Showing posts with label International. Show all posts
Showing posts with label International. Show all posts

December 20, 2011

Egyptian Military Brutality Video


The pictures are very shaken has revealed the brutality of the Egyptian armed forces in putting down the protests that occurred on Sunday 18 December 2011.

In a video circulating on the internet, the security forces of anti-riot state was seen chasing a woman and beat her repeatedly with a metal rod that fell to the ground, and cause it to be half naked. After the fall, the woman was kicked repeatedly. The woman was lying helpless on the ground, his shirt open, her bra clearly visible. A man kicked in full force toward the open chest.

Moments earlier, he was beaten many times in the head and body with a metal rod. As if not satisfied with that waged a brutal beating his fellow soldiers, a soldier stepped on his head repeatedly. The woman with a weak attempt to protect his head from blows without stopping it with his hand. However, he then knocked unconscious in an attack that was embarrassing, and he was left lying motionless.

Before he attacked the officers, three men seemed to pull when they tried to flee from the approaching army. However, they are too slow, and the soldiers chased them, caught the woman, and one of the men dropped to the ground. Two other men were forced to abandon them and kept running. Two men who escaped were helplessly looking at two of her friends abandoned, and constantly beaten up when they're lying on the ground.

Unnamed woman said on Monday, would not appear because he felt embarrassed by the treatment they experienced. Video recordings and photographs when beaten, kicked, and finally slumped on the ground in Tahrir Square, Cairo, it has made headlines around the world.

Hassan Mahmoud, a journalist with the daily Al Badeel, be near her when she tripped and then beaten by military police. Hassan told the British daily, The Guardian, "They (military) wanted to take him away, but then a number of demonstrators who dared to show up and start throwing stones. (Pitch) that is one thing that saved him from their hands."

Women were treated for injuries at the hands and feet. However, he had come home and say what happened was a misfortune.

She was, as quoted in Hassan, said, "It does not matter if I speak (to the media) or not. They've stripped me naked, (it) is enough to reveal who they are and give the message that enough for people who still believe in them."

Mohamed Zeidan, who filmed the beating scene from a balcony overlooking Tahrir Square, said he stopped recording for fear of getting caught. "The soldiers are like vultures who find prey," he said. "The soldiers even beat an older couple who tried to help her stand up."

An another video, soldiers attacked an elderly woman when clashes erupted between protesters and security forces on that day. Khadiga al-Hennawy, the name of the old woman, was seen by two officers pulled her hair, before being kicked and beaten around the arm and back with a stick. He is known as the "mother revolutionary" because it took part in a protest against Egypt's Supreme Council of the Armed Forces.

Hundreds of soldiers wearing riot gear, on Monday, making cleaning more at Tahrir Square and opened fire on protesters demanding an end to military rule. Department of Health said at least three people were killed. Thus, the number of deaths during the four days of clashes to 14.

 The clashes have been raging in the capital city since Friday, when military troops guarding the building near Tahrir Square Cabinet quell protests that had lasted three weeks, which demands immediate ruling generals handed over power to civilian authority.


Source

November 26, 2011

Art of the Olympic Games: London's grand designs


Next year's Olympic Games in London will see world-class competitors display their skills across 39 disciplines, with the British capital also taking the opportunity to showcase itself as a vibrant, modern, cultural center.

This month's unveiling of the 12 Olympic and Paralympic posters marks another step in the build up to the two highly-anticipated quadrennial events, with art firmly entrenched in London's plans.

Acclaimed British artist Tracey Emin was tasked with composing one of the posters; the 48-year-old is championing the involvement of art in the hosting of the Games.


"Culture runs alongside the Olympics," Emin told CNN. "London, and Britain, has a lot more to offer than just sport."

Emin hoped her Paralympic poster, which bears the words "You inspire me with your determination and I love you" and pictures two birds, would be a complete contrast to the marketing material for previous Games.


"I want people to smile and feel kind of warm and feel that they're part of something and not excluded," she explained. "The previous posters were a little bit on the macho fascist side. I wanted to do something which was the complete antithesis."



Art historian and exhibitions curator at London's Victoria and Albert Gallery, Ghislaine Wood concurs with Emin's views, explaining how Olympic posters provide an insight into the political mood of years gone by.

"Olympic posters provide a fantastic snapshot," said Wood. "They really do provide a real insight into how posters communicate ideas at different points.


Wood highlights the Munich Games of 1972 as an example of how Germany attempted to use the posters to change the way it was perceived globally following World War Two.

"There was a very conscious effort to change the look and feel of that Olympics. Fascist connotations of Berlin 1936 have been utterly changed to brand it as a modern, democratic event."


According to Wood, London's push to display itself as a forward-thinking city is not confined to its poster. The logo, the brainchild of designers Wolff Olins, and the spectacular Aquatics Centre also show how the city is attempting to stamp its identity on the Games.

"The Wolff Olins logo was a very powerful element in the whole branding of the London Olympics. If you look at (architect) Zaha Hadid's Aquatics Centre, a fantastic piece of modern, contemporary design, and the tower."

The tower Wood refers to is a 115-meter high steel sculpture designed by Britain's Anish Kapoor known as the Orbit, which has been erected at the Olympic Park.


Kathryn Findlay works for Ushida Findlay Architects, a firm that was involved in the construction of the Orbit. She says the red twisting structure will provide a visual thrill for viewers both near and far.

"From afar, people in different parts of London will get glimpses of it," said Findlay. "As you go there on the train you'll see this object appearing. As you go closer to it, the scale of the sculpture, and the color, are quite surprising.

"There are these mirrors on either side, which invert people and they'll see themselves reflected in the sculpture.

"It is eclectic, unexpected, it's inventive. Whether you like it or you hate it, you will always see it, like Big Ben or the London Eye, as one of these eccentric British creations."

Source : CNN

November 17, 2011

Kompas.com : Microsoft plans to "Open Source" (realy ?)


Microsoft as the software maker is often touted as the company's most "closed" because the software can not be modified by someone else.

Secret codes in the programming software Microsoft also known to be very awake so that only "insiders" who can change it. Many users eventually switch to other software, eg Linux developed. Besides can be downloaded for free, Linux is also more open so that users can do a lot of modifications.

Microsoft claims to have started to understand the users and are more open in terms of software development. Microsoft has been prepared to support open source technologies that allow for collaboration with other software developers.

This year, to prove its commitment to open source, Microsoft has also worked with various open source community. To discuss more about Open Source, KOMPAS.com chance to interview Gianugo Rabellino, Senior Director for Microsoft's Open Source Communities in Shangri La Hotel, Jakarta, Wednesday (11/16/2011). The following interview excerpts:

Kompas.com: What is the background Microsoft's supporting open source technology?

Gianugo Rabellino: Microsoft realized that no single software development company that works independently and can provide everything needed by the consumer. This is encouraging for Microsoft to be more open organization.

Kompas.com: Why Microsoft is just starting now? While other competitors have long to start an open source technology?

Gianugo Rabellino: We never claimed our company is open or closed, it's just for this year and in the future we will be more open in terms of collaboration. Over the last few years Microsoft has developed technology is open source, it's just unheard of among the public. For people working in the technology world, I feel I have known this. Microsoft I joined last year and was assigned to take care of the open source community at Microsoft. My job is to disseminate information about open source technology developed by Microsoft that has begun to various global open source community around the world.

Kompas.com: What is not afraid unexpectedly bandwagon? How do you think about competitors like Google and Facebook, which had already been developing open source?

Gianugo Rabellino: We are not afraid of thought went along, because we developed an open source based on our research collaboration that users need to develop software.

Google with its Android and Facebook, with its applications is an example of the success of open source is growing among users of IT .. We believe Microsoft also will have the same success. Of course, Microsoft has a business model and strategy are different from Google and Facebook, so we have more confidence to develop this technology today.

Kompas.com: What kind of business model developed by Microsoft for this open source technology?

Gianugo Rabellino: Microsoft will be more open to share the source code so that it can be modified by other software developers. We already have a special website address that is www.codeplex.com to see all the information there. There are many projects that we are for there, as well as a variety of source code that can be modified and redistributed on the site.

business model that we developed is to provide an opportunity for software developers to collaborate with us and create applications and modifications to the software we have. We can find the right business partners of this collaboration and can make many choices for users to choose what they need from a software.

Kompas.com: What is the strategy taken by Microsoft to develop open-source technology?

Gianugo Rabellino: Microsoft supports standardization by becoming members in 150 organizations worldwide regulatory standards and actively participated in 350 working groups, where more than 350 thousand open source applications run on Microsoft platforms. We also develop open source technology on cloud platforms. In addition, we also build the open source community to share the information that is being developed, as well as a communications center for Microsoft with open source communities that have been formed first.

Kompas.com: What is Microsoft's biggest challenge in developing this open source?

Gianugo Rabellino: The biggest challenge it gives understanding to the community about what is open source and how open source is now being developed by Microsoft. Open source does not mean handing out software for free, nor open to the public company secrets. Open source is a shared source code that allows for collaboration in terms of developing software. So we deliberately build the open source community to deliver this information.



Source: Kompas.com

Dangerous work: "The Mine" in Guatemala City


In Guatemala City, a place called "The Mine" can deliver both a means of survival and a grisly death. Every day, dozens of residents salvage a living by scouring the massive dump for scrap metal. Facing the threat of mudslides, collapses, and disease, they can potentially earn twice the daily minimum wage. Associated Press photographer Rodrigo Abd documented their efforts. -- Lloyd Young (EDITOR'S NOTE: Our apologies, but due to an illness on our staff, we were unable to post a Big Picture on Monday.)

November 12, 2011

New seven wonders of nature

           The provisional new seven wonders of nature have been selected after a series of votes and expert judging. The vote was hosted by the "New7Wonders Foundation," based in Zurich, Switzerland, which was founded in 2001 by Bernard Weber. According to the foundation's website, it is funded by commercial partnerships and licensing and does not rely on government, public or taxpayer money. An official list of winners will be announced in 2012.
Komodo park (komodo Island), Indonesia
Amazon Rain Forest
Halong Bay, Vietnam
Iguazu Falls, Argentina and Brazil
Jeju Island, South Korea
Puerto Princesa River, Philippines
Table Mountain, South Africa
Source

Borobudur is not eliminated as a World Heritage

             Kementerian Pariwisata dan Ekonomi Kreatif (Kemenparekraf) Borobudur denied admission dropped from UN agencies, UNESCO, the World Heritage cultural criteria. "There is no such statement (deletion). There is no threat to them also to write off the Borobudur temple of their cultural heritage list," said Plt. Director General of History and Archaeology Kemenparekraf, I Gde Pitana, here on Friday. He said it just received an official letter from UNESCO about a month ago about the appreciation of the agency of the government and people of Indonesia. "They're judging, we are responsive and quick response in cleaning up the rest of the volcanic ash eruption of Mount Merapi, some time ago," he said. Previously, was widely reported that the largest Buddhist temple in danger of being stricken from the list of world cultural heritage by UNESCO because of the community and the Indonesian government does not care for the temple assessed dynasty dynasty's legacy well.
           Temple considered dirty, unkempt and many are still covered the rest of the eruption of Mount Merapi, which has not been cleaned. "I reiterate that the deletion does not exist, Borobudur is still recognized as a UNESCO world cultural heritage," he said. Even so, it still reminded and urged that every visitor who comes to Borobudur for any purpose either to worship or travel while maintaining good behavior in accordance with the values ​​and cultural heritage ordinance treats. "If we do not implement the concepts for protecting and preserving the temple of Borobudur, it could have been crossed out by UNESCO," he said. UNESCO's Borobudur temple insert into the list of world heritage sites in 1991 and entered the cultural criteria represent a masterpiece of human creative genius. Construction of Borobudur are expected to spend the next 75 years and completed in the reign of Samaratungga in the year 825. 3FAEZ6JRNHD7 Source

April 12, 2011

More quakes rattle northeastern Japan

A fresh round of tremors, including one with a magnitude of 6.3, shook northern Japan on Tuesday afternoon, the Japan Meteorological Agency reported.
The quake was centered in Fukushima Prefecture, near Japan's Pacific coast and about 64 kilometers (40 miles) southwest of the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. Workers retreated to earthquake-resistant shelters during the event, but there was no loss of power at the plant, the Tokyo Electric Power Company told CNN.
It followed a magnitude-6.4 quake Tuesday morning that killed at least six people when it triggered a landslide in Iwaki, north of Tokyo.
The earlier quake buried three homes, the Iwaki fire department said. Three people were rescued and hospitalized, and fire officials were working to rescue an unknown number of others believed to be trapped, the department said.
The quake struck at about 8:08 a.m. Tuesday (7:08 p.m. Monday ET), according to the U.S. Geological Survey. It had a depth of about 13 kilometers (8 miles) and was centered about 77 miles east-southeast of Tokyo.
Monday night, one person was killed in Iwaki and several others were trapped when a powerful 6.6-magnitude earthquake triggered landslides there, the fire department said. It happened exactly one month after the country's devastating 9.0-magnitude quake and tsunami.
Since the March 11 disaster, there have been more than 400 aftershocks of magnitude 6.0 or greater.
The earlier quake was centered about 100 miles (164 kilometers) northeast of Tokyo and about 30 miles (50 kilometers) southwest of the nuclear facility, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
The landslides in Iwaki buried three houses. Police in Fukushima Prefecture initially reported that four people were trapped. The Iwaki Fire Department later said more than four people were trapped, but the exact number was unclear.
Source: CNN

November 24, 2010

North Korea's dangerous delusions

Editor's note: Patrick M. Cronin is senior adviser and senior director of the Asia-Pacific Security Program at the nonpartisan Center for a New American Security in Washington.


Washington -- North Korea's latest unprovoked military attack on South Korea -- the shelling of Yeonpyeong Island near the Northern Limit Line demarcating the Korean Peninsula's maritime boundary -- is a stark reminder that the Korean War never ended.
The first responsibility of the United States must remain the preservation of deterrence from outright return to war. The attacks leave the alliance with few good options for reprisal without risking a far less desirable renewal of conflict.
The United States must work with South Korea to bolster deterrence, check North Korean aggression and be ready to turn it back, but only if absolutely necessary. We will also have to operate without fully understanding the power at play in North Korea.
This year has already been a deadly one as an ailing Kim Jong Il accelerated the likely dynastic transition in power to an ill-prepared son who will be captive to aging generals in the Korean People's Army. In April, 46 South Korean crew members aboard the naval vessel Cheonan died when the vessel was ripped in two by a North Korean torpedo.
The shelling of Yeonpyeong has now left new casualties, and motives for the attack remain numerous and unclear. Could this be Kim Jong-un's next lesson regarding the use of force? That is, are the North's generals demonstrating how they can literally get away with murder with limited uses of force despite the superior military forces of the South Korea-U.S. alliance?
Perhaps, but is the force intended to advance a larger, coherent political objective? Clearly consolidating power during an uncertain transition is a serious goal. But so, too, is Pyongyang's effort to convince the United States that it should deal directly with North Korea.
Furthermore, based on the sudden willingness to show off its nuclear enrichment facility to American visitors, North Korea appears to be saying it is time for the United States to sit down for direct negotiations as two fellow members of the nuclear club, rather than continue the diplomatic talks among six nations concerned with the nuclear issue.
We can clearly see that the North Korean regime is delusional about what it can achieve. But what we do not and cannot know given the North's opacity is North Korean intentions -- or even North Korea's future, although it is certainly not likely to be a bright one under the current regime.
We can take some solace in the fact that a visit to each side of the demilitarized zone clearly reveals that looking south appears far more menacing than peering into north. Even so, deterrence is dynamic and cannot be assumed to endure and certainly not without concerted action to bolster it.
Earlier this year officials in Seoul and Washington wisely agreed to delay the wartime return of operational control back to South Korea. Given this year of living dangerously, that seems a prudent decision, because it will give the allies even more time to make demonstratively clear the strength and capabilities of South Korean forces lest an increasingly emboldened North Korea tries to push its luck too far.
During this interim period, it is an ideal time both to strengthen South Korean military capabilities further but also contingency plans and readiness. Not only should this involve the U.S.-South Korean alliance but Japan as well, given its proximity and the vital bases there.
Meanwhile, we should not give up on providing opportunities for China to demonstrate that it is serious about helping enforce a rules-based order, including the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.
Still, it will be hard to build trust after China's cavalier refusal to rein in North Korea following the sinking of Cheonan. China is playing for keeps -- aiming to exert greater influence over its region -- even if that means tolerating the destabilizing belligerence of its neighbor.
A North Korea that thinks it can get away with anything is a dangerous North Korea. The military exercises called for after Cheonan are not enough, especially given this latest attack. Further defensive actions to fortify the border area would seem to be in order.
At the end of the day, like Yeonpyeong Island itself, we are left in a remote realm of security. Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, recently said that North Korea remains predictable in its unpredictability. Quite so; only more now than ever before.
The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Patrick M. Cronin.
Source:CNN

Korean shots echo across global markets

The conflict may be between the two Koreas, but this latest clash between the North and South is a major cause of concern across the world, shaking markets in the U.S. and elsewhere.

North and South Korea artillery exchanged fire for an hour on Tuesday. The attack on Yeonpyeong Island was the first direct artillery attack on South Korea since the 1953 cessation of hostilities.

The Dow Jones industrial average fell 142 points, or 1.3%, to close at 11,036 on Tuesday. The S&P 500 fell 17 points, or 1.4%, to 1,181. The Nasdaq slid 37 points, or 1.4%, to 2495, CNNMoney reported – a sell-off sparked by the crisis in Korea, as well as continued concerns over Europe’s debt crisis and a grim outlook by the U.S. Federal Reserve.

Yet underneath the panicked selling, something new can be seen in South Korea’s financial response to this latest crisis.

As President Lee Myung-bak assembled a meeting of South Korean leadership in a bunker underneath Seoul, the country’s top economic policymakers also met in emergency session within hours of the strike. They issued a statement that the government stands ready to tap its foreign reserves in case panic dries up liquidity in the Korean markets.
"Timely action will be taken if excessive herd behavior is detected ... and the Bank of Korea (is) set to cooperate on stabilizing the market," the finance ministry said in a statement after the meeting, according to state news agency Yonhap.

The result? Although the value of the won cratered overnight, dropping to 1,170 to the dollar from its 1,125 Tuesday close, within an hour of markets opening on Wednesday the won was back up to 1,145.

The worst market reaction to Korean Peninsula tensions was in October 2006, when North Korea detonated a nuclear weapon underground, said Kwon Goohoon, co-head of Korean research at Goldman Sachs in Seoul.

“At that time the Korean won weakened sharply and took 13 days to recover,” Kwon said. The Kospi Index, Korea’s primary stock market, took five days to recover.

“This time, despite the seriousness of this particular, the market seems to be more confident,” Kwon said.

The government’s financial response to the shelling came much quicker than past crises, Kwon said. “I think there’s been a learning curve, given the volatility over the last two years in context of the subprime crisis,” Kwon said of the proactive steps Korean policy makers took to calm investor worries.

So it could have been much worse. But there remains one unknown.

“If there is no further provocation, we expect the markets will stabilize,” Kwon said. “The only concern right now is how North Korea will react.”
Source:CNN

June 28, 2010

Germany thrashes England to reach World Cup quarterfinals


A rampant Germany thrashed arch rivals England 4-1 in Bloemfontein to reach the quarterfinals of the 2010 World Cup.

Miroslav Klose and Lukas Podolski took advantage of sloppy defending to give Germany a 2-0 lead before Matthew Upson headed in for England.

Frank Lampard was denied an equalizing goal for England when the officials failed to spot that the ball had clearly crossed the line.

But despite England coach Fabio Capello's claim that the controversy was the turning point, a far superior Germany ran away with the match in the second half, with Thomas Mueller scoring twice on the break to inflict England's biggest ever World Cup defeat.

"I think we played well but then I was disappointed by the mistakes and they counter-attacked well," Capello told BBC Sport.

"Germany is a big team and they played well - we made mistakes, but the referee made a bigger one. This is football."
It was the first World Cup meeting between two of football's oldest foes since 1990, when West Germany beat England on penalties after a 1-1 draw. England's only previous victory had come in the 1966 final -- a 4-2 triumph at London's Wembley.
Video: Blatter favors 'accurate' technology

Germany carved the game's first opening inside five minutes when a pass over England's defense found Mesut Ozil, whose shot was saved by the legs of David James.

The same direct approach brought the opening goal after 20 minutes when a long punt downfield from Manuel Neuer sent Klose racing clear.

The striker showed strength to hold off Upson and flick the ball past James with an outstretched right foot to post his 50th international goal and his 12th at World Cup finals.

England's defenders were caught out of position again for Germany's second goal as Muller shifted the ball to Podolski, who slashed a left-footed shot into the far corner.

Five minutes later, England got back in the game when Gerrard's cross was headed home by Upson.

Then came the controversial moment when Lampard's strike from the edge of the penalty area struck the underside of the bar and bounced down about two feet over the goal-line, only for Uruguayan referee Jorge Larrionda and his assistants to fail to award a goal.

Germany may feel the decision atones for 1966, when England were famously awarded a third goal even though Geoff Hurst's shot appeared to bounce down on the line.

England looked the stronger side in early stages of the second half and Lampard rattled the bar with a free-kick.

But then the German onslaught began as England's hopes were buried by two fine counter-attacking goals in three minutes.

First Bastian Schweinsteiger teed up Mueller to smash the third past James at his near post, and then Mesut Ozil crossed for the Bayern Munich winger to compound England's misery.

Germany, who have now reached at least the quarterfinals at every World Cup since 1954, will face either Argentina in the last eight on Saturday, July 3.source:CNN

Suarez double puts Uruguay into last eight as South Korea crash out


Two-time World Cup winners Uruguay qualified for the quarterfinals for the first time in 40 years with a 2-1 victory over South Korea in Port Elizabeth on Saturday.

Striker Luis Suarez scored both goals as the South Americans set up a clash with Ghana, who beat the United States 2-1 in extra-time in Saturday's late game.

Uruguay won the first World Cup at home in 1930 and then again in Brazil in 1950.

Coach Oscar Tabarez's team were the last to qualify for this year's tournament after winning a playoff against Costa Rica, but are now the first nation to move past the second-round stage.
"We are a country of only three million people, we have been a long time looking forward to something like this and now it's happened -- we are one of the eight best teams in the world," Tabarez told AFP.

Ghana's extra-time win ends U.S. dream

"This Korea side played a great match. This confirms how balanced football has become around the world. "

South Korea coach Huh Jung-Moo was proud of his players, having qualifed for the last 16 as the second-placed team in Group B behind Argentina.

"My players never gave up, they were tenacious and rose to the challenge, they showed they were true Koreans," he said.

"We wanted to go into the quarterfinals, we had lots of chances. Uruguay were lucky enough to score -- we lost because we weren't able to match them."

Suarez benefited from poor defending to score the opening goal in the eighth minute, but his team conceded for the first time in the South African tournament after a similarly lax effort at the back allowed Lee Chung Yong to level on 68.

Uruguay qualify top of Group A

Having sat back after the opening goal, that spurred the Uruguayans onto attack again and the winning goal came with 10 minutes to play as Suarez curled a superb right-foot effort off the left-hand post and into the net.

South Korea, seeking to emulate 2002's semifinal achievement after an early exit in Germany four years ago, started strongest but gifted Suarez his second goal of the tournament.

South Africa's World Cup dream halted by Uruguay

The 23-year-old, who was in prolific scoring form for Dutch club Ajax last season, had the easiest of chances after the Korean defense allowed his strike partner Diego Forlan put send over a cross which bobbled past hapless goalkeeper Jung Sung-Ryong.

Uruguay then seemed happy to allow South Korea to push forward in search of an equalizer, which finally came with 22 minutes to play when Mauricio Victorino's defensive header looped backwards and Lee Chung Yong stole in ahead of goalkeeper Fernando Muslera to head the ball into the unguarded net.

France and Uruguay goalless in Cape Town

With the rain lashing down in the Eastern Cape city, Uruguay suddenly stormed back into contention as both Suarez and Forlan missed chances.

Suarez made no mistake in the 80th minute after the Koreans failed to clear a corner, with his shot from the left side of the penalty area giving Jung no chance.

South Korea had a chance to level when Lee Dong Gook was set up by a fine through-pass from Park Chu-Young, but the striker's weak shot squirmed under the body of Muslera and the danger was cleared by captain Diego Lugano.Source:CNN

April 23, 2010

China building collapse yields life terms


Two men were sentenced to life in prison for their involvement in the collapse of a building in Shanghai last year, Chinese state media reported.

A Shanghai court sentenced Que Jingde and Zhang Zhiqin, the two largest shareholders of the real estate firm Shanghai Meidu Real Estate on Wednesday, according to China Daily.
Que was convicted on one charge of graft, while Zhang was found guilty on counts of graft, embezzlement of corporate funds and causing a serious accident, the paper said. The court also ordered the confiscation of their personal assets -- Zhang's is worth 5 million yuan (US $732,000) and Que's is 2 million yuan (US $293,000), China Daily reported.

The nearly complete 13-story building fell on its side almost intact last June, killing a worker.

Investigations found that the structure's foundation was weakened by the piling of excavated soil on one side and the digging of an underground garage by an unqualified contractor, China Daily reported. Source:CNN

Forlan goal gives Atletico slender lead


Liverpool's marathon journey to Madrid has ended in a narrow defeat as Diego Forlan's early goal gave Atletico a slender 1-0 Europa League semifinal first leg lead on Thursday.

The English Premier League side took a 1,200-mile trip by coach, train and plane to get to the Vincente Calderon stadium, but came away with nothing to show from a tight encounter.

Forlan, who spent an unsuccessful spell at Liverpool's bitter rivals Manchester United earlier in his career, netted the only goal in the ninth minute.

The Uruguayan striker missed his initial header from Jose Manuel Jurado's cross -- but he stil had enough time to prod the ball past goalkeeper Jose Reina from close-range, with Jamie Carragher failing in a desperate attempt to clear the ball off the line.

Liverpool should have levelled eight minutes later when Yossi Benayoun fired home, but he was wrongly flagged for offside.
Reina then rescued Liverpool early in the second half when producing a superb one-handed save to keep out Forlan's angled drive from the left.

However, Liverpool held on and they take a one-goal deficit back to Anfield in the knowledge that in 16 previous European semifinfinal matches, they have lost only four overall.

Liverpool could still face Premier League rivals Fulham in an all-English final after the London side drew 0-0 at Hamburg in the other semifinal encounter.

Hamburg are desperate to reach the final, which is being played on their home ground, but they found Fulham's Australian goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer in fine form.Source:CNN

Officials not yet discounting N. Korea in sinking

South Korean authorities continue to probe the mysterious sinking of a naval ship last month in the Yellow Sea, but authorities haven't discounted a theory that North Korea could have sunk the vessel.

Seoul has avoided blaming North Korea and North Korea sloughed off allegations it is responsible. Yonhap news agency reports that authorities have yet to find "concrete evidence, such as fragments of a torpedo" to back up evidence of North Korean involvement
The 1,200-ton patrol ship Cheonan sunk near the western sea border with North Korea on March 26, Thirty-eight of Cheonan's 104 crew members have been confirmed dead, and eight more are also believed dead, though they are still listed as missing. The 58 others were rescued before the vessel sank.

Intelligence authorities immediately assumed North Korea could be to blame, according to a senior military source quoted by Yonhap on Thursday. That assessment was reported to the presidential office and the Defense Ministry right after the incident.

"Since February last year, North Korea has strengthened training that showed the possibility of it launching a guerrilla warfare-style provocation, rather than a skirmish," the source said.

North Korea and South Korea fought gun battles with each other in 1999, 2002 and in November near the location of the incident.

Defense Minister Kim Tae-young told parliament on Monday of South Korea's immediate suspicions over North Korea. He said that reaction prompted a nearby South Korean warship to fire at an unidentified object "speeding northward." The object was later determined to be a flock of birds.

Kim has said that a sea mine or torpedo appear the most likely causes. The media has been rife with speculation - theories range from an internal boiler explosion to a North Korean naval special forces attack.

After the vessel's wreckage was initially examined last week, a South Korean investigator blamed an unidentified "external explosion" as the most likely cause.

"There is a higher possibility of an external rather than an internal explosion," said Yoon Duk-yong, the co-head of a government-appointed team to investigate the incident. Yoon's comment was based on a preliminary investigation of the stern wreckage. But it is necessary "to make a detailed analysis, leaving all possibilities open," he said.

Choi Sung-yong, head of the Abductees Family Union, a South Korean group that helps abductees and prisoners of war escape from North Korea, insists that North Korea sunk the ship.

He said a North Korean mini-submarine with a 13-man crew sank the ship. He cited a trustworthy informant in the North Korean military for his information and his claim was reported in South Korea's bestselling daily newspaper, the Chosun Ilbo, on Tuesday.

But Choi conceded "there is no definite way to confirm the facts."

U.S. and Australian experts are helping South Korea determine the cause of the sinking.

South Korean Defense Ministry spokesman Won Tae-jae has suggested the possibility of deploying more weapons and radar systems to the country's five northernmost islands near the border with North Korea. He also said a plan to cut troop levels on those islands will be scrapped, Yonhap reported. - Journalist Andrew Salmon contributed to this reportSource:CNN

August 8, 2009

2 dead in hunt for Indonesian terrorists

Indonesian police killed two militants believed to be connected with a 2004 embassy bombing and found a cache of explosives in an early morning raid Saturday on a house on the outskirts of Jakarta, the national police chief said.
Police found about 100 kg (220 lbs) of explosives along with bomb-making materials and a truck, which they did not immediately open out of fear it might have been rigged to explode, Chief Bambang Hendarso said.

The dead militants are suspected of being linked to the attack on the Australian Embassy in Jakarta in which 16 people were killed and more than 200 wounded, Hendarso said.

Meanwhile, a firefight in Indonesia's Central Java region continued at a house in Temanggung, where three to four people were believed to be holed up, police said.

Police were planning to send more personnel and surveillance robots into the house, said spokesman Sulistyo Ishak.

The standoff involves Indonesian anti-terrorism forces hunting Noordin Top, the main suspect in last month's Jakarta hotel bombings as well as a suspect in the embassy attack, police officials told CNN.

"The anti-terror unit in Central Java was targeting a person of interest," police spokesman Nanan Soekarna told CNN. "A gunfight broke out when the unit was raiding the house."

Ishak could not confirm Indonesian media reports that Top may be inside.
The firefight began Friday afternoon. Witnesses told Indonesian television that they had been moved out of view of the house but could hear gunfire and explosions from that direction.

The security forces launched a raid on the house after two people believed to be nephews of its owner were arrested earlier in the day, according to Indonesia's official ANTARA News Agency.

A statement attributed to Top claimed responsibility for the suicide bombing attacks last month targeting Jakarta's JW Marriott and Ritz-Carlton hotels. The coordinated bombings killed seven people and the two suspected bombers and wounded more than 50.

It was the first major terrorist attack in Indonesia in more than three years.

Top, a Malaysian-born explosives expert, is thought to be behind several bombing campaigns in Indonesia during the past decade.

Top, who turns 41 next week, is reportedly an officer, recruiter, bomb-maker and trainer for a small splinter group of the militant organization Jemaah Islamiyah, which has ties to al Qaeda. He allegedly was involved in a previous attack on the Marriott in Jakarta in August 2003, as well as attacks on a Bali nightclub in 2002, and the Australian Embassy in Jakarta, according to the FBI.

In February 2006, the FBI added Top to its list of 10 suspected terrorists who have not been charged in the United States, and officially are wanted only for questioning.

Indonesian police took into questioning one of his wives, Arina Rohmah, last month, but according to her lawyer, she did not know she was married to Top but rather to a teacher known as Abdul Halim.

Also on Saturday, police Inspector General Nanan Soekarna said that a man identified as Suryana, who uses the aliases Yayan and Gepeng, was arrested in north Jakarta on suspicion of terrorism charges.

Soekarna could not say if Suryana was connected with last month's Jakarta hotel bombings or other incidents.

Source:CNN

August 5, 2009

Hillary Clinton: We're committed to Africa's future

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton started the first leg of her African tour Wednesday with a message of support for Africa's developing economies.
"We believe in Africa's promise. We are committed to Africa's future and we will be partners with Africa's people," Clinton said at the African Growth and Opportunity Act conference in Kenya.

The conference was born out of U.S. efforts to create access for African business people into American markets.

During her speech, in front of representatives of more than 35 African nations, Clinton talked about economic initiatives that are working in Africa. She also said African countries can focus on good governance and women's rights as ways to build economic growth.


"The social, political and economic marginalization of women across Africa has left a void in this continent that undermines progress and prosperity every day," she said.

"Yet we know across Africa women are doing the work of a whole continent."

Clinton was expected to meet Kenyan leaders after the speech.

U.S. statements about Kenya's handling of its presidential election have brought criticism from its leadership in the past.

Days before her arrival, Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga was quoted in the local media as saying that Kenya does not need any more lectures on its governance and needs more advice on how to build trade with the rest of the world.
Clinton also suggested African nations can increase trade opportunities by trading more within Africa.

"The nations of Africa trade the least with each other than any region of the world," Clinton said. "The biggest single opportunity you have right now is to open up trade with each other."

Clinton's trip comes just three weeks after President Barack Obama's trip to Accra, Ghana, and Clinton highlighted many of the themes he struck.

The State Department said Clinton's visit is the earliest trip by a secretary of state and a president to Africa of any previous U.S. administration.

In an administration that prides itself on a plethora of "priorities," officials say they are putting Africa toward the top of the list.

After Kenya, Clinton is expected to include South Africa, Nigeria and Liberia among her stops.

Source:CNN

August 4, 2009

Al Qaeda No. 2 slams Obama's first months in office

Al Qaeda's second-in-command has accused President Obama of supporting a Palestinian state that would do the bidding of Israel.
"Obama wants a Palestinian state that works as a branch for the Israeli government," Ayman al-Zawahiri said in a nearly 90-minute video called, "The Realities of Jihad and the Fallacies of Hypocrisy."

The latest in a series of such videos was posted Monday on radical Islamist Web sites by al Qaeda's production company, As-Sahab Media.

"Israel is a crime that needs to be wiped out," said al-Zawahiri, who likened Obama's policies to those of President Bush.

"The promises of the two states and ending the settlements were made by Bush, so what's new? This is the continuation of the same Zionist crusader crime against Muslims since the end of World War II," he said.


"Obama can come with all the eloquent words he has, but it is nothing but illusions."

Al-Zawahiri referred to a conditional truce offer he said had been made by al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.
"The mujahedeen opened the doors to start a new relationship, but [the Americans] insist that their relationships with the Muslim world must be based on hurting us and oppressing us," he said.

He had nothing but scorn for Obama's work. "What new did Obama bring us," he asked. "He brought us the bombing of Gaza where 1,000 martyrs died. He brought us the destruction in Afghanistan, Iraq and Pakistan. What else? He expanded the American prisons so they can absorb more innocent Muslims."

Al-Zawahiri referred to U.S. anti-terrorism efforts since the September 11 attacks on Washington and New York as a series of failures.

"After seven and a half years, their campaign failed in Iraq and in Afghanistan just like it failed in Somalia and will fail in Pakistan," he said. "The only reason the American administration changed its policy from Bush's motto that you are either with them or against them to Obama's saying that he wants to deal with the Islamic world based on a new policy [is] because of the heavy losses that they suffered from by the hands of the mujahedeen."

Al-Zawahiri vowed that the mujahedeen will not be deterred. "They will face that campaign no matter how long it will last, even till Judgment Day. No surrender, no defeat, no submission, no retreat when it comes to the right of the Muslims and their pride."

He praised insurgents in Afghanistan and Taliban leader Mullah Omar for daring to challenge the world's biggest superpower, saying, "This is an achievement by itself because it stood for its pride, dignity and lands."

Iran, too, was an object of criticism for the al Qaeda leader, who said Iranian leaders "never supported the Palestinians in Gaza, they didn't launch any rocket to aid them as they promised to do if Israel attacks Lebanon -- or is it that the Palestinians are second-class citizens?"

He added, "Iran is ready to sell out the Muslims anytime and aid the crusaders in their campaign against them."

Source:CNN

July 27, 2009

Sarkozy leaves hospital after health scare

French President Nicolas Sarkozy was released from hospital Monday morning following a night spent under observation after he collapsed while jogging in woodlands near Paris.
Sarkozy left hospital arm-in-arm with his wife, Carla Bruni, shaking hands with medical staff before being driven away in an official car, according to Agence France-Presse.

The 54-year-old fainted while exercising with bodyguards in hot sunshine near his weekend home close to the Palace of Versailles -- though officials stressed he was never unconscious.

A witness told AFP that Bruni arrived at the scene shortly afterwards on a police scooter. Sarkozy was then flown to the Val-de-Grace military hospital by helicopter.

Officials said Sunday that Sarkozy's condition was due to a "minor" nerve condition known as a vasovagal syncope, which affects the flow of blood to the heart causing low blood pressure and faintness, according to AFP.

In a statement, the hospital said blood tests, brain scans and an electrocardiogram had detected nothing abnormal. It said Sarkozy had been urged to rest for several days but that no medical treatment had been prescribed.

Sarkozy was due to visit the abbey of Mont Saint-Michel in Normandy on Tuesday but the appointment has been cancelled, according to the French presidency Web site. Sarkozy is expected to chair a meeting of ministers on Wednesday morning before going on a three-week summer vacation in the south of France.

Since becoming president in 2007, Sarkozy, who is often photographed running and cycling, has cultivated an image as a healthy and energetic president -- in contrast with previous incumbents of the Elysee Palace such as Jacques Chirac and Francois Mitterand who governed into their 70s.

Sarkozy also vowed to make public his annual medical check-ups, in contrast to previous presidents whose states of health were closely guarded secrets.

Mitterrand privately battled prostate cancer throughout his presidency from 1981 to 1995, undergoing several operations and eventually succumbing to the disease a year after leaving office at the age of 79.
"President Sarkozy came to office saying he was going to be more transparent in office and so far he seems to be getting reasonably good marks on that," said CNN's Paris Correspondent Jim Bittermann.

"We certainly saw the president come out today smiling and apparently in good health. The French public appears to have been kept better informed than on previous occasions."

Source:CNN

Piracy upswing expected off Somalia

Piracy is expected to pick up in the high seas off Somalia after a lull caused by monsoon season, maritime officials warned Monday.

The Combined Maritime Forces urged crews to take up safety measures, including using recognized transit corridors in the Gulf of Aden and reporting to the European Union's security center before transit.

"The prior preparation and vigilance of merchant mariners at all times of day and night is more important now than ever," said Rear Admiral Caner Bener of the Combined Task Force.

International forces made up of more than 30 ships and aircraft from 16 nations will continue patrolling the waters to help fight pirates, according to officials.

"While our ability to deter and disrupt attacks has improved over time, we are constantly adapting the way we do our business as the pirates adapt and modify their tactics," Bener said.

The waters off Somalia are rife with pirate activity, despite increased measures by military forces and shipping companies to ward off attacks. Heavily armed pirates have struck the busy Indian Ocean shipping lanes and the Gulf of Aden, which connects the Red Sea to the Indian Ocean. They have captured dozens of vessels and hundreds of hostages, making off with millions of dollars in ransom.
It was unclear whether a ransom was paid.

The Gulf of Aden, off northern Somalia, has the highest risk of piracy in the world.

Source:CNN

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July 26, 2009

Massa has surgery after freak Hungary crash

Felipe Massa had emergency surgery for a fractured skull after a freak crash in final qualifying for Sunday's Hungarian Grand Prix.
The Brazilian careered off at the 200kph Turn Four at the Hungaroring after being hit in the helmet by flying debris from rear wing of the Brawn GP of compatriot Rubens Barrichello.

2008 championship runner-up Massa was stunned and lost control as his Ferrari flew into a tire wall at high speed.

He was airlifted from the circuit to the AEK Hospital in Budapest and later underwent an emergency operation for the damage to his skull.

Massa is in intensive care on a respirator and remains under observation in an induced coma.

"The condition of the driver is serious, but stable," said a hospital spokesman.

After the frightening incident, Fernando Alonso claimed a surprising pole position in a chaotic end to Saturday's proceedings.

The Massa accident happened at the end of the second qualifying session and the action was suspended while officials checked for debris.

When the third and final qualifying session got underway it was Renault's Alonso clocked the fastest time of one minute 21.559 seconds.

Sebastian Vettel, second in the title race to Jenson Button, will start alongside Alonso on the front row, with his Red Bull teammate Mark Webber qualifying third.
Button was only eighth fastest with Brawn GP teammate Barrichello 13th best, their worst qualifying performance of the season.

Button delayed his final qualifying run while his car was checked out after the earlier incident.

Reigning world champion Lewis Hamilton was fourth best for the improving McLaren team with Nico Rosberg in fifth for Williams.

With the electronic timing system lost to the pit lane and the television coverage, former two-time world champion Alonso was at first unaware he had taken his first pole of the season.

"We have made a good step forward and the car did improve in the last two races. We are more competitive, but I don't think we are as quick as these two guys (referring to Red Bull drivers Vettel and Webber)," he said.

"We will try to win, but being honest and realistic, our target is to get some good points," added the Spaniard.

Source:CNN

 
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