lost consciousness as he suffered a mild stroke which doctors said caused no permanent damage IsraelPM Recovery
TOKYO An express train derailed in Yamagata prefecture of northern Japan on Sunday night killing one person and injuring around local police said
Four persons are still trapped inside the train wreckage one of whom is seriously injured Kyodo News quoted local firefighting authority as saying About people have been taken to hospitals
Japantrain derails
JERUSALEM Israeli Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz said on Sunday that the government intends to channel a further million US dollars to complete a plan safeguarding southern Israeli towns near the Gaza Strip from Palestinian rocket fire
The government has given its goahead to the original million plan but so far only million dollars have been allocated
Mofaz said he has directed the Israel Defense Forces IDF to pursue a policy of intensive operations and targeted killings of Palestinian militants following last weeks Qassam rocket fire saying the targeted killings have proven themselves effective IsraelRocket Attack
BANDA ACEH Nearly people held mass prayers for tsunami victims here on Sunday a day ahead of the first anniversary of the disaster that left over Acehnese dead or missing and half a million homeless
The mass prayers lasted for nearly two hours
Earlier on Saturday they paid a devotional visit to the mass graves of tsunami victims in Lamgarut village some km from provincial capital city Banda Aceh IndonesiaAcehMass Prayers Enditem
WARSAW Dec Xinhua Concerns of bird flu outbreaks have led to the exclusion of poultry and other winged creatures in Polands Christmas nativity tableaux this year
Father Jan Maria Szewek told the Polish PAP news agency on Sunday that the farmer who used to lend poultry to the church for the nativity scene reminded them of the measures against bird flu Szewek is in charge of the tableau at the Franciscan church in Krakow in southern Poland
Given the threat of bird flu spreading from neighboring Ukraine the Polish veterinary authorities this summer banned any outdoor poultry raising and sales as well as bird shows and competitions in the open air
Starting from the th century Saint Francis of Assisi brought in the tradition of including live sheep goats and birds in tableaux depicting the infant Jesus in his manger in Bethlehem Enditem
WASHINGTON Dec Xinhua The following are major news items in leading US newspapers on Sunday
The New York Times
The commander of Americanrun prisons in Iraq says the military will not turn over any detainees or detention centers to Iraqi jailers until American officials are satisfied that the Iraqis are meeting United States standards for the care and custody of detainees
Internet casinos are outlaw operations in the eyes of the federal government but they look like solid investments to many of Wall Streets largest firms Bluechip investment houses like Goldman Sachs Merrill Lynch and Fidelity now hold hundreds of millions of dollars in shares of online casinos and betting parlors which are publicly traded on the London Stock Exchange and headquartered in places like Costa Rica or Gibraltar
An Egyptian court sentenced Ayman Nour a leading opposition figure to five years at hard labor on Saturday after convicting him in a forgery case widely seen as a political prosecution aimed at silencing a challenge to President Hosni Mubaraks monopoly on power
The Washington Post
After angry street protests and charges of voterigging in last weeks elections heightened tensions in an already divided Iraq US officials and leaders of the countrys main factions are negotiating the formation of a government that would represent all groups in hopes of heading off further fragmentation and a possible surge of violence Enditem
SOFIA Dec Xinhua The decision of the Libyan Supreme Court is a positive sign the spokesman of the Bulgarian Foreign Ministry Dimitar Tsanchev commented immediately after the retrial of the case against the five Bulgarian nurses in Libya was ordered Sunday morning
The supreme court has overturned death sentences against five Bulgarian nurses and a Palestinian doctor and ordered them retried on charges of infecting children with the HIV virus
Tsanchev pointed out that the court has taken into account the arguments of the defense of the Bulgarian nurses for the breaches and the violations in the investigation of the case
He said Bulgaria would like to express its gratitude to the international community for the active support and hopes that the solidarity with the Bulgarian cause would continue till the final positive outcome of the case
Having been informed the issue Georgi Parvanov president of the Republic of Bulgaria commented that the Libyan court decision has confirmed Bulgarias hopes that justice would prevail in the unjust case
Parvanov underlined that Bulgaria hoped that the swiftness and the efficiency that the Libyan court showed in the past few weeks would allow the case to be solved as quickly as possible
The outcome of Sundays trial presented the opportunity for strengthening the international community initiatives for helping the Benghazi victims he said This would also allow for restoring the traditionally good relationships between Bulgaria and Libya Parvanov added
After a marathon trial of the so called HIV effection with malice case Libyas Supreme Court ordered a retrial of the case against the five Bulgarian nurses sentenced to death for deliberately infecting over Libyan children with HIV The new hearing will take place in Benghazi Enditem
KHARTOUM Dec Xinhua A plane used by the African Union AU crashed in Sudans conflicttorn Darfur region on Saturday evening killing the two pilots on board the AU said in a statement on Sunday
The Russianmade Antonov was taking off from the town of Zalinge in West Darfur state and heading towards the regions main town of ElFasher when it crashed killing both pilots one Ukrainian and another Moldovan There were no other people on the plane the AU said
It was the first crash since the organization deployed its peacekeepers in the wartorn region in and used planes for personnel transportation
Investigators are now trying to establish the cause of the incident The official Sudan news agency quoted an unnamed AU official blaming the crash on a technical breakdown that took place shortly after takeoff
Around AU troops are now deployed as peacekeepers in the vast Darfur region of western Sudan where at least people have died and two million lost their homes since ethnic African rebels began to fight against the government in Enditem
KHABAROVSK Russia Dec Xinhua Cooperation between China and Russia in tackling the toxic slick floating down Chinas Songhua River was timely and has helped Russian cities effectively deal with the slick a Russian environmental monitoring official said on Sunday
The two countries exchanged information on the toxic slick on time and the accurate data China provided on its track was key to the effective work by relevant Russian cities in tackling the toxic slick Alexander Gavrilov head of the Far Eastern Hydrometeorological Service told Xinhua
The chemical spill in the Songhua River a tributary of the Heilong River was caused by a blast at a petrochemical plant in early November in Chinas northeastern Jilin province About tons of benzene a harmful chemical was believed to have spewed into the river
Last month Russia and China signed an agreement on monitoring the water quality in the Amur River called the Heilong River in China and joint work outlined in the agreement is underway Gavrilov said adding the two countries will also sign agreements on coordinating work in monitoring water quality in border rivers
The most concentrated part of the toxic slick has flowed past Khabarovsk Gavrilov said The nitrobenzene levels in the river was percent of the maximum permissible level when the slick hit the city he said
In Gavrilovs view Chinas measure to open reservoirs on the Songhua River to dilute the toxic slick and its further dilution in the Amur River brought the nitrobenzene concentration level down to the safety level in Khabarovsk
The activated carbon China provided to Russia also helped filter out pollutants at the source of Khabarovsks tap water in the river the official said Enditem
TOKYO Dec Xinhua The death toll in Sundays express train derailment in northern Japan has reached three Kyodo News agency reported Monday
One passenger remained trapped inside the first car of the derailed sixcarriage express train Kyodo said
The three victims were two women and a man Thirtythree people including the train driver suffered injuries and were hospitalized police said
Fortyfour passengers and two crew members were on board at the time of the derailment
The derailment is believed to have occurred after the train was hit by strong winds while crossing a bridge over the Mogami River officials of the Niigata branch of the railway operator said
The train floated when it was hit by sudden winds the yearold driver was quoted as saying
The train which was heading for Niigata from Akita prefecture had been running behind schedule due to snowfall
Unusually heavy snow hit Japan recently and has caused the deaths of eight people although the derailment seems not directly connected with it Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Following are some of the major international news stories scheduled to be covered or pursued by Xinhua on Monday
people killed in fighting between UN and Congolese troops and Ugandan rebels
Libyas supreme court overturns death sentences for six foreigners in AIDS trial
Sick Algerian president to return home from Paris within four days
Jordanian peacekeeper killed in Haiti when patrolling slum Enditem
TOKYO The death toll in Sundays express train derailment in northern Japan has reached three Kyodo News agency reported Monday JapanDerailment
CAIRO Arab League AL SecretaryGeneral Amr Moussa on Sunday expressed hope that a conference on Iraqi national reconciliation might be held early next year as planned despite relentless violence in the conflictridden country ALIraq
MOSCOW Russian natural gas giant Gazprom said on Sunday it may take Ukraine to an international court if the former Soviet republic uses gas intended for European clients from a pipeline running through its territory without permission RussiaUkraineGas
CAIRO Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit has tried to mediate dispute between Sudan and Chad the official MENA news agency reported on Sunday EgyptSudanChad Enditem
MEXICO CITY Dec Xinhua Popocatepetl volcano km away from Mexico City spewed a huge column of ash and rocks Sunday in a threeminute eruption but nearby towns were not affected local media said
The meter volcano has spat ash several times since Dec and Sundays eruption was within the expected scenarios
Local disaster prevention center said there is no evidence of a major risk in the following days
Popocatepetl whose name means smoking mountain in the Nahuatl Indian language spoke by the Aztecs is home to some million people It came to life in after decades of inactivity
The volcano becomes more active during winter months in Mexico as more ice expands and causes fissures in solidified lava in the crater allowing smoke ash or molten lava to spew out said scientists Enditem
HAVANA Dec Xinhua A Jordanian peacekeeper was killed by unidentified armed men in Haiti according to a United Nations report on Sunday
The men opened fire on the vehicle in which Yusef Mubarak was patrolling in CiteSoleil a violent slum in the Haitian capital PortauPrince Mubarak died of multiple gunshot wounds to the head
The killing came as Haitians and over UN peacekeepers were preparing for the general elections which had been tentatively set for January
Mubarak is the th peacekeeper killed in Haiti since the UN military mission began in June last year A UN police officer from Canada Marc Dourque was shot to death in CiteSoleil only five days earlier Enditem
WARSAW Dec Xinhua Poland will take over the mission of guarding the airspace of Baltic Lithuania Latvia and Estonia from Dec the Polish News Agency said Sunday
Authorized by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization NATO the Polish Air Force will protect the three countries airspace and prevent any possible violations as well as helping malfunctioned civilian or military aircraft in permitted flights
According to the Polish Defense Ministry Poland is to station four MiG fighters in a Lithuanian air base and the fighters will patrol in pairs hours every day
The three Baltic countries without fighters have their airspace guarded by other NATO member countries on a rotation basis since they joined the bloc on March Enditem
KINSHASA Dec Xinhua UN forces have joined government troops of the Democratic Republic of Congo to fight Ugandan rebels in the latest move to restore order in the east of the country and rebels were killed in the ongoing operation the United Nations said on Sunday
An Indian peacekeeper was killed and four others were injured while three Congolese government soldiers were killed and injured in the operation
The latest fighting began on Saturday around km south of Beni in North Kivu district after fighters of the Ugandan Allied Democratic ForcesNational Army for the Liberation of Uganda ignored an ultimatum to negotiate voluntary repatriation UN military spokesman Major HansJakob Reichen said
The militiamen have been accused of undermining the peace process in the country by raping pillaging and murdering civilians
Since a war broke out in in the DR Congo nearly million people have died mostly from warrelated hunger and diseases Enditem
BEIRUT Dec Xinhua Lebanons president Emile Lahoud has stressed the need to safeguard and strengthen national unity to better meet the rapid changes in the region and the world as a whole
Lahoud made the remarks in a meeting with Cardinal Nasrallah Butros Sfeir of the countrys Maronite Christian community here on Sunday
Lahoud and Sfeir agreed that Lebanese national unity and harmony should be realized through a national dialogue involving all Lebanese parties said a statement released by the presidents press office
They also vowed to stop the recent wave of killings and to bring criminals to justice said the statement
Lebanon has recently sustained a series of murders and bombings targeting Lebanese politicians and reporters mainly in the Christianoccupied areas Enditem
BOGOTA Dec Xinhua Colombian rebels the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia FARC shot two people on Saturday evening in the central part of the country authorities said Sunday night
Rebels of FARC the largest rebel group in Colombia opened fire on cars and buses at a checkpoint they set up on a country road as the vehicles failed to heed their orders to stop
Four others were also injured in the shooting spree The victims were driving home for Christmas holidays as the tragedy occurred
Colombia has been locked in a fourdecade civil war the longest in Latin America in which government forces leftist guerrillas and farright paramilitaries fight one another The conflicts kill more than people every year Enditem
TOKYO The death toll in a train derailment accident late Sunday have reached four Japanese media reported Monday
The new fatality was a man who was pulled out of the carriage early Monday without consciousness the public broadcaster NHK said JapanDerailment Deaths
KINSHASA UN forces have joined government troops of the Democratic Republic of Congo to fight Ugandan rebels in the latest move to restore order in the east of the country and rebels were killed in the ongoing operation the United Nations said on Sunday
An Indian peacekeeper was killed and four others were injured while three Congolese government soldiers were killed and injured in the operation UNDR CongoFighting
BANDA ACEH Indonesia Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono here on Monday inaugurated the National Commemoration of the Tsunami by delivering a keynote speech to participants including special envoys from a dozen of donor countries
Susilo emphasized that the commemoration aimed to seek for global unity against natural disasters like the tsunami on Dec last year which left more than people dead or missing along the coast of the Indian Ocean IndonesiaTsunami Anniversary
BAGHDAD A car bomb went off near a police patrol in central Baghdad on Monday wounding two civilians a police source told Xinhua IraqBaghdadBomb Enditem
MOSCOW Dec Xinhua Moscow is waiting for Tehrans reply to Russias offer to enrich uranium for Irans nuclear power plant as a compromise to resolve the dispute over its nuclear program a Russian diplomat said Monday
We presented an official memo to Iran on Saturday We are waiting for a reply Vyacheslav Moshkalo a counselor in the Russian Embassy in Tehran told the Interfax news agency
The diplomats remarks came a day after Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi said on Sunday Tehran had not received any specific offer from Moscow
It is hard to say what Mr Asefi meant Probably they are expecting a detailed plan as every bid comprises several points the diplomat said
The Russian Foreign Ministry confirmed on Saturday it made an offer to Iran to set up a joint venture in Russia that enriches uranium for Iran
Enriched uranium can be used as fuel in power generation or to make atomic bombs The proposal is seen as a way to minimize the chances of Iran acquiring the critical nuclear knowhow to make weaponsgrade components
The United States accuses Iran of running a covert nuclear arms program Iran however says its nuclear work is designed merely to meet its energy needs Enditem
MOSCOW Dec Xinhua Russian military prosecutors have closed a bribery case against former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko because the statute of limitations had expired the Prosecutor Generals Office said on Monday
The criminal case has been closed due to the expiry of the statute of limitation period the office said in a statement
Tymoshenko had been accused of bribing Russian defense officials while she led Ukraines main gas distributor in the s She denied the charges
Tymoshenko was dropped from Russias internationally wanted list in September after she traveled to Moscow to meet prosecutors She never visited Russia while she was prime minister
Once seen as the comradeinarms of President Viktor Yushchenko in last years Orange Revolution in Ukraine Tymoshenko was nevertheless sacked by Yushchenko in September amid a highlevel corruption scandal involving officials in her team
In Ukraine Tymoshenko has seen her popularity rising to rival Yushchenkos and she is planning to regain her job as prime minister in the parliamentary elections scheduled for March Enditem
MADRID Dec Xinhua Spanish Defense Minister Jose Bono emerged unhurt on Sunday after his plane overshot the runway when landing in the southern Bosnian city of Mostar a Defense Ministry spokesman said on Monday
None of the people on board was reported injured when the C Hercules transport plane landed meters off the airstrip
Most of the passengers were Bonos aides and Spanish journalists said the spokesman who blamed bad weather for the accident
Bono is on a threeday tour to visit Spanish troops in Bosnia Kosovo and Pakistan Spain has more than troops in Bosnia in Kosovo and in Pakistan where Spanish troops lead a NATO engineering battalion to help reconstruction in the areas hit by the October earthquake Enditem
KIEV Dec Xinhua Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko paid a oneday visit to Iraq on Monday to visit his countrys troops there said presidential spokeswoman Irina Gerashchenk
Ukraine initially dispatched troops to join the USled force in Iraq It started withdrawing them in March with the aim to complete the pullout by the end of the year
The country has now remaining troops under Polish command in southern and central Iraq
Yushchenko plans to visit Ukrainian troops in the town of Al Kut according to the spokeswoman
He is also scheduled to discuss Ukraines role in Iraqs reconstruction with top Iraqi officials
Elected in December last year Yushchenko made a withdrawal from Iraq one of his campaign promises
Up to now Ukrainian soldiers have died and others were injured in Iraq Enditem
MOSCOW Dec Xinhua At least people were sickened by unidentified gas in a store in the northern city of St Petersburg on Monday the Emergency Situations Ministry said
A ministry spokesman told the Interfax news agency that people most of them shop employees of the Maxidom chain was poisoned and people are being treated in hospitals of them in serious conditions Enditem
MOSCOW Dec Xinhua At least people were sickened in an apparent attack of poison gas in a store in the northern city of St Petersburg on Monday the Emergency Situations Ministry said
A ministry spokesman told the Interfax news agency that people most of them shop employees of the Maxidom chain was poisoned and people are being treated in hospitals of them in serious conditions
Suspicious boxes with wire were found in another two Maxidom outlets in the Krasnoselsky and Primorsky districts All the outlets are now being examined a source in the ministrys St Petersburg department said
The St Petersburg Prosecutors Office told Interfax preliminary data showed the substance that caused the poisoning was mercaptan
Mercaptan has a strong unpleasant odor and is used among other things to odorize natural gas Enditem
WASHINGTON Dec Xinhua The following are major news items in leading US newspapers on Monday
The New York Times
Federal appeals court judges around the nation have repeatedly excoriated immigration judges this year for what they call a pattern of biased and incoherent decisions in asylum cases
The Washington Post
A man shot his mother to death in McLean yesterday then headed for a secluded house in Great Falls where he killed three more people before taking his own life law enforcement sources said The Christmas morning killings appeared to be the deadliest outbreak of violence in Fairfax County in many years
After a year people in nations hit by the Indian Ocean Tsunami struggle to move on but thoughts of those they lost intrude
The year effort to eradicate polio from the world appears to be back on track after nearly unraveling in the past three years A new strategy of using a vaccine targeting the dominant strain of the virus appears to have eliminated polio from Egypt one of six countries where it was freely circulating That approach is on the verge of doing the same in India Twentyfive years ago India had cases of paralytic polio a year A decade ago it was still seeing cases annually Through November this year it recorded Enditem
PYONGYANG Dec Xinhua The Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea DPRK and Japan agreed on Sunday to reopen normalization talks as soon as in January after two days of negotiations in Beijing the DPRK announced in a statement on Monday
Both sides agreed to take measures to liquidate the unfortunate past and solve pending issues to normalize the relations between the two countries at an early date in the spirit of the DPRKJapan Pyongyang Declaration the statement said
The DPRK and Japan plan to resume talks in January by conducting three panel discussions on the issues of mutual concern with a view to improving the bilateral relations in all fields it added
The discussions will mainly focus on the diplomatic normalization between the two countries the abduction issue and the DPRKs nuclear and missile programs
If realized the January talks would be the two countries first round of negotiations aimed at normalizing diplomatic ties since the previous such talks held in October in Kuala Lumpur
However the Japanese government has made it clear that the talks will not achieve substantial progress unless the key abduction issue is solved Enditem
MOSCOW Dec Xinhua Staterun Azerbaijani Airlines has suspended its remaining Ukrainianbuilt An plane after the deadly crash of the other one last Friday reports from Azerbaijans capital Baku said on Monday
After the Dec catastrophe AZAL has one An still left and it was immediately taken out of service following this tragic event until the reasons for the accident have been established said Faramakh Mahmudov a senior manager at the airline was quoted as saying
Azerbaijani Airlines bought the plane two years ago from Ukraine It has purchased four two of which have been delivered The An designed by Ukraines Antonov company is a mediumrange plane with two propeller engines that can seat up to passengers
The An flight which was heading for Aktau Kazakhstan crashed eight minutes after takeoff from Baku Friday night killing all the passengers and five crew members on board
All the bodies including a Briton an Australian a Turk a Georgian and four Kazaks have been recovered
The planes black boxes were found on Sunday and will be sent abroad for analysis either to Russia or Ukraine said Ilham Amirov who heads the investigation into the crash
Amirov said Saturday a problem with the controlling systems was the most probable cause of the crash But he later added that it was too early to exclude other possibilities including terrorism
The same plane crashed in Iran in December killing all people aboard Enditem
MOSCOW At least people were sickened in an apparent attack of poison gas in a store in the northern city of St Petersburg on Monday the Emergency Situations Ministry said
A ministry spokesman told the Interfax news agency that people most of them shop employees of the Maxidom chain was poisoned and people are being treated in hospitals of them in serious conditions
Suspicious boxes with wire were found in another two Maxidom outlets in the Krasnoselsky and Primorsky districts All the outlets are now being examined a source in the ministrys St Petersburg department said RussiaGas Leak
LAGOS An auto accident killed at least people and left three others injured in Christmas eve in the northern Nigerian state of Zamfara a road safety official said on Monday
The accident occurred at about am GMT at Bakura junction Zamfara as the lorry developed a mechanical problem said Alhaji Umar Liman of the Federal Road Safety Commission
The vehicle was loaded with bags of maize and when the accident happened it fell under a bridge Liman told the official News Agency of Nigeria NigeriaAccident
KABUL Visiting Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Muttaki here Monday described Washingtons stance visvis Tehrans nuclear program as biased and slammed it
Our nuclear program is for peaceful purposes Americans are lying in this regard Manouchehr Muttaki told journalists here Terming the US attitude as nuclear apartheid he said that Iran would resist highhandedness
How a logic that nuclear technology is good for the US and not for others This is a nuclear apartheid and we do not accept it Muttaki emphasized AfghanistanIranNuclear Issue
BAGHDAD Two US soldiers were killed on Sunday the Christmas day in separate roadside bomb attacks targeting at US military convoys in Baghdad the US military said on Monday
A soldier assigned to Task Force Baghdad was killed when an improvised explosive device detonated near his patrol in Baghdad on Sunday the Christ the US military said in a statement
Another soldier from Task Force Baghdad died of wounds sustained in a roadside bomb blast in Baghdad on Sunday the military said in a separate statement IraqUSTolls
JERUSALEM Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon who suffered a minor stroke on Dec is to return to hospital next month to receive more heart treatment his doctors said on Monday IsraelSharon Enditem
KHABAROVSK Russia Dec Xinhua Some tons of activated carbon were delivered to this Far Eastern city on Monday by China to help tackle the toxic slick floating down the Songhua River
It was part of the second batch of tons of activated carbon China has promised to send to Russia The remaining tons will arrive soon Fan Xianrong Chinese Consul General in Khabarovsk told Xinhua after the handover ceremony
China had sent tons of activated carbon to Russia prior to the Monday delivery
A blast at a chemical plant last month caused a spill of about tons of benzene a harmful chemical into the Songhua River in northeast China The most concentrated part of the toxic slick has flowed past Khabarovsk where the concentration of benzene remained under the safety level
Besides activated carbon China has also provided chromatographs for water samples testing and sent experts to Russia to train native technicians for operating the equipment Enditem
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BRUSSELS Dec Xinhua In its top prospects Eurosportcom on Sunday listed football rising stars that could make a real impact next season
Lionel Messi BarcelonaArgentina
Having already ousted Ludovic Giuly from the starting eleven he overshadowed Robinho in Barcelonas triumph at the Bernabeu and followed that with a magnificent performance capped by a glorious strike against Racing Santander
Nemanja Vidic Spartak MoscowSerbia
Nemanja Vidic has emerged as one of the top defenders to be playing outside the major European leagues he has been the subject of tentative enquiries by the likes of Liverpool and Manchester United although Spartak arent short of cash and will hold out for close to million euros for the player
Yaya Toure OlympiakosCote dIvoire
Yaya Toure is a strong and ruthless holding midfielder of high technical ability With a series of impressive displays both domestically and in the Champions League January could be the time when he makes the move although a move may be delayed until the summer on account of his participation in the African Nations Cup that month
Freddy Adu DC UnitedUSA
Perhaps the most soughtafter teenager in world football Despite being only years old the striker is coveted by a host of major clubs around Europe as well as both the American and Ghanaian national sides
While Ghana the country of his birth have already offered him a place in their World Cup squad Freddy is reportedly keen to represent the USA his adopted home country
He still has years left on his contract at DC United but after that a big money move to Europe is likely to follow
Rio Mavuba BordeauxFrance
Mavubas rapid progress up the footballing ranks was confirmed by Raymond Domenechs decision to include him for Frances key World Cup Qualifying fixture against Ireland two months ago
As a midfielder he has been likened to Patrick Vieira and is seen by many as his natural successor in the French side
Sergio Aguero IndependienteArgentina
To give an indication of his value reports in Spain and England suggested just last week that Villareal were preparing a millioneuro offer for the year old Independiente forward
Having drawn comparisons with Romario due to his stocky stature and predatory instincts the Argentine starlets hopes of a place in Jose Pekermans World Cup squad were raised after recent praise from the coach
Romeo Castelen FeyenoordNetherlands
Following his move from ABO Den Haag to Feyenoord in summer Surinamborn Castelen has proved himself a dangerous freescoring winger and able deputy for Arjen Robben in the Dutch National side
Tall graceful and blessed with pace his return from injury will be a welcome boost for Feyenoord in the New Year
Theo Walcott SouthamptonEngland
The yearold Walcott has become an instant hit with four goals in ten starts in his debut season with the recently relegated South Coast club
With a sublime touch and ferocious turn of pace he came to the fore with a superbly taken goal against Luton and is reportedly interesting Chelsea Arsenal and Manchester United
Javier Mascherano CorinthiansArgentina
Small but robust the yearold midfielder has already attracted the attention of Arsenal and Atletico Madrid as well as being mentioned as a possible successor to Roy Keane at Manchester United
Emanuel Adebayor MonacoTogo
Rangy and skillful not unlike a Nwankwo Kanu blessed with pace this yearold has mostly come to the fore through topscoring for African minnows Togo in their shock World Cup qualification campaign
Linked with January moves to Premiership clubs if he holds out until the summer a good performance in Germany could see his stock rise further Enditem
WASHINGTON Dec Xinhua Following are Sundays NBA results home team in CAPS
DETROIT bt San Antonio
MIAMI bt LA Lakers
Enditem
LONDON Dec Xinhua Manchester United head coach Alex Ferguson agreed a fee with Spartak Moscow for Serbia Montenegro defender Nemanja Vidic
The yearold Vidic has become one of the most soughtafter players in Europe after informing the Russian side of his intention to quit the club during next months transfer window
The fee remains undisclosed but it is believed to be around million Enditem
By Sportswriter Wang Zijiang
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Chinas sporting machine geared up in for the Olympic Games in Beijing with an ambitious target to do even better than last years Athens Olympics where they finished second on the medal standings with gold medals only three behind the United States
As a matter of fact they dont need a miracle to replace the Americans as the biggest gold winners Even Jacques Rogge President of the International Olympic Committee IOC believes its a realistic aim and the Chinese can make it
I would not be surprised if China leads the medals count in Olympics in Beijing Rogge said when attending the opening ceremony of the th Chinese National Games in Nanjing east China last October
The confidence is right there In China has consolidated its ruling in all its traditionally dominant events in the world championships including table tennis badminton diving shooting gymnastics judo and weightlifting the last two reserved only for their women They also gained grounds in taekwondo tennis boxing and even mordern pentathlon
Zou Shiming rewrote the history by claiming Chinas firstever boxing world title in the lightfly category in the th world championships held in Mianyang southwest China Littleknown Qian Zhenhua left all his compatriots dumfounded after winning the modern pentathlon title at the world championships which is the first for Asian people in history
The worlds most populous country has also groomed an enormous group of young talents for the Games and some have shown they are ready to raise the torch passed on by the veterans They are still far from becoming household names but their potential has delighted the Chinese officials
In a word it seems that the gold medals will be just a number in three years More specifically its something between and Its no longer a question
Then whats the question
The prospect of Chinas sports is by no means as rosy as the preparation for the Olympics has showed to the world during the past year On the contrary its image has been badly tarnished by doping corruption and other scandals
The th National Games the biggestever with nearly athletes participating was marred by too many controversies which have raised pointed questions about sportsmanship and athletic priorities
From doping to thrown matches to biased judging the domestic miniOlympics was riddled with embarrassments blamed by some on a governmentsponsored athletic culture that stresses greater glory over love of sport
Sun Yingjie bronze medal winner in the womens m at the Paris world championships in tested positive for a banned steroid during the Games and is facing a twoyear suspension Olympic gold medalist Xing Huina was denied her gold in the m for elbowing an opponent
The womens kg judo final had to be replayed after Olympic champion Sun Fuming threw the match in less than seconds while a cycling bronze medalist accused the top two finishers with deliberately blocking her and refused to accept her prize
Protests have also been lodged over tennis badminton weightlifting and gymnastics events and in taekwondo out of matches in both the mens and womens events were forfeited following a walkout by athletes and coaches complaining of corrupt officiating and bribery
The controversies left audiences jaded and wondering whether the National Games which cost the Jiangsu Province at least billion yuan US dollars to build venues should continue
Chinas football which has been long plagued with match fixing and gambling accusations had to swallow their own bitter pills this season Their topflight Super League managed to finish their second season without a title sponsor The worst thing is that its fans have walked away on the worlds most beautiful game played on their home soil
The seasons biggest scandal erupted only weeks into the new season when Chi Shangbin head coach of last years champion Shenzhen was sacked for accusing the club of succumbing to ruffian players led by China captain Li Weifeng
AFC general secretary Peter Velappan warned China the Super League had to get clean or risk collapse The government must investigate the allegations of corruption and eliminate the scourge in Chinese soccer Velappan said If they dont then it will kill football in China and all the efforts we are making will go to naught
Maybe its not only about football but also about the whole sports industry of China
There are enough reasons for them to look far ahead beyond the gold medals and the Beijing Olympics in Enditem
By Sportswriter Gao Peng
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The countdown has started and the odyssey is still under way
With less than days to go before the opening of the Olympics in Beijing the Chinese capital is progressing smoothly towards the destination
Preparations are on schedule said Liu Jingmin executive vicepresident of the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games BOCOG
Contrary to the Greeks lastminute rush to finish the venues Beijing had raced ahead with the construction timetable which prompted International Olympic Committee IOC President Jacques Rogge last year to ask the Chinese organizers to slow down over concerns of high maintenance cost
Paying heeds to the IOCs advice Beijing has slowed its pace and optimized the designs of several venues including the National Stadium known as the Birds Nest
The number of its seats has been slashed from to and the idea of a retractable roof has been given up The cost of the stadium which will host the opening and closing ceremonies and athletic events thus dropped from billion yuan million US dollars to billion yuan million US dollars
The Wukesong Cultural and Sports Complex which will stage the basketball competition also saw its vast floor space reduced
Liu said the changes to the original designs were a result of considerations for the needs of the games and the people
Despite the changes all venues will still meet the needs of the games and the postgames use said Liu also a vice mayor of the city
A total of competition venues will be used for the GamesFourteen of them were brand new facilities were existing structures that were being upgraded and nine were temporary
With a total of workers being employed at all construction sites Beijing has started construction on all new venues planned in the city and the renovation work of existing facilities is soon to begin
The organizers exude with confidence that all the venues would be ready by the end of for test events
They will be able to be used for the test competitions although some minor finishing touches may still have to be added said Liu
In the meantime a new network of subway lines and roads is gradually taking shape and green space around the city is being expanded
The IOC was so content with Beijings preparatory work that they saw nothing but green lights in the build up to the games
The Games are green green and full green said Hein Verbruggen head of the IOCs coordination commission when he wrapped up his second inspection tour of China this year last month
While Beijing as the host city is the center of attention there are several other cities that are making great efforts to help deliver a highlevel games
Qingdao the sailing venue for the games is in full swing to transform itself into a Wonderland of Sailing
Taking full consideration of how the venue will be used after the games Qingdao promised to leave an environmentfriendly leisure area for the residents and visitors from home and abroad
Actually this marina is built for all the Qingdao citizens rather than only the Olympic Games said Li Fengli deputy secretary general of the local organizing committee
After the Games it will serve as a leisure and sports center for all the citizens and also a scenery site for foreign visitors
Qinghuangdao Tianjin Shanghai and Shenyang cohosts to the soccer competition are also working in parallel to fulfill their missions
Qinghuangdao Olympic Center Stadium which opened in June last year is the first venue to be completed for the games and stadiums in Shanghai and Shenyang are under substantial upgrading Tianjin started work on its new facility last year
In what might be a great relief for BOCOG the International Equestrian Federation IEF finally agreed to switch the equestrian events to Hong Kong from Beijing
The relocation of equestrian venue the most radical since when Stockholm filled in for Melbourne also for equestrian was approved by the IOC in July after lengthy negotiation between BOCOG and the IEF
Beijing had insisted that moving the events was necessary because of uncertainties of equine diseases and major difficulties in establishing a diseasefree zone
But the IEF had originally objected to the proposal because it would separate the sport from audiences and competitors in Beijing about a fourhour flight away
Hong Kong plans to convert a local park and training center for elite athletes to stage the equestrian event as well as making use of a country club and part of a golf club
The IOCs coordination commission also gave a positive assessment of Hong Kongs preparations after a visit to the region this summer
We were very impressed by the proposed venues for the equestrian competitions in Hong Kong and the preparatory work there said Verbruggen Enditem
By Sportswriter Gao Peng
BEIJING Dec Xinhua If there is anything that has already made the International Olympic Committee IOC happy with its decision to choose Beijing as the Olympic host city it may be the games rosy prospect of profitability
With organizers likely to cash in more than billion US dollars in local sponsorships almost twice the amount at the previous event in Athens IOC officials say Beijing will break the record set in Los Angeles in for the most profitable Games in history
It is incredible how interested almost billion Chinese are in Beijing said Gerhard Heiberg the IOCs marketing chief
The Beijing Organizing Committee for the Olympics BOCOG has signed up domestic partners Seven of them are Chinese companies with Volkswagen Adidas and Johnson Johnson rounding out the roster
Yuan Bin director of BOCOGs marketing department revealed that some of the organizing committees domestic sponsors pay even higher fees than the IOCs global sponsors or TOP sponsors
The threshold for becoming a TOP sponsor has been rising over the years The package for the Sydney Games in was around million dollars for a fouryear sponsorship Now the rights for the Beijing Games are set at about million dollars
Add at least million US dollars that BOCOG will pocket from the IOCs TOP sponsors including Chinas own Lenovo Heiberg expects Beijing to be the most profitable Olympics beating the millionUSdollar surplus in
BOCOGs profit estimate however is more cautious at million US dollars
The prospects of the marketing program are quite positive said Jiang Xiaoyu BOCOGs executive vice president
We would like to see billion dollars in sponsorship but there is much to do to reach the figure
Yuan said the marketing programs success stemmed from a clear package that outlined the rights and benefits of all sponsors
We have worked closely with these companies to ensure they can maximize their brands exposure she said
We have pursued a winwin situation Yes we get money but we also enhance the image of the companies involved
BOCOGs marketing campaign got a further boost when five dolls named the Friendlies were unveiled last month as the mascots of the Olympics
The launch of the mascot will push sales of Olympic products to new heights said Lai Ming deputy director of BOCOGs marketing department
We believe the sales volume will be bigger than the previous Olympic Games
The mascot of the Sydney and Athens Olympics generated profits of more than million US dollars and million dollars respectively Experts estimated that Beijing could reap a profit of more than million dollars through the sales of Olympic mascotrelated products
BOCOG was also expanding the licensing program with plans to open more merchandise stores across China and overseas
Yuan said more licensing product lines including sports wear stationery arts and crafts will be opened in the next few months
According to Jiang the games operating cost has increased from the original forecast of billion US dollars to around billion dollars
But Hein Verbruggen head of the IOCs coordination commission was not worried about the rising budget
BOCOGs budget will be met by the IOCs contribution from the sales of broadcast rights and international sponsorship and also by BOCOGs efforts in finding commercial partners and selling tickets said Verbruggen
We are very confident that there will be financially a positive outcome Enditem
By Sportswriter Zhang Han
BEIJING Dec Xinhua In the first ever election in Chinese table tennis history Shi Zhihao was appointed to head the womens national team and Liu Guoliang keeps his job as the mens head coach
The yearold Liu former Olympic and world champion keeps the job he took two years ago while Shi who was an assistant to Liu outran former head coach Lu Yuansheng and other contenders for the other highprofile position
It was the first time that an open election was held to decide the head coaches in the Chinese table tennis teams Liu and Shi will have to prove their worth in the Olympics
China failed in the mens doubles womens singles and womens team at the th Asian Championships in South Korea in August China had never lost as many as three gold medals in a continental tournament in the past years
Its not a coincidence We have problems in the management training techniques and players mentality said Cai Zhenhua director of the Chinese Table Tennis and Badminton Administration Center
Most players are the only child of the family said Cai also an assistant to the sports minister They did not know how to deal with difficulties in life before joining the national teams To be mentally tough is not easy for them
China has been on the top of the world for decades especially on the womens side We had dominated the world without taking many reforms We are complacent That might be a reason we lost three titles in the Asian championships
Cai has been calling for reforms to the womens table tennis on many occasions and hiring international players in the domestic league is one of Cais ideas
Clubs have recruited internationally popular players including talented Japanese girl Ai Fukuhara and reigning Olympic mens singles champion Ryu Seung Min in the league
A new schedule has been in place to put the domestic competition ahead of ITTF Pro Tour
The Chinese National Games in October produced the most exciting table tennis action as new blood gave a hard time to veterans
China had nothing to boost of in the yearend World Cup and ITTF Finals but Cai said the rolling is unstoppable
The league is the best way to keep China ahead in the sport We wont take a step back said Cai Enditem
By Sportswriter Shan Lei
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Chinese mens basketball team won the Asian championship and its womens under side took the best ever finish a fourth place in the world championships in neither of which however created much attention in the country
Li Yuanwei executive vice president of the Chinese Basketball Association said these achievements were the key to the Chinese basketball reform in the year of
I cannot imagine how many difficulties we would have met for the reform if we hadnt achieved those good results said Li also director of the Chinese Basketball Administration Center
Li called the year of the Executive Year of the Polar Star Project which was launched in the season of the Chinese Basketball Association league CBA in November
The project is aiming to create more space to the sports market leaving less power to the governmental bureau
A CBA Office is set up to take charge of the domestic leagues of men and women with the Swiss marketing company Infront Ltd entering to become the marketing agent of the leagues
The CBA received at least million US dollar annually from Infront an amount which almost doubles the highestpaid contract for the league in the past decade
The National Basketball Association NBA is vying against Infront for the promoting right of the Chinese national team for the next three years
A basketball institution has been founded and a new website is on the wing
The reform is to put the Chinese basketball on the right track not just for some good results at the Beijing Olympic Games Li saidEnditem
By Sportswriter Shen Nan
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Chinese Olympic legend Wang Yifu is set to appear at the Olympic shooting range for the seventh straight time may not be an athlete but the leading coach of the supreme Chinese team while the Russians stand in his way to another summit
After winning his second Olympic gold medal in Athens Wang one of the greatest marksmen both in China and worldwide chose to face another challenge He took charge of the Chinese shooting team of rifle and pistol at the beginning of the year Sun Shengwei once head coach took over the shotgun team
I will impart my experience to the young shooters which is decisive in shooting competitions especially at the premier event said Wang
It was a pointer of his first shot at the new position The Chinese shooting team of rifle and pistol shot down gold medals in four World Cups and the World Cup Finals in in addition with eight Olympic quotas for
It was the best ever seasonal achievement in Chinese shooting history said Gao Zhidan the top official of the sport
However Wang and his team have no reason to celebrate as their longtime rival shone ever brighter this year Russia the other super power of the worlds shooting sport won five golds out of in the World Cup Finals in rifle and pistol and one in the shotgun finals while Chinese shooters claimed only three titles in rifle and pistol
The Russian veterans such as Mikhail Nestruev and Boris Kokorev are still tough said Wang during the World Cup Finals in Munich in August
Their composure and rich experience make them the most dangerous rivals to the Chinese in the upcoming Beijing Olympics
The yearold Kokorev Olympic champion in the mens m air pistol won the m pistol in the tournament in Munich by winning a breathtaking shootoff against Chinas Lin Zhongzai
Mikhail Nestruev double Olympic medal winner in held back Chinese veteran Tan Zongliangs challenge to be crowned in the mens m air pistol
Wang who beat Nestruev at the last shot in the mens m air pistol in Athens has proved himself to be a great shooter by wrapping six Olympic medals in six straight games However to be a successful coach is no easy task while the four golds in Athens made his job even tougher
We are now like standing on a high cliff every step upward would be rough and every bit of incaution would cause a smashing falling said Gao Zhidan
Like Wang Du Li also snatched the gold medal at the very last shot from Russian markswoman Lioubov Galkina Jia Zhanbo was luckily handed the gold of mens m rifle three positions by Matthew Emmons of the United States who shot his last shot at the others target by mistake The only title without tough fight was the mens m air rifle where fresher Zhu Qinan and Li Jie finished onetwo
As for the two disciplines of womens pistol where the Chinese have a tradition and won each in Atlanta and Sydney Olympics it came out a blank of medal in Athens What makes it more vexatious is that there is no evidence of refurbishment this year
The yearold Chen Ying who finished fourth in m pistol in Athens took the first place in the World Cup in Fort Benning and the World Cup Finals in Munich both with modest scores And these are the rare remarkable results in Chinese womens pistol of the year
Nevertheless as for the prospect of the Russian team which was dimmed by the Chinese in Athens in the next Olympics in Beijing Nestruev once replied it will be hard because we will be the guest and they are the host
Yet being a host is a twoedged sword for the Chinese In the Olympic history the hosts seldom do well in shooting said Gao
Being the head coach does not necessarily means Wang will hang up his gun I will get back and shoot for the minimum qualification score in said Wang Yifu Then I still have an opportunity to shoot at the Olympics Enditem
By Sportswriter Liu Guang
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Two highprofile cases at the end of this year highlight the growing scrutiny over doping cheats in sports
First Americas former sprint king Tim Montgomerie was banned for two years for doping despite the fact that he had never tested positive
The Court of Arbitration for Sport who upheld the verdict by the US Antidoping Agency earlier this month based the ban on testimony from shamed runner Kelli White and evidence gathered in a criminal investigation of the Californiabased Bay Area Laboratory CoOperativeBALCO
World Antidoping Agency WADA head Dick Pound has hailed the decision as a major breakthrough in the battle against doping
Finally a stake has been driven through the heart of the preposterous argument that you have to have a doping infraction by producing an analytical positive doping test said Pound
It is a good warning It means if you are going to do this drug stuff you are at risk It will be helpful as a deterrent he added
In the second case Argentine tennis player Mariano Puerta was banned for eight years the longest ban in tennis history after he failed a test for the banned stimulant etilefrine immediately after the French Open final which he lost in four sets to Rafael Nadal
The International Tennis Federation seems to have little sympathy in handing down the verdict to the yearold for his second doping offense Before the French Open final he had served a ninemonth ban after testing positive for clenbuterol during a tournament in Vina del Mar Chile in February
Somebody who has tested positive twice in less than two years is someone who clearly doesnt think the rules apply to him Pound said of the case
The testing regimes will get better over time and the deterrent effect of these kind of sanctions where positive cases are discovered will I hope persuade players who might otherwise consider using these drugs not to do so
Another big name who made headlines was American Lance Armstrong who French sports paper Lequipe alleged that six of Armstrongs frozen urine samples from the Tour came back positive for enduranceboosting EPO
Armstrong has been fighting vehemently against the allegations but Pound had warned the American that WADA was continuing to build evidence against him
It the case is not going to go away Were dealing with all the spins out there right now but behind scenes there are investigations quietly proceeding
There is no urgency because he is not going to be in another race but there are some explanations that are going to have to be given
Armstrong is entitled to the presumption of innocence before WADA and International Cycling Union complete their own investigations but the way of testing doping samples kept from past years would force athletes to have a rethink of doping
The International Olympic Committee IOC president Jacques Rogge had said that he wanted to extend to all sporting federations the system of keeping doping samples for eight years for possible retroactive sanctions
Sports federations would feel the urgency in the fight against doping in particular after baseball was excluded from the Olympic program in
Baseball and softball failed to win a majority of votes in the IOC Session in Singapore in July becoming the first sports to be cut from the Games since polo in
One of the key reasons was the doping record in baseball in particular in the United States where the image of the sport has been tarnished in the past year after a number of leading players were linked to steroid use
There will be no exception to the winter sports as the IOC has planned to perform tests at next Februarys Turin Olympics which is percent more than the number at the last Winter Games in Salt Lake City in
We remain with our zero tolerance policy so that the fight against doping remains the very first priority of the International Olympic Committee said Rogge Enditem
By Sportswriter Gong Bing
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Rowing canoeing and sailing are called water sports in China and governed by Wei Di director of the Chinese Water Sports Administration Center
China won its first ever water sports gold medal in the Athens Olympics as Meng Guoliang and Yang Wenjuan triumphed in the mens canoeing C m final
One wont be enough as Beijing hosts the Olympics Three is a realistic goal
Recruitment of foreign coaches is a key to Chinas success in the water sports
The Chinese canoeing team is headed by Josef Capousek who had helped as a coach the German team win Olympic gold medals Another foreign recruit Marek Ploch is the man behind Chinas historic win in Athens
The first gold medal in for China in water events should justifiably come from canoe and kayak Besides the mens C m the mens C m and womens k m also have gold chances
Since December last year a new canoeing team was set up for the Beijing Games After months of training in the Qiandaohu Lake and Yunnan Chenggong Plateau the team went on to compete in three World Cups and the world championships winning three titles in all
Chinese rowing is expected to end its Olympic gold drought in since winning three World Cup events in
Canoeing slalom may become Chinas another gold point although this event came to China only five years ago
In the Olympics hosts Germany won all four gold medals which told us that everything is possible Wei Di said Since the event is easily affected by natural conditions we should take advantage of the chance as hosts and may take all by surprise in Enditem
By Sportswriter Zheng Daojin
BEIJING Dec Xinhua It is not the worst but the lightest year for Chinese football as neither big problems nor really important events happened throughout the whole year In such a light state of being it is only bearable due to the small signs of future rejuvenation
Unlike when the inaugural Chinese Super League was tangled and swamped with harsh turbulence like first division club Guoans walkout seven major clubs disputes with the nations football governing body CFA Chinese Football Association and matchfixing scandals the year has witnessed a relatively peaceful and calm league featured with more clean games and more sensible spectators
Most clubs and players have returned to rational thinking after last years sudden eruption of problems accumulated during the past years of professional league CFA deputy president Xie Yalong told Xinhua They are more sensible and more friendly to the fans The general atmosphere is calm and favorable for the sport
However it is not until the success in Beijing Olympics can Chinese football get revival Then we must fight to advance to the World Cup finals to get rid of the predicament thoroughly and to step on the right path towards future glory
China have bounced back a little bit from the ground level after last years fiasco when the national and Olympic team both suffered humiliating early exit from the World Cup and Athens Olympics and the Steel Roses were torn to pieces by a merciless German side at Athens
Chinese mens national team claimed two east Asia titles under the guidance of local manager Zhu Guanghu who took over Dutchman Arie Haan in February
With an industrious attitude and an earnest willing to learn Zhu Guanghu is trying to transplant the Chelsea style into his team for its the most advanced one in his eyes
The hard working boss has given much importance to the teams defense system and the efficiency in the counterattack and also the position sense His work seemed to have some effect as China produced some stunning performances in the away international friendlies against tough teams like Ireland and Germany to win praise from their opponents
But the goal drought against European teams reflects the apparent weakness in the forward line In spite of the concerted efforts by Europeanbased players like Sun Jihai Mancherster City Li Tie Everton Shao Jiayi Munich Dong Fangzhuo Manchester United Du Wei Celtics and local stars like Zheng Zhi Li Weifeng Chen Tao China never found the net in a match against European sides Nevertheless one can still found some fine seeds Just look at striker Xie Hui former German second division club Aachen strikers onetoone drive facing an outing Oliver Kahn and Dong Fangzhuos curving header against the post of Germany you can say that China deserved the applause from the unsatisfied German supporters
Another good sign is a promising China youth team which glittered and showed high quality in the Netherlands World Youth Championships with a historic three straight wins in the group stages and a brave game against Germany in the quarterfinals Young players like playmaker Chen Tao captain Feng Xiaoting displayed their potential and vigor with some encouraging performance Those brilliant youngsters are likely to form a strong Olympic squad in for China
The national women team posed a headache as Pei Encai who is not familiar with women footballers training resigned in November after a disappointing sixmonth coaching experience The once shining Steel Roses lacked the backbone and blood for success in a hard period with less talented and experienced players But Ma Liangxing former national women teams boss took over during the crisis and he may try his best to lead the team out of the doldrums
As part of the preparation for future success the youth training system plays a pivot role Xie Yalong has realized the significance We are trying to work out a scientific system to train the young players The current private football school system has many problems as most of the investors merely look at the parents pockets Something must be changed and some basic work must be carried out
If all the suitable efforts are to be made and all the positive elements are to be inspired Chinese football will still be hopeful in the future and the torment of enduring the lightness of being may not come anymore Enditem
WASHINGTON Dec Xinhua The Miami Heat led by Shaquille ONeals points and rebounds beat the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday although Kobe Bryant hit a gamehigh points for the loser
ONeal and Bryant renewed their rivalry but it was Gary Payton who hit his seasonhigh points including a clutch goahead threepointer with just seconds to play for the home court win
Dwyane Wade who went headtohead much of the contest with Bryant contributed points to the Miami total while Jason Williams chipped in with as the Heat won for the sixth time in eight games
Brian Cook hit for points for the Lakers while Lamar Odom had points and rebounds
In Auburn Hills Chauncey Billups scored points and grabbed six rebounds to guide the Detroit Pistons to an win over the NBA champion San Antonio Spurs in a rematch of last years NBA final
The Christmas Day clash at the Palace at Auburn Hills was the first meeting between Detroit and San Antonio since the Spurs claimed the title last year and a preview of what many predict will be this seasons championship final
Rasheed Wallace contributed points to the Pistons cause while Ben Wallace ruled the boards pulling down a season best rebounds while chipping in with points
Tony Parker led the Spurs with points and Tim Duncan added points and rebounds
Winners of the last three NBA crowns between them both the Pistons and Spurs remain among the leagues best topping their respective conferences
The Pistons revenged their finals defeat with a dominating display and extended their winning streak to seven games while improving their record to a league best Enditem
WASHINGTON Dec Xinhua Dwight Howards consecutive games streak will likely stay alive according to a report from Orlando
Howard who sprained his right ankle Friday against the Lakers is expected to play against the Bucks on Monday the Orlando Sentinel said
In his second season the yearold Howard has never missed a game His consecutive game streak is at the team record is set by Darrell Armstrong from to
The Magic are expected to activate center Kelvin Cato who hasnt played since Dec with a sprained right ankle for the game against the Bucks Enditem
TOKYO Dec Xinhua Following is the Japan squad for a warmup game against the United States in February before the World Cup in Germany announced here on Monday
Goalkeepers Yoichi Doi FC Tokyo Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi Jubilo Iwata Hitoshi Sogahata Kashima Antlers
Defenders Makoto Tanaka Iwata Tsuneyasu Miyamoto Gamba Osaka Alessandro Santos Urawa Red Diamonds Yuji Nakazawa Yokohama Marinos Keisuke Tsuboi Urawa Shinji Murai Iwata Akira Kaji Tokyo Yuichi Komano Sanfrecce Hiroshima Teruyuki Minowa Tokyo
Midfielders Takashi Fukunishi Iwata Mitsuo Ogasawara Kashima Masashi Motoyama Kashima Yasuhito Endo Osaka Yuki Abe JEF United Chiba Makoto Hasebe Urawa
Forwards Takayuki Suzuki Kashima Tatsuhiko Kubo Yokohama Seiichiro Maki Chiba Hisato Sato Hiroshima Enditem
LONDON Dec Xinhua Arsenal midfielder Robert Pires is set for crucial contract talks with the club this week which are likely to decide his future sooner rather than later
The Frenchmans existing deal expires in the summer which means he can start negotiating with other interested clubs from January
However Pires next month is keen to speak to Gunners boss Arsene Wenger to see what his longterm plans for him are
I have a meeting planned with Arsene Wenger in the next few days he told The Sun
I dont know what will come of it but well see what the future holds
If I am to stay I will do so with great pleasure If not then Ill try elsewhere
What I want is to play even though Im on the bench at the moment Enditem
LONDON Dec Xinhua Manchester United boss Alex Ferguson has dismissed speculation about his future and insists he is as committed as ever to achieving success at Old Trafford
Fears have been growing that the Scots year reign at United could be about to end following a patchy start to the season
The Red Devils have reached the semifinals of the Carling Cup and are second in the Premiership
However they trail table toppers Chelsea by nine points and disastrously failed to progress past the group stage in the Champions League
Nevertheless Fergie declared One thing you can be certain of is that despite some people suggesting my time is up as manager of United Im determined to carry on and will stay until I am happy this club is back on track
It wont be easy because the standard in the Premiership is higher than it has ever been not just at the top with Chelsea but all the way down to the teams fighting to stay up
I am unbowed though as fit and committed as ever and I look forward to taking Manchester United forward again in quotes The Sun
Ferguson bolstered by the capture of Serbia Montenegro defender Nemanja Vidic is also confident more success is on the way for United
He added Im happy to say the players are working hard and are in the mood to turn things around
We are in a rebuilding phase and it takes time but I think that we are getting there
We have more senior men back now so the young ones dont have to carry the banner alone
Im looking forward to more than ever because I feel were at the point of turning things round after a difficult year Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Changshu a city of east Chinas Jiangsu province will host the th FINA World Cup Diving meet from July organizers announced in a press conference here on Monday
About divers and coaches from countries and regions will participate in the biennial world top level diving meet
The World Cup will set events including mens and womens one meter springboard m springboard m platform and synchro m springboard and synchro m platform
It is the third time that China host the World Cup as in Shanghai and Beijing in
Qian Xianghong director of the Changshu organizing committee saidWed like to provide a perfect rehearsal for divers all over the world ahead of the Beijing Olympic Games
As one of the diving powerhouse in the world Chinese divers had wrapped up golds from the previous World Cup
Our divers will try hard to take more victories in Changshu and break the gold barrier Qian revealed
Changshu had held the th World Womens Basketball Championships in and World Cup Water Skiing in Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Chinese star runner Sun Yingjie who was suspended for two years for testing positive for banned drugs last October said she will achieve good results in the Beijing Olympic Games
Sun world half marathon champion in has denied any wrongdoing following her surprise positive test results during the th Chinese National Games in Nanjing two months ago
I hope to run in the Beijing Olympics and prove my innocence with a good result Sun said in her first interview with reporters in two months
The past two months is as long as years for me she said But after all this I have become more mature I will train as hard as ever even though I am not allowed to run They can only ban me from competitions but cannot ban me from training
The year of will be a new start for me
Sun won a court battle earlier December against a former training partner she accused of spiking her drinks with the banned steroid androsterone She was cleared by the court of doping
But the Chinese Athletics Association CAA decided that judicial ruling would not affect their final judgment Enditem
BRUSSELS Dec Xinhua Following are the results from the Dutch soccer championship matches on Monday
Monday December
Utrecht tied Sparta Rotterdam
Next Fixtures GMT
Monday December
Feyenoord vs AZ Alkmaar
NEC Nijmegen vs PSV Eindhoven
Twente Enschede vs RBC Roosendaal
Tuesday December
RKC Waalwijk vs Heerenveen
Roda JC Kerkrade vs ADO Den Haag
Vitesse Arnhem vs NAC Breda
Ajax Amsterdam vs Groningen Enditem
BRUSSELS Dec Xinhua Following are the standings of the Dutch soccer championship after the match between Utrecht and Sparta Rotterdam on Monday tabulated under games played won drawn lost goals for against points
AZ Alkmaar
PSV Eindhoven
Feyenoord
Ajax Amsterdam
NEC Nijmegen
RKC Waalwijk
Groningen
Utrecht
Heerenveen
Vitesse Arnhem
Roda JC Kerkrade
NAC Breda
ADO Den Haag
Twente Enschede
Heracles Almelo
Sparta Rotterdam
Willem II Tilburg
RBC Roosendaal Enditem
BRUSSELS Dec Xinhua Following are the top scorers of the Dutch soccer championship on Monday
Klaas Jan Huntelaar Heerenveen
Shota Arveladze AZ Alkmaar
Rick Hoogendorp RKC Waalwijk
Dirk Kuyt Feyenoord
Jefferson Farfan PSV Eindhoven
Kenneth Perez AZ Alkmaar
Arouna Kone PSV Eindhoven
Matthew Amoah Vitesse Arnhem
Tarik Sektioui AZ Alkmaar
Theo Janssen Vitesse Arnhem
Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink PSV Eindhoven
Yuri Cornelisse Groningen
Salomon Kalou Feyenoord
Denny Landzaat AZ Alkmaar
Sergio Roda JC Kerkrade
Youssouf Hersi Vitesse Arnhem
Ricky van den Bergh Sparta Rotterdam
Benjamin De Ceulaer RKC Waalwijk
Maarten Martens RKC Waalwijk
Johan Vonlanthen NAC Breda
Romeo Castelen Feyenoord
Angelos Haristeas Ajax Amsterdam
Wesley Sneijder Ajax Amsterdam
Andres Oper Roda JC Kerkrade
Pierre van Hooijdonk NAC Breda
Philip Cocu PSV Eindhoven Enditem
LONDON Dec Xinhua Following are the summaries from the English premier league soccer matches on Monday
Tottenham Hotspur
Robbie Keane pen Jermain Defoe
Birmingham City
Red Card Muzzy Izzet
Halftime Attendance
Chelsea
William Gallas Frank Lampard Hernan Crespo
Fulham
Brian McBride Heidar Helguson pen
Halftime Attendance
Charlton Athletic
Red Card Danny Murphy
Arsenal
Jose Antonio Reyes Halftime
Attendance
Next Fixtures
Monday December GMT
Liverpool vs Newcastle United
Manchester United vs West Bromwich Albion
Middlesbrough vs Blackburn Rovers
Portsmouth vs West Ham United
Sunderland vs Bolton Wanderers
Wigan Athletic vs Manchester City
Aston Villa vs Everton Enditem
HANGGIN BANNER Inner Mongolia Dec Xinhua Chilly weather frozen river surface and deep water left the missing in a major bus accident in north China no chance to survive local government said on Sunday night
The bus with passengers and one driver aboard suddenly fell into the Yellow River while driving on the frozen surface at the section of the Hanggin Banner prefecture in Ordos City of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region at about pm Saturday
Its impossible to survive the iced river for such a long time said Gao Yi deputy director of the Publicity Department of the CPC Ordos City Committee
Nine people six male and three female escaped from the sinking bus and have been rescued said Zhang Gui vice mayor of the Ordos City
One of the saved went home while the eight others were receiving treatment in a nearby hospital They were all in good conditions said Zhang
A yearold girl named Hao Na however was overfrightened and cannot answer questions said the vice mayor
Initial investigation shows that the cavein of the icy road caused the seat bus to sink into the river according to local police
The local government has mobilized a team of armed police officers firemen six divers and emergency vehicles to rush to the scene for rescue and salvage earlier on Sunday
The rescuers have found the bus in the river but it is yet to be salvaged
The Bayannur City Branch of the PICC Property and Casualty Co Ltd has sent staff to the scene to handle compensation affairs
Each victims family could be paid yuan US dollars according to the insurance company Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Market exchange rates of four major currencies against RMB yuan announced Monday by the Peoples Bank of China
Currency Unit Middle Price in RMB yuan
US Dollar
Euro
Japanese Yen
Hong Kong Dollar
The rates are mainly based on the closing prices of the previous trading session on Chinas interbank market of foreign exchange Exchange rates of other convertible currencies against RMB yuan on the interbank market are based on these rates and changes in the international exchange markets Enditem
LANZHOU Dec Xinhua An international center for promotion and transfer of solar energy will be built in Lanzhou capital of northwest Chinas Gansu Province with financial support from the United Nations Industrial Development Organization UNIDO
The projected center will be established on the basis of the existing Natural Energy Institute of Gansu and the UNIDO will pump up US dollars as a fund for startup said Xi Wenhua vice president of the Gansu Provincial Academy of Sciences and also head of the Natural Energy Institute
The Chinese Government will input million yuan about million US dollars to cover the costs for land acquisition and expenses needed in building a mansion for the new center said Xi
There are over firms engaged in production of solar energy converters across China By late the Chinese companies had produced megawatt photovoltaic units
The Natural Energy Institute of Gansu has developed more than solar energy technology applications items in its years of history It has so far set up an information network for an exchange of solar energy technologies and conducting relevant cooperation with organizations from more than countries and has helped train approximately solar energy technical and managerial personnel for developing countries Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The Chinese Ministry of Construction said Monday the average housing prices in Chinas major and mediumsized cities dropped by about percent on a monthtomonth basis since early July of
Input in real estate projects surged by percent down percentage points the ministry said at an annual national meeting on construction
Speculative housing demand in the country has been curbed and housing shortage has been eased to some extent in the cities of Shanghai and Hangzhou both in east China said the ministry Enditem
GUANGZHOU Dec Xinhua Twentyfive people were confirmed dead and others injured when a bar caught fire Sunday night in the city of Zhongshan south Chinas Guangdong Province
The local government said the cause of the fire is being investigated Enditem
URUMQI Dec Xinhua The longvanished wolves which have resuscitated and are haunting pastures in Chinas westernmost Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region
They have killed sheep in Qinghe county since this winter set in and victimized a total of sheep there for for the whole year according to the statistics released by the local government
Apart from Qinghe countys bane from wolves Wuqia mountain and Bainburuk pasture had also been haunted by wolves Though the exact figure of wolves is not yet available packs of wolves have become sizeable in Xinjiang as the experts on wolves study told
Local governments find it hard to deal with these wolve packs Herders who lived on sheep however can hardly tolerate to lose their topdrawer possession to wolves so they pressure local government to do away with them while environmentalists are in firm opposition to the overhunting of these wolves out of a consideration of ecosystem balance
Wolves are placed on the upper strata of the food chain so if their number shrink by a large margin herbivorous animals will multiple to bring ruins to the grassland said Zhu Defu director of wild protection center of the Xinjiang Forestry Bureau
Wolves and sheep are both indispensable rings of the pasture food chain and they have to share the pasture in order to maintain the ecological balance added Zhu
Local governments are resolved to protect wild wolves by the means of providing compensations to herders who incurred losses from wolves assaults with funds of the Xinjiang environmental protection fund
The Qinghe county government appealed to governments at the lower levels to work out measures for the protection of these wolves and reduce major losses from wolves harassments Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua A woman who was abducted sold into marriage and lost her only son has finally found a way to forget all her tragedies living in a cave for years
Huang Peishu from southwest Chinas Sichuan Province has been hospitalized in Hohhot capital of north Chinas Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region China Daily reported Monday
It said she had to receive at least threemonth treatment before she could go home with her elder brother Huang Peirong who arrived in Hohhot after reading his sisters story from a newspaper
The woman now disappeared from her home village in Zhongjiang county in the spring of after two unhappy marriages Her family tried in vain to look for her and finally thought that she might be dead somewhere
But they never imagined she had been abducted by human smugglers to Inner Mongolia and sold to a local Sun Runshan becoming his wife in Sanjuyao Village of Helin County in Hohhot
The illiterate Sun who had never been married because of poverty paid the smugglers yuan US dollars and took Huang home
The next year Sun and Huang had a son But the unexpected death of the child half a year later brought her back to a chasm of misery
The family claims Huang became desperate and crazy She hurt Suns mother one day in a quarrel Beaten by Suns uncle Huang ran away to a cave nearby and refused to return home
Sun who said he loved Huang sent her meals every day and raised hens in the cave so that Huang had live eggs to eat As the temperature of the cave was C in winter Sun sent quilts made of sheep hides to the cave
Because the cave was remote Huang did not arouse any outside attention until five years ago when Ren Zhiming former deputy chief of the Hohhot Photographers Association happened to spot her when taking a picture in the village In following years Ren took some pictures of Huang
At the beginning of this month Ren told Huangs story to Liu Li a reporter of Inner Mongolia Morning Post The story was published in the newspaper two days later and caused a stir among the public
A week later the Helin county government sent Huang to the Inner Mongolia Mental Health Centre to have a checkup Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The worlds fastest underground train has zipped through Guangzhou capital of south Chinas Guangdong Province starting a service that will hopefully tackle the citys traffic problems
Consisting of three train cars and worth more than million yuan million US dollars it is the most advanced underground train on the Chinese mainland China Daily reported Monday
The train speeding km an hour will take less than an hour to get from Panyu in southern Guangzhou to the citys international airport in the northern Huadu District
The metro train makes its debut journey on Guangzhous Metro Line which runs from the citys south to the north across the Pearl River
The operation of the Metro Line will greatly help ease Guangzhous heavy traffic pressure and benefit more than residents who are now living along the subway line the English language newspaper quoted Zhang Changjun deputy chief engineer with Guangzhou Metro Corp as saying
To start with the fast train will be operating among six stations from Chigang in Guangzhous Haizhu District to Tianhe Railway Station on Guangzhous Metro Line Zhang was quoted as saying
The fast train that has seats reaches a capacity of passengers and the train cars will be able to operate for more than years
Guangzhous Metro Line the longest subway line in the city runs from Panyu Square in the citys Panyu District to the new Guangzhou International Airport
When it begins full operation in the future it will run a course of more than kilometers Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Chinas most metropolis city Shanghai has launched its special police corps to meet the demand of global and nationwide antiterrorism
Shanghai Special Police Corps was launched over the weekend in response to a Ministry of Public Security order of setting up special police corps in cities across the country China Daily reported on Monday
The new force belonging to Shanghai Public Security Bureau is responsible for fighting against city terrorism which includes handling purposed attacks explosions and biological attacks
Other violent criminal cases such as kidnapping and hijacking are also within the forces duties
The armed corps not only practiced shortdistance fighting skills and comprehensive grappling technique at the unveiling ceremony but also performed bank robbery and hijack scenario drills
Beijing founded its Special Police Corps a week ago and Chongqing established its force last month Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Following are the major domestic news items scheduled to be covered or pursued by Xinhua on Monday
Chinese premier meets with DPRK deputy premier
Chinese State Councilor Zhou Yongkang meets with Turkish Prosecutor
Science forum on prevention and control of avian flu
China sets up Marxism academy
China Red Cross holds press conference on assistance to
tsunamihit countries
China movie museum opens
Chinese legislature reviews draft amendments to penal code
Yearender Innovation a must way for Chinas economic soar
News analysis adjust family plan or not a challenge to Chinas
population
National construction conference
National Aviation conference
Annual conference of central SOE leaders
China to spur consumption in rural areas
Vegetable prices increase by percent in Beijing
Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Chinese auditors found billion yuan billion US dollars of illegal funds during their auditing of officials across the country in the first months this year sources said here on Monday
Some of the officials involved in violation of laws and regulations were dealt with by supervisory or judiciary organs said the sources with a national audit conference which opened here on Monday
Next year the audit authority will scrutinize some of the branch offices of the Bank of China Bank of Communications and China Merchants Bank Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Two highschool students were confirmed dead in a fire during the night of Christmas Eve in Beijing local police said on Monday morning
At around Sunday morning an apartment building caught fire at the Maliandao residential quarters along a business center of Xuanwu District central Beijing in which four highschool students aged to got together for the Christmas Eve Two of the four were killed by the blaze and one surnamed Zheng who fled to the top of the sixstory building for help with the other surnamed Lu were rescued by local police
The fire was caused possibly by the overheating of a video game player and it real cause is still being investigated Enditem
GUANGZHOU Dec Xinhua Twentysix people were confirmed dead and eight others injured when a bar caught fire on the night of Christmas in Zhongshan City Guangdong Province local police said on Monday
All of the wounded are hospitalized
The fire broke out at around Sunday night on Wenkang Road in Tanzhou Town of Zhongshan City and was extinguished in minutes
The cause of the fire is under investigation Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Highlights of major Beijingbased newspapers on Monday
Peoples Daily
Social security system has benefited more than rural and urban poor people with medical educational and housing aids in Nanchang city of south Chinas Jiangxi Province by late December this year
Peoples Daily Overseas Edition
The newspaper carries a report about a farmer in Lunan County of east Chinas Shandong Province who voices his confidence that his income will increase in with their agricultural tax rescinding by the Chinese government
Xinhua Daily Telegraph
A lengthy story tells of how donations from the Chinese central government departments and unites of the Chinese Peoples Liberation Army have been collected and delivered to disasterstricken areas in Guangxi Jiangxi Shanxi Guizhou Ningxia Provinces and Chongqing Municipality
China Youth Daily
People from all walks of life from the Shanghai municipality east China have raised nearly million yuan some million US dollars since September for the Hope Project which will be used to help build schools in backward village in Chinas mountainous and outlying regions The city has raised some million yuan approximately million US dollars and built schools for children in poor areas in the past years
China Daily
condolences and tributes have been pouring in from around the Chinese mainland and across the Taiwan straits following the death of Wang Daohan the mainlands top negotiator with Taiwan who helped open the door to crossStraits talks in the early s
Wang president of the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits ARATS passed away in Shanghai on Shanghai on Sunday at the age of
Chinese scientists have produced the worlds first live vaccine against bird flu and Newcastle disease two killer infections for poultry the Ministry of Agriculture has announced Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Residents in Chinas capital have paid percent more for out of varieties of vegetables this year as a result of price hikes due partly to declining land sown to vegetables and yield reduction in typhoonravaged regions
The price of Chinese cabbage a traditional staple vegetable for Beijing residents rose percent from last year as supply decreased by percent to million kilograms Mondays Beijing Times reported
According to the newspaper two cold currents in early and mid December and frequent typhoons in summer and fall contributed significantly to the decline in the production of vegetables such as including eggplant cucumber tomato and sweet bellpepper
Meanwhile increasing export of garlic due to price rises on the international market also contributed to the high price level at home Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Japanese automaker Nissan Motor Co plans to sell its luxury Infiniti cars in China in and the first group of dealers will be operating in major Chinese cities such Beijing Shanghai and Guangzhou before the end of the year
bringing its successful US luxury nameplate to the soaring Chinese market said latest the Beijing News
Recruitment of the dealers is being carried out by the Japanese companys China arm according to Mondays Beijing News
The company plans to establish an unified selling and service network for Infiniti cars in most major Chinese cities in said Nissan China
Market observers said Nissans move underscores a heated global battle between car makers over the lucrative luxury auto market in China
Experts with Chinese Ministry of Commerce said the imported lowandmiddleend cars are losing their market in China while the luxury brand cars and personalized cars will rise to be the main stream of the market Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Chinese stock markets will close from Jan to Chinas New Year holiday says a recent announcement of the Shanghai and Shenzhen Stock Exchange the Daily Economic News reported Monday
According to the announcement Chinese stock markets will also close from Jan to Feb which is the countrys lunar new year or the traditional Spring Festival holiday period
Moreover Chinese stock markets will be closed during the May Day holiday next year which starts from May to and during the National Day vacation from Oct to the announcement added
Chinas two stock markets will be in recess for a total of days next year during the four national holidays the Daily Economic News said Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua More than percent of Chinas leading stateowned enterprises SOEs under central authorities and nearly percent of the affiliated firms have been in the red from January to November said a Chinese senior official
Li dongrong director of the Stateowned Assets and Supervision and Administration Commission SASAC made the remarks Saturday at the biannual conference of the SOE leaders
As the market became less prosperous in the later half of the year profits of central does declined and the return on equity ROE of central does was less than one percent Li said
In the meantime the operational cost of central does witnessed a rapid growth Sales cost of the central does grew by percent year on year in the first months percentage points higher than the sales income For does production cost grew faster than their sales income and for does costs for human resources rose faster than sales volume
Li also acknowledged that some does failed to be effective in risk management By the end of Nov property debt rate of nearly percent industrial does topped percent and that of nearly percent nonindustrial does exceeded percent
These are the mixed results of problems in management operation and growth model Li said inspiring the does to attach still greater importance to the problems and do more in order to respond to future challenges Enditem
MACAO Dec Xinhua Air Macao the sole air company in the special administrative region has opened its th domestic flight local media reported Monday
Macao Daily News the leading local Chinese newspaper reported that the new flight linking Macao and Sanya an island tourism destination in the southern province of Hainan is scheduled on Monday and Thursday every week
Air Macao has been operating a flight linking Haikou the capital city of Hainan according to the newspaper
The air company plays a more active role as a significant transit in the southern part of China said the newspaper report
Local analysts said that the new flight will help Taiwan tourists for their traveling to Sanya as there has been so far no direct flight linking the mainland and Taiwan an island province of China Enditem
GUIYANG Dec Xinhua One person was killed and two others injured when a heavyduty truck caught fire and exploded Monday morning in southwest Chinas Guizhou Province the local traffic police said
The truck bearing a number plate from Sichuan Province caught fire at around am in Danzhai County some kms from the county seat
Traffic police said one passenger who was stuck in the truck was killed in the ensuing blast while the driver and another passenger climbed out in time to survive
The cause of the accident is being investigated Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua A draft amendment to Criminal Law has been submitted to Chinas top legislature the National Peoples Congress Standing Committee for the first hearing aiming to intensify crackdown on gambling and commercial bribes
According to the draft amendment casino operators may face up to the maximum ten years in prison in addition to fines if their casinos were run for profits In the past running commercial casino was given at most three years in prison
Statistics from the Ministry of Public Security showed that from January to September of Chinas police authorities busted a total of gambling cases
According to the amendment draft of the Criminal Code work staffs in hospitals and medical organizations who take or accept bribes in the process of purchasing medicines or promoting new medicines will be taken as committing crimes of commercial bribery and be given up to five years or more than five years in prison apart from varying amounts of fines in accordance with severity
Previously only work staffs in companies or enterprises who take bribes were regarded as committing commercial bribery crimes Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The Chinese Academy of Social Sciences CASS or Chinas top think tank founded a Marxism academy here Monday
Liu Yunshan member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China CPC Central Committee said at the inaugural of the academy that new and still advances should be made in Marxist theories in tandem with economic and social development at the modern times
The CPC Central Committee attaches great importance to ideological building and earnestly pushes forward researches on important theories and practical issues said Liu who is also head of the CPC Central Committee Publicity Department
Liu urged Chinese theorists to involve themselves in the theoretical studies of major theoretical and practical issues increase their sense of responsibility and do more researches on Marxism against a backdrop of the modern times
The scholars need to deeply study MarxismLeninismMao Zedong Thought Deng Xiaoping Theory and the idea of Three Represents and carry out indepth studies of scientific concept of development Liu said
They were also inspired to study issues concerning the sustained rapid concerted and healthy growth of national economy in an effort to provide solutions to the countrys economic political cultural and social advancement
Liu urged scholars to adhere to Marxism and integrate Marxist theories still better with the the concrete practice in China
Meanwhile Liu encouraged the CASS Marxism Academy to produce outstanding works in theoretical study and upbring a contingent of excellent Marxist theoretical researchers
The newlyestablished academy is headed by Vice CASS President Leng Rong who specializes in study on Deng Xiaoping theory Enditem
HAIKOU Dec Xinhua China had reported acute snail fever cases in the year ending October a drop of cases or percent lover from statistics recorded in the same month last year
That was disclosed by Qi Xiaoqiu head of the Disease Control Department with the Ministry of Health while attended a recent forum on construction of a public health network held in Haikou capital of south China Hainan island province
Qi ascribed the drop in the incidence of acute snail fever to greater attention paid to and intensified efforts made toward the battle against the disease in the country
Carried by freshwater snails acute snail fever or schistosomiasis is a parasitic disease that assaults the humans blood and liver which can be fatal over time Chronic patients who account for most who contract the disease experience high fever weakness of the limbs and severe stiffness of the joints
Snail fever was controlled before the s in the worlds most populous country However dramatic changes in biological natural and economical factors have caused a resurgence in recent years
Snail fever has been spotted in seven provinces on the Chinese mainland with more than people being infected with the disease in the country Enditem
CHANGSHA Dec Xinhua Shaoshan the hometown of former Chinese leader Chairman Mao Zedong will be expanded by percent to include more villages
After the expansion the smallest city in central Chinas Hunan Province will cover square kilometers compared with square kilometers before according to a blueprint released at an ongoing exhibition held in commemoration of the th anniversary of Maos birth
The blueprint for the integrated urban rural development in Shaoshan says the city will include more villages from the neighboring Xiangxiang city and three from Xiangtan county
Meanwhile the local government will boost the balanced development of the rural and urban areas and foster the industrial growth infrastructure construction social development environment preservation resources conservation and tourism
According to the target set by the local government Shaoshans gross domestic product will top billion yuan million US dollars by with per capita GDP averaging yuan US dollars
By then the citys tourism income will hit billion yuan million US dollars with annual tourist arrivals totaling million to million
In Shaoshan reported million tourist arrivals and million yuan million US dollars of tourism income Its per capita GDP averaged yuan US dollars
Mao Zedong one of the founders of New China was born on Dec Enditem
XILUODU Yunnan Province Dec Xinhua China on Monday started building its second largest hydroelectric power project in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River
Xiluodu Hydropower Station the first of four hydropower stations on the Jinsha River is a major westtoeast electricity transmission project and an important move to develop Chinas resourcerich but poor western region
Located in Xiluodu Gorge between Yongshan county of Yunnan Province and Leibo county of Sichuan Province the project is designed to generate million kilowatts of electricity next only to the Three Gorges Project on the Yangtze
Electricity generated at Xiluodu station will foster industrial and economic growth in eastern and central China regions
The station is expected to stem the turbulent Jinsha River in November and first generating unit will be installed in June
The entire project will be completed in and will cost billion yuan billion US dollars of static investment
Besides power generation and water storage the project is also designed to prevent flood on the unruly Jinsha River block sand protect the local environment and facilitate water traffic in the lower reaches of the river
The project is launched after three years of preparations in terms of technical planning environmental protection water protection and the relocation of over residents in the construction area said Li Yongan general manager of China Three Gorges Project Corporation the prime contractor of the construction project
Li said his company has launched a special preservation project to protect rare fish in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River and throughout the construction process the company will report to State Environmental Protection Administration and the local environment watchdog on any possible impact on the rivers ecosystem
China is also planning for three other hydropower stations in the lower reaches of the Jinsha River namely Wudongde Baihetan and Xiangjiaba stations in the coming five years The rivers waterpower reserve tops million kilowatts about percent of Chinas total Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The protection of ecological environment is the fundamental approach of development for Tibet because of its special location and fragile ecological environment an expert said
Tibet with its unique natural landscape and rare wildlife is the treasury for both China and the whole world said Li Wenhua academician with the Chinese Academy of Engineering
The protection of its ecology is essential to Tibets coordinated economic and social growth Li said
In recent years ecological environment has been undermined on one hand by desertification of pasture caused by the global warming and on the other hand affected by increased tourist activities excessive hunting and excessive tree felling he noted
Natural degradation is a gradual and slow process and is irresistable but people can take substantial measures to greatly improve human activities so as to enable them to conform to the law of the nature for the sake of sustainable development of Tibett he said
For example the prohibition of excessive tree lumbering is conducive to the growth of forests he acknowledged the protection of ecological environment requires joint efforts of the whole society Enditem
HAIKOU Dec Xinhua Accident and suicide are listed as the No killer for people aged to and those aged to in China respectively according to a senior official from the Chinese Ministry of Health
Accidents kill people across China each year and every year about to people commit suicide in the country said Qi Xiaoqiu head of the Disease Control Department with the Ministry of Health while addressing a recent forum on construction of a public health network held in Haikou capital of south Chinas Hainan Province
Accidents have not only caused a great number of deaths but also led to a great many people with injuries posing a serious threat to the public health sector in China said the official
He urged relevant government departments to attach great importance to preventing and controling occurrence of accidents in the future Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Over million Chinese are suffering from trichomadesis or losing hairs an insider said here Sunday
A healthy adult has about hairs and loses to hairs daily Shao Guoyun an insider with the Shanghai Master Biology Gene Science and Technology Development Company said
If you lose more than hairs a day you should consult doctors Shao said
Chinas coastal and developed areas have more people suffering from losing hairs with those higher salary earners in particular Shao said
In Hong Kong five to six people in every ten have the problem of hair losing currently but only two to three ten years ago Lin Shuling an expert in Hong Kong said
Nowadays unbalanced diet job pressure environmental pollution TV or computers radiation are the main reasons for hair losing she said
Lin especially opposed those people who frequently dyed or permed their hairs it is extremely harmful to ones hairs she said
Shao also pointed out that with more people losing hair the market for hair regrowth liniment is also quite huge in China
The Chinese market is filled with fake hair regrowth liniment at present Shao warned
Patients should go to standard hospitals or clinics for consultation and to buy quality hair regrowth liniment according to different causes he said Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The United Statedbased film firmWarner Brothers Inc plans to build a digital cinemas in Beijing in June next year the first of its kind in the capital city
Warner Brothers has unveiled its future plan to expand business in China in Shanghai a remarkable step to great Chinas centennial anniversary for the firm industry in Under the new plan the US film giant plans to increase its digital projection halls in China to by the end of
As China opened its digital cinema market to overseas investors in July this year Warner Brothers accelerated its steps to open more digital cinemas in China
In June Warner Brothers will open a highstandard digital cinema in Beijing the Beijing News quoted a senior official with the Warner Brothers as saying on Saturday
The new cinema to be located in Beijings silica valley the Zhongguancun district will have seven digital projection halls with seats said the official
According to the official the new cinema in Beijing was jointly invested by Warner Brothers and the GuangzhouBased Quanyi firm company
Currently Warner Brothers has opened eight digital cinemas in major Chinese cities like Shanghai and Nanjing
The newspaper reported that more major Chinese cities including Chongqing Changsha Beijing Nanchang Xiamen and Shenzhen have been listed on Warner Brotherss agenda to open digital cinemas in Enditem
HARBIN Dec Xinhua The third ShenzhenHarbin international fashion festival will be held from Tuesday to Friday in Harbin capital of northeast Chinas Heilongjiang Province
The festival is cosponsored by the municipal governments of Harbin and Shenzhen together with the fashion associations of the two cities
Some latest fashion designs from the both cities will be displayed on the festival and commercial forums will also be held to discuss the market expansion
Insiders say that the festival will help domestic name brands go into international market Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua More than private entrepreneurs in south Chinas Guangdong Province pay their schooling in the Party School to learn politics economics and business management making it a fashion in the Guangdong managerial circle in reported the Beijing News on Monday
The training course on private enterprise and business practice organized four times a year by the Party School of the Communist Party of China CPC Central Committee are very popular among Guangdong private entrepreneurs said Liu Yang executive deputy secretarygeneral of the Guangdong Academy of Nonpublic Economies
Among the students who take the courses in the CPC Party School each term more than one third are Guangdong private entrepreneurs and there was one term when more than CEOs of Guangdong private enterprises were attending the class said Liu
The students are either millionaires or smart businessmen One fourth of their enterprises rank among the top Guangdong enterprises
Although the study occupies my business time its worthwhile because I learned many valuable problemshooting skills and made many friends said Li Xinghao CEO of the Guangdong Chigo Air Conditioning Co Ltd which was listed No in Chinas Richest Men Billboard by US Forbes Magazine in
The CPC Party School selects senior and prestigious scholars to give lectures to private entrepreneurs said Ding Donghong director of the training center of the Party School
Guangdong private entrepreneurs have shifted their business management concept from extensive to intensive management and most of them are knowledgeoriented which can bring a remarkable change to Guangdong private economy said Wang Liwen research fellow with the Development and Research Center of the Guangdong provincial government Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua China will consume million tons of natural rubber annually by according to a forecast made by the China Rubber Industry Association
Whereas the annual rubber output in China is tons Nearly two thirds of natural rubber have to be imported from abroad according to the association
As a major rubber consumer in the world China used up last year billion tons of rubber which included tons of homemade products and million tons of imports
by China needs to import million tons of natural rubber to meet its annual growth according to the association
China grew natural rubber on hectares of land last year including hectares of stateowned and hectares of privatelyowned
Ju Hongzhen chairman of the China Rubber Industry Association advised the government to adopt new policies to lure private and foreign funds into the rubber industry to increase Chinas output of natural rubber and processing capacity
Currently Hainan and Yunnan provinces are two major rubber producers in China Enditem
KUNMING Dec Xinhua Southwest Chinas Yunnan Province utilized million US dollars of contractual foreign investment in the JanNov period this year with million US dollars in place up percent and percent over the same period last year
An official with the provincial economic cooperation office said that Yunnan has made great efforts to lure foreign investment and designated projects that needs ten million US dollars of investment each
Among the projects the biggest one has utilized million US dollars of contractual foreign investment Enditem
CHENGDU Dec Xinhua China plans to build new museums in the next five years to fully display the costumes and culture of various ethnic groups of the country a senior cultural official has disclosed
We plan to build at least one museum for each of Chinas ethnic groups to display different culture of ethnic groups Building of private museums are encouraged said Shan Jixiang head of the State Administration of Cultural Heritage
Currently China has more than museums housing million cultural relics These museums have hosted exhibitions so far this year attracting more than million visitors Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Lunar Embassy a Chinese company allegedly sells land on the moon will appeal for reconsideration of the decision of Beijings industrial and commercial watchdog to revoke its business license a source with the company said
The company has been got ready for appealing for the reconsideration after it received the decision of the Chaoyang Branch of the Beijing Municipal Administration of Industry and Commerce on Dec said Li Jie CEO of the Lunar Embassy adding the company will hand over its application to concerned department on Monday
A public hearing was held on Dec and the Chaoyang Branch decided to revoke the business license of the Lunar Embassy and fine the company for yuan about US dollars
Sources with the Beijing Municipal Administration of Industry and Commerce said the decision was made on the ground that the Lunar Embassy is engaged in speculation and profiteering to sell land on the moon The administration also ordered the company to return the money to registered clients
The decision is wrong as the relevant regulations on speculation and profiteering have died a natural death Li Jie was quoted as saying by Mondays Beijing Daily Messenger
But industrial and commercial officials said that the concerned regulations are still effective before they are officially abolished
The Lunar Embassy registered as the Beijing Lunar Village Aeronautics Science and Technology Co Ltd had previously filed a lawsuit against Beijings industrial and commercial watchdog after its business license was suspended for allegedly selling land on the moon
Haidian District Court has accepted the lawsuit but did not inform the Lunar Embassy when the case would be heard Li said
The industrial and commercial watchdog had the companys business license suspended on Oct on the ground of speculation and profiteering
Lis company was registered on Sept and became operational on Oct It claimed that one can buy an acre on the moon for yuan US dollars through its service It issued customers a title deed that ensured property ownership including the rights to use the land and minerals up to three kilometers underground
An earlier report said that clients bought acres of land on the moon in the first three days after the company started operation The deals involve more than yuan US dollars Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Report on the quality of air in major Chinese cities Dec to Dec Beijing Time released by the China Environmental Monitoring Center
City Major Pollutant Air Quality Level
Beijing sulfur dioxide II
Tianjin sulfur dioxide III
Shijiazhuang particulate matter III
Qinhuangdao sulfur dioxide II
Taiyuan sulfur dioxide III
Hohhot particulate matter III
Shenyang particulate matter II
Dalian sulfur dioxide II
Changchun particulate matter II
Harbin particulate matter II
Shanghai particulate matter III
Nanjing particulate matter III
Suzhou particulate matter II
Nantong particulate matter II
Lianyungang particulate matter II
Hangzhou particulate matter III
Ningbo particulate matter II
Wenzhou particulate matter II
Hefei particulate matter III
Fuzhou particulate matter II
Xiamen particulate matter II
Nanchang particulate matter III
Jinan particulate matter III
Qingdao sulfur dioxide II
Yantai sulfur dioxide II
Zhengzhou particulate matter III
Wuhan particulate matter III
Changsha particulate matter III
Guangzhou particulate matter III
Shenzhen particulate matter III
Zhuhai particulate matter II
Shantou particulate matter II
Zhanjiang particulate matter II
Nanning particulate matter III
Guilin sulfur dioxide II
Beihai particulate matter II
Haikou I
Chongqing particulate matter III
Chengdu particulate matter III
Guiyang particulate matter III
Kunming particulate matter II
Lhasa I
Xian particulate matter III
Lanzhou particulate matter V
Xining particulate matter III
Yinchuan particulate matter III
Urumqi particulate matter IV
The center classifies air quality in Chinas urban areas into five levels level I or excellent pollution reading not exceeding level II or fairly good pollution reading to level III or slightly polluted pollution reading to level IV or poor pollution reading to and level V or hazardous pollution reading over
The cities monitored by the center include the four municipalities of Beijing Tianjin Shanghai and Chongqing provincial or autonomous regional capitals and major cities in economically developed coastal areas and tourist attractions Enditem
HANGZHOU Dec Xinhua The Fifth China International Consumer Product Expo will be held from July to in Ningbo east Chinas Zhejiang Province sources with the local government said Monday
The expo has planned booths for garment electronics light industry and food companies more than that of last year Nearly clients and over overseas trade groups will be invited to the annual event
The major highlight of this years expo will be the increasingly active involvement of homemade highquality products The local government said it is striving to make the event the biggest platform in China for local consumer product suppliers to promote their goods Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The Composite Stock Index on the Shanghai Stock Exchange closed at points on Monday up points from the previous close
A Share Index points up points
B Share Index points up points
Total Turnover yuan Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The Component Stock Index on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange closed at points on Monday up points from the previous close
A Share Index points up points
B Share Index points up points
Total Turnover yuan Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The Hushen Index reflecting the whole fluctuation of Chinas Shanghai and Shenzhen stock exchanges closed at points on Monday up points from the previous close
About one fifth of the total shares listed in the two markets have been chosen as samples of the Hushen Index accounting for percent of the market value in Chinas stock market Enditem
XIAN Dec Xinhua Archaeologists in this northwestern province of Shaanxi have discovered a tomb dating backing more than years ago in Tongguan County and unearthed a large number of relics from the tomb
Located near Shuicun Village kilometers northwest of the county proper of Tongguan the bomb is said to be built in the Sui Dynasty
Archaeologists discovered square meters of wellpreserved frescos and unearthed more than pieces of relics including pottery ware and a stone coffin
The twostory tomb chamber is in the shape of a semicircular space which is five meters high with a diameter of over six meters The walls of the chamber are painted with the images of noble women and the roof is painted with silver spots symbolizing stars
A white belt stretches through the roof to symbolize the Milky Way said Li Ming an archaeologist with the Shaanxi Provincial Archaeological Research Institute who participated in the recent excavation of the Sui Dynasty tomb
The tomb passage is meters long and over two meters wide with walls on both sides painted with a picture showcasing people going on a journey Also painted on the walls include a horse and a halbert
A huge stone coffin three meters long and two meters wide lies easttowest in the chamber The coffin is carved with celestial beings beasts and other complicated patterns
Li the archaeologist said the tomb belongs to a member of the imperial family judging from the pattern of the tomb funeral objects and carvings on the coffin
According to Li the tomb had been robbed of many precious relics including the epitaph for several times in the past The owner of the tomb might be a prince Li said
Li said the frescos and coffin in the tomb provide precious materials for studying art development in the Sui Dynasty and the following Tang Dynasty Enditem
SHENZHEN Dec Xinhua To buy or not buy Thats a question for Chinese foreign exchange authorities They have been urged to expand gold reserve since the Renminbi appreciation but the decision is hard to make since the gold prices are rocketing
Some economists have been appealing to the State Administration of Foreign Exchange to expand Chinas gold reserve after the Renminbi appreciation in a bid to reduce the countrys reliance on the greenback
But others believe its not a proper time to buy gold at such high prices
The State Administration of Foreign Exchange did not let out their voice but folk economists have been prompting them to take actions
China should increase its gold reserve from tons to about tons in a short term and to tons in a long term to cope with the versatile exchange rate risks said Teng Tai an economist of China Galaxy Securities Company
Too little gold reserve would pose threat not only to China but also to the global monetary system Teng said
China should increase gold reserve to reduce the foreign exchanges risks and diversify its state reserve with various goods like gold and oil in the long run said Shen Xiangrong director of the Shanghai Gold Exchange Chinas sole gold market
The appeal is closely related with Chinas exchange rate reform on July this year The Renminbi had been pegged to US dollars in the past few years before the reform Quite a big proportion of Chinas foreign exchange reserves are bond assets denominated in the greenback The assets will face depreciation after the Renminbi appreciation
Global investors could benefit from buying Renminbi but not Chinese investors and what they could buy is only gold Teng said
China reported about tons of gold reserve at the end of June about percent of the total foreign exchange reserve according to figures from the International Monetary Fund IMF
The proportion is much lower in comparison with many other countries
According to World Gold Council many countries and organizations report more than tons of gold reserve including the United States Germany France Italy Switzerland and the IMF
Gold takes about percent of the total strategic reserve in the United States according to the Council Enditem
ZHONGSHAN Guangdong Dec Xinhua A restaurant caught fire on Sunday evening in Zhongshan City of south Chinas Guangdong Province leaving dead and others injured
More than people were inside an illegallyopened bar of the Tandao Westernstyle restaurant in Tanzhou Township when the fire was broke out
The bar was not equipped with any fireproof devices and the outlet is extremely narrow which is difficult for people inside to disperse said a government official
As of Monday afternoon the wounded are still hospitalized in the Zhongshan Peoples Hospital and investigation into the cause of the fire is underway Enditem
HONG KONG Dec Xinhua A total of people departed through different checkpoints of Hong Kong on Christmas day according the Immigration Department on Monday
The authority said about million people are expected to travel through Hong Kong checkpoints during the festive period up percent on the same period last year
According to the authority among the travelers departed on Christmas Day about percent left Hong Kong via the Lo Wu checkpoint percent left via Lok Ma Chau and percent used the airport
A total of travelers entered the city on Sunday percent through Lo Wu percent Lok Ma Chau and percent the airport Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Chinese central government departments and the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits ARATS held a ceremony here on Monday to lament the death of ARATS President Wang Daohan
Officials of the Taiwan Work Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State CouncilTAOSC as well as staffs of the ARATS showed their condolence by triple bows to the portrait of Wang Daohan who died of disease in Shanghai Saturday morning at the age of
Chen Yunlin director of the TAOSC and Li Bingcai deputy president of the ARATS told Xinhua after the ceremony that Chinese leaders have been concerned about Wangs health since his disease deteriorated
Officials of the TAOSC and ARATS have been assigned to visit Wang in Shanghai for several times Chen and Li said
Wang was still concerned about the situation across the straits when he was ill abed and just five days ago he asked the visiting officials to make efforts to resume the talks and consultation within the the framework of the Consensus across the Taiwan Straits and maintain the interests of Taiwan compatriots said Chen
Wang who had devoted himself to the Chinese liberation and construction undertakings has made great contribution to the promotion of the crossStraits relations and the common interests of people on both sides Chen said
Chen and Li said that Wang undeviatingly sticked to the oneChina policy and opposed splitting activities of Taiwan independence He made all efforts to promote the crossStraits development especially the peaceful talks and consultation between the two sides which has received much respect of Taiwan compatriots
Chen said the first highlevel nongovernmental talks across the Straits held by Wang and Koo Chenfu chairman of the Taiwanbased Strait Exchange Foundation SEF in Singapore was a historical leap in acrossStraits relations
Wang is a brilliant modest and erudite superior and his death is a great loss and a great sorrow to compatriots of the Chinese mainland and Taiwan Li said
Chen and Li vowed to continue to increase economic and social exchanges across the Straits and enhance the talks and negotiations between the two sides on the basis of the oneChina policy to promote the countrys peaceful reunification
The ceremony of paying respects to Wangs remains will be held in Shanghai according to the TAOSC and ARATS Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua China decided to further reform its monopolized price forming mechanism of natural gas and started to raise the factory price of natural gas on Monday
The National Development and Reform Commission NDRC said in an notice that the reform aims to establish an marketoriented price mechanism in China to ensure sound and healthy development of the natural gas sector
According to the notice factory prices of natural gas to be used for industry and urban utility will be raised by yuan per cubic meters and that to be used for fertilizer will be raised by yuan
Currently China made its factory price of natural gas under a dualistic principle the governmentset price and the governmentadjust price
The NDRC said the new price forming mechanism will only be decided by the governmentadjust price indicating a relaxative control of the government over the natural gas price
As Chinas natural gas industry is still concentrated in two giant stateowned enterprises the PetroChina Company Limited and the China Petroleum and Chemical Corporation Sinopec it is necessary to adopt the governmentadjust price principle in making the factory price of natural gas said the NDRC
But the NDRC said a longterm goal in Chinas price reform in the natural gas sector is to form a complete marketoriented price mechanism
According to the NDRC an important step of the current reform is to classify Chinas natural gas producers into two grades and adopt different benchmarks for factory prices
The NDRC said natural gas produced in SichuanChongqing Gas field Changqing Gas field Qinghai Gas field all gas fields in Xinjiang and some oil fields in Dagang Liaohe and Zhongyuan will be classified into the first grade of lower price while the rest classified into the second grade of higher price
The current benchmark factory price for the secondgrade natural gas is yuan per cubic meters The NDRC said the benchmark price of the first grade will be raised to the secondgrade level in three to five years
The NDRC said the benchmark prices of natural gas will be changed each year according to the prices of other resources like petroleum and the producers may float the factory price under the furthest extent of percent
The NDRC said the price reform will have limited influence on citizens and relevant enterprises
In the past years China has developed from a planned economy to a market economy and the price mechanism also turned from being highlyconcentrated to marketoriented under the governments macro control Enditem
HANGZHOU Dec Xinhua The container thruput of east Chinas Ningbo Port is reported to surpass million as of Monday up percent over last year
The ports average growth rate of container thruput amounted to percent during the past five years ranking first in China said Li Linghong president of Ningbo Port Group
This year the port played host to ships with each carrying TEUs twentyfoot equivalent units at a time
A ship of the Mediterranean Shipping Company laden with TEUs anchored at the Ningbo Port last July making it possible for Ningbo to become one of the world largest container port
The port carved out new sea routes this year bringing the total number of sea routes to including oceangoing routes which travel to Europe North America and Middle East Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua East Chinas Fujian Province launched a theme week in Beijing Monday to showcase its economic and cultural development over the past years
This activity is composed of three concurrent picture exhibitions showcasing the provinces economic growth and cultural advances said Zhu Qing deputy director of the publicity department of the provincial committee of the Chinese Communist Party in his address to the opening ceremony on Monday
Photos on show will demonstrate Fujian peoples morale and the great efforts they have made in realizing the drive of reunification of the motherland according to Zhu
The provinces GNP is expected to hit billion yuan billion US dollars an annual rise of percent The per capita GDP will hopefully exceed US dollars and the total revenue is estimated at billion yuan billion US dollars percent up annually
This theme week cosponsored by the provincial government of Fujian and the provinces development and reform commission has attracted over representatives from all walks of life Enditem
CHANGSHA Dec Xinhua Chinas first museum on bamboo slips and wooden tablets opened on Monday in Changsha capital of central Chinas Hunan Province
This museum covering an area of two hectares houses more than bamboo slips and wooden tablets dating back over years which have been unearthed in downtown Changsha since October
The slips and tablets which were inscribed with characters recorded in detail the political economic military cultural and geographic information in the ancient Changsha prefecture which was under the rule of Kingdom WU AD AD according to sources with the local government
Ancient Chinese wrote on either wood tablets or bamboo slips and paper only began to be used in the late Eastern Han Period AD AD
To protect these precious cultural relics the municipal government of Changsha allocated more than million yuan million US dollars to build the museum Enditem
XIGAZE Tibet Dec Xinhua The th Panchen Lama says he has witnessed the ample religious freedom enjoyed by the Chinese people since he was enthroned years ago
The past decade has been the best time for the development of Tibetan Buddhism said the leader of Tibetan Buddhism in an exclusive interview with Xinhua in Xigaze the second largest city in Tibet during the weekend
Each day I see lamas studying Buddhist scriptures attentively and pilgrims flocking in from home and abroad he said
He said one of the basic policies of the Chinese government is to respect and protect the citizens religious freedom
Ive been to many places in the past decade and witnessed the ample freedom enjoyed by individuals and religious organizations alike Living Buddhas like myself are able to perform religious rituals under the wing of the Chinese Constitution and other laws he said
Tibet whose residents are mostly Tibetan Buddhists has temples and monasteries and clergy Nearly every family has a small shrine and more than million pilgrims worship in the regional capital Lhasa every year
The Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party and the central government have spent heavily on the renovation of Tibets cultural heritage sites including the Potala Palace and Johkang Monastery that are epitome of the Tibetan culture he said
I myself have received traditional Buddhism education in a pure Tibetan environment over the past decade he said This is very important for me and I hope I can carry forward the Tibetan culture which dates back several thousand years
The Panchen Lama said he has witnessed great changes in Tibet during his current visit People of different ethnic groups are living together in harmony the Tibetan society is stable and all monasteries are packed with pilgrims We should attribute the harmony and stability to the feasible policy of the Chinese Communist Party and the concerted efforts from all the Tibetans
He said Tibet is sure to enjoy more wealth harmony and stability under the leadership of the Communist Party with the selfless aid from other Chinese localities and the concerted efforts of all Tibetans
I will keep in mind the glorious traditions of my predecessors concentrate on sutra studies live up to the expectations of the Party the motherland and the broad masses of Tibetan Buddhists and do all that I can to serve the reunification of the motherland solidarity of the people development and stability of Tibet and popularity of Buddhas teachings he said
This year marks the th enthronement anniversary of the th Panchen Lama He started his firstever closeddoor religious retreat in Zhaxi Lhunbo Lamasery in Xigaze early in November hosted worship ceremonies and blessed nearly Tibetan Buddhists through the holy headtouching ritual
The th Panchen Lama is a charming living Buddha Hes obliviously accomplished in scripture studies We all look forward to talking face to face with him said a pilgrim outside the Zhaxi Lhunbo Lamasery
The th Panchen Lama Gyaincain Norbu was born on February in Lhari county of Nagqu prefecture in northern Tibet He was approved by the central government in November as the reincarnation of the th Panchen Lama after a lot drawing ceremony among three candidates in the Jokhang Temple in Lhasa and was enthroned as the th Panchen Lama on Dec Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua China saw billion tons of soil lost in which equals onecentimeterthick earth surface on squarekm land the Ministry of Water Resources said Monday
The worst soil erosion occurs in the areas of the Yangtze River and the Yellow River which amounted to million tons and million tons respectively according to the Ministry of Water Resources document on soil conservation
The problem of soil erosion is almost universal to most of Chinas provinces and regions especially to the upper reaches of the Yangtze River the middle section of the Yellow River northeastern Heilongjiang Province and the Pearl River Delta according to the ministrys monitoring on major rivers
The document shows most of the lost soil resulted from overdevelopment and unreasonable construction projects
China is one of the few countries in the world that suffer from worst soil erosion There is a total of million square kilometers of land in soil erosion accounting for percent of the countrys territory said E Jingping vice minister with the Ministry of Water Resources
Soil erosion can bring more frequent floods and droughts undermine the infrastructures and rein in the national sustainable development for economy and society said E Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The Beijing Municipal Government will set up a scholarship for foreign students and scholars in Beijing the first of its kind in China according to Beijing News
The initial fund of the scholarship involves million yuan million US dollars from the Beijing Municipal Education Commission BEC
The scholarship is classified into three categories with the highest at yuan US dollars for each person Some foreign students and scholars studying in Beijing are expected to win the scholarship the paper said
The scholarship is mainly provided by the government but individuals companies and organizations are encouraged to make donations in future
The aim of the scholarship is to attract more foreign students and scholars to study or work in Beijing to promote the internationalization of Beijings higher education Enditem
CHONGQING Dec Xinhua A new industrial park will be built in Bishan Township of southwest Chinas municipality of Chongqing local government sources said Monday
According to Zou Shengxun director of the commercial commission of Bishan Township the government has reached preliminary agreement with Hong Kong Kowloon Chamber of Commerce to build the park in Bishan
Zou said the park will be akin to Suzhou industrial park focusing on processing hightech and logistics industries The products will be sold in both domestic and overseas market
Hong Kong Kowloon Chamber of Commerce now has member companies many of which are eager to tap into the vast market on the mainland especially in the western region Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Weather forecast for major Chinese cities Dec Dec Beijing Time temperatures in Celsius
Min Max Condition Wind scale
Beijing clear
Harbin clear
Tianjin foggyclear
Urumqi cloudyfoggy
Xian cloudy
Lhasa clear
Chengdu foggycloudy
Chongqing overcast
Kunming drizzle
Nanjing cloudyclear
Shanghai cloudy
Wuhan overcastcloudy
Hangzhou overcast
Taipei overcast
Guangzhou overcast
Hong Kong cloudyovercast
Macao cloudyovercast
SOURCE Central Meteorological Station China Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Weather forecast for world cities Dec Dec Beijing Time temperatures in Celsius
Min Max Condition Wind scale
Beijing clearcloudy
Tokyo clearcloudy
Bangkok cloudy
Sydney clear
Karachi clear
Cairo cloudyclear
Moscow flurry
Frankfurt flurry
Paris clearcloudy
London cloudysnow
New York drizzlecloudy
SOURCE Central Meteorological Station China Enditem
SHANGHAI Dec Xinhua Construction work started for a client support center for ARJ a jet plane independently developed by China in this economic hub of east China on Monday
Located at Zizhu SciTech Park in Minxing District of Shanghai the project the first of its kind in the country is built by AVICI Commercial Aircraft Co Ltd
The center will provide training service in spare parts and network services for clients of ARJ planes according to officials with the AVICI commercial aircraft company
The centers spare part supply will be a roundtheclock service available every day in a week Spare parts will include fuselage and ground support equipment GSE and tools
The center will be completed in June and go into operation in Enditem
NANJING Dec Xinhua The average housing price in Chinese mid and largecities has geared down to percent in the second half of this year said Chinese Minister of Construction Wang Guangtao in Nanjing Monday
Wang told the National Construction Work Conference that great progress has been achieved in the governments effort to ease the rocketing housing price in China
Wang said house purchase for investment purposes has been controlled to a reasonable level and the supplydemand contradiction in the real estate markets of Shanghai and Hangzhou has also been eased
The structure of land use is more rational as the proportion of land used for lowprice houses increased by percentage points yearonyear said Wang
But the minister said affordable commercial houses for moderate and low income families are still far from enough to meet the demand
The Chinese government tightened control on housing investment this year As a result land used for houses in the first three quarters this year decreased nearly percent compared with the same period of last year
The ministry forecast the investment in Chinas real estate sector will grow a yearonyear percent in with the growth rate percentage points lower than that of last year and percentage points lower than that of the urban fixedassets investment
By the end of the average housing area for each urban citizen will surpass square meters six square meters more than the level of the tenth fiveyear period said sources with the ministry
According to the ministry approximate billion square meters of residential floor space have been finished in China in the past five years Enditem
GUANGZHOU Dec Xihua A new subway opened to traffic in this capital city of south Chinas Guangdong Province on Monday
The new subway is the first underground fasttrack road in China with the maximum speed of kilometers per hour It runs through the city from north to south according to Lu Guanglin general manager of the Guangzhou Subway Cooperation
Operation of the new subway brought the number of subways in Guangzhou to four with a total length of km Lu said
The city plans to open a new subway in each of the next five years By Guangzhou is to have nine subways with a combined length of km
By then it will take only an hour for passengers to reach the Baiyun Airport in the northern part of the city from the south tip Enditem
HONG KONG Dec Xinhua Share prices on the Taiwan Stock Exchange closed higher Monday with the weighted index the markets key barometer moving up points to close at according to news from Taipei
The bourse opened at points and fluctuated between and during trading A total of billion shares changed hands on a market turnover of billion Taiwan dollars billion US dollars
Six of the eight major stock categories gained ground with construction issues moving up the most at percent followed by plastics and chemicals shares at percent textile stocks and paper and pulp issues both at percent and machinery and electronics shares and banking and financial shares both at percent
The two other major stock categories lost ground with foodstuff issues moving down at percent and cement stocks losing percent
Gainers outnumbered losers to with stocks remaining unchanged Enditem
HEFEI Dec Xinhua China has set up a national colliery gas treatment research center in Huainan Mining Group Co Ltd in this capital of east Chinas Anhui Province
This is the first of such national research institutes set up in a mining company in the country
Colliery gas explosions constitute the main cause of fatal accidents in Chinas coal mines said Wu Yin director of the Energy Bureau under the National Development and Reform Commission upon the inauguration of the center on Sunday
Wu said that China has invested billion yuan million US dollars in colliery gas treatment so far this year
The Huainan Mining Group is one of Chinas coal mining fields with a reserve of over million tons Over the past three years the companys research fund for gas treatment added up to million yuan million US dollars It has reduced the fatality rate in production from lives per million tons of coal in the s to per million tons of coal in
Statistics from the State Administration of Coal Mine Safety show that more than percent of the deaths from coal mine accidents are related to gas
Troubled by frequent colliery gas explosion accidents many big mining firms are learning from foreign experience to harness the fatal methane gas and turn the No underground killer into a new energy source
However exploring gas under complicated geological conditions demands a high cost for introducing technology As a result hundreds of million cubic meters of coal mine gas is discharged to pollute the air Once the ventilation system breaks down the life security of miners are greatly threatened
The establishment of the research center is expected to improve Chinas domestic technology in gas extracting and collecting technology and promote international exchanges in this sector Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao met a government delegation from the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea DPRK here on Monday
The delegation was headed by Ro Du Chol deputy premier of the DPRK
The two sides exchanged views on furthering bilateral ties and enhancing trade and economic links Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The Red Cross Society of China RCSC had donated million yuan million US dollars to tsunamihit countries by the end of November according to a news conference held here Monday
RCSC has offered million yuan to countries as emergency relief funds and another million yuan to help these countries rebuild their homeland said RCSC VicePresident Jiang Yiman when reporting to the media on this years relief work
By the end of November RCSC had received public donations totaling million yuan million US dollars and relief materials valued at million yuan million US dollars Jiang said
Meanwhile RCSC joined hands with the China Charity Federation in helping reconstruction in tsunamihit countries including building houses renovating schools and hospitals and setting up disaster centers in Indonesia Thailand Sri Lanka Maldives and Myanmar
The disastrous tsunami which occurred on Dec of killed an estimated people in countries and left million others homeless according to the Caritas Internationalis
The reconstruction work will take five to years according to a forecast of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
RCSC will continue to help the affected countries by sending more relief funds in accordance with the reconstruction plan Jiang said Enditem
JINAN Dec Xinhua Chinese scientists have developed a technology to generate power from English cordgrass an alien plant that has been blamed for biological invasion
The technology was developed by scientists from Shandong University and other institutions directed by the Scientific and Technological Development Center of the Ministry of Education
The new technology anoxically turns carbon and hydrogen elements in the cordgrass into flammable gas After it has been decontaminated the gas can be used for cooking power generation and heating
English cordgrass was introduced into China in the s as a binder for coastal soil but it became a biological threat after rampant growth More than counties in China are currently threatened by the alien plant
Experiments show that one kilogram of English cordgrass can produce two cubic meters of flammable gas which can generate one kilowatthour of electricity If all of its million hectares of English cordgrass were processed China would be able to harvest billion to billion kilowatthours of electricity Enditem
NANJING Dec Xinhua China will strengthen urban antidisaster capabilities and implement urban emergency plans to deal with water supply gas supply subway and similar incidents Wang Guangtao minister of construction said here at a meeting Monday
China has established the basis of an urban emergency system and issued emergency plans to deal with earthquakes and incidents related to subways construction projects and water and gas supply Wang said
The Ministry of Construction and local governments have properly handled the water supply interruption and water safety problems caused by pollution in the Songhua River Wang said
The Songhua River in northeast China was hit by a major water pollution incident following the explosion of a petrochemical plant in the upper reaches of the river in November
The water supply was cut off for a considerable period along the riverside cities as they waited for the mile slick of water contaminated by nitrobenzene and other chemicals to pass by
China would continue to set up and work on emergency management mechanisms and protection measures especially in the areas of urban public utilities such as water supply and traffic surveillance he said Enditem
FUZHOU Dec Xinhua The Xiamen aid station announced on Monday that they would start a special service to provide help to Taiwanese compatriots in need
A spokesman for Xiamen Aid Station told Xinhua that they were discussing details concerning the new service with relevant government departments and the special service Help Center for Taiwan Compatriots is ready for operation before the Chinese lunar New Year on Jan next year
Xiamen is a port city in east Chinas Fujian Province and the closest Chinese mainland city to Taiwan
The spokesman described the establishment of the new help center as necessary as a result of closer ties across the Taiwan Straits and a growing number of Taiwan compatriots in Xiamen
The new center will help Taiwan compatriots deal with problems such as accommodation when they are trapped on the Chinese mainland because of unexpected mishaps such as natural disasters or cases of robbery said the spokesman Enditem
LANZHOU Dec Xinhua In more than one million visitors including foreigners toured Dunhuang in northwest Chinas Gansu Province home to the worldfamous Mogao Grottoes according to local authorities
It is the first time in history that Dunhuang had more than million visitors in a year said a senior official from the tourism bureau of Dunhuang
Dunhuang had visitors in
Local authorities managed to boost tourism in the slack season through a series of marketing and promotional activities including tapping markets in Japan and South Korea
With the construction of No National Highway and the Dunhuang Railway as well as more flights to the local airport Dunhuang foresees a bright tourism future the official said
We will probably have million to million visitors in the official added
The Mogao Grottoes of Dunhuang are known as the Thousand Buddha Caves spreading for about meters along a hill whose frescos painted on the ceiling and walls of the caves carry the best preserved Buddhist art in the world
More than tourists visit the Mogao Grottoes daily in the busy season which stretches from May to October according to the tourism bureau Enditem
NANJING Dec Xinhua China will increase investment in public transportation provide subsidies to transport companies and set up busonly lanes Wang Guangtao minister of construction said here at a meeting Monday
China will focus on the construction of major public transportation centers and highspeed busway pilot projects and establish priority public transport lanes he said
Developing public transportation is one of the keys to increased traffic efficiency the easing of traffic jams and solving of urban traffic problems experts said
Beijing the host city for the Olympic Games promised that by it would not take more than an hour to drive between any two Olympic sites
As part of the strategy of prioritizing public transportation a kilometer highspeed busway will begin operation in Beijing by Dec Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The general offices of the Communist Party of China CPC Central Committee and the State Council have recently issued a joint notice ordering local officials and Party cadres to avoid extravagant activities and ensure public safety during the upcoming New Year and Spring Festival holidays
The notice requires all Party and government officials to avoid lavishing public funds on festival banquets or extravagant recreational activities and not to take gifts money or security notes from people who are seeking their favors
Local officials should visit retired Red Army men exsoldiers and injured and crippled army personnel and the relatives of revolutionary martyrs as well as model workers poor old people living on their own and laidoff workers and jobless people They should help solve problems of deepest concern
It noted that migrant workers must receive outstanding pay before the Spring Festival a traditional time for family reunion which falls this year in late January
Efforts should be stepped up to inspect potential safety problems and prevent and curb the spreading of bird flu as well as to offer more commodities and cultural activities to enrich peoples lives the notice said Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua By carrying a red shopping basket to say Im single unmarried people will have a chance to find potential life partners in a Beijing supermarket the Beijing News reported on Monday
According to the report the friendseeking activity started on Sunday evening at a supermarket in Fuli City a residential compound in east Beijings bustling central business district CBD
Unmarried young people who were busy with work and had little time for social activities may express their wish to make friends by carrying a red basket rather than the normal supermarket blue ones said a supermarket official
I live nearby and came specially for the activity a young man was quoted as saying He got acquainted with a girl who carried a red basket in the supermarket but they departed after a few minutes of chat as the girl was not interested in talking
In just half an hour red baskets were taken by people going shopping but a supermarket staff said some carried it in order to get a yuan US dollars discount when a male and a female shoppers carrying red baskets paid their bill together at the cashier
Its just a tryout If people like the activity the supermarket will consider placing red baskets at the entrance on a regular basis said a staff member Enditem
KUNMING Dec Xinhua China will continue to use a satellite to track blacknecked cranes wintering in south Chinas Yunnan province the aim being to collect ample statistics in order to protect the rare species
According to Zhong Mingchuan an official with the Yunnan provincial forestry department experts will place satellite transmitters on the backs of the blacknecked cranes and monitor them via satellite
Zhong said the statistics will be used to protect the precious bird The transmitters which will not affect the cranes normal life will fall off after about two years
China started using a satellite positioning system to protect blacknecked cranes in February this year in Yunnans Dashanbao national nature reserve The program has proved successful
Dashanbao reserve is the biggest wintering habitat for blacknecked cranes in China In the winter of cranes took up residence there Enditem
ZHENGZHOU Dec Xinhua Grain output in Henan Chinas most populous province and one of its major agricultural bases will exceed million tons in for the first time in history official statistics show
According to a report by the provinces statistics bureau the Henan grain output this summer reached million tons an increase of percent over the same period last year while the cereal yield this winter is expected to reach million tons up percent year on year
The report attributes the record high grain turnout in the province to incentives given to peasants in the form of agricultural tax exemption and direct subsidies
Henans grain output accounts for about one tenth of Chinas total This year Henan made peasants exempt from all agricultural taxes cutting about billion yuan about million US dollars from the tax burden of its million peasants
The province also directly subsidized its farmers purchases of fine seeds and agricultural machinery thus further fueling their enthusiasm to plant more grain said the report
To restore farmers enthusiasm for growing grain after years of decline in price and output the Chinese government has implemented a series of policies to support agriculture and bolster the rural economy including direct subsidies to peasants to grow grain and buy fine seeds and agricultural machinery
The agricultural taxfree policy was implemented in half of Chinas provinces autonomous regions and municipalities including Henan Shanxi Heilongjiang and Jilin About million peasants nationwide are expected to benefit from the exemption
According to a forecast earlier this year by the National Bureau of Statistics Chinas rural residents will earn about billion yuan about billion US dollars more in than a year ago due to grain price hikes
Direct subsidies tax reductions and tax exemption will add another billion yuan about billion US dollars to farmers pockets in making for possibly the fastest growth in peasant income since according to the bureau Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua During the first ten months this year China exported billion pairs of glasses worth billion US dollars up percent and percent respectively over the same period of last year
The China Chamber of Commerce of Importers and Exporters of Light Industrial Products and Handicrafts made the announcement on Monday
The Chinese mainland exported glasses worth million US dollars to Hong Kong up percent yearonyear million dollars to the United States up percent million dollars to the European Union up percent and million dollars to Japan up percent
Southern Chinas Guangdong Province exported glasses worth million dollars which accounted for percent of the countrys total and ranked the first among Chinas provincial areas
Statistics show the glasses export of foreignfunded enterprises grew percent yearonyear and that of Chinese private enterprises grew percent
Most of Chinas glasses exports are contributed by small and mediumsized enterprises with annual export volume below dollars whose number accounted for percent of the total glasses exporters Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Chinese State Councilor Zhou Yongkang met here Monday with visiting Turkish Police Department Chief Gokhan Aydiner calling for the two sides to strengthen cooperation in public security
Zhou said that Chinas Ministry of Public Security and Turkish Interior Ministry have witnessed steady and effective cooperation appreciating Turkeys position of not allowing any separatist activities against China
China hopes that Turkish police forces will continue to take measures to contain the secessionist activities against China and better protect the life and property of Chinese citizens in Turkey Zhou said
Aydiner expressed the hope that Turkey will improve the exchanges and cooperation with China in fields such as antiterrorism
Aydiner was here to attend the second joint working group meeting between Chinas Ministry of Public Security and Turkish Interior Ministry Enditem
SHANGHAI Dec Xinhua As it takes measures to increase farmers income the Chinese Government is keeping a close eye on farmers pockets hoping to further boost the national economy by stimulating consumption in the rural areas
At the central economic work conference held earlier this month the Chinese Government held that expanding domestic demand should be a longterm strategy for Chinas economic development with farmers consumption high up on the demand growth agenda
With a population of or so Xiaoshunjiang Village in Shaoxing County in east Chinas Zhejiang Province is a minute drive from the nearest town But the villagers have to take many tortuous paths with odd bends before they get to the town In the past we only went to shop in town during festivals because of the difficult accesssaid the yearold farmer Song Handa
Since a squaremeter supermarket was opened there satisfactory commodities are now available for Song at his village Like markets in the urban areas the Xiaoshunjiang market is lit with fluorescent lamps hundreds of commodities with price tags are neatly laid out on shelves and a cashiers machine is installed at the door
The supermarket has been in operation for almost a year Our business has been better than expected with daily sales averaging more than yuan US dollars Song Mingxia a uniformed hostess said with a smile
The countryside supermarket is part of an ongoing program to establish newtype rural stores in most counties across China for the period
The Central Government will earmark million yuan million US dollars for the program and take measures to attract private capital Funding efforts started in July this year
Though thrift has always been valued as a virtue among Chinese farmersthey are not unwilling to spend moneysaid Ding Yaomin head of the provincial economic and trade commission of Zhejiang The lack of a comfortable consumption environment has put a damper on consumption in some rural areas around China Ding added
Even rich farmers in economically developed Zhejiang with a percapita GDP of US dollars found it difficult to buy the goods they really wanted since for a long time they only had access to small groceries with limited choice according to Ding
Zhejiang has been carrying out the rural supermarket program since early last year out of townships in the province now boast franchised supermarkets while grocery shops or percent of the provinces total have been or are being upgraded
Huang Yongquan and his wife have run a grocery at Xiaoshunjiang village for more than a decade Facing the pressure from their new rival the supermarket Huang said There are more lowerpriced goods at the supermarket It has tempted the villagers away We have to cut prices to keep up
According to Yin Rending vice general manager of Suguo Supermarket that is set to tap rural markets Suguo has launched outlets in Jiangsu Province east China and percent of its sales come from the rural areas
Through local distribution networks we not only sell commodities to the countryside but also purchase farm produce for towns and cities thus helping increase farmers income Yin said
Dr Chen Huai with the Shanghai Research Institute of Economics part of the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences said The Government has had stores revamped and supermarkets built for the countryside and has enabled farmers to get access to goodquality low priced industrial goods All this is bound to stimulate buying and consumption among rural dwellers
In order to expand consumption however it is essential to eventually increase farmers income Dr Chen said Enditem
SHANGHAI Dec Xinhua China announced Monday that it will issue an eight billion yuan million US dollars bond to finance the Shanghai World Expo
The first batch of the bond about billion yuan million US dollars will be issued on Wednesday in Beijing Shanghai and Shenzhen by the Shanghai World Expo Group Co Ltd
Zhang Dongsheng director of the National Development and Reform Commissions finance and banking department said the World Expo bond will be issued with special approval from the State Council and the National Development and Reform Commission
It is the first time that China has financed an international pageant via a bond
Zhang said the term of the first batch of the bond will be seven years with a four percent par interest rate
The other billion yuan bond will be issued in function of progress in building the World Expo Park the official said
Zhou Yupeng deputy mayor of Shanghai said the World Expo bond not only carves out a new financing channel for the exposition but also guarantees the expositions infrastructure construction fund
The Shanghai World Expo is scheduled to be held from May to October in More than countries and international organizations and over million visitors are expected to attend the exposition Enditem
ZHENGZHOU Dec Xinhua The provincial government of central Chinas Henan Province plans to allocate million yuan million US dollars next year to improve its rural medical insurance system
Officials attending the provincial rural medical insurance conference said the appropriate funds will be primarily used to reconstruct clinics and health centers in Henan and double the government subsidies on medical insurance
In the pilot counties and cities of rural medical insurance will grow from to in the province
Nearly million rural population will benefit from the medical insurance system accounting for percent of the provinces total
Henan started the rural medical insurance since
As of November more than million people have received medical compensation with people enjoyed compensation for more than yuan US dollars Enditem
URUMQI Dec Xinhua China is to invest million yuan US dollars to expand a wild horse breeding center in northwest Chinas Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region
The money will be used to enlarge wild horse stables and fodder warehouses The project has been approved by the central government
The wild horse breeding and research center located in Jimusaer of Xinjiang was originally built in for the first batch of horses Now the center has wild horses The center has reproduced horses with the survival rate hitting the world record
The wild horse in Jimusaer named Przewalaskis horse is the only wild horse species that could be found in the world There are less than such horses in the world and only in China Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua According to a recent survey jointly conducted by China Securities Journal and Huading Investigation Company percent of stock investors lost money on Chinese stock markets this year
On the basis of pieces of QA papers targeting at small and mediumsized investors in major cities including Beijing Shanghai and Guangzhou the survey revealed that only percent of Chinese stock investors gained profit from the share markets this year the China Securities Journal reported on Monday
Some percent made both ends meet in their share investment this year it said
At the beginning of this year the composite index of Shanghai Stock Exchange was around points but the index dropped to points on Monday
The survey showed percent of investors believed the split share reform was the most important factor influencing Chinese stock market performance this year while percent believed confidence was another major factor influencing the market
The split share structure refers to the existence of both tradable shares and nontradable shares owned by the state and legal persons Nontradable shares make up about twothirds of the shares of the firms listed on the two markets in Shanghai and Shenzhen
The split share structure has been blamed as the key culprit for Chinas stagnant stock performance In the Chinese government launched a reform to end the split share structure and make all shares of listed companies tradable
The survey showed almost percent of investors were cautious about future share investment and percent decided to withdraw fund from the stock markets Only percent planned to increase investment in Chinas stock markets according to the survey Enditem
CHENGDU Dec Xinhua World financial giant Citibank opens its first western China branch in Chengdu capital of Sichuan Province on Monday
The opening of the Chengdu branch is another milestone in the groups business in China said Richard Stanley CEO of Citibanks China Region said at the opening ceremony
It will exploit business synergies between Citibank and China and improve Citibanks ability to serve its Chinese clients Stanley said
The newlyopened branch will provide foreign currencyrelated services to companies and individuals from both China and abroad
Apart from regular banking services the Chengdu branch will also provide Citibanks world famous financing service CitiGold
Citibank currently has branches in Chinas Beijing Shanghai Guangzhou Shenzhen and Tianjin cities Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua China collected billion yuan billion US dollars of resources tax in the first months of this year up percent yearonyear the State Administration of Taxation said Monday
China raised resources tax rates earlier this year for a number of resources products in some parts of the country a move to increase the effective utilization of unrenewable natural resources
The administration readjusted the resources tax rates this year for coal in provincial areas and the tax rates on crude oil natural gas and some other nonmetal mineral resources Actually the administration readjusted the resources tax rates for coal in the countrys five coal production areas last year
The tax authority said that increased tax rates resulted in growing awareness of the better use of natural resources and increased fiscal revenue of the government
Shanxi Province one of the countrys major coal producers registered percent increase in resources tax revenue in the month period while Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region posted percent growth in resources tax revenue Enditem
CHANGCHUN Dec Xinhua A prefecture that has many ethnic Koreans among its population plans to launch satellite TV and radio services in their own language next year
The preparation work will be completed in April in the Korean Autonomous Prefecture of Yanbian in northeast Chinas Jilin Province
About million yuan million US dollars will be invested in the project including equipment that is already being installed and adjusted The central government will cover million yuan million US dollars of the annual maintenance cost
The TV programs will be aired hours a day in both Korean and Chinese The bilingual programs will feature news overseas programs and domesticallyproduced soap dramas Each program will be broadcast with Korean and Chinese subtitles
The radio programs consisting of news entertainment and interactive programs in Korean will be operated around the clock
The project will develop in three stages Initially it will cover just the prefecture then the Korean communities in Liaoning Province Heilongjiang Province and the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and finally encompass the Korean communities in southeast China and in major cities like Beijing and Shanghai Enditem
LANZHOU Dec Xinhua Hexi Corridor a major section of the ancient Silk Road has become the home for Chinas biggest wind power project experts have said
A wind power station with an installed capacity of kilowatts has been built on the Hexi Corridor Wind Power Industrial Belt while another kilowatt station is under construction and is expected to start operation in August according to experts attending a national seminar on windmill generators in Lanzhou capital of northwest Chinas Gansu Province
Local authorities are making preparations for a number of wind power stations while initial exploration shows that the possible installed capacities of three super wind power stations range from million kilowatts to million kilowatts
Gansu Province will make great efforts to develop wind power in the coming five years said Governor Lu Hao
The province is aiming to build wind power generators with a total installed capacity of over one million kilowatts between and he said It will also endeavor to become a windmill generation production base during the period
The province especially the Hexi Corridor has abundant wind energy theoretically about million kilowatts
Only million kilowatts percent of the countrys exploitable wind energy can currently be harnessed Enditem
NANJING Dec Xinhua China is in urgent need of international talents especially highlevel ones said an expert with the China human resources scientific research institute
Professor Wang Tongxun of the institute made the remarks at a seminar on international talent strategy in Nanjing capital of east Chinas Jiangsu Province
He pointed out that in comparison with foreign countries China needs four categories of talents The first category are senior managers and financial and insurance profiles familiar with WTO regulations the second are certified public accountants the third are those who are proficient in foreign languages while the fourth are cyberapplication talents
With escalated international competition talent is essential to economic development China should target the four talent categories cited said Wang Enditem
TIANJIN Dec Xinhua Samsung Group a leading conglomerate in the Republic of Korea ROK will build a new digital camera production plant in Tianjin the largest port city in north China
The plant which covers square meters at the Tianjin Economic and Technological Development Zone is to become operational in Construction of the project is to cost million yuan million US dollars
The company aims to make the plant a super competitive digital camera production base in the world The plant is to produce million cameras by ranking third in terms of market share in the world
The plant is the sixth company opened by the Samsung Group in Tianjin Enditem
WUHAN Dec Xinhua As of Monday rescuers have not found the eight missing from Sundays ship collision in the Yangtze River in central Chinas Hubei Province local government said
Though their hope to survive is very slim we wont give up the rescue action until the last minute said Zhang Shancai acting mayor of Shishou where the tragedy happened
The accident occurred on the rivers middle reaches near Shishou City at am Sunday when a ship from Changsha capital of the neighboring Hunan Province collided with a local ship Altogether people fell into the water
Rescuer found three bodies and save two people later that day
The three dead and the eight missing have been confirmed to be the crew member of the local ship and local farmers said Zhang
The governments of Shishou City and the neighboring Jinzhou City have mobilized more than vessels and some people to take part in the rescue operation Rescuers were searching for the missing within a range of km downstream from the accident site according to local sources
Investigation on the cause of the accident is underway Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua China put percent of its overseas direct investment to other parts of Asia the Ministry of Commerce said on Monday
In addition percent of Chinas overseas contracted projects and percent of labor export service are in Asia according to figures from the ministry
During the JanuaryNovember period of this year Chinas investment in North America Oceania Africa and Asia grew more than percent and the volume of Chinas contracted projects and labor export service in Africa and Latin America grew more than percent
During the eleven months Chinas nonfinancial direct overseas investment totaled billion US dollars while the business volume of overseas contracted projects grew percent to billion dollars
During the period China signed new contracts on labor export service which involved billion dollars an increase of percent By the end of November this year Chinese workers stayed overseas more than the figure at the end of November last year Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua China published regulations Monday on compulsory training for senior managerial personnel of the countrys approximately listed firms
According to the Guidelines on Training Work for Senior Managerial Personnel of Listed Firms published Monday by the China Securities Regulatory Commission the training programs are designed to help listed firms improve their corporate governance and operate in a professional manner
Senior managerial personnel must take part in the training courses to be organized by the commission and records of their training and tests will be entered in the credit data bank built by the commission according to the guidelines which became effective on Monday
The training programs are expected to regulate the business behaviors of the trainees including board chairmen general managers directors general financial managers secretaries of the board of directors through better understanding of the countrys related laws and regulations including the recently revised corporate law and securities law
The training programs involve online courses and facetoface ones provided by the watchdog and its regional organizations at various levels
The commission published detailed documents on training for managerial personnel who have been divided into five categories with separate training requirements for each category
Chairmen of the board of directors and general managers must take part in at least one organized training program in every year of their terms The organized training program will last for at least six training periods Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Chinas banking watchdog said Monday it had punished staff members of the countrys Big Four state banks after finding they were involved in illegal or unauthorized business totaling as much as billion yuan about billion US dollars
The China Banking Regulatory Commission CBRC said in a report the wrongdoers were working in differentlevel institutions of the Big Four including the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Agricultural Bank of China China Construction Bank and Bank of China It checked a total of such institutions
The news came as China struggles to overhaul the Big Four by building them into jointstock firms inviting foreign strategic investors and then listing them on the market Under a commitment to the World Trade Organization the country must give foreign rivals full access to its financial market by the end of
The Construction Bank of China has already gone public in Hong Kong while the Bank of China is widely forecast to sell shares to private investors in the coming year
On Monday the CBRC acknowledged that while the state banks are making progress in building up corporate governance illegal cases including big cases are still frequently seen
Calling a key year for financial reform it urged the Big Four which account for more than half of the countrys deposits and lending to tide over the difficulties and promote the banking industrys healthy stable expansion Enditem
CHONGQING Dec Xinhua Worlds express giants UPS TNT and DHL stepped up their competition for market share in southwest Chinas Chongqing Municipality in December
An insider with the express business said that the foreign express giants moves echo the Ministry of Commerce circular stipulating that foreign enterprises can independently undertake international cargo transportation
An official with the UPS said that the company has made efforts to establish a foreign owned express company in Chongqing and is now working on details
DHL is considering buying Chinas largest logistics enterprise Huayu Group and the whole process will be completed in the first half of
Chongqings open navigation rights are another attraction for foreign express companies UPS and TNT are considering open cargo flights to Chinas inland cities via Chongqing Enditem
SHANGHAI Dec Xinhua The funeral of Wang Daohan Chinese mainlands top envoy on Taiwan affairs will be simple and open to just a number of his intimate friends and the deputies from some organizations Wangs children told Xinhua here Monday
They thanked the Chinese compatriots in Taiwan Hong Kong and Macao and overseas Chinese for their condolences to the decease of Wang president of the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits ARATS who passed away in Shanghai on Saturday at the age of
Were deeply moved that many personages in Taiwan Hong Kong and Macao and overseas Chinese hope to come to Shanghai and attend our fathers funeral to express their condolences said Wangs children in a written statement
But my father left a will that he wished to have a simple funeral therefore we can satisfy the wish of only some of our fathers friends and the deputies from some organizations according to the statement
Wang and Koo Chenfu then chairman of the Taiwanbased Straits Exchange Foundation SEF held the first crossStraits highlevel and nongovernmental talks since in Singapore in
They held the second talks in Shanghai and reached a fourpoint consensus involving crossStraits dialogue on political issues in
The significant WangKoo meetings were considered milestones in crossStraits relations by introducing rapprochement between the mainland and Taiwan Enditem
FUZHOU Dec Xinhua The housewares fair held by the southern province of Fujian in Taiwan is fruitful with an export of more than million US dollars local government officials said Monday
The fair first of its kind held by a Chinese mainland province in Taiwan is of great importance in promoting the direct economic exchanges between the mainland and Taiwan said Zhang Qiu head of the the Fujian provincial association of trade exchange across the Straits at a press conference on Monday
The fair which was held in the city of Taichung from Dec to has born a better harvest than expectation said Zhang who is also head of the delegation from the Chinese mainland to Taichung
The enterprises from Fujian also ordered textile materials worth of million yuan million U S dollars from Taiwan said Zhang
In addition more than Taiwan companies made agreenments on dealership of the products of the Fujian companies said Zhang Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Mandatory sanctions imposed by governments should be carried out so as to minimize peoples losses Chinese lawmakers said here Monday
Mandatory administrative sanctions are necessary when dealing with citizens who fail to fulfill their legal obligations but may also infringe upon citizens rights said Ying Songnian a member of the Committee for Internal and Judicial Affairs of the National Peoples Congress NPC Chinas national legislature
Mandatory administrative laws should be considered very carefully to ensure that each article relates to the real situation he said
On Saturday NPC began reviewing the countrys first mandatory administrative law to curb the growing trend towards government abuse of power and nonfeasance
According to the draft law no commodities except for contraband goods shall be confiscated by law enforcement bodies for the purpose of maintaining street order and mandatory sanctions shall not be delivered at night or during holidays unless the persons concerned agree or the situation is urgent
Administrative bodies will not be allowed to cut off water electricity or heating to force the persons concerned to fulfill their administrative obligations
The lack of a unified law means that some law enforcement bodies may be short of mandatory means to crack down on behaviors that seriously violate the law or may abuse their power to deliver mandatory sanctions said Xin Chunying deputy director of the Legislative Affairs Commission of the NPC Standing Committee
NPC statistics show that mandatory sanction methods are present in national laws and regulations issued by the State Council
Freezing bank accounts temporarily for instance can be conducted by dozens of government organs including public security customs securities and banking supervision bodies
According to the draft law mandatory sanctions will only be carried out if provided for by the law and will only be enforced by the government body authorized by the law
Other principles include the imposition of mandatory sanctions only as a last resort if other options are available and the encouragement of discussion between parties to resolve disputes provided the interests of the public and other related parties are not affected Enditem
ZHONGSHAN Guangdong Dec Xinhua The identities of the dead in Sundays restaurant fire in south Chinas Guangdong Province have not been confirmed yet said local officials on Monday
More than people were inside an illegallyopened bar of Tandao Westernstyle Restaurant in Tanzhou Township when the fire broke out
The injured in the fire were in stable conditions according to the Peoples Hospital of Zhongshan City
Wang Yuanhua deputy secretary of the Guangdong Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China went to the hospital to visit the injured and required the medical workers to go allout to save the injured
The government of Zhongshan City said on Monday that the victims include male and five female and the government has set up work teams to console the deads families and deal with the aftermath
Investigation showed the bar was not equipped with any fire extinguishing devices and the safety exit is extremely narrow making it difficult for the people inside to evacuate said a government official Enditem
HONG KONG Dec Xinhua Following are temperatures and weather forecast of Dec for AsiaPacific cities dispatched by the Hong Kong Observatory on Monday
CITY MINIMUM MAXIMUM FORECAST
HONG KONG FINE
MACAO BRIGHT
GUANGZHOU RAIN
SHANGHAI CLOUDY
BEIJING CLOUDY
TAIPEI SHOWERS
SEOUL FINE
TOKYO FINE
MANILA RAIN
HANOI DRIZZLE
HO CHI MINH CITY RAIN
BANGKOK SHOWERS
KUALA LUMPUR THUNDERSTORMS
SINGAPORE THUNDERSTORMS
NEW DELHI CLOUDY
MUMBAI SMOKE
KARACHI FINE
JAKARTA RAIN
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN THUNDERSTORMS
SYDNEY FINE
MELBOURNE FINE
BRISBANE FINE
Enditem
HONG KONG Dec Xinhua People in Taiwan are retiring younger according to a report reaching here from Taipei on Monday
The statistics released by the Taiwan authorities shows that employees in the industrial and service sectors in Taiwan who applied to retire in were years old on average lower than the a year ago
The report was published after nearly six months of compiling and analyzing data gathered from a survey on retirement conducted in March among employees from over companies
The survey showed that about people retired from work in the industrial and service sectors last year
Some percent of the retirees were over down from the percent in while percent of those who retired in were between and posing a significant rise in comparison with the level of percent in
The to age group made up the bulk of retirees in the industrial and service sectors the report said noting there were more people aged to choosing to retire with percent of the retirees in this age group up from the percent a year ago
The report attributed the trend to an increase of corporate mergers in recent years Many of these companies offer preferential deals to encourage workers to retire Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua China Ocean Trust and Investment Company Ltd COTIC will offer fiducial financing to the Ministry of Railways MOR with the National Council for Social Security Fund NCSSF according to sources with China National Offshore Oil Corporation CNOOC on Monday
The agreement was signed by COTIC NCSSF MOF and the Bank of Communication last Friday
According to the agreement COTIC will issue oneyear fiducial financing products to the NCSSF to collect three million yuan million US dollars for the MOR
This is the first time the NCSSF has made a largescale investment in infrastructure projects through fiducial financing
The move is considered to be of great significance for the financing of Chinas railway construction
According to the middle and longterm railway network plan China will invest a total of billion yuan in railway construction from to making multichannel financing necessary
As a financial trust institution under the China Banking Regulatory Commission COTIC operates a fiducial asset of over billion yuan
CNOOC Chinas largest offshore oil producer holds a percent share in the company Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Transnational mergers and acquisitions have become the major vehicle of Chinese investment in other countries said the Ministry of Commerce on Monday
Figures from the Ministry of Commerce show that in the first months this year transnational mergers and acquisitions accounted for percent of Chinas total investment in other parts of the world
Chinese companies prefer overseas merger in the fields of telecommunications autos and resource development the ministry said
Investment in overseas processing businesses mainly light industry machinery construction materials textile and electronics accounts for percent of Chinas total investment in other parts of the world the ministry said
Over percent of Chinas investment overseas has been put into mining and manufacturing industry and percent of overseas contracted projects are in construction transportation telecommunications petrochemicals and the power industry
During the JanuaryNovember period this year largescale projects with investment volume of over million US dollars contributed percent of Chinas total overseas investment the ministry said
During the months China signed contracts for overseas projects with a volume of over million US dollars it said Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Chinas imports of chemical fiber are expected to drop percent to million tons in a result of surging domestic output said the Chinese Association of Chemical Fiber Industry
The association has just issued its annual outlook report It predicts that the output of Chinas chemical fiber industry will soar percent to million million tons in
Expanding demand from Chinas textile industry stable international oil prices and several Chinese chemical fiber projects are the main factors for the rebound in the Chinese chemical fiber industry said the association
The association predicts that sales revenue of Chinas chemical fiber industry will hit billion yuan billion US dollars next year a yearonyear increase of percent while gross production value will edge billion yuan billion dollars a hefty percent up on Enditem
HANGGIN BANNER Inner Mongolia Dec Xinhua By Monday night Rescuers have recovered bodies of the missing in a major bus accident from an icecovered river in north China local government said
The six other missing might be swept downstream of the river and they were not possible to survive from the freezing water after two days said rescuers
A bus with passengers and one driver aboard suddenly fell into the Yellow River while driving on the frozen surface at the section of the Hanggin Banner prefecture in Ordos City of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region at about pm Saturday
Nine people six male and three female escaped from the sinking bus and were rescued said Zhang Gui vice mayor of the Ordos City
The bus was salvaged on Monday morning and rescuers found bodies in the vehicle
Initial investigation shows that the cavein of the icy road caused the seat bus to sink into the river according to local police
The local government has mobilized a team of armed police officers firemen six divers and emergency vehicles to rush to the scene for rescue and salvage earlier on Sunday
The Bayannur City Branch of the PICC Property and Casualty Co Ltd has sent staff to the scene to handle compensation affairs Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The number of mobile phone subscribers in China reached a record million at the end of November said the Ministry of Information Industry MII on Monday
This is an increase of million over the end of last year The number of new mobile phone subscribers in China grew by an average million per month in the first months of the year said the ministry in a press release At the end of November there were mobile phones for every Chinese
Along with the increase in mobile phone subscribers short message volume climbed percent yearonyear More than billion text messages were sent in the first months said the ministry
Despite fierce competition from mobile operators the number of fixedline subscribers rose by more than million on last years figure to a total of million by the end of November By then there were fixedline subscribers for every one hundred Chinese the ministry said
Statistics from the ministry show the total number of telephone users in China including both mobile phone users and fixedline users reached million by the end of November Chinas mobile phone users outnumbered fixedline phone subscribers in October
The ministry also said in the first months this year Chinas total post and telecommunications revenue reached billion yuan up percent over the same period last year
China imported its first mobile phone telecom facilities in and it took a decade for the number of subscribers to reach million Four years later the country had the largest number of mobile phone subscribers in the world Enditem
by Xinhua writer Wei Wu
BEIJING Dec Xinhua For four consecutive days personages from various circles of life in Taiwan have sent in messages to express their condolences over the death of Wang Daohan praising his contributions to crossStraits relations and calling for the earlier reunification of China
The messages were addressed to the mainlandbased Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits ARATS of which Wang had served as president for more than a decade
Wang known for his great contributions to the development of crossStraits relations died of disease in Shanghai last week at the age of
Wu Pohhsiung vice president of the Chinese Kuomintang KMT party said in a message that Wang a forerunner of crossStraits relations had won respects from different circles of life on both sides of the Taiwan Straits
We do hope that the crossStraits relations can develop in a continuous manner as Wang had expected he said
Other senior KMT officials also delivered condolence messages to ARATS in their own capacity
In his fourteen years as the leader of ARATS Mr Wang had laid a sound foundation for the peaceful reunification of China and a constructive relationship across the Straits said Hsu Linung president of Hsin Tungmung Hui and his colleagues in a message
He deserves eternal respects and memory by all the sons and daughters of the Chinese nation said the message
According to Chiu Cheyne former secretarygeneral of the Taiwanbased Strait Exchange Foundation SEF Wangs contributions to the crossStraits relations will sure be recorded in the history
A number of major Taiwanbased newspapers have carried on their frontpages the news of Wangs death expressing the hope that the two sides across the Straits can soon open consultations on the basis of the Consensus reached between Wang and Koo Chenfu Wangs counterpart in Taiwan
Early this year Koo chairman of the SEF died at the age of
The Taiwanbased United Daily News devoted much space to comments on Wangs death and reported in detail the responses from various walks of life in Taiwan
Taiwan and the mainland have failed to find a common dialogue platform since the Democratic Progressive Party put forth the statetostate doctrine and denied the oneChina principle it said
An editorial by the Taiwanbased Central Daily News said what should be considered now is how to break the current deadlock for crossStraits relations
The key issue is that the Consensus should be well accepted it said Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Chinese Vice Premier Huang Ju said here Monday that the civil aviation sector should pay more attention to enhance safety in flight
The vice premier made the remarks when meeting with some delegates attending the national work conference on civil aviation held on Monday
The civil aviation department laid great emphasis on safety and ensured safe flight for the whole sector in said Huang
The volume of transport kept rapid growth and the whole sector has achieved profits in the year despite of the oil price hike he said
Safety is of special significance to civil aviation and should be put at top priority Huang said
Concerned regulations and mechanisms should be made to guarantee safety work he said adding that efforts should also go to establishment of technology systems and emergency rescue systems
Huang also said that more money should be invested to improve safety work of the civil aviation Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The Chinese government has shown strong determination to enforce the protection of intellectual property rights IPRs in the next few years as IPR protection has been repeatedly underscored by top leaders this year
The Communist Party of China has included innovation into its th FiveYear Plan at a meeting held in October The term was stressed again at the central economy work meeting earlier this Month
The IPR protection is key to innovation and therefore crucial to building China into a nation of innovation Tian Lipu director of the State Intellectual Property Office SIPC said recently
Chinas top leaders have stressed IPR protection many times this year President Hu Jintao said China would strengthen IPR protection to contribute to the global trade growth He said afterwards while meeting US President George W Bush that the Chinese government would willingly beef up muscle in fighting against IPR infringement
The problem of lacking IPRs became more and more serious as Chinas economy grew stronger in recent years Statistics with the SIPC show that only plus Chinese enterprises or every three out of enterprises have proprietary IPRs
As bad IPR protection has caused troubles among domestic and overseas enterprises foreign ventures in China feel threatened in the field
John Du director of Intel China Research Center said IPR protection was the soil for a companys innovation and IPR protection was very important to Intels development in China
Bad situation of IPR protection hasin the meantime become an obstacle to innovation for Chinese companies
IPR protection must precede innovation said Ren Zhengfei president of Huawei Technologies Co Ltd which is wellknown for research and development in China
The real victims of bad IPR protection will be Chinese companies with innovation potentials instead of their western counterparts said Ren
Western enterprises will be free from infringement as their core intellectual property rights are securely protected in their home country he explained
The Chinese State Council has started to draft a national strategy on intellectual property rights The Ministry of Commerce pledged to launch a campaign against infringements of trademarks and patents as well as to establish a channel for immediate report of IPR infringements
China has to face checks on IPR protection by the World Trade Organization for eight years since its entry into the organization
But Chinas strategymaking on IPR is not only due to pressure from the outside said analysts That is a must in Chinas transforming from high energy consumption and serious pollution to intensive growth with technology at the core Enditem
ZHONGSHAN Guangdong Dec Xinhua Police have detained three owners of an illegallyrun bar in the southern Guangdong Province where a major fire killed on the Christmas eve said local government on Monday
The bar was run by four brothers namely Lin Hanwen Lin Hanlong Lin Hanzhong and Lin Hanwu all residents of Tanzhou Township Zhongshan City said the police
Lin Hanwu who was injured in the fire was receiving treatment in hospital said the police
More than people were inside the illegallyopened bar of Tandao Westernstyle Restaurant in Tanzhou Township when the fire broke out on Sunday night Twentysix people died and others were injured
Investigation showed the bar was not equipped with any fire extinguishing devices and the safety exit is extremely narrow making it difficult for the people inside to evacuate said a government official
The government of Zhongshan City said on Monday that most of the victims are young people including male and five female and the government has set up work teams to console the deads families and deal with the aftermath
The injured in the fire were in stable conditions according to the Peoples Hospital of Zhongshan City
Wang Yuanhua deputy secretary of the Guangdong Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China went to the hospital to visit the injured and required the medical workers to go allout to save them Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua China will spend billion yuan billion US dollars to help improve the countrys education in the rural areas in the next five years according to a recent executive meeting of the State Council
The fund will be jointly provided by both the central and local governments according to the meeting which was presided over by Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao
In the next two years China will also exempt all the education tuitions and fees for the students in compulsory education period and provide free textbooks and subsidies for the students from needy families it said
At the same time a mechanism will be established to ensure the wages of the teachers with middle or elementary schools in the rural areas
There remain some outstanding problems in rural compulsory education and related mechanisms must be streamlined to that end said Chinese State Councilor Chen Zhili at the meeting
She said China will further reform its mechanism that serves to safeguard the funds for rural education purpose which should be taken atop the list of Chinas education tasks
The use of the fund should be carefully managed so that it could be spent where it should be she said Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The newlybuilt China Film Museum will open to the public on Thursday in memory of the centennial of the Chinese film
The museum designed by the RTKL International Ltd and the Beijing Institute of Architectural Design and at the cost of million yuan about million US dollars is located at northeastern part of Beijing and covers nearly hectares
Film posts and the logos of the museum will be exhibited in total exhibition halls involving more than films and pictures said Zhao Dongming who is in charge of the museum
The museum will screen newlyreleased films at lower prices than on the market on allowance of distributors he said Enditem
NANJING Dec Xinhua Concerned departments in China will speed up legislation next year to guarantee payment of migrant workers in construction sector said a senior official here Monday
Laws and regulations will help to protect rights of migrant workers including their payment said Minister of Construction Wang Guangtao at a national work meeting
Migrant workers who are mainly engaged in construction sector have suffered a lot from delayed payment or even denied payment due to lack of protection mechanism
The labor pay of migrant workers earned in cities is the major source of income in some areas and a good channel to raise farmers income as well The State Council required that all migrant workers in construction sector get their delayed pay in
Statistics with the Ministry of Construction show that by Dec of this year percent of migrant workers defaulted payment has been delivered for governmentinvested construction projects completed before the end of
More efforts would be made to speed up payment liquidation in nongovernmentfunded projects next year said Wang
Wang also mentioned at the meeting that skill training will be offered to help migrant workers in job hunting and the government will improve sanitation in living places of migrant workers next year Enditem
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PARIS Dec Xinhua The International Energy Agency IEA declared on Monday it has successfully concluded an operation designed to cope with the impact of hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico on oil markets
The move was begun on Sep by the IEA under which the IEA member countries had to provide two million barrels of oil per day to the international markets for days or a total of million barrels
According to IEA chief Claude Mandil the decision to end the operation was agreed Thursday by all its member countries since the impact of hurricanes Katrina and Rita has been successfully addressed
He also said the IEA member countries will exercise flexibility in reestablishing their emergency stock levels through noting the need to consider differences in seasonal demand and the possibility of higher maintenance fees for oil refineries
The IEA is an intergovernmental organization headquartered in Paris which coordinates energy policies between its member countries and pursues the objective of emergency oil sharing among its member countries in time of energy crisis Enditem
WASHINGTON Dec Xinhua A top US general on Sunday conceded that most Iraqis want an immediate withdrawal of all US troops from their country but he said no specific deadline or target has been set for the pullout yet
Now more and more Iraqis want the US and other foreign troops to leave their country as soon as possible which is quite understandable Peter Pace Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff told Fox News in an interview on Sunday
He said the US troop levels in Iraq will decline next year but there is no specific target for the number of withdrawals yet
Instead more troops could be needed to cope with the persistent insurgency in the country said the general
We do not have a plan that specifically says we will be down below by the end of What we have is a plan that allows us to keep what we have today for the foreseeable future and then offramps and onramps based on conditions on the ground said Pace
Currently there are about US troops in Iraq Last week US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld announced a decision to tentatively cut troop levels by early next year
An opinion poll conducted among Iraqis in October and November by ABC News and other foreign media has found the US military presence increasingly unpopular in Iraq
Twothirds of those polled said they opposed the presence of US forces up percent from a similar survey taken in February Enditem
WASHINGTON The US military is planning to expand missile interception efforts in the Pacific Ocean by equipping ships with such capability in the next three years US media reported Monday
At present there is only one ship in the US Pacific Fleet namely the USS Lake Erie is capable of missile interception USMilitary
MOSCOW Russia and the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries OPEC pledged on Monday to enhance their dialogue aimed at ensuring market stability and energy security RussiaOPEC
PARIS The International Energy Agency IEA declared on Monday it has successfully concluded an operation designed to cope with the impact of hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico on oil markets
The move was begun on Sept by the IEA under which the IEA member countries had to provide million barrels of oil per day to the international markets for days or a total of million barrels IEAOil markets
LUSAKA Zambias biggest power station has lost about MW of generation capacity due to the shutdown of two generators on Saturday caused by heavy rains station manager Masiye Mwale said Monday
It will need about million kwacha about US dollars to replace the four chargers that were destroyed after water mud and pieces of trees flooded the plant he said at the station ZambiaEnergy
GAZA Three Palestinian armed groups vowed on Monday to carry out join attacks against Israel within the coming few days in response to Israels building of a security buffer zone in northern Gaza PalestineIsrael Enditem
MEXICO CITY Dec Xinhua Latin Americas three major stock markets closed mixed on Monday
The Buenos Aires stock market closed with the Merval index up by percent and ended at points The trade volume was million US dollars
Mexico Citys stock market IPC index dropped percent and closed at points A total of million shares were traded at million dollars
In Sao Paulo Latin Americas biggest bourse the leading Bovespa index closed at points down percent The trade volume was million dollars Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Following are some of the major international news stories scheduled to be covered or pursued by Xinhua on Tuesday
Israeli gunships fire missiles at northern Gaza
The World Tourism Organization expects tourism in tsunamiaffected countries to recover in a year
The Mexican Congress calls for united front against the US antiimmigration plan Enditem
GAZA Dec Xinhua Israeli Apache gunships fired at least two missiles early Tuesday at different targets in northern Gaza Strip and in Gaza City Palestinian security sources and witnesses said
The sources said that one missile was fired at the building of Fatah movement in northern Gaza Strip causing severe destruction but no injuries were reported among the Palestinians
The sources also said that another missile hit a structure belonging to the Fatah movement in Gaza City where a huge explosion was heard but no injuries were reported
Also an F warplane fired at least three sonic bombs over Gaza City and northern Gaza Strip causing panic among residents mainly children
The Israeli airstrikes came after militants intensified firing homemade rockets at Israeli towns and villages north of the Gaza Strip Enditem
LOS ANGELES Dec Xinhua California the most populated
US state along the Pacific coast has learned much from the South
Asia tsunami last year in making improvements to its tsunami
warning system officials said Monday on the first anniversary of
the Indian Ocean disaster
Following last years tsunami in South Asia which killed some
people state and federal agencies in California evaluated
the existing tsunami warning system and made recommendations for
change according to a report released by the San Franciscobased Bay City
News service
The present warning system has the US Geological Survey working
closely with two regional National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration warning centers
Warnings are supposed to be issued by the NOAA after the USGS
records any huge earthquakes that have potentials to trigger
tsunamis according to a USGS spokesman
An earthquake centered near the US West Coast with a magnitude
or higher could potentially generate a tsunami said Paul
Whitmore director of the West Coast and Alaska Tsunami Warning
Center
If a tsunami warning is merited the center sends one to state
emergency agencies weather forecasters the US Coast Guard and US
military so the warning can be forwarded to local emergency
offices to carry out the official said
Once the NOAA issues the warning it is up to local emergency
service agencies to get the word out to residents Whitmore said
noting that there is no uniform system for broadcasting the warning
He added that local emergency workers have disseminated past
warnings in a variety of ways including sirens and police vehicles
that are equipped with public address systems
But he said the system did not always operate as planned citing
the warning issued last June when a magnitude earthquake struck
some km off the California coast
Whitmore said the emergency alert system wasnt activated in
some areas after the warning was issued and in other cases the
warning messages werent easily understood prompting the NOAA to
work on improving the language and content of the warnings
A report released earlier this month by the Governors Office of
Emergency Services said the state is poorly prepared to deal with a
tsunami
The NOAA expects improvements to the current tsunami warning
system which began shortly after the tsunami to be completed
by the end of according to Whitmore
The federal government has so far invested in installing more
deepocean pressure sensors and sealevel gauges throughout the
West Coast which allow NOAA workers to estimate the heights of
waves when they reach the shore
Meanwhile the NOAA and the National Weather Service also hope
to increase the number of Tsunami Ready communities in California
where the only communities holding the title now are Crescent City
and the University of California Santa Barbara
To be considered Tsunami Ready a community must be able to
receive tsunami warnings in multiple ways be equipped to
disseminate those warnings have a tsunami hazard plan and a
community awareness program in place and establish an emergency
operations center Enditem
RAMALLAH Dec Xinhua An official Palestinian source on Tuesday denied reports that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas was hospitalized in the West Bank City of Ramallah
Abbas did go to a local hospital but he was accompanying Sakher Habbash a member of the Fatah movements central committee who suffered a stroke the source said
Abbas son Yasser Abbas also denied the reports
He said that his father took Habbash to hospital after the latter suffered from a severe stroke
Abbas was elected president of the Palestinian National Authority PNA on Jan succeeding late leader Yasser Arafat who died on Nov Enditem
TIRANA Dec Xinhua The Albanian police announced Monday that it had seized kilos of heroin and arrested suspects in the course of its multination backed antidrug raids over the past four months
With the cooperation of its neighbors Greece Italy Germany Turkey and Macedonia Albania launched operations against drugtrafficking from Sept to Dec
As well as the arrests and the kilos of heroin taken over ton of marijuana and grams of cocaine were seized said the police adding that several drugdealing dens and thousands of cannabis roots were destroyed across the country Enditem
HAVANA Dec Xinhua The US immigration authorities have repatriated nearly Dominicans this year the highest number for the last five years Dominican official sources said on Monday
A group of Dominicans are to be sent back on Wednesday to Santo Domingo capital of the Caribbean country bringing the total of Dominican deportees from the United States in to
The sources indicated that those returning now like their predecessors have mostly served four to nine years in jail in the United States for a range of offences
Of the repatriated this year were indicted for drug trafficking for murder for robbery and assault and for fraud forgery kidnapping rape or arson
Dominican authorities said that the deportees will be officially processed and then handed over to their families Enditem
CARACAS Dec Xinhua A total of road accidents happened in Venezuela on Christmas Day causing deaths authorities said on Monday
According to a report released by Venezuelas Land Transportation Direction most of the accidents were caused by carelessness speeding and drunkdriving
About people were injured in the accidents At the top of the list was the central state of Aragua with injured followed by the western states of Lara with and Zulia with
There were also fires in Caracas at the weekend with most happening on Christmas Eve No serious injuries were reported Enditem
OTTAWA Dec Xinhua At least six people were shot Monday on a busy downtown street in Canadas bustling commercial city of Toronto leaving one dead and two others fatally wounded
Shots that rang out from a passing BMW killed one instantly and wounded five at about pm local time on Yonge Street near the popular Eaton Centre shopping mall which was crowded with Boxing Day shoppers local media reported
Four were taken to hospital and another person suffered minor injuries that did not require hospital treatment witnesses said A report by Canadian Press said one of the wounded was an offduty police officer who was shot in the leg
Two suspects were arrested and at least one firearm was seized a short time later at a nearby subway station police said
Police could not immediately confirm whether the victims were targeted or injured by random gunfire
Someone said they were shot and everyone went to the back of the store said Magnolia Sandoval an employee at a camera store
Another witness said he saw two men in a BMW leaning out the windows and firing shots
Emergency vehicles were crowded around the scene which was cordoned off with yellow police tape
The busy downtown area popular with tourists was also the site of two other shootings this year
On a Saturday night in late July a man was fatally shot in a crowd of about people at Dundas Square despite heavy police presence
On a Sunday afternoon in April three people including two bystanderswere wounded after a gunman opened fire on another man on the same stretch of street where Mondays shootings occurred
Gun violence has been rising noticeably in Toronto in recent years where unemployment rate keeps going up and disparity between the rich and poor widens There have been murders in Toronto this year including a record by gunfire Enditem
DAKAR Dec Xinhua One was killed and three others were injured in a prison riot near Praia the capital city of Cape Verde reports said on Monday
The riot broke out at the countrys largest prison of San Martino after relatives of inmates were asked to stagger their prison visits during Christmas holidays due to the overcrowding of the prison
After hearing the news some angry inmates forced their way out of their cells and began vandalizing the prisons facilities said the reports
The prison guards fired tear gas and shot at the walls in an attempt to put down the riot One was shot dead and three others were injured
A full investigation has been under way the reports said Enditem
MADRID Dec Xinhua The Asian countries affected by the devastating tsunami a year ago will not see a return of tourists to pre catastrophe numbers till the winter season according to the World Tourism Organization
The Madridbased organization said in a report released on Monday that the Tsunamiaffected countries Thailand the Maldives Sri Lanka and Indonesia will have to wait until the next high season for their tourist sectors to fully recover from the disaster
The slowness of the recovery was largely due to the reduction in air transport capacity which is essential as most of the tourist resorts in these countries are isolated destinations
The crucial charterflight sectors of some travel companies have not seen enough signs of recovery and the air service and hotel capacity of the affected countries remain percent below the pretsunami period said the document
The Thai government expects to conclude this year with million tourists or percent less than in
Although the Maldives has recently recovered its usual occupancy and price levels thanks to the deviation of tourist flows from Bali and the Caribbean due to terrorism and hurricanes respectively it is expected to see an overall reduction of percent of its tourist numbers from Air capacity remains percent below the level and the high cost of fuel hinders the recovery process
Indonesia forecasts that tourist numbers will be percent lower than that of and the government has revised down its goal of tourist numbers for from million to million Enditem
SAN JOSE Dec Xinhua Hong Kong replaced the Netherlands as the second most important market for Costa Rica this year Costa Ricas Foreign Trade Promoter PROCOMER said Monday
During the first months of this year Costa Rica exported millionUS dollarsworth of goods to Hong Kong up by percent over the same period in said a PROCOMER report
The United States remained the most important market for Costa Rica receiving percent of exports from the Central American country Hong Kong was listed the second receiving percent and the Netherlands listed the third receiving percent
Major items exported to Hong Kong include integrated circuits microelectronic products modularcircuit parts parts for television and radio transmitters and receivers and dried and smoked fish said the report
During the JanuaryNovember period Costa Ricas total exports amounted to billion dollars up by percent over the same period in reported PROCOMER
The trade organization forecasted that the countrys total exports would rise to billion dollars by the end of the year up by percent over
According to the report mango exports recorded an impressive increase of percent in the highest among all items exported from Costa Rica which was followed by tires thread and cable and electronic conductors Enditem
ALMA ATA Dec Xinhua A weekend blast in southern Kyrgyzstan may be the work of an international terrorist group Kyrgyz Interior Minister Murat Sutalinov said on Monday
The blast struck a regional administration building in the southwest Osh region of Kyrgyzstan on Saturday shattering some windows but causing no casualties
An Interior Ministry source said on Sunday that investigations had shown that a radioactivated explosive device had caused the explosion
The explosion which had earlier been thought to be the result of a gas leak was most likely linked to an international terrorist organization which wanted to prove its existence in this way Sutalinov told a news conference according to reports from the Kyrgyz capital of Bishkek
President Kurmanbek Bakiyev had ordered the Interior Minister and police to investigate the bombing under terrorismrelated provisions of the law he added Enditem
OTTAWA Dec Xinhua A major winter storm blacked out part of Canadas Quebec province on Monday leaving some homes and businesses without power delaying airlines and causing driving difficulties
Hydro officials said the blackout hit the Monteregie agricultural region southwest of Montreal Electricity in several towns between SaintHyacinthe and SaintJeansurRichelieu were completely cut off while a number of nearby areas were also left in the dark
A major storm coupled with freezing rain hit several parts of the province on Monday High winds were blamed for crippling the local hydro electrical grid causing the blackout
HydroQuebec spokeswoman Helene Perrault said it was difficult to know when the power would be restored
There is still a combination of rain snow and freezing rain that is not making reestablishing power easy she said
The nasty weather has also made it difficult for drivers Police blamed icy roads for several accidents causing at least one death
Meanwhile flights leaving Montreal for Quebec City and Eastern Canada were delayed Monday and major provincial thoroughfare Highway from Quebec City into the Gaspe region was still closed Monday evening
The high wind and blowing snow were expected to move east toward Quebec City overnight Environment Canada expects a major winter storm to blast provinces along the Atlantic coast from Monday night In New Brunswick the storm is expected to pelt the province with fierce winds and up to cm of snow Enditem
BOGOTA Dec Xinhua Accidents and landslides have left at least five people dead and others injured in Colombia during the December holiday season authorities said on Monday
At least people were burnt by fireworks during the Christmas celebrations said Luis Fernando Correa the emergency and disaster director of the Social Protection Ministry
The official said most of these accidents occurred at Medellin the second biggest city in Colombia with cases while in the capital city of Bogota there were victims
In the current Christmas season the number of people burnt by fireworks has increased although the production and sale of fireworks is banned in many Colombian regions
Meanwhile three people died and were injured on Monday when a bus overturned in southwest Colombia
And at least two people died and one was injured as a result of a landslide in rural areas of Dabeiba municipality in the northwestern department of Antioquia
Another landslide in Chirapoto near Medellin killed one person and injured another last Saturday Enditem
JAKARTA Dec Xinhua Indonesias rebel Free Aceh Movement on Tuesday announced the formal disbandment of its armed wing according to media reports from Banda Aceh
The Acehnese national army or the armed wing of the Free Aceh Movement has demobilized and disbanded Sofyan Daud a former rebel commander was quoted as telling reporters
The Aceh national army is now part of civil society and will work to make the peace deal a success Daud said referring to a peace agreement signed between the Indonesian government and the rebel movement last August in Helsinki Finland Enditem
CARACAS Dec Xinhua At least four people died on Monday when a fireworks shop exploded in the eastern Venezuelan city of Ciudad Guayana rescue workers said
Most of the fire that spread through the busy district of the city in Bolivar state had largely been brought under control said the civil protection agency
Up to four others were also feared dead but the search for bodies was hindered by the fire as firefighters could not immediately reach the scene
Fireworks accidents in the South American country are common in the holiday season when fireworks sales for yearend festivities are booming Enditem
MADRID The Asian countries affected by the devastating tsunami a year ago will not see a return of tourists to precatastrophe numbers till the winter season according to the World Tourism Organization AsiaTsunamiTourism
PARIS The International Energy Agency IEA declared on Monday it has successfully concluded an operation designed to cope with the impact of hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico on oil markets
The move was begun on Sep by the IEA under which the IEA member countries had to provide two million barrels of oil per day to the international markets for days or a total of million barrels IEAWorld oil market
TOKYO Two Japanese retailer announced Monday an upcoming acquisition which will give birth to the countrys largest business in the field
Seven I Holdings Co will purchase a percent equity stake in Millennium Retailing Inc at the end of January and acquire the remaining shares by June JapanRetailer
STOCKHOLM Stockholm is the worlds top region for hightech enterprise outside the United States Radio Sweden reported on Monday quoting a new report
The annual report by Robert Huggins Associates a thinktank based in Cardiff Wales said Stockholm had the eighth most competitive knowledge economy in the world and was the leading location for IT knowledge outside the United States SwedenTechnology Enditem
BAGHDAD Dec Xinhua Two US pilots were killed in a helicopter crash in west Baghdad Monday evening the military said Tuesday Enditem
OTTAWA Dec Xinhua The shooting that killed a teenage girl and wounded six others in downtown Toronto in Canada Monday appeared to stem from a dispute between two young men police said
The shooting occurred at about pm local time on Yonge Street near the popular Eaton Center shopping mall which was crowded with Boxing Day shoppers The slain teenager was with one of her parents when she was shot Two of the injured are still in critical condition
Two male suspects including a teenager were arrested soon after at a subway station not far from the scene and at least one firearm was seized the Canadian press reported
Police Chief Bill Blair said a dispute between two young men might be blamed for the shooting but he did not mention if the two young men were the two suspects
Im tremendously angry a visibly upset Blair said at the crime scene The individuals who would be involved in such violence clearly dont care about themselves they dont care about their fellow citizens they dont care about the safety of the people of the city
There is no rational explanation for such behavior It is so outrageous so callous totally disregarding the lives and safety of other people in this city
Blair said police will be reviewing video surveillance tapes from cameras in the area to piece together what happened He also said police had no indication that a vehicle was involved although a witness had earlier said he saw shots fired from a BMW
News of the shootings also angered Mayor David Miller who called it a brazen act of senseless violence
Two other brazen shootings have taken place this year in the same area which is popular with tourists but not usually known for violence
Gun violence has been rising noticeably in Toronto in recent years where the unemployment rate keeps going up and disparity between the rich and the poor widens There have been murders in the city this year including a record by gunfire
The wave of gun violence has outraged politicians at all levels of government with Prime Minister Paul Martin promising a ban on handguns if he is reelected Enditem
BAGHDAD Dec Xinhua Two US pilots were killed in a helicopter crash in west Baghdad Monday evening the US military said Tuesday
There was no hostile fire involved the military said in a statement without identifying the helicopter type or giving details on the cause of the crash
The accident is under investigation according to officials
The latest deaths have brought the US death toll in Iraq to at least since the USled invasion in March Enditem
BAGHDAD Two US pilots were killed in a helicopter crash in west Baghdad Monday evening the US military said Tuesday
There was no hostile fire involved the military said in a statement without identifying the helicopter type or giving details on the cause of the crash
The accident is under investigation according to officials USHelicopterCrash
KUWAIT CITY Six militants linked with the alQaida terror network were sentenced to death by a Kuwaiti court on Tuesday for deadly clashes with Kuwaiti security forces in January
The six three Kuwaitis and three bedouins without nationalitywere members of the selfclaimed Peninsula Lions Brigades a group believed to have links with the alQaida terror network
They were convicted by a Kuwaiti criminal court for links with a terror group and deadly attacks on Kuwaiti security forces KuwaitMilitantsSentence
COLOMBO Ten soldiers from the Sri Lankan government troops were killed Tuesday as the Tamil Tigers detonated yet another claymore mine in the northern Jaffna district defense officials said
The attack was carried out at Puloly in the Vadamarachchi division in the northern Jaffna peninsula at pm local time GMT
The soldiers were carrying food rations when their truck hit the mine About four more have suffered injuries Sri LankaSoldiersMine Blast Enditem
TOKYO Dec Xinhua A body was found Tuesday in the wreckage of a derailed train in northern Japans Yamagata bringing the death toll to five in the accident local officials said
A body was found trapped underneath a train carriage a local police spokesman said adding that the gender and whether the person was an adult or a child could not be recognized yet
Rescuers found the body under a derailed carriage in their search for two women and a girl who had been missing since the accident officials said
Four bodies were found by late Monday The sixcarriage train left the tracks in a blizzard and crashed into a railside farm building on Sunday Enditem
KIEV Dec Xinhua Ukraines Prime Minister yuri Yekhanurov said on Tuesday that his country is entitled to take percent of Russian gas shipments to Europe that pass through its territory as a transit fee
Ukrainian companies have the legal right to take cubic meters of gas from every as a transit fee the prime minister said in a statement released by his office
Yekhanurov said this is allowed under a contract with Russian natural gas giant Gazprom
However Gazprom said on Sunday that it may take Ukraine to an international court if the former Soviet republic uses gas intended for European clients from a pipeline running through its territory without permission
Ukraine and Russia have recently been locked in a bitter row as Russia seeks to more than quadruple the price it charges Ukraine for natural gas
Ukraine has been buying Russian gas at a discounted price of US dollars per cubic meters and the country has said it is willing to switch to market prices for Russian gas but insisted it needs a transitional period to adjust its economy Enditem
BUCHAREST Dec Xinhua Romania has detected new cases of bird flu in a village km east of Bucharest the Ministry of Agriculture said on Tuesday
The H type was isolated in samples from domestic fowl from the village of Albesti in Ialomita county the ministry said in a statement adding that samples would be sent to a British laboratory to decide whether it was the deadly HN strain
The ministry said that around poultry in the village are being killed and the village has been quarantined
It also confirmed the H type of bird flu in samples taken from hens in the village of Stelnica around km east of Bucharest where avian flu was suspected last week
Since October Romania has found bird flu in villages in and around the Danube delta on the Black Sea Nine cases have been confirmed as the highly contagious HN strain and the first case was discovered km from Bucharest
Up to now no human case of bird flu has been reported in Romania Enditem
GENEVA Dec Xinhua A year after the Indian Ocean
tsunami the International Organization for Migration IOM said
Tuesday that it has completed the construction of over
transitional houses and over tsunami survivors now live in
them
Working closely with the government IOM and other agencies
have kept up a frantic pace in the past months to provide relief
and lay the foundations for a full recovery Chris Gascon chief
of IOMs mission in Sri Lanka said in a statement
IOM houses are designed to last up to two years and the
beneficiaries are expected to live in these houses until permanent
housing is built by the government and nongovernmental agencies
involved in reconstruction efforts said the statement
Besides constructing transitional houses IOM has also been
involved in upgrading emergency shelters provided by various
agencies soon after the tsunami
IOM said its shelter programme includes comprehensive site care
and maintenance services along with water and sanitation facilities
This involves ensuring that the residents have sufficient access to
toilets and washing facilities water supply drainage systems and
other services Enditem
MOSCOW Dec Xinhua Russias upper house of parliament on Tuesday overwhelmingly passed a controversial bill regulating nongovernmental organizations NGOs in the country
Legislators in the Federation Council voted to approve the bill with one abstention The bill received final approval in the lower house on Dec and will enter into force after it is sent to President Vladimir Putin to be signed into law
The original bill required foreign NGOs to register with the authorities and included financial screening of NGOs accounts
Earlier this month Putin stepped in with suggestions to revise the bill that would soften restrictions on foreign NGOs
The bill now requires foreign NGOs to register with the Federal Registration Service rather than with the Foreign Ministry as is currently the case
Foreign NGOs not registered as Russian legal entities will be allowed to keep their current status Enditem
MOSCOW Dec Xinhua Presidential economic advisor Andrei Illarionov who is known for his liberal remarks on some of the Kremlins economic policies has resigned the Interfax news agency reported on Tuesday
I have tendered my resignation as a presidential economic advisor and handed it to my employer Illarionov told a press conference in Moscow Enditem
MOSCOW Dec Xinhua Russia warned neighboring Ukraine on Tuesday of grave consequences if it seeks to revise the terms of a deal on a Russialeased Crimean port
To subject these agreements to revision is fatal Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov was quoted by the ItarTass news agency as saying
The Black Sea Fleet accords are an integral part of the big RussiaUkraine treaty of which contains agreements on recognition of each others territorial borders Ivanov also said
In mids Russia and Ukraine divided up the Soviet Black Sea Fleet after anguished talks Under the deal Russia leases the Sevastopol port in Ukraines Crimea peninsula to base its ships until
But many Ukrainian politicians consider too low the annual rent of million US dollars paid by Russia Kiev has said it might review the leasing terms
Ivanov pointed out that the rent was set under the basic agreements and should remain unchanged until and Russia pays for utility and transport services and contributes percent of revenue to Sevastopols budget
The two nations have been locked in a bitter dispute over gas prices with Russia asking Ukraine to pay more than quadruple the current price for gas it buys from Russia
Earlier this month Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko linked gassupply talks with Russia to a review of the Crimean port rent Enditem
MOSCOW Dec Xinhua Presidential economic advisor Andrei Illarionov the lone dissenter in the Kremlin on most aspects of its economic policy has resigned Russian news agencies reported Tuesday
I have tendered my resignation as a presidential economic advisor and handed it to my employer Illarionov told a press conference in Moscow I think the decision will be approved
Illarionov who worked in the Russian government in the early s was appointed an adviser to Putin in
Asked why he is leaving Illarionov said As long as there was the opportunity to do and say something I felt it was important to stay here as advisor Until recently nobody put any limits on me to express my viewpoints The situation has changed
There were several reasons behind his decision to quit he added
Illarionov was stripped of his duties as envoy to the Group of Eight G industrialized nations earlier this year after he described as the scam of the year steps by stateowned corporations to take over private companies most notably the legal onslaught against the Yukos oil company
He also spoke out against the large amount of borrowing by stateowned companies which exceeded Russias foreign debt Enditem
LONDON Dec Xinhua Fuel shortages have been felt in parts of Britain as petrol stations struggle to cope with the impact of the Buncefield depot blast which happened to the north of London about two weeks ago
Sky News reported on Tuesday that fuel retailers have confirmed some garages in southeast England have run out of petrol while others are running short
Despite the petrol shortages there are no signs of panic buying by motorists and retailers who say they are confident that garages could be restocked soon
It is also reported some people believed the petrol shortages were the coeffect of two factors namely a disruption of supplies after the huge blast of the Buncefield depot and the increasing demand of oil in the Christmas season
The oil depot jointly run by French energy company Total and Texaco part of US oil giant Chevron Texaco is Britains fifthlargest fuel distribution center The explosion the biggest of its kind in peacetime Europe has greatly hit the companys supply capacity
A spokesman for the Federation of Petroleum Suppliers said similar shortages were likely to recur even though firms had tried to find alternative supplies
Buncefield was a very very major supply source of fuel for the whole of South East England said the spokesman
But a spokesman for the UK Petroleum Industry Association dismissed the shortages as just some localized effects Enditem
KIEV Dec Xinhua Ukrainer said Tuesday that an agreement has been reached with a Russian monopoly in a price dispute that has threatened to cut supplies to the country
Energy Minister Ivan Plachkov said the agreement had been reached with OAO Gazprom Russias staterun company that provides about onethird of Ukraines gas his spokeswoman Lilya Klochko said
But a Gazprom spokesman denied any such deal had been made
Ukraine and Gazprom have been locked in the dispute over pricing that could see the company curtailing deliveries on Jan to Ukraine which depends heavily on Russianproduced natural gas to power its industry and provide heat
Reports said the prices that Gazprom charges most former Soviet republics have been well below world levels But the company which is preparing to make its shares available to foreign investors next year has recently been raising its prices
Gazprom wants to charge Ukraine a European price of US dollars per cubic meters
But Ukraine which had been paying US dollars has rejected such an increase claiming that any increase should be implemented gradually in a fiveyear period
Ukraine uses almost billion cubic meters of gas annually receiving billion cubic meters from Russia and billion cubic meters from Turkmenistan pumped via Russia Ukraine itself produces some billion cubic meters
Natural gas is one of the key export commodities for Russia whose economy heavily depends on exports of natural resources Enditem
MOSCOW Russia warned neighboring Ukraine on Tuesday of grave consequences if it seeks to revise the terms of a deal on a Russialeased Crimean port
To subject these agreements to revision is fatal Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov was quoted by the ItarTass news agency as saying
The Black Sea Fleet accords are an integral part of the big RussiaUkraine treaty of which contains agreements on recognition of each others territorial borders Ivanov also said RussiaUkraineFleet
BUCHAREST Romania has detected new cases of bird flu in a village km east of Bucharest the Ministry of Agriculture said on Tuesday
The H type was isolated in samples from domestic fowl from the village of Albesti in Ialomita county the ministry said in a statement adding that samples would be sent to a British laboratory to decide whether it was the deadly HN strain
The ministry said that around poultry in the village are being killed and the village has been quarantined RomaniaBird Flu
HARARE A total of people were killed and others injured in road accidents during the festive season countrywide Zimbabwe Police spokesperson Andrew Phiri said on Tuesday
Manicaland Province recorded the highest number of deaths with six people followed by Matabeleland South which recorded four casualties
No deaths were recorded in Harare and Bulawayo although Harare province recorded road accidents the highest number so far ZimbabweMishap
ISLAMABAD Pakistan has declared a strict ban on the export of the technologies materials and equipment related to nuclear and biological weapons and their delivery systems the foreign ministry said on Tuesday
The control lists have been notified pursuant to the Export Control Act on Goods Technologies Materials Equipment related to Nuclear and Biological Weapons and their Delivery Systems which was adopted by the parliament in Sept it said in a statement PakistanNuclearBan
RIYADH Five Saudi policemen were killed on Tuesday north of the capital in clashes with militants the interior ministry said
The five were killed when a wanted militant opened fire at a police checkpoint in the northern Qassim province the ministry said
The militant was later arrested the ministry added
It was not known yet whether the attack was linked to alQaida terror network SaudiPolice Enditem
WARSAW Dec Xinhua A contingent of Polish Air Force on Tuesday left for Lithuania to take over the mission of guarding the airspace of NATOs three Baltic member states Polish News Agency reported
Authorized by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization NATO the Polish Air Force will starting from Jan protect the airspace of Lithuania Latvia and Estonia known as the Baltic three
The contingent is assigned to prevent any possible violations of the three nations airspace and to help malfunctioned civilian or military aircraft in permitted flights
According to the Polish Defense Ministry Poland is to station four MiG fighters in Lithuanias Zokniai military airbase and the fighters will patrol in pairs hours every day
The three Baltic countries which have no fighter jets have their airspace guarded by other NATO member countries on a rotation basis since they joined the bloc on March Enditem
WARSAW Dec Xinhua Poland will keep its troops in Iraq until the end of Prime Minister Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz said on Tuesday
Poland has been a staunch US ally in Iraq Warsaw sent combat troops to the country and in September took command of an international force that currently numbers some troops
Up to now Polish soldiers have been killed in Iraq Enditem
MADRID Dec Xinhua Spanish police on Tuesday said they had seized metric tons of hashish in the capital and arrested suspects
This could be the biggest seizure of hashish to date in Madrid the police said in a statement
According to the police the drugs came from Morocco and were hidden in ten large wooden boxes in a warehouse in Arganda del Rey about km east of Madrid before they were discovered
Eleven people were arrested including Moroccans and one Spaniard The operation is still ongoing the police said Enditem
h
h
LONDON Dec Xinhua Following are the results from the English premier league on Monday
Charlton lost to Arsenal
Chelsea bt Fulham
Tottenham Hotspur bt Birmingham
Playing later Monday
Liverpool vs Newcastle United
Manchester United vs West Bromich Albion
Middlesbrough vs Blackburn
Portsmouth vs West Ham United
Sunderland vs Bolton Wanderers
Wigan Athletic vs Manchester City
Aston Villa vs Everton Enditem
LONDON Dec Xinhua Following are the standings from the English premier league on Monday tabulated under games played won drawn lost goals for against points
Chelsea
Manchester United
Tottenham Hotspur
Liverpool
Bolton Wanderers
Arsenal
Wigan Athletic
Manchester City
West Ham United
Newcastle United
Charlton Athletic
Blackburn Rovers
Middlesbrough
Fulham
Aston Villa
Everton
West Bromwich Albion
Portsmouth
Birmingham City
Sunderland Enditem
WASHINGTON Dec Xinhua Following are the NBA scoring eaders through December
Scoring
G FG FT PTS AVG
Iverson Phil
Bryant LAL
James Clev
Arenas Wash
Nowitzki Dall
Wade Mia
Pierce Bos
Brand LAC
Redd Mil
Allen Sea
Carter NJ
Anthony Den
ONeal Ind
Richardson GS
Bosh Tor
Garnett Minn
Lewis Sea
Hamilton Det
Duncan SA
Davis Bos
FG Percentage
FG FGA PCT
Haywood Wash
Brezec Char
AbdurRahim Sac
Mourning Mia
Bogut Mil
Parker SA
Garnett Minn
Brand LAC
Gooden Clev
Wallace Char
Rebounds
G OFF DEF TOT AVG
Camby Den
Howard Orl
B Wallace Det
Duncan SA
Marion Phoe
Brand LAC
Jamison Wash
ONeal Ind
Magloire Mil
Garnett Minn
Assists
G AST AVG
Nash Phoe
Davis GS
Knight Char
Billups Det
Miller Den
Kidd NJ
Iverson Phil
Ford Mil
Paul NOk
Cassell LAC Enditem
WASHINGTON Dec Xinhua Following are the NHL scoring leaders through December
GP G A PTS
Jagr NYR
Alfredsson Ott
Forsberg Phi
Staal Car
Heatley Ott
Thornton SJ
Savard Atl
Spezza Ott
Kovalchuk Atl
Demitra LA
Hossa Atl
Datsyuk Det
McCabe Tor
Gagne Phi
Prospal TB
Naslund Van
Marleau SJ
Richards TB
Ovechkin Was Enditem
BRUSSELS Dec Xinhua Following are the top scorers of the Dutch soccer championship on Monday
Klaas Jan Huntelaar Heerenveen
Shota Arveladze AZ Alkmaar
Rick Hoogendorp RKC Waalwijk
Dirk Kuyt Feyenoord
Jefferson Farfan PSV Eindhoven
Arouna Kone PSV Eindhoven
Kenneth Perez AZ Alkmaar
Matthew Amoah Vitesse Arnhem
Youssouf Hersi Vitesse Arnhem
Theo Janssen Vitesse Arnhem
Yuri Cornelisse Groningen
Salomon Kalou Feyenoord
Denny Landzaat AZ Alkmaar
Sergio Roda JC Kerkrade
Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink PSV Eindhoven
Tarik Sektioui AZ Alkmaar
Philip Cocu PSV Eindhoven
Ricky van den Bergh Sparta Rotterdam
Johan Vonlanthen NAC Breda
Andres Oper Roda JC Kerkrade
Benjamin De Ceulaer RKC Waalwijk
Maarten Martens RKC Waalwijk
Angelos Haristeas Ajax Amsterdam
Pierre van Hooijdonk NAC Breda
Romeo Castelen Feyenoord
Wesley Sneijder Ajax Amsterdam Enditem
BRUSSELS Dec Xinhua Following are the results and standings from the Dutch soccer championship matches on Monday
Monday December
Utrecht tied Sparta Rotterdam
Feyenoord bt AZ Alkmaar
NEC Nijmegen lost to PSV Eindhoven
Standings tabulated under games played won drawn lost goals for against points
PSV Eindhoven
AZ Alkmaar
Feyenoord
Ajax Amsterdam
NEC Nijmegen
RKC Waalwijk
Groningen
Utrecht
Heerenveen
Vitesse Arnhem
Roda JC Kerkrade
NAC Breda
ADO Den Haag
Twente Enschede
Heracles Almelo
Sparta Rotterdam
Willem II Tilburg
RBC Roosendaal
Next Fixtures GMT
Monday December
Twente Enschede vs RBC Roosendaal
Tuesday December
RKC Waalwijk vs Heerenveen
Roda JC Kerkrade vs ADO Den Haag
Vitesse Arnhem vs NAC Breda
Ajax Amsterdam vs Groningen Enditem
BRUSSELS Dec Xinhua Following are the summaries from the Dutch championship matches on Monday
NEC Nijmegen
PSV Eindhoven
Arouna Kone Da Marcus Beasley
Halftime Attendance
Feyenoord
Patrick Paauwe Jonathan de Guzman
AZ Alkmaar
Halftime Attendance
Utrecht
Dave van den Bergh
Sparta Rotterdam
Ivan Cvetkov
Halftime Attendance
Next Fixtures
Monday December GMT
Twente Enschede vs RBC Roosendaal
Tuesday December GMT
RKC Waalwijk vs Heerenveen
Roda JC Kerkrade vs ADO Den Haag
Vitesse Arnhem vs NAC Breda
Ajax Amsterdam vs Groningen Enditem
LONDON Dec Xinhua Following are the results of English Premier League on Monday
Aston Villa Everton
Charlton Arsenal
Chelsea Fulham
Liverpool Newcastle
Manchester United West Brom
Middlesbrough Blackburn
Portsmouth West Ham
Sunderland Bolton
Tottenham Birmingham
Wigan Man City
Enditem
LONDON Dec Xinhua Milan Baros scored twice as Aston Villa handed Everton their second successive fourgoal thrashing on Monday
Baros put Villa ahead controversially after minutes when he handled before lobbing Nigel Martyn Transferseeking Mark Delaney swept home a second two minutes after the interval and substitute Juan Pablo Angel added a neat third late on
Everton were left embarrassed five minutes from time on the Boxing day when Baros turned an Aaron Hughes cross past Martyn
Goodison boss David Moyes gave a longawaited debut to five millionpound summer signing Per Kroldrup with fitagain Martyn replacing Richard Wright in goal
And the Denmark defender was given a testing start to his career in the Premiership as Villa made a lively opening
Luke Moore was narrowly off target and Baros was denied by Martyn diving at his feet after he evaded the attentions of Kroldrup
Everton had the clearest early chance after minutes when Mikel Artetas cross found James Beattie unmarked at the near post but he glanced a header over the top
Villa went ahead in contentious circumstances after minutes when Baros clearly controlled Gareth Barrys cross with his hand before lobbing a closerange finish over Martyn
The goalkeeper led understandably furious Everton protests but they were waved away by Riley
And as Everton looked to mount a recovery after the interval Villa extended their lead after minutes
Milner whipped in a corner and Delaney who has demanded to leave Villa Park beat Tony Hibbert at the near post to flick home a neat finish
Beattie had an opportunity to give Everton a lifeline but the hardworking striker was blocked by sheer weight of numbers in the Villa penalty area
Baros was being offered regular opportunities by a shaky Everton rearguard forcing Kroldrup into a desperate block and then bringing a fine diving save from Martyn
Simon Davies then forced Thomas Sorensen into his first serious save a sign that for all Evertons complaints about Baros goal they were desperately lacking quality up front
And Villa clinched the victory with eight minutes left when Baros linked superbly with Angel playing in a brilliant pass for the substitute to score
Baros added his second two minutes later as Everton collapsed again scoring with a firsttime finish from Aaron Hughes cross Enditem
LONDON Dec Xinhua Manchester United thrashed listless West Brom to cement themselves as the secondplaced team in the Premiership on Monday
Paul Scholes set the ball rolling with a strike from the edge of the box after a good run from Rio Ferdinand
Ferdinand turned scorer in firsthalf injury time when he planted a firm header in from Ryan Giggs corner
The victory was completed when Ruud van Nistelrooy headed home a cross from substitute Alan Smith midway through the second half
It only took a few minutes for the game to take the pattern many would have anticipated
The Baggies hardly got into the United half and appeared content with containment a plan that certainly worked in the first minutes if the summit of their ambitions was a goalless draw
Paul Robinson kept Wayne Rooney on a tight leash and although Scholes went close with a closerange header that should have given them the lead the home side were unable to break through
But the game opened up on the halfhour in unexpected circumstances when Robinson received a head injury after clashing with a teammate while trying to clear a corner
A long stoppage followed and with Robinson hardly down the tunnel on the stretcher the home side took the lead
Ferdinand made a quick break down the right flank and JiSung Park was able to lay the ball back to Scholes on the edge of the box and his leftfoot effort beat Tomasz Kuszczak and flew into the corner
Robinsons injury had proved costly and was to do so again as United doubled their lead in injury time
Giggs swung over a corner from the right and Ferdinand rose well on the penalty spot to plant a powerful header into the West Brom goal
There seemed little prospect of a Baggies recovery and United were comfortable throughout the second half
The third goal inevitably arrived midway through the second period as Park released Smith down the right
The former Leeds man knowing exactly what sort of service a centreforward needs if they are to thrive hit a teasing cross that Van Nistelrooy met with a header giving Kuszczak no chance
From then on it was just a case of the visitors waiting for the final whistle without a decent memory to take with them back down the motorway
It was their ninth away game without a Premiership victory and a similar approach to other games would not see much of an improvement to their fortunes Enditem
LONDON Dec Xinhua Jose Reyes scored the winner to help Arsenal snap a threegame losing streak in the Premiership with a victory over an improved Charlton side on Monday
Reyes slotted in from pointblank range when Thierry Henrys angled shot fell into his path off keeper Thomas Myhre
Myhre had earlier saved a Freddie Ljungberg shot and a header from Henry while Charltons Darren Bent was denied after a lastditch Sol Campbell tackle
Charltons hopes were all but ended by Danny Murphys ndminute dismissal
Charlton boss Alan Curbishley had taken out his anger over his sides recent dip in form by making six changes and the move seemed to have paid dividends early on
The home team picked up the pace after a cautious start to the game and midfield playmaker Murphy showed why he had survived the Addicks axe
Central defender Campbell was a commanding for Arsenal
His vision and quickthinking is a pivotal part of Charltons attacking play but did not prove enough to break down a resolute Arsenal defence marshalled by the commanding Sol Campbell
But despite Charltons industry they failed to create any clearcut chances and should have been behind after a sweeping counterattack by the Gunners
In a typical Arsenal move five onetouch passes released Ljungberg only for the hesitant Swede to see his shot blocked by keeper Myhre when he had acres of space and plenty of time to pick his spot
Arsenal were also denied when Myhre managed to get a hand to a glanced firsttime Henry header as the Frenchman raced on to Laurens long ball
Charltons work ethic had earned them enough good fortune to stay on level terms and they almost earned the lead on the stroke of halftime
Darren Bent raced clear on to a Shaun Bartlett ball and was set to pull the trigger before a lunging lastditch tackle from Campbell denied him a shot
Arsenal burst out of the blocks after the interval and their pressure was rewarded when Henrys angled shot was saved by Myhre only for the ball to fall into the path of Reyes who slotted home from close range
Charlton had little answer to an improved Arsenal and their task was made even harder when Murphy was harshly sent off for two bookable offences after throwing the ball to the ground
Reyes almost added to the visitors lead but the one goal was enough as Arsenal secured only a second away win in the Premiership this season Enditem
LONDON Dec Xinhua Birmingham were pushed struggling further down the relegation morass when they lost away to Tottenham Hotspurs on Monday
Robbie Keane buried a penalty in the th minute and a screamer from Jermain Defoe in the injury time sealed the win for the Spurs
Birmingham had Muzzy Izzet sent off for a second booking after he was adjudged to have dived when challenged by Michael Dawson a few minutes later
Defoe sealed the points firing into the roof of the net in injury time
After making nine changes from the side that was trounced at Manchester City in their previous Premiership outing Birmingham manager Steve Bruce was looking for a few answers from his relegationthreatened team
They may not have been able to produce much in front of goal but he could not have criticised their endeavour
But being four points adrift from safety at the start of play suggested their chances had not been snapped up when they arrived
And it was the same in this encounter as they were denied the best opportunity in the opening halfanhour
There was little Jiri Jarosik did wrong as he attempted to turn Julian Grays cross in at the near post but keeper Paul Robinson flicked out his right arm to divert the shot
Spurs were no more successful The approach play appeared neat enough but the final ball was lacking with service from setpieces uncharacteristically poor
Ledley King did manage to control a corner from Michael Carrick but keeper Taylor was able to block his shot
Bruces side probably just about shaded the first half and missed a great opportunity within seconds of the restart to give themselves a priceless lead
Jarosik was again at the hub of the attack and Gray a virtual spectator in the first half was played straight through inside the Spurs area
However Robinson was able to race off his line and spare his defenders blushes by diving to his right and pushing the shot away
But Spurs were handed just the sort of break Birmingham would have cried out for in the th minute
The visitors could have little argument as Upson hauled Keane down inside the area
The Republic of Ireland striker took the resulting penalty himself and sent Taylor the wrong way to give Spurs an undeserved lead
Keane should have put Spurs further ahead moments later when released by a through ball from Edgar Davids but Taylor stood firm between his posts to keep out the weak effort
It became even worse for the visitors when Izzet was sent off for a second booking after the referee thought he dived under Dawsons challenge
Blues still pressed forward but were hit on the break in injury time
Jermaine Jenas made a swift run and slipped the ball through to substitute Defoe who fired an unstoppable shot into the roof of the net from just inside the area Enditem
LONDON Dec Xinhua Thanks to Hernan Crespos strike from Joe Coles cross Chelsea beat dogged Fulham in a thrilling west London derby on Monday
William Gallas opened the scoring for Chelsea with a deft finish after Robert Huth flicked on Frank Lampards corner
Brian McBride nearly equalized before Lampards shot was deflected into the net off the hand of Sylvain Legwinski
Petr Cechs error allowed McBride to slot home and a Cole foul led to Heidar Helguson making it from the spot before Crespo volleyed in the winner
Fulhams last London derby win was on New Years Day and their hopes of breaking that hoodoo took a serious dent when Gallas shot home after three minutes
Helguson came close to levelling for Fulham when he got on the end of McBrides knockdown but his shot was superbly smothered by goalkeeper Cech
Despite their early advantage Chelsea looked sluggish and they relied on a stroke of luck when Lampard doubled the lead his shot from just outside the area ballooning off Legwinskis hand and into the net
But McBride pulled a goal back just before the break when Cech misjudged a swirling freekick and let the ball bounce through his legs for the American to poke home and make it
Early in the second half Chelsea had strong penalty shouts rejected after Zat Knight seemed to handle the ball
However only minutes later it was when Helguson scored from the spot after McBride was hauled down in the box by Cole
Lampard had a goal ruled out for offside and Fulham keeper Mark Crossley clawed a goalbound effort out of the air before being forced to leave the field because of an injury
And replacement Tony Warner had barely taken up his position in goal before the ball was in his net Crespo thumping home Coles pass to wrap up a th successive Chelsea home league win Enditem
LONDON Dec Xinhua Michael Owens return to Anfield was spoiled when Newcastle lost to his old club Liverpool on Monday
Steven Gerrard put the home side ahead when he burst through the Magpies defence and drove home a rising shot
A Peter Crouch header hit the post and squirmed in off keeper Shay Given for the Reds second goal as Newcastle and a belowpar Owen struggled for form
Bowyer was harshly sent off after minutes for a tackle on Xabi Alonso
There was much made of Owens return to his former hunting ground but he was a virtual spectator as a vibrant Liverpool dominated from the start
The Reds showed no illeffects from their recent Club World Championship trip to Japan as Fernando Morientes weaved his way into the Newcastle box before seeing his shot saved by a sprawling Given
Owen got little change from the stubborn Reds defence
A fantastic instinctive save by the Magpies keeper then denied Harry Kewell from close range as the visitors failed to deal with a Liverpool side attacking from all angles
Given was finally beaten when Crouch laid a ball into the path of a rampaging Gerrard who wrongfooted the Newcastle defence by feigning a shot before powering home
Newcastle were dealt a blow when Steven Taylor returning after a lengthy layoff with a shoulder injury suffered a similar injury after falling awkwardly
The visitors rarely threatened but when they did John Arne Riise cleared a Albert Luque cross from the Liverpool goalmouth before keeper Jose Reina parried a speculative Charles NZogbia shot
Liverpool were clearly superior and they added a second through Givens unfortunate own goal
Ironically Owen would have revelled in chances being created by the home side while Liverpool may have been further ahead with a striker as clinical as him in attack
The Reds were angered shortly after the break when they were denied a penalty after they thought a Morientes header had been blocked by the arm of Nolberto Solano on the line
But Liverpool were comfortable against a disappointing Newcastle side and the main talking point of the second half came when Bowyer was sent off
His late challenge on Alonso led to players from both sides clashing with Crouch shoving Bowyer to the floor in the melee
The Newcastle midfielder was dismissed while Crouch escaped with a yellow card as Liverpool secured an eighth win and clean sheet in the Premiership on the trot Enditem
LONDON Dec Xinhua Boxing Day turned out winning day for the Premier League big teams as Chelsea Manchester United Arsenal and Liverpool claimed triumphs on Monday
Michael Owens return to Liverpool was an unhappy one as his Newcastle United side finished losers at Anfield
Steven Gerrard fired The Reds ahead at the th minute with a spectacular finish after Peter Crouch had laid the ball off to him on the edge of the area Liverpool added a second when Shay Given was unable to prevent Crouchs header from squirming over the line
Uniteds plight was made worse when Lee Bowyer was given his marching orders for a late tackle on Xabi Alonso
Chelsea picked up another three points after laboured to a win over neighbours Fulham
Fulham bounced back from a twogoal deficit to restore parity only for Hernan Crespo to convert Joe Coles centre and ensure maximum points for the champions and runaway Premiership leaders
William Gallas got on the end of a Robert Huth header to quickly put the hosts ahead and Frank Lampards deflected shot made it
An incredible howler by Petr Cech allowed Brian McBride to pull one back and Heidar Helguson converted a penalty to haul Fulham level However Crespo had the final say with a typical piece of predatory finishing
Arsenal ended their recent goal drought with a hardfought victory at London rivals Charlton Athletic
Jose Antonio Reyes grabbed the crucial winner after minutes his first goal since September after the ball fell kindly to him following a save by Thomas Myhre
Danny Murphy was sent off for two bookable offences as Charlton failed to muster a response
Tottenham became the third capital winners of the day when they defeated struggling Birmingham City
Robbie Keane scored from the penalty spot after being felled by Matthew Upson inside the box and Citys frustrations intensified after Muzzy Izzet was sent off for a second yellow card apparently diving in a bid to win a spot kick
Substitute Jermain Defoe made the points safe with a fine finish on the counterattack in the closing stages
Manchester United extended their unbeaten run to eight games as they breezed past West Brom
United opened the scoring ten minutes before the interval when Rio Ferdinand burst into the Albion area He squared the ball to Park Jisung who teed up Paul Scholes to hammer home from around yards
Ferdinand got onto the scoresheet himself on the stroke of half time when he rose unmarked to head home from Ryan Giggss corner and Ruud van Nistelrooy made the points safe when he headed a third on minutes
Wigan edged a thriller against Manchester City Antoine Sibierski opened the scoring at The JJB Stadium after three minutes when he headed home at the back post from a Trevor Sinclair cross
Eight minutes later Wigan were level through Jason Roberts after he raced onto a long ball from defence before slotting home past David James Lee McCulloch restored Wigans advantage in the rd minute heading home unchallenged from a Gary Teale cross
Roberts made it at the break when he latched onto another through ball and did well to hold off Sylvain Distins challenge before slotting his shot home Wigans fourth came courtesy of Henri Camara in the th minute who cut inside Richard Dunne then guided his effort into the back of Jamess net
Joey Bartons sweetly struck rightfooted volley gave City hope on minutes and when Andy Cole turned the ball in after it had fallen to him inside the sixyard box in the th minute a grandstand finish was ensured
Portsmouth boss Harry Redknapp had to settle for a draw against his former club West Ham United
Pompey went ahead after minutes when Tresor Lomana Lua Lua broke down the right hand side before sending over a cross which allowed Gary ONeil to sweep the ball home
The Hammers were back on level terms when Shaun Newton whipped in a cross onto the head of Anton Ferdinand The England Under star headed back across the area where James Collins spun before sending his shot home Laurent Robert was dismissed for two yellow cards just before the end
Middlesbrough were booed off the field at The Riverside yet again as they succumbed to Blackburn Rovers
Shefki Kuqi put Rovers ahead in the th minute when he beat Mark Schwarzer to Brett Emertons left wing cross then sealed the victory with his second when he tapped in on minutes after Craig Bellamys shot had rebounded to him in the sixyard box Enditem
WASHINGTON Dec Xinhua French basketball star Tony Parker was fined in San Antonio on Christmas Eve for impeding traffic and failing to show a US drivers license
According to reports on Monday an officer had determined that the car of Parker who was driving with his actress girlfriend Eva Longoria was fined for impeding traffic
The reports also said the two celebrities had been verbally abusive including a comment from Longoria star of the hit ABC television show Desperate Housewives about the officer being a Mexican
Through her publicist Longoria said that the police report is highly inaccurate defamatory false and fraudulent Enditem
WASHINGTON Dec Xinhua Following are the leaders of the National Basketball Association through Dec
Scoring
G FG FT PTS AVG
Iverson Phil
Bryant LAL
James Clev
Arenas Wash
Nowitzki Dall
Wade Mia
Pierce Bos
Brand LAC
Redd Mil
Allen Sea
Carter NJ
Anthony Den
ONeal Ind
Richardson GS
Bosh Tor
Garnett Minn
Lewis Sea
Hamilton Det
Duncan SA
Davis Bos
FG Percentage
FG FGA PCT
Haywood Wash
Brezec Char
AbdurRahim Sac
Mourning Mia
Bogut Mil
Parker SA
Garnett Minn
Brand LAC
Gooden Clev
Wallace Char
Rebounds
G OFF DEF TOT AVG
Camby Den
Howard Orl
B Wallace Det
Duncan SA
Marion Phoe
Brand LAC
Jamison Wash
ONeal Ind
Magloire Mil
Garnett Minn
Assists
G AST AVG
Nash Phoe
Davis GS
Knight Char
Billups Det
Miller Den
Kidd NJ
Iverson Phil
Ford Mil
Paul NOk
Cassell LAC
Enditem
RIO DE JANEIRO Dec Xinhua Real Madrids Brazilian star Ronaldo said on Monday he would try to avoid injuries next year and keep fit for the World Cup finals
In a Red Cross ceremony Ronaldo said Brazil would win its sixth World Cup title in Germany
The concern of all players is related to the physical condition we all want to be at our best by the time of the World Cup Of course soccer is a contact sport and the risk to get injured is enormous he said
He made it clear that that fear would not make him to dodge dangerous play I will not dodge risky plays it is that I will simply pray not to be injured in them he said
Ronaldo is in Rio de Janeiro where he spends the Christmas season with his family Enditem
CARACAS Dec Xinhua After a year career in professional baseball Andres Galarraga has retired from the US major league and the Venezuelan baseball the local media said on Monday
But the South American best baseballer wont leave baseball as he plans to build the Andres Galarraga Baseball School
Galarraga debuted in the major league with the Montreal Expos in and then was with several other US clubs like the Saint Louis Cardenals the Colorado Rockies with whom he won the title as top batter in with a average then he played for the Atlanta Braves the Texas Rangers and the San Francisco Giants
The yearold Galarraga played games in the major league with an average of hits in batting turns Enditem
MADRID Dec Xinhua Spains Navarra beat the visiting Chinese national team in a soccer friendly on Monday
Navarra a team comprised of Spanish first division players scored the winner through Osasuna player Inaki Munoz at the th minute remaining undefeated in its brief history following the previous victories over Burkina Faso and Morocco
Navarra had wasted many opportunities to score including a penalty shot by Txiki minutes into the match Enditem
RIO DE JANEIRO Dec Xinhua Brazilian striker Robinho and his friends on Monday thrashed Roberto Carloss team in a charity game at Pacaembu Stadium in Sao Paulo
Spectators were asked to each bring one kilogram of goods and an attendance of means that tons of assistance were collected for charity organizations
Robinho who scored on five times while his Real Madrid teammate didnt score
Gabriel of Spains Malaga and musician Leandro scored the other goals for Robinhos team
Real Madrids Julio Baptista scored twice for Carlos team Carlos Alberto of Corinthians and indoors soccer player Falcao scored the other goals Enditem
MADRID Dec Xinhua The Association of Former Real Madrid Players said on Monday that a team of Ignacio Zoco Amancio Amaro Jose Emilio Santamaria and Enrique Perez will visit Alfredo Di Stefano in Valencia
Di Stefano honorary president of Real Madrid and chairman of veterans is hospitalized in La Fe Hospital in Valencia after a heart attack awaiting a bypass surgery
The board of directors of the Association of Former Real Madrid Players agreed to send the delegation to express solidarity friendship and admiration to the great figure like Alfredo Di Stefano Enditem
BRUSSELS Dec Xinhua PSV Eindhoven reclaimed the leading position in the Dutch league with a victory Monday over NEC Nijmegen
With the victory combined with a AZ Alkmaar defeat to Feyenoord earlier in the day PSV sits in sole possession of first place with points through matches
Kone got his squad off to a quick start in the sixth minute with his ninth league goal of the season
Beasley sealed the threepoint effort in extra time when he found the back of the net from close range courtesy of a Jason Culina cross
Feyenoord beat former leader AZ Alkmaar to move into a tie for second with points three behind PSV The loss was AZs first in games
There were two other Eredivisie matches on Monday as Utrecht and Rotterdam battled to a draw and Twente cruised over by Roosendaal
Fourthplace Ajax which has points from games plays FC Groningen on Tuesday Enditem
HANOI Dec Xinhua FIFA is likely to fine two players of Vietnams national U soccer team with the total sum of Swiss franc some US dollars for fixing a match at the rd Southeast Asian Games local newspaper Young People reported Tuesday
If leading striker Pham Van Quyen and midfielder Le Quoc Vuong who confessed that their poor performance on purpose resulted a victory in favor of Vietnam in a qualification match against Myanmar last month as expected by local bookmakers were unable to pay the potential fine the Vietnam Football Federation VFF would have to do it
Local police have detained Vuong for the charge of gambling and organizing gambling while Quyen Vietnams Golden Ball winner for the charge of gambling only Vuong confessed that he wooed several teammates to rig the match
The VFF has placed a temporary playing ban on the two players the report said
The VFF on Monday accepted a resignation letter submitted by VFF vice chairman Le The Tho He has recently been strongly criticized by local media for loose management over the national squad at the rd Southeast Asian Games held in the Philippines in late November and early December
Vietnam is launching an ironfist campaign to cleanse its soccer of wrongdoings Since August local police have uncovered some local corrupt referees as well as managing directors and coaches of some clubs
To date out of local referees and teams officials who have allegedly involved in matchfixing over the past two years have been prosecuted Of the men five have been detained Enditem
JAKARTA Dec Xinhua World champion Taufik Hidayat of Indonesia will be absent from the worlds oldest badminton tournament All England in January for personal reasons a source told Xinhua Tuesday
Olympic gold medalist Hidayat who earlier said All England was the only trophy he is dreaming of to complete his bright career will miss the tournament to prepare for his wedding said Lius Pongoh head of the national training with the Indonesian Badminton Association PBSI
Pongoh said PBSI will send only few players to two European grand prix in Switzerland and Germany early in January to allow good preparation for the All England squad
When asked about yearend tournament the Copenhagen Masters Pongoh said only mens doubles duo Flandy LimpeleAlvent Yulianto will represent Indonesia
The Copenhagen Masters invited only top players to participate We are unlikely to fully meet the invitation because many Indonesian players were just returned from a tournament in Yiyang China he said
They are just too tired and participating in the Copenhagen Masters will disturb their preparation for All England he said Enditem
WASHINGTON Dec Xinhua Following are the NBA standings after Mondays games
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Atlantic Division
W L Pct GB
New Jersey
Philadelphia
Boston
New York
Toronto
Southeast Division
W L Pct GB
Miami
Washington
Orlando
Charlotte
Atlanta
Central Division
W L Pct GB
Detroit
Cleveland
Indiana
Milwaukee
Chicago
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Southwest Division
W L Pct GB
Dallas
San Antonio
Memphis
New Orleans
Houston
Northwest Division
W L Pct GB
Minnesota
Denver
Seattle
Utah
Portland
Pacific Division
W L Pct GB
LA Clippers
Phoenix
LA Lakers
Golden State
Sacramento
Tuesdays Games
Charlotte at Atlanta
Milwaukee at Miami
Toronto at Detroit
Cleveland at New Jersey
Utah at Houston
Indiana at San Antonio
Philadelphia at Denver
Sacramento at LA Clippers
Wednesdays Games
Phoenix at Washington
Atlanta at Toronto
New York at Orlando
Chicago at Charlotte
Houston vs New Orleans at Oklahoma City
Seattle at Minnesota
Philadelphia at Portland
Memphis at LA Lakers
Boston at Golden State Enditem
WASHINGTON Dec Xinhua Following are the results of the National Basketball Association on Monday
MONDAY DECEMBER TH RESULTS
CLEVELAND CHICAGO
ORLANDO MILWAUKEE
WASHINGTON LA LAKERS
NEW JERSEY NEW YORK
PHOENIX MINNESOTA
DALLAS INDIANA
UTAH MEMPHIS OT
PORTLAND SACRAMENTO
SEATTLE BOSTON
DENVER GOLDEN STATE Enditem
CANBERRA Dec Xinhua Marat Safin might be unable to defend his Australian Open title because of a knee injury tournament director Paul McNamee said on Tuesday
Safin has not played since August and is facing a race against time to be ready for the Australian Open to be held in Melbourne on January
The Russian has already announced to pull out of the Hopman Cup one of the leadup events for the Open in a statement on his website Enditem
STOCKHOLM Dec Xinhua Swedish international Henrik Larsson will leave Spanish champions Barcelona at the end of the season and return home reports said here on Tuesday
Local newspaper said that the former Celtic striker will move back to his native Helsingborg when his contract with Barcelona expires at the end of the season
The yearold who joined Barcelona in said he had made the decision for family reasons Enditem
LONDON Dec Xinhua Newcastle defender Steven Taylor is to undergo shoulder surgery that will keep him out of action for up to three months
Taylor aggravated his shoulder injury on his return to action in Mondays defeat at Liverpool
The England Under international had been on the pitch just half an hour when he landed awkwardly after an aerial challenge with Fernando Morientes
Boss Graeme Souness told the Newcastle Journal He will be out for up to three more months We were hoping to get away with it but it didnt happen
Our worst fears are that he will be out for weeks he will need an operation to tighten it his shoulder up Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Former Sichuan provincial coach Zhou Jianan has taken over as head coach of the Chinese mens national volleyball team a top Chinese volleyball official announced here on Tuesday
The yearold Zhou replaced former coach Di Anhe who resigned last week for health reasons said Zhang Rongfang head of the Chinese Volleyball Administration Center which governs the countrys volleyball
Zhou a key player in the national team from to won two Asian Games champions in and and two titles at the and Asian championships during his playing career
Di who became the national coach in after his predecessor Wang Jiawei failed to lead China to qualify for the Sydney Olympic Games did little to impress the Chinese fans in the past five years
The Chinese team was beaten twice to second place in the and Asian Championships by arch rival Japan They finished bottom in last months FIVB World Grand Champion Cup in Japan after losing all five matches
Zhou will have to face some big challenges in in the World Championships and Asian Games Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Following is the factfile of Zhou Jianan who was unveiled as the new head coach of Chinese national mens volleyball team on Tuesday
April Born in Sichuan province
Selected to Chongqing youth team of Sichuan province
Selected to Sichuan provincial team
Selected to Chinese national youth team
Selected to reserve team of Chinese national team
Chinese national team player
May Named as head coach of Sichuan provincial team
Dec Named as head coach of Chinese national team
Results as player
st Asian Games
st Asian championship
st Asian Games
st Asian championships
Results as coach
nd National Games in
th National Games in Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Chinese athletes is unlikely to win gold medals in the Beijing Olympic Games as claimed by some reports a top Chines sports official said here on Monday
Cui Dalin one of the assistants to the President of the State Sports Administration of China SSAC said It is totally impossible for China to win gold medals in
Feng Jianzhong a deputy president of SSAC echoed Cuis view saying that it is even as difficult as climbing the sky to get as many as what the country won in the Olympics
China finished second on the medal standings by winning gold medals only three behind leader the United States
Statistics showed that Chinese athletes won gold medals in the world championships for Olympic sports mostly from Chinas traditional territories of weightlifting shooting diving table tennis badminton gymnastics and womens judo
Feng said that people cannot expect too much from Chinese sports We must be realistic
Cui Dalin was worried that China can hardly make breakthroughs from track and field swimming and other aquatic events before
If we cannot achieve good results from these events where will those gold medals come It is totally impossible said Cui Enditem
LONDON Dec Xinhua Following are the fixtures from the English premier league matches on Tuesday
Wednesday December GMT
Arsenal vs Portsmouth
Birmingham City vs Manchester United
Fulham vs Aston Villa
Manchester City vs Chelsea
Newcastle United vs Charlton Athletic
West Bromwich Albion vs Tottenham Hotspur
West Ham United vs Wigan Athletic
Blackburn Rovers vs Sunderland
Bolton Wanderers vs Middlesbrough
Everton vs Liverpool
Saturday December GMT
Aston Villa vs Arsenal
Charlton Athletic vs West Ham United
Chelsea vs Birmingham City
Tottenham Hotspur vs Newcastle United
Liverpool vs West Bromwich Albion
Manchester United vs Bolton Wanderers
Middlesbrough vs Manchester City
Portsmouth vs Fulham
Sunderland vs Everton
Wigan Athletic vs Blackburn Rovers
Monday January GMT
West Bromwich Albion vs Aston Villa
West Ham United vs Chelsea
Birmingham City vs Wigan Athletic
Bolton Wanderers vs Liverpool
Everton vs Charlton Athletic
Fulham vs Sunderland
Newcastle United vs Middlesbrough
Blackburn Rovers vs Portsmouth Enditem
LONDON Dec Xinhua Following are the fixtures from the Scottish premier league matches on Tuesday
Saturday December GMT
Aberdeen vs Inverness Caledonian Thistle
Falkirk vs Dunfermline Athletic
Livingston vs Motherwell
Rangers vs Dundee United
Sunday January GMT
Hearts vs Celtic
Monday January GMT
Kilmarnock vs Hibernian Enditem
BRUSSELS Dec Xinhua Following are the fixtures from the Dutch championship matches on Tuesday
Tuesday December GMT
RKC Waalwijk vs Heerenveen
Roda JC Kerkrade vs ADO Den Haag
Vitesse Arnhem vs NAC Breda
Ajax Amsterdam vs Groningen
Thursday December GMT
PSV Eindhoven vs Twente Enschede
RBC Roosendaal vs Utrecht
Feyenoord vs Willem II Tilburg
Friday December GMT
Roda JC Kerkrade vs Groningen
Sparta Rotterdam vs NEC Nijmegen
AZ Alkmaar vs ADO Den Haag
Heracles Almelo vs Vitesse Arnhem
Heerenveen vs Ajax Amsterdam Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Following are the standings of the Chinese Womens Basketball League WCBA after Tuesdays matches tabulated under teams games played won lost points and rankings
Bayi
Liaoning
Heilongjiang
Fujian
Shenyang Army
Beijing
Jilin
Henan
Jiangsu
Shandong
Guangdong
Shanghai Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Chinese State Councilor Hua Jianmin said here on Monday that China should insist on relying on the development of science and technology to fight the highly pathogenic bird flu more effectively
Addressing a symposium on the prevention and control of the bird flu Hua said China should fully understand the difficulty and complexity of the process of bird flu prevention and control while technologies should play a key role in safeguarding the Chinese peoples health as well as the healthy development of the countrys poultry industry
He urged the countrys scientists to incessantly enhance their research so as to provide a stronger and more effective support for the battle against the bird flu
Governments at all levels should also step up their efforts to support scientific researches relating to the prevention and control of the bird flu he added Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Chinese Vice Premier Zeng Peiyan has said that efforts should be made next year to strengthen and improve the macrocontrol of the countrys real estate market
China has taken a series of measures in to stabilize housing price and promote the construction of energysaving buildings said Zeng in a letter to a national work meeting of the construction sector held in Nanjing capital of east Chinas Jiangsu Province
Zeng has required relevant departments to make good city planning and rural construction next year and to further improve the macrocontrol of the real estate market
The twoday national work meeting of the construction sector opened in Nanjing on Monday with the purpose of reviewing the countrys construction work in and making arrangements for the work of Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The following are domestic news items released by Xinhua on Monday
No chance of survival for missing in N China bus accident
Market exchange rates Dec
Intl solar energy promotion center to be built with UNIDO aid
Housing prices in Chinas major cities drop by pct since late official
Urgent Bar fire kills in Guangdong
Fastest metro starts service in Guangzhou
Shanghai establishes its special police corps
Xinhua home news advisory Dec
Chinese auditors find billion yuan of illegal funds in JanNov
Two teenagers die in fire during night of Christmas Eve in central Beijing
Bar fire kills injures in south China city
Highlights of major Beijingbased newspapers Dec
Beijing residents pay more for vegetables due to price hikes
Chinese stock market to close from Jan to
Air Macao opens its th domestic flight
China amends Criminal Law to beef up fight against gambling crimes commercial bribes
Marxism academy founded in China
Maos hometown to expand
China starts building second largest hydropower station
Accident suicide cited as key factors for sudden deaths in China
More Chinese suffer from losing hairs
Warner Brothers unveils plan to build digital cinema in Beijing
Northeast China city to hold intl fashion festival
SChinas private entrepreneurs eager to study in CPC Party School
SW China province utilizes million US dollars of foreign investment
Air quality of major Chinese cities Dec
East China city to hold intl consumer product expo
Shanghai stock index up Dec
Shenzhen stock index up Dec
Hushen index up Dec
Over yearold tomb discovered in NW China
China faces dilemma on expanding its gold reserve
More than travelers depart from HK on Christmas Day
China holds ceremony to mourn Wang Daohans death
China to raise factory price of natural gas
East China province launches show on its economic development
Museum on bamboo slips wooden tablets opens in central China
China Exclusive Panchen Lama says Chinese enjoy ample religious freedom
Chinas soil erosion tops bln tons in water official
SW China municipality to build a new Hong Kong industrial park
Weather forecast for major Chinese cities Dec
Weather forecast for world cities Dec
Client support center for ARL planes built in Shanghai
Chinas housing price growth rate gears down minister
Share prices close higher in Taiwan Dec
Chinese premier meets DPRK government delegation
China Red Cross donates mln yuan to tsunamihit countries
China develops technology to generate electricity from alien grass
China to prioritize urban water supply emergency plans
Special center set up to aid needy Taiwan compatriots
More than one million visitors tour Dunhuang in
China to prioritize public transportation to fight urban traffic jams
Central authorities urge officials to avoid extravagance ensure public safety more
China to continue using satellite to track rare cranes
Grain output reaches record high in Chinas major agricultural province
China Turkey vow to cement cooperation in public security
China Focus China spurring consumption in rural areas
China to issue eight bln yuan World Expo bond
Half of central China provinces rural population to benefit from medical insurance
Chinas ethnic prefecture to launch satellite TV radio services in Korean
Hexi Corridor becomes home for Chinas biggest wind power project
China in urgent need of four category talents expert
Victims from Yangtze River ship collision remain missing
China puts most investment in Asia
China to offer training courses to senior managers of listed firms
China punishes nearly people of Big Four state banks in report
Worlds express giants compete for market share in SW municipality
Mainlands top negotiator on Taiwan affairs to have simple funeral
S China province holds fruitful housewares fair in Taiwan says official
Govt mandatory sanctions must minimize losses people may face Chinese lawmakers
UPDATE identities of south China restaurant fire victims not confirmed yet
Weather information for AsiaPacific cities Dec
People in Taiwan retiring younger report
Ministry of Railways to get mln dollars capital through fiducial financing
Transnational mergers become major vehicle of Chinese investment in other countries
Rescuers find bodies of N China bus accident victims
Nearly million Chinese mobile phone subscribers at end of November
Taiwan personages lament death of Wang Daohan
Vice premier stresses safety in civil aviation
Yearender China to strengthen IPR protection to encourage innovation
UPDATE bar owners detained after fatal fire accident in S China
China to spend bln yuan promoting rural education
China Film Museum to open Thursday
Payment of migrant workers hopefully to be guaranteed by law next year
Scitech development key to battle against bird flu says official
Vice premier calls for better macrocontrol of real estate market
Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The following are Chinas home news items released by Xinhua on Monday
No chance of survival for missing in N China bus accident
Market exchange rates Dec
Intl solar energy promotion center to be built with UNIDO aid
Housing prices in Chinas major cities drop by pct since late official
Urgent Bar fire kills in Guangdong
Packs of wolves haunt pasture areas in NW China region
Woman rescued after years living in cave
Fastest metro starts service in Guangzhou
Shanghai establishes its special police corps
Chinese auditors find billion yuan of illegal funds in JanNov
Two teenagers die in fire during night of Christmas Eve in central Beijing
Bar fire kills injures in south China city
Highlights of major Beijingbased newspapers Dec
Nissans lexus Infiniti brand to land in China
Chinese stock market to close from Jan to
More than one tenth of SOEs suffering losses official
One dead injured as truck catches fire in SW China
China amends Criminal Law to beef up fight against gambling crimes commercial bribes
Marxism academy founded in China
Fewer acute snail fever cases reported in China
Maos hometown to expand
China starts building second largest hydropower station
Economic development in Tibet should accord with environmental protection expert
Accident suicide cited as key factors for sudden deaths in China
More Chinese suffer from losing hairs
Warner Brothers unveils plan to build digital cinema in Beijing
Northeast China city to hold intl fashion festival
SChinas private entrepreneurs eager to study in CPC Party School
China to consume mln tons of natural rubber by
China to build more museums in coming five years
Lunar Embassy appeals for reconsideration of cancellation of its license
East China city to hold intl consumer product expo
Over yearold tomb discovered in NW China
China faces dilemma on expanding its gold reserve
S China restaurant fire kills injures
China holds ceremony to mourn Wang Daohans death
China to raise factory price of natural gas
E China port sees rising container thruput
East China province launches show on its economic development
Museum on bamboo slips wooden tablets opens in central China
China Exclusive Panchen Lama says Chinese enjoy ample religious freedom more
Chinas soil erosion tops bln tons in water official
Govt scholarship for foreign students to be launched
SW China municipality to build a new Hong Kong industrial park
Client support center for ARL planes built in Shanghai
Chinas housing price growth rate gears down minister
New subway opens in S China metropolis
China sets up first national colliery gas treatment research center
Chinese premier meets DPRK government delegation
China Red Cross donates mln yuan to tsunamihit countries
China develops technology to generate electricity from alien grass
China to prioritize urban water supply emergency plans
Special center set up to aid needy Taiwan compatriots
More than one million visitors tour Dunhuang in
China to prioritize public transportation to fight urban traffic jams
Central authorities urge officials to avoid extravagance ensure public safety
Unmarried people seek soulmates in supermarket
China to continue using satellite to track rare cranes
Grain output reaches record high in Chinas major agricultural province
Chinas glasses export grows rapidly
China Turkey vow to cement cooperation in public security
China Focus China spurring consumption in rural areas
China to issue eight bln yuan World Expo bond
Half of central China provinces rural population to benefit from medical insurance
China to expand wild horse breeding center in NW autonomous region
Survey shows percent of stock investors in China lose money this year
Citibank opens first branch in western China
China reports pct growth in resources tax revenue
Chinas ethnic prefecture to launch satellite TV radio services in Korean
Hexi Corridor becomes home for Chinas biggest wind power project
China in urgent need of four category talents expert
Samsung to build digital camera production base in Tianjin
Victims from Yangtze River ship collision remain missing
China puts most investment in Asia
China to offer training courses to senior managers of listed firms
China punishes nearly people of Big Four state banks in report
Worlds express giants compete for market share in SW municipality
Mainlands top negotiator on Taiwan affairs to have simple funeral
S China province holds fruitful housewares fair in Taiwan says official
Govt mandatory sanctions must minimize losses people may face Chinese lawmakers
UPDATE identities of south China restaurant fire victims not confirmed yet
Ministry of Railways to get mln dollars capital through fiducial financing
Transnational mergers become major vehicle of Chinese investment in other countries
Chinas chemical fiber imports down percent in
Rescuers find bodies of N China bus accident victims
Nearly million Chinese mobile phone subscribers at end of November
Taiwan personages lament death of Wang Daohan
Vice premier stresses safety in civil aviation
Yearender China to strengthen IPR protection to encourage innovation
UPDATE bar owners detained after fatal fire accident in S China
China to spend bln yuan promoting rural education
China Film Museum to open Thursday
Payment of migrant workers hopefully to be guaranteed by law next year
Scitech development key to battle against bird flu says official
Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Market exchange rates of four major currencies against RMB yuan announced Tuesday by the Peoples Bank of China
Currency Unit Middle Price in RMB yuan
US Dollar
Euro
Japanese Yen
Hong Kong Dollar
The rates are mainly based on the closing prices of the previous trading session on Chinas interbank market of foreign exchange Exchange rates of other convertible currencies against RMB yuan on the interbank market are based on these rates and changes in the international exchange markets Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Fortyfive professors of northeast Chinas elite Jilin University who tutor doctoral students no longer hold their posts in Nov due to their failure in teachers performance appraisal which experts cited as a quake in Chinas higher educational reform
According to the appraisal mapped out by the university authority professors who tutor doctoral students have to meet the standards like being PhD themselves conducting valuable research projects and having attained adequate research outlay
In Chinese colleges and universities a tutor of doctoral students becomes an ideal post which even enjoys higher advantages than the professorship though no such laws in China have specify this de facto status
Conventionally Chinese educational circle takes for granted that tutor of doctoral students is a lifetime post despite the fact that the Chinese Ministry of Education MOE opposes that
In China the glory and the lifetime status of teaching doctoral students make some professors selfcomplacent and they do not make much progress in academic researches once they have attained the post and even abuse the post to make money
Qiu Shilun vice president of Jilin University said the dismissed professors in his university failed with the appraisal of academic researches this year as the research programs they conducted was insufficient and so had to resign
Experts said Jilin Universitys reform may lead to a nationwide revamp of the higher education system and more competitive mechanism will be introduced
Actually the conflict between the structure of the Chinese higher education and the specific education reality has become more intensified than ever in and some universities never cease their reforming attempts
In prestigious Beijing University associate professors attained the qualification to tutor doctoral students this year and lecturers in departments of history education and foreign languages can also apply the qualification in accordance with a reform plan drafted by the university in April
In China the attainments of college and university teachers are usually assessed mainly by the number of the theses they published but as a matter of fact the quality of their theses often cannot match the quantities because teachers have little time to contemplate their dissertations when they are bent on working as many papers as possible said Zhou Qifeng president of Jilin University
Fortunately Beijing University currently introduce a new mechanism on encouraging theses of high quality said Cheng Yuzhui director of the sociological department of the school
Cheng noted that if a teacher can write a thesis to the recognition of the departments independent academic committee in one semester he does not need to receive the annual papernumbercount appraisal by the school authority
Experts say the schools efforts can do away with plagiarism and lowquality theses currently prevailing in the academic circle
Minister of Education Zhou Ji said that institutions of higher learning in China should be given more autonomy in educational structural reform and professors should actively guide students in scientific researches since students can acquire knowledge through practice instead of learning from books alone Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua In an art gallery several blocks from downtown Beijing Zhu Zhigang manager of an African handcrafts company is busy recommending African carving and painting works to customers
Zhu told Xinhua that business has got better and better over recent years as the people in China have a growing interest in Africa In my view the Chinese have the ability to appreciate the artistic value of African culturesaid Zhu
Chinese and African people have enjoyed a kind of natural proximity Explorers from China and Morocco visited each others countries about ago Shortly afterwards the famous Chinese navigator Zheng He first landed on the vast and exotic continent
During the thth century the Chinese and African peoples firmly supported each other in the common struggles against colonialism
The TanzaniaZambia Railway TAZARA built in the early s with Chinese assistance has been called the railway of friendship by local people
The past few years have witnessed an increasing number of Chinese travelling to Africa More than tourists from China went to Africa last year and the number is expected to grow in
With Namibia being added to the list of overseas tourism destinations last week Chinese can now tour in different African countries Africa is becoming a promising new market for a host of travel agencies in China acknowledged a manager with China International Travel Agency More and more people love to travel in Africa as the African people are like brothers and sisters to the Chinese eyes and the interest is getting stronger now
For most Africans China is an allweather friend Pohamba the Namibian president who wound up his first state visit to China on December told Xinhua that China has stood firm and provided Namibia with political material and diplomatic support in its struggle for freedom and independence
China was a genuine friend of Namibia during our time of serious need Pohamba said
Common concerns between China and Africa keep expanding since the two sides share similar interests and goals in the establishment of a just and rational international political and economic new order
This was the context in which Zimbabwe launched the Look East policy in after Western nations imposed sanctions Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe said that its experiences showed that developing countries should enhance their cooperation and consolidate their unity in a bid to jointly face crises and challenges
The communique issued by Senegal when resuming diplomatic relations with China on Oct said that it is a historic decision of President Wade to resume diplomatic ties with China upon the objective and careful consideration of world politics The decision is in the fundamental interest of the Senegalese people
In international affairs China and Africa have conducted extensive and close coordination to safeguard the common interests of their own and other developing countries
As a permanent member of the UN Security Council China gave resolute full support to the efforts of African countries for sovereignty opposing any interference from other countries
On the reform of the United Nations China insists that the UN reform should give priority to increasing representation of African countries and other developing countries in the Security Council More
In last weeks WTO ministerial meeting in Hong Kong China actively pushed forward the reduction of import tariffs and quotas for the least developed countries
Though a developing country itself China took the initiative to reduce import tariffs on least developed African countries and waive billion yuan billion US dollars of debt for povertystricken African countries
Professor Su Hao from the China Foreign Affairs University CAFU said that China underlined harmonious coexistence and common prosperity of diverse world cultures Therefore China has always seen it as an obligation to strengthen friendship and cooperation with African countries
Chinas remarkable achievements in economic growth and poverty reduction have attracted a great deal of attention from African countries The African Union said it is committed to cooperating with China and would like to invite China to participate in the New Economic Partnership for the Development of Africa NEPAD
The Nigerian president Olusegun Obasanjo said during his China visit in April that Africa would like to have Chinas support and participation in the process of resolving African disputes At the same time African aims to intensify cooperation with China in the fields of trade investment and agriculture said Obasanjo who is also rotating president of the African Union
Recent years have seen increasing cooperation in regional affairs between China and Africa China has sent more than military personnel to carry out peacekeeping missions in a number of warthreatened African countries such as the Democratic Republic of Congo and Liberia
Equality mutual benefit and mutual support are high on the agenda of SinoAfrica relationssaid Professor He Wenping of the African Studies Office of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences CASS
In the past decade China has increased its investment in Africa building industry transport telecommunication and electricity networks in an effort to improve African peoples living standards
Western nations have been extracting oil from Africa for years without building any refineries there said HeThis provides a sharp contrast with China
China has never attached any political conditions to its aid to Africa President Hu Jintao stressed in his speech in the National Assembly of Gabon last February that China has always adhered to the Five principles of Peaceful Coexistence and respected African countries independent choice of their own political systems and development paths
The old Chinese saying goes Give a man a fish and you can feed him for a day Teach him how to fish and you feed him for a lifetime Accordingly China has sent a large number of experts doctors teachers and engineering and technical personnel to Africa to help raise Africas ability of realizing selfdevelopment
Under the framework of the ChinaAfrica Cooperation Forum the Chinese government substantially implemented its promise to train talents for Africa And China has trained more than people of various abilities for African countries in the past two years
Education cultural exchanges and human resources training have become dynamic sectors in SinoAfrican cooperation said He from CASS
The mutual political trust between China and Africa has increased year by year China welcomed African presidents or heads of government in At the third ChinaAfrica Cooperation Forum in Beijing next year Chinese and African leaders will hold their first summit
The development of ChinaAfrica relations is not affected by temporary factors but is rather a strategic choice on both sides based on longterm interests said Su from CAFU It has always been an essential component part of Chinas foreign policy to develop relations with Africa Su said Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua As the Chinese holiday season is drawing near hotlines helping migrant workers claim unpaid wages have been inundated with calls China Daily reported Tuesday
A hotline service that offers help exclusively to construction workers for example has received up to calls a day since it was launched on Dec the English language newspaper quoted sources from the Beijing Construction Committee as saying
A joint campaign was launched by departments in charge of labour and social security construction and trade unions in the capital on November to help migrant workers be paid on time
The campaign will run until the Spring Festival which falls on January
With the upcoming Chinese Lunar New Year complaints about overdue wages among migrant workers have been on the rise according to Wei Wei head of the Xiaoxiao Niao Little Birdie hotline
It was launched in May and has received more than complaints calls in the last week alone with the involvement of several million yuan of default wages
Statistics indicated that more than percent of the salary disputes between migrant workers and property developers have been resolved through mediation over the telephone or by lawyers said Wei who used to be a migrant worker from central Chinas Henan Province
Statistics from the Ministry of Labour and Social Security showed that in the first half of the ministry helped million migrant workers get their pay totaling billion yuan million US dollars
In Beijing for example farmerturned migrant workers got back their million yuan about million US dollars of unpaid salaries during the first months according to the citys bureau of labour and social security
China has an estimated million migrant workers many of them active in the construction industry and their semilegal status means they have little protection against employers who cheat them of their wages experts said Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Leaders from the Yangtze Delta which boasts one of the most vibrant regional economies in China have vowed to step up their cooperation in search for common prosperity
After a Sunday meeting in Hangzhou capital of Zhejiang Province Party and government chiefs of Shanghai Zhejiang and Jiangsu provinces voiced their resolve to increase exchanges and cooperation in the fields of technology industrial restructuring labour division reform and environmental protection
The top leaders are meeting on this occasion to give direction to the regions development ahead of the th FiveYear Plan which begins next year Tuesdays China Daily quoted Chen Xiaoyun deputy head of the Shanghai Municipal Government Cooperation and Exchange Office as saying
Chen said the National Development and Reform Commission had taken the lead in pushing forward regional development
Past meetings between Shanghai Jiangsu and Zhejiang were usually held at operational levels focusing on certain specific areas Local leaders often considered their own interests first before seeking common development
The meeting this time has gone beyond previous ones enabling the leaders to discuss cooperation at a higher level Chen was quoted as saying
Shanghai Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces are all ranked among the top players in terms of economic strength
Their combined gross domestic product GDP exceeded one quarter of the nations total last year and cities in the three places absorbed about percent of the actual foreign direct investment FDI in China in the first six months this year Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Business leaders from private firms across south Chinas Guangdong Province are boosting their knowledge by returning to school
Scores of bosses have been furthering their knowledge at the Party School of the Communist Party of China CPC Central Committee this year China Daily reported Tuesday
They study politics management and economic trends in the school which opened only to senior Party and government officials in the past
According to Liu Yang executive vicesecretary general of Guangdong Provincial Research Institute of NonGovernmental Economy Guangdong has seen the largest number of private bosses among all provinces regions and municipalities attending the school
The Party school annually provides four training courses to private business representatives from across the country And each time the students from Guangdong can account for more than onethird of the total participants
More than private enterprise managers have participated in the training courses at the Party school at their own expense since the beginning of the year Liu was quoted as saying
Wang Liwen a researcher from Guangdong provincial government said the growing number of Guangdong business people showing a keen interest in furthering their studies at the Party school indicated that many business figures were thirst to improve themselves and learn more about science and technologies for their business growth
It is helping them to become intellectual business people who have strategic visions on both domestic and world markets according to Wang
The Party school has invited many prestigious professors and teachers to teach the classes Enditem
SHAOSHAN Hunan Province Dec Xinhua A museum to preserve and exhibit the belongings of the late Chinese leader Mao Zedong is to be built in his hometown
The huge project in Shaoshan a small city in central Chinas Hunan Province where Mao was born and grew up will cover two hectares and involve a total investment of million yuan million US dollars
More than million yuan million US dollars will be set aside to improve the infrastructure of the town as a scenic site and creating a national base of patriotic education
The new museum which will be built next door to Maos memorial built in is expected to be completed before Dec in the th anniversary of Maos birth
As the birthplace to Mao Shaoshan holds near and dear to many Chinese and has long been a popular tourist attraction
In the city reported million tourist arrivals and million yuan million US dollars of tourism income Its per capita GDP averaged yuan US dollars
Shaoshan is about km southwest of the provincial capital Changsha Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua China is suffering severe soil erosion in the central route project of the northbound water diversion project the northeastern part the northwestern threeriver headwaters and the upper reaches of the Yangtze River according to the Ministry of Water Resources Tuesday
In the Danjiangkou Reservoir area located in the headwaters of the southtonorth water diversion project soil erosion spreads to an area of sq km accounting for percent of the areas territory
In Chinas northeastern black soil region sq km of land suffers from water wind and ice erosion or the areas percent
The threeriver headwaters area in the interior northwestern Qinghai Province also has sq km of land in soil erosion or percent of the areas total territory
All the three areas are critical to Chinas water conservancy said E Jingping vice minister of water resources The Danjiangkou Reservoir has been playing a crucial part in providing Beijing and Tianjins safe potable water Northeast China is a major bread basket and the threeriver headwaters area is described as Chinas water tank
During the th FiveYear Plan period the priority of the ministry will be given to water conservation to ensure the sustainable use of water said the vice minister Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Highlights of major Beijingbased newspapers on Tuesday
Peoples Daily
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao met a government delegation from the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea on Monday and exchanged views with them on furthering bilateral ties and cementing trade and economic links
Peoples Daily Overseas Edition
The Red Cross Society of China had donated million yuan million US dollars to the tsunamihit countries as emergency relief funds and promised another million yuan million US dollars to help these countries rebuild their homeland
Xinhua Daily Telegraph
Chinese Minister of Construction Wang Guangtao said on Monday the general public is welcome to participate in urban planning so as to increase the openness and transparency
China Youth Daily
Chinese auditors found billion yuan billion US dollars of illegal funds during their auditing of officials across the country in the first months this year sources said on Monday
China Daily
A new treatment for human infections of bird flu claimed to be more effective than Tamiflu has been developed by Chinese scientists Like the drug made by Switzerlandbased Roche the new medicine is a neuraminidase inhibitor which inhibits an enzyme called neuraminidase and prevents the virus from leaving the cell spreading to others
Beijing Daily
The newlybuilt China Film Museumdesigned by the RTKL International Ltd and the Beijing Institute of Architectural Design will open to the public on Thursday in memory of the centennial of the Chinese film Enditem
HEFEI Dec Xinhua Five people were confirmed dead and two others injured in two traffic accidents that occurred Sunday in east Chinas Anhui Province local police sources said on Tuesday
One of the accidents happened at around on Sunday morning when a motorcycle ran into a truck on a highway in Nanling County of Wuhu City killing two people on the motorcycle
The other occurred at on Sunday afternoon when a car collided with a tricycle in Jianshe Township of Shouxian County The road crash killed the female tricyclist surnamed Zhang and two farmers who were unloading the vehicle and injured another two including the car driver surnamed Huang
Causes of the accidents are under investigation Enditem
HAIKOU Dec Xinhua A total of million rural residents in China have been benefited from the improved drinking water supply which has greatly reduced occurrences of fluorine and arsenic poisoning
This was disclosed by Qi Xiaoqiu head of the Disease Prevention and Control Department with the Ministry of Health at a symposium on public health system construction held recently in this capital city of Chinas southernmost island province of Hainan
by Qi said tap water was available for about percent of rural households in the country and approximately million or percent of rural households have access to sanitary washrooms
However there are still some million people in both urban and rural areas who do not have access to reliable safe drinking water Qi added Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The website of the Ministry of Personnel was jammed for seven straight hours Monday as the results of national exam for public servant posts were announced
A citizen surnamed Wang said he tried to browse the website wwwmopgovcn at am Monday but failed after for a long period of time
Wang called his friends in Shandong and Guangdong provinces for help but his friends told him they too could not open the website either
A reporter with the Beijing Times daily newspaper tried to browse the website between pm and am and also failed
The newspaper quoted an official with the ministry as saying the jam was caused by the excessive number of people visiting the website at the same time He said the ministry soon increased the capacity of the broad band to tackle the problem
The jam was removed at about pm according to the newspaper
Approximately people in China sat for the recent national examination to compete for servant posts on Nov making an average of candidates vy for one single vacancy in the government
The Ministry of Personnel said the number of examinees posed a percent increase as compared with last year
The pressure in job hunting allures a large number of college graduates to sit for this exam which has provides more than posts in central government departments Besides these job opportunities facilitate the full development of these young peoples talents and potential Enditem
ZHENGZHOU Dec Xinhua Ten children from the Republic of Sudan recently staged an acrobatic show in Zhengzhou central Chinas Henan Province to mark the end of their oneyear study here
The young acrobats including six boys and four girls came to China in late to learn acrobatics at Zhengzhou Acrobatic Troupe
The children aged from seven to nine have acquired basic acrobatic skills during the past year and are now able to give performances according to their coaches at the troupe which has been entrusted by Chinas Ministry of Culture to train acrobats for Sudan
The young acrobats staged a special show for all African diplomats in Beijing in September
They are expected to perform for African leaders during a summit in January said Mirghani Mohamed Salih Sudanese ambassador to China More kids are coming to China soon and we hope the friendly cooperation with China will endure Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Vice Premier Ro Tu Chol of the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea DPRK concluded his fourday visit to China and left here Tuesday
During the visit Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and Vice Premier Zeng Peiyan met with Ro on separate occasions
The two countries also signed an agreement on the joint development of offshore oil Enditem
HARBIN Dec Xinhua Investors from the Republic of Korea ROK eyes the development potential in northeast China provinces and plan to offer comprehensive financial services for the region according to the state development bank of ROK
Jin Meizi an associate researcher from Heilongjiang Provincial Academy of Social Sciences said that northeast Chinas vast economic growth potential has arrested the attention of a growing number of investors from the ROK in recent years
Right after her return from the ROK as a visiting scholar the researcher told Xinhua that ROKs industrial bank have incorporated offering financial services to northeast China into its strategic plan for the period of
As the state development bank of ROK the industrial bank have an asset of about trillion KRW some billion US dollars It is the sole policy bank in ROK and the largest one to offer corporate financial services in the country said Jin
The bank have acquired much experience in the reform and restructuring of state owned enterprises and it has developed a keen interest in participating in the economic reform of northeast China said an official with the banks research center of northeast Asia
With its effective presence in this region the bank intends to further expand its business in China So far it has set up four offices in China respectively in the national capital Beijing Shanghai municipality in east China Guangzhou in the south and Shenyang in northeastern Liaoning Province Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua China is scheduled to launch a customs quarantine inspection of all import disposable sanitary commodities beginning January a rigid step to be taken to stop unqualified sanitary commodities from entering the country
The decision was released in a bulletin jointly issued by the State Administration of Quality Supervision Inspection and Quarantine the General Administration of Customs and the Ministry of Commerce aiming to tackle more and more disposable sanitary commodities inspected unqualified and harmful to consumers in China
The disposable sanitary commodities including toilet paper face paper handkerchief paper napkin sanitary towel paper diaper and paper clothing and bedsheet have all been listed in the catalog of customs quarantine inspection to importing and exporting commodities
All sanitary goods checked as unqualified in security sanitation and packing will be banned to enter the Chinese market next year the bulletin said Enditem
NANNING Dec Xinhua Five people missing in a boat capsizal last Thursday in Tiane County south Chinas Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region were said to have no chance for survival local police sources said Tuesday
At around on the afternoon of Dec a boat with people aboard capsized in the rapids of the turbulent Honghui River at the Tiane section So far seven people have been rescued while the remaining five including one male and four female washed away by the rapids
Rescuers fail to retrieve those missing despite six days of hard efforts and they are confirmed to have no chance to survive Enditem
URUMQI Dec Xinhua Northwest Chinas Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region a leading cotton producer of China reaped tons of colored cotton a year accounting for percent of the national total or percent of the worlds total
Xinjiang now grows approximately hectares of colored cotton making the region the largest colored cotton production base in the world according to the regional development and reform committee
Xinjiang has developed seven colored cotton strains including brown and green cotton Researchers with the Xinjiang Genetically Modified Colored Cotton Institute had been working with the hereditary Science Institute of the Chinese Academy of Sciences to produce red blue and black cotton by transferring an external colored gene into naturally grown white cotton with sophisticated genetic engineering technology
Global colored cotton output reached up to tons last year and the sales of cotton yarn rose by over times as compared with
It is estimated that colored cotton output will make up anywhere around percent of worlds total cotton in the next three decades Enditem
MACAO Dec Xinhua Edmund Ho Hau Wah chief executive of Chinas Macao Special Administrative Region left here on Tuesday to start his twoday annual duty visit to Beijing
Ho will call on leaders of the central government and brief them on the latest social economic and political developments in Macao
Macao a region with a population of merely has long been one of the fast growing economies at the global stage Enditem
MACAO Dec Xinhua Macao a region with a population of has donated million US dollars to the tsunamihit countries local media reported Tuesday
Macao Daily News the leading local Chinese newspaper quoted sources from the Macao office of the Red Cross as saying that million dollars had been presented to the United Nations for emergency relief
Another million dollars were spent on the project of the Friendship Village in Sri Lanka cooperated with the China office of the Red Cross
The rest of the donation was used for training and aid programs in Indonesia the mostdevastated nation in the Indian Ocean tsunami a year ago Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Beijings wholesale retail and catering trade sales were found to top one trillion yuan about billion US dollars in in Chinas first national economics survey according to Beijing Municipal Bureau of Statistics
The trade sales is about times the figure for when an economics survey was carried out in the national capital city
The city reported about corporate enterprises on wholesale retail and catering services at the end of making up percent of Beijing municipal corporate enterprises
About million people were employed in the wholesale retail and catering trades percent of the total workforce in the second and tertiary industries
The wholesale retail and catering enterprises reported billion yuan billion US dollars of assets including percent in wholesale and retails and percent in catering trade
The enterprises on these three service trades raked in billion yuan billion US dollars of profits in
The firstever national economic survey which formally began on Dec was jointly published by the leading group of the First National Economic Census of the State Council and the National Bureau of Statistics NBS Enditem
CHENGDU Dec Xinhua Four environmental protection teams have been dispatched by authorities of southwestern Sichuan Province for inspection of its key pollutant producers in late December almost six weeks after the Songhua River pollution in northeastern China
The provincial government of Sichuan had asked key pollutant producers to improve its environmental protection measures back in early Any plant failing to meet environmental protection standards by the end of this year would be required to halt production
Local small paper mills with an annual output of less than tons had been closed in such small and mediumsize cities as Leshan Meishan Neijiang and Ziyang
The inspectors applied PH test paper on all suspect sewage If the leakage of ammonia nitrogen was detected at a sewage pipe they would order its plant to take substantial measures to tackle the problem according to Tian Weizhao head of the provincial environmental protection authority
A chemical works blast on Nov in northeast Chinas Jilin Province spilled a large amount of benzene into the Songhua River causing a fourday water cutoff in the downstream Harbin capital of neighboring Heilongjiang Province in late November
Early last year a chemical plant severely contaminated with its drainage the water in Tuojiang River a river running across several cities in Sichuan Province Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Olympics factor is expected to provide million job opportunities in the Chinese capital which will host the global sports event in Beijing Morning Post quoted a recent report as saying
The jobs will be created between and according to a justreleased research report on investment in the Olympics and the economic development in Beijing
The Olympics factor will add percentage points to Beijings average annual GDP growth during the fiveyear period the report predicted
To host the Olympics Beijing has launched a new round of infrastructure construction and is building an Olympic sports and culture zone to embrace an Olympic park and gymnasiums
It is estimated that Beijing has pumped billion yuan some billion US dollars into infrastructure development projects during the period a growth of nearly percent from the billion yuan billion US dollar for the period
During fours years from to kilometers of new highways opened to traffic in the national capital bringing the total highways operational to km in the city
By the city will have km of subways including a special line catering for the Olympic Games Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The State Council Chinas central government appoints new officials for two government departments
Long Xinmin was appointed the commissioner of the State Press and Publication Administration which is also known as the National Copyright Administration to replace Shi Zongyuan
Hu Jiayan female was appointed deputy director of the State General Administration of Sport to replace Li Zhijian Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Chinas aquatic products exports grew by an average of percent a year during the countrys th FiveYear plan period Economic Information Daily reported Tuesday quoting the Ministry of Agriculture
It estimated that the aquatic products export value is expected to reach up to billion US dollars in accounting for percent of the countrys total export volume of agricultural products
Relevant statistics showed that the central governments input in the fishing industry totaled billion yuan some million US dollars during the fiveyear period
In the fishermens capita income would reach yuan about US dollars a rise of percent from the year the ministry said Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The national capital Beijing reported billion yuan billion US dollars in premium income in the first months this year up percent year on year the latest statistics have shown
The premium income on life insurance reached billion yuan in the month period up percent over last years same period reported Tuesdays Beijing Daily Messenger a local Chineselanguage newspaper
In the JanuaryNovember period Beijing registered billion yuan in insurance indemnity including billion yuan in indemnity on life insurance a rise of percent year on year
Insurance indemnity on health insurance and accident insurance reached million yuan up percent year on year
Premium income on group insurance surged by percent year on year to reach billion yuan in the month period and accounted for percent of the total premium income of insurance companies
While premium income on individual insurance went up by percent year on year to reach billion yuan in the months and made up percent of the total premium income of insurance companies Enditem
NANJING Dec Xinhua A total of billion yuan about billion US dollars of default payment in Chinas construction sector had been paid back by Dec said sources with the national construction conference that closed here Tuesday
Approximately billion yuan billion US dollars of the repaid money was for the governmentinvested building projects completed before late said the Ministry of Construction
The State Council or the central Chinese government required all default payment in the construction sector be cleared up in
Minister of Construction Wang Guangtao said at the conference that the incoming year will be a tough year for the ministry to fulfil the task of repaying and establish a healthy market in the construction sector
The ministry will take essential and comprehensive economic legal and administrative measures to tackle the default payment problem next year so as to protect the migratory rural farmer workers personal interests Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Chinas domestic demand for flat screen TV is expected to exceed million sets next year the Economic Information Daily reports on Tuesday
According to a forecast of the Marketing Department of the State Councils Development Research Center Chinas consumption of flat screen TV saw a rapid growth since and the growth rate increased by percent for two consecutive years
In the center said the market demand reached nearly million sets
Currently liquid crystal display flatpanel TV makes up the majority of the market share with TV makers Changhong Hisens Skyworth and Xiahua ranking the top list Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The Composite Stock Index on the Shanghai Stock Exchange closed at points on Tuesday down points from the previous close
A Share Index points down points
B Share Index points up points
Total Turnover yuan Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua China will further lower the threshold of its aviation market so as to allow more domestic private and Sinoforeign jointstock air companies to enter the arena said sources with the national aviation conference Tuesday
Yang Yuanyuan director general of the General Administration of Civil Aviation of China CAAC told the annual conference that China will go on pursuing its open policy in the aviation sector in a bid to attract more investment in the year
The Chinese government will inspire new air companies to focus their business on branch airlines and freight transport as a compensation to the major Chinese air companies Yang said
Yang said the frequency of both airlines and the flights will be increased across China to meet the rising market demand in
Some airports in western China including those in Chengdu Xian and Urumchi will be upgraded and turned into regional aviation centers in the next year Yang added
In the CAAC will also encourage Chinese air companies to open more air routes to Latin America the east of the United States the Caribbean western Asia the middle east and Africa said Yang
Statistics with the CAAC said Chinas aviation industry raked in billion yuan million US dollars of profits in the first months this year in which the profits of air companies realized billion yuan some million dollars Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua China has planned to tackle soil erosion of square km in as the country reinforces endeavors to reverse the ecological deterioration
According to statistics with the Ministry of Water Resources China has carried out many comprehensive projects to tackle soil erosion of square km in the past five years The ecology of the areas along the major rivers has improved greatly
Land developers for water conservation and energy projects injected billion yuan million US dollars on soil erosion treatment over the past five years Meanwhile the country has attached great importance to water conservation on new road and railway projects
However the country is still facing a severe situation of new soil erosion China saw billion tons of soil lost in which equals onecentimeterthick earth surface on squarekm land according to the ministry
The countrys total soil erosion land has amounted to million square km accounting for percent of the countrys territory Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The Component Stock Index on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange closed at points on Tuesday down points from the previous close
A Share Index points down points
B Share Index points down points
Total Turnover yuan Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The Hushen Index reflecting the whole fluctuation of Chinas Shanghai and Shenzhen stock exchanges closed at points on Tuesday down points from the previous close
About one fifth of the total shares listed in the two markets have been chosen as samples of the Hushen Index accounting for percent of the market value in Chinas stock market Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Chinese airlines are expected to carry million passengers this year according to Yang Yuanyuan director of the General Administration of Civil Aviation of China CAAC
Yang told a national civil aviation work conference held here on Monday that in the first months of this year the Chinese airlines transported a total of million passengers up percent from the same period of last year
Yang also revealed that the industry scored billion yuan in profits in the JanuaryNovember period despite the soaring oil prices predicting that the industry would maintain a rapid growth in Enditem
XIAN Dec Xinhua A collector in Xian capital of northwest Chinas Shaanxi Province has collected over badges of late Chinese leader Chairman Mao Zedong over the past years
The yearold Ye Dong started his collection of Maos badges when he was only five He spent all his pocket money to buy badges in primary school and most of his salary since he began to work years ago
The badges of different kinds are made of more than different materials including silver copper wood plastic porcelain and leather
He exhibited badges with Maos images at different times in his living room
Ye is planning to hold an exhibition during the Beijing Olympic Games recounting Maos stories to visitors from all over the world
Mao Zedong born to a peasants family in central Chinas Hunan province in and died in was the founder and leader of the Communist Party of China CPC the Chinese Peoples Liberation Army and the Peoples Republic of China Enditem
TIANJIN Dec Xinhua China has planned to spend billion yuan about million US dollars on AIDHIV prevention and control efforts in three years beginning from this year
The central government has attached great importance to HIVAIDS prevention and control work with the financial support in this regard keeping rising according to a report on development of Chinese youth for period
The report was published by China Youth and Children Research Center and the Department of International Communications with the Central Committee of the China Communist Youth League
According to the report the state coffers shed billion yuan on HIVAIDS prevention and control between and comparing million yuan in
In addition to drafting a range of median and longterm plans concerning HIVAIDS prevention and control China has also constructed demonstration zones across the country with the mission of preventing and controlling HIVAIDS in a comprehensive way
In the meantime relevant departments have also stepped up efforts to publicize knowledge on puberty sex blood donation gratis narcotics control HIVAIDS and sexually transmitted diseases STD
Special lectures on HIVAIDS prevention and control prohibition of narcotics and environmental protection were given at all primary and middle schools across the country starting from the spring semester in
Courses featuring prevention and control of HIVAIDS are offered at all Chinese colleges of higher learning and middle schools by this year
China had about HIV carriers by late Out of the reported HIV carriers percent were people aged to and percent were teenagers below the age of said the report Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Report on the quality of air in major Chinese cities Dec to Dec Beijing Time released by the China Environmental Monitoring Center
City Major Pollutant Air Quality Level
Beijing sulfur dioxide II
Tianjin sulfur dioxide III
Shijiazhuang particulate matter III
Qinhuangdao sulfur dioxide II
Taiyuan sulfur dioxide III
Hohhot particulate matter III
Shenyang particulate matter III
Dalian sulfur dioxide II
Changchun particulate matter II
Harbin particulate matter II
Shanghai I
Nanjing sulfur dioxide II
Suzhou I
Nantong I
Lianyungang particulate matter II
Hangzhou particulate matter II
Ningbo particulate matter II
Wenzhou particulate matter II
Hefei particulate matter II
Fuzhou particulate matter II
Xiamen particulate matter II
Nanchang particulate matter III
Jinan particulate matter III
Qingdao sulfur dioxide III
Yantai sulfur dioxide II
Zhengzhou particulate matter III
Wuhan particulate matter III
Changsha particulate matter III
Guangzhou particulate matter II
Shenzhen particulate matter II
Zhuhai particulate matter II
Shantou particulate matter II
Zhanjiang particulate matter II
Nanning particulate matter II
Guilin I
Beihai particulate matter II
Haikou particulate matter I
Chongqing particulate matter III
Chengdu particulate matter III
Guiyang particulate matter II
Kunming sulfur dioxide II
Lhasa I
Xian particulate matter III
Lanzhou particulate matter III
Xining particulate matter III
Yinchuan particulate matter III
Urumqi particulate matter V
The center classifies air quality in Chinas urban areas into five levels level I or excellent pollution reading not exceeding level II or fairly good pollution reading to level III or slightly polluted pollution reading to level IV or poor pollution reading to and level V or hazardous pollution reading over
The cities monitored by the center include the four municipalities of Beijing Tianjin Shanghai and Chongqing provincial or autonomous regional capitals and major cities in economically developed coastal areas and tourist attractions Enditem
SHANGHAI Dec Xinhua Shanghai the largest economic center of eastern China Sunday released the revised data of its gross domestic product GDP which were confirmed by the National Bureau of Statistics
According to the municipal statistical bureau of Shanghai the metropolis recorded billion yuan billion US dollars of GDP in an increment of billion yuan billion US dollars or percent from the previously reported figure
The GDP included billion yuan billion US dollars in valuedadded output generated by the secondary industry and billion yuan billion US dollars by the tertiary industry
Of the billion yuan increment billion yuan billion USdollars or percent came from the tertiary sector the local statistical bureau said
Upon the revision the tertiary sector made up percent of Shanghais GDP up from the previously reported proportion of percent Shares of the primary and secondary sectors decreased from percent and percent to percent and percent respectively Enditem
HOHHOT Dec Xinhua North Chinas Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region will be able to produce million tons of coal a year by nearly twice as much as the volume
To achieve that goal the region will improve its coal production efficiency by shutting down small and lowyield mines a spokesman with the regional government said Tuesday
The region will close down small mines whose annual production is below tons and will limit the total number of collieries within by the spokesman said
By then the region will have set up two large mining bases with annual production exceeding million tons each
The government will not approve any new colliery that produces less than million tons a year and newly established open mines will have to produce at least million tons a year to start operation
Inner Mongolia an important coal production base in north China has reported steady growth in output Its coal production has soared from million tons in to an estimated million tons in Enditem
JINAN Dec Xinhua Five calves recloned from body cells of cloned cattle were born recently in Liangshan County of east Chinas Shandong Province
Three of the five newborns survived and the other two died after birth
The cattle recloning project included in Chinas program a basic science development program was jointly undertaken by a special team from the China Agriculture University based in Beijing and the Shandong Kelong Animal Husbandry Co Ltd
The animal mammary gland bioreactor technology has been employed for the project Scientists said birth of the recloned calves indicated Chinas mammary gland bioreactor technology has been up to the world standards
The research team headed by Prof Li Ning selected four head of cattle with high mammary gland expression from head for their recloning experiment
The three survived newborn calves were all originated from ear cells of one head of cloned cattle They were born on Dec and respectively weighing kg kg and kg Experts exams showed that all the three calves are normal physiologically
The project also has another head of cloned cattle about to give birth and others are pregnant Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua China values its relations with Bolivia Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said here Tuesday
When asked to comment on Bolivian presidents intention to visit China next month Qin said Bolivia is a friendly country of China
China is willing to maintain friendly exchanges and cooperation with Bolivia in various fields on the basis of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence Qin said
China hopes to push forward bilateral relations to develop in a healthy and stable manner Qin added Enditem
HOHHOT Dec Xinhua Rescuers recovered a body Monday evening from the freezing water where the illfated bus plunged bringing the death toll to local rescuers said Tuesday
The tragedy happened at pm on Saturday when a bus plunged into icy water of the Yellow River at a section of the Hanggin Banner prefecture of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region
The newlyfound dead surnamed Wang was reported to be picked up not far from the accident site
The bus was believed to have passengers aboard initially but as Wangs body was found Monday local rescuers have revised the number to
Only nine passengers escaped the accident The hope for the survival of the missing ones is very slim rescuers at the site said
Initial investigation shows that the cavein of a icy road caused the bus to slip into the nearby freezing river and rescue operation is still underway according to local officials Enditem
HONG KONG Dec Xinhua Hong Kong Chief Executive Donald Tsang left here Tuesday for Beijing for a duty visit
According to a government press release during his twoday visit Tsang will call on leaders of the Central Government and brief them on the latest social economic and political development in Hong Kong
Donald Tsang will take leave from Dec to and will return to Hong Kong on Jan He will be on vacation outside Hong Kong with his family according to government sources
During Tsangs absence from Hong Kong Chief Secretary for Administration Rafael Hui will be Acting Chief Executive Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Chinese President Hu Jintao appointed new ambassadors to three countries on Tuesday in accordance with a decision made by the Standing Committee of the National Peoples Congress
Zhang Limin was appointed the new ambassador to the Republic of Latvia replacing Ji Yanchi
Hu Yeshun was appointed the new ambassador to the Kingdom of Tonga replacing Gao Shanhai
Zhang Haizhou was appointed the new ambassador to Azerbaijani Republic replacing Zhang Xiyun Enditem
GUANGZHOU Dec Xinhua Guangzhou Railway Station is expected to receive million passengers in the coming Spring Festival according to Guangzhou Railway Group
The passenger flow would be more than that in the previous year or percent up yearonyear About passengers would be dealt with daily at the railway station
The peak traveling season will last for days from Jan to Feb in The transportation pressure would be felt as people living working or studying away from their hometowns would head home for family reunions
The railway authorities have advised passengers to leave for home earlier so as to avoid the peak traveling season from Jan to
The Spring Festival will fall on Jan Its the most important traditional festival for Chinese to celebrate the beginning of a new year Enditem
HANGZHOU Dec Xinhua The State Development Bank will provide billion yuan billion US dollars of loans to Ningbo a booming city in east Chinas Zhejiang Province to boost its infrastructure construction
The city and the bank have signed an agreement on the loans which will be used to boost local infrastructure energy and power grid construction according to Ningbo municipal government
The bank has loaned billion yuan billion US dollars to Ningbo in the past years for the same purpose said Zhong Weidong chief representative of the Ningbo municipal office of the State Development Bank
The new loans from the State Development Bank would be supportive to the city while Ningbo is experiencing fast urbanization said Shao Zhanwei deputy mayor of Ningbo Enditem
GUANGZHOU Dec Xinhua The foreign trade volume of Guangdong Province an economic power house in south China is expected to top billion US dollars this year a local trade official said on Tuesday
Since Chinas accession to the World Trade Organization Guangdongs import and export value registered an annual growth of billion dollars or billion dollars in the past three years said Liang Yaowen director of the Guangdong Provincial Department of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation
According to its longterm development plan Guangdongs export is to reach billion US dollars by with an annual growth rate of percent The provinces import will reach billion US dollars by with an annual growth rate of percent Liang said
To reach the goals Guangdong needs to take measures to boost trade in services solve trade disputes optimize the existing import and export structures and explore new trade patterns Liang said
Efforts should also be made to sharpen the competitiveness of export enterprises especially technological innovation and foster more private businesses to do foreign trade Liang said Enditem
HEFEI Dec Xinhua Snoring sells for five yuan and shouting and complaining can be sold for yuan dollars
Dont think it is unbelievable A company based in the Hefei Hightech Development Zone in east Chinas Anhui Province has been trading sounds for years
The Anhui Shenzhou Voice Industry Company has collected various sounds from the sounds of gun fire wind pitterpatter of rain dialects of different countries cries of various animals to sounds made by human beings speech sounds of the head of the state and business leaders
According to a purchase agreement coughing snoring belching clapping wind pitterpatter of rain laughing and crying can be sold for five yuan sounds made by animals weapons speeches by celebrities and heads of state for six yuan and gastriloquy complaining and shouting for yuan at most
Ying Bo head of the company said the reason why he is doing this is to save the world heritage from extinction
Ying said currently there are languages and dialects worldwide and every month there is one kind of language vanishing
On the other hand we can sell sounds to TV and radio stations and website operators to make profits Ying said
Ying said he began collecting sounds in and registered his company last year Perhaps he is the only one who is doing such a business in the world Ying said
Ying said he has collected more than kinds of sounds and plans to collect one million kinds of sounds within three to five years
Ying said he plans to build a sound museum when he collects over kinds of sounds Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Tian Fengshan former Minister of Land and Resources was sentenced to life imprisonment on Tuesday and deprived of his political rights for life for accepting bribes worth million yuan US dollars
The Beijing No Intermediate Peoples Court handed down the verdict in the first instance Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Chinas State Council has approved the National Bureau of Statistics NBS decision to reform its survey teams in a bid to collect more reliable data the head of the NBS said in a meeting here Tuesday
Li Deshui director of the NBS said that three survey teams under the direct control of the NBS would be strengthened and their position enhanced Data collection teams at different levels from NBS headquarters to county level will be managed directly by the bureau so as to increase their independence in surveying tasks
China has made considerable progress in improving the transparency of data releases and has made efforts to keep in line with international practice The NBS which employs about people releases different categories of data on a monthly basis In early December it released results of the first national economic survey
The NBS has a clear development goal he said which is to set up a statistical system that corresponds to both Chinas situation and to international practice to improve data quality and provide better and more efficient services for both China and the international community he said Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Weather forecast for major Chinese cities Dec Dec Beijing Time temperatures in Celsius
Min Max Condition Wind scale
Beijing cloudy
Harbin clear
Tianjin overcastcloudy
Urumqi cloudyfoggy
Xian cloudy
Lhasa clearcloudy
Chengdu foggycloudy
Chongqing overcastcloudy
Kunming clear
Nanjing cloudy
Shanghai cloudydrizzle
Wuhan cloudy
Hangzhou drizzle
Taipei drizzle
Guangzhou drizzle
Hong Kong drizzle
Macao drizzle
SOURCE Central Meteorological Station China Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Weather forecast for world cities Dec Dec Beijing Time temperatures in Celsius
Min Max Condition Wind scale
Beijing cloudy
Tokyo cloudy
Bangkok shower
Sydney showercloudy
Karachi clear
Cairo clear
Moscow snow shower
Frankfurt flurry
Paris snow showerovercast
London snow showerovercast
New York showercloudy
SOURCE Central Meteorological Station China Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua TCL Corp a major Chinese electronics group has announced the selling of million color TV sets in the first months of this year the Science and Technology Daily reported on Tuesday
The corporation topped the world ranking in terms of color TV sales volume And it is expected the figure will rise to million at the end of this year industry sources were quoted as saying
TCL Vice President Shi Wanwen put the achievements down to the groups increased research capability its capacity to develop new products the improved quality of its products and astute marketing policies
In its latest financial report TCL said that in November alone the group sold million color TV sets on global market Enditem
KUNMING Dec Xinhua China has so far built methadone clinics since February when the country began to embrace the practice of setting up communitybased centers offering methadone to heroin addicts
Of the total are in southwest Chinas Yunnan a province that shares border with Vietnam Laos and Myanmar according to an ongoing national exchange meeting on experimental work concerning community methadone substitution medication for heroin addicts
The Chinese government initiated in May an action plan for curbing and preventing AIDHIV during the period trumpeting the idea of carrying out an experimental work with methadone substitution medication among heroin addicts at communitybased medical organizations
In cooperation with the State Food and Drug Administration the Chinese ministries of health and public security embarked on the experimental work concerning community methadone substitution medication for heroin addicts by drafting a provisional plan on the experimental work in February plus a joint national working group for the effort
And eight medical organizations in Sichuan Zhejiang Yunnan Guizhou provinces and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region were chosen as the first group of organizations authorized to conduct the experimental work in December
According to experts taking methadone a synthesized narcotic helps depress addicts drug desire and avoid the use of hypodermic needles that can spread HIV which leads to AIDS currently with nocure as well as other bloodtransmitted diseases Moreover those who take methadone are able to work and return to normal life instead of looking sleepy all day after taking heroin
Government regulations stipulate that only drug users who have been discharged from official detoxification centers can qualify for the methadone program
China now has about HIV carriers including some AIDS patients and sharing of hypodermic syringes is considered as an important way for AIDHIV spreading Enditem
CHENGDU Dec Xinhua A graduate school of traditional Chinese medicine TCM opens in Chengdu capital of southwest Chinas Sichuan province local educational departments said Tuesday
The school the first of its kind in the country has been approved by Sichuan provincial academic degree commission and department of education
It was founded by Chengdu University of TCM one of the four earliest higher education institutions of TCM in China and among the first batch of universities to confer masters and doctors degrees of TCM Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua By Nov a total of million Ashare Renminbidenominated accounts were registered in Chinas two stock exchanges million of which were empty the Shanghai Securities News reported on Tuesday
The figures were provided by the China Securities Depository and Clearing Corporation The empty accounts account for percent of the total number of all Ashare accounts in China the newspaper said
By Nov a total of million Ashare accounts were registered in the Shanghai Stock Exchange million of which were empty or had no shares
By Nov a total of million Ashare accounts were registered in the Shenzhen Stock Exchange million of which were empty according to figures from the China Securities Depository and Clearing Corporation
According to a recent survey jointly conducted by China Securities Journal and Huading Investigation Company percent of stock investors lost money on Chinese stock markets this year
The survey showed almost percent of investors were cautious about future share investment and percent decided to withdraw funds from the stock markets Only percent planned to increase investment in Chinas stock markets according to the survey
At the beginning of this year the composite index of Shanghai Stock Exchange was around points but the index dropped to points on Monday Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Tian Fengshan former Chinese Minister of Land and Resources was sentenced to life imprisonment and deprived of political rights for life on Tuesday for accepting bribes worth million yuan US dollars
The Beijing No Intermediate Peoples Court handed down the verdict in the first instance All his personal assets had been confiscated
According to the court verdict from to Tian took advantage of his posts as governor of Heilongjiang Province and Minister of Land and Resources to seek personal gains for the officials who gave bribes to him
All the illicit money and bribes accepted by Tian have been recovered the court said
The court verdict said Tian Fengshan had committed a crime of bribery In the capacity of a civil servant Tian misused his power to seek illicit gains for those who offered bribes and accepted their bribes And the amount of bribes he had taken was especially large
However in view of the fact that Tian confessed most crimes he had committed repented his crimes and being active in returning accepted bribes he was given a lenient punishment court verdict said Enditem
HONG KONG Dec Xinhua Following are temperatures and weather forecast of Dec for AsiaPacific cities dispatched by the Hong Kong Observatory on Tuesday
CITY MINIMUM MAXIMUM FORECAST
HONG KONG CLOUDY
MACAO RAIN
GUANGZHOU RAIN
SHANGHAI RAIN
BEIJING CLOUDY
TAIPEI RAIN
SEOUL CLOUDY
TOKYO FINE
MANILA SHOWERS
HANOI DRIZZLE
HO CHI MINH CITY SHOWERS
BANGKOK SHOWERS
KUALA LUMPUR THUNDERSTORMS
SINGAPORE THUNDERSTORMS
NEW DELHI CLOUDY
MUMBAI SMOKE
KARACHI DRY
JAKARTA RAIN
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN SHOWERS
SYDNEY DRY
MELBOURNE THUNDERSTORMS
BRISBANE FINE
Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Chinas water conservancy authorities pledged to provide cleaner drinking water for million rural residents by building more water projects in
The task of improving the quality of drinking water for rural residents will be high on the agenda of the Ministry of Water Resources in
Reviewing Chinas achievements over the past five years a ministry official said the central government issued billion yuan million US dollars of bonds to build water conservancy projects providing safe water for million rural population
With affiliated financing by governments at various levels and public donations the total sum for building rural drinking water systems came to billion yuan million US dollars
During the period more than million drinking water projects were built across the country increasing daily water supply by million tons Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Departments of Chinese government have improved their use of budget funds in recent years thanks to better regulations and management as well as selfdiscipline
After auditing central departments government auditors concluded that the number of irregularities found in these departments is on the decrease while budget management is improving
The report was presented on Monday at a national working conference on auditing by Li Jinhua auditor general of the National Audit Office on behalf of over auditors in the country at all levels
In the first months of this year central and local government auditors looked into some government departments and institutions that receive budget funds and discovered various kinds of irregularities involving more than billion yuan about billion US dollars
Over cases were transferred to judicial departments for criminal investigation according to Li
In the same period the auditors checked state companies to discover irregularities involving a total of billion yuan about billion US dollars
Meanwhile the auditors audited some leading officials at different levels and detected irregularities involving billion yuan about billion US dollars A number of these officials were punished by law or by disciplinary sanction
The auditorgeneral said that in the National Audit Office plans to step up auditing on the implementation of budgets the use of special funds the financial activities of branches of commercial banks and will also continue to audit the financial responsibilities of leading officials at provincial and ministerial levels Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Chinese President Hu Jintao had a meeting with Edmund Ho Hau Wah chief executive of the Macao Special Administrative Region SAR at the Zhongnanhai compound here Tuesday
After listening to a report from Ho the president praised the efforts made by Ho and the SAR government
In Macaos economy has continued to grow the social situation has remained stable and harmonious while the third election of the Legislative Council was smoothly organized Meanwhile Macao succeeded in making its old urban area a World Heritage site and hosted the East Asian Games Hu said
Hu attributed these achievements to the joint efforts of the SAR government and all circles in Macao The central government will continue to provide full support to the chief executive and the SAR government to fulfill their work in accordance with law he stressed
Hu said that Macao is at a new historic startingpoint he hoped that the SAR government would lead people all walks of life in Macao in taking opportunities being enterprising and making positive efforts to deal with new situations and problems that may occur in the development of the SAR
Present on the occasion were VicePresident Zeng Qinghong Wang Gang Tang Jiaxuan and Liao Hui Enditem
HAIKOU Dec Xinhua A growing number of overseas tourists are traveling to Sanya a coastal city on the southern tip of Hainan Island south China for winter vacation
Statistics provided by Fenghuang Phoenix International Airport in Sanya show that there were inbound flights at the airport between Dec with over tickets being sold They include flights from Hong Kong eight from the Republic of Korea ROK and two from Russia
A total of Russian tourists aboard a chartered flight bade farewell to icecold Moscow and touched down in Sanya at around pm on Christmas beginning their winter vacation in this southern Chinese tropical city
Chartered flights connecting Sanya and Russian cities in the forthcoming month ending Jan will amount to according to information provided by the airport
Russians have made journeys to Sanya which abounds in sunshine beautiful sand beached and seawater this year
Most ROK tourists travel to Sanya to play golf
Airport information said another chartered plane destined for Sanya from Japan will be arriving in town next week Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The registered number of individual businesses totaled in Beijing employing million people according to the municipal statistics bureau
Business income reached billion yuan billion US dollars and their combined properties are valued at billion yuan according to the bureau
Of all the individualrun businesses businesses are in the industrial sector and are in the tertiary sector
According to the bureau individual businesses are in the sectors of whole sale retail catering and business providing services for residents accounting for percent of the total Their income totaled billion yuan accounting for percent of the total
Other individual businesses engaged in the sectors of leasing information transfer computer and software services are also profitable the bureau said Enditem
CHENGDU Dec Xinhua A rare bronze horse and chariot were unearthed in Ziyang a city in southwest Chinas Sichuan Province according to Sichuan Provincial Archaeology Research Institute
The bronze funeral object is believed to have been built in the Han Dynasty BC AD or even earlier in the Qin Dynasty BC BC according to preliminary study
The object was buried in a chamber about nine meters from the ground Archeologists also found an ancient tomb about ten meters from the ground
The horse and chariot are the first ever discovered in Sichuan Province The tomb owner is thought to have been a highranking official or royal member since his tomb owned a bronze horse and chariot said Wang Lumao an archaeologist with the Sichuan Provincial Archeology Research Institute
Chinas most important horses and chariots are those found in Qinshihuang Mausoleum in Xian in northwest Chinas Shaanxi Province where Chinas first emperor buried a lot of horses and chariots in his underground palace Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Energy experts predicted that the implementation of the Law on Renewable Resources on January will open up a huge market in China for renewable solar energy
The new law is expected to boost the development of the countrys solar power industry said the experts
The Law on Renewable Energy which was approved by the National Peoples Congress NPC Standing Committee in February this year will encourages all units and persons to use solar energybased generation systems It is regarded as an important law for the safety of Chinas environment and for the development of its energy resources
Sources from the State Development and Reform Commission SDRC said the Chinese government is working on preferential policies to ease energy supply bottlenecks and to make renewable energy a major substitute for coal oil and natural gas
Officials with the energy resources bureau of the SDRC said the government will also take steps to promote renewable resources such as requiring major energy and power companies to buy renewable energybased products
Solar energy is developing rapidly worldwide Over the past years Chinas solarbased products have represented about percent of the global market
China started research on solar batteries in Currently more than solar power generation systems have been installed in Chinas rural areas and in some remote places bringing electricity to at least families
Economic observers predict that by the year renewable energy will account for about percent of Chinas total energy consumption Enditem
TIANJIN Dec Xinhua Motorola Nokia and Chinas leading telecom operator China Mobile have launched a campaign to collect abandoned mobile phones which have increased rapidly as subscribers skyrocket to million
The Green Box Environment Protection Plan or the allied move to recycle abandoned mobile phones and accessories started from mid December according to sources from Motorola Tuesday
Some China Mobile outlets and sales centers of each mobile phone giant will set up longterm green boxes to collect abandoned mobile phones which will be processed and recycled by the three parties in an environmentfriendly manner
Motorola said it has collected three tons of abandoned mobile phones and accessories since it entered the Chinese market
China is the largest mobile phone market in the world
By the end of November there were mobile phones for every
Chinese according to the Ministry of Information Industry Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Many celebrities in Taiwan have expressed condolences over the death of Wang Daohan chairman of the mainlands Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits ARATS who passed away on Dec
Wang had made a significant contribution to promoting crossStraits talks and crossStraits relations said C V Chen the first vicechairman and secretarygeneral of the Taiwanbased Strait Exchange Foundation SEF
Chen pledged to make continued efforts to make the two sides better open to each other with more friendliness
Chiao Jenho another former secretarygeneral of the SEF who met Wang several times said previous talks between Wang and his Taiwan counterpart Koo Chenfu former chairman of the SEF who died in February are very helpful for increasing mutual understanding across the Taiwan Straits and have left a lot of valuable experience for later generations to continue promoting crossStraits relations
Wang was a warm and esteemed elder to us especially in crossStraits relations Chiao said Wang gave me lots of guidance with a longterm and general view though we sometimes had differences
Some Taiwan scholars also expressed their deep sorrow about Wangs death
Gorge W Tsai a research fellow with the research center on international relations of Taiwans National Chengchi University called Wangs death a great loss Wang was an elder who was farsighted idealistic and willing to think over the common interests of the two sides from the point of view of national development
Wang Chinping chairman of Taiwans Alliance for the Reunification of China attributed the interruption of the crossStraits talks to Taiwan Authorities refusal to recognize the crossStraits consensus in
The fourpoint opinion made by Chinese President Hu Jintao early this year is of great importance for the development of the crossStraits relations while the mainland visits by leaders of Taiwans Kuomintang People First Party and New Party were also a good beginning Wang said Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Chinas export value of aquatic products of this year is expected to double the figure of to reach billion US dollars ranking first among all agricultural products for six consecutive years Chinese Ministry of Agriculture announced here Tuesday
The export of aquatic products maintained a growth rate of percent in the past five years said the ministry noting the export value in will account for about percent of the total export value of Chinas agricultural sector
In the period Chinese central government has invested billion yuan million US dollars in its fishery industry the ministry said Construction of statelisted fishing ports have been completed with another key ports being under construction
China also built breeding and inspection centers for the fishery sector and set up nature preserves for aquatic and wild animals in the past five years
Li Jianhua director of the ministrys fishery bureau said China also adjusted the fishing ban season making fishing boats and million fishermen relaxed during the season
In a bid to prevent overfishing and protect fish spawn in the Yangtze River China introduced the fishing ban system on the Yangtze River in and the move involved more than fishing boats and fishermen in provinces As a result billion fish fries of types were protected in the past five years said Li
The annual net income of fishermen averaged yuan dollars in percent more than that in Li said Enditem
NANJING Dec Xinhua Companies in east Chinas Jiangsu Province have sped up their interest in business in foreign countries with more than million US dollars in investment during the first three quarters of this year
According to the provincial statistical bureau Jiangsu approved investment projects in foreign countries with a total investment of million US dollars percent higher than the same period last year
Apart from the traditional textile industry the investment has also been expanded to electronic equipment medicine and the service trade
Among the approved projects will be in Asian countries
Lin Houyu chief engineer of Jiangsu textile group said one of the main reasons why Jiangsus enterprises choose to invest in Asian countries is that the countries share similar customs and culture with China which will be of great importance to market development Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said Tuesday that the specific date of the second phase of the fifth round of sixparty talks has not been decided
Speaking at a press conference Qin said the Chinese side is currently negotiating with the other five parties over the specific date in the hope of reopening the talks at an early date
To denuclearize the Korean Peninsula and ensure peace and stability on the peninsula is in the interests of all parties to the talks the spokesman said
Qin urged all parties concerned to take the overall situation into account and solve relevant problems through negotiation and consultation so as to increase mutual understanding and trust and create a favorable atmosphere for the progress in the sixparty talks
The sixparty talks aimed at resolving the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula entered a fifth round in November
The six parties China the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea the United States the Republic of Korea Russia and Japan agreed in a chairmans document on Nov to hold the secondphase meeting at the earliest possible date Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Chinese President Hu Jintao had a meeting here on Tuesday with Donald Tsang chief executive of Chinas Hong Kong Special Administrative Region HKSAR to hear the latters report on his job
After Tsangs report the president said that Hong Kongs overall situation is good featuring sustained economic growth social stability and improved living standards
The central government is satisfied with the work of Tsang and the HKSAR government Hu said pledging to continue to wholeheartedly support the chief executive and the HKSAR government
Regarding the HKSAR governments consultation with the public on methods for selecting the chief executive in and forming the Legislative Council in Hu said that the HKSAR governments package for constitutional development is in conformity with the Basic Law and relevant explanations and resolutions of the Standing Committee of the National Peoples Congress NPC that it has won wide support from the public and is a plan that further promotes democracy
The constitutional development in Hong Kong concerns the principle of one country two systems the implementation of the Basic Law in Hong Kong the interests of all walks of life in Hong Kong and longterm prosperity and stability Hong Kong he pointed out The central authorities have always attached great importance to it he stressed
The central authorities have constantly supported the HKSARs development of democracy in accordance with the Basic Law and Hong Kong realities the president said
The implementation of one country two systems Hong Kong people governing Hong Kong and a high degree of autonomy aims to make Hong Kong compatriots masters of their own destiny and able to exercise their democratic rights Hu said But as in any country or region where the development of democracy is a gradual historical process the development of democracy in Hong Kong also has to be promoted in a stepbystep substantial and orderly way he said
The president said that the Hong Kong democratic system is sure to advance in an orderly and gradual manner providing the Hong Kong people from all walks of life give priority to the overall interests of Hong Kong and its longterm prosperity and stability and conduct pragmatic studies and attain consensus extensively and make efforts actively to create conditions
Hu said that it is a common aspiration of the Hong Kong people at present to maintain stability accelerate development and promote harmony He expressed his hope that the HKSAR government and Hong Kong people from all walks of life cherish the hardwon sound situation in Hong Kong He also hoped that they would unite and make concerted efforts to constantly enhance Hong Kongs international competitiveness and create a better future for Hong Kong
Present at the meeting were VicePresident Zeng Qinghong member of the Secretariat of the Communist Party of China Central Committee Wang Gang State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan and Vicechairman of the National Committee of the Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Conference Liao Hui among others Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua China has brought square km of soillost land under control in the past years which approximates to one tenth of the countrys total territory according to a document of the Ministry of Water Resources on soil conservation
During the countrys tenth FiveYear Plan period square km of land was under monitoring and protection nationwide square km of which was saved from soil erosion said E Jingping vice minister of water resources here Monday
During the same period counties in provinces or regions forbid grazing in mountains Throughout Beijing northern Hebei Province northwestern Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region and Shaanxi Province grazing is strictly prohibited in mountains
In addition China has injected a total of billion yuan billion US dollars in prevention and control of soil erosion
In alone the country launched schemes against water erosion with an input of billion yuan billion US dollars which benefits an area of square km
According to E during the th FiveYear Plan period the Ministry of Water Resources will concentrate on soil conservation in the Yangtze River basin the Yellow River basin and the northeastern black soil region
We will step up efforts to reduce the area of water erosion from the current percent to percent by said E Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The number of private cars in Beijing has tripled in the past five years while more families are planning to buy their own according to a recent survey
Beijing kept private cars in and in while percent of surveyed families say they want to buy cars the survey shows
The survey of families in the eight districts of Beijing was done by the China Center for Economic Research of Beijing University
The survey also finds Beijing residents spend one and a half hours daily on commuting while those who spend more time feel worse
People who drive to their offices increased by percent in the past years while those by bicycle dropped by percent the survey shows
Household monthly income increased from yuan US dollars in to yuan dollars in according to the survey
Young Beijing residents feel pressure from housing and work are concerned with their childrens education in middle age then care about health and medical care the survey finds
The center also did the same surveys in to provide a reference for government policy makers Enditem
TIANJIN Dec Xinhua The Italian compressor maker ACC has signed an agreement with north Chinas municipality of Tianjian to further investment in its jointventure in the city
According to the agreement the Tianjin jointstock companys investment will be increased to million US dollars and ACC is planning to build new plants in the taxfree industrial zones near the citys airport
The jointventure namely Zanussi Elettromeccanica Tianjin Compressor Co Ltd was established in It is one of the biggest refrigerator compressor manufacturers in China possessing topoftheline technologies
After expansion the company is expected to churn out over million freonfree refrigerator compressors with a market share of percent at home
ACC is the largest compressor producer for household electric appliances in the world It is planning to move its research center and component plant from the United States Germany and Spain to Tianjin in order to make it into a global RD center for freonfree refrigerator compressors Enditem
CHENGDU Dec Xinhua A Singaporean company will invest billion yuan million US dollars in real estate in the west of China
Yanlord Holdings headquartered in Singapore will invest in two real estate projects in Chengdu capital of southwest Chinas Sichuan Province in the coming two years the company said Tuesday
Chengdu is regarded as the economic powerhouse of the western region of China
Yanlord Plaza one of the two projects in Chengdu consisting of worldclass office buildings luxurious apartments and shopping malls will cover an area of square meters
The Chinese governments macroregulation of the real estate industry since the beginning of this year has made the property market healthier and steadier providing opportunities to develop the property market senior officials of Yanlord said
Yanlord Holdings operates in the financial industrial and real estate sectors It came to China in the early s Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Dec is the day the Chinese government unveiled the final scores for civil servants candidates and high hit rates jamming the website of the Ministry of Personnel MOP for seven hours the Beijing Times reported here Tuesday
Job pressure has attracted more Chinese to compete for the relatively stable job opportunities in government organs
More than Chinese took the national civil servant enrollment exams on Nov to vie for positions in the organs of the central authorities The number of participants this year is much more than in when around took the exam
One candidate surnamed Wang clicked onto the MOP website am Monday but the website was unable to open Wang phoned his friends in Shandong and Shanghai to help him to check his scores on the website but they could not open the website either the paper said
An MOP official said the congestion was due to high hit rates
We have to expand our broadband to solve the problem the MOP official said
As of pm the MOP website would be reopened the paper said
China which launched the civil servant enrollment exam in has since helped more than people find jobs in public offices Enditem
LANZHOU Dec Xinhua Chinas health improvement program supported by the loan from the World Bank has benefited million rural people in povertystricken areas in northwest Chinas Gansu Province said an official with the provincial health department here Tuesday
Launched in the program will invest million yuan million US dollars primarily in ten statelevel impoverished counties in the provinces central part targeting minority groups to help local medical infrastructure
As of million yuan million US dollars were used to improve healthcare in the povertystricken areas
About clinics and health stations were rebuilt or expanded where medical equipment worth more than million yuan million US dollars has been provided
The program also includes various kinds of training toward the medical staff in the povertystricken areas
Besides more than three million yuan US dollars were granted to needy families as medical subsidies
Thanks to improving medical conditions the infant death rate was reduced from percent in to percent by the end of Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The consultation between China and Japan concerning the reform of the United Nations is not a regular one said Qin Gang spokesman of the Chinese Foreign Ministry here Tuesday
The two sides made the first contact and its not a regular consultation Qin said adding that no more contacts have been arranged
Qin made the remarks at a regular press conference when commenting on the recent China tour of Masaharu Kono director general of the Foreign Policy Bureau of Japans Ministry of Foreign Affairs
The spokesman said Masaharu Kono paid a working visit to China at the invitation of the Japanese embassy to China At the request of the Japanese side Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Qiao Zonghuai met with him
The two sides exchanged views on the UN reform China reaffirmed that the current pressing tasks are to implement the outcome documents finalized at the summit marking the th anniversary of the establishment of the United Nations to push for progress in areas where common ground has been reached and to give top priority to the development issue said the spokesman
During the meeting Qiao said developing nations especially African countries should be given increased representation in regard to the UN Security Council reform and broad consensus should be reached on the basis of democratic discussions and consultations
China opposes forced voting on any resolution where differences still exist and Chinas stance on UN reform has not changed the spokesman said Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Leaders of China and African countries will launch a summit in Beijing in autumn next year to discuss how to improve ChinaAfrica friendly and cooperative ties a diplomatic source with the Chinese Foreign Ministry told Xinhua here Tuesday
The summit will be held during the third ministerial meeting of the ChinaAfrica Forum the source said
Political analysts believe that China regards the development and prosperity of African countries as a foundation and very important precondition for peace and prosperity in the world
According to the latest official statistics out of countries on the African continent have established diplomatic relations with China
Strengthening cooperation with African countries and helping the countries shake off poverty are a very important component of Chinas foreign policy based on the principles of peace and independence which is also one of Chinas international responsibilities according to a senior Chinese diplomat who preferred to remain anonymous
China and Africa have seen burgeoning political cooperation In and foreign ministers and other senior officials from African countries visited China and Chinese leaders such as President Hu Jintao top legislator Wu Bangguo and Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing visited African countries
China also has granted tarifffree treatment to most underdeveloped countries in Africa Agreements reached at the ChinaAfrica Entrepreneur Conference have been largely implemented and boosted crossborder trade cooperation
China has scaled up its budget to support human resource training programs in Africa about professionals from African countries have been trained under the program in the past two years
In the public health and sanitary fields China has sent medical teams with doctors and medical staff to work in Africa helping the local people improve public sanitary conditions
China has attached importance to regional cooperation by sending about peacekeeping personnel since to help African countries safeguard local peace and security
Last September Chinese President Hu Jintao made a fivepoint proposal at a UN conference to back the development efforts made by African countries The proposal includes granting tarifffree treatment to more of the most underdeveloped African countries which have diplomatic relations with China reducing the debt of underdeveloped countries which have diplomatic relations with China and increasing material medical and human resource training assistance to African countries Enditem
GUIYANG Dec Xinhua Twelve miners trapped in Saturdays colliery fire in southwestern Guizhou Province were announced dead by local rescue headquarters Tuesday
Though the burning fire at the mouth of the shaft was put out on Sunday morning the miners are impossible to survive from the high temperature and toxic gas said an official with the provincial supervision administration on coal mine work safety
The fire broke out at about pm Saturday at the Xiangshui Coal Mine located at the Panxian County of Liupanshui City according to the Guizhou Provincial Coal Mine Safety Bureau
Investigation showed that an abnormally large quantity of gas spilled underground caused the fire said the official who declined to give his name
The coal mine with an output capacity of million tons a year is affiliated with the Pannan Power Plant in the county
Further investigation into the accident is underway Enditem
CHONGQING Dec Xinhua Ten people who experienced severe food poisoning in southwest Chinas Chongqing Municipality are announced out of critical conditional according to a hospital source
A mass food poisoning occurred on Saturday in Fengjie Countys Qixing village
Fiftyeight people suffered from nausea vomiting and twitching when attending a birthday banquet and are still being hospitalized
A preliminary investigation found that the incident was caused by a raticide called Dushuqiang and was most likely put into the food by someone deliberately
The local police are still investigating the case Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Cooperation between China and Africa is mutually beneficial Tanzanian Ambassador to China Charles Sanga said here Tuesday
Sanga said investment opportunities abound everywhere in Africa Resources have not yet been fully exploited China and Africa can enhance cooperation in resource exploitation infrastructure construction and fishery development
There are endlessly valuable opportunities for Chinese entrepreneurs he added
Tourism is the second largest foreign exchange earner in East Africa Sanga said
We would like to see Chinese investors construct five star hotels along the beaches of East Africa so as to speed up the regions trade development the ambassador said
The Chinese can also invest in Africas mining fishing and timbering sectors Sanga said
Africa is now in its most difficult phase to struggle against abject poverty hunger disease and ignorance Sanga said
Therefore we invite Chinese entrepreneurs to join hands with us to achieve economic and social prosperityhe added Enditem
by Fan Xi Meng Na
BEIJING Dec Xinhua With experience gained in reinvigorating Chinas northeast region the central government has started to study a transformation plan and related policy supports for reviving its old central industrial bases
China will work out an overall plan to inject vitality into its old northeast industrial rustbelts and also east Inner Mongolia to guide regional development in the next five years said a senior government official here Tuesday
In line with the mapping of the states th FiveYear Plan the central government will determine overall objectives and socioeconomic areas to focus on rejuvenating the northeast industrial region said Zhang Guobao director of the State Council Office for Rejuvenation of Northeast China
In a report delivered at a meeting of the Standing Committee of the th National Peoples Congress NPC Chinas top legislature he warned that the northeast region has been troubled with an increasingly large gap with the developed coastal areas since the starting of the openingup and reform era in the late s despite major progress achieved in the past two years by implementing the reinvigoration strategy
Government statistics show that the gross domestic product GDP of the three northeast rustbelt provinces of Liaoning Jilin and Helongjiang each jumped by over percent from last year the highest increase since but their proportion to the national total declined from percent in to percent in
In the aggregate economic volume of Guangdong Province was only one half of that of Liaoning but by the volume of three northeast provinces combined was only percent of that of Guangdong
The rejuvenation campaign remains an arduous task said Zhang stressing that the northeast region faces many difficulties such as stateowned enterprise SOE restructuring an extensive economic growth pattern and a huge amount of nonperforming loans
Along with their socioeconomic transformation the three provinces are under tremendous pressure to offer adequate job opportunities as its forestry farming military and coal mining industries alone have laidoff over million people
Three blasts in two coal mines and a petrochemical plant as well as the bird flu pandemic have also affected local socioeconomic development in
As the first year of the th FiveYear period plan approaches Zhang has urged the northeast regional governments to strive for innovation in restructuring by deepening SOE reform promoting the growth of the nongovernment sector gradually setting up a social security scheme that fits local conditions and attracts foreign investors strategic ones in particular
While consolidating the status of the northeast region as a grain production base its industrial structure should be improved to build the region into a technological equipment shipping and auto manufacturing base said Zhang
East Inner Mongolia and Helongjiang rich in coal can develop themselves by transmitting electricity to eastern and southern regions and intensifying electricity trade with Russia he said Enditem
CHENGDU Dec Xinhua Floods claimed a total lives this year in China but much fewer than that of the previous years said an official with the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters here Tuesday
Zhang Zhitong vice head of the headquarters office said at a meeting that China has seen very heavy rainfalls in
A total of provinces autonomous regions and municipalities suffered flood to different extents Zhang said
Compared with the past few years the flood season arrived earlier and lasted longer this year said the official
More than million people were affected by the floods and some million houses and over million hectares of crops were destroyed The total direct economic loss was as high as billion yuan billion US dollars much higher than the previous years the official said Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The output of Chinas shipbuilding industry reached million tons in making up percent of the global share according to the China Shipbuilding Industry Association
According to the association Chinas top two shipbuilding giants the China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation CSIC and the China State Shipbuilding Corporation CSSC reported annual output of million tons and million tons respectively
The two companies took twothirds of Chinas shipbuilding market said the association The rest of the market is covered by local shipbuilding companies
Sources from the CSSC said the company now has a total of million dwt of ship orders with a full production schedule for the next three years Enditem
TAIYUAN Dec Xinhua When yearold farmer Pei Chongjian from Pingyao County north Chinas Shanxi Province on Tuesday received a loan of yuan US dollars he did not expect that it would be written into Chinas banking history
Starting operation on Tuesday in the county Rishenglong and Jinyuantai symbolized the official establishment of New Chinas first batch of private banking companies
As a pilot banking firm Rishenglong is inevitably exposed to risks and difficulties But we will learn from our intelligent ancestors said Lei Jinkui founder of the Rishenglong company
More than years ago Leis forefather Lei Lutai in partnership with another Pingyao native Mao Honghui initiated Chinas earliest banking firm Rishengchang bringing currency conversion and credit to China for the first time
In the ensuing century a total of piaohaos or banking firms were established in Pingyao accounting for nearly half of Chinas total piaohaos Their business covered around commercial cities in China and expanded to Russia Mongolia Japan and Korea
In Pingyao the former private banking hub was brought into the limelight again for it was designated by the central government as one of pilot areas to launch private banking firms Other pilot areas selected were Shaanxi Guizhou Sichuan and Inner Mongolia
Pingyao was chosen for its banking history and wealth Wen Qihua deputy magistrate of the county said that Pingyao boasts a long history of banking services and affluent private capital at present Meanwhile there is huge loan demand from its robust rural economy
Experts say that private banking firms are currently only engaged in lending petty loans They do not yet have the permission to attract deposits Industry regulators are responsible for guiding and formulating the rules of game for them
Business decisions are to be made by their shareholders in line with market changes according to Guo Baomin deputy head of a subbranch of the Peoples Bank of China the central bank in Taiyuan the provincial capital
Wen said that the two newly established firms Rishenglong and Jinyuantai have registered capital of million yuan million dollars and million yuan million dollars They are required to grant percent of their loan to farmers Wen added
Wang Jianzhong magistrate of Pingyao County said that in the past farmers were unable to obtain loan from big banks and compelled to turn to illegal banking companies which used to be rampant in the county
A recent survey conducted by Chinese financial experts found that illegal banking loan involves billion yuan billion dollars across the country Chinas medium and small enterprises raise one third of the fund they need from illegal channels The proportion is as high as percent for farmers Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Japanese leaders wrongdoing on the Taiwan issue and wrong historical attitudes is the reason behind Japanese public sentiment toward China being at a record low Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said Tuesday
According to a Japanese Cabinet Office poll released Saturday the Japanese peoples feeling about China has worsened with a recordlow percent feeling good about the country down percentage points from a year ago
The major reason for the negative poll result is Japanese top leaders repeated wrongdoings on the Taiwan issue and its wrong attitudes toward history Qin Gang told a regular press conference
It is widely believed that Japanese Prime Minister Koizumi Junichiros repeated visits to the Yasukuni Shrine which honors million Japanese war dead including a dozen major World War II criminals is the main reason for the deterioration of ChinaJapan ties
The friendship between the two peoples constitutes a major part of ChinaJapan relations and Japan is expected to employ effective methods to mend the current bilateral situation Qin Gang said
We hope to see more active efforts from the Japanese side to promote mutual understanding and friendship between the two peoples Qin said Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua China will continue to strengthen its cooperation with the world community to deal with the challenge of bird flu said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang here Tuesday
China advocates that cooperation be carried out through international mechanisms so as to combat the spread of bird flu Qin said
In the meantime China holds international cooperation should be conducted in such areas as bird flu epidemiology virus testing and monitoring and the establishment of a bird flu laboratory network Qin added
Asian countries and the world community should share information and promote technical exchanges so as to explore new methods to control bird flu the spokesman said
When asked to comment on Chinas newly produced live vaccine against bird flu Qin said it was encouraging and gratifying news provided the vaccine can really help to prevent the spread of bird flu Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua China is currently facing a complicated energy security situation Vice Premier Zeng Peiyan said here on Tuesday while making a report on current energy security issues to Chinas top legislature
Zeng summed up current energy issues in China as follows the demand for energy has outstripped supply resource shortages restrict energy production outdated energy development technologies undermine improvements to the energy supply changes in the international energy market are having more impact on Chinas domestic energy market
To solve these issues we should economize energy and resources diversify energy sources and do our best to be selfsufficient said Zeng
He said Our aim for should be to reduce energy consumption per unit of GDP by percent compared with the figure
He said the domestic energy supply should be improved to ensure energy security This implied putting the optimization of the energy supply structure at the top of the agenda By renewable energy sources should account for percent of the countrys total energy supply Currently the figure is only seven percent Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Starting from Chinas Ministry of Health MOH will release news at a given date every month Health Minister Gao Qiang said here on Tuesday
As of Jan MOH will hold a news conference at am of the th day of each month or the next working day if the th is a holiday or a weekend said Gao at a meeting with major Chinese media including Xinhua News Agency the Peoples Daily and China Central Television
At news conferences the spokesperson and relevant officials of MOH will answer questions from journalists on major health events Gao said Meanwhile MOH will also release breaking or significant public health news on an irregular basis he said
Health is always a major concern for the public Medical reform drug safety and epidemic scares often dominate the frontpages of newspapers and are topics of everyday conversation said MOH spokesman Mao Qunan
Thus the ministry needs to give prompt concise information to the public on the public health sector so as to eliminate doubts and misunderstandings and kill rumors as well Mao told Xinhua
In the MOH information office held news conferences and arranged more than interviews for journalists while in it held news conferences and accepted interview requests from the media
Our news release mechanism has improved a lot since the SARS crisis and the outbreak of HN avian influenza We will try to do better in the future said Mao
MOH set up its information office in and its spokesman started speaking to the media in March Regular reports on infectious diseases and news releases on public health emergencies began in Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua As of Dec China will once again lift the upper limits of the deposit rates for US dollars and Hong Kong dollars in commercial banks within Chinese territory
The Peoples Bank of China PBOC the nations central bank declared on Tuesday that the upper limit for oneyear deposits of US dollars and Hong Kong dollars will increase percentage point and percentage point to percent and percent respectively
This is the fifth time this year that the central bank increases deposit rates for the two currencies The first was on July when the country initiated the reform of the Renminbi exchange rate
Despite the efforts the willingness of Chinese residents to make more deposits in foreign currencies continues to decline and their confidence in deposits in Renminbi is still on the rise according to a survey made by the central bank in the fourth quarter
The persistent willingness to make deposits is largely due to lack of proper channels for investment said an official with the central bank Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua China should have equal opportunities to take part in the development of Africa because Chinas involvement will help reduce poverty promote investment and widen the participation base a senior United Nations development official said here on Tuesday
Khalid Malik the UN resident coordinator in China said in an interview with the local press that all countries should be able to take part in the development of Africa the continent which has the sad distinction of having the largest number of the worlds poorest countries
Malik also resident representative of the United Nations Development Program UNDP in China said Africa is still a continent that is new to Chinese companies He said that because of the Wests long colonial past Western companies have established a network of links and market privileges in Africa
Malik disagreed with criticisms of Chinas increasing role in the development of Africa
I would say No to statements depicting China as pursuing socalled neocolonial activities in Africa Malik said
He noted that historically China has never been a colonizer Though it is true that China now needs more resources to sustain its rapid growth Chinas economic success can be turned into a winwin opportunity for Africa Malik said
Cooperation between China and Africa is based on friendship and is sustainable in the longterm Malik said noting that there are many similarities between Chinese and African cultures Both emphasize that friendship is more important than business he said
As a veteran development expert Malik has worked in Africa for decades and often visited there He has spent the past two and half years mainly in China
The rapid improvement of political relations between China and Africa in the past two years will naturally lead to trade and economic cooperation The allround deepening of ChinaAfrica relations is a result of political will and economic interests coming together Malik said
According to official figures trade volume between China and Africa grew from one billion US dollars in to more than billion US dollars in
Malik said though the trade volume has grown rapidly in recent years relatively it is still small accounting for less than three percent of Chinas total trade volume in He said there is still a gap between Chinese companies in Africa and their Western counterparts in terms of size and competitiveness
The United Nations encourages Chinese companies especially private companies to invest in Africa Noting that the private sector plays a key role in reducing poverty in any country in the world Malik said China has set an example in orienting the private sector for social purposes
Private companies in China launched a poverty alleviation program with government support in Now the Guangcai Program also known as the Glory Program has become a major contributor to the UNDP global poverty reduction endeavor
China has set an example for other developing countries by reducing poverty effectively through rapid development of the private sector Malik said
Results of the countrys latest economic census show that the private sector makes up about onethird of total capital in China
Malik said the UNDP will help Chinese companies invest in African countries by mobilizing its network of resident representative offices in all capital cities on the continent He said the UNDP will help Chinese companies enter the African market in an effective sustainable way The UNDP is now actively involved in preparing the establishment of the ChinaAfrica Business Council CABC a nongovernment organization devoted to promoting exchanges and cooperation between the Chinese and African corporate sectors
Through the partnership with the CABC the UNDP will provide substantial service for Chinese companies going to Africa including objective information on the investment environment contact with decision making authorities and identification of solid reliable partners
Malik suggested that the CABC set up representative offices in six African countries Cameroon Ghana Mozambique Nigeria Tanzania and Kenya He said the Chinese private sector has played an important role in poverty alleviation in China over the past decade The establishment of the CABC will provide a platform for mutually beneficial cooperation between China and Africa
Malik expressed the belief that the involvement of Chinese companies in African development is bound to contribute to the achievement of the Millennium poverty alleviation goals Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua A workshop was held in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Tuesday to mark the th anniversary of the birth of Shu Tong one of the bestknown Chinese calligraphers and the first chairman of the Chinese Calligraphers Association
Wu Guanzheng member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Central Committees Political Bureau sent a message to the workshop saying that Shus revolutionary spirit and calligraphic art are a valuable treasure which is worthwhile for younger generations to learn and carry forward
Li Tieying vice chairman of the National Peoples Congress Standing Committee and State Councilor Chen Zhili attended the meeting
In her speech Chen called Shu an oldergeneration revolutionary peoples artist and pathbreaker and founder of the calligraphic achievements of New China
Born in Shu joined in the Communist Party of China CPC in and contributed to the victory of the Chinese Revolution CPC leader Mao Zedong called him the calligrapher on horseback
Shu died of illness in Beijing in
In addition to this workshop a photography and calligraphy show was also held in the city Furthermore The Cultural Heritage Publishing House has published a collection of Shus calligraphic works Enditem
FUZHOU Dec Xinhua East Chinas Fujian Province will open all governmentfunded parks to visitors free of charge in five years a local construction official has said
The move is aimed at enabling local people to fully enjoy beautiful scenes of local parks a result of the local governments afforestation efforts said Hong Jiexu deputy head of the Fujian Provincial Construction Bureau at a provincial meeting on the construction of urban parks on Monday
Currently Fujian has urban parks covering hectares and attracting over million visitors annually The number of parks acreage of parks and visitors rose by percent percent and percent over the respective figures for the year
Hong said that currently Fujian has opened more than urban parks to visitors free of charge
The Yushan scenic zone is the first park in the province which opened to visitors free of charge in Enditem
NANJING Dec Xinhua China has published a series of historical documents on the notorious Nanjing Massacre in a bid to reflect history truthfully objectively and comprehensively
The series contains volumes with the first eight issued in July this year and the remainder issued Tuesday in Nanjing capital of east Chinas Jiangsu Province
Its compilers consist of more than professors and scholars from Nanjing University Nanjing Normal University Jiangsu Provincial Academy of Social Sciences the Second China Historical Archives Nanjing Municipal Historical Archives Jiangsu Provincial Administrative College and Central China Normal University
It took us five years to complete the painstaking work said Dr and Prof Zhang Xianwen of Nanjing University also chief editor of the series at Tuesdays launch ceremony in Nanjing
The compilers went to the United States Japan Britain Germany and Taiwan to collect historical materials during the past few years Zhang added that they had collected compiled and translated a total of million words of original materials in Chinese Japanese English and German
The series contains many firsthand materials of inflicters victims and third parties It has a very precious historical value Zhang said
Not a single sentence or word of compilers has been inserted into the content and the original appearance of the historical materials was thus kept he said
In addition many materials are being published for the first time he added
The last and also the th volume contains picture and photos offered by former Japanese army officers and soldiers and by people from the United States and European countries which truthfully record the atrocities committed by the Japanese troops in Nanjing years ago
Japanese troops occupied Nanjing on Dec and launched a sixweek long massacre Historical records show that more than Chinese people not only disarmed soldiers but also civilians were slain in the holocaust
Due to controversial shrine visits history textbook distortions and unilateral oil field exploration Japan has experienced chilly relations with China this year
In the relations between the two countries reached a nadir since the bilateral ties were normalized in diplomatic observers said Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The Supreme Peoples Court of China launched a public polling campaign for the nations top ten judges in on Tuesday
The campaign is cosponsored by the Supreme Court China Central Television CCTV and other two nationwide newspapers which will broadcast and publish stories of candidate judges
The Supreme Court has recognized the candidate judges recommended by each provincial High Court as well as the branch court in Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps and the courtmartial
Audiences can submit their votes in paper form online and ShortMessageService SMS by mobile devices
Li Ke a senior official of the Supreme Court said that the public polling of Chinas top ten judges is way to build up judges images among the people and enhance the public reputation of the judiciary
The votes will be collected and calculated by the National Bureau of Statistics and the top ten judges will be awarded a Golden Mallet The winners will be announced in February according to the Supreme Court Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The State Council or Chinas cabinet appointed here on Tuesday Long Xinmin Commissioner of the State Press and Publication Administration replacing Shi Zongyuan
According to the appointment Long will serve concurrently as head of Chinas National Copyright Administration
Long who had served as head of Beijings Press and Publication Bureau for many years was promoted to be deputy secretary of the Beijing Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China in
Long was born in September and was a native of central Chinas Hunan Province
Also on Tuesday Hu Jiayan female was appointed deputy director of the State General Administration of Sport replacing Li Zhijian Enditem
HANGZHOU Dec Xinhua East Chinas Zhejiang Province home to such renowned scenic spots as the West Lake earned more than billion yuan billion US dollars in tourism revenue in up percent from the provincial tourism administration announced Tuesday
The province reported million overseas visitors in They spent billion US dollars of foreign exchange up percent Domestic visitors reached million and spent billion yuan billion US dollars the administration said
As a main industry in Zhejiang tourism also contributes an estimated million people jobs according to the administration
Zhejiang ranked fifth among provincial or autonomous areas on the Chinese mainland in terms of the number of overseas tourist arrivals and foreign exchange earnings in said Zhong Shan vice governor of Zhejiang
In Zhejiang launched a series of tourist activities during Chinas golden week holidays and held tourism promotions across the country and in some foreign countries to attract more visitors according to the administration
Zhejiang is famous for tourist attractions such as prestigious Qiandao Lake in western Zhejiang picturesque West Lake and elegant Leifeng Pagoda located in its capital Hangzhou Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Chinas top legislature the Standing Committee of the th National Peoples Congress NPC debated here on Tuesday a draft designed to protect the rights and interests of the countrys workers through making labor contracts obligatory
Mandatory articles should be included to make it an obligation for employers to sign labor contracts with their employees said some lawmakers attending the ongoing NPC Standing Committee session
Fines should also be introduced to help guide the employers into signing contracts with their employees they said
According to an earlier survey the rate of the signing of labor contracts in small or mediumsized private companies and among migrant workers is under percent
China introduced labor contract practices years ago but the situation remains far from adequate Problems like nonstandard articles and inadequate implementation are common Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Chinese Vice Premier Wu Yi outlined here on Tuesday the major jobs the organizing committee of the Shanghai World Expo should accomplish in the near future
With the theme of Better City Better Life the expo will be held from May to Oct and is expected to attract the participation of some countries and international organizations as well as nearly million visitors
The organizing committee should work actively to absorb and pool wisdom and strength from various circles of life said Wu at a committee meeting in Beijing
The exhibition halls should be designed at high standards and the construction of the infrastructure and the expo halls should be conducted carefully said Wu head of the organizing committee
She also urged the committee to further promote the expo worldwide so as to attract more participants Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua A special voice that can highlight the beauty of Xiao Longnv and her love story is being sought through the Internet said Zhang Jizhong the wellknown TV series maker specializing in Jin Yongs literary works here Tuesday
Jin Yong who ranks as one of the bestselling writers of the th century in China is best known for his combination tragic yet beautiful love stories with bloody power struggles In his masterpiece She Diao Ying Xiong Zhuan he created a beautiful girl named Xiao Longnv who had misfortune all her life yet gradually won the love of a hero Yang Guo
In the She Diao Ying Xiong Zhuan Zhang said the wanted voice will be background music for almost every scene in which Xiao Longnv appears
The voice should be high yet mild just like what the image of Xiao Longnv left in our mind Zhang stressed
Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua A hundred outstanding Chinese films have been selected in memory of the Chinese film centennial the jury announced in Beijing on Tuesday
A hundred films and three extra cartoon films were selected from the nominated by a jury consisting of film artists critics and historians in the Chinese mainland said Zhang Sitao jury chairman and president of the China Society of Taiwan and Hong Kong Films Research
According to the selection statute feature films traditional opera films and cartoon films which were shot by studios in the mainland Hong Kong Macao and Taiwan were qualified for nomination
The Promise directed by Chen Kaige was in the list of selected films though the selection had finished before the film was publicly released in December
Chens Yellow Earth was also chosen
The list also includes three films by Zhang Yimou Red Sorghum Qiu Ju Goes to Court and Hero
Among the percent were made after the foundation of New China in Zhang said
Twelve films made in Hong Kong and eight made in Taiwan were included in the list
The Hong Kong films include Drunken Master by Yuen Wooping Police Story by Jackie Chan A Better Tomorrow by John Woo Rouge by Stanley Kwan Butterfly Murders by Tsui Hark Chungking Express by Wong Kaiwai and Infernal Affairs by Wai Keung Lau and Siu Fai Mak
The named Taiwan films include Beautiful Duckling by Hsing Lee A City of Sadness by Hou HsiaoHsien and Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon and Eat Drink Man Woman by Ang Lee
The selection organized by the Chinese Film Critics Society and the China Society of Taiwan and Hong Kong Films Research went on with three standards the unity of ideology and art the status in the film history and the influence among the public
The result reflects the general panorama of the centennial Chinese film in a basically accurate and acrosstheboard way said the Film Bureau of the State Administration of Radio Film and Television which authorized the selection Enditem
CHANGCHUN Dec Xinhua More than people took part in traditional winter fishing on Chagan Lake in northeastern part of Jilin Province on Tuesday setting a new record in Guinness Records for its scale
Yi De a representative from the Shanghai Great World Guinness Book of Records center granted a certificate to the government of Qian Gorlos Mongolian Autonomous County where the lake is located
The traditional winter fishing requires close cooperation among fishermen who arrange themselves in groups of sixty
Six groups took part in Tuesdays fishing harvesting of more than kilograms of fish according to the county government
Winter fishing on icecovered Chagan Lake dates back to the Liao and Jin dynasties from th century to the th century Emperors at that time used to come to the lake to fishing and hold fish head banquets
Today local fishermen must hold a ritual to offer a sacrifice to the lake god before they begin winter fishing
Chagan lake White Lake in Mongolian covering an area of square kms is the ninth largest freshwater lake in China and is home to some species of fish Enditem
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greenhouse gasbusinessweek
Carbon monoxide curbs colitis in mice
By David Douglas
NEW YORK Reuters Health Its definitely not something
to be tried at home but the poisonous gas carbon monoxide can
ease colon inflammation animal experiments show
The original impetus for this study researcher Dr Scott
E Plevy told Reuters Health was based on a wellestablished
clinical observation that cigarette smoking is actually
protective against the development of one form of inflammatory
bowel disease ulcerative colitis
Since carbon monoxide or CO is a prominent component of
cigarette smoke he added we wished to address whether
lowlevel CO exposure may ameliorate colitis in a mouse model
of inflammatory bowel disease which in fact it did
The results are reported in the Journal of Experimental
Medicine Plevy at the University of Pittsburgh and
colleagues used a concentration of CO about equivalent to that
produced by a person smoking to packs of cigarettes per
day
In searching for a mechanism underlying the
antiinflammatory effect the team learned that CO acts through
an enzyme called heme oxygenase
In fact continued Plevy we see the same protective
effects against colon inflammation when we use compounds that
induce heme oxygenase as we saw with CO itself
Its possible that new drugs that specifically trigger
production of heme oxygenase might eventually be an
alternative to carbon monoxide for treating inflammatory bowel
disease in humans he added as CO certainly has negative
connotations as an entity that is lethal if you inhale too much
of it
This is where we hope this research goes in the future
Plevy concluded
SOURCE Journal of Experimental Medicine December
Energysaving goods for comfortable life growing popular
By Shinichi Tokuda
TOKYO Dec Kyodo Global warming affects everyone on the
planet and many people are becoming more interested in saving energy
consumption to help slow down environmental deterioration
But they hesitate to give up their energyconsuming lifestyles
intent on maintaining comfortable temperatures and humidity levels in
their homes
In response some companies have developed highperformance
building materials that keep the living environment comfortable while
saving energy consumption and these materials are becoming more
widely used in new houses in Japan
INAX Corp started up with sintering clay tiles and has
persistently tried to take advantage of natural materials to achieve
comfortable living environments said Masatomo Yoshikawa a senior
official at the INAX Environmental Promotion Office
In the ceramics maker launched the Ecocarat claybased
building material for breathing walls that can keep indoor
humidity in a comfortable range between to percent with
ventilation through micro holes
The Ecocarat wall can help prevent the propagation of ticks and
mold and absorb bad smells The material has been selling well for
use in bedrooms and living rooms Yoshikawa said
In April INAX put on sale the Thermofloor bathroom
flooring material which uses an insulation mechanism to remain warm
even without a floor heating system that consumes energy
A study indicated that the Thermofloor can help prevent elderly
peoples blood pressure from rising upon entry to the bathroom
INAX will focus on products that are comfortable economical
and environmentally friendly Yoshikawa said
The enhancement of insulation in doors and windows can help
save energy consumption while keeping the indoor environment
comfortable said Tadashi Sakamura a spokesman for Tostem Corp
the largest sash maker in Japan
A combination of insulation sashes and doubleglazed windows can
halve annual airconditioning costs he said
The product had initially sold only in northern Japan but has
been selling well throughout the nation as people have grown more
conscious of environmental conservation Sakamura said
The construction industry has also seen the growing popularity
of passive technologies that use solar and other natural energy
sources to make the living environment comfortable
The OM Solar Association has pioneered the passive solar
system to utilize solar energy without costly photovoltaic cells
The system takes outdoor air through eaves into the attic heats
the air through sunshine on the roof and sends the warmed air through
ducts to underfloor concrete which releases heat at night to
provide natural floor heating In summer the system sends hot air
out of the attic to help lower the indoor temperature
Teaming up with more than construction firms throughout
Japan the OM Solar Association has sold the passive solar system for
more than new houses
A wide range of people not limited to environmentally conscious
citizens have grown more interested in the system over the past few
years an OM Solar Association official said
Kyodo
Dangerous times on Brazils Amazon frontier
By Andrew Hay
ALTAMIRA Brazil Reuters Amazon land activist
Deurival Santiago has the look of a hunted man
Unshaven his eyes bloodshot and his head bowed the
yearold sits in the back room of a safe house near Brazils
muddy TransAmazonian highway as logging trucks roll by outside
A friend watches the gate for gunmen he says were hired to
kill him after he clashed with land grabbers advancing on the
prized eastern flank of Brazils Amazon rain forest
Activists like Santiago often protect peasant settlers in
jungle areas where the government still has little control
That puts them in conflict with largescale loggers
ranchers and land speculators pushing into an area of Para state
known as the Terra do Meio or Middle Land Its the main
battleground in the fight to slow destruction of the worlds
largest rain forest
I had to run because I was going to die that day says
Santiago who left behind his wife and children in November in
Pacaja miles km southeast of regional centre
Altamira
Brazil created the worlds biggest environmental protection
area this year in the Terra do Meio to slow deforestation after
US nun and Amazon defender Dorothy Stang was murdered in
February miles km from Altamira Two Brazilian men were
convicted on Dec of her murder
The government raised funding for settlement of peasant
migrants to farm and selectively log small areas without
totally destroying the forest
But President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has not committed
enough resources to police the rain forest and ensure the
percent reduction in deforestation during becomes a
permanent trend federal officials and activists say
MIGRANT INFLUX
Plans to someday asphalt the TransAmazonian an
impassable quagmire for half the year and build a hydro
electricity plant near Altamira have increased the influx of
migrants and intensified battles for unprotected jungle areas
Five people were murdered in land feuds in the Altamira
region this year some involving peasants killing one another
A rancher and deputy mayor of Altamira Silverio Fernandes
said the activists added to the violence They are trying to do
the federal governments job he said
Yet civic leaders in Altamira say officials for the federal
environmental law enforcement agency or IBAMA are on the take
from loggers and ranchers They say local civil and military
police support or turn a blind eye to killings and crimes
Sitting in a rented house that is Altamiras federal police
station state superintendent Jose Salles says he has yet to see
million promised for new posts after Stangs murder
The federal police only arrived in Altamira last year They
have three pickups and agents for an area of jungle larger
than Britain or nearly the size of Texas
The regions first federal court opened on Dec
Activists say they finally have some defenders Yet police
say they know their limits in an area where most people have a
gun We are not crusaders for justice says federal police
superintendent Mario Nery wearing a grey suit and red tie
Behind him criminal files piled up to the ceiling
SADDLES CHAINSAWS
In the centre of town where ranchers in new pickups whiz
past stores selling barbed wire saddles and chainsaws Santiago
visits the land reform agency to ask for help
With a smiling portrait of Lula behind him federal land
reform chief Bruno Kempner promises to send his agents into
illegally occupied land near Pacaja
The army has accompanied federal officials since Stangs
death allowing them to enter areas controlled by gunmen
Kempner said his budget is times higher than in
and he plans to settle six times more peasants this year His
problem is protecting them The government only controls
percent of federal lands in the region
We have to put more forces in says Kempner a former land
activist who worked with Stang He charges local civil police
ally with ranchers to evict peasants after he settles them
Para state civil police chief Luiz Fernandes denied the
allegation and said all expulsions were legal and court ordered
For the Catholic Bishop of Altamira Austrianborn Erwin
Krautzer the only way to curb the violence and save the forest
is for the justice system to decide what land belongs to whom
The Altamira region is a mess of competing property claims
that have long been settled with bribes and guns
The whole of the Amazon is a clandestine cemetery there
has been so much killing in these past years says Krautzer
looking out over the Xingu river at ranch land that was virgin
forest when he arrived in Altamira in
Santiago will never be safe again in Pacaja He knows the
local gunmen hired to get him
They think that when you start to kill you solve the
problem but you dont solve anything he says
The strict regulation in Chiyoda Ward has caused trouble to the
neighboring Bunkyo Ward by sending many people in Chiyoda to the
Bunkyo side of the boundary dividing the two wards just for
smoking
The result many cigarette butts are discarded near the boundary
between the wards
We have heard lots of requests from Bunkyo Ward residents that
the ward should also ban street smoking said Shunsuke Shima an
official of the environmental protection department of Bunkyo Ward
Bunkyo Ward does not fine violators Instead it designates
smoking areas on its streets
Smoking is after all a matter of individual taste and we
think imposing a fine is too much said Mitsuru Yamashita manager
at the environmental protection department of Minato Ward which has
similar regulations to Bunkyo Our focus is on the coexistence of
nonsmokers and smokers
Kyodo
Municipalities aim to improve manners on street smoking
By Minoru Matsutani
TOKYO Dec Kyodo Dressed in yellow windbreakers that read
from manners to rule Mariko Tokunaga and Minoru Kojima
both employees of Tokyos Chiyoda Ward government leave their office
at am on a cold December day
Their job is to patrol the streets and collect yen
fines from pedestrians who are spotted smoking on streets an action
banned under the wards ordinance
We find much fewer people violating the ordinance compared
with when I started this job in April Kojima said
No other municipality in Japan has been as strict as Chiyoda in
banning street smoking But other municipalities have introduced
some form of regulation to discourage people from smoking or
littering cigarette butts while walking according to Japan Tobacco
Inc
Moves to regulate street smoking such as designating smoking
areas on streets have been the most conspicuous in the past two
years with municipalities adopting related regulations in the
period
Smoking has seen a downtrend in Japan due to stricter
regulations both indoor and outdoor as well as greater awareness of
its hazardous effects on health
The number of smokers in Japan has continued to drop since
according to JT It came to an alltime low of million in
accounting for percent of the entire Japanese population down
from a peak of percent in
Backed by JT the efforts by the municipalities covering about
percent of Japans population have proved to be a success because
the numbers of abandoned cigarette butts and street smokers have
dropped dramatically
We want smokers to have good manners so they dont have to
feel guilty about smoking We want to see a society which is
acceptable to both smokers and nonsmokers said Tsutomu Sonoda
deputy manager of JTs social environment creation division
JT whose domestic market share was given as percent in
September supports municipalities in setting up designated smoking
areas launching campaigns to clean the streets and sponsoring
programs to educate people on smoking manners Sonoda said
In Chiyoda the number of cigarette butts abandoned at four
selected street spots has plummeted percent following the
enforcement of the ordinance in October
Figures also have plunged by more than percent in both Minato
and Suginami wards
The number of street smokers in the two wards has also decreased
by up to percent ward officials said
But Kaoru Takemura an official of an association set up to
promote segregation of smokers and nonsmokers warned that not all
the municipalities have solved the problem of passive smoking
For example people with asthma start coughing when they
approach smoking areas which are often set up near train stations
he said
Of the municipalities only three including Chiyoda Ward
ban smoking on all sections of the street and actually fine
violators
The city of Shizuoka is expected to join the three
municipalities as the city assembly has decided to ban street smoking
on Dec in response to a petition filed by a yearold asthma
patient
I want the city to become free from secondhand smoke the
patient Yuta Oishi said
Chiyoda Ward welcomes Shizuokas move as it hopes to be a model
case for antistreet smoking
But Kentaro Ogawa assistant manager of Chiyodas environment
and civil engineering department said We havent got to the point
where the morals of the whole society have improved We will work on
that for a while
Chiyoda Ward deploys eight to officials in four to nine teams
every day to patrol the streets
As expected smokers complain about Chiyodas tough measures
A man who was fined in Akihabara in the ward said More street
signs should be erected to attract pedestrians attention to the
ordinance He also said a yen fine is too expensive
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KIEV Dec Xinhua The last Ukrainian troops stationing in Iraq
have left the country the Defense Ministry said on Tuesday
A statement issued by the Defense Ministry said The column comprised of eight armored personnel carriers and soldiers has arrived in Kuwait adding that Kiev has fulfilled its pledge to withdraw all Ukrainian troops from Iraq by the end of Enditem
BERLIN Dec Xinhua Former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder will get up to US dollars per speech a German newspaper reported on Tuesday
The Bild a German tabloid newspaper said that Schroeder will sign a contract with the US Harry Walker Agency and the former chancellor could earn between and US dollars per speech
Schroeders office in Berlin confirmed the exchancellor was cooperating with the US firm but declined to give any further details the German news agency DPA reported
Schroeder resigned in November after being defeated in Septembers elections
He drew sharp criticism from his opposition for signing on as a supervisory board member of a joint GermanRussian pipeline company which was set up under an agreement Schroeder signed with Russian President Vladimir Putin Enditem
LONDON Dec Xinhua About half of Britons agree that no new nuclear power stations should be built in Britain said an online poll commissioned by the Guardian newspaper on Tuesday
The poll conducted in midDecember on some people aged above years old and published by the Guardian on Tuesday finds that while ministers are considering whether to restart Britains controversial atomic power program to meet growing energy demand as North Sea crude oil output declines coupled with rising fuel prices percent of people oppose expanding nuclear energy whereas percent support it
However there are sharp gender differences as percent of men and percent of women are for new nuclear power stations whereas percent of women and percent of men are against
About percent of Britains electricity is generated by its nuclear power stations but it is expected to drop to seven percent by as older reactors will be switched off
British Prime Minister Tony Blair announced last month a review of Britains energy policies and a report is expected in the summer
Nuclear supporters say renewable energy sources cannot fill the energy gap and reactors do not produce greenhouse gases Opponents however believe that nuclear power is expensive disposal of radioactive waste remains unresolved and that significant carbon dioxide emissions are produced in the building and mining of uranium fuel Enditem
KHABAROVSK Russia Dec Xinhua Residents in Khabarovsk have emerged from the shadows of a toxic slick floating down Chinas Songhua River with tap water supply unaffected in the city the Far East department of the Emergency Situations Ministry said Tuesday
The latest data showed the bulk of the toxic slick has flowed past Khabarovsk and its tail is expected to wind its way out later in the day the press service of the department said
By Tuesday morning the front of the toxic slick had moved km downstream from Khabarovsk and the concentration of benzene in the citys water was within safety limits it said
A blast at a chemical plant in Chinas northeast last month caused a spill of about tons of benzene into the Songhua River forming a frozen toxic slick that headed slowly toward Russia
The front of the slick reached Khabarovsk on Dec Life in the city of people remained largely unaffected due to effective emergency measures
China has sent Russia hundreds of tons of activated carbon to mitigate the effects of the toxic spill and provided other technical assistance to help tackle the slick
The citys emergency department will return to regular operations starting am Thursday GMT Wednesday emergency officials said
A blast at a chemical plant last month caused about tons of benzene a harmful chemical to spew into the Songhua River in northeast China The most concentrated part of the toxic slick has flowed past Khabarovsk where benzene levels did not exceed the safety level Enditem
BERLIN Dec Xinhua Germany will still face high unemployment in despite a possible stronger growth a leading economist said on Tuesday
At least two percent GDP growth is needed in Germany to seriously reduce the unemployment which is about percent nationwide Peter Bofinger told the Deutsche Welle
However analysts estimated that Germany will see a growth of to percent in already up from the one percent predicted by Bofinger and his colleagues in November
Bofinger said Germany continues to suffer from a weak domestic demand and recent growth has been largely promoted by increasing exports
The economist also suggested that Germany set up a program to supplement lowwage employees to stimulate consumption
If somebody earns euros about US dollars as an employee the state pays another percent or percent so they can live from this wage he said Enditem
WASHINGTON Dec Xinhua The following are major news items in leading US newspapers on Tuesday
The New York Times
An analysis of preliminary voting results released Monday from the Dec parliamentary election suggests that in contrast to the remarkable surge in Sunni Arab participation in the political process the Sunnis still have comparatively little representation in the Iraqi security forces
The Washington Post
The spiraling cost of posttraumatic stress disorder among war veterans has triggered a politically charged debate and ignited fears that the government is trying to limit expensive benefits for emotionally scarred troops returning from Iraq and Afghanistan
Police yesterday described a harrowing scene at the Great Falls home where a triple slaying occurred Christmas morning with the yearold gunman rampaging through the spacious residence shooting two victims at bedside and one cowering in a closet
The Wall Street Journal
Holiday spending rose percent from last year according to one early projection The strongest gains came in home furnishings while sales of consumer electronics were also strong fueled by purchases of flatpanel TVs and digital cameras Jewelry sales fell Online spending continued to explode with Internet retail sales expected to show a percent increase Enditem
MEXICO CITY Dec Xinhua Latin Americas three major stock markets closed mixed on Tuesday
Mexico Citys stock market IPC index rose percent and closed at points A total of million shares were traded at million US dollars
In Sao Paulo Latin Americas biggest bourse the leading Bovespa index closed at points up percent The trade volume was million dollars
The Buenos Aires stock market closed with the Merval index down percent and ended at points The trade volume was million dollars Enditem
MOSCOW Russias energy minister on Tuesday denied reports of a compromise in its demand that Ukraine pay more than quadruple the current price for gas supplies amid an increasingly tense row that could see Russia shut the taps for the neighbor RussiaUkraineGas
DAMASCUS Syrian President Bashar alAssad reasserted on Tuesday that his country was innocent in the killing of Lebanese expremier Rafik Hariri and urged a UN probe to be objective and away from political pressures reported the official SANA news agency SyriaHariri
TEHRAN A senior Iranian lawmaker here on Tuesday said that Iran regarded negotiations as a logical and positive means to solve the countrys nuclear issue the semi official Mehr news agency reported IranNuclear
LAGOS Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo on Tuesday met separately with Sudanese and Chadian delegations over the crisis in western Sudanese region of Darfur in his hometown Ota in Nigerias southwestern state of Ogun local media reported on Tuesday NigeriaDarfur
BERLIN Germany will still face high unemployment in despite a possible stronger growth a leading economist said on Tuesday
At least percent GDP growth is needed in Germany to seriously reduce the unemployment which is about percent nationwide Peter Bofinger told the Deutsche Welle GermanyUnemployment
WARSAW Poland will keep its troops in Iraq until the end of Prime Minister Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz said on Tuesday
Poland has been a staunch US ally in Iraq Warsaw sent combat troops to the country and in September took command of an international force that currently numbers some troops PolandIraqTroops Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Following are some of the major international news stories scheduled to be covered or pursued by Xinhua on Wednesday
The first test satellite of Europes Galileo navigation system will be launched at GMT on Wednesday by a Russian rocket
Poland to scale down military presence in Iraq
The last batch of Ukrainian troops withdraw from Iraq
Venezuela to strengthen relations with African countries
Yearender Scientific cooperation increasingly goes global Enditem
RABAT Dec Xinhua Moroccan security forces have dismantled a terrorist cell believed to have international links and detained all of its members reported the Moroccan press on Tuesday
Its leader identified as Mohamed Said Idghiri once active in the north of the country had received secret paramilitary training in a foreign military camp according to the official news agency MPA
Back in Morocco since September he started planning attacks within the territory of Morocco with the help of international terrorist groups said MPA
The security forces had been keeping close watch over Said Idghiri and his nascent terror group and launched a preemptive operation to stop their plans the report added
The suspects will be questioned and then brought to court it said
Morocco has stepped up its counterterrorism measures with more than arrests since May when a string of suicide bomb attacks in Casablanca killed people Enditem
by Mao Lei
BEIJING Dec Xinhua With globalization entering a new phase a notable feature has been the increase in the extent and depth of worldwide scientific cooperation
Topics of scientific research are becoming internationalized as a result of the development of the global village
The past year has seen a world repeatedly ravaged by disasters including the deadly Indian Ocean tsunami Hurricane Katrina in the United States and a worldwide bird flu outbreak
In todays world where human society has become more closely linked than ever it is impossible for any single country to stay safe from a global disaster such as an epidemic
Global issues critical to the survival of human beings such as climate change developing sustainable and safe energy sources and the restoration and preservation of the environment also call for more international coordination and cooperation
COOPERATION ON MAJOR SCIENTIFIC ISSUES MAKES HEADWAY
In international cooperation on a number of major science and technology issues has made significant progress
Under the sponsorship of the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization UNESCO coastal countries concluded their multiround consultation on the establishment of a tsunami warning system in the Indian Ocean
Moreover at a world disaster relief conference in January in Kobe Japan the United Nations announced a plan to establish a global disaster warning system to give early warning on all types of natural disasters
The UN Kyoto Protocol on curbing greenhouse gas emissions also formally came into effect in February thanks to international efforts
In October in Canada delegates to a UN climate change conference agreed to start negotiation on postKyoto Protocol targets as well as to launch talks on the longterm strategies on the control of global warming
Global scientific cooperation had another resounding victory when the European Union EU the United States Russia Japan South Korea and China chose France to host the worlds first nuclear fusion reactor in June
The billioneuro about billion US dollars project seeking to turn seawater into fuel by mimicking the way the sun produces energy marks a major step in the pursuit of seeking cheaper safer and cleaner energy
As the bird flu topped the agenda of many international and regional meetings in the Geneva international conference succeeded in adopting a onebilliondollar global action plan to combat the disease
SCIENTIFIC GLOBALIZATION MORE CONVENIENT MORE NECESSARY
With information and communication technologies renewing daily and capital talent and knowledge flowing rapidly on a global scale science and technology research increasingly goes global
Offshoring of research and development is on the rise with more multinationals setting up research and development RD laboratories abroad according to a report by the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development OECD in
Foreign companies account for percent of industrial RD in Hungary and Ireland The share of RD conducted by multinationals is also over percent in Portugal Spain and Sweden the report said
In the United States the worlds science and technology powerhouse multinationals have tripled their science and technology RD investment since the s according to other statistics
As scientific research becomes far more complicated than in the past cooperation on major scientific projects also becomes a must for further scientific development
Meanwhile geographic factors have become less important with the advancement of technologies making it more convenient to conduct scientific cooperation on a global scale In particular distance is no longer a problem
SCIENTIFIC GLOBALIZATION CHALLENGES DEVELOPED AND DEVELOPING NATIONS
However the wave of science and technology globalization brings both opportunities and challenges
Many developed nations are planning to sharply increase their science and technology investment in the next five to ten years for fears that they may lose the competitive edge in an intensified global arena of scientific competition
In the United States there are worries that the country may lose its science and technology leadership without strong steps A page National Academy of Sciences study called for more investment in education and research
The EU recently urged its member states to spend percent of their GDP for RD by up from about percent in
Japan has planned to budget a mammoth billion dollars over the next five years to maintain its reputation as a scientific powerhouse amid fears that it is losing its technological edge
Britain published a tenyear report in setting out a longterm vision for science and innovation together with the aim that public and private investment in RD should reach percent of GDP by from a current level of percent
Although the phenomenon of increasing scientific globalization opens new possibilities for developing countries to obtain capital and technologies the scientific dominance of developed countries threatens to further widen the existing divide between the developed and the developing
The knowledge divide has further separated countries endowed with powerful research and development potential from nations with deficient education systems and research power a UNESCO report said
As the OECD countries devote an average of percent of their GDPs to scientific RD in SubSaharan African and Arabian countries the figures only stand at percent and percent respectively it said warning that the divide may continue to widen further Enditem
ALMA ATA Dec Xinhua Kyrgyzstans Chief Prosecutor Kambaraly Kongantiyev said on Monday that former defense minister Esen Topoyev is wanted for suspected involvement in illegal arms dealing and other crimes
The chief prosecutor said the crimes committed by Topoyev who currently lives in Russia could be generally categorized as corruption But he gave no specific details of the allegations
Kongantiyev said the former defense minister was now believed to be working at a Russian military unit
If he Topoyev takes on Russian citizenship the investigations could become more complicated he said
Topoyev who was sworn in as defense minister in August moved to Russia after former Kyrgyz president Askar Akayev was ousted in March this year Enditem
BRASILIA Dec Xinhua An early morning fire on Tuesday in the Brazilian capital could have been caused by an arson attack Social Security Minister Nelson Machado said
Machado hinted at the possibility at a press conference hours after the fire which destroyed the top six floors of the building of Brazils National Social Security Institute along with important files as well as digital copies of all the proceedings
The fire also ruined many documents containing information on the collection of debts from business and philanthropic groups
The result of a police inquiry would be known in about two weeks the minister said
He pledged the million beneficiaries of the social security system would receive their payment as normal next week
More than fire brigades rushed to the scene after the fire broke out at am local time GMT and it took two hours to bring the blaze under control
The firemen said the fire was the biggest they had ever seen in the capital in a decade
Early reports indicated that the fire could have been caused by a short circuit in air conditioning equipment Enditem
QUITO Dec Xinhua The rights of children and adolescents particularly related to education have not been met in Ecuador reported a United Nations Childrens Fund UNICEF representative on Tuesday
The country scored a grade of four out of points in terms of fulfilling childrens rights said Paul Martin the UNICEF representative to Quito who highlighted the gap prevailing in several Ecuadorian regions
Martin said that this year in Ecuador children have died as a result of curable illnesses such as undernourishment Three out of every children have undergone abuse while over work under terrible conditions with serious physical and mental risks
According to the UN body from to Ecuador showed no increase of investment in childrens development
Martin highlighted education as a major area of concern a high level of illiteracy a significant dropout rate from schools and a generally lowquality education offered in the country stating that such trends do not fit in a globalized world where competition is a defining factor for the development of nations
A representative of the Childrens Forum Jofre Velez said the country had paid inadequate attention to childrens rights to study and more and more homeless minors in the country were forced to risk their lives for money Enditem
BUDAPEST Dec Xinhua Most Hungarians think that the countrys army lacks adequate modern weaponry to defend the country in the event of a military conflict the daily newspaper Magyar Nemzet reported on Tuesday
The paper citing a research centers poll said all respondents indicated that nothing should be spared in the defence of the countrys independence but percent of the people surveyed thought that the army lacks the modern weapons and equipment necessary for realistic national defense
As many as percent believed Hungarians would be incapable of defending themselves if there was a war the poll showed
It also found that being a soldier is not a popular occupation in Hungary Only percent of the respondents showed a willingness to be contract servicemen Among them percent indicated a desire to serve in the army and the other percent said that they might be interested in the future Enditem
ALMA ATA Dec Xinhua Kyrgyzstans Chief Prosecutor Kambaraly Kongantiyev said on Tuesday that former defense minister Esen Topoyev is wanted for suspected involvement in illegal arms dealing and other crimes
The chief prosecutor said the crimes committed by Topoyev who currently lives in Russia could be generally categorized as corruption But he gave no specific details of the allegations
Kongantiyev said the former defense minister was now believed to be working at a Russian military unit
If he Topoyev takes on Russian citizenship the investigations could become more complicated he said
Topoyev who was sworn in as defense minister in August moved to Russia after former Kyrgyz president Askar Akayev was ousted in March this year Enditem
MEXICO CITY Dec Xinhua Mexican authorities and US experts will launch a prevention campaign next year to avoid contagion of HIVAIDS among Mexicans migrating to the southwestern US state of California officials said Tuesday
The campaign will be carried out by the University of California and the State AIDS Council of the western Mexican state of Jalisco COESIDA local reports cited COESIDAs director Patricia Campos as saying at a press conference
Every year a large number of of Mexicans from Jalisco state migrate to the United States
Campos said most of the migrants have unprotected sex that raises the risk of being infected with HIVAID and venereal diseases and transmitting it to their partners during their visits to their communities of origin
Experts at the University of California said that in general the Mexican migrants mostly men suffer from loneliness and depression which makes them have highrisk sex and lack access to information and medical services said local press reports
Campos said the campaign which will also involve the US state of California will offer migrants access to acquire condoms and medical support if they get the killer disease
As part of the campaign minute free telephone cards will be distributed for migrants to obtain information on HIVAIDS said Campos
An information campaign on HIVAIDS prevention will be launched at airports roads and bus stations in Jalisco state and will be escalated in the Easter Week summer and winter holidays when most migrants visit their places of origin Enditem
KIEV Dec Xinhua Ukraine will not unilaterally revise the pact on Russias Black Sea fleet at the Sevastopol base in Ukraine the Ukrainian Defence Minister Anatoly Hrytsenko said on Tuesday
The pact with Russia has to be maintained and both governments need to calmly deal with the problems in the implementation in line with law and regulations Only in this way are both parties able to settle the row Hrytsenko told reporters
Ukraine is not going to take any unilateral actions in this regard he stressed
Russias Black Sea fleet has been stationed at Sevastopol since the disintegration of the Soviet Union According to a pact signed in Russia would pay Ukraine million US dollars every year to lease the Sevastopol base until
Russias gas giant Gazprom recently demanded that Ukraine pay dollars per cubic meters of gas starting from as compared with this years dollars In response some Ukrainian officials suggested that the leasing fee of the Sevastopol base be raised in a bid to compensate for the gas price hike
Also on Tuesday Russian Defence Minister Sergei Ivanov warned The agreement on the Black Sea fleet base is one part of a bilateral treaty the second part of which contains recognition of mutual borders Trying to revise the treaty would be fatal Enditem
CARACAS Dec Xinhua Diplomatic relations between Venezuela and the African continent will be further strengthened in Vice Foreign Minister Reinaldo Bolivar said on Tuesday
Bolivar said that by next year his office will consolidate the already established relations promote energy links with African countries and increase the number of Venezuelan embassies in Africa
The issue of relations with Africa has been addressed with coherence and seriousness but above all with familiarity for we are a big family said Bolivar who is in charge of African affairs
The government has launched a series of diplomatic initiatives for Africa in aimed at promoting a multipolar world in which the combat against poverty and social inequality is a top priority
The countrys Africa Agenda envisages strengthening relations with African countries setting up relations with regional and subregional organizations on that continent promoting SouthSouth cooperation and boosting cultural and trade links between Venezuela and African countries
A good example of those initiatives is the Cultural Festival of the Peoples of Africa held in Nov in Caracas
In Venezuela has established diplomatic ties with African countries and was accepted as an observer to the African Union Enditem
BRASILIA Dec Xinhua The Brazilian government has allocated million US dollars to build new schools for its indigenous Indian population next year the Education Ministry announced on Tuesday
The schools offering a capacity of a further places will target Brazils Indian communities across the country They will teach in more than one language and deliver specific subjects such as plantation skills harvesting handicrafts and fishing in addition to the general curriculum according to the ministry
In Brazil some students of indigenous origin dispersed in schools have access to the educational system according to official statistics
At present education is free till Fourth Grade in percent of these schools but the governments aim is to eventually offer a totally free basic education Enditem
RIYADH Dec Xinhua Saudi Arabia donated million US dollars to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization FAO on Tuesday as a contribution towards the global fight against bird flu
King Abdullah approved the government donation which was made on humanitarian grounds according to the official Saudi Press Agency
Many countries notably in Asia and Europe have scrambled to defend themselves against bird flu Since the deadly HN strain of bird flu has ravaged flocks of birds in Asia and killed at least people there
Birds in Turkey Romania Russia and Croatia in Europe recently tested positive for the HN strain but no human cases have been detected Enditem
LIMA Dec Xinhua Bolivias Presidentelect Evo Morales will travel to Cuba on Friday in his first overseas trip after winning the election victory days ago a spokesman said Tuesday
Morales will also visit Spain France South Africa and Brazil before his Jan inauguration said the spokesman according to reports from the Bolivian capital of La Paz
Morales will meet Cuban President Fidel Castro during his stay in Havana and will then return home to attend a celebration in his hometown of Orinoca on New Years Day
After that the presidentelect will travel to Europe on Jan to visit France and Spain before continuing on to South Africa where he is to meet with former president Nelson Mandela
On Jan Morales will visit Brazil and meet with President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva
Bolivias electoral court announced on Dec that Morales has won the presidential election making him the first indigenous president in the Andean country Enditem
MEXICO CITY Dec Xinhua Guatemalas Volcano of Fire erupted on Tuesday with rivers of lava flowing down its slopes putting local residents on alert for eventual evacuations
Two rivers of lava both about km long were flowing down the volcanos slopes and a huge cloud of ash and smoke could be seen in the sky according to reports reaching here from Guatemala City
The authorities said local residents were not in imminent danger but some villagers were told that evacuations might be necessary if more eruptions come
Volcano of Fire is one of the most active among Guatemalas volcanoes It stands km southwest of the capital and its peak is about meters above sea level Enditem
ANKARA Dec Xinhua The Turkish Ministry of Agriculture reported Tuesday that some dead chickens had tested positive for an H variant of avian flu and that parts of an eastern town had been put under quarantine
The virus was found on Monday in samples taken from the town of Aralik in the Igdir province bordering Armenia where deaths of chickens have been reported in recent days the ministry said statement said
The authorities have culled about chickens to prevent the virus from spreading saying that all necessary measures were being taken
The samples would be sent to laboratories in Europe to see if the virus is HN the ministry also reported adding that neighboring countries and international bodies would be notified
It was thought that the virus had been brought to Turkey by birds migrating from the Caucasus region Enditem
SANTIAGO Dec Xinhua The Chilean government rejected on Tuesday the criticism made by a Peruvian diplomat over its recent purchase of military equipment saying that it was only an updating of its weapons systems
Chilean Interior Minister Francisco Vidal made the remarks in response to a statement of Peruvian ambassador Hugo de Zela which suggested that the recent acquisition was related to an attempt at starting an arms race in the region
Vidal stressed that the purchase of three frigates old F fighters from the Netherlands and Leopard tanks from Germany were for the modernization of the Chilean armed forces
ChileanPeruvian relations have recently become tense owing to the countries controversy over maritime demarcation
The Peruvian government endorsed a law to unilaterally modify the sea border with Chile last October while Chile said the border was marked in a treaty between the two sides in Enditem
KIEV Dec Xinhua Ukraine has withdrawn all its troops serving in Iraq the Defense Ministry said on Tuesday
The last Ukrainian soldiers in Iraq along with eight armored personnel carriers left Iraq and arrived in Kuwait on Tuesday a ministry statement said The soldiers are due back in Ukraine by Friday
Not a single Ukrainian soldier remains on Iraqi soil the statement said
In one of the largest nonNATO military deployments in Iraq Ukraine contributed troops to the USled coalition Eighteen Ukrainian soldiers were killed and others were wounded
The Ukrainian soldiers under Polish command were deployed in southern and central Iraq Enditem
RIYADH Saudi Arabia donated million US dollars to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization FAO on Tuesday as a contribution towards the global fight against bird flu
King Abdullah approved the government donation which was made on humanitarian grounds according to the official Saudi Press Agency Saudi ArabiaFAOBird Flu
NEW YORK Oil prices slipped Tuesday in New York as traders anticipated lower demand for heating fuel amid forecasts of mild weather in the United States
On the New York Mercantile Exchange light sweet crude for delivery in February fell cents to close at dollars a barrel London Brent crude settled cents weaker to dollars USOil
DAMASCUS Syria signed a deal of billion US dollars with a Russian company to build an oil refinery and a petrochemical complex in northeastern Syria the official SANA news agency reported on Tuesday
The petrochemical plant will have an annual capacity of billion tons of gasoline and the refinery will produce about barrels of refined oil per day SANA said SyriaRussiaOil
SINGAPORE Singapores manufacturing output rose by percent in November as compared with a year ago according to the figures released by the Economic Development Board EDB on Tuesday
The EDB said that the biomedical manufacturing and transport engineering clusters spearheaded last months growth which increased by percent and percent respectively SingaporeManufacturing Output
BRUSSELS The European Union EU has announced a million euros about million US dollars aid package for poor African countries local media reported on Tuesday
The aid which will be made available mainly in by the EUs executive arm European Commission will go to Sudan the Democratic Republic of the Congo DRC Burundi Chad Tanzania Uganda Liberia Cote dIvoire Madagascar and Comoros EUAfrica Enditem
ATHENS Dec Xinhua Greeces independent legal authorities announced on Tuesday it will start a legal investigation into the alleged abduction and interrogation of Pakistani immigrants in Greece by Greek and British secret agents after the bomb attacks in London last July
The Athens FirstInstance Courts public prosecutors department accepted a lawsuit petition from the Pakistanis lawyer Fragiskos Ragousis on Tuesday
Ragoussis said some of his clients had been beaten by their abductors and that they had accused specific agents of abduction and torture
Chief of the public prosecutors department Dimitris Papaggelopoulos promised to make public on Wednesday the name of the prosecutor who would be in charge of the case
The abduction and interrogation claims have been denied by Greek and British governments and even the Pakistani Embassy in Greece
British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw denied the allegations as utter nonsense while Greek Public Order Minister George Voulgarakis said the alleged abduction and interrogation had not taken place
However a detailed report in Greeces weekly To Proto Thema published at the weekend has shed new light into the accusations and controversy
The magazine said those involved in the alleged abduction included a man who it claims is the MI chief in Athens and Greek officials
Seven of the Pakistanis have testified before an investigating magistrate that unidentified Greek and British men broke into their homes in four Athens suburbs after the London bombings in July
They were allegedly blindfolded driven to unknown destinations and tortured to reveal information about their friends and relatives in Britain
The Pakistanis claimed they were questioned by two Greekspeaking British officials
They said they were ordered to keep secret the ordeal before being freed days later in the middle of the night
The British government refused to comment on the report but instructed British newspapers not to reveal the identity of the two English officers
Greeces National Information Service also refused to comment while the security police filed a complaint about leaking top secrets relating to national security by the media reports
It is our duty to point out that such claims are illegal because they endanger the national security of the country and of allied countries but also endanger the physical safety of persons who are identified by name said an official quoted by local media
The revelation triggered strong protests from opposition parties who said the unprecedented and extremely dangerous events have greatly hurt the countrys democracy and national security
Opposition parties have called on the government to testify before parliament on Jan Enditem
WASHINGTON Dec Xinhua The United States respects decisions made by its three European allies to pull their troops out of Iraq or reduce their numbers the White House said Tuesday
The Polish government said earlier in the day that its troops will stay in Iraq until the end of but the number should be reduced in March
Also on Tuesday both Ukraine and Bulgaria finished their troop withdrawals from Iraq
Typically its as weve said all along a countrys decision on whether or what level to support the mission in Iraq either with troops or with money or with other resources is the countrys decision to make on its own said White House deputy spokesman Trent Duffy And we respect those decisions
Currently there are almost allied troops in Iraq of them from the United States Enditem
LAGOS Dec Xinhua Several blazes have broken out on an oil pipeline in southern Nigeria and no casualties had been reported and the causes are still unknown an official from the Nigerian state oil company stated on Tuesday
Early this morning we put out one fire but we are still battling the others said J A Uwaseba deputy area manager for operations of the Pipelines and Products Marketing Company PPMC an arm of the Nigerian state oil company
The pipeline affected carries petroleum products from a refinery in Warri which is the oil hub in Delta state to northern Nigeria Two other crude oil pipelines operated by Royal Dutch Shell in the Niger Delta were attacked by unknown gunmen on Dec with people killed
The Niger Delta produces almost all of Nigerias crude oil however violence and sabotage against the oil industry is common in the area Enditem
BERLIN Dec Xinhua Germany wants to build closer political and economic ties with Iraq but would stand by its policy of not sending troops to the country a local newspaper reported on Wednesday
After the Iraqi elections which passed off successfully the German government wants to intensify its backing for the process of democratization and stabilization in Iraq junior defence minister Friedbert Pflueger told the Neue Osnabruecker Zeitung newspaper
But Pflueger also said Germany would stand by its policy of not sending troops to Iraq
There is a consensus in the grand coalition of conservatives and socialists headed by Chancellor Angela Merkel that no German soldier be sent to Iraq Pflueger was quoted as saying
The previous government headed by former Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder an outspoken critic of the USled war in Iraq was strongly opposed to sending German forces to the country Enditem
WASHINGTON Dec Xinhua Wildfires gaining momentum amid gusty winds engulfed several homes and caused injuries Tuesday in Texas and Oklahoma local media reported
At least six houses were destroyed and four people injured in Oklahoma where a major blaze had burned some acres hectares in a rural area near the town of Mustang southwest of Oklahoma City
Local television showed that several structures were torched in Mustang where fire brigades had brought the flames under control by late afternoon
Other grass fires were also reported under control in three areas of Oklahoma City
In Texas dozens of fires were spotted including at least in the Fort Worth area in northern Texas alone
Gov Rick Perry on Tuesday issued a statewide disaster declaration and ordered that the US Forest Service and Texas Army National Guard aircraft be used to fight the blazes
Perry said in a statement that there had been wildfires in Texas on Monday and that fires had burned acres in December
Local officials said that three firefighters had been hospitalized with smoke inhalation and heat exhaustion
Evacuations were reported in Texas where in one case a fire in Hood County forced at least people to leave their homes
The fires were blamed on a combination of children playing with fireworks dry weather and strong winds which whipped through the region at nearly km per hour Enditem
MOSCOW Dec Xinhua Giove A the first satellite in the EUs Galileo satellite navigation program was launched on Wednesday from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan aboard a Soyuz rocket at am local time GMT said reports reaching here Enditem
PARIS Dec Xinhua The French interministry delegate Remy Heitz reported that percent of French drivers are habitual alcohol drinkers and alcohol has become the number one killer on the highway
The driving speed has been reduced in France but the amount of alcohol consumption remains a substantive problem according to Heitz who is in charge of highway security affairs as quoted by the French daily Figaro in its Tuesday edition
Heitz estimates that percent of French drivers are habitual drinkers
The phenomenon is widespread and especially prevalent in the west and north of the country he said adding that alcohol is the main killer on the road followed by speeding driving without the use of seatbelts and driving after taking drugs
Heitz who coordinates actions between different ministries on traffic safety affairs also suggested that traffic safety education for young drivers and motorcycle drivers should be the priorities next year
While the average speed for automobiles fell percent that of the motorcycles didnt he said adding that in certain regions such as Paris RhoneAlpes and ProvenceAlpesCote dAzur half of the highway victims have been motorcycle drivers Enditem
MOSCOW Dec Xinhua The first satellite for the European
navigation system Galileo was successfully launched from Kazakhstan on Wednesday
The move was a major step forward for Europes answer to the USrun global positioning system GPS
The test satellite named Giove A took off aboard a Russian Soyuz booster rocket at am local time GMT
In orbit the satellite will test atomic clocks and navigation signals secure Galileos frequencies in space and allow scientists to monitor how radiation affects the craft Enditem
MOSCOW Dec Xinhua The first test satellite of Europes Galileo navigation system designed to rival the reigning USdeveloped GPS system was carried into space on Wednesday by a Russian rocket
The Russian Soyuz rocket carrying the GIOVEA satellite blasted off from the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at am local time GMT said Vyacheslav Davidenko spokesman for Russias Federal Space Agency quoted by the ItarTass news agency
The billioneuros Galileo system is a network of satellites intended for civilian use and will end Europes reliance on the UScontrolled GPS system The GIOVE A is the first of two satellites designed to test the technologies of the Galileo system
In orbit the satellite will test atomic clocks and navigation signals secure Galileos frequencies in space and allow scientists to monitor how radiation affects the craft
Discussions are underway between the European Space Agency ESA and Russia to create a cooperation mechanism whereby Galileo can benefit from the experience gained during the development and operation of Russias global satellite navigation system the ESA said on its web site
Russia launched three satellites of its Global Navigation Satellite System GLONASS on Sunday bringing the number of satellites in orbit for the system to GLONASS will eventually have satellites by the year Enditem
MOSCOW The first satellite for the European navigation system Galileo was successfully launched from Kazakhstan on Wednesday
The move was a major step forward for Europes answer to the USrun global positioning system GPS EuropeSpace
JERUSALEM Israeli northern towns near the Galilee Lake were hit by Hezbollah mortar shells Tuesday night Israel Radio said
Loud explosions were heard in two locations in the western and eastern Galilee said the radio IsraelLebanonRocket
SEOUL South Korea and the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea DPRK held ceremony Wednesday at Kaesong a DPRK border town to mark the opening of the first direct commercial landline phone links between the two countries
South Korean Information Minister Chin Daeje attended the ceremony and delivered a congratulatory speech in which he expressed hope the new phone service will help spur mail Internet and other information technology exchanges and cooperation between the two sides reported South Korean major news agency Yonhap from Kaesong SKoreaPhone
NEW DELHI At least people were killed when a traveling bus collided headon with a truck in Indian Gujarat region on Wednesday morning police said
Most passengers have boarded the bus at Mumbai The death toll was earlier put at IndiaAccident Enditem
TOKYO Dec Xinhua Nearly half of Japanese believe that Japan should withdraw its troops from Iraq in the first half of according to a newspaper poll released Wednesday
The poll conducted by the Nihon Keizai newspaper from Friday to Monday said percent of respondents feel that Japanese troops should be pulled out along with British troops in the first six months of while percent others think they should be brought home immediately
Only percent said the troops should remain in Iraq until US troops withdraw according to the newspaper
It did not provide a smaple size or margin error
Japan has stationed some troops in southern Iraq for a noncombat reconstruction mission in support of USled coalition forces since early
The Japanese government decided on Dec to extend the troop deployment for one year Under the plan the troops could pull out depending on a series of conditions including Iraqs political and reconstruction process and the local security situation Enditem
NEW YORK Dec Xinhua The executive board of New Yorks Transport Workers Union TWU approved a tentative contract late Tuesday the unions leader said after the citys transit workers staged a threeday strike last week
The unions board voted overwhelmingly to approve the proposed contract with in favor four against and one abstention said TWU President Roger Toussaint at a news conference
According to the new contract the citys Metropolitan Transportation Authority MTA gave up demands for concessions on pensions while the workers would for the first time contribute percent of their pay to health care premiums The New York Times reported
Toussaint said the contract provides for a refund of member contributions to pensions over the past several years plus medical coverage and health benefits coverage for retirees
Also included in the month contract is workers pay increase which will be percent for the first year percent for the second and percent for the third
Mayor Michael Bloomberg welcomed the agreement in a statement saying the contract provides the necessary costsavings and productivity to keep the MTA solvent mitigate fare increases and allow for vital investment in our transportation infrastructure
New Yorks transit workers staged a threeday strike last week at the height of the Christmas season The strike which was the citys first transit strike in more than years brought the dispute with the MTA over pay pensions and health care to its climax Enditem
LIMA Dec Xinhua Bolivias Presidentelect Evo Morales and his entire cabinet will take a percent pay cut so more staff can be hired for the education and health sectors Morales announced late Tuesday according to news reaching here
Morales who won a Dec presidential election and will be inaugurated on Jan said his future salary of some US dollars per month would be slashed to dollars
This is a democratic revolution and we will answer the Bolivian peoples call the yearold former coca grower and Aymara Indian said
Its a question of sharing the countrys situation among us all said Morales who has vowed to make multinationals pay more into the national economy and to raise Bolivia from its status as one of Latin Americas poorest nations
Cabinet ministers and all the members of Morales Movement to Socialism party elected to the congress will also take a percent pay cut Morales said adding that the salaries of substitute congressmen who take over the duties of lawmakers when they are absent will be reduced to zero
Bolivias economy is healthy by local standards with a gross domestic product growth of percent in and similar performance expected in GDP expanded by percent in
Inflation is forecast to end this year at percent down from percent last year in a country that has suffered periods of hyperinflation
Bolivia also reduced its fiscal deficit to an estimated percent of GDP in down from percent in Enditem
LONDON Dec Xinhua Following are major news items in leading British newspapers on Wednesday
Financial Times
The billion initial public offering of Qinetiq the defense ministrys advanced research laboratory could go ahead next month after Treasury officials granted approval
The Guardian
The government will announce plans next month for a national zero tolerance campaign against kerb crawlers and street prostitution after shelving plans to introduce licensed red light zones the Guardian has learnt
The Times
Police are warning that without a huge increase in manpower and money they will struggle to combat the threat of suicide bombings
The Independent
A daily dose of vitamin D could cut the risk of cancers of the breasts colon and ovary by up to a half a year review of research has found Enditem
BERLIN Dec Xinhua Germanys new government will seek to play a bigger role in Iraq but has no plans to send any troops there an official said Wednesday
There is consensus in the grand coalition that no German soldiers will be sent to Iraq Deputy Defense Minister Friedbert Pflueger told the Neue Osnabruecker Zeitung or the New Osnabruecker Daily
But the German government wants to more strongly support the democratization and sterilization process in Iraq after the successful elections the official added
He did not give details of how Germany will play a bigger role in Iraq
Germany had operated programs aimed at helping Iraq this year including the training of senior army officers logistics experts and military engineers according to Pflueger
Former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder had opposed the USled war on Iraq and refused to send any soldiers to the country
The new chancellor Angela Merkel had indicated that the new government formed by Christian Democrats and Social Democrats maintains the continuity in foreign policy
Merkel who had supported the war while she was in opposition in noted in this years election campaign that Germany will not send a soldier to Iraq Enditem
PARIS Dec Xinhua International police organization Interpol on Wednesday issued an international wanted persons notice for leader of alQaida in Iraq Abu Musab alZarqawi
Interpol said in a statement it issued the Red Notice for the Jordanianborn alZarqawi at the request of Algeria which has accused him of involving in the kidnapping and murder of two Algerian diplomats in Iraq in July
AlZarqawi is also wanted by authorities of Germany Iraq and Jordan for sorts of terror activities said Interpol
AlZarqawi claimed responsibility for the triple suicide bombings in the Jordanian capital Amman on Nov that killed people
Earlier reports said Iraqi security forces detained Zarqawi last year but released him because they didnt realize who he was
The notice will be distributed to all of Interpols members using the organizations global police communications system Enditem
MADRID Dec Xinhua The Basque separatist group ETA claimed responsibility on Wednesday for bomb attacks since October
ETA made the claim in a statement published by the Basque newspaper Gara
The attacks targeted courthouses post offices a labour office company offices and highways most of which are located in northern Spain
No one was killed in the series of bomb attacks but a number of people were wounded and the targeted buildings suffered considerable damages
ETA or Basque Homeland and Freedom has been seeking an independent Basque state between Spain and France Founded in ETA is regarded as a terrorist group by Spain the United States and the European Union
The leftist group often launches attacks in Spain France Belgium Germany Italy Mexico Uruguay and Dominica
Since around people have been killed and thousands of others injured in ETA attacks Enditem
ALMA ATA Dec Xinhua The Antidrug Commission of Kazakhstans Interior Ministry announced on Wednesday that the country has seized tons of drugs arrested suspected drugdealers and captured over guns in its national antidrug campaign
The initiative which has been running for oneandhalf months was launched by the countrys Interior Ministry the National Security Commission and some other government departments in a bid to block the flow of drugs into the country and strike at crossborder trafficking of illegal substances
In recent years some central Asian countries have become the main drugtrafficking route to Russia and other Eastern European countries
Rampant drugrelated crimes help fund terrorism activities threatening the security and stability of the region
To put a stop to this Kazakhstan and its neighbouring countries have deepened their cooperation to intensify efforts in the fight against drugtrafficking Enditem
BERLIN Dec Xinhua The German Foreign Ministry
confirmed on Wednesday that five German tourists had been kidnapped
in the eastern province of Shabwa in Yemen Enditem
BERLIN Dec Xinhua The German Foreign Ministry
confirmed on Wednesday that five German tourists had been kidnapped
in the eastern province of Shabwa in Yemen
A Foreign Ministry spokesman said that the family of five was
part of a travel group touring Yemen and had failed to turn up at
an agreed meeting point
The German Foreign Ministry had received information of the
kidnapping and a crisis team had been set up to deal with the
situation the spokesman said
This is second time within two months German nationals were
abducted abroad On Nov Susanne Osthoff an archaeologist and aid worker was abducted along with her Iraqi driver in northern
Iraq and was released last month Enditem
KIEV Dec Xinhua Ukraine on Wednesday denounced Moscows demands that Kiev pay more than four times the current price for imported Russian gas calling it unacceptable pressure
The Ukrainian side believes that the increase of gas prices is unacceptable and a direct economic pressure against Ukraine Prime Minister Yuriy Yekhanurov said according to his office
The remarks were made after Russia threatened to cut off gas supplies to its neighbor within days unless Ukraine accepts the new terms and negotiations planned in Moscow on Wednesday
On Wednesday Ukrainaine Fuel and Energy Minister Ivan Plachkov had not traveled to Moscow as planned for talks with Russian officials and representatives of Russias gas giant Gazprom
Talking about the reason of the cancellation of the trip Yekhanurov said no confirmation was received that the meetings would take place
The prime ministers statement on Wednesday also marked the latest salvo in the dispute between Russia and Ukraine that could end in a cutoff of nearly a third of the gas in this former Soviet Republic
Ukraine and Gazprom Russias statecontrolled natural gas monopoly have been locked in the dispute over pricing that could see the company curtailing deliveries on Jan to Ukraine which depends heavily on Russianproduced natural gas to power its industry and provide heat
On Tuesday Yekhanurov warned that it had the right to take percent of the Russian gas supplied to Europe that pass through its territory as transit fees
But Gazprom said the warning would be tantamount to theft
About a third of Ukraines natural gas comes from Russia and Ukrainian officials say jacking the price up from the current US dollars per cubic meters could cripple Ukraines energyintensive heavy industry and impede the countrys efforts to boost its economy
Gazprom argues that Ukraine should pay US dollars more in line with world prices
But Ukraine has claimed that any increase should be implemented gradually in a fiveyear period
Reports said the prices that Gazprom charges most former Soviet republics have been well below world levels But the company which is preparing to make its shares available to foreign investors next year has recently been raising its prices
Ukraine uses almost billion cubic meters of gas annually receiving billion cubic meters from Russia and billion cubic meters from Turkmenistan pumped via Russia Ukraine itself produces some billion cubic meters
Natural gas is one of the key export commodities for Russia Enditem
WASHINGTON Dec Xinhua The following are major news items in leading US newspapers on Wednesday
The New York Times
Defense lawyers in some of the countrys biggest terrorism cases say they plan to bring legal challenges to determine whether the National Security Agency used illegal wiretaps against several dozen Muslim men tied to Al Qaida
The Washington Post
Enron Corps former chief accountant agreed to plead guilty today to criminal conduct that preceded the companys collapse into bankruptcy according to sources familiar with the negotiations sealing a deal that gives prosecutors another key witness against former chief executives Kenneth L Lay and Jeffrey K Skilling on the eve of their fraud trial
The Wall Street Journal
The Dow industrials fell points or percent to close at their sharpest point or percentage drop in two months The apparent culprit was the bond market where the yield on the year Treasury note fell below the yield on the twoyear note This unusual development called a yieldcurve inversion has often preceded an economic slowdown Enditem
MOSCOW Dec Xinhua The head of the Russian parliamentary commission probing the Beslan school siege on Wednesday criticized the police for failing to prevent last Septembers bloody terrorist attack
Five senior policemen have now been charged with negligence of duty for failing to prevent the incident in which more than people died
Summing up the inquiry into the attack Alexander Torshin head of the investigating panel said the Interior Ministry sent warnings on Aug and Aug proposing the tightening of security on Sept although there was no specific information of a planned attack on Beslan School No
Had these proposals been implemented the terrorist attack could have been prevented he said adding the counter terrorist operation was flawed
During the siege at the secondary school in southern Russia armed militants held people hostage The stalemate ended on its third day after a fierce exchange of gunfire between the hostagetakers and government troops More than people most of them young school children were killed in the attack Enditem
BERLIN Dec Xinhua A study has revealed that the socalled Hartz reform mapped out in and under former Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder failed to create more jobs in Germany a leading German business newspaper reported on Wednesday
The reform which had been named after Peter Hartz a director at automaker Volkswagen failed to help reduce the doubledigit unemployment rate Indeed in some cases it aggravated the problem according to the governmentcommissioned study quoted by business daily Handelsblatt
The study a severalthousandpage report found that many of the reforms were costly ineffective and fell wide of the mark in tackling the structural problems in the German labor market
In February the Hartz Commission was founded under the leadership of Hartz who was then VWs personnel director
The initiative became part of the German governments Agenda series of reforms known as Hartz I Hartz IV The reforms of Hartz I III took place between January and Hartz IV began on January
The study by several leading economic thinktanks ordered by the federal government was particularly critical of the introduction of personal service agencies by the Hartz reform
The socalled PSAs were set up to hire the jobless and lend them to companies in the hope they would eventually gain jobs
In fact the measure lengthened the time a person was unemployed by an average of one month and created additional costs of euros US dollars per person The labor costs were not reduced
The report also found that efforts to make the hiring of older workers more attractive were entirely ineffective
It pointed out that a mini job program to create lowwage parttime positions did little to pave the way toward full employment
The report also shows that training programs government salary subsidy programs and state job creation measures also proved a disappointment in driving down unemployment which is consistently listed by Germans as the numberone national problem
The high unemployment rate which currently stands at around percent is regarded as one of the key problems facing Germanys economy and one of the key factors that led to a weak domestic demand and stagnated its economic growth Enditem
BERLIN Dec Xinhua Germanys consumer confidence index one of the key economic indicators rose in December and is expected to rise further next month an important survey found on Wednesday
The Nurembergbased GfK said in a statement that the consumer index climbed to in December from in November and will rise to in January due to strong major purchases in the new year
GfK computes its monthly index by surveying about consumers and the findings are fed into a report for the European Commission
The increase in consumer index days follows improvements in the closely watched Ifo and ZEW indexes
The business confidence index calculated each month by the Ifo economic research institute surged to a fiveyear high of points in December from Novembers Ifo said on Dec
The Zew index of economic sentiment in Germany which measures confidence among institutional investors and financial analysts rose by a remarkable record points in December to points far above its historical average of points the Center for European Economic Research found on Dec
Economists have raised their projections of German economic growth for from percent to between and percent Enditem
PARIS Dec Xinhua French President Jacques Chirac on Wednesday hailed the successful launch of the first test satellite of the Galileo navigation system as a key achievement for Europes space industry
He said in a statement that he was greatly satisfied with the launch which adds to a successful year for the European Space AgencyESA
In the statement he also reviewed the ESAs previous achievements including the success of the Huygens mission to Saturns moon Titan in January and the successful launch of the ArianeECA rocket in February
He also congratulated the entire ESA leadership saying they have made an exceptionally rich year for the ESA
The billioneuro Galileo system is a network of satellites intended for civilian use and will end Europes reliance on the UScontrolled GPS system
The first satellite launched will test atomic clocks and navigation signals in orbit secure Galileos frequencies in space and allow scientists to monitor how radiation affects the craft Enditem
KIEV Ukraine on Wednesday denounced Moscows demands that Kiev pay more than four times the current price for imported Russian gas calling it unacceptable pressure
The Ukrainian side believes that the increase of gas prices is unacceptable and a direct economic pressure against Ukraine Prime Minister Yuriy Yekhanurov said according to his office
The remarks were made after Russia threatened to cut off gas supplies to its neighbor within days unless Ukraine accepts the new terms and negotiations planned in Moscow on Wednesday UkraineRussiaGas
BERLIN The German Foreign Ministry confirmed on Wednesday that five German tourists had been kidnapped in the eastern province of Shabwa in Yemen
A Foreign Ministry spokesman said that the family of five was part of a travel group touring Yemen and had failed to turn up at an agreed meeting point
The German Foreign Ministry had received information of the kidnapping and a crisis team had been set up to deal with the situation the spokesman said GermanYemenKidnapping
LUSAKA The government of France has announced the cancellation of all of Zambias debt owed to that country
The two governments signed a million euro about million US dollars debt cancellation here Wednesday which was outstanding following earlier cancellation of million euros about million US dollars France has been providing Zambia with debt relief since the year when the southern African country reached the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries HIPC completion point
French Ambassador to Zambia Francis Saudubray said at the signing ceremony that total bilateral debt cancellation would help Zambia turn over a new leaf in its economic development ZimbiaFranceDebt
KABUL Two US soldiers were killed two others and one interpreter were injured Wednesday in Afghanistans eastern province of Kunar a local official said
This afternoon at about pm a US vehicle hit a bomb in Spinjamaat area of Sawki district Two US soldiers were killed another two soldiers and an interpreter were injured while the vehicle was totally destroyed Assadullah Wafa provincial governor of Kunar told Xinhua
An investigation into the incident is underway and no one has been arrested so far AfghanistanUS Soldiers
BAGHDAD A United Nations official said on Wednesday that Iraqs parliamentary elections held on Dec were transparent and credible despite complaints of electoral fraud from some Sunni and secular parties
The United Nations is looking at the elections as they were transparent and credible UN advisor to Iraqs Independent Electoral Commission Craig Jenness told reporters
Observer groups whose job is to asses the quality of elections including international observer groups have acknowledged these elections were transparent and conducted in accordance with best international practices Jenness said at a news conference organized by the Independent Electoral Commission IraqUNElections Enditem
BERLIN Dec Xinhua The German Foreign Ministry confirmed on Wednesday that five German tourists had been kidnapped in Yemen
A Foreign Ministry spokesman said the family of five was part of a travel group touring Yemen and had failed to turn up at an agreed meeting point
The German Foreign Ministry had received information of the kidnapping and a crisis team had been set up to deal with the situation the spokesman said
The five were abducted in the eastern province of Shabwa some kilometers from the capital of Sanaa
The German News Agency Deutsche PresseAgentur DPA reported from Yemen that the five and their Yemeni driver were taken from a restaurant on the highway between the port city of Aden and the provincial capital Shabwa
The kidnappers are demanding that one of their tribe members be released from prison in Aden
The Yemeni Interior Ministry also confirmed the kidnapping and said police had located and sealed off the place where the hostages were being held the DPA said
We located their place and security forces were deployed to seal off the area the DPA quoted a Yemeni official as saying
However the DPA also quoted German officials as saying the family may have been involved in a traffic accident
It is the fourth abduction of foreign tourists in Yemen this year
This is also the second time in two months that German nationals have been abducted abroad On Nov Susanne Osthoff an archaeologist and aid worker was abducted along with her driver in Iraq but was released last month Enditem
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BRUSSELS Dec Xinhua Ajax earned three valuable points with a win over FC Groningen on Tuesday at the Amsterdam Arena but still points behind Dutch league leader PSV Eindhoven
The Amsterdam club only needed seven minutes to open the score through Marcus Rosenberg and two goals from Greek striker Angelos Charisteas in the th and th minute seemed to be the final blow for Groningen
The visitors did impress in the final phase with Glen Salmon and Yevgeni Levchenko scoring in the th and th minute but the home side managed to hold on to their lead
Also on Tuesday in league play Roda earned its fourth home win of the season in a victory over Den Haag Waalwijk and Heerenveen battled to a draw and Vitesse got by NAC courtesy of two goals by Matthew Amoah Enditem
ATHENS Dec Xinhua International Olympic Committee IOC member from Greece Lambis Nikolaou has kept silence on reports that his miscasting ballot in Singapore last July may deprive Madrid of the opportunity of hosting the Olympic Games local media reported on Tuesday
The issue was brought into spotlight last Friday when Israels IOC member Alex Gilady claimed that a colleague mistakenly voted for Paris instead of Madrid when the two cities were left competing with London for the right to host the Games
Paris got votes to Madrids in the third round so another vote in favor of the Spanish capital would have led to a tiebreaker to decide who faced off against London in the final round
The hopeful candidate Madrid is most likely to overtake Paris in a possible fourthround ballot and beat London finally with the help of Paris supporters reports said
However as it turned out London beat Paris by votes to to become the host city
Since Giladys comments it has been alleged that Nikolaou one of the IOCs four vice presidents was the man who voted for Paris by mistake Nikolaou was also the head of the Hellenic Olympic Committee HOC between and and from to
After the thirdround voting in Singapore Nikolaou was heard complaining that he did not have time to register his choice but the records showed that all the votes had been cast and his objection was dismissed local Englishlanguage daily Kathemerini reported
Gilady claimed that the unnamed official in question had pledged his ballot to Madrid and wanted to change his vote after apparently forgetting who he had voted for
Nikolaous secretary said the IOC official was aware of the claims but did not wish to comment said the report Enditem
KUWAIT CITY Dec Xinhua Kuwait Fencing Federation said Tuesday it would participate in the Arab junior fencing championship in Tunisia during next Match
The federations SecretaryGeneral Nasser AlSaihan said the associations board has approved holding a training camp in France in preparation for Tunisias tournament
He added that the federation was continuing its intense preparations for Sheikh Fahad AlAhmads international fencing grandprix that will take place during January which will be the largest ever fencing event in Kuwaits history
The international fencing federation he said has approved Kuwaits hosting of masters fencing tournament next March Enditem
LONDON Dec Xinhua Thierry Henry has dismissed the rumors about his interest in Barcelona and claimed he is totally focused on Arsenals Champions League tie with Real Madrid
Barcelona have hinted they want to sign the yearold striker whose deal expires in but he says he is focused on achieving success at Arsenal
Im pleased people are interested but at the moment theres nothing ongoing he said
We have to concentrate on Europe before looking beyond it
He admitted that this season was proving difficult following the summer sale of Patrick Vieira to Juventus but said the emergence of youngsters like Robin van Persie was a reason to be optimistic
I hope these young players can reach maturity as soon as possible he added
Before Christmas Barcelona president Joan Laporta said they would do all we can to sign Henry
Barcelonas world footballer of the year Ronaldinho added fuel to the fire when he said how much he would enjoy playing alongside the Frenchman
Henry is a beautiful player and has got complete technique he said
I adore watching him I respect him very much as a man and as a footballer He reminds me of myself
But Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger was clearly upset by the Catalan clubs comments
Laporta cannot make a statement like that It shows a lack of respect he told BBC Radio Five Live
If they want to sign Thierry they have to call us because he is under contract for another months Enditem
LONDON Dec Xinhua Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger hinted on Tuesday he may compromise over the length of a new contract for Robert Pires when they begin negotiations in January
The yearolds deal runs out in the summer which means he is entitled to talk to other clubs from January
Arsenal have had a policy of only offering oneyear contracts to players who are over the age of but Pires who joined Arsenal from Marseille in July for six million pounds wants to secure a twoyear deal
But Wenger said You can always have exceptions He is an important player
The Arsenal manager added He has always been a big part of our team
He is in and out at the moment but you expect that during this period and at that age sometimes as well you need a breather
In January we will sit together and we will try to have a good chat he added Enditem
LONDON Dec Xinhua Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho claimed on Tuesday that he will continue to rotate his front line over the hectic Christmas period
The Portuguese tactician went with Hernan Crespo against Fulham on Boxing Day and the Argentinian popped up with the winner in a fivegoal thriller
Didier Drogba came off the bench in the win over The Cottagers and Mourinho has hinted the Ivory Coast star will start against Manchester City
It was a wonderful goal by Crespo I felt sorry to take him off but at the time we were playing a crazy system explained Mourinho
Hernan was magnificent and started the game well almost scoring at the far post
He had a great shot at the end of the first half He showed movement and quality on the ball
Im very happy with my two strikers I have in Crespo and Drogba different players and I have to choose the best game for each one of them
But in this period of four matches Im thinking of rotating them and giving the two games each Enditem
ROME Dec Xinhua The face of the Italian soccer fans is increasingly female now Italian News Agency ANSA said here on Tuesday
Italian Serie A clubs report that although overall ticket sales are down the proportion of women at stadiums is on the up and a recent Rome University study confirmed that female interest in football is booming
A British market research agency Initiative has even forecast that as many as percent of the Italian fans following the Italian national team at next summers World Cup in Germany will be women
According to the Rome University study the average female Italian fan is between and and was introduced to the game by a family member or a boyfriend
Almost one in four of the women enthusiasts polled said they were hooked by the excitement of their first visit to a stadium
And they are not satisfied with simply cheering on from the sidelines either
Italys female supporters are also actively involved in the mass of soccer fan clubs website forums and radio and TV callins
Almost all Serie A teams have at least one womens supporters club AC Milan has several one of which Milan Club Stella was founded back in
The Italys National Association of Womens Fan Clubs ANFISSC is strong
We organize meetings dinners trips to away matches and charity events said Linda Bianchini president of AS Romas female fan club
And most importantly we try to encourage a nonviolent culture in the stadiums and get as many people involved as we can including children and the disabled Bianchini added Enditem
WASHINGTON Dec Xinhua Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant and New Jersey Nets guard Vince Carter were selected as the NBAs top players for the week ending December
Bryant earned the Western Conference award for the second straight week averaging points rebounds and assists in three games
The Lakers were in that span beating Dallas on December behind an NBA seasonbest points from Bryant He added points and nine assists in a December win over Orlando then scored points in a Christmas Day loss to Miami
Carter garnered the Eastern Conference award after averaging points rebounds and assists to help New Jersey to a mark
On December he scored points in a win over the Clippers then posted points and was of from the free throw line in a win the next night at Orlando Carter capped his week by tying a career high with points in a December win over the Heat Enditem
WASHINGTON Dec Xinhua Following are the leaders of the National Basketball Association through Dec
Scoring
G FG FT PTS AVG
Iverson Phil
Bryant LAL
James Clev
Arenas Wash
Pierce Bos
Nowitzki Dall
Wade Mia
Brand LAC
Redd Mil
Carter NJ
Allen Sea
Anthony Den
Richardson GS
ONeal Ind
Bosh Tor
Garnett Minn
Lewis Sea
Hamilton Det
Duncan SA
Davis Bos
FG Percentage
FG FGA PCT
Haywood Wash
Brezec Char
AbdurRahim Sac
Mourning Mia
Parker SA
Gooden Clev
Bogut Mil
Brand LAC
Garnett Minn
Wallace Char
Rebounds
G OFF DEF TOT AVG
Camby Den
Howard Orl
B Wallace Det
Marion Phoe
Duncan SA
Brand LAC
Jamison Wash
Garnett Minn
Magloire Mil
ONeal Ind
Assists
G AST AVG
Nash Phoe
Davis GS
Knight Char
Miller Den
Billups Det
Kidd NJ
Iverson Phil
Paul NOk
Cassell LAC
Ford Mil
Enditem
SAN JOSE Dec Xinhua Midfielder Cristian Bolanos of Costa Rican club Saprissa will travel to England in January for a try with Liverpool
Saprissas director Jorge Alarcon said Tuesdsay chances are good for the yearold Bolanos
We didnt promote anyone but teams have come and contacted us said Alarcon
Bolanos caught attention as he scored a goal in Saprissas win over Australias Sydney in the world club championship in Japan The Costa Rican club lost to Liverpool in the semifinals Enditem
MONTEVIDEO Dec Xinhua Nacional one of the most important soccer clubs in Uruguay will keep Martin Lasarte as head coach for local press said on Tuesday
Nacional started well but ended second in and the board had been considering former player Hugo de Leons as head coach
Lasartes contract to be ratified by the board will be in effect until the end of the coming season but there is a chance it could be automatically renewed until if Nacional wins the Uruguayan championship Enditem
BUENOS AIRES Dec Xinhua Soccer legend Diego Maradona on Tuesday turned down an offer to play for a fourth division club saying he has many other things to do and doesnt want to show disrespect to the game
After receiving the offer from Excursionistas Maradona said I want to make it clear I am and thank the offer with my heart but Ive got many other things to do
Maradona said he would spend a vacation with his daughter Giannina starting on Jan Enditem
MEXICO CITY Dec Xinhua Mexican taekwondo ace Gerardo Rodriguez will skip the coming Central AmericanCaribbean Games because of renal problems local media reported on Tuesday
The yearold Rodriguez World Cup bronze medalist in the kg division had already opted out of the IberoAmerican competition last November because he suffered from hematuria and pain in the right kidney Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Following are the top Chinese sports news stories in the year of selected by Xinhua News Agency listed in time order
The Chinese SwimmingDiving Administration kicked Olympic champion diver Tian Liang out of the national team in January for taking part in too many unauthorized commercial activities
Tian m platform winner in the Olympics and m synchronized gold medalist in proved his No status by beating former national teammate Hu Jia to win the National Games m title in October
A ray of hope was seen on the Chinese mens soccer team which won the East Asian FourNation Tournament and East Asian Games under the guidance of Zhu Guanghu while the womens national side went into free fall Pei Encai resigned as the womens team head coach and Ma Liangxing was invited back at the helm
Chinese NBA star Yao Ming won the Model Worker honor while Olympic m hurdles gold medalist Liu Xiang was named the Alternative Sportsperson of the Year at the Laureus World Sports Awards Yao helped the Chinese team win their fourth straight Asian championship and Liu picked a silver medal in the world championships in August
Beijing chose five stylized doll mascots for the Olympic Games on Nov representing a panda a Tibetan antelope a swallow a fish and the spirit of the Olympic flame
Announced in a live nationwide broadcast with only days to go before the opening ceremony the mascots will join the official games slogan One World One Dream and a running man emblem which looks like the Chinese character for capital
Twelve weightlifters in central Chinas Hubei province were banned for two years for doping in June and their coaches banned for life for trying to hide the drug use
China has conducted one of the worlds biggest antidoping programs in recent years in an effort to restore its reputation after being battered by a string of drug scandals in the s
Hu Kai a student from prestigious Tsinghua University won the mens m dash in the World University Games in August and claimed the East Asian Games title two months later
The th Chinese National Games was held in southeast Chinas Jiangsu province from Oct to Six world records and five Asian marks were shattered in Chinas dress rehearsal for the Olympics But the games was tainted by the positive dope test returned by
star distance runner Sun Yingjie matchfixing accusations controversial refereeing angry protests and walkouts
China marked the th anniversary of the Sports Law and National Fitness Program
Macao held a glitchfree East Asian Games from Oct to Nov winning praises from nine participating countries and regions
Chinese mountaineers Wang Yongfeng Ci Luo and Liu Jian reached the South Pole on Dec completing the Seven Plus Two Mission The trio have cleared the seven top summits in seven continents and reached both the North and South Poles Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Following are the top world sports stories in selected by Xinhua News Agency listed in time order
German referee Robert Hoyzer who admitted fixing matches was sentenced to two years and five months in prison in November for his part in a scandal which has embarrassed the World Cup host and shocked the soccer world
Bulgarian member Ivan Slavkov implicated in a BBC television documentary last year on alleged Olympic corruption was ousted from the International Olympic Committee in July
Suspended IOC vice president Kim Unyong of South Korea resigned in May rather than face expulsion at the Singapore IOC meeting Kim was suspended by the IOC last year after being convicted of corruption charges in South Korea
American billionaire Malcolm Glazer spent million pounds to include the Manchester United as his private property in June
London beat Paris Madrid Moscow and New York to win the right to host the Olympic Games on July
The International Olympic Committee kicked baseball and softball out of the Olympic program
After Lance Armstrong won his seven straight Tour de France in July the French sports daily LEquipe published a story alleging the American cyclist had taken the banned blood booster EPO erythropoietin in
Spains Fernando Alonso became Formula Ones youngest champion at ending seventime winner Michael Schumachers string of five straight season titles
The slots for the World Cup finals were decided as Togo Ghana Angola Cote dIvoire Trinidad and Tobago qualified for soccers premier event for the first time Australia returned to the finals after a hiatus of years
Threetime Olympic weightlifting gold medalist Halil Mutlu was banned for two years for steroid use
The Turkish lifter who tested positive for nandrolone at the European championships in Bulgaria in April is banned until April
Manchester United legend George Best widely regarded as the best soccer player Britain has ever produced died on Nov at after decades of alcohol abuse Enditem
HANOI Dec Xinhua Vietnamese police Wednesday detained two members of the national U soccer squad for allegations over game fixing at the rd Southeast Asian Games Vietnam News Agency reported
Defender Nguyen Quoc Anh and midfielder Le Bat Hieu were detained for participating in fixing a qualification match against Myanmar in the Philippines last month The poor performance of some Vietnamese players including them resulted in a victory in favor of Vietnam as expected by local bookmakers
Earlier the police detained leading striker Pham Van Quyen and midfielder Le Quoc Vuong for fixing the match Vuong was detained for the charge of gambling and organizing gambling while Quyen Vietnams Golden Ball winner for the charge of gambling only
Vuong confessed that he wooed several teammates to rig the matchs result The Vietnam Football Federation has placed a temporary playing ban on the Vuong and Quyen
Vietnam is launching an ironfist campaign to cleanse its soccer of wrongdoings Since August local police have uncovered some local corrupt referees as well as managing directors and coaches of some clubs
To date out of local referees and teams officials who have allegedly involved in matchfixing over the past two years have been prosecuted Of the men five have been detained Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Beijing broke ground on the hockey archery fields for the Olympic Games in the Olympic Park on Wednesday
The hockey field covers an area of hectare with seats Located in the same area of southern part of the Olympic Park the archery ground will seat spectators
The venue will also be used for the Beijing Paralympic Games Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The beach volleyball venue for the Beijing Olympic Games broke ground in east Beijings Chaoyang Park on Wednesday
Located near the northern bank of the lake in Chaoyang Park the venue will have seats and cover hectares with one main court two warmup courts and six training courts
All the stands and some facilities will be removed after the Games
The venue is one of the nine temporary stadiums for the Olympic Games and will be completed in August Enditem
VIENNA Dec Xinhua Swedens Anja Parson captured the title of the womens World Cup giant slalom in Lienz Austria on Wednesday
Austrias Nicole Hosp finished second and Tina Maze of Slovenia was third Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Beijing started on Wednesday to build three competition venues for the Olympic Games bringing the total of venues under construction to
The hockey and archery fields both located in the southern part of the Olympic Green and the beach volleyball court situated inside the Chaoyang Park in the east of the capital city are all temporary facilities
The hockey field covers an area of hectares with two courts and can accommodate a crowd of The archery field occupies hectares with a seating capacity of
These two facilities are due for completion by the end of
Covering a floor space of hectares the beach volleyball venue has one main court two warmup courts and six training courts It will be able to accommodate spectators
It is scheduled to be completed in August
A total of competition venues will be used for the GamesFourteen of them were brand new facilities were existing structures that need renovation and upgrading and nine were temporary Enditem
VIENNA Dec Xinhua Following are the results in a womens World Cup giant slalom in Lienz Austria on Wednesday
Anja Parson Sweden
Nicole Hosp Austria
Tina Maze Slovenia
Kathrin Zettel Austria
Marlies Schild Austria
Janica Kostelic Croatia
Maria Jose RiendaContreras Spain
Manuela Moelg Italy
Martina ErtlRenz Germany
Martina Ottosson Sweden
Tanja Poutiainen Finland
Genevieve Simard Canada
Renate Goetschl Austria
Michaela Kirchgasser Austria
Ana Drev Slovenia
Maria PietilaeHolmer Sweden
Nicole Gius Italy
Silvia Berger Austria
Celine Rohregger Austria
Nadia Styger Switzerland
Andrea Fischbacher Austria
Nika Fleiss Croatia
Michaela Dorfmeister Austria
Lindsey C Kildow United States
Kristina Koznick United States
Alexandra Meissnitzer Austria
Anja Blieninger Germany
Brigitte Acton Canada
Annemarie Gerg Germany Enditem
VIENNA Dec Xinhua Following are the Alpine skiing standings after a womens World Cup giant slalom in Lienz Austria on Wednesday
World Cup standings after events
Anja Parson Sweden points
Janica Kostelic Croatia
Michaela Dorfmeister Austria
Alexandra Meissnitzer Austria
Lindsey C Kildow United States
Kathrin Zettel Austria
Andrea Fischbacher Austria
Tina Maze Slovenia
Julia Mancuso United States
Nadia Styger Switzerland
World Cup giant slalom standings after four events
Anja Parson Sweden points
Janica Kostelic Croatia
Kathrin Zettel Austria
MariaJose RiendaContreras Spain
Tina Maze Slovenia Enditem
BERLIN Dec Xinhua Germanys meters runner Grit Breuer announced her retirement from athletics on Wednesday
Breuer who turns in February cited injuries reasons for her retirement
Breuer won the gold medal of the meter relay at the World Championships in Athens Greece
Breuer was also a member of Germanys team at the Olympics in Seoul South Korea
In Breuer tested positive for performanceenhancing drugs along with sprinter Katrin Krabbe and served a threeyear ban Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Olympic champion Liu Xiangs coach Sun Haiping said that the hurdler will have a relatively relaxing year of to save energy for the world championships and Olympic Games
Liu who won the mens m hurdles gold in the Olympic Games with a world recordtying time of seconds experienced a busy in which he competed in a total of events
His goal in is to maintain his form and not to improve himself Sun said Its too early to put a lot of pressure on him since there is three years before the Beijing Olympics which is our biggest task and we should save our energy for it
But Sun said that does not mean Liu will sit back in and rest
We must lay a good foundation for and
Sun said that main events on Lius calendar are the world indoor championships next March in Moscow the World Cup in Athens in September and the Osaka Grand Prix in May Enditem
VIENNA Dec Xinhua Swedens Anja Paerson won the th Alpine skiing World Cup race of her career with victory in a giant slalom in Lienz Austria on Wednesday
Leading by seconds after her first run the yearold Paerson extendted her winning margin to seconds with a combined time of two minutes seconds
Austrias Nicole Hosp took second place with Slovenias Tina Maze dropping back to third place seconds behind Paerson Enditem
WASHINGTON Dec Xinhua Following are the results in the National Basketball Association on Tuesday
TUESDAY DECEMBER
CHARLOTTE ATLANTA
NEW JERSEY CLEVELAND
DETROIT TORONTO
MIAMI MILWAUKEE
SAN ANTONIO INDIANA
PHILADELPHIA DENVER
UTAH HOUSTON
SACRAMENTO LA CLIPPERS Enditem
WASHINGTON Dec Xinhua Following are the standings in the National Basketball Association after Tuesdays games
EASTERN CONFERENCE
ATLANTIC DIV W L PCT GB
NEW JERSEY
PHILADELPHIA
BOSTON
NEW YORK
TORONTO
CENTRAL DIV W L PCT GB
DETROIT
CLEVELAND
INDIANA
MILWAUKEE
CHICAGO
SOUTHEAST DIV W L PCT GB
MIAMI
WASHINGTON
ORLANDO
CHARLOTTE
ATLANTA
WESTERN CONFERENCE
NORTHWEST DIV W L PCT GB
MINNESOTA
DENVER
SEATTLE
UTAH
PORTLAND
PACIFIC DIV W L PCT GB
PHOENIX
LA CLIPPERS
LA LAKERS
GOLDEN STATE
SACRAMENTO
SOUTHWEST DIV W L PCT GB
SAN ANTONIO
DALLAS
MEMPHIS
NEW ORLEANS
HOUSTON Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua China will try to win or gold medals from track and field in next years Asian Games to be held in Doha Qatar a top official said here on Wednesday
Feng Shuyong head coach of the Chinese national team said Our goal is to win to goals which will be one more than we got from the Busan Asian Games in
He said that China is still Asias number one track and field power but they are facing more threat from Japan and west Asian countries Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The longdebated realname subscription of mobile phone users will start in said Chinese Minister of Information Industry Wang Xudong here on Tuesday
About million users of prepaid cell phones will be required to register their real names
Among the million cell phone users in China only those who pay afterwards are asked to register their ID information upon subscription while those who pay in advance have no personal information registered at all
Realname cell phone subscription has stirred controversy from the day it was proposed
Telecom operators feel it will be inconvenient to collect their users information and subscribers feel their privacy will be threatened
It will be quite difficult for operators to convince their prepaid users to register their names commented Chen Jinqiao head of the policy research division with the Telecommunications Academy under the Ministry of Information Industry MII
Wang the minister has made it clear that the new policy is part of the efforts to combat cell phonerelated crimes and the rampant spread of junk text messages in the country
Sources with the MII said that over cell phones have been shut down this year for spreading illegal messages with fraudulent harassing or erotic text
The ministry researched the realname subscription system and did a pilot experiment in Shanghai two years ago
However policy making was delayed for the fear that it would slow down the growth of mobile phone users Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua After two years of hard work Chinese census workers have successfully wrapped up the countrys first ever economic census
All the tasks of the census have been accomplished said Chinese Vice Premier Zeng Peiyan here on Tuesday at a conference
He said the census results faithfully reflect the achievements China has reaped in economic development since the adoption of reform and openingup policies in the late s
Meanwhile the census also mirrors the real conditions of both Chinas overall economy and its industrial structure he said
The results of the census he said should be made full use of so that they can help the government better its service for the public
More than three million census workers over million statisticians and financing staff and more than million business units were involved in the twoyear census Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The following are domestic news items released by Xinhua on Tuesday
Market exchange rates Dec
Yearender Competitive mechanism introduced into universities through reform
Yearender Mutual benefits highlight SinoAfrican strategic relations
Yearender Mutual benefits highlight SinoAfrican strategic relations
Hotlines offer support to unpaid workers
Yangtze Delta leaders seek closer links
Business bosses learn the way to success
Highlights of major Beijingbased newspapers Dec
Sudanese children learn acrobatics in China
DPRK deputy premier concludes China tour
NW China region produces pct of worlds colored cotton output
Macao chief departs for Beijing on duty visit
Macao donates mln US dollars to tsunamihit nations
Olympics to provide million jobs in Beijing
Chinas State Council appoints new officials
Aquatics export grows pct annually during ministry
Beijings premium income surges in first months
Shanghai stock index mixed Dec
Chinas aviation market opens to private and jointstock air companies
China plans to tackle soil erosion of square km in
Shenzhen stock index down Dec
Hushen index down Dec
Collector in northwest China city collects badges of Mao
China spends more on AIDSHIV prevention control
Air quality of major Chinese cities Dec
Shanghai unveils revised major economic indicators
Inner Mongolia to double annual coal output by
Calves recloned from cloned cattle born in E China province
China values relations with Bolivia says FM spokesman
Death toll rises to after NChina bus plunged into icy river
HK Chief Executive to visit Beijing
Chinese president appoints three new ambassadors
Guangzhou railway to receive record passengers during Spring Festival
Bank to provide bln yuan of loans to boost infrastructure in E China city
Trade of sound Belching shouting can be profitable
URGENT former land resources minister sentenced to life imprisonment
China to reform statistical survey teams for better data collection
Weather forecast for major Chinese cities Dec
Weather forecast for world cities Dec
More methadone clinics built in China to curtail AIDSHIV spreading
Graduate school of traditional Chinese medicine opens in SW China city
Chinese stock markets have million empty Ashare accounts
UPDATE Former land resources minister sentenced to life imprisonment for taking bribes
Weather information for AsiaPacific cities Dec
Central departments behave better in using public money AuditorGeneral
Chinese president meets Macao SAR chief executive
Overseas tourists flock to southern Chinese city for winter
Beijing has individualrun businesses
Rare bronze horse chariot unearthed in SW China
Huge market for renewable solar energy in China
Mobile phone giants to collect abandoned handsets in China
Taiwans celebrities mourn death of mainland foundation leader
E China province reports increasing overseas investment
Date of second phase of fifth round of sixparty talks not decided official more
Central govt satisfied with HKSAR chief executive govt president
China lifts sqkm land out of soil erosion
Beijing private cars triple in five years
Italian company to build refrigerator compressor center in N China city
Government website jammed hours for high hit rates
More than three million NW China rural residents benefit from World Bank health improvement program
ChinaJapan consultation on UN reform not regular says FM spokesman
Miners trapped in SW China colliery fire impossible to survive says official
China eyes further improvements to strategic ties with Africa
China focus China to formulate comprehensive plan to reinvigorate northeast industrial base
Floods kill in China this year
Chinas shipbuilding output hits million tons in
China Exclusive First private banking firms initiated in north China
Japanese sentiment toward China worsening Japanese leaders must carry the blame FM
FM spokesman China to strengthen antibird flu cooperation with world community
China faces complicated energy security situation vice premier
Chinas health ministry to make regular news releases in
China central bank to raise deposit rates for US HK dollars again
UN official calls for equal opportunities for China in Africas development
th Anniversary of top Chinese calligrapher marked
E China province to exempt park entrance fees
China publishes historical materials on Nanjing Massacre
Chinas Supreme Court launches public polling campaign for top ten judges
China appoints new press publication chief
E China province reports record high tourism income in
Chinas top legislature debates contract bill protecting workers rights
Vice premier outlines key jobs in preparation of World Expo
Special voice wanted in Jin Yongs martial arts fiction
China selects outstanding films in movie centennial
Winter fishing on NE China lake listed in Guinness Records
Potable water in S China city qualified after purification of polluted river
Magic Mountain to present worlds largest ice cream cake
China to practice realname cell phone subscription in
China concludes first ever economic census
Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The following are Chinas home news items released by Xinhua on Tuesday
Market exchange rates Dec
Yearender Competitive mechanism introduced into universities through reform
Yearender Mutual benefits highlight SinoAfrican strategic relations
Yearender Mutual benefits highlight SinoAfrican strategic relations
Hotlines offer support to unpaid workers
Yangtze Delta leaders seek closer links
Business bosses learn the way to success
Museum to honor Mao in hometown
China suffers severe soil erosion in four areas
Two traffic accidents leave dead injured in E China province
Drinking water supply program benefits million rural dwellers in China
Website impeded for hours as public servant exam results announced
Sudanese children learn acrobatics in China
DPRK deputy premier concludes China tour
ROK investors looking to NE Chinas development potential
China starts Customs quarantine inspection to import disposable sanitary goods
Five people missing confirmed dead in boat capsizal in SChina county
NW China region produces pct of worlds colored cotton output
Tertiary business sales exceeds billion US dollars in Beijing
Monitoring on chemical plants beefed up in SW China province
Olympics to provide million jobs in Beijing
Chinas State Council appoints new officials
Aquatics export grows pct annually during ministry
Beijings premium income surges in first months
More default payment in construction sector repaid in China
Chinas demand for flat screen TVs to exceed million in
Chinas aviation market opens to private and jointstock air companies
China plans to tackle soil erosion of square km in
Chinese airlines carry million passengers this year CAAC director
Collector in northwest China city collects badges of Mao
China spends more on AIDSHIV prevention control
Shanghai unveils revised major economic indicators
Inner Mongolia to double annual coal output by
Calves recloned from cloned cattle born in E China province
Death toll rises to after NChina bus plunged into icy river
Chinese president appoints three new ambassadors
Guangzhou railway to receive record passengers during Spring Festival
Bank to provide bln yuan of loans to boost infrastructure in E China city
Guangdongs foreign trade volume to top bln US dollars
Trade of sound Belching shouting can be profitable
URGENT former land resources minister sentenced to life imprisonment
China to reform statistical survey teams for better data collection
TCL tops world TV sales ranking
More methadone clinics built in China to curtail AIDSHIV spreading
Graduate school of traditional Chinese medicine opens in SW China city
Chinese stock markets have million empty Ashare accounts
UPDATE Former land resources minister sentenced to life imprisonment for taking bribes
China to provide cleaner drinking water for mln rural residents in
Central departments behave better in using public money AuditorGeneral
Chinese president meets Macao SAR chief executive
Overseas tourists flock to southern Chinese city for winter
Beijing has individualrun businesses
Rare bronze horse chariot unearthed in SW China
Huge market for renewable solar energy in China
Mobile phone giants to collect abandoned handsets in China
Taiwans celebrities mourn death of mainland foundation leader
E China province reports increasing overseas investment
UPDATE Chinas aquatic products export reports sustainable growth
Date of second phase of fifth round of sixparty talks not decided official more
Central govt satisfied with HKSAR chief executive govt president
China lifts sqkm land out of soil erosion
Beijing private cars triple in five years
Italian company to build refrigerator compressor center in N China city
Singaporean company eyes real estate in west China
Government website jammed hours for high hit rates
More than three million NW China rural residents benefit from World Bank health improvement program
ChinaJapan consultation on UN reform not regular says FM spokesman
Miners trapped in SW China colliery fire impossible to survive says official
China eyes further improvements to strategic ties with Africa
Most sufferers of SW China mass food poisoning out of critical condition
SinoAfrican cooperation beneficial to both sides Tanzanian ambassador
China focus China to formulate comprehensive plan to reinvigorate northeast industrial base
Floods kill in China this year
Chinas shipbuilding output hits million tons in
China Exclusive First private banking firms initiated in north China
Japanese sentiment toward China worsening Japanese leaders must carry the blame FM
FM spokesman China to strengthen antibird flu cooperation with world community
China faces complicated energy security situation vice premier
Chinas health ministry to make regular news releases in
China central bank to raise deposit rates for US HK dollars again
UN official calls for equal opportunities for China in Africas development
th Anniversary of top Chinese calligrapher marked
E China province to exempt park entrance fees
China publishes historical materials on Nanjing Massacre
Chinas Supreme Court launches public polling campaign for top ten judges
China appoints new press publication chief
E China province reports record high tourism income in
Vice premier outlines key jobs in preparation of World Expo
Special voice wanted in Jin Yongs martial arts fiction
China selects outstanding films in movie centennial
Winter fishing on NE China lake listed in Guinness Records
Potable water in S China city qualified after purification of polluted river
Magic Mountain to present worlds largest ice cream cake
China to practice realname cell phone subscription in
Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Market exchange rates of four major currencies against RMB yuan announced Wednesday by the Peoples Bank of China
Currency Unit Middle Price in RMB yuan
US Dollar
Euro
Japanese Yen
Hong Kong Dollar
The rates are mainly based on the closing prices of the previous trading session on Chinas interbank market of foreign exchange Exchange rates of other convertible currencies against RMB yuan on the interbank market are based on these rates and changes in the international exchange markets Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua People who sing in karaoke bars in south Chinas Guangzhou City may have to count the number of songs they choose as local authorities are mulling over imposing a one yuan US dollar royalty fee on each song according to a newspaper report
According to the Beijingbased Workers Daily the Guangzhou municipal government is planning to install in the citys karaoke bars a monitoring system to record the hit rates of songs and singing time as a basis to charge consumers
The price charged for each song is set temporarily at one yuan per song The move designed to settle longstanding intellectual property rights IPR disputes over the use of songs in karaoke bars is expected to bring an annual several billion yuan of profit to the citys music industry
But on hearing the news the managers of over karaoke bars in the city objected
They just offer me a bill but no related services you tell me if Ill install it a manager queried claiming that the move would oppress karaoke bar operators and customers
In addition they contended that the Music Copyright Society of China is the only institution permitted by the central government to charge fees over the use of music compositions
Only a few managers agreed that the move would help them reduces their potential risk of being sued by music producers over IPR infringement
A random survey among ten local citizens showed that none of them thought singing a song deserved one yuan fee
We pay for singing in a karaoke bar Its unfair that we have to pay extra money for each song said a consumer who only wanted to be identified by her surname Zhou
There should be a hearing on the pricing said another respondent
Lian Guangsheng deputy secretary general of an entertainment recreation association in Guangzhou said its still premature to implement the plan as a couple of issues remain undecided such as which government body should be responsible for the charging and how effectively the monitoring system works Enditem
CHANGSHA Dec Xinhua Huang Hua alias who lived the past years as a man has undergone a transsexual operation recently in a hospital of Changsha capital of central Chinas Hunan Province and has become the oldest transsexual in China
Huangs doctor told Xinhua that Huang now is of little difference than other females after except for the lack of a womb
My life as a woman has started said Huang who paid a huge price for his dream of living as a woman
Huangs daughter felt ashamed about his operation
The headmaster of the hospital where Huang received the operation said his hospital is very attentive of the psychological state of its patients and doesnt encourage transsexual surgery
Wang Weiyu doctor of psychology called for the whole society to take care of transsexuals and provide ample legal guarantee for them Enditem
TIANJIN Dec Xinhua A Chinese company has exported electric vehicles with proprietary intellectual property rights to the United States proving Chinas capability to produce the vehicles industrially
It is the first time Chinese electric vehicles have been exported in quantity Tianjin Qingyuan Electric Vehicles Ltd said
Valued at about US dollars each Happy Messenger electric vehicles were developed by the company on its own They meet US technical standards
The Happy Messenger vehicles have been purchased by the US side for use in townships military bases ports and major research institutions
The Tianjin company exported six Happy Messengers in April which were much commended by US dealers after performance tests and market promotion
The US side ordered vehicles in Sept six of which were shipped in Nov and the other last week Depending on market demand more orders are expected Enditem
BEIHAI Guangxi Dec Xinhua Chinas nutrition industry enjoys robust growth and will be valued at billion yuan billion US dollars in the coming five years a senior official has predicted
Nutritious products including nutrients of various forms and special food tailored for diabetes and obesity patients enjoy massive potentials in China and new products are rolled out every now and then said Hui Lusheng deputy director of State Food and Drug Administration at a recent conference in Beihai a city in south Chinas Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region
She said domestic food manufacturers should respond to the growing market demand and restructure their product lines
A company in Ningbo a production base in east Chinas Zhejiang Province invested million yuan million US dollars to standardize its bean sprouts production and ensure food safety Their product sells so well now that it has set up a soybean base in northeast China said Hui
Yucheng a city in eastern Shandong Province has made xylose a white crystalline sugar used in diabetic diet out of corn Its annual sales total billion yuan million US dollars and annual foreign currency income hits million US dollars
Standardized production is essential in boosting agricultural industrialization and enhancing food safety acknowledged Hui In China cereal products make up only two percent of all the processed food while in the developed nations percent of farm produce on is are processed
The same is true of fruits and vegetables Chinas per capita fruit juice consumption averages only liter compared with the world average of liters and liters reported in the developed nations she said Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Construction has started on a project that will dominate Guangzhous burgeoning skyline for years to come
The Zhujiang New City Twin Towers will be stories and meters high The Western Tower will be built first with its completion scheduled for when the city hosts the Asian Games and the Eastern Tower will follow
The total cost of the project is expected to top billion yuan billion US dollars China Daily reported Wednesday
While taller than the Chinese mainlands current highest building Shanghais mhigh Jinmao Tower the Guangzhou buildings will still be meters shorter than the record holding World Financial Center in Taipei Taiwan Province
The twin towers will be shorter than the Shanghai Asian Financial Center which is due to be completed in
Li Fei chairman of board of Guangzhou Yuexiu Urban Construction Co Ltd said that construction of the western tower would help further upgrade Guangzhous reputation as an international metropolis
The project is also expected to boost the development of office buildings and other properties in the prosperous Pearl River Delta Li was quoted as saying at the cornerstonelaying ceremony Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua An yearold girl who had sulfuric acid thrown at her by her aunt may become the first person in China to have a face transplant
Liu Fangyuans face was horrifically disfigured when the substance was poured over her face three years ago Beijing Morning Post reported
It said the chemical flattened her nose left her mouth askew both eyes blinded and her whole face badly scarred
The attack followed a dispute between her father and aunt over ownership of a house
The girl from Nanjing capital of east Chinas Jiangsu Province never left her home until three months ago to start at a school for blind children
Liu Yuanlin her father said it was the news that the General Hospital of Nanjing Military Commands was ready to carry out face transplants that made his daughter take her first steps outside since the attack
Hong Zhijian director of the plastic surgery section at the hospital said Liu was just one of the patients who might be chosen to undergo the operation We have another four or five candidates and until now we have not decided yet whom to operate on first Wednesdays China Daily quoted the surgeon as saying
Hong said he and his colleagues still needed time to carry out checks on all the patients most of whom are female and whose faces were burnt by sulfuric acid or fire
Meanwhile at the Plastic Surgery Hospital affiliated to the China Academy of Medical Sciences in Beijing a man has expressed his willingness to offer his face for transplants when he dies
Yang Jinfu a farmer from north Chinas Shanxi Province is currently in Beijing to accompany his hospitalized daughter
Without donations from society my daughter would have stopped medical treatment long ago he said last week I just want to pay back
His face will have to go through complex checks to see whether it suited those who needed it according to Chen Huanran a doctor at the hospital
After the worlds first successful partial face transplant in France last month three experts in Beijing Shanghai and Nanjing announced that they had the ability to carry out such operations Enditem
CHENGDU Dec Xinhua CHANGHONG Electronics one of the biggest TV makers in China will invest million US dollars to set up a TV production base in the Czech Republic
The new TV assembly plant is an exclusively changyongowned enterprise named changyong Europe Electric SRO With a registered capital of million US dollars its main business will focus on RD manufacturing and marketing consumer electronics
According to CHANGHONG the establishment of changyong Europe aims at promoting its global strategy popularizing the CHANGHONG brand and creating a solid foundation for its products in the European market
CHANGHONGs annual turnover hit two billion US dollars in Its overseas sales keeps a robust growth and have exceeded percent of their total revenue Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Companies applying to list in the Shanghai Stock Exchange will no longer need the governments permission thanks to newly amended rules released on Tuesday
The Shanghai bourse announced the longexpected revisions which declare the exchange not the government has the power to suspend or stop stock trading and decide whether a company is qualified for listing China Daily reported Wednesday
The rules also created a standard for what information companies were required to disclose Toplevel management must disclose the amount of company shares that are purchased and traded Information such as investment activities guaranty activities sale and purchase issues are required to be disclosed as well
The rules have been submitted to China Securities Regulatory Commission for approval
When approved listing candidates will only need to sign a contract with the Shanghai Stock Exchange displaying Chinas resolution to do business following the global market standard
Experts say requiring more detailed disclosure will help uncover embezzlement by substantial shareholders of listed companies and the practice of illegal guaranty
The Shanghai Stock Exchange announced at the same time that the rules are amended to fit in with the new Securities Law and Company Law which became effective on Sunday Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua A nineyearold girl has been rescued after she was trapped in a ditch for four nights without food and water in Luzhou southwest Chinas Sichuan Province
Chen Wenjie was almost in a coma when she was brought to safety according to a China Daily report
A security officer guarding warehouses nearby was alerted to her plight by a dogs continuous barking and found her in a sevenmeter deep ditch
She was taken to hospital in Luzhou a city known for its liquor production and is believed to have suffered damages to her heart and liver
Her mother said she should be fit to return home Wednesday
After finishing her morning classes on December Chen a fourth grader in a local primary school in Lantian Town in Luzhou had lunch at home As her father was preoccupied with work he did not accompany her to school in the afternoon
At around pm her teacher informed the family that she had not been in classes
The girl later said she had tried to skip classes but slipped into the ditch on her way to find a place to play When she regained consciousness Chen tried in vain to stand up but both legs were trapped in thick mud She cried for help but no one passed by
A dog kept barking in the courtyard surrounding the warehouses in the days after Chen fell into the ditch At about am on Saturday a security guard decided to carry out an extensive search
After patrolling the courtyard he heard somebody outside the wall of the warehouse crying for help in a weak voice He approached the ditch found Chen and called the police
Doctors at Luzhou Municipal Peoples Hospital said it was a miracle for Chen to survive four nights in hunger and cold Enditem
Chinese president receives credentials from ambassadors of
five countries
Centenial anniversary of Chinese film industry marked
Chinese factors in the world of dream works
News film one ocean godess to shot
Chinas Red Cross and Bank of China signs strategic
partnership agreement
Yearend China set to reduce dependence on oil
China Hosts National Meeting on Agriculture in Beijing
China makes public agricultural geological survey results
Well known short cross talk performer to give show
China strives to provide even education opportunities for
teenagers
Chinese keen on collecting ancient maps
Millions of herdsmen out of poverty in Tibet
College graduates from SWChina province find housekeeping
jobs in Beijing
First expressway between China and ASEAN open to traffic
Online gaming plays havoc with vulnerable young generation
Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Chinas total spending on scientific research and development hit record billion yuan billion US dollars in the National Bureau of Statistic NBS said in a report released on Wednesday
The report said the spending in an increase of percent from or billion yuan billion dollars more than the previous year accounted for percent of the nations gross domestic product GDP which was revised after the countrys first national economic census Enditem
LANZHOU Dec Xinhua Eight people were confirmed dead and two others injured in a headon collision between two buses Tuesday in northwest Chinas Gansu Province local traffic police said Wednesday
A local Yutong bus carrying passengers hit a minibus from the neighboring Sichuan Province at around am at kilometers on State Highway in the Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Gannan
The fatal accident killed the driver of the minibus and seven passengers on the spot The other two passengers on the minibus a woman and her daughter were injured
Cause of the accident is being investigated Enditem
YINCHUAN Dec Xinhua A pair of industrial accidents on Christmas Eve killed two workers at a SinoJapanese joint venture in northwest Chinas Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region sources with the local government confirmed Wednesday
Tao Wei a worker at Changcheng Suzaki Machine Foundry Co Ltd was hit by a backing truck when he was adjusting the steel cable outside a workshop at am He died later at hospital
At around pm a crane struck another worker named Xu Jialiang on the job Xu died despite allout rescue efforts
Local production safety authorities are investigating the two accidents Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Highlights of major Beijingbased newspapers on Wednesday
Most of Beijingbased newspapers frontpage news reports on Chinese President Hu Jintaos meetings with Donald Tsang chief executive of Chinas Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and Edmund Ho Hau Wah chief executive of the Macao Special Administrative Region SAR at the Zhongnanhai compound Tuesday
After hearing their reports respectively Hu said the Chinese central government is satisfied with the work of Tsang and the HKSAR government He voice his pledge to continue to wholeheartedly support the chief executive and the HKSAR government
Meanwhile Hu said Macaos economy has continued to grow with harmonious social stability and the third election of the Legislative Council was smoothly organized in Meanwhile Macao succeeded in making its old urban area a World Heritage site and hosted the East Asian Games Hu said
Peoples Daily
Chinese top legislator Wu Bangguo heard a report on Chinas energy situation and energy security which was delivered at a meeting of the Standing Committee of the th National Peoples Congress NPC
China Youth Daily
Tian Fengshan former minister of land and resources was sentenced to life imprisonment and deprived of political rights for life Tuesday for accepting bribes worth million yuan about US dollars
Xinhua Daily Telegraph
Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang Tuesday said the specific date of the second phase of the fifth round of six party talks is yet to be decided
China Daily
China will spend an average of more than billion yuan million US dollars annually in the next two years for prevention and control of HIVAIDS almost double the million yuan million US dollars earmarked for this year Enditem
HONG KONG Dec Xinhua Hong Kong stocks went down points or percent to open at on Wednesday Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Chinas total spending on scientific research and development hit record billion yuan billion US dollars in the National Bureau of Statistic NBS said in a report released on Wednesday
The report said the spending in an increase of percent from or billion yuan billion dollars more than the previous year accounted for percent of the nations gross domestic product GDP which was revised after the countrys first national economic census
The report showed the funds allocated to RD by the central government had increased steadily over the past year
The spending on basic RD amounted to billion yuan up percent and that on application RD billion yuan a rise of percent from while the spending on experiment RD totaled billion yuan an increase of percent
In the report said the spending on scientific RD by Chinese enterprises came to billion yuan a rise of percent from while the RD funds spent by stateowned scientific research institutes and colleges and universities increased percent and percent respectively to reach billion yuan and billion yuan
Last year altogether there were seven provinces and municipalities whose scientific RD funds exceeded billion yuan including Beijing Shanghai Jiangsu Guangdong Shandong Zhejiang and Liaoning the NBS report said
Meanwhile it said Chinas total expenditure on scientific and technological activities totaled billion yuan in representing a percent rise or billion yuan more than the previous year Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Chinese VicePremier Zeng paiyan told the countrys top legislators that the central government will take substantial effective efforts to ensure coal mine safety
Safety has become a top concern for the State Council in economic and social development Zeng said Tuesday in a report at the ongoing session of the Standing Committee of the National Peoples Congress
Two coal mine accidents that claimed more than lives each time occurred within days in late Nov and early Dec in Northeast Chinas Heilongjiang Province and North Chinas Hebei Province
According to Zeng China the world biggest raw coal producer has adopted seven major measures to curb accidents
To strengthen the discovery of hidden dangers in coal mines and improve supervision of mines that stop production due to lack of safety guarantee
To shut down those coal mines which do not meet with safety requirements even after improvements
To regulate coal mine mergers
To tighten supervision over construction of coal mine projects
To cure the problem of high gas content in coal mines
To strengthen punishment
To ascertain responsibilities of officials after accidents
According to Zengs report on the current resource and safety conditions energy supply has become a serious restriction on Chinas economic and social development
To increase investment in safety is also a must Zeng said
Coal electricity and oil are in short supply and energy consumption is not efficient enough
Contradiction between resource supply and demand will continue for a long time he said
Given this problem China will actively participate in global oil gas and coal exploration and cooperation according to Zeng
However he stressed We will mainly rely on domestic resource supply
The construction of largescale coal production bases including Shendong along the boundary between Shaanxi Province and Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and Huanglong in Shaanxi will be accelerated
Meanwhile construction on projects for new and renewable energy will also be accelerated
Several nuclear power plants of millions of kilowatts will be built and more wind power and solar energy will be exploited
It is expected that renewable resources will contribute percent of the total resource supply in up from the current seven percent according to Zeng
According to the relevant statistics last year China was the second biggest resource producer in the world with production volume of billion tons of standard coal Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao met with chief executives of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region SAR and the Macao SAR respectively here on Wednesday
During his meeting with Donald twang chief executive of the Hong Kong SAR Wen said twang has made a great deal of substantial pragmatic effort to promote the prosperity and stability of Hong Kong after assuming the post of HKSAR Chief Executive half years ago
Hong Kongs overall situation is good featuring sustained economic growth and social stability and some deeprooted problems are yet to be resolved said Wen
He expressed the hope that the Hong Kong SAR government and all walks of life in Hong Kong would make concerted efforts to focus on economic growth and improvement of peoples livelihood and maintaining social stability
The central government will go on giving its wholeheartedly support to the HKSAR governments administration in accordance with law and implement necessary policies and measures to enhance exchanges and cooperation between Chinese mainland and Hong Kong
When meeting with Edmund Ho Hau Wah the chief executive of the Macao SAR Wen fully affirmed the efforts made by Ho and his SAR government saying that Macaos economy has continued to grow and the social situation remains stable and harmonious
He encouraged the Macao SAR government and Macao people to achieve overall social and economic progress
VicePremier Wu Yi State Councilors Tang Jiaxuan and Hua Jianmin and ViceChairman of the National Committee of the Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Conference Liao Hui were among others present at both meetings Enditem
MACAO Dec Xinhua Macao has seen a percent unemployment rate between September and November a yearonyear drop of percent according to official statistics issued here on Wednesday
The figures from the Statistics and Census Service showed that the number of jobless residents seeking their first job was around or percent of the total unemployed population between September and November
Macaos total labor force was estimated at in the period the figures showed
The special administrative region has a population of over Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao met with chief executives of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region SAR and the Macao SAR respectively here on Wednesday
During his meeting with Donald Tsang chief executive of the Hong Kong SAR Wen said Tsang has made a great deal of substantial pragmatic effort to promote the prosperity and stability of Hong Kong after assuming the post of HKSAR Chief Executive half years ago
Hong Kongs overall situation is good featuring sustained economic growth and social stability and some deeprooted problems are yet to be resolved said Wen
He expressed the hope that the Hong Kong SAR government and all walks of life in Hong Kong would make concerted efforts to focus on economic growth and improvement of peoples livelihood and maintaining social stability
The central government will go on giving its wholeheartedly support to the HKSAR governments administration in accordance with law and implement necessary policies and measures to enhance exchanges and cooperation between Chinese mainland and Hong Kong
When meeting with Edmund Ho Hau Wah the chief executive of the Macao SAR Wen fully affirmed the efforts made by Ho and his SAR government saying that Macaos economy has continued to grow and the social situation remains stable and harmonious
He encouraged the Macao SAR government and Macao people to achieve overall social and economic progress
VicePremier Wu Yi State Councilors Tang Jiaxuan and Hua Jianmin and ViceChairman of the National Committee of the Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Conference Liao Hui were among others present at both meetings Enditem
HONG KONG Dec Xinhua Hong Kong stocks went down points or percent to finish the morning session at on Wednesday Enditem
GUANGZHOU Dec Xinhua The Pearl River estuary in south China has been tormented by a grave salt tide under the spell of negative factors such as less rainfall in the rivers drainage area
The salt tide which began affecting the estuary on Tuesday will last till next Wednesday according to the Guangdong Provincial Astronomers Society
Specialists with organization blamed less rainfall in the drainage area of the Pearl River and the effect of a powerful tidal wave caused by an astronomical phenomenon that the sun the earth and the moon will be in a line on Dec for the invasion of the salt tide
It is believed that the adverse impact of the salt tide on drinking water in the densely populated Pearl River Delta where major cities such as Zhuhai Zhongshan Panyu Dongguan and Shunde are located will be limited Enditem
GUIYANG Dec Xinhua China is expected to hold an international symposium soon on Shuishu the unique pictographic characters of the ethnic Shui group according to a researcher with southwestern Guizhou Institute for Nationalities
Pan Chaolin the research said a wealth of ancient Chinese characters such as inscriptions on tortoise shells and bronze have vanished for centuries The Shuishu however is still in use by the ethnic Shui group
The study of Shuishu is of great significance for the study of the ethnic groups culture linguistics and history Pan acknowledged
According to Pan Shuishu is a rare pictographic language which is regarded as the living fossil and books written in the language had recorded encyclopedic attainments scored by the ethnic Shui minority people in astronomy geography religion folkcustom ethics philosophy aesthetics and law
Guizhou inhabits about people of Shui minority people which account for some percent of the ethnic Shui population in China
Shuishu was incorporated into the China Archive Heritage selected by the State Archive Administration of China in March and great efforts have since been made by both central and local cultural authorities for the protection of the unique language Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits ARATS expressed on Wednesday the hope that the Taiwanbased Strait Exchange Foundation SEF could defer to the funeral arrangement of ARATS President Wang Daohan who passed away on Dec
Wangs family told Xinhua on Monday that in accordance with Wangs wish they would hold a simple funeral to which they could invite only a small number of Wangs friends and representatives from organizations
The ARATS said that Wangs family showed gratitude for the condolences from all circles and clarified their arrangement of Wangs funeral because some personages from Taiwan Hong Kong Macao and other overseas areas intended to come to the funeral
Wang Daohan died of disease in Shanghai Saturday morning at the age of Wangs funeral is expected to be held in Shanghai Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Nearly half of urban Chinese employees expect pay rises or to change jobs in the new year according to a recent survey
The findings were released by Beijingbased polling agency Horizon Group after quizzing more than households nationwide
Two in three urbanites or percent anticipate an income rise next year compared with percent for township residents and percent for rural dwellers
And two in five city residents or percent plan to move to a job which is more satisfying
But its not just work on their minds One in four percent plan to travel for leisure thanks to rising disposable incomes
One in of the respondents or their children expect to marry next year Purchase of a house is also a priority percent say they wang to buy a house next year
The findings showed that Chinese peoples outlook confidence index has been on the increase annually since Enditem
GUANGZHOU Dec Xinhua Guangdong Province an economic powerhouse in south China will be short of four to five million kilowatts of electric power in the first half of next year a local official said
The electricity pitfall will be about billion kilowatts in the first half of next year Yang Jianchu vicechairman of the Guangdong Provincial Trade and Economic Committee said The acute power shortage is ascribed to the reduction of generated electricity resulting from rocketing oil price hikes and local dry season
The electric power shortage is expected to ease in the second half of with a group of thermal power plants going into operation Yang said
Guangdong experienced the most grave power shortage in a decade this year The province recorded a shortfall of million kilowatts of electricity in May and in October it was still short of million kilowatts Power shortage for the whole year will account for some nine percent of Guangdongs total annual power consumption according to an official forecast Enditem
NANJING Dec Xinhua The expansion project of the expressway linking two major cities in east China is scheduled to open to traffic on the New Years Day in
The expressway linking Shanghai Chinas largest metropolis with Nanjing capital of Jiangsu Province began expanding in November costing an investment of billion yuan about billion US dollars by November
The principal part of the project was completed ahead of schedule and the traffic ban on trucks will be lifted when the broadened expressway is put into use said Xie Jiaquan general manager of the NanjingShanghai Expressway Co Ltd at a press conference held Tuesday in Nanjing
With an extended mileage of km the eightlane expressway is expected to help ease traffic jam between Shanghai and Nanjing
According to Xie with a speed of km per hour it will take a twohour drive from Nanjing to Shanghai Enditem
GUIYANG Dec Xinhua China was probably the first country in the world to collect dinosaur fossils a scientist has said
The Yue Kingdom in todays southeastern China had dinosaur fossils in BC said Sun Erhu a research fellow with the Chengdu Institute of Biology under the Chinese Academy of Sciences
In that year the invading Wu Kingdom sieged Yue Kingdoms capital Kuaiji and captured a mammoth skeleton that had to be carried with a cart according to Shi Ji or Historical Records compiled by famous Chinese historian Sima Qian
I bet the skeleton was actually a dinosaur fossil Sun said after years of research The kingdom of Wu thought it was priceless and asked the most knowledgeable people to evaluate it
Sun said he read about such mammoth skeletons in earlier historical documents too and guessed these were the worlds earliest collections of dinosaur fossils Most of them were captured during wars and were collected by the kings as treasures Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Two animal teeth with manmade holes came to light after having been buried for straight years among other relics in the cave of Beijing Man formerly called Peking Man at Zhoukoudian kilometers southwest of Beijing
The animal teeth could be decorations belonging to the Beijing Man living approximately years ago said Yang Haifeng director of Beijing Man Relics Site Management Office
Experts also discovered fossils of rabbit skulls and more than pieces of rabbit shanks and rabbit jaw bones
The two animal teeth with manmade holes and rabbit skulls were believed to be sorted out by Pei Wenzhong a forerunner on Beijing Man studies in The relics then were stored aside because of ensuing wars
The Office has all along been looking for fossils of the Beijing Man The relics are expected to be displayed at the newly built Zhoukoudian Relics Museum
The discovery of the yearold Beijing Man was one of the most decisive steps in the scientific quest to trace mans prehistoric development from the apes Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua China Petrochemical Corporation the countrys major petrochemical giant said Tuesday it has been given billion yuan about billion US dollars in oneoff subsidies for compensation for artificially lower refined oil prices
The corporation made the announcement through its listed firm SINOPEC Tuesday on the websites of the countrys Shanghai and Shenzhen stock exchanges
Despite soaring international crude oil prices this year China did not raise its refined oil prices in tandem with fluctuations of the international oil prices making its oil refineries in red
The corporation said that billion yuan of the billion yuan subsidies will go to SINOPEC which controls a number of petrochemical firms in China including three domestically listed firms
The subsidies will be divided in accordance with the amount of crude oil processed by its subsidiaries in and the subsidies will be calculated as part of their profits Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The Chinese government has in the past decade taken effective measures to provide even education opportunities for youngsters in different regions under different economic development conditions and from different ethnic groups according to a recent report
The report on Development of Youth in China was released jointly by China Research Center of Teenagers and the international liaison department of the Communist Youth League of China
The report said that education was developed in an unbalanced manner in China particularly with gaps between urban and rural areas different regions and between different ethnic groups But the report said the gaps would be gradually narrowed as effective measures were being taken and strengthened
According to the report the government continuously extended bigger support to compulsory education in povertystricken areas
Last year billion yuan billion US dollars was appropriated from the central coffer to support compulsory education in rural areas a growth of percent from the previousyear level of billion yuan million dollars
In the government began to offer free textbooks to million students from povertystricken households in central and western regions This year it exempted some poor families from exercise book fees and incidentals And the policy will benefit all rural homes as of
China initiated education loans for college students in and has since granted approximately billion yuan billion dollars in loans for million needy students said the report Enditem
GUANGZHOU Dec Xinhua The economically developed Guangdong Province in south China is expected to realize billion yuan billion US dollars in gross domestic product or GDP for the whole of this year a yearonyear growth of percent
According to a provincial economic work conference held recently in the provincial capital Guangzhou Guangdongs fixedasset investment will amount to an estimated total of billion yuan billion US dollars this year up percent over the yearearlier level and the retail sales will reach billion yuan billion USdollars up percent
Sources at the conference said that Guangdongs GDP stood at billion yuan billion US dollarsin the first months of this year up percent yearonyear
Guangdong actually absorbed billion US dollars in foreign direct investment FDI and chalked up billion US dollars in imports and exports in the JanuaryNovember period up percent and percent respectively Enditem
HANGZHOU Dec Xinhua Zhejiang Province a major foreign trade base in eastern China expects to gain billion US dollars in foreign trade value by the end of this year a yearonyear increase of percent
According to the latest data provided by the provincial foreign trade and economic cooperation department the import and export value of Zhejiang came to billion US dollars by the end of November up percent over last years same period
The figure included billion US dollars in export value and billion US dollars in import value up percent and percent respectively
In the first months Zhejiang sold abroad billion US dollars worth of machines and electronics and billion dollars worth of new and hightech products up percent and percent respectively The two categories made up percent of the provinces total foreign sales Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The Composite Stock Index on the Shanghai Stock Exchange closed at points on Wednesday up points from the previous close
A Share Index points up points
B Share Index points up points
Total Turnover yuan Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The Hushen Index reflecting the whole fluctuation of Chinas Shanghai and Shenzhen stock exchanges closed at points on Wednesday up points from the previous close
About one fifth of the total shares listed in the two markets have been chosen as samples of the Hushen Index accounting for percent of the market value in Chinas stock market Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The Component Stock Index on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange closed at points on Wednesday up points from the previous close
A Share Index points up points
B Share Index points down points
Total Turnover yuan Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The Hall of Supreme Harmony the greatest and most grandiose of all major halls in the worldfamous Imperial Palace in downtown Beijing will undergo overhauled from early according to sources with the Palace Museum
Li Yongge director of the ancient architecture repair center in the Palace Museum referred to the overhaul as a big surgery operation for the every part of the Supreme Harmony Hall will be closely and meticulously checked
The Hall of the Supreme Harmony was the most magnificent building structure as well as the place court where all of the emperors administrative affairs were dealt with Grand ceremonies such as the enthronement of the the emperor the emperors birthday and marriage ceremonies all took place there
Decorated with thousands of dragons the traditional symbol of the emperors power the hall is considered the most important component part of the imperial palace
Most of the structures in the hall is made of top quality wood said Li
The halls interior paintings and decorations have been well preserved while the outer decorations will be redone Other overhaul project also includes changing of the colored glaze
Li also acknowledged that overhaul project will strictly follow the repair cycle of the ancient architectures with every procedure to comply with the seasons and humidity elements The whole project will be completed before Oct Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua A group of girls from a vocational college in southwestern Sichuan Province arrived in Beijing Tuesday to work as housemaids a local paper Beijing Times reported Wednesday
These college girls are mostly juniors and sophomores majoring in journalism the Chinese language and secretarial profession according to sources of the organizer a Sichuanbased domestic work company
Nine of them were hired shortly after they arrived on Tuesday morning After a short training they will start working on Thursday said a manager surnamed Liu with Beijing Anjishun Domestic Work Company which is a coorganizer of this babysitter group
These girls ranging from to in age had received a oneweeklong training on domestic work before their arrival Most of them have also mastered the basic knowledge of English computer and tutoring
Their salary will be to yuan about US dollars per month much higher than the average babysitters yuan US dollars a month said Liu
I can manage the daily housework well though I am not sure of my cooking skills said Yu Wei the youngest one among the college girls I consider this experience as a taste of the society and I wish to broaden my horizon during my stay in Beijing so as to land a decent job after graduation
All the girls are organized on a voluntary basis and under their parents permission according to Tan Guoying head of the Chinese language department of the vocational college
Parttime jobs will not cause their credits suffer They can finish the required credit hours within five years while working said the dean
Early this year it was reported college girls from central Chinas Wuhan City came to babysit in Beijing But eight months later most of them quit except ten Enditem
TIANJIN Dec Xinhua Beeper once a popular wireless telecommunication tool before the prevalence of mobile phones has been housed as a modern relic in a museum in north Chinas port city of Tianjin
Beeper has gradually gone out of peoples life with a spate of new digital devices prevailing in stead said rector of the Tianjin Museum of Old Town who is surnamed Shang
Rector Shang said that the museum categorized beeper into an exhibit of folk custom which is the only object in the museum marking peoples life style in the city in s
The rector believed that the selection of modern relic is a test of modern peoples foresight in distinguishing things worth collection years later which would become an important heritage
A survey by the State Statistics Bureau in showed that the numbers of electronic beeper users were only an estimated four beepers per thousand people in while in the figure stood at percent per hundred when there were more than telephones for every persons in most Chinese cities Enditem
TAIYUAN Dec Xinhua A Chinese villager unearthed an ivory fossil in north Chinas Shanxi Province which was verified by archeologists to be at least one million years old
The milkwhite fossilized tusk is nearly centimeters long and centimeters in diameter in the thickest part and centimeters in diameter in the thinnest part
The fossil was unearthed by a villager surnamed Xue in Hehe Village in Jishan County in the province when he was digging sand by a river He immediately contacted the local relic protection bureau about his findings
Archeologists said that the fossil was integrated It has been kept in preservation by local relic protection authorities
There were several findings of ivory fossils in the region The oldest ivory fossils previously spotted in the province was years old
Ancient ivory fossils were previously discovered in north Chinas Tianjin municipality and Hebei Province and Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in the northwest But ivory fossils of more than one million years old were rarely seen Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Manufacturing accounted for percent of Beijings total industrial output value a recentlypublicized general investigation of economic development has shown
The output value of telecommunications electronic computers and other electronic equipment manufacturing of transportation and traffic equipment ferrous metal smelting and processing industry raw chemical materials and manufacturing of chemical products petroleum refining and coking and nuclear fuel processing industry reached billion yuan billion US dollars making up percent of Beijings total industrial output value
Beijing had industrial enterprises by the end of last year accounting for percent of Beijings total corporate enterprises The total industrial output value reached billion yuan times the figure for
Of the total industrial output value stateowned enterprises accounted for percent private businesses accounted for percent enterprises financed by Hong Kong Macao and Taiwan businessmen made up percent and foreignfunded enterprises contributed percent
Hightech industrial output value reached billion yuan accounting for percent of Beijings total industrial output value Electronics and information technology made up percent of the total hightech output value Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The funeral service of Wang Daohan Chinese mainlands top envoy on Taiwan affairs is scheduled to be held at Longhua funeral parlour in Shanghai at am Friday
The news was announced by a leading official of the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits ARATS
Leading officials of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China will be present at the funeral
In accordance with the wish of Wangs family family members of Koo Chenfu late president of Taiwanbased Strait Exchange FoundationSEFwill also attend the funeral according to ARATS
Other people to be present on the occasion include some SEF officials who have participated in the WangKoo meetings and representatives of Taiwans Kuomintang Party People First Party New Party and the Alliance for the Reunification of China
Some of Wangs friends in Taiwan Taiwan businessmen investing on the Chinese mainland and heads of Taiwan enterprise associations on the mainland will also be on hand ARATS said Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Report on the quality of air in major Chinese cities Dec to Dec Beijing Time released by the China Environmental Monitoring Center
City Major Pollutant Air Quality Level
Beijing particulate matter III
Tianjin sulfur dioxide III
Shijiazhuang particulate matter III
Qinhuangdao sulfur dioxide II
Taiyuan particulate matter III
Hohhot particulate matter III
Shenyang particulate matter III
Dalian sulfur dioxide II
Changchun particulate matter II
Harbin particulate matter III
Shanghai particulate matter II
Nanjing sulfur dioxide II
Suzhou particulate matter II
Nantong particulate matter II
Lianyungang particulate matter II
Hangzhou particulate matter II
Ningbo particulate matter II
Wenzhou particulate matter II
Hefei particulate matter II
Fuzhou I
Xiamen particulate matter II
Nanchang particulate matter II
Jinan particulate matter III
Qingdao sulfur dioxide II
Yantai sulfur dioxide II
Zhengzhou particulate matter III
Wuhan particulate matter III
Changsha particulate matter III
Guangzhou particulate matter II
Shenzhen particulate matter II
Zhuhai sulfur dioxide II
Shantou particulate matter II
Zhanjiang particulate matter II
Nanning I
Guilin I
Beihai I
Haikou particulate matter II
Chongqing particulate matter III
Chengdu particulate matter V
Guiyang sulfur dioxide III
Kunming particulate matter II
Lhasa particulate matter II
Xian particulate matter III
Lanzhou particulate matter III
Xining particulate matter III
Yinchuan particulate matter III
Urumqi particulate matter V
The center classifies air quality in Chinas urban areas into five levels level I or excellent pollution reading not exceeding level II or fairly good pollution reading to level III or slightly polluted pollution reading to level IV or poor pollution reading to and level V or hazardous pollution reading over
The cities monitored by the center include the four municipalities of Beijing Tianjin Shanghai and Chongqing provincial or autonomous regional capitals and major cities in economically developed coastal areas and tourist attractions Enditem
CHENGDU Dec Xinhua Chinas largest nongovernmental exhibition center for antiJapanese war relics has been opened to visitors in southwest Chinas Sichuan Province
The exhibition center consists of eight exhibition halls five of which became operational on Tuesday to house more than relics from the Chinese Peoples War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression The remaining three exhibition halls will go into operation next year
The exhibits include historical photos materials documents and the replicas of battlefields
The exhibition center is part of the Jianchuan Museum Complex located in Anren Town of Dayi County and covering hectares The museum complex consists of three exhibition centers which showcase antiJapanese war relics relics of Cultural Revolution and folk customs
Fan Jianchuan curator of the Jianchuan Museum Complex has collected more than million relics of antiJapanese war Cultural Revolution and folk customs in the past two decades Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Both the Chinese and English versions of the Yearbook of the Peoples Republic of China PRC have been published by the Xinhua News Agency
The yearbook will be distributed at home and abroad according to official sources
The yearbook the th since contains about three million Chinese characters and covers all social and economic issues in categories to offer a handy reference for both Chinese and foreign readers
All its figures have been checked by authoritative persons and experts from central and local government departments Enditem
GUANGZHOU Dec Xinhua Thirty women from the Republic of Korea ROK who have been recruited as stewardesses by the China Southern Airlines have been receiving a twomonthlong professional training in Guangzhou where the headquarters of the air company is located
They are the first group of stewardesses the China Southern Airlines has ever hired from the ROK according to corporate sources
Upon completion of the training course the Korean women aged from to and all college educated will be sent to serve on round flights from Seoul to three Chinese cities of Guangzhou capital of Guangdong Province Shenyang capital of Liaoning Province and Dalian a port city in Liaoning
They will later be sent to work on regular or chartered flights from other cities of the ROK to more Chinese cities such as Beijing Zhangjiajie Urumqi Guilin and Sanya after they have gained some experience in doing inflight services
The China Southern Airlines which was created by mergers of the China Southern China Northern and Xinjiang Airlines began to hire foreign nationals as stewards or stewardesses in
And the companys first group of foreign stewards and stewardesses are Japanese At present eight Japanese stewardesses are serving on domestic Chinese flights connecting Guangzhou and other cities in China Enditem
CHENGDU Dec Xinhua The International Fireworks and Music Festival will kick off on the first day of in the capital city of Chengdu in southwest Chinas Sichuan Province according to sources of the local government
The festival is scheduled for Jan to Feb in a park of Wenjiang District It will cover several Chinese traditional festivals like the Chinese Lunar New Year and the Lantern Festival
The festival will invite a number of worldfamous fireworks masters from eight countries including the United States Russia Germany Italy Spain and the Republic of Korea
During the festival eight fireworks shows together with classic symphony concerts will be staged to feast the Chinese audiences
Other events will include daytime fireworks show and selfservice fireworks activities so that the attendants can experience the gala in person said one of the organizers Enditem
HANGZHOU Dec Xinhua Thailand will set up a direct distribution base in east Chinas Zhejiang Province for its agricultural and sideline products according to sources of the local government
Yiwu a city famous for its wholesale markets in Zhejiang Province will become Thailands distribution base for tropical fruits after Taiwan established a fruit sales center here early this year
The Thai agricultural products mostly fruits will enter Chinas interior markets via Yiwu under a preliminary agreement of intent between Thailand and the city
In September the agricultural bank of Thailand made its first inspection tour in Yiwu bringing along special kinds of fruits said Wu Chihe general manager of the foreign trade branch of the Yiwu Agricultural Trade Company
On Dec the Ministry of Agriculture of Thailand made a second trip to the city for cooperation Under our agreement this project will kick off early next year said Wu
Yiwu enjoys a favorable geographical advantage and a developed distribution network covering the whole province and some big cities like Shanghai and Nanjing
Thailand abundant in tropical fruits including longan durian tangerine aims the Chinese mainlands vast market as China gives it zero tariff treatment for agricultural products Enditem
HONG KONG Dec Xinhua Following are foreign exchange rates against the Hong Kong dollar released by the Bank of China Hong Kong Limited at on Wednesday
Buying Selling
Japanese yen
Swiss franc
British pound
Australian dollar
Canadian dollar
Euro
US dollar
Enditem
HONG KONG Dec Xinhua Hong Kong stocks went down points or percent to close at on Wednesday Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua About percent of Chinese cities are suffering from underground water pollution a recent survey to the underground water across the country has showed
Zhang Lijun deputy director of the State Environmental Protection Administration SEPA was quoted by China News Service on Tuesday as saying that the pollution of underground water in China is serious
The news service said the pollution in north China is more serious than that of the southern regions and the pollution causes direct economic looses of tens of billion yuan or billions of US dollars every year not to mention countless indirect losses
In the next years Chinas water situation will face enormous pressure under a new round of economic growth It will be a key period whether China can limit the deterioration of water quality Zhang was quoted as saying
Underground water is the source of drinking water for nearly percent of Chinas population and is the source of some percent of the countrys agricultural irrigation the report said
The news service reported that SEPA launched projects in to prevent the pollution of underground water and protect drinking water Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Chinas trade surplus of new and hightech products totaled billion US dollars in the first months of this year and is expected to exceed billion dollars for the whole year the Ministry of Commerce announced on Wednesday
Figures showed Chinas hightech product export to major trade partners grew rapidly this year In the first months China exported new and hightech products worth billion US dollars billion dollars and billion dollars to the United States the European Union and Hong Kong up percent percent and percent year on year respectively
Chinas imports and exports of new and hightech products totaled billion US dollars in the first months up percent yearonyear the Ministry of Commerce said
China imported billion US dollars worth of hightech and new products in the JanuaryNovember period up percent The export of hightech products surged percent to reach billion dollars accounting for percent of Chinas total export
Chinas export of integrated circuits cell phones and computers grew percent to billion US dollars accounting for percent of Chinas hightech export Enditem
LHASA Dec Xinhua A total of million rural and pastoral residents in southwest Chinas Tibet Autonomous Region were lifted out poverty in the past five years with supportive policies of the local government
Sources from the Regional Poverty Relief Office said the above mentioned number of Tibetan residents had all met the regional poverty eradication benchmark stipulating that the annual per capita net income should reach yuan about US dollars
During the period some billion yuan was spent on various purposes of poverty eradication with key projects started in Tibets povertyridden areas said the sources
Up to now the regions poor population has shrunk from million at the end of to at present and the number of povertystricken townships has also plunged from to the present day Enditem
SHENYANG Dec Xinhua China has been constructing a trainferry project across the Bohai straits with the hope of linking up its two prominent economic powerhouses Liaoning and Shandong provinces
Information from China Railways Bohai Sea Train Ferry Co Ltd the developer said workers had so far completed the supporting railway extension with a length of km and port infrastructure for the trainferry route which will connect Dalian a port city in northeast Chinas Liaoning Province and Yantai also a coastal city in east Chinas Shandong Province
The trainferry route with a length of miles began construction in December On completion it will be the second train ferry service project in China and the longest of the kind in the country
The first such train ferry service is built on Qiongzhou Straits in south China connecting Haikou on Hainan Island with Haian in Guangdong Province
With a budget of billion yuan about million US dollars the new train ferry service project is designed to accommodate trains motor vehicles as well as passengers It will take three years to finish and begin a trial run in the latter half next year And formal operation will start a year later
For a long time passenger and cargo exchange between Chinas northeast rustbelt Shandong Peninsula and Yangtze River Delta requires to bypass Beijing and Tianjin via train service with the length amounting to km to km as a result of geographic limitations
The new train ferry service will be of great significance to improving travel efficiency alleviating tension by rail and rejuvenating the industrial rustbelt in northeast China Enditem
SHANGHAI Dec Xinhua The tertiary sector has become a new growth area in luring foreign funds in Shanghai which is expected to attract a record billion US dollars of contractual foreign funds this year local government sources said
Shanghai approved foreignfunded businesses in the tertiary sector in the first months this year Involved contractual foreign investment reached billion US dollars a drastic increase of percent year on year the Shanghaibased Liberation Daily quoted an official with the municipal foreign investment committee as saying
The official said of the newlyapproved foreignfinanced businesses were in the sectors including financial training management of nonperforming capital organizing and sponsoring sports games intermediary services for personnel exchange brokerage of currencies and brokerage of insurance which for the first time embraced inflow of foreign funds
In the first months Shanghai approved the establishment of regional headquarters of multinational corporations investment companies and foreign research and development centers
To date Shanghai has approved the establishment of regional headquarters of multinational corporations investment companies and foreign research and development centers Enditem
SHENYANG Dec Xinhua Shenyang capital city of northeast Chinas Liaoning Province registered a foreign trade volume of billion US dollars in the first months according to the Customs of Shenyang
The trade volume included billion US dollars in export up percent year on year and billion US dollars in import down percent
Germany and the United States are the leading trade partners of Shenyang followed by the Republic of Korea and Japan according to customs figures
Shenyang mainly imported electronics and machines aircraft and automobile parts medicines and rubber Export commodities included electronics and machines garments and medicines Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Chinas top intellectual property watchdog said here Wednesday that the administration will curb junk patents that have little innovation
Tian Lipu commissioner of the State Intellectual Property Office SIPO said that most junk patents are within the categories of utility model and design
According to the Patent Law the Chinese patent system has three categories invention utility model and design
The SIPO does not carry out substantial examination on applications for utility model and design patents which is also in line with the international practice
We do not substantially examine such patent applications in consideration of saving costs and other resources Tian said adding that new utility models and designs have much less innovative features compared with inventions
Lack of substantial examination might lead to junk patents Tian said
Many local governments provide incentives for businesses and individuals that are active in applying for patents With their encouragement Tian said some applicants submitted their applications based on existing technologies or designs
Tians office is now preparing for the third revisions of the patent law focusing on some pressing problems affecting effective patent protection The revisions might include improvement of the current examination mechanism for utility model and design patent applications
The SIPO also advised local governments to channel more incentives to invention patents which need to have substantial examination rather than utility models and designs
However Tian insisted that the current mechanism for utility model and design patents is largely appropriate for improving intellectual property awareness of Chinese enterprises most of which do not have meaningful innovative capabilities
In this sense Tian said authorization for utility model and design patents is still useful at the current stage of development Enditem
SHANGHAI Dec Xinhua Shanghai is to host the World Congress of International Federation of Freight Forwarders Association FIATA from September to according to a news briefing here Wednesday
About participants from more than countries and regions are expected to attend the congress These will include manageriallevel staff from big logistics and transportation enterprises and representatives from FIATA headquarters the United Nations and the European Union
They will touch upon a wide range of issues including air transportation customs public relations regional cooperation and legal issues
It is a timely event which will help raise the level of Chinas logistics industry and speed up the building of Shanghai into an international shipping center said Zhou Yupeng vice mayor of Shanghai
According to Luo Kaifu head of China International Forwarders Association CIFA China currently has over freight forwarders companies of which are based in Shanghai
The congress is jointly organized by the Chinese Ministry of Commerce and Shanghai municipal government
FIATA is the largest nongovernmental organization in the field of transportation It has member countries and about individual members The association has held global congresses in different cities around the globe and the congress is the first one in Shanghai
Shanghai is the second largest cargo port in the world with its cargo turnover hitting million tons in Its container turnover reached million tons ranking the third in the world Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Beijingbased Shougang Corporation one of Chinas major iron and steel groups has announced that its steel output has for the first time in history surpassed million tons this year
According to a report of the latest China Economic Herald the group realized the target days ahead of schedule
In May this year the corporation achieved a new monthly record of one million tons of steel
Shougang has maintained a stable growth in production despite the challenges brought by rising and falling steel prices this year Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The Beijing Office of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region HKSAR inaugurated its new office building Wednesday a detached threestorey building with more than square meters of floor space
HKSAR Chief Executive Donald Tsang who is in Beijing on a duty visit said at the unveiling ceremony here that the HKSAR Beijing Office has been a major channel of communication between the mainland and Hong Kong The inauguration of the new office building fully embodies the support of the central government toward Hong Kong
State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan Beijing Mayor Wang Qishan and deputy director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council Chen Zuoer also attended the ceremony
The HKSAR Beijing Office established in March was formerly located in a rented office building
Completed in September the new office building is located near the picturesque Shichahai area Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua China Construction Bank CCB on Wednesday donated million yuan US dollars to the Red Cross Society of China RCSC to supporting charity programs
The bank also signed an agreement with RCSC to issue its debit card called Dragon Card to members of RCSC nationwide soon
The cooperation is a meaningful approach of financial institutions and charity organizations in the public welfare sector said CCB president Chang Zhenming at the donation ceremony
The million yuan will be spent in five years in support of the youth work of RCSC The commission charged in use of the bank card will be returned to RCSC according to Chang
RCSC president Peng Peiyun received the donation on behalf of RCSC and conferred a medal to mark the donation to CCB
The cooperation will provide more opportunities to the development of Chinas Red Cross drive said RCSC vice president Jiang Yiman hoping that more Chinese companies to make contribution in this regard
As one of the four major state commercial banks in China CCB was listed on Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited in October this year It is the first state bank to set foot in Chinas red cross charity programs Enditem
NANNING Dec Xinhua The first expressway between China and ASEAN Association of Southeast Asian Nations opened to traffic on Wednesday
The kilometerlong expressway starts from Nanning capital of south Chinas Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and leads to Vietnams Friendship Pass It is an important part of Chinas national highway network said Guo Shengkun vicechairman of Guangxi regional government
With an investment of billion yuan million US dollars the eightlane expressway is currently the most convenient overland passage linking China with the ASEAN
The expressway shortens the traveling time between Nanning and the SinoVietnamese border to less than two hours half of what is required in the past and it also takes five hours from Nanning to Hanoi the official said
The expressway will be conducive to expanding the trade scale between China and ASEAN countries and promoting the formation of the ChinaASEAN Free Trade Area Enditem
CHENGDU Dec Xinhua More and more Chinese have begun to eye on collecting ancient maps marked by robust auctions of such cultural relics in the country over recent years
However experts said map collection is yet to be specialized Currently only a few people collect maps only
Tens of thousands of people across China now involve in map collection but only several hundreds are really enthusiastic about it Of the several hundreds only percent are specialized in map collection In this capital of southwestern Chinas Sichuan Province where collection of cultural relics is vigorous only two people specializing in storing up maps boast a collection of more than items
The experts say some collectors only store up some specific kinds of maps For example a collector surnamed Liu in southern Guangdong Province housed over maps of administrative regions In Shanghai a collector is keen on storing up sports maps
Map collection societies are yet to be established in China though there are three journals tailored to map collection in the nation the experts added Enditem
HONG KONG Dec Xinhua Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited HKEx Wednesday implemented a capacity upgrade for its securities trading system the Third Generation Automatic Order Matching and Execution System AMS
The upgraded system supports a higher order throughput and improves order execution the update of prices and the response time for order input particularly at market opening HKEx said
According to HKEx the million Hong Kong dollars million US dollars project was rolled out following an extensive series of testing including market rehearsals with Exchange Participants
The upgrade is part of our commitment to improving market infrastructure and ensuring the highest standards of system performance said HKEx Chief Executive Paul Chow
I am confident that more efficient trade execution will better serve both Exchange Participants and investors Chow added Enditem
HONG KONG Dec Xinhua The Hong Kong Monetary Authority HKMA announced Wednesday that it has granted a banking license to Melli Bank PLC MB under the Banking Ordinance
According to the HKMA the granting of this banking license took effect on Dec
MB is incorporated in the United Kingdom It is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Bank Melli Iran BMI which operates a branch in Hong Kong under a banking license
As part of a restructuring of the BMI Group MB will take over the business of BMI in Hong Kong early next year BMI intends to apply for revocation of its banking license in Hong Kong after the completion of the transfer of the assets and liabilities of its Hong Kong branch to MBs Hong Kong branch the HKMA said
After the granting of a banking license to MB the number of licensed banks in Hong Kong has increased to Enditem
HONG KONG Dec Xinhua The daily attendance at Hong Kongs public hospitals Accident and Emergency AE Departments during the Christmas holidays averaged up percent over the same period last year
The Hospital Authority of Hong Kong government said here Wednesday that the figure was percent higher than the decembers daily average
During the holidays Tuen Mun Hospitals AE department recorded the highest daily average attendance with This was followed by United Christian with and Queen Elizabeth with Enditem
HONG KONG Dec Xinhua Following are Wednesdays major Hang Seng Indexes managed and compiled by HSI Service Limited a wholly owned subsidiary of the Hang Seng Bank
Index Previous Close Close Change
Hang Seng Index
Subindices
Finance
Utilities
Properties
ComInd
Hang Seng Composite
Index
Hang Seng Hong Kong
Composite Index
Hang Seng Mainland
Composite Index
Hang Seng China
Enterprises Index
Hang Seng ChinaAffiliated
Corporations Index
Turnover
million HK dollars
million US dollars
Enditem
CHENGDU Dec Xinhua Southwestern Chinese city of Chengdu began on Wednesday the construction of a subway in a bid to ease the traffic pressure of the city with million people
The No subway extending km with stations will be put into trial operation in with a total investment of billion yuan million US dollars
Chengdu capital of Sichuan Province first submitted to the central government a proposal of building subway in December A related feasibility report of the subway project was approved by the State Development and Reform Commission in November this year
The city has witnessed worsening traffic due to its huge population and increasing number of motor vehicles which stands at million Viaducts and underpasses are also being constructed to improve the traffic
Chengdu citizens have long expected the building of subway said an official with the municipal government who didnt want to be named
According to plan the rail network in Chengdu will have seven lines with the No line serving as a trunk route
The overall network will have a total length of km and be finished in years Enditem
SHIJIAZHUANG Dec Xinhua China is preparing the first comprehensive investigation of the Great Wall section that was built during Qin Dynasty BC according to the China Great Wall Society Wednesday
The program will start in April or May next year said Dong Yaohui vice chairman and secretary general of China Great Wall Society
The society has already performed a comprehensive investigation into the section built during the Ming Dynasty
The section built during Qin Dynasty built more than years ago is experiencing extreme manmade and natural destruction The section is poorly understood or protected Dong said
Chinas first emperor Qinshihuang founder of Qin Dynasty had the Great Wall built as a defense against attack by the Xiongnu an ancient nationality in north China
Researchers believed that the vast project was built by over one million workers in years
Rebuilt many times through the centuries and many sections of the wall have suffered serious damage
Since the s the Chinese government has allocated special
funds to restore this national monument Enditem
HONG KONG Dec Xinhua Share prices on the Taiwan Stock Exchange closed lower Wednesday with the weighted index the markets key barometer moving down points to close at
The bourse opened at and fluctuated between and during trading A total of billion shares changed hands on a market turnover of billion Taiwan dollars billion US dollars
Four of the eight major stock categories lost ground with paper and pulp stocks moving down the most at percent followed by construction issues and machinery and electronics shares both at percent and textile issues at percent
Three of the major stock categories gained ground with cement issues moving up the most at percent followed by foodstuff shares at percent and banking and financial stocks at percent
Plastics and chemicals shares remained unchanged
Losers outnumbered gainers to with stocks remaining unchanged Enditem
HONG KONG Dec Xinhua Hong Kong shares ended lower Wednesday as the bluechip Hang Seng Index fell points or percent to close at
The bourse opened lower at and fluctuated between and during the session Turnover totaled billion HK dollars up from billion HK dollars of Friday
China Mobile ended down percent to HK dollars and Bluechip China Unicom fell percent to Fixedline operator China Telecom fell percent to
Sinopec finished up percent at HK dollars PetroChina fell percent to Offshore oil producer CNOOC fell percent to
Utilities Hong Kong Electric fell percent to HK dollars while CLP Holdings rose percent to Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The Standing Committee of the th National Peoples Congress NPC will deliberate on new laws in including the draft laws on money laundering and antitrust according to its legislation plan approved by a chairman and vicechairpersons meeting of the Standing Committee of the th NPC earlier this month
Sixteen draft laws will be tabled to the Chinas top legislature for first time including on such highprofile issues as partnershipcompulsory education money laundering antitrust drug control minors protection and budget amendments
Nine law drafts will be submitted to the top legislature for second or third rounds of deliberation
Fourteen additional draft laws will be submitted for deliberation if time allows Enditem
HONG KONG Dec Xinhua The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited HSBC said here Wednesday that it has entered into an agreement to acquire percent of the share capital of Vietnam Technological and Commercial Joint Stock Bank Techcombank for a cash consideration of million US dollars
According to HSBC regulatory approval has been received and the transaction is expected to be completed shortly
Techcombank is Vietnams third largest joint stock bank with total assets of million US dollars at Dec Headquartered in Hanoi the bank currently operates through a network of branches in provinces and cities in Vietnam Techcombank employs nearly staff and offers a range of retail and commercial banking services
HSBC is one of the largest foreign banks in Vietnam with an investment capital totaling million US dollars The bank has two branches one in Hanoi and one in Ho Chi Minh City and a representative office in Cantho and employees providing a wide range of corporate and personal financial services to a diverse customer base Enditem
HOHHOT Dec Xinhua Rescuers have pulled the bus out of the icy river where it plunged Saturday in north Chinas Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region but fail to recover the three missing bodies
The illfated bus was dragged out of water by a bulldozer at about pm Thursday After that most of the police and firemen have withdrawn
The searching work continues but rescuers said the survival chance of the three missing ones is very slim As of Thursday afternoon bodies have been recovered
The bus with people aboard plunged into the icy water of the Yellow River at a section of the Hanggin Banner prefecture of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region at Saturday Only nine people escaped Enditem
XIAN Dec Xinhua Northwest Chinas Shaanxi Province produced million tons of crude oil in the first months of this year a growth of percent yearonyear local official figures show
Between January and November the province refined million tons of crude oil up percent over the same period last year It turned out million tons of gasoline and million tons of diesel in the months up percent and percent respectively
The month period also witnessed the output of billion cubic meters of natural gas in Shaanxi up percent
Last year the province produced million tons of crude oil ranking the fourth among oil production regions across the country Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Chinas exports of farm produce this year are expected to hit record billion US dollars up percent from five years ago the Ministry of Commerce announced on Wednesday
In the first months of this year the export of farm produce totaled billion US dollars up percent year on year with the trade deficit in farm products shrinking percent to billion US dollars figures from the ministry show
Chinas export of horticultural products jumped percent to billion US dollars in the first months this year Its export of garlic orange canned ketchup and apple juice soared percent percent percent and percent respectively year on year
China exported million tons of corn in the first months up times The export of grain which declined percent in the same period last year jumped percent from January to October this year
In the first months Chinas farm produce export to the European Union the Republic of Korea the Middle East the Commonwealth of Independent States and Latin America grew percent percent percent percent and percent year on year
Eastern Chinas Shandong Province ranked first among all Chinese provincial areas in terms of farm produce export with an export value of billion US dollars Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Chinas Ministry of Commerce announced on Wednesday that it will levy antidumping taxation on imported bioriented stretching polyester film BOPET from the Republic of Korea ROK for another five years
China started an antidumping investigation into BOPET from the ROK on Dec so as to find out whether dumping would still exist if previous antidumping taxation stopped
According to the ruling from the Ministry of Commerce dumping would resume and cause harm to domestic industry were the antidumping tax to stop so the extension of antidumping measures over the BOPET is necessary Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The Chinese mainlandHong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement CEPA has further shown its positive effect this year promoting economic and trade cooperation to a new level
CEPA was officially started on Jan and by the end of November Hong Kong had exported billion yuan million US dollars worth of cargo with zero tariff to the mainland
In October this year Chinas mainland and Hong Kong signed a supplementary agreement to CEPA to give zerotariff treatment to all Hong Kongs exportation to the mainland starting in
Figures from the Chinas Ministry of Commerce show that in the first eleven months this year the Chinese mainlands direct investment in Hong Kong totaled billion US dollars doubling the figure a year ago and accounting for percent of all Chinese direct investment flowing overseas
Meanwhile more companies from the Chinese mainland have been listed in the Hong Kong stock market
By the end of November this year the total turnover of the Hong Kong stock market reached billion Hong Kong dollars percent of which was contributed by mainland companies listed there
Currently mainland companies are listed in Hong Kongs stock market accounting for percent of the total market value of the bourse
Thanks to an increasing number of listed mainland companies the Hong Kong stock market this year surpassed that of Tokyo and ranked fourth in the world said Lee Yemkwong chairman of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange who expects more mainland companies to be listed in Hong Kong
Figures from Hong Kong show that about Hong Kong residents currently work in the mainland doubling the figure ten years ago
By the end of June this year according to the CEPA regulations Hong Kong business people had established selfemployed units in the mainland with registered funds of almost million yuan
Tourism one of Hong Kongs pillar industries is also expected to witness further growth due to the enhanced economic and personnel exchanges between Hong Kong and the mainland
In the first months this year the number of visitors from the Chinese mainland to Hong Kong exceeded million according to figures from Hong Kongs tourism department
In Chinas central bank announced a raft of measures meant to underpin the growth of Renminbi business in Hong Kong in what analysts see as an initial step towards offshore services for the yuan
The Peoples Bank of China announced it will expand the provision of position squaring and clearing services for Hong Kong banks
Thanks to the gradual expansion of the renminbi banking service in Hong Kong mainland tourists feel it is more convenient to make purchases in Hong Kong Figures showed that in the first ten months this year retail sales in Hong Kong grew percent year on year Enditem
CHANGSHA Dec Xinhua A book about Hong Zhanhui whose magnanimity has touched countless hearts in China was published Wednesday in Changsha capital of central Chinas Hunan Province
Everyone has his own responsibilities and I found mine are more than before so I shall do better said Hong Zhanhui at the ceremony of the publication of the book
Hong a yearold student in Huaihua College of Hunan Province has struck an emotional nerve in China with his story of raising his adopted sister for years and looking after his mentally ill father after his mother left the family
The book Chinese Boy Hong Zhanhui includes articles written by Hong himself photos of him and his family remarks by classmates and teachers media reports and comments and even part of his diary
Twenty thousand copies have already been ordered by bookstores across the nation according to Hunan Peoples Publishing House which is planning another two books Diary of Hong Zhanhui and Stories of Hong Zhanhui Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Weather forecast for major Chinese cities Dec Dec Beijing Time temperatures in Celsius
Min Max Condition Wind scale
Beijing cloudyclear
Harbin clear
Tianjin overcastclear
Urumqi overcastflurry
Xian cloudyovercast
Lhasa clearovercast
Chengdu drizzleovercast
Chongqing overcast
Kunming clear
Nanjing overcastcloudy
Shanghai drizzleovercast
Wuhan cloudyovercast
Hangzhou drizzleovercast
Taipei drizzle
Guangzhou drizzle
Hong Kong drizzle
Macao drizzle
SOURCE Central Meteorological Station China Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Jia Qinglin head of Chinas top political advisory body on Wednesday urged members of the organization to actively present ideas and suggestions on the countrys development in the coming year
Jia Qinglin chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Conference CPPCC said that the CPPCC should concretely perform its functions of political consultation democratic supervision and participation in the deliberation and administration of state affairs
The CPPCC should also further improve its capability in performing its functions said Jia who is also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Weather forecast for world cities Dec Dec Beijing Time temperatures in Celsius
Min Max Condition Wind scale
Beijing cloudyclear
Tokyo clear
Bangkok cloudy
Sydney clear
Karachi clear
Cairo clear
Moscow moderate snow
Frankfurt moderate snowflurry
Paris overcastcloudy
London cloudy
New York cloudydrizzle
SOURCE Central Meteorological Station China Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Improvement of Chinas existing intellectual property system will stimulate innovationbased competitiveness said Tian Lipu commissioner of the State Intellectual Property Office SIPO on Wednesday
In an interview with Xinhua Tian said his office began drafting a national intellectual property strategy aimed at helping build an innovative nation in
The government should create a favorable environment for breeding technological innovations by working out new policies and adopting incentive measures
The system of intellectual property right protection is also targeted at spurring innovative activities of individuals Tian said
As the backbone of international market competition Tian said enterprises should be encouraged to invest more in research and development and should have more technologies with intellectual propertyEnditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Tian Lipu commissioner of the State Intellectual Property Office SIPO said here Wednesday that China needs to make more efforts to better protect intellectual property
In the past two decades China established an intelletual property legal system as well as a law enforcement mechanism which embodies judiciary and administrative ethics Tian said
In he continued China received trademark applications as well as patent applications for utility model and design each
In knowledgeoriented economy only innovative capabilities can improve the competitiveness of Chinese enterprises he said
Last year China received applications for invention patents half of which are from multinationals headquartered in developed countries
Statistics showed that patent applications from American enterprises in will exceed Companies from developed countries occupied percent of patent applications in electronic transmission percent of mobile telecommunication percent in audio and visual technologies percent in semiconductors percent in pharmaceuticals and percent in computing technologies
Tian said percent of patent applications from China are for inventions while percent from foreign companies are for invention patents
He said that only percent of Chinese enterprises own key technologies with intellectual property percent of enterprises have never applied for patents and percent do not have their own trademarks
While China is ranked third in foreign trade patented high technologies contribute only two percent of the total foreign trade volume
We need to encourage more Chinese enterprises especially key state businesses to sharpen their competitiveness by ensuring intellectual property Enditem
HONG KONG Dec Xinhua The gold price in Hong Kong went up HK dollars to HK dollars per tael on Wednesday according to the Bank of China Hong Kong
The price is equivalent to dollars a troy ounce up dollars at Wednesdays exchange rate of US dollar against HK dollars Enditem
HONG KONG Dec Xinhua Hong Kongs Hang Seng China Enterprises Index fell points or percent to close at on Wednesday
The index initiated in August and rebased on Sept tracks the overall performance of Chinese mainland stateowned enterprises listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange
Hang Seng ChinaAffiliated Corporations Index also went down points or percent to close at
The index tracks the performance of locally listed companies with a significant equity interest held by entities in the Chinese mainland
Hang Seng Mainland Composite Index fell points or percent to close at
Introduced on Oct Hang Seng Mainland Composite Index gauges the performance of Hong Konglisted companies with principal places of business in Hong Kong and the mainland Enditem
HONG KONG Dec Xinhua Following are temperatures and weather forecast of Dec for AsiaPacific cities dispatched by the Hong Kong Observatory on Wednesday
CITY MINIMUM MAXIMUM FORECAST
HONG KONG CLOUDY
MACAO RAIN
GUANGZHOU RAIN
SHANGHAI RAIN
BEIJING CLOUDY
TAIPEI RAIN
SEOUL RAIN
TOKYO FINE
MANILA SHOWERS
HANOI CLOUDY
HO CHI MINH CITY BRIGHT
BANGKOK CLOUDY
KUALA LUMPUR CLOUDY
SINGAPORE THUNDERSTORMS
NEW DELHI THUNDERSTORMS
MUMBAI FINE
KARACHI DRY
JAKARTA FINE
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN SHOWERS
SYDNEY CLOUDY
MELBOURNE FINE
BRISBANE FINE
Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Harmonious society was recently ranked as one of the ten key phrases describing international relations in by the media in the Republic of Korea
Englands The Economist also said that China has a favourite phrase these days harmonious world in which countries of different outlooks live together in peace
Harmony was seemingly the most popular Chinese word in suggesting the Chinese governments determination in pursuing development peacefully
Chinese leaders affirmed harmony over and over again at the summit of the United Nations the AsiaPacific Economic Cooperation meeting and the G meeting
In the recently issued white paper by the Chinese government harmony was described as the building of a peaceful and prosperous world as the ultimate goal of Chinas development
Chinese President Hu Jintao explained the inevitability that China would develop peacefully based on its national conditions historical and cultural tradition and present world development trends
In Chinas relations with the major powers and its neighboring countries remained stable
Despite their various differences China and the United States have experienced an increasing harmonization of views
Frequent exchanges of visits by Chinese and European leaders as well as Chinas purchase of Airbus planes show that Chinas relations with Europe remain good
Developments in SinoRussian relations were also promising Their border was completely established the two countries held a joint military exercise for the first time and leaders of the two countries pledged to safeguard world peace together
China has acquired more responsibility in world affairs
China promised to offer billion US dollars in concessional loans to developing countries in the next three years at the summit of the th anniversary of the UN in September Other commitments to the developing countries included zerotariff treatment debt relief and job training
Confronting frequent national disasters in China offered assistance after the tsunami in the Indian Ocean the earthquake in south Asia as well as Hurricane Katrina in America
In regional affairs the sixparty talks advocated by China made progress toward a peaceful resolution of the Korean nuclear issue as the first joint statement was made
China also participated in the first EastAsia Summit supporting the ASEAN to play a leading role in the summit as well as the transparency and openness of East Asian cooperation
China shelved its territorial disputes with Vietnam and the Philippines and agreed to joint exploration of mineral resources
These diplomatic moves show the strong aspiration of the Chinese leaders to seek a better international environment for domestic development said Ruan Zongze deputy director of the China Institute of International Studies
Zheng Bijian chairman of the China Reform Forum and a senior theorist said China would depend on itself to solve domestic problems rather than transferring them to other countries
Peaceful Chinese development is a Chinese dream based on Chinas domestic situation and is helping the country solve its own problems he said Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua One hundred and two Chinese
soldiers arrived in Beijing Wednesday from the Democratic Republic
of Congo after accomplishing their part of a UN peacekeeping
operation there
The group is a branch of the fourth team that China dispatched
to the African country It includes two units an engineering team
from general staff headquarters and a medical one from a hospital
of Shenyang Military Area northeast China
The peacekeepers helped build kilometers of roads leveled grounds occupying square meters destroyed three shells provided medical services for more than people and conducted surgeries
The UN awarded all soldiers with UN peacekeeping medals Their mission lasted eight months The fifth team in the UN peacekeeping mission has already arrived in the Democratic Republic of Congo Enditem
CHENGDU Dec Xinhua A chamber of international commerce was set up Wednesday in Chengdu capital of southwest Chinas Sichuan Province in a bid to strengthen the provinces economic and trade links with the world and promote Sichuans development
The Sichuan Chamber of International Commerce SCCOIC is a nongovernmental and nonprofit trade organization formed by corporations and social groups that are engaged in international trade and related activities
SCCOIC is supervised by the Sichuan branch of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade CCPIT and also by the Sichuan Provincial Department of Civil Affairs
Chengdu was chosen to be the site of SCCOIC at the launching conference Wednesday
Xiang Yuming president of CCPIT Sichuan branch was elected SCCOIC president at the conference Enditem
GUIYANG Dec Xinhua China Southern Power Grid Corporation plans to increase its electricity transmission to south Chinas Guangdong Province by to million kilowatts during the countrys th FiveYear Plan period the company source said
As a crucial part of Chinas power transmission program from west to east the Southern Grid is chiefly responsible for sending electricity from the southwestern provinces of Guizhou Yunnan and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region to the powerhungry Guangdong Province
As of the end of Southern Grid has invested billion yuan billion US dollars in direct current electricity transmission projects and alternating current transformation and transmission projects
Southern Grid announced that it transmitted additional million kilowatts of electricity to Guangdong from to months ahead of schedule utilizing the relatively abundant resources in the southwestern part of China to support the development of Guangdong Enditem
TAIYUAN Dec Xinhua As the market demands remain high the coal industry in Shanxi which has the largest coal reserves in China is running short of professional engineers like work safety talents and managerial staffs a research report by the province has found
Only people have had relevant certificate and professional education in the coal industry in the province accounting for less than percent of its million coal workers according to a report conducted by the provinces coal industry bureau on its coal industry workforce
Among those in the coal workforce only people or percent of the industrys workforce have received fouryear university or graduate education according to the report
The report finds that many of its coal mines lack regularly trained engineers in coal mining ventilation and tunneling which it says may pose a possible threat to the provinces work safety in mining
Most of the provinces miners are peasantsturned migrant workers who frequently change their jobs from one mine to another says the report
The provincial authority on coal production promised earlier this month that it would cut its coal supply by more than million tons next year
Analysts said that the drastic decline in the coal supply in can be attributed to the largescale shutdown of small mines the crackdown on illegal coal mining and the curbing of overproduction for the sake of work safety
The province will also tighten the control of coal circulation barring coal mines and their products without new licenses from the market
Shanxi currently has proven coal reserves of billion tons accounting for one third of the countrys total
From to Shanxis annual coal output maintained an average growth of million tons In the coal output of the province reached million tons about percent of Chinas total Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Chinese President Hu Jintao accepted the credentials presented by the first ambassador to China from Grenada since the two countries resumed diplomatic ties and by other new ambassadors to China here on Wednesday
China and Grenada resumed diplomatic ties in January years after such relations broke off due to that the Caribbean island country established diplomatic ties with Chinese Taiwan Province
The Grenadian ambassador is Joslyn Whiteman who arrived in Beijing on Nov
The other ambassadors include Djamel Eddine Grine from the Democratic Peoples Republic of Algeria Fatmir Xheladini from the Republic of Macedonia Antti Kuosmanen from the Republic of Finland and Abdulla ARahman Hussain ALMuftah from the State of Qatar
They also include Rashid Olimov from the Republic of Tajikistan Charles Mumbala Nzanku from the Democratic Republic of Congo Boubakar Adamou from the Republic of Niger Mohamed Ahmed Awil from the Somali Republic Diab Nemer Mohammed Allouh from the State of Palestine Ahmad Eklil Hakimi from the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and Kamil Suktanov from the Kyrghyz Republic
Those ambassadors arrived in Beijing in the last three months respectively Enditem
HARBIN Dec Xinhua The nd China Harbin International Ice Festival will raise curtain on Jan in Harbin capital of Chinas northernmost Heilongjiang Province
An economic trade fair will be held simultaneously the organizing committee said
The theme of the nd ice festival sponsored by the government of Harbin City is scientific technological and cultural exchanges between China and Russia
Currently all the booths have been reserved Ten percent were ordered by overseas companies
Recognized as an influential economic and trade platform the festival has attracted business groups and individuals from countries and regions including Russia the United States Japan Denmark Canada and the Republic of Korea Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua China State Construction Engineering Corporation CSCEC the nations biggest contractor in the overseas construction market is scheduled to obtain billion US dollars from the China ExportImport Bank in the coming five years to expand its overseas market
CSCEC and the China ExportImport Bank China Eximbank a key investor in overseas projects signed the cooperation agreement here Wednesday
According to the agreement in the next five years China Eximbank will provide funds for CSCECs offshore construction contracts the export of mechanical and electronic products and a complete set of equipment and resources exploitation
As an important force in the backup system of foreign trade and economy China Eximbank will fully support Chinese companies with comparative advantages to go global through offshore construction contracts and overseas investment projects said bank governor Li Ruogu at the signing ceremony
Sun Wenjie general manager of CSCEC said the longterm and stable capital sources from China Eximbank will play a significant role in promoting the companys operation and social prestige
CSCEC one of Chinas four major construction companies enjoyed a total contract volume of billion US dollars and has ranked first for consecutive years among the Chinese firms on the list of the worlds biggest international contractors on the US ENR magazine Enditem
NANJING Dec Xinhua Shortly after the commercial run of the first metro line in Nanjing this September this capital of east Chinas Jiangsu Province started to build its second underground line Wednesday
As one of the countrys key infrastructure construction projects the eastwest line will measure kilometers including km underground part with the total investment of billion yuan billion US dollars said Luo Zhijun secretary of the city committee of the Chinese Communist Party
Nineteen stations underground will be established along the new line
It will connect the alreadyexisting northsouth Line No at two stations in downtown and the southern part of the city respectively
The whole project is due to be complete in three and half or four years so that it will be open to traffic by the end of Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua China will continue to make great efforts to strengthen water conservancy construction in the period according to sources with the Ministry of Water Resources
An official with the ministry said that priority will be given to river and lakes disaster relief with a management system established for flood control
Drinking water safety is another concern for the ministry which has set the target of solving the drinking water safety problem for its million rural population
Water saving irrigation measures will be pushed forward continuously with million hectares of land covered by water saving irrigation facilities Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Chinas strategy to develop itself peacefully is conducive to safeguarding world peace and promoting common development said a Chinese military scholar in an article
Xiong Guangkai author of the article Firm Adherence to Peaceful Development and Appropriate Response to Diversified Security Threats stressed that China firmly sticks to a peaceful development approach
China is trying to create a peaceful international environment for the benefit of its own growth and is trying to make its due contribution to world peace stability and prosperity
The article acknowledged that China is playing an active role within various bilateral and multilateral mechanisms
In recent years China has engaged in creating a friendly neighborhood with adjacent countries It has thoroughly addressed its border issues with Russia and other northwestern neighbors according to the principle of mutual understanding and mutual accommodation China the Philippines and Vietnam made breakthroughs in jointly exploring resources in the South China Sea The Declaration on Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea was signed between China and the ASEAN Association of Southeast Asian Nations
Xiong described China as a country taking up a bigger role under multilateral frameworks including the APEC the ASEAN plus China and the ASEAN plus China Japan and the Republic of Korea
The country has become an important part of the international cooperation on combating terrorism the major mediating force and organizer of the triparty and the sixparty talks aimed at resolving the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue and a major player in the UN Security Council the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the ASEAN Regional Forum
China is cooperating with its neighbors and other countries in a bid to maintain the peace and stability of Asia and the world at large said the article
Xiong noted in the article that Chinas peaceful development is boosting the worlds economic growth
Figures show that Chinas imported commodities totaled trillion US dollars from its entry into the World Trade Organization on Dec to Sept nearly billion US dollars per annum The import volume generated about million jobs in those exporting countries
At the present pace the imported commodities are expected to surpass trillion US dollars in the next five years a huge impetus to global economic growth and prosperity
The article highlighted Chinas concrete efforts in seeking peace and development and assuming greater responsibilities
China determined not to depreciate its currency amid the East Asian financial crisis in Generous disaster relief was donated by the country to those areas damaged by the tsunami of the Indian Ocean in to the earthquakeshaken regions of Pakistan and the southern part of the United States swept by Hurricane Katrina in
As peace development and cooperation remain the mainstream of the current world China will unswervingly stick to a road of peaceful development the article said Enditem
CHENGDU Dec Xinhua Approximately million Chinese rural residents or one third of the total rural population in the country drink unsafe water a senior official said Wednesday
Statistics show that among the million people million drink highfluorin water million drink higharsenic water million drink bitter and salty water million drink water with excessive contents of harmful substances and in addition million people in snail feveraffected areas drinking unsafe water the official said
Furthermore close to million people in cities have reported water shortage annually in the past five years due to droughts said E Jingping vice minister of water resources at an ongoing national conference on flood control and drought relief held in Chengdu capital of southwest Chinas Sichuan Province
Its the top priority of our drought relief work to ensure safe drinking water and safeguard peoples health said E also secretarygeneral of the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters
Currently about out of Chinese cities lack water and have reported severe water shortages
In addition half of Chinese cities have polluted underground water
According to E China will increase its annual water supply capacity by billion cubic meters by with billion in cities
The country will try to solve the problem of unsafe drinking water for million rural residents in the next five years E said Enditem
QINGDAO Shandong Dec Xinhua Chinese household electric appliance giant Haier has set its eyes on global brand building after entering its fourth stage of development the company has said
After the former three strategic stages of branding diversification and internationalization Haier has entered its fourth stage with an updated business philosophy said chief executive officer Zhang Ruimin
Haier will build brands in other countries during the new stage a further step from the internationalization stage according to Zhang
To improve competitiveness Haier updated its business philosophy to create resources a prestigous Haier style individualgoal combination swift action and success
Haier was incorporated in Over the past years the company has boomed and become a transnational group
It produces varieties of items in product lines and exports to more than countries Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The Standing Committee of the th National Peoples Congress NPC will examine the enforcement of the law on water pollution prevention and control again in after a slew of water pollution accidents occurred in
The move accords with the law enforcement examination plan which was approved by a chairman and vicechairpersons meeting of the th NPC Standing Committee earlier this month
An official with the th NPC Standing Committee said that in the legislature dispatched a group to examine the enforcement of water pollution prevention and control laws and draw a conclusion that Chinas water pollution situation remained serious
Therefore in the th NPC Standing Committee will continue to examine the laws enforcement so as to curb the frequency of the water pollution accidents the official said Enditem
URUMQI Dec Xinhua A blowout has struck an oil well in northwest Chinas Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region causing a toxic gas leak but no casualties have been reported
The blowout took place at about am Monday at the No Tazhong oil well belonging to the PetroChina Co Ltds Tarim Oil Field branch in the Taklimakan Desert when an operation to dismantle an oil extraction equipment was underway officials with the subsidiary company said Wednesday
The blowout which has came to a stop as of Wednesday was followed by leakage of a gas containing sulfureted hydrogen which could lead to human suffocation or even death
Workers at the site have been evacuated
The site is located in the hinterland of the desert about km southwest of Urumqi capital of Xinjiang and no casualties have been reported so far the branch said in its press release
The subsidiary said the kmlong Taklimakan desert road a trunk traffic line running across the second biggest moving sand dune desert in the world from the north to the south has been shut down since Monday and is expected to resume operation on January
The Taklimakan Desert known as the sea of death is located in the center of the Tarim Basin south of the Tianshan Mountains It is about kilometers from west to east and kilometers from north to south covering approximately square kilometers Enditem
CHENGDU Dec Xinhua Chinas efforts in flood control have paid off bringing trillion yuan billion US dollars of direct economic returns in the last years times that of the capital input to fight floods during the period
The figure was calculated on the basis of the invariable price in according to E Jingping vice minister of water resources at a national conference on flood control and drought relief held in Chengdu capital of southwest Chinas Sichuan Province
Since the founding of the Peoples Republic of China in the country has surmounted many floods by its own flood control system and ensured the safety of major rivers large cities and important railway lines said E also secretarygeneral of the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters
We have safeguarded the healthy and sustainable development of Chinas economic and social development to the maximum extent E said adding that many areas in the middle and lower reaches of major Chinese rivers have become important agricultural bases in the country E said
Statistics show that in the period China prevented the inundation of million hectares of crop lands million each year
If kg grain can be put out per mu hectares then a total of million tons of grain have been prevented from loss in the floodhit areas million tons each year E said Enditem
GUANGZHOU Dec Xinhua An examination has shown that the water quality at a water plant in Yingde a city in southern Guangdong Province is almost back to normal after purification of the polluted Beijiang River
Tests show the cadmium density in the water at the citys Nanhua Waterworks is mgL lower than the national standard of mgL the provincial health department said on Tuesday
The department however warned that the cadmium density at the citys Baishiyao Reservoir remains above the standard The city had stopped procuring water from the reservoir after the pollution incident
Guangdong began on last Friday to purify the polluted river hoping to dilute the excessive cadmium
The project was launched in the river section in Yingde City under the supervision of local experts by adding iron or aluminium polymer at the upper reaches of the river to induce cadmium sedimentation
The toxic stretch resultant from excessive cadmium discharges from a smelting works in Shaoguan City on Dec has polluted the Beijiang River a major drinking water source in the northern part of Guangdong
The measure is the most economical and reasonable choice to deal with the cadmium pollution said experts adding that tons of such component can reduce the toxic density by percent
The move is expected to ensure safe water quality at the lower reaches of the river said experts
The provincial environmental protection department issued a notice on Tuesday ordering all the factories to stop discharging cadmium waste
Cadmium is a soft bluishwhite metallic element occurring primarily in zinc copper and lead ores which is easily cut with a knife and is used in lowfriction fatigueresistant alloys solders dental amalgams nickelcadmium storage batteries nuclear reactor shields and rustproof electroplating It can cause liver and kidney damage and lead to bone diseases when ingested Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The first test satellite of Europes Galileo navigation system which blasted off at Beijing Time on Wednesday has sped up space research cooperation between China and Europe
In an interview with Xinhua after the launch Zhang Guocheng vice director of the National Remote Sensing Center of China NRSCC said that the test satellite will not work in the future system but will play a key role in ensuring the successful deployment of the whole constellation
Chinamade parts and equipment are not on the test satellite Zhang said
In orbit the satellite will test atomic clocks and navigation signals secure Galileos frequencies in space and allow scientists to monitor how radiation affects the craft
The second Galileo test satellite is scheduled to be launched in
The billioneuro Galileo system is a network of satellites intended for civilian use and will end Europes reliance on the UScontrolled global positioning system GPS
As the first nonEU country China promised it would invest million euros into the project Since July China has signed seven technological development and service contracts with European partners
Zhang said the Chinese enterprises that are taking research and development missions for the project are all competitive state companies Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The childrens play Magic Mountain will debut in the Chinese Spring Festival lunar new year and present the children with the worlds largest icecream cake
Meng Jinghui director of the play said here Tuesday that the cake would have the image of the plays major character Bear Paipai as its cover The cake designed as a square meters in length three meters in width and one meter in height will refresh the current Guinness World Records for the largest icecream cake It will be eight tons in weight tons more than the current Guiness holder made in in the United States
The local manufacturer known for its Baxy icecream brand said a cake of such a big size and made of pure milk is very difficult to make transport and store The manufacturer will put pieces of icecream bricks together inside the mountain and professionals will decorate it
Meng revealed that the cake will be delivered to the audience as a present in boxes given approval by the Guiness World Records
The Magic Mountain will bring another harvest to Meng both of fame and fortune Previously Meng directed his first childrens play Labyrinth which had a record box revenue of million yuan around US dollars The Magic Mountain is to premiere in the Spring Festival Chinese lunar new year that falls on Jan Enditem
NANNING Dec Xinhua People in Nanning capital of southwest Chinas Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region will enjoy a global carnival from Jan to Feb according to government sources
The main venue of the carnival will be Nanning Folk Song Square which can hold people
The organizers have got all the equipment ready for the coming event and have invited a panel of experts from the State Bureau of Quality and Technical Supervision to test the equipment
According to the sources the toys which will be shown during the event are worth million yuan about million US dollars
Global carnival is recognized as one of the worlds top three entertainment brands together with Disney and Universal Pictures All kinds of games live concerts and gourmet festivals will be held during the event Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua A Chinese vaccine expert said here Wednesday that China has established a store of NIBRG virus strain to vaccinate against HN which can meet the demands of large quantities of vaccine production
Yin Weidong a leading expert for Chinas huamn bird flu vaccine project said the research group has made preparations to produce humanuse bird flu vaccine in massive quantities
Yins research shows that the biological properties of the virus strain remain the same as the original even after developing a tenth generation which displays a steady inheriting process indicating that the virus strain can be used in large quantity vaccine production
The Beijingbased Sinovac Biotech Co Ltd led by Yin started cooperation with the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention in and successfully developed a human bird flu vaccine in November which is currently under clinical tests that will last about months
Yin said the group adopted a researching concept earlier proposed by the European Union that is to research the immunity security and effectiveness of the dangerous prototype HN HN and HN
If the virus mutates new vaccines can be easily developed on the basis of those prototypes
We are capable of producing vaccines against other types of influenza if the virus develops into other forms said Yin who is also the managing director of Sinovac We can modify the virus strain within days and update the human bird flu vaccine in four months after the virus mutates
The flu virus easily mutates which can disable any powerful vaccine said Wang Xiaofang director of the rural and social development department under the Ministry of Science and Technology
Therefore Wang said the capability to research develop and produce vaccines is much more important than vaccines themselves
Such storage of virus strains resemble duplicating machines in that we can quickly copy and update any prevailing flu virus on the basis of those established arenas said Wang
Highrisk groups such as poultry farm workers and medical staffers in the bird flu outbreak areas will be vaccinated as long as the vaccine passes a safety test Yin said Enditem
by Xinhua writers Fan Xi Meng Na
BEIJING Dec Xinhua To better protect employees rights and interests China will consider adding an article in its Criminal Law to deliver criminal penalties to employers that delay salary payments or run away said a senior legislator here on Wednesday
In a report delivered at a meeting of the Standing Committee of the th National Peoples Congress NPC Chinas top legislature He Luli vice chairwoman of the Committee said that the legitimate rights and interests of employees have been basically safeguarded since the introduction of the Labor Law on Jan
But she cautioned that many problems in violation of laborers rights and interests still exist especially in laborintensive sectors such as construction garments and accommodation and in many small and mediumsized private businesses
The Chinese government will step up the formulation of labor contract law social security law labor dispute settlement law and employment facilitation law revise the Labor Law and try to settle all the overdue pay owed by employers to migrant workers by the end of
Government statistics showed that the number of employed people in Chinese cities and towns jumped from million in to million in
In order to settle the issue of delayed payment of wages to migrant workers provinciallevel regions and municipalities have set up the mechanism to ensure the payment of salaries and provinciallevel regions have introduced a system to monitor the delivery of salaries
In an NPC questionnaire survey among businesses in cities this year percent of the surveyed employees said they had been withheld salaries amounting to yuan US dollars per person for months on average over the past year
In addition to the survey an inspection team of the NPC Standing Committee had visited seven provinces and municipalities including Beijing Shanghai Guangdong and Chongqing to check the implementation of the Labor Law
Some localities still have very serious problems of docking or delaying the payment of salaries said He the vice chairwoman In percent of the cases investigated by the social security supervision departments fell into the payment delay category
Social incidents triggered by overdue salaries especially by employers who escape and hide are on the rise seriously undermining social stability said He
Less than percent of employers are found to have signed labor contracts with their workers in small and mediumsized private businesses most of which have no trade unions to guarantee the staffs rights
Some workers were given salaries below the basic level required by the local government and had to work overtime without extra pay while quite a large number of private business employees and migrant workers have no insurance
He urged central and local governments to properly handle the relationship between the implementation of the Labor Law and economic development open more employment channels severely punish employers who fail to comply with the basic salary requirement as well as improve social security and labor dispute settlement systems
The central government should she suggested start checking on the implementation of labor contracts across the country in and ensure all businesses sign labor contracts with their employees in three years Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Four of Chinas top leaders including President Hu Jintao met here on Wednesday with representatives of the countrys movie industry and extended warm congratulations to the centennial anniversary of the industry
Apart from Hu the leaders present at the meeting included Premier Wen Jiabao Vice President Zeng Qinghong and Li Changchun a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China CPC Central Committee
All those working with Chinas movie industry should stick to the correct political direction all the time and incessantly drive up their sense of social responsibility to further the prosperity of Chinas movie industry said Hu when addressing the meeting with more than participants
On behalf of both the CPC Central Committee and the State Council Hu delivered greetings to all the countrys movie workers and paid respects to those who have made remarkable achievements
According to Hu Chinas movie industry has walked through an unusual process and reaped remarkable benefits in the last century especially after when the Peoples Republic of China was founded
Youve shared the peoples breath and the fate of our motherland he said adding that the industrys development is of great significance to the prosperity of the socialist culture and the promotion of the modernization process in China
He urged the movie workers to make more contributions to the building of a welloff society in China and to the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation
The industry should also further the reform of its internal working mechanisms through promoting innovations according to Li Changchun
With all its achievements in the past century it now stands at a new starting point he said
To support the industrys further development and prosperity favorable circumstances should be formed in the whole society to that effect he said Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Chinas efforts to pursue a peaceful development road is in compliance with the countrys national conditions and is in the interests of the Chinese people said a Chinese expert on international strategy in his article
In the article issued recently by Xiong Guangkai chairman of the China Institute for International Strategic Studies CIISS pointed out that China has made remarkable achievements in its development since its reform and opening up
Chinas GDP has grown from billion US dollars in to billion US dollars in with an average of percent of annual growth rate the article said
Chinas economy maintained a good momentum in with a worth of billion US dollars of GDP reached in the first three quarters this year up percent yearonyear it said
But judging from its domestic situation China as the biggest developing country in the world is still and will be in the primary stage of socialism Xiong noted in his article
Chinas GDP per capita is only US dollars There are about million rural residents living in poverty and million urban residents are guaranteed a minimum standard of living Besides nearly million people are in need of jobs every year
Its in the fundamental interest of the Chinese people to keep making economic and social progress and improving their living standards the article said Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Fourteen Chinese experts received here on Wednesday awards from the Sun Pinghua Foundation for their studies about Japan
The foundation was named after Chinese scholar Sun Pinghua who specializes in the study of Japan
The experts are authors of books and three papers which were selected from nearly candidates as the winners of the award The academic subjects covered a wide range including politics economics culture language and history The viewpoints in the experts study are unique and new filling up many blanks in the research on Japan and the Japanese
At the awarding ceremony held at the Great Hall of the People here on Wednesday Japanese ambassador to China Anami Koreshige said the awarded experts have carried out independent research in certain fields based on the research by past Chinese and foreign scholars
The study on Japan by the Chinese scholars is of great significance to laying a solid foundation for JapanChina relations in the future Anami Koreshige said
The Sun Pinghua Foundation on Japan Study was launched in with a donation from Sun who devoted all his life to the study of Japan and the friendship between Japan and China
The award is designed to encourage the younger generation to look into the history of Japan and have an objective view of the Japanese people thus promoting dialogue and mutual understanding between the two peoples Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Chinas choice of taking a peaceful development path has demonstrated that the countrys development is peaceful open and cooperative said a Chinese scholar in an article
Xiong Guangkai chairman of the China Institute for International Strategic Studies CIISS expounded on Chinas external environment and why it pursues a peaceful development path
In recent years China has played an increasingly important role on the international stage Its policies in the fields of national defense diplomacy trade energy and exchange rate have attracted broad attention from the whole world the article says
Some countries wish to get benefits from Chinas development But meanwhile they also worry that its development may bring threats or challenges it says
With the development of world multilateralism economic globalization and informatization Chinas future development direction is drawing close attention from the whole world the article says
Over the past year Chinese leaders have pointed out on many big occasions that China sticks to a peaceful development road and pursues peaceful open and cooperative development it says
Chinas pursuit of such a peaceful road is not only inheritance of the countrys traditional culture but also an important embodiment of Chinas peaceful diplomacy Xiong said
Former Chinese leaders including Mao Zedong Deng Xiaoping and Jiang Zemin always advocated world multilateralism and the establishment of a new international political and economic order
In September Chinese President Hu Jintao stated at the UN summit in New York that China firmly holds the banner of peace development and cooperation and will continue to develop friendly cooperative ties with countries in the world on the basis of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The total grain production in China is expected to increase to billion kilograms in billion kg more than that of last year with per mu hectare output hitting a historical high to reach kg
The high growth of grain production per mu shows that the increase of Chinas grain production has shifted from the expansion of planting area to the advancement of farming technology said Chinese Agriculture Minister Du Qinglin here Wednesday
Statistics by the Agriculture Ministry showed that mechanization of farming in China has reached percent and percent of agricultural products were achieved due to technological improvement
Du said while addressing the annual working conference on agriculture that Chinas grain production achieved a recovery increase in the past five years with production growth in and totaling billion kilograms
During the past five years farmers income also grew by an annual average of percent The farmers net income in is expected to reach yuan US dollars up yuan or percent over the previous year according to Du
Income from nonfarming wages has witnessed a substantial increase and has become the new pillar of farmers income growth Du said
According to the ministrys statistics agriculturerelated industrial organizations total in China And percent of the farmers are engaging in nonfarming industries
Migrant workers from the countryside have been increasing by million annually in the past five years and there were million migrant workers in China in Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua China is committed to reducing oil use in the coming years by avoiding wasteful consumption and developing renewable energy as alternatives according to a message from higherranking government officials
Vice Premier Zeng Peiyan said Tuesday that optimizing the energy structure will be put high on the government agenda in the next few years By renewable energy is expected to account for percent of national
consumption up from the current seven percent
Zhang Guobao viceminister of the influential State Development
and Reform Commission told Xinhua that China will spare no efforts to prevent the oil proportion in the national energy consumption from going up
Statistics show that China relies on vast reserves of cheap coal to generate percent of its energy Oil accounts for percent in national consumption while gas accounts for percent
In China imported million tons of crude oil equivalent to percent of its oil use This years crude oil imports are expected to reach million tons
Zhou Dadi a renowned expert with the energy research institute of NDRC said wasteful oil use is a big factor contributing to increasing imports
China still bans lowemission economic cars on highspeed streets of plus big cities and in some places oil is used to generate electricity
Gao Shixian also at the NDRC energy research institute said China must restrain the development of sectors with high oil consumption
China passed a renewable energy law that will take effect in a week at the begining of next year and set policies in favour of nonfossil energy such as water wind and solar power
As part of the efforts to reduce oil consumption China last week issued a guiding catalogue for industrial sectors encouraging the production of lowemission economical cars and cars using new energy like electricity and liquid petroleum gas
Generators exploiting oil to produce electricity were listed as eliminated in the document
Gao expected that by China will get around percent of its energy from oil The proportion for coal will be lowered to between and percent as that of the renewables hit percent Enditem
NANJING Dec Xinhua The economically developed Jiangsu Province in east China reported a fast growth in its offshore investment so far this year provincial economic cooperation authorities said Wednesday
Between January and mid December Jiangsu approved offshore investment projects involving million US dollars of contracted investment by the Chinese side a yearonyear increase of percent and percent respectively
Of the projects were trade projects involving million US dollars in contracted input by the Chinese side up percent and were nontrade projects involving million US dollars in contracted investment by the Chinese side up percent
The projects are distributed in countries and regions including projects in Asia projects in north America projects in Africa and nine in Europe the local economic cooperation authorities said Enditem
QINGDAO Dec Xinhua More than million elderly Chinese suffer from hearing problems accounting for nearly percent of all senior citizens an official with the Ministry of Civil Administration said here Tuesday
The fifth national census conducted in showed that there were million people older than in China and that poor hearing had become a major health problem among elderly people Zhang Shifeng an official in charge of social welfare under the civil administration authority said at a charity ceremony held in this port city of eastern Chinas Shandong Province
China has the largest elderly population in the world and has become what experts call an aging society Zhang said at the launching ceremony for an aid program for deaf senior citizens
A medical campaign has been launched across the country to help elderly people prevent and cure hearing problems The deafaid donation program was started in Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua China will speed up forming related policies on the third generation mobile communication G in such as technology operation fee regulation and frequency a senior official said here at a national meeting that closed Wednesday
China will form a new industry chain and promote the fast and healthy development of G said Wang Xudong minister of the Chinese Ministry of Information Industry MII
It signals that China will roll out G in analysts said
Wang reiterated that conditions for China to develop G are ready and advised operators to be fully prepared with network and market development
Xi Guohua vice minister of the MII revealed at an earlier conference that it is time to issue G licenses and the homegrown TDSCDMA standard should be adopted and run by a strong operator
China is likely to issue its first G license to China Telecom Co Ltd in adopting the homegrown TDSCDMA standard according to experts analysis of the speech made by Xi
China which has the worlds biggest mobile phone market with million users has been pushing for development of its G standard TDSCDMA as one of the three international G standards The other two are WCDMA in Europe and CDMA in the United States
Maturity and intellectual property IP negotiations are considered key factors in Chinas G development Most profits in Chinas telecom market flow into the overseas giants due to Chinas lack of patents in the current technology which is considered the crucial reason for Beijing to push TDSCDMA
Chinas companies have held hundreds of patents in TDSCDMA laying a solid background for continuous development sources said
Pilot commercial networks would be set up early next year and be ready to take off after a threemonth test period
Insiders predicted China would issue G licenses in the second quarter or in the middle of
The issuing of G licenses is expected to contribute a lot to the world system setting industry the terminal equipment industry the software and hardware industry and the electronic apparatus and components industry
Domestic enterprises including ZTE and Bird have expanded their investment in G and are preparing for large orders from Chinas telecom operators Enditem
GUIYANG Dec Xinhua Provinces and region of Yunnan Guangxi Guizhou Sichuan and Chongqing Municipality in southwest China are endangered by inbreak of extraneous lifeforms according to an expert with the southwest Chinas Guizhou provincial agriculture bureau
Zeng Qinghong an agronomist with Guizhou provincial agriculture bureau said more than species of extraneous lifeforms have intruded the Three Gorges area and affected the normal local agriculture production and ecoenvironment
The invasion of Eupatorium adenophorum has covered counties and cities of Guizhou and covered six to seven million hectares of land seriously affected growth of the local grain production
Zeng said the Eupatorim adenophorum has spread at the annual speed of to km along the railways and highways of the province
Statistics show that more than species of extraneous lifeforms have invaded China with at least species entered China in the past decade which has made China one of the countries most severely affected by extraneous plants Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua China has expressed strong dissatisfaction with and firm opposition to the US governments sanctions on Chinese companies said Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang here on Wednesday
The United Sates announced on Tuesday it was imposing sanctions on six Chinese companies which were accused of supplying Iran with military equipment and technology
Asked to make comments on this issue Qin said that the US government imposed the sanctions in line with its socalled domestic law We are strongly dissatisfied with and firmly opposed to the US move he told the press
The Chinese government has always held a serious and responsible attitude toward the nonproliferation issue and has adopted a series of effective measures to strengthen export management and control the spokesman said
The US move was not beneficial to ChinaUS cooperation in the nonproliferation field Qin said demanding the United States change this wrongful action Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua An executive meeting of the State Council or Chinas cabinet agreed here Wednesday to open a portal website of the Chinese Central Government on Jan
The meeting made the decision after debriefing the General Office of the State Council on the preparation work to that effect
The launch of the website will be one of the key measures to promote innovations in the government administration and the building of a government featuring service functions it said
The meeting also considers the website of great importance since it could help make government affairs more public improve government public services and improve administration efficiency
Administrative information should be put on the website in a timely and accurate way and the Internetbased service should be enhanced it said Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The China Insurance Regulatory Commission CIRC announced on Wednesday that it has recently become a member of the International Organization of Pension Supervisors IOPS
Analysts said that the entry into the IOPS would allow the country a say in international regulations about commercial pensions and promote the healthy development of the countrys commercial pension market
An official said the CIRC would take this opportunity to study relevant international rules for a better involvement in world insurance affairs and in the meantime push for a greater contribution from commercial insurance to the countrys social securities system
The IOPS established in July is a parallel regulating organization to the International Association of Insurance Supervisors It aims to boost communication and cooperation in pension regulations with members from countries and regions Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua An executive meeting of the State Council or the Chinese cabinet outlined here Wednesday the key jobs China should accomplish in its geologic work urging further exploration of its resource potentials which may help better the countrys resource supply capabilities
Prospecting of energy mines especially that of oil and gas basins should be emphasized and the census work for major Chinese coal mine bases accelerated in order to increase the amount of mining storage according to the meeting presided over by Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao
Survey and mine finding work must be intensified inside and around nonenergy mines oil and gas fields and cities suffering resource exhaustion problems so as to shape a new batch of resource bases it said
At the same time the country should lift the coverage of basis geologic survey step up the monitoring of geologic disasters and environments and speed up the modernization process of geologic undertakings it said
The meeting also promised the further reform of the countrys geologic systems and the adoption of more supportive policies and technology innovations Enditem
HOHHOT Dec Xinhua A special police force was set up on Wednesday in Hohhot capital of north Chinas Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region in a bid to fight riots and terror
The special force affiliated with the Hohhot Municipal Public Security Bureau is composed of police officers who have undergone special training according to Cui Haiwei director of the bureau
The special force will also undertake work as security guards or patrol police for important occasions Cui said
Its the first of its kind in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region Cui said adding that the special force is armed with the most advanced regular and highend weapons in the country
It was founded in light of the requirements of the Ministry of Public Security Cui said Enditem
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GENEVA Dec Xinhua Young Swiss adults have had difficulty coping with greater responsibility since the voting age was lowered from to ten years ago the official website Swissinfo reported on Wednesday
According to Swissinfo the biggest challenge for young people is managing their own money
Studies in recent years have found that two in three young people between and admit to having a problem keeping their spending under control
School teaches young people about their voting rights but not about their duty as taxpaying citizens said Markus Langenegger of the Canton of Berns tax department
However other experts said Swiss youth are ill prepared to take on the additional responsibility that goes with coming of age and there are few organizations they can turn to for help
It is believed that despite the new rights granted to them the majority of Swiss youngsters do not know how to deal with the responsibilities
Julien Jaeckle of the Swiss Council of Youth Associations echoed the experts saying he was disappointed with the level of support young people receive from society
Geneva sociologist Dominique Gros said young people are not as well integrated as they were to years ago when the voting age was
Gros said even though they tend to mature physically and mentally at an earlier age they are entering the workforce even later and therefore come into the adult world later
He said having the right to vote would remain symbolic as long as it was not accompanied by financial independence that comes with being a member of the workforce
Concerns have also been growing for years over the increasing number of young people aged between and who receive welfare benefits in the country Enditem
MEXICO CITY Dec Xinhua Latin Americas three major stock markets closed mixed on Wednesday
The Buenos Aires stock market closed with the Merval index up percent and ended at points The trade volume was million US dollars
Mexico Citys stock market IPC index dropped by percent and closed at points A total of million shares were traded at million dollars
In Sao Paulo Latin Americas biggest bourse the leading Bovespa index closed at points down percent The trade volume was million dollars Enditem
WASHINGTON Dec Xinhua Wildfires have left at least four people dead and about homes destroyed in southern US states of Texas and Oklahoma US media reported on Wednesday
In the hardesthit town of Cross Plains Texas about homes were destroyed and two elderly women were killed
In Callisburg Oklahoma another woman apparently fell and broke her hip and could not get out of her home before it was destroyed
All together the wildfires destroyed homes in Texas and two dozens more in Oklahoma
Since Monday at least blazes have been reported in Texas and dozens more in Oklahoma
Wildfires were still smoldering Wednesday in four Texas counties
A new fire broke out earlier of the day in eastern Oklahoma but was quickly contained
Severe drought set the stage for the wildfires But authorities believed that the blazes were ignited mostly by people shooting off fireworks tossing cigarettes or burning trash
This years rainfall in northern Texas where most of the fires broke out is about inches below the average of inches
Oklahoma received about inches of rain this year about inches less than normal Enditem
BRASILIA The prison uprising at Brazils Urso Branco State Prison in Porto Velho ended Wednesday after successful negotiations between authorities and the leaders of the inmates
All hostages were released after the negotiation local media reported BrazilPrison Uprising
TEHRAN A senior Iranian official said on Wednesday that Iran is ready to study a proposal put forward by Russia to enrich uranium on the Russian soil reported local ISNA news agency
Javad Vaidi member of the Supreme National Security Council was quoted as saying that the Russian proposal is based on the establishment of a joint IranRussia company on Russian soil for enrichment of uranium IranRussia
KABUL One US service member and one local national were killed two US soldiers were injured Wednesday in a bomb explosion in the Afghan eastern province of Kunar US military said
One US service member and one local national were killed when a coalition vehicle was struck by an improvised explosive device Two US service members were injured One is receiving medical treatment The other was treated and released US military said in a news release AfghanistanExplosion
GAZA Three Britons were abducted in southern Gaza Strip on Wednesday Palestinian police said
Unidentified masked gunmen seized the three Britons on the outskirts of the Rafah town near the GazaEgypt border and forced them into a car without plate and drove away PalestiniansKidnapping
MOSCOW Russian and Ukrainian officials suspended their meeting on Wednesday over gas prices
We agreed to take a break until tomorrow Ukrainian Fuel and Energy Minister Ivan Plachkov said after talks with his Russian counterpart Viktor Khristenko quoted by the Interfax news agency RussiaUkraineGas Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Following are some of the major international news stories scheduled to be covered or pursued by Xinhua on Thursday
Spains court sentences three ETA members to years in prison
Transitional government established in Cote dIvoire
Lithuania to decrease troops in Iraq as scheduled defense minister
Argentina Chile create joint peacekeeping force
Yearender Koizumis shrine visits sour SinoJapanese relations Enditem
PARIS Dec Xinhua More than smuggled archeological objects from Morocco and Mali were seized in November and December in south France French Economy Ministry announced Wednesday
The first seizure was made in Arles on Nov and contained great valued fossils from south Morocco and other African art objects hidden in a Moroccanregistered car heading for Germany
Among the fossils are trilobites dating from some millions years ago a marine dinosaur maxilla of Mesozoic Time and some skulls of tortoises and crocodiles dating to the tertiary period million years ago said the ministry in a statement
Many small statues earthenware and Malian jewelry of the Gao region dating to some BC were also in the seizure
The second seizure made by Perpignan customs on Dec contained objects dating to the Neolithic era between and BC including arrowheads axes and pearl necklaces proofs of neolithic rupestrian art of todays Sahel according to the French ministry
These objects were detected in an Italianregistered car
The objects of the first seizure in Arles remain in French customs and might be put in some museums according to French customs in the French port city of Marseille
On Nov the French customs in Montpellier airport seized a batch of archeological and handicraft objects coming from Mali Enditem
by Hui Xiaoshuang Ni Hongmei
TOKYO Dec Xinhua The year will end with deteriorating SinoJapanese political relations due to Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumis repeated visits to the Yasukuni Shrine
Turning a deaf ear to the criticisms and protests at home and abroad the prime minister has paid tribute to the shrine honoring million Japanese war dead including a dozen World War II criminals for five consecutive years since he came to power in
Koizumis action has seriously hurt the feelings of the people of the then wartorn countries in Asia including China and South Korea and badly damaged Japans ties with its neighbors
Reciprocal visits between the Chinese and Japanese leaders have been absent for four years and this is abnormal for two countries with frequent economic exchanges
Even worse Koizumis obstinacy on the issue of shrine visits has brought all scheduled meetings to a halt even on international occasions including the postponed meeting among Chinese Japanese and South Korean leaders on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations ASEAN conference in Kuala Lumpur this month
Thus the SinoJapanese political relationship has been at a low ebb over the years And Koizumi should be held accountable for this
Koizumis shrine tours have had dire political consequences as they have become a tremendous obstacle to the development of SinoJapanese friendship and cooperation
Only when the Japanese leaders take a correct attitude toward the countrys history of aggression and express apology and remorse for Japans war past can the impasse be broken
However the Japanese leaders have been trying to justify the shrine visits
Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Aso has claimed that the only countries in the world that talk about Yasukuni are China and South Korea and Japan does not have to heed their calls
Koizumi described the issue as an invalid diplomatic card wielded by China and South Korea when giving his explanation for the delay of the trilateral meeting
The remarks by the Japanese leaders showed that they did not want to solve the problem and they had no respect for China and South Korea Such an attitude has dampened the hope that the freezing SinoJapanese relationship would thaw in the near future
It is widely known that the Chinese and Japanese people are looking forward to common development and prosperity
However Koizumis visits to the shrine have strained political relations reduced mutual trust intensified antagonism and put the two countries at odds The situation has aroused concerns among the people in both countries
The tension between the two countries not only hampers economic exchanges it may also affect regional stability and development analysts said
Trade and economic cooperation between China and Japan have already been negatively affected by their tense political relationship which has started cooling down extensive business activities between the two sides
Japans yearold status as the largest trading partner of China has been taken over by the European Union
In the first eight months of SinoJapanese trade increased only by percent compared with the percent growth achieved by China globally according to the Chinese Ministry of Commerce
The trade with Japan accounted for percent of Chinas total foreign trade volume in down from the percent in the ministry said
As close neighbors with their economies remarkably complementary to each other China and Japan are regrettably seeing their economic cooperation growing at a slower pace
At the same time the cold political ties hinder bilateral cooperation on largescale economic projects
Economists have warned that it is hard to maintain the flourishing economic relations between China and Japan as long as their political discord remains unsettled
In order to put the SinoJapanese relationship back on to the normal track more joint efforts are needed to address the shrine issue particularly positive actions by the Japanese leaders
China and Japan need to conduct strategic dialogues and coordinate their positions on a wide range of issues such as the environment energy and security
Koizumis visits to the shrine are preventing the two sides from fully playing their roles in jointly dealing with international affairs Japanese leaders should be aware of this
Nevertheless the Japanese prime minister has shown no sign of budging on the issue His persistent visits to the war shrine have manifested his intent to distort history and glorify militarism It is hoped that Japanese leaders would not further follow the wrong path and go down in Japans modern history as people who have soured relations with neighboring countries Enditem
BOGOTA Dec Xinhua Colombian President Alvaro Uribe on Wednesday promised that the government would wipe out all coca plants in Sierra Macarena National Park which he said has been used by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia FARC rebels for narcotics terrorism
More than eradication groups will concentrate on Macarena National Park They will not leave until they have manually eradicated every last coca plant he said
The world needs to know that national parks like the Macarena have been severely violated by the FARC he said announcing that the eradication will start on January
Uribes comments came one day after a FARC ambush killed government soldiers in the area protecting workers who were manually eradicating crops of coca
The Colombians usually use crop duster planes to eradicate huge areas of coca plants quickly and safely However in order to protect the environment the eradication is to be done by hand in the Sierra Macarena National Park a millionacre hectare reserve
The FARC has cultivated about hectares of coca inside the national park since said Uribe
His government believes that both the FARC and the farright United SelfDefense Forces of Colombia AUC are involved in Colombias lucrative cocaine trade
The FARC the biggest rebel group in Colombia and a terrorist group listed by the United States and the European Union has to combatants
The FARCs ambush on Tuesday was the deadliest assault on the army since Uribe took office in
More than government troops have been killed by the FARC and other rebel groups in according to the government Enditem
BUDAPEST Dec Xinhua Boeing the main contractor for modernizing NATOs fleet armed with the Airborne Early Warning and Control System or AWACS is expected to sign an offset agreement worth million US dollars with Hungary in the first quarter of a Hungarian official said Wednesday
The amount contains million dollars worth of purchases from the American aircraft manufacturer dating to when Hungary decided to acquire Gripen fighter planes from Sweden instead of US F fighters said Sandor Szabo head of the economics and transport ministrys offsetting department
The accord will be a followup to the Dec agreement under which Hungary joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organization NATOs Airborne Early Warning and Control Program Organisation
According to the new offset trade principle the new offset agreement will prioritize projects designed to boost the development of the Hungarian defense industry the economics and transport ministry noted in a document released on Wednesday Enditem
MEXICO CITY Dec Xinhua Scientists in Mexico announced on Wednesday that by next June they plan to present a vaccine which can prevent and control the human papilloma virus HPV the virus that causes cancer in cervical tissue
The main advantage of the vaccine is the possibility of using it on women who have premalignant lesions to prevent and revert the HPV infection Gabino Vaca chief of the Endoscopy and Gynecology Service of the Fray Antonio Alcalde Civil Hospital told the press
The vaccine has been shown to be able to reduce the chance of developing uterine cancer by percent and is now being processed in the National Autonomous University of Mexico the most renowned institution of higher learning in the country said Vaca
Vaca said that every two hours one woman dies of uterine cancer in Mexico and of the women who die of the disease every year could have been saved by earlydetection techniques
HPV is a wart virus that causes many cervical cancers including endometrial cancer in the uterus Enditem
MADRID Dec Xinhua The Spanish police arrested the finance chief of the Naples mafia in the Canary Islands after a twoyear search the Interior Ministry said on Wednesday
Peitro Nocera is the front man for Camorra boss Angelo Nuvoleta and he has been on the run for two years from Italian police
Nocera was first detected in in the Canary Islands a popular tourist destination off the northwestern coast of Africa but the police were not able to capture him then said the ministry
He was again tracked down to the Spanish archipelago this year but he managed to dodge police by frequently changing abode and occasionally hiding on a boat he owned said the Interior Ministry
The Nuvoleta clan based in the town of Marano on the outskirts of Naples is notorious for smuggling drug trafficking and extortion
Camorra is the Naplesarea version of the Sicilian mafia Enditem
MONTEVIDEO Dec Xinhua Member countries of the Latin American Integration Association LAIA reported on Wednesday an unprecedented global trade volume of billion US dollars this year a percent increase from
From the total billion dollars were export earnings and billion dollars were from imports said a report with preliminary figures released by Didier Opertti secretary general of the bloc
Exports increased percent while imports rose percent Opertti said
The LAIA members have concluded with a joint trade surplus of billion dollars percent higher than that of
IntraLAIA trade reached billion dollars percent more than in
Opertti said the dynamics of the blocs internal exchange occurred in the context of global trade expansion among its members adding that the strong surge of intraregional trade is related to the economic growth of the region
In all member countries expanded their purchases in the region
The most dynamic countries were Venezuela Uruguay and Colombia whose growth rates in purchases reached percent percent and percent respectively
In the meantime LAIA countries also increased their sales in the region
The sales of Mexico Ecuador and Peru rose percent percent and percent respectively while Colombia and Brazil surpassed the percent mark
The regions trade with the rest of the world was characterized by a significant expansion both in exports and imports although its performance was comparatively below the intraregional exchange said Opertti
It is likely that the LAIA will close the year with a global surplus of billion dollars he said
Opertti said that the figures showed the consolidation of the bloc created years ago
Noone considers returning to a traditional sovereignty position as there is a universal trend towards the regional approach said the secretary general
The Montevideobased LAIA made up of Argentina Bolivia Brazil Chile Colombia Cuba Ecuador Mexico Paraguay Peru Uruguay and Venezuela was founded in to promote regional free trade Enditem
RIGA Dec Xinhua Lithuanian Defense Minister Gediminas Kirkilas reiterated on Wednesday that Lithuania will stick to its plan to slash its troops in Iraq by half despite Polands decision to maintain its troops there
The Polish government decided on Tuesday to extend its military presence in Iraq for another year reversing the previous governments plan to bring the troops home in January
The Lithuanian soldiers under the Polish command will leave Iraq by January when their mission ends and only a few soldiers will be sent there to fill up the vacancies said Kirkilas
On Dec Kirkilas and Foreign Minister Antanas Valionis issued a joint statement announcing Lithuanias decision to halve its troops in Iraq by January
With the strengthening of the Iraqi security forces the mission of foreign troops is changing Lithuania will retain part of its troops there to help fight terrorism and will in the meantime place more emphasis on training Iraqi troops the statement said adding the country will send officers to do the training
Currently there are about Lithuanian soldiers stationed in Iraq among whom are serving with the Danish contingent and the remaining with the Polish contingent Enditem
BUENOS AIRES Dec Xinhua Argentina and Chile have agreed to form a joint force which will participate in future United Nations peacekeeping operations
Argentine Defense Minister Nilda Garre and her Chilean counterpart Jaime Ravinet signed an agreement for the integration of their forces from after holding talks here press reports cited authorities of the Argentine Foreign Ministry as saying on Wednesday
A joint staff consisting of officers six from each country will be established according to the agreement As of the staffs headquarters will alternately be based in Argentina and Chile every two years
In the two parties will decide on the number of troops from each country to form the joint force When the contingent is out of action the troops from each country will be deployed by their respective governments
Despite good relations in recent years Argentina and Chile were stopped just short of an armed conflict over the control of the Leox Picton and Nueva islands in the Beagle Channel in by Vatican mediation Enditem
KIEV Dec Xinhua At least one person was killed in a natural gas explosion in southern Ukraine on Wednesday
The explosion damaged several apartments in a fourstory building in the southern Black Sea port city of Odessa according to local TV reports
One body was retrieved from the building and several others were feared trapped under the rubble the Emergency Situation Ministry said in a statement
Scores of people die each year in Ukraine as a result of gas leakage and explosions in aging buildings Enditem
MOSCOW Dec Xinhua Negotiations between Russia and Ukraine on the price dispute over Russian gas deliveries were suspended late Wednesday without result and will resume on Thursday Ukrainian Energy Minister Ivan Plachkov said
Plachkov was quoted by the Interfax News Agency as saying that there had been movement in the negotiations and its possible for the two sides to reach compromises
His Russian counterpart Viktor Khristenko gave no comment after the talks
The talks in Moscow were aimed at resolving a crisis arising from Russian gas giant Gazproms intention to bring gas prices for Ukraine in line with the world market rates to about US dollars per cubic meters more than four times the current prices for the country
Gazprom said Ukraine has to accept the price from Jan or face a cutoff of delivery
The Ukrainian government while insisting the price raise be a longtime phased process implied earlier Wednesday that it may use a nuclear disarmament pact to appeal for intermediation from Western powers which assured the country of security guarantees in exchange for its abandonment of nuclear projects Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The following is a list of the worst disasters that took place in
Countries around the Indian Ocean struggled throughout the year with the aftermath of the tsunami of December which killed some people on shorelines in Asia and Africa
A magnitude earthquake pounded Kashmir on Oct killing some people on the Pakistani and Indiancontrolled sides of the divided Himalayan region An estimated million people were left homeless
There were tropical storms in the Atlantic hurricane season and of them developed into hurricanes This year also marked the first time that forecasters turned to the Greek alphabet for storm names Alpha Beta Gamma Delta and Epsilon after using up their annual list of names
Three hurricanes Katrina Rita and Wilma reached Category on the fivestep SaffirSimpson scale of hurricane intensity Hurricane Katrina which hit Louisiana Mississippi and Alabama in late August caused at least billion US dollars worth of damage making it probably the costliest natural disaster ever to strike the United States Over people were killed with the city of New Orleans being devastated
Hurricane Stan swept across Guatemala and El Salvador on Oct laying waste to many poor communities and killing more than in mudslides and floods
Bird flu continued to surge worldwide since it swept through large parts of Asia in late The global death toll from the disease has risen to all in Asia
On Oct British tests identified HN in three ducks found dead in Ceamurlia de Jos in Romania the first cases of HN in mainland Europe
A series of air crashes left hundreds dead in Afghanistan Cyprus Colombia Indonesia Iran Nigeria and other countries
On Feb an Afghan airliner crashed into a mountain near Kabul killing all people on board
On Aug a Cypriot Boeing operated by the private companyHelios Airways crashed in north Athens killing all passengers and crew members on board
On Aug a jet carrying French tourists crashed in the mountains of western Venezuela killing all people on board
On Sept an Indonesian Boeing with on board crashed into a residential area in the city of Medan Indonesias thirdlargest city killing more than people on board and on the ground
On Oct a Boeing operated by Nigerias Bellview Airlines crashed on the outskirts of Lagos Nigerias commercial capital killing people on board
On Dec a crash killed people when a plane carrying journalists hit a building in the Iranian capital Tehran
On Dec a plane with passengers and seven crew members on board crashed in the southern Nigerian oil city of Port Harcourt killing people
Some pilgrims died in a stampede on a Baghdad bridge on Aug sparked by rumors that there were suicide bombers among them Enditem
MONTEVIDEO Dec Xinhua Uruguays Lower House of Congress on Wednesday ratified the Investment Protection Treaty with the United States local media reported
The new treaty favors US investments in the South American nation
In September Uruguayan President Tabare Vazquez proposed to US authorities some modifications to the original treaty that was signed by former president Jorge Batlle prior to the end of his tenure
At the request of the Uruguayan leader Article of the treaty now stipulates that both the United States and Uruguay can refuse investments from a country considered to be a foe which was a privilege exclusive to Washington in the past
Moreover Vazquez also managed to include a clause in the treaty that grants the mostfavorednation status to countries of the Common Market of the South MERCOSUR
The United States is Uruguays principal trading partner In the first five months of this year the products that Uruguay exported to the United States amounted to million US dollars accounting for percent of its total overseas sales Enditem
WASHINGTON Dec Xinhua The US judge overseeing the trial of former top Enron Corp executives decided on Wednesday to delay the start of their trial from Jan to Jan after the companys former chief accountant pleaded guilty to securities fraud
Richard Causey who had been scheduled to stand trial with former CEOs Kenneth Lay and Jeffrey Skilling next month was facing the possibility of more than years behind bars He is now likely to become a key witness in the upcoming trial
As a result of a deal made with the prosecution Causey will serve a maximum sevenyear prison term which could be shortened to five years if it is satisfied with his cooperation
US District Judge Sim Lake postponed the trial of Lay and Skilling at the defenses request to allow its lawyers two extra weeks to adjust to the setback
Causey was a key figure in the huge financial scandal that drove Enron to bankruptcy in December amid revelations that the giant energy company had used questionable and complex partnerships to hide almost billion dollars in debt and losses
Over Enron employees lost their jobs when the company failed Many employees also lost their life savings which had been invested in Enron stock Enditem
KINSHASA Dec Xinhua UN peacekeepers and government forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo DRC wrapped up a joint operation against Ugandan rebel groups in east DRC with a total of rebels killed UN mission said on Wednesday
Military Spokesman for the UN mission Frederic Medard said preliminary statistics showed all together Ugandan rebels were shot dead and four others captured in the fighting in the North Kivu province
Six Congolese military servicemen and a UN peacekeeper from India were killed on Sunday when the operation was started in the village of Mukungwe in east DRC Other four peacekeepers were wounded
The Congolese forces and UN peacekeepers were still patrolling the eastern area Medard said
A Congolese senior officer who asked to be anonymous said the rebel National Army for the Liberation of Uganda have fled to Ruwenzori a mountainous area bordering Uganda Several of their strongholds were under the control of Congolese troops
The operation involved Congolese servicemen with the backing of UN peacekeepers from India the UN mission said Enditem
ABIDJAN Dec Xinhua Cote dIvoirean President Laurent Gbagbo issued a decree here on Wednesday announcing the formation of a member transitional government which is tasked with the implementation of peace deals and preparation for the next presidential election
The new government led by Prime Minister Charles Konan Banny includes representatives from the ten signatory parties or groups of the peace accord and includes members from both the ruling party and the rebel forces
Banny said after the first cabinet meeting of the new government that the main task was to pave the way for a smooth presidential election through which people could have the freedom to choose their own leader
The yearold Banny was named as prime minister on Dec by South African President Thabo Mbeki and Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo the two main mediators of Cote dIvoires conflict He was installed by Gbagbo the following day
Gbagbos term had been scheduled to end in October this year but he sought an extension of one year saying he would reorganize elections that failed to materialize in
Gbagbos petition was supported by the United Nations Security Council Resolution and the elections are expected by October in Cote dIvoire
The former French colony slid into a civil war after a foiled coup in September with rebels holding the north and part of the west of the country The Marcoussis accord signed by the countrys major political parties and rebel groups in was supposed to restore peace but it was largely ineffective Enditem
LOS ANGELES Dec Xinhua A hacker who was charged with using approximately virusinfected computers to attack online auction firm eBay in has pleaded guilty the United States Attorneys office said on Wednesday
The hacker Anthony Scott Clark of US state Oregon helped to launch distributed Denial of Service attacks on the Internet against eBay according to prosecutors
Clark and his accomplices used a worm program called bot that exploited a vulnerability in the Windows Operating System The bots were then directed to an Internet chat server where they connected logged in and waited for instructions
Mr Clark personally commanded the bots to launch DDOS attacks on the name server for eBaycom and as a result of these commands Mr Clark intentionally impaired the infected computers and eBaycom the Attorneys office said in a statement
Clark admitted to the charges at a federal court in San Jose California on Tuesday afternoon Prosecutors said Clark faces a potential sentence of up to years in prison a fine of US dollars and three years supervised release
But the arrest is unlikely to make a dent in the number of botnets or their usage security experts warned Attacks using botnets are difficult to track because they are usually crossborder attacks and anonymous
It is difficult to tell whos pushing the buttons said Joseph Telafici director of operations for the Anti Virus Emergency Response Team at antivirus software maker McAfee
Botnets are the biggest source of cash flow in organized Net crime as they are used to drop adware into user computers for spam relays data theft and to launch DDOS attacks Telafici told Red Herring a wellknown technology magazine Enditem
NICOSIA The Cyprus government on Wednesday decided to give the trade unions of the debtridden Cyprus Airways CY one more week until Dec to give their answer to the final version of a restructuring plan to save the national carrier
Government spokesman Kypros Chrysostomides announced the decision made by the Ministerial Council in a press release issued by the cabinet CyprusAirwaysPlan
NEW YORK Oil prices rebounded on Wednesday as investors anticipated OPEC may cut its output ceiling by million barrels each day
Crude for February delivery closed up US dollars at dollars a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange Natural gas also rose by cents to dollars per million British thermal units USOil Prices
BUDAPEST Boeing the main contractor for modernizing NATOs fleet armed with the Airborne Early Warning and Control System or AWACS is expected to sign an offset agreement worth million US dollars with Hungary in the first quarter of a Hungarian official said Wednesday
The amount contains million dollars worth of purchases from the American aircraft manufacturer dating to when Hungary decided to acquire Gripen fighter planes from Sweden instead of US F fighters said Sandor Szabo head of the economics and transport ministrys offsetting department HungaryBoeingOffset
MONTEVIDEO Member countries of the Latin American Integration Association LAIA reported on Wednesday an unprecedented global trade volume of billion US dollars this year a percent increase from
From the total billion dollars were export earnings and billion dollars were from imports said a report with preliminary figures released by Didier Opertti secretary general of the bloc UruguayLAIA Enditem
ABU DHABI Dec Xinhua The Iraqi kidnappers who claimed to have taken a French engineer hostage threatened to kill him unless France ends its illegitimate presence in Iraq in a video broadcast Wednesday by the Dubaibased AlArabiya television
The kidnappers called themselves the Battalion of the Lookout for Iraq
In the video two masked gunmen forced a man in his s on knees to read a text in English The channel then translated his phrases into Arab
My name is Bernard Im years old I am French from Lyons I have worked in the humanitarian sphere as an hydraulic engineer for two years said the man hands apparently bound behind his back
Im sorry for the problems I have caused for those who tried to help me Thanks to all those who want to help me I thank my family and offer them my apologies for the problems I have caused them he said
The hostage identified as Bernard Planche by France was believed to have been seized from his home near Baghdad on Dec
He worked as a mechanical engineer specialized in water distribution systems for a nongovernmental group in Iraq
We demand the immediate release of Mr Planche as nothing can justify his being taken hostage in Iraq said a spokeswoman of the French Foreign Ministry
France will do everything possible to obtain the release of the hostage she said adding that the highest degree of discretion was needed
France staunchly opposed the invasion of Iraq led by the United States in It has taken part in the security and civil reconstruction of the country since the war ended
Three French journalists have been taken hostage in Iraq since August but were released after months of captivity Enditem
UNITED NATIONS Dec Xinhua UN SecretaryGeneral Kofi Annan on Wednesday sent his sincere wishes to the Chinese people for the coming New Year praising Chinas contribution to the international community in fields of security development and human rights
The United Nations must adapt to new realities in the st century and be equipped to deal with new challenges the secretarygeneral said in a New Years message for Xinhua
As we tackle the challenges ahead what China does and how China fares will have an increasing profound effect he stressed
This is true of our ability to reach the Millennium Development Goals MDGs as well as our capacity to provide multilateral solutions to international peace and collective security Annan added
The secretarygeneral noted that Chinas ongoing transformation its growing constructive global leadership and its dynamic engagement with the United Nations give us real cause for optimism
On issue of development he stressed that China is already on its way to meeting most of the MDGs
I am particularly heartened by the close synergy between the MDGs on the one hand and Chinas Xiaokang vision of balanced development and putting people first on the other the secretarygeneral said
This augurs well for Chinas fulfillment of the Summit commitment to have in place by next year national plans and strategies to reach the MDGs he added emphasizing that is good news not only for China but for the entire international community
Because of Chinas size the way it performs on achieving the MDGs will be crucial to how the world as a whole does in reaching them he further explained
However Annan also pointed out that huge challenges remain for the Chinese people
The rural poor must be enabled to share in Chinas amazing economic growth and urgent efforts are needed to fight the spread of HIV he said adding that measures to protect the environment are equally crucial
Finally he said the United Nations is working in close partnership with the Chinese government on the challenges mentioned above
We are determined to help this great country realize the tremendous promise it holds the UN chief concluded Enditem
UNITED NATIONS Dec Xinhua Israeli and Palestinian militants should avoid escalating tension and the Lebanese government ought to assert control over its entire territory UN SecretaryGeneral Kofi Annan said in a statement on Wednesday
The SecretaryGeneral deplores the firing of Katyusha rockets from Lebanon into the Israeli town of Kiryat Shmona last night said the UN statement which was issued after Israel launched air strikes in response to the Lebanese rocket attacks
Moreover Annan urged the Lebanese government again to extend its control over all its territory to exert its monopoly on the use of force and to put an end to all such attacks
All parties should respect the Blue Line between Israel and Lebanon and avoid any actions that could lead to an escalation of the situation Annan added
Israeli warplanes attacked a Palestinian base early Wednesday injuring two militants The Israeli commanders said the strike was in revenge for the overnight rocket fire on Kiryat Shmona Enditem
PARIS Dec Xinhua French peoples debt exceeded in mid the sill of percent of their available incomes compared with percent in Italy and percent in Germany the Bank of France was quoted as saying Wednesday
French households debt increased by percent in ten years and percent since the end of as the government encouraged them to borrow loans to boost the countrys economy
The rise is attributed to many factors low interest rates less exigent banks and fiscal incentives implemented by former Economy Minister Nicolas Sarkozy in favor of consumption loan which rose percent in and percent in according to the banks latest figures published in French daily Le Monde
French peoples savings fell to percent from percent several years ago said the central bank
French Finance Ministry favors a lot the continuity of the households borrowing loans thinking that we would have a room for maneuver to indebt our households said a head of the bank pointing out that the number of overindebted cases doubled between and and further increased by percent between and
According to a study made by the European Savings Institute OEE French households indebtedness is percent lower than the European average with euros about US dollars per habitant in far behind the Dane euros about dollars and the Dutch euros about dollars
House loans represented on the average percent of European households debts in the biggest goal of loans in every European countries said the OEE
More than a quarter of French households percent have borrowed consumption loans much less than the British people percent but much more than the German percent and the Italian percent said the OEE Enditem
WASHINGTON Dec Xinhua On Wednesday a US federal judge ordered John Demjanjuk accused of being a Nazi concentration camp guard to be deported back to his native Ukraine according to press releases
Demjanjuk has been fighting for almost years to stay in the United States The yearold retired auto worker was found guilty of lying to gain entry to the country and has been stripped of his US citizenship
The judge ruled that Demjanjuk should be deported to Germany or Poland if Ukraine would not accept him Demjanjuk can appeal the ruling with the Board of Immigration Appeals within days
Demjanjuk was accused by the US Justice Department in of being a notorious Ukrainian prison camp guard nicknamed Ivan the Terrible who tortured Jewish inmates and operated gas chambers at three concentration camps that killed people
Israel requested Demjanjuks extradition in to face war crime charges He was found guilty and sentenced to death The conviction was overturned in when the Israeli Supreme Court heard testimony from former death camp guards and laborers that another man was actually Ivan
The current case is based on evidence uncovered by the US Justice Department alleging he was a different guard
Demjanjuk has denied the charges saying that he spent much of his war time as a German prisoner Enditem
PARIS Dec Xinhua An icy cold spell took grip of Europe and caused travel chaos across the continent with France hardest hit by blizzards that have cut rail and road links and left thousands of motorists stranded in subzero temperatures
France raised cold alert to its orange level until Wednesday night in the regions where traffic was paralyzed by snowfall
Frances meteorological office also said that traffic conditions would soon become even harder in the hit regions and that electricity and telephone networks would also be affected
According to French national railway company SNCF all highspeed train services between Paris Lyon Marseille and Montpellier were suffering delays of one to two hours on Wednesday after drivers were ordered to cut their speed for safety reasons
In northeastern France about to people spent a chilly night behind the wheel after traffic ground to a halt on a stretch of motorway between the towns of Toul and Nancy regional authorities said
Emergency services were called in to provide them with food and drink for the night and nearby sports centers and town halls were opened up to serve as makeshift shelters
French weather experts warned drivers to be on alert for snowy and icy road conditions across a broad swathe of the countrys northwest east and center
Belowfreezing conditions have gripped northern Europe for several days with nighttime temperatures falling as low as minus Celsius five Fahrenheit in places
Snowstorms caused hundreds of train cancellations in Britain and flight disruptions in Germany Sweden and Portugal while bringing road chaos to Italy Austria and the Czech Republic
Forecasters predicted up to cm of snow could fall in eastern Scotland and northeast England overnight
In Germany flights out of Frankfurt and Stuttgart airports were delayed by up to minutes
In Sweden the Sturup airport in the southern city of Malmo was closed for several hours forcing flights to be diverted to Copenhagen More blizzards and strong winds were expected overnight in the country and neighboring Denmark
In the Czech Republic the highway linking Prague to the countrys second city Brno was closed for several hours on Wednesday The road link from Brno to the Austrian capital Vienna was also shut down after a traffic accident in the snowy weather
Snow blanketed most of northern Italy causing minor traffic disruptions on highways and a motorway from Parma to La Spezia was closed as a precaution Enditem
LIMA Dec Xinhua A queer disease broke out recently in the jungle area of Imaza in the northern Peruvian state of Amazonas killing seven people and infected others the Peruvian Ministry of Health confirmed here on wednesday
The diseased people have shown such symptoms as fevers general weakness vomiting diarrhoea and hematemesis
The Peruvian Ministry of Health has sent medical experts to the epidemicstricken area to diagnose and treat the patients Enditem
MOSCOW Dec Xinhua Seven people were killed and
others injured in a fire early on Thursday at
a hospital near Moscow officials said Enditem
MOSCOW Dec Xinhua A fire broke out at a hospital for mentally ill early on Thursday outside Moscow killing seven people and injuring others officials said
Emergency Situations Ministry spokesman viktor Beltsov said patients and two staff members were inside the twostorey hospital at the village of Dmitrovsky Pogost km southeast of Moscow when fire started around am GMT
Seven people died and people have sustained burns said the spokesman
The cause of the fire was not immediately known Enditem
GAZA CITY Dec Xinhua An explosion went off near a checkpoint in the Tulkarem area in northern West Bank Thursday causing injuries Israeli authorities said
No details are available now Enditem
GAZA CITY Dec Xinhua An explosion went off near a checkpoint in the Tulkarem area in northern West Bank Thursday leaving two people injured Israeli authorities said Enditem
SEOUL South Koreas police chief offered resignation Thursday amid pressure of demanding his quit for taking responsibility of deaths of two farmers who were fatally injured by police during a violent rally in November
Huh Joonyoung commissioner general of the South Korean National Police Agency NPA tendered his resignation to the Government Administration and Home Affairs Minister Oh Youngkyo early in the morning S KoreaPoliceChiefResignation
ABIDJAN Cote dIvoirean President Laurent Gbagbo issued a decree here on Wednesday announcing the formation of a member transitional government which is tasked with the implementation of peace deals and preparation for the next presidential election
The new government led by Prime Minister Charles Konan Banny includes representatives from the ten signatory parties or groups of the peace accord and includes members from both the ruling party and the rebel forces Cote dIvoireTransitional Government
MOSCOW A fire broke out at a hospital for mentally ill early on Thursday outside Moscow killing seven people and injuring others officials said
Emergency Situations Ministry spokesman Viktor Beltsov said patients and two staff members were inside the twostorey hospital at the village of Dmitrovsky Pogost km southeast of Moscow when fire started around am GMT RussiaFire
BAGHDAD Four policemen were killed and five others wounded in a suicide bomb attack targeting a police patrol in Baghdad early on Thursday an Interior Ministry official said
The bloody incident occurred when a suicide bomber wearing an explosive belt blew his up near a police patrol close to the Iraqi Interior Ministry the official said IraqBaghdadBombing Enditem
BERLIN Dce Xinhua A former German diplomat and four members of his family kidnapped in Yemen could be released later Thursday a media report said
Germanys ARD public TV quoted Yemeni government sources as saying the former German government minister his wife and three children could be freed in the course of the day
Germanys Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday former government Minister Juergen Chrobog and his family members were missing in the eastern province of Shabwa in Yemen while Yemeni officials confirmed that the group were taken hostage
This is second time within two months German nationals were
abducted abroad On Nov Susanne Osthoff an archaeologist and aid worker was abducted along with her Iraqi driver in northern
Iraq and was released last month Enditem
SANAA Dec Xinhua A landslide hit a village near the Yemeni capital Sanaa and at least Yemenis have been killed officials Thursday Enditem
GENEVA Dec Xinhua A new round of tax cutting is expected in many Swiss cantons during after voters in canton Obwalden decided to slash tax rates from Jan the official website swissinfo reported Thursday
Obwaldens new corporate tax rate is percent and its decision reflects a growing trend among cantons of slashing tax rates to attract big companies and the wealthy
At least of the Swiss cantons are planning to react to the Obwalden vote by lowering their taxes next year according to a study by the Neue Zurcher Zeitung newspaper Cantons of Zurich Valais Fribourg Uri and Schaffhausen will reduce taxes on Jan the paper says
But Obwalden deputy finance chief Robert Vonwyl told swissinfo that he is unconcerned by the move
It is clear that other cantons will do something similar in the future he said But either they are too far away or their proposed cuts are too limited to affect us
We have already had lots of requests from companies to come to Obwalden so I am confident that our new tax system will prove a success he added
Vonwyl confirmed that Obwalden plans to flatten its degressive tax system in five years by lowering taxes further for middleincome earners
Switzerlands competitive tax system has come under the scrutiny of the European Union EU which questions whether tax breaks attracting foreign companies contravenes the Free Trade Agreement Enditem
LONDON Dec Xinhua Following are major news items in leading British newspapers on Thursday
Financial Times
David Cameron the Conservative leader has urged employers to end a culture of secrecy over pay and to tackle morally wrong inequalities between men and women in the workplace
The Guardian
A British human rights worker and her parents were kidnapped by gunmen in Gaza yesterday a sign of mounting tension between rival Palestinian groups in the runup to elections on Jan
The Times
Health officials were urged last night to fasttrack approval for a groundbreaking breast cancer drug after new research indicated that it far outperformed the Governments recommended treatment
The Daily Telegraph
Police are to be given sweeping powers to arrest people for every offense including dropping litter failure to wear a seat belt and other minor misdemeanors Enditem
SANAA Dec Xinhua At least people died and dozens more were missing in a landslide in Yemen officials said on Thursday
The landslide hit alDhofair a small village near the Yemeni capital of Sanaa late on Wednesday said a Yemeni official adding that dozens of houses in the village were destroyed
Police cordoned off the area and rescuers were searching for survivors said the official
Situated at the southeastern tip of the Arabian Peninsula Yemen has a mostly desert climate but its temperate in western mountains is affected by seasonal monsoon Enditem
LONDON Dec Xinhua The British government had considered in bringing former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussen to Britain to treat his bad back said classified official papers released Thursday
The British Foreign Office believed such a gesture could improve relations with Saddam according to the government files of which have been released to Britains National Archive as part of the year rule
British officials considered the prospect that Saddam could be successfully treated in Britain as most encouraging
In a letter dated January a British senior official wrote while I am by no means suggesting that we offer Saddam advice on the availability of such treatment in the UK you may find the information useful should you ever receive an approach from the Iraqis
Whether such an approach was ever received or discussed with the Iraqis is not recorded in the file
Saddam who was not Iraqi leader at the time was nevertheless seen as a significant figure in the Arab world worth being courted Enditem
MOSCOW Dec Xinhua A man was killed when he blew himself up in a suicide attack in southern Russias Dagestan region the Interfax news agency reported Thursday citing the regions interior ministry
The man detonated the explosive device at am GMT meters from a mosque in Dagestans regional capital Makhachkala
A detective working at the site of the blast told Interfax the bomb had been supposed to explode at an assembly of people attending a memorial service
The bombs control device was found in the hand torn away by the blast Dagestans interior minister Adilgerei Magomedtagirov said
Police have cordoned off the site Enditem
KIEV Dec Xinhua Rescuers has retrieved one body and rescued four people after a gas explosion tore through an apartment building in the southern city of Odessa Ukraines Emergency Situations Ministry said on Thursday
Emergency crews ended their rescue efforts early on Thursday more than hours after the gas blast the ministry said in a statement
All those rescued were seriously injured
Remaining tenants of the building were evacuated to nearby army barracks the ministry said
Most Ukrainian homes use natural gas for cooking and heating and leaks are frequent in aging houses Enditem
BERLIN Dec Xinhua German Finance Minister Peer Steinbrueck said on Thursday that Germany would continue to urge new European Union EU members to raise taxes to ensure fair tax competition among the EU members
In an interview with the German newspaper Die Welt Steinbrueck said that big tax cuts in many of the new EU member countries have nothing to do with fair tax competition and place a burden on German jobs
The cost of labor in Germany is one of the highest in the nation EU bloc because of its high taxes and welfare system
The countrys combined corporate tax rate is almost percent But in some central European EU member countries the tax rate is much lower Slovakia has imposed a percent flat tax rate
Steinbrueck vowed to bring the tax issue to the EU for discussions
It cannot be that individual countries demand more funds from the EU budget while on the other hand they fail to improve their tax base he said
Steinbrueck a Social Democrat and former Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder are critics of Central European countries tax cuts The new German government had planned to raise the valueadded tax to percent in Enditem
MOSCOW Dec Xinhua The tail of a toxic slick floating down Chinas Songhua River has wound its way out of Khabarovsk and is now at a safe distance from the Far East Russian city government officials announced on Thursday
According to ItarTass news agency the citys emergency department has decided to return to regular operations with tap water being restored to its citizens
The forward most part of the slick arrived in Khabarovsk on Dec and had flowed some km away from the city by Thursday Enditem
VIENNA Dec Xinhua About Holocaust survivors have been approved to receive the first payouts from an Austrian fund and another should be approved shortly Austria Press Agency cited an official as saying on Thursday
Hannah Lessing general secretary of the General Settlement Fund which was set up to compensate Holocaust survivors said the first cash payments will be made before the year ends on Saturday the agency reported
Lessing said survivors have applied for the fund and only applications are from within Austria
She hopes the organization will have processed all the applications by the end of although she said some cases are very complicated and may take longer
Austria created the fund of million euros million US dollars in to compensate those stripped of businesses property bank accounts and insurance policies under the Third Reich
Some Jews lived in Vienna before World War II while the number now is about Enditem
SOFIA Dec Xinhua Bulgarian Agriculture Minister Nihat Kabil signed a decree on Thursday to renew the ban on all live bird and nearly all poultry product imports from Turkey where a new outbreak of bird flu has been confirmed
According to the decree only thermictreated virusfree guaranteed poultry products can be imported
The decree also warned Bulgarians not to consume Turkish poultry products imported after December unless they had received thermic treatment
The decree will be implemented by the National Veterinary Service
Bulgaria so far free of bird flu has also banned imports of all poultry products from Romania Greece a previous ban was lifted on Nov Macedonia Croatia and Ukraine and has ordered the close observation of possible human infections of the disease
The Bulgarian government has also established a bird flu crisis control command operation to coordinate the national effort to prevent an epidemic Enditem
MOSCOW Dec Xinhua A man was killed when he blew himself up in a suicide attack in southern Russias Dagestan region the Interfax news agency reported Thursday citing the regions interior minister Adilgerei Magomedtagirov Enditem
WASHINGTON Dec Xinhua The following are major news items in leading US newspapers on Thursday
The New York Times
The United Nations stepped into the controversy over the Iraqi parliamentary election on Wednesday declaring publicly that the results of the voting on Dec appeared valid even as the vote tally continued in Baghdad
Despite a widespread sense that real estate has never been more expensive families in the vast majority of the country can still buy a house for a smaller share of their income than they could have a generation ago
The Washington Post
Nearly three years after it was formed the immense Department of Homeland Security remains hampered by severe management and financial problems that contributed to the flawed response to Hurricane Katrina according to an independent audit released yesterday
The Wall Street Journal
US consumer confidence perked up this month returning to levels last seen before hurricanes devastated parts of the Gulf Coast in last summer and early fall The nations housing market meanwhile showed more signs of cooling Enditem
ROME Dec Xinhua Italys former Treasury chief Mario Draghi was named Thursday by the Bank of Italys executive body as its new governor following the resignation of his scandalhit predecessor
Draghi experienced and widely respected abroad steered a sweeping privatization program in the s and framed a new company takeover law protecting small investors
The appointment will be ratified by the Italian cabinet shortly political sources said
Analysts say the yearold investment banker is well suited to the challenge of rebuilding Italys credibility after a banking takeover scandal that triggered charges of protectionism and brought about last weeks resignation of the countrys central banker Antonio Fazio
Draghi currently Goldman Sachs vice chairman for Europe has represented Italy at the G and European Union and served on the InterAmerican Development Bank World Bank and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development
He has also reportedly been in contention for the International Monetary Funds top position
From to Draghi was director general of the Italian Treasury Ministry and spearheaded Europes biggestever wave of privatization
Draghi is thought to be much more open than Fazio to foreign banks that are entering the Italian banking market lured by its high margins
Some analysts say foreign banks will eventually drive down the price of banking services
Draghi who is expected to take up his post at the start of February will serve under a sixyear oncerenewable term unlike Fazio who until a new reform brought about by the scandal was in the position of owning the job for life
After months of stonewalling Fazio quit on December amid accusations of working behind the scenes to favour Italian bank Banca Popolare Italiana BPI over Dutch rival ABN Amro in a bid for the Antonveneta bank Enditem
PARIS Dec Xinhua French Foreign Minister Philippe DousteBlazy called on Thursday for the release of a French hostage in Iraq highlighting the fact that France has no military presence there
Nothing justifies Bernard Planche being held in captivity I call again on the kidnapers to release our fellow countryman immediately DousteBlazy said in a statement
France has no military presence in Iraq and has always pleaded for this countrys full sovereignty to be restored he added
Bernard Planche who was working for a nongovernmental organization at a water treatment plant in eastern Baghdad was seized on December at his home in an upmarket Baghdad neighborhood
A group calling itself the Battalion of the Lookout for Iraq claimed responsibility for the kidnapping and threatened to kill him if France does not end its illegitimate presence in Iraq
The Dubaibased AlArabiya channel broadcast on Wednesday a blackandwhite video which bore the groups logo and showed a man with a moustache wearing a dark polo shirt sitting in front of two gunmen who were pointing rifles at his head
The French government said on Wednesday it had examined carefully the TV images and vowed to do everything possible to ensure his release
Three other French journalists have been kidnapped in two separate incidents by armed groups in Iraq since August They were released after months of highprofile campaigning for their freedom in France Enditem
GENEVA Dec Xinhua The Swiss federal court ruled on Thursday that former Russian nuclear energy minister Yevgeny Adamov will be extradited to Russia instead of the United States
The ruling overturned a decision earlier this year by the Swiss justice ministry to extradite him to the US to face fraud charges
Ruling on Adamovs appeal the court concluded that the Russian extradition request had priority according to international law
The court said this would allow the investigation to take place in the country where the alleged crimes took place
It added that the US extradition request was not valid under Swiss law as the alleged crimes have been committed by a foreign functionary in a foreign fiscal system
Russian prosecutors have formally guaranteed that they will investigate the US charges against Adamov
In September the Swiss justice authorities gave priority to the US request because had it been given to Russia Adamovs Russian citizenship would have meant that he could not subsequently be extradited forward to the States
News reports said the former minister was delighted and satisfied with the new ruling
The Russian government which had earlier condemned the justice ministrys decision also welcomed the court ruling
Adamov was arrested on May by the Swiss authorities on a US warrant which charged him with embezzling funds that had been destined for nuclearsafety upgrades in Russia while he was visiting his daughter in Bern capital of Switzerland
Russia had presented a formal extradition request to the Swiss authorities on May accusing Adamov of fraud
Adamov was Russias atomicenergy minister from to A Russian parliamentary commission has accused him of corruption Enditem
MOSCOW Dec Xinhua Russian President Vladimir Putin offered Ukraine a commercial loan to buy gas on Thursday after the two countries energy ministers failed to clinch a deal in talks on gas prices
The loan was offered three days ahead of a Russian threat to cut supplies
At a meeting between senior Russian and Ukrainian officials Putin said Russia was prepared to extend a loan to Ukraines oil and gas company Naftogaz Ukrainy on commercial terms against guarantees from a European or US bank
He said the loan could amount to billion US dollars
This is a huge sum by Russian standards but we shall find the money and we shall be able to provide the necessary resources in part or in whole to the Ukrainian partners on market terms but at the best interest rate that exists Putin was quoted by ITARTass news agency as saying
Ukraine is buying Russian gas for US dollars per cubic meters but Russian gas titan Gazprom has asked Ukraine to pay more than quadruple this price and has offered cash payments for the transit of its gas to European clients
Ukraine said it is willing to switch to market prices for gas but insists on a transitional period to adjust its economy
Ukrainian Fuel and Energy Minister Ivan Plachkov and other officials traveled to Moscow on Wednesday for a new round of talks on gas prices amid increasingly vocal warnings from Gazprom that it will shut the taps for Ukraine at am GMT on Sunday if no deal is reached
The talks failed to turn out any agreement on Thursday
The feud over gas prices has raised fears that supplies to Ukraine could be halted but the problem for Gazprom now is how to cut the flow to Ukraine without affecting its European clients as percent of its Europebound gas was transited through a Ukrainian pipeline
But the head of Naftogaz Ukrainy Alexei Ivchenko assured Russia on Thursday that his company will fulfill all its obligations to maintain a steady gas transit to Europe He said there will be no violations according to ITARTass Enditem
BERLIN Dec Xinhua German authorities revealed on Wednesday that they had banned a group suspected of harboring Islamic extremists in the southern state of Bavaria
We will not tolerate organizations that are set up aggressively against the constitutional order and call openly for the use of violence state Interior Minister Guenther Beckstein said
On Wednesday Security officials confiscated and searched a house belonging to the group of MultiKulturHous Ulm in the southern city of Ulm freezing its account at a bank in Stuttgart
The MultiKultur Hous MultiCultureHouse had been under surveillance after tip offs showed it had allowed Islamic extremists to use the building to preach hatred and call for holy war
Beckstein said officials had also seized instructions for the manufacture of explosives
The ban was the latest in a series of moves against Islamic extremists in and around the towns of NeuUlm in Bavaria and Ulm in neighboring BadenWuerttemberg state
Authorities first carried out raids in January against the group over suspicions it had formed a terrorist organization and again in February for suspected business offenses Enditem
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F
LONDON Dec Xinhua Liverpool pulled off their ninth successive Premiership victory when their beat struggling Everton on Wednesday
Peter Crouchs clever finish and Steven Gerrards deflected yard drive put Liverpool two up inside minutes Djibril Cisses goal in the th minute sealed the win for Liverpool and Everton were reduced to nine men when Phil Neville and Mikel Arteta were sent off
James Beattie who had a header controversially ruled out pulled one back four minutes before halftime for the Toffees
Beatties header may have ended Liverpools sequence of minutes of Premiership action without conceding a goal but it was another impressive performance from Rafael Benitezs rapidlyimproving side
Liverpool recalled Cisse and left Fernando Morientes on the bench while Everton recalled experienced duo David Weir and Nuno Valente in defence
And it was Liverpool who flew out of the blocks and stunned Everton with two early goals
Cisse had already fired wide when Gerrards header released Crouch after minutes and he expertly rounded Nigel Martyn to roll a composed finish into an empty net
And seven minutes later a rampant Liverpool doubled their advantage as the nd Merseyside derby threatened to turn into a nightmare for Everton
Goalkeeper Martyn punched clear but when Cahills header fell to Gerrard yards out he fired a low shot into the corner with the help of a slight deflection off Joseph Yobo
Cisse then shot inches over as Liverpool threatened to run riot but Everton slowly worked their way back into the game
They were aggrieved when Beattie had a header ruled out from Tim Cahills cross with replays throwing doubt on whether the ball was out of play
But the striker was rewarded with a goal that gave Everton a lifeline four minutes before the interval
Kevin Kilbanes far post header was cleverly turned on by Simon Davies and Beattie headed past Pepe Reina
But any hope Everton had of mounting a revival appeared to be snuffed out when Liverpool added a third only two minutes after the restart
Liverpool broke quickly and Cisse raced on to Harry Kewells pass before easily avoiding a poor challenge from David Weir to beat Martyn
Evertons confidence was visibly knocked and Gerrard could have added a fourth for Liverpool with a powerful drive that was only inches off target in the th minute
And Evertons miserable night got worse a minute later when Neville was shown the red card for a second bookable offence a foul on Mohamed Sissoko
Beattie wasted a glorious chance to give Everton a chance in the dying minutes but he blazed over from pointblank range from Yobos flick
As Everton had not suffered enough Arteta then also saw red for his second booking a senseless foul on Liverpool substitute Luis Garcia Enditem
LONDON Dec Xinhua Arsenal scored four firsthalf goals to crush hapless Portsmouth and notch up their only their win of the month on Wednesday
Thierry Henry who had not scored since the end of November struck two just before the interval including one from the penalty spot
And the other goals came from Dennis Bergkamp his first in the Premiership this season and Jose Antonio Reyes
Pompey in contrast never looked like scoring or ending a Highbury winless streak that now stretches to years
To their credit Harry Redknapps side started brightly and showed an impressive workrate for much of the first half
But they failed to get a shot on target unlike Arsenal who seemingly scored every time they ventured into Pompeys box
By halftime they had coasted to Bergkamp who had been rested for the Boxing Day win over Charlton opening the scoring in the seventh minute
Mathieu Flamini broke through the centre and laid it off on the left flank to Reyes who cut the ball across the Bergkamp to dab home
Five minutes later Reyes managed a goal of his own skying it into the top righthand corner of the goal after Henry had showed sublime control and skill in the box
Henry who had been in the midst of a fivematch drought rounded off the half in style with two further goals
Flamini who was superb throughout again pierced Portsmouths defence and midfield and Henry coolly darted past goalkeeper Jamie Ashdown before stroking home the ball
The Frenchman was just as nonchalant in the nd minute when he chipped in a penalty after Andy Griffin had pushed Robert Pires over in the box
Sadly for the home crowd halftime seemingly took the spark out of the Gunners fireworks with Pompey actually creating the better chances early in the second half
Lomano Lua Lua had Jens Lehmann beaten with a thumping strike which rattled the crossbar before bouncing clear
Seconds later Matthew Taylor also had a shot on target but it lacked the venom of his teammate
Arsenal tried to recreate their earlier attacking opportunities but only Bergkamp managed to force a save out of Ashdown
And the Dutchman and his teammates happily saw out the remainder of the game amid a raft of substitutions from manager Arsene Wenger Enditem
LONDON Dec Xinhua Following are the results of English Premier League games played on Wednesday
Arsenal Portsmouth
Birmingham Manchester United
Everton Liverpool
Fulham Aston Villa
Man City Chelsea
West Brom Tottenham
West Ham Wigan
Enditem
LONDON Dec Xinhua Joe Coles goal help Chelsea to a win over Manchester City moving the defending champions points clears of nearest chasers Manchester United who only managed a draw at Birmingham on Wednesday
Arsenal were rampant in the first half at Highbury as they beat Portsmouth whilst Tottenhams UEFA Champions League charge suffered a setback at West Brom
The Merseyside derby was an exhilarating affair as Liverpool continued their superb form at Goodison Park in a win
Peter Crouch remains a man on the goal trail as he broke the deadlock in the th minute after rounding Nigel Martyn before Steven Gerrards deflected strike from distance doubled their advantage on minutes
With Liverpool in control James Beattie headed home Simon Davies clipped cross four minutes before the break before in the second period Djibril Cisses fine strike broke Everton hearts with The Toffees later having both Phil Neville and Mikel Arteta sent off
In a tight affair at Eastlands Manchester City will be disappointed they finished the losing side to Chelsea as Cole capitalised on Eidur Gudjohnsens shot which was pushed in to his path by David James save eleven minutes from time
If Harry Redknapp was not fully aware of the size of his task at Portsmouth then he is now after his side were put to the sword at Arsenal
Arsene Wengers outfit were in the groove from the onset and took the lead through a neat Dennis Bergkamp finish on seven minutes before Jose Antonio Reyes matched the Dutchman with an excellent strike from Thierry Henrys cutback
Henry then netted himself in the th minute with a lovely effort for his first goal in a month and then two minutes before the break scoring a precocious penalty after Reyes had been fouled
Manchester United were disappointing on their trip to the Midlands as they could only claim a point at St Andrews with substitute Walter Pandiani rescuing a share of the spoils for an underfire Steve Bruce
United took the lead in the fifth minute through Ruud van Nistelrooys close range finish but on minutes Jamie Clapham found a leveller when his angled drive squirmed past Edwin van der Sar
In the second period Wayne Rooney again proved the talisman for Sir Alex Ferguson when he finished Alan Smiths pass from the right flank but all to no avail as Pandiani levelled on minutes
Wigan are proving their early season form is no fluke as they were again excellent on their travels in beating West Ham their fourth successive win
Jason Roberts looks unplayable at the moment and his goal a cool clipped finish in the rd minute was followed on the stroke of halftime by Henri Camaras sumptuous turn and finish beyond Roy Carroll
Martin Jols Tottenham were not at the races on their visit to West Brom as they went down thanks to a Kanu brace
West Brom edged a tight first period as Kanu capitalised on a fortunate ricochet into his path by rounding Paul Robinson in some style to send The Hawthorns into delirium in the rd minute
In the second period seven minutes after the interval Kanu did former club Arsenal another favour with his second after capitalising on some loose Spurs defending
A pulsating game game at Craven Cottage ended in a draw as Aston Villa came from behind on three occasions with Liam Ridgewell netting two goals
Fulham took the lead in the th minute when Brain McBride bulleted home a fantastic header but their lead proved short lived as Luke Moore netted from the angle in the th minute from Gareth Barrys cute pass
Just past the halfhour mark and Villa were left fuming after Mark Delaney was adjudged to have fouled Tomasz Radzinski in the box
For the second game in succession Heidar Helguson scored with the cheekiest of spot kicks before on the hour mark Ridgewell popped up to find to an equaliser from close range
McBride looked to have stolen the points with his second another fine header on minutes but nine minutes later Ridgewell proved an unlikely hero when he found a leveller Enditem
WASHINGTON Dec Xinhua Following are the leaders of the National Basketball Association through Dec
Scoring
G FG FT PTS AVG
Iverson Phil
Bryant LAL
James Clev
Arenas Wash
Pierce Bos
Nowitzki Dall
Wade Mia
Brand LAC
Redd Mil
Anthony Den
Carter NJ
Allen Sea
Bosh Tor
ONeal Ind
Richardson GS
Garnett Minn
Lewis Sea
Hamilton Det
Duncan SA
Davis Bos
FG Percentage
FG FGA PCT
Haywood Wash
AbdurRahim Sac
Brezec Char
Mourning Mia
Brand LAC
Parker SA
Bogut Mil
Garnett Minn
Wallace Char
Gooden Clev
Rebounds
G OFF DEF TOT AVG
Camby Den
Howard Orl
B Wallace Det
Marion Phoe
Duncan SA
Jamison Wash
Brand LAC
Garnett Minn
Magloire Mil
Webber Phil
Assists
G AST AVG
Nash Phoe
Davis GS
Billups Det
Miller Den
Knight Char
Kidd NJ
Iverson Phil
Cassell LAC
Paul NOk
Ford Mil
Enditem
BRUSSELS Dec Xinhua Dutch international defender Ron Vlaar has signed a threeanda halfyear contract with the countrys Premier Division club Feyenoord the clubs website reported on Wednesday
Vlaar was first linked with Ajax and then with Britains Tottenham Hotspur Despite the players difficult situation at AZ Alkmaar where he failed to conquer a spot in the starting lineup he chose not to move to Amsterdam or London
With Feyenoord and coach Erwin Koeman Vlaar did come to an agreement I am very happy I always preferred to play for a big Dutch team so when Feyenoord called I did not have to think hard he told the clubs website
The young talented defender recently accused AZ coach Louis van Gaal of blackmailing by leaving the player on the bench
Vlaars situation however now seems to have been solved It is good to know what awaits me I can hardly wait until the first training session
Feyenoord are currently at the third place in the Dutch Premier Division behind leaders PSV Eindhoven and Alkmaar Enditem
MONTEVIDEO Dec Xinhua Argentine striker Carlos Tevez Corinthians Brazil leads the traditional poll on South American soccer which is organized on a yearly basis by Uruguayan daily El Pais whose results will be released on Thursday
Behind Tevez in the search for the title as the best South American player is Uruguayan back Diego Lugano Sao Paulo Brazil who is only votes behind
Then come Brazilians Cicinho back and Rogerio Ceni goalkeeper both of whom play for the champion of the Libertadores Cup
Argentines Fernando Gago midfielder and Daniel Bilos striker both from Boca Juniors Argentina keep on adding votes and are approaching the Brazilian duo
Among the coaches Uruguayan Anibal Mano Ruiz in charge of the Paraguayan national team again is at the top followed by the Brazilian coach of the national team of Peru Paulo Autuori two points behind
Not far behind come coaches Carlos Alberto Parreira the coach of Brazil and Colombian Luis Fernando Suarez the coach of Ecuador
The four coaches have plenty of chances to win the selection as there only are slight differences between them said El Pais on Wednesday
In the poll of the Uruguayan daily participate some journalists from newspapers magazines and news agencies from South America who send their selection of players and coaches for the season Enditem
LISBON Dec Xinhua The city of Lisbon prepares to become over the coming three years the point of departure for the Dakar Rally the most demanding race of its kind in the world
At on December in the Belem zone in Lisbon teams from countries will depart in the th edition of the rally the organizers said on Wednesday
The rally will attract drivers against last year The most represented country will be France with participants followed by Spain with
A total of European commissioners will visit prior to the departure the facilities of the Belem Cultural Center and the surroundings to certify that all the technical aspects are complied with
The vehicles will be kept enclosed in facilities by the Jeronimos Monastery until the st
The first pilot to depart will be Portugals Antonio Ventura Enditem
ATHENS Dec Xinhua International Olympic Committee IOC member from Greece Lambis Nikolaou on Wednesday denied the claim that his miscasting ballot in Singapore last July may deprive Madrid of the opportunity of hosting the Olympic Games
He admitted that he did not cast a ballot in the third round of voting which named London as the host of the Olympics
I declare that I didnt vote during the third round as I also stated at the time of voting Nikolaou said in an emailed statement
All this speculation surrounding my role in the third round of voting for the candidates is totally unfounded he added
The issue was brought into spotlight last Friday when Israels IOC member Alex Gilady told a British Broadcasting Companys TV program that a colleague mistakenly voted for Paris instead of Madrid when the two cities were left competing with London for the right to host the Games
Paris got votes to Madrids in the third round so another vote in favor of the Spanish capital would have led to a tiebreaker to decide who faced off against London in the final round
The hopeful candidate Madrid is most likely to overtake Paris in a possible tiebreaker ballot and beat London finally with the help of Paris supporters reports said
However as it turned out London beat Paris by votes to to become the host city
Since Giladys comments it has been alleged that Nikolaou one of the IOCs four vice presidents was the man who voted for Paris by mistake Nikolaou was also the head of the Hellenic Olympic Committee HOC between and and from to
The IOC distributed voting boxes during the ballot in Singapore and votes were cast with one not voting the committee said in a statement published on its Web site
No abstentions were recorded no votes were voided the statement said It is mathematically impossible that it could have changed the outcome of the third round of voting
Gilady sent Nikolaou a letter of apology and blamed the media for distorting his statements Greek staterun NET television reported Enditem
MEXICO CITY Dec Xinhua In former Real Madrid star Hugo Sanchez lost most games as a coach in Mexico local media reported on Wednesday
Sanchez topped the lousiest coaches list after he recorded losses in games as head coach of UNAM
This cost him the job despite his excellent results in when he gave two titles to the team
As a player Sanchez won five top scorer titles in Spanish soccer with Real Madrid
The place of honor among coaches went to Mario Carrillo of America with wins draws and only five losses plus a title Following is Miguel Herrera of Monterrey with triumphs draws and defeats
The best winning average was obtained by Mexican Isaac Mizrahi who replaced Ruben Omar Romano in Cruz Azul when the latter was kidnapped at the onset of the tournament Mizrahi obtained seven victories and only one loss Enditem
HAVANA Dec Xinhua Cristobal Marte President of the NorthCentral American and Caribbean Volleyball Confederation NORCECA announced Wednesday at San Juan Puerto Rico that the sports global ruling body FIVB agreed to increase the number of Grand Prix teams from to
After two years of struggle FIVB accepted the NORCECA proposal to add four teams to the Grand Prix said Marte
Of the four new spaces one will go to America one to Europe one to Asia and other to Africa which will finally have a team in the event Enditem
WASHINGTON Dec Xinhua Phoenix Suns guard and the NBAs MVP Steve Nash was honored as Canadas male athlete of the year by The Canadian Press according to reports reaching here
Nash finished with points and firstplace votes in balloting of sports editors and broadcasters across the hockeymad country on Tuesday reports said
The NBA star led the Suns remarkable turnaround and became the first Canadian to be noted the NBAs most valuable player The Suns went from a record to a leaguebest
Nash was also given the Canadian athlete of year award in Enditem
LUSAKA Dec Xinhua Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa has promised to promote sport at all levels saying that the sport development should start from the grassroots
He made the promise in a speech read on his behalf by Lusaka Province permanent secretary Susan Sikaneta at the official launch of the Kafue district football coaching clinic near Lusaka Wednesday
He said the government is not only concentrating on the development of sport at national level but at the grassroots as well
The president urged the participants to take the course with the seriousness so that they contribute to the development of both sport and the southern African countrys economy at large Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Chinas first winter Olympic Champion Yang Yang A will spearhead the Chinese short track speed skating Olympic squad as the whole team expects one gold in the Turin Olympics
Yang Yang who clinched Chinas first ever winter Olympic gold medals in womens m and m in is planning to compete in the womens m and m in Turin
Its my third time to parcitipate in the winter Olympics but I felt no pressure at all this time I only want to enjoy the Games and collect more wonderful experience Yang said after training on Thursday
However for the Chinese team just enjoying the Games is not enough Winning one gold medal is their main task
We have advantage in womens m and mens m but the opponents from South Korea the United States and Canada are quite strong headcoach Xin Qingshan said
Yang Yang and another veteran Li Jianjun have got ready to compete and we are confident to clinch one gold medal Xin added
Chinese short track speed skating team also named the squad for the winter Olympics in Turin from February
Women
Yang Yang Wang Meng Fu Tianyu Zhu Mile and Cheng Xiaolei
Men
Li Jiajun Li Ye Sui Baoku Wang Baojian Enditem
LONDON Dec Xinhua Manchester City midfielder Claudio Reyna has been ruled out for at least six weeks with a broken ankle
The yearold has been playing with the injury for two months but recent scans have only just revealed the full extent of the problem
Reyna missed Wednesday nights defeat by Chelsea and will now head to Holland for surgery on Friday sidelining him for between six to eight weeks
The US captain will not be in Premiership action again until City tackle Liverpool at Anfield on February although he could make the Blues lineup the previous week if they make the FA Cup fifth round
It has been really sore and it didnt feel right Reyna told the clubs website
I could not train through the week and I was just trying to get through games
Reynas injury only increases the chances of Blues manager Stuart Pearce making a move to bring in midfield reinforcements during the January transfer window
And it now seems almost certain Spanish wide man Albert Riera will be one of the first new recruits with the players advisors at Eastlands on Wednesday night paving the way for what is expected to be a loan move until the end of the season Enditem
LAGOS Dec Xinhua Nigeria defeated Senegal on Wednesday to retain the title at the th African Nations Basketball Championship for Women the official News Agency of Nigeria reported on Thursday
The Nigerian team took the lead from the first quarter of the encounter with Senegal leading by
Senegal who defeated Nigeria in the group stages staged a comeback tying with Nigeria at half time
Utilizing free flowing passes and three pointers Nigeria came from points to points in the last quarter of the match to win the game with standing ovation from spectators
We are the number one team in Africa Mfon Udoka Nigerias captain said after the victory Nigeria won the th edition of the cup in Mozambique in and represented Africa at the Olympics in Greece
Nigeria and Senegal will represent Africa in the World Basketball Championship for Women slated for Brazil in September Enditem
WUHAN Central China Dec Xinhua Big forward Ba Zhichao contributed a gamehigh points nine rebounds and six assists to lead CBAs Guangdong Hongyuan past Shandong at the CUBA vs CBA youth team tournament here on Thursday
Ba who stands meters and made his debut in this years CUBA Chinas NCAA dominated the ace inside the key in the last quarter sealing the win with a three pointer in the final seconds
I think I did really well tonight The defence and attack are more ferocious than CUBA I think I still have some room to improve and I admire Yao Ming a lot said Ba who hoped to play NBA in the future
Shandong took command in the opening quarter and led after the halftime
Guangdong rallied briefly in the third after a run but Shandong responded to the threat with a run to retake the control into the final
Guangdong snatched Hua Qiao Universitys team team on Wednesday
Aiming at improving the level of the Chinese youth basketball CBA and CUBA organized this tournament which will run until January
The tournament features eight teams which came from this seasons top four CUBA and CBA teams respectively Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Following are the top Chinese athletes in the year of selected by Xinhua News Agency
Yao Ming
Highestpaid athlete of China having signed a fiveyear contract extension with NBAs Houston Rockets on a total of million US dollars in August before he helped Chinese mens basketball national team win their th and consecutive fourth Asian championships in September
Guo Jingjing
Undisputed Diving Queen of China winning gold medals in almost all the toprated world and regional tournaments including the Montreal World Championships the World University Games the th Chinese National Games and the East Asian Games
Zhang Ning
Thirtyyearold veteran who completed a grand slam winning run of world championships Olympic Games Uber Cup and Sudirman Cup after helping the Chinese badminton team claim their fifth title of the world mixed team badminton championships at Beijing in May
Zou Shiming
Chinas first boxing world champion lifting the trophy of the kg category at the th world senior boxing championships held at Mianyang Southwest China in November
Chang Hao
Chinas first world Go champion entering the century beating South Koreas Choi Cheolhan to win the Ing Cup World Go Championship
Zhang Yining
New generation to Chinas table tennis lifting her first world championships singles trophy in Shanghai in May to become another grand slam winner of worlds Olympics and World Cup beating former world number one Wang Nan for a womens singles crown and leading Beijing womens team to defend the table tennis team title at the th Chinese National Games
Liu Xiang
Winner of the Alternative Sportsperson of the Year at the Laureus World Sports Awards adding an m hurdles silver medal at the Helsinki world championships to his historymaking Olympic title taken at Games in Athens
Chen Yanqing
A comeback strongwoman of China claiming the kg gold at the th Chinese National Games with three world records weight in October and putting her career in an end with another gold medal in the same category at Novembers East Asian Games in Macao
Cheng Fei
Chinas first world championship winner in the womens vault whose routine performed at the th world gymnastics championships late in November including a back somersault with a straight back position and two and a half twists has been named after the yearold Chinese
Wu Peng
Second Chinese male swimmer in over years after Zeng Qiliang to win a medal in the world championships taking the bronze in the m butterfuly at the Montreal worlds in August Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Following are the top world athletes in the year of selected by Xinhua News Agency
Roger Federer Switzerland
Topranked male tennis player in the world ending up the season with singles title including two grand slam trophies a match winning streak and a winloss record of a second to best match winning percentage in a year in Open Era
Zhang Yining China
Topranked women player in the world and the new generation to Chinas table tennis lifting her first world championships singles trophy in Shanghai in May to become another grand slam winner of worlds Olympics and World Cup
Fernando Alonso Spain
Formula Ones youngest champion at the age of ending seventime winner Michael Schumachers string of five straight season titles
Liu Xiang China
Winner of the Alternative Sportsperson of the Year at the Laureus World Sports Awards adding an m hurdles silver medal at the Helsinki world championships to his historymaking Olympic title taken at Games in Athens
Yelena Isinbayeva Russia
Female Athlete of the Year named by the International Association of Athletics Federations IAAF for the second straight time setting nine world records indoor and out while recording the first womens fivemeter vault in London and breaking the mark again after winning the world title in Helsinki
Ronaldinho Brazil
Biggest winner of world soccer in completing a hattrick of three most important awards as he won his second successive World Player of the Year award from soccers governing body FIFA and also the European player awards in the same year and the inaugural FIFPro World Player of the Year award selected by soccer players in September
Maria Sharapova Russia
First waman emerging from the starstudded Russian pack to climb onto the top of the world tennis rankings winning singles titles at and making semifinals in tournaments in before declining to the fourth position at the end of the season
Kenenisa Bekele Ethiopia
Winner of the IAAF mens athlete of the year award whose season of has been remarkable in any circumstances with defending the gold at the Helsinki world championships breaking his own world record in Brussels and winning the world cross country double for the fourth successive time
Justin Gatlin United States
Fastest man in the world taking both the m and m sprints gold medals at the world athletics championships in Helsinki in August
Lindsay Davenport United States
Seasonending world number one female player to world tennis winning six of her totally ten finals of WTA singles Tour in including the grand slam tournaments of Australian Open and Wimbledon Enditem
WUHAN Central China Dec Xinhua Big forward Ba Zhichao contributed a gamehigh points nine rebounds and six assists to lead CBAs Guangdong Hongyuan past Shandong at the CUBA vs CBA youth team tournament here on Thursday
Ba who stands meters and made his debut in this years CUBA Chinas NCAA dominated the ace inside the key in the last quarter sealing the win with a three pointer in the final seconds
I think I did really well tonight The defence and attack are more ferocious than CUBA I think I still have some room to improve and I admire Yao Ming a lot said Ba who hoped to play NBA in the future
Shandong took command in the opening quarter and led after the halftime
Guangdong rallied briefly in the third after a run but Shandong responded to the threat with a run to retake the control into the final
In other games Huaqiao University beat another Shandong team Shandong University of Science and Technology
Three player of Huaqiao scored points to help the team to its first win Li Hai contributed points and four assists for Shandong while his teammate Zhang Kang added points and four rebounds
Host team Wuhan Technology University lost to Taiyuan Technology
University
In womens games CUBAs Tianjing Financial University beat China Mining University while Central China University of Science beat Qinghai Normal University WCBAs Guangdong youth team stunned Bayi youth team while Liaoning youth team beat Shenyang youth team
Aiming at improving the level of the Chinese youth basketball CBA and CUBA organized this tournament which will run until January
The tournament features eight teams which came from this seasons top four CUBA and CBA teams respectively Enditem
LONDON Dec Xinhua Following are the standings from the World Cup womens slalom race on Thursday
Slalom
Janica Kostelic Croatia
Anja Paerson Sweden
Marlies Schild Austria
Nicole Hosp Austria
Kathrin Zettel Austria
Laure Pequegnot France
Tanja Poutiainen Finland
Annemarie Gerg Germany
Kristina Koznick United States
Chiara Costazza Italy
Overall
Janica Kostelic Croatia
Anja Paerson Sweden
Michaela Dorfmeister Austria
Lindsey Kildow United States
Alexandra Meissnitzer Austria
Kathrin Zettel Austria
Marlies Schild Austria
Nicole Hosp Austria
Andrea Fischbacher Austria
Tina Maze Slovenia Enditem
LONDON Dec Xinhua Following are the results from the World Cup Bormio Mens Downhill on Thursday
Daron Rahlves United States
Fritz Strobl Austria
Tobias Gruenenfelder Switzerland
Michael Walchhofer Austria
Marco Buechel Liechtenstein
Kristian Ghedina Italy
PierreEmmanuel Dalcin France
Didier Defago Switzerland
Bode Miller United States
Klaus Kroell Austria Enditem
WASHINGTON Dec Xinhua Following are the results from the NBA matches on Wednesday home team in CAPS
TORONTO Atlanta
ORLANDO NY Knicks
Phoenix WASHINGTON
CHARLOTTE Chicago
NO OKLAHOMA CITY Houston
MINNESOTA Seattle
PORTLAND Philadelphia
GOLDEN STATE Boston
Memphis LA LAKERS OT Enditem
WASHINGTON Dec Xinhua Following are the standings from the NBA on Wednesday
EASTERN CONFERENCE
ATLANTIC DIVISION
W L PCT GB
New Jersey
Philadelphia
Boston
NY Knicks
Toronto
CENTRAL DIVISION
W L PCT GB
Detroit
Cleveland
Milwaukee
Indiana
Chicago
SOUTHEAST DIVISION
W L PCT GB
Miami
Washington
Orlando
Charlotte
Atlanta
WESTERN CONFERENCE
NORTHWEST DIVISION
W L PCT GB
Minnesota
Denver
Utah
Seattle
Portland
PACIFIC DIVISION
W L PCT GB
Phoenix
LA Clippers
LA Lakers
Golden State
Sacramento
SOUTHWEST DIVISION
W L PCT GB
San Antonio
Dallas
Memphis
NO Oklahoma City
Houston
FRIDAY DECEMBER FIXTURES GMT
Miami at Detroit
NO Oklahoma City at San Antonio
Seattle at Denver Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua A Chinese scientist has voiced a different opinion here on Wednesday on cutting off bird flu sources by culling all migratory birds
Culling all migratory birds is futile in stemming the spread of the bird flu because the culling would force wild migrants out of their migrating routes and thus enlarge the range of virus dissemination said Gao Fu a research fellow with the Institute of Microbiology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences
Chinese scientists are currently monitoring the migrating routes of wild birds and studying the connection between migrants and poultry along the migrating course trying to locate the possible regions of the next bird flu outbreak and take further measures to limit the losses to the minimum said Gao
When analyzing the misunderstanding towards the scapegoat migratory birds Gao said three of the eight migrating routes in the world have a possible connection with the bird flu outbreak in recent years
Gao said among the three routes the AsiaAustralia course has provided evidence that birds may spread the virus to the passing countries like Japan China and some Southeast Asian countries like Thailand and Vietnam which reported bird flu outbreaks in The Republic of Korea reported an outbreak in December
After the outbreak around northwest Chinas Qinghai Lake in May Gao comparing the flu virus of diseased birds from Qinghai with the virus from Mongolia and north Russias Novosibirsk found an affinal relationship between them He published his research on the US based Science magazine
However Gao argued its insufficient to put all the blame on migratory birds
Some Asian countries suffered the pandemic simultaneously in February and March when wild migrants were enjoying winter in southeastern Asia Theoretically the birds could not have spread the virus to the outbreak countries at the same time said Gao
The import of poultry or poultry products can also pass the virus and the hypothesis that wild birds are to blame is groundless said Gao adding that wild birds occasionally have contact with infected poultry and die
He said whether the poultry pass the HN virus to migratory birds or the birds pass it to the poultry still needs further serology studies Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua A movie producer from the Chinese mainland said here on Wednesday his group has started the shooting of a TV drama featuring the story of Matsu a Goddess of the Sea jointly worshipped by local residents across the Taiwan Straits
The drama was handwritten by Wang Daohan late Chinese mainlands top negotiator on Taiwan affairs who had made great contributions to the development of crossStraits relations
Wang president of the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits passed away in Shanghai last Saturday at the age of
Mr Wang had given some ideas on the shooting of the drama and hoped the drama could contribute somewhat to crossStraits cultural exchanges said producer Chen Yuanlin at a press conference
He said he will bring the news to religious and cultural circles in Taiwan
According to legends Lin Muo who was later worshipped as Matsu was born as her mothers seventh daughter and became an excellent swimmer at the age of She was said to have saved her brothers from sea storms when her soul flew out over there while her body was like dead
At the age of she climbed a mountain alone and flew to heaven thus becoming a goddess The families of many fishermen and sailors began to pray to her in honor of her acts of courage in saving those at sea Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Chinas discipline watchdog announced here on Wednesday the opening of a website facilitating the public reporting of corruption
The launching of the website jubaogovcn is another step forward by the government in curbing corruption through the introduction of strict prevention and punishment measures said Liu Fengyan deputy secretary of the Communist Party of Chinas Central Commission for Discipline Inspection
Another attempt initiated by the watchdog body is to integrate the scattered anticorruption efforts of different government bodies for better effect and preventing corruptions from the root
In the following year China will scale up its anticorruption campaign through incorporating it into the countrys social and economic development plan said Liu
Liu said more than new songs with anticorruption themes were composed and over singing concerts held in the past year to educate key officials about selfdiscipline Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The following are domestic news items released by Xinhua on Wednesday
Market exchange rates Dec
Chinese company exports electric vehicles to US
Chinas nutrition industry to be valued at bln dollars in years
Guangzhou starts work on skyscraper
Chinese TV maker to invest in Czech Republic
Xinhua home news advisory Dec
Chinas spending on scientific RD hits record billion dollars NBS report
Highlights of major Beijingbased newspapers Dec
Hong Kong stocks open lower Dec
UPDATE Chinas spending on scientific RD hits record billion US dollars NBS report
Chinese premier meets with HK Macao SAR chief executives
Macao sees slight yearonyear drop in jobless rate
UPDATE Chinese premier meets with HK Macao SAR chief executives
Hong Kong stocks finish lower at midday Dec
Salt tide strikes Pearl River estuary again
ARATS expects SEF to respect family opinion on Wang Daohans funeral
Expert says China was the first to collect dinosaur fossils
Bone decorations come to light among relics in Beijing Mans cave
Chinas petrochemical giant given subsidies for suppressed refined oil prices
Shanghai stock index up Dec
Hushen index up Dec
Shenzhen stock index mixed Dec
Beeper housed as modern relic in Tianjin Museum in N China
One million years old ivory fossil unearthed in north China province
Manufacturing becomes Beijings backbone industry
Wang Daohans funeral to be held in Shanghai Friday ARATS official
Air quality of major Chinese cities Dec
Chinas largest exhibition center for antiJapanese war relics in operation
Yearbook of PRC published
Hong Kong foreign exchange rates Dec
Stocks close lower in Hong Kong Dec
About percent of Chinese cities suffer from underground water pollution
Chinas hightech trade surplus to exceed billion dollars this year
Chinas longest trainferry project under construction
Shanghais tertiary sector lures increasing inflow of foreign funds
China to curb junk patents
Shanghai to host intl transportation congress
HKSAR Beijing Office inaugurates new office building
Chinese bank donates to Red Cross
Chinese keen on collecting ancient maps
HKEx Upgrades securities trading system
Hong Kong grants Melli Bank PLC banking license
Accident Emergency attendance during Christmas up pct in HK
Trading on stock exchange in Hong Kong Dec
China plans first comprehensive investigation into ancient section of Great Wall
Taiwan shares close lower Dec
Hong Kong shares end lower Dec
Chinas top legislature to deliberate on laws in
HSBC acquires pct of Vietnams Techcombank
Bus pulled out of icy river in N China bodies still missing
Chinas farm produce export to hit record high this year
China continues to levy antidumping duty over imported chemical from ROK
Yearender CEPA promotes MainlandHong Kong economic cooperation to new level more
China publishes book about college students magnanimity perseverance
Weather forecast for major Chinese cities Dec
Chinese top political advisor calls for good work next year
Weather forecast for world cities Dec
China vows to better protect intellectual property
Gold price higher in Hong Kong Dec
Hang Seng China Enterprises Index closes lower Dec
Weather information for AsiaPacific cities Dec
Yearender Chinas diplomacy in embraces peace harmony
Chinese peacekeeping soldiers home from Democratic Republic of Congo
SW China province sets up chamber of intl commerce
Chinas most coalrich province lacks engineers supply reduction expected in
Chinese president accepts credentials from new ambassadors
Leading Chinese contractor gets bln US dollars for overseas market expansion
Nanjing starts to build second metro line
China to reinforce water conservancy construction in period
Peaceful Chinese development conducive to world peace development
One third of Chinese rural residents drink unsafe water
Chinas Haier eyes global brand building
Enforcement of water pollution prevention control law to be examined in
NW Chinese oil field suffers blowout no casualty reported
Chinese flood control pays off with trillion yuan of economic returns
First orbiting Galileo navigation satellite speeds up ChinaEurope space cooperation
Global carnival to visit S China city
Human bird flu vaccine can meet demands of large quantity production expert
China plans to give criminal penalties to runaway employers of unpaid workers
Top leaders hail centennial anniversary of Chinese movie industry
Chinas peaceful development based on its domestic situation says a Chinese expert
Chinese experts awarded for study on Japan
Chinese scholar explicates Chinas peaceful development
Chinas grain production per unit hits historical high in
China Focus China vows to reduce reliance on oil amid soaring prices and increasing import
Offshore investment by E China province grows rapidly
mln senior Chinese suffer from hearing problems
China reveals G agenda
Various extraneous plants spread in China
China firmly opposes US sanctions on Chinese companies
China to open central government portal website
Chinas insurance supervisor joins IOPS
State Council outlines key jobs in Chinas geologic work
Inner Mongolia sets up special force to fight riot terror
Philanthropist donates mln yuan to needy population in east China province
Chinese scientist differs with cutting off bird flu source by culling all migratory birds
China launches website for reporting corruption
Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The following are Chinas home news items released by Xinhua on Wednesday
South China city mulling for imposing royalty fee on karaoke singers
Fiftytwo year old man undergoes transsexual operation
Chinese company exports electric vehicles to US
Chinas nutrition industry to be valued at bln dollars in years
Guangzhou starts work on skyscraper
Victim in sulfuric acid throwing case seeks face transplant
Chinese TV maker to invest in Czech Republic
Listings no longer requires governments approval
Girl survives fourday ordeal in dirty ditch
Chinas spending on scientific RD hits record billion dollars NBS report
Road accident kills in NW China
Two dead in industrial accidents at SinoJapanese firm
Highlights of major Beijingbased newspapers Dec
UPDATE Chinas spending on scientific RD hits record billion US dollars NBS report
Government beefs up substantial efforts to curb mine accidents
Chinese premier meets with HK Macao SAR chief executives
UPDATE Chinese premier meets with HK Macao SAR chief executives
Salt tide strikes Pearl River estuary again
China to hold intl symposium on rare ancient characters of ethnic Shui group
ARATS expects SEF to respect family opinion on Wang Daohans funeral
Urban Chinese expect pay rises in new year
Power shortage to continue in Guangdong in first half of official
Broadened ShanghaiNanjing expressway to open on New Years Day
Expert says China was the first to collect dinosaur fossils
Bone decorations come to light among relics in Beijing Mans cave
Chinas petrochemical giant given subsidies for suppressed refined oil prices
China strives to provide even education opportunities for teenagers
GDP to top trillion yuan this year in S China province
Foreign trade volume in E China province to top bln US dollars
Supreme harmony hall of imperial palace to undergo overhaul in
College girls choose babysitting as vacation job
Beeper housed as modern relic in Tianjin Museum in N China
One million years old ivory fossil unearthed in north China province
Manufacturing becomes Beijings backbone industry
Wang Daohans funeral to be held in Shanghai Friday ARATS official
Chinas largest exhibition center for antiJapanese war relics in operation
Yearbook of PRC published
China Southern Airlines recruits stewardesses from ROK
Intel fireworks show to feast SW China audience
Thailand to base fruit distribution in E China
About percent of Chinese cities suffer from underground water pollution
Chinas hightech trade surplus to exceed billion dollars this year
More Tibetans relieved out of poverty
Chinas longest trainferry project under construction
Shanghais tertiary sector lures increasing inflow of foreign funds
NE China citys foreign trade volume tops bln US dollars
China to curb junk patents
Shanghai to host intl transportation congress
Shougang steel output surpasses mln tons in
HKSAR Beijing Office inaugurates new office building
Chinese bank donates to Red Cross
First expressway linking China with ASEAN opens to traffic
SW China city starts building subway to ease traffic
China plans first comprehensive investigation into ancient section of Great Wall
Chinas top legislature to deliberate on laws in
Bus pulled out of icy river in N China bodies still missing
NW China province produces more crude oil
Chinas farm produce export to hit record high this year
China continues to levy antidumping duty over imported chemical from ROK
Yearender CEPA promotes MainlandHong Kong economic cooperation to new level
China publishes book about college students magnanimity perseverance
Chinese top political advisor calls for good work next year
Improvement of intellectual property system stimulates innovation official
China vows to better protect intellectual property
Yearender Chinas diplomacy in embraces peace harmony more
Chinese peacekeeping soldiers home from Democratic Republic of Congo
SW China province sets up chamber of intl commerce
Southern Grid to increase power transmission to Guangdong
Chinas most coalrich province lacks engineers supply reduction expected in
Chinese president accepts credentials from new ambassadors
Harbin to host nd intl ice festival
Leading Chinese contractor gets bln US dollars for overseas market expansion
Nanjing starts to build second metro line
China to reinforce water conservancy construction in period
Peaceful Chinese development conducive to world peace development
One third of Chinese rural residents drink unsafe water
Chinas Haier eyes global brand building
Enforcement of water pollution prevention control law to be examined in
NW Chinese oil field suffers blowout no casualty reported
Chinese flood control pays off with trillion yuan of economic returns
First orbiting Galileo navigation satellite speeds up ChinaEurope space cooperation
Human bird flu vaccine can meet demands of large quantity production expert
China plans to give criminal penalties to runaway employers of unpaid workers
Top leaders hail centennial anniversary of Chinese movie industry
Chinas peaceful development based on its domestic situation says a Chinese expert
Chinese experts awarded for study on Japan
Chinese scholar explicates Chinas peaceful development
Chinas grain production per unit hits historical high in
China Focus China vows to reduce reliance on oil amid soaring prices and increasing import
Offshore investment by E China province grows rapidly
mln senior Chinese suffer from hearing problems
China reveals G agenda
Various extraneous plants spread in China
China firmly opposes US sanctions on Chinese companies
China to open central government portal website
Chinas insurance supervisor joins IOPS
State Council outlines key jobs in Chinas geologic work
Chinese scientist differs with cutting off bird flu source by culling all migratory birds
Chinese producer to shoot TV drama featuring Sea Goddess
China launches website for reporting corruption
Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Market exchange rates of four major currencies against RMB yuan announced Thursday by the Peoples Bank of China
Currency Unit Middle Price in RMB yuan
US Dollar
Euro
Japanese Yen
Hong Kong Dollar
The rates are mainly based on the closing prices of the previous trading session on Chinas interbank market of foreign exchange Exchange rates of other convertible currencies against RMB yuan on the interbank market are based on these rates and changes in the international exchange markets Enditem
China launches research center on trade of cultural product
Central rural work conference to close late Thursday
China to import trillion US dollars worth of goods in coming five years expert
China urged to minimize trade dispute risks
China has a shortfall of million tons of cereals despite bumper harvest
Safety given top priority as Olympics
Development of luxury real estate projects to be restricted in S China city next year
Beijing airport gets free trade zone
Industry shakeup to ensure safer coal mines
Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Harbin Chinas ice city has opened a subzero eatery one with ice brick walls a vaulted ice dome and ice tables and stools
It seems hardly the cosiest of settings but has surely enjoyed a roaring trade China Daily reported Thursday
Diners are greeted with a frosty reception as soon as they walk through the doors at the eatery which is solely made of ice
Not surprisingly one of the most popular choices there is huoguo or hotpot
The restaurant located on the Sun Island a tourism resort north of the Songhua River is arousing huge interest among visitors to the area
The outside feature of this subzero architecture is of European design while its interior decoration is Chinese style with ice sculptures of traditional legendary figures dotted inside
The ice restaurant is aimed at providing visitors to Sun Island with a completely new and unforgettable experience China Daily quoted Liu Jianguo sales manager of the restaurant as saying
He said some cubic meters of ice was used to build the restaurant which can accommodate people
An Ice and Snow Sculpture Art Exhibition is on show at Sun Island and the ice restaurant is undoubtedly an eyecatching highlight of the eventEnditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Zhengzhou Commodity Exchange has got the longawaited goahead to trade sugar futures China Daily reported Thursday
The trading will probably start right after the New Year it quoted an anonymous exchange official as saying
The introduction of sugar futures will bring the number of commodity items traded in the Zhengzhou exchange to three alongside wheat and cotton
The exchange one of the three commodity exchanges in China has been studying sugar futures since
The approval of the sugar futures which is the only futures contract approved this year was hailed as a positive step in the futures market by analysts who say the addition of new futures products will give new impetus to the market
Currently only eight commodity items are traded on the countrys three futures exchanges copper aluminium oil fuel and rubber in Shanghai and soybean and corn in Dalian
Three products cotton corn oil fuel were introduced last year
Sugar is a wellsuited product for Chinas futures market as the country is both a major producer and consumer the English language newspaper quoted Chen Xu a Beijingbased futures analyst as saying This means there will be adequate numbers of participants in the market
China is the worlds third largest sugar producer and consumer
White sugar futures were introduced in but speculation and manipulation prompted the government to suspend trading the very next yearEnditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Highlights of major Beijingbased newspapers on Thursday
Most of Beijingbased newspapers frontpage news reports on four of Chinas top leaders including President Hu Jintao and Premier Wan Jiabao met here on Wednesday with representatives of the countrys movie industry and extended warm congratulations to the centennial anniversary of the industry
Hu inspired the movie workers to make still more contributions to the building of a welloff society in China as well as to the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation
Peoples Daily
Chinese top legislator Wu Bangguo heard a report on the implementation of Labor Law at a fullmember meeting of the Standing Committee of the th National Peoples Congress
China Youth Daily
The total grain production in China is expected to increase to billion kilograms in billion kg more than that of last year with a record output of about tons per hectare and farmers percapita income increase of some percent said Chinese Minister of Agriculture Du Qinglin here Wednesday
Xinhua Daily Telegraph
The Standing Committee of the th National Peoples Congress NPC will deliberate on new laws in including the draft laws on money laundering and antitrust according to its legislation plan approved by a chairman and vicechairpersons meeting of the Standing Committee of the th NPC earlier this month
China Daily
Security measures are in full swing to ensure a safe and peaceful Beijing Olympic Games official said Wednesday
Among them are regulations to be released next year which will spell out requirements on traffic control behaviour at venues and what to do in the case of an emergency Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua China has closed down thousands of small coal mines in recent years to improve workplace safety and integrate coal resources
The past year witnessed how Ma Huazhi former manager or a township coal mine in east Chinas Shandong Province turned his mine into a modern multiplication farm and prepared to try his hand at raising pigs of fine breed
The former workshops at Mas coal mine which produced tons a year have been adapted into pig houses including structures to house pregnant pigs and for farrowing nursing and fattening
The miners have been rerecruited as raisers
Ma plans to produce more than pigs next year and build his farm into the largest pig multiplication farm north of the Yangtze River China Daily quoted him as saying Thursday
His mine was not closed for safety reasons he stressed It was simply because our production capacity was low he told China Daily Now I dont have to worry about accidents
The site is just one of thousands of small coal mines that have been closed or converted for other production such as textiles products across the country in recent years
Statistics from the State Administration of Work Safety show that China had small coal pits with average annual production of less than tons by the end of last year
Small mines account for onethird of the nations total coal production but contribute to more than twothirds of the death toll
The administration has promised to close coal mines that fail to meet safety standards by the end of this year as part of measures to improve work safety
Coal is Chinas main source of power making up percent of the overall energy consumption in Enditem
HEFEI Dec Xinhua One teenager was confirmed dead and another five people injured in a road accident that happened on Wednesday afternoon in Fuyang City east Chinas Anhui Province local police sources said on Thursday
At around on Wednesday afternoon a whitecolored minibus ran into a tree on sidewalk of Fulin Road in Fuyang City leaving one male teenager dead immediately and five other people including the driver injured to varying extent the police sources said
Cause of the accident is under investigation Enditem
HONG KONG Dec Xinhua Hong Kong stocks went up points or percent to open at on Thursday Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua With the support of the Information Office of the State Council the ministries of Health Education and Public Security and the municipal governments of Shanghai and Chongqing have launched or will soon launch regular press conferences at the fixed time and venues
Cai Wu head of the Information Office of the State Council or the central government made the announcement here Thursday Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua In the event of breaking news the Information Office of the State Council will try to respond immediately organizing news conferences to release information in the fastest way possible said Cai Wu head of the Information Office of the State Council here Thursday Enditem
MACAO Dec Xinhua Macaos income from direct gaming tax reached billion patacas billion US dollars in the first months a yearonyear rise of percent According to official statistics issued here Thursday
The figures from the Macao Finance Bureau showed that the gaming taxes generated percent of the governments total revenue during the period
Macaos casinos pay percent of their gross revenues as direct tax to the government
The government collected billion patacas billion US dollars in the direct gaming taxes in
Macao with a population of nearly is the only region in China where casino gaming is legal Enditem
MACAO Dec Xinhua Macao police have nabbed suspected illegal laborers in November local media reported Thursday
Macao Post Daily quoted police sources as saying that the police have conducted a string of actions against illegal laboring in the month joined by the Labor Affairs Bureau and other concerned authorities
A total of illegal workers were apprehended here in the first half of a yearonyear rise of percent
Local analysts attribute the hike of the number of illegal laborers to the boom of the construction industry which was generated by the blossoming gaming business
The employment of illegal workers is a crime that incurs hefty fines and imprisonment in case of repeat offenders Illegal employed workers are customarily ordered to leave Macao Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua China is building its first airport free trade zone within the Beijing Capital International Airport a move that is expected to sharpen the countrys competitive edge in logistics
Beijingbased Capital Airports Holding Co CAH has launched the design of the bonded area and its first phase covering two square kilometers will be put into service in China Daily reported Thursday
The entire zone expected to span sq km will be completed in Liu Zhiqiang director of CAHs department of planning and development is quoted as saying
He noted that CAH is trying to attract private and international capital to help finance the project
A free trade zone or bonded zone allows companies to ship various types of merchandise into the country without going through formal customs entry procedures or paying import duties The zone is appealing to importers who can defer paying dues and thus increase profits
CAH is Chinas largest airport group It controls and holds stakes in more than Chinese airports
Beijing Capital International Airport fully owned by CAH is Chinas busiest airport Its annual passenger traffic exceeded million last Thursday making it the worlds th largest airport in terms of passenger traffic capacity Enditem
TAIYUAN Dec Xinhua Two people were confirmed dead and others trapped underground in a coal mine flooding accident that occurred on Wednesday morning in Zuoyun County of north Chinas Shanxi Province the provincial colliery work safety supervision bureau said on Thursday
The accident took place at around on Wednesday morning when miners were working at Fanjiasi Coal Mine in Dianwan Town of Zuoyun County Only five people escaped with the remaining trapped By press time two of the were confirmed dead the bureau said
Rescue work is in progress and the cause of the accident is being investigated Enditem
URUMQI Dec Xinhua The rare wildlife in northwest Chinas Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region is resting more attention from the wildlife preservers worldwide according to the regions environmental protection institution
The Smithsonias National Zoo of the United States and the Cologne Zoo of Germany have stricken an agreement with the region on conservation of Xinjiang Equus Przewalskii Poliakov a rare species of wild horse according to sources with the local wildlife protection institution
The cooperation aims at rearing the Xinjiang wild horses and adapting them to natural conditions
The two zoos donated six individuals of the rare species to Xinjiang this September They will send more to the region in the years to follow according to the agreement
In June this year Xinjiang Forestry Bureau collaborated with the International Wildlife Conservation Association in investigating the habitats of Tibetan antelope With the fisthand investigation experts concluded that the western area to the Kunlun Mountain is a favorable habitat for breeding Tibetan antelope
The future international projects to be conducted in the region include joint investigation into the population of snow leopards with a USbased foundation and study of falcons with an avian study center in Britain Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Lunar Embassy to China a Chinese company allegedly sells land on the moon has taken back its license common seal and more than yuan US dollars worth of business income formerly impounded by the local industrial and commercial authorities
I got back the articles and money on Tuesday said Li Jie CEO of the company quoted by Thursdays Beijing Daily Messenger
Li said the Legal Affairs Office of the Beijing Municipal Government accepted his companys appeal for reconsidering the decision of the Beijing Municipal Administration for Industry and Commerce to revoke the license of the company on Tuesday
Im also consulting with the lawyer on how to resume my business and I hope to restart a business after the administrative reconsideration he said
Li did not say what he was going to do but said he was considering lodging a lawsuit against Dennis Hope a US entrepreneur who founded the first extraterrestrial estate agency Lunar Embassy in years after the Apollo II mission first landed people on the moon
The reason that Li would file a lawsuit against Hope is that Hope could not provide any materials put on record in the United States and he unilaterally suspended bilateral contract with Li on Dec
The purpose of filing the lawsuit is to ask for a compensation of million yuan US dollars from Hope for his suspension of the contract Li said
Li had claimed his Lunar Embassy was the sole agent in China for the USbased Lunar Embassy launched by Hope An earlier report said that Li was nominated as the agent in China by Hope
Beijings industrial and commercial watchdog had the companys business license suspended on Oct on the ground of speculation and profiteering
Lis company was registered on Sept and became operational on Oct It claimed that one can buy an acre on the moon for yuan US dollars through its service It issued customers a title deed that ensured property ownership including the rights to use the land and minerals up to three kilometers underground
An earlier report said that clients bought acres of land on the moon in the first three days after Lis company started operation The deals involve more than yuan US dollars
Li appealed for reconsidering the decision to revoke his companys license early this week Enditem
SHANGHAI Dec Xinhua Gasification technology of the USbased GE Power Group will be used for the production of chemicals in China according to an agreement signed between a major Chinese petrochemical company and the US company
The Qilu Petrochemical Corporation under Sinopec Chinas leading oil product supplier will use the GE technology in its fertilizer plant said sources with the China Petrochemical International Co Ltd one of Sinopecs wholly owned subsidiary which signed the pact with GE Power Group on Wednesday
With the GE technology the fertilizer plant will yield million cubic meters of synthetic gas a daily for the production of chemicals when it goes into operation in early
Qilu in Shandong Province east China is the fourth Chinese petrochemical company to adopt GE gasification technology Enditem
HONG KONG Dec Xinhua Hong Kong stocks went up points or percent to finish the morning session at on Thursday Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua China has recruited a large group of specialized personnel including electronic and web engineers into its reserve forces in an attempt to upgrade its military capabilities
The military has increased the proportion of new and hightech units to include specialized information protection and prevention detachments satellite communications and electronic interference systems according to a report of the Peoples Liberation Army PLA Daily
Chinas armed forces are divided into the active and reserve service Active forces are servicemen in active service in the PLA which now stands at million
Members of the Chinese Peoples Armed Police Forces are also considered members of the active forces The reserve forces include individuals in reserve that hold other civilian jobs and are called upon by the military when required
In northeast Chinas Liaoning Province one reserve antiaircraft artillery regiment has recruited people holding masters and doctors degrees including one electronics information expert who has returned from the United States with a doctors degree according to the report
Hexi District of North Chinas Tianjin Municipality has also grouped thousands of personnel from new and hightech enterprises into the unit the newspaper said
Meanwhile specialized technical detachments account for percent of reserve units and comprises of rapid reaction detachments infantry detachments specialized technical detachments and detachments with corresponding specialties according to the newspaper
The units involved have rehearsed drills in the field utilizing the newlyadded specialized personnel to enhance their combating capabilities the paper said
On Nov the Beijing Military Area Command hosted an antiaircraft exercise for a reserve division while a unit in Zhengzhou of central Chinas Henan Province held an electronics interference exercise
One antichemical reserve unit even held the first exercise to rehearse the countrys antinuclear emergency drills Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Beijing host of the Summer Olympic Games has stepped up security measures to ensure safety in the runup to the event according to the local police
The city will release regulations next year to spell out traffic control measures behaviors at Olympic venues and how to handle emergencies said Ma Zhenchuan chief of Beijing Public Security Bureau and vice coordinator for security work during the Beijing Olympics
The temporary regulations will only apply to Beijing during the event he said adding that the city has invited more than Chinese and foreign experts on security work and quality services
Beijing plans to build a security headquarters composed of a traffic control center two fire stations and a police bureau Construction of these facilities will start in April and be completed by the end of
Next year a new security system that will categorize all Olympic venues into A B C and D based on the number of spectators and the nature of the event will be implemented to ensure ample security personnel and adequate measures are deployed
The system will be tested next year in big sporting events such as the China Open and Beijing World Junior Championships
The security coordination team for the Beijing Olympics has consulted some former host cities international security agencies and relevant organizations from countries on organization traffic control security and information technology for the games Last month it signed a memorandum of understanding with Greece on security cooperation during the event Enditem
SHENZHEN Dec Xinhua Shenzhen Chinas first special economic zone in southern Guangdong Province is expected to have fewer luxury housing projects developed in its latest bid to stabilizing once runaway housing prices in the city
Huang Ting deputy head of local land resources and real estate management authorities said the unreasonable structure of housing supply contributed significantly to price hikes in the citys real estate sector
As of early Huang acknowledged the municipal government will specify the ratio between common condominium projects and luxury property projects in landuse right transfer contracts so as to readjust housing supply structure in the city
According to Huang common condo projects will make up anywhere from percent to percent of Shenzhens total property development projects in
The improved supply structure with fewer luxury housing projects will help lower housing prices in Shenzhen Huang said
Industry insiders said housing prices were mainly jacked up by price hikes for luxury housing in the city
According to local land resources and real estate management authorities common condos in Shenzhen in the first months of this year were priced percent higher than the yearearlier level The price rise for luxury housing projects was percent
Huang said that fast economic growth growling population income rise and short supply of land were among others factors behind housing price hikes in the city Enditem
HEFEI Dec Xinhua Huangshan a popular scenic city in east Chinas Anhui Province famous for Huangshan Mountain and colorful local culture has received a record million tourists so far this year the city tourism bureau said Thursday
Tourism revenue already exceeded billion yuan million US dollars said the bureau which attributed to booming tourism industry to the joint promotion efforts with major tourism cities in the Yangtze River Delta region
The opening of the local tourism market to travel agencies in the rest of the country also contributed to the growing tourism industry of the city
To attract more tourists from both at home and abroad the citys travel agencies have established more than branches in major Chinese cities and capitals of neighbouring countries such as Seoul of the Republic of Korea
While improving services We are trying to create a harmonious environment for Chinese and foreign tourists said Liu Yingwang director of the city tourism bureau
We are confident the city will become an internationally recognized resort in the future said Liu adding that this year the number of cases of customer complaints they received this year has declined by percent from the past year Enditem
CHENGDU Dec Xinhua Seven eunuch tombs belonging to the imperial Ming Dynasty were unearthed in Chengdu capital of southwestern Chinas Sichuan Province
The yearold tombs yielded approximately pieces of relics including porcelains jade belts jade hair decoration clasps and silver kettles
The tomb chambers are all some seven meters deep with stone tables for incense burners and bottles at the entrance The tomb gates were equipped with a stone dragon head at each side and the walls were decorated with dragon patterns
The coffin chambers were all made of whole stones and enveloped with bar stones an effective way to ward off possible tomb robbers said Chen Ping an archeologist who participated in the excavation
The tombs belong to a period under the reign of emperor Wan Li in the Ming Dynasty when the eunuchs controlled court affairs Chen Ping said
One of the eunuchs was found to be Feng Kuiyuan a head eunuch in Shuwangfu Mansion or Mansion for the princess ruling Sichuan area and the identities of the other eunuchs are still not clear
The excavation lasted one month at a construction site and further excavation is expected to continue Enditem
YINCHUAN Dec Xinhua Two construction workers were killed on the spot and two others trapped in an expressway cavein in northwest Chinas Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region Wednesday the local government said Thursday
The four all employees of a construction firm based in Shanxi Province were doing road work on an expressway linking Zhongning County and Yingpanshui of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region when the accident occurred at midday Wednesday
By Thursday morning one worker was saved and another one was still trapped Rescue work was going on and the cause of the accident was under investigation Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua She studied for four years at the Chinese Language Department of the prestigious Beijing University and got a bachelors degree Then she studied for three years for a masters degree at the Fudan University
But after obtaining her masters degree in July this year Gong Haiyan failed to find a job Many work units refused her application because she runs a website to help single men and women to find their spouses
Gong had won a fame as a matchmaker when she studied at the Beijing University Im fond of helping single men and women to find their love said Gong
Gong said her grandmother is a famous matchmaker in areas with a radius of kilometers from her hometown a villager in central Chinas Hunan Province So is her mother
Although she herself is a matchmaker Gong had been single until her graduation from the Fudan University this year
I used to browse the gobetween websites trying to find a boy friend but I dared not to have faith in the information on these websites Gong said
Gong found that many young people especially those with a masters degree remain single and need a channel to find their love Two years ago she launched her own website ShijijiayuanCentury Good Fate
After failing to find a job this year Gong devoted herself to helping others find their love at her won website
Gong now employs more than employees and most of them are fulltime workers
Currently Gongs website has members percent of whom are graduates and postgraduates Website members need not to turn in fees
Gong said her website makes profits from advertisements and organization of activities
Gong said members of her website should be at least a graduate of a junior college and all members should submit identity card and diploma as their personal credit materials
The biggest reward Gong has obtained from being a matchmaker is that she meets her husband at her own website Enditem
HANGZHOU Dec Xinhua Three global retail giants Metro Chia Tai and Auchan are eyeing business opportunities in Jiaxing a city in east Chinas Yangtse River Delta and plan to launch projects there according to the city government
The Germanybased Metro Group one of the top three on the Fortune Top list will build a marketplace in the citys economic development zone while its competitor from Thailand Chia Tai Group plans to construct a Lotus Supermarket covering an area of square meters
French company Auchan the No retail dealer of France is also joining the competition with the ambition of building a shopping mall in the city
Jiaxing lies at the core of Chinas economic engine the Yangtse River Delta It takes merely onehour to drive from the city to its neighbouring cities including Chinas largest metropolis Shanghai the provincial capital Hangzhou and Suzhou of Jiangsu Province
The hub of communications in the Yangtse River Delta Jiaxing has great potential for business development
The city government has made a series of favorable policies to invite foreign investment in recent years So far overseas investment has gone to a variety of industries including tourism IT counseling and financial services
According to sources another two German companies plan to set foot in the citys business circle Enditem
GUANGZHOU Dec Xinhua Most of the victims who died in a fire at a bar in south Chinas Guangdong Province on Christmas Day have been identified the local police said on Thursday
By Thursday dead bodies have been identified by their family members and four remained unidentified said a spokesman with the public security bureau in Zhongshan
He said the bureau is carrying out DNA tests to further identify the bodies
The fire broke out Sunday night at an illegallyoperated bar attached to Tandao Western Restaurant in Tanzhou Township of Zhongshan City Twentysix people died and others were injured
Among the dead were men and five women all aged between and Twentytwo of them were natives of Guangdong Province two were from neighboring Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region one from central Chinas Hunan Province and one from Macao
The injured are under treatment at the Zhongshan Peoples Hospital and two other leading hospitals in the provincial capital Guangzhou
Bar owners were detained shortly after the accident
Investigation showed the bar was not equipped with any fire extinguishing devices and the safety exit was extremely narrow making it difficult for the people inside to evacuate said a government official Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Chinas yearold agricultural tax will no longer exist as of Jan according to a decision of the national legislature which approved a motion on abolishing the regulations on the tax Thursday Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The Tenth National Peoples Congress NPC Chinas top legislature will convene its fourth annual full session on March in Beijing the NPC Standing Committee said Thursday
The th meeting of the NPC Standing Committee passed a resolution regarding the schedule of next years NPC annual session Enditem
WUHAN Dec Xinhua The Dongfeng Peugeot Citroen Automobiles Company Limited DPCA a SinoFrench car maker announced they had sold a record high of motor vehicles by the end of Dec this year
The figure represents a yearonyear rise of percent said corporate sources
The DPCA with its headquarters in Wuhan capital of central Chinas Hubei Province produced cars from January to November this year and sold vehicles during the same period up percent and percent respectively according to Liu Weidong DPCA general manager
He disclosed that his company would put three new car varieties into the market next year while maintaining the privilege in operating the existing car brands such as the Dongfeng Citroen and Peugeot Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The th National Peoples Congress NPC Chinas top legislature will hold its fourth annual session on March according to a decision made by the NPC Standing Committee Thursday
The NPC Standing Committee also proposed the main agenda for the coming NPC annual session which includes deliberating the government work report deliberating and approving the th FiveYear Program for national economic and social development deliberating and approving a report on the implementation of the national economic and social development plan for and the national economic and social development program for
Other items on the agenda include examining a report on the implementation of the central and local budget for and on the draft central and local budget for approving the report on the implementation of the central and local budget for and the central and local budget for and deliberating a work report of the NPC Standing Committee a work report of the Supreme Peoples Court and a work report of the Supreme Peoples Procuratorate Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Huang Zhendong Yang Zhengwu and Song Fatang former Party chiefs of Chongqing Municipality Hunan Province and Heilongjiang Province respectively were appointed vicechairmen of three special committees of Chinas top legislature on Thursday Enditem
URUMQI Dec Xinhua The thawing of the No glacier of the Tianshan Mountains in northwest Chinas Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region has accelerated due largely to global warming local scientists say
The trend indicates the affluent data the glacier carries about climate and environment in both modern and ancient times are losing at a quicker rate the scientists added
Approximately kilometers away from the regional capital Urumqi the No glacier is the nearest from a city in the world With its typical sediments the glacier is appraised as living fossils Until now it has been the best place for glacial observation in China boasting one of the best preserved glacial records in the world
Li Zhongqin head of the Tianshan Mountains Glacier Observation Station under the Chinese Academy of Sciences said that ice corings picked up from glaciers were seen as best carriers for data of ancient climate and environment The data recorded in glaciers were better than those by trees growth rings and earth and deepsea sediments in terms of definition and fidelity
According to the observation station over the past years in which glacial data were collected the No Tianshan glacier had its thickness down by meters And the decrease was up to more than meters in some parts of the glacier
An analysis on the glacial data collected between and showed that the No glacier lost million cubic meters of ice Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Li Shenglin former viceminister in charge of the State Development and Reform Commission was appointed minister of communications by Chinas legislature Thursday
Li replaces Zhang Chunxian who was just appointed secretary of the Hunan Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China Enditem
HAIKOU Dec Xinhua Lu Songlin former head of a south China TV station has been sentenced to years in prison for taking bribes
The Intermediate Peoples Court in Haikou Chinas southernmost island province of Hainan made the ruling on Wednesday at the first trial
Lu was found to have accepted cash totaling yuan Hong Kong dollars US dollars and a Rolex watch valued at yuan while serving as vicedirector and director of the Hainan Provincial TV Station between and
He was arrested in May on charges of bribery
The court said it had moderated Lus punishment as he had confessed to his wrongdoings and all his illicit earnings had been retrieved Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua China will stop land supply to new highlandcost villa projects in and make strict inspection on illegal utilization of land resources said the Beijing News on Thursday Real estate developers were suggested to give up plans to build villas in the coming year said the news paper citing sources from a real estate forum held in Beijing Wednesday
Governmental statistics show that a total of hectares lands have been used for residential houses in the past three quarters this year with percent for commercial houses percent for lowprice affordable houses and percent for villas and luxury flats
But spotcheck shows the actual proportion for approved land utilization in villas and flat projects is higher than the registered percent said Shu Kexin deputy director of the Land Utilization Administration of the Ministry of Land and Resources
Shu said the ministry has notice the situation and soon will launch measures to inspect all villa and flat projects nationwide with the illegal utilization to be punished seriously
Shu said the Chinese government is greatly concerned with the tense land supply in the real estate sector especially targeting on the blind approval of lands for villa and golf court projects
Shu said the Chinese government will tighten macro control over land resources in properly increase land supply to projects of ordinary commercial houses and lowprice houses
In addition the government will issue new policies to encourage more real estate developers to launch housing projects in the rural areas a step to promote building a new socialist countryside in China said Shu Enditem
TIANJIN Dec Xinhua Climbing energy consumption Soaring prices Increasing reliance on foreign supplies The energy bottleneck has been listed by policymakers as one of the latent crises in Chinas future economic development
Inadequate energy supply might menace Chinas future energy security said a recent report on Chinas productivity released jointly by State Bureau of Statistics National Reform and Development Commission Stateowned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission and Ministry of Finance
Official statistics say Chinas reliance on net oil import has mounted to percent from percent reported in International Energy Agency has predicted China will have to import half of all the oil needed to fuel ts economy by and the percentage will soar to percent by
Yet a country has to contain its oil imports within percent to ensure oil security researchers warn
As a result some critics blame China as a mammoth energy consumer as well as a threat to the global energy security
Yet those taking China as a threat must have overlooked one basic fact the country with percent of the worlds population consumes only percent of its total crude oil consumption
A country with billion people Chinas per capita oil consumption averaged less than two barrels in only percent the US volume one eighth the Japanese consumption and one fifth the EU level
International Energy Agency has predicted Chinas daily oil consumption will increase by barrels this year up percent from and far below the percent reported in previous years
On the other hand Chinas import growth has been slowed down by at least percent this year with the first three quarters crude oil imports totaling million tons
Refined oil import meanwhile dropped by percent yearonyear in the first nine months
China Petroleum and Chemical Industry Association predicts the countrys crude oil import will total million tons this year but the growth rate will ebb drastically compared with last year
Last year China imported million tons of crude percent of the worlds total oil trade a quarter of the US imports and half the Japanese volume
China is an energy importer as well as exporter The disparity in the distribution of resources has made it impossible for any country to rely solely on its own resources for economic development says Prof Xu Fu an international trade specialist at the Tianjinbased Nankai University
More
Xu referred to the China threat allegation as groundless Each year China ships huge volumes of coal oil and mineral products abroad
Chinas exports of energy products have been growing fast over the past year according to latest figures from Tianjin customs
The largest port in north China witnessed million tons of crude export in the first months of up percent over the same period of last year
Meanwhile Chinas crude export surged percent yearonyear to million tons in the first three quarters the most recent time that data is available at the General Administration of Customs
Export of refined oil during the same period totaled million tons up percent yearonyear customs statistics say
In China is expected to produce million tons of crude oil becoming the worlds fifth largest crude oil producer
On the other hand China remains a major coal supplier with million tons of exports in the first months
Excessive reliance on foreign supplies would jeopardize the Chinese economy China is fully aware of that and has based its energy strategy on domestic resources Xu said
In a major move to exploit domestic resources China has increased input in the energy industries In the coal sector alone fixed asset investment had topped billion yuan billion US dollars by the end of October
The move will undoubtedly boost domestic coal production and industry insiders have predicted this years coal output will hit billion tons up percent over last year
Besides China will yield billion cubic meters of natural gas and million tons of iron ore up percent and percent respectively yearonyear
Even the countrys power shortage is expected to be eased as its installed generating capacity will reach million kilowatthours by the end of
In its latest move to foster an energy efficient and recyclingbased economy China has slashed investment in highenergyconsuming sectors such as iron steel and cement production
In the next five years China will raise energy efficiency and cut the per unit GDP energy consumption by about percent by the end of the Communist Party of China CPC Central Committee decided at its fifth plenary session in October
In the longer term China aims to quadruple its gross domestic product while only doubling its energy consumption by
For China a developing country with a huge population inadequate resources and an vulnerable ecosystem it remains an imminent task to tackle the energy bottleneck improve the environment and achieve sustainable development says Zhang Guobao vice minister of the National Reform and Development Commission Enditem
HONG KONG Dec Xinhua MS Asia Investment an entity controlled by Morgan Stanley Private Equity Asia MSPEA Thursday announced here the signing of a definitive agreement to acquire shares in Anhui Conch Cement Company Limited Conch Chinese mainlands largest cement company
According to MS Asia Investment an investor consortium led by MSPEA will acquire a percent stake in Conch from its parent company Anhui Conch Group The investment is subject to approval by various government bodies and regulators in the mainland
The consortium also includes the International Finance Corporation the private sector arm of the World Bank Group
Anhui Conch Cement Company Limited is the largest cement producer in mainland and the fifth largest in the world by capacity Enditem
HANGZHOU Dec Xinhua The Hangzhou World Leisure Expo will receive million domestic visitors and million from overseas according to a working conference of east Chinas Zhejiang Provincial Tourism Bureau
The expo scheduled from April to October will hold a variety of events including exhibitions conferences arts and sports activities and tourism projects
The Ninth World Leisure Congress and the First World Leisure Summit will be held during the expo
Many other activities such as the World Leisure Products Expo Leisure Education and Training Programs the West Lake International Fireworks Show the World Leisure Expo Garden Exhibition and West Lake Carnival will also add variety to the expo
The organizers have provided sightseeing routes for visitors and invited tourism cities to set up their exhibition booths at the expo
The events will also be held in six cities and counties near Hangzhou They are Zhejiangs Anji Zhuji Fuyang Jiande and Tonglu and Jiangsus Suzhou
Jointly sponsored by the World Leisure Organization China National Tourism Administration General Administration of Sports PRC Zhejiang provincial government and AllChina Federation of Industry Commerce the expo will be the first of its kind with an international theme Enditem
CHENGDU Dec Xinhua Southwest Chinas Sichuan Province the home of a series of worldknown tourist destinations plans to open nonstop flights to the United States and some European nations including France Germany Britain and Russia in the coming two years
The move will help attract more tourists from abroad to Sichuan the provincial tourism bureau believed
By the province plans to annually receive million visitors the bureau said
To achieve the goal the bureau will design better itineraries in partnership with its peers from Sichuans neighboring provinces and regions
Sichuan boasts tourist sites approved by the State Council or the provincial government Four of them namely Jiuzhaigou Huanglong Dujiang Weir and Mount Emei are included in UNESCOs world natural and cultural heritage list Enditem
YICHANG Hubei Province Dec Xinhua More than Chinese sturgeon fry were set free into the Yangtze River Thursday at the Yichang port central Chinas Hubei Province
The captivityreared Chinese sturgeon were released with the help of the Chinese Sturgeon Research Center and the China Three Gorges Project Corporation
The newly released fish are now on their way downstream before they swim into the East China Sea and the Yellow Sea
The release will help increase the population of fish resources in the Yangtze Chinas longest river which is of great importance for the ecological system of the river said Xiao Hui chief engineer of the research center
The activity marks the th anniversary of Chinas efforts to protect the endangered fish whose exact number remains unknown
A species million years old Chinese sturgeon is the oldest fish in the Yangtze and one of the oldest vertebrates in the world It is also referred to as the panda under the water
The rare and endangered Chinese sturgeon is a toplevel protected species in China
Experts have also been exploring techniques to breed Chinese sturgeon artificially and releasing them back into the river Since about six million artificiallybred fry have been freed into the Yangtze River
From autumn to summer every year shoals of sturgeon head for the upper reaches of the Yangtze River usually to the section in Southwest Chinas Sichuan Province to spawn
Yet experts say that fewer and fewer Chinese sturgeon swim back to the source of the river to spawn because of overfishing and pollution Enditem
URUMQI Dec Xinhua The number of Marco Polo sheep an endangered species of sheep has increased satisfactorily in northwest Chinas Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region a field investigation has found
Scientists spotted Marco Polo sheep an subspecies of argali sheep in Akto and argali sheep in Taxkorgan a major increase from mid s when George Schaller of the Wildlife Conservation Society found only Marco Polo sheep in Taxkorgan said Zhu Fude head of the wildlife conservation section of Xinjiang Forestry Department
We focused on Akto and Taxkorgan during our investigation The number of argali sheep we spotted on the spot is encouraging and surprising said Hu Zuojun of Xinjiang Wildlife Conservation Society who took part in the investigation
Local authorities have taken measures to conserve the endangered species and fight against poaching which led to the increase Zhu Fude said
The field investigation from Oct to Nov was done by scientists from the Wildlife Conservation Society based in New York the Institute of Zoology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Xinjiang Wildlife Conservation Society
Marco Polo sheep are mainly found on Pamirs and in the western part of Tianshan Mountains
The sheep is named after Italian explorer Marco Polo who discovered argali in Xinjiang after he came to China in The explorers travelogue is known as the first book about China by a Westerner Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The National Peoples Congress NPC Chinas top legislature has actively promoted exchanges with foreign counterparts this year said a senior NPC official
The exchanges are characterized by establishing many regular exchange mechanisms said Cao Weizhou deputy secretarygeneral of the NPC Standing Committee in a recent interview with the press
He said the NPC has set up such exchange mechanisms with parliaments of the United States Russia France Germany Italy Japan and Canada as well as the European Parliament
Meanwhile the NPC is preparing for building such mechanisms with parliaments of Britain Australia the Republic of Korea India Egypt South Africa Brazil and Chile Cao said
The number of delegations that the NPC received or sent abroad this year hit a record high exceeding
The friendly exchanges and cooperation between the NPC and foreign parliaments have made contributions to promoting peopletopeople understanding political mutual trust reciprocal cooperation and statetostate relations Cao said
Chinas leadership attaches great importance to interparliamentary exchanges Chinese President Hu Jintao in his meetings with over foreign parliament leaders or parliamentarians this year pointed out that such exchanges constitute an important component in statetostate relations and help promote relations between different peoples and countries
Chairman of the NPC Standing committee Wu Bangguo also stressed the importance of such exchanges that have added new contents to statetostate relations
Cao listed major achievements of NPCs foreign contacts in including highlevel exchanges of visits that helped promote statetostate relations the positive and constructive role the NPC played in international and regional interparliament organizations efforts in safeguarding sovereignty and territorial integrity and fruitful results in legislative exchanges especially in the economic field
The NPC gives priority to Chinas interests in foreign contacts and has made great efforts in various forms on such issues as human rights Taiwan and Tibet
The NPC will continue to push ahead with the building of a exchange mechanism with other countries next year in a bid to create a sound international environment for Chinas development Cao said Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Chinese government has banned hospitals from making profits on checkups using CT scanners Xray ray machines and other equipment
The move is a reaction to mounting public discontent with the price of health care according to a report of Thursdays China Daily
Public hospitals have been ordered that no profit should be considered when conducting checkups using specific kinds of machines
The National Development and Reform Commission NDRC the hospitals pricing supervisor authorized by the State Council and the Ministry of Health made a joint statement on Wednesday to launch pricing principles
This is a major step forward as we tackle the pressing issue of high medical bills a commission spokesman was quoted as saying
Supervision will mainly focus on the use of machines including Xray machines and CT and magnetic resonance scanners
The commission will soon establish a specific body to decide prices of physical examinations when using the equipment The spokesman did not say by how much bills would be cut but accused some hospitals of blindly importing expensive equipment and passing on the costs to patients
Chinas expenditure on imported medical equipment reached billion US dollars during the first months of a percent yearonyear increase according to statistics from NDRC
To increase bills and profits some hospitals even required patients to undergo unnecessary checks the spokesman said citing the case of a patient with a common cold who was told to have a CT scan
The new decision was a continuation of the governments campaign to cut medical bills In September a percent reduction in retail price of types of medicine was announced
In the past eight years the government has enacted waves of price cuts covering medicines However the majority are still unhappy about high bills and the poor standard of care offered at public hospitals Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Chinas first liquefied natural gas LNG ship sailed off shipyard Wednesday in Shanghai marking Chinas shipbuilding industry stepping into a new era
Sources from the China State Shipbuilding Corp CSSC said the LNG ship was built by CSSCs Shanghai subsidiary the HudongZhonghua shipbuilding Group Co Ltd which fills a blank in Chinas shipbuilding history
The LNG ship is regarded a hightech product with highadded value in the shipbuilding industry which can only be built in Japan the Republic of Korea and several European countries
To share a cake of the global market China input more than million yuan on the research of the LNG ship in the past years and make effective its first contract for LNG vessels in August
The first LNG ship meters long and wide with a capacity of cubic meters is scheduled to go into operation in October said the HudongZhonghua shipbuilding Group Co Ltd
The subsidiary group now shares an order of five LNG vessels with the second expected to be delivered at early The costs of the two LNG vessels hit million US dollars said the group Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Huang Zhendong Yang Zhengwu and Song Fatang former Party chiefs of Chongqing Municipality Hunan Province and Heilongjiang Province respectively were appointed vicechairmen of three special committees of Chinas top legislature on Thursday
The decision on the appointment adopted by the Standing Committee of the National Peoples Congress NPC marked the completion of another round of adjustment of provincial and ministeriallevel officials in the country according to sources with the NPC Chinas top legislature
Huang Zhendong former secretary of the Chongqing Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China CPC was appointed vicechairman of the NPC Internal and Judicial Affairs Committee Yang Zhengwu former secretary the CPC Hunan Provincial Committee was named vicechairman of the NPC Financial and Economic Committee and Song Fatang form secretary of the CPC Heilongjiang Provincial Committee became vicechairman of the NPC Educational Scientific Cultural and Health Committee
The CPC Central Committee earlier appointed Wang Yang former deputy secretarygeneral of the State Council as Party chief of Chongqing Zhang Chunxian former minister of communications as Party chief of Hunan and Qian Yunlu former Party chief of Guizhou Province as Party chief of Heilongjiang
Also on Thursday the NPC Standing Committee approved the appointment of Li Shenglin former viceminister in charge of the State Development and Reform Commission as minister of communications
Other appointments announced at Thursdays legislative meeting included Zhang Wentai former political commissar of the PLA General Logistic Department as vicechairman of the NPC Environment and Resource Commission Wang Yunlong former deputy secretarygeneral of the NPC Standing Committee and Tang Tianbiao former deputy director of the PLA General Political Department as vicechairmen of the NPC Agricultural and Rural Committee Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Chinas National Peoples Congress NPC or the top legislature has made remarkable achievements through dynamic highlevel exchanges with foreign parliaments this year a NPC official said during a recent interview
Highlevel visits and exchanges with legislatures of other countries have strongly promoted bilateral relationship between China and other countries in an allround way said Cao Weizhou deputy secretarygeneral of the NPC Standing Committee
The year of has witnessed more than foreign parliamentary speakers visits to China parliamentary leaders from the US House of Representatives Russian state duma Germany Australia Canada and Japan all included
The NPC held several official working meetings separately with the United States and Russia which maintains the momentum of highranking visits and sable development of twoway relations said Cao
According to statistics the number of delegations the NPC sent abroad and received is more than with people involved a historic record in terms of size and quantity
Top NPC leaders conducted wideranging contacts on various occasions with the parliamentary leaders of Russia Brazil South Africa Kuwait South Korea and a dozen AsiaPacific and latin American countries
Through these highlevel exchanges NPC leaders held candid dialogues with foreign political leaders or statesmen compare notes with them in administering state and views on major international and regional issues of common concern according to Cao
The NPC plays an increasing constructive role in international and regional parliamentary organizations with attendance at international conferences Cao added
Wu Bangguo chairman of the NPC Standing Committee attended the Second World Conference of Speakers of Parliaments and delivered a speech calling for stronger multilateral cooperation in the spirit of mutual respect mutual trust and common development
The speech of great significance wins wide extensive support from participants of other countries Cao said Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The Chinese top legislature the National Peoples Congress NPC has given full play to cementing a mechanism for exchanges with foreign parliaments on a regular basis an NPC offcial has said
Cao Weizhou Deputy Secretary General of the Standing Committee of the NPC said NPCs nine specialized committees have enabled the Chinese top legislative body to conduct extensive exchanges and cooperation in political economic cultural and social respects
At present the Chinese NPCs exchanges and communication helped it to keep frequent contacts with foreign governments communities and parliamentarians from both ruling parties and opposition parties
Cao noted that the exchange and communication are flexible and organized in various forms adding that the multilevel exchanges between parliament members PM specialized committees friendship teams and working agencies have already born fruits
When the overall nationtonation ties are in good shape the interaction initiated by the NPC helped to further this relationship in a time of difficulty it is conducive to smooth the thrusts said Cao
China and the NPC have given priority to the establishment and further enhancement of the regular mechanism facilitating its exchanges with foreign parliaments
In the year alone Chinese President Hu Jintao have met foreign parliament speakers on more than different occasions
China already managed to make the regularexchange mechanism a reality between its NPC and parliaments from the United States Russia France Italy Japan and Canada
It is working on a similar mechanism with the United Kingdom Australia the Republic of Korea India Egypt South Africa Brazil and Chile
Our work will be more tailored and efficient in said the NPC official by which we hope to create a favorable neighborhood and international environment for Chinas drive to build a welloff society Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Li Shenglin former viceminister in charge of the State Development and Reform Commission was appointed minister of communications by Chinas legislature Thursday
Li replaces Zhang Chunxian who was just appointed secretary of the Hunan Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China
Li served in a tractor plant in Tianjin north China after graduation from college in He became deputy secretarygeneral of the Tianjin municipal government in and mayor of Tianjin years later In he was appointed viceminister in charge of the then State Economic and Trade Commission and viceminister in charge of the State Development and Reform Commission in Enditem
HONG KONG Dec Xinhua Hong Kong stocks went down points or percent to close at on Thursday Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua China is ready to conduct normal exchanges with Central American nations on the basis of oneChina policy said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang here Thursday
Qin told a regular press conference that it is quite uncommon that some Central American nations have not forged diplomatic ties with China
The spokesman said China proposes to develop friendly relations of cooperation with all nations in the world on the basis of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence as it is not only in line with interests of China and these nations but also conducive to the global and regional stability and common development Enditem
XIAN Dec Xinhua The Xijing Hospital in Xian capital of northwest Chinas Shaanxi Province have successfully performed a facial skin transplant operation on a rabbit
The hospital source said they carried out the operation two weeks ago transplanting skin with a size of halfface of a New Zealand rabbit on a rabbit of local species
After a fortnight recovery the rabbit is in good condition with the eye on the transplanted side of face naturally blinking the hospital said
The experiment of the facial skin transplant on a rabbit signifies that the hospital has already mastered the complex procedure of facial skin transplantation said Guo Shuzhong dean of the hospitals orthopedics department
About million people in China suffer from severe facial damnification in all sorts of accidents occurred each year and at least percent can not recover through normal facial operations A hospital doctor said facial skin transplant will be the best choice for such patients
Currently Guo said the major problem does not lie in the technologies or devices required by the operation but that few people would like to donate their facial skin Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The Hushen Index reflecting the whole fluctuation of Chinas Shanghai and Shenzhen stock exchanges closed at points on Thursday up points from the previous close
About one fifth of the total shares listed in the two markets have been chosen as samples of the Hushen Index accounting for percent of the market value in Chinas stock market Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Though Chinas national grain output in hit million tons the demand in is to exceed the output by million tons said the Chinese Minister of Agriculture Du Qinglin
Thursdays Peoples Daily published an interview with Du The minister pointed out China is still facing imbalanced grain supply and demand
Figure from the ministry shows that China increased a total of million tons grain output over the figure a record high in history
But Du said there still exist a gap between demand and supply in the grain sector though the gap has been narrowed from million tons in to million tons in next year
According to Du a total of million tons grains will be needed in China in
A distinct problem for the gap is the imbalanced varietal structure said Du
In Chinas output of rice wheat and corn will reach million tons million tons and million tons respectively said statistics with the ministry
While Chinese people will lack million tons of rice million tons of wheat and million tons of soybeans in with only the output of corn exceeding the demand said Du
Du said the demand for grain in China will increase by five million tons year by year and China must seek ways to further expand domestic output to meet the demand with only limited part depending on imports from the overseas Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The Composite Stock Index on the Shanghai Stock Exchange closed at points on Thursday up points from the previous close
A Share Index points up points
B Share Index points up points
Total Turnover yuan Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The Component Stock Index on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange closed at points on Thursday up points from the previous close
A Share Index points up points
B Share Index points up points
Total Turnover yuan Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Bank of Beijing promises here Thursday to increase billion yuan billion US dollars loans to the small and mediumsized enterprises SME in the next three years
The bank source said the decision was made in accordance with a cooperation agreement on supporting SME development signed by Beijing municipal development and reform commission on Wednesday
The increase will chiefly go to the shortterm loans
In line with the agreement Beijing municipal development and reform commission will establish an financing service platform to enlarge the financing channels for the SMEs
All the SMEs registered at the municipal industrial and commercial administrative department running for more than one year can apply for the loan via Beijing SME website wwwsmebjgovcn
The commission will also organize Bank of Beijing and some guarantor bodies to provide services including consultation and training to the small and medium enterprises which find it difficult to acquire the loans
Beijing has small and mediumsized enterprises by the end of creating jobs for percent of the citys population and contributed percent of the gross output value last year Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Report on the quality of air in major Chinese cities Dec to Dec Beijing Time released by the China Environmental Monitoring Center
City Major Pollutant Air Quality Level
Beijing particulate matter III
Tianjin sulfur dioxide II
Shijiazhuang particulate matter III
Qinhuangdao particulate matter II
Taiyuan particulate matter IV
Hohhot particulate matter III
Shenyang particulate matter IV
Dalian particulate matter II
Changchun particulate matter III
Harbin particulate matter III
Shanghai I
Nanjing particulate matter II
Suzhou particulate matter II
Nantong particulate matter II
Lianyungang I
Hangzhou particulate matter II
Ningbo particulate matter II
Wenzhou particulate matter II
Hefei particulate matter II
Fuzhou I
Xiamen particulate matter II
Nanchang particulate matter II
Jinan particulate matter II
Qingdao sulfur dioxide II
Yantai sulfur dioxide II
Zhengzhou particulate matter III
Wuhan particulate matter III
Changsha particulate matter III
Guangzhou particulate matter II
Shenzhen particulate matter II
Zhuhai particulate matter II
Shantou particulate matter II
Zhanjiang particulate matter II
Nanning sulfur dioxide II
Guilin I
Beihai I
Haikou particulate matter II
Chongqing particulate matter III
Chengdu particulate matter V
Guiyang sulfur dioxide III
Kunming particulate matter III
Lhasa particulate matter II
Xian particulate matter III
Lanzhou particulate matter V
Xining particulate matter III
Yinchuan particulate matter III
Urumqi sulfur dioxide III
The center classifies air quality in Chinas urban areas into five levels level I or excellent pollution reading not exceeding level II or fairly good pollution reading to level III or slightly polluted pollution reading to level IV or poor pollution reading to and level V or hazardous pollution reading over
The cities monitored by the center include the four municipalities of Beijing Tianjin Shanghai and Chongqing provincial or autonomous regional capitals and major cities in economically developed coastal areas and tourist attractions Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua China is to insist on its position and foreign policy to Japan no matter which party or person rules Japan Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang said here Thursday
Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi will leave office when his term as president of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party expires next September
The Chinese government always adheres to developing longterm friendly cooperative relations with Japan based on the principle of taking history as a mirror and looking forward to the future Qin told a regular press conference
It is believed that Junichiro Koizumi repeated pilgrimage to the Yasukuni Shrine which honors million Japanese war dead including a dozen major World War II criminals is the main reason for the deterioration of ChinaJapan ties
The ChinaJapan ties which is of great importance currently is confronted with difficulties Qin said mentioning that it is not China that should shoulder the responsibility for the stalemate
Qin emphasized that China hopes to enhance friendly communication and cooperation with Japan in such fields as politics economy culture and nongovernmental sectors
The ChinaJapan relationship is cultivated through endless efforts by leaders of both countries and should be cherished Qin said adding that double efforts should also be made to cherish the base of bilateral relations to seek for greater achievements in various fields and ensure that bilateral relations be constantly improved and developed Enditem
NANNING Dec Xinhua Cerebral palsy and mentally retarded children in two counties of southwest Chinas Guangxi Autonomous Region will enjoy healthcare services provided by a foreignfunded rehabilitation network the regional federation of handicapped people said on Thursday
The two chosen counties are Mashan and Fusui
A nongovernment organization International Handicap Belgium will invest million yuan US dollars in the rehabilitation network which will start operation in
With a term of four years the project will provide rehabilitation equipment fund patient investigations and organize experts diagnosis A data bank on cerebral palsy and mentally retarded children will be built under the network
We will spare no efforts to help the Chinese cerebral palsy and mentally retarded children to receive normal education and improve their ability to live by their ownsaid Tang Yong a regional manager of the International Handicap Belgium
According to official statistics there are now more than six million cerebral palsy patients in China including million children under the age of Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua China and the World Health Organization WHO have already set up a sound cooperation mechanism on preventing human cases of highly contagious avian flu said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang here Thursday
Qin confirmed at a regular press conference that the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention CDC provided the virus samples of human cases of the disease in December
Qin stressed Chinas provision of the samples has proven Chinas sincerity and determination to cooperate with relevant international organizations on the prevention and control of bird flu
China reported six human cases of bird flu this year Its Ministry of Health approved the request of the WHO Beijing Office for such virus samples this month Enditem
TIANJIN Dec Xinhua The No subway expansion project in Tianjin the largest port city in north China which was completed on Wednesday will begin trial operation on March
A test run was conducted on the newly completed subway tracks on Wednesday sources from Tianjin Subway Corporation said
Tianjin is Chinas second city built with a subway system But because of low construction standards the old subway failed to play a key role in diverting passenger flows after it was put into traffic in
The expansion project which began in November was carried out on the basis of the outdated km subway section With a budget of billion yuan about million US dollars the expanded subway is km long and is built with stops including eight elevated openair stops and one ground stop Each stop is installed with automatic ticket vending machines
A corporate spokesman predicted the expanded subway system which connects six administrative districts from north to south would haul journeys an hour at most
According to him Tianjin will plan to build six new tracked routes in the years to come and by the year of the city will have a tracked transport network with its length totaling km
At present the citys second and third subway projects with a combined budget of billion yuan billion US dollars are under preparation
Subway service is now available in Beijing Shanghai Nanjing capital of east Chinas Jiangsu Province as well as Guangzhou and Shenzhen both in south Chinas Guangdong Province Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Beijings subway is expected to carry million passengers on New Years Day Beijing Metro said Thursday
The subway operator is preparing for a drastic influx in passenger flow starting on Saturday the New Years Eve a company source told Xinhua
He said Beijing Metro has predicted million passenger trips during the threeday New Year holiday from Sunday to Tuesday more than last year
The company has carried out a thorough checkup to ensure all subway trains and facilities are in good condition It will put an additional trains into service to meet the growing demand
More subway employees will have to work during the holiday to maintain good order on platforms and to do emergency repairs the spokesman said
Subway authorities will also join hands with the local public security department to detect substandard firecrackers and other explosives
Beijings subway network runs kilometers and accounts for at least percent of the citys urban transport With the completion of more routes the subway will contribute percent to the citys traffic system by Enditem
JINAN Dec Xinhua Eight people were trapped underground in a gold mine flooding accident that occurred on Thursday morning in Penglai City of east Chinas Shangdong Province according to the provincial work safety department
The accident took place at around am when eight miners were working in No shaft of Hexi Gold Mine in the city
By press time rescue work is in progress and the cause of the accident is being investigated Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The Beijing Municipal government will continue to expand its purchase scale with the volume to reach billion yuan billion US dollars by
Wu Shixiong director of the municipal financial bureau said here Thursday that the government will expand the purchase scope in the next few years while raising the purchase efficiency
The official said the government purchase is expected to top billion yuan billion US dollars by the end of billion yuan US dollars more than the quota set at the beginning of this year Enditem
HONG KONG Dec Xinhua Following are foreign exchange rates against the Hong Kong dollar released by the Bank of China Hong Kong Limited at on Thursday
Buying Selling
Japanese yen
Swiss franc
British pound
Australian dollar
Canadian dollar
Euro
US dollar
Enditem
HONG KONG Dec Xinhua Following are Thursdays major Hang Seng Indexes managed and compiled by HSI Service Limited a wholly owned subsidiary of the Hang Seng Bank
Index Previous Close Close Change
Hang Seng Index
Subindices
Finance
Utilities
Properties
ComInd
Hang Seng Composite
Index
Hang Seng Hong Kong
Composite Index
Hang Seng Mainland
Composite Index
Hang Seng China
Enterprises Index
Hang Seng ChinaAffiliated
Corporations Index
Turnover
million HK dollars
million US dollars
Enditem
HONG KONG Dec Xinhua The Hong Kong Tourism Board HKTB announced here Thursday that visitor numbers to Hong Kong exceeded million in November a percent yearonyear increase over
Cumulative arrivals for the first months of ended the month above million a percent more than in previous year it said
According to HKTB longhaul markets led the arrivals growth with Europe Africa and the Middle East rising by percent followed by Australia New Zealand and South Pacific rising by percent and the Americas rising by percent while doubledigit growth was also seen from South and Southeast Asia rising percent More modest growth was seen from other regions with Chinese mainland increasing by percent North Asia by percent and Chinas Taiwan showing a slight rise of percent
Although the overall outlook for global and regional tourism remains largely positive we do envisage some shortterm impact on December arrivals from the World Trade Organizations Hong Kong Ministerial Conference WTO HKMC said HKTB executive director Clara Chong
Were also continuing to closely track the possible effects on arrivals of factors such as avian flu and the rising cost of aviation fuel In spite of these factors were nonetheless confident of reaching our targeted million by the end of the year She added
During December the HKTB has being heavily promoting its Hong Kong WinterFest Mega Event to encourage travel to the city both before and after the WTO HKMC The event also usher in the full launch of the HKTBs Discover Hong Kong year integrated global campaign which is aimed at further boosting next years tourism arrivals and spending in Hong Kong Enditem
HONG KONG Dec Xinhua Share prices on the Taiwan Stock Exchange opened high and closed higher Thursday with the weighted index the markets key barometer moving up points to close at
The bourse opened at and fluctuated between and during trading A total of billion shares changed hands on a market turnover of billion Taiwan dollars billion US dollars
Seven of the eight major stock categories gained ground with paper and pulp issues moving up the most at percent followed by machinery and electronics shares at percent plastics and chemicals shares at percent banking and financial shares at percent foodstuff issues and textile stocks both at percent and cement stocks at percent
The other major stock category lost ground with construction issues moving down at percent
Gainers outnumbered losers to with stocks remaining unchanged Enditem
JINAN Dec Xinhua A hotline has been opened in Jinan capital of eastern Shandong Province to aid the homeless dog
The hotline which is sponsored by an aid center for pets and a local newspaper is designed to find a home for the homeless dogs or cats in the city
The citizens are welcome to send the homeless dogs no matter they are sick or not to our center and we will provide them with food and medical treatment said the head of the Bo Bo pet aiding center who declined to give her name on Thursday
We also hope those who care and love animals would adopt the dogs she said
In addition we not only teach consultants the proper ways to raise pets but also tell them knowledge about rules and regulations on petraising she said
Statistics from the Jinan Municipal Bureau of Public Security showed that by the end of last year there were more than abandoned dogs and cats wandering in the city
In order to ensure the consultants can get accurate information the hotline also invites veterinarians from another three local pet hospitals with sound reputations as advisors Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Weather forecast for world cities Dec Dec Beijing Time temperatures in Celsius
Min Max Condition Wind scale
Beijing cloudyovercast
Tokyo clearovercast
Bangkok clear
Sydney cloudy
Karachi clear
Cairo clear
Moscow flurry
Frankfurt flurrymoderate snow
Paris overcastsnow shower
London snow showerflurry
New York moderate raindrizzle
SOURCE Central Meteorological Station China Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Weather forecast for major Chinese cities Dec Dec Beijing Time temperatures in Celsius
Min Max Condition Wind scale
Beijing cloudyovercast
Harbin snow showercloudy
Tianjin foggycloudy
Urumqi flurry
Xian overcastflurry
Lhasa overcastcloudy
Chengdu foggycloudy
Chongqing drizzleovercast
Kunming clear
Nanjing overcastdrizzle
Shanghai overcastdrizzle
Wuhan overcastdrizzle
Hangzhou overcastmoderate rain
Taipei drizzle
Guangzhou overcastdrizzle
Hong Kong overcastshower
Macao overcastdrizzle
SOURCE Central Meteorological Station China Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Chinas yearold agricultural tax will no longer exist as of Jan after Chinas top legislature voted on Thursday to adopt a motion on abolishing the countrys agricultural tax regulations
The motion with only Chinese characters was voted favorably by lawmakers and abstained by one
Wan Baorui former viceminister of agriculture and vicechairman of the Agricultural and Rural Affairs Committee of National Peoples Congress told Xinhua the abolition of agricultural tax demonstrates that industry has outgrown agriculture to great extent along with the countrys economic development
Official figures show that agriculture contributed to percent of the nations gross domestic product GDP in and industry and tertiary trade contributed to percent and percent respectively
Agricultural tax Chinas most ancient tax category started to be collected in BC From that time agricultural tax has existed for years in China with dominant rural economy Enditem
ZUOYUN Shanxi Dec Xinhua Human mistakes may have caused the coal mine flooding that killed two and trapped in north China rescuers said Thursday
The accident in Zuoyun County north Chinas Shanxi Province was caused by workers who were maintaining the mine according to initial investigations
Rescue work is in progress as about rescuers try their best to save the trapped miners
The accident took place at around am Wednesday when miners were working at Fanjiasi coal mine in Dianwan Town of Zuoyun County Only five people escaped two were confirmed dead and remain trapped
The owner of the coal mine has been detained by local police Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Chinas Xinhua News Agency has selected the top news stories in China in In order of occurrence the list goes as follows
The Communist Party of China CPC Central Committee initiated a yearlong campaign in January to carry out in three batches a massive political and ideological education drive among more than million CPC members to maintain their moral and socialist ethical superiority a new great project to promote Party construction and help materialize the goal of building up a relatively affluent society in an allround way
Hu Jintao general secretary of the CPC Central Committee and the Chinese president set forth a fourpoint guideline on relations across the Taiwan Straits on March that China would unswervingly adhere to the oneChina principle exert its utmost to seek peaceful reunification and rely on the Taiwanese people but never waver in its fight against the independence movement on Taiwan
The Kuomintang Party People First Party and New Party from Taiwan sent delegations to the Chinese mainland from April to July During the talks between Hu Jintao and Lien Chan James Soong and Yok Yuming chairmen of the three parties they exchanged views on promoting crossStraits relations and reached broad consensus
Lien Chans visit in April represents the first trip made by a KMT chairman to the mainland since when the Chinese mainland and Taiwan split after a civil war
China marked the th anniversary of the Chinese Peoples War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and concurrently the World War against Fascism on Sept with reassurance from President Hu Jintao that China is committed to peace as it strives to build up a relatively affluent society and achieve national rejuvenation
The th CPC Central Committee deliberated and approved at its Fifth Plenary Session proposals for formulating the th FiveYear Program for the National Economy and Social Development on October a blueprint for nations economic and social development in the next five years
The worlds highest and longest railway the QinghaiTibet Railway which stretches from Xining in northwest Qinghai Province to Lhasa capital of Tibet on the roof of the world with a total length of kilometers was completed in mid October
The flight of Shenzhou spacecraft with two astronauts on board successfully completed its fiveday space journey between Oct and Oct two years after Shenzhou that sent Chinas first astronaut into space
Northeast Chinas Songhua River was contaminated with benzene and nitrobezene spilt in an explosion at a local chemical plant under the China National Petroleum Corporation in Jilin Province on Nov subsequently causing a fourday water cutoff in the city of Harbin downstream which led to the resignation of Xie Zhenghua director of the State Environmental Protection Administration
Chinas State Food and Drug Administration on Nov gave the goahead for a Chinesedeveloped avian flu vaccine for human use to undergo clinical trials which marked the major progress China had made in pandemic vaccine research and development
The Ministry of Health announced the first two human cases of bird flu in central Hunan Province and eastern Anhui Province on the Chinese mainland on Nov And four more avian HN cases were spotted in Anhui Guangxi Liaoning and Jiangxi respectively later and the Chinese government is working to curb the spread of the highly pathogenic virus
China revised on Dec its GDP gross domestic product figure for to trillion yuan about trillion US dollars up trillion yuan about billion US dollars or percent from the preliminary figure signaling that the country has become the worlds sixth largest economy
The statistics came from a national economic survey to increase the understanding of the structure of Chinas secondary and tertiary economic sectors so as to better guide future economic development
China will stop levying agricultural tax as of Jan according to a decision of the national legislature which approved a motion on abolishing the regulations on the tax on December
Chinas top legislature also made a decision on Oct to revise the personal income tax law to raise the cutoff point of the monthly personal income tax from yuan to yuan The revised law goes into effect as of Jan Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Strong cold air will bring rain and snow to China in the coming ten days according to the information released Thursday by China Meteorological Administration
Light snow and rain will hit northwest China and north China and cover the Yellow River and Huaihe River areas from Thursday night to Friday
Light snow will fall on the northern part of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region eastern Gansu Province northern Shaanxi Province and northeastern Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region with temperature dropping two to four degrees
Most parts of China will be clear on the New Years Day but light snow will continue in most parts of northeastern China northern Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and western Tibet Autonomous Region
Temperature will drop slightly in eastern Sichuan basin and northeastern China while it will get slightly warmer in most parts in eastern China on Jan of
Snow will hit QinghaiTibet Plateau northwestern China northeastern China and reach along the Huaihe River on Jan
Strong wind will slash the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River with remarkable temperature drop on Jan
Rain snow and temperature drop will continue in southern China from Jan to and it will be clear in most parts of northern China Enditem
WUHAN Dec Xinhua China will launch a thorough investigation into whiteflag dolphins in the middle and lower reaches of Yangtze River in according to a researcher with Chinese Academy of Sciences CAS
We will carry out the investigation using the fund offered by Whiteflag Dolphin Foundation based in Switzerland said Wang Li a researcher from the CASs Institute of Hydrobiology
With close observations on the dolphins experts will find and catch the animals to divert them into the old course of the Yangtze River section at central Chinas Hubei according to Wang
There we have succeeded in breeding cowfish a close relative of the whiteflag dolphin said the researcher
Wang believes that there are still some whiteflag dolphins in the Yangtze River although the number might be less than
The State Ministry of Agriculture came up with a plan of saving the dolphins earlier this month urging concerned departments to take measures for the protection of the animal
The whiteflag dolphin is one of the four freshwater dolphins living on the planet and an endangered aquicolous mammal in China Enditem
HONG KONG Dec Xinhua The Hong Kong Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced here Thursday that it would resume processing applications for beef imports from the United States with immediate effect
After a thorough assessment and having satisfied ourselves with the enhanced control measures implemented by the United States against Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy BSE also known as mad cow disease we will partially lift the suspension of imports of US beef a spokesman from the department said
The spokesman said that at the initial stage only boneless beef from cattle less than months of age with high risk materials such as brain and spinal cord removed during slaughtering can be imported from designated establishments approved by the United States according to an agreed protocol
Also the import of each and every consignment of beef shall have the departments prior written permission and shall be accompanied by a health certificate
We will closely monitor the situation and review our import requirements as and when necessary he said
The import of beef from the United States had been temporarily suspended since Dec after the detection of a case of BSE in the State of Washington on Dec Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Three Chinese ministries will hold regular press conference from an official of the State Council announced here Thursday
The ministries of Health Education and Public Security will hold press conference at a given date each month from next year to release major news to the media at home and abroad said Cai Wu director of the Information Office of the State Council IOSC
The IOSC will encourage more government departments to release news independently next year Cai said at IOSCs last press conference this year
The Ministry of Health will hold the news conference on the th day of each month while the Ministry of Education is on Wednesday of the first week of every month and the Ministry of Public Security Tuesday of the second week
So far nearly government departments and provinces regions and municipalities have established a news releasing system Cai said but only plus departments including the Foreign Ministry and the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council are giving regular press conference
The Chinese government started news releasing service in which aimed at meeting demands of foreign media and the international society said Cai
Today the news releasing has become an important way in giving the public prompt and concise information More and more government departments have realized that speaking to the media does not hamper their work he said
Next year our task is to combine what the government wants to say with the focus of the media and the issues of public concern he said Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Beijing has become one of the cities with lowest birth rate in China and the newborn gender ratio has kept normal level said an official of the municipal family planning commission
Deng Xingzhou director of the Beijing family planning commission said that the annual natural growth rate of Beijing populatio has kept at one out of in the period
He noted that the low birth rate in Beijing is closely related with family planning policy of Beijing
Beijing has also set its longterm population target of which is to enhance population quality Enditem
YINCHUAN Dec Xinhua Rescuers retrieved on Thursday the body of a worker who was trapped in the cavein expressway construction site in northwest Chinas Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region making the death toll rise to three
Four workers all employees of a construction firm based in Shanxi Province were doing road work on an expressway linking Zhongning County and Yingpanshui of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region when the accident occurred at midday Wednesday
One worker was saved and two others were killed on the spot
As of Thursday afternoon investigation into the cause of the accident is still going on Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The epidemic situation of leprosy is still serious in parts of China and social discrimination still remains despite Chinas achievement in putting leprosy under control
After more than years of efforts the incidence of leprosy has been brought below one th in percent of Chinese counties and cities said the information office of the Ministry of Health in a report on Thursday
However governments in some regions still lack attention and support to the prevention and control of leprosy Those who suffer from leprosy still have many difficulties in living and social discrimination on lepers still remains said the report
As the World Leprosy Day on Jan approaches the ministry requires local authorities to offer more care for leprosy sufferers by homevisiting and conducting operations and giving living assistant facilities to them
The ministry also called for more publicity on the prevention and control of the disease and eliminating stigma of the public
Leprosy is one of the three major chronic communicable diseases along with tuberculosis and lues There are about new cases of leprosy globally every year posing great public health threat to developing countries in particular
China has treated more than leprosy patients and the current cases are about Annual new incidence ranges from to
Every last Sunday in January is the World Leprosy Day which falls on January in Enditem
HANGZHOU Dec Xinhua A traffic accident took place Thursday afternoon in the city of Linhai east Chinas Zhejiang Province leaving six dead and others injured
The local police said the tragedy happened at when a mini bus with people on board bumped into a heavyduty truck in the citys Yongquan Township
Five passengers on the bus were killed on the spot and another one died later in the hospital Fourteen others were also injured in the accident
As of Thursday afternoon the local hospital are giving emergency treatment to the wounded and investigation into the cause of the crash is underway Enditem
SHENZHEN Dec Xinhua Chinese electronics giant Konka Group has started building a colossal lightemitting diode LED TV screen here on which images can be seen clearly from eight km away
The size of the screen by meters is almost three times a badminton court It has a high resolution of million pixels so images remain legible from far away said Konka engineers in charge of the project Thursday
The screen will be built in Shenzhen city south Chinas Guangdong Province to play commercials and other programs The company said they also want to show their advanced technologies in the field of LED by building the screen
Konka Group as well as rivals TCL and Changhong has planned to develop the LED industry into a new source of profit the company said
Sales volume of LED TV sets in China increased from in to in and is expected to reach according to official statistics Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Chinas electrified railway mileage has surpassed kilometers ranking the third in the world after Russia and Germany the Beijing Daily said in a report published on Wednesday
China achieved the goal with the recent completion of a km electrified railway line which links Chongqing in southwest China and Huaihua in central Chinas Hunan Province
By the end of China has completed construction of electrified railway lines with a total length of km the report said
China began to build its first electrified railway line the BaojiFengzhou railway line in Enditem
DALIAN Dec Xinhua A ChinaDenmark joint venture of egg powder has gone into operation in northeast Chinas port city of Dalian according to sources of the joint venture
The Dalian Hanwei Food Co Ltd was jointly invested by the Dalianbased Hanwei Group and a Denish corporation called Sanovo with a total input of million yuan million US dollars
This new plant well equipped with worldadvanced machinery is expected to produce tons of egg powder annually said Han Wei president of the Chinese company
We chose Hanwei Group as our partner because of its egg output said Thor Stadil board chairman of Sanovo We also consider it rather competent in management
Hanwei Group the largest eggs producer in Asia has a production capacity of million kg per year
Half of the eggs will be made into egg powder said Han Most of our products will be sold to Japan the United States and some European countries
During the first quarter of next year the joint venture will hopefully export tons of egg powder which may set a new record in egg powder export according to Han
In Chinese market percent of the fresh eggs directly go to the households or food factories without any processing However in developed countries percent of eggs are dehydrated into powder so that it is more convenient and more wholesome Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua From September to November Chinese public security authorities shut down porn websites and wiped out porn domain names according to a news conference here Thursday
All the porn websites in China have been closed as of today announced Wu Heping spokesman of the Ministry of Public Security at a news briefing on a nationwide campaign of cracking down online porn
The clues of porn websites reported by the public every day has dropped to from most of which refer to foreign porn websites And the clues of online video porn show has dropped to from he said
With reported cases in and in online porn activities gambling and fraud have become serious crimes in recent years and are still rising said Wu
More than percent of the domestic computers were once infected by virus annually in recent years and the daily junk mails flowing to domestic users exceeds million making China a giant country of sending and receiving junk mails he said
Together with the Information Office of the State Council and the Ministry of Information Industry the Ministry of Public Security launched a nationwide campaign on cracking down Internet porn like online video chatting in September this year Enditem
by Fan Xi Meng Na
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The Standing Committee of the National Peoples Congress Chinas top legislature passed the draft of Law on Animal Husbandry laying down the legal foundation to ensure sound breeding conditions of livestock and livestock product quality
The eightchapter law includes regulations on livestock generic substance protection livestock breed selection raising and production transportation and product quality protection
The passed draft added one article from the previous version requiring government departments to guide people in the animal husbandry business to improve conditions of breeding and transportation
The term of animal welfare was deleted in former deliberation as it is too abstract to define said legislators
According to the new law the use of feedstuff feedstuff additive and medicines should follow legal and technical standards and hogwash of restaurants without being boiled in high temperature and trash should not be used to raise livestock
NPC ViceChairman Lu Yongxiang said the new law will help facilitate the modernization of the animal husbandry industry as it will focus more on improving product quality rather than expanding capacity
Laws related to animal husbandry such as Grassland Law and Law on Animal Epidemic Prevention adopted before only involve certain aspects of the industry and fail to regulate the entire process of industry production and development
With the fact that many farmers raise their livestock in their households the new law stimulates that governments above the county level should take measures to enhance infrastructure construction and build up an animal husbandry of big scale
Animal husbandry has become a pillar industry of Chinas rural economy Its output value reached billion yuan billion US dollars in accounting for percent of the total agricultural output value Enditem
GUIYANG Dec Xinhua Chinas reserve of coalbed methane is easy to be tapped in terms of its geographical distribution and burying depth said Sun Maoyuan general manager of China United Coalbed Methane Corp Ltd on Thursday
The methane resources have been found in Chinas east west and midland Sun said that percent of the reserve were embedded in central China while a reserve of more than trillion cubic meters were discovered in the west
About percent of the reserve is buried at the depth of less than meters under the ground which will be easily reached said the official
China has an abundant reserve of coalbed methane ranking third in the world only next to Russia and the United States Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Chinas military diplomacy as part of the countrys overall diplomacy has contributed to building a favorable international security environment for the countrys peaceful development an article said Thursday
The article on the Liberation Army Daily the newspaper of the Chinese Peoples Liberation Army PLA summarized the characteristic of Chinas military diplomacy in saying it is more active and pragmatic
Over the year the Chinese armed forces have made remarkable achievements in its bilateral and multilateral cooperation in defense and security fields The mutual trust and friendship between PLA and foreign armed forces have been strengthened it says
China not only enhanced military exchanges with big countries such as the United States and Russia but also cemented cooperation with its neighboring countries and vast developing countries the article said
Confronting frequent national disasters in relevant departments of PLA offered timely assistance for disaster countries after the tsunami in the Indian Ocean the earthquake in Pakistan as well as Hurricane Katrina in the United States
In October US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld paid his first visit to China since his taking up the post in January During his stay Chinese President Hu Jintao ViceChairman of the Central Military Commission Guo Boxiong and Defense Minister Cao Gangchuan met or held talks with him
Rumsfeld also visited the PLA Second Artillery Force which is the first time that the force was open to a foreign military leader
The China trip of Rumsfeld is a very important one that helps to increase mutual trust and upgrade the SinoUS military relations the article says Both sides realized that they should further strengthen cooperation through academy education personnel exchange and mutual fleet visits
Prior to that Defense Ministries of China and the United States held their seventh round of consultation on defense at viceministerial level on April in Washington
The two sides reached lots of consensus and agreed to strengthen military exchanges and promote mutual trust in the coming year
ChinaRussia military relationship has also witnessed stable development this year which can be marked by their firstever joint military drill in August the article says
The success of the joint military exercise is an important embodiment of deeper SinoRussian military security cooperation It has further enriched the content of the bilateral strategic cooperative partnership it says
Besides deepening relations with big countries the Chinese armed forces have been committed to cementing security cooperation with countries in the region the article says
The country has conducted fruitful cooperation and dialogues with Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in the security field and made progress in its joint patrol with Vietnam in the boundary area of Beibu Bay it says
Over the whole year China has conducted military exchanges with countries engaged in bilateral or multilateral cooperation projects Chinas naval fleet had carried out joint rescue drills with naval forces of Pakistan India and Thailand successively Enditem
SHANGHAI Dec Xinhua Chinas major chip developer Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation SMIC in Shanghai has obtained a credit line of million euros for longterm export from two European banks a source with the SMIC said
SMIC will use the loan to purchase photoetching technologyrelated equipment to expand its output according to the contract signed between the SMIC and the ABN AMRO Bank NV of the Netherlands and the Comerz Bank Nederland NV of Germany
Established in SMIC has launched four plants manufacturing eightinch chips SMIC launch a plant to produce inch chips in Beijing in January this year
The ABN AMRO Bank of the Netherlands boasts billion euros of capital and has more than subsidiaries in over countries worldwide The bank has employees around the globe
Commerz Bank of Germany was set up in It boasts billion euros of capital Enditem
HONG KONG Dec Xinhua A leading accounting firm Thursday predicted that the funds raised through new initial public offerings IPOs will reach billion Hong Kong dollars billion US dollars in for Hong Kong market
is a recordbreaking year for IPOs activity in Hong Kong in terms of total capital raised which is around percent higher than the previous record in billion US dollars a report by PricewaterhouseCoopers has found
Despite uncertainties on interest rates and oil prices during about companies would be listed on the Main Board and Growth Enterprise Market GEM this year and the amount of fund raised could reach billion Hong Kong dollars billion US dollars said Edmond Chan Partner of PricewaterhouseCoopers Capital Markets Services Group
These results were contributed by the return of investors interests on the equity market towards the end of and fund raising by large stateowned enterprises Chan added
In the IPOs raised billion US dollars out of which percent were raised by Chinese mainland enterprises said Chan These figures clearly indicated that Hong Kong has succeeded in establishing its position as the primary international capital raising platform for the Chinese mainland
The Hong Kong IPOs market will continue to be fueled by Chinese mainlands booming economy and appetite for funds We expect to see sizable and quality listings in There is a strong pipeline of companies with strong financial and including Mainlandbased financial services companies and logistics companies that are ready to come to market said Richard Sun Partner of PricewaterhouseCoopers Capital Markets Services Group
Taking into consideration the robust outlook with the Chinese mainlands thriving economy the firm expected the amount of IPOs funds raised in to escalate to a record high of billion US dollars Enditem
HONG KONG Dec Xinhua Hang Seng China Enterprises Index rose points or percent to close at on Thursday
The index initiated in August and rebased on Sept tracks the overall performance of Chinese mainland stateowned enterprises listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange
Hang Seng ChinaAffiliated Corporations Index went down points or percent to close at
The index tracks the performance of locally listed companies with a significant equity interest held by entities in the Chinese mainland
Hang Seng Mainland Composite Index fell points or percent to close at
Introduced on Oct Hang Seng Mainland Composite Index gauges the performance of Hong Konglisted companies with principal places of business in Hong Kong and the mainland Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Chinas Supreme Peoples Court SPC will
start a nationwide inspection over more than subsidiaries to ensure that the public find it easier to settle a dispute in court a senior judge said here Thursday
According to SPC VicePresident Huang Songyou the inspection campaign is designed to guarantee that peoples court has the independence to accept lawsuits lodged by the plaintiff directly as required by an SPC notice in September this year
Other issues such as the operation of circuit court and lawsuit cost settlement and refund will also be checked
Providing quality legal service to the public is as important as justice in a trial said Huang
In the notice SPC required more court sessions to be opened in remote rural areas to expand public access to a court which will be examined in next years inspection
It will also check matters of personnel development and logistical supply of local courts in the planned inspection
Higher peoples court at all levels are ordered to inspect lower courts in areas within their jurisdiction and report to SPC which will send an inspection team to make spot check Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua China announced Thursday it has started an antidumping investigation of imported Nonyl Phenol originating from India
Such product from Chinas Taiwan Province also has to go through antidumping investigation while entering the Chinese mainland
The Ministry of Commerce of China said it would scrutinize whether the imported products from the areas constitute dumping and if so would confirm the scope of dumping
The investigation would conclude before Dec but may extend until June under certain conditions according to the announcement
Nonyl phenol is a kind of chemical used in areas of textile lubricating oil rubber and pesticide
China has altogether launched about antidumping investigations of imported goods since when the country started the first antidumping case according to sources with the Ministry of Commerce Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua China on Thursday honored individuals and institutions for their contribution to grain production agricultural technology popularization and the fight against bird flu
Vice Premier Hui Liangyu attended the awarding ceremony extended congratulation to those honored and encouraged them to exert more efforts to build new socialist countryside
The move sponsored by the Ministry of Agriculture is expected to set inspiring examples for people engaged in rural development and ensure the sustained development in the countryside Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua China inaugurated a national museum on its movie industry Thursday a complex in Beijing with square meters of floor space to commemorate the centenary of its birth
Liu Qi Secretary of the Beijing Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China CPC and Liu Yunshan head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee attended the inauguration ceremony
A joint project of the State Administration of Radio Film and Television and the Beijing Municipal Government the museum consists of five zones for exhibition of cinematics exhibition of movie technology movie showing storage and comprehensive service
There are exhibition halls and five movie theaters in the museum
An exhibition to mark the centenary of the birth of Chinese movie industry based on more than articles opened in the museum Thursday Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Future destiny of Chinas onceambitious family planning policy has become a controversial topic in the academic circle
At a recent forum on Chinas population and economy hosted by the Beijing University the family planning policy was challenged by a number of Chinese scholars and government officials
An unanimous opinion from the forum showed China should mull its population policy in a more scientific way and seek a proper resolution
Existing population structure remains a challenging issue
Since China launched its family planning policy three decades ago most couples have only one child Disputes are now raised across the country over the expanding gray generation and skewed gender ratio
Official statistics showed that China now ranks in the lowbirthrate club with a population natural growth rate of per thousand
At the same time people above age make up percent of Chinas total population a sign of a quicker pace into an aging society
The gender gap among children born in China has been widened in recent years Figures show that the average ratio of boys to girls was to exceeding the norm of to
Chinese economists said at the forum that the imbalanced population structure and aging population are likely to be a bottleneck of Chinas longterm economic growth and bring about a series of economic and social problems
With a birth rate drop Chinas labor force may stabilize at its height in and then gradually drop year by year said Cai Fang head of the Population and Labor Economy Institute under the Chinese Academy of Social Science CASS
Cai said Chinas abundant labor force once was regarded a big bonus to the countrys highspeed economic growth with its contribution to the per capita gross domestic product GDP exceeding percent in the past two decades
But now the bonus is decreasing said Cai adding that the contribution of population to Chinas GDP will also be reduced as the labor force structure changed
Proper readjustment is necessary
Jan was marked in China as the billion population day when its billionth citizen was born
Chinas onechild policy has successfully reined in its population growth and helped prevent million births about the size of the US population postponing the arrival of billion population by four years
However Cai said it is necessary for China to make a proper readjustment of its current population policy when a reasonable population structure becomes more important than the pressure brought by population growth
Quite a number proposals to solve population problems were delivered at the forum such as raising the quality of Chinas labor force to make up the decrease in the quantity of labor force and postponing the age of retirement
But most experts focused their attention on whether China should relax its strict family planning policy changing the current policy of onechildforpercouple to the policy of twochildrenforpercouple
Professor Zeng Yi from the China Economic Study Center of the Beijing University proposed a twochildren policy in future at the forum
Zeng suggested that women should be allowed to have their second babies at an age between and
According to Zeng his proposal may help slow down Chinas pace into an aging society and postpone the arrival of a population peak of billion people to the year
Argument a risk cost of readjustment
Zengs proposal has aroused objection from a group of Chinese scholars and officials Renowned Chinese economist Fan Gang said a relaxed family planning policy in China will lead to an additional population of million or million a big challenge to the employment
Some other experts said the readjustment will surely bring about an unexpected expansion of population in China which will terminate the lowbirth rate
Yu Xuejun director of the Policy Law Department of the State Family Planning Commission said at the forum that the readjustment will be based on the cost of increased population which may result in many new problems including environment employment and social securities
The government is greatly concerned with the balance between the advantage and cost of an readjustment to the family planning policy said Yu noting that it needs a scientific decision in China on whether the family planning policy should be changed or not
China launched the family planning policy in late s which requires one child for one family in cities and allows two children for one family in rural areas if the first child of the family is a girl The policy also lays no restriction to the number of children in families of ethnic groups Enditem
HEFEI Dec Xinhua A batch of flawed donations from the United Statesbased charity organization LDS foundations were returned by east Chinas Anhui province on Thursday morning the provincial charity association said
The donations were sent to the provincial capital Hefei in early November But some expired medicines secondhand medical and rehabilitation facilities and stained clothes and beddings were found among the donations
The used articles are packed in four containers and worth about four million yuan US dollars
LDS foundations made an official apology on Dec and promised to shoulder all the expenses caused by returning the donations to the US
The freight is estimated at US dollars
The batch of donations believed to be brandnew were planned to be handed out to four orphanages in Anhui province LDS is still unclear about why the flawed articles are found among them
LDS foundations have a longtime partnership with China Charity Federation and they vowed to grant the equivalent cash money to Anhui province after taking the flawed articles back Enditem
HONG KONG Dec Xinhua The gold price in Hong Kong went up HK dollars to HK dollars per tael on Thursday according to the Bank of China Hong Kong
The price is equivalent to dollars a troy ounce up dollars at Thursdays exchange rate of US dollar against HK dollars Enditem
HONG KONG Dec Xinhua Following are temperatures and weather forecast of Dec for AsiaPacific cities dispatched by the Hong Kong Observatory on Thursday
CITY MINIMUM MAXIMUM FORECAST
HONG KONG CLOUDY
MACAO RAIN
GUANGZHOU RAIN
SHANGHAI RAIN
BEIJING OVERCAST
TAIPEI RAIN
SEOUL SNOW
TOKYO CLOUDY
MANILA SHOWERS
HANOI OVERCAST
HO CHI MINH CITY BRIGHT
BANGKOK SHOWERS
KUALA LUMPUR THUNDERSTORMS
SINGAPORE THUNDERSTORMS
NEW DELHI RAIN
MUMBAI FINE
KARACHI DRY
JAKARTA RAIN
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN SHOWERS
SYDNEY FINE
MELBOURNE FINE
BRISBANE FINE
Enditem
by Guang Qianjiang Gao Li
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Renowned Chinese economist Hu Angang predicted here on Thursday China will create million jobs for other nations in the next five years as the countrys imports are expected to exceed trillion US dollars during the period
In an exclusive interview with Xinhua Hu an expert on macroeconomics at Chinas prestigious Tsinghua University in Beijing forecast China will bring tremendous business opportunities to and create many jobs for the world market especially the United States Japan the European Union EU and Southeast Asian countries between and
His prediction is based on the countrys fast growth of the economy increasing trade the expanding import volume in particular
Between and he said Chinas accumulated import volume surpassed trillion dollars creating around million jobs for other countries
In Chinas foreign trade volume will hit record trillion dollars with imports standing at billion dollars
According to estimate of concerned departments Chinas trade volume will hit to trillion dollars
China has not only become a world major export country but also an important import market ever since it adopted the reform and openingup policies in said Hu
In Chinas imports stood at billion dollars The figure rose to billion dollars in making China the worlds third largest importer after the United States and Germany The countrys imports have kept growing by a yearly percent since
Hu noted that Chinas fast expanding foreign trade is beneficial not only to itself but also to its trading partners
For example he pointed out percent of Chinese products exported to the United States Japan and the EU are laborintensive products while percent of the products imported by China from the United States Japan and the EU are capital technology and knowledgeintensive products
In fact the economist said nearly million US consumers have benefited from the unbalanced ChinaUS trade
Over the past decade Chinamade products have saved US consumers hundreds of billions of US dollars he said
Hu believed that China should take measures to promote not only export growth but also import growth in the next five years as the Chinese government has said it will continue to expand trade during the countrys th FiveYear Program period
Chinese enterprises should be encouraged to purchase resources in short supply on the global market Hu noted We should also encourage them to make full use of international energy raw materials hightech products and advanced equipment
He said The government should help enterprises fully use modern service resources offered by international finance insurance and information agencies
He suggested China at the end of the three transitional years following its World Trade Organization accession in further lower tariffs on some selected products in a bid to let Chinese consumers get more benefits and further expand imports from trading partners with whom China has huge trade surpluses
China should fully use big countries market advantages and positively increase domestic demand especially the consumption of urban and rural citizens in the coming years Hu said
Meanwhile China should positively take part in the economic globalization and continue to explore the international markets he noted
A more open Chinese market will help create the worlds largest market said Hu
The wellknown economist concluded A rising China will not only benefit the billion Chinese but also the billion people in the world Enditem
HAIKOU Dec Xinhua South Chinas Hainan Province on Thursday announced a list of stateowned enterprises whose property rights will be wholly or partly transferred
The move will help accelerate the pace of state assets regrouping said Pei Zhen director of the Stateowned Assets Supervision and Management Department of Hainan
The property rights of these enterprises involve assets valued at billion yuan billion US dollars Pei said
The listed enterprises are from various industries including medicine transportation mining agriculture and forestry construction real estate and tourism
Domestic and foreign investors especially those from the nongovernmental sector are encouraged to take part in enterprise regrouping in various forms he said Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The Temasek Holdings Ptd Ltd the investment arm of the Singaporean government is reported to buy percent stake of the Bank of China BOC which is to seek stock market listing in Hong Kong
Thursdays edition of the China Securities Journal run by the Xinhua News Agency gave an answer to Temaseks China strategy in the fastgrowing and increasing competitive banking market
According to the newspaper the name of Temasek was found in BOCs page application documents to be delivered to the Hong Kong Stock Exchanges in early
To gain a foothold in the Chinese banking market Temasek announced in August to invest billion US dollars for a percent stake of the China Construction Bank CCB and billion US dollars for a percent stake of the BOC said the newspaper
Though Chinese authorities encourage Chinese banks to seek foreign partnerships so as to build up their capital and improve management before China fully opens its banking industry to foreign competition in late the total foreign investment is limited to a maximum of percent
Temasek was finally allowed to buy only percent stake of the BOC said the newspaper
Economic observers said the case of Temasek reflects a light change in the policy of Chinese banks in seeking foreign partnerships
The change might also influence the public bidding of another stateowned Chinese bank the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China which also plans to list its shares overseas Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Chinas legislature approved a motion on abolishing regulations on agricultural tax Thursday which means Chinas yearold agricultural tax will no longer exist as of Jan
The move is widely acclaimed as another major step toward improving the economic conditions of Chinese farmers a top priority of the Chinese government
The Standing Committee of the National Peoples Congress NPC the national legislature also adopted a decision to hold the next NPC full session on March a law on animal husbandry interpretations on the protection of cultural relics and the use of invoices and decisions of appointments
The NPC Standing Committee proposed the main agenda for the coming NPC annual session which includes deliberating the government work report deliberating and approving the th FiveYear Program for national economic and social development deliberating and approving a report on the implementation of the national economic and social development plan for and the national economic and social development program for
Other items on the agenda include examining a report on the implementation of the central and local budget for and on the draft central and local budget for approving the report on the implementation of the central and local budget for and the central and local budget for and deliberating a work report of the NPC Standing Committee a work report of the Supreme Peoples Court and a work report of the Supreme Peoples Procuratorate
According to the decisions of the committee Li Shenglin former viceminister in charge of the State Development and Reform Commission was appointed minister of communications by Chinas legislature Thursday
Li replaces Zhang Chunxian who was just appointed secretary of the Hunan Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China
Huang Zhendong Yang Zhengwu and Song Fatang former Party chiefs of Chongqing Municipality Hunan Province and Heilongjiang Province respectively were appointed vicechairmen of three special committees of Chinas top legislature
Huang Zhendong former secretary of the Chongqing Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China CPC was appointed vicechairman of the NPC Internal and Judicial Affairs Committee
Yang Zhengwu former secretary the CPC Hunan Provincial Committee was named vicechairman of the NPC Financial and Economic Committee
Song Fatang form secretary of the CPC Heilongjiang Provincial Committee became vicechairman of the NPC Educational Scientific Cultural and Health Committee
The CPC Central Committee earlier appointed Wang Yang former deputy secretarygeneral of the State Council as Party chief of Chongqing Zhang Chunxian former minister of communications as Party chief of Hunan and Qian Yunlu former Party chief of Guizhou Province as Party chief of Heilongjiang
Other appointments announced at Thursdays legislative meeting included Zhang Wentai former political commissar of the PLA General Logistic Department as vicechairman of the NPC Environment and Resource Commission Wang Yunlong former deputy secretarygeneral of the NPC Standing Committee and Tang Tianbiao former deputy director of the PLA General Political Department as vicechairmen of the NPC Agricultural and Rural Committee Enditem
by Xinhua Writer Meng Na
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Chinas yearold agricultural tax will be rescinded as of Jan after Chinas top legislature voted on Thursday to adopt a motion on the regulations revoking the agricultural tax
The motion with only Chinese characters was voted favorably by lawmakers and abstained by one
Wan Baorui former vice minister of agriculture and vice chairman of the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee of National Peoples Congress told Xinhua that the abolition of the agricultural tax demonstrates that industry has outgrown agriculture to some extent along with the countrys economic development And the country ushers into a new era of industry subsidizing agriculture
Official figures show that agriculture contributed to percent of the nations gross domestic product GDP in and industry and tertiary trade contributed to percent and percent respectively
Agricultural tax Chinas most ancient tax category started to be collected in BC From that time agricultural tax has existed for years in China with dominant rural economy
During the more than years agricultural tax was always the main source of the countrys coffer Since the founding of the Peoples Republic of China in agriculture has made great contribution to the countrys economic development
In period Chinese government purchased grains cotton and other agricultural products with unified prices which were much lower than the prices in free market so as to save money for developing industry
In this way Chinese farmers contributed billion to billion yuan about billion US dollars billion US dollars to the countrys industrializationh
Over recent years the gaps between city and countryside urban citizens and rural residents were widened Therefore solving issues concerning agriculture countryside and farmers have turned to be the urgent task for the Chinese government
In the Chinese government and the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China vowed to construct a new countryside so as to narrow the gap between city and countryside
Wan said the abolition of agricultural tax was only one of the important steps to fulfill the construction of the new countryside
Statistics released by the National Bureau of Statistics in December showed that currently the proportion of primary secondary and tertiary sectors in the GDP has changed to be
It demonstrated that the countrys industry system has been in shape and the time for industry subsidizing agriculture has been ripe said Wan
Several signs have illustrated that the construction of new countryside was by no means a slogan but a top issue in governments work agenda
Last week Premier Wen Jiabao announced at an executive meeting of the State Council that tuitions for nineyear compulsory education in rural areas will be exempted within two years And the central government and local governments at various levels will allocate a total of billion yuan billion US dollars to subsidize compulsory education in rural areas in five consecutive years from
In public finance sector the government has remarkably intensified investment in rural areas over recent years The public spending on issues concerning agriculture countryside and farmers increased by more than percent from the figure for
In the State Council exempted and reduced agricultural tax in trial in certain provinces In alone billion yuan worth of agricultural taxes were exempted for million farmers Or say the annual per capita income for Chinese farmers increased by yuan or percent from the previous year
Wan said the abolition of agricultural tax also sharpened the countrys agricultural competitive edge in the international market Giving that China has million hectares of farmland the abolition of agricultural tax means the per hectare grain production cost dropped by yuan or percent percent from the figure of previous year Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The National Cultural Trade Research Base of China was launched here Thursday in Beiijng at the Communication University of China CUC
Li Xin a senior official in charge of external cultural communication with the Ministry of Culture said the research base based on the Cultural Trade Research Insititute of CUC is designed to carry out relevant research and boost the external cultural trade which is now at a relatively low level
Li Huailiang a professor with the Cultural Trade Research Institute of CUC said the base will provide policymaking consultance to the government and research reference to experts nationwide and cultivate highlevel personnel in the field
Yin Hong deputy deans of School of Journalism and Communication of Tsinghua University said at the launching ceremony that in the tide of economic globalization cultural product with the unique value embodied in its production had greater importance than economic trade in bilateral or multilateral trade
China as one of the four ancient civilizations is rich in terms of cultural resource yet poor in cultural trade Yin said There is a great potential in China to transform cultural resource into products which is also a great challenge
Therefore the launching of the National Cultural Trade Research Base is very important and necessary Yin said
He proposed that China should widely translate and introduce in western advanced methods and theories and strengthen case study and information platform simultaneously
Qi Shuyu a scholar with the State Administrative College said the joint efforts of Culture Ministry and CUC to launch the research base is a positive move since to mobilize social intelligence is a good way to improve administrative efficiency
He hoped the base could regularly release information on trade status and policies in countries concerned and the world at large so as to avoid the purposeless production in the local cultural sector The base should also draw a working plan for the future five to ten years
According to the insiders there is no specific statistic for cultural trade yet in Chinas national economic statistics At present the annual copyright trade volume of the United States is more than billion US dollars and the figure in China is only billion yuan around billion US dollars Enditem
TAIYUAN Dec Xinhua Chinas most famous Buddhist mountain will file documents for UNESCOs World Cultural Heritage in February next year according to local officials here
Mount Wutai located in north Chinas Shanxi Province is home to Buddhist temples and more than Buddhist monks and nuns
It was designated as one of Chinas four shortlisted candidates for the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organizations UNESCO World Cultural Heritage contest in earlier this month
Wutai is one of the five most eminent Buddhist sacred places in the world and one of the four most famous Buddhist mountains in China It boasts over Buddhist statues and a large number of Buddhist classics and frescoes in its ancient temples Enditem
HANGZHOU Dec Xinhua Zhejiang Province an economic powerhouse in eastern China had attracted billion US dollars in contracted foreign investment in the first months of this year a yearonyear growth of percent
According to the provincial foreign trade and economic cooperation authorities Zhejiang actually used billion US dollars in foreign direct investment or FDI in the month period up percent over the same period of last year
Between January and November Zhejiang approved the establishment of enterprises each with foreign investment of more than million US dollars They involved billion US dollars in combined contractual use of foreign capital representing a yearonyear growth of percent and accounting for percent of the provinces total pledged foreign investment
Of Zhejiangs total FDI actually used in the months billion US dollars or percent went to economic and technological development zones
So far this year Fortune companies have launched enterprises in Zhejiang bringing the total Fortune s that have made presence in the province to said the local foreign trade and economic cooperation authorities Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Chinas Ministry of Health on Thursday announced the countrys seventh human case of HN bird flu
The infected was a yearold factory worker surnamed Zhou in Sanming City east Chinas Fujian Province She died on Dec Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua China has spent billion yuan about billion US dollars on water conservancy projects in the past five years according to sources with the Ministry of Water Resources
An official with the ministry said that the total spending on water conservancy projects in the past five years equals the gross water conservancy investment during the period
Remarkable progress in river harnessing and flood control was achieved with the countrys total river embankment reaching km km of which was newly built in the past five years
In the period the central government spent billion yuan about billion US dollars in repairing and consolidating dilapidated dams
Statistics show that upon completion of the repair and consolidation the countrys major dams will improve their annual flood control capability by billion cubic meters and their annual water supply volume will increase billion cubic meters Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Chinas Ministry of Health on Thursday announced the countrys seventh human case of HN bird flu
The infected was a yearold factory worker surnamed Zhou in Sanming City east Chinas Fujian Province She showed symptoms of fever and pneumonia on Dec and was hospitalized two days later She died on Dec according to a report released by the ministry
Zhous samples tested negative of HN virus by the Fujian Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention CDC on Dec but further tests by the Chinese CDC and the Fujian provincial CDC both showed positive results said the ministry
Zhou has been confirmed to be infected with bird flu in accordance with the standards of the World Health Organization WHO and the Chinese government the ministry said
This is the third human fatality from bird flu reported in China Enditem
CHANGSHA Dec Xinhua The Global Environment Facility GEF launched the second phase of a wetland protection program in central Chinas Dongting Lake area Thursday continuing its efforts in maintaining the regions biological diversification and sustainable development
GEF initiated the campaign in July in the East Dongting Lake National Nature Reserve of Hunan Province injecting nearly million US dollars in aid according to the administration of the nature reserve which is among the wetlands nature reserves of international importance designated by the Chinese government
The first stage of the program was engaged in building up the capacity of the nature reserve while the second phase will focus on improving informationsharing among governmental departments advertising and education on wetland protection making relative laws and regulations and promoting the experiences of the program
Ed Moon a GEF biologist said a key task now is to monitor some selected species in the area and share the results with Chinese departments involved
In addition to the Dongting Lake the expert noted that GEF also works on the Sanjiang Plain in Heilongjiang Province the beach area of Yancheng City in Jiangsu Province and a swamp between Sichuan and Gansu provinces
The GEF is an independent multilateral financial mechanism that assists developing countries to protect the global environment in four areas biodiversity climate change international waters and ozone layer depletion
It is jointly implemented by the United Nations Development Program the United Nations Environment Program and the World Bank Enditem
HAIKOU Dec Xinhua Vanuatuan Prime Minister Ham Lini visited south Chinas Hainan province Thursday acquainting himself with the development situation of local agriculture and tourism
Lini also president of Vanuatus National United Party arrived here Tuesday on a nineday Hainan tour as guest of the International Department of the Communist Party of China CPC Central Committee
When meeting with Wang Xiaofeng secretary of the CPC Hainan Provincial Committee Lini expressed appreciation for the Chinese government to provide longterm support to Vanuatus social and economic development
The traditional friendship between Vanuatu and China will be further promoted the prime minister said
Lini also agreed with Wang Xiaofengs suggestion to further increase exchanges and cooperation between Vanuatu and Hainan since both sides share much in common in natural resources Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Chinas Ministry of Health on Thursday announced the countrys seventh human case of HN bird flu
The infected was a yearold factory worker surnamed Zhou in Sanming City east Chinas Fujian Province She showed symptoms of fever and pneumonia on Dec and was hospitalized two days later She died on Dec according to a report released by the ministry
Zhous samples tested negative of HN virus by the Fujian Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention CDC on Dec but further tests by the state CDC and the Fujian provincial CDC both showed positive results said the ministry
Zhou has been confirmed to be infected with bird flu in accordance with the standards of the World Health Organization WHO and the Chinese government the ministry said
This is the third human fatality from bird flu reported in China
Local health authorities have taken measures to check the spread of the virus and those who had close contact with the patient are under strict medical observation with no abnormal clinical symptoms found so far
However no HN bird flu outbreak in animal was detected in the area where the new case was reported said the health ministry
The Chinese health ministry has informed the WHO the regions of Hong Kong Macao and Taiwan as well as several countries about the new human case
Previously the ministry had reported six human cases of bird flu including two fatalities in east Chinas Anhui Province two recovered cases in central Chinas Hunan Province and northeast Chinas Liaoning Province respectively one in the southern Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and one in the eastern province of Jiangxi Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Chinas Ministry of Health on Thursday announced the countrys seventh human case of HN bird flu
The infected was a yearold factory worker surnamed Zhou in Sanming City east Chinas Fujian Province She showed symptoms of fever and pneumonia on Dec and was hospitalized two days later She died on Dec according to a report released by the ministry
Zhous samples tested negative of HN virus by the Fujian Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention CDC on Dec but further tests by the state CDC and the Fujian provincial CDC both showed positive results said the ministry
Zhou has been confirmed to be infected with bird flu in accordance with the standards of the World Health Organization WHO and the Chinese government the ministry said
This is the third human fatality from bird flu reported in China
Local health authorities have taken measures to check the spread of the virus and those who had close contact with the patient are under strict medical observation with no abnormal clinical symptoms found so far
However no HN bird flu outbreak in animal was detected in the area where the new case was reported said the health ministry
The Chinese health ministry has informed the WHO the regions of Hong Kong Macao and Taiwan as well as several countries about the new human case
Previously the ministry had reported six human cases of bird flu including two fatalities in east Chinas Anhui Province two recovered cases in central Chinas Hunan Province and northeast Chinas Liaoning Province respectively one in the southern Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and one in the eastern province of Jiangxi
Also on Thursday Chinas Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang pledged at a regular press briefing that China will continue to strengthen its cooperation with the world community to deal with the challenge of bird flu
A total of laboratoryconfirmed human cases of bird flu including deaths had been reported to the WHO by Dec this year according to the WHO website
China has reported bird flu outbreaks in poultry this year As no effective vaccine has been put into use on humans so far scientists fear the HN strain of bird flu could mutate to a form that could pass easily between people triggering a global pandemic
Chinas homemade human vaccine begun human trials on Dec with six volunteers receiving the shots The whole trials will need nine months of tests but initial results are expected within the first three
Dr Shigeru Omi WHO regional director for the Western Pacific told Xinhua earlier in an interview that the WHO hopes China to share more samples of bird flu collected from animals and human cases with the international society which would help develop antibird flu drugs and vaccine and trace the mutation of the virus
He warned that it is too early to tell if bird flu in China has been brought under control as more outbreaks may occur during winter months He also noted that surveillance and prevention efforts need to be strengthened at grassroots level
Omi also suggested Chinese farmers improve their farming practice as China has billion poultry and most Chinese rural families keep chickens and ducks in their backyards or even houses Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Baby a new film cooperated by Jackie Chan and Hong Kong director Benny Chan after New Police Story began shooting in Hong Kong on Thursday
The film at cost of million Hong Kong dollars and produced by Huayi Brothers Taihe Film Investment Co Ltd and JCE Movies Ltd is expected to finish shooting in March and be released publicly in October according to a source with Huayi
Jackie Chan acts as a thief indulging himself in gambling in Baby which features a battle between a thief gang and sinister gang
A new cast including Hong Kong star Michael Hui Louis Koo and Charlene Choi mainland starlet Gao Yuanyuan and Zhang Tielin a Chinese British veteran actor will work with Jackie the source said Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Two signed articles will be published on Fridays Peoples Daily and Guangming Daily two leading Chinese newspapers based in Beijing in memory of Wang Daohan the Chinese mainlands top negotiator on Taiwan affairs who passed away last Saturday at the age of
Mr Wang has left us foreverbut he has left behind a rich legacy and unforgettable demeanor wrote Xu Shiquan vice president of the mainlandbased National Taiwan Studies Society in an article to be published on the Peoples Daily
After becoming president of the mainlandbased Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits ARATS in Wang had poured in all his energy wisdom and experience and had played an irreplaceable role in pushing forward the great cause of the reunification of China Xu wrote
He said Wang had demonstrated the mainlands policies toward Taiwan with his own words and acts in a lively and vivid manner and had served as an image ambassador for the mainlands Taiwan policies
Wang had dealt in a dialectic way with the Taiwan issue with a view to the global situation and the overall development strategy of China he added
The energy and wisdom he spent on the development of crossStraits relations will sure continue to work in the historical process of the reunification of China he wrote
Huang Renwei a professor with the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences also paid a high tribute to Wang in an article to be published on the Guangming Daily
Many of Wangs strategic thoughts and innovative viewpoints can really stand the test of both time and practice wrote Huang
Wangs unswerving pursuit of the peaceful reunification of China and the painstaking efforts he had made to that effect were far beyond the imagination of ordinary people he recalled
The intellectual legacy he left behind will encourage us to go ahead and all the efforts he made for the reunification of China will blossom and bear fruits in the end he added Enditem
FUZHOU Dec Xinhua A wellknown Chinese philanthropist donated million yuan million US dollars here on Wednesday to the Jiangxia Peoples Medical Relief Foundation in east Chinas Fujian Province to provide medical services for the needy
The donation from Huang Rulun a native of Fujian and a successful entrepreneur will be chiefly used to help needy families who can not afford medical treatment
Huang board chairman of the Century Golden Resources Group which is involved in real estate hotels logistics and finance donated million yuan million US dollars to Fujian Jiangxia College in and six million yuan US dollars to Fujian Charity Federation in June
Sources said the philanthropist has donated a total of million yuan million US dollars in China over the past few years Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Chinas Ministry of Public Security MPS announced here Thursday that China is to carry out new Internet regulation starting from March to prevent computer virus spreading harmful junk emails and organized bawdry online activities
The regulation specifies that Internet serviceproviders are liable to safeguard the Internet security and the police should supervise all providers
A series of Internetbased technologies including monitoring computer systems and recording such information as the logon time and the browsed websites are standardized according to the regulation
The regulation also states that any online safeguarding technique should not be used to infringe upon the individuals freedom and privacy and at least two members of the police should be at scene when inspecting suspects
Chinas Internetbased safeguarding technologies is somewhat backward and are not implemented properly with no more than percent of the existing safeguarding methods applied by Internet users said Wu Heping spokesman with the MPS at a news briefing on a nationwide campaign of cracking down online porn
Online obscene video chats gambling and frauds have become serious crimes in recent years and are still rising said Wu
From September to November Chinese public security authorities shut down porn websites and wiped out porn domain names and all the discovered porn websites in China have been closed as of today according Wu
More than percent of the domestic computers were once infected by virus annually in recent years and the daily junk mails flowing to domestic users exceeds million making China a giant country of sending and receiving junk mails he said
Currently Chinas Internet users numbers more than million ranking the second globally Internet is one of the important parts of Chinese peoples life but porn online contents junk mails and the spread of computer virus have seriously damaged Internet users legitimate rights
Together with the Information Office of the State Council and the Ministry of Information Industry MPS launched a nationwide campaign on cracking down Internet porn like online video chatting in September this year
One MPS official said the public are encouraged to report any online activity violating laws or code of conducts through phones or an official websites netchinacn Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua China will make favorable policies and invest more in the rural areas next year said a central work meeting on rural development closed here Thursday
The year of is the start of Chinas th FiveYear Program and rural work is of great significance to the goal of building socialist new countryside said the meeting
Policies favorable to rural development would be made and sustained next year according to the meeting
The government would spend more on agricultural development and rural development in it said adding that the increase of investment would be higher than that in the previous year
Expenditures on the countryside construction would have a higher proportion in the governments national debts and financial budget it said
More money would be used to improve living conditions for people in the rural areas according to the meeting
Apart from that efforts would be made to push forward modernization of agriculture raise farmers income and further reforms in the rural areas it said
Infrastructure construction would also be enhanced along with public affairs next year said the meeting
It also pointed out that root organizations of the Communist Party of China in the rural areas should play a leading role in promoting development there
Besides efforts should be made to solve problems that affect reform development and stability in rural areas the meeting said Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua China is capable of cooperating with developed countries in some hightech fields said Vice Minister of Science and Technology Ma Songde here Thursday
Ma said in a speech that China as an equal cooperative partner took an active part in the Galileo satellite navigation system a major European project highlighting the hightech cooperation between China and foreign partners
The billioneuro Galileo system is a network of satellites intended for civilian use and will end Europes reliance on the UScontrolled global positioning system GPS
As the first nonEU country China promised that it would invest million euros in the project Since July China has signed seven technological development and service contracts with European partners
China and the European Union signed a science and technology agreement in laying a solid base for their cooperation Ma said according to this historic agreement China have participated in more EU programs than any other nonEU nations
Besides the hightech cooperation with European countries China also witnessed remarkable progress in scientific and technological exchanges with other nations
Ma said over past two decades China has conducted exchanges in scientific and technological fields with countries and regions and dispatched diplomats of sciences and technologies to countries and regions
Ma said in future China should take more active part in both regional and international cooperation in some major scientific and technological programs and Chinas hightech industry should enter the market of both developed countries and developing countries Enditem
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METI asks panel to study aid for local govt recycling efforts
TOKYO Dec Kyodo The industry ministry on Wednesday asked
its advisory panel to examine new proposals on recycling such as
financially assisting municipalities that collect and sort out
garbage and charging shoppers for plastic bags distributed at
supermarkets and other stores
The Ministry of Economy Trade and Industry requested its
Industrial Structure Council to study those proposals in the course
of revising the Containers and Packaging Recycling Law Together with
the Environment Ministry METI plans to encourage municipalities to
step up efforts to reduce packaging waste by giving financial
incentives
At present businesses such as retailers and food and beverage
makers shoulder recycling fees of packaging waste that has been
collected and separated by local governments
In fiscal municipalities were estimated to have spent a
total of billion yen for collection and separation of garbage
Meanwhile businesses paid about billion yen in recycling fees in
fiscal and the burden is expected to surpass billion yen in
fiscal
As complaints from local governments suffering from fiscal
deficits mount the ministries suggest diverting billion to
billion yen in payments from those businesses to municipalities if
the local governments succeed in reducing the amount of waste and
thus cutting necessary recycling fees
METI suggests steering billion yen to local governments while
the Environment Ministry proposes that up to billion yen should be
provided to the municipalities
Members of the METI panel failed to reach agreement on the new
scheme during the council meeting Wednesday Representatives of the
businesses claimed they need to know how much money would go to local
governments under the new system
METI pledged to present more details on the proposed new scheme
for further discussion in midJanuary
At the meeting METI stressed the importance of raising consumer
awareness on the need to reduce the disposal of plastic bags and
encouraging them to bring their own shopping bags to supermarkets and
other retail stores
METI also called for using plastic packaging waste as fuel for
power generation when the amount of garbage exceeds recycling
capacities
These proposals if approved by the panel will be written into
a bill for amending the recycling law The ministries hope to submit
the bill to next years regular Diet session
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MEXICO CITY Dec Xinhua Latin Americas three major stock markets closed higher on Thursday
Mexico Citys stock market IPC index rose percent and closed at points A total of million shares were traded at million US dollars
The Buenos Aires stock market closed with the Merval index up percent and ended at points The trade volume was million dollars
In Sao Paulo Latin Americas biggest bourse the leading Bovespa index closed at points up percent The trade volume was million dollars Enditem
PARIS France on Thursday denied any military presence in Iraq one day after the kidnappers of the French hostage Bernard Planche threatened to execute him unless Paris ended its illegitimate presence there FranceIraqHostage
WASHINGTON The USled military coalition in Iraq is shrinking as two countries finished pulling their troops out this month and four others announced plans to remove hundreds more the USA Today reported Thursday USIraqTroops
WASHINGTON The number of hunger strikers in the US prison at Guantanamo Bay Cuba has grown substantially since Christmas Day the US military said Thursday
Jeremy Martin a US military spokesman said prisoners at the facility holding foreign terrorism suspects joined the hunger strike last Sunday increasing the total fasting population to in a nearly fivemonth hunger strike USTerrorismPrisoners
LILONGWE The Malawi government Thursday announced that the country had been cleared of any bird flu following the negative outcome of laboratory results of bird tissues that were sent for screening in South Africa two weeks ago MalawiBird flu
MOSCOW Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov estimated on Thursday the countrys growth of gross domestic product this year would reach at least percent and inflation would not exceed percent Russiaeconomy Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Following are some of the major international news stories scheduled to be covered or pursued by Xinhua on Friday
Ukraine lifts emergency measures against bird flu
Guatemala criticizes the immigration policy of the United States
US Treasury Secretary John Snow urges Congress to raise the governments borrowing authority Enditem
WASHINGTON Dec Xinhua US Treasury Secretary John Snow on Thursday urged the Congress to raise the governments borrowing authority saying the United States could face the prospect of not being able to pay its bills early next year unless the debt limit is raised
In a letter to the US Congress Snow estimated that the government is expected to bump into the statutory debt limit around the middle of February
At that time unless the debt limit is raised or the Treasury Department takes authorized extraordinary actions we will be unable to continue to finance government operations Snow wrote
I am writing to request that Congress raise the statutory debt limit as soon as possible the letter said
Snow did not say how much of a boost to the current debt limit the department would like to see this time
The last time when the US Congress agreed to boost the debt limit was in November and the debt limit was increased from trillion dollars to the current trillion dollars The governments statutory borrowing authority also had been raised in and in Enditem
ALMA ATA Dec Xinhua Turkmen President Saparmurat Niyazov said on Thursday that Turkmenistan has huge potential in cooperation with Russia in the energy sector especially in the field of natural gas reports from Ashkhabad said
When meeting with Russias Gasprom company Board Chairman Aleksei Miller Niyazov said both Turkmenistan and Russia are rich in energy resources while Turkmenistan has advantages in energy prices and exploitation conditions
He said Turkmenistan will be exporting billion cubic meters of natural gas annually to Russia by the year under a deal reached with Russian President Vladimir Putin in
Meanwhile a report of the Interfax news agency said the Russian company has agreed to import from Turkmenistan billion cubic meters of natural gas in at the price of US dollars per cubic meters
Natural gas exports constitute a significant part of Turkmenistans economy The country is estimated to earn billion dollars from Russia under the deal under which total exports will amount to trillion cubic meters Turkmenistan also exports natural gas to Ukraine and Iran Enditem
KIEV Dec Xinhua Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko signed a decree on Thursday lifting the state of emergency in the bird fluaffected Crimea peninsula the presidential press service said
An outbreak of the deadly HN bird flu epidemic in the region has been eliminated and authorities will take necessary measures to prevent new cases said the press service
Nearly domestic fowls have been culled in Crimea so far since Ukraine reported its first outbreak of the disease in a dozen villages on the peninsula in early December
The local government paid hryvnya about US dollars in compensation to villagers who suffered from the culling
The Agricultural Ministry confirmed on Dec that the H substrain bird flu virus was detected in villages in Crimea Yushchenko then announced a state of emergency in the affected areas
Up to now no human cases of the disease have been reported in Ukraine
The HN bird flu virus which experts fear might mutate into a new type that easily transmits among humans has killed more than people in Asia Enditem
MADRID Dec Xinhua Spanish police seized tons of cocaine in Madrid on Wednesday night in the biggest bust in Spanish history police said on Thursday
According to police the drug was hidden in onekg packs in several tanks at the Barajas International Airport and in the Loeches community in Madrid
The drug was brought in from Venezuela to Amsterdam the Netherlands with a stopover in Miami of the United States and was supposedly bound for a firm of Seville
Three Spanish men aged from to were arrested Wednesday night when they went to pick up five tanks of drug hidden in Loeches The remaining drug was found at Barajas
Police were still searching for those accountable for the distribution of the drug who police believe were hiding in Madrid and nearby places during the holidays Enditem
CARACAS Dec Xinhua Along with a strengthening of the political relationship between the two countries Venezuela and Cuba have also significantly increased their bilateral trade in recent years Venezuelan media reported on Thursday
Venezuela has increased its export of oil and manufactured products with Cuba receiving barrels of Venezuelan crude oil every day said Gustavo Marquez Venezuelan State Minister for Integration and Foreign Trade
I dont have the final figures of trade volume this year but it will probably exceed billion USdollars including the supply of petroleum Marquez said adding that the commercial relationship between the two countries is strong and clearly growing
The total trade volume between Cuba and Venezuela climbed from million dollars in to millions in Although it dropped to million dollars in it has experienced steady growth over the past three years
The trade between Venezuela and Cuba has greatly benefited the two nations Marquez noted Enditem
KIEV Dec Xinhua Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko rejected on Thursday Russias offer of a multibilliondollar loan to help his country adjust to a fourfold increase in gas prices demanded by Russias staterun gas monopoly Gazprom
Ukraine does not need these credits Ukraine will rely on its own resources under a clear correctly and objectively formed price said Yushchenko in a televised speech delivered after a second day of talks between the two countries
He also called the price rise a provocation
The row came after Gazprom threatened to stop supplying gas to Ukraine on New Years Day unless Kiev agrees to pay the world market prices which mean US dollars per cubic meters instead of the dollars it pays now
Russia offered to loan up to billion dollars to help Ukraine prepare for the price hike
Kiev argued that the objective price for the Russian gas in Ukraine now is dollars not dollars
It also suggested that the price increase be phased in gradually such as with a threeyear transition period because sudden and huge hikes would hurt the countrys heavy industries
The two countries were to resume talks on Friday
Also on Thursday Yushchenko decreed that gas and electricity prices for all consumers would rise to an economically founded level and called on authorities to find ways to cut energy consumption
Ukraine relies on Russia for about a third of its gas and Turkmenistan for percent Enditem
MEXICO CITY Dec Xinhua Guatemala condemned a US immigration bill as inhuman on Thursday saying Washington treats Latin America as a region of criminals reports reaching here said
The bill was absolutely intolerable and inhuman as the US industry trade and families have benefited from Latin American immigration legal or illegal Guatemalan Vice President Eduardo Stein told the press in the capital Guatemala City
It seems a true offense to all Latin America that a government who says it is a friend and partner of the region only wants our money and products said Stein
The United States treats Latin America as though we were a subhemisphere of criminals he added
The vice president said the bill forced Latin America to reconsider its relations with the United States
Guatemala lodged a protest to the United States last week against the antiimmigration bill and agreed to fight it together with Mexico
Under the bill a fencing of km will be built along the km border between the United States and Mexico Military technologies will also be used to prevent undocumented immigration
Illegal immigrants and those who help them including their family members will be taken as criminals the bill said
Stein said the immigration issue will never be solved with the construction of a fence
As for the negotiations with Mexico on joint measures against the bill Stein said the two countries would seek a way to ensure the immigrants rights
Guatemalan Foreign Minister Jorge Briz and his Mexican counterpart Ernesto Derbez have agreed to meet in Mexico City on Jan to work out the joint measures against the bill which has been passed by the US House of Representatives and is under consideration in the Senate Enditem
RIO DE JANEIRO Dec Xinhua A Brazilian oil firm PETROBRAS announced on Thursday that it had discovered a new oil deposit the finding of which has opened a new frontier in the exploration of deeper geological layers
This finding promotes a new exploration model which could be utilized in the discovery of lighter and betterquality oil read the PETROBRAS statement
The company said that the Campos basins average depth of meters left the possibility that there are two superimposed petroleum structures something that had already been foreseen by its experts
According to PETROBRAS the new deposit which is located in the Campos basin off the coast of the state of Rio de Janeiro lies deeper than those currently exploited and contains betterquality petroleum
The drilling was carried out at a location where the sea has a depth of meters approximately km off the coast Experts discovered a meterdeep deposit of APIdegree crude oil which is lighter than that of the Marlim Leste deposit Enditem
BEIRUT Dec Xinhua A Lebanese Druze leader condemned Syria for plotting a rocket attack from Lebanon on northern Israel this week
At a press conference on Thursday Walid Jumblatt president of the Lebanese Progressive Socialist Party said the Syrian government had sent several lethal messages before the holiday The first one was firing rockets from Lebanese territory into Israel and it was answered by Israeli air raids He said Syria should have fired these rockets into the occupied Golan Heights
Jumblatt said that Lebanon condemns the rocket attack and emphasized the importance of ending Palestinian guerrilla presence outside refugee camps
In the Tuesday rocket attack seven rockets landed in northern Israel leaving five Israelis injured and a residential area heavily damaged
Israeli warplanes blasted in the wee hours Wednesday one of the Popular Front for the Liberation of PalestineGeneral Commands bases km south of Beirut wounding two guerrillas Enditem
CARACAS Dec Xinhua The Venezuelan Interior and Justice Ministry said on Thursday that it had recovered a capsule of highly radioactive material which was on board a truck stolen days ago
The radioactive capsule was found in Yaritagua in Yaracuy State thanks to the intelligence work of the National Guard said a ministry statement
Experts from the Energy Ministry were sent to the region to examine the capsule the statement said
The capsule contained Iridium which emits powerful gamma radiation and is used for industrial radiography such as for detecting faults in underground industrial pipelines
A police detective two state security policemen and a salesman were arrested in connection with the theft of the truck which carried the capsule in its lunch boxsized protective container ministry officials stated
They had previously said that it was thought to have been a simple case of car theft
It was the third incident involving such devices this year One has been found and the other was suspected to have been dumped in a lake in the west of the country Enditem
SANAA Dec Xinhua Leaders of the four member countries of the Sanaa Forum reached three agreements on export expansion and agricultural and cultural cooperation as they wrapped up their fourth summit in Yemens southern port city of Aden on Thursday
During the annual summit on Dec and leaders of Yemen Sudan and Ethiopia Somalia discussed such issues as free trade illicit weapon trading prevention of illegal immigration and fight against terrorism
The agreements should be implemented as soon as possible the leaders said stressing that they would create a favorable environment for free trade within the group encourage business people to invest abroad and try to make zerotariff trade possible in the near future
Leaders of the four nations pledged to strengthen security cooperation and severely crack down on terrorism especially the increasingly rampant piracy They decided to devote more efforts to antiterror personnel training and information exchanges so as to secure a safe and stable environment for economic cooperation and development within the group
During the meeting they also called upon Horn of Africa rivals Eritrea and Ethiopia to enhance communication and use dialogue and peaceful means to settle their border disputes
The Sanaa Forum cherishes the cooperation within the group as well as exchanges with other countries in the region Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh said at the closing ceremony adding that its door is always open for those who would like to join the group
The Sanaa Forum was set up by Yemen Sudan and Ethiopia in October and Somalia joined the group in December last year Enditem
CARACAS Dec Xinhua The Central Bank of Venezuela approved the use of the euro for some financial transactions to diversify dealings in foreign currencies
According to a report by the monetary institution it will allow authorized foreign exchange operators to make payments and purchases in the euro as well as the US dollar which most companies in Venezuela have been using for international transactions
The decision promotes the diversification of Venezuelas financial and economic dealings internationally said the bank
The bank has made efforts to diversify its investments at the request of President Hugo Chavez to limit dependence on the US dollar
Initially the program will only allow large electronic transactions to be conducted in euros and will exclude cashbased operations such as exchanging bolivars into euros for individuals
European firms in Venezuela seeking to return profits to their home countries are forced at present to convert Venezuelan bolivars first into US dollars and then to euros and the procedure is costly
Venezuela imposed a currencyexchange control in February to curb the flight of capital that took place as a result of the labor stoppage headed by the opposition to exert pressure on Chavez to leave office
The currencyexchange control strictly regulates the amount of dollars that firms and individuals can buy each year Since last March the official exchange rate has been bolivars per dollar Enditem
LISBON Dec Xinhua Seven of the candidates for the Portuguese presidential elections to be held on Jan were rejected on Thursday by the Portugal Constitutional Tribunal
The candidacies were nullified by the judges of the tribunal for alleged irregularities including failure to gather the required voters signatures or because documents presented by the candidates certifying the signatures were not considered to be valid
After the ruling the most outstanding candidates remaining in the
presidential race are former Prime Minister Anibal Cavaco Silva supported
by the Social Democratic Party and the Popular Party and
former President Mario Soares backed by the Socialist Party
The disqualified candidates have the right to appeal until pm Friday If they appeal the Constitutional Tribunal will make a final decision on Jan Enditem
ISLAMABAD Dec Xinhua At least people were killed on Thursday when an avalanche struck Kohistan km northeast of Peshawar local police chief Ataullah Wazir said Friday Enditem
BAGHDAD Dec Xinhua Iraqs Shiite and Kurdish leaders said on Thursday that they agree in principle to enlarge the next governments cabinet to include representatives of other communities in a bid to push for a national unity government
The Kurdish coalition and the Shiite alliance agree in principle on a government of national unity Kurdish leader and Iraqi President Jalal Talabani told reporters after a meeting with Shiite leader Abdul Aziz alHakim in Dokhan a mountain resort km north of Baghdad
However Talabani specified that there would be some restrictions in the forming of an enlarged cabinet saying the other parties must believe in certain principles including rejection of terrorism
Abdul Aziz alHakim leader of the Shiite Muslim alliance visited the Kurdish capital Arbil on Wednesday to hold talks on forming a consensus government to soothe Sunni Arabs and secular parties who said the Dec parliamentary elections were rigged
After the Dec elections disappointed Sunnis and secularists called for demonstrations to denounce alleged electoral fraud in the elections Enditem
ISLAMABAD Dec Xinhua At least people were killed after
they were buried in an avalanche in northwestern Pakistan police said on Friday
The incident happened on Thursday in the area of Kohistan km northeast of Peshawar where snow has fallen in recent weeks Enditem
WASHINGTON Dec Xinhua The US Federal Aviation Administration FAA released proposed rules on Thursday to regulate the future of space tourism covering aspects ranging from crew qualifications and preflight training to passenger medical standards
According to the more than pages of regulations companies should inform the passenger of space travel risks while the passenger should provide a written consent before boarding The passenger should also get preflight training on emergency responses and on a safe escape from the vehicle
On the crew part the FAAproposed rules require pilots to have an FAA pilot certificate and the ability to operate the space vehicle Each crew member must have a medical certificate issued within a year of the flight and their physical and mental state must be sufficient to perform safetyrelated roles
The FAA was tasked with drawing up the rules by a law signed a year ago by President George W Bush The FAA was required to adopt a phased approach to regulating the commercial human space flight
The first set of the proposed rules on crew qualifications training and informed consent for passengers are expected to take effect next June Under the law the FAA should wait for eight years or an incident involving serious injuries or a fatality to occur to issue safetyrelated rules
In California businessman Dennis Tito became the worlds first space tourist He paid million US dollars for the trip to the international space station There have been so far three paying space tourists in the world Enditem
NEW YORK Oil prices rebounded Thursday after the US government data showed an unexpected drop in gasoline inventories
The supply of gasoline declined by million barrels last week to million barrels or six percent below year ago levels the Department of Energy said Gasoline futures traded on the New York Mercantile Exchange climbed cents to settle at dollars per gallon USOil
CARACAS The Central Bank of Venezuela approved the use of the euro for some financial transactions to diversify dealings in foreign currencies
According to a report by the monetary institution it will allow authorized foreign exchange operators to make payments and purchases in the euro as well as the US dollar which most companies in Venezuela have been using for international transactions VenezuelaEuro
MOSCOW Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov estimated on Thursday the countrys growth of gross domestic product this year would reach at least percent and inflation would not exceed percent
Speaking at a cabinet meeting Fradkov said industry and agriculture are reviving although inflation exceeds the target RussiaGDP
PARIS The French Labor Ministry announced Thursday that the countrys unemployment fell by percent in November for the eighth straight month to percent
The number of unemployed immediately seeking fulltime work or the official barometer of unemployment fell percent in November from October and stands at and this index fell percent during one year percent for men and percent for women USJobData Enditem
HAVANA Dec Xinhua The Secretary General of the Caribbean Community CARICOM Edwin Carrington on Thursday predicted a significant increase of trade with South America in
An agreement will be signed in January between the governments of the region to create a common Caribbean market after which it is planned to make official links with the South American Common Market MERCOSUR said Carrington
The first step toward the consolidation of the links took place with the signing of the PETROCARIBE Agreement the CARICOM chief said
In June Venezuela reached the deal with a dozen Caribbean countries through which Venezuela will sell crude oil at lower rates than on the international market
The Caribbean nations also strengthened its collaboration with Brazil in search of schemes to make improvements in the sugar industry such as the construction of an ethanol plant Carrington said
The common Caribbean market will be fully operational in providing the region with a strong institution for the establishment of alliances which will promote investment and exchange with other regional blocs like MERCOSUR and the European Union
The regional initiative came as an alternative to the Free Trade Area of the Americas FTAA proposal promoted by the United States Enditem
ISLAMABAD Dec Xinhua At least people were killed after
they were buried in an avalanche in northwestern Pakistan police said on Friday
The incident happened on Thursday in the area of Kohistan km northeast of Peshawar where snow has fallen in recent weeks Enditem
SEOUL Dec Xinhua The National Assembly of South Korea on Friday approved a government plan to withdraw nearly onethird of the countrys troops stationed in Iraq Enditem
CAIRO Dec Xinhua Ten Sudanese migrants were killed Friday in clashes with Egyptian police in Cairo Interior Ministry said in a statement
Hundreds of Sudanese had been living in a camp since it was set up Sept as a protest against the UN refugee agency whose offices are nearby
There was a stampede that left of the protesters injured most of them the elderly and young and they were immediately taken to the hospital where of them died said the ministry statement Enditem
NEW YORK Dec Xinhua A British Airways plane that was forced to return to John F Kennedy International Airport due to an engine fire safely landed and no one was injured local officials have said
The Boeing heading to London had to fly back shortly after takeoff late Thursday night because one of the planes four engines was found catch fire the officials said
The Flight with about passengers on board landed safely and the fire has been put out
The passengers and crew were scheduled to take another flight on Friday morning Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The following are the top world news events in the year selected by Xinhua
World crude price hits record high
The crude prices started to soar early this year amid concerns over rising demand for heating oil because of the cold weather that fell on the United States On the New York Mercantile Exchange crude oil futures rose to above US dollars a barrel in February before climbing up to over dollars in June
The prices were pushed higher and surged to an astonishing alltime high of above dollars on Aug amid concerns over supply shortages caused by the upcoming Hurricane Katrina
The prices fell later but still stayed at around dollars at the end of the year
More countries are plagued by bird flu
Bird flu began spreading in more than Asian countries and regions including Vietnam Indonesia Thailand and China Later in the year Russia Ukraine Romania Britain Colombia and Turkey were also hit by avian flu
In some Asian countries human beings started being infected and killed by the virus which triggered grave concern over the possible transmission of the virus through humantohuman contact
The United Nations and other international organizations convened a string of meetings calling for international cooperation to address the issue
UN reform staggers along
A proposal submitted by UN SecretaryGeneral Kofi Annan on March to the General Assembly envisions unprecedented changes to the United Nations
On July China issued a position paper the first of its kind elaborating on Chinas allaround stance on UN reform It emphasized multilateralism and urged the reforms to meet the need of the developing countries
On the expansion of the Security Council draft resolutions proposed separately by the African Union the Group of Four Germany Brazil India and Japan the United States and the Uniting for Consensus UFC group led by Pakistan Italy and South Korea were tabled to the General Assembly but none of them was put to a vote due to lack of support
World leaders attend commemoration of World War II
On May leaders of more than countries attended commemorative events held in Moscow on the occasion of the th anniversary of the victory of Russias Great Patriotic War and the end of World War II in Europe
On the same day the UN General Assembly held a special session to mark the anniversary and honor the wartime soldiers and victims of the war
Meanwhile Asian countries including China and South Korea also held events to celebrate the victory of antiJapanese aggression war
France Holland reject EU constitution
The process of EU constitution ratification was crippled on May when the French rejected the European Constitutional Treaty in a public referendum with percent of the votes against it Two days later the treaty was rejected again by the Netherlands
Britain Portugal Denmark Sweden Poland and Finland all said the ratification of the treaty should be postponed On June the EU leaders decided during a summit to extend the deadline to ratify the treaty beyond the planned November
Terrorism remains a global concern
Terrorism remains a grave concern as regional stability was constantly threatened by explosions that hit countries across the world
A series of blasts ripped through Londons transport system on July during rushhour morning killing and injured more than others Blasts hit Londons subway and buses again later that month
In the year explosions one after another hit Egypts Sharm elSheik resort Indonesias Bali island the Indian capital New Delhi and Jordans capital Amman causing heavy casualties and posing a severe threat to world peace and stability
Sixparty nuclear talks make headway
The sixparty nuclear talks participated by China the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea DPRK the United States Russia South Korea and Japan made substantial progress in
The talks reopened in late July in Beijing after oneyear suspension and the parties adopted a Joint Statement which outlines the principles for the solution of the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula after two phases of tough negotiations
The fifth round of the sixparty talks ended in November with a chairmans statement which reaffirmed that all the parties involved would fully implement the Joint Statement in line with the principle of commitment for commitment action for action
Israel withdraws from Gaza
In spite of strong opposition the Israeli government kicked off its unilateral plan to withdraw some Jewish settlements from the Gaza Strip and part of the West Bank marking an end to the countrys decadeslong occupation of the territory
The plan however has left serious political social and moral scars on Israel and eventually led to a political turmoil as Prime Minister Ariel Sharon quit the ruling Likud party in November to set up a new central party and demanded an early poll
Analysts say Sharon keeping away from the constraints of the Likud will be free to pursue a more moderate line he has espoused in recent years a twostate solution and the socalled roadmap peace plan
Natural disasters hit the world frequently
More than people were killed by Hurricane Katrina that hit the United States on Aug It was the most deadly hurricane that had struck the United States since
The Pakistanicontrolled Kashmir was rocked by a powerful earthquake measuring on the Richter scale on Oct About people were killed injured and million displaced
The World Meteorological Organization said on Dec in its annual review that weather extremes reached new levels in view of the unprecedented severity of drought flood and hurricanes that hit the world in
France was plagued by riots
France was ravaged by widespread riots apparently triggered by the electrocution of two teenagers trying to escape police on Oct in a northern Paris suburb
The riots which lasted for more than days and spread to hundreds of French towns prompted the French government to declare a state of emergency on Nov
Over cars were burned and dozens of buildings were damaged in the riots the French police said Enditem
SEOUL Two ministers of South Korea submitted on Friday their resignation to President Roh Moohyun to return to the ruling Uri Party
Unification Minister Chung Dongyoung and Health and Welfare Minister Kim Geungtae resigned Yonhap News Agency said Observers said they were apparently aimed at competing for the presidential elections SKoreaMinistersResigning
SEOUL South Korean National Assembly Friday approved the government bill of extending the deployment of its troops in Iraq for one year while cutting almost one third of the troops from the Middle East country
According to the bill South Korean troops in Iraq will prolong their sojourn from this month to December SKoreaIraqDeployment
GAZA The Rafah border crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt was closed on Friday after Palestinian policemen stormed the crossing and the European monitors fled the area Palestinian and European officials said
PalestineEgyptBorder
ISLAMABAD Twentyfour people were killed and another one was critically wounded Thursday when an avalanche hit them in the upper mountainous area at Sput Mali in Pakistans North West Frontier Province NWFP
According to the staterun APP news agency The people were going to Sput Mali to dig out precious stones and explore mines when an avalanche suddenly fell on them PakistanAvalanche Enditem
KIEV Dec Xinhua Russian President Vladimir Putin has vowed to ensure gas supplies to Ukraine Ukrainian Prime Minister Yury Ekhanurov said on Friday
Mr Putin declared that gas deliveries to Ukrainian consumers must be ensured Ukraines Era FM radio quoted Ekhanurov as saying
Russias staterun natural gas monopoly Gazprom has threatened to stop supplying gas to Ukraine by New Years Day if Kiev does not agree to the fourfold price increase it has demanded
Talks were continuing in Moscow on Friday between two countries on the issue
Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko rejected on Thursday Russias offer of a multibilliondollar loan to help his country adjust to the new gas prices
Ukraine relies on Russia for about a third of its gas needs and on Turkmenistan for percent
Ekhanurov also said Friday that Ukraine will receive billion cubic meters of natural gas from Turkmenistan in because an agreement has already been signed Enditem
LONDON Dec Xinhua Following are major news items in leading British newspapers on Friday
Financial Times
Banks face a possible clampdown on sales practices after a watchdog identified concerns about the way some loans and credit cards are being sold
The Guardian
Palestinian investigators and British consular officials were last night urgently trying to make contact with the Palestinian group who abducted a British aid worker and her parents in the Gaza Strip more than hours after they disappeared
The Times
A crisis in childcare has forced the Government to use taxpayers money to subsidize privately run nurseries in an attempt to improve standards
The Daily Telegraph
The family of three Britons kidnapped in the Gaza Strip appealed for the release of their kind and loving parents and sister yesterday as Palestinian security forces set up a dragnet to catch their abductors Enditem
CARACAS Dec Xinhua Venezuelas tax office has demanded millions of US dollars in back taxes from three foreign oil companies the state news agency ABN reported on Friday
According to ABN the three foreign companies are Frances Total Spains Repsol and Janpans Teikoku They were demanded to pay a total of million US dollars in back taxes
Among the companies the Venezuelan National Customs and Tax Administration Seniat demanded million dollars from Total million from Repsol and three million from Teikoku
Officials from Seniat also mentioned that five other foreign oil companies would be demanded for back payments in January
As the worlds fifth largest oil producer Venezuela adopted a ZeroEvasion Plan last year as part of the nations antitax evasion efforts Enditem
BERLIN Dec Xinhua The currency of euro is as good as Germanys mark and the Germans should be more optimistic about their economy said JeanClaude Trichet president of the European Central Bank ECB
When we took office we had to promise nations that the new currency would be at least as good as their old currencies Trichet said in an interview with the German magazine of Spiegel on Thursday
Before euro entered circulation on Jan there were a few bests of currencies including the deutsche mark Trichet said I am proud that the euro is just as reliable as the deutsche mark was
Weak domestic demand resulting from a lack of confidence is one of the problems facing Germanys economy which has been sluggish for recent years
Germans perhaps tend to overemphasize the difficulties At the same time the public underestimates what your country has already achieved Trichet said
Of course reunification was an enormous undertaking But the Germans have come a long way since then he said
German official statistics show that every year around billion euros about billion US dollars or percent of its trillion US dollars GDP in are transferred from the western part to the east region
Trichet called on Germans to be more confident about their economy
And since the introduction of the euro the German economys cost competitiveness has improved considerably compared to the EU average This is partly reflected in Germanys export numbers he added
The German Federal Statistics Office said the countrys exports valued at billion euros billion US dollars in October increased percent from a year ago
Trichet concluded that there is no reason why this improvement in the countrys economic situation shouldnt eventually affect domestic demand and especially consumption
Comparing the thinking of Americans with that of Europeans Trichet said a happy medium should be found
Optimism is systematic in the United States For the Americans the glass is always half full whereas its always half empty in the euro zone and in the current German culture he said
The fact is that our glass is both half full and half empty We continue to face tremendous internal challenges Trichet said But they are surmountable because we have already demonstrated that we can do it
We Europeans simply have to believe in ourselves more strongly he said Enditem
LONDON Dec Xinhua A New Years Eve strike on the London Underground is to go ahead after talks failed to resolve a dispute over the assignment of new staff and working schedules
At noon on Saturday more than Underground workers will participate in the hour strike in which the entire network will be shut down
London Mayor Ken Livingstone said the strike would do nothing other than spoil a great night for hundreds of thousands of Londoners
He added the National Union of Rail Maritime and Transport Workers RMT who planned the strike were getting a hour week with no loss of pay and no reduction in staffing
The RMT shunned talks with London Underground LU on Thursday saying LU had rejected its offer to suspend the strike in return for a hold on the introduction of new rosters which are feared could compromise safety
Bob Crow general secretary of RMT said it was almost beyond belief that LU had turned down its offer
He was also quoted as saying the deal would have allowed services to run on New Years Eve and given us the room for indepth discussions to take place later
The union has also called a hour strike from on Sunday January to on Monday January Enditem
LONDON Dec Xinhua A survey has revealed that nearly percent of Britons plan to take their main annual holiday in the winter
More than two in five of those questioned did not take a holiday this summer traditionally the most popular time of year to get away showing that vacation patterns are changing Sky News quoted on Friday a survey from the International Currency Exchange as saying
Travel agents say the boom in late season holidays is largely being driven by young professionals who do not have children
Paul Westerman marketing manager at the International Currency Exchange said We are seeing the emergence of a nation of winter holidaymakers Keen to get a break and unrestricted by school holidays our survey has shown that holidaymakers no longer have to go away in August
With plenty of longhaul destinations offering winter sun they can still get their summer holiday in winter he added
Keith Betton from the Association of British Travel Agents said Experienced British travellers without children now have the freedom to use their leisure time and money however they choose
According to him the days of waiting all year for a twoweek package holiday of sunshine in July and August are becoming a thing of the past People are increasingly taking several city weekend breaks per annum but enjoy an exotic holiday towards the end of the year Enditem
LONDON Dec Xinhua Unmarried and samesex couples in Britain have the right to adopt children under a new law that came into force on Friday
The historic change in the Adoption and Children Act which was passed by parliament in allows both kinds of couples to become a childs adoptive parents Previously only married couples or single people could apply for adoption Sky News reported on Friday
The British Association for Adoption and Fostering BAAF called it the most radical overhaul of adoption law for years
Felicity Collier chief executive of BAAF said These changes will have a major impact on thousands of families Opening up adoption to unmarried partners will encourage more people to consider adoption
She added that too many children spent too long in temporary care waiting for an adoptive family And in some cases they never had the chance of adoption at all
The Act also introduces special guardianship orders for other carers
Foster carers relatives and others caring for a child can apply for a special guardianship order which is expected to last until the child is
The application of such an order would mean that the child was no longer the responsibility of a local authority
Other measures include allowing birth mothers the right to trace an adoptive adult through an intermediary service Enditem
WASHINGTON Dec Xinhua The following are major news items in leading US newspapers on Friday
The New York Times
Online retailers whose growth was expected to level off after a decade of dizzying gains experienced a stellar holiday season according to two preliminary reports released yesterday as traditional stores like WalMart and Target cemented their place on the Web
American commanders are planning to increase significantly the number of soldiers advising Iraqi police commando units in part to curtail abuse that the units are suspected of inflicting on Sunni Arabs a senior commander in Iraq said Thursday
The Washington Post
The effort President Bush authorized shortly after Sept to fight Al Qaeda has grown into the largest CIA covert action program since the height of the Cold War expanding in size and ambition despite a growing outcry at home and abroad over its clandestine tactics according to former and current intelligence officials and congressional and administration sources
The scandal surrounding disgraced South Korean stem cell researcher Hwang Woo Suk deepened yesterday as an investigator told reporters in Seoul that none of the tailormade cell colonies Hwang claimed to have created earlier this year actually exist
The Wall Street Journal
Existing home prices climbed last month even though sales declined But economists say the trend can not last if inventories of unsold homes especially condominiums continue to grow The November sales drop was the second consecutive monthly decline Despite the cooling existing home sales were on track to reach a record for the full year Enditem
PYONGYANG Dec Xinhua The Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea DPRK on Thursday condemned the United States for carrying out more than alleged aerial espionage operations against it in December
Every day Us made shuttle flights in the sky over the east and west seas of the south side along the Military Demarcation Line MDL to spy on strategic targets a military source said in an article quoted by the official Korean Central News Agency KCNA
The article also said RC strategic reconnaissance planes flew in the air above the east and west seas of Korea to spy on the major targets in the north side
Similar espionage operations were alleged to have been perpetrated frequently by E EP and other tactical and electronic reconnaissance planes against the north according to the article
In November the DPRK said the United States carried out as many as aerial espionage operations the most in a single month this year KCNA reported Enditem
MOSCOW Dec Xinhua The Russian Foreign Ministry on Friday dismissed as groundless Israeli claims that Hezbollah militants used Russianmade missiles in attacks on Israeli territory
Israels military intelligence chief Aharon ZeeviFarkash said in an interview with Israeli media on Thursday that Hezbollah fired Russianmade missiles received from Syria in recent attacks on Israeli territory
There are no and can be no grounds for them such statements Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Mikhail Kamynin said in a statement posted on the ministrys web site adding Russia is strictly adhering to its obligations in militarytechnical cooperation in the Middle East
The arms export control system we have developed is one of the strictest and most reliable in the world It rules out any possibility of misuse of weapons Kamynin said
The spokesman reiterated Moscows commitment to guaranteeing stability and security in the Middle East and promoting a political settlement of the conflicts in the region Enditem
GENEVA Dec Xinhua The big freeze gripping Europe has pushed temperatures in parts of Switzerland down to Siberian levels and left some communities short of water the official website Swissinfo reported on Friday
Thursday night was the coldest yet this winter in La Brevine known as the Siberia of Switzerland the quicksilver dropped to degrees Celsius But more unusual according to the Swiss weather service were the icy temperatures at lower altitudes
Despite plenty of snow the freezing air has exacerbated the dry conditions leaving some small lakes virtually empty Some farmers in La Brevine are being forced to buy water for their livestock because its reservoirs have run dry
Normally these farmers use hydrants to provide water for their animals but the shortage is so acute that from Jan they will have to buy water from other areas
Levels in rivers and larger lakes such as Constance on the German border are also very low although not low enough for the authorities to call an emergency
Several accidents have happened on icy roads and one death was reported on Wednesday night in Canton Neuchatel Weather experts are warning of a worsening of the severe road conditions
In Switzerland a gradual warming is predicted over the weekend although weather experts are warning of strong winds and heavy snowfall on Friday night By Saturday the snow is expected to turn into rain at lower altitudes which should help relieve the drought Enditem
WASHINGTON Dec Xinhua The Iraqis face great challenges in forming a new national government but they will eventually surmount all of these difficulties a Pentagon spokesman said
One of the big challenges thats in front of the Iraqi people is seating a government that reflects and respects the views of all the Iraqi people and doing it in a way in which all Iraqis can feel included in the political process Pentagon Spokesman Bryan Whitman was quoted by US Armed Forces Press as saying on Thursday
He was responding to questions raised by the US media about alleged discord among members of Iraqs Sunni Shiite and Kurdish factions after the Dec elections
What you are seeing is all factions Sunnis Kurds Shiites are all talking and theyre talking to each other Whitman said And they are working out their differences through a political process and not through violence
He said although forming the new government is a great challenge for the Iraqis the USled coalition troops will continue to provide the type of environment along with the Iraqi security forces to allow that process to take hold and to get traction
Nobody has ever claimed that this was going to be something that is easy Whitman said
But one only has to spend a few hours in Iraq to really understand the dedication and how committed the Iraqi people are to making this work he said
On Dec Iraqis voted for new members to sit in the countrys member fouryear national assembly
Votes are still being counted but it is widely acknowledged that Shiitebacked candidates will likely constitute the majority of the new parliament
Shiites account for around percent of the Iraqi population while Kurds and Sunnis each make up about percent Enditem
BERLIN A former German diplomat and four members of his family kidnapped in Yemen could be released later Thursday a media report said
Germanys ARD public TV quoted Yemeni government sources as saying the former German government minister his wife and three children could be freed in the course of the day YemenGerman HostagesRelease
BAGHDAD Four policemen were killed and five other people wounded in a suicide bomb attack targeting a police patrol in Baghdad early on Thursday an Interior Ministry source told Xinhua
The bloody incident occurred when a suicide bomber wearing an explosive belt blew himself up when a police patrol just drove out of the Iraqi Interior Ministry the source said
Four Iraqi policemen were killed and five other people including three policemen and two Iraqi civilians wounded in the blast the source added IraqSuicide Bombing
JERUSALEM Three Palestinians and one Israeli were killed when two Palestinian suicide bombers including a woman blew themselves up at an Israeli army checkpoint near the northern West Bank city of Tulkarem Israel Radio reported on Thursday
Previous reports only said one Israeli was killed in the attack
Three other Israeli soldiers were seriously wounded in the blast the sources said IsraelSuicide Bombing
SANAA At least people died and dozens more were missing in a landslide in Yemen officials said on Thursday
The landslide hit alDhofair a small village near the Yemeni capital of Sanaa late on Wednesday said a Yemeni official adding that dozens of houses in the village were destroyed YemenLandslideCasualties
BAGHDAD Ten suspected insurgents were killed in a US airstrike on a village in northern Iraq on Tuesday the US military said on Thursday IraqUS Airstrike
BAGHDAD Unknown gunmen stormed a house in a town south of Baghdad on Thursday killing family members an Interior Ministry source told Xinhua
Six armed men stormed a house in Latifiyah town and killed members of the same family the source said on condition of anonymity IraqKilling
CAIRO Ten Egyptians were murdered mysteriously and their bodies mutilated in southern Egypt on Thursday police said
The victims were from three families in the village of Ezbet Shamseddin km south of Cairo The murdered included a yearold woman and four children under EgyptMurder Enditem
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BRUSSELS Dec Xinhua Dutch leading soccer club Ajax signed striker Klaas Jan Huntelaar away from Heerenveen on Thursday after the two teams agreed to a transfer fee
The yearold who signed a fourandahalf year contract with Ajax leads the Eredivisie League with goals this season
Huntelaar is a real striker who will fit in just fine said Ajax coach Danny Blind
Huntelaar who is signed through the summer of will practice with his new club for the first time on January
In his career Huntelaar has also played for De Graafschap PSVand Apeldooran His breakout year came last season when he netted goals for Heerenveen
Ajax now sits in fourth place with points while Heerenveen occupies the seventh spot on the table with points Enditem
BRUSSELS Dec Xinhua Dutch soccer league leading PSV Eindhoven on Thursday held to a surprise draw at home to Twente but still stayed ahead in the standings
Twente managed the games first goal in the st minute when midfielder Kennedy Bakircioglue scored on a cross from Bas Sibum PSV captain Philip Cocu tied it in the second half in the st minute
Also on Thursday Feyenoord crushed Willem II With the victory Feyenoord moves into second place on the table one point behind PSV Dirk Kuyt posted a hat trick for Feyenoord
In another match Utrecht beat Roosendaal to move up to fifth place in league standings Nassir Maachi scored in the th minute and Stefaan Tanghe followed with another goal in the th minute Forward Ebou Sillah scored Roosendaals only goal in the th minute
The win gives Utrecht points trailing fourth place Ajax by one point Enditem
HARARE Dec Xinhua Four professional Zimbabwean boxers left here Thursday for Zambia to take part in a tournament in the Zambian capital Lusaka
Patience Master will be the only woman in the contingent that also includes Thamsanqa Dube Zvenyika Mosquito Arifonso and Peter Pambeni
The countrys heavyweight champion Dube will take on Francis Nkalakatha Zulu that countrys former cruiserweight champion in a bout that is most likely to be the bills main attraction
It will be a round contest
Both pugilists have been a menace in their respective countries with Dube successfully shrugging off competition to maintain the title for a long time now while his opponent has also done well to snatch the championship from Joseph Phiri
This will be Dubes second international fight and he will be hoping to maintain the good showing he displayed when he faced former Zambian heavyweight champion Joseph Ramos Phiri
Zulu has fought a number of international opponents and will be banking on his experience and exposure
Zvenyika will take on Godwin Matampuka in the lightweight category
In another fight Pambeni is set to exchange blows with Paul Kaoma in the featherweight division
Master will trade leather with Easter Phiri who lost to Zimbabwean female boxer Monalisa Sibanda last month
Boris Znider a trainer for most members of the team said he was confident they would do well in Zambia
Zambia is one of the African countries that have been providing Zimbabwean boxers with opportunities to compete regionally and the relationship promises to last a long time Enditem
PANAMA CITY Dec Xinhua Mario Alberto Kempes member of Argentinas World Cup winning team will coach the Panamanian national soccer team taking over Colombian Jose Cheche Hernandez who has seen out his contract
Kempes who lives in the United States as ESPN anchorman could earn from to dollars a month while Cheche only got dollars per month according to sources with the Panama soccer federation
Next August Kempes will arrive in Panama to start coaching the national team
The federation did not disclose when the contract was signed nor the time it will be in effect
Kempes participated in three World Cups including the version in which he was the top scorer
Panama also announced the hiring of French Noel Deveaux as the new coach of the womens team
The Frenchman will coach the under team in the CONCACAF qualifying tournament to be held at Veracruz Mexico on January Enditem
MADRID Dec Xinhua Real Madrids Brazilian star Ronaldo got injured in the right calf Thursday during the first training session after winter vacation
The striker will know the extent of the injury and how long he will be out of action
He will not be able to play in the friendly match of Friday versus Atletico Madrid nor in the first official match of in Kings Cup versus Athletic Bilbao at San Mames
Ronaldo got injured in the last minutes of the training session when he was completing the final period of the minute training match
He said he suffered a pain in his right calf so he left the training and went to the dressing room where the Real Madrid doctors made a first checkup and included him on the list of injured players Enditem
MONTEVIDEO Dec Xinhua Uruguays daily newspaper El Pais announced on Thursday Carlos Tevez of Brazilian club Corinthians was named the best player in South America and Paraguays Uruguayan coach Abubal Ruiz won the best coach title
The yearold Tevez who scored goals to finish the season as the third top scorer after Vasco da Gamas Romario and Paysandus Robson is the first man to win the title three straight times
Tevez won votes in a balloting organized by El Pais Uruguays Diego Lugano finished second with votes followed by Brazilians Cicinho and Rogerio Ceni with and respectively
Coach Ruiz was voted as the coach of the year with votes He led Paraguay to the World Cup finals Enditem
HAVANA Dec Xinhua The president of the promoting company of the Classic World Baseball Cup Enrique Cruz said Thursday that the uncertainty on the participation of Cuba in this tournament has led to the suspension of ticket sales in Puerto Rico country that is to host the two preliminary rounds said reports from San Juan
For now tickets have only been sold for the rounds to be played in the United States but not in Puerto Rico nor in Japan tickets are sold for their respective rounds
Cruz said Weve locally taken the decision not to sell tickets until the situation of Cuba is solved This has already been informed to the Major League Baseball but does not have to do with the fact that Puerto Rico had threatened to give up its venue nor with the option of Venezuela having offered to organize a round
Nevertheless Cruz MB Sports President does not fear the delay in ticket sales affect the planned profit He said We understand this situation has to be solved in the first or days of January We dont believe it affect sales
According to reports provided by the US organization Major League Baseball in Puerto Rico tickets will be offered for two preliminary rounds
The two mentioned rounds represent eight days of games and the entry prices vary from to dollars
If the situation of Cuba is sorted out the first preliminary round that will take place at San Juan will start on March with a match between the locals and Panama at Hiram Bithorn Stadium which was the temporary headquarters of the Montreal Expos in and with games played Enditem
WASHINGTON Dec Xinhua Seattle SuperSonics Danny Fortson was suspended two games without by the NBA on Thursday for verbally abusing a game official
Fortson was assessed a technical foul for throwing an elbow and was ejected for his confrontation with the official during the fourth quarter of Wednesdays loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves He also failed to leave the court in a timely manner and verbally abused the a game official
He will serve his suspension on Thursday at Denver and a home game Saturday against the Memphis Grizzlies Enditem
WASHINGTON Dec Xinhua Following are the leaders of the National Basketball Association through Dec
Scoring
G FG FT PTS AVG
Iverson Phil
Bryant LAL
James Clev
Arenas Wash
Pierce Bos
Nowitzki Dall
Wade Mia
Brand LAC
Redd Mil
Anthony Den
Carter NJ
Allen Sea
Richardson GS
ONeal Ind
Bosh Tor
Garnett Minn
Hamilton Det
Lewis Sea
Duncan SA
Davis Bos
FG Percentage
FG FGA PCT
AbdurRahim Sac
Mourning Mia
Garnett Minn
Brezec Char
Brand LAC
Parker SA
Bogut Mil
Gooden Clev
Wallace Char
Jefferson NJ
Rebounds
G OFF DEF TOT AVG
Camby Den
Howard Orl
B Wallace Det
Duncan SA
Marion Phoe
Brand LAC
Garnett Minn
Jamison Wash
Magloire Mil
Webber Phil
Assists
G AST AVG
Nash Phoe
Davis GS
Billups Det
Miller Den
Knight Char
Kidd NJ
Iverson Phil
Paul NOk
Cassell LAC
Ford Mil
Enditem
WASHINGTON Dec Xinhua Houston Rockets center Yao Ming from China is still leading the balloting after the second returns of the NBA AllStar balloting program on Thursday
Yao who elected a Western Conference AllStar starter by fans in each of his three seasons has votes in global fan balloting with Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant second with votes
The meters Yao is averaging a careerhigh points and rebounds a game for Houston where the th NBA AllStar Game will be played on February
But Yao has been sidelined since December following surgery on his left big toe
Phoenix Suns Steve Nash from Canada is second among Western Conference guards with Houston Rockets Tracy McGrady is the top vote getter among Western Conference forwards with followed by Kevin Garnett of the Minnesota Timberwolves with
Miami Heat center Shaquille ONeal is the leader among Eastern Conference players with votes owning a vote lead on Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James Jermaine ONeal of the Indiana Pacers is second among East forwards with votes
Philadelphias Allen Iverson leads Eastern Conference guards with votes and Miamis Dwyane Wade is second with Enditem
KAMPALA Dec Xinhua Uganda will host the eastern central and southern Africa crosscountry championships scheduled for February in Entebbe km south of Kampala
General Secretary of Uganda Athletics Federation UAF Beatrice Ayikoru was quoted on Friday by local media as saying that this crosscountry is hosted on a rotational basis so Uganda got a chance after achieving a couple of successes on the track
We were given the opportunity and we couldnt turn it down because it adds experience to our runners she said
Over six nations are expected to participate in the both junior and senior events
The nations include Sudan Tanzania Rwanda Ethiopia Uganda and defending champions Kenya Enditem
WASHINGTON Dec Xinhua Following are the results from the NBA games on Thursday home team in CAPS
DETROIT bt Miami
SAN ANTONIO bt NO Oklahoma City
Enditem
WUHAN Central China Dec Xinhua Chen Jianghua scored a gamehigh points nine rebounds and paced a second half surge to lead CBAs Guangdong Hongyuan youth team past Shandong Science University
With the victory from the match between the CUBA vs CBA youth team tournament here on Friday Guangdong Hongyuan Youth team extended their winning streak to three games
Point guard Chen nailed the first points and ignited their fight back at the second half by dishing out assists in the final quarter
We kept on giving them pressure It is very simple that who dominated the pace who will control the game and we are clearly faster than them I just did my job nothing special said Chen
Guangdong took command from the very beginning leading in the first quarter Thanks to their Star center Ba Guandong extend their lead to by the end of the first half
Shandong rallied briefly in the third after a run but Guangdong responded quickly and retained the control in the final quarter
Zhou Peng contributed points and four rebounds to Guangdong while Liu Yisheng lead Shandong with points and nine rebound
Guangdong beat Hua Qiao University on Wednesday and beat Shandong youth team on Thursday Enditem
LUSAKA Dec Xinhua A Zambian minister has urged the countrys sports associations to be transparent and accountable for all the resources that go in and out of their respective associations Times of Zambia reported Friday
Youth Sports and Child Development Minister George Chulumanda urged the administrators to concentrate on the development of sport of the southern African country instead of seeking personal gains
He said here Thursday that good governance and transparency work handinhand adding that in most of the associations only a few people know how money is spent hence his decision to demand transparency and accountability in all the associations
He called for investment in the youth because the future of Zambia sport depends on them
The minister said the Zambia Swimming Union is doing extremely well because it is targeting youths in all its programs
Chulumanda express his happiness that FIFA and FAZ are on course to complete the Confederation of African Football CAF academy which will be a positive step in the world of soccer Enditem
BRUSSELS Dec Xinhua Belgian tennis ace Justine HeninHardenne is preparing herself for the new tennis season but still not sure whether she will travel to Australia next week
She would have liked to test herself some more her husband PierreYves Hardenne told local radio VRT on Friday
After oneyear struggle Henin finally managed to overcome all physical woes and is stepping up training sessions in Monaco Traditionally the new season takes off in Australia and New Zealand
Although things are going well for the moment Henin is still behind on schedule She has not yet reached the level she normally has in this time of year he added
At the same time year last season Henin made her comeback after injury too soon She was forced to withdraw from her Australian tour with a knee injury
Two years ago Henin clinched the victory in Melbourne Australian Open Enditem
LONDON Dec Xinhua Following are the fixtures from the English premier league matches on Friday
Saturday December GMT
Aston Villa vs Arsenal
Charlton Athletic vs West Ham United
Chelsea vs Birmingham City
Tottenham Hotspur vs Newcastle United
Liverpool vs West Bromwich Albion
Manchester United vs Bolton Wanderers
Middlesbrough vs Manchester City
Portsmouth vs Fulham
Sunderland vs Everton
Wigan Athletic vs Blackburn Rovers
Monday January GMT
West Bromwich Albion vs Aston Villa
West Ham United vs Chelsea
Birmingham City vs Wigan Athletic
Bolton Wanderers vs Liverpool
Everton vs Charlton Athletic
Fulham vs Sunderland
Newcastle United vs Middlesbrough
Blackburn Rovers vs Portsmouth Enditem
CANBERRA Dec Xinhua Following is the result from the Hopman Cup mixed doubles tennis on Friday
Michaella KrajicekPeter Wessels Netherlands bt Peng ShuaiSun Peng China
Playoff Netherlands beat China Enditem
WASHINGTON Dec Xinhua Following are the results from the NBA games on Thursday home team in CAPS
DETROIT Miami
SAN ANTONIO NO Oklahoma City
Seattle DENVER Enditem
BRUSSELS Dec Xinhua Following are the fixtures from the Dutch championship matches on Friday
Friday December GMT
Roda JC Kerkrade vs Groningen
Sparta Rotterdam vs NEC Nijmegen
AZ Alkmaar vs ADO Den Haag
Heracles Almelo vs Vitesse Arnhem
Heerenveen vs Ajax Amsterdam Enditem
LONDON Dec Xinhua Following are the fixtures from the Scottish premier league matches on Friday
Saturday December GMT
Aberdeen vs Inverness Caledonian Thistle
Falkirk vs Dunfermline Athletic
Livingston vs Motherwell
Rangers vs Dundee United
Sunday January GMT
Hearts vs Celtic
Monday January GMT
Kilmarnock vs Hibernian Enditem
WASHINGTON Dec Xinhua Following are the standings from the NBA on Thursday
EASTERN CONFERENCE
ATLANTIC DIVISION
W L PCT GB
New Jersey
Philadelphia
Boston
NY Knicks
Toronto
CENTRAL DIVISION
W L PCT GB
Detroit
Cleveland
Milwaukee
Indiana
Chicago
SOUTHEAST DIVISION
W L PCT GB
Miami
Washington
Orlando
Charlotte
Atlanta
WESTERN CONFERENCE
NORTHWEST DIVISION
W L PCT GB
Minnesota
Denver
Seattle
Utah
Portland
PACIFIC DIVISION
W L PCT GB
Phoenix
LA Clippers
LA Lakers
Golden State
Sacramento
SOUTHWEST DIVISION
W L PCT GB
San Antonio
Dallas
Memphis
NO Oklahoma City
Houston
SATURDAY DECEMBER FIXTURES GMT
Toronto at Indiana
Minnesota at Orlando
Miami at Washington
Phoenix at Charlotte
Atlanta at New Jersey
Golden State at Dallas
NY Knicks at Milwaukee
Memphis at Portland
Boston at Sacramento Enditem
NAIROBI Dec Xinhua Kenya will host a regional under cricket championship which will incorporate Uganda and Tanzania early next month local media reported on Friday
The Chief Executive Officer of the Kenya Cricket Association KCA Tom Tikolo said that the Kenyan team is to start training from Monday in preparation for the regional championship local newspaper The People Daily reported
Tikolo further disclosed that the championship will be divided into two categories of boys and girls of under The regional championship will start from Jan in Nairobi
The officer also disclosed that Kenyas selected team for the Afro Asia Cricket Championship which was to be held in Bangladesh from Jan to has been urged to continue training
The Afro Asian championship has been postponed to February due to unavailability of Zimbabwe and logistics which could not allow India to take part
According to Tikolo the Zimbabwean side decided to withdraw from the tournament as they can not raise a team at the moment Zimbabwean have been faced with a myriad of problems which include striking of players while India claimed that they could not raise a team due to other commitments Tikolo however disclosed that the postponement of the tournament will give the Kenyan team ample time to train for the event which is expected to take place latter in February
Other teams which were expected for the tournament include hosts Bangladesh and Sri Lanka Enditem
WUHAN Central China Dec Xinhua Huaqiao University stunned CBAs Shandong youth team at the CUBA vs CBA youth team basketball tournament here on Friday
Forward Chen Liwei grabbed points and rebounds dishing out six assists to give Huaqiao their second win from as many games
Huaqiao the defending champion of CUBA China s NCAA controlled the game from the very beginning leading in the first quarter
Shandong fought back from the second quarter by sending their big forward Zhang Zhaoxu to the court Zhang a meter giant dominated the ace inside the key giving Huaqiao enormous pressure in defense
Thanks to Zhangs height Shandong took the lead in the third quarter
Zhang gave us lots of trouble He is so tall that it was really difficult for us to block him When you face a guy a head above your shoulders you can feel the pressure said Chen
At the crucial moment Chen of Huaqiao stood out to make two threepoint shots inspiring his teammate to counter the surge in the final quarter
Thanks to our cooperation we could finally win the game If we lost our concentration at that moment we would have lost
Zhan Jiabin contributed points to Huaqiao big forward Zhang Zhaoxu led Shandong with points and nine rebounds
Huaqiao beat Shandong Science University on Thursday
Aiming at improving the level of the Chinese youth basketball CBA and CUBA organized this tournament which will run until January
The tournament features eight teams which came from this seasons top four CUBA and CBA teams respectively Enditem
WUHAN Central China Dec Xinhua Chen Jianghua had a gamehigh points and nine rebounds to lead CBAs Guangdong Hongyuan past Shandong Science University while Huaqiao University stunned CBAs Shandong at the CUBA vs CBA youth team basketball tournament here on Friday
Point guard Chen nailed the first eight points and ignited their fightback at the second half by dishing out six assists in the final quarter extending Guangdong Hongyuan youth teams winning streak to three games
We kept exerting pressure upon them We were clearly faster than them I just did my job nothing special said Chen
Zhou Peng contributed points and four rebounds to Guangdong while Liu Yisheng led Shandong with points and nine rebounds
Huaqiao the defending champion of CUBA China s NCAA controlled the game from the very beginning leading in the first quarter
Shandong fought back from the second quarter sending their big forward Zhang Zhaoxu to the court Zhang a meter giant gave Huaqiao enormous pressure in defensing
Zhang gave us lots of trouble and it was really difficult for us to block him said Chen
Zhan Jiabin contributed points to Huaqiao while big forward Zhang Zhaoxu led Shandong with points and nine rebounds Chen Bin added points and five rebounds for Shandong
Taiyuan Technology University took its third straight win after beating Shanghai youth team while Wuhan Technology University team lost to Bayi
In the womens competition Guangdong beat China Mining University while Tianjing Finacing University defeated Bayi Liaoning ousted Qinghai Normal University Huazhong Science University conquered Shenyang
Aiming at improving the level of the Chinese youth basketball CBA and CUBA organized this tournament which will run until January
The tournament features eight teams which came from this seasons top four CUBA and CBA teams respectively Enditem
VIENNA Dec Xinhua Marlies Schild of Austria captured the title at a womens Alpine ski World Cup slalom race in Lienz Austria on Thursday
She finished the race in a time of one minute seconds Her team mate Nicole Hosp was second with and Croatian Janica Kostelic finished third in Enditem
GUANGZHOU Dec Xinhua With just five days for the year to tick away the estuary of the Pearl River south China was on Tuesday struck by a grave salt tide threatening drinking water security of hundreds of thousands of residents living on the river delta region
The environmental crisis is not alone on the Pearl River which has a drainage area of sq km mostly distributing in Yunnan Guizhou provinces Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Guangdong Hunan and Jiangxi provinces
The river which originates in the Maxiong Mountain inside Quqing City southwest Chinas Yunnan Province and runs southeastward is placed the second only after the Yangtze River the countrys longest by surface runoff
Earlier this year the Pearl River Valley was awash in similar crises the assault of salt tide on the Pearl River Delta last spring the most serious flooding in years in summer prolonged drought as well as the toxic spill taking place on Dec on Beijiang River one of Pearl Rivers tributaries and also a major source of drinking water for northern Guangdong
Moreover the chlorine content in drinking water sources in cities in the Pearl River Delta such as Zhuhai and Zhongshan has kept rising abruptly as a result of lesser flow of fresh water from the upper reaches of the Pearl River
Yue Zhongming director of the Pearl River Water Resources Committee with the Chinese Ministry of Water Resources said the root cause for the abovementioned environmental crises or natural disasters was an ecological imbalance characterized by worsened soil erosion at upper reaches of the Pearl River
Ample water flows from the upper reaches used to help dilute polluted water in the Pearl River Delta but now percent of the territory in the upper reaches of the river are made of limestone So whenever there is rain water is not so easily conserved instead rainwater together with plenty of silt flow into the mainstream of the Pearl River endangering ecosecurity at the rivers middle and lower reaches
said Yue
Some water resources experts said the Pearl River water systems capabilities to combat natural disasters were deteriorating greatly due to a decrease in vegetation warning that the Pearl River would follow the footstep of the Yellow River considered the muddiest waterway in the world if no measures are taken to tackle the problems
Yue also cited the growing number of unsustainable economic development projects in the entire valley as another reason for a drop in the quality in the river water
As regions on the upper reaches of the Pearl River namely Yunnan Guizhou and Guangxi moved faster in economic development in recent years environmental and pollution problems at the rivers upper and lower reaches have become more and more prominent said Yue
Information from a recent meeting on protection of water resources in the Pearl River Valley showed that over billion tons of waste and sewage water was discharged in the valley in alone and billion tons of the waste and sewage water were sent into waterways of the Pearl River water system a half of which were contributed by businesses in the Pearl River Delta where cities of Zhuhai Zhongshan Shunde Panyu and Dongguan and Shenzhen wellknown global bases for processing trade are located
Latest monitoring result shows that the sq km water area near the Pearl River estuary are seriously polluted by pollutants such as heavy metals inorganic nitrogen petroleum
In Shenzhen Dongguan and Zhuhai customers shun riverside real estate projects because of stinking water in the mainstream of the Pearl River
Yan Jiuqiu engineer inchief with the water resources bureau of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region believed it was necessary for Yunnan Guangxi Guizhou and Guangdong to reach a consensus in order to guarantee economic development and environmental protection simultaneously
Yue Zhongming head of the Pearl River Water Resources Committee suggested establishment of a unified coordination group responsible for water supply in the Pearl River Delta region
Experts from the Pearl River Water Resources Committee water affairs administrative organizations in Hong Kong and Macao as well as those from regions in the valley might sit together and study plans about water supply for a galaxy of cities in the Pearl River Delta region
Pearl River Delta is not only the head of the Pearl River Valley but also a pond of water storage for Hong Kong and Macao said Yue So an overall point of view should be adopted in setting targets in order to achieve an economic takeoff at the economically underdeveloped regions at the upper reaches of the river instead of simply moving industrial projects to those areas Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua China will adopt more favorable policies and invest more heavily in the rural areas next year according to a central work meeting on rural development which concluded here on Thursday
Rural construction will claim a higher share in national debts and financial budgets in with more money to be spent on the improvement of living conditions in the countryside the meeting has decided
This is the first time for the central authorities to invest so heavily in rural development said Han Jun an expert of rural research with the Development Research Center under the State Council Chinas cabinet
It means the focus of infrastructure construction would shift from the urban areas to the rural areas said Han
China has greatly increased its spending on farmers agriculture and the countryside in recent years It was estimated that in the central finance allocated over billion yuan billion US dollars to support rural development a percent rise over the figure of
The weak status of agriculture has not changed yet conceded Chinas Minister of Agriculture Du Qinglin
Government statistics show that rural residents who account for some percent of the nations total population only have access to percent of the countrys medical resources Farmers are in the similar inferior position in education and social security
It is imperative to increase investment for the building of a new socialist countryside said Zhang Hanya a research fellow with the National Development and Reform Commission
He said money is a word underlined at the latest meeting and this would help promote the implementation of related policies
Yet how to guarantee the best use of the investment remains a problem to be resolved the expert warned According to Han only one fifth of the money the government previously allocated went to farmers with the rest being used improperly
Apart from direct financial support China has announced the abolition of the yearold agricultural tax as of Jan which totals billion yuan billion dollars every year
Followup measures would be taken to push forward reforms in the rural areas based on the tax reform the central work meeting said
Reform should go further in the rural financial system said Tang Min chief economist of Asian Development Bank in China
Government statistics show that farmers save more but borrow less from financial institutions in the rural areas It is hard for them to get loans due to outofdate financial mechanisms
Only when farmers could borrow money would the countryside be more productive said Tang Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua China has set major tasks for its rural development in the th FiveYear Program at a central work meeting closed here Thursday
Chinas agriculture and countryside still at the stage of mountain climbing remain the weakest part of the national economy said the meeting
The government would spend more on the development of its agriculture and countryside including boosting infrastructure construction it said
More efforts would be paid to push forward a comprehensive reform in the rural areas according to the meeting
Steady improvement of grain production and ensuring the safety of nations food supply are another important task for the countrys rural development
The rural land management policy would be maintained and the use of farmland would be strictly controlled so as to guarantee the development of agriculture and the stability in the countryside the meeting said
It said farmerturned migrant workers would be channeled off orderly to find jobs and be treated fairly in urban areas Efforts would also be paid to develop economy of counties which would draw more farmerturned workers
China would continue to invest more in education and medical service in the countryside in a bid to improve public service there said the meeting
Enditem
SHANGHAI Dec Xinhua A group of Taiwan personages arrived here on Thursday for the funeral service of Wang Daohan the mainlands chief negotiator on Taiwan affairs slated for Friday
Wang president of the mainlandbased Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits ARATS died of disease in this east China metropolis last Saturday at the age of
By pm Thursday those who had arrived in Shanghai included Yen Choyun who is widow of Koo Chenfu the late counterpart of Wang in Taiwan Chiu Cheyne former secretarygeneral of the Taiwanbased Strait Exchange Foundation Wu Pohhsiung vice chairman of the Chinese Kuomintang party Chin Chinsheng secretarygeneral of the People First Party and Yok Muming chairman of the New Party
Among them were also representatives of the Hsin Tungmung Hui and the Alliance for the Reunification of China
The funeral service of Wang is scheduled to be held at Longhua funeral parlor of Shanghai at am Friday Enditem
HONG KONG Dec Xinhua A list of popular new Chinese words published on Thursday revealed the hottest topics varying from public health to international politics that have been covered by Chinese press in
The top five new Chinese words on the list are entering UN Security Council Fuwa EU Constitution Streptococcus suis and LienHu Meeting according to research results of the City University of Hong Kong
The five new words have been used most frequently over the year by Chinese press in the four cities of Beijing Shanghai Hong Kong and Taipei showed the universitys research conducted with a computer software
Entering UN Security Council refers to Japans drive for a permanent seat in the UN Security Council which has drawn concerns from readers of the four Chinese cities said the university on its website
Fuwa is the Chinese name of Beijing Olympic mascots five dolls bearing English names as the Friendlies The popularity of the word has shown the publics keen interest in the coming Olympic Games to be held in Beijing in
The Chinese word EU Constitution came from the European Unions controversial trial to become a political body from the current economic one
Streptococcus suis is the name of the pig pathogen affecting human health in Chinas Sichuan Province earlier this year
LienHu Meeting refers to the historical meeting between Hu Jintao general secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the Chinese Kuomintang KMT party chief Lien Chan who made the first trip as a KMT chairman to the mainland since when the mainland and Taiwan split after a civil war
These new words reveal once more hot topics in the individual cities and those shared among them said the university
The Language Information Sciences Research Center of the university has started to collect new Chinese words appearing on Chinese press in China and Chinesespoken countries such as Singapore since last year Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Chinas electricity shortage would ease up next year and a small surplus in supply is expected for said the National Development and Reform Commission NDRC on its website on Thursday
The Commission made the prediction while announcing that the countrys electricity generation capacity has made a breakthrough to top million kilowatts as of Dec with the operation of a new power plant in east Chinas Zhejiang Province
China has launched power projects with an overall generating capacity of more than million kilowatts this year and those completed projects are now generating over million kilowatts of power effectively easing the power strain of the country said the NDRC
Electricity shortage has become a bottleneck of the countrys economic growth in recent years especially in the coastal areas where the economy has been growing at a twodigit rate in the past years
However experts and industry insiders now believe that the country is being relieved of power shortage this year
The Development Research Center under the State Council recently published a report attributing the easing of power shortage to a slower growth in electricity demand a rapid increase in electricity generation capacity and improved efficiency in electricity transmission
Sufficient supply of water and coal for hydro and thermo power plants also contributed to the ease of power shortage according to the report
Chinas overall electricity generation capacity would reach million kilowatts by the end of the Center predicted
However experts have warned of possible supply shortage in certain areas despite the general supplydemand balance in the country
Meanwhile they also suggest investment in the energy sector be curbed to avoid the problem of overcapacity which might emerge in the coal mining and electricity generation sectors in Enditem
SHANGHAI Dec Xinhua A group of Taiwan personages arrived here on Thursday for the funeral service of Wang Daohan the mainlands chief negotiator on Taiwan affairs slated for Friday
Wang president of the mainlandbased Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits ARATS died of disease in this east China metropolis last Saturday at the age of
By pm Thursday those who had arrived in Shanghai included Yen Choyun who is widow of Koo Chenfu the late counterpart of Wang in Taiwan Chiu Cheyne former secretarygeneral of the Taiwanbased Strait Exchange Foundation SEF Wu Pohhsiung vice chairman of the Chinese Kuomintang KMT party Chin Chinsheng secretarygeneral of the People First Party PFP and Yok Muming chairman of the New Party
Among them were also representatives of the Hsin Tungmung Hui and the Alliance for the Reunification of China
The funeral service of Wang is scheduled to be held at Longhua funeral parlor of Shanghai at am Friday Senior officials of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China will be present at the funeral
In accordance with the wish of Wangs family family members of Koo Chenfu some SEF officials who participated in the landmark WangKoo meetings in and representatives of the KMT PFP New Party and the Alliance for the Reunification of China shall attend the funeral
Some of Wangs friends in Taiwan Taiwan business people investing in the mainland and heads of Taiwan enterprises associations in the mainland will also be present
Wang was a seasoned negotiator and he never spoke in an aggressive way said Chiu Cheyne while recalling the WangKoo talks held in Singapore the first ever highlevel nongovernmental talks across the Straits
Five years after the first WangKoo meeting the two negotiators held their second talks in Shanghai and reached a fourpoint consensus which included holding crossStraits dialogue on political issues
An official in charge of education in the People First Party who had an opportunity to meet Wang in May this year said he was impressed when he learnt that Wang was still reading some economic books about Taiwan despite his senility
He was a great person because he always kept a close eye on Taiwan affairs said the official who would also attend Fridays funeral Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The following are domestic news items released by Xinhua on Thursday
Market exchange rates Dec
Xinhua home news advisory Dec
Frosty restaurant draws diners in Chinas ice city
Futures look sweet for sugar traders
Highlights of major Beijingbased newspapers Dec
Hong Kong stocks open higher Dec
Macao sees yearonyear rise in casino tax income
illegal laborers seized in Macao in November
Beijing airport gets free trade zone
Coal mine flooding kills trapping in N China county
Wildlife protection in NW China under increasing intl support
Lunar Embassy takes back confiscated license properties
Hong Kong stocks finish higher at midday Dec
Specialists boost Chinas military capabilities
Beijing underscores safety in preparations for Olympics
Tourism promotion pays off in east China scenic city
Ancient eunuch tombs unearthed in SW China
Global retail giants looking to business opportunities in Yangtze R Delta city
URGENT Chinas legislature abolishes yearold agricultural tax
URGENT Chinas top legislature to convene fourth session on March next year
Dongfeng Peugeot Citroen reports record sales
Chinas top legislature to convene th annual session on March next year
URGENT Former Party chiefs take parliamentary posts
One of worlds best glacial data bank melting more quickly in NW China
URGENT New minister of communications appointed
TV station head gets year jail term for taking bribes
China to stop land supply to villa projects ministry
China Focus China working to ease energy bottleneck balance supplies
China Focus China working to ease energy bottleneck balance supplies
Anhui Conch Cement receives investment from Morgan Stanley Private Equity
Hangzhou World Leisure Expo to receive million visitors
SW China province plans nonstop flights to US European nations
Rare fish set free in Yangtze River
North China sees major increase of endangered sheep
Chinas top legislature actively promotes exchanges with foreign counterparts official
Chinese hospitals ordered to offer cheaper checkups
Chinas first LNG ship sails off shipyard
Former Party chiefs take parliamentary posts
Chinas top legislatures foreign exchanges fruitful in official
Chinas top legislature cements mechanism for foreign exchanges
New minister of communications appointed
Stocks close lower in Hong Kong Dec
China ready to conduct normal exchanges with Central American countries FM spokesman
Hushen index up Dec
China lacks million tons grain in agricultural minister
Shanghai stock index up Dec
Shenzhen stock index up Dec
Bank of Beijing to increase bln yuan loans to SMEs
Air quality of major Chinese cities Dec
China keeps its policy to Japan despite of Japanese government shift FM
Cerebral palsy children to be covered by foreignaided rehabilitation net
China WHO set exchange mechanism on prevention of human cases of bird flu says FM spokesman
Hong Kong foreign exchange rates Dec
Hong Kong stock exchange trading Dec
HKs tourist arrivals top mln in November
Taiwan shares prices close higher Dec
Weather forecast for world cities Dec
Weather forecast for major Chinese cities Dec
Chinas legislature abolishes agricultural tax
Top news stories in China in Xinhua
China to look into whiteflag dolphins in Yangtze River
HK partially lifts US beef import suspension
Three ministries to hold regular press conference next year
Beijing one of Chinas cities with lowest fertility level
Death toll of NW China cavein rises to three
Chinese company builds colossal LED screen more
Chinas electrified railway mileage ranks worlds third
China closes domestic porn websites in past three months
China adopts Law on Animal Husbandry to improve livestock raising
Chinas coalbed methane easy tapping official
Chinas military diplomacy helps to build secure environment for countrys peaceful development
Chinese chip developer obtains export credit of mln euros
HK markets funds from new IPOs expected to be higher in report
Hang Seng China Enterprises Index higher Dec
Chinas supreme court to inspect subsidiaries to facilitate lawsuit process
China starts antidumping investigation into imported nonyl phenol
China honors individuals institutions contributing to rural development
China inaugurates museum on home movie industry
China Focus Family planning policy a controversial topic in China
Faulty donations returned by E China province
Gold price higher in Hong Kong Dec
Weather information for AsiaPacific cities Dec
China Exclusive Economist says China likely to create million jobs for other nations
Temasek holdings to buy percent stake of Bank of China
Roundup Chinas parliament abolishes agricultural tax schedules full session
China focus Chinas legislature abolishes yearold agricultural tax
China launches National Cultural Trade Research Base
Mount Wutai seeks world heritage listing
URGENT China announces th human case of bird flu
st Ld China announces th human case of bird flu
GEF helps China protect wetland
Vanuatuan PM visits south China
nd Ld China announces th human case of bird flu
Writethru China announces th human case of bird flu
Jackie Chans new film begins shooting in HK
Signed articles lament death of mainland chief negotiator on Taiwan affairs
China to carry out new regulations next year to ensure Internet safety
More policy support financial investment in Chinas rural areas next year
China active in hightech cooperation with developed countries
China sets goals for building new socialist countryside in next five years
China Exclusive Repeated disasters in Pearl River Valley ring alarm on ecobalance
China focus China pledges to boost rural development with more investment next year
Central work meeting sets major tasks for Chinas rural development
Taiwan personages arrive in Shanghai for funeral of Wang Daohan
New Chinese words reveal annual hot topics in China
Chinas power shortage to ease with increased generating capacity small surplus of supply predicted for
Taiwan personages arrive in Shanghai for funeral of Wang Daohan more added
Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The following are Chinas home news items released by Xinhua on Thursday
Market exchange rates Dec
Frosty restaurant draws diners in Chinas ice city
Futures look sweet for sugar traders
Highlights of major Beijingbased newspapers Dec
Industry shakeup to ensure safer coal mines
Road accident leaves dead injured in E China city
Urgent more ministries cities to hold regular press conference in China
Press conferences to give quickest response to Chinas breaking news
Beijing airport gets free trade zone
Coal mine flooding kills trapping in N China county
Wildlife protection in NW China under increasing intl support
Lunar Embassy takes back confiscated license properties
Sinopec introduces GE gasification technology
Specialists boost Chinas military capabilities
Luxury property development to hold in rein in S China city next year
Ancient eunuch tombs unearthed in SW China
Expressway cavein kills two people in NW China
Failing to find a job female master becomes a fulltime matchmaker
Global retail giants looking to business opportunities in Yangtze R Delta city
Most victims in south China bar fire identified
URGENT Chinas legislature abolishes yearold agricultural tax
URGENT Chinas top legislature to convene fourth session on March next year
Dongfeng Peugeot Citroen reports record sales
Chinas top legislature to convene th annual session on March next year
URGENT Former Party chiefs take parliamentary posts
One of worlds best glacial data bank melting more quickly in NW China
URGENT New minister of communications appointed
TV station head gets year jail term for taking bribes
China to stop land supply to villa projects ministry
China Focus China working to ease energy bottleneck balance supplies
China Focus China working to ease energy bottleneck balance supplies
Hangzhou World Leisure Expo to receive million visitors
Rare fish set free in Yangtze River
North China sees major increase of endangered sheep
Chinas top legislature actively promotes exchanges with foreign counterparts official
Chinese hospitals ordered to offer cheaper checkups
Chinas first LNG ship sails off shipyard
Former Party chiefs take parliamentary posts
Chinas top legislatures foreign exchanges fruitful in official
Chinas top legislature cements mechanism for foreign exchanges
New minister of communications appointed
China ready to conduct normal exchanges with Central American countries FM spokesman
NW China hospital successful in facial skin transplant on rabbit
China lacks million tons grain in agricultural minister
Bank of Beijing to increase bln yuan loans to SMEs
China keeps its policy to Japan despite of Japanese government shift FM
Cerebral palsy children to be covered by foreignaided rehabilitation net
China WHO set exchange mechanism on prevention of human cases of bird flu says FM spokesman
Subway expansion completed in Tianjin trial operation due next March
Beijing Metro to carry mln passengers on New Years Day
Gold mine flooding traps eight people in E China city
Beijings government purchase to top bln yuan by
Hotline opens for homeless dogs in E China city
Chinas legislature abolishes agricultural tax
Human mistakes cause fatal coal mine flooding in N China
Top news stories in China in Xinhua
China to receive snow rain in coming ten days
China to look into whiteflag dolphins in Yangtze River
HK partially lifts US beef import suspension
Three ministries to hold regular press conference next year
Beijing one of Chinas cities with lowest fertility level
Death toll of NW China cavein rises to three
Leprosy under control in China but social discrimination remains
Traffic accident kills six injures in E China
Chinese company builds colossal LED screen more
Chinas electrified railway mileage ranks worlds third
China Denmark join hands producing egg powder
China closes domestic porn websites in past three months
China adopts Law on Animal Husbandry to improve livestock raising
Chinas coalbed methane easy tapping official
Chinas military diplomacy helps to build secure environment for countrys peaceful development
Chinese chip developer obtains export credit of mln euros
Chinas supreme court to inspect subsidiaries to facilitate lawsuit process
China starts antidumping investigation into imported nonyl phenol
China honors individuals institutions contributing to rural development
China inaugurates museum on home movie industry
China Focus Family planning policy a controversial topic in China
Faulty donations returned by E China province
Gold price higher in Hong Kong Dec
China Exclusive Economist says China likely to create million jobs for other nations
S China province to transfer property rights of SOEs
Temasek holdings to buy percent stake of Bank of China
Roundup Chinas parliament abolishes agricultural tax schedules full session
China focus Chinas legislature abolishes yearold agricultural tax
China launches National Cultural Trade Research Base
Mount Wutai seeks world heritage listing
FDI increases steadily in E China province
URGENT China announces th human case of bird flu
China spends billion yuan on water conservancy projects in period
st Ld China announces th human case of bird flu
GEF helps China protect wetland
Vanuatuan PM visits south China
nd Ld China announces th human case of bird flu
Writethru China announces th human case of bird flu
Jackie Chans new film begins shooting in HK
Signed articles lament death of mainland chief negotiator on Taiwan affairs
China to carry out new regulations next year to ensure Internet safety
More policy support financial investment in Chinas rural areas next year
China active in hightech cooperation with developed countries
China sets goals for building new socialist countryside in next five years
China Exclusive Repeated disasters in Pearl River Valley ring alarm on ecobalance
China focus China pledges to boost rural development with more investment next year
Central work meeting sets major tasks for Chinas rural development
Taiwan personages arrive in Shanghai for funeral of Wang Daohan
Chinas power shortage to ease with increased generating capacity small surplus of supply predicted for
Taiwan personages arrive in Shanghai for funeral of Wang Daohan more added
Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Market exchange rates of four major currencies against RMB yuan announced Friday by the Peoples Bank of China
Currency Unit Middle Price in RMB yuan
US Dollar
Euro
Japanese Yen
Hong Kong Dollar
The rates are mainly based on the closing prices of the previous trading session on Chinas interbank market of foreign exchange Exchange rates of other convertible currencies against RMB yuan on the interbank market are based on these rates and changes in the international exchange markets Enditem
GUIYANG Dec Xinhua Inbreeding of Francois Leaf Monkey a special monkey species in southwest China would be hard to avoid if the aging problem is not deal with timely a zoologist has warned
Aging is menacing reproduction ability of artificiallybred Francois leaf monkeys also known as black leaf monkey in the Wuzhou breeding center in south Chinas Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region said Liu Changhang deputy head of the breeding center
The age of ten means the threshold for middle or old age for black leaf monkeys and over percent of the monkeys in the center passed this age said Liu
Among this group of black leaf monkeys percent belong to two different species and percent have close blood relations with the two species Liu said
We are in urgent need of bringing new monkey species into the center to improve their blood ties said Liu
Liu said his center plans to introduce black leaf monkeys into the center from southwestern Guizhou Province which is the largest habitat of black leaf monkeys in the world with a population of approximately Francois leaf monkeys at large Enditem
By Xinhua writer Dong Lixi
BEIJING Dec Xinhua China is stepping up efforts to lower its unemployment rate with an aim to keep the registered urban jobless rate below percent in the next five years with additional million people being employed Minister of Labor and Social Security Tian Chengping said
However the unemployment rate among people who have receive higher education has been rising
In Nanjing the capital of east Chinas Jiangsu Province the total registered unemployment rate has risen to percent down percentage point yearonyear Among those unemployed percent or percent received three to four years of college education according to Nanjing Municipal Bureau of Labor and Social Security
Of the percent unemployed some majored in law finance marketing and other popular specialities the municipal government confirmed
In the of Shenzhen in south Chinas Guangdong Province about college graduates could not find jobs in but in the number has rose to or percent of the total the sources with Shenzhen municipal government said
Compared with the welleducated jobless skilled workers or technicians can easily to find jobs sources said
The reemployment rate is only percent for those with college and university diplomas but as high as percent for other jobless groups sources with the Shenzhen city government said
Experts say that college students are fastidious but incompetent
Many of them have acknowledged that college diploma does not guarantee stable jobs suggesting college graduates make some adaptations when choosing jobs
College graduates usually demand better salaries and working environments said Yu Huihong director of Shenzhen Municipal Labor Bureau But most lack practical knowledge or skills and sometimes what they learn at school cannot be used at their job posts
With the development of a market economy employers have gradually attached importance to skills and competence instead of diplomas he noted
Textbooks for college and university students complied during s have not been updated
Yu urged education departments to adapt textbooks and teaching methods to Chinas evolving market economy
Chinas expansion of university enrollment does not mean the government has also enlarged its job market insiders said underscoring that the unemployment rate of welleducated people is bound to increase Enditem
LANZHOU Dec Xinhua A massive oil deposit of million tons has been discovered in an area near Lanzhou capital of northwest Chinas Gansu Province an expert said Thursday
The belt along Lanzhou Yongdeng and Minhe has up to million tons of oil deposit the YuzhongJingningJingyuan belt million tons said Liu Huaqing an engineer with the Northwest Branch of the Petro China Exploration Development Research Institute
The LanzhouYongdengMinhe belt covers an area of sq km with an exploiting depth of meters and the YuzhongJingningJingyuan belt covers sq km with an exploiting depth of meters
With more funding for exploration we can have more and better deposits said Liu Enditem
QINGDAO Dec Xinhua The worlds express giant DHL from Germany has announced that it will launch cargo flights between Qingdao east Chinas Shandong Province and Hong Kong via Hangzhou in eastern Zhejiang Province in February next year
Several months ago another express giant UPS from the United States launched direct cargo flights between Qingdao and Inchon the Republic of Korea
Ken Rorok UPS AsiaPacific regional president said Qingdao as a major harbor city provides us broader market opportunities
Express commodities leaving the Qingdao Liuting International Airport reached items monthly as against former items The volume imported via the airport amounted to approximately items from the former items according to customs figures
Most express commodities handled by the airport are samples precise spare parts and hightech products Enditem
HANGZHOU Dec Xinhua Construction of a mall run by WalMart a world retail giant has started in Hangzhou capital of eastern Zhejiang Province and a prestigious scenic city in east China
The WalMart Hangzhou mall with a floor space of square meters is expected to go into service before the end of
As the leading retailer in the world WalMart has launched some outlets in countries worldwide with a combined employment of more than million people
WalMart has opened more than outlets in Chinese cities including Shenzhen Beijing Harbin and Nanjing in the past decade since its entry into China in The retailer now employs more than employees in the country Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Chinas largest cement maker Anhui Conch Cement Co Ltd has reached agreements with two foreign strategic investors to take stakes in the firm
Morgan Stanley Asia Investment Ltd a subsidiary of Morgan Stanley will take a percent stake and the World Bank Groups privatesector arm the International Finance Corporation IFC will take percent Fridays China Daily quoted a statement given to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange as saying
Anhui Conch Cement is publiclylisted with percent of its shares trading on the Shanghai Stock Exchange percent on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and the other percent held by Anhui Conch Holdings Co Ltd a diversified holding company
After the completion Anhui Conch Holdings Co Ltd will hold million shares of the company which represents about percent of the total issued share
In October IFC issued a million yuan million US dollars loan to Anhui Conch Cement a top supplier of highgrade cement in eastern and southern China
Statistics show that by the end of cement capacity in China will amount to billion tons
But because cement oversupply will continue cement prices will still be low
Based in the city of Wuhu in east Chinas Anhui Province Anhui Conch Cement has operations in east China around the Yangtze River Delta as well as in south China Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Following are the major domestic news items scheduled to be covered or pursued by Xinhua on Friday
Remains of Wang Daohan to be cremated in Shanghai
The Chinese Foreign Ministry to hold a New Year reception
China to put huge capital in building new countryside
Chinese stock markets close trading with cautious optimism for
Renowned economist suggests stop of counting GDP in regions under provincial domination
China fumbles fair medical system for building harmonious society
New animal shelter overwhelmed by pets
Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Mittal Steel Co the worlds biggest steelmaker is in talks to buy as much as percent of Chinas Baotou Iron Steel Group in what is to become its second acquisition in China
The stake would be capped at percent under existing Chinese laws limiting foreign ownership Fridays China Daily quoted Mittal Chief Operating Officer Malay Mukherjee as saying
The acquisition deal is expected to boost output of the Rotterdambased Mittal by about percent
China produces a third of the worlds steel and is the worlds biggest metal consumer and its steel production will probably expand percent this year and percent next year according to a Bloomberg survey in September
Mittals existing Chinese asset is a percent stake in Hunan Valin Steel Tube Wire Co which it bought in September for about million US dollars
China with more than steelmakers announced a plan earlier this year to merge some mills and shut small polluting furnaces to curb expansion
By the year China wants to have two major steelmakers each with a capacity of more than million metric tons a year and a few others that can each produce million tons a year Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Merely two weeks after it opened a shelter for stray animals in Shanghai is fully packed with unwanted pets China Daily reported Friday
More than half of the odd animals are clean wellfed domestic pets instead of stray animals it quoted Jin Pu president of Pets Rescue Centre in suburban Shanghai as saying
Jin and his colleagues have received various pleas for help from pet owners since the opening of the rescue center a twostory building on Lianhua Nanlu Minhang district
An elderly couple sent their dog to the center saying that their deteriorating health meant they were struggling to take care of the pet which was also growing old and needed extra care
We accepted that without any question Jin was quoted as saying but a woman said her son is taking the college entrance examination so she wants to give up the dog Isnt that excuse ridiculous
There are no laws in China over abandoning pets which has left organizations like the rescue centre vulnerable to being overwhelmed with unwanted animals
Jin said it is unable to take in any more animals as it is already at its capacity
The pets rescue center was opened with private investment of yuan US dollars coming from Jin and Jack Xia the vicepresident of the project They hope it will become Shanghais largest animal shelter
Jin said the complex was desperate for more helpers to come forward So far more than people have registered as volunteers but no more than five of them have actually come to help with the work Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Ten departments of the Beijing municipal government have promised to cut their office buildings energy consumption by percent next year an official with the Beijing Municipal Commission of Development and Reform said
Energy management companies would be employed next year to offer professional services to government departments and help them become more energyefficient Fridays China Daily quoted Huang Qian an official with the Beijing commission as saying
The departments include the Municipal Commission of Development and Reform the Bureau of Tourism the Public Security Bureau and Chaoyang District government
The per capita energy consumption of Beijing government departments office buildings was tons of standard coal in times more than the citys average
Problems have been found with the operational efficiency and management of these buildings
It was also found that these governmental departments had failed to use energyefficient equipment and appear to be relatively unaware about energy saving
Energy management companies will advise on the installation of energy efficient lighting ventilation airconditioning and heating systems with particular focus on electricity supply
With the installation of more energy efficient systems the departments would save some million yuan US dollars a year
Other public buildings such as hotels shopping malls and office buildings would also be required to take measures to reduce energy consumption
This summer Beijing advised big buildings to keep airconditioning temperatures above degrees Celsius to save electricity Enditem
KUNMING Dec Xinhua Southwest Chinas Yunnan Province invested billion yuan about billion US dollars in road construction from January to November a source with the provincial communications department said here Friday
Compared with the billion yuan some billion US dollars investment in the government input this year has been up percent
Approximately billion yuan some billion US dollars was spent on building major highways in Yunnan a yearonyear growth of percent
By the end of the mileage of roads in Yunnan had reached kilometers including km expressway ranking Chinas first
A massive road network has taken shape in the province said the department Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Highlights of major Beijingbased newspapers on Friday
Peoples Daily
A central work meeting on rural development was held in Beijing Thursday which set goals for building new socialist countryside in next five years and deployed governments rural work for next year
Xinhua Daily Telegraph
The newspaper also frontpages a news report on the central work meeting on rural development in which the Chinese government laid down guidelines of macroeconomic control in rural areas in
A landmark abolishment of agricultural tax received an overwhelming approval by Chinas top legislature on Thursday Farmers around China will say goodbye next year to the tax which has been levied for years
China Youth Daily
An investigation in Southwest Chinas Yunnan Province revealed that rural children are exposed to more sexual infringement risks than their peers living the urban areas and rural teachers and children feel shamefaced to have sex education
China Daily
Chinas top information officials promised foreign journalists Thursday to have greater access to government departments and announced the Ministry of Public Security Education and Health will hold regular press conferences next year
Beijing demanded on Wednesday that Washington lift sanctions imposed against six Chinese companies accused of supplying military technology to Iran
It told the United States that the sanctions are not beneficial to SinoUS cooperation in the nonproliferation field Enditem
HONG KONG Dec Xinhua Hong Kong stocks went down points or percent to open at on Friday Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Chinese Red Cross Foundation major media organizations businesses and websites have jointly launched a project to help two poor brothers suffering from leukemia a kind of blood cancer and millions more poor children hit by the disease Fridays China Daily reported
The Saving Children with leukemia project is calling for donations from the public to help millions of poor children who suffer from the disease according to the report
Hu Shuzhang and Hu Shuai will be the first two benefit from the project Born in a poor rural family in east Chinas Anhui Province the elder brother was diagnosed with a highly malignant tumour in October and the younger one leukemia
For their mother Zhang Changfeng the burden is obviously too much for a rural family with an annual income averaging around yuan US dollars A fund of yuan dollars that came from relatives and the public has almost been used up
It almost killed me the mother was quoted as saying especially when my younger son told me he wanted to give up medical treatment for his brother
The two boys decided who should go to Beijing for the best treatment by drawing straws and the younger one cheated to save his brother He placed two straws both with the word treatment on for his older brother to choose
His brother then headed to Beijing He is currently being treated at Beijings Jishuitan Hospital
I could never have imagined that the younger of my boys would do such a thing the mother said We dont have money but I would give up my life for his I cannot watch him die
However she saw a glimmer of light as little Hu Shuai is to become the first child to benefit from the new project by receiving free treatment
Official figures show that there are at least million leukemia patients in China and half of them are children The biggest problem they face is not how to treat the disease but where the money is going to come from said Wang Rupeng secretarygeneral of the Foundation
According to Wang a patient needs at least yuan dollars to cure the disease If a bone marrow transplant is required about yuan dollars will be needed
Obviously most families cannot afford this he said So they give up
The project hopes to collect public donations of at least million yuan million dollars to help children Each child is expected to receive aid amounting to yuan dollars as planned
Hu Shuai will arrive in Beijing this week to receive free treatment at Beijing Blood Disease Hospital of Integrated Traditional and Western Medicine
Su Fengzhe president of the hospital said that more than per cent of lymphatic leukemia patients in China could be cured and that type of leukemia is the most common one among children Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua An official of the mainlandbased Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits ARATS on Friday expressed sincere thanks to Taiwan Hong Kong and Macao compatriots as well as overseas Chinese and foreign personages for their condolences over the death of late ARATS President Wang Daohan
The official expressed the gratitude on behalf of the Taiwan Work Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council as well as Wangs family after a ceremony for people to pay their last respects to Wang held in Shanghai Friday morning
Wang died of illness in Shanghai last Saturday at the age of
The ARATS official said after Wangs death the people related departments political parties and social organizations in Taiwan Hong Kong and Macao compatriots overseas Chinese foreign embassies in China and foreign statesmen sent messages of condolences or wreaths
While mourning over the death of Wang and cherishing the memory of him they spoke highly of the late ARATS presidents contribution to the development of relations across the Taiwan Straits said the official
The ARATS is also deeply grateful to the widow and children of Koo Chenfu late chairman of the Taiwanbased Strait Exchange Foundation SEF representatives of Taiwans political parties and social organizations personages from Taiwans business community and media and Wangs friends in Taiwan who made a special trip to Shanghai to pay their last respects to Wang in person he said Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The mainlandbased Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits ARATS on Friday thanked the Taiwanbased Strait Exchange Foundation SEF for the condolences it expressed over the death of late ARATS President Wang Daohan on behalf of Wangs family
Wang died of illness in Shanghai last Saturday at the age of A ceremony was held in Shanghai Friday morning for people to pay their last respects to Wang
In a letter to the SEF the ARATS said Your letter dated Dec has been received Your chairmans letter of condolences to the children of late President Wang Daohan has been passed on to his family
After Wangs death the people from all walks of life and related departments in Taiwan expressed their condolences and the SEF also paid its respects according to the letter
The ceremony to pay the last respects to late President Wang was concluded this morning and we are entrusted by his family to express thanks to you the letter says Enditem
XIAN Dec Xinhua Archeologists unearthed some yellow liquid inside a bronze vessel which is in the shape of a garlic bulb at Xian capital of northwest Chinas Shaanxi Province
The vessel belonging to the early Han Dynasty from BC to AD is approximately cm tall with a longneck round belly
Such vessels were usually used to keep liquors but we could hardly tell what it is before testing said Xu Yongchu an expert with Shaanxi Provincial Archeology Research Institute
The vessel was unearthed in a six by four meter tomb which is possibly owned by a ranking official and it is among a couple of tombs belonging to the early Western Han Dynasty Xu acknowledged
The cache of relics also included cocoonshaped pottery kettles foodcooking earthen utensils pottery jugs pottery cauldrons bronze mirrors and bronze combs
Ancient liquor belonging to the imperial Han Dynasty has been unearthed in Shaanxi Province before the latest finding Enditem
by Xinhua writers Liu Zifu Qin Yazhou
GUIYANG Dec Xinhua Wang Fengguang a year old Chinese farmer doesnt know the name of one single present Chinese leader His whole world is the huge cave where he has lived for over five decades and the mountains within his eyesight
While for his son Wang Qiguo he has seen a much bigger world than his father did
The yearold young man of Miao ethnic group went out of his hometown the mountainous region in southwestern Guzhou Province three years ago and stopped his feet at Chinas most developed region Guangdong Province
Whereas after two years of experience as a vegetable peasant farmer in a Guangzhou suburban farm Wang Qiguo returned to his home a naturally formed huge limestone cave at the Ziyun Prefecture of Buyi and Miao ethnic groups
Modern city life skyscrapers mansions and automobiles of various brands enabled Wang Qiguo who has lived in cave since he was born to have a totally different view of the new world But working on farm made him feel somewhat pressured and strained
He felt a great nostalgia for his life in the cave at a high mountain which gave him the true feeling of comfort and ease
The cave Wang lives in is about five km away from the nearest highway and the cave gate is hidden by green bamboo The people all of whom are of Miao ethnic minority live in the m wide m deep cave
Dated back to years ago when China was under the reign of the imperial Qin and Han Dynasties BC AD the Miao ethnic group which now boasts of nearly million people inhabited in western part of Hunan Province and eastern Guizhou Province
The four families surnamed Wang Wu Liang and Luo have kept their living pace with the sunrisesunset circle since their forefathers moved to this region nearly year ago
With only twom high fences as hurdles to divide each room all of the four families share the single roof of the cave
Fathers of these families moved to mountain to flee wars and finally found this ShangariLa and resided in the cave ever since
Despite the fact that local governments poverty relief project has helped local people escape poverty and percapita annual personal income of the region is merely yuan US dollars the cave dwellers were still confined to the cave and live their traditional simple way of life Their annual personal income is less than yuan about US dollars
These cave dwellers do spinning weaving and turning milestone They buy life necessities as vegetable oil and salt every week at the market km away and they grow grain and raise cows and pigs at normal days
In farming slack seasons men sip homemade wines around the ovens while women chat together and enjoy their rare entertainment lives
Modern lunar calendar seems not working here People in the cave seldom remember the exact year when their kids were born and instead they will tell you the child was born the year the flood occurred at the mountain foot or just two months later than my neighbors
Most cave residents have no idea about the epochshaking changes and key political event since the new China was founded in except for the death of Mao Zedong the founding father of new China
To tackle traffic and drinking problems local government built houses at the mountain foot in and and the houses are free to the cave dwellers to live
However the two migration plans ended in vain they moved out of the new houses less than one month they moved in and back to their cave
Wang Fengguang said I am not comfortable when living in the brickwood house Only one door for each room while there are several doors for rooms in the cave and very cozy and convenient
The tight roof makes me hard to breathe and in our cave the light comes at daybreaks and I wake up naturally said Wang Fengguang Enditem
HONG KONG Dec Xinhua Hong Kong stocks went down points or percent to finish the morning session at on Friday Enditem
ZHENGZHOU Dec Xinhua Eight people trapped underground as a discarded iron mine collapsed Monday in Anyang City central Chinas Henan Province had faint hope for survival experts with the local work safety administration confirmed on Friday
At around Monday afternoon an iron mine discarded in collapsed burying eight people
The accident formed a pit meters long meters wide and meters deep All of the victims were male aged in to
Preliminary probe by local geologists said the accident was a geological disaster Enditem
JINAN Dec Xinhua Three miners have been rescued with five others still trapped in a gold mine flooding that occurred Thursday in Penglai City east Chinas Shandong Province the provincial work safety administration said on Friday
The three people were rescued at around am Friday the administration added
The flooding took place at around on Thursday morning when eight miners were working in the No shaft of the Hexi Gold Mine in Penglai
Rescue work is proceeding and the cause of the accident is being investigated Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Chinas first millionton coal production base has gone into operation in the ShenfuDongsheng coalfield said the Economic Daily on Friday
The coal base located along the boundary between Shaanxi Province and the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region both in north China was developed by the Shendong Power Co Ltd a subsidiary of the countrys largest coal producer the Shenhua Group
By December the Shendong company announced its annual coal output in has exceeded one million tons
Shendongs output now makes up about percent of the national total In the Shenhua Group ranked the fifth worldwide in term of coal production
According to Chinas future strategy for coal industry China plans to build three to five largescale coal bases each with an annual output exceeding one million tons Enditem
HANGZHOU Dec Xinhua Three people were confirmed dead and another one injured when a boiler exploded and caught fire Thursday at a workshop in Hangzhou capital of east Chinas Zhejiang Province
The blast went off at the boiler room of Meishida Printworks in Xiaoshan district at am followed by a blaze that was put out at around pm Three workers were killed in the blaze
The injured worker surnamed Qian is out of danger after timely treatment the local government told Xinhua Friday
The four victims were all locals in Xiaoshan district
The boiler room with a floor space of about square meters has four boilers Investigators said the blast was caused by a hot oil spill from a broken pipeline
The exploded boiler was in the southwestern corner of the room and the blast destroyed a wall next to the boiler We were at another boiler when it occurred Hot water spilled all over and some of us were burnt on the feet said a worker who witnessed the accident Enditem
HANGZHOU Dec Xinhua As of am Friday the death toll of the traffic accident in Linhai east Chinas Zhejiang Province has risen to seven while the injured remain hospitalized said a local government source
The tragedy happened at around am Thursday when a mini bus with people aboard bumped into a heavyduty truck in the citys Yongquan Township
Five passengers on the bus were killed on the spot and two others died later in the hospital
By press time the local hospital are giving emergency treatment to those wounded and investigation into the cause of the crash is underway Enditem
HEFEI Dec Xinhua East Chinas Anhui Province has set up an archive network on bribery and it will provide services for public inquiry from the New Year Day on according to the provincial procuratorate
The network includes all bribery records in Anhui Province that have been investigated from and confirmed by the peoples courts at various levels
Deputy ProcuratorGeneral of the Anhui Provincial Peoples Procuratorate Bao Guoyou said he hoped that the system will help related departments to keep informed and cautious against those units and individuals tainted by bribery records
The recorded bribery mainly occurred in construction finance health education sectors and government purchasing departments
We sincerely hope the public will make use of the network to keep informed and guard against any bribery that might occur in the related departments Bao said Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Beijing No Intermediate Peoples Court announced Thursday that the nineyearold AIDS boy has lost the lawsuit against Beijing University school of stomatology and Red Cross blood center Beijing News reported Friday
The court has turned down the victims claim for a millionyuan compensation about US dollars because there are no solid proof that the hospital and the blood center was responsible for the case
The boy named Xiao Jian suffered from the congenital cleft palate before he had a surgery at the stomatology hospital in August He received blood transfusions when he was in hospital
In September he was diagnosed to have terminal AIDS While his parents were not HIV carriers according to a medical report
The boys parents sued the hospital for using HIV contaminated blood from the center and caused his sons illness
In an earlier trial the boy lost the lawsuit because the center refused to submit the blood donators personal file in a bid to protect his privacy Enditem
HONG KONG Dec Xinhua The United States was pleased with the resumption of beef export to Hong Kong according to a news release by the Consulate General of the United States of America in Hong Kong on Friday
According to the news release the United States Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns was pleased with the reopening of an important market for US beef exports and he anticipated that trade would quickly begin
I applaud the Hong Kong government for making trade decisions based on internationally accepted scientific standards This is one more step toward normalized international beef trade that will also help further the close bilateral trade relationship of the United States and Hong Kong said Johanns
The Hong Kong Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced on Thursday that it would resume processing applications for beef imports from the United States with immediate effect
According to an agreed protocol only boneless beef from cattle less than months of age with high risk materials such as brain and spinal cord removed during slaughtering can be imported from designated establishments approved by the United States at the initial stage
Also the import of each and every consignment of beef shall have the departments prior written permission and shall be accompanied by a health certificate
The import of beef from the United States had been temporarily suspended since Dec after the detection of a case of BSE in the State of Washington on Dec Enditem
SHANGHAI Dec Xinhua People from the Xinjian residential quarters of Huangpu District in east Chinas industrial and business metropolis of Shanghai has begun living in a more healthy way of life thanks to the citys ongoing healthy city development program
Living in old lanes most of Xinjian residents are lowincome earners and senior citizens with some percent of them having to share bath rooms and kitchens with other families
Under the healthy city development program residents aged over at Xinjian have their healthcare archives established and women in dire need there have been given access to free gynecological checkups Chefs from restaurants have been invited to the neighborhood community to teach residents how to cook healthy nutritious food Meanwhile gym facilities are installed in the community
Xinjian is a typical example in Shanghai which had kicked off the threeyear healthy city program in
A recent survey found that about percent of the respondents considered both urban environment and citizens health condition have improved remarkably in Shanghai
Over the recent past three years contaminated waterways in the city proper have been treated and garbage moved out in obturated vehicles Its percapita green pads are expected to reach sq m by the end of this year
Building up healthy cities represents a global strategy the World Health Organization initiated in the s against the threat of excessive urbanization threat to human health
Shanghai is the first metropolis to implement a healthy city program in China Enditem
XIAN Dec Xinhua An expressway pileup killed four people and damaged three trucks at a section in Mizhi County of northwest Chinas Shaanxi Province Thursday the local traffic police said Friday
The accident occurred at am when a truck carrying coal from Inner Mongolia pulled up at kilometers on No national highway trunk to inflate its tyres Due to dim twilight the truck was hit by an incoming MercedesBenz trailer whose driver and a passenger were killed on the spot
About six minutes later a third vehicle hit the Benz trailer and caught fire killing its own driver and one passenger
The accident caused a hour standstill and congested vehicles piled up more than kilometers on the expressway
Driver of the coalcarrying truck fled the site after the accident and local police are chasing after him Enditem
HEFEI Dec Xinhua The Anhui Investment Trade Expo will be held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center in mid May according to the organizers
Politicians and businessmen in the region including Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Chief Executive Donald Tsang will be invited to attend the expo said an official with the organizing committee
Launched by the Anhui provincial government the expo will serve as a platform for cooperation between traders from Anhui other provinces of China and overseas said the official
The expo will highlight projects in the fields of infrastructure construction state property restructuring tourism and culture and overseas listing
The expo will also open forums on human resource exchange state property restructuring the development of Chinas tourism products and overseas listing
A special job fair will be held during the expo in a bid to promote the human resource exchange between Anhui and Hong Kong according to the organizers
The expo will be the top level event of its kind organized by the province It is supported by the Ministry of Commerce and cosponsored by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce of Hong Kong Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce and China Resources Holdings Co Ltd Enditem
HOHHOT Dec Xinhua Archaeologists in north Chinas Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region have unearthed about tombs dating back more than years in Horinger County and excavated a large number of relics
The tombs of the Warring States Period BC BC were excavated at the ruins of the ancient Tuchengzi city from April to December said Li Qiang a work staff with the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Regional Institute of Archaeological Research
Li said that archaeologists found that dead people buried in these tombs lie on their back some with limbs straight and others with limbs bended There are also some who lie on their side
What is noteworthy is that archaeologists found five tombs with many bodies buried randomly together One of the five tombs is buried with more than bodies
Experts said that more than percent of the dead people buried in these tombs are men aged around
They said these people might be craftsmen or soldiers when they were alive as some of the bodies are found to be without head or legs some bodies with noticeable traces of knife wound and arrowheads on chest or head Moreover archaeologists also found a large number of bronze swords and daggers in these tombs
Li Qiang said the discovery indicates that wars broke out frequently in the area during the Warring States Period
Covering an area of four kilometers the ancient Tuchengzi city survived a long period from the Spring and Autumn Period BC BC the Warring States Period Northern Wei Sui Tang Ming to Qing dynasties
Currently the Tuchengzi city is under state protection Enditem
HANGZHOU Dec Xinhua Civil service has become the most popular profession in Hangzhou capital of east Chinas Zhejiang Province as the national qualification exam this year has attracted examinees
Civil service with percent votes from surveyed Hangzhou citizens tops all the professions listed followed by doctor and scientist according to a survey published Thursday
The same survey in found civil service was the fourth popular profession said officials from the Hangzhou City Science and Technology Association
Other popular professions among Hangzhou citizens include teacher engineer and lawyer the survey found
With severe employment pressure civil service has become one of the most popular professions in the country over recent years for its stable incomes lofty social status and perfect welfare insurance
Some people around China have applied to attend the national civil servant qualification exam for posts available next year in central government departments said the Ministry of Personnel
This means roughly candidates will compete for one post in departments of the central government Enditem
URUMQI Dec Xinhua Construction of three railroads will be commenced in vast Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in northwest China a regional government official announced here this week
The doubletrack railway line between Urumqi the regional capital and Jinghe will be built in and become operational in while the TurpanKorla doubletrack and KuytunKaramay singletrack line are scheduled to be completed in Wang Lequan secretary of the Xinjiang regional committee of the Communist Party of China said at a local celebration held on Wednesday
Construction of the three railway lines will not only alleviate tight transport but also help develop rich natural resources in the region Wang said
An improved railway network in Xinjiang also plays an important role in collocating resources in western China where energy resource distribution is badly unbalanced
Xinjiang possesses percent of Chinas total oil and natural gas reserves Its coal reserve makes up percent of the national total Nearly percent of abovesaid resources are shipped to various parts of China by rail Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The Component Stock Index on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange closed at points on Friday down points from the previous close
A Share Index points down points
B Share Index points up points
Total Turnover yuan Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The Hushen Index reflecting the whole fluctuation of Chinas Shanghai and Shenzhen stock exchanges closed at points on Firday down points from the previous close
About one fifth of the total shares listed in the two markets have been chosen as samples of the Hushen Index accounting for percent of the market value in Chinas stock market Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The Composite Stock Index on the Shanghai Stock Exchange closed at points on Friday down points from the previous close
A Share Index points down points
B Share Index points up points
Total Turnover yuan Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Chinese economist Hu Angang suggested in one of his reports to be submitted to the central government that GDP index not be calculated for regions below the provincial level
The value of the gross domestic product GDP or its growth rate should not be used to evaluate the performance of local governments below the provincial level said Hu in an interview with Xinhua on Friday
As a substitute Hu stressed public services social administration and market supervision be taken as new standards to evaluate their performance
Only by doing so China may realize a real transformation of the functions of government in the coming five years he said
But provincial governments and the central government should still have their GDP statistics Hu said in his report
Hu an expert on macroeconomics at Chinas prestigious Qinghua University in Beijing made the suggestions in his propositional report to the central government focusing on Chinas development strategy for the next five years
According to Hu China targets to double its per capita GDP in from that of which means an annual GDP growth rare of percent is enough for the country to realize the goal
But a large number of Chinese provincial governments have set their economic growth targets higher than percent for the next five years and lower governments have set their economic growth rates even higher
This will surely result in excessive economic growth at the expense of the environment and resources said Hu
Hu urges local governments to develop their local economies in a rational and scientific way in the next fiveyear period
In his report the economist lists obligatory indexes to evaluate the governments performance including employment energy consumption control of environmental pollution transfer of rural labor force law and order situation and coverage of social security
All these indexes reflect the basic obligations of the government in managing society and offering services to the public under the market economy said Hu
According to Hu his report also includes other economic indexes that will serve to improve the governments economic forecasts and enhance its functions of macroregulation and supervision Enditem
HANGZHOU Dec Xinhua The trade volume between Ningbo city east Chinas Zhejiang Province and Taiwan reached billion US dollars in the first months this year percent higher than last years same period the latest statistics show
Ningbo imported billion US dollars worth of commodities from Taiwan in the month period up percent over last years corresponding period The city exported million US dollars worth of goods to Taiwan in the same period a rise of percent year on year
The trade deficit reached billion US dollars up percent over last years same period according to the Ningbo Customs
Ningbo mainly imported chemicals electronics and machines plastic and plastic products and exported electronics and machines from Taiwan
Overseasfunded businesses did a trade of billion US dollars with Taiwan in the month period up percent and accounted for percent of the citys total trade volume with Taiwan Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The number of people working in the commercial sector will reach million in Beijing this year accounting for percent of the citys total working population according to Beijing Municipal Bureau of Commerce
In the first ten months this year jobless people found jobs of them worked in commercial sector according to the bureau figures
Processing industry chain stores and retail sales are the major sectors absorbing increasing number of laborers
Statistics show that daily sales of consumer goods reached million yuan million US dollars in Beijing twice the figure for Enditem
HAIKOU Dec Xinhua Pneumoconiosis ranks first among various occupational hazards in China involving sufferers said an official from the Ministry of Health at a medicalcare symposium held recently in this capital of southernmost Chinas Hainan Province
Of the total patients have died added Qi Xiaoqiu head of the disease control and prevention department of the ministry
Occupational hazards involve odd sectors in China including coal metallurgical nonferrous metal oil petrochemical chemical pharmaceutical building materials and nuclear power sectors Among the diseases pneumoconiosis and occupational toxicosis are the leading threats said Qi
As China has become one of manufacturing bases of the world new occupational diseases will come out It is imperative for China to properly address the occupational health problems so as to achieve sustainable development of economy and society said Qi
Attaching great importance to occupational health China has improved related regulation system in recent years which has helped better peoples working and living conditions said Qi Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Beijings fiscal revenue is expected to top billion yuan billion US dollars in up percent over last year the municipal finance bureau said Friday
Latest figures released by the bureau say the citys fiscal revenues over the past five years have totaled billion yuan billion US dollars an average annual rise of percent
The rapid rise in fiscal revenues has boosted the citys social and economic development said Wu Shixiong chief of the municipal finance bureau at a financial conference
He said Beijings fiscal expenditure also expanded from billion yuan billion US dollars in to billion yuan billion US dollars in an average annual rise of percent
Chinese Finance Minister Jin Renqing has predicted Chinas government revenues are expected to top trillion yuan billion US dollars this fiscal year up more than percent over last years trillion yuan billion US dollars Enditem
HAIKOU Dec Xinhua Expenses on mental health ranked first among all diseases in China making up percent of the total spending said an official from the Ministry of Health at a recent medicalcare symposium held in this capital city of south Chinas Hainan Province
The proportion is expected to reach percent in said Qi Xiaoqiu head of the disease control and prevention department of the ministry
According to Qi there are approximately million mental disorder sufferers in China
Abnormal behaviours of children psychological problems of students senile dementia and depression drug abuse and suicide attempts are on the rise across the nation
Qi said China has built plus medical institutes targeted at mental disorders involving beds and doctors for the sufferers Enditem
XIAN Dec Xinhua Shaanxi Province a leading energy base in western China reported an allround growth in energy output this year
In the first months of this year Shaanxi produced million tons of crude oil up percent over last years same period according to statistics of the provincial industry and transport office
The output of refined oil in Shaanxi reached million tons a rise of percent The finished products include million tons of gasoline up percent and million tons of diesel oil up percent
During the same period the output of natural gas climbed to billion cubic meters up percent and its coal output topped million tons Enditem
HONG KONG Dec Xinhua Hong Kong stocks went down points or percent to close at on Friday Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Report on the quality of air in major Chinese cities Dec to Dec Beijing Time released by the China Environmental Monitoring Center
City Major Pollutant Air Quality Level
Beijing particulate matter III
Tianjin sulfur dioxide III
Shijiazhuang particulate matter IV
Qinhuangdao sulfur dioxide II
Taiyuan particulate matter IV
Hohhot particulate matter II
Shenyang particulate matter II
Dalian particulate matter II
Changchun particulate matter II
Harbin particulate matter II
Shanghai particulate matter II
Nanjing particulate matter II
Suzhou particulate matter II
Nantong particulate matter II
Lianyungang particulate matter II
Hangzhou particulate matter II
Ningbo particulate matter II
Wenzhou particulate matter II
Hefei particulate matter II
Fuzhou I
Xiamen I
Nanchang particulate matter II
Jinan particulate matter IV
Qingdao sulfur dioxide III
Yantai sulfur dioxide II
Zhengzhou particulate matter III
Wuhan particulate matter III
Changsha particulate matter III
Guangzhou particulate matter II
Shenzhen particulate matter II
Zhuhai particulate matter II
Shantou I
Zhanjiang particulate matter II
Nanning particulate matter III
Guilin I
Beihai I
Haikou particulate matter II
Chongqing particulate matter III
Chengdu particulate matter V
Guiyang sulfur dioxide III
Kunming particulate matter II
Lhasa particulate matter II
Xian particulate matter IV
Lanzhou particulate matter V
Xining particulate matter III
Yinchuan particulate matter III
Urumqi sulfur dioxide III
The center classifies air quality in Chinas urban areas into five levels level I or excellent pollution reading not exceeding level II or fairly good pollution reading to level III or slightly polluted pollution reading to level IV or poor pollution reading to and level V or hazardous pollution reading over
The cities monitored by the center include the four municipalities of Beijing Tianjin Shanghai and Chongqing provincial or autonomous regional capitals and major cities in economically developed coastal areas and tourist attractions Enditem
XIAN Dec Xinhua A monthold Asian elephant has died of multiple infections at a northwest China wildlife park zoo keepers said Thursday
Xixi the first artificiallybred Asian elephant ever to survive in northwest China showed flulike symptoms on Dec and recuperated little after three days of treatment said Shen Guancheng assistant manager of the Qinling Wildlife Park in the suburbs of Xian capital of northwest Chinas Shaanxi Province
Her situation worsened on Dec and she died despite emergency treatment by specialists from the No Medical University of the Chinese Peoples Liberation Army and the wildlife park in Chengdu southwest Chinas Sichuan Province said Shen
A postmortem shows the young elephant had died of carditis and pancreatitis following viral infections
The birth of Xixi on April was big news in Xian because she was the first surviving baby Asian elephant born through artificial insemination
The park management has decided to make a specimen of Xixis corpse which will be put on display at the zoo Enditem
HEFEI Dec Xinhua Construction workers have found the fossils of millionyearold unknown invertebrate creatures in a temple renovation in eastern Anhui Province a local government source said Friday
The crimson wormlike fossil appeared on two pieces of sand stone about meters high and four meters and seven meters long respectively when the workers were laying the foundation of the main hall in the Qinglong Temple of Fengtai County according to the source
Experts from the provincial museum confirmed the curved lines were fossils of some spineless creatures more than million years ago however the exact species is still a mystery to them according to the cultural office of Fengtai County
Experts said these fossils offered direct evidence for the research on the origin and evolution of metazoan or multicellular organisms Enditem
YINCHUAN Dec Xinhua Four people were drowned Friday afternoon in an icecovered puddle in the city of Shizuishan northwest Chinas Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region said the local police source
The accident took place at around one oclock pm when a child fell into an icecovered puddle
Some passersby immediately jumped into the water to save the child but three failed to come out of the puddle again
The local police rushed to the scene but failed to rescue the four due to thick ice
The identities of the dead are still unknown Investigation into the cause is underway Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Chinas shares fell slightly lower Friday the last trading day of the year in a move described by analysts as technical readjustment
Following impressive rises in the past week the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index which covers both A and Bshares on the Shanghai Stock Exchange fell percent to while the Shenzhen Component Stock Index lost about percent to
Total turnover for the market was billion yuan billion US dollars for the Shanghai market and billion yuan for the Shenzhen market
Analysts described the market falls as normal downward adjustment
Wan Bing an analyst with Hexun Securities Information Co said the markets had been bullish since Dec and Fridays fluctuation would be good for the market performance on coming trading days
The Shanghai Composite Index was down percent during the whole year compared with a drop of percent last year The Shenzhen Component Stock Index lost percent in down percentage points over that of last year Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua A Beijingbased university has invented a water generator which can kill the HN strain of bird flu completely the university reported Thursday
The killer called HTDJ acid oxidizing potential water generator was invented by Hantong Science and Technology Company of Beijing Union University
This new sterilizer can convert water into disinfectant which by keeping PH scale below can kill all the animalcules
In addition the used disinfectant can be deoxidized into ordinary water causing no harm to human skin and environment
This invention has just been approved and certified by the countrys Ministry of Health the State Drug Administration and the State Intellectual Property Office respectively
The water generator as a sterilizer is currently in extensive use abroad such as in hospitals restaurants and hotels Enditem
SHANGHAI Dec Xinhua Japanese architect Tadao Ando is polishing his design of a memorial building for Tongji University based in Shanghai the largest metropolis in China
This will be his first design proposal for a Chinese office building
Tadao Ando who is at the pinnacle of success in his own country has accepted the invitation of Tongji University as an honorary professor
Construction of the metertall office building named Shanghai International Design Center is scheduled to be launched next year and will be finished in May to mark the centennial celebration of this prestigious Chinese university
The university and the local government will jointly raise million yuan million US dollars for the project
The model of the building with a glass outward appearance looks like a combination of geometric solid It is on display at an exhibition showing Andos architectural works held in Shanghai Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Weather forecast for major Chinese cities Dec Dec Beijing Time temperatures in Celsius
Min Max Condition Wind scale
Beijing flurrycloudy
Harbin clear
Tianjin flurrycloudy
Urumqi flurrycloudy
Xian overcast
Lhasa clear
Chengdu foggyovercast
Chongqing overcast
Kunming clear
Nanjing moderate rainovercast
Shanghai moderate raindrizzle
Wuhan drizzlecloudy
Hangzhou moderate rainovercast
Taipei drizzle
Guangzhou overcastcloudy
Hong Kong overcastcloudy
Macao overcastcloudy
SOURCE Central Meteorological Station China Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Weather forecast for world cities Dec Dec Beijing Time temperatures in Celsius
Min Max Condition Wind scale
Beijing flurrycloudy
Tokyo cloudyovercast
Bangkok clear
Sydney clear
Karachi clear
Cairo clear
Moscow flurrymoderate snow
Frankfurt flurry
Paris overcastflurry
London flurrymoderate snow
New York showerovercast
SOURCE Central Meteorological Station China Enditem
HONG KONG Dec Xinhua Hong Kong shares ended lower as the blue chip Hang Seng Index fell points to on Friday
The bourse fell percent after trading between and during the session and turnover totaled billion HK dollars about billion US dollars up from billion HK dollars on Thursday
Most blue chips fell Friday led by shoe maker Yue Yuen Industrial Holdings which dropped percent to HK dollars
Chinese mobile phone network provider China Mobile fell percent to HK dollars
Shares of rival China Unicom also fell sharply ending down percent at HK dollars
Denway Motors rose percent to HK dollars
Among other auto stocks shares of newly listed Dongfeng Motor Group rose percent to HK dollars while Brilliance China Automotive edged up percent to Enditem
HONG KONG Dec Xinhua Following are foreign exchange rates against the Hong Kong dollar released by the Bank of China Hong Kong Limited at on Friday
Buying Selling
Japanese yen
Swiss franc
British pound
Australian dollar
Canadian dollar
Euro
US dollar
Enditem
HONG KONG Dec Xinhua Following are Fridays major Hang Seng Indexes managed and compiled by HSI Service Limited a wholly owned subsidiary of the Hang Seng Bank
Index Previous Close Close Change
Hang Seng Index
Subindices
Finance
Utilities
Properties
ComInd
Hang Seng Composite
Index
Hang Seng Hong Kong
Composite Index
Hang Seng Mainland
Composite Index
Hang Seng China
Enterprises Index
Hang Seng ChinaAffiliated
Corporations Index
Turnover
million HK dollars
million US dollars
Enditem
HONG KONG Dec Xinhua Share prices on the Taiwan Stock Exchange closed lower on Friday with the weighted index the markets key barometer moving down points to close at according to the news from Taipei
The bourse opened at and fluctuated between and during trading A total of billion shares changed hands on a market turnover of billion Taiwan dollars billion US dollars
Only one of the eight major stock categories gained ground with construction issues moving up percent
The seven other major stock categories lost ground with paper and pulp issues moving down the most at percent followed by cement stocks at percent plastics and chemicals shares at percent banking and financial shares at percent textile stocks at percent foodstuff issues at percent and machinery and electronics shares at percent
Losers outnumbered gainers to with stocks remaining unchanged Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua A group of young dramatists in China will stage a comedy based on news events of the whole year between January and before the traditional Chinese Spring Festival which falls on January
The plays director Shi Zhan a young drama professional graduated from China Central Drama Institute said that the play Look at our happy life tells a story about two young men Xiao Hu and Xiao Die who dream of making a play of their own Due to lack of much money they have to receive financial support by an investor Shan Ge However when they are busy in rehearsing the play a series of accidents have happened one after another and hindered their rehearsal They have to find out the truth behind the misfortune
Accidents covered in last years newspapers were replayed in the play so that people may look back into the history and see clearly how human being live through disasters Shi said In this way the two young men in the play and the young audience could learn how to realize their dream against hardship
Last year Shi and his crew staged a comic play using local dialect in northeast China which has a lot of fun in wording and sounds humorous in tune Shi and his crew became immediately popular among young audience and their creation was commented typical of entertainment drama
Shi regardless of all the controversy arisen from his previous work said the comedy does not merely make people laugh but should leave people more space to think in a happy mood Enditem
WUHAN Dec Xinhua China plans to build more sewage disposal plants in the Three Gorges Reservoir area in central Hubei Province on the Yangtze River to further improve water quality in the reservoir official sources said on Friday
According to a year plan on water pollution prevention in the reservoir area China will invest billion yuan billion US dollars in water pollution control said Huang Mao deputy head of the leading group in charge of water pollution control at the Three Gorges Reservoir area of Hubei Province
These projects will be built in Zigui Xingshan Badong Yuanan Enshi and Lichuan counties in the reservoir area Huang said
Meanwhile the province will build garbage processing plants in the next five years with an additional daily handling capacity of tons
The Three Gorges Project which includes the reservoir is a massive hydroelectric power project on the middle reaches of the Yangtze river The project is scheduled to be completed by
China will invest billion yuan billion US dollars in projects to curb water pollution in the reservoir area and upper reaches of the Yangtze River by
The Three Gorges Project will help control flooding in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze It will also generate hydroelectric power equivalent to million tons of coal annually after generators are operating at full capacity Enditem
HONG KONG Dec Xinhua Hong Kongs Hang Seng China Enterprises Index fell points or percent to close at on Friday
The index initiated in August and rebased on Sept tracks the overall performance of Chinese mainland stateowned enterprises listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange
Hang Seng ChinaAffiliated Corporations Index went down points or percent to close at
The index tracks the performance of locally listed companies with a significant equity interest held by entities in the Chinese mainland
Hang Seng Mainland Composite Index fell points or percent to close at
Introduced on Oct Hang Seng Mainland Composite Index gauges the performance of Hong Konglisted companies with principal places of business in Hong Kong and the mainland Enditem
HONG KONG Dec Xinhua The gold price in Hong Kong went
down HK dollars to HK dollars per tael on Friday
according to the Bank of China Hong Kong
The price is equivalent to dollars a troy ounce down
dollars at Fridays exchange rate of US dollar against
HK dollars Enditem
HONG KONG Dec Xinhua Following are temperatures and weather forecast of Dec for AsiaPacific cities dispatched by the Hong Kong Observatory on Friday
CITY MINIMUM MAXIMUM FORECAST
HONG KONG RAIN
MACAO RAIN
GUANGZHOU RAIN
SHANGHAI RAIN
BEIJING OVERCAST
TAIPEI RAIN
SEOUL OVERCAST
TOKYO FINE
MANILA OVERCAST
HANOI CLOUDY
HO CHI MINH CITY BRIGHT
BANGKOK CLOUDY
KUALA LUMPUR THUNDERSTORMS
SINGAPORE THUNDERSTORMS
NEW DELHI CLOUDY
MUMBAI FINE
KARACHI FINE
JAKARTA RAIN
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN SHOWERS
SYDNEY FINE
MELBOURNE FINE
BRISBANE FINE
Enditem
YINCHUAN Dec Xinhua A woman was poisoned to death and her three sons suffered serious poisoning symptoms after drinking milk Thursday doctors said
The four living in the Jiucun Village of Wuzhong City in northwest Chinas Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region began to feel nausea tremors and giddiness at about pm Thursday soon after drinking milkr
They were sent to a local hospital where the mother died later in the evening according to doctors
Local health departments and public security bureaus are investigating the incident Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Starting in northwest Chinas dilapidated cavehouses and undergoing the worstever conditions in Chinas most chaotic years the China National Radio CNR celebrated its th birthday here Friday
The first Chinese national broadcasting station the CNR has more than million Chinese listeners the largest in the world Seventyplus out of its programs are satellite transmitted
On Dec the CNR started in a cavehouse in northwest Chinas Yanan city Shannxi Province an important revolutionary base area that played a key role in the Chinese revolution in the s and s Facing poor conditions during that time the CNR staff used to generate electricity through truck engines
The establishment of the CNR also marked the beginning of the Chinese broadcasting era On Oct when new China was founded Chairman Mao Zedongs words were transmitted electrically for the first time and could be heard in almost every part of China
Yang Zhaolin the former president of the CNR once received a letter from a listener in the s when he was a CNR editor The listener said listening to CNR broadcasting was like seeing a lighthouse on a dark night
I was greatly encouraged in the chaotic years said the listener
The CNR which now has become a modern broadcasting network using sophisticated digital technology should go deep into the grassroots and focus more on the public said Liu Yunshan head of the Department of Publicity of the Communist Party of China Central Committee at the celebrating gathering here on Friday
Currently the CNR runs nine special frequencies including news life sports and financial information Services like the Internet digital radio cell phone broadcasting online radio and paid digital TV programs are popular among listeners Enditem
KUNMING Dec Xinhua Chinas spring city Kunming was entitled the home for blackheaded gull on Friday by the China Wildlife Conservation Association for its nice treatment of migrant seagulls in the last years
The large numbers of seagulls that come to Kunming capital of southwestern Chinas Yunnan Province reflects local residents love for life and nature said Zhao Shengli deputy secretary general of the association
The environment in Kunming is good judging by these birds he added
Kunming is the only city in China visited by blackheaded gulls regularly in the long term according to ViceMayor Yang Wen
The local government has set aside special funds to protect the redbeaked birds and has encouraged citizens to feed them the official said
Since over seagulls move to Kunming from remote Siberia each year for a warm winter Feeding and protecting the birds have become a part of the citizens life Enditem
YINCHUAN Dec Xinhua Northwest Chinas Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region on Friday fulfilled its plan to link up all villages with highways
When a road linking Magaozhuang Township in Tongxin County with the regional highway network opened to traffic on Friday all the villages in townships in Ningxia now have access to asphalt roads
Ningxia has invested billion yuan billion US dollars since in highway construction projects thanks to financial support from the central government It now has kilometers of highways
Highway transportation plays a key role in Ningxia By the end of motor vehicles owned by individuals exceeded in Ningxia The revenue earned from highway transport makes up percent of Ningxiss tertiary industry this year Enditem
SHANGHAI Dec Xinhua Thousands of people paid their last respects to Wang Daohan the Chinese mainlands chief negotiator with Taiwan Friday in Longhua Funeral Home in Shanghai
The remains of Wang who passed away on Dec in Shanghai at age were cremated on Friday morning in the funeral home
Former Chinese President Jiang Zemin and Chinese VicePresident Zeng Qinghong attended the funeral joined by other senior mainland officials people from Taiwan Hong Kong Macao and overseas as well as ordinary mainland citizens who formed a long queue outside the funeral home
The wife son and a daughter of Wangs Taiwan counterpart Koo Chenfu who died in January also went to the funeral
Other personages from Taiwan at the funeral included a representative of former Chairman of Kuomintang KMT Lien Chan KMT vicechairman Wu Pohhsiung SecretaryGeneral of the People First Party Chin Chinsheng Chairman of the New Party Yok Muming representatives of the Alliance for the Reunification of China and Strait Peaceful ReUnification Association Wangs friends of various circles and representatives of Taiwan businesses on the mainland
A senior consultant to the Taiwanbased Eastern Multimedia Group said he had come to make a bow to Wang with whom he talked twice
He was a man that cared a great deal about the country and the people a man of vision a scholar and a man that felt for the Taiwan people Such a politician is worthy of the sincerest bow from me he said
Wang president of the mainlandbased Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits held the landmark talks with Koo Chenfu chairman of the Taiwanbased Strait Exchange Foundation in Singapore in April which was the first ever highlevel nongovernmental talks across the Straits
The two men met for the second time in Shanghai in October which opened political dialogue between the two sides across the Taiwan Straits
Wang once served as secretary of the CPC Shanghai Municipal Committee and vicemayor and mayor of Shanghai He is widely believed to have contributed a great deal to boosting the prosperity of Shanghai
During his illness and after his death Hu Jintao Jiang Zemin Wu Banguo Wen Jiabao Jia Qinglin Zeng Qinghong Huang Ju Wu Guanzheng Li Changchun and Luo Gan visited him in hospital or conveyed condolences over his death Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Chinas major companies will issue corporate bonds worth billion yuan billion US dollars in the State Development and Reform Commission SDRC said here Friday
The issuance is expected to help these companies with their direct financing said the SDRC
These companies involve the energy aviation and spaceflight and transportation industries including the State Grid Corporation of China SG China Three Gorges Project Corporation CTGPC and China National Aerotechnology Import Export Corp
China this year issued billion yuan in corporate bonds more than double that in Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing said here Friday that China will peacefully develop and adhere to an independent foreign policy of peace in the coming year
Li made the remarks at a new year reception hosted by the Foreign Ministry in the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse at which State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan and nearly foreign diplomats and Chinese officials were present
This year China in a bid to safeguard the fundamental interest of the Chinese and world people carried out many exchanges and cooperation with foreign partners played constructive role in major international and regional issues and made contributions to world peace and common development Li said
China will hold high the banner of peace development and cooperation adhere to an independent foreign policy of peace stick to a road of peaceful development seek domestic development and harmony and promote world peace and cooperation in he said
Konan Kramo ambassador of Cote dIvoire said on behalf of the diplomatic corps in Beijing that China has been an essential player in the world political and economic arena safeguarding world peace and promoting common development
He expressed congratulations on Chinas achievements in national buildingup and said he believes China will further cooperate with foreign partners Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The Peoples University of China held a celebration for the th anniversary of its law school Friday according to sources at the university
Described as mother of law education the Law School of RUC founded in was the first regular college offering law courses in New China
The Law School is not only the cradle of Chinas jurists but has also created a favorable atmosphere for the study of law said Wang Liming president of the law school in his address to the celebration conference Friday
Currently the school has a faculty of professors and doctoral supervisors During the past years more than students have graduated from the law school
Since its foundation the law school has contributed greatly to the countrys legislation judicary and the drive of ruling the country by law said Xiao Yang Chinas chief justice and president of the Supreme Peoples Court and also a graduate of the law school
At the celebration conference an alumni association will be set up according to sources from the law school Enditem
by Wei Wu
BEIJING Dec Xinhua China announced here Friday that the establishment of the countrys first ever national association to help promote and disseminate information about the countrys religious cultures overseas
As a nonprofit social organization the China Religious Culture Communication Association CRCCA will mainly work as a new platform for the countrys religions to carry out outbound religious cultural exchanges with various organizations overseas in an extensive and indepth way
Ye Xiaowen director of the State Administration for Religious Affairs of China was elected the president of the association with three paramount Chinese religious celebrities as honor presidents
The three figures are bishop Fu Tieshan chairman of the Catholic Patriotic Association of China Pagbalha Geleg Namgyae a renowned Tibetan living Buddha and bishop Ding Guangxun with the China Christian Council
We will devote ourselves to promoting religious cultural exchanges and cooperation between the Chinese mainland and all social circles especially religious ones from Taiwan Hong Kong Macao and other parts of the world said the constitution of CRCCA
Its other task is to tell the world the truth about Chinas treatment of religious worship and explain the countrys policies about religious freedom
In my view the association will surely facilitate better use of both governmental and religious resources in China and further exploration of the helpful values and traditions in Chinese religions said Fu Tieshan
As a result the groundless slander against China about religious affairs will be naturally refuted mutual understanding will be enhanced misunderstanding removed and friends will be made said Fu who praised the association as a timely and necessary new channel for the countrys religious undertaking
There are many friendly religious leaders or bodies in almost every one of the more than countries and regions weve contacted in the past more than years said Chen Zuming secretarygeneral of the China Association for International Friendly Contact
They do want further their religious cultural exchanges with China he said
According to Zhuo Xinping a professor specializing in religion studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences religious cultural exchange has long played a role as a prerequisite for dialogue understanding and communications between different religions in history
In the context of globalization religious cultural exchanges should be viewed as a major element that will help promote world peace and mutual understanding among people he said
To that end people from different religions races and nations need to improve their mutual understanding through equal and friendly exchangesincluding religious cultural exchanges said Chen Guangyuan president of the China Islamic Association Enditem
HANGZHOU Dec Xinhua A number of officials in eastern Chinas Zhejiang province city were relieved from their posts Friday over an environment dispute case that led to rioting by many villagers
An official circular released by the provincial discipline inspection authority said Tang Yong former secretary of the Dongyang municipal committee of the Communist Party of China CPC and Chen Fengwei the exmayor had been sacked
A number of other officials responsible for the incident were also given administrative punishment or penalties in accordance with the CPCs disciplines the circular said
Some villagers in Huashui township of Dongyang had complained that chemical industries polluted the environment and forced the firms to stop operation by erecting bamboo shanties at the sites on April th
Police failed to tear down the sheds and road blocks set up by villagers outside an industrial park housing chemical factories A number of them were injured and some vehicles were damaged in the riot
The provincial government has set up a special team to investigate the accusations of pollution and shut down those chemical plants thought responsible Enditem
by Xinhua writers Chen Binhua Tian Sulei and Ji Ming
SHANGHAI Dec Xinhua Thousands of people paid their last respects to Wang Daohan Chinese mainlands chief negotiator with Taiwan Friday in Longhua Funeral Home in Shanghai
The remains of Wang who passed away on Dec in Shanghai at age were cremated on Friday morning in the funeral home
Former Chinese President Jiang Zemin and Chinese VicePresident Zeng Qinghong attended the funeral joined by other senior mainland officials people from Taiwan Hong Kong Macao and overseas as well as ordinary mainland citizens who formed a long queue outside the funeral home
Zeng a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China CPC Central Committee also conveyed condolences offered by Hu Jintao and other members of the Standing Committee to Wangs family
The wife son and a daughter of Wangs Taiwan counterpart Koo Chenfu who died in January also went to the funeral Wang and Koo had formed a close friendship
Other personages from Taiwan at the funeral included a representative of former Chairman of Kuomintang KMT Lien Chan KMT vicechairman Wu Pohhsiung SecretaryGeneral of the People First Party Chin Chinsheng Chairman of the New Party Yok Muming representatives of the Hsin Tungmung Hui Alliance for the Reunification of China and Strait Peaceful ReUnification Association Wangs friends of various circles and representatives of Taiwan businesses on the mainland
Zeng Qinghong met the personages from Taiwan and representatives of Taiwan businesses on the mainland before the funeral and expressed thanks to them
Wang president of the mainlandbased Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits ARATS since December held the landmark talks with Koo Chenfu chairman of the Taiwanbased Strait Exchange Foundation SEF in Singapore in April which was the first ever highlevel nongovernmental talks across the Straits
The two men met for the second time in Shanghai in October which opened political dialogue between the two sides
A senior consultant to the Taiwanbased Eastern Multimedia Group said he had come to make a bow to Wang with whom he talked twice
He was a man that cared a great deal about the country and the people a man of vision a scholar and a man that felt for the Taiwan people Such a politician is worthy of the sincerest bow from me he said
Wang born in Jiashan of east Chinas Anhui province once served as secretary of the CPC Shanghai Municipal Committee and vicemayor and mayor of Shanghai The first to propose development of Shanghais Pudong area applying to host the World Expo and building Shanghai into a transport center he is widely believed to have contributed a great deal to boosting the prosperity of Shanghai
During his illness and after his death Hu Jintao Jiang Zemin Wu Banguo Wen Jiabao Jia Qinglin Zeng Qinghong Huang Ju Wu Guanzheng Li Changchun and Luo Gan visited him in hospital or conveyed condolences over his death
Mr Wang has left us foreverbut he has left behind a rich legacy and unforgettable demeanor wrote Xu Shiquan vicepresident of the mainlandbased National Taiwan Studies Society in an article published on the mainlandbased Peoples Daily Friday
The energy and wisdom he devoted to the development of crossStraits relations will surely continue to work in the historical process of the reunification of China he wrote
Huang Renwei a professor with the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences also paid a high tribute to Wang in an article published on Guangming Daily Friday
According to Huang Wang Daohan realized the importance of building common ground and a common sense of national identity as as early as in in view that reunification of the two sides will be a longterm zigzagged and gradual process
Wang emphasized giving high priority to developing crossStraits economic and trade relations and boosting twoway visits of people according to Huang
After Lee Tenghui began his two states advocacy in and the proindependence Democratic Progressive Party came to power in the crossStrait situation got very bad Huang wrote
Even under such a situation Wang has still exhibited unusual soberness and perseverance according to Huang
He repeatedly emphasized the following points the policy of winning the support of Taiwan people should not change the momentum of economic and trade relations across the Straits should not change and the fundamental principle of adhering to peaceful reunification should not change wrote Huang
We now can see how farsighted he was wrote Huang adding many of Wangs strategic thoughts and innovative viewpoints can really stand the test of both time and practice
According to Huang Wang Daohan used to work on his research reports through midnight despite his serious illness
After Wangs death many people political parties and organizations in Taiwan Hong Kong Macao and overseas have sent condolences or wreaths all speaking highly of his contribution to the development of relations across the Taiwan Straits
Chiao Jenho a former secretarygeneral of the SEF said talks between Wang and Koo helped to increase mutual understanding across the Taiwan Straits They have left a lot of valuable experiences for later generations in continuing to promote the crossStraits relations Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Chinas top adviser Jia Qinglin said here Friday that more supportive measures should be adopted and more favorable circumstances created to support the Guangcai Program a poverty alleviation project
Jia chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Conference CPPCC made the remarks when meeting with the representatives of the China Guangcai Program attending a conference in Beijing
Initiated by the Chinese private enterprisers for alleviating poverty the program has been mainly implemented by those from the nonpublic sector especially private enterprises
The program has made important contributions to the reduction of poverty and the building of a welloff society in China said Jia who is also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China CPC Central Committee
The scientific concept of development should be adopted to promote the program so that it can play a further role in the construction of the country he said Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Hu Jintao general secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China CPC said here on Friday that Party building theorists should adhere to the practical style of linking theory with reality to substantially enhance the Party building theory study
Addressing a group of representatives of the Partys theory researchers Hu also president of China said that given that the Party and the whole nation are working hard for the building of a welloff society and pushing forward the process of socialist modernization the CPC must enhance the construction of its governance capability and moral and intellectual superiority
To that end we must step up the Party building theory study in a way that is in line with the new historical conditions and historical tasks the CPC is facing said Hu
Fresh experiences during the Party building process should be carefully summarized and helpful practices of foreign political parties be studied and borrowed to enrich and develop the CPCs governance theories he said
He expressed the hope that the Party theorists could focus their study on the scientific view of development the enhancement of the Partys governance capability the ongoing education campaign aimed at helping all Party members maintain their advanced nature and the building of a harmonious socialist society
I hope you will adhere to the guidance of Deng Xiaoping Theory and the important thought of Three Represents fully implement the scientific view of development and make still greater contribution to the building of the Party he said Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua A central work meeting on rural development which concluded here on Thursday has set the targets for building a new socialist countryside in China during the upcoming th FiveYear Development Program period
During the twoday conference which was attended by Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and Vice Premier Huang Ju the participants reached a common ground on the development of agriculture and rural areas in the next five years as well as on how to stabilize grain production and promote the sustained increase of farmers income
The conference stressed that the development of agriculture and rural areas is of great significance due to Chinas national conditions
Only when the problems relating to agriculture rural areas and the farmers have been solved properly can Chinas economy develop in the correct direction said a document from the conference
The task of building a new socialist countryside which was put forward at the Fifth Plenum of the th CPC Communist Party of China Central Committee in October is of great historic importance said the document
It is an important historical mission China must accomplish on its road toward modernization it said This should become a common understanding of the entire party and the whole society
To realize the goal the Partys policies concerning the rural areas must be earnestly implemented it said The principle of giving rural areas more and taking less from the rural areas must be fully implemented to promote the development of the rural areas in an allaround manner
It noted that the development of agriculture and the rural areas has always been a difficult task and a top priority for China which is striving to build a generally affluent society and accelerate the modernization process
The conference pointed out that China has made progress in enhancing agricultural productivity and improving the farmers livelihood over the past years thanks to the efforts of governments at all levels across the country
However it also pointed out that building a new socialist countryside is an overall goal and a longterm task which should be pursued according to the actual situation of different places and the true will of the farmers
The campaign should focus on solving the real problems faced by the farmers in production and life and should benefit the farmers and win their hearty support the conference document cautioned Enditem
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GENEVA Dec Xinhua The worlds airline industry stands to lose billion US dollars this year the International Air Transport Association IATA said on Friday
Turning growth into profitability has never been more criticalAirlines will end with a billion US dollars loss on top of billion dollars in losses accumulated between and said Giovanni Bisignani IATAs director general and CEO
As we battle the high price of fuel cost efficiency will continue to be a top priority not only for airlines but for every partner in the value chain including airports and air navigation service providers he said in a statement
Airlines have reduced nonfuel unit costs by percent since according to IATA As a result the breakeven price of oil has risen from dollars per barrel Brent in to dollars per barrel Brent in
Based on continued cost reduction and an oil price of dollars per barrel down from dollars in airlines are expected to return a loss of billion dollars in according to IATA
We will only see profitability in when we expect a return of billion dollars This is a net profit margin of percent not even enough to cover the cost of capital and nowhere near recovering the billions lost since A long and difficult agenda for change involving all partners is still ahead of us said Bisignani
IATA brings together approximately airlines including the worlds largest Flights by these airlines comprise percent of all international scheduled air traffic Enditem
MOSCOW Dec Xinhua Russia on Friday slammed a recent statement by a top US diplomat who said America wants to see greater democratic freedoms in the former Soviet Union
US Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Nicholas Burns said recently the States is to pursue plans for the development of freedom in Russia
He added the US policy on transAtlantic relations in envisages promotion of democracy in Russia Ukraine Central Asia and Transcaucasia
I must say that the statement by the undersecretary of course does not fully correspond with confident and constructive dialogue between our two countries Russian ministry spokesman Mikhail Kamynin was quoted by the Interfax news agency as saying
We are far from claiming to be a monopolist on former Soviet territory Kamynin said
Imposition of development models will not lead to anything good We have witnessed this in the former Soviet Union the Middle East and Africa That the people must decide their own destiny is the basic principle of democracy he said
Kamynin also denied US involvement in Russias mediating efforts in the conflicts in Georgias Abkhazia and South Ossetia
We do not know anything about such links being established between Tbilisi and Moscow he said Enditem
WASHINGTON Dec Xinhua Fighting al Qaida has become the largest CIA covert action program since the height of the Cold War The Washington Post reported on Friday
The broadbased effort known as GST is compartmentalized into dozens of highly classified individual programs details of which are known only to those directly involved according to the report
GST includes programs allowing the CIA to capture al Qaida suspects with help from foreign intelligence services to maintain secret prisons abroad to use interrogation techniques that some lawyers say violate international treaties and to maintain a fleet of aircraft to move detainees around the globe
Other compartments within GST give the CIA enhanced ability to mine international financial records and eavesdrop on suspects anywhere in the world
Over the past two years as aspects of this covert program have burst into public view the revelations have prompted protests and official investigations in countries that work with the United States as well as condemnation by international human rights activists and criticism by members of the US Congress
Still virtually all the programs continue to operate largely as they were set up current and former US intelligence officials were quoted by the report as saying
These sources say US President George W Bushs personal commitment to maintaining the GST program and his belief in its legality have been key to resisting any pressure to change course
In the past presidents set up buffers to distance themselves from covert action said A John Radsan assistant general counsel at the CIA from to
But President Bush who is breaking down the boundaries between covert action and conventional war seems to relish the secret findings and the dirty details of operations he said Enditem
MEXICO CITY Dec Xinhua Latin Americas one of three major stock markets closed lower on Friday
Mexico Citys stock market IPC index dropped percent and closed at points A total of million shares were traded at million US dollars Enditem
LOS ANGELES Dec Xinhua Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is to propose a onedollar increase in California for minimum wage over the next months when he gives his annual stateofthestate speech next week an informed source said Friday
The move will represent a reverse of position on the minimum wage issue by the Republican governor who earlier had vetoed two times a bill for a minimum wage increase sponsored by Democrats
We would support the governors proposal said Bill Dombrowski president of the California Retailers Association who was briefed on the plan
Under Schwarzeneggers plan the dollarperhour minimum wage for some million workers in California would rise by cents in July and another cents a year later
However the proposal will not include an automatic adjustment for inflation said Dombrowski
Schwarzenegger vetoed in September a minimumwage bill proposed by Democrats that also includes a provision that would have mandated future increases tied to inflation
State Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez Friday released a statement praising the governor for proposing an increase but said the Democrats still want the wage indexed for inflation
California the most populous US state is one of the states in the nation that set minimum wages above the federal floor of dollars per hour while among them Oregon and Washington are only two states that provide automatic costofliving adjustments Enditem
BOGOTA Dec Xinhua Colombian Defense Minister Camilo Ospina said Friday that the government has seized tons of cocaine percent more than those of last year
Thanks to Plan Colombia tons of cocaine have been seized in worth billion US dollars said the minister
Plan Colombia consists of military aid provided by Washington since that amounts to billion dollars
Colombia is the worlds biggest producer and exporter of cocaine which mainly goes to the United States and Europe Enditem
LONDON Three Britons taken hostage in southern Gaza by Palestinian militants have been freed the Sky news reported on Friday
Aid worker Kate Burton and her parents were in good health Palestinian mediator Kamal Sharafi was quoted as saying but he was unable to give any other details UKBritonsHostage
CAIRO Syrias exvice president Abdel Halim Khaddam on Friday denounced the government of President Bashar alAssad saying Assad threatened Rafiq Hariri just months before the former Lebanese premier was assassinated in a bomb blast in Beirut on Feb
Khaddam who is now in Paris with his family made the denunciation in an interview with Dubaibased television AlArabiya SyriaAssadHariri
WASHINGTON US President George W Bush on Friday signed a bill that extends the antiterrorism Patriot Act for five weeks among other bills at his private ranch in Crawford Texas
The dozen other bills he signed included a defense bill which funnels extra money to Iraq Afghanistan and the hurricanedamaged US Gulf Coast region BushPatriot Act
UNITED NATIONS UN SecretaryGeneral Kofi Annan voiced deep regret on Friday over the clashes in Cairo between Sudanese refugees and Egyptian police saying the deaths of a number of refugees were unjustified
The secretarygeneral was deeply saddened to learn of the violent deaths of a number of Sudanese migrants in Cairo today as a result of clashes with police said a statement issued by a UN spokesman UNDeathsEgypt Enditem
BOGOTA Dec Xinhua A guerrilla chief of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia FARC was captured by the police at the department of Arauca northeast of the country the Defense Ministry said Friday
In a communique the ministry said that Abraham Rodriguez Rosales is the second chief of the rebel group captured this week after Alberto Giraldo Montoya at Arauca
According to the Defense Ministry the FARC chief is involved in explosive attacks against police and civil population
Rodriguez Rosales had replaced Giraldo Montoya as explosives chief and of the th FARC Front of Arauca said the ministry
The FARC is the largest rebel group of the country with at least combatants Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Following are some of the major international news stories scheduled to be covered or pursued by Xinhua on Saturday
Presidential election cancelled in Haiti
Snow and cold winter in Europe
Gas row between Russia and Ukraine
Presidentelect of Bolivia visits Cuba
Ecuador Colombia presidents plan to talk about FTA Enditem
HAVANA Dec Xinhua Presidentelect of Bolivia Evo Morales on Friday started his visit to Cuba where he was received by Cuban leader Fidel Castro local media reported
Cuba was the first country visited by Morales after his clear victory in the Dec elections in which he got percent of the votes
Morales of the Movement to Socialism MAS showed with his oneday visit in Cuba that his government will strengthen ties with the Caribbean country said political analysts
During a meeting between Castro and Morales the two talked about Latin Americas integration within the socalled Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas ALBA proposed by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez Cuba and Venezuela signed ALBA
Morales will take office on Jan as the first president of indigenous origin in Bolivia
In addition to Cuba Morales has plans to visit countries including Spain France South Africa and Brazil Enditem
HAVANA Dec Xinhua The electoral authorities of Haiti cancelled on Friday the presidential and legislative elections that originally were due on Jan according to reports from PortauPrince capital of Haiti
The Provisional Electoral Council CEP of Haiti did not fix a coming date for the elections and attributed the decision to technical decisions
CEP President Max Mathurin said the suspension of the elections was agreed upon by representatives of all the political forces
The presidential and legislative elections were cancelled for the fourth time in the Caribbean country
The previously cancelled elections were due on Oct and Nov and Dec
In these elections voters should select a president for the country to replace the acting government set up after President JeanBertrand Aristide was ousted on Feb
The previous cancellations were blamed on delays in the delivery of identification cards technical failures and a deficient electoral organization
Of the million Haitian citizens half are registered voters Enditem
JAKARTA Dec Xinhua Three people were killed and at least six others were injured when a bomb exploded early Saturday at a market in the Indonesian town of Palu in Central Sulawesi province police said Enditem
MEXICO CITY Dec Xinhua Mexicos giant Popocatepetl volcano spewed out on Friday a column of gas ashes and vapor of meters into the air the local media reported
The meter volcano released a puff five days after a threeminute eruption produced a threekmhigh column without affecting the surrounding areas
Popocatepetl whose name means smoking mountain in the Nahuatl Indian language is km east of Mexico City and usually releases puffs of gas in December after it became active again on Dec following seven decades of inactivity
According to the reports the authorities decided after Fridays eruption to keep a yellow phase alert that prevents the public from entering an area km from the crater
About million people live near Popocatepetl which is also known as Don Goyo by local inhabitants Enditem
KIEV Dec Xinhua Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko said on Friday that Russias imposition of price terms during the two countries gas talks smacks of an ultimatum and is unacceptable
Ukraine does not need an ultimatum or political and economic pressure said Yushchenko in a televised interview on Friday evening after the two countries talks on gas price
According to the Ukrainian president Russia insists that his country pay the world market price for its natural gas which means US dollars per cubic meters instead of the dollars it pays now
It also suggested that Ukraine raise accordingly the transit fee from Russian gas which goes to Europe through a Ukrainian pipeline to dollars per cubic meters per km
Ukraine regards the terms as unacceptable after serious consideration Yushchenko said arguing that the objective price for the Russian gas in Ukraine now is to dollars
Yushchenko also said Ukraine has already reached an agreement with Turkmenistan under which Turkmenistan is to supply to Kiev billion cubic meters of gas a year at a price of dollars per cubic meters The supply will account for more than half of Ukraines yearly consumption and thus spare Ukraine any possible shortage of natural gas
At present Ukraine relies on Russia for about a third of its gas and Turkmenistan for percent
Regarding the issue of Russias Black Sea fleet at the Sevastopol base in Ukraine Yushchenko said his country should take Russia as a friendly country and avoid conflicts with it He added that it is unwise for some Ukrainian politicians to demand a reconsideration of the fleet issue
Yushchenko reiterated that Ukraine will stick to the agreement with Russia according to which Russia would pay Ukraine million dollars every year to use the Sevastopol base until Enditem
MEXICO CITY Dec Xinhua The United States decided on Friday to postpone the enforcement of a free trade agreement with Central America and the Dominican Republic CAFTADR Mexican media reported
US trade authorities said in Washington that they plan to delay the enforcement for one or two months
The governments that signed the CAFTADR had decided to start enforcing the agreement on the first day of but various delays in paperwork led to the postponement
The United States will take CAFTADR into effect in a progressive way as the countries make sufficient changes to comply with the established commitments in the agreement said US trade authorities in a statement issued in Washington
The press reports also noted that the CAFTADR had led to numerous protests in Central American countries and even among US legislators due to the risk of increasing the jobless rate in that region and the United States as well as problems for Central American agricultural producers
Several countries are almost prepared to apply CAFTADR but none has completed internal procedures the statement said
The US government will accomplish the pending arrangements as soon as possible through continuous work with the CAFTADR partners namely Costa Rica El Salvador Guatemala Honduras Nicaragua and Dominican Republic Stephen Norton a spokesman for US Trade authorities said
He added that the countries could continue to enjoy the current commercial preferences granted by Washington Enditem
PARIS Dec Xinhua Heavy snow and high winds swept through much of Europe ahead of the New Year weekend causing traffic chaos power supply difficulties and dozens of deaths on the continent
In Poland police said drunk people were frozen to death in recent days with the last victim found on Friday
In Hungary some regions were covered by cm of snow in the wake of two days of steady snowfall The motorway connecting Budapest with Vienna was closed after about vehicles crashed in a multiple pileup An eightyearold boy was killed in the accident and people were injured some seriously
In Germany flights out of Frankfurt and Stuttgart airports were delayed Heavy snowfall caused traffic problems in and around the capital Berlin as weather forecast predicted more snow over the next few days
France the hardest hit by the blizzards raised the cold alert to orange level Some highways were closed and most international flights delayed
About homes in northern France were knocked off electricity
Blizzards prompted a nationwide weather warning in the Netherlands and Amsterdams Schiphol Airport was preparing to shut down some of its runways as thick clouds blew in Almost half of the flights were cancelled Friday afternoon
Belgian authorities issued a warning to drivers due to potentially hazardous road conditions Many people chose to stay home
Switzerland also shivered with MeteoSwiss meteorological experts recording the lowest temperature so far this season Some people were injured in traffic accidents due to the bad weather and slippery roads
In Spain which is scarcely hit by snow authorities have ordered the closure of four mountain passes in the northern areas of Cantabria and Navarra because snow snarled traffic
In Britain the temperature dipped to minus Celsius at one point in Scotland and northeastern England Forecasters warned that snow might lead to low visibility and perilous road conditions Enditem
BUENOS AIRES Dec Xinhua Argentina will denounce before the World Trade Organization WTO Chiles failure to annul the priceband system for wheat imports as ordered by the world organization
Chile will be summoned for consultation in order to explain why it does not abide by the WTO ruling Secretary of International Economic Relations Alfredo Chiaradia said here on Friday
In case the response to this consultation is not satisfactory the Argentine government will open a new denunciation panel before the multilateral organization
Chiaradia noted that in April WTO determined that the priceband applied by Chile to set import tariffs on certain agricultural products violate the rules of this organization
The organization favorably responded to the Argentine appeal against the application of the Chilean tariff system on wheat and vegetableoil imports
Nonetheless Chiaradia confirmed that Chile complies in a partial way with the WTO decision on vegetable oils Enditem
MADRID Dec Xinhua The Spanish Council of Ministers decided on Friday to revoke the political asylum granted to opposition leader of Equatorial Guinea Severo Moto after it was shown that he was involved in several coup detat attempts
Vice Prime Minister Maria Teresa Fernandez de la Vega told a press conference that the revoking has been adopted in accordance with the regulating legislation for the concession of the asylum and refugee statute reformed in as well as with respect to the Geneva Convention
It was proved that the selfproclaimed leader was involved in the organization and preparation of nonpeaceful or violent activities in Equatorial Guinea in violation of the ends and principles of the United Nations the Spanish authorities said
The activities included recruiting mercenaries and gunrunning as proved in October through different reports of the Spanish security and intelligence services
But the Spanish government also said that after the political asylum is revoked Moto leader of the Equatorial Guinea Progress Party would in no case be sent back to his home country or to any other place where he could be persecuted A safe country would be sought to take him
Moto said he wished to have time to find where to go before being sent out of Spain And he would rather go to Equatorial Guinea to be killed there before being secretly assassinated in a third country
The idea was to find by himself an alternative destination but he would need the economic capacity for a new trip in the first place Moto said
As the leader of one of the principal opposition parties Moto was accused by the Equatorial Guinean government of having participated in the organization of a failed coup detat against President Teodoro Obiang Nguema in March Enditem
NEW YORK Oil futures settled above dollars a barrel Friday and finished percent higher than they started in
Light sweet crude for February delivery rose cents to settle
at dollars a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange
which closed at pm GMT in a shortened session ahead of
the New Years holiday weekend USOil Price
LONDON Major European stock markets ended the year on Friday with smaller doubledigit gains over the year propelled by buyout activity a weaker dollar and corporate restructuring though three markets closed the days trading mixed EuropeStock Market
LUSAKA Zambias capital and financial account balance improved by percent this year to million US dollars from million dollars in governor of the countrys central bank said here Friday ZambiaAccount Balance
GENEVA The worlds airline industry stands to lose billion US dollars this year the International Air Transport Association IATA said on Friday IATA Enditem
PYONGYANG Dec Xinhua The Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea DPRK reiterated on Saturday that it will continue to seek a solution to the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula through dialogue and negotiation and warned the United States not to take this as weakness
The key reason why the sixparty talks have not made substantial progress is that the United States remains unchanged in its hostile policy toward the DPRK blocking the settlement of the nuclear issue the countrys leading newspaper Rodong Sinmun said in a commentary
The article stressed that the DPRK would make positive efforts for the denuclearization and stabilization of the Korean Peninsula
But if the United States persists in its hostile policy to the DPRK the nuclear issue will never be settled and the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula cant be realized either the article said
In China the United States the DPRK South Korea Russia and Japan held the fourth and fifth rounds of the sixparty talks successively in Beijing
A landmark joint statement was issued in the second phase of the fourth round of the talks which was seen as an important staged success changing all the commitments into letters for the first time since the talks began in
The DPRK however refused to attend the second phase of the fifth round of the talks on Dec under the financial sanctions imposed by the United States It urged the United States to take practical measures to lift the sanctions at an early date if it truly wants the resumption and progress of the sixparty talks Enditem
QUITO Dec Xinhua Ecuadoran President Alfredo Palacio will travel to Bogota in January to discuss with his Colombian counterpart Alvaro Uribe a free trade agreement FTA that their countries are negotiating with the United States
Ecuadors chief FTA negotiator Manuel Chiriboga said on Friday that the Foreign Ministry is carrying out consultations prior to the visit
Our aim is that the meeting will be between Jan and Jan in return to the visit of President Uribe for the same purpose two months ago said Chiriboga
Colombia and Ecuador withdrew from the monthold regional trade talks with Washington late last month due to differences over agriculture and intellectual property policies
In response to a request from Ecuador US President George W Bush has agreed to extend the trade talks with Quito till the end of January next year
With Colombia and Ecuador balking at a group deal Peru reached a bilateral agreement with Washington earlier this month
Chiriboga said Perus agreement with the United States does not represent a disadvantage for Ecuador and Colombia which expect to complete the negotiations by February at the latest
He said it is possible that the two countries will act together Enditem
LOME Dec Xinhua China signed a pact with Niger on Friday and agreed to grant the African country million RMB about million US dollars in aid according to news reports from Nigers capital Niamey
The agreement was signed by Chinese Ambassador to Niger Chen Gonglai and Nigers acting Foreign Minister and Defense Minister Hassane Souley Dit Bonto
Under the agreement the Nigerien government could spend the money on projects agreed by the two governments
At the signing ceremony Souley said the assistance was another testimony to the friendly ties between China and Niger and the great importance attached by the Chinese leadership to the bilateral ties
China has granted several concessional and interestfree loans to Niger under the two countries cooperation framework said the minister
Whats more the projects constructed with the assistance of the Chinese government such as the Zinder water supply project the renovation of the Kountie gymnasium and stadium and a farm tool assembly plant have contributed greatly to Nigers povertyreduction cause
The two countries also have fruitful cooperation in the fields of energy public health water conservancy and troops and the bilateral cooperative relations are a great example of SouthSouth cooperation said the minister
He said Niger appreciates Chinese President Hu Jintaos pledge at the summit marking the th anniversary of the United Nations to give more assistance to African countries and strengthen cooperation with developing countries His country is willing to strengthen the existing friendly and cooperative ties with China the minister added
He also expressed the Nigerien governments gratitude to the Chinese government and people for their continuous assistance and support US dollar RMB Enditem
KIEV Dec Xinhua Russian authorities refused to ease their tough stance on Friday in a dispute with Ukraine over gas prices threatening again to shut down gas supply to the neighbor on New Years Day and criticizing Kievs call for more time to reach a deal
The Ukrainian presidential press service said President Viktor Yushchenko had sent a telegram to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin proposing to freeze gas prices for days to allow Russias Gazprom and Ukrainian national oil and gas company Naftogaz Ukrayiny to work out a contract for gas supply for
The Kremlin however denied receiving the telegram from Yushchenko
Meanwhile the statecontrolled gas monopoly Gazprom rejected the reported proposal
There exists a danger that having proposed a freeze on the price for days the Ukrainian side will want another days Gazprom spokesman Sergei Kupriyanov was quoted by the Interfax news agency as saying
Kupriyanov said company chairman Alexei Miller reiterated Gazproms position on Friday and it remained unchanged
Russia exports billion cubic meters of natural gas to Europe through Ukrainian pipelines each year
Currently Ukraine is buying Russian gas for US dollars per cubic meters and Russia has to provide billion cubic meters of gas for its neighbor as territory transit fees
Gazprom has asked Ukraine to pay more than quadruple this price and offered cash payments for the transit of its gas to European clients
Ukraine said it is willing to switch to market prices for gas but insisted on a transitional period to adjust its economy
The politicallycharged gas dispute reveals that relations between the two countries have been further chilled since Yushchenko took office in January of this year analysts said
UkrainianRussian ties were in tension after Viktor Yanukovitch a Moscowbacked candidate lost the presidential election late last year
Since Yushchenko took office Ukraine and Russia had made efforts to improve their relations He visited Russia in January and Putin also paid a reciprocal visit to Ukraine in March
But highlevel exchanges were plunged into stagnation after the visits
Former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko never visited Russia during her sevenmonth tenure and for the Russian side Putin cancelled a visit to Ukraine originally scheduled for October
In late August the two presidents failed to reach consensus on the improvement of relations between their countries during a Commonwealth of Independent States CIS summit in the Russian city of Kazan
On Dec when meeting with Ukraines parliament Speaker Volodymyr Lytvyn in Moscow Putin said the two countries had lost many opportunities to improve relations in the past months
Relations between Russia and Ukraine were also affected by Kievs eagerness to join the North Atlantic Organization NATO which aroused concerns in Moscow analysts said
In October Ukraine held an informal meeting with NATO in the Lithuanian capital of Vilnius and announced that it will try to join the alliance by the end of
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov said that if Ukraine joins NATO his country will suspend all cooperation with it in the field of the war industry
Also Moscow was dissatisfied with Ukraines criticism of the Russialed CIS In early December Ukraine and Georgia along with some other countries set up the Commonwealth of Democratic Selections which Moscow said was aimed at putting an end to the CIS
On Thursday Yushchenko rejected Russias offer of a multibilliondollar loan to help his country adjust to the fourfold increase in gas prices
Ukraine does not need these credits Ukraine will rely on its own resources under a clear correctly and objectively formed price said Yushchenko in a televised speech delivered after a second day of talks between the two countries
He also called the price rise a provocation
Earlier in the day Yushchenko decreed that gas and electricity prices for all consumers would rise to an economically founded level and called on authorities to find ways to cut energy consumption
Ukrainian Prime Minister Yury Ekhanurov told Ukraines Era FM radio on Friday that his country will receive billion cubic meters of natural gas from Turkmenistan in as an agreement has already been signed
Analysts said the gas dispute will not be solved in a short period of time and the prices will be raised eventually but the margins of increase will depend on the political considerations of the two countries leaders rather than market factors Enditem
MOSCOW Dec Xinhua Russias former Nuclear Energy Minister Yevgeny Adamov arrived in Moscow Saturday after being extradited from Switzerland Interfax news agency reported
Adamov accused by Russia and the United States of fraud and money laundering was brought to a detention center under police escort the news agency reported
Adamov was arrested while visiting Switzerland in May at the request of the United States which wants him to face charges of embezzling million US dollars Washington sent to Moscow to help fund nuclear safety projects
Russia also suspects Adamov of selling nuclear secrets and lodged an extradition application on May accusing Adamov of similar offences
On Thursday Switzerlands Federal Court ruled that Adamov was extradited to Russia instead of the United States
Moscow wanted to prevent Adamov from being extradited to the United States fearing that he could divulge secret data about Russias nuclear program Enditem
BRUSSELS Dec Xinhua Traffic in the Netherlands was badly affected Friday after a severe snowstorm swept through the country reports from Amsterdam said on Saturday
Heavy snow hitting the country since Friday afternoon caused treacherous road conditions and the rail system was paralyzed while severe delays occurred at the Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam Friday night
Although the authorities advise potential travellers to avoid overnight travel accidents occurring Friday night were twice as many as the average the road traffic assistance service said
However all services began returning to normal Saturday morning as temperatures were picking up after a threeday cold snap affecting the Netherlands Enditem
HAVANA The electoral authorities of Haiti cancelled on Friday the presidential and legislative elections that originally were due on Jan according to reports from PortauPrince capital of Haiti
The Provisional Electoral Council CEP of Haiti did not fix a coming date for the elections and attributed the decision to technical decisionsHaitiElectionCancel
KIEV Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko said on Friday that Russias imposition of price terms during the two countries gas talks smacks of an ultimatum and is unacceptable
Ukraine does not need an ultimatum or political and economic pressure said Yushchenko in a televised interview on Friday evening after the two countries talks on gas priceRussiaUkraineGas
MEXICO CITY The United States decided on Friday to postpone the enforcement of a free trade agreement with Central America and the Dominican Republic CAFTADR Mexican media reported
US trade authorities said in Washington that they plan to delay the enforcement for one or two monthsMexicoUS
PYONGYANG The Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea DPRK reiterated on Saturday that it will continue to seek a solution to the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula through dialogue and negotiation and warned the United States not to take this as weakness
The key reason why the sixparty talks have not made substantial progress is that the United States remains unchanged in its hostile policy toward the DPRK blocking the settlement of the nuclear issue the countrys leading newspaper Rodong Sinmun said in a commentaryDPRKNulcear
JAKARTA Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Saturday instructed National Police Chief GenSutanto to conduct an immediate investigation into the bombing incident that happened earlier in the morning in Palu Central Sulawesi
The President had already received information on the incident Antara news agency quoted presidential spokesman Andi Malarangeng as saying in Cipanas West Java The President received the first report on the happening at am from the National Police Chief he added
The blast which occurred at am local time at a meat stall on Jalan Pulau Sulawesi reportedly killed seven people and injured othersIndonesiapresident Enditem
MOSCOW Dec Xinhua Russias former Nuclear Energy Minister Yevgeny Adamov arrived in Moscow Saturday after being extradited from Switzerland Interfax news agency reported
Adamov accused by Russia and the United States of fraud and money laundering was brought to a detention center under police escort the news agency reported
Adamov was arrested while visiting Switzerland in May at the request of the United States which wants him to face charges of embezzling million US dollars Washington sent to Moscow to help fund nuclear safety projects
Russia also suspects Adamov of selling nuclear secrets and lodged an extradition application on May accusing Adamov of similar offences
On Thursday Switzerlands Federal Court ruled that Adamov was extradited to Russia instead of the United States
Moscow wanted to prevent Adamov from being extradited to the United States fearing that he could divulge secret data about Russias nuclear program Enditem
LONDON Dec Xinhua Following are major news items in leading British newspapers on Saturday
The Guardian
The British family held hostage for three days after being kidnapped in Gaza were freed Friday night after hours of secret negotiations
Following their release shortly after pm a previously unknown faction calling itself Brigades of the Mujahideen Jerusalem said they were responsible for the seizure of Kate Burton her father Hugh and mother Helen
Financial Times
House price inflation has fallen to its lowest level in a decade dropping sharply to percent from last years percent according to Nationwide raising hopes that the oncesoaring property market has averted a crash through a soft landing
The Times
The two most senior officials responsible for London Underground came under fire Friday night for flying off on foreign holidays as the system faced severe disruption from a hour strike
The Daily Telegraph
Drivers caught speeding and jumping red lights are far more likely to be prosecuted in some areas than others figures showed Friday
Details obtained by The Daily Telegraph indicate that a speed camera lottery has evolved with some forces more than twice as likely to fine offenders Enditem
LONDON Dec Xinhua Britain faces critical decisions in which will determine its fortunes for generations British Prime Minister Tony Blair has said in his New Years message
The prime minister pledged in his New Year message that the government would not let our resolve slip in the battle against international terrorism and would bring peace and democracy to Iraq and Afghanistan according to the Sky on Saturday
Blair also made clear that he would press ahead with his controversial reform agenda for schools health services and welfare
The prime minister said Britain was well placed to meet the challenges ahead and would continue to be one of the most successful countries in the world
Blair also said Investment will continue but it must be matched by further change to meet the everhigher expectations of the public
Despite the challenges of the coming months Blair insisted Britain begins in a strong position thanks to the longest period of continuous growth on record high employment low inflation and low interest rates Enditem
LONDON Dec Xinhua The London Underground strike that is due to start at noon GMT on Saturday has dampened peoples enthusiasm for the New Years Eve celebrations as a poll showed that percent of Britons opted to stay at home for fear of travel misery
London Underground that has planned a hour strike said it would try to run as good a service as possible on its trains despite large numbers of staff set to walk out
But Londoners have been urged to check which services are running before setting out on their journeys according to Sky news on Saturday
Trafalgar Square usually the focus for Londons mass gatherings fireworks on the banks of the River Thames and the midnight chimes of Big Ben which signal the New Year are a traditional draw for thousands of Londoners Enditem
WARSAW Dec Xinhua Heavy snowfall overnight in Poland snarled traffic Saturday as people have been frozen to death in icy temperatures in recent days police said
The blizzards that swept across southern and central Poland blocked roads in Katowice and BielskoBiala area in the south and blanketed the Baltic coastal city of Gdansk causing traffic jams and blocking city streets
A major thoroughfare linking Warsaw and Gdansk was also covered by snow
Police appealed to drivers to stay put as forecasts said temperatures would drop below zero Saturday across Poland and heavy snow would slam the northern regions of the country Enditem
LONDON Dec Xinhua British Foreign Office confirmed on Saturday that three Britons kidnapped in the Gaza Strip have been released and that they are well and in good spirits
We are pleased to confirm that Kate Win Helen and Hugh Burton have been released unharmedThey are currently with officials in our consulate general in Jerusalem who are providing them with all necessary help and care the Foreign Office said in a statement
We condemn all kidnappings which can never be a legitimate means of achieving any objective said the statement
Since we first heard of the Burtons abduction the British government has worked closely with the Palestinian Authority and others the statement said adding we would like to express our thanks and appreciation to all those who helped secure the release of the Burtons
On Wednesday humanitarian aid worker Kate Burton and her parents Hugh and Helen were seized at gunpoint close to the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and southern Gaza Strip
A previously unknown group calling itself the Mujahadeen Brigades claimed responsibility for the abduction shortly after the release And they released a video showing a masked man reading a statement with Burton standing next to him
It threatened to take more hostages unless Britain and the European Union put pressure on Israel to end the Israeli nogo zone in northern Gaza said the statement
However the Sky news cited British diplomats as saying that there had been no negotiations with the kidnappers
After the release Burton who works for the Palestinian Al Mezan Center for Human rights told the BBC that they were treated well by their kidnappers during the twoandahalf days in captivity but that her parents were tired
The family had been moved three times in two days by their captors who remained masked throughout she said
She also expressed her sadness that her parents had had such a desperate experience during their visit to Gaza but said she hoped to continue her human rights work there Enditem
BERLIN Dec Xinhua German Foreign Office confirmed
Saturday that the five German hostages abducted in Yemen have been
released by kidnappers more
BERLIN Dec Xinhua German Foreign Office confirmed Saturday that the five German hostages abducted in Yemen have been released by kidnappers
The office said that Juergen Chrobog his wife and three adult sons were set free by disgruntled tribesmen in eartern Yemen after three days of captivity
German Foreign Minister FrankWalter Steinmeier will make a statement on the issue in the afternoon the office said
The kidnappers demanded the Yemeni government to release members of their tribe imprisoned in Aden
It was not immediately clear whether the government had met the kidnappers demand
Yemeni armed tribesmen often snatched foreign tourists to pressure the government to release jailed relatives The hostages were usually set free unhurt after negotiation between the authorities and the kidnappers
Last week Yemeni tribesmen seized and later released two Austrians
In November two Swiss tourists were kidnapped but were soon released after negotiation Enditem
MOSCOW Dec Xinhua Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered gas giant Gazprom on Saturday to supply gas to Ukraine at the current price for the first quarter of if Ukraine accepts a price hike starting the second quarter Russian news agencies reported
Gazprom has asked Ukraine to pay more than quadruple the current price of US dollars per cubic meters and threatened to shut down gas supply to Ukraine if no deal is clinched by New Years Day Enditem
MOSCOW Dec Xinhua Russian prosecutors charged former Atomic Energy Minister Yevgeny Adamov with fraud and abuse of office on Saturday shortly after he was extradited to Moscow from Switzerland
Adamov was charged with largescale fraud and abuse of office in the presence of his lawyer Natalia Vishnyakova spokeswoman for the Prosecutor Generals Office told the Interfax news agency
Adamov will remain in custody she said
Adamov was extradited to Moscow on Saturday from Switzerland where he was arrested in May on a warrant from the United States which accused him of embezzling million US dollars in aid Washington sent to Moscow for beefing up nuclear security
Both Russia and the United States requested his extradition He was returned home following a ruling Thursday by Switzerlands Federal Court that Adamov be extradited to Russia not the United States
Adamov an atomic expert was in charge of Russias nuclear energy portfolio from to Moscow feared he could divulge secret data about Russias nuclear program if he is extradited to the United States Enditem
WASHINGTON Dec Xinhua The following are major news items in leading US newspapers on Saturday
The New York Times
The Justice Department said on Friday that it had opened a criminal investigation into the disclosure of classified information about a secret National Security Agency program under which President Bush authorized eavesdropping on people in the United States without court warrants
Egyptian riot police officers rushed into a crowd of unarmed Sudanese migrants early Friday morning killing at least people including small children after the group refused to leave a public park it had occupied for three months hoping to press United Nations officials to relocate them
Crime has fallen across New York City for the th consecutive year with subway crime down by more than percent from last year and the number of recorded murders virtually certain to be the fewest in any single year since new Police Department statistics show
The Washington Post
The DC medical examiners office has a backlog of unfinished autopsy reports including some cases dating back more than a decade records show The agencys slow turnaround has delayed police work and criminal prosecutions and forced some families to sue the office to obtain the paperwork about their loved ones
Home builders around the region are luring wouldbe buyers with freebies worth thousands of dollars in an attempt to prop up sales in a slowing real estate market Enditem
MOSCOW Dec Xinhua Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered gas giant Gazprom on Saturday to supply gas to Ukraine at the current price for the first quarter of if Ukraine accepts a price hike starting the second quarter
Putins new offer comes as Russia is counting down on its threat to shut down gas supply to Ukraine if no deal is clinched by New Years Day
We must think about all aspects of relations between Russia and Ukraine Putin was quoted by the Interfax news agency as saying at a Security Council meeting
For this reason I instruct the government and Gazprom to ensure supply of gas to Ukraine for the first quarter of on the terms for on condition that our Ukrainian partners sign before the end of today a contract that would contain Gazproms proposal to switch to market prices in the second quarter Putin said
Putin said Russia would consider the proposal rejected if Ukraine gives no clear reply
Ukraine is buying Russian gas for US dollars per cubic meters but Gazprom has asked Ukraine to pay more than quadruple this price and offered cash payments for the transit of its gas to European clients
Ukraine said it is willing to switch to market prices for gas but insisted on a transitional period to adjust its economy
The gas row has also sparked European concerns of a disruption of gas flow as most of its gas supply from Russia is transited through a Ukrainian pipeline Enditem
BERLIN Dec Xinhua German Chancellor Angela Merkel issued a personal call on the German people to achieve a bit more in the coming year
In her first New Years speech to be broadcast Saturday Merkel said How would it be if we all set a goal tonight to accomplish a bit more in the coming year She said her grand coalition government would set the best example
Germany has the potential to resolve its economic and social problems and the government intends to lead the way with a frank discussion of the challenges and plans of tackling them the new chancellor said
Setting unattainable goals That is not our style Making promises we cannot keep You have had enough of that she said
She reaffirmed her promise to rebuild Germany into one of Europes most dynamic economies by by slashing public debt reforming the labor market curbing red tape and improving the investment climate
She said her greatest wish for was for Germany to live in peace and freedom with its neighbors and called to that end for a rapid relaunch of efforts to approve a European constitution which was rejected in French and Dutch referenda in the mid
Merkel noted that the whole world would focus their attention on Germany in especially when next summers football World Cup is staged throughout the country
The world will be watching Germany just like years ago with the fall of the Berlin Wall said Merkel adding the events could not be compared but nevertheless billions of people will be watching the World Cup on television and millions will come to visit us
She called on German men football players to achieve as well as the countrys women team
The womens national soccer team is already the world champion and I see no reason why men should not be able to achieve the same as women she said
Merkel narrowly defeated former chancellor Gerhard Schroeder in the Sept national election and was sworn in on Nov as the first female chancellor in Germanys history Enditem
KIEV Russian President Vladimir Putin has vowed to ensure gas supplies to Ukraine Ukrainian Prime Minister Yury Ekhanurov said on Friday
Mr Putin declared that gas deliveries to Ukrainian consumers must be ensured Ukraines Era FM radio quoted Ekhanurov as saying
Russias staterun natural gas monopoly Gazprom has threatened to stop supplying gas to Ukraine by New Years Day if Kiev does not agree to the fourfold price increase it has demanded
Talks were continuing in Moscow on Friday between two countries on the issue RussiaUkraineGas
LONDON Unmarried and samesex couples in Britain have the right to adopt children under a new law that came into force on Friday
The historic change in the Adoption and Children Act which was passed by parliament in allows both kinds of couples to become a childs adoptive parents Previously only married couples or single people could apply for adoption Sky News reported on Friday
The British Association for Adoption and Fostering BAAF called it the most radical overhaul of adoption law for years BritainAdoption Law
LUSAKA The United States signed an agreement here Friday with the Zambian government on canceling the latters debt owed to its government totally
The agreement which cancels Zambias million US dollars in debt is a consequence of the countrys qualification for debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries HIPC initiative
The US Ambassador to Zambia Carmen Martinez said cancellation of Zambias debt was part of a joint effort to reduce poverty in the southern African country
Martinez said weak fiscal control had a long history in Zambia and heavy borrowing and large arrears used to be entrenched habitsUSZambiaDebt
HANOI A Swiss couple have arrived in Vietnams southern Ho Chi Minh City from neighboring Cambodia in what is described as the longest journey by car that has been registered in the Guinness Book of World Records local afternoon Saigon Times Daily reported Friday
The couple named Emil and Liliana Schmid have driven more than kilometers in the past years On Thursday they arrived in Vietnam the nd country they have visited
After leaving for Vietnams capital city of Hanoi for the New Year celebrations they will continue their journey to Laos VietnamTourism
BAGHDAD At least five people were killed in bomb attacks in Baghdad on Friday police said
Over others were also wounded in the twin bombs which struck a bus station in central Baghdad police said
The blasts which were probably caused by mortar rounds occurred within seconds of each other they addedIraqBombs Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Chinese President Hu Jintao and Russian President Vladimir Putin exchanged new years greetings on Saturday and congratulated the start of the Year of Russia in China
In his message of greetings President Hu said China will launch the Year of Russia in and Russia will hold the Year of China in As a pioneering project these activities will greatly stimulate the comprehensive development of SinoRussian relations Hu said
The Chinese government attaches great importance to the upcoming Year of Russia We will cooperate closely with our Russian counterparts make careful preparations and spare no efforts in implementing the program so as to ensure the event becomes a complete success the president said
In his message President Hu said that China and Russia are one anothers largest neighbors and it is their common choice to achieve good neighborliness
As strategic partners cooperation and development are the common tasks of the two countries Hu said
Both being permanent members of the UN Security Council China and Russia share joint responsibilities to maintain peace and stability in the region and the world at large the Chinese leader noted
In recent years following the SinoRussian GoodNeighborly Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation China and Russia have gained significant achievements in enhancing political mutual trust strategic cooperation and traditional friendship President Hu said
He hoped the two countries would continue to join hands in the new year to further strengthen bilateral exchanges and cooperation so as to push the neighborly friendship and strategic cooperation between the two countries to a new level
In his congratulatory message Russian President Putin said that in the past the increasing mutual trust and rapid development of cultural and economic cooperation of the two nations reached a new high
He pointed out that SinoRussian strategic cooperative partnership has played an important role in keeping global peace and security and helping to build an equitable multipolar world
As the first guideline for the two countries to cooperate in various fields the SinoRussian GoodNeighborly Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation is being implemented smoothly the president said
He said the Year of Russia in China and the Year of China in Russia are part of the efforts to further strengthen the two sides strategic cooperative partnership on the basis of mutual respect and trust
The Russian president also expressed his belief that the Year of Russia in China will provide new opportunities for both countries to further expand bilateral cooperation and benefit peoples of the two countries Enditem
PARIS Dec Xinhua French decommissioned aircraft carrier Clemenceau on Saturday left the countrys Toulon naval base for India where it will be dismantled
The Clemenceau undocked with boats setting up a meter security cordon as a helicopter and a navy plane provided air cover French news channel TF reported
Officials said the decommissioned carrier would be taken out of the harbor by several tugs before being towed to the Alang naval yard in northwestern India the worlds biggest shipbreaking yard said the report adding that it was expected to arrive in India in two months time
The Paris administrative court gave greenlight Friday to the Clemenceaus departure for its dismantling in India by rejecting some French ecologist and antiasbestos groups petition saying that the Indian shipyard workers are not properly protected from the hazards of working with asbestos which can cause a form of lung cancer
Greenpeace and other three antiasbestos groups said in a report earlier this month that countries which send ships for scrapping in India and other developing countries in Asia are overlooking a system that claims thousands of workers lives each year and that almost half of the worlds ships end up in India for dismantling after their sailing lives terminates
They estimated that around tons of asbestos remain inside the Clemenceau
But Paris says that the aircraftcarrier although decommissioned is a warship and so not bound by the Bale convention of on the international shipment of dangerous waste
Greenpeace on Saturday condemned the transfer as a cynical violation of international treaties on the movement of dangerous waste
Once again the problem of dismantling defunct ships has illustrated the division of labour between the north and the south which remains the dustbin for North America and Europe said Annie ThebautMony in a joint statement issued by Greenpeace and the Ban Asbestos pressure group
The aircraft carrier which took part in the Gulf War was replaced by the nuclearpowered aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle Enditem
MOSCOW Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered gas giant Gazprom on Saturday to supply gas to Ukraine at the current price for the first quarter of if Ukraine accepts a price hike starting the second quarter
Putins new offer comes as Russia is counting down on its threat to shut down gas supply to Ukraine if no deal is clinched by New Years Day
We must think about all aspects of relations between Russia and Ukraine Putin was quoted by the Interfax news agency as saying at a Security Council meeting RussiaUkraineGas
MOSCOW Russian prosecutors charged former Atomic Energy Minister Yevgeny Adamov with fraud and abuse of office on Saturday shortly after he was extradited to Moscow from Switzerland
Adamov was charged with largescale fraud and abuse of office in the presence of his lawyer Natalia Vishnyakova spokeswoman for the Prosecutor Generals Office told the Interfax news agency
Adamov will remain in custody she said
Adamov was extradited to Moscow on Saturday from Switzerland where he was arrested in May on a warrant from the United States which accused him of embezzling million US dollars in aid Washington sent to Moscow for beefing up nuclear security RussiaFormer Minister
JAKARTA Eight people were killed in Saturday mornings blast outside a shop selling pork in Palu capital of Central Sulawesi province of Indonesia and all fatalities have been identified with others rushed to hospitals
Witnesses said the bomb exploded inside the kiosk just after am local time am Jakarta time It was crowded with Christians shopping for the New Years dinner the Jakarta Post daily reported IndonesiaBombing
BAGHDAD An international team of electoral experts are expected to arrive in Baghdad in two days to look into allegations of electoral fraud in Iraqs Dec elections a senior member on the list headed by former prime minister Ayad Allawi said on Saturday
We hope the international team will arrive in Baghdad within the coming two days said Mehdi alHafidh former planning minister in Allawis interim Iraqi government The team will include two experts from the Arab League IraqElection
SANAA Five German tourists including a former senior diplomat who were kidnapped on Wednesday were released on Saturday the official Yemeni News Agency reported
The five Germans members of one family were set free unharmed around Saturday noon along with three Yemeni drivers who were abducted together with the Germans by armed tribesmen said the report
No further details were revealed
The highprofile abduction occurred when the German tourists were traveling from the southeastern Shabwa province to the southern port city of Aden on WednesdayYemenHostageRelease
GAZA Some masked militants stormed and occupied a Palestinian Interior Ministry office in the Gaza Strip on Saturday to demand jobs Palestinian witnesses and security sources said
The militants members of the alAqsa Martyrs Brigade which is an offshoot of the dominant Fatah movement broke into the Interior Ministry office in the Deir elBalah refugee camp and forced staffs to leave said witnesses
The militants then surrounded the office building and prohibited anyone from entering it they added
Palestinian security sources said that the militants took the action in a bid to press the Palestinian National Authority to give them jobs PalestineJob Enditem
BERLIN Dec Xinhua German Foreign Minister Frank
Walter Steinmeier welcomed here on Saturday the safe release of a
former German diplomat and his family by Yemeni tribesmen
Steinmeier told a news conference that Germany was delighted at
the good outcome to the crisis and he had talked by phone with
Juergen Chrobog after his release
He is relieved Steinmeier said My initial impression is
that he and his family have survived this without any harm to body
or mind Apparently they were fairly treated But it was an
enormous strain
The foreign minister expressed thanks to Yemeni President Ali
Abdullah Saleh for his committed and careful approach to a
solution
Steinmeier said that he could not say much about the reason for
the kidnapping but it appeared that the case was not of terror
nature
Juergen Chrobog former ambassador to Washington and state
secretary at the German Foreign Office his wife and three adult
sons were abducted by disgruntled tribesmen in eastern Yemen on
Wednesday during their travel in the country
The kidnappers demanded the Yemeni government to release
members of their tribe imprisoned in Aden It was not immediately
clear whether the government had met the kidnappers demand
But a spokesman for the Yemeni embassy in Berlin said Saturday
that four kidnappers of the German family were arrested in Yemen
and would be brought before a court
He said that a deal signed Friday by the leaders of the tribe
with the Yemeni government led to the release of the German family
The spokesman said Chrobog and his family would stay over till
Sunday in the port city of Aden adding that President Saleh would
travel there to meet them
Yemeni armed tribesmen often snatched foreign tourists to
pressure the government to release jailed relatives The hostages
were usually set free unhurt after negotiation between the
authorities and the kidnappers
Last week Yemeni tribesmen seized and later released two
Austrians
In November two Swiss tourists were kidnapped but were soon
released after negotiation Enditem
F
F
S
S
S
S
PRAGUE Dec Xinhua Following are the World Cup cross country skiing results in Nove Mesto on Friday
Men
Final kilometer free style sprint
Bjoern Lind Sweden
Peter Larsson Sweden
Johan Kjoelstad Norway
Mikael Oestberg Sweden
Final B
Thobias Fredriksson Sweden
Tor Arne Hetland Norway
Vassili Rotchev Russia
Dusan Kozisek Czech Republic
World Cup standings after races
Tobias Angerer Germany points
Tor Arne Hetland Norway
Vincent Vittoz France
Bjoern Lind Sweden
Peter Larsson Sweden
Women
Final kilometer free style sprint
Alena Sidko Russia
Anna Dahlberg Sweden
Claudia Kuenzel Germany
Natalia Matveeva Russia
Final B
Anna Karin Stroemstedt Sweden
Justyna Kowalczyk Poland
Ella Gjoemle Norway
Emelie Oehrstig Sweden
World Cup standings after races
Marit Bjoergen Norway points
Claudia Kuenzel Germany
Julija Tchepalova Russia
Beckie Scott Canada
Evi Sachenbacher Stehle Germany
Enditem
WARSAW Dec Xinhua Polands Dorota Swieniewicz was named best European volleyball player in womens competition said European Volleyball Confederation CEV on Friday
Swieniewicz has a very successful year becoming champion of Europe and champion of Italy Dorota Swieniewicz also won Cup of Italy and CEV Cup
She is now playing in Despar Perugia in Italy Enditem
BRUSSELS Dec Xinhua Days before joining Ajax KlaasJan Huntelaar on Friday scored one and created another to help Heerenveen to a victory over his new club
The defeat of Ajax brings to an end a difficult second half of for the Amsterdammers Ajax remains points behind the Eredivisie Leagues leader PSV Eindhoven
Meanwhile Heracles Almelo gave their survival hopes a massive boost with a home win over Vitesse Arnhem Heracles went into the game thirdbottom in the Eredivisie but climbed two places after clinching only their second win in their last league games
In another game FC Groningen scored twice in the last minutes to complete the turnaround as they came from behind to beat Roda JC
The win only the second of the season on the road for Groningen will increase the pressure on Roda coach Huub Stevens who is yet to live up to the expectations he created when he took over in the summer Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua A female wrestler from Chinas northeastern most province Heilongjiang was caught in an outofcompetition doping test on Dec the Chinese Olympic Committees antidoping commission announced Friday night
Sun Yao who tested positive for the banned diuretic Furosemide has given up her right to have her sample B tested the commission said
Sun faces a twoyear ban Enditem
LIMA Dec Xinhua Perus under womens team will travel on Jan to Chile to participate in the South American championship slated for January at Vina del Mar the Peruvian Soccer Federation FPF said on Friday
The Peruvian team integrating Group A with Brazil Chile Uruguay and Venezuela will play in its opening match versus the Uruguayans
The next games will be against the Venezuelans on Jan the Brazilians Jan and Chile Jan
Group B includes Argentina Bolivia Colombia Ecuador and Paraguay Enditem
CARACAS Dec Xinhua Colombian cycling team RetromaquinasBono headed by Felix Cardenas will participate in the st edition of the Tachira Tour of Venezuela on January said local press on Friday
In addition to Cardenas Japan Tour winner last season Ismael Sarmiento Miguel Diaz Giovanni Barriga Fernando Cala and Jaime Bueno will also compete in the race
The stage Tachira Tour will attract cyclists from Brazil Cuba Mexico Russia and Venezuela
The tour will depart from the northwestern city of Coro Falcon state and will conclude in the border city of San Cristobal Tachira state after kilometers Enditem
BRUSSELS Dec Xinhua Following are the results and standings of the Dutch first division soccer league on Friday
Heracles Almelo Vitesse Arnhem
Roda JC Kerkrade Groningen
Standings P W D L F A Pts
PSV Eindhoven
Feyenoord
AZ Alkmaar
Ajax Amsterdam
Utrecht
Groningen
RKC Waalwijk
NEC Nijmegen
Heerenveen
Vitesse Arnhem
Roda JC Kerkrade
Twente Enschede
NAC Breda
Heracles Almelo
ADO Den Haag
Sparta Rotterdam
Willem II Tilburg
RBC Roosendaal
Enditem
BRUSSELS Dec Xinhua Following are the top scorers of the Dutch first division soccer league on Friday
Klaas Jan Huntelaar Heerenveen
Dirk Kuyt Feyenoord
Shota Arveladze AZ Alkmaar
Rick Hoogendorp RKC Waalwijk
Jefferson Farfan PSV Eindhoven
Matthew Amoah Vitesse Arnhem Arouna Kone PSV Eindhoven
Enditem
BERLIN Dec Xinhua Following are the results in the km race of the World Cup nordic combined event in Oberhof on Friday
Hannu Manninen Finland
Ronny Ackermann Germany
Magnus Moan Norway
Jaako Tallus Finland
Daito Takahashi Japan
Overall standings after seven of rounds
Hannu Manninen Finland points
Magnus Moan Norway
Ronny Ackermann Germany
Petter Tande Norway
Mario Stecher Austria
Enditem
BERLIN Dec Xinhua Following are the nordic skiing mens standings on Friday
Sprint Points
Bjoern Lind Sweden
Tor Arne Hetland Norway
Peter Larsson Sweden
Thobias Fredriksson Sweden
Mikael OEstberg Sweden
Johan Kjolstad Norway
Trond Iversen Norway
Fredrik OEstberg Sweden
Ola Vigen Hattestad Norway
Eldar Ronning Norway
Vassili Rotchev Russia
Roddy Darragon France
Havard Bjerkeli Norway
Yuichi Onda Japan
Cristian Zorzi Italy
Loris Frasnelli Italy
Christoph Eigenmann Switzerland
Dusan Kozisek Czech Republic
Borre Naess Norway
Harald Wurm Austria
Overall Points
Tobias Angerer Germany
Tor Arne Hetland Norway
Vincent Vittoz France
Bjoern Lind Sweden
Peter Larsson Sweden
Jens Arne Svartedal Norway
Pietro Piller Cottrer Italy
Eldar Ronning Norway
Jens Filbrich Germany
Frode Estil Norway
Thobias Fredriksson Sweden
Rene Sommerfeldt Germany
Mikael OEstberg Sweden
Vassili Rotchev Russia
Axel Teichmann Germany
Mathias Fredriksson Sweden
Tore Ruud Hofstad Norway
Geir Ludvig Aasen Norway
Johan Kjolstad Norway
Ivan Alypov Russia
Enditem
BERLIN Dec Xinhua Following are the standings from the World Cup womens nordic skiing on Friday
Sprint Points
Marit Bjorgen Norway
Claudia Kuenzel Germany
Beckie Scott Canada
Anna Dahlberg Sweden
Aino Kaisa Saarinen Finland
Hilde Pedersen Norway
Arianna Follis Italy
Manuela Henkel Germany
Sara Renner Canada
Natalia Matveeva Russia
Laurence Rochat Switzerland
Lina Andersson Sweden
Virpi Kuitunen Finland
Evi SachenbacherStehle Germany
MonaLiisa Malvalehto Finland
Guro Strom Solli Norway
Chandra Crawford Canada
Ella Gjomle Norway
Stefanie Boehler Germany
Riikka Sarasoja Finland
Overall Points
Marit Bjorgen Norway
Julija Tchepalova Russia
Beckie Scott Canada
Claudia Kuenzel Germany
Evi SachenbacherStehle Germany
Hilde Pedersen Norway
Virpi Kuitunen Finland
Katerina Neumannova Czech Republic
Petra Majdic Slovenia
Olga Rotcheva Russia
Aino Kaisa Saarinen Finland
Sara Renner Canada
Kristina Smigun Estonia
Svetlana Malahova Shishkina Kazakhstan
Viola Bauer Germany
Anna Dahlberg Sweden
Stefanie Boehler Germany
Kristin Muerer Stemland Norway
Laurence Rochat Switzerland
Arianna Follis Italy
Enditem
WASHINGTON Dec Xinhua Following are the results from the NBA games on Friday home team in CAPS
Miami bt WASHINGTON
ORLANDO bt Minnesota
Toronto bt INDIANA
NEW JERSEY bt Atlanta
Phoenix bt CHARLOTTE
Golden State bt DALLAS
MILWAUKEE bt NY Knicks
Enditem
CANBERRA Dec Xinhua Following are the results from the Hopman Cup mixed team games in Perth on Saturday
Nicolas Kiefer Germany bt Wayne Arthurs Australia
Samantha Stosur Australia bt AnnaLena Groenefeld Germany Enditem
JAKARTA Dec Xinhua The Indonesian National Sports Council KONI has expanded the number of sports it will compete in at the Asian Games and has set itself the target of retaining the four gold medals collected in
The sports are archery badminton bowling canoeing cycling chess karate soccer beach volleyball weightlifting rowing windsurfing tae kwon do table tennis and tennis
The national training for the Asian Games will start on January the Jakarta Post Saturday quoted Agum Gumelar chairman of the KONI as saying
Agum said he expected the athletes to retain the countrys medal collection of four golds seven silvers and bronzes from in Bangkok
KONI had previously been grooming athletes in sports under the Indonesia Awakening IA training program before Fridays announcement with a view to enhancing Indonesias medal prospects at the Asian Games
Sportsmen and women in the athletics and shooting categories were deemed to have failed to show the hopedfor progress Indonesian track and field athletes only managed to bring home a solitary gold from the around on offer at the recent Southeast Asian Games in the Philippines
Bowling table tennis canoeing and rowing were put on the list thanks to Indonesias strong showing in these sports in the Philippines
Bowling surpassed expectations by producing three gold medals Canoeing and rowing contributed a combined six while the Indonesian table tennis team stole the show from Singapore by snatching a gold in the mens singles event
However soccers inclusion on the list might raise eyebrows as the Indonesian under team finished out of the top three at the SEA Games
Agum only said that the Indonesian soccer team must not be absent for too long from the Asian Games after not being represented in the last three editions
Meanwhile KONIs development head Djoko Pramono said Friday that Indonesias hopes for golds would rest on badminton bowling sailing karate tae kwon do and mens volleyball
Now our realistic target is to repeat our performance at the previous Asian Games Djoko said Enditem
WASHINGTON Dec Xinhua Following are the leaders of the National Basketball Association through Dec
Scoring
G FG FT PTS AVG
Iverson Phil
Bryant LAL
James Clev
Arenas Wash
Pierce Bos
Wade Mia
Nowitzki Dall
Brand LAC
Anthony Den
Redd Mil
Allen Sea
Carter NJ
Richardson GS
ONeal Ind
Bosh Tor
Garnett Minn
Hamilton Det
Lewis Sea
Duncan SA
Davis Bos
FG Percentage
FG FGA PCT
AbdurRahim Sac
Garnett Minn
Brezec Char
Parker SA
Brand LAC
Bogut Mil
Gooden Clev
Wallace Char
Jefferson NJ
Duncan SA
Rebounds
G OFF DEF TOT AVG
Camby Den
Howard Orl
B Wallace Det
Marion Phoe
Duncan SA
Brand LAC
Garnett Minn
Jamison Wash
Magloire Mil
Webber Phil
Assists
G AST AVG
Nash Phoe
Davis GS
Miller Den
Billups Det
Knight Char
Kidd NJ
Iverson Phil
Paul NOk
Cassell LAC
Ford Mil
Enditem
WASHINGTON Dec Xinhua Following are Fridays NBA standings
EASTERN CONFERENCE
ATLANTIC DIVISION
W L PCT GB
New Jersey
Philadelphia
Boston
Toronto
NY Knicks
CENTRAL DIVISION
W L PCT GB
Detroit
Cleveland
Milwaukee
Indiana
Chicago
SOUTHEAST DIVISION
W L PCT GB
Miami
Orlando
Washington
Charlotte
Atlanta
WESTERN CONFERENCE
NORTHWEST DIVISION
W L PCT GB
Minnesota
Denver
Seattle
Utah
Portland
PACIFIC DIVISION
W L PCT GB
Phoenix
LA Clippers
Golden State
LA Lakers
Sacramento
SOUTHWEST DIVISION
W L PCT GB
San Antonio
Dallas
Memphis
NO Oklahoma City
Houston
Enditem
SINGAPORE Dec Xinhua Former Oman coach Radojko Avramovic has signed a new contract with the Football Association of Singapore FAS that will see him remain as coach of the Tiger Cup holder until the end of
The FAS issued a statement confirming that the yearold SerboMontenegrin had inked a new twoyear deal to coach the Lions with an option for a further twoyear extension to
For Avramovic the challenge of attempting to take Singapore through to the final rounds of the Asian Cup for the first time since was a key factor in his decision to sign a new contract
I have started something here in Singapore and I want to finish it he said
We have started to change the face of the national team and that job is not finished yet We are building a team for the future and will be a very important year for us We have the Asian Cup qualifiers possibly the Asian Games as well as to defend the ASEAN Federation Cup
With everybody getting behind the Lions I am confident that we can do well
Avramovic took charge of Singapore in and despite some poor results during his first year in reign the former Yugoslavia national goalkeeper managed to lead the island republic to a surprise triumph in the Tiger Cup in early with a aggregate victory over Indonesia in the final
Singapore is currently ranked th in Asia and is the top South East Asian team in the December FIFA World Ranking Enditem
OTTAWA Dec Xinhua Following are the standings from the world junior ice hockey championships in Vancouver Canada on Friday tabulated under games played won draw lost goals for against points
Group A
Canada
United States
Switzerland
Finland
Norway
Group B
Russia
Sweden
Czech Rep
Slovakia
Latvia
Results
Monday Dec
Canada Finland
Czech Republic Latvia
Russia Sweden
United States Norway
Tuesday Dec
Switzerland Norway
Slovakia Latvia
Wednesday Dec
Canada Switzerland
Sweden Czech Republic
Russia Slovakia
United States Finland
Thursday Dec
Norway Canada
Latvia Russia
Friday Dec
United States Switzerland
Czech Republic Slovakia
Sweden Latvia
Finland Norway
Saturday Dec
Canada vs United States
Slovakia vs Sweden
Russia vs Czech Republic
Switzerland vs Finland
Sunday Jan
No games scheduled
Monday Jan
Relegation
A vs B
Quarterfinals
A vs B
B vs A
Tuesday Jan
Relegation
B vs A
Semifinals
A vs Winner BA
B vs Winner AB
Wednesday Jan
Relgation
B vs A
A vs B
Fifth Place
Quarterfinal losers
Thursday Jan
Third Place
Semifinal losers
Final
Semifinal winners Enditem
PRAGUE Dec Xinhua Following are the results from a World Cup cross country ski meet in Nove Mesto Czech Republic on Saturday
Women
kilometer freestyle
Katerina Neumannova Czech Republic minutes seconds
Yulia Tchepalova Russia
Valentina Shevchenko Russia
Kristin Steira Norway
Kristina Smigun Estonia
Evi Sachenbacher Stehle Germany
Karine Philippot France
Evgenia Medvedeva Russia
Natalia Baranova Russia
Gabriella Paruzzi Italy
Justyna Kowalczyk Poland
Alena Sidko Russia
Claudia Kunzel Germany
Arianna Follis Italy
Riitta Liisa Lassila Finland
Overall Standings
After races
Marit Bjorgen Norway points
Yulia Tchepalova Russia
Claudia Kunzel Germany
Beckie Scott Canada
Evi Sachenbacher Stehle Germany
Katerina Neumannova Czech Republic
Virpi Kuitunen Finland
Hilde G Pedersen Norway
Petra Majdic Slovenia
Kristina Smigun Estonia Enditem
WUHAN Central China Dec Xinhua Huaqiao University thrusted CBAs Bayi youth team to take their third win at the CUBA vs CBA youth team basketball tournament here on Saturday
Forward Zhang Jiabin had points and nine rebounds to give Huaqiao their second win over the CBA youth teams
What I did is just to carry out what we learned in our classes said Zhang who was apparently satisfied with his performance
Bayi the military team demonstrated their discipline in the first half to take the lead
Huaqiao fought back from the second quarter and took the lead by the end of the first half
Bayi did not give up until the end of the third quarter when Zhang led Huaqiao to a run to extend their lead to points
Chen Rongren contributed points to Huaqiao Gu Nijia added seven points and four assists while Zhang Bo led Bayi with points and Feng Lei took nine
Huaqiao beat CBAs Shandong team on Friday and defeated Shandong Science University on Thursday
Aiming at improving the level of the Chinese youth basketball CBA and CUBA organized this tournament which will run until January
The tournament features eight teams which came from this seasons top four CUBA and CBA teams respectively Enditem
PRAGUE Dec Xinhua Following are the results from the World Cup Nove Mesto womens km freestyle on Saturday
Katerina Neumannova Czech Republic
Julija Tchepalova Russia
Valentina Shevchenko Ukraine
Kristin Steira Norway
Kristina Smigun Estonia
Evi SachenbacherStehle Germany
Karine Philippot France
Evgenia Medvedeva Russia
Natalia Baranova Russia
Gabriella Paruzzi Italy Enditem
PRAGUE Dec Xinhua Following are the standings from the World Cup womens Nordic skiing after Saturdays race
Julija Tchepalova Russia
Marit Bjorgen Norway
Katerina Neumannova Czech Republic
Beckie Scott Canada
Evi SachenbacherStehle Germany
Claudia Kuenzel Germany
Virpi Kuitunen Finland
Kristina Smigun Estonia
Petra Majdic Slovenia
Hilde Pedersen Norway
Overall
Marit Bjorgen Norway
Julija Tchepalova Russia
Claudia Kuenzel Germany
Beckie Scott Canada
Evi SachenbacherStehle Germany
Katerina Neumannova Czech Republic
Virpi Kuitunen Finland
Hilde Pedersen Norway
Petra Majdic Slovenia
Kristina Smigun Estonia Enditem
LONDON Dec Xinhua Following are the results from the English premier league matches on Saturday
Saturday December
Aston Villa tied Arsenal
Charlton Athletic bt West Ham United
Chelsea bt Birmingham City
Tottenham Hotspur bt Newcastle United
Next Fixtures GMT
Saturday December
Liverpool vs West Bromwich Albion
Manchester United vs Bolton Wanderers
Middlesbrough vs Manchester City
Portsmouth vs Fulham
Sunderland vs Everton
Wigan Athletic vs Blackburn Rovers
Monday January
West Bromwich Albion vs Aston Villa
West Ham United vs Chelsea
Birmingham City vs Wigan Athletic
Bolton Wanderers vs Liverpool
Everton vs Charlton Athletic
Fulham vs Sunderland
Newcastle United vs Middlesbrough
Blackburn Rovers vs Portsmouth
Enditem
LONDON Dec Xinhua Following are the standings from the English premier league matches after Saturdays matches tabulated under games played won drawn lost goals for against points
Chelsea
Manchester United
Liverpool
Tottenham Hotspur
Wigan Athletic
Arsenal
Bolton Wanderers
Manchester City
West Ham United
Newcastle United
Charlton Athletic
Blackburn Rovers
Aston Villa
Fulham
Middlesbrough
West Bromwich Albion
Everton
Portsmouth
Birmingham City
Sunderland Enditem
WUHAN Central China Dec Xinhua Huaqiao University beat CBAs Bayi youth team while Guangdong youth team defeated host Wuhan Technology University at the CUBA vs CBA youth team basketball tournament here on Saturday
Both winners advanced into the semifinals
Forward Zhang Jiabin had points and nine rebounds to give Huaqiao their second win over the CBA youth teams
What I did is just to carry out what we learned in our classes said Zhang who was apparently satisfied with his performance
Bayi the military team demonstrated their discipline in the first half to take the lead
Huaqiao fought back from the second quarter and took the lead by the end of the first half
Bayi did not give up until the end of the third quarter when Zhang led Huaqiao to a run to extend their lead to points
Chen Rongren contributed points to Huaqiao Gu Nijia added seven points and four assists while Zhang Bo led Bayi with points and Feng Lei took nine
Under the deafening cheering and applause for the host Wuhan Technology University team Guangdong did not lose their concentration
Guanddong took the command from the very beginning to lead in the first quarter and extended their lead to by the end of the first half
Guoye had a gamehigh points and contributed six rebounds while Han Dejun led Wuhan with points and rebounds
Wu Jun grabbed points and rebounds to lead Shandong to enter the semifinals while Taiyuan Technology University also qualified after beating CBAs Shandong youth team
In the womens competition Guangdong youth team Tianjin Financing University team Huazhong Science University and Liaoning youth team entered the semifinal
Aiming at improving the level of the Chinese youth basketball CBA and CUBA organized this tournament which will run until January
The tournament features eight teams which came from this seasons top four CUBA and CBA teams respectively Enditem
LONDON Dec Xinhua Following are the top scorers of the English premier league on Saturday
Ruud van Nistelrooy Manchester United
Frank Lampard Chelsea
Thierry Henry Arsenal
Wayne Rooney Manchester United
Yakubu Aiyegbeni Middlesbrough
Darren Bent Charlton Athletic
Brian McBride Fulham
Hossam Ahmed Mido Tottenham Hotspur
Marlon Harewood West Ham United
Andy Cole Manchester City
Henri Camara Wigan Athletic
Michael Owen Newcastle United
Hernan Crespo Chelsea
Didier Drogba Chelsea
Jason Roberts Wigan Athletic
Robbie Keane Tottenham Hotspur
Jermain Defoe Tottenham Hotspur
Darius Vassell Manchester City
Joey Barton Manchester City
Joe Cole Chelsea
Shefki Kuqi Blackburn Rovers
Steven Gerrard Liverpool
Stelios Giannakopoulos Bolton Wanderers
Kevin Nolan Bolton Wanderers Enditem
LONDON Dec Xinhua Following are the summaries from the English premier league matches on Saturday
Charlton Athletic Shaun Bartlett Darren Bent
West Ham United
Halftime Attendance
Chelsea Hernan Crespo Arjen Robben
Birmingham City
Halftime Attendance
Tottenham Hotspur Teemu Tainio Hossam Ahmed Mido
Newcastle United
Halftime Attendance
Aston Villa
Arsenal
Halftime Attendance
Next Fixtures GMT
Saturday December
Liverpool vs West Bromwich Albion
Manchester United vs Bolton Wanderers
Middlesbrough vs Manchester City
Portsmouth vs Fulham
Sunderland vs Everton
Wigan Athletic vs Blackburn Rovers
Monday January
West Bromwich Albion vs Aston Villa
West Ham United vs Chelsea
Birmingham City vs Wigan Athletic
Bolton Wanderers vs Liverpool
Everton vs Charlton Athletic
Fulham vs Sunderland
Newcastle United vs Middlesbrough
Blackburn Rovers vs Portsmouth Enditem
LONDON Dec Xinhua Following are the standings from the World Cup Mens Nations Cup on Saturday
Nations Points
Cup
Norway
Germany
Sweden
Italy
France
Russia
Czech Republic
Austria
Finland
United States
Estonia
Switzerland
Japan
Poland
Canada
Slovakia
Liechtenstein
Ukraine
Belarus
Kazakhstan Enditem
LONDON Dec Xinhua Following are the standings from the World Cup womens Nations Cup on Saturday
Nations Points
Cup
Russia
Norway
Germany
Finland
Sweden
Canada
Italy
Czech Republic
France
Kazakhstan
Slovenia
Switzerland
tie Estonia
Japan
Ukraine
Belarus
United States
China
Lithuania Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua An outbreak of Asia Type One footandmouth disease has occurred in Changqing District of Jinan City capital of east Chinas Shandong Province Chinas Ministry of Agriculture announced on Friday
Altogether cattle in the farm which reported the outbreak have been culled by the provincial veterinary bureau the Ministry said
Some cattle on a farm in Changqing District developed symptoms of bad appetite and fever on Dec and cattle had fallen ill by Dec
The provincial veterinary bureau reported the case as a suspected outbreak of the footandmouth disease after initial tests on Dec It was confirmed by the state laboratory for footandmouth disease control on Dec
Apart from culling the entire herd which the sick cattle belonged to the Shandong provincial government and the Ministry of Agriculture also ordered an immediate disinfection and quarantine of the outbreak site as well as a thorough inoculation of all vulnerable animals in the region Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Top Chinese leaders including President Hu Jintao joined an audience of nearly in the Chinese capital on Friday evening to watch a Beijing Opera show marking the arrival of year
Other leaders present included Wu Bangguo Jia Qinglin Huang Ju Wu Guanzheng Li Changchun and Luo Gan all members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China CPC or the ruling partys top decisionmaking body
The performance titled The splendor of China was jointly sponsored by several central authorities departments including the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee and the Ministry of Culture Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The State Council or the Chinese cabinet has recently issued the countrys outline for the development of science and technology from to
The outline has highlighted the implementation of a scientific view of development in the field of science and technology and has set the goal of building China into a country with a strong capability of independent innovations
More than experts from various fields spent two years drafting the outline Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Chinas Ministry of Health publicized hygienic standards on its website on Friday according to the ministrys information office
The ministry is using separate webpages on its website for listing these hygienic standards currently in effect Any organizations or individuals can search for the specific standards they need to consult in their business said a spokesman of the office
Hygienic standards are a crucial part of public health and key to the protection of peoples health and life safety said the spokesman Hygienic issues such as food safety blood safety and occupational diseases have been arousing public concern in China in recent years
To date the ministry has issued more than hygienic standards of various kinds of which are now in effect involving food environment occupational diseases and blood collection and use
The remaining currentlyeffective hygienic standards will also be available on the website in a short time according to the ministry
The ministry has also promised to stage regular news conferences starting next year at which major health news will be announced to the media at home and abroad and relevant officials and spokespersons will answer questions according to Health Minister Gao Qiang earlier this week Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua China on Friday expressed strong indignation at the Japanese governments association of the suicide of a staff member at the Japanese Consulate General in Shanghai with the socalled actions of Chinese agents
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said it was a vicious act by Japan to intentionally smear Chinas image
Japan said on Wednesday that local Chinese security authorities were believed to have taken regrettable actions behind the scene of the suicide in May last year
The Japanese Foreign Ministry press secretary alleged the Chinese agents actions were in violation of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations and claimed that since the incident occurred the Japanese government had lodged protests and sought the truth of the case
It is a suicide case and China and Japan had clearly defined the nature of the case one year and a half before Qin told the press when asked to comment on Japans recent allegations
Japan has completely ulterior motives to raise the old story again Qin said expressing strong indignation at the Japanese government for having taken such a vile action to intentionally destroy Chinas image Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The following are domestic news items released by Xinhua on Friday
Market exchange rates Dec
Aging threatens black leaf monkeys in captivity in SW China
Worlds express giants eyes business chances in E China city
WalMart to open mall in E China scenic city
Cement maker seals solid double investment
Xinhua home news advisory Dec
Mittal Steel mulling stake in Baotou
Beijing government to set example in energy efficiency
Highlights of major Beijingbased newspapers Dec
Hong Kong stocks open lower Dec
ARATS thanks friendly personages for condolences over death of Wang Daohan
ARATS thanks SEF for condolences over Wang Daohans death on behalf of family
Mysterious liquid found in excavated bronzeware in NW China
Hong Kong stocks finish lower at midday Dec
Chinas first mlnton coal base debuts
Boiler explosion kills injures another one in east China
Death toll of east China traffic accident rises to seven
E China province to publicize bribery records
Young AIDS patient loses lawsuit against hospital
United States pleased with HKs resumption of beef import
Over yearold tombs unearthed in N China region
Civil service becomes most popular profession in E China city
Shenzhen stock index mixed Dec
Hushen index down Dec
Shanghai stock index mixed Dec
Economist suggests GDP index not be used to assess governments below provincial level
E China cityTaiwan trade volume tops bln US dollars
Commercial sector attracts pct of Beijings working population
Chinas leading occupational hazard jeopardizes people
Beijings fiscal revenue to top bln US dollars
Mental disorders cost most among all diseases in China
Hong Kong stocks close lower Dec
Air quality of major Chinese cities Dec
Artificiallybred Asian elephant dies of infection in NW China
Ancient invertebrates fossil discovered at E China temple
Four people drowned in NW China city
Chinese shares dip lower on last trading day
Beijing invents bird flu virus killer
Weather forecast for major Chinese cities Dec
Weather forecast for world cities Dec
Hong Kong shares close lower Dec
Foreign exchange rates in Hong Kong Dec
Trading on Hong Kong stock exchange Dec
Taiwan shares close lower Dec
Young Chinese dramatists to stage comedy based on news events
Hang Seng China Enterprises Index closes lower Dec
Gold price lower in Hong Kong Dec
Weather information for AsiaPacific cities Dec
Chinas biggest radio station celebrates th birthday
Spring city entitled Chinese home for blackheaded gull
NW China province links up all villages with highways
Chinese bid farewell to mainlands chief negotiator with Taiwan
Chinas major companies to issue bln USD of corporate bonds in
China will peacefully develop FM
Chinas first law school marks th anniversary
China Exclusive China launches association to promote outbound religious exchanges
E China province sacks officials involving environment dispute case
China Focus Chinese bid farewell to mainlands chief negotiator with Taiwan
Chinese leader calls for more support for antipoverty program
CPC general secretary calls for sound style in Partybuilding theory study
Footandmouth outbreak confirmed in E China province
Top Chinese leaders join Beijing audience to watch New Year Beijing Opera show
China issues outline for scitech development till
China strongly indignant at Japanese smearing of its image spokesman
Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The following are Chinas home news items released by Xinhua on Friday
Market exchange rates Dec
Aging threatens black leaf monkeys in captivity in SW China
Unemployment rate of welleducated people on rise in China
large oil deposit discovered in NW China
Worlds express giants eyes business chances in E China city
WalMart to open mall in E China scenic city
Cement maker seals solid double investment
Mittal Steel mulling stake in Baotou
New animal shelter overwhelmed by pets
Beijing government to set example in energy efficiency
SW China province invests heavily in road construction
Highlights of major Beijingbased newspapers Dec
China launches project to help leukemiahit poor children
ARATS thanks friendly personages for condolences over death of Wang Daohan
ARATS thanks SEF for condolences over Wang Daohans death on behalf of family
Mysterious liquid found in excavated bronzeware in NW China
News Feature Immersed in traditional life Chinas last cave tribe adapts to modern civilization
Eight trapped in collapsed iron mine having faint chance for survival in C China city
Three rescued in goldmine flooding in E China city
Chinas first mlnton coal base debuts
Boiler explosion kills injures another one in east China
Death toll of east China traffic accident rises to seven
E China province to publicize bribery records
Young AIDS patient loses lawsuit against hospital
Healthy city program benefits residents in Shanghai
Expressway pileup kills four in NW China
Anhui Investment Trade Expo to be held in Hong Kong
Over yearold tombs unearthed in N China region
Xinjiang to build three new railroads
Economist suggests GDP index not be used to assess governments below provincial level
E China cityTaiwan trade volume tops bln US dollars
Commercial sector attracts pct of Beijings working population
Chinas leading occupational hazard jeopardizes people
Beijings fiscal revenue to top bln US dollars
Mental disorders cost most among all diseases in China
Energy output in NW China province reports rapid growth
Artificiallybred Asian elephant dies of infection in NW China
Ancient invertebrates fossil discovered at E China temple
Four people drowned in NW China city
Chinese shares dip lower on last trading day
Beijing invents bird flu virus killer
Japanese architect to present first design for China
More sewage plants to be built in Three Gorges area
One killed three poisoned after drinking milk
Chinas biggest radio station celebrates th birthday
Spring city entitled Chinese home for blackheaded gull
NW China province links up all villages with highways
Chinese bid farewell to mainlands chief negotiator with Taiwan
Chinas major companies to issue bln USD of corporate bonds in
China will peacefully develop FM
Chinas first law school marks th anniversary
China Exclusive China launches association to promote outbound religious exchanges
E China province sacks officials involving environment dispute case
China Focus Chinese bid farewell to mainlands chief negotiator with Taiwan
Chinese leader calls for more support for antipoverty program
CPC general secretary calls for sound style in Partybuilding theory study
Footandmouth outbreak confirmed in E China province
China issues outline for scitech development till
Ministry of Health publicizes hygienic standards online for better public knowledge
China strongly indignant at Japanese smearing of its image spokesman
Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Market exchange rates of four major currencies against RMB yuan announced Saturday by the Peoples Bank of China
Currency Unit Middle Price in RMB yuan
US Dollar
Euro
Japanese Yen
Hong Kong Dollar
The rates are mainly based on the closing prices of the previous trading session on Chinas interbank market of foreign exchange Exchange rates of other convertible currencies against RMB yuan on the interbank market are based on these rates and changes in the international exchange markets Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Chinas largest sinoforeign capital investment project the petrochemical project off South China Sea has completed construction and will go into production soon said sources with China National Offshore Oil Corporation CNOOC Chinas largest offshore oil producer
The board of CNOOC and Shell Petrochemical Company Limited CSPC announced on Friday the completion of the construction of the worldscale petrochemicals complex in the Daya Bay Huizhou city of South Chinas Guangdong Province Friday
According to CNOOC final preparations for start up are now being made at the complex at the centre of which is an tonnes per annum capacity Lower Olefins Plant
The project is a joint investment by the CNOOC Royal Dutch Shell and the Guangdong provincial government
With a total investment of billion US dollars the project is so far the largest joint venture project in China Shell holds a share of percent CNOOC percent and the Guangdong government five percent
After the startup the project is expected to turn out million tons of petrochemicals products which will be supplied to markets in Guangdong and southeast coastal areas where demand for petrochemicals are strong
Most of the utilities units and general facilities have already been in operation for months The cracker and downstream units are being phased in as part of an integrated start up plan with a full complex product in tank expected in the next few weeks said Simon Lam General Manager of CSPC
Having been focusing on oil and natural gas exploration and production offshore China CNOOC is endeavoring to expand its business to middle and downstream of the oil industry such as refining petrochemicals and marketing to build an integrated international energy company
CNOOC lay the cornerstone in mid Dec for its whollyinvested oil refining project near the CSPC project
With an investment of billion yuan some billion US dollars the oil refining project boasts an annual refining capacity of million tons mainly sour crude from CNOOCs offshore fields Enditem
QINGDAO Dec Xinhua Qingdao a port city in east Chinas Shandong Province has been seeking investments for constructing two seabed tunnels in Jiaozhou Bay
Sources from Xinshi Industrial Co Ltd of Qingdao the developer said the projected tunnels would connect Xuejia Isle of the Huangdao Island District and Tuandao Isle of Qingdao by crossing at the mouth of Jiaozhou Bay
The seabed tunnels extending some meters will have six lanes capable of accommodating motor vehicles with a speed of sq km per hour The project is expected to cost billion yuan about million US dollars according to its developer
The seabed tunnels is expected to be completed in four years The investment in them is expected to be recovered in about years
A report featuring evaluations by specialists has been completed and submitted to the relevant local authorities for approval Enditem
HAIKOU Dec Xinhua More than needy Chinese students from colleges and universities have benefited from a foundation set up by KFC China of Parkson World Food Beverage Company and the China Youth Development Foundation CYDF over the past three years
With the accumulated fund of million yuan about million US dollars the year project initiated in named the KFC China First Light Foundation has provided financial aid to college students in many Chinese cities including Beijing Shanghai Fuzhou and Haikou according to Yang Guangran secretarygeneral of CYDFs branch in Hainan Province
The project has so far helped more than college students in need each with a scholarship of yuan US dollars every year Yang said at a ceremony offering yuan US dollars in aid to local students
In addition KFC China has provided parttime jobs for those students who wish to support themselves and learn more about the world
With its entry into the Chinese market in KFC so far has outlets in the country Enditem
XIAN Dec Xinhua A base to study wild giant pandas is expected to be established in a nature reserve in northwestern Chinas Shaanxi Province the administration of the key wild habitat of the endangered animal has said
A meeting was held recently to discuss the design and feasibility of the research base which is scheduled to be set up in the Foping Nature Reserve of the Qinling Mountains in northwestern China one of the countrys major observation bases for wild life and plants
Construction of the base is set to start next year
With the help of the State Forestry Administration and the Animals Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Sciences the research base will focus on the study of giant panda habitat changes migration and reproduction
It is expected that the effort will help promote their natural growth in the wild and Chinas continuous endeavor of raising them in captivity
The Foping Nature Reserve boasts approximately pandas living in the wild or some percent of the total in the Qinling mountainous region Enditem
XIAN Dec Xinhua Four people were killed in a road accident that happened Friday afternoon on the No National Highway section at Lintong District northwestern Chinas Shaanxi Province local police on Saturday
The tragedy occurred at around pm A sedan car crashed head on into a minibus driving in the opposite direction leaving four people in the sedan car dead immediately
And police sources said no one on the minibus was seriously injured
Cause of the accident is under investigation Enditem
XIAN Dec Xinhua Four people were killed when a car collided with a minibus Friday afternoon in Lintong of Shaanxi Province local police said on Saturday
All the four dead were passengers of the car when the two vehicles crashed head on
The minibus a shuttle bus of a local company had people abroad but none of them was seriously injured according to the police Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Following are the major domestic news items scheduled to be covered or pursued by Xinhua on Saturday
Analysis of impact of ChinaUS textile agreement effective as of Jan
Beijing improves weather forecast service for holidays
Chinas government Website to open officially on New Years Day
Beijing expected to employ college graduates as village head
Businesspeople in eastern Wenzhou City buy private planes
Roundup of Chinas gold market in
China cuts export tax rebate of some products including hides
First Taiwan steward to serve mainland airlines
Analysis of employment in China
Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Highlights of major Beijingbased newspapers on Saturday
Peoples Daily
Hu Jintao general secretary of the Communist Party of China CPC Central Committee said here Friday that Party building theorists should adhere to the fine work style of integrating theory with concrete practice to substantially boost the indepth study of Party building theory when addressing a group of representatives of the Partys theory researchers
The remains of Wang Daohan president of the mainlandbased Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits ARATS or Chinese mainlands chief negotiator with Taiwan were cremated in Longhua Funeral Home in Shanghai Friday morning
Peoples Daily overseas edition
A project coinvested by China National Offshore Oil Corp and Shell Chinas biggest joint venture project has been completed and is expected to start production soon
Xinhua Daily Telegraph
The State Council or the Chinese central government has recently issued the countrys outline for the development of science and technology from to
China Youth Daily
The abolishment of agricultural tax will reduce the financial burden of farmers by billion yuan billion US dollars in total or an average of yuan dollars less per farmer than in before the tax reform started in the countryside said Minister of Finance Jin Renqing here Friday
A calf recloned from body cells of cloned cattle was born Friday in Liangshan County of east Chinas Shandong Province the fourth one since the project was launched
China Daily
The Ministry of Agriculture has planed a raft of countermeasures for to effectively control any animal infections including a regulation requiring every village in China to have an epidemic monitoring worker in the incoming year
At least miners are thought to have died and others remain trapped in three separate mining tragedies this week the State Administration of Work Safety said on Friday Enditem
SHANGHAI Dec Xinhua Twentytwo business people in Yueqing City of eastern Zhejiang Province snapped up private aeroplanes at a recent jet exhibition organized by a local flying club Shanghaibased Oriental Morning Post reported Saturday
The order placed on Wednesday involved brands of planes including four Cessna s four AC seaplanes two Robinson R helicopters and two Robinson R Ravens They were provided by seven aircraft manufacturing and marketing companies from China Hong Kong SAR the United States and Slovenia
The purchases totaled million yuan million US dollars with the most luxurious made for a Dassult corporate jet valued at million yuan million US dollars
The entrepreneurs are all members of the flying club of Yueqing City under the jurisdiction of Wenzhou City that is known for its booming private sector
Buying a private jet is conducive to fostering a good company image said Tu Changzhong board chairman of Wenzhou Yikai Group adding that driving a plane will be a good recreation for hardworking businessmen like him
China once banned the granting of airplane license to private individuals but its policies towards private aircraft ownership were shifted after its new Regulation on Flight Control of General Aviation took effect on May
The regulations simplified the procedures of using and flying private aircraft while allowing private individuals into its lowaltitude air domain
Currently there are nine private jets owned by four business people on the Chinese mainland Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The Website of Chinas central government wwwgovcn will open formally on Jan in simplified Chinese original complex Chinese character and English versions according to a decision of the State Council reaching here Saturday
The Website which went into trial operation on Oct is aimed to provide a platform for the departments under the State Council and provincial autonomous regional and municipal governments to release information on government affairs and provide online services
According to the State Council the building of the central government Website is a major step to push forward administrative innovation as the central authorities strive to build a serviceoriented government
It will be significant to promoting the openness of government affairs and improving public services and administrative efficiency so as to facilitate public participation in and supervision over government affairs which the Chinese authorities have been devoted to
The Website has four sections The section of information about government affairs is for providing information on government work including important policies regulations and documents The service section provides online services to citizens enterprises and foreigners The section offers communication channels between the government and citizens The section of applied functions provides surfers with a search engine
The Website has the seven columns of China Today China Factfile Services for NonResidents Business Official Publications Laws and Regulations and Special Reports in its English version
The General Office of the State Council is responsible for the content design organization and coordination for the Website while Xinhua News Agency is responsible for Website operation content updating and technical support
During the trial operation of the Website public response has been positive and improvements have been made according to the suggestions and proposals of the general public Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The high charge makes a nearby clinic of a elite hospital in Beijing unaccessible for a pregnant woman Xing Xiaoying and so the opening of a lowcost hospital in her neighborhood last week means gratifying news
The registration fee of yuan USdollars at Shangdi Clinic of the No Hospital of Beijing University is almost a monthly income of her husband and the charge is incredible for Xing who is in her seventh month of pregnancy
The newlyopened Shangdi Hospital in Haidian district in western Beijing is the first one geared to lowincome residents and migrant workers in the national capital
The registration fee is only yuan about USdollars and the charge for a smooth delivery is only yuan USdollars there much cheaper than in the citys other hospitals
Its too costly for me to give birth in other hospitals which would charge at least some yuan USdollars said Xing who came to ask about the delivery charge the day when the hospital opened
The unbelievable highcharged clinic which claims to cater for Beijings highend customers is just km away where the minimum yearly membership is yuan and the topclass membership which gives welltailored private doctor service costs yuan a year
The lowcost hospital is part of the countrys endeavor to improve its muchgrumbled medical system which has been driven by economic interests for nearly two decades and is losing its public service character
Though China reports substantial increase in the numbers of hospitals clinics doctors nurses and medical appliances since a reform was started in the s the corresponding rise of charge made hospitals devoid of lowincome people
Minister of Health Gao Qiang noted earlier this year that Chinas outpatient and hospitalization expenses rose percent and percent respectively in the last eight years much higher than the increase of residents percapita income
To make matters worse the former medical expense cooperation mechanism which had once covered most rural residents vanished with the decline of rural collective economy And most city dwellers lost the privilege to have their medical expense covered by enterprises or state finance while a broad umbrella of medical insurance is yet to be established
Statistics from the Ministry of Health says percent of the countrys urban population and percent of rural residents are not covered by any forms of medical insurance About half the population does not go to hospitals in case of ailment
Other statistics are even more alarming According to a survey done by the China Youth Daily in August percent of the respondents said they are disgruntled with the current medical system Another survey report released by the Horizon Key Research Company this week said that medical care with housing and education tops the list of the major problems that Chinese people are concerned with in
Discontent was fueled by the exposure of a bill scandal in Harbin capital of northeastern Heilongjiang Province this winter Weng Wenhui was treated for days at a Harbin hospital before dying of cancer on Aug but the failed treatment left his family a million yuan some US dollars bill
And Wengs case was not alone Just eight days before Shangdi Hospital opened Wang Jianmin a farmer peasant from Heilongjiang to seek a job in Beijing was left dead at the hallway of the Tongren Hospital due to his lack of money for treatment
The two scandals once disclosed were taken as a shame to humanitarianism a credo that was once inscribed on the walls of nearly all of the Chinese hospitals igniting fierce media and public response on the flawed health care system
Public discontent and worry also send the government a wakeup call which sees the accessibility of medical service as a necessary bedrock of the development of a harmonious society
In October central authorities pledged in an outlined th FiveYear development program a blueprint for Chinas economic and scientific development in the period to work hard to provide affordable medical care to all people
Gao Qiang reunderscored early this month that the purpose of medical institutions is to serve the people rather than making money which is regarded by critics as an indication that the government is getting tougher with reining back profithungry hospitals
In fact Hubei Province in central China Jiangsu and Shandong provinces in east China and some other provinces started trials of lowcost hospitals before Beijing set up Shangdi Hospital
And the trial is likely to spread to elsewhere in the country
As part of the Beijing municipal administration system reform the Haidian District Public Service Committee was founded in July which bring all public hospitals in the district under its management
The district government will make overall reform plans for the hospitals fund them and subsidize their deficits Hospitals profitmaking service items will be held in rein by the government said Yu Xiaoqian head of the committee
Yu ascribed the establishment of Shangdi Hospital partially to the redefined government function in the management of public service sectors
A second lowcost hospital is expected to open at the end of in Haidian and a third one is likely to offer service specially to the local rural population in the ensuing year Yu said
China began reestablishing a rural cooperative medical care fund In Pilot programs have been initiated in percent of its rural areas with a full coverage expected by Enditem
HONG KONG Dec Xinhua The gold price in Hong Kong went up HK dollars to HK dollars per tael on Saturday according to the Bank of China Hong Kong
The price is equivalent to dollars a troy ounce up dollars at Saturdays exchange rate of US dollar against HK dollars Enditem
HONG KONG Dec Xinhua Following are foreign exchange rates against the Hong Kong dollar released by the Bank of China Hong Kong Limited at am on Saturday
Buying Selling
Japanese yen
Swiss franc
British pound
Australian dollar
Canadian dollar
Euro
US dollar
Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Residents in the Chinese capital Beijing are overjoyed with scattered snow flakes fallen on the ground on the eve of the new year while people in France and other European nations are annoyed with continuous heavy snows
Everybody is delighted to see snow flakes which has so far not seen since this winter season set in in Beijing said Zhang Rui a commuter on his way to work by bus early Saturday
And kids have long been expecting a big snow so that they can build up snow man
The slight snow fall measured less than one mm which ceased around the noon time will have a little impact on urban traffic and local residents life according to Beijing Meteorological Station
The municipal meteorological station forecasted that the temperature would drop to the maximum of three degrees Celsius Saturday and the skies would clear up the ensuing day the New Years Day
The station also forecasted that a light snow could occur Monday night the first ever snowfall in the new year with a drastic drop in temperature the following days Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua China will scrap export tariff rebates on six products that include coal tar and peltry and cut the rebates to percent on more than categories of farm chemicals and minerals and their products as of Jan
According to a statement posted on the official website of the Ministry of Finance China will cut the rebate rates to percent on over farm chemicals mercury tungsten zinc tin stibium and products made from them mineral magnesium and its primary products olefin and some other products
A namelist of the products and related information was also published on the website
The move represents the latest efforts made by the Chinese government to discourage exports and production of energyintensive products or those that would lead to grave environmental pollution in their processing process Enditem
YINCHUAN Dec Xinhua Five people were confirmed dead and three others injured in a vehicle collision accident that happened on Friday morning in Guyuan City northwest Chinas Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region local police sources said on Saturday
At around Friday morning a car ran into a minibus in Yuanzhou District of Guyuan city leaving three people dead on the spot and another five injured Two of the wounded died later in hospital the police sources said
Cause of the accident is being investigated Enditem
ZUOYUN COUNTY Shanxi Province Dec Xinhua Eight people were confirmed dead and nine others remained trapped underground in a coal mine flooding accident that happened Wednesday in Zuoyun County north Chinas Shanxi Province
Local work safety authorities said the bodies of eight miners had been found underground and another nine remained trapped by am Saturday and rescue work is going on
Each of the victims will get at least yuan some US dollars as compensations the authorities added
The accident took place at around Wednesday morning when miners were working at Fanjiasi Coal Mine in Dianwan Town of Zuoyun County Only five people escaped with the remaining trapped
Preliminary probe into the accident showed that it was caused by workers who were maintaining the mine
The owner of the coal mine has been detained by local police Enditem
ZHENGZHOU Dec Xinhua Another three people were reported missing in the ironmine collapse accident that occurred Monday in Anyang City central Chinas Henan Province bringing those missing up to the provincial work safety administration said Saturday
Earlier report said eight people were buried as an iron mine which was abandoned in collapsed at around pm Monday afternoon in Anyang County of the city Local residents said there were another three missing during the accident and local police are working to confirm the information
The accident formed a pit meters long meters wide and meters deep
Experts say the victims have faint chance to survive
Preliminary investigation by local geologists cited the accident as a geological disaster Enditem
By Xinhua Writer Wu Jing Bai Ying
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Global cinema has seen a growing presence of the Chinese movies this year as more and more of something about China is found in Hollywood movies and becomes a favorite subject of big star like Tom Cruise
Tom Cruise in the latest Hollywood blockbuster Mission Impossible III even chose the setting in the metropolis of Shanghai and Xitang a waterside town in east Chinas Zhejiang province This eyeball attraction had nearly percent of its contents shot in China Shanghais futuristic Oriental Pearl TV Tower will both be featured in the movie with Cruises breathtaking performances on them And the elegant scenes of Xitang entitled Venice of East by Cruise will also be spotlighted
The film will present the world a real and spectacular China Cruise earlier told Xinhua adding that the film is also the first mainstream Hollywood blockbuster to shoot in China without any negative implications
This year is the centennial of Chinese cinema which underwent hard evolution with the dramatic social changes over the past century
Something about China such as Chinese actors stories sceneries Kungfu and Chinese herbal medicine all came through a long journey to cast on the worlds screen
Chinese martial arts widely known by Westerners as Kungfu best epitomizes the long march of the Chinese cinema Bruce Lee first brand marked the Chinese martial arts in Hollywood followed by Chow YetFat and John Woo and later Jackie Chan and Jet Li Although their names and faces are familiar to Western audience few of their films could win the box office
This situation of the Chinese cinema mostly with the selling point of martial arts did not change much till when Ang Lees Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon became the black horse of the th Oscar Award The film featuring the Oriental style romance of the martial arts world scored in one hit four respective Oscar prizes and a box office of million US dollars atop any foreign language movie cast in the United States
The same year Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon along with other three Chinese language films are listed among top ten superb movies by the US Times magazine
From then on something about China especially Kungfu became most popular cuisine among Hollywood makers seen in Matrix and Kill Bill
When making Kill Bill II Quentin Tarantino spent much time in showcasing the stateofart Kungfu even portraying a whitehaired man with unbelievable Kungfu The film also made a spectacular box office of million US dollars atop the North America cinema box in its opening weekend
Contented to see its audience having the same curiosity and enthusiasm to a mythlike China Tarantino take the film salute to the Hong Kongmade martial arts movies More
Hollywood of course has certain reason for a rising enthusiasm in something about China as observed by New York Times in a report titled Hollywood sees a future in China on July Like the rest of US industry Hollywood has seen the future and it is China Some of the biggest movie studios are now scrambling onto the mainland and planning to invest more than million USD over the next few years in Chinas burgeoning film industry the newspaper said
Hollywood executives also say they are making plans to produce and invest in movies with a Chinese theme or Chineselanguage movies that could later be exported And US studios are laying the foundation to produce movies solely for Chinas domestic market it added
The Secret of the Magic Gourd the first film coproduced by the Walt Disney Company and the Chinese filmmakers will be screened in China next year
Chinese cinema has taken the world by storm in recent years said Dick Cook chairman of the Walt Disney Studios And as China celebrates a hundred years of movie making in it is a perfect time for Disney to bring its wholesome family entertainment expertise to this rapidly growing market as part of the Walt Disney Companys focus on expanding our presence in China
He also revealed that the film is of great significance for Disney to win a big market with billion populations
Such positive signals from Hollywood and overseas market was well received and understood by the Chinese film makers Hero and House of Flying Daggers though blamed for selling big setting and meaningless struggle still demonstrates the confidence of the Chinese film makers for overseas market And it has been proved with the two films hitting million US dollars in box
Despite a series of commercial successes for the Chinese blockbusters Chinese movies with diversified narrative styles have rebuilt an image of China to the Western audience The Chinese traditional costume in Wong KaiWais films the Pusa Chinese version for Buddha in Feng Xiaogangs A World without Thief and the old Shanghai in Stephen Chows Kungfu Hustle once again aroused Western peoples longexisted inquiry into Chinese culture And the Peacock by Gu Changwei that replayed Chinas social changes provided a new perspective for Westerners to look at China
Local filmmakers came to see the advantage of Something about China and began to learn how to make good use of them said Wang Zhimin a professor with the elite Beijing Film Academy This move is powered by the Chinese peoples recognition and confidence of the Chinese culture which differs totally from the time when China first opened to the outside world
However he stressed the frustrated box office in domestic market of Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon and Hero also taught Chinese film makers that Something about China should not be too Chinese to the audience in China but be very Chinese for Western audience
It is no doubt that the global cinema eyes great potential in something about China Wang aknowledged which is conducive to the national film industry yet in the same time demanding more efforts from the local filmmakers Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing and his ROK counterpart Ban Kimoon talked on the phone Saturday expressing the willingness to advance the allround partnership between the two countries
Li made a telephone call to Ban minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of the Republic of Korea ROK the Chinese Foreign Ministry said in a press release
Both Li and Ban agreed that in the new year they will continue their efforts to implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries and to push forward the development of the allround cooperative partnership between the two countries Enditem
SHANGHAI Dec Xinhua A total of tons of gold was traded at the Shanghai Gold Exchange this year with the transactions totaling billion yuan about billion US dollars posing yearonyear rises of percent and percent respectively
In the meantime the exchange traded tons of platinum with the volume of business amounting to close to billion yuan billion dollars up percent and percent respectively
Affected by increased prices for precious metals on the world market the trading of precious metals at the Shanghai Gold Market also responded in a basic positive way
Information from the market said the price of gold shot from yuan about dollars per gram in the beginning of this year to yuan some dollars per gram by the end of the year
And the price of platinum also rose from yuan dollars per gram in early this year to yuan dollars per gram now The weighted price is yuan dollars higher than that of last year per gram Enditem
SHANGHAI Dec Xinhua Chinas two bourses in Shanghai and Shenzhen saw doubledigit decreases in the total volume of trading this year
The volume of trading at the Shanghai Stock Exchange came to trillion yuan billion US dollars this year a yearonyear drop of percent
By the end of this year the Shanghai bourse has listed companies which issued billion shares in kinds The capital stock in circulation totalled billion shares up percent over last years figure
The bourse reported a market value of trillion yuan at the end of representing a shrinkage of percent
The Shenzhen Stock Exchange had an accumulated volume of trading of trillion yuan by Dec recording a drop of percent
A total of kinds of shares issued by listed companies are traded at the Shenzhen Stock Exchange And the market value slid by percent to reach billion yuan
There are million shareholders at the Shenzhen Stock Exchange including institutional investors This year saw only newly registered shareholders a drop of percent compared with last year Enditem
HEFEI Dec Xinhua A fire broke out on Saturday morning in a lab of the University of Science and Technology of China USTC a prestigious university in east Chinas Anhui Province No casualty has been reported by press time
The fire occurred at around am on the fourth floor of a lab in a chemical building according to a witness Four fire engines rushed to the spot upon receiving reports
By Saturday afternoon the fire has not been put out because the flame is too wild and there might be some combustible chemical reagent in the lab a police said
The cause of the fire is under investigation Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Chinas momentous strategy of constructing a new countryside will give an impetus to the countrys urbanization progress a renowned expert on urban studies has said
Gu Wenxuan secretarygeneral of the Chinese Society for Urban Studies CSUS made the remarks Friday at a news briefing on Chinas top ten major events affecting the urban development in
The strategy of constructing a new countryside was chosen by a group of noted Chinese scholars as one of the top ten
This is because the construction of a new countryside is closely linked to Chinas urbanization process Gu said
According to Gu China is experiencing a highspeed progress of urbanization with several hundred million urban labor forces moving to cities for jobs
Official statistics show that currently the total number of migrant rural labor forces in cities has reached million and the figure will increase by million or million every year
Gu noted that rural peoples flow into cities has brought about many empty villages
So the Chinese government will accelerate its efforts to renovate these obsolete villages and improve living and working conditions for local rural residents
Gu predicts when more and more Chinese villages take shape a great number of migrant rural labor forces will be back again which will surely help boost Chinas agricultural industry
The case of thirsting for rural labor forces in south Chinas Pearl River Delta last year indicated a sign of the return trend said Gu
Gu said the return of migrant workers will also help ease the highspeed urbanization progress in China and promote the health development of Chinese cities
He predicted that in the coming five years the expansion of the number of migrant labor forces in cities will be slowed down and the social welfare for those migrant workers will be improved
Over the past few years the gaps between city and countryside urban citizens and rural residents have been wide Therefore solving issues concerning agriculture countryside and farmers have turned to be the urgent task for the Chinese government
In the government and the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China vowed to construct a new countryside so as to narrow the gap between city and countryside Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua China experienced higher temperature less sand storms and serious typhoons in according to China Meteorological Administration CMA on Saturday
The temperature averaged degrees Celsius by Dec about degrees Celsius higher than the temperature in previous years The temperature ranked the seventh highest in recorded history since said Xiao Fengjin a meteorologist with the National Climate Center under the CMA
The Summer temperature set a record high since and the temperature in southern China experienced sharp increase in Autumn Xiao said
Statistics show this year saw the least sand storms in the past half century China had nine sand storms this year far less than the storms of previous year
The country experienced serious typhoons in About eight typhoons or tropical storms landed on China Six tropical cyclones had the maximum speed of meters per second at the cyclone centers rather rare in about half a century Xiao said
The country also reported flooding rainstorms hurricanes hailing frost droughts and blizzards in the past year Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Weather forecast for major Chinese cities Dec Jan Beijing Time temperatures in Celsius
Min Max Condition Wind scale
Beijing overcastcloudy
Harbin snow shower
Tianjin foggyclear
Urumqi cloudyflurry
Xian foggycloudy
Lhasa clear
Chengdu foggycloudy
Chongqing overcast
Kunming clear
Nanjing overcastcloudy
Shanghai overcastcloudy
Wuhan cloudy
Hangzhou overcastcloudy
Taipei cloudy
Guangzhou cloudy
Hong Kong cloudy
Macao cloudy
SOURCE Central Meteorological Station China Enditem
SHANGHAI Dec Xinhua The cargo thruput of east Chinas Shanghai port has reached million tons in making it take the place of Singapore port to become the largest in the world said the sources with Shanghai Port Administration here Saturday
Statistics from the administration said the thruput of Shanghai port has grown by more than million tons over the past five years
The thruput of the port in has increased by percent as against
As of Saturday the container thruput of Shanghai port amounted to million this year percent more than that in
Insiders say that the development of the Yangtze River Delta brings vigor to the port
The sea routes of Shanghai port cover Europe America and Australia as well as the major parts of Asia Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Weather forecast for world cities Dec Jan Beijing Time temperatures in Celsius
Min Max Condition Wind scale
Beijing overcastcloudy
Tokyo cloudyflurry
Bangkok cloudy
Sydney clearcloudy
Karachi clear
Cairo clear
Moscow overcast
Frankfurt sleet
Paris rain showerdrizzle
London rain showercloudy
New York snow showercloudy
SOURCE Central Meteorological Station China Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Report on the quality of air in major Chinese cities Dec to Dec Beijing Time released by the China Environmental Monitoring Center
City Major Pollutant Air Quality Level
Beijing particulate matter II
Tianjin sulfur dioxide II
Shijiazhuang particulate matter III
Qinhuangdao sulfur dioxide II
Taiyuan particulate matter III
Hohhot particulate matter III
Shenyang sulfur dioxide II
Dalian sulfur dioxide II
Changchun particulate matter II
Harbin particulate matter II
Shanghai I
Nanjing particulate matter II
Suzhou particulate matter II
Nantong particulate matter II
Lianyungang particulate matter II
Hangzhou particulate matter II
Ningbo particulate matter II
Wenzhou particulate matter II
Hefei particulate matter II
Fuzhou particulate matter I
Xiamen particulate matter I
Nanchang particulate matter II
Jinan particulate matter III
Qingdao particulate matter II
Yantai sulfur dioxide II
Zhengzhou particulate matter III
Wuhan particulate matter II
Changsha particulate matter III
Guangzhou particulate matter II
Shenzhen particulate matter II
Zhuhai particulate matter II
Shantou I
Zhanjiang I
Nanning particulate matter II
Guilin I
Beihai particulate matter II
Haikou I
Chongqing particulate matter III
Chengdu particulate matter III
Guiyang sulfur dioxide II
Kunming particulate matter II
Lhasa particulate matter II
Xian particulate matter IV
Lanzhou particulate matter IV
Xining particulate matter III
Yinchuan particulate matter III
Urumqi particulate matter III
The center classifies air quality in Chinas urban areas into five levels level I or excellent pollution reading not exceeding level II or fairly good pollution reading to level III or slightly polluted pollution reading to level IV or poor pollution reading to and level V or hazardous pollution reading over
The cities monitored by the center include the four municipalities of Beijing Tianjin Shanghai and Chongqing provincial or autonomous regional capitals and major cities in economically developed coastal areas and tourist attractions Enditem
TIANJIN Dec Xinhua Bohai Bank the first statelevel jointstock commercial bank in China was inaugurated on Saturday in Tianjin the leading port city in north China
The bank was built under the approval of the State Council or Chinas cabinet
With registered capital of billion yuan US dollars the bank is jointly invested by shareholders from both home and abroad
Tianjinbased Taida Investment Holding Company possesses percent stocks of the Bohai Bank becoming the banks largest shareholder
Hong Kongbased Standard Chartered holds percent of the stake which makes it the second largest shareholder among foreign investors
The bank will start commercial run on Feb Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Zhu Legeng a Chinese artist who has blended pottery art with modern construction began an exhibition of his works here Saturday at the National Gallery of Art
Zhu was born in Chinas eastern city of Jingdezhen in and graduated from the Art Department of Jingdezhen Ceramic Institute The State Council has awarded him a title of Expert with Outstanding Contributions Since he has been the director of Ceramic Art Center of China Art Research Institute
The exhibits include some photos of his ingenious works made for the Wheat Music Hall in Seoul of Republic of Korea ROK He filled the inner walls of the hall with tempered ceramics which naturally of different colors look harmonious as a whole and function even better than any echo device
Zhu spent most of his time at the workshop in Jingdezhen city trying to work out sensitive but magical relations between pottery and fire His works have been shown in numerous domestic and international ceramic art exhibitions with more than works granted prizes Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Citizens of Beijing enjoyed days with blue sky in five days more than last year according to a report released by the municipal environmental protection supervision center here Saturday
The blue sky days account for percent of all days in It means Beijing has overfulfilled its goal of having blue sky days set at the beginning of this year
Among the fine days the report said days were categorized in level one air quality two days more than that in last year and days in level two air quality three days more than that in
This shows that the air quality in Beijing has been improved for seven consecutive years said Du Shaozhong vice director of the Beijing municipal environmental protection bureau
But the official admitted the difficulties in improving air quality as Beijing keeps expanding
Over the past three years the number of motor vehicles increased by about million and the metropolis will expect million motor vehicles by Du said
Up July this year Beijing has eliminated used buses and taxi cars which brought about serious pollution to the air
The official said Beijing would control vehicle exhaust emission by setting stricter standards in the future Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Chinese President Hu Jintao reiterated Chinas strong commitment to peaceful development in his New Year Address broadcast Saturday to domestic and overseas audience via state TV and radio stations
Here I would like to reiterate that Chinas development is peaceful development opening development cooperative development and harmonious development Hu said
The Chinese people will develop ourselves by means of striving for a peaceful international environment and promote world peace with our own development Hu said in the address broadcast by China Radio International China National Radio and China Central Television
He said the Chinese people are willing to join with peoples of all nations in the world to promote multilateralism advance the development of economic globalization toward common prosperity advocate democracy in international relations respect the diversity of the world and push for the establishment of a new international political and economic order that is just and rational
He pledged that China will adhere to its fundamental national policy of opening to the outside world continue to improve the investment environment and open the market carry out international cooperation in a wide range of areas and seek to attain mutual benefits and winwin results with all countries in the world
He mentioned in particular that China will do its best to help developing countries accelerate development and help people suffering from war poverty illnesses and natural calamities in the world Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua China pledges to take countryside as priority in infrastructure investment next year in order to initiate the premier strategy of building a socialist new countryside for the coming five years
According to the justclosed annual central work conference on rural development rural construction will claim a higher share in national debts and financial budgets in with more money to be spent on the improvement of living conditions in the countryside
This is the first time for the central authorities to promise to invest so heavily in rural development with the focus on infrastructure said Han Jun an expert of rural research with the Development Research Center under the State Council
Government spending has been the major source of infrastructure construction in urban areas statistics by the Peoples Bank of China showed that investment in Chinas top ten metropolis accounted for percent of Chinas total investment much higher than the proper ratio of percent suggested by the World Bank
On the other hand farmers have to dig down their own pockets for infrastructure in rural areas In the central government spending in rural areas is expected to total billion yuan billion US dollars less than percent of the fiscal income Currently half of Chinas villages do not have running water
Besides former investment in rural areas mainly focused on macroprojects like riverbank construction and failed to directly benefit the farmers for most of the time
To narrow down the increasing gab between urban and rural areas the Chinese government decided to let the sunlight of public finance shine in the countryside to promote construction of road water electricity and other infrastructure in rural areas
Experts with the State Development and Reform Commission predicted that to build basic infrastructure in rural areas across the nation will cost at least trillion yuan billion US dollars Therefore other fund sources are needed to explore besides government spending
Tang Min chief economist of Asian Development Bank in China said that reform of rural financial system is as pressing as investment in rural economic development and the improvement of the farmers life
Farmers are hard to get loans due to outofdate financial mechanisms Government statistics show that at least billion yuan billion US dollars worth of funds are drawn from the rural areas by the financial entities every year Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Chinas foreign debts excluding those of Hong Kong Macao and Taiwan totaled billion US dollars at the end of September this year up percent over the end of last year
Latest figures from the State Administration of Foreign Exchange show that mid and longterm foreign debts decreased by million dollars over the end of to billion dollars
Shortterm debts increased by billion dollars over the end of to billion dollars
In the JanuarySeptember period this year China registered billion dollars of new foreign debts up percent yearonyear
The net inflow of foreign debts during the first nine months of this year were billion dollars down percent from the same period last year
Chinas foreign debts soared by record billion dollars in up percent over Enditem
GUANGZHOU Dec Xinhua Zhuhai City on Pearl River south China has been activating an emergency system in response to a crisis in water supply caused by advancing of a grave salt tide in the rivers estuary
Under the emergency system an economized use of water is compulsory And all water consuming facilities such as swimming pools sprinkling landscapes in residential quarters and services including car washing businesses and bath centers are temporarily suspended from water supplies said Zhong Huiming deputy director of the Water Affairs Bureau of Zhuhai the nearest Chinese mainland city to Macao
We will guarantee a normal use of water for residents in Zhuhai and Macao at all costs said Zhong
The salt tide on the river began on Tuesday threatening drinking water security of hundreds of thousands of residents living in Zhuhai and Macao The chlorine content in drinking water sources in Zhuhai has kept rising abruptly
But the adverse impact of the salt tide on drinking water in other cities in the densely populated Pearl River Delta such as Zhongshan Guangzhou Dongguan Shenzhen and Hong Kong will be limited
The salt tide the worst of the kind in the past five years was caused by factors including less rainfall in the rivers drainage area and a powerful tidal wave produced by an astronomical phenomenon that the sun the earth and the moon will be in a line on Saturday
Specialists with Guangdong Provincial Astronomers Society predict that the salt tide in the Pearl River will stay for some time because of the above mentioned factors
Guangzhou the provincial capital of Guangdong and Zhongshan City also in Guangdong are joining Zhuhai to get well prepared for combating the salt tide
In the meantime Guangdong Province and Zhuhai City have been organizing experts to study details about diverting water from Beijiang one of the Pearl Rivers tributaries to drive back salt tide
It is expected that the actual water diversion will begin midJanuary next year
The Pearl River which originates in the Maxiong Mountain inside Quqing City southwest Chinas Yunnan Province runs southeastwardly and eventually empties itself into the South China Sea is placed the second only after the Yangtze River the countrys longest by surface runoff Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The Chinese central government has allocated billion yuan in subsidies for lowincome residents ahead of schedule for upcoming New Year Day and Chinese lunar New Year which falls on Jan
According to a statement posted Saturday on the official website of the Ministry of Finance local governments should allocate their share of the subsides immediately after receiving it to subordinate government departments for payment to targeted residents
The ministry and the Ministry of Civil Affairs also ordered local governments to make sure the money will not be used improperly through stringent approval and check procedures
China has strengthened its assistance to its citizens in needs as part of its efforts to build a harmonius society and narrow the widening gap between the rich and the poor Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Most parts in China will experience rain snow and temperature drops in the coming New Year Holiday from Sunday to Tuesday according to China Meteorological Administration CMA on Saturday
Cold air from Siberia will enter Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and other areas in northwestern China on Sunday and it will affect the central and eastern parts of China on Tuesday and Wednesday said Yang Guiming an expert with the National Meteorological Center under the CMA
Most areas except Tibet Autonomous Region will observe sharp temperature drops on Friday Yang said
Meanwhile another mild cold air will bring light rain and snow to the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and northeastern China on Sunday and Tuesday Yang said
Snow will blanket Beijing and Tianjin from Monday to Tuesday and strong wind will slash the eastern parts of northern China bringing temperatures down by about to degrees Celsius said Wang Bangzhong deputy director of the CMAs weather forecast and disaster relief department
China will receive frequent cold air in the first ten days in January according to the Chinese Central Meteorological Station
In January the temperature will be about one to two degrees Celsius lower than that of the average years in north and northeast China the reaches along the Yellow River and the Huaihe River according to the Chinese Central Meteorological Station Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua China will continue to suspend its offer of export tariff rebates on selected chemical fertilizers next year in a move apparently to ensure domestic supplies
According to a statement posted Saturday on the official website of the Ministry of Finance the chemical fertilizers include three carbamide products and three phosphate fertilizers
The export goods codes for those products were also made bpulic on the website
The ministry announced Friday its decision to scrap export rebates on
six products that include coal tar and peltry and cut the rebates to percent on more than categories of farm chemicals and minerals and their products as of Jan Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua China will strive to achieve fast and sound economic and social development and enable all people to enjoy the fruit of reform and development in Chinese President Hu Jintao said in a New Year Address made on Saturday
The country will continue to make the scientific concept of development the general guideline of the overall economic and social development in the first year of Chinas th FiveYear Plan
Well make efforts to accelerate the pace of reform and openingup enhance capability in independent innovation give impetus to the shift in economic restructuring and in the mode of economic growth and improve the quality and results of economic growth Hu said in the New Year address which was broadcast on the China Radio International China National Radio and China Central Television on Saturday
In Hu said people of all ethnic groups in China have worked with one heart and one mind to push forward in an all round way economic political and cultural development and the building of a harmonious society
The past year saw relatively faster economic growth better results stable prices and stronger dynamics Social undertakings of all sorts made steady progress and peoples livelihood improved step by step Hu said
Internationally Hu said China actively developed friendly cooperative relations with all countries in and made endeavors to the solution of major international and regional issues In so doing China has played a constructive role in safeguarding world peace and promoting common development Enditem
HONG KONG Dec Xinhua Following are temperatures and weather forecast of Jan for AsiaPacific cities dispatched by the Hong Kong Observatory on Saturday
CITY MINIMUM MAXIMUM FORECAST
HONG KONG FINE
MACAO HAZE
GUANGZHOU CLOUDY
SHANGHAI CLOUDY
BEIJING CLOUDY
TAIPEI CLOUDY
SEOUL RAIN
TOKYO CLOUDY
MANILA DRIZZLE
HANOI OVERCAST
HO CHI MINH CITY THUNDERSTORMS
BANGKOK FINE
KUALA LUMPUR THUNDERSTORMS
SINGAPORE THUNDERSTORMS
NEW DELHI RAIN
MUMBAI FINE
KARACHI RAIN
JAKARTA RAIN
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN SHOWERS
SYDNEY FINE
MELBOURNE RAIN
BRISBANE FINE Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Chinese President Hu Jintao pledged here Saturday that the central government will firmly safeguard the longterm prosperity and stability of Hong Kong and Macao
We will adhere to the policies of one country two systems Hong Kong people governing Hong Kong Macao people governing Macao and a high degree of autonomy Hu said in his New Year Address
The address was broadcast through China Radio International China National Radio and China Central Television
He said the central authorities will support the governments and chief executives of Hong Kong and Macao to administer by law and expand the exchanges and cooperation between the mainland and the two special administrative regions Enditem
TIANJIN Dec Xinhua A batch of relief materials donated by the Chinese government leaves north Chinas municipality of Tianjin to Pakistan on Saturday according to local government
The donations mainly winterized cotton tents and blankets weighing tons are sent to the earthquakehit areas of Pakistan for survivors to get through the freezing winter according to the airport of Tianjin which simplify the customs inspection procedures for the relief materials
So far tons of relief materials have been sent to Pakistan through the airport of Tianjin
The donations were among the pledges made by the Chinese government at the international donors conference held in the Pakistani capital of Islamabad on Nov
At the conference China announced a concessional loan of million US dollars to fund reconstruction and rehabilitation plans in earthquakehit areas of Pakistan
The Pakistanicontrolled Kashmir was rocked by a powerful earthquake measuring on the Richter scale on Oct About people were killed injured and million displaced Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Chinese President Hu Jintao vowed adherence to the one China principle on the Taiwan issue and perseverance in pushing for peaceful reunification of China in his New Year Address delivered on Saturday evening
We will adhere to the fundamental policy of peaceful reunification and one country two systems never waver on adhering to the one China principle never give up efforts on promoting peaceful reunification never change the policy of pinning hope on Taiwan people and never compromise on opposing Taiwan independence secessionist activities he said
The Chinese mainland will actively promote exchanges and cooperation on both sides of the Taiwan Straits safeguard peace and stability across the Straits and push ahead with the great cause of peaceful reunification he said Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The National Development and Reform Commission NDRC said here Friday that the coal supply in will be enough to meet the market demand therefore the government will call off price control measures against power companies adopted at the end of last year
The coal producers and power companies may negotiate the coal prices themselves said the NDRC
But the NDRC urged both sides should decide the price in a rational way And to prevent unexpected soaring coal prices under the new mechanism the NDRC will also set up an emergentreacting system to ensure the stable market
China has decided the total amount of railway transportation of key coal products would be controlled within million tons in
Currently Chinas coal transport capacity on railways can only meet percent of the market demand said the NDRC
The association predicted that China is expected to need a total of billion tons of coal in million tons more than this year Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua An official survey indicates Chinas policies to phase out agricultural tax to reduce farmers financial burden has been implemented as expected
According to the results of a survey conducted in provincial areas the tax overhaul has reduced the financial burdens on its million farmers while other reforms planned in response to the reduced local fiscal revenues due to the tax overhual has also been going on smoothly
The survey which was conducted by the Rural TaxFee Reform Taskforce of the State Council involves farmers and rural primary and middle schools villages in townships in counties
The provincial areas reported billion yuan billion US dollars in reduced fiscal agricultural tax due to the tax exemption or reduction the taskforce said in a statement released Saturday by the Ministry of Finance
All of the rural families surveyed said they were familiar with the latest tax reform policies and grain growers received grain subsidies offered by the central government
But percent of the farmers surveyed complained about excessive rise of the prices of agricultural production materials such as chemical fertilizers which offset partly the benefits of the tax overhaul
Chinas top legislature Thursday adopted a motion to rescinded the countrys yearold agricultural tax as of Jan
Agricultural tax Chinas most ancient tax category started to be collected in BC From that time agricultural tax has existed for years in China with dominant rural economy
During the more than years agricultural tax was always the main source of the countrys coffer Since the founding of the Peoples Republic of China in agriculture has made great contribution to the countrys economic development Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao visited people in the earthquakehit area in east Chinas Jiangxi Province before the coming New Year of
An earthquake measuring on the Richter scale hit the cities of Jiujiang and Ruichang in east Chinas Jiangxi Province on Nov killing people and destroying many buildings
The quake has caused about billion yuan million US dollars of economic losses and left about people homeless
Wen entered a camp shared by two families in Jiujiang Friday morning Take care of yourselves and prevent the elders and children from cold he told the hosts Wang Zhangpings and Li Changxin
The government has sent rice cooking oil and water supply to us and we have no problem of the basic living the premier was told when he came into another camp where villager He Jingui dwells
Wen also went to the clinic to see the patients
He appreciated the developers efforts to reduce the construction cost when he visited a housebuilding site in Ruichang in the afternoon The premier asked the local government to call on more construction companies to participated in building houses for the disasterridden people
The quality of the houses must be ensured he said
Wen visited the Second Primary School of Ruichang in which pupils among the total have classes in camps
Your hometowns future is up to you I hope you will study hard Wen said to the pupils
He asked the local government to place more emphasis on the campus rebuilding to let students return as soon as possible
Friday evening Wen asked the local governments to take better care of the lives of the people at a work conference Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Chinese President Hu Jintao reiterated Chinas strong commitment to peaceful development in his New Year Address broadcast on Saturday to domestic and overseas audience via state TV and radio stations
Here I would like to reiterate that Chinas development is peaceful development opening development cooperative development and harmonious development Hu said
In the address broadcast by China Radio International China National Radio and China Central Television Hu also talked about domestic economic and social development in and policies toward Hong Kong Macao and Taiwan
The Chinese people will develop ourselves by means of striving for a peaceful international environment and promote world peace with our own development Hu said
He said the Chinese people are willing to join with peoples of all nations in the world to promote multilateralism advance the development of economic globalization toward common prosperity advocate democracy in international relations respect the diversity of the world and push for the establishment of a new international political and economic order that is just and rational
He pledged that China will adhere to its fundamental national policy of opening to the outside world continue to improve the investment environment and open the market carry out international cooperation in a wide range of areas and seek to attain mutual benefits and winwin results with all countries in the world
He mentioned in particular that China will do its best to help developing countries accelerate development and help people suffering from war poverty illnesses and natural calamities in the world
On domestic front Hu said China will strive to achieve fast and sound economic and social development and enable all people to enjoy the fruit of reform and development in
The country will continue to make the scientific concept of development the general guideline of the overall economic and social development in the first year of Chinas th FiveYear Development Program
Well make efforts to accelerate the pace of reform and openingup enhance capability in independent innovation give impetus to the shift in economic restructuring and in the mode of economic growth and improve the quality and results of economic growth Hu said
In Hu said people of all ethnic groups in China have worked with one heart and one mind to push forward in an all round way economic political and cultural development and the building of a harmonious society
The past year saw relatively faster economic growth better results stable prices and stronger dynamics Social undertakings of all sorts made steady progress and peoples livelihood improved step by step Hu said
Internationally Hu said China actively developed friendly cooperative relations with all countries in and made endeavors to the solution of major international and regional issues In so doing China has played a constructive role in safeguarding world peace and promoting common development
On Hong Kong and Macao Hu said the government will firmly safeguard the longterm prosperity and stability of Hong Kong and Macao the two special administrative regions SARs of China
We will adhere to the policies of one country two systems Hong Kong people governing Hong Kong Macao people governing Macao and a high degree of autonomy Hu said
He said the central authorities will support the governments and chief executives of Hong Kong and Macao to administer by law and expand the exchanges and cooperation between the mainland and the two SARs
On the Taiwan issue Hu vowed to adhere to the oneChina principle and persevere in pushing for peaceful reunification of China
We will adhere to the fundamental policy of peaceful reunification and one country two systems never waver on adhering to the oneChina principle never give up efforts on promoting peaceful reunification never change the policy of pinning hope on Taiwan people and never compromise on opposing Taiwan independence secessionist activities he said
The mainland will actively promote exchanges and cooperation across the Taiwan Straits safeguard peace and stability across the Straits and push ahead with the great cause of peaceful reunification he said Enditem
JINAN Dec Xinhua Rescuers recovered two bodies of the miners trapped in Thursday gold mine in Penglai City east Chinas Shandong Province Saturday three others were still missing according to local government
The flooding took place at around am Thursday morning when eight miners were working in the No shaft of the Hexi Gold Mine in Penglai
Three miners were rescued at around am Friday and rescuers were searching for the three others missing the provincial work safety administration said on Saturday
Investigation showed that the miners might happen to dig through a nearby flooded waste mine and caused the accident according to the administration Enditem
NANNING Dec Xinhua Thailand will open a consulate general in Nanning capital of south Chinas Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region after the Spring Festival or the Chinese lunar new year
Sources with the local Foreign Affairs Office said here on Saturday that Thailand will become the third country to set up a consulate general in Nanning Vietnam and Cambodia opened their consulates general in the city in and respectively
Currently only the Vietnamese Consulate General can handle visa applications while the Cambodian Consulate General plans to launch the service after the Spring Festival which falls in late January according to the local Foreign Affairs Office Enditem
MACAO Dec Xinhua Fishermans Wharf the first ever themed entertainment attraction in Chinas Macao Special Administrative Region MSAR opened here on Saturday
An opening lightsup ceremony was held here attended by Edmund Ho Hau Wah chief executive of the MSAR
Ho said while addressing the ceremony that the theme park has brought up new concept for Macaos tourism industry
He wished that Fishermans Wharf will help upgrade the quality of Macao residents leisure time
Stanley Ho one of the coinvestors of the park said Fishermans Wharf will hopefully refuel the fastgrowing economy of the region
A casino tycoon as well he said the park is to add new elements to the regions gamingdominant economy
Located in Macaos outer harbor the wharf with percent of its area standing on a patch of reclaimed seashore covers an area totaling million square feet
The project costs a total investment of billion patacas million US dollars
Fishermans Wharf offers a fancy spewing artificial volcano Chinese fort faux Colosseum and a variety of borrowed miniature landmarks from Babylon Miami Lisbon Cape Town Amsterdam and other world tourism attractions
The wouldbeopened second phase of the park will cover a giant casino and a hotel Enditem
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GENEVA Dec Xinhua Russian exnuclear energy minister Yevgeny Adamov has been returned to Moscow from Switzerland ending an extradition battle between Russia and the United States
The Federal Justice Office of Switzerland confirmed on Saturday that Adamov had been returned to Moscow from Zurich on Friday night accompanied by a Russian police escort
It was reported on Saturday that he had been jailed and charged with fraud and abuse of power
The extradition came hours after it was announced that the Swiss Federal Court had overturned a justice ministrys decision to send Adamov to the US to answer charges there
The court ruling on Adamovs appeal concluded that the Russian extradition request had priority under international law It said the investigation into Adamovs dealings should take place in the country where the crimes are alleged to have taken place
In September Swiss justice officials gave precedence to the US request because had priority been given to Russia Adamovs Russian citizenship would have meant that he could not subsequently have been extradited forward to the US
Adamovs lawyer said the former minister was delighted and satisfied with the new ruling The Russian government also welcomed the court ruling but Washington said it was disappointed
Adamov was arrested by the Swiss authorities on a US warrant on May while visiting his daughter in Bern He is charged by the US with embezzling funds that had been destined for nuclearsafety upgrades in Russia
Russia presented a formal extradition request to the Swiss authorities on May accusing Adamov of fraud
Adamov was Russias atomicenergy minister from to when a parliamentary commission accused him of corruption Enditem
BAGHDAD Five abducted staff of the Sudanese Embassy in Baghdad have been freed the alJazeera TV channel reported on Saturday
The Sudanese Foreign Ministry has confirmed the release and the five have returned to the embassy the report said IraqSudanRelease
BERLIN Four kidnappers of the German family were arrested in Yemen a spokesman for the Yemeni embassy in Berlin said Saturday
The kidnappers of Juergen Chrobog his wife and three adult sons would be brought before a court said the spokesman GermanyYemenHostage
MOSCOW Russian gas giant Gazprom said on Sunday Ukraine had rejected its latest offer on gas supply and transit for just less than hours ahead of a Russian threat of gas supply cut
Gazproms chairman sent the contract for gas supply and transit in to Ukraines oil and gas company Naftogaz Ukrayiny and the formal word from Ukraine was it rejected the proposal a spokesman for Gazprom said quoted by the Interfax news agency RussiaUkraineGas
GAZA Two Palestinian militants were killed and a third one seriously injured on Saturday night as an Israeli tank fired three artillery shells at a group of Palestinians in northern Gaza Strip witnesses and security sources said
A group of militants fired one homemade rocket from northern Gaza Strip at southern Israel The militants ran away but a tank fired three shells and directly hit the three PalestiniansIsraelKilling Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Following are some of the major international news stories scheduled to be covered or pursued by Xinhua on Sunday
Man attacking Polish presidential residence arrested
Cote dIvoire president calls for national reunification
Chinese ambassador elaborates on SinoUS relations
Russian gas company Gazprom says Ukraine rejects latest gas offer Enditem
GAZA Jan Xinhua A group of Palestinian militants on Sunday assaulted a club for United Nations workers in Gaza City Palestinian officials said
Five masked gunmen broke into the UN club one of the few places where alcohol is served and only foreigners are allowed inside at round am local time GMT
They tied up a security guard before placing explosives that damaged a bar of the seaside building the officials said adding that no one was hurt in the attack
The Gaza Strip has seen increasing violence in the runup to the Jan parliamentary elections Enditem
WARSAW Dec Xinhua Polish police on Saturday arrested a man for attacking a sentry post guarding the residence of President Lech Kaczynski Polish news agency said
The man approached the presidential residence in downtown Warsaw at dawn and threw flaming bottles at the sentry a police spokesman said There was no casualties in the incident
Police soon surrounded the attackers house and arrested him the spokesman said
Sources close to police said the man suspected to be mentally ill was sent to a mental hospital Enditem
ABIDJAN Dec Xinhua Cote dIvoires President Laurent Gbagbo on Saturday urged various sides of the country to pave way for presidential elections next year with concrete actions
In a new year speech Gbagbo appealed for efforts from Cote dIvoires factions to realize a disarmament plan for national reunification and ensure the presidential race to be held in a fair transparent and open way next year
Gbagbo said he will fully support the transitional government headed by Prime Minister Charles Konan Banny calling on the various sides to cooperate with the authorities closely for a lasting peace and ethnic reconciliation in the wartorn African country
The president announced the establishment of the member transitional government on Wednesday which includes members of both the ruling party and rebel forces
The yearold Banny was named as prime minister on Dec by South African President Thabo Mbeki and Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo the two main mediators of Cote dIvoires conflict
Cote dIvoire slid into a civil war after a foiled coup in September with rebels holding the countrys north and part of the west Enditem
MOSCOW Jan Xinhua Russia said on Sunday it would cut off gas supplies to Ukraine within hours after the neighbor rejected its latest offer on gas deliveries for
Gazprom Russias stateowned gas monopoly which controls a third of the worlds natural gas reserves said everything was ready for ending supplies to Ukraine at precisely am GMT Sunday
After a meeting with the Russian president Gazproms chairman sent a signed contract for gas supply and transit in to Ukraines oil and gas company Naftogaz Ukrayiny which contained the terms set by President Vladimir Putin Gazprom spokesman Sergei Kupriyanov said
Ukraine has turned our proposal down It means the plan to cut supplies from oclock is still in force he added
Hours earlier Putin agreed to a threemonth freeze on gas price for Ukraine ordering Gazprom to supply gas at the current price for the first quarter of if Ukraine accepts a price hike starting as from the second quarter
We must think about all aspects of relations between Russia and Ukraine Putin was quoted by the Interfax news agency as saying at a Security Council meeting
He said the offer would only stand good until the end of the day and the Gazprom announcement came shortly after the deadline expired
Responding to Putins offer Valentin Mondriyevsky spokesman for Ukrainian Prime Minister Yuri Yekhanurov said Ukraine is ready to pay market prices for Russian gas but the two sides need to hold talks on the figures
With no deal clinched before New Years Day Gazprom chairman Alexei Miller and a deputy chairman will issue an order to cut gas flow to Ukraine on Sunday the Interfax said
Ukraine was buying Russian gas for US dollars per cubic meters for the past year but Gazprom has asked Ukraine to pay more than quadruple this price and offered cash payments for the transit of its gas to European clients
Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko however called for a fair price dollars per cubic meters not one that has the look of political pressure
Yushchenko who took office a year ago appeared to be bracing for the cutoff visiting facilities of state gas company Naftogaz and telling officials to ensure that they could compensate for missing Russian gas the ItarTass news agency reported
Meanwhile the Ukrainian presidents office said that in a telephone conversation with Putin earlier Saturday Yushchenko emphasized that its extremely important that the sides refrain from political or economic pressures I believe we will reach a compromise
Later in the day Yushchenko also said in televised remarks All problems can be solved through a market approach and therefore through a price Ukraine can afford
But the phone call between Yushchenko and Putin apparently had little effect on the lastminute efforts to resolve the dispute Their discussion was limited to a frank exchange of views on the gas question according to a statement from Yushchenkos office
The gas row has also sparked European concerns of a disruption of gas flow as most of its gas supply from Russia is transited through a Ukrainian pipeline
Four European Union EU states urged Russia and Ukraine to maintain gas supplies to western Europe Austria said on Saturday Their letters to Moscow and Kiev warned that a drop in supplies could lead to notinsignificant problems for natural gas supplies in Western Europe
The European Commission the executive arm of the EU has called a special meeting of its gas coordination group for Wednesday to discuss the issue And in Warsaw Economy Minister Piotr Wozniak said Poland would feel the harmful potential effects within days Enditem
HAVANA Dec Xinhua Cuban leader Fidel Castro and Bolivian Presidentelect Evo Morales said on Saturday their countries will strengthen bilateral cooperation despite US worries about more nations allying with Cuba
The two leaders announced a month plan to erase illiteracy in Bolivia
Havana also agreed to provide free eye operations to up to Bolivians with vision problems and full scholarships for Bolivian youths to study medicine in Cuba
During his visit to Cuba for no more than hours Morales stressed his desire to boost the ties with Castro and other leaders in the region
We have agreed to the first measures of cooperation Morales said adding that his meetings with Castro had been an encounter of two generations in the struggle for dignity of two revolutions
The presidentelect said he would not allow himself to be pressured by the United States while in power
I never had good relations with the United States but rather with the American people the Bolivian presidentelect said
Morales won the presidential elections on Dec with nearly percent of the votes Castro is the first head of state that Morales met with before taking office on Jan Enditem
MEXICO CITY Dec Xinhua Mexicos Zapatista rebels were to launch a sixmonth nationwide campaign tour on Sunday aimed at attracting more support from citizens
The Zapatistas who were emerging from their jungle hideouts said they would carry out the tour in a peaceful way by rejecting rifles or wars
The rebels launched a brief uprising on the New Years Day years ago calling for more rights for Mexicos Indian minority
During a visit to Mexicos states Zapatista leader Subcomandante Marcos promised to build a nationalist leftist movement which will shake this country up from below
He also said the Zapatistas wont run for elected office or join Mexicos mainstream political process which he alleged was corrupt and out of touch with the people
After President Vicente Fox assumed office in the Zapatistas have been busy with building a network of Zapatistarun schools and medical clinics in dozens of Indian villages in the southernmost state of Chiapas which was under their control
The Zapatistas say the tour is a third phase of their revolution
We have to unite with laborers teachers students and all the workers in the city and countryside the Zapatistas command council said in a recent statement Enditem
MADRID Jan Xinhua Smoking will be illegal in work places office buildings and other indoor spaces in Spain as a new antismoking law came into effect on Sunday
The law which bans smoking in offices hospitals schools and shopping malls stipulated that bars and restaurants of more than square meters must have nonsmoking sections
But bars and restaurants smaller than that can choose whether to ban or allow smoking
The antismoking law which is aimed at cutting the number of Spanish smokers from the current onethird of the population also bans tobacco advertising and raises the minimum age for buying cigarettes from to
The Spanish parliament approved the law overwhelmingly on Dec bringing Spain in line with such European countries as Ireland Italy and Norway
Spanish Health Minister Elena Salgado said smoking is the biggest single cause of death in Spain where the habit kills an estimated people annually Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinese President Hu Jintao and his Indian counterpart Abdul Kalam exchanged congratulations Sunday on the launching of the SinoIndian Friendship Year and vowed to further develop the bilateral ties and boost cooperation in
China and India are good neighbors with a longstanding friendship between the two peoples said Hu in his congratulatory message
The SinoIndian relations have been pushed to higher levels thanks to joint efforts of the two countries since they established diplomatic relations Hu said
The establishment of the SinoIndian strategic cooperative partnership oriented to peace and prosperity in marked a new stage for the development of the bilateral ties and the declaration on setting the year as SinoIndian Friendship Year demonstrated the common aspiration of the two governments and two peoples to strengthen goodneighborly relations expand mutuallybeneficial cooperation and boost common development Hu said
In the year China will take the SinoIndian Friendship Year as an opportunity to boost the traditional SinoIndian friendship expand bilateral dialogues exchanges and cooperation in various fields to enrich the contents of bilateral ties and push forward the development of the bilateral strategic cooperative partnership Hu said
Kalam said in his message that the farreaching historic and cultural exchanges between the two ancient civilizations of India and China have greatly contributed to the civilization of human beings
The leaders of India and China jointly initiated the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence over years ago Kalam noted
Kalam said India was satisfied with the remarkable progress achieved in the bilateral relations with China during the recent years and that the establishment of bilateral strategic cooperative partnership oriented to peace and prosperity showed the determination of both sides to seek cooperation and paved way for bringing the bilateral ties to a new high
The launching of the SinoIndian Friendship Year is a landmark in the history of bilateral relations and India looks forward to taking the Friendship Year as an opportunity to further deepen and enrich the bilateral relations he said
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh also exchanged congratulatory messages over the SinoIndian Friendship Year on Sunday Enditem
KIEV Dec Xinhua Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko on Saturday called on his country to strive for economic independence noting that the nation made magnificent achievements in
In a televised New Years address Yushchenko said that over the past year Ukraine had strengthened its economy pulled out troops from Iraq and improved democracy
He called on his compatriots to fight for economic independence which critics say appears more urgent amid a bitter dispute over gas prices with Russia
Russia said on Sunday that it would cut off gas supplies to Ukraine within hours after the neighbor rejected its latest offer on gas deliveries for
Gazprom Russias stateowned gas monopoly which controls a third of the worlds natural gas reserves said everything was ready for ending supplies to Ukraine at precisely am GMT Sunday
Yushchenko who is seeking to reduce Russian influence and to establish closer ties with the West has set Ukraines membership in the European Union and NATO as his countrys strategic goals Enditem
MOSCOW Russia said on Sunday it would cut off gas supplies to Ukraine within hours after the neighbor rejected its latest offer on gas deliveries for
Gazprom Russias stateowned gas monopoly which controls a third of the worlds natural gas reserves said everything was ready for ending supplies to Ukraine at precisely am GMT Sunday RussiaUkraineGas Dispute
JAKARTA Indonesia will make great efforts to reduce high inflation in which threatens sustainability of economic growth President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said Saturday night
The high inflation has reduced peoples purchase power and threatened the sustainability of economic growth So the government must restore economic stability President Susilo said during his yearend speech at the Cipanas Presidential Palace in West Java IndonesiaPresidentAddress
KATHMANDU Member countries of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation SAARC entered into the South Asian Free Trade Area SAFTA beginning Sunday
SAARC groups Bangladesh India Pakistan Bhutan Maldives Sri Lanka and Nepal NepalSAARC Enditem
WASHINGTON Dec Xinhua The relationship between China and the United States has demonstrated a trend of stable development in with frequent exchanges of highlevel visits and contacts Chinese ambassador to the United States Zhou Wenzhong said on Saturday
Chinese President Hu Jintao and his US counterpart George W Bush met several times in and the two leaders exchanged views on bilateral relations as well as major international and regional issues of common concern Zhou said in an exclusive interview with Xinhua
In particular the two leaders agreed at their meetings in New York in September and during Bushs China visit in November to strengthen mutual understanding broaden consensus enhance mutual trust and push forward the allround development of the SinoUS constructive relationship of cooperation in the st century he said
Government departments of the two countries are implementing the consensus reached by the two leaders and the two sides have had effective dialogues consultation and cooperation in a wide range of issues such as economy and trade antiterrorism law enforcement nuclear nonproliferation energy environmental protection Iraq and the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula he said
Moreover the two sides held candid indepth and constructive discussions on international situation bilateral relations and other issues of common concern during the two rounds of strategic dialogues between the two countries in which helped strengthen mutual understanding and broaden consensus the ambassador noted
Zhou noted that exchanges between legislatures of the two countries were deepened and bilateral military relations also made headway in which contributed to the overall development of the SinoUS constructive relationship of cooperation
On the Taiwan issue Zhou said that handling the Taiwan issue properly is key to a stable development of the ChinaUS relationship
The Taiwan issue which concerns Chinas sovereignty and territorial integrity is always the most important and sensitive core issue in the ChinaUS relations Zhou said
Although there are signs of relaxation and positive elements in the current crossstrait relations Zhou said the authorities in Taiwan have still refused to recognize the oneChina principle and the Taiwan secessionist forces have continued their separatist activities
There still exist the root that threatens the crossstrait peace and stability and impedes the development of the crossstrait relations the ambassador added
We appreciate the reaffirmation made by President Bush and his administration that the United States adheres to the oneChina policy abides by the three SinoUS joint communiques and opposes Taiwan independence Zhou said
He also said China hopes that the United States strictly sticks to the commitments it has made to China and works with China to oppose and contain the Taiwan independence so as to safeguard peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits
Looking to the year ahead Zhou saw broad space for the continuous development of the SinoUS relationship though he also cautioned that there will be a few challenges
Leaders of the two countries will continue to exchange views and visits and will meet on some very important international occasions he said
President Hu had accepted an invitation from Bush during his China visit in November to visit the United States as soon as possible and a visit by the Chinese leader to the United States is of great importance and will strengthen bilateral exchanges confidencebuilding and cooperation between the two nations as well as further the SinoUS constructive relationship of cooperation said the ambassador
Zhou noted that China and the United States both with great influence in the world share evergrowing common interests while having differences
Historical and contemporary experiences show that only by adhering to the three joint communiques viewing bilateral ties from strategic and longterm perspectives and by practicing mutual respect and equality and addressing each others concerns can the SinoUS relationship develop in a sound and stable way he said
A sound and evergrowing SinoUS relationship is not only in the fundamental interests of the two countries but also beneficial to peace stability and development in the AsiaPacific region and the world as a whole he said Enditem
ANKARA Jan Xinhua Four children became ill after eating a chicken and were being tested for suspected avian flu in Turkey a doctor said on Saturday
The children two brothers and two sisters aged between six and were admitted to hospital in southeastern Van province after having high fever cough and throat bleeding Dr Huseyin Avni Sahin of Yil Hospital told NTV television
He said the four were being tested for bird flu because they had developed the symptoms after eating a sick family chicken
The children were from the town of Dogubayazit just km south of Aralik in Igdir province bordering Armenia Sahin said
The Turkish Ministry of Agriculture reported on Tuesday that some dead chickens had been tested positive for an H variant of avian flu and parts of an eastern town had hence been put under quarantine
The virus was found on Monday in samples taken from the town of Aralik where deaths of chickens have been reported over recent days
Turkey is taking all necessary measures to prevent a new outbreak of bird flu in eastern part of the country Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs Mehmet Mehdi Eker said on Thursday
Bird flu was first discovered in Turkey when some domestic birds died in a farm near the Bird Sanctuary National Park in Manyas town of Balikesir province early October Enditem
OTTAWA Dec Xinhua The ongoing Canadian election campaign is set to be more intense as a new poll suggests that the Liberals and Conservatives both have an equal chance of forming a government in the Jan federal election
The survey by Decima Research put Liberal support at percent of those who are likely to vote compared to percent who say they intend to back the Conservatives
Given the polls margin of error of percentage points the two parties are in a statistical dead heat
New Democrats are backed by percent of the respondents to a telephone survey between Dec and Dec while percent say they will vote for the Bloc Quebecois
The biggest regional shift is being felt in Ontario where the Liberals oncecommanding lead has shrunk to just four percentage points over the Conservatives at percent to percent The province with out of parliamentary seats is considered to be decisive battleground for the two major opponents
Decima surveyed voters across the country after the Royal Canadian Mounted Police RCMP announced that it has launched a criminal investigation into allegations of a leak from the Finance Department ahead of an announcement on income trusts
Opposition parties and some market watchers have complained that a leak was responsible for a surge in trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange hours before Finance Minister Ralph Goodale made the announcement last month
The poll indicates that the Conservatives and the Liberals will essentially be starting a fresh fight for their lives when campaigning resumes on Monday
With only about three weeks before the election many expect the election race to turn nasty when full campaigning resumes on Jan Enditem
MOSCOW Jan Xinhua Russias gas company Gazprom has begun reducing pressure in natural gas lines to Ukraine news agencies cite a company spokesman as saying on Sunday Enditem
MOSCOW Jan Xinhua Russias natural gas company Gazprom has
began reducing pressure in its lines to Ukraine news agencies
cited a company spokesman as saying on Sunday
Gazprom has said it will halt gas supplies to Ukraine at am GMT after Ukraine refused a demand for price rise
The gas company said supplies of Russian gas exported via Ukraine to Europe were unaffected ItarTass news agency quoted Gazprom spokesman Sergei Kuprianov as saying
Last year Gazprom sold some billion cubic meters of gas to
Ukraine about a third of that countrys consumption Enditem
PYONGYANG Jan Xinhua The three major newspapers of the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea DPRK on Sunday called for continued efforts in the new year to promote national reconciliation and unity and push for reunification
This year all the Koreans in the north and the south and abroad should wage a vigorous struggle with the basic tasks of the patriotic movement for independent reunification peace against war and overall national unity the newspapers said in a joint New Year editorial
The national reunification movement is a nationwide drive to be launched jointly by all the Koreans irrespective of ideology ideal system political party and affiliation the editorial added
As a tradition in recent years the three newspapers Rodong Sinmun Workers Daily Josoninmingun Korean Peoples Army and Chongnyonjonwi Youth Vanguard release a joint editorial on the first day of the new year It will put forward guidelines for development in all sectors
The editorial also called on all the Koreans to resolutely reject Washingtons intervention in the interKorean cooperation
On domestic issues the editorial stressed the importance of strengthening its military might and vowed to boost its national defense industry
Meanwhile the editorial laid emphasis on agricultural development Agriculture should be put forward as the main front of the economic construction this year and all forces be mobilized and concentrated on farming once again
But the editorial did not mention the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula and the sixparty talks The talks launched in August and involving China the DPRK the United States Russia South Korea and Japan are aimed at resolving the nuclear issue on the peninsula Enditem
GAZA A group of Palestinian militants on Sunday assaulted a club for United Nations workers in Gaza City Palestinian officials said
Five masked gunmen broke into the UN club one of the few places where alcohol is served and only foreigners are allowed inside at round am local time GMT PalestineGunmenAttack
KIEV Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko on Saturday called on his country to strive for economic independence noting that the nation made magnificent achievements in
In a televised New Years address Yushchenko said that over the past year Ukraine had strengthened its economy pulled out troops from Iraq and improved democracy UkrainePresidentAddress
NEW YORK Hundreds of thousands of revellers gathered in New Yorks Times Square to celebrate the coming of amid tight security on Saturday
Close to million people crammed into the crossroads of the world for the traditional centrepiece of New Year celebrations in the United States braving freezing weather USNew YearCelebration
MOSCOW Russias natural gas company Gazprom has began reducing pressure in its lines to Ukraine news agencies cited a company spokesman as saying on Sunday
Gazprom has said it will halt gas supplies to Ukraine at am GMT after Ukraine refused a demand for price rise RussiaUkraineGas Enditem
LONDON Jan Xinhua Following are major news items in leading British newspapers on Sunday
The Observer
British officials have admitted MI officers were present during the interrogation of Pakistanis in Greece following July London bombings despite apparent denials by Foreign Secretary Jack Straw
The Sunday Times
Hundreds of thousands of revelers turned out to greet the new year Saturday night despite rain galeforce winds in some parts of the country and a Tube strike in central London
The Independent
Newly released documents from the British National Archives show the late British prime minister Winston Churchill wanted a captured Hitler to die like a gangster in an electric chair and was prepared to see Indian independence leader Mahatma Gandhi starve to death during a hunger strike in
Sunday Telegraph
Kate Burton the British kidnapped aid worker released on Friday night has vowed to return to the Palestinian territories within days to resume her work enditem
MOSCOW Jan Xinhua Russian gas giant Gazprom began cutting off gas supply to Ukraine on Sunday after Kiev rejected the final offer from Russia on gas deliveries in
Gazprom begun reducing pressure in the pipelines to Ukraine at am GMT but gas exports to Europe via Ukraine is proceeding in full Gazprom spokesman Sergei Kupriyanov was quoted by the ItarTass news agency as saying
The European Union buys percent of its gas supplies from Gazprom most of which transited through Ukraine
Ukraines national oil and gas company Naftogaz Ukrainy confirmed later that pressure in the national gas pipeline was going down
The information I have indicates its getting lower Eduard Zanyuk spokesperson for Naftogaz Ukrainy was quoted by ItarTass as saying
The cutoff capped a bitter dispute over gas supply that saw Ukraine stand defiant to a Russian demand to more than quadruple the price of gas for Ukraine
Ukraine was buying Russian gas for US dollars per cubic meters for the past year but Gazprom has asked Ukraine to pay more than quadruple this price and offered cash payments for the transit of its gas to European clients
Late Saturday President Vladimir Putin approved a threemonth freeze on the gas price for Ukraine ordering Gazprom to supply gas at the current price for the first quarter of if Ukraine accepts a price hike starting the second quarter Putin said the offer would only be valid until the end of the day
Gazprom said shortly after the deadline expired that Naftogaz Ukrainy had refused to sign a contract that contained Putins offer
We believe it will be extremely difficult or impossible to be more precise for the Ukrainian authorities to explain to their people the reason for such a shortsighted policy Kupriyanov said Enditem
VIENNA Jan Xinhua German Chancellor Angela Merkel made her first foreign visit of the new year to Austria which took over the presidency of the European Union on Sunday with a pledge to give a new momentum to the nation bloc
Merkel was attending the Vienna Philharmonics traditional New Years Day concert in company with her Austrian counterpart Wolfgang Schuessel and Austrian President Heinz Fischer
After the concert the leaders would hold informal talks over lunch at Viennas Albertina museum
As EU president for the next six months Austria will aim mainly to address such issues as employment and economic growth while boosting citizens confidence in the European project said Foreign Minister Ursula Plassnik on Sunday in a New Years message
Europe should be a strong and reliable partner in the world she said Our goal is to create a common zone of peace security and prosperity for our neighbors in Eastern Europe and the Mediterranean region
Schuessel called for a new momentum for Europe in his New Years declaration
Austria would like to use its presidency to bring Europe to the people he said We need to take concrete steps to keep the idea of a common and diverse Europe alive
Austria will hold the rotating role until the end of June followed by Finland in the second half of the year while Germany is to take the presidency in the first half of Enditem
SANAA Jan Xinhua The German family who were released on Saturday after being held hostage for three days by Yemeni tribesmen boarded a charted plane on Sunday to go home to Germanys Cologne
Former German deputy former minister Juergen Chrobog his wife and three children were kidnapped on Wednesday by armed tribal groups during their travel in Yemen and released safe on Dec after the Yemeni government negotiated a settlement with the abductors
Prior to their departure on Sunday Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh held a pledged a minute meeting with the Chrobogs vowing to halt abductions in Yemen
We will eliminate kidnappings as we eradicated terror said the president
Juergen Chrobog was also former German ambassador to the United States
Armed tribesmen in Yemen often abduct foreign tourists to pressure the government to release their jailed members The hostages were usually freed unharmed after negotiation between the authorities and the kidnappers
Yemens tribesmen seized two Austrians on Dec and released them three days later
In last November two Swiss tourists were kidnapped but were soon released after the government met the tribesmens demands Enditem
MOSCOW Jan Xinhua Russian gas giant Gazprom cut down natural gas supply to Ukraine on Sunday after Kiev rejected Russias demand to more than quadruple the price
Gazprom began lowering pressure in the pipelines to Ukraine at am GMT and cut down gas exports to Ukraine by million cubic meters a day Gazprom spokesman Sergei Kupriyanov was quoted by the ItarTass news agency as saying
But Russia continues to supply million cubic meters a day to Europe via the Ukrainian territory
Gas exports to Europe is proceeding at full volume Kupriyanov said
Ukraines national oil and gas company Naftogaz Ukrainy confirmed that pressure in the national gas pipeline was going down
The cutback capped a bitter monthslong dispute between the two countries over the gas price
Ukraine was buying Russian gas at US dollars per cubic meters over the past year but Gazprom has asked Ukraine to pay US dollars saying the price increase was necessary to conform to world gas price levels
Late Saturday President Vladimir Putin approved a threemonth freeze on the gas price for Ukraine ordering Gazprom to supply gas at last years price for the first quarter of if Ukraine accepts a price hike starting in the second quarter
Gazprom said shortly after the midnight deadline on the offer expired that Ukraine formally refused the offer
After a meeting with the Russian president Gazproms chairman sent a signed contract for gas supply and transit in to Ukraines oil and gas company Naftogaz Ukrainy Kupriyanov said The official word from Ukraine was they can not sign it
On Sunday the Russian Foreign Ministry accused Ukraine of deliberately blocking progress in negotiations on gas deliveries
Our impression is that the Ukrainian authorities do not feel confident and have decided to deliberately disrupt the negotiating process with Russia the ministry said
At the same time Russia sought to calm the Europeans over a feared disruption of gas flow and urged Ukraine to observe its obligations in transiting gas for Europe
In a bid to bolster the energy security of Europe and economic cooperation on the continent as a whole Russia will rigorously fulfill all of its agreements and contracts on natural gas delivery that Russia signed with EU partners and other European countries the ministry said
We hope Ukraine will guarantee the uninterrupted transit of natural gas intended for EU countries via its territory it said
EU energy officials are set to convene an emergency session on Wednesday to discuss the gas supply situation of the nation bloc
Gazprom provides about half the gas consumed in the European Union EU and some percent of that amount is sent through pipelines that cross Ukraine Enditem
BERLIN Jan Xinhua Yemeni tribesmen kidnapped five Italian tourists on Sunday to press for the release of fellow tribe members held by the authorities the Deutsche PresseAgentur reported
The five tourists were kidnapped in the eastern province of Maarib about km east of the capital Sanaa the German news agency said in a dispatch from Aden a Yemeni port city
Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh pledged on Sunday to fight foreign hostage taking in his tribal nation one day after five German hostages were released unharmed by tribesmen who held them captive for three days
Tribesmen frequently kidnap tourists in an attempt to force concessions from the government in Yemen a poor mountainous nation on the southern tip of the Arabian peninsula
Hostages are usually released unharmed but several were killed in when security forces carried out a raid to free them Enditem
KIEV Jan Xinhua Ukraines natural gas company Naftogaz said on Sunday that the Russian side should be responsible for damaging negotiations on natural gas prices
A statement posted by the company on its website said it had met all conditions set Saturday by the Russian side and it was Gazprom that had delayed the process of negotiations
The draft agreement that envisioned a transfer to market prices after the first quarter of was sent to the Ukrainian side one minute before midnight Moscow time the website said
The Russian company on Sunday cut down its natural gas supply to Ukraine over disputes on prices and began reducing pressure in transmission lines to Ukraine
Last year Gazprom sold some billion cubic meters of gas to Ukraine about a third of that countrys consumption Enditem
WASHINGTON Jan Xinhua The following are major news items in leading US newspapers on Sunday
The New York Times
United Nations officials have decided to act within weeks to produce an alternative to the Genevabased Human Rights Commission
A fight for control of a poor village that lies atop a potentially vast field of crude oil has left dozens dead and wounded and highlights a struggle of impoverished communities to reap some benefit from the opportunities of an oilrich country
At least members of the American military were killed in Iraq in nearly matching s total of according to information provided by the US government and a nonprofit organization that tracks casualties in Iraq Since the war began American service members have been killed
The Washington Post
At least Iraqis and a US soldier were killed across Iraq Saturday including five members of the largest Sunni Arab political party to take part in recent efforts to form a new parliament
A former German diplomat and his family were released unharmed Saturday three days after being kidnapped by tribesmen while on vacation in the rugged mountains of eastern Yemen German and Yemeni officials said Enditem
BRUSSELS Jan Xinhua European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso on New Years Day hailed the enlargement of the European Union EU saying it is good for both existing members and acceding countries
The example of Greece Spain and Portugal provides good evidence that enlargement is beneficial to the existing as well as to the acceding countries said Barroso in a statement on the accession anniversaries of the three countries
Greece joined the EU years ago Spain and Portugal became members five years later
Today we can proudly say that Greece Spain and Portugal as well as Europe as a whole have all become much stronger as a result of the second and third enlargements said Barroso
It The accession of these countries consolidated Europes Mediterranean and Atlantic dimensions and opened up new vistas in Africa and Latin America
The perspective of membership helped consolidate democracy and encourage reform in these countries said Barroso Membership led to unprecedented development the result of which was greater stability and greater competitiveness
He admitted that the three countries need to adapt themselves in face of globalization
Further enlargement however is a controversy among EU citizens After the fifth enlargement in took in Eastern and Central European countries an enlargement fatigue has gripped Europe
Opinion polls showed that the majority of the citizens are opposed to further enlargement of the nation bloc
Eurosceptism is also growing after the EU constitution was vetoed in two founding member states France and the Netherlands in May and June
The latest Eurobarometer poll showed that only one third of Britons believe EU membership is a good thing In Austria which takes over the rotating EU presidency on New Years Day the rate was even lower percent
The EU started accession talks with Turkey and Croatia in October Talks with Turkey are said to last at least a decadeCroatia hopes to join in but the EU has refused to set a date for the conclusion of the talks
The EU granted Macedonia candidate state status in December but negotiations are yet to start In the long run the EU looks to take in all Balkan states Further afield Ukraine and Moldova are waiting in the wings Enditem
Wishing Star
LONDON Dec Xinhua Following are the results and standings from the Scottish soccer premier league on Saturday
Saturday December
Aberdeen tied Inverness Caledonian Thistle
Falkirk lost to Dunfermline Athletic
Livingston lost to Motherwell
Rangers bt Dundee United
Standings tabulated under games played won drawn lost goals for against points
Celtic
Hearts
Hibernian
Rangers
Kilmarnock
Motherwell
Inverness Caledonian Thistle
Aberdeen
Dundee United
Falkirk
Dunfermline Athletic
Livingston
Next Fixtures GMT
Sunday January
Hearts vs Celtic
Monday January
Kilmarnock vs Hibernian Enditem
LONDON Dec Xinhua Michael Owen will be out of action for two or three months after he broke a bone of his foot in Newcastles away defeat to Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday
The loss of the star striker will surely take some edge of the troubled Magpies and their boss Grame Souness was apparently very disappointed by the incident
Its a mighty blow said Souness Its an absolute disaster for him and an absolute disaster for the club Its a dark day for us
Owen has been an instant hit alongside captain Alan Shearer up front scoring seven goals in nine starts so this injury is a setback for Souness
England coach SvenGoran Eriksson said he would be monitoring Owens recovery closely ahead of the World Cup
Obviously Im very disappointed for Michael Eriksson told the Football Association website
Its very bad luck for him and for Newcastle United
Michael is a fantastic striker and a very important player for his club and for England
I hope that he returns to fitness as soon as possible and I will follow his progress very closely
Newcastle assistant manager Alan Murray added The injury might have to be pinned which will prolong the recovery Were hoping that it wont have to be but we will have to have a look when it settles down
Were looking at eight to weeks if things go well longer if they dont
Weve been riding along between th and th for most of the season and if you lose somebody with Michaels goalscoring ability its a blow to anybody and something we could well do without Enditem
LONDON Dec Xinhua Following are the results of the English Premier League games played on Saturday
Aston Villa Arsenal
Charlton West Ham
Chelsea Birmingham
Liverpool West Brom
Manchester United Bolton
Middlesbrough Manchester City
Portsmouth Fulham
Sunderland Everton
Tottenham Newcastle
Wigan Blackburn
Enditem
WASHINGTON Dec Xinhua Following are the leaders of the National Basketball Association through Dec
Scoring
G FG FT PTS AVG
Iverson Phil
Bryant LAL
James Clev
Arenas Wash
Wade Mia
Pierce Bos
Nowitzki Dall
Brand LAC
Anthony Den
Carter NJ
Allen Sea
Redd Mil
Richardson GS
Garnett Minn
ONeal Ind
Bosh Tor
Hamilton Det
Lewis Sea
Davis Bos
Duncan SA
FG Percentage
FG FGA PCT
AbdurRahim Sac
Garnett Minn
Brezec Char
Parker SA
Brand LAC
Bogut Mil
Wallace Char
Gooden Clev
Jefferson NJ
Duncan SA
Rebounds
G OFF DEF TOT AVG
Camby Den
Howard Orl
B Wallace Det
Marion Phoe
Duncan SA
Brand LAC
Garnett Minn
Jamison Wash
Webber Phil
Magloire Mil
Assists
G AST AVG
Nash Phoe
Davis GS
Miller Den
Billups Det
Knight Char
Kidd NJ
Iverson Phil
Paul NOk
Cassell LAC
Ford Mil
Enditem
LONDON Dec Xinhua Chelsea marched on relentlessly in their quest for a second successive Premiership title with a professional destruction of Birmingham at Stamford Bridge on Saturday while Manchester United and Liverpool recorded wins to keep pace with the champions
Jose Mourinhos men were in no mood to hand struggling Birmingham some festive cheer and they disposed of the Second City side with the minimum of fuss
Chelsea need little invitation to claim three points but Birmingham contributed to their own downfall at Stamford Bridge
Birminghams defending left a lot to be desired and they fell behind to a tap in by Hernan Crespo on minutes
The second came about after a slack clearance from Birmingham allowed Eidur Gudjohnsen to flick the ball into the path of Arjen Robben and the flying Dutchman made no mistake with a neat finish into the bottom corner
Chelsea hardly broke sweat in the second half as they eased to their th win in games
Manchester United remained points behind Chelsea after a home success over North West rivals Bolton Wanderers
An owngoal from Bruno NGotty on eight minutes gave United the lead as the Frenchman inadvertently knocked Kieran Richardsons cross past Jussi Jaaskelainen
Gary Speed levelled for Bolton on minutes with a farpost header after JayJay Okochas long throw into the United box was flicked on to the Welshman by Abdoulaye Faye
The Red Devils restored their lead just before half time as Tal Ben Haims poor headed back pass to Jaaskelainen allowed Louis Saha to slip in and round the Bolton goalkeeper to make it
Cristiano Ronaldo scored a third for United on minutes as he poked home Wayne Rooneys pass for before the Portugal international claimed a fourth in the dying stages
Liverpool continued their winning ways to keep pace with the front two after a slender win over West Bromwich Albion at Anfield
Peter Crouchs fine nearpost header from Harry Kewells cross gave The Reds the points seven minutes after half time
Arsenals form continues to frustrate and they were held to a draw at Aston Villa and now sit a whopping points behind their London rivals
Tottenham continue to look good bets for Europe and they proved far too classy for a disappointing Newcastle at White Hart Lane
The Magpies produced a passionate display to beat Arsenal recently but they were a shadow of that side against The Gunners North London rivals
Tottenham deservedly took the lead on the stroke of half time when Teemu Tainio slammed home with his left foot after Mido had comprehensively outjumped Peter Ramage to flick the ball on
Mido went from provider to goalscorer on minutes when he volleyed home after some comical defending from Celestine Babayaro
Wigan Athletic lost ground on the frontrunners after going down to a home defeat against Lancashire rivals Blackburn Rovers
Morten Gamst Pedersens spectacular closerange volley from Paul Dickovs cross after a quarter of an hour gave Rovers a halftime lead
Steven Reids superb second half piledriver doubled Blackburns advantage on minutes
Mark Hughess side secured the points at The JJB Stadium when substitute Craig Bellamy took a fortunate bounce in the Wigan box to strike Rovers third five minutes from the end
Middlesbrough and Manchester City played out a goalless draw at The Riverside Stadium
Charlton bounced back from their Boxing Day defeat against Arsenal to hand out a comprehensive beating to West Ham
Shaun Bartlett tapped in the opener on minutes and Darren Bent made the game safe when heading in a Chris Powell cross just past the hour
Everton left it late to snatch all three points at bottom club Sunderland as Tim Cahills injurytime header to Kevin Kilbanes corner gave The Toffees a crucial win at The Stadium of Light
Portsmouth boosted their hopes of getting out of the bottom three with a vital home win over Fulham
Gary ONeils closerange strike just before half time gave Pompey the win though Fulham felt he used his hand to control the ball in the box before scoring Enditem
WASHINGTON Dec Xinhua Following are Saturdays NBA results home team in CAPS
CLEVELAND bt Detroit
Dallas bt NOOKLAHOMA CITY
Golden State bt HOUSTON
Phoenix bt CHICAGO OT
Enditem
CHANGCHUN Northeast China Jan Xinhua China is expecting more than two gold medals at the Winter Olympic Games in Turin a top official said here Sunday
We expect gold at more than short track speed skating said Wang Yitao director of Chinas winter sports administration center
Yang Yang ended Chinas winter Olympic gold drought in history by taking two short track titles in
Wang also president of the Chinese Ski Association said China now has potential to win its first ever Olympic ski gold from womens freestyle aerials
China swept the top two finishes in the event at the two World Cup legs held in Changchun last December becoming an oddson favorite in Turin Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Some college students from Beijings universities took part in a long run Sunday morning in the Chinese capital in the latest in a series of Olympic promotion campaigns
The long run organized by the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Olympics BOCOG and the Youth League Beijing Municipal Committee marks the start of a drive that will last through the next three years
All college students are called upon to keep running every day and run kilometers by August when the Beijing Olympics opens
Beijing has launched various activities to promote the Olympics including worldwide solicitation of Olympic theme songs and sculptures Enditem
WASHINGTON Dec Xinhua Following are Saturdays NBA standings
EASTERN CONFERENCE
ATLANTIC DIVISION
W L PCT GB
New Jersey
Philadelphia
Boston
Toronto
NY Knicks
CENTRAL DIVISION
W L PCT GB
Detroit
Cleveland
Milwaukee
Indiana
Chicago
SOUTHEAST DIVISION
W L PCT GB
Miami
Orlando
Washington
Charlotte
Atlanta
WESTERN CONFERENCE
NORTHWEST DIVISION
W L PCT GB
Minnesota
Utah
Denver
Seattle
Portland
PACIFIC DIVISION
W L PCT GB
Phoenix
LA Clippers
Golden State
LA Lakers
Sacramento
SOUTHWEST DIVISION
W L PCT GB
San Antonio
Dallas
Memphis
NO Oklahoma City
Houston
Enditem
CANBERRA Jan Xinhua Following is the result of the Hopman Cup round robin group A United States v Serbia and Montenegro game
United States beat Serbia and Montenegro
Standings tabulated under matches played won lost games for and against
Group A
United States
Sweden
Russia
Serbia and Montenegro
Group B
Germany
Netherlands
Argentina
Australia
Enditem
OTTAWA Jan Xinhua Canada earned a bye to the semifinals at the world junior hockey championship after skating to a victory over the United States Saturday in Vancouver
Kyle Chipchura scored into an empty net with seconds left in regulation to lift Canada to the victory reports reaching here said
The Americans pulled their goalie with the score tied late in the game because they needed a victory to finish ahead of Canada in the Group A standings
With the win Canada the defending champions finished in first place in Group A with a record The US fell to but remains in second place
Canada has won straight roundrobin games and ten straight overall over the last two world junior tournaments
The top three teams in Group A and Group B move on to the playoffs which begin Monday The firstplace team in each group goes directly to the semifinals while the secondplace teams cross over to play the thirdplace squads in the other group in the quarterfinals
Canada will have an extra days rest and will not play until Tuesday
In other Group A action Saturday Finland beats Switzerland to finish third in Group A and qualify for the playoff round
In Group B action Russia beat the Czechs to remain undefeated and earn bye to semifinals Meanwhile Goaltender Daniel Larsson earned the shutout as Sweden blanked Slovakia Sweden finished second in Group B to advance to the medal round with Russia and Czech Republic
Canada will now play in a semifinal Tuesday against the winner of Mondays quarterfinal between Sweden second in Group B and Finland third in Group A
The US plays the Czech Republic which finished third in Group B in Mondays other quarterfinal The winner of that game faces Group B winner Russia on Tuesday Enditem
LISBON Jan Xinhua Portugals Ruben Faria won the second stage of the Dakar Rally from Portimao to Alcoutim on Sunday
Faria riding a KTM clocked one hour minutes and seven seconds during the km timed section
Spains Esteve Pujol was second with one minute and seven seconds behind and David Casteu of France was third at Enditem
WASHINGTON Jan Xinhua Following are the results from the NBA games on Saturday home team in CAPS
CLEVELAND Detroit
Dallas NO OKLAHOMA CITY
Golden State HOUSTON
Phoenix CHICAGO OT
UTAH Philadelphia
Memphis SEATTLE
San Antonio DENVER
Boston LA CLIPPERS Enditem
WASHINGTON Jan Xinhua Following are the standings from the NBA on Saturday
EASTERN CONFERENCE
ATLANTIC DIVISION
W L PCT GB
New Jersey
Philadelphia
Boston
Toronto
NY Knicks
CENTRAL DIVISION
W L PCT GB
Detroit
Cleveland
Milwaukee
Indiana
Chicago
SOUTHEAST DIVISION
W L PCT GB
Miami
Orlando
Washington
Charlotte
Atlanta
WESTERN CONFERENCE
NORTHWEST DIVISION
W L PCT GB
Minnesota
Utah
Denver
Seattle
Portland
PACIFIC DIVISION
W L PCT GB
Phoenix
LA Clippers
Golden State
LA Lakers
Sacramento
SOUTHWEST DIVISION
W L PCT GB
San Antonio
Dallas
Memphis
NO Oklahoma City
Houston
SUNDAY JANUARY FIXTURES GMT
Minnesota at Miami
MONDAY JANUARY FIXTURES GMT
LA Clippers at Portland
Utah at LA Lakers Enditem
CANBERRA Jan Xinhua Following are the results from the Hopman Cup tennis mixed teams tournament at the Burswood Dome in Western Australia on Sunday
Group A
United States bt Serbia and Montenegro
Womens singles Ana Ivanovic Serbia and Montenegro bt Lisa Raymond United States
Mens singles Taylor Dent United States bt Novak Djokovic Serbia and Montenegro
Mixed doubles DentRaymond bt DjokovicIvanovic Enditem
CANBERRA Jan Xinhua Following are the results of weekend thround matches in Australian soccers ALeague home teams listed first
Melbourne tied Perth
New Zealand Knights tied Sydney FC
Central Coast bt Newcastle
Adelaide United bt Queensland Enditem
CANBERRA Jan Xinhua Following are the results of matches at the Australian women hardcourt tennis championship in Gold Coast on Sunday prefix number denotes seeding
Round
Klara Koukalova Czech Republic bt Meghann Shaughnessy United States
Lucie Safarova Czech Republic b Ai Sugiyama Japan
Aiko Nakamura Japan bt Antonella Serra Zanetti Italy
Iveta Benesova Czech Republic bt Sophie Ferguson Australia
Li Na China bt Roberta Vinci Italy Enditem
CANBERRA Jan Xinhua Following is the result from the Hopman Cup Round Robin Group A match between United States and Serbia and Montenegro on Sunday
United States beat Serbia and Montenegro
Standings tabulated under games played won lost sets for against
Group A
United States
Sweden
tie Russia
Serbia and Montenegro
Group B
Germany
Netherlands
tie Argentina
Australia Enditem
LISBON Jan Xinhua Following are the Dakar Rally second stage results on Sunday
nd stage timed section km
Motorbikes
Ruben Faria Portugal KTM one hour minutes seconds
Isidre Esteve Pujol Spain KTM one minute seven seconds behind
David Casteu France KTM
Helder Rodrigues Portugal Yamaha
Marc Coma Spain KTM
Jose Manuel Pellicer Spain KTM
Gerard Farres Guell Spain Yamaha
Paulo Goncalves Portugal Honda
Giovanni Sala Italy KTM
tie David Fretigne France Yamaha same time
Cyril Despres France KTM
Xacob Agra Carrera Spain Yamaha
Carlo De Gavardo Chile KTM
Chris Blais United States KTM
Nuno Mateus Portugal KTM
Overall
Isidre Esteve Pujol Spain KTM two hours minutes seconds
Marc Coma Spain KTM eight seconds behind
Helder Rodrigues Portugal Yamaha
David Casteu France KTM
Cyril Despres France KTM
Jose Manuel Pellicer Spain KTM
David Fretigne France Yamaha
Paulo Goncalves Portugal Honda
Carlo De Gavardo Chile KTM
tie Gerard Farres Guell Spain Yamaha same time
Xacob Agra Carrera Spain Yamaha
Alain Duclos France KTM
Nuno Mateus Portugal KTM
Jordi Viladoms Spain KTM
Jonah Street United States KTM more
Cars
Carlos Sainz Spain Volkswagen one hour minutes seconds
Luc Alphand France Mitsubishi
Nasser Saleh Al Attiyah Qatar
Hiroshi Masuoka Japan Mitsubishi
Nani Roma Spain Mitsubishi
Stephane Peterhansel France Mitsubishi
Bruno Saby France Volkswagen
Carlos Sousa Portugal Nissan
Mark Miller United States Volkswagen
Jutta Kleinschmidt Germany Volkswagen
Krzysztof Holowczyc Poland Nissan
Guerlain Chicherit France BMW
Robby Gordon United States Hummer
Giniel De Villiers South Africa Volkswagen
Thierry Magnaldi France SchlesserFord
Overall
Carlos Sainz Spain Volkswagen two hours minutes seconds
Luc Alphand France Mitsubishi
Nani Roma Spain Mitsubishi
Bruno Saby France Volkswagen
Carlos Sousa Portugal Nissan
Hiroshi Masuoka Japan Mitsubishi
Jutta Kleinschmidt Germany Volkswagen
Nasser Saleh Al Attiyah Qatar BMW
Stephane Peterhansel France Mitsubishi
tie Guerlain Chicherit France BMW same time
Mark Miller United States Volkswagen
Giniel De Villiers South Africa Volkswagen
Krzysztof Holowczyc Poland Nissan
Robby Gordon United States Hummer
Thierry Magnaldi France SchlesserFord Enditem
LISBON Jan Xinhua Twice world rally champion Carlos Sainz of Spain won the second stage of Dakar rally in southern Portugal on Sunday
Sainz competing in the Dakar rally for the first time finished seconds ahead of Frenchman Luc Alphands Mitsubishi with Qatars Nasser AlAttiyah third a further three seconds back in a BMW
Sainz winner of Saturdays opening stage in his Volkswagen Touareg prototype is three minutes seconds ahead of secondplaced Alphand in the overall standings Spaniard Nani Roma driving a Mitsubishi is third off the pace
In the motorcycle section Portuguese Ruben Faria won the second stage Spaniard Isidre Esteve and Frenchman David Casteu all on KTMs were second and third respectively Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Top Party leaders Jia Qinglin and Li Changchun joined an audience of over on Saturday evening at the Beijing New Year Concert and British soprano Sarah Brightman shone on the stage with her repertoire Time To Say Goodbye
Austrian Ralf Weikert and Chinese Tan Lihua jointly directed the concert at which Italian tenorist Macro Berti and Swiss pianist Andreas Haefliger also performed
Jia and Li are both members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China CPC Central Committee the top decisionmaking body of Chinas ruling party Jia is also chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Conference CPPCC the countrys top advisory body
Along with other audience the two leaders warmly applauded the excellent performance of the musicians throughout the concert held in the Great Hall of the People in the heart of Beijing
Ten years after its debut the Beijing New Year Concert has become a major cultural festivity of the city every year Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The following are domestic news items released by Xinhua on Saturday
Market exchange rates Dec
Chinas largest Sinoforeign jointly invested project moves into startup phase
Wild panda research base to set up in NW China nature reserve
Road accident kills in NW China
Xinhua home news advisory Dec
Highlights of major Beijingbased newspapers Dec
Chinas central government Website to open formally on New Years Day
China Focus China seeks extensive fair medical care umbrella for harmonious society
Gold price higher in Hong Kong Dec
Foreign exchange rates in Hong Kong Dec
China scraps cuts export tariff rebates on products to save energy protect environment
YEARENDER Global cinema sees growing presence of something about China
YEARENDER Global cinema sees growing presence of something about China
Chinese ROK foreign ministers talk by telephone
Shanghai Gold Exchange doing brisk business
Chinese bourses report doubledigit decreases in total volume of trading
Constructing new countryside gives impetus to Chinas urbanization Expert
China experiences higher temperature less sand storms in
Weather forecast for major Chinese cities Dec
Shanghai port leaps to world top
Weather forecast for world cities Dec
Air quality of major Chinese cities Dec
Wellknown Chinese pottery artist gives show in Beijing
Beijing enjoys more blue sky days in
Chinese president stresses commitment to peaceful development in New Year Address
Yearender China to shift infrastructure focus from cities to countryside
Chinas foreign debts stand at bln USD by end of September
Pearl River Delta braces for salt tide
China allocates huge subsidies for lowincome residents
Rain snow to accompany New Year Holiday in China
China to suspend export rebates on selected chemical fertilizers in
China aims for fast sound development in Chinese President
Weather information for AsiaPacific cities Dec
Chinese president promises longterm prosperity stability of Hong Kong Macao
Relief materials leave N China port city for quakehit Pakistan
Chinese president vows adherence to one China principle on Taiwan issue
China lifts coal price barrier for power companies
Chinas agricultural tax overhaul implemented as expected survey
Premier visits people in earthquakehit area in E China before New Year
Chinese president stresses commitment to peaceful development in New Year Address
Two confirmed dead in goldmine flooding in E China city
Thailand to open consulate general in S China autonomous region
Macao opens first theme park
Party leaders join Beijing audience at New Year Concert as Sarah Brightman shines
Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The following are Chinas home news items released by Xinhua on Saturday
Market exchange rates Dec
Chinas largest Sinoforeign jointly invested project moves into startup phase
East China port solicits investment for seabed tunnel construction
More needy Chinese students benefit from KFC foundation
Wild panda research base to set up in NW China nature reserve
Road accident kills in NW China
Highlights of major Beijingbased newspapers Dec
Business people in E China city order private jets
Chinas central government Website to open formally on New Years Day
China Focus China seeks extensive fair medical care umbrella for harmonious society
Light snow flakes fallen in Beijing fill locals with joy on eve of New Year
China scraps cuts export tariff rebates on products to save energy protect environment
Traffic accident leaves dead injured in NWChina city
Eight trapped miners found dead in NChina colliery flooding
Abandoned iron mine collapse leaves missing in C China
YEARENDER Global cinema sees growing presence of something about China
YEARENDER Global cinema sees growing presence of something about China
Chinese ROK foreign ministers talk by telephone
Shanghai Gold Exchange doing brisk business
Chinese bourses report doubledigit decreases in total volume of trading
Fire broke out in E China university no casualty reported
Constructing new countryside gives impetus to Chinas urbanization Expert
China experiences higher temperature less sand storms in
Shanghai port leaps to world top
Chinas first jointstock commercial bank inaugurates in N China
Wellknown Chinese pottery artist gives show in Beijing
Beijing enjoys more blue sky days in
Chinese president stresses commitment to peaceful development in New Year Address
Yearender China to shift infrastructure focus from cities to countryside
Chinas foreign debts stand at bln USD by end of September
Pearl River Delta braces for salt tide
China allocates huge subsidies for lowincome residents
Rain snow to accompany New Year Holiday in China
China to suspend export rebates on selected chemical fertilizers in
China aims for fast sound development in Chinese President
Chinese president promises longterm prosperity stability of Hong Kong Macao
Relief materials leave N China port city for quakehit Pakistan
Chinese president vows adherence to one China principle on Taiwan issue
China lifts coal price barrier for power companies
Chinas agricultural tax overhaul implemented as expected survey
Premier visits people in earthquakehit area in E China before New Year
Chinese president stresses commitment to peaceful development in New Year Address
Two confirmed dead in goldmine flooding in E China city
Thailand to open consulate general in S China autonomous region
Party leaders join Beijing audience at New Year Concert as Sarah Brightman shines
Enditem
by Xinhua writers Meng Na Li Huizi
BEIJING Jan Xinhua The website of Chinas central government wwwgovcn opened formally at zero hour Sunday following a threemonth trial operation
There was no grand ribboncutting ceremony for the launch of the website But according to Wu Jiang president of the Chinese Academy of Personnel Science this could be seen as a starting point for the establishment of an electronic government and a demonstration of the Chinese governments resolve to make itself more transparent and serviceoriented
The website has aimed at providing a platform for the departments under the State Council or the Chinese cabinet and the provincial autonomous regional and municipal governments across the country to release information on government affairs and provide online services Since the beginning of its trial operation on Oct it has won acclaims from almost all circles of the society
An online survey conducted by the website itself showed that percent of the responding netizens regarded the launch of the website as something quite necessary
The website in simplified Chinese traditional Chinese and English versions has four sections The section of information about government affairs is for providing information on government work The service section provides online services for citizens enterprises and foreigners The other two sections offer communication channels between the government and citizens as well as a search engine
Wu an expert on administrative science said the formal opening of the website is a major step in pushing forward administrative innovation and building a serviceoriented government in China The website is a window for the citizens to learn all information concerning governmental affairs and therefore can help safeguard the citizens rights to know and get involved in government administration
The website will help enhance the communication between government and citizens And the governments could directly get public feedback on their policies through the website thus promoting the practice of democratic and scientific policymaking said Wu
As a matter of fact the significance of egovernment mainly lies in its promotion of democratic administration he added
In the service section of the website departments under the State Council and organizations affiliated to the State Council have released information on how to go through the administrative examination and approval process in various fields
Li Fangran an employee of Beijing Agriculture Bank said the new website seems to have close connections with ordinary peoples everyday life Taking herself as an example Li said she could now easily find useful information about tourism transportation medical care passport application and education on the website
Once I logged onto the website to search for information about private passport application After keying in the word passport into the search engine I got dozens of search results from which I easily learnt the procedures I need to go through and the documents to prepare Li recalled
Shelly Kraicer a Canadian movie columnist now working in China said the website is a window for foreigners to learn about China She said she often learnt the latest news about China from the website especially from columns like China Today and China Factfile
Mao Donglin an official with the Chinese Ministry of Land and Resources MLR said he had frequently browsed the website since Oct and had found that the website was linked to the websites of all ministries and organizations under the State Council Every time the MLR releases any important news the editors at the central government website would add it into the news column very quickly
This gives our ministry a broader platform to release our information said Mao
In Maos view the opening of the central government website will help the general public better supervise the government and help the country attain its longpursued goal of administration by law Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua The Chinese central government website wwwgovcn was officially launched at zero hour Sunday
The website which went into trial operation on Oct aims at providing a platform for the departments under the State Council and the provincial autonomous regional and municipal governments across the country to release information on government affairs and provide online services
The website has four sections The section of information about government affairs is for providing information on government work including important policies regulations and documents The service section provides online services for citizens enterprises and foreigners The section offers communication channels between the government and citizens The section of applied functions provides surfers with a search engine
The website consists of seven columns namely China Today China Factfile Services for NonResidents Business Official Publications Laws and Regulations and Special Reports in its English version Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua The Chinese governments at all levels have established face to face contacts with the general public online thanks to the formal launch of the central government website wwwgovcn on Sunday
The website in both Chinese and English versions is a network connecting all provincial and citylevel governments As Wang Yukai a professor with the State Administrative College has observed the new website is designed to kick off a new age for egovernment in China
Wang said in a nationwide campaign was launched to set up the egovernment system Since then almost all governments above the county level have set up their own official websites and China now has more than government websites
However Wang noted since the domain names and contents of different government websites are separate and diversified people must first know which government body they should turn to before they can access its website and seek help causing much inconvenience for the public
The launch of the central government website has effectively solved the problem said Wang The website has unified all government resources and information on the Internet and has also set an example for the local governments in running their own websites
The new website has specific service areas to provide people with policy consultation and administrative services Zhou Hongduo a professor with the Network Economy Research Center of Communication University of China said the website would enable people to schedule their life and work more efficiently as they have now gained a better knowledge of state policies and government information
Meanwhile Zhou said the website will make government organs better informed as common people can now directly voice their opinions and put forth suggestions online This is good for enhancing government efficiency he added
Zhou noted that the website will turn out to be very helpful to the countrys entrepreneurs who need to consider state policies first before making major business decisions As to foreigners who know little about China now they could also get a comprehensive picture of China through an authoritative official channel he added
In the twomonth trial operation of the central government website Internet surfers left more than messages on a forum at wwwxinhuanetcom to express their expectations over the government online under construction Most of them said they look forward to a government that serves the people with a smiling face and performs its duties with high efficiency
Wang the professor with the State Administrative College said the newlyestablished government online will undoubtedly save the time and cost of administrative management in China yet it will also challenge the governments capability in public service and interdepartmental coordination
Observing a great potential for Chinas egovernment practice Zhou the Communication University professor said that he foresees a significant role of the government online in the countrys bid to build a harmonious society Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua The SinoUS textile agreement will take effect as of Jan imposing quotas on a total of types of clothing and textiles from China by
After seven rounds of talks the United States and China in November signed a threeyear agreement on textile trade imposing quotas on Chinese textile products but clearing a major obstacle to bilateral trade
A total of types of clothing and textiles have been placed under the import restrictions including cotton trousers The agreement provides for a progressive increase in imports of major textiles and apparel products from China by to percent in to percent in and to percent in
Meanwhile some ten kinds of Chinese textile and apparel products exported to the European Union have also been put under quota restrictions according to an agreement reached by the two sides in June
The two textile agreements eliminate most uncertainties faced by Chinese clothing enterprises when exporting goods to two of the most important overseas markets said Mei Xinyu a research fellow with the Chinese Ministry of Commerce
On the basis of the two textile agreements the Chinese Ministry of Commerce has drafted regulations on the textile quota application process and from Chinese textile and apparel companies will try to get those quotas through the new system
In terms of the textile export to the United States thirty percent of the agreed quota in is distributed through public bidding according to the regulation of the Ministry of Commerce
In December thousands of qualified textile enterprises in China joined the first bidding for export quotas on categories of textiles to the United States in
The heated online bid has caused congestion on the official website for bid invitations In response the government has prolonged the bid period by another hours Insiders attribute the fierce competition to a halfyear block on some kinds of products to the United States
Following the elimination of the global textile quota on Jan the United States and the European Union claimed that the surge of textile imports from China had disrupted their domestic market
Both of them put restrictive measures against some categories of Chinese textile products since mid arousing strong objection from China China started to hold rounds of negotiations with them which resulted in the two textile agreements
Quota bid will surely increase cost of Chinese textile exporters so under new circumstances Chinese textile enterprises need to accelerate industrial upgrading and enhance selfinnovation capability so as to meet the new challenges insiders suggested Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua The State Council Chinas cabinet has decided to add allowances to Chinese farmers who join in the rural cooperative medical system and expand the pilot regions adopting the system from the Beijing Youth Daily reported
The rural cooperative medical system is expected to cover all Chinas rural areas in Chinese Health Minister Gao Qiang was quoted by the paper as saying
The fund for the rural cooperative medical system is jointly provided by the central government local governments and farmers themselves If a farmer suffers from a severe disease he or she can get allowance from the fund By the end of June the medical system was adopted by of some Chinese counties
By the end of September billion yuan million US dollars has been distributed to million Chinese farmers who participated in the rural cooperative medical systems
It is difficult and expensive for Chinese people farmers in particular to seek medical consulting
Some percent of Chinese farmers have no medical welfare in any form and have to pay medical fees all by themselves Gao said
In addition percent of Chinas public health resources were in cities and large hospitals and rural areas lacked medical resources Gao said
Currently only percent medical staff working in rural hospitals have bachelors degree and percent have not received formal medical education the paper said Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua With the improvement of relief mechanism in China nearly million people received social assistance last year in China
Li Xueju minister of civil affairs in China said in an interview with Xinhua that million people in disasterhit areas were properly resettled thanks to various aiding programs launched nationwide aimed at different groups in poor conditions
In urban areas Li said the bottom line life insurance is guaranteed for ill handicapped and jobless people In rural areas the bottom line insurance system has been set up in areas with proper conditions and medical aiding programs have been pushed forward
Li stressed a national information network has been launched for wanderers and beggars and policies concerned are under drafting So far aid for wandering children has been strengthened
According to Li there are around million people receiving the bottom line life insurance in urban areas and six million people in rural areas More than million people in rural areas have received medical assistance and wanderers and beggars received social assistance
In general Li said Chinas social assistance despite difficulties brought by a large population gained fruitful results last year with most residents in rural and urban areas receiving assistance in time Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua The Chinese government banned the production and consumption of CFC a kind of ozone depleting substances ODS starting from Sunday
The decision was made in accordance with the governments pledge to phase out ODS production and consumption said a bulletin issued by the State Environmental Protection Administration SEPA
The SEPA warned that any units or individuals that continue to produce and use CFC will be punished according to laws
Chlorofluorocarbons or CFCs which are used in refrigeration and air conditioning have been identified as the main substance damaging the ozone shield
The ozone layer shields the Earth from the harmful ultravioletB radiation of the sun It also completely screens out lethal UVC radiation
Under the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer developed countries have agreed to phase out the chemicals by Jan while developing countries have a Jan deadline
China has pledged to phase out major ODS production and consumption by Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua All major Beijingbased newspapers frontpaged Chinese President Hu Jintaos New Year address pledging more efforts for harmonious world of lasting peace and common prosperity
Other highlights on Sunday
Peoples Daily
Chinese President Hu Jintao and Russian President Vladimir Putin exchanged new years greetings and congratulated on the start of the Year of Russia in China
In a frontpage New Year editorial the Daily hails the new year as the great beginning of Chinas th fiveyear program and urges the nation to follow the scientific concept of development in the future
Peoples Daily overseas edition
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao visited people in the earthquakehit area in east Chinas Jiangxi Province before the coming New Year of
Xinhua Daily Telegraph
The Website of Chinas central government wwwgovcn opens formally on Jan
Chinese peoples overall feeling of happiness improved in says a survey
China Youth Daily
China to lift the level of subsidy for the urban and rural poor in Enditem
SHANGHAI Jan Xinhua The Shanghai Airlines Co Ltd will add more planes to its current fleet in the forthcoming five years according to Zhou Chi chairman of the board with the air carrier
Founded on Dec the Shanghai Airlines Co Ltd which was Chinas first licensed local air company began its air service with five secondhand Boeing planes It now has planes and is operating air routes including international ones
Our company will see a faster growth in both passenger and cargo transport with new opportunities created by Shanghais drive to build into an air service center from to said Zhou
He disclosed that the air carrier would also diversify its scope of business by expanding into logistics tourism and hotel industry during the same period Enditem
GUANGZHOU Jan Xinhua Construction of the Nanhai No Museum designed to display a first ancient vessel discovered on the Marine Silk Road of the South China Sea has begun in Yangjiang city of south Chinas Guangdong Province
The museum also named Chinas Marine Silk Road Museum will open to the public in It will mainly exhibit the merchant ship of the Southern Song Dynasty in the th century namely the Nanhai No and thousands of historical wares it carried
The salvage work of the ship will go side by side with the museum construction which is expected to complete by the end of
The meterlong Nanhai No sank nautical miles off the Hailing Island of Yangjiang city It is reportedly the earliest and bestpreserved merchant ship discovered in the world
Green glazed porcelain plates blue porcelain pottery and other rarities have been found during the initial exploration of the ship Archaeologists estimate that there are probably to relics on the ship
Chinese marine archaeologists began to use a huge steel basket to salvage the ship on Dec The ship will be moved to a glasswalled exhibition hall filled with seawater imitating the undersea environment to preserve the ancient ship
As early as years ago ancient Chinese traders began to ship chinaware silk and cloth textiles and other commodities to foreign countries along a trading route starting from ports at todays Guangdong and Fujian provinces to countries in southeast Asia Africa and Europe
The cargo ship was found in Experts said the excavation of the ship is of great importance to the research of the history of Chinas foreign trade cultural exchange porcelain shipbuilding and navigation Enditem
By Xinhua writer Tian Sulei
BEIJING Jan Xinhua The Chinese capital removes ban on electric bicycles from the beginning of to ease city traffic which becomes increasingly congested due to fast rising numbers of cars on the road
A circular of the Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau said from Jan electric bikes that have met national standards and entered an approved list are officially allowed to take to the road after being registered with the citys traffic administration
The city stopped registering electric bikes from August after the number reached tens of thousands citing the reason that used batteries of such bikes are hard to dispose of and may pollute the environment
The point has been hotly debated by the public Electric bike producers argued a sound system for retrieving and disposing of used batteries has been established Beijing citizens generally favor lifting the ban saying such bikes are very convenient means of transportation
Buses and subway trains in Beijing are notoriously crowded Electric bikes are the best option for a large number of people who desire quick transport but can not comfortably afford cars
Electric bike producers environmental experts and ordinary citizens have never stopped lobbying for the removal of the ban
Removal of the ban came as pressure mounts on city administrators to tackle horrible traffic congestion air pollution and possible fuel supply caused to a large extent by a rapidly growing number of cars on the road
It is just part of a series of measures undertaken by the capital city to address traffic congestion Other major steps include greatly increasing the number of buses and building more urban railways
Some other areas in China including a few cities in Hubei and Guangdong provinces still ban the use of electric bikes Enditem
HEFEI Jan Xinhua At least five people were killed and another injured in a road accident in east Chinas Anhui Province Saturday morning
The mishap took place in Liuan city when a bus collided with a pickup truck
The bus driver and three people traveling on the pickup truck were killed on the spot and one of the persons wounded died in a nearby hospital in the afternoon
Cause of the accident is under investigation Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinese tourists may experience a different Spring Festival in the United Arab Emirates UAE which will hold a Dubai Shopping Festival in late January and early February
More Chinese people get to know about Egypt through cultural weeks and other tourism promotions thus increasing the number of Chinese tourists said Naser Abdel Aal an Egyptian tourism attache in China
Egypt conducted the Egyptian tourist and cultural festival in Beijing in July and the Egyptian cultural week in Shanghai in November
Some Chinese visitors went to Egypt in and the number may hit a record he said
To promote tourism exchanges with the Arab world China signed a cooperative pact with Lebanon on Dec following Egypt Jordan and Tunis three Chinas tourism destinations and Morocco and Syria as well
Chinas gross domestic product per capita exceeded US dollars in and the individual foreign exchange reserve totaled billion dollars The country also allow more freedom on the use of foreign currencies on private trips
According to predictions by the World Tourism Organization China will be the worlds largest tourism destination in and will welcome million overseas travelers by Enditem
HONG KONG Jan Xinhua Five four three two one Happy New Year Thousands of tourists counted down to at
Hong Kongs newest hot spot Disneyland Saturday night for
ringing in the New Year
Disneyland was in an aura of jubilation In front of Sleeping
Beauty Castle visitors swung to the enchanting tunes of Tony
Carpio and his big band In Fantasyland guests danced to the
music of reggae RB and soul On Main Street USA the air was
filled with the spicy scent of succulent Nuremberg sausages and
lamp satays
We are having a wonderful time here said Mr Wang who came
to Disneyland with his girlfriend Its a great place to
celebrate the dawning of a new year
Besides Disneyland Times Square Tsim Sha Tsui Sha Tin Park
and Lan Kwai Fong were the traditional rendezvous of the New Year
s eve carnivals
Organized by Hong Kongs Leisure and Cultural Services
Department the carnival in Sha Tin Park featured a wide variety
of entertainment The Main Stage was heavy on Latin music and
waltz while the Synergy Stage was pumping Hip Hop Jazz and
Scottish Pipes Drums into the crowd On the Comic Stage the
participatory show Where is the happy bird brought children to a
wonderful magic world
The carnival reached its climax at the countdown moment with
the launch of a spectacular light show complemented with
pyrotechnics
At Lan Kwai Fong thousands of people lined the tiny bar area
to celebrate As Hong Kong enjoys an economic upbeat this year
people are more willing to spend said Maggie manageress of
Yamane Sallon She expected the turnover of the New Years Eve
would grow by percent over that of Christmas
Outside the Times Square a group of popular local singers and
other young talentsjointly organized by Times Square and Radio
and Television Hong Kong RTHK presented performance at the open
piazza to thousands who had gathered there a few hours before the
countdown carnival started
Some apples hanging outside Times Square were lit up one by
one leading up to midnight A massive volume of confetti was
released from the sky at sharp It is the th consecutive
year that Times Square has organized the Times Square Apple
Countdown on Dec which was first initiated in when the
shopping mall opened
At Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront where is the best place to view
the glamorous night vista of Victoria Harbor tens of thousands
people watched the special program for the New Years eve A
Symphony of Lights With the jolly music splendid pyrotechnic
display lit up the sky and kaleidoscopic patterns of lights and
beams danced lively across the harbor
I can not hold back my excitement when I watch the show said
Mr Zhao who moved to Hong Kong from the mainland years ago
This is the place that best signifies the vibrancy of the city At
this special moment I wish Hong Kong an even brighter new year Enditem
ZUOYUN COUNTY Shanxi Province Jan Xinhua The death toll of Wednesdays coal mine flooding in north Chinas Shanxi Province has risen to as five more bodies were found local rescuers said Sunday morning
Four others remained trapped underground they said
The accident took place at around Wednesday morning when miners were working at the Fanjiasi Coal Mine in Zuoyun County Only five of them escaped
Dozens of rescuers took turns to go underground searching for the trapped miners and eight of the miners were confirmed dead Saturday
Preliminary probe into the accident showed that it was caused by workers maintaining the mine
The owner of the coal mine has been detained by local police Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinas economic efficiency indicators of the sector of specialpurpose equipment manufacturing in the first three quarters of with the value in billion yuan
Items Value Growth Rate
Cost of management
Received debts
Inventory of manufactured products
Value added tax payable
Average employment persons
The industrial statistics include all stateowned enterprises and the nonstateowned ones with annual sales income over million yuan
Source the National Bureau of Statistics Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinas economic efficiency indicators of the sector of transport equipment manufacturing in the first three quarters of with the value in billion yuan
Items Value Growth Rate
Cost of management
Received debts
Inventory of manufactured products
Value added tax payable
Average employment persons
The industrial statistics include all stateowned enterprises and the nonstateowned ones with annual sales income over million yuan
Source the National Bureau of Statistics Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinas economic efficiency indicators of the sector of electric equipment and machinery in the first three quarters of with the value in billion yuan
Items Value Growth Rate
Cost of management
Received debts
Inventory of manufactured products
Value added tax payable
Average employment persons
The industrial statistics include all stateowned enterprises and the nonstateowned ones with annual sales income over million yuan
Source the National Bureau of Statistics Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinas economic efficiency indicators of the sector of communication equipment computers and other electronic equipment products in the first three quarters of with the value in billion yuan
Items Value Growth Rate
Cost of management
Received debts
Inventory of manufactured products
Value added tax payable
Average employment persons
The industrial statistics include all stateowned enterprises and the nonstateowned ones with annual sales income over million yuan
Source the National Bureau of Statistics Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinas economic efficiency indicators of the sector of instruments meters cultural and office machinery in the first three quarters of with the value in billion yuan
Items Value Growth Rate
Cost of management
Received debts
Inventory of manufactured products
Value added tax payable
Average employment persons
The industrial statistics include all stateowned enterprises and the nonstateowned ones with annual sales income over million yuan
Source the National Bureau of Statistics Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinas economic efficiency indicators of the sector of handicraft articles and other goods production in the first three quarters of with the value in billion yuan
Items Value Growth Rate
Cost of management
Received debts
Inventory of manufactured products
Value added tax payable
Average employment persons
The industrial statistics include all stateowned enterprises and the nonstateowned ones with annual sales income over million yuan
Source the National Bureau of Statistics Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinas economic efficiency indicators of the sector of discarded resources and waste materials recovery and processing in the first three quarters of with the value in billion yuan
Items Value Growth Rate
Cost of management
Received debts
Inventory of manufactured products
Value added tax payable
Average employment persons
The industrial statistics include all stateowned enterprises and the nonstateowned ones with annual sales income over million yuan
Source the National Bureau of Statistics Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinas economic efficiency indicators of the sector of power and heat production and supply in the first three quarters of with the value in billion yuan
Items Value Growth Rate
Cost of management
Received debts
Inventory of manufactured products
Value added tax payable
Average employment persons
The industrial statistics include all stateowned enterprises and the nonstateowned ones with annual sales income over million yuan
Source the National Bureau of Statistics Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinas economic efficiency indicators of the sector of gas production and supply in the first three quarters of with the value in billion yuan
Items Value Growth Rate
Cost of management
Received debts
Inventory of manufactured products
Value added tax payable
Average employment persons
The industrial statistics include all stateowned enterprises and the nonstateowned ones with annual sales income over million yuan
Source the National Bureau of Statistics Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinas economic efficiency indicators of the sector of water production and supply in the first three quarters of with the value in billion yuan
Items Value Growth Rate
Cost of management
Received debts
Inventory of manufactured products
Value added tax payable
Average employment persons
The industrial statistics include all stateowned enterprises and the nonstateowned ones with annual sales income over million yuan
Source the National Bureau of Statistics Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinas economic efficiency indicators of the sector of coal mining and dressing in the first three quarters of with the value in billion yuan
Items Value Growth Rate
Cost of management
Received debts
Inventory of manufactured products
Value added tax payable
Average employment persons
The industrial statistics include all stateowned enterprises and the nonstateowned ones with annual sales income over million yuan
Source the National Bureau of Statistics Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinas economic efficiency indicators of the sector of timber processing wood bamboo cane palm fiber and straw products in the first three quarters of with the value in billion yuan
Items Value Growth Rate
Cost of management
Received debts
Inventory of manufactured products
Value added tax payable
Average employment persons
The industrial statistics include all stateowned enterprises and the nonstateowned ones with annual sales income over million yuan
Source the National Bureau of Statistics Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinas economic efficiency indicators of the sector of food manufacturing in the first three quarters of with the value in billion yuan
Items Value Growth Rate
Cost of management
Received debts
Inventory of manufactured products
Value added tax payable
Average employment persons
The industrial statistics include all stateowned enterprises and the nonstateowned ones with annual sales income over million yuan
Source the National Bureau of Statistics Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinas economic efficiency indicators of the sector of leather furs down and related products in the first three quarters of with the value in billion yuan
Items Value Growth Rate
Cost of management
Received debts
Inventory of manufactured products
Value added tax payable
Average employment persons
The industrial statistics include all stateowned enterprises and the nonstateowned ones with annual sales income over million yuan
Source the National Bureau of Statistics Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinas economic efficiency indicators of the sector of medical and pharmaceutical products in the first three quarters of with the value in billion yuan
Items Value Growth Rate
Cost of management
Received debts
Inventory of manufactured products
Value added tax payable
Average employment persons
The industrial statistics include all stateowned enterprises and the nonstateowned ones with annual sales income over million yuan
Source the National Bureau of Statistics Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinas economic efficiency indicators of the sector of chemical fiber in the first three quarters of with the value in billion yuan
Items Value Growth Rate
Cost of management
Received debts
Inventory of manufactured products
Value added tax payable
Average employment persons
The industrial statistics include all stateowned enterprises and the nonstateowned ones with annual sales income over million yuan
Source the National Bureau of Statistics Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinas economic efficiency indicators of the sector of rubber products in the first three quarters of with the value in billion yuan
Items Value Growth Rate
Cost of management
Received debts
Inventory of manufactured products
Value added tax payable
Average employment persons
The industrial statistics include all stateowned enterprises and the nonstateowned ones with annual sales income over million yuan
Source the National Bureau of Statistics Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinas economic efficiency indicators of the sector of plastic products in the first three quarters of with the value in billion yuan
Items Value Growth Rate
Cost of management
Received debts
Inventory of manufactured products
Value added tax payable
Average employment persons
The industrial statistics include all stateowned enterprises and the nonstateowned ones with annual sales income over million yuan
Source the National Bureau of Statistics Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinas economic efficiency indicators of the sector of nonmetal mineral products in the first three quarters of with the value in billion yuan
Items Value Growth Rate
Cost of management
Received debts
Inventory of manufactured products
Value added tax payable
Average employment persons
The industrial statistics include all stateowned enterprises and the nonstateowned ones with annual sales income over million yuan
Source the National Bureau of Statistics Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinas economic efficiency indicators of the sector of smelting and pressing of ferrous metals in the first three quarters of with the value in billion yuan
Items Value Growth Rate
Cost of management
Received debts
Inventory of manufactured products
Value added tax payable
Average employment persons
The industrial statistics include all stateowned enterprises and the nonstateowned ones with annual sales income over million yuan
Source the National Bureau of Statistics Enditem
FUZHOU Jan Xinhua A national nature reserve covering more than hectares was set up in east Chinas Fujian Province on Sunday
The Daiyun Mountain National Nature Reserve based on a provincial nature reserve established in in the eastern part of the province is rich in natural resources
Inhabited in the nature reserve are species of plants either endangered or peculiar to the place and such rare animals as pangolin and zibet
The nature reserve is also featured by a rare wetland at an altitude of meters where despite low temperatures various grasses are thriving and newts and other rare species are commonplace Enditem
SHANGHAI Jan Xinhua A yearold Du Xin idled the last day of the year in a dormitory of the Fudan University in Shanghai waiting eagerly for possible employers to call and invite him to an interview
Du came to Shanghai one of Chinas economic powerhouses to look for a job as a senior in a faraway university in northeast China He has attended four job fairs handed out applications and sent emails to seek a job in the past week Unfortunately all of his efforts were in vain
I came to Shanghai to try my fortune Du said with a forced smile College graduates are under severe employment pressure this year It will be more possible for me to win a lottery than to get a satisfactory job
Once destined to have a good job college students are now under growing employment pressure In million students graduated from colleges and universities a percent increase from in while education authorities estimate million college graduates in
Those who will seek jobs in also include million graduates from secondary vocational schools million graduates from middle and high schools exservicemen million former rural residents who now have urban registered permanent residences million laidoff workers from stateowned enterprises yet to be placed and million registered unemployed people
The pressure of employment especially for youngsters is unlikely to decrease in the coming five years said Mo Rong deputy director of the Institute of Labor Science of the Ministry of Labor and Social Security
Governments at various levels are playing a more active role in promoting employment According to the Ministry of Labor and Social Security China will create million jobs in and resettle million unemployed laidoff workers aiming to confine the registered unemployment rate in urban areas to percent
Tens of thousands of people many of whom are relatively old lack skills and live in abject poverty have been employed in major cities such as Beijing and Shanghai thanks to jobs created by the government indirectly
Laidoff worker Huang Zhenhua was employed in a public security patrol organized by his neighborhood in Shanghai He received yuan US dollars of salary earlier this week the heftiest one since he was laid off years ago
China has been fostering the diversification of education after it realized many college graduates are not welcome by employers as they are trained under similar modes Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao announced in November that the country will invest billion yuan billion dollars in developing vocational education aiming to train more skilled workers for the upgrading of industries
Employment is a matter of great importance that concerns social stability economic and social sustainable development said Li Jian of the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences
A large labor force makes China competitive in labor cost and attracts foreign investment However it also enables entrepreneurs to confine workers salaries to a low level leading to further economic polarization he said
The common peoples consumption ability did not grow in accordance with the development of national revenue due to lowlevel salaries under employment pressure so only few people can afford new technologies and products
Without enough consumption ability and demand most of the billion Chinese would only be potential consumers A lack of market demand will make it difficult to implement Chinas independent innovation strategy Li said Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua A series of new laws and regulations concerning peoples daily life and their interests ranging from tax reform to business operation took effect on Sunday New Years day The following is a brief review of the new rules
Farming tax dropped
Chinas yearold agricultural tax is rescinded as of Jan after Chinas top legislature the National Peoples Congress NPC voted on Dec to adopt a motion on the regulations revoking the agricultural tax
Personal income tax eased
The personal income tax cutoff point was raised to yuan about US dollars a month from yuan about US dollars to ease the financial burden on the countrys least fortunate according to amendments to the income tax law which took effect Sunday
Civil servants life made harder
China formally implemented the countrys first law governing civil servants starting from Sunday to improve its civil servant system by defining officials rights and responsibilities
The law stipulates that all public servants should be recruited through just open and fair examinations and officials should take the blame and quit their posts if their mistakes or negligence cause major losses or serious social repercussions
Actually a major ministeriallevel officials resign at the end of echoed the effect of the new Civil Servant Law after Chinas top legislature approved it in April Xie Zhenhua the former head of Chinas State Administration of Environmental Protection handed in a letter of resignation for dereliction of duty in a water contamination accident in November in northeast China
Death sentences to be meted out with more caution
Chinas Supreme Peoples Court SPC requires local courts to open court sessions when hearing cases of death sentences in the second instance as of Jan in a bid to make court proceedings on death penalty appeals open to the public in that the second instance of cases of death sentences with major controversy can be heard in public and from July all death sentence cases in the second instance can be heard in open court
It is another important step taken by the SPC to reform its trial of death sentence cases after the SPC announced to retrieve the power of approving death penalty from provincial higher peoples courts in October
Oneperson company allowed
Taking effect from Sunday the newlyamended corporation law allows the establishment of oneperson companies and reduces the minimum registered capital required to set up a company strengthens rules on corporate governance improve shareholder protection especially for smallandmidsized shareholders and better guard against fund misuse
Small investors to be better protected in stock market
Taking effect on Sunday the newlyamended Securities Law has more room for the future development of the countrys stock market and includes articles on setting up a state fund for the protection of investors especially the smallandmidsized investors
Traffic police under watch
Also going into force on Sunday is several stricter regulations to rein in trafficlaw enforcement
The new rules said police officers must be polite and wear badges and possess IDs while working on their post Police officers from the traffic administration are forbidden to detain vehicles driving licenses or car plates illegally Those who refuse to give a receipt make false reports on the amount of fines or take bribes will be punished in accordance with their behaviors
No false papers allowed
As of Sunday one who applies for setting up a company in China has to be liable to the credibility of the documents submitted according to a regulation on management of company registration previously revised by the State Council or the Chinese cabinet
Car purchase tax collection standardized
Starting from Sunday private car owners have to offer such certificates as the owners identification and the price tickets of the cars when paying for the car purchase tax in an effort to standardize the collection of the car purchase tax in China
Renewable energy encouraged
China officially implements the Renewable Energy Law Sunday to ease its energy strain with an article stipulating that surveys of renewable energy resources should be made public except for those needed to keep confidential by the states decision
According to the law renewable energy includes hydroelectricity wind power solar energy geothermal energy and marine energy all of which should be taken consideration in the state and local development plans Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinese President Hu Jintao made a call to all the Chinese people both at home and abroad to join hands in the fight against Taiwan independence forces and work for the reunification of the motherland
The complete reunification of the motherland is the common will of the Chinese people and inevitable in the historical development Hu said at a New Year tea party attended by members of the National Committee of the Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Conference a major government think tank
We will adhere to the fundamental policy of peaceful reunification and one country two systems never waver on adhering to the oneChina principle never give up efforts on promoting peaceful reunification never change the policy of pinning hope on Taiwan people and never compromise on opposing Taiwan independence secessionist activities Hu said
The mainland will actively promote exchanges and cooperation across the Taiwan Straits in tourism economic and cultural fields safeguard the legitimate interests of Taiwan compatriots oppose separating Taiwan from the mainland promote peace and stability across the Straits resume the crossStraits dialogue based on the Consensus and push ahead with the great cause of peaceful reunification he said Enditem
NANNING Jan Xinhua At least seven people have been confirmed dead and another six injured in a limekiln mishap in south Chinas Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region local officials said Sunday
The limekiln located in Guiping city collapsed Saturday afternoon when more than a dozen people were working inside
All the injured were rushed to a nearby hospital and three of them have been discharged
Cause of the accident is under investigation Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinas total tax revenues reached a record high of trillion yuan billion US dollars in an increase of percent or billion yuan yearonyear
The figure excluding Customs duties and agricultural tax was revealed by a report posted on the website of the State Administration of Taxation SAT on Sunday
This is the first time that the nations tax revenues exceeded trillion yuan the report said Enditem
XIAN Jan Xinhua One extra second was added to Chinese clocks on the first day of
The time adjustment was officially made just before oclock Beijing time at the national time authorization center located in northwest Chinas Shaanxi Province
Globally a leap second was added on Dec at Greenwich Mean Time according to the International Earth Rotation Service
It is the first extra second in seven years and the rd leap second that has been inserted since when an international timekeeping agreement was signed
Leap seconds are inserted since atomic clocks tend to go slightly ahead of the earths rotation largely because the rotation of the earth has been slowing down Enditem
SHANGHAI Jan Xinhua An exhibition of Italian paintings from the collections of the Bellini Museum opened to the public in Shanghai On Sunday
On show are masterpieces by such wellknown Italian artists as Leonardo Da Vinci Michelangelo Buonarroti and Tiziano Vecellio
Among the most eyecatching is Michelangelo Buonarrotis Taking Jesus Down from the Cross a painted wooden carving bas relief
The Bellini Museum is a private museum based in Florence Italy
The onemonth show in Shanghai Art Gallery is one of a series of cultural exchanges to be staged between China and Italy in Enditem
HONG KONG Jan Xinhua Following are temperatures and weather forecast of Jan for AsiaPacific cities dispatched by the Hong Kong Observatory on Sunday
WEATHER
CITY MINIMUM MAXIMUM FORECAST
HONG KONG FINE
MACAO HAZE
GUANGZHOU CLOUDY
SHANGHAI CLOUDY
BEIJING CLOUDY
TAIPEI CLOUDY
SEOUL CLOUDY
TOKYO RAIN
MANILA RAIN
HANOI CLOUDY
HO CHI MINH CITY THUNDERSTORMS
BANGKOK FINE
KUALA LUMPUR THUNDERSTORMS
SINGAPORE THUNDERSTORMS
NEW DELHI THUNDERSTORMS
MUMBAI SMOKE
KARACHI DRY
JAKARTA RAIN
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN SHOWERS
SYDNEY SHOWERS
MELBOURNE FINE
BRISBANE FINE
Enditem
HONG KONG Jan Xinhua An earthquake measuring on the Richter scale hit the seas south of Japan at pm Hong Kong time on Sunday GMT Sunday
According to the Hong Kong Observatory Sunday the epicenter was initially determined to be north latitude and east longitude about kilometers south of Tokyo Enditem
HONG KONG Jan Xinhua A dozen of public events are held in Hong Kong on Sunday continuing the mass New Year celebration activities with more than half of locals believing in a better prospect in
On the morning on the first day of the new year a recordhigh number of civilians participated in an annual New Year swimming champaign across the Repulse Bay on the southern side of the Hong Kong Island
A fouryearold boy and an yearold man were also believed to set new record for participating ages for the event with a year history
Tens of thousands people are expected to attend various public New Year activities organized ranging from horse racing shopping exhibition to a book fair and a sound and light show across the citys symbolic Victory Harbor
Sundays celebration activities continued to push higher the citys festival atmosphere already strong in the previous night when some half million people reportedly headed to several sties in the city to welcome the New Year
Restaurants around the city also report good business in the New Years Eve with tables booked with higher prices while retailers expect more customers in the twoday festival
Many people in Hong Kong have chosen to spend the New Year holidays traveling A total of people left Hong Kong through different checkpoints on Saturday according to data provided by the Immigration Department
High festival atmosphere was also reported during the Christmas holiday just a week ago when more than people went out to Victory Harbor for the sound and light show in the Christmas Eve and around civilians shopped at an annual products exhibition on the next day
The total number of people traveling through Hong Kong checkpoints during the two festivals period from December to has reached million higher than the authorities estimate of million
Many believe that Hong Kong peoples high spirit in the festival season is rooted in the citys robust economic performance in
This years economic growth is the strongest in eight years for Hong Kongand the prospect for is expected to maintain the same momentum said a commentary published by Wen Wei Po a local Chinese daily
In terms of overall economic situation civilians spirit and festival atmosphere this year is much better than last year said the newspaper
The government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region HKSAR in November uplifted its economic growth forecast for the year by two percentage points
With a continuous economic expansion of percent from June to September the government said the GDP growth for will be percent higher than the original projection of percent
The point of view that locals felt good in is also been proved by polls conducted over Hong Kong people
More than half people percent of some interviewees said they felt happier in than in according to a survey by the Chinese newspaper Ming Pao
The same poll also showed that more than half people believe that both their personal life and Hong Kongs overall prospect will be better in
The other survey conducted by an international agency showed that one third of Hong Kong people believe the economy of will outgrow that of last year reported the local radio station HKRT Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Report on the quality of air in major Chinese cities Dec to Jan Beijing Time released by the China Environmental Monitoring Center
City Major Pollutant Air Quality Level
Beijing particulate matter III
Tianjin sulfur dioxide III
Shijiazhuang particulate matter III
Qinhuangdao particulate matter II
Taiyuan particulate matter III
Hohhot particulate matter III
Shenyang particulate matter III
Dalian sulfur dioxide II
Changchun particulate matter II
Harbin particulate matter III
Shanghai particulate matter II
Nanjing I
Suzhou particulate matter II
Nantong particulate matter II
Lianyungang I
Hangzhou particulate matter II
Ningbo particulate matter II
Wenzhou particulate matter II
Hefei particulate matter II
Fuzhou I
Xiamen I
Nanchang sulfur dioxide II
Jinan particulate matter II
Qingdao particulate matter II
Yantai sulfur dioxide II
Zhengzhou particulate matter III
Wuhan particulate matter II
Changsha particulate matter II
Guangzhou I
Shenzhen particulate matter II
Zhuhai particulate matter II
Shantou particulate matter II
Zhanjiang I
Nanning particulate matter II
Guilin I
Beihai particulate matter II
Haikou I
Chongqing particulate matter II
Chengdu sulfur dioxide II
Guiyang sulfur dioxide II
Kunming particulate matter II
Lhasa particulate matter II
Xian particulate matter III
Lanzhou particulate matter II
Xining particulate matter II
Yinchuan particulate matter III
Urumqi particulate matter III
The center classifies air quality in Chinas urban areas into five levels level I or excellent pollution reading not exceeding level II or fairly good pollution reading to level III or slightly polluted pollution reading to level IV or poor pollution reading to and level V or hazardous pollution reading over
The cities monitored by the center include the four municipalities of Beijing Tianjin Shanghai and Chongqing provincial or autonomous regional capitals and major cities in economically developed coastal areas and tourist attractions Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Weather forecast for world cities Jan Jan Beijing Time temperatures in Celsius
Min Max Condition Wind scale
Beijing clearcloudy
Tokyo moderate raindrizzle
Bangkok cloudy
Sydney drizzleovercast
Karachi clear
Cairo clear
Moscow overcast
Frankfurt cloudydrizzle
Paris overcast
London overcast
New York cloudydrizzle
SOURCE Central Meteorological Station China Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Weather forecast for major Chinese cities Jan Jan Beijing Time temperatures in Celsius
Min Max Condition Wind scale
Beijing clearcloudy
Harbin clearcloudy
Tianjin clearcloudy
Urumqi moderate snow
Xian cloudy
Lhasa clear
Chengdu overcast
Chongqing overcastcloudy
Kunming clear
Nanjing overcastcloudy
Shanghai overcastcloudy
Wuhan cloudyclear
Hangzhou drizzlecloudy
Taipei cloudy
Guangzhou cloudy
Hong Kong cloudy
Macao cloudy
SOURCE Central Meteorological Station China Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua The year marks the start of Chinas th fiveyear period for economic and social development and this years work is vital to Chinas development Chinese President Hu Jintao said Sunday
Hu said at the New Year tea party hosted by the National Committee of the Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Conference that China will continue to take the scientific concept of development as the guideline for overall economic and social development and make a good start for Chinas th fiveyear program for economic and social development
China will attach more importance to the expansion of domestic demand advance rural development strengthen independent innovation capability and improve its economic structure in a bid to build an energyefficient and environmentfriendly society Hu stressed
China will expand socialist democracy improve its legal system promote ideological and ethical progress and deepen the reform of the cultural sector Hu said
China will continue promoting social harmony work hard to address problems closely related to peoples life increase employment enhance the social security system improve health service strengthen workplace safety upgrade social management and maintain social stability in the new year he said
Hu noted enhancing the Chinese Communist Partys governing capability is key to economic and social development Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Twentyone giant pandas born in Chinas breeding centers and zoos in have survived the largest annual increase since China reared the endangered mammal in captivity the State Forestry Administration announced
These newborns mainly live in Wolong and Chengdu in west Chinas Sichuan Province northwest Chinas Shaanxi Province and the Beijing Zoo the administration said
Sixteen panda babies born in births in the Wolong Giant Panda Research Center all survived accounting for about percent of the increase across the country in the administration said
To date China has giant pandas fed in captivity Among them live in Wolong in the Chengdu Giant Panda Breeding and Research Base
In addition Chinese giant pandas guest in nine zoos in five countries including the United States Japan Germany Austria and Thailand for joint research Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua A contemporary art exhibition combining academic criticism and auction will be held in Beijing from Jan to
More than contemporary art items by Chinese artists are expected to be on show in the gallery of China Millennium Monument said Wang Zhongyi general manager of the Zhonghongxin International Auction Co Ltd the shows sponsor
Twentyfour prominent Chinese art critics including Shao Dazhen Shui Tianzhong and Fan Dian nominated the artists and evaluated their works Wang said
Most of the selected artists including Luo Guanzhong Luo Zhongli Chen Danqing Fang Lijun Yuan Xiaofang and Zhang Xiaogang are young or middle age with a few older he said
The exhibits include paintings drawings ink and wash pictures pictures made of compositive materials sculptures photos and installations
Among the items will be auctioned off during the exhibition by Zhonghongxin Wang said
The exhibition is aimed to combine academic criticism and auction and establish the critics authority in the appreciation and collection of the Chinese contemporary art works said Gao Ling the exhibitions organizer
We hope to make the art critics the public and art collectors related better he said Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua For Chinese pottery artist Zhu Legeng the first day of the new year has a special impact as he stays at his personal exhibition at China National Art Gallery and received friends sharing the same love for pottery with him
Look at this item this one is made out of high temperature which is very difficult to handle with Zhu said to an old man who was looking at his works very carefully
Actually I dont know this man Zhu told Xinhua adding he only wanted to share more with those who know something about pottery
Zhus wife Fang Lili commented his enthusiasm in pottery as a kind of being obsessed When they first get to know each other the only thing they did together when dating was to collect clay and pick up broken pieces of pottery
After their marriage Fang recalled Zhu went to Japan for further study and returned with books on pottery
Zhu is born to be a pottery artist who always inspired others with his inborn gift
Zhu now year old was born in Jingdezhen city known as capital of pottery in east Chinas Jiangxi Province Zhus father was also a wellknown painter and pottery artist Zhu took part in pottery making and received training on both Chinese traditional painting and western painting styles when he was boy
During the course of watching the pottery making by oldgeneration potters Zhu learned a lot of skills on folk pottery art which later helped him develop a unique style of his own based on hightemperature pottery making
At his personal exhibition a series of photos attracted wide attention from audience which was about the pottery work Zhu made for the inner and outside walls of the Wheat Music Hall in Seoul of Republic of Korea ROK Zhu spent three years in developing a kind of clay bricks that could combine a beautiful outlook and effective echo function Zhu gradually made tons of bricks out of centigrade and install them into walls These walls giving a visionary effect of a colored picture featuring traditional Chinese ink painting style also has strong echo effect that surpassed the professional furnishing material
Zhus works have been exhibited in numerous domestic or international ceramic art exhibitions successively more than works gained prizes His serial pottery art works
Although many of his works were sold at high price Zhu never reproduce them Every piece of work coming out of fire is a combination of nature and life The copied ones will not have its soul even with the same outlook
Shao Dazhen wellknown art critic with the China Central Institute of Fine Arts said Zhu would have no boundary in his artistic life just because he never repeats himself
The sun shed its light on Zhus work and made them look brilliant in diversified colors This visionary effect once again pushed Zhu into a sense of being obsessed and made him more confirmed of what he believed Pottery art should and will be passed on generation by generation Zhu said gently touching his works with his claycolored fingers Enditem
JINAN Jan Xinhua Chinas economy grew percent in said Ou Xinqian vice minister of the National Development and Reform Commission here Sunday
The commissions previous estimate for last years economic growth was percent This figure was adjusted according to the newlyrevised GDP in
China last month revised the size of its economy in by percent to trillion yuan trillion US dollars with over percent of the newlyadded trillion yuan from better data about the services sector
Ou revealed the figure at a meeting on the coal supply and demand She said Chinas CPI remained within two percent in and the fixed assets investment grew percent Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinese held various activities to celebrate the New Year on Sunday as a prelude for the coming Lunar New Year on Jan
At the New Year Eve locals and overseas Chinese at Beijing rang ancient bronze bells and drums at the Bell Tower and Drum Bell or Zhong Lou and Gu Lou to usher in the New Year
The traditional bells and drums rested at the two towers first built in were used in the old times to inform the capital citizenry of time and announced curfews
The capital city decided to ring the bells and play the drums in concert for times at the New Year Eve and Lunar New Year Eve from on
Before the first rays about people had braved the cold and crowded at the Tiananmen Square in Beijing to watch the national flag raising
Many cherished their own wishes for the country when watching the flag raised high I wish our country would work hard to improve peoples life in the new year said Kang Miao a student from Zhongshan University in Guangdong Province
The government waived agricultural fees for our peasants in the past year I hope it would continue such measures and do more for the peasants in the coming year said yearold Zhou Jiakui a peasant from Jinan capital of east Chinas Shandong Province
Shopping malls were crowed with people on the New Year Day and those dogrelated goods became especially popular since the new year is a Dogs Year in Chinese lunar calendar
Toys greeting cards bags and many other goods mostly bear dog images Even the pet dogs are especially pampered by their loving owners for the coming new year
Pet shop owners already stuffed their shelves with special commodities for dogs before the New Year Day including festival clothes cookies and vitamins
Dogs are born loyal and intimate to humankind My pet dog keep me company that I take it as my child Im taking it to a pet hospital and award it with a decent shower a haircut and a manicure for the New Year said yearold Xu Dejiu a citizen living in Chengdu capital of Sichuan Province
Some migrant workers started heading home from various cities they worked since the Lunar New Year Day befalls closely after the New Year a little earlier than the average date in the previous years
Many railway stations have set up special boarding passages for the conveniences of the migrant workers Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua The short distance trips by driving are becoming more popular on the New Year holiday
According to the statistics from local travel agencies residence from Beijing Shanghai Guangzhou and Chengdu prepared for their driving trips during the three day holiday for the new year Some even looked for partners by email and mobile messages
The three day holiday is suitable for travelers who want to drive Sales people with China Youth Travel Service said the new year holiday between Christmas and Spring Festival provides a chance for selfdriving trip lovers
Zhang Ke and his wife drove from Beijing to Tianjin to enjoy ski and hot spring on half way Other travelers may choose to drive two and a half hours from Nanjing to Mudu or from Hangzhou to Zhouzhuang
According to a website figures on hotels and resorts in five big Chinese cities there are more than routes of selfdriving trips including crabcatching spa and seaside routes Enditem
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WARSAW Jan Xinhua A fire broke out in a hospital in the southwestern Polish town of Bytom early on Sunday killing three and wounding about others the Polish News Agency reported
The blaze occurred in an upperfloor room of the building burning to death two male patients aged and A yearold woman patient died of suffocation in a neighboring room
Thirtynine patients in the building were evacuated by fire trucks to nearby hospitals including some injured people most of whom suffered from smoke inhalation and carbon monoxide poisoning
Police said the fire might have been caused by a burning bedsheet which was ignited by a cigarette spark They added however that it was only a guess and the real cause of the incident would be further investigated Enditem
SANAA The German family who were released on Saturday after being held hostage for three days by Yemeni tribesmen boarded a charted plane on Sunday to go home to Germanys Cologne
Former German deputy former minister Juergen Chrobog his wife and three children were kidnapped on Wednesday by armed tribal groups during their travel in Yemen and released safe on Dec after the Yemeni government negotiated a settlement with the abductors YemenGerman hostages
MOSCOW Russian gas giant Gazprom cut down natural gas supply to Ukraine on Sunday after Kiev rejected Russias demand to more than quadruple the price
Gazprom began lowering pressure in the pipelines to Ukraine at am GMT and cut down gas exports to Ukraine by million cubic meters a day Gazprom spokesman Sergei Kupriyanov was quoted by the ItarTass news agency as saying RussiaUkraineNatural gas
GAZA An Italian who was kidnapped by masked gunmen in the Gaza Strip was freed on Sunday Palestinian security sources said
Alesandro Piero a member of an EU delegation visiting the southern Gaza Strip city of Khan Yunis was in a good condition the sources said
Earlier in the day a group calling itself the alAqsa Martyrs BrigadesSunni People said it was responsible for the kidnapping PalestineItaliankidnapping
ANKARA Two more people in Dogubayazit town of Agri province in eastern Turkey were hospitalized on Sunday on suspicion that they might be infected with bird flu a Turkish official said
The semiofficial Anatolia news agency quoted Dogubayazit Head Official Rauf Ulusoy as saying that earlier four people from the town were transferred to Van Yil Hospital for medical treatment and examination for the same reason TurkeyBird flu Enditem
RABAT Jan Xinhua Morocco became the first country in the Middle East and North Africa MENA to have free trade with the United States after the two countries free trade agreement came into effect on Sunday
Under the agreement Morocco will enjoy tariff free treatment for over percent of its exports to the United States
Morocco also made commitments to open its market but the agricultural sector will be gradually opened in a year period and the banking and insurance industries will have a fouryear protection period
Meanwhile Morocco will only be able to export textiles to the United States free of tariff when the raw materials are from either domestic producers or American suppliers
Morocco started free trade talks with the United States in and signed an agreement in March The agreement had been scheduled to take effect in July but was postponed due to disagreements in the protection of intellectual properties
A final deal was reached after Morocco conceded to amend the laws in related fields
Experts said the agreement will be conducive to Moroccos free trade talks with the European Union which is the African countrys largest trading partner The negotiations are slated to start in early Enditem
WARSAW Jan Xinhua Polands natural gas supply has been affected by Russias move to halt gas deliveries to Ukraine Polands staterun gas monopoly PGNiG said on Sunday
Today at am GMT PGNiG was informed by the National Gas Directorate of a fall in pressure at the connection point at the PolishUkrainian border at Drozdowicze PGNiG said in a statement
This indicates a fall in supplies originating in Ukraine and is a consequence of the decision by Russias Gazprom to restrict deliveries of Russian gas to Ukraine the statement said
The gas restrictions imposed by Russia on Ukraine would affect percent of Polands total volume of natural gas the statement pointed out
Russia began to halt gas sales to its neighbor on Sunday after Kiev rejected its final offer on gas deliveries in
The gas dispute between Russia and Ukraine raised concerns in European Union states including Poland which depends heavily on Russian energy supplies that their gas supplies from Russia will be affected since most of them go through pipelines that cross Ukraine
Polish Economy Minister Piotr Wozniak warned of a supply risk to his country on Friday though Gazprom has pledged that supplies to European customers wont be affected
The harmful potential effects of a fall in deliveries risk being felt in Poland from the first days of January Wozniak said Enditem
ALGIERS Jan Xinhua At least people died and six others were injured on Sunday when a mini bus collided with a truck in northern Algeria
Three of the injured were in serious condition said an official from the civil assistance department
The bus was crowded with people and the truck was loaded with sheep when the collision occurred he added
Local police said speeding is the main reason for the accident Enditem
TEHRAN Iran has developed a key technology to separate uranium from its ore marking a significant step closer to the countrys ambition to construct and run nuclear fuel cycle independently the state television reported on Sunday
The report quoted a concerned technician as saying that the new technological breakthrough would allow the Islamic Republic to separate uranium from the ore with the socalled mixersettler IranNuclear
BEIRUT A Lebanese engineer abducted by gunmen in Iraq four days ago was released on Sunday Lebanons official news agency reported
Camille Nassif Tannus who works with a Western engineering company and was snatched away by gunmen in Baghdad on Thursday was released a few hours ago said the report adding that Tannus was in good health and now at his home in Baghdad LebanonHostage
WASHINGTON The United States on Sunday criticized Russia for its decision to cut off gas to Ukraine saying it created insecurity in the regions energy sector
Such an abrupt step creates insecurity in the energy sector in the region and raises serious questions about the use of energy to exert political pressure State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said in a statement USRussiaGas
BERLIN Former German diplomat Juergen Chrobog and his family who were kidnapped for three days in Yemen by rural tribes returned to Germany on Sunday aboard a German air force plane
After getting off the air force Challenger executive jet sent to retrieve them Chrobog former state secretary and ambassador to Washington said that he was glad to be home GermanyHostagesYemen Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Following are some of the major international news stories scheduled to be covered or pursued by Xinhua on Monday
Ukraine says willing to pay reasonable market price for Russias gas
Bolivian presidentelect visits Venezuela
Europe uneasy after Russia cuts gas supply to Ukraine
Iran dismisses Russias nuclear proposal Enditem
ROME Jan Xinhua The Italian Foreign Ministry said Sunday it could not confirm the release of three Italian women who had been taken hostage by Yemeni tribesmen along with other two male tourists
It is not possible at the current time to confirm the report of the release of the three women a ministry statement said
The five tourists were snatched away by armed tribesmen in Maarib about km east of the capital Sanaa on Sunday
A Yemeni government official said later the three female Italian tourists were released shortly after by Yemeni tribesmen
The kidnapping came one day after five German tourists including a former senior diplomat were released following three days of captivity
Earlier this month Yemeni tribesmen seized and later released two Austrians
In November two Swiss tourists were kidnapped by tribesmen but were soon released
Yemeni armed tribesmen often abduct foreign tourists to pressure the government to release jailed relatives The hostages were usually set free unhurt after negotiation between authorities and kidnappers Enditem
TEHERAN Jan Xinhua Iran on Sunday dismissed Moscows proposal to enrich Iranian uranium on Russian soil as immature and expressed disappointment with European negotiators over its controversial nuclear program
The proposal is only a structural one which could not be seen as mature said secretary of Irans Supreme National Council Ali Larijani on national television
Dismissing the proposal as an idea with serious problems Larijani noted Irans right for having its own nuclear fuel cycle is irrevocable and should be acknowledged
Iran did not want to depend on others he said
Russia has offered to enrich Iranian uranium on its soil giving the country access to the nuclear fuel cycle while guaranteeing its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes
But Larijani did not completely reject Moscows proposal The plan could be complementary and supporting he said
Larijani also expressed disappointment with the Dec negotiation in Vienna with the European Union trio of Britain France and Germany
I had hoped the recent negotiations in Vienna to make more progress I dont have a negative view but we hope future steps be taken more seriously and carefully he said
Larijani also warned the West against taking strong action If they act harshly our behaviour will change We have prepared scenarios and they cannot checkmate us easily he said Enditem
HELSINKI Jan Xinhua Finlands oldest living citizen passed away on the New Years Eve only weeks short of her th birthday in February local press reported Sunday
Hilda Hakkinen died in the southwestern town of Toeysae on the night of Saturday She was the second oldest citizen after Lempi Rothovius who died at the age of in
President Tarja Halonen once paid a visit to Hakkinen in honor of one of the countrys oldest citizens
Hakkinen was born one of seven children in a farmers family in Toeysae on Feb During her life she worked as a laundress milkmaid housemaid and cook At the age of she lived with her daughter in a small cottage without electricity or running water She moved to an old peoples home a few years ago Enditem
CARACAS Jan Xinhua Venezuelan Oil Minister Rafael Ramirez said in a statement on Sunday that privately operated Venezuelan oil fields returned to state control with the start of the new year
A deadline expired at midnight Dec for all private companies with contracts to independently pump oil here to agree to joint ventures that will give Venezuelas state oil company majority control
The operating agreements were signed between and when Venezuelas petroleum industry was open to private and foreign capital to increase production at lowpriority oil field
Ramirez said the amount the private companies have invested in the fields will determine the amount of control they have
In President Hugo Chavezs government passed a hydrocarbons law that made the operating agreements illegal by requiring oil production to be carried out by companies controlled by the government
Chevron Corp Royal Dutch Shell PLC Brazils state oil company Petrobras SA and SpanishArgentine firm Repsol YPF were among those that signed the contracts to agree to joint ventures According to the contracts the state could take as much as a percent stake in the new ventures
The oil fields have been responsible for about of Venezuelas official declared production of million barrels a day
Venezuela is the worlds fifthlargest oil exporter and has the largest proven reserves outside the Mideast Enditem
MEXICO CITY Jan Xinhua Mexicos Zapatista rebel leader Subcomandante Marcos started on Sunday a sixmonth nationwide tour to seek support for Indians and the poor before presidential elections in July
Marcos who led hundreds of rebels on the start of the tour planned to visit every Mexican state to win more supporters to join an anticapitalist front
Thousands of supporters cheered and formed a guard of honor for the rebel leader on Sunday who departed from the village of La Garrucha on a black motorcycle with a Mexican flag tied to the back
It was the first time in four years the rebels left their jungle strongholds in the southernmost Chiapas state since a triumphant tour to Mexico City in the name of Indian rights that made international headlines in
Marcos has said the tour will allow Zapatista leaders to reach out to leftist groups across the country creating a national movement that will reshape Mexico
The rebels have pledged to abandon armed struggle instead of adopting political participation There has been little fighting since a ceasefire shortly after the Zapatistas took over towns in clashes with police and army in Enditem
TIRANA Jan Xinhua Cigarette advertising in the media or on billboards has been made illegal under a new law which also bans smoking in many public places
The new law which took effect on Sunday forbids smoking in public places such as schools universities and indoor sporting and cultural events as well as on public transport
All indoor public areas such as bars restaurants and government offices must now provide nonsmoking areas
Under the new law selling cigarettes to children under has been outlawed
Individuals who break the law face fines of up to euros about US dollars while managers failing to enforce the law could be fined over euros about dollars Enditem
VIENNA Jan Xinhua Four European Union EU states urged Russia and Ukraine to ensure a steady gas supply to Europe amid a bitter dispute between the two countries over gas prices Austria said on Sunday
The energy ministers of Germany Italy France and Austria made the call in letters sent to Moscow and Kiev on Saturday when Russia said it would cut gas supplies to Ukraine if its proposal on a price hike was refused a move that could affect gas deliveries to EU states
In a letter to Moscow the four countries said Russias staterun gas monopoly Gazprom and companies operating in the states of the undersigned ministers have entertained close business relationships for years and that not least because of the reliability of gas supplies from Russia the sales of natural gas in the EU could be continuously increased in recent times
A reduction of natural gas supplies now would not only come unexpectedly but could also lead to not insignificant problems for natural gas supplies in Western Europe said the letter
They called on Moscow to ensure that the supplies to the EU member states will be maintained to their full extent whether Russia and Ukraine could reach an agreement or not
The letter to Ukraine was in the same tone except a passage reminding Kiev of years of excellent relations which they said had intensified since Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenkos government was sworn in a year ago
Ukraine and Russia have been locked in a bitter dispute over gas prices with Moscow asking Kiev to pay more than quadruple the current price US dollars per cubic meters for gas it buys from Russia
Also on Sunday Gazprom said it was cutting down natural gas supply to Ukraine after Kiev rejected Russias demand
Gazprom provides about half the gas consumed in the EU and some percent of that amount is sent through pipelines that cross Ukraine
EU energy officials are set to convene an emergency session on Wednesday to discuss the gas supply situation of the nation bloc Enditem
BUDAPEST Jan Xinhua Hungary saw its gas supply fall a quarter on Sunday in the aftermath of a RussiaUkraine standoff over a new contract according to Hungarys natural gas wholesaler MOL
MOL indicated that Hungary was under great pressure to seek more sources of gas imports after Russias Gazprom slashed percent of gas deliveries to Ukraine which serves as a transit country for Russian gas exports to Europe
Ukraine has refused to sign a new contract with Russia to pay four times as much for piped supplies
Hungary bears the brunt of the blow as percent of the countrys gas needs are supplied from imports and percent comes from Russia
Hungarys Economy Minister Janos Koka said Hungary may discuss the issue with Poland the Czech Republic and Slovakia over the next two days before taking it to the European Commission in Brussels Enditem
CANBERRA Jan Xinhua A light aircraft with seven
people on board crashed shortly after takeoff Monday in eastern Australia
killing at least one person and leaving four others missing police said
Two passengers survived after the singleengine Cessna aircraft smashed into a reservoir near Ipswich about km east of the Queensland state capital Brisbane Enditem
MEXICO CITY Jan Xinhua At least people were killed in road fireworks and other accidents in Latin Americas New Year revels according to reports reaching here on Sunday
El Salvador reported casualties and injuries during celebrations marking the beginning of the authorities said
The spokesman for the countrys civil defense system attributed of the overnight deaths to gunfire
Paraguay where were killed held the second largest death toll Guatemala reported fatalities Costa Rica Colombia three and Brazil and Mexico with one each Enditem
KIEV Jan Xinhua Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko said on Sunday that his country was ready to pay a reasonable market price for Russian gas
Yushchenko made the remarks after a meeting with cabinet members including Prime Minister Yuri Yekhanurov
But he added that the price proposed by Russias stateowned gas monopoly Gazprom US dollars per cubic meters as from Jan was unacceptable to his country
The president also said he would ask his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to bring Gazprom back to the negotiating table in order to find a solution to the deadlocked gas dispute between the two countries
Kiev had never abandoned the negotiations and Moscow was putting economic pressure on Ukraine Yushchenko said
Until the last minute yesterday we were in a constructive negotiating position There was a feeling that the parties had almost come to an agreement he said Unfortunately Gazprom interpreted this as a rejection of the proposed deal by the Ukrainian side
Yushchenko also insisted that Moscows move would not affect Russian gas transit through Ukraine to European countries saying Ukraine assures the transit of gas to Europe without obstacles
Meanwhile Ukraines emergency situations ministry set up a special crisis center and officials warned that heating stations and industrial enterprises in southern and eastern parts of the country could face gas supply reductions
Ukraine and Russia have been locked in a bitter dispute over gas prices with Moscow asking Kiev to pay more than quadruple the current price dollars per cubic meters for the gas it buys from Russia
Earlier in the day Gazprom said it was cutting down its natural gas supply to Ukraine after Kiev rejected Russias demand Enditem
JERUSALEM Jan Xinhua Israels air force attacked the southern Gaza town of Khan Yunes on Sunday night security officials said early Monday
There were no reports of casualties immediately after the attack
The raid targeted a cultural center of the Palestinians ruling Fatah movement Palestinian security forces said
Israeli military officials said the attack was launched on a terrorist center
The attack came as Palestinian militants briefly kidnapped an Italian peace activist and detonated explosives at the UNs beachfront social club Enditem
VIENNA Jan Xinhua Austrias OMV energy company reported a drop of percent in Russias natural gas supply through Ukraine in Sundays fallout of price dispute between the two exSoviet states
Russias energy giant Gazprom on Sunday cut supplies to Ukraine which refused to raise the gas price from US dollars per cubic meters to dollars in a new contract
Ukraine is a transit country for Russias natural gas to Europe
OMV spokeswoman Bettina Gneisz told the APA news agency that an percent mass reduction began at pm GMT
Out of the yearly billion cubic meters of natural gas consumed by Austria almost percent is imported from Russia according to the OMV which is central Europes largest oil and gas group
Russias cuts also reportedly affected deliveries via Ukraine to Hungary Poland and Slovakia Enditem
LIMA Jan Xinhua Bolivias Presidentelect Evo Morales will head for Venezuela on Tuesday to meet with President Hugo Chavez as part of his world tour his spokesman said on Sunday
Morales Venezuelan visit follows a Dec visit to Cuba where he and Cuban leader Fidel Castro discussed ways to strengthen their countries bilateral relations
Morales plans a brief sixhour stop in Venezuelas capital before starting a tour of several countries including European countries South Africa and Brazil said his spokesman Alex Contreras
Unlike his trip to Cuba where he took a large support team of Morales party for his Venezuelan and European visits will be small including his economic adviser Carlos Villegas the spokesman said
Like Castro Chavez also has offered aid to Morales government including a program to provide identity documents for thousands of peasants in Bolivias rural areas said Contreras
Morales won the presidential elections on Dec with nearly percent of the votes Castro is the first head of state that Morales has met with since the elections He officially takes office on Jan Enditem
HAVANA Jan Xinhua Haitis interim government on Sunday confirmed in a statement that the general elections set for Jan would be postponed again according to reports reaching here from the Haitian capital of PortauPrince
This was the fifth time for the elections to be pushed back and the statement did not give a new date for the poll the first since former president Jean Bertrand Aristide was oustered from office in early
A member with the countrys Provisional Election Council CEP said on Friday that the vote would not be held on time
According to sources close to the electoral council and the interim government a first round of the vote was now being considered for Feb
Preparatory work for the poll is still trapped in a state of disarray and many registered voters have not received their electoral identification cards
Meanwhile the interim government of the impoverished Caribbean nation also failed to properly address its security problems as violence and kidnapping have continued plaguing Haiti since Aristide fled the country Enditem
KIEV Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko said on Sunday that his country was ready to pay a reasonable market price for Russian gas
Yushchenko made the remarks after a meeting with cabinet members including Prime Minister Yuri Yekhanurov
But he added that the price proposed by Russias stateowned gas monopoly Gazprom US dollars per cubic meters as from Jan was unacceptable to his country UkraineRussiaGas Dispute
SEOUL South Korean President Roh Moohyun conducted minor reshuffle of cabinet on Monday replacing four ministers according to press release of South Korean Presidential Office
Roh named former Presidential Chief of Staff Kim Wooshik as new deputy prime minister and science and technology minister
A professorturnedpublic servant Kim spent nearly all of his career in academia in the field of engineering SKoreaCabinetReshuffle
HAVANA Haitis interim government on Sunday confirmed in a statement that the general elections set for Jan would be postponed again according to reports reaching here from the Haitian capital of PortauPrince
This was the fifth time for the elections to be pushed back and the statement did not give a new date for the poll the first since former president Jean Bertrand Aristide was oustered from office in early
A member with the countrys Provisional Election Council CEP said on Friday that the vote would not be held on time HaitiElectionsPostpone
Enditem
PYONGYANG Jan Xinhua The Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea DPRK on Monday said Japan should make efforts to redress its past crimes before hoping for a normalization of bilateral relations
The essential for settling the issues related to the DPRKJapan relations is not the abduction issue but the issue of Japans liquidation of its past crimes said the DPRKs official newspaper Minju Joson in a signed commentary
Japan has been pressing DPRK to provide information about the abducted Japanese citizens who the DPRK said had either died or never entered its territory
Japans Chief Cabinet Minister Shinzo Abe said at press conference in early November last year that prior to pressing forward with the negotiation for normalizing diplomatic relations the resolution of abduction issue is extremely important to Japan
If there is no progress toward resolving this issue there will be no progress on other issues he said
However Minju Joson said the present hostile relations between the DPRK and Japan originated from Japans past crimes and the bilateral relations have not made major headway because of Japans failure to redress its crimes
The DPRK and Japan which held twoway talks in Beijing on Dec and agreed to take measures to ease the pains from the past and solve pending issues to normalize their relations at an early date
The two countries plan to resume talks this month by conducting three panel discussions on issues of mutual concern Enditem
HELSINKI Jan Xinhua An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of rocked the South Atlantic on Monday Finlands Institute of Seismology said in a statement
The statement said the earthquake which occurred at GMT may have triggered a tsunami
Meanwhile the US Geological Survey said on its web site that a quake with a magnitude of centered km under the water some km southeast of Bristol Island in the South Sandwich Islands Enditem
KIEV Jan Xinhua The Ukrainian foreign ministry proposed late Sunday night a resumption of talks with Russia which had cut off gas supply to Ukraine over a price dispute
Russian gas giant Gazprom cut off natural gas supply to Ukraine on Sunday after Kiev rejected Russias demand to more than quadruple the price from the US dollars per cubic meters over the past year
The move was aimed at destabilising the Ukraine economy and creating an economic pressure on the country which would also affect gas supplies to Europe as most of the gas it buys from Russia transits through Ukraine the ministry said in a statement
The ministry called on Russia to resume talks involving international experts and stop resorting to nonmarket measures in dealing with the standoff
Earlier Sunday Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko said that his country was ready to pay a reasonable market price for Russian gas
But he added that the price proposed by Russias stateowned gas monopoly Gazprom US dollars per cubic meters as from Jan was unacceptable to his country
The president also said he would ask his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to bring Gazprom back to the negotiating table so as to work out a solution to the deadlocked gas dispute between the two countries Enditem
LONDON Jan Xinhua Following are major news items in leading British newspapers on Monday
The Guardian
A Russian gas supply crisis triggered warnings on Sunday that British householders will face further significant price increases in
The Times
Despite bargainhunters rushing out on Dec and in greater numbers than last year in Britain there was an overall percent drop over the whole postChristmas week Industry experts blamed the cold weather and shopper fatigue
The Independent
Strikes by tube and rail workers failed to dampen the spirits of half a million people who took part in Londons New Years celebrations or cheered Sundays New Years Day parade
The Daily Telegraph
Russia took Europe to the brink of a winter energy crisis on Sunday when it carried out a Cold Warstyle threat and halted gas deliveries to Ukraine the main conduit for exports to the West Enditem
MOSCOW Jan Xinhua Russian gas giant Gazprom
on Monday accused Ukraine of diverting about million
cubic meters of Russian gas intended for customers in other European
countries the Interfax news agency reported Enditem
MOSCOW Jan Xinhua A small plane that took off from Moscow crashed in Ukraine on Monday the Interfax news agency reported
The BAE plane crashed outside of Kharkiv airport in Ukraine at am GMT the Emergency Situations Ministry said
It is unknown now how many people were onboard the plane Enditem
BUDAPEST Jan Xinhua Hungary on Monday noted a percent drop in gas pressure at its border with Ukraine as Russia had cut off gas supplies to Ukraine over a price dispute
Twentyfive percent less natural gas is coming in said Szabolcs Ferenc spokesman for the leading Hungarian energy group Mol
It is impossible to tell whether this drop is caused by the Ukrainians or the Russians but this is a question concerning not just Hungary but also Austria Italy the Czech Republic Ferenc told the commercial radio station Klubradio
According to the spokesman major consumers of natural gas in Hungary might have to switch to oil while common users wont feel much pinch from the reduced supply
Meanwhile countries like Poland Austria and Slovakia also noted drops in Russian gas deliveries
Russian gas giant Gazprom cut off natural gas supply to Ukraine on Sunday after Kiev rejected Russias demand to more than quadruple the price from the US dollars per cubic meters over the past year
The move also poses potential threats to its European consumers as most of the gas they buy from Russia transited from Ukraine Enditem
MOSCOW Jan Xinhua At least two people were killed when a small plane that took off from Moscow with three people onboard crashed in Ukraine on Monday Russian news agencies reported
The BAE plane crashed outside of Kharkiv airport in Ukraine at am GMT about an hour after taking off from Moscows Sheremetyevo airport the Russian Emergency Situations Ministry said
The Ukrainian Emergency Situations Ministry told the ItarTass news agency the plane was carrying three people all of them crewmembers and at least two of them were found dead
The plane fell near a lake and burst into flames when it crashed Rescuers have found two bodies
The private plane was registered in Aruba an island in the Caribbean ItarTass said Enditem
PARIS Jan Xinhua The director general of the World Trade Organization WTO Pascal Lamy said here on Monday that both Russia and Ukraine in a gas dispute should pay their energy at the market price
One of the stakes of this price dispute is the waste of energy in Russia and Ukraine of todayThese countries should pay their energy at the price of todays energy to improve the efficiency of their economy said Lamy at the French news channel LCI
Russia and Ukraine are candidates for the entry to the WTO and their dispute would be easy to understand and tackle if they are both members of this organization said Lamy
Russias natural gas monopoly Gazprom halted sales to Ukraine on Sunday which led to a fall in pressure in all the pipelines and limit the overall supply of gas to Ukraine and Europe
Gasprom had asked Ukraine to pay quadruple the amount it previously paid for Russiasn gas which accounts for about a third of the consumption in the country
Gasprom supplies about onequarter of the gas consumed in Europe most of which goes through pipes that cross Ukraine Enditem
MOSCOW Jan Xinhua Russian gas giant Gazprom accused Ukraine on Monday of tapping about million cubic meters of gas intended for European clients after the company halted gas supply to Ukraine in a grueling dispute over the gas price
Speaking at a press conference in Moscow Gazprom deputy chairman Alexander Medvedev said Ukraine illegally tapped about million cubic meters of gas worth more than million US dollars following the companys cutback on gas supply to Ukraine
If siphoning continues on such a scale the stolen amount will be quite significant Medvedev said
Gazprom cut down exports of gas to Ukraine by million cubic meters a day on Sunday after Kiev shrugged off Moscows demand to more than quadruple the gas price
Medvedev said the company has invited an international audit company to monitor the situation so that there would be independent measurements not only our documents
Gazprom provides about half the gas consumed in the European Union and percent of that amount is sent through pipelines that cross Ukraine
Some central European countries such as Poland Hungary and Austria have borne the brunt of a gas cutback from Gazprom reporting drops in pressure in gas deliveries from Russia Enditem
BRUSSELS Jan Xinhua Belgiums oldest citizen passed away at the age of just before the end of the local radio VRT reported on Monday
For a year and a half the Flemish woman Maria Verkeyn was the oldest Belgian on the planet
As a hat maker throughout her professional life the woman had been a widow for thirty years and had three daughters seven grandchildren and ten greatgrandchildren
For the last eight years Maria Verkeyn had been living in LoppemZedelgem spending most of her time reading bigletter books
Her health had remained excellent until the autumn of However last week a severe cold exhausted her and led to her death on Dec
In next April Maria would have become
Marias passingaway makes the yearold Martha Annaert in Londerzeel the oldest Belgian alive Enditem
LONDON Jan Xinhua Russias cutoff of natural gas to Ukraine following a price row is to have a limited impact on Britain which does not rely heavily on Russian gas imports British Energy Minister Malcolm Wicks said on Monday
We are not a heavy importer of gas from Russia so the effects here should be less than elsewhere Wicks told BBC radio one day after Russian gas giant Gazprom cut down natural gas supply to Ukraine
The Russian side made the decision after Ukraine rejected Mosdows request to raise the gas price from US dollars per cubic meters to dollars to meet market price levels
Gazprom provides about half the gas consumed in the European Union EU and some percent of that amount is sent through pipelines that cross Ukraine
Britain does not import gas directly from Russia but it is connected to the Europewide wholesale gas distribution network through a pipeline that runs beneath the North Sea between Belgium and the north of England
EU energy officials are set to convene an emergency session on Wednesday to discuss the gas supply situation of the nation bloc Enditem
PRAGUE Jan Xinhua Czech gas supplies remained unaffected by Russias cutoff of supplies to Ukraine Czech gas importer and distributor RWE Transgas said on Monday
The gas supplies transported from Russia via Ukraine have not been affected by the cutback RWE Transgas spokesman Martin Chalupsky said without elaborating
Russian gas giant Gazprom cut down natural gas supplies to Ukraine on Sunday after Kiev rejected Russias demand to more than quadruple the price
Many European countries such as Austria Hungary Poland and Slovakia which rely heavily on the Russian gas from the pipelines that cross Ukraine have reported a sharp drop in their supplies
The Czechs receive around twothirds of their gas from Russia the rest coming from Norway Enditem
LONDON Jan Xinhua The dispute between Russia and Ukraine over gas prices posed no immediate threat to gas supplies in Britain but there may be knockon effects because Britain imports gas from Europe a British energy official said
There is no immediate threat to gas supplies in the UK none of the UKs gas is imported directly from Russia British Energy Minister Malcolm Wicks was quoted by the Sky News as saying on Monday a day after the row between Russia and Ukraine erupted over a proposed fourfold increase in charges for gas from Russia
But Wicks cautioned It is however important that we understand the potential impacts of the negotiation for the European gas market including the impact on prices
Britain does not import gas directly from Russia but is connected to the Europewide wholesale gas distribution network through a pipeline beneath the North Sea between Belgium and the north of England
Wicks who is scheduled to attend a meeting of EU colleagues on Wednesday said the row was a developing situation and it was therefore too early to make predictions Around fifth of European gas imports come from Russia via Ukraine
Energywatch chief executive Allan Asher has warned that companies would try to exploit the uncertainty in Ukraine to push them still higher saying The gas and oil companies are always looking for excuses to ramp up the prices
The British gas industry is already under fire from consumer watchdog for raising prices ahead of the latest development
Scottish and Southern Energy SSE increased gas bills on Sunday by percent and electricity charges by percent while Npower put up its prices by percent for gas and percent for electricity Enditem
BUCHAREST Jan Xinhua A RussianUkrainian natural gas price row has resulted in a drop of five million cubic meters of gas supplies to Romania per day but unusually warm winter temperatures have counteracted the impact Romanian Economy Minister Codrut Seres said Monday
We are dealing with a fall of five million cubic meters a day from the amount of gas imported by Romania from Russia Seres told the Realitatea TV station
Romania is a heavy importer of Russian natural gas but Seres said the drop did not affect the consumers much as the country was experiencing unusually warm winter days
Russian gas giant Gazprom cut down natural gas supplies to Ukraine on Sunday after Kiev shrugged off Moscows demand to more than quadruple the gas price
Gazprom provides about half the gas consumed in the European Union EU and some percent of that amount is sent through pipelines that cross Ukraine Enditem
VIENNA Jan Xinhua Austrias natural gas supplies from Russian via Ukraine have dropped by about a third Austrian oil and energy group OMV said on Monday
Overnight the reduction in Russian gas imports increased significantly OMV said in a statement adding that the problem was much more serious than previously thought
The reduction came after Russia cut off gas supplies to Ukraine on Sunday as the two nations failed to resolve a price dispute by a Saturday deadline Russia is seeking to sharply raise the price of gas but Ukraine has rejected Moscows demands
OMV spokeswoman Bettina Gneisz had already announced an percent drop in gas supplies on Sunday evening
Reports from Hungary and Slovakia which receive Russian gas pumped through Ukraine before passing it on to Austria said on late Sunday that there was a noticeable drop
Despite the increasingly severe gas shortfalls in Austria the OMV said the gas reserves and domestic production were enough to meet the needs of the population and firms
OMV Manager Werner Auli said there might be a bottleneck in supplies to large users but under no circumstances would there be cuts for the private households
Annual gas consumption in Austria stands at around billion cubic meters and percent of it comes from Russia Enditem
KIEV Jan Xinhua Ukraine said Monday it would extract some of the Russian gas pipelined through it to the European Union as payment for transit if temperatures fall below freezing
In a row over the gas price the Russian gas giant Gazprom on Monday accused Ukraine of diverting about million cubic meters of Russian gas intended for customers in other European countries a charge denied by Kiev later
If the temperatures fall below zero to minus three or minus five degrees Celsius we will extract Russian gas that we receive as payment for transit in line with existing contractual conditions Ukrainian Energy Minister Ivan Plachkov said according to the InterfaxUkraine news agency
Gazprom on Sunday cut off gas supplies to Ukraine after Ukraine refused to pay more than quadruple the current price dollars per cubic meters for the gas it buys from Russia in Enditem
WASHINGTON Jan Xinhua A strong earthquake measuring on the Richter scale shook a remote area of the South Atlantic on Monday the US Geological Survey USGS reported
But a tsunami is unlikely as the quake occurred at a depth of km the agency said on its website Generally speaking a quake of similar scale can cause a tsunami if it occurs in a shallow area under the sea
The USGS said the quake took place at GMT about km southeast of Bristol Island South Sandwich Islands and about km southeast of Buenos Aires
Finlands Institute of Seismology earlier registered the quake as magnitude warning that it may have triggered a tsunami
The Chinese and Japanese seismological agencies reported the same earthquake with magnitude
Since a tsunami that hit the Indian Ocean in December devastated parts of Southeast Asia the world has been on high alert against the potential of undersea quakes to trigger another giant wave
Some people died on shorelines in Asia and Africa in the disaster Enditem
STOCKHOLM Jan Xinhua Norway West Europes biggest natural gas exporter is unable to fill a gas supply gap in central Europe caused by Russias cutoff of deliveries to Ukraine officials said on Monday
Russias statecontrolled gas giant Gazprom cut deliveries to Ukraine on Sunday after Kiev refused a nearquadruple increase in the price it pays for Russian gas in
The price row also affected central European countries as the pipelines that transit Ukraine also supply parts of western Europe
We are producing at full capacity We cannot do anything about it for the time being Norways Oil and Energy Ministry spokeswoman Trude Larstad said
According to Norwegian energy officials Norways pipeline system has been delivering near record volumes about million cubic meters per day to the European continent and Britain
Major producer companies in Norway also said their production was running at full capacity during winter time Enditem
KIEV Jan Xinhua The Ukrainian presidents office said on Monday Turkmenistan was not part of Russias natural gas boycott against Ukraine and that the Central Asian republic wanted its gas exports to Ukraine to continue
A press statement from the office said President Viktor Yushchenko had a telephone conversation on Monday with his Turkmenistan counterpart Saparmurat Niyazov who was said to have agreed to maintain gas deliveries
Russian gas giant Gazprom cut down natural gas supplies to Ukraine on Sunday after Kiev rejected Moscows demand to sharply raise gas prices
Ukraine relies heavily on natural gas imports with up to percent of its gas needs coming from foreign supplies Of the total imports twothirds came from Russia with the rest supplied by Turkmenistan Endtiem
SOFIA Jan Xinhua Bulgarias gas importer Bulgargaz said on Monday it was considering imposing restrictions on the use of the fuel after Russias cutoff of natural gas supplies to Ukraine
The gas supply to Bulgaria is normal for the moment But we have to consider that during the holidays industrial consumers have not been working Dimitar Gogov director of Bulgargazs economic department told national radio
If necessary we could impose restrictions on gas supplies which would be applied last to consumers who do not have any other alternative fuel than natural gas Gogov said
He noted Bulgaria had three months of stocks for domestic use in case of a serious fuel shortage
Bulgaria receives around percent of its natural gas from Russia via Ukraine
Russian gas giant Gazprom cut down natural gas supplies to Ukraine on Sunday after Kiev rejected Russias demand to more than quadruple the price
Many European countries including Austria Hungary Poland and Slovakia which rely heavily on Russian gas from the pipelines that cross Ukraine have reported a sharp drop in their supplies Enditem
Eds UPDATES with Ukraines denial
MOSCOW Jan Xinhua Russian gas giant Gazprom accused Ukraine on Monday of tapping about million cubic meters of gas intended for European clients after the company halted gas supply to Ukraine in a grueling dispute over the gas price
Speaking at a press conference in Moscow Gazprom deputy chairman Alexander Medvedev said Ukraine illegally tapped about million cubic meters of gas worth more than million US dollars following the companys cutback on gas supply to Ukraine
If siphoning continues on such a scale the stolen amount will be quite significant Medvedev said adding his company has invited an international audit company to monitor the situation in order to provide independent measurements not only our documents
Gazprom cut down exports of gas to Ukraine by million cubic meters a day on Sunday after Kiev shrugged off Moscows demand to more than quadruple the gas price
Ukraine was buying Russian gas at US dollars per cubic meters over the past year and Gazprom has asked Ukraine to pay dollars
Responding to the Russian charge of theft Ukrainian Fuel and Energy Minister Ivan Plachkov said Ukraine did not consume Russian gas and is instead tapping its own reserve
There has been no unauthorized diversion of gas Ukraine is using its own gas gas from underground storages and gas from Turkmenistan in strict compliance with the signed contract Plachkov was quoted by the Interfax news agency as saying in Kiev
Ukraine guarantees the transit of Russian gas along its territory at its own expense he said
But the minister added if temperatures drop to minus three or minus five degrees Celsius Ukraine will start using Russian gas received as payment for transit fees under existing contract terms
Gazprom provides about half the gas consumed in the European Union and percent of that amount is sent through pipelines that cross Ukraine
Some central European countries such as Poland Hungary and Austria have borne the brunt of a gas cutback from Gazprom reporting drops in gas deliveries from Russia
EU energy officials are set to convene an emergency session on Wednesday to discuss the gas supply situation of the nation bloc
In an apparent bid to calm the Europeans who feared a gas cutback from Russia might give them a chilly start to the new year Medvedev said his company will do everything possible to ensure gas supply to European clients
We will be able to adjust the system to meet export commitments in the nearest future Medvedev said Enditem
WASHINGTON Jan Xinhua The following are major news items in leading US newspapers on Monday
The New York Times
A Pentagon contractor that paid Iraqi newspapers to print positive articles written by American soldiers has also been compensating Sunni religious scholars in Iraq in return for assistance with its propaganda work according to current and former employees
Russia cut off the natural gas intended for Ukraine on Sunday as talks over pricing and transit terms unraveled into a bald political conflict that carried consequences for Ukraines recovering economy and possibly for gas supplies to Western Europe
The Washington Post
The Bush administration does not intend to seek any new funds for Iraq reconstruction in the budget request going before Congress in February officials in Baghdad say
US President George W Bush on Sunday mounted his third defense in two weeks of his secret domestic spying program calling his order authorizing warrantless eavesdropping on US citizens a limited legal program that Americans understand is protecting their security Enditem
PARIS Jan Xinhua Late president Francois Mitterand was ranked as Frances best president since the Fifth Republic began in according to an opinion poll published by the Liberation daily on Monday
Mitterrand who led the country from to was favored by percent of respondents in the survey conducted by CSA polling agency
The first president of the Fifth Republic Gen Charles de Gaulle claimed the second place with percent support
Incumbent President Jacques Chirac was listed the third with percent support followed by Georges Pompidou with percent and Valery Giscard dEstaing at percent
Mitterand was strongly favored for integrating young immigrants to the French society upholding democracy and fighting unemployment
Chirac gained high scores for his efforts in the European integration process building the national economy lifting Frances role in the world and safeguarding peoples security
The poll was conducted on Dec by questioning people The margin of error was not provided Enditem
VIENNA Jan Xinhua Austrian protesters blocked a border crossing to the Czech Republic on Monday in protest against the nuclear power plant at Temelin just across the border
The protesters said the Temelin power plant located km from the Austrian border was still unsafe and the Melk agreement reached in December by Vienna and Prague to improve the plants safety had never been implemented
The demonstrators said they would conduct a series of protests Enditem
PARIS Jan Xinhua French Industry Minister Francois Loos said on Monday that only percent of the French gas consumption would be affected by the RussiaUkraine gas dispute
We are supplied by Russia through the pipe for percent of our consumption which is much less than the Austrians the Germans and the Italians Loos said
He said the government was confident the problem would be avoided
Russian gas giant Gazprom cut down natural gas supplies to Ukraine on Sunday after Kiev rejected Russias demand to more than quadruple the price
Many European countries including Austria Hungary Poland and Slovakia which rely heavily on Russian gas from the pipelines that cross Ukraine have reported a sharp drop in their supplies Enditem
BERLIN Jan Xinhua There was no reason to worry about gas shortages in Germany after Russia cut off supplies to Ukraine on Sunday in a price dispute the German government said on Monday
The million German households for the moment have no cause for concern They will not be affected by what has happened so far said Economy Minister Michael Glos
Germany has sufficient gas in storage and has contracts with many other gassupplying countries Glos said adding that the country could also fall back on using coal and nuclear energy for heating
But the German government urged Moscow and Kiev to resolve their dispute over natural gas deliveries as soon as possible and without disrupting Europes gas supply
We expect both Russia and Ukraine to fulfil their obligations in terms of delivering and transporting gas in full deputy government spokesman Thomas Steg said on Monday
German Foreign Minister FrankWalter Steinmeier had talked to EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana and was planning to talk to his Austrian counterpart Ursula Plassnik in an effort to find a common European position over the gas dispute he added
Eightyfour percent of Germanys gas needs are met by imports with percent coming from Russia
But Germany also has contracts with several other gas suppliers including Norway and has sufficient gas stocks to last days
Russias gas giant Gazprom cut off gas supplies to Ukraine on Sunday after Kiev rejected Moscows demand for a sharp rise in gas prices in
On Monday it accused Ukraine of diverting about million US dollars worth of Russian gas intended for customers in other European countries
Despite some European countries complains of a fall of pressure in their pipelines since the Gazprom cut the biggest importer in Germany EON Ruhrgas said on Sunday it had not yet detected any immediate problems
Even if the conflict were to worsen there will no shortages affecting households and small consumers EON Ruhrgas which owns a percentstake in Gazprom said in a statement
But it added If the restrictions were to go beyond a certain level and the winter turns out to be particularly severe our ability to compensate for the disruptions could reach their limits Enditem
KIEV Ukraine said Monday it would extract some of the Russian gas pipelined through it to the European Union as payment for transit if temperatures fall below freezing
In a row over the gas price the Russian gas giant Gazprom on Monday accused Ukraine of diverting about million cubic meters of Russian gas intended for customers in other European countriesa charge denied by Kiev later UkraineRussiaGas dispute
WASHINGTON A strong earthquake measuring on the Richter scale shook a remote area of the South Atlantic on Monday the US Geological Survey USGS reported
But a tsunami is unlikely as the quake occurred at a depth of km the agency said on its website Generally speaking a quake of similar scale can cause a tsunami if it occurs in a shallow area under the sea USSouth AtlanticQuake
KABUL Three people including the suicide attacker were killed in a suicide explosion in the southern Afghan province of Kandahar on Monday police chief of the province Abdul Hakim told Xinhua
A suicide bomber detonated explosives in a car near a convoy of foreign soldiers in Kandahar killing himself and other two people AfghanistanSuicide bombing
ANKARA A convoy carrying Turkish Ambassador to Iraq Unal Cevikoz was attacked on Monday by machine guns in Baghdad capital of Iraq damaging some vehicles but causing no casualties the semiofficial Anatolia news agency reported TurkeyIraqAmbassadors convoy Enditem
BERLIN Jan Xinhua Germany will increase gas imports from Russia in the future if only Russias deliveries are reliable German Economy Minister Michael Glos said on Monday
Russia which assumed the presidency of the Group of Eight G industrial nations this month cut off gas supplies to Ukraine on Sunday after Kiev rejected its demand for a steep increase in the gas price
The move aroused fears of insecurity in the energy sector in some European countries as gas supplies via Ukraine to Europe began to drop dramatically after Russias cutoff of deliveries
Glos told the German radio station WDR that Russia had an obligation to act responsibly in the dispute Russia has the G presidency and also here in this dispute one should naturally act responsibly
Thirty percent of our gas comes from Russia at the moment That should be increased Glos said But it can only be increased if we know that deliveries from the east are dependable
Germanys former Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder made it at the top of his governments agenda to strengthen energy ties between Berlin and Moscow
He and Russian President Vladimir Putin reached a deal last year to build a RussianGerman gas pipeline which would bypass Poland and the Baltic states
The new government of Angela Merkel has promised a more balanced approach with Russia
About three quarters of Germanys gas supplies comes from Russia via Ukraine Enditem
KIEV Jan Xinhua Ukraines Prime Minister Yury Ekhanurov announced on Monday an energy economy program aimed at guaranteeing continued regular natural gas supplies in Ukraine after Russias halt of gas deliveries
Russia cut off gas supplies to Ukraine on Sunday after Ukraine refused to pay more than quadruple the current price dollars per cubic meters for the gas it buys from Russia in
I want to make clear that the Ukrainian population will not feel the effects of the blockade at all Ekhanurov said at the opening of a televised meeting
Our priorities are natural gas for small users central heating stations and staterun institutions such as schools and hospitals he said
The prime minister said metal and chemical manufacturing firms could suffer shortages and should look to energy economy and alternative power sources
Staterun power producers would also use oil and coal as a substitute he said
Ukraine would pursue a longterm goal of improving energy efficiency something most of Ukrainian industry has largely avoided due to decades of cheap Russian fuel supplies Ekhanurov said Enditem
DC
DC
DC
DC
F
KUALA LUMPUR Jan Xinhua Malaysia has placed the th Asian Games and the th Commonwealth Games as the top priorities for the country in and Malaysian athletes and officials vowed here on Sunday in their new year wishes to secure more golds in the two events
The Commonwealth Games slated for March in Melborne Australia and the Asian Games scheduled for December in Doha the United Arab Emirates are among the five major events that Malaysian badminton athletes will focus on Malaysian National Badminton Chief Coach Yap Kim Hock said
The main target of Malaysias National Badminton Team in the year is to win one gold in the Asian Games and three in the Commonwealth Games he said
T Paramalingan secretary of the Malaysian Hockey Federation MHF said that the Malaysian hockey team could win a gold in the Asian Games this year and qualify for the World Cup slated for September in Germany
MHF officials will work harder to take the sport to a higher level in Asia and then the world Paramalingan said
During the Southeast Asian Games held in Manila capital of the Philippines last year Malaysian athletes won four golds fulfilling the official target but they should have snapped more said P Arivalagan coach of the Malaysian National Karate Team
In the Malaysian National Karate Team is determined to maintain the two golds that it won in the past he added
Local media said on Sunday that most of Malaysian sports including badminton karate and hockey are going for golds in the Asian Games this year
Malaysia has not won an Asian Games gold since the Bangkok Asian Games in the s but this year this is definitely the Malaysian shuttlers main goal
Malaysian Youth and Sports Minister Azalina Othman Said said that was a satisfying year for Malaysia but the government will be more involved in sports in
She hoped that all the Malaysian national associations could be well prepared for that
The government also wanted sports to become a participating culture rather than just a watching culture she added Enditem
BERLIN Jan Xinhua Jakub Janda of the Czech Republic won the second leg of the annual ski jumping Four Hills tour in GarmischPartenkirchen Germany on Sunday
This was his fifth World Cup win of the season
Janda tied with Finlands Janne Ahonen with a total meters over two leaps but was awarded more points for his control in the air and smooth landings
Janda scored points more than defending champion Ahonen Finlands Matti Hautamaki was third on Enditem
BERLIN Jan Xinhua Following are the results from the second leg of the ski jumping Four Hills Tour in GarmischPartenkirchen Germany on Sunday
Jakub Janda Czech Republic points meters meters
Janne Ahonen Finland
Matti Hautamaki Finland
Andreas Kuettel Switzerland
Roar Ljokelsoy Norway
Andreas Kofler Austria
Michael Uhrmann Germany
Simon Ammann Switzerland
Georg Spaeth Germany
Takanobu Okabe Japan
Four Hills Tour
After two of four events
Janne Ahonen Finland points
Jakub Janda Czech Republic
Matti Hautamaki Finland
Roar Ljokelsoy Norway
Takanobu Okabe Japan
World Cup standings
After nine of events
Jakub Janda Czech Republic points
Janne Ahonen Finland
Andreas Kuettel Swizerland
Michael Uhrmann Germany
Roar Ljokelsoy Norway
Andreas Widhoelzl Austria
Adam Malysz Poland Enditem
LONDON Jan Xinhua Following are the results and standings from the Scottish premier league on Sunday
Sunday January
Hearts lost to Celtic
Saturday December
Aberdeen tied Inverness Caledonian Thistle
Falkirk lost to Dunfermline Athletic
Livingston lost to Motherwell
Rangers bt Dundee United
Standings tabulated under games played won drawn lost goals for against points
Celtic
Hearts
Hibernian
Rangers
Kilmarnock
Motherwell
Inverness Caledonian Thistle
Aberdeen
Dundee United
Falkirk
Dunfermline Athletic
Livingston
Next Fixtures GMT
Monday January
Kilmarnock vs Hibernian Enditem
ROME Jan Xinhua Sampdoria striker Emiliano Bonazzoli damaged a knee ligament in training on Sunday and could be out for the rest of the season according to the Italian news agency Ansa
Bonazzoli who has nine goals to his credit in the Italian first division soccer league this season suffered partial rupture to the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee according to club doctor Giuliano Cerulli Enditem
OTTAWA Jan Xinhua The United States womens ice hockey team got a little momentum against Team Canada Sunday afternoon in Winnipeg Canada with a win
Krissy Wendell scored her squads first and last goals in the final contest between the Canadians and Americans before the teams head to the Olympic Games in Turin Italy in February reports reaching here said
Canada the defending Olympic champions dropped to against the US since September Their only other loss was a shootout defeat in an exhibition game Nov
A crowd of came out to the MTS Centre clad in red and white and prepared to cheer on the Canadians But Wendell ruined the atmosphere just seconds in when she beat Canadian goalie Charline Labonte with a wraparound
Canada got the fans back into things three minutes later on the power play when Gina Kingsbury took the puck during a scramble in front of the crease and fired it past US goalie Pam Dreyer
A goal by Katie King at of the first period gave the Americans the lead once again
After killing off two power plays midway through the second the Canadians tied the game on a goal by Danielle Goyette at
The Americans took a lead five minutes into the third on a marker by Jenny Potter but Canada got that one back at when Cheryl Pounder sent a rebound behind Dreyer
The Americans then put the game out of reach when Kristin King and Wendell scored three minutes apart in the final stanza
The two teams are the heavy favourites to compete for the gold medal in Turin The US enters as the current world champions after beating Canada last April in a shootout following a tie in regulation and overtime
Canadas member squad includes veterans who won gold at the Salt Lake City Olympics in and seven who also brought home silver from the Games in Nagano Japan
Canada begins its quest for Olympic gold Feb against Italy while the US battles Switzerland Enditem
CANBERRA Jan Xinhua Following are the results from the Australian womens hardcourt tennis championship at Gold Coast on Monday prefix number denotes seeding
First round
Dinara Safina Russia bt Evgenia Linetskaya Russia
Francesca Schiavone Italy bt Meng Yuan China
Sybille Bammer Austria bt Katerina Bohmova Czech Republic
Jarmila Gajdosova Slovakia bt Tathiana Garbin Italy Enditem
CANBERRA Jan Xinhua Following are the results of matches at the Australian womens hardcourt tennis championship at Gold Coast on Monday Prefix number denotes seeding
First round
Dinara Safina Russia bt Evgenia Linetskaya Russia
Francesca Schiavone Italy bt Meng Yuan China
Sybille Bammer Austria bt Katerina Bohmova Czech Republic
Jarmila Gajdosova Slovakia bt Tathiana Garbin Italy
Martina Hingis Switzerland bt Maria VentoKabchi Venezuela
Anabel Medina Garrigues Spain bt Ahsha Rolle United States
Enditem
WASHINGTON Jan Xinhua Following are the results of Sundays NBA games home team in CAPS
MIAMI bt Minnesota
LA Clippers bt PORTLAND
Utah bt LA LAKERS
Enditem
WASHINGTON Jan Xinhua Following are the NBA standings after Sundays games
EASTERN CONFERENCE
ATLANTIC DIVISION
W L PCT GB
New Jersey
Philadelphia
Boston
Toronto
NY Knicks
CENTRAL DIVISION
W L PCT GB
Detroit
Cleveland
Milwaukee
Indiana
Chicago
SOUTHEAST DIVISION
W L PCT GB
Miami
Orlando
Washington
Charlotte
Atlanta
WESTERN CONFERENCE
NORTHWEST DIVISION
W L PCT GB
Minnesota
Utah
Denver
Seattle
Portland
PACIFIC DIVISION
W L PCT GB
Phoenix
LA Clippers
Golden State
LA Lakers
Sacramento
SOUTHWEST DIVISION
W L PCT GB
San Antonio
Dallas
Memphis
NO Oklahoma City
Houston
Enditem
CANBERRA Jan Xinhua Following are the results from the tennis Hopman Cup Mixed Singles matches at Perth on Monday
Peter Wessels Netherlands bt Gaston Gaudio Argentina
Michaella Krajicek Netherlands bt Gisela Dulko Argentina Enditem
KAMPALA Jan Xinhua Uganda Cricket Association UCA selectors committee has released the final lists of the U boys and national women squads that will represent Uganda in the revived International Cricket Council ICC east Africa regional tournaments
Chairman of the committee Robert Kisubi was quoted by local press on Monday as saying that Ahmed Yakubu of Castle Development XI was named captain for the U boys squad while Mukankusi Barbara is the skipper for the national womens team
The regional tournament will be held in Nairobi Kenya between January and
The Ugandan teams will leave for Kenya on Tuesday by road for the weeklong tournament that shall bring together players from Rwanda Uganda Tanzania and Kenya Enditem
WASHINGTON Jan Xinhua Andrei Kirilenko scored points to lead the Utah Jazz to a victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday in Los Angeles
Keith McLeod scored four of his points in the final seconds and Utah took full advantage of Kobe Bryants suspension
Bryant was suspended for two games by the NBA after committing a flagrant foul against Mike Miller during last Wednesdays loss to Memphis
Brian Cook connected on his first eight shots and finished with points for the Lakers who lost their fourth straight game after winning nine of their previous
In Miami Dwyane Wade scored points and Miami used a big third quarter to pull away to a victory over Minnesota
Shaquille ONeal had points and James Posey had points for the Heat who moved to a seasonhigh six games over
Wally Szczerbiak scored points and Kevin Garnett matched a season low with for Minnesota which has won two of its last games but remains atop the Midwest Division
At Portland Oregon Elton Brand had points and rebounds when the Los Angeles Clippers defeated the Portland Trail Blazers
The Clippers had lost straight in Portland since an win on April and of since the start of the season
After getting off to a start this November the Clippers went in December
Cuttino Mobley had points for the Clippers and Sam Cassell added Blazers Juan Dixon had points Enditem
CANBERRA Jan Xinhua Following are the results from the ASB Classic Womens tennis tournament at Auckland on Monday prefix number denotes seeding
Victoria Azarenka Belarus bt Amy Frazier United States
Nadia Petrova Russia bt Mariana Diaz Oliva Argentina
Katarina Srebotnik Slovenia bt Eleni Daniilidou Greece
Enditem
CANBERRA Jan Xinhua Following are the results from Hopman Cup tennis mixed teams tournament at Perth on Monday
Group B
Netherlands bt Argentina
Womens singles
Michaella Krajicek Netherlands bt Gisela Dulko Argentina
Mens singles
Peter Wessels Netherlands bt Gaston Gaudio Argentina
Mixed doubles
GaudioDulko Argentina bt WesselsKrajicek Netherlands special match tiebreak
Enditem
LUSAKA Jan Xinhua Zambias Englandbased star striker Collins Mbesuma French export Jacob Mulenga and Germanydomiciled midfielder Andrew Sinkala will join their national team at the campsite in France
Times of Zambia Monday quoted assistant coach Ben Bamfuchile as saying here Sunday that the trio still have commitments to their respective clubs
The technical bench is not worried at the late arrival of the trio given that they will still be in shape while training for their clubs
He said the training camp in France is important for Zambia as the southern part of the Europe experience similar climate conditions with what the players should expect in the largely Mediterranean Egypt during the AFCON African Cup of Nations
Bamfuchile said there is also a possibility of Zambian playing some Egyptbound national teams who are also camping in France to supplement the friendly against Ligue outfit Monaco which is all but secured
Bamfuchile said Kalusha will this week announce his final squad for the biennial championship Enditem
LUSAKA Jan Xinhua Zambia is to host a regional swimming contest Thursday which is the first time for the southern Africa country to receive such an event
Robert Wellman president of the Zambia Amateur Swimming Union ZASU who is also the event coordinator was cited by local newspaper Zambia Daily Mail as saying swimmers from three countries Uganda Malawi and Namibia had so far arrived in the capital city Lusaka while swimmers of Kenya Swaziland Zimbabwe and South Africa would be in the city within next few days
The event is sponsored by several local companies but Wellman said ZASU still has a shortfall of million kwacha about US dollars out of the required budget of million kwacha about dollars
Wellman said the shortfall would not derail the program from going ahead
We will try to raise the money before Thursday within ZASU he added Enditem
NAIROBI Jan Xinhua The world soccer governing body FIFA has yet again showed their unwavering support to the embattled Kenya Football Federation KFF Chairman Alfred Sambu by inviting him to a meeting slated for Cairo later this month local media reported Monday
Sambu who seems to have taken a soft stand on matters affecting football in the country will be accompanied by his secretary Moni Wekesa local newspaper The People Daily said The meeting is set for Cairo on Jan
According to a local website Kenyafootballcom the meeting will be attended by top FIFA officials among them the President of the world body Sepp Blatter They will discuss problems affecting football and how to settle the wrangles afflicting KFF
The meeting will come only two weeks before a deadline given to KFF by FIFA expires FIFA have already dismissed resolutions passed by KFF stakeholders a few weeks ago which included the removal of Wekesa
The invitation of Sambu and Wekesa to the meeting is just another pointer that FIFA wants to continue playing football in the new year with Sambus team
Meanwhile the Kenya Premier League KPL has put in place plans to start a new football association if the KFF is banned by FIFA in February
In a statement approved by top clubs in the country Mumias Sugar AFC Leopards KCB Mathare United Tusker FC Shabana and Ulinzi the clubs said they are ready to go on their own
They said the new association will be operated like a private company with all clubs as shareholders
This will ensure that never again are clubs taken for granted and keep off pretenders from football management the statement said
The KPL officials expressed concern that KFF has not made any effort to meet FIFA conditions making a ban inevitable
They pointed out that clubs would be the sufferers in case of a ban and the move to form a new association is to safeguard the interests of players officials and clubs
The only condition KFF has met is the withdrawal of cases but this may not be enough to convince FIFA not to ban the country said the statement
The KPL also challenged KFF officials to make public their audited accounts during next months Special General Meeting SGM in Nairobi
Kenyan football has been torn apart by the political infighting within the KFF which has seen the emergence of two factions fighting for control of the secretariat
One is led by Alfred Sambu and Moni Wekesa still recognized by FIFA as the KFFs chairman and general secretary while the other is headed by the federations former general secretary Titus Kasuve and supported by Kenyan government Enditem
LONDON Jan Xinhua Shinji Ono seemingly on his way back to Japan from Feyenoord may yet be thrown a European lifeline after Bolton Wanderer admitted interest in bringing the Japanese international forward to England
Earlier this month the Dutch giants confirmed that the yearold who scored goals during appearances for the De Kuip Stadium outfit was to leave the Netherlands and return home to play for his former side Urawa Red Diamonds
Following Feyenoords announcement however Ono has made no secret of his desire to stay in Europe a stance that is clearly attracting the Trotters
He Ono is a player that we would be very interested in Wanderers boss Sam Allardyce told the clubs official website
While Allardyce believes Ono who nearly signed for Bolton last August could play a vital part in his teams bid for both Premiership and UEFA Cup glory the Englishman has also been quick to admit that due to financial constraints a permanent deal for Ono may be beyond the Premiership highflyers
If we could get him on a loan deal then that would be very nice but I am sure his club will want a fee
Should Ono make the move to Bolton he will become the third Asian on the books at Wanderers impressive Reebok Stadium after international colleague Hidetoshi Nakata and Oman goalkeeper Ali Al Habsi who is scheduled to join the fourtime FA Cup winner next month Enditem
CANBERRA Jan Xinhua Following are the results from the Mondial Australian womens hardcourt tournament in Adelaide Australia on Monday prefix number denotes seeding
Singles first round
Flavia Pennetta Italy bt Ekaterina Bychkova Russia
Nuria Llagostera Spain bt Sun Tiantian China
Angela Haynes United States bt Karolina Sprem Croatia
Anabel Medina Spain bt Ahsha Rolle United States
Martina Hingis Switzerland bt Maria VentoKabchi Venezuela
Jarmila Gajdosova Slovakia bt Tathiana Garbin Italy
Sybille Bammer Austria bt Katerina Boehmova Czech Republic
Francesca Schiavone Italy bt Yuan Meng China
Dinara Safina Russia bt Evgenia Linetskaya Russia
Enditem
CANBERRA Jan Xinhua Following are the results from the Next Generation Adelaide International mens tennis tournament in Adelaide Australia on Monday prefix number denotes seeding
Tommy Robredo Spain bt Juergen Melzer Austria
Xavier Malisse Belgium bt Peter Luczak Australia
Philipp Kohlschreiber Germany bt Chris Guccione Australia
Tomas Berdych Czech Republic bt Agustin Calleri Argentina Enditem
WASHINGTON Jan Xinhua Following are the US National Football League playoff program which was announced on Sunday
First round
January
Washington at Tampa Bay
Jacksonville at New England
January
Carolina at New York Giants
Pittsburgh at Cincinnati
Second round
January
To be determined at Denver
To be determined at Chicago
January
To be determined at Seattle
To be determined at Indianapolis
Conference finals
January
SUPER BOWL
February
at Detroit Michigan
Enditem
BERLIN Jan Xinhua Germany cocah Jurgen Klinsmann said he is confident that his team will reach the World Cup final in July
I am convinced that it will be a tremendous World Cup Klinsmann told Mondays edition of Bild newspaper in an interview
We have already booked our hotel rooms in Berlin We will go all the way because we saw during the Confederation Cup that we are getting the balance of the team right
The former international striker has been under fire over his decision to continue to live in the United States his indecision over which goalkeeper to select and his tactical arrangement
But he insists that everything is right on track
We are sure we are on course and we will use the next few months to
finetune things We will then be very difficult to beat he said
It will be an especially important year for Germany because it will be another or years before we once again play host to the World Cup finals Enditem
PARIS Jan Xinhua Swiss tennis star Roger Federer has been named Champion of Champions for by French sports daily LEquipe
The world No received points in a vote by LEquipe journalists placing him well ahead of second placed Valentino Rosso the world motorcycle champion from Italy who got points
Third place went to Formula world champion Fernando Alonso of Spain points with Ethiopian distance runner Kenenisa Bekele in fourth points
The yearold Federer dominated mens tennis in completing a WimbledonUS Open double for the second straight year and compiling an winning record along the way
Federer is the only the second tennis player to win the LEquipe award in its year history after Andre Agassi in
Roger Federer is admirable not only for his successes LEquipe commented He also is the incarnation of perfection on a tennis court powerful and at the same time elegant
He is without doubt the leader of a new generation of champions in all sports early in this new century Enditem
PARIS Jan Xinhua Frances Italianborn ski coach Severino Bottero was killed on Monday in a motorway car crash near here police said
The yearold Bottero was driving alone between Sallanches and Cluses in the foothills to the French Alps when his car veered violently off the road and crashed into a ditch
Bottero was Frances giant slalom coach between first for women and then for men before taking over coaching duties with the Italian team He returned to coach the French in May of last year to prepare for Februarys Winter Olympics Enditem
CANBERRA Jan Xinhua Former world No Martina Hingis made a successful comeback to competitive tennis Monday after a threeyear absence beating Maria VentoKabchi of Venezuela at the Australian womens hardcourt championships in Adelaide
Hingis winner of five Grand Slam singles titles had a nervous start when both players exchanged service breaks
But the yearold Swiss outplayed her opponent for the rest of the match and will face seventhseeded Klara Koukalova of the Czech Republic in the second round
Hingis also plans to play in next weeks Sydney International on a wild card and the Australian Open at Melbourne beginning Jan a tournament she has won three times
I was a little nervous Hingis told the soldout Royal Pines stadium after the match Id like to thank my family and friends for supporting me
Hingis said the win had given her a confidence boost
Its big she said I get another opportunity to play another match and that feels great already All these expectations Ive put on myself its gone right now for this moment
In other firstround matches Monday topseeded Patty Schnyder of Switzerland ousted Virginie Razzano of France while secondseeded Francesca Schiavone of Italy and thirdseeded Dinara Safina of Russia also advanced Schiavone beat Meng Yuan of China while Safina upset compatriot Evgenia Linetskaya Enditem
TUNIS Jan Xinhua Tunisia coach Roger Lemerre has named his squad for the African Nations Cup in Egypt later this month
Defender Issam Merdassi and striker Amine Eltaif earned their first caps in a move that Tunisian media had speculated that Lemerre might use inexperienced players for the tournament and save his seasoned internationals for the World Cup finals in Germany later this year
Tunisia was drawn in Group C for the Nations Cup with Guinea South Africa and Zambia The tournament runs from Jan to Feb
Squad
Goalkeepers Ali Boumnijel Club Africain Khaled Fadhel Erciyespor Hamdi Kasraoui Esperance
Defenders Hatem Trabelsi Ajax Amsterdam Anis Ayari Samsunspor Karim Saidi Feyenoord Issam Merdassi CS Sfaxien Radhi Jaidi Bolton Wanderers Karim Hagui Strasbourg Jose Clayton El Qatari
Midfielders Chawki Ben Saada Bastia Adel Chedli Nuremberg Kais Ghodhbane Samsunspor Sofiane Militi Foscala Jawher Mnari Nuremberg Riadh Bouazizi Kayseri Exciysspor Slim Ben Achour Guimares Hamed Namouchi Rangers
Strikers Amine Eltaif Esperance Zied Jaziri Troyes Haikel Guemamdia Strasbourg Issam Jomaa Lens Silva Dos Santos Toulouse
Enditem
WUHAN Central China Jan Xinhua Wei Mingliang scored gamehigh points and dished out four assists to lead the Taiyuan Technology University team to a victory over CUBAs defending champion Huaqiao University team in overtime at the CUBA vs CBA youth team basketball tournament here on Monday
Point guard Gu Nijiao of Huaqiao failed to convert his twopoint shot with two seconds remaining only to see Huaqiao taste its first defeat in the eightteam tournament
We had a chance of winning the game However we were unlucky at the last moment said Gu
Wei nailed two threepointers as the Taiyuan Technology University established a firstquarter lead
We lost to them in last years CUBA Everyone on our team wanted to beat the defending champion to prove our ability so we played really hard said Wei
Huaqiao fought back in the second quarter and cut the deficit to at halftime
But Taiyuan restored its fourpoint lead at the end of third quarter on a run led by Wei
Gu made a twopointer to keep Huaqiao in life in the closing moments of the last quarter and force overtime
Gu led Huaqiao with points and eight rebounds while Wang Zhenfu contributed points and six rebounds to Taiyuan
In a bid to improve the standard of Chinese basketball CBA and CUBA launched the tournament which will run through Wednesday
Four topranked teams in CUBA and CBA took part in the tournament Enditem
MADRID Jan Xinhua Real Madrid legend Alfredo Di Stefano is making progress following the heart attack he suffered on Christmas Eve doctors said on Monday
The yearold honorary club president of the ninetime European champions had emergency quadruple heart bypass surgery following the heart attack but has since responded well to treatment in hospital in Valencia
Alfredo Di Stefano continues to be in a stable condition and his kidney functions have improved markedly a hospital statement issued on behalf of doctors Anastasio Montero Jose Luis Vicente and Joaquin Panadero said
The statement added that Di Stefano could be transferred from the resuscitation unit to the general ward in a few days without specifying when he might leave hospital
There had been concerns about the former players kidney owing to his being diabetic
The dual European Footballer of the Year was born on July in Buenos Aires and began his career at River Plate Argentina and Bogotas Millionarios Colombia before making his mark at Real between and
He led the Spanish giants to five consecutive European Cups between and and eight Spanish league titles Enditem
CANBERRA Jan Xinhua Following are the results from the Mondial Australian womens hardcourt tournament in Adelaide Australia on Monday prefix number denotes seeding
Singles first round
Tatiana Golovin France bt Nicole Pratt Australia
Patty Schnyder Switzerland bt Virginie Razzano France
Flavia Pennetta Italy bt Ekaterina Bychkova Russia
Nuria Llagostera Spain bt Sun Tiantian China
Angela Haynes United States bt Karolina Sprem Croatia
Anabel Medina Spain bt Ahsha Rolle United States
Martina Hingis Switzerland bt Maria VentoKabchi Venezuela
Jarmila Gajdosova Slovakia bt Tathiana Garbin Italy
Sybille Bammer Austria bt Katerina Boehmova Czech Republic
Francesca Schiavone Italy bt Yuan Meng China
Dinara Safina Russia bt Evgenia Linetskaya Russia
Enditem
BERLIN Jan Xinhua Germany aims to once again top the medals table at the Winter Olympics in Turin next month
The Germans led four years ago in Salt Lake City with gold medals silvers and seven bronzes ahead of Norway and the United States
Our goal is to finish top of the medals table and to show that Germany is a powerhouse in winter sports said Klaus Steinbach chairman of the German Olympic Committee
Steinbach said that Norway would be Germanys main rival but that Canada and Russia were also threats Enditem
MADRID Jan Xinhua Sevillas Argentine international striker Javier Saviola will be out of action for about a month after suffering a thigh injury during training on Monday
According to a scan carried out today Saviola has suffered a grade one muscle tear in his left thigh the club said on its website It is estimated that he will be out of action for about four weeks
It is the second injury setback of the season for the yearold He joined Sevilla on loan from Barcelona in August but suffered a ligament strain in his left knee the following month
Saviola will miss the Kings Cup tie against fellow Andalucians Cadiz as well as four Primera Liga matches Enditem
KUALA LUMPUR Jan Xinhua The Tajikistan Football Federation has unveiled its top awards for the year the Asian Football Confederation AFC said Monday
RegarTadAZ defender Khurshed Makhmudov was named Tajikistan Player of the Year according to a news report posted on the official website of the AFC
Makhmudovs teammate Umed Khodjimurodov won the Goalkeeper of the Year award while Odil Ergashev took the Midfielder of the Year title
Djamoliddin Oev of league champions Vakhsh became the Best Defender of the Year and his teammate Nazir Rizomov was named Best Striker
Vakhsh head coach Uraz Turakulov won the Coach of the Year award and Orif Djuraev assistant referee of the International Federation of Football Associations FIFA bagged the title of Tajikistan Official of the Year the AFC added Enditem
WUHAN Central China Jan Xinhua Taiyuan Technology University team defeated the Huaqiao Univeristy team in overtime on Monday to reach the final of the CUBA vs CBA youth team basketball tournament
The Taiyuan Technology University team will take on the Guangdong Hongyuan youth team in the final of the eightteam tournament
Wei Mingliang scored gamehigh points and dished out four assists for Taiyuan Technology University and Wang Zhenfu added points and six rebounds
Gu Nijiao led Huaqiao with points and eight rebounds but failed to convert his twopoint shot with two seconds remaining only to see Huaqiao taste its first defeat in the tournament
We had a chance of winning the game However we were unlucky at the last moment said Gu
Wei nailed two threepointers as the Taiyuan Technology University team established a firstquarter lead
We lost to them in last years CUBA Everyone on our team wanted to beat the defending champion to prove our ability so we played really hard said Wei
Huaqiao fought back in the second quarter and cut the deficit to at halftime
But Taiyuan restored its fourpoint lead at the end of third quarter on a run led by Wei
Gu made a twopointer to keep Huaqiao in life in the closing moments of the last quarter and force overtime
Inspired by star player Chen Jianghua the Guangdong youth team eased past the Shandong Science University team
We played really well tonight The victory proved that we are the best team in the tournament said Chen Guangdongs top scorer with points
The Guangdong youth team took the command in the first half at before extending the lead to points at in the third quarter
In other action the Bayi youth team staged a strong rally in the fourth quarter to beat the Shandong youth team while CUBA runnerup Wuhan Technology University team picked up its first win after beating the Shanghai youth team
In womens competition the Huazhong Science University team edged the Tianjing Finance University team to set up a final showdown against Guangdongs youth team who thrashed the Liaoning youth team
In a bid to improve the standard of Chinese basketball CBA and CUBA launched the tournament which will run through Wednesday
Four topranked teams in CUBA and CBA took part in the tournament Enditem
CANBERRA Jan Xinhua Following are the results from the Hopman Cup mixed teams tennis tournament in Perth Australia on Monday
Serbia and Montenegro bt Sweden
Netherlands bt Argentina
Standings tabulated under games played won lost sets for and against
Group A
United States
Serbia and Montenegro
Russia
Sweden
Group B
Netherlands
Germany
Australia
Argentina
Enditem
DOHA Jan Xinhua Following are the results in the US dollars ATP Doha tournament here on Monday
First round
Tommy Haas Germany bt Stanislas Wawrinka Switzerland
Mikhail Youzhny Russia bt Jonas Bjorkman Sweden
Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Following are the domestic news items released by Xinhua on Sunday
Government website draws attention on its formal operation
Short trips gain popularity in Chinas new year holiday
Chinese greet New Year with joyful celebrations
Chinas GDP up pct in says NDRC
INTERVIEW Chinese pottery artist fire life into clay
Beijing to host Chinese contemporary art exhibition for collectors
China breeds giant pandas in
Chinese president calls for a good start for th FiveYear period
Weather forecast for major Chinese cities Jan
Weather forecast for world cities Jan
Air quality of major Chinese cities Jan
Roundup HK festival atmosphere high with belief of better New Year
Earthquake hits seas of southern Japan
Weather information for AsiaPacific cities Jan
Italian paintings on show in Shanghai
One extra second added to Chinese clocks
Chinas tax revenue hits record trillion yuan in
Limekiln collapse killing in south China
President Hu calls for joint efforts of all Chinese for peaceful reunification
New laws regulations go into effect on New Years day
China faces growing pressure of employment
National nature reserve set up in east China
Chinas economic efficiency indicators smelting and pressing of ferrous metals
Chinas economic efficiency indicators nonmetal mineral products
Chinas economic efficiency indicators plastic products
Chinas economic efficiency indicators rubber products
Chinas economic efficiency indicators chemical fiber
Chinas economic efficiency indicators medical and pharmaceutical products
Chinas economic efficiency indicators leather furs down and related products
Chinas economic efficiency indicators food manufacturing
Chinas economic efficiency indicators timber processing wood bamboo cane palm fiber straw products
Chinas economic efficiency indicators coal mining and dressing
Chinas economic efficiency indicators water production and supply
Chinas economic efficiency indicators gas production and supply
Chinas economic efficiency indicators power and heat production and supply
Economic efficiency indicators discarded resources waste materials recovery and processing
Economic efficiency indicators handicraft articles other goods production
Economic efficiency indicators instruments meters cultural office machinery
Economic efficiency indicators communication computers electroic products
Chinas economic efficiency indicators electric equipment and machinery
Chinas economic efficiency indicators transport equipment manufacturing
Chinas economic efficiency indicators specialpurpose equipment manufacturing
More miners found dead in coal mine flooding in north China
Roundup Hong Kong welcomes New Year with carnivals
Arabic nations attract Chinese tourists
At least killed in road accident in east China
Beijing OKs electric bicycles to ease city traffic
Construction on Asias largest marine museum begins in south China
Shanghai Airlines to have bigger fleet
Highlights of major Beijingbased newspapers Jan
China bans production of ozone depleting substance CFC
Nearly million people receive social assistance last year in China
China to increase subsidy for rural cooperative medical system
SinoUS textile agreement takes effect from Jan
China focus Chinese government turns face to face online with general public
Backgrounder Chinese central government website
Chinas central government website opens formally on New Years Day Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Following are Chinas home news items released by Xinhua on Sunday
Government website draws attention on its formal operation
Short trips gain popularity in Chinas new year holiday
Chinese greet New Year with joyful celebrations
Chinas GDP up pct in says NDRC
INTERVIEW Chinese pottery artist fire life into clay
Beijing to host Chinese contemporary art exhibition for collectors
China breeds giant pandas in
Chinese president calls for a good start for th FiveYear period
Roundup HK festival atmosphere high with belief of better New Year
Earthquake hits seas of southern Japan
Italian paintings on show in Shanghai
One extra second added to Chinese clocks
Chinas tax revenue hits record trillion yuan in
Limekiln collapse killing in south China
President Hu calls for joint efforts of all Chinese for peaceful reunification
New laws regulations go into effect on New Years day
China faces growing pressure of employment
National nature reserve set up in east China
More miners found dead in coal mine flooding in north China
Roundup Hong Kong welcomes New Year with carnivals
Arabic nations attract Chinese tourists
At least killed in road accident in east China
Beijing OKs electric bicycles to ease city traffic
Construction on Asias largest marine museum begins in south China
Shanghai Airlines to have bigger fleet
China bans production of ozone depleting substance CFC
Nearly million people receive social assistance last year in China
China to increase subsidy for rural cooperative medical system
SinoUS textile agreement takes effect from Jan
China focus Chinese government turns face to face online with general public
Backgrounder Chinese central government website
Chinas central government website opens formally on New Years Day Enditem
TIANJIN Jan Xinhua Tianjin port in north China handled million tons of goods and million TEUs containers of twenty feet equivalent units in the past year maintaining its position of the largest port in north China
The container handling capacity of the port increased by million TEUs last year alone according to the latest statistics of the port administration
The port now handles ships daily and operates more than routes for container ships which travel between the port and major cities in Asia Europe Africa Australia and America Enditem
by Yu Fei Liu Chang and Gui Juan
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinese ancients living to years ago already had many choices for meal including millet wheat and rice which are still the staple food of the Chinese
They also compiled calendars according to their astronomical observation which is regarded as one of the symbols of the origin of civilization
They made exquisite bronze vessels to hold wine and food and some of the bronze vessels were later developed into symbol of the supreme imperial power
But how the Chinese civilization started and evolved remains a magnetic topic that has cost the lifelong efforts of generations of scholars
After five years of intensive study researchers engaged in a grand archaeological project have drawn an outline of the Chinese society to years ago the most important period that researchers believe is closely related to the origin of ancient Chinese civilization
China launched the archaeological project in aiming to seek the origin of ancient Chinese civilization the only one in the world that has kept developing for years without interruption
Researchers try to find answers to such questions as whether Huangdi and Yandi two legendary ancestors of the Chinese nation really existed in history and whether there were any Chinese characters even older than the inscriptions on animal bones and tortoise shells discovered in the famous Yin Ruins which date back to over years
To study the origin and development process of ancient Chinese civilization is an important contribution to the research into human history said Wang Wei one of the leading archaeologists of the project
Wang deputy director of the Institute of Archaeology under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences told Xinhua that the first stage of the project has just concluded while the second and the third stage will last another ten years
During the past five years archaeologists designated six major sites of cultural heritage the Neolithic Xipo Site in Lingbao County Wangchenggang Site in Dengfeng Xinzhai Site in Xinmi County Erlitou Site in Yanshi County and Dashigu Site in Zhengzhou all in central Henan Province and the Taosi Site in Xiangfen in neighboring Shanxi Province
The six sites were all largescale towns in prehistoric China and provided material crucial to the study of social structures and the emergence of the early states in the mysterious years before the Shang Dynasty BC BC said Wang
Research into the Taosi Site shows that the differentiation of social classes in ancient China can be dated back to BC And the notion of state sovereignty also emerged at that time said Wang
More than tombs have been excavated at the site and a large number of funerary objects were found in about percent of the tombs which researchers believe belonged to those from the highest social estate
Magnetic prospecting technologies were used to probe relics of an ancient city covering an area of million square meters at Taosi Archaeologists have found remains of a bloody war which destroyed the city about years ago
The construction of capital city and palaces production of bronze wares and weapons emergence of characters are regarded as factors contributing to the formation of the ancient Chinese civilization
At the Erlitou Site in Henan Province archaeologists found the earliest palace complex ever discovered in China Many Chinese scholars believe that Erlitou is the site of the capital of the Xia Dynasty BC BC Chinas first dynasty
The palace complex has a clear central line as all large structures and roads are distributed evenly at either side of the line The design created a model for later dynasties in designing their capital experts say
The origin of Chinese civilization has long been a complicated and confusing problem in Chinas academic circles
Recent archaeological discoveries show that there were many advanced cultures at the valleys of several major rivers in China about to years ago
The civilization in central China though not the most developed at beginning absorbed the cultures in the surrounding areas forming the splendid Chinese civilization said Wang
In the coming five years the research will be expanded from central China to valleys of the Yangtze Yellow Liaohe and Huaihe rivers covering the period from BC to BC
More than researchers from over branches of learning including archaeology philology anthropology history of art linguistics religious study astronomy genetics remote sensing and radar detection will participate in the project Wang added Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Highlights of major Beijingbased newspapers on Monday
Peoples Daily
Chinese President Hu Jintao and Indian President Abdul Kalam exchanged congratulations on Sunday on the launching of the SinoIndian Friendship Year
Chinas total tax revenues reached a record high of trillion yuan billion US dollars in an increase of percent or billion yuan yearonyear
China Youth Daily
President Hu Jintao made a call to all Chinese both at home and abroad to join hands in the fight against Taiwan independence forces and work for the reunification of the motherland
China Daily
The new year is bringing some hope to the needy and disasterhit Chinese after the central government promised an increase of their basic living allowances and grain rations in
Artificial insemination led to the successful birth of more pandas last year in China than ever before Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua China will speed up costeffectiveness audit to rein in the waste of resources though achievements have been scored in budget audit over the past few years Li Jinhua the top auditor of the country has said
In this regard auditors will evaluate the consumption of resources and results of projects and put forward suggestions and proposals for the government to deal with problems found during the auditing said Li auditor general of the National Audit Office during a recent interview with Xinhua
After auditing departments of the central government auditors concluded that the number of cases involving irregularities was on the decrease while budget management was improving according to Li
However although quite a few projects were built legally they could not produce sound economic returns and social benefit as expected and had even resulted in a waste of resources capital and manpower which could hardly be found during financial audit he said
Economic losses caused by waste is really a problem as serious as embezzlement and corruption said Li who admitted government departments had improved the use of budget funds under increasingly strict auditing over the past years
How to save resources and achieve the best possible results at the cost of the least possible resources is an important task before us
Li said his office will intensify efforts to audit the costeffectiveness of projects in the future and try to place equal importance to both budget audit and costeffectiveness audit at the end of
However what auditors can do is to investigate and make suggestions and its up to policymakers to decide whether the suggestions or proposals are feasible said Li
On the whole the purpose of costeffectiveness audit is to help improve management and increase benefit and Li believes they will win understanding and support from those being audited
Li is praised by many as national hero as he led his colleagues in finding problems during the auditing of some major projects such as the Three Gorges Project natural forest protection project the budget of the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games and public reserve fund for housing
Observers say to intensify auditing to prevent waste of resources is important as China needs to use its limited resources wisely to back up its fast growing growth on the road to build a harmonious society Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua About percent of the Chinese respondents to a recent survey say they were very happy or happy in percentage points higher than in
The Social Survey Institute of China a former governmental institution interviewed people in provinces autonomous regions and municipalities since November in its routine annual survey of how much citizens are satisfied with and feel happy about their daily life
According to the survey percent of the respondents said they were satisfied with the international status of China up from percent in
The survey shows that percent percent percent and percent of the respondents feel satisfied with their health conditions the level of material life the level of spiritual life and the level of education respectively which are and percentage points higher than in
Compared with previous years the degree of social harmony was added to the survey Some percent of the respondents chose satisfactory while percent felt unsatisfactory and percent soso
Although the Chinese government has endeavored to create a harmonious society in China the degree of social harmony is still lower than expected says the survey report
The survey show reveals that percent of the respondents said they were satisfactory with their family life a drop from percent in
Another percent of the respondents said they were satisfied with their housing a fall of percentage points from a year earlier
While asking about the practice to carry forward traditional ethics percent of the respondents said they were unsatisfactory which is a hefty rise of percentage points from
The institute has conducted the annual surveys for years Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua The needy people and those in disasterhit areas in China will get more aid in as the Chinese government has promised an increase of their basic living allowances and grain rations
The central government prearranged billion yuan million US dollars out of its allowance funds to help both vulnerable urban and rural social groups enjoy the festival season reported Mondays China Daily
Warning against embezzlement the ministries of finance and civil affairs required local governments to hand out the funds to the needy people as soon as possible
The total sum of the allowance for the whole year still unknown will be approved by the annual session of the National Peoples Congress which is to begin on March
The New Years allowance was among the continuous efforts of Chinas highest leadership in calling on everyone to give more warmth and aid to those needy people
China has about million senior citizens aged over who are in need of social assistance There are million disaster victims in the country each year and in cities the population living on the governments minimum allowance is million
In rural areas more than million farmers are still living in abject poverty Without enough food and clothes they just earn less than yuan US dollars the benchmark of Chinas absolute poverty line per capita every year
There is still another million rural people with an annual percapita income of less than yuan US dollars Chinas poverty line and this is over three times less than those in cities Annual percapita income in rural areas already reached yuan US US dollars in
We are going to increase the allowance and try hard to expand the benefits as widely as possible said Civil Affairs Minister Li Xueju Enditem
MACAO Jan Xinhua The Gongbei customs checkpoint linking Chinas Macao Special Administrative Region and the mainland city of Zhuhai recorded passengers on the New Years Day
The peak time dominated the whole day and kept all the passage channels crowded reported Mondays Macao Daily News the leading local Chinese newspaper quoting sources from the Zhuhai checkpoint
Local analysts contributed the strong passenger flow to the New Year holiday and the warm and fine weather in Macao
Fishermans Wharf a themed tourism attraction which was opened in Macao on Saturday was assumed to be another stimulation for the mainland travelers
The checkpoint logged million passengers in Enditem
HANGZHOU Jan Xinhua Ma Honglun a yearold mushroom grower who used to paddle his own canoe in making a living felt released and joyful to be a member of the local mushroom growers cooperative
The new style cooperative in Pinghu a countylevel city in Zhejiang Province east China provides farmers with professional services ranging from planting to marketing
More than professional farmers organizations like the one Ma joins have been established in Zhejiang attracting about million rural households
These specialized organizations serve as agents for farmers in the marketplace They also help farmers in technologies capital information purchase and sales processing and storage said Chen Yinfa head with Pinghus agriculture office
Ma went through his ordeals in the late s when the government rural cooperatives were no longer responsible for purchasing farm produce except for grain and cotton
The mushroom growth used to carry more than kilograms of fresh mushroom to neighboring bazaars for sale and had to desperately dump the vegetable onto rubbish heaps because he could not find buyers due to the lack of market information
His ordeals did not end until one day words came that mushroom had a good sale in Shanghai a dozen kilometers away Ma and some mushroom growers in nearby villages rent a vehicle to carry their products to Shanghai to try their fortune there And the bold move proved to be a big success
In the villagers formed the specialized cooperative for the growing and marketing of edible fungus which also provides growers with information about mushroom cultivation and sales from around the country
Similar farmers organizations mushroomed in Pinghu at the same time
Farmers like Ma are actually creators of the organizations Chen said
Specialization and the need for new technologies and new ways to market the harvest more effectively are impetus that drives farmers to cooperation Chen added
Ma and fellow mushroom growers in Pinghu now sell their produce under one brand Xindanghu in Shanghai and provinces including Zhejiang and Jiangsu
Half of the mushroom sold in Shanghai comes from Pinghu said a proud Ma
Now the quality of my product is no longer my own business I have to take into consideration the interests of other mushroom growers who use the Xindanghu brand Ma said Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua The influx of nongovernment capital to the civil aviation industry has resulted in the establishment of nonstate airline companies in China which has helped break the state monopoly of the aviation market
Dongxing Airlines based in Shanghai one of the companies established five months ago has signed an agreement for leasing and buying Airbus aircraft at a cost of billion yuan million US dollars
Also in Shanghai the Spring and Autumn Airlines said that during July to October last year alone the company carried passengers with only one plane operating flights
Our occupancy rate reached percent said Wang Zhenghua president of the company
While the nonstate airlines are seeking to increase the number of craft and flights Okay which made the maiden voyage of the nonstate airlines said it would put an eye on cargo transportation
All this has triggered fierce competition among Chinese airlines and helped improve their services observers say
Chinas three major airline groups have felt the pressure not only from the fear of declining market share but also the fact that their pilots are leaving for the nonstate competitors
However Yang Yuanyuan director of the General Administration of Civil Aviation of China said the government will continue the policy of opening the aviation market
The ultimate goal for the reform of Chinas civil aviation industry is to make air travel available to more ordinary Chinese said the pilotturned official
The pressure from nonstate airlines will become the top driving force for stateowned airlines to make improvements he said Enditem
MACAO Jan Xinhua Macaos exports and imports rose percent and percent respectively in November over the same period of according to official statistics issued here on Monday
The figures from the governments Statistics and Census Service showed that the value of exports in the first months recorded a yearonyear drop of percent while that of imports logged an increase of percent
The figures showed that textile and garment exports which accounted for percent of Macaos total export value witnessed a slidedown through the first months
Analysts viewed it as a major factor which led to the sharp plunge of the regions exports through the year
Meanwhile the rise of the imports is mainly due to the climbing fuel prices Enditem
MACAO Jan Xinhua Air Macao the sole airline enterprise in the special administrative region recorded a net profit of billion patacas million US dollars in a historic new high
A press release the company issued here on Monday said Air Macao handled million passengers and tons of airfreight in the year
High fuel prices in the world market lifted the costs for Air Macao yet the airline managed to achieve unprecedented passenger and airfreight handling in the release said
The company is to open new flights to the mainland tourism attractions covering Hangzhou Sanya Guiyang and Zhangjiajie in it added
The airline has been playing an active role as a significant transit in the southern part of China since it launched the debut flight in the mid s Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinas economic efficiency indicators of the sector of cultural educational and sports goods in the first three quarters of with the value in billion yuan
Items Value Growth Rate
Cost of management
Received debts
Inventory of manufactured products
Value added tax payable
Average employment persons
The industrial statistics include all stateowned enterprises and the nonstateowned ones with annual sales income over million yuan
Source National Bureau of Statistics Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinas economic efficiency indicators of the sector of smelting and pressing of nonferrous metals in the first three quarters of with the value in billion yuan
Items Value Growth Rate
Cost of management
Received debts
Inventory of manufactured products
Value added tax payable
Average employment persons
The industrial statistics include all stateowned enterprises and the nonstateowned ones with annual sales income over million yuan
Source National Bureau of Statistics Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinas economic efficiency indicators of the sector of metal products in the first three quarters of with the value in billion yuan
Items Value Growth Rate
Cost of management
Received debts
Inventory of manufactured products
Value added tax payable
Average employment persons
The industrial statistics include all stateowned enterprises and the nonstateowned ones with annual sales income over million yuan
Source National Bureau of Statistics Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinas economic efficiency indicators of the sector of generalpurpose equipment manufacturing in the first three quarters of with the value in billion yuan
Items Value Growth Rate
Cost of management
Received debts
Inventory of manufactured products
Value added tax payable
Average employment persons
The industrial statistics include all stateowned enterprises and the nonstateowned ones with annual sales income over million yuan
Source National Bureau of Statistics Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinas economic efficiency indicators of the sector of printing and record medium reproduction in the first three quarters of with the value in billion yuan
Items Value Growth Rate
Cost of management
Received debts
Inventory of manufactured products
Value added tax payable
Average employment persons
The industrial statistics include all stateowned enterprises and the nonstateowned ones with annual sales income over million yuan
Source National Bureau of Statistics Enditem
BEIJING Jana Xinhua Chinas economic efficiency indicators of the sector of papermaking and paper products in the first three quarters of with the value in billion yuan
Items Value Growth Rate
Cost of management
Received debts
Inventory of manufactured products
Value added tax payable
Average employment persons
The industrial statistics include all stateowned enterprises and the nonstateowned ones with annual sales income over million yuan
Source National Bureau of Statistics Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinas economic efficiency indicators of the sector of furniture manufacturing in the first three quarters of with the value in billion yuan
Items Value Growth Rate
Cost of management
Received debts
Inventory of manufactured products
Value added tax payable
Average employment persons
The industrial statistics include all stateowned enterprises and the nonstateowned ones with annual sales income over million yuan
Source National Bureau of Statistics Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinas economic efficiency indicators of the sector of petroleum processing coking and nuclear fuel processing in the first three quarters of with the value in billion yuan
Items Value Growth Rate
Cost of management
Received debts
Inventory of manufactured products
Value added tax payable
Average employment persons
The industrial statistics include all stateowned enterprises and the nonstateowned ones with annual sales income over million yuan
Source National Bureau of Statistics Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinas economic efficiency indicators of the sector of raw chemical materials and chemical products in the first three quarters of with the value in billion yuan
Items Value Growth Rate
Cost of management
Received debts
Inventory of manufactured products
Value added tax payable
Average employment persons
The industrial statistics include all stateowned enterprises and the nonstateowned ones with annual sales income over million yuan
Source the National Bureau of Statistics Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinas economic efficiency indicators of the sector of ferrous metals mining and dressing in the first three quarters of with the value in billion yuan
Items Value Growth Rate
Cost of management
Received debts
Inventory of manufactured products
Value added tax payable
Average employment persons
The industrial statistics include all stateowned enterprises and the nonstateowned ones with annual sales income over million yuan
Source National Bureau of Statistics Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinas economic efficiency indicators of the sector of beverage manufacturing in the first three quarters of with the value in billion yuan
Items Value Growth Rate
Cost of management
Received debts
Inventory of manufactured products
Value added tax payable
Average employment persons
The industrial statistics include all stateowned enterprises and the nonstateowned ones with annual sales income over million yuan
Source National Bureau of Statistics Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinas economic efficiency indicators of the sector of tobacco production in the first three of with the value in billion yuan
Items Value Growth Rate
Cost of management
Received debts
Inventory of manufactured products
Value added tax payable
Average employment persons
The industrial statistics include all stateowned enterprises and the nonstateowned ones with annual sales income over million yuan
Source National Bureau of Statistics Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinas economic efficiency indicators of the sector of textile industry in the first three quarters of with the value in billion yuan
Items Value Growth Rate
Cost of management
Received debts
Inventory of manufactured products
Value added tax payable
Average employment persons
The industrial statistics include all stateowned enterprises and the nonstateowned ones with annual sales income over million yuan
Source National Bureau of Statistics Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinas economic efficiency indicators of the sector of textile clothing and footwear production in the first three quarters of with the value in billion yuan
Items Value Growth Rate
Cost of management
Received debts
Inventory of manufactured products
Value added tax payable
Average employment persons
The industrial statistics include all stateowned enterprises and the nonstateowned ones with annual sales income over million yuan
Source National Bureau of Statistics Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinas economic efficiency indicators of the sector of agricultural nonstaple food processing in the first three quarters of with the value in billion yuan
Items Value Growth Rate
Cost of management
Received debts
Inventory of manufactured products
Value added tax payable
Average employment persons
The industrial statistics include all stateowned enterprises and the nonstateowned ones with annual sales income over million yuan
Source National Bureau of Statistics Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinas economic efficiency indicators of the sector of nonmetal minerals mining and dressing in the first three quarters of with the value in billion yuan
Items Value Growth Rate
Cost of management
Received debts
Inventory of manufactured products
Value added tax payable
Average employment persons
The industrial statistics include all stateowned enterprises and the nonstateowned ones with annual sales income over million yuan
Source National Bureau of Statistics Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinas economic efficiency indicators of the sector of nonferrous metals mining and dressing in the first three quarters of with the value in billion yuan
Items Value Growth Rate
Cost of management
Received debts
Inventory of manufactured products
Value added tax payable
Average employment persons
The industrial statistics include all stateowned enterprises and the nonstateowned ones with annual sales income over million yuan
Source National Bureau of Statistics Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinas economic efficiency indicators of the sector of petroleum and natural gas extraction in the first three quarters of with the value in billion yuan
Items Value Growth Rate
Cost of management
Received debts
Inventory of manufactured products
Value added tax payable
Average employment persons
The industrial statistics include all stateowned enterprises and the nonstateowned ones with annual sales income over million yuan
Source National Bureau of Statistics Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinas economic efficiency indicators of the sector of other minerals mining in the first three quarters of with the value in billion yuan
Items Value Growth Rate
Cost of management
Received debts
Inventory of manufactured products
Value added tax payable
Average employment persons
The industrial statistics include all stateowned enterprises and the nonstateowned ones with annual sales income over million yuan
Source National Bureau of Statistics Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinese procuratorial organs has put online a list of convicted bribers making such information available for public inquiry the Beijing News reported on Monday
Listed are individuals or organizations that have been convicted of bribery or briberyrelated crimes since in the five sectors of construction finance education health and government procurement the paper quoted the Supreme Peoples Procuratorate as saying
Individuals or organizations that can legitimately identify themselves are allowed to search for information of the list via an online retrieval system after making written application to the procuratorial organs the paper said
The information about the bribers cant be removed from the system once it is put in
Chen Zexian a research fellow with the Law Institute of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences hailed the service as necessary and said the privacy of the bribers listed should be protected
He suggested the procuratorial organs list bribers in all industries in the future
All the information put into the retrieval system must be correct otherwise those involved should take due civil liability Chen added Enditem
ZUOYUN COUNTY Shanxi Province Jan Xinhua The remains of two more miners were recovered from a flooded coal mine in Shanxi Province on Monday bringing the death toll of the accident to local officials confirmed
Rescuers are still searching for another two miners who remain missing said sources with the rescue headquarters of Zuoyun County where the flooded coal mine is located
Rescuers have stepped up pumping out water from the shaft and installed more cables water pipes and telephones to support the rescue efforts said Zhang Yongxing chief engineer with the county safety supervision bureau
The accident took place at around Wednesday morning when miners were working in the Fanjiasi Coal Mine of the county Only five people escaped with the remaining trapped
Preliminary probe showed that the accident was caused by workers who broke an opening into the workedout section during routine maintenance operations
The owner of the coal mine has been detained by local police Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua The Chinese capital witnessed a new record in subway traffic in with the total passenger flow growing percent year on year to million
The average daily transportation volume of Beijings subway system reached million in according to Mondays Beijing Youth Daily
The Beijing Municipal Subway Operation Corporation which runs the subway system was quoted as promising better services this year
Beijing now has km of subway under operation and plans to build another km in the near future Enditem
NANNING Jan Xinhua A local health official has called for a sound mechanism to deal with public health emergencies in western China saying the western region is witnessing growing number of such cases due to the poor medical infrastructure in the vast rural areas
Statistics from Chinas Ministry of Health show that the provinces autonomous regions and municipalities in west China reported cases of public health emergencies in which involved people and claimed the life of of them
The figures accounted for percent percent and percent of the national total respectively said Tan Mingjie vice director of the health department of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region south China
This is mainly attributable to the failure of some local governments to realize the importance of medical infrastructure construction and promote publicity about health care to the poor knowledge about health among rural residents and to the poor capacity of local grassroots medical institutions for disease prevention control and treatment he said
It is a pressing job to establish or improve local mechanisms to cope with pubic health emergencies in west China Tan said
In Guangxi he said the regional government has established three networks to cope with public health emergencies collect related information and provide emergency aid
The networks were proved to be effective in the fight against major public health cases such as SARS the official said Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua The Beijing municipal government will for the first time invest more in construction in the suburban area than in the urban area this year a senior official said on Monday
Ding Xiangyang director of the citys development and reform commission said percent of the planned investment will go to the suburban area with the remaining percent to the urban area this year
Priority will be given to projects to improve the urban traffic system suburban infrastructure facilities and public service facilities to help save energy and protect the environment and to boost the transformation of old residential quarters and areas for cultural heritage protection said the official
The investment management system will also be improved he added
The decision of the Beijing municipal government followed the call of the central government for nationwide endeavor to build a new countryside in the country according to local observers Enditem
HAIKOU Jan Xinhua Infectious diseases once the No cause of death among the Chinese people has been effectively brought under control after more than years of prevention and control efforts according to a senior health official
Infectious diseases ranked as the tenth major cause of death in China in compared with the top place in said Qi Xiaoqiu a senior official in charge of disease control with the Ministry of Health
China has made remarkable achievements in the prevention and control of various infectious diseases including the eradication of poliomyelitis in a drastic drop in the cases of measles diphtheria pertussis encephalitis B Japanica and epidemic cerebrospinal meningitis Qi told a recent seminar on the public health system held in this capital city of southern Hainan Province
The government launched an information system on infectious diseases and public health emergencies in January after the fight against the SARS epidemic in
By the end of Qi said over percent of hospitals at and above the county level and nearly percent of township hospitals across the country had built links with the national information system which enables the health authorities to report infectious disease epidemic timely and accurately on a daily basis
Nevertheless the country still faces serious threat from both new and old infectious diseases Qi said adding that efforts should be intensified to standardize infectious disease prevention and control especially in the vast rural areas where medical care facilities remain poor Enditem
MACAO Jan Xinhua Fishermans Wharf the first ever themed park in Macao has attracted over visitors since it opened on two days ago Mondays Macao Daily News reported
The leading local Chinese newspaper quoted sources from the park management as saying that at the peak time on the New Year Eve around visitors flocked into the wharf
Located in Macaos outer harbor the wharf with percent of its area standing on a patch of reclaimed seashore covers an area totaling one million square feet
The project costs a total investment of billion patacas million US dollars
Fishermans Wharf offers a fancy spewing artificial volcano Chinese fort faux Colosseum and a variety of borrowed miniature landmarks from Babylon Miami Lisbon Cape Town Amsterdam and other world tourism attractions
The second phase of the park will cover a giant casino and a hotel Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Report on the quality of air in major Chinese cities Jan to Jan Beijing Time released by the China Environmental Monitoring Center
City Major Pollutant Air Quality Level
Beijing particulate matter II
Tianjin particulate matter III
Shijiazhuang particulate matter IV
Qinhuangdao sulfur dioxide II
Taiyuan particulate matter III
Hohhot particulate matter III
Shenyang particulate matter III
Dalian particulate matter II
Changchun particulate matter III
Harbin particulate matter II
Shanghai particulate matter II
Nanjing particulate matter II
Suzhou particulate matter II
Nantong particulate matter II
Lianyungang particulate matter II
Hangzhou particulate matter II
Ningbo particulate matter II
Wenzhou particulate matter II
Hefei particulate matter II
Fuzhou particulate matter II
Xiamen particulate matter II
Nanchang particulate matter II
Jinan particulate matter III
Qingdao particulate matter III
Yantai sulfur dioxide II
Zhengzhou particulate matter III
Wuhan particulate matter III
Changsha particulate matter II
Guangzhou particulate matter II
Shenzhen particulate matter II
Zhuhai I
Shantou particulate matter II
Zhanjiang I
Nanning particulate matter II
Guilin I
Beihai I
Haikou I
Chongqing particulate matter III
Chengdu particulate matter II
Guiyang sulfur dioxide II
Kunming particulate matter II
Lhasa particulate matter II
Xian particulate matter III
Lanzhou particulate matter III
Xining particulate matter III
Yinchuan particulate matter III
Urumqi sulfur dioxide III
The center classifies air quality in Chinas urban areas into five levels level I or excellent pollution reading not exceeding level II or fairly good pollution reading to level III or slightly polluted pollution reading to level IV or poor pollution reading to and level V or hazardous pollution reading over
The cities monitored by the center include the four municipalities of Beijing Tianjin Shanghai and Chongqing provincial or autonomous regional capitals and major cities in economically developed coastal areas and tourist attractions Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua A strong earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of was recorded off the South Sandwich Islands in the Atlantic Ocean Chinas National Seismological Network reported on Monday
The quake struck at pm Beijing Time Monday and its epicenter was located at degrees south latitude and degrees west longitude according to the seismological network of China Enditem
SHIJIAZHUANG Jan Xinhua Three gypsum mines were recently shut down by local government after a fatal accident claimed lives in north Chinas Hebei Province in November last year
The Kangli gypsum mine and two other neighboring mines were closed jointly by the Hebei provincial government and concerned departments of Xingtai City and Xingtai County where the mines were located
An investigation team organized by the State Council found that the three gypsum mines did not suspend production in the period during which the mines were required to improve production conditions and root out hidden risks They continued production in violation of regulations resulting in the accident according to the team
At pm on Nov the Kangli gypsum mine collapsed in Shangwang village of Xingtai county damaging two other gypsum mines nearby and toppling a twostory building and leaving cracks on the groundThe accident claimed lives injured others and left four missing Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Weather forecast for world cities Jan Jan Beijing Time temperatures in Celsius
Min Max Condition Wind scale
Beijing overcastflurry
Tokyo cloudy
Bangkok cloudy
Sydney clear
Karachi clear
Cairo clear
Moscow overcast
Frankfurt overcast
Paris overcast
London overcast
New York drizzle
SOURCE Central Meteorological Station China Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Weather forecast for major Chinese cities Jan Jan Beijing Time temperatures in Celsius
Min Max Condition Wind scale
Beijing overcastflurry
Harbin clearcloudy
Tianjin foggyflurry
Urumqi flurry
Xian cloudyovercast
Lhasa clear
Chengdu overcast
Chongqing overcast
Kunming clear
Nanjing foggycloudy
Shanghai overcastcloudy
Wuhan overcastdrizzle
Hangzhou overcast
Taipei cloudy
Guangzhou cloudy
Hong Kong cloudy
Macao cloudy
SOURCE Central Meteorological Station China Enditem
SHANGHAI Jan Xinhua People in east Chinas metropolis Shanghai sent over million short messages by cell phone to greet New Year up percent from last year reported Shanghaibased Xinmin Evening News
According to Shanghai Mobile Shanghai Unicom and Shanghai Telecom Shanghai residents averagely sent more than short messages carrying holiday greetings each from late Saturday night to early Monday morning
The operators websites and other websites offering downloading services of mobile ringtones also saw increases in visits and downloads of new year ringtones said the report Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Statistics from the State Intellectual Property Office SIPO Chinas top intellectual property watchdog show that only percent of Chinese enterprises own key technologies on which they have intellectual property rights
An SIPO source said that percent of Chinese enterprises have never applied for patents and percent do not have their own trademarks
SIPO Officials said China established an intellectual property legal system as well as a law enforcement mechanism two decades ago and it now ranks the first in the world in terms of the number of trademark applications and patent applications for utility model and design
But China still lags behind in terms of the number and quality of intellectual property rights they said
While China ranks the third in foreign trade volume patented high technologies contribute only percent of its total foreign trade volume
In China received applications for invention patents half of which are from multinationals headquartered in developed countries
About percent of patent applications from Chinese companies and individuals are for inventions while percent from foreign companies are for invention patents Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua China consumed billion cubic meters of water in or billion cubic meters more than the previous year according to a recent report by the Ministry of Water Resources
The report showed that the water for agricultral use accounted for percent of the total while that for daily life and industrial use made up percent and percent respectively
In terms of water consumption in different regions the report said that areas in eastern China consumed billion cubic meters of water or percent of the total while the areas in the central and western part of China consumed respectively cubic meters and cubic meters of water accounting for percent and percent
Meanwhile the report said in eight provinces municipalities and autonomous reigons directly used a total of billion cubic meters of sea water as cooling water for thermal and nuclear power plants
In Chinas water resources came to billion cubic meters a drop of percent from the previous year according to a bulletin issued by the ministry in October
The countrys water use per capita was cubic meters on average merely one fourth of the worlds average
Chinas current water resource is relatively low cubic meters per person on average and the country supports percent of the worlds population with percent of the worlds water resources said Vice Minister of Construction Qiu Baoxing
According to latest official figures nearly million people in cities suffer water shortage on average in recent years leading to an anual loss of billion yuan roughly billion US dollars in industrial output value Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua The Chinese Government welcomed the rejection by US President George W Bush of a request to impose quotas on steel pipe imported from China a spokesman for the Ministry of Commerce said Monday
This is the fourth time that the president decided not to place quotas on Chinese exports to the United States the spokesman made the statement on the website of the ministry
The dicision of the US goverment is conducive to the bilateral economic and trade relations said the spokeman
Explaining his decision President Bush said Friday the cost to American consumers would outweigh the benefit to domestic producers Enditem
HONG KONG Jan Xinhua Following are temperatures and weather forecast of Jan for AsiaPacific cities dispatched by the Hong Kong Observatory on Monday
WEATHER
CITY MINIMUM MAXIMUM FORECAST
HONG KONG FINE
MACAO FINE
GUANGZHOU CLOUDY
SHANGHAI CLOUDY
BEIJING CLOUDY
TAIPEI CLOUDY
SEOUL FINE
TOKYO FINE
MANILA DRIZZLE
HANOI CLOUDY
HO CHI MINH CITY BRIGHT
BANGKOK CLOUDY
KUALA LUMPUR THUNDERSTORMS
SINGAPORE SHOWERS
NEW DELHI THUNDERSTORMS
MUMBAI SMOKE
KARACHI DRY
JAKARTA RAIN
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN THUNDERSTORMS
SYDNEY CLOUDY
MELBOURNE SHOWERS
BRISBANE FINE
Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua China and Germany will jointly hold a forum on environment in east Chinas port city of Qingdao from Jan to
The forum will focus on environmental and economic cooperation between the two countries especially in the sector of renewable energy recyclingbased economy and green purchase according to Chinas State Environmental Protection Administration SEPA
Senior officials from SEPA and its German counterpart as well as experts and entrepreneurs from the two countries will be present at the meeting
This will be the second time for the two countries to jointly hold an environmental forum following the first successful one in Beijing in Enditem
HUANGZHOU Jan Xinhua The first oneperson company was set up Sunday in east Chinas Wenzhou City following the adoption of the newlyrevised Corporate Law in late October
Wang Yicheng a native to the city known as the birthplace of Chinas private business received an operation license from local industrial and commercial authorities Sunday morning for his computer leasing company with yuan about US dollars of registered capital
Taking effect as of Sunday the newlyamended Corporate Law allows one person either a natural person or a legal person to apply for opening a limited company with a minimum capital of yuan
Although some lawmakers objected the practice of singleperson company fearing the owner might take advantage of the companys assets for hisher own use oneperson limited companies have actually long existed in name of multiinvestors They either have their assets mostly owned by one of the shareholders or owned by one actual shareholder and a number of others who only hold stocks nominally Enditem
JINAN Jan Xinhua A calf recloned from body cells of cloned cattle was born Monday in Liangshan County of east Chinas Shandong Province bringing the recloned calves alive to six in China
Two calves died after birth in a cattle recloning project included in Chinas program a basic science development program
The project was jointly undertaken by a team from China Agriculture University based in Beijing and the Shandong Kelong Animal Husbandry Co Ltd
The animal mammary gland bioreactor technology has been employed for the project
Scientists said the birth of the recloned calves indicated Chinas mammary gland bioreactor technology has been up to the world standards
The research team headed by Professor Li Ning selected four cloned cattle with high mammary gland expression for their recloning experiment
The newborn calves all originated from ear cells of cloned cattle Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinas central government website opened early Sunday morning has become one of the most popular government websites by taking up the th place among all websites in just hours
According to Alexa a professional web information service provider the traffic rank of wwwgovcn out of top at the beginning of a trial launch hit over the three trial months among more than million websites
And now it ranks No among major national government websites next only to the Canadian government website
The opening of the website marks a major step forward in building a transparent government that serves the people said Wu Jiang president of the China research institute on personnel sciences
The website serves as a platform for the departments under the State Council and the provincial autonomous regional and municipal governments across the country to release information on governmental affairs and provide online services
The website in traditional and simplified Chinese versions has four sections which respectively provide information about government affairs online services for citizens enterprises and foreigners interactive communication between governments and citizens and other applied functions
The English version of the website also provide commercial and traveling information services for nonChinese speakers
Zhou Xisheng editorinchief of the central government website said that miscommunication between the government and people has become an imperative issue calling for solution as it may give birth to corruption and public misunderstanding of the government
The establishment of the website said Zhou who is also the president of Xinhua website represents a major move to improve the governments work style and build up a transparent effective practical and clean government
The Taiwanbased United News gave a detailed description of the website praising that the website can not only issue major official decisions laws and regulations official documents but offers an easy access to the public to facilitate their communication with the government
China started to promote construction of government websites since late s with being the peak time But the over websites of governments at various levels have long faced problems such as lack of planning and management overlapped or outdated information
The opening of the central government website is expected to change the situation said Wang Yukai professor with the State Administrative College
Netizens expressed their surprise toward some uncommon activities of the website since its trial launch It has carried unheardof live broadcasts of the State Councils teleconferences between the cabinet and provinces to netizens for three times
The vicepremier wasnt shy away from the problems and showed responsibility to the public said a netizen after watching such a lively broadcasted meeting last November in which vicepremier Wu Yi deployed the nationwide working of antibird flu
Moreover the communiques decrees and documents released by the central government since have been also published on the website
According to an online survey percent respondents were very satisfied or satisfied with the operation of the website
Its quite an amazing popularity in this virtual world where everyone could release his comment to others said Zhou
Although the construction of egovernance is still at its initial stage and many problems remain to be solved the netizens support and suggestions show their strong expectation to government management reform Enditem
NANJING Jan Xinhua Chinas Southeast University and Dongda Communication Co have jointly developed the countrys first chip for WCDMA mobile phones a major step forward in the G drive
Enjoying domestic and foreign patents the chip named Noah has passed the systematic test on communication and data transmission showing it meets the requirements of WCDMA international standards according to sources with the university
The new chip has a data transmission speed two to three times faster than those with CDMA technology It is also characterized by low power consumption the sources said Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Following are the domestic news items released by Xinhua on Monday
China produces its first chip for WCDMA mobile phones
Chinese government website ranks th around world
Calf recloned from cloned cattle born in E China province
Chinas first soleinvestor business set up in east
SinoGerman environmental forum to open in E China city
Weather information for AsiaPacific cities Jan
China welcomes President Bushs rejection of request for quotas on steel pipe
China consumes billion cubic meters of water in
Only percent Chinese enterprises own key technologies of their own SIPO
Shanghai people send million mobile messages to welcome New Year
Weather forecast for major Chinese cities Jan
Weather forecast for world cities Jan
Three mines shut down after fatal accident in N China province
Strong earthquake recorded in south Atlantic
Air quality of major Chinese cities Jan
people visit Macaos newly opened theme park
Infectious diseases no longer top killer of Chinese
Beijing to invest more in suburban area
West China sees increasing public health emergencies official
About million passengers take Beijing subway in
Death toll of coal mine flooding rises to in north China province
China makes public blacklist of bribers
Chinas economic efficiency indicators other minerals mining
Chinas economic efficiency indicators petroleum and natural gas extraction
Chinas economic efficiency indicators nonferrous metals mining and dressing
Chinas economic efficiency indicators nonmetal minerals mining and dressing
Chinas economic efficiency indicators agricultural nonstaple food processing
Chinas economic efficiency indicators textile clothing footwear production
Chinas economic efficiency indicators textile industry
Chinas economic efficiency indicators tobacco production
Chinas economic efficiency indicators beverage manufacturing
Chinas economic efficiency indicators ferrous metals mining and dressing
Chinas economic efficiency indicators raw chemical materials products
Chinas economic efficiency indicators petroleum processing coking and nuclear fuel processing
Chinas economic efficiency indicators furniture manufacturing
Chinas economic efficiency indicators papermaking and paper products
Chinas economic efficiency indicators printing and record medium reproduction
Chinas economic efficiency indicators general purpose equipment manufacturing
Chinas economic efficiency indicators metal products
Chinas economic efficiency indicators smelting pressing of nonferrous metals
Chinas economic efficiency indicators cultural educational and sports goods
Air Macao nets record high profit in
Macaos exports imports up in November last year
Nonstate airlines bring fierce competition in Chinas aviation industry
Unity key word for E Chinas farmers seeking share in marketplace
MacaoZhuhai checkpoint logs strong passenger flow on New Years Day
Chinas needy people to get more aid in
Nearly percent Chinese feel very happy or happy in survey
China to speed up audit to curb waste of resources top auditor
Highlights of major Beijingbased newspapers Jan
Roundup Researchers shed new lights on origin of ancient Chinese civilization
Tianjin port remains biggest port in north China Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Following are Chinas home news items released by Xinhua on Monday
China produces its first chip for WCDMA mobile phones
Chinese government website ranks th around world
Calf recloned from cloned cattle born in E China province
Chinas first soleinvestor business set up in east
SinoGerman environmental forum to open in E China city
China welcomes President Bushs rejection of request for quotas on steel pipe
China consumes billion cubic meters of water in
Only percent Chinese enterprises own key technologies of their own SIPO
Shanghai people send million mobile messages to welcome New Year
Three mines shut down after fatal accident in N China province
Strong earthquake recorded in south Atlantic
people visit Macaos newly opened theme park
Infectious diseases no longer top killer of Chinese
Beijing to invest more in suburban area
West China sees increasing public health emergencies official
About million passengers take Beijing subway in
Death toll of coal mine flooding rises to in north China province
China makes public blacklist of bribers
Nonstate airlines bring fierce competition in Chinas aviation industry
Unity key word for E Chinas farmers seeking share in marketplace
MacaoZhuhai checkpoint logs strong passenger flow on New Years Day
Chinas needy people to get more aid in
Nearly percent Chinese feel very happy or happy in survey
China to speed up audit to curb waste of resources top auditor
Roundup Researchers shed new lights on origin of ancient Chinese civilization
Tianjin port remains biggest port in north China Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua The formal operation of the Chinese central government website without spectacular ceremonies on Sunday has done a practical thing in the masses interest
A netizen made his comment during the fist day of formal operation of the website The internet makes the world smaller the website makes the government closer to the peple said the netizen named small global villege
Receiving countless remarks of such kind Zhou Xisheng EditorinChief of the central government website said it has been highly praised by all social circles since its trial launch
The website made an online survey among visitors in which percent of them were very satisfied or satisfied with its overall condition
Its quite an amazing popularity in this virtual world where everyone could release his comment to others said Zhou who is also the president of Xinhua website noting that it represents peoples strong expectation and support to promote Egovernance and the governments style of administration
The website will serve as a platform for the departments under the State Council and the provincial autonomous regional and municipal governments across the country to release information on governmental affairs and provide online services
The website in traditional and simplified Chinese versions has four sections which respectively provide information about government affairs online services for citizens enterprises and foreigners interactive communication between governments and citizens and other applied functions
The English version of the website also provide commercial and travelling information services for nonChinese speakers
A jobhunting postgraduate said in an email to the website that he got to know the basic rights and duties as a labour on the webpages related to employment guidance Ive realized that working is also a process of safeguarding my rights he wrote
An employee with a smallsized textile mill also said he was innocent of some export policies as he did related business I acturally found a surpreme governmental website as I turnen to the Internet he said I solved all my problems because I found what I want on the website
The chief editor Zhou told Xinhua that thanks to prompt comprehensive and authoritative information releasing and various forms of interactive communication the traffic rank for the website had a rocketing jump in the trial three months
According to Alexa a professional web information service provider the traffic rank of wwwgovcn hit over the trial months among more than million websites on the internet The website ranked out of top at the beginning of trial launch and now it ranks No among major national government websites which is just below that of the Canadian government
I hope the website become a torchbearer in a renovation of the Chinese governmental administrative style by offering the public a favorable access to the government said Qingshan a netizen named Qingshan said
In fact what Qingshan said is the original intention of opening the website said Zhou
Many governmental deparments overlap their functions which leads to a lower administrative efficiency than normal he said The website is aimed to make the government more transparent pragmatic and clean
Netizens expressed their surprise toward some uncommon activities of the website since its trial launch It has carried unheardof live broadcasts of the State Councils telemeetings between the cabinet and provinces to netizens for three times
The vicepremier wasnt shy away from the problems and showed responsibility to the public said a netizen after watching such a lively broadcasted meeting last November in which vicepremier Wu Yi deployed the nationwide working of antibird flu
Moreover the communiques decrees and documents released by the central government since have been also published on the website
The website will be more valuable if it provides interactural service in a virtual government enviorenment said Ma Lin director of the Beijing Municipal Science and Technology Commission
The website is seamlessly linked to thousands of its satellite websites of local governments and ministies but among them there is lack of communication and cooperation
The information inside the pangovernment websites must be shared and communicated unless the interactural service will be restricted Ma said Enditem
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MEXICO CITY Jan Xinhua Latin Americas three major stock markets closed higher on Monday
Mexico Citys stock market IPC index rose percent and closed at points A total of million shares were traded at million US dollars
The Buenos Aires stock market closed with the Merval index up percent and ended at points The trade volume was million dollars
In Sao Paulo Latin Americas biggest bourse the leading Bovespa index closed at points up percent The trade volume was million dollars Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Following are some of the major international news stories scheduled to be covered or pursued by Xinhua on Tuesday
California counties declared in state of emergency following heavy rains
Austrias oil giant says Russia has resumed gas supply to EU countries
Ukraine pledges to ensure Russias gas supply to Europe Enditem
KAMPALA Uganda High Court on Monday freed opposition leader and presidential candidate Kizza Besigye on bail clearing the way for him to begin campaigning for February election
Besigye was released at around pm GMT accompanied by his wife Winnie Byanyima and Aruu County member of Parliament Odongo OttoUgandaOpposition
BRUSSELS Gas supplies in Western Europe are not yet at threat due to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine major gas suppliers Gaz de France and the German EON said on Monday
The Russian state gas company Gazprom cut off the supply of gas to neighboring Ukraine on Sunday morning in a developing dispute over priceEURussiaGas
GAZA Three Palestinian militants were killed late Monday when an Israeli aircraft fired missiles at their car in the Jabaliya refugee camp of the northern Gaza Strip security sources said
Security officials said the three were members of Islamic Jihad GazaCarExplosion
PARIS French President Jacques Chiracs office said here on Monday that the president plans to lift the state of emergency imposed early November to tackle the latest urban violence crisis
Chirac plans to lift the state of emergency this week more than six weeks earlier than originally planned his office said FranceState of Emergency
NEW YORK A powerful magnitude earthquake hit deep under the South Pacific near Fiji Tuesday the Associated Press reported quoting the US Geological Survey
It said there were no immediate reports of injuries or damage The Hawaiibased Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said it did not expect the quake occurring kilometers below the earths surface to trigger a damaging Pacificwide tsunami FijiEarthquake Enditem
LOS ANGELES Jan Xinhua Heavy rains continued pouring down in parts of California on Monday as Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a state of emergency in seven stormaffected northern counties after days of heavy rains in these areas
Schwarzenegger who issued a statement Monday afternoon said conditions in these areas including Sacramento County where the state capital is located is of extreme peril to the safety of local residents and their property as a result of a series of severe rainstorms since late last month
The series of storms brought unusually heavy rains that caused flooding and mudslides and damaged roads according to the statement
A man was killed Saturday in Northern California when he was hit by a falling tree in the storm while firefighters earlier spent about an hour to rescue a woman trapped in her home that was destroyed by a mudslide
Schwarzenegger who is expected to tour a stormaffected area later in the day said the state of emergency was announced because the magnitude of the disaster exceeded local capacities to cope with
He asked all agencies of the state government to utilize and employ state personnel equipment and facilities for the performance of all necessary activities to alleviate the current emergency
Weather forecast said that the storms were calming down Monday in Northern California and moving towards the southern part of the state where officials already issued mudslide and flood warnings to coastal and hillside residents
In Pasadena some kilometers west of Los Angeles hundreds of thousands of spectators from across the United States lined a main street in heavy rain to watch the th Tournament of Rose Parade an event participated by floats equestrian units and marching bands this year Enditem
CARACAS Jan Xinhua The state oil company Petroleos de Venezuela PDVSA had finalized the acquisition of controlling stakes in oil fields which were handed to private companies by previous governments Rafael Ramirez head of PDVSA told local press on Monday
Ramirez who is also oil and energy minister said the measure reversed agreements signed between and which had been declared illegal by a hydrocarbons law
By recovering the fields the government had ended an illegal setup under which Venezuela had forgone royalties Ramirez said
The legislation forces private companies engaged in oil extraction to convert their businesses into joint ventures in which the government has a controlling stake
The government had instructed the oil companies to sign with the PDVSA a transitional agreement before Dec and to start operations according to the new deal in
Venezuela will save a minimum of billion US dollars under the terms of the deal because the oil companies used to sell barrels per day bpd to the government at international prices rather than at cost prices
The agreements that had been nullified represented percent of Venezuelas national production of million bpd of crude oil
Venezuela is the worlds fifth largest oil exporter Enditem
RIO DE JANEIRO Jan Xinhua Brazil registered a recordhigh trade surplus of billion US dollars in up percent from s surplus of billion dollars Brazils Development Ministry said in a report released on Monday
The year was marked by an external growth environment in the world economy with a rising demand for goods and rising international prices for raw materials the report said
Brazils exports were worth billion dollars in percent more than those in The United States was the top importer of Brazilian goods with billion dollars followed by Argentina China the Netherlands and Germany
The country purchased billion dollars of goods some percent more than in Its imports came principally from the United States Argentina Germany China and Japan
The countrys December trade surplus was billion dollars up from billion in November Enditem
BUENOS AIRES Jan Xinhua Argentine police have seized kg of cocaine and arrested eight suspects in the eastern province of Buenos Aires local police stated on Monday
Officers stormed a farm in Jose C Paz municipality km north of the capital of Buenos Aires in the last minutes of seizing million
US dollars worth of cocaine their largest seizure for
The raid came after a threeyear investigation The suspects including a pregnant women came from one family police said
The cocaine had been stored in a warehouse in Salvador Maza in Salta province close to the Bolivian border
The police investigators learned two years ago that cocaine was being sent to Spain in coal boxes hence the operation was dubbed Carbon Blanco White Coal
Police said the bulk of the newly seized cocaine was from Bolivia but a small part of it was from Colombia
The traffickers had been planning to sell the product on the Atlantic coast of Buenos Aires province Argentinas main tourist destination police said Enditem
BOGOTA Jan Xinhua At least people in southwest Colombia suffered from a power cut on Monday after the countrys largest rebel group attacked two electricity towers in the region local authorities reported
The police said on Monday the leftwing Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia FARC attacked the power towers in the Caicedo area and dynamited eight oil wells in the town of Orito over the weekend spilling crude into the rivers of Guamez and Putumayo
Electricity supply has been cut for three days in five municipalities in the southwestern jungle province of Putumayo
The police could not identify the owners of the oil wells and did not know how much they usually produce
The rebels killed soldiers and eight police officers in last months attacks in Meta and Choco provinces
The FARC is Colombias largest rebel group with at least combatants It is listed by the United States and the European Union as a terrorist group
More than government troops were killed by the FARC and other rebel groups last year according to government figures Enditem
VIENNA Jan Xinhua Russia has fully resumed gas supplies to European Union EU countries Wolfgang Ruttensdorfer chief of Austrias biggest oil company OMV confirmed on Monday
Ruttensdorfer said Russias statecontrolled Gazprom has restarted gas supplies to its EU consumers from its newly established wells in the region bordering Ukraine which are believed to hold a potential million cubic meters of gas
Gazprom cut off gas supplies to Ukraine on Sunday after Kiev rejected Moscows demand for a sharp rise in gas prices starting from Russias gas supplies to some EU countries were immediately affected
Approximately percent of the gas consumed in the EU is imported from Russia and most of that is sent through pipelines which cross Ukraine
On Monday senior diplomats from Austria which currently holds the EUs rotating presidency summoned Russian and Ukranian diplomats to express the blocs concern about the RussiaUkraine gas dispute Enditem
LOS ANGELES Jan Xinhua The chemicals in tail hair discloses the secret of the African elephants diet and movement US scientists reported on Monday
Analyzing specific tail hair chemicals and tracking the subject elephants with radio collars can help reduce humanelephant conflicts and determine where to establish sanctuaries to protect the endangered creatures claimed the researchers
Their findings were published in the Jan online issue of the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
This is a new method to understand elephant behavior and help ensure their survival said Thure Cerling the studys lead author at the University of Utah
The study involved analysis of stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen in African elephants tail hair to determine what and where they ate while they were also tracked with Global Positioning System GPS collars
Stable isotopes are those that dont decay radioactively Because environmental factors affect the proportions of various isotopes of hydrogen oxygen carbon and nitrogen in animals plants soil and air stable isotope analysis has been used as a way to learn how ecosystems work
In this study the researchers analyzed hair in the tails of seven African elephants living on a reserve in Kenya
The footlong hairs were collected when the elephants were briefly immobilized with drug dart guns so they could be fitted with GPS radiotracking collars or new batteries for the collars
The researchers calculated the rate of tail hair growth for the elephants Recent hair growth contains isotopic clues to an elephants recent diet and environmental conditions while isotopes in older hair farther down the tail represent progressively older diet and environmental conditions they said
Ratios of rare nitrogen to common nitrogen in tail hair revealed information about the elephants living environment
Plants in dry areas have high ratios while plants in wetter areas have lower ratios
Ratios of rare carbon to common carbon reveal information about elephants diet according to the researchers
Trees and shrubs have lower ratios while grasses and crops have fairly high ratios because they have different methods of photosynthesis
Among the seven elephants studied six elephants hair had high ratios of nitrogen to nitrogen indicating that they spent much of their time in the arid lowlands Mostly they had low ratios of carbon to carbon indicating that they ate trees and shrubs
But during the rainy season they had higher ratios of carbon to carbon which indicated that they ate grasses which flourish in the wet weather
But the seventh elephant a bull named Lewis was different
Isotope data from Lewis tail hair from through and additional GPS collar information showed that Lewis spent rainy seasons in lowlands but then trekked km cross country to raid farms at night
Diet is very important for bull elephants said Iain DouglasHamilton senior researcher of the study If they are to succeed in sexual contests for females they need highquality food to build up their strength hence the reason for highrisk crop raiding
Such methods may help protect endangered African elephants according to the researchers
Since they need space to roam and since the human population is increasing within elephant territory there is inevitable conflict DouglasHamilton said Tracking an elephants diet through stable isotopes defines essential elephant dietary needs and can help inform land use planning Enditem
BUCHAREST Jan Xinhua Moldova has turned to neighboring Ukraine for gas supplies to meet its basic needs as it has not received Russian gas for two days after prices doubled Moldovan information agency said on Monday
Moldovan President Vladimir Voronin and his Ukrainian counterpart Viktor Yushchenko had a telephone conversation Monday on Russias halt of gas supplies to their countries and Yushchenko agreed to supply Moldova with Ukrainian gas it said
Also on Monday Voronin held a cabinet meeting to discuss Moldovas gas dispute with Russia He expressed regret over Russias declining of further discussions with Moldova about the issue
Moldova opposed Russias decision to raise the gas price to US dollars per cubic meters the president said
The government said in a communique on Monday that in the past two months Moldova has repeatedly proposed discussing with Moscow Russian gas supplies and their prices but the proposals were turned down
Russia refused negotiations with Moldova because it wanted the Moldovan government to review its political stance first the communique said
Moldova is the first of the Commonwealth of Independent States CIS to apply for European Union membership
Moldova is willing to discuss with Russia the issue of adjusting the gas prices according to world market conditions the communique said
Moldova had received Russian gas supplies at favorable prices as a CIS country But from January Moscow raised the price from dollars per cubic meters to dollars and later decided to raise the price further to dollars Enditem
BERLIN Jan Xinhua Death toll had risen to after the roof of an ice skating rink in Bad Reichenhall southern Germany collapsed Monday afternoon Deutsche PresseAgentur DPA reported on Tuesday
Six bodies had been recovered from the wrecked facility and search dogs had discovered four other bodies on the ice rink police spokesman Franz Sommerauer was quoted as saying
The six confirmed dead included four children a woman and a young man he said
About people were involved in the rescue operation but heavy snow hampered the efforts and delayed the arrival of heavy equipment Sommerauer said adding that the four discovered bodies was not immediately possible to be retrieved
We expect to find more dead he added
According to DPA the accident took place at about pm GMT on Monday apparently due to the weight of the heavy snow on the roof Enditem
LIMA Jan Xinhua Evo Morales the presidentelect of Bolivia will start a world tour on Tuesday his spokesman said on Monday
Morales who returned home at the weekend after a visit to Cuba is scheduled to visit Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez on Tuesday Alex Contreras said
Morales put Venezuela on his travel list after accepting a lastminute invitation from Chavez but will stay in Caracas for only six hours Contreras said
On Wednesday Morales will fly to Madrid for meetings with Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero and other cabinet ministers
He will then head for a planned meeting with Enrique Iglesias the secretarygeneral of the Iberoamericano organization
On Thursday and Friday Morales will meet European Union representatives in Belgium and French President Jacques Chirac
The new Bolivian leader will travel to South Africa on Sunday then to China and Brazil
Morales won the Dec presidential election with percent of the vote Enditem
PARIS A total of new cars were sold in France in up percent compared to the French automobile manufacturers association CCFA said Monday in a statement
was a generally satisfactory year for the French automobile market albeit one of contrasts the CCFA said FranceCar Sales
BELGRADE Croatian oil company INA said on Monday its natural gas imports from Russia via Ukraine had been reduced by percent dropping from about cubic meters per hour to about cubic meters
INA said that the situation was uncertain because it was hard to predict further developments in relations between Russia and Ukraine the Croatian HINA news agency reported CroatiaGas Imports
CARACAS The state oil company Petroleos de Venezuela PDVSA had finalized the acquisition of controlling stakes in oil fields which were handed to private companies by previous governments Rafael Ramirez head of PDVSA told local press on Monday
Ramirez who is also oil and energy minister said the measure reversed agreements signed between and which had been declared illegal by a hydrocarbons law VenezuelaOil
HANOI Vietnamese enterprises have signed contracts on shipping abroad tons of rice mainly to the Philippines the Middle East and Africa in the first quarter of this year
Of the volume tons will go to the Philippines according to the Planning Department under Vietnams Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development MARD VietnamExport Enditem
ROME Jan Xinhua Russias row with Ukraine will not affect gas supplies in Italy Italian Industry Minister Claudio Scajola said on Monday
Scajola made the comments after meeting with the leaders of Italys largest energy enterprise ENI and the National Electric Energy Agency
Russias gas giant Gazprom cut off gas supplies to Ukraine on Sunday after Kiev rejected Moscows demand for a sharp rise in gas prices in Gazprom accused Ukraine of stealing gas being transported via its territory to Western Europe
Germany Slovenia and several European countries have felt the effect of the cuts in natural gas flowing from Russia via a pipeline through Ukraine to western Europe
ENI chief executive Paolo Scaroni said howeverthat although the RussianUkrainian dispute will not cause a gas shortage in Italy Rome will have to use its strategic gas reserves
The National Electric Energy Agency said after the talks that the row will not affect Italys electricity supply Power stations in the country were still in normal operation About percent of the electricity generated in Italy is produced by burning natural gas
Italy depends heavily on energy imports Its natural gas imports from Moscow has reached billion cubic meters per day Enditem
VIENNA Jan Xinhua Russia has fully resumed gas supplies to European Union EU countries Wolfgang Ruttensdorfer chief of Austrias biggest oil company OMV confirmed on Monday
Ruttensdorfer said Russias statecontrolled Gazprom has increased its gas supply capacity in the region bordering Ukraine and restarted supplies to EU consumers
Gazprom cut off gas supplies to Ukraine on Sunday after Kiev rejected Moscows demand for a sharp rise in gas prices starting from Russias gas supplies to some EU countries were immediately affected
Approximately percent of the gas consumed in the EU is imported from Russia and most of that is sent through pipelines which cross Ukraine
On Monday senior diplomats from Austria which currently holds the EUs rotating presidency summoned Russian and Ukranian diplomats to express the blocs concern about the RussiaUkraine gas dispute Enditem
ROME Jan Xinhua Russias row with Ukraine will not affect gas supplies in Italy Italian Industry Minister Claudio Scajola said on Monday
Scajola made the comments after meeting with the leaders of Italys largest energy enterprise ENI and the National Electric Energy Agency
Russias gas giant Gazprom cut off gas supplies to Ukraine on Sunday after Kiev rejected Moscows demand for a sharp rise in gas prices in Gazprom accused Ukraine of stealing gas being transported via its territory to Western Europe
Germany Slovenia and several European countries have felt the effect of the cuts in natural gas flowing from Russia via a pipeline through Ukraine to western Europe
ENI chief executive Paolo Scaroni said howeverthat although the RussianUkrainian dispute will not cause a gas shortage in Italy Rome will have to use its strategic gas reserves
The National Electric Energy Agency said after the talks that the row will not affect Italys electricity supply Power stations in the country were still in normal operation About percent of the electricity generated in Italy is produced by burning natural gas
Italy depends heavily on energy imports Its natural gas imports from Moscow has reached billion cubic meters per year Enditem
KIEV Jan Xinhua Ukraine will firmly fulfill all its obligations to ship Russian gas to European countries according to the existent contract said a statement issued by Ukrainian natural gas company Naftogaz on Monday
Naftogaz has not reached an agreement with Russian natural gas monopoly Gazprom on the new terms and fees of transporting gas via Ukraine to
Europe and will thereby continue to observe the longterm contract signed by both companies in
Naftogaz and Gazprom signed a year contract on terms and quantity of Russian gas shipment through pipelines crossing Ukraine in Khar Kov in June However the two parties also agreed that the specific terms and fees were subject to annual adjustments according to governmental pacts
In Ukraine purchased Russian gas at a favorable price of US dollars per cubic meters while Russia paid to Ukraine dollars per km per cubic meters for shipping gas to Europe via Ukrainian pipelines
As the two sides could not reach an agreement for Gazprom decided to cut off its gas supply to Ukraine on Sunday
Russia has also accused Ukraine of stealing gas intended for Europe which Ukraine has denied Enditem
PYONGYANG Jan Xinhua The Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea DPRK on Tuesday urged the United States to lift its sanctions against the DPRK in order to allow the resumption of the stalled sixparty talks
The United States should first of all lift its sanctions against the DPRK the main factor in scuttling the talks before suggesting their resumption The prospect of their continuing entirely depends on the US behavior the leading newspaper Rodong Sinmun said in a signed commentary
The commentary said the United States should be chiefly to blameit prevented the DPRK from going back to the talks and urged the United States to take practical steps to fulfill its commitments before asking the DPRK to go back to the negotiations
Before the fifth round of the sixparty talks the United States froze eight DPRK enterprises assets on its soil accusing them of proliferating weapons of mass destruction and illegal dealing
The DPRK refused to attend a further round on Dec in response to the financial sanctions imposed by the United States
The US sanctions ran counter to the commitment in the joint statement issued on Sep and have further strained the hostile relations between the DPRK and the United States making the prospect of the talks continuation unlikely the commentary said Enditem
HELSINKI Jan Xinhua A bomb exploded under a car of a Finnish consul in the Greek capital of Athens early on Tuesday but no one was hurt
The attack occurred on the ground floor of a car park in a residential building where the Finnish consul Leena Vuorio lived
Vuorio and her son who was visiting her at the time were asleep when the explosion took place Finlands ambassador to Greece Ole Norrback told Finnish YLE TV They are well he said
The ambassador said he did not believe the attack targeted the consul Finnish Embassy personnel or Finland Enditem
BUCHAREST Moldova has turned to neighboring Ukraine for gas supplies to meet its basic needs as it has not received Russian gas for two days after prices doubled Moldovan information agency said on Monday
Moldovan President Vladimir Voronin and his Ukrainian counterpart Viktor Yushchenko had a telephone conversation Monday on Russias halt of gas supplies to their countries and Yushchenko agreed to supply Moldova with Ukrainian gas it said MoldovaRussiaGas
BERLIN Death toll had risen to after the roof of an ice skating rink in Bad Reichenhall southern Germany collapsed Monday afternoon Deutsche PresseAgentur DPA reported on Tuesday
Six bodies had been recovered from the wrecked facility and search dogs had discovered four other bodies on the ice rink police spokesman Franz Sommerauer was quoted as saying GermanyIce RinkToll
TOKYO Some members of Japans Ground SelfDefense Force GSDF left Tuesday for a US military base in California as an advance team to participate in joint drills beginning on Jan Kyodo News quoted the GSDF as saying
The JapanUS military drills which will last till Jan are to be conducted at the US Marine Corps Camp Pendleton north of San Diego JapanUSDrill
KIEV Ukraine will firmly fulfill all its obligations to ship Russian gas to European countries according to the existent contract said a statement issued by Ukrainian natural gas company Naftogaz on Monday
Naftogaz has not reached an agreement with Russian natural gas monopoly Gazprom on the new terms and fees of transporting gas via Ukraine to Europe and will thereby continue to observe the longterm contract signed by both companies in RussiaUkraineGas Enditem
KIEV Jan Xinhua Russia cut off gas supplies to Ukraine on Sunday after Kiev rejected Moscows demand for a sharp rise in gas prices for thus triggering a standoff between the two countries and causing gas shortfalls in some European countries
Since Russia and Ukraine keep starkly different standpoints on the gas price hike analysts here say it would be timeconsuming for them to settle the dispute even if negotiations are resumed swiftly
The European Union EU and the Unites States issued statements on Monday to appeal to Russia and Ukraine to restore talks as soon as possible
Russia transfers billion cubic meters of gas to other European countries each year through pipelines crossing Ukraine Ukraine paid Russia US dollars for per thousand cubic meters of gas in recent years which Russia says is too low
Last May the two countries launched negotiations on gas price and Russias payments to Ukraine for using its pipelines but the talks stopped short of any substantial progress
Russia wanted the gas price to be raised to dollars per thousand cubic meters while Ukraine has rejected Instead it insists to dollars per thousand cubic meters of gas is a proper price
Subsequently Russias biggest oil company Gazprom cut off gas supplies to Ukraine on Sunday after negotiations broke down over the price dispute
Observers here attributed the gas dispute to both economic and political factors
In recent years the international oil and gas prices kept rising but the gas transit fee did not rise much Therefore Russia wanted to sell gas to European countries west of Ukraine in at the price of to dollars per thousand cubic meters of gas to offset its losses
Russia insists it is not a high price to demand dollars from Ukraine a thousand cubic meters of gas as Russian experts estimate the country suffers a loss of to billion dollars for favors given to Ukraine in gas export
Moreover Russias gas price for civilian usage is even higher than that in Ukraine so the Russian government has been under constant public pressure at home to lift the price for gas exported to Ukraine
Ukraine consumes about billion cubic meters of gas each year among which threefourths is imported Economists say if price for imported gas in Ukraine is over dollars for per thousand cubic meters the countrys backbone industries such as metallurgy chemicals and machinery will risk collapsing and the national economy will suffer a heavy blow
Ukraine is unsatisfied with the fact that Russia still sells gas to other former Soviet republics in at a price lower than dollars per thousand cubic meters saying Russias price offer to it is unacceptable
Though Ukraine has agreed to buy gas from Russia at the market price the country required that the price be raised step by step to render a transition period for its domestic companies which Russia did not consent
In the political aspect the RussiaUkraine relations have experienced a strain since January when Viktor Yushchenko came to power after a rerun of the presidential elections
Yushchenko taking the countrys entry into NATO and EU as diplomatic priorities has made clear that it would try to join NATO before the end of which has displeased Russia greatly as the latter fears NATOs expansion would harm its interests
Russian President Vladimir Putin recently asked rhetorically If Ukraines leader insisted on joining the alliance why should Russia pay its bills
Russia is also infuriated by Ukraines moves in some other affairs Ukraine has continuously criticized the affairs of the Commonwealth of Independent States in which Russia plays a major role Ukraine also gave a cold shoulder to Russias advocation of building a common economic bloc among the four biggest exSoviet economies including Ukraine
Ukraine which produces billion cubic meters of gas every year is capable of meeting its domestic demands comfortably but some of its big companies have begun to reduce gas supplies to households on the grounds of Russias gas cutoff thus bringing about an antiRussia public sentiment in Ukraine
Analysts say that Ukraine and Russia are interdependent as to the gas issue Ukraine needs Russias gas while Russia has to export gas to other European countries via Ukraine The two countries as well as other gasconsuming nations concerned hope to settle the dispute as quickly as possible but many believe it isnt an easy task at all
Critics here say however it is highly possible for Russia and Ukraine to work out a compromised settlement to serve all sides interests as the two neighboring countries have after all to maintain and develop their relations Enditem
LONDON Jan Xinhua Following are major news items in leading British newspapers on Tuesday
The Guardian
Rail commuters returning to work in Britain after the holiday break were hit with fare rises of up to percent after train companies imposed the highest rises permissible by the regulator
The Times
Two Britons on a skydiving holiday in Queensland Australia were killed on Tuesday when their light aircraft crashed into a dam shortly after takeoff
The Independent
Prime Minister Tony Blair signalled the end of his Christmas break with a video in which he confessed that he had probably broken the law by working too many hours
The Daily Telegraph
The winner of a million pounds about million US dollars National Lottery price in Britain failed to come forward on Monday night as the sixmonth deadline expired The money will go to the Good Causes fund
Financial Times
European countries on Monday suffered big cuts to gas supplies as a dispute between Russia and Ukraine over prices intensified Enditem
SOFIA Jan Xinhua Bulgarias newly established National Revenues Agency started operation on Tuesday the countrys first working day in
The agency brings under one roof the tax administration system and the National Insurance Institute which is the most massive reform implemented ever in the Bulgarian administration local Sofia News Agency reported
At its last session on Dec the Bulgarian government approved Maria Murgina as head of the new National Revenues Agency who had been deputy chief tax director
In Murginas words the first and most important step for the new agency would be the adoption of the new Taxation Code that would regulate the administration of the taxes and the insurances
To meet the criteria of the European Union the EUcandidate country has been planning to launch a unitive and transparent institution of the public revenues affairs enabling the government more effectively to concentrate on regulations of the inandout work in all social sections Enditem
STOCKHOLM Jan Xinhua Stockholm on Tuesday started a sevenmonth trial to take fees from drivers entering or exiting the city in day time every week day in a bid to ease pressures on the capital citys traffic facilities
According to the program the toll is in effect from am to pm in week days but there is no fee on weekends holidays or at night
Depending on the time of day drivers have to pay between kronor US dollars and kronor US dollars when they enter or exit the downtown area
Some critics say the toll is too expensive and that lowincome commuters living in the suburbs will take the hardest hit
They also raised a question that the move might pass the congestion pressure onto the public transport system as many commuters are expected to leave their cars at home and take public transportation instead
Nevertheless officials hope the toll will cut traffic on the busiest streets by up to percent They said the trial will last for seven months until July and then Stockholmers will decide in a city referendum to be held two months later on whether to make the toll permanent Enditem
PARIS Jan Xinhua The French government on Tuesday approved the lifting of a state of emergency imposed two months ago amid nationwide riots
The order which was made by the cabinet will take effect on Wednesday
The state of emergency was introduced on Nov under a law dating back to which gives local authorities or prefects the powers to impose curfews order house arrests and searches and ban public gatherings in order to calm down the violence which began in Paris suburbs on Oct
The violence was triggered after two teenagers were accidentally electrocuted while hiding in an electrical substation to flee a police identity check
The unrest which left nearly vehicles torched across the country was seen as Frances worst civil unrest since student and worker protests in Enditem
MOSCOW Jan Xinhua Russian gas giant Gazprom said on Tuesday it had completed operations to restore gas supply to European clients to make up for the shortfalls following its cutoff of supply to Ukraine
Gazprom will compensate the European consumers for the volume of gas unlawfully tapped by Ukraine Gazprom spokesman Sergei Kupriyanov was quoted by the Interfax news agency as saying
The company promised on Monday to pump an extra million cubic meters of gas per day to European countries after they reported shortfalls in gas deliveries from Russia
Gazprom accused Ukraine of continuing to siphon off gas intended for European consumers which is transited via its territory after a bitter price dispute prompted Russia to cut off gas supply to Ukraine on Sunday
Ukraine tapped million cubic meters of Russian export gas on Sunday and million cubic meters on Monday Kupriyanov said
In a related development the biggest importer of gas in Germany EON Ruhrgas said on Tuesday that imports of Russian gas had returned to normal after a disruption linked to the dispute between Moscow and Kiev
The pressure in the pipelines was back to normal as of this morning an EON spokesman said
EON is Germanys largest gas importer with a percent share of the market and holds a percent stake in Russian energy giant Gazprom
German gas companies on Monday reported disruptions in supplies from Russia a day after Gazprom cut off its supplies to Ukraine over a price dispute
Germany is by far Europes biggest importer of gas from Russia which last year accounted for nearly percent of its consumption
Russian and Ukrainian officials will hold talks Tuesday on resolving the price dispute a Gazprom spokesman said
Russia cut off its gas deliveries to Ukraine on Jan after Ukraine refused to meet its demand for a fourfold price increase However it said it would continue to send full supplies to other European customers that get Russian gas through pipes crossing Ukraine Enditem
RIGA Jan Xinhua Latvia is sending servicemen to Iraq to relieve comrades who have been deployed in the wartorn Middle East state for the past six months a spokesman for Latvias armed forces said on Tuesday
Uldis Davidov the spokesman said it will be the seventh batch of troops dispatched to Iraq after the first deployment of Latvian soldiers in August
The country currently has troops stationed in Iraq to help restore security and facilitate humanitarian operations and the missions are extended or rotated on a sixmonth basis
The outgoing Latvian forces left Hilla for Kut on Christmas Day to fill up the vacancy left over by Ukraines recent pullout
Latvias parliament decided in November to extend its mission in Iraq to the end of this year Enditem
BRUSSELS Jan Xinhua An Austrian Airlines jet made a safe landing in Stockholm on Tuesday after reporting problems with its landing gear doors Stockholms Arlanda Airport spokesman said
The jet with people on board was on its way from Vienna to Stockholm when the warning system showed problems with the undercarriage
The pilot alerted ground controllers and made a pass over the airport Observers then verified that the gear was extended and the jet made an emergency landing after the runway had been cleared
The passengers were unloaded on to the runway and the jet was towed to the terminal
The aviation authority said the landing gear doors had not closed properly Enditem
HELSINKI Jan Xinhua A Finnish diplomats car was destroyed in the Greek capital of Athens on Tuesday in an arson spree which also hit the office of Greeces governing New Democracy party Finnish media reported
A small anarchist group claimed responsibility for the attacks in a phone call to Greeces Eleftherotypia daily According to police the attackers used homemade bombs consisting of camping gas canisters bound together
The first bomb exploded at am Tuesday under Finnish diplomatic consul Leena Vuorios car which was parked in the carport under her apartment block in central Athens Four other parked cars were damaged
An hour later a gas canister bomb exploded outside the offices of Greeces governing New Democracy party in the Kypseli district of the capital causing minor damage
Finlands ambassador to Greece Ole Norrback has said he didnt believe the attack was aimed at the consul Finnish Embassy personnel or Finland
Of course international attention is attracted by attacks against diplomats he said adding that the perpetrators might have picked Vuorios car because of its diplomatic numberplates
Meanwhile arsonists burnt two parked cars in the Athens suburb of Petroupoli No one was injured in any of the attacks Enditem
WARSAW Jan Xinhua Polish Defense Minister Radoslaw Sikorski on Tuesday named a new commander to lead his countrys troops in Iraq after an extended mission was approved by the Polish president last week
General Edward Gruszka who previously served as commander of Polish troops in Karbala in central Iraq will command Polands sixth troop rotation in the Middle East country Sikorski told a news conference
Polands president Lech Kaczynski approved the extension of the countrys military mission in Iraq until Dec reversing a decision by the last government to bring all troops home within the coming weeks his office said in a statement on Dec
However the Polish contingent will be reduced from the present men to by March officials have said
Polish soldiers first sent to Iraq in September are commanding a multinational division in a region south of Baghdad and helping to train the new Iraqi Armys th Division Enditem
LONDON Jan Xinhua Natural gas prices fell on Tuesday in electronic European trading as Russia was restoring full natural gas deliveries to its European customers
In morning trade in Europe natural gas prices dropped by US cents to US dollars on the New York Mercantile Exchange with prices climbing to as high as US dollars before settling back
According to the analysts Russias staterun gas giant Gazproms efforts to restore gas flow had helped ease upward pressure on the prices
Light sweet crude oil for February delivery won cents to US dollars a barrel
Heating oil gained slightly to US dollars a gallon liters while gasoline was US dollars a gallon
Germanys biggest gas importer EON Ruhrgas said on Tuesday that gas supplies from Russia to the country went back to normal
The pressure in the pipelines was back to normal as of this morning an EON spokesman said
Meanwhile other European buyers of Gazproms natural gas including Hungary Austria and Slovakia also reported resumption of normal flow after Gazprom increased shipments via Ukraine following a chorus of protest over its decision to cut off supplies to its neighbor on Sunday as Kiev rejected to meet its demands for a steep price increase
The price dispute between Moscow and Kiev raised fears of gas shortage in European states as around onefourth of Europes gas comes from Russia Enditem
WARSAW Jan Xinhua Polands Treasury Minister Andrzej Mikosz has submitted his resignation after a press report accused him of financial wrongdoing the Polish Prime Minister Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz said on Tuesday
The treasury minister has submitted his resignation Marcinkiewicz said in a press conference without revealing whether he would accept the
resignation
Mikosz tendered his resignation after Rzeczpospolita daily said on Tuesday that Mikoszs wife lent US dollars to the mother of an investor who is suspected of fraudulent financial transactions Enditem
BERLIN Jan Xinhua At least people have been killed in a rink roof collapse in the south east German town of Bad Reichenhall police said on Tuesday
Six bodies were retrieved from the debris and sniffer dogs discovered four others on the ice rink the Deutsche Press Agency DPA quoted police as saying
Six children were among those killed when the snowladen roof collapsed at about pm GMT on Monday the exact time when the rink was due to close Some people were reportedly skating inside the building when the incident occurred
Among the confirmed fatalities were a yearold boy and two girls aged seven and eight one of whose mother also perished in the tragedy A yearold boy who was rescued at the scene later died in hospital
Some people were pulled alive from the rubble with moderate to severe injuries police said They were flown by helicopter to hospitals in the Austrian city of Salzburg only km away
Rescuers were continuing to search for the missing a full day after the accident
Some firefighters police and rescue personnel from Germany and neighboring Austria worked with shovels and their hands on Tuesday although hope of finding survivors dwindled as the hours passed by
Officials vowed to keep digging until the last person was found
Heavy snow hampered rescue efforts and delayed the arrival of heavy equipment and a crane to lift the collapsed meterlong roof the DPA reported adding six cranes had worked overnight to prevent any further collapse
Police spokesman Franz Sommerauer said it was feared there were more dead since some of the trapped would suffer hypothermia in the subzero weather
The chance to save someone naturally becomes smaller the longer the search lasts district firefighter chief Rudi Zeif said
The disaster was reportedly attributed to the mass of snow on the roof But Bad Reichenhall Mayor Wolfgang Heitmeier said that rink employees had measured its weight at midday on Monday and found it was below the buildings load limit
Suspicions were fueled by news that an official with the towns ice hockey club said he had been told by town authorities minutes before the accident that a regular practice session for youth players later in the day was canceled because there was a risk of the facility collapsing
Heitmeier explained that the planned evenings training was canceled as a precaution
Police said an investigation into possible negligence would be automatic because the accident resulted in deaths Results of the probe would be turned over to prosecutors once completed
Some town residents were angered by the tragedy saying the s recreational center had been due for renovation
Bad Reichenhall a town of around people is located on the border with Austria It was hit by blizzards over the New Year weekend Enditem
WASHINGTON Jan Xinhua The following are major news items in leading US newspapers on Tuesday
The New York Times
Faced with mounting criticism from its natural gas customers across Western Europe Russia on Monday restored most of the gas it withheld from Ukraines pipeline system a day earlier in a pricing dispute
Argentina is on Tuesday expected to pay off the last of its debt to the International Monetary Fund and simply walk away from further negotiations with the group that many Argentines believe was responsible for the policies that led to its economic crisis of It still owes tens of billions to private lenders
The US Homeland Security Department is expected to announce on Tuesday new rules for giving out antiterror aid of million dollars to cities with a stronger focus on need than politics
The Washington Post
An early morning explosion at a coal mine Monday in Tallmansville West Virginia apparently trapped miners nearly two miles into a horizontal tunnel that is about feet underground state authorities said
Iraqs oil minister Ibrahim Bahr Uloom announced his resignation Monday saying that the government had acted in an authoritarian way in forcing him to take a mandatory leave last month after he criticized the government decision to raise fuel prices sharply
The Wall Street Journal
Strong business spending should drive the US economy to a fifth straight year of expansion but a softening housing market is likely to slow the pace of growth overall according to the consensus forecast of economists surveyed by The Wall Street Journal GDP is expected to grow at an annual rate of percent in the first half and percent in the second both respectable showings but short of the percent average of the past two and a half years Enditem
BERLIN Jan Xinhua At least people have been killed in a rink roof collapse in the south east German town of Bad Reichenhall police said on Tuesday
The victims which included a woman two teenagers and six children have all been identified said police chief Hubertus Andrae on Tuesday morning
Some people were pulled alive from the rubble with moderate to severe injuries police said They were flown by helicopter to hospitals in the Austrian city of Salzburg only km away
The snowladen roof collapsed at about pm GMT on Monday the time the rink was due to close Some people were reportedly skating inside the building when the incident occurred
Rescuers who were continuing to search for the missing a full day after the accident said at least five people were still missing possibly trapped under the rubble of the collapsed roof
Some firefighters police and rescue personnel from Germany and neighboring Austria worked with shovels and their hands on Tuesday although hope of finding survivors dwindled as the hours passed by
Officials vowed to keep digging until the last person was found
Heavy snow hampered rescue efforts and delayed the arrival of heavy equipment and a crane to lift the collapsed meterlong roof the DPA reported adding six cranes had worked overnight to prevent any further collapse
Police spokesman Franz Sommerauer said it was feared there were more dead since some of the trapped would suffer hypothermia in the subzero weather
The chance to save someone naturally becomes smaller the longer the search lasts district firefighter chief Rudi Zeif said
The disaster was reportedly attributed to the mass of snow on the roof But Bad Reichenhall Mayor Wolfgang Heitmeier said that rink employees had measured its weight at midday on Monday and found it was below the buildings load limit
Suspicions were fueled by news that an official with the towns ice hockey club said he had been told by town authorities minutes before the accident that a regular practice session for youth players later in the day was canceled because there was a risk of the facility collapsing
Heitmeier explained that the planned evenings training was canceled as a precaution
Police said an investigation into possible negligence would be automatic because the accident resulted in deaths Results of the probe would be turned over to prosecutors once completed
Some town residents were angered by the tragedy saying the s recreational center had been due for renovation
Bad Reichenhall a town of around people is located on the border with Austria It was hit by blizzards over the New Year weekend Enditem
ROME Jan Xinhua The leader of Italys biggest opposition party came under fire on Tuesday after a newspaper published transcripts of his phone conversations with an insurance company chief tainted by recent financial scandals the Italian News Agency ANSA reported
According to the transcripts Italian Democratic Left party chief Piero Fassino expressed clear support when talking to the Italian insurance company Unipol chief Giovanni Consorte about the insurers takeover bid for an Italian bank Banca Nazionale del Lavoro BNL
Unipol which launched its bid in July is indirectly controlled by Italys system of food and agriculture cooperatives which traditionally lean to the left and see the Italian Democratic Left party as a reference point
The conversations between Fassino and Consorte taped by investigators in July were published by Il Giornale a newspaper owned by the family of Italys centreright premier Silvio Berlusconi
In one of the exchanges Fassino is cited as saying So we own a bank then In another he gives Consorte advice on when to take legal action connected with the bid for BNL
With elections only a few months away Fassino was criticized by members of his own party who said he had made a potentially decisive mistake by supporting Consortes takeover bid
Consorte who resigned on Dec has since been under investigation for possible crimes ranging from market rigging to regulatory obstruction
Fassino himself protested about the publication of the transcripts on Monday saying they were part of a political attack on him by the newspaper
Unipol announced its billion euro offer for BNL Italys sixth largest bank in July but is still waiting for approval from the Bank of Italy The decision is expected next week Enditem
JERUSALEM Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon will have general anesthetic when he undergoes a cardiac operation on Thursday at Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem officials of the hospital said on Tuesday
The operation itself is expected to last minutes but recovery from the effects of the anesthetic will take approximately two hours therefore Sharons authority will be assumed by Deputy Prime Minister Ehud Olmert for a period of three hours IsraelSharonOperation
BAGHDAD Gunmen kidnapped the sister of the Iraqi minister of interior in Baghdad on Tuesday an Interior Ministry source told Xinhua
Armed men in two cars kidnapped the sister of the interior minister Byan Jaber Solagh at about pm GMT in the alQadisiyah district near the heavily fortified Green Zone the source said on condition of anonymity IraqKidnapping
BERLIN At least people have been killed in a rink roof collapse in the south east German town of Bad Reichenhall police said on Tuesday
The victims which included a woman two teenagers and six children have all been identified said police chief Hubertus Andrae on Tuesday morning GermanyRoof Collapse
LONDON Natural gas prices fell on Tuesday in electronic European trading as Russia was restoring full natural gas deliveries to its European customers
In morning trade in Europe natural gas prices dropped by US cents to US dollars on the New York Mercantile Exchange with prices climbing to as high as US dollars before settling back BritainGas Price
TEHRAN A top Iranian nuclear official said on Tuesday that Iran would resume work on nuclear fuel research in a few days after a suspension of over two years state television reported
It has been decided that the International Atomic Energy Agency IAEA will be informed in a letter that Iran will start the research work on the nuclear fuel in a few days Mohammad Saidi deputy chief of Irans Atomic Energy Agency was quoted as saying IranNukes
PARIS The French government on Tuesday approved the lifting of a state of emergency imposed two months ago amid nationwide riots
The order which was made by the cabinet will take effect on Wednesday FranceState of Emergency
NEW DELHI India and Pakistan will begin talks on restarting a transborder train service on Wednesday years after it was suspended because of war IndoAsian News Service reported here Tuesday
In the fourday talks the two sides will discuss the starting of the train that will link Munabao in Indian Rajasthan to Khokhrapar in Pakistans Sind province IndiaPakistan Enditem
WASHINGTON Jan Xinhua The United States is showing increasing willingness to give up its efforts in rebuilding Afghanistan the Washington Post reported on Tuesday
The most dramatic example will come this summer when the US military officially hands over control of the volatile southern region plagued by persistent attacks from Islamic militias to an international force led by the NATO alliance
The transfer of power will provide the first critical test of the new US strategy The shift will allow the Bush administration which has spent more than billion dollars on military efforts in Afghanistan since to cut US troops presence in the country by percent from to the newspaper said
At the same time the US government is increasingly allowing Western allies or Afghans themselves to take on the tasks of rebuilding a country that has suffered more than two decades of fighting and remains beset by poverty drugs and insurgency
The United States has largely ceded leadership to the British government and is pinning its hopes on Afghan provincial governors to eradicate poppy fields
Although US officials have warned repeatedly about the need to curb the burgeoning opium business they have so far spent only modest amounts helping and now say Kabul must take the initiative the newspaper said
Politically the United States has been less willing to exert its influence Compared with the previous ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad who played a strong highprofile role in Kabul negotiating directly with recalcitrant regional leaders and openly advising Afghan President Hamid Karzai current US Ambassador to Afghanistan Ronald Neumann who arrived several months ago is a quieter presence who rarely interferes with Karzais decisions
The United States says its shifting approach complements Afghanistans evolution into a selfsustaining democracy and that Washington has no plans to pull out altogether
The Afghans have to have enough space to make their own decisions even to stumble sometimes But we shouldnt leave them without critical support before theyre strong enough the newspaper quoted Neumann as saying Enditem
BERLIN Jan Xinhua German famous skier Maria Riesch is to receive an operation Tuesday to repair a torn cruciate ligament the skier said in Munich on Monday
My knee was actually feeling much better and I could already walk It is sad that I have to undergo another operation German news agency DPA quoted her as saying
Riesch sustained the injury during a World Cup event in Aspen on December and received an operation days later
After the operation she will have to stay in the clinic for a few days before she goes to the rehabilitation center in Bad Wiessee She cannot go back to sports till six months later Enditem
WASHINGTON Dec Xinhua The New York Knicks have indefinitely suspended center Jerome James for conduct detrimental to the team
James has played in only of games this season for the Knicks who have struggled to find their way after hiring coach Larry Brown New York is and is tied with the Atlanta Hawks for the worst record in the NBA
For his career the yearold sevenfooter has scored points with rebounds and blocks in games with the Knicks Seattle SuperSonics and Sacramento Kings who picked him in the second round of the draft Enditem
WASHINGTON Jan Xinhua Following are the leaders of the National Basketball Association through Jan
Scoring
G FG FT PTS AVG
Iverson Phil
Bryant LAL
James Clev
Arenas Wash
Wade Mia
Pierce Bos
Nowitzki Dall
Brand LAC
Anthony Den
Allen Sea
Carter NJ
Redd Mil
McGrady Hou
Richardson GS
ONeal Ind
Bosh Tor
Garnett Minn
Hamilton Det
Lewis Sea
Duncan SA
FG Percentage
FG FGA PCT
AbdurRahim Sac
Brezec Char
Garnett Minn
Parker SA
Brand LAC
Gooden Clev
Bogut Mil
Wallace Char
Jefferson NJ
Iguodala Phil
Rebounds
G OFF DEF TOT AVG
Camby Den
B Wallace Det
Howard Orl
Marion Phoe
Duncan SA
Garnett Minn
Brand LAC
Jamison Wash
Webber Phil
Magloire Mil
Assists
G AST AVG
Nash Phoe
Davis GS
Miller Den
Billups Det
Knight Char
Kidd NJ
Paul NOk
Iverson Phil
Cassell LAC
Wade Mia
Enditem
LONDON Jan Xinhua Following are the results of the Englishi Premier League games played on Monday
Birmingham bt Wigan
Blackburn bt Portsmouth
Bolton drew with Liverpool
Everton bt Charlton
Fulham bt Sunderland
Newcastle drew with Middlesbrough
West Brom lost to Aston Villa
West Ham lost to Chelsea
Enditem
MONTEVIDEO Jan Xinhua Argentinas Carlos Tevez told Uruguayan newspaper El Pais that he felt tremendous happiness on Monday when told the papers continentwide survey has chosen him as the best player in South America
Tevez named King of South America for the third year in a row said the honor was very important to him because it recognized all the efforts he had made this year
When you receive something like this from the journalists from a whole continent the first thing you think is they have recognized all I have done and they value it said Tevez one of Brazilian league team Corinthianss most creative players
Winning the award for the third consecutive year was doubly satisfying because it showed he was maintaining his footballing skills he said
Asked about Diego Lugano a Uruguayan who plays for Brazilian league team Sao Paulo who came second in the survey Tevez said that he was a great defender with the skills and temperament for the work
Tevez a former player for Argentinas Boca Juniors said that in Brazil Lugano was the defender who marked him best and that he had never been able to convert a goal from a pass in the Sao Paulo area
The edition is the th version of the survey which speaks to sports journalists from newspapers magazines and agencies across South America The results were published on December Enditem
SAO PAULO Jan Xinhua Top Brazilian soccer club Sao Paulo has chosen Muricy Ramalho who coached league club International to a second place in the Copa Libertadores to replace current manager Paulo Auturi the team said in a statement posted on its website on Monday
The club added that Ramalho would hold a press conference on Tuesday Local press said that the manager had signed a oneyear contract but the website did not give further details
Sao Paulo has won three world titles three Libertadores three national league titles and state titles Previous coach Auturi left the club last week after helping the club to win the club world championships because of a better offer from Japans Kashima Antlers Enditem
MONTEVIDEO Jan Xinhua The th Punta del Este rugby sevens competition has attracted teams from nine countries Old Boys the Uruguayan team that organizes the contest told local media on Monday
Squads from Argentina Brazil Chile France England Italy New Zealand and South Africa as well as the best local Uruguay teams will take part in the competition which to be held on Friday and Saturday
In the first phase of the compeitition the teams will be divided into seven groups which will battle it out to qualify for a threeway final for gold silver and bronze medals
The contest is overseen by the Uruguay Rugby Union Enditem
SAN JOSE Jan Xinhua The Costa Rica Coffee Cup for junior tennis players began on Monday in San Jose with players from countries in America Europe and Asia taking part local media said
The tournament which ends on Sunday awards points for the International Tennis Federation league for unders Among the important players taking part are Hollands Thiemo De Bakker third in the world and the Czech Republics Roman Jebavy number Leading Latin American players include Mexicos Alejandro Moreno Argentinas Guillermo Duran Venezuelas Ricardo Hernandez and four Costa Ricans Eduardo Pinto Oliver Nowalsky Esteban Vargas and Andres Kaver
The female event of the contest has attracted competitors including Romanias Mihaela Buzarnescu th in the world the United Statess Julia Cohen th in the world and twice finalist in this compeition and Hollands Bibiane Schoofs th and Renee Reinard nd
The leading female Latin players include Liset Brito from El Salvador Valeria Pulido from Mexico and four Costa Ricans including Alexandra Deprez Andrea Madrigal Camila Quesada and Andreina Mesalles
The Cup is the most competitive under contest in the world It will take place in the Costa Rica Country Club in western San Jose Enditem
BRUSSELS Jan Xinhua Dutch Premier Division side NAC Breda have appointed Cees Lok as coach the soccer club said Monday
Lok succeeded Ton Lokhof who was sacked on Friday for dissapointing performance of the side NAC have managed to rake in only three points from their last matches
NAC rank th in the team Dutch league three points above the relegation zone
Lok resigned at NEC Nijmegen last month Enditem
CARACAS Jan Xinhua Chiles Carlo de Gavardo has won the cyclist of the year award in a survey of journalists and commentators conducted by the Latin American Motorsports Association ACDML Venezuelan media reported on Monday
Costa Ricas Roberto Castro won the best newcomer award for under year olds in the same survey although he has already got a good track record He won the Latin American cc championship for the second year in a row in
De Gavardo also called The Huelquen Condor won points in the survey Twelve of those surveyed said he was the best of the year
In he won the World Rally Championship for the second year in a row and was crowned International Motocycling Federation champion for the third time a title he last won in
The biker is currently competing in the LisbonDakar rally where he has his first victory of in his sights
It is the first time the Chilean has won the award In the last few years speed bikers won the award Alexandre Barros in and Sebastian Porto in and Porto was in second place this year with points and nine journalists awarding him first place while Barros was second with points and two first place votes
This is the fourth time that the ACDMLs has awarded the prize Experts from Argentina Brazil Colombia Costa Rica Chile Ecuador Spain the United States England Mexico Uruguay and Venezuela took part in the survey Enditem
LONDON Jan Xinhua Liverpool saw their game winning streak ended when they were held to a draw at Bolton on Monday while pacesetters Chelsea continue their relentless march with an win over West Ham extending their lead to points
Jose Mourinhos side was just too strong for West Ham But Marlon Harewood managed to keep the Hammers in the game by cancelling out Frank Lampards opener early in the second half but the Blues stepped up a gear to win through Hernan Crespo and Didier Drogba
Luis Garcia levelled in the nd minute to prevent Liverpools game winning run coming to an end with defeat at Bolton
In the end the Reds had to settle for a draw after Bolton had twice led through Radhi Jaidi who pounced on a mistake between Sami Hyypia and Jose Reina and former Liverpool striker ElHadji Diouf
Steven Gerrard had scored Liverpools first equaliser with a penalty minutes in after he had been felled by Joey OBrien
Lee Clark also scored a late equaliser to salvage a draw for underpressure Newcastle from the TyneTees derby against Middlesbrough at St James Park
Jimmy Floyd Hasselbainks strike had looked to have won the game and increased the pressure on Graeme Souness when he broke through to put Boro ahead with four minutes remaining
Nolberto Solano had given Newcastle the lead with a superb freekick in the th minute moments after Mark Viduka had scooped over from inside the sixyard box at the other end
But Boro did find their finishing touch and levelled through Aiyegbeni Yakubu after a superb run and cross from James Morrison after minutes
Tim Cahill scored twice with his head as Everton recorded a second successive victory by overcoming Charlton at Goodison Park
Both Cahills goals came from Mikel Arteta crosses after Charlton had fought back to with a fierce Matt Holland strike
James Beattie opened the scoring for Everton in the ninth minute when he fired home a rebound after Thomas Myhre had initially saved his penalty
Aston Villa completed a successful holiday programme with a win over neighbours West Brom at The Hawthorns
Milan Baros netted the winner from the penalty spot minutes from time as West Broms Steve Watson went from hero to villain in the space of three minutes
Watson had just equalised his first goal for the club to level following a Steven Davis effort when he was adjudged to have handled in the area Baros made no mistake from yards
Fulhams Collins John hit two as bottom side Sunderland slipped to a defeat despite taking an early lead at Craven Cottage
Liam Lawrence scored a stunning opener in the eighth minute when he volleyed home from the edge of the area after a poor Zat Knight header
But the Wearsiders could not hold on and John levelled just before the break from a Brian McBride flickon
Things got worse for Sunderland when Steven Caldwell was sent off for bringing down McBride on the edge of the area and John finished matters four minutes later
Troubled Birmingham recorded a muchneeded victory as they overcame Wigan at St Andrews with goals from Jermaine Pennant and Mario Melchiot
Pennant headed the first after minutes and then turned provider as Melchiot stabbed home a second from his corner minutes later Enditem
LONDON Jan Xinhua Pacesetters Chelsea built up their lead to points as they beat West Ham on Monday
Hammers old boy Lampard volleyed Chelsea into the lead after minutes after Yossi Benayoun failed to deal with a throwin
But the champions were pegged back when Marlon Harewood followed up his own shot only seconds after the restart
Substitute Hernan Crespo rounded Roy Carroll to score seconds after coming on as a substitute and Drogba fired the third with minutes left
Lampard made his intentions known in the opening minute when testing Carroll with a dipping effort as the predictable boos rang around Upton Park
But just as the champions were getting into their stride a reshuffle was caused by an injury to Michael Essien who for once was on the receiving end of a bad tackle from Nigel ReoCoker
However Eidur Gudjohnsens introduction gave the Blues another attacking option as Arjen Robben moved further infield freeing up space on the left flank for overlapping fullback Asier del Horno
Del Horno supplied the ammunition for Robben who was unlucky with a volley that Carroll managed to keep out and Didier Drogba who could have done a lot better
A Chelsea goal appeared inevitable and that Lampard would be the scorer seemed certain although he should never have been given the opportunity
The Hammers defence dithered as they attempted to clear Geremis long throw
Benayouns header was misplaced and could not have fallen kinder for the England midfielder as he silenced the majority of the Upton Park crowd firing home his th Premiership goal of the season
The Hammers offered little in response before the break apart from Matthew Etherington seeing his effort cleared off the line by Del Horno
And even the most optimistic of their followers could have anticipated they would be back on terms within seconds of the restart
The Chelsea defence was caught square as Harewood latched onto a cute reverse ball from ReoCoker and was able to followup his own shot that bounced following a save by Petr Cech
Robben missed two good chances to put the champions back in front but a tactical switch from Mourinho proved inspired
The sight of Drogba being partnered by Hernan Crespo up front is a rare one but the latter netted just seconds after coming on for Damien Duff
Robbens through ball could have been better timed as he slipped the Argentine striker in on goal and he rounded Carroll before firing into the roof of the net
Crespo should have confirmed the victory He fired wide when sent through again and also shot over from close range seconds later as Chelsea pushed to increase their margin of victory
But it was left to his strike partner to fire the important third goal Drogba shooting across Carroll and into the corner of the net after being played through by Gudjohnsen Enditem
LONDON Jan Xinhua Liverpools tengame winning streak was ended on Monday when they were held to a draw at Bolton
Radhi Jaidi had given Bolton a th minute lead heading in to capitalise on goalkeeper Jose Reinas blunder
Liverpool pulled level midway through the second half when Steven Gerrard won and expertly converted a penalty
Four minutes later El Hadji Diouf bundled in Kevin Davies cross but Luis Garcias chest control gave him the space to volley in the equaliser
Liverpools match winning streak has had much to do with Reinas confident goalkeeping
He has conceded just one goal during that run but his assuredness evaporated in an instant as Stylianos Giannakopouloss freekick hung in the air
The Spanish keeper dropped the cross and then in a mixup with Sami Hyypia the ball richocheted to Jaidi who nodded home
Kevin Nolans jinking run then had Liverpool at sixes and seven until Jamie Carragher got in a saving tackle though the Bolton midfielder claimed he should have had a penalty after the England defender made a second less well timed intervention
Boltons aggressive approach increasingly began to rile Liverpool and in the space of a couple of minutes both Peter Crouch and Carragher were booked
Liverpool took their time to establish any sort of attacking rhythm in that firsthalf but they went close with a trio of shots
First Ricardo Gardner blocked a Gerrard volley and then Jussi Jaaskelainen dived low to push away Dietmar Hamanns skimming shot
And just before the interval Boltons goalkeeper did just as well in beating away a fierce Djimi Traore shot
During the first half Liverpool were clearly unsettled by Boltons aggressive approach
At times the game threatened to boil over with Mohamed Sissoko guilty of an ugly challenge on Diouf that was missed by referee Mark Clattenburg
Nolan was also furious with Gerrard after the Liverpool captains boot came down heavily on the Boltons midfielders chest while he was lying on the ground
In a bid to rescue the game Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez introduced Spanish duo Xabi Alonso and Garcia
Soon after that switch Liverpool drew level when Gerrard enticed OBrien into a rash challenge
The Liverpool captain gave Jaaskelainen no chance with a penalty that was expertly despatched into the corner of the net
Having worked so hard for the equaliser Liverpool soon found themselves chasing the game again
Kevin Davies cross from the left found Liverpool oldboy Diouf who scrambled the ball home as Reina dithered
But with eight minutes to go Alonso and Garcia combined to provide Liverpool with a second equaliser
Alonso picked out Garcia who chested the ball down before rifling a shot into the corner Enditem
CANBERRA Jan Xinhua Following are the results from the ASB Classic Womens Singles first round matches at Auckland on Tuesday prefix number denotes seeding
Yoon Jeong Cho South Korea bt Shahar Peer Israel
Laura Granville United States bt Shenay Perry United States
Marion Bartoli France bt Emilie Loit France
Enditem
LONDON Jan Xinhua Following are the standings after Mondays English soccer games tabulated under matches played won drawn lost goals for against points
Chelsea
Manchester United
Liverpool
Tottenham
Wigan
Arsenal
Bolton
Blackburn
Manchester City
West Ham
Newcastle
Aston Villa
Charlton
Fulham
Everton
Middlesbrough
West Bromwich Albion
Portsmouth
Birmingham
Sunderland
Enditem
KAMPALA Jan Xinhua Uganda Olympic Committee UOC has plans to focus on developing sports administration in associations and promoting Olympic values in
UOC president Francis Nyangweso released the program on Saturday at a meeting with federation heads according to local press on Tuesday
Nyangweso said the program was aimed particularly at helping athletes
Everyone must aim to run an associations program to benefit the athletes not themselves Its a program where we need people who have come up to work for the athletes he told the different federation heads
The program has its target as the Beijing Olympic Games and Commonwealth Games and talent identification for the London Olympic Games
It also has development of sports federations which will involve technical courses and scholarships for coaches development of national structures and sports administration and training courses for sports management and administration
The program will also have the promotion of Olympic values through sports medicine sports and environment women and sports sportsforall Olympic academy and the Olympic legacy Enditem
HANOI Jan Xinhua The head coach of Vietnams Pjico Song Lam Nghe An soccer club who allegedly involved in fixing both national and international games has been fired on a temporary basis by the clubs management board
The board explained Tuesday that the dismissal would help the coach Nguyen Huy Thang focus time on working sessions with local police over the matchrigging allegations If Thang is found innocent the club will offer him the coach post again
Local media on Tuesday reported that according to different sources Thang asked two members of the club and the national U soccer team at the rd Southeast Asian SEA Games Le Quoc Vuong and Pham Van Quyen to fix a qualification match against Myanmar held in the Philippines in November
Local police have detained Vuong for the charge of gambling and organizing gambling while Quyen Vietnams Golden Ball winner for the charge of gambling only Vuong confessed that he wooed several teammates to rig the match Their poor performance on purpose resulted a victory in favor of Vietnam as expected by local bookmakers
Besides Vuong and Quyen the police have detained two other members of the national U soccer team
In addition to the allegation over rigging the SEA Games match Thang faced another allegation over fixing a game at the national tournament helping his club gain the championship title At that time he was the clubs assistant coach
Vietnam is launching an ironfist campaign to cleanse its soccer of wrongdoings Since August local police have uncovered some local corrupt referees as well as managing directors and coaches of some clubs
To date out of local referees and teams officials who have allegedly involved in matchfixing over the past two years have been prosecuted Of the men five have been detained Enditem
WASHINGTON Jan Xinhua Following are the results of Mondays NBA games home team in CAPS
INDIANA bt Seattle
NY KNICKS bt Phoenix OT
NO OKLAHOMA CITY bt Charlotte
Milwaukee bt CHICAGO
DENVER bt Boston
Enditem
WASHINGTON Jan Xinhua Following are the standings from the NBA after Mondays games
EASTERN CONFERENCE
ATLANTIC DIVISION
W L PCT GB
New Jersey
Philadelphia
Boston
NY Knicks
Toronto
CENTRAL DIVISION
W L PCT GB
Detroit
Cleveland
Milwaukee
Indiana
Chicago
SOUTHEAST DIVISION
W L PCT GB
Miami
Orlando
Washington
Charlotte
Atlanta
WESTERN CONFERENCE
NORTHWEST DIVISION
W L PCT GB
Minnesota
Utah
Denver
Seattle
Portland
PACIFIC DIVISION
W L PCT GB
Phoenix
LA Clippers
Golden State
LA Lakers
Sacramento
SOUTHWEST DIVISION
W L PCT GB
San Antonio
Dallas
Memphis
NO Oklahoma City
Houston
Enditem
NAIROBI Jan Xinhua Rwanda is out of the International Cricket CouncilEast Africa youth tournament that is to start in Nairobi on Thursday local newspaper reported Tuesday
Kenya Cricket Association KCA Executive Officer Tom Tikolo said Rwanda opted out after they failed to raise teams local daily The Standard reported
Rwanda have pulled out of the tournament because most of their players are away on holiday Tikolo was quoted as saying
Consequently Kenya will provide two more teams one each for girls and boys categories to fill the void left by Rwanda
Tanzania and Uganda will participate in the tournament that will feature under boys and open age girls competitions
Tikolo said the purpose of the annual tournament is to develop cricket from the grassroots with a view to feeding future national teams
We use the tournament to nurture potential talent for future national teams he said
The Kenyan boysand girls teams have been training for the last three weeks for the tournament Enditem
LUSAKA Jan Xinhua The Zambian Badminton Association ZBA will send a sixshuttler squad to the Mauritius International Badminton Tournament to be held February
Leading the squad are Zambia mens top seed Eli Mambwe and womens number two Olga Siamapangila who will represent Zambia at this years Melbourne Commonwealth Games in Australia
The duo will join the squad en route to Mauritius after onemonth training camp in New Delhi India where they will prepare for their Commonwealth Games slated for January and February
Zambia womens number one Jean Mabiza would also be included in the squad should she fully recover from injury prior to the Mauritius International ZBA general secretary Godfrey Masuwa was quoted as saying by local newspaper The Post
Mabiza has been out of action since September last year due to injury
Others in the squad are Juma Muwowo Mubanga Kaite and Lucio Mambwe Enditem
ANKARA Jan Xinhua International Sports Press Association AIPS has named Turkish wrestler Hamza Yerlikaya as the most successful wrestler of the year for the semiofficial Anatolia news agency reported on Tuesday
In its assessment of Sportsmen of the Year AIPS chose Yerlikaya for the wrestling category said the report
Yerlikaya won a gold medal apiece in and Olympic Games He has also captured three world championships titles and seven European championships titles
Last year Yerlikaya won the gold medal in the kg category in the world championships in Budpest Enditem
WELLINGTON Jan Xinhua Following are the results from the Auckland Classic womens tennis tournament on Tuesday prefix number denotes seeding
First round
Julia Schruff Germany bt Jelena Dokic Australia
Vera Zvonareva Russia bt Paola Suarez Argentina
Daniela Hantuchova Slovakia bt Yulia Beygelzimer Ukraine
Marion Bartoli France bt Emilie Loit France
Kristina Brandi Puerto Rico bt Catalina Castano Columbia
Maria Sanchez Lorenzo Spain bt Shinobu Asagoe Japan
Laura Granville United States bt Shenay Perry United States
Yoon Jeong Cho South Korea bt Shahar Peer Israel
Jill Craybas United States bt Ashley Harkleroad United States
Tzipora Obziler Israel bt Jamea Jackson United States
Maria Kirilenko Russia bt Olga Blahotova Czech Republic
Elena Likhovtseva Russia bt Akiko Morigami Japan
Enditem
CANBERRA Jan Xinhua Following are the results from the Mondial Australian womens hardcourt tennis tournament in Adelaide Australia on Tuesday prefix number denotes seeding
Second round
Dinara Safina Russia bt Iveta Benesova Czech Republic
Lucie Safarova Czech Republic bt Jarmila Gajdosova Slovakia
Anabel Medina Spain bt Aiko Nakamura Japan
Flavia Pennetta Italy bt Li Na China
Enditem
LAGOS Jan Xinhua The annual Confederation of African Football CAF Awards ceremony slated for January in Abuja has been postponed till a later date following a request from the sponsors of the event
In a statement signed by CAF Director of Communications Suleiman Habuba the CAF executive committee will meet on January to decide on a new date for the awards after sponsors telephone company Globacom said they could not guarantee the presence of most of the top nominees for the various categories of awards
Cameroons Samuel Etoo who has won the individual award in the past two years Michael Essien of Ghana and Didier Drogba of Cote dIvoire are in the running for the CAF African Footballer of the Year Enditem
CANBERRA Jan Xinhua Martina Hingis continued her successful comeback with a doubles victory over Athens Olympic gold medallists Li Ting and Sun Tiantian at the Australian hardcourt championships in Adelaide on Tuesday
Hingis who won her first round singles match here on Monday teamed up with Frances Tatiana Golovin to beat the Chinese pair on center court
The yearold Hingis who retired in with foot and ankle injuries is using the Gold Coast tournament and next weeks Sydney International as warmups for the Australian Open which begins on Jan
Hingis has won nine grand slam doubles titles and on the WTA tour in total
In Tuesdays second round singles matches fourth seed Flavia Pennetta of Italy beat Chinas Li Na while Spanish eighth seed Anabel Medina Garrigues beat Japans Aiko Nakamura
Czech teenager Lucie Safarova who beat Ai Sugiyama in the first round needed seven match points against Slovakias Jarmila Gajdosova before closing out the contest and
The victory has set up a possible quarterfinal showdown with top seed Swiss Patty Schnyder who plays American qualifier Angela Haynes in the second round on Wednesday Enditem
WELLINGTON Jan Xinhua Following are the results from the ASB Classic womens singles first round matches at Auckland on Tuesday prefix number denotes seeding
Yoon Jeong Cho South Korea bt Shahar Peer Israel
Laura Granville United States bt Shenay Perry United States
Marion Bartoli France bt Emilie Loit France
Vera Douchevina Russia bt Anne Kremer Luxembourg
Elena Likhovtseva Russia bt Akiko Morigami Japan
Maria Kirilenko Russia bt Olga Blahotova Czech Republic
Tzipora Obziler Israel bt Jamea Jackson United States
Daniela Hantuchova Slovakia bt Yulia Beygelzimer Ukraine
Maria Sanchez Lorenzo Spain bt Shinobu Asagoe Japan
Jill Craybas United States bt Ashley Harkleroad United States
Kristina Brandi Puerto Rico bt Catalina Castano Colombia
Vera Zvonareva Russia bt Paola Suarez Argentina
Julia Schruff Germany bt Jelena Dokic Australia
Enditem
CANBERRA Jan Xinhua Following are the results from the Australian mens hardcourt tennis championship in Adelaide Australia on Tuesday prefix number denotes seeding
First round
Lleyton Hewitt Australia bt Jan Hernych Czech Republic
Mark Philippoussis Australia bt Vince Spadea United States
Florian Mayer Germany bt Juan Monaco Argentina
Ivo Karlovic Croatia bt JuanIgnacio Chela Argentina
Andreas Seppi Italy bt Boris Pashanski Serbia and Montenegro
James Blake United States bt Alberto Martin Spain
Jarkko Nieminen Finland bt PaulHenri Mathieu France
Florent Serra France bt Michael Llodra France retired injured
Andrew Murray Britain bt Paolo Lorenzi Italy
Kenneth Carlsen Denmark bt Gregory Carraz France
Enditem
CANBERRA Jan Xinhua Topseeded Lleyton Hewitt overcame a sluggish start to defeat Jan Hernych Tuesday at the Australian mens hardcourt tennis championship in Adelaide
Hewitt dropped his serve twice in the first set He was also broken by Hernych while serving for the match at but Hewitt did the same to the Czech player in the following game to clinch the match
Britains Andy Murray had a slow start Tuesday before beating Italian qualifier Paolo Lorenzi The thranked Murray will play Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic in the second round
In other matches American James Blake the fifth seed beat Alberto Martin of Spain and Australian wild card Mark Philippoussis a former US Open finalist took a positive step in his latest comeback attempt with a win over American Vince Spadea
It was Philippoussis first singles match at Memorial Drive since his Davis Cup defeat against Sweden in early losses that started an month rankings slide Enditem
MADRID Jan Xinhua Football legend Alfredo Di Stefano left the intensive care unit of a Valencia hospital on Tuesday following a heart surgery
The patient is continuing to improve and his kidneys are functioning almost normally the medical services of La Fe hospital said in a statement
He has been transferred from the recovery unit to a normal hospital ward although because he needs to rest visits to the patient will be restricted
The yearold former player underwent the surgery last week after suffering a heart attack on Dec
Widely regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of the game Di Stefano led Real Madrid to five consecutive European Cup triumphs between and and was voted European Footballer of the Year in and
As well as his European triumphs with Real Di Stefano also won eight Spanish league titles the World Club Cup and the Kings Cup before joining Barcelonabased Espanyol after falling out with president Santiago Bernabeu in
Born of Italian parents in Buenos Aires Di Stefano played for Argentina and Spain during his year career and retired at the age of in Enditem
WUHAN Central China Jan Xinhua Host Wuhan Technology University team lost to the Bayi youth team at the CUBA vs CBA youth team basketball tournament here on Tuesday
Forward Yang Qin had gamehigh points and nine rebounds for Bayi which had defeated Wuhan in its first match at the eightteam tournament
Zhang Bo added points for Bayi while Han Junde led Wuhan with points and seven rebounds and teammate Yu Yang contributed points
We beat them in the opening game so we have physchological edge over them But I have to admit that they give us some pressure especially in the third quarter said Yang
After Bayi established a lead at halftime Wuhan fought back in the third quarter and cut the gap to points at
But Bayi did not let its opponent to go any further in the final period
In a bid to improve the standard of Chinese basketball CBA and CUBA launched the tournament which will run through Wednesday
Four topranked teams in CUBA and CBA took part in the tournament Enditem
HONG KONG Jan Xinhua World No Lindsay Davenport and the Williams sisters Tuesday welcomed Martina Hingis return to competitive tennis as the Swiss claimed victories both on her singles and doubles professional comeback matches
Devenport said there is a hard way to go for Hingis who pairing with French Tatiana Golovin defeated Olympic champions Chinese Sun Tiantian and Li Ting Tuesday after beating world number Maria VentoKabchi on Monday
It adds another great story line to womens tennis and I think its going to be very interesting to see how she comes back after a couple of years away from the game said Davenport ahead of Hong Kongs Champions Challenge exhibition tournament which is to kick off on Thursday
I think that its a very very tough sport Obviously Martina has been one of the best players that has ever played so Im sure she wouldnt be coming back unless she felt like she could make this transition added Davenport
Serena Williams said shes rooting for the fivetime Grand Slam singles winner
I was actually really excited to hear that Hingis was going to come back Honestly she was such a great player in her time and her time is still our time
Im actually rooting for her unless of course she plays me
Her older sister Venus reminded the old rival that the womens tennis is awesome but I think shell do well
Hingis who retired in because of foot heel and ankle injuries will play the Australian Open which she has won three times Enditem
RABAT Jan Xinhua Spains Isidre Esteve Pujol riding a KTM won the fourth stage of the Dakar Rally on Tuesday
Pujol clocked hours minutes second in the km timed section seconds ahead of compatriot Marc Coma and minutes seconds in front of Chiles Carlo De Gavardo
Coma took over top spot in the overall standings with a minute seconds gap from Pujol and minutes seconds ahead of Frances Cyril Despres
In the car section Spains Carlos Sainz won the stage in hours minutes seconds ahead of Frenchmen Thierry Magnaldi by minutes second and minutes seconds in front of Luc Alphand
Sainz who won the first two stages of the rally regained the overall lead by minutes seconds from Frenchman Bruno Saby and by minutes seconds from German Jutta Kleinschmidt
The competitors must still complete the entire km stage from Er Rachidia Morocco to Ouarzazate within a stipulated time
Wednesdays km fifth stage is from Ouarzazate to Tan Tan also in Morocco which has a km timed section Enditem
CANBERRA Jan Xinhua Following are the results from the Hopman Cup mixed teams tennis championship in Perth Australia on Tuesday
Peter Wessels Netherlands bt Todd Reid Australia
Samantha Stosur Australia bt Michaella Krajicek Netherlands
Taylor Dent United States bt Yuri Schukin Russia
Svetlana Kuznetsova Russia bt Lisa Raymond United States
Enditem
BERLIN Jan Xinhua Following are the results of Tuesdays Nordic combined World Cup sprint event one ski jump kilometer crosscountry race in Ruhpolding Germany
Felix Gottwald Austria minutes seconds
Ronny Ackermann Germany seconds behind
Petter Tande Norway
Mario Stecher Austria
Hannu Manninen Finland
Jens Gaiser Germany
Magnus Moan Norway
Havard Klemetsen Norway
Bjoern Kircheisen Germany
Christoph Bieler Austria
Bill Demong United States
Michael Gruber Austria
David Kreiner Austria
Jason Lamy Chappuis France
Sebastian Haseney Germany
World Cup standings after eight of events
Hannu Manninen Finland points
Ronny Ackermann Germany
Petter Tande Norway
Magnus Moan Norway
Felix Gottwald Austria
Mario Stecher Austria
Georg Hettich Germany
Christoph Bieler Austria
Jason Lamy Chappuis France
Todd Lodwick United States
Enditem
BERLIN Jan Xinhua Felix Gottwald of Austria rallied to win his first Nordic combined World Cup event of the season Tuesday with a strong crosscountry performance
Gottwald was only th after the ski jumping and went into the kilometer crosscountry race with a second gap
The Austrian was quick enough to beat world champion Ronny Ackermann of Germany by seconds Gottwald clocked minutes seconds for an th career win on the World Cup circuit
Petter Tande of Norway the leader after the one jump in the sprint event finished third trailing by seconds World Cup overall leader Hannu Manninen of Finland finished fifth behind Mario Stecher of Austria
Manninen now has points to lead the season standings ahead of Ackermanns There are still events on the schedule Enditem
WUHAN Central China Jan Xinhua Bayi youth team defeated Wuhan Technology University team to place fifth at the CUBA vs CBA youth team basketball tournament here on Tuesday
Forward Yangqin had gamehigh points and nine rebounds for Bayi which had defeated Wuhan in its first match at the eightteam tournament
Zhang Bo added points for Bayi while Han Junde led Wuhan with points and seven rebounds and teammate Yu Yang contributed points
We beat them in the opening game so we have psychological edge over them But I have to admit that they give us some pressure especially in the third quarter said Yang
After Bali established a lead at halftime Wuhan fought back in the third quarter and cut the gap to points at
But Bayi did not let its opponent to go any further in the final period
Bayis women players failed to carry on the winning touch from their male teammates as they went down to the Qinghai Normal University team in the fifthsixth playoff
Liang Tingting was the leading scorer of the Qinghai Normal University team with points She also had six rebounds and three assists
An Xuwen added points and four blocks for Qinghai while Zhang Bailu poured in points for Bayi
In other action the Shanghai youth team beat Shandong to place seventh in the mens competition while the Shenyang youth team pipped the China Mining University team for the seventh place in the womens pool
In a bid to improve the standard of Chinese basketball CBA and CUBA launched the tournament which will run through Wednesday Four topranked teams each in CUBA and CBA took part in the tournament Enditem
KUALA LUMPUR Jan Xinhua Malaysian Youth and Sports Minister Azalina Othman Said Tuesday warned the countrys sports associations to submit their performance report and budget for swiftly or face drastic action
The minister sounded this warning after chairing the Malaysian National Sports Council NSC board meeting at the ministry in Putrajaya administrative center of the Malaysian Federal Government
Although the December deadline had elapsed only eight of the sports associations submitted their budgets for the new year another four required for more time and the rest made no response she said
Expressing her dissatisfaction over that attitude of the associations she said that she would give these associations a second chance or take drastic action against them
However the official did not explain what kind of action would be taken
Local media reports said on Tuesday that the eight associations which have submitted their budgets for were table tennis cricket softball golf men squash badminton equestrian and volleyball while karatedo basketball golf women and bowling had required for longer grace period
The Youth and Sports Ministry will call all the national sports associations for a meeting next week to provide them a standard form to fill up if necessary Azalina said Enditem
KUALA LUMPUR Jan Xinhua Powerhouse Al Ain of the United Arab Emirates has sacked its coach Milan Macala and named Tunisian Mohammad Al Menssy as caretaker coach the Asian Football Confederation AFC said Tuesday
Macala who has been under pressure for some time got the boot following Sundays loss to Al Ahli their fourth defeat in matches this season the official website of the AFC reported
We are very thankful for the achievements of the club under Macala However the circumstances are such that this decision had to be taken Al Ain Board member Hamad Al Ameri was quoted as saying
During Macalas reins the club won the Presidents Cup last season and also finished runnersup in the AFC Champions League apart from finishing second in the league
Al Ain has signed Serbia and Montenegro striker Nenad Jestrovic and Brazilian midfielder Kelly the AFC added Enditem
LONDON Jan Xinhua Israel striker Yaniv Katan has completed his pound US dollars move to West Ham United from Maccabi Haifa the English Premier League club said on Tuesday
The yearold who has scored once in his internationals is manager Alan Pardews first signing in the January transfer window He signed a fouryear contract after agreeing personal terms last month
Katan said the presence at Upton Park of midfielder Yossi Benayoun a former Maccabi Haifa team mate and national team colleague was an important factor in his choosing West Ham
It is fantastic for me that Yossi is here Yaniv told West Hams website
Yossi has told me a lot about West Ham he said that everyone at the club is very nice the players are all good friends and that the supporters are fantastic Of course Yossi is one of the big reasons I came to West Ham and now I am just looking forward to being able to train with him and the rest of my team mates
I like to play as a wide attacking player but the main thing I can tell the fans here is that I play for the good of the team and always give everything I have I am so excited about the opportunity I have been given and I really cant wait to play for West Ham United
Katan is eligible for West Hams FA Cup third round game at Norwich City on Saturday although he is unlikely to make his debut until later in the month Enditem
NEW DELHI Jan Xinhua Following are the results from the ATP Chennai Open tournament in Chennai India on Tuesday prefix number denotes seeding
First round
Radek Stepanek Czech Republic bt Navarro Pastor Spain
Michael Berrer Germany bt Lukas Dlouhy Czech Republic
Paradorn Srichaphan Thailand bt Ramon Delgado Paraguay
Rainer Schuettler Germany bt Fernando Vicente Spain
Gilles Muller Luxemburg bt Razvan Sabau Romania
Enditem
CHENGDU Jan Xinhua A large layer of fish fossils dating back to more than million years ago has been found at a scenic spot in southwest Chinas Sichuan Province local government said Friday
The fish fossils to cms each in length are beset thickly in the terrane covering an estimated area of one square kilometer in a bamboo forest park in Jiangan County according to the parks administration
The discovery is of great importance for the study of the fish evolution and the ancient geomorphological structure in this area said geologists from the Sichuan University
The fossils were in such a good condition as to tell the scales of the fish clearly said a geologist
The administration of the park plans to build an exhibition hall to protect the rare fossils according to local government Enditem
LANZHOU Jan Xinhua Over academic units including National Library of China and Ningxia University are jointly working on the compilation of volume historical documents of Xixia kingdom
Xixia or Western Xia was a feudal kingdom established by the Tangut ethnic group at the eastern end of the ancient Silk Road Its territory largely overlapped todays Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region in northwest China
Handwritten copies stele inscriptions manuscripts and xylographic literature photographs of relics and calligraphy featuring Xixia characters will be arranged and eventually compiled into the volumes
All the works covering politics economy military nationality culture and religion are the firsthand materials for research on Xixia society
The Xixia characters created in the th century based on traditional Chinese characters became a dead language with the downfall of the kingdom and Tangut But its civilization came to light again when discovered by the Russian in the th century
The first eight volumes of Xixia documents from Beijing collection were already published in August last year The rest volumes from the collection of Ningxia Inner Mongolia Xinjiang Shaanxi and Taiwan are expected to be published before June according to Chen Yuning president of Ningxia University
It will be the first time for over percent of the documents featuring Xixia Tibetan or Chinese characters to be open to the public said the expert Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Highlights of major Beijingbased newspapers on Tuesday
Most major Beijingbased newspapers frontpaged a story on career achievements of Ding Xiaobing an onearm colonel of the Peoples Armed Police
Peoples Daily
Yuan Longping academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering speeds up his research on the worlds most productive hybrid rice
Xinhua Daily Telegraph
The Chinese government portal wwwgovcn was ranked the th in hits of visitors as of Jan The portal is aimed at increasing transparency of the government
China Daily
A latest survey showed that Beijing was ranked the th in Chinas top cities list as compared to the third in due to its bad traffic high housing prices and heavy pollution Costal city Dalian in Northeast China was selected the best city to live followed by Xiamen also a coastal city in East Chinas Fujian Province Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Beijing police has detained a man from the neighboring Hebei Province who is suspected of having murdered a teacher of the prestigious Qinghua University last week
Xiong Shenshu an associate professor at the universitys precision instrument department was found dead in the corridor of her apartment building in Shangdi community Haidian District at pm on Dec The fatal slashes on her head suggested it was a murder
After five days of investigation Beijing Public Security Bureau seized the suspect an unemployed man surnamed Pang on Dec a spokesman with the bureau said on Monday
Pang was accused of robbing and murdering Xiong who was just about to get home according to the spokesman
To chase after the suspect the spokesman said the bureau had aired the murdery case on FM a broadcasting service popular among drivers with hopes to find witnesses of the case or the taxi driver who might have taken the suspect to or from the site of the murder The bureau also offered a reward to those who could provide clues
But he did not elaborate on how the the suspect was eventually seized
Qinghua said earlier that Xiong a child prodigy was admitted to the top university at as a student and won many awards for her outstanding performances as a teacher with the university Shortly before she died she stood out as an exemplary teacher and trustworthy friend for the graduate students Enditem
TAIYUAN Jan Xinhua Living in North Chinas Shanxi Province Liu Shengji and his family have recently been haunted by the news that more than half of the rivers in their province were covered by black slick
We feel increasingly insecure about the drinking water said the yearold resident in the provincial capital Taiyuan while speaking of more river pollution in other parts of China including the recent chemical leak into the Songhua River in Northeast China
According to the latest monthly report released by Shanxis environment watchdog of the rivers in the province were seriously contaminated while only rivers qualities were up to Grade I or II of the national standard accounting for less than one tenth of the total rivers
The river pollution was not limited to Shanxi In a string of water pollution incidence wrecked unprecedented havoc on various parts of China
An official report released this year said that Chinas longest river the Yangtze is being threatened by billion tons of polluted water
This year Chinas water pollution problem was underlined by huge chemical spills into the Songhua River into which about tons of cancercaused benzene chemicals were spewed following an explosion at a chemical plant
Water is the origin of life and the core of the environment Water safety is what constitutes peoples basic living conditions not a luxury said Feng Guangzhi president of China Irrigation Districts Association
The frequent water pollution incidence have made the Chinese who are aspiring for harmonious development feel threatened
The vicious cycle including stained water sources polluted drinking water and unclean food is a vital issue affecting peoples health and safety said He Shaoling vice engineerinchief of the China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research
Statistics show that many farmlands within the regions of the Yellow river have been irrigated with polluted water bringing harm to residents health estimated at to billion yuan about to million US dollars every year
Water pollution has also resulted in enormous economic losses The pollution in the Yellow River has increased the cost of water for industrial use and degraded product quality resulting in a loss of to billion yuan about to million US dollars it has also wrecked havoc of billion yuan about million US dollars on agriculture In all the polluted Yellow River has caused an economic loss of to billion dollars about to billion US dollars
A report released by the World Bank said that water and air pollution have caused loss equivalent to percent of Chinas annual GDP and environment pollution have made Chinas development cost percent higher than the world average
Water pollution is not solely caused by nature but is a joint result of human nature society and economic development said Ma Zhong deputy director of Environment College of Chinas People University
Water pollution has also drawn high attention of senior leaders and central government
Chinese President Hu Jintao has put the protection of water sources and the supply of clean water among the top priorities
Vice Minister of State Environmental Protection AdministrationSEPA Zhang Lijun said that next years will be a key period in curbing the deterioration of water quality while at the same time Chinas fast growing economy will also mount an unprecedented pressure on water protection
Experts have also called for governments at various levels to make extra efforts to protect the environment and reasonably utilize resources during the course of building a harmonious society
SEPA officials said that on basis of advanced technology and with the participation of the whole society China will put forward a national strategy in a bid to prevent and treat the pollution of groundwater and protect water sources Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Beijing meteorological station has forecast light snowfall in most parts of the thirsty city on Tuesday and warned the citizens to watch their steps
The snowfall might last from Tuesday afternoon into the night and the fallen snow on the ground might affect the local traffic it said Tuesday morning
Masses of cloud began to overshadow Beijing Monday night and the southern suburban areas including Fangshan and Daxing districts became foggy Tuesday morning the station said
It also forecast a cold front from the north will hit Beijing Tuesday night accompanied by cold wind and temperature drops on Wednesday the first working day of the new year
The minimum temperature on Wednesday is set to fall to minus eight degrees Celsius compared with minus four degrees reported Tuesday it said
Beijing has been unusually dry this winter with virtually no significant snowfall The residents were overjoyed Saturday the eve of the new year when scattered snow flakes started to fall in the morning But the snow stopped so soon that it was barely enough even to wet the ground Enditem
XIAN Jan Xinhua A natural gas spill and subsequent blast injured eight people in Xian capital of northwest Chinas Shaanxi Province on Sunday the local public security bureau confirmed Tuesday
All the eight were hospitalized and by Tuesday morning six of them are still being treated a spokesman with the bureau said
He said the accident occurred at daybreak on New Years Day in a residential community on Qingsong Road Yanta District in the southern outskirts of Xian
Investigators said the gas spilled from an underground valve of the communitys natural gas pipeline and assumed geological movement had destroyed the valve because there was no sign of intentional destruction
The eight victims lived in four houses next to the gas well where the valve is located
The fire brigade mobilized firemen to the rescue work Natural gas supply resumed later on Sunday Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinese government will speed up placement service for the demobilized soldiers in according to Ministry of Civil Affairs
In China set a number of regulations and rules to make placements for the demobilized soldiers and upgrade the exservicemens living standard
The central government allocated billion yuan for the retired soldiers or military officers subsidies in up billion yuan or percent yearonyear government statistics said Enditem
HONG KONG Jan Xinhua Hong Kong stocks went down points or percent to open at on Tuesday Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Sewage leak in a pivotal road in Beijing early Tuesday has caused a land cavein and affected local traffic a government spokesman confirmed
The leakage occurred at around am in a sewage conduit at the southeastern corner of Jingguangqiao Bridge on the eastern wing of the cross city Third Ring Road A subsequent land cavein caused sewage to flood a construction site of the No Route of Beijing subway which is still under construction
All the construction workers were evacuated in time and no casualty was reported in the accident
Residents of a nearby building have also been evacuated to a hotel for safety considerations
Two vice mayors of this capital city Liu Zhihua and Ji Lin are at the site to oversee the evacuation and repair work Twoway traffic has been halted on the Third Ring and the nearby Chaoyang Road with Jingguangqiao Bridge at the center
The bridge is named after the Jingguang Center one of Beijings earliest office buildings and once its tallest skyscraper
By rescuers had stopped the leakage and repair work is going on
Cause of the accident under investigation Enditem
MACAO Jan Xinhua The Macao International Airport handled million passengers in a yearonyear rise of percent local media reported Tuesday
Macao Post Daily quoted airport sources as saying that the airport carried tons of cargo in a yearonyear increase of percent
The airport handled tons of mail in the year a percent growth over sources were cited
The number of aircraft movements covering takeoffs and touchdowns reached in the year a yearonyear rise of percent Enditem
JINAN Jan Xinhua Five people were confirmed dead in last weeks goldmine flooding in Penglai a city in east Chinas Shandong Province the local government said Tuesday
Rescue work had ended by Tuesday morning said a spokesman with the provincial administration for work safety
The flooding was reported at am on Thursday when eight miners were working in the No shaft of the Hexi Gold Mine in Penglai
All the eight were trapped by the flooding only three of whom were rescued on Friday
Investigators said the miners had accidentally dug through a flooded waste mine nearby and caused the accident Enditem
KUNMING Jan Xinhua The largest gene bank of Chinese ethnic minority groups has been set up at Yunnan University in southwest Chinas Yunnan Province according to sources with university
A total of healthy male DNA samples from all minority ethnic groups in Yunnan have been collected by the gene bank according to Xiao Chunjie director of the Human Genetics Studies Center with Yunnan University based in Kunming capital of Yunnan
According to Xiao samples were taken from each of the minority groups with a population of more than
It took us four years to collect these samples all gathered in light of international standards he said
To get highly pure DNA samples the collectors sampled from remote areas in deep mountains where minority ethic groups reside he said
The reason why only male samples were collected is that men have both X and Y chromosomes but women just have the Y chromosome he said adding that the sampled men have no relationship of consanguinity to each other
In addition at least three preceding generations of the sampled men were purely of the bloodline of their own ethnic groups with no history of intermarriage with other groups he said
Yunnan is one of the birthplaces of the Chinese nation Yuanmou Man is believed to have lived there about million years ago The fossils of Yuanmou Man were first discovered at the Shangnabang Village in Yuanmou County in by young geologist Qian Fang
Currently out of Chinas minority ethnic groups live in Yunnan with a total population of more than million Among these minority ethnic groups are exclusive to Yunnan Enditem
XIAN Jan Xinhua More than wild red ibises a rare and endangered bird species has been recently spotted in Yangxian County northwest Chinas Shaanxi Province local sources confirmed on Monday
The red ibises have been seen coming to seek temporary lodging in the forest near the Caihe village of Huaishuguan Town since this winter season set in said Zhai Tianqing head of the Red Ibis Protection Center of Yangxian County
Describing the local village as the worlds largest habitat for the red ibises Zhai said that Caihe village boasts many lakes and large area of wetland providing a sound ecological environment and sufficient food for the bird during winter
The home of villager Li Paizhen is located inside the forest where red ibises seek lodging during the night
Li said in the eyes of local people red ibis is kind of bird which brings good luck to people and everybody in his village loves the bird very much and never hurts them
Red ibis is one of the most endangered bird species in the world and is now under state key protection in China
In the early s there were only seven red ibises in China but the number has risen to about today including over wild red ibises thanks to the efforts of the government to protect the rare birds from extinction
The number of the rare bird declined rapidly in the s due to poaching pollution and the use of pesticide
To protect this rare species from extinction the local government banned hunting firing guns lumbering and pouring poisonous baits in red ibis habitats Enditem
JINAN Jan Xinhua Power shortage is expected to be eased in China this year as more generating units will be operational said a Chinese expert of electric power
The maximum shortage of electricity will be less than nine million kilowatts in the country forecast Zhao Zunlian chief engineer with the State Power Grid Development Company
North and south China regions would be the major areas to suffer power shortage this year Zhao said
Zhao predicted generating units with combined capacity of million kilowatts would be operational this year bringing Chinas total generated capacity to million kilowatts The total power consumption will be trillion kilowatthours in China this year Zhao said
China stepped up construction of power grid last year to balance power supply and demand By early December China generated trillion kilowatthours of electricity a rise of percent year on year Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Beijing has adopted a series of preferential policies and measures to encourage more graduates to seek employment in its suburban areas
According to a recruitment plan graduates will be recruited to serve as assistants to village heads in the coming three years according to the government of this capital city
Once appointed to the posts graduates are required to sign a threeyear labor contract with local township governments Each of them will be paid for yuan monthly on average and the governments will pay for their insurance
When the contract expires these graduates can choose to stay at the villagebased posts or to find other jobs If they well fulfill their duties at villagebased posts they will enjoy preferential treatment when applying for postgraduates studies
The first group of graduates are expected to take village posts in Beijings suburban areas in next summer
Currently Beijing has villages in its suburban areas The city will have about graduates next year Enditem
HONG KONG Jan Xinhua Hong Kong stocks went up points or percent to finish the morning session at on Tuesday Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinas trade with major partners in
Latin America in JanuaryNovember with the value in million US dollars and change on a yearonyear basis
Partner Total Change Exports Change Imports Change
Brazil
Chile
Mexico
Argentina
Peru
Source General Administration of Customs Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinas trade with partners in the
six continents in JanuaryNovember with the value in billion US dollars and change on a yearonyear basis
Continent Total Change Export Change Import Change
Asia
Europe
N America
L America
Africa
Oceania
Source General Administration of Customs Enditem
XIAN Jan Xinhua At the start of the new year the governor of northwest Chinas Shaanxi Province mourned the miners killed in what was known as the deadliest mine mishap in China since and vowed to improve safety down the pits
In the season holidays Governor Chen Deming presented a wreath to a monument at Chenjiashan Colliery in Tongchuan more than kilometers from the provincial capital Xian The monument was erected in memory of the people killed in a deadly gas explosion on Nov
Altogether miners were working down the pit when the accident occurred and only miners who worked near the entrance were rescued The accident was the deadliest in Chinas mining industry in years after a gas explosion in killed people at Longshanmiao colliery in Pingdingshan a city in central Chinas Henan Province
The stateowned Chenjiashan Colliery has been closed down ever since for a safety overhaul
As he expressed his new years greetings to all the colliery staff Chen sent a clear message that the government will spare no effort to make the pits safer
He urged management of the colliery to draw a lesson from the tragedies take concrete measures to exploit and minimize the risk of coalbed gas and send fewer miners down the pit at a time
When the colliery is allowed to resume operation again I hope Chenjiashan will become the safest mine in the province and across the country Chen told the colliery staff
Chenjiashan coal mine employs more than people and produces million tons of coal a year Enditem
TIANJIN Jan Xinhua Chinas total number of telephone subscribers is expected to top million this year Ministry of Information Industry has predicted
The new year will see the increases of million fixedline subscribers and million cell phone subscribers according to the ministrys projection of the domestic telecom market
Latest figures released by the ministry say that China had reported million telephone subscribers by the end of
The growing number of subscribers in the new year will undoubtedly bring about more business and the ministry has projected the telecom business income in is to hit billion yuan billion US dollars
Meanwhile the availability of fixedline and cell phones will climb to percent and percent respectively it said
During the th FiveYear Plan period between and Chinas telecom business income grew by an average percent annually with million new subscribers every year
China has the worlds largest number of phone subscribers both for fixedline and cell phones Enditem
SHANGHAI Jan Xinhua Chinas largest city Shanghai reported billion yuan billion US dollars of fiscal revenue in up percent over the previous year the municipal finance and taxation authorities confirmed Tuesday
The figure is times as much as the citys fiscal revenue representing an average annual rise of percent
In Shanghais taxation authorities reported billion yuan billion US dollars of fiscal revenue while the citys local fiscal revenue topped billion yuan billion US dollars according to figures provided by the municipal finance and taxation authorities
To date Shanghais increase in fiscal revenue has topped its GDP growth for years in a row
In Shanghais fiscal revenue increase in the tertiary industry topped that of the second industry by at least percent thanks to the rapid expansion of the service sector
On the other hand corporate and personal income taxes posted a bigger growth rate than valueadded and business taxes
Chinese Finance Minister Jin Renqing has predicted Chinas government revenues are expected to top trillion yuan billion US dollars in the fiscal year up more than percent over the trillion yuan billion US dollars reported in
Toward the end of last year Chinas capital Beijing expected its fiscal revenue to top billion yuan billion US dollars Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Beijing has vowed to keep its urban unemployment rate within percent in a slight percent rise over the previous year
The pressure on Beijings job market this year mainly comes from the growing number of new graduates as most universities and colleges have recruited more students in recent years an official with the municipal labor and social security bureau explained Tuesday
Besides surplus rural laborers from the suburbs of Beijing and across the country laidoff workers from reshuffled state firms and handicapped citizens who used to live on government allowances are all trying to find a place in the urban job market said Zhang Xinqing director of the bureau
Zhang said the city plans to create new jobs this year to employ at least unemployed people Most new jobs will be created at communities to improve community services he said
Meanwhile the city will help another people find jobs by encouraging the unemployed population to start up their own businesses To that effect the government will provide vocational training and preferential policies to foster these business startups Zhang said
In Beijing created job opportunities at communities that helped unemployed people find jobs of whom were supposed to retire at early ages of or even
The past year saw new graduates join Beijings labor market and unemployed people reemployed according to latest figures provided by the municipal labor and social security bureau Enditem
HONG KONG Jan Xinhua Hong Kong stocks went up points or percent to close at on Tuesday Enditem
KUNMING Jan Xinhua Six people were injured in a traffic pileup that involved vehicles on an expressway in southwest Chinas Yunnan Province Monday the local traffic police authorities confirmed Tuesday
The accident occurred on the expressway linking the provincial capital Kunming and Qujing county
Witnesses said a sedan car was trying to overtake another car when a third one obviously overspeeding ran into them both Within seconds another nine vehicles including eight trucks and one minibus piled up
The accident caused a threehour standstill on the expressway and congested vehicles lined up more than kilometers Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinas major imports from Britain in JanuaryNovember with the value in million US dollars
Imports Value
Machinery electronic products audiovisual
equipment and accessories
Chemical products
Optical and medical instruments
Base metals and products
Plastic and related products
Chinas trade with Britain in JanuaryNovember totaled million US dollars up percent over the same period last year with exports and imports growing by percent and percent to million and million US dollars respectively
Source General Administration of Customs Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinas major imports from Finland in JanuaryNovember of with the value in million US dollars
Imports Value
Machinery audio and video products and accessories
Base metal and products
Pulp paper products and cardboard
Chemical products
Optical medical instruments and meters
Leather fur and related products
Plastics and rubber products
Chinas trade with Finland in JanuaryNovember of totaled million US dollars up percent over the same period last year with exports growing by percent but imports falling by percent to million and million US dollars respectively
Source General Administration of Customs Enditem
HONG KONG Jan Xinhua Following are foreign exchange rates against the Hong Kong dollar released by the Bank of China Hong Kong Limited at on Tuesday
Buying Selling
Japanese yen
Swiss franc
British pound
Australian dollar
Canadian dollar
Euro
US dollar Enditem
URUMQI Jan Xinhua Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region a strategic onshore oil production base in northwest China turned out million tons of crude oil in million tons over the previous year
Geological surveys show Xinjiangs oil and natural gas deposits stand at an equivalent of billion tons of oil accounting for a quarter of the nations total
With more deposits proven the regions crude oil output has been increasing by an average million tons annually since and has thus far topped all Chinese localities for years running
Last year Xinjiang also produced billion cubic meters of natural gas one fifth of the nations total
Its proven geological gas reserves stood at trillion cubic meters at the end of
Xinjiang covering million square kilometers is the largest provinciallevel region in China by territory Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinas trade with APEC EU and ASEAN in JanuaryNovember with the value in billion US dollars and change on a yearonyear basis
Economy Total Change Export Change Import Change
APEC
EU
ASEAN
Source General Administration of Customs Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinas major imports from Russia in JanuaryNovember with the value in million US dollars
Items Value
Mineral products
Base metals and products
Chemical products
Wood and related products
Live animals and animal products
Fiber pulp waste paper paper and its products
Plastics and rubber products
Vehicles aircraft and transportation equipment
Machinery electronic products
audiovisual equipment and accessories
Chinas trade with Russia in JanuaryNovember totaled million US dollars up percent over the same period last year with exports and imports growing by percent and percent to million and million US dollars respectively
Source General Administration of Customs Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinas major imports from Belgium in JanuaryNovember with the value in million US dollars
Imports Value
Base metals and products
Jewelry and precious metals
Machinery audio video equipment and parts
Chemicals and related products
Plastics and rubber products
Chinas trade with Belgium in JanuaryNovember totaled million US dollars up percent over the same period last year with exports and imports growing by percent and percent to million and million US dollars respectively
Source General Administration of Customs Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua China is to introduce overthecounter OTC transactions to its interbank spot foreign exchange market Wednesday the central bank announced Tuesday Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Report on the quality of air in major Chinese cities Jan to Jan Beijing Time released by the China Environmental Monitoring Center
City Major Pollutant Air Quality Level
Beijing particulate matter III
Tianjin particulate matter III
Shijiazhuang particulate matter III
Qinhuangdao sulfur dioxide II
Taiyuan sulfur dioxide III
Hohhot particulate matter III
Shenyang sulfur dioxide II
Dalian sulfur dioxide II
Changchun particulate matter II
Harbin particulate matter II
Shanghai particulate matter II
Nanjing particulate matter II
Suzhou particulate matter II
Nantong particulate matter II
Lianyungang particulate matter III
Hangzhou particulate matter II
Ningbo particulate matter II
Wenzhou particulate matter II
Hefei particulate matter II
Fuzhou particulate matter II
Xiamen particulate matter II
Nanchang particulate matter III
Jinan particulate matter III
Qingdao particulate matter III
Yantai sulfur dioxide II
Zhengzhou particulate matter III
Wuhan particulate matter III
Changsha particulate matter III
Guangzhou particulate matter II
Shenzhen particulate matter II
Zhuhai I
Shantou particulate matter II
Zhanjiang I
Nanning particulate matter II
Guilin I
Beihai I
Haikou I
Chongqing particulate matter II
Chengdu particulate matter II
Guiyang sulfur dioxide III
Kunming particulate matter II
Lhasa particulate matter II
Xian particulate matter III
Lanzhou particulate matter III
Xining particulate matter III
Yinchuan particulate matter III
Urumqi sulfur dioxide II
The center classifies air quality in Chinas urban areas into five levels level I or excellent pollution reading not exceeding level II or fairly good pollution reading to level III or slightly polluted pollution reading to level IV or poor pollution reading to and level V or hazardous pollution reading over
The cities monitored by the center include the four municipalities of Beijing Tianjin Shanghai and Chongqing provincial or autonomous regional capitals and major cities in economically developed coastal areas and tourist attractions Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Weather forecast for world cities Jan Jan Beijing Time temperatures in Celsius
Min Max Condition Wind scale
Beijing overcastclear
Tokyo cloudy
Bangkok cloudyclear
Sydney shower
Karachi clear
Cairo clear
Moscow overcast
Frankfurt overcastcloudy
Paris overcast
London showercloudy
New York moderate rain
SOURCE Central Meteorological Station China Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Weather forecast for major Chinese cities Jan Jan Beijing Time temperatures in Celsius
Min Max Condition Wind scale
Beijing overcastclear
Harbin clear
Tianjin flurryclear
Urumqi cloudy
Xian flurry
Lhasa clearcloudy
Chengdu overcastdrizzle
Chongqing overcast
Kunming clear
Nanjing drizzlesleet
Shanghai drizzle
Wuhan drizzle
Hangzhou moderate rain
Taipei cloudy
Guangzhou cloudy
Hong Kong cloudy
Macao cloudy
SOURCE Central Meteorological Station China Enditem
HONG KONG Jan Xinhua Share prices on the Taiwan Stock Exchange rebounded on Tuesday with the weighted index the market s key barometer moving up points to close at according to the news from Taipei
The bourse fluctuated between and during trading with a market turnover of billion new Taiwan dollars billion US dollars
All eight major stock categories gained ground with machinery and electronics shares moving up the most at percent followed by banking and financial shares at percent chemicals shares at percent textile stocks at percent construction issues at percent foodstuff issues at percent and paper and pulp issues at percent
Gainers outnumbered losers to with stocks remaining unchanged Enditem
HONG KONG Jan Xinhua Following are Tuesdays major Hang Seng Indexes managed and compiled by HSI Service Limited a wholly owned subsidiary of the Hang Seng Bank
Index Previous Close Close Change
Hang Seng Index
Subindices
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Turnover
million HK dollars
million US dollars Enditem
HONG KONG Jan Xinhua Hong Kong shares ended slightly higher Tuesday with the bluechip Hang Seng Index rose points or percent to after trading between and during the session
Turnover totaled billion HK dollars billion US dollars down from billion HK dollars Friday
China Construction Bank rose percent to HK dollars Bank of Communications ended percent higher at HK dollars and Ping An Insurance surged percent to HK dollars
China Shipping Container Lines jumped percent to HK dollars and China COSCO Holdings rose percent to HK dollars Enditem
LHASA Jan Xinhua A bush forest in a small Tibetan county has been in flames since midday Sunday and rescue work has been extremely difficult as the site has no water nearby
Fire broke out at pm Sunday in bushes of Tingri county in Xigaze at the foot of Mount Qomolangma or the Everest
By midday Monday the fire had destroyed more than hectares of bushes an official with Tingri county government told Xinhua in a telephone interview Tuesday
The official himself had not been updated about the latest situation because the fire site is very far from the county seat and has poor access to communication
But he did say that high wind started to beat the bushes at pm Monday which would make the rescue work even more difficult
A forestry team from the Xigaze Prefecture have arrived at the fire site and the local forestry police and more than voluntary fire fighters are working allout to put out the fire he told Xinhua Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua The repair work on a pivotal road in Beijings planned central business district following a land cavein early Tuesday will last at least three days the emergency repairs team have predicted
The cavein which was caused at am by a sewage leak at the southeastern corner of Jingguangqiao Bridge on the eastern section of the crosscity Third Ring road left a rectangular pit some meters long meters wide and meters deep on the eastern side of the trunk road Xinhua reporter witnessed at the site Tuesday afternoon
The leak also flooded the No Route of Beijing subway now under construction No casualty was reported thanks to timely evacuation of the construction workers
Residents of a nearby building have also been evacuated to a hotel for safety considerations
Since midday road workers have been stuffing sacks of loess into three sewage wells nearby fearing that more caveins might occur if the underground sewage is drained alltoosuddenly
The municipal construction transport and telecom arms of the municipal authorities have all joined the emergency repairs
Technicians are measuring the land subsidence at Jingguangqiao Bridge every minutes
The city has imposed temporary traffic control measures by halting twoway traffic on the eastern section of the Third Ring and Chaoyang Road with the Jingguangqiao Bridge at the center
This has significantly slowed down the traffic flows on these two roads though most citizens are still on the new year holiday Many residents in nearby communities told Xinhua they feared traffic would be too congested on Wednesday the first working day of the new year
To ease the traffic bottleneck Beijings traffic management authority has for the first time sent SMS messages to inform cell phone subscribers of the event Citizens have also been told to bypass the cavein section via TV radio and the Internet
The accident and repair work have not affected power or water supply in the area Not far off the site construction is going on at the new edifice of China Central Television
The local environment watchdog said the sewage leak was unlikely to pollute nearby rivers seriously because the conduit links directly to a sewage plant while only rain water flows directly into rivers
Jingguangqiao Bridge located in the central business district in the eastern part of Beijings city proper is named after the Jingguang Center one of Beijings earliest office buildings and once its tallest skyscraper Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinas major imports from Sweden in JanuaryNovember with the value in million US dollars
Imports Value
Machinery audio video products and accessories
Pulp paper products and cardboard
Base metal and products
Vehicles aircraft and other transportation instrument
Optical medical instruments
Chemical and products
Plastics and rubber products
Chinas trade with Sweden in JanuaryNovember totaled million US dollars up percent over the same period last year with exports growing by percent but imports falling by percent to million and million US dollars respectively
Source General Administration of Customs Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Major exports from Chinas mainland to Taiwan Province in JanuaryNovember with the value in million US dollars
Items Value
Machinery electronic products
and audiovideo facilities
Base metals and products
Chemical products
Mineral products
Optical medical instruments and meters
Textile raw material and products
Plastics and rubber products
Chinese mainlands trade with Taiwan Province in JanuaryNovember totaled million US dollars up percent over the same period last year with exports and imports growing by percent and percent to million and million US dollars respectively
Source General Administration of Customs Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Major imports of Chinas mainland from Taiwan Province in JanuaryNovember with the value in million US dollars
Items Value
Machinery electronic products
audio and video equipment
Optical medical instruments and meters
Base metals and products
Plastics and rubber products
Chemicals and related products
Textile raw materials and products
Chinese mainlands trade with Taiwan Province in JanuaryNovember totaled million US dollars up percent over the same period last year with exports and imports growing by percent and percent to million and million US dollars respectively
Source General Administration of Customs Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinas major imports from the Republic of Korea in JanuaryNovember with the value in million US dollars
Imports Value
Machinery electronic products
and audiovideo equipment
Base metals and products
Chemical products
Plastics and rubber products
Mineral products
Textile raw material and products
Chinas trade with ROK in JanuaryNovember totaled million US dollars up percent over the same period last year with exports and imports growing by percent and percent to million and million US dollars respectively
Source General Administration of Customs Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinas major imports from India in JanuaryNovember with the value in million US dollars
Items Value
Minerals
Base metal and products
Chemicals
Plastics and rubber products
Textile raw materials and products
Chinas trade with India in JanuaryNovember totaled million US dollars up percent over the same period last year with exports and imports growing by percent and percent to million and million US dollars respectively
Source General Administration of Customs Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinas major imports from Indonesia in JanuaryNovember with the value in million US dollars
Items Value
Mineral products
Machinery electronic products
audio and video products
Chemical products
Pulp paper products and cardboard
Animal fat and plant oil
Wood and wooden products
Textile raw materials and products
Chinas trade with Indonesia in JanuaryNovember totaled million US dollars up percent over the same period last year with exports and imports growing by percent and percent to million and million US dollars respectively
Source General Administration of Customs Enditem
HONG KONG Jan Xinhua Following are temperatures and weather forecast of Jan for AsiaPacific cities dispatched by the Hong Kong Observatory on Tuesday
WEATHER
CITY MINIMUM MAXIMUM FORECAST
HONG KONG SUNNY
MACAO MIST
GUANGZHOU CLOUDY
SHANGHAI CLOUDY
BEIJING SNOW
TAIPEI CLOUDY
SEOUL CLOUDY
TOKYO CLOUDY
MANILA CLOUDY
HANOI CLOUDY
HO CHI MINH CITY BRIGHT
BANGKOK CLOUDY
KUALA LUMPUR THUNDERSTORMS
SINGAPORE THUNDERSTORMS
NEW DELHI THUNDERSTORMS
MUMBAI FINE
KARACHI DRY
JAKARTA RAIN
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN THUNDERSTORMS
SYDNEY FINE
MELBOURNE FINE
BRISBANE THUNDERSTORMS
Enditem
HONG KONG Jan Xinhua Following are Tuesdays major Hang Seng Indexes managed and compiled by HSI Service Limited a wholly owned subsidiary of the Hang Seng Bank
Index Previous Close Close Change
Hang Seng Index
Subindices
Finance
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ComInd
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Index
Hang Seng Hong Kong
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Hang Seng Mainland
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Turnover
million HK dollars
million US dollars Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Foreign trade volume of Chinas major bonded zones in JanuaryNovember with the value in billion US dollars and change on a yearonyear basis
Bonded Zone Total Change Export Change Import Change WaigaoqiaoShanghai Shenzhen Tianjin Port Guangzhou ZhangjiagangJiangsu XiangyuXiamen
Source General Administration of Customs Enditem
HONG KONG Jan Xinhua The gold price in Hong Kong went up HK dollars to HK dollars per tael on Tuesday according to the Bank of China Hong Kong
The price is equivalent to dollars a troy ounce up dollars at Tuesdays exchange rate of one US dollar against HK dollars Enditem
HONG KONG Jan Xinhua From Dec to Jan some million people traveled through different checkpoints almost percent higher than the expected figure of million for the festive period Hong Kongs Immigration Department said Tuesday
The department recorded a total of arrivals at different checkpoints on Monday Among them percent entered the city through Lo Wu percent through Lok Ma Chau percent at the airport and percent at the Macao and China Ferry Terminals
Monday also saw the departure of people from the city percent through Lo Wu percent through Lok Ma Chau percent at the airport and percent at the Macao and China Ferry Terminals
According to the authority from Dec to Jan a total of million people entered Hong Kong while about million people set off Enditem
HONG KONG Jan Xinhua Retail sales for November rose percent compared with the same period last year to reach an estimated billion HK dollars billion US dollars Hong Kongs Census and Statistics Department said Tuesday
After netting out the effect of price changes over the same period the volume of total retail sales increased percent from a year earlier the department said
Taking the first months of together total retail sales rose percent in value or percent in volume over the same period a year earlier
The department said the overall volume of retail sales continued to increase at a steady pace in November over a year earlier indicating that consumer demand remained firm
Consumer sentiment might have turned more cautious more recently in face of the interest rate hikes and the consolidation of the property market it said
However the rise in labor income the optimistic economic and employment outlook and the continuous expansion of inbound tourism should continue to provide support for retail sales the department said Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinese President Hu Jintao here Tuesday visited the Liberation Army Daily the newspaper of the Chinese Peoples Liberation Army to congratulate it on its th founding anniversary
Hu also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission said the newspaper should advance with the times and better play its role in educating encouraging and mobilizing It should also further contribute to national defense and the building of the military thus helping the whole nation build up a moderately prosperous society
Hus entourage included Guo Boxiong Cao Gangchuan Xu Caihou Liang Guanglie Li Jinai Liao Xilong Chen Bingde Qiao Qingchen and Jing Zhiyuan all members of the Central Military Commission
On Tuesday morning Hu and his entourage first listened to a brief report by the leaders of the newspaper then visited the website station of the newspaper the typing and printing workshop and the office of the editorsinchief
At the website station Hu watched the demonstration of the national defense forum on the website the website in the English version and also the databank He also surfed online for the introduction of the Chinese strategists
When meeting with the editors on night shift Hu talked with them about their work and extended festival greetings to them Showing a strong interest in the typing and printing of the newspaper Hu also visited the newly introduced printing line
When meeting with the whole working staff Hu stressed that the newspaper is the mouthpiece of the party in the military and an important platform for military publicity Over the past years the newspaper has expanded its publicity fields strengthened its quality and made important contributions to national defense and the building of the military
Hu stressed that national defense and the building of the military are stepping into a new era for development with the whole nation entering a crucial time for building a moderately prosperous society
The military is expected to fulfill its historical task of national defense holding high the banner of Deng Xiaoping Theory and the important thought of the Three Represents and implementing the scientific concept of development
The current situation has raised higher demands for the publicity work of the military Hu said In line with the principles of the Party the newspaper should stick to the right political direction Serving the national core interest of economic development the newspaper should also focus more on the guidelines and policies of the Party and sum up the experience of the military The newspaper should also provide better services for officers and soldiers Hu said Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua The Chinese capital plans to build satellite cities each with fast tracks connecting to downtown Tuesdays the Beijing News reported
We have finished the planning of three satellite cities in the east part of Beijing so far Chen Gang the director of the Beijings Municipal Commission of Urban Planning was quoted as saying
The cities are expected to hold million people mostly dispelled from the city center said Chen instead of rural people and migrant population
The average price of housing will be lower than in downtown areas and each city will be facilitated with at least one goodquality hospital a primary and a middle school and a scaled supermarket
Transportation will be the governments first concern Road density will be increased to six km per square kilometer three times higher than that in the central district and public transportation will account for more than percent of the total said Chen
Each new city will have at least one track linking to the central district Chen was quoted as saying
Beijings general urban plan for which was approved January requires city authorities to develop policies to decrease the population density improve living conditions and generally change old Beijing for the better
The Municipal Commission of Urban Planning said that Beijing plans to build more governmentsubsidized housing in outlying districts along the subway lines providing convenient and affordable residential developments
Beijing has a population of million Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua China had million telephone users by the end of and will have million telephone users by the end of this year according to a source from the Ministry of Information Industry
In the number of fixedline telephone users will increase by million while the number of mobile phone users will rise by million The revenue of the countrys information industry will reach billion yuan billion US dollars in
During Chinas tenth FiveYear Plan period the number of telephone users increased by million every year Today China has the worlds largest number of fixedline telephone users and the largest number of mobile phone users Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua The Peoples Bank of China announced that China is to introduce overthecounter OTC transactions in the interbank foreign exchange market Wednesday and introduce market makers to provide liquidity
The bank said on its website on Tuesday that OTC transactions will be allowed to be carried out through independent bilateral price inquiry and bilateral settlements based on bilateral credit authorizations
Transactions can also be made through the traditional automatic pricematching method which is based on centralized credit authorization and price bidding
The move is to improve the managed floating exchange rate regime based on market supply and demand with reference to a basket of currencies and to strengthen the pricing capability of the financial institutions said the bank
The central bank will authorize China Foreign Exchange Trading System CFETS to announce the central parity of the RMB against the US dollar the euro the Japanese yen and the HK dollar at am of each business day which will be taken as the central rate of the RMB for transactions
To form the central parity CFETS will first enquire prices from all market makers before the opening of the market and then calculate out the central rate of the RMB against US dollar for the day The rate will also be the basis for CFETS to determine the central parity of the RMB against other currencies
According to the bank the band within which the RMB is allowed to move in trading against foreign currencies and the limits on the spread between the US dollar selling rate and buying rate quoted by banks to their customers will remain unchanged
The introduction of the OTC will only change the formation of the central parity of the RMB exchange rate which will not result in major fluctuations of the RMB exchange rate said a spokesperson of the bank
The Peoples Bank of China is responsible for maintaining the RMB exchange rate basically stable at an adaptive and equilibrium level said the spokesperson Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Eight Chinese provinces autonomous regions and municipalities have directly used billion cubic meters of sea water mainly as coolant water for nuclear power generation according to a circular by the Ministry of Water Resources
South Chinas Guangdong Province and east Chinas Zhejiang Province directly utilized billion cubic meters and billion cubic meters of sea water respectively in taking the lead in other provinces in sea water resources utilization said the ministrys China Water Resources Circular
The countrys total water consumption reached billion cubic meters in up by billion cubic meters from the figure of said the circular
In agricultural water consumption took up to percent of the total industrial water consumption occupied percent of the total and water consumption for daily life accounted for percent of the total water consumption said the circular Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua China has no more than Asian Elephants less than one percent of the worlds total according to the International Fund for Animal Welfare IFAW
The most difficult problems we are facing now in protecting wild Asian Elephants in China are humanelephant conflicts and poaching said Hua Ning the project manager with IFAW
Asian Elephants are protected as Class I animals by the Chinese Wildlife Law and Appendix I species in the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora CITES which prohibits international trade in elephant products
The worlds population of Asian Elephants has dropped to less than according to IFAW
In China only Xishuangbanna Simao and Lincang prefectures in Yunnan Province in the southwest part of the country are reported to have Asian Elephants
Rampant poaching however has caused the sharp decline of the number of Asian Elephants
One of the major targets for poaching is the ivory growing on mature male Asian Elephants which hinders the regeneration of the species said Hua
According to an IFAW investigation in Xishuangbannas Mengyang protection zone female and male Asian Elephants ratio enlarged to
One the other hand Due to the rapid growth of farming activities lots of the usedtobe wildlife habitats are developed to grow crops putting human and elephants in a close contact said Hua The chances that people are killed crops are raided by stressed elephants or elephants are hurt by angry people have increased sharply in recent years
Humanelephant conflicts are potentially hindering the development of local economies said Zhang Li the chief of IFAW China We have to work jointly with the local government to combat poaching and work out solutions to humanelephant conflict Enditem
HONG KONG Jan Xinhua The year was the third wettest on Hong Kongs record with a total rainfall of mm percent above normal the Hong Kong Observatory said Tuesday
This was mostly due to an active southwest monsoon in June and August bringing in plenty of moisture June was the fourth wettest since records began in and August the second wettestThe rainfall in these two months alone amounted to mm about percent of the normal annual rainfall
While an unprecedented named storms occurred in the northern Atlantic in compared with a norm of about low tropical cyclone activity was seen in the western North Pacific and the South China Sea where only tropical cyclones formed compared with the normal of
Three tropical cyclones affected Hong Kong in the year roughly half the normal figure The first tropical cyclone warning signal of the year was issued on August the latest in postwar years
The year was also a hazy year For percent of the time reduced visibility of km or below was observed at the airport breaking the previous record of percent set in
Despite a very wet June and August below normal rainfall and hence a lack of washout processes was recorded in many other months contributing to more frequent occurrences of haze the Observatory said Enditem
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BUDAPEST Jan Xinhua Pressure in gas pipelines between Russia and Hungary through Ukraine was restored to normal on Monday night Hungarian media reported on Tuesday
After a sharp fall in Hungarys gas imports from Ukraine during the weekend gas pressure stabilized in the pipeline from Ukraine by local time Hungarian Economics Minister Janos Koka announced late on Monday
A spokesman for the Hungarian oil and gas company Mol confirmed on Tuesday morning that pressure in gas pipelines coming directly from Russia as well as those running through Ukraine had returned to normal on Monday night
Hungary is currently consuming about million cubic meters of gas per day For every degree the temperature drops consumption rises by million cubic meters but the temperature would have to fall degrees from its current level and remain there for gas supply to be threatened the minister said
The gas supply interruption came about after a price dispute broke out between Ukraine and Russia The Russian state monopoly Gazprom said on Sunday it had cut down gas supplies to Ukraine after Kiev refused to sign a new contract requiring it to pay four times the price
Ukraine also serves as a transit country for Russian gas exports to Europe including Hungary
By Monday afternoon Hungarys natural gas imports from Russia via Ukraine had dropped considerably Zsolt Hernadi Mols president and CEO told national television on Monday night that the largest decline they measured was
Hungary consumes billion cubic meters of gas a year of which is covered by imports and of these are Russian deliveries The current dispute has underscored the dangers of Hungarys unilateral energy dependence Koka said speaking after gas pressure in the pipeline coming directly from Ukraine was restored to normal
As part of this longterm strategy Hungary together with the Czech Republic Poland and Slovakia are to propose that the European Union construct alternative pipelines aimed at alleviating this dependence said Koka Enditem
PARIS Jan Xinhua French gas utility Gaz de France GDF announced Tuesday that its supplies from Russia returned to normal after having fallen up to percent on Monday
During the recent days gas supplies in France have never been disrupted the group said in a statement
The group said on Monday that it had taken all the measures to cope with any shortage in gas supplies when the Russian gas company Gazprom moved to cut supplies of gas to Ukraine in a pricing dispute with resulting disruption to supplies to several European countries
Supplies from Russia represent percent of the GDFs total imports with the rest coming from Algeria Norway Holland and Nigeria according to the group
Russian gas giant Gazprom cut down natural gas supplies to Ukraine on Sunday after Kiev rejected Russias demand to more than quadruple the price
Many European countries including Austria Hungary Poland and Slovakia which rely heavily on Russian gas from the pipelines that cross Ukraine had reported a sharp drop in their supplies and supplies of Russian gas have already returned to normal in Hungary Austria and Germany Enditem
MOSCOW Jan Xinhua Russian gas giant Gazprom vowed on Tuesday to stick to its demand to more than quadruple the price of gas for Ukraine in new talks later in the day to resolve a grueling dispute that has led to a cutoff of Russian gas supply to Ukraine
A delegation of Ukraines national oil and gas company Naftogaz Ukrainy arrived earlier in the Russian capital for new talks with Gazprom
Gazprom is willing to reach an agreement with Ukraine on gas deliveries but will not make any more concessions Gazprom spokesman Sergei Kupriyanov said on the Echo of Moscow radio
We have a real opportunity for reaching agreement with Ukraine on a bilateral basis he said
Ukraine was buying Russian gas at US dollars per cubic meters over the past year but Gazprom has asked Ukraine to pay dollars saying the price hike was needed to conform to world gas price levels
We realize that Ukraine is living through a difficult period It can only switch to the marketbased relations gradually but when a very lucrative proposal was sent to Ukraine on Dec the answer was No Kupriyanov said
Gazprom has said Ukraine turned down an offer late Saturday by President Vladimir Putin who approved a threemonth freeze on the gas price if Ukraine accepted a price hike starting in the second quarter
Kupriyanov said an international audit company Gazprom invited confirmed Ukraines unsanctioned tapping of gas intended for European clients since a cutback of gas supply to Ukraine on Sunday but Gazprom would refrain from making the records public for the time being
About percent of the gas the European Union buys from Gazprom is sent through pipelines that cross Ukraine
Earlier the spokesman said Ukraine illegally tapped million cubic meters of Russian export gas on Sunday and million cubic meters on Monday Enditem
BERLIN Jan Xinhua Rescuers had to stop their search for bodies Tuesday in the wreckage of an indoor ice rink in southeast Germany amid fears that a wall might collapse on emergency workers German media reported
A woman and three children aged to were still missing German news agency DPA quoted local police chief Hubertus Andrae as saying Eleven bodies were recovered from the wreckage of the building which collapsed Monday afternoon
The eleven killed included six children while the missing were feared dead as temperatures were below zero and more than hours passed
County chief Georg Grabner said the recovery efforts would resume when a specialized salvage company arrived later Tuesday with a crane that could remove the wooden roof beams of the structure one by one
The disaster occurred in the southeast German town of Bad Reichenhall near the GermanAustrian border
Some people were pulled alive from the rubble with moderate to severe injuries police said They were flown by helicopter to hospitals in the Austrian city of Salzburg only km away
Some firefighters police and rescue personnel from Germany and neighboring Austria had worked with shovels and their hands on Tuesday
Heavy snow hampered rescue efforts and delayed the arrival of heavy equipment and a crane to lift the collapsed meterlong roof the DPA reported adding six cranes had worked overnight to prevent any further collapse
The disaster was reportedly attributed to the mass of snow on the roof but city officials said the load limit on the roof was measured to be under the threshold Enditem
BELGRADE Jan Xinhua Slovenias natural gas supply from Russia which dropped by a third on Monday due to a gas price dispute between Russia and Ukraine has been fully restored by Tuesday Slovenian gas company Geoplin said in Ljubljana
Gas from Russia is coming in again according to contract and further complications are not expected at this point Geoplin CEO Janez Mozina told the Slovene Press Agency
Mondays gas supply disturbances in Europe were a result of a RussianUkrainian dispute over natural gas prices that prompted Russian staterun gas company Gazprom to stop delivering natural gas to Ukraine The gas cut also affected European countries that receive Russias gas through Ukraine while Gazprom said it was raising exports to make up for the shortfall
As average outside temperatures in Slovenia on Monday did not drop under degrees Celsius Geoplin was able to secure adequately supply its customers with gas Mozina said adding that natural gas accounts for about percent of energy supply in Slovenia Enditem
MEXICO CITY Jan Xinhua Latin Americas three major stock markets closed higher on Tuesday
Mexico Citys stock market IPC index rose percent and closed at points A total of million shares were traded at million US dollars
The Buenos Aires stock market closed with the Merval index up percent and ended at points The trade volume was million dollars
In Sao Paulo Latin Americas biggest bourse the leading Bovespa index closed at points up percent The trade volume was billion dollars Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Following are some of the major international news stories scheduled to be covered or pursued by Xinhua on Wednesday
Peru formally asks Chile to extradite Fujimori
IAEA calls for cooperation from Iran as Teheran decides to resume atomic work
Frances gas supply not affected by RussianUkrainian dispute
Austria welcomes the full resumption of Russias gas supply to Europe Enditem
WASHINGTON The United States on Tuesday ruled out lifting sanctions against the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea DPRK as a condition for resuming sixparty talks on the Korean nuclear issue
It is not a subject to negotiation White House spokesman Scott McClellan said claiming the sanctions are protecting our national interest and combating their illicit activities USDPRKSanctions
BERLIN Rescuers had to stop their search for bodies Tuesday in the wreckage of an indoor ice rink in southeast Germany amid fears that a wall might collapse on emergency workers German media reported
A woman and three children aged to were still missing German news agency DPA quoted local police chief Hubertus Andrae as saying Eleven bodies were recovered from the wreckage of the building which collapsed Monday afternoon GermanCollapse
DAMASCUS Syrian officials confirmed on Tuesday that Damascus has received a request by a UN investigation commission to interview President Bashar alAssad in the probe into the killing of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri
Bashali Kanfani director of the Foreign Media Department of the Foreign Ministry told Xinhua over phone that Syria received the request on Sunday to interview Assad and Foreign Minister Farouk alShara concerning the case SyriaUNHariri
UPSHUR the United States Over hours after miners were trapped underground in an eastern US coal mine they are still out of the reach of the rescuers and their conditions remain unknown on Tuesday
The miners were trapped early Monday after an explosion of unknown origin took place in the Sago Mine in the Upshur County West Virginia They are believed to be about meters below the surface at the end of an angled shaft about meters long USTrapped Miners Enditem
NEW YORK Jan Xinhua A total of journalists were killed on duty in nearly half of them in Iraq the Committee to Protect Journalists CPJ said on Tuesday
Twentytwo journalists most of them Iraqis died in Iraq CPJ said in its annual survey of fatalities suffered by the international media
In Iraq targeted killings had replaced deaths that occurred from crossfire as the major cause of journalist deaths it said adding that the main cause of death in and was accidental injuries during gun battles
Too many journalists have lost their lives just because they were doing their jobs said CPJ executive director Ann Cooper
However the toll was lower than the deaths in CPJ added Enditem
LIMA Jan Xinhua The Peruvian government on Tuesday formally asked Chile to extradite Alberto Fujimori the former Peruvian president who has been held since Nov in a Santiago jail the local media reported Tuesday
Although there is no fixed timetable Chiles courts have to deal with Perus request within six months
Peruvian Ambassador to Chile Jose Meyer delivered folders detailing charges against Fujimori to Chilean Foreign Minister Ignacio Walker who will pass the legal papers on to Chiles courts
Among the charges against Fujimori are corruption and human rights violations including the murder of political opponents
The folders which contain pages of documents were carried to Chile by Perus acting Attorney General Antonio Maldonaldo and head of the Peruvian Foreign Ministrys Special Commission for International Justice Javier Ciurlizza on a military plane
Fujimoris defense team said they would demand that their client be freed or released into house arrest pending a decision on the extradition request as soon as the papers were formally in court
Fujimori had been in exile in Japan after his government collapsed in amid corruption scandals Despite repeated Peruvian requests Japan had refused to extradite Fujimori
Fujimori arrived in Chile on Nov and was arrested later at Perus request He said he intended to begin a campaign for the Peruvian presidential elections in April using Santiago as a base Perus courts have ruled that he is not eligible to take part in the planned elections Enditem
CARACAS Jan Xinhua Venezuela has made a millionUS dollar profit by selling the Miami office building of the Industrial Bank of Venezuela the stateowned Bolviarian News Agency said on Tuesday
The milliondollar deal was reached after a strict bidding process supervised by Venezuelas Finance Minister Nelson Merentes Diaz who is in charge of the restructuring of the countrys national debt
Nearly potential buyers were interested in the modern building on Brickell Avenue Of the bidders selected for the final process Leviev Boymelgreen was the eventual winner Enditem
WASHINGTON Jan Xinhua The United States on Tuesday urged Russia and Ukraine to settle their dispute over natural gas prices that prompted Moscow to shut off supplies in a move that was also felt in western Europe
Its something that we have raised with the Russian government State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said at a daily news briefing
I believe our embassy has been in touch with Russian authorities he said At the assistant secretary level here we have been working the issue as well
Expressing sympathy with Moscows desire to move towards market prices for its natural gas McCormack said Washington believe that such a change should be introduced over time rather than suddenly and unilaterally
Russias statecontrolled energy firm Gazprom announced on Sunday that it cut off gas supplies to Ukraine which depends on Russia for about one third of its gas imports because Kiev had failed to accept a steep price hike
The United States on Sunday criticized Russia for its decision to cut off gas supply to Ukraine saying it created insecurity in the regions energy sector
Such an abrupt step creates insecurity in the energy sector in the region and raises serious questions about the use of energy to exert political pressure McCormack said in a statement Enditem
CARACAS Jan Xinhua Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez offered a series of deals on energy and economic cooperation to visiting Bolivian presidentelect Evo Morales on Tuesday Venezuelan media reported
Chavez agreed to supply Bolivia with barrels of diesel fuel each month worth million US dollars at current prices in exchange for agricultural products
He also agreed to give the Bolivian government million dollars in aid when Morales officially takes office on Jan
We cant lose a day in supporting Bolivia in any way we can said Chavez at a joint press conference
He presented Morales at the conference with a replica of the sword used by Venezuelan liberation hero Simon Bolivia which was termed by Chavez as a symbol of struggle
Morales won the presidential elections on Dec after netting about percent of the votes He is the first Bolivian president of indigenous origin
Morales arrived in Venezuela on Tuesday as part of a world tour which will also take him to several European countries South Africa China and Brazil Enditem
BUENOS AIRES Jan Xinhua At least four Brazilians died on Tuesday when their light aircraft crashed in a remote area of the Argentina Andes the authorities said
Rescue teams found the bodies in the spot some km away from the capital city of Mendoza province said Commodore Guillermo Lozada spokesman for the military aviation
The Brazilianregistered Cessna was heading for Chile when it crashed at the foothill of the Andes mountain chain called Papagayos It took off from the Brazilian city of Bello Horizonte and stopped off in Foz de Iguazu and in Argentine cities of Cordoba and Mendoza Enditem
HAVANA Jan Xinhua Ruben Silie secretarygeneral of the Association of Caribbean States ACS said on Tuesday that his organization was a vital way of boosting closeness in the region faced with globalization
I think that the ACS is a space where we have a chance to promote closeness in a more balanced way than that imposed by the forces of globalization Silie told a press conference following his meeting with Cuban Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque
Silie arrived in Cuba on Monday as part of a tour of Caribbean nations to seek unity in the organization
Cuba always showed its determination to boost cooperation with its neighboring nations he added
Perez Roque said it was an exceptional moment for Latin American states because winds of integration collaboration and friendship were blowing in the region
We continue to be committed to the founding principles and objectives of the ACS and we hope that this visit will allow us to explore ways for Cuba to increase its contribution in its main lines of work he said
The ACS which groups countries of the greater Caribbean was founded in the Colombian city of Cartagena de Indias in Enditem
KINSHASA Jan Xinhua A private An passenger plane crashed in the northeast of the Democratic Republic of Congo on Tuesday leaving three passengers on board injured
The crash took place at pm GMT in the countrys Oriental Province aviation authorities said adding that the whereabouts of the planes crew members remained unknown
The cause of the crash was under investigation
Last year a total of people were killed in air accidents in the vast African country Enditem
BUCHAREST Jan Xinhua Moldova and Ukraine both suffering from gas shortfalls after Russia recently cut off supplies jointly appealed to the European Union EU on Tuesday to help settle the gas standoff Moldovan information agency reported on Tuesday
Moldova and Ukraine believe Russia is using gas price leverage to pressure them cause social unrest and destroy their economies said a statement signed by the Moldovan President Vladimir Voronin and his Ukrainian counterpart Viktor Yushchenko the agency said
The statement said that the two countries hoped the EU would persuade Russia to resume the talks in order to set realistic gas prices and help broker Russias payments for the use of their gas pipelines The talks would also help secure a stable supply of Russian gas to consumers in Europe it added
On Sunday Russia cut off gas supplies to Ukraine and Moldova both of which greatly rely on Russias gas exports as a consequence of the price disputes
Moldova had opposed Russias decision to raise the gas price per cubic meters from dollars to US dollars In turn Ukraine had strongly rejected Russias planned raising of the price of gas exported there from dollars per cubic meters to dollars
The latest reports indicate that officials from Ukraine and Moldova have held talks with Gazprom Russias stateowned oil and gas giant The Gazprom spokesman Sergei Kupriyanov stated that the results of the talks would be made public at am GMT Wednesday said the RIANovosti news agency Enditem
BUENOS AIRES Jan Xinhua The Argentine government paid its billion US dollars of debt to the International Monetary Fund IMF on Tuesday in an effort to restore its financial image
Argentine President Nestor Kirchner announced on Dec that his government would pay off its debt to the IMF from its foreign exchange reserves
Argentine authorities told Xinhua that the payment had been completed shortly after Tuesday noon
The debt payment had been previously scheduled to be made through authorities said
The early payment was ordered by Argentinas central bank from funds held in the International Settlements Bank in Basel and the US Federal Reserve bank The payment was made in the special drawing right SDR and the billion dollars were equivalent to billion SDRs
Argentine Economy Minister Felisa Miceli dismissed some officials worries that the payment might cause financial turbulence saying Argentina had sufficient reserves to fight any external shocks
Before the debt payment the Central Bank of Argentina had billion dollars in reserves its largest since July Enditem
BOGOTA Jan Xinhua Colombias staterun oil company Ecopetrol said on Tuesday that the oil spill due to a guerrilla attack in southwestern Colombia has been controlled
A total of barrels of oil spilled into the rivers of Guamuez and Putumayo when the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia FARC blew up eight oil wells and three pipelines in the Amazon rain forest over New Year
Jesus Libardo Rebelo governor of Putumayo state said the environmental damage was severe We flew over the area and were able to confirm that it is a very serious disaster he added
He warned that people living nearby must avoid using river water and said that river transport had been restricted A specially trained squad was trying to remove the oil and decontaminate the rivers he added
The spill occurred during the countrys dry season making it more difficult to dilute the oil said Putumayos environmental authority
The bombings were part of a string of attacks over the weekend by the FARC Between Christmas and New Year the FARC also destroyed two energy towersleaving people without power Three civilians were also injured when FARC attacked a police station in San Miguel some kms southwest of Bogota
The FARC is Colombias largest guerrilla group comprised of more than rebels It is listed by the United States and the European Union as a terrorist group
The recent attacks were just part of their fourdecadeold campaign to overthrow the government More than government troops were killed by the FARC and other rebel groups last year showed governmental figures Enditem
WARSAW Jan Xinhua Poland will declassify files from the Warsaw Pact the military alliance of the Soviet bloc which was disbanded in Polands Defense Minister Rodoslaw Sikorski said Tuesday
The files to be declassified as of Tuesday will be handed over to the Polish Institute of National Remembrance where they will be open to the public Sikorski told a press conference
A total of Warsaw Pact files were found in Polands archives including documents maps and military plans
More than percent of the documents will be declassified Sikorski told reporters
Historians believe the declassified documents will shed light on some historical facts about the Cold War era
Another Warsaw Pact documents may also be declassified said Sikorski who said he is expecting recommendation from experts by the end of this month
The Sovietled Warsaw Pact was created in in the Polish capital to counter the perceived threat from the western alliance of NATO established in
Poland and other former Soviet satellites joined NATO in and eight eastern European countries entered the European Union last year in its largest ever expansion Enditem
CARACAS Jan Xinhua An earthquake of magnitude on the Richter scale jolted western Venezuelas Zulia state Tuesday afternoon But no casualties or damages have been reported
Gustavo Maravi director of the Venezuelan quake research center said the quake occurred at pm local time and the epicenter was kilometers southeast of a village on the west bank of the Maracaibo Lake Enditem
UPSHUR the United States Jan Xinhua Rescuers have found the body of one of miners who have been trapped underground in an eastern US coal mine for over hours the mines owner said Tuesday
Ben Hatfield president of International Coal Group which owns the Sago Mine in the Upshur county West Virginia told reporters that the rescuers will continue to search for other trapped miners
Our efforts move forward as quickly as we can and were fervently determined to do our very best to get to them he said
Hatfield said rescue crews had reached some meters into the mine shaft and will get to the position where the rest of the miners are believed to be located within several hours
He said the rescue effort will end only when all hope is lost
The miners were trapped early Monday after an explosion of unknown origin
Since Tuesday afternoon rescuers have accelerated their efforts to locate the miners by starting to bore two new vertical shafts for their probes
Efforts also were being made to advance horizontally into the Sago Mine
However rescuers abandoned a plan to move in a cameraequipped trackmounted robot with sensors to measure air quality after it was bogged down in mud inside the mine
US media said the Sago Mine was cited times over alleged safety
violations in up from citations the year before
Federal regulators allegations against the Sago Mine included failure to dilute coal dust which can lead to explosions and failure to properly operate and maintain machinery Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Russias gas giant Gazprom on Tuesday refused to make concessions in talks with Ukraine on the natural gas price as Russian gas supplies to Europe returned to normal
Russian energy officials met their counterparts from Ukraines national oil and gas company Naftogaz Ukrainy late Tuesday
Gazprom spokesman Sergei Kupriyanov said on the Echo of Moscow radio that the company would stick to its demand that the gas price for Ukraine be more than quadrupled
Gazprom is willing to reach an agreement with Ukraine on gas deliveries but will not make concessions said Kupriyanov
Gazprom cut off gas supplies to Ukraine on Sunday after Kiev rejected Moscows demand for a sharp rise in gas prices starting from
Russia accused Ukraine of siphoning gas from supplies to Western Europe in the pipelines that run through its territory But Kiev has denied the charge
About percent of the gas the European Union buys from Gazprom is sent through pipelines crossing Ukraine Many European countries had reported a sharp drop in their gas supplies after the row started
The supplies returned to normal in Austria Germany France and Slovenia on Tuesday
Austria which holds the European Unions rotating presidency welcomed the restoration of normal gas supplies
Austrian Foreign Minister Ursula Plassnik said in a statement that Russia took a right step to help relieve the regional energy shortfalls Austria hopes that Russia and Ukraine will resume their negotiations to seek a solution to the price dispute she said
Meanwhile Eon Ruhrgas and Wingas Germanys two major gas importing companies said on Tuesday that the amount of gas Germany gets from Russia recovered to a normal level
The pressure in the pipelines has been normal again since this morning said Andreas Reichel a spokesman for EonRuhras in Essen
On Monday one of the two eastwest pipelines crossing Ukraine had supplied percent less gas than usual The German news agency DPA quoted Reichel as saying that the company had obtained larger supplies of gas from other European sources to plug the shortfall
Russias gas supplies to Italy also returned to normal Tuesday according to Italian news agency ANSA
Italian Industry Minister Claudio Scajola welcomed the news from fuels group Eni and called for a bipartisan political pact to ensure fuel security in the future including a return to nuclear power
In France Gaz de France announced that its supplies from Russia had resumed after falling by up to percent on Monday
During the recent days gas supplies in France have never been disrupted the group said in a statement
The Slovenian gas company Geoplin also said Russias supplies had been fully restored by Tuesday
Also on Tuesday the Hungarian media reported that pressure in gas pipelines between Russia and Hungary through Ukraine returned to normal Monday night
On Tuesday Moldovas President Vladimir Voronin and his Ukrainian counterpart Viktor Yushchenko accused Russia of using the gas price issue to mount political pressure on their nations
The move was aimed at disrupting Ukraines and Moldovas economic development and causing social turmoil the two leaders said in a joint statement Enditem
JAKARTA Jan Xinhua A landslide triggered by heavy rain buried some houses in a village in Indonesias Central Java province
early Wednesday leaving at least people feared dead government officials said
KIEV Jan Xinhua Ukraine would be forced to use Russian natural gas if temperatures fell below minus degrees Celsius a board member of Ukraines state oil and gas company Naftogaz Ukrainy said on Tuesday
At the moment Ukraine is able to meet its domestic demand for natural gas using only domestic output and supplies from Turkmenistan as the weather is rather mild said Mykola Goncharuk the board member of Naftogaz
But if the temperatures which are now unusually mild for January fall significantly then Kiev would have to draw on Russian gas from the pipeline which passes through Ukraine said Goncharuk
We have a right to receive million cubic meters of Central Asian Turkmenistanian gas a day At the moment we are taking million cubic meters But everything will depend on the weather he said
If temperatures fall to minus then we will need to add million cubic meters to meet our consumers needs In that case Ukraine will have to take the Russian gas which is being legally earned for transit services
Russias state gas giant Gazprom has accused Ukraine of stealing gas being piped westwards across its territory to Europe an accusation which has been denied by Ukrainian officials
A Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesperson said at a press conference that it has invited international experts to supervise the transit of Russian gas through Ukrainian pipelines to ensure its transparency
He also added that Ukraine is now holding talks with the European Union in a bid to reach a resolution over the RussianUkrainian gas row
Russia suspended its natural gas supplies to Ukraine on Monday after Kiev rejected a fourfold increase in prices Enditem
WASHINGTON Interest rates on shortterm USTreasury bills increased to the highest levels in nearly five years in auctions held on Tuesday
The US Treasury Department auctioned billion dollars in threemonth bills at a discount rate of percent up from percent last week The rate was the highest since these bills averaged percent on April USTreasury Bills
ANKARA An industrial zone on the Gaza Strip border will be reopened under Turkeys supervision and the zone will provide jobs to Palestinians Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said on Tuesday
Gul made the remarks ahead of his visit to the Palestinian selfrule areas on Wednesday to sign deals with Palestinian officials in the West Bank city of Ramallah to revitalize Erez industrial zone TurkeyPalestiniansProject
WASHINGTON The United States on Tuesday urged Russia and Ukraine to settle their dispute over natural gas prices that prompted Moscow to shut off supplies in a move that was also felt in western Europe
Its something that we have raised with the Russian government State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said at a daily news briefing USRussiaGas Dispute
MOSCOW Russias gas giant Gazprom on Tuesday refused to make concessions in talks with Ukraine on the natural gas price as Russian gas supplies to Europe returned to normal
Russian energy officials met their counterparts from Ukraines national oil and gas company Naftogaz Ukrainy late Tuesday RussiaUkraineGas Disupute Enditem
UPSHUR the United States Jan Xinhua Twelve miners were
found alive after being trapped in a West Virginia coal mine family members said Enditem
ABU DHABI Jan Xinhua Prime Minister and Vice President of the United Arab Emirates Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashed alMaktoum died on Wednesday the official news agency WAM announced Enditem
UPSHUR the United States Jan Xinhua Twelve miners trapped in a West Virginia coal mine for over hours were found alive early Wednesday a spokesman of the governor said
The twelve miners have been located and are being moved to the surface and their condition is being assessed while they are being moved said Tom Hunter spokesman of the governor of West Virginia Joe Manchin
Conditions of the miners were unknown and several ambulances were parked at the entrance of the Sago mine in central West Virginia where the men had been trapped some meters below the surface after an explosion early Monday
Families and friends of the miners gathering at the mine cheered when they heard the news
Earlier reports said that one body had been found Tuesday about meters from the entrance
President George W Bush said the government would do all in its power to help save the trapped men
May God bless those who are trapped below the earth and may God bless those who are concerned about those trapped below the earth Bush said Enditem
Berlin Jan Xinhua One more body was found under the rubbles of the collapsed rink in southern Germany on Wednesday bringing the number of deaths in the accident to police confirmed
The victim a male was found after the rescue workers resumed searching the wreckage of the rink in the southeast German town of Bad Reichenhall near the German Austrian border which collapsed Monday
No further details of the newfound victim were disclosed from the police
Previously eleven bodies have been recovered from the wreckage of the rink including six children while the missing were feared dead as temperatures were below zero
On Tuesday officials said a yearold woman and three children aged between to were still missing
Some people were pulled alive from the rubbles with moderate to severe injuries police said They were flown by helicopter to hospitals in the Austrian city of Salzburg only km away
Some firefighters police and rescue personnel from Germany and neighboring Austria had joined in the rescue effort
Bad Reichenhall with around residents was hit by blizzards over the New Year weekend The disaster was reportedly attributed to the mass of snow on the roof
Police said an investigation into possible negligence would be automatic because the accident resulted in deaths
Some town residents were angered by the tragedy saying the s recreational center had been due for renovation Enditem
MOSCOW Jan Xinhua Russia and Ukraine signed a fiveyear deal on Wednesday to deliver gas to Ukraine at US dollars per cubic meters after talks between the gas companies of the two countries Alexei Miller chairman of Russian gas company Gazprom told a press conference Enditem
UPSHUR the United States Jan Xinhua Twelve of the coal miners trapped in a West Virginia coal mine have died CNN reported
The th the sole survior has been hospitalized Enditem
JAKARTA A raintriggered massive landslide swept through a village in the Indonesian province of Central Java just before dawn Wednesday burying more than houses and raising worries that some villagers may die in the disaster
The landslide hit Banjarmangu district in Banjarnegara regency at am At least four neighboring complexes were completely buried by the mud We worried that some residents were killed by the landslide Zulaikha a public relations staff with the local government told Xinhua over telephone IndonesiaLandslide
BAGHDAD Gunmen opened fire at the car of a senior oil ministry official in western Baghdad Wednesday morning killing him and his son an Interior ministry source told Xinhua
Unknown armed men ambushed the car of RahimAli alSudani director general in the oil ministry and opened fire at his car in Ameriyah district as he was heading to work the source said IraqKilling
GAZA About Palestinian militants stormed the Palestinian Central Election Committee CEC office in Rafah of southern Gaza Wednesday morning witness and security sources said
This breakinginto came after Palestinian security forces detained overnight a militant suspected of being responsible for kidnapping three Britons in Rafah last week the sources said PalestiniansAttack
UPSHUR the United States Twelve miners trapped in a West Virginia coal mine for over hours were found alive early Wednesday a spokesman of the governor said
The twelve miners have been located and are being moved to the surface and their condition is being assessed while they are being moved said Tom Hunter spokesman of the governor of West Virginia Joe Manchin USMine Accident
MOSCOW Russia and Ukraine signed a fiveyear deal on Wednesday to deliver gas to Ukraine at US dollars per cubic meters after talks between the gas companies of the two countries Alexei Miller chairman of Russian gas company Gazprom told a press conference RussiaUkraineGas Deal Enditem
UPSHUR the United States Jan Xinhua Only one of the US coal miners trapped in a West Virginia coal mine for over hours was found alive mine officials said Wednesday
Mine officials told families of the deaths more than three hours after government officials said that miners survived the disaster
The sole survivor has been hospitalized Enditem
UPSHUR the United States Jan Xinhua Only one of the US coal miners trapped in a West Virginia coal mine after a blast was found alive said the mines top official early Wednesday
International Coal Group Chief Executive Officer Ben Hatfield told a press conference that only one miner Randal McCloy had survived the accident
The sole survivor of the disaster has been hospitalized a doctor said
Some three hours earlier Governor Joe Manchin said he had been told of the miners trapped survived the explosion One body had been found Tuesday about meters from the entrance
The miners were trapped about meters inside the mine early Monday after an explosion of unknown origin
Since Tuesday afternoon rescuers have accelerated their efforts to locate the miners by starting to bore two new vertical shafts for their probes Efforts were also being made to advance horizontally into the Sago Mine in central West Virginia Enditem
LONDON Jan Xinhua Following are major news items in leading British newspapers on Wednesday
The Guardian
British government is considering ending milk subsidies for million primary school children in England as they cost too much to administer and do little to improve health
The Times
Britons will have to pay for information about their local schools hospitals and councils under secret plans being considered by ministers The Times has learnt
Financial Times
The National Health Service will miss the target to cut waiting time for treatment to maximum of weeks by without additional capacity and more reform an analysis by the Financial Times shows Enditem
WASHINGTON Jan Xinhua A strong earthquake measuring was detected in the Gulf of Califorinia off the Mexican coast on Wednesday the US Geological Survey website said Enditem
MOSCOW Jan Xinhua Russia and Ukraine signed a fiveyear deal on Wednesday to supply Russian gas to Ukraine on higher prices after talks between the two countries gas companies
Under a complex price scheme Russias gas giant Gazprom will sell gas to the Rosukrenergo trading company for US dollars per cubic meters
The trading company will mix the Russian gas with gas from Central Asian countries Turkmenistan Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan and sell the blend to Ukraine for dollars per cubic meters on the RussiaUkraine border
Speaking at a press conference Alexei Miller chairman of Gazprom said Gazprom and Ukraines oil and gas company Naftogaz Ukrainy had signed a fiveyear contract on Russian gas supply to Ukraine
The agreements will provide additional security guarantees to gas exports to Europe and serve as a sound foundation for further cooperation between Russia and Ukraine in the gas sector based on market principles Miller said
The deal capped a monthslong dispute that led Russia to cut off gas supply to Ukraine on Sunday
The cutoff caused supply shortfalls in other parts of Europe and prompted the European Union to schedule an emergency session for Wednesday to discuss energy security Enditem
BRUSSELS Jan Xinhua There is no simple and immediate solution to the RussiaUkraine gas standoff a European Commission EC spokesman said on Tuesday
A gas coordination group which includes representatives from all European Union EU member states and the energy industry will be opened on Wednesday by EC Commissioner on energy Andris Piebalgs to tackle the issue EC chief spokesman Johannes Laitenberger said
At the first EC daily briefing on Tuesday Laitenberger said the meeting would look into the full picture of the situation
This is a complex situation he said adding that nothing is ruled out and nothing is ruled in
The spokesman assured the press that there is no immediate risk of a gas supply crisis for the EU
Some EU member states have suffered cuts to their gas supplies from Russia as a result of the intensified quarrel over gas prices between Russia and Ukraine
Britains Financial Times newspaper reported that supplies of Russian gas to Italy fell by percent and France suffered a drop of percent Many central European countries which depend heavily on Russian gas reported an even larger decline
Russia cut off its gas deliveries to Ukraine on Jan after Ukraine refused to meet its demand for a fourfold price increase However it said it would continue to send full supplies to other European customers that get Russian gas through pipes crossing Ukraine Enditem
WASHINGTON Jan Xinhua A strong earthquake measuring on the Richter scale was detected in the Gulf of California off the Mexican coast on Wednesday the US Geological Survey website said
The quake occurred at round am local time GMT and its epicenter is km from Santa Rosalia on the east coast of Baja California peninsula
Mexicos National Seismological Center posted no initial report of the quake on its website Enditem
GENEVA Jan Xinhua The Great Wall of China the Eiffel Tower and the Taj Mahal are among the global landmarks chosen as final candidates in the New Seven Wonders of the World the official website swissinfo reported Wednesday
The Swissbased organisers who unveiled the shortlist have called on the public to take part in an online vote to whittle the list down to seven The winning sites will be announced on New Years Day of
The idea of creating a new list of contemporary wonders was the brainchild of Bernard Weber a Swiss adventurer and filmmaker
The original seven wonders of the ancient world were selected by the Greek philosopher Philon more than years ago The Great Pyramid of Giza which is included in the list of finalists is the only one of the original wonders still standing
I believe that after more than years its time to redefine the world wonders Weber told Swiss television following the announcement of the shortlist Thanks to the internet and telephone for the first time in history the whole world can take part in this process
According to Webers New Seven Wonders Foundation the public responded enthusiastically to the challenge with million people taking part in voting between and the end of
For inclusion in the list the new wonders had to be manmade completed by and in an acceptable state of preservation Each continent had to be represented by at least one wonder but there could not be more than one per country
They should become symbols of unity in the modern world just as the original seven wonders were symbols of the ancient world Weber said
The shortlist of includes ancient sites such as the Acropolis in Athens and Indias Taj Mahal temple as well as more recent constructions notably the Sydney Opera House and New Yorks Statue of Liberty Enditem
BRUSSELS Jan Xinhua The European Union EU on Wednesday hailed the gas agreement between Russia and Ukraine Enditem
PARIS Jan Xinhua French engineering conglomerate Alstom plans to set up a shipbuilding joint venture with Norwegian company Aker Yards which will own a percent stake the two companies announced on Wednesday
The joint venture will include Alstoms subsidiary Chantiers de lAtlantique shipyard in St Nazaire and Lorient and Aker Yards will pay million euros million US dollars for the percent stake in the new company the two companies said in a joint statement
Alstom will commit itself to keeping until the remaining percent which Aker Yards has an option to buy for a price depending on financial performance
The agreement was not final yet but Aker Yards said it expected the deal to close by the end of March
In a bid to recover from near financial ruin Alstom the French manufacturer of trains ships and power generators has spent about billion euros billion dollars in restructuring in the past two years and has cut employees to Enditem
BRUSSELS Jan Xinhua The European Union EU on Wednesday welcomed a gas deal reached between Russia and Ukraine following their dispute which affected the gas supply to many European countries
The EU welcomes that the parties have taken account of the importance placed by the Union on the maintenance of their role as secure longterm suppliers of natural gas to the EU the EU said in a statement
The joint statement made by Austrian Economic Minister Martin Bartenstein EU Energy Commissioner Andris Piebalgs and Benita FerreroWaldner EU Commissioner for External Relations welcomed the fact that the appeals from the EU to the parties to settle their dispute have had a swift and positive response
Earlier on Wednesday Russia and Ukraine signed a fiveyear deal in Moscow ending a standoff that raised fears of a longterm gas shortage in Europe
Under a complex price scheme Russias gas giant Gazprom will sell gas to the Rosukrenergo trading company for US dollars per cubic meters
The trading company will mix the Russian gas with gas from Central Asian countries Turkmenistan Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan and sell the blend to Ukraine for dollars per cubic meters
Russia cut down natural gas supply to Ukraine on Sunday after Kiev rejected Russias demand to more than quadruple the price Enditem
Eds UPDATES with more background European concern
MOSCOW Jan Xinhua Russia and Ukraine struck a fiveyear deal on gas deliveries on Wednesday three days after Russia cut off the gas supply to Ukraine at the height of a bitter pricing dispute
Russias move caused an uproar in Europe as gas supplies fed by a key pipeline through Ukraine dipped severely during what has been one of the coldest weeks of the winter
Speaking at a press conference Chairman of Gazprom Alexei Miller said the Russian gas giant and Ukraines oil and gas company Naftogaz Ukrainy had signed a fiveyear contract on supplies
Under a complex price scheme Gazprom will sell gas for US dollars per cubic meters to the Rosukrenergo trading company which will mix the Russian gas with gas from Central Asian countries Turkmenistan Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan and sell the blend to Ukraine for dollars per cubic meters
Ukraine had been buying gas from Russia at dollars per cubic meters over the past year
The two sides also agreed on a new price for transit of gas through Ukraine to Europe of dollars for every cubic meters transported km up by nearly percent from the previous price of dollars
Gazprom provides about half the gas consumed in the European Union EU and percent of that amount is sent through pipelines crossing Ukraine
The agreements will provide additional security guarantees to gas exports to Europe and serve as a sound foundation for further cooperation between Russia and Ukraine in the gas sector based on market principles Miller said
The two countries had been locked in a monthslong dispute over gas prices with Kiev strongly resisting Gazproms demands that Ukraine pay US dollars per cubic meters Russia cut off gas supply to Ukraine on Sunday blaming the absence of a new deal
European countries from Slovenia to Germany felt the pinch of Russias move reporting shortfalls of gas supplies in freezing weather
Gas supplies in many affected countries returned to normal levels after Gazprom pumped extra gas into pipelines running through Ukraine Russia accused Ukraine of stealing gas intended for other European countries a charge Kiev denied
The head of Naftogaz Ukrainy Olexiy Ivchenko said at the press conference his company is satisfied with the outcome of our negotiationswhich will fully meet Ukraines gas needs and ensure the transit of Russian gas to Europe
The member EU convened an emergency session on Wednesday to discuss Europes energy security Enditem
BERLIN Jan Xinhua Another body was found in the wreckage of a collapsed ice rink in southern Germany on Wednesday bringing the number of deaths in the accident to at least police said
The body found before dawn was that of a teenage boy
The search for two others a woman and a girl continued but they were feared dead as temperatures stuck below zero Hubertus Andrae a police chief of the nearby town of Traunstein told reporters
There is no sign of life Andrae said
Most of the other bodies recovered from the scene of Mondays tragedy in the southeast German town of Bad Reichenhall near the GermanAustrian border belonged to children It is believed the roof collapsed under the weight of snow
Bad Reichenhall which has around residents was hit by blizzards over the New Year weekend
Police said an investigation into possible negligence would be automatic because the accident had resulted in deaths
Some town residents were angered by the tragedy saying the sera recreational center had been due for renovation Enditem
TOKYO Jan Xinhua Japans Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi defended on Wednesday his visits to a war shrine honoring Japanese war dead saying again that it is a spiritual issue
Koizumi made the remarks in a televised press conference when asked how he will try to mend fences with his neighboring countries
I dont understand why foreign governments step into a spiritual issue and try to make it a diplomatic issue the premier said on his first working day of
Since taking office in April Koizumi has visited five times the Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo which honors over two million Japanese war dead including top war criminals responsible for Japans aggression against its Asian neighbors in World War II
His annual visits to the war shrine have strained relations between Japan and neighboring countries that were victims of Japanese wartime atrocities Enditem
BERLIN Jan Xinhua German Economic Minister Michael Glos welcomed the RussiaUkraine natural gas agreement on Wednesday but warned his country needs to develop more domestic energy sources
We have to fundamentally think about how we can secure our energy supply over the long term with energy sources from Germany he said
Germany relies heavily on energy imports from Russia with percent of its natural gas and over percent of its crude oil coming from the country
Officials with Russian energy giant Gazprom and its Ukraine counterpart Naftogaz said on Wednesday they had agreed on a fiveyear deal under which Kiev will buy gas at the Russian border at a price of US dollars per cubic meters
The new price amounts to a huge rise from the dollars that Ukraine had been paying until now a remnant of the subsidized Sovietera pricing system
The settlement capped a gas dispute between Kiev and Moscow that had lasted for months
Russia cut down natural gas supply to Ukraine on Sunday after Kiev rejected Russias demand to more than quadruple the price
The sudden move caused panic in western European nations whose gas imports are mostly pumped from Russia via pipelines running through Ukraine
Glos and other conservatives in the government have called for a rethink of the decision to phase out all nuclear power stations which currently supply about percent of the countrys electricity
The former SPDGreen coalition government under Gerhard Schroeder ordered in the phasing out of all German nuclear plants by The first was closed in May
In addition to nuclear power stations near percent of German electricity comes from coal and percent comes from wind power Enditem
BRUSSELS Jan Xinhua European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana hailed here on Wednesday the agreement reached between Ukraine and Russia on gas supplies
I warmly welcome the agreement reached today between Ukraine and Russia on the terms of gas supplies he said in a written statement
Solana said he particularly appreciated the efforts that both sides had made to resolve their differences adding that this agreement should ensure a stable and secure supply of gas both to Ukraine and the rest of the Continent
The relations between Russia and Ukraine and the European Union can only benefit from the deal he added
Earlier on Wednesday morning Russia and Ukraine reached a deal to resume gas shipments to Ukraine under a complex price scheme ending a standoff that raised fears of longterm shortages in Europe
The agreement was announced in Moscow by the heads of OAO Gazprom and Naftogaz the two countries staterun natural gas companies
Under the agreement Russias Gazprom will sell gas to a trading company for US dollars per cubic meters and Ukraine will buy gas from the company for US dollars Enditem
KIEV Jan Xinhua Ukrainian leaders on Wednesday portrayed a gas deal with Russia as a prime opportunity for the country to start building a marketoriented economy
The Ukrainian economy is completely ready for new market conditions President Viktor Yushchenko said in a statement adding the agreement spelt the end of barter deals and the beginning of the liberalization of prices according to the European model
Ukraine is observing all international transit agreements Ukraine is a reliable and stable partner of the European Union and Russia he added
Earlier on Wednesday Russia and Ukraine signed a fiveyear deal in Moscow under which Russias gas giant Gazprom will sell gas to the Rosukrenergo trading company for US dollars per cubic meters
The trading company will mix the Russian gas with gas from Central Asian countries Turkmenistan Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan and sell the blend to Ukraine for dollars per cubic meters
The new price amounts to a huge rise from the dollars that Ukraine had been paying until now a remnant of the subsidized Sovietera pricing system
Ukrainian Prime Minister Yury Yekhanurov told a news conference that Ukraine would drastically reduce gas consumption to prevent another gas crisis and ensure his countrys independence
He said Ukraines million people will consume some billion cubic meters of gas in sharply down from the billion last year
He also stressed the importance of modernizing industry especially the steel sector
This is the conclusion true independence for Ukraine is only possible with energy independence Yekhanurov said Enditem
MEXICO CITY Jan Xinhua A strong earthquake occurred in the Gulf of California off the Mexico coast early on Wednesday morning the US Geological Surveys website reported
The quake occurred at about am local time GMT with the epicenter lying some km northeast of Santa Rosalia Baja California So far there have been no reports of any damage or injuries the website said
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center which put the quakes magnitude at on the Richter scale said on its website that based on historical earthquake and tsunami data no destructive Pacificwide tsunami threat existed
The Gulf of California separates the Baja California peninsula from the northern Mexican mainland and the earthquake affected region is sparsely populated Enditem
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SOFIA Jan Xinhua The Bulgarian new world chess champion Veselin Topalov has ranked in the highest level over coefficient ELO revealed the latest FIDE ranking result
According to the statistics of the international authoritative chess union Topalov has obtained points by now only points lower than his opponent the Russian giant Gari Kasparov
After Kasparov and his compatriot Vladimir Kramnik the champion of the Professinal Chess Association PCA the remarkable achievement of Topalov makes himself as well the third master in the chess world who has stepped into the unique rating over points
As Kasparov pronounced retirement from and Kramnik will unlikely participate chess championships of FIDE experts predict Topalov soon becomes the No in FIDE ELO ranking
The Indian chess king Anand ranked third this time with points Another three Bulgarian chess masters Aleksander Delchev Kiril Georgiev and young star Ivan Cheparinov seized th p rd p and nd place in the latest ranking
Meanwhile in the chesswomen ELO ranking Hungarian chess queen Polgar became the winner with points followed by Indian Humpy Koneru and Swede Pia Kramling The unique Bulgarian women genius in the first of the list came Antoaneta Stefanonva who ranked th Enditem
BRUSSELS Jan Xinhua The Belgian Formula One F Grand Prix could be saved in several days time as the most contentious issues have been resolved between the F representative and the regional government Belgian newspaper La Libre reported Tuesday
The future of the Belgian Grand Prix hang in balance after race organizers filed for bankruptcy owing to declining ticket sales
After bailing out the race in the Wallonian government refused to continue the funding even though it is bound to a contract that ends in
F representative Bernie Ecclestone insisted that the Wallonian government stick to the contract to cover the races losses until
La Libre newspaper quoted a source as saying that the regional government had agreed to pay million euros million US dollars to upgrade the circuit to international standards and raise million euros million dollars as operating funds for the race Ecclestone on his part had agreed to shorten the contract to three years
The SpaFrancorchamps circuit is wellknown for changeable weather Enditem
WASHINGTON Jan Xinhua Bob Weiss was fired as coach of the Seattle SuperSonics on Tuesday after his team struggling at and he was replaced by assistant Bob Hill according to the club
Im pleased with this opportunity to help this team said Hill who was serving as an assistant under Weiss This Sonics has the talent and coach Weiss had them setting their goals high Its my responsibility now to help them reach those gols
Weiss was promoted from assistant to head coach on July after Nate McMillan left for Portland Seattle won games last year in capturing the Northwest Division
Weiss previously coached Atlanta San Antonio and the Los Angeles Clippers and has an overall record of He was a Seattle assistant from Enditem
LAGOS Jan Xinhua The Confederation of African Football CAF has postponed its annual awards ceremony scheduled to be held on January in the Nigerian capital Abuja a CAF statement said on Tuesday
The annual event was postponed to a later date due to a technical reason on the request of the sponsor Nigerias telecom firm Globacom the statement said without elaborating
The CAF executive committee will meet on January in Cairo to set up a new date it said
Three leading players are in the race for the African Football of the Year award Cameroons Samuel EtoO who plays for the Spanish side Barcelona Michael Essien and Didier Drogba of Cote dIvoire both of Chelsea in England are contesting for the prestigious crown Enditem
BRUSSELS Jan Xinhua Dutch Premier Division side RBC Roosendaal have sacked coach Dolf Roks said the club in a brief statement on its website Tuesday
RBC are at the bottom of the team Dutch Eredivisie league The side gathered four points in matches of which the club managed with four draws and won none
Roks replaced Jan van Dijk who was also kicked off in April and helped keep RBC in the first division by winning the relegation playoffs Enditem
BUENOS AIRES Jan Xinhua Boca Juniors soccer club the winner of Argentines opening tournament and the Copa Sudamericana started training on Tuesday without manager Alfio Basile and its main players who will not start until Saturday local press reported
Preseason training will take place in the mountain city of Tandil in the southeast of Buenos Aires province
Among the players who began their training on Tuesday were goalkeeper Ezequiel Medran and the wingers Pablo Ledesma Guillermo Marino and Matias Donnet who is famous for scoring Bocas goal against Italian league team Milan in the Tokyo Intercontinental Cup Also training are the Paraguyan Claudio Morel Rodriguez Matias Silvestre and Neri Cardoso
Boca will play its first match of the new season against Racing Club part of the fiveway southern Summer competition
The club led by Mauricio Macri is set to lose Rolando Schiavi and Marcelo Delgado who are being sought by Spanish league club Hercules although both transfers have yet to be completed due to disagreements about the price of the players
Ten of Argentinas premier soccer clubs have already begun training and six more will begin work by the end of this week Enditem
MADRID Jan Xinhua Antonio Cassano former striker at Italian league soccer club Roma stepped off a flight from Rome in Madrid airport on Tuesday heading for Real Madrid soccer club where he will sit the medical exam needed to formally join the squad local media said on Tuesday
Cassano who arrived with his girlfriend and his agent is set to sign a contract on Wednesday to join the club until He was met by a throng of around journalists but left Barajas airport without making any statements
Real Madrid coach Juan Ramon Lopez Caro has asked Cassano to start training with Real at local time on Wednesday and he wants the player to debut on Sundays Spanish league match against Villareal
Cassano will reinforce Reals attacking squad which had been depleted by serious injuries sustained by Raul and Ronaldo He is the second new signing this winter for the squad after Brazils Cicinho who joined Real on Dec
Cassano leaves the club for whom he played for five seasons with impressive results However his relationships with Roma had been deteriorating for a while because of his difficult character both on and off the field Enditem
WASHINGTON Jan Xinhua Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade and Phoenix Suns forward Shawn Marion were named NBAs Eastern and Western Conference players of the week ending January
Wade averaged points rebounds and assists when the Heat went during the week including a win against Milwaukee on December in which Wade scored points and dished out seven assists
Wade logged points and nine assists in a loss to Detroit on December then the next night in a win over Washington he added points and eight rebounds Wade closed the week scoring points and also handed out nine assists in a New Years Day win over Minnesota
Marion and the Suns finished the week with four wins and the forward averaged points and rebounds including shooting percent
On December Marion scored points and grabbed rebounds in a win over the Timberwolves He hit points on of shooting on December against the Wizards He finished the week with backtoback doubledoubles in backtoback games against the Bobcats and Bulls on December and Marion had points and rebounds at Charlotte and had points and rebounds in Chicago Enditem
MADRID Jan Xinhua Spanish soccer giant Barcelona extended their winning streak by scoring three goals on Tuesdays Kings Cup fifth round against only one by third division Zamora an unfancied team that had knocked out premier league giant Real Sociedad
The match that gave Barcelona its th consecutive victory did not start so well however Zamora midfielder Xaco gave his team the lead in minute five
Without their three leading players Samuel Etoo Ronaldo de Assis and Lionel Messi Barcelona was slow to take back the initiative
But Dutch midfielder Giovanni van Bronckhorst finally came through minutes after kick off scoring a goal with the help of Santi Ezquerro and Rafael Marquez Marquez went on to score on his own account nine minutes from full time Ludovic Giuly scored the third in the closing minutes Enditem
LONDON Jan Xinhua Manchester United slipped further behind Premiership leaders Chelsea after playing to a goalless draw with Arsenal on Tuesday at Highbury
Defenders Rio Ferdinand and Wes Brown contribute a lot to Alex Fergusons team as they made superb blocks to deny efforts from Thierry Henry and Brazilian Gilberto
Cristiano Ronaldo should have given United the lead just before the break but he was guilty of a hurried finish
Arsenal appealed for a penalty after a Gary Neville tackle on Cesc Fabregas while late on Brown had a header cleared off the line after a corner
As the game wore on Ruud van Nistelrooy came to the fore but even the Dutchman was unable to break the impasse
The draw left United trailing Chelsea by points while Arsenal now lag the Premiership leaders by a staggering points
So often this fixture has decided the destination of the title but this result did little to alter the impression that Chelsea are destined to retain their Premiership trophy
Arsenal probably had the better of the firsthalf but after the hour mark United were the more dominant force
The best of Arsenals early counterattacks saw Robert Pires run almost the entire length of the pitch but Gary Neville showed great defensive skill to clear the Frenchmans cross
Arsenal also went close with several shots notably Cesc Fabregas precise effort and a Pires shot that Van der Sar pushed round the post
A fixture that over the years has had its fair share of spiteful incidents drew a couple of yellow cards in the first half
Ryan Giggs was booked for his challenge on Jose Antonio Reyes and just before the break Lauren was yellowcarded for a wild lunge at Ronaldo
Wayne Rooney might easily have been sent off in the second half when having been booked for a challenge on Reyes he appeared to be guilty of deliberate handball
Just before the interval Ronaldo really should have given United the lead
Van Nistelrooys quick feet provided him with space to blast a shot goalward an effort so powerful Jens Lehmann could only push the ball into Ronaldos path
But with the goal at his mercy Ronaldo rushed his finish blazing his shot over the bar
Early in the second half Ferdinand came to John OSheas rescue when the Irishmans poor clearance fell to Henry
The French striker unleashed a shot but Ferdinand threw his body at the ball to get in an important block
Brown was just as alert in blocking a Gilberto shot following a Pascal Cygan flickon
In between those two Arsenal chances Ronaldo spurted down the Arsenal left picking out Ryan Giggs who opted to shoot rather than pass to Van Nistelrooy
On the hour mark Van Nistelrooy twice made his attacking presence felt getting in a shot on goal after a Kolo Toure error and then the Dutchman almost reached a Ronaldo cross
Van Nistelrooy also went close in a goalmouth scramble following a United corner
With six minutes to go Nevilles superbly timed run allowed him to latch on to Rooneys pass but his shot rippled the Arsenal sidenetting rather than the goal
In stoppage time Emmanuel Eboue cleared a Rio Ferdinand header off the line Enditem
HAVANA Jan Xinhua Cuba Deportes the stateowned sports agency is sending sports specialists to different countries in Latin America the Caribbean Africa Asia and Europe Alberto Puig general manager of the company said on Tuesday
The figure set at the end of is a record for the company which was founded in with the intention of earning foreign exchange to be reinvested in sports in Cuba which was in th place in the Athens Olympic games
Venezuela is the country which hires most Cuban workers where they are part of a project called Mision Barrio Adentro The mission to the neighborhood inside a project founded in to boost the health of poor Venezuelans
The most sought after training is in baseball athletics boxing and martial arts Mexico Ecuador and the Domican Republic are some of the countries which seek out theses skilled Puig said Enditem
CANBERRA Jan Xinhua Following are the results of matches at the Auckland Classic womens tennis tournament at Auckland Wednesday prefix number denotes seeding
Second round
Marion Bartoli France bt Laura Granville United States
Nadia Petrova Russia bt Vera Dushevina Russia
Kristina Brandi Puerto Rico bt Maria Sanchez Lorenzo Spain
Daniela Hantuchova Slovenia bt Jill Craybas United States
Maria Kirilenko Russia bt Viktoria Azarenka Belarus
Enditem
LUSAKA Jan Xinhua The Zambia Judo Association ZJA has appointed a fiveman committee to spearhead the refurbishment of the dilapidated national arena according to Zambia Daily Mail
It quoted ZJA president shapa Wakunguma as saying here Tuesday that the committee would be led by his two deputies Annie Mwape and Jude Mckenna
We have put a committee in place to spearhead the rehabilitation works at our national arena which we have stopped using because of its bad state I have confidence that the committee will do a good job he said
Wakunguma said the national arena will be refurbished in preparing the national team for the commonwealth judo championship billed for Ireland in June
He said that judokas to be incorporated in the provisional national team should prove themselves if they are to make the trip to Ireland
The selection of the team will purely be based on merit and i expect judokas to continue training hard at their respective clubs said the ZJA president Enditem
KAMPALA Jan Xinhua Ugandan swimmers start their campaign in the third edition of the SubSaharan International Swimming Championship in Lusaka Zambia on Wednesday
Ugandan delegation head William Mukasa was quoted by local press on Wednesday as saying that the oneweek long events were strictly for junior swimmers in the region
Ugandas team of swimmers also include yearold Tom Burley who will feature in the mbreaststroke and m backstroke as well
He said that Emmanuel Rubomnora in the m backstroke will be among the first Ugandans to test the Zambian waters
We reached well and the team is fine We expect to do well he added Enditem
WASHINGTON Jan Xinhua Following are the results of Tuesdays NBA games home team in CAPS
Houston bt WASHINGTON
Toronto bt ATLANTA
DETROIT bt Orlando
MEMPHIS bt Golden State
DALLAS bt Portland
UTAH bt LA Lakers
Philadelphia bt SACRAMENTO
Enditem
WASHINGTON Jan Xinhua Following are the standings of NBA after Tuesdays games
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Atlantic Division
W L Pct GB
New Jersey
Philadelphia
Boston
Toronto
New York
Southeast Division
W L Pct GB
Miami
Orlando
Washington
Charlotte
Atlanta
Central Division
W L Pct GB
Detroit
Cleveland
Milwaukee
Indiana
Chicago
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Southwest Division
W L Pct GB
San Antonio
Dallas
Memphis
New Orleans
Houston
Northwest Division
W L Pct GB
Utah
Minnesota
Denver
Seattle
Portland
Pacific Division
W L Pct GB
Phoenix
LA Clippers
Golden State
LA Lakers
Sacramento
Enditem
KAMPALA Jan Xinhua Uganda Swimming Federation USF plans to send three swimmers and a coach to the th FINA Federation Internationale de Natation Amateur world swimming championships in April in Shanghai China local press reported on Wednesday
The three swimmers who will represent Uganda are Max Kanyerezi Marion Asio and Stephen Sekitoleko Enditem
OTTAWA Jan Xinhua Canada is one win away from defending its world junior hockey championship after a semifinal win over Finland on Tuesday
Kris Russell of the Medicine Hat Tigers Blake Comeau of the Kelowna Rockets Andrew Cogliano of the University of Michigan and Kris Letang of the ValdOr Foreurs scored for a Canadian team that dominated on defence in front of in GM Place in Vancouver Justin Pogge of the Calgary Hitmen earned the shutout reports reaching here said
Canada will meet the winner of the late Tuesday semifinal between Russia and the United States in the final Thursday after Finland plays for bronze against the RussiaUS loser
It will mark the fifth straight year Canada has played in the world junior final The last time Canada won backtoback titles was in and when the country capped off a run of five straight
Canada was the more rested team Tuesday because it had a bye to the semifinal while Finland had less than hours to recover from a overtime win over Sweden on Monday
Canada outshot Finland Late goals in both the first and second periods gave it momentum to take into the third
Canada went undefeated at during the preliminary round and earned the bye to the semifinal by finishing first in Group A
Canada had opened the preliminary round with a win over Finland on Dec It will be going for a th world junior title on Thursday
Finland finished third in Group A with a record Enditem
LUSAKA Jan Xinhua The Football Association of Zambia FAZ has coopted an unnamed foreign coach for the Africa cup of nations tournament in Egypt the Post newspaper reported Wednesday
FAZ spokesman Mwansa Mbulakulima said here Tuesday that the coach whom he could not name will be part of the technical bench at the Cairo nations soccer fiesta
He said we are likely to have one person joining the technical bench I cant say whether he is coming from Mexico or Holland But he is not coming from Zambia or any country in Africa
But Zambian national team assistant coach Ben Bamfuchile confirmed that a proposal to coopt a Dutch coach to help with analyzing Zambias matches has been discussed within FAZ
Bamfuchile said the team will benefit more if a foreign coach is coopted on the technical bench at the Africa Cup
Mbulakulima said the foreign coach is expected to join the team during the camp in France Enditem
HONG KONG Jan Xinhua Belgian tennis star Kim Clijsters said she was still considering retirement after the season
Clijsters who won a womens tourhigh nine titles last season said she has not given up her plan of a possible retirement in as the demands of keeping in top condition are getting harder
All the amount of time and the exercise and the effort I have to put into being able to feel like Im feeling at the moment and to not have injuries its getting more and more the yearold Belgian said on the sidelines of the Champions Challenge exhibition tournament in Hong Kong adding that traveling was also taking a toll
Every month I have to improve and I have to add something she said
Im going to try to do it for two more years try to give myself percent and then well see where it goes
For me tennis is important but its not the most important thing in my life Clijsters said adding she treasures family and friends more
She said her goal this year was to stay healthy paying particular attention to her wrist and knees
Clijsters said she was glad to see the comeback of the former world top player Martina Hingis from a threeyear sideline but she doubted whether she could really come back to her domination in the past
I think it will be very hard for someone in her position after a few years ago being world number one and winning so many tournaments and Grand Slams said the Belgian
It will be very hard for her to come close to achieving those results again I havent seen her play and I dont know what shape shes in but I am very excited Shes a great girl too and shes a lot of fun and I am happy to see her back
Hingis registered the second win of her comeback on Wednesday when she beat Czech world number Klara Koukalova at the Australian hard court tournament Enditem
KUALA LUMPUR Jan Xinhua Following is Wednesdays draw for the Asian Cup qualifying competition
Group A Japan Saudi Arabia India Yemen
Group B South Korea Iran Chinese Taipei Syria
Group C UAE Oman Jordan Pakistan
Group D Australia Lebanon Kuwait Bahrain
Group E China Iraq Palestine Singapore
Group F Uzbekistan Qatar Bangladesh Hong Kong of China
Note Matches to be played on a homeandaway basis between February and November this year
The top two teams from each group advance to next years Asian Cup finals to be cohosted by Indonesia Thailand Malaysia and Vietnam Enditem
KUALA LUMPUR Jan Xinhua Defending champion Japan will face Saudi Arabia in the Asian Cup qualifying competition following Wednesdays draw
Group B also features two World Cup sides with Iran facing semifinalist South Korea Australia who was officially admitted to the Asian Football Confederation AFC on January is in Group D with Bahrain Kuwait and Lebanon
China the Asian Cup runnerup appears to have a comfortable route to the finals in Group E against Iraq Singapore and Palestine
The Asian Cup will be jointly hosted by Malaysia Thailand Indonesia and Vietnam
Japan has won the past two Asian Cup tournaments and is expected to qualify comfortably with the Saudis Also in Group A are Yemen and India and Japans first qualifier is at home against India on February
The AFC has given World Cup teams the option of postponing their qualifiers on March which is an official match day on the FIFA calendar if they prefer to arrange friendlies
Australia due to compete in the World Cup in Germany for the first time since was ranked among the bottom six teams for Wednesdays draw because it has no record in previous Asian Cup events
All of Australias Group D opponents are from the Middle East which means it should have a good chance of fielding its Europeanbased players Enditem
WELLINGTON Jan Xinhua Following are the results from the ASB Classic womens tennis tournament in Auckland New Zealand on Wednesday prefix number denotes seeding
Vera Zvonareva Russia bt Yoon Jeong Cho South Korea
Tzipora Obziler Israel bt Katarina Srebotnik Slovenia
Julia Schruff Germany bt Elena Likhovtseva Russia
Maria Kirilenko Russia bt Victoria Azarenka Belarus
Marion Bartoli France bt Laura Granville United States
Nadia Petrova Russia bt Vera Dushevina Russia
Kristina Brandi Puerto Rico bt Maria Sanchez Lorenzo Spain
Daniela Hantuchova Slovakia bt Jill Craybas United States
Enditem
CANBERRA Jan Xinhua Following are the results from the Australian mens hardcourt tennis championship in Adelaide Australia on Wednesday prefix number denotes seeding
Second round
Florent Serra France bt Tommy Robredo Spain
Xavier Malisse Belgium bt Mario Ancic Croatia
Jarkko Nieminen Finland bt Florian Mayer Germany
Enditem
CANBERRA Jan Xinhua Third seed Tommy Robredo suffered a surprise secondround defeat Wednesday at the Australian hardcourt tennis tournament in Adelaide losing to unheralded Frenchman Florent Serra
Fourth seeded Croat Mario Ancic also bowed out of the tournament after losing a third set tie break to Belgiums Xavier Malisse for a defeat
Serra who spent most of on the Challenger circuit capitalised on unforced errors from Robredo to win the opening set tiebreak after the Spaniard had been serving for the set at
Serras service game disintegrated in the second set but the yearold managed to break Robredo early in the third
Fifth seed James Blake of the United States meets Italys Andreas Seppi later on Wednesday
Australias top seed Lleyton Hewitt and wildcard Mark Philippoussis play their secondround matches on Thursday
Hewitt meets Germanys Philipp Kohlschreiber and Philippoussis faces Slovakias second seed Dominik Hrbaty Enditem
LAGOS Jan Xinhua At least seven countries have confirmed their readiness to participate in the first International Military Polo Tournament to be held Jan in Nigeria the Nigerian government said on Wednesday
The countries include Argentina Britain Egypt India Pakistan South Africa and the United States according to the statement issued by the countrys Defense Headquarters
The statement said that the tournament which is unprecedented in the history of polo in the country was designed to foster bilateral and multilateral relations between the countrys armed forces and those of the participating countries
Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo is expected to attend the event which will become an annual festival from this year Enditem
BERLIN Jan Xinhua Assistant trainer Mirko Slomka has replaced Ralf Rangnick as head coach of Schalke the Bundesliga club said on Wednesday
Schalke dismissed Rangnick last month three days after the coach announced he would be leaving the club at the end of the season
Slomka who has been with Schalke since October will initially coach the club until the end of the season Schalke said on their website on Wednesday
If it works out we can certainly imagine working with Mirko Slomka beyond June team manager Andreas Mueller said in a statement adding the search for a head coach was definitely over
Rangnick had taken the club to second in the Bundesliga and a place in the German Cup final but appeared to have fallen out with the clubs management
Schalke is currently fourth in the table points behind leader Bayern and five behind Werder Bremen in third the final Champions League qualification spot
It narrowly failed to reach the knockout stage of the competition this season
Slomka began his coaching career in with the youth teams at Hanover He had two years at regional league side Borussia Berlin before returning to Hanover under Rangnick in and following him to Schalke in October Enditem
CANBERRA Jan Xinhua Following are the results from the Australian womens hardcourt tennis tournament in Adelaide Australia on Wednesday prefix number denotes seeding
Tatiana Golovin France bt Sybille Bammer Austria
Martina Hingis Switzerland bt Klara Koukalova Czech Republic
Patty Schnyder Switzerland bt Angela Haynes United States
Nuria Llagostera Spain bt Francesca Schiavone Italy
Enditem
CANBERRA Jan Xinhua Following are the results from the Hopman Cup mixed teams tennis championship in Perth Australia on Wednesday
Svetlana Kuznetsova Russia bt Sofia Arvidsson Sweden
Nicolas Kiefer Germany bt Gaston Gaudio Argentina
Gisela Dulko Argentina bt AnnaLena Groenefeld Germany
Enditem
WUHAN Central China Jan Xinhua Chen Jianghua had gamehigh points and five rebounds to lead CBAs Guangdong Hongyuan youth team past Taiyuan Technology University winning the CUBA vs CBA youth team basketball tournament here on Wednesday
Point guard Chen nailed the first six points and ignited their fightback at the second half by dishing out two assists in the last quarter as Guangdong Hongyuan won its six straight match at the eightteam event
I am really happy to win tonight We are the only youth team in the semifinals and we proved the best young players in China said Chen
Guanddong took the command from the very beginning to lead in the first quarter and extended its lead to by the end of the first half
Taiyuan fought back from the third quarter and cut the deficit to by the end of the third quarter
Chen who was regarded as the player that would join NBA star Yao Ming in the Chinese national team at the Olympic Games stole the ball from Wuhans guard Sun Zhichao with seconds to go and made a slum dunk to seal the win
Zhou Peng contributed points and five rebounds to Guangdong While Sun Zhichao led Taiyuan with points and six rebounds
In a bid to improve the standard of Chinese basketball CBA andCUBA launched the tournament which will run through Wednesday Four topranked teams each in CUBA and CBA took part in the tournament Enditem
VIENNA Jan Xinhua Following are the results Wednesday from a snowboard World Cup event in Bad Gastein Austria
Mens Snowboardcross
Drew Neilson Canada
Shaun Palmer United States
Xavier Delerue France
Mario Fuchs Austria
Ueli Kestenholz Switzerland
Marco Huser Switzerland
Seth Wescott United States
Radoslav Zidek Slovakia
Dieter Krassnig Austria
Damon Hayler Australia
World Cup standings
Xavier Delerue France points
Jasey Jay Anderson Canada
Seth Wescott United States
Drew Neilson Canada
Nate Holland United States
Lukas Gruener Austria
Alberto Schiavon Italy
Pierre Vaultier France
PaulHenri Delerue France
Vincent Valery France
Womens Snowboardcross
Dominique Maltais Canada
Olivia Nobs Switzerland
Manuela Riegler Austria
Maelle Ricker Canada
Tanja Frieden Switzerland
Leslee Olson United States
Mellie Francon Switzerland
Julie Pomagalski France
Karine Ruby France
Erin Simmons Canada
World Cup standings
Olivia Nobs Switzerland points
Dominique Maltais Canada
Doresia Krings Austria
Maelle Ricker Canada
Julie Pomagalski France
Deborah Anthonioz France
Tanja Frieden Switzerland
Lindsey Jacobellis United States
Marie Laissus France
Erin Simmons Canada
Enditem
BERLIN Jan Xinhua German international Sebastian Kehl has extended his contract with Borussia Dortmund till the end of June the club announced on Wednesday
Club official HansJoachim Watzke said Sebastian is a very important player for us He leads by example and motivates the younger players He has developed tremendously
Kehl said he had decided to extend his contract because the club was going forward
Something is happening here I want to continue building something with Dortmund said Kehl who confirmed that he had received several other offers from both Germany and abroad
Dortmund on Wednesday started their training for the second round of the Bundesliga Missing at the first session were Jan Koller Lars Ricken Cedric van der Gun and Bernd Meier all of whom tore their cruciate ligament during the first round
Also missing on Wednesday was South African international Delron Buckley who has an infected nerve on his leg It is not clear whether he can travel to Turkey for a training camp with the team on Friday
Joining Dortmund in Turkey will be new signing Matthew Amoah from
Vitesse Arnheim Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Following are the results of the th round matches from the Chinese Basketball Association CBA league on Wednesday home teams in CAPs
ZHEJIANG CYCLONES bt Shanghai Sharks
GUANGDONG HONGYUAN bt Fujian SBS
YUNNAN HONGHE bt Dongguan New Century
BAYI ROCKETS lost to Jiangsu Dragons
SHAANXI DONGSHENG bt Shandong Flamming Bulls
XINJIANG GUANGHUI bt Henan Jigang
On Tuesday
LIAONING HUNTERS lost to Beijing Ducks
Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Following are the fixtures of the Chinese Basketball Association CBA league st round matches for January home teams listed first
Jilin Northeast Tigers vs Beijing Ducks
Xinjiang Guanghui vs Shandong Flaming Bulls
Henan Jigang vs Shaanxi Dongsheng
Yunnan Honghe vs Guangdong Hongyuan
Dongguan New Century vs Fujian SBS
Shanghai Sharks vs Bayi Rockets
Zhejiang Cyclones vs Jiangsu Dragons
Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Following are the standings of the Chinese Basketball Association CBA league after the th round matches played on Wednesday tabulated under matches played won lost and rankings
South Conference
Guangdong Hongyuan
Bayi Rockets
Yunnan Honghe
Shanghai Sharks
Jiangsu Dragons
Zhejiang Cyclones
Fujian SBS
Dongguan New Century
North Conference
Beijing Ducks
Xinjiang Guanghui
Jilin Northeast Tigers
Liaoning Hunters
Henan Jigang
Shandong Flaming Bulls
Shaanxi Dongsheng
Enditem
WUHAN Central China Jan Xinhua Chen Jianghua had gamehigh points and five rebounds to lead CBAs Guangdong Hongyuan youth team past Taiyuan Technology University winning the CUBA vs CBA youth team basketball tournament here on Wednesday
Point guard Chen nailed the first six points and ignited their fightback at the second half by dishing out two assists in the last quarter as Guangdong Hongyuan won its six straight match at the eightteam event
I am really happy to win tonight We are the only youth team in the semifinals and we proved the best young players in China said Chen
Guanddong took the command from the very beginning to lead in the first quarter and extended its lead to by the end of the first half
Taiyuan fought back from the third quarter and cut the deficit to by the end of the third quarter
Chen who was regarded as the player that would join NBA star Yao Ming in the Chinese national team at the Olympic Games stole the ball from Wuhans guard Sun Zhichao with seconds to go and made a slum dunk to seal the win
Zhou Peng contributed points and five rebounds to Guangdong While Sun Zhichao led Taiyuan with points and six rebounds
Earlier in the day CUBA defending champion Huaqiao University beat Shandong Science University to take the third place
Jiang Xinxin hit gamehigh points and seven rebounds to lead the Huaqiao University team and teammate Zhang Jiabin added points and seven rebounds Li Hai scored points and grabbed five rebounds for Shandong
In the womens side Gu Xiaoli made a winning twopoint shot leading Huazhong Science University team edge the Liaoning youth team to win the title on Tuesday
The Guangdong youth team nipped the Tianjin Financing University team to place third
In a bid to improve the standard of Chinese basketball CBA and CUBA launched the tournament which will run through Wednesday Four topranked teams each in CUBA and CBA took part in the tournament Enditem
HONG KONG Jan Xinhua Defending champion Elena Dementieva Wednesday handed Serena Williams a defeat which was supposed to shadow the Amerians preparations to defend her Australian Open
Its the first time for the Russian world number eight to beat the American in five meetings
Ive never beaten her before so when I went on court I was trying to play my game be aggressive and just focus on my serve said Dementieva
When you play against such a good player as her you really want to play your best game otherwise youre going to lose
Shes a great fighter and when you play against her you really want to play till the end and be focused on each point You never know what shes going to do next
The yearold Russian eased into the first set with a lead Her doublefault gave the thranked American hope at but a deep forehand helped her clinch it
Dementieva met little resistance in the second set to have the onehour victory over the seventime Grand Slam winner who had a disappointing despite winning the Australian Open
Williams had not played since her embarrassing firstround defeat at the China Open in September to Chinese Sun Tiantian which she called the worst defeat of her career Enditem
NEW DELHI Jan Xinhua Following are the results from the ATP Chennai Open tournament in Chennai India on Wednesday prefix number denotes seeding
Second round
Radek Stepanek Czech Republic bt Prakash Amritraj India
Bjoern Phau Germany bt Michael Berrer Germany
Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Following are the standings of the Chinese Basketball Association CBA league after the th round matches played on Wednesday tabulated under matches played won lost and rankings
South Conference
Guangdong Hongyuan
Bayi Rockets
Yunnan Honghe
Jiangsu Dragons
Zhejiang Cyclones
Shanghai Sharks
Fujian SBS
Dongguan New Century
North Conference
Beijing Ducks
Xinjiang Guanghui
Jilin Northeast Tigers
Liaoning Hunters
Shaanxi Dongsheng
Shandong Flaming Bulls
Henan Jigang
Enditem
CAPE TOWN Jan Xinhua Four and a half years after finishing second at the world championships South Africas x meters relay team will be awarded the gold medals
The IAAF the ruling body of athletics has confirmed in writing a decision to retroactively reallocate the medals after a doping ban on American Tim Montgomery Athletics South Africa said in a statement on Wednesday
The United States winners in Edmonton in have been stripped of the title after former team member Montgomery was banned for two years last month and had all his results from March annulled
The decision to award the golds to Morne Nagel Leeroy Newton Matthew Quinn and Corne du Plessis doubled South Africas gold medal tally from the event
Trinidad and Tobago will be awarded the silver medals and Australia have been promoted to third
Montgomery who never tested positive for a banned substance and has protested his innocence was banned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport for offences related to the BALCO laboratory Montgomery subsequently announced his retirement Enditem
VIENNA Jan Xinhua Following are the results Wednesday from the third leg of the ski jumping Four Hills Tour in Innsbruck Austria distances in brackets
Lars Bystol Norway points meters
Jakub Janda Czech Republic
Bjoern Einar Romoeren Norway
Thomas Morgenstern Austria
Roar Ljoekelsoey Norway
Janne Ahonen Finland
Andreas Kuettel Switzerland
Takanobu Okabe Japan
Noriaki Kasai Japan
Rok Benkovic Slovenia
Four Hills Tour standings after three of four events
Jakub Janda Czech Republic points
Janne Ahonen Finland
Roar Ljokelsoy Norway
Matti Hautamaki Finland
Enditem
DOHA Jan Xinhua Following are the results in the US dollars ATP Doha tournament on Tuesday prefix number denotes seeding
First round
Nikolay Davydenko Russia bt Christophe Rochus Belgium
Fabrice Santoro France bt Oliver Marach Austria
Filippo Volandri Italy bt Nicolas Mahut France
Enditem
RABAT Jan Xinhua Defending champion Stephane Peterhansel of France won the fifth stage of the Dakar rally on Wednesday
Mitsubishi driver Peterhansel race winner in the past two years clocked the fastest time in the kms timed section between Ouarzazate and Tan Tan
Peterhansel who also won the Dakar six times on a motorcycle was seconds faster than American Mark Millers Volkswagen Spaniard Nani Roma finished third two minutes seconds off the pace
Twice world rally champion Carlos Sainz of Spain making his Dakar debut in a Volkswagen Touareg prototype retained the overall lead followed by German Jutta Kleinschmidt Volkswagen and Frenchman Luc Alphand Mitsubishi
In the motorcyle section the KTM riders continued to dominate by filling the first nine places Frenchman Cyril Despres won the stage ahead of Spaniard Marc Coma who retains the overall lead
The race leaves Morocco on Thursday with a kms drive from Tan Tan to Zouerat Mauritania Enditem
DOHA Jan Xinhua Following are the results from the Qatar Open mens tennis tournament here on Wednesday prefix number denotes seeding
Nikolay Davydenko Russia bt Robin Vik Czech Republic
Tommy Haas Germany bt Tim Henman Britain
Enditem
HONG KONG Jan Xinhua Following are the results from the Champions Challenge invitational tennis tournament here on Wednesday prefix number denotes seeding
Elena Dementieva Russia bt Serena Williams United States
Lindsay Davenport United States bt Nicole Vaidisova Czech Republic Enditem
VIENNA Jan Xinhua Lars Bystoel of Norway beat World Cup leader Jakub Janda of the Czech Republic to win the third stage of the Four Hills tournament at Innsbruck on Wednesday
But Janda still retains the overall lead of the tournament away from Finlands Janne Ahonen who finished a disappointing sixth in Innsbruck after winning the opening event in Oberstdorf and coming second at GarmischPartenkirchen
Before Fridays finale in Bischofshofen Janda has points with Ahonen second on points
Bystoel who was th at Garmisch led the field with jumps of and meters for points followed by Jandas points Another Norwegian Bjoern Einar Romoeren took third with points Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Following are the domestic news items released by Xinhua on Tuesday
third wettest year on HKs record
Chinas Asian Elephants less than one pct of worlds total
Eight Chinese provinces use sea water as coolant for power plants circular
China to introduce OTC transactions to interbank forex market
China to have million telephone users by end of
Beijing to build satellite cities with million population official
President Hu Jintao congratulates th founding anniversary of PLAs newspaper
HKs retail sales up pct in November
mln holiday travelers pass through HK checkpoints
Gold price higher in Hong Kong Jan
Figures foreign trade of Chinas major bonded zones in JanuaryNovember
Trading on Hong Kong stock exchange Jan
Weather information for AsiaPacific cities Jan
Figures Chinas major imports from Indonesia in JanuaryNovember
Figures Chinas major imports from India in JanuaryNovember
Figures Chinas major imports from ROK in JanuaryNovember
Figures Major imports of Chinas mainland from Taiwan Province in JanNov
Figures Chinese mainlands exports to Taiwan Province in JanuaryNovember
Figures Chinas major imports from Sweden in JanuaryNovember
Road work on Beijing land cavein expected to last three days
Tibet bush forest on fire rescue work difficult
HK share prices close higher Jan
Trading on Hong Kong stock exchange Jan
Taiwan shares close higher Jan
Weather forecast for major Chinese cities Jan
Weather forecast for world cities Jan
Air quality of major Chinese cities Jan
URGENT China to introduce OTC transactions to interbank forex market
Figures Chinas major imports from Belgium in JanuaryNovember
Figures Chinas major imports from Russia in JanuaryNovember
Figures Chinas trade with APEC EU ASEAN in JanuaryNovember
Xinjiangs crude oil output tops mln tons in
Foreign exchange rates in Hong Kong Jan
Figures Chinas major imports from Finland in JanuaryNovember
Figures Chinas major imports from Britain in JanuaryNovember
Expressway pileup injures six in SW China province
Hong Kong stocks close higher Jan
Beijing to keep urban unemployment rate within percent
Shanghais fiscal revenue tops bln US dollars in
China expects to have million telephone subscribers in
Governor of NW China province mourns victims in deadly mine blast
Figures Chinas trade with partners in six continents in JanuaryNovember
Figures Chinas trade with major Latin American partners in JanNov
Hong Kong stocks finish higher at midday Jan
Beijing encourages graduates to seek employment in rural areas
Chinas power shortage expected to be eased in Enditem
Large habitat for wild red ibis discovered in NW China province
Yunnan University sets up largest gene bank of Chinese minority ethnic groups
Five confirmed dead in goldmine flooding in east China city
Macao Intl Airport accommodates mln passengers in
Sewage leak causes land cavein affects traffic in Beijing
Hong Kong stocks open lower Jan
China to strengthen placement service for demobilized soldiers in
Gas leakage blast injure eight in NW China
Beijing expects first snowfall of new year
China focus Water pollution complicates Chinese yearning for harmonious development
Police detains suspected murderer of Qinghua University teacher
Highlights of major Beijingbased newspapers Jan
China to publish historical documents of Xixia
Ancient fish fossil found in SW China province Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Following are Chinas home news items released by Xinhua on Tuesday
third wettest year on HKs record
Chinas Asian Elephants less than one pct of worlds total
Eight Chinese provinces use sea water as coolant for power plants circular
China to introduce OTC transactions to interbank forex market
China to have million telephone users by end of
Beijing to build satellite cities with million population official
President Hu Jintao congratulates th founding anniversary of PLAs newspaper
Road work on Beijing land cavein expected to last three days
Tibet bush forest on fire rescue work difficult
URGENT China to introduce OTC transactions to interbank forex market
Xinjiangs crude oil output tops mln tons in
Expressway pileup injures six in SW China province
Beijing to keep urban unemployment rate within percent
Shanghais fiscal revenue tops bln US dollars in
China expects to have million telephone subscribers in
Governor of NW China province mourns victims in deadly mine blast
Beijing encourages graduates to seek employment in rural areas
Chinas power shortage expected to be eased in Enditem
Large habitat for wild red ibis discovered in NW China province
Yunnan University sets up largest gene bank of Chinese minority ethnic groups
Five confirmed dead in goldmine flooding in east China city
Macao Intl Airport accommodates mln passengers in
Sewage leak causes land cavein affects traffic in Beijing
China to strengthen placement service for demobilized soldiers in
Gas leakage blast injure eight in NW China
Beijing expects first snowfall of new year
China focus Water pollution complicates Chinese yearning for harmonious development
Police detains suspected murderer of Qinghua University teacher
China to publish historical documents of Xixia
Ancient fish fossil found in SW China province Enditem
JINAN Jan Xinhua The American Microsoft corporation has injected million US dollars in a Chinese IT company to develop softwares according to sources of the Chinese company
In August of Microsoft and the Jinanbased Langchao Group in east Chinas Shandong Province struck a millionUSdollars agreement to produce softwares for Chinese customers
Under the agreement the money will be used for developing softwares for enterprise resource planning ERP egovernment and other supporting services
The two corporations have scored many achievements in their cooperation since they established a global strategic partnership in Nov The MicrosoftLangchao online laboratory has officially gone into operation
The remaining investment of million US dollars will be in place by June said sources with Langchao Group
Langchao Group founded in is the largest provider of application and resolution of IT industry in China It has two stock companies Langchao Information and Langchao Software Now the group adopts an international strategy which aims at American and European markets Enditem
CHENGDU Jan Xinhua Chinese archaeologists discovered tombs dating back more than years in Shuangliu County southwest Chinas Sichuan Province and unearthed large number of pottery figures and utensils recently
Located in the Huangyang Town the tombs line side to side from the top to the bottom of a fivemeter highland Three tombs on the top of the highland are the largest each meters long meters wide and two meters deep
Archaeologists found that the earth around these tombs was pounded and were surprised to see that tomb bricks were carved with fine patterns of strings of beads rhombus and phoenixes
Li Guo who participated in the recent excavation at the site said the tombs belonged to a family in the Eastern Han Dynasty judging from the size of the tombs building materials and funeral objects
Though we are not sure who the owners of the tombs were it is clear the family enjoyed a high social status said Li
Besides a red pottery horse and other pottery ware archaeologists also unearthed a cm by cm brick with paintings of typical buildings of the Eastern Han
Such bricks were used to decorate tomb chambers and are only seen at the ancient tombs of the nobility said Li
The brick is of great significance in studying the social life and productions during the Eastern Han Dynasty and provides material evidence for studying funeral rituals cherished by officials and nobilities in Sichuan area in the Eastern Han Li said Enditem
By Cui Qingxin
XISHUANGBANNAYUNNAN Jan Xinhua A whole patch of corn field was scrabbled and lifeless without even one seed left
This is the scene in a picture hanging on the local nature reserve office in Xishuangbanna a place with Chinas bestpreserved tropical rainforest and richest biodiversity in the southwest part of the country
Nearly Asian elephants live in Xishuangbanna less than one percent of the worlds total according to a brochure in the office
The most difficult problems we are facing now in protecting wild Asian elephants are the humanelephant conflicts and poaching Liu Linyun the head of scientific research center under the nature reserve management authority in Xishuangbanna Yunnan Province
Villagers have contracted enmity with elephants because the animals are hurting their crops badly said Liu Some families have reaped almost nothing if their fields were scrambled by wild elephants
Poaching Liu said is almost unavoidable because elephants and hunters also stroll across Chinas neighboring Myanmar and the Laos making the efforts from one country fruitless
I have never seen a wild elephant here because my parents do not allow said Sang Fen a Hani ethnic minority girl living in Xishuangbanna
I heard elephants could trample people to death and two years ago a fellow villager was hit dead by an angry elephant the yearold girl said a dreadful expression in her face
We used to shoot them when they eat our crops but the government stopped that later she said
Due to the rapid growth of farming activities lots of the usedtobe wildlife habitats are developed to grow crops putting human and elephant in a close contact said Hua Ning project manager with the International Fund for Animal Welfare IFAW
The chances that people are killed crops are raided by compelled elephants or elephants are hurt by angered people have increased sharply in recent years said Hua Killings of elephants have continued to happen
In the Xishuangbanna national nature reserve management authority collaborated with the IFAW to set up an Asian elephant protection office in the area aiming to restore the fragmented wild elephant habitat and to find solutions to the increasing humanwildlife conflicts
We try to guide local people to grow crops that elephants are not interested in as well as cultivating peoples protection sense to wild animals said Hua
The IFAW introduced the practice in Simao a nearby prefecture in Yunnan Province in said Hua The project was a success because it helped local communities to find a way living in peace with wildlife We helped build the capacity to increase tolerance towards wild elephants in local communities and these successful experiences are now being applied to the Xishuangbanna project
According to Hua when elephants roam around in the forest with their giant body they help to spread the seeds and enrich plantations in different places They also eat higher branches allowing sunlight to reach lower parts of the plantations in the forest
It is a known fact that elephants the biggest terrestrial mammal species on earth are threatened by rampant poaching for ivory The population of African elephant dropped from more than million to as low as todays in two decades and Asian elephants are fewer than in the wild
Asian elephants are protected by Chinas Wildlife Protection Law and Appendix I species in the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and FloraCITES which prohibits any international trade in elephant products
What we fear most is shortsightedness Hua Ning said The economic lure right ahead of human usually results in the harm to the biological environment that we ourselves heavily rely on Enditem
WUHAN Jan Xinhua The building industry of central Chinas Hubei Province is rapidly growing with its output value expected to reach billion yuan billion US dollars in
The building industry would contribute six percent to the provinces gross domestic product GDP of the year said Vice Governor Han Zhongxue here last Friday
Currently Hubei has building companies Of which are leading in Chinas building industry
The official said the output of companies surpassed million yuan million US dollars last year
The development of building industry has not only boosted economic growth of the province but also greatly helped to absorb the redundant labor force in Hubeis rural area Han said
Statistics of the provincial industrial and commercial administrative bureau said about million people make their living by the building industry in Hubei percent from the countryside Enditem
JINAN Jan Xinhua The export volume of farm produce in east Chinas Shandong Province was expected to top billion US dollars in according to local economic department
The province exported billion US dollars worth of farm produce in the first months last year a rise of percent year on year and percentage points higher than the national average for the same period according to the Shandong Provincial Trade and Economic Bureau
Shandongs farm produce export accounted for percent of the national total for the month period up percentage points over the same period of
An official with the provincial trade and economic bureau ascribed the increase in export to the improvement of farm produce quality
Shandong has set up more than bases which produce standardized farm products including nonpollution products and organic products The acreage of these production bases reaches million hectares Enditem
HONG KONG Jan Xinhua Hong Kong stocks went up points or percent to open at on Wednesday Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua China has set up a gene bank of its ethnic minority groups at Yunnan University in southwest Chinas Yunnan Province
The gene bank the largest of its kind in China has collected healthy male DNA samples from all minority ethnic groups in Yunnan one of the birthplaces of the Chinese nation experts said
Fifty samples were taken from each of the minority groups which has a population of at least each the experts of the university was quoted as saying by Wednesdays China Daily
All the samples are stored in the universitys gene bank which is the worlds largest minority group DNA information base in both variety and quantity
Experts spent four years to collect the samples and international standards were followed throughout the procedure said Xiao Chunjie director of the Human Genetics Studies Centre with Yunnan University based in Kunming capital of the province
To get particularly pure samples the people who gave DNA all live in remote areas he said
The qualifications of the donors is that they must have a pure bloodline for at least three generations with no history of intermarriage with other ethnic groups he said
In addition the sampled men must have no relationship with each other The reason why only male samples were collected is that men have both X and Y chromosomes while women just have X chromosomes he said
Experts believe that the bank will aid scientific research into gene variety and hereditary diseases among minority nationalities
Chinese archaeologists discovered the fossils of Yuanmou Man who is believed to have lived there about million years ago at Shangnabang Village in Yuanmou County in
Currently out of Chinas minority ethnic groups live in Yunnan including the Yi Bai and Hani Fifteen of the groups are exclusive to the province and the total minority population there is million Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Downtown Beijing will take on a green dress with green belts every meters according to a new development plan for the city
The ambitious blueprint will also see satellite towns constructed surrounding the capital to house million people in the next five years said Chen Gang director of Beijing Municipal Commission of Urban Planning quoted as saying by Wednesdays China Daily
The average afforestation area or place of greenery for each dwelling in the new towns will reach at least square meters three square meters more than those living in the downtown regions he added
With the focus on the theme to construct a Green Olympics Beijing has vowed to build itself into an ecologicaloriented city in the long run said Song Xiyou head of the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Forestry
By the end of the vegetation rate in the capital reached per cent beating the percent target for the start of the Olympic Games by two years
At the same time vegetation in the capital rose to square meters per capita from square meters five years ago A total of three largescale green belts have taken shape from the downtown area to the outskirts of the city leading to an obvious improvement of the capitals ecological environment said Song
Meanwhile Beijing has spent at least billion yuan billion US dollars over the past few years to help relocate about residents and farmers who used to live in the areas between the third and the fifth ring roads
The government has to pay for all the expenses to dismantle the old inhabitation of the residents and to build skyscrapers for them as well as to plant trees and flowers said the official
One of the results is to fulfil an afforestation area of square kilometers which forms the second green belt that surrounds the city he said
The plantation of poplar and willow trees which were the major tress species in the past made the forestry system of the city vulnerable to attacks of diseases and pests said the official
To enhance the diversity of the tree species is necessary for the capital to enjoy a sustainable development in its forestry industry he said Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Highlights of major Beijingbased newspapers on Wednesday
Most major Beijingbased newspapers frontpaged a story on Chinese President Hu Jintaos Tuesday visit to the Liberation Army Daily the newspaper of the Chinese Peoples Liberation Army to congratulate its th founding anniversary
Peoples Daily Overseas edition
Chinas Ministry of Land and Resources will take six measures to readjust the exploration of Chinas mineral resources in
Xinhua Daily Telegraph
The total circulation of Chinas daily papers has claimed world top one in consecutive five years a report issued by the State Administration of Press and Publication said
Guangming Daily
The Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences has issued innovation proposals on agricultural science from to Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua The National Museum of China has collected family letters from domestic and overseas Chinese in eight months after launching a campaign to save written documents reflecting historical folk custom
The family letters serve as a guide to family life during the dynasties of the Ming and Qing with contents covering parenthood filial piety brotherhood love as well as army service and overseas life
Lu Neng from southwest Chinas Sichuan Province donated the only family letter left over by his uncle Lu Gengfu who died at the age of for the revolutionary cause as one of the leaders of the Communist Party of China in its early years
The letter offers an important historical reference to the North Expedition a civil war from to
The museum will continue to solicit family letters from domestic and overseas Chinese and hold the first forum on Chinese family letters in Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Following are the major domestic news items scheduled to be covered or pursued by Xinhua on Wednesday
China Pakistan exchange instruments of ratification
China continues RMB exchange rate reform with improved market mechanism
Bank makes highprofile debut to propel local economy
China imports less PVC upon state ban
Prewarning system suggested to cope with rising calamitous weather in Yangtze River Delta areas
Life science road show starts in Beijing
Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua The central parity of the RMB against four major currencies announced Wednesday by the China Foreign Exchange Trading System
Currency Unit Middle Price in RMB yuan
US Dollar
Euro
Japanese Yen
Hong Kong Dollar
The central parity of RMB against US dollar is based on a weighted average of enquired prices from all market makers before the opening of the market in each business day
The central parity of RMB against the other three currencies is based on the central rate of RMB against the US dollar of the same business day as well as the exchange rates of the three currencies against the US dollar at am of the same business day in the international foreign exchange market Enditem
MACAO Jan Xinhua The number of Macaos Internet subscribers reached a record high of in local media reported Wednesday
Macao Post Daily quoted sources from Macao Telecom Company LtdMTC which dons the Internet service monopoly in the region as saying that the number represents percent of the regions population which stood at in September
The number of Internet surfers stayed at in and is expected to hit in the sources were cited
The MTC has cut the monthly charge by percent in a bid to attract more Internet subscribers the newspaper reported
MTC which provides fixed and mobile telephone services launched the broadband program in Enditem
MACAO Jan Xinhua Macaos five border checkpoints recorded a total of crossings during the New Year holiday according to statistics issued here on Wednesday
Figures from the Immigration Department ID showed that the number of border crossings logged from Dec through Jan nearly double the regions population which stood at in September
The ID figures displayed that the number of border crossings comprised entries and exits during the threeday holiday period
Macao one of Asias tourism destinations famed for its casino gaming industry boasted a record million visitor arrivals during the first months of a yearonyear rise of percent
Local analysts expect the total number of visitor arrivals in to exceed million Enditem
HONG KONG Jan Xinhua Hong Kong on Wednesday announced suspension of poultry and poultry meat imports from Sichuan province in view of a confirmed HN avian influenza outbreak in the area
A spokesman for the Health Welfare and Food Bureau HWFB announced that the government had suspended the processing of applications for the importation of poultry and poultry meat from the province after the notification from the Ministry of Agriculture
He assured that so far there were no poultry imports from Sichuan province but he added Should there be any such applications they will not be processed for the time being to ensure food safety Enditem
HONG KONG Jan Xinhua Hong Kong stocks went up points or percent to finish the morning session at on Wednesday Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Beijings investment in infrastructure construction is expected to reach billion yuan billion US dollars during the Tenth FiveYear Plan period according to the municipal development and reform committee
The figure is about percent more than that for the previous fiveyear period which ended in
During the past five years two major track lines were built and opened to traffic extending the total length of Beijings track lines to kilometers
Currently five other track lines with a total length of kilometers are under construction and are expected to open to traffic in two to three years
A group of highways including the Fourth Fifth Ring roads and the first phase project of the Sixth Ring road were completed and opened to traffic during this period linking eight new towns in suburban Beijing with the downtown area
According to the Beijing Municipal Transportation Bureau Beijing built kilometers of highways in the past five years bringing the total length of highways in operation to kilometers in the city
Beijing also made progress in construction of natural gas transmission and power supply facilities Consumption of natural gas and power accounted for percent of Beijings total energy resources consumption in and the ratio is expected to reach percent last year Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua A survey showed that most physical laborers in Wuhan capital of central Chinas Hubei Province are now working in spite of illness and their general health situation is not positive
According to the Beijingbased Workers Daily the survey on physical health was carried out among migration workers sanitation workers and taxi drivers in Wuhan The result showed that percent of the surveyed migration workers are working in spite of illness almost percent of the surveyed sanitation workers and taxi drivers are not in healthy condition
Among the migration workers the survey said percent are infected with hepatitis be virus percent have cardiovascular diseases five percent have stone in kidney and gall and as high as percent of women migration workers have gynecological diseases
Problems in lung arthritis rheumatism were widely seen among sanitation workers And taxi drivers mostly have diseases in stomach and digestive tract
Insiders analyzed that the survey takers are all taking long time and intensive physical labor yet lack of efficient rest and physical care The city is in need of their work yet has not offered them necessary life conditions
The insiders advocated that governmental administrations concerned should give physical laborers in urban areas more care and create a more healthy working and living environment for them Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Report on the quality of air in major Chinese cities Jan to Jan Beijing Time released by the China Environmental Monitoring Center
City Major Pollutant Air Quality Level
Beijing particulate matter II
Tianjin sulfur dioxide II
Shijiazhuang particulate matter II
Qinhuangdao sulfur dioxide II
Taiyuan sulfur dioxide II
Hohhot sulfur dioxide II
Shenyang sulfur dioxide II
Dalian sulfur dioxide II
Changchun particulate matter II
Harbin particulate matter III
Shanghai I
Nanjing I
Suzhou particulate matter II
Nantong I
Lianyungang particulate matter II
Hangzhou particulate matter II
Ningbo particulate matter II
Wenzhou particulate matter II
Hefei particulate matter II
Fuzhou particulate matter II
Xiamen particulate matter II
Nanchang particulate matter II
Jinan particulate matter III
Qingdao particulate matter II
Yantai I
Zhengzhou particulate matter II
Wuhan particulate matter II
Changsha particulate matter II
Guangzhou sulfur dioxide II
Shenzhen particulate matter II
Zhuhai I
Shantou particulate matter II
Zhanjiang I
Nanning I
Guilin I
Beihai I
Haikou I
Chongqing particulate matter II
Chengdu sulfur dioxide II
Guiyang sulfur dioxide III
Kunming sulfur dioxide II
Lhasa particulate matter II
Xian particulate matter III
Lanzhou sulfur dioxide II
Xining particulate matter II
Yinchuan sulfur dioxide II
Urumqi sulfur dioxide III
The center classifies air quality in Chinas urban areas into five levels level I or excellent pollution reading not exceeding level II or fairly good pollution reading to level III or slightly polluted pollution reading to level IV or poor pollution reading to and level V or hazardous pollution reading over
The cities monitored by the center include the four municipalities of Beijing Tianjin Shanghai and Chongqing provincial or autonomous regional capitals and major cities in economically developed coastal areas and tourist attractions Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Beijings revenue income reached billion yuan billion US dollars last year a rise of percent year on year the latest statistics have shown
According to the Beijing Municipal Finance Bureau it took Beijing years to raise is revenue income from five billion yuan to billion yuan and eight years to raise its revenue income from billion yuan to billion yuan But it took Beijing just three years to raise its revenue income from billion yuan to the current billion yuan
Wu Shixiong director of the finance bureau said that the rapid increase in revenue income was attributed to the fast economic growth in recent years improvement of social security system and coordinated development between urban and rural areas
Wu said strong financial power provided strong support for Beijings efforts to build a harmonious society
Last year Beijing allocated million yuan million US dollars for developing public utilities in urban neighborhood communities and rural areas Enditem
HOHHOT Jan Xinhua Archaeologists in north Chinas Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region have unearthed large quantities of fine porcelain dating back more than years in Qahar Right Wing Rear Banner in the region
During a recent excavation at the Jininglu ruins archaeologists found groups of house foundations ash pits six ash ditches three kilns and unearthed more than pieces of porcelain and pottery ware bronze utensils and ancient coins
The most noticeable among the unearthed relics are intact and mendable porcelain articles manufactured by several famous ancient Chinese ceramics producers such as Jingdezhen a major porcelain producer of China
Excavated relics provide material evidence for studying urban systems and economic and cultural life during the Yuan Dynasty and Chinas porcelain industry history said Zhang Hongxing an expert with the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Regional Archaeological Research Institute Enditem
FUZHOU Jan Xinhua The Industrial Bank Co Ltd based in this capital city of east Chinas Fujian Province has more than doubled its gross assets after it drew overseas strategic investors two years ago
One of the major national jointstock commercial banks in China the Industrial Bank Co Ltd had billion yuan billion US dollars in gross assets at the end of last year up from billion yuan US dollars in late
Formerly named the Fujian Industrial Bank founded in the bank reported outstanding deposits of billion yuan billion US dollars and outstanding loans of billion yuan billion US dollars at the end of
In December the Industrial Bank Co Ltd signed equity transfer accord with Hang Seng Bank of Hong Kong International Finance Corporation IFC and the Government of Singapore Investment Corporation GIC involving up to some billion yuan million US dollars of equities
Industry insiders said the bank has improved corporate governance with the technical support of the overseas strategic investors over the past two years
The bank has recently become one of Chinas first group of market makers on the interbank foreign exchange swap market Enditem
HANGZHOU Jan Xinhua A regional weather warning and data collection system should be set up in east Chinas Yangtse River Delta said a panel of meteorologists from Zhejiang province
The meteorologists suggest that cities and provinces in the region should share meteorological information and establish an integrated system to forecast potentially disastrous weather and reduce economic losses
Over the past few weeks the region has faced a widerange of weather conditions with south Zhejiang covered with a dense fog while its northern part has been overcast and rainy
Meanwhile the neighbouring province of Jiangsu and Shanghai Municipality have experienced rising temperatures
According to the meteorologists the average temperature of the Yangtse River Delta has risen over the past ten years Shanghai for example has had monthlong heat waves for the past five consecutive years triple the number over the past three decades
This region also experienced numerous disastrous weather events over the past decades including thunderstorms hailstorms and typhoons
According to a survey by the meteorologists the delta especially its southern edge has received more rainfall in the past four decades with an average increase in rainfall amounts of mm every ten years
Statistics show the regions annual sunshine has declined by hours compared with to years ago Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua A total of supermarkets have been opened in Chinas rural areas in a step to improve rural consumption environment said sources with the Ministry of Commerce recently
These countryside supermarkets are part of Chinas ongoing program to establish newtype rural stores in most counties across China for the period The program was started in February
The Central Government plans to earmark million yuan million US dollars and take measures to attract social capital for the program
As a trial of the program the rural supermarkets was established by companies in counties said the ministry of commerce
According to an investigation to rural people jointly launched by the ministry and the China Agriculture University recently percent of the group applauded for these new rural supermarkets which were regarded convenient for shopping
The investigation shows that commodities in these supermarkets were better sold than before with the prices dropping percent
economic experts said the program will not only create a better shopping environment in Chinas rural areas but will stimulate the countrys millionpeoplelarge rural consumption market Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua For the fifth year in a row China has published more newspapers than any other country in the world according to the Newspaper and Periodical Publication Management Department
China publishes almost percent of the worlds daily newspapers with a combined print of million copies everyday said the department which is under Chinas State Administration of Press and Publication
The departments report shows profits attained from newspaper sales reached billion yuan about billion US dollars and newspaper advertisement revenue amounted to billion yuan about billion US dollars in
The report wasnt all good news as it showed Chinas per capita newspaper readership is still much lower than the world average with only newspapers for every people It also says newspaper quality and the newspaper production efficiency still have much room for improvement
The report took a year and half to compile It contains more than statistics and more than graphs
The main report was made public at the Annual Conference of Chinese Newspaper Development held last August Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinas main exports to Japan in JanuaryNovember with the value in million US dollars
Items Value
Machinery electronic products
and audiovideo facilities
Textile raw material and products
Base metals and products
Food beverages and cigarettes
Minerals
Chemical products
Optical medical instruments and meters
Chinas trade with Japan in JanuaryNovember totaled million US dollars up percent over the same period last year with exports and imports growing by percent and percent to million and million US dollars respectively
Source General Administration of Customs Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinas major exports to Thailand in JanuaryNovember with the value in million US dollars
Items Value
Machinery electronic products
and audiovideo facilities
Base metals and products
Chemical products
Textile raw materials and products
Optical and medical instruments and meters
Chinas trade with Thailand in JanuaryNovember totaled million dollars up percent over the same period last year with exports and imports growing by percent and percent to million and million dollars respectively
Source General Administration of Customs Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinas major exports to the Netherlands in JanuaryNovember with the value in million US dollars
Items Value
Machinery electronic products
and audiovideo facilities
Base metals and related products
Textile materials and products
Chemicals and related products
Miscellaneous products
furniture lamp toy etc
Minerals
Chinas trade with the Netherlands in JanuaryNovember totaled million dollars up percent over the same period last year with exports growing by percent but imports falling by percent to million and million dollars respectively
Source General Administration of Customs Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinas major exports to Canada in JanuaryNovember with the value in million US dollars
Items Value
Machinery electronic products
and audiovideo facilities
Textile materials and products
Base metals and related products
Miscellaneous products
furniture lamp toy etc
Footwear headgear umbrellas
artificial flowers
Plastics and plastic products
Chinas trade with Canada in JanuaryNovember totaled million dollars up percent over the same period last year with exports and imports growing by percent and percent to million and million dollars respectively
Source General Administration of Customs Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinas major exports to Britain in JanuaryNovember with the value in million US dollars
Items Value
Machinery electronic products
and audiovideo facilities
Textile material and products
Miscellaneous products
furniture lamp toys etc
Base metals and related products
Vehicles aircraft and
transport facilities
Plastics rubber and related products
Chemicals and related products
Leather fur and related products
Chinas trade with Britain in JanuaryNovember totaled million dollars up percent over the same period last year with exports and imports growing by percent and percent to million and million dollars respectively
Source General Administration of Customs Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinas major exports to Singapore in JanuaryNovember with the value in million US dollars
Items Value
Machinery electronic products
and audiovideo facilities
Minerals
Vehicles aircraft and transport facilities
Textile raw material and products
Base metals and products
Chemical products
Optical and medical instruments and meters
Chinas trade with Singapore in JanuaryNovember totaled million US dollars up percent over the same period last year with exports and imports growing by percent and percent to million and million US dollars respectively
Source General Administration of Customs Enditem
HANGZHOU Jan Xinhua Migrant workers from east Chinas Jiangxi Province are repaying a city that helped their native land when it was hit by an earthquake late last year with the most precious gift of all their own blood
After learning that Wenzhou blood bank was short of supply we decided to arouse workers from my province to donate blood said Chen Wenqi chairman of an association of Jiangxians in Wenzhou eastern Zhejiang Province
More than Jiangxi workers donated blood on Sunday adding more than ml to the blood bank Chen said
Wenzhou citizens donated over yuan about US dollars to victims in the Jiangxi earthquake late November which killed people caused approximately billion yuan million dollars worth of economic losses and left about people homeless
Wenzhou people offered generous help after the quake We are eager to repay their attention and kindness by helping their blood bank an entrepreneur surnamed Pan said He donated ml of blood and more than of his employees came with him to donate theirs
Chen said that more than people from Jiangxi Province are currently working in Wenzhou a manufacturing powerhouse known as the birthplace of Chinas private business
Many donors are couples or sisters They chose to thank this city by giving blood donations which is kind of social development said Cheng Jinguo deputy director of the Wenzhou Municipal Bureau of Health Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinas major exports to Australia in JanuaryNovember with the value in million US dollars
Items Value
Machinery electronic products
and audiovideo facilities
Textile raw materials and products
Base metals related products
Miscellaneous products
furniture lamp toys etc
Chemicals and related products
Footwear headgear umbrellas
artificial flowers
Chinas trade with Australia in JanuaryNovember of totaled million US dollars up percent over the same period last year with exports and imports growing by percent and percent to million and million US dollars respectively
Source General Administration of Customs Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinas major exports to the United States in JanuaryNovember with the value in million US dollars
Items Value
Machinery electronic products
and audiovideo facilities
Miscellaneous products
furniture lamp toys etc
Textile materials and products
Base metals and related products
Footwear headgear umbrellas
feather products
Plastic rubber and related products
Chemicals
Fur and leather products
Chinas trade with the United States in JanuaryNovember totaled million dollars up percent over the same period last year with exports and imports growing by percent and percent to million and million dollars respectively
Source General Administration of Customs Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinas main exports to Germany in JanuaryNovember with the value in million US dollars
Items Value
Machinery electronic products
and audiovideo facilities
Textile raw material and products
Miscellaneous products
furniture lamp toy etc
Base metals and products
Vehicles aircraft and
transportation facilities
Chemical products
Optical and medical instruments
Chinas trade with Germany in JanuaryNovember totaled million dollars up percent over the same period last year with exports growing by percent and percent to million and million dollars respectively
Source General Administration of Customs Enditem
GUIYANG Jan Xinhua Southwest Chinas Guizhou Province will impose fishing ban in all local rivers lakes and reservoirs from February to May this year according to the newlyadopted regulations on local fishery development
The Guizhou Provincial Regulations on Fishery which took effect on Jan this year was adopted at the recentlyheld th meeting of the Standing Committee of the th Guizhou Provincial Peoples Congress
The regulations stipulates that fishing will be banned in all local rivers lakes and reservoirs from February to May each year
In the past fishing was just banned in certain rivers and water areas in Guizhou
According to the regulations people who do fishing or other activities threatening fishery resources during fishing ban will receive warning and punishment as well as a fine ranging from yuan to yuan
Those who are found to sell and purchase illegal catch will be fined one to five times the value of the catch and their possession will be confiscated Enditem
HONG KONG Jan Xinhua Hong Kong has been ranked as the worlds freest economy by the Heritage Foundation HF for consecutive years in HFs Index of Economic Freedom study released here Wednesday
Welcoming the study results Financial Secretary of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government Henry Tang said the encouraging news showed that Hong Kongs efforts in upholding a free market had once again been recognized and reaffirmed by the international community
According to the foundation Hong Kongs virtues lay with its free port with no barriers to trade low level of government intervention high degree of transparency the rule of law streamlined and uniformly applied business regulations strictly enforced yet nonburdensome labor regulations simple procedures for investing and running businesses free capital flows and foreign investment minimum restrictions in banking and finance largely marketdetermined wages and prices stringent protection of property rights and low level of informal market activities
We will continue to strive to preserve fervently those strong aspects of our economic freedom while enhancing those other aspects where there is room for further improvement Tang said
He said the HK government would continue to follow the principle of Market leads Government facilitates and provide a businessfriendly environment for all firms to compete on a levelplaying field while maintaining an appropriate regulatory regime to ensure the integrity and smooth functioning of a free market
The government is firmly committed to maintaining Hong Kong as a free market economy that accords maximum scope to the private sector Tang said
The study covered a total of economies worldwide and measured how well they scored on a list of independent variables grouped into broad factors of economic freedom Hong Kong was ranked first in six out of these broad factors with an improved overall score when compared with that of the previous year
According to the foundation Hong Kong and Singapore finished first and second in the rankings for the th straight year The other economies in the top of most free economies are Ireland Luxembourg Iceland United Kingdom Estonia Denmark Australia New Zealand and the United States Enditem
GUANGZHOU Jan Xinhua The import of PVC film declined significantly in China in October and November of as the country has banned the production and marketing of PVC film containing DEHA plasticizer
China imported tons of PVC in October a decrease of percent from October PVC import in November went down percent on a yearonyear basis to tons
South Chinas Guangdong Province once a major PVC trader in the nation imported tons of PVC in October and tons in November down percent and percent respectively according to local customs sources
In the first months of last year PVC import in Guangdong went down percent to million tons including tons from Chinas Taiwan Province and tons from Japan down percent and percent respectively
Many supermarkets in the Chinese mainland used to employ PVC cling film to wrap fresh vegetables fruits and cooked food However some of the plastic wraps were proved having used the carcinogenic pasticizer DEHA
On Oct last year the State Administration of Quality Supervision Inspection and Quarantine promulgated a ban on producing importing and exporting PVC cling film that contained DEHA Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinas major exports to the European Union in JanuaryNovember with the value in million US dollars
Items Value
Machinery electronic products
and audiovideo facilities
Textile material and products
Base metals and related products
Miscellaneous products furniture
lamp toys etc
Chemical products
Vehicles vessels and
transport facilities
Plastic and rubber products
Chinas trade with the European Union in JanuaryNovember totaled million dollars up percent over the same period last year with exports and imports growing by percent and percent to million and million dollars respectively
Source General Administration of Customs Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua The Composite Stock Index on the Shanghai Stock Exchange closed at points on Wednesday up points from the previous close
A Share Index points up points
B Share Index points up points
Total Turnover yuan Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinas major exports to New Zealand in JanuaryNovember with the value in million US dollars
Items Value
Textile raw materials and products
Machinery electronic products and
audiovideo facilities
Base metals and related products
Miscellaneous products furniture
lamp toys etc
Chinas trade with New Zealand in JanuaryNovember totaled million US dollars up percent over the same period last year with exports growing by percent but imports falling by percent to million and million US dollars respectively
Source General Administration of Customs Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua The Component Stock Index on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange closed at points on Wednesday up points from the previous close
A Share Index points up points
B Share Index points up points
Total Turnover yuan Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua The Hushen Index reflecting the whole fluctuation of Chinas Shanghai and Shenzhen stock exchanges closed at points on Wednesday up points from the previous close
About one fifth of the total shares listed in the two markets have been chosen as samples of the Hushen Index accounting for percent of the market value in Chinas stock market Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinas major exports to South Africa in JanuaryNovember with the value in million US dollars
Items Value
Textile materials and products
Machinery electronic products
and audiovideo facilities
Base metals and related products
Footwear headgear umbrellas
and artificial flowers
Chemical products
Miscellaneous products
furniture lamp toy etc
Chinas trade with South Africa in JanuaryNovember totaled million US dollars up percent over the same period last year with exports and imports growing by percent and percent to million and million US dollars respectively
Source General Administration of Customs Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua The State Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Commerce have predicted the rocketing sugar price in China may not last long as tons of sugar is opted for auction this month
The tons of statestorage sugar is ready soon and the auction is expected to operate in early January said the Beijing News last week
According to the Ministry of Commerce sugar prices in Chinas main sugarproducing and sugarconsuming areas rose by percent or yuan US dollars in November last year compared with the same period of
It was reported on December last year that except Tianjin where the price stood steady on yuan dollars per ton other nine sugarproducing areas in China were all reported with soaring prices
On that day sugar prices in Changchun capital of northeast Chinas Jilin Province hit yuan dollars per ton the highest in the country
Even in Nanning capital of south Chinas Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region which produces half of the countrys total the price reached yuan dollars per ton
The Ministry of Commerce hopes the upcoming auction may help ensure smooth sugar supply in domestic market and dampen speculations Enditem
HOHHOT Jan Xinhua China plans to spend billion yuan about billion US dollars in the coming three years to foster railway construction in the northern Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region the regional railway authorities has said
Meanwhile the central government will inspire nationwide businesses to invest in railway construction in the region where local input on railways totaled less than billion yuan million US dollars in the past years
At least kilometers of railways are under construction in Inner Mongolia to link the autonomous region with the city of Zhangjiakou in Hebei Province Shenmu county in Shaanxi Province and Datong in Shanxi Province
For example a kmlong electrified railway extending from the city of Jining to Zhangjiakou in northern Hebei province is expected to shorten the travel distance between the regional capital Hohhot and Beijing by kilometers
Most new railways are being built to ease Inner Mongolias pressure in coal transport Upon their completion they will connect Inner Mongolia with major ports including Tianjin and Qinhuangdao
Inner Mongolia one of Chinas main pastoral areas has billion tons of coal reserves percent of Chinas total There are six large coalfields in the region each with billion tons of proven reserves Enditem
TIANJIN Jan Xinhua The revised gross domestic product in Tianjin a port city neighboring Beijing stood at billion yuan billion US dollars in according to a recent economic survey
The revised GDP which has been confirmed by the National Bureau of Statistics is billion yuan billion US dollars or percent more than the previously reported figure the Tianjin municipal statistical bureau said at a press conference
This has increased the citys per capita GDP to US dollars US dollars more than the preliminary report Energy consumption for every yuan billion US dollars of GDP however reduced from tons of standard coal to tons
The recently concluded economic survey showed the primary industry reported billion yuan billion US dollars of added value in contributing percent to the citys GDP down from the previously reported percent
Tianjins second industry reported billion yuan billion US dollars of added value contributing percent to the local GDP compared with the preliminary percent
The tertiary sector on the other hand posted billion yuan billion US dollars of added value making up percent of the citys GDP slightly down from the percent reported earlier
China on December revised its GDP for to trillion yuan about trillion US dollars up trillion yuan or percent from the preliminary figures
Its two largest city Beijing and Shanghai have also revised their GDP to billion yuan billion US dollars and billion yuan billion US dollars respectively Enditem
HONG KONG Jan Xinhua Hong Kong stocks went up points or percent to close at on Wednesday Enditem
HARBIN Jan Xinhua Chinas major commercial grain production base in northeast Chinas Heilongjiang Province banned herding as from Jan this year
The herding ban aims to curb gradual deterioration of the plains ecosystem and preserve Songhuanenjiang Plains role as the countrys major commercial grain production base
This alluvial plain is located on one of the worlds three largest black earth belts Black calcic earth accounts for percent of total soil in the region
The region was turned from a large tract of wilderness into the countrys leading grain production base in the s In addition to cultivated land the region is dotted with grassland and wetland
Desertification and salinization pose a threat to the growth of soybean wheat corn sugar beet and potato due to excessive herding
The regulation promulgated by the provincial peoples congress specifies rules to regulate land utilization and protection Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinas Ministry of Health has published hygienic standards on its websites by according to the ministrys information office on Wednesday
The ministry has launched a separate webpage on its website for listing the authoritive and effective hygienic standards Any organizations and individuals can search for specific standards they need to consult in their business said a spokesman of the office
Hygienic standards are a crucial part of public health and key to protect peoples health and life safety said the spokesman Hygienic issues such as food safety blood safety and occupational disease have been catching public concern in China in recent years
To date the ministry has issued more than hygienic standards of various kinds of which are in effect involving food environment occupational diseases and blood collection and use
The rest currentlyeffective hygienic standards will be available on the website in a short time according to the ministry
The ministry has also promised to make regular news conference starting from next year on which major health news will be announced to the media at home and abroad and relevant officials and spokespersons will be there to answer questions according to the Health Minsiter Gao Qiang last week Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua An exhibition titled Exploring Paradise of Health Life and Science uses huge models of body parts to get children to start learning about the human body the Peoples Daily reported here Tuesday
Children play on a slide that resembles a large intestine and can jump in a bumpy bed resembling the stomach
The paper notes that hitech audiovisual systems provide children with the relevant knowledge while the largescale models displayed in exhibition halls provide the fun
I like the exhibition very much since its more interesting than exhibitions that only have pictures or videos said a teenager surnamed Wang
Currently many Chinese youngsters lack a healthy lifestyle as they have little knowledge of physiological said Hu Yamei an academian of the Chinese Academy of Engineering
Nearly percent of youngsters have tooth decay Hu said adding that the number of obese kids doubles every five years while more and more youth are addicted to smoking or are having sex act at an earlier age
How to make education of health acceptable to children is a topic studied by the whole world
The exhibition jointly organized by the China Youth Foundation and Beijing Red Cross will also be on display in Singapore Bangkok Kuala Lumpur Tokyo after the exhibition completes its city tour in China Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Despite increasing international trade disputes and the appreciation Chinas currency in the countrys textile industry recorded healthy increases the China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Textiles said Wednesday
According to the chambers estimate sales revenues profits and exports all increased percent year on year Sales revenue totaled trillion yuan billion US dollars profits were billion yuan while exports reached billion US dollars in
Chinas textile export in totaled billion US dollars according to figures from Chinese customs
The chamber attributed the textile output and export growth mainly to increased investment in fixed assets and technological innovation that have enhanced the competitiveness of Chinese companies
Official statistics show in the first ten months of sales revenue and sales value and industrial addedvalue of largesized Chinese textile enterprises grew and percent year on year respectively This is a growth rate that was higher than the same period of
Due to oil price hikes profits in Chinas chemical fiber sector of the textile industry dropped about percent If this decline were not included in the industrys calculations the chamber believes profit growth registered percent in most other sectors
Thanks to the elimination of global textile quota Chinas textile exports to the United States and European Union jumped percent in the first ten months of and accounted for percent of all of Chinas textile exports The ratio in stood at percent Enditem
XIAN Jan Xinhua Chinas first designedinChina feeder passenger jet has passed all its blue print tests and the first model of the ARJ is to be built said China Aviation Industry Corporation I AVIC I here Wednesday
In early blueprints for ARJ were completed by China Airplane Designing Institute I CADI I under AVIC I in Xian capital city of northwest Chinas Shannxi province
The blueprints for the ARJ have passed theoretical airworthiness tests and they have been submitted for production Sources with AVIC I could not confirm when the first test flights might take place
We will hand all the structural drawings to our partners for machining said Huang Qiang a manager with CADI I adding that the ARJ is supposed to challenge Boeing and Airbus which are the largest providers in China for toseat regional jets
The ARJ project partners have signed contracts with aerospace component suppliers in Europe and the United States said Huang
ARJ is short for Advanced Regional Jet for the st Century is featured for its safety and low price It is the first regional jet that China has fully developed on its own in accordance with the standards set by General Administration of Civil Aviation of China GACAC Federal Aviation Administration FAA and Joint Aviation AuthoritiesJAA
Once it goes into production the company expects to sell of the jets in the next years said Huang
AVIC I founded in is the largest aviation manufacturer in ChinaIt has factories and research and development institutes Its major products include military aircraft commercial aircraft and airborne equipment Enditem
KUNMING Jan Xinhua Zhaotong a city on the upper reaches of the Yangtze River is mulling over the construction of a special zone to protect rare pine species
The construction is included into the th fiveyear plan of Zhaotong which falls under jurisdiction of southwest Chinas Yunnan Province according to local government sources
According to the plan protection of ecology and the environment will be a priority in local economic growth of Zhaotong which sits east to Jinsha River which is also known as the upper reaches of the Yangtze
Protection of wildlife and plants and construction of nature reserves will be boosted in the years to come
Under the plan a special zone covering approximately hectares will be set aside for Pinus Squamata X W Li a species of the Pinaceae which is spotted only in hilly regions near Fushan Village of Zhongzhai Township Qiaojia County
There are now only Pinus Squamata X W Li in the wild and the rare pine species received its name after Prof Li Xiangwang with Southwest Forestry College who first found it in Enditem
GUANGZHOU Jan Xinhua The American luxury liner Oceanic Nautica with more than tourists on board anchored in this capital of south Chinas Guangdong Province on Wednesday
This was the largest foreign travel group visiting the province after a major outbreak of SARS severe acute respiratory syndrome dealt a hard blow to the tourism industry in Guangdong the countrys leading economic power house in
Tang fengong manager of the Guangdong subsidiary of China International Tourist Service CITS said that such a large foreign travel group was rarely seen here in the past years
He considered that foreign tourists have regained confidence in China travel
CITS Guangdong which contracted to receive the tourist group will welcome another two luxury ships from America before the advent of the Spring Festival Chinas traditional lunar new year which will fall on Jan
Oceanic Nautic brought tourists from the United States Canada and Germany who will visit a number of scenic and historic sites in Guangdong
CITS foresaw a boom of foreign travels to China in since it has signed cooperative agreements with a number of noted tourist agencies in the United States Japan France and Britain
CITS Guangdong forecast the number of incoming tourists from overseas to the province will exceed up percent from
A Sweden replica ship Gotheborg III which bears the same name of an ancient ship that sunk mysteriously in will make a monthlong voyage retracing the th century Silk Road on the sea to visit Guangzhou in July this year Enditem
HONG KONG Jan Xinhua Following are foreign exchange rates against the Hong Kong dollar released by the Bank of China Hong Kong Limited at on Wednesday
Buying Selling
Japanese yen
Swiss franc
British pound
Australian dollar
Canadian dollar
Euro
US dollar Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua The urban unemployment rate in Beijing City is estimated to be percent in an official with the citys labor and social security authorities said Wednesday
At the end of employed people in Beijing reached million compared with million at the end of said Zhang Xinqing director of the Beijing Municipal Department of Labor and Social Security
Beijing saw the reemployment of people last year Zhang said In the fiveyearperiod from to a total of unemployed people found jobs in Beijing
We have made great efforts to raise the employment rate Zhang said citing the job positions the government helped create in communities in the past five years as an example
The department also helped unemployed people start up small businesses and trained surplus rural laborers in practical skills in the past five years
This year Beijing will strive to keep urban unemployment rate within percent ensure first employment of people and help laidoff people find jobs Zhang said
China aims to keep registered urban unemployment rate below percent in official data show Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua China plans to unveil a giant panda couple for Taiwan on Friday the State Forestry Administration SFA announced here Wednesday
The most matching couple won in a fierce competition against nine other candidates They interacted well during their trial marriage said Cao Qingyao SFAs spokesman
The pandas are aged between one and a half years to four years and though artificially bred in the center are fertile said Cao
Chen Yunlin director of the Taiwan Work Office of the Communist Party of China CPC Central Committee and the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council announced last May that the mainland would present a pair of giant pandas to Taiwan as a symbol of peace unity and friendship
The panda selection standards included physiology psychology behavior looks genetics and age said Zhang Hemin director of the Wolong center and head of the ninemember expert group in charge of the selection work
Some leading zoologists from Taiwan have also been invited to Wolong to discuss panda breeding technical issues said Zhang
Under the good care of the Taiwanese compatriots the giant pandas will surely do well and have descendants said Zhang
The number of giant pandas in captivity totaled in the Chinese mainland by the end of over half of which live in the Wolong center The number of wild pandas in China is more than
The Wolong Nature Reserve founded in is the largest panda protection zone in China Covering hectares the nature reserve is worldrenowned as the home for giant pandas Enditem
HONG KONG Jan Xinhua Hong Kong voluntary association of Social Workers Across Borders SWAB ended a project on relieving tsunami victims when a team of volunteers arrived in Hong Kong from Thailand on Jan
SWAB was established in just after the Indian Ocean Tsunami happened hold a mission to help relieve tsunami victims by providing them with psychological support Nussica Cho Chau Man said here Wednesday in an interview with Xinhua
Cho who has been a social worker for five years was one of the volunteers of the relief project She joined all five trips of the yearlong project to visit the tsunami victims in Phuket of Thailand
When I first knew about the tsunami what I could do was to donate money and thats all But I thought I can do more just because she wanted to do something practical in an attempt to help the victims Cho joined the SWAB and started her services in Phuket
As introduced most of the members of the SWAB were social workers and they made use of their professional skills and techniques to help soothe the victims sentiment
We first tried to understand their psychological and emotional status and then find out what they need most Cho said adding Since every trip lasted only about one week volunteers have to grasp every minute during their visits
Not only did the SWAB volunteers go and provide practical assistance but they also held a faith that they could bring new hope to the victims through the project
It is more important to let the victims know that they were being loved and cared than to just give them money Cho noted added that she was happy to see the victims to become more open and relieved after some visits
Since the SWAB was very new and they lack funding volunteers had to travel on the trips to Thailand at their own expense which made Cho felt a bit pressured
It is not easy but Im thankful that some of my friends were so kind that they provided me with financial support said she
Apart from money time was also a factor that almost caused her to miss the October trip She said during that time my work place became busy and I had thought of not going to Phuket Luckily her boss was considerate and allowed her to join the meaningful mission
When asked why she valued the October trip so much Cho said because the project was entering the last stage which was the best time to evaluate the victims situation and she did want to participate in it
Cho told that SWAB received in June a relief fund from the public which was enough for helping families in Phuket to rebuild their home and Cho was happy to see in the last visit that the lives of those families improved
The disaster was over and as the relief project ended Cho and other Hong Kong volunteers hoped that the victims would become more brave and strong to face their future Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua The Chinese Ministry of Commerce predicts that Chinas total retail sales of consumer goods in is to hit trillion yuan billion US dollars said the Beijingbased Economic Daily on Wednesday
Latest bulletin from the ministry as quoted by the newspaper said Chinas total retail sales of consumer goods in the first ten months of reached a historical level of trillion yuan a yearonyear growth of percent
The rapid expansion of the consumer goods circulating sector helps resolve employment problems in China said the ministry
Statistics show that in the first ten months last year the sectors of wholesale retail trade and the catering trade offered additional job positions to million people about percent of Chinas new employees during that period
The ministry said the total employees in the whole consumer goods circulating sector was around million by the end of accounting for percent of the total service sector
In the contradiction between supply and demand in the consumer goods circulating sector was also eased said the ministry
Among major consumer goods kinds are faced with supply surpassing demand percent of the total according to a survey of the ministry
The ministry said Chinas top enterprises in the consumer goods circulating sector were reported with a total sales value of billion yuan billion dollars in the first ten months of soaring percent over the same period of last year with their total profits hitting billion yuan Enditem
YINCHUAN Jan Xinhua Northwest Chinas Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region reported an export volume of million US dollars with what has become its No trade partner the United States in according to the regional government
Statistics with the regional statistics bureau showed that by November Ningxia had forged trade cooperative ties with foreign countries Asia Europe and North America remain the major markets for its exports
In the first eleven months of the export trade volume between Ningxia and Asian countries stood at million US dollars dropping by percent compared with that in
Meanwhile the regions export volume with Europe and North America soared to reach million US dollars and million US dollars up by percent and percent respectively
The region saw an increase in export volume with Italy and India but a decline with its Japanese and the Republic of Korea ROK trade partners
Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Weather forecast for world cities Jan Jan Beijing Time temperatures in Celsius
Min Max Condition Wind scale
Beijing overcastclear
Tokyo overcast
Bangkok cloudy
Sydney shower
Karachi clear
Cairo clear
Moscow cloudy
Frankfurt cloudy
Paris overcast
London overcastdrizzle
New York drizzle
SOURCE Central Meteorological Station China Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Weather forecast for major Chinese cities Jan Jan Beijing Time temperatures in Celsius
Min Max Condition Wind scale
Beijing overcastclear
Harbin clear
Tianjin cloudyclear
Urumqi clear
Xian flurryovercast
Lhasa clear
Chengdu drizzle
Chongqing drizzle
Kunming clear
Nanjing sleetovercast
Shanghai sleetovercast
Wuhan drizzleovercast
Hangzhou sleetovercast
Taipei cloudyshower
Guangzhou drizzle
Hong Kong drizzle
Macao drizzle
SOURCE Central Meteorological Station China Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua The past year has witnessed Chinas readiness to establish free trade areas FTAs with various trade partners said sources with the Ministry of Commerce on Wednesday on its website
In China signed an FTA cargo trade agreement with Chile an agreement on an early harvest program with Pakistan for their future FTA establishment and started an allround tariff reduction process with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations ASEAN
China has been talking with countries and regions on the establishment of nine FTAs sources with the Ministry of Commerce said
Among them China and the ASEAN witnessed the fastest progress in their FTA construction Besides China has also launched FTA negotiations with southern Africa Latin America and South Asia
China is also conferring with Gulf countries New Zealand and Australia about FTA construction The Chinese mainland has implemented a Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement CEPA with Hong Kong and Macao
In July the second Greater Mekong Subregion GMS summit was held in the city of Kunming where China signed a strategic framework for trade and investment facilitation in the GMS
In November the Bangkok Agreement members agreed in Beijing to kick off the third round preferential tariff rates next July and changed the pact name to AsiaPacific Trade Agreement
The Bangkok Agreement established in serves as a preferential tariff arrangement aimed at promoting intraregional trade covering trade between China the Republic of Korea India Bangladesh Sri Lanka and Laos Enditem
HARBIN Jan Xinhua A fullspectrum exhibition on the lives of Jewish refugees in Harbin capital of northeast Chinas Heilongjiang Province will be open on January in the city of Harbin
The exhibition to be held in the original Jewish site in Harbin will cover more than square meters of floor space
Its seven sections will give a vivid picture of the Jewish peoples lives in Harbin involving religion politics and culture
From the end of the th century to the mid th century more than Jews migrated to Harbin from Russia east Europe and other countries Harbin a city along the Songhua River in northeast China was once the largest Jewish settlement in the Far East
More than pictures and dozens of statues at the exhibition have come from Israel the United States Germany Australia Britain and France The rest exhibits are from in Harbin
Direct online links will also be established with Jewish museums in the US Israel and Germany
Qu Wei president of the Heilongjiang Provincial Academy of Social Sciences said his academy has established a Jewish research center
Harbin city has invested million yuan about million USdollars to restore Jew areas
The exhibition will ultimately be made permanent said Qu Enditem
ZHENGZHOU Jan Xinhua Zhengzhou capital of central Chinas Henan Province will continue working with the United Nations Children Fund UNICEF to deal with street children
An official with the city government said Zhengzhou has agreed to extend its agreement with the UNICEF to
In the city started cooperation with the UNICEF in aiding street children Two years later with support of the local government and the UNICEF the first group of familylike centers were built in the Miaopu Community of Zhengzhou
So far the city has five such family centers five relief stations and one primary school which recruits homeless children
The first city in the Chinese mainland to work with the UNICEF Zhengzhou will make efforts in keeping homeless children away from violence and the deadly disease of AIDS in the coming five years said the official who wants to be unidentified
According to the Ministry of Civil Affairs there are at least homeless children in cities across China Most come from underdeveloped rural areas
The main causes for the homelessness of children are family dispute poverty physical handicap and unemployment Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinas Spring Festival traditional Chinese medicine and acrobatics are on a candidate list to become Chinas first group of intangible cultural heritage
A total of items in ten categories including folklore music dance drama acrobatics traditional medicine and folkcustom are on the list for which the Ministry of Culture is soliciting public opinion
Selected from items recommended by related departments in provinces autonomous regions and municipalities across China the list also includes the legend of Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai known as the Chinese Romeo and Juliet
The task is crucial to preserving Chinas cultural identity and maintaining cultural variety worldwide said an official with the ministry
The United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization UNESCO recently announced the Art of the Chinese Xinjiang Uyghur Muqam and the Pastoral Song of Mongolian ethnic group into the worlds intangible cultural heritage
In UNESCO listed Chinas Kunqu Opera as a masterpiece In the Chinese guqin zither a plucked instrument with seven strings was listed as cultural heritage Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua The Treaty of Friendship Cooperation and GoodNeighborly Relations between the Peoples Republic of China and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan went into effect on Wednesday
Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Wu Dawei and Pakistani Ambassador to China Salman Bashir exchanged the Instruments of Ratification of the treaty and signed the certificate on behalf of their respective governments
Premier Wen Jiabao signed the treaty with his Pakistani counterpart Shaukat Aziz during his visit to Pakistan in April
Exchanging the Instruments of Ratification of the treaty signified that China and Pakistan have finished all domestic legal procedures and that the treaty took effect on Wednesday
Wu Dawei said the treaty was an embodiment of the common desire for friendship between the people of the two countries and indicated that the ChinaPakistan allweather friendship has entered a new phase
This year witnessed the th anniversary of the forging of diplomatic ties between China and Pakistan Under the joint efforts of both sides Wu noted the SinoPakistan strategic and cooperative partnership would achieve further progress Enditem
HONG KONG Jan Xinhua Hong Kong shares ended up Wednesday with the bluechip Hang Seng Index rose points or percent to after trading between and during the session
Turnover totaled billion HK dollars billion US dollars up from billion HK dollars Tuesday
Cheung Kong increased percent to HK dollars and SinoLand rose percent to HK dollars
China Construction Bank closed percent up at HK dollars Bank of Communications jumped percent to HK dollars and BOC Hong Kong ended percent higher at HK dollars Enditem
HONG KONG Jan Xinhua Following are Wednesdays major Hang Seng Indexes managed and compiled by HSI Service Limited a wholly owned subsidiary of the Hang Seng Bank
Index Previous Close Close Change
Hang Seng Index
Subindices
Finance
Utilities
Properties
ComInd
Hang Seng Composite
Index
Hang Seng Hong Kong
Composite Index
Hang Seng Mainland
Composite Index
Hang Seng China
Enterprises Index
Hang Seng ChinaAffiliated
Corporations Index
Turnover
million HK dollars
million US dollars
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BEIJING Jan Xinhua Figures from Chinese customs show that in the first months of China exported hats and caps worth billion US dollars up percent year on year
percent of the Chinese mainlands headwear exports were to the United States the European Union Japan Hong Kong and Canada during the period
In the first months of Chinas mainland exported percent of its hats and caps to the United States percent to the European Union percent to Hong Kong percent to Japan and percent to Canada
The Chinese mainlands hat and cap exports to the United States the European Union Japan Canada grew percent percent percent and percent respectively Its headwear exports to Hong Kong dropped percent year on year
Coastal Guangdong Jiangsu Zhejiang Shandong Province and Shanghai contributed percent of all Chinas hat and cap exports during the period
The headwear exports of Chinese private enterprises and foreignfunded enterprises grew rapidly during the period while that of Chinese stateowned enterprises continued to drop
Figures show that percent of Chinas headwear exports depended on the processing trade while percent were conducted through general trade Enditem
CHONGQING Jan Xinhua At least people have been injured in a bus collision Wednesday afternoon in Chinas southwestern city of Chongqing local police said
The traffic accident took place at pm when a bus with more than passengers suddenly jumped over the cmhigh partition belt in the No Changjiang Road and bumped into another bus carrying at least passengers traveling in the opposite direction across the partition belt
At least people were injured in the accident and were rushed to the Chongqing Emergency Treatment Center police said
At present people are still in hospital for treatment eight of them are seriously injured One with brain trauma is in critical condition sources with the center said
The road accident also caused a twohour traffic jam in downtown Chongqing affecting thousands of cars
Investigation in the cause of the accident is underway Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua The China National Textile Industry Council announced on Wednesday that the council had exchanged views with its US counterpart on textile cooperation when a US delegation visited China recently
The delegation included members from US Department of Commerce USFederal Reserve System US bond market association the Boeing company and George Washington University
Various circles in the United States lack necessary understanding of Chinas textile industry said Xu Kunyuan vicepresident of the China National Textile Industry Council
China has over million textile workers and the production of textilerelated raw materials involves million Chinese farmers Xu said
The consummate industry chain in China is the main factor of boosting Chinas rocketing textile export he said attributing Chinas huge trade surplus with the United States to division of labor in the two countries
Chinas textile export offsets US weakness in textile industry he said
Both sides should enhance cooperation and mutual understanding in this area and exchanges between business circles should become an important way to solve future textile trade disputes he said
In the elimination of global textile quota led to Chinas textile export surge to the United States which caused trade disputes and rounds of talks between the two countries
In November the two countries signed an agreement on textile trade placing restriction upon Chinas textile export to the United States in the next three years Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua China will put all data survey teams under the direct management of the National Bureau of Statistics NBS according to a State Council decision
Officials with the NBS said in Beijing Wednesday that the State Council has just made public a decision to amend the rules on the implementation of the Statistics Law so as to meet the demand for reforming Chinas statistical work
According to the NBS the amended rules gives a clear definition to the legal position and obligation of all data survey teams at different levels so as to increase their independence in surveying tasks The survey teams will also have the authrity of law enforcement concerning statistical work
Data survey teams at different levels from the NBS headquarters to counties will be under the direct management of the NBS sharing the same importance with the local statistics bureaus said the NBS
In addition three survey teams under direct control of the NBS on rural economy urban economy and enterprises economy respectively will also be strengthened with their positions lifted as well
The amended rules on the implementation of the Statistics Law will become effective February according to the State Council
The NBS launched the campaign to strengthen statistics survey teams and improve the transparency of data releasing in the future
The NBS employing about people releases different categories of data on a monthly basis Enditem
by Xinhua writer Tian Sulei
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Part of a major downtown road in eastern Beijing caved in Tuesday morning due to a mishap in an ongoing subway project nearby The mishap didnt cause serious traffic congestion however as car drivers had been timely notified of it through short message service SMS and therefore avoided the area
The cavein is bad news but the city governments quick response in informing its citizens of the mishap is really good news said a Beijing citizen It shows the government has become an expert at making use of latest technology in city administration
As the number of Chinas mobile phone users has exceeded million governments of various regions in China are attaching growing importance to the use of SMS in handling public emergencies
Last June the Gansu metrological bureau sent a SMS message to around mobile phone users in six cities warning of imminent heavy rains Relevant organizations and people soon began preparing for the downpour and eventually went through the heavy rains with very scarce losses
In Guangzhou a booming city in south Chinas Guangdong province the municipal government organized a drill to cope with chemical spills The municipal government said it would use SMS messages to notify the local residents of the drill and accidents in the future
In a public emergency it is a very crucial but hard task to timely notify people concerned The traditional process of handing down the information through various levels of the government not only takes time but also is impossible in some events SMS has become a very useful aid to us said an official with the ministry of civil affairs
The official said the government has concluded research on the role of SMS in handling public emergencies in Gansu Province and elsewhere in China Next it will form a national information release network using the SMS to issue disaster warnings and the relevant information Enditem
NANCHANG Jan Xinhua The construction of the worlds tallest Ferris wheel was completed in Nanchang capital of east Chinas Jiangxi Province on Monday afternoon beating the former tallest by meters
The meter wheel has a diameter of meters and will be the citys highest public viewpoint It will take about minutes ride to finish a cycle
The Ferris wheel is equipped with stateoftheart gondolas and will be located in a riverside park covering an area of square meters which opened four days ago
The former world record holder London Eye also named Millennium Wheel was built by British Airways to celebrate the new millennium Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua The profit from Chinas agricultural machinery industry in is estimated to jump over percent year on year the China International Agricultural Machinery Industry Association announced on Wednesday
Thanks to the central governments subsidies worth million yuan million US dollars to the agricultural machinery industry in the output in this industry grew at the fastest rate among all machinery industries in the country
Figures from the Association show that in the first ten months of the agricultural machinery sales volume jumped percent year on year with industrial output rising percent to billion yuan profit up percent to billion yuan
Figures from the National Bureau of Statistics show that in the first ten months of a total of large and mediumsized tractors were sold up percent year on year and harvesting machines were sold up percent
Last year local governments gave subsidies worth million yuan to the agricultural machinery industry and Chinese farmers paid more than billion yuan for buying agricultural machinery according to sources with the Ministry of Agriculture Enditem
HONG KONG Jan Xinhua Hong Kong decided Wednesday to grant million HK dollars from its Disaster Relief Fund to help earthquake victims in Jiangxi province southeast of Chinese Mainland
The quake measuring on Richter scale hit the province late in November and affected the lives of nearly million people
The Disaster Relief Fund was established in December for emergency help in places outside Hong Kong Enditem
HONG KONG Jan Xinhua Hong Kong police has seized ketamine of a record high of kilograms and busted a drug syndicate behind it authorities said on Wednesday
The illegal drugs worth some million HK dollars million US dollars were seized Tuesday after the police arrested one man with gram sample ketamine close to his drug store
A search of the mans premise found the kilogram ketamine packed in plastic bags and an electronic scale a vacuumpacking machine and lots of empty tinfoil packages
The other man aged in the drug store was also arrested
Police believed the two men arrested had planned to retail the seized ketamine on retailing market but havent confirmed the source of the illegal drugs
We believe that the operation has dealt a severe blow to the syndicate and we will continue our investigations with a view to weeding out the whole syndicate before the drugs can be disseminated to retaillevel traffickers a police spokesman was quoted by a press release as saying
Ketamine is a powerful anesthetic with painkilling and hallucinogenic properties according to the website of the United Nations International Drug Control Program
The drug has been used in dancing clubs and other entertainment venue Enditem
TIANJIN Jan Xinhua North Chinas Tianjin City a manufacturing center about km from Beijing is poised to win back some of the lustre it lost several decades ago as it prepares to open its first national commercial bank
With registered capital of billion yuan million US dollars the Bohai Bank is scheduled to start operation on Feb Initially the bank will focus on business in Tianjin which was once known at a financial centre Soon it will expand business to areas around the rim of the Bohai Sea and will gradually establish branches on the Yangtze River and Pearl River deltas and other major economic centers across China
The bank is reportedly the first national jointstock commercial bank the State Council or Chinas cabinet approved since As the first national commercial bank headquartered in Tianjin the bank is also the first of its kind that ushered in overseas strategic investors in the preparatory stage
Tianjin Taida Investment Holding Co Ltd is the largest shareholder of the bank possessing percent of the stake It is followed by the Hong Kongbased Standard Charter with percent of the equities COSCO Chinas leading ocean shipping company holds percent of the stake and the Shanghaibased Baosteel Chinas largest steel producer and the State Development Investment Co each hold percent
Tianjin used to be a financial hub for northern China and is now an important economic center in the region We have long expected a statelevel commercial bank based in the municipalitysaid Mayor Dai Xianglong who was the former governor of the Peoples Bank of China the central bank
Establishing the Bohai Bank is significant for the development of Tianjins Binhai New Area Dai added
Binhai New Area accounts for percent of Tianjins GDP has been included in Chinas overall development strategy and in the th FiveYear program of the nation
The initial scheme of the bank named it Binhai Bank for it had been designed to provide banking services mainly for enterprises inside the New Area Under the current scheme however the bank is devoted to areas around the rim of the Bohai Sea at large which are designed to develop into another pillar of the national economy following the Yangtze River and the Pearl River Delta
The relative backwardness of the financial sector is a damper on the further growth of the local economysaid Ma Junlu vice president of the economics school under the prestigious Nankai University based in Tianjin
Tianjin has pinned hopes on the Bohai Bank as it believes it will help propel the development of the Binhai New Area according to Ma
A lot of transnational companies have chosen the new area as a manufacturing base and the demand for financial services is great
Pi Qiansheng head of the management commission of Binhai New Area is confident in its future As Binhai New Area has become an important part of Chinas national development strategy more and more foreign enterprises and banks will enter the area Pi said adding that the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corp based in Hong Kong had set foothold in Binhai together with a bank from the Republic of Korea
To develop Binhai into a driving force for economic growth in the aroundBohaiSea areas a Binhai Industrial Development Fund has been approved by the State Development and Reform Commission It will be the first industrial development fund in China involving billion yuan billion US dollars
Nonetheless the prestigious economist Wu Jinglian said to boost the development of Tianjin and its Binhai New area it is crucial to improve relations between the city and other areas around the rim of the Bohai Sea particularly relationship between Beijing Tianjin and Hebei
Last year Beijing and Tianjin jointly announced that over the next three years they will invest more than billion yuan billion US dollars building or upgrading railways expressways and airports to achieve more efficient links between the two Enditem
HANGZHOU Jan Xinhua A fishing vessel sunk Wednesday off the Shengsi Island in east Chinas Zhejiang Province leaving eight fishermen missing
The vessel was operating around the Shengsi Islands when strong gales tilted it so much that water poured into the cabin The vessel sunk and all the eight people aboard fell into the sea according to local rescue team
The vessel belongs to Huicheng Village in Wulong Township according to the rescue team
Shengsi Archipelago in east Hangzhou Bay is comprised of islets and islands where the Yangtze River and the Qiantang River join and empty into the sea
With an area of more than square meters each only of the islands are inhabitable Enditem
by Lu Yuliang
BEIJING Jan Xinhua China Wednesday demanded a nationwide canceling of restrictions on lowemission economical cars setting the end of this March as the deadline
The move is part of efforts to reduce oil consumption and air pollution said a report issued by the National Development and Research Center NDRC Wednesday
The report said that lowemission cars would be charged less parking fees an attempt to attract more consumers to buy environmentfriendly and energysaving vehicles
Small cars are also encouraged to be used as taxies and more investment will be made in lowemission oilsaving cars including research on engines the report said
To date small autos are not permitted to run in more than cities in the country despite Primer Wen Jiabaos call for doing away with restrictions on cars with low emission low oil consumption and high efficiency last summer
In Chinas national capital Beijing for example cars that have below liter emission are not permitted to travel in the Changan Boulevard the longest and most bustling street
If Beijing truly cancels restrictions on small cars my emission liter chary QQ a Chinese domestic auto brand name can take me directly to the office I wont have to make a detour and it will save time and oil said a man surnamed Gao who works in a officebuilding in the Changan street
Signals favoring lowemission cars are being read in the market According to statistics the first nine months of this year witnessed the number of cars below litre emission standing at accounting for percent of the total and the sale of cars below litre emission rose by percent year on year to
Industrial statistics show that China imports percent of its total oil consumption one third of which is used in car engines
Owing to soaring world oil prices China has seen its refined oil price rise five times in
The number of private cars is expected to reach million by the end of this year from the figure of million more than double during the previous fiveyear period according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinas State Council set goals at its executive meeting on Wednesday for the countrys meteorological development in next five to years
According to the meeting which was presided over by Premier Wen Jiabao China will set up a comprehensive meteorological observation system by and build an advanced modern meteorological system by
To ensure the accomplishment of the goals the meeting called for efforts to enhance infrastructure construction including establishment of observation and monitoring systems the early warning and quick response systems for meteorological disasters and a public service system
Meanwhile research on climate changes and the building of a meteorological service system for agriculture and of a weather monitoring network for transportation should be strengthened urged the meeting
The meeting also called for rational exploitation and utilization of climate resources and introduction of a standardized system and a legal system in the meteorological sector
In addition the executive meeting examined the revised draft Law on Education emphasizing adequate expenditure on compulsory education allocating more funds for rural schools encouraging college graduates and teachers to serve compulsory education and raising quality of textbooks
The draft also set rigid and specific legal responsibilities for violation of the law Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Themed as trips to the countryside Chinas tourism industry has started its annual celebration ceremony in Xibaipo of Hebei province
The tourism slogan of this year is new countryside new tourism new experience and new fashion in order to give full play to the countryside role in tourism development said Shao Qiwei director of China National Tourism Administration
China began to look for the channel of combining city leisure life and the low season of the countryside in order to construct a new countryside in China said Ding Xuelin a PhD of consumption research
He said the lack of construction in the countryside has prohibited villagers from tourism benefits
For example a road from Beijing to Xibaipo has neither a direct railway nor highway between the two places with the distance of kilometers Normally passengers will take a train to Shijiazhuang and then bus to Xibaipo
Hotel facilities are also inadequate
Wei Xiaoan an expert of the Tourism Research Center of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences divided the development trend into three phases The first is agricultural tourism involving fruitpicking and fishing which are already popular in China The second is trips to the countryside in order to reconstruct Chinas rural economy The third is farmers trips which will enable villagers to see other areas Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua The Chinese Ministry of Commerce has decided to rectify the disordered motorcycle export market by monitoring the qualification of motorcycle manufacturers in China
Zhang Ji vice director of the ministrys Mechanical Electrical Products Department said here Wednesday that the ministry will issue a notice on rectifying the motorcycle export market in the coming days
Zhang said disordered competition in exporting motorcycles in recent years has resulted in a low profit rate of one percent in the sector
To protect the interests of both consumers and the manufacturers the Chinese government will enforce strict market entry qualification for domestic companies to export motorcycles
Management of the domestic motorcycle and components manufacturers will also be strengthened in the future said Zhang
The ministry said motorcycles are listed as important export commodities in China
China ranked first in the world for the fifth consecutive year in exporting motorcycles in
Statistics show that more than million motorcycles were exported from China to overseas countries and regions in with an value exceeding billion US dollars Enditem
HONG KONG Jan Xinhua The gold price in Hong Kong went up HK dollars to HK dollars per tael on Wednesday according to the Bank of China Hong Kong
The price is equivalent to dollars a troy ounce up dollars at Wednesdays exchange rate of one US dollar against HK dollars Enditem
HONG KONG Jan Xinhua Following are temperatures and weather forecast of Jan for AsiaPacific cities dispatched by the Hong Kong Observatory on Wednesday
WEATHER
CITY MINIMUM MAXIMUM FORECAST
HONG KONG CLOUDY
MACAO MIST
GUANGZHOU CLOUDY
SHANGHAI RAIN
BEIJING FINE
TAIPEI CLOUDY
SEOUL CLOUDY
TOKYO CLOUDY
MANILA CLOUDY
HANOI CLOUDY
HO CHI MINH CITY BRIGHT
BANGKOK CLOUDY
KUALA LUMPUR THUNDERSTORMS
SINGAPORE THUNDERSTORMS
NEW DELHI THUNDERSTORMS
MUMBAI FINE
KARACHI CLOUDY
JAKARTA RAIN
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN SHOWERS
SYDNEY SHOWERS
MELBOURNE FINE
BRISBANE SHOWERS
Enditem
HONG KONG Jan Xinhua Following are Wednesdays major Hang Seng Indexes managed and compiled by HSI Service Limited a wholly owned subsidiary of the Hang Seng Bank
Index Previous Close Close Change
Hang Seng Index
Finance
Utilities
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ComInd
Hang Seng Composite
Index
Hang Seng Hong Kong
Composite Index
Hang Seng Mainland
Composite Index
Hang Seng China
Enterprises Index
Hang Seng ChinaAffiliated
Corporations Index
Turnover
million HK dollars
million US dollars
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BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinas senior press officer Liu Jianchao said in an article published Monday in the World News Journal that Chinas development is a good fortune for the world and is conducive to world peace and development
Liu who is also one of Chinas Foreign Ministry spokesmen said this in this article written after attending the New Year reception hosted by Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing for some foreign diplomats and Chinese officials on Dec
Liu said that he told correspondents at a press conference at the end of last year that the main feature of Chinas diplomacy in was harmony when asked to make a comment on Chinas diplomatic work for the year
Quoting Chinese President Hu Jintaos famous remarks during his several foreign tours last year that Chinas development is characterized by peace openness and cooperation Liu said that China will stick to its own path by seeking harmonious development at home and promoting peace and cooperation abroad
Peaceful development mutual benefit equality and respect openness and magnanimousness have become the keywords of Chinas diplomacy he said
He added that the international situation continues to ease off but uncertainties still exist
Relations among major powers keep improving with the world moving towards multipolarization the economy towards globalization and the regions towards integration he added
Chinas relations with major powers including the United States Russia and the European Union have been growing steadily Liu said adding that Chinas relations with its neighbors have witnessed unprecedented progress and the friendship and cooperation with other developing countries have been deepening steadily as well Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinese Vice Premier Huang Ju said Wednesday that China should enhance the capacity of independent innovation in its defense industry and defenserelated scientific and technological research
Addressing the working conference on the industry science and technology for national defense Huang said the defense industry is of strategic importance
It is an important sector of the advanced manufacturing industry and a significant force of the countrys scientific and technological innovation system he said
Huang confirmed the new achievements made in the industry such as the successful launching of Chinas second manned spacecraft Shenzhou and improvements made in stateowned enterprise reform
The scientific and technological research of Chinas defense industry should stick to the policy of combining peaceful and wartime needs and integrating military with civilian purposes to improve industrial structures said Huang
Hightechnology sectors such as information biology new materials new energy and aviation and spaceflight should be taken as a new growth sectors he said
Huang emphasized that the whole industry should make more efforts in enhancing its independent innovation capacities advancing reforms of stateowned enterprises and improving the education and training of professional personnel Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua The China Securities Regulatory Commission Wednesday made public its provisional rules on options for senior managerial officers in a move to improve corporate governance and promote sustainable development
Under the rules the total number of options to managerial personnel should not exceed percent of the overall amount of the stocks of the listed firm involved and listed firms should introduce share reforms before they are eligible for option schemes
Chinas ongoing share reforms aim to allow about two thirds of the shares of the listed firms to be floated through a package of compensation for minority shareholders
Domestically listed Chinese firms had to promise two thirds of their shares will not be floated for an unspecified period of time when the countrys stock markets were launched years ago which the commission said has proved to be a bad policy that should be done away with
The commission said the rules were formulated as part of the efforts to implement a package of decisions by the Chinese government for reform and openingup of the countrys capital market and its recent decision to improve corporate governance
The Chinese version of the rules which contain seven chapters and articles are available on the official website of the commission Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua The State Administration of Taxation said Wednesday it had delivered billion yuan billion US dollars in export tariff rebates to companies involved during the first months of last year without owing a single cent to the corporate world as it promised
The corporate world used to receive their due payments of export tariff rebates months later from the central and provincial governments resulting in a severe problem of liquidity for many companies
Since early the Chinese Government has increased its share of financial resources for payments of the rebates and made sure that the previous delayed payment of rebates was delivered within one year
New rebates should be paid on time and in full
The efforts have helped improve the financial situation of the companies involved and boosted their export products said the administration Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua China collected billion yuan billion US dollars in tax revenues from overseas firms and residents in China during the first months of up percent yearonyear the State Administration of Taxation said Wednesday
The figures represent a net growth of billion yuan during the month period said the administration in a statement
Quoting Wang Li deputy director of the administration the statement attributed the growth of tax revenues involving overseas tax payers to improved laws and regulations and better enforcement
Addressing a justconcluded national meeting on taxation involving overseas tax payers in China Wang said the administration has stepped up its efforts to crack down on tax evasion last year and will continue to do so in
He said the improved enforcement of laws and regulations concerning overseas tax payers constituted an important part of services for the tax payers involved
China will create a better taxation environment for both Chinese and overseasfunded firms for a winwin situation in the coming year said Wang Enditem
NANJING Jan Xinhua Many Chinese on Wednesday mourned the death for Japanese veteran Shiro Azuma saying that it was a loss for those who safeguard friendly ties between China and Japan
Azuma served in the Japanese army during the notorious Nanjing Massacre in and fifty years later he published his wartime diary to reveal the atrocities committed by Japanese troops in the holocaust
Invading Japanese troops occupied Nanjing on Dec and launched a sixweek long massacre Historical records show that more than Chinese people not only disarmed soldiers but also civilians were slaughtered
After the war Azuma lamented his actions in the war and made public the truth of Nanjing Massacre at various rallies in his country
He also offered sincere apology and showed deep remorse in a special trip to Nanjing in
However Azuma has suffered abuse and threats from rightwing Japanese groups since his diary was published
Accused by rightwing politicians of lying Azuma was brought to court in and lost In the Japanese Supreme Court denied Azumas appeal in which he sought to acknowledge the history of the invasion of China
Azuma died of cancer at the age of in Kyoto on Tuesday
The death of Azuma Shiro is a loss for those Japanese people who dare to acknowledge the truth of history and a loss for all righteous people who are safeguarding the friendly ties between China and Japan said Zhu Chengshan curator of the Memorial Hall of the Victims in the Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders
He who respects history will be respected by history Zhu said
The yearold Jiang Fugen a survivor in the Nanjing Massacre told Xinhua that he had thought in the past that Azuma was just playing a show by coming to Nanjing and offering apologies
But he came here one time after another against all difficulties to show his remorse and stuck to fighting the Japanese rightwing in court I was deeply touched by his spirit and forgave him from the bottom of my heart he said
The penitent war veteran had been to China several times to speak about the Nanjing Massacre and show his remorse for war atrocities In his final years he revisited China including Nanjing
His diary was also published in Chinese
Together with the Memorial Hall of the Victims in the Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders and a Japanbased committee Azuma collected evidence to prove the truth of his diary denouncing Japanese rightwing activists who attempt to deny the slaughter
Professor Jing Shenghong at the History Department of the Nanjing Normal University who had much contact with Azuma said He was a warrior fighting for justice he was a sincere friend to Chinese people and he stood for the Japanese mainstream in respect of the attitude toward history
Relations between China and Japan reached a nadir since the bilateral ties were normalized in diplomatic observers said
The two Asian powers experienced a chill in relations in due to controversial shrine visits by Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi the publishing of Japanese history textbooks that gloss over its war time atrocities and Japans unilateral oil field exploration observers said Enditem
by Xinhua writer Tian Sulei
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Except for some important areas which will continue to be funded by the government as public institutions the majority of cultural units in China will have to fend for themselves in the future as businesses on the market according to a government document issued Wednesday
The institutions to be funded by the government include public libraries museums culture centers science centers and galleries major newspapers radio and TV stations news agencies and news websites a few public publishing houses major research institutions for social sciences and humanities and a number of national art performances troupes
After defining the important units the document said other performance troupes ordinary publishing houses newspapers and magazines on culture art life and popular science bookstores movie studios theaters TV play producers and cultural intermediary organizations will be gradually transformed into cultural businesses
The document of guidelines on deepening reform of the cultural system jointly issued by the Communist Party of China CPC Central Committee and the State Council said the government will increase its input in various public cultural undertakings while encouraging private investment in others
The reform said the document aims to realize the prosperity of socialist culture meet the growing cultural demand of the public enhance the nations scientific and cultural standards and cultivate citizens with ideals high ethical standards cultural sophistication and obeying discipline to promote the comprehensive personal development
There has been growing consensus among Chinese scholars and government decision makers that development of the cultural sector has failed to keep pace with Chinas rapid economic growth
Economically better off Chinese people now desire better and richer cultural activities yet the domestic cultural industry is unable to meet that demand
The document which came on the heel of a series of documents on reforming various cultural sectors also urged vigorously pushing forward reform of the ownership structure of the cultural industry to gradually form a pattern with public ownership as the mainstay and various forms of ownership developing side by side
Private capital is encouraged to enter cultural sectors approved by the government in various forms the document said
It said the CPC will continue to maintain control of the news media news media officials and correct guidance of the public opinion to ensure the news media always live up to their nature as the mouthpiece of the Party and the people
However the advertising printing circulation and transmission branches of news media organizations and affiliated TV and movie studios and sales departments are now permitted to operate as businesses on the market it said
The document also urged making efforts to enhance the scale and professional standards of cultural businesses and cultivate a batch of cultural businesses capable of competing on the world stage Enditem
HONG KONG Jan Xinhua The Chinese University of Hong Kong CUHK Wednesday established the Center for the Studies of Taoist Culture
The center will focus on advancing academic research on Taoist studies promulgating knowledge of Taoist culture to the general public developing Taoist education in local secondary schools and enhancing cultural and academic exchanges among Taoist organizations in Hong Kong and on the mainland Lai Chi Tim Professor of the Department of Cultural and Religious Studies and director of the new center said at the inauguration ceremony
Qi Xiaofei ViceDirector of the State Administration for Religious Affairs of the Peoples Republic of China Master Ren Farong President of Chinese Taoist Association together with over a hundred Taoist Masters and followers government officials scholars and guests from Chinas mainland Hong Kong and Macao attended the inauguration ceremony
The Chinese University of Hong Kong is committed to the promotion of Chinese culture The Department of Cultural and Religious Studies has launched various research projects and offered a number of courses on Taoist culture at doctoral and masters levels some years ago Enditem
HONG KONG Jan Xinhua With effect from Jan nationals of the Republic of Congo will require visas to visit Hong Kong whatever the purpose including air passengers in transit Hong Kongs Immigration Department said Wednesday
The department reminded Hong Kong Special Administrative Region passport holders to check with the local Consulate of the Republic of Congo on the visa requirements before visiting the country
At present nationals of the Republic of Congo may visit Hong Kong without a visa for a period not exceeding days
The department said Hong Kong adopted a liberal visa policy under which nationals of about countries and regions may visit Hong Kong without a visa and stay for a duration of between seven and days
The visa policies will be regularly reviewed taking into account factors such as the social economic and political situation of countries and regions concerned the department said adding the policy objective was to facilitate genuine visitors while maintaining effective immigration control Enditem
HONG KONG Jan Xinhua Local mobile service users sent about million short messages on Christmas Day and million on New Years Day Hong Kongs Office of the Telecommunications Authority said Wednesday
Mobile phone users received about million incoming messages on Christmas and about million on New Years Day the authority added
To provide a clearer picture of the use of mobile short message service or SMS the authority this year started releasing the numbers of messages sent and received on specific dates
It plans to release similar figures for the Chinese New Year and Valentines Day
The authority counts hours starting from one hour prior to midnight of the day in question to midnight of the next day as many users will send their festive greetings shortly before midnight
Statistics show the daily average of outgoing mobile messages from October to September was while that for incoming mobile messages was Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua By Tuesday China had reported coal mine shafts closed or soon closed according to sources with the State Administration of Work Safety SAWS on Wednesday
The figure is much higher than the earlier goal of said the work safety watchdog at a video conference held here
China has suspended production of a total of coal mine shafts for consolidation said the SAWS
Before Jan the SAWS published a lists of coal mine shafts required to be closed in two batches
A list of over other coal mine shafts to be closed will be published soon said the SAWS
Over coal mine enterprises have submitted applications for work safety licenses Among them applications have been received have already received licenses
Enterprises that did not submit an application after July last year were refused licenses previously or were confirmed as unqualified after check have to stop production for consolidation
Coal mine gas checks and monitoring have been made in gasintensive shafts in coal production provinces of the country
So far measures for controlling coal mine gas have been proposed by experts and technological improvement projects valued at billion yuan billion US dollars have been submitted to the National Development and Reform Commission said the SAWS Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua The Guangdong Provincial Public Security Bureau repatriated two Taiwanese suspects involved in kidnapping on Wednesday according to a spokesman with the Ministry of Public Security
One suspect Lin Zhenxing aged had been listed as wanted in Taiwan Province for murder obtaining weapons illegally and imperiling others freedom He sneaked into Dongguan in Guangdong and was seized by local police on Oct
The other suspect Wu Chaoshun aged had been wanted by Taiwan police for illegal possession and fraud He was seized by local police in Dongguan on Oct
With increasing exchanges across the Taiwan Strait some criminals have left Taiwan and hidden themselves on the mainland
Police across the Strait have joined hands to crack down on illegal activities such as murder kidnapping robbery fraud and drug trafficking according to the spokesman Enditem
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WASHINGTON Jan Xinhua The following are major news items in leading US newspapers on Wednesday
The New York Times
Iran announced on Tuesday its intention of restarting nuclear research a move that jeopardized an agreement with the Europe Union complicated a Russian initiative and prompted an American threat
American warplanes said in pursuit of insurgents seen having placed a roadside bomb killed nine members of an Iraqi family including women and young children during a strike near the city of Bayji Iraqi officials said
US President George W Bush will call an unusual meeting Thursday consulting a bipartisan group of former secretaries of state and defense some of whom think Bush has dangerously mishandled Iraq on the war and other issues
The Washington Post
Rescuers found the body of one miner Tuesday night and sped up desperate efforts to reach others trapped after a coal mine explosion early Monday in Sago West Virginia
A highflying Republican lobbyist at the center of a wideranging public corruption investigation pleaded guilty Tuesday to fraud tax evasion and conspiracy to bribe public officials in a deal that requires him to provide evidence about US legislators
The Wall Street Journal
US Federal Reserve officials are less worried about inflation and thus may raise interest rates just one to two more times in the next few months minutes of their December meeting suggest The prospect was reinforced by a decline in an index of manufacturing activity and a smallerthanexpected increase in construction spending Enditem
UPSHUR the United States Jan Xinhua Only one of the trapped miners in an eastern US mine is alive the mines owner announced early Wednesday
Late Tuesday celebrations erupted as word spread among family members that miners had been found alive at the Sago Mine in the Upshur County West Virginia
However hours later Ben Hatfield president and CEO of the International Coal Group which owns the Sago Mine told a predawn press conference that a miscommunication between the rescuers and the command center had resulted in the spreading the wrong information that all but one of the miners was alive
Instead all but one of the missing miners were dead he said
Calling the disaster as the worst day of my life Hatfield said he knew within minutes that an error had been made but said he did not inform jubilant family members
We couldnt correct the information without knowing more about it Lets put this in perspective who do we tell not to celebrate All I knew is there werent people that were alive It was somewhere between and zero he said
Hatfield said he understood family members anger
In all miners died including a man whose body was found closer to the mine entrance Tuesday evening
The sole survivor Randy McCloy Jr was in critical condition and being transported Wednesday to West Virginia University Hospital in Morgantown after being stabilized at nearby St Josephs Hospital
Doctors said the yearold miner was critically ill but test results did not show the presence of carbon monoxide in his blood and he had no visible injuries
He was believed to be in shock dehydrated and hypothermic Hospital staffers warmed him up and gave him liquids and his vital signs improved quickly
The bad news dashed the hopes of some family members and friends who had been waiting in a church just opposite to the mine entrance for two days
Chaos broke out in the church and a fight started About a dozen state troopers and a special police team were positioned along the road near the church for the concern of violence
Witnesses said one man had to be wrestled to the ground when he lunged for mining officials
Thirteen miners had been trapped some meters below the surface of the Sago Mine after the explosion early Monday West Virginias deadliest mining accident since November in which men died
US Department of Labor promised an investigation
Acting Assistant Secretary of Labor David Dye who also heads the departments Mine Safety and Health Administration said that the probe will include how emergency information was relayed about the trapped miners conditions Enditem
PARIS Jan Xinhua French President Jacques Chirac said Wednesday that the violence perpetrated on a NiceLyon train on New Years Day was totally unacceptable and vowed to bring the criminals to justice
The twohour criminal frenzy by between and youths was totally unacceptable he told reporters in a traditional address to the media at the start of the year
Those guilty will be found and punished as they deserve he said
Two dozen young people among whom only three have been arrested robbed and sexually assaulted passengers on the train from Nice to Lyon both in southeast France early on Jan as the train was carrying some people home from New Years Eve party
Train staff called the police and the train pulled into a station to wait The three officers who initially turned up had to wait for reinforcements before boarding during which time the youths continued to wreak havoc
The train then resumed its journey with a heavy police presence on board but just before Marseille the youths pulled the emergency stop and escaped by running along the tracks
Only three of them two yearold Moroccans and a minor all living in France were arrested Both men were being held for robbery and one was also facing charges of sexual assault The minor was to be judged separately
Police said they believed the gang were part of a bigger group of youths from the Marseille area who had gone to Nice and nearby seaside resorts for New Years Eve taking advantage of a special euro New Years Day train fare
French Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy who has championed hardline security policies in France partly blamed the state rail company SNCF for not communicating better with the police
The problem is that law enforcement services didnt know that there was a promotional fare going he said adding that he would ask the SNCF to ensure that it will not happen again Enditem
BERLIN Jan Xinhua The oil and gas division of Germanys chemical group BASF said on Wednesday that it plans to strengthen business ties with Russias staterun gas company Gazprom
We are expanding our cooperation with Gazprom which has been successful over many years said the chief executive of Wintershall company Reinier Zwitserloot describing Russia as Europes most important partner in energy security
But he also said Wintershall would invest in hundreds of millions of euros to extract more energy from under the North Sea
Even if the European Union is increasingly reliant on imports of natural gas from Russia and North Africa there is still huge potential especially in the North Sea Zwitserloot said
Wintershall a full subsidiary of BASF and the biggest Germanbased oil and gas drilling company put into operation days ago its biggest natural gas platform yet in the southern part of the North Sea said Zwitserloot
The turbulence this week over pipelines through Ukraine showed the need for the new Baltic Sea gas pipeline under construction with Wintershall as a key investor he said adding that western European nations had to do considerably more to make themselves independent of political and economic instability along the existing transit routes
Russias Gazprom cut off gas supply to Ukraine in a dispute over gas prices on the first day of this year The gas supplies of some western European nations were affected as the pipelines from Russia to Europe go through the territory of Ukraine Enditem
BELGRADE Jan Xinhua UN envoy on Kosovo talks former Finnish President Martti Ahtisaari has enlisted four new aides into his newly formed team for talks on Kosovos future status said reports reaching here from Pristina on Wednesday
The aides include Sara McKintosh who has been UNMIKs coordinator in charge of the application and the oversight of eight democratic standards since December and Hua Jiang a British citizen of Chinese origin who was the spokeswoman and director of UNMIKs information service in Pristina up to the end of
The other two aides are Axel Dittmann and Bernard Schlagek who were both senior officials of the UN Mission in Kosovo UNMIK
Kosovo a Serbian breakaway province has been under the UN administration since mid Its future status is a bitter subject between proindependence Albanian majority and Serbian authorities which reject any kind of independence
According to SerbiaMontenegro Foreign Minister Vuk Draskovic talks on the future status of Kosovo are expected to start on Jan or in Vienna The first topic concerns precisely decentralization or the formation of Serbian municipalities in Kosovo Enditem
WASHINGTON Jan Xinhua The US National Security Agency NSA acted on its own authority without a formal directive from President George W Bush to expand its domestic surveillance operations in the weeks after the Sept attacks declassified documents showed
The documents released on Tuesday showed that the NSA operation prompted questions from a leading Democrat Representative Nancy Pelosi of California who said in an Oct letter to a top intelligence official that she was concerned about the agencys legal authority to expand its domestic operations The New York Times reported Wednesday
I am concerned whether and to what extent the National Security Agency has received specific presidential authorization for the operations you are conducting Pelosi wrote
Pelosis letter showed much earlier concerns among lawmakers about the agencys domestic surveillance operations than had been previously known Similar objections were expressed by Senator John D Rockefeller IV Democrat of West Virginia in a secret letter to Vice President Dick Cheney nearly two years later
The letter also suggested that the security agency whose mission is to eavesdrop on foreign communications moved immediately after the Sept attacks to identify terror suspects at home by loosening restrictions on domestic eavesdropping the report said
Pelosi wrote to Lt Gen Michael V Hayden then head of the NSA to express her concerns after she and other members of the House and Senate Intelligence Committees received a classified briefing from Hayden on Oct about the agencys operations
Bush administration officials said on Tuesday that Hayden now the countrys No intelligence official had acted on the authority previously granted to the NSA relying on an intelligence directive issued by former President Ronald Reagan in
In Bush signed an executive order specifically authorizing the security agency to eavesdrop without warrants on the international communications of Americans inside the United States who the agency believed were connected to AlQaida The disclosure of the domestic spying program last month provoked an outcry in Washington where Congressional hearings are planned Enditem
PARIS Jan Xinhua Chinese director Wong Kar Wai will head the jury of the th Cannes film festival from May to be the first Chinese president in the history of the Cannes Festival organizers said Wednesday
Wong whose work As tears go by was first screened at Cannes in won best director at the film festival for Happy Together his tale of a strained relationship between two Chinese gay lovers living in Buenos Aires
In his film In The Mood For Love earned him wider international plaudits nominated for a Golden Palm at Cannes and going on to earn some million dollars at the US box office
He went back to the famous French resort of Cannes in with his film the followup to In the Mood included in the Cannes official selection
In a statement released by organizers Wong said he was very honoured to have been named as the president of the jury at this years festival
Each city has its own language In Cannes it is the language of dreams Yet it is difficult to judge ones dream much less compare it to another Wong said in the statement
One can never expect the wind but should always keep ones window open he said
Along with my fellow jurors I look forward to sharing the dreams created by some of the most gifted talents in contemporary cinema And our goal will be to keep our windows open as wide as possible he added
Gilles Jacob president of the Festival said Wongs films immediately strike us by their plastic splendour and nostalgic amorous emotion in the great romantic tradition Enditem
PARIS Jan Xinhua French President Jacques Chirac urged Syria on Wednesday to increase cooperation in the UN probe into the murder of Lebanons former Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri
Syria should increase its cooperation with the international commission investigating Hariris killing Chirac said when answering a question in a traditional New Year address to the press
Everything that destabilises Lebanon will end up turning back against Syria he said
The UN probe into Hariris murder in February has already implicated Lebanese and Syrian officials and Damascus acknowledged on Tuesday that it had also received a UN request to interview President Bashar alAssad
Hariris killing in a car bombing in Beirut triggered a wave of protests which led to the end of Syrias year presence in Lebanon in April
The United Nations adopted on Oct Resolution which was cosponsored by France the United States and Britain to call for Syrias full cooperation in the probe Enditem
JERUSALEM Jan Xinhua World leaders on Wednesday delivered best wishes to Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon who had been hospitalized in Jerusalem after suffering a significant stroke and a cerebral hemorrhage
Prime Minister Sharon is a man of courage and peace On behalf of all Americans we send our best wishes and hopes to the prime minister and his family US President George W Bush said in a written statement
Laura and I share the concerns of the Israeli people about Prime Minister Ariel Sharons health and we are praying for his recovery Bush said
Earlier Wednesday US National Security Council spokesman Frederick Jones said our thoughts and prayers are with the prime minister and his family
EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana also wished for Sharons recovery Solana is following the developments very closely and we can only wish the prime minister the best said Solanas spokeswoman Cristina Gallach
In Israel Likud Chairman Benjamin Netanyahu issued a statement saying that he was praying for Sharons recovery and the success of his treatment
Former prime minister Shimon Peres who had recently left the Labor party to support Sharons Kadima said I am praying for his recovery
Sharons senior advisor Raanan Gissin said I have been working with the prime minister for the last years I can tell you hes a warrior hes a real fighter Hes fought many battles in his life and won them all We hope that he will win this battle as well
Israels chief rabbis called on Jews to recite psalms and pray for Sharons health
Chairman of the Shinui Party Yosef Lapid also wished the prime minister a quick recovery First of all the whole nation both his friends opponents and everyone else is worried and wishes him all the best and a quick recovery he said
Officials from the Palestinian National Authority PNA expressed concerns about the future of the PalestinianIsraeli peace process
On a purely humanitarian level we feel sorry for Mr Sharon Politically it will increase the uncertainty we are facing to get back to the peace process and maybe this uncertainty will continue through March when Israel holds a national election former PNA minister Nabil Shaath said Enditem
JERUSALEM Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon was rushed to Hadassah hospital in Jerusalem late Wednesday night after suffering a significant stroke
Dr Shlomo MorYosef said Sharon is under general anesthetic and is receiving breathing assistance as his condition is assessed IsraelSharon
GAZA A senior Palestinian security official at Rafah borders between southern Gaza Strip and Egypt confirmed reports saying that two Egyptian soldiers were killed and ten wounded on Wednesday night by Palestinian militants who demolished the border fence
The official who spoke on condition of anonymity told Xinhua that when militants from alAqsa Martyrs Brigades demolished by bulldozers parts of the cement wall of the fence of the borders between Rafah and Egypt one of the militants opened fire at the Egyptian side of the borders PalestiniansCrossingEgypt
ANKARA Turkey on Wednesday confirmed two human cases of bird flu including a teenage boy who died after developing pneumonialike symptoms the semiofficial Anatolia news agency reported
Health Minister Recep Akdag was quoted as saying that two of three patients brought to th University Medical Faculty in Van province from Dogubayazit town of Agri province in eastern Turkey were tested positive for bird flu TurkeyBird Flu
UPSHUR the United States The US government said Wednesday that a full investigation will be launched into the latest coal mine disaster in West Virginia that killed people
Calling the accident as a tragic loss White House press secretary Scott McClellan said mine safety has always been a priority for the Bush administration USMine Accident Enditem
MEXICO CITY Jan Xinhua Latin Americas three major stock markets closed higher on Wednesday
Mexico Citys stock market IPC index rose percent and closed at points A total of million shares were traded at million US dollars
The Buenos Aires stock market closed with the Merval index up percent and ended at points The trade volume was million dollars
In Sao Paulo Latin Americas biggest bourse the leading Bovespa index closed at points up percent The trade volume was billion dollars Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Following are some of the major international news stories scheduled to be covered or pursued by Xinhua on Thursday
Prime Minister of Burkina Faso resigns
Price dispute suspends Russias gas supply to Moldova
Mexico Central American nations to discuss the new US immigration policy
Spain pledges to cancel most Bolivias debts Enditem
MADRID Jan Xinhua The Spanish Royal Academy will begin later this month to work on a new historical dictionary that will rewrite meanings of more than entries the projects director told reporters on Wednesday
Jose Antonio Pascual coauthor with Joan Corominas of the famous Critical Dictionary of Castillian Spanish said during the first days of January he would start picking experts to help with the project
The academy will work with language academies in a range of Spanishspeaking countries said Pascual
This work is inconceivable without their help Pascual said It has to include the development of Spanish in the Americas
The new dictionary will have volumes and will also be available on the Internet The Spanish government will provide million US dollars each year for the project
Pascual said it would help readers understand when certain words fall out of use while others come into being and also to understand how synonyms have evolved
The project will make use of the academys database especially the Corpus Diachronico del Espanol a large database showing the evolution of the Spanish language The writers will use around million data elements to carry out their work Enditem
WARSAW Jan Xinhua A total of million foreigners visited Poland in an increase of percent over the previous year the Institute of Tourism said on Wednesday
The biggest group of foreign visitors came from Germany totaling million during the first nine months But there were only million visitors from other European Union EU countries
About million visitors came as tourists and related revenues reached billion US dollars said the institute
German citizens visited Poland mostly for shopping in western regions located along the two countries shared borders
EU tourists were more and more interested in buying various commodities and services in Poland with medical services becoming increasingly popular the institute said
The countrys earnings from tourism roughly amount to billion dollars this year and will soar to billion dollars in
Statistics also showed a fastgrowing traffic at Polands airports
The number of Poles traveling abroad by air rose by percent in while that of foreigners received at Polish airports jumped by percent Experts attributed the increases to the rising number of budget airlines in Europe Enditem
MADRID Jan Xinhua Spain on Wednesday promised to cancel the bulk of the millionUS dollar debt owed by Bolivia
The pledge was made by Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero at a press conference after meeting Bolvias presidentelect Evo Morales who arrived here earlier Wednesday
Morales told reporters that Bolivia welcomes foreign private companies to invest in his country but as partners not as bosses
Spains secretary of state for communications Fernando Moraleda said the government is fully convinced that Bolivias social and economic development is compatible with the rule of law which is necessary to maintain Spanish investment flows to the country
Morales invited Zapatero to his inauguration ceremony in La Paz on Jan Zapatero replied that Prince Phillip of Asturias will head a Spanish delegation to the ceremony
Spain is Bolivias largest investor with some billion dollars invested in the country in the last years It is also Bolivias largest donor which provided million euros million dollars in official aid in Enditem
CARACAS Jan Xinhua A radioactive unit used in the oil industry was stolen last month in Venezuela the second such theft within a month the civil defense department in the eastern state of Azoategui said on Wednesday
The capsule containing cesium was part of a device used to measure the pressure in oil wells and was stolen on Dec from BJ Services of Venezuela a private firm that was doing soil studies in the region said Wolfgang Castillo head of the states civil defense department
Castillo asked the public to be alert to the possible danger of exposure to the radioactive material
In four people died and some suffered from radiation contamination in Brazil after being exposed to cesium in an abandoned container
On Dec part of a medical Xray equipment was stolen in Yaracuy central Venezuela but was recovered on Dec Enditem
BUCHAREST Jan Xinhua Moldova has sent a delegation to Moscow for continued negotiations with Russia over gas prices after Russia and Ukraine finalized a deal to solve the gas dispute according to reports from Chisinau capital of Moldova on Wednesday
The negotiations that are still ongoing in Moscow focus on differences over gas prices between two countries Russian gas monopoly Gazprom demanded that Moldova pay US dollars per cubic meters as of January which is twice as much the price the country paid before
Gazprom cut off gas supply to Moldova on Jan amid the price dispute Currently it receives gas supply from Ukraines own reserves
As long as talks are under way over the gas price Moldova will import gas from Ukraine Moldovan Industry Minister Vladimir Antosii said
Moldova does not produce natural gas and purely depends on importation It imports billion cubic meters every year
Besides Ukraine Moldova is also seeking other gas suppliers including Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan Antosii added
Turkmenistan has already offered to supply gas to Moldova
In recent year relations between Moldova and Russia have strained as Chisinau moves to establish closer ties with the West Enditem
MEXICO CITY Jan Xinhua Foreign ministers of Mexico the Dominican Republic and Central American nations would meet here next Monday to discuss a new US immigration plan Mexican Deputy Foreign Minister Jorge Chen said on Wednesday
On the top of the meetings agenda is a US bill under which a fence of kilometers long would be built along the km border between the United States and Mexico Chen said at a press conference
The foreign ministers would likely issue a joint declaration against the US plan Chen said adding that regional integration and other issues would also be discussed at the meeting
Under the US bill military technologies would be used to prevent undocumented immigration and illegal immigrants and those who help them including their family members would be regarded as criminals
The bill has been passed by the US House of Representatives and awaits approval of the Senate
Foreign Minister of El Salvador Francisco Lainez said on Wednesday that he would attend the meeting to see what each country needs to do
It would be a historic meeting at which the problem of undocumented immigration and unfavorable situation created by the US bill would be discussed Lainez told reporters in his countrys capital of San Salvador
In Guatemala Foreign Minister Jorge Briz said he hoped a proposal against the US plan would be worked out at the meeting
There will be a respectful proposal and we will present it to the US authorities for consideration Briz added
Guatemala condemned the US bill as inhuman last Thursday saying Washington treats Latin America as a region of criminals Enditem
HAVANA Jan Xinhua The Caribbean Community Caricom and the African Union AU Wednesday said they would send a joint mission to Haiti to see if the country is ready to hold its oftdelayed elections according to reports from Georgetown capital of Guyana
Colin Granderson assistant secretarygeneral for the foreign and community relations of the Georgetownbased Caricom said the AUCaricom missions task was to assess Haitis election preparations for establishing a constitutional government
Caricom is waiting for the AU to coordinate dates for the mission he added
Elections in Haiti had been previously set for Jan but were postponed again last week It was the fourth time that the elections had been delayed
Haiti has struggled to meet a date for its first elections since former president Jean Bertrand Aristide was ousted in early
Haitian officials blamed the latest delay on a failure to distribute million voter ID cards on time chaotic voting centers and problems with the voter database
Reports citing Haitian officials said the elections might take place on Feb Enditem
CARACAS Jan Xinhua It was the US governments fault that a new VenezuelanUS antidrug agreement had been delayed Venezuelas Justice and Interior Ministry said in a statement on Wednesday
It added that Venezuela had returned the document under discussion to the US Drug Enforcement Administration DEA
In mid Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez suspended the previous antidrug agreement saying DEA agents had been implicated in intelligence infiltration which threatened Venezuelas security
Neither the United States nor Venezuela has specified what changes must be made to the new deal to replace the suspended agreement
Jesse Chacon Venezuelas interior minister said it would be continuously difficult to close the deal if the DEA keeps changing its terms
The delay is for them not us he added
Washington press reports said the DEA has already approved a budget of nearly million US dollars to fight drug trafficking in Venezuela even though the deal has not been finalized Enditem
ALMA ATA Jan Xinhua Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev said Wednesday that it is a top priority for the country to hold a referendum on constitutional reforms in to find out what form of governance the people will favor
People will decide if they want a republic where the president or the parliament has the final say or whose power is shared by the president and the parliament Bakiyev told a meeting in the countrys capital of Bishkek
It is important to fully and clearly explain to citizens the characteristics of different forms of governance before the referendum so that they can voluntarily take part in the referendum and make their right choices Bakiyev added
Currently the countrys power is mainly shared by the president and the parliament
Bakiyev won the July presidential election following a March uprising that ousted former leader Askar Akayev
Since Bakiyev took office last August political forces in the country have been pressing for more power for the parliament so that the legislative body would have the final say in the country Enditem
JERUSALEM Jan Xinhua Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon suffered a serious stroke with massive bleeding in his brain late Wednesday night which drew concerns from leaders around the world
In a brief statement outside Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem Dr Shlomo MorYosef said Sharon had suffered a significant stroke and was under anesthetic and receiving breathing assistance
He said initial tests showed that Sharon had suffered a cerebral hemorrhage or bleeding inside his brain
The prime minister had massive bleeding and was being transferred to an operating theater MorYosef said
Meanwhile Israeli Channel TV said Sharon was suffering from paralysis in his lower body Senior political sources feared that he might not recover from hemorrhage and his aides said they were expecting a miracle
Sharon was rushed to Hadassah Hospital shortly before pm Wednesday night GMT after feeling chest pains less than three weeks after suffering a mild stroke
He arrived by ambulance from his Sycamore Ranch in southern Israel and was immediately taken into the emergency room Both his sons Gilad and Omri were with Sharon when he was not feeling well and they accompanied him to the hospital
The prime minister was scheduled to undergo a heart procedure Thursday morning He would undergo a general anesthetic and the entire operation process would take three hours
Sharons health condition has drawn concerns from world leaders who delivered best wishes to him on Wednesday
In Washington US President George W Bush praised Sharon as a man of courage and peace and said he was praying for the Israeli prime minister to recover from the massive stroke
On behalf of all Americans we send our best wishes and hopes to the prime minister and his family Bush said in a written statement Laura and I share the concerns of the Israeli people about Prime Minister Ariel Sharons health and we are praying for his recovery
Earlier US National Security Council spokesman Frederick Jones said Our thoughts and prayers are with the prime minister and his family
European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana also wished for Sharons recovery Solana is following the developments very closely and we can only wish the prime minister the best said his spokeswoman Cristina Gallach
In Israel Likud Chairman Benjamin Netanyahu issued a statement saying he was praying for Sharons recovery and the success of his treatment
Former Prime Minister Shimon Peres who had recently left the Labor party to support Sharons Kadima party said I am praying for his recovery
Sharons senior advisor Raanan Gissin said I have been working with the prime minister for the last years I can tell you hes a warrior hes a real fighter Hes fought many battles in his life and won them all We hope that he will win this battle as well
Israels chief rabbis called on Jews to recite psalms and pray for Sharons health
Chairman of the Shinui Party Yosef Lapid also wished the prime minister a quick recovery First of all the whole nation both his friends opponents and everyone else is worried and wishes him all the best and a quick recovery he said
Officials of the Palestinian National Authority PNA expressed concerns over the future of the PalestinianIsraeli peace process
On a purely humanitarian level we feel sorry for Mr Sharon Politically it will increase the uncertainty we are facing to get back to the peace process and maybe this uncertainty will continue through March when Israel holds a national election former PNA Minister Nabil Shaath said
Meanwhile Israels cabinet said in a brief statement that it would meet for a special session on Thursday
The cabinet will convene at the Prime Ministers Office it said
The session would be convened under Israels acting prime minister Ehud Olmert who assumed the power of Sharon after the Israeli leader was hospitalized
Olmert who is also finance minister would formally assume Sharons duties at the meeting Israeli television reported
A day before Sharon suffered the serious stroke Israels Channel TV said police had evidence that his family allegedly received million US dollars in bribes from Austrian businessman Martin Schlaff part of a complicated case involving illegal campaign contributions
The report said a document delivered by police to a court contained evidence of the alleged bribe
An Israeli police officer said the investigation into the allegations would not be completed before the elections in March
We are now in a new phase of the investigation but theres no chance that it will be finished before the elections Israeli Army Radio quoted the unidentified police officer as saying
Also on Tuesday Netanyahu announced that four remaining Likud cabinet ministers would resign at the weekly cabinet meeting on Sunday
Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom Health Minister Dan Naveh Education Minister Limor Livnat and Agriculture Minister Yisrael Katz would formally submit their resignations at the Sunday meeting Netanyahu said
The four remaining Likud ministers made the decision to quit the cabinet after a meeting with Netanyahu on Monday at Likuds headquarters in Tel Aviv Enditem
LOME Jan Xinhua Prime Minister of Burkina Faso Paramanga Ernest Yonli had resigned according to news from Ouagadougou capital of the West African country on Wednesday
His resignation came two weeks after reelected President Blaise Compaore was sworn in
Political analysts in Burkina Faso said that Yonli who had been prime minister since November would likely be reappointed as the head of the new government
A statement issued by the presidency said that according to Article of the countrys constitution the tenure of other cabinet members had also expired following Yonlis resignation
The outgoing government would continue handling state affairs until a new one is appointed said the statement Enditem
GAZA The Palestinian National Authority PNA and Turkey on Wednesday signed an agreement on reopening the Erez industrial zone in the northern Gaza Strip
Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul and his Palestinian counterpart Nasser alQedwa signed the agreement in the West Bank city of Ramallah PalestinianTurkeyIndustry
MOSCOW Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday the new gas deal between Russia and Ukraine will ensure stable gas supply to west European countries for many years
Hours after the two countries struck a fiveyear deal on gas supply Putin said that the agreement will have a positive impact on bilateral relations and create stable conditions for supply of Russia fuel to west European partners for many years to come PutinGas Deal
NEW YORK Crude oil futures crossed dollars per barrel after Russia and Ukraine struck a deal to end a bitter dispute over gas prices that had disrupted gas supplies across Europe
New Yorks main contract light sweet crude for delivery in February rose cents to close at dollars a barrel New YorkCrude Oil
BUCHAREST Moldova has sent a delegation to Moscow for continued negotiations with Russia over gas prices after Russia and Ukraine finalized a deal to solve the gas disputeaccording to reports from Chisinau capital of Moldova on Wednesday
The negotiations that are still ongoing in Moscow focus on differences over gas prices between two countries Russian gas monopoly Gazprom demanded that Moldova pay US dollars per cubic meters as of January which is twice as much the price the country paid before RussiaMoldovaGas
SEOUL The volume of trade between South Korea and the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea DPRK reached more than billion US dollars for the first time in according to report of South Korean Yonhap News Agency on Thursday
The interKorean trading volume rose percent from million US dollars in to billion dollars in Yonhap quoted officials at the Unification Ministry as reporting KoreaTrade Enditem
JERUSALEM Jan Xinhua Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharons operation for a brain haemorrhage is coming to an end a hospital spokesman said Thursday
The operation is coming to an end Yael Bossam Levy a spokesman for Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem was quoted as saying by Israels public radio
Levy made the remarks six hours after the surgery began adding that more details would be released at a press conference in the hospital before am GMT
Sharon suffered a serious stroke with massive bleeding in his brain late Wednesday night Enditem
JERUSALEM Jan Xinhua Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon suffered a significant stroke with massive bleeding in his brain late Wednesday night He is still undergoing surgery at present The following is the profile of the hawkish Israeli leader
Sharon was born on Feb in Kfar Malal the first Zionist agrarian community established in the then mandated Palestine
In he enlisted in the Haganah the prestate Jewish armed force debuting his military career
In Sharon participated in the War of Independence as a soldier He acted as army commander of different ranks in the Suez Canal War the Sixday War and the Yom Kippur War in He also served as defense minister during the controversial Lebanese War in
After retiring from the army Sharon helped Menahem Begin establish the Likud party in which grouped various rightwing parties
In the same year Sharon was elected for the first time into the Knesset parliament beginning his longterm political career
He was later elected as a member of the eighth to the th Knesset and took ministerial posts from the th to th Israeli cabinets He was defense minister from August to February and foreign minister from October to July
In September Sharon was elected to lead the Likud party
As the chairman of the opposition party Sharon visited the Temple Mount the third holiest site in Islam to show Israels control over the area The act immediately sparked bloody clashes between Israel and the Palestinians
In March Sharon defeated then Prime Minister and Labor partys Chairman Ehud Barak in a snap election During his tenure Sharon established a coalition government with the leftwing Labor to carry out his own political blueprint
In September Israel completed withdrawal of troops and settlers from Gaza to fulfill Sharons disengagement plan
On Nov Sharon quit the centerright Likud he cofounded over years ago and formed his own Kadima He said he had been fed up with confrontation with Likud hardliners who were still bitter about the disengagement plan
On Dec yearold Sharon was taken to Hadassah Hospital after suffering a mild stroke Enditem
JERUSALEM Jan Xinhua Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is still in the operating room more than six hours after the start of a surgery on him following a massive stroke the Hadassah Hospital said on Thursday Enditem
JERUSALEM Jan Xinhua Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon was still undergoing surgery and his fate would be known in a few hours Shlomo MorYosef director of Hadassah Hospital told reporters on Thursday
It had been seven hours since Sharon was transferred to the hospital The prime minister suffered from high blood pressure a significant stroke and a massive internal bleeding within his brain MorYosef said
After the first phase of the surgery Sharon was again rushed to the operation theater and the next phase would last for at least another several hours he added Enditem
WARSAW Jan Xinhua Polish legislators will lose the privileges that exempt them from being given blood tests when they are suspected of driving under the influence of alcohol
If a parliament member suspected of driving under the influence of alcohol is stopped on the road and refuses to accept police examination he or she can be taken by patrolmen to the hospital for blood tests if necessary by force according to new regulations published in Warsaw on Wednesday
The police can only prevent them from further driving and summon someone to take him or her home so far
Polish legislators have special privileges in a way similar to diplomatic immunity
Legal experts say the new rule is not contradictory to the privileges
The constitution says that parliament members may be detained and tried if caught redhanded said Professor Piotr Kruszynski of Warsaw University
The new rules will be applied to other privileged people such as judges and attorneys
Chief of the police is obliged to report any application of the new rules to the speaker of the parliament or court authorities Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Wednesdays gas deal between Russia and Ukraine met with applause from Europe and the United States with all sides bracing for a new phase of the energy era
Hours after the announcement of the deal Russian President Vladimir Putin said the accord will have a positive impact on RussianUkrainian bilateral relations and create stable conditions for the supply of Russian fuel to west European partners for many years to come
Putins Ukrainian counterpart Viktor Yushchenko who had previously resisted the Russian demand to more than quadruple the price of gas for Ukraine also welcomed the resolution
The Ukrainian economy is well prepared to operate in the new market conditions Yushchenkos press service quoted him as saying
Ukraine is a reliable and stable partner both for the European Union EU and the Russian Federation he said
The EU affirmed the RussiaUkraine deal with relief vowing to learn a lesson from the gas dispute and examine other energy sources in case of similar crises in the future
Ukraine serves as a transit territory for Russias natural gas pipelines to Europe
The nation European bloc held an emergency meeting of the EU Gas Coordination Group on Wednesday in Brussels which was the first time the body had been convened
The gathering originally planned to explore a way out of the gas dispute between Russia and Ukraine turned into a celebration as the two parties reached a deal prior to the meeting
Martin Bartenstein economic minister of the current EU presidential country Austria said Russian gas remains the backbone of the EUs energy supply but certainly we will have to learn a lesson from what has happened in the last few days
He estimated that the EUs dependence on Russias energy might not change for years with some member states importing percent of their gas from Russia
The EU should focus more on energy efficiency renewable energy sources and nuclear energy he stressed
Andris Piebalgs EU Commissioner for Energy said he would table proposals for the EUs energy development strategy at the Unions spring summit due in midMarch
German Economics Minister Michael Glos said Wednesday that with the end of the RussiaUkraine gas dispute Germany will have to seriously consider securing domestic sources of energy so as to ensure meeting future needs
We have to fundamentally think about how we can secure our energy supply over the longterm with energy sources from Germany he said
Germany one of the socalled EU troika alongside France and Britain has depended heavily on energy imports from Russia with percent of its natural gas and over percent of its crude oil coming from Russia
Across the Atlantic Ocean the United States acclaimed the settlement of the dispute between Russia and Ukraine calling for greater transparency and efficiency in the European energy sector
One thing that we hope emerges from this episode is that it will stimulate longerterm efforts to increase the transparency openness and efficiency in the energy sectors of the region State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said
Russia and Ukraine struck a fiveyear deal on gas deliveries on Wednesday three days after Russia cut off the gas supply to Ukraine at the height of a bitter pricing dispute
The United States expressed concern over the natural gas dispute between Russia and Ukraine after the former shut down its gas supply to Ukraine on Sunday saying such an abrupt step creates insecurity in the energy sector of the region and raises serious questions about the use of energy to exert political pressure
Under the deal between Russias gas giant Gazprom and Ukraines oil and gas company Naftogaz Ukrainy Gazprom will sell gas for US dollars per cubic meters to the Rosukrenergo trading company which will mix the Russian gas with cheaper gas from Central Asia and sell the blend to Ukraine for dollars per cubic meters
Ukraine had been buying Russian gas at dollars per cubic meters over the past year
The two sides also agreed on a new price for the transit of gas through Ukraine to Europe of dollars for every cubic meters to travel km up by nearly percent from the previous price of dollars Enditem
JERUSALEM Jan Xinhua Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon was still undergoing surgery and his fate would be known in a few hours Shlomo MorYosef director of Hadassah Hospital told reporters on Thursday
It had been seven hours since Sharon was transferred to the hospital The prime minister suffered from high blood pressure a significant stroke and a massive internal bleeding within his brain MorYosef said
Sharon was gravely ill and his condition was very critical at this moment he added
After the first phase of the surgery Sharon was again rushed to the operation theater and the next phase would last for at least another several hours MorYosef said
Sharon was transferred to the hospital Wednesday night
Before dawn Thursday Sharons aide Raanan Gissin said the prime ministers condition was stable and the surgery was proceeding as expected
He said the cabinet was functioning despite Sharons illness
A state isnt run only by the people who stand at its head All the ministers and all the ministries are functioning he added
Sharons power had been transferred to Vice Prime Minister Ehud Olmert Cabinet Secretary Yisrael Maimon said
Sharons personal physician said he expected the leader to emerge from surgery safely
Meanwhile Channel quoted hospital sources as saying while the bleeding in Sharons brain was extensive it was not in the brain stem
However senior political sources feared that Sharon might not recover from the cerebral hemorrhage
The prime minister had originally been scheduled to undergo a heart procedure Thursday morning
On Dec Sharon was taken to Hadassah Hospital following a mild stroke Doctors said he would not suffer longterm effects from the stroke but they discovered a birth defect in his heart that apparently contributed to the stroke
Since the stroke Sharon had been receiving blood thinners to try to prevent a recurrence of the clotting that caused the stroke according to hospital sources Enditem
By Gao Lu
JERUSALEM Jan Xinhua Israel will undoubtedly face a political uncertainty as Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is fighting for his life in hospital Thursday after a brain haemorrhage
Sharon who was hospitalized Wednesday night after suffering a massive stoke was in a grave situation although the surgery has continued for more than six hours
As the oldest prime minister in Israels history Sharon almost was hospitalized on Dec after a mild stroke The latest development has raised wide concerns over his health before the March general election
A fresh report that Israeli police had obtained evidence of Sharons family involvement in a threemillionUSdollar bribe case had been expected to blemish Sharons image in the upcoming general elections
In spite of the recent upheavals Sharons Kadima Party founded last November was still riding high in the opinion polls forecast to emerge as the largest party after the election with a flattering poll on Wednesday giving the party of the total Knesset seats
But one can cautiously say that Sharons position at Israels helm came to a tragic end as of pm Wednesday when his health collapsed as put by Haaretz a local newspaper
Politicians believe that it will be difficult for him to return to his job even if he pulls through the crisis and ensuing convalescence
The hospitalization of Sharon abruptly exposed Kadimas position as a oneman party Without a strong organization or a suitable replacement for Sharon the ruling Kadima will not be as competitive as expected since many Kadima votes were in reality for Sharon
According to Haaretz Sharon was hospitalized at a time when his standing at home and abroad was at a peak following the successful implementation of the disengagement plan World leaders were convinced that he was the only one who could move ahead with the diplomatic process or another withdrawal from the West Bank
Sharons hospitalization will give Benjamin Netanyahus Likud and Amir Peretzs Labor Party another chance in the March elections The race for the post of prime minister which until Wednesday looked like Sharons oneman show is now open Enditem
ANKARA Jan Xinhua A second child has died from bird flu in Turkey officials said Thursday
Turkey authorities announced Wednesday that a child from the same family died of the HN strain of bird flu Enditem
JERUSALEM Doctors said Thursday morning that they have stopped bleeding in Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharons brain IsraelSharon
JERUSALEM Israeli cabinet held a special session Thursday morning chaired by acting premier Ehud Olmert
The meeting was held as Prime Minister Ariel Sharon was battling for his life in a Jerusalem hospital after suffered a massive brain hemorrhage overnight IsraelCabinet Meeting
ANKARA A second child has died from bird flu in Turkey officials said Thursday
The Turkish authorities announced Wednesday that a child from the same family died of the HN strain of bird flu TurkeyBird Flu
JAKARTA Indonesian rescuers have so far recovered bodies from a village buried by Wednesdays landslide in Banjarmangu district in Indonesias central Java province an officer said Thursday
The estimated death toll is as many houses are still buried Banjarmangu police chief Arsyadi Bhuang told Xinhua over telephone IndonesiaLandslide Enditem
LAS VEGAS the United States Jan Xinhua Intel and Advanced Micro Devices AMD the worlds two biggest computerchip makers are expected to showcase what they call the home media technology at the Consumer Electronics Show CES here this week as part of a push to woo entertainmenthungry consumers
The two companies longtime rivals in the PCchip market are now staking out a new battleground for the emerging digital home entertainment market industry analysts said at the trade show
The International CES exhibition officially opens on Thursday with exhibitors presenting their latest products and services in areas including audio digital imaging electronic gaming home entertainment home networking mobile electronics and wireless technology
It is expected that some people from related industries would attend the fourday event according to the Consumer Electronic Association which has been organizing the annual trade event for the past three decades
As the home entertainment market is emerging on the horizon with vast potentials Intel and AMD are aiming to translate their previous success in powering PCs with small screens into the realm of the big screen where the emphasis is on interactive entertainment
Their new chip technology would allow computers to aggregate content from a variety of electronic devices including digital TV recorders digital cameras DVD players and portable music players
To have a bigger presence in the living room is an opportunity for computerchip makers like AMD to grab more shares in a market that has been dominated by Intel analysts said
Such an effort comes as market leaders like Microsoft are exploring new ways to deliver home entertainment via the Internet
In his keynote address at the CES show on Wednesday evening Microsoft Chairman and Chief Software Architect Bill Gates revealed powerful new innovations for Windows users including technologies slated for his companys nextgeneration operating system Windows Vista
Gates demonstrated how Windows Vista will bring clarity to the world of personal computing so customers can more safely and easily accomplish everyday tasks instantly find what they want enjoy the latest in entertainment and stay connected at home or on the go
Windows and the consumer electronics industry are changing dramatically people live in a world with more digital content and information than ever before said Gates
However some analysts said that consumers have been accustomed to getting their entertainment content form a TV instead of a PC and convincing them that the latter is the easiest way for entertainment would be a challenge for the whole industry
Intel which first announced its home entertainment plan last August with a product called Viiv hopes the new product will spark the companys next phrase of success as the growth rate of desktop PCs slows
The Viiv home entertainment system based on Intels Centrino laptop chip will operate with a remote control and run Microsoft Windows media center operating systems to let consumers interact with their computer like a TV to download and transfer entertainment content
To deliver the content on its system Intel is working with more than companies specializing in movies music television gaming and photo editing Enditem
MADRID Jan Xinhua Two small bombs exploded Thursday in a staterun hotel in the northern Spanish city of Zaragoza following a telephone warning in the name of the Basque group ETA police said
The hotel was closed after the blast and no one was injured
The devices went off between and GMT after a telephone warning to a roadside assistance organisation
The blasts caused only minor damage and civil guard police were on the scene police said in Zaragoza some km north of Madrid
ETA has often attacked hotels or major motorways during holiday periods in recent months
The group is blamed for the deaths of some people since the late s in its campaign for an independent Basque state in northern Spain and southwest France
Its last fatal attack was in May when two policemen were killed by a car bomb Enditem
LAS VEGAS the United States Jan Xinhua Microsoft CorpChairman Bill Gates Wednesday evening took the wraps off the companys nextgeneration operating system Windows Vista in front of a packed audience
In his th keynote to kick off the Consumer Electronics Show CES in Las Vegas Gates displayed the hitting features of this upcoming version of Windows connecting and managing different digital home entertainments from HiFi stereo systems game console to Highdefinition digital video content
Features of Windows Vista will include faster improved searches for media files and data challenging the search giant Google Gates said The software will also install an updated media player allowing users to more easily playback digital content from any PC in the house
Gates defined the Windows Vista a magic The software is where the magic is As broadband and highdefinition content becomes ever more
ubiquitous if youre going to have all this power be simple enoughappealing enough and cool enough its going to be because the software is right he said
Gates also promised safer and more stable performance of the software which is set to hit stores in the second half of this year
Security weakness of the Windows operating system has always aroused worries Although Microsoft publishes security alerts and updates monthly to patch the leaked software many professional computer users have turned to the opensourced Linux operating system
Instability of the Windows software also made the Microsoft cofounder himself a gaffe occasionally Before last years CES the Windows XP Media Center operating system crashed two times when Gates performed a demonstration during his keynote speech in front of hundreds of spectators
Learning from past lessons this evening Gates just made a vocal presentation with a nicelooking demonstration of Windows Vista without running the software in a computer indeed
The CES organized by US Consumer Electronics Association CEA is the worlds largest annual tradeshow of new consumer technologies
About exhibitors will exhibit new products and services in audio digital imaging electronic game home entertainment and home networking from Thursday to Sunday And attendees are expected at the event according to the CEA Enditem
RIGA Jan Xinhua The Latvian parliament on Thursday approved Linda Murniece as the countrys first woman defense minister
Murnieces nomination was approved by a vote of in the seat parliament with lawmakers absent
Murniece a yearold lawmaker from the New Era party becomes the fourth woman minister in Latvias current coalition government and the first ever to hold the portfolio of defense minister
She will replace her predecessor Einars Repse who resigned last week after an anticorruption committee launched a probe into his business deals
Latvia has been trying to modernize its military since it joined NATO last year Enditem
LONDON Jan Xinhua Following are major news items in leading British newspapers on Thursday
The Guardian
It will take up to years for women to gain a fair share of power in Britain at the current rate of progress the Equal Opportunities Commission said in its annual report on the state of the cracks in the glass ceiling
The Times
Two thirds of the singles looking for love in Britain turned to the internet last year according to figures released Wednesday
The Independent
A threeyearold British girl who is said to have been kidnapped from her home and raped was being treated in hospital Wednesday night Three men are being questioned one suspect is said to be known to the girls family Enditem
BERLIN Jan Xinhua Retail sales in Germany dropped by percent monthonmonth in November official data showed on Thursday
German retail sales fell by percent in November compared with the previous month in real terms adjusted for calendar and seasonal effects
On a month basis they were percent lower than a year earlier the federal statistics office Destatis said in a statement
Retail sales for the first months of last year as a whole showed a slight improvement rising by percent in real terms from a year earlier
In October retail sales had edged up by percent monthonmonthEnditem
LONDON Jan Xinhua Britain launched a threemonth nationwide consultation on Thursday on proposals for an action plan in tackling human trafficking
Under the plan some victims of human traffickers could be given an automatic right to stay in Britain Illegal immigrants could be given special residence permits when trafficking scams are uncovered said the Home Office
It is among a series of measures being considered to combat the trade in both children and adults
Public opinions are welcome with regard to all aspects of trafficking from prevention and demand reduction to investigating and prosecuting the traffickers to protection and support for victims
Human trafficking often for the purpose of sexual exploitation or forced labor is an appalling crime and amounts to modern day slavery It causes great harm not just to the victims but to our society as a whole said Home Office Minister Paul Goggins
The government is determined to tackle this terrible crime and reduce the harm it causes he added
The consultation will look at all forms of trafficking in human beings covering labor exploitation as well as sexual exploitation and trafficking in children
Police believe thousands are smuggled into this country and forced or tricked into the sex trade An estimated percent of Londons prostitutes are foreign nationals mainly from the Baltic states the Sky news reported
Last year police launched operations against human traffickers seizing almost millionpound some million US dollars worth of assets with arrests
Currently most trafficking victims face repatriation after they are discovered and they do not have a right to remain in Britain Enditem
LIMA Jan Xinhua The Peruvian government announced on Wednesday that it will recall its ambassador to Venezuela in response to Venezuelan President Hugo Chavezs public support to Peruvian leftist presidential candidate Ollanta Humala
Hugo Chavezs public support for Ollanta Humala is seen as the intervention in the internal affairs of Peru the Peruvian Foreign Ministry said in a press release on Wednesday
The Peruvian government will make efforts to ensure the success of the presidential election to be held in April and will not allow any intervention in the poll the ministry added
President Chavez met with Humala and Bolivian Presidentelect Evo Morales on Tuesday in Caracas Venezuela
Both Chavez and Morales offered support to Humala who led a fruitless military rebellion against former President Alberto Fujimori in and was pardoned by the parliament after Fujimori stepped down
Recent polls showed that Humala ran ahead of other presidential candidates Enditem
KIEV Jan Xinhua Ukrainian energy company Naftogaz threatened to sue the spokesman of its Russian counterpart Gazprom on Thursday over accusations made following this weeks conflict over gas prices
Legal action could be taken against Gazprom spokesman Sergei Kupriyanov for his remarks that Ukraine stole Russian gas intended for supply through the country to Europe Naftogaz chairman Oleksiy Ivchenko said
Our spokesman has entered into correspondence with Gazproms spokesman Sergei Kupriyanov and I dont rule out this correspondence being transferred to the judicial authorities Ivchenko told Kanal television
Ukraine denied the allegation that it stole gas after Gazprom cut its supplies to the Ukrainian market on January in a price dispute which resulted in a decrease in supplies to other European countries
A complex deal was struck on Wednesday in which Gazprom will sell gas to RosUkrEnergo for US dollars per cubic meters the same price it had demanded Ukraine pay from Jan and Ukraine will buy gas from the company for US dollars nearly twice the previous price
Little is known about RosUkrEnergo except that it is a joint venture of a Gazprom bank and a Swiss subsidiary of Austrias Raiffeisen Bank Enditem
BERLIN Jan Xinhua Rescue workers on Thursday found the body of a woman believed to be the last person missing in the rubble of the collapsed ice rink in the southern German spa resort of Bad Reichenhall bringing the death toll in the accident to authorities said
Police spokesman Franz Sommerauer said the body appeared to be that of a yearold woman who was listed as the last person missing after the collapse
Earlier on Wednesday emergency workers had found bodies of two boys and one girl with the help of search dogs and heavy equipment
All of the three children appeared to have been killed by the impact of the falling roof which it is believed gave way under the weight of accumulated heavy wet snow the authorities said
So far bodies have been recovered from the wreckage of the rink including nine children
Reports said people had been injured in the accident which happened on Monday with of them still being treated in hospital
However all of the injured are out of danger according to local radio reports
The exact cause of the tragedy remains unknown but some local residents believe inadequate maintenance is to blame
Experts said the fragile structure of the building rather than the heavy snow caused the collapse
Bad Reichenhall Mayor Wolfgan Heitmeier has strongly denied that the authorities had long known of any structural problems saying he is not sure what caused the collapse
German prosecutors have started an investigation into the incident Enditem
SOFIA Jan Xinhua Bulgaria on Wednesday rejected a proposal made by Russias gas giant Gazprom to review a gas transit contract that the two sides signed in
The offer is unacceptable said Economic and Energy Minister Ruman Ovcharov We see no reasons and no conditions that could lead to a review
Currently Gazprom sells natural gas to Bulgarias stateowned gas provider Bulgargaz under two contracts one for direct delivery and one in exchange for Bulgarias transiting Russian gas to Turkey Greece and Macedonia Both contracts expire in
Gazprom wants to renounce the gasfortransit agreement and receive direct payment for all gas deliveries Bulgaria fears that in this case the Russian company would decrease the volume of gas piped via Bulgaria and use an alternative pipeline under the Black sea
Ovcharov said Bulgaria was ready to negotiate any new conditions but only after the current agreements expire
After months of haggling which climaxed with gas supplies to much of Europe being cut this week Russia concluded a deal with Ukraine on Wednesday in which Ukraine will pay nearly double the US dollars it had been paying a remnant of the subsidized Sovietera pricing system Enditem
BRUSSELS Jan Xinhua The European Union EU should examine other types of energy in the wake of the RussiaUkraine gas dispute a senior official from the member bloc said on Wednesday
While hailing the deal made earlier between Russia and Ukraine Martin Bartenstein economic minister of current EU president country Austria said Russian gas remains the backbone of the EUs energy supply but certainly we will have to learn the lesson of what has happened in the last few days
The EUs dependence on Russias energy might not change for years he said at a press conference at the EU headquarters citing that some EU member states import percent of their gas from Russia
But he added the EU should focus more on energy efficiency renewable energy and nuclear energy
Bartensteins view was echoed by Andris Piebalgs EU Commissioner for Energy who joined Bartenstein for an emergency meeting of the EU Gas Coordination Group on Wednesday in Brussels the first callingup of the body
Piebalgs said he would table proposals for the EUs energy development strategy at the Unions spring summit due in midMarch
Wednesdays emergency meeting originally planned to explore a way out of the gas dispute between Russia and Ukraine turned into a celebration gathering as the two parties reached a deal prior to the meeting
Russia and Ukraine reached a fiveyear deal on Wednesday to deliver gas to Ukraine at US dollars per cubic meters after talks between the gas companies of the two countries officials said Enditem
PARIS Jan Xinhua French President Jacques Chirac on Thursday sent wishes of support to Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon who has undergone emergency surgery following a massive brain haemorrhage
All my wishes and all my thoughts are with you Chirac said in the message released by his office
He hoped the Israeli prime minister will overcome the painful trial he is going through the missive said
The French president also said he wanted to see continued the courageous initiatives started by Mr Sharon that have already won approval from the entire international community
He ensured Frances support friendship and solidarity to Israeli Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister hud Olmert who is acting as Israeli prime minister during Sharons hospitalization according to the statement
Sharon was described as being in a critical but stable condition in a Jerusalem hospital after suffering a massive brain haemorrhage on Wednesday
Sharon pledged a FrenchIsraeli rapprochement during his last visit to Paris in July after years of strained relations between the two countries Enditem
MOSCOW Russia and Ukraine signed a fiveyear deal on Wednesday to supply Russian gas to Ukraine on higher prices after talks between the two countries gas companies
Under a complex price scheme Russias gas giant Gazprom will sell gas to the Rosukrenergo trading company for US dollars per cubic metersBCGermanyRink Collapse
Death toll rises to in Germany ice rink collapse RussiaUkraineGas
BERLIN Another body was found in the wreckage of a collapsed ice rink in southern Germany on Wednesday bringing the number of deaths in the accident to at least police said
The body found before dawn was that of a teenage boy
The search for two others a woman and a girl continued but they were feared dead as temperatures stuck below zero Hubertus Andrae a police chief of the nearby town of Traunstein told reporters GermanyRink Collapse
WASHINGTON A strong earthquake measuring on the Richter scale was detected in the Gulf of California off the Mexican coast on Wednesday the US Geological Survey website said
The quake occurred at round am local time GMT and its epicenter is km from Santa Rosalia on the east coast of Baja California peninsula MexicoQuake
GAZA Discontented Palestinian militants smashed through part of the border wall between Gaza and Egypt by stolen bulldozers on Wednesday Palestinian witnesses said PalestiniansGazaRafah
BAGHDAD A car bomb went off outside a restaurant in southern Baghdad on Wednesday killing three people and wounding an Interior Ministry source told Xinhua
A boobytrapped car exploded near the alBaghdadi Restaurant frequented by policemen in Doura district the source said on condition of anonymity IraqCar Bomb
CAIRO Nine Iranian soldiers were abducted by Sunni Muslim militants who demanded the authorities to set free jailed members according to a video released by the alArabiya TV on Wednesday
A Sunni Muslim group calling itself the Organization of Gods Soldiers for Sunni Mujahideen Holy Fighters had kidnapped the Iranian soldiers in a southeastern province bordering with Pakistan according to alArabiya IranMilitants
JAKARTA Indonesian rescuers have recovered bodies and scrambled to find other victims and search survivors in a Central Java village where more than houses was buried by a predawn landslide Wednesday
Scores of injured people were rushed to the Banjarnegara Hospital located km from Cijeruk village district where the disaster happened Bodiesrecovered Enditem
VIENNA Jan Xinhua Iranian experts and officials from International Atomic Energy Agency IAEA discussed Tehrans plans to resume suspended nuclearfuel research in a meeting here on Thursday
The meeting started on Thursday morning after Iran told the UN nuclear watchdog in a letter on Monday that it was planning to resume nuclearfuel research which was suspended two years ago
Irans announcement sparked alarm in The West which suspect that Iran is seeking to make atom bombs under the cover of civil nuclear program But Iran insists that the program aim solely to generate electricity
IAEA director Mohamed ElBaradei called for clarifications on Irans announcement A meeting was first planned for Wednesday but postponed
There are meetings planned over the next couple of days focused on clarifying the letter and in particular what does the resumption of research mean said an unnamed official
ElBaradei said on Monday that the agencys board of governors hoped Iran could refrain from activities linked to uranium enrichment as a key confidencebuilding measure
Iran had suspended parts of its nuclear fuel program in during negotiations with Britain France and Germany The talks broke down in August after Iran resumed uranium conversion activities in Isfahan in central Iran
This conversion is the first step in the process of making enriched uranium which can produce both nuclear fuel or the fissile core of warheads Enditem
BRUSSELS Jan Xinhua The European Commission EC is concerned with the health of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon EC spokeswoman Emma Udwin said here on Thursday
We remain concerned about the news of Mr Sharon Udwin told the EC midday press briefing adding that the situation was worrying
We are with his family with Israeli government and Israeli people she said
Sharon suffered a serious stroke on Wednesday night and on Thursday Sharon fought for his life following seven hours of emergency surgery to stop widespread bleeding in his brain The massive stroke made it unlikely that he would return to power Enditem
PARIS Jan Xinhua French President Jacques Chirac on Thursday announced the launch of a prototype of fourthgeneration nuclear reactor which is expected to come into service in
In a New Years address to unions and business leaders Chirac said We need to stay ahead in nuclear energy
Chirac said that France was a key partner in both the thirdgeneration EPR reactor a FrancoGerman project being developed in northern France to come into service in and in ITER an international experimental fusion reactor to be based in southern France
Chirac said that the sevencountry International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor ITER was an experimental longterm project and that France also needed to focus on meeting its mediumterm energy needs
What is at stake is the ability to harness the energy of the sun by the end of the century he said
Until then we need to take new initiatives he said adding that the fourth generation of reactors those of the s and s will produce less waste and make better use of resources
He also announced the creation in France of an independent nuclear safety agency
France is one of the countries in the Generation IV International Forum which was launched four years ago following a US initiative and is conducting research into new types of nuclear reactor
There are currently six design models for the reactors of the future which aim to improve safety resistance to proliferation minimise waste and the use of natural resources as well as cut construction and operating costs
As to stocking radioactive waste Chirac said a bill is in discussion now and is expected to be adopted by the end of the year
He also announced his intention to make Frances public transport network to give up oil for alternative fuels with the next years Enditem
BERLIN Jan Xinhua Emergency workers recovered early Thursday the body of a woman believed to be the last one of the killed in the collapsed ice rink in the German Alps before much of the rubble was cleared
Most of the bodies were recovered on Monday just after the facility collapsed apparently due to heavy snowfall
Three bodies a girl and two boys were found on Wednesday in the rubble About were injured in the tragedy
The search is still going on in case that somebody was forgotten said County chief executive Georg Grabner said
Investigation into the cause of the disaster has been under way as the district attorneys office involved to see if it was negligent manslaughter
Bad Reichenhalls mayor Wolfgang Heitmeier denied Thursday that engineers had previously noticed a weakness on the roof of the rink which is operated by the city
Heitmeier who has been under great pressure since the occurrence of the collapse disclosed passages of a report written in by a city engineering consultancy saying the strength of the wooden beam roof had not been affected by moisture
He had rejected allegations of negligence for allowing the rink to remain open during heavy snowfall
Declining to reveal any details about the investigation police chief Hubertus Andrae said It would be pure speculation at this point to say anything about the cause of the accident
State prosecutor Helmut Vordermayer said evidence was being collected and a probe into the accident had been opened Enditem
BRUSSELS Jan Xinhua The Economic Sentiment Indicator ESI continued the upward trend that began in the summer of said the European Commission EC here on Thursday
After a slight fall in the previous month the indicator improved by a marginal of a point for the EU and by of a point for the euro area said a press release issued by the executive of the European Union EU
The euroarea indicator rose above its longterm average and the gap visavis the EU indicator diminished said the press release
In the meantime the EC announced on the same day that the Business Climate Indicator BCI for the euro area rose significantly in December of after a small decline in November
The BCI has been above its long term average since September and it is now close to the relatively high levels that prevailed one year ago said the EC Enditem
BRUSSELS Jan Xinhua The volume of retail trade rose in both the euro area and the European Union EU as well it was revealed here on Thursday
In November compared to November the volume of retail trade grew by percent in the eurozone and by percent in the EU said the European Commission EC in a press release
Compared to October however the retail sales index fell by percent in the eurozone and rose by percent in the EU
In November compared to November retail trade of food drinks and tobacco fell by percent in the eurozone and increased by percent in the EU according to the EC
The nonfood sector gained percent and percent respectively Enditem
SANA Jan Xinhua Somalias President Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed and Parliament Speaker Sharif Hassan Adan signed a pact in Yemen on Thursday to end a dispute over the relocation of the interim states institutions
The declaration signed in the southern Yemeni port city of Aden said the two leaders had agreed to leave behind all the past differences that hampered the function of interim institutions
According to the document the interim parliament should convene within days on Somali soil The two leaders also called on all Somali factions to put down arms and resume dialogue
Ahmed had insisted the government that was set up in Kenya in late remain in the northern city of Jowhar while Adan who belongs to two rival factions wanted it to be moved to Mogadishu
The president for security concerns refuses to relocate to Mogadishu which has been the epicenter of violence among rival factions for the past years Enditem
BRUSSELS Jan Xinhua The eurozone industrial producer price index fell by percent in November compared with the previous month the European Commission EC announced here on Thursday
In November EU prices rose by percent In October prices increased by percent in the eurozone and by percent in the EU said a press release issued by the executive of the European Union EU
In November compared to November industrial producer prices rose by percent in the eurozone and by percent in the EU Enditem
HELSINKI Jan Xinhua Incumbent Finnish President Tarja Halonen retains an overwhelming lead over her rivals just days before the countrys presidential election according to an opinion poll published on Thursday
Halonen garnered percent support in the survey commissioned by newspaper Aamulehti leaving her closest competitors Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen and former Finance Minister Sauli Niinisto trailing far behind
Some people answered the poll with a percent margin of error
Finns started casting advance ballots for their next president at post offices libraries and public buildings on Wednesday
Halonen is widely expected to win a second sixyear term If reelected the countrys first female president will also be the only president chosen for two terms since direct election was introduced in Finland in Enditem
BRUSSELS Jan Xinhua The European Union EU is on high alert after two bird flu deaths were reported in Turkey
The European Commission EC the EUs executive said on Thursday it was working in close contact with the Turkish authorities and the World Health Organization WHO to establish the seriousness of the outbreak
The EC announced on Thursday it has sent a veterinary expert to Turkey together with WHO experts to review the situation
In the meantime samples from the sick chickens from Turkey which might have transmitted avian influenza to humans are expected to arrive at the EUs laboratory for avian influenza in Weybridge Britain
This will clarify whether the animal outbreak was due to the deadly HN strain of avian influenza said a press release issued by the EC
According to the EC the Turkish authorities are also sending samples from the human cases to a WHO reference laboratory in Colindale in Britain to find out if the virus in question is the same as that in the chickens
Obviously the complete ban on any imports from Turkey of live birds and poultry products adopted in early October remains in place said the press release
It was reported that two teenagers infected with avian flu died earlier on Thursday and on Jan in Turkey indicating the virus that has killed at least people has moved outside East Asia to the threshold of Europe Enditem
LONDON Jan Xinhua Babies born to immigrants make up the majority of births in some British cities according to Migrationwatch the immigration thinktank
One in five of the births in England and Wales in was to a mother born outside Britain The figure has risen by more than a half in the past decade and reaches a record high since data collection on the ethnicity of births was introduced in The Times reported on Thursday
In some London districts percent of births are to women who were not born in Britain said Migrationwatch
However the average number of children born to each ethnic minority family has fallen in the past years as immigrant groups adopt the average family size in Britain
Migrationwatch claims the birth trend is increasing segregation and blames Pakistani and Bangladeshi communities for chain migration It said this was intensifying the formation of ghettos and setting back integration
Andrew Green chairman of Migrationwatch admitted that there was no evidence to prove that levels of immigration had an impact on the degree of integration But he believed that the very high rates of immigration in recent years are creating areas in which children with two UKborn parents are in a minority
This poses serious difficulties for effective integration as there will increasingly be no core culture with which to integrate he added
But a spokeswoman for the Commission for Racial Equality said Migrant and ethnic minority populations are still below per cent
More than half of Britons believe that immigration has made Britain a better place to live according to a poll for Readers Digest magazine Seventy percent said that their everyday experience of immigrants had been positive Enditem
UPSHUR the United States Jan Xinhua An eastern US coal mine where an underground explosion killed miners this week has been cited for hundreds of federal safety violations since it opened in US media reported Thursday
Among the infractions were at least related to failures to prevent or adequately monitor the buildup of explosive gases in the Sago Mine Upshur County West Virginia
Although the bodies of the miners were removed from the mine Wednesday US authorities are yet to determine the cause of the explosion that trapped the miners Monday
Meanwhile government records show that the Sago Mine has been cited repeatedly for not having an adequate ventilation plan and for violating rules requiring safety inspections before each eighthour shift
The number of infractions issued to the mine last year was higher than would be normally issued to a mine that size according to data from the US Mine Safety and Health Administration MSHA
Since the incidence of injuries at Sago was also higher than average more than twice the national rate
In the mine was cited for nine times for failing to properly enact a mine ventilation plan with three of those violations considered by the MSHA as significant and substantial
Also the mine was cited for seven times last year for failing to properly conduct a preshift examination the safety inspection mandated before each shift of workers is allowed to enter the mine
Moreover the mine had extensive safety problems that led the agency to close parts of it times last year
In all the Sago Mine received violations in and including that were considered significant and substantial
During that time the government sought US dollars in fines and the mines owner paid dollars
Compared with three other similarsized mines in West Virginia the Sago Mine had far more violations during that period
In the United States coal mine fatalities have dropped dramatically over the past century from a high of in to a record low in MSHA records show
The coal industry also has shrunk to just more than workers but the fatality rate today is a fraction of what it was at the industrys peak of workers in
The injury rate in the coalmining industry was barely above the national workplace injury rate in the most recent year for which Labor Department data are available
Coalmine employees suffered workrelated injuries or illnesses per employees compared with injuries and illnesses for the entire privatesector workforce Enditem
WARSAW Jan Xinhua The Polish Foreign Ministry on Thursday denied reports that Warsaw has pledged to support the United States in the event of a US decision to attack Iran
The Polish Foreign Ministry Spokesman Pawel Dobrowolski said on Thursday that the Polish government has not made any declaration to Washington on this matter saying the related reports were fabricated
The Iranian nuclear issue was not a topic which came up for discussion when Polish Minister of Foreign Affairs Stefan Meller and Minister of National Defence Radoslaw Sikorski visited the US previously the spokesman said
Poland is voicing concerns about the Iranian nuclear issue within the framework of the European Union and NATO said the Foreign Ministry said
Wayne Madsen a former US intelligence officer said on his website he was told by anonymous Polish intelligence sources that Poland had assured the United States of support for any US strike against Iran the newspaper Rzeczpospolita reported on Thursday Enditem
LISBON Jan Xinhua An initial contingent of Portuguese soldiers left Lisbon on Thursday to replace comrades stationed in BosniaHerzegovina on peacekeeping duties
Rui Ferreira head of the contingent said at the airport that the Portuguese troops in BosniaHerzegovina are mainly tasked with seizing weapons illegally held the residents
Altogether troops including two more batches scheduled to leave later this month will be sent to replace the Portuguese servicemen currently deployed in BosniaHerzegovina
Portugal first dispatched troops to BosniaHerzegovina in January and soldiers have served there over the past decade Enditem
WASHINGTON Jan Xinhua The following are major news items in leading US newspapers on Thursday
The New York Times
Iraqs insurgents unleashed car bombs and suicide attacks throughout central Iraq on Wednesday killing more than people in the deadliest day since the national parliamentary elections three weeks ago
US President George W Bush and senior Republican legislators moved on Wednesday to dump thousands of US dollars in campaign donations from a former lobbyist hastily distancing themselves as he pleaded guilty to two more criminal counts under his agreement with prosecutors
Iran vowed Wednesday to proceed with a plan to restart nuclear research next week though the government has yet to explain to the United Nations nuclear monitoring agency what activities it intends to carry out
The Washington Post
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon suffered a massive stroke Wednesday night and was rushed into surgery to relieve what doctors described as significant bleeding in his brain Officials from Sharons office said his condition was lifethreatening and religious leaders called on Israelis to pray for him
US rescuers found miners dead late Tuesday night in the coal mine explosion on the previous day in Sago West Virginia which trapped people
Russia and Ukraine struck a facesaving and complex pricing deal Wednesday that allowed both sides to say they secured the price they wanted for natural gas ending a dispute that raised concern across Europe about Russias reliability as a strategic energy partner
The Wall Street Journal
Demand for US factory goods rose percent in November boosted by orders for civilian airplanes the Commerce Department reported Enditem
WASHINGTON Jan Xinhua The United States is praying for Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharons recovery Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said on Thursday
We are concentrating our prayers and thoughts on hope of his recovery Rice told reporters describing Sharon as a huge and gigantic figure in Israeli politics
I do believe that the desire for peace the desire for a stable relationship between the Israelis and the Palestinians is one that runs wide and deep in Israeli society the top US diplomat said
Sharon was rushed to hospital after he suffered from a massive brain hemorrhage He was reportedly gravely ill and in a very critical condition Enditem
JERUSALEM Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon will remain sedated for the next hours the hospital director said on Thursday
His condition is still serious but he is stable Shlomo MorYosef directorgeneral of Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital told reporters
All the parameters that we are monitoring are as expected after an operation of this type he said adding that Sharon will remain in deep coma and on a respirator for the next hours IsraelSharon
SANAA Somalias President Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed and Parliament Speaker Sharif Hassan Adan signed a pact in Yemen on Thursday to end a dispute over the relocation of the interim states institutions
The declaration signed in the southern Yemeni port city of Aden said the two leaders had agreed to leave behind all the past differences that hampered the function of interim institutions SomaliaPactRelocation
BRUSSELS The European Union EU is on high alert after two bird flu deaths were reported in Turkey
The European Commission EC the EUs executive said on Thursday it was working in close contact with the Turkish authorities and the World Health Organization WHO to establish the seriousness of the outbreak EUTurkeyBird flu
CAIRO Fifteen people were killed and others injured when a building collapsed in the Saudi holy city of Mecca on Thursday the alArabiya TV channel reported
But a local government official disputed the number of casualties saying that four people were killed and that one was wounded Saudi ArabiaBuilding collapse Enditem
VIENNA Jan Xinhua Iran has failed to keep its pledge to explain to the UN nuclear watchdog on Thursday its decision to resume nuclearfuel research International Atomic Energy Agency IAEA officials said
Iranian experts and officials from the agency were expected to meet in Vienna to discuss Tehrans plan to resume nuclearfuel research which was suspended two years ago
However the meeting was cancelled after the Iranian delegation failed to take part said IAEA spokeswoman Melissa Fleming
An unnamed agency official said earlier that the meeting had already started but Fleming said The meeting never took place
The IAEA does not know why the Iranian delegation failed to honor its promise and no new meeting has been scheduled she added
Iran which insists that its civil nuclear program aim solely to generate electricity told the IAEA in a letter on Tuesday that it was planning to resume nuclearfuel research on Jan
The announcement prompted the IAEA to seek clarifications and sparked alarm in the West which suspects that Iran is seeking to make atom bombs under the cover of a civil nuclear program
IAEA director Mohamed ElBaradei called on Iran to explain its decision in detail A meeting was first planned for Wednesday but postponed after Iran reneged on its promise to clarify its plan But Iranian representatives then said they were prepared to discuss on Thursday the countrys relaunch of nuclearfuel research
ElBaradei said on Monday that the agencys board of governors hoped Iran could refrain from activities linked to uranium enrichment as a key confidencebuilding measure
Iran had suspended parts of its nuclear fuel program in during negotiations with Britain France and Germany The talks broke down in August after Iran resumed uranium conversion activities in Isfahan in central Iran
The conversion is the first step in the process of making enriched uranium which can produce both nuclear fuel or the fissile core of warheads Enditem
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LONDON Jan Xinhua Portuguese international midfielder Maniche has completed his loan move to Premiership champions Chelsea and will play in the Champions League knockout stage for the Blues
The yearold joins from Russian side Dynamo Moscow until the end of the season and is eligible to play in the Champions League
Blues boss Jose Mourinho has indicated that Maniche will be Chelseas only recruit in January
He said We will sign nobody or one player in the window If we sign one player he will be a midfield player
Mourinhos need to further bolster his midfield heightened following Michael Essiens injury during the Blues triumph at West Ham on Monday
He added We have Essien suspended and injured and we lose Geremi to the African Nations Cup He is also a solution in midfield
Maniche admits he cant wait for the deal to go through He said I have had offers from other big European teams but once Chelsea became interested there was only one team
Maniche has already played under Chelsea manager Mourinho when at Benfica and Porto And the midfielder says his presence at Stamford Bridge was an important factor in the switch
Mourinho is the key to my signing he has been after me for some time He is my maestro He knows me from my time at Porto and Benfica
I would be crazy to turn them down because of the manager and because I have known some of the players there for years
If Maniche proves a hit at Stamford Bridge Chelsea could make the move permanent in the summer for five million pounds Enditem
MADRID Jan Xinhua Emilio Butrage vice president of the soccer club Real Madrid gave Italian forward Antonio Cassano a formal welcome to the team on Wednesday in the Madrid VIP box with local media and fans in attendance
Cassano had passed the team medical and had signed a fourandahalf season contract on Wednesday morning
I am very excited and very pleased to wear the worlds most important football shirt Today I want to thank all the members of Real Madrid for the interest they have shown in me Thank you for everything Hail Madrid said Cassano who will appear in the number shirt for his new team
He said that he was fulfilling his dream of playing for the best team in the world and said that one of his first goals would be to silence those who labelled him a controversial player
I want to demonstrate that this reputation has nothing to do with how I am he said I am a Real Madrid player I am starting a new stage
He said that he would put himself in the hands of Juan Ramon Lopez Caro Madrid manager to play where the opportunity arises
Cassano ended the press conference by thanking his agents and those who had supported him in difficult times and said that along with his girlfriend his mother and two cousins would come to Madrid to live with him
The yearold forward had been a star player for Italian league team Roma the first player under to be paid more than million euros when he was signed by the club in
But after five seasons with the club relations soured because of what the Italian press has decribed as his difficult character both on the field and away from it Enditem
MADRID Jan Xinhua Officials have postponed the Kings Cup soccer match due at local time on Wednesday between Atletico Madrid and Zaragoza because of an outbreak of gastroenteritis which has felled Madrid players local press reported on Wednesday
Jose Maria Villalon head of the Atletico medical team told local media that the players were suffering diarrhea vomiting stomach pain dispepsia and general weakness The doctor said he had placed them on a course of electrolites and was waiting to see how the illness progressed
The first team have left Las Rozas Football City where they have been training and gone home to wait for a rematch date Enditem
HAVANA Jan Xinhua Cuban chess grandmasters Lazaro Bruzon and Leinier Dominguez are among the worlds top chess players the International Chess Federation said in a statement on Wednesday
Bruzon at is Latin Americas best placed player with points but he has fallen places since October when he was th in the world
Dominguez won three points and with points and has moved up to st place from th Both players have had more than points since
Russias Garry Kasparov remains world number one with points even though he announced his official retirement several months ago
Reigning champion Bulgarias Vesselin Topalov with is in second place making more than points for the first time Indias Viswanathan Anand is in third place with Enditem
MONTEVIDEO Jan Xinhua Uruguayan league soccer club Nacional de Montevideo and the Brazil leagues Flamengo de Rio de Janeiro resumed talks on player swap deal Uruguays El Pais newspaper said on Wednesday
The plan was first discussed in December last year when Kleber Leite the vice president of Flamengo spoke to Eduardo Ache president of Nacional expressing interest in borrowing Luis Suarez the Uruguayan clubs forward
Flamengo wants to use the agreement to make use of a window that Nacional has in the Libertadores Cup a tournament which Brazils most popular club failed to qualify for Nacional is in group six of the Cup which features Mexicos Unam Pumas Brazils Internacional de Porto Alegre and Venezuelas Union Maracaibo
By lending players to Nacional Flamengo will give them international experience and which makes them more valueable in future transfers Nacional will benefit by getting fresh firstrate players
The Rio team has offered two promising youngsters left winger Andre known as Andresinho and forward Fabiano Oliveira Enditem
PARIS Jan Xinhua Following are the results of French first division soccer league games home team listed first
Wednesdays games
Strasbourg lost to Lyon
Le Mans bt Metz
Lille bt Ajaccio
Nancy drew with Bordeaux
Nantes lost to Rennes
Nice bt Toulouse
Paris SaintGermain bt Sochaux
SaintEtienne drew with Troyes
Marseille drew with Lens
Thursdays games
Auxerre vs Monaco
Enditem
PARIS Jan Xinhua Following are the leading goal scorers of French first division soccer league
Pauleta Paris St Germain
Daniel Cousin Racing Lens Sylvain Wiltord Olympique Lyon
Luigi Pieroni Auxerre
Setien Grax ES Troyes AC Tulio Le Mans Peguy Luyindula Auxerre Peter Odemwingie Lille
Aruna Dindane Racing Lens Olivier Thomert Racing Lens Ilan Sochaux Elie Kroupi AS Nancy Fred Olympique Lyon Alexander Frei Stade Rennes John Carew Olympique Lyon Daniel Moreira Toulouse Franck Ribery Olympique Marseille Mamadou Niang Olympique Marseille
Enditem
PARIS Jan Xinhua Following are the standings in the French firstdivision soccer league
after Wednesdays games tabulated under matches played won drawn lost goals for against points
Lyon
Paris SG
Lens
Lille
Bordeaux
Auxerre
Marseille
Monaco
SaintEtienne
Rennes
Le Mans
Nancy
Nice
Nantes
Troyes
Toulouse
Sochaux
Metz
Ajaccio
Strasbourg
Enditem
LONDON Jan Xinhua Tottenham beat Manchester to move within one point of thirdplaced Liverpool on Wednesday
Sylvain Distins made a deadly error to set Tottenham on the way to a win when he tried to let Paul Stalteris pass run out of play but instead Aaron Lennon skipped past him and fed Mido who slotted home with ease
Robbie Keane added a second goal late on when he latched on to Midos flick and hammered his shot past David James
Manchester City were secondbest throughout and Spurs goalkeeper Paul Robinson did not make a single save
Stuart Pearces side have picked up only one point since Christmas and they showed few signs of improving that tally in the early stages
They struggled to get the ball out of their half at times and their passing and movement was completely out of sorts
Spurs on the other hand were full of running with Lennon in particular trying to beat Ben Thatcher at every opportunity and Mido looking lively up front
Jermaine Jenas and Michael Carrick took full control of the midfield and their prompting meant Lennon and Michael Brown saw plenty of the ball on either flank
But for all their possession Tottenham were unable to get behind the City defence until Distins horrific mistake gifted them the lead just after the halfhour mark
Distin thought Stalteris overhit throughball would cross the byline only for Lennon to reach it draw James and set up Mido who found the net despite the best efforts of Richard Dunne
It was no less than Spurs deserved and they almost extended their lead soon after
More enterprising play from Lennon won him space to send in a cross that eventually reached Keane He had time to bring the ball down at the far post but could not find the target
City had barely threatened during the first minutes and things did not improve for them after the restart
Trevor Sinclair had a halfhearted penalty appeal turned down for a handball by Anthony Gardner and substitute Bradley WrightPhillips shot narrowly wide but the home side did not manage a shot on target
And Tottenham made certain of the three points when Mido headed on a Robinson goalkick for Keane to smash the ball past James with seven minutes left
This was their third victory in four games and leaves them six points clear of fifthplaced Arsenal as the race for a Champions League spot hots up
Meanwhile Pearce will be glad that the open transfer window will allow him to strengthen his side who badly need a shot in the arm on this showing Enditem
WASHINGTON Jan Xinhua Following are the leaders of the National Basketball Association through Jan
Scoring
G FG FT PTS AVG
Iverson Phil
Bryant LAL
James Clev
Arenas Wash
Wade Mia
Pierce Bos
Nowitzki Dall
McGrady Hou
Brand LAC
Anthony Den
Redd Mil
Allen Sea
Carter NJ
Richardson GS
Bosh Tor
ONeal Ind
Garnett Minn
Hamilton Det
Lewis Sea
Duncan SA
FG Percentage
FG FGA PCT
Brezec Char
AbdurRahim Sac
Garnett Minn
Parker SA
Iguodala Phil
Brand LAC
Gooden Clev
Bogut Mil
Wallace Char
Jefferson NJ
Rebounds
G OFF DEF TOT AVG
Camby Den
Howard Orl
B Wallace Det
Marion Phoe
Duncan SA
Garnett Minn
Brand LAC
Webber Phil
Jamison Wash
ONeal Ind
Assists
G AST AVG
Nash Phoe
Davis GS
Miller Den
Billups Det
Knight Char
Kidd NJ
Paul NOk
Iverson Phil
Cassell LAC
Wade Mia
Enditem
WASHINGTON Jan Xinhua Orlando Magic forward Grant Hill was placed on the inactive list on Wednesday when his team lost to the Toronto Raptors
Hill who who missed the first games this season after sports hernia surgery couldnt play because of a strained groin
The seventime AllStar has not played a full season since arriving in Orlando in mostly because of ankle surgeries
The veteran was averaging points and rebounds in nine games this season Enditem
WASHINGTON Jan Xinhua Larry Hughes sat out the Cleveland Cavaliers game Wednesday night against the Milwaukee Bucks with a sprained finger
The yearold guard a free agent guard signed before the start of the season left Milwaukee on Wednesday morning to undergo an additional exam in Washington on the sprained right long finger according to reports from Milwaukee
He originally sustained the sprain during the preseason but had started all games for Cleveland
Huhges is Clevelands secondleading scorer averaging points and assists a game Enditem
WASHINGTON Jan Xinhua Following are the results from Wednesdays NBA games home team in CAPS
TORONTO bt Orlando
BOSTON bt Charlotte
Cleveland bt MILWAUKEE
MINNESOTA bt Dallas
NO OKLAHOMA CITY bt Miami
SAN ANTONIO bt Portland
Seattle bt CHICAGO
DENVER bt Indiana
PHOENIX bt Philadelphia
Enditem
WASHINGTON Jan Xinhua Following are the standings of NBA after Wednesdays games
EASTERN CONFERENCE
ATLANTIC DIV
NEW JERSEY
PHILADELPHIA
BOSTON
TORONTO
NEW YORK
CENTRAL DIV W L PCT GB
DETROIT
CLEVELAND
MILWAUKEE
INDIANA
CHICAGO
SOUTHEAST DIV W L PCT GB
MIAMI
ORLANDO
WASHINGTON
CHARLOTTE
ATLANTA
WESTERN CONFERENCE
NORTHWEST DIV W L PCT GB
MINNESOTA
UTAH
DENVER
SEATTLE
PORTLAND
PACIFIC DIV W L PCT GB
PHOENIX
LA CLIPPERS
GOLDEN STATE
LA LAKERS
SACRAMENTO
SOUTHWEST DIV W L PCT GB
SAN ANTONIO
DALLAS
MEMPHIS
NEW ORLEANS
HOUSTON
Enditem
KAMPALA Jan Xinhua Ugandas tennis team has left for Dar es Salaam Tanzania to attend the International Tennis Federation ITF sanctioned African Tennis qualifying round scheduled for January local press reported on Thursday
The tournament will be a qualifying round for the annual African Tennis Championships that will be played in Pretoria South Africa in April this year
The Ugandan team led by coach John Oduke includes two boys and two girls The two boys are South African based Duncan Mugabe and Grace Ocheng while Martha Ofuyuru and Zainab Nalwanga are the two girls on the team
Coach Oduke said the team is well built and is very certain for qualifying at the tournament
Uganda Kenya Zimbabwe and the hosts Tanzania are taking part in the weeklong tournament Enditem
LUSAKA Jan Xinhua Zambia will set up a doping center to identify the athletes using banned substances during competitions Zambia Daily Mail reported Thursday
Yonah Mwale general secretary of the Zambia Amateur Athletics Association ZAAA said on Wednesday in Kabwe km from Lusaka that the association has since written to the International Association of Athletic Federation IAAF on the initiation
He said the IAAF sent a questionnaire recently on whether the association had any plans of setting a a doping center
We told IAAF that we didnt have a doping center in Zambia and we would like to have one he said
Mwale said the issue of drug abuse in sport is a serious one and no one can run away from it and he thought it is imperative to have a doping center Enditem
WELLINGTON Jan Xinhua Following are the results from the Auckland Classic womens tennis tournament in Auckland New Zealand on Thursday prefix number denotes seeding
Quarterfinals
Vera Zvonareva Russia bt Maria Kirilenko Russia
Daniela Hantuchova Slovakia bt Tzipora Obziler Israel
Marion Bartoli France bt Julia Schruff Germany
Enditem
CANBERRA Jan Xinhua Following are the results from the Australian womens hardcourt tennis tournament in Adelaide Australia on Thursday prefix number denotes seeding
Patty Schnyder Switzerland bt Lucie Safarova Czech Republic
Flavia Pennetta Italy bt Tatiana Golovin France
Martina Hingis Switzerland bt Nuria Llagostera Spain
Dinara Safina Russia bt Anabel Medina Spain
Enditem
CANBERRA Jan Xinhua Following are the results from the Australian mens hardcourt tennis tournament in Adelaide Australia on Thursday prefix number denotes seeding
Second round
Dominik Hrbaty Slovakia bt Mark Philippoussis Australia
Tomas Berdych Czech Republic bt Andy Murray Britain
Enditem
CANBERRA Jan Xinhua Second seed Dominik Hrbaty of Slovakia smashed Mark Philippoussis hope to revive his career when he beat the former world number eight in the second round of the Australian hardcourt tennis tournament in Adelaide on Thursday
Hrbaty who won the event in came from a set down to win in one hour minutes at Memorial Drive
Philippoussis who was given a wildcard into the tournament beat American Vince Spadea in the first round
After a succession of injuries and a slump in form the former US Open and Wimbledon finalist has dropped to nd in the world and is using wildcards at Adelaide Auckland and at the Australian Open which begins on Jan
Sixth seed Tomas Berdych ensured passage through the second round with a victory over rising British hope Andy Murray Enditem
CANBERRA Jan Xinhua Following are the results from the Hopman Cup mixed teams tennis tournament in Perth Australia on Thursday
Gaston Gaudio Argentina bt Todd Reid Australia
Peter Wessels Netherlands bt Nicolas Kiefer Germany walkover
Samantha Stosur Australia bt Gisela Dulko Argentina
Michaella Krajicek Netherlands bt AnnaLena Groenefeld Germany
Enditem
WELLINGTON Jan Xinhua Following are the results from the Auckland Classic womens tennis tournament in Auckland New Zealand on Thursday prefix number denotes seeding
Quarterfinals
Nadia Petrova Russia bt Kristina Brandi Puerto Rico
Vera Zvonareva Russia bt Maria Kirilenko Russia
Daniela Hantuchova Slovakia bt Tzipora Obziler Israel
Marion Bartoli France bt Julia Schruff Germany
Enditem
CANBERRA Jan Xinhua Topseeded Lleyton Hewitt was eliminated from the Australian mens hardcourt tennis tournament Thursday after losing to Germanys Philipp Kohlschreiber in the second round
Kohlschreiber who entered the tournament following the late withdrawal of American Paul Goldstein took an early lead and won the first set after holding set points at on Hewitts serve
After Hewitt came back to win the second set in minutes Kohlschreiber was serving for the match at in the third when he was broken by the Australian
But Hewitt who has been off the circuit for much of the past three months with injuries and to be with his wife during the birth of their first child doublefaulted on break point in the next game to give Kohlschreiber another chance at victory
The thranked Kohlschreiber held his serve in the next game to post the biggest win of his career
Kohlschreiber will face sixthseeded Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic in the quarterfinals Friday Berdych beat Britains Andrew Murray Thursday
Slovakian Dominik Hrbaty beat Mark Philippoussis in another secondround match Philippoussis fell behind in the deciding set before Hrbaty doublefaulted on his match point but converted the second Enditem
CANBERRA Jan Xinhua Following are the results from the Australian mens hardcourt tennis tournament in Adelaide Australia on Thursday prefix number denotes seeding
Second round
Philipp Kohlschreiber Germany bt Lleyton Hewitt Australia
Kenneth Carlsen Denmark bt Ivo Karlovic Croatia
Dominik Hrbaty Slovakia bt Mark Philippoussis Australia
Tomas Berdych Czech Republic bt Andy Murray Britain
Enditem
CANBERRA Jan Xinhua Former world number one Martina Hingis continued her strong momentum of revival as she reached the semifinals of the Australian womens hardcourt tennis tournament in Adelaide on Thursday
Fivetime grand slam champion Hingis making her return to professional tennis after three years in retirement was forced into a third set by Spains Nuria Llagostera Vives before winning the quarterfinal clash
Czech Lucie Safarova caused a major upset when she beat top seed Patty Schnyder to end the Swiss world number sevens title defence
Hingis will meet fourthseeded Flavia Pennetta in the semis after the Italian overcame Hingiss doubles partner Tatiana Golovin of France
Teenager Safarova will meet third seed Dinara Safina in the last four after the Russian overwhelmed Spains Anabel Medina Garrigues
Safarova claimed her second seed this week after beating sixth seed Ai Sugiyama of Japan in the first round
Schnyder was frequently forced into errors through Safarovas blistering groundstrokes and threw her racket in disgust twice during the match
Hingis a wildcard entrant at the tournament on Queenslands Gold Coast beat world number Maria Venti Kabachi and number Klara Koukalova in earlier rounds
But the thranked Vives who had beaten second seed Francesca Schiavone in the second round on Wednesday proved a tougher opponent and broke Hingis at in the second to send the match into a deciding set
The players took a minute break under the WTAs extreme heat rule before the final set began and when it did get underway Hingis dominated
Vives refused to give in though despite being down and she forced Hingis to five match points before the Swiss finally broke her resistance Enditem
KUWAIT CITY Jan Xinhua Kuwait skipper Bashar Abdullah has tipped AFC newcomer Australia as the Group D favorite but insists that it will be a close fight for the other qualification slot from the Group of Death of the Asian Cup
As well as Australia who officially joined the AFC on January and Kuwait Asian Cup qualifier in all but one tournament since Group D features Asian Cup semifinalist Bahrain and Lebanon who impressed in its World Cup qualifier
Australia are undoubtedly the favorites to win the group but there will be a tough battle for the second spot as the other three teams all have a fair chance to win the other ticket to the finals Abdullah told footballasiacom
Its a very hard group and maybe the toughest added the yearold who has represented his country at the last three Asian Cup finals
Group C Jordan Oman UAE Pakistan is also tough but I think our group is the only group that maybe all the teams have a chance to qualify
We have to prepare for every match in a special way and I hope that well have good preparation and perform well in the qualifiers he said
Kuwait warms up for its Group D opener against Lebanon with a friendly against Singapore on February before entertaining Jordan four days later Enditem
BEIRUT Jan Xinhua Lebanon midfielder Roda Antar remains optimistic that his country can qualify for the Asian Cup finals despite being drawn in the Group of Death alongside AFC newcomer Australia Asian Cup semifinalist Bahrain and Kuwait
To be honest we are the lowest team in the group Antar told footballasiacom
Australia has qualified to the World Cup finals this summer and Bahrain impressed at the previous Asian Cup while Kuwait reached the final round of the World Cup qualifiers
But Im still optimistic that we can do something if the players stand together We will try to do our best and with two teams advancing from each group we still have a chance added the yearold who plays his club football in the German second division with SC Freiburg
However national team skipper Youseff Mohamad is not as confident as his club and country teammate saying that Lebanon still has much to improve before embarking on its mission to reach the Asian Cup finals for only the second time since hosting the event in
Its really a shame that we havent started preparing the qualifiers yet said Mohamad
We still dont have a coach and we dont know whether there will be any friendlies in the next days
Its a very tough group There is Australia who is a big team Bahrain a great side at the moment with several good players and while I dont know a lot about Kuwait I know they will not be easy to beat
I just hope that everything goes well and we will be able to get decent results in this tough group
Despite being considered the outsider of Group D Lebanon should not be taken lightly as it held South Korea to a draw in Beirut in the World Cup qualifying tournament
The draw is very hard for us and we have to put in extra effort if we are to get a ticket to the finals said Ahmed Kammareddin the President of the Lebanon national teams committee
We have a good group of players and we are looking to prepare them very well Well probably assign a local coaching staff as we cannot afford bringing any foreign coaches he added
Lebanon begins its quest for a place in the Asian Cup on February when it hosts Kuwait who has qualified to all but the finals since making its tournament debut in Enditem
NEW DELHI Jan Xinhua Following are the results from the ATP Chennai Open tournament in Chennai India on Thursday prefix number denotes seeding
Second round
Ivan Ljubicic Croatia bt Jiri Vanek Czech Republic
Kristof Vliegen Belgium bt Rainer Schuettler Germany
Enditem
KUWAIT CITY Jan Xinhua Bahrain coach Luke Peruzovic believes that his side has a fair chance of reaching the Asian Cup finals in despite being drawn in perhaps the toughest qualifying group with Australia Kuwait and Lebanon
Its a strong group said the yearold Belgian
Its tough especially as it has Australia who are like a European team playing Asia The Australians qualified to the World Cup next summer after defeating Uruguay and they have many players playing in Europe and England
As for Lebanon I know them because they organized the Asian Cup and they are going to be difficult because they have some good talent he said
Regarding Kuwait I saw them in September when they played against Uzbekistan in Tashkent in the last match in Group A of the final round of Asian World Cup qualifiers and I was following them Maybe in the last two years they are not as before
Its a hard group but with two teams qualifying from the group I think we have a fair chance along with Australia added Peruzovic
Peruzovics main concern for Bahrains opening fixture against Australia on February will be the availability of his overseasbased players in the buildup to the game in Manama
We have professional players in Qatar and two in Kuwait who are our main players with the best quality he said However we have a problem as their clubs will not release them until five days before the first match
I will try to talk to the Bahraini FA to solve this problem and probably ask them to play friendly matches in January or February
While Peruzovic may lament the late availability of his players for Matchday One a nonFIFA matchdate Bahrain football official Abdul Aziz Al Ashraaf believes that it is an opportune time to play the Australians
For our first match in Bahrain Australia may not be at full strength because many of their best players will be busy with their clubs in Europe so it will be a good time for us to play against them said Al Ashraaf a member of the Bahrain Football Associations national team committee
Having seen the national team exceed expectations by reaching the semifinals of the Asian Cup Al Ashraf said that the team will be seeking to emulate that achievement in the tournament
Everybody was surprised to see us in that position but although there have been some changes to team since that time we will be trying to achieve a similar performance in this Asian Cup he said
We showed that Bahrain did not come to this position by chance when we just missed out on the World Cup after our loss to Trinidad and Tobago Hopefully we have learned from our mistakes and will try to improve and reach the top four again
We are a small country and it has not been easy for us to get to this position However we have shown that a team with good players and good motivation can do well Enditem
CANBERRA Jan Xinhua The Netherlands reached the final of the Hopman Cup on Thursday after an injury to Nicolas Kiefer gave the qualifier a victory over Germany
The Dutch will face the United States who topped its group despite losing to Sweden and will compete in the final for the eighth time
Michaella Krajicek earned a victory for the Netherlands over AnnaLena Groenefeld who was also hampered by injury
Kiefer suffering from back spasms then withdrew and under competition rules the Netherlands was awarded the mens singles and mixed doubles
The Netherlands became the third country to reach the final after winning a playoff match for a place in the main draw following Slovakia and Thailand Slovakia defeated France to win the title and Thailand fell to South Africa in
The United States dropped the first matches against Sweden as Lisa Raymond went down to Sofia Arvidsson and Thomas Johansson took advantage of an inconsistent Taylor Dent to beat the American
Johansson who has been suffering from a foot infection and received treatment on his hip and shoulder as he played Dent then withdrew and the mixed doubles rubber was awarded to the United States Enditem
CANBERRA Jan Xinhua Following are the collated results and standings from the Hopman Cup mixed teams tennis championship in Perth Australia on Thursday
Sweden bt United States
Australia bt Argentina
Netherlands bt Germany
Standings tabulated under games played won lost serves for and against
Group A
United States
Serbia and Montenegro
Russia
Sweden
Group B
Netherlands
Australia
Argentina
Germany
Enditem
RABAT Jan Xinhua Frances Thierry Magnadli in a SchlesserFord won the car section on the sixth stage of the Dakar Rally here on Thursday with South Africas Giniel de Villiers grabbing the overall lead
Magnaldi clocked hours minutes seconds over the km timed section on the kmlong run from TanTan in southern Morocco to Zouerat Mauritania to head compartiot JeanLouis Schlesser SchlesserFord at min sec and De Villiers Volkswagen at min sec
De Villiers third place gave him the overall lead sec ahead of former leader Carlos Sainz of Spain and sec clear of Germanys Jutta Kleinschmidt Both Sainz and Kleinschmidt are also driving Volkswagens
The motorcycle section of the stage was won by Chiles Carlo De Gavardo on a KTM in a time of hr min sec He placed ahead of two Spaniards Isidre Esteve Pujol KTM at min sec and Marc Coma KTM at min sec
Coma retained the overall lead in the motorcycle section min sec ahead of Cyril Despres KTM of France and et min sec clear of Pujol
Fridays seventh stage takes the rally which started in Lisbon on Dec kms from Zouerat to Atar in Mauritania with kms of timed specials Enditem
ATHENS Jan Xinhua Greece coach Otto Rehhagel has named a squad comprised entirely of homebased players for an international friendly tournament in Saudi Arabia at the end of January
Club commitments outside Greece ruled a number of players out of contention
Greece the reigning European champion who failed to qualify for this years World Cup finals will meet South Korea on the opening day of the tournament on January and then play Saudi Arabia four days later Finland is also taking part in the event
Squad
Goalkeepers Antonis Nikopolidis Olympiakos Piraeus Stefanos Kotsolis Larissa
Defenders Georgos Anatolakis Olympiakos Michalis Kapsis Olympiakos Traianos Dellas AEK Athens Yannis Goumas Panathinaikos Loukas Vyntra Panathianikos Filippos Darlas Panathinaikos Paraskevas Antzas Xanthi
Midfielders Theodore Zagorakis PAOK Salonika Pantelis Kafes Olympiakos Kostas Katsouranis AEK Athens Panagiotis Lagos Iraklis
Forwards Nikos Lyberopoulos AEK Athens Fanis Gekas Panathinaikos Dimitris Papadopoulos Panathinaikos Vangelis Mantzios Panathinaikos Dimitris Salpingidis PAOK
Enditem
HONG KONG Jan Xinhua Following are the results from the Champions Challenge invitational tournament here on Thursday prefix number denotes seeding
Venus Williams United States bt Sania Mirza India
Kim Clijsters Belgium bt Zheng Jie China
Enditem
NEW DELHI Jan Xinhua Following are the results from the ATP Chennai Open tournament in Chennai India on Thursday prefix number denotes seeding
Second round
Gilles Muller Luxembourg bt Rohan Bopanna India
Ivan Ljubicic Croatia bt Jiri Vanek Czech Republic
Kristof Vliegen Belgium bt Rainer Schuettler Germany
Enditem
HONG KONG Jan Xinhua Wimbledon champion Venus Williams overcame an injury scare to beat Indian Sania Mirza in a tennis exhibition game here on Thursday
Williams was forced to leave the court for about minutes due to a left thigh injury when she trailed it following one set broken
But the fivetime Grand Slam winner turned to a different person after the timeout to break Sania three times in a row on her return
Williams said what she suffered is a new injury but she had yet to find out the exact problem
It was pretty rough Im not sure what it was but Im going to try my best to find out
I really couldnt move I did the best I could I hope you guys enjoyed the match but usually Im a whole lot faster
However the injury did come at a bad time for the Indian sensation who admitted that the lengthy injury break had been frustrating
Maybe it did break my rhythm a bit its kind of cold out there so its a bit harder when youre left for minutes and then youre coming off Mirza said
But thats part of the game no excuses I had a lot of fun out there
It was Williams second win over Mirza in two meetings after her victory in Stanford California last year She is next to play Kim Clijsters who beat Chinese girl Zheng Jie Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Following are the domestic news items released by Xinhua on Wednesday
Guangdong police repatriate two Taiwanese criminal suspects
China closes coal mine shafts
mln short messages sent on holidays in HK
Congo nationals need HK visas
CUHK sets up Taoist culture center
China breaks iron bowl in cultural industry to spur prosperity
Japanese veteran who exposed Nanjing Massacre mourned by Chinese
China reports fast growth in tax revenues from overseas tax payers during JanOct period
China pays billion yuan in export tariff rebates in first months of last year
China publishes rules on options for senior managerial officers
Chinese Vice Premier encourages defense industry scientific and technological innovation
World benefits from Chinas development says senior press officer
Trading on Hong Kong stock exchange Jan
Weather information for AsiaPacific cities Jan
Gold price higher in Hong Kong Jan
China to overhaul export of motorcycles
Trips to countryside to promote Chinas tourism industry
Chinese goverment sets goals for meteorological development
China rules out curbs on lowemission economical cars
Fishing vessel capsize leaves missing in E China province
China Focus Jointstock bank makes highprofile debut to propel local economy in N China
HK seizes kg ketamine
Hong Kong sends emergency relief to earthquake victims
Profit from Chinas agricultural machinery industry soars
Worlds highest Ferris wheel to spin in E China city
News analysis China values role of SMS in handling public emergencies
China to improve enforcement of statistics law for accurate economic survey
Chinas textile council seeking mutual understanding with US counterpart
Bus collision injures at least in SW China city
Chinas hat exports grow percent
Trading on Hong Kong stock exchange Jan
HK share prices close up Jan
ChinaPakistan treaty of friendship cooperation and goodneighborly relations goes into effect
China to select national intangible cultural heritage
Central China city continues cooperation with UNICEF in aiding street children
Exhibtion on Jewish refugees to open in NE China city
China accelerates pace on FTA establishment in
Weather forecast for major Chinese cities Jan
Weather forecast for world cities Jan
US becomes No trade partner of NW China autonomous region
Chinas total retail sales of consumer goods in to top trillion yuan
HK volunteers bring hope to tsunami victims
China to unveil panda couple for Taiwan
Beijings urban unemployment rate within percent in
Foreign exchange rates in Hong Kong Jan
American luxury travel ship brings foreign visitors to S China city
Special zone to be built in protection of rare pine species
Chinas first feeder passenger jet to go into trial production
Chinas textile industry booms in despite trade disputes RMB appreciation more
Exhibition on exploring human body attracts Chinese children
Ministry of Health announces hygienic standards to public
Chinas major commercial grain production base bans herding
Hong Kong stocks close higher Jan
Tianjins revised GDP rises to bln US dollars
China earmarks bln US dollars to foster railway construction in Inner Mongolia
Soaring sugar prices not to last long as sugar auction due in Jan
Figures Chinas exports to South Africa in JanuaryNovember
Hushen index up Jan
Shenzhen stock index up Jan
Figures Chinas exports to New Zealand in JanuaryNovember
Shanghai stock index up Jan
Figures Chinas exports to EU in JanuaryNovember
China imports less PVC upon state ban
HK ranks worlds freest economy for consecutive years
SW Chinas province to start overall fishing ban
Figures Chinas exports to Germany in JanuaryNovember
Figures Chinas exports to United States in JanuaryNovember
Figures Chinas exports to Australia in JanuaryNovember
E China workers donating blood to acknowledge help after earthquake
Figures Chinas exports to Singapore in JanuaryNovember
Figures Chinas exports to Britain in JanuaryNovember
Figures Chinas exports to Canada in JanuaryNovember
Figures Chinas exports to Netherlands in JanuaryNovember
Figures Chinas exports to Thailand in JanuaryNovember
Figures Chinas exports to Japan in JanuaryNovember
Chinas Daily papers rank first globally in report
supermarkets opened in Chinas rural areas in
Yangtse R Delta needs regional weather warning system Meteorologist
Jointstock bank doubles assets with participation of overseas investors
Over yearold porcelain unearthed in N China
Beijings revenue income reaches bln yuan in
Air quality of major Chinese cities Jan
Most physical laborers work in spite of illness survey
Beijing invests heavily in infrastructure construction
Hong Kong stocks finish higher at midday Jan
HK suspends poultry imports from Sichuan
Macao logs New Year border crossings
Number of netizens reaches new high in Macao
Market exchange rates Jan
Xinhua home news advisory Jan
China National Museum collects family letters
Highlights of major Beijingbased newspapers Jan
Beijing eyes for green image in blueprint
China establishes ethnic group gene bank in SW province
Hong Kong stocks open higher Jan
E China provinces farm produce export to top bln US dollars
Building industry booms in central China province
Feature Asian elephant scrabble for habitats with human in southwest China
Over yearold tombs excavated in SW China
Microsoft invests in Chinas IT company tapping software business Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Following are Chinas home news items released by Xinhua on Wednesday
Guangdong police repatriate two Taiwanese criminal suspects
China closes coal mine shafts
China breaks iron bowl in cultural industry to spur prosperity
Japanese veteran who exposed Nanjing Massacre mourned by Chinese
China reports fast growth in tax revenues from overseas tax payers during JanOct period
China pays billion yuan in export tariff rebates in first months of last year
China publishes rules on options for senior managerial officers
Chinese Vice Premier encourages defense industry scientific and technological innovation
World benefits from Chinas development says senior press officer
China to overhaul export of motorcycles
Trips to countryside to promote Chinas tourism industry
Chinese goverment sets goals for meteorological development
China rules out curbs on lowemission economical cars
Fishing vessel capsize leaves missing in E China province
China Focus Jointstock bank makes highprofile debut to propel local economy in N China
Profit from Chinas agricultural machinery industry soars
Worlds highest Ferris wheel to spin in E China city
News analysis China values role of SMS in handling public emergencies
China to improve enforcement of statistics law for accurate economic survey
Chinas textile council seeking mutual understanding with US counterpart
Bus collision injures at least in SW China city
Chinas hat exports grow percent
ChinaPakistan treaty of friendship cooperation and goodneighborly relations goes into effect
China to select national intangible cultural heritage
Central China city continues cooperation with UNICEF in aiding street children
Exhibtion on Jewish refugees to open in NE China city
China accelerates pace on FTA establishment in
US becomes No trade partner of NW China autonomous region
Chinas total retail sales of consumer goods in to top trillion yuan
China to unveil panda couple for Taiwan
Beijings urban unemployment rate within percent in
Foreign exchange rates in Hong Kong Jan
American luxury travel ship brings foreign visitors to S China city
Special zone to be built in protection of rare pine species
Chinas first feeder passenger jet to go into trial production
Chinas textile industry booms in despite trade disputes RMB appreciation more
Exhibition on exploring human body attracts Chinese children
Ministry of Health announces hygienic standards to public
Chinas major commercial grain production base bans herding
Tianjins revised GDP rises to bln US dollars
China earmarks bln US dollars to foster railway construction in Inner Mongolia
Soaring sugar prices not to last long as sugar auction due in Jan
China imports less PVC upon state ban
SW Chinas province to start overall fishing ban
E China workers donating blood to acknowledge help after earthquake
Chinas Daily papers rank first globally in report
supermarkets opened in Chinas rural areas in
Yangtse R Delta needs regional weather warning system Meteorologist
Jointstock bank doubles assets with participation of overseas investors
Over yearold porcelain unearthed in N China
Beijings revenue income reaches bln yuan in
Most physical laborers work in spite of illness survey
Beijing invests heavily in infrastructure construction
Xinhua home news advisory Jan
China National Museum collects family letters
Beijing eyes for green image in blueprint
China establishes ethnic group gene bank in SW province
E China provinces farm produce export to top bln US dollars
Building industry booms in central China province
Feature Asian elephant scrabble for habitats with human in southwest China
Over yearold tombs excavated in SW China
Microsoft invests in Chinas IT company tapping software business Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Following are Chinas home news items released by Xinhua on Wednesday
Guangdong police repatriate two Taiwanese criminal suspects
China closes coal mine shafts
China breaks iron bowl in cultural industry to spur prosperity
Japanese veteran who exposed Nanjing Massacre mourned by Chinese
China reports fast growth in tax revenues from overseas tax payers during JanOct period
China pays billion yuan in export tariff rebates in first months of last year
China publishes rules on options for senior managerial officers
Chinese Vice Premier encourages defense industry scientific and technological innovation
World benefits from Chinas development says senior press officer
China to overhaul export of motorcycles
Trips to countryside to promote Chinas tourism industry
Chinese goverment sets goals for meteorological development
China rules out curbs on lowemission economical cars
Fishing vessel capsize leaves missing in E China province
China Focus Jointstock bank makes highprofile debut to propel local economy in N China
Profit from Chinas agricultural machinery industry soars
Worlds highest Ferris wheel to spin in E China city
News analysis China values role of SMS in handling public emergencies
China to improve enforcement of statistics law for accurate economic survey
Chinas textile council seeking mutual understanding with US counterpart
Bus collision injures at least in SW China city
Chinas hat exports grow percent
ChinaPakistan treaty of friendship cooperation and goodneighborly relations goes into effect
China to select national intangible cultural heritage
Central China city continues cooperation with UNICEF in aiding street children
Exhibtion on Jewish refugees to open in NE China city
China accelerates pace on FTA establishment in
US becomes No trade partner of NW China autonomous region
Chinas total retail sales of consumer goods in to top trillion yuan
China to unveil panda couple for Taiwan
Beijings urban unemployment rate within percent in
Foreign exchange rates in Hong Kong Jan
American luxury travel ship brings foreign visitors to S China city
Special zone to be built in protection of rare pine species
Chinas first feeder passenger jet to go into trial production
Chinas textile industry booms in despite trade disputes RMB appreciation more
by Fan Xi Tian Sulei
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Most of Chinas cultural institutions which have long enjoyed the privilege of an iron rice bowl will have to face the test of a changing market as China makes a move to boost cultural development according to a government document issued Wednesday
The document of guidelines on deepening reform of cultural system requires general art troupes publishing houses newspapers and magazines on culture art life and popular science bookstores movie studios theaters TV play producers cultural intermediary organizations to gradually restructure into market businesses
Jointly issued by the Communist Party of China CPC Central Committee and the State Council the document indicates that Chinas top leadership has decided to embrace marketization to invigorate the countrys cultural undertakings
Only organizations that offer public cultural service such as libraries museums cultural and scientific centers and Party periodicals news agencies radio and TV stations major news websites politics periodicals a few publishing houses for political and public welfare purposes major social science research institutes art troupes showing national features will still enjoy state support
China initiated a cultural system reform experiment in in nine cities and provinces such as Beijing Shanghai Guangdong and Lijiang a tourist destination in southwest China
The marketoriented reform has seen initial success in those regions Set up in Aug Beijing Song and Dance Theater Co Ltd saw its revenue double in the second half of last year to million yuan dollars from the first half before its restructuring
Its major shareholder capital Toursim Co has cashed in on its advantage of Beijings tourist market and the advertising campaign of Beijing TV Station to bring a slew of visitors to the theater by having it sign performance contracts with over a dozen Beijing hotels
In Shanghai a grand art center was established by incorporating six institutions including the Shanghai Theater Concert Hall and Shanghai Symphony Orchestra an epitome of cultural resources merging in the country
According to sources with the Ministry of Culture a batch of art aircraft carriers are likely to sail to the market as the reform designed to boost socialist cultural prosperity proceeds
The government will increase input in public cultural activities said the document Meanwhile efforts shall be made to encourage various sides to invest in these activities
In view of Chinas rapid urbanization and economic expansion there has been growing consensus among Chinese scholars and government decisionmakers that development of the cultural sector has failed to keep pace
Economically better off Chinese people now desire better and richer cultural activities yet the domestic cultural industry is unable to meet that demand
The government has recognized the importance of developing the cultural industry to regional economic development and the relations of developing cultural industry with peoples spiritual pursuits said Chen Shaofeng deputy director of the cultural industry research institute of Beijing University
To push the reform the document stressed changing the ownership structure of the cultural industry to gradually form a pattern with public ownership as the mainstay and various forms of ownership developing side by side
Private capital is encouraged to enter cultural sectors approved by the government in various forms
It also said the CPC will continue to maintain control on the news media news media officials and correct guidance of the public opinion to ensure the news media always lives up to its nature as the mouthpiece of the Party and the people
But the advertising printing circulation and transmission branches of news media organizations and affiliated TV and movie studios and sales departments are permitted to operate as businesses on the market Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Beijing began issuing plates to electric bicyclists Wednesday to ease the capital citys traffic issuing about plates on the first day
A circular of the Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau said that from Jan electric bikes that have met national standards and entered an approved list are officially allowed to take to the road after being registered with the citys traffic administration
The citys traffic administration advised the electric bicyclists to apply for a plate in time Any electric bicyclist running on road with a plate will be fined from Feb on
The city stopped issuing plates to electric bikes on August after the number reached tens of thousands citing the reason that used batteries of such bikes are hard to dispose of and may pollute the environment
The issue had been hotly debated by the public Electric bike producers argued that a sound system for retrieving and disposing of used batteries had been established Beijing citizens generally favor lifting the ban saying such bikes are a very convenient means of transportation
The move is just part of a series of measures undertaken by the capital city to address traffic congestion Other major steps include greatly increasing the number of buses and building more urban railways
Other areas in China including a few cities in Hubei and Guangdong provinces still ban the use of electric bikes Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Seventythree accountancy firms should be closed down because they have been involved in various illegal activities such as taking bribes and kickbacks the China Daily reported Thursday
The Chinese Institute of Certified Public Accountants CICPA discovered the companies were not following proper audit programs giving improper conclusions and used nonstandard practices
The institute also found that some of the firms did not properly control their staff members resulting in a large number of improper audit reports Another firms and certified accountants were also criticized by the CICPA
Following their investigation CICPA officials have suggested the Ministry of Finance close down the firms But it is up to the ministry to make the final decision
The CICPA launched a fourmonth investigation across the country last July The examination focused on new and small accounting firms accounting for percent of the total professional accounting firms in China
Cai Xiaofeng director of the general office of the CICPA said the firms were too small and had very poor riskcontrol standards Bribes and kickbacks were also very popular among the firms
Because of limited resources and insufficient expertise they charged unreasonably low fees to clients resulting in vicious competition within the industry and low quality audit reporting Cai said
According to Cai This year the CICPA will launch a series of measures to help tidy up the market Professional auditing standards will be further improved The institute also wants to launch longterm vocational training and ethical training programs providing guidance to improve auditing skills Enditem
SHANGHAI Jan Xinhua Shanghai urban traffic carried million passenger trips during the new year holiday from January to according to sources with the Shanghai municipal communications bureau
Bus was still a major means of transport during the holiday Everyday about buses handled million passenger trips covering the daily mileage of million km
Some cabs carried million passengers playing key roles in the holiday traffic
Longdistance buses and tramlines were also very important for residents and travelers About longdistance buses carried passengers and six tramlines handled million passengers
Shanghai municipal communications bureau also took a series of measures to ease urban traffic tension These included the increase of buses to major business zones and nightshift buses Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Following are the major domestic news items scheduled to be covered or pursued by Xinhua on Thursday
NPC vice chairman meets Swedish parliamentary delegation
National meeting on science and technology and industries for national defense
The Ministry of Civil Affairs briefs press on work review
The Supreme Peoples Court holds conference of its provincial heads
Serial activities marking th birthday of Mozart
Coal transport improves in China
Shanghai to boost development of modern service industry
EChina province ensures safe drinking water supply for rural residents
Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua The central parity of the RMB against four major currencies announced Thursday by the China Foreign Exchange Trading System
Currency Unit Middle Price in RMB yuan
US Dollar
Euro
Japanese Yen
Hong Kong Dollar
The central parity of the RMB against US dollar is based on a weighted average of enquired prices from all market makers before the opening of the market in each business day
The central parity of the RMB against the other three currencies is based on the central rate of the RMB against the US dollar of the same business day as well as the exchange rates of the three currencies against the US dollar at am of the same business day in the international foreign exchange market Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua A recent survey shows Shanghai is the happiest place to live in among Chinas three biggest cities
Residents in Beijing and Guangzhou polled by the Shanghai Urban Investigation Team under the local government also rated it as their preferred place to live in according to Thursdays China Daily
Fortynine percent of those questioned in the three cities considered living in Shanghai the most comfortable while percent chose Beijing and percent Guangzhou said the survey
Eightyfive percent of Shanghai locals feel happy with the city while only half of Guangzhou citizens like their city Seventynine percent of Beijing citizens are satisfied with the capital city of China
One of the perceived benefits to living in Shanghai is better wages
I want to find a comparatively betterpaid job in Shanghai then hopefully I can afford to buy a house here in less than years said Wang Dandan a graduate student at the Shanghai International Studies University who was born in Guangzhou and came to Shanghai four years ago
Wangs dream of settling in Shanghai was echoed by nonlocal fellow students at the university
Shanghai is the place where you can fulfil your life more excitingly said Zhao Min one of Wangs fellow students who came from Anhui Province
More than percent of Shanghai citizens who were polled are content with their quality of life as a whole
Half of Shanghai residents think that the rise in the costofliving index has been at least matched by an improvement of living quality with the more they earn the more they can spend
Average annual disposable earnings per person for urban citizens in China came to yuan US dollars in an yearonyear increase of percent
The research also showed that around percent of people aged from to who had obtained bachelors degrees or above agreed that income was an important guideline for the quality of life and an even higher percentage of people percent with a monthly income above yuan US agreed Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Migrating birds may have triggered the countrys latest bird flu outbreak in Dazhu County southwestern Sichuan Province according to the local government
The cause of the outbreak is still under investigation But it is most likely to have been spread by migratory birds since no bird flu has been reported in other parts of Sichuan or neighbouring Chongqing Municipality Su Lin of the Sichuan Provincial Department of Health was quoted as saying by Thursdays China Daily
Nobody has been infected with the HN virus in Dazhu as the blood tests of all the people in close contact with the dead poultry were negative said Su chief of the Emergency Response Office under the department
Dazhu some kilometers east of provincial capital Chengdu is where migratory birds from North China such as white cranes stop before flying further south to spend winter said Su
Although most migratory birds from the north have left Sichuan for the south some remain and will not leave until Spring Festival which starts on January said the official
The Ministry of Agriculture had sent an expert team to Dazhu to guide control efforts
In line with Chinas animal epidemic prevention regulations the epidemic site in Dazhu is being put under quarantine isolation for a minimum of days
Between December and chickens and ducks died in three households in Yangjia Towns Liuyan Village Most buyers were calm about the situation in farm produce markets in Chengdu even though many famous Sichuan dishes contain chicken
Hong Kong however has decided to suspend imports of live poultry and poultry meat from Sichuan the Health Welfare and Food Bureau of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government said on the official website of the HKSAR Government Wednesday Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Natural disasters in China left people dead million persons displaced million houses collapsed and led to direct economic losses of billion yuan billion US dollars in Li Liguo vice minister of Civil Affairs said here Thursday Enditem
HONG KONG Jan Xinhua Hong Kong stocks went up points or percent to open at on Thursday Enditem
GUANGZHOU Jan Xinhua Eight people were confirmed dead and others injured in a vehicle collision accident on Wednesday noon in Shaoguan City south Chinas Guangdong Province the city government sources said on Thursday
At around pm on Wednesday a truck ran headon into a bus on the Likeng section of the national highway No in Xinfeng County of Shaoguan The accident killed four people on the spot and another four died later in hospital with others injured Three of the are in critical condition the sources added
Cause of the accident is being investigated Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Highlights of major Beijingbased newspapers on Thursday
Peoples Daily
China will set up a comprehensive meteorological observation system by calling for rational exploitation and utilization of climate resources according to a State Council meeting convened Wednesday In addition the executive meeting examined the revised draft Law on Education allocating more funds for rural schools and raising quality of textbooks
Economic Daily
Chinese Vice Premier Huang Ju said Wednesday that China should enhance the capacity of independent innovation in its defense industry and defenserelated scientific and technological research according to the working conference on the industry science and technology for national defense
China Youth Daily
The Chinese mainland plans to unveil a giant panda couple for Taiwan on Friday the State Forestry Administration SFA announced Wednesday The most matching couple won in a fierce competition against nine other candidates They interacted well during their trial marriage
China Daily
The Chinese government Wednesday issued a notice to encourage the use of environmentally friendly low emission cars All restrictions on such small cars must be lifted before the end of March Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Natural disasters combined in China left people dead million persons displaced million houses collapsed and led to direct economic losses of billion yuan billion US dollars in Li Liguo vice minister of Civil Affairs said here on Thursday
Given the unforgivingness of nature in the numbers of evacuees and direct economic losses have recorded a new high in recent five years with the death toll second to that in and the number of collapsed houses second only to that in when heavy deluge flooded the Huaihe River official statistics show
witnessed yet another year fraught with natural disasters for China Li said at a press conference
In the year China was plagued by flood typhoon drought hailstorm and snowstorm freeze landslide mud and rock flow and earthquake among other disasters he said
Li noted that major tributaries of the Pearl River Huaihe and Liaohe River Basins the Minjiang River in Fujian Province the Yangtze River and the Yellow River were hard hit by inundation
Extreme climatic events landslide and mud and rock flow haunted parts of China leaving a tragic trail of casualties and destruction
Eight powerful typhoons landing along the eastern and southern coast swept many areas with hefty losses incurred
Henan and Yunnan provinces have experienced rare and severe droughts ever recorded in recent years
Of the earthquakes measuring degrees of magnitude that ravaged the Chinese mainland the one measuring degrees on Richter scale left Jiujiang of Jiangxi Province with huge economic losses Li said Enditem
YINCHUAN Jan Xinhua Four people were killed in a landslide at a coal mine in northwestern Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region a local government source said Thursday
The accident happened at around am Wednesday at the Helan Coal Mine in Shizuishan City when five workers were clearing the mouth of a coal mine shaft Only one escaped according to the source
Rescuers have recovered the bodies of the four victims who were from the regions Pingluo County and the provinces of Sichuan and Gansu according to the local government source
Investigation into the cause of the accident is underway Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Natural disasters combined in China left people dead million persons displaced million houses collapsed and led to direct economic losses of billion yuan billion US dollars in Li Liguo vice minister of Civil Affairs said here on Thursday
Given the unforgivingness of nature in the numbers of evacuees and direct economic losses have recorded a new high in recent five years with the death toll second to that in and the number of collapsed houses second only to that in when heavy deluge flooded the Huaihe River official statistics show
witnessed yet another year fraught with natural disasters for China Li said at a press conference
In the year China was plagued by flood typhoon drought hailstorm and snowstorm freeze landslide mud and rock flow and earthquake among other disasters he said
Li noted that major tributaries of the Pearl River Huaihe and Liaohe River Basins the Minjiang River in Fujian Province the Yangtze River and the Yellow River were hard hit by inundation
Extreme climatic events landslide and mud and rock flow haunted parts of China leaving a tragic trail of casualties and destruction
Eight powerful typhoons landing along the eastern and southern coast swept many areas with hefty losses incurred
Henan and Yunnan provinces have experienced rare and severe droughts ever recorded in recent years
Of the earthquakes measuring degrees of magnitude that ravaged the Chinese mainland the one measuring degrees on Richter scale left Jiujiang of Jiangxi Province with huge economic losses Li said
In response to these disasters the MCA has collaborated with relevant departments to earmark billion yuan billion US dollars as the central budget for disaster rescue and relief initiatives Li said
The State Natural Disaster Relief Contingency Plan was put in place he said stressing the total of emergency plans executed in far outnumbered that in and which registered and respectively
The disaster reduction capacity in China has been tremendously enhanced across the board he said
The leadership of State Disaster Reduction Commission committed to disaster reduction and relief efforts has been improved with the strong support of a newly established panel consisting of academicians and renowned experts he said
The roundtheclock disaster monitoring mechanism has taken shape and a meeting system designed to bring competent departments together on a monthly basis has been improving
Meanwhile the ground system for the moonlet constellation designed for environment and disaster monitoring approved by the State Council started operation and the communitybased Disaster Reduction Outreach Campaign was launched nationwide to enhance the public awareness he noted
The Chinese government also intensified its cooperation with the international community for disaster reduction and relief in Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua China will take the death rate per million yuan million US dollars of the GDP as a norm in examining the national economy and social development Li Yizhong director of the State Administration of Work Safety SAWS has said
At a videoconference on work safety on Wednesday Li said that work safety will become an important norm in examining achievements that concerned departments or enterprises have made
The work safety watchdog will endeavor to find out those flouting and violating laws and supervision rules abusing power for private gain or being neglectful of duty or obligation and put them under the legal punishments said Li
The SAWS will take measures in the first quarter of to prevent big and serious production accidents
These measures include the elimination of the hidden risks of coal mine accidents by strengthening supervision close of coal mines still unqualified after consolidation enhancement of coal mine resource integration and coal mine gas controlling improvement of management over coal mine construction projects and putting those responsible under prosecution
According to statistics of the SAWS China saw accidents in which represented percent lower year on year leaving people dead a percent drop from a year ago
A total of coal mine accidents were reported in with a yearonyear decrease rate of percent killing people a little less than a year ago Enditem
HONG KONG Jan Xinhua Hong Kong stocks went up points or percent to finish the morning session at on Thursday Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Natural disasters combined in China left people dead million persons displaced million houses collapsed and led to direct economic losses of billion yuan billion US dollars in Li Liguo vice minister of Civil Affairs said here on Thursday
Given the unforgivingness of nature in the numbers of evacuees and direct economic losses have recorded a new high in recent five years with the death toll second to that in and the number of collapsed houses second only to that in when heavy deluge flooded the Huaihe River official statistics show
witnessed yet another year fraught with natural disasters for China Li said at a press conference
In the year China was plagued by flood typhoon drought hailstorm and snowstorm freeze landslide mud and rock flow and earthquake among other disasters he said
Li noted that major tributaries of the Pearl River Huaihe and Liaohe River Basins the Minjiang River in Fujian Province the Yangtze River and the Yellow River were hard hit by inundation
Extreme climatic events landslide and mud and rock flow haunted parts of China leaving a tragic trail of casualties and destruction
Eight powerful typhoons landing along the eastern and southern coast swept many areas with hefty losses incurred
Henan and Yunnan provinces have experienced rare and severe droughts ever recorded in recent years
Of the earthquakes measuring degrees of magnitude that ravaged the Chinese mainland the one measuring degrees on Richter scale left Jiujiang of Jiangxi Province with huge economic losses Li said
In response to these disasters the MCA has collaborated with relevant departments to earmark billion yuan billion US dollars as the central budget for disaster rescue and relief initiatives Li said
The State Natural Disaster Relief Contingency Plan was put in place he said stressing the total of emergency plans executed in far outnumbered that in and which registered and respectively
The disaster reduction capacity in China has been tremendously enhanced across the board he said
The leadership of State Disaster Reduction Commission committed to disaster reduction and relief efforts has been improved with the strong support of a newly established panel consisting of academicians and renowned experts he said
The roundtheclock disaster monitoring mechanism has taken shape and a meeting system designed to bring competent departments together on a monthly basis has been improving
Meanwhile the ground system for the moonlet constellation designed for environment and disaster monitoring approved by the State Council started operation and the communitybased Disaster Reduction Outreach Campaign was launched nationwide to enhance the public awareness he noted
The Chinese government also intensified its cooperation with the international community for disaster reduction and relief in
In addition donation drive has been well organized across the country Li said
According to government statistics the Chinese civil society donated million yuan million US dollars for the affected areas
The onetoone program has turned out to be quite productive Li said With this program provinces and municipalities including Beijing Tianjin Shanghai Jiangsu and Zhejiang donated million yuan million US dollars and other disaster relief supplies to provinces and autonomous regions including Hebei and Inner Mongolia
Various localities carried out diversified donation drives featuring the theme of winter clothing warms the heart in response to the initiative proposed by Hu Jintao general secretary of the Communist Party of China CPC Central Committee he stressed
Official statistics by Dec indicated that the members of the CPC pooled over million yuan million US dollars in cash and pieces of winter clothing and quilts to help the affected weather through the harsh winter
These donations at various levels are important to help the needy and the affected in urban and rural areas to tide over their difficulties Li said Enditem
HONG KONG Jana Xinhua A civilian expedition composed of six Chinese mountaineers arrived in Hong Kong on Thursday morning formally completing their mission of clearing seven summits in seven continents and reaching both the South and North Poles Seven Plus Two Mission
The group reached the South Pole on December which enabled two members Wang Sachs and Chung Kin Man to complete their Seven Plus Two Mission The yearold Chung also became the first Hong Kong native that has fulfilled the mission
The expedition to the South Pole was smooth and we had very good cooperation with each other Wang told a small group of media at the airport terminal
The expedition landed on the Antarctic continent on December and reached the South Pole days later Only light injuries of frostbite were reported in the mission
Wang and Chung have added two more Chinese names to the list of people that accomplished the Seven Plus Two Mission
Chinese mountaineers Wang Yongfeng Ci Luo and Liu Jian on Dec reached the South Pole and completed the Seven Plus Two Mission Before the trio only five people had achieved the mission Enditem
SHANGHAI Jan Xinhua Shanghai a leading economic powerhouse in east China will further improve its industrial structure and give priority to development of modern service industry in the coming five years
According to development research center under the city government Shanghai will base growth of the modern service industry on a digitization drive and put financial and logistics sectors high on the development agent for the period
The city will take five years to build itself into an information service center home to international information service groups and one of the telecommunications hubs in the whole Asian and Pacific region
The research center predicted that the information sector in Shanghai would realize billion yuan billion US dollars in valueadded output by The financial sector expects to realize billion yuan billion US dollars in output value or more than percent of the citys GDP
The logistics sector will claim another percent of the local economy by then with its annual container turnover reaching million TEUs twentyfoot equivalent unit and annual air cargo turnover at million tons
Between and Shanghai will build a group of digital cultural bases and parks and speed up development of education training sports and entertainment The cultural industry is expected to annually generate billion yuan billion US dollars in valueadded output
In the fiveyear period exhibition business tourism and community services will be expanded in Shanghai By the city will organize international exhibitions and international conferences a year
As part of Shanghais efforts to boost the modern service industry an association of modern service industry was established at the end of last year covering financial logistics commerce real estate information service and exhibition sector Enditem
HARBIN Jan Xinhua Three migrant workers were killed and three others injured in wee hours Thursday during a cavein at a constriction site in Harbin capital of northeast Chinas Heilongjiang Province
The tragedy occurred around midnight when frozen earth at a housing construction site at the citys Xuefu Road tumbled burying Sun Guicai a migrant worker a witness said
His five coworkers tried to rescue him when an ensuing cavein buried all of them into the hole five to six meters underground
Soon afterward fire engines and three ambulances rushed to the scene
All the six migrant workers were spotted by at noon Thursday but Sun and two of his peers were dead according to the work safety supervision bureau of Harbin City
Yu Xianbin who was among the three injured workers said they began driving wood stakes into the ground foundation but frozen earth suddenly fell downward
Two other workers received serious fractures but both were in a stable condition said Zhang Jie doctor of the Hospital of the Peoples Liberation Army PLA where they were treated
A special work team was set up by the provincial work safety bureau and supervision department to probe the cause of the cavein accident Enditem
MACAO Jan Xinhua Emperor Palace Casino the th casino in Chinas Macao Special Administrative Region SAR opened here Thursday
International movie celebrity Jackie Chan hosted the lightsup opening ceremony of the Grand Emperor hotel where the casino is located
The sevenfloor new casino features an entire floor of slot machines worth million Hong Kong dollars US dollars
The hotel is operated by Emperor Entertainment Hotel Limited which has been listed in the Hong Kong stock market
Macao with a population of has a year history of gaming industry and is the only part of China where casino gaming is legal
Direct tax paid by the previous casinos dominates over percent of the SAR governments annual revenue Enditem
TIANJIN Jan Xinhua North Chinas port city Tianjin plans to invest billion yuan about billion USdollars in the coming five years to reinforce port construction
An official with the port said the port is expected to handle million tons and ten million TEU of goods in
Statistics show that goods handling capability of Tianjin port rose from tons in to million tons in with annual growth of percent
Tianjin port has marched into the worlds top ten ports in the past five years
In the next five years pipelines linking Tianjin port with petrochemical industry enterprises of Cangzhou Shijiazhuang and Beijing will be installed with a handling capability to reach up to million tons by the year Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Beijings two railway stations are expected to receive million passengers in upcoming Spring Festival or Chinas Lunar New Year which falls on Jan this year according to railway station forecast
The Beijing Western Railway Station will carry million passengers and the Beijing Railway Station will receive million passengers representing a year on year increase of percent respectively
A source with the Beijing Railway Station said it would handle about passengers daily with the peak passenger flow expecting to reach persons
Millions of Chinese including migrant workers college students and others working far away from their hometowns rush to home for a family Reunion during each years Spring Festival an important occasion for Chinese families similar to Christmas in the western countries
The peak period of transportation for upcoming Spring Festival will start from Jan and last days before ending in late February
Beijing railway authorities have made full preparations for helping people back home smoothly this year
The Beijing Railway Station will open an additional windows to sell tickets around the clock and has added pairs of temporary trains on regular railway lines to ship holiday makers back home and vice versa after the holiday season
Passenger flow throughout China will hit billion persons in the Spring Festival period up percent over the corresponding period of last year according to official forecast Enditem
SHANGHAI Jan Xinhua Shanghai Chinas economic powerhouse saw record commercial sales of nearly billion yuan billion US dollars on New Years Day according to Shanghai Economic Committee
With promotion activities including offering discounts large and mediumsized commercial enterprises realized billion yuan of total sales up percent from the corresponding day last year the committee said
The percent increase is also a record growth rate the committee said
Shanghai No Yaohan Co sold million yuan million dollars worth of goods in hours on New Years Day a record high of daily sales volume among department stores nationwide
Out of the commercial enterprises department stores saw biggest increase in sales growth rate the committee said The department stores realized million yuan million dollars of sales volume up percent from the same day last year Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinas homemade films have brought in billion yuan about million US dollars revenue from overseas markets in up percent over the previous year
Statistics from the State Administration of Radio Film and Television SARFT show Chinas film production set a record of films in and revenue from the homemade movies exceeded those of imported blockbusters
SARFT says more than parts of TV plays were produced in and minute cartoons were made in China or nearly doubled the cartoon production in
In addition the TV and radio networks covers million more population in Chinas rural areas More than million films were shown in the rural areas in and the number of audience reached billion persontimes
According to SARFT a total of digital radio or TV programs were launched in China last year and more than theatres introduced advanced digital technology Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua The Composite Stock Index on the Shanghai Stock Exchange closed at points on Thursday up points from the previous close
A Share Index points up points
B Share Index points up points
Total Turnover yuan Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua China currently has orphans among whom have been adopted by governmentsponsored orphanages said Li Liguo Chinas vice minister of civil affairs on Thursday
New orphan problems such as the insufficient basic maintenance and the incomplete orphanage salvation system have frequently emerged Li said at a press conference
In China nearly percent orphans aged under are adopted by relatives mostly grandparents who are in their s or s and are living under the poverty line according to the ministry
Some orphans live with their uncles or aunts in China The adoption considered as the familys overburden often stirs conflicts in families and such adopted children always roam about the streets and may commit juvenile delinquency after making bad friends said Li
In China children under years old who lost one parent have reached as many as Li said
Relevant departments in China are currently improving the orphanage salvation system including providing orphans life subsistence cost no lower than the local average building and restructuring orphanadoption facilities and offering more financial assistance to orphans education medical treatment employment and lodging Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua The Composite Stock Index on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange closed at points on Thursday up points from the previous close
A Share Index points up points
B Share Index points up points
Total Turnover yuan Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinas jewelry export grew percent year on year to billion US dollars during the JanuaryNovember period of figures from the Chinese customs show
During the month period China exported noble metal jewelry worth billion US dollars diamonds worth billion US dollars and pearls worth million US dollars statistics show
Southern Guangdong Province contributes percent of Chinas total jewelry export which was billion US dollars
The export volume of Shandong Province Shanghai and Beijing municipalities Zhejiang Hunan and Fujian provinces stood at and million US dollars respectively ranking from the second to the seventh among all Chinas provincial regions
Chinas capacity in jewelry process has been greatly enhanced in recent years and the country is expected to become a world jewelry process center in the future
Figures show that over percent of jewelry sold in Hong Kong is processed and manufactured on the Chinese mainland which now has more than factories wholly processing jewelry for overseas markets Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua The Hushen Index reflecting the whole fluctuation of Chinas Shanghai and Shenzhen stock exchanges closed at points on Thursday up points from the previous close
About one fifth of the total shares listed in the two markets have been chosen as samples of the Hushen Index accounting for percent of the market value in Chinas stock market Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Beijing recorded billion US dollars in the volume of its trade with foreign countries in the first months of last year representing a yearonyear growth of percent local commerce authorities said
The total trade volume included billion US dollars in exports up percent over the same period of the previous year
The capital citys foreign trade is expected to reach billion US dollars for the whole year of including billion US dollars in exports and billion US dollars in imports
It is noteworthy that exports of software kept increasing in Beijing
According to the commerce authorities Beijing sold abroad million US dollars worth of software from January to November last year up percent from the same period of the previous year
In the citys software export stood at million US dollars percent of Chinas total ranking first across the country The export volume was times the level with an average annual growth rate of percent for the period Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Report on the quality of air in major Chinese cities Jan to Jan Beijing Time released by the China Environmental Monitoring Center
City Major Pollutant Air Quality Level
Beijing particulate matter II
Tianjin sulfur dioxide II
Shijiazhuang particulate matter II
Qinhuangdao sulfur dioxide II
Taiyuan sulfur dioxide II
Hohhot sulfur dioxide II
Shenyang particulate matter II
Dalian particulate matter II
Changchun particulate matter II
Harbin particulate matter II
Shanghai I
Nanjing I
Suzhou I
Nantong I
Lianyungang particulate matter II
Hangzhou I
Ningbo I
Wenzhou particulate matter II
Hefei I
Fuzhou particulate matter II
Xiamen particulate matter II
Nanchang particulate matter II
Jinan particulate matter II
Qingdao sulfur dioxide II
Yantai sulfur dioxide II
Zhengzhou particulate matter II
Wuhan sulfur dioxide II
Changsha sulfur dioxide II
Guangzhou particulate matter II
Shenzhen particulate matter II
Zhuhai particulate matter II
Shantou particulate matter II
Zhanjiang I
Nanning I
Guilin I
Beihai I
Haikou I
Chongqing sulfur dioxide II
Chengdu sulfur dioxide II
Guiyang sulfur dioxide II
Kunming sulfur dioxide II
Lhasa particulate matter II
Xian I
Lanzhou sulfur dioxide II
Xining particulate matter II
Yinchuan sulfur dioxide II
Urumqi sulfur dioxide III
The center classifies air quality in Chinas urban areas into five levels level I or excellent pollution reading not exceeding level II or fairly good pollution reading to level III or slightly polluted pollution reading to level IV or poor pollution reading to and level V or hazardous pollution reading over
The cities monitored by the center include the four municipalities of Beijing Tianjin Shanghai and Chongqing provincial or autonomous regional capitals and major cities in economically developed coastal areas and tourist attractions Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinese armed police force should make greater contribution to the establishment of a harmonious socialist society State Councilor Zhou Yongkang said here Thursday
The Peoples Armed Police has played a vital role in maintaining national security and social stability in the past two years where a great number of heroic models like onearmed Colonel Ding Xiaobing came to the fore Zhou said at an extended meeting of the Party committee of the Peoples Armed Police
The year is the first year of Chinas th fiveyear plan which requires more arduous efforts in maintaining social stability therefore the armed police should boost the building of the troops and increase ability in dealing with any possible emergencies and antiterrorist tasks thus providing a reliable base for the nations development he noted
All the officers and men in the Armed Police should firmly implement the important instructions made by Hu Jintao chairman of the Central Military Commission of the Communist Party of China during his two meetings with the Party deputies of the Armed Police Zhou said
He called on the Party Committees at various levels in the Armed Police to step up ideological and political construction and further improve the combat abilities and prioritize the construction at grassroots level Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinas Ministry of Communications will join hands with provinces along the Yangtze River to deepen the rivers watercourse to facilitate transportation of third and fourth generations of container ships
The project will begin this year and last three years costing an estimated billion yuan billion US dollars said Cao Desheng deputy director of the Waterway Transportation Bureau under the Ministry of Communications
The funds will be spent on building infrastructure projects of navigable courses and a number of ports along the river Cao said
In the next three years the water section downstream Nanjing capital of Jiangsu Province in east China will be dredged to facilitate navigation of third and fourth generation of container ships on all weather conditions as well as deadweighttonnage ships
By the section downstream Anqing in east Chinas Anhui Province will be dredged to serve navigation of deadweighttonnage oceangoing ships Cao said
Efforts will be made to expand the navigable course to Shuifu of Yunnan Province in southwest China on the upper reaches he said
Statistics from the Ministry of Communications show only about percent of Yangtzes navigable capacity is being utilized Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinese Vice President Zeng Qinghong will pay an official visit to the Republic of Kazakhstan from January to at the invitation of President Nursultan Nazarbayev and attend the inaugural ceremony of President Nazarbayev during his visit
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang made the announcement at a regular press conference here Thursday afternoon Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinas railway network transported a total of million tons of cargoes in a rise of percent or million tons more than the previous year a source with the Ministry of Railways said on Thursday
The source said its freight transport sector has maintained a high growth rate for seven consecutive years since
In Chinas four land ports Manzhouli Suifenhe Erenhot and Alataw Pass handled a total of million tons of cargoes an increase of percent over said the ministry source
The source said the Chinese railways also transported million tons of imported crude oil and million tons of timber in Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua China exported a total of billion pairs of glasses worth billion US dollars in the JanuaryNovember period of up and percent year on year respectively
The China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Light Industrial Products and ArtsCrafts released the figures on Thursday The average price for each pair is US dollars up percent
The eyewear export volume to Hong Kong the United States the European Union and Japan accounts for and percent of Chinese mainlands total eyewear export figures show
Figures indicate that percent of Chinas glasses export comes from southern coastal Guangdong province and east Chinas Zhejiang Jiangsu and Fujian provinces and Shanghai municipality
The glasses export volume of Chinese privatelyowned enterprises increased by percent year on year making up percent of the countrys total That of foreignfunded firms and stateowned enterprises grew and percent respectively accounting for and percent of the total
Relevant figures show that percent of Chinas glasses exports hinges on the processing trade during the period Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua China expects a percent growth in the supply of M broad money and a percent growth in the supply of M narrow money in Financial institutions will increase trillion yuan billion US dollars in loan this year the countrys central bank announced here Thursday Enditem
HONG KONG Jan Xinhua Following are Thursdays major Hang Seng Indexes managed and compiled by HSI Service Limited a wholly owned subsidiary of the Hang Seng Bank
Index Previous Close Close Change
Hang Seng Index
Subindices
Finance
Utilities
Properties
ComInd
Hang Seng Composite
Index
Hang Seng Hong Kong
Composite Index
Hang Seng Mainland
Composite Index
Hang Seng China
Enterprises Index
Hang Seng ChinaAffiliated
Corporations Index
Turnover
million HK dollars
million US dollars
Enditem
HONG KONG Jan Xinhua Following are foreign exchange rates against the Hong Kong dollar released by the Bank of China Hong Kong Limited at on Thursday
Buying Selling
Japanese yen
Swiss franc
British pound
Australian dollar
Canadian dollar
Euro
US dollar
Enditem
HONG KONG Jan Xinhua Hong Kong stocks went up points or percent to close at on Thursday Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Courts across China handled more than complaint letters and personal visits in the first months of said Cao Jianming vice president of the Supreme Peoples Court SPC here on Thursday
The letters and visits usually air complaints about sentences of the courts Based on these letters and visits the courts placed cases on file for further probe and prosecution and settled some cases Cao said
Among them noted Cao cases altered the original sentences or percent of the total number of effective cases during that period
Addressing a national conference attended by heads of courts at the provincial level Cao said that a total of hearings were held by the courts during the period so as to make the investigations more transparent
Xiao Yang president of the Supreme Peoples Court said a working mechanism for handling peoples letters and personal visits should be improved in courts so as to put an end to the current chaotic situation in this field
The letters and visits should be handled seriously and meticulously acknowledged Xiao and active efforts have to be made to rely on the support of Party committees and government departments at various levels to resolve mass complaints or protests so that social conflicts and contradictions will be dissolved timely and appropriately so as to guarantee harmony and stability of society Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Weather forecast for major Chinese cities Jan Jan Beijing Time temperatures in Celsius
Min Max Condition Wind scale
Beijing clear
Harbin clear
Tianjin clear
Urumqi clear
Xian cloudyclear
Lhasa clear
Chengdu sleet
Chongqing drizzle
Kunming overcastclear
Nanjing cloudyclear
Shanghai overcastcloudy
Wuhan cloudyclear
Hangzhou overcastcloudy
Taipei drizzle
Guangzhou overcastcloudy
Hong Kong overcastcloudy
Macao overcastcloudy
SOURCE Central Meteorological Station China Enditem
NANJING Jan Xinhua The death of Japanese veteran Shiro Azuma Tuesday aroused sympathy among the Chinese people
The former soldier whose diary discloses Japans wartime atrocities in China is remembered as a friend who upheld justice and bravely confessed to the wartime crimes of himself and his country He died Tuesday at age in Kyoto
Hes gone to heaven with regained conscience and the Chinese peoples understanding said Zhan Hongge an avid collector of historical documents about the Chinese peoples eightyear war of resistance against Japanese aggressors We wish him a good journey
Shiro could set an example for other Japanese people said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang at a regular press conference
Shiro Azuma was a soldier in the Japanese army that occupied Nanjing then Chinas capital in December In the following weeks they killed more than unarmed Chinese soldiers and civilians
After the war he lamented his actions and made public the truth of Nanjing Massacre at various rallies in Japan He offered sincere apology and showed deep remorse in a special trip to Nanjing in
Shiro also recorded the Japanese armys atrocities in his diary and had it published in which triggered Japanese rightist politicians charge of lying He was brought to court in and lost the lawsuit In the Japanese Supreme Court denied Shiros appeal in which he sought to acknowledge the history of Japans invasion of China
He who respects history will be respected by history
The death of Shiro Azuma is a loss for those Japanese people who are brave to acknowledge the truth of history and a loss for all the righteous people who are safeguarding the friendly ties between China and Japan said Zhu Chengshan curator of the Memorial Hall of the Victims in the Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders
He who respects history will be respected by history he told a large crowd of audience who gathered to mourn the Japanese veteran Wednesday
Zhu will lead a delegation to Japan to attend Shiro Azumas funeral Friday
Duan Yueping deputy curator of the memorial hall was the first Nanjinger to receive Shiro in December A man of he was darkhaired and in perfect health But he looked saddened and gloomy all during the tour said Duan He later told me that remorse was pricking him and he feared the Nanjing people would hate him
But Shiro finally won the sympathy and respect of the Chinese people with his own sincerity
He was a warrior fighting for justice he was a sincere friend to the Chinese people and he stood for the Japanese mainstream in respect of the attitude toward history says Jing Shenghong a professor of history at Nanjing Teachers University
Shiro Azuma will be remembered for ever as a true friend of the Nanjingers and all the Chinese people says Duan Yueping We believe the peaceloving people in China and Japan will carry forward his tenacious spirit expand consensus on historical issues and promote peace and friendship
Deathbed confession
Shiro Azuma last visited China in and his diary and statements were widely publicized in Chinese press
Even at his deathbed Shiro was still regretting over his wartime mistakes
In our last meeting in he told me the sole desire in his life was to visit Nanjing again and make another apology said Zhu Chengshan curator of the Nanjing memorial I was moved by his tenacity and discussed with his family members trying to arrange for his China tour
But Shiros desire never came true because his deteriorating health didnt allow such a tiring journey at all
Does the fact that your countryman was remorseful even at deathbed awaken the Japanese rightists to the truth of history said Zhou Shaoru an ordinary citizen in Nanjing in an interview with Xinhua Thursday
Mr Shiro has gone but he has left behind an important message that hatred of the past is not impassable it is possible for China and Japan to get over wartime enmity and move towards reconciliation and friendship as long as the Japanese government sincerely retrospect history said Prof Zhang Lianhong a researcher on the notorious Nanjing Massacre at Nanjing Teachers University
Japans occupation of parts of China from to remains a sore point in the two countries diplomatic ties
Relations between China and Japan experienced a chill in due to controversial shrine visits by Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi the publishing of Japanese history textbooks that gloss over its wartime atrocities and Japans unilateral oil field exploration observers said
China has repeated on many occasions its desire to enhance friendly communication and cooperation with Japan in such fields as politics economy culture and nongovernmental sectors Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing will pay official visits to Cape Verde Senegal Mali Liberia Nigeria and Libya from January to Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang announced at a regular press conference here Thursday
Li will visit the six African nations at the invitation of Victor Borges minister of foreign affairs cooperation and communities of the Republic of Cape Verde Cheikh Tidiane Gadio minister of foreign affairs of the Republic of Senegal Moctar Ouane minister of foreign affairs and international cooperation of the Republic of Mali Thomas Nimely foreign minister of the national transitional government of the Republic of Liberia Oluyemi Adeniji minister of foreign affairs of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Abd Rahman Shalgam secretary of the General Peoples Committee for Foreign Liasion and International Cooperation of the Great Socialist Peoples Libyan Arab Jamahiriya the spokesman said Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Weather forecast for world cities Jan Jan Beijing Time temperatures in Celsius
Min Max Condition Wind scale
Beijing clear
Tokyo overcast
Bangkok overcastcloudy
Sydney shower
Karachi clear
Cairo clear
Moscow cloudy
Frankfurt snow showerovercast
Paris cloudyovercast
London overcast
New York overcast
SOURCE Central Meteorological Station China Enditem
NANJING Jan Xinhua Most rural residents in east Chinas Jiangsu Province have access to safe drinking water after the construction of waterworks in the past three years provincial authorities said Thursday
Tap water coverage rate in rural areas rose to percent up from percent of rural residents three years ago which means million residents have benefited from the rural tap water supplies according to official statistics
Jiangsu has input more than billion yuan million US dollars since a provincewide drive to provide its rural residents with safe drinking water in January
It originally planned to benefit million rural residents and increase running water coverage to some percent in rural areas
Six teams had been formed to check and approve projects in various localities and they found that the province has materialized its goal to provide safe drinking water for rural residents
With the success of the drive Jiangsu province will focus on water quality improvement and management of waterworks in its rural areas said an official with the Jiangsu Provincial Health Department Enditem
BEIJING Jan XinhuaThe Peoples Bank of China or the central bank said here Thursday that a rational floating rate system will be further improved in a step to give a full play to the market in forming the Renminbi exchange rate
The central bank made the announcement at its annual working conference convened in Nanchang capital of east Chinas Jiangxi Province
According to the central bank China launched reform on its Renminbi exchange rate forming system in July and great achievement has been made in the past months in the field
The central bank said at the conference that the reform on Chinas Renminbi exchange rate will be accelerated in the year and Chinas currency the yuan will keep basically stable and floating at a rational equilibrium Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Courts across China adjudicated criminal cases and gave sentences to criminals during the first months of said Cao Jianming vicepresident of the Supreme Peoples Court here on Thursday
Addressing a national conference attended by the heads of provincelevel courts Cao said Chinese courts stepped up trials on crimes of spying state power subversion and state secession during in a bid to safeguard national security and social stability in accordance with law
The court also meted out hard blows at organized crimes such as theft robbery drug trafficking gambling and online crimes he said
Courts across the country tried and concluded cases relating to severe production safety cases in in which persons were given sentences
Courts across the country tried and concluded corruption cases in which people were given sentences during the first months of
In the past year Cao said courts across the country followed the principle of giving sentences to the guilty but releasing the innocent in time In a total of people were proved innocent and released by courts
Courts around China also took a series of substantial measures to stem the occurrence of illegally prolonged detention and regulate the procedures of sentence commuting and release on probation so as to improve the human rights protection in judicial section Cao said Enditem
HONG KONG Jan Xinhua Hong Kong shares ended higher Thursday with the bluechip Hang Seng Index rose points or percent to after trading between and during the session
Turnover totaled billion HK dollars billion US dollars down slightly from billion HK dollars Wednesday
Hang Lung Properties rose percent to HK dollars Sino Land ended percent higher at HK dollars and Henderson Land gained to HK dollars
HSBC rose percent to HK dollars Hang Seng Bank ended percent higher at HK dollars
CLP Holdings fell percent to HK dollars and Hongkong Electric ended percent lower at HK dollars Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua A senior Chinese official will attend the inaugural ministerial meeting of the AsianPacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate in Sydney next week a diplomatic source said here Thursday
Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang told a regular press conference that Hua Jianmin state councilor and secretarygeneral of the State Council will attend the meeting from Jan to
To cope with climate change is a longterm and complex task of the international community and China supports various flexible and pragmatic methods in this regard Qin said noting that the partnership is a good attempt
The partnership is a supplement rather than a substitute for the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol and it will not affect the implementation of the Kyoto Protocol he said
China hopes the partnership will enhance cooperation on the research transfer and popularization of technologies on climate change
We hope it will carve out a new way on which we can effectively deal with climate change and promote economic progress Qin said
China the United States India Australia the Republic of Korea and Japan jointly announced to launch the partnership last July which was aimed at promoting international energy cooperation and coping with climate change and environmental problems caused by economic development
Hua will also visit Australia and New Zealand from Jan to Jan at the invitation of the two governments Enditem
HONG KONG Jan Xinhua Share prices on the Taiwan Stock Exchange closed higher on Thursday with the weighted index the market s key barometer moving up points to close at
The bourse fluctuated between and during trading with a market turnover of billion new Taiwan dollars billion US dollars
All eight major stock categories gained ground with construction issues moving up the most at percent followed by foodstuff issues at percent banking and financial shares at percent machinery and electronics shares at percent chemicals shares at percent paper and pulp issues at percent textile stocks at percent and cement stocks at percent
Gainers outnumbered losers to with stocks remaining unchanged Enditem
HONG KONG Jan Xinhua A fourday cultural event focusing on Hong Kong heritage will be held in Vancouver to strengthen Hong Kongs cultural ties with Canada and promote the citys heritage to the Canadian community the Hong Kong government announced Thursday
Jointly organized by Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Canada HKETO and the Canadian Cancer Society of British Columbia Hong Kong Cultural Heritage Celebrations will be held over Chinese New Year in Vancouver
The highlights of the Hong Kong celebrations are martial arts Cantonese opera performances and a Hong Kong Heritage Exhibition
A member Hong Kong delegation led by Hong Kongs Secretary for Home Affairs Patrick Ho will fly to Vancouver as the citys Goodwill Ambassadors to send their greetings to the people in Vancouver Enditem
HONG KONG Jan Xinhua With the approach of the Year of the Dog a threeweek major cleanup campaign would begin in Hong Kong Friday the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department FEHD of the special administrative region announced Thursday
The Lunar New Year the most important holiday for Chinese people will arrive late this month during which most families would like to enjoy a big gettogether To clean up the house and decorate it for the holiday spirit is also an important part in the usually weeklong preparation
The spokesman of FEHD said It is our tradition to have a cleanup before the Lunar New Year So it is time for everyone to act now
He added that the opening hours of refuse collection points would extend and temporary junk collection points would be provided for people to dispose large pieces of household waste
During the campaign period the department will thoroughly clean streets public toilets public places and back lanes Common parts of those old tenement buildings will be inspected
We call on the public to join us Its only through concerted efforts that we can enjoy a cleaner environment in the Year of the Dog the spokesman said Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Courts across China accepted and adjudicated criminal intellectual Property Rights IPR violation cases during the first months last year up percent from the same period of said Cao Jianming vicepresident of the Supreme Peoples Court here on Thursday
Cao said the quality and efficiency of trial on IPR violation cases were further improved in During the first months Chinas courts tried and concluded civil IPR violation cases at first instance up percent from the same period of the previous year In percent of the cases noted Cao plaintiff withdrew their charges after the mediation by courts and the courts only received retrial applications on IPR violation cases in the year
Xiao Yang the countrys top judge and president of the Supreme Peoples Court said in his address to a national conference attended by the heads of provincelevel courts that the fight against IPR violation had to be intensified in future so as to create a favorable legal environment for independent innovation
The intellectual fruits of technicians authors and hightech enterprises should be further protected in the years ahead and internetrelated IPR protection be enhanced Xiao said For example disputes on domain names and trademarks should be resolved on time and judicial interpretations on issues relating to unfair competition plant varieties protection and music TV be stipulated in time Xiao said Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua China is expected to consume more than million tons of rubber in an increase of over percent year on year the International Business Daily reported
The newspaper which is affiliated to Chinas Ministry of Commerce based the estimate on Chinas fast economic growth and the huge amount of Chinas rubberrelated exports
Increasing infrastructure construction accelerated industrialization the improvement of peoples living standards and more vehicle purchases have led to the continuous growth of Chinas rubber consumption in recent years and the momentum will carry over into the newspaper said
It expected Chinas rubber output in to grow more than percent to million tons million of which will be synthetic rubber
In China will import at least million tons of rubber an increase of percent over it said predicting a continued high rubber prices in
The domestic rubber price could still drop during the year if China lowers the rubber import tariff or if the international crude oil price falls considerably it said
If the Renminbi appreciates further rubber import costs will go down which will also lead to lower rubber prices in China the newspaper said Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua The first snowfall in Beijing in the new year has brought down the temperature which dropped to nine degrees Celsius below zero early Thursday morning
The snow that fell in the night of Jan was short but following cold air with strong gale continued to dominate the national capital
Local meteorologists said warm and humid air was weak and cold air was strong enough to bring the temperature down
Falling snowflakes added to the joy of people in the new year celebrations Public transportation and medical authorities started emergency response systems as soon as the snow began to fall Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Following the death of Shiro Azuma the Nanjing massacre diary author China has expressed condolences and sympathy to his relatives Qin Gang a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said here Thursday
I hope that more Japanese like Shiro Azuma will contribute to the friendship between China and Japan in the spirit of learning from history and facing the future said Qin
Azuma was a soldier in the Japanese army during the war of aggression against China He recorded the atrocities of the Nanjing massacre in his diary and had it published in which triggered a charge of lying from Japanese rightist politicians
Half a century later Azuma had the courage to review the history of the aggression defend the truth and apologise to the victimized country so his sense of justice and efforts to promote SinoJapanese relations win our respect Qin said
Azuma died of cancer Tuesday in a hospital in Kyoto Prefecture Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said here Thursday that Japan should honor its word on reproaching itself for its history of invasion
On Wednesday Japans Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi again defended his visits to the Yasukuni Shrine honoring Japanese war dead saying that it is a spiritual issue
When asked to comment on Koizumis remarks Qin told a regular press conference that Chinas stance on the issue of shrine visits is well known
The current difficult situation in SinoJapanese relations was not caused by China Qin said hoping the Japanese side would realize this
He said China and Japan should enhance exchanges and cooperation and Chinas stance on developing goodneighborly relations with Japan is consistent and clear
We hope Japan will properly handle issues concerning the political basis of bilateral ties consider Chinese peoples feelings and create the conditions for an improvement of SinoJapanese ties Qin said Enditem
by Xinhua writer Liu Dongkai
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Trade volumes between China and African countries in are estimated at over billion US dollars a record high and a sharp increase over the previous years less than billion US dollars
According to customs figures ChinaAfrica trade reached billion US dollars in the first months of jumping more than percent over the same period of
Yu Yingfu an official from the Chinese Ministry of Commerce said ChinaAfrica trade and economic cooperation have entered a new phase of allround rapid and stable growth since the establishment of a new platform of dialogue and cooperation in known as ChinaAfrica Forum
As trade structures have improved over the past five years China and African countries have more than tripled trade volume
In the period China has imported more goods and service from African countries than it exported to them African goods are flowing at an accelerating rate into China even faster than the growth of Chinese exports to Africa
High value added products in contrast with cheap manufactured goods made up nearly percent of Chinas exports to African countries in The high value added items include machinery and electronic equipment high and newtech products
Official figures show that in the first months of Chinas exports to Africa were billion US dollars while imports from Africa were billion US dollars The growth rate of imports from Africa was percent faster than the percent growth of exports
Yu said that in as political stability in the African continent improved and economic recovery picked up speed African countries have paid greater attention to strengthening trade and economic links with China
The close contact between the leaders of China and African countries and their political will to enhance friendship and cooperation have given a strong impetus to trade and economic ties Yu said
Since the beginning of China has begun scrapping tariffs on kinds of imported goods from of the least developed African countries with which it has diplomatic relations These trade incentive measures helped double the exports of African goods to China last year
Meanwhile the Chinese government encourages Chinese companies to invest and set up joint ventures in Africa ChinaAfrica economic cooperation is growing in scale scope and diversification Yu said
Official statistics show that in the first months of Chinese companies invested a total of million US dollars in African countries Investments went into a wide range of areas including trade resource development transport agriculture and processing of farm products Yu said
By October investment by Chinese companies in Africa topped billion US dollars China has signed investment protection agreements with African countries It has also inked agreements on eliminating double taxation with eight African countries
Chinese companies are also taking on more construction projects in Africa From January through October they won billion US dollarworth of contracts in the continent
ChinaAfrica Forum established in has become an important platform for promoting dialogue and cooperation between China and African countries So far China and African countries have set up mixed trade and economic cooperation committees The new mechanism has played a positive role in resolving problems and coordinating stances in bilateral trade and economic links
Yu said providing aid to Africa was an important part of ChinaAfrica cooperation As Chinas economic strength has increased China has scaled up its assistance to African countries As part of the aid program China has helped train thousands of professional talents from most of the African countries
Prospects for ChinaAfrica trade and economic cooperation will be even brighter in the Yu said Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua A series of celebrations will be held in China this year to commemorate the th birthday of wellknown Austrian composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart sources with Austrian Embassy to China said here Thursday
A concert will be given on Jan by two Austrian musician Dominik Hellsberg violin and Maria Radutu piano and Chinese pianist Lang Lang
On Jan two Austrian artists will give another concert on Mozarts masterpieces including Sonata in Gmajor KV and Sonata in Cmajor KV for piano and violin
The Austrian Airlines the national carrier of Austria will also launch Mozart packages for Chinese tourists
The worldwide celebrations will include opera performances concerts festivals and galas exhibitions and academic forums said Hans Dietmar Schweisgut Austrian ambassador to China
The entire year of will revolve around this oneofakind musician in Salzburg his birthplace in Vienna and everywhere else where his legacy lives on Schweisgut said
Schweisgut said Austria will take the event as a good opportunity to promote AustriaChina and EuropeChina friendly communication Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Enmeshed in efforts to help migrant workers recover unpaid wages Beijing trade union promised to give a hot Jiaozi dinner to migrant workers that had to stay in Beijing during Chinas biggest festival
Besides helping them recover their backpay we are trying to buy train tickets for them so that they can return home and offer those who do not go back a hot new year dinner said a representative from Beijing trade union who did not give his name
Chinese dumplings are one of the most important foods in the traditional Chinese lunar new year festival especially in the north of the country Jiaozi is as important to the Chinese as turkey is to Westerners at Christmas
At a television conference held by the AllChina Federation of Trade Unions ACFTU Thursday trade unions from various localities made their new year resolutions to provide help to union members all over the country especially migrant workers
In Shenyang the capital city of northeast Chinas Liaoning Province its trade union has opened a shuttle service for migrant workers during the festive period providing them with free tickets as well as other daily necessities such as overcoats and medicines
Migrant workers became a new member of the working class at the th National Trade Union Congress held in September
According to the ACFTU China has an estimated million rural migrant workers percent of its total population or oneseventh of Chinas labor force with many of them active in construction sites and their semilegal status grants them little protection against employers Enditem
HARBIN Jan Xinhua Mikhail Titarenko chairman of the RussiaChina Friendship Association RCFA said that the mutual establishment of Russia year in China and China year in Russia in and will further bilateral ties and improve mutual understanding between the two peoples
Titarenko who is also the head of the Russian Sciences Academys Far East Research Institute made the remark in his talks with Chen Haosu president of the Chinese Peoples Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries here Thursday
He said that the RussiaChina strategic partnership and bilateral cooperation are of vital importance to the maintenance of world peace adding that the two governments will launch various academic cultural and educational cooperation projects during the national year period
According to information from the RCFA the projects will include seminars on ecology and environmental protection the economy and culture attended by experts and scholars from China and Russia in addition to several photo shows on Chinas achievements
Chinese and Russian literature art and other cultural treasures are very much appreciated by the two peoples said Titarenko predicting that NGOs from the two countries will play a bigger role in deepening mutual understanding between the two peoples Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua China hopes that the sixparty talks will resume at an early date and achieve new progress in the new year Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said here Thursday
Qin told a regular press conference that the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue is confronted with some new and complicated factors All parties concerned should take the whole situation into account and properly handle relevant issues through full communication and consultation he noted
Qin expressed his hope that all concerned parties jointly create a sound environment to push forward the progress of the sixparty talks
China will as always keep contacts with all other five parties the spokesman said
The sixparty talks which is aimed at resolving the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula entered the fifth round in November The six parties China the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea the United States the Republic of Korea Russia and Japan agreed in a chairmans document on Nov to hold the secondphase meeting of the fifth round at the earliest possible date Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua China built ships totaling million dead weight tonnages dwt last year up percent yearonyear becoming the third biggest shipbuilding nation in the world while its share of the world ship market grew to percent officials said Thursday
Jin Zhuanglong spokesperson for the Commission of Science Technology and Industry for National Defense said the countrys shipbuilding sector posted over billion yuan about million US dollars in profits and billion US dollars in foreign exchange earnings in
Total sales revenues of the countrys major shipyards reached billion yuan up percent said the spokesperson
China also received million dwt ship orders in the past year bringing its overall volume of orders for ships to million dwt by the end of last December up percent said Jin Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Li Tieying vice chairman of the Standing Committee of the National Peoples Congress NPC Chinas top legislature met here Thursday with a Swedish delegation headed by Claes Roxbergh chairman of the Committee of Transportation and Communication of the Swedish parliament
The delegation arrived in Beijing on Tuesday for an elevenday China visit at the invitation of the NPC Financial and Economic Committee
The Swedish delegation will also visit Shanghai and Guangzhou capital of Chinas southern Guangdong province Enditem
HONG KONG Jan Xinhua The gold price in Hong Kong went down HK dollars to HK dollars per tael on Thursday according to the Bank of China Hong Kong
The price is equivalent to dollars a troy ounce down dollars at Thursdays exchange rate of one US dollar against HK dollars Enditem
HONG KONG Jan Xinhua Following are Thursdays major Hang Seng Indexes managed and compiled by HSI Service Limited a wholly owned subsidiary of the Hang Seng Bank
Index Previous Close Close Change
Hang Seng Index
Finance
Utilities
Properties
ComInd
Hang Seng Composite
Index
Hang Seng Hong Kong
Composite Index
Hang Seng Mainland
Composite Index
Hang Seng China
Enterprises Index
Hang Seng ChinaAffiliated
Corporations Index
Turnover
million HK dollars
million US dollars
Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua China has commended people for their eminent contributions to its manned space program which sent two Chinese astronauts into space last October and made the country the third nation capable of doing so on its own officials said here Thursday
Jin Zhuanglong spokesperson for the Commission of Science Technology and Industry for National Defense said that the Ministry of Personnel announced the namelist of those cited Wednesday at a national work conference held by the commission
Without providing the namelist Jin said those commended are those who have contributed tremendously to research and development manufacturing testing projects for the program and those working for the program as managerial personnel or security guards during the past two years
The successful flight and return of Shenzhou VI spacecraft last October carrying two Chinese astronauts on a fiveday mission represent a landmark victory for China in its development of manned space technology and helped increase the countrys international competitiveness and comprehensive nation strength the spokesperson noted
The space mission followed Chinas first successful manned space flight in October that sent the countrys first astronaut Yang Liwei on a hour space trip
China plans to set up a mantended space station for the peaceful use of space resources in the coming decades Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua China has set aside million yuan million US dollars for quakehit areas in east Chinas Jiangxi Province a central government official said here Thursday
This is one of the largest sum of allocations provided by the central government for a disasterhit area in recent years said Wang Zhenyao director of Disaster Relief Department under the Ministry of Civil Affairs at a press conference held here Thursday
An earthquake measuring on the Richter scale hit Jiujiang and Ruichang cities in Jiangxi Province on Nov last year killing people and destroying many buildings The central government immediately sent million yuan million US dollars to the area for disaster relief
On the eve of the New Year Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao visited quakehit areas and promised another million yuan million US dollars from the central government for afterquake reconstructions
The quality of the houses must be ensured Wen said during the visit asking local government to give priority to rebuilding the campus
The quake has caused about billion yuan million US dollars of economic losses and left about people homeless The municipal government appealed for more financial support when rebuilding residences and shelters to help the massive number of homeless get through the winter Enditem
by Xinhua writers Wang Jingzhong Tian Sulei
BEIJING Jan Xinhua People in China now rate environmental protection higher than economic growth according to a survey report released here Thursday
The survey issued by the China Environmental Culture Promotion Association found percent of the respondents approved of putting environmental protection ahead of economic growth
Carried out like a Gallup poll the survey covered people in the age bracket in eight cities five towns and seven villages All have lived in local areas for more than two years
The survey shows the public feel the urgency of environmental problems Thats a very encouraging development said an official with the association
The survey showed that percent of the public believe government input in environmental protection is inadequate and call for more percent believe awarenessraising campaigns are not good enough
The public recommends two approaches to addressing environmental problems rigid law enforcement and more vigorous publicity efforts
The respondents rank air pollution caused by industrial pollution as their top environmental concern followed by garbage treatment and sewage treatment
However the survey disclosed that the general publics actions do not match their rising environmental awareness Only percent of people had taken part in environmental protection in the preceding three months Participation in efforts to save water for example or electricity is low
Experts here ascribed the phenomenon to a lack of mature mechanisms to facilitate public participation
Many people are unaware of what rights they have and what steps they could take said an official with the association More measures should be taken including making more specific laws and regulations to help people make their contribution to environmental protection
China suffered several grave environmental incidents last year including serious pollution of northeast Chinas Songhua River The accident forced cities along the river to stop drawing water from the river for several days and annoyed downstream Russian cities
The accident alerted the government and people alike to the serious impact of environmental pollution and compelled them to take immediate action Enditem
HONG KONG Jan Xinhua Following are temperatures and weather forecast of Jan for AsiaPacific cities dispatched by the Hong Kong Observatory on Thursday
WEATHER
CITY MINIMUM MAXIMUM FORECAST
HONG KONG CLOUDY
MACAO RAIN
GUANGZHOU CLOUDY
SHANGHAI CLOUDY
BEIJING FINE
TAIPEI RAIN
SEOUL CLOUDY
TOKYO CLOUDY
MANILA OVERCAST
HANOI SHOWERS
HO CHI MINH CITY BRIGHT
BANGKOK SHOWERS
KUALA LUMPUR RAIN
SINGAPORE THUNDERSTORMS
NEW DELHI FOG
MUMBAI FINE
KARACHI DRY
JAKARTA RAIN
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN FINE
SYDNEY THUNDERSTORMS
MELBOURNE FINE
BRISBANE THUNDERSTORMS
Enditem
HONG KONG Jan Xinhua Hong Kong has set a new record by becoming the third most expensive business location globally with the biggest rally in office occupancy costs in according to a recent survey by international property adviser DTZ Debenham Tie Leung
DTZ Debenham Tie Leung released its latest Global Office Occupancy Costs Survey here Thursday to review the current trends in office occupancy costs at major prime office locations in countries and regions worldwide
Among the business locations London West End and London City continued to maintain their top two positions with respective occupancy costs of US dollars and US dollars per sq per annum the survey said
With Hong Kongs occupancy costs surging percent the highest rate of increase in office occupancy costs in globally it has surpassed Tokyo for the first time to become the most expensive business location in Asia also the third most expensive business location globally with an annual occupancy costs of US dollars per sq
According to the survey last year in US dollar terms percent of the business districts experienced increases in occupancy costs while percent experienced drops with the remaining percent stable
However when calculated in local terms the picture is slightly different with percent of business districts registered cost increments percent saw declines and percent remained stable it said
Occupancy Cost is defined as the average total cost for leasing office space in modern wellspecified buildings in a prime central business district with a lettable area of about sqft It includes rents and outgoings such as property tax and maintenance costs but excludes rentfree period fitting out costs and other leasing incentives Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said at a regular press conference Thursday that the nuclear energy cooperation between China and Pakistan is absolutely for peaceful purpose
Qin made the remark when asked about the claimed purchase of Chinese nuclear reactor by Pakistan
Qin said a spokesman for Pakistans foreign affairs ministry has denied such a report
He said that ChinaPakistan nuclear energy cooperation is supervised by the International Atomic Energy Agency IAEA and is not against Chinas obligation to the international community Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinas top judge and president of the Supreme Peoples Court SPC Xiao Yang reaffirmed here Thursday that the SPC will withdraw the death sentence review power in
A SPC source disclosed that new criminal courts have been established for handling death sentence reviews The SPC is selecting qualified judges nationwide to take charge of the work
Chinas edition of the Criminal Procedural Law specified that all death sentences with immediate execution must be reviewed by the SPC However in a bid to strike hard at crime the peoples court organizational law promulgated in made it possible for some death sentences with immediate execution to be reviewed by the provincial higher peoples court
Since then facts show that allowing provincial higher peoples courts to review death sentences results in inconsistency and injustice
When addressing a national conference attended by heads of courts at the provincial level Xiao also urged courts to open court sessions when hearing death sentence cases in second instance to speed up trial supervision reform to unify judicial adjudication yardsticks and to further improve the juror system and judicial democracy Enditem
KUNMING Jan Xinhua With a kilovolt electricity transmission project under construction in Yunnan this southwest China province is expected to send million kw of electricity to Vietnam by
The kilovolt SinoVietnamese power transmission project located in the Honghe HaniYi Autonomous Prefecture will have a kmlong transmission line and the project will be completed at a cost of million yuan million US dollars
The starting point of the transmission line the kilovolt Datun Electricity Transformer Substation has been completed and went into operation in November according to the Yunnan Power Grid Company
A source with the company said Yunnan will send power to Vietnam through the kilovolt transmission project on Oct this year
Yunnan began sending electricity to Vietnam in To date the province has sent million kwh of electricity to Vietnam Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua China has set research and development targets for its defense industry to meet the countrys national defense needs and the development of the national economy for the five years through officials said Thursday
Jin Zhuanglong the spokesperson for the Commission of Science Techonology and Industry for National Defense said the sector will meet the basic needs of the countrys armed services for hightech weaponry and improve its research and development capability for high technology industrial applications
China also plans to improve its fundamental capability in basic science and research and in science and development infranstructure in the coming five years he said
Jin said China will put in place a new framework that combines its military research and development capability with civilian sectors including a mechanism allowing the military and civilian sectors to interact with each other to ensure fast progress in the military sector
On major tasks for the coming five years Jin listed development of nuclear energy a manned space program a lunar probe program civilian planes and shipbuilding
China will work hard to achieve RD breakthroughs in key technologies for the countrys shipbuilding sector while giving priority to the countrys three shipbuilding bases along the PanBohai Rim in north China the Yangtze River Delta and the Pearl River Delta he said
The countrys military sector has reported an average annual increase of percent in production of civilian goods in the past five years In the whole sector became profitable after eight years of losses Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua China is ready to expand friendly cooperation with Bolivia in various fields including energy cooperation Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said here Thursday
Qin made the remarks in response to a question about potential China Bolivia energy projects during Bolivian PresidentElect Evo Moraless upcoming visit to China
China and Bolivia have enjoyed sound cooperation and China hopes to maintain mutually beneficial cooperation and exchanges with Bolivia at different levels Qin said
Bolivia is the second largest natural gas producer in South America Its known natural gas reserves total trillion cubic meters Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinas defense industry reported fast growth in renenue and added value last year with total revenues industrial added value and manufacturing revenue up percent percent and percent year on year respectively
Jin Zhuanglong the spokesperson for the Commission of Science Techonology and Industry for National Defense said Thursday the countrys defense industrial groups posted a percent growth in combined profits
Addressing a press conference on the sidelines of a national work conference held by the commission Jin said the countrys weaponry and equipment research and development programs had been progressing smoothly and that weapons and equipment had been delivered to the armed forces as planned
The spokesperson said the sector generated billion yuan billion US dollars worth of civilian goods up percent year on year
He also cited progress with the initial operation of the No generating unit of Tianwan Nuclear Power Station in Jiangsu Province east China and the launch of the Lingao Nuclear Power Station Phase II project in Guangdong Province southeast China as well as five successful space launches in
Last year the sector built ships totaling million dead weight tonnage and motor vehicles he said
China made breakthroughs last year in expanding international cooperation with other countries in the space sector Jin said
China signed an agreement with the European Space Agency for governmental cooperation in the space sector and a convention on the proposed AsiaPacific Space Cooperation Organization with seven other countries in Asia and South America including Indonesia Mongolia Pakistan Thailand and Peru Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said here Thursday that Japans accusations over the suicide of a Japanese diplomat in Shanghai were unfounded
Qin made the remark when asked to comment on Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abes assertion earlier on Thursday that the Chinese agents actions were in violation of international conventions
Japans claim is unfounded and is an intentional attempt to instigate trouble Qin told a regular press conference
Qin said that China is a responsible nation that protects the lawful rights and interests of foreign diplomatic personnel in the country
China has always abided by international conventions including the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations the spokesman noted
We request the Japanese side to handle this issue calmly and properly and not make fresh trouble for SinoJapanese relations Qin said
It is a suicide case and China and Japan clearly defined the nature of the case a year and a half ago according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry Enditem
SHANGHAI Jan Xinhua In Shanghai Chinas largest metropolis contracted for projects worth billion US dollars up percent on according to a report released by the Shanghai Overseas Investment Work Committee
Over the past two decades Shanghai has attracted a total of billion dollars for more than projects Of this amount billion dollars was realized by Jan
The citys overseas investment features a big increase in the service sector with the focus on foreignfunded commercial projects
In Shanghaibased overseasfunded companies reported billion dollars of foreign trade volume up percent on the previous year according to the report Enditem
HONG KONG Jan Xinhua Fortyone Hong Kong citizens were commended at the Good Citizen Award Presentation Ceremony Thursday for their bravery in helping the police fight crime
The recipients comprised men and three women With their help about culprits were arrested for a variety of offences including wounding robbery indecent assault and blackmail
One of the recipients yearold high school student Tse Kinfai won the top honor of the year Good Citizen Year Award
Tse helped subdue a man who snatched a mobile phone from a woman and hurt her with a cutter near Mass Transit Railway Shau Kei Wan Station on Nov He was injured in the hand and neck in the pursuit of the suspect who was arrested and later sentenced to a yearandmonth imprisonment
I didnt think much at that time and just knew that I should go and pursuit the suspect he said but its really scary I when think back
Tse said he was happy to receive the prize and that his parents and friends showed support to his braveness in fighting crime
Speaking at the ceremony the Commissioner of Hong Kong Police Lee Mingkwai commended the recipients for their courage and commitment to the society
Tse was presented with a plaque and a cash award of HK dollars about US dollars Each of the Good Citizen Award winners was presented with a certificate and a check of HK dollars
The Good Citizen Award Scheme first launched in and is held twice a year is organized by the Police Public Relations Branch Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said here Thursday that Japan has accepted the proposal made by China at the third round of ChinaJapan consultations on the East China Sea issue to jointly develop East China Sea resources
Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang made the remarks at a routine press conference He added that the two sides have not yet dealt with details such as size of investments and the distribution of interests
He also denied reports by some Japanese media that Japan will offer investment funds for oil and gas exploration projects and that the two sides have reached agreement on the distribution of oil and gas resources
It is not true Qin said
China and Japan held the third round of consultations on the East China Sea issue in Tokyo from Sept to Oct The two sides exchanged views on the demarcation of the East China Sea and the possibility of launching joint sea resource development projects
The second round was held in Beijing in May The two parties had an indepth exchange of views on launching negotiations about the demarcation of the continental shelf of the East China Sea and promoting the joint development of marine resources in the area
The two sides agreed to peacefully resolve the issue in line with the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries during their meeting in Jakarta Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Qin Gang said here Thursday that the traditional friendship between China and African countries is based on mutual respect for each others sovereignty and territorial integrity
Qin made the remarks at a regular press conference Thursday afternoon following the announcement of Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxings visit to six African countries
Lis official visit will take him to Cape Verde Senegal Mali Liberia Nigeria and Libya Chinese foreign ministers traditionally kick off New Year diplomacy by making Africa their first overseas destination
Qin stressed that foreign countries respect for Chinas sovereignty and its territorial integrity is a key political requisite for China establishing diplomatic relations with them He reiterated that this respect is the foundation of the friendly and cooperative relationship between China and Africa
Qin noted that China has been active in developing mutually beneficial cooperation between Africa and itself adding that through bilateral channels or the multilateral ChinaAfrica Cooperation Forum cooperation will be extended to wider areas
Energy will be an area for cooperation Qin said
He acknowledged ChinaAfrica cooperation is in the interests of both sides and conducive to the development of countries in Africa
Further development of the friendly cooperation between China and Africa reflects a global trend to seek peace cooperation and growth said Qin
China is optimistic that China and African countries are bound to see further progress in their friendship and cooperation on the basis of the oneChina principle he added Enditem
HANGZHOU Jan Xinhua A CanadianChinese man was sentenced to seven years of imprisonment on Thursday in east Chinas Zhejiang Province for smuggling fossils of ancient extinct life the largest case ever in China involving pieces of primitive treasure
Zhu Chunlin a former university teacher who knew well about geology was found guilty of having been buying and smuggling fossils of primitive animals and birds like dinosaurs tortoises and tigers to the United States or reselling them on Chinese markets since with other five accomplices according to the ruling by the Jinhua Municipal Intermediate Peoples Court
They were caught by customs officials of Jinhua last November when officials spotted fossils they planned to smuggle abroad and later pieces they sold or hid in northeastern Jinzhou city and Shanghai including Jurassic hyphalosaurus fossils over million years old and Triassic keichousaurus hui fossils and ichthyosaurus fossils that date back over million years all banned from being exported out of China
Zhu was also fined yuan US dollars according to the court ruling
His five accomplices were sentenced to two to eight years and fined to yuan the ruling said
All the pieces of fossils have been confiscated it said Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua China will take a variety of measures in to promote the balance of international payments said sources with the State Administration of Foreign Exchange SAFE Thursday
At the working conference on foreign exchange management recently held in Nanchang capital of Jiangxi Province SAFE Director Hu Xiaolian said that achieving a balance of international payments is of great significance to the healthy development of the Chinese economy
However problems such as bigger foreign trade surplus and an imbalance of international payments still exist in Chinas rapidly growing economy he said
According to the conference to promote the balance of international payments the SAFE will improve the management of foreign exchange in current accounts and facilitate trade and investment in
The SAFE will make further progress in the foreign exchange market and improve the managed floating exchange rate regime
In this way the SAFE will improve financial services for small deals of foreign exchange encourage financial institutions to make innovations in commodities and services and enhance monitoring and management on market risks said the conference
In the SAFE will expand channels for capital to flow in and out and advance capital account convertibility step by step
It will abolish quotas for foreign exchange overseas investment and provide more favorable policies to enterprises going abroad to make investments It will expand channels for overseas financial investment step by step and improve the Qualified Foreign Institutional Investor QFII system
The SAFE will make more efforts to standardize capital inflows to safeguard the economic and financial security of the country and improve the management of foreign exchange reserves said the conference
It will explore more effective ways of using capital reserves by improving money and capital structures and expanding investment fields for foreign exchange reserves
The SAFE will enhance its supervision of foreign exchange fund inflows and outflows and crack down on illegal foreign exchange deals said the conference Enditem
HEFEI Jan Xinhua A coalmine accident on Thursday has trapped people in Huainan a city in east Chinas Anhui Province according to local government sources
The accident took place at pm when twelve people were working at Wangfenggang Coalmine which was under construction
Preliminary investigation shows the accident was caused by a coal and gas explosion
Rescue work is underway Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua China expects percent growth for M broad money and percent growth for M narrow money in and financial institutions credit will increase by trillion yuan billion US dollars the countrys central bank announced here Thursday
China will continue to pursue a prudent monetary policy in said the working meeting of the Peoples Bank of China PBoC convened in Nanchang in East Chinas Jiangxi province on Jan
To this end the PBoC will make continued efforts to improve its forwardlooking analysis of the macroeconomic situation and financial operations
The meeting said the central bank would reinforce marketbased instruments to maintain a reasonable growth of money supply and credit
According to the meeting the marketbased interest rate reforms will be further carried out to improve the interest rate formation mechanism
The meeting also said that policy guidance would be provided to improve financial institutions credit structures and to encourage innovation in credit products
The money supply is the intermediate goal of the current monetary policy pursued by the PBoC
M is an antecedent index for a countrys economic performance reflecting the change in the amount of money in the hands of residents and enterprises while M shows the demand of the whole of society and indicates possible inflation Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinas cultural heritage protection department has begun to salvage an yearold ship the most precious ancient ship found so far in the world
The sunken ship which dates back to the early Southern Song Dynasty was the first ancient vessel discovered on the Marine Silk Road of the South China Sea and was named Nanhai No meaning South China Sea No
The total salvage cost will be over million yuan about million US dollars according to a Beijing Morning Post report
Chinese experts will make a huge steel box to salvage the ship with its silt Traditionally archaeologists would excavate the relics on the sunken boat first and then salvage the boat
Experts have spent three years making the salvage plan which is a first for underwater archaeology both at home and abroad Zhang Bai deputy director of the State Administration of Cultural Heritage was quoted as saying
Zhang said that in order to better protect the precious relics on Nanhai No and gain essential information we plan to salvage the ship together with the silt that covers it and move it into a specially built museum to carry out the excavation as carefully as possible
Nanhai No found accidentally in is located some sea miles west of Hailing Island of Yangjiang City in south Chinas Guangdong Province and more than meters deep in the sea The ship more than meters long is the largest cargo ship from the Song Dynasty so far discovered
Green glazed porcelain plates tin pots shadowy blue porcelains and other rare antiques have been found during the initial exploration of the ship Archaeologists estimate that there are probably to relics on the ship
Two meters of silt have helped protect the treasures and the ship for years but are also creating excavation difficulties for archaeologists
We could see nothing in the water and could only work by touch in the silt said Zhang Wanxing a member of Chinas national underwater archaeological team
At last experts decided to salvage the ship and silt togetherGuangdong Province has earmarked million yuan about million US dollars to build a Marine Silk Road Museum to preserve the salvaged ancient ship
To ensure that environmental and pressure changes do not damage the relics the ancient ship wrapped in silt will be put in a huge glass pool in which water temperature pressure and other environmental conditions will be the same as on the sea bed where the ship has slept for years
Archaeologists will conduct thorough excavations of the ship in the pool Looking through the glass walls of the pool visitors will be able to observe the archaeologists at work Zhang added Enditem
CHENGDU Jan Xinhua Dazhu County the latest bird flu outbreak site in southwest Chinas Sichuan Province has shut down all its live poultry markets amid efforts to prevent the spread of the epidemic
Sales of poultry eggs and related products have been banned in the county since Tuesday when the Ministry of Agriculture announced that bird flu had broken out in Dazhu said Yang Yue deputy director of the Sichuan Provincial Bureau for Industry and Commerce
Local residents remain calm and the price of other kinds of meat in the market has not changed Yang said
Residents understand the situation and no obstruction was encountered in closing the live poultry markets he said
A total of law enforcement officials have been dispatched to supervise the local markets he said
If no new bird flu outbreak is reported in Dazhu within days the live poultry markets can be reopened Yang said
The Municipal Bureau for Industry and Commerce of Dazhou City the highest authority in Dazhu County has banned sales of live poultry in all its counties
Hong Kong has decided to suspend imports of live poultry and poultry meat from Sichuan the Health Welfare and Food Bureau of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region HKSAR government said on Wednesday
Between Dec and last year chickens and ducks died in three households in Yangjia Towns Liuyan Village On Jan the Ministry of Agriculture confirmed the outbreak of HN bird flu there
Migratory birds have been blamed for the latest outbreak of bird flu in Dazhu China Daily reported on Thursday citing Su Lin of the Sichuan Provincial Department of Health
Nobody has been infected with the HN virus in Dazhu as the blood tests of all the people in close contact with the dead poultry have proved negative said Su chief of the Emergency Response Office in the department
Su said that Dazhu some kilometers east of provincial capital Chengdu is where migratory birds from North China such as white cranes stop before flying further south to spend winter
Although most migratory birds from the north have left Sichuan for the south some remain and will not leave until Spring Festival which starts on January said the official
The Ministry of Agriculture had sent an expert team to Dazhu to direct control efforts
In line with Chinas animal epidemic prevention regulations the Dazhu epidemic site will undergo quarantine isolation for a minimum of days Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua The Hall of Supreme Harmony the most grandiose hall of the worldfamous Imperial Palace in downtown Beijing will close for renovations starting from January this year and reopen at the end of according to sources with the Palace Museum
The Hall of Complete Harmony and the Hall of Preserving Harmony two other magnificent halls in the Palace will stay open during the renovation said the sources
Before the renovation the area open to the public was only square meters percent of the palaces ground space But when it reopens the area open to the public will increase by percent to nearly square meters half of the palaces total area
The project is part of larger efforts begun in to restore the imperial grandeur of the yearold palace the former residence of emperors
The ancient architecture repair center in the Palace Museum has taken measures to make up for the inconvenience to visitors said a center official
The Imperial Palace is Chinas biggest tourist attraction drawing some million visitors a year The Hall of Supreme Harmony was the most magnificent building in the palace as well as the place where all the emperors administrative affairs were dealt with
Decorated with thousands of dragons the traditional symbol of the emperors power the hall is considered the most important part of the palace Enditem
TIANJIN Jan Xinhua On Jan China implemented the alcohol circulation management regulation which explicitly forbids alcohol vendors from selling alcoholic drinks to minors Chinese drinks outlets and shops are not permitted to sell alcoholic beverages to minors under the age of
The aim of this first alcohol management regulation is to keep Chinese minors away from alcoholic beverages Chinese government officials would like young people to turn their backs on alcoholic drinks in
The history of the Chinese brewing industry can be traced back years Alcohol has high status in traditional Chinese culture and is a frequent theme in Chinese classic poetry
However research carried out by the Peking University psyche health institute points out that alcohol consumption is on the rise in China with percent of adult Chinese men and percent of women admitting to being regular drinkers
Many minors are addicted to alcoholic drinks which can cause fights and even alcoholism
The implementation of the alcohol circulation management regulation on the Chinese mainland means that beverages with an alcohol content of more than percent cannot be sold to minors
According to the standard not only distilled spirits but also most beers and wines are prohibited Alcohol vendors will get a warning from local government if they infringe the regulation and will get a yuan about US dollars fine if they stray from the law
Markets and shops involved in the alcohol business have been given a three month interim period Carrefour is taking the lead in taking action alcohol counters in its five supermarkets in north Chinas Tianjin city have a sign saying it is forbidden to sell alcoholic drinks to minors under the age of
Similar signs have been put up in some drinks stores in cities in west and south China
Wang Xiaozhong a public relations manager at Carrefour said that Carrefour employees have the right to refuse to sell alcoholic beverages to those who cannot prove their age Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinas kilometrelong Yangtze River has become the worlds busiest freshwater route with its annual freight volume surpassing those of the Mississippi of the United States and the Rhine of Europe said the Chinese Ministry of Communications
Cao Desheng vice director of the ministrys Water Transport Department said that the annual freight volume of the Yangtze River is now times that of the Mississippi which stands at million tons
The freight volume is also times that of the Rhine said Cao
Cao said the Yangtze River has been the most important inland waterway in China which transported percent of the total cargoes shipped on Chinas all inland waterways
By the end of major ports along the Yangtzr River handled a total of million tons of cargoes times that of the year
As the largest river in China and the third largest river in the world the Yangtze River starts at the foothills of the meter snowcovered Geladandong the main peak of the Tanggula Mountains in Qinghai Province
The river flows past Qinghai Tibet Yunnan Sichuan Hubei Hunan Jiangxi Anhui Jiangsu and Shanghai where it empties into the East China Sea Important cities along the way are Chongqing Wuhan Nanjing and Shanghai
The total gross domestic product GDP of all cities along the Yangtze River accounts for percent of the national total according to governmental statistics Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua China Mobile the countrys leading telecom operator witnessed business bustling in the past year with its users sending over million short messages a day said a China Mobile official at an annual China telecom symposium here Thursday
According to an official with the China Mobile research institute China Mobiles users kept increasing by million a month in and reached million by last September
China has the worlds largest mobile phone market with more than million mobile phone subscribers or an average of mobile phones per people
Revenue from data business accounted for percent of China Mobiles total earnings Wireless Application protocol WAP business expanded by percent over with revenue quintupling
As China Mobile has more than service providers globally downloading and sending multimedia messages and ringtones also brought profits to the operator The ringtones business brought about over million yuan million dollars in last October alone Enditem
By Xinhua writer An Bei Gu Qianjiang
BEIJING Jan Xinhua The Peoples Bank of China PBC Chinas central bank disclosed Thursday the macrocontrol goals for its monetary policy in
The yearonyear growth of Broad Money M in will be percent the growth for Narrow Money M will be percent and the increase of RMB loans will be billion yuan billion US dollars said the PBC
The goals show the prudence of Chinas monetary policy in said Peng Xingyun a financial expert at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences
The central bank aims to maintain stable growth of the macroeconomy through its monetary measures said Peng
The working conference of the PBC held Thursday in Nanchang capital of Jiangxi Province said that to realize the goals for the monetary policy in the central bank will enhance monitoring of economic and financial operations and increase the effectivenss of the monetary policy
The PBC will maintain a reasonable growth of loans by using a variety of monetary policy tools and advance the marketoriented interest rate forming mechanism said the conference
According to Peng to guard against a possible deflation the central bank set a higher growth goal of M in than the real growth rate in
Mainly composed of demand deposits M is a major settlement tool for commodities services and financial deals between enterprises
So the growth of M directly reflects the activity of the economy said Peng
As the first months of saw only a growth of percent of M Peng said that there existed deflationary factors and it is necessary for the central bank to set a higher growth rate of M in
According to the goals set for the monetary policy in the growth of M and M were both percent and the increase of RMB loans was billion yuan
However the real annual growth of M is expected to reach percent in while that of M will be a little lower than the goal and the increase of RMB loans would be less than billion yuan
As the major financing sources for the Chinese economy are banks bank loans are an important index in examining the growth of the economy said Peng
According to him although the increase goal of RMB loans set in is equal to that in the real growth will be lower as a result of a bigger base in
It shows that the central bank is not going to ease credit lest the economy gets overheating said Peng
At the conference tasks were set for work of the central bank in maintaining the continuity and stability of the prudent monetary policy advancing financial reform steadily accelerating reforms of introducing the stockholding system to stateowned commercial banks developing the financial market safeguarding the stability of the financial system improving management of foreign exchange and enhancing financial services
As for the exchange rate reform in the central bank said China will continue to improve the managed floating exchange rate regime as it is needed for the economic and financial development and stability of the country
Peng said that it is irreversible for the exchange rate regime to become marketoriented and more progress is expected in
But as pressures on revaluation of RMB is still high Peng said that the central bank should find some more effective way to intervene in the foreign exchange market to prevent large fluctuations of the currency Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinese VicePremier Zeng Peiyan said here Thursday the QinghaiTibet Railway should be built into a world firstclass plateau railway highlighting good preparations for its trial operation on July this year
Zeng who made the remarks at a meeting of the QinghaiTibet Railway construction leading group said that the railway was completed one year before schedule in last October an overall victory of a decisive battle
The worlds highest railway stretches from Xining in northwest Qinghai Province to Lhasa capital of Tibet on the roof of the world with a total length of kilometers
Before the railways trial operation Zeng ordered officials and railway staff to check the project quality in the first half of this year conduct safety evaluation and make preparations to ensure sanitation conditions and reduce environmental impact of the train
He said experience of the plateau railway construction should be summarized as reference for future major plateau projects
He also urged local governments to cash in on the opportunity brought about by the operation of the railway to regulate their industrial structures and develop industries with their own features tourism industry in particular Enditem
LHASA Jan Xinhua Bush forest fires in a small Tibetan county have not been brought under complete control by Thursday after two days of rescue work
Strong winds dangerous mountain landscapes and no water sources within two kilometers made the rescue work especially difficult according to a local rescue team
The fires broke out at pm Sunday in bushes of Tingri county in Xigaze at the foot of Mount Qomolangma or the Everest
Fire flames could be spotted when fire fighters arrived at the site and the fire flames were put out on Thursday after two days of fighting according to local rescue team
But the gales were strong enough to revive any sparkles in the forests according to the rescue team
The fires were dispersed at the steep mountain peaks and valleys embedded in snowcovered mountains according to the rescue team
The fire occurred at longitude east and latitude north about kilometers from Mount Qomolangma The fires involving kilometers of forests in length are about four kilometers away from the virgin forests in a natural reserve around Mount Qomolangma Enditem
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PRAGUE Jan Xinhua A farewell ceremony was held Thursday for Slovak soldiers who will be deployed in Bosnia and Herzegovina for the EUs Althea operation as Slovakia is strengthening its military presence in multinational missions
Until now Slovakia has only four officers in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Over members of the eighth contingent of the NATOled peacekeeping force in Kosovo KFOR also paraded Thursday before their departure for Kosovo where they will replace their colleagues
Slovak chief of staff Lubomir Bulik said that the soldiers will operate in the NATO mission in Kosovo together with their Czech colleagues
A total of Slovak soldiers are now deployed in international missions Bulik said adding that the most important missions are in Afghanistan and Kosovo
Slovakia also has soldiers in Iraq Cyprus and the Golan Heights Enditem
MEXICO CITY Jan Xinhua Latin Americas three major stock markets closed lower on Thursday
Mexico Citys stock market IPC index dropped percent and closed at points A total of million shares were traded at million US dollars
The Buenos Aires stock market closed with the Merval index down percent and ended at points The trade volume was million dollars
In Sao Paulo Latin Americas biggest bourse the leading Bovespa index closed at points down percent The trade volume was million dollars Enditem
LAS VEGAS the United States Jan Xinhua The year will be the year that high definition television HDTV outsells analog units in US market the Consumer Electronics Association CEA forecast Thursday
According to sales projections issued at the International Consumer Electronics Show CES in Las Vegas the HDTV sets will outsell analog units by percent in the United States in reaching total unit sales of million and contributing to over billion US dollars in total revenue
The industrial group also reported that growth of Digital TV sales grew percent to billion dollars in The growing popularity of digital contents and competitive price declines of flat panel displays were two major propellants of this growth according to the CEA
With more than million units shipped the yearend numbers demonstrate the growth and success of Digital TV especially HDTV which continues to claim percent of the total Digital TV market in the US said Gary Shapiro president of the CEA
This strong sales growth is mirrored on the show floor and in conference sessions at the CES the boasted worlds largest consumer technology tradeshow running Jan in Las Vegas Digital TV and related products are prevalent throughout the show floor of about square meters
Exhibitors are showcasing the worlds largest flat panel displays next generation Digital TV products technologies to enable consumers to view HDTV on the go and a host of other new products and technologies Besides Digital TV is a hot topic of multiple conference sessions
Shapiro urged US congress to pass a bill that sets a definite date for analog broadcasts cutoff Such a legislation he explained will further boost Digital TV sale
Cutoff date for analog broadcasts will truly be the driver that tips the scales in A hard date will provide certainty to consumers broadcasters retailers and manufacturers and help drive sales to even greater heights he said
Consumer education remains imperative to ensuring the continued success of Digital TV noted Shapiro
Many consumers primary source of information comes at the pointofsale where sales personnel just give simple and confusing explanations Shapiro said Thus a detailed buyersguide will encourage consumers by helping them better understand the technical terms of Digital TV he explained Enditem
VIENNA Iran has failed to keep its pledge to explain to the UN nuclear watchdog on Thursday its decision to resume nuclearfuel research International Atomic Energy Agency IAEA officials said
Iranian experts and officials from the agency were expected to meet in Vienna to discuss Tehrans plan to resume nuclearfuel research which was suspended two years ago IranNuclear
BERLIN NATO surveillance jets will possibly guard German airspace during the Football World Cup a NATO spokesman said Thursday
The Airborne Warning and Control System AWACS planes are equipped with an early warning system to provide airborne surveillance and command and control functions to the armed services Robert Firman said at Germanys NATO AWACS base in Geilenkirchen NATOGermanySurveillance
DAMASCUS Visiting Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Mohammed Reza Bagheri said here on Thursday that he has informed the Syrian leadership of the latest developments concerning the countrys nuclear studies
We found that it is very necessary to inform the Syrian officials about any development particularly as Syria is a friend to Iran and a member at the International Atomic Energy Agency IAEA Bagheri told reporters after meeting with Syrian Foreign Minister Farouk alShara IranSyriaNuclear
WASHINGTON US President George W Bush on Thursday held an unprecedented meeting on Iraq policy at the White House with the participation of current and former secretaries of defense and state
The meeting which took place as insurgent violence in Iraq is turning from bad to worse were briefed by Gen George Casey the US commander in Iraq and Zalmay Khalilzad the American ambassador there USIraq
JERUSALEM Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon will remain under deep sedation and on a respirator for at least hours the director of Jerusalem Hadassah Hospital said Thursday evening
This is a lengthy process Dr Shlomo MorYosef said adding that it will take at least hours for Sharon to regain consciousness after a surgery SharonIllness Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Following are some of the major international news stories scheduled to be covered or pursued by Xinhua on Friday
Hungarian peacekeeping unit to leave for Kosovo
killed in building collapse in Saudi Arabia
Somali leader calls on all parties for reconciliation
Roundup Sharon gravely ill
Libya should open to foreign banks Qathafi Enditem
LIMA Jan Xinhua Ten people died and eight others were injured when a coach overturned on a highway in northeast Bolivia close to the border with Peru La Paz transport authorities said on Thursday
The bus turned over in Escoma km northeast of the Bolivian capital on the road to frontier town Puerto Acosta Brake failure triggered the accident according to authorities
The eight injured have been hospitalized Enditem
MANAGUA Jan Xinhua At least inmates were killed and others injured on Thursday in a gunfight at Hondurass National Penitentiary biggest prison close to the capital Tegucigalpa Security Minister Armando Calidonio told Honduras television on Thursday
Authorities do not yet know the cause of the violence which took place in the Casa Blanca building where prisoners rated very dangerous are kept
The situation was now under control and decisions are being taken at a national level Calidonio said
A special police battalion had been sent to the prison to reinforce security and officials were investigating how inmates had guns in the National Penitentiary he added Enditem
BUENOS AIRES Jan Xinhua Jose Octavio Bordon Argentine ambassador to the United States on Thursday rejected the US criticism of Argentine President Nestor Kirchners talking style
Borden told local media that Kirchner used democratic and popular discourse not the populist rhetoric
He was responding to a report by The New York Times which quoted the US State Department as saying Kirchner sometimes uses populist rhetoric A Times editorial also spoke critically of Kirchners centralization of power
It is not the Argentine style to comment publicly on other countries Bordon said
But he said that the USArgentina relationship is the one our government believes should exist
In a related development Argentine Interior Minister Anibal Fernandez rejected a similar attack on the presidents governing style by Peruvian writer Mario Vargas Llosa who described Kirchner as disagreeable and demagogic and lacking clear ideas
Ferdandez said that Llosa a onetime Peruvian presidential candidate had no experience in governing
The biggest difference between a writer and a ruler is that an article can be corrected with another article while a government decision by the time you correct it has already affected the lives of millions of citizens he quoted French writer Andrex Malraux a former culture minister as saying Enditem
MADRID Jan Xinhua Spain beat its own record for transplants in putting it on top of world league tables for organ donations and transplants Rafael Matesans national coordinator of the National Transplant Organization ONT said on Thursday
In people in Spain donated one organ an average of donors per million residents percent more than last year said Matesanz The number of families who refuse to donate a relatives organs has fallen to percent the lowest rejection rate in the world he added
The high rates of donation are due to programs which prepare medical professionals in hospitals to convince relatives of the sick to donate the coordinator said Donors over years old tend to be the most generous giving percent of all organs
Foreign donors who account for percent of the total have risen from percent a year earlier
Spain boasts organ donors more than twice the number of those in Germany and Britain and percentage points more than in the United States and points more than the European average
Matesanz said rising donations allowed transplant activity to rise percent in with a much higher rate of live kidney transplants which increased from to cases Enditem
BUDAPEST Jan Xinhua A Hungarian peacekeeping unit will leave for Pristina Kosovo on Jan Hungarian military officer Lt Gen Laszlo Braun said Thursday
The main duty of the strong light infantry company will be to protect civilians but the unit will also carry out crisis management humanitarian and rescue tasks Braun said
The unit has been dispatched under NATOs Multinational Land Forces in Kosovo and will return to Hungary in July
Currently Hungarian troops are serving as part of a guard and security unit in Pristina
Kosovo a province of Serbia has been under UN administration since a NATOled bombing campaign in forced the withdrawal of Serbian troops from the province
More than Hungarian troops are involved in international peacekeeping operations in Iraq Afghanistan the Sinai Peninsula Cyprus and the Balkans Enditem
JERUSALEM Jan Xinhua Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has probably suffered irreversible brain damage that would prohibit him returning to office Sharons doctors acknowledged Thursday night
The official statement released Thursday by Hadassah University Hospital Ein Karem in Jerusalem where he is being treated merely said that Sharon was in serious but stable condition after suffering a cerebral hemorrhage due to the rupture of an artery wall
The statement issued by Hadassah director Professor Shlomo MorYosef said Sharon is under sedation on a respirator and paralyzed
He is likely to remain under sedation for up to hours and it is impossible to know what his condition really is until he emerges from sedation the statement said
On Friday morning doctors will perform a CT scan on the premiers brain to check his condition However only on Sunday will doctors try to revive Sharon from his induced coma to determine the effects of the hemorrhage for the first time since it happened
MorYosef the hospital manager said on Thursday evening that predictions for the future are almost impossible to make
We cant know what the results of the surgery will be whether it will have influenced his motor skills or his ability to think Only after he comes out of the induced coma will we be able to make an assessment
Sharon will remain under heavy sedation and on a respirator for at least hours at least MorYosef said some hours after he suffered an extensive stroke and a massive brain hemorrhage
This is a lengthy process MorYosef said when asked when Sharon could be expected to regain consciousness It wont be in the coming hours It will be at least hours after the prime ministers emergence from surgery
He said the treatment would decrease pressure in the prime ministers skull
After the sedation period doctors hope to gradually waken the prime minister MorYosef said doctors had not received a no resuscitation order which would bar them from trying to revive a patient whose heart or breathing has stopped
We are fighting for the life of the prime minister with no compromise MorYosef said
MorYosef said that Sharons pupils were responding to light which means the brain is functioning
Neurosurgeons had fought to stabilize Sharons condition and stop new bleeding detected in his brain Thursday morning more than eight hours after the prime minister was rushed into emergency surgery
The situation is still serious but its stable MorYosef said earlier Thursday as Sharon lay in intensive care
Sharon emerged from hours of surgery Thursday morning with vital signs showing functional and stable levels and with a CT scan showing that the bleeding in his brain had been halted But the prime ministers condition remained grave MorYosef said
Israel Radio noting that Sharon was in intensive care said The assessment is that he is in a lifethreatening state
Sharon was rushed to the hospital after he felt pain in his chest Wednesday night Medical test showed that the prime minister suffered a extensive stroke and a massive brain hemorrhage Sharon suffered a minor stroke on Dec Enditem
MADRID Jan Xinhua Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos has sent the best wishes to seriously ill Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon Spanish diplomatic sources said on Thursday
Moratinos called Israeli leaders to express the wishes of the Spanish government speaking to former Prime Minister Shimon Perez who had left the Labor Party to support Sharons Kadima party
Sharon was rushed to emergency surgery following a farreaching stroke and a massive brain hemorrhage late Wednesday
The director of Jerusalem Hadassah Hospital said after the surgery that Sharon would remain under deep sedation and on a respirator for at least hours
Later this month Moratinos is scheduled to go to Israel to attend a ceremony marking the th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations between Israel and Spain Israeli President Moshe Katsav is expected to be present at the ceremony scheduled for Jan
The Spanish foreign minister has also planned to visit the Palestinian territories to meet with Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas Enditem
WASHINGTON Jan Xinhua Sheng Huaren vicechairman and secretarygeneral of the Standing Committee of Chinas National Peoples Congress NPC exchanged views with US Senate President pro tempore Ted Stevens on relations and parliamentary exchanges between the two countries in Hawaii on Wednesday and Thursday and the two sides reached wideranging consensus
Sheng also chairman the NPC SinoUS Senate parliamentary group was in Hawaii at the invitation of Stevens chairman of the USChina parliamentary group in the Senate for a meeting of leaders of the two parliamentary groups
The two sides hailed the progress in SinoUS relations in recent years and emphasized that fully implementing the series of important consensus reached by Chinese President Hu Jintao and his US counterpart George W Bush is of vital importance in maintaining and developing the constructive relationship of cooperation between the two countries
They agreed that the two sides should make concerted efforts to create a friendly atmosphere to ensure Hus scheduled visit to the United States this year a success
Sheng and Stevens reviewed and affirmed the positive achievements of the parliamentary conference mechanism since it was set into motion two years ago and held discussions on the mechanisms direction and its agenda for
They agreed that parliamentary exchanges are an important part of relations between the two countries and a regular conference mechanism provides an effective platform for the two sides to enhance understanding deepen trust and expand consensus Such a mechanism should be maintained and developed in depth over a long period of time they said
They also agreed that the third formal session of the parliamentary conference mechanism would be held in Beijing in August this year Enditem
LIMA Jan Xinhua Peru recalled its ambassador from Venezuela on Thursday in protest against what Lima called interference in its internal affairs ahead of the scheduled April presidential elections
Peru ordered Ambassador Carlos Urrutia to return from Caracas for
consultations after Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez expressed support for presidential candidate Ollanta Humala and his brother
Humala of Perus Nationalist Uniting Party is running second in the preelection opinion polls next only to Lourdes Flores of the conservative National Unity coalition
Local media quoted Chavez as praising Humala this week for leading a worthy uprising against Perus previous ruler in October
The Peruvian Foreign Ministry said Chavezs public support for Humala is seen as intervention in Perus internal affairs
The ministry accused Chavez of violating international law and the principles of the interAmerican system by raising issues related to Perus political process
Despite the friction with Venezuela Peru will keep its April election date according to the ministry
On Thursday the Venezuelan government denied that it was interfering in Perus internal affairs
Venezuelan Ambassador to Peru Cruz Martinez said in a statement that Chavez saluted the Peruvian election and that the president repeated his promise to comply with international law over bilateral relationship
THe reference that President Hugo Chavez made to Mr Ollanta Humala can in no way be interpreted as inference by Venezuela in the affairs of the Repubic of Peru Venezuelas Foreign Ministry said
It said it expected relations between the two countries would not be strained by the incident
Humalas brother Antauro is being jailed for leading former soldiers to occupy the police headquarters last year in Andahuayas southeastern Peru The incident left six people dead
Antauro demanded the resignation of President Alejandro Toledo
calling him corrupt and a traitor delivering the country to foreign
capitalists
The Peruvian government has not said when Ambassador Urrutia will return to Caracas Enditem
BUDAPEST Jan Xinhua Hungarian Economics Minister Janos Koka called for speeding up the construction of gas storage facilities during a meeting of the parliaments economic committee Thursday
Koka said the construction of a storage facility with total capacity of billion cubic meters should be completed by instead of the original deadline of
Koka called on the parliament to approve the change before the end of the spring term
Hungarys current gas storage capacity is billion cubic meters which means around a quarter of the annual billion national gas consumption can be stored
Natural gas represents percent of Hungarys overall national energy consumption and percent of the publics energy consumption
As much as percent of Hungarys gas consumption is supplied from Russia Enditem
RIYADH Jan Xinhua At least Muslim pilgrims were killed in the Saudi holy city of Mecca on Thursday when an aging hostel collapsed as thousands of Muslims gathered for the annual hajj pilgrimage the Interior Ministry said
An additional people were injured said ministry spokesman General Mansur alTurki at a press conference in Mecca
Twenty bodies have been found including eight women and men as well as an unidentified body
The spokesman gave no information on the nationalities of the dead
The cause of the buildings collapse is still under investigation
The spokesman said a committee was set up soon after the accident to coordinate the search and rescue work
Emergency teams were fighting their way through the rubble to search for survivors as police cordoned off the area near the holy mosque
Residents said the hostel was six stories high and years old
The hajj has been marred by deaths in recent years In January some pilgrims died in a stampede at the Jamarat bridge on the third day of the event Enditem
HAVANA Jan Xinhua Cuban President Fidel Castro has expressed his support for Irans nuclear program for peaceful purposes
Iran like any nation has the right to produce atomic energy for peaceful purposes and to have access to modern technology for this aim Thursdays Granma daily quoted Castro as saying on Wednesday
Castro was speaking to his Iranian counterpart Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in a telephone conversation said the paper
Ahmadinejad who initiated the phone call thanked Cuba for its support for Irans peaceful nuclear program and spoke of Cubas resistance to what he described as the United States arrogance
The United States is leading a group of nations to try to stop Irans nuclear program citing the possibility of using it to develop weapons a charge Tehran has repeatedly rejected
Ahmadinejad also said he was pleased that Cuba would host the next meeting of the nonaligned nations and that Iran was ready to help with the preparations
Iran wants to work with all peoples governments especially those of South America Ahmadinejad said
The Iranian president also called newlyelected Bolivian President Evo Morales who is currently visiting Spain to congratulate him on his Dec election victory said the paper Enditem
ALMA ATA Jan Xinhua Kazakhstan seized tons of drugs in the Kazakh Interior Ministry said on Thursday
The Central Asian country conducted a oneandhalfmonth nationwide crackdown on drugs at the end of said a statement issued by the ministry
The Kazakh police also smashed transnational organized crime groups in double the number for
Central Asian countries including Kazakhstan have been major routes through which drugs are trafficked to Russia and other European countries from Afghanistan Enditem
BEIRUT Jan Xinhua The situation along the border between Lebanon and Israel is volatile said Alain Pellegrini the commander of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon UNIFIL on Thursday
Pellegrini told the press here after meeting Lebanese Foreign Minister Fawzi Salloukh
Tensions along the border are so high that a war might be triggered anytime if either side crosses the blue line Pellegrini said
He added that that UNIFIL has yet to find out who fired rockets from southern Lebanon to northern Israel on the late night of Dec leaving at least five Israelis injured
UNIFIL entered southern Lebanon in Currently it has troops there Enditem
WASHINGTON Jan Xinhua Jose Padilla an alleged US terror suspect that has been detained for more than three years without charges was transferred from a military brig to civilian custody on Thursday and made his first court appearance in Miami Florida
The court appearance lasted only several minutes and US Magistrate Judge Barry Garber set Friday for an arraignment when Padilla would be formally charged
Padilla a former Chicago gang member was arrested in May in Chicagos OHare airport upon return from Pakistan and had been held as an enemy combatant without criminal charges
He was initially accused by the government of being an alQaida member and plotting to detonate a radioactive dirty bomb inside the United States
Government officials had maintained that as an enemy combatant Padilla could be detained indefinitely and an appeals court ruled last September that the administration had the power to hold him under those conditions
After Padillas lawyers moved to challenge his military detention at the US Supreme Court however a federal grand jury announced in November last year a civilian indictment against him which did not involve the dirty bomb allegations
Padilla was charged with joining a North American terror support network and conspiring to murder kidnap and maim people overseas and providing material support to terrorists abroad and the administration had been seeking to transfer him from military custody to civilian authorities
But the same appeals court had refused to allow the transfer suggesting the administration changed tactics and indicted Padilla to avert a Supreme Court ruling on presidential wartime powers
The Supreme Court on Wednesday overruled the lower court and approved the transfer Enditem
NEW YORK Jan Xinhua World oil prices fell Thursday as US distillate products stockpiles increased last week and the temperate weather in US will last
New Yorks main contract light sweet crude for delivery in February retreated cents to close at dollars a barrel
In London the price of Brent North Sea crude for February delivery closed down cents at dollars
The US Department of Energy said Thursday that crude inventories fell million barrels for the week to December to total million while the stocks of oil products increased But it was still about percent above the level a year ago
Stocks of distillate products used to make heating oil and diesel fuel rose million barrels to million about percent higher than the level a year ago Market watchers had forecast a much smaller increase of barrels
Oil prices had closed up more than two US dollars in New York and London on Tuesday owing to the RussianUkrainian gas price row which fuelled concerns about Russian energy supplies in general Enditem
NEW YORK Jan Xinhua US stocks edged up Thursday while the techlaced Nasdaq hit its highest close for four years
Economic data supported the market World oil prices turned lower Thursday dues to an increase in US energy stockpiles last week and forecasts of temperate weather in the United States New Yorks main contract light sweet crude for delivery in February retreated cents to close at dollars a barrel
The Institute for Supply Managements index of service sector activity came in at for the month topping the reading forecast on Wall Street as well as Novembers reading In addition the Labor Department reported that firsttime claims fell by to last week a fiveyear low
On company news programmable chip maker Xilinx raised its thirdquarter revenue forecasts thanks to strong global sales Xilinx rose dollars to dollars while fellow chip makers Intel Corp increased cents to dollars and Advanced Micro Devices Inc rose dollars to dollars
Google Inc rose six dollars to dollars after The Wall Street Journal reported the company plans to announce an agreement to sell video downloads from the National Basketball Association and CBS a direct challenge to Apple Computer Incs video sales for iPods Apple fell cents to on the news
The Dow rose or percent to points Broader stock indicators closed higher The SP rose or virtually unchanged to points and the Nasdaq composite index rose or percent to points
Advancing issues outnumbered decliners by to on the New York Stock Exchange where preliminary consolidated volume was billion shares down from billion Wednesday Enditem
SANAA Jan Xinhua Somalias interim President Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed and Parliament Speaker Sharif Hassan Adan signed a pact in Yemen on Thursday to end their rifts and unify the countrys fractured transitional government according to press reports in Yemen
A declaration signed in the southern Yemeni port city of Aden after talks brokered by Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh said the two leaders who belong to two rival factions had agreed to leave behind all the past differences that hampered the function of interim institutions
The two leaders have reached an agreement to start a new page and end their differences which have brought serious damage to the duties of the institutions and the spirit of the Somali people said the declaration
The declaration said the two leaders had agreed to coordination between state organizations that was based on total respect for the national charter
According to the document the interim parliament should convene within days as of the issue of the declaration on Somali soil
The two leaders also called on parliament members to avoid disputes with the government give the highest priority to the interests of the state and reach consensus
The declaration urged the international community to provide assistance to the country so that its parliament can convene inside the country
The two leaders also called on all Somali factions to put down arms and resume dialogue
But the declaration did not mention a seat for the government Ahmed had insisted that the government set up in Kenya in late remain in the northern city of Jowhar while Adan wanted it to be moved to Mogadishu the countrys capital
Ahmed for security concerns refuses to relocate to Mogadishu the epicenter of violence among rival factions for the past years which has left thousands of people dead and rendered even more people homeless Enditem
TUNIS Jan Xinhua Libyan leader Muammar Ghaddafi said on Thursday that his country should open up to foreign banks according to reports from Tripoli capital of Libya
It was the first time in the past years that Libya intended to open its domestic financial market
Ghaddafi gave a speech at the conference of General Peoples Committee of Libya parliament noting that a large number of foreign banks applied to establish branches in Libya while many other foreign companies also intended to invest in various sectors such as crude oil natural gas and infrastructure
Libya ought to open up to foreign banks allowing the foreign capital to come in In so doing Libyan people will benefit from the investment and local commercial banks will also be able to compete with foreign ones Gaddafi said
We should not be afraid of foreign investments The European countries are no longer the oldtime colonial countries Gaddafi added
Since Gaddafi came to power in the African country had banned the entry of foreign banks due to the concern over their monopoly of financial services
In recent years however Libya has been carrying out economic reforms taking measures to privatize the national banks and stateowned enterprises and establish stock market
The reforms are aimed at attracting foreign investments integrating the Libyan economy with the global economy and rejuvenating the national economy which had been in recession for long due to the longterm sanctions it has suffered Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua World leaders on Thursday responded with concerns about the destinies of both Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and the Middle East peace process after the yearold hawkish leader was put on a respirator for at least hours
Spokesman for Kofi Annan said the UN chief is following the developments closely and very much hopes that the prime minister will make a speedy recovery
Annan had been in touch with Israels ambassador to the United Nations and had discussed Sharons health and the situation in the Middle East with US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice the spokesman said
US President President George W Bush said our nation sends our deepest sympathies to Ariel Sharon
He lies immobilized in an Israeli hospital We pray for his recovery Hes a good man a strong man a man who cared deeply about the security of the Israeli people and a man who had a vision for peace May God bless him Bush said
The French presidential office said President Jacques Chirac hoped Sharon will overcome the painful trial he is going through
Chirac said he wanted to see continued courageous initiatives started by Mr Sharon that have already won approval from the entire international community
Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi said on a morning radio talk show that those who understand the situation in Israel know that Sharons decision to close the Jewish settlements and withdraw Israeli troops from Gaza was a courageous decision which was opposed by many in his own party
In a message of support to Sharon South African President Thabo Mbeki said It is our wish and hope that you will recover to resume your responsibility in leading the government and people of Israel
In Australia Foreign Minister Alexander Downer praised Sharon for a pivotal role in the Middle East peace process
Australia hopes that all parties to the Middle East peace process continue the work of Mr Sharon to bring the roadmap for the Middle East peace process to fruition Downer said
Palestinian leaders also expressed concerns and wished Sharon a speedy recovery
Palestinian President Mahmound Abbas voiced his concerns about Sharons health in a phone call to senior Israeli officials Abbas aide Nabil Abu Rudeineh said on Thursday
Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei wished Sharon a speedy recovery What concerns us is having a true and serious peace process and we look toward an Israeli leadership that supports peace and will be able to negotiate with the Palestinians he said
In Israel acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said the general elections would be held as scheduled on March despite that Sharon remained in critical condition
But Olmert was being challenged by ministers from Israels rightist Likud party who vowed not to resign from the government as planned in light of Sharons failing health
Health Minister Dan Naveh told Israels Channel television that the walkout scheduled for Sunday ahead of the March general elections will not happen
Challenges also came from Palestinian militant groups The Islamic Resistance Movement Hamas said the Middle East would be a better place without Sharon
Hamas spokesman Musheer alMasri urged the Palestinian leadership not to be influenced by changes in Israels politics
Anwar Abu Taha a senior leader of the Islamic Jihad termed Sharon as one of the tyrants who has committed scores of bloody massacres against the Palestinian people
In the West Bank town of Nablus Palestinian gunmen fired into the air to show glee over Sharons illness witnesses said
Sharon was transferred to hospital Wednesday night after suffering from chest pains He was later diagnosed with a major stroke and a massive internal bleeding in the brain and has since remained under heavy sedation Enditem
SANTIAGO Jan Xinhua Families of victims have asked for permission to take part in the extradition of former Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori who is accused of human rights violations during his rule court sources said on Thursday
The request was made by relatives of those killed in two incidents known as Barrios Altos and La Cantuta in and
The Peruvian government which sent its request for Fujimoris extradition to Chilean authorities earlier this week also accuses Fujimori of involvement in the incidents
Human rights lawyers Hector Salazar and Hugo Gutierrez made written requests to the Chilean Supreme Court
The families have a right to take part because they can work actively with the judge to push for a positive and speedy result in the extradition process Salazar said
The lawyer said he was also working with representative of the Peruvian government Alfredo Etcheverry but he has enough freedom to work as a direct representative of the interests of the victims families
Fujimori indicted on more than counts of corruption and human rights violations was arrested by Chilean police on Nov last year after arriving in the Chilean capital from Tokyo to prepare for Perus presidential election scheduled for April
Supreme Court Judge Orlando Alvarez who has handled the case has said the extradition proceedings would last six months to one year Enditem
ROME Jan Xinhua Italian state airline Alitalia announced here Thursday it has no plan to merge with French airline Air France in the near future but cooperation between them will continue
The statement was made in response to recent media reports which said Alitalia and Air France were preparing to merge
An Alitalia spokesman told reporters Alitalia and Air France would continue to cooperate on an equal footing with their seven other aviation partners within the Sky Team Alliance
The Sky Team Alliance established in has nine members including Alitalia Air France Delta of the United States and others
Foreign companies mostly those from the United States and Britain hold to percent of Alitalias shares
Local media said the companies could possibly sell their Alitalia shares to Air France and thus set favorable conditions for a possible merger between Alitalia and Air France Enditem
LAS VEGAS Microsoft Corp Chairman Bill Gates Wednesday evening took the wraps off the companys nextgeneration operating system Windows Vista in front of a packed audience
In his th keynote to kick off the Consumer Electronics Show CES in Las Vegas Gates displayed the hitting features of this upcoming version of Windows connecting and managing different digital home entertainments from HiFi stereo systems game console to Highdefinition digital video content USMicrosoft
BERLIN Retail sales in Germany dropped by percent monthonmonth in November official data showed on Thursday
German retail sales fell by percent in November compared with the previous month in real terms adjusted for calendar and seasonal effects GermanyRetail sales
BRUSSELS The Economic Sentiment Indicator ESI continued the upward trend that began in the summer of said the European Commission EC here on Thursday
After a slight fall in the previous month the indicator improved by a marginal of a point for the EU and by of a point for the euro area said a press release issued by the executive of the European Union EU EUEconomy
WASHINGTON The US service sector grew in December at a more rapid pace than in the previous month the Institute for Supply Management ISM said Thursday
The industry group said that its index of nonmanufacturing activity rose to in December from in the previous month Analysts had expected a figure of for the final month of last year USService
WASHINGTON The commercial inventories of crude oil in the United States declined by million barrels last week while the stocks of oil products increased the Department of Energy reported on Thursday
The report said that US commercial stocks of crude oil declined to million barrels for the week ending on December of last year But it was still about percent above the level a year ago USOil Enditem
JERUSALEM Jan Xinhua Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharons party Kadima would have won the elections as of Thursday but may suffer losses within weeks heading to the March vote according to the latest poll and Kadima members
Kadima would have won Knesset parliament seats if elections were held Thursday headed by acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert according to the poll
Had Vice Premier Shimon Peres taken over the partys leadership Kadima would have secured seats the same as forecast four days ago before Sharon fell ill
If Justice Minister Tzipi Livni had otherwise stepped into Sharons shoes the party would have garnered at least Knesset seats
Those were part of the results from a special survey conducted Thursday by Dr Camil Fuchss polling company Dialog less than one day after Sharon suffered a severe stroke
The survey covering people had its limitations as it was made at the height of uncertainty polling a public awash in sympathy for Sharon who is fighting for his life
The prevailing assumption among Kadima members is that their party will lose altitude in polls over the coming weeks
A senior Kadima official said Thursday that the victory line for the party was seats If Kadima gets seats on March it will form the next coalition he declared
Most senior Kadima members on Thursday night announced their support for Olmert
Should heaven forfend Peres lead Kadima everything will fall apart immediately We must choose Olmert in no more than a week rally around him choose an inner circle of five or six and erase any signs of internal strife or disputes over places a senior Kadima figure said
Peres is scheduled to meet with Olmert on Friday Senior Kadima officials said Olmert must offer Peres the number two slot on the party list and possibly even the job of acting prime minister in order to lock him into Kadima and prevent his return to Labor
Senior Labor officials already put out feelers to Peres on Thursday checking if he was willing to go back to Labor and serve as Amir Peretzs number two
Sharon was rushed to hospital on Wednesday night after suffering a severe stroke Doctors said that he might suffer irreversible brain damage that would prohibit him from returning to office Enditem
JERUSALEM Jan Xinhua Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon remained under heavy sedation and no dramatic changes had taken place to his condition so far Hadassah hospital director Shlomo MorYosef told reporters on Friday
The leading team of physicians would soon discuss about further treatment for Sharon for the next hours he added Enditem
JERUSALEM Jan Xinhua Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon remained under heavy sedation and no dramatic changes had taken place to his condition so far Hadassah hospital director Shlomo MorYosef told reporters on Friday
The leading team of physicians would soon discuss about further treatment for Sharon for the next hours he added
He said sedation and respirator as part of the treatment would decrease pressure in the prime ministers skull
After the sedation period doctors hope to waken Sharon gradually MorYosef said adding that Sharons pupils are responding to light which means the brain is functioning
We are fighting for the life of the prime minister with no compromise he said
Sharon was rushed to the Hadassah University Hospital in Jerusalem for a surgery after suffering a massive stroke
Neurosurgeons managed to stop the bleeding in Sharons brain and stabilize his condition after a more than six hours of surgery
Sharons doctors acknowledged Thursday night that the prime minister has probably suffered irreversible brain damage that would prohibit him returning to office
After his hospitalization the governments power and prerogatives were transferred to his deputy and Finance Minister Ehud Olmert
Sharon was seeking a reelection in the March general election as head of a new centrist party Kadima He was enjoying a lead in polls The partys strength is centered on Sharon himself and if he were forced to leave the scene Israels political scene would be thrown into turmoil Enditem
ANKARA Jan Xinhua A third child from the same family of the previous two bird flu victims died of the fatal disease early Friday in east Turkey the Anatolian state news agency said
Elevenyearold Hulya Kocyigits brothers Mehmet Ali and Fatma died last weekend and Thursday respectively Enditem
ANKARA Jan Xinhua A third child from the same family of the previous two bird flu victims died of the fatal disease on early Friday in eastern Turkey the Anatolian state news agency said
Hulya Kocyigit was the sister of Mehmet Ali who died last weekend and of Fatma who died on Thursday Their another sixyearold brother is also being treated for the same disease at the Van hospital
The children lived in a remote rural district of eastern Turkey near the Armenian border They all lived closely with poultry
According to the head doctor at the hospital there are currently about two dozens of people being treated as suspected bird flu patients with some of them in critical condition Most of the patients are children
The government is culling thousands of poultry across several eastern Turkish provinces as a precaution It is also sending extra supplies of antibird flu medicine to the region Enditem
WASHINGTON Jan Xinhua With global economy being slowly undermined by problems arising from the existing western economic model it is time to adopt a new one to ensure sustainable development across the world a senior US researcher said on Thursday
Our global civilization today is on an economic path that is environmentally unsustainable a path that is leading us toward economic decline and eventual collapse said Lester Brown president of the Washingtonbased Earth Policy Institute at a press conference
At the press conference unveiling his new book Plan B Rescuing a Planet Under Stress and a Civilization in Trouble Brown explained that environmental scientists have been saying for some time that the global economy is being slowly undermined by problems arising from the western economic model including shrinking forests rising temperatures melting ice rising seas and increasingly destructive storms
It is decision time to decide to stay with business as usual and watch the global economy decline and eventually collapse or to shift to Plan B by building an economy that will sustain economic progress Bown said
In an increasingly integrated world economy where all countries are competing for the same oil grain and steel he said the existing economic model will not work for both developing and developed countries
Sustaining the early twentyfirst century global civilization now depends on shifting to a renewableenergybased reuserecycle economy with a diversified transport system he noted
Business as usual or Plan A cannot take people where they want to go It is time for Plan B time to build a new economy and a new world he said
In his new book Brown said his Plan B has three components a restructuring of the global economy so that it can sustain civilization an allout effort to eradicate poverty stabilize population and restore hope in order to elicit participation of the developing countries and a systematic effort to restore natural systems
Brown estimated that the annual budget for social goals and earth restoration components in his Plan B would be billion US dollars only a fraction of the world military spending of about billion dollars a year
If we fail to build a new economy before decline sets in it will not be because of a lack of fiscal resources but rather because of obsolete priorities Brown said
Of all the resources needed to build an economy that will sustain economic progress none is more scarce than time he warned With climate change we may be approaching the point of no return Enditem
RIYADH At least Muslim pilgrims were killed in the Saudi holy city of Mecca on Thursday when an aging hostel collapsed as thousands of Muslims gathered for the annual hajj pilgrimage the Interior Ministry said
An additional people were injured said ministry spokesman General Mansur alTurki at a press conference in Mecca Saudi ArabiaHostel CollapseCasualty
JERUSALEM Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon remained under heavy sedation and no dramatic changes had taken place to his condition so far Hadassah hospital director Shlomo MorYosef told reporters on Friday SharonSickness
SANAA Five Italian hostages who were kidnapped by armed tribesmen in eastern Yemen earlier this week were released unharmed on Friday government sources said
The sources said that negotiations with the abductors were successful which resulted in the release of the five Italians safe and sound YemenItalian HostagesReleased
ANKARA A third child died of bird flu at hospital in eastern Turkey early on Friday the third human fatal case in the country since the disease was first detected in October semiofficial Anatolia news agency reported TurkeyBird Flu Enditem
WASHINGTON Jan Xinhua The US State Department announced a plan on Thursday to boost teaching and learning critical need foreign languages from Kindergarten through university as part of an effort to further strengthen national security and prosperity in the st century
The plan the National Security Language Initiative would dramatically increase the number of Americans learning critical need foreign languages such as Arabic Chinese Russian Hindi and Farsi the department said in a statement
President George W Bush would request Congress for million US dollars in fiscal budget to fund the project
The statement said an essential component of US national security in the postSept world was the ability to engage foreign governments and peoples especially in critical regions to encourage reform promote understanding convey respect for other cultures
To this end we must be able to communicate in other languages a challenge for which we are unprepared the statement said
Lack of proficient people in foreign languages negatively affects our national security diplomacy law enforcement intelligence communities and cultural understanding the statement said
This also prevents us from effectively communicating in foreign media environments hurts counterterrorism efforts and hamstrings our capacity to work with people and governments in postconflict zones and to promote mutual understanding the statement added
The comprehensive national plan had three broad goals expanding the number of Americans mastering critical need languages and starting at a younger age increasing the number of advancedlevel speakers of foreign languages with an emphasis on critical need languages and increasing the number of foreign language teachers
In addition the Pentagon said that in a separate program it intended to spend million dollars over a span of five years beginning in fiscal on efforts to increase foreign language proficiency within the military Enditem
LONDON Jan Xinhua Following are major news items in leading British newspapers on Friday
The Times
A British alQaida suspect told a judge who ordered his extradition to the United States on terror charges Thursday that he fears he will be sent to Guantanamo Bay and tortured
The Independent
Britons are paying the penalty for the soaring rate of alcohol consumption as a report by doctors published Friday shows According to the report deaths from liver cirrhosis are rising faster in Britain than anywhere else in Europe The rise has been especially sharp in men and women aged under where death rates now exceed the European average
The Financial Times
Gordon Brown British Chancellor of Exchequer faces embarrassing censure from the European Commission next week when Brussels will recommend the launch of an excessive deficit procedure against Britain for its failure to keep public borrowing below percent of gross domestic product Enditem
ALMA ATA Jan Xinhua Kazakhstans parliament unanimously approved President Nursultan Nazarbayevs proposal on Friday to adopt a new national anthem according to the parliaments press office
Nazarbayev himself edited the lyrics of the popular patriotic song titled My Kazakhstan
The bill will become a law after Nazarbayev signs it
In a letter to the parliament Nazarbayev said the song reflects Kazakhs longtime struggle for independence and promotes a hope for future generation to have a better life
I offer you the reworked lyrics but I do not claim the authorship Nazarbayev said in the letter
Kazakhstans present national anthem was adopted after the former Soviet state gained independence following the Soviet Unions disintegration in
There is no doubt that we need a new anthem that would give the citizens of todays rapidly developing Kazakhstan a special strength of solidarity Culture Minister Esetzhan Kosubayev said Enditem
LONDON Jan Xinhua Tony Blair has publicly backed Chancellor Gordon Brown to succeed him as British prime minister
In an interview with the Sun newspaper which is published on Friday he said for the first time that he is absolutely happy that Gordon will be my successor
He needs the confidence of knowing that he will succeed me and thats perfectly fair enough he added
Previously Blair has avoided naming Brown as his heir choosing instead to praise his economic record
Many expect Blair to step aside for the Chancellor in giving him two years to leave his legacy before the next election
However Blair insisted he will only step down once he has completed his reform agenda
Im not going anywhere Im here and Im going to see the whole program through he told the Sun
Admitting that it will be tough to push through his reforms on education health and welfare the Labor Party leader who has won a historic three terms noted I am confident I can win the arguments and get those changes
Blair has said he wants to see his election manifesto put into action before he steps down as prime minister but has refused to name a specific date Enditem
VIENNA Jan Xinhua An Austrian plane flying from the Libyan capital of Tripoli to Vienna made an emergency landing at the southeast Austrian city of Graz authorities said on Friday
The Austrian Airlines jet which was flying in snowy weather lost power in one of its engines airline spokesman Johann Jurceka said
The Fokker jet with passengers and five crew members on board made the landing at around pm GMT on Thursday at Graz airport about km south of Vienna he said
No one was injured in the incident Enditem
WARSAW Jan Xinhua Polish Defense Minister Radek Sikorski said on Friday that Polish troops could stay in Iraq beyond their current deadline of December
Everything depends on the situations development and what the Iraqis and our American allies will ask us for Sikorski said in an interview with the Rzeczpospolita daily
It matters to us that the mission finishes a full success he saidWeve put in so much money and political capital that we want to be able to say that Poland contributed to the rise of an Arab democracy and a better Iraq
Our goal is to hand over the Polish zone to welltrained Iraqi troops Sikorski said
The zone supervised by the Polish troops in Iraq was reduced from three to two provinces on Thursday The American troops took over the third province
The strong Polish contingent has been helping training Iraqi forces in preparation of their takeover of security
Last week Polish President Lech Kaczynski approved extending the Iraq mission until the end of but suggested that Polish forces will be scaled down to by midFebruary Enditem
BERLIN Jan Xinhua Six people were wounded in a gunfight at a nightclub in Bremen northwest Germany police said on Friday
The shootout between rival groups of foreigners from Albania and Lebanon began when an Albanian bouncer was beaten outside a club said the police
The bouncer showed up in front of another club two hours later and began shooting wounding two bystanders
The shootout spread to the street after gunmen inside the club returned fire
The shootout spilled out to the street and four people there were injured a police spokesman said
Many of the gunmen escaped to a carparking garage where they were arrested Police detained several Albanian and Lebanese men aged to
Five of the six injured were treated for gunshot wounds Enditem
LISBON Jan Xinhua Airport security workers went on strike on Friday at a number of Portuguese airports forcing some flights to be cancelled airport officials said
The Aviation Workers Union started the hour strike at midnight GMT claiming that national airport authorities are endangering jobs with their plans to employ outside firms
Flights at some smaller airports were interrupted by the strike while major ones including Lisbons Portela airport remained unaffected
At the Oporto airport only three of arriving flights had landed by am and only one of departing planes had taken off according to a union spokesman Enditem
BRUSSELS Jan Xinhua Eurozones seasonallyadjusted unemployment rate stood at percent in November the same as in October Eurostat the Statistical Office of the European Union EU said here on Friday
But compared to a year ago when it stood at percent the rate has fallen
The unemployment rate for the EU as a whole was percent in November also unchanged compared to October It was percent in November
According to Eurostat in November the lowest rates were registered in Ireland percent Denmark percent the Netherlands percent and Austria percent
However unemployment rates were highest in Poland percent Slovakia percent Germany percent France percent and Latvia percent
Among the EU member states recorded a decrease in their unemployment rate over a year and eight reported an increase
The largest relative falls were observed in Lithuania percent to percent Estonia percent to percent Spain percent to percent Denmark percent to percent and Latvia percent to percent
The highest relative increases were registered in Luxembourg percent to percent Hungary percent to percent Portugal percent to percent and Cyprus percent to percent Enditem
MOSCOW Jan Xinhua Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday that Russia will start building the SiberiaPacific oil pipeline this summer
We will finish all coordinating work in April and in summer will begin the practical work to implement this project Putin said in the eastern Siberian city of Yakutsk quoted by the ItarTass news agency
Eastern Siberia has enormous potential and there are simply colossal prospects there but this project will not be effective without developing the oil and natural gas deposits in eastern Siberia said Putin
The Russian government decided in to build the SiberiaPacific pipeline in stages Its length will span about km most of it underground The pipeline is designed to ship up to million tons of oil a year with the use of railway capacities
The first stage of the project is to build an oil pipeline from the town of Taishet in Siberias Irkutsk region to Skovorodino in the Amur region It envisions an oil terminal on the shore of Perevoznaya Bay on the Pacific Coast
Putin said the construction of the first segment of the pipeline should be completed in Enditem
LONDON Jan Xinhua Britain is the number one European country when it comes to deaths from cirrhosis of the liver as a result of alcohol abuse a medical report revealed today
New research published in The Lancet journal shows that deaths from cirrhosis of the liver have soared in Britain while figures have fallen in the rest of Europe Sky News reported on Friday
Mortality rates for the disease in Britain trebled between and but deaths in Europe fell by percent during the same period
Those aged between and are said to be most at risk and doctors suggest that one way to tackle the problem is to do away with the notion that drinking is socially acceptable
Lesley KingLewis chief executive of the research charity Action on Addiction said the new research proved that Britains drinking culture is seriously damaging the nations health
Some eight million people in Britain are hazardous drinkers who consume more than the recommended daily limit while million are said to be dependent on alcohol
More than people die each year in England and Wales from alcoholrelated liver disease cancer and poisoning and a further deaths are linked to drinking in some way
Alcohol abuse is estimated to cost the National Health Service three billion pounds some billion US dollars
New licensing laws came into force at the end of last year allowing bars pubs and clubs in England and Wales to serve alcohol around the clock Enditem
BERLIN Jan Xinhua The deterioration of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharons health will not prompt any change in Germanys policy on the Middle East a government spokesman said here on Friday
The fundamentals of German policy on the Middle East remain firm said Thomas Steg the spokesman at a news conference adding that Germany will continue to support the Mideast peace process
The spokesman also said a visit by German Chancellor Angela Merkel to the Middle East is being planned
Israels yearold Prime Minister Sharon is in a medically induced coma after suffering a massive stroke on Wednesday and undergoing two head operations
Doctors said the sedation is expected to last until Sunday at least and that he is unlikely to resume office
Sharons sudden grave illness has cast great uncertainty over the upcoming Israeli general elections slated for March and the prospects of the Middle East peace process Enditem
BERLIN Jan Xinhua Ukrainian Prime Minister Yury Yekhanurov said on Friday that his country is considering increasing nuclear energy production in the aftermath of the gas dispute with Russia
Ukraine and Russia struck a deal this week on a new gas price after Russia shut off the flow of gas to its neighbor for two days during a price row
We already produce half of our energy requirements with nuclear power Yekhanurov told German newspaper Berliner Zeitung We will have to increase capacity in the newly built nuclear plants
Ukraine would also develop alternative energy sources including hydroelectricity wind and solar power Yekhanurov said
The first task is to diversify our energy sources he said
The country currently has four working nuclear power plants
The RussiaUkraine standoff began when Kiev rejected Moscows demand for a fourfold price increase which would push the gas price from US dollars to US dollars per cubic meters
Under the agreement reached on Wednesday Russia will sell gas to a trading company for US dollars per cubic meters and Ukraine will buy gas from the company for US dollars
The RussiaUkraine gas dispute had also affected gas deliveries to some European countries which use Ukraines pipeline raising fears of longterm gas shortage in Europe Enditem
WASHINGTON Jan Xinhua The unemployment rate in the United State declined slightly to percent in last December from percent in the previous month the Labor Department reported on Friday
The US jobless rate in the last month was the lowest since the middle of
The report showed that US employers increased new payrolls by just The gain followed a big pickup of jobs added in November
Job losses in construction retail and transportation helped blunt job gains in manufacturing professional and business services education and health services government and elsewhere
For all of the US economy added million jobs a solid amount and about the same as last year The US unemployment rate averaged percent last year an improvement from the percent average registered in Enditem
ALMA ATA Jan Xinhua Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev signed a decree on Friday authorizing a referendum on a new constitution to be held in the last three months of his office said
The order was part of Bakiyevs promise made ahead of the presidential elections last July to curtail presidential powers and give more authority to parliament Bakiyev the former opposition leader won the election by a landslide
Changes to the constitution are required if the countrys citizens want to curtail the powers of the president in favor of a stronger parliament A special commission has been working for months on the text of the new constitution
Kurmanbek Bakiyev was named acting president and prime minister by the parliament after former Kyrgyz President Askar Akayev fled the country amid protests by opposition supporters who took control of the government building on March Enditem
GENEVA Jan Xinhua The Swiss government announced on Friday that it has nudged up its growth forecast for this year to percent citing the global economic upswing over the past few months
The State Secretariat for Economic Affairs Seco said it was upgrading its previous forecast for by one tenth of a percentage point
The governments panel of experts expects that economic expansion in and will broaden and increasingly filter through to the jobs market it said in a statement
Separate data published by Seco on Friday showed that unemployment climbed slightly in December to percent from percent in the previous month
Seco also warned that economic growth which is largely being driven by exports and solid domestic consumer spending would not be spectacular Officials said companies were reporting full order books and more investment activities
The Swiss National Bank and the countrys largest commercial bank UBS were slightly more optimistic in their latest forecasts They predicted growth of two percent for this year Enditem
JERUSALEM After a more than threehour operation on Friday Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon was taken to an additional CT scan to assess the success of the surgery
Jerusalem Hadassah Hospital where Sharon was hospitalized was expected to report on the findings later in the day Earlier Friday Sharon was rushed back to the operating room for the third time within hours after a CT scan showed new bleeding in his brain IsraelSharonHealth
RIYADH Death toll in a hotel collapse in the holy Muslim city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia has risen to wellinformed sources said on Friday
Earlier the alJazeera TV channel put the number of the dead at The collapse took place at a multistory building used as a hostel near the Sheraton Hotel in Mecca on Thursday said the sources Saudi ArabiaHotel collapseToll
SANAA Five Italian hostages who were kidnapped by armed tribesmen in eastern Yemen earlier this week were released unharmed on Friday government sources said
The sources said that negotiations with the abductors were successful which resulted in the release of the five Italians safe and sound YemenItalian hostagesFreed
MANILA Eight were killed and another one were injured as a police group was ambushed by the New Peoples Army NPA in the northern province police said Friday
According to police five policemen and three civilians were killed in the ambush staged in Masbate province on Friday morning PhilippinesPoliceAmbush Enditem
PARIS Jan Xinhua The famous artwork entitled Fountain a ceramic urinal made by FrenchUS artist Marcel Duchamp has been damaged at a display in Pariss Pompidou Center the museum and police said
The sculpture was slightly chipped and fractured with a hammer in an attack on Wednesday by a yearold man who was taken into custody and presented to a judge on Thursday
According to police it was the second time the man had brutalized Fountain In he attacked it while it was part of an exhibition in Nimes southern France
The Pompidou Center said it had been forced to withdraw the work from view to repair the damage
The urinal considered a seminal piece from the early thcentury Dada movement is valued at some three million euros million dollars
It was made in by Duchamp and was on display as part of a wider Dada exhibition which is set to close at the end of this week after drawing in visitors Enditem
SOFIA Jan Xinhua General Secretary of Bulgarias Health Ministry Krassimir Gigov revealed on Friday that a total of illegal kidney transplants were carried out at a staterun hospital between and
Bulgarias law on donation and transplantation was violated during these operations said Gigov who is also the new chairman of St Ekaterina Hospitals board of directors
He said the countrys executive transplantation agency had not been informed of the surgery and there were no written documents proving nonkinship between the donors and the patients
The donors and the patients involved in the illegal surgery are not Bulgarian and the hospital received euros US dollars for each operation
Chief of the executive transplantation agency Yanko Nachkov was dismissed last December for malpractice and former chief of the hospitals board of directors Alexander Chirkov was fired in November
The medical scandal was not unveiled until a Russian flight passenger who claimed to be an organ donor to St Ekaterina Hospital was arrested at Sofia airport
The Bulgarian parliament approved its law for donation and transplantation on April regulating the entire procedure of donations and transplantations of human organs tissues and cells
According to official statistics there are about patients in Bulgaria awaiting kidney transplants for hearts for livers and for bones Enditem
K
AARHUS
AARHUS
Gwak Bang Bang
Gwak Bang Bang
t
t
t
t
DOHA Jan Xinhua Following are the results from the US dollars ATP Doha Open tennis tournament here on Thursday prefix number denotes seeding
Quarterfinals
Tommy Haas Germany bt Mikhail Youzhny Russia
Roger Federer Switzerland bt Marcos Baghdatis Cyprus
Enditem
NAIROBI Jan Xinhua There is intense lobbying ahead of next weeks Kenya Football Federation KFF Annual General Meeting scheduled for Nairobi
Beleaguered KFF former chairman Alfred Sambu who is fighting to be reinstated has met several branches to try and garner the muchneeded support come the key meeting to be held on Jan
Moni Wekesa the embattled secretary general has also talked to several branch officials in a bid to win their support for the post
Mohammed Hatimy the current acting chairman wants to be confirmed in the position and he has been busy wooing delegates
Also in the race is Dan Omino who will be fighting for the secretary generals position with Prof Wekesa
The meeting is crucial and its outcome will almost determine the east African nations fate come Feb when FIFA officials meet at the end of a two month deadline given to the federation
The KFF has been wrecked by internal turmoil that has led to two rival groups fighting for control of the secretariat
One is led by Sambu and Wekesa still recognized by FIFA as the KFFs chairperson and general secretary while the other is headed by Titus Kasuve the federations former general secretary
The FIFA ban will also affect sponsorship opportunities for clubs
KFF officials last month refused to fulfill conditionalities which FIFA had set out setting the stage for a definite ban on the country
FIFA had wanted them to simply recognize Sambu as the chairman Wekesa as Secretary General and allow Kenya Premier League KPL to run the league
Football stakeholders in the country are totally dismayed by this state of affairs and have instead asked FIFA to ban individuals and not the country
The FIFA ban affects the countrys national team and clubs which will not be allowed to take part in any international tournament
Sambu said a ban would do harm to the image of Kenya as it would destroy all efforts to promote football
We cannot promote international football without FIFA A ban would bring only suffering to our players referees and clubs he said
Sambu has said that he was ready to vacate the seat if delegates insist he goes during the meeting that he is to convene Enditem
BUENOS AIRES Jan Xinhua Argentinas selectors have chosen Lionel Messi Carlos Tevez Javier Saviola and Sergio Aguero as part of the national squad for the World Cup Julio Grondona president of the Argentine Football Federation FAF told Argentine sports paper Ole on Thursday
Grondona joked that those who wanted to see the four players together to rent childrens movie Snow White and the Seven Dwarves Like seven of the protagonists of Walt Disney animation the four players are famously short
Jose Pekerman has been forbidden from playing the four at the same time he added
Places are assured for Messi who plays for Spanish league team Barcelona Tevez of Brazils Corinthians and Saviola of Spains Sevilla Aguero of Argentinas Independiente has not yet been called on by Pekerman so it is not certain if he will make the final squad of players
Grondona said that the team had a good variety of players but no one player like Diego Maradona who could tip the balance of a match without help
Grondona said that he was concerned about injuries sustained by Roberto Ayala who plays for Spains Valencia and Gabriel Heize who plays for Englands Manchester United more than any possible future injures to Carlos Tevez or Juan Roman Riquelme of Spains Villareal
I want those two in the team and Javier Mascherano of Brazils Corinthians too he said They are the backbone of the team It makes no sense to have a tile roof when your house is made of paper he said Enditem
WASHINGTON Jan Xinhua Following are the leaders of the National Basketball Association through Jan
Scoring
G FG FT PTS AVG
Iverson Phil
Bryant LAL
James Clev
Arenas Wash
Pierce Bos
Wade Mia
Nowitzki Dall
McGrady Hou
Redd Mil
Brand LAC
Carter NJ
Anthony Den
Allen Sea
Richardson GS
ONeal Ind
Bosh Tor
Garnett Minn
Hamilton Det
Lewis Sea
Duncan SA
FG Percentage
FG FGA PCT
Brezec Char
AbdurRahim Sac
ONeal Mia
Garnett Minn
Gooden Clev
Parker SA
Bogut Mil
Brand LAC
Iguodala Phil
Wallace Char
Rebounds
G OFF DEF TOT AVG
Camby Den
B Wallace Det
Howard Orl
Marion Phoe
Duncan SA
Garnett Minn
Brand LAC
Webber Phil
Jamison Wash
ONeal Ind
Assists
G AST AVG
Nash Phoe
Davis GS
Miller Den
Billups Det
Knight Char
Kidd NJ
Paul NOk
Iverson Phil
Cassell LAC
Wade Mia
Enditem
CARACAS Jan Xinhua Venezuela will host the world junior tennis championships Copa Gatorade for the th time from Monday until Sunday officials for the tournament said on Thursday
Players from some countries and regions have already registered for the event which hosts two separate competitions one for girls and one for boys
Julia Cohen of the United States who is rated th in the world by the International Tennis Federation is the favorite to win the girls competition followed by Brazils Roxane Visemberg th in the ITF ranking then Liset Brito of Chile th in the ITF
In the boys competition the favorite is Romanias Alexander Luncanu th in the ITF then Brazils Nicholas Santos th in the ITF and the Czech Republics Roman Jebany th in the ITF
In the long history of this tournament it has paid host to many of the world top players including Ivan Lendl Miloslav Mecir John McEnroe Gustavo Kuerten and Marcelo Rios
On Friday players will play qualifying matches to set up their places in Mondays matches Both competitions will begin with players Doubles will begin with two qualifying groups Enditem
BELGRADE Jan Xinhua Austrian skier Marlies Schild won the Snow Queen World Cup slalom held on Mount Sljeme overlooking the Croatian capital of Zagreb on Thursday evening
Schild finished the race with a time of securing here second straight World Cup slalom success and euros some US dollars of prize
Schild was followed by her teammate Kathrin Zettel who had a time of
Croatias best woman skier the triple Olympic champion Janica Kostelic won the third with despite finishing the second run without a pole and a glove which she lost before the first gate
The Zagreb event which was put in place last year was renamed the Snow Queen Trophy this year after Kostelics nickname of Snow Queen in her homeland Enditem
WASHINGTON Jan Xinhua Andre Agassi who quitted from the Australian Open after failing to recover from a lingering ankle injury will begin his season at the San Jose Open in February according tournament organisers Thursday
Agassi attempts to win a sixth title at the event which begins on February
We are very excited about Agassis commitment to start the season right here in San Jose tournament director Bill Rapp said in a statement
With Andre joining Lleyton Hewitt Andy Roddick John McEnroe and Jonas Bjorkman Enditem
HANOI Jan Xinhua Vietnam is likely to run soccer betting business to seek more funds for the countrys sports and help prevent rampant illegal betting
In a document sent to the Vietnam Football Federation on Jan Nguyen Danh Thai director of the countrys National Sports and Physical Training Committee said the committee will submit to the government a scheme on launch a soccer betting service for approval in the coming time local newspaper Pioneer reported Friday
According to his assessment legal soccer betting will partially fund the local soccer and contain illegal betting
Although betting on sports is illegal in Vietnam it is becoming fairly common in the country especially in urban areas Vietnamese police have recently detected several cases in which local bookmakers paid players to change the results of important matches
Local police are trying to identify bookmakers who asked two members of the national U soccer team at the rd Southeast Asian Games Le Quoc Vuong and Pham Van Quyen to fix a qualification match against Myanmar held in the Philippines in November
Local police have detained Vuong for the charge of gambling and organizing gambling while Quyen Vietnams Golden Ball winner for the charge of gambling only Vuong confessed that he wooed several teammates to rig the match Their poor performance on purpose resulted a victory in favor of Vietnam as expected by local bookmakers
Besides Vuong and Quyen the police have detained two other members of the national squad
In addition to matchfixing cases with the deep involvement of bookies the police have uncovered many cases in which local clubs bribed referees and their opponents so that they got promoted won championships or did not have to be relegated in national tournaments
Vietnam is launching an ironfist campaign to cleanse its soccer of wrongdoings Since August local police have uncovered some local corrupt referees as well as managing directors and coaches of some clubs
To date out of local referees and teams officials who have allegedly involved in matchfixing over the past two years have been prosecuted Of the men five have been detained Enditem
WASHINGTON Jan Xinhua Tracy McGrady scored points his fourth straight plus game as the Houston Rockets got their second straight road win over the Cleveland Caveliers Thursday night
Juwan Howard made two late jumpers of his points for the gettinghealthier Rockets who are without center Yao Ming and handed the Cavaliers just their fourth loss in home games
McGrady played minutes and outdueled LeBron James who had points nine rebounds and five assists but couldnt prevent Cleveland from falling to since learning that guard Larry Hughes could miss two months with a broken finger
Center Zydrunas Ilgauskas had points for the Cavs who didnt help themselves by going just of on free throws and making only of a seasonhigh pointers
Despite an off night Cleveland which trailed by in the third quarter got within three in the fourth and was only down when Howard dropped two straight jump shots to put the Rockets back in charge
Rafer Alston added points for Houston whose list of injured players includes Yao Derek Anderson and Bob Sura Yao has begun light workouts following surgery on an infected big toe and expects to return in two to three weeks Enditem
KAMPALA Jan Xinhua Ugandas U boys cricket team started its title defence of the International Cricket Council ICC east Africa regional title on a strong note with a wickets win over Tanzania in Nairobi Kenya on Thursday local press reported on Friday
The Ugandan boys put up a spirited combined effort to limit Tanzania to runs in the allotted overs under the scorching heat after their capitan Ahmed Yokub had lost the toss
The result was Tanzania Uganda
Kenya Tanzania and Uganda are attending the weeklong tournament which opened on Wednesday
On Friday both Ugandan boys and girls teams will meet Kenyan teams Enditem
WASHINGTON Jan Xinhua Following are the results of Thursdays NBA games home team in CAPS
Houston bt CLEVELAND
Indiana bt GOLDEN STATE
Enditem
CANBERRA Jan Xinhua Following are the results from the Australian mens hardcourt tennis championship at Adelaide on Friday prefix number denotes seeding
Quarterfinals
Florent Serra France bt Jarkko Nieminen Finland
Dominik Hrbaty Slovakia bt Kenneth Carlsen Denmark
Xavier Malisse Belgium bt Andreas Seppi Italy
Enditem
WASHINGTON Jan Xinhua Following are the standings from the NBA on Thursday
EASTERN CONFERENCE
ATLANTIC DIVISION
W L PCT GB
New Jersey
Philadelphia
Boston
Toronto
NY Knicks
CENTRAL DIVISION
W L PCT GB
Detroit
Cleveland
Milwaukee
Indiana
Chicago
SOUTHEAST DIVISION
W L PCT GB
Miami
Washington
Orlando
Charlotte
Atlanta
WESTERN CONFERENCE
NORTHWEST DIVISION
W L PCT GB
Minnesota
Utah
Denver
Seattle
Portland
PACIFIC DIVISION
W L PCT GB
Phoenix
LA Clippers
Golden State
LA Lakers
Sacramento
SOUTHWEST DIVISION
W L PCT GB
San Antonio
Dallas
Memphis
NO Oklahoma City
Houston
Enditem
CANBERRA Jan Xinhua Following are the results from the Australian womens hardcourt tennis tournament in Melbourne on Friday prefix number denotes seeding
Flavia Pennetta Italy bt Martina Hingis Switzerland
Lucie Safarova Czech Republic bt Dinara Safina Russia
Enditem
HAIKOU South China Jan Xinhua Former South Korean national team assistant coach Chung Haesoung said here on Friday that he believes the World Cup semifinalist can make it to the knockout stage of this years tournament in Germany
For the South Korean team the possibility of reaching the semifinals again is very slim said Chung who was assistant to Dutchman Guus Hiddink when South Korea reached
But it is out of question that we can reach the knockout stage All the team are confident about it he added
South Korea has qualified for every World Cup since making debut at the world soccers premier event in
Chung who is spending a onemonth training spell here with South Koreas Bucheon SK team attributed the success of South Korean football to hard work and aspiration for success
Among all Asian teams South Korea has the strongest fighting spirit he said
South Korea has been drawn into Group G alongside France Switzerland and Togo
Chung said that overseasbased players like Manchester United midfielder Park Jisung will play pivotal role on the national team in their World Cup campaign
They have a lot of experience and can reverse the tide at crucial moment
Chung also said he hopes to find a coaching job in China in future
Ive learned a lot from Hiddink said Chung I hope there are chances of coaching a Chinese club team Enditem
CANBERRA Jan Xinhua Former world number one Martina Hingis was defeated in the semifinals of her comeback tournament on Friday when she lost to Italian Flavia Pennetta at the Australian hardcourt championship in Melbourne
Hingis who retired in with foot and ankle injuries showed signs of the skills that took her to five grand slam titles but faded after taking the first set
The yearold Swiss said she had strained a hipflexor muscle towards the end of the second set forcing her withdrawal from a doubles semifinal later on Friday
As a player and a competitor you try to overcome things like that and still play until the end of the match Hingis told reporters about the hip injury
I dont want to take anything away from Pennetta she played a great match
I was able to compete with her It was great tennis and everyone enjoyed it
You cant always expect everything to be perfect with your body when you havent done that much in three years
If I was to evaluate this tournament right away Im very happy and very positive about what Ive achieved this week
I dont think anybody expected me to come out like this so its pretty good
Pennetta will now meet Lucie Safarova in the final after the Czech teenager beat thirdseeded Dinara Safina in the earlier semifinal Enditem
CANBERRA Jan Xinhua Following are the results from the Australian mens hardcourt tennis championship at Adelaide on Friday prefix number denotes seeding
Quarterfinals
Tomas Berdych Czech Republic bt Philipp Kohlschreiber Germany
Florent Serra France bt Jarkko Nieminen Finland
Dominik Hrbaty Slovakia bt Kenneth Carlsen Denmark
Xavier Malisse Belgium bt Andreas Seppi Italy
Enditem
HONG KONG Jan Xinhua Serena Williams withdrew from her match Friday at the Champions Challenge exhibition tournament citing injury casting a shadow to her defence of Australian Open crown in less than two weeks
Williams who has been struggling with injury for most of last year gave up her match against Chinas Zheng Jie saying she was suffering from inflammation of the left knee
This is really not something I would like to do but unfortunately I was advised by the wonderful physiotherapists here that I shouldnt play because I developed some swelling in my knee that they cant get out that weve been trying to get out for the past couple of days Williams told the crowd at Victoria Park shortly after she was due to take the court to play
I dont know what to say I feel really really awful its ruined my whole day to say the least my whole week she said
Her withdrawal raises concerns about her fitness for the Australian Open
The seventime Grand Slam winner has not played competitive tennis for
three months after suffering an embarrassing first round defeat at the China Open in September
Williams ranked in the world was staging a comeback from her injuries at this invitational ahead of the Australian Open the first Grand Slam of the season But she was beaten in her first game here Thursday by Russian Elena Dementieva
Zheng ranked th in the world was disappointed she could not play Williams saying she had a lot to learn from the yearold American
It was a good chance to play with Serena but today is not that chance I met her before on grass and I was looking forward to meeting her on a hard court she said Enditem
ROME Jan Xinhua Following are the fixtures for the Italian Serie A matches at this weekend
Saturday January GMT
Reggina vs Fiorentina
Palermo vs Juventus
Sunday January GMT
Cagliari vs Udinese
Chievo Verona vs Lecce
Empoli vs Messina
Lazio vs Ascoli
Sampdoria vs Livorno
Siena vs Inter Milan
Treviso vs AS Roma
AC Milan vs Parma
Enditem
MADRID Jan Xinhua Following are the fixtures for the Spanish Primera Liga matches at the weekend
Saturday January GMT
Athletic Bilbao vs Deportivo Coruna
Espanyol vs Barcelona
Sunday January GMT
Alaves vs Real Zaragoza
Cadiz vs Getafe
Celta Vigo vs Real Sociedad
Osasuna vs Racing Santander
Real Mallorca vs Real Betis
Sevilla vs Malaga
Villarreal vs Real Madrid
Atletico Madrid vs Valencia
Enditem
HONG KONG Jan Xinhua Following is the result from the Champions Challenge invitational tournament here on Friday prefix number denotes seeding
Semifinal
Lindsay Davenport United States bt Venus Williams United States
Enditem
WELLINGTON Jan Xinhua Following are the results from the Auckland Classic womens tennis tournament on Friday prefix number denotes seeding
Semifinals
Vera Zvonareva Russia bt Daniela Hantuchova Slovakia
Marion Bartoli France bt Nadia Petrova Russia retired
Enditem
HONG KONG Jan Xinhua Following are the results from the Champions Challenge invitational tournament here on Friday prefix number denotes seeding
Semifinals
Kim Clijsters Belgium bt Elena Dementieva Russia
Lindsay Davenport United States bt Venus Williams United States
Enditem
HONG KONG Jan Xinhua World number one Lindsay Davenport beat number Venus Williams in an exhibition match here on Friday
Davenport broke four times in the first set against Williams before she took it in minutes And she came into the second set with a lead and made it thanks to few unforced errors
I was hitting the ball really cleanly and was hitting some good corners Some days a lot of balls go in and today was one of them said the yearold American
I played really well And I was going for a lot of things There was a little inconsistency serving but other than that I played pretty much how I wanted to play
Knowing that I worked hard and knowing that Im playing well certainly makes me feel very prepared going into Melbourne added Davenport
Williams had not played since pulling out of the China Open in September with a knee injury In her opening match here she beat Indias Sania Mirza in straight sets despite the mystery thigh injury which she said continued to trouble her during her match against Davenport
I have not been diagnosed No one seems to know whats going on It really affected me today Williams said
Im confident I will get better but I just need a highcalibre physiotherapist to diagnose me because physically they dont even know what to treat
Four of the top are taking part in the eightplayer exhibition game ahead of the Australian Open slated for January Enditem
BERLIN Jan Xinhua Following are the results of a luge World Cup doubles race in Koenigsee Germany on Friday
Patric Leitner and Alexander Resch Germany minute
seconds
Sebastian Schmidt and Andre Forker Germany seconds
behind
Andreas Linger and Wolfgang Linger Austria
Andre Florschuetz and Torsten Wustlich Germany
Markus Schiegl and Tobias Schiegl Austria
Gerhard Plankensteiner and Oswald Haselrieder Italy
Christian Oberstolz and Patrick Gruber Italy
Mihail Kuzmitch and Jury Veselov Russia
Preston Griffal and Dan Joye United States
Andris Sics and Juris Sics Latvia
Overall doubles World Cup standings after of events
Patric Leitner and Alexander Resch Germany points
Christian Oberstolz and Patrick Gruber Italy
Markus Schiegl and Tobias Schiegl Austria
Sebastian Schmidt and Andre Forker Germany
Andre Florschuetz and Torsten Wustlich Germany
Enditem
HONG KONG Jan Xinhua Serena Williams quit from Fridays exhibition match against Chinese sprat Zheng Jie due to an injury which dented her preparations to defend her Australian Open crown in days
Williams plagued with injury for most of last year said just before the match that she was suffering from inflammation of the left knee
This is really not something I would like to do but unfortunately I was advised by the wonderful physiotherapists here that I shouldnt play because I developed some swelling in my knee that they cant get out that weve been trying to get out for the past couple of days
I dont know what to say I feel really awful its ruined my whole day to say the least my whole week said she
The seventime Grand Slam winner has not played competitive tennis for three months after suffering an embarrassing first round defeat to Sun Tiantian at the China Open in September
Zheng ranked th in the world was disappointed she could not play Williams saying she had a lot to learn from the American
It was a good chance to play with Serena but what is a pity that I cannot get the chance today said Zheng who won the first set before losing it to world number two Kim Clijsters on Thursday
I supposed to learn something from the match against her on a hard court Im sorry to miss the chance added she Enditem
BERLIN Jan Xinhua Thick fog forced organizers to cancel a mens biathlon World Cup sprint race scheduled for Friday in Oberhof Germany and move it to Saturday
The bad visibility allowed no fair competition in the shooting range Organizers said the kilometer event will now start at GMT Saturday with a womens sprint scheduled for later that day Enditem
PRAGUE Jan Xinhua Team officials say it is too early to know whether Czech Republics international striker Jan Koller will recover from a knee injury in time to play at the World Cup
Its too soon to say at the moment Czech national team spokesman Lukas Tucek said Friday Hes exercising thats all we know
The Dortmund striker had been expected to be sidelined for eight months after tearing ligaments in his left knee during a Bundesliga match in September
In a recent interview Koller said there was a percent chance of him being fit for soccers showcase which begins in Germany in June He said a decisive medical check was planned for the beginning of May
Koller has won caps and scored goals for the Czech Republic including nine in the countrys World Cup qualifying campaign
Coach Karel Bruckner earlier called his absence the biggest loss
The Czechs will open the tournament against the United States on June then plays Ghana on June and Italy on June Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Following are the results of the Chinese Basketball Association CBA league st round matches on Friday home teams in CAPS
JILIN NORTHEAST TIGERS lost to Beijing Ducks
XINJIANG GUANGHUI bt Shandong Flaming Bulls
HENAN JIGANG bt Shaanxi Dongsheng
YUNNAN HONGHE lost to Guangdong Hongyuan
DONGGUAN NEW CENTURY bt Fujian SBS
SHANGHAI SHARKS bt Bayi Rockets
ZHEJIANG CYCLONES lost to Jiangsu Dragons
Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Following are the fixtures of the Chinese Basketball Association CBA league nd round matches for January home teams listed first
Jilin Northeast Tigers vs Liaoning Hunters
Shandong Flaming Bulls vs Henan Jigang
Shaanxi Dongsheng vs Xinjiang Guanghui
Fujian SBS vs Yunnan Honghe
Guangdong Hongyuan vs Dongguan New Century
Jiangsu Dragons vs Shanghai Sharks
Bayi Rockets vs Zhejiang Cyclones
Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Following are the standings of the Chinese Basketball Association CBA league after the st round matches played on Friday tabulated under matches played won lost and rankings
South Conference
Guangdong Hongyuan
Bayi Rockets
Yunnan Honghe
Jiangsu Dragons
Shanghai Sharks
Zhejiang Cyclones
Fujian SBS
Dongguan New Century
North Conference
Beijing Ducks
Xinjiang Guanghui
Jilin Northeast Tigers
Liaoning Hunters
Henan Jigang
Shaanxi Dongsheng
Shandong Flaming Bulls
Enditem
BERLIN Jan Xinhua Following are the results from the kms race in the mens nordic combined skiing World Cup in Schonach Germany on Friday
Hannu Manninen Finland th in the ski jump
Christoph Bieler Austria st
Magnus Moan Norway th
Felix Gottwald Austria th
Ronny Ackermann Germany th
Overall standings after nine of events
Hannu Manninen Finland points
Ronny Ackermann Germany
Magnus Moan Norway
Petter Tande Norway
Felix Gottwald Germany
Enditem
BERLIN Jan Xinhua Hannu Manninen of Finland recovered quickly from a recent weak showing to dominate a Nordic combined skiing individual event in Schonach Germany on Friday
Manninen won the kilometers crosscountry ski pursuit in minutes seconds He has won all four individual events this season one sprint as well and now boasts career wins
Victory came three days after Manninen tired dramatically in leading position in a sprint race in Ruhpolding and faded to fifth place
Austrian Christoph Bieler winner of the morning skijumping portion and minute ahead of Manninen for the km was caught by the Finn after nine kilometres and had to settle for second place seconds off the pace
Magnus Moan of Norway was third seconds behind Manninen
Manninen leads the World Cup standings with points from nine events ahead of twotime world champion Ronny Ackermann of Germany and Moan
The Nordic combined World Cup continues January and in Val di Fuiemme with a sprint and a massstart event Enditem
LONDON Jan Xinhua Manchester United has agreed a deal to sign Monaco defender Patrice Evra manager Alex Ferguson said on Friday
The yearold France international will complete his move to Old Trafford for a fee reported to be around million pounds million US dollars if he passes a medical next Monday
The deals done and he joins us on Monday Ferguson told a news conference He gives us a different option in the leftback position Hes naturally leftfooted very quick and hes a good footballer
I said some weeks ago that we maybe just lacked options We cut quite dramatically the numbers we had with the players we had injured Ferguson added
With Gabby Heinze out for the full year and Quinton Fortunes injury being a problem it was important to bring a leftsided player in
Evra recently asked to leave Monaco and despite interest from Inter Milan has opted to move to the English Premier League
Ferguson confirmed that he had been watching the player for a while and a serious knee injury sustained by Argentine leftback Heinze in September prompted United to acquire Evra
Evra will be the second new defender to arrive at Old Trafford since the transfer window opened at the start of the month following the signing of Spartak Moscow centerback Nemanja Vidic Enditem
CANBERRA Jan Xinhua Second seed Dominik Hrbaty of Slovakia advanced to the semfinals of the Australian hardcourt championship in Adelaide after beating Dane Kenneth Carlsen on Friday
Hrbaty who won the title at Adelaides Memorial Drive in will meet Frances Florent Serra after the yearold beat seventhseed Jarkko Nieminen in the early quarterfinal
Serras victory over Nieminen ensured that Hrbaty and Czech Republics Tomas Berdych were the only remaining seeds left in the draw
Berdych seeded sixth brushed aside Germanys Philipp Kohlschreiber to reach the semifinals against Belgian Xavier Malisse who thrashed Italian Andreas Seppi Enditem
CANBERRA Jan Xinhua Following are the results from the Hopman Cup final match between United States and Netherlands in Perth Australia on Friday
United States bt Netherlands
Michaella Krajicek Netherlands bt Lisa Raymond United States
Taylor Dent United States bt Peter Wessels Netherlands
RaymondDent United States bt KrajicekWessels Netherlands super tiebreak
Enditem
CANBERRA Jan Xinhua The United States beat the Netherlands to clinch their fourth Hopman Cup title on Friday
The American pair of Taylor Dent and Lisa Raymond were forced to a special match tiebreak in the deciding mixed rubber which they won
Michaella Krajicek had earlier beaten American veteran Raymond while Dent then drew even with a win over Peter Wessels Enditem
DAZHU Sichuan Province Jan Xinhua Dazhu County the latest bird flu outbreak site in southwest Chinas Sichuan Province has been taking strict measures to prevent the epidemic from spreading
Poultry in the affected areas have been culled the Local government has been providing medical observation for the people in close contact with the affected poultry
Disinfecting stations were set up at all roads leading into and outside of the county Meanwhile the county has shut down all its live poultry markets amid various efforts to prevent the epidemic from spreading
No human cases have been reported according to the local government
Between Dec and in chickens and ducks died in three households in in Liuyan Village in Yangjia Township The Ministry of Agriculture confirmed the outbreak to be HN bird flu on Jan Enditem
HONG KONG Jan Xinhua Yang Wenchang commissioner of the Chinese Foreign Ministry in Hong Kong Special Administrative Region HKSAR on Thursday pledged stronger ties with foreign consulates and offices of international institutions in Hong Kong
Speaking at a New Year reception hosted by the commissioners office Yang said the commissioners office will continue to uphold the principles of one country two systems Hong Kong people governing Hong Kong and a high degree of autonomy strictly act under the Basic Law and do a better job in the foreign affairs in the new year
While looking back on the past year Yang said Hong Kong enjoyed sustained economic growth social stability and upgraded living standard under the HKSAR government headed by Chief Executive Donald Tsang
He hoped the commissioners office would fully utilize the national foreign affairs resources to support HKSARs expansion of cooperation with foreign countries in commerce trade culture and other fields in a bid to help strengthen Hong Kongs status as Asias world city
A total of guests including all consulsgeneral in Hong Kong representatives of international institutions in Hong Kong and some HKSAR officials officiated the reception Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Following are the domestic news items released by Xinhua on Thursday
Commissioner pledges stronger ties with consulates intl institutions in HK
Bird fluhit county takes emergent measures to avoid new epidemics
Tibet forest fire not tamed after two days of rescue
VicePremier stresses good preparations for QinghaiTibet Railways trial operation
China Focus Chinese central bank sets goals for monetary policy in
China Mobile users send million short messages a day
Yangtze River becomes worlds busiest freshwater route
New regulation to keep Chinese youths away from alcoholic drinks
China to close Imperial Palace Hall for repairs
China begins to salvage precious ancient ship
Bird fluhit county in SW China suspends live poultry markets
China targets percent growth for M in
Coalmine accident traps in E China province
China will promote balance of international payments in
CanadianChinese man jailed for years for smuggling primitive animal fossils
FM spokesman ChinaAfrica friendship based on mutual respect for sovereignty territorial integrity
Japan accepts Chinas proposal to jointly develop East China Sea resources FM spokesman
citizens commended for fighting crime in HK
Overseas investment grows in Shanghai
Chinese FM spokesman Japans claim over diplomat suicide unfounded
Chinas defense industry reports twodigit growth in revenues profits last year
China ready to expand energy cooperation with Bolivia FM spokesman
China sets target for defense industry
Yunnan to send million kw of electricity to Vietnam by
Supreme Peoples Court to withdraw death sentence review power in top judge
ChinaPakistan nuclear energy cooperation is for peaceful purpose FM spokesman
Survey puts HK rd most expensive business location globally
Weather information for AsiaPacific cities Jan
Chinese prefering better environment to fast economic growth survey
China earmarks mln yuan for quakehit area
China commends people involved in manned space program
Trading on Hong Kong stock exchange Jan
Gold price lower in Hong Kong Jan
NPC vice chairman meets Swedish parliamentarians
China builds ships totaling million dwt in
China hopes sixparty talks achieve new progress in new year
RCFA chairman Chinese Russian national year to deepen mutual understanding
Beijing trade union promises festival dumplings for migrant workers who cant go home
Celebrations to mark Mozarts th birthday to be held in China
ChinaAfrica trade surges to new high in
China urges Japan to honor its word on reviewing history
China mourns death of Nanjing massacre author Azuma Shiro
Beijings first snowfall in new year brings down temperature
Chinas rubber consumption to grow over percent this year
China takcles criminal IPR violation cases in first months of
Hong Kong to launch cleanup campaign for Year of Dog
HK to show cultural heritage in Canada
Taiwan shares close higher Jan more
Chinese senior official to attend meeting of cooperation on climate change
HK share prices close up Jan
China tackles about criminal cases in first months of
China to further improve floating rate system in Central Bank
More waterworks built in E China to provide sanitary water for rural residents
Weather forecast for world cities Jan
Chinese foreign minister to visit African nations
China Focus Nation mourns penitent Japanese veteran calling for respect of history
Weather forecast for major Chinese cities Jan
Courts handle more complaint letters peoples visits in first months of
Hong Kong stocks close higher Jan
Foreign exchange rates in Hong Kong Jan
Trading on Hong Kong stock exchange Jan
Urgent China targets pct growth in M supply in
Chinas glasses export grows rapidly
Chinas railways transport mln tons of cargoes in
Chinese vice president to visit Kazakhstan in early mid January
China to invest heavily in improving navigation on Yangtze River
Senior official calls for more contribution by Armed Police force
Air quality of major Chinese cities Jan
Beijings trade volume to reach billion US dollars
Hushen index up Jan
Chinas jewelry export grows about percent
Shenzhen stock index up Jan
China has orphans ministry
Shanghai stock index up Jan
Chinas homemade films bring in more revenue from overseas markets in
Shanghai sees record commercial sales on New Years Day
Beijing railway to carry mln passengers in upcoming holiday season
NChina port to handle up to million tons of goods in
New casino opens in Macao
construction site cavein leaves dead others injured in NE China city
Shanghai to boost development of service industry in next five years
Chinese civilian South Pole expedition back to Hong Kong
rd lead Natural disasters leave dead in
Hong Kong stocks finish higher at midday Jan
China to take death rate per mln yuan GDP as norm in examing national economy
nd lead Natural disasters leave dead in
Landslide kills in NW autonomous region
st lead Natural disasters leave dead in
Highlights of major Beijingbased newspapers Jan
Traffic accident leaves dead injured in S China city
Hong Kong stocks open higher Jan
Urgent Natural disasters leave people dead in
Migratory birds blamed for latest bird flu outbreak in SW province
Survey Shanghai happiest among Chinas major cities
Market exchange rates Jan
Xinhua home news advisory Jan
Shanghai urban traffic carries million passenagers in new year holiday
Seventythree accountancy firms found involving in illegal activities
Beijing issues plates to electric bicyclists to ease city traffic
China focus China breaks iron bowl of cultural units to spur cultural prosperity Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Following are Chinas home news items released by Xinhua on Thursday
Bird fluhit county takes emergent measures to avoid new epidemics
Tibet forest fire not tamed after two days of rescue
VicePremier stresses good preparations for QinghaiTibet Railways trial operation
China Focus Chinese central bank sets goals for monetary policy in
China Mobile users send million short messages a day
Yangtze River becomes worlds busiest freshwater route
New regulation to keep Chinese youths away from alcoholic drinks
China to close Imperial Palace Hall for repairs
China begins to salvage precious ancient ship
Bird fluhit county in SW China suspends live poultry markets
China targets percent growth for M in
Coalmine accident traps in E China province
China will promote balance of international payments in
CanadianChinese man jailed for years for smuggling primitive animal fossils
FM spokesman ChinaAfrica friendship based on mutual respect for sovereignty territorial integrity
Japan accepts Chinas proposal to jointly develop East China Sea resources FM spokesman
Overseas investment grows in Shanghai
Chinese FM spokesman Japans claim over diplomat suicide unfounded
Chinas defense industry reports twodigit growth in revenues profits last year
China ready to expand energy cooperation with Bolivia FM spokesman
China sets target for defense industry
Yunnan to send million kw of electricity to Vietnam by
Supreme Peoples Court to withdraw death sentence review power in top judge
ChinaPakistan nuclear energy cooperation is for peaceful purpose FM spokesman
Chinese prefering better environment to fast economic growth survey
China earmarks mln yuan for quakehit area
China commends people involved in manned space program
NPC vice chairman meets Swedish parliamentarians
China builds ships totaling million dwt in
China hopes sixparty talks achieve new progress in new year
RCFA chairman Chinese Russian national year to deepen mutual understanding
Beijing trade union promises festival dumplings for migrant workers who cant go home
Celebrations to mark Mozarts th birthday to be held in China
ChinaAfrica trade surges to new high in
China urges Japan to honor its word on reviewing history
China mourns death of Nanjing massacre author Azuma Shiro
Beijings first snowfall in new year brings down temperature
Chinas rubber consumption to grow over percent this year
China takcles criminal IPR violation cases in first months of more
Chinese senior official to attend meeting of cooperation on climate change
China tackles about criminal cases in first months of
China to further improve floating rate system in Central Bank
More waterworks built in E China to provide sanitary water for rural residents
Chinese foreign minister to visit African nations
China Focus Nation mourns penitent Japanese veteran calling for respect of history
Courts handle more complaint letters peoples visits in first months of
Urgent China targets pct growth in M supply in
Chinas glasses export grows rapidly
Chinas railways transport mln tons of cargoes in
Chinese vice president to visit Kazakhstan in early mid January
China to invest heavily in improving navigation on Yangtze River
Senior official calls for more contribution by Armed Police force
Beijings trade volume to reach billion US dollars
Chinas jewelry export grows about percent
Chinas homemade films bring in more revenue from overseas markets in
Shanghai sees record commercial sales on New Years Day
Beijing railway to carry mln passengers in upcoming holiday season
NChina port to handle up to million tons of goods in
Shanghai to boost development of service industry in next five years
Chinese civilian South Pole expedition back to Hong Kong
rd lead Natural disasters leave dead in
China to take death rate per mln yuan GDP as norm in examing national economy
nd lead Natural disasters leave dead in
Landslide kills in NW autonomous region
st lead Natural disasters leave dead in
Traffic accident leaves dead injured in S China city
Urgent Natural disasters leave people dead in
Migratory birds blamed for latest bird flu outbreak in SW province
Survey Shanghai happiest among Chinas major cities
Xinhua home news advisory Jan
Shanghai urban traffic carries million passenagers in new year holiday
Seventythree accountancy firms found involving in illegal activities
Beijing issues plates to electric bicyclists to ease city traffic
China focus China breaks iron bowl of cultural units to spur cultural prosperity Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua The northeastern city of Harbin which was affected by water pollution last year after a chemical spill has pledged clean supplies for the formal start of its annual monthlong ice and snow gala
I can guarantee that the ice and snow we have used for the festival is safe and clean Du Yuxin secretary of the Harbin Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China was quoted as saying by Fridays China Daily
A chemical plant blast on November in northeast Chinas Jilin Province contaminated the Songhua River
Harbin capital of Heilongjiang Province downstream with an urban population of nearly million had to cut off water supply to wait for the toxic slick in the river to pass by from November to
Many had questioned whether there would be any toxic residues left in the river and if the citys snow extravaganza which consumes tons of ice and snow would be affected
Du said the arrival in Harbin of the toxic slick in the river coincided with the low water time of the river when the main tributary and its branch were already separated
He explained water used in the ice sculptures were all extracted from the branch river so the water quality was not affected
In order to ensure its quality the local environmental protection bureau had also checked it and found no toxic chemical pollutants at all he added
I believe there is nothing to worry about and no need for visitors from both home and abroad to eliminate Harbin from their touring schedule he said
Eighteen million tourists from home and abroad visited Harbin in a rise of about million from bringing in an income of around billion yuan billion U S dollars
Among them were about foreigners with Russian tourists accounting for percent of the figure
The water pollution incident has not hit the tourists passion to enjoy the ice gala this year he said
Some tourists from Russia spent the New Year in Harbin he claimed The year has been named as the Year of Russia in China The citys ice gala contains Russian features to mark the occasion Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua A delegation from the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea ROK will visit China from Jan to
The delegation led by Speaker of the ROK National Assembly Kim Won Ki is to visit China at the invitation of Wu Bangguo chairman of the Standing Committee of the National Peoples Congress NPC Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua A business chief who conned hundreds of people out of more than million yuan million US dollars and defrauded his own company has been sentenced to death with a twoyear reprieve in south China
The Guangzhou Intermediate Peoples Court said that Wang Risheng a native of Suixi County of south Chinas Guangdong Province was also the principal of a scam in which a total of people were swindled according to Fridays China Daily
Wang started the racket when he became manager of the Guangzhou Molong Technology and Trade Co Ltd in June
He siphoned off most of the firms funds for himself while giving only a fraction back to investors and bonuses for his employees
The court found that Wang could not return more than million yuan US million out of the total swindled money
Another defendants were also jailed for terms ranging from two years and four months to years
Wang organized a ring of people after he became general manager of the company
By June the following year Wang had opened a total of branches which were found to mainly engage in fraudulent activities
The court said that Wang and his accomplices called people claiming they were carrying out a social survey to lure them to visit the websites of two manufacturing bases
His company also held promotion activities by inviting some pop stars to try to convince people to invest money Many invested all of their savings in Wangs fake investment projects such as beverage sales and real estate development after visiting the websites
Most victims were middleaged or pensioners who were attracted by claims of annual returns ranging from to percent
Police detained Wang in September
But Wang was sentenced to death how can our investment money be returned asked a victim surnamed Zhang from southwest Chinas Sichuan Province
Zhang had invested all his savings totalling yuan US dollars for one project after he was told by the company that more money could be returned after investment Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Beijings first center to cure depression patients was set up in Beijings Anding Hospital Thursday
About Beijingers are suffering or used to suffer from depression according to experts estimation
Some of the sufferers know little about depression and most of them do not know where they can seek medical advice Li Zhanjiang vicedirector of Anding hospital said
The experts at the center will offer both inpatient and outpatient services and the hotline number of has been opened to help patients seek psychological consultation Li said Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua The Chinese mainland Friday announced the names of two giant pandas selected for Taiwan compatriots Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua China the worlds biggest motorbike exporter for five years is set to bring motorbike export in order as the vicious competition of some exporting companies has resulted in a shrink of the countrys foreign market
These companies competed with each other for their market share mainly by cutting the price of their products which has forced the Chinese motorcycle industry to withdraw from some major markets abroad Zhang Ji a senior official of the Ministry of Commerce said Friday
The vicious competition is detrimental to not only the interests of consumers but the exporters themselves and the whole motorcycle industry said Zhang deputy director of the ministrys machinery and electronics department
It has also marred the image of MadeinChina products he added
To regulate the motorbike export order the ministry and other four central government departments have jointly issued a circular which sets a higher threshold for companies engaged in motorbike export
According to the document motorbike manufacturers will have to pass the state compulsory accreditation and reach the stateset scale of export or domestic sales
The document was issued in the wake of the sharp decline in the price of Chinese motorbikes in the international market
Statistics show the average perunit price of Chinese motorbikes with a cylinder capacity smaller than ml dropped from US dollars in to US dollars in
Meanwhile the number of Chinese companies engaged in motorcycle export increased from to In the first half of alone the number of companies that export less than units increased from to
To vie for a market share these companies have to try very means to cut the price of their products which brought about the vicious competition among them said Zhang
Experts who have urged a change in the disordered competition say the latest government document would help domestic motorcycle producers develop core technologies and build up their own brands so as to increase export and improve product quality and benefits
China has been the worlds biggest motorcycle exporter for five years in a row In Chinese companies exported more than million motorcycles to countries and regions with the total value exceeding billion US dollars Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua The Chinese mainland unveiled Friday the two giant pandas for Taiwan compatriots
The panda couple namely No male and No female both one year old were selected from candidates raised in the Wolong China Giant Panda Research Center in southwestern Sichuan Province said Cao Qingyao spokesman of the State Forestry Administration at a press conference
Chen Yunlin director of the Taiwan Work Office of the Communist Party of China CPC Central Committee and the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council announced last May that the mainland compatriots would present a pair of giant pandas to Taiwan compatriots as a symbol of peace unity and friendship
The giant panda is one of the worlds most endangered species and is found only in China It is estimated that giant pandas live wild in China and those in captivity totaled in the Chinese mainland by the end of Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Giant pandas a species living since the age of dinosaurs were distributed around most regions in south and central China Myanmar and Vietnam over million years ago
But as a result of climate changes and human activities the habitats for giant pandas have been so much reduced that there are only about giant pandas in the wild around the world mostly scattered in southwest Chinas Sichuan Province
To date China has giant pandas fed in captivity Among them
live in the Wolong Giant Panda Research Center in the Chengdu Giant Panda Breeding and Research Base in Sichuan
Regarded by the Chinese as a state gem giant pandas are one of the most endangered species in the world and considered to be living fossils of the ancient ages
In the s China founded its first nature reserve for giant pandas In a plan to protect giant pandas and their habitats was launched
So far nature reserves have been set up for pandas along with
protective corridors allowing them to move freely among habitats
All those efforts ensured percent of the giant pandas in the wild get protection
Giant pandas like eating bamboo shoots and bamboo leaves but they also eat small animals sometimes
The heat period of giant pandas is usually in April and May sometimes in the autumn A female giant panda usually gives birth to one baby once but two babies occasionally
For humanraised giant pandas its difficult for them to become in heat to be impregnated and for the baby giant pandas to survive But after years of scientific research the survival rate of humanraised giant pandas has exceeded percent in China
As a particular rare species in China giant pandas have won
affection and attention around the world The animal was selected as the symbol of the World Wild Fund WWF when the organization was founded in
In Chinas central government sent a pair of giant pandas to the former Soviet Union as a present of the Chinese people By giant pandas had been presented to nine countries including the former Soviet Union the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea DPRK the United States Japan France Britain Mexico Spain and the Federate Republic of Germany
Most of these panda envoys have passed away except at most five who survived
Giant panda donations to other countries stopped in Only by way of leasing or scientific research cooperation can giant pandas be sent overseas But those giant pandas and their babies born overseas still belong to China
Currently Chinese giant pandas guest in nine zoos in five
countries including the United States Japan Germany Austria and
Thailand for joint research
In the Chinese central government sent a pair of giant pandas namely Jia Jia and An An to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region HKSAR The HKSAR government spent million Hong Kong dollars to build a home for the couple which have enjoyed high popularity among Hong Kong citizens Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Highlights of major Beijingbased newspapers on Friday
Peoples Daily
China will continue to keep the continuity and stability of its monetary policies said Chinese Vice Premier Huang Ju
Economic Daily
China has so far successfully formed the TDSCDMA international standards for the G or third generation telecommunication technologies It failed to grasp the standards for the st and nd generation telecommunication technologies
Xinhua Daily Telegraph
More Chinese farmers are interested in shooting movies to reflect their better life and historical stories
Workers Daily
Chinese Health Minister Gao Qiang pointed out that there exists a terrible trend of blindly seeking huge profits in some medical institutions
China Daily
Nanjing capital of east Chinas Jiangsu Province will send a threemember delegation to attend the funeral of Japanese war veteran Shiro Azuma who published his wartime diary in to make public the atrocities committed by Japanese soldiers Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Founded in and covering an area of hectares the Wolong Nature Reserve in the southwestern Sichuan Province is famous as the hometown of giant pandas
An estimated wild giant pandas covering nearly percent of the total number in China live at the Wolong nature reserve in Wenchuan County western Sichuan their largest habitat in China
In the China Giant Panda Protection and Research Center was established in the Wolong nature reserve which is some kms from Chengdu the provincial capital of Sichuan as a part of the countrys special project to protect the endangered animal
Chinese experts have worked hard to tackle the pandas breeding problems and have resorted to artificial insemination frozen semen and even showing the pandas videos on natural mating in the wild to arouse their sexual instincts
Currently the Wolong center has raised giant pandas not including the newlyborn cubs in the largest raised group in the world as the total number of humanraised giant pandas in the world is
In panda babies born in births in the Wolong center all survived accounting for about percent of the increase across the country last year
The center has reported percent newborn survival rate for five years in a row
In the past four decades more substantial efforts have been made by the Wolong nature reserve to protect and improve the ecological environment Now the forest coverage has risen from percent in to over percent Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua The central parity of the RMB against four major currencies announced Friday by the China Foreign Exchange Trading System
Currency Unit Middle Price in RMB yuan
US Dollar
Euro
Japanese Yen
Hong Kong Dollar
The central parity of RMB against US dollar is based on a weighted average of enquired prices from all market makers before the opening of the market in each business day
The central parity of RMB against the other three currencies is based on the central rate of RMB against the US dollar of the same business day as well as the exchange rates of the three currencies against the US dollar at am of the same business day in the international foreign exchange market Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Following are the major domestic news items scheduled to be covered or pursued by Xinhua on Friday
ROK National Assembly delegation to visit China
China set to promote trade economic relations with Africa
National meeting on railway transportation
Chinese mainland announces giant panda couple as gifts for Taiwan province
Panda couple ready for crossStraits journey
How were panda couple selected for Taiwan
Backgrounder Giant Panda
Backgrounder the Wolong Nature Reserve for Giant Panda
Enditem
HONG KONG Jan Xinhua Hong Kong stocks went up
points or percent to open at on Friday Enditem
SHANGHAI Jan Xinhua China has witnessed a rise in the number of students who completed their study abroad and returned for their own career as the countrys rapid development has created a good stage for these talented professionals a senior education official said here Friday
More than Chinese students have gone abroad for study since the founding of New China in and more than of them have returned accounting for one fourth of the total said Zhang Xinsheng vice minister of education
Currently returned students have outnumbered those who chose to study abroad said Zhang but he did not elaborate
Zhang attributed the increase in the number of returned students to the governments favorable policies toward them
According to him a number of national research funds scholarship award programs have been set up to create a better environment for returned scholars and elite talents to carry out research and open up businesses said Zhang
We will continue to improve the environment for returned students who with the further economic and social development in the country will find a larger stage to play at home he said Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua The Chinese mainland is soliciting pet names for the two giant pandas that have been singled out among peers as gifts to the Taiwan compatriots
An ideal name will consist of two Chinese characters and fully embodies the aspiration of Chinese compatriots across the Taiwan Straits said Cao Qingyao spokesman of the State Forestry Administration at a press conference Friday in Beijing
Chinese compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Straits overseas Chinese and all friendly personages are welcome to mull names for the two cuddly bears he said
The China Wildlife Conservation Association will be responsible for the name mulling project which will last from now until pm on Jan
Well shortlist pairs of names which will be publicized at the Spring Festival gala on the Chinese Central Television on Jan the eve of the Chinese Lunar New Year The couple will be given the two names that receive most votes from TV viewers said Cao
The giant panda couple namely No male and No female both one year old were selected from candidates raised in the Wolong China Giant Panda Research Center in southwestern Sichuan Province
They were known at Wolong as Xiaoguaiguai meaning little darling and Huangmao Yatou translating literally into chit of a girl Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua The Chinese mainland unveiled Friday the two giant pandas for Taiwan compatriots
The panda couple namely No male and No female were selected from among candidates raised in the Wolong China Giant Panda Research Center in southwestern Sichuan Province said Cao Qingyao spokesman of the State Forestry Administration at a press conference
No is one year and four months old weighing kg and his lover No is one month older than him weighing kg said Cao
The panda experts were very very cautious during the selection So I can say No and No are the best choice said the spokesman
We hope the couple can meet the Taiwan compatriots as soon as possible and the Taiwan authorities can follow the wishes of the people on the two sides of the Taiwan Straits providing active cooperation on this issue said Dai Xiaofeng head of the exchange bureau of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council
Chen Yunlin director of the Taiwan Work Office of the Communist Party of China CPC Central Committee and the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council announced last May that the mainland compatriots would present a pair of giant pandas to Taiwan compatriots as a symbol of peace unity and friendship
The panda selection standards included physiology psychology behavior looks genetics and age said Zhang Hemin director of the Wolong center and head of the ninemember expert group in charge of the selection work
Some leading zoologists from Taiwan have also been invited to Wolong to discuss technical issues on panda breeding said Zhang
Under the good care of the Taiwanese compatriots the giant pandas will surely do well and have descendants said Zhang
The giant panda is one of the worlds most endangered species and is found only in China It is estimated that giant pandas live wild in China and those in captivity totaled in the Chinese mainland by the end of Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Li Weiyi spokesman for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council made a comment about Chen Shuibians New Year talk at a regular press conference here Friday
Weve not only noticed Chen Shuibians latest talk but also the comments on his talk by various circles of Taiwan and international community Li said
We also believe Taiwan compatriots can clearly see the essence of his talk he stressed
Currently the crossstraits relations have been developing in the direction of peace and stability with the joint efforts by the compatriots of the two sides across the Taiwan Straits he said
Taiwan compatriots have a stronger wish for social stability economic prosperity peaceful and smooth development of crossstraits relations he added
Anyone who retroacts in terms of crossstraits relations disregarding the peoples wellbeing will finally damage the interests of Taiwan compatriots he said
Anyone who makes enemies with his own nation and compatriots is bound to eat his own bitter fruits he added
Well unswervingly stick to the oneChina principle oppose all activities of separatists preaching Taiwan independence and abide by our solemn promise to the Taiwan compatriots he said
Well do everything beneficial to the Taiwan compatriots and enhancement of crossstraits exchanges he said
Well try our utmost to promote the crossstraits relations to develop towards peace and stability he added Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua The Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of the Communist Party of China held its sixth plenary session of the commission here Friday
Hu Jintao general secretary of the CPC Central Committee Chinese President and chairman of the CPC Central Military Commission delivered an important speech at the meeting Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua The Taiwan authorities on Friday were urged to meet the wishes of the Taiwan compatriots and allow the Taiwanbound giant panda couple to enter the island as soon as possible
The call was made by Cao Qingyao spokesman for the State Forestry Administration at a press conference here
We hope this cute giant panda couple will meet the Taiwan compatriots as early as possible said Cao
The Chinese mainland on Friday released the details about the two giant pandas for Taiwan compatriots
The panda couple namely No male and No female both one year old were selected from candidates raised in the Wolong China Giant Panda Research Center in southwestern Sichuan Province
The giant panda is one of the worlds most endangered species and is found only in China It is estimated that giant pandas live wild in China and those in captivity totaled in the Chinese mainland by the end of Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua With joint efforts by the compatriots from the two sides across the Taiwan Straits positive elements that are helpful for curbing the splittist activities by the Taiwan Independence forces increased in the past year said an official here Friday at a press conference
The trend that the crossStraits relations develop toward the direction of peace and stability has been enhanced said Li Weiyi spokesman for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council
The exchange and cooperation in such aspects as personnel economy and culture have also moved forward he said
However he said the Taiwan Independence forces didnt cease their splittist activities and as a result the source of the tension across the Straits remained
The situation for the opposing and curbing of the splittist forces and their activities is still serious and complex he said
What deserves special attention is that the leaders of the Taiwan authorities had brought up again the timetable of its constitutional reform shifted its promotion strategy for and puffed its Taiwan Independence he said
Its one of the most urgent tasks for the compatriots across the Straits to unswervingly curb the splittist activities and safeguard peace and stability in the crossStraits region he said Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua The Chinese mainland unveiled Friday the two giant pandas for Taiwan compatriots
The panda couple namely No male and No female were selected from among candidates raised in the Wolong China Giant Panda Research Center in southwestern Sichuan Province said Cao Qingyao spokesman of the State Forestry Administration at a press conference
No first son of the USreturned star panda Hua Mei is one year and four months old weighing kg and his lover No is one month older than him weighing kg said Cao adding the final selection was based on a threemonth trial marriages which test whether the couple could fit each other
The panda experts were very very cautious during the selection So I can say No and No are the best choice said the spokesman
We hope the couple can meet the Taiwan compatriots as soon as possible and the Taiwan authorities can follow the wishes of the people on the two sides of the Taiwan Straits providing active cooperation on this issue said Dai Xiaofeng head of the exchange bureau of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council
We also hope the Taiwan authorities can authorize an organization which will be responsible for discussing affairs about the Taiwanbound giant panda couple with the wildlife protection departments on the Chinese mainland said Cao
In addition the Chinese mainland began to solicit pet names for the two giant pandas that have been singled out among peers as gifts to the Taiwan compatriots
An ideal name will consist of two Chinese characters and fully embodies the aspiration of Chinese compatriots across the Taiwan Straits said Cao
Chinese compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Straits overseas Chinese and all friendly personages are welcome to mull names for the two cuddly bears he said
The China Wildlife Conservation Association will be responsible for the name mulling project which will last from now until pm on Jan
Well shortlist pairs of names which will be publicized at the Spring Festival gala on the Chinese Central Television on Jan the eve of the Chinese Lunar New Year The couple will be given the two names that receive most votes from TV viewers said Cao
Chen Yunlin director of the Taiwan Work Office of the Communist Party of China CPC Central Committee and the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council announced last May that the mainland compatriots would present a pair of giant pandas to Taiwan compatriots as a symbol of peace unity and friendship
The panda selection standards included physiology psychology behavior looks genetics and age said Zhang Hemin director of the Wolong center and head of the ninemember expert group in charge of the selection work
First we should make sure that the two be not near relatives
and then consider that the couple can breed babies in Taiwan so
their age should be one to four as giant pandas usually get sexually
mature at the age of four to five said Zhang
Some leading zoologists from Taiwan have also been invited to Wolong to discuss technical issues on panda breeding said Zhang
Under the good care of the Taiwanese compatriots the giant pandas will surely do well and have descendants said Zhang
The giant panda is one of the worlds most endangered species and is found only in China It is estimated that giant pandas live wild in China and those in captivity totaled in the Chinese mainland by the end of Enditem
HONG KONG Jan Xinhua Hong Kong stocks went down points or percent to finish the morning session at on Friday Enditem
BEIJING Dec Xinhua Its one of the most urgent tasks for the compatriots across the Taiwan Straits to unswervingly curb the splittist activities and safeguard peace and stability in the crossStraits region said an official here Friday at a press conference
With joint efforts by the compatriots from the two sides across the Taiwan Straits positive elements that are helpful for curbing the splittist activities by the Taiwan Independence forces increased in the past year said Li Weiyi spokesman for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council
On March Chinese President Hu Jintao delivered a speech explaining how to develop crossStraits relations under new circumstances
In the past year we carried out a series of major activities to safeguard peace and stability in the crossStraits region and promote the development of crossStraits relations he said
The adoption of the antisecession law by Chinas top legislature exhibited the mainlands extreme sincerity of seeking Chinas peaceful reunification with every possible effort and the firm decision of no toleration for Taiwan Independence he said
Besides Hu Jintao general secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China CPC and the CPC Central Committee invited the leaders of the Chinese Kuomintang and the People First Party to visit the mainland which reaped significant fruits
At the same time the mainland yielded a series of favorable policies and measures for Taiwan compatriots said Li
All the measures had won extensive support from the people across the Straits and high scores from international community he said
The trend that the crossStraits relations develop toward the direction of peace and stability has been enhanced
The exchange and cooperation in such aspects as personnel economy and culture have also moved forward he said
However he said the Taiwan Independence forces didnt cease their splittist activities and as a result the source of the tension across the Straits remained
The situation for the opposing and curbing of the splittist forces and their activities is still serious and complex he said
What deserves special attention is that the leaders of the Taiwan authorities had brought up again the timetable of its constitutional reform shifted its promotion strategy for and puffed its Taiwan Independence he said Enditem
HEFEI Jan Xinhua Twelve miners were still trapped Friday in the coal mine accident in Huainan city east Chinas Anhui Province while rescue work is underway according to local authorities
The accident took place at pm Thursday when twelve people were working at the Wangfenggang coal mine which was under construction
Preliminary investigation shows the accident was caused by a gas explosion
The coal mine area was blocked off on Friday morning and rescuers have carried ventilating ducts to the spot Experts have been organized to seek possible ways to rescue the miners
The provincial government has ordered the suspension of construction at all the coal mines in the province which may only resume after being checked and approved by government authorities Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinas major granary in the northeast has the potential to produce billion kilograms of grain by the year which is enough to feed half of the newly added population in the coming years an agricultural expert said here Friday
Northeast China groups the three provinces of Heilongjiang Liaoning and Jilin and is the biggest grain production base of the country
To fully tap the potential more highyield crops such as soybean corn and rice should be planted to support the peoples growing demand for meat eggs dairy products and fish said Song Fengbin a research fellow of the Northeast Institute of Geography and Agricultural Ecology under the Chinese Academy of Sciences
A big potential of northeast China lies in its large amount of exploitable farmland he said citing statistics that the region has hectares of land suitable for reclamation before
At least hectares of farmland could be added in the next years which may help increase grain production by billion kilograms in Song said
To hit the goal efforts should be intensified to build two major irrigation projects to increase local water supply for agricultural development he said
The researcher also underscored the transformation of middle and lowyield farmland which account for over percent in all the three provinces into highyield cropland
While calling for more favorable policies to boost grain production Song said the potential to export grain export to the neighboring markets in Russia Mongolia the Korean Peninsula and Japan should not be underestimated Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Looking into the new year the Chinese mainland will strive for peaceful and smooth development of crossStraits relations a Chinese mainland official said here Friday
We will adhere to the fundamental policy of peaceful reunification and one country two systems the eightpoint proposal on developing crossStraits relations and promoting of peaceful reunification of the country at current stage and the fourpoint guideline on crossStraits relations put forward by Hu Jintao general secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China said Li Weiyi spokesman for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council
We have repeatedly stated that we will seek for peaceful reunification with our utmost sincerity and efforts he said stressing We will never permit Taiwan independence or anyone to separate Taiwan from China
We will continue to unit with Taiwan compatriots and overseas Chinese to further promote crossStraits personnel and economic exchanges and cooperation promote the early realization of the three direct links of the two sides he said
The Chinese mainland will continue extensive exchanges and dialogues with parties organizations personages of various circles in Taiwan who oppose Taiwan Independence acknowledge the Consensus and maintain the development of crossStraits relations he said
As long as the Taiwan authorities acknowledge the oneChina principle and the Consensus the crossStraits dialogue can be resumed he said stressing any topic can be discussed
We have full confidence in the prospects of crossStraits relations development and peaceful reunification of the motherland Li said Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Oil prices on the international market are expected to drop moderately this year one of Chinas major think tanks was quoted as saying Friday
Li Xiangyang deputy director of the Institute of World Economics and Politics with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences listed the slowdown of global economy slower growth of demand for oil due to higher oil prices and increased oil output as major factors for his forecast
Attention should be paid to the flow of international capital while keeping an eye on the fluctuation of the oil prices Li was quoted by Shanghai Securities News as saying
Historically speaking oilproducing nations would accumulate large amounts of petro dollars during the past several rounds of oil crises which produced a significant impact on global financial market he said at a ceremony to launch a report on world economy during and
The current round of oil price hike has lasted for a relatively long period of time and the prices have risen by a big margin resulting in large amounts of foreign exchange reserves in oilproducing nations Li said
The investment destination of those reserves will be the focal point of attention of the international financial circle said Li Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua China Securities Regulatory Commission has approved the application of trading of soybean oil futures on Dalian Commodity Exchange in northeast China
The exchange in the port city of Dalian in Liaoning Province will begin the trading after completing various preparations for the trading the commission said in a statement posted on its website
The move was designed to implement the policy by the central authorities to promote futures market in the coming five years the commission said
Trading of soybean oil futures may help Chinese soybean oil producers reduce the risks of drastic price fluctuation of refined oil and soybean on the highly competitive soybean oil market said the commission
China is one of the major producers and consumers of soybean oil in the world and soybean oil output accounts for one quarter that of the worlds overall edible oil Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua The Great Wall Asset Management Company recovered an accumulated billion yuan billion US dollars in cash from the nonperforming loans it held by the end of its president said
President Wang Xingyi said Friday the company had overfulfilled the cashrecovering mission assigned by the State Council Chinas cabinet one year ahead of time
The company had disposed of nonperforming assets totaling billion yuan by the end of last year
It was set up in to manage billion yuan in problem loans largely transferred from the Agricultural Bank of China in a sweeping banking reform
The combined amount of nonperforming loans from the Big Four state banks including the Agricultural Bank was as much as trillion yuan
Wang said his company will take new measures to manage doubtful loan assets on a commercial basis to provide an impetus to the current round of economic restructuring Enditem
HEFEI Jan Xinhua The first quantum computer in the world is likely to be developed in to years said Guo Guangcan an academician of the Chinese Academy of Science CAS and professor of the University of Science and Technology of China USTC
Despite remarkable achievements China has made in the field of quantum technology the country is still in the basic stage Guo said at a recent symposium in Hefei capital of east Chinas Anhui Province
A quantum computer is a computer that uses quantum mechanics rather than digital logic
In the s it was envisioned that computers would eventually become so small that regular physics would be ruled out by quantum mechanics
In quantum computing data units are known as qubits which are much different than regular bits They can be in states of or what is called a superposition of them which means they can be both at the same time
Guo has contributed significantly to quantum mechanics proposing the probability quantum cloning principle establishing the theory of quantum error coding avoidance and proposing quantum processing free from decoherence Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Yao Wenyuan member of the Gang of Four that terrorized China during the Cultural Revolution has died He was
Yao died of diabetes on Dec He was sentenced to twenty years imprison by a special tribunal of the Supreme Peoples Court in with political rights deprived for five years He was released from prison in October after serving full jail term Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua The Chinese mainland is soliciting pet names for the two giant pandas that have been singled out among peers as gifts to the Taiwan compatriots
An ideal name shall consist of two Chinese characters and fully embody the aspiration of Chinese compatriots across the Taiwan Straits said Cao Qingyao spokesman for the State Forestry Administration at a press conference in Beijing Friday
Chinese compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Straits overseas Chinese and all friendly personages are welcome to mull names for the two cuddly bears he said
The China Wildlife Conservation Association will be responsible for the name mulling project which will last from now until pm on Jan
The association has entrusted the Peoples Daily China Central Television China National Radio China Green Times and two leading portals wwwchinataiwanorg and wwwsinacom to collect names suggested by the public said its secretarygeneral Chen Runsheng
These media will publish the detailed requirements for the proposed names which can either contain two different characters such as Xiao Hua or a repetition of the same such as Rong Rong said Chen
Well shortlist pairs of names which will be publicized at the Spring Festival gala on the Chinese Central Television on Jan the eve of the Chinese Lunar New Year The couple will be given the two names that receive most votes from TV viewers said Cao
Chinese people in the mainland Taiwan Hong Kong Macao and other parts of the world have all taken delight in the mainlands decision to present a pair of giant pandas to the Taiwan compatriots announced in May he said
Many individuals and organizations proposed names and composed songs for the giant panda couple even before they were selected said Cao These have fully reflected the kinship between the Chinese compatriots on the two sides of the Taiwan Straits
The giant panda couple who have stood out the final election namely No male and No female both one year old were selected from candidates raised in the Wolong China Giant Panda Research Center in southwestern Sichuan Province
They were known at Wolong as Xiaoguaiguai meaning little darling and Huangmao Yatou translating literally into chit of a girl
So far the most popular names proposed in contests run by Chinese portals expressed the aspiration for peaceful reunification such as Tuan Tuan and Yuan Yuan which make up the words for reunion or tuan yuan in Chinese
Other popular names suggested for the bears include He He and Ping Ping meaning peace and Ai Ai and Guo Guo meaning patriotism Enditem
NANJING Jan Xinhua East Chinas Jiangsu Province is expected to spend billion yuan some million US dollars this year to help exempt all education tuition and fees for students during their compulsory education period according to the provincial government
The province will continue to provide free textbooks and subsidies for the students from needy families said an official with the provincial government
Students in central Jiangsu will also receive free texbooks according to the official He said the total number of beneficiaries will reach this year
Additionally educational authorities in Jiangsu will further promote the establishment of a vocational education system in a bid to offer training to needy students and rural laborers
More scholarships will be provided to finance needy college students said the official
Starting the province is now allocating million yuan about million US dollars annually to improve its compulsory education as part of a larger effort China is making to promote rural education
In China began providing students from poor families free textbooks and exempted them from paying other school fees Boarding students will receive living allowances and a goal has been set to enable needy students to complete the nineyear compulsory education by Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua China will invest billion yuan billion US dollars in railway projects construction in said Chinese Minister of Railways Liu Zhijun here Friday
The new projects will include railway projects for passenger transport and projects already under construction Liu said at a national conference on railways held in Beijing Friday Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua The Chinese mainland will respect the personal wish of Chinese Kuomintang KMT Chairman Ma YingJeo regarding when he will be invited to visit the mainland a mainland official said here Friday
The Communist Party of China and the KMT party have planed to hold a cultural and economic forum in Taipei Li Weiyi spokesman for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council said at a press conference
The forum features only interparty exchanges which are aimed at enhancing the understanding of compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Straits strengthening crossStraits trade cooperation and promoting the peaceful and smooth development of crossStraits relations Li said
The Taiwan authorities have put various obstacles for such a positive and meaningful activity which is irresponsible and unreasonable the spokesman said Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua The United Statesbased film firm Warner Bros International Cinema Inc WBIC Thursday announced to move its global construction design center from London to Chinas economic powerhouse Shanghai
The move is considered to open more business opportunities for Warner Bros in Asia especially in China
Warners new global construction design center will be in charge of all cinema design work in China Italy Japan the United States and regions to be covered by Warner Bros in the future
Currently ten of the total staff members in the Shanghai global center are Chinese and more Chinese partners will be recruited in the future said the WBIC
Millard Ochs president of WBIC said China has been an important market for Warner Bros and the move of global construction design center to Shanghai is a commitment of WBIC to expand business in China
Ochs said the move is believed to further close cooperation between Warner Bros and the Chinese partners in the future
Warner Bros company was the first western studio to establish a distribution arrangement in China Now it has eight cinemas with screens or seats in China Enditem
GUANGZHOU Jan Xinhua Guangdong an economic powerhouse neighboring Hong Kong in south China is forecast to stay on a fastgrowing track in the coming five years mainly supported by robust development of heavy industries and and increasing consumer spending
Tan Bingcai an official with the Research and Development Center of the Guangdong provincial government a local thinktank predicted the local economy would grow at an average rate of over percent in after having expanded by an estimated percent in
Guangdongs economy is entering a new round of longterm growth he said
Both domestic and international environment would be conducive to Guangdongs sustainable stable and high growth he said The economy is showing little likelihood of big ups and downs
He said Guangdongs economic growth would likely fall slightly to a rate of roughly percent this year as the heavy chemical industry is still in the initial stage and the electronics and information sectors has entered a period of maturity
The growth of investment consumer spending and export the three major engines driving economic growth is estimated at about percent percent and percent respectively this year
Tan said heavy and highend industries would lead industrial upgrading and economic expansion in Guangdong At present the heavy chemical industry contributes more than half to the provinces industrial value added
The nonstate sector also plays a major role in Guangdongs development In the first ten months of last year alone the investment of nonstate companies made up one third of the provinces total
It is estimated that Guangdongs economy would jumped to trillion yuan billion US dollars in the biggest among all Chinese provinces which doubled the figure in
With the rapid increase in the income of local residents Tan predicted consumer spending on housing automobile production education and tourism would maintain a major force for economic expansion in the next five to years
However he said Guangdong would continue to sustain the short supply of energy water and land resources in the coming years which will impose an increasing impact on the development of the local economy
To maintain healthy economic growth the province would have to guarantee the supply of coal electricity and oil and expand transport capacity he said Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua China plans to input a total of billion yuan about billion US dollars on railway construction in Minister of Railways Liu Zhijun said here Friday
At the national railways working conference in Beijing Liu said the construction of new express passenger rail routes will start this year with the pace of another rail routes under way to be accelerated
The year will witness a largescale railway building momentum in China said Liu noting that the ministry will launch a total of railways projects this year
As a step to renovate part of the countrys outdated lowspeed railways a total length of electrified rail routes will go into service across the country in Liu said
Meanwhile two key projects of the railways sector will become operational in said the minister one is the highestlatitude QinghaiTibet Railway which will go into trial operation in July and the other is the electrified BeijingShanghai Railway to be in service in the year
Preparations for Chinas sixth largescale speedlift for railways is also scheduled to be completed before October this year the minister said Enditem
SHANGHAI Jan Xinhua Six new tunnels will be built spanning the Huangpu River which flows through most of Shanghai metropolis and empties itself into the Yangtze River Estuary in five years to come
When all the tunnels are finished there will be one vehiclereserved facility crossing the river in every two kilometers said information from the Shanghai Municipal Administration for Civil Works
It is unknown how much it will cost to build the tunnels
Currently there are many vehiclereserved passages spanning the Huangpu River with lanes Four of the total passages were constructed in the past five years ending in Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Yao Wenyuan member of the Gang of Four in Chinas Cultural Revolution has died He was
Yao died of diabetes on Dec He was sentenced to twenty years imprisonment by a special tribunal of the Supreme Peoples Court in with political rights deprived for five years He was released from prison in October after serving full jail term
Yao was the last member of the Gang of Four which refers to Wang Hongwen Zhang Chunqiao Jiang Qing Yao Wenyuan
The youngest gang member Wang Hongwen died of liver cancer in a Beijing hospital in while serving a life sentence
Zhang Chunqiao died of cancer on April at age of He was given death sentence with a twoyear reprieval by a special tribunal of the Supreme Peoples Court in January and his sentence was commuted to life imprisonment with political rights deprived for life in January and was commuted again to years in prison with political rights deprived for years
Jiang Qing was sentenced in to death with twoyear reprieval But the verdict later commuted to life in prison Ten years later she hanged herself while on medical parole Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua China has accredited its first group of national defense laboratories for standardized measures and tests for aerospace aeronautics and nuclear technologies as well as dual technologies
These accredited labs include those from the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation China National Nuclear Corporation and China State Shipping Building Corporation according to the Science and Technology Daily
The move is aimed to strengthen the national defense industry and develop dual technologies for both military and civilian use said Wu Weiren a senior official with the State Commission of Science and Technology for National Defense Industry quoted by the newspaper
The accreditation authorities will keep an eye on the management of the accredited laboratories to ensure that they can meet higher requirements for research and development Wu said
The labs would be deprived of the accreditation once they are found to have their management and technological capacity weakened he added
The accreditation system for national defense labs which is prevailing in developed countries was established in China in April So far a total of labs in the country have applied for the accreditation Enditem
WUHAN Jan Xinhua China announced Thursday that it would pay yuan some US dollars to families of the Yangtze River ship collision victims
After ten days of negotiation the victim families signed an agreement with the representative of concerned governmental department accepting the compensation
The tragedy occurred on the Yangtze Rivers middle reaches near Shishou City central Chinas Hubei Province at around am on Dec when a ship from Changsha capital of the neighboring Hunan Province collided with a local ship Altogether people fell into the water
Two people were rescued while three others were confirmed dead The remaining eight are still missing
The governments of Shishou City and neighboring Jinzhou City have mobilized more than vessels and some people to take part in the rescue operation
Rescuers were searching for those missing within a range of km downstream from the accident site according to local sources
As of Friday afternoon the missing people have not been found
Investigation on the cause of the accident is underway Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua At the invitation of the Chinese government June Evo Morales Ayma presidentelect of the Republic of Bolivia will visit China from Jan to
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Kong Quan made the announcement here Friday Enditem
XIAN Jan Xinhua Northwest Chinas Shaanxi Province on Friday started to operate eight more international air routes to eight cities in Europe America and Asia
The air routes link the ancient Chinese capital with Paris London Vancouver Los Angeles Singapore Kuala Lumpur Bangkok and New Delhi and will be operated by the East China Airline based in Shanghai
According to the aviation firm all of the new air routes need to fly from Xian to Shanghai for a brief stop before heading for their destination cities
So far Xian has opened a total of international air routes ranking as the countrys fourth after Beijing Shanghai and Guangzhou It is also the largest air traffic base in western China Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua China is very concerned about Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharons health Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Kong Quan said here Friday
We wish him an early recovery Kong said
Kong made the remarks when asked to comment on Sharons hospitalization due to a serious stroke Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua The Composite Stock Index on the Shanghai Stock Exchange closed at points on Friday up points from the previous close
A Share Index points up points
B Share Index points up points
Total Turnover yuan Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua The Composite Stock Index on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange closed at points on Friday up points from the previous close
A Share Index points up points
B Share Index points up points
Total Turnover yuan Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua The Hushen Index reflecting the whole fluctuation of Chinas Shanghai and Shenzhen stock exchanges closed at points on Friday up points from the previous close
About one fifth of the total shares listed in the two markets have been chosen as samples of the Hushen Index accounting for percent of the market value in Chinas stock market Enditem
HAIKOU Jan Xinhua Carrefour the French retail giant Thursday clinched a deal with Nanya Plaza in this capital city of Chinas southernmost Hainan Province on jointly establishing a supermarket sources with the local plaza said
The mall the first of its kind Carrefour will launch in the island province is to start business in the second half of this year
The project with a floor space of about square meters and parking lots will bring the total number of Carrefour stores in China to the local company sources said
Carrefour founded in is the largest retailer in Europe and the second largest worldwide Its business covers countries and regions all over the world The company ranked nd among the Fortune Global companies in
Carrefour opened its first supermarket on the Chinese mainland in Its th store opened last month in Nanjing capital city of east Chinas Jiangsu Province Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Report on the quality of air in major Chinese cities Jan to Jan Beijing Time released by the China Environmental Monitoring Center
City Major Pollutant Air Quality Level
Beijing particulate matter II
Tianjin sulfur dioxide III
Shijiazhuang particulate matter II
Qinhuangdao sulfur dioxide II
Taiyuan sulfur dioxide II
Hohhot particulate matter II
Shenyang particulate matter II
Dalian sulfur dioxide II
Changchun particulate matter II
Harbin particulate matter II
Shanghai particulate matter II
Nanjing sulfur dioxide II
Suzhou sulfur dioxide II
Nantong particulate matter II
Lianyungang particulate matter II
Hangzhou particulate matter II
Ningbo particulate matter II
Wenzhou I
Hefei particulate matter II
Fuzhou I
Xiamen I
Nanchang sulfur dioxide II
Jinan particulate matter II
Qingdao sulfur dioxide II
Yantai sulfur dioxide II
Zhengzhou particulate matter II
Wuhan particulate matter II
Changsha sulfur dioxide II
Guangzhou I
Shenzhen I
Zhuhai particulate matter II
Shantou I
Zhanjiang I
Nanning sulfur dioxide II
Guilin I
Beihai I
Haikou I
Chongqing I
Chengdu particulate matter II
Guiyang I
Kunming particulate matter II
Lhasa particulate matter II
Xian particulate matter II
Lanzhou particulate matter II
Xining particulate matter II
Yinchuan particulate matter II
Urumqi particulate matter III
The center classifies air quality in Chinas urban areas into five levels level I or excellent pollution reading not exceeding level II or fairly good pollution reading to level III or slightly polluted pollution reading to level IV or poor pollution reading to and level V or hazardous pollution reading over
The cities monitored by the center include the four municipalities of Beijing Tianjin Shanghai and Chongqing provincial or autonomous regional capitals and major cities in economically developed coastal areas and tourist attractions Enditem
ZHENGZHOU Jan Xinhua The government of central Chinas Henan Province releases a Yellow River pollution warning here Friday disclosing a diesel oil leakage on the river Thursday
According to the government report the leakage took place around am at the No power plant of Gongyi City and six tons of diesel oil leaked from its oil tank into Yellow Rivers Yiluo branch
The provincial government take immediate measures after the leakage to curb the spread of pollutants but some diesel oil still flew into Yellow Rivers main stream and affects the water quality
The government orders all the cities and counties along the river to intensify the supervision over the water quality so as to safeguard the safety of the peoples drinking water Enditem
HUAINAN Anhui Province Jan Xinhua Twelve miners remain trapped by press time in the coal mine where a gas explosion occurred in Huainan City of east Chinas Anhui Province
Rescue operation is still underway according to a news conference held on Friday morning
By am Friday the gas density in the coal pit has been brought down to percent from percent when the accident happened
The miners are reported to be equipped with selfrescue devices but experts say there is slim hope for their survival if they are trapped in a condition where the oxygen density is below percent for a long time
Cheng Chuanru an official with Anhui Provincial Administration of Work Safety vowed that local rescuers will make every effort to rescue the trapped miners
The identity of missing miners have been confirmed Two are gas density inspectors and the other are workers of a construction team under the Jixi Mining Administration
The accident took place at pm Thursday when people were working at the Wangfenggang Coal Mine which was under construction Enditem
HONG KONG Jan Xinhua Following are foreign exchange rates against the Hong Kong dollar released by the Bank of China Hong Kong Limited at on Friday
Buying Selling
Japanese yen
Swiss franc
British pound
Australian dollar
Canadian dollar
Euro
US dollar
Enditem
HONG KONG Jan Xinhua Hong Kong stocks went up points or percent to close at on Friday Enditem
HONG KONG Jan Xinhua Hong Kong movie star Tony Leung Kafai Friday was sentenced to twomonth jail for drunk driving according to the rule of a district court
The yearold Leung was also fined of HK dollars about US dollars and disqualified for driving for three years His jail term however will be suspended for three years
Leung is a famous actor in the Chineselanguage film circle and gained international fame by his performance in in The Lover a movie based on the French writer Marguerite Duras novel bearing the same name
The judge first sentenced Leung to threemonth imprisonment but shortened it to two months due to his good attitude reported the radio HKTR
Leung who had a record of drunk driving case in pleaded guilty for his behavior last October when a car driven by him rammed into the tail of a mini bus in a tunnel in eastern Hong Kong Island
A breathalyzer test then showed the alcohol level in Leungs blood was twice higher than that allowed by law
Leung dressed all in black and a pair of sunglasses walked out of the court tightlipped and entered into a waiting taxi immediately showed the footage of the local Cable News TV station Enditem
HONG KONG Jan Xinhua An earthquake measuring on the Richter scale hit the seas east of Andaman Islands India at pm Hong Kong time Friday
According to the Hong Kong Observatory the epicenter was initially determined to be south latitude and east longitude about kilometers eastnorth east of port Blair India Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinas shares continued their impressive rise Friday for the third consecutive trading day of this year helped by favorable policies and improved investment environment
Following strong rises in the last trading week of the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index which covers both A and Bshares on the Shanghai Stock Exchange rose percent to points exceeding the point level that was last seen since last September
The Shenzhen Component Stock Index gained points to close at up about percent
Total turnover for the market was billion yuan billion US dollars for the Shanghai market and billion yuan for the Shenzhen market
Analysts contributed the continous rises of the Chinese shares to major favorable policies made public over the past two days and improved investment environment
The China Securities Regulatory Commission Wednesday made public its provisional rules on options for senior managerial officers in a move to improve corporate governance and promote sustainable development
China also published rules on strategic investment by overseas investors in its domestically listed firms on Wednesday
China has revised its Securities Laws and Corporate Laws as part of the effort to improve corporate governance and crack down irregularities and its share reform launched last April has been going on smoothly
The reform was launched by the Chinese government on April last year to float the nontradable shares which made up two thirds of the total and mostly Stateowned
The arrangement which was designed at a time the Stateowned sector dominated the national economy to prevent the loss of control over State assets has been described as split share structure
The split share structure has been blamed as the key culprit for Chinas stagnant stock market over the past five years and the reform has been described as the most significant event in the country after the nation set up its stock market in the s
Shang Fulin chairman of China Securities Regulatory Commission said that Chinas capital market faces breakthrough in development thanks to the institutional reforms and fast growth of the national economy Enditem
HONG KONG Jan Xinhua Hosting the Sixth Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization WTO demonstrated Hong Kongs concerns for the poorest citizens in the world and enhanced its reputation as Asias world city a senior official of Hong Kong said Friday
Speaking at a luncheon organized by the Asia Society Hong Kong Center the Secretary for Commerce Industry and Technology John Tsang admitted that Hong Kong recognized the risks associated with the hosting of the conference which lasted a whole week in December with several antiWTO demonstrations
However as a supporter of free trade and the WTO Hong Kong was determined to take its responsibilities as a world citizen in support of the multilateral trading system
We were determined to demonstrate our competence as Asias world city by tackling whatever challenges the conference threw up both inside and outside the venue said Tsang the host for the conference
He noted that the Hong Kong Conference was an important milestone on the way to complete the Doha Development Agenda DDA which aimed to level the playing field of world trade for developing countries and for the poorer economies which still struggle to provide more than survival for millions of their citizens Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua A Branch National Library for Chinese ancient books opened here Friday at Wenjin street in Beijing with more than million volumes on the shelf
According to an official with the National Library among the million volumes rare editions of ancient books total volumes common editions million volumes and specially collected documents over volumes
The collection of the library can be ranked as the no one nationwide in terms of quantity quality and content he acknowledged
In recent years he said the National Library has enhanced the research and collection of the ancient books and has launched a program to make a digital record of the ancient books A number of editions such as stone inscriptions on Dunhuang and Xixia heritage have been transformed in digital material and made public to readerships online
The building of the library for ancient books collection founded in is now designated as a relic protection in Beijing Enditem
CHENGDU Jan Xinhua In southwest Chinas Wolong Giant Panda Preserve and Research Center Xiaoguaiguai and Huangmao Yatou are frolicking as usual on trees totally unaware that they have become the eye catchers on the two sides across the Taiwan Strait
Their names meaning in Chinese little darling and a chit of girl respectively the pair of giant panda cubs are eventually chosen to be presented to the Taiwan compatriots announced the State Councils Taiwan Affairs Office on Friday
Numbering and the two giant pandas are chosen from candidates
Chen Yunlin director of the office announced on behalf of the Chinese Communist Partys Central Committee and the State Council in May when meeting Lien Chan Kuomintang Chairman of the time that the mainland people will present a pair of giant pandas with the symbols of peace unity and friendship to the Taiwan compatriots
Shortly after that a panel was founded in August at the Wolong Giant Panda Preserve and Research Center Sichuan Province marking an official start of the beauty contest
All the raisers had hoped for long that their beloved children could win from the most fierce competition and so was Li Guo who cared for Xiaoguaiguai ever since the boy came to the world on Sept
Li said he has cherished deep affection with the panda cub
Just hearing one call from Li Xiaoguaiguai who is playing on the tree will swiftly turn his perfectly round head and crawl while rolling to the raiser
He always stretches out his front palm toward me with hem sounds from his mouth looking for something to eat or play with
This guy loves to stay with people He always holds our legs nibbling and he will never let you go unless you play with him for a while Li said
Xiaoguaiguai comes from gentlefolk His mother is the wellknown returned Americaborn giant panda beauty Huamei
As the eldest son of Huamei the boy not only possesses good physique but also inherits a pretty looking from his mother
Xiaoguaiguai weighs kilograms and his fiancee is two kg heavier
We all thought this gentlefolk descendant would choose a fair lady to spend the rest of his life but Xiaoguaiguai showed his special interests to Huangmao Yatou with a bit wild nature Li said
Different from most of her blackwhite kinsmen the girl is brownwhite and is regarded the beauty of Wolong said her raiser Xu Yalin
The female cubs mother Leilei is a wild giant panda of the famous Liangshan species who was injured in the wild and saved by the staff of Wolong center
Though losing her left front arm in the operation Leilei has greater babysitting abilities And influenced by her mother strong maternity is also seen in Yatou Xu said
Li Desheng senior engineer with Wolong Giant Panda Preserve and Research Center said Yatous wild lineage will enrich her genes and this will benefit her offsprings with Xiaoguaiguai
The two cubs are playmates ever since they were born and they always stayed together in the match trial Li said
Yatou will take a rest on a tree after meal and Xiaoguaiguai always quite voluntarily follows her he said
The couple is a pair that get along most harmoniously with all the candidates and all were greatly impressed with their finding each other congenial said Zhang Hemin head of the panel selecting giant panda for Taiwan Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua A Chinese mainland official on Friday called for regular chartered flights and direct flights between the two sides of the Taiwan Straits
Li Weiyi spokesman for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council said at a press conference that it is very difficult to get tickets of the crossStraits chartered flights during the forthcoming Spring Festival
The demand from Taiwan compatriots living in the mainland cannot be met Regular chartered flights and direct flights should be realized to offer convenience for Taiwan compatriots in the mainland Li said
He said the mainland will provide good services for the Spring Festival chartered flights and push forward the realization of regular chartered flights and direct flights
Spring Festival the Chinese Lunar New Year is the most important occasion for family reunions The Spring Festival in will start on Jan
Six mainland airline companies have been chosen to operate chartered flights across the Taiwan Straits from Jan to Feb of while six Taiwanbased airlines have announced their plans for direct chartered flights across the Taiwan Straits during the Spring Festival Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Building more kilovoltabove extrahightension power grids will be the keypoint of Chinas outline on state grid expansion
Fridays China Securities Journal unveiled Chinas future plan on state grid development between and which has just been finished by the State Power Grid Development Company
Liu Zhenya general manager of the State Power Grid Development Company said the central government will increase input on state grid construction in the coming five years in hopes of easing the bottleneck on power supply and to establish an effective state grid by
Liu said a key step to solve electricitythirst problem in some areas the state grid company will pay more attention to extrahightension power grids above kilovolts in the coming five years which will be capable of transmitting electricity for longer distances
According to Liu a demonstration project for a kilovolt transmission line will be built in China before and several kilovoltis transmission lines will also be built in the next five years
In addition a kilovolt power grid will be in shape in the northwest of China in the coming five years with a number of kilovolt and kilovolt transmission lines to cover more regions in demand for electric power said Liu
According to Liu Chinas first demonstration projects for kilovolt transmission lines have operated smoothly for days with a total of million kilowatthours electricity transmitted by January this year
By China will form three major extrahigh tension power grids in the north middle and east parts respectively and realize effective distribution of energy resources within the whole country Liu said Enditem
NANNING Jan Xinhua Tourists to scenic spots in central and western China may find it easier to get to their destinations as more nonstop trains and charter flights will be available for them this year industry sources said here Friday
More than nonstop trains and over charter flights are expected to serve tourists this year said the sources with a national fair on tourist trains and charter flights which opened here Thursday
The move would help attract more tourists to the scenic spots while reducing the transport costs for them said Li Guangjun a tourism promotion official from the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region
It will also help create more job opportunities for local farmers he added
Local governments in central and western China have been encouraging travel agencies to arrange chartered planes and special trains for tourists Measures include giving bonus to travel agencies bringing tourist groups to the localities
A nationwide travel surge is expected in the upcoming Spring Festival or Chinas lunar New Year which falls on Jan this year The number of people to travel by railway during the weeklong holiday is predicted to reach million while the number of people travel by air would amount to million according to the State Development and Reform Commission Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Yao Wenyuan member of the Gang of Four in Chinas Cultural Revolution has died He was
Yao died of diabetes on Dec He was sentenced to years imprisonment by a special tribunal of Chinas Supreme Peoples Court in January with political rights deprived for five years He was released from prison in October after serving full jail term
Yao was the last member of the Gang of Four which refers to Wang Hongwen Zhang Chunqiao Jiang Qing Yao Wenyuan and one of the chief culprits of Lin Biao and Jiang Qing AntiRevolution Clique
The youngest gang member Wang Hongwen died of liver cancer in a Beijing hospital in while serving a life sentence
Zhang Chunqiao died of cancer on April at age of He was given death sentence with a twoyear reprieval by a special tribunal of the Supreme Peoples Court in January and his sentence was commuted to life imprisonment with political rights deprived for life in January and was commuted again to years in prison with political rights deprived for years
Jiang Qing was sentenced in to death with twoyear reprieval But the verdict later commuted to life in prison Ten years later she hanged herself while on medical parole Enditem
HANGZHOU Jan Xinhua Two people were killed and many others were injured in an explosion at a chemical plant in east Chinas Zhejiang Province on Friday noon
The accident occurred at am when a pressure vessel at the Changzheng Chemical Industrial Ltd in Shangyu City exploded Fortunately it failed to produce severe environmental pollution in the region
So far chlorid leak from the broken pressure vessel has been brought under control and the cause of the accident is under investigation Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua China is estimated to spend trillion yuan trillion US dollars on its energy and transportation sectors in the upcoming five years Fridays China Securities Journal reported
In the next five years the annual investment in the coal industry will be increased by billion yuan or billion yuan a year the paper quoted a report made by the Macroeconomic Research Institute of the National Development and Reform Commission NDRC as saying
The report outlines prospects of investment trend of seven industries in Chinas th FiveYear plan period
During the period investment in the oil sector will grow by billion yuan or billion yuan a year while that in natural gas field by billion yuan or billion yuan a year according to the report
At the same time China will spend an average billion yuan or billion yuan on installing new powergenerating units each year and another billion yuan or billion yuan on building power grids
The transportation sector will get trillion yuan of investment representing an annual increase of percent
By the year Chinas railway network is expected to reach kilometers and the mileage of highway roads will be million kilometers
The port handling capacity in the country is estimated to reach billion tons The airports for civilian use will be increased to Enditem
US dollar yuan
CHENGDU Jan Xinhua To be a matchmaker is no easy task but to play Cupid for two giant pandas has proved to be harder
Matchmaking became Chinese giant panda experts most challenging mission in after the Chinese mainland decided last May to donate a pair of giant pandas to Taiwan as gifts which embody the aspiration for peace unity and fraternity of Chinese compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Straits
The experts had to select among the countrys young giant pandas a pair which not only loves each other but also has to be perfectly shaped and physiologically excellent
Only those who are fat with round heads and nonprotruding mouths are qualified in appearance Inbreeding of course means a veto in the selection
More importantly they should be highly fertile as they are expected to raise offspring on the countrys largest island Previously panda one of the worlds most precious species has never set foot there
Cao Qingyao spokesman for the State Forestry Administration SFA announced on Friday that the countrys experts had picked out a perfect match of giant pandas for the Taiwan compatriots after nearly five months of selection
The giant panda couple namely No male and No female both one year old were selected from candidates raised in the Wolong China Giant Panda Research Center in the southwestern province of Sichuan
They are known at Wolong as Xiaoguaiguai which means little darling and Huangmao Yatou which translates literally into chit of a girl
Its a tough job to select such a couple as giant pandas seldom fall in love at first sight said Zhang Hemin director of the center
The selection started last August about three months after Chen Yunlin head of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council announced the donation plan during then Kuomintang party chief Lien Chans mainland visit last spring
Following physical genetic and psychological tests of the candidates experts in October presented a list of giant pandas two of which would be made a match
The final decision was made after two months of cohabitation of the giant pandas
They are all individually excellent but did not necessarily match each other We made more than matching trials and found No and No showed the strongest favor toward each other said Zhang
The expert said that some pandas were indifferent to their partners and some would even fight against each other when they were put together
Giant panda feeders at Wolong said that Huangmao Yatou and Xiaoguaiguai seemed to care for each other like sister and brother
The male panda was born on Sept by Hua Mei a giant panda that was born in the United States and returned to China in February that year
He is a day younger than his lover who is believed by experts to have inherited her mothers wild nature and talent for maternity
Her mother Lei Lei a wild giant panda rescued by zoologists at the Wolong center after an injury is famed at Wolong for her prolific reproduction and excellent motherhood
The daughter was once a tree climbing champion among young giant pandas at Wolong and she is also a wellknown acrobat for her skill in walking on balancebeams like logs said Zhang
The mainland also launched a name soliciting campaign Friday welcoming all Chinese compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Straits overseas Chinese and all friendly personages to mull names for the two cuddly bears
The campaign is expected to last to Jan
However when the giant panda couple will go to Taiwan remains a question as the Taiwan authorities are still playing the admission of the giant pandas as a political card
According to Taiwan media reports the authorities on the island said on Thursday that the matter is still under review and the giant pandas cannot enter Taiwan without permission
Giant panda is one of the worlds most endangered species and is found only in China It is estimated that giant pandas live wild in China Those in captivity totaled in the Chinese mainland by the end of Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinese capital Beijing opened its first melancholia treatment center Thursday at Anding Hospital according to sources with the Beijing psychological health care bureau
The newly opened melancholia treatment center has experienced experts on treating melancholia who will take shifts from Monday to Friday with some patients received per day
The latest survey shows that approximately Beijingers are plagued by melancholia with only percent getting treatment
Hou Yezhi deputy director of the Beijing psychological health care bureau acknowledged that it is possible to prevent and cure melancholia and the most crucial step is to take early action
About percent of melancholia patients have a tendency to commit suicide Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua The Chinese Ministry of Agriculture has said that it aims to enhance Chinas overall grain production capacity to billion kilograms in the next five years the China Securities Journal reported on Friday
During Chinas th FiveYear plan period the ministry will try to increase the overall grain production capacity by billion kilograms each year the report said
To achieve the target the ministry will focus efforts on planting highyield strains of rice wheat corn and soy beans promoting the use of organic fertilizers building high standard grain fields stepping up the prevention and control of insect pests and further supporting the development of rural key enterprises and farmers cooperative organizations Enditem
GUIYANG Jan Xinhua A coach collided with a train Friday noon in southwest Chinas Guizhou Province injuring people aboard the bus with five seriously injured local authorities said
The accident took place at about when the coach was passing a railwayhighway crossing Dushan County but a speedy train came suddenly out of a tunnel and bumped into the coach in the tail according to the Guizhou Provincial Administration of Production Safety
A total of people were aboard the coach when the collision happened and all the injured people have been rushed to local hospital sources said
The coach came from southwest Chinas Chongqing Municipality
The accident also triggered a threehour suspension of railway traffic Investigation into the cause is underway Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinese and Japanese diplomats are expected to meet in Beijing next Monday to discuss bilateral relations and disputes between the two neighbors
The oneday working level informal contact will be held between directgeneral level officials according to a source with the Chinese Foreign Ministry
The meeting will focus on SinoJapanese relations which have been upset by Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumis visits to the Yasukuni Shrine to show respect for Japans war dead including various World War II criminals
The two sides will also discuss disputes in the East China Sea and other issues the source said
China and Japan held three rounds of consultations on the East China Sea issue and agreed to seek a peaceful solution Enditem
MACAO Jan Xinhua Macao will resolve the tap water salinity crisis by the end of the tap water management said here Friday
Franklin Willemyns executive director of the Macao Water Supply Co Ltd told a press conference that after the completion of the Ping Gang project which is to start in April the salinity problem will never bother the special administrative region of China
The project planed by the Zhuhai Water Co is aimed at shifting the raw water intake from the Xijiang River km upstream to elude the salt tide which tortures Guangdong Province every dry season
Macao which counts water supply on Xijiang is currently enduring its worst ever salinity crisis Willemyns said
He added that the salinity level has recently hiked far above the standard set up by the World Health Organization
However he said thanks to the raw water pumping missions successfully conducted in the past few days the salinity level is hopefully to plunge in the near future
The Macao Water Supply Co Ltd is holding the monopoly of the citys tap water supply Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua By the end of China has established a nationwide system for disease control and prevention the Ministry of Health announced here Friday
The system launched in September includes projects which involve a total investment of billion yuan billion US dollars said the ministrys information office
Meanwhile China spent billion yuan billion US dollars on building a nationwide firstaid system for public health emergencies which comprises projects
Starting from January China introduced a system for direct reporting of infectious disease cases The provinces autonomous regions and municipalities provide timely and concise reports of individual cases to the Ministry of Health through the Internet
The ministry and some provinces also began a regular release of epidemic situation reports in
The ministry urged CDC at all levels to train more medical staffs and improve the ability of disease prevention and control noting that coordination with relative departments on prevention and control of major diseases and public health services need to be carried on to prepare for the possible occurrence of new infectious diseases Enditem
HONG KONG Jan Xinhua Following are Fridays major Hang Seng Indexes managed and compiled by HSI Service Limited a wholly owned subsidiary of the Hang Seng Bank
Index Previous Close Close Change
Hang Seng Index
Subindices
Finance
Utilities
Properties
ComInd
Hang Seng Composite
Index
Hang Seng Hong Kong
Composite Index
Hang Seng Mainland
Composite Index
Hang Seng China
Enterprises Index
Hang Seng ChinaAffiliated
Corporations Index
Turnover
million HK dollars
million US dollars
Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Although a pair of pandas have been selected the Taiwanbound giant pandas bearing the wishes for peace and unity of the Chinese across the Taiwan Straits do not know the day when they head for the island province
After fivemonth selection the Chinese mainland unveiled Friday the two giant pandas No male and No female for Taiwan compatriots
The panda couple were selected from among candidates raised in the Wolong China Giant Panda Research Center in southwest Chinas Sichuan Province said Cao Qingyao spokesman of the State Forestry Administration SFA at a press conference
We hope the couple can meet the Taiwan compatriots as soon as possible and the Taiwan authorities can follow the wishes of the people on the two sides of the Taiwan Straits acting in cooperation on this issue said Dai Xiaofeng head of the exchange bureau of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council SCTAO at the press conference
We also hope the Taiwan authorities can authorize an organization which will be responsible for discussing affairs about the Taiwanbound giant panda couple with the wildlife protection departments on the Chinese mainland said Cao
The panda offer was made at the end of a historic visit to the Chinese mainland by former Chairman of Kuomintang KMT Lien Chan in last May when Chen Yunlin director of the Taiwan Work Office of the Communist Party of China CPC Central Committee and the SCTAO announced the mainland compatriots would present a pair of giant pandas to Taiwan compatriots as a symbol of peace unity and friendship
No the first son of the USreturned star panda Hua Mei is one year and four months old weighing kg and his lover No is one month older than him weighing kg said Cao adding that the final selection was based on a threemonth trial marriage which tested whether the couple were suited for each other
The pandas were known at Wolong as Xiaoguaiguai meaning little darling and Huangmao Yatou for the unique brown fur translating literally into chit of a girl said Zhang Hemin director of the Wolong center and head of the ninemember expert group in charge of the selection work
The two are not only superior to their peers in appearance and health they got on very well with each other in the trial marriage said Zhang
The mainland compatriots planned to offer a pair of giant pandas across the Straits in when the Beijingbased AllChina Federation of Taiwan Compatriots adopted the motion of sending Taiwan a pair of giant pandas
In the China Wildlife Conservation Association even chose two giant pandas Ling Ling and Le Le to offer to Taiwan compatriots
The Taiwan authorities which politicalized the panda donation however have not given a direct response to the panda present by the mainland compatriots
The vogue attitude of the Taiwan authorities was overshadowed by a panda craze rising among the Taiwan residents after the latest announcement of panda offer in last May
Surveys published by Taiwan media show that more than percent of the respondents welcomed the coming of the giant pandas and another percent showed no objection for the panda offer
Yang Ziping and Zhu Yongli a couple from Taiwan visited the Wolong China Giant Panda Research Center on the first day of
Selfclaimed as giant panda fans the couple in their forties adopted a pair of giant pandas from the center
We made a celebration at the news that a panda couple coming to Taiwan last May and we are looking forward to seeing them like many other people in Taiwan said Yang Ziping the husband
But though more than seven months have passed the exact date they are arriving on Taiwan has not been decided We cant wait any more and thats why we are here said Yang a civil servant in Taipei
In addition the people at the sides of the Straits especially netizens were busy coming up with names for two giant pandas
So far the most popular names proposed in contests run by Chinese portals expressed the aspiration for peaceful reunification such as Tuan Tuan and Yuan Yuan which make up the words for reunion or tuan yuan in Chinese
Other popular names suggested for the couple include He He and Ping Ping meaning peace and Ai Ai and Guo Guo meaning patriotism
Like the mainland compatriots many Taiwan residents also prefer Tuan Tuan and Yuan Yuan as it bears a sense of tradition as well as fully reflects the wishes of the people at the sites of the Straits said James Chang secretary of a Taipeibased Chinese Crossstrait Giant Panda Care Conservation Interchange Association
Several zoos in Taiwan have applied to provide a home for the new couple and eight other Taiwan airlines have expressed a willingness to become panda carriers said Zhang
Compared to the high spirits of others Li Guo and Xu Yalin the panda couples keepers had mixed feelings
We are reluctant to let them go but we hope they can bring laughter to the Taiwan compatriots together with our blessing said Li Guo a yearold young man who has taken care of Xiaoguaiguai since he was born
We will take good care of them If possible I hope we can accompany them to Taiwan to help them adapt to life there said Li
Who doesnt like pandas I believe the day the panda couple arrives in Taiwan will come sooner or later said Wang Xiaolin a retired woman teacher from Leshan City Sichuan Province Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua China launched its first administrative map here Friday helping its people to orient themselves
The newly published Chinas National Administrative Map dubbed the place search engine was jointly published by the Ministry of Civil Affairs MCA the State Bureau of Surveying and Mapping and China Map Publishing House
The by cm atlas carves up Chinas provincial prefectures and about townships boundaries helps the government and citizens to position a place within the countrys million square kms territory with detailed and accountable information
The atlas claims to be Chinas first administrative map which plays critical roles in the countrys reform economic growth and government management said Dai Junliang director of the Administrative Division Department with MCA
Though some local governments have published their own regional administrative maps before quite a number of regional borderlines are vague and the place names are not in compliance with government standards said Dai Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Weather forecast for major Chinese cities Jan Jan Beijing Time temperatures in Celsius
Min Max Condition Wind scale
Beijing clear
Harbin clear
Tianjin clear
Urumqi clear
Xian clear
Lhasa clear
Chengdu cloudy
Chongqing overcast
Kunming overcastclear
Nanjing drizzlesleet
Shanghai clearcloudy
Wuhan clearcloudy
Hangzhou clear
Taipei drizzle
Guangzhou overcast
Hong Kong overcastcloudy
Macao overcastcloudy
SOURCE Central Meteorological Station China Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Weather forecast for world cities Jan Jan Beijing Time temperatures in Celsius
Min Max Condition Wind scale
Beijing clear
Tokyo cloudy
Bangkok cloudy
Sydney shower
Karachi clear
Cairo clear
Moscow flurry
Frankfurt overcast
Paris overcastsleet
London drizzleovercast
New York overcast
SOURCE Central Meteorological Station China Enditem
SHANGHAI Jan Xinhua Delong Mansion the landmark building reminiscent of the Delong financial empire in Pudong New District of Shanghai has been put up for an auction scheduled to begin in late January
The move is taken as an important step to deal with debts in association with the scandalridden Xinjiang Delong Group a troubled private investment firm which built its headquarters in Pudong said information from a news briefing specially convened for the auction on Thursday
Entrusted by the Huarong Assets Management Company of China the Shanghai International Commodity Auctions Co Ltd has been put in charge of auctioning off the Delong Mansion which will be assisted by four other companies
Delong Mansion situated at the central part of Lujiazui area in Pudong is a modernized office building with six storeys above the ground and two more storeys underground and has approximately sq m of total floor space
The auctioneer said it would begin to accept the first round of auction bids starting in the afternoon of Jan and the floor price for reference would also be announced minutes before the auction gets started
The auction company emphasized that as Huarong company had reached an agreement with the court side no obstacles would crop up in the trading process later after Delong Mansion would be auctioned off
The mansion has been mortgaged and sealed time and again after the listed arm of the Delong Group went bust on the bourse
The incident around Delong Group is the biggest financial securities scandal since the founding of New China in Oct
It is said that in its history of expansion Delong amassed more than billion yuan about billion US dollars in deposit savings from the society by way of offering promises such as preserving the capital or services known as trusteeship of which an upward of billion yuan has never been cashed
Between and April Delong also raked in more than billion yuan worth of illegal profits through using shareholders accounts sources said
A court hearing on the core part of the Delong incident will be held late January in Wuhan the most important industrial city on the middle reaches of the Yangtze River
It is believed that by then seven people and three legal representatives will face criminal charges of illegally amassing the deposit savings from the public and manipulating the trading of securities Enditem
HONG KONG Jan Xinhua The Worlds first commercial use Palmprint Identification System is now on display at the ongoing International Conference on Biometrics according to Hong Kong Polytechnic University on Friday
Developed by Professor David Zhang Associate Head of the Department of Computing of the university the palmprint identification system was more accurate than fingerprint identification system and could be applied at identity authentication
This remarkable development has generated a number of patents and earned him many international awards including the Senior Research Fellowship Award by the Croucher Foundation in the Gold Medal in the th National Inventions Exhibition of China in and Special Gold Award by the Invention Promotion Association of Korea in
Besides Professor Zhang and his research team are integrating traditional Chinese medicine diagnosis with biometric product development creating tongue diagnosis system and pulse diagnosis system for daily use
Prof Zhang said these systems can diagnose illnesses through human tongue shape tongue print and heartbeats
The Tongue Diagnose System can diagnose such illnesses as intestinitis cholecystitis pancreatitis diabetics cirrhosis and heart failure while the Pulse Diagnosis System is capable of diagnosing heart failure and lethargy
Organized by the universitys Department of Computing the threeday conference which began on Jan brought together more than biometric experts and academics from over countries to exchange and share research results
Biometrics topics focusing on the improvement and enhancement of existing biometrics and pattern recognition technology incorporation of fake detection and amplifying applicability and utilization are being discussed
There is also an exhibition demonstrating the latest biometric products and prototypes Exhibitors include local and overseas universities and organizations worldwide Enditem
HONG KONG Jan Xinhua Big computer companies such as IBM Apple HewlettPackard Dell and Acer have failed to fulfill proenvironment commitment due to their lack of action to recycle old products a Hong Kong conservation group said Friday
The group named Friends of the Earth HK FoE recently asked the five PC companies branches in Hong Kong about their takeback service but were told by all that the service were not available in Hong Kong
FoE HK made enquiries to all the five companies and was given the same reply that there was no provision of takeback services in Hong Kong said a press release issued by the group on Friday
The customer officers at IBM and Acer said their companies would not take back the old computers even they were brought to the office according to FoEs telephone enquiry result
HewlettPackard states in their written reply that HP in HK has a product takeback program in collecting used equipment from corporate customers since July
It shows that these companies environmental commitments are merely cosmetic Michelle Au Environmental Affairs Officer at FoE HK
The public relations company for IBM told Xinhua they would make comments on the issue later
Heavy metals such as mercury lead cadmium and chromium etc contained in the electronic waste have posed a great threat to the environmental and recycle measures have been urged by experts
In Hong Kong over million pieces of electronic appliances including old computers are thrown away every year according to data provided by FoE
Around pieces of the waste percent of the total were missed by ewaste collectors and ended up in the landfills
In it cost four million HK dollars about US dollars to clear the total of tonnes of electronic waste disposed of at landfill in
The government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region is considering introducing mandatory producer responsibility schemes by the end of the year and target specific products like electronic waste the year after Enditem
HONG KONG Jan Xinhua Share prices on the Taiwan Stock Exchange closed lower Friday with the weighted index the market s key barometer moving down points to close at according to news reaching here from Taipei
The bourse fluctuated between and during trading with a market turnover of billion new Taiwan dollars
Three of the eight major stock categories gained ground with foodstuff issues moving up the most at percent followed by textile stocks at percent paper and pulp issues at percent
Others lost ground with machinery and electronics shares falling percent followed by banking and financial shares at percent construction and cement stocks both down at percent
Losers outnumbered gainers to with stocks remaining unchanged Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua The trade volume between China and European Union is expected to top billion US dollars in the Chinese Ministry of Commerce said Friday
Bilateral trade in the first months of reached billion dollars about percent of Chinas total foreign trade a yearonyear growth of percent said the ministry citing statistics from China Customs
European Union maintained Chinas largest trade partner in and China was European Unions second largest trade partner
The ministry said that in China exported more hightech products to the European market than before and European Union took the place of the United States to become Chinas top exporting market for mechanical and electronic products
Soaring trade also stimulated investment and technology introduction The ministry said European Union has been Chinas largest technology supplier and the fourth largest investor in China
Statistics from the ministry show that by the end of October China had introduced technologies with a contracted value totaling billion dollars
At that time European companies set up businesses in China bringing the contracted investment volume to billion dollars with actual investment hitting billion dollars
The hightech sector including the maglev trains Air Bus planes and nuclear power stations have been the key fields attracting European investment said the ministry
Besides expanding business in Chinas rich coastal areas European companies also cast their eyes on Chinas western part and the old industrial base in northeast China
The ministry said more European companies are moving their plants and research centers to the above areas which are noted for their abundant labor force and more European investment has also been used in those areas in recent years
The ministry said a medium and longterm plan for SinoEuropean trade is being drafted and bilateral trade volume is expected to hit billion dollars in the near future
The ministry will take further steps to boost trade with European Union countries in the coming years and at the same time encourage Chinese companies to make investment in Europe Enditem
by Xinhua writer Liu Dongkai
BEIJING Jan Xinhua The Chinese government is to take more concrete measures to advance trade and economic cooperation with African countries an official from the Chinese Ministry of Commerce said here Friday
Li Xiaobing from the Ministry of Commerce told Xinhua that China will continue to increase aid to African countries within its capacity and step up cooperation on personnel training
The move is part of Chinas action to implement the proposals that Chinese President Hu Jintao put forward last year on enhancing relations with all developing countries in the world
The proposed measures include offering billion US dollar soft loans and training professional personnel for developing countries scrapping export tariffs and writing off debts for the worlds Least Developed Countries LDCs and some of the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries HIPCs and increasing aid to African countries in particular
Li said the measures proposed by President Hu demonstrate Chinas wish to consolidate traditional friendship with African countries and other developing countries for common development
Over the years China has provided African countries with aid without any political conditions attached As its economic strength grows China has been gradually scaling up assistance to African countries
China has earnestly carried out these measures in the past few years It has set up an interministerial coordination mechanism for overseas cooperation on human resource development In China doubled the budget for training personnel for African countries offering training positions for African personnel and African students in the country In a total of more than African personnel were trained in China The figure is expected to grow further this year
This year the ChinaAfrica Forum will hold a summit of Chinese and African leaders and the third ministerial meeting in Beijing Leaders from the African countries having diplomatic links with China will be invited to attend
Li said this historic meeting will add a fresh and strong impetus for ChinaAfrica trade and economic cooperation by pushing it to a greater depth
Li said China will continue to implement a zerotariff treatment to certain products from some of the least developed African countries this year Since Jan China has scrapped import tariffs on kinds of commodities from least developed African countries that have diplomatic relations with China The commodities make up the majority of these countries exports to China As a result the exports of such goods to China from the African countries more than doubled last year
This year China will further expand trade with African countries and improve trade structures Li said He said China will conduct more market promotion activities in certain countries and regional markets that play a pivotal role in ChinaAfrica trade The Chinese government will encourage and facilitate Chinese companies to hold exhibitions and promotional shows in these places On the other hand he said China will further increase the export of high value added products to Africa
In the trade volume between China and African countries was expected to top billion US dollars Such high value added goods as machinery electronic equipment and high and newtech products made up nearly half of Chinas exports to the African continent
Li said China will continue to encourage prestigious strong and relatively competitive Chinese companies to participate in economic and technological cooperation with African countries in various fields
He said the Chinese government will offer greater support to Chinese companies investing in Africa in terms of fiscal expenditure taxation and financing It will make it easier for Chinese companies to invest in Africa by creating a proper policy and legal environment for their lawful overseas operations
China will negotiate and sign investment protection agreements with a greater number of African countries this year Li said
So far China has signed investment protection agreements with African countries and eliminating a double taxation accord with eight African countries
Li expressed confidence that ChinaAfrica cooperation will continue to grow in Enditem
HONG KONG Jan Xinhua Hong Kong shares ended up Friday with the bluechip Hang Seng Index rose points or percent to after trading between and during the session
Turnover totaled billion HK dollars billion US dollars down from billion HK dollars Thursday
Sun Hung Kai Properties rose percent to HK dollars Cheung Kong Holdings rose percent to HK dollars and Hang Lung Properties advanced percent to HK dollars
HSBC Holdings rose percent to HK dollars Bank of East Asia gained percent to HK dollars and BOC Hong Kong rose percent to HK dollars
China Mobile slipped percent to HK dollars Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Beijing railway authorities and stations have braced themselves for the upcoming surge of travellers during the period of Spring Festival the traditional Chinese New Year that falls on Jan this year
An estimated million people an increase of yearonyear will travel by train in two railway stations of Beijing the Beijing West Railway Station and the Beijing Railway Station during the period between Jan and deb
The peak period will run from Jan to during which the Beijing West Railway Station will have a daily flow of passengers while Beijing Railway Station will see a daily number of more than
To ease the traffic tension the two railway stations will altogether increase pairs of temporary trains in addition to their pairs of regular trains a practice also adopted in previous years
Nationwide China is gearing up its railway network for an estimated million passengers up percent from the same period last year
Chinas Ministry of Railways has identified a day period from Jan to deb as the peak travel season
Daily passenger flow is expected to reach million an increase of from said the ministry
Chinese people celebrate the Lunar New Year or the traditional Spring Festival by returning home for an annual family reunion
Every year the nations transportation system is pushed to its limits as millions of Chinese flock back home and then return to their jobs over a twoweek holiday period
Trains popular for their safety record and low cost are the first choice for the majority of the holiday travelers including many rural migrant workers and college students
This year the Railway Ministry will arrange temporary express trains to cope with the heavy passenger traffic Enditem
LANZHOU Jan Xinhua Chinese archeologists have called for efforts to protect the eight year old barns in northwest Chinas Gansu Province
The barns consist of more than storage rooms with a total size of
square meters They were built for military purposes during the reigns of Emperor Qianlong and Emperor Guangxu of the Qing Dynasty
There were barns of storage rooms in the past but most of the barns are destroyed or have been removed Now only eight barns stand in Dunhuang City in the northern part of Gansu
According to experts of the Dunhuang Archeological Research Center the remaining barns also face problem of wall cracks groundwork damage and floor collapse
The ancient barns must receive urgent repair and longterm protection the experts urged Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Zhongmei Energy Group one of Chinas major energy companies scored more than million tons in its coal trade in the Economic Information Daily reported on Friday
The group which is owned by the central government reported a coal trade volume of million tons in an increase of million tons from the previous year
The group became Chinas first energy enterprise whose coal trading volume exceeded million tons with coal exports amounting to million tons and coke exports tons the report said
Last year the group realized billion yuan in profits up percent yearonyear or percentage points higher than the average growth rate of the central enterprises according to Zhongmeis General Manager Jing Tianliang
Meanwhile Zhongmeis coal output came to million tons in or million tons more than an increase of percent Its coke output rose percent to million tons making it one of Chinas largest coke produers
Jing Tianliang told a recent work conference that is a crucial year for the group to grow into a millionton coal producer by the year
The group aims to produce million tons of coal this year he said Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua South Africa hopes to attract more Chinese visitors by said Manqoba Nyembezi tourism attache of the South African embassy
He said last year the South Africa tourism administration started researching Chinas market According to the result at least million Chinese visitors expressed an interest in traveling to South Africa We then have the goal of attracting million Chinese visitors to South Africa every year which means China will catch up with Germany the United Kingdom and the United States he added
Chinese travel groups were allowed to visit South Africa from In some Chinese visitors went to South Africa In the first half of the number surpassed
Nyembezi hoped two nations can enhance cooperation in trade economics tourism and culture The national carrier South African Airways hoped to launch direct flights to Beijing Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua The Chinese mainland will make more efforts in to build peaceful and stable relations across the Taiwan Straits a mainland official said here Friday
We will adhere to the fundamental policies of peaceful reunification and one country two systems the eightpoint proposal on developing crossStraits relations and promoting peaceful reunification of the country Li Weiyi spokesman for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council said at a press conference
The fourpoint guideline on crossStraits relations put forward by Hu Jintao general secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China CPC will also be upheld he said
We have repeatedly stated that we will seek peaceful reunification with our utmost sincerity and effort he said
However Li said We will never permit Taiwan independence or anyone to separate Taiwan from China
We will continue to unite the compatriots in Taiwan and overseas Chinese to further promote crossStraits personnel and economic exchanges and cooperation and promote the early realization of the three direct links of the two sides he said
According to Li the Chinese mainland will continue its extensive exchanges and dialogue with the parties organizations and individuals from various circles in Taiwan that oppose Taiwans independence acknowledge the Consensus and maintain the development of crossStraits relations
As long as the Taiwan authorities acknowledge the oneChina principle and the Consensus crossStraits dialogue can be resumed and any topic can be discussed Li said We have full confidence in the good prospect of crossStraits relations and peaceful reunification of the motherland
Joint efforts by compatriots from both sides have reduced proindependence sentiment in the past year said Li
On March Chinese President Hu Jintao delivered a speech explaining the development of crossStraits relations in the current environment
In the past year we carried out a series of major activities to safeguard peace and stability in the crossStraits region and promote the development of crossStraits relations he said
The adoption of the Antisecession Law by Chinas top legislature expressed the mainlands sincerity in seeking peaceful reunification and lack of tolerance for Taiwans independence
Last year both Hu Jintao and the CPC Central Committee invited the leaders of the Taiwanbased Chinese Kuomintang and People First Party to visit the mainland marking a historic step forward in reconciliation between the longtime rivals
At the same time the mainland articulated a series of favorable policies and measures for the Taiwan compatriots said Li
All the measures won extensive support from the people across the Straits and acclaim from the international community he said The trend of crossStraits relations toward peace and stability has been enhanced
The exchanges and cooperation in such aspects as personnel economy and culture have also moved forward he said
However he said proindependence sentiment has not vanished in Taiwan perpetuating a source of tension across the Taiwan Straits
The situation for opposing and curbing separatist forces and their activities is still serious and complex he said
The mainland he said is paying special attention to Taiwans constitutional reform timetable which is an expression of the proindependence sentiment Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Japanese Prime Minister Juniciro Koizumi does put JapanChina relations high on his agenda Like before he was again spearheading the attack on China saying I cannot understand why a foreign government should intervene in a matter of the heart and make it a diplomatic issue
He was openly defending his repeated visits to the Yasukuni shrine a symbol of Tokyos past militarism and Koizumis remarks drew a swift reaction from Chinese experts on Japanese issues and many netizens who denounced Koizumis argument as untenable
At a televised press conference on Wednesday Koizumi defended his visits to the notorious shrine saying again that it is a spiritual issue
Koizumi reiterated his view that the visits were a matter of an individuals freedom of spirit and thought making it hard to understand criticism from China and the Republic of Korea ROK
Yao Wenli a researcher with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences called Koizumis remarks substantial damage to the foundation of SinoJapanese ties noting that the remarks once again hurt the feelings of the Chinese and people of other Asian countries
The prime minister tries to shirk responsibility and shift the blame onto others However as anybody can tell its groundless sophistry Yao stressed
When asked to comment on Koizumis remarks Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said Thursday that China hopes Japan will properly handle issues concerning the political basis of bilateral ties consider Chinese peoples feelings and create the conditions for an improvement of SinoJapanese ties
The current difficult situation in SinoJapanese relations was not caused by China Qin said hoping the Japanese side would realize this
ROK Foreign Minister Ban Kimoon also urged Koizumi to listen attentively to the voice of other countries and acknowledge modern history
On the history issue the Japanese government should make efforts to obtain trust and respect from other countries said Ban
Since taking office in April Koizumi has visited five times the Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo which honors over two million Japanese war dead including top war criminals responsible for Japans aggression against its Asian neighbors in World War II
Liu Jiangyong a professor with elite Qinghua University interpreted Koizumis remark as an early signal of his possible revisit to the Yasukuni Shrine before he left his office this September
Another important message that Koizumi has tried to convey in his remarks as the Chinese expert interpreted is that he hopes his successor could continue the foreign policy he made during his terms
Such policy and arrangement should be paid enough attention Liu warned
Ma Junwei a researcher with the China Institute of Contemporary International Relations also showed his pessimism to the improvement of SinoJapanese relations in
There is slim chance for China and Japan to improve political ties during Koizumis term Ma said
Despite his oral willingness to improve bilateral ties Koizumi shows no sincerity to do so in his real actions Ma said
SinoJapanese relations are undergoing a difficult and delicate period Liu said explaining that Koizumi intends to create some favorable domestic conditions for the amendment of the Japanese constitution by advocating a China threat
On the other hand some Japanese political power donors do not want to see China play a bigger and more vital role than Japan does in east Asia Liu said
Japans general public press as well as business circles have also voiced concern over their premiers visits to the shrine On Thursday a Japanese business federation leader called on the Japanese government to review its Asian diplomacy and improve the relationship with China
Recently the death of Japanese veteran Shiro Azuma aroused sympathy among the Chinese people
The former soldier whose diary discloses Japans wartime atrocities in China won understanding and respect from the Chinese people and is remembered as a friend who upheld justice and bravely confessed to the wartime crimes of himself and his country
He who holds a correct attitude towards history will be understood and respected by the Chinese a netizen said on the website sinacom
Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said earlier that Chinas stance on developing goodneighborly relations with Japan is consistent and clear China and Japan should go on enhancing exchanges and cooperation he said Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua A Chinese mainland official Friday accused Taiwan authorities of making use of the funeral of Wang Daohan the Chinese mainlands chief negotiator with Taiwan for political gain
Li Weiyi spokesman for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council said at a press conference on Friday that Taiwan authorities attack on the mainland showed disrespect for Wang Daohan president of the mainlandbased Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits ARATS and Koo Chenfu chairman of Taiwanbased Strait Exchange Foundation SEF
Chen Shuibian leader of Taiwan authorities said recently it was a representation of politicalization that the mainland refused to allow representatives of the SEF to attend Wangs funeral and people should not place hope on such kind of crossStraits relations
Commenting on Chens remarks Li said that Wang had sent personal representatives to Taiwan to attend the funeral of Koo who died at the beginning of The act was in accordance with the will of Koos relatives and based on the friendship between Wang and Koo
The personal representatives of Wang were also acquaintances of Koo before his death and the act did not involve crossStraits relations said Li
After Wang died on Dec ARATS informed SEF about the news and SEF sent a telegram of condolences ARATS and relatives of Wang expressed thanks to SEF many times said Li
He said that personnel from Taiwan Hong Kong and Macao had expressed their wishes to attend Wangs funeral in Shanghai But in accordance with the will of Wang his funeral was kept simple and not all the organizations and representatives were invited to attend the funeral
ARATS had conveyed the will of Wangs relatives to SEF and SEF expressed their respect to the will During the whole process no others from SEF except its president expressed the wish to attend the funeral Li said Enditem
HONG KONG Jan Xinhua Following are temperatures and weather forecast of Jan for AsiaPacific cities dispatched by the Hong Kong Observatory on Friday
WEATHER
CITY MINIMUM MAXIMUM FORECAST
HONG KONG COLD
MACAO CLOUDY
GUANGZHOU OVERCAST
SHANGHAI CLOUDY
BEIJING FINE
TAIPEI RAIN
SEOUL FINE
TOKYO CLOUDY
MANILA CLOUDY
HANOI DRIZZLE
HO CHI MINH CITY BRIGHT
BANGKOK SHOWERS
KUALA LUMPUR RAIN
SINGAPORE SHOWERS
NEW DELHI CLOUDY
MUMBAI FINE
KARACHI DRY
JAKARTA MIST
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN THUNDERSTORMS
SYDNEY SHOWERS
MELBOURNE FINE
BRISBANE SHOWERS
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HONG KONG Jan Xinhua The gold price in Hong Kong went down HK dollars to HK dollars per tael on Friday according to the Bank of China Hong Kong
The price is equivalent to dollars a troy ounce down dollars at Fridays exchange rate of one US dollar against HK dollars Enditem
HONG KONG Jan Xinhua Following are Fridays major Hang Seng Indexes managed and compiled by HSI Service Limited a wholly owned subsidiary of the Hang Seng Bank
Index Previous Close Close Change
Hang Seng Index
Finance
Utilities
Properties
ComInd
Hang Seng Composite
Index
Hang Seng Hong Kong
Composite Index
Hang Seng Mainland
Composite Index
Hang Seng China
Enterprises Index
Hang Seng ChinaAffiliated
Corporations Index
Turnover
million HK dollars
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BEIJING Jan Xinhua The Chinese mainland unveiled Friday the two giant pandas for Taiwan compatriots It is the second selection of pandas to be offered to Taiwan since
The giant panda is one of the worlds most endangered species and is found only in China It is estimated that giant pandas live wild in China Those in captivity totaled in the Chinese mainland by the end of
Here is a chronology of key events since the panda offer to Taiwan was first put forward in
January The rd Session of the th Council of AllChina Federation of Taiwan Compatriots adopted the motion of offering a couple of giant pandas to Taiwan put forward by council member Liu Caipin and other members
Set up in Beijing in the AllChina Federation of Taiwan Compatriots acts as a bridge for exchanges between the government and the Taiwan group
April The delegation of Taiwan Province to the th Session of the th National Peoples Congress NPC Chinas top legislature made the proposal of donating giants pandas to Taiwan compatriots
The Beijing Municipal Zoo offered immediately to send a couple of pandas to the Mu Zha Zoo of Taipei
Thereafter nongovernmental personages in Taiwan actively pushed for the acceptance of pandas from the Chinese mainland and relevant departments of the motherland repeated many times the willingness to donate giant pandas to Taiwan and they also offered to teach breeding techniques and train panda raisers for Taiwan
Early The China Wildlife Conservation Association picked two artificially raised cub pandas Ling Ling and Le Le to be offered to Taiwan
However the Taiwan authorities turned down many times the panda offer on the pretext that imported giant pandas were not suitable for display it needs two males and four females for panda mating and giant pandas were not a species of Taiwan
Late The Chinese mainland again proposed to send giant pandas to Taiwan at a workshop on protecting indigenous animals across the Taiwan Straits held in Taipei but it produced no results due to the same excuses held by the Taiwan authorities
May Chen Yunlin director of the Taiwan Work Office of the Communist Party of China CPC Central Committee and the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council announced that the Chinese mainland compatriots would present a couple of giant pandas to Taiwan compatriots as a symbol of peace unity and friendship
The announcement started a panda craze in Taiwan and zoo officials have been preparing and vying for acceptance of pandas Relevant specialists appealed to the Taiwan authorities not to use politics once again to hamper the panda offer
However since last May the Taiwan authorities has been delaying the approval of the accepting pandas under the excuse of whether the import of giant pandas will tally with international goal in animal protection whether it is urgent for Taiwan to import pandas whether Taiwan zoos have enough manpower and the issue of the health and breeding of the giant pandas
A giant panda has an average life expectancy of between to years and the nominated giant panda Ling Ling in is today a senior at the age of
Whether the new generation of giant pandas announced Friday for Taiwan will be able to depart for the island is yet to be known Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua China earmarked a record billion yuan billion US dollars on state power grid construction in the first months of extending the countrys power transmission lines by kilometers
An official with the State Power Grid Development Company said here Friday that China had increased its input on state power grid construction in recent years targeting efforts to ease the countrys tense situation in power supply
According to the company the Chinese government will increase its input in ultrahighvoltage power grids in the upcoming five years and try to seek a balance between power supply and demand
Statistics with the company show China generated trillion kilowatthours of electricity in the first months of a rise of percent year on year Enditem
JINAN Jan Xinhua Main sections at the lower reaches of the Yellow River Chinas second longest watercourse have frozen Friday Morning due to an abrupt temperature drop in eastern Shandong Province where the river empties into the Bohai Sea
The provincial Yellow River water conservancy authorities say dropping temperatures on Thursday have caused a largescale area of the rivers lower reaches to freeze at night
The authorities warn that if the temperature keep going down in the coming days whole lower reaches will get frozen So far to percent of the rivers estuary have frozen and in the other sections to percent of the river size have frozen
When the Yellow River freezes which usually lasts until early spring water accumulates upstream leading to higher water levels in parts of the river and then to floods The floods can pose a threat to the safety of embankments along some narrow and winding sections of the river
The Yellow River known as Chinas mother river starts in Qinghai Province in the northwest and flows through Gansu Ningxia Inner Mongolia Shaanxi Shanxi and Henan before passing through Shandong and entering the Bohai Sea Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Cao Jianming vice president of the Supreme Peoples Court SPC ordered severe punishment for misappropriation of arable land in violation of the law here Friday
Efforts must be made to ensure the strictest implementation of the system to protect arable land he said at a SPC meeting
Cases involving farmers should be handled in a quickened process he said adding that special collegiate benches or special personnel can be designated to hear the cases if necessary
He demanded all courts to harshly crack down on people who sell fake seeds pesticide or inferior medicines and products to hurt farmers interests gambling and practices that disrupt rural democratic elections
He required courts to work with local governments and villagers selfgovernance organizations to ensure land contract operation rights to be transferred on a voluntary tradable and legal basis Enditem
HONG KONG Jan Xinhua Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government may achieve a budget balance earlier than expected due to better tax income Financial Secretary Henry Tang said Friday
As far as our target for achieving fiscal balance it is a fact that government revenue is in direct correlation with GDP growth So with a betterthanexpected GDP growth it is logical to expect that our revenue will increase alongside So the circumstances are favorable that we may be able to announce betterthanexpected results he said
Speaking on a radio talk show Tang said introducing a goods and services tax is a controversial issue and requires thorough discussion in the community
He pointed out the economic growth forecast for has been revised upward to percent from percent to percent as the economys performance is better than expected The improving economy may also be conducive to achieving budget balance and more details will be announced in February he added
Tang said Hong Kong is constantly influenced by the economic situation of business partners like the Mainland and US as well as high oil prices He is prudent with the economic outlook for
He admitted high oil prices may affect Hong Kongs exports adding the city also faces challenges brought by the evergrowing Mainland economy Enditem
HARBIN Jan Xinhua Chinese Vice Premier Hui Liangyu has said that scientific research should play a supporting role in the prevention and control of deadly bird flu
During his recent visit to the Harbin Veterinary Research Institute under the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences in northeast Chinas Heilongjiang Province Hui said prevention and control of major animal epidemics like bird flu is a mission deserving long and hard work
Hui spoke highly of the achievements researchers have made in bird flu prevention and control and in bird flu vaccine saying that as bird flu cases and human infection cases are still emerging it is necessary to keep highly alert in the fight against the deadly epidemic
Science and technology is the key in bird flu prevention and control They should be practiced in every chain of the prevention and control worksaid Hui
Priority should be given to scientific research in bird flu prevention and control and all kinds of resources should be integrated to make breakthroughs in vaccine research remedies and migratory bird monitoring he added Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinas population and family planning minister said here on Friday that China will work to limit its mainland population below billion by
Zhang Weiqing minister in charge of the National Population and Family Planning Commission stressed that China will keep its family planning policy in place to maintain a low birth level
But demographically speaking China will face another upsurge of population growth in the coming five years and Chinas first singlechild generation is about to enter reproductive age then which make it all the more difficult to maintain a low birth level in the coming years said Zhang
Statistics from the commission show that Chinas population has been brought under control in the past years with birth rate and natural growth rate dropped from per thousand to per thousand and per thousand to per thousand respectively
According to data released by commission given China failed to implement the family planning policy Chinas population would be nearly million more than the present figure
Zhang said China will continue to improve its legal system on population in an effort to work out laws and regulations to manage unbalanced sex ratio at birth
Government figures show boys are born for every girls in the worlds most populous nation About million men may live as frustrated bachelors by Enditem
HONG KONG Jan Xinhua Modified control arrangements for Hong Kongs textile exports to the European Union will take effect from March Hong Kongs Commerce Industry Technology Bureau said Friday
Exports including reexports will require either a consignmentspecific export license or a textiles notification under the Textiles Trader Registration Scheme to cover each consignment
Cutandsewn garments will also be subject to the Production Notification requirement
The bureau said the modified arrangements will strengthen control of textile exports to the European Union against illegal transshipment and preserve Hong Kongs trade interests
It said the arrangements reflect those for textile exports to the United States and are essential for maintaining the effectiveness and credibility of Hong Kongs control system Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua China launched a new atlas of administrative divisions here Friday to make public the results of its recent survey and demarcation of nearly km interprovince or intercounty borderlines
Regional borderline uncertainties had long existed in China resulting in many regional disputes In previous Chinese atlas to percent of the borderlines were marked in broken lines as an expedient to blur the border controversy said Dai Junliang director of the Department of Administrative Divisions under the Ministry of Civil Affairs MCA at Fridays press conference
In the new atlas more than borderlines between provinces and counties are marked with accuracy and legal augustness which provides authoritative reference for resolving any border disputes within Chinese territory said Dai
The by cm atlas include Chinas provincial units prefectures counties and about townships boundaries and related information
The atlas was compiled with sophisticated computer cartography and twoyear laborintensive field work It is jointly published by the MCA the State Bureau of Surveying and Mapping and China Cartographic Publishing House Enditem
SHANGHAI Jan Xinhua DLong Mansion the landmark building reminiscent of the DLong financial empire in Pudong New District of Shanghai has been put up for an auction scheduled to begin in late January
The move is taken as an important step to deal with debts in association with the scandalridden Xinjiang DLong Group a troubled private investment firm which built its headquarters in Pudong said information from a news briefing specially convened for the auction on Thursday
Entrusted by the Huarong Assets Management Company of China the Shanghai International Commodity Auctions Co Ltd has been put in charge of auctioning off the DLong Mansion which will be assisted by four other companies
DLong Mansion situated at the central part of Lujiazui area in Pudong is a modernized office building with six storeys above the ground and two more storeys underground and has approximately sq m of total floor space
The auctioneer said it would begin to accept the first round of auction bids starting in the afternoon of Jan and the floor price for reference would also be announced minutes before the auction gets started
The auction company emphasized that as Huarong company had reached an agreement with the court side no obstacles would crop up in the trading process later after DLong Mansion would be auctioned off
The mansion has been mortgaged and sealed time and again after the listed arm of the DLong Group went bust on the bourse
The incident around DLong Group is the biggest financial securities scandal since the founding of New China in Oct
It is said that in its history of expansion DLong amassed more than billion yuan about billion US dollars in deposit savings from the society by way of offering promises such as preserving the capital or services known as trusteeship of which an upward of billion yuan has never been cashed
Between and April DLong also raked in more than billion yuan worth of illegal profits through using shareholders accounts sources said
A court hearing on the core part of the DLong incident will be held late January in Wuhan the most important industrial city on the middle reaches of the Yangtze River
It is believed that by then seven people and three legal representatives will face criminal charges of illegally amassing the deposit savings from the public and manipulating the trading of securities Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Three Chinas nongovernmental organizations donated yuan approximately US dollars hundreds of books and improvised paintings to the Female Criminals Prison of Beijing on Friday
Paying a visit to the prison scholars and experts from China Youth Concern CommitteeCYCC China Society for Human Rights StudiesCSHRS and China Prison SocietyCPS donated the beneficence to the prison
The scholars and experts brought Chinese Lunar New Years greetings to the police officers and more than female prisoners by conversational communication facetoface with the prisoners
Warden of the prison Li Ruihua told Xinhua that the prison has taken some special management for female criminals such as allowing them to use cosmetic on holidays and visits
The prison has also provided opportunities of commuting and parole for the criminals on Womens Days according to Li
In addition to teaching them professional skills we are very concerned with psychological problems of the prisoners said the warden noting that the prison has made psychological health record for every prisoner and provide venues and consultants for psychological salvation
To ensure legal rights of the prisoners mail boxes have been built on the walls along prisoners rooms in which prisoners could send their suggestions appeals and complaints she said
The prison established in is the only one which keeps female adult criminals in Beijing Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Hu Jintao general secretary of the Communist Party of China CPC Central Committee urged Party officials to study and abide by the Party Constitution to fight corruption here Friday
Hu made the remarks at the sixth plenary session of the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection which opened Thursday
In the speech he said that the campaign to improve the Partys work style build clean government and fight corruption has scored new results and seen sound development momentum
But he stressed that the campaign given its arduous and longterm nature must be carried out unswervingly to ensure the socialist cause advances on a right track
A major conclusion can be drawn by summing up the experience of Party building including work style building and anticorruption drive That is the whole Party should always study abide by implement and safeguard the Party Constitution to ensure the it will always advance in the correct direction
Hu outlined the tasks for the discipline inspection departments implementing the scientific concept of development addressing outstanding problems that hurt the public interests intensifying anticorruption education of leading Party cadres severely punishing violators of Party discipline and those abusing powers for personal gains cracking down on commercial bribery and sticking to reform to push anticorruption efforts by institutional improvement and innovation
Discipline inspection departments at all levels should take a leading role in studying and implementing the Party Constitution resolutely curb all practices that go against the Constitution and properly handling the relations between punishing and preventing corruption he said
Besides Hu Wu BangguoWen Jiabao Jia Qinglin Zeng Qinghong Huang Ju Wu Guanzheng Li Changchun and Luo Gan all members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee also attended the meeting which was chaired by Wu Guanzheng also secretary of the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection Enditem
LHASA Jan Xinhua Bush forest fires in a small Tibetan county are still not controlled by Friday after the fires broke out six days ago
Strong winds dangerous mountain landscapes and no water sources within two kilometers made the rescue work especially difficult according to a local rescue team
About fire fighters armed police and locals are working together to put out the fires and investigate cause of the fires according to the rescue team
The fires broke out at pm Sunday in bushes of Tingri county in Xigaze at the foot of Mount Qomolangma or the Everest
Fire flames could be spotted when fire fighters arrived at the site and the fire flames were basically put out on Thursday after two days of fighting but thick smokes and flying sparkles still could be seen on Friday according to the rescuers
The gales were strong enough to revive any sparkles in the forests according to the rescue team
The fires were dispersed at the steep mountain peaks and valleys embedded in snowcovered mountains
The fires occurred at longitude east and latitude north about kilometers from Mount Qomolangma The fires are about four kilometers away from the virgin forests in a natural reserve around Mount Qomolangma Enditem
DAZHU Sichuan Jan Xinhua No human cases of bird flu have been reported in Dazhu County the latest bird flu outbreak site in southwest Chinas Sichuan Province by Friday
The clinical observation for those in close contact with the affected poultry ended Friday and they will still receive close medical observation said Zhao Xiaoguang deputy director of Sichuan Provincial Health Department
The county has been taking emergent measures to curb the epidemic from spreading Poultry in the affected areas have been culled Disinfecting stations were set up at all roads leading into and outside of the county Meanwhile the county has shut down all its live poultry markets amid various efforts to prevent the epidemic from spreading
Between Dec and in chickens and ducks died in three households in in Liuyan Village in Yangjia Township The Ministry of Agriculture confirmed the outbreak to be HN bird flu on Jan Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Following are the domestic news items released by Xinhua on Friday
No human cases reported in bird fluhit county in SW China
Tibet bush forests aflame for six days
Top Chinese leader stresses importance of Party Constitution in anticorruption drive
Chinas NGOs raise beneficence to womens prison in Beijing
recast DLong Mansion in Shanghai put for auctions in late January
China publishes new atlas with definite regional borderlines
New controls for HK textile export to EU to take effect in March
China pledges to keep its population below billion by
Chinese Vice Premier stresses scientific research in bird flu control
Budget may balance earlier HK financial secretary
Senior Chinese judge orders harsh punishment for misuse of arable land
Yellow River freezes in lower reaches
Chinas investment in power projects sets new record in
CHRONOLOGYKey events in panda offer to Taiwan since
Trading on Hong Kong stock exchange Jan
Gold price lower in Hong Kong Jan
Weather information for AsiaPacific cities Jan
Chinese mainland official criticizes Taiwan politics
China Exclusive Koizumis untenable arguments arouse strong reaction
Chinese mainland to seek peaceful stable crossStraits relations in
South Africa hopes to attract more Chinese visitors
Zhongmei Energy Groups coal trade tops million tons in
Archeologists call for protection of ancient barns in NW China province
Beijing railway gets ready for upcoming surge of Spring Festival travelers
HK share prices close up Jan
China to promote trade economic links with African countries in
SinoEuropean trade expects to top bln USD in
Taiwan shares close lower Jan
PC companies lag behind environment pledges conservationists
HK Polytechnic Universitys new developed system on display
Delong Mansion in Shanghai put for auctions in late January
Weather forecast for world cities Jan
Weather forecast for major Chinese cities Jan
China publishes first administrative atlas
China Focus After Cupids arrow shoots date for panda couple to Taiwan yet to be decided
Trading on Hong Kong stock exchange Jan
China sets up nationwide CDC system
Macao to resolve salinity crisis by
Chinese Japanese diplomats to meet on bilateral ties says FM official
Coach collides with train in SW China injuring
China aims to produce billion kilograms of grain during
Chinese capital opens first melancholia treatment center
Cupid finds no easy role in matching giant pandas for Taiwan
China to spend trillion yuan on energy and transportation in coming years report
Two people killed in chemical plant explosion in E China province
Update Member of Gang of Four Yao Wenyuan dies
China to provide more nonstop trains charter flights for tourists
China to increase input on extrahightension power grid in next five years
Mainland official calls for regular crossStraits chartered flights
News maker giant panda couple for Taiwan
Branch of National Library for Chinese ancient books opens in Beijing more
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Group fourUniting for Consensus
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WASHINGTON Jan Xinhua The following are major news items in leading US newspapers on Friday
The New York Times
Attacks by suicide bombers killed about people in Karbala and Ramadi on Thursday rekindling fears of a return to mass sectarian killings after a relative lull and prompting Iraqs most powerful Shiite political faction to warn of retribution and indirectly blamed the Untied States for the bloodshed
Iran threw negotiations over its nuclear program into disarray on Thursday abruptly canceling a highlevel meeting with the United Nations monitoring agency The meeting was arranged so Iran could explain its decision to restart nuclear research
The Washington Post
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon lay in deep coma Thursday after overnight surgery to stop bleeding in his brain from a massive stroke which occurred just months before national elections leaving the electorate with no obvious party or politician to continue the centrist movement he forged among Israelis
US President George W Bush met former secretaries of state and defense Thursday at White House in an unusual gettogether to seek advice about the Iraq war
The Wall Street Journal
IBM said Thursday it will freeze its US pension plan in saving billions of dollars even as it beefs up its k savings plan for current workers The effective deactivation of one of the nations biggest pension funds marks a milestone in the shift from traditional definedbenefit plans at major US corporations Enditem
LONDON Jan Xinhua Thirtyfour people have been jailed for a total of more than years after British police smashed the countrys biggest drugs and moneylaundering operation snatching a total of million in cash and kilograms of cocaine in the process
Maria Cannes Gomez who is the final defendant was convicted at a London court following a fouryear probe Sky news reported on Friday
Gomez pleaded guilty to laundering pounds about million US dollars in cash and forging a passport and will be sentenced in March
She is the last of the defendants mainly from Colombia to be convicted in Britain following operations by the Metropolitan Police and the National Crime Squad
Colombian police helped their British counterparts dismantle the highlyorganized cocaine importation and moneylaundering ring
Former asylum seekers Jesus Anibal RuizHenao and his brotherinlaw Mario Tascon who headed the network are known to be serving jail sentences of and years
The other defendants from Colombia three from Britain one from Canada four from Spain and one from Panama were convicted at earlier hearings
The gang supplied drugs to every major British city and after their arrest the price of cocaine on the streets shot up by percent
The ring was believed to be Britains largest drug distribution network employing at least people Enditem
MEXICO CITY Jan Xinhua Latin Americas three major stock markets closed higher on Friday
Mexico Citys stock market IPC index rose percent and closed at points A total of million shares were traded at million US dollars
The Buenos Aires stock market closed with the Merval index up percent and ended at points The trade volume was million dollars
In Sao Paulo Latin Americas biggest bourse the leading Bovespa index closed at points up percent The trade volume was billion dollars Enditem
LONDON Thirtyfour people have been jailed for a total of more than years after British police smashed the countrys biggest drugs and moneylaundering operation snatching a total of million in cash and kg of cocaine in the process
Maria Cannes Gomez who is the final defendant was convicted at a London court following a fouryear probe Sky news reported on Friday BritainDrug
MONROVIA The Liberian capital of Monrovia came to standstill Friday afternoon when representatives of more than widows of dead army personnel took to the streets and blockaded all intersections impeding motor traffic
Pedestrians said that they had to walk several kilometers from the city center to the outskirts as vehicles could not get out of the city to ply many of the routes leading out of the city LiberiaProtest
WASHINGTON US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has postponed a scheduled trip to Indonesia and Australia to keep watch on Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharons fight for life the State Department said Friday
She decided that because of the situation in the Middle East it was the right decision to stay in Washington State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said RiceIsraelVisit
ISLAMABAD At least seven people were killed and others injured after a huge boulder hit a transport bus in northern Pakistan on Thursday night
Pakistans staterun APP news agency quoted Deputy Managing Director of Northern Areas Transport Corporation Shamsuddin as saying that the bus met a fatal accident when a big boulder hit the vehicle killing seven passengers on the spot and injuring others nine of them in critical condition PakistanLandslide
JERUSALEM Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon remained in critical but stable condition after undergoing a third surgery within two days to stem bleeding in his brain a hospital official said Friday
The CT scan showed however that the yearold leader had significant improvement and was returned to an intensive care unit after the fivehour operation Director of Jerusalem Hadassah Hospital Dr Shlomo MorYosef told reporters outside the hospital He said that there is no active bleeding in Sharons brain and intracranial pressure has returned to normal IsraelSharonHealth Enditem
BOGOTA Jan Xinhua At least guerrillas of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia FARC and three government soldiers were killed on Friday in battles in the central Colombian municipality of Meta army officials told local radio
The fighting took place in the Vista Hermosa mountains some km southeast of Bogota where an FARC faction attacked an army camp and killed soldiers last week
Last weeks battle was the largest single death toll in more than three years Colombian President Alvaro Uribe responded to the killing by promising to retake the cocagrowing areas of Meta from terrorists involved in the narcotics trade
Thousands die each year and tens of thousands are displaced in Colombia where three rebel groups have been fighting over cocagrowing land for decades Rightwing group the United SelfDefense Forces of Colombia AUC was formed in the s but the two leftwing forces The National Liberation Army ELN and the FARC have been fighting the government since the mids Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Following are some of the major international news stories scheduled to be covered or pursued by Xinhua on Saturday
Death toll rises in Mecca building collapse rises to
Chilean court rejects request of victims families to join Fujimori extradition trail
Canadas Conservatives to set up new antiterror spy agency
Romanian helicopters return home after mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Daughter registers for Fujimori to run Perus presidential elections
OTTAWA Jan Xinhua Canadas Conservative Party Leader Stephen Harper said on Friday his government would set up a separate foreign spy agency to independently counter threats before they reach Canada
Were going to create a distinct organization through legislation Harper said at a campaign stop in Bolton north of Toronto
The Canadian Security Intelligence Service CSIS the countrys existing civilian spy agency operates on the domestic front has mounted specific operations in other countries
Harper said that the Canadian Foreign Intelligence Agency when created would fall under the guise of a new security czar who would coordinate the activities of CSIS the Royal Canadian Mounted Police the Canadian Coast Guard and the Canada Border Services Agency
Since the Sept terrorist attacks on Washington and New York the Liberal government has debated whether to redefine CSIS role or simply create a new standalone agency
Harper said the time for discussion is over given the precarious state of international security
Yet he said he was not prepared to create a whole new bureaucracy the way the Americans did with the US Department of Homeland Security
Testifying before a Commons committee in former CSIS director Ward Elcock predicted terrorists would eventually strike at Canada and that his operatives had prevented two such attacks Enditem
MEXICO CITY Jan Xinhua Mexican Health Minister Julio Frenk said Friday that his country had controlled the outbreak of bird flu in Chiapas state on the Guatemala border adding there was no risk for human health
Speaking at a Mexico City press conference Frenk said that Mexico had been maintaining vigilance for years making sure that bird flu was kept under control
This vigilance helped the early detection of outbreak spotted days ago that has hit birds There was little risk that the human population could be infected unlike the virus present in Europe and Asia he said
The Chiapas strain is HN different from the deadly HN detected in Europe and Asia Health authorities in Chiapas had established a quarantine culled the infected birds disinfected contaminated areas and compensated affected farmers Frenk said
Frenk said that there was not risk to people eating Mexican eggs or chicken and repeated that Latin America was free of bird flu in humans
In Guatemela on Friday the agriculture authorities said they had increased epidemiological vigilance at the frontier to prevent any possible outbreak
Elsewhere on Friday a British laboratory confirmed that two Turkish teenagers died of the HN flu the first two deaths outside of Asia
More than people have died from HN since and nearly more have been infected but survived The bulk of those affected worked closely with birds Vietnam with more than cases is the country worst affected Enditem
DAKAR Jan Xinhua One Senegalese soldier of the African Union AU peacekeeping mission was killed and others were wounded in an ambush Friday by armed Sudanese rebels in the Darfur region of western Sudan said the Senegalese military
The soldiers came under attack when returning to the camps after they finished an escort mission said a statement issued by the Senegalese military
This is the second ambush against the AU peacekeeping forces by armed Sundanese rebels since Nov when four Senegalese soldiers were wounded
Senegal sent soldiers to the wartorn Darfur region in January last year on a peacekeeping mission at the request of the AU
In February the Sudanese Liberation Movement and Army along with the rebel Justice and Equality Movement launched a largescale conflict with the Sudanese government with accusations that the government had failed to protect them from being attacked by Arab tribal militias
Under the mediation of the AU the Sudanese government reached ceasefire agreements with the two armed rebel groups on April in Ndjamena the capital city of Chad
However there have been continuous violations of the agreements
The United Nations has estimated that the conflicts in the Darfur region have cost over tens of thousands lives and displaced million others Enditem
CARACAS Jan Xinhua Venezuelan Energy Minister Rafael Ramirez said Friday that the recent oil price hikes were very much of the moment and that the Organization of Oil Exporting Countries OPEC should defend international oil prices at its January meeting
We have to consider things very carefully because the prices we are seeing today are very much of the moment he said in reference to elements like a dispute between Russia and Ukraine over natural gas
Meanwhile Ramirez who is also head of the state oil company Petroleos de Venezuela did not rule out a possible new production cut as a concrete step
He made the remarks before OPEC ministers are to meet for production policy discussions on Jan in Vienna
Venezuela is the worlds fifth largest oil exporter with a daily production output of million barrels It is one of the OPEC founding countries and the only member state in Latin America
Oil prices were reported surging Friday amid worries about the volatile Middle East situation Light crude for February delivery on the New York Mercantile Exchange rose cents to US dollars a barrel in electronic trading by Friday afternoon in Europe Brent crude gained cents to dollars per barrel on the ICE Futures exchange
OPEC President Edmundo Daukoru said this week that there was no need for production cuts because demand would probably stay high in the near future Enditem
BUCHAREST Jan Xinhua Four Romanian air force helicopters returned home on Friday after finishing their oneyear mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina
The four Iar Socat helicopters with crew members had been in Bosnia and Herzegovina to join a European Union mission of conducting air reconnaissance and providing firstaid service in the wartorn country
The copters jointly developed by Romanias Brasov aircraft factory and an Israeli company are capable of carrying out roundtheclock operations
Their mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina is Romania air forces first military operation abroad after the World War II
Currently Romania still has soldiers deployed in two regions in Bosnia and Herzegovina on a military mission Enditem
RIYADH Jan Xinhua More bodies were recovered by search teams on Friday in a collapsed hotel in Mecca in Saudi Arabia bringing the death toll to authorities said
By now rescue efforts have been finished and all debris has been removed from the site after the retrieval of more bodies and people trapped in the rubbles said the Saudi Press Agency late Friday
According to the agency altogether people have been killed and others injured in the accident of whom remain hospitalized The death toll has been confirmed by Interior Ministry spokesman General Mansur alTurki
The tragedy occurred when pilgrims from different parts of the world converged in the Muslim holy city of Mecca to perform the hajj which formally starts on Sunday
The victims of the accident were of various nationalities the Arab television channel AlArabiya reported
AlTurki said late Thursday that the cause of the collapse would be investigated by a committee headed by Interior Minister Prince Nayef Ben Abdel Aziz Enditem
LIMA Jan Xinhua Perus Yes He Fulfils Party SCM on Friday registered exiled former leader Alberto Fujimori as its presidential candidate in defiance of a year ban by the congress
Fujimoris eldest daughter Keiko along with more than supporters registered the yearold expresident with the National Election Panel which said it would soon decide whether or not to accept his candidacy
The SCM also put two vicepresidential candidates on the list to run in the April elections Maria Cuculiza former women and social development minister and German Kruger former mayor of Lima Municipality Miraflores
The party began the process for Fujimoris candidature running counter to a law passed by the congress and ratified by the Constitutional Tribunal to ban him from working in any public office until
After the registration Keiko expressed thanks to her fathers supporters gathering around the election offices
This is a historic day she declared pledging Fujimori would return to Peru and would enter the presidential palace once again
She also called on supporters to resist the political persecution suffered by the leaders of her fathers party
Waving flags the crowd of supporters chanted No one can stop Fujimori
Fujimori who ruled Peru from to was put in jail after arriving in Chile on a private plane from Japan on Nov He was planning to make a comeback in the presidential campaign
Peru has sought Fujimoris extradition but Chilean judges said the process could last from six months to a year
Fujimori faces criminal charges including conspiracy human rights abuses and embezzlement He had been in exile in Japan since when his government collapsed amid corruption allegations Enditem
SANTIAGO Jan Xinhua A Chilean Supreme Court judge said on Friday that he had rejected a request by families of the victims of Peruvian massacres to take part in the extradition process of former Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori
Under Chiles penal code only those requested by the state or the accused can appear in the court said Orlando Alvareze the Supreme Court judge handling the Fujimori case
Francisco Veloso a member of Furjimoris defense team welcomed the decision saying We understand that any external person individual or lawyer who wanted to take part is completely inappropriate
The preventative detention that Alvarez had decreed against Fujimori was made under the current law and had no effect on the guilt or innocence of his client he added
Alvareze had ordered the former Peruvian president to remain under arrest possibly for months while the case is processed
Relatives of those killed in two incidents known as Barrios Altos and La Cantuta in and as well as their lawyers on Thursday asked for permission to take part in the trial Lawyers for the families said they would appeal to the Supreme Court
Elsewhere on Friday Franscico Vidal Chiles Interior Minister banned Fujimori from campaigning for Perus presidential elections after learning Fujimori had registered as a candidate
The minister said due to the extradition proceedings against him Fujimori will not be allowed to sign documents or meet with party leaders He added that he was not making judgments on whether Fujimori had rights to campaign legally saying that must be determined by Peru
Fujimori who ruled Peru from to has been indicted on more than counts of corruption and human rights violations
He was arrested by Chilean police on Nov after arriving in the Chilean capital where he had planned to prepare for the Peruvian presidential election scheduled for April
He had been in exile in Japan since when he flew following the collapse of his government amid corruption allegations Enditem
HAVANA Jan Xinhua Six officials have been sentenced in the eastern Cuban province of Holguinto to prison terms ranging from six to years for embezzlement reported Cuban daily Juventud Rebelde Friday
The six former directors of the stateowned Communal Services Company were accused of pocketing more than half of the resources earmarked for buying plants for Holguin city in a fraud that lasted from January to the end of September
The company said it had spent around million Cuban pesos US dollars on buying nearly million plants
But only around plants or percent of the totally bought have been actually planted and they are only worth around million pesos dollars Enditem
KIEV Jan Xinhua Ukraine must sign a governmental pact on gas supply and transit service for with Russia besides the gas deal already signed by the economic entities of both countries said Ukrainian Prime Minister Yuri Yekhanurov said in a statement on Friday
The Ukrainian government will propose a draft pact to the Russian side before Jan The official outcome of the UkrainianRussian negotiations and the gas agreement reached by the two parties will guarantee Ukraines gas supply and consumption Yekhanurov said
According to an intergovernmental pact signed by Ukraine and Russia in the two countries are obliged to sign gas protocols and agreements annually
Russia was and remains the largest partner of Ukraine Yekhanurov said noting that adjustments on natural gas prices and transit fees will only be made after both sides reach an agreement
Russias gas giant Gazprom and Ukraines oil and gas company Naftogaz Ukraine clinched a deal on Wednesday under which Gazprom will sell gas for US dollars per cubic meters to the Rosukrenergo trading company which will mix the Russian gas with cheaper gas from Central Asia and sell the blend to Ukraine for dollars per cubic meters
Ukraine had been buying Russian gas at dollars per cubic meters over the past year
The two sides also agreed to raise the price for transiting every cubic meters of natural gas over km through Ukraine to Europe from dollars to dollars Enditem
BEIRUT Jan Xinhua The Lebanese government agreed Thursday to reopen the Palestine Liberation Organizations office in Lebanon which was closed years ago the Lebanese news agency reported on Friday
Sultan Abul Einein the Lebanese commander of Fatah the maintream faction of PLO welcomed the decision on Friday saying it opened the door for restoring the LebanesePalestinian relations and will help start bilateral talks
The PLOs office in Lebanon was closed in when an Israel invasion forced PLO leaders and other Palestinian armed forces to flee Lebanon
The decision to reopen the PLOs office was raised after a meeting between Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Saniora and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in October when they exchanged views on how to disarm the Palestinian militias inside Lebanon
At present there are about Palestinian refugees in Lebanon Most of them live in refugee camps Enditem
BUENOS AIRES Jan Xinhua The governments of Latin Americas economic powers Mexico Brazil and Argentina have sent messages of support on Friday to Israeli leader Ariel Sharon who has been suffering a brain hemorrhage this week
Argentine President Nestor Kirchner his Brazilian counterpart Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and the Mexican government expressed their wishes of a speedy recovery to Sharon who has been receiving intensive treatment after being hospitalized for a severe stroke on Wednesday night in Jerusalem
Argentina which has the second largest Jewish community in the Americas after the United States sent a message of support to Israeli President Moshe Katsav and acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert
Mexican Foreign Minister Luis Ernesto Derbez asked Carlos Rico Mexican ambassador to Israel to send a message of support to the Israeli people Brazils Lula said he wished Sharon a quick recovery and praised his contribution to the peace process
Sharon has also received messages of support from the United States Spain amongst others in the last hours Enditem
BUDAPEST Jan Xinhua The Hungarian News Agency MTI celebrated the th anniversary of its founding on Friday
MTI established in was the worlds sixth oldest news agency after Havas in France later to become AFP Wolff in Germany Reuters in Britain KorrespondenzBureau in Austria and the Associated Press AP in the United States
Laszlo Mandur deputy speaker of the parliament complimented the national news agency on its endeavors to work by the high standards of fast accurate and independent reportage
Hungarian President Laszlo Solyom said in a letter commemorating the anniversary that MTI must become the yardstick of quality value and choice in a myriad of news sources now directly accessible by the public
MTI President Matyas Vince said MTI would pursue the policy of staying an authoritative information provider in the increasingly competitive market
MTI is a member of the European Alliance of News Agencies maintaining close links with the most important news agencies around the world It has correspondents in all states of Hungary and in countries around the world Enditem
PARIS The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development OECD on Friday predicted Swiss slow economy growth at percent in calling for no raise in interest rates until a recovery has been established
Growth in would be only percent after a lull in exports and high oil prices dampened activity the OECD said recommending Swiss to foster competition and restore better control over government spending SwitzerlandEconomy
WARSAW The construction of a new LG Philips LCD factory began in Biskupice Podgorne in Lower Silesia southwestern part of Poland as part of South Korean company LG Philips effort to invest million euros there by
The road linking future plant with nearby motorway will be broadened till the end of April ground leveled and builders begin their work in March Ryszard Pacholik from local administration told journalists on Friday The new plant will produce modern LCD liquid crystal displays at the beginning million later million a year South Korean investor would also like to produce big and panoramic LCD TV models of different sizes from to inches PolandLG Investment
BERLIN The German industrial production jumped sharply in November over the same month in indicating the fastest pace in nearly five years the Economy and Technology Ministry said here Friday
Industrial production surged by percent in November from a year earlier the ministry said Big German companies such as Bayer AG are investing their foreign earnings at home With domestic demand increasingly stronger experts say that the expansion would be more sustainable GermanyNovember Production
NEW YORK Crude oil surged above dollars a barrel in almost three months Friday on signs that economic growth will push fuel demand higher worldwide
New Yorks main contract light sweet crude for delivery in February surged dollars to close at dollars per barrel the highest close since Oct In London the price of Brent North Sea crude for February delivery soared dollars to close at dollars per barrelthe highest point since Oct New YorkOil Prices
CARACAS Venezuelan Energy Minister Rafael Ramirez said Friday that the recent oil price hikes were very much of the moment and that the Organization of Oil Exporting Countries OPEC should defend international oil prices at its January meeting
We have to consider things very carefully because the prices we are seeing today are very much of the moment he said in reference to elements like a dispute between Russia and Ukraine over natural gas Meanwhile Ramirez who is also head of the state oil company Petroleos de Venezuela did not rule out a possible new production cut as a concrete step VenezuelaOPECCuts Enditem
SANTIAGO Jan Xinhua The International Labor Organization ILO the United Nations Childrens Fund UNICEF and the Chilean Teachers Institute on Friday denounced the use of child labor in Chile
Being forced to work puts many childrens and adolescents health at serious risk leading them to drop out of school which closes the circle of poverty and economic insecurity and affects rural and indigenous populations they said in a joint report released here
The report said there are more than children working in Chile half of them in unacceptable conditions
Indigenous communities are worst hit with around percent of children working it added
Meanwhile the International Poverty Eradication Program IPEC and Chilean Teachers Institute said they are setting up programs to boost Chilean childrens school attendance Enditem
LISBON Jan Xinhua Airports in some Portuguese cities were forced to cancel half of their flights on Friday after airport emergency aid workers went on strike according to sources from Portuguese airports
About emergency personnel held a oneday strike at midnight GMT forcing flight cancellations in various cities among which the cities of Oporto Faro in the Algarve tourism region and the Azores islands were the most seriously affected
Some percent of all flights at Oporto the second largest city of Portugal were cancelled or affected by the strike while percent and percent of flights have been affected in Faro and the Azores islands respectively according to sources
This brought the amount of affected flights to percent of the countrys total
Most of the affected are domestic ones and shortdistance flights destined for neighboring Spain
Emergency workers went on strike over fears their jobs will be outsourced by foreign companies according to Portugals Aviation Workers Union Enditem
MANAGUA Jan Xinhua Three people were killed and another five missing when a small cargo ship capsized in Escondido River in Nicaragua an official from Nicaraguas Red Cross confirmed on Friday
The cargo ship with passengers eight sailors and tons of cargoes on board sank off the Escondido River on midnight Thursday when it left Rama port km east of the capital city of Managua for Caribbean coastland
An official from Red Cross in Rama who gave his name as Cortez said that eight sailors and passengers had been rescued by Friday night
According to initial investigations he said the shipwreck was caused by overload and mechanical failures
Search is still underway to find the five missing but Cortez was afraid that some of them might have already died Enditem
SOFIA Jan Xinhua Bulgarian gas monopoly Bulgargaz has sent a formal notice to Russias gas giant Gazprom to reject its demand to change the transit fees levied on its gas exported to Turkey Greece and Macedonia via Bulgaria said Bulgargaz Friday night
Bulgaria cannot accept Russias request made at the end of to change the payment terms stipulated by the bilateral contract signed in on shipping Russian gas to Turkey Greece and Macedonia via Bulgaria said the document
Any Russian attempt to revise or unilaterally terminate the contract before it expires in is deemed as violations of the agreement the document added
Gazprom now pays transit fees to Bulgaria in the form of gas at a price now set at around US dollars per cubic meters compared with the dollars Bulgaria pays for supply not covered by the transit contract
Bulgaria is currently importing about billion cubic meters of natural gas a year from Russia percent of Bulgarias total needs
Bulgarian officials said Gazprom is pushing Bulgaria to switch to a system under which it pays transit fees in cash and Sofia buys all of its gas at market prices
The gas dispute between Russia and Bulgaria emerged as Russia has just struck a deal over gas prices with Ukraine after Gazprom which demanded a fourfold price hike cut deliveries to Ukraine on Jan
Under the deal Ukraine which provides conduit for Russia to supply a quarter of Europes needs will pay an average of US dollars per thousand cubic meters for gas imports from Russia and the Central Asian
states of Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan up from about dollars now Enditem
BUENOS AIRES Jan Xinhua A factory workshop in Argentinas capital Buenos Aires collapsed suddenly on Friday morning injuring more than people
The gate of the refrigerator factory located in the centralwest of the capital toppled over all at once before the whole workshop collapsed
According to local police more than workers escaped before the workshops collapse But an ammonia pipeline in the factory was destroyed causing an ammonia leak that injured people living nearby
The injured were taken to hospital immediately The fire department and related departments are cleaning up the scene and investigating the cause of the accident Enditem
WASHINGTON Jan Xinhua The Bush administration said on Friday that the sixnation climate talks to be held next week in Sydney are not intended as a replacement for the Kyoto Protocol
We do not see this as a replacement We see it as a complement to the Kyoto Protocol US Undersecretary of State Paula Dobriansky said refuting the criticisms of some environmental groups which believe that the talks are aimed at undercutting the Kyoto Protocol
The AsiaPacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate which was agreed on last July and planned to be launched in Sydney includes six countries Australia China India Japan South Korea and the United States
The partnership is designed to speed up the development and use of clean energy and more efficient technologies to address issues such as pollution reduction energy security and climate change while promoting economy and reducing poverty Dobriansky told a news briefing
She also said the partnership would issue a charter a communique and a work plan during its first meeting
Both the United States and Australia are not signatories to the Kyoto Protocol saying the greenhouse gas emission limits would hurt their economies
The United States is the worlds largest producer of greenhouse gases accounting for percent of the global emission while China and India produce more than percent
Carbon dioxide methane and other greenhouse gases are believed to trap heat in the atmosphere and result in global warming Enditem
LAS VEGAS the United States Jan Xinhua The US Consumer Electronics Association said on Friday that a trade show coorganized with China was a huge success by introducing international buyers into the Chinese market
At the international Consumer Electronics Show CES in Las Vegas the associations chairman Gary Shapiro also expected this years SINOCES which is set to run from July to in Qingdao China to further boost trade with China
According to Shapiro the first SINOCES held in Chinas coastal city of Qingdao had sold more than square meters of exhibition space attracted more than global exhibitors and more than attendees in July
SINOCES significantly expanded its international scope and provided an inroad to the Chinese consumer electronics market for more than international buyers he said adding that this year more international names will appear in Qingdao
Noting the growing importance of China to the global consumer electronics market Shapiro also warned against protectionism in USChina trade relations
He said discussion and cooperation are the best way to solve the trade disputes between the United States and China
We must work together to discourage protectionist or reactionary policies and remember that when we work together to find industrydriven solutions both countries benefit said Shapiro
The CES is believed to be the worlds largest show of television home audio and video systems and hightech gadgets
Some exhibitors and attendees are expected for this years event on Jan Enditem
RIYADH More bodies were recovered by search teams on Friday in a collapsed hotel in Mecca in Saudi Arabia bringing the death toll to authorities said
By now rescue efforts have been finished and all debris has been removed from the site after the retrieval of more bodies and people trapped in the rubbles said the Saudi Press Agency late Friday Saudi ArabiaHotelCollapse
LIMA Perus Yes He Fulfils Party SCM on Friday registered exiled former leader Alberto Fujimori as its presidential candidate in defiance of a year ban by the congress
Fujimoris eldest daughter Keiko along with more than supporters registered the yearold expresident with the National Election Panel which said it would soon decide whether or not to accept his candidacy PeruFujimoriElection
TOKYO A Japanese court has issued an arrest warrant for a US Navy sailor in Japan who allegedly killed a Japanese woman in Kanagawa prefecture on Tuesday the Kyodo News reported Saturday
The arrest warrant was issued on robberymurder charges The Japanese government plans then to request the US side to transfer custody of the yearold suspect William Reese to the prefectural police according to the report JapanUS Serviceman Arrest
BAGHDAD A car bomb went off near a police commando patrol in southern Baghdad district on Saturday an Interior Ministry source told Xinhua
There was no immediate word on casualties he said IraqPoliceAttack Enditem
LONDON Jan Xinhua Following are major news items in leading British newspapers on Saturday
The Times
Charles Kennedy was given a brutal ultimatum on Friday night by more than a third of his parliamentary party he must step down by Monday or they will refuse to serve under him
The Independent
A defiant Charles Kennedy vowed on Friday night that he would not be driven out of office by his rebel MPs insisting he was the only figure who could unite the Liberal Democrats
The Financial Times
The future for media and entertainment is to be available everywhere and always if the Consumer Electronics Show which ends in Las Vegas this weekend delivers on its promises Enditem
BRUSSELS Jan Xinhua The European Union EU on Saturday said that it regreted Irans decision to resume suspended nuclear activities
The EU regrets that Iran has chosen to announce this unilateral move at a moment when international confidence in the peaceful nature of its program is far from restored said the EU in a written statement in the name of its presidency Austria
The EU said it views with serious concern Irans intention to resume suspended nuclear activities
The EU also said in the statement that it is surprising and unreasonable that Iran proposes to do this at a moment when Britain France and Germany were exploring with Iran the possibility of a return to negotiations
In November Irans top nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani sent a letter to the EU Britain France and Germany urging to resume talks on Irans nuclear issue
The EU thus urged Iran not to take the step of resuming nuclear activities for that would violate both the letter and the spirit of the eight previous resolutions of the International Atomic Energy Agency IAEA
Iran made its most recent announcement to resume nuclear fuel research on Jan which drew the IAEAs decision to postpone its talks with Iran over the nuclear issue
On Jan US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice warned that the United States is prepared to bring Iran before the UN Security Council should Teheran carry out its latest threat to resume nuclear fuel research Enditem
TEHRAN Jan Xinhua Irans Interior Minister Mostafa PourMohammadi on Saturday accused the United States of sponsoring the militants who kidnapped nine Iranian soldiers near the Pakistani border
America cannot directly confront Iran and instead uses such groups against it the minister was quoted by the official IRNA news agency as saying
PourMohammadi said the kidnappers belong to the groups influenced by the ideology of the Taliban The kidnappers have been identified They are demanding money and the release of members of their group he said
Nine Iranian soldiers were abducted by Sunni Muslim militants who demanded the authorities set free jailed members according to a video released by the alArabiya TV on Wednesday
The group calling itself the Organization of Gods Soldiers for Sunni Mujahideen Holy Fighters had kidnapped the soldiers in a southeastern province bordering with Pakistan according to alArabiya Enditem
BERLIN Jan Xinhua German Chancellor Angela Merkel will appeal to the US to close the Guantanamo Bay detention center during her first visit as chancellor to Washington scheduled on Jan said a German magazine on Saturday
An institution such as Guantanamo cannot and ought not to exist for long in this way Merkel told the magazine Der Spiegel in an interview to be published on Monday
Means for a different treatment of the prisoners need to be found she said adding that she would raise the issue with US President George W Bush
Berlin was pressing for the release of Murat Kurnaz a yearold Germanborn Turkish man who was detained at Guantanamo for the past four years
Kurnaz was nicknamed the Bremen Taliban after Bremen a city of northwest Germany on the Weser River southwest of Hamburg where he was born Enditem
VIENNA Jan Xinhua The European Union EU cannot call a halt to its eastward expansion said Austrian Foreign Minister Ursula Plassnik on Saturday stressing that the bloc must reaffirm its commitment to bring in the western Balkans
We cannot arbitrarily slam on the brakes at a certain time and signal to our partners We dont want to hear anything from you any more Plassnik said to the news magazine Profil
Eventual EU membership for the Balkans was part of the peace project that Europe in our generation is carrying out she added
Austria which assumed the rotating EU presidency on New Years Day has been a strong supporter of taking in Croatia which hopes to join in
EU leaders granted Macedonia another former Yugoslav republic a candidate state status in December
Austria is also set to decide during its sixmonth presidency whether to go ahead with the accession of Romania and Bulgaria in
Enlargement is expected to be discussed on Monday when European Commission members meet with top Austrian officials in Vienna to kick off Austrias presidency Enditem
WARSAW Jan Xinhua Polish President Lech Kaczynski on Saturday dismissed Finance Minister Teresa Lubinska and named Zyta Gilowska for replacement
Gilowska the new finance minister is a former member of the Civic Platform party with which the ruling Law and Justice party tried to form a coalition government but failed in talks
The replacement came just four days after the resignation of Treasury Minister Andrzej Mikosz who was the first cabinet member to leave Polands conservative government which took office in October Enditem
BERLIN Jan Xinhua German Chancellor Angela Merkel is to urge US President George W Bush during her visit to Washington to close the Guantanamo Bay prison for suspected terrorists a German weekly magazine said on Saturday
An institution such as Guantanamo cannot and ought not to exist for long in this way Means for a different treatment of the prisoners need to be found said Merkel in an interview with Der Spiegel which released the text two days before publication
Merkel who is to pay her first visit to Washington from Jan to Jan after she became chancellor in November said she would raise the issue when she met Bush
Spiegel also said Germany is pressing for the release from the notorious prison of a young Turkish Islamist who grew up in Bremen Germany and went to Afghanistan to fight but would not allow him to reenter Germany until May
Mindful that his fouryear stay in jail would have made him even more radical German Interior Ministry does not want Murat Kurnaz a Turkish national to return to Germany immediately for fear that he will make radical speeches in mosques the magazine said
Spiegel said German diplomats in Turkey had contacted the Turkish government to discuss a joint approach towards the United States Turkey told Germany that Kurnaz might be released by March
Germany alone cannot make it in requesting for his release because he does not possess German citizenship the magazine said
Kurnaz has been put on a blacklist for much of the European Union which remains valid till May He could only be released to Turkey initially said Spiegel Enditem
TEHRAN Jan Xinhua Iran and Russia began talks Saturday on a Russianproposed compromise plan of joint uranium enrichment the staterun television reported
The Russian delegation arrived in Tehran last night and began talks with Iranian officials this morning said Hossein Entezami spokesman for Irans top security body the Supreme National Security Council SNSC denying earlier media reports that the meeting has been postponed
The two sides are going to discuss Russias proposal for joint uranium enrichment the scale of this and also enrichment on Iranian soil Entezami was quoted as saying
Last month Moscow delivered to Iran a written proposal that the two countries establish a joint venture in Russia to enrich uranium for Iran which Iran has said is not concrete and needs to be clarified
Iran has said that it has a legal and undeniable right to build nuclear fuel cycle and will reject any suggestion on enrichment abroad
Based on Washingtons accusation that Iran is seeking nuclear weapons secretly the EU insists that Irans complete command of uranium enrichment could lead to military use of the technology
On Tuesday Tehran announced that it had decided to resume research work on nuclear fuel in a few days The European Union EU warned that such a decision will endanger a new round of bilateral nuclear talks due on Jan Enditem
HAVANA Jan Xinhua The commander of the United Nations peacekeeping force in Haiti Brazilian Lt Gen Urano Teixeira da Matta Bacellar shot himself dead on Saturday in a hotel room said reports reaching here from PortauPrince capital of the troubled Caribbean country Enditem
HAVANA Jan Xinhua The commander of the United Nations peacekeeping force in Haiti Brazilian Lt Gen Urano Teixeira da Matta Bacellar has been found dead in his hotel room said reports reaching here from PortauPrince capital of the troubled Caribbean country
The body of Bacellar who took over the strong UN peacekeeping force MINUSTAH at the end of August was found on Saturday morning in his room at the Hotel Montana
He appeared to have shot himself dead said the reports Enditem
AMMAN Jan Xinhua The British embassy in Jordan on Saturday announced its shutdown until further notice and sent out caution of new terrorist attacks on Westerners
The embassy website warned Terrorists may be in the final stages of planning attacks against Westerners and places frequented by Westerners
The website also admonished that those planning to travel to Jordan should take sensible precautions for your personal security arrangements while it acknowledged that most visits are troublefree
Last November three suicide bombers launched attacks on some luxury hotels in Amman leaving deaths and almost people injured Enditem
MADRID Jan Xinhua Spains army chief Jose Mena Aguado was put under house arrest on Saturday one day after he criticized Catalan efforts to achieve autonomy Spanish media reported
The yearold lieutenant general threatened on Friday that the army would have to defend Spanish unity if Catalonia wins autonomy
His remarks were taken as a warning of military intervention if a proposed Catalan autonomy plan currently before the national parliament is approved unamended
The Catalan regional parliament in September approved a controversial plan to increase the autonomy of the wealthy northeastern region
Aguado was to have retired in March after years of service and the house arrest ordered by Defense Minister Jose Bono is to last for eight days Enditem
WASHINGTON Jan Xinhua The following are major news items in leading US newspapers on Saturday
The New York Times
US President George W Bushs rationale for warrantless eavesdropping on Americans rests on questionable legal ground and Congress does not appear to have given him the authority to order the surveillance said a Congressional analysis released Friday
US officials are talking with local Iraqi insurgent leaders to exploit a rift that has opened between homegrown insurgents and radical groups like Al Qaida and to draw the local leaders into the political process according to various sources
The Washington Post
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon showed modest improvement Friday following a third emergency surgery to stop fresh bleeding and swelling in his brain local hospital officials in Jerusalem said Sharon suffered a massive stroke Wednesday night
The US Labor Department said Friday million jobs were added last year in the United States and that the unemployment rate fell to percent last December The data joined other signs indicating a healthy US economic growth despite the turmoil caused by hurricanes and higher energy prices Enditem
BAGHDAD An American female journalist went missing and the body of her Iraqi interpreter found near a mosque in Baghdad on Saturday an Interior Ministry source told Xinhua
The body of Alin Ghazi Jack an Iraqi Christian interpreter was found near the mosque of Anas Bin Malik in western Baghdad said the source who spoke on condition of anonymity IraqKidnapping
TEHRAN Iran said on Saturday that kidnappers who had taken nine Iranian border guards as hostage in the eastern parts of the country were linked to the Taliban and supported by the United States the official IRNA news agency reported
The United States which cannot directly encounter Iran uses such groups to carry out such acts against the country Interior Minister Mostafa PourMohammadi was quoted as saying IranUSKidnapping
JERUSALEM Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon underwent a new brain scan on Saturday which is a planned procedure hospital spokesman said in Jerusalem
Ron Krumer spokesman of the Hadassah hospital in Jerusalem where Sharon is hospitalized told a foreign media that Prime Minister Sharon underwent a new brain scan on Saturday and it was planned in advance IsraelSharon
ANKARA Nearly people are currently being treated in hospital for bird flu symptoms after three Turkish teenagers from the same family in the Dogubayazit town of eastern province of Agri died of bird flu in the past six days
The three siblings are the first human deaths from the fatal virus outside Asia where more than people have lost their lives since the outbreak of bird flu in TurkeyBird Flu
TEHRAN Iran and Russia began talks Saturday on a Russianproposed compromise plan of joint uranium enrichment the staterun television reported
The Russian delegation arrived in Tehran last night and began talks with Iranian officials this morning said Hossein Entezami spokesman for Irans top security body the Supreme National Security Council SNSC denying earlier media reports that the meeting has been postponed IranRussiaNuclear
FALLUJAH Fierce clashes broke out between insurgents and US forces in the flashpoint city of Fallujah on Saturday witnesses said
A sniper opened fire at a group of US soldiers shooting four of them in alWahda district in central Fallujah a local journalist told Xinhua on condition of anonymity IraqUSAttack Enditem
TIRANA Jan Xinhua The Macedonian government announced late Friday that it will send a new batch of peacekeepers to Afghanistan said reports reaching here from Skopje
The troops consisting of soldiers and officers will relieve the troops already stationed there according to Makfax
They will join the German troops as part of the International Security and Assistance Force taking part in the peacekeeping operation in Afghanistan from January to August this year
Meanwhile Macedonia also decided to send a new batch of medical officers to Afghanistan as part of the joint medical team from Albania Macedonia and Croatia the signatories to the Charter of the Adriatic
Macedonia began sending troops to Afghanistan in on a small scale and the troops are relieved every six months
This is the eighth time Macedonia has sent peacekeepers to Afghanistan Enditem
i
i
NEW DELHI Jan Xinhua Following are the results from the Chennai Open tennis tournament here on Friday prefix number denotes seeding
Quarterfinals
Radek Stepanek Czech Republic bt Thierry Ascione France
Kristof Vliegen Belgium bt Paradorn Srichaphan Thailand
Carlos Moya Spain bt Bjoern Phau Germany
Enditem
HARARE Jan Xinhua Zimbabwes national soccer team the Warriors received billion Zimbabwean dollars about US dollars on Friday from three donors for the teams participation in the African Cup of Nations slated for the end of the month in Egypt
The donations were both in cash and pledges Vice president Joseph Msika who is the patron of Zimbabwe Football Association ZIFA accepted the donations on behalf of the fundraising committee
This gives me pride and pleasure to realize that our national call is being responded to in a spirit of nation building he said adding that further donations were welcome until a closing date had been announced
The vice president said he was optimistic that the target of billion Zimbabwean dollars about US dollars could be surpassed judging from the donations that were being received
So far the committee has received a total of billion Zimbabwean dollars about US dollars in both cash and donations Various activities including musical galas and soccer matches have been held in a bid to raise the funds for transport accommodation and payment of players
An official from the committee confirmed that pledges were being honored and was confident that at the end of the campaign all the money would have been received Enditem
PRAGUE Jan Xinhua Czech cyclocross international Martin Zlamalik faces a punishment for the use of ephedrine he said Friday
Traces of a banned substance where found in his urine sample taken after a cup race in Plzen west Bohemia on November where he ended fourth he said adding that he has applied for his Bsample test to be made
I dont want to point to anyone or anything in excuse but I dont understand it That is why Ive asked for the Bsample to be examined but I dont know the result as yet Zlamalik who won the European under championship in Tabor south Bohemia in
I believe that the previous test will turn out to be an error and that I would not face any punishment Zlamalik said
If the second test result is positive Zlamalik would not avoid punishment He would face a fine and a warning at least
Nevertheless he can continue racing until the Btest results are known He could therefore take part in the national championship due on January Enditem
LAGOS Jan Xinhua Equipped with three spare tires food and medicine against malaria a middleaged Romanian Galatanu Virgil has toured African countries on bicycle
Virgil who started his tour from Egypt in January last year arrived in Nigeria last week and it took him five days to ride to Abuja the capital of Africas most populous nation from its largest city Lagos
My ambition is to cross all the capitals of the world Virgil who had already bagged some medals for touring all the capital cities of Europe on bicycle told the official News Agency of Nigeria on Friday
As part of his preparation Virgil learnt how to service the cycle and replace parts without assistance
Virgil a former mail man and head of post office in Romania has no special map or budget for his journey which would last until
I arrived in Lagos with dollars he said
The globe trotter who looked unruffled in spite of the rigors associated with such a tour said that he relied on people for direction and sponsorship from one community to another
In some areas security operatives had to assist me by carrying me in a truck to avert dangers or advice me on a safer route he said
He however admitted he was robbed in Sierra Leone and lost about dollars to the robbers
Virgil who left his wife and five kids to visit all capitals of the world said he would not return home until after the tour of Asia and America by
Virgil still has countries to visit in Africa mostly in the western and southern part of the continent Enditem
MADRID Jan Xinhua Antonio Cassano Real Madrid soccer clubs new Italian striker has to repair a major muscle strain before he can play professional football for the club the clubs coach Juan Ramon Lopez Caro told journalists at a press conference on Friday
He arrived with a significant muscle strain and is working on a personalized programme to get him into shape so that he can perform at the level we expect from him the coach said
Lopez Caro said the training would last a few days and that he had not yet chosen a position for Cassano
I need to find the best solution for him but more importantly for the team as a whole There is a lot of competition for places and he has to prove he is better than those who are already playing said the coach
The Spanish club paid million euros million US dollars to Italian side Roma for Cassanos contract
Real Madrids president said on Thursday that he wanted Cassano to play this weekends Primera Liga game against Villarreal Real Madrid is points from the top of the table in fifth place a bad result for the team due in part to a series of serious injuries to its leading players
This weekend Ronaldo Nazario the Brazilianborn striker who leads the Spanish league goalscorers table will be available again after a long period recovering from a calf strain Enditem
BUENOS AIRES Jan Xinhua Argentine tennis star Guillermo Coria number eight in the Association of Tennis Players ATP world ranking denied reports that he was held in low esteem by his ATP colleagues in an interview with Argentinas La Nacion newspaper on Friday
Either those rumours are lies or I am very stupid The people who come and speak to me and say bad luck good luck or well played would be acting he said I dont feel discriminated against
He added that he gave little importance to criticisms like those of Chiles Fernando Gonazlez who said that in October last year that he was the least liked on the circuit after beating Coria in the Madrid Masters competition
People speak about reputation but other players do several things in a row and because they have another kind of image nothing happens he complained
If I go out to kill a player like Fernando Gonzales did with me people speak worse of me than they do him he said
Coria said he did not understand why the Chilean said what he did If he has a problem with me he doesnt need to go to the press All the more so if when he sees me in the changing room he doesnt say anything
The Argentine has rowed publicly with Australias Leyton Hewitt Chiles Nicolas Massu and compatriot Gaston Gaudio Coria who turns next week has won nine professional titles in his career so far Enditem
MADRID Jan Xinhua Barcelona soccer club current leader of the Spanish league is one match away from equalling Real Madrids record of consecutive victories set in the season officials from Spains first division said on Friday
Barcelona faces Espanyol on Saturday with a string of victories behind it in the Spanish league three in Europes Champions League and one in Spains Kings Cup
The consecutive victories acheived by Real Madrid years ago under manager Miguel Munez were all within the Spanish league Real won its first victory on the th day of the league and its th on the th day of play
Barcelona managed by Hollands Frank Rijkaard has already managed to beat its previous record of consecutive victories Enditem
LAGOS Jan Xinhua An emergency meeting of Nigerian football stakeholders on Friday voted to nullify last months elections held by the board of the Nigeria Football Association NFA that returned Ibrahim Galadima as its chairman
In an eightpoint resolution the meeting in the capital Abuja called by the sports minister Saidu Sambawa consequently set up a new electoral committee to conduct fresh elections between now and February
A sevenman electoral committee has been set up to produce in two weeks the timetable for the elections
A total of delegates from of the countrys local football associations as well as club owners attended the meeting The figure exceeds the twothirds majority stated in the statutes to form a quorum
The delegates condemned the elections held in Kano northern Nigerian city December describing it as a charade a monumental fraud null and void lacking in democratic process and legality required they said in the resolution
The venue of the meeting had been heavily guarded since Thursday the day of arrival for delegates while over policemen and a police bomb squad bus were on ground at the venue before and during Fridays meeting
Speculations about an impending sanction from world footballs governing body FIFA on the country have been rife in football circles following a crisis that gripped NFA over its election
But Chairman of the stakeholders Amanze Uchegbulam told the delegates at the meeting that FIFA were not reckless in enforcing a sanction according to the official News Agency of Nigeria
Rather than wielding the big stick FIFA recognizes that disagreements like our own attract external umpires not outright ban he said
Where sanctions are applied by FIFA it means that all efforts at resolving a crisis must have been exhausted Uchegbulam added Enditem
WASHINGTON Jan Xinhua Cleveland Cavaliers guard Larry Hughes underwent successful surgery on his fractured right finger Friday morning
The surgery was performed by Dr Jeffrey Lawton at the Cleveland clinic Hughes is expected to remain sidelined for about eight weeks
Hughes underwent further examinations on Wednesday morning when the fracture was found He originally hurt the finger during the preseason but started games for Cleveland
The yearold Hughes is the Cavs secondleading scorer averaging points rebounds and assists per contest Enditem
WASHINGTON Jan Xinhua Following are the leaders of the National Basketball Association through Jan
Scoring
G FG FT PTS AVG
Iverson Phil
Bryant LAL
James Clev
Arenas Wash
Pierce Bos
Wade Mia
Nowitzki Dall
McGrady Hou
Redd Mil
Brand LAC
Carter NJ
Anthony Den
Allen Sea
Richardson GS
ONeal Ind
Bosh Tor
Garnett Minn
Hamilton Det
Lewis Sea
Duncan SA
FG Percentage
FG FGA PCT
Brezec Char
AbdurRahim Sac
ONeal Mia
Gooden Clev
Garnett Minn
Parker SA
Bogut Mil
Brand LAC
Iguodala Phil
Wallace Char
Rebounds
G OFF DEF TOT AVG
Camby Den
B Wallace Det
Howard Orl
Marion Phoe
Duncan SA
Garnett Minn
Brand LAC
Webber Phil
Jamison Wash
ONeal Ind
Assists
G AST AVG
Nash Phoe
Davis GS
Miller Den
Billups Det
Knight Char
Kidd NJ
Paul NOk
Iverson Phil
Cassell LAC
Wade Mia
Enditem
WASHINGTON Jan Xinhua Dallas Mavericks guard Marquis Daniels will miss Fridays game at Denver because of a strained neck that has plagued the thirdyear player since midDecember reports from Denver said
Daniels who missed five consective games from December because of the injury is also not excepted to play Saturday when the Mavericks host the Timberwolves
The swingman returned to action on December and played four straight games but had a reoccurrence of the problem during Wednesdays loss at Minnesota
Daniels has appeared in games with starts this season and is averaging points rebounds and assists a game Enditem
MEXICO CITY Jan Xinhua Argentine soccer player Walter Gaitan told Mexican sports daily Record on Friday that he is willing to change nationality and play for Mexico in the soccer World Cup after an invite from Mexico coach Ricardo Lavolpe
I love Argentina but I have been here more time now and I really identify more with the people of Mexico If I have a chance to represent them I am going to give it my best shot he said
Gaitan could become the third nationalized player in Lavolpes squad alongside Argentinaborn Guillermo Franco and former Brazilian Sinha
The move has drawn criticism in Mexican football circles Raul Arias manager of San Luis Raul Arias joked that Lavolpe should change Mexicos national anthem to the tango Jorge Vergara president of Guadalajara team Chivas famous for having no foreignborn players said he did not agree with Lavolpes recruiting methods
Critics of the policy told the press they are angry because La Volpe overlooked Mexicanborn midfielder Cuauhtemoc Blanco and striker Adolfo Bautista who many feel deserve a place in the squad Blanco is often described as a volatile character but is also regarded by many as Mexicos best player Enditem
WASHINGTON Jan Xinhua Following are the results of Fridays NBA games home team in CAPS
TORONTO bt Houston
Atlanta bt BOSTON
NEW JERSEY bt Orlando
NY KNICKS bt Washington
SAN ANTONIO bt Minnesota
NO OKLAHOMA CITY bt Portland
DETROIT bt Seattle
MEMPHIS bt Utah
Chicago bt MILWAUKEE
Dallas bt DENVER OT
SACRAMENTO bt LA Clippers
PHOENIX bt Miami
LA LAKERS bt Philadelphia
Enditem
WASHINGTON Jan Xinhua Following are the NBA standings after Fridays games
EASTERN CONFERENCE
ATLANTIC DIVISION
W L PCT GB
New Jersey
Philadelphia
Boston
Toronto
NY Knicks
CENTRAL DIVISION
W L PCT GB
Detroit
Cleveland
Milwaukee
Indiana
Chicago
SOUTHEAST DIVISION
W L PCT GB
Miami
Washington
Orlando
Charlotte
Atlanta
WESTERN CONFERENCE
NORTHWEST DIVISION
W L PCT GB
Minnesota
Utah
Denver
Seattle
Portland
PACIFIC DIVISION
W L PCT GB
Phoenix
LA Clippers
Golden State
LA Lakers
Sacramento
SOUTHWEST DIVISION
W L PCT GB
San Antonio
Dallas
Memphis
NO Oklahoma City
Houston
Enditem
KAMPALA Jan Xinhua Uganda Kenya Tanzania Rwanda and Burundi are expected to take part in this years east African military games to be held in Nairobi Kenya this month local press reported on Saturday
This years east African military games which starts on January have a number of disciplines including boxing volleyball soccer handball athletics and darts
The report said Uganda Peoples Defense Force UPDF teams will leave on January for Kenya
UPDF hosted the last years games in Kampala and the Kenyans dominated the games after winning a number of titles Enditem
CAIRO Jan Xinhua Egyptian Mohamed Barakat has won the BBC African Footballer of the Year award according to a story carried on the British broadcasters website
Barakat a key member of Ahlys African Champions Leaguewinning team won the award ahead of Cameroons Samuel Etoo and Obafemi Martins of Nigeria who finished third
The yearold goalscoring midfielder was part of the Ahly team that went an unbeaten world record of games in all competitions last year
More than listeners of the BBC World Services African sports show Fast Track as well as visitors to the BBCs African football website voted for the Egypt international before the deadline of December
Barakat is one of the pillars of the Ahly team Hes a great asset and a very professional player Ahly board member Khaled Mortagey told BBC
Barakat will be able to fully display his skills when he represents the Pharaohs at the Nations Cup which kicks off in his homeland on January
A total of five players made the short list for the award but neither Ghanas Michael Essien nor the winner JayJay Okocha of Nigeria made the top three Enditem
HONG KONG Jan Xinhua Following is the result from the Champions Challenge invitational tournament here on Saturday prefix number denotes seeding
Final
Kim Clijsters Belgium bt Lindsay Davenport United States Enditem
CANBERRA Jan Xinhua Following are the results from the Australian mens hardcourt tennis championship in Adelaide on Saturday prefix number denotes seeding
Semifinals
Xavier Malisse Belgium bt Tomas Berdych Czech Republic
Florent Serra France bt Dominik Hrbaty Slovakia
Enditem
WELLINGTON Jan Xinhua Following are the results from the Auckland Classic womens tennis tournament on Saturday prefix number denotes seeding
Singles final
Marion Bartoli France bt Vera Zvonareva Russia
Doubles final
Elena LikhovtsevaVera Zvonareva Russia bt Emilie Loit FranceBarbora Strycova Czech Republic Enditem
WELLINGTON Jan Xinhua Marion Bartoli of France beat Russias Vera Zvonareva in the final of the Auckland Classic tennis tournament on Saturday
It is Bartolis first WTA Tour title since the yearold joined the circuit
I think I played really amazing tennis today said Bartoli
Bartoli was eliminated in the semifinals at Auckland in and but made it through to her first final when topseed Nadia Petrova retired from their semifinal clash on Friday due to a leg injury Bartoli was leading on serve in the deciding third set when Petrova called it quit
Bartoli had failed to even win a set off Zvonareva in their three previous meetings but took sweet revenge Saturday
Bartoli broke Zvonareva for the first time in the third game then broke her again for a lead before serving out the opening set
She raced to a lead in the second set and although the Russian fought off three matchpoints on her serve Bartoli sealed the match on her own serve in the next game Enditem
CANBERRA Jan Xinhua Following is the result from the Australian womens hardcourt tennis championship in Melbourne on Saturday prefix number denotes seeding
Final
Lucie Safarova Czech Republic bt Flavia Pennetta Italy
Enditem
CANBERRA Jan Xinhua Czech teenager Lucie Safarova claimed her third WTA Tour title with a victory over Italian fourth seed Flavia Pennetta in the final of the Australian womens hardcourt tennis tournament on Saturday
As a result the unseeded Safarova climbed places on the rankings to No while Pennetta advanced three places to No after reaching the final
Safarova ousted three seeds en route to her fourth WTA Tour final twotime winner Ai Sugiyama defending champion and world No Patty Schnyder and No Russian seed Dinara Safina
Pennetta Friday ended the comeback tournament of former world No Martina Hingis in the semifinals
But the final proved a big letdown for Pennetta who looked jaded after playing singles and doubles on Friday dropping the first set in minutes as her serve was broken three times
Pennetta a threetime winner on the WTA Tour fought back in the second set but her serve was broken in the fifth game for Safarova to collect the US dollars winners cheque Enditem
CANBERRA Jan Xinhua Australian veteran Mark Philippoussis on Saturday was given wildcard entry into the main draw of this months Australian Open
The former Wimbledon and US Open runnerup is attempting a comeback after a dismal season and is supported by his national federation in recognition of his past performances
Philippoussis whose ranking is now after being as high as eight in lost in the second round of the Adelaide International this week going down in three sets to second seed Dominik Hrbaty after beating American Vince Spadea in the opening round
Philippoussis has reached the fourth round of his hometown Grand Slam in and
The Australian Open starts in Melbourne on January Enditem
ZAGREB Jan Xinhua The womens giant slalom World Cup race at Maribor Slovenia on Saturday has been canceled because of soft snow organizers announced
The venue is due to host a slalom World Cup race on Sunday which is now also in doubt
Low temperatures and rain combined to make the lower part of the course too soft for competition organizers said Enditem
ZEGREB Jan Xinhua Following are the results from the nordic skiing World Cup womens km classic style race in Otepaa Estonia on Saturday
Hilde Pedersen Norway
Kristina Smigun Estonia
Justyna Kowalczyk Poland
Marit Bjorgen Norway
Valentina Shevchenko Ukraine
Virpi Kuitunen Finland
Viola Bauer Germany
Natalia Baranova Russia
Aino Kaisa Saarinen Finland
Anna Karin Stroemstedt Sweden
Svetlana Nagejkina Belarus
Alena Sidko Russia
Anastasia Kazakul Russia
Elin Ek Sweden
Aurelie Perrilat Storti France
Kamila Rajdlova Czech Republic
Stefanie Boehler Germany
Ekaterina Vorontsova Russia
Petra Majdic Slovenia
Kirsi Vaelimaa Finland
Enditem
ZAGREB Jan Xinhua Following are the standings from the World Cup womens nordic skiing
Distance
Julija Tchepalova Russia points
Marit Bjorgen Norway
Katerina Neumannova Czech Republic
Hilde Pedersen Norway
Beckie Scott Canada
Kristina Smigun Estonia
Evi SachenbacherStehle Germany
Claudia Kuenzel Germany
Virpi Kuitunen Finland
Petra Majdic Slovenia
Valentina Shevchenko Ukraine
Olga Rotcheva Russia
Natalia Baranova Russia
Viola Bauer Germany
Kristin Steira Norway
Karine Philippot France
Kristin Muerer Stemland Norway
Svetlana Malahova Shishkina Kazakhstan
Aino Kaisa Saarinen Finland
Gabriella Paruzzi Italy
Overall
Marit Bjorgen Norway
Julija Tchepalova Russia
Claudia Kuenzel Germany
Beckie Scott Canada
Hilde Pedersen Norway
Evi SachenbacherStehle Germany
Katerina Neumannova Czech Republic
Virpi Kuitunen Finland
Kristina Smigun Estonia
Petra Majdic Slovenia
Aino Kaisa Saarinen Finland
Olga Rotcheva Russia
Anna Dahlberg Sweden
Valentina Shevchenko Ukraine
Alena Sidko Russia
Natalia Baranova Russia
Viola Bauer Germany
Sara Renner Canada
Kristin Steira Norway
Stefanie Boehler Germany
Enditem
BERLIN Jan Xinhua Following are the results of Saturdays World Cup mens race in Oberhof Germany
Armin Zoeggeler Italy one minute seconds
Tony Benshoof United States seconds behind
Georg Hackl Germany
Andi Graiti Germany
David Moeller Germany
Viktor Kneib Russia
Reinhold Rainer Italy
Markus Kleinherz Austria
Denis Geppert Germany
Jan Eichhorn Germany
World Cup standings after six of eight events
Armin Zoeggeler Italy points
Tony Benshoof United States
Tie Albert Demtschenko Russia
David Moeller Germany
Markus Kleinherz Austria
Viktor Kneib Russia
Denis Geppert Germany
Wilfried Huber Italy
Jan Eichhorn Germany
Reinhold Rainer Italy
Enditem
BERLIN Jan Xinhua Following are the results of Saturdays World Cup mens kilometer sprint race in Oberhof Germany penalty laps in brackets
Vincent Defrasne France minutes seconds
Alexander Wolf Germany seconds behind
Maxim Tchoudov Russia
Michael Greis Germany
Pavel Rostovtsev Russia
Michael Roesch Germany
Ivan Tcherezov Russia
Vladimir Dratchev Belarus
Sergei Tchepikov Russia
Sven Fischer Germany
Mens overall World Cup standings
Alexander Wolf Germany points
Sven Fischer Germany
Raphael Poiree France
Michael Gries Germany
Michael Roesch Germany
Nikolay Kruglov Russia
Ole Einar Bjoerndalen Norway
Vincent Defrasne France
Sergei Tchepikov Russia
Tomasz Sikora Poland
Mens sprint World Cup standings
Alexander Wolf Germany points
Sven Fischer Germany
Nikolay Kruglov Russia
Tomasz Sikora Poland
Michael Roesch Germany
Maxim Tchoudov Russia
Michael Greis Germany
Vincent Defrasne France
Raphael Poiree France
Stian Eckhoff Norway
Enditem
HONG KONG Jan Xinhua World number two Kim Clijsters of Belgium beat world number one Lindsay Davenport of the United States in the final of an exhibition tennis tournament here on Saturday
Clijsters fought back from down in the first set to break twice for before serving out the set
Davenport seemed to dominate the second set as leading it before Clijsters recovered to break twice and won with an overhead smash on her own serve after minutes
Clijsters said she found it tough to pull away from the yearold American as both players made plenty of errors and struggled to hold serve
It was a matter of the person who was making less errors was going to win today said Clijsters
It was hard to get a rhythm on her strokes because she would go through patches when she would make a few mistakes and then hit some unbelievable shots she said
Clijsters said she was pleased with her win and preparations so far for the Australian Open slated for Jan in Melbourne
The tournament has been perfect to work on a lot of things and look at things we need to work on Im going to Sydney next week and theres definately a lot of improvement to look forward to she added Enditem
BERLIN Jan Xinhua Vincent Defrasne of France won his first World Cup biathlon in Saturdays kilometer race in Oberhof Germany
Defrasne was the only competitor in the top to have two perfect shooting sessions winning in minutes and seconds
Overall World Cup and sprint leader Alexander Wolf of Germany finished second seconds behind with one penalty lap Russias Maxim Tchoudov was third seconds adrift after one penalty lap
Wolf retained his overall World Cup advantage with points ahead of fellow German Sven Fischer and up on Frances Raphael Poiree Wolf also kept his World Cup sprint lead with points more than Fischer and more than Russias Nikolay Kruglov Enditem
BERLIN Jan Xinhua Armin Zoeggeler of Italy snatched the overall luge World Cup lead after winning a race in Koenigsee Germany on Saturday
Zoeggeler won with a combined time of minute and seconds Tony Benshoof of the United States finished seconds adrift his second straight runnerup finish after Zoeggeler
German veteran Georg Hackl was eighth after the first run but had the competitions best run to finish third seconds behind Zoeggeler
Russias Albert Demtschenko crashed out in the first run giving up his World Cup advantage to Zoeggeler who leads the tour with points Benshoof pulled even for second place with Demtschenko on points Enditem
HONG KONG Jan Xinhua Chinese sensation Zheng Jie pulled out of her exhibition match Saturday due to a leftknee injury which shadowed her plan to play in the upcoming Australian Open
Zheng fell during her match against emerging Czech teenager Nicole Vaidisova at the Champions Challenge hurting her already bandaged left knee
The China National Games champion said she would seek immediate treatment but was unsure whether she could recover in time to compete in the Australian Open starting in nine days
I will have to go back to the mainland for treatment I will see a doctor in Hong Kong first but I am hoping to play in both the singles and doubles of the Australian Open she said
Zheng earlier won praise from world number two Kim Clijsters who said the yearold Chinese was a talented player and one to watch in future when she took a set off the US Open champion this week before losing in three sets
The Australian Open is slated for Jan in Melbourne Enditem
BAGHDAD Jan Xinhua Iraq coach Akram Salman has said that the countrys victory in the West Asian Games held in Qatar last month was an ideal preparation for their Asian Cup qualifying campaign
We played in the West Asian Games as a preparation for the Asian Cup qualifiers since it was the only chance to group the players and we successfully won the tournament Salman who skippered Iraq at the World Cup finals in Mexico told FootballAsiacom
There are professionals who we cant group together and the players who play in Iraq also dont have good circumstances to train Therefore the West Asian Games will have a positive effect on our national team before the Asian Cup qualifiers he added
Iraq has been drawn alongside Asia Cup runnerup China Singapore and Palestine
Salman feels that the draw could have been worse for the Middle East nation who has reached the quarterfinals of the last three Asian Cups
The draw was not bad and I think that the two teams who have the best chance to top the group are us and China he said
However in football there are no big names and we should respect all the teams
Palestine are a good team they have good professionals and they held us in the FIFA World Cup qualifiers while Singapore are strong at home and the atmosphere in Southeast Asia could affect us when we play there
Iraq will kick off their campaign against Singapore on February and Salman is hoping that his side can play several friendlies before their away match with the reigning ASEAN champions
We have arranged a friendly match against Oman in February when we will be able to get all our professional players together and I am hoping that we can play more games for the first match in the qualifiers said Salman Enditem
ZEGREB Jan Xinhua Following are the results from the nordic skiing World Cup event in Otepaa Estonia on Saturday
Womens km classic style
Hilde Pedersen Norway
Kristina Smigun Estonia
Justyna Kowalczyk Poland
Marit Bjorgen Norway
Valentina Shevchenko Ukraine
Virpi Kuitunen Finland
Viola Bauer Germany
Natalia Baranova Russia
Aino Kaisa Saarinen Finland
Anna Karin Stroemstedt Sweden
Svetlana Nagejkina Belarus
Alena Sidko Russia
Anastasia Kazakul Russia
Elin Ek Sweden
Aurelie Perrilat Storti France
Kamila Rajdlova Czech Republic
Stefanie Boehler Germany
Ekaterina Vorontsova Russia
Petra Majdic Slovenia
Kirsi Vaelimaa Finland
Mens km classic style
Vassili Rotchev Russia
Lukas Bauer Czech Republic
Serguei Novikov Russia
Frode Estil Norway
Jaak Mae Estonia
Mathias Fredriksson Sweden
Jens Arne Svartedal Norway
Andrus Veerpalu Estonia
Anders Soedergren Sweden
Anders Aukland Norway
Geir Ludvig Aasen Norway
Eugeni Dementiev Russia
Alexandre Rousselet France
OddBjorn Hjelmeset Norway
Nikolai Pankratov Russia
Maciej Kreczmer Poland
Vincent Vittoz France
Christophe Perrillat France
Jean Marc Gaillard France
Sami Jauhojaervi Finland
Enditem
ZAGREB Jan Xinhua Following are the standings from the World Cup mens nordic skiing
Distance
Tobias Angerer Germany points
Vincent Vittoz France
Pietro Piller Cottrer Italy
Jens Arne Svartedal Norway
Frode Estil Norway
Lukas Bauer Czech Republic
Vassili Rotchev Russia
Jens Filbrich Germany
Rene Sommerfeldt Germany
Tor Arne Hetland Norway
Mathias Fredriksson Sweden
Geir Ludvig Aasen Norway
Eldar Ronning Norway
Axel Teichmann Germany
Jon Anders Gaustad Norway
Tore Ruud Hofstad Norway
Jiri Magal Czech Republic
Sami Jauhojaervi Finland
Giorgio Di Centa Italy
Serguei Novikov Russia
Overall
Tobias Angerer Germany points
Tor Arne Hetland Norway
Vincent Vittoz France
Vassili Rotchev Russia
Pietro Piller Cottrer Italy
Jens Arne Svartedal Norway
Bjoern Lind Sweden
Peter Larsson Sweden
Frode Estil Norway
Lukas Bauer Czech Republic
Eldar Ronning Norway
Jens Filbrich Germany
Rene Sommerfeldt Germany
Mathias Fredriksson Sweden
Geir Ludvig Aasen Norway
Thobias Fredriksson Sweden
Mikael OEstberg Sweden
Axel Teichmann Germany
Jon Anders Gaustad Norway
Tore Ruud Hofstad Norway
Enditem
GENEVA Jan Xinhua Austrias Benjamin Raich overcame a late mistake to win the Saturdays World Cup giant slalom in Adelboden Switzerland the last before next months Winter Olympics in Turin
Raich clocked a tworun combined time of minutes seconds for his second straight World Cup giant slalom victory
Raich who won last month at Kranjska Gora Slovenia was fastest in the opening leg and was leading at the final split on the second run but appeared to blow his lead when he slowed at the final breakover coming to a near stop before attacking the following gate
However he still managed to cross seconds ahead of his nearest challenger Fredrik Nyberg of Sweden
Kalle Palander of Finland and Stephan Goergl of Austria tied for third in
Overall World Cup leader Daron Rahlves was th in the opening run and crashed out near the finish his second trip down Overall champion Bode Miller was th after his left ski got stuck coming out of the start hut on his first run and finished th off the pace Enditem
GENEVA Jan Xinhua Following are the standings from the World Cup mens alpine skiing after a race on Saturday in Adelboden Switzerland
Giant Slalom
Benjamin Raich Austria points
Massimiliano Blardone Italy
Fredrik Nyberg Sweden
Hermann Maier Austria
Kalle Palander Finland
Bode Miller United States
Davide Simoncelli Italy
Thomas Grandi Canada
Francois Bourque Canada
Daron Rahlves United States
Rainer Schoenfelder Austria
Erik Schlopy United States
Stephan Goergl Austria
Aksel Lund Svindal Norway
Hannes Reichelt Austria
Manfred Moelgg Italy
Joel Chenal France
Mario Matt Austria
Thomas Fanara France
Raphael Burtin France
Overall
Benjamin Raich Austria points
Bode Miller United States
Tie Daron Rahlves United States
Michael Walchhofer Austria
Aksel Lund Svindal Norway
Hermann Maier Austria
Fritz Strobl Austria
Marco Buechel Liechtenstein
Kjetil Andre Aamodt Norway
Erik Guay Canada
Giorgio Rocca Italy
Kalle Palander Finland
Hans Grugger Austria
Thomas Grandi Canada
Rainer Schoenfelder Austria
Massimiliano Blardone Italy
Francois Bourque Canada
Ted Ligety United States
Bruno Kernen Switzerland
Hannes Reichelt Austria
Enditem
GENEVA Jan Xinhua Following are the results from the World Cup mens giant slalom race in Adelboden Switzerland on Saturday
Run Run Overall
Benjamin Raich Austria
Fredrik Nyberg Sweden
Kalle Palander Finland
Tie Stephan Goergl Austria
Thomas Fanara France
Thomas Grandi Canada
Hermann Maier Austria
Davide Simoncelli Italy
Tie Joel Chenal France
Tie Patrick Bechter Austria
Massimiliano Blardone Italy
Manfred Moelgg Italy
Ted Ligety United States
Bode Miller United States
Erik Schlopy United States
Tie Marco Buechel Liechtenstein
Tie Mario Matt Austria
Chip Knight United States
Arnold Rieder Italy
JeanPhilippe Roy Canada
Enditem
BELGRADE Jan Xinhua The womens World Cup giant slalom meet at Slovenias Maribor which was scheduled to be held on Saturday has been called off due to soft snow resulting from fresh overnight snowfalls
The organizers decided on Saturday morning that the piste does not guarantee equal conditions for all competitors the Slovene Press Agency reported adding that some coaches expressed concern that the conditions could be dangerous for the skiers
Slovenias best skier Tina Maze said she was disappointed by the abandonment of Saturdays giant slalom meet
I would have preferred to see the meet take place Competing in front of the home crowd has always been a big motive for me the winner of last years giant slalom in Maribor said
Talks are underway between the organizers and the International Ski Federation on the possibility to hold the meet on Monday
Meanwhile a decision on the fate of Sundays World Cup slalom meet at the nd Golden Fox competition is expected to be taken later on Saturday afternoon or even Sunday morning
A total of competitors from countries have registered for the nd Golden Fox competition event at the Pohorje foothills in Maribor which has one of the longest traditions on the womens World Cup circuit
If the slalom goes ahead as planned there is a chance that the giant slalom could be held on Monday First we have to secure TV coverage then we will enter into talks with the organizers and sponsors director of the Slovenian Ski Association Jaro Kalan said Enditem
BERLIN Jan Xinhua Olympic sprint champion Kati Wilhelm of Germany won the womens World Cup biathlon km sprint event in Oberhof Germany on Saturday
Wilhelm timed min sec with one penalty lap for a missed target with Swedens Anna Olofsson and Linda Tjorhom of Norway both having clear rounds in and respectively
The yearold German notched up her th World Cup win and extended her overall lead this season with points to Olofssons Enditem
WTO meeting enhances HK international reputation
Chinese shares continue to rise in rd consecutive day
Miners remain trapped in E China colliery
Central China province government releases Yellow River pollution warning
French retail giant to launch first supermarket in S China province
FM spokesman China concerned about Sharons health
NW China province adds international air routes
Bolivian presidentelect to visit China
China pays compensation to families of Yangtze River ship collision victims
China accredits national defense labs
Update Member of Gang of Four Yao Wenyuan dies
More tunnels to be built across Huangpu River in Shanghai
China to input more investment on railway construction in
Guangdong economy expected to grow over percent annually in coming five years
Warner moves global construction design center to China
Chinese mainland respects KMT chairmans wish of visiting time to mainland
URGENT China to input bln yuan on railway projects in
E China province to spend bln yuan promoting rural compulsory education
Update Chinese mainland solicits pet names for giant panda couple to Taiwan
Member of Chinas Gang of Four Yao Wenyuan dies
Quantum computer to be developed in years Chinese scientist predicts
Asset management company recovers bn USD in cash by end of
China approves trading of soybean oil futures
Intl oil prices likely to drop report
Chinas mainland to strive for peaceful smooth development of crossStraits relations
NE China granary expected to produce bn kg of gran by expert
Miners remain trapped in E China colliery accident
Curbing splittists urgent task for compatriots acrossStraits says spokesman
rd lead Chinese mainland unveils panda couple for Taiwan compatriots
Positive elements against Taiwan independence increase in says spokesman
Taiwan authorities urged to allow mainland giant panda couple to island
CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection holds sixth plenary session
Chinese mainland spokesman on Chen Shuibians New Year talk
nd lead Chinese mainland unveils panda couple for Taiwan compatriots
Chinese mainland solicits pet names for giant panda couple to Taiwan
More Chinese studying abroad return to make career
Backgrounder The Wolong Nature Reserve for Giant Panda
Backgrounder Giant panda
st lead Chinese mainland unveils panda couple for Taiwan compatriots
China to regulate motorbike export
URGENT Chinese mainland announces names of giant panda couple for Taiwan
Beijings first center for depression patients opens
Tricky boss given death sentence for huge fraud
ROK National Assembly delegation to visit China
NE city pledges for pure snow in winter gala after water pollution Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Following are the major domestic news items scheduled to be covered or pursued by Xinhua on Saturday
Hungarian parliament speaker to visit China
Chinese State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan meets former Cambodian King Norodom Sihanouk in Beijing
People in blizzardhit region in NW China properly resettled
Panda couple likely to have offspring in Taiwan experts
Worlds third biggest software company to make presence in SW China city
Ancient tomb discovered in north China
Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Szili Katalin speaker of the National Assembly of Hungary will head a delegation to pay an official and goodwill visit to China from Jan to according to sources with the National Peoples Congress NPC Chinas top legislature
The Hungarian delegation is coming at the invitation of Wu Bangguo chairman of the NPC Standing Committee Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinas major imports from Chile in JanuaryNovember with the value in million US dollars
Imports Value
Base metals and products
Mineral products
Pulp paper products and cardboard
Food beverage and wine
Chemical products
Chinas trade with Chile in JanuaryNovember totaled million US dollars up percent over the same period last year with exports and imports growing by percent and percent to million and million US dollars respectively
Source General Administration of Customs Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinas major imports from Switzerland in JanuaryNovember with the value in million US dollars
Imports Value
Machinery audiovideo equipment and accessories
Optical and medical products
Chemical products
Precious metals and jewelry
Base metal and products
Plastic and rubber products
Chinas trade with Switzerland in JanuaryNovember totaled million US dollars up percent over the same period last year with exports and imports growing by percent and percent to million and million US dollars respectively
Source General Administration of Customs Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinas major imports from Spain in JanuaryNovember with the value in million US dollars
Imports Value
Machinery electronic products audiovisual
equipment and accessories
Chemical products
Vehicles aircraft and transport facilities
Base metals and products
Plastic and rubber products
Chinas trade with Spain in JanuaryNovember totaled million US dollars up percent over the same period last year with exports and imports growing by percent and percent to million and million US dollars respectively
Source General Administration of Customs Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinas major exports to France in JanuaryNovember with the value in million US dollars
Items Value
Machinery electronic products
and audiovideo facilities
Textile materials and products
Miscellaneous products
furniture lamp toys etc
Base metals and related products
Chemical products
Plastics rubber and related products
Chinas trade with France in JanuaryNovember totaled million US dollars up percent over the same period last year with exports and imports growing by percent and percent to million and million US dollars respectively
Source General Administration of Customs Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinas major imports from Singapore in JanuaryNovember with the value in million US dollars
Imports Value
Machinery electronic products and
audiovisual equipment
Mineral products
Plastics and rubber products
Chemical products
Optical medical instruments and meters
Base metals and products
Chinas trade with Singapore in JanuaryNovember totaled million US dollars up percent over the same period last year with exports and imports growing by percent and percent to million and million US dollars respectively
Source General Administration of Customs Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinas major exports to Argentina in JanuaryNovember with the value in million US dollars
Items Value
Machinery electronic products
and audiovideo facilities
Chemical products
Base metals and related products
Plastic products
Textile materials and products
Miscellaneous products
furniture lamp toy etc
Chinas trade with Argentina in JanuaryNovember totaled million dollars up percent from the same period of last year with exports and imports growing by percent and percent to million dollars and million dollars respectively
Source General Administration of Customs Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinas major exports to Brazil in JanuaryNovember with the value in million US dollars
Items Value
Machinery electronic products
and audiovideo facilities
Textile materials and products
Chemical products
Base metals and related products
Miscellaneous products
furniture lamp toy etc
Chinas trade with Brazil in JanuaryNovember totaled million dollars up percent over the same period last year with exports and imports growing by percent and percent to million and million dollars respectively
Source General Administration of Customs Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinas major imports from Iran in JanuaryNovember with the value in million US dollars
Items Value
Minerals
Chemicals
Base metal and products
Plastics and rubber products
Textile raw materials and products
Chinas trade with Iran in JanuaryNovember totaled million dollars up percent over the same period last year with exports and imports growing by percent and percent to million and million dollars respectively
Source General Administration of Customs Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinas major imports from the Netherlands in JanuaryNovember with the value in million US dollars
Imports Value
Machinery audio and video products accessories
Optical and medical instrument
Chemicals and related products
Plastics and rubber products
Base metal and products
Fiber pulp waste paper paper and products
Vehicles aircraft and other vehicles
Chinas trade with the Netherlands in JanuaryNovember totaled million dollars up percent over the same period last year with exports growing by percent but imports falling by percent to million and million dollars respectively
Source General Administration of Customs Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinas major imports from Malaysia in JanuaryNovember with the value in million US dollars
Imports Value
Machinery audio video products and accessories
Animal fat and vegetable oil
Plastics and rubber products
Mineral products
Chemicals
Chinas trade with Malaysia in JanuaryNovember totaled million dollars up percent over the same period last year with exports and imports growing by percent and percent to million and million dollars respectively
Source General Administration of Customs Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinas major imports from Thailand in JanuaryNovember with the value in million US dollars
Imports Value
Machinery electronic products
audiovisual equipment and accessories
Plastic and related products
Plant products
Mineral products
Chemical products
Chinas trade with Thailand in JanuaryNovember totaled million dollars up percent over the same period last year with exports and imports growing by percent and percent to million and million dollars respectively
Source General Administration of Customs Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Highlights of major Beijingbased newspapers on Saturday
Peoples Daily
Hu Jintao general secretary of the Communist Party of China CPC Central Committee ordered Party officials to learn and abide by the Party constitution to fight and prevent corruption on Friday at the sixth plenary session of the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection
Economic Daily
China will spend a total of billion yuan billion US dollars on railway construction in said Chinese Minister of Railways Liu Zhijun on Friday at the national railways working conference in Beijing
Xinhua Daily Telegraph
Nonpublic sector in China has witnessed its fastest growth over the past five years as its proportion in the countrys GDP has jumped to more than one third from less than one thousandth at the initial period of Chinas reform and openingup
China Daily
A giant panda couple were unveiled on Friday as the mainlands goodwill gift to Taiwan Enditem
URUMQI Jan Xinhua Most parts of northwest Chinas Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region had been hit by continuous heavy snowfall amid drastic temperature drops since Dec last year leaving herdsmen and their livestock stranded local authorities said on Saturday
According to the regional disaster relief authorities people have so far been evacuated from the blizzardaffected areas with their livelihood properly arranged
The authorities said the heavy snowfall has affected some people in Altay Tacheng and Ili prefectures of northern Xinjiang stranding people and killing heads of livestock
As two of the worst affected areas Fuyun and Qinghe of Altay recorded an accumulated snowfall of more than cm with the thickness of the snow reaching one meter in some mountainous areas
About people suffered from various diseases and heads of livestock faced the threat of starvation said the regional civil affairs bureau
The Chinese Ministry of Civil Affairs has sent officials to the region to guide local relief efforts
The local governments of Tacheng Bortala Changji and Hami have allocated cotton tents and clothes to the disasterstricken areas
Meteorologists said no more heavy snowfall is expected for the region in the coming week
Winter is usually a harsh season for Xinjiangs million people Enditem
LANZHOU Jan Xinhua Five people were confirmed dead and others injured in a suicidal explosion that occurred on Friday in Minle County northwest Chinas Gansu Province local police sources said on Saturday
At around on Friday morning a yearold local farmer named Qian Wenzhao intruded into a meeting room on the fourth floor of the county courts building and ignited explosives
The incident killed two people on the spot and another three died later in hospital according to the local police Of the wounded five were seriously injured and others slightly injured
The dead included a county party official named Chen Xingrong and the president of the county court Wang Qiang who were in a meeting when the blast took place
Preliminary investigation showed that Qian the perpetrator of the suicidal explosion had been dissatisfied with the courts verdict on a civil case regarding the settlement of the properties and house of Qians deceased son and former daughterinlaw
Police believe it was Qians resentment against the court verdict that had led to the blast while further investigation into the case is still underway Enditem
HONG KONG Jan Xinhua The gold price in Hong Kong went up HK dollars to HK dollars per tael on Saturday according to the Bank of China Hong Kong
The price is equivalent to US dollars a troy ounce up US dollars at Saturdays exchange rate of one US dollar against HK dollars Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Service of surrogate pregnancy posing a challenge to social ethic is still operating in a grey area in China a report by Saturdays China Daily said
On a surrogate pregnancy website namely AA Loving Heart Surrogate Pregnancy Net an advertisement was quoted as saying We need volunteers for surrogate pregnancy No sex services Women with high education preferred For your loving heart youll receive compensation of yuan around US dollars or more
The newspaper said such websites acting as intermediary for surrogate pregnancy were once shut down by authorities because of arousing controversy
It will bring about many social issues Wu Qiantao a professor at the Ethics and Moral Studies Center at Peoples University in Beijing said Once a woman goes through months of pregnancy and bears a child she is the mother And a contract for surrogate motherhood essentially asks her to sell her baby
In the United States the newspaper said there have been cases in which surrogate mothers could not sever the attachment to their babies and refused to hand them over to the biological fathers
In China some people voice support for surrogate pregnancy saying that a ban only forces those who want the children to resort to questionable methods which raises the likelihood of scamming They also cited the agony of infertile couples and the benefits to society as long as the process is open and legally protected
Liu Junhai a legal expert with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences said Surrogate motherhood involves personal freedom human rights and ethics and must be handled in accordance with the law
He also noted that the websites on surrogate pregnancy service may have to face legal ramifications when the natural and surrogate mothers enter into an agreement without a full understanding of the law
A website operator who only identified himself with the surname Liu told China Daily that they have migrant workers as surrogate mothers and also college graduates If some people are willing to pay more they can choose divorced women who have had healthy pregnancies before
The newspaper said that more websites have strict physical health requirements such as a checkup a restriction on smoking or drinking habits no hereditary diseases or history of abortion none seems to address the psychological pain that surrogate mothers must endure when finally giving up their babies
Liu Junhai stressed that laws should be more explicit in terms of protecting the rights of all participants especially the surrogate mothers Enditem
CHANGCHUN Jan Xinhua Five workers were confirmed dead from stove smoke on Friday morning in this capital city of northeast Chinas Jilin Province local police sources said on Saturday
At around on Friday morning five people were found dead at a workshop of a pharmaceutical company in Changchuns new and hightech development zone
Preliminary investigation showed the five were suffocated to death by the smoke from a stove they fired for keeping warm the police sources said Enditem
FUZHOU Jan Xinhua The whereabouts of the six crew members of a boat that capsized on Thursday morning in Lianjiang County east Chinas Fujian Province remained unknown local marine authorities said on Saturday
At around on Thursday morning a horsepower vessel capsized on the East China Sea near Dongluo Island while it was carrying fish feed from Lianjiang to Ningde of Fujian The accident left the six crew members missing All of them were male in their early s
Rescue work is still underway Enditem
CHENGDU Jan Xinhua The two giant pandas chosen as a goodwill gift of the mainland for Taiwan are very likely to have descendants on the island province local experts have said
The panda couple namely No male and No female were selected from candidates raised in the Wolong China Giant Panda Research Center in southwestern Sichuan Province said Cao Qingyao spokesman of the State Forestry Administration at a press conference on Friday
Li Desheng a zoologist at the center said the pair are not only outstanding in physical and genetic features more importantly they seem to be a perfect match and are pretty much in love
They are known at the Wolong center as Xiaoguaiguai meaning little darling and Huangmao Yatou translating literally into chit of a girl
Huangmao Yatou has been living in the wild and Xiaoguaiguai is being raised by zoologists in Wolong Li said different genetic qualities are expected to make their future descendants attractive and lively
The Chinese mainland has successfully developed the artificial reproduction techniques for giant pandas and is willing to offer help to and share experience with zoologists in Taiwan said Zhang Hemin director of the Wolong center
Zhang said the climate in Taiwan is similar to that in the southern part of the Chinese mainland and at least four breeds of bamboo shoots growing on the island are suitable food for pandas
But Zhang added that ventilation is important to the airconditioned panda zoo which is expected to be built on the island
The Chinese mainland started artificial reproduction trials in the s and the survival rate of panda cubs has now risen to percent after four decades of tests according to Zhang Enditem
CHENGDU Jan Xinhua Germanybased software giant SAP has recently signed an agreement with the management committee of the new and hightech development zone in this capital city of southwest Chinas Sichuan Province on building a technical support facility here
The scheduled SAP China technological service center will be located at the Tianfu software park in the Chengdu new and hightech development zone according to sources with the zones management committee
The center will be the largest software investment project Europe has ever made in Chengdu the committee claimed but declined to give the exact size of the financial input
According to Rui Xianglin head of the China Research Institute of the worlds third largest independent software supplier next only to Microsoft and Oracle the new technological service center plans to achieve three major goals in the coming three years It will build itself into a worldclass software development center usher in the stateoftheart management process and develop products to be put on the market in the coming three to five years
Rui said that the center will provide software development services for its clients in the United States Japan and the Republic of Korea Such services will also be available for enterprises in Sichuan Province Rui added
The center will also help the local software sector meet the world standard in three to five years Rui claimed Enditem
TAIYUAN Jan Xinhua A tomb dating back about years has been discovered recently in Yuncheng City north Chinas Shanxi Province local archaeologist said on Saturday
The tomb dating back to the Yuan Dynasty was unearthed by workers constructing a road at Wulingzhuang Village in Xinjiang County of Yuncheng City
Two chambers and a corridor which links the tombs front compartment with the back one formed the underground brickwork structure
The walls of both chambers were decorated with patterns of figures and paintings of flowers and fruits
Chinese poems signatures and dates were inscribed at different sites of the corridor local archaeologist said
We are considering moving the whole tomb to a proper place for better protection said Zhang Weiguo a researcher with the culture relics administration of Yuncheng City
According to Zhang the discovery provides important clues for the study of life funeral customs and religion in the area in Yuan Dynasty Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua The average Beijing citizen spent yuan US dollars buying flowers in an increase of yuan from according to a survey by the Beijing Municipal Rural Work Committee
Flower sales are expected to pass billion yuan in including billion from individual residents for personal use an increase of nearly million yuan from according to a survey on the flower and plant market in Beijing
Generally four out of every five citizens have the desire to buy flowers and also will do so actually the survey says
Roses lilies and carnations are the three favorites for flower buyers taking up percent of the total flower sales the survey says
Some percent of the surveyed citizens say they buy flowers for room decorations percent for hobbies and percent for festival celebrations
Citizens with higher incomes are more inclined to buy flowers the survey says Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua A communique was issued here on Saturday following the sixth plenary session of the Communist Party of China CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection which was held in Beijing from Jan to
The meeting whose participants included members of the commission and nonvoting delegates was intended to summarize the work of the past year and arrange the anticorruption and selfconstruction work of the Party this year says the communique
The communique says the meeting approved a report on anticorruption work delivered by Wu Guanzheng secretary of the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection
Hu Jintao general secretary of the CPC Central Committee delivered a keynote speech at the meeting urging all Party officials to study and abide by the Party constitution to fight and prevent corruption
The communique says Hus speech is of great importance and will serve as a guideline for enhancing Party construction maintaining Party discipline and pushing forward the anticorruption campaign
All participants of the meeting shared the view that the campaign to improve the Partys work style build a clean government and fight corruption has scored new progress and has witnessed a sound development momentum thanks to the joint efforts of all party members and ordinary people
The communique says that in the Party will take six concrete measures to build a mechanism on punishing and preventing corruption to eliminate the soil and hotbed for corruption
First Party discipline inspection commissions at all levels should enhance their inspection and supervision on major issues in national development such as enhancing the macroeconomic regulation handling problems relating to agriculture rural areas and the farmers improving the capacity of independent innovations saving energy and resources and protecting the environment
Second the Party will firmly fight outstanding problems that harm public interests including the illegal charge of school fees the overpricing of medicines the delay of salary payment to rural migrant workers and bribery in commercial activities
Third more anticorruption education work will be carried out among grassroots officials while the procedure of selecting officials for promotion will be more strict
Fourth discipline inspection departments at all levels should play a leading role in studying and implementing the Party constitution
resolutely curb any practice that goes against the constitution and properly handle the relations between punishing and preventing corruption Violators of Party discipline and those abusing power for personal gains will receive severe punishment
Meanwhile inspection and supervision should be strengthened in fields like finance engineering projects land management mine exploring and governmental procurement Discipline inspection will focus more on cases gravely harming public interests especially on cases concerning production safety food and medicine safety environmental protection and social stability International anticorruption cooperation will also be strengthened
Fifth administrations at all levels will further reform their working mechanism in personnel selection justice administrative examination and approval fiscal management and taxation and other areas so as to check corruption from the roots
Sixth the Party will enhance its inspection over financial institutions and stateowned enterprises and better supervise over the countylevel administrations
The communique says the meeting demands discipline inspection commissions at all levels fulfill their duty and responsibility endowed by the Party constitution and selfconsciously receive the supervision by the public
The meeting called on all party members and the entire Chinese people to make joint efforts for the establishment of a harmonious socialist society and the full implementation of the scientific concept of development
According to the communique Wu Bangguo Wen Jiabao Jia Qinglin Zeng Qinghong Huang Ju Li Changchun and Luo Gan all members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee also attended the meeting Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Report on the quality of air in major Chinese cities Jan to Jan Beijing Time released by the China Environmental Monitoring Center
City Major Pollutant Air Quality Level
Beijing particulate matter II
Tianjin sulfur dioxide III
Shijiazhuang sulfur dioxide II
Qinhuangdao sulfur dioxide II
Taiyuan sulfur dioxide II
Hohhot particulate matter III
Shenyang particulate matter III
Dalian sulfur dioxide II
Changchun particulate matter II
Harbin particulate matter II
Shanghai sulfur dioxide II
Nanjing sulfur dioxide II
Suzhou sulfur dioxide II
Nantong particulate matter II
Lianyungang particulate matter II
Hangzhou particulate matter II
Ningbo particulate matter II
Wenzhou particulate matter II
Hefei particulate matter II
Fuzhou I
Xiamen I
Nanchang sulfur dioxide II
Jinan particulate matter II
Qingdao sulfur dioxide III
Yantai sulfur dioxide II
Zhengzhou particulate matter II
Wuhan particulate matter II
Changsha sulfur dioxide II
Guangzhou I
Shenzhen I
Zhuhai I
Shantou particulate matter II
Zhanjiang I
Nanning sulfur dioxide II
Guilin I
Beihai I
Haikou I
Chongqing particulate matter II
Chengdu particulate matter III
Guiyang sulfur dioxide II
Kunming particulate matter II
Lhasa particulate matter II
Xian particulate matter II
Lanzhou particulate matter III
Xining particulate matter II
Yinchuan particulate matter III
Urumqi particulate matter III
The center classifies air quality in Chinas urban areas into five levels level I or excellent pollution reading not exceeding level II or fairly good pollution reading to level III or slightly polluted pollution reading to level IV or poor pollution reading to and level V or hazardous pollution reading over
The cities monitored by the center include the four municipalities of Beijing Tianjin Shanghai and Chongqing provincial or autonomous regional capitals and major cities in economically developed coastal areas and tourist attractions Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Weather forecast for world cities Jan Jan Beijing Time temperatures in Celsius
Min Max Condition Wind scale
Beijing cloudyclear
Tokyo clear
Bangkok cloudy
Sydney shower
Karachi clear
Cairo clear
Moscow overcastflurry
Frankfurt cloudy
Paris drizzle
London drizzle
New York cloudy
SOURCE Central Meteorological Station China Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Weather forecast for major Chinese cities Jan Jan Beijing Time temperatures in Celsius
Min Max Condition Wind scale
Beijing cloudyclear
Harbin clear
Tianjin clear
Urumqi clearcloudy
Xian cloudyclear
Lhasa clear
Chengdu cloudy
Chongqing overcastcloudy
Kunming clear
Nanjing cloudyclear
Shanghai cloudy
Wuhan clear
Hangzhou clear
Taipei drizzle
Guangzhou clear
Hong Kong cloudy
Macao cloudy
SOURCE Central Meteorological Station China Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinese Vice Premier Huang Ju said here Saturday that China will step up the construction of railways in the period to address the transportation bottleneck of the economy
Huang said at the national railways working conference that the problem of inadequate railway capacity is expected to be relieved in the coming five years
Sources with the railways ministry said that China will not only construct more railway lines during this period but also plan for largescale upgrading of train speeds
Compared with other means of transportation Huang said railways consume less energy but have larger capacity As the country is facing an energy shortage railway development should be given priority
China said on Friday that it will input billion yuan billion US dollars on railway construction in Huang said the country will also push the reform of railway financing Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua People in northwest Chinas Shaanxi Province and neighboring areas will be able to travel more easily to some foeign destinations thanks to China Eastern Airlines airway extension efforts
The company or CEA in short officially extended its eight international air routes from Pudong Airport in Shanghai to Xian the provincial capital on Friday according to the Beijingbased newspaper China Daily
The eight routes lead to Paris London Vancouver Los Angeles Singapore Kuala Lumpur Bangkok and Delhi
It will mean the passengers can also enjoy cheaper prices without paying airport construction fees and extra fuel fees from Xian to Shanghai and the same applies to those coming from abroad to Xian CEA President Li Fenghua was quoted as saying by the paper
Li said CEA considers Xian as the most important hub in Northwest China with rapid economic development and major requirement of air transportation He added that the airline one of the biggest in China planned to open direct international air routes from Xian to the eight foreign cities if the new extended routes proved successful
Sun Qingyun mayor of Xian welcomed the move which he said would promote development for Xian It currently has international air routes listed fourth behind Beijing Shanghai and Guangzhou
Xian with more than years of history is one of the biggest tourism destinations in China Enditem
JINAN Jan Xinhua Five people were confirmed dead and four others injured in a vehicle collision accident that occurred Saturday morning in Gaotang County of east Chinas Shandong Province local police sources said
At around Saturday morning a mediumsized bus with students and teachers aboard ran into a large bus at Sunzhuang village crossroads in Gaotang County of Liaocheng City
The accident killed one teacher on the spot and four students died later en route to hospital Another four people were seriously injured according to the sources
Police are investigating the cause of the accident Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Largescale companies in China should play dominant roles in boosting innovation said an official here Saturday at the eighth Beijing University Guanghua New Years Forum
Liu He deputy director of the central governments finance leading panel said in developed countries multinational companies provide two thirds of the funds for industrial innovation
Although innovations of small and mediumsized enterprises are also important in developed countries they are often purchased by dominant companies through capital markets he said
Against the backdrop of economic globalization it is vital for Chinese enterprises to promote their own innovation capacity he said
As Chinas economy booms the pressures from resource shortage population environment is also increasing with scarcity of land fresh water and petroleum becoming limitation of further economic development he said
Innovation in technology and institutions may help alleviate those pressures he said
The government is encouraging businesses to make innovation in manufacture enacting effective public policies to protect intellectual property rights and reduce cost and risks in industrial research and development he said
The economic forum which has been held annually for eight years is focused on selfinnovation and sustainable development this year Enditem
XIAMEN Jan Xinhua China on Friday delivered a large rollonrolloff vessel for motor vehicles one of the biggest of its kind the nation has ever made to Zodiac shipping company in Britain
Named Morning Miracle the ship was independently developed and built by Xiamen Shipbuilding Industry Co Ltd based in this open coastal city in east Chinas Fujian Province according to company officials
It is the first of the six rollonrolloff vessels for motor vehicles the British firm ordered from the Xiamen company
The meterlong Morning Miracle is able to accomodate cars and it can also load many other types of vehicles including trucks and dump carriers the company officials said
According to Chen Jinhai deputy chief engineer of China State Shipbuilding Corporation CSSC delivery of the vessel signaled the local shipyard had met the world criteria
There are only five or six shipyards in the world that are capable of building such kind of ships said Chen Enditem
HONG KONG Jan Xinhua Hong Kongs Secretary for Commerce Industry Technology John Tsang said Saturday the WTO Sixth Ministerial Conference achieved more than expected
Speaking on a radio talk show Saturday morning Tsang said members at the conference secured as an end date for all export subsidies in agriculture and a solid dutyfree quotafree access for the leastdeveloped country members
They also made commitments to help million African cotton growers by eliminating subsidies to their own cottongrowing industry by the end of this year
Hong Kong as the conference host has also shown to the world its status as a freetrade economy and has discharged its responsibilities as a world citizen Tsang added
He said all efforts were made during the conference period to keep inconvenience to the public and shop owners in Wan Chai to a minimum Police also showed they were highly professional when handling protests Enditem
TAIYUAN Jan Xinhua People in North Chinas Shanxi Province will travel more easily to foreign destinations as five international air routes were opened here on Friday
With an airliner leaving the provincial capital of Taiyuan Friday for Frankfurt in Germany Shanxi was for the first time linked with foreign countries by air routes
The five routes operated by Beijingbased Air China link Taiyuan with Frankfurt Paris London New York and San Francisco with a brief stop in Beijing
Shanxi is Chinas major coal production base and a popular tourist destination boasting two sites that are included in UNESCO World Heritage list Enditem
URUMQI Jan Xinhua The cause of a fatal explosion that occurred at a coal mine in early November last year in Qitai County northwest Chinas Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region has been recently ascertained
Local police sources said in wee hours on Nov Ding Jifu to give vent to his resentment ignited kilograms of explosives that were stored at the living quarter of Beitaishan Coal Mine in Qitai County The blast killed people and injured another
The sources did not give detailed information about the perpetrator
Some kilometers away from the seat of the county Beitaishan coal mine is a licensed private opencut coal mine The sources said according to rules the explosives should have been stored in a special warehouse in stead of the living quarter
Officials with the regional public security authority said there were in Xinjiang some crimes commited by resentful perpetrators last year For instance on January a bus was exploded in Dushanzi leaving people dead and seven others injured Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinas capital Beijing reported an estimated total of billion yuan billion US dollars in tax revenue in a growth of percent over the previous year the municipal taxation authorities announced on Friday
Among them business tax personal income tax enterprise income tax and deed tax were the leading four categories
Latest data released by Beijing Taxation Bureau showed that the four items made up billion yuan billion US dollars or percent of the total tax revenue
In breakdown the business tax amounted to billion yuan billion US dollars an increase of billion yuan million US dollars or percent over the yearearlier level
The personal income tax stood at billion yuan billion US dollars up billion yuan million US dollars or percent from the previousyear level
The enterprise income tax reached billion yuan million US dollars billion yuan million US dollars or percent more than the yearago level Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Beijing attracted billion US dollars in contracted foreign investment and actually used billion US dollars in the first months of last year according to local economic cooperation authorities
The authorities said foreign direct investment or FDI actually used in Chinas capital was a record high for the month period
Beijing approved establishment of overseasinvested enterprises in the period a growth of percent over the level for the period
The city attracted billion US dollars in contracted FDI and actually used billion US dollars up percent and percent respectively from the period
More than half of the FDI in Beijing went to modern manufacturing the local economic cooperation authorities said
According to latest data provided by the authorities Beijing approved establishment of foreigninvested manufacturing enterprises between and up percent from the period The sector absorbed billion US dollars of contracted FDI up percent and actually used billion US dollars
Last year foreign investors spent more in the modern service sector ranging from consulting real estate catering and entertainment services to computer software information banking and insurance and logistics services Enditem
HONG KONG Jan Xinhua Following are temperatures and weather forecast of Jan for AsiaPacific cities dispatched by the Hong Kong Observatory on Saturday
WEATHER
CITY MINIMUM MAXIMUM FORECAST
HONG KONG COLD
MACAO CLOUDY
GUANGZHOU OVERCAST
SHANGHAI CLOUDY
BEIJING FINE
TAIPEI RAIN
SEOUL OVERCAST
TOKYO FINE
MANILA CLOUDY
HANOI OVERCAST
HO CHI MINH CITY BRIGHT
BANGKOK FINE
KUALA LUMPUR RAIN
SINGAPORE SHOWERS
NEW DELHI CLOUDY
MUMBAI CLOUDY
KARACHI DRY
JAKARTA RAIN
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN THUNDERSTORMS
SYDNEY SHOWERS
MELBOURNE FINE
BRISBANE SHOWERS Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua The national hitech zones now account for half of the revenue of Chinas hitech industry and percent of the nations hightech companies sources with the Ministry of Science and Technology MOST said here Saturday
The national hitech zones constitute an important part of the national Torch Program which aims to boost the hitech industry and the economy In the hightech zones shares in the industrial added value of hitech products and the export earnings of the whole nation increased by percentage points and percentage points respectively from those for the year
MOST said among ongoing projects of the Torch Program a total of were launched in the national hitech zones such projects scored billion yuan about billion US dollars in sales revenue in The sales revenue of new materials amounted to billion yuan around billion US dollars ranking the first followed by those of mechanicalelectronic products electronics and information products biotechnology products and energy products
Among all the hitech companies jointstock ones scored the highest sales revenue accounting for percent of the total Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinese scientists have claimed nearly intellectual property rights on human functional genes which have shown great potential in disease prevention and pharmaceutical development
Sources with the Ministry of Science and Technology MOST said here Saturday that the great progress in human genome research is an important step of the hightechnology program a national project initiated in March aiming to enhance the countrys overall strength
So far Chinese scientists have established a platform for selecting human functional genes cloned and identified new genes and carried out large scale examination of genetic functions Among the human functional genes with Chinese intellectual property rights or more are now in the initial stage of laboratory research
In the meantime the MOST said progress has also been made in research on genes relevant to tumour and cardiovascular diseases and the causes of the diseases and a group of genes related to heredity diseases have been cloned and identified such as cataract and epilepsy among children These research results have been published in the journals of Science and Nature laying a sound technological foundation for the diagnosis and treatment of heredity diseases
Besides Chinese scientists have also scored remarkable achievements in genome research such as on rice microorganism silkworm and schistosome Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua The cultural industries have become a fresh driving force of Chinas economic growth a senior Chinese culture official said in Beijing on Saturday
The gross output value of Chinese cultural industries including the press movie broadcast journalism advertising tourism show business Internet communication and relevant services hit trillion yuan about billion US dollars in according to Liu Binjie vice minister of the General Administration of Press and Publication
The cultural industries have become a fresh driving force of economic growth while their gross output value will reach trillion yuan in five years according to experts forecast he said at the Third Annual New Years Forum On Chinese Cultural Industries on Saturday
Governmental investors corporate investors private investors and foreign investors are vying for a footing in the Chinese cultural industries Liu said
Despite their surging development however the Chinese cultural industries still have a gap from their counterparts of developed countries
The gross output value of cultural industries accounted for percent of the gross domestic product in the United States in with the figure was percent in Japan Liu said
In China a world cultural power the share is lower than it should be he said
The abundant unique and valuable Chinese cultural resources passed down in the thousands of years should be exploited with protection and thus be enjoyed by the people around the world said Zhang Guoyou vice president of Peking University the organizer of the forum The forum was attended by more than a hundred experts and entrepreneurs Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua China in punished health workers for illegal deals including taking commission from drug trade and operations according to a discipline official here Saturday
Last year the countrys health authorities probed cases of illegal buying and selling medicines by health workers of which were handed over to judiciary departments said Li Xi head of the discipline inspection team in the Ministry of Health dispatched by the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of the Communist Party of China CPC
The cases involved million yuan million US dollars and people got punishment said Li at a discipline meeting attended by health officials nationwide
Meanwhile health workers were punished in cases last year for taking commission from patients for doing surgical operations and people got punishment in cases of charging illegal medical fees with million yuan US dollars involved he revealed
Most Chinese health workers are doing a good job dedicating themselves in saving peoples lives and fighting diseases but some health workers become corrupted and neglect their duties who should be punished without mercy said Health Minister Gao Qiang at the meeting
This year the key anticorruption work in the health sector includes curbing behaviors which affect public interests cracking down on briberies and regulating the use of power of health officials according to the meeting
The Ministry of Health is going to set up a leading team and work out plans in fighting briberies in the health sector such as taking commission from drug trade said Li
The Party leaders at all levels in the health departments should give support to discipline inspection staff and help them solve problems in their work said Gao Enditem
HONG KONG Jan Xinhua Hong Kong Consumer Satisfaction Index HKCSI hit a record high of in up percent from in a university research findings said Saturday
HKCSI an example of Hong Kong City Universitys applied research effort is a performance indicator for Hong Kong businesses which measures consumer satisfaction with the quality of products goods and services purchased in Hong Kong
It has a scale of to to represent ascending levels of consumer satisfaction HKCSI readings from to were and respectively indicating a continuing upward trend over the last three years
Sixtynine commodities and services were categorized into clothing and personal care food and drink housing and related items transport information and entertainment and nonconsumer price index NonCPI items
Regarding the six major product categories covered in the study Hong Kong people are most satisfied with clothing and personal care followed by transport and information and entertainment and then by food and drink and NonCPI Items Consumers were least satisfied with housing and related items Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Party committees and discipline inspection commissions at all levels in the military should step up their anticorruption efforts a senior Chinese official said here Saturday
Xu Caihou a member of the Secretariat of the Communist Party of China CPC Central Committee and also vicechairman of the Central Military Commission made the call at a meeting on discipline inspection work of the military
Xu said the military should study and have a good understanding of the important speech by Hu Jintao general secretary of the Communist Party of China CPC Central Committee at the just concluded sixth plenary session of the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection
In his speech Hu highlighted the importance of strengthening the Partys efforts to fight corruption and build clean government stressed the role of the Party Constitution as a guideline for the anticorruption campaign and called on all Party members to study abide by implement and safeguard the Party Constitution
Citing Hus speech Xu said the military should have a clear view of the current situation and new tasks and fully realize the responsibility and urgency of the anticorruption work The military should solve outstanding problems concerning the Partys work style set higher standards and take downtoearth measures for the anticorruption work
Members of the military should further understand the scientific concept of development and enhance their sense of responsibility and the practical work capability in line with the Party Constitution
Discipline inspection organs should play its best role in Party building guaranteeing all anticorruption work be carried out
A communique was issued here Saturday for the sixth plenary session of the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection which was held in Beijing from Jan to Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua When counting Chinas gross domestic product GDP those natural and social costs should be included so as to ensure sustainable development said Li Yining a renowned economist with Beijing University here Saturday
Li made the remark at the annual economic forum held by the Guanghua School of Management under Beijing University
Although China is attempting to count green GDP which may deduct the cost of environmental pollution and resource net wastage the social cost and expense for economic development has not been considered he said
Sustainable development demands both natural and social harmony he said suggesting relations among different persons regions cities and rural areas should be properly handled
Increasing social conflicts may offset the economic progress made by the country he said advising the government to further improve living conditions of lowincome people and eradicate corruption
It is necessary to extend the scope of green GDP which should also include economic losses caused by all kinds of accidents in production food safety medical services construction projects and transportation as well as the expense for handling those accidents
This will help prevent accidents from occurring again he said admitting that it is still difficult to count losses of human life health and time caused by accidents in terms of currency Enditem
CHANGSHA Jan Xinhua A tributary of the Yangtze River in central Chinas Hunan Province was polluted by poisonous cadmium according to Hunan Provincial Environmental Protection Bureau on Saturday
The pollution in Xiangjiang River has threatened the tap water supply in Xiangtan and Changsha cities in Hunan
The pollution was caused by improper operations of a silt cleaning project in Xiawan Harbor said Jiang Yimin director of the environmental bureau
Zhuzhou Water Conservancy Investment Co Ltd launched the silt cleaning project on Dec in without permission from the environmental departments according to the bureau
The company dammed at the mounth of waste draining pipes of Zhuzhou Smeltery on Jan The water then flowed into two lakes which contain quantities of cadmium waste from nearby plants and the water overflowed into Xiangjiang River
The government has been taking emergency measures to counteract the pollution and the project has been suspended Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua China will strictly limit the size of large hospitals so as to lower the cost of medical treatment for the people said Health Minister Gao Qiang here Saturday
To give the people an easier and cheaper access to medical service should be taken as a historical task which should make breakthrough in the th fiveyear program said Gao at the national health work conference
Chinese hospitals should not follow suit though hospitals in developed countries purchase luxury medical equipment and use top techniques in the treatment he said
This year the Ministry of Health will tighten the control over the expansion of large hospitals and their purchasing of large medical equipment with bank loans and public funds Gao told the conference
He urged local health authorities to provide hospital and medicine service at a reasonable price for farmers urban laidoffs jobless migrant workers the elderly and children
Control over luxury hospitals and wards at special requests by the patients should also strengthened said Gao noting that the special sickbeds in a hospital should not exceed percent of the total sickbeds
Hospitals should spend the income of special medical service in setting up funds for saving needy people said Gao The patients with financial difficulties or in critical condition must be treated first instead of being charged first Enditem
ALTAY Xinjiang Jan Xinhua Blizzardhit Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region has been taking emergent measures to help the herdsmen and their livestock out of difficulties
Most parts of Xinjiang had been hit by continuous heavy snowfall amid drastic temperature drops since Dec last year leaving herdsmen and their livestock stranded in winter pastures
Altay Prefecture was most seriously affected The snow about centimeters thick prevented the livestock at the winter pastures from finding sufficient food according to the local government
The local government in Altay has been organizing various departments to help the stranded herdsmen and their livestock back to their residential areas or safe places said Zaken an official with Altay Prefecture
Most livestock are moving to safe areas and only some weak ones died half way in the blizzards said Hanbar a herdsman in Fuyun County one of the most seriously affected counties in Altay
Rescuers have prepared dry dung of cow and sheep for the livestock to rest on so that they would not rest in snow and this is very considerate since livestock would die if their legs got hurt and they could not stand up and move forward in snow said Ziahemaiti a local herdsman in Fuyun County
The county has sent million yuan US dollars in relief tons of feedstuff and tons of flour to the affected areas Soldiers and local traffic department have got through most blocked herding passages to help herdsmen and livestock return to their residential areas
According to the regional disaster relief authorities people have so far been evacuated from the blizzardhit areas with their livelihood properly arranged
The local governments of Tacheng Bortala Changji and Hami have allocated cotton tents and clothes to the disasterstricken areas
Meteorologists said no more heavy snowfall is expected for the region in the coming week Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinas national legislature is deliberating amendment to its Criminal Law to include tough penalties for wrongdoings committed by senior managers of listed firms or securities firms a legislator said Saturday
Cheng Siwei vice chairman of the Standing Committee of the National Peoples Congress said that under the proposed amendment senior managers of listed firms and securities firms who deliberately manipulate their firms by taking advantage of their managerial positions will pay not only fines but penalties of imprisonment
Under the current laws the maximum penalty on senior managers is cancellation of their qualifications for practicing in the same business he said
Addressing the th Capital Market Forum held by the Chinese Peoples University and China Securities Journal Cheng said the criminal penalties are needed to punish those managers for their wrongdoings
The actual holders of controlling shares of listed firms and those that control the listed firms will also face criminal penalties under the amendment tabled to the national legislature said Cheng
The amendment has first been reviewed by the legislators he said Enditem
ZHENGZHOU Jan Xinhua The government of central Chinas Henan Province lifted a Yellow River pollution warning Saturday night after a diesel oil leakage hit the rivers branch Thursday
The water quality in the Yellow Rivers branch Yiluo River where the pollution occurred and the lower reaches was found to meet safety standards according to the government
The leakage took place around am Thursday at the No power plant of Gongyi a city in Henan
Investigation shows the diesel oil pipe broke due to frost and about tons of diesel oil flowed out of a tank including six tons into Yiluo River
The provincial government took immediate measures after the leakage to curb the spread of pollutants but some diesel oil flowed into Yellow River and affected the water quality Enditem
WUHAN Jan Xinhua A boat overturned killing one and leaving six others missing including a twoyearold boy Saturday over Hanjiang River in central Chinas Hubei Province according to local government
The boat belongs to Aizhao Village in Maan Township in Hanchuan It was transporting people across Hanjiang River when the engine failed half way in the river The boat had floated with the water before it clashed into an anchored ship
All the people aboard fell into the water One woman died on the spot and eight others were sent to hospitals
Rescuers are still searching for the six missing Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Male still plays the dominate role in Chinas media industry and most news stories disregard or reveal insensitive attitude towards gender problems according to a survey released by Chinas Women Reporter Association Saturday
Among Chinas broadcasters percent are female and among journalists percent are female However about percent news stories are telling stories about man and only percent are about women
In Chinas media industry no matter broadcasters or reporters women employees always take the larger ratio than men the survey said and their reports have penetrated various fields including economic crime science and technology society law celebrities sports and artist but in the power areas such as politics and government they are usually subject to their male counterparts said the survey
Male images dominate the screen especially in interview programs it said Experts spokesmen are usually male And in most news stories gender equality contents are not highlighted according to the survey
China Women Reporter Association conducted the survey on February by collecting sample news stories in mainstream medias including China Central Television
A separate survey conducted by the China Journalists Association and the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences said that though Chinas women employees take one third of the total reporters only percent of women reporters managed to take high ranking positions while the ratio to male is percent Enditem
WTO meeting enhances HK international reputation
Chinese shares continue to rise in rd consecutive day
Earthquake hits seas of India
HK actor got suspended imprisonment for drunk driving
Hong Kong stocks close higher Jan
Foreign exchange rates in Hong Kong Jan
Miners remain trapped in E China colliery
Central China province government releases Yellow River pollution warning
Air quality of major Chinese cities Jan
French retail giant to launch first supermarket in S China province
Hushen index up Jan
Shenzhen stock index up Jan
Shanghai stock index up Jan
FM spokesman China concerned about Sharons health
NW China province adds international air routes
Bolivian presidentelect to visit China
China pays compensation to families of Yangtze River ship collision victims
China accredits national defense labs
Update Member of Gang of Four Yao Wenyuan dies
More tunnels to be built across Huangpu River in Shanghai
China to input more investment on railway construction in
Guangdong economy expected to grow over percent annually in coming five years
Warner moves global construction design center to China
Chinese mainland respects KMT chairmans wish of visiting time to mainland
URGENT China to input bln yuan on railway projects in
E China province to spend bln yuan promoting rural compulsory education
Update Chinese mainland solicits pet names for giant panda couple to Taiwan
Member of Chinas Gang of Four Yao Wenyuan dies
Quantum computer to be developed in years Chinese scientist predicts
Asset management company recovers bn USD in cash by end of
China approves trading of soybean oil futures
Intl oil prices likely to drop report
Chinas mainland to strive for peaceful smooth development of crossStraits relations
NE China granary expected to produce bn kg of gran by expert
Miners remain trapped in E China colliery accident
Curbing splittists urgent task for compatriots acrossStraits says spokesman
Hong Kong stocks finish lower at midday Jan
rd lead Chinese mainland unveils panda couple for Taiwan compatriots
Positive elements against Taiwan independence increase in says spokesman
Taiwan authorities urged to allow mainland giant panda couple to island
CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection holds sixth plenary session
Chinese mainland spokesman on Chen Shuibians New Year talk
nd lead Chinese mainland unveils panda couple for Taiwan compatriots
Chinese mainland solicits pet names for giant panda couple to Taiwan
More Chinese studying abroad return to make career
Hong Kong stocks open higher Jan
Xinhua home news advisory Jan
Market exchange rates Jan
Backgrounder The Wolong Nature Reserve for Giant Panda
Highlights of major Beijingbased newspapers Jan
Backgrounder Giant panda
st lead Chinese mainland unveils panda couple for Taiwan compatriots
China to regulate motorbike export
URGENT Chinese mainland announces names of giant panda couple for Taiwan
Beijings first center for depression patients opens
Tricky boss given death sentence for huge fraud
ROK National Assembly delegation to visit China
NE city pledges for pure snow in winter gala after water pollution Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Following are Chinas home news items released by Xinhua on Friday
No human cases reported in bird fluhit county in SW China
Tibet bush forests aflame for six days
Top Chinese leader stresses importance of Party Constitution in anticorruption drive
Chinas NGOs raise beneficence to womens prison in Beijing
recast DLong Mansion in Shanghai put for auctions in late January
China publishes new atlas with definite regional borderlines
New controls for HK textile export to EU to take effect in March
China pledges to keep its population below billion by
Chinese Vice Premier stresses scientific research in bird flu control
Senior Chinese judge orders harsh punishment for misuse of arable land
Yellow River freezes in lower reaches
Chinas investment in power projects sets new record in
CHRONOLOGYKey events in panda offer to Taiwan since
Chinese mainland official criticizes Taiwan politics
China Exclusive Koizumis untenable arguments arouse strong reaction
Chinese mainland to seek peaceful stable crossStraits relations in
South Africa hopes to attract more Chinese visitors
Zhongmei Energy Groups coal trade tops million tons in
Archeologists call for protection of ancient barns in NW China province
Beijing railway gets ready for upcoming surge of Spring Festival travelers
China to promote trade economic links with African countries in
SinoEuropean trade expects to top bln USD in
PC companies lag behind environment pledges conservationists
HK Polytechnic Universitys new developed system on display
Delong Mansion in Shanghai put for auctions in late January China publishes first administrative atlas
China Focus After Cupids arrow shoots date for panda couple to Taiwan yet to be decided
China sets up nationwide CDC system
Chinese Japanese diplomats to meet on bilateral ties says FM official
Coach collides with train in SW China injuring
China aims to produce billion kilograms of grain during
Chinese capital opens first melancholia treatment center
Cupid finds no easy role in matching giant pandas for Taiwan
China to spend trillion yuan on energy and transportation in coming years report
Two people killed in chemical plant explosion in E China province
Update Member of Gang of Four Yao Wenyuan dies
China to provide more nonstop trains charter flights for tourists
China to increase input on extrahightension power grid in next five years
Mainland official calls for regular crossStraits chartered flights
News maker giant panda couple for Taiwan
Branch of National Library for Chinese ancient books opens in Beijing more
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WASHINGTON Jan Xinhua American officials are talking with Iraqi insurgent leaders to exploit a rift that has opened between homegrown insurgents and radical groups like Al Qaida and to draw the local leaders into the political process the New York Times reported Saturday
Clashes between Iraqi groups and Al Qaida have broken out in several cities across the Sunni Triangle including Taji Yusefiya Qaim and Ramadi and they appear to have intensified in recent months the newspaper quoted an unidentified Western diplomat as saying
The diplomat who on Friday had an interview with Iraqi insurgents and with US and Iraqi officials said the Americans had opened facetoface discussions with insurgents in the field and that they were communicating with senior insurgent leaders through intermediaries
The diplomat said the goal was to take advantage of rifts in the insurgency particularly between local groups whose main goal is to expel American forces and the more radical groups like Al Qaida which have alienated many Iraqis by the mass killing of Iraqi civilians
The talks which the diplomat said were taking place inside and outside Iraq began in the fall around the time of the referendum on the new Iraqi constitution on Oct
American officials had made contact with insurgent groups before but the diplomat described the new engagement as much more significant The effort comes as political leaders await the results of the Dec election which will determine the shape of the next government
The diplomat said the talks were aimed at taking advantage of a new willingness to take part in politics among Sunni Arabs who went to the polls in large numbers for the first time
Their full participation is seen as an essential step in quelling the insurgency which is led mostly by radical Sunni Arabs Enditem
JERUSALEM There is a very high chance that Prime Minister Ariel Sharon will survive a severe brain bleeding Channel TV quoted one of his doctors as reporting on Saturday
I think it is very high now I am pretty optimistic about it We are praying there wont be complications like catching an infection Jose Cohen of Hadassah Hospital said IsraelSharonCondition
GENEVA The World Health OrganisationWHO said on Saturday it had confirmed that two children hospitalised in Turkey had contracted the deadly HN strain of bird flu a spokeswoman said
The spokeswoman said that the children a yearold and an yearold were from the same region where three other children died from bird flu this week TurkeyBirdflu
WASHINGTON US Republican Representative Tom DeLay decided Saturday to end his bid to reclaim the post as House majority leader which he was forced to relinquish temporarily in later September last year after being indicted on campaign finance charges
In a letter to fellow Republicans DeLay said that I cannot allow our adversaries to divide and distract our attention USHouseDeLay
LONDON Leader of the Britains third largest party resigned on Saturday after he admitted of having drink problems and fellow party members urged him to quit
Charles Kennedy sixyear leader of the second major opposition party the Liberal Democratic Party made a statement on Saturday saying he has resigned as leader of the Liberal Democrats with immediate effect only two days after revealing his battle with alcohol UKLiberalsLeader Enditem
OTTAWA Jan Xinhua Canadian Foreign Minister Pierre Pettigrew on Saturday expressed sadness over the death of the commander of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti and reassured Canadas support for the missions work
Brazilian Lt Gen Urano Teixeira da Matta Bacellar commander of the UN peacekeeping force in Haiti was found dead on the balcony of his hotel room on Saturday morning
This tragedy is all the more unfortunate given General Bacellars role in helping to bring stability and security to Haiti His contribution to this complex and important effort will be well remembered Pettigrew said in a statement
Canada remains fully committed to supporting the work of the UN Stabilization Mission and the electoral process in Haiti the statement said
Brazils state news agency said Bacellar was the victim of a firearms accident but some reports said the general had apparently shot himself in the head
Bacellar had served in Brazils armed forces for almost four decades He became commander of the UN mission last September replacing Brazilian Lt Gen Augusto Heleno Ribeiro who had led the force since its deployment to Haiti in June
Chilean Gen Eduardo Aldunate Herman was named by the United Nations as interim commander after Bacellars death Enditem
LIMA Jan Xinhua The operations of Perus stateowned airline TANS Peru were suspended after a series of serious accidents an aviation official announced on Saturday
The authorities were investigating the airlines operations to determine if it could fly again Roberto Rodriguez director of the civil aviation office told a local radio station
On Aug a TANS airplane crashed in the jungle city of Pucallpa some km northeast of the Peruvian capital killing people aboard and injuring
Another TANS plane had an emergency in the tourist destination of Cuzco six weeks ago when it lost an engine A third TANS flight lost one of its engines near Cuzco on Friday according to Rodriguez
TANS founded in the s by the Peruvian air force to cover remote jungle communities became a commercial airline in It has around percent of the local market Enditem
SANTIAGO Jan Xinhua The United Nations has named Chilean General Eduardo Aldunate Herman as the interim military commander of the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti MINUSTAH Chiles defense ministry said on Saturday
Herman took over the post hours after his predecessor General Urano Teixeira Da Matta Bacellar of Brazil was found dead in his hotel room in the Haitian capital of PortauPrince
Chilean Defense Minister Jaime Ravinet expressed condolences to the Brazilian government for this most regrettable turn of events said the defense ministry
Earlier in the day Da Matta Bacellars body had been found in his room at the Hotel Montana with a bullet wound in the head said a report released by MINUSTAH adding that he appeared to have committed suicide
The general had been in command of the strong UN force in Haiti since the end of August
In New York a spokesman for UN SecretaryGeneral Kofi Annan said that the UN chief was shocked and saddened to learn of the incident and that an investigation was under way Enditem
ROME Jan Xinhua Five Italian hostages freed after being held by Yemeni kidnappers for five days returned home Saturday
The plane carrying the five former hostages three women and two men landed at Romes Fiumicino airport in the early afternoon Rome airports spokesman Adriano Franceschetti said
Yemen is a splendid country with splendid people former hostage Camilla Ramigni said in an interview aired on Tg television news Certainly it would be a place to go back to
However former hostage Patrizia Rossi appeared still terrified We were so so scaredImagine what its like having an automatic rifle gun pointed at you the whole time being under threat permanently Rossi recounted their sixday ordeal
Investigators questioned the five Italians for about oneandahalf hours before allowing them to take two separate planes headed for Venice and Milan near their hometowns Air One airline spokesman Nick Brough said
They were released unharmed from armed tribesmen on Friday government sources said
The sources said negotiations with the abductors were successful which resulted in the release of the hostages safe and sound
Tribesmen kidnapped the five Italian tourists on Jan in Maarib province about km east of the capital Sanaa to press their demand for the release of eight tribal members imprisoned on criminal charges by the Yemeni government
There was no official word on what persuaded the six kidnappers to release the hostages and surrender
Kidnapping of foreign tourists is frequent in the tiny country where armed tribesmen often demand the release of fellow members
The hostages were usually set free unhurt after negotiations between authorities and kidnappers
Late last month five German tourists including a former senior diplomat were released after three days in captivity Enditem
LONDON Jan Xinhua British police have launched a probe into the source of a suspected London suicide bomber who had amassed a pound US dollar fortune a British newspaper reported Sunday
Antiterrorism officers presumed that a terrorist plotter could have paid Shehzad Tanweer who worked parttime in a fish and chip shop to take part in the bombings last July said The Independent on Sunday newspaper
Experts had investigated the backgrounds of Tanweer and his fellow bombers to determine whether they had links to money laundering or international crime networks the newspaper said adding that the probe focused on financial transactions rather than the value of their assets
On July a series of explosions hit London subway and buses killing at least people and wounding more than others in the deadliest terror attacks on British soil in recent years
Tanweer along with three other suicide bombers were suspected of being involved with the bombings Enditem
BRUSSELS Jan Xinhua The European Commission EC announced on Saturday that the bird flu outbreak in eastern Turkey has been proven to be high pathogenic type HN
The European Commission has been informed that test results from the EU laboratory at Weybridge this morning confirmed that the avian influenza virus which has recently caused an outbreak in poultry in eastern Turkey is a high pathogenic type HN said an EC press release emailed to Xinhua
The executive of the European Union EU said some human cases of disease in Turkey were also caused by an avian influenza virus in accordance with the information provided by the Turkish authorities and confirmed Friday by a World Health Organization WHOcollaborating laboratory in Britain
In order to clarify the epidemiological situation the EC said laboratory tests were still being carried out in the EU and WHOcollaborating laboratories
The EC together with the WHO and other international organizations were visiting the affected areas in Turkey on Saturday for further investigation
In the meantime the EC restated that the complete ban on any import from Turkey of live birds and poultry products adopted in early October remains in place
It was reported that the bird flu outbreaks in Turkey have so far led to three deaths igniting widespread alert across Europe Enditem
BRASILIA Jan Xinhua Brazilian President Luis Inacio Lula da Silva on Saturday lamented the death of Brazilian commander of UN peacekeepers in Haiti hoping that UN could launch a full investigation immediately into the cause of his death
Brazilian Lt Gen Urano Teixeira Da Matta Bacellar commander of the UN peacekeeping force in Haiti was found dead on the balcony of his hotel room on Saturday morning
A spokesman for UN Secretary General Kofi Annan said Annan was shocked and saddened to learn of the incident and that an investigation was under way
Expressing his condolences over the death of Da Matta Bacellar Lula ordered Foreign Ministry and national security officials to follow up the investigation and provide necessary cooperation said a statement from the presidential office
A team of experts in foreign and judicial affairs and criminal investigations will be sent to Haiti to join the probe Lula said
The president also expressed full confidence in the work of Brazilian peacekeeping troops in Haiti He reiterated Brazils commitment to helping people of the Caribbean country to restore peace and achieve political normalization
Da Matta Bacellar had served in Brazils armed forces for almost four decades He became commander of the UN mission last September replacing Brazilian Lt Gen Augusto Heleno Ribeiro who had led the force since its deployment to Haiti in June
His death came as Haiti is struggling to prepare for its first presidential election since an armed revolt ousted thenPresident JeanBertrand Aristide in February
Initial reports said Da Matta Bacellar committed suicide The Brazilian peacekeeping force later referred to the incident as a firearm accident while other reports said Da Matta Bacellar may have been murdered
Chilean Gen Eduardo Aldunate Herman has been named by the UN as interim commander Enditem
MANILA Jan Xinhua At least eight people were killed on Sunday in a student dormitory in Manilas university district CNN reported
Four students were also injured in the blaze which apparently
started in the ground floor kitchen
News reports said many of the dead failed to rush out of the building after a night of drinking and some were found near a fire exit Suitcases and other belongings blocked exits making it difficult for people to escape Enditem
HAVANA Jan Xinhua The Haitian transitional government announced Saturday that the countrys presidential and parliamentary elections would be held on Feb
The general elections had been scheduled for Jan after four postponements but the government announced the fifth delay last week Enditem
JERUSALEM Jan Xinhua Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharons condition remains critical Sunday morning and there was no change overnight Ron Kromer a spokesman for Hadassah Hospital said Enditem
NAIROBI The UN Food and Agriculture Organization FAO has issued a new alert warning that millions of people are on the brink of starvation in the Horn of African countries because of droughts and conflict
In an alert issued here Saturday the UN agency called for urgent humanitarian assistance for the million impoverished people in parts of Ethiopia Kenya and Djibouti KenyaDrought
KAMPALA The Governing Council of the East African Development Bank EADB on Saturday endorsed the banks fiveyear strategic plan for aiming to increase its volume of operations and expand its range of financial services
The bank issued a press statement after the meeting convened in Kampala which is signed by Ezra Suruma Ugandan Minister for Finance Planning and Economic Development and Chairman of the EADB Governing Council UgandaBank
BERLIN Former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder privately urged senior Russian officials to settle their dispute with Ukraine over natural gas prices last week a German news magazine reported Saturday
Der Spiegel quoted associates of Schroeder as saying that the former leader phoned Russian President Vladimir Putin and Gazprom chief executive Alexei Miller to urge them for a compromise GermanyRussiaGas
LIMA The operations of Perus stateowned airline TANS Peru were suspended after a series of serious accidents an aviation official announced on Saturday
The authorities were investigating the airlines operations to determine if it could fly again Roberto Rodriguez director of the civil aviation office told a local radio station PeruAirlineAccidents Enditem
HAVANA Jan Xinhua Haitis presidential and parliamentary elections have been rescheduled for Feb reports reaching here said on Saturday
The elections were originally slated for Jan but were postponed due to what election officials said were security problems and delays in distributing voting materials
The UN Security Council urged the Haitian interim government on Friday to quickly set a new date for the polls no later than Feb
Under the new schedule set in a presidential decree on Saturday the first round of the polls will be held on Feb and the second round on Feb
A total of candidates will run for the presidency and about will vie for seats in the parliament The new president will take office on March
The announcement of the new election date came after Brazilian Lt Gen Urano Teixeira Da Matta Bacellar commander of the UN peacekeeping force in Haiti was found dead on the balcony of his hotel room on Saturday morning
The UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti MINUSTAH said in a statement that the generals death will not weaken the resolve of MINUSTAH and the international community to ensure the will of the Haitian people prevails and Haiti joins the democratic community of nations Enditem
JERUSALEM Jan Xinhua Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharons condition remains critical Sunday morning and there was no change overnight Ron Kromer a spokesman for Hadassah Hospital said
During the night there has been no change in the situation of the prime minister and he remains critical but stable Kromer said
Doctors convening in Hadassah Hospital where the Israel leader has been under treatment for a massive stroke since Wednesday will decide on Sunday whether to bring him out of a medically induced coma
In the morning as planned a meeting of all experts will take place at Hadassah to determine the course of continued treatment for the prime minister Kromer said
According to the spokesman a further briefing would be held at about noon GMT Enditem
JERUSALEM Jan Xinhua Doctors of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon ordered the leader to have another brain scan early Sunday before deciding whether to bring him out of an induced coma said the hospital officials
The medical experts gathered Sunday morning to assess Sharons condition but suspended the talks after about an hour to take the brain scan spokesman for Hadassah Hospital Ron Krumer said
Krumer said earlier Sharons condition remains critical and there was no change overnight
During the night there has been no change in the situation of the prime minister and he remains critical but stable he said
Sharon has been under treatment in Hadassah Hospital for a massive stroke since Wednesday Enditem
JERUSALEM Doctors of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon ordered the leader to have another brain scan early Sunday before deciding whether to bring him out of an induced coma said the hospital officials
The medical experts gathered Sunday morning to assess Sharons condition but suspended the talks after about an hour to take the brain scan spokesman for Hadassah Hospital Ron Krumer said IsraelSharon
TOKYO A predawn fire at a nursing home for the elderly in western Japan has killed people and left one serious injured Japanese media reported Sunday
There were nine elderly people and the head of the facility when the fire broke out at about am GMT Saturday according to Kyodo News JapanFire
MANILA A fire apparently caused by faulty electrical wiring razed down a boarding house and adjacent houses in downtown Manila at dawn Sunday killing eight people and seriously injuring four others said police
Police officer Leo Marquez told Xinhua that the fire started at am local time at a water station at the ground floor of a boarding house in a densely populated university district in Manila PhilippinesFire
BAGHDAD A French hostage kidnapped in Baghdad last month was released on Saturday an Interior ministry source said on Sunday
The kidnappers of Bernard Planche released him at about pm GMT near a US checkpoint in Abu Ghraib area in western Baghdad the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity IraqFranceHostage Enditem
ALMA ATA Jan Xinhua At least were killed in a fire that swept through a home for disabled children in the Tajik capital Dushanbe early on Sunday reports reaching here said Enditem
ALMA ATA Jan Xinhua Thirteen children died when a fire swept through a home for mentally disabled children in the capital of Tajikistan Dushanbe on early Sunday said a government official
The other children or so living in the home were evacuated said First Deputy Labor and Public Protection Minister Makhmud Kasimov
Two children were hospitalized with smoke inhalation he said
Sixty children were hospitalized with burns or smoke inhalation the Interfax news agency said citing a national fire department official
The fire broke out shortly after midnight in the home which was constructed in The singlestory wooden building was almost totally demolished by the blaze Kasimov said
The cause of the fire is currently under investigation Enditem
LONDON Jan Xinhua Following are major news items in leading British newspapers on Sunday
The Sunday Times
Leader of the Britains third largest party resigned on Saturday after he admitted of having drink problems and fellow party members urged him to quit
The Observer
Campaigners are demanding an urgent reform of Britains child protection system after The Observer revealed Saturday night that the Education Secretary Ruth Kelly had approved the appointment of a registered sex offender as a PE teacher
The Independent on Sunday
Women who eat GM foods while pregnant risk endangering their unborn babies startling new research suggests Enditem
JERUSALEM Jan Xinhua Acting Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said here on Sunday that he feels optimistic about Ariel Sharons fate and expects more encouraging news in the few days
Olmert made the comments at a scheduled press conference unveiling Israels economic data for But he declined to give details about Sharons current condition
Hadassah hospital is expected to give updated information about Sharons condition at pm noon GMT on Sunday Enditem
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DAKAR Jan Xinhua The Chinese embassy in Dakar capital of Senegal reopened Friday after China and Senegal resumed ambassadorial diplomatic ties
The offices in Dakars Fann Residence were officially reopened in the presence of visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing and his Senegalese counterpart Cheikh Tidiane Gadio who unveiled the brand of the Chinese Embassy together
This is a new page in the relations between our two countries said Li who arrived Dakar on Thursday for an official visit
Gadio congratulated on the reopening of the embassy on behalf of his government saying that the resumption of SinoSenegalese ties conforms to the tide of history and is in the interest of the two peoples
Senegal has gone down in history by renewing its diplomatic relations with the Peoples Republic of China he added
The Senegalese government will strive to boost the development of ties with China Gadio said
China and Senegal resumed ambassadorial diplomatic ties in October
Senegal is the second leg of Lis sixnation Africa tour which has taken him to Cape Verde He will then visit Mali Liberia Nigeria and Libya Enditem
BRUSSELS Jan Xinhua Initial test results showed that the suspected first bird flu case in Belgium is not what it was feared Belgian Health Minister Rudy Demotte said Saturday afternoon
The initial results of the tests would indicate that we are not dealing with bird flu a much relieved Demotte told reporters
The man whose nationality could not be ascertained checked into a hospital in the Belgian capital on Friday after developing symptoms of bird flu Belgian health officials said on Saturday
The man returned on Thursday from a Turkish region where the lethal HN virus of bird flu has been detected officials said
Eighteen HN infection cases have been found in Turkey during the past two weeks including three deaths The European Union has since stepped up measures to try to prevent the virus from spreading into the EU
So far people have only been infected through direct contact with birds but the World Health Organization warns of a possible global pandemic if the virus mutates into a form which enables passage from person to person Enditem
WASHINGTON Jan Xinhua The following are major news items in leading US newspapers on Saturday
The New York Times
President Bush and Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany meeting for the first time since Merkel took office last month promised Friday to step up pressure on Iran at the Security Council to abandon nuclear activities that could be part of a weapon program But Bush declined to predict what sanctions might be imposed on Iran
An American airstrike carried out on a village in the Bajaur tribal region of northwest Pakistan early Friday was aimed at Ayman alZawahiri Al Aaedas secondincommand and Pakistani officials were trying to determine if he had been killed The American and Pakistani officials said they believed that the attack which killed as many as people had been carried out with a missile launched from a Predator drone aircraft operated by the Central Intelligence Agency
The Washington Post
Fatah the party that has led the Palestinian national cause for more than four decades is bracing for the loss of its unchecked authority in elections this month uncertain about what real political opposition could mean for its future or for the prospects of peace with Israel
President Bush declared Friday that a nucleararmed Iran would pose a grave threat to the security of the world as he tried to rally support from other major powers for UN Security Council action unless a defiant Tehran abandons any aspirations for nuclear weapons Enditem
KABUL The former deputy interior minister during the Taliban regime was killed Saturday by Taliban militants in Afghan southern province of Kandahar a local official said
This afternoon Mullah Abdul Samad the former deputy interior minister in Taliban regime was killed on the way back home by two gunmen in a motorcycle Abdul Hakim Khan the police chief of Kandahar city told Xinhua KabulMinister
GAZA The ruling Palestinian party Fatah will gain percent of the votes in the legislative elections while the hardline Islamic Resistance Movement Hamas will win percent wellinformed Palestinian sources said on Saturday citing an opinion poll
The sources said that the opinion poll conducted by Beer Zeit University in the West Bank would be published on Sunday ten days ahead of the elections on Jan PalestiniansElectionPoll
BERLIN European Union chief diplomat Javier Solana told a German newspaper that any military action against Iran was not in consideration of EU nations despite its resumption of nuclear research
In an interview with Bild am Sonntag which released the story Saturday one day before publication Solana said A military intervention against Iran does not even come into question SolanaMilitary Actions
WASHINGTON US officials will conduct DNA tests on the dead bodies left by a US airstrike in Pakistan that apparently targeted al Qaedas No leader US media reported Saturday
The tests are aimed to determine whether Ayman alZawahri deputy of al Qeadas top leader Osama bin Laden was among the dead US media reported quoting a US law enforcement official who spoke on condition of anonymity USDNA Test Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Following are some of the major international news stories scheduled to be covered or pursued by Xinhua on Sunday
Ukrainian FM slams Russian claims on Black Sea Fleet lighthouse
Leaders of Mali meet Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing
Chinas Huawei Technologies Co Ltd signs a cooperation agreement with Mali state telecoms firm Enditem
BAGHDAD Jan Xinhua Al Qaida claimed on a website Saturday responsibility for downing a US helicopter in northern Iraq which killed two pilots
Our lions in Mosul succeeded to shoot down a US helicopter on Friday by targeting it with mediumsized weapons al Qaida said in a statement posted on its website
The authenticity of the statement could not be verified
Two US pilots were killed on Friday afternoon when their OH Kiowa reconnaissance helicopter crashed in Mosul the third largest Iraqi city some km north of Baghdad the US military said in a statement
It was the second US helicopter which crashed in northern Iraq in less than a week A military UH Black Hawk helicopter crashed on Saturday killing all people aboard Enditem
BAMAKO Jan Xinhua Mali hopes to enhance cooperation with China in agriculture health communications resources development infrastructure and other key areas leaders of the west African nation said here on Saturday
In separate meetings with visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing Malian President Amadou Toumani Toure and Prime Minister Ousmane Issoufi Maiga said their country hopes to learn from Chinas successful experience and enhance bilateral cooperation
Enjoying lasting traditional friendship between them Mali and China share extensive common ground whether in their struggle for independence in the past or in their present efforts to safeguard world peace and build national prosperity they said
They expressed gratitude for Chinas enormous support and help to their country and pledged continued full support for Chinas reunification
Li recalling the profound and firm friendship between China and Mali said the two countries should continue their mutual trust and support and enhance bilateral friendship and cooperation in light of the new circumstances
China stands ready to work with Mali to implement the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries during Toures visit to China on the development of bilateral relations seeking to deepen political dialogue and strengthen consultation and coordination in international and regional affairs Li said
China is also ready to expand trade and investment cooperation and increase cultural exchanges with Mali the Chinese foreign minister said
Li thanked the Malian leaders for their countrys valuable support to China on the Taiwan question and other issues
Li also reiterated Beijings longterm support for African countries efforts to strengthen unity and cooperation among them and achieve common development adding that China seeks to deepen and expand its dialogue and cooperation with Africa through the ChinaAfrica Cooperation Forum and other mechanisms
Li arrived in the Malian capital Friday after visits to Cape Verde and Senegal His African trip will also take him to Liberia Nigeria and Libya Enditem
STOCKHOLM Jan Xinhua Norway on Saturday kicked off worldwide centenary celebrations of its greatest playwright Henrik Ibsen with a gala celebration in Oslo marking the centennial of his death reports from the Norwegian capital said
The opening performances drew stars such as Norwegian Liv Ullmann Bibi Andersson of Sweden Angela Winkler of Germany Isabelle Huppert of Britain all winners of the Ibsen Centennial Award for their performances in his works
The Bank of Norway will issue a special Ibsen kroner coin on Monday with the back side showing a bearded Ibsen striding along in his signature top hat and long coat
Norway declared as The Year of Ibsen with more than commemorative events worldwide with the Saturdays official opening
Events through the year include seminars festivals the release of new books and exhibitions
Ibsen who died in Oslo on May at is reputed as the father of modern drama His plays include A Dolls House Brant and An Enemy of the People Enditem
ROME Jan Xinhua An Italian businesswoman and her son who were abducted two months ago in Venezuela have been released the Italian Foreign Ministry said on Saturday
Giorgina Frigo and her threeyearold son were kidnapped in the eastern Venezuelan state of Anzoategui on Nov The kidnappers demanded ransom money in local currency of the equivalent of million US dollars the Italian news agency ANSA reported
A Venezuelan police officer said both hostages were in perfect condition after the release
Four Venezuelan men were arrested on Friday in a rural town about km east of of Caracas for their alleged part in the kidnapping the officer said Enditem
KUWAIT CITY Jan Xinhua The Emir of oilrich Kuwait Sheikh Jaber alAhmad alSabah died on Sunday aged Kuwaiti state television reported Enditem
KUWAIT CITY Jan Xinhua The Emir of oilrich Kuwait Sheikh Jaber alAhmad alSabah died on Sunday at the age of Kuwaiti state television reported
The announcement was made in a statement from the royal court carried by the television
The statement announced a day mourning period Government offices will be closed for three days
The emir whose rule began in had been ill since suffering a brain hemorrhage in September Enditem
LIMA Jan Xinhua Bolivias Presidentelect Evo Morales said on Saturday that he needs to be pragmatic and do good business for the country according to reports from Bolivias administrative capital of La Paz
I understand perfectly that its important to be practical he told a press conference adding that he was convinced that the work of the government the work of the president is to do good business for the Bolivian people
The presidentelect made the remarks after a day international tourwhich took him to Europe South Africa China and Brazil
He said he had received during the tour promises from world leaders to help Bolivia alleviate poverty
Some offered to forgive debt others offered to invest in state and private companies Some governments offered economic support donations for social needs he said
Morales was elected as Bolivias first indigenous president last month and he will take office on Jan Enditem
KIEV Jan Xinhua The lighthouse in the Crimean city of Yalta is Ukraines property and Russias claim to it has no legal foundation said Ukraines Foreign Minister Boris Tarasyuk here on Saturday
Russia has unlawfully held onto all hydrographic sites There is no legal basis for Russia to insist that these sites are part of the Black Sea Fleet Tarasyuk said
Ukraine and Russia should fulfill their respective obligations to find a proper solution to the problem he added
Ukraines Foreign Ministry Spokesman Vasyl Filipchuk also made similar remarks at a press conference on Saturday
Any declaration about a seizure of the Yalta lighthouse is deliberate misinformation as the lighthouse is Ukrainian property Filipchuk said
The spokesman also said it is Ukraines responsibility to ensure navigational safety in its territorial waters and that Ukrainian law prohibits leasing these facilities to any foreign country
In recent weeks the Russian Foreign Ministry and the Black Sea Fleet made a number of statements saying Ukraine seized its Yalta lighthouse illegally and should return the property immediately
Since the Soviet Union broke up in the Russian Black Sea Fleet has been basing its ships in the Sevastopol port in Ukraines Crimea peninsula
According to a deal signed by Russia and Ukraine in the Black Sea Fleet will stay in the port until Enditem
LOS ANGELES Jan Xinhua Hours before the first comet
sample return scientists and officials of the US space agency NASA
are gathering in a base in Utah state on Saturday to wait for the
finale of a year space Odyssey
I have been waiting years for this time said DrPeter
Tsou the deputy investigator who first put forward the Stardust
plan in Born in China Tsou is now among the team awaiting the capsule in Utah
In a telephone interview with Xinhua Tsou said the Stardust spacecraft was set to release a capsule carrying dust samples of a faraway comet at about Pacific time GMT Sunday
One minute later springs aboard the spacecraft will literally push the capsule away putting it into its trajectory toward the Utah Test and Training Range
And minutes later the Stardust spacecraft will perform a maneuver to enter orbit around the sun while the capsule is set to enter Earths atmosphere at an altitude of km at Pacific time GMT Sunday
The velocity of the sample return capsule as it enters Earths atmosphere at km per hour will be the greatest of any humanmade object on record This will surpass the record set in May during the return of the Apollo command module
On Saturday morning the spacecraft crossed the moons orbit as it makes its way toward Earth according to Tsou who is a senior researcher at NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory JPL based in Pasadena California
The spacecraft has traveled about billion km during its seven year roundtrip It is a journey that carried it around the Sun three times and beyond Mars and the asteroid belt as far out as halfway to Jupiter
This cosmic voyage was designed to trap cometary and interstellar dust particles which scientists believe will help provide answers to fundamental questions about the origins of the solar system and the life Tsou said
Comets are bodies of dust and ice that accumulated at the edge of the solar system near Pluto When they travel close to the Sun the solar heat causes the ices to sublime and the solar wind pushes the sublimed gases and dust to form a comets characteristic tail
Scientists believe indepth terrestrial analysis of cometary samples will reveal much not just about comets but about the earliest history of the solar system
Exploring the comet is a very interesting mission especially the target of our mission Wild he said Wild a comet spotted by astronomers first in is a new visitor to the inner part of the solar system
It has rounded the Sun for just circles that means most of its materials are well kept at a pristine state billion years ago Tsou said
Stardust the first NASA spacecraft dedicated solely to the exploration of a comet was launched on Feb from Cape Canaveral Florida
The primary goal of the mission collecting dust and carbonbased samples during its closest encounter with the comet was fulfilled as scheduled in January after nearly four years of space travel
In order to capture the dust samples Tsou also specially designed a medium a continuous gradient density silica aerogel that is percent air and so lightweight it almost floats
Particles captured in the aerogel will leave a carrotshaped trail and be embedded at the tip The flyby last year has yielded about onethousandth of an ounce of cometary dust for study Tsou said
Locked within the cometary particles is unique chemical and
physical information that could be the record of the formation of
the planets and the materials from which they were made
Getting a sample from a comet but not landing on it is probably the best chance we have of discovering what the solar system was like billion years ago Tsou said Enditem
BAMAKO Jan Xinhua Chinas telecom equipment maker Huawei Technologies Co Ltd signed a cooperation accord with Malis telecoms company on Saturday
Under the agreement Huawei will help Malis Sotelma develop a wireless network by providing the equipment and helping Sotelma seek financing for the project
The accord marks the start of longterm cooperation between the two companies
The deal came as Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing is on a sixnation tour of Africa to boost ties Li signed an agreement with his Malian counterpart Moctar Ouane on Friday on bilateral economic and technological cooperation
Huawei specializes in the development production and sales of telecom equipment The company set up its office in Mali in and has carried out cooperation with Sotelma in the fields of CDMA and NGN technologies Enditem
MADRID Jan Xinhua Spains High Court remanded in custody suspected militants for future trials and other legal proceedings judicial sources said on Saturday
According to an order of the Spanish High Court three people arrested in the same police crackdown were released and required to report to authorities regularly and another four are expected to appear before a judge next week
The suspected militants who were arrested in a police crackdown in Madrid and Barcelona on Tuesday were allegedly belonging to two terrorist cells recruiting fighters for Iraq insurgency in Spain
The cells were under the leadership of a yearold Moroccan Omar Nakcha and comprised Moroccans three Spaniards an Algerian and a Turk said Spanish Interior Minister Jose Antonio Alonso after the arrest
Spanish police have arrested more than suspects related to terrorist organizations since the beginning of last year Enditem
LOS ANGELES Jan Xinhua NASAs Stardust spacecraft successfully released its capsule carrying cometary and interstellar dust a mission expert said
The separate process was completed at Pacific time GMT Sunday when umbilical cables between spacecraft and capsule were severed according to Peter Tsou the deputy investigator who put forward the mission first in year
Fifteen minutes later the mother ship the Stardust spacecraft will perform a maneuver to enter orbit around the sun while the capsule is set to enter Earths atmosphere at an altitude of km over northern California Tsou told Xinhua in a telephone interview Enditem
LOS ANGELES Jan Xinhua NASAs Stardust spacecraft successfully released its capsule carrying cometary and interstellar dust a mission expert said
The separation process was completed at Pacific time GMT Sunday when umbilical cables between spacecraft and capsule were severed according to Peter Tsou the deputy investigator who put forward the mission first in year
Now we can confirm that the spacecraft and the capsule have separated There are two flying objects Tsou told Xinhua in a telephone interview
Fifteen minutes later the mother ship the Stardust spacecraft will perform a maneuver to enter orbit around the sun while the capsule is set to enter Earths atmosphere at an altitude of kilometers over northern California Tsou said
The Stardust spacecraft has been hovering km up before releasing the shuttlecockshaped capsule and putting it on course for a reentry early Sunday
The capsule will spin in free fall until it enters the atmosphere Its returning speed at about km per hour will be the fastest reentry of any manmade probe
The mission managed by NASAs Jet propulsion laboratory cost a total of million US dollars Enditem
PYONGYANG Jan Xinhua The Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea DPRK on Sunday again urged Japan to sincerely redeem its past crimes without delay
Japans liquidation of its past is its unavoidable legal and moral obligations and its historical commitment Japan should show to the world its will to settle its past wrongs in practice this year the major newspaper of Rodong Sinmun said in a signed article
The article also urged Japan to pay the debt incurred to the Korean nation the victim as an assailant and its honest apology and compensation for the damage done to the Koreans
The liquidation of the past crimes has become an international trend in the present times it stressed
The article said Germany has already admitted the crimes committed by Nazis during the World War II and made honest apology for them and paid adequate material compensation to the victims
Quite contrary to this Japan has persistently refused to admit its past crimes and settle them It is leaving no means untried to evade its responsibility for its past crimes denying and whitewashing all sorts of wrongs committed by it in Korea in the past the article added Enditem
BAGHDAD Al Qaida claimed on Saturday on a website responsibility for downing a US helicopter in northern Iraq which killed two pilots
Our lions in Mosul succeeded to shoot down a US helicopter on Friday by targeting it with mediumsized weapons al Qaida said in a statement posted on its website IraqUSHelicopter
DHAKA At least persons mainly children were killed in hours by the cold wave sweeping Bangladesh for the last nine days while thousands more hospitalized with cold related diseases like bronchitis pneumonia and breathing trouble sources in hospitals and media reports said
Particularly children and the elderly people in hundreds were admitted to hospitals and clinics in different parts of the country an official with the Health Directorate demanding anonymity told Xinhua on Sunday BangladeshCold Wave
KUWAIT CITY Kuwaits Amiri Diwan announced on Sunday the demise of Amir Sheikh Jaber AlAhmad AlJaber AlSabah at Sunday dawn
A nationwide mourning is declared for days and Kuwaits state institutions will be closed for three days starting from Sunday according to a statement from the Amiri Diwan KuwaitAmirDeath
LOS ANGELES NASAs Stardust spacecraft successfully released its capsule carrying cometary and interstellar dust a mission expert said
The separation process was completed at Pacific time GMT Sunday when umbilical cables between spacecraft and capsule were severed according to Peter Tsou the deputy investigator who put forward the mission first in year USStardust Enditem
HELSINKI Jan Xinhua Finns went on Sunday to polling stations and cast their votes in a presidential election in which incumbent President Tarja Halonen is the clear favorite
Polling stations opened at am GMT and were to close at pm GMT Reliable results are expected by pm GMT
Opinion polls showed Halonen and Finlands first woman president enjoys a support of up to percent of the electorate far exceeding seven other candidates
Her closest competitors are the Conservative Partys leader Sauli Niinistoe and centrist Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen who are projected to garner about percent and percent of the vote respectively
If Halonen wins as expected it will be the fifth consecutive victory for the Social Democrats in presidential elections
Finlands president is elected by popular vote every six years Enditem
JERUSALEM Jan Xinhua Israeli Cabinet on Sunday approved Palestinian voting in east Jerusalem Enditem
LONDON Jan Xinhua Following are major news items in leading British newspapers on Sunday
The Sunday Telegraph
Thousands of employees will be told work from home if Britain is hit by a bird flu pandemic
The Sunday Times
The scientist who cloned Britains first human embryo has accused his partner of breaching good scientific practices Miodrag Stojkovic says the dispute played a significant part in his decision to quit Newcastle University to take up a post this month in Spain
The Independent on Sunday
British Prime Minister Tony Blair is preparing to scrap a year ban on tapping telephones of members of Parliament despite fierce Cabinet opposition
The Observer
Plans to introduce ID cards could be in serious trouble on Monday as an escalating row over costs threatened to scupper the governments controversial legislation Enditem
KABUL Jan Xinhua A suicide car bomb hit a Canadian military convoy in Afghanistans southern city of Kandahar on Sunday causing casualties Enditem
LOS ANGELES Jan Xinhua NASAs Stardust capsule enters Earth atmosphere Enditem
LOS ANGELES Jan Xinhua A capsule carrying cometary and interstellar dust samples landed on a military base in Utah state early Sunday
LOS ANGELES Jan Xinhua After a year space Odyssey of about billion kilomters a capsule carrying the first comet sample landed on the salt flats in Utah state safely early Sunday morning
The Stardust capsule which returned to Earth at about Pacific time GMT is expected to provide clues to the origins of the solar system Experts with US space agency NASA had been waiting all the night when the capsule blazed across the predawn sky
Its a perfect landingwe are jumping and applauding Dr Peter Tsou the deputy investigator who put forward the plan first in year told Xinhua in a telephone interview I can hardly sleep Nevertheless I had been waiting years before this night
This mission is too important for me said Tsou who is among the team awaiting the capsule in Utah Born in China and educated in the United States Tsou is a senior researcher at NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory JPL based in Pasadena California
Now the recovery team has been sent to look for the capsule and deliver it to the US Army Dugway Proving Ground Utah for initial processing Tsou said
After entering the Earth atmosphere at about Pacific time the capsule released a drogue parachute at an altitude of approximately kilometers and then when it descended to an altitude of about kilometers the main parachute deployed to further decelerate the capsule
The velocity of the sample return capsule as it entered Earths atmosphere at kilometers per hour is the greatest of any humanmade object on record surpassing the record set in May during the return of the Apollo command module
The landing process actually began at about Pacific time GMT Sunday when the Stardust released the capsule to Earth
Fifteen minutes later the spacecraft ignited its thrusters and performed a maneuver to enter orbit around the Sun while the capsule dropped freely into Earths atmosphere at an altitude of kilometers over northern California
Then the capsule flied across the airspace over US western states of California and Nevada before reaching its ultimate destination in northwestern Utah lightening the sky just like a comet
The spacecraft has traveled about billion km during its seven year roundtrip It is a journey that carried it around the Sun three times and beyond Mars and the asteroid belt as far out as halfway to Jupiter
This cosmic voyage was designed to trap cometary and interstellar dust particles which scientists believe will help provide answers to fundamental questions about the origins of the solar system and the life
Comets are bodies of dust and ice that accumulated at the edge of the solar system near Pluto When they travel close to the Sun the solar heat causes the ices to sublime and the solar wind pushes the sublimed gases and dust to form a comets characteristic tail
Scientists believe indepth analysis of cometary samples will reveal much not just about comets but about the earliest history of the solar system
And Wild the target of this mission is a comet spotted by astronomers first in Experts believe it is a new visitor to the inner part of the solar system
It has rounded the Sun for just circles that means most of its materials are well kept at a pristine state billion years ago Tsou said
Stardust the first NASA spacecraft dedicated solely to the exploration of a comet was launched on Feb from Cape Canaveral Florida
The mission managed by the JPL cost a total of million US dollars It is part of NASAs Discovery project aiming to yield highquality scientific data with lower budget
The primary goal of the mission collecting dust and carbonbased samples during its closest encounter with the comet was fulfilled as scheduled in January after nearly four years of space travel Enditem
LONDON Jan Xinhua Thousands of employees in Britain will be told to work from home if Britain is hit by a bird flu pandemic
Many more jobs could go abroad as big companies seek to minimize the potentially devastating impact of the virus that has already traveled from the Far East to Turkey on the doorstep of Europe the Sunday Telegraph reported
Scientists predict that up to percent of the population is expected to be infected by the virus if it arrives in Britain in a form that can be passed from human to human the newspaper quoted a report from the World Health Organization
Companies are drawing up emergency plans to reduce or cope with the loss of one in four workers One expert warned that some could see their entire staff wiped out by the virus
Vodafone Norwich Union and the accountancy firms PriceWaterhouseCoopers and KPMG say they would make arrangements for staff to work from home Some workplace meetings would be replaced by video conference calls
David Way a national disaster adviser with the insurers Alexander Forbes said that up to percent of staff already had the facilities to work away from the office
Some large international companies will move operations and key staff abroad Norwich Union plans to transfer claims calls to centers in India and Sri Lanka
Even firms expecting a percent sickness toll including British Airways Boots BP and Vodafone say the real figure will be increased by staff who stay at home to look after relatives stricken by the virus
Evidence from the Far East suggests that half of those who have caught bird flu so far have died In Britain however the chief medical officer has put the figure for possible deaths at between and if the disease spreads between people
Last week the World Health Organization warned that the arrival of bird flu in Britain was inevitable and possibly imminent
The Sunday Telegraph surveyed dozens of large British companies and found that more than percent had made emergency plans Most firms said they were basing preparations on projections that percent of the population could be infected by the virus
A percent loss of staff would cut Britains million working population by million with devastating consequences for the economy
If we dont prepare properly then the country could be plunged into an economic crisis said one analyst Enditem
LONDON Jan Xinhua Thousands of old people in Britains care homes are being sedated with chemical cosh drugs while the National Health Service NHS fails to protect them the Sunday Telegraph reported
More than old pensioners may be inappropriately given antipsychotic drugs to pacify them and allow homes to cope with staff shortages in a scandal which robs them of dignity the newspaper said
Only eight percent of NHS primary care trusts have introduced proper safeguards to review annually the drug regimes of people aged and over whereas over care homes fail to meet the national minimum standard for medicine management of their residents
Prescribing of antipsychotic drugs which are supposed to be used in treatment of schizophrenia is soaring with an increase of percent among the overs in the past six years according to figures obtained from the health department
The sedative medicine may be used to calm care home residents who display challenging behavior such as physical violence or nighttime wandering
Between and the number of prescriptions of a modern form of these drugs called atypical antipsychotics quadrupled in the same age group rising from to more than million
Meanwhile official figures show a percent increase in adverse reactions to antipsychotics among those aged and over between and and an percent rise in fatalities linked to the drugs
Older people tend to be more sensitive to the side effects of antipsychotics which include dizziness and fainting Misuse of the drugs can mask other illnesses which could be fatal
A recent study by the journal Age and Aging of care homes in south London found that a quarter of their residents were on antipsychotics but percent of these prescriptions were deemed by experts to be inappropriate
If this figure were repeated nationally as many as older people may be sedated without good reason at any one time in care homes in England Enditem
KABUL Jan Xinhua Two people were killed and more injured in a suicide car bomb attack on a Canadian military convoy in the southern Afghan city of Kandahar on Sunday officials said
The convoy was driving near the Canadian base in Kandahar when the attack took place killing two civilians and wounding people including three soldiers according to Interior Ministry spokesman Dad Mohammed Rasa
US military spokesman Jerry OHara confirmed that the suicide bombers car hit the USled coalition convoy and three soldiers were injured However he declined to identify the nationality of the wounded soldiers
Canada has about troops stationed in Afghanistan nearly all of whom are based in Kandahar a former Taliban stronghold
The blast was the latest one in a series of suicide attacks over the past few weeks Enditem
ANKARA Jan Xinhua A fiveyearold boy suffering from high fever after contacting fowl was sent to an Istanbul hospital for test and treatment the Anatolia news agency reported on Sunday
The boy called Ferhat Budak came into contact with chickens three days ago in the yard of his house in Gebze km east of Istanbul
If the case is confirmed it will become the first detected in Istanbul Turkeys largest city where no human cases have ever been reported
In addition two other children showing bird flulike symptoms were reported to be in serious condition in the eastern city of Van near Iran
Tests were underway on Sunday to determine whether they had contracted the virulent HN strain
Turkey has witnessed a renewed outbreak of bird flu across the country after the first outbreak in the east was put under control in October
HN has so far killed three children all from one family in Dogubeyazit in eastern Turkey and infected others are in the countrywide
A National Coordination Center for Bird Flu has been established and it will be the only authority to update the public on new bird flu cases and issue official statements on the development of the disease said Anatolia Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinese President Hu Jintao on Sunday offered condolences over the demise of Kuwaits emir Sheikh Jaber AlAhmad AlJaber AlSabah
In his message to Crown Prince Sheikh Saad alAbdullah alSalem al Sabah Hu said the late emir of Kuwait was an outstanding leader who attached great importance to Kuwaits ties with China visited China three times in his life time and made significant contributions to the friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries
The Chinese president said the death of Sheikh Jaber was a loss not only to the Kuwaiti people but also to the Chinese people who have lost an old respected friend
The Chinese leader said China is willing to make joint efforts with Kuwait to promote friendship and cooperation between the two countries
Sheikh Jaber died at dawn on Sunday after a long illness Later in the day the Kuwaiti cabinet appointed Crown Prince Sheikh Saad new emir of the oilrich kingdom Enditem
ANKARA Jan Xinhua A yearold girl suspected of having contracted bird flu died in a hospital in the eastern Turkish city of Van on Sunday the Health Ministry announced
Though preliminary tests showed Fatma Ozcan was negative for the HN strain laboratory tests have yet to confirm whether the girl had actually been infected
Fatmas fiveyearold brother Muhammet Ozcan had tested positive for the deadly virus increasing the number of the infected in Turkey to
The boy was in serious condition in hospital the ministry said
The two children were from the same region of Dogubeyazit where three siblings died of the bird flu virus less than two weeks ago
Doctors said the two children had been in contact with infected chickens and were brought to the hospital six days after they began showing the first symptoms
According to the World Health Organization antibird flu drugs work best if given in the first hours after the onset of symptoms Enditem
BUCHAREST Jan Xinhua Romanian president Traian Basescu on Sunday ordered the closure of a yearold coal mine one day after a deadly blast occurred there
The explosion occurred on Saturday in the southwestern city of Anina killing seven miners and injuring five others
We are closing the mine we will seek solutions for Anina Basescu told a group of government officials reporters and relatives of the dead
At more than meters below the surface the Anina coal employing miners is one of the deepest mines in Europe
Local police said the explosion was due to an accumulation of methane gas in the shaft of the mine which produces some tons of coal every day the biggest in west Romania
An investigation is underway into the causes of the accident Enditem
WASHINGTON Jan Xinhua The following are major news items in leading US newspapers on Sunday
The Washington Post
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad pushed back at US President George W Bush and European leaders on Saturday insisting Iran will press ahead with its nuclear program despite the threat of economic sanctions because ultimately they need us more than we need them
Sheik Jabir Ahmed Sabah the emir of Kuwait who survived an assassination attempt in the s and a decade later escaped Iraqi troops invading his oilrich Persian Gulf state died Sunday state television announced
The chief judge presiding over the trial of Saddam Hussein submitted his resignation last week after coming under public criticism for the way he was handling the courtroom another judge involved in the case said Saturday
The New York Times
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon remained in critical but stable condition on Saturday a spokesman for HadassahEin Kerem Hospital said
Pakistans government on Saturday condemned a deadly American airstrike on a village in the northwestern tribal region and a senior Pakistani security official said he was confident that Ayman alZawahiri the No leaders of Al Qaeda and the target of the strike had not been in the village when it was hit Enditem
ATHENS Jan Xinhua Greek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis said here Saturday that the revision of Greek constitution proposed by his government is aimed at improving efficiency of the state
The main goal of the constitutional revision is to find ways to make our society and our state more efficient he said in an exclusive interview with Xinhua
To that end some institutions and procedures need to be improved Karamanlis said in his office
What we should focus upon is to improve some of the institutions some of our procedures so as to improve efficiency of our state he added
Karamanlis pointed out that educational reform transparency of political life and protection of the environment are the three main topics of the proposed revision
We strongly believe that there should be a room for also nonstate controlled universities to function in Greece I think this is very very logical proposal he said
It is an innovation which I think will prove very beneficial the prime minister said
The political transparency as a precondition for democracy and efficient administration is the basic goal for all societies in our days said Karamanlis
He pointed out that his government will not allow environmental issues to block the sustainable economic development although the balance of ecosystem is a broader problem for almost all countries in the world Enditem
MOSCOW Jan Xinhua Russias Black Sea Fleet boosted security at its navigational facilities on Sunday amid a dispute with Ukraine over a lighthouse linked to the fleet in the Crimean city of Yalta a navy spokesman said
Security at the Black Sea Fleets navigational facilities has been tightened Igor Dygalo was quoted by the Interfax news agency as saying If further attempts are made to seize the fleets facilities or to enter them security will be tightened even further
Russias move came after Ukraine threatened to take over all the navigational facilities of the Black Sea Fleet
The two countries signed an accord in on dividing up the Soviet Black Sea Fleet Under the deal Russia leases the Sevastopol port in Ukraines Crimea peninsula to base its ships until
The dispute emerged on Friday when staff of a Ukrainian state company seized the lighthouse and denied Russian servicemen access to the lighthouse
Russian navy officials have accused Ukraine of violating the lease agreement that allows the Black Sea Fleet to use Ukraines facilities
The Russian Foreign Ministry on Sunday called for dialogue with Ukraine saying only a constructive dialogue could yield mutually compatible solutions to disputes between the two countries
During a recent row over natural gas prices Ukraine threatened to raise the annual rent Russia pays for leasing the Sevastopol port Russia rejected it as unacceptable Enditem
JERUSALEM Doctors treating Prime Minister Ariel Sharon will conduct a tracheotomy to wean him off a respirator a hospital official said Sunday IsraelSharon
KUWAIT CITY The Kuwaiti cabinet here Sunday appointed Crown Prince Sheikh Saad alAbdullah alSalem alSabah new emir of the oilrich kingdom after the death of his predecessor an official statement said KuwaitEmir
LONDON Thousands of employees in Britain will be told to work from home if Britain is hit by a bird flu pandemic
Many more jobs could go abroad as big companies seek to minimize the potentially devastating impact of the virus that has already traveled from the Far East to Turkey on the doorstep of Europe the Sunday Telegraph reported BritainBird Flu
KABUL Two people were killed and more injured in a suicide car bomb attack on a Canadian military convoy in the southern Afghan city of Kandahar on Sunday officials said AfghanistanSuicide bomb
MANILA Fifteen people most of them children drowned on Sunday after a passenger ferry capsized during a religious parade in Southern Leyte central Philippines local radio DZMM reported PhilippineFerry Accident Enditem
S
S
LONDON Jan Xinhua Following are the results of English Premier League games played on Saturday
Arsenal bt Middlesbrough
Aston Villa lost to West Ham
Blackburn drew Bolton
Charlton bt Birmingham
Fulham bt Newcastle
Liverpool bt Tottenham
Manchester City bt Manchester United
Portsmouth lost to Everton
Enditem
LONDON Jan Xinhua Manchester City stunned rivals United with a derby win at Eastlands on Saturday while Arsenal took out their title frustrations on Middlesbrough by hammering the Teessiders at Highbury
Trevor Sinclair and Darius Vassell gave Stuart Pearces side a lead and Robbie Fowlers injurytime strike made sure of the points after United who had Cristiano Ronaldo sent off for a wild lunge had pulled it back to through Ruud van Nistelrooy
Arsenal went rampant at home making light work of Boro as captain Thierry Henry collected a hattrick while Philippe Senderos Robert Pires Gilberto and Alexander Hleb all got themselves on the scoresheet as the Gunners made light work of Boro
The result was never in doubt before the second half when the Gunners waltzed to a lead
Boro held out for minutes but an exquisite move saw Arsenal go ahead Freddie Ljungberg found Henry with a cross which allowed the France international to volley home impressively
Senderos powered in a header from Jose Antonio Reyes corner before Henry made it on the halfhour to leave Boro in disarray
In first half stoppage time Pires got in on the act and exposed hapless Boro again with a sublime solo effort
More calamitous defending saw Arsenal extend their lead before the hour mark when Gilberto headed Henrys freekick goalwards and Brad Jones could only fumble it in
The Arsenal exhibition continued when Henry made it to complete his hattrick Minutes later Doriva was sent off for a second caution to compound a miserable afternoon and Hleb completed the rout with a seventh
A stunning Harry Kewell volley handed Liverpool victory in their highlyanticipated showdown with Tottenham at Anfield
The Reds eked out a win against man Spurs following a first half bereft of real chances
After the break it was inform Liverpool who took the lead and in spectacular fashion Kewell was in space at the far post and he met Steve Finnans cross to send a crashing volley past Paul Robinson
Paul Stalteri was sent off towards the end for a professional foul after he brought Kewell down
Newcastles woes continued with a defeat at Fulham
With Alan Shearer looking to break Jackie Milburns club goalscoring record chances were rare but after the break Chris Colemans side stole the points with a sweeping move on the break
Substitute Brian McBride fed Collins John and when Shay Given saved his shot Steed Malbranque was on hand to score after minutes
West Ham came from behind to win at Aston Villa Villa took a firsthalf lead when Lee Hendrie glanced home an excellent cross from Jlloyd Samuel
But Bobby Zamora brought his side level after minutes by heading in unmarked from Paul Koncheskys freekick on the left before Marlon Harewood completed the turnaround nine minutes later with a welltaken penalty after Mark Delaney handled in the area
Former Birmingham midfielder Bryan Hughes proved the hero as Charlton beat Steve Bruces side at The Valley
Hughes headed Dennis Rommedahls corner home in the first half to give his side the lead against the run of play And with the away team chasing an equaliser Darren Bent held off Mario Melchiots challenge to seal the win in added time
Leon Osman pounced to give Everton a narrow win against revitalised Portsmouth Pompey failed to clear their lines after Joseph Yobos freekick and Osman nipped in to stab past Jamie Ashdown minutes from the break
Elsewhere Birmingham and Portsmouth remain in trouble at the wrong end of the table after defeats to Charlton and Everton respectively Enditem
LISBON Jan Xinhua Following are the results and standings from the Portuguese soccer league on Saturday
Belenenses lost to Sporting
Braga bt Uniao Leiria
Standings P W D L F A Pts
Porto
Braga
Benfica
Nacional Madeira
Sporting
Vitoria Setubal
Uniao Leiria
Boavista
Maritimo
Estrela Amadora
FC Pacos de Ferreira
Rio Ave
Gil Vicente
Belenenses
Academica
Naval
Vitoria Guimaraes
Penafiel
Enditem
MADRID Jan Xinhua Following are the results of the Spanish first division soccer league home teams listed first
Real Betis bt Atletico Madrid
Valencia bt Osasuna
Sundays
Zaragoza vs Mallorca
Deportivo La Coruna vs Alaves
Real Sociedad vs Espanyol
Getafe vs Celta Vigo
Malaga vs Cadiz
Racing Santander vs Villarreal
FC Barcelona vs Athletic Bilbao
Real Madrid vs Sevilla
Enditem
MADRID Jan Xinhua Following are the leading scorers of the Spanish first division soccer league on Saturday
Samuel Etoo Barcelona
David Villa Valencia
Ronaldinho Barcelona
Diego Tristan Deportivo Coruna
Ronaldo Real Madrid
Juan Riquelme Villarreal
Ewerthon Real Zaragoza
Fernando Baiano Celta Vigo
Diego Milito Real Zaragoza
Xavier Prieto Real Sociedad
Nene Alaves
Daniel Gueiza Getafe
Raul Real Madrid
Ivan Riki Getafe
Fabian Canobbio Celta Vigo
Antonito Racing Santander
Salva Malaga
Enditem
BRUSSELS Jan Xinhua Belgian tennis star Kim Clijsters said Saturday that the hip injury was giving her more trouble than expected and was rather pessimistic about her condition ahead of the Australian Open to start Monday
In an interview with the Belgian paper Het Nieuwsblad Clijsters said that she could not train and was undergoing intensive therapy
Clijsters told the paper that she would ask the Australian Open organizers if she can postpone her first match until Tuesday
Even if she gets permission to delay her start at the tournament the question remains whether Clijsters will be in a fit state for the tournament
Clijsters acknowledged that the injury has a lot to do with her style of play but also realized that she cannot change this so late in her professional tennis career
She withdrew from her quarterfinal at the Sydney International on Wednesday last week after hurting her left hip during warmups
The yearold returned to competition last year following left wrist surgery and also had to fight back from a right knee strain during to win a tourleading nine titles Enditem
WASHINGTON Jan Xinhua Following are the leaders of the National Basketball Association through Jan
Scoring
G FG FT PTS AVG
Bryant LAL
Iverson Phil
James Clev
Arenas Wash
Wade Mia
Pierce Bos
Nowitzki Dall
Carter NJ
McGrady Hou
Anthony Den
Brand LAC
Redd Mil
Allen Sea
Bosh Tor
Richardson GS
Garnett Minn
Lewis Sea
ONeal Ind
Hamilton Det
Marion Phoe
FG Percentage
FG FGA PCT
ONeal Mia
AbdurRahim Sac
Garnett Minn
Wallace Char
Bogut Mil
Parker SA
Gooden Clev
Brezec Char
Brand LAC
West Bos
Rebounds
G OFF DEF TOT AVG
B Wallace Det
Howard Orl
Marion Phoe
Duncan SA
Garnett Minn
Brand LAC
Webber Phil
ONeal Ind
Jamison Wash
Magloire Mil
Assists
G AST AVG
Nash Phoe
Davis GS
Miller Den
Billups Det
Knight Char
Kidd NJ
Iverson Phil
Paul NOk
Wade Mia
Marbury NY
Enditem
WASHINGTON Jan Xinhua Following are the results of the mens individual race at the US Figure Skating Championships on Saturday in St Louis Missouri
Men
Final standings after free skate
Johnny Weir points
Evan Lysacek
Matthew Savoie
Michael Weiss
Scott Smith
Ryan Jahnke
Enditem
PARIS Jan Xinhua Following is the classification after stage from the Dakar Rally cars on Saturday
Luc Alphand France Mitsubishi
Giniel de Villiers South Africa Volkswagen
Nani Roma Spain Mitsubishi
Stephane Peterhansel France Mitsubishi
Mark Miller United States Volkswagen
JeanLouis Schlesser France SchlesserFord
Carlos Sousa Portugal Nissan
Bruno Saby France Volkswagen
Guerlain Chicherit France BMW
Thierry Magnaldi France SchlesserFord
Carlos Sainz Spain Volkswagen
Philippe Gache France Buggy
JeanFrancois Guinot France Volkswagen
Salvador Servia Costa Spain BMW
Alfie Cox South Africa BMW
Erik Ivar Tollefsen Norway Bowler
JeanJacques Ratet France Toyota
Bob ten Harkel Netherlands Bowler
Xu Lang China Nissan
Christian Lavieille France Nissan
Enditem
PARIS Jan Xinhua Following is the classification after stage from the Dakar Rally bikes on Saturday
Marc Coma Spain KTM
Cyril Despres France KTM
Giovanni Sala Italy KTM
Chris Blais United States KTM
Carlo de Gavardo Chile KTM
Pal Anders Ullevalseter Norway KTM
Alain Duclos France KTM
David Casteu France KTM
Helder Rodrigues Portugal Yamaha
Janis Vinters Latvia KTM
Michel Gau France KTM
Henk Knuiman Netherlands Yamaha
David Fretigne France Yamaha
Jacek Czachor Poland KTM
Gilles Algay France Yamaha
Gerard Farres Spain Yamaha
Jonah Street United States KTM
Thierry Bethys France Honda
Michel Marchini France Yamaha
Xacob Agra Spain Yamaha
Enditem
WASHINGTON Jan Xinhua Following are the results from the NBA games on Saturday home team in CAPS
Washington ATLANTA OT
DETROIT Charlotte
Denver MILWAUKEE
Indiana CHICAGO
SAN ANTONIO Memphis
DALLAS New Jersey
NO Oklahoma City HOUSTON
PHOENIX Cleveland
Miami UTAH
LA Lakers GOLDEN STATE
LA CLIPPERS Seattle
Enditem
WASHINGTON Jan Xinhua Following are the standings from the NBA on Saturday
EASTERN CONFERENCE
ATLANTIC DIVISION
W L PCT GB
New Jersey
Philadelphia
Boston
NY Knicks
Toronto
CENTRAL DIVISION
W L PCT GB
Detroit
Cleveland
Indiana
Milwaukee
Chicago
SOUTHEAST DIVISION
W L PCT GB
Miami
Washington
Orlando
Charlotte
Atlanta
WESTERN CONFERENCE
NORTHWEST DIVISION
W L PCT GB
Utah
Denver
Minnesota
Seattle
Portland
PACIFIC DIVISION
W L PCT GB
Phoenix
LA Clippers
LA Lakers
Golden State
Sacramento
SOUTHWEST DIVISION
W L PCT GB
San Antonio
Dallas
Memphis
NO Oklahoma City
Houston
Enditem
WASHINGTON Jan Xinhua Following are the results from Saturdays freestyle World Cup aerials event in Park City Utah
Aerials one round because of winds
Mens
Dmitri Dashinski Belarus points
Warren Shouldice Canada
Kyle Nisen Canada
Ales Valenta Czech Republic
Ryan Blais Canada
Joe Pack United States
Ou Xiaotao China
Jeret Peterson United States
Dmitri Rak Belarus
Han Xiaopeng China
Standings after events
Kyle Nissen Canada points
Warren Shouldice Canada
Dmitri Dashinski Belarus
Ryan St Onge United States
Jeret Peterson United States
Joe Pack United States
Xiaopeng Han China
Sen Qiu China
Xiaotao Ou China
Alexei Grishin Belarus
Womens
Guo Xinxin China
Veronika Bauer Canada
Alla Tsuper Belarus
Li Nina China
Nadiya Didenko Ukraine
Emily Cook United States
Anna Zukal Russia
Manuela Mueller Switzerland
Tatiana Kozachenko Ukraine
Amber Peterson Canada
Standings after events
Li Nina China
Manuela Mueller Switzerland
Evelyne Leu Switzerland
Guo Xinxin China
Alla Tsuper Belarus
Veronika Bauer Canada
Xu Nannan China
Emily Cook United States
Oly Slivets Belarus
Lanie Cole Australia
Enditem
WASHINGTON Jan Xinhua Michelle Kwan made the US figure skating team for the Turin Olympics despite missing the national trials with a groin injury
The selection committee gave the ninetime US and fivetime world champion a medical bye Saturday night placing her on the team with Kimmie Meissner
She made it ahead of thirdplace finisher Emily Hughes who was designated an alternate along with Katy Taylor Enditem
WASHINGTON Jan Xinhua Dmitri Dashinski of Belarus on Saturday won a oneround World Cup aerials event in Park City Utah
Dashinski received points beating Canadas Warren Shouldice who scored ahead of countryman Kyle Nissen with
Chinese Guo Xinxin won the womens event with points Second place went to Canadian Veronika Bauer at with Alla Tsuper of Belarus third with
The World Cup tour heads next to Lake Placid New York for two moguls contests and an aerials meet Jan Enditem
LUSAKA Jan Xinhua The Zambian government has no money to assist National Broadcasting Corporation ZNBC to facilitate the beaming of the Africa Cup to be held in Egypt this month according to Sunday Post
The local newspaper quoted Information minister Vernon Mwaanga as saying here on Friday that the government could not afford to pay the huge amount of money being requested for in order to facilitate the live broadcast of the games
We realize how important football is to the nation but ZNBC has not money to broadcast the games and we also dont have the money he said
That is why we are joining the call of appealing to the business community to assist just like they have done before to enable ZNBC broadcast these games live
Staterun ZNBC is seeking billion kwacha about one mission US dollars to facilitate the beaming and has only raised million kwacha about dollars Enditem
NEW DELHI Jan Xinhua Kenyas Daniel Krono won the Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon in two hours and nine minutes according to IndoAsian News Service
Although there were around people who took part at least twice the number was out on Mumbais roads many to cheer the participants Enditem
LUSAKA Jan Xinhua Over Zambian soccer fans will go to Egypt on Jan to cheer the Zambian team in the Africa Cup to be kicked off in five days Sunday Times reported
The local newspaper quoted Chipolopolo Soccer Fans Association CSFA General Secretary Tom Ngenda as saying here on Saturday that up to soccer fans will make the trip to Alexandria where Group C will be based
He said CSFA wants to ensure the team get maximum support so that they could return home with trophy
Zambia is definitely coming back with the trophy and we have to be there to give the boys massive support Ngenda said
After the Tunisia match Zambia will then play Guinea on Jan with the last Group C match against South Africa on Jan Enditem
NICOSIA Jan Xinhua The recent bird flu scare in Turkey has prompted some foreign football teams to relocate their season training breaks from Antalya Turkey to Cyprus
According to local press reports on Sunday five top flight Romanian teams have cancelled plans to schedule their traditional winter training because of the crisis in Turkey Cyprus Italy and Greece will now host Dinamo Bucharest CFR Cluj Politehnica Timisoara Rapid Bucharest and Vaslui Another four teams from the Balkan state are also believed to be on the lookout for another location for their training
The deadly HN virus has been found in wild birds and poultry across Turkey particularly eastern Turkey It has killed three children and infected a further people in the country since the start of the year
Rapid Bucharest midfielder Marius Maldarasanu reportedly said that he agreed with his sides decision to relocate from Antalya saying of course Im worried because I have two children at home
Cyprus is not an unknown location for foreign clubs taking winter breaks abroad Dromolaxia Ayia Napa and Paphos are frequently used by clubs and in the past prominent teams such as Crystal Palace Dinamo Moscow Slavia Prague and Swedish side Malmo have used Cyprus as a training location
Crystal Palace coach Iain Dowie said the island was ideal because it offered perfect weather conditions for the club He added that the island was also a nice change for the players Enditem
CAIRO Jan Xinhua Spains Marc Coma riding a KTM won the Dakar Rally for the first time following the th and final stage on Sunday
The Catalonian beat out reigning champion Cyril Despres of France into second spot with Italys Giovanni Sala finishing third
Coma the second Spaniard to win the motorcycling category after Nani Roma in claimed victory without winning a single stage Enditem
VIENNA Jan Xinhua Following are the results Sunday from a luge World Cup competition on the Olympic track run times in parentheses
Men
Doubles
Andre Florschuetz and Torsten Wustlich Germany minute
seconds
Christian Oberstolz and Patrick Gruber Italy
Gerhard Plankensteiner and Oswald Haselrieder Italy
Patric Leitner and Alexander Resch Germany
Markus Schiegl and Tobias Schiegl Austria
Mark Grimette and Brian Martin United States
Doubles World Cup standings
After of events
Patric Leitner and Alexander Resch Germany points
Christian Oberstolz and Patrick Gruber Italy
Markus Schiegl and Tobias Schiegl Austria
Andre Florschuetz and Torsten Wustlich Germany
Gerhard Plankensteiner and Oswald Haselrieder Italy
Sebastian Schmidt and Andre Forker Germany
Enditem
VIENNA Jan Xinhua Following are womens podium finishers in the Alpine ski World Cup
DOWNHILL
Lake Louise Canada Dec
Elena Fanchini Italy one minute seconds
Michaela Dorfmeister Austria
Alexandra Meissnitzer Austria
Lake Louise Dec
Lindsey Kildow US
Sylviane Berthod Switzerland
Dorfmeister
Val dIsere France Dec
Kildow
Caroline Lalive US
Meissnitzer
Bad Kleinkirchheim Austria Jan
Anja Paerson Sweden
Dorfmeister
Fraenzi Aufdenblatten Switzerland
Bad Kleinkirchheim Jan
Janica Kostelic Croatia
Nike Bent Sweden
Dorfmeister
SUPERG
Lake Louise Dec
Meissnitzer
Andrea Fischbacher Austria
Dorfmeister
Aspen Colorado Dec
Nadia Styger Switzerland
Dorfmeister
Fischbacher
Val dIsere Dec
Dorfmeister
Meissnitzer
Emily Brydon Canada
Bad Kleinkirchheim Jan
Kostelic
equal Dorfmeister
equal Meissnitzer
GIANT SLALOM
Soelden Austria Oct
Tina Maze Slovenia
Kostelic
Paerson
Aspen Colorado Dec
Maria Jose Rienda Contreras Spain
Paerson
Kathrin Zettel Austria
Spindleruv Mlyn Czech Republic Dec
Kostelic
Zettel
Marlies Schild Austria
Lienz Austria Dec
Paerson
Nicole Hosp Austria
Maze
SLALOM
Aspen Colorado Dec
Paerson
Kostelic
Zettel
Spindleruv Mlyn Dec
Paerson
Kostelic
Schild
Lienz Dec
Schild
Hosp
Kostelic
ZagrebSljeme Croatia Jan
Schild
Zettel
Kostelic
Maribor Slovenia Jan
Schild
Kostelic
Therese Borssen Sweden
Enditem
XIAMEN Southeast China Jan Xinhua Many golf enthusiasts from Republic of Korea ROK had come to Chinas southeast city of Xiamen because of the warm weather and lower expenditure here local sources told Xinhua on Sunday
On the contrary some golf courses in ROK closed in winter because of the cold weather
The airlines between Xiamen and Seoul the capital city of ROK were full of golf fans and there were more than golf fans from ROK came to Xiamen on Jan a source from Gaoqi Frontier Station of the Xiamen General Frontier Inspection Station said
Gaoqi Frontier Station has sent the police who passed KLPT Korean language standard test to the frontier post in order to provide better services to the tourists from ROK
Xiamen Airline added more than lines between Xiamen and ROK from last Dec Enditem
FUZHOU Southeast China Jan Xinhua The sports lottery had produced millionaires last year in east Chinas Fujian Province a source from the provincial Sports Lottery Managing Center said Sunday
The sales volume of the sports lottery reached billion yuan million US dollars increased by percent year on year which contributed million yuan million US dollars of public welfare fund for China
The games of the Thirtysix Selected Seven Thirtyone Selected Seven and Sevenstar had produced prizes of special grades and one of good fortune Seventytwo got one million yuan whicd included prizes of five million yuan
Football lottery of Fujian had created prizes and prizes got one million yuan
Experts said its very good for the Fujian Sportslottery to increase under the condition of wild running of Liuhecai lottery and the newly developped products of the sports lottery last year lured some investors Enditem
VIENNA Jan Xinhua Following are the results Sunday from the Ski Flying World Championships on the Kulm jump
Team
Norway Bjoern Einar Romoeren Lars Bystol Tommy
Ingebrigtsen Roar Ljoekelsoey points
Finland Janne Happonen Tami Kiuru Matti Hautamaeki Janne
Ahonen
Germany Michael Neumayer Georg Spaeth Alexander Herr
Michael Uhrmann
Austria Martin Koch Thomas Morgenstern Andreas Kofler
Andreas Widhoelzl
Slovenia Jernej Damjan Rok Benkovic Robert Kranjec Primoz
Peterka
Switzerland Andreas Kuettel Michael Moellinger Guido
Landert Simon Ammann
Russia Ildar Fatchullin Dmitri Vassiliev Denis Kornilov
Dmitri Ipatov
Czech Republic Antonin Hajek Borek Sedlak Jan Matura Jakub
Janda Enditem
VIENNA Jan Xinhua Croatian Janica Kostelic took her first World Cup superG title on Sunday and became the first woman to claim wins in six different disciplines on the skiing circuit
The triple Olympic champion a heavy favorite to dominate the upcoming Winter Games finished in minute seconds before hopping across the snow and shaking her skis in joy at her historic victory
Its funny I feel like laughing like crying it was my goal Kostelic said Its the dream of all skiers to win every discipline
The Croat was second ahead of Austrians Michaela Dorfmeister and Alexandra Meissnitzer the seasons top two superG racers who tied for second place Kirsten Clark of the United States was fourth in
Kostelics triumph capped a remarkable three weeks for the Croat The yearold claimed her first World Cup downhill Saturday and her first giant slalom on the tour three weeks ago
Among her World Cup wins Kostelic now has captured all five main disciplines the giant slalom downhill slalom superG and combined Two other women had accomplished that feat Swedens Pernilla Wiberg and Austrias Petra Kronberger
But Kostelic also owns a win in the new supercombi race taking the first one when it was held last February in San Sicario Italy
Kostelic is now the runaway leader in the season overall standings with points to Dorfmeisters with Swedens Anja Paerson at
After winning three gold medals at both the Salt Lake City Olympics and last years world championships Kostelics recent success raised expectations of another medal haul at the Turin Games starting Feb
But she keeps playing down her chances Enditem
ROME Jan Xinhua Finn Hannu Manninen snatched the nordic combined race title on Sunday to consolidate his overall lead in the World Cup standings
Reigning overall champion Manninen has won seven of the races this season Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Following are the results of the Chinese Basketball Association CBA league th round matches on Sunday home teams in CAPs
GUANGDONG HONGYUAN bt Zhejiang Cyclones
Shanghai Sharks bt YUNNAN HONGHE
Bayi Rockets bt DONGGUAN NEW CENTURY
Jiangsu Dragons bt FUJIAN SBS
LIAONING HUNTERS bt Shandong Flamming Bulls
Jilin Northeast Tigers bt HENAN JIGANG
BEIJING DUCKS bt Shaanxi Dongsheng
Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Following are the standings of the Chinese Basketball Association CBA league after the th round matches played on Sunday tabulated under matches played won lost and rankings
South Conference
Guangdong Hongyuan
Bayi Rockets
Jiangsu Dragons
Yunnan Honghe
Shanghai Sharks
Zhejiang Cyclones
Fujian SBS
Dongguan New Century
North Conference
Beijing Ducks
Xinjiang Guanghui
Jilin Northeast Tigers
Liaoning Hunters
Shandong Flaming Bulls
Shaanxi Dongsheng
Henan Jigang
Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Following are the fixtures of the Chinese Basketball Association CBA league th round matches for January home teams listed first
Playing on Tuesday Jan
Guangdong Hongyuan vs Bayi Rockets
Playing on Wednesday Jan
Dongguan New Century vs Zhejiang Cyclones
Fujian SBS vs Shanghai Sharks
Jilin Northeast Tigers vs Shandong Flamming Bulls
Liaoning Hunters vs Henan Jigang
Yunnan Honghe vs Jiangsu Dragons
Enditem
XIAMEN Jan Xinhua Chinese President Hu Jintao said here Saturday that better aid and services will be provided for Taiwan compatriots to do business in the mainland
Hu made the remarks during a meeting with representatives of Taiwan businessmen in Xiamen Fujian Province
Hu Jintao said the mainland welcomes more Taiwan people to do business adding that the businesses cooperation between the mainland and Taiwan benefits the people across the Taiwan Straits
Hu also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission praised the development of the Haicang Taiwan BusinessmenInvestment Zone in which Taiwan companies have put high investment mainly in electronic petrochemical and mechanical fields
The achievements of the Taiwan entrepreneurs in the zone showed that they could receive better economic rewards and their businesses could benefit economies on both sides Hu said
Direct shipping and flight mail and trade links across the Straits will closer economic ties between the two sides said Hu hoping that civilian organizations on both sides could help realize the objective on an earlier date
Hu conveyed Spring Festival greetings to Taiwan entrepreneurs in the mainland
Representatives of Taiwan businessmen also expressed their willingness to increase investment in the mainland and their longing for direct shipping and flight mail and trade links across the Straits Enditem
GUANGZHOU Jan Xinhua Civil service has become such a popular profession in China that every post is rivaled by people on the average Nevertheless Li Jianneng resigned from the local government to live an idyllic life in the countryside
I want to quit from fierce competition and dont want to make more money said the former director of Guangzhou Citys Administration of Parks and Gardens In his s he is now a member of a lazy mens club
He built a house with bricks and logs by himself in which few electric appliances are seen A bookshelf a sofa and a teapot are the furniture
Every morning Li goes fishing at the pond in front of his house and then rows a boat across the pond to a garden to pick vegetables and fruits for lunch
He chats with other members of the lazy mens club in the afternoon exchanges ideas on their hobbies and sometimes shows others his calligraphy and photographs
Thirteen families have joined the lazy mens club including lawyers public servants owners of private enterprises doctors and real estate agents
They rented square meters of farmland on the outskirts of Guangzhou then worked together to build houses plant vegetables raise poultry and share the revenue living a selfsufficient life
Dating back to more than years ago ancient Chinese poet Tao Yuanming wrote a wellknown prose to describe his ideal pastoral life in a utopia
Li and his fellows have realized Taos dream in their life These hermits will only wait for plants to grow after seeds are sownFertilizer and pesticide are never used
One of the founders of the lazy mens club surnamed Long handed over the operations of his company to a manager three years ago after running it for eight years
I spent three days fishing every week and met many lazy men The idea of setting up a club comes up he said
Pastoral life in the lazy mens club is a new option for elites who made an effort to succeed said a lawyer surnamed Ke who is also now a member of the club
Young people seeking ease and comfort are not welcome in this club because they do not carry out their responsibilities toward their families and the society said Ke
To become a member of the club one needs to be rich but downplay money he added
Similar clubs are seen in other cities such as Chongqing and Shanghai Club members are reportedly eager to stay away from cities
The emergence of lazy mens clubs shows that with development of social life some people pay more attention to spiritual life after getting rich said Li Yingsheng a sociology professor with the Peoples University of China
They turn to pastoral life because as elites they were under more pressure in cities than before Li said
Cheng Su who came to work in Shanghai moved her house times within a year She said she always felt lonely in the metropolis Psychologists ascribed the loneliness to the depression caused by huge pressure
The incidence of depression and anxiety are percent and percent in China Over percent of people who have committed suicide suffered from depression and anxiety according to a recent survey
Under tremendous pressure some elites died of chronic diseases caused by hard work Wang Junyao once a leading entrepreneur in eastern Zhejiang Province used to work hours daily and became a wellknown billionaire in his s However he died of fatigue at the age of alarming his counterparts
One out of every four entrepreneurs in China suffers from chronic diseases caused by tension from work Loneliness often evolves into a general worldweariness a recent investigation has found
However the lifestyle of lazy mens clubs are not recommended as elites contribute a lot to the development of the society said Li Yingsheng
Deng Tao a sales manager of a real estate company spends much of his time traveling He said at present he could not join the lazy mens club I have many things to do such as supporting parents and doing my jobEnditem
CHENGDU Jan Xinhua Southwest Chinas Sichuan Province will make efforts to ensure water safety for eight million rural people by the end of according to an official with the provincial water resources bureau
Peng Shuming director of the provincial water resources bureau said that Sichuan will ensure water safety by protecting water sources in the coming five years
The province is expected to control soil erosion on square kilometers of land and ensure percent of its water bodies is up to state standards
Meanwhile Sichuan will strive to promote water saving and improve water supply safety By the end of there will be billion cubic meters of water supply newly added to guarantee the water safety of million rural people
Chen Wenguang vice governor of Sichuan called for different departments to work together to solve the problems that affect water safety including water with high fluorin bitter and salt water polluted water and water shortage
We wish to guarantee water safety for million rural people by the end of said Peng
In the past five years Sichuan built watersupply projects and ensured potable water supply for million people The province spent billion yuan about billion US dollars on basic water projects in the fiveyear period Enditem
SHENZHEN Jan Xinhua Eight company bosses have been detained in south Chinas booming city of Shenzhen on charges of intentionally defaulting on million yuan US dollars in wages of workers
It is the first time in China that business employers who withheld wages from employees and escaped were held responsible for being involved in economic crimes
He Nujiang of the Shenzhen Maranta Industrial Co Ltd and seven other bosses of different businesses such as a restaurant and an electronics company are suspected of having defaulted wages for their workers during the period by fabricating facts lying frequently changing the names of their businesses writing blank cheques reporting false registered capital illegally producing and using official seals illegally transferring assets and running away to avoid being punished local police said
They are also found to have intentionally delayed million yuan million US dollars in payment for goods to suppliers according to Li Honglang deputy director of the Shenzhen Municipal Public Security Bureau
Police will resolutely crack down on such acts by the eight suspects because they severely infringe on the legitimate rights of workers disturbed the order of the market economy and affected social stability Li said
In addition to punishing the eight bosses Shenzhen has also made public another businesses that were blacklisted for defaulting wages Li said
Shenzhen hopes to establish and perfect a longterm and effective mechanism to combat such acts starting with these cases said Tan Guoxiang vice secretary of the Shenzhen Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China CPC
As the Chinese Lunar New Year approaches Shenzhen will launch another campaign to crack down on employers who default on wages in a bid to ensure all workers get their due pay prior to the festival Tan said
To better protect employees rights and interests China will consider adding provisions in its Criminal Law to deliver criminal penalties to employers that delay salary payments or run away according to a senior legislator
In a report delivered at a meeting of the Standing Committee of the th National Peoples Congress NPC Chinas top legislature late last December He Luli vice chairwoman of the Committee said that the Chinese government will step up the formulation of labor contract law social security law labor dispute settlement law and employment promotion law revise the Labor Law and try to settle all the overdue pay owed by employers to workers by the end of
Social conflicts triggered by overdue salaries especially by employers who escape and hide are on the rise seriously undermining social stability said He
Government statistics showed that the number of employed people in Chinese cities and towns jumped from million in to million in
In an NPC questionnaire survey of businesses in cities last year percent of the surveyed employees said they had been withheld salaries amounting to yuan US dollars per person for months on average over the previous year
In order to settle the issue of delayed payment of wages to migrant workers provinciallevel regions and municipalities have set up the mechanism to ensure the payment of salaries and provinciallevel regions have introduced a system to monitor the delivery of salaries Enditem
XIAN Jan Xinhua Northwest Chinas Shaanxi Province is seeing a natural gas shortage of million cubic meters a day in its gas supply for its citizens local gas provider said Thursday
The province needs to million cubic meters of natural gas a day for heating service while the gas network can only provide million cubic meters a day according to the sources with the Shaanxi Provincial Natural Gas Co Ltd
The gas network has the capacity to offer million cubic meters of natural gas a day but a nationwide gas shortage has affected its capacity the source said
One degree lower in indoor temperature can save cubic meters of natural gas in the province the source said
Residents in Xian capital of Shaanxi have been told since last December to keep their indoor temperatures between to degrees Celsius during the heatingservice period this winter in a bid to save natural gas
Meanwhile governmental organs businesses commercial and office buildings shopping malls classrooms and other public places were also asked to keep their temperatures within degrees according to a bulletin issued by the municipal government of Xian
Hotels and entertainment places can adjust their temperatures to degrees but no more according to the bulletin
All natural gas users are required to regulate heating and temperatures along with changes in weather conditions the bulletin said
In times of natural gas shortage the government will offer gas supply only at designated periods and designated volume and citizens are encouraged to use alternative energies such as solar energy the bulletin said
Since the bulletin was issued Xian has been saving cubic meters of natural gas a day alleviating the pressure on the gas network effectively according to the gas company
In Chinese cities the heating service period generally runs from Nov to March of the next year
The central government has asked the nation to endeavor to build an energysaving society Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua In China percent of the newly rich people have annual incomes topping yuan US dollars according to a survey by a marketmonitoring organ
The household incomes of the newly rich vary from yuan US dollars to million yuan US dollars a year Among them percent rest at the third level which earns an annual salary of yuan US dollars to yuan US dollars the Sinomonitor International survey shows
The newly rich ranging in age from to were mostly born in the s Also welleducated half of them have college diplomas and percent have masters degrees said Liu Rong vice president of Sinomonitor International a Sinoforeign market monitoring joint venture
In Beijing Shanghai and Guangdong the average monthly incomes of the three levels of newly rich salary owners stand at yuan US dollars yuan US dollars and yuan US dollars
The Chinese newly rich are highincome earners who have popped up in recent years Their annual salaries are usually around yuan US dollars to million yuan US dollars said Liu Enditem
by Yuan Yuan
HONG KONG Jan Xinhua As Asias trade and finance hub
born out of small fishing villages in less than years Hong
Kong is far less attractive to archaeologists than it is to
businessmen and bankers
A newlydiscovered ancient quarry at Sai Kung in eastern Hong
Kong however has roused interests of anthropologists who
announced Saturday that the human history on the territory can be
traced back to years ago rather than the conventionally
believed or years ago
SIGNIFICANT DISCOVERY BY ACCIDENT
Field excavation and sample studies showed that irregularly
shaped stones found at the site were actually manufactured
products of human beings of the Paleolithic era ranging from
to years before present Steven Ng vicechairman of
the Hong Kong Archaeological Society told reporters
Thousands of lithics unearthed along a seafacing slope of the
Wong Tei Tung Hill and from the underneath pebblecovered beach
also suggested that the meterlong and meterwide site was
a quarry of antiquity
The significance of the discovery lies in the fact that as the
only discovery in Hong Kong from the Paleolithic era it changes
the traditional view that Hong Kong had no human activity until
the Neolithic era Professor Zhang Senshui told Xinhua
Zhang is a prominent expert in Paleolithic stone tools and a
Senior Advisor of the Archaeological Group of Chinas State Bureau
of Cultural Relics
The oldest and most important archaeological site in Hong
Kong however was discovered by accident by Ng and his collage
fellow Wong Fu when fishing on the beach in the Sai Kung Country
Park in the spring of
Though looked natural in laymens eyes the stones seemed
special to Ng and Wong neither smooth waterworn pebbles nor
coarse angular cobbles fallen from the hill The stones also
seemed to have been processed to some particular shape
By professional acumen Ng brought the stones to the
neighboring Guangdong Province to seek advice from his mentor
professor Zhang Zhenhong and thus unveiled the Wong Tei Tung site
In the following two years an initial investigation has
unearthed over lithics densely existing at the site
According to preliminary examination of pieces the
artifacts have been classified to nine categories namely short
axe scraper point handaxe chopper arrowlike lithic awl
like lithic pick and burin
Such a scale of Paleolithic antiquity has never been seen not
only in Hong Kong but neither in the Pearl River Delta and even
the whole southeastern coastal area of China said Zhang Zhenhong
PUTTING FORWARD NEW TOPICS
Judging from the scale and quality of the unearthed artifacts
archaeologists are expecting more to be unearthed from the Wong
Tei Tung site which might help to complete jigsaws of human
activities in Chinas southeastern coastal area some years
ago more
A dozen sites of the Paleolithic era have been discovered over
the past three decades around the southeastern coastal area
spanning the Chinese provinces of Zhejiang Taiwan Fujian and
Guangdong
The discovery at Wong Tei Tung in Hong Kong once again reminds
experts of studying early human history in this region from a
comprehensive point of view
The large quantity and unique skills used at the site couldnt
be a single phenomenon said Zhang Senshui It put forward new
topics to anthropologists to find links between the separate human
activities around different sites in the region in terms of
space and time
Taking handaxe found at Wong Tei Tung as an example Zhang
noted that the same stone tools have been found at various
Paleolithic sites from Europe India to Chinas southeastern coast
Preliminary study already showed the handaxes at Wong Tei Tung
were different from those found in Europe and India but more
research has to be done to decide whether it is the same type of
those discovered in other parts of China
Are they handaxes of Wong Tei Tung results of exchange of
human activities of different cultures or the continuation of a
skill belonging to the same culture asked Zhang
We know too little of the regions natural history in the
period of years ago and need do more sample tests to draw
a conclusion he said
Meanwhile many questions of Wang Tei Tung itself have yet to
be answered besides the fact that the quarrys age has been
confirmed by the skill of optical luminescence dating
Though a large number of lithics have been unearthed here not
a single piece of fossil has been found at the site Thus
archaeologists still have no idea of what human activities looked
like around the place in the Paleolithic era
Was the place only a quarry far away from humans residence
some years ago or had any clue of human inhabitancy here
been washed away into the ocean thousands of years ago
At a test pit dug out along a slope terrace archaeologists
discovered both yearold lithics and those of only
years of history Between the two layers of discovery laid a
blank of nothing
What occurred between the two periods And why human activities
reappeared at the same site after any signs of them vanished here
for tens of thousands of years
On the current stage of investigation if any answer was given
to the above questions they could be only bold guess said Zhang
Despite the professional prudence the yearold
archaeologist admitted the importance of challenging conventional
beliefs
The traditional belief that human history started years
ago in Hong Kong can partly explain the late discovery of Wong Tei
Tung site in such a denselypopulated city he said Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Highlights of major Beijingbased newspapers on Sunday
All the Beijingbased newspapers on Sunday frontpaged that Chinese president Hu Jintao welcomed more Taiwan business people to invest in the mainland saying that economic cooperation between the mainland and Taiwan benefits people across the Taiwan Strait
Peoples Daily
The newspaper frontpaged a commentators article on the understanding of a circular on deepening the reform of the cultural sector issued by the State Council recently saying that the guidelines in carrying out the reform is to emancipate and develop the cultural productive forces to meet the demand of the Chinese people
Xinhua Daily Telegraph
The Shanghai Municipal Government helped laidoff workers who lived in poverty find new jobs in
China on Saturday announced the start of the annual peak travel season around the traditional Spring Festival or Chinese Lunar New Year which falls on January Railways highways passenger ships and airlines around China are bracing up for the festival transport peak lasting from Jan to Feb
Economic Daily
The Chinese government will formulate new import tax policies in a bid to encourage domestic enterprises to conduct innovation Enditem
JINAN Jan Xinhua East Chinas Shandong Province have lifted alarm on pollution in the Yellow River Chinas second longest as the pollution slick has flown into the sea
The Shandong provincial government also decided on Saturday to remove ban on getting water from the Yellow River section in the province
Tests by the provincial emergency response team showed that the kmlong pollution slick caused by a diesel leakage had completely flown into the Bohai Sea as of Friday Thus the provincial government lifted alarm on the pollution Saturday
A diesel oil leakage took place on Jan at a power plant in Gongyi central Chinas Henan Province discharging six tons of diesel oil into the Yellow Rivers mainstream
The pollution slick entered Shandong Province in the afternoon of Jan
Shandong provincial government closed all sluice gates along the river to guarantee the safety of drinking water for local people Government sources said that closure of sluice gates did not have much influence on local peoples life but did affect industrial production in some places
Experts said that the pollution slick did not have great impact on the ecological environment in the river or on fish and shrimps which usually live near the bottom of the water in Winter
Sources with the Shandong provincial marine and fishery bureau said that the pollution slick would not have great impact on the sea water near the estuary of the Yellow River as test results show that oil content in the pollution slick is only a bit higher than the standard Enditem
BEIJINGJan Xinhua Seventeen Chinese electrolysis aluminum producers each cut their output capacity by percent or a total of tons by Jan in a bid to cool soaring prices of alumina
The move came in line with an agreement reached by big Chinese electrolysis aluminum producers in Beijing on Dec said an official with the China Nonferrous Metals Industry Association
Currently the price of aluminum has reached a record US dollars per ton in the international market the highest in years said Wen Xianjun vice head of the Associations coordination department
In China the price stood at yuan dollars per ton
He said the firms may further reduce their production by additional tons later
These firms have a combined electrolysis aluminum production capacity of million tons accounting for percent of the countrys total
Their output cut action is expected to exert a great impact on the domestic and international aluminum oxide and electrolysis aluminum markets
China is estimated to produce million tons of aluminum oxide in a rise of percent from
According to the Associations director Kang Yi Chinas aluminium output is forecast to grow to million tons this year from last years estimated million tons
At present Chinas aluminum oxide production accounted for percent of the worlds total and that of aluminium percent
China is now the worlds secondlargest user of aluminum Its highspeed economic growth has fueled demand for the metal in construction cars and homeappliances Over the past decade Chinas consumption of aluminium has grown at an average rate of percent Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinas foreign exchange reserves amounted to billion US dollars by the end of up percent year on year the central bank said on Sunday Enditem
XIAN Jan Xinhua Archaeologists in northwest Chinas Shaanxi Province have discovered an ancient tomb possibly of a coin collector dating back more than years
During a recent excavation at a Yuan Dynasty tomb in the suburb of Xian capital of Shaanxi archaeologists found over coins of different dynasties together with ceramic utensils
Twenty kinds of coins were in circulation in the dynasties of Tang Song and Jin spanning about years They might have been collected by the owner of the tomb who was interested in ancient coins archaeologists reckoned
A dozen pottery servants and some pottery livestock and poultry were also found in the tomb The cmhigh servants have clear facial features and carry vivid expressions showing better craft than in previous dynasties
All the unearthed items are in good condition as the tomb was well preserved said archaeologists
Archaeologists have also unearthed Wuzhu coins the common currency in wide circulation during the Han Dynasty BC AD in a recent excavation in Pingli County of the historyladen Shaanxi Province Enditem
HEFEI Jan Xinhua East Chinas Anhui Province suffered severe natural disasters in resulting in deaths and billion yuan billion US dollars in losses
The disasters including typhoons droughts and tornados affected million people and damaged houses in the previous year according to information from the provincial department of civil affairs
The province saw most frequent typhoons in during the past years Among the five typhoons that hit Anhui Talim left dead and nine missing and affected the lives of over million people
In midJuly of the province had record rainfalls The Huaihe River which runs through the province flooded most of the lowlying townships and counties along the river according to the provinces meteorological report
The province also experienced serious rainstorms hurricanes cyclones Such disasters affected about people and resulted in direct losses of million yuan million US dollars
The dry spells also gripped the area throughout spring and summer the meteorological report shows Enditem
SHENZHEN Jan Xinhua Shenzhen a special economic zone and a major vehicle trade port in south Chinas Guangdong Province witnessed a recovery in motor vehicle arrivals last year as against a continuous downturn over the period
According to local customs sources Shenzhen imported motor vehicles in a yearonyear increase of percent from
Imports of luxury cars totaled and offroad vehicle imports amounted to a rise of percent percentage points higher than that for cars
Most of the motor vehicle imports came from European and American nations
The customs sources said motor vehicles or percent of the total were bought from Germany Sweden the United States and other European and American countries
The port imported motor vehicles from Japan last year the customs sources added
On January China terminated the quota limits on import of motor vehicles Enditem
NANNING Jan Xinhua South Chinas Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region reduced the needy population whose yearly income is below four hundred yuan US dollars from million to during the past five years
At the ongoing fourth session of Guangxis tenth Peoples Congress regional chairman Lu Bing said apart from the people who were lifted from the poverty line Guangxi also helped raise the earnings of million people with low incomes
The official said Guangxi kept increasing its investment in povertystricken areas during the past five years
The infrastructure construction in the autonomous region has contributed greatly to the poverty alleviation
Lu said Guangxi built kilometers of roads connecting the povertystricken villages and methanegenerating pits for the villagers
With the fiveyear efforts the average yearly income of the people in Guangxis key povertyreduction counties kept increasing by percent every year reaching more than yuan US dollars
The official said Guangxi will lift all its population above the national poverty line with an annual income of not more than yuan by Enditem
CHONGQING Jan Xinhua Residents in southwest Chinas Chongqing city can now pay for electricity public transportation and health service using a multifunctional IC integrated circuit card
More than percent of the buses in Chongqing accept payment by the municipal cards which accumulate up to million yuan US dollars every day said Hao Ming director of Chongqing Information Industry Department
Chongqingers also pay yuan dollars by the cards daily for services such as telecommunication and health
IC cards are often used in China to pay for public services but different cards are often required for the services
The mountainous city of Chongqing introduced the municipal card to integrate the functions of various cards in making it effectively an electronic wallet
Over billion yuan dollars are expected to be consumed via the municipal cards as subscribers will increase to between million and million in according to Hao
The city is expected to harvest million yuan million dollars in revenue from the sales of the cards themselves and relevant services this year Hao said Enditem
By Yan Hao
BEIJING Jan Xinhua An elementary emergency response framework involving emergency plans in all provinces autonomous regions and municipalities has been set up in China according to a national plan on emergency response recently issued by the State Council Chinas cabinet
China experiences typhoons or tropical storms every year which requires national and local governmental departments to have plans for responding and recovering work
Typhoon Rananim hit southeast Chinas Zhejiang Province on August of In the following days it scourged Zhejiang and neighboring provinces with storms which claimed lives and tens of billions in direct economic loss
Rananim was the strongest typhoon in the area in years Thanks to a quick response and a well organized recovery it had the less deaths than the three typhoons that attacked the area in and which respectively claimed and lives
When Rananim was still a tropical storm on the Pacific in Chinas radar monitoring network satellites and automatic weather stations had been tracking it and recorded its trace of moving which provided accurate and timely information to the public
Before Rananims approach Zhejiang and neighboring Fujian provincial governments alerted the public carried comprehensive inspections on dykes reservoirs and floodprevention facilities The governments also publicized countertyphoon information through local newspapers TV radios and the Internet
Within hours after Rananims arrival governments at all levels in Zhejiang Province evacuated around people to large classrooms hotels and even governmental buildings More than vessels were called back to harbor
On the evening of the typhoons landing Qin Dahe director of the China Meteorological Administration made a personal presence at a nationwide weather forecast TV program in which he demonstrated the typhoons situation to the whole country
For accurate and timely forecast of the Typhoon Rananim China was praised for disaster reduction of the year by World Meteorological Organization in
The local provincial government issued its plan on dealing with social and economic emergencies in and established another special plan on flood and drought crises just before Typhoon Rananim arrived All of them helped the responding and arrangement before and after the typhoons landing
Chinas central and local governments appropriated million yuanapproximately million US dollars for reconstruction of the area after the disaster which called in the power and water supply material resources transportation medical care and communications departments
The recent national plan stipulates that the State Council is the highest organ in the management of emergency response and determined the responsibilities of local governments
We couldnt have achieved this if we had not had the plans before the typhoon said a local official in the stormhit area The plans ensured a standard effective command for the government in emergencies Enditem
BEIJINGJan Xinhua Chinas foreign exchange reserves amounted to billion US dollars by the end of up percent year on year the central bank said on Sunday
Last year Chinas foreign exchange reserves increased by billion dollars or billion dollars more than the increase in according to figures published by the Peoples Bank of China the central bank
In late December the exchange rate of US dollar against Chinese currency the yuan was one to the bank said
Industry sources predicted that in Chinas foreign exchange policies will be more flexible but the exchange rate will remain basically stable
Besides efforts will be focused on trying to achieve an international balance of payment It is estimated that Chinas trade surplus in would reach billion US dollars
The State Administration of Foreign Exchange will face a tough task in how to handle the increasing huge reserves of foreign exchange the sources said Enditem
TAIYUAN Jan Xinhua Yu Youjun was elected governor of north Chinas Shanxi Province at the th plenary meeting of the th Shanxi Provincial Peoples Congress Sunday
Yu a native of Fengxian county in east Chinas Jiangsu Province joined the Communist Party of China CPC in He previously served as vice governor and acting governor of Shanxi since July
The th plenary meeting of the th Shanxi Provincial Peoples Congress also elected Zhang Baoshun as chairman of the th Standing Committee of the Shanxi Provincial Peoples Congress on Sunday
Zhang a native of Qinhuangdao city in north Chinas Hebei Province joined the CPC in He once served as the governor of Shanxi deputy secretary and member of the Standing Committee of CPC Shanxi Provincial Committee Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Beijings municipal government will take measures to keep the citys permanent population within million by city mayor Wang Qishan said here Sunday
Beijings permanent population is estimated to be around million last year and the figure is expected to grew by million annually in the coming five years This poses grave challenges to local infrastructure and resources among others Wang told the th meeting of the th Beijing Municipal Peoples Congress in his report on the program for economic and social development in Beijing in the period
To reach the goal of population control Beijing would adhere to the family planning policy to maintain a low birth rate and work hard to improve the quality of population Wang said
Other measures include standardization of policies on inflow of people from other parts of China better services for migrant population and encouraging more people to move to satellite towns to rationalize population distribution Wang said
The mayor said Beijing would pay close attention to the issue of resources and take effective measures to gradually ease pressures on the supply of water land and energy resources
Wang said Beijing would develop watersaving farming and encourage use of recycled water in the next fiveyear period the acreage of land for construction would be kept within square kilometers and efforts would continue to reduce consumption of electricity in summer and winter
Beijing will promote harmonious development among humans resources and the environment and economic and social progress Wang said Enditem
NANJING Jan Xinhua More than million exfarmers in east Chinas Jiangsu Province have been employed in industries other than argiculture in the past years according to the provincial labor department
Statistics from the department show million exfarmers were employed locally and million got their jobs in places away from their native land
In the province provided the rural labor force with million persontimes of training It is estimated that percent of the rural labor force in the province has received training
The province has accelerated the pace of employing rural laborers in the past five years It encourages and helps them work in cities and towns enterprises and industrial parks the department said
Thanks to the employment farmers in Jiangsu have harvested yuan US dollars per person from labor services which has contributed percent to their imcome growth
With a total population of million the province has a rural labor force of million Enditem
SHENZHEN Jan Xinhua Police in south Chinas Shenzhen broke up a drug ring suspected of transporting drugs from southeast Asian countries into China according to sources with the local customs
Police arrested members of the group and seized kg of drugs valued at yuan US dollars said an official with the smuggling control bureau under the Shenzhen Customs
A Hong Kong resident surnamed Lee but nicknamed Feizai was caught with kg of ketamine in his backpack when he was entering Shenzhen via the Huanggang Port midnight on Dec last year
With Lees testimony two men from Hong Kong and from Malaysia were soon under detention
Police also searched the smugglers hideouts in Shenzhen confiscating kg of drugs including marijuana ketamine cocaine and methamphetamine
Shenzhen customs also informed their Hong Kong counterpart immediately about the ring which helped Hong Kong police seize kg of ketamine in a hotel Enditem
NANNING Jan Xinhua Archaeologists found a largescale oceanic trench in the areas with Karst topography in south Chinas Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region thought to have formed about million years ago
The hectare natural museum is located at Mount Malong in the scenic city of Guilin
The oceanic trench includes different sorts of stalagmite and stone chimes and many resemble animals and pagodas
Archaeologists say that the oceanic trench was on the margin of the Baisha rupture belt about million years ago Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Beijing saw a major increase in housing sales late despite the fact that winter used to be a slack season and the housing price growth rate is gearing down in many Chinese cities according to statistics from a government website
A total of units of houses were sold in December percent more than that in November and a considerable percent growth from that in October said the website wwwbjfdcgovcn
Seventythree real estate projects and units of housing got permission from the municipal government for sale in December up from and in November
The booming sales were caused by macrocontrol policies in the real estate industry said Li Wenjie general manager of the North China Department of Centaline Property Agency
He said many companies postponed their sales programs after the macrocontrol policies went into effect in April
The Chinese government has introduced various measures to prevent overheating in the real estate industry which has attracted speculative funds
As a result the average housing price growth rate in mid and largecities geared down to percent in the second half of last year according to Chinese Minister of Construction Wang Guangtao
Beijings housing price growth rate decreased remarkably from a high of percent in to about percent in said Miao Yueru vice director of the Municipal Construction Committee
Miao ascribed the decrease to the central governments macroeconomic regulation policy
According to Miao Beijing is expected to have a tempered real estate climate and will not witness a sharp rise and fall in due to the ample unsold houses in the market Enditem
BEIJINGJan Xinhua Chinas central bank said on Sunday that M the broad measure of money supply grew percent yearonyear to trillion yuan by the end of December last year or percentage points higher than that at the end of the previous year
Statistics released by the Peoples Bank of China the central bank also showed by the end of December M or the narrow measure of money supply grew yearonyear percent to trillion yuan
Money in circulation went up percent to reach trillion yuan
The money supply is the intermediate goal of the current
monetary policy pursued by the central bank
M is an antecedent index for a countrys economic performance reflecting the change in the amount of money in the hands of residents and enterprises while M shows the demand of the whole of society and indicates possible inflation
China has set a percent target for money supply growth in to fuel its booming economy on the one hand and rein in the growth of some overheated sectors on the other
It expects a percent growth for M and a percent growth for M in according to the bank
Bank figures also revealed that the outstanding yuan deposits rose percent year on year by the end of December to trillion yuan
The total yuan deposits increased by trillion yuan in up percent the bank said
The outstanding yuan loans amounted to trillion yuan in December up percent year on year
Last years total yuan loans increased by trillion yuan or billion yuan more than that of The result is reportedly within the macrocontrol target set by the central bank in early
China will continue to pursue a prudent monetary policy in according to a central banks meeting convened in Nanchang in East Chinas Jiangxi Province on Jan Enditem
JINAN Jan Xinhua The United States replacing Japan became the largest export market of east Chinas Shandong province in said the provinces foreign economic and trade department
According to statistics the provinces import and export volume reached billion US dollars up by percent over the previous year
With an increase of percent the export volume stood at billion dollars and the import volume rose by percent to hit billion dollars both tripling that of the year
In the past year the provinces export to the United States and the European Union EU both jumped to a higher ranking The United States took the lead by occupying percent of the total exports percent higher than Japan
The export to EU exceeds that to the Republic of Korea ROK accounting for percent of the total The ROK and ASEAN markets took fourth and fifth place with percent and percent respectively
The major export items were mechanical and electrical products textiled and garments agricultural products and hitechnology products said department director Zhou Jiabing Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinese procuratorates at various levels investigated government officials in cases of dereliction of duty related to violation of the order of the market economy from August to November in
The figures were disclosed by Wang Zhenchuan vice procuratorgeneral of Chinas Supreme Peoples Procuratorate SPP at a national meeting on antidereliction of duty He added that the cases caused billion yuan of direct economic losses
The SPP launched a special campaign to crack down on government officials dereliction of duty which severely affected economic development and caused severe losses for citizens in July
In the campaign investigation of major cases topped the work agenda of the procuratorates at various levels including the coal mine flooding accident in Xingning county of south Chinas Guangdong Province the coal mine explosion accident and its fatalities coverup scandal in Ningwu County of north Chinas Shanxi Province and the cases of inferiorquality fertilizer sales in Huaian City of east Chinas Jiangsu Province
The SPP has taken measures to fight dereliction of duty including setting up antidereliction of duty organs in procuratorates of various levels
The countrys prosecuting bodies have for long lacked professionals specialized in investigating dereliction of duty To set up antidereliction of duty bureaus in prosecuting bodies at different levels will recruit more professionals to fight against dereliction of duty said a SPP source
He said the countrys prefecturelevel and countylevel procuratorates will all have antidereliction of duty bureaus by June this year Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinese State Councilor Chen Zhili met with Susan Hockfield president of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology here on Sunday
Hockfield was here as a guest of Chinas prestigious Qinghua University Enditem
HONG KONG Jan Xinhua Hong Kong International Airport HKIA set new record in annual traffic figures in breaking the records of in all categories according to statistics released by the airport authority on Sunday
The annual passenger throughput reached million in up percent over
Besides about million tonnes of cargo were handled in the same period an increase of percent over Export and transshipment of air cargo grew percent and percent respectively indicating a continuous and robust demand for intraregional trade as well as trade between this region and the United States and Europe
Aircraft movements of exceeded an percent rise over Growth of cargo flights outpaced passenger flights with an increment of percent and percent over respectively showing the increasing importance of cargo growth
Airport Authority Hong Kong AA Commercial Director Hans Bakker said To maintain our hub position and to facilitate the continuous growth of air traffic the much anticipated SkyPlaza which houses the second passenger terminal will be opened later this year
He saidImpressive figures aside we made a number of breakthroughs in our business Besides the launch of the worlds first crossboundary checkin service in the fast growing Pearl River Delta a total of new carriers joined our extensive air network The opening of AsiaWorldExpo the largest exhibition and event complex in December is a further illustration that HKIA is more than an airport Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Weather forecast for major Chinese cities Jan Jan Beijing Time temperatures in Celsius
Min Max Condition Wind scale
Beijing foggycloudy
Harbin clear
Tianjin foggycloudy
Urumqi clear
Xian cloudy
Lhasa cloudy
Chengdu foggycloudy
Chongqing overcast
Kunming clear
Nanjing drizzleovercast
Shanghai moderate raindrizzle
Wuhan drizzle
Hangzhou moderate raindrizzle
Taipei shower
Guangzhou cloudy
Hong Kong cloudy
Macao cloudy
SOURCE Central Meteorological Station China Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Weather forecast for world cities Jan Jan Beijing Time temperatures in Celsius
Min Max Condition Wind scale
Beijing foggycloudy
Tokyo drizzlecloudy
Bangkok cloudy
Sydney overcastcloudy
Karachi overcastcloudy
Cairo drizzlecloudy
Moscow overcast
Frankfurt cloudy
Paris cloudyovercast
London shower
New York moderate raincloudy
SOURCE Central Meteorological Station China Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Report on the quality of air in major Chinese cities Jan to Jan Beijing Time released by the China Environmental Monitoring Center
City Major Pollutant Air Quality Level
Beijing particulate matter IV
Tianjin particulate matter III
Shijiazhuang particulate matter III
Qinhuangdao sulfur dioxide II
Taiyuan particulate matter III
Hohhot sulfur dioxide II
Shenyang particulate matter II
Dalian particulate matter II
Changchun particulate matter III
Harbin particulate matter III
Shanghai particulate matter II
Nanjing particulate matter II
Suzhou particulate matter II
Nantong particulate matter II
Lianyungang particulate matter II
Hangzhou particulate matter II
Ningbo particulate matter II
Wenzhou particulate matter II
Hefei particulate matter II
Fuzhou particulate matter III
Xiamen particulate matter II
Nanchang particulate matter II
Jinan particulate matter II
Qingdao particulate matter II
Yantai sulfur dioxide II
Zhengzhou particulate matter III
Wuhan particulate matter III
Changsha particulate matter III
Guangzhou particulate matter III
Shenzhen particulate matter II
Zhuhai I
Shantou particulate matter II
Zhanjiang I
Nanning particulate matter II
Guilin sulfur dioxide II
Beihai I
Haikou I
Chongqing particulate matter II
Chengdu particulate matter II
Guiyang sulfur dioxide II
Kunming particulate matter II
Lhasa particulate matter II
Xian sulfur dioxide II
Lanzhou particulate matter II
Xining particulate matter II
Yinchuan particulate matter II
Urumqi particulate matter IV
The center classifies air quality in Chinas urban areas into five levels level I or excellent pollution reading not exceeding level II or fairly good pollution reading to level III or slightly polluted pollution reading to level IV or poor pollution reading to and level V or hazardous pollution reading over
The cities monitored by the center include the four municipalities of Beijing Tianjin Shanghai and Chongqing provincial or autonomous regional capitals and major cities in economically developed coastal areas and tourist attractions Enditem
CHANGSHA Jan Xinhua Efforts to rescue four miners are continuing hours after they were trapped in a coal mine flooding accident in central Chinas Hunan Province rescuers said on Sunday
Rescue operation has been very slow as rescuers have to clean up silt time and again in order to pump out floodwater from the shaft said Zhang Kaifu deputy head of the rescue team
The accident occurred at around pm last Wednesday when miners were working at the Tangshi Colliery in Zhuzhou County Twentynine of them managed to escape while four others got trapped
The trapped miners age between and They are farmers of the nearby Tangshi Township and Wangshiwan Town Relatives of the trapped miners have arrived at the venue hoping that their beloved ones be rescued very soon
Zhang said that the conditions in Tangshi Colliery are very complicated the coal mine is only meters away from the Xiangjiang River and is very close to a large reservoir Even worse the tunnels of the coal mine are full of silt and gas
Although the site where the floodwater burst into the coal mine has not been identified the water level in the shaft was dropping said Zhang adding they would not suspend rescue operation so long as there was a slim hope to find the trapped miners
Tangshi Colliery is a jointstock company converted from a stateowned one with an annual production capacity of about tons
Investigation into the cause of the accident is still underway Enditem
HONG KONG Jan Xinhua Hong Kong Post Sunday issued the Year of the Dog Special Stamps and the first day covers to mark the approaching lunar New Year on Jan the most important traditional festival for Chinese people
The set of Year of the Dog special stamps which is the th stamp issue in the rd series of Lunar New Year special stamps released by Hong Kong Post comprises four stamps each depicting a vivid and lifelike image of a dog standing out from the richly colored background
Postmaster General Allian Chiang said We are now bidding farewell to the Rooster and looking forward to the Dog of the Chinese zodiac In the eyes of most people dogs are honest and truthful They are bright and possess very sharp sense These are the qualities which are indispensable to success in a world of competition and social interaction
To tie in with the festive atmosphere a group of children dancers performed a Puppy Dance at the ceremony in the General Post Office Free Lucky Pouches were also distributed by the God of Wealth to customers who were eager to buy the special stamps Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua A European Union EU official hoped that EUs experience in egovernment can help China proceed much more quickly in this regard
In an exclusive interview with Xinhua on Friday Viviane Reding EU commissioner responsible for information society and media said Participation of people in the decisionmaking is the real goal of egovernment
Governments have to do more than just releasing information to the public she said
Egovernment has to be set up for people to be informed of and to participate in she said
Governments need services and participation to have feedback This view was shared by the EU and the Chinese government she noted
Electronic access is important especially for the old generation disabled people and those living far away from the city hall the EU commissioner added
Last July China and the EU launched a fouryear project in a bid to improve Chinas online government services Five Chinese cities were chosen as pilot areas for the project including Chengdu in southwest Chinas Sichuan Province Yantai in east Chinas Shandong and Baotou the second largest city in north Chinas Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region
Governments of the selected cities will improve online service networks such as emergency health response systems public service systems and administrative approval systems according to the commissioner
A recent report released by the State Council Information Office said in China percent of government departments at the state level and percent of local governments have launched portal websites
Yet most of the websites lag behind in terms of online services and public participation said Zhang Xianghong senior vicepresident of a consulting company under the China Center for Information Industry Development Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua China produced billion pieces of ceramic products for daily use each year accounting for percent of the worlds total said an official with the China Ceramic Industry Association on Sunday
The official said China is a big ceramics producer and exporter however the industry has been plagued by many problems over the past years such as low sale prices low addedvalue and weak competitiveness in the global market
Besides there are few wellknown domestic and international brand name products he said
Last year China produced million tons of ceramic products and the export volume amounted to about billion US dollars both ranking first in the world
Jindezhen in east Chinas Jiangxi Province the most famous Chinese porcelainmaking center has a history of over years in making artistically exquisite ceramic pieces with sophisticated technologies Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Officials working in publicity departments should fully recognize the significance of building socialist new countryside and make active contribution to fulfilling this task said a senior official of the Communist Party of China CPC
Liu Yunshan member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee made the remarks during his inspection to northwest Chinas Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Regions from Jan to
He said that the task of building of the socialist new countryside is a strategic policy made by the CPC Central Committee from the viewpoint of overall reform openingup and the modernization drive and is a new approach to dealing with the issues of agriculture rural areas and farmers in the new century
In building socialist new countryside Liu said officials concerned should explore new approach cultivate new farmers build up good social ethics and foster new culture
He urged publicity departments to arm officials and broad masses of people with Deng Xiaoping Theory follow the scientific concept of development and offer theoretical guidance in building socialist new countryside
Officials working in CPCs publicity departments should cherish deep affection for farmers enhance consciousness of serving farmers and work for farmers in a downtoearth manner Liu said Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua China will build kilometer rural highways in said Li Shenglin minister of communications here Sunday
At a yearly national communications meeting Li said these will be mainly built in old revolutionary bases border areas poor areas and major grain producing areas
According to the ministrys plan all administrative villages in China will be connected by highways at the end of
Local transportation departments should give favorable policies and financial support to rurual highway construction he said
The ministry has been working hard on building a bus network in rural areas Li said Building highways in rural areas is most beneficial to farmers
The ministrys statistics show China has kilometers of rural highways one time more than the total mileage it built in the years since New China was founded in
However roads in many rural areas are still very bad and building highways for all Chinas villages is difficult as it needs money technology and support from local governments
Li said the ministry will try its best to build highways on top of the existing roads and not over farmland Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua China opened a kilometer agricultural transport network Sunday said a senior official with the Ministry of Communications here Sunday
The network can facilitate the transportation of fresh agricultural produce including fresh vegetables fruits aquatic products livestock meat eggs and milk said Vice Minister Feng Zhenglin
Along the network special passages are opened for these vehicles carrying the above products he said
Based on the national highway network the green corridor network connects Chinas provincial capital cities and another major cities at the prefectural level Feng said
The network will contribute greatly to the stable supply of fresh vegetables in cities he said adding this will also promote Chinas agricultural development and increase farmers income
In some ministries launched four green corridors to guarantee a stable supply of vegetables for urban areas
These linked major vegetable and fruit production bases such as Shouguang in east Chinas Shandong Province and southern Hainan Province Local governments involved in the network will not charge or charge less tolls of vehicles carrying agricultural products in a bid to cut transportation cost
The whole length has so far reached km Some provinces have also built their own regional green corridors
The plan of the network has been made by seven ministries comprising the Ministry of Communications Ministry of Public Security Ministry of Agriculture National Reform and Development Commission Ministry of Finance and the State Council Office for Correcting Malpractice Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinese VicePremier Huang Ju Sunday called on transportation departments across the country to strengthen coordination of the Spring Festival transportation work to ensure safety of travelers
At a national transportation conference held here on Sunday Huang stressed the importance of safety during the Spring Festival travel season which started on Saturday
About billion people will travel by rail and bus during the upcoming Spring Festival Lunar New Year which falls on Jan up percent over the corresponding period of last year putting a great pressure on the countrys strained transportation facilities as the holiday is the most important occasion for family Reunion
Addressing the meeting Huang also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China CPC Central Committee urged the transportation departments to promote the overall and sustained development of the sector based on the implementation of the scientific concept
He praised the achievements scored by the sector during the countrys th FiveYear plan period
He also called on the transportation departments to contribute to building socialist new countryside by building more roads and highways in rural areas old revolutionary bases areas inhabited by ethnic minority people and border areas so as to help poor people lift out of poverty
The construction of state highway network should be stepped up and emergency responding plans dealing with waterway transportation accidents should be further improved to ensure the safety of peoples life and properties the vicepremier said Enditem
HONG KONG Jan Xinhua Following are temperatures and
weather forecast of Jan for AsiaPacific cities dispatched
by the Hong Kong Observatory on Sunday
MINIMUM MAXIMUM WEATHER
HONG KONG FINE
MACAO MIST
GUANGZHOU CLOUDY
SHANGHAI RAIN
BEIJING CLOUDY
TAIPEI SHOWERS
SEOUL CLOUDY
TOKYO CLOUDY
MANILA RAIN
HANOI CLOUDY
HO CHI MINH CITY BRIGHT
BANGKOK FOG
KUALA LUMPUR THUNDERSTORMS
SINGAPORE THUNDERSTORMS
NEW DELHI FINE
MUMBAI SMOKE
KARACHI DRY
JAKARTA RAIN
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN THUNDERSTORMS
SYDNEY SHOWERS
MELBOURNE FINE
Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Beijing has set a target to achieve an annual average growth rate of nine percent in gross domestic product GDP in the next five years Mayor Wang Qishan said here Sunday
Local revenue income would grow by percent annually and the per capita disposable incomes for urbanites and farmers would both rise by six percent year on year in the next fiveyear period Wang said in his report on the program of Beijings economic and social development in the period which was delivered at the ongoing th meeting of the th Beijing Municipal Peoples Congress
According to the program the per capita net income for farmers will reach yuan about US dollars by
Wang said Beijing would work hard to keep its unemployment rate within percent in the next fiveyear period and would reduce consumption of energy resources for per yuan about US dollars of GDP by percent and consumption of water by percent
These targets were set on the basis of Beijings practical conditions and development trend and could be achieved through hard work Wang said
A recentlypublished economic census shows that Beijings GDP totaled billion yuan about billion US dollars in with per capita GDP being close to US dollars Enditem
CHANGSHA Jan Xinhua After presenting an audiencerating heat TV show of Super Girl gala TV programmers in central Chinas Hunan Province brought out another sensation of manmade beauty contest along with real plastic surgery scenes of the contestants
The curtain of the month long contest fell on Friday night yearold manmade beauty Yao Xiting distinguished herself from contestants who all experienced items of starmaking plastic surgery in September last year
The surgeries including breast augmentation and teeth rectification were broadcast live on a popular Internet website which cooperated with the TV channel to win supporters for the program
Like the Super Girl singing show the beauty contest sparked a nationwide debate while garnering a high audience rating Some viewers complained that the surgery process on TV and the Internet was bloody and the contest was immoral Enditem
SHANGHAI Jan Xinhua Chinas renowned Fudan University has recently opened an online bar as a counseling room for students to air complaints and seek psychological guidance reported the Shanghai Evening Post
According to the report an online cry bar is available every Tuesday afternoon on Fudans campus bulletin board system BBS to listen to students who are willing to share their psychological and real problems
The virtual bar hosted by school instructors is popular with students for its privacy Xia Kejia a university official was quoted as saying
Besides the virtual bar the university has also opened a real consulting room and special instructors have been assigned to help students reduce psychological pressure Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua The Huilongguan Township Hospital in Beijing indicted of failing to warn the parents with the deformity of their new born baby received a verdict from local court on Thursday and was asked to make yuan US dollars in compensation
The plaintiff surnamed Li gave birth to a baby on Feb The boy was diagnosed to bear congenital harelip a serious handicap of the newborn baby
The harelip affected the growth of the boys pharynx and larynx and made the baby frequently chocked by milk which also led to a pneumonia said the plaintiff stressing that medical treatment to the diseases brought about heavy burdens to the family
Li blamed the hospital for her childs suffering where she had done ultrasonic tests five times before giving birth
Li accused the hospital of failing to ask her to do a prenatal diagnosis and demanded that the hospital should pay her family about yuan US dollars for medical treatment cost and other economic loss
But the hospital insisted that all the ultrasonic tests were done without breaking any medical regulations
Meanwhile the hospital said it had already made it clear on the test reports that the facial look of the boy is not clear to see due to malposition and added that they had given some verbal advice to Li
Yet according to the testimonial provided by the Changping Medical Institution the hospital should take some responsibilities for failing to warn Li of the situation
Li said she was dissatisfied with the verdict of the court and decided to appeal to a higher court Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Chinas increasingly marginalized Bshare markets where share prices are denominated in US dollars and which are available to overseas investors are set to be merged into the countrys Ashare market experts said
The Bshare markets which were originally designed for overseas investors but opened to domestic investors since have been increasingly marginalized as many overseas investors fled them after domestic investors entered the market
The Ashare markets on Shanghai and Shenzhen stock exchanges are open to domestic investors and qualified foreign institutional investors
Share indices for the Bshare markets dropped by about percent during the past four years according to the latest edition of the Economic Information Daily
The Bshare markets were originally designed as provisional ones before the countrys Ashare markets are to open to overseas investors
Share prices have been on the rise over the past week as China made public regulations that allow overseas strategic investors to buy shares on the Ashare markets
The publication of the regulations triggered interest of investors for profittaking in the undervalued Bshare markets as share prices jumped by more than percent over the past week
Zhang Zhimin an analyst with the China Securities Investment Consultancy Co said there are no more justified reasons for the Bshare markets to remain there as overseas strategic investors are allowed to invest in the Chinese Ashare markets
Experts say the merger may take place after China completes its ongoing share reform later this year which allows the State shares barred from public trading to be floated on the Ashare markets Enditem
By Meng Na
BEIJING Jan Xinhua The national postgraduate examination which kicked off on Saturday has attracted a record million examinees up percent over last years figure as competition for employment has become increasingly fierce
Statistics from the Ministry of Education showed that universities across the country will recruit postgraduates in It means one in every four examinees will be recruited
An increasing number of university graduates choose to hold higher academic degrees because they face greater employment pressure Wu Jiang president of the Chinese Academy of Personnel Science said in an interview with Xinhua
In the s or s university graduates were destined to have decent jobs as they were in urgent demand after the Cultural Revolution during which university education was suspended But now some university graduates have become unemployed due to continuous recruitment expansion and saturation of employment market in recent years Wu said
Statistics showed that there were million students graduated from universities in only percent of them found jobs upon graduation The number of university graduates for this year is to reach million
The million university graduates will compete with million vocational school graduates million migrant workers million laidoff workers from stateowned enterprises and other million registered unemployed to seek jobs this year
Hu Xuan a student majoring finance in Tianjinbased Nankai University is one of the million examinees of this years national postgraduate exam
I studied around the clock for preparing the exam To be a postgraduate of a wellknown university is very difficult but it will bring me bright career future and higher income she said
Hu also visited some job fairs and handed out applications to banks accounting offices and foreign companies But so far there is no any optimistic response As a female university graduate in the intense employment competition the possibility of finding an ideal job upon graduation is quite slim Hu said
The countrys annual national postgraduate exam comprises speciality exam English exam and politics exam
Competition has become increasingly fierce as the number of examinees rose year by year In such circumstances examination cheating was often spotted in previous years
This year some new exam rules have been introduced to prevent cheating For example a special identification card recognition system has been put into use to check up every examinees ID card so as to rule out the possibility that some examinees hired substitutes at the examination by using fake ID cards Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Air Canada Sunday announced that effective June it will introduce nonstop service between Toronto and Shanghai
Air Canada will operate three nonstop flights per week between Toronto and Chinas largest city complementing its TorontoBeijing nonstop service launched in June and its daily nonstop flights to both Shanghai and Beijing from Vancouver Air Canada also operates twice daily flights to Hong Kong including nonstop service from Toronto
With the introduction of the only nonstop service to Shanghai Air Canada continues to expand its services to meet the needs of travellers and freight forwarders in the fast growing China market said Ben Smith vice president of the company
Air Canada will be the only carrier offering nonstop service between the largest commercial cities of Canada and China With an elapsed time of hours minutes westbound and hours minutes eastbound Air Canadas new TorontoShanghai service will save travellers more than hours in each direction compared to the Vancouver routing
Air Canada will operate the new route using seat A aircraft With a departure from Toronto on Wednesday Friday and Sunday arriving in Shanghai at the next day flight AC is timed to offer convenient morning connections from points throughout Air Canadas extensive global network particularly in eastern Canada the United States and Latin America The eastbound flight AC leaves Shanghai at on Monday Thursday and Saturday and arrives in Toronto at the same day providing maximum connecting options throughout the Americas
With the addition of TorontoShanghai nonstop service Air Canada will offer customers up to nonstop flights per day in each direction between Canada and seven destinations in Asia From its main hub in Toronto the carrier operates nonstop flights to Hong Kong Tokyo Beijing and Seoul From its Asia Pacific gateway in Vancouver Air Canada serves Hong Kong Shanghai Beijing Tokyo Osaka and Seoul with daily nonstop flights
Montralbased Air Canada provides scheduled and charter air transportation for passengers and cargo to more than destinations on five continents Air Canada is Canadas flag carrier and the th largest commercial airlines in the world It serves more than million customers annually Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Beijing was voted as the most popular domestic destination according to an investigation on rich Chinese people by the American Express company
Beijing Shanghai Hangzhou Kunming and Sanya were popular destinations for rich people with percent of the interviewees choosing Beijing as the best place to travel
Over percent of the interviewees dreamed of traveling overseas The United States France Hong Kong and Australia were popular overseas destinations with percent of the interviewees choosing the United States
Joining a tourist group is the most common way to travel for rich people with percent of the interviewees choosing to travel in this way People at the age of to are more likely to choose only the reservation of hotels and air tickets
American Express investigated rich Chinese people in eight major cities from August to September last year Enditem
ZHONGSHAN Guangdong Jan Xinhua A highway resumed operation after petitioners for land compensation who blocked a local highway in the past four days dispersed Sunday noon in south Chinas Guangdong Province an official said
No one died in the incident that occurred in Sanjiao township of Zhongshan City and police used no tear gas or electronic batons or water cannon while dispersing the petitioners and onlookers said a spokesman with the municipal government of Zhongshan
However two policemen and three villagers were injured after the throw of rocks and firecrackers at policemen by petitioners led to chaos
The spokesman said the windshield and lamps of a police car were smashed by petitioners
He said some instigators of the attack were detained
More than petitioners from Panlong village Wednesday gathered in front of the government office of Sanjiao township blocking the Nansan Road which links Zhongshan and the township
The spokesman said that the villagers were demanding for higher compensation for their hectares of land the township government confiscated in for yuan about US dollars per hectare
Petitioners rose to more than Saturday evening and the gathering attracted hundreds of onlookers The municipal police bureau sent policemen to help maintain traffic order that night who then were attacked by villagers the spokesman said
The municipal authorities of Zhongshan ordered police and township officials to remain calm and avoid clash with petitioners after receiving the report of the gathering
Mayor Chen Genkai asked the township government to consider villagers reasonable demand seriously and give them sincere response
The village is now in calmness the spokesman said Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Resources cooperation between China and Africa will help Africa to realize sustainable development Chinese experts on African studies told Xinhua in recent interviews
In a policy paper aimed at strengthening its ties with Africa China is working to explore the prospect of SinoAfrican cooperation in concrete fields
In Chinas firstever African Policy Paper released here Thursday China highlighted its readiness to facilitate information sharing and cooperation with Africa in resources development
To translate Africas advantages in resources to competitive strength and to realize sustainable development in Africa is our aim in the resources cooperation said Wang Yingying a researcher on African studies with the China Institute of International Studies
Despite their remarkable economic growth in recent years African countries are still vulnerable in their economy as the majority of their exports are unprocessed raw materials Wang said
China has helped African countries build processing factories and provided technical and management training courses in a bid to increase the added value of their exported commodities thus increasing the competitiveness of their products
The Chinese government encourages and supports competent Chinese enterprises to cooperate with African nations in developing and exploiting rationally their resources
While the Chinese enterprises are involved in resources exploitation in Africa they contribute to the continents development at the same time Wang said
Elaborating her viewpoint she said that China refunds the profits it has earned by reinvesting in infrastructure construction such as building power stations
The investment has brought real benefits to people in Africa and the continent as a whole the researcher said
Unlike some western countries Chinas cooperation with African countries is based on boosting sustainable development in Africa Wang said
While developing oil iron ore and mineral resources in Africa China pays much attention to protection of local environment she said adding We also help train personnel in various fields in an effort to guarantee sustainable development in Africa
An Yongyu president of the China Society for African Studies said China sticks to a policy of sustainable development Consequently it lays stress on sustainable reproduction of resources in its cooperation with African countries
For example An said when exploiting forest resources in Gabon China adopted a method of planting saplings at the same time to make it renewable
Currently many Africanmade products are sold cheaply due to their unfavorable position on the world market causing huge losses to these countries
In energy cooperation with African countries China purchased their products at a reasonable price in international market in stead of forcing prices down said An who used to serve as former Chinese ambassador to several African countries
These examples show that China does attach importance to sustainable development in Africa An said Enditem
SHENYANG Jan Xinhua A worker remained missing ten hours after a cavein occurred at the construction site of an overbridge Sunday afternoon in this capital of northeast Chinas Liaoning Province
The accident took place on the Qingnian Street in Shenyang at about when workers were digging a pit for a pile A worker at the site fell into the fivemeter deep pit when the cavein happened and was then buried by mud and sand
Local workplace safety authorities said that the worker was still missing though a pumper and a hoister were used in the rescue
Rescuers said that the pit was only one meter round which add to the difficulty of the rescue
Rescue work was still going on and the workplace safety authorities will start investigation into the cause of the accident once after the rescue work is finished they said Enditem
WUHAN Jan Xinhua A heavy fog closed the Tianhe Airport of Wuhan capital of Hubei Province central China for five hours Sunday leading to the the cancellation and delay of more than flights
The city was hit by a heavy fog early Sunday morning and the minimum visibility at the airport was less than meters Ten flights including one destined to Seoul of the Republic of Korea were cancelled and others were delayed an official of the airport said
He said that another flights were forced to land in alternate airports
More than passengers were held up at the airport which started to resume normal operation at noon after the fog became thin
The bad fog also caused the closure of some sections of two major freeways and delayed more than coaches
The fog is expected to last to Monday weather forecast said Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua The following are Chinas home news items released by Xinhua on Sunday
Chinese president welcomes more Taiwan compatriots to do businesses in mainland
China exclusive Pastoral life becomes new option for urban elites
SW China province to ensure water safety for million rural people in five years
China detains company bosses who intentionally defaulted workers wages
NW China province lacks million cubic meters of natural gas a day for heating
Chinas newly rich earn yuan a year
E China province removes alarm on Yellow River pollution
China cuts electrolysis aluminum output to cool soaring alumina prices
URGENT Chinas foreign exchange reserves reach billion US dollars up percent
Tomb of ancient coin collector unearthed in NW China
Wicked weather causes bln yuan in losses in E China province
Motor vehicle imports grow percent in S China port
S China autonomous region reports new achievements in poverty reduction
IC cards widely used in SW China city
Public emergency plans help disaster reduction in Typhoon Rananim
UPDATE Chinas foreign exchange reserves reach billion US dollars up percent
N Chinas Shanxi Province elects new leaders
Beijing to keep its population within mln in next five years
million exfarmers employed in E China province
China police bust drug smuggling group
Oceanic trench formed million years ago found in Guangxi
Beijing sees rare increase in housing sales late last year
Money supply grows percent in December central bank
United States becomes east China provinces No export market
China prosecutes officials for dereliction of duty in three months
Chinese state councilor meets MIT president
Rescue continues hours after four miners trapped in C China flooded colliery in
EU official hopes European experience in egovernment can help China
China produces percent of worlds ceramic products for daily use
Publicity officials to make contribution to building new countryside official
China to build kilometer rural highways in
China opens green corridor network for fresh agricultural produce
Chinese vicepremier calls for safe transportation of holiday makers
Beijing sets major economic targets for next five years
Contest of manmade beauty broadcast live on TV in China
Chinese university opens online bar to offer students counseling
Hospital in Beijing accused of failing to warn newborn deformity
Chinas Ashare Bshare markets set to be merged report
China focus National postgraduate exam attracts record mln examinees
Air Canada to introduce TorontoShanghai nonstop flights in June
Beijing voted as most popular domestic destination
Petitionled traffic blockade in south China city ends village resumes calm
China Exclusive ChinaAfrica resources cooperation helps realize sustainable development in Africa
Cavein at construction site buries one worker in NE China
Heavy fog paralyzes airport in central China province Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua The following are domestic news items released by Xinhua on Sunday
Chinese president welcomes more Taiwan compatriots to do businesses in mainland
China exclusive Pastoral life becomes new option for urban elites
SW China province to ensure water safety for million rural people in five years
China detains company bosses who intentionally defaulted workers wages
NW China province lacks million cubic meters of natural gas a day for heating
Chinas newly rich earn yuan a year
Roundup Discovery of ancient quarry rewrites HKs human history Part I
Roundup Discovery of ancient quarry rewrites HKs human history Part II
Highlights of major Beijingbased newspapers Jan
E China province removes alarm on Yellow River pollution
China cuts electrolysis aluminum output to cool soaring alumina prices
URGENT Chinas foreign exchange reserves reach billion US dollars up percent
Tomb of ancient coin collector unearthed in NW China
Wicked weather causes bln yuan in losses in E China province
Motor vehicle imports grow percent in S China port
S China autonomous region reports new achievements in poverty reduction
IC cards widely used in SW China city
Public emergency plans help disaster reduction in Typhoon Rananim
UPDATE Chinas foreign exchange reserves reach billion US dollars up percent
N Chinas Shanxi Province elects new leaders
Beijing to keep its population within mln in next five years
million exfarmers employed in E China province
China police bust drug smuggling group
Oceanic trench formed million years ago found in Guangxi
Beijing sees rare increase in housing sales late last year
Money supply grows percent in December central bank
United States becomes east China provinces No export market
China prosecutes officials for dereliction of duty in three months
Chinese state councilor meets MIT president
HK airport sets new record in traffic figures in
Weather forecast for major Chinese cities Jan
Weather forecast for world cities Jan
Air quality of major Chinese cities Jan
HK issues special stamps for lunar New Year
EU official hopes European experience in egovernment can help China
China produces percent of worlds ceramic products for daily use
China to build kilometer rural highways in
China opens green corridor network for fresh agricultural produce
Chinese vicepremier calls for safe transportation of holiday makers
Weather information for AsiaPacific cities Jan
Beijing sets major economic targets for next five years
Contest of manmade beauty broadcast live on TV in China
Chinese university opens online bar to offer students counseling
Hospital in Beijing accused of failing to warn newborn deformity
Chinas Ashare Bshare markets set to be merged report
China focus National postgraduate exam attracts record mln examinees
Air Canada to introduce TorontoShanghai nonstop flights in June
Petitionled traffic blockade in south China city ends village resumes calm
China Exclusive ChinaAfrica resources cooperation helps realize sustainable development in Africa
Heavy fog paralyzes airport in central China province Enditem
BEIJING Jan Xinhua Following are Chinas home news items released by Xinhua on Saturday
Senior official highlights contribution made by late CPPCC members to Chinas progress
pct technical school graduates find jobs from to
South China city of Shenzhen to launch direct flight to Seoul
Senior official calls for safeguarding public security
China EU launches project to improve Chinas information infrastructure
China launches antidumping investigations in
Chinese chemical company to purchase Adisseo Group with mln euros
Chinas home news items from Xinhua Jan
Chinas home news items from Xinhua Jan
NW China region sees increasing trade with Kazakhstan
S China city posts doubledigit growth rate in revenue income
China Exclusive Nearly yearold ancient state found in north China province
China reports surge in homemade vehicle sales output in
First wage default case subject to criminal penalty in Chinas mainland
C China province has percent of its land covered with forest
Chinese refrigerator producer gets big vending machine contract to US market
Highlights of major Beijingbased newspapers Jan
Boss flees with ticket money of students going home for vacation
Chinese legislators leave for Seychelles Saudi Arabia
China employs egg parasitic wasps to kill pests
E China province sees foreign trade grow in
Chinas large retail stores report percent growth in sales
Average life expectancy reaches in SW China province still low nationwide
Beijing plans to have blue sky days this year more than in
Hunan leads central China in FDI
China makes debut export of humanuse vaccines
Chinese textile producers forced to cut jobs due to fall in export orders
Urgent Chinese president welcomes more Taiwan businesses to mainland
Weather forecast for major Chinese cities Jan
Weather forecast for world cities Jan
SW China city sees fire accidents up in past year
SW China province spends billion yuan on building highway framework
E China province receives record high overseas tourists in
E China city reports soaring foreign trade
Road accident leaves dead others indured in SW China county
Yiwu small commodity market rated as Chinas first shopping tourist attraction
Chinas first leukemia childrens hospital comes into being
China ranks top vehicle companies on sales performance in
Flaming gasoline bottle thrown into classroom leaves students teachers injured
Chain of motor vehicle collisions claims lives in NE China
China exclusive retired Chinese officials from dignitary to farmer story rewrites village lifestyle
Defense industry group becomes leading manufacturer of civil products
Updated Half of Chinas actual use of ROK capital goes to Shandong Province
Salary of employees increases during period
Chinese man arrested for making fake Viagra Cialis
Spring Festival travel season starts in China
Roundup First peak travel day witnesses orderly transportation
Peoples Daily commentators article calls for increased understanding of governmentproposed cultural reform
Over fall victims of ice flood in W Xinjiang
Chinese president welcomes more Taiwan compatriots to do businesses in mainland
China exclusive Pastoral life becomes new option for urban elites Enditem
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