the law is completely on our side he said adding that they argued her
conviction was unlawful because it was based on regulations in the country
now defunct constitution
if the appeal is rejected it is thought that suu kyi and her lawyers would have
to appeal directly to the military government to try to get the conviction
overturned
the nobel peace laureate who is detained at her lakeside mansion in yangon did
not attend the court and journalists were barred although the british
ambassador and another embassy official were seen going into the hearing
myanmar military rulers have kept suu kyi in detention for of the past
years having refused to recognise her party landslide victory in the
country last democratic elections in
the extension of her detention after prison trial sparked international
outrage as it effectively keeps her off the stage for elections promised by the
regime some time this year
but in recent months the united states followed by the european union has
shifted towards policy of greater engagement with myanmar which has been
under military rule since as sanctions have failed to bear fruit
suu kyi has also changed tack after years of favouring harsh international
measures against yangon writing twice to junta chief than shwe since september
offering her cooperation in trying to get western sanctions lifted
on friday she met the ruling junta liaison officer in the latest sign of
dialogue between the two sides it was the fourth meeting between the pair since
the beginning of october
urgent child among three killed in kabul attacks official
kabul jan afp
child is among the dead in one of the worst insurgent attacks on kabul
officials said monday adding that police officer and an afghan solider have
also been killed
two dead in blast at ukraine hospital report
kiev jan afp
two people were killed on monday in an explosion at hospital in ukraine
eastern city of lugansk the interfax ukraine news agency reported
the blast was caused by oxygen canisters exploding on the fourth floor of the
seven storey hospital the news agency quoted sources as saying
turkmenistan to scrap revolving monument to dictator report
ashgabat jan afp
turkmenistan will soon tear down monument to its mercurial former dictator
viewed by many as symbol of his most bizarre excesses official media said
monday
the massive arch of neutrality topped with gold statue of ex leader
saparmurat niyazov that rotated so he would always face the sun is to be
scrapped state newspaper neutral turkmenistan reported
the president of turkmenistan gurbanguly berdymukhamedov has signed decree
tasking turkish construction company polimeks with dismantling the metre arch
of neutrality in march of this year it said
turkmenistan central asian state on the eastern shore of the caspian sea and
one of the world most cloistered countries has long been the subject of sharp
criticism over its human rights record
under niyazov who died suddenly of heart failure in the former soviet
nation lived under one of the world most bizarre and lavish personality cults
niyazov who adopted neutrality as his official foreign policy penned
rambling spiritual tome that was mandatory reading and erected countless
monuments to himself across the deeply impoverished state
but of all the monuments dotting the energy rich country none could rival the
prominence of the marble covered arch which straddles key thoroughfare in the
centre of the capital and towers over nearby government buildings
berdymukhamedov has started to dismantle his predecessor legacy and promised
reforms since coming to power in but critics argue that the changes he has
so far instituted are merely cosmetic
neutral turkmenistan also reported that polimeks would soon take up construction
on new metre monument to neutrality minus the gold statue to open on
the outskirts of ashgabat by
alert
child soldier and police officer dead in kabul attacks officials
germany lanxess brings forward singapore project
singapore jan afp
german chemicals giant lanxess said monday it has brought forward the building
of million us dollar rubber plant in singapore to meet demand for tyres as
car sales in the region soar
company officials told news conference that construction of the plant that
will manufacture butyl rubber chemical used to make tyres would begin in
june this year instead of mid
production is expected to start in the first quarter of earlier than its
slated launch
lanxess germany largest listed speciality chemicals group had announced last
year it would put back the start of production from the facility to because
of the global economic crisis
however the pick up in demand has prompted the change
the market has driven us to make this decision ron commander the head of
lanxess butyl rubber business unit told reporters
as of the third quarter of we saw much more stability in the market
and lot of growth in asia predominantly in china
lanxess said global tyre sales are expected to return to pre economic crisis
levels in
the firm will also move the global headquarters for its butyl rubber business to
singapore from fribourg switzerland this year to meet rising demand for tyres
in asia powered by the region burgeoning middle class
auto sales in the region have been growing for some time as the region
economies grow and last year china overtook the united states as the world
biggest car market
we will be focussing our attention especially on asia this year said lanxess
chairman axel heitmann
the tonne per annum plant in singapore will be the hub of lanxess asian
operations it will be located in jurong island petrochemicals base that has
attracted billions in foreign investments
lanxess customers include tyre brands bridgestone michelin hankook and
yokohama
cricket bangladesh india first test scoreboard
chittagong bangladesh jan afp
scoreboard at tea on the second day of the first test between india and
bangladesh on monday
india st innings overnight
gambhir rahim shahadat
sehwag tamim shakib
dravid shahadat
tendulkar not out
laxman st rahim shakib
yuvraj singh rubel shakib
karthik raqibul shahadat
mishra lbw shahadat
zaheer khan raqibul shakib
sharma rahim shahadat
sreesanth kayes shakib
extras lb nb
total for all out overs
fall of wickets sehwag gambhir dravid laxman
yuvraj karthik mishra zaheer sharma
sreesanth
bowling shafiul shahadat nb rubel nb
shakib mahmudullah ashraful
bangladesh st innings
tamim iqbal zaheer
imrul kayes lbw zaheer
shahriar nafees laxman sharma
mohammad ashraful not out
raqibul hasan not out
total for three wickets overs
fall of wickets kayes nafees iqbal
bowling zaheer sreesanth sharma
toss bangladesh
umpires billy bowden nzl and marais erasmus rsa
tv umpire enamul haque ban
match referee andy pycroft zim
prince william proves star power on new zealand walkabout
wellington jan afp
britain prince william proved his star power monday as thousands of new
zealanders cheered the second in line to the throne in the face of small
republican demonstration
the year old prince opened new supreme court building in wellington during
the second day of his first official trip overseas on behalf of his grandmother
queen elizabeth ii
the prince was loudly cheered as he arrived to be draped in ceremonial maori
feather cloak and received haka or challenge from group of bare chested
warriors in grass skirts
group of distinguished maori elders met william with hongi touching noses
in maori greeting
we love you william one woman called out from the crowd
the number of spectators swelled to between and as the prince left
the building after the hour long opening ceremony and walked among the crowd
shaking hands and greeting enthusiastic onlookers
have you been waiting all this time so sorry he told one woman
the largest group of protesters representing justice ministry staff demanding
more pay fell quiet as the prince approached pressing to shake his hand and
take photos
draped in new zealand flag onlooker sue reid said william was good example
for young people including daughter zara seven who was by her side
like the fact he is good role model for my children he kind and
compassionate not like some of these rock stars reid said
reid mother jan howie from tasmania in australia was draped in the
australian flag and added approvingly that william supported good causes like
his late mother princess diana
you look just like your mother another woman called out to the prince
william was all smiles and chatty during the half hour he spent moving around
the low barricades separating him from the crowd as group of about
security staff kept close watch
there was no sign of the shyness evident in william youth although his face
did start to redden in the bright summer sunshine
group of excited teenage girls compared notes after shaking the prince hand
he has really confident handshake no clamminess one said
asked why they wanted to meet him couple chorused he not married
didn get chance to say anything to him think was star struck
another added
polls show more than percent of new zealanders support new zealand eventually
becoming republic
but there was little support in the wellington crowd for small band of noisy
protesters who unfurled banner reading it time for republic
prince william might be nice guy but it should be new zealander chosen by
new zealanders opening our highest court of appeal the republican movement
chairman lewis holden said
prime minister john key who accompanied the prince during the court opening
said the republican debate would be no shocking revelation to william
personally don think new zealand is going to become republic anytime real
soon but it not something that they are afraid to debate as royals key told
commercial radio
the prince visited an offshore island wildlife sanctuary later monday where he
posed holding rare spotted kiwi for the pack of photographers
this is my date with kiwi he joked
he was to visit children at wellington hospital on tuesday morning before flying
to sydney for three day unofficial visit to australia
afghan ministry says wounded in kabul fighting
kabul jan afp
at least civilians were wounded when fighting erupted between taliban
militants and afghan security forces in the centre of kabul on monday health
ministry spokesman said
the taliban launched string of attacks on government buildings and shopping
centres in commercial and political heart of the afghan capital triggering gun
battles with security forces
so far we have wounded they are all civilians health ministry spokesman
ahmad farid rahid told afp
we don know if anyone has been taken to intelligence or military hospitals
this is the figure we have from civilian hospitals only he said
spokesman for the interior ministry said two suicide bombers had blown
themselves up and another two were killed by security forces
tennis del potro pounds out opening australian victory
melbourne jan afp
us open champion juan martin potro needed three hours to subdue american michael
russell in four sets to advance to the second round of the australian open on
monday
the argentine fourth seed who towered over the diminutive russell won
under closed roof on the hisense arena
del potro who beat roger federer in us open final in new york for his
breakthrough grand slam title will now play either american james blake or
frenchman arnaud clement in the second round on wednesday
del potro is projected to face second seed rafael nadal in the quarters
the argentina giant who is bidding to become the first man in the open era to
win his first two grand slams back to back ran hot for the first couple of sets
before the th ranked russell claimed the third set
del potro got an early service break in the fourth set and broke russell again
in the final game to clinch victory
he hit winners including with his booming forehand and served up aces
but committed unforced errors
it took his career record against russell to after the american beat him in
adelaide in
del potro became sports hero in argentina when he became the first south
american to win us open since compatriot guillermo vilas in
his accomplishment was all the greater for ending federer five year us open
title run after eclipsing rafael nadal in the semi final
korea says sanctions must end before nuclear talks
seoul jan afp
north korea monday demanded an end to sanctions before it returns to nuclear
disarmament negotiations but gave the go ahead for economic talks with south
korea despite earlier threats to attack its neighbour
pyongyang foreign ministry reiterating its earlier stance said it would not
return to the six nation disarmament talks it abandoned last april until the
united nations sanctions are lifted
the dignity of the dprk north korea will never allow this to happen the
ministry said in statement
the north repeated calls for early negotiations on treaty to formally end the
korean war in order to build confidence in the nuclear talks
the communist state said it is not opposed to the six party talks and has no
ground whatsoever to delay them
but it added there will be starting point of confidence building only if the
parties concerned sit at negotiating table for concluding peace treaty
the united states and south korea have rejected early discussions on peace
treaty or the lifting of sanctions
they say the north must first return to the six party talks which group the
two koreas the us russia china and japan and show it is serious about
scrapping its atomic programmes
pyongyang however authorised visit by member seoul team to discuss ways
to revitalise their joint industrial estate at kaesong just north of the border
the two day talks will begin tuesday seoul unification ministry said
the two sides had agreed last week on the meeting at kaesong
but on friday in an angry statement the north highest body threatened to cut
all dialogue and cooperation unless the south apologises for an alleged
contingency plan to handle regime collapse in the north
the national defence commission ndc chaired by leader kim jong il had also
warned of possible retaliatory war against the south over the plan
on sunday pyongyang state media publicised military drill attended by kim
in which the leader watched his troops shattering the enemy camp to pieces
friday statement which came hours after the north said it would accept food
aid from the south was prompted by unconfirmed media reports that seoul had
drawn up plan to administer the north in case of regime collapse coup or
popular uprising
the ndc vowed to stage sacred nationwide retaliatory battle to blow up the
stronghold of the south korean authorities that drew up the plan
it described the alleged document as plan to overthrow its socialist system
north korea is now taking two track approach said dongguk university
professor kim yong hyun
the message today indicates north korea is willing to open talks with south
korea on economic and humanitarian issues he told afp
it will take stern attitude about anything which is considered to be
undermining the regime authority and leadership
the cash strapped regime has faced tighter sanctions since its nuclear and
missile tests last year last week it called for the south to resume lucrative
tourism projects in the north
the kaesong estate where north koreans work at south korean
factories is also valuable source of hard currency
there will be no progress on political matters for while but north korea will
try to gain as much as possible from economic talks with south korea kim said
but he said the north is expected to resume the six party talks only when the us
pledges economic and political benefits or meets part of its demands
the korean conflict in which us led united nations force supported the
south and china the north ended only in an armistice leaving the parties
still technically at war
pope failed assassin released after three decades behind bars
ankara jan afp
the turk who tried to kill pope john paul ii in mehmet ali agca was
released from prison monday after almost three decades behind bars but
immediately faced authorities over his status as draft dodger
the release procedure has been completed lawyer yilmaz abosoglu told an army
of reporters outside the high security prison near ankara
wearing blue sweater the greying agca raised his fist as he drove away
in car escorted by several other vehicles afp correspondents reported
his car closely pursued by the media agca was immediately taken to military
hospital in ankara
his lawyers had said earlier that the military authorities still considered him
draft dodger and required him to undergo check up at military hospital as
soon as he was released
agca was year old militant of the notorious far right grey wolves on the
run from turkish justice facing murder charges when he resurfaced in the
vatican saint peter square on may and opened fire on the pope as
he drove by in an open vehicle
john paul ii was seriously wounded in the abdomen and agca spent the next
years in italian prisons
the motive behind the attack remains mystery
agca has claimed the attack was part of divine plan and has often given
contradictory statements frequently changing his story and forcing
investigators to open dozens of inquiries
charges that the soviet union and then communist bulgaria were behind the
assassination attempt were never proved
in italy pardoned agca and extradited him to turkey where he was
convicted for the murder of prominent journalist abdi ipekci two armed
robberies and escaping from prison crimes all dating back to the
the turkish authorities had released agca in january amid legal mix up
but re arrested him after eight days when court ruled that reductions to his
jail term under amnesty laws and penal code amendments had been miscalculated
on sunday his lawyer said agca was still considered draft dodger because an
earlier medical report declaring him unfit had not been approved
agca was declared unfit for military service obligatory for turkish men
because of advanced anti social personality disorder when he underwent
check up at military hospital during his short lived release in
agca is in shock and insists he cannot hold weapon because of his religious
and philosophical convictions lawyer haci ali ozhan said sunday voicing
concern over agca safety if he was to be drafted
in series of rambling letters from prison agca has fed suggestions he is
mentally disturbed claiming to be the second messiah announcing plans to write
the perfect bible and volunteering to go to afghanistan to kill al qaeda
leader osama bin laden
others however believe he is sly operator playing the fool
agca has received more than offers from foreign publishers and movie makers
eager to buy his story in the hope that he may finally shed light on his attempt
on the pope lawyers said
he has also said he wants to travel to the vatican to see the tomb of john paul
ii who had visited him in prison in and forgave him for the attack and
meet with his successor pope benedict xvi
the polish pontiff john paul ii wrote in his book memory and identity that he
was convinced the assassination attempt was planned and commissioned and that
agca was mere puppet
tennis hooliganism back at aussie open
melbourne jan afp
hooligans again marred the australian open on monday with people thrown out
of melbourne park for unruly behaviour and another group banned from entering
rowdy mob gathered on court six and were ejected after standing on chairs and
shouting during croat ivo karlovic match against czech radek stepanek
one supporter was found carrying two flares
security guards marched the troublemakers from the grounds of the opening grand
slam of the season with the help of police
they were banned for the duration of the tournament and two were issued with on
the spot fines of dollars us one for disrupting play and the other
for possessing flare but no charges were laid
earlier in the day large group of chanting croats lit flares and made
offensive and threatening gestures as they headed enmasse to the tournament
the herald sun newspaper said one of its photographers was spat on and slapped
as he photographed the group
you certainly wouldn expect it at the tennis the photographer craig
borrow said on the newspaper website
people are supposed to be there to have fun not to create havoc
they weren there to have fun they just seemed to be angry for no apparent
reason
victoria state police said eight of the group were refused entry
superintendent jock menzel denied security had failed after flares were smuggled
in
security processes and procedures are very tight you must understand people
are innovative and they will go to great lengths to smuggle contraband into the
particular venue it does happen quite frequently he said
these people were disruptive they were standing on seats and they were
causing problems for the other spectators who were there to watch the game
tennis australia and victoria police we won tolerate poor behaviour and
we ve demonstrated that
we re here to set standard our mission is to make sure the event occurs in
happy and safe way and that people are safe and we re going to make sure that
occurs
racial tensions and trouble have marred the australian open in recent years with
serbs and croats among the offenders
some of the worst scenes were on the opening day of the tournament when
serbian and croatian fans wearing the national colours of the bitter balkan
rivals attacked each other with flagpoles bottles and boots
then in police used pepper spray to subdue rowdy elements of the crowd
watching match between konstantinos economidis of greece and chile fernando
gonzales
there was more trouble last year with several people currently facing court over
fight between serbian and bosnian fans
since then police numbers have been boosted and more cctv cameras installed
with officials last week saying they were confident there would be no repetition
of the ugly scenes
japan recovery still fragile finance minister
tokyo jan afp
the world second largest economy is recovering but japan still faces tough
challenges led by the twin threats of deflation and unemployment the country
finance minister said on monday
the economic situation is still severe falling short of self sustained
recovery even though it is beginning to pick up newly appointed naoto kan
said at the start of day parliament session
looking ahead there are the risks of further worsening of the employment
situation and deflation and the foundation of strong private demand led
recovery is still fragile
asia top economy plunged into deep recession in as the global downturn
sharply cut into its exports but it grew at modest percent on an
annualised basis in the july september quarter
kan referring to stimulus package announced last month japan fourth
since the global economic crisis hit said the government will tackle
deflation and make sure the economy will recover
the centre left government submitted bill for trillion yen billion
dollars in spending as part of the package announced last month which it says
is worth total of billion dollars
to help finance the package and other spending the government plans to issue
new bonds worth trillion yen billion dollars kan said
japan public debt is around percent of gross domestic product largely due
to massive spending during the economic lost decade of the
kan predecessor hirohisa fujii who stepped down this month citing health
problems has warned that japan fiscal situation is serious
japan new debt issued this fiscal year will reach trillion yen topping
tax revenue for the first time since the government has said
kan said that more than percent of public spending will be financed through
bond issues rather than tax revenues
international monetary fund chief dominique strauss kahn speaking in tokyo
said tackling soaring government debt is one of the top priorities for global
policymakers as fragile economic recovery takes hold
we have to fix the consequences of the policies which have been put in place
in response to the global economic crisis he said
addressing the high level of sovereign debt is probably the top priority
facing developed and many emerging economies in the coming years he said
he added that while many advanced economies have clawed out of recession all
efforts should be focused on fighting unemployment
japan unemployment climbed to percent in november from percent in
october worsening for the first time in four months core consumer prices fell
percent in november from year earlier the ninth straight monthly drop
ban tours quake hit haitian capital
port au prince jan afp
un secretary general ban ki moon toured the devastated haitian capital sunday
before flying home with the remains of two top un officials killed in the
powerful earthquake
ban made the one day morale boosting visit to show solidarity with haitian quake
victims and shell shocked local un staff after tuesday quake which may
have killed more than including at least un staffers
am here to say we are with you you are not alone this is tsunami like
disaster ban told press conference after flying over the ruined city in
helicopter
the un chief met with president rene preval and had an emotional reunion with
michele montas haitian who until late last year was his spokeswoman
late sunday ban flew back to new york bearing the remains of his special envoy
to haiti hedi annabi and his brazilian deputy luiz carlos da costa both killed
in the quake
in day of high emotion the secretary general visited the flattened minustah
main headquarters to praise the work of some rescue workers battling to
save as many lives as possible and to offer comfort to minustah staff
some un staffers are still missing in the rubble of four un facilities
around port au prince
in what ban called small miracle danish un civil affairs official was
pulled out from the ruins of the minustah main building by us rescue workers
from virginia just after the un chief had toured the site
jens kristensen emerged from debris from the remains of the un six story
building where the walls have become sarcophagus for so many without
scratch on him
ban said he had good meeting with haitian president rene preval focusing on
the need to save as many lives as possible bring in emergency relief aid in
the form of food water shelter and medical supplies and to improve and better
coordinate aid delivery
for small country like haiti this is tsunami like disaster he told
reporters
ban also toured makeshift tent city of people which has sprung up on
the open air champs de mars square next to the collapsed presidential palace
we need food we need shelter we need work angry and frustrated haitians
shouted
ban urged them to be patient saying help was coming and warned against
rioting
reporters traveling with ban saw none of the thousands of bodies littering the
city streets in previous days
the haitian government said sunday that it had already buried some bodies
in mass graves and was declaring state of emergency until the end of the
month
the un chief has sent edmond mulet top un peacekeeping official and annabi
predecessor to port au prince to take charge of minustah in an interim
capacity
sunday he and mulet took part in ceremony to remember the un dead and in
sad symbolic move ban was handed the flag which had been flying over the
minustah headquarters to take back to new york with him
the un boss was meanwhile confronted by nieves alvarez spanish woman working
here for the united nations children fund who pleaded with him to help save
her husband belgian un official buried under the rubble
please help us speed up the rescue work we don have much time she
implored ban every hour counts
she said she was speaking on behalf of dozens of other families with loved ones
still trapped under pile of concrete slabs
alvarez complained some rescue teams were searching for their nationals only
each rescue team works only for its own nationals we are the united nations
we have to work together she said
ban and reporters traveling with him also went on minute helicopter ride
over the city for an aerial view of the widespread destruction to government
offices buildings and homes as well as of the numerous tent cities housing
those left homeless by the quake
before departing ban flanked by his top aides joined several minustah troops
in paying their respects to the caskets bearing the remains of annabi and da
costa
the caskets were then loaded onto ban plane for the long flight to new york
similar memorial service was held on arrival at newark airport late sunday
ban last toured haiti with former us president bill clinton in march to
urge the international community to aid the island nation after it was battered
by hurricanes the previous year
