Monks Disrupt Media Tour in China BEIJING — China suffered another unexpected public relations setback on Wednesday when Buddhist monks interrupted a government-managed media tour in western China by waving a Tibetan flag and protesting that the authorities were depriving them of their human rights.
The disruption, in the city of Xiahe in Gansu Province, marked the second time that monks have upstaged government efforts to control foreign media tours of Tibetan areas. NYTimes By JIM YARDLEY and JAKE HOOKER Published: April 10, 2008
San Francisco braces for Olympic torch protests
SAN FRANCISCO, California (CNN) -- San Francisco authorities are gearing up for protests Wednesday when runners carry the Olympic torch through the city, hoping to avoid the chaos that disrupted the relay in London and Paris.
Police officers' vacations have been canceled. Mayor Gavin Newsom has said that the route along the waterfront -- already cut from eight to six miles -- could be changed up to and even during the run itself.
"Things are still subject to change based on the information that we receive," San Francisco police Sgt. Neville Gittens said. "The goal is to have a safe event for everyone -- spectators and participants."
Protests won't be one-sided. Activists are in town from both camps: people who believe the Games should not be held in China and those who support the event.
In the early hours Wednesday, busloads of Beijing Olympics supporters, dressed in red and waving Chinese flags, arrived and assembled near the city's McCovey Cove, six hours before the torch run was scheduled to start there.
Business owners in San Francisco asked for calm at a news conference Tuesday. "We are begging for five hours of peace," said Sam Ng, president of the Chinese Six Companies, a prominent benevolent association in the city, according to CNN affiliate KTVU.
The group Students for a Free Tibet plan to demonstrate, and one of its spokesmen said he has heard of many people planning to be in San Francisco.
"We want it to be peaceful. But it will be large," said spokesman Tenzin Dasang. "I heard from Tibetans that now live all over the U.S. and even abroad who are coming here."
Petraeus, Crocker Testify Before the House
Army Gen. David H. Petraeus and U.S. Ambassador Ryan C. Crocker returned to Congress this morning to urge House lawmakers to support a pause in troop withdrawals from Iraq, a day after pleading with skeptical senators that such a halt is necessary to consolidate security gains after five years of war.
If President Bush adopts the recommendations of Petraeus and Crocker, which aides said he is expected to do, it will all but guarantee that about 140,000 troops will remain in Iraq at least through the fall presidential election. By Peter Washington Post Staff Writers Baker and Jonathan Walkman Wednesday, April 9, 2008; 10:04 AM
American Cancels Hundreds of Flights for Inspection
American Airlines canceled upwards of 850 flights this morning, stranding passengers for a second day so mechanics could reinspect planes to ensure that wire bundling on the jets meets federal safety standards. By Del Quentin Wilber and Howard Schneider Washington Post Staff Writer Wednesday, April 9, 2008; 10:43 AM
Qui sont les «robots» du comité olympique chinois ?
Ils ont bousculé plusieurs relayeurs, essayé de retirer des badges et provoqué la colère de David Douillet… Mais qui sont ces hommes en bleu ?
Qui est assez téméraire pour risquer un accrochage avec David Douillet ? Caché sous un inoffensif survêtement blanc et bleu, un officiel chinois n'a pas hésité à prendre des mains du champion olympique de judo la torche olympique. Qui est-il ? Ses lunettes noires et son oreillette donnent un aperçu du CV de cet « homme en bleu » dont l'escouade a été qualifiée de « robots » par Douillet et de « voyous » par le Britannique Sebastian Coe.
Le « Groupe de protection de la flamme olympique » a été très officiellement fondé en août 2007. Ce jour là, Jiang Xiaoyu, vice-président du Bocog (comité d'organisation des jeux de Pékin), se rend à l'Institut de la police spéciale, basé à Pékin. En présence de haut-gradés, il assiste à la prestation de serment des membres du « Groupe de protection », réunis en grand uniforme. Si l'on s'en tient aux photos de cette journée d'inauguration, les gardiens de la flamme seraient une cinquantaine.
La « police spéciale » est l'élite de la Police Armée de Chine, une force de 660.000 hommes, distincte de l'Armée Populaire de Chine, qui dépend du Ministère de la Sécurité publique. Ses membres sont entrainés à diverses missions, qui vont de l'assaut contre un avion détourné à la gestion des émeutes en passant par la protection des personnalités. Laurent Suply (lefigaro.fr) 09/04/2008 Mise à jour : 12:46
PRIMER CANDIDATO ELEGIDO EN LAS URNAS QUE NO LO CONSIGUE
MADRID.- El presidente, de momento y por lo menos hasta el viernes en funciones, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, no ha logrado la mayoría absoluta (176 votos) del Congreso para ser elegido en primera vuelta. Se convierte así, en el primer presidente elegido en las urnas que no lo consigue y tiene que esperar a una segunda votación, que será el viernes, para ser investido.
Las quinielas se han cumplido. La ronda de negociaciones realizada en las últimas semanas por el PSOE para buscar apoyo ya lo venía anunciando. Ninguno de los partidos, exceptuando el suyo propio, ha dado su voto positivo a la candidatura de Zapatero.
Sólo ha obtenido 168 votos de los diputados socialistas -falta un voto por la ausencia de una diputada- y ha recibido 158 votos en contra, PP, ERC y UPyD, y 23 abstenciones. Elmundo miércoles 09/04/2008 14:25 ANA DEL BARRIO ESTHER MUCIENTES
Barril do petróleo bate novo recorde e supera US$ 112 em NY
Os preços do petróleo superaram pela primeira vez a marca dos US$ 112 em Nova York e dos US$ 109 em Londres nesta quarta-feira, impulsionados pela queda inesperada das reservas de petróleo dos Estados Unidos e uma nova baixa do dólar, a divisa em que é negociado a commodity.
Por volta das 14h (Brasília), o contrato para maio na Nymex (New York Mercantile Exchange) era negociado com alta de US$ 3,10, a US$ 111,60, após atingir o pico de US$ 112,21. O recorde anterior, registrado em 17 de março, era de US$ 111,80.
As reservas de petróleo dos EUA caíram 3,2 milhões de barris na semana passada e atingiram 312 milhões de barris, informou nesta quarta-feira o Departamento de Energia americano. A previsão dos analistas era de alta de 2 milhões de barris.
As reservas de petróleo são consideradas um indicador importante da atividade econômica nos Estados Unidos. Quando menor é a reserva, estima-se uma maior atividade econômica no país.
O dado também é fundamental no andamento do preço da commodity, já que os EUA são o maior consumidor mundial do produto. Folha Online 09/04/2008 - 14h39
Report: Six shot in Malaysian airport heist
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) -- News reports say armed robbers have shot and wounded six people before escaping with about 3.3 million ringgit ($1 million) in cash at Malaysia's main international airport.
The national news agency Bernama says a group of between four and six robbers opened fire at two moneychangers and two security guards who were carrying a bag of cash late Wednesday at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport.
District police chief Zahedi Ayub says two other bystanders were also wounded, but flights have not been disrupted.
The disruption, in the city of Xiahe in Gansu Province, marked the second time that monks have upstaged government efforts to control foreign media tours of Tibetan areas. NYTimes By JIM YARDLEY and JAKE HOOKER Published: April 10, 2008
San Francisco braces for Olympic torch protestsSAN FRANCISCO, California (CNN) -- San Francisco authorities are gearing up for protests Wednesday when runners carry the Olympic torch through the city, hoping to avoid the chaos that disrupted the relay in London and Paris.
Police officers' vacations have been canceled. Mayor Gavin Newsom has said that the route along the waterfront -- already cut from eight to six miles -- could be changed up to and even during the run itself.
"Things are still subject to change based on the information that we receive," San Francisco police Sgt. Neville Gittens said. "The goal is to have a safe event for everyone -- spectators and participants."
Protests won't be one-sided. Activists are in town from both camps: people who believe the Games should not be held in China and those who support the event.
In the early hours Wednesday, busloads of Beijing Olympics supporters, dressed in red and waving Chinese flags, arrived and assembled near the city's McCovey Cove, six hours before the torch run was scheduled to start there.
Business owners in San Francisco asked for calm at a news conference Tuesday. "We are begging for five hours of peace," said Sam Ng, president of the Chinese Six Companies, a prominent benevolent association in the city, according to CNN affiliate KTVU.
The group Students for a Free Tibet plan to demonstrate, and one of its spokesmen said he has heard of many people planning to be in San Francisco.
"We want it to be peaceful. But it will be large," said spokesman Tenzin Dasang. "I heard from Tibetans that now live all over the U.S. and even abroad who are coming here."
Petraeus, Crocker Testify Before the House
Army Gen. David H. Petraeus and U.S. Ambassador Ryan C. Crocker returned to Congress this morning to urge House lawmakers to support a pause in troop withdrawals from Iraq, a day after pleading with skeptical senators that such a halt is necessary to consolidate security gains after five years of war.
If President Bush adopts the recommendations of Petraeus and Crocker, which aides said he is expected to do, it will all but guarantee that about 140,000 troops will remain in Iraq at least through the fall presidential election. By Peter Washington Post Staff Writers Baker and Jonathan Walkman Wednesday, April 9, 2008; 10:04 AM
American Cancels Hundreds of Flights for Inspection
American Airlines canceled upwards of 850 flights this morning, stranding passengers for a second day so mechanics could reinspect planes to ensure that wire bundling on the jets meets federal safety standards. By Del Quentin Wilber and Howard Schneider Washington Post Staff Writer Wednesday, April 9, 2008; 10:43 AM
Qui sont les «robots» du comité olympique chinois ?Ils ont bousculé plusieurs relayeurs, essayé de retirer des badges et provoqué la colère de David Douillet… Mais qui sont ces hommes en bleu ?
Qui est assez téméraire pour risquer un accrochage avec David Douillet ? Caché sous un inoffensif survêtement blanc et bleu, un officiel chinois n'a pas hésité à prendre des mains du champion olympique de judo la torche olympique. Qui est-il ? Ses lunettes noires et son oreillette donnent un aperçu du CV de cet « homme en bleu » dont l'escouade a été qualifiée de « robots » par Douillet et de « voyous » par le Britannique Sebastian Coe.
Le « Groupe de protection de la flamme olympique » a été très officiellement fondé en août 2007. Ce jour là, Jiang Xiaoyu, vice-président du Bocog (comité d'organisation des jeux de Pékin), se rend à l'Institut de la police spéciale, basé à Pékin. En présence de haut-gradés, il assiste à la prestation de serment des membres du « Groupe de protection », réunis en grand uniforme. Si l'on s'en tient aux photos de cette journée d'inauguration, les gardiens de la flamme seraient une cinquantaine.
La « police spéciale » est l'élite de la Police Armée de Chine, une force de 660.000 hommes, distincte de l'Armée Populaire de Chine, qui dépend du Ministère de la Sécurité publique. Ses membres sont entrainés à diverses missions, qui vont de l'assaut contre un avion détourné à la gestion des émeutes en passant par la protection des personnalités. Laurent Suply (lefigaro.fr) 09/04/2008 Mise à jour : 12:46
PRIMER CANDIDATO ELEGIDO EN LAS URNAS QUE NO LO CONSIGUEMADRID.- El presidente, de momento y por lo menos hasta el viernes en funciones, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, no ha logrado la mayoría absoluta (176 votos) del Congreso para ser elegido en primera vuelta. Se convierte así, en el primer presidente elegido en las urnas que no lo consigue y tiene que esperar a una segunda votación, que será el viernes, para ser investido.
Las quinielas se han cumplido. La ronda de negociaciones realizada en las últimas semanas por el PSOE para buscar apoyo ya lo venía anunciando. Ninguno de los partidos, exceptuando el suyo propio, ha dado su voto positivo a la candidatura de Zapatero.
Sólo ha obtenido 168 votos de los diputados socialistas -falta un voto por la ausencia de una diputada- y ha recibido 158 votos en contra, PP, ERC y UPyD, y 23 abstenciones. Elmundo miércoles 09/04/2008 14:25 ANA DEL BARRIO ESTHER MUCIENTES
Barril do petróleo bate novo recorde e supera US$ 112 em NY
Os preços do petróleo superaram pela primeira vez a marca dos US$ 112 em Nova York e dos US$ 109 em Londres nesta quarta-feira, impulsionados pela queda inesperada das reservas de petróleo dos Estados Unidos e uma nova baixa do dólar, a divisa em que é negociado a commodity.
Por volta das 14h (Brasília), o contrato para maio na Nymex (New York Mercantile Exchange) era negociado com alta de US$ 3,10, a US$ 111,60, após atingir o pico de US$ 112,21. O recorde anterior, registrado em 17 de março, era de US$ 111,80.
As reservas de petróleo dos EUA caíram 3,2 milhões de barris na semana passada e atingiram 312 milhões de barris, informou nesta quarta-feira o Departamento de Energia americano. A previsão dos analistas era de alta de 2 milhões de barris.
As reservas de petróleo são consideradas um indicador importante da atividade econômica nos Estados Unidos. Quando menor é a reserva, estima-se uma maior atividade econômica no país.
O dado também é fundamental no andamento do preço da commodity, já que os EUA são o maior consumidor mundial do produto. Folha Online 09/04/2008 - 14h39
Report: Six shot in Malaysian airport heist
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) -- News reports say armed robbers have shot and wounded six people before escaping with about 3.3 million ringgit ($1 million) in cash at Malaysia's main international airport.
The national news agency Bernama says a group of between four and six robbers opened fire at two moneychangers and two security guards who were carrying a bag of cash late Wednesday at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport.
District police chief Zahedi Ayub says two other bystanders were also wounded, but flights have not been disrupted.
