police spokesman contacted by afp could not confirm the information but said
the case was with the district attorney office no one from the district
attorney office could immediately be reached for comment
the couple identified by finnish news agency stt as hadizhat and malik gatajev
have run orphanages in the chechen capital grozny and in lithuania and are
seeking asylum in finland due to alleged abuse by lithuanian authorities
hearing on their arrest is scheduled for friday matinpuro said
us stocks wobble ahead of critical employment data
new york jan afp
us stocks wobbled thursday as traders awaited the december unemployment and
nonfarm payrolls report to gauge the strength of the government backed recovery
from recession
the dow jones industrial average rose points percent to at
gmt after drifting slightly higher for two straight days
the technology heavy nasdaq composite dropped points percent to
and the broad market standard amp poor index advanced
points percent to
the stock market appears to be marking time waiting for friday employment
report said fred dickson at da davidson amp co
it would not surprise us to see big market reaction if friday employment
report shows job growth in december accompanied by positive revisions in october
and november he added
the labor department data is expected to show nonfarm payrolls fell by
after shedding in november and the unemployment rate holding at
percent
us jobs figures released thursday by the department showed initial claims for
unemployment benefits edged up by an adjusted in the past week to
while other claims data showed modest improvement in the troubled labor market
today data is still headed in the right direction but the problem is that
these figures are not deemed anywhere near enough to considerably move the
needle in unemployment nor in jobs growth said jon ogg at moody economy com
retailers were in focus after reporting same store december sales that beat
market expectations macy added percent at dollars and target rose
percent to dollars
boeing surged percent to dollars after reporting percent rise in
commercial aircraft deliveries in
amr the parent of american airlines surged percent to dollars
the wall street journal reported amr raised its offer to invest in japan
airlines by million dollars to billion dollars stepping up its battle
with rival delta air lines to forge partnership with the struggling carrier
delta climbed percent to dollars
ford gained percent at dollars the auto giant and its chinese
partners said that sales rose record percent year on year in in china
which overtook the united states last year as the world largest automobile
market
the dollar strengthened dampening demand for dollar priced commodities after
the new japanese finance minister naoto kan comments in favor of weaker yen
raised speculation about market intervention
crude oil prices fell pointing to loss for the first time in sessions and
pulling down dow energy heavyweights exxonmobil dipped percent to
dollars and chevron shed percent to dollars
microsoft slipped percent to dollars after chief executive steve
ballmer unveiled new tablet computer from hewlett packard in keynote speech
kicking off the annual consumer electronics show in las vegas
bonds were mixed the yield on the year treasury bond held steady at
percent from wednesday while that on the year bond rose to percent from
percent bond yields and prices move in opposite directions
poland invites russia medvedev for auschwitz anniversary
warsaw jan afp
poland said thursday it had invited russian president dmitry medvedev to attend
commemoration of the soviet army liberation of the nazi german
auschwitz birkenau death camp
president lech kaczynski has invited russia president dmitry medvedev to
january ceremonies marking the th anniversary of the liberation
kaczynski aide mariusz handzlik said on the presidency website
auschwitz birkenau is an enduring symbol of the holocaust when nazi germany
murdered six million jews during world war ii
the january commemoration at the site of the camp set up by the occupying
germans in poland will draw host of political figures
among them are polish prime minister donald tusk and jerzy buzek the polish
head of the european parliament said the state run auschwitz birkenau museum
large delegation is also expected from israel the museum said although there
has been no official confirmation that prime minister benjamin netanyahu will
attend
up to survivors of the camp have already said they will take part the museum
added
the camp was part of network set up by nazi germany for the extermination of
jews and others it considered undesirable most were in occupied poland home to
europe largest pre war jewish population
it started as prison for polish resistance fighters set up in former
barracks in the southern town of oswiecim auschwitz in german year after
the nazis invaded in it was later expanded at nearby brzezinka or
birkenau in german
around million mainly jewish prisoners from across europe perished at the
camp some from overwork and starvation but most in its notorious gas chambers
the other victims included non jewish poles roma captured soviet soldiers and
resistance members from other parts of occupied europe
us stocks wobble ahead of critical employment data
new york jan afp
us stocks wobbled thursday as traders awaited the december unemployment and
nonfarm payrolls report to gauge the strength of the government backed recovery
from recession
the dow jones industrial average rose points percent to at
gmt after drifting slightly higher for two straight days
the technology heavy nasdaq composite dropped points percent to
and the broad market standard amp poor index advanced
points percent to
the stock market appears to be marking time waiting for friday employment
report said fred dickson at da davidson amp co
it would not surprise us to see big market reaction if friday employment
report shows job growth in december accompanied by positive revisions in october
and november he added
the labor department data is expected to show nonfarm payrolls fell by
after shedding in november and the unemployment rate holding at
percent
us jobs figures released thursday by the department showed initial claims for
unemployment benefits edged up by an adjusted in the past week to
while other claims data showed modest improvement in the troubled labor market
today data is still headed in the right direction but the problem is that
these figures are not deemed anywhere near enough to considerably move the
needle in unemployment nor in jobs growth said jon ogg at moody economy com
retailers were in focus after reporting same store december sales that beat
market expectations macy added percent at dollars and target rose
percent to dollars
boeing surged percent to dollars after reporting percent rise in
commercial aircraft deliveries in
amr the parent of american airlines surged percent to dollars
the wall street journal reported amr raised its offer to invest in japan
airlines by million dollars to billion dollars stepping up its battle
with rival delta air lines to forge partnership with the struggling carrier
delta climbed percent to dollars
ford gained percent at dollars the auto giant and its chinese
partners said that sales rose record percent year on year in in china
which overtook the united states last year as the world largest automobile
market
the dollar strengthened dampening demand for dollar priced commodities after
the new japanese finance minister naoto kan comments in favor of weaker yen
raised speculation about market intervention
crude oil prices fell pointing to loss for the first time in sessions and
pulling down dow energy heavyweights exxonmobil dipped percent to
dollars and chevron shed percent to dollars
microsoft slipped percent to dollars after chief executive steve
ballmer unveiled new tablet computer from hewlett packard in keynote speech
kicking off the annual consumer electronics show in las vegas
bonds were mixed the yield on the year treasury bond held steady at
percent from wednesday while that on the year bond rose to percent from
percent bond yields and prices move in opposite directions
cricket last man onions defies south africa again
cape town jan afp
number batsman graham onions batted out the last over for the second time in
the series as england escaped with draw on the fifth day of the third test
against south africa at newlands on thursday
england finished on for nine after four wickets fell in the last hour they
also lost nine wickets in the first test in centurion
the result meant england will go into the fourth and final test in johannesburg
next thursday with an unbeatable lead
dramatic finish seemed unlikely when paul collingwood and ian bell batted
together for almost four hours in sixth wicket partnership which seemed to
have earned comfortable draw for their team
but collingwood was caught at slip off the part time off spinner jp duminy with
overs remaining and as happened in the first test at centurion england
found themselves in desperate trouble
in duminy next over matt prior prodded catch to ab de villiers at short leg
with up to seven fielders clustered around the bat stuart broad survived
without scoring run for balls before ball from left arm spinner paul
harris bounced and popped off his glove for de villiers to make another catch at
short leg
fast bowler morne morkel was brought back into the south african attack and with
his first ball had bell caught at first slip by graeme smith after minute
vigil in which he scored
there were balls left but onions and graeme swann survived against dale steyn
and morkel with onions playing out the last over from morkel with impressive
calm
south african hopes were high when they took the second new ball one over after
lunch needing five wickets to square the series
but collingwood survived blistering spell of fast bowling from dale steyn
while the rest of the south african bowling attack made minimal impression on
pitch which played easily under warm sun
steyn gave south africa an important breakthrough minutes before lunch when
he bowled jonathan trott with superb delivery which swung in late
but steyn and morne morkel could not separate england last two specialist
batsmen when they took the new ball
collingwood was given torrid time by steyn who had him playing and missing at
balls which swung away late earning wry acknowledgement from the batsman and
twice almost bowling him with deliveries which cut back
but at the end of six over spell steyn had not taken wicket and collingwood
having faced of the balls bowled by steyn with the new ball was still
battling away as he did when england escaped with draw in the first test in
centurion
at centurion collingwood batted for minutes and faced balls in scoring
not out on thursday he batted for minutes facing balls and making
while steyn bowled superbly with no luck smith could not find any magic from
his other bowlers until the unlikely intervention of duminy in the last hour
the tall morkel could not recapture the controlled hostility which brought him
five wickets in the first innings
friedel de wet south africa third fast bowler needed an injection on
wednesday after suffering back spasms and bowled only two two over spells at
greatly reduced pace while left arm spinner paul harris could not extract any
significant turn from the pitch
collingwood had the decision review system to thank for his survival however
as he was given out before he had scored caught at slip off harris
collingwood immediately asked for review of umpire tony hill decision
replays showed the ball had gone off his thigh pad
south africa claimed the wickets of nightwatchman james anderson and trott
during the morning as england batted cautiously taking victory target of
out of the equation
with trott batting solidly and anderson defending with determination it took
south africa minutes to make breakthrough for which they required some
luck
anderson swept harris and the ball went onto his boot before squirting out
towards backward short leg where ashwell prince made diving catch
trott had made watchful off balls when he fell victim to steyn during
the second of two three over bursts by the fast bowler before lunch fast
full ball swung in late and sent trott off stump flying
cricket south africa england close of play scoreboard
cape town jan afp
final scores on the fifth day of the third test between south africa and england
at newlands on thursday
south africa first innings
england first innings
south africa second innings dec
england second innings overnight
strauss amla harris
cook boucher de wet
trott steyn
pietersen lbw steyn
anderson prince harris
collingwood kallis duminy
bell smith morkel
prior de villiers duminy
broad de villiers harris
swann not out
onions not out
extras lb nb
total wkts overs
fall of wickets cook strauss pietersen
anderson trott collingwood prior broad
bell
bowling morkel nb steyn de wet harris
kallis duminy
result match drawn
man of the match graeme smith rsa
series england lead the four match series
toss england
umpires daryl harper aus tony hill nzl
tv umpire aleem dar pak
match referee roshan mahanama sri
previous results
december centurion match drawn
december durban england won by an innings and runs
remaining match
january johannesburg
boeing deliveries hit for
washington jan afp
boeing said thursday it delivered commercial aircraft in in line with
its forecast despite difficult economic conditions
the figure was in line with the company guidance of airplane
deliveries for the year and up from in year affected by strike
despite the rise boeing may end the year behind its european rival airbus one
report indicates that airbus will have total of deliveries when it
releases its data next week
the commercial airplane backlog was airplanes down slightly from year
ago
overall net orders including cancellations fell to due to severe
economic challenges of carriers boeing said in statement
the boeing remained the biggest seller with deliveries for the year
boeing also said it had delivered of its aircraft and of its
along with eight jumbo jets
the company reiterated that it expects its first deliveries of its long delayed
dreamliner in the fourth quarter of
the year was not without its challenges but it also was year of exciting
achievements for our company and our industry said jim albaugh boeing
commercial airplanes president and chief executive
with signs of economic recovery emerging in we look forward to better
days ahead
boeing said it expects to provide commercial airplane delivery guidance
when the company releases year end earnings january
tennis qatar open tennis results st update
doha jan afp
results from the fourth day of the qatar open here on wednesday denotes
seeding
quarter finals
viktor troicki srb bt lukasz kubot pol
rafael nadal esp bt steve darcis bel retired
tennis qatar open tennis results st update
doha jan afp
results from the fourth day of the qatar open here on wednesday denotes
seeding
quarter finals
viktor troicki srb bt lukasz kubot pol
rafael nadal esp bt steve darcis bel retired
urgent sri lankan execution video authentic un envoy
united nations jan afp
independent experts have concluded that video footage allegedly showing sri
lankan troops executing prisoners during the final phase of their battle against
tamil tiger rebels last year was authentic un envoy said thursday
tennis wawrinka sails into chennai open quarter finals
chennai india jan afp
third seed stanislas wawrinka of switzerland found early season form to cruise
into the quarter finals of the dollar atp chennai open here thursday
the world number attacked consistently from the baseline to defeat the rd
ranked michael russell of the united states in an hour and minutes
wawrinka down in the second set reeled off four games in row to make it
before winning the match on his next service game
it is good to start well in the first tournament of the year said the swiss
who lost here in the first round last year to italian flavio cipolla
was lucky to have won in straight sets because michael played well today my
backhand really worked well to close out long rallies
it will get tough from now on but think am settling in well
wawrinka is the favourite to reach the final from the top half of the draw after
top seed robin soderling was knocked out in the first round by american robby
ginepri
wawrinka the swiss number two behind roger federer will next play seventh seed
michael berrer of germany for place in the semi finals
berrer ranked th in the world overcame tough resistance in the first set
from number stephane robert of france before winning
fifth seed dudi sela of israel advanced to the last eight with
win over american kevin kim in an hour and minutes
sela quarter final opponent will be slovak republic top player lukas lacko
who took out ginepri
ginepri failed to match the power play of the talented year old lacko who
smashed aces to his rival four
lacko lived up to his reputation as one of the most improved players on the
circuit which he started the previous year ranked and ended it at
lacko said he was delighted to make his maiden appearance in the quarter final
of an atp tour event after making his mark in challenger events in the past
there is big difference between playing in the challengers and on the tour
he said to win two matches at the start of the year is very satisfying
in the first round against lu yen hsun of taipei relied more on baseline
game but against ginepri served much better hope continue to improve
wife proud of cia bomber
istanbul jan afp
the turkish wife of the jordanian suicide bomber who killed seven cia agents in
afghanistan expressed pride on thursday in what he had done
am proud of my husband he carried out great operation in this war hope
allah will accept his martyrdom if he has become martyr defne bayrak told
reporters in istanbul where she lives
am not ashamed he did this against the american occupation of afghanistan
she said the turkish news agency anatolia reported
bayrak husband humam khalil abu mulal al balawi blew himself up at us
military base near the pakistani border on december in the deadliest attack
against the central intelligence agency since
turkish police officials said they will be asking bayrak to face questioning
from istanbul anti terrorist unit they did not elaborate
bayrak who spoke to journalists wearing black chador said she did not
believe her husband reputed double agent had worked for the cia because
he was an enemy of america
it is not likely my husband was spy because he was an enemy of america my
husband could have only exploited america and jordan she was quoted by
anatolia as saying
the couple married in in istanbul where balawi had been studying medicine
since and moved to jordan the following year after balawi graduated
neither had criminal record in turkey anatolia said
bayrak who has been in istanbul with her two daughters since october described
her husband as believer who was active on jihadist forums on the internet
and man who would not even leave the house
she said balawi went to pakistan in march to pursue medical studies and
told his family he was planning to rejoin them in turkey
bayrak who holds degree in journalism has written and translated books and
penned articles for islamist publications
alert
sri lanka video executions authentic un envoy
ga ksh
french draft bill to fine burqa wearing women
paris jan afp
muslim women who wear the full islamic veil in france will face possible
euro dollar fine according to draft bill unveiled thursday by the
leader of the parliamentary majority
jean francois cope who heads the governing ump party in the national assembly
told le figaro newspaper weekly magazine that men who force their wives to
wear the burqa or niqab could face an even heavier fine
the law will address an issue of security cope said in an interview with the
magazine
the proposed measure would prohibit the covering of the face in public places
and on the streets with the exception of special cultural events or carnivals
the draft legislation will be presented in the next two weeks and should come up
for debate in parliament after the march regional elections he said
the majority leader who is also openly campaigning to succeed president nicolas
sarkozy as the right wing candidate for the presidency in said the burqa
must be banned to defend women rights
we can measure the modernity of society by the way it treats and respects
women he said
france political establishment is divided on whether to ban the burqa with
the opposition socialists this week saying that it opposed law even though
muslim women must be discouraged from wearing the full veil
the burqa debate has heated up ahead of the release at the end of the month of
much awaited report by parliamentary panel that has conducted six months of
hearings on the issue
many politicians from the left and right have cautioned that draconian law
banning the head to toe veil would be difficult to enforce and probably face
challenge in the european rights court
sarkozy himself has said that the burqa is not welcome in france but has not
stated publicly whether legislation should be enacted
critics argue that specific law enacted to ban the full veil would be
tantamount to using sledgehammer to swat fly only women wear the full
veil in france according to the interior ministry
in the interview cope argued that law would act as deterrent by sending
clear message that france will not allow women to fully cover themselves
man on us plane threatens to kill all the jews
miami jan afp
us authorities arrested an unruly air passenger minutes before takeoff of an
airplane bound from miami to detroit after the man shouted that he wanted to
kill all the jews police said thursday
mansor mohammed asad was removed from the northwest airlines flight late
wednesday at the miami international airport and charged with disorderly conduct
and other offenses police said
he is in jail in miami and facing several charges for threats disorderly
conduct and resisting his arrest without violence he will be prosecuted
miami dade police spokeswoman veronica ferguson told afp
the incident took place as the plane was on the tarmac at miami international
airport shortly before takeoff police said final preparations for the flight
were interrupted by asad outburst
the incident occurred with us airports on heightened alert following christmas
day attempt linked to al qaeda to blow up northwest airlines plane en route to
detroit from the netherlands
iceland will honour bank crisis obligations president
reykjavik jan afp
iceland president insisted on thursday the country would not dodge its
compensation obligations to foreign governments over the icesave bank collapse
despite putting the issue to referendum
as storm clouds swirled over reyjkavik after his decision not to sign the
legislation olafur ragnar grimsson argued it was vital such measure receive
the backing of the public in iceland which has population of some
but the president also denied his move meant the british and dutch governments
would lose the billion euros billion dollars compensation detailed in
the bill insisting iceland would pay
hope that the people of these two countries and their political leaders will
in keeping with the longstanding democratic traditions of britain and the
netherlands acknowledge that referendum is democratic way of making
decision he said in an interview with the financial times
strongly believe that for the future progress in iceland it is important
that the electorate is convinced that it has itself been partner in this
resolution
both the british and dutch governments reacted angrily to grimsson decision on
tuesday warning it could impact on whether they would support iceland
ambitions to join the european union
on wednesday standard and poor put icelandic debt on creditwatch negative
saying his move could undermine the country rescue package from the
international monetary fund although the imf has said there was no link
in separate interview with the bbc grimsson said the view being put forward
that we will not honour our obligations is completely wrong
iceland fully recognises its obligations and responsibilites to pay and
that will be put to referendum is simply in what way and in what forms and in
what terms he added in an interview to swedish radio
the icesave bill narrowly approved by the icelandic parliament on december
calls for billion euros to be paid to the british and dutch governments who
had to compensate their savers who lost money in the collapse of icesave bank
the payout has stirred up resentment among many ordinary icelanders
about people have signed petition protesting against the bill which
they fear will doom them to decades of poverty all because of the mistakes of
handful of bankers and financial regulators
the icelandic parliament is expected to reconvene on friday to discuss whether
to hold the referendum on february
poll published late on wednesday by capacent gallup showed that percent of
icelanders would approve the bill in the referendum
that contrasts with another survey day earlier which suggested that percent
were opposed to it
prime minister johanna sigurdardottir has staked her political future on passage
of the bill suggesting her government could quit if it were blocked
despite the reaction from britain and the netherlands grimsson stance
received some degree of backing with latvia foreign minister maris riekstins
arguing that iceland one of europe smallest countries was being bullied
it is hard to imagine that one would hear similar comments should the move
have been made by the president of france for example riekstins said
the financial times said britain and the netherlands were not innocent
victims noting that their savers were happy to take advantage of icesave
generous interest rates before the banking crisis and in the event could
absorb the losses
neighbourly generosity would cost amsterdam and london next to nothing it
said
an editorial in the dutch financial dialy het financieel dagblad said that
rather than isolate iceland the two countries should push for its membership of
both the european union and the single currency eurozone
with the euro as currency iceland can reduce interest payments on its national
debt which would bring it closer to settling outstanding accounts it said
in an article entitled why iceland does not want to pay in the wall street
journal europe hannes gissurarson former board member of iceland central
bank said the icesave compensation equivalent to euros per icelander
was on scale with the debt burden imposed on the germans after world war
iran posts banned websites list in cyber crackdown report
tehran jan afp
the iranian judicial authorities have published long list of banned internet
websites in new crackdown on online networks including those deemed immoral
the press reported on thursday
they said the list drawn up by committee of experts bans any site that
contains pornography prostitution sexual deviation or anything considered to
be contrary to the morals of society in the islamic republic
websites containing material contrary to security and social peace as well as
those seen by the authorities as hostile to government officials and
institutions bound to lead to crimes are also banned
according to the list published in several tehran newspapers anyone found
guilty of using such websites could be jailed for several years in line with
law on internet offences passed in parliament more than year ago
internet users are also prohibited from posting articles that violate religious
values that insult islam and other recognised world religions saints and
prophets the reports said
any articles that insult imam khomeini and supreme leader ayatollah ali
khamenei are banned the reports added in reference to the founder of the
islamic republic and his successor
articles contrary to the constitution that support hostile political groups or
are used as propaganda against the regime of the islamic republic are also
banned
the sale of software that can bypass bypass filter systems used by the
authorities is also forbidden the reports said
the authorities have tried for years to clamp down on internet use frequently
blocking access to sites used by opponents of the government and those with
sexual content
the use of the internet was central point in the opposition movement against
the disputed re election of president mahmoud ahmadinejad in june with users
crowding social networking websites such as facebook and blogs
