WASHINGTON, March 13 (Xinhua) — The White House on Saturday confirmed that U.S. President Barack Obama and his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev have agreed to sign a nuclear arms control treaty soon.
\”The results of their talks are encouraging, and both leaders are committed to concluding an agreement soon,\” said White House spokesman Mike Hammer, referring to an earlier telephone conversation between Obama and Medvedev.
The Kremlin said earlier that the two presidents have agreed to \”talk about specific dates for signing a new arms reduction treaty, \” which is expected to replace the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty that expired on Dec. 5, 2009.
Related:
Russia, U.S. look to date for signing new arms treaty
MOSCOW, March 13 (Xinhua) — Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and U.S. President Barack Obama said on Saturday that it was now possible to talk about specific dates for signing a new arms reduction treaty, the Kremlin said.
Medvedev spoke over phone on Saturday with Obama about the preparation for a successor to the 1991 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START-1) that expired on Dec. 5, 2009.Full story
New nuclear arms treaty could be ready within weeks: Russian FM
MOSCOW, March 9 (Xinhua) — A new Russia-U.S. treaty on nuclear arms reduction could be signed within two or three weeks, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Tuesday.
\”We would like everything to be finished in two or three weeks. The chances are there,\” Lavrov was quoted as saying by the Interfax news agency.
\”If everyone strictly abides by the central principle – the principle of parity underlying this document – all issues will be resolved soon,\” he said.?? Full story
http://www.ceshq.com
WASHINGTON, March 17 (Xinhua) — A senior al-Qaida member suspected to be behind a recent suicide bombing attack on a CIA outpost in Afghanistan was believed to be killed last weeks, local media quoted counter-terrorism sources as saying on Wednesday.
The al-Qaida operative, Hussein al-Yemeni, was believed to be killed in Pakistan\’s North Waziristan region. The CIA is believed to be using unmanned drones to hunt and kill al-Qaida militants in that region, although the agency has never officially acknowledged doing so.
An important al-Qaida attack planner and facilitator, al-Yemeni was believed to be behind the Dec. 30 CIA base attack in Afghan province of Khost, in which a suicide bomber killed seven CIA employees and a Jordanian intelligence officer, the deadliest attack against the CIA since 1983.
Al-Yemeni was an expert in explosives and specialized in organizing suicide attacks. He was killed in North Waziristan\’s main city of Miram Shah, said the unnamed counter-terrorism official.
http://www.zokn.com
RIO DE JANEIRO, March 17 (Xinhua) — Brazil\’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva reaffirmed on Wednesday his support to a Palestinian state and said he is willing to do whatever he can to help the Palestinian people.
Government news agency Agencia Brasil quoted the President as saying that he supports an independent Palestinian state, and believes that Palestinian and Israeli will find a way to share \” their predecessors\’ land.\”
In a visit to Ramallah, President Lula christened the Brazil Street, located in front of the Palestinian Authority headquarters. He said he was happy to christen the street, which according to him represents the love between the Palestinian and Brazilian people.
Lula also put flowers on the grave of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, died in 2004.
The Brazilian President criticized the construction of the Israeli West Bank barrier, saying that it is the cause of great human suffering.
\”It divides families, drives friends apart, disarticulates the production and as a consequence scares away the investments,\” he said.
Lula also said that the Palestinian people need union and called on the Hamas and the Fatah to join forces. He said he would be willing to meet Hamas leaders.
\”Brazil is willing to talk to everyone, with whoever is at the negotiation table, and there is not a political force, of left of right, with which Brazil cannot talk. All forces should participate in the peace process,\” he said.
After visiting Ramallah, the Brazilian President headed to Jordan, where he met with Kind Abdullah II and Queen Rania. Jordan is the last leg of Lula\’s trip to the Mid-East.
http://www.gemuhope.com
WASHINGTON, March 17 (Xinhua) — President Barack Obama on Wednesday convinced the Israelis that the U.S.-Israel relations would not be undermined by their disagreement over Jewish settlement activities.
\”Israel\’s one of our closest allies, and we and the Israeli people have a special bond that\’s not going to go away,\” Obama said in an interview with the Fox News, adding the United States remains its commitment to Israel.
There was \”no crisis\” in the U.S.-Israel relations, said Obama, referring to the tension between the two countries over Israel\’s decision on building more homes in East Jerusalem.
The Obama administration has been very angry over the Israeli government\’s approval of 1,600 homes in East Jerusalem last week when Vice President Joe Biden was pushing both Israel and the Palestinians to resume peace talks.
Both Biden and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton rarely have issued condemnation on Israel for the move, which was described by Clinton as \”a deeply negative signal\” about Israel\’s approach to relations with Washington.
In Wednesday\’s interview, President Obama said that Israel\’s settlement activities are not helpful for pushing peace process, but saying \”friends are going to disagree sometimes.\”
The Obama administration has been exerting pressure on the Israeli government and the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) to resume the talks in order that the two sides could reach a permanent peace agreement that leads to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state within two years.
The talks were stalled in December 2008 when Israel launched a massive military campaign against the Islamic Hamas movement in the Gaza Strip.
PNA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas insists that the talks would not be resumed until the Israeli government totally freezes the Jewish settlement construction in the West Bank, while the Israeli side vows to ensure the \”natural growth\” of the Jewish settlements.
At least 450,000 Israelis live in more than 100 settlements in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.
After Israel\’s announcement to build more homes in East Jerusalem, the PNA decided to suspend the indirect talks with Israel, which was brokered by U.S. special envoy George Mitchell following tough shuttle mediation between Israel and the Palestinians.
Related:
Israel, U.S. seek to ease tension with warm words
JERUSALEM, March 16 (Xinhua) — Israel sought on Tuesday to ease up a strained relationship with the United States by welcoming U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton\’s comment about the two nations\’ \”close bond.\” Full story
Israeli president highlights importance of relations with U.S.
JERUSALEM, March 16 (Xinhua) — Israel cannot afford to lose the traditional friendship with the United State, said President Shimon Peres on Tuesday, as a visible relationship crisis is brewing between the two allies. Full story
Colombia\’s former Defense Minister and presidential candicate Juan Manuel Santos casts his vote during the congress elections in Bogota, capital of Colombia, March 14, 2010. Colombians kicked off legislative elections on Sunday morning. Some 30 million Colombians are registered to vote to choose from about 2,500 candidates to fill 268 seats in the Congress. (Xinhua/Marino)
BOGOTA, March 14 (Xinhua) — Colombians went to the polls Sunday to vote for a new Congress.
The elections are widely regarded as a strong indicator of who will succeed President Alvaro Uribe this year.??
People queue up to vote during the congress elections in Bogota, capital of Colombia, March 14, 2010. Colombians kicked off legislative elections on Sunday morning. Some 30 million Colombians are registered to vote to choose from about 2,500 candidates to fill 268 seats in the Congress. (Xinhua/Marino)
People queue up to vote during the congress elections in Bogota, capital of Colombia, March 14, 2010. Colombians kicked off legislative elections on Sunday morning. Some 30 million Colombians are registered to vote to choose from about 2,500 candidates to fill 268 seats in the Congress. (Xinhua/Marino)
A Colombian Indian man comes to a polling station to vote during the congress elections in Bogota, capital of Colombia, March 14, 2010. Colombians kicked off legislative elections on Sunday morning. Some 30 million Colombians are registered to vote to choose from about 2,500 candidates to fill 268 seats in the Congress. (Xinhua/Marino)
http://www.gemuhope.com
SANTIAGO, March 17 (Xinhua) — The death toll of Chile\’s Feb. 27 quake and tsunami might reach 630, according to data published by the nation\’s Investigative Police Directorate (PDI) on Wednesday.
\”There are more than 500 people who are identified, of whom more than half have received a death certificate,\” PDI chief Marcos Vasquez told a press conference. \”There are another 130 affidavits of presumed deaths,\” he added.
The government of Sebastian Pinera, which took office Thursday, has not published an official death toll, after an incident during the closing days of his predecessor\’s government lead to a major recount of the dead.
The government of Michelle Bachelet had initially pegged the death toll above 800, but lowered the toll after it was discovered that some bodies had been counted twice. Since then, authorities have only issued only the names of those who have been identified after their families have been informed.
\”A final total could be published as soon as next week,\” Vasquez said. All Chileans have identity cards that include their fingerprints and photos, which helps police identify bodies.
http://www.cne.cc
People sit outside a house during a blackout in Vina del Mar city, about 75 miles (121 km) northwest of Santiago, March 14, 2010. Cities throughout Chile were without power on Sunday evening due to a problem with one of the country\’s main power grids, according to witnesses and local media.?(Xinhua/Reuters Photo)
SANTIAGO, March 14 (Xinhua) — A massive power blackout struck most of Chile Sunday night, plunging the capital Santiago and many other cities into darkness.
Media reports said the blackout might have been caused by problems with a main power grid in central Chile and authorities said they were trying to restore power to parts of Santiago in three to four hours.
The area affected by the power cut includes the southern regions of Maule and Bio Bio, which were hit hardest by the Feb. 27 devastating earthquake in Chile.
People wait for the bus during a blackout in Vina del Mar city, about 75 miles (121 km) northwest of Santiago, March 14, 2010. Cities throughout Chile were without power on Sunday evening due to a problem with one of the country\’s main power grids, according to witnesses and local media.?(Xinhua/Reuters Photo)
People ride a bus during a blackout in Vina del Mar city, about 75 miles (121 km) northwest of Santiago, March 14, 2010. Cities throughout Chile were without power on Sunday evening due to a problem with one of the country\’s main power grids, according to witnesses and local media.?(Xinhua/Reuters Photo)
http://www.znnw.com
WASHINGTON, March 17 (Xinhua) — The U.S. Department of Defense said Wednesday that the long-delayed Nuclear Posture Review is nearly completed, and would be sent to Congress within a month, putting it off past the middle or late March deadline.
The Nuclear Posture Review originally was scheduled to be released this month, but defense officials concluded that additional time was needed to address the range of issues under consideration in the report, said James Miller, principal deputy undersecretary of defense for policy, quoted by the Pentagon\’s news service.
U.S. President Barack Obama has sought to minimize the role of nuclear weapons in defense policy, with the ultimate goal of ridding the world of nuclear weapons.
The Nuclear Posture Review, as Miller put it, is intended to be a practical work plan which will provide concrete steps outlining how the United States will carry out this process while still maintaining a secure and effective nuclear arsenal as long as other nuclear states remain. He said it\’s essential that the United States continues to invest in its nuclear arsenal and infrastructure.
Miller also said the nuclear review would be valuable for the new Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) negotiations with Russia, helping to refine several U.S. negotiating positions, particularly on the treaty\’s limitations of nuclear warheads and delivery vehicles.
The fiscal 2011 defense budget submitted to Congress already reflects several conclusions drawn from the review, Miller said. The United States will retain a \”nuclear triad\” under the new START, composed of land-based missiles, submarine-launched missiles and bomber aircraft.
Related:
Obama promises to reduce number, role of nuclear weapons in U.S. security strategy
WASHINGTON, March 5 (Xinhua) — U.S. President Barack Obama said on Friday his administration will reduce the number and role of nuclear weapons in U.S. national security strategy.
The administration\’s upcoming Nuclear Posture Review \”will move beyond outdated Cold War thinking and reduce the number and role of nuclear weapons in our national security strategy,\” Obama said.? Full story
http://www.chinacourse.com
People queue up to vote during the congress elections in Bogota, capital of Colombia, March 14, 2010. Colombians kicked off legislative elections on Sunday morning. Some 30 million Colombians are registered to vote to choose from about 2,500 candidates to fill 268 seats in the Congress. (Xinhua/Marino)
BOGOTA, March 15 (Xinhua) — President Alvaro Uribe\’s party is leading the vote Sunday after a parliamentary election, early results showed.
Uribe\’s U Party won 24.2 percent of votes while the allied Conservative Party won 22.3 percent, according to results after 65 percent of the votes were counted.
The opposition Liberal Party had 16.6 percent of votes.??
People queue up to vote during the congress elections in Bogota, capital of Colombia, March 14, 2010. Colombians kicked off legislative elections on Sunday morning. Some 30 million Colombians are registered to vote to choose from about 2,500 candidates to fill 268 seats in the Congress. (Xinhua/Marino)
A Colombian Indian man comes to a polling station to vote during the congress elections in Bogota, capital of Colombia, March 14, 2010. Colombians kicked off legislative elections on Sunday morning. Some 30 million Colombians are registered to vote to choose from about 2,500 candidates to fill 268 seats in the Congress. (Xinhua/Marino)
http://www.lersus.com
WASHINGTON, March 15 (Xinhua) — A strong aftershock measuring 6.0 on the Richter scale hit Chile on Monday, the U.S. Geological Survey said.
The latest tremor occurred at 08:08 a.m. (1108 GMT) 110 km northwest of Chile\’s second-largest Concepcion, which was rocked by an 8.8-magnitude earthquake on Feb. 27.
The Chilean government put the confirmed death toll of the massive quake at 529.
http://www.znnw.com
SANTIAGO, March 15 (Xinhua) — Chile\’s National Emergency Office (Onemi) said on Monday that 98 percent of the power supply has been restored after the blackout on Sunday night.
On Sunday at 9:40 p.m. local time (2440 GMT) there was a failure of the Central Interconnected System which made most of the country out of power, including the capital Santiago.
The Office\’s director, Vicente Nunez, said that it was a technical failure of the electrical central system, and in some zones the service will remain unstable, for example in Bio Bio region, where the failure originated and the service has not been normalized yet.
While a general evaluation is being done, Nunez said that the country \”should know how to react\” under these kinds of situations and a new blackout \”could always happen.\”
Meanwhile, Energy Minister Ricardo Raineri said that the system will be normalized after over six months due to the fragility of its networks after the earthquake on Feb. 27.
Raineri also said that there is possibility of more blackouts, \”but now we are inviting the people to help us. As long as we do not recover the security level, we are going to be in a critical situation.\”
However, superintendent of Electricity and Fuels, Patricia Chotzen said that there is an investigation being carried out to determine whether the blackout was due to an artificialness or maintenance failure in a transformer of the sub-station Charrua, because according to her, this kind of failure is not common.
http://www.tbogg.com
CARACAS, March 17 (Xinhua) — Venezuela and Belarus on Wednesday signed a series of bilateral agreements on energy, construction, agro-industry and trade.
Among the 22 agreements signed by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and his Belarusian counterpart, Alexander Lukashenko, the two countries agreed on a daily sale of 80,000 barrels of Venezuelan crude oil to Belarus and allocate three fields in the Orinoco Oil Strip.
Both sides decided to expand a program, which originally planned to build 5,000 houses in Aragua state, about 100 km west of the capital city Caracas. They have agreed that 10,000 more houses will be built in Barinas state, 710 km southwest of Caracas.
The two countries also agreed to create commercial offices in each other\’s capital city, in a bid to facilitate the distribution of products.
Lukashenko arrived in Venezuela on Monday for his second visit to the country.
Belarus and Venezuela now have 70 cooperation agreements and bilateral trade stood at 200 million U.S. dollars in 2009.
Related:
Chavez meets Lukashenko on strategic ties
CARACAS, March 15 (Xinhua) — Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez on Monday met with his visiting Belarussian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko for talks aimed at expanding the strategic ties between the two countries.
At the Miraflores Palace in Venezuela\’s capital, the two leaders discussed issues of energy, construction and agro-industry, local media reported.?Full story
Belarusian president stresses strategic partnership with Venezuela
CARACAS, March 16 (Xinhua) — Visiting Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko on Tuesday stressed the strategic partnership with Venezuela and how the partnership can benefit the peoples of both countries.
During his speech to the Venezuelan National Assembly, Lukashenko expressed satisfaction with the strategic partnership with Venezuela which he called a trading partner in Latin America.?Full story
Venezuelan, Belarusian presidents unveil bi-national residential project
CARACAS, March 16 (Xinhua) — Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko on Tuesday attended an opening ceremony of the bi-national residential zone in Aragua state, about 100 km west of Caracas.
According to the state-run Bolivarian News Agency, the two presidents laid the cornerstone for a residential project for five-story buildings which will have a total of 5,000 apartments over an area of 32 hectares.? Full story
http://www.nmgmzbwg.com.cn
BRASILIA, March 17 (Xinhua) — The approval rate of the Brazilian government reached a record high of 75 percent, according to a public poll released Wednesday.
Approval for President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva\’s government rose by 3 percent to 75 percent from the previous poll in December, the Ibope opinion research institute reported in a poll released Wednesday by the National Confederation of Industry (CNI).
Conversely, the percentage of respondents who disapproved of the government\’s performance fell to 5 percent from 6 percent in December.
The survey showed that public approval for the government\’s performance rose in six of nine areas. However, the disapproval rate was higher than the approval rate in the sectors of health, public security and taxation.
Moreover, approval for Lula\’s government management dropped by one percentage point from the previous poll to 83 percent.
The report also showed that 77 percent of Brazilians have confidence in the president, one percentage point lower than in December.
About 49 percent of respondents believed that Lula\’s current term is better than his first.
Ibope surveyed 2,002 people between March 6 and 10 in 140 Brazilian municipalities. The poll has a margin of error of two percentage points.
Related:
Brazil\’s president: Gov\’t legacy will last
RIO DE JANEIRO, March 2 (Xinhua) — Brazil\’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said Tuesday that the progress his government has made will not be undone, no matter who wins the October presidential election.
According to him, speculations to the contrary amount to \”electoral terrorism.\”? Full story
Lula\’s handpicked candidate leads in Brazil election: poll
RIO DE JANEIRO, March 3 (Xinhua) — Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva\’s chief of staff Dilma Rousseff has a majority of votes ahead of the Oct. 3 general election, according to a poll released on Wednesday.
Rousseff, who is the presidential candidate of Lula\’s Workers Party, gets 40 percent of the voting intentions of those who benefit from the government\’s wealth transference program Bolsa Familia, according to the Datafolha election poll.? Full story
http://www.lersus.com
SANTO DOMINGO, March 17 (Xinhua) — Dominican President Leonel Fernandez on Wednesday announced that his country will help Haiti build a university in Haiti\’s quake-devastated capital Port-au-Prince.
The pledge was made when the president addressed an international preparatory conference concerning reconstruction in Haiti. The conference, facilitated by the United Nations, drew representatives from major donor countries across the world.
President Fernandez said that the new university will accommodate more than 10,000 students.
The Jan. 12 earthquake with a 7.3 magnitude destroyed or damaged all the universities in the Caribbean island country.
\”We are making the design, and the university will have all the necessary tools for higher learning needed at this time,\” the president said. However, he did not say when construction work on the new university would start.
Higher education in Haiti, based on the French system, is provided by state and private universities. There were 10 such universities in the country before the earthquake struck.
Related:
UN appeals to int\’l community for maintaining aid to Haiti
SANTO DOMINGO, March 17 (Xinhua) — The United Nations special representative in Haiti on Wednesday called upon the international community to maintain its aid and assistance toward the Caribbean island country devastated by the Jan. 12 earthquake.
The UN envoy, Edmond Mulet, said while reconstruction should be sped up more jobs need to be created to involve more local Haitians into the reconstruction of their country and economy.? Full story
UN Economic and Social Council to hold meeting on Haiti next month
UNITED NATIONS, March 17 (Xinhua) — The United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) said Wednesday that it will host a meeting next month to consider what else the UN can do to help the Haitian government rebuild its country.
\”The government of Haiti formulated the national plan for reconstruction, so we will see how ECOSOC and its bodies fit into the plan,\” Hamidon Ali, ECOSOC president for 2010, told journalists at UN headquarters in New York during an overview of the UN body\’s work for the year ahead.?Full story
Quake-torn Haiti needs more aid: official report
SANTO DOMINGO, March 16 (Xinhua) — Quake-ravaged Haiti needs more than 11 billion U.S. dollars for reconstruction and development, said an official report released on Tuesday.
The report was presented here at a preparatory conference related to an international donors\’ conference to be held at the end of March.?Full story
Donors evaluate Haiti reconstruction
WASHINGTON, March 15 (Xinhua) — U.S. President Barack Obama on Monday sent to Congress his blueprint for approval of a reform on the Bush-era No Child Left Behind education program. Obama\’s bill retained such Bush law features as requirement for annual math and reading tests, but he suggested moving away from relying solely on test scores to judge the academic achievement by students and to rate schools. Obama proposed a combination of school attendance, graduation rate and learning environment as gauges to judge schools by. The new bill was seen as replacing such absolute requirements as the one under which all students be proficient in reading and math by 2014 and all students graduating from high schools be prepared for either college or a career. \”We want to create the next generation of great assessments,\” said Education Secretary Arne Duncan on Monday. The proposed standards also moved away from punishing schools for not meeting federal benchmarks. They instead focused on rewarding progress, especially with top performing schools, which was expected to decrease interference with reasonably well-run schools in the middle. As for worse performing schools, the Obama bill called on states to identify their lowest performing 5 percent of schools, and to take strong measures to upgrade them. With the old version of the education law, nearly a third of the 100,000 public schools were labeled as failing, to face loss of federal funds. Critics have been blaming the old law as encouraging teachers to teach for tests by narrowing curricula. Related: Schwarzenegger signs historic education reform legislation LOS ANGELES, Jan. 7 (Xinhua) — California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger on Thursday signed a historic education reform legislation that will make California more competitive to get federal funding in education. The legislation ensures that California \”can submit a highly competitive application for up to 700 million dollars in much needed funding for our schools by implementing historic and sweeping education reform measures to better California\’s education system,\” the governor said in a statement.? Full story http://www.cne.cc
CARACAS, March 15 (Xinhua) — Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez on Monday met with his visiting Belarussian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko for talks aimed at expanding the strategic ties between the two countries. At the Miraflores Palace in Venezuela\’s capital, the two leaders discussed issues of energy, construction and agro-industry, local media reported. \”Our countries will continue advancing and boosting our developments, with the ideas of socialism. We are united and we have held meetings for five consecutive years,\” Chavez said after their meeting, together with Lukashenko. Chavez also said he will visit Belarus in the coming months. At the proposal of Chavez, Venezuela and Belarus will create a joint company to distribute Belarussian commodities to Venezuela and other Latin American countries. This is Lukashenko\’s second visit to Venezuela in two years. The two countries have more than 70 agreements between them, with a bilateral trade volume of 200 million U.S. dollars last year. http://www.lersus.com
SAN SALVADOR, March 17 (Xinhua) — The U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) will establish a regional office in El Salvador, as part of an agreement to control arms trafficking in Central America, officials said Wednesday. Assistant director of operations, Howard Coto, said the ATF office will give advice to the new national police department specializing on firearms control. The ATF will make a diagnosis on the procedures and the mechanisms used by the local institutions in the cases related to trafficking and use of firearms and explosives. According to official figures, five years ago, there were 500,000 firearms in El Salvador in civilian hands and half of them were not registered. http://www.kphy.com
LOS ANGELES, March 16 (Xinhua) — An earthquake measuring 4.4 on the Richter scale shook parts of Greater Los Angeles early Tuesday, but there was no immediate report of damage, the U.S. Geological Survey said. The quake took place at 4:04 a.m. (1104 GMT) at a depth of 17 km. The quake\’s epicenter was 1.6 km east-northeast of Pico Rivera and 18 km east-southeast of downtown Los Angeles, acording to the U.S. GS. The tremor, which lasted several seconds, was strong enough to awaken residents and send some rushing outdoors. Some residents reported objects falling to the ground. But police said they received no report of injuries or damage. http://www.chinacourse.com
BRASILIA, March 17 (Xinhua) — Brazil\’s two leading presidential candidates narrowed their gap in voter support by five percentage points, according to a public poll released Wednesday. The Social Democratic Party\’s (PSDB) candidate Jose Serra, who was favored by 35 percent of respondents, maintained a narrower lead versus president-backed Dilma Rousseff from the Workers\’ Party (PT), the Ibope opinion research institute reported in a poll released by the National Confederation of Industry (CNI). The survey showed a sharp reduction in voter support between the two candidates from the previous poll in December, when the gap was 21 percentage points. The Brazilian Socialist Party\’s (PSB) Ciro Gomes and former Environment Minister Senator Marina Silva from the Green Party (PV) gained 11 percent and 6 percent of support, respectively. The poll also indicated that in a second-round runoff, Serra would defeat Rousseff by a margin of 44 percent to 39 percent. Ibope surveyed 2,002 people between March 6 and 10 in 140 Brazilian municipalities. The poll has a margin of error of two percentage points. Related: Gap narrows between two major presidential candidates in Brazil: poll BRASILIA, March 17 (Xinhua) — The gap between the opposition presidential candidate, the governor of Sao Paulo Jose Serra, from the Social Democratic Party (PSDB), and the ruling candidate, chief of staff Dilma Rousseff, from the Workers\’ Party (PT), reduced to 5 percentage points, according to a poll released Wednesday. According to Ibope poll, commissioned by the National Confederation of Industry (CNI), 35 percent of voters support Serra, against 30 percent for Rousseff.? Full story Lula\’s handpicked candidate leads in Brazil election: poll RIO DE JANEIRO, March 3 (Xinhua) — Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva\’s chief of staff Dilma Rousseff has a majority of votes ahead of the Oct. 3 general election, according to a poll released on Wednesday. Rousseff, who is the presidential candidate of Lula\’s Workers Party, gets 40 percent of the voting intentions of those who benefit from the government\’s wealth transference program Bolsa Familia, according to the Datafolha election poll.? Full story http://www.minamik.com
SANTO DOMINGO, March 17 (Xinhua) — General Director of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Jacques Diouf said Wednesday that Haiti needs at least 800 million U.S. dollars to revive its agriculture sector. Diouf said Haiti\’s agriculture sector can meet only 20 percent of domestic demand. He therefore asked international organizations to continue aiding Haiti, which was devastated by a 7.3-magnitude earthquake on Jan. 12. At the Conference of Donor Countries to Haiti in Santo Domingo, capital of the Dominican Republic, Diouf said that after the earthquake, Haitian authorities worked out a 700 million dollars rescue plan for the agriculture sector. \”But the graveness of the damage made us think that at least 800 million dollars will be needed,\” Diouf said. Diouf added that before the earthquake, the FAO worked on agriculture programs with a value of 40 million dollars. But after the quake, it was necessary to reshift its priorities. Among the most urgent is safeguarding the next sowing season, mainly from March to May, which makes up 60 percent of the country\’s agriculture production. The FAO has provided seeds and fertilizers to about 118,000 families in the country. Diouf also said that after the quake, the FAO has shifted its focus to action plans aimed at developing agriculture in river basins, reforestation and vegetable production. Related: UN appeals to int\’l community for maintaining aid to Haiti SANTO DOMINGO, March 17 (Xinhua) — The United Nations special representative in Haiti on Wednesday called upon the international community to maintain its aid and assistance toward the Caribbean island country devastated by the Jan. 12 earthquake. The UN envoy, Edmond Mulet, said while reconstruction should be sped up more jobs need to be created to involve more local Haitians into the reconstruction of their country and economy.? Full story
UN Economic and Social Council to hold meeting on Haiti next month UNITED NATIONS, March 17 (Xinhua) — The United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) said Wednesday that it will host a meeting next month to consider what else the UN can do to help the Haitian government rebuild its country. \”The government of Haiti formulated the national plan for reconstruction, so we will see how ECOSOC and its bodies fit into the plan,\” Hamidon Ali, ECOSOC president for 2010, told journalists at UN headquarters in New York during an overview of the UN body\’s work for the year ahead.?Full story Quake-torn Haiti needs more aid: official report SANTO DOMINGO, March 16 (Xinhua) — Quake-ravaged Haiti needs more than 11 billion U.S. dollars for reconstruction and development, said an official report released on Tuesday.
MEXICO CITY, March 17 (Xinhua) — A Guatemalan criminal court approved the extradition of ex-president Alfonso Portillo to the United States, where he will face money laundering charges, according to reports reaching here Wednesday. \”This court finds the U.S. government\’s extradition request against Alfonso Portillo, accused of crimes of conspiracy to engage in money laundering, will go ahead,\” the Fifth Sentencing Court\’s decision said. Guatemalan police detained Portillo in January after the United States requested his extradition to face charges dating back to his presidency. Portillo served as Guatemalan president between 2000 and 2004 and went to live in Mexico after his term. He was extradited to Guatemala in 2008 on charges that he had collaborated during his presidency with the military to embezzle up to 1 million U.S. dollars from public funds. The United States accused the former Guatemalan president of delivering 1.5 million dollars to accounts controlled by his ex-wife and his daughter. http://www.lersus.com
MEXICO CITY, March 17 (Xinhua) — Mexican President Felipe Calderon met visiting Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos Wednesday, with both pledging to deepen cooperation on global issues of common concern. Moratinos, whose country holds the rotating presidency of the European Union (EU), discussed with Calderon on how to work more closely together to fight climate change and overhaul the global financial system, Calderon\’s office said. Calderon said Mexico welcomes closer cooperation with other countries on political and economic issues. For his part, Moratinos said at a press conference that Spain and Mexico now have the opportunity to make joint decisions on global issues such as reforming the international financial system. Both countries were greatly affected by the ongoing global financial crisis. Spain has been Mexico\’s second largest investor. Besides, Moratinos also called on the two countries to adopt a more global perspective. \”The bilateral frame is already small, so Mexico and Spain have to look at the world,\” Moratinos said. Calderon will visit Spain in May to discuss a Mexico-EU action plan which will be presented at the EU-Mexico summit in June. Related: Mexico, Spain cooperate to smash international crimes MEXICO CITY, Oct. 14 (Xinhua) — Mexican Attorney General Arturo Chavez Chavez and Spanish Justice Minister Francisco Caamano Dominquez met on Wednesday to share information on fighting international organized crimes, the Attorney General\’s Office (PGR) said in a statement on Wednesday. \”The meeting shows the high level of inter-institutional cooperation between the PGR and the Spanish Justice Ministry, which contributes to stronger Mexico-Spain relations,\” the statement said.? Full story http://www.chinacourse.com
OTTAWA, March 17 (Xinhua) — A total of eight Canadians, military and civilian, were killed in Afghanistan in the last quarter of 2009, a report from Canada\’s foreign ministry said Wednesday. The seventh quarterly report on the Canadian mission in Afghanistan since 2008 said Canada provided mine risk education, literacy and vocational training to tens of thousands of residents in the southern provice of Kandahar. \”Canadian funding helped the World Food Program provide over 95,500 tons of food nationally,\” Canadian Foreign Minister Lawrence Cannon said in the quarterly report. \”We also contributed to the extension of microfinance loans nationally through the Microfinance Investment Support Facility, and exceeded our 2011 target for Kandahar,\” he added. Besides, during that quarter, the Canadian mission in Afghanistan built two schools, and trained 197 teachers and 47 health care workers among others, according to the report. Canada is in Afghanistan with over 60 other nations and international organizations, at the request of the Afghan government and as part of a UN-mandated, NATO-led mission. In the fourth quarter of 2009, the 43-nation International Security Assistance Force, which includes 2,800 largely Kandahar-based Canadian troops, increased by approximately 5,000 soldiers to reach 112,000, up from 51,000 the year before. Related: Body of 140th Canadian soldier killed in Afghanistan arrives home OTTAWA, Feb. 15 (Xinhua) — The body of a 24-year-old Canadian soldier died in Afghanistan was sent back home on Monday, raising to 140 the number of Canadian servicemen killed in Afghanistan since 2002. Corporal Joshua Baker of The Loyal Edmonton Regiment (4th Battalion Princess Patricia\’s Canadian Light Infantry), who was serving with the Kandahar Provincial Reconstruction Team in Afghanistan, died Friday in an accident on a shooting range during a routine training exercise.? Full story http://www.ceshq.com
SANTO DOMINGO, March 17 (Xinhua) — Haitian Prime Minister Jean-Max Bellerive said here Wednesday that Haiti was considering holding presidential and legislative elections between November this year and February 2011. The 7.3-magnitude earthquake in January disrupted Haiti\’s political agenda. Haiti\’s electoral council said last month that the country\’s legislative elections, originally scheduled between Feb. 28 and March 3, had been postponed to an unspecified later date. The 2010 legislative elections would feature over 900 candidates, 99 deputies and 11 senators. The presidential election was originally scheduled in November. Related: Haiti legislative elections postponed PORT-AU-PRINCE, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) — Haiti\’s legislative elections have been postponed to an unspecified later date, the country\’s electoral council said on Tuesday. Though official reasons behind the postponement were not given, the Haitian president last week pointed out that the Jan. 12 killer earthquake had forced a delay in the election process.? Full story http://www.lersus.com
VANCOUVER, March 17 (Xinhua) — The Canadian government unveiled a new avalanche warning system Wednesday amid renewed concerns about the risks of backcountry access following a deadly slide four days ago. The new system uses five icons to outline avalanche risks from low to extreme, as well as descriptions and definitions to help backcountry users make informed decisions. Compared with the previous system, the new one borrowed five danger icons from the European system and clarifies the language of the warnings. It \”communicates the likelihood of avalanches being triggered, their expected size, how widespread the situation may become and the recommended action for backcountry travel,\” Environment Minister Jim Prentice said in Calgary. He described the risk and consequence information in the new scale as \”the most comprehensive and complete\” to date. According to Prentice, the idea of modifying old warning system came following the 2002-03 winter season when 29 avalanche fatalities were reported in the country, including seven children who were on a ski tour in the backcountry in southeastern BC. The danger of avalanche caused concerns again after a massive avalanche killed two men and injured more than 30 others Saturday in southeastern British Columbia. The slide occurred when about 200 people gathered in the backcountry for an annual snowmobiling event despite high avalanche warnings. \”We strongly believe every avalanche fatality is preventable. People can safely enjoy the backcountry if they\’re well trained and well informed,\” Prentice said. The new avalanche warning system will be in effect next winter and across North America. http://www.kphy.com
U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner attends the Hire act signing ceremony at the White House in Washington D.C., capital of the United States, March 18, 2010. The U.S. Department of Treasury announced on Thursday that it has imposed sanctions against two entities in Gaza for their alleged close ties with the ruling Islamic movement Hamas. (Xinhua/Zhang Jun) WASHINGTON, March 18 (Xinhua) — The U.S. Treasury said on Thursday it imposed sanctions against the Islamic National Bank and Al-Aqsa Television in the Gaza Strip for their relations with the Hamas. http://www.znnw.com
SANTIAGO, March 16 (Xinhua) — A preliminary estimate shows Chile needs 30 billion U.S. dollars for repair following the 8.8-magnitude earthquake on Feb. 27, President Sebastian Pinera said Tuesday. The cost accounts for 18 percent of the country\’s gross domestic product (GDP), Pinera said while meeting with leaders of the right-wing Coalition for Change. Pinera said more than half of the money will be paid by the government, while between 5 billion to 8 billion dollars will be covered by insurance. Repairing houses will cost some 10 billion dollars and restoring public infrastructure, 3 billion dollars, he said, adding the current problem is a tight budget. According to Pinera, the administration of former President Michelle Bachelet increased the fiscal expenses in 2009 by 17 percent, higher than the predicted 14 percent. Besides, she overdrafted the 2010 budget by some 2 billion dollars between January and February, making the national budget of the year surpass 40 billion dollars, Pinera said. To solve this problem, the government is considering raising taxes, but has yet to present a concrete proposal. However, it will first try to reassign international loans in order to ease inflationary pressure. Pinera\’s estimate of the damage and reconstruction costs is seen as an attempt to lower public expectations towards the government\’s capability to face the catastrophe. The government has before launched a campaign to explain the complex situation and try to correct the impression the former president has given to the public that the country has enough resources and is fully capable of surviving the crisis. Chile\’s Minister of National Defense Jaime Ravinet on Monday called on the country\’s conscripts to fulfil their military duty and voluntarily extend their service to the end of the year to assist in the reconstruction efforts. Rodrigo Hinzpeter, Chile\’s interior minister, demanded members of the parliament\’s ruling coalition to inform the government of any possible social conflicts in their districts, which had been one of the main concerns of President Pinera before he was sworn in. Furthermore, after touring the southern part of Chile, Pinera pledged to build makeshift schools so that school in the affected regions could reopen before April 26. More than 1.2 million students could not go to school in 2010 because of the damage caused by the earthquake. The new president also set March as the deadline to restore basic services and food supplies in the most affected regions, and announced measures to help small and medium enterprises resume business.
Related: Quake-caused damage to reach 30 bln USD: Chilean gov\’t SANTIAGO, March 16 (Xinhua) — Chilean Interior Minister Rodrigo Hinzpeter estimated on Tuesday that the damage caused by the devastating 8.8 magnitude earthquake and the ensuing Tsunami on Feb. 27 will reach 30 billion U.S. dollars.
SANTO DOMINGO, March 16 (Xinhua) — Two off-duty Haitian policemen on Tuesday were shot to death by drive-by motorcyclists in the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince, reports reaching here said. The Haitian police confirmed that the deceased policemen were sitting in a car near an open-air market near the La Saline area. Eyewitnesses said that one policeman died in the back seat of the car while the other policeman managed to get out of the car but was killed on the pavement. Garry Desrosiers, spokesman for the national police forces, said that such shootings against police officers had increased since thousands of prisoners escaped during the Jan. 12 earthquake. http://www.znnw.com
U.S. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi attends an event highlighting health care reform at the Capitol Hill in Washington D.C., capital of the United States, March 18, 2010. U.S. House Democratic leaders unveiled their final version of health insurance reform bill Thursday, setting stage for a final vote in the House on Sunday. The bill is estimated to cost 940 billion U.S. dollars in 10 years. (Xinhua/Wang Fengfeng) WASHINGTON, March 18 (Xinhua) — U.S. Democratic leaders unveiled the final version of the health insurance reform bill Thursday, setting the stage for a vote this weekend in the House of Representatives. According to the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO), the bill will cost 940 billion U.S. dollars over the next 10 years, while cutting the federal deficit by 138 billion dollars. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer unveiled the bill in the Capitol, with Pelosi saying the bill is making \”history\” and \”progress.\” According to CBO figures announced earlier in the day, the overhaul is estimated to cost some 940 billion dollars over 10 years, in the meantime cutting federal deficit by 138 billion dollars. The bill is estimated to cut 1.2 trillion dollars in deficit in its second decade. It will give coverage to 32 million uninsured Americans by 2016. However, CBO said the estimate is preliminary, because it \”has not thoroughly examined the reconciliation proposal to verify its consistency with the previous draft.\” The favorable estimate is a boost to Democratic leaders, which would help them convince House Democrats who are unsure of the bill. With CBO\’s assessments made public, the House can publish the text of the bill for 72 hours of review before a vote in the Chamber. The Democrats are setting the stage for a vote on Sunday. Hoyer said Americans would benefit if the House passes the bill, \”as we will on Sunday.\” U.S. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (C) attends an event highlighting health care reform at the Capitol Hill in Washington D.C., capital of the United States, March 18, 2010. U.S. House Democratic leaders unveiled their final version of health insurance reform bill Thursday, setting stage for a final vote in the House on Sunday. The bill is estimated to cost 940 billion U.S. dollars in 10 years. (Xinhua/Wang Fengfeng) ?
Democratic leaders have been working hard to get the 216 votes they need in the House. As Republicans form a rock-solid position against the reform, whether Democrats stick together can make or break the bill. U.S. President Barack Obama signs the Hire act in the rose garden at the White House in Washington D.C., capital of the United States, March 18, 2010. Barack Obama on Thursday signed into law the Hire Act, a bill that will spur job growth and strengthen the private sector by encouraging businesses to hire new workers and invest in their companies and communities. The legislation includes about 18 billion dollars in tax breaks and 20 billion dollars into highway and transit programs. (Xinhua/Zhang Jun) WASHINGTON, March 18 (Xinhua) — U.S. President Barack Obama on Thursday signed into law the Hire Act, a bill that aims at spurring job growth and strengthening the private sector by encouraging businesses to hire new workers and invest in their companies and communities. Obama said the legislation will help the private sector — \”the true engine of job creation\” in the United States. The legislation includes about 18 billion dollars in tax breaks and 20 billion dollars into highway and transit programs. It is the first in a series proposed by the Obama administration to boost the ailing job market. Obama said that \”while this jobs bill is absolutely necessary, it is by no means enough.\” He said that the great recession took a terrible toll on the middle class and on the U.S. economy as a whole. President Barack Obama signed into law the Hire Act,a bill that aims at spurring job growth and strengthening the private sector by encouraging businesses to hire new workers and invest in their companies and communities on March 18,2010.(Xinhua/Meng Lijing) It has cost about 8.4 million Americans out of work, and the total unemployed population are about 15 million. Unemployment rate, currently at 9.7 percent, is widely predicted to keep at high level this year. Obama said that partly because of the government\’s stimulus plan over the past year, the U.S. economy is now growing again and the country will soon be adding jobs instead of losing them. The president believes that the jobs bill he signed will help accelerate the process. Again, he encouraged the private sector to take the responsibility. \”The solution to our economic problems will not come from government alone,\” Obama said. \”Government can\’t create all the jobs we need or can it repair all the damage that\’s been done by this recession.\” \”There is a lot more we need to do to spur hiring in the private sector and bring about full economic recovery,\” he said. However, many experts are skeptical that the new law will do much to actually create jobs. Optimistic estimates predict the tax break could generate perhaps 250,000 jobs through the end of the year, which will be just a small proportion of the overall lost jobs.
