regional airlines faced the task of conserving cash rebuilding damaged balance
sheets and carefully managing capacity to match demand as they work towards
restoring profitability
whilst we remain hopeful about future prospects the outlook for very much
depends on the sustainability of what still appears to be rather fragile
global economic recovery
the international air transport association iata has said it expects asia
pacific carriers to lose million dollars this year an improvement from the
billion dollars lost last year
singapore airlines posted its first quarterly loss in six years during the june
quarter and deferred the delivery of eight superjumbos australia
qantas and hong kong cathay pacific also saw earnings slump
asia largest carrier japan airlines this week filed for bankruptcy and other
airlines could be in line for government bailouts
globally iata is forecasting loss of billion dollars for the industry
this year
alert
us open champion clijsters sent crashing out of australian open
urgent russia regrets iran rejection of nuclear deal lavrov
moscow jan afp
russia regrets that iran has apparently rejected un brokered nuclear fuel
exchange deal to ease the standoff over its atomic programme foreign minister
sergei lavrov said on friday
poll suggests philippines presidential race tightening
manila jan afp
leading philippine presidential candidate benigno aquino has seen his margin
narrow sharply to single digits in the race against property titan manuel villar
for may election poll showed friday
senator aquino had risen to the top of the polls from nowhere on popular
outpouring of sympathy following the death last year of his mother democracy
icon and former president corazon aquino
with less than four months to go before the may ballot manila based social
weather stations said its december national survey of adults had
aquino polling percent to fellow senator villar percent in theoretical
two horse race
similar survey it conducted on october had aquino ahead by massive
percentage points at percent to villar percent
the surveys had an error margin of three percentage points
eight candidates are contesting to succeed president gloria arroyo who is
disqualified by the constitution from seeking second six year term
social weather stations did not give reason for the tightening of the race
villar year old property developer who is listed by forbes magazine as the
philippines ninth richest man with net worth of million dollars has
attacked the younger aquino as an inexperienced neophyte
villar has meanwhile rejected rivals allegations that he used his government
position to enrich himself
the six other candidates include deposed former president joseph estrada and
former defence secretary and arroyo preferred successor gilberto teodoro
tennis china zheng upsets bartoli to make fourth round
melbourne jan afp
china zheng jie rallied from set down to upset th seeded frenchwoman
marion bartoli and make the fourth round of the australian open on friday
the unseeded zheng looked out for the count after losing the opening set but
hit back in the second and the third was romp as she went through
it matched zheng achievement from last year here and she has great chance of
making the quarters with last clash against st seed alona bondarenko of
ukraine who ousted eighth seed jelena jankovic
zheng was happy to remain in the tournament
today was such tough match but really wanted win because lost to her
last year in the semi final in montreal she said
today the whole match tried to focus on every point this is very good for me
that won this match
the big serving bondarenko is another challenge but zheng is ready
next match is harder lost to her last week in hobart and she won the
tournament she said
watched her match today and she played unbelievable so don want to think
too much about it
just want keep going and trying my best
asked if she could go one better than last year and make the quarters zheng
the wimbledon semi finalist simply said hope so
alert
russia regrets iran apparent rejection of nuclear deal lavrov
us envoy to meet abbas amid pessimism over mideast peace
ramallah west bank jan afp
us envoy george mitchell was to meet palestinian president mahmud abbas on
friday to push middle east peace efforts despite president barack obama
admission that his drive for deal may have been overambitious
mitchell talks in ramallah the political capital of the occupied west bank
follow day of meetings with the israeli government and talks in syria and
lebanon two countries the envoy said should play key role in achieving
comprehensive middle east peace deal
but there were no expectations of breakthrough as israel and the palestinians
sparred anew and the us president acknowledged the scale of the difficulties
this is as intractable problem as you get obama said in an interview
published in time magazine latest issue
both the israelis and the palestinians have found that the political
environment the nature of their coalitions or the divisions within their
societies were such that it was very hard for them to start engaging in
meaningful conversation obama said
think it is absolutely true that we didn produce the kind of
breakthrough that we wanted he said adding that if his administration had
anticipated the political problems on both sides we might not have raised
expectations as high
washington had pressed hard for israel to freeze settlement construction which
abbas says is precondition for negotiations to resume after hiatus of more
than year
hawkish israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu announced in november
month moratorium on issuing construction permits for israeli homes in the
west bank outside annexed arab east jerusalem but the palestinians said this
fell far short of their demands
on thursday un chief ban ki moon noted with concern that despite israel
decision to restrain some settlement construction in the west bank activity
and financial support for expansion are continuing there and in east jerusalem
settlement construction violates international law and contravenes the roadmap
under which israel is obliged to freeze all settlement activity he said
he also stressed the need for both sides to resume negotiations if we do not
move forward on the political process soon we risk sliding backwards
the israeli premier further complicated the task facing mitchell on wednesday by
laying down new precondition for any peace deal
netanyahu insisted that israel would keep permament presence in the jordan
valley on the eastern border of the palestinians promised state
the palestinians categorically rejected the suggestion
israel haaretz newspaper on friday quoted senior minister it did not name as
saying the chances for resumption of peace talks were slim
the mass circulation yediot aharonot for its part said that israeli officials
believe the us administration will now put the israeli palestinian issue at the
bottom of its list of priorities
the administration will continue to try to renew negotiations but will not go
out of its way it quoted an official it did not name as saying
alert
un teams switch focus to aid for haiti survivors spokeswoman
armenia warns of breakdown in turkey reconciliation
yerevan jan afp
armenia foreign minister on friday warned that historic efforts to establish
ties with turkey may break down blaming ankara for obstructing the process
if turkey is not ready to ratify the protocols if it continues to speak in
ultimatums to set preconditions and to obstruct the process then do not
exclude that negotiations will break down foreign minister eduard nalbandian
said at press conference
world cup crime story triggers free speech debate in africa
johannesburg jan afp
two self confessed criminals appear on screen one with stocking over his
head threatening to rob tourists and stage shootouts with police during south
africa football world cup
the tv news report broadcast last week was meant to raise questions about
security preparations for the tournament the first on african soil which is
now less than five months away
but instead it has become linked to suicide and triggered public debate
about media freedom as the government invoked an apartheid era law to try to
force the journalists to identify the two men
in the segment broadcast last friday on south africa private enews satellite
channel self confessed car jacker says he plans to target the world
cup tourists expected in june
most of the time these people are carrying valuable things and imports for us
it very big opportunity to have what we don have says the man his face
obscured on camera but shown loading gun
but not to hurt them so even next time they will come back and we ll rob them
again he says identifying himself only as year old father of three
another who says he served years for bank robbery says he ready to shoot
police who try to stop him not for second will hesitate not for
second he says
south africa has tried to stamp out concerns about crime during the world cup
despite the nation staggering incidence of violence with an average people
killed every day
police minister nathi mthethwa quickly ordered an investigation to find the two
men accusing them of the crime of intimidation punishable by up to years in
prison
these scoundrels make it clear that they intend to rob and shoot and if needs
be murder any law enforcement official or member of the public who tries to
stop them he said in statement
this conduct constitutes threat to the safety and security of members of the
public and visiting tourists he said
as part of the probe authorities have invoked an apartheid era media law to try
to force enews editor ben said and reporter mpho lakaje to identify the two men
the network says their lawyers are considering how to reply to the subpoenas
the two could go to jail if they insist on protecting the sources
but enews says its only link to the self confessed criminals was man they said
was go between with the criminals who was discovered dead on tuesday in
soweto with suicide note saying lakaje had put me in mess
while the circumstances of the apparent suicide are not yet known enews has
not revealed his identity to anyone the station said
the station hasn announced whether said and lakaje will appear in court on
monday as ordered in the subpoena but media groups have denounced government
decision to invoke the law known as section of the criminal procedure act
under white minority rule the measure was once used to force journalists to
reveal information about nationalists living underground
with south africa new constitution media freedoms are guaranteed but the
courts have never been forced to rule if the law conforms to the bill of rights
in addition to the enews case the law was also invoked against two newspapers
last year which the south african national editors forum says points to an
alarming trend
we see the tendency for the police to easily issue subpoenas and invoke section
they seem to do it too easily which worries us said thabo leshilo the
group chairman for media freedom
but the ruling african national congress has backed the probe into enews part
of the tv group
if tv does not safeguard the interests of the innocent people from all over
the world they cannot be different from these criminals themselves anc
national spokesman jackson mthembu said
bad boy gaultier throws bloodied boxers into fashion ring
paris jan afp
bad boy of french fashion jean paul gaultier lived up to his reputation
thursday throwing swaggering macho models into boxing ring as paris kicked
off four days of menswear shows
fashion addict rapper kanye west and model girlfriend amber rose turned up in
oversized fur coats and refused to talk to press an aide said west who is into
designing his own lines planned to attend half of the shows scheduled
through to sunday
fellow superstar chris brown also known for bruising rihanna flew in from the
milan men fashion shows for gaultier boxing inspired autumn winter
collection telling afp really wanted to see this one
known for rollicking catwalk parades that keep even the most cynical
fashionistas on edge gaultier took the boxer robe as role model throwing out
hoodie shirts hoodie jackets and hoodie coats on anything from streetwear to
evening dress
as two women in shorts and flesh coloured tops staged mock fight in boxing
ring and boys punched away at bags on stage bunch of well built male
models not the androgynous adolescent types often on catwalks trotted out
darkly coloured collection to packed house
sporting fake cuts bloodied bruises and hour stubble muscle bound models
strode in large bermudas tight pants and even couple of gaultier trademark
skirts to the sound of punches and the songs of edith piaf
the aim of the show gaultier told afp was to put up fight against boredom
and the general climate of gloom
the whole world is in crisis he said not just fashion which lives little
in autarchy with only people involved in fashion buying fashion but the crisis
means you look for ways out for new solutions
thanks to the crisis several leading houses including emanuel ungaro yohji
yamamoto and thierry mugler are not staging catwalk shows this season saving
tens of thousands of euros in the process
score of labels instead are showing their new collections in showrooms
the current darling of the paris men scene according to panel of
international buyers queried by france journal du textile is dior kris van
assche who trots out his new designs on saturday
though it is early to spot trends seen throughout the main shows on thursday
were plethora of puffa down jackets and vests for next season cold days
sign its current popularity is not about to go away
even highly elegant top of the market louis vuitton liked the puffa in
collection of emblematically chic male garb whose touch of eccentricity was
provided by geometric inserts and panelling as well as flashes of shirt left
hanging untidily out
inspired by early th century vienna mix of business and leisure the house
invented the word bleisure for the collection it says combines formality with
comfort
from the outset designers had field day of creativity with trousers
edgy belgian born designer dries van noten coupled old fashioned long johns
with tailored jackets while gaspard yurkievich cult figure on the paris
scene harked back to the with hound toothed bell bottoms
wanted to play with traditional clothes such as the trench coat and
traditional fabrics such as twill to renew them for young people today who ve
probably never seen them van noten told afp
he cropped skinny pants well above the ankle to give his collection young
dynamic feel and sent models out each carrying his own music because young
people are both very individual and very social nowadays he said
piracy hit music industry seeking new ways to bounce back
cannes france jan afp
the beleaguered global music industry enters the decade hoping to turn corner
by tackling piracy head on while drumming up new sources of revenue
grim statistics this week from the international federation of the phonographic
industry ifpi show sales falling by some percent since as piracy
surged
but huge percent leap in revenue from digital channels between and
should help lighten the mood at the industry biggest annual get together
starting sunday at the midem trade festival in this riviera resort
the figures show digitally bought music now accounting for percent of total
music sales billion dollars of billion dollars in
our vision is music availability everywhere at any time and in any place but
the biggest question is how do we monetise it in an environment of widespread
piracy eric daugan senior vice president commercial strategy warner music
international emea said in an ifpi report released thursday
battered by the slump in cd sales worldwide and the slow response to rampant
illegal music downloads and new digital platforms the industry is finally
stepping up efforts to reverse its fortunes
next week trade fair will be all about how to monetise access to music
midem director dominique leguern told afp in an interview
today the number of technical solutions and different offers streaming
downloads etc are multiplying we want to highlight these opportunities and
show participants how to access them he added
many of the world leading online advertising video mobile and other
technology leaders will also be sharing expertise in new revenue streams
including myspace ceo owen van natta who will give his first keynote address
outside the united states
guitarist ed brien from british band radiohead which shocked the record
industry in by allowing fans to decide how much they wanted to pay to
download their new album will also fly in to discuss the band use of the web
to reach audiences
the music industry is finally seeing the web as an opportunity more than
threat social software and devices such as the iphone open new extraordinary
opportunities to innovate said daniel ek ceo of sweden music streaming
service spotify
this year midem is offering for the first time wide range of matchmaking and
networking sessions as well as conferences on how to finance and develop
artists careers beyond the simple cd using social networks such as twitter
and youtube or tips on how to get music used in films tv series and video
games or advertising campaigns
we are focusing heavily on learning education and networking because we have
to help our participants to identify those elusive revenue streams leguern
stressed
thanks to the world economic crisis and the strain in the music industry
attendance at midem is expected to be down for the second year running at around
participants
but managers of music sensations including blur mika james blunt lily allen
and the artic monkeys will be in town to talk about how they are gradually
taking on the former role of record labels by helping guide their artists
careers and manage their rights
new countries attending for the first time this year include iceland the
dominican republic costa rica ghana madagascar and vietnam
asia will be making waves with korea taiwan and japan due to showcase their
latest talent including japanese dance act amwe taiwanese indie singer and
composer crowd lu and korean girl band
but it will be the sounds of south africa on centre stage as the country of
honour kicks off packed programme of events to promote its culture ahead of
its hosting of the fifa world cup this summer
obama moves to rein in banks in wall street assault
washington jan afp
president barack obama unveiled plans thursday to limit the size and scope of us
banks and financial firms in new offensive against wall street excesses laid
bare by the financial crisis
never again will the american taxpayer be held hostage by bank that is too
big to fail vowed obama flanked by former federal reserve chief paul volcker
who advised the president on the rules
the plans aim to limit excessive risk taking and to protect taxpayers by
preventing banks or financial institutions from owning investing in or
sponsoring hedge fund or private equity funds
they will effectively force financial firms to choose between proprietary
activities trading in stocks and sometimes risky financial instruments for
their own benefit and traditional activities like making loans and
collecting deposits
the initiative which must be approved by congress includes new proposal to
limit the consolidation of the finance sector placing broader limits on
excessive growth of the market share of liabilities at the largest financial
firms
obama blamed banks for sparking the worst economic crisis since the great
depression with huge reckless risks in pursuit of quick profits and massive
bonuses in binge of irresponsibility
my resolve to reform the system is only strengthened when see return to old
practices at some of the very firms fighting reform and when see record
profits at some of the very firms claiming that they cannot lend more to small
business cannot keep credit card rates low and cannot refund taxpayers for the
bailout the president said
he vowed to enact the reforms in congress even if wall street deployed an army
of lobbyists to kill them
if these folks want fight it fight ready to have he vowed
defiantly
the announcement was the latest attempt by the white house to harness public
rage at wall street bonuses and the financial crisis
wall street gave an immediate thumbs down to obama plans as us stocks plunged
with the blue chip dow jones industrial average down more than points or two
percent
the news also sent shockwaves though asian stock markets on friday with the
region financial centers suffering heavy losses
tokyo nikkei dived percent hong kong was percent down by the break
and singapore was percent lower
david easthope analyst with celent research and consulting firm said the
effort could hit the banks in one of their most profitable areas
proprietary trading has been the sweet spot for leading investment banks over
the last few years and executives will be concerned that washington will be
taking away the frosting he said
the financial services roundtable which represents of the largest
integrated financial firms said the proposal would do little to improve risk
management or protect consumers from irresponsible loans and trades
the proposal will restrict lending increase risk decrease stability in the
system and limit our ability to help create jobs said steve bartlett
president and chief executive for the roundtable
the group represents top financial services firms providing banking
insurance and investment products and services
obama first year in office was dominated by efforts to rescue handful of
banks that threatened to topple the us economy after being exposed to massive
losses on the subprime mortgage market
according to treasury officials about billion dollars was pumped into
banks under the government rescue plans
obama has sounded tougher tone towards banks in recent weeks as he faced
widespread voter anger at the massive government bailout which came as
americans faced surging unemployment home foreclosures and national debt
top obama economic aide austan goolsbee sought to counter criticism that the
plan is returning to the depression era law creating wall between investment
and commercial banks
it not returning to glass steagall goolsbee said
while the act repealed in forbid underwriting securities or investing in
securities by any commercial bank goolsbee said this is not that this says
bank cannot own hedge fund cannot own private equity fund or do trading for
its own account that is not related to its client business
he added that the goal is to get back to the fundamental nature of the bank
which is serving its clients rather than investing for its own profit
uganda president pardons top amin lieutenant
kampala jan afp
ugandan president yoweri museveni has pardoned one of former leader idi amin
dada top lieutenants who had been on death row since spokesman said
friday
museveni who has been at the helm of the east african nation since even
shook hands with ali fadhul man he claims to have nearly killed almost four
decades ago
it is part of our healing process presidential spokesman tamale mirundi told
afp the president knows that at one point in our history certain things
happened but he not afraid to deal with such people from the past
fadhul was amin right hand man in museveni home area he was pardoned
earlier this week and the two men met on thursday when fadhul turned up at
presidential rally outside the capital kampala mirundi said
am happy to meet fadhul here he should go slaughter chicken and devour
it museveni told the crowd after seeing his former foe according to the
government controlled new vision newspaper
in many ugandan families chickens are eaten exclusively on special occasions
like christmas and new year
museveni and fadhul clashed in when the young rebel leader launched
failed invasion through the tanzanian border museveni claimed his fighters
nearly shot fadhul before they were forced to retreat
god still wanted him to live museveni said at the rally said if god
protected him who am to oppose his plans for fadhul
fadhul was arrested for murder shortly after museveni took power in
museveni has proven track record of pardoning or offering amnesty to former
fierce rivals last year he pardoned notoriously brutal spy chief from the
regime of former president milton obote
football japan ono eyes world cup
shizuoka japan jan afp
shinji ono said on friday that he is hoping for recall to the japan team for
this year world cup after returning to the league to play for shimizu
pulse
the asian player of the year spent two years in germany but struggled to
get much first team football with bochum largely due to injury
now he says he is determined to do what it takes to play again for japan having
won his last cap in august
it will be impossible unless can play seriously for shimizu in every game in
so far as have chance just want to go ahead to realise my dream ono
told reporters
the midfielder previously played for japan in three world cups he won the
uefa cup with dutch side feyenoord then joined bochum in january before
returning to japan this month
it was the best timing for coming back he said
now years old want to prove that you can start your career at
shimizu coach kenta hasegawa said he has lot of experience of course our
target is to win the title we are going to challenge with the fresh spirit of
beginner
shimizu finished the season seventh in the league
hopes rise as damaged port reopens in haiti
port au prince jan afp
thousands of haitians waited by the sea on earthquake cracked mud surrounded by
bags and babies hoping the imminent reopening of the capital port would allow
them to flee
the main port potential hub for the international campaign to feed this
quake devastated nation was to open partially friday despite strong signs of
damage including buckled wharves leaning telephone poles and slanting cranes
with port au prince airport overloaded with aid and military flights many
hoped the harbor would help receive massive international aid shipments for
hundreds of thousands of desperate survivors of the january earthquake
but gaping fissures still slice through the pier where ships unload and it
wobbles during each of the terrifying aftershocks that have succeeded the
original temblor
it not good it very unstable platform at this point us coast guard
lieutenant commander mike pierno told afp
us navy and us army divers were due to start repairing the pier friday work
that was expected to last at least several weeks while us coast guard and
haitian officials will ensure it is not overused
right now it in state where it can be repaired and we don want to do any
more damage pierno said
since the earthquake couple of aid ships from france and the netherlands have
unloaded supplies on the unsteady pier while around more are anchored
offshore
on the other side of the port thousands of haitians wait to board boats out of
the capital
many observers have warned of rush by desperate survivors to reach the united
states by boat but those at the port said they were heading for the town of
jeremie where their families live in the far west of the island
coast guard officials said that although there were no signs of mass
migration it was to be expected
everything points to it but it not happening now said pierno adding that
people would probably set off from the north of the island
the un refugee agency estimates that haitains are already refugees
abroad many of whom fled to the united states well before the quake
roger rouzier shipping company general director who has been using the port
for years said us naval forces were patrolling cordon off port au prince
to prevent the departure of boats full of refugees
us officials are taking measures against it rouzier said
the shipping company owner now controlled the immediate future of those camped
out at the port
his ferry the only boat to jeremie carried some survivors away from the
capital for free on friday three days after the quake but then hesitated to
pick up more due to shortage of fuel
the government has now given him gallons liters of fuel to help
move people out alongside private contributions of gallons liters
he said adding that he planned to give two more free passages
broad patchwork of colorful clothes and bags still filled all visible space on
land where some families had waited for days while hundreds of others crowded
on several large wrecked ships nearby
have nothing to do here just want to leave said year old pierre
louia sitting in the mud surrounded by his family
when there something to do ll return
brigadier general mike dana in charge of the logistics of the us operation in
haiti has said fuel would be shipped to the port at the weekend
the port is probably at percent of its capacity right now said dana this
week but after days it will be at full capacity
sitting in small fishing boat with his wife and nine year old son jean moise
said he hoped to take boat out of the capital very soon
lost two cousins and nephew and niece in the earthquake we re the
survivors but we have nothing moise said
maybe in or years we ll manage to rebuild the country with international
aid but for now we re in desperate situation
mass relocation for haiti homeless
port au prince jan afp
haiti has launched huge operation to move hundreds of thousands of homeless
out of the ruined capital as hopes of finding more survivors fade days after
the devastating quake
medics treated the countless injured in makeshift hospitals as gangrene began to
set in and fresh looting broke out in devastated port au prince even as some
signs of normal life returned
it is difficult to work as before but we re on course to regain control
president rene preval told reporters seeking to counter charges that the
government has been largely absent since the january disaster
alongside the haitian plan french and us rescue workers have begun to clear
debris and human waste from around the city ceremonial square the champ de
mars which has become giant ad hoc refugee camp
