montreal jan afp
toronto police on wednesday issued an arrest warrant for man of chinese origin
who is accused of swindling millions of dollars from investors in multi
national pyramid scheme
weizhen tang who portrayed himself as the chinese warren buffett is
accused of operating ponzi scheme worth at least million us dollars which
snared more than victims according to canadian police
investors were said to be from canada china and the united states where
members of the chinese american community were specifically targeted
tang ran hedge fund called overseas chinese fund limited partnership which he
previously admitted operated as ponzi scheme from until at least
according to the us securities and exchange commission sec
he also admitted to raising between million dollars and million dollars
from more than investors the sec earlier said
the fund promised returns of one percent per week to clients after an initial
investment of around dollars
the canadian arrest warrant was issued after wang failed to appear at
scheduled meeting on december
tang is already accused by us authorities of posting false profits on investors
account statements until february to hide substantial trading losses
tang further admitted that he used funds from new investors to return principal
and payout purported profits to other investors according to an sec complaint
canadian police said they were unsure whether he was still in the country
polanski lawyers seek sentence in absentia
los angeles jan afp
attorneys for roman polanski on wednesday filed motion requesting the director
be sentenced in absentia to resolve his child sex case court filings
showed
los angeles superior court judge peter espinoza scheduled january hearing
to consider the request which would allow polanski to be sentenced without
being present in court
espinoza and los angeles prosecutors have repeatedly stated polanski can only be
sentenced if he returns to the united states in person
polanski is under house arrest in switzerland where he has been held since
his detention in september on an arrest warrant
the oscar winning film maker fled the united states in before he was
sentenced on charges of having sex with year old girl
california appeals court last month rejected bid by polanski legal team to
have the decades old case dismissed on the grounds of judicial misconduct during
the initial proceedings
despite rejecting the polanski appeal the court at last month hearing called
for an urgent exploration of the misconduct abuses alleged by the director
lawyers
espinoza stressed however that the appeal court ruling was suggestion not
directive and appeared irritated by suggestions from polanski lawyer chad
hummel that the appeal judgement had changed the proceedings
deputy district attorney david walgren meanwhile said prosecutors had nothing to
hide in the case and noted polanski could resolve proceedings by agreeing to
return to the united states
would just say the people have never shied away from airing any allegations
of this case at any time but not at mr polanski convenience while he stays
in comfort in his swiss chalet walgren said
if he wants expediency he can waive extradition and come here we feel that
fugitive does not get to dictate the judicial process
polanski is alleged to have given his victim champagne and drugs during
photo shoot at the hollywood hills home of actor friend jack nicholson before
having sex with her despite her protests
the director was initially charged with six felony counts including rape and
sodomy the charge was later reduced to unlawful sexual intercourse after plea
deal agreed in part to spare his victim the ordeal of trial
polanski later served days at secure unit undergoing psychiatric evaluation
but fled the united states on the eve of his sentencing hearing amid fears that
the trial judge planned to go back on previously agreed plea deal
afp sports schedule for thursday january
paris jan afp
afp sports schedule for thursday january
tennis
roger federer and rafael nadal sailed into the third round of the qatar open
while kim clijsters is top seed at the brisbane international as the build up to
the australian open continues
atp also at brisbane and chennai wta at auckland
hopman cup continues in perth
slugs tennis atp qat tennis atp wta aus tennis atp ind tennis wta nzl
tennis hopman aus
cricket
south africa look on course for series levelling victory over england as they
head into the fifth day of the third test after setting the tourists to win
or bat out potential overs england were for three at the close
coverage by colin bryden
india sri lanka at dhaka in the second odi of three nation tournament which
also includes bangladesh
slugs cricket rsa eng cricket ind sri
golf
northern ireland darren clarke dane thomas bjorn and england nick dougherty
are among the big names looking to challenge the likes of retief goosen at the
africa open when it joins the european tour circuit for the first time at the
east london golf club
coverage by allan williams
slug golf espga rsa
rallying
the sixth stage of the dakar rally is from antofagasta in chile to iquique and
at punishing km will prove another major test for the participants with
spains former world rally champion carlos sainz leading in the car section and
frenchman cyril despres leading in the motorcycling section
coverage by joris fioriti
slug auto moto rally dakar
nordic skiing
norway petter northug and arianna follis of italy will be under pressure to
hold on to their respective leads in the men and women standings in the
final events of the world cup tour de ski
slug ski nordic
alpine skiing
build up to the women world cup downhill at haus im enstal austria on friday
which replaces the race postponed at val isere in mid december
slug ski world women
victims of suicide attack included two from blackwater reports
washington jan afp
suicide attack on cia base in afghanistan week ago killed two contractors
with xe the controversial private security firm once known as blackwater us
media reported wednesday
the two apprently were among seven cia operative and jordanian intelligence
officer killed in the december attack reportedly by jordanian double agent
who blew himself up inside forward operating base chapman
their deaths were reported by local newspapers in washington state and virginia
the news tribune from the pacific state of washington said year old local
man dane clak paresi xe contractor and retired soldier was killed in the
blast
his wife mindylou paresi told the paper she was informed her husband was
nearest to the bomber when he detonated his device
all of the agents are national heroes because they were there to do job
very large job what it was do not know exactly but they were heroes fighting
the war against terror she said
the virginia pilot newspaper near xe base in north carolina said jeremy
wise also contractor and former navy seal was killed as well
the reports point to continued close relationship between the cia and
blackwater
the firm is believed to have participated in programs to kill top al qaeda
terrorists in and cia snatch and grab missions to capture or kill
insurgents in iraq and afghanistan
but the cia had appeared to distance itself from the firm in recent years
particularly after five blackwater employees were charged with killing
unarmed iraqi civilians and wounding others during an unprovoked attack at
busy baghdad roundabout using guns and grenades in
us judge recently dismissed criminal charges against five but not before the
firm lost its contract to provide security for us embassy diplomats in baghdad
and was reportedly stripped of other cia contracts
erik prince the former us navy seal who founded blackwater told vanity fair
magazine earlier this month he felt betrayed that his role in working with the
cia had become public
put myself and my company at the cia disposal for some very risky
missions said prince who eschewed role in his family billion dollar auto
parts firm to join the military
but when it became politically expedient to do so someone threw me under the
bus
prince role in the cia program was widely reported after panetta briefed us
lawmakers on its existence
afp sports schedule for thursday january
paris jan afp
afp sports schedule for thursday january
tennis
roger federer and rafael nadal sailed into the third round of the qatar open
while kim clijsters is top seed at the brisbane international as the build up to
the australian open continues
atp also at brisbane and chennai wta at auckland
hopman cup continues in perth
slugs tennis atp qat tennis atp wta aus tennis atp ind tennis wta nzl
tennis hopman aus
cricket
south africa look on course for series levelling victory over england as they
head into the fifth day of the third test after setting the tourists to win
or bat out potential overs england were for three at the close
coverage by colin bryden
india sri lanka at dhaka in the second odi of three nation tournament which
also includes bangladesh
slugs cricket rsa eng cricket ind sri
golf
northern ireland darren clarke dane thomas bjorn and england nick dougherty
are among the big names looking to challenge the likes of retief goosen at the
africa open when it joins the european tour circuit for the first time at the
east london golf club
coverage by allan williams
slug golf espga rsa
rallying
the sixth stage of the dakar rally is from antofagasta in chile to iquique and
at punishing km will prove another major test for the participants with
spains former world rally champion carlos sainz leading in the car section and
frenchman cyril despres leading in the motorcycling section
coverage by joris fioriti
slug auto moto rally dakar
nordic skiing
norway petter northug and arianna follis of italy will be under pressure to
hold on to their respective leads in the men and women standings in the
final events of the world cup tour de ski
slug ski nordic
alpine skiing
build up to the women world cup downhill at haus im enstal austria on friday
which replaces the race postponed at val isere in mid december
slug ski world women
iceland president defends icesave veto
london jan afp
iceland president defended as democratic his decision to veto compensation
deal to cover the icesave bank collapse amid anger in britain and the
netherlands
president olafur ragnar grimsson also said iceland was committed to working with
london and the hague to meet its obligations over icesave after refusing to
sign bill on compensation for the british and dutch governments
grimsson on tuesday instead referred the issue to referendum following public
opposition to the bill sparking political and economic storm with doubts
growing over iceland recovery and eu membership bid
all over europe there are countries that trust the people with the referendum
he told the bbc newsnight programme late wednesday
what decided to do was simply to follow an honoured european tradition of
allowing the people to make the final decision
thought the new europe we are talking about was not only about market reforms
but also about democracy and the will of the people he added
grimsson decision sparked anger in britain and the netherlands where officials
urged reykjavik to meet its international obligations after they had to
compensate local savers who lost their money in icesave
on tuesday fitch credit rating agency downgraded iceland long term debt
rating to junk status from bbb to bb citing renewed wave of domestic
political economic and financial uncertainty
grimsson played down the move saying this credit rating by fitch has really no
practical consequences
he also appeared to play down warnings from britain and the european commission
that no vote at the referendum could jeopardise iceland bid to join the
european union
the discussion with the european union will take place in the coming years he
told the bbc
the icesave bill narrowly approved by the icelandic parliament on december
calls for billion euros billion dollars to be paid to the british and
dutch governments who had to compensate more than british and dutch
savers who lost money in the collapse of the icelandic bank
grimsson said the bill is based on the agreement that we have made with britain
and the netherlands where iceland acknowledges its obligations
peta used michelle obama image without consent white house
washington jan afp
animal rights group peta used the image of first lady michelle obama in
campaign against fur clothing without her permission the white house said
wednesday
we did not consent to it said semonti stephens spokeswoman for the wife of
us president barack obama
peta an animal welfare group known for high profile stunts to promote its
cause had featured michelle obama in photo montage advertisement on its
website
the montage also included other us personalities including model tyra banks
television icon oprah winfrey and singer carrie underwood
in the ad peta declared the celebrities fur free and fabulous
the white house has contacted the group about the issue an official told afp
without providing further details
samsung unveils reader partnering with google
las vegas nevada jan afp
south korean electronics giant samsung jumped into the increasingly crowded
electronic book reader market wednesday unveiling its first devices and
partnership with google books
samsung took the wraps off two wireless readers at the annual consumer
electronics show ces in las vegas the with six inch centimeter
screen and the with inch centimeter display
samsung touted its new black and white display readers for their ability to
allow users to write directly on the screen making annotations with an
electromagnetic resonance stylus pen
it not just reading device said doug albregts vice president of
samsung information technology division it more like paper with
handwriting feature in that it allows you to write directly on the display
users of the samsung devices can write and share wirelessly and truly
collaborate albregts said
google global director of communications gabriel stricker made video
appearance at the samsung event to announce that the web giant which is
compiling vast online library of books would be partner with samsung
we want people to find these books anywhere anytime stricker said calling
samsung great match for us at google
we re so excited to make our million plus public domain books available he
said
samsung said the will cost dollars while the will cost dollars
and will be available in early
the new samsung devices will go up against amazon popular kindle and host of
other new devices already on the market including the sony reader the nook
from barnes amp noble and the cool er from britain interead
samsung is one of number of companies unveiling readers at ces but the
category has been overshadowed lately by reports that consumer electronics star
apple may shortly unveil tablet computer that may double as an book reader
polanski lawyers seek sentence in absentia
los angeles jan afp
attorneys for roman polanski on wednesday filed motion requesting the director
be sentenced in absentia to resolve his child sex case court filings
showed
los angeles superior court judge peter espinoza scheduled january hearing
to consider the request which would allow polanski to be sentenced without
being present in court
espinoza and los angeles prosecutors have repeatedly stated polanski can only be
sentenced if he returns to the united states in person
polanski is under house arrest in switzerland where he has been held since his
detention last september on an arrest warrant
the oscar winning film maker fled the united states in before he was
sentenced on charges of having unlawful sex with minor
california appeals court last month rejected bid by polanski legal team to
have the decades old case dismissed on the grounds of judicial misconduct during
the initial proceedings
polanski lawyers alleged the trial judge who had been due to sentence the
director had planned to go back on previously agreed plea deal after
improperly colluding with prosecutors
despite rejecting the polanski appeal the court at last month hearing called
for an urgent exploration of the misconduct abuses alleged by the director
lawyers
us breaks with drill anywhere energy policy official
washington jan afp
the united states is moving away from the drill anywhere whatever the cost
energy policy of the previous administration officials said wednesday as they
announced reforms in the way oil and gas leases are attributed
we don believe we have to be drilling everywhere and anywhere interior
secretary ken salazar told news conference where he and other officials
announced changes to the way the us government manages onshore oil and gas
exploration leases
we believe we have to have balanced thoughtful approach that allows for the
development of oil and gas resources but at the same time protects the treasured
landscapes of america salazar said
the new approach was in line with president barack obama commitment to develop
us gas and oil stocks while also growing the country green energy capacity
assistant secretary of the interior for land and minerals management wilma lewis
said
it also marked break from the way the previous administration of president
george bush did oil and gas business said salazar
the previous administration approach to oil and gas leasing by and large
was that leasing should happen almost anywhere at whatever cost salazar said
he faulted the bush administration for putting up for auction highly
controversial areas in the western united states including municipal
watersheds wildlife habitats or lands close to national parks
there seemed to be little rhyme or reason to which areas were leased western
landscapes were being carved up and fragmented said salazar who is from
colorado
nearly half of the leases offered under the bush administration were contested
by environmental and other groups in compared with little over one
percent in the secretary said
court battles over leases are costing millions of dollars in litigation tying
up resources and show that the current lease system is flawed he said
under the proposed reforms to the onshore oil and gas leasing program more
environmental analyses will be conducted before leases are auctioned and the
public will be engaged earlier and more frequently in the process said
salazar
china drug centres worsen plight of addicts rights group
beijing jan afp
china drug detention centres are rife with human rights violations including
forced labour and other abusive treatment despite new law meant to fix the
system human rights watch said thursday
the new york based rights group said in report that the anti drug law
actually made addicts suffering even worse by failing to ensure that adequate
treatment or even basic medical care was available
the anti drug law compounds the health risks of suspected drug users while
abusing the rights guaranteed to them under chinese and international law the
report said
in detention they receive little or no medical care no support for quitting
drugs and no skills training for re entering society upon release
amid rising drug use in recent years china passed the law in bid to
standardise its system of drug detention and rehabilitation centres raising
hope of new climate in which users would be treated as patients not inmates
but human rights watch said the system is still run by police not health care
professionals
it added that the law had actually expanded the power of police to arbitrarily
detain individuals without reasonable suspicion of drug use and force them to
take urine tests
it also increased the minimum sentence to compulsory drug detention centre
from between six and months to between two and three years
in the name of treatment many suspected drug users are confined under horrific
conditions subject to cruel inhuman and degrading treatment and forced to
engage in unpaid labor the report said
it quoted former detainees interviewed for the report as saying some inmates had
died in detention as result of abusive practices
china has seen illicit drug use take off in recent decades as incomes have
soared and more leisure oriented lifestyles have taken hold
china government insists that it is nation ruled by law but reports of
authorities trampling on the basic rights of citizens remain commonplace
public anger burst into the open last year over accusations of abusive
conditions in prisons and juvenile detention centres that led to several deaths
in custody prompting authorities to announce an overhaul of such centres
on wednesday just ahead of the official release of the hrw report china
ministries of health and public security ordered prisons hospitals and drug
rehabilitation centres to improve the care on offer
clinton jordanian counterpart to meet friday
washington jan afp
jordanian foreign minister nasser jawdeh will meet us secretary of state hillary
clinton here friday the jordanian embassy said wednesday amid reports that
jordanian was behind deadly attack on the cia in afghanistan
the embassy said the two top diplomats would discuss the arab israeli peace
process as well as bilateral relations but did not elaborate
the central intelligence agency cia is investigating an attack december at
base in khost eastern afghanistan in which seven cia operatives and
jordanian officer were killed
jihadist websites boasted tuesday that jordanian humam khalil mohammed al balawi
was an al qaeda double agent who tricked western intelligence services for
months before carrying out the suicide bombing
jordanian intelligence had brought him to eastern afghanistan hoping he would
help hunt down elusive al qaeda number two ayman al zawahiri the websites and
western intelligence agents cited by us media said
but instead he blew himself up killing eight people including his jordanian
handler top intelligence officer and member of the royal family marking the
cia worst single loss of life since beirut bombing in
new zealand to investigate whaling protest collision
wellington jan afp
new zealand will investigate an alleged ramming by japanese whaling vessel
that crippled protest boat in antarctic waters new zealand foreign minister
murray mccully said thursday
mccully also urged protesters from the militant sea shepherd anti whaling
organisation and the japanese whalers to stop risking human lives in the
isolated southern ocean waters
new zealand maritime authorities have responsibility for the new zealand
registered ady gil futuristic speed boat which had its bow demolished in
collision with japanese whaling vessel shonan maru no on wednesday
the whalers and protesters blame each other for the collision which resulted in
the six crew members on the ady gil being safely rescued by another sea shepherd
protest vessel
the responsibility for an investigation will rest with maritime new zealand
mccully told radio new zealand
the event did occur in the australian search and rescue area so there an
australian involvement he added
the regulatory body maritime new zealand was expected to hold meetings
thursday to decide what form an investigation should take
urge all those involved to do what they ve failed to do so far which is put
greater premium on human life in such harsh environment mccully said
the new zealand government is totally opposed to japanese whaling taking place
in the southern ocean but we re also opposed to killing human beings down there
as well
australia said wednesday it had no plans to send vessel to monitor the
escalating confrontation some nautical miles south of hobart as it urged
both sides to show restraint
us welcomes ulster group disarmament as important step
washington jan afp
the united states wednesday welcomed the disarming of northern ireland largest
loyalist paramilitary group and reaffirmed us support for northern ireland
quest for lasting peace
we welcome the news in belfast of the decommissioning of weapons by the ulster
defense association this is positive step toward securing lasting peace in
northern ireland us secretary of state hillary clinton said in statement
despite progress made since the good friday agreement was signed in she
added the journey is not over that is why this announcement today is so
important
clinton praised the independent international commission on decommissioning and
its leader canadian general john de chastelain for their work and oversight of
the disarmament process and reaffirm the commitment of the united states to
supporting northern ireland in its progress towards future of peace and
prosperity
the uda move comes month before long running amnesty on giving up arms
ends
the uda is the largest and last loyalist paramilitary group to hand over its
weapons following the good friday agreement which largely ended three decades
of violence in the province known as the troubles
loyalists are northern ireland protestants who want the province to remain part
of britain and are historic foes of catholic republicans who believe it should
become part of the republic of ireland
polanski lawyers seek sentence in absentia
los angeles jan afp
attorneys for roman polanski on wednesday filed motion requesting that the
film director be sentenced in absentia to resolve his child sex case
court filings showed
los angeles superior court judge peter espinoza scheduled january hearing
to consider the request which would allow polanski to be sentenced without
being present in court
polanski is under house arrest in switzerland where he has been held since his
detention last september on an arrest warrant
the oscar winning film maker fled the united states in before he was
sentenced on charges of having unlawful sex with minor
urgent polanski lawyers seek sentence in absentia
los angeles jan afp
attorneys for roman polanski on wednesday filed motion requesting that the
film director be sentenced in absentia to resolve his child sex case court
filings showed
tokyo stocks open higher
tokyo jan afp
japanese share prices opened higher thursday with the benchmark nikkei
index gaining points or percent to in the first minutes
of trading
venezuela workers protest energy saving production cuts
caracas jan afp
union leaders at state run aluminum company venalum protested wednesday the
leftist government decision to cut back production to save power during
drought saying it could put employees out of work
these measures don fix the electricity problem but it will affect the lives
of thousands of workers who stand to lose their jobs it will have serious
impact on the area economy union leader manuel az told afp
in drive to save energy the government of president hugo chavez recently
ordered production cuts at mining companies in southern guayana including at
venalum until the country main hydroelectric plant can resume normal output
with this decision they ve sentenced venalum to death this now looks like
cemetery said diaz
electricity minister angel rodriguez on monday told el mundo daily that the
government may close down its nationalized aluminum and steel industries
altogether in its battle to save energy
if we have to close the industries in guayana because guri reservoir has
dried out we ll have to do it the minister said
but diaz said these companies don belong to either chavez or energy
minister rodolfo sanz
they didn consult the venezuelan people about shutting down production and
even less the workers
rodriguez also proposed closing government ministries or changing their hours to
reduce energy consumption
venezuela is flush with oil the country primary export and natural gas
but meets domestic energy demand with electricity generated by its massive guri
dam hydroelectric complex on the orinoco river
but with drought affecting large swathes of latin america water levels at the
guri dam dropped to critically low levels in mid december and continue to drop
by six to eight centimeters per day rodriguez said
venezuela began with new measures rationing electricity use in malls
businesses and billboards
chavez set up the electricity ministry at the end of october to help solve
problems he blames on the drought and waste but that his critics blame on bad
management and lack of investment
electricity rationing is due to last until may with the return of the rainy
season
the drought has also provoked water rationing particularly in the capital
caracas
world must act now to prevent new sudan war aid agencies warn
london jan afp
