FRONT NEWS

Resignations Hit Tunisia's Coalition as Thousands Protest

2011-01-21T06:10:00.000+07:00

Prime Minister Mohamed Ghannouchi insisted in a radio interview with the French Europe 1 broadcaster that ministers in the new government remaining from the former regime have "clean hands" and great competence. He suggested that experienced officials are needed in a caretaker government to guide the country before free elections are held.

In an attempt to mollify protesters and distance themselves from Mr. Ben Ali, the prime minister and interim President Fouad Mebazza resigned from the ruling RCD on Tuesday. State media reported the party also expelled Mr. Ben Ali, its founder.

Officials with the country's main labor union, the UGTT, said its three newly appointed ministers had withdrawn because the movement will not recognize the new government. Tunisia's health minister, who is from the opposition FDLT party, also resigned.

The United States welcomed reforms announced by the new government, including media freedoms and the liberation of all political prisoners, but said political change in the Arab state must broaden and deepen.

U.N. spokesman Martin Nesirky said Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon also urged "broad-based consultations" to establish an inclusive interim government.

On Monday, Mr. Ghannouchi announced a coalition Cabinet that includes the current ministers of defense, interior, foreign affairs and finance. He announced lower-level Cabinet positions for several opposition figures.

The announcement came after former president Ben Ali fled the country Friday after a month of protests and rioting sparked by widespread unemployment and high food prices. His departure ended more than two decades of authoritarian rule.

The capital remains occupied by tanks and heavily armed riot police, while many stores and businesses are closed. A ban on public assemblies is in place, as well as a strict nighttime curfew.

Tunisia's Interior Ministry said Monday that 78 people have died in the month-long violence. The government previously put the number of fatalities at 23. Unofficial estimates put the death toll at around 100.

Separately, supporters of formerly exiled opposition leader Moncek Marzouki greeted him Tuesday as he arrived in the country from Paris. The head of the Congress for the Republic party says he is considering running for president.

Prime Minister Ghannouchi said Tunisia will work toward transparent, fair elections under the supervision of international observers. A presidential poll is to be held within 60 days. (From VOA)

Hundreds Demonstrate in Tunisian Capital

2011-01-20T09:20:00.000+07:00

Hundreds of anti-government protesters marched in the Tunisian capital calling for allies of the ousted president to leave the government.

The demonstrators walked down the streets of Tunis Wednesday chanting songs and calling for former RCD ruling party members to step down.

On Monday, Prime Minister Mohamed Ghannouchi announced a coalition government that included the current ministers of defense, interior, foreign affairs and finance. He announced lower-level cabinet positions for several opposition figures. At least four opposition ministers have quit the unity government, aligning themselves with the anti-government protestesrs.

A spokesman for the interim prime minister says the ministers are deciding whether to hold their first cabinet meeting on Wednesday or Thursday.

Former President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali fled the country Friday after a month of protests and rioting sparked by widespread unemployment and high food prices. His departure ended more than two decades of authoritarian rule.

Tunisia's interior ministry said Monday that 78 people have died in the month-long violence. The government previously put the number of fatalities at 23. Unofficial estimates put the death toll at around 100.

Separately Wednesday, the international credit Ratings agency Moody's Investors Service lowered Tunisia's rating from Baa2 to Baa3. The ratings agency said the downgrade was due to instability and current changes to the political regime.

The lower rating means it will cost Tunisia more to borrow money. (From VOA)

Mediator Leaves Ivory Coast with No Breakthrough

2011-01-20T09:00:00.000+07:00

The African Union mediator to Ivory Coast's political crisis has left the country with no apparent breakthrough in the electoral dispute, saying the standoff between rival

governments may not end peacefully.

Kenyan Prime Minister Ralia Odinga left Abidjan after what he says were extensive discussions with both incumbent President Laurent Gbabgo and the internationally-recognized winner of November's vote, former prime minister Alassane Ouattara.
Odinga says the breakthrough needed to resolve Ivory Coast's political crisis did not happen.
"One of the principle goals of my mission was to convince Mr. Gbagbo to accept that he needed to put his presidency on the agenda for discussions," said Odinga. "In addition, it was imperative that a blockade at the Golf Hotel be lifted. Mr. Gbagbo gave me an assurance that this blockade would be lifted yesterday at midday but he broke that promise for the second time in two weeks."
Troops loyal to Mr. Gbabgo are blocking access to the Golf Hotel, where Mr. Ouattara has been living since the United Nations certified electoral commission results that say he won the vote.
Mr. Gbagbo claims he was re-elected when his political allies on the constitutional counsel annulled enough Ouattara votes to put Mr. Gbagbo ahead.
The African Union, the United Nations, the European Union, and the United States recognize Ouattara's victory and say Gbagbo must leave.
The Economic Community of West African States says it is considering military action to remove Gbagbo.
Odinga says if the crisis is not resolved, there will be additional economic and financial sanctions and possibly the use of force.
"Time is running out for an amicably negotiated settlement," added Odinga. "In addition, the window of opportunity for any amnesty will continue to close if Mr. Gbagbo's supporters continue to commit crimes against civilians and peacekeepers."
U.N. Secretary General Bank Ki-moon says U.N. staffers are being attacked by Gbagbo security forces and allied militia.
Mr. Odinga's African Union mission left Ivory Coast for further talks with heads of state in Ghana, Angola and Burkina Faso. (From VOA)

Obama, Hu Urged to Hold Substantive Human Rights Talks

2011-01-20T08:50:00.000+07:00

Veteran Chinese dissident Bao Tong’s phone was cut off last October, shortly after the Nobel Peace Prize committee named jailed Chinese writer Liu Xiaobo its 2010 laureate. Bao’s phone service was only recently restored.

Bao is the highest ranking person to have been jailed for supporting protesting students in Beijing in 1989.

He, along with other activists are hoping Presidents Barack Obama and Hu Jintao will hold substantive talks about Beijing's human rights record during Mr. Hu's state visit to Washington, which began on Tuesday. The Chinese leader is scheduled to hold extensive talks with Mr. Obama, meetings with congressional leaders and take a trip to Chicago.

Bao says human rights is too important of an issue for the two leaders not to talk about. The discussions should not just be superficial, Bao adds, but should be in depth and have results.

Another activist, Ding Zilin, is one of the main organizers of a group called "Tiananmen Mothers," made up of people whose family members were killed when Chinese troops crushed the demonstrations in 1989. Her son was killed.

She says she thinks Sino-American differences in human rights have been overshadowed by economic disputes and security issues. Therefore, she says she would like to see how Mr. Obama and Mr. Hu discuss human rights. Ding says she does not want their talks to be like before, when, in her opinion, talk about human rights was just a show.

She is especially angered by the Chinese government’s response to Liu Xiaobo’s Nobel Prize. The reaction included putting Liu’s wife, Liu Xia, under house arrest, and cutting off her communication with the outside world, even though she has committed no crime.

Ding is one of scores of activists in China who were put under house arrest after Liu won the prize. Like Bao Tong, her phone was only recently restored.

Authorities also harassed Chinese lawyers who were active in defending civil society cases.

Martin Flaherty is a law professor at Fordham University. He works with the Committee to Support Chinese Lawyers, made up of lawyers from outside China who seek to promote the independence of Chinese lawyers.

"You know the larger story, as I am sure you know, is that in the last two years or so, maybe two and a half years, there has been what appears to be a concerted crackdown on the small number of civil rights and human rights lawyers in China," Flahery said. "You know, we've had some fairly high profile ones."

One example of this crackdown is Gao Zhisheng, a human rights lawyer who disappeared into police detention in 2009. He briefly resurfaced last April, but then disappeared again.

Gao was jailed on subversion charges in 2006, but his sentence was suspended and he was released early. He has been described as a galvanizing force for China’s rights movement, and has argued cases to defend property rights, as well as political and religious dissenters.

Gao’s wife Geng He, who fled to the United States, has appealed to President Obama to raise her husband’s case with President Hu.

Critics of China’s human rights record on Capitol Hill urged President Obama to call on the Chinese government to also release Nobel laureate Liu Xiaobo.

China denies abusing human rights and says Liu Xiaobo is a convicted criminal. China also points to its economic growth, which has lifted hundreds of millions of people out of extreme poverty, as proof of its concern for human rights.

Although China still makes clear it does not tolerate much dissent, Chinese citizens in the past 30 years have gotten increased freedom to travel domestically and aboard, while people also have access to a greater range of publications and television programming than they did a few decades ago. (From VOA)

China Dominates ASEAN Talks, Links to Singapore With High-Speed Rail

2011-01-20T08:35:00.000+07:00

In China's ever-growing regional and global dominance, the country has announced that construction will begin this year on a portion of the much anticipated high-speed rail line reaching all the way to Singapore, by way of Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia and Laos. The move will bolster trade between the superpower and Asia's smaller players, as well as fortify the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region--of which Nanning is the capital--as China's main center of Asian trade. And the main center of trade in all of Asia, for that matter.

"The construction of the railway between Nanning and Pingxiang, a city near China's border with Vietnam, will start in the second half of this year," reports China Daily. The cost will be about $3 billion.

The Nanning-Singapore Economic Corridor will link Phnom Penh in Cambodia, Hanoi in Vietnam, Bangkok in Thailand, Vientiane in Laos, Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia and Singapore--cities that will thus become trading centers for the region and will most likely see additional economic development boosts due to the rail link. It's easy to imagine local enterprises popping up to cater to travelers and tradesmen.

Portions of the corridor are already in place in one form or another--in some cases highways are complete and in others domestic rail lines have been linked between countries. But this week's announcement that construction will begin on one of the final links--Nanning to Pingxiang--signifies the importance China places on making Nanning its Southeast Asian trading hub.

The timing of the announcement comes at a time when China and Japan are in increasing competition over dominance in the region, particularly over Vietnam. And as the Chinese city of Pingxiang is just at the border, one has to wonder why the sudden focus on that portion of what will be one of the largest inter-country high-speed rail links in Asia.

That said, the ASEAN Summit just wrapped on Monday and it was clear that China intends to maintain its dominance in the region--even though it's not officially part of ASEAN, a 10-member group of only Southeast Asian countries.

Whether the corridor is meant for trade or easy access to neighboring countries for other purposes, the rail link is set to alter the region significantly, giving rise to targeted innovations and enterprises throughout Southeast Asia.

Sunderland make Jay enquiry

2011-01-20T08:21:00.000+07:00

Sunderland have made an enquiry for Cardiff striker Jay Bothroyd, frontnews.com understands.

Black Cats boss Steve Bruce is exploring his options as he looks to bring in a replacement for Darren Bent.

Bothroyd is believed to be among Bruce's targets with the Bluebirds fighting to keep hold of the England international.

Cardiff have offered a new deal to the 28-year-old, who is out of contract at the end of the season, but he has yet to agree terms.

Bluebirds boss Dave Jones is adamant he does not want to lose Bothroyd, but he could have his resolve tested before the transfer window slams shut at the end of the month.

Newcastle are also keen on Bothroyd and are thought to have made an enquiry for the former Arsenal youngster.

However, Sunderland could be in pole position for Bothroyd if they firm up their interest in the player as they have substantial funds to spend following the sale of Bent to Aston Villa.

No Major Damage Reported After Powerful Pakistan Quake

2011-01-20T08:10:00.000+07:00

A magnitude 7.2 earthquake shook southwestern Pakistan early Wednesday, jolting residents of cities as far away as the country's largest city of Karachi and the Indian capital, New Delhi.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the earthquake was centered 55 kilometers west of the town of Dalbandin in Baluchistan province, which is the country's most sparsely populated area.

Local officials said the earthquake damaged some homes in Dalbandin, but there were no reports of any injuries or casualties.

The Pentagon said U.S. troops in southwestern Afghanistan felt the tremor, but there were no injuries or impact on U.S. military operations in Afghanistan or Pakistan.

U.S. officials also said Pakistan has not asked for assistance with quake relief.

Earthquakes are common in the region. A magnitude 7.6 quake on October 8, 2005 killed more than 70,000 people in northwestern Pakistan and Pakistani-administered Kashmir, and left more than 3 million people homeless. (From VOA)

Three arrested after Cambodia acid attack: police

2011-01-20T08:00:00.000+07:00

Three people have been arrested for an attack in which two women were splashed with acid, in the country's first such incident of the year, police said Wednesday.

One of the victims, a 27-year-old garment worker, remains in hospital with serious burns to her face, eyes and body, said Kong Sam Orn, a deputy police chief of Phnom Penh's Meanchey district.

The other woman, the driver of the motorcycle on which the two were riding at the time of the attack, suffered leg and arm injuries.

Police said Tuesday's attack was carried out by two brothers and came just one day after the older sibling's wife had a work-related argument with the 27-year-old victim.

"The attack stemmed from the dispute," Kong Sam Orn said, adding that police believed the wife, who was also arrested, had masterminded the crime.

Acid attacks are a common form of revenge in Cambodia where corrosive liquid is easily and cheaply available and attackers are rarely brought to justice.

In an effort to curb the violence, the Cambodian government has drafted legislation that would regulate sales of acid and impose harsher sentences on perpetrators.

Under the new law, expected to be approved later this year, attackers could face 20 years to life in prison.

While there are no official statistics, the Cambodian Acid Survivors Charity (CASC) recorded 19 attacks in 2010, which injured more than 30 people.

"Just a handful of those cases resulted in arrests," said CASC programme manager Chhun Sophea.

SWP interest confirmed

2011-01-20T07:40:00.000+07:00

Fulham and Newcastle have both made approaches for Shaun Wright-Phillips, frontnews.com can confirm.

Wright-Phillips is looking for first-team football having sunk down the pecking order under Roberto Mancini, who admitted at the weekend he could be allowed to leave Eastlands.

Speaking exclusively to frontnews.com the player's agent Wayne Lindsay has now confirmed that both Fulham and Newcastle want to sign the England international.

"My understanding is that Fulham have made an enquiry for Shaun, as have Newcastle," Lindsay told frontnews.com.

"There are two other clubs also showing an interest, one loan and one permanent.

"There is also interest from a French club, but these are all options Shaun will have to consider.

"We don't have a time frame in mind with this, but obviously it needs to be done before the end of the window."

Blackburn and West Ham had an interest in landing Wright-Phillips on loan, but their respective signings of Roque Santa Cruz and Wayne Bridge mean they cannot sign a second player from City.

World Bank Preparing $485 Million in Brazil Flood Aid

2011-01-20T07:30:00.000+07:00

The World Bank says it is preparing to lend Brazil $485 million in emergency relief after flooding and mudslides devastated parts of the country.

The World Bank's Brazil director, Makhtar Diop, said Tuesday the bank hopes to approve the first portion of the loan "in the coming weeks." He said the initial piece would be worth $290 million.

The Brazilian government last week allocated $460 million in aid.

Ffficials said Tuesday the disaster's death toll is now more than 700.

Rescue crews, including military helicopters, continue to try to reach residents after heavy rains sent an avalanche of mud, water and rocks plowing through towns and villages.

On Monday, authorities sent hundreds of emergency personnel to neighborhoods that have been cut off from help by smashed roads and bridges.

The affected areas received the equivalent of a month's worth of rain in just a few hours.

The hardest hit towns have been Teresopolis and Nova Friburgo, and flooding has also affected Petropolis and Sumidouro.

Landslides and floods are common in Brazil, often affecting poor communities with shacks built on steep, unstable hills.

In January of last year, more than 50 people died in mudslides in the beach town of Angra dos Reis, and at least 180 people died in landslides last April that devastated slum communities in Rio. (From VOA)

Thai FM thanks Cambodia for releasing six Thais on bail: Cambodian FM

2011-01-20T07:20:00.000+07:00

Cambodian Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Hor Namhong said Wednesday that his Thai counterpart Kasit Piromya expressed thanks to Cambodia for releasing some of the seven detained Thais on bail.

During a meeting on the sidelines of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Retreat in Indonesia ended on Tuesday, "Mr. Kasit thanked Cambodia for releasing some of them on bail in recent days, " Hor Namhong told reporters on Wednesday.

"In the meeting, we also pledged to maintain currently good relations between the two countries, not allow the case of the seven Thais to affect the improving relations," he said.

"I told him that for the case of the seven Thais, Cambodia follows the legal procedures of the court based on Cambodia's immigration law, without any animosity towards the Thai people," said Namhong. "He also agreed with me."

The seven arrested Thais include a Democrat Member of Parliament for Bangkok Panich Wikitsate and Veera Somkwamkid, Thailand Patriot Network core member.

They were arrested on Dec. 29, last year by Cambodian border protection troops for illegal entry into Cambodian territory in Banteay Meanchey province.

So far, six of them have been released on bail by Cambodian court, except Veera Somkwamkid remains in custody awaiting trial as he was applied an additional charge by Cambodian court for attempt in "collecting information which might damage to Cambodia' s national security". The charge faces up to ten years imprisonment if found guilty.

Wolves close on Hammill

2011-01-20T07:00:00.000+07:00

Wolves are poised to win the race to sign Barnsley star Adam Hammill, skysports.com understands.

A number of clubs, including Blackpool, Wigan, Cardiff and Nottingham Forest, have all been linked with the former Liverpool youngster, but it appears Wolves are in pole position to land Hammill.

Hammill has been one of the outstanding performers in the Championship this season with a number of eye-catching displays for Barnsley.

Barnsley have been resigned to losing the 22-year-old with the skilful winger thought to have a £500,000 release clause in his contract at Oakwell.

Wolves are now thought to have reached the buy-out clause and have been given permission to hold talks with the player.

Mick McCarthy is a big admirer of Hammill and he is keen to tie up a deal for the player by the end of the week in time for the player to be available to face his former club Liverpool this weekend.

Saudi Arabia Abandons Mediation Efforts in Lebanon

2011-01-20T06:50:00.000+07:00

Saudi Arabia's foreign minister says his country has abandoned efforts to mediate Lebanon's political crisis.

In an interview with Saudi-owned Al Arabiya TV Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal said Saudi King Abdullah and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad had been in contact to help "end the whole Lebanon problem."

He said however that the Saudi king has decided to withdraw from those efforts.

The foreign minister said if the situation reaches full separation and regional partition, then it could mean the end of Lebanon as a state that has been a model of peaceful cohabitation between different religions and ethnicities.

Lebanon has been embroiled in a political crisis for months over efforts by the United Nations to indict several prominent members of Hezbollah over the 2005 assassination of the late Lebanese prime minister Rafiq Hariri.

Last week, Hezbollah and its allies quit Lebanon's Western-backed government because of tensions regarding the impending indictment.

A draft was handed Monday to the pre-trial judge.

The contents, however, have not been revealed and may not become public for weeks, as the judge decides whether there is enough evidence for a trial.

(From VOA)

Cambodia denies action to block critical web blog

2011-01-20T06:40:00.000+07:00

The Cambodian government has denied that action was taken against critical web blog that runs from overseas.

Khieu Kanharith, minister of information and the government's spokesman said Wednesday that no action was taken against KI-Media, a web blog which is critical to the government.

He said he still can access to the web as of Wednesday afternoon.

Earlier in the day, local media Cambodian Express News reported a few users of EZECOM internet service provider, one of the country's internet services are complaining they are not able to access to the website, quoting a source as saying all websites with BlogSpot which includes KI-Media are blocked by the Interior Ministry.

But, spokesman of Interior Ministry could not be reached for comment on Wednesday.

KI-Media which runs from overseas is considered by some readers as a critical blog against the Cambodian government which often carries articles touching on corruption, poverty among others.

No one could confirm whereabouts KI-Media is exactly operated, except saying it is run from overseas.

Leeds v Arsenal preview

2011-01-20T06:20:00.000+07:00

Leeds United entertain Arsenal in their third round FA Cup replay at Elland Road on Wednesday with Huddersfield Town awaiting the winners.

The Whites were minutes from claiming a famous 1-0 win at Emirates Stadium thanks to Robert Snodgrass' penalty before Cesc Fabregas snatched a share of the spoils.

Since the draw Arsenal have lost to Ipswich in the first leg of their Carling Cup tie before crushing West Ham at the weekend while Leeds destroyed Scunthorpe in Championship action on Saturday.

The teams have not met at Leeds since January 2004 when Arsene Wenger's side strolled to a 4-1 success thanks to goals from Thierry Henry, Edu, Robert Pires and Kolo Toure.

Leeds' last victory over Arsenal came in May 2003 when Mark Viduka's late goal at Highbury gave The Whites a 3-2 away win, securing their top-flight status in the process.

Thai FM thanks Cambodia for releasing six Thais on bail: Cambodian FM

2011-01-20T06:00:00.000+07:00

"In the meeting, we also pledged to maintain currently good relations between the two countries, not allow the case of the seven Thais to affect the improving relations," he said.

The seven arrested Thais include a Democrat Member of Parliament for Bangkok Panich Wikitsate and Veera Somkwamkid, Thailand Patriot Network core member.

They were arrested on Dec. 29, last year by Cambodian border protection troops for illegal entry into Cambodian territory in Banteay Meanchey province.

Bendtner move talk dismissed

2011-01-19T21:12:00.001+07:00

Nicolas Bendtner is not interested in speculation that Arsenal have put a price on his head, amid speculation West Ham are looking to sign him.

Reports have suggested that Arsenal are ready to do business

on the 23-year-old Danish international with a price tag of £15million being reported.

But the player's father Thomas, who is also his agent, insists that his son is not interested in such reports.

"That's not interesting," he told Ekstrabladet.

"If Arsenal want to sell and have set a price, then that's up to them.

"That's nothing that we have been involved in.

"I can only say that this is nothing of interest to us."

Peacekeeping Officials: ECOWAS Invasion of Ivory Coast Unlikely

2011-01-19T21:10:00.001+07:00

Officials at former U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan's Peacekeeping Training Center say the threat of a West-Africa-led invasion of Ivory Coast is unlikely to materialize and would mostly aggravate the power crisis that has seized the country since the November 28 elections.

"The use of legitimate force," to quote the agreement signed by 15 West African leaders, was supposed to be the last resort the West African bloc would turn to if Ivorian President Laurent Gbagbo did not concede the elections that the African Union says he lost.
But 10 days shy of two months of failed negotiations to pry Gabgbo from power, the threat of a West African invasion of its second-largest economy appears unlikely or, at best, a controversial prospect between the leaders who agreed to it.
Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan chairs the Economic Community of West African States and has led the bloc's efforts to oust President Gbagbo from power.
If mediation doesn't work, the bloc says it has 6,500 troops on standby, ready to invade and capture Gbagbo. On January 7, though, Ghanaian President John Atta Mills said Ghana would not participate in such an effort.
Ghana has 500 peacekeepers in Ivory Coast. Mills told reporters that sending in a military force would not bring peace to Ivory Coast, and Research Head Kweis Anning at the Kofi Annan Peacekeeping Training Center agrees.
"I think that possibility is fairly weak," said Anning. "If ECOWAS does not use a strike action to extract Gbagbo alone and his henchmen, which even then has very dangerous repercussions later from his supporters, a full-blown intervention force, as we saw in Liberia and Sierra Leone, is at best very far fetched."
Ghana's opposition, regional leaders, and supporters of Ivory Coast's internationally recognized president, Alassane Outtara, have criticized Mills for the decision.
A Burkinabé paper alleged that Mills received campaign contributions from Gbagbo during his own run for office, while an Ivorian newspaper claimed Ghana's main airport is allowing Ivory Coast to park military jets on its tarmac.
A spokesman for Mills' party denied both charges, and Anning said the Ghana president's refusal to participate is consistent with the country's long-standing foreign policy.
"The military intervention option, for me, it is supposed to be used as a stick, to elicit compliance from the Gbagbo camp that, 'Look, if you do not go by the rules and regulations to which you are a signatory to, this option is available,'" said Anning.
If the threat of military intervention is a stick, however, then Senegal's president said the economic community ought to be willing to use it.
In an interview with Bloomberg News last week, President Abdoulaye Wade's spokesman, Pape Dieng, said he is pushing leaders to remove Gbagbo "by any means necessary, even military means." If he does not leave, Dieng said African leaders will think there is never any need to concede an election. (From VOA)

Cambodia denies action to block critical web blog

2011-01-19T21:08:00.001+07:00

The Cambodian government has denied that action was taken against critical web blog that runs from overseas.

Khieu Kanharith, minister of information and the government's spokesman said Wednesday that no action was taken against KI-Media, a web blog which is critical to the government.

He said he still can access to the web as of Wednesday afternoon.

But, spokesman of Interior Ministry could not be reached for comment on Wednesday.

KI-Media which runs from overseas is considered by some readers as a critical blog against the Cambodian government which often carries articles touching on corruption, poverty among others.

No one could confirm whereabouts KI-Media is exactly operated, except saying it is run from overseas.

Cesc downplays Denilson doubts

2011-01-19T21:05:00.001+07:00

Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas has described Denilson's outburst over his ability to skipper the side as a "misunderstanding".

A story in The Sun saw Denilson launch a shock attack on Fabregas, claiming the Spain midfielder lacked the leadership qualities to be captain at the Emirates Stadium.

The Brazilian midfielder's comments will have caused a stir amongst Gunners fans, who see their side lock horns with Leeds United in Wednesday's FA Cup third round replay.

But Fabregas has rapidly sought to ease any bad blood between the midfield duo by insisting there is no issue with the 22-year-old.

On his official Twitter page, Fabregas said: "About what Denilson said, I've been in this situation before, just a misunderstanding. Now let's win tonight!"

7.2 Quake Hits SW Pakistan

2011-01-19T20:59:00.001+07:00

A magnitude 7.2 earthquake shook southwestern Pakistan early Wednesday, jolting residents of cities as far apart as the country's largest city of Karachi and the Indian capital, New Delhi.

The U.S. Geological Survey says the quake struck at 1:23 a.m. local time (2023 UTC Tuesday) at a depth of 84 kilometers, with the epicenter some 55 kilometers west of the town of Dalbandin in Baluchistan province, the country's most sparsely populated area.

Reuters news agency quoted Pakistani officials as saying several people were injured in Dalbandin when the roofs of their houses collapsed.

The Hawaii-based Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said the quake had not triggered a tsunami in the Indian Ocean.

The Pentagon said U.S. troops in southwestern Afghanistan felt the tremor, but there were no injuries or an impact on U.S. military operations in Afghanistan or on the small contingent in Pakistan. U.S. officials also said that so far, there was no request from Pakistan for assistance with quake relief.

Earthquakes are common in the region. A magnitude 7.6 quake on October 8, 2005 killed more than 70,000 people in northwestern Pakistan and Pakistani-administered Kashmir and left more than 3 million people homeless. (From VOA)

Filipino tourists told: Fly now to India, visa later

2011-01-19T20:57:00.001+07:00

Filipinos who plan their trips on short notice can start flying to India without the hassles of processing a visa in the Philippines.

The Indian government has announced that tourists from the Philippines, as well as from Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam, may choose to process their Indian visas even after they have landed. Since the start of the year, India has implemented its visa-on-arrival scheme to attract more Southeast Asian tourists.

To complement this move, Philippine Airlines has announced it has begun to fly six times weekly from Manila to New Delhi and back. Their operations include three nonstop flights between the two capitals and three flights routed via Bangkok.

In a statement, the Indian Embassy in Manila explained that visas-on-arrival will be valid for a maximum of 30 days. The embassy added that a tourist can avail of a visa-on-arrival twice a year at the most, with each visit spaced by at least two months.

The visa, which will be processed at a fee of $60, is non-extendable and non-convertible.

To get the visa, Filipino tourists must carry passports valid for six months at least, or re-entry permits. They must also present a proof of availability of funds to spend in India, and a confirmed ticket guaranteeing they will leave the country within 30 days.

Ineligible are Filipinos who reside or work in India, who hold diplomatic or official passports, or who have been declared persona non grata or blacklisted by the government of India.

Gerrard could play till 36

2011-01-19T20:55:00.001+07:00

Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard has set his sights on playing for another five years.

The England star, who made his first-team debut in November 1998, turns 31 in May and admits he has contemplated his future once he hangs up his boots.

The Reds midfielder is undecided whether he will follow team-mate Jamie Carragher by taking his coaching badges.

But he insists he wants to carry on playing for as long as possible, saying his retirement date is not a pressing concern.

"It's not my main priority or focus at the moment, I still think that's a long way off," Gerrard told the club's official magazine.

"I believe I can play football for another four or five years but I do sometimes think about what I'm going to do when I finish playing.

Suicide Bomber Kills In Iraq at Least 50, Wounds 150

2011-01-19T20:52:00.001+07:00

A suicide-bomber blew himself up Tuesday in the midst of a crowd of aspiring police recruits in the Sunni-Arab town of Tikrit, north of Baghdad. The bloody bombing left at least 50 people dead and wounded at least 150 others. The attack appears to mark a strategy by insurgents of targeting Iraq’s fledgling security forces, as
The bombing resembled many other similar attacks on Iraqi security forces in recent months. Dozens of aspiring, mostly young police recruits were killed or wounded by the blast in front of the police station in Saddam Hussein’s hometown.
Baghdad TV reports that the casualties were numerous and that many had to be taken to hospitals in other area towns and cities. Local mosques also broadcast appeals for blood donations over loudspeakers.
One wounded young man, his face covered with blood and soot from the explosion, described the blast from his hospital bed:
He says that he felt what had to have been an extremely strong explosion around him.
Peter Harling of the Crisis Group in Damascus says that insurgents continue to try to change the political equation or dynamics in Iraq by hitting the country’s security forces, but without much success:
"I think what's left of the insurgency has refocused on two types of targets, the security apparatus on the one hand, and on the other hand we've had a string of attacks along the Arab-Kurdish fault line (and on) former Mehdi Army strongholds in Baghdad. I think these attacks are designed to try and change the dynamics in Iraq. They've failed to do so. It's quite striking that although 2010 was marked by protracted negotiations over the formation of a government over a period of 8 months, these attacks completely failed in their objective of changing the dynamics," he said.
Harling argues that the insurgency would ultimately need to change its strategy of blowing people up in order to have more impact on the political process. "They've been successful only in causing massive bloodshed, but haven't had a decisive impact in terms of the dynamics of this conflict, and that I think leaves the insurgency very much in disarray. So, whatever operations they are mounting have no concrete impact and in no way can garner wide-ranging popular support in Iraq," he said.
Several Iraqi officials accused al-Qaida of responsibility for the blast. Peter Harling, however, says it is not clear who is behind the bombing, or Iraq’s insurgency, but that they are using techniques inspired by al-Qaida, notably in Afghanistan. What’s left of the insurgency, he adds, is mostly composed of small cells, but not backed up by any significant popular support. (From VOA)

Seoul enlists foreign envoys to improve international marriages

2011-01-19T20:50:00.001+07:00

South Korea announced Wednesday that it would consult with ambassadors from seven Asian nations to help improve the quality of international marriages, local media said, following reports of foreign wives suffering abuse.

Seoul's Ministry of Gender Equality and Family said it would work with envoys from Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, the Philippines, China,

Mongolia and Uzbekistan to find ways to promote positive international marriages and assist multicultural families.

Brokering international matches has become big business in South Korea as a growing number of the country's men living in rural areas seek foreign wives, because of a shortage of South Korean women willing to live in such regions.

Three-quarters of the some 33,000 international marriages in South Korea in 2009 involved South Korean men and foreign women, mostly from South-East Asian nations, according to Yonhap News Agency.

South Koreans seeking to marry a foreign national from one of the seven nations must also take a class on the culture and customs of their future spouse's country, the Ministry of Justice said earlier this week.

'We've selected these seven countries first, because of the demand for Korean citizenship from foreign spouses from them, and the high divorce rate from their Korean partners,' a Justice Ministry official told the Korea Times newspaper earlier this week.

The mandatory culture classes, which seek to improve South Koreans' understanding of their spouse's background, are expected to go into effect by the end of this month or in early February.

Domestic violence has emerged as an issue in some international matches, highlighted by an incident last July in which a newlywed mentally ill South Korean man stabbed his Vietnamese wife to death.

Concerns over possible human trafficking to create such matches also prompted Cambodia to impose a one-month ban in 2010 on marriages between South Korean nationals and Cambodians.