Mainland, HK strive to end 'zero-fee' tours
By Xin Dingding (China Daily)Updated: 2007-04-26 07:24
Mainland tourism authorities and their counterparts in Hong Kong will work together to crack down(制裁) on "zero-fee" package tours which are hurting the industry.
The measures include establishing a coordinating mechanism, publicizing both legal and illegal travel services online for reference, and using unified(聯合) outbound (向外國的)contracts for Hong Kong tour products.
A zero-fee package tour charges tourists less than the basic costs for transport, accommodation and to places of interest.
To make up the difference travel agencies earn commissions from stores where tourists are forced to shop.
Man Hongwei, director of the Industry Management Department, China National Tourism Administration said yesterday they will join forces with Hong Kong to monitor the market through undercover(暗中進行) and random checks.
"Travel services that are confirmed to have illegally organized or received tour groups at a price lower than the actual cost will be severely punished," he said, at a meeting in Beijing at which delegates(代表) from both sides attended.
The two sides will together promote "Quality and Honest Tour" products, and use unified outbound tourism contracts in six cities initially - Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Nanjing, Guangzhou and Shenzhen - and later in 49 other cities that have granted individual travel to Hong Kong.
Illegal tour operators in Hong Kong whose licenses have been suspended(暫時取消) and complaints against shops will be put on the Chinese mainland's official website (trust.cnta.gov.cn) for consumers' reference.
Mainland travel services will be forbidden to do business with those suspended in Hong Kong.
A list of travel agents allowed to organize tours to Hong Kong will also be put on the website.
"At present, nearly half of mainland travel services that the Tourism Industry Council of Hong Kong found to be involved in zero-fee tours are not licensed to operate outbound tourism," Man said.
"We will investigate these operators."
Earlier this month, China's Central Television Station aired reports about Chinese mainland tourists being ripped off(詐騙) by Hong Kong shops. The report has had a negative impact on Hong Kong's tourism industry.
By Fion
2007年4月30日 星期一
Bangladesh u-turn on former PMs
The two women may now be able to resume(v.重新開始) their political careers
Bangladesh's emergency government has lifted(v.撤銷 解除) all restrictions on two of the country's most powerful politicians, Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina. Awami League leader Sheikh Hasina was no longer banned from returning from abroad, a government statement said.
It also said there were no restrictions on the movements of her arch rival Khaleda Zia, who has been held under virtual house arrest in Dhaka. She has reportedly been under pressure to go into exile in Saudi Arabia.
'Under threat'
"All restrictions on the two former prime ministers are lifted," the government statement said.
The military-backed government says it wants an end to corruption. "The government is lifting the restrictions [on Sheikh Hasina] in view of the views expressed in the media and different quarters."
The statement made no reference to comments by the US State Department earlier on Wednesday that democracy in Bangladesh was under threat. "If the caretaker government does not take right decisions, there is a real threat to Bangladesh democracy and nobody wants to see that," spokesman Sean McCormack said.
The government's statement went on to say that - contrary to media reports - there had never been any pressure on Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leader Khaleda Zia to leave the country, and there were no restrictions on her freedom of movement.
It is not clear whether Wednesday's announcement means that the two women will be free to resume their political careers and take part in elections which the government says will be held as soon as corruption in the country has been eradicated.
Khaleda Zia's family said last week that they had been told to prepare for imminent(a.緊急的) exile in Saudi Arabia, but the Saudi Arabian government reportedly declined to allow her into the kingdom - apparently because it was reluctant to take in an unwilling guest. Attempts by the government to find another country for her to be exiled seem to have failed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~funny!
Khaleda Zia's son, Tareque Rahman, is one of around 160 politicians, businessmen and civil servants who have been arrested by the military-backed caretaker government on corruption charges. The drive against corruption seems to have been welcomed by many ordinary Bangladeshis tired of seeing politicians and their relatives siphoning(v.吸取) off the country's wealth.
'Clout' (n.影響 力量)
The BBC's John Sudworth in Dhaka says that after days of political manoeuvring with the intention of sending the country's two most powerful political leaders into exile, the emergency government has seemingly backed down.(ph.放棄 讓步)
Sheikh Hasina, who was prevented from flying back to Dhaka on Sunday, has now been told that she can return. She faces murder charges after Awami League members allegedly killed members of a rival political party during protests in Dhaka last year against the caretaker government prior to the imposition of a state of emergency.
Members of the emergency government had said that reform of the political system would be impossible with the two former prime ministers still on the scene. Our correspondent says the two women seem to have won this particular battle with the government - which is perhaps a sign of just how much political clout they still wield.
source: http://www.bbc.com/
--------------------------
By CY.
Bangladesh's emergency government has lifted(v.撤銷 解除) all restrictions on two of the country's most powerful politicians, Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina. Awami League leader Sheikh Hasina was no longer banned from returning from abroad, a government statement said.
It also said there were no restrictions on the movements of her arch rival Khaleda Zia, who has been held under virtual house arrest in Dhaka. She has reportedly been under pressure to go into exile in Saudi Arabia.
'Under threat'
"All restrictions on the two former prime ministers are lifted," the government statement said.
The military-backed government says it wants an end to corruption. "The government is lifting the restrictions [on Sheikh Hasina] in view of the views expressed in the media and different quarters."
The statement made no reference to comments by the US State Department earlier on Wednesday that democracy in Bangladesh was under threat. "If the caretaker government does not take right decisions, there is a real threat to Bangladesh democracy and nobody wants to see that," spokesman Sean McCormack said.
The government's statement went on to say that - contrary to media reports - there had never been any pressure on Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leader Khaleda Zia to leave the country, and there were no restrictions on her freedom of movement.
It is not clear whether Wednesday's announcement means that the two women will be free to resume their political careers and take part in elections which the government says will be held as soon as corruption in the country has been eradicated.
Khaleda Zia's family said last week that they had been told to prepare for imminent(a.緊急的) exile in Saudi Arabia, but the Saudi Arabian government reportedly declined to allow her into the kingdom - apparently because it was reluctant to take in an unwilling guest. Attempts by the government to find another country for her to be exiled seem to have failed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~funny!
Khaleda Zia's son, Tareque Rahman, is one of around 160 politicians, businessmen and civil servants who have been arrested by the military-backed caretaker government on corruption charges. The drive against corruption seems to have been welcomed by many ordinary Bangladeshis tired of seeing politicians and their relatives siphoning(v.吸取) off the country's wealth.
'Clout' (n.影響 力量)
The BBC's John Sudworth in Dhaka says that after days of political manoeuvring with the intention of sending the country's two most powerful political leaders into exile, the emergency government has seemingly backed down.(ph.放棄 讓步)
Sheikh Hasina, who was prevented from flying back to Dhaka on Sunday, has now been told that she can return. She faces murder charges after Awami League members allegedly killed members of a rival political party during protests in Dhaka last year against the caretaker government prior to the imposition of a state of emergency.
Members of the emergency government had said that reform of the political system would be impossible with the two former prime ministers still on the scene. Our correspondent says the two women seem to have won this particular battle with the government - which is perhaps a sign of just how much political clout they still wield.
source: http://www.bbc.com/
--------------------------
By CY.
2007年4月28日 星期六
BOE Policy Makers Voted 7-2 to Keep Rate Unchanged
我看不太懂不升息的理由，請看得懂的人告訴大家。還有之前提到的需求壓力，再仔細研究了一下，是說因為需求壓力而無法達到目標通膨，跟不升息的理由無關。抱歉看得太快了。
April 18 (Bloomberg) -- Bank of England policy makers voted 7- 2 to keep interest rates unchanged for a third month in April, with Timothy Besley and Andrew Sentance in favor of a quarter- point increase.
The majority of the Monetary Policy Committee said the rate should stay at 5.25 percent, with some members predicting inflation to slow to the 2 percent target in the next few months and others cautioning(v. 警告) that investors had only a "limited expectation'' of higher borrowing costs. Besley and Sentance said inflation risks were strong enough to warrant a rate increase.
Policy makers at the April meeting didn't see yesterday's data showing inflation in March at the fastest pace in a decade. The report forced Governor Mervyn King to assure Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown that the bank "remains determined'' to contain consumer prices, and sent the pound above $2 for the first time since 1992.
"With two members voting for a hike, it suggests the bank is going to raise rates in May,'' said James Knightley, an economist at ING Financial Markets in London. "There's also a risk of another hike further out.''
The pound rallied as high as $2.0133, the highest level since 1981, after the release of the minutes, as investors raised bets the bank will lift borrowing costs. The currency was trading at $2.0118 as of 10:05 a.m. in London.
The implied yield on the June interest-rate futures contract was at 5.83 in London, up from 5.6 percent on March 14. The contract settles to the three-month London interbank offered rate for the pound, which averaged about 15 basis points more than the central bank benchmark(n. 基準) for the past decade.
'Balance of Risks'
"For some members, there was no compelling case for a change in interest rates this month,'' the minutes said. "Other members also concluded that no change in Bank Rate was warranted this month, but that the balance of risks to inflation remained on the upside in the medium term.''
Besley and Sentance argued consumption was "firm,'' business investment and global demand were "strong,'' and there was evidence to suggest firms had more scope to increase prices. Demand pressures may limit the pace at which inflation slows to target, they said.
Inflation unexpectedly quickened to 3.1 percent in March, the fastest since 1997, the government said yesterday. King's letter to Brown, the first by a bank governor since its independence a decade ago, was triggered by inflation deviating more than a percentage point from the central bank's target.
"Brown made the bank independent, and it was the right decision,'' said Willem Buiter, a former U.K. central bank policy maker who is now a professor at the London School of Economics. "If they don't act appropriately, they will lose credibility, but that won't happen. The bank continues to be successful.''
All 43 economists in a Bloomberg News survey predict a majority will form for a rate increase at the bank's next rate meeting in May.
"Following that inflation data, the call for rate hikes will be followed by all,'' said Gavin Redknap, an economist at Standard Chartered Bank in London, in an interview.
By Jennifer Ryan
April 18 (Bloomberg) -- Bank of England policy makers voted 7- 2 to keep interest rates unchanged for a third month in April, with Timothy Besley and Andrew Sentance in favor of a quarter- point increase.
The majority of the Monetary Policy Committee said the rate should stay at 5.25 percent, with some members predicting inflation to slow to the 2 percent target in the next few months and others cautioning(v. 警告) that investors had only a "limited expectation'' of higher borrowing costs. Besley and Sentance said inflation risks were strong enough to warrant a rate increase.
Policy makers at the April meeting didn't see yesterday's data showing inflation in March at the fastest pace in a decade. The report forced Governor Mervyn King to assure Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown that the bank "remains determined'' to contain consumer prices, and sent the pound above $2 for the first time since 1992.
"With two members voting for a hike, it suggests the bank is going to raise rates in May,'' said James Knightley, an economist at ING Financial Markets in London. "There's also a risk of another hike further out.''
The pound rallied as high as $2.0133, the highest level since 1981, after the release of the minutes, as investors raised bets the bank will lift borrowing costs. The currency was trading at $2.0118 as of 10:05 a.m. in London.
The implied yield on the June interest-rate futures contract was at 5.83 in London, up from 5.6 percent on March 14. The contract settles to the three-month London interbank offered rate for the pound, which averaged about 15 basis points more than the central bank benchmark(n. 基準) for the past decade.
'Balance of Risks'
"For some members, there was no compelling case for a change in interest rates this month,'' the minutes said. "Other members also concluded that no change in Bank Rate was warranted this month, but that the balance of risks to inflation remained on the upside in the medium term.''
Besley and Sentance argued consumption was "firm,'' business investment and global demand were "strong,'' and there was evidence to suggest firms had more scope to increase prices. Demand pressures may limit the pace at which inflation slows to target, they said.
Inflation unexpectedly quickened to 3.1 percent in March, the fastest since 1997, the government said yesterday. King's letter to Brown, the first by a bank governor since its independence a decade ago, was triggered by inflation deviating more than a percentage point from the central bank's target.
"Brown made the bank independent, and it was the right decision,'' said Willem Buiter, a former U.K. central bank policy maker who is now a professor at the London School of Economics. "If they don't act appropriately, they will lose credibility, but that won't happen. The bank continues to be successful.''
All 43 economists in a Bloomberg News survey predict a majority will form for a rate increase at the bank's next rate meeting in May.
"Following that inflation data, the call for rate hikes will be followed by all,'' said Gavin Redknap, an economist at Standard Chartered Bank in London, in an interview.
----------
By mei
2007年4月22日 星期日
EU job centres to target Africans
EU job centres to target Africans
By Alix Kroeger EU reporter, Brussels
Last year 6,000 Africans died trying to enter the EU illegally by sea
The European Union development commissioner, Louis Michel, is in Mali for talks to set up the EU's first job centre for African migrants.
The idea is to match potential migrants with job offers in sectors like agriculture, building or cleaning.
France and Spain have already pledged (許諾 v.)to advertise seasonal vacancies(空間) there.
It's part of the EU strategy to deal with the increasing flow of migrants from Africa, with other centres planned for Senegal and Mauritania.
Deadly journey
Mr Michel is holding talks on the centres with Malian President Amadou Toumani Toure Mali the capital, Bamako.
Last year, 31,000 Africans made the hazardous(危險的.adj) sea crossing to the Canary Islands to enter the EU illegally, according to figures from the Spanish government. A further 6,000 died trying.
The countries on the EU's southern flank(位於側面adv) - Italy, Malta and Spain - have been pleading for help.
The EU is stepping up border patrols(察巡), both on land and at sea.
But it's also looking at ways of increasing legal migration - both to fill gaps in the European labour market and to reduce the number of migrants trying to enter the EU illegally.
The International Organisation for Migration, which assists migrants and governments around the world, says it's a "constructive(建設性的) step in the right direction."
"You can't manage migration flows by simply having tougher border controls," says IOM (指數和期貨選擇買賣市場)spokesman Jean-Philippe Chauzy. "If you're trying to undercut the people smugglers(走私者), the best way is to open up legal opportunities (for migrants)."
The working document on the African centres, obtained by the BBC, says the job centre project will be co-financed by the EU and member states, although it doesn't give any figures(金額,位數).
It says the centres, and matching supply and demand in the labour market, are an "integral part" of the European Commission's "Global Approach on Migration".
Relieving pressure
Initially the Malian job centre will be in Bamako, but later it will establish regional offices in outlying(邊遠的) towns or villages, where migrants begin their journey.
But the idea goes far filling the gaps in the EU labour market. It's also aimed at relieving pressure on the EU by creating opportunities for Africans at home.
The European Commission wants the centre to include a micro credit facility(微型貸款) - possibly run by the Grameen Bank, which pioneered the idea of small loans to help people out of poverty by allowing them to set up their own business.
The centre will also help the people who get jobs to get the necessary papers, including visas and
residence permits.
"If migrants leave with proper contracts and visas, this makes them less vulnerable(易受傷的) to exploitation(開採)," says Mr Chauzy. It also means they're likely to earn better wages and have more money to send home to help their families.
But while Mali may welcome the centre, others are less enthusiastic.
Priorities, priorities
"This is very strange, even a bit crazy" says centre-right Polish MEP(歐洲議會會員) Jacek Protasiewicz, author of a report in the European Parliament on the discrimination faced by workers from the post-Communist(後共產主義) countries which joined the EU in 2004.
"The first thing the European Commission should do is to diminish barriers for the free movement of workers from within the EU, and then open job centres in other parts of the globe," he says.
Even now, people from countries like Poland, Slovakia and Lithuania - as well as Romania and Bulgaria, which joined the EU this year - can't work freely in all EU member states.
"Many millions of Poles, Lithuanians, Romanians (and others) would be happy to have low-skilled jobs in agriculture within the EU," he adds.
Skill shortages
But for Mali, as for many African countries, the brain drain(ph.高科技的人才外流) is a serious problem.
It isn't just the low-skilled who are leaving: it's the doctors, the engineers and the IT specialists, even if some of them up end up working in jobs far below their qualifications.
"Ways of facilitating circular and temporary migration will be explored," says the working document on the job centres.
For example, a surgeon(外科醫生) from Mali could work in the EU for a month or two a year, earn extra money, perhaps acquire some new skills and put those to use at home.
"Someone who's worked for a few years in the EU may have accumulated some capital and can identify opportunities in their country of origin where that capital can be invested and create wealth," says Mr Chauzy.
Remittances(匯寄.n) from migrants represent the biggest flow of money into many developing countries.
If some of that money can be invested to create jobs - rather than just helping families survive from one day to the next - it could make some potential African migrants think again about risking their savings and their lives on a dangerous journey to Europe and an uncertain future.
By Alix Kroeger EU reporter, Brussels
Last year 6,000 Africans died trying to enter the EU illegally by sea
The European Union development commissioner, Louis Michel, is in Mali for talks to set up the EU's first job centre for African migrants.
The idea is to match potential migrants with job offers in sectors like agriculture, building or cleaning.
France and Spain have already pledged (許諾 v.)to advertise seasonal vacancies(空間) there.
It's part of the EU strategy to deal with the increasing flow of migrants from Africa, with other centres planned for Senegal and Mauritania.
Deadly journey
Mr Michel is holding talks on the centres with Malian President Amadou Toumani Toure Mali the capital, Bamako.
Last year, 31,000 Africans made the hazardous(危險的.adj) sea crossing to the Canary Islands to enter the EU illegally, according to figures from the Spanish government. A further 6,000 died trying.
The countries on the EU's southern flank(位於側面adv) - Italy, Malta and Spain - have been pleading for help.
The EU is stepping up border patrols(察巡), both on land and at sea.
But it's also looking at ways of increasing legal migration - both to fill gaps in the European labour market and to reduce the number of migrants trying to enter the EU illegally.
The International Organisation for Migration, which assists migrants and governments around the world, says it's a "constructive(建設性的) step in the right direction."
"You can't manage migration flows by simply having tougher border controls," says IOM (指數和期貨選擇買賣市場)spokesman Jean-Philippe Chauzy. "If you're trying to undercut the people smugglers(走私者), the best way is to open up legal opportunities (for migrants)."
The working document on the African centres, obtained by the BBC, says the job centre project will be co-financed by the EU and member states, although it doesn't give any figures(金額,位數).
It says the centres, and matching supply and demand in the labour market, are an "integral part" of the European Commission's "Global Approach on Migration".
Relieving pressure
Initially the Malian job centre will be in Bamako, but later it will establish regional offices in outlying(邊遠的) towns or villages, where migrants begin their journey.
But the idea goes far filling the gaps in the EU labour market. It's also aimed at relieving pressure on the EU by creating opportunities for Africans at home.
The European Commission wants the centre to include a micro credit facility(微型貸款) - possibly run by the Grameen Bank, which pioneered the idea of small loans to help people out of poverty by allowing them to set up their own business.
The centre will also help the people who get jobs to get the necessary papers, including visas and
residence permits.
"If migrants leave with proper contracts and visas, this makes them less vulnerable(易受傷的) to exploitation(開採)," says Mr Chauzy. It also means they're likely to earn better wages and have more money to send home to help their families.
But while Mali may welcome the centre, others are less enthusiastic.
Priorities, priorities
"This is very strange, even a bit crazy" says centre-right Polish MEP(歐洲議會會員) Jacek Protasiewicz, author of a report in the European Parliament on the discrimination faced by workers from the post-Communist(後共產主義) countries which joined the EU in 2004.
"The first thing the European Commission should do is to diminish barriers for the free movement of workers from within the EU, and then open job centres in other parts of the globe," he says.
Even now, people from countries like Poland, Slovakia and Lithuania - as well as Romania and Bulgaria, which joined the EU this year - can't work freely in all EU member states.
"Many millions of Poles, Lithuanians, Romanians (and others) would be happy to have low-skilled jobs in agriculture within the EU," he adds.
Skill shortages
But for Mali, as for many African countries, the brain drain(ph.高科技的人才外流) is a serious problem.
It isn't just the low-skilled who are leaving: it's the doctors, the engineers and the IT specialists, even if some of them up end up working in jobs far below their qualifications.
"Ways of facilitating circular and temporary migration will be explored," says the working document on the job centres.
For example, a surgeon(外科醫生) from Mali could work in the EU for a month or two a year, earn extra money, perhaps acquire some new skills and put those to use at home.
"Someone who's worked for a few years in the EU may have accumulated some capital and can identify opportunities in their country of origin where that capital can be invested and create wealth," says Mr Chauzy.
Remittances(匯寄.n) from migrants represent the biggest flow of money into many developing countries.
If some of that money can be invested to create jobs - rather than just helping families survive from one day to the next - it could make some potential African migrants think again about risking their savings and their lives on a dangerous journey to Europe and an uncertain future.
2007年4月20日 星期五
golden oldies
Japan has the oldest median age in the world, at nearly 43. Its wealth and a famously healthy diet keep its people going to a ripe old age, while a low fertility rate means fewer young people to redress the balance. Europe accounts for the other nine countries in the top ten. Germany and Italy both benefit from generous pension and healthcare systems, coupled again with fewer babies. Bulgaria and Croatia, on the other hand, probably owe their rankings to the outflow of their young to find work.
by Mini2007年4月18日 星期三
*The Casino Data about Singapore*
If you want to know how Singapore deal with the case about developing casino industry, here is the link for the file you can download:http://download.yousendit.com/9981DC2045905397
This file will be available for 7 days!
--------
By CY.
This file will be available for 7 days!
--------
By CY.
EU 'does not need constitution'
EU 'does not need constitution'
The British and Dutch prime ministers have said the European Union does not need a "whole new constitution(n.法規)", just limited changes to existing treaties.
Tony Blair and Jan Peter Balkenende said the focus should be on changes that made the EU work better.
The Netherlands followed France in voting against a draft constitution in 2005, plunging the EU into crisis.
Mr Blair promised to hold a referendum(n.公民投票) in the UK, but officials say no vote is needed for a simple "amending"(修正的) treaty(n.協定).
Superstate (超級大國)
"I think people can identify very clearly the things that give rise to a European super-state that we do not want... and those things which are necessary to make Europe work more effectively," Mr Blair said, after talks in London.
Tony BlairHe added: "There's all the difference in the world between a constitutional treaty that is an attempt to consolidate... to write all the rules of the European Union, to give rise to a whole new set of legal principles - and an amending treaty within the existing European treaties that makes the rules work more effectively."
The German government, which holds the EU's rotating presidency, will present EU leaders in June with a roadmap for the adoption of a new constitutional treaty.
It has said it wants to preserve as much of the old constitution as possible, and has support from 17 other states which have all ratified(v.認可,批准), or nearly ratified, the text.
Mr Blair said it was important to recognise that the UK and the Netherlands were not the only countries that "really will have a difficulty with a constitutional treaty rather than a treaty, say, in the tradition of the treaty that we negotiated in Amsterdam some 10 years ago."
More democracy
Mr Balkenende said the EU needed rule changes to increase democracy and efficiency.
Derek Scott, Open EuropeAn amending treaty could include a clarification of the division of powers between the European Commission and member states, a bigger role for national parliaments (n.議會,國會)and rules for further enlargement of the EU, he said.
Derek Scott, Open EuropeAn amending treaty could include a clarification of the division of powers between the European Commission and member states, a bigger role for national parliaments (n.議會,國會)and rules for further enlargement of the EU, he said.
He added: "If we do not have the characteristics of a constitution, that is also relevant to the question of do you have a referendum or not."
Mr Blair agreed that a bigger role for national parliaments would help tackle fears that the treaty was helping to create a superstate.
Derek Scott, deputy chairman of Eurosceptic pressure group Open Europe, said: "The government are spinning that the new treaty will no longer be called a constitution.
"But everyone knows it is likely to contain exactly the same proposals: an EU president, EU foreign minister, and plans to reduce our right to say no to EU regulations.
"Just changing the name isn't going to fool anyone, and we intend to hold the government to its promise to hold a referendum."
"But everyone knows it is likely to contain exactly the same proposals: an EU president, EU foreign minister, and plans to reduce our right to say no to EU regulations.
"Just changing the name isn't going to fool anyone, and we intend to hold the government to its promise to hold a referendum."
======================================================
Resource: http://www.bbc.com/
post by pyshining
2007年4月17日 星期二
UK pound goes through $2 barrier
The pound has moved through the $2 mark for the first time since 1992, as investors bet that interest rates would have to rise further to slow inflation.
Consumer prices rose by 3.1% in March, the Office for National Statistics said. The ONS also said that its retail price inflation rate rose to 4.8%.
For the first time, the Bank of England governor has had to write a letter explaining why inflation has climbed.
Many economists consider an interest rate rise in May to be a certainty(n.必然).
The stronger pound has been good news for British visitors to the US, but has made life more difficult for exporters.
Moving up
The last time the $2-level was breached was just before sterling(n.英國貨幣) dropped out of the Exchange Rate Mechanism in September 1992.
Analysts are now betting that the Bank of England will raise interest rates when it meets in May in an effort to slow consumer spending and price growth.
Borrowing costs have been increased three times since August.
The key rate currently stands at 5.25% and is widely expected to go up to 5.5% at the Bank of England's next meeting on 10 May.
"A May move is a certainty," said Philip Shaw, economist at Investec.
"It opens up a strong possibility of interest rates rising beyond 5.5%," he added.
Higher borrowing costs act as a tax on consumers, boosting loan repayment costs, taking money out of their pockets and slowing the rate at which they spend and take on extra financing.
Further falls
Analysts said that the outlook for sterling will also depend on US economic data due later on Tuesday.
David Jones from CMC Markets said, "With US economic data due later in the session, further dollar downside may be seen in due course".
It is not only sterling that is strong at the moment. The euro is at two-year high against the dollar and a record high versus the Japanese yen.
Many traders said they were surprised that last weekend's Group of Seven finance ministers meeting in Washington did not make any comments about the weakness of either the dollar or the yen.
-------
from: http://www.bbc.com/
-------
By mei
Consumer prices rose by 3.1% in March, the Office for National Statistics said. The ONS also said that its retail price inflation rate rose to 4.8%.For the first time, the Bank of England governor has had to write a letter explaining why inflation has climbed.
Many economists consider an interest rate rise in May to be a certainty(n.必然).
The stronger pound has been good news for British visitors to the US, but has made life more difficult for exporters.
Moving up
The last time the $2-level was breached was just before sterling(n.英國貨幣) dropped out of the Exchange Rate Mechanism in September 1992.
Analysts are now betting that the Bank of England will raise interest rates when it meets in May in an effort to slow consumer spending and price growth.
Borrowing costs have been increased three times since August.
The key rate currently stands at 5.25% and is widely expected to go up to 5.5% at the Bank of England's next meeting on 10 May.
"A May move is a certainty," said Philip Shaw, economist at Investec.
"It opens up a strong possibility of interest rates rising beyond 5.5%," he added.
Higher borrowing costs act as a tax on consumers, boosting loan repayment costs, taking money out of their pockets and slowing the rate at which they spend and take on extra financing.
Further falls
Analysts said that the outlook for sterling will also depend on US economic data due later on Tuesday.
David Jones from CMC Markets said, "With US economic data due later in the session, further dollar downside may be seen in due course".
It is not only sterling that is strong at the moment. The euro is at two-year high against the dollar and a record high versus the Japanese yen.
Many traders said they were surprised that last weekend's Group of Seven finance ministers meeting in Washington did not make any comments about the weakness of either the dollar or the yen.
-------
from: http://www.bbc.com/
-------
By mei
Bangladesh ex-PM 'in exile deal'
Khaleda Zia may go into exile in Saudi Arabia
Security forces in Bangladesh have released the younger son of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, official sources have told the BBC.
Security forces in Bangladesh have released the younger son of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, official sources have told the BBC.
Arafat Rahman was taken from Khaleda Zia's home in Dhaka, by army forces in a pre-dawn raid on Monday.
His release comes amid mounting speculation that it was part of a deal with the government under which Ms Zia's family would go into exile. Khaleda Zia's elder son, Tarique Rahman, was arrested last month.
'Everything finalised'
More than 160 suspects have been held from both of the main political parties in a government anti-corruption drive and state of emergency imposed in January. 
Unlike Tarique Rahman - whose case was suspended for six months by a High Court ruling on Tuesday - Arafat Rahman was not involved in politics.
'Long time'
Khaleda Zia has been under virtual house arrest since last week.
Unlike Tarique Rahman - whose case was suspended for six months by a High Court ruling on Tuesday - Arafat Rahman was not involved in politics.
Leading English-language newspapers including the Daily Star and the New Age reported that Arafat Rahman's release was part of a "negotiated deal" with the government.
"She will be leaving the country for Saudi Arabia in a couple of days. Initially she will be leaving with a one-month visa to perform Umrah (a minor pilgrimage to Mecca) and her permanent residence there will be finalised upon reaching the kingdom of Saudi Arabia," the Daily Star said, citing a senior government source.
"Everything has been finalised... now only the formalities, including getting a visa, remain to be completed," it said, adding that the younger son would leave with his mother and the elder brother would follow later.
"Zia has agreed to leave the country but she is taking her time," an unnamed aide of Khaleda Zia told the AFP news agency.
"She will be leaving the country for Saudi Arabia in a couple of days. Initially she will be leaving with a one-month visa to perform Umrah (a minor pilgrimage to Mecca) and her permanent residence there will be finalised upon reaching the kingdom of Saudi Arabia," the Daily Star said, citing a senior government source.
"Everything has been finalised... now only the formalities, including getting a visa, remain to be completed," it said, adding that the younger son would leave with his mother and the elder brother would follow later.
"Zia has agreed to leave the country but she is taking her time," an unnamed aide of Khaleda Zia told the AFP news agency.
'Long time'
Khaleda Zia has been under virtual house arrest since last week.
"The army held several round of negotiations with her. The release of Arafat Rahman and halting of the case against Tarique Rahman were part of that process," the aide told AFP.
Government officials and leaders of Khaleda Zia's Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) were not available for comment.
Government officials and leaders of Khaleda Zia's Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) were not available for comment.
Private ATN Bangla television reported that joint military and police forces carried out a massive search inside Khaleda Zia's house on Monday, while senior officials talked to her and her son for a "long time" before taking him into custody.
It said last month, security officials had searched Arafat Rahman's advertising firm, Adsign, and arrested one of his partners from the office on graft charges.
It said last month, security officials had searched Arafat Rahman's advertising firm, Adsign, and arrested one of his partners from the office on graft charges.
'False and fake'
The military-led caretaker government has launched a vigorous drive against corruption after its leader, Fakhruddin Ahmed, imposed a state of emergency and cancelled national elections planned for 22 January.
The military-led caretaker government has launched a vigorous drive against corruption after its leader, Fakhruddin Ahmed, imposed a state of emergency and cancelled national elections planned for 22 January.
Ms Zia's Awami League rival Sheikh Hasina - who has been charged with murder and extortion - has meanwhile reiterated her intention to return home from the US to contest what she called the "false and fake cases" against her.
Sheikh Hasina told the Reuters news agency that she would leave Washington for London on Wednesday and intended to travel on to Dhaka at the week-end.
She said she did not fear detention or physical harm.
Sheikh Hasina told the Reuters news agency that she would leave Washington for London on Wednesday and intended to travel on to Dhaka at the week-end.
She said she did not fear detention or physical harm.
"They can do whatever they like, but I know my conscience is clear, I haven't done anything wrong, and I haven't committed any crimes," she said.
"They filed cases and more cases maybe just to punish me."
Leaders of Hasina's Awami League said they were preparing for a legal battle over the charges laid against her.
But some officials, who asked not to be identified, said the government might also want Sheikh Hasina out of the country as well as Khaleda Zia.
"They filed cases and more cases maybe just to punish me."
Leaders of Hasina's Awami League said they were preparing for a legal battle over the charges laid against her.
But some officials, who asked not to be identified, said the government might also want Sheikh Hasina out of the country as well as Khaleda Zia.
＊ Vocabulary Focus ＊
1. exile : n. 放逐
2. Bangladesh : n. 孟加拉共和國
3. suspect : n. 嫌疑犯
4. halt : v. 暫停
5. custody : n. 拘留,羈押
6. graft : n. 行賄,賄賂
7. extortion : n. 勒索,敲詐
8. reiterate : v. 再次或反覆說或做
9. contest : v. 駁斥,爭論
10. detention : n.拘留,監禁
------------------------------------
Resource: http://www.bbc.com/
_____
By CY.
Central bank rejects IMF yuan advice
Central bank rejects IMF yuan advice
By Bing Lan (China Daily)Updated: 2007-04-16 06:44
A senior central bank official has rejected calls for a quicker increase in the flexibility of the renminbi (人民幣) exchange rate, saying the currency's role in rectifying(矯正) global economic imbalances should not be exaggerated(過大).
Hu Xiaolian, deputy(代表) governor of the People's Bank of China, said more attention should instead be paid to growing protectionism(保護貿易主義) to safeguard(保護) the health of the world economy, according to a central bank statement and Xinhua.
She was speaking in Washington on Saturday at a conference during the semi-annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank. The meetings are a venue(發生地) for key financial officials of the two institutions' member countries to discuss global economic issues.
Officials and economists at the IMF, which has a mandate(命令) to safeguard the global economy and render advice to member countries, said that Beijing should pursue a more flexible exchange rate, for the sake(目的、利益) of both the Chinese economy and a more balanced global economy.
However, China did not seem to see the advice as being appropriate. "The fund... should respect its member countries' core interests and actual economic fundamentals," Hu was quoted as saying.
"Biased advice would damage the fund's role in safeguarding global economic and financial stability."
In July 2005, China abandoned(被放棄) the renminbi's decade-old peg to the US dollar and let the currency appreciate by 2.1 per cent. Since then, it has gained almost another 5 percent against the dollar.
However, there has been a persistent international chorus(異口同聲地說), led by the United States, arguing that China has not been moving quick enough in letting its currency rise.
US lawmakers have said that the country's trade deficit was partly caused by what they believed an undervalued Chinese currency.
Chinese officials say the yuan's flexibility would gradually increase but argue that radical steps would generate shocks in the Chinese economy which could spread to the rest of the world.
"The IMF... should attach significance to stability of domestic economies (of member countries) when observing their contribution to outside stability," Hu said.
She said the IMF should strengthen surveillance(監視) over the soundness of economic policies of countries whose currencies are used as major instruments in other countries' foreign exchange reserves. She was clearly referring to the US, whose low savings rate, and fiscal and trade deficits are agreed to be a key cause for global economic imbalances.
Hu also called attention to what is seen as a rising protectionist sentiment(意見、觀點), which has been causing troubles for China's exporters.
"We call on all countries to harness(利用) the opportunities created by globalization... and resolutely(堅決地) oppose protectionism," she said.
By Fion
By Bing Lan (China Daily)Updated: 2007-04-16 06:44
A senior central bank official has rejected calls for a quicker increase in the flexibility of the renminbi (人民幣) exchange rate, saying the currency's role in rectifying(矯正) global economic imbalances should not be exaggerated(過大).
Hu Xiaolian, deputy(代表) governor of the People's Bank of China, said more attention should instead be paid to growing protectionism(保護貿易主義) to safeguard(保護) the health of the world economy, according to a central bank statement and Xinhua.
She was speaking in Washington on Saturday at a conference during the semi-annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank. The meetings are a venue(發生地) for key financial officials of the two institutions' member countries to discuss global economic issues.
Officials and economists at the IMF, which has a mandate(命令) to safeguard the global economy and render advice to member countries, said that Beijing should pursue a more flexible exchange rate, for the sake(目的、利益) of both the Chinese economy and a more balanced global economy.
However, China did not seem to see the advice as being appropriate. "The fund... should respect its member countries' core interests and actual economic fundamentals," Hu was quoted as saying.
"Biased advice would damage the fund's role in safeguarding global economic and financial stability."
In July 2005, China abandoned(被放棄) the renminbi's decade-old peg to the US dollar and let the currency appreciate by 2.1 per cent. Since then, it has gained almost another 5 percent against the dollar.
However, there has been a persistent international chorus(異口同聲地說), led by the United States, arguing that China has not been moving quick enough in letting its currency rise.
US lawmakers have said that the country's trade deficit was partly caused by what they believed an undervalued Chinese currency.
Chinese officials say the yuan's flexibility would gradually increase but argue that radical steps would generate shocks in the Chinese economy which could spread to the rest of the world.
"The IMF... should attach significance to stability of domestic economies (of member countries) when observing their contribution to outside stability," Hu said.
She said the IMF should strengthen surveillance(監視) over the soundness of economic policies of countries whose currencies are used as major instruments in other countries' foreign exchange reserves. She was clearly referring to the US, whose low savings rate, and fiscal and trade deficits are agreed to be a key cause for global economic imbalances.
Hu also called attention to what is seen as a rising protectionist sentiment(意見、觀點), which has been causing troubles for China's exporters.
"We call on all countries to harness(利用) the opportunities created by globalization... and resolutely(堅決地) oppose protectionism," she said.
By Fion
2萬心靈成長課 退費收4千
2萬心靈成長課 退費收4千
更新日期:2007/04/17 13:09
市面上有很多針對現代人設計的心靈成長課程，不過，這些課程不但收費高而且繳費之後就完不能退費，就有民眾向消基會投訴，他報名幾個小時後就反悔想取消，但授課公司堅持要收4000元行政費，相當不合理牆上貼滿學員參加活動的照片，大家看起來都很歡樂，但對蔣先生來說卻不是，他在朋友慫恿下填了心靈成長課程報名表和刷卡單，不到兩個小時，蔣先生反悔想取消，公司卻回覆他，要收4000元行政費像這樣的課程5天晚上就要收近兩萬，而且利用學員招募新會員也是常見的手法旁聽的人基於人情壓力容易衝動報名，而且簽約條文也都是公司定的要追求心靈成長,還是要先問清楚,免得成長不成,反而傷心又傷財 !
因為跟大家上次討論的有關，剛好看到就貼上來啦^^*
By Mini
2007年4月15日 星期日
(KOREA Times)
Korea, US to Sign World's Biggest FTA
By Kim Yon-se Staff Reporter
Korea and the United States are moving to sign the world's biggest free trade agreement (FTA) even after a South Korean taxi driver immolated himself in Seoul to protest the negotiations.
Except for the multilateral North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), the Korea-US FTA is regarded as the biggest deal among the 211 FTAs signed worldwide.
Under the deal, the two countries will open up large areas in agriculture, merchandise and investments, with partial openings in broadcasting, telecommunications and pharmaceuticals.
Following the agreement, Korean consumers will enjoy cheap American oranges, and vehicles, but will pay more to buy American pharmaceuticals.
The deal will strengthen intellectual property rights, thus criminalizing acts of copyright infringement of online content. Television stations will also be obliged to show more American movies and programs.
Korean rice growers will not be affected by the deal as the staple food was excluded from the accord.
Agriculture was the most serious stumbling block to the accord, together with textiles, anti-dumping remedies and pharmaceuticals.
Two major issues _ beef and automobiles _ delayed the conclusion of the deal hours before the Monday 1 a.m. deadline.
``We (Korean negotiators) are pushing for last-ditch discussions with confidence that we will eventually reach an agreement,'' said Chung Jae-hoon, a senior spokesman of the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy.
The U.S. wanted Korea to eliminate tariffs on American cars immediately. While the U.S. will move to abolish tariffs on all Korean vehicles within 10 years, and within three years for passenger cars.
Washington has been calling for Seoul to revise its auto tax system by levying taxes according to price, not engine capacity. Under the deal, ``Japanese'' cars produced in American plants will likely be exported to Korea.
Negotiators were locked in a tug-of-war on whether Korea will import American beef unconditionally after May when the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) announces its final review on the status of the U.S. in combating mad cow disease.
At a news conference early Sunday, lawyer Song Ki-ho said, ``It is unnecessary for Korea to import U.S. beef containing bone fragments even if the OIE announces U.S. beef is safe to eat in May.''
He cited the Law of Sanitary and Phytosanitary measures (SPS) on beef trading set by the World Trade Organization (WTO), which stipulates, ``The OIE guidelines … without requiring OECD members to change their appropriate level of protection for human health.''
``Korea and the U.S. have already reached a verbal consensus in which Korea will soften its beef quarantine rules in several months,'' said Park Sang-pyo, chief of the Veterinarian Solidarity for Public Health.
Park also argued that Korea has reached a behind-the-scenes deal on beef imports, quoting J. Patrick Boyle, president of the American Meat Institute (AMI) who recently met Korean reporters.
At a news briefing early Saturday morning, chief Korean negotiator Kim Jong-hoon said, ``Negotiations may continue to 1 a.m. April 2 (KST).''
In a statement, U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) spokesman Sean Spicer said April 1 is the deadline for Congressional notification under the Bush administration's trade promotion authority.
Once the deal is signed this morning, President George W. Bush can take advantage of his fast-track authority, which expires on July 1, after notifying Congress of his plan to sign an accord with Korea.
Under the authority, American negotiators are required to submit a deal by April 2 (Washington D.C. time) for a mandatory 90-day congressional review before voting for or against it without amendments.
Before the Monday deadline, President Bush and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice telephoned President Roh Moo-hyun and Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister Song Min-soon to congratulate them on their negotiations.
Security was tight around the Grand Hyatt Hotel as about 30 veterinarians and activists gathered early Sunday in front of the hilltop hotel in Seoul, where the talks are taking place, to protest against reported concessions by South Korea to fully reopen its market to American beef.
``Stopping the South Korea-U.S. FTA talks is the only alternative to protecting people's health from mad-cow disease,'' said Park Sang-pyo, a veterinarian who leads the protest.
``No! No! FTA,'' the protesters chanted, accusing the U.S. of ``arm-twisting'' South Korea to import the American meat. There were no reported clashes with police.
kys@koreatimes.co.kr 04-01-2007 18:09
Obliged(adj.)感激的
Levying(v.)徵收
Sanitary(adj.)公共衛生的
Quarantine(v.)隔離
Veterinarian(n.)獸醫
Amendment(n.)修正草案 infringement(n.)違反
Korea, US to Sign World's Biggest FTA
By Kim Yon-se Staff Reporter
Korea and the United States are moving to sign the world's biggest free trade agreement (FTA) even after a South Korean taxi driver immolated himself in Seoul to protest the negotiations.
Except for the multilateral North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), the Korea-US FTA is regarded as the biggest deal among the 211 FTAs signed worldwide.
Under the deal, the two countries will open up large areas in agriculture, merchandise and investments, with partial openings in broadcasting, telecommunications and pharmaceuticals.
Following the agreement, Korean consumers will enjoy cheap American oranges, and vehicles, but will pay more to buy American pharmaceuticals.
The deal will strengthen intellectual property rights, thus criminalizing acts of copyright infringement of online content. Television stations will also be obliged to show more American movies and programs.
Korean rice growers will not be affected by the deal as the staple food was excluded from the accord.
Agriculture was the most serious stumbling block to the accord, together with textiles, anti-dumping remedies and pharmaceuticals.
Two major issues _ beef and automobiles _ delayed the conclusion of the deal hours before the Monday 1 a.m. deadline.
``We (Korean negotiators) are pushing for last-ditch discussions with confidence that we will eventually reach an agreement,'' said Chung Jae-hoon, a senior spokesman of the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy.
The U.S. wanted Korea to eliminate tariffs on American cars immediately. While the U.S. will move to abolish tariffs on all Korean vehicles within 10 years, and within three years for passenger cars.
Washington has been calling for Seoul to revise its auto tax system by levying taxes according to price, not engine capacity. Under the deal, ``Japanese'' cars produced in American plants will likely be exported to Korea.
Negotiators were locked in a tug-of-war on whether Korea will import American beef unconditionally after May when the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) announces its final review on the status of the U.S. in combating mad cow disease.
At a news conference early Sunday, lawyer Song Ki-ho said, ``It is unnecessary for Korea to import U.S. beef containing bone fragments even if the OIE announces U.S. beef is safe to eat in May.''
He cited the Law of Sanitary and Phytosanitary measures (SPS) on beef trading set by the World Trade Organization (WTO), which stipulates, ``The OIE guidelines … without requiring OECD members to change their appropriate level of protection for human health.''
``Korea and the U.S. have already reached a verbal consensus in which Korea will soften its beef quarantine rules in several months,'' said Park Sang-pyo, chief of the Veterinarian Solidarity for Public Health.
Park also argued that Korea has reached a behind-the-scenes deal on beef imports, quoting J. Patrick Boyle, president of the American Meat Institute (AMI) who recently met Korean reporters.
At a news briefing early Saturday morning, chief Korean negotiator Kim Jong-hoon said, ``Negotiations may continue to 1 a.m. April 2 (KST).''
In a statement, U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) spokesman Sean Spicer said April 1 is the deadline for Congressional notification under the Bush administration's trade promotion authority.
Once the deal is signed this morning, President George W. Bush can take advantage of his fast-track authority, which expires on July 1, after notifying Congress of his plan to sign an accord with Korea.
Under the authority, American negotiators are required to submit a deal by April 2 (Washington D.C. time) for a mandatory 90-day congressional review before voting for or against it without amendments.
Before the Monday deadline, President Bush and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice telephoned President Roh Moo-hyun and Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister Song Min-soon to congratulate them on their negotiations.
Security was tight around the Grand Hyatt Hotel as about 30 veterinarians and activists gathered early Sunday in front of the hilltop hotel in Seoul, where the talks are taking place, to protest against reported concessions by South Korea to fully reopen its market to American beef.
``Stopping the South Korea-U.S. FTA talks is the only alternative to protecting people's health from mad-cow disease,'' said Park Sang-pyo, a veterinarian who leads the protest.
``No! No! FTA,'' the protesters chanted, accusing the U.S. of ``arm-twisting'' South Korea to import the American meat. There were no reported clashes with police.
kys@koreatimes.co.kr 04-01-2007 18:09
Obliged(adj.)感激的
Levying(v.)徵收
Sanitary(adj.)公共衛生的
Quarantine(v.)隔離
Veterinarian(n.)獸醫
Amendment(n.)修正草案 infringement(n.)違反
2007年4月13日 星期五
Top importers in the world
Top importers in the world
America remained by far the world's leading importer of goods in 2006, with more than twice the global share of Germany, ranked second. China's imports grew by 20%, the fastest pace of any of the top 15. Hong Kong and Singapore owe their position in the league to imports for re-export. 
- Netherlands:荷蘭
- Belgium:比利時
By Mini
2007年4月11日 星期三
Official reserves (Asian hoarders)
Official reserves
(Asian hoarders)
(Asian hoarders)
Most of the world's foreign-exchange reserves are held in Asia, and in particular, China and Japan. Japan's are partly a legacy of its efforts in 2003 and 2004 to keep the yen weak and support its economy. China's topped $1 trillion last autumn, a symptom of its policy to keep its exchange rate capped in order to foster exports. In some developing countries, reserves seem far in excess of prudential need.
By Mini
Darfur
首先我要說明為什麼沒有選擇英國海軍、這個歐洲最大條的新聞，因為每天都有新的發展，找不到一篇具代表性的，我認為做為一系列的追蹤報導比較合適。
當我瀏覽北非新聞時，發現了蘇丹西部的Darfur地區所發生的種族滅絕悲劇，這個悲劇十分有名，但是台灣的新聞卻完全看不到，因此特地選了這兩篇新聞介紹給大家。建議先閱讀"蘇丹達爾富爾問題"或"種族滅絕入侵蘇丹達佛"這兩篇文章，才會比較了解新聞在寫什麼。
Rape is being used as a weapon of war in Sudan's war-torn Darfur region, a United Nations report says. 
It details numerous cases of rape by government soldiers, including one in which girls as young as 13 and pregnant women were sexually assaulted.
The UN's human rights chief called on Sudan's government to investigate and prosecute those responsible.
A second UN report details the seizure and disappearance of men in Darfur suspected to be rebel supporters.
At least 200,000 people have been killed and 2m displaced during the four year conflict between rebel groups and government-backed militia.
Pressure
The UN office has a team of human rights monitors in Darfur who report regularly on the situation there.
At least 15 women in and around the village of Deribat report being raped by soldiers during an attack last December.
In their report the human rights monitors conclude that rape was used as a weapon of war, a clear violation of the Geneva Conventions.
Ms Arbour called on Sudan's government to conduct an independent investigation into the attacks and to ensure that those responsible are prosecuted.
The second report details the enforced disappearance of at least 19 men in south Darfur.
The UN monitors say they were taken from their homes late last September by government forces who claimed the men were rebels. Since then only three have returned.
At least eight were identified among a group of corpses exhumed earlier this year.
Ms Arbour says no circumstances justify enforced disappearance and summary execution and has called for detailed explanations from the authorities in Darfur.
Our correspondent says the new reports will add to the pressure on Sudan to address the violence in Darfur.
Last week the UN Human Rights Council ordered an investigation into Sudan's compliance with international conventions against torture, summary execution and violence against women.
2007.4.10
Mbeki to increase Darfur pressure
South African President Thabo Mbeki is due to arrive in Sudan as part of efforts to persuade Khartoum to accept a new peacekeeping force in Darfur.
← Mr Mbeki is one of the African Union's most important leaders
Sudan is refusing to allow a joint UN-African Union mission to be deployed despite apparently agreeing in principle last November.
Mr Mbeki is expected to push for full implementation of the November deal.
A Chinese envoy has ended his four-day visit by calling on Sudan to be more flexible in its international dealings.
Devil in the detail
The BBC's Jonah Fisher in Khartoum says it is a big week for Darfur and the Khartoum government with the back-to-back visits from the Chinese envoy, Zhai Jun, Mr Mbeki, and US Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte.
Mr Negroponte arrives later this week and is likely to bring a warning straight from Washington, that President George W Bush is losing patience and is considering tougher sanctions.
Mr Mbeki, one of the African Union's most important leaders, is to arrive on Tuesday, and these three men represent the key international players trying to resolve Darfur's four-year-old conflict.
Though approaching the problem from different angles, their missions are all the same - to break the impasse between Sudan and the international community over the deployment of a new peacekeeping force.
The AU peace and security commissioner Said Djinnit has said he is confident a final agreement on UN peacekeepers in Darfur will be reached soon.
Differences remained over the use of helicopter gunships, he said.
"We hope that we will be able to achieve greater progress in the coming days and weeks," he told the BBC's Network Africa programme.
"In the meantime, we'd like to make an appeal to all the parties to refrain from any hostilities, and any act which is to undermine the ongoing process."
Our reporter, however, says there is no sign that Sudan is ready to allow UN peacekeepers into Darfur.
Many thought the issue had been resolved in November when Sudan agreed in principle to a strengthened African Union-UN joint force.
The devil, however, has been in the detail, our reporter says.
In a long letter to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir queried almost every detail of the planned force.
One of his many stipulations was that peacekeeping helicopters should not be used to protect Darfur's civilians.
Resource: http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/
＊ Vocabulary Focus ＊
1. prosecute: v. 對…起訴；執行
2. seizure: v. 扣押、捉住
3. rebel: adj. 反抗的、反叛的
4. militia: n. 民兵部隊、國民軍
5. grim: adj. 嚴厲的
6. corpse: n. 屍體、殘骸
7. exhume: v. 發掘
8. correspondent: n. 特派員
9. torture: n. 酷刑、拷打
1. envoy: n. 外交使節
2. sanctions: n. [P] 國際制裁
3. impasse: n. 僵局、死路
4. helicopter gunship: 武裝直升機
5. hostility: n. 戰爭行動
6. undermine: v. 暗中破壞
7. query: v. 質問
8. stipulation: n. 契約、規定、條文
當我瀏覽北非新聞時，發現了蘇丹西部的Darfur地區所發生的種族滅絕悲劇，這個悲劇十分有名，但是台灣的新聞卻完全看不到，因此特地選了這兩篇新聞介紹給大家。建議先閱讀"蘇丹達爾富爾問題"或"種族滅絕入侵蘇丹達佛"這兩篇文章，才會比較了解新聞在寫什麼。
2007.4.6
Sudanese soldiers accused of rape
Sudanese soldiers accused of rape
Rape is being used as a weapon of war in Sudan's war-torn Darfur region, a United Nations report says.
It details numerous cases of rape by government soldiers, including one in which girls as young as 13 and pregnant women were sexually assaulted.
The UN's human rights chief called on Sudan's government to investigate and prosecute those responsible.
A second UN report details the seizure and disappearance of men in Darfur suspected to be rebel supporters.
At least 200,000 people have been killed and 2m displaced during the four year conflict between rebel groups and government-backed militia.
Pressure
The BBC's Imogen Foulkes in Geneva says the new reports released by UN Human Rights Commissioner Louise Arbour make grim reading.
The UN office has a team of human rights monitors in Darfur who report regularly on the situation there.
At least 15 women in and around the village of Deribat report being raped by soldiers during an attack last December.
In their report the human rights monitors conclude that rape was used as a weapon of war, a clear violation of the Geneva Conventions.
Ms Arbour called on Sudan's government to conduct an independent investigation into the attacks and to ensure that those responsible are prosecuted.
The second report details the enforced disappearance of at least 19 men in south Darfur.
The UN monitors say they were taken from their homes late last September by government forces who claimed the men were rebels. Since then only three have returned.
At least eight were identified among a group of corpses exhumed earlier this year.
Ms Arbour says no circumstances justify enforced disappearance and summary execution and has called for detailed explanations from the authorities in Darfur.
Our correspondent says the new reports will add to the pressure on Sudan to address the violence in Darfur.
Last week the UN Human Rights Council ordered an investigation into Sudan's compliance with international conventions against torture, summary execution and violence against women.
2007.4.10
Mbeki to increase Darfur pressure
South African President Thabo Mbeki is due to arrive in Sudan as part of efforts to persuade Khartoum to accept a new peacekeeping force in Darfur.
← Mr Mbeki is one of the African Union's most important leadersSudan is refusing to allow a joint UN-African Union mission to be deployed despite apparently agreeing in principle last November.
Mr Mbeki is expected to push for full implementation of the November deal.
A Chinese envoy has ended his four-day visit by calling on Sudan to be more flexible in its international dealings.
Devil in the detail
The BBC's Jonah Fisher in Khartoum says it is a big week for Darfur and the Khartoum government with the back-to-back visits from the Chinese envoy, Zhai Jun, Mr Mbeki, and US Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte.
Mr Negroponte arrives later this week and is likely to bring a warning straight from Washington, that President George W Bush is losing patience and is considering tougher sanctions.
Mr Mbeki, one of the African Union's most important leaders, is to arrive on Tuesday, and these three men represent the key international players trying to resolve Darfur's four-year-old conflict.
Though approaching the problem from different angles, their missions are all the same - to break the impasse between Sudan and the international community over the deployment of a new peacekeeping force.
The AU peace and security commissioner Said Djinnit has said he is confident a final agreement on UN peacekeepers in Darfur will be reached soon.
Differences remained over the use of helicopter gunships, he said.
"We hope that we will be able to achieve greater progress in the coming days and weeks," he told the BBC's Network Africa programme.
"In the meantime, we'd like to make an appeal to all the parties to refrain from any hostilities, and any act which is to undermine the ongoing process."
Our reporter, however, says there is no sign that Sudan is ready to allow UN peacekeepers into Darfur.
Many thought the issue had been resolved in November when Sudan agreed in principle to a strengthened African Union-UN joint force.
The devil, however, has been in the detail, our reporter says.
In a long letter to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir queried almost every detail of the planned force.
One of his many stipulations was that peacekeeping helicopters should not be used to protect Darfur's civilians.
Resource: http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/
＊ Vocabulary Focus ＊
1. prosecute: v. 對…起訴；執行
2. seizure: v. 扣押、捉住
3. rebel: adj. 反抗的、反叛的
4. militia: n. 民兵部隊、國民軍
5. grim: adj. 嚴厲的
6. corpse: n. 屍體、殘骸
7. exhume: v. 發掘
8. correspondent: n. 特派員
9. torture: n. 酷刑、拷打
1. envoy: n. 外交使節
2. sanctions: n. [P] 國際制裁
3. impasse: n. 僵局、死路
4. helicopter gunship: 武裝直升機
5. hostility: n. 戰爭行動
6. undermine: v. 暗中破壞
7. query: v. 質問
8. stipulation: n. 契約、規定、條文
_____
By mei
2007年4月10日 星期二
Japan, India start 2nd round of trade talks
Tokyo, April 09: Japan and India on Monday opened a second round of talks on a free trade deal that the Asian giants aim to seal within two years, officials said.
The four-day talks follow a first round in New Delhi in February that led to the creation of working groups to focus on trade in goods, services, investment and bilateral cooperation, a Japanese Foreign Ministry official said.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe pledged in December to conclude the talks within two years, reflecting Tokyo`s desire to strengthen ties with India to compensate for tensions with China.
Japan is seeking cuts to India`s 100 per cent tariffs on vehicle imports and the creation of common rules on investment and services, officials said.
The Indian delegation meanwhile is pressing for deregulation of Japanese customs inspections, cuts to tariffs on shrimp imports and a loosening of visa rules for Indian medical care workers and engineers.
Japan last June lifted a ban on the import of mangoes from India, a long-standing demand.
Bilateral trade between Japan and India hovers at only six billion dollars, compared with the more than 170 billion dollars of trade between Japan and China.
Japan, the world`s second largest economy and a major exporter, has been seeking a growing number of free trade deals against a backdrop of stalled global trade liberalisation talks.
Bureau Report
Resource：www.zeenews.com
＊ Vocabulary Focus ＊
1. New Delhi：n. 新德里（印度首都）
2. bilateral：adj. 雙邊的、雙方的
3. pledge：vt. 保證給予、使保證
4. compensation：n. 補償
5. delegation：n. 代表團
6. deregulation：n. 撤銷管制規定
7. lift a ban：解除禁令
8. hover：vi. 徘徊、停留
9. backdrop：n. 背景
____
By CY.
The four-day talks follow a first round in New Delhi in February that led to the creation of working groups to focus on trade in goods, services, investment and bilateral cooperation, a Japanese Foreign Ministry official said.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe pledged in December to conclude the talks within two years, reflecting Tokyo`s desire to strengthen ties with India to compensate for tensions with China.
Japan is seeking cuts to India`s 100 per cent tariffs on vehicle imports and the creation of common rules on investment and services, officials said.
The Indian delegation meanwhile is pressing for deregulation of Japanese customs inspections, cuts to tariffs on shrimp imports and a loosening of visa rules for Indian medical care workers and engineers.
Japan last June lifted a ban on the import of mangoes from India, a long-standing demand.
Bilateral trade between Japan and India hovers at only six billion dollars, compared with the more than 170 billion dollars of trade between Japan and China.
Japan, the world`s second largest economy and a major exporter, has been seeking a growing number of free trade deals against a backdrop of stalled global trade liberalisation talks.
Bureau Report
Resource：www.zeenews.com
＊ Vocabulary Focus ＊
1. New Delhi：n. 新德里（印度首都）
2. bilateral：adj. 雙邊的、雙方的
3. pledge：vt. 保證給予、使保證
4. compensation：n. 補償
5. delegation：n. 代表團
6. deregulation：n. 撤銷管制規定
7. lift a ban：解除禁令
8. hover：vi. 徘徊、停留
9. backdrop：n. 背景
____
By CY.
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