dd00

Grambling State University Student Receives Educational Leadership Skills That Will Benefit Her In Armenia
By Marsha James


Profile on Nara Martiosyan - Download Real Audio

　

Without coming to the United States to get a higher education, Nara Martirosyan would not be able to work in her field back home in Armenia. She tells us why getting an education in the United States is very important to her. “I’m from the Republic of Armenia which is one of the former Soviet Union’s Republic and my major I can’t study master degree in my country because we don’t have developmental education,” she says. “Actually, it is educational leadership. That was the main reason.

“The second reason is that if you have your master’s from the United States you could get good job. In my country we have lots of international organizations most of them are American organizations and the third one is comparing with my country and the United States, it is really expensive here the education,” she says. “Not as expensive as the United States, but for us it is still expensive so I try to apply for a scholarship and get scholarship to come study because without scholarship you could never come and study in the United States because the currency difference is really high so it is impossible. So these are the reasons that I wanted to study here.”

Nara is attending Grambling State University. Besides working on her English speaking skills and learning how to design a curriculum for developmental learners back home, Nara says she appreciates the friendliness and support of her peers and others at the university. “This university was originally a black college and I really appreciate that people are friendly here and they are ready to help you and support you even if they don’t know who you are,” she says.

“If they know you are an international student, you don’t know anybody here so they are really supportive especially my professors are really really supportive because at the beginning still I have some language barriers because English is my fourth language,” she adds.

“So it was not really easy for me to adjust and they have different speaking style here in the south,” she says. “I like my program in which I am attending and also the international office which is really new in this university even not more than one year, they are helping us and the kids if we have any problems. The international office is really important for us they provide students with services such as immigration workshops, international coffee hour, just in general if you have any problem you could go there and get any assistance so I really appreciate this support which I have and if I didn’t have that support I don’t think that I could stay and feel happy here.”

Attending college back home Nara says most students graduate without having practical lessons about their major, however here she says gaining both knowledge and skills is priceless. “In my country the educational system is really strong and the requirements are really strong. The difference is here you have open admission, but in my country it is not really open admission. There are required exams, which you have to take in order to enter into the university,” she says.

"So maybe this facts makes a bit difficult for students to enter the university, but when they enter like almost ninety-five, ninety-seven percent graduate,” she says. “But the advantages of this education are like open admission is good and like the practical lessons. You have more practical lessons than we have in our curriculum and now in my country we are doing lots of educational reforms and most of the educational reforms are being sponsored by the U-S Department of State, so we are trying to add more practical lessons in order to have our students to apply the knowledge they got in the university,” she adds.

“Sometime you could have students who graduate from the university they have excellent knowledge, but they don’t have enough necessary skills to apply this knowledge so they need extra practical lessons. “So that is the difference that I see and I really think that it is really good when you have both knowledge and skills.”

Upon graduation Nara will return home and work at a university there using her skills she acquired while in the U-S

[ 本帖最后由 dd00 于 2006-7-4 05:25 PM 编辑 ]

dd00

Russia Calls on Iran to Answer Concerns About its Nuclear Program
By Bill Gasperini
Moscow

　

Gasperini report - Download 209k

　
Russia's Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov is urging Iran to provide answers about its nuclear program in order to allay international concerns. He says Russia will continue seeking a diplomatic solution to the stand-off over Iran's nuclear ambitions.

Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov says the international community expects unequivocal answers from Iran about its nuclear program to questions from the International Atomic Energy Agency. On Saturday, the agency voted to refer Iran to the U.N. Security Council.

In a speech at a security conference in Munich, Germany, Sergei Ivanov said he believes the dispute over Iran's nuclear ambitions can be resolved diplomatically.

Russia has long been assisting Tehran in what both countries say is a peaceful quest to develop nuclear energy.

On Saturday, Russia backed the IAEA decision to refer the matter to the U.N. Security Council.

However both Russia and China - two of the permanent members of the Security Council - continue to oppose sanctions, saying these are unlikely to pressure Iran into halting its nuclear program.

At the Munich conference, Ivanov said the IAEA should continue to monitor developments in Iran.

"Russia still believes that, as long as possible, it is better to keep the matter in the agency's hands, I mean International Atomic Agency hands," he said.

Ivanov went on to say tougher action might lead Iran to expel IAEA inspectors from the country, something he says would be counter-productive.

He repeated Moscow's offer to enrich Iranian uranium in Russia to prevent it from being converted for weapons use.

Ivanov said that offer is still open. Iranian officials are due to come to Moscow on February 16 for more talks on the proposal, and, on Sunday, Iran suggested it was still open to those talks.

[ 本帖最后由 dd00 于 2006-6-19 08:24 AM 编辑 ]

ozimex999

Hamas offers to restore ceasefire
AAP - Friday June 16, 07:50 AM

The Islamic Hamas offered to restore a tattered ceasefire with Israel, several days after calling off the truce to protest a deadly explosion on a Gaza beach - reflecting pressure from spiralling violence alongside a cash crunch that has bankrupted its government.

Israel responded favourably, signalling that both sides are prepared to step back from fighting that threatened to escalate into a broader conflict. A Hamas official said the group was in touch with other Gaza militants to try to halt daily rocket barrages against Israel, which set off punishing Israeli air and artillery retaliation
The truce, declared in February 2005, greatly reduced Palestinian-Israeli violence that took more than 3,000 lives in the four years before.

But Hamas called it off after an explosion last Fridiay on the Gaza beach that killed eight civilians. Israel was shelling Gaza around that time but insisted it was not responsible for the explosion.

Hamas sent its own rocket squads to fire at Israel alongside Islamic Jihad and other militants. Dozens of rockets pelted Israel, many exploding in the town of Sderot, just outside the Gaza fence, seriously injuring a resident.

The barrages have tapered off somewhat in the past day, an indication that Hamas was sidelining its militants once again. Islamic Jihad fired five rockets.

"This is very clear for us. We are interested to keep the situation and quiet, especially in the Gaza Strip," government spokesman Ghazi Hamad of Hamas said. "We have contacts with the Palestinian factions. We are ready to do it, but (only) if the Israeli side has a strong intention to respond positively to the call ... to stop their aggression."

The initiative received backing from the powerful exiled Hamas leadership.

In Damascus, the deputy head of Hamas' political bureau, Moussa Abu Marzouk, told the AP, "if Israel agrees to stop targeting civilians, then (Hamas) will take a positive stance".

Israel welcomed the gesture. "If it is quiet, we will answer that with quiet," said Mark Regev, spokesman for Israel's Foreign Ministry.

Israeli defence officials said it appeared that Hamas was serious about restoring the truce, though the decision was likely a short-term tactical manoeuvre.

The fighting with Israel has complicated an already difficult situation for Hamas, which is under intense international pressure to moderate and is grappling with bloody infighting against the rival Fatah movement of President Mahmoud Abbas.

Since the Hamas-led government took office in March, Israel and Western donors have cut off hundreds of millions of dollars in funds to the Palestinians, labeling Hamas a terror group. They have demanded that Hamas renounce violence and recognise Israel.

Hamas has rejected the demands, turning to Arab and Muslim countries for funds.

On Thursday, the Palestinian information minister arrived returned to Gaza with $US2 million ($A2.72 million) in his luggage, the second straight day a senior Hamas official has hand-delivered large amounts of money.

Youssef Rizka's suitcase delivery signalled that Hamas has opened a new front in its battle against international sanctions by taking matters into its own hands - literally. Hamas said all of the money came from private donations, not governments.

However, a rebuke from the European monitors who work at the border, and concerns the money could be used for violence, raised questions about how long the practice could continue.

Regev, the Israeli official, said, "The amount of money being brought in by cash is not enough to run the (Palestinian) government. But unfortunately, it's enough to keep a terrorist infrastructure very much alive."

After Israel's withdrawal from Gaza last year, the Palestinians were given control over the border in a deal brokered by the US. Under the deal, forces loyal to Abbas control the crossing under the observation of EU monitors.

While denying reports that the European observers would pull out over the money issue, Julio De La Guardia, a spokesman for the monitors, said they sent a letter to the Palestinians demanding that all people crossing into Gaza declare funds over $US2,000 ($A2,716). "What should be declared is the exact quantity, origin, and destination of money, in order to implement international standards," he said.

Hamas officials said the money that Rizka delivered came from private donations and Islamic charities. He returned to Gaza from a trip to Qatar, Saudi Arabia and neighbouring Egypt. He declared the money to border officials and turned over the cash to the Palestinian Finance Ministry.

A day earlier, Foreign Minister Mahmoud Zahar returned to Gaza from a trip to Muslim countries with $US20 million ($A27.17 million) in his luggage. That money also was turned over the government.

"It's our money," said Hamad, the government spokesman. "This is the only way that we can transfer."

However, the money carried into Gaza so far is only a small portion of the roughly $US360 million ($A489.03 million) it owes in back wages to public sector workers.

ozimex999

Oil prices rise back towards 70 dollars
AFP - Thursday June 15, 09:58 PM

LONDON (AFP) - World oil prices extended gains on ongoing supply concerns and prospects of higher Chinese demand for energy, analysts said.

"Between geopolitics, hurricanes, and normal upstream and downstream disruptions, there are numerous possible triggers on the horizon" to push prices higher, said Mike Wittner, an analyst at Calyon.

New York's main contract, light sweet crude for delivery in July, climbed 66 cents to 69.80 dollars per barrel in electronic deals before the official opening of the US market.

In London, Brent North Sea crude for July delivery gained 65 cents to 67.63 dollars per barrel in electronic trading.

Reports of China's strong industrial growth in May boosted expectations that the world's most populous nation may further increase its energy intake to fuel its economic expansion, dealers said.

The National Bureau of Statistics said Wednesday that China's industrial output picked up in May with a year-on-year gain of 17.9 percent, in a further illustration of the Asian nation's stubbornly strong economic momentum.
"China grew faster than expected... so this is definitely bullish for prices," said Dariusz Kowalczyk, a Hong Kong-based investment strategist with CFC Seymour.

Kowalczyk said prices were being supported also by a decline in US crude stocks in the United States.

The US Department of Energy (DoE) released its weekly inventory report Wednesday showing a rise in US reserves of gasoline but a dip in crude stocks.

Crude inventories fell 900,000 barrels to 345.7 million barrels in the week to June 9, the DoE added. Analysts had expected a fall of 700,000 barrels.

Traders were meanwhile tracking events in Iran, as well as the start of the hurricane season which last year caused severe damage to US energy installations and led to soaring crude prices.

Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Thursday his country would not bow to international pressure over its controversial nuclear programme, state television reported.

It was his first reaction to a package of proposals drawn up by Britain, France and Germany, and backed by the United States, Russia and China, in a bid to defuse the crisis over Iran's nuclear plans.

Washington suspects Tehran of seeking to build nuclear weapons.

However, Iran has insisted that its nuclear programme is strictly civilian and has not given any signals as to whether it will accept the offer of incentives to halt uranium enrichment.

Analysts say that Iran, the world's fourth largest producer of crude, could halt its crude exports if hit by UN sanctions.

ozimex999

Taiwan president attacks opposition recall bid
AFP - Thursday June 15, 04:45 PM

TAIPEI (AFP) - Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian has blasted the opposition for using a probe into his son-in-law to launch power struggles against him, as parliament seeks to recall the leader amid snowballing corruption scandals involving his family.

"Since A Bian became president in 2000, I have faced several political storms including previous attempts of recall or no confidence votes," Chen said in a letter posted on his website in which he referred to himself by his nickname.

"But it is not acceptable that political parties or individuals take advantage of court cases to engage in power struggles (against me)," he said. "We insist on doing the right thing and taking the right path. We believe the people will give us the strongest support."

The president has been under mounting pressure since late May when his son-in-law Chao Chien-ming was arrested for alleged insider trading involving bank executives, corporate bosses and government officials.

Chen's wife Wu Shu-chen is also under investigation for allegedly accepting and selling five million Taiwan dollars (156,000 US dollars) worth of department store gift certificates in exchange for lobbying favours.

One of Chen's top aides has also been indicted for corruption.

But Chen expressed his determination to serve the remaining two years of his second term.

"A Bian was elected by the people with over half of the votes cast ... and should do my job well in my term and loyally fulfill my duties stipulated by the constitution," he said on the website.

"I will not be affected by the recent troubles in the slightest way."

Chen said Wednesday he had faith in the judicial system and would accept the investigation results.

"Everybody is equal in front of the law ... and anyone who has committed a crime must be punished accordingly and there is no exception. A Bian's son-in-law is involved in some cases ... and I felt tremendous sadness and regret."

"But A Bian insisted that (my family) will face the investigations and give the court our unconditional support and trust because we have faith in the system, in justice and democracy."

Taiwan's parliament Tuesday took another step towards ousting Chen, scheduling a vote on June 27 on whether to hold a national referendum to force him from office.

Lawmakers voted 113-96 in favour of holding the ballot on the recall motion. If two-thirds of the 221 MPs pass it, a referendum on Chen's fate would be held three months later.

Observers said they expected Chen to survive the campaign but the move could signal months of political turmoil for his government.

ozimex999

Japan loses second vote at whaling meeting
Saturday June 17, 10:53 AM

Anti-whaling nations have had another win at the International Whaling Commission (IWC) meeting, with Japan's attempt to introduce secret ballots failing at this morning's hearing.

When it came to a vote, Australia and other anti-whaling nations won by a slim majority with just 33 voting against secret ballots and 30 supporting the proposal.

New members, the Marshall Islands and Cambodia, placed their hand firmly in the pro-whaling camp, but their votes were not enough to deliver a result.

It is the second time Japan has lost a vote at today's IWC meeting, but there are still a number of key votes to go.

"So far we have managed to dodge the harpoon," Joth Singh said, director of wildlife and habitat protection for the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), at the IWC's June 16-20 meeting in the Caribbean island of St Kitts and Nevis.

Japan earlier lost a vote which proposed the discussion of cetaceans, which includes the management of dolphins, porpoises and small whales, be removed from the IWC agenda.
Moratorium

Japan has sought for years to overturn the 1986 moratorium on commercial whaling and had been expected to be closer than ever this year to securing a majority in the IWC.

While a majority alone would not be enough to end the ban, credited with saving the great whales from extinction, it would have allowed Japan to turn the IWC away from protection and back into an organisation that regulates whale hunting.

Environmental group Greenpeace says the votes were "a victory for the whales, but no cause for complacency".

"We cannot continue year after year to see the fate of the whales hang by a thread," Greenpeace International spokesman Mike Townsley said.

Japan has abided by the moratorium on commercial whaling but uses a loophole that allows for scientific whaling.

Its fleets brought back 850 minke whales from Antarctic waters last season and 10 fin whales, and it plans to hunt humpbacks.

Iceland also conducts scientific whaling while Norway, the only nation to defy the international ban, has set its hunters a quota this year of 1,052 minke whales, a small species whose meat is eaten as steaks.
'Waste of time'

Japan's alternate commissioner Joji Morishita says he is not surprised at how the votes had gone but is disappointed the IWC decided to maintain a fractious status quo.

"These whole meetings are a waste of time," he said.

The United States, regarded by both sides as a moderating voice, warned that other votes in the IWC meeting could still go Japan's way, and lamented the acrimonious divide between pro- and anti-whaling countries had not been resolved.

"The bottom line is we got to save whales and we're not saving whales right now," Bill Hogarth, director of the US National Marine Fisheries Service, told Reuters, referring to the whales caught under science programs.

Anti-whaling countries argue that whale-watching is more lucrative than killing them, and that the majestic creatures still need protection.

But Japan and its allies say some species of whales have recovered, and can be hunted in a sustainable manner.

[ 本帖最后由 ozimex999 于 2006-6-17 10:05 PM 编辑 ]

ozimex999

China satellite launcher rejects US proliferation accusations
AFP - Saturday June 17, 05:28 PM

BEIJING (AFP) - China's top satellite launcher has angrily denied US accusations that it was assisting Iran's missile programs and demanded that its assets in the United States be freed up, state press has said.

The China Great Wall Industry Corp demanded the United States remove it from a list of companies whose assets in the US have been blocked and compensate it for all losses incurred, Xinhua news agency reported.

The China Great Wall Industry Corp "has never rendered assistance to any country for any weapon of mass destruction program," the company said in a statement.

"It is simply unreasonable that the US Government is alleging that the (Corporation) is engaging in proliferation activities and has imposed sanctions pursuant to its (own) domestic laws."

The US Treasury Department last week accused four Chinese companies and one US company of supplying Iran with missile-related components and called for a freeze of any assets the companies may have under US jurisdiction.

The Chinese companies were Beijing Alite Technologies Company, Ltd., LIMMT Economic and Trade Company, Ltd., China Great Wall Industry Corporation, and China National Precision Machinery Import/Export Corporation.
"The Chinese firms have provided, or attempted to provide, financial, material, technological or other support for, or goods or services in support of" Iranian missile programs that are capable of delivering weapons of mass destruction, according to a US Treasury statement.

Among the weapons produced in the program are the Fateh-110 missile, with a range of 200 kilometers (120 miles), and Fajr rocket systems, a series of North Korean-designed rockets with ranges of between 40 and 100 kilometers, the statement said.

The Chinese government on Thursday rejected the US charges and reiterated its opposition to the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems.

ozimex999

Taiwan MPs set vote on president's fate
AFP - Tuesday June 13, 06:33 PM

TAIPEI (AFP) - Taiwan's parliament has taken another step towards a bid to oust President Chen Shui-bian, scheduling a vote later this month on whether to hold a national referendum to push him out of office.

Observers said Chen is expected to survive the campaign, launched after corruption allegations against his family, but the move could signal months of political turmoil for his government.

"It is very difficult to pass the recall motion since it requires the approval of two-thirds of the lawmakers," said Wu Tung-yeh, a political science professor at National Chengchi University.

"But the recall effort will certainly enhance the public opinion pressure and force prosecutors to duly investigate the charges against the president's family and his aides," he said.

Lawmakers voted 113-96 Tuesday in favour of holding a June 27 ballot in the legislature on a recall motion. If two-thirds of the 221 MPs pass it, a nationwide referendum on Chen's fate would be held three months later.

Ma Ying-jeou, head of the main opposition Kuomintang (KMT) party, urged the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) to support the recall move.

"The DPP was founded with the support of the people and if it opposes the recall motion now, it is blocking the people from expressiong their opinions and will leave a bad name in history," Ma said.

The president has been under mounting pressure in recent weeks after his son-in-law Chao Chien-ming was arrested in late May for alleged insider trading involving bank executives, corporate bosses and others.

Meanwhile Chen's wife is under investigation for allegedly obtaining and selling five million (156,000 US) dollars in department store gift certificates in exchange for lobbying.

One of Chen's top aides, Chen Che-nan, has also been indicted for corruption.

The DPP hit back at the opposition and accused it of engaging in power struggles.

"The opposition insisted on launching vicious power struggles, ignoring the suffering of the people. We believe the public see clearly such intention," said DPP caucus whip Chen Chin-chun.

The June 27 vote will follow four days of debate in the legislature, which had been in recess but was called back into special session for the remainder of the month.

Dozens of President Chen's supporters rallied outside parliament during Tuesday's vote, while some DPP deputies shouted "Power struggles" in the chamber to try to keep the vote from taking place.

In an apparent bid to ease the crisis, the president relinquished some of his powers to Premier Su Tseng-chang earlier this month. But critics said he did not go far enough.

Chen still has control over over foreign affairs, the military, cross-strait ties and national security.

Chen was first elected in 2000, ending a half-century of dominance by the KMT which favours friendly ties with Beijing. He was narrowly re-elected to a second and final term in 2004.

Taiwan and China split in 1949 following civil war and Chen has occasionally worried the island's chief defender, the United States, with moves seen as leading his country towards independence.

China, which considers Taiwan as part of its territory, has repeatedly threatened to use force if the island ever declares independence.

The KMT and the minor People First Party together hold a slim legislative majority of 112, while Chen's DPP has 88 seats -- comfortably more than the one-third needed to block the national referendum from going ahead.

ozimex999

Japan warns N.Korea on possible missile test
Reuters - Monday June 19, 01:57 AM

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan warned North Korea on Sunday of "a harsh response" from Tokyo and Washington if it went ahead with the launch of a long-range missile.
Amid reports that a launch was imminent, a Japanese official quoted by the Sankei Shimbun daily said North Korea's leadership had told people to raise the flag at 2:00 p.m. (0500 GMT) and monitor television for a "message to the people."

The time came and went without any reports of a missile test. Japan's Jiji Press news agency reported that Japanese Defense Agency officials had concluded that a launch was not imminent, but that monitoring would continue.
A South Korean government official had cautioned against reading too much into Pyongyang's instructions to its people.

The official, quoted by Yonhap news agency, noted Monday marked the 42nd anniversary of the start of leader Kim Jong-il's career at the central committee of the Workers' Party of Korea and that people were urged to watch TV on June 18 last year.

The Korea Central News Agency later issued a statement noting the anniversary, but also lambasting the United States and Japan for their bellicose attitude toward North Korea.

"The Korean army and people will do their best to increase the military deterrent with sharp vigilance to cope with the moves of the U.S., which is hell-bent on provocations for war of aggression on the DPRK," it said without mentioning a missile.

The DPRK refers to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the North's official name.

CBS News reported that South Korea's ambassador to the United States, Lee Tae-sik, had told Korean correspondents in Washington that Pyongyang may have fueled a missile already.

"Satellite photos confirmed scores of fuel tanks near the missile launch pad," he said.

"We are not sure whether they had already completed fuelling or located (the tanks) there to fuel it."

MODERNISING ARSENAL

White House spokesman Tony Snow on CBS television show "Face the Nation," reminded viewers that in 1999 North Korea declared a moratorium on missile testing and had signed a memorandum in September 2005, which committed it to pursuing peace and security within the region.

"We certainly hope they're going to continue to abide by their agreement," Snow said.

Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Aso said in a television interview his country would seek an immediate meeting of the U.N. Security Council if Pyongyang went ahead with a test.

He voiced concern about the possibility of a missile landing on Japan, but toned down a remark made in an earlier interview that Japan would automatically regard this as an attack.

"We will not right away view it as a military act," he said.

Aso stopped short of saying what Japan and the United States would do in the event of a launch.

But he said: "The responses will be rather harsh."

Reports of test preparations come as six-country talks on Pyongyang's nuclear programs are locked in a stalemate and attention has shifted to concerns about Iran's atomic ambitions.

Many experts have said North Korea has missiles that can hit all of South Korea and probably all of Japan. The secretive communist state has been modernising its arsenal and trying to improve problems with accuracy.

A launch would almost certainly involve a Taepodong-2 missile with an estimated range of 3,500 to 4,300 km (2,175 to 2,670 miles), U.S. officials have said, putting parts of Alaska within reach.

North Korea shocked the world in 1998 when it fired a Taepodong-1 missile, part of which flew over Japan and landed in the Pacific Ocean.

ozimex999

HK fights poultry smuggling to keep out bird flu
Reuters - Sunday June 18, 02:19 PM

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Authorities in Hong Kong stepped up customs checks at the weekend to stamp out poultry smuggling after a truck driver was found infected by the H5N1 bird flu virus across the border in mainland China.
More officers were deployed at Hong Kong's four land border checkpoints and the territory beefed up examination of suspicious cargoes and baggage at sea and air boundaries.

"We confiscated three fresh chickens and three fresh ducks by Saturday night at Lowu," a government spokeswoman said on Sunday.
"Five people tried to bring them in, four of them were mainland Chinese and one a Hong Kong resident."

The new effort, codenamed "Operation Parrot," began on Saturday.

Lowu is one of the heaviest land border crossings in the world, handling up to 17,000 people an hour during peak periods.

The spokeswoman did not know if the five people had been charged.

It is an offence to bring any meat or poultry into Hong Kong without an official certificate and offenders face a maximum penalty of HK$50,000 ($6,400) and six months' jail.

Hong Kong suspended imports of live poultry from mainland China on Friday after the truck driver was confirmed to be infected with the H5N1 virus.

The 31-year-old driver lives in Shenzhen, just over the border from Hong Kong. It is unclear how he came to be infected although he went shopping at a wet market where live poultry was sold a few days before he fell ill.

He also ate a chicken which his wife prepared.

China says there has been no outbreak of the disease in poultry in Shenzhen. Chickens are chiefly responsible for spreading the virus to people.

The H5N1 virus has killed 129 people in nine countries since late 2003, most of them in Asia and including 12 in China, and experts have warned of a pandemic once the virus is able to spread easily among people.

ozimex999

Thousands rally to push Taiwan's embattled president out of office
AFP - Sunday June 18, 09:04 PM

CHANGHUA, TAIWAN (AFP) - Thousands of opposition supporters gathered in a central Taiwanese city to call for President Chen Shui-bian to step down amid a growing corruption scandal.

The crowd waved banners, sounded horns and chanted anti-Chen slogans at the rally in Changhua.

Popular Taipei Mayor Ma Ying-jeou, who also leads the main opposition Kuomintang (KMT, or Nationalist) party, addressed the crowd after being escorted to the rally by dozens of policemen.

Police have stepped up security around Ma following a spate of death threats. Several illegal radio stations urged independence-minded islanders to assassinate him over what they said was his attempt to bring down the island's first non-KMT government.

"So many people have stood up and the voice of Taiwan people must be heard," Ma said.

"The president's son-in-law has taken illegal money. And now the president claims he had no knowledge. You don't believe that, do you?" Ma asked.

Just a few miles away, a small group of Chen's angry supporters vented their anger by smashing water-filled balls into a board bearing Ma's image after they were pursuaded not to march on the venue of the opposition rally.

Chen's supporters organized two separate minor rallies -- one in Taipei and another in Kuantien township, the president's birthplace.

"My son Ah-Bian is a good man, a good president," Chen's mother Chen Li-shen said emotionally in her first public appeal to hundreds of Democratic Progressive Party supporters.

"I implore you to support him."

Chen has been under mounting pressure in recent weeks after his son-in-law Chao Chien-ming was arrested in late May for alleged insider trading involving bank executives, corporate bosses and others.

The president's wife is also under investigation for allegedly accepting and then selling five million Taiwan dollars (156,000 US dollars) worth of department store gift certificates in exchange for lobbying favours.

Chen has apologized for the turmoil caused by his son-in-law but refused to step down. The president said he would quit if his wife was found guilty of any offence. One of Chen's top aides has also been indicted for corruption.

In an apparent bid to ease the crisis, the president relinquished some of his powers to Premier Su Tseng-chang earlier this month. But critics said he did not go far enough.

Taiwan's parliament took another step towards ousting Chen by scheduling a vote later this month to "recall" him and to hold a national referendum on whether to push him out of office.

Observers said they expect him to survive the campaign but the move could signal months of political turmoil for his government.

Chen ended a half-century rule by the KMT in 2000 when he was elected president. He was narrowly re-elected to a second and final term in 2004.

dd00

Woman elected to lead American Episcopalians
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) -- Nevada Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori became the first woman elected to lead a church in the global Anglican Communion when she was picked Sunday to be the presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church.

It was another groundbreaking and controversial move for a denomination that consecrated Anglicanism's first openly gay bishop just three years ago.

Standing before cheering delegates to Episcopal General Convention, Jefferts Schori said she was "awed and honored and deeply privileged to be elected." Outgoing Presiding Bishop Frank Griswold was at her side as she was introduced after closed-door balloting. (Watch Schori's remarks -- 3:05)

The choice of Jefferts Schori may worsen -- and could even splinter -- the difficult relations between the American denomination and its fellow Anglicans. Episcopalians have been sparring with many in the other 37 Anglican provinces over homosexuality, but a female leader adds a new layer of complexity to the relationship.

Only two other Anglican provinces -- New Zealand and Canada -- have female bishops, although a handful of other provinces allow women to serve in the post.

Still, there are many Anglican leaders who believe women should not even be priests. Those opposed to female clergy often cite the unbroken tradition of male priesthood in the Roman Catholic and Orthodox traditions, and in the Anglican Communion until about 30 years ago.

At the General Convention where Jefferts Schori was elected, delegates have been debating whether to appease Anglican leaders by agreeing to temporarily stop ordaining gay bishops.

In 2003, the Americans shocked the Anglican world by electing the first openly gay bishop -- V. Gene Robinson of New Hampshire. Placing a female bishop at the head of the denomination may further anger conservatives overseas and within the U.S. church. And Jefferts Schori voted to confirm Robinson.

"I will bend over backward to build relationships with people who disagree with me," she pledged at a news conference.

Whether that will be enough will play out in the days ahead. Andrew Carey, a British-based commentator on Anglican affairs and son of the Rev. George Carey, who served as Archbishop of Canterbury from 1991 to 2002, called Jefferts Schori "the most liberal of the lot" of candidates.

"I think this fully shows a noncompliance of spirit with rest of the communion," he said.

The Rev. Canon Chris Sugden, a leader of the Anglican Mainstream, a Church of England conservative group said Jefferts Schori's election "shows that the Episcopal leadership is going to do what they want to do regardless of what it means to the rest of the communion."

Episcopal bishops elected Jefferts Schori on the fifth ballot. She collected 95 votes with 93 others split between the rest of the field -- six candidates, all men. Other General Convention delegates confirmed the choice.

Gasps could be heard throughout the vast convention hall when Jefferts Schori's name was announced. The Rev. Jennifer Adams from western Michigan, speaking from the floor, called Jefferts Schori "a woman of integrity, consistency and faith. I have no doubt her election as presiding bishop will be a gift to our church."

Yet several delegates said they feared the global consequences.

"I can't help but consider the peculiar genius our church has for roiling the waters," said the Rev. Eddie Blue of Maryland. "I am shocked, dismayed and saddened by the choice."

The presiding bishop represents the Episcopal Church in meetings with other Anglican leaders and with leaders of other religious groups. But the presiding bishop's power is limited because of the democratic nature of the church. The General Convention is the top Episcopal policy-making body and dioceses elect their own bishops.

Jefferts Schori is a former oceanographer who was ordained as a priest in 1994; she's married and has a daughter. She will be installed to her nine-year term at a ceremony November 4 in Washington National Cathedral.

The new leader will inherit a fractured church. The Pittsburgh-based Anglican Communion Network, which represents 10 U.S. conservative dioceses and more than 900 parishes within the Episcopal Church, is deciding whether to break from the denomination. The House of Bishops recently started a defense fund that will help fight legal battles against parishes that want to leave and take their property with them.

Membership in the Episcopal Church, as in other mainline Protestant groups, has been declining for years and has remained predominantly white. More than a quarter of the 2.3 million parishioners are age 65 or older

[ 本帖最后由 dd00 于 2006-6-20 11:09 AM 编辑 ]

dd00

Taliban attacks leave 30 dead

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan (AP) -- Taliban fighters ambushed two convoys carrying members of the same family in southern Afghanistan, killing 30 people, relatives and officials have said.

In another clash, Afghan and coalition soldiers killed seven militants in the southern province of Uruzgan, where a large-scale anti-Taliban offensive is under way, an Afghan official said Monday.

The first convoy attack, initially reported Sunday, was on vehicles carrying a former district chief in Helmand province, leaving the ex-official and four of his bodyguards dead, said the governor's spokesman, Ghulam Mohiudin.

The second ambush occurred several hours later when 30 of the slain official's relatives went to collect his body, his brother Dad Mohammed Khan said Monday.

Khan said 25 people were killed, including the brother and nephew of the dead official, Jama Gul. Four others were wounded.

The attacks happened nearby each other on the highway between Helmand's Sangin and Grishk districts.

Also Sunday, U.S.-led troops, backed by Afghan forces, raided a mountain Taliban stronghold near Tirin Kot, Uruzgan's provincial capital, and killed seven militants, said local Afghan army commander Gen. Rahmatullah Roufi.

After three hours of fighting, four wounded militants were arrested while others escaped into the mountains, Roufi said. Troops confiscated 11 AK-47 rifles, six rocket-propelled grenades and four machine guns.

Coalition forces have unleashed a massive offensive in four southern Afghan provinces targeting Taliban fighters who have been waging increasingly bold attacks against coalition and Afghan forces in recent months.

[ 本帖最后由 dd00 于 2006-6-20 11:12 AM 编辑 ]

dd00

Anglican crisis as woman leads US Church
By Jonathan Petre, Religion Correspondent, in Columbus, Ohio
(Filed: 19/06/2006)



A woman was last night elected as the first female leader of the American branch of Anglicanism in a historic but divisive development that could hasten the break-up of the worldwide Church.

The Bishop of Nevada, the Rt Rev Katharine Jefferts Schori, who is a leading liberal on homosexuality, is the first women primate in the history of Anglicanism.

Her role as Presiding Bishop is the equivalent of the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Her surprise election was greeted with whoops of joy by pro-women campaigners at the General Convention of the Episcopal Church, where she was chosen by her fellow bishops in four hours of voting.

But conservatives predicted that she would lead the Episcopal Church further along its liberal path on issues such as homosexuality, and her election will dismay traditionalists opposed to women priests.

One leading traditionalist, the Bishop of Fort Worth, the Rt Rev Jack Iker, said: "She will be the only woman among 38 primates and the majority of them do not even recognise women bishops. This is going to be very difficult for the Archbishop of Canterbury."

Her election followed a warning by one of the Church of England's senior bishops yesterday that efforts to prevent a schism in worldwide Anglicanism were now futile as it had become "two religions".

In an outspoken interview with The Daily Telegraph, the Bishop of Rochester, the Rt Rev Michael Nazir-Ali, said that divisions between liberals and conservatives were so profound that a compromise was no longer possible.

He increased the pressure on the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, to take firm action against the liberal American leadership.

"Anglicans are used to fudging things sometimes, but I think this is a matter of such seriousness that fudge won't do," said Bishop Nazir-Ali.

"Sometimes you have to recognise that there are two irreconcilable positions and you have to choose between them.

"The right choice is in line with the Bible and the Church's teaching down the ages, not some new-fangled religion we have invented to respond to the 21st century.

"My fear is that the Church of England has made a number of moves in the liberal, Protestant direction. That gives me concerns that the Bible will become less important and that the Church is moving away from its traditional Catholic order.

"If you move in that direction you become a kind of options Church, where you live by preferences."

The Pakistan-born evangelical bishop has the ear of powerful conservative leaders in Africa and Asia and his comments at the convention, in Columbus, Ohio, will be a blow to Dr Williams, who has expended much energy holding the warring factions together.

But they will be welcomed by those who fear that Dr Williams will do everything he can to avoid expelling the liberal Americans from the worldwide Communion. Bishop Nazir-Ali suggested that the US Church was already beyond the pale, irrespective of how it voted on resolutions designed to test whether it was prepared to dilute its liberal agenda.

He said an unconnected decision by its House of Bishops on Friday to back civil if not religious marriages for gay couples was so significant it made issues such as gay bishops "an interesting footnote".

The Church has been given until the end of the convention on Wednesday to toe the conservative line on homosexuality or face expulsion.

It has been asked to express regret for defying the official policy of the 75-million strong Communion by consecrating Gene Robinson as the first openly gay bishop in 2003. It has also been asked to impose a moratorium on public blessings of same-sex "marriages".

But Bishop Nazir-Ali said that, whatever the outcome, the Americans had already become detached from the roots of Anglicanism.

"Nobody wants a split, but if you think you have virtually two religions in a single Church something has got to give sometime," he said.

He suggested the point of no return had been passed, and effectively challenged Dr Williams to recognise the fact.

dd00

Nokia, Siemens agree to tie-up

Monday, June 19, 2006; Posted: 6:48 a.m. EDT (10:48 GMT)
HELSINKI/FRANKFURT (Reuters) -- Nokia and Siemens have agreed to combine their telecom equipment units in a deal creating one of the biggest players in the industry, the companies said on Monday.

They said the businesses to be combined in the 50-50 joint venture called Nokia Siemens Networks had sales of 15.8 billion euros ($20 billion) last year.

German industrial conglomerate Siemens declined to comment on financial details of the deal, which the Wall Street Journal has reported is worth $31.6 billion.

The deal will put the new company in the same league as current industry leader Cisco Systems and the new merged Alcatel-Lucent in terms of sales, and offer savings as they take on fierce competition.

The two companies said they expected cost synergies of 1.5 billion euros annually by 2010 from the combination of Nokia's networks division and the Siemens carrier business in fixed and mobile networks.

"We believe the partnership with Siemens is the most effective way to build the scale and broad product portfolio necessary to compete globally," Nokia Chief Executive Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo said in a statement.

Nokia Siemens Networks will have its headquarters in Nokia's home country of Finland and be headed by Simon Beresford-Wylie, currently in charge of Nokia's networks division. It will also have a regional headquarters in Siemens' home city of Munich.

The tie-up of Alcatel and Lucent announced in April sparked talk of more possible mergers and partnerships between infrastructure gear makers, who have come under increasing pressure from Asian rivals like Huawei.

"The merger gives Nokia and Siemens scale they couldn't get otherwise. You're going to be able to get rid of a lot of people, basically. They share common markets," said analyst Ed Snyder of Charter Equity Research.

Staff cuts expected
Nokia and Siemens said they expected to cut 10 to 15 percent of the combined businesses' 60,000 staff over the next four years.

Analyst Snyder added, however: "I think it makes a lot of sense from the cost side of the equation, but I don't think its going to help their growth profile at all."

Analysts and media have linked Nokia to the Siemens communications business or parts of it for months.

Germany's Manager Magazine reported in February that Siemens had been in talks to sell its telecoms equipment unit Com to Nokia or to form a joint venture, but talks failed as Nokia was only interested in Siemens' profitable mobile networks equipment arm and not the loss-making fixed-line networks business.

Nokia has shied away from major deals in the past despite its sizeable cash reserves, which stood at 9 billion euros at the end of March.

Nokia's management has said repeatedly it aims to make more acquisitions in the future and it plans to be a buyer in the consolidation of the infrastructure sector.

The two companies will hold a news conference at 0900 GMT and a conference call for analysts at 1300 GMT.

[ 本帖最后由 dd00 于 2006-6-20 04:00 PM 编辑 ]

dd00

Tour companies thriving despite poor exchange rate

Friday, June 16, 2006; Posted: 10:30 a.m. EDT (14:30 GMT)
MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota (AP) -- Carol Henning and her 18-year-old niece will be touring France by bus this July, seeing the D-Day beaches of Normandy, basking in the sun on the Riviera, and taking in the medieval sites of Avignon.

The 14-day tour costs $1,380 per person -- less than $100 a day -- including hotel accommodations, breakfasts and five dinners.

"I'm not sure I could get cheaper for the number of days that we're there," said Henning, 43, of Apple Valley, Minnesota, who purchased airfare separately.

The rise of the euro against the U.S. dollar hasn't stopped Americans from taking their dream vacations to Europe this summer, but it has led many to plan trips carefully so they can stretch their budgets once they get there.

That puts tour operators in a good position. Companies offering packaged hotel and airfare deals, sightseeing and transportation tours say business is up. Tours offer cost-effective vacations by setting prices in advance and negotiating rates that individual travelers may not be able to get.

Marc Kazlauskas, president of Insight Vacations, based in Rye, New York, said his tour company is having the best year in its 28-year history, with revenue and volume of travelers up more than 30 percent from last year.

Insight charges an average of $175 per day for its European tours, including hotels, tour directors, most meals, most sightseeing, taxes, transportation, and gratuities to hotel bellmen, he said.

"It's a pretty good rate," he said. "Especially these days."

Exchange rates
The euro hit a one-year high of $1.2979 against the dollar June 5 and has fallen only slightly since. At that exchange rate, the smallest latte at Starbucks costs about $4.55 in Paris, compared to $3.36 in New York City.

The currency is used in 12 nations in the European Union: Belgium, Germany, Greece, Spain, France, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Austria, Portugal and Finland.

But tour companies say exchange rates don't negatively affect their businesses because they negotiate prices well in advance.

"There is no currency issue. When you buy the tour it's in U.S. dollars, so it's set, it's done, it doesn't change," said Kazlauskas.

Hans Sohlstrom, president of Grand European Tours, based in Lake Oswego, Oregon, said he has also seen business rise more than 30 percent this year.

"Of course, prices have gone up," he said. "I think the vendors in Europe, the hotels, the coach companies and so forth, they also understand that they've got to trim whatever they can trim to give (travelers) a better rate so we can bring more people to them."

The strength of the euro has stoked a rebound in Europeans traveling to the U.S., said Cathy Keefe, spokeswoman for the Travel Industry Association trade group.

"The weakening dollar certainly played into people's desire to come here," she said. "With the euro, you're getting a third more for your money."

Even with the rebound, though, European travel to the U.S. still hasn't recovered above its 2000 peak. Keefe attributed that to the United States' negative image overseas.

Independent travel
For Americans headed to Europe, there are still some tour options available for this summer, said Robert Whitley, president of the United States Tour Operators Association, a trade group. Travelers who want to book last-minute tours can speak with a travel agent or find tour companies on the Internet.

Sandra Lovick, a travel agent and owner of five Carlson Wagonlit travel stores in the Twin Cities, said travelers who go to Europe without a tour group can still find ways to save this summer.

"A major city is a major city," she said. "You're going to pay $250 to $300 for a hotel in New York, and that's what you are going to pay in Paris."

Lovick recommended visiting less-traveled destinations or staying in small towns. She said she just returned from a trip that included Croatia, which accepts the euro but doesn't use it as its main form of currency. She said she found great values on copper jewelry and silk scarves at markets in Mostar, in neighboring Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Independent travelers can also cut spending by prepaying for accommodations, staying in less expensive hotels, or buying food from markets instead of eating in restaurants every night.

Andrew Olson, 30, and his fiancee, 31-year-old Tanya Pierce, both of St. Paul, Minnesota, plan to rent a car and spend much of their honeymoon seeing the countryside of west-central Europe. They'll explore German vineyards, French chateaux and historic battlegrounds.

Olson said they're not worried about the exchange rate, but they will probably stay in lesser hotels and make fewer visits to high-end restaurants.

"Once we get there, we're not going to be splurging as much as we normally would have." Olson said. "If it was something other than the honeymoon ... we probably would've definitely considered" the exchange rate.

Nora Brossard, spokeswoman for the European Travel Commission, said Americans are becoming more savvy about traveling, and exchange rates haven't dampened travel this year.

In fact, the commission, a marketing organization that includes tourism officials from more than 30 countries, is predicting the number of American travelers to Europe this year will break the record of 13.12 million set in 2000.

"People postponed travel too much since the downturn of 2001," she said, adding that now people are realizing they missed traveling, and they are "less intimidated by exchange rates than they used to be."

She said tours in Europe are highly recommended because the trip is paid for in advance. In addition, she said, cruises in Europe are booming.

"It's more expensive just to wander freely," she said. "If you want to go with kind of the footloose itinerary, you will probably then find yourself wasting a lot of time looking for hotels, ways to save."

And when it comes to the exchange rate: "It's something that you can't control. You can only control how you spend your money," she said.

Henning has been on tours before and said that for her, they are a good, hassle-free way to travel -- with hotel accommodations and some sightseeing opportunities already set up.

"I don't think twice about the euro," she said. "I love to travel so for me, it doesn't impact me. If it's something I want, I'm going to buy it."

[ 本帖最后由 dd00 于 2006-6-20 04:13 PM 编辑 ]

dd00

MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota (AP) -- Carol Henning and her 18-year-old niece will be touring France by bus this July, seeing the D-Day beaches of Normandy, basking in the sun on the Riviera, and taking in the medieval sites of Avignon.

The 14-day tour costs $1,380 per person -- less than $100 a day -- including hotel accommodations, breakfasts and five dinners.

"I'm not sure I could get cheaper for the number of days that we're there," said Henning, 43, of Apple Valley, Minnesota, who purchased airfare separately.

The rise of the euro against the U.S. dollar hasn't stopped Americans from taking their dream vacations to Europe this summer, but it has led many to plan trips carefully so they can stretch their budgets once they get there.

That puts tour operators in a good position. Companies offering packaged hotel and airfare deals, sightseeing and transportation tours say business is up. Tours offer cost-effective vacations by setting prices in advance and negotiating rates that individual travelers may not be able to get.

Marc Kazlauskas, president of Insight Vacations, based in Rye, New York, said his tour company is having the best year in its 28-year history, with revenue and volume of travelers up more than 30 percent from last year.

Insight charges an average of $175 per day for its European tours, including hotels, tour directors, most meals, most sightseeing, taxes, transportation, and gratuities to hotel bellmen, he said.

"It's a pretty good rate," he said. "Especially these days."

Exchange rates
The euro hit a one-year high of $1.2979 against the dollar June 5 and has fallen only slightly since. At that exchange rate, the smallest latte at Starbucks costs about $4.55 in Paris, compared to $3.36 in New York City.

The currency is used in 12 nations in the European Union: Belgium, Germany, Greece, Spain, France, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Austria, Portugal and Finland.

But tour companies say exchange rates don't negatively affect their businesses because they negotiate prices well in advance.

"There is no currency issue. When you buy the tour it's in U.S. dollars, so it's set, it's done, it doesn't change," said Kazlauskas.

Hans Sohlstrom, president of Grand European Tours, based in Lake Oswego, Oregon, said he has also seen business rise more than 30 percent this year.

"Of course, prices have gone up," he said. "I think the vendors in Europe, the hotels, the coach companies and so forth, they also understand that they've got to trim whatever they can trim to give (travelers) a better rate so we can bring more people to them."

The strength of the euro has stoked a rebound in Europeans traveling to the U.S., said Cathy Keefe, spokeswoman for the Travel Industry Association trade group.

"The weakening dollar certainly played into people's desire to come here," she said. "With the euro, you're getting a third more for your money."

Even with the rebound, though, European travel to the U.S. still hasn't recovered above its 2000 peak. Keefe attributed that to the United States' negative image overseas.

Independent travel
For Americans headed to Europe, there are still some tour options available for this summer, said Robert Whitley, president of the United States Tour Operators Association, a trade group. Travelers who want to book last-minute tours can speak with a travel agent or find tour companies on the Internet.

Sandra Lovick, a travel agent and owner of five Carlson Wagonlit travel stores in the Twin Cities, said travelers who go to Europe without a tour group can still find ways to save this summer.

"A major city is a major city," she said. "You're going to pay $250 to $300 for a hotel in New York, and that's what you are going to pay in Paris."

Lovick recommended visiting less-traveled destinations or staying in small towns. She said she just returned from a trip that included Croatia, which accepts the euro but doesn't use it as its main form of currency. She said she found great values on copper jewelry and silk scarves at markets in Mostar, in neighboring Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Independent travelers can also cut spending by prepaying for accommodations, staying in less expensive hotels, or buying food from markets instead of eating in restaurants every night.

Andrew Olson, 30, and his fiancee, 31-year-old Tanya Pierce, both of St. Paul, Minnesota, plan to rent a car and spend much of their honeymoon seeing the countryside of west-central Europe. They'll explore German vineyards, French chateaux and historic battlegrounds.

Olson said they're not worried about the exchange rate, but they will probably stay in lesser hotels and make fewer visits to high-end restaurants.

"Once we get there, we're not going to be splurging as much as we normally would have." Olson said. "If it was something other than the honeymoon ... we probably would've definitely considered" the exchange rate.

Nora Brossard, spokeswoman for the European Travel Commission, said Americans are becoming more savvy about traveling, and exchange rates haven't dampened travel this year.

In fact, the commission, a marketing organization that includes tourism officials from more than 30 countries, is predicting the number of American travelers to Europe this year will break the record of 13.12 million set in 2000.

"People postponed travel too much since the downturn of 2001," she said, adding that now people are realizing they missed traveling, and they are "less intimidated by exchange rates than they used to be."

She said tours in Europe are highly recommended because the trip is paid for in advance. In addition, she said, cruises in Europe are booming.

"It's more expensive just to wander freely," she said. "If you want to go with kind of the footloose itinerary, you will probably then find yourself wasting a lot of time looking for hotels, ways to save."

And when it comes to the exchange rate: "It's something that you can't control. You can only control how you spend your money," she said.

Henning has been on tours before and said that for her, they are a good, hassle-free way to travel -- with hotel accommodations and some sightseeing opportunities already set up.

"I don't think twice about the euro," she said. "I love to travel so for me, it doesn't impact me. If it's something I want, I'm going to buy it."

dd00

Japan to increase 'scientific' whaling
By Charles Clover, Environment Editor
(Filed: 19/06/2006)



Japan is to allow its whaling fleet to catch more of two endangered species after its efforts to have a temporary ban on commercial whaling lifted were frustrated.

Tokyo confirmed that it will increase its catch in the Southern Ocean this year to 935 minke and 10 fin whales.

The Japanese fleet will kill another 40 fin and 50 humpbacks - species listed as endangered by the International Whaling Commission (IWC) - in the following two years under a loophole that permits "scientific" whaling. Humpbacks have an estimated population of 10,000 in the Southern Ocean.

The British whaling commissioner, Richard Cowan, said Britain would protest over the decision but added that under the UN's whaling treaty Japan had the right to kill whales for scientific purposes.

"They say it's necessary for stock assessment but we believe they could find out all they need to know by non-lethal means," he said.

"They have stocks of whale meat coming out of their ears and we understand they are putting it into pet food because they can't sell it for anything else."

Japan's decision came after it suffered a string of defeats at the 70-member IWC's annual meeting over the weekend in the Caribbean state of St Kitts and Nevis. Pro-whaling countries lost their third vote in a row on Saturday, due to China and South Korea's refusal to support a proposal to allow fishermen in Taiji, a coastal community in south-east Japan, to hunt minke whales.

In a stinging defeat for Tokyo, the proposal, which needed a three-quarter quorum to pass, failed by one vote to win even a simple majority. Four countries that were expected to side with Japan - China, South Korea, the Solomon Islands, and Kiribati - unexpectedly abstained.

The Japanese had hoped for more support from small countries in the Pacific and Caribbean with no whaling interests but a need for development aid.

Joji Morishita, of the Japanese delegation, said before the vote: "We are glad this is not a secret vote. Japan will remember which countries supported this proposal and which countries said no."

The five-day meeting ends tomorrow.

dd00

Cat activists storm Chinese restaurant
By Richard Spencer
(Filed: 19/06/2006)



The incipient animal rights movement in China scored an unlikely victory at the weekend when it invaded a restaurant advertising cat meatballs.

About 40 activists stormed into the Fangji cat meatball restaurant, in Shenzhen, just over the border from Hong Kong, and forced it to close.

Outside, they hung banners that said: "Cats and dogs are friends of humans. Stop eating them, please."

Attitudes to domestic animals have until recently been seen as one of the great East-West cultural divides. Dogs are a delicacy in Korea and China.

Cats are eaten less but are a speciality in parts of the south, as are rat, civet cat, spiny anteaters and others.

But animal rights organisations are growing more active as the number of people keeping pets rises.

The owner of the Fangji restaurant said he would stop serving cat. Apparently he had warning of the attack, as no live animals were found on the premises. But a skinned cat was found in the fridge, causing some protesters to burst into tears.

[ 本帖最后由 dd00 于 2006-6-20 04:35 PM 编辑 ]

ozimex999

Giant panda's future 'looks brighter'
AAP - Tuesday June 20, 07:51 AM

Giant pandas may not be in as much danger of extinction as feared with a new British-Chinese study finding there could be twice as many living in the wild as previously thought, scientists said.

"This finding indicates that the species may have a significantly better chance of long-term viability than recently anticipated, and that this beautiful animal may have a brighter future," the scientists said in a statement.

Until now scientists thought there were about 1,590 giant pandas living in reserves in the mountains of China.

Pandas, one of the world's most endangered and elusive animals, are dependent on bamboo found in that area.

But scientists from Britain's Cardiff University and the Chinese Academy of Sciences now think there could be as many as 3,000 there after a survey using a new method to profile DNA from panda faeces revealed there was more than double the number of estimated pandas in one reserve.

"This was surprising and exciting. In our opinion, the same parameters can be applied across the whole mountain range," Mike Bruford, professor of biodiversity at Cardiff University's School of Biosciences, told Reuters.

Bruford said the scientists, whose findings will be published in journal Current Biology, stumbled across this discrepancy in the population as they were studying the movement of male and female pandas and their territorial instincts to understand their behaviour.

The study found about 66 pandas are living in the Wanglang Nature Reserve in Sichuan Province - and not 27 as estimated in the latest national survey that was conducted in 2002.

Bruford said there was no way that panda births or migration could account for so large a discrepancy and based on this finding, there may be 2,500 to 3,000 pandas in the wild.

Understanding population trends for giant pandas has been a major task for conservation authorities in China for about 30 years with three national surveys carried out but the terrain is hard to survey.

The first two surveys showed declines in numbers but the most recent survey showed signs of a recovery, helped by the Chinese government setting up a network of natural reserves and enforcing anti-poaching and anti-logging laws.

Bruford said the next step was to replicate the British/Chinese survey using its DNA method in other reserves.

The challenge then is to think beyond keeping pandas in reserves and find ways to end their isolation because inbreeding and low genetic diversity remain a possible threat to the species' long-term survival, he added.

He said one way to do this would be to build corridors between the different panda reserves.

"This (finding) means we have a halfway reasonable chance of long-term viability with conservation. It doesn't mean the panda is out of the woods by any stretch of the imagination but it gives us more time and makes a difference," Bruford said.