tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57598503913897772572024-03-05T14:49:20.093-08:00Welcom to Chanthy.BlogspotChanthyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02917138286285731224noreply@blogger.comBlogger477125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5759850391389777257.post-5519404666007543832009-05-01T06:49:00.000-07:002009-05-01T06:50:23.305-07:00GM to shed 21,000 U.S. workers by 2010<table style="width: 176px; height: 11px;" align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" height="11" width="176"><tbody><tr><td style="font-size: 12px;"><img style="width: 450px; height: 281px;" alt="The file photo taken on April 15, 2009 shows the GM logo outside the GM headquarters in Detroit, the United States. General Motors announced restructuring plans on April 27, 2009, to cut 23,000 U.S. jobs by 2011, drop its storied Pontiac brand and slash 40% of its dealer network in its latest bid to stay out of bankruptcy. (Xinhua/Gu Xinrong)" src="http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-04/28/xin_5120406281037984275224.jpg" border="0" hspace="0" /></td></tr> <tr> <td style="font-size: 12px;"> <p align="left"><span style="color:#000080;">The file photo taken on April 15, 2009 shows the GM logo outside the GM headquarters in Detroit, the United States. General Motors announced restructuring plans on April 27, 2009, to cut 23,000 U.S. jobs by 2011, drop its storied Pontiac brand and slash 40% of its dealer network in its latest bid to stay out of bankruptcy. </span><a href="http://www.chinaview.cn/photos/index.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#800000;"><br /></span></a></p></td></tr></tbody></table> <p align="center"><span id="Zoom"><a href="http://www.chinaview.cn/fc/" target="_blank"><strong></strong></a></span></p> <p><span id="Zoom"> CHICAGO, April 27 (Xinhua) -- General Motors presented on Monday an updated viability plan that will lay off more U.S. workers. </span></p> <p><span id="Zoom"> GM's hourly workers will be shed by 7,000 more than outlined in the February plan, from 61,000 to 40,000 by 2010. Salaried employees are also expected to be cut further. </span></p><p> <table style="width: 176px; height: 11px;" align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" height="11" width="176"> <tbody><tr> <td style="font-size: 12px;"><img style="width: 450px; height: 289px;" alt="The file photo taken on April 15, 2009 shows the GM headquarters in Detroit, the United States. (Xinhua/Gu Xinrong)" src="http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-04/28/xin_5220406281037203115385.jpg" border="0" hspace="0" /></td></tr> <tr> <td style="font-size: 12px;"> <p align="left"><span style="color:#000080;">The file photo taken on April 15, 2009 shows the GM headquarters in Detroit, the United States. </span><a href="http://www.chinaview.cn/photos/index.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#800000;"><br /></span></a></p></td></tr></tbody></table><span id="Zoom"> </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> GM, surviving on 15.4 billion dollars in U.S. loans and seeking more, launched a very dilutive debt-for-stock exchange offer for 27 billion dollars of its unsecured bonds. If the swap is successful, bondholders will own about 10 percent of the company. If not, it will file for bankruptcy protection. </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> As part of the revised viability plan, GM in the U.S. will focus its resources on four core brands, Chevrolet, Cadillac, Buick and GMC. The Pontiac brand will be phased out by the end of 2010. </span></p> <table style="width: 176px; height: 11px;" align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" height="11" width="176"><tbody><tr> <td style="font-size: 12px;"><img style="width: 450px; height: 293px;" alt="The file photo taken on April 14, 2009 shows a "GM next" board inside the GM headquarters in Detroit, the United States. (Xinhua/Gu Xinrong)" src="http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-04/28/xin_522040628103737577246.jpg" border="0" hspace="0" /></td></tr> <tr> <td style="font-size: 12px;"> <p align="left"><span style="color:#000080;">The file photo taken on April 14, 2009 shows a "GM next" board inside the GM headquarters in Detroit, the United States.</span></p></td></tr></tbody></table>Chanthyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02917138286285731224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5759850391389777257.post-58140850447195021662009-05-01T06:45:00.000-07:002009-05-01T06:47:06.498-07:00Chrysler talks break down, bankruptcy looms<table style="width: 176px; height: 11px;" align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" height="11" width="176"><tbody><tr><td style="font-size: 12px;"><img src="http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-04/30/xin_2720406220835703190315.jpg" border="0" /></td></tr> <tr> <td style="font-size: 12px;"> <p align="left"><span style="color:#000080;">A walking stop sign is seen in front of the logo of Chrysler at a car dealership in New York, the United States, April 7, 2009. The U.S. Treasury will provide a further five billion dollars in loans to General Motors and 500 million dollars to Chrysler as the automakers work on their viability plans, officials said Tuesday. </span><a href="http://www.chinaview.cn/photos/index.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#800000;"><br /></span></a></p></td></tr></tbody></table> <p align="center"><span id="Zoom"><a href="http://www.chinaview.cn/fc/" target="_blank"><strong></strong></a></span></p> <p><span id="Zoom"> CHICAGO, April 29 (Xinhua) -- Talks between the U.S. Treasury Department and Chrysler LLC lenders over the automaker's debt broke off late Wednesday, leaving bankruptcy the automaker's all but certain option, news agencies reported. </span></p> <p><span id="Zoom"> Chrysler will file for bankruptcy after the talks broke down, since its 80 percent of stocks are controlled by private-equity firm Cerberus Capital Management LP, Reuters reported, quoting the Wall Street Journal. </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> The Associated Press also reported that the talks "have disintegrated," citing its own sources. </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> "After allowing talks to continue late into the night Wednesday, the Treasury Department finally ended negotiations after the hedge funds were unable to come to an agreement," the AP report said. </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> The U.S. government had set an April 30 deadline for Chrysler to strike a deal with Fiat after concluding that the struggling automaker would not be viable on its own. </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> The talks between Chrysler LLC's lenders and the Treasury Department was aimed at reducing the automaker's 6.9 billion dollars in secured debt and keep it out of bankruptcy protection. </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> The breakdown also means further emergency government aid for Chrysler will be withheld. </span></p>Chanthyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02917138286285731224noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5759850391389777257.post-79785852475204839882009-05-01T06:43:00.000-07:002009-05-01T06:44:51.178-07:00Chrysler officially files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy<span id="Zoom"> CHICAGO, April -- Chrysler LLC officially announced on Thursday that the once auto giant will file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy shortly after U.S. President Barack Obama made a midday speech, in which he indicated that the troubled automaker will form an alliance with the Italian carmaker Fiat Group SpA. </span><p><span id="Zoom"> In a statement, Chrysler said it was not able to obtain the necessary concessions from all of its lenders, which would have avoided the need for a bankruptcy proceeding. As a result, under the direction of the U.S. Treasury, Chrysler and 24 of its wholly owned U.S. subsidiaries filed voluntary petitions under Chapter 11of the Bankruptcy Code in U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York. </span></p><p> <table style="width: 176px; height: 11px;" align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" height="11" width="176"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="font-size: 12px;"><img style="width: 450px; height: 307px;" alt="Chrysler LLC officially announced on Thursday that the once auto giant will file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy shortly after U.S. President Barack Obama made a midday speech, in which he indicated that the troubled automaker will form an alliance with the Italian carmaker Fiat Group SpA." src="http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-05/01/xin_2620506010614484323454.jpg" border="0" hspace="0" /></td></tr> <tr> <td style="font-size: 12px;"> <p align="left"><span style="color:#000080;">A Chrysler 200C is shown during the International New York Auto Show in New York, the U.S., in this file photo taken on April 8, 2009. U.S. President Barack Obama said on Thursday that he supports the nation's third largest automaker Chrysler LLC to file for bankruptcy protection, saying he believes Chrysler will emerge quickly from bankruptcy as a stronger, more viable company. </span><a href="http://www.chinaview.cn/photos/index.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#800000;"><br /></span></a></p></td></tr></tbody></table> </p><p><span id="Zoom"> At the same time, Chrysler announced that it has reached an agreement in principle to establish a global strategic alliance with Fiat SpA to form a vibrant new company. It will allow Chrysler and Fiat to fully optimize their respective manufacturing footprints and the global supplier base, while providing each with access to additional markets. Fiat power trains and components will also be produced at Chrysler manufacturing sites. </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> "While I am excited about the creation of the global alliance, I am personally disappointed that today Chrysler has filed for Chapter 11. This was not my first choice," said Bob Nardelli, chairman and CEO of Chrysler. </span></p><p> <table style="width: 176px; height: 11px;" align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" height="11" width="176"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="font-size: 12px;"><img style="width: 450px; height: 326px;" alt="Chrysler LLC officially announced on Thursday that the once auto giant will file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy shortly after U.S. President Barack Obama made a midday speech, in which he indicated that the troubled automaker will form an alliance with the Italian carmaker Fiat Group SpA." src="http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-05/01/xin_2620506010614609271085.jpg" border="0" hspace="0" /></td></tr> <tr> <td style="font-size: 12px;"> <p align="left"><span style="color:#000080;">An employee works in a Chrysler dealer in New York, the U.S., in this file photo taken on April 24, 2009. </span><a href="http://www.chinaview.cn/photos/index.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#800000;"><br /></span></a></p></td></tr></tbody></table> </p><p><span id="Zoom"> Chrysler also will file a motion under Section 363 of the Bankruptcy Code requesting the swift approval by the court of the agreement with Fiat and the sale of Chrysler's principal assets to the new company. The benefit of this type of filing is speed. It should allow a leaner new company to emerge in a matter of 30 to 60 days, well positioned for long-term viability. </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> To push the Chrysler forward, the U.S. government will provide sufficient debtor-in-possession (DIP) financing to allow continuation of "business as usual." </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> Chrysler also reached an agreement in principle with GMAC to become the preferred lender for Chrysler dealer and consumer business. GMAC will be able to offer the best long-term finance options for Chrysler dealers and customers with standard rate installment products. </span></p><p> <table style="width: 176px; height: 11px;" align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" height="11" width="176"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="font-size: 12px;"><img style="width: 450px; height: 309px;" alt="Chrysler LLC officially announced on Thursday that the once auto giant will file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy shortly after U.S. President Barack Obama made a midday speech, in which he indicated that the troubled automaker will form an alliance with the Italian carmaker Fiat Group SpA." src="http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-05/01/xin_2620506010614734238426.jpg" border="0" hspace="0" /></td></tr> <tr> <td style="font-size: 12px;"> <p align="left"><span style="color:#000080;">U.S. President Barack Obama speaks about the Chrysler Chapter 11 filing and its partnership with Fiat from the White House in Washington April 30, 2009. </span><a href="http://www.chinaview.cn/photos/index.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#800000;"><br /></span></a></p></td></tr></tbody></table> </p><p><span id="Zoom"> Under the plan the Obama administration outlined Thursday, the Treasury Department will provide Chrysler with up to 3.5 billion U.S. dollars in DIP financing, and the Canadian government will provide around 800 million dollars and get 2 percent of Chrysler's equity. The United States has transferred 280 million dollars to a Chrysler warranty guarantee program. </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> The government will loan GMAC LLC additional money so it can take over financing of Chrysler vehicles from Chrysler Financial. The government already has infused nearly 6 billion dollars into GMAC. </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> After the partnership deal is completed, the Voluntary Employee Beneficiary Association (VEBA) will own 55 percent of the new company and the U.S. and Canadian governments will own proportionate shares of a 10 percent stake. Fiat will initially hold a 20 percent ownership stake in Chrysler. Fiat can conditionally increase its ownership stake by an additional 15 percent in three increments. </span></p><p> <table style="width: 176px; height: 11px;" align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" height="11" width="176"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="font-size: 12px;"><img style="width: 450px; height: 291px;" alt="Chrysler LLC officially announced on Thursday that the once auto giant will file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy shortly after U.S. President Barack Obama made a midday speech, in which he indicated that the troubled automaker will form an alliance with the Italian carmaker Fiat Group SpA." src="http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-05/01/xin_2620506010614859250187.jpg" border="0" hspace="0" /></td></tr> <tr> <td style="font-size: 12px;"> <p align="left"><span style="color:#000080;">U.S. President Barack Obama (C) speaks about Chrysler and the auto industry, as he stands with his auto task force at the White House in Washington April 30, 2009. </span><a href="http://www.chinaview.cn/photos/index.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#800000;"><br /></span></a></p></td></tr></tbody></table> </p><p><span id="Zoom"> Chrysler also indicated that most manufacturing operations will be temporarily idled from next Monday. Normal production schedules will resume when the transaction is completed, which is anticipated within 30 to 60 days. </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> Nardelli, who is going to leave the company and return to Chrysler's biggest stockholder Cerberus Capital Management as an advisor after the transaction, assured that the new Fiat-Chrysler company will produce and support quality vehicles under the Jeep, Dodge and Chrysler brands as well as parts under the Mopar brand. Chrysler dealerships remain open for business serving customers. All vehicle warranties will be honored without interruption and consumers can continue to purchase Chrysler vehicles with complete confidence. </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> Chrysler's official bankruptcy announcement came after President Obama's speech about the Chrysler's future on Thursday ,after talks between the Treasury Department and the Auburn Hills automaker's creditors failed to reach an agreement on late Wednesday night. </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> The president harshly scolded the group of investment companies and hedge funds that balked at a debt restructuring. "I don't stand with those who held out when everybody else is making sacrifices," Obama said, calling them "speculators" who sought to endanger Chrysler's future for their own benefit. </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> The bankruptcy "will be quick, it will be efficient, it is designed to deal with those last few holdouts," Obama said. </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> He emphasized filing for bankruptcy "is not a sign of weakness, but rather one more step on a clearly charted path to Chrysler's revival."<br /></span></p>Chanthyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02917138286285731224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5759850391389777257.post-68104314762028787792009-05-01T06:39:00.000-07:002009-05-01T06:41:12.564-07:0050% turnout in third phase of Indian general elections<span id="Zoom">NEW DELHI, April -- India held the third phase of its general elections Thursday in a relatively peaceful atmosphere with an estimated 50 percent turnout, lower than that in the previous two phases of polling, said Indian election commission officials. </span><p><span id="Zoom"> Heat in some parts of the country apparently affected the turnout rate although millions braved 40-plus degree high temperature to go to the polls. </span></p><p> <table style="width: 176px; height: 11px;" align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" height="11" width="176"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="font-size: 12px;"><img style="width: 450px; height: 281px;" alt="India held the third phase of its general elections Thursday in a relatively peaceful atmosphere with an estimated 50 percent turnout, lower that the previous two phases of polling, said Indian election commission officials." src="http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-05/01/xin_36205060106418903088210.jpg" border="0" hspace="0" /></td></tr> <tr> <td style="font-size: 12px;"> <p align="left"><span style="color:#000080;">Voters wait in line at Lucknow montessori school polling station in Lucknow, India, April 30, 2009. India held the third phase of its general elections Thursday in the month-long polling which started in mid-April. </span><a href="http://www.chinaview.cn/photos/index.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#800000;"><br /></span></a></p></td></tr></tbody></table> </p><p><span id="Zoom"> This phase's poll, joined by half of 144 million voters, would determine the fate of 1,567 candidates for members of parliament, including Congress party president Sonia Gandhi and L.K. Advani, the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) prime ministerial candidate. </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> The 14 constituencies in West Bengal recorded the highest turnout of 64 percent, followed by the southern state of Karnataka with 57 percent, Gujarat with 50 percent and Maharashtra, where Mumbai is located, with 45 percent, said election commission officials. </span></p><p> <table style="width: 176px; height: 11px;" align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" height="11" width="176"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="font-size: 12px;"><img style="width: 450px; height: 299px;" alt="India held the third phase of its general elections Thursday in a relatively peaceful atmosphere with an estimated 50 percent turnout, lower that the previous two phases of polling, said Indian election commission officials." src="http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-05/01/xin_3720506010641046675411.jpg" border="0" hspace="0" /></td></tr> <tr> <td style="font-size: 12px;"> <p align="left"><span style="color:#000080;">Indian voters wait in line for their turn outside a polling booth in Lalgarh, some 175 km southwest of Kolkata, capital of eastern Indian state West Bengal, April 30, 2009. India held the third phase of its general elections Thursday in the month-long polling which started in mid-April. </span><a href="http://www.chinaview.cn/photos/index.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#800000;"><br /></span></a></p></td></tr></tbody></table> </p><p><span id="Zoom"> The turnout rates in the previous two phases were 57 percent and 55 percent, respectively, according to official estimates. </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> The lowest turnout Thursday was in India-controlled Kashmir's Anantnag constituency with only a 26 percent turnout due to separatists' calls for boycott. </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> With the completion of the third phase, 372 out of 543 parliament members should have been elected, while the remaining two phases of the voting would be held on May 7 and 13 and counting of votes is due to be made on May 16. </span></p><p> <table style="width: 176px; height: 11px;" align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" height="11" width="176"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="font-size: 12px;"><img style="width: 450px; height: 301px;" alt="India held the third phase of its general elections Thursday in a relatively peaceful atmosphere with an estimated 50 percent turnout, lower that the previous two phases of polling, said Indian election commission officials." src="http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-05/01/xin_37205060106411711458112.jpg" border="0" hspace="0" /></td></tr> <tr> <td style="font-size: 12px;"> <p align="left"><span style="color:#000080;">Kashmiri Muslim voters wait in a queue to cast their votes at a polling booth during the third phase of Indian general elections in Veer Anantang parliament constituency, some 40 km south of Srinagar, the summer capital of Indian controlled Kashmir, April 30, 2009. </span><a href="http://www.chinaview.cn/photos/index.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#800000;"><br /></span></a></p></td></tr></tbody></table> </p><p><span id="Zoom"> Two civilians were killed and a paramilitary trooper was injured when a landmines planted by suspected extreme-left rebels went off in West Bengal, said police. </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> Six people were injured in violent clashes between supporters of the BJP party and its rival party SJP in the central state of Madhya Pradesh, also according to the police.<br /></span></p>Chanthyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02917138286285731224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5759850391389777257.post-86204810902695627622009-05-01T06:35:00.000-07:002009-05-01T06:39:06.220-07:00Obama says he supports Chrysler's filing for bankruptcy protection<span id="Zoom">WASHINGTON, April -- U.S. President Barack Obama said on Thursday that he supports the nation's third largest automaker Chrysler LLC to file for bankruptcy protection, saying he believes Chrysler will emerge quickly from bankruptcy as a stronger, more viable company. </span><p><span id="Zoom"> Necessary steps have been taken to give Chrysler, one of America's most storied automakers, "a new lease on life," Obama said in brief remarks at the White House. </span></p><p> <table style="width: 176px; height: 11px;" align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" height="11" width="176"> <tbody><tr> <td style="font-size: 12px;"><img style="width: 450px; height: 291px;" alt="Chrysler LLC officially announced on Thursday that the once auto giant will file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy shortly after U.S. President Barack Obama made a midday speech, in which he indicated that the troubled automaker will form an alliance with the Italian carmaker Fiat Group SpA." src="http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-05/01/xin_232050601061443714651.jpg" border="0" hspace="0" /></td></tr> <tr> <td style="font-size: 12px;"> <p align="left"><a href="http://www.chinaview.cn/photos/index.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#800000;"><br /></span></a></p></td></tr></tbody></table><span id="Zoom"> </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> The president said he believes the bankruptcy filing will put the struggling company back on its feet and that the process for recovery will be relatively fast. </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> Obama also announced a merger between Chrysler and Italy automaker Fiat. </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> "Today, I am pleased to announce that Chrysler and Fiat have formed a partnership that has a strong chance of success," Obama said. The deal will help Chrysler emerge from a swift and "controlled" bankruptcy as a stronger company, he added. </span></p><p> <table style="width: 176px; height: 11px;" align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" height="11" width="176"> <tbody><tr> <td style="font-size: 12px;"><img style="width: 450px; height: 309px;" alt="Chrysler LLC officially announced on Thursday that the once auto giant will file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy shortly after U.S. President Barack Obama made a midday speech, in which he indicated that the troubled automaker will form an alliance with the Italian carmaker Fiat Group SpA." src="http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-05/01/xin_2320506010614562189492.jpg" border="0" hspace="0" /></td></tr> <tr> <td style="font-size: 12px;"> <p align="left"><a href="http://www.chinaview.cn/photos/index.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#800000;"><br /></span></a></p></td></tr></tbody></table><span id="Zoom"> </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> To help quickly restructure Chrysler, the government will provide aid of up to another 6 billion dollars to the struggling U.S. auto giant, according to news reports. Chrysler has been living off 4 billion dollars in government funds since the start of the year. </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> Chrysler has to file for bankruptcy protection after talks broke down with a small group of the automaker's creditors, who rejected a final opportunity to restructure Chrysler outside of bankruptcy in negotiations with the U.S. Treasury Department. </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> Obama blasted the group of investment firms and hedge funds, who he said were holding out for the prospect of an unjustified taxpayer bailout. </span></p><p> <table style="width: 176px; height: 11px;" align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" height="11" width="176"> <tbody><tr> <td style="font-size: 12px;"><img style="width: 450px; height: 307px;" alt="Chrysler LLC officially announced on Thursday that the once auto giant will file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy shortly after U.S. President Barack Obama made a midday speech, in which he indicated that the troubled automaker will form an alliance with the Italian carmaker Fiat Group SpA." src="http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-05/01/xin_2320506010614671290973.jpg" border="0" hspace="0" /></td></tr> <tr> <td style="font-size: 12px;"> <p align="left"><span style="color:#000080;">A </span><a href="http://www.chinaview.cn/photos/index.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#800000;"><br /></span></a></p></td></tr></tbody></table><span id="Zoom"> </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> "I don't stand with them," he said. </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> Chrysler has been hard hit by the economic downturn and the worst decline in auto sales in decades. It got 4 billion dollars in emergency loans from the government in December last year on the condition that it would develop a plan to restructure. </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> It nears a deadline of 11:59 p.m. Thursday to have deals in place with labor, creditors and Italian automaker Fiat. </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> Two of the government's requirements are in place. Fiat is expected to sign on as a Chrysler partner sometime Thursday. And the United Auto Workers (UAW) union ratified a cost-cutting deal on Wednesday night. </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> A bankruptcy filing doesn't mean Chrysler will shut down. Under the bankruptcy law that Chrysler would file under, a judge would decide how much creditors would get, but is likely to go with any settlement agreed to by the majority of the creditors. </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> "No one should be confused about what a bankruptcy process means," Obama said on Thursday. "This is not a sign of weakness but rather one more step on a clearly chartered path to Chrysler's revival."<br /></span></p>Chanthyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02917138286285731224noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5759850391389777257.post-78673489924107413062009-05-01T06:28:00.000-07:002009-05-01T06:29:13.776-07:00Long Beach woman helped create library in Cambodia<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyDjDm0jNBYVOhFpK19VMNV8RIb1XSpqgVF3dL1mzrP34vQrAKqC3XheIQhVVQbiaXSfF1nYPc5lpXNh_saOM5q6Snf75w-mMaHi2Vy4WzKRap1sJ2Ce1po-otsrRu7uHdbeB2fNDUsKW9/s1600-h/Emi+Caitlin+PeaceCorps+02.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 100px; height: 129px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyDjDm0jNBYVOhFpK19VMNV8RIb1XSpqgVF3dL1mzrP34vQrAKqC3XheIQhVVQbiaXSfF1nYPc5lpXNh_saOM5q6Snf75w-mMaHi2Vy4WzKRap1sJ2Ce1po-otsrRu7uHdbeB2fNDUsKW9/s400/Emi+Caitlin+PeaceCorps+02.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5329946622881844386" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic; font-size: 85%;">Emi Caitlin enjoying a local snack in Cambodia while performing her Peace Corps Volunteer work<br /></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPN4rE7oU2WzFyLCmSlV_OPi12u4PyLcg2HdOYqQze6_D9g57Ujtrx3p0noHJ26Oe3np32nOSikjBpRRLtkWN0rgAhSpdFsoxysgjIuqPVTnll2IVSaJjCIAGjLkidX-UA7mT3EfyrSX8y/s1600-h/Takeo+libraby+by+Caitlin+Ishigooka+01.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 203px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPN4rE7oU2WzFyLCmSlV_OPi12u4PyLcg2HdOYqQze6_D9g57Ujtrx3p0noHJ26Oe3np32nOSikjBpRRLtkWN0rgAhSpdFsoxysgjIuqPVTnll2IVSaJjCIAGjLkidX-UA7mT3EfyrSX8y/s400/Takeo+libraby+by+Caitlin+Ishigooka+01.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5329945427188885378" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic; font-size: 85%;">Children of all ages in rural Takeo Province, Cambodia now have a library and books to call their own. (Photo courtesy of Caitlin Ishigooka)<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitucRTgW2MKHNxRKGAfHrTxO9lTX4uSvqQkk6FECC1iFAu25lw8PZymi6LoKEz-MpDjl2LMfv_RljLCB2R7xGbQFel1kh8Lv31sJFcAGct2BMr2Jk2aESwrc5i34IEW3NVtTEjpmCTmPb9/s1600-h/Takeo+libraby+by+Caitlin+Ishigooka+02.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitucRTgW2MKHNxRKGAfHrTxO9lTX4uSvqQkk6FECC1iFAu25lw8PZymi6LoKEz-MpDjl2LMfv_RljLCB2R7xGbQFel1kh8Lv31sJFcAGct2BMr2Jk2aESwrc5i34IEW3NVtTEjpmCTmPb9/s400/Takeo+libraby+by+Caitlin+Ishigooka+02.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5329945422816589122" border="0" /></a>Students at the school where Peace Corps volunteer Emi Caitlin Ishigooka raised funds for a new library decorated the space with a large mural of the world. (Photo courtesy of Caitlin Ishigooka)<br /><br /></span></div><span style="font-size: 78%;">04/28/2009</span><br /><span style="font-size: 85%;">By <span style="font-weight: bold;">Greg Mellen</span>, Staff Writer<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Long Beach Press Telegram</span></span><br />LONG BEACH - One sign came when she couldn't enter the existing library because the floor was covered with six inches of rice that had been put there to dry during harvest season.<br /><br />Another was the selection of volumes, such as the organic chemistry textbooks, in English, that a well-meaning but obviously clueless charity donated to the rural school in the poor farming community.<br /><br />Still another was the abundance of books in French and English, but the paucity of books in Khmer.<br /><br />So, <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Peace Corps volunteer Emi Caitlin Ishigooka</span> from Long Beach jumped at the opportunity to create a new library when approached with the idea by the director of the Cambodian school where she was teaching high school English. <span class="fullpost"><br /><br />A 26-year-old UCLA and Poly High graduate who will attend USC graduate school in public administration in the fall, Ishigooka recently returned from a two-year stint as one of the inaugural group of Peace Corps volunteers assigned to Cambodia.<br /><br />While she has come back to the U.S. with the usual bucketful of stories about life in a village with no running water, strange encounters with the local fauna and edible delicacies such as fried tarantulas, it is the library she built in her second year abroad that has the most meaning.<br /><br />In the truest of the people, by the people and for the people tradition, Ishigooka says that from the outset she wanted the students to be the driving force.<br /><br />"From the beginning they had a major say," Ishigooka said. "They gave me the titles and subjects that interested them. I did keep one Norton Anthology, though."<br /><br />Ishigooka applied for a grant from the Peace Corps, eventually raising about $3,500, including $300 or $400 from the students and the families themselves.<br /><br />Once a new non-produce storing building was found, students began cleaning and decorating the new facility, including painting a large mural of the world on the wall.<br /><br />"With the grant money, we were able to get books for all grade levels," Ishigooka said. And they were able to get them in Khmer: novels, history, poetry, even an edition in translation of Harry Potter.<br /><br />The library was also outfitted with a listening center to help students with languages and other learning areas.<br /><br />For Ishigooka, as important as getting the actual volumes, was giving the students a sense of ownership and responsibility for the library.<br /><br />This included students volunteering to staff the library, setting schedules and actually be there during operating hours, along with maintaining the facility.<br /><br />"This was built by an incredible group," Ishigooka says.<br /><br />The best part, was "to see students make it their own. Now the student librarians are leaders and role models. And in the process we were promoting volunteerism, which for a Peace Corps volunteer is pretty phenomenal."<br /><br />As she sits at a Starbucks near the Traffic Circle and begins to renew her relationship with coffee, finds a job, visits with friends, checks text messages, prepares for graduate school and negotiates with her mom for use of the car, the 26-year-old is very much back into the hectic flow of life of an young American woman on the upward career and educational track.<br /><br />But a part of Ishigooka will always be in Cambodia, beyond the retainer a rat absconded with.<br /><br />When Ishigooka looks back, she hopes she left something lasting and tangible.<br /><br />"<span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">The kids are are so proud and took such good care of (the library) that I'm confident years from now it will still be there and be a big part of the school and community</span>," Ishigooka says.</span>Chanthyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02917138286285731224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5759850391389777257.post-64068562349435705292009-05-01T06:26:00.000-07:002009-05-01T06:27:29.546-07:00Hun Sen proposes emergency meeting of ASEAN to deal with swine flu<h3 class="post-title"> </h3> <div class="post-body" id="post-221877404264204909"> <p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg90aa1fsbV6GiB1p-48ntiGJkFiC0qhFn5qZJRQa2ojJ1XVPo-2lA6mu-Bx8UuduaIPoA0c8Ggv-XvSSQ7LCPzZqKSFzcChyphenhyphen3QyxHSJtg9cw3Fp-g2WuRMSxlPnbIZrFeKmXdW5ourE8xX/s1600-h/Hun+Swine.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 100px; height: 169px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg90aa1fsbV6GiB1p-48ntiGJkFiC0qhFn5qZJRQa2ojJ1XVPo-2lA6mu-Bx8UuduaIPoA0c8Ggv-XvSSQ7LCPzZqKSFzcChyphenhyphen3QyxHSJtg9cw3Fp-g2WuRMSxlPnbIZrFeKmXdW5ourE8xX/s200/Hun+Swine.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5329996372111831730" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Cambodia PM proposes emergency meeting of ASEAN to deal with swine flu </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 85%;">By <span style="font-weight: bold;">Xia Lin, Long Heng </span></span><br /></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> PHNOM PENH, April 29 (<span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Xinhua</span>) -- Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen Wednesday proposed to hold an emergency meeting of ASEAN countries to seek measures against the deadly swine influenza outbreak.<br /><br /> "<span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">We should have an emergency meeting among the ASEAN (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations) countries, if possible, to take actions against the deadly swine flu</span>," he told a student graduation ceremony of the National Institute of Education in Phnom Penh.<br /><br />Thailand has to play the role of chairman for this meeting, he said, adding that currently Thailand is the chair country of ASEAN. <span class="fullpost"><br /><br /> "We have to find measures to prevent and fight against this fast spread of pig flu," he said.<br /><br />We also need to seek ways to prevent this epidemic from affecting bilateral trade among the regional countries, if it occurs in one of them, he added.<br /><br /> Meanwhile, the premier appealed to the local people not to panic over swine flu, as pork is still edible if properly cooked.<br /><br /> However, people with high body temperature must wear masks and rush to hospital, he said, adding that "<span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">Cambodia has weak facilities, but our spirit is strong</span>."<br /><br />The Ministry of Health (MoH) will require any citizen or foreign visitor, who are suspected of catching this illness, not to fly to other countries, he said.<br /><br /> "We will take him to hospital for treatment," he added.<br /><br />In addition, the premier confirmed that there is no sign of swine flu occurrence among pigs and human beings in Cambodia, adding that the government has not adopted any ban on pork importation from its neighboring countries.<br /><br />Also on Wednesday, Sem Sovan, secretary general of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forests and Fisheries, told Xinhua that the ministry has been closely tracking the development of swine flu since it was first found in other countries.<br /><br />"We selected some samples from the pig farms across our own country to test for swine flu, but up to now, we don't spot any sign of it. There are no suspected cases of swine flu on pigs in Cambodia at all," he added.<br /><br />In the mean time, Ly Sovan, deputy director of the Anti-communicable Disease Department of MoH, also testified this updated information made public by the premier and the secretary general.<br /><br /> "At the airports, our unit is monitoring the passengers who traveled here from the affected countries," he added.<br /><br />The government installed a thermal scanner at the Phnom Penh International Airport on Tuesday and another one at the Siem Reap International Airport on Wednesday.<br /><br />These two terminals are the only international airports in the kingdom. A third airport is situated in Sihanouk province, but only serves domestic flights.<br /><br /> In 2007, over two million foreign visitors arrived in Cambodia.<br /><br />On Monday, The World Health Organization (WHO) and MoH issued a joint statement late Monday, saying that "medical clinics are asked to immediately report any unusual influenza like illness cases to MoH. WHO Western Pacific Regional Office is closely monitoring the situation in the region and has activated its outbreak and emergency management protocols," it said.<br /><br />In addition, "Cambodia has increased its surveillance for unusual respiratory illness in hospitals, health centers and airport," it said.<br /><br />"While there is no vaccine against this type of influenza, there are a range of possible treatments although it is not yet clear which will be most appropriate," it said.<br /><br />"Cambodia has prepared stockpiles of various resources, including medication to treat viral illness, and has access to additional regional supplies if required," it added.<br /><br />Meanwhile, according to Sok Touch, director of the Anti-communicable Disease Department of MoH, the ministry will use the existing equipment and system nationwide for combating bird flu to monitor swine flu.<br /><br />The ministry will cooperate with WHO to take actions on the pig-farming industry if necessary, but the very next step will focus on travelers from the infected areas, he added.<br /><br />So far, swine influenza has killed 159 people in Mexico, led to68 human contamination cases in U.S., and affected altogether 23 countries in the world.</span></div></div>Chanthyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02917138286285731224noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5759850391389777257.post-60254051642684409742009-05-01T06:24:00.000-07:002009-05-01T06:25:28.511-07:00My so-called greed: Norodom Sihanouk<h3 class="post-title"><a href="http://ki-media.blogspot.com/2009/04/my-so-called-greed-norodom-sihanouk.html">My so-called greed: Norodom Sihanouk</a></h3><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0z7Cv2yn1pM3PUxa94GDIlEB_KDuqGAWNC5fCF1x-haTu8ggju6gES8fNG4Dvwm7sLtHxrX8Yjelmrkw-5DpcSFfihN_Xm-SaoZiFKYPuCuLhrQFmupqzZ9F0W-2Wnc8E_oJ2CUUMQ4cy/s1600-h/2304ima51+-+NS+Rant3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 260px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0z7Cv2yn1pM3PUxa94GDIlEB_KDuqGAWNC5fCF1x-haTu8ggju6gES8fNG4Dvwm7sLtHxrX8Yjelmrkw-5DpcSFfihN_Xm-SaoZiFKYPuCuLhrQFmupqzZ9F0W-2Wnc8E_oJ2CUUMQ4cy/s400/2304ima51+-+NS+Rant3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330018968948326194" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqwDgCJj2ByDZJbKqHSoXhAi2yhU1-FnDnJ9VBd5tYX0vht8CLcbn7H49tA33c7zlsDcF1Mqtt8Ho9ZC5hrBTIWaApI0WgjYpsBPurMCFCmcgD6FD3mMSsqkg2kjfhGmzWr4mkva2DiMzG/s1600-h/2304ima52+-+NS+Rant+3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 242px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqwDgCJj2ByDZJbKqHSoXhAi2yhU1-FnDnJ9VBd5tYX0vht8CLcbn7H49tA33c7zlsDcF1Mqtt8Ho9ZC5hrBTIWaApI0WgjYpsBPurMCFCmcgD6FD3mMSsqkg2kjfhGmzWr4mkva2DiMzG/s400/2304ima52+-+NS+Rant+3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330018963818893570" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic; font-size: 78%;">Translated from French by Tola Ek</span><br /></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Declaration from</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Norodom Sihanouk</span><br />(Continued)<br />Beijing, P.R. of China, 21 April 2009<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">3- My so-called “greed”<br /><br />(The new Petit Robert [dictionary] of the French language – 2008: “CUPIDITY [GREED]”: Indecent and petty desire to earn money, to make money from anything; fierceness, avidity, greed, rapacious.)<br /><br />3a – In 1963, as Head of State of Cambodia, I put an end to the multiform US aid to the Cambodian state (an aid amounting to a total value of $30 million per year), because the US made this aid a conditional one (conditions that are incompatible with the total Independence of the neutrality of the Khmer Kingdom).<br /><br />3b – The Lonnolians, following their Putsch dated 18 March 1970, received for themselves and their republican regime more than US$200 million per year + $350 million per year (military and Khmer (Republic) government war spending) + $750 million per year for the US spending in Cambodia itself [for] imperialist, neocolonialist was spending.<br /><br />3c – Very powerful head of the Khmer state, I only earned (if my memory is correct) 18,000 riels per month for salary (at that time, [the exchange rate for] US$1 was 35 riels at the official rate, and 50 riels at the black market).<br /><br />3d – Each month, ministers, high-ranking officials etc… made (very modest) donations (in riels) to the National Mutual Assistance Work (NMAW) which I presided. All the money from this NMAW (whose treasurer was the very clean Oknha Puch, an irreproachable civil servant who served my Grandfather, H.M. King Preah Monivong) went to the people, the poor compatriots who need to be saved (victims of landmines, victims of insecurity, victims of fire, war victims).<br /><br />My personal money went in large part to the NMAW coffer.<br /><br />NMAW expenses were regularly made available to the general public.<br /><br />3e – Regarding myself, I was not and am absolutely not greedy.<br /><br />3f – My revered Maman owned some “income-earning buildings” that she rented to Chinese merchants, etc… This brought her some money each month, a portion of which went to her religious (Buddhist) works, and the other portion came to me: H.M. the Queen my Mother knew that I was not corrupt and I did not know about greed.<br /><div style="text-align: center;">x<br />x x<br /></div><div style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;"><span style="font-size: 85%;">(To be continued)<br /></span></div><br />(Signed) <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Norodom Sihanouk</span></div>Chanthyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02917138286285731224noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5759850391389777257.post-38143893507116067312009-05-01T06:22:00.000-07:002009-05-01T06:23:25.025-07:00Cambodia 'not sheltering Thaksin'<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia3wc77bVcb9PZEGCXZExEYEF5NPcmTEoAk6I0d9bUauKfThMqUpwLMazMQYJYpTY6QIYmj6isxbVqau5478_-cKG95xjJi3IwMz97jXRpWvthyphenhyphen5v_xsVl6UqTopUZoigTZ4VsTecoaDAs/s1600-h/Hun+Sen+-+Thaksin+golf+02+%28Reuters%29.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 399px; height: 247px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia3wc77bVcb9PZEGCXZExEYEF5NPcmTEoAk6I0d9bUauKfThMqUpwLMazMQYJYpTY6QIYmj6isxbVqau5478_-cKG95xjJi3IwMz97jXRpWvthyphenhyphen5v_xsVl6UqTopUZoigTZ4VsTecoaDAs/s400/Hun+Sen+-+Thaksin+golf+02+%28Reuters%29.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330170976138865954" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic; font-size: 85%;">Thaksin, Hun Sen and Tea Banh playing golf together in Siem Reap in 2008 (Photo:<span style="font-weight: bold;"> Reuters</span>)<br /></span></div><br /><span style="font-size: 78%;"></span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; font-size: 85%;">The Nation</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Cambodian Defence Minister Tea Banh has reportedly dismissed allegations that Thaksin Shinawatra had entered Cambodia and that he had been given a Cambodian passport.<br /><br />Tea Banh insisted that Thaksin had never set foot in Cambodia as reported by the media, adding that it was not in his government's interest to back the fugitive leader.<br /><br />A number of media outlets have quoted unnamed sources as saying that Thaksin has been holding secret meetings with his supporters in the Cambodian island of Koh Kong.<br /><br />When asked whether the tension between Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen still existed, Tea Banh replied: "What's done is done. There is nothing to worry about."<span class="fullpost"><br /><br />Kasit called Hun Sen a "thug" during an anti-Thaksin demonstration last year after the Cambodian leader gave Thailand an ultimatum to pull troops out of the disputed border territory.<br /><br />In a separate report, public prosecutors yesterday postponed their meeting Jakrapob Penkair to June 15 before they make a decision whether to indict him for lese majeste.<br /><br />Jakrapob, formerly a prime minister's Office minister and until recently a leader of the red-shirt movement, asked for the postponement saying he had some business to attend to overseas.<br /><br />The prosecutors decided to grant him the request because further investigation and questioning of witnesses, as well as translation of relevant documents, had not been completed, according to Kayasit Pisawongprakan, director-general of the criminal litigation division at the Attorney-General's Office.<br /><br />The case against Jakrapob is in connection to a lecture he delivered, in English, at the Foreign Correspondents Club of Thailand in August 2007.<br /><br />If Jakrapob fails to report to the prosecutors on June 15, his guarantors would be asked to find him or an arrest warrant would be issued for him, Kayasit told a press conference at the Attorney-General's Office.</span></div>Chanthyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02917138286285731224noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5759850391389777257.post-18737883666384948802009-04-12T03:03:00.000-07:002009-04-12T03:06:37.819-07:00ASEAN related summits canceled due to security reason<table style="width: 176px; height: 11px;" align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" height="11" width="176"><tbody><tr><td style="font-size: 12px;"><img src="http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-04/11/xin_2020406111623531455614.jpg" border="0" /></td></tr> <tr> <td style="font-size: 12px;"> <p align="left"><a href="http://www.chinaview.cn/photos/index.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#800000;"><br /></span></a></p></td></tr></tbody></table> <table style="width: 176px; height: 11px;" align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" height="11" width="176"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="font-size: 12px;"><img src="http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-04/11/xinsrc_34204061115099371045248.jpg" border="0" /></td></tr> <tr> <td style="font-size: 12px;"> <p align="left"><a href="http://www.chinaview.cn/photos/index.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#800000;"><br /></span></a></p></td></tr></tbody></table> <p><span id="Zoom"> PATTAYA, Thailand, April 11 (Xinhua) -- The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) related summits scheduled on April10-12 have been canceled because of security reason, the Thai government announced here Saturday. </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> The summits have been postponed to a later date, said Panitan Waltanyakorn, the acting government spokesman. He did not give a specific new date. </span></p><p> </p><p> <table style="width: 176px; height: 11px;" align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" height="11" width="176"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="font-size: 12px;"><img src="http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-04/11/xin_24204061116311562798717.jpg" border="0" /></td></tr> <tr> <td style="font-size: 12px;"> <p align="left"><a href="http://www.chinaview.cn/photos/index.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#800000;"><br /></span></a></p></td></tr></tbody></table> </p><p><span id="Zoom"> Before the announcement of cancellation of summits, the "red-shirted" protesters had broken into the summits venue and the media center, which made the summits impossible. </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> In the meantime, the Thai government has declared state of emergency in Chonburi province. After the announcement of emergency decree, the protesters began to retreat from the media center and the meeting venue. </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> The Thai government has gradually taken ASEAN leaders out of the venue with helicopters. Before the cancellation of the summits, leaders of all ASEAN countries had been in the meeting venue. </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said that the Thai government will try its best to guarantee the safe departure of all leaders. </span></p> <table style="width: 176px; height: 11px;" align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" height="11" width="176"><tbody><tr> <td style="font-size: 12px;"><img src="http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-04/11/xin_482040611185635912101.jpg" border="0" /></td></tr> <tr> <td style="font-size: 12px;"> <p align="left"><a href="http://www.chinaview.cn/photos/index.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#800000;"><br /></span></a></p></td></tr></tbody></table>Chanthyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02917138286285731224noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5759850391389777257.post-57434520860710471582009-04-12T02:59:00.002-07:002009-04-12T03:01:28.576-07:00<span id="Zoom"> <table style="width: 176px; height: 11px;" align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" height="11" width="176"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="font-size: 12px;"><img src="http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-04/12/xin_0220406112044359325412.jpg" border="0" /></td></tr> <tr> <td style="font-size: 12px;"> <p align="left"><a href="http://www.chinaview.cn/photos/index.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#800000;"><br /></span></a></p></td></tr></tbody></table></span> <p><span id="Zoom"> BANGKOK, April 12 (Xinhua) -- Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva on Sunday declared a state of emergency over Bangkok and some districts in five nearby provinces, citing danger of escalating violence by anti-government protesters in the capital. </span></p> <p><span id="Zoom"> Besides Bangkok, the emergency decree also covers some districts in five provinces around Bangkok, including Nonthaburi, Samut Prakan, Pathum Thani, Nakhon Pathom and Ayutthaya. </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> Abhisit explained on TV that the emergency decree was not imposed earlier in Bangkok because the government wanted to keep the normal order in the capital, but situation became tense and the government had to impose the decree to restore normality. </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> He cited the acts of anti-government demonstrators, or known as "red-shirted" people, to obstruct the ASEAN and Related Summits as example of the tension incited by the protesters. </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> The summits, which involved 10 ASEAN countries and its six dialogue partner nations -- China, Japan, South Korea, India, Australia and, was scheduled April 10-12 for Saturday and Sunday in the central beach resort city Pattaya </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> The Thai government was forced to call off the meeting scheduled for Saturday and Sunday and send foreign leaders to depart Pattaya without formal talks Saturday afternoon after over 1,000 red-shirted protesters besieged and broke into the meeting venue, demanding the Abhisit government to resign. </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> The situation in Pattaya cooled down after protesters, led by United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD), declared victory over the cancellation of the summits and retreated back to Bangkok, where they set up their main rally venue at the Government House. </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> However, the atmosphere in Bangkok became tense after a UDD leader who led the protesters to block summits in Pattaya was arrested, which angered UDD supporters. </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> The declaration of state of emergency came several hours after the Thai PM on TV apologized to people over its failure to keep the protests under control at the Pattaya summits, and vowed to take tough measures to restore law and order in the country, including seeking arrest of protest leaders. </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> Abhisit tasked Deputy Prime Minister in charge of security matters Suthep Thaugsuban to be responsible for enforcing of the state of emergency measures. </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> By far no army top brass, who had played the key role in the Sept. 19 bloodless coup in 2006 overthrowing the former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who the red-shirt people support, had came out to respond to the crisis. </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> On early Sunday afternoon after the declaration of emergency decree, there was a riot outside the Interior Ministry in Bangkok when at least several hundred red-shirted protesters tried to attack a motorcade leaving the compound as they suspected that Abhisit and Suthep was inside the cars. But the two was reportedly unharmed. The riot caused at least several injuries, including police and protesters, Thai state TV NBT reported. </span></p>Chanthyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02917138286285731224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5759850391389777257.post-49335066542303315022009-04-12T02:59:00.001-07:002009-04-12T02:59:28.650-07:00Hoteliers say Thailand lost Bt200bn in tourism earnings<table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" width="95%"><tbody><tr valign="top"><td height="40"><img src="http://enews.mcot.net/upfile/1239449643.jpg" border="0" height="240" hspace="2" vspace="2" width="320" /> </td> </tr> <tr valign="top"> <td height="20"><img src="http://enews.mcot.net/template/etna2008/images/i_redarrow.gif" border="0" height="12" width="10" /><span class="blue15blod"> </span></td> </tr> <tr valign="top"> <td class="default12">BANGKOK, April 11 (TNA) - Saturday’s abrupt cancellation of this weekend’s Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit and last year’s airport closures will cut Thai tourism earnings by at least Bt200 billion, Kongkit Hiranyakij, president of the Tourism Council of Thailand said Saturday.<br /><br />Mr. Kongkit said the losses from the anti-government protesters from the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) storming into the Pattaya hotel conference venue where the summit was being held is no less than losses from the closure of airports by UDD’s rival Peoples' Alliance for Democracy (PAD) in November and December.<br /><br />Shortly after UDD protesters swept into the hotel, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva announced the cancellation of the summit and the imposition of a state of emergency in Pattaya and the nearby provincial seat of Chon Buri. The announcement was telecast live.<br /><br />Thai government spokesman Panitan Wattanayagorn said the ASEAN meeting has been postponed indefinitely.<br /><br />Foreign tourists will not have confidence to travel to Thailand now after several government leaders attending the summit were unable to leave their hotels, Mr. Kongkit lamented.<br /><br />Thai Hotels Association President Prakit Chinamornpong said it is now useless to hold overseas roadshows because no tourists will want to visit Thailand due to the lack of security.<br /><br />Echoing a similar view was Apichart Sangaree, president of the Association of Thai Travel Agents. He said what the protesters did on Saturday had damaged the country a lot while security measures were absolutely useless and no one would want to organise major conferences in Thailand in future.<br /><br />“The low season is expected to hit Thailand throughout this year,” complained Mr. Apichart.<br /><br />Meanwhile, Thanawat Palavichai, director of the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce (UTCC) Economic and Business Forecasting Center said that the Thai economy will likely shrink 4-5 per cent this year after the protesters stormed the summit venue.</td></tr></tbody></table>Chanthyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02917138286285731224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5759850391389777257.post-42368753869025999652009-04-12T02:57:00.000-07:002009-04-12T02:58:14.467-07:00Red Shirt anti-government protesters block Criminal Court<table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" width="95%"><tbody><tr valign="top"><td height="40"><img src="http://enews.mcot.net/upfile/1239525232.jpg" border="0" height="240" hspace="2" vspace="2" width="320" /> </td> </tr> <tr valign="top"> <td height="20"><br /><span class="blue15blod"> </span></td> </tr> <tr valign="top"> <td class="default12"><p>BANGKOK, April 12 (TNA) - Taxi drivers supporting the anti-government United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) on Sunday blocked entrances to Thailand's Criminal Court as well as Ratchadipisek Road in front the office in an attempt to seek the release of a UDD leading member. </p> <p>The protesters went to the court after learning that police would escort Arisman Pongreungrong, a former member of parliament who was arrested early Sunday at his house on the outskirts of Bangkok, to ask court permission for his detention.</p> <p>Mr. Arisman led UDD protesters storming the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit venue Saturday as the region's government leaders were to meet<br />with their six dialogue partners. The summit, held in the resort of Pattaya, was cancelled shortly after.</p> <p>Court officials closed the entrance gates to prevent protesters from entering the building, but my mid-afternoon police had not brought Mr. Arisman to the court.<br /><br />Another group of protesters, led by Jatuporn Prompan, a UDD leader, gathered at the Border Police Headquarters where Mr. Arisman is being held and demanded his release.<br /><br />In another development, two of Mr. Arisman's lawyers told a press conference that<br />police should clearly state the charges against him clearly, and said that they would seek his temporary release.</p> <p>The lawyers also showed photographs of ‘Blue Shirt’ pro-government people carrying firearms and about to shoot at UDD protesters during a clash in Pattaya on Saturday, they said. They claimed that most of the group were actually policemen.<br /><br />The UDD said they would file charges against Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban and Newin Chidchob, a former executive of the now defunct Thai Rak Thai Party, as they had allegedly ordered the armed men to attack UDD protesters. </p></td></tr></tbody></table>Chanthyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02917138286285731224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5759850391389777257.post-769399406633636912009-04-12T02:56:00.001-07:002009-04-12T02:56:56.461-07:00Making sense of Thailand’s turmoil<h3 class="post-title"> <a href="http://ki-media.blogspot.com/2009/04/making-sense-of-thailands-turmoil.html"><br /></a> </h3> <div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGinOIM9AarjaZtdjK-IV9y95cfX7RMwzPV9kslbg4WNfLcRunQrNKL-g5NQJ-_DpJHs1elusqO9_4dbiR7i-P7FqnjtZHMHf7J4VaFaou0N8qSK_OMONE4jp8UT8DPYdiXU4jbDrnryNB/s1600-h/Red+shirt+demo+in+Bangkok+%28Getty%29.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGinOIM9AarjaZtdjK-IV9y95cfX7RMwzPV9kslbg4WNfLcRunQrNKL-g5NQJ-_DpJHs1elusqO9_4dbiR7i-P7FqnjtZHMHf7J4VaFaou0N8qSK_OMONE4jp8UT8DPYdiXU4jbDrnryNB/s400/Red+shirt+demo+in+Bangkok+%28Getty%29.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5322843778044063330" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic; font-size: 85%;">(Photo: Athit Perawongmetha/Getty Images)<br /></span></div><br /><span style="font-size: 78%;">Thu, 04/09/2009</span><br /><span style="font-size: 85%;">By <span style="font-weight: bold;">Roberto Herrera-Lim</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Foreign Policy</span></span><br /><br />Bangkok's streets are again filled with protesters this week in what will likely prove a boisterous but futile attempt to force the government's resignation. But behind all the noise, former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who has been directing these demonstrations from outside the country, may well have a more subtle, longer-term agenda.<br /><br />Thaksin and his supporters have been attacking the country's "aristocracy"--and top adviser to King Bhumibol Adulyadej, Prem Tinsulanonda, in particular. This suggests that Thaksin's maneuvers are related less to any effort to immediately oust the current government but instead to undermining the power structures centered around the monarchy, particularly the King's privy council, and the succession process that Thailand will face once ailing King Bhumibol passes from the scene.<span class="fullpost"><br /><br />The protests are generating more noise than usual thanks to warnings from Thaksin that "the time for talks has passed" and the sense that protesters (known as "red shirts") are pushing for a confrontation. The former prime minister, ousted in a 2006 coup, is still able to create tension in the capital by rallying his supporters from Thailand's northeast and among Bangkok's poor. But without support from the military, the monarchy, and Bangkok's middle class, these protests are highly unlikely to divide the country's political elite and threaten the current regime. Even Thaksin's allies know that even if they could force new elections, the elite-controlled institutions could undermine their administration. Thaksin is believed to be in either Dubai or Cambodia, and evidence suggests that the military is trying to block his satellite telephone calls to followers inside Thailand.<br /><br />The real motive behind Thaksin's use of these protests is probably to weaken Prem, which would then allow him to position himself to eventually take advantage of a government weakened by the economic crisis, to negotiate his return to the country, and to settle his many outstanding legal and financial problems. The big unknown is whether Thaksin's moves reveal that he has inside information on how and when the succession process (and resulting power struggle) will begin to unfold, and whether his rhetoric is an attempt to position himself in the conflict for power that could follow.<br /><br />To up the ante, Thaksin has warned that he expects to see a "revolution by the people" that is more intense than the civilian unrest that rocked the country in 1973 and 1992. He has also explicitly accused Prem and retired General Surayud Chulanont of having organized the 2006 coup that ousted him from office.<br /><br />These are bold (and unprecedented) criticisms, because Prem has been considered for the past decade a direct representative of King Bhumibol and therefore beyond this kind of accusation. Protesters have organized demonstrations near Prem's home. By proving that he still commands considerable public support and boldly attacking Prem (and members of the military complicit in the 2006 coup), Thaksin may well be trying to establish himself as a political force to be reckoned with following the King's death-particularly if the succession process fails to produce a strong monarch.<br /><br />In short, Thailand is in the midst of a power struggle that could reach deeply into its institutions and power structures. It started with a fight between the elites and Thaksin in 2006, and has begun to spill over into the public sphere. The stakes have been magnified by the uncertainty around the royal succession in a country in which the monarchy remains the most powerful political institution. Thailand's history shows that this type of conflict will take time to resolve, with results ranging from the absurd to the tragic. </span>Chanthyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02917138286285731224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5759850391389777257.post-67891762657977176982009-04-12T02:54:00.001-07:002009-04-12T02:54:48.110-07:00TURMOIL IN PATTAYA: SUMMIT CANCELLED, STATE OF EMERGENCY DECLARED IN RESORT CITY<h3 class="post-title entry-title"> <a href="http://khmerization.blogspot.com/2009/04/turmoil-in-pattaya-summit-cancelled.html"><br /></a> </h3> <div class="image_block"><img src="http://www.thaiphotoblogs.com/media/blogs/new/pattayaasean_2.jpg" alt="" title="" height="296" width="450" /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">Supporters of former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra scuffle with riot policemen near the venue of the 14th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits in Pattaya April 10, 2009. </span><br /></div><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 255);">By Supalak Ganjanakhundee</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">The Nation</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Pattaya</span><h2 style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">The summit of Asean leaders with dialogue partners has been cancelled and state of emergency declared in Pattaya after a clash of red-shirted and blue-shirted people outside the meeting venue and a subsequent invasion of the hotel. </span></h2><p style="text-align: justify;">The government has announced a decision has been made to postpone the summit to a later date, in effect cancelling it. </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">Prime Minister<strong><a href="http://www.nationmultimedia.com/search/adsearch.php?keyword=+Abhisit+Vejjajiva+"> Abhisit Vejjajiva </a></strong>declared a state of emergency in Pattaya and Chon Buri, partly to facilitate the departure of<strong><a href="http://www.nationmultimedia.com/search/adsearch.php?keyword=+Asean+"> Asean </a></strong>VIP guests. He told a press conference<strong><a href="http://www.nationmultimedia.com/search/adsearch.php?keyword=+Asean+"> Asean </a></strong>leaders and their dialogue partners understand the need to postpone the summit and support government action regarding Saturday's incidents.</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> Deputy Prime Minister<strong><a href="http://www.nationmultimedia.com/search/adsearch.php?keyword=+Suthep+Thaugsuban+"> Suthep Thaugsuban </a></strong>will be in<br />charge of enforcing the state of emergency measures in Chon Buri and Pattaya. Saturday's turmoil will send Pattaya reeling economically. The resort city had hoped to reap the benefits of the Songkran festival but now has to cope with mounting tour and hotel cancellations. </div><p style="text-align: justify;">The state of emergency law imposes tough restrictions on public gathering and dissemination of information. Authorities are given added power to search residents and venues and restrict travels.</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">Hundreds of protesters broke through a glass and poured into a Royal Cliff Beach Resort Hotel building where reporters stayed. The section is about 100 metres apart from a hotel section where summit leaders are supposed to meet. </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">This made the meeting impossible after the government earlier only announced a minor postponement of schedules.</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">The cancellation has also been announced by acting government spokesman Panithan Watanayagorn, who had earlier said it was only a delay, not cancellation.<br /><br />Few protesters suffered minor injuries in a clash in Pattaya Saturday morning when the<strong><a href="http://www.nationmultimedia.com/search/adsearch.php?keyword=+Asean+"> Asean </a></strong>summit with dialogue partners was about to begin.<br /><br />"The government is investigating the incident," Panithan told an urgent press conference.<br /><br />At 8:40 am, the red-shirted protesters armed with giant firecrackers, Molotov cocktails, sling shots and batons, battled with local people who formed a line to protect the venue of<strong><a href="http://www.nationmultimedia.com/search/adsearch.php?keyword=+Asean+"> Asean </a></strong>+6 and<strong><a href="http://www.nationmultimedia.com/search/adsearch.php?keyword=+Asean+"> Asean </a></strong>+ 3 summits.<br /><br />Government officials denied the blue shirted men, who confronted the red-shirted protesters and clashed with them, were state-sponsored.<br /><br />Spokesman Panithan rejected the connection with the blue shirted men saying they are simply ordinary people who wanted to see the summit proceed smoothly. They showed up to prevent the red shirted protesters from disrupting the summit, he said.<br /><br />The government was investigating the presence of the blue shirted men and they could be arrested if committed anything illegal, he said.<br /><br />"We were also concerned about the safety of the leaders and the people including the protesters. We are working hard to control the situation," Panithan said.<br /><br />The Foreign Ministry's spokesman Tharit Charungvat, said all delegates are not the targets of the protesters. "The protesters want to humiliate the government," he said.<br /><br />Fugitive former prime minister<strong><a href="http://www.nationmultimedia.com/search/adsearch.php?keyword=+Thaksin+Shinawatra+"><strong></strong></a><strong><a href="http://www.nationmultimedia.com/search/adsearch.php?keyword=+Thaksin+"> Thaksin </a></strong>Shinawatra </strong>and red-shirted leaders have indicated that they would consider cancellation of the summit a victory for the red-shirted campaign. They claim the<strong><a href="http://www.nationmultimedia.com/search/adsearch.php?keyword=+Abhisit+Vejjajiva+"> Abhisit Vejjajiva </a></strong>government was not legitimate because it was set up following "unfair" court rulings against the former pro-Thaksin ruling party and a military-dictated defection of some formerly pro-Thaksin MPs.</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">The red shirted protesters under the umbrella of the Democratic Alliance Against Democracy (DAAD) demanded Prime Minister<strong><a href="http://www.nationmultimedia.com/search/adsearch.php?keyword=+Abhisit+Vejjajiva+"> Abhisit Vejjajiva </a></strong>and some members of the Privy Council to step down. They claimed the blue shirt men hurt them.<br /><br />Reporters saw the outnumbered blue-shirted local people was scattered and ran for cover when the red-shirted people attacked them.<br /><br />Several explosion sounds of firecrackers were heard and the red-shirted people were seen as firing slingshots with bolts at the blue-shirted people who tried formed a line in front of the Royal Cliff Beach Resort Hotel.<br /><br />The red-shirted people formed a line and kept advancing until the two sides stood confronting less than one metre apart and the clash broke out.<br /><br />The red-shirted protesters were seen carrying Molotov cocktails but none had been thrown at the other side yet.<br /><br />Terrified local residents closed their houses and many were seen weeping with fear.<br /><br />On Friday, the red-shirted leaders in Bangkok recruited the protesters to be deployed to Pattaya to fight against the blue-shirted ones.<br /><br />About 10,000 red-shirted protesters arrived at Pattaya in over 500 taxis, 20 buses and some six-wheel trucks, motorcycles and private cars.<br /><br />They reached the Phet Trakul Road where a group of red-shirted people was demonstrating at about 11:50 pm.<br /><br />At 7 am, about 100 red-shirted protesters and 30 taxis blocked the exit of Dusit Thani Pattaya Hotel to try to prevent the Chinese prime minister, Japanese prime minister and South Korean president to leave for a summit with<strong><a href="http://www.nationmultimedia.com/search/adsearch.php?keyword=+Asean+"> Asean </a></strong>leaders.</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">This followed a turmoil in Bangkok on Thursday when red-shirted protesters blocked the Victory Monument and caused traffic turmoil all across the city.</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">Following the Pattaya incident, the red shirt movement also issued a statement condemning what was claimed to be "government's ambush against unarmed citizens."</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">The statement, reportedly written by Jakrapop Penkair, a former Cabinet member in a previous pro-Thaksin administration, said the UAAD came to Pattaya "in good nature" but "reactions of the government and their leaders couldn't have been more harsh and undemocratic."</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">The statement said there were at least 2 cases of shootings aimed to harm red-shirt supporters. It also said as the red-shirt supporters were leaving the compound of the Royal Cliff Beach Pataya hotel, where they submitted a letter appealing to the guest countries for boycott, they were "viciously ambushed by people hiding on the sides. At least 10 people were injured when large pieces of stone hit them in the heads and bodies. These ambushers were not a natural but a well-arranged setup."</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">The statement claimed Suthep Tueksuban, Deputy Prime Minister, and Newin Chidchob, a Thai Rak Thai defect and a major influence of the current coalition, were responsible for organising the blue-shirted activities.</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">"We insist that our purpose of protesting is entirely peaceful. The meetings with Thailand's side, if gone on, would be misleading, since the Thai government doesn't represent the people of the country democratically," it said.</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">Several people were killed and injured when anti-Thaksin protesters clashed with security forces while a pro-Thaksin government, led by Thaksin's brother-in-law Somchai Wongsawat, was in power last year. </p>Chanthyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02917138286285731224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5759850391389777257.post-56184055252274007352009-04-12T02:53:00.000-07:002009-04-12T02:54:05.932-07:00Summit collapses, state of emergency declared<h3 class="post-title entry-title"> <a href="http://khmerization.blogspot.com/2009/04/summit-collapses-state-of-emergency.html"><br /></a> </h3> <div class="image_block"><img src="http://www.thaiphotoblogs.com/media/blogs/new/pattayaasean_1.jpg" alt="" title="" height="300" width="450" /></div> <p style="text-align: justify; font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">Supporters of former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra scuffle with riot policemen near the venue of the 14th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits in Pattaya April 10, 2009. Anti-government protesters converged on the Thai beach town of Pattaya on Friday with plans to disrupt an Asian summit as part of efforts to try to force Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to step down.</p><dl class="columnistProfile"><dd><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Bangkok Post</span><br /></dd><dd style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">Published: 11th April, 2009</dd></dl> <p style="text-align: justify;" class="preParagraph">Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva announced a state of emergency in Pattaya and Chon Buri on Saturday afternoon after red-shirt protesters broke into the Royal Cliff Beach hotel, the venue of the 14th Asean Summit in Pattaya.</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">He also confirmed the indefinite postponement of the Asean summit and related meetings.<br />Mr Abhisit said Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban had been instructed to implement the enforcement of the Emergency Decree.</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">The announcement came after protesters led by United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) core-member Arisman Pongruengrong swarmed through the venue, the Royal Cliff Hotel, including entering the Royal Wing where the leaders and their delegations were housed.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The prime minister said he had subsequently consulted the other Asean leaders.<br />Mr Abhisit said the Asean leaders “understood the situation” and agreed with his decision.<br />He said the leaders of Japan, China, South Korea, India, Australia and New Zealand - Asean's dialogue partners - all expressed appreciation of Thailand's efforts to host the summit. They also supported his decision to postpone the top-level meeting indefinitely.<br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Earlier report: <a href="http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/14885/clash-at-pattaya-protest" mce_href="../news/local/14885/clash-at-pattaya-protest">Asean summits postponed</a></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br />The prime minister said government's main priority now was to ensure the safety of the government leaders and their delegations and ensure their smooth departure.<br />He had made the decision to call off the meetings for the benefit of the country as a whole, Mr Abhisit said.</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">The red-shirt followers of the pro-Thaksin Shinawatra UDD forced their way into the Royal Cliff Hotel a few minutes before 1pm.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br />They claimed angrily that some of their members had been injured during a clash in the morning with about 300 men dressed in blue.<br /><br />They claimed the blue-clad people were sponsored by the government.<br /><br />About 2,000 red-shirt protesters clashed with local residents wearing blue about 9am as the UDD mob tried to block the long narrow road leading to the South Pattaya hotel.<br /><br />Both groups were armed with wooden poles and firecrackers. Although leaders of both sides seemingly tried to avoid a clash – a skirmish broke out resulting in a number of injuries.<br /><br />The red-shirts were supported by a fleet of about 200 taxis that arrived in Pattaya from Bangkok to join the protest.</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">The clash between the red and blue shirts prevented the leaders of Japan, China and South Korea from making their way to the summit venue, as they were housed at the Dusit Resort and Amari hotels in North Pattaya.<br />The morning clash prompted the government to announce a postponement of the Asean-China, Asean-South Korea and Asean-Japan summits, which were scheduled to be held from 9am to about 11am.</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">At the time the government said these three summit meetings would still be held, but would be rescheduled.<br /><br />But red-shirt core member Arisman led the protesters to the conference venue and demanded that he and other representatives be allowed inside to hold a press conference.<br /><br />They were allowed to enter. During the press conference, Mr Arisman claimed that the blue-shirt protesters who went against the red-shirts were in fact military personnel. </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">He showed the media hundreds of blue shirts along with spent cartridges and Molotov cocktails and small pingpong grenades, which he said were used against the UDD protesters. </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">He demanded the summit be postponed. He claimed Mr Abhisit and Mr Suthep should be held responsible, claiming that government-sponsored blue-shirt demonstrators had attacked the people.<br /><br />Prior to the break in at the hotel, Mr Arisman was seen on television speaking by phone to a senior official. He said later the person he was speaking to was army Chief Gen Anupong Paojinda. Mr Arisman refused to negotiate, saying that Mr Abhisit was responsible for the clash between red and blue shirts in the morning.<br /><br />The UDD supporters then broke the glass doors of the hotel, swarmed past soldiers guarding the entrance and entered the press centre. They spread across the conference venue, cheering loudly and chanting for the resignation of the prime minister.<br /><br />Mr Arisman held another quick press conference at which he said that one red shirt protester who had been shot had later died at Banglamung Hospital. He also said that two taxi drivers were shot and accused Mr Abhisit, Mr Suthep and Newin Chidchob of masterminding the blue-shirt attacks.<br /><br />Mr Arisman also said he was prepared to take responsibility for the damage to the hotel, but added the hotel was also partially responsible for agreeing to host the summit.<br /><br />He issued an ultimatum, that police had an hour to find the people who shot the red-shirt protesters.</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">About 1.45pm, after protesters had marched freely throughout the hotel, including the Royal Wing housing the visiting delegations, the red-shirts started returning to the press centre area.<br /><br />They left the hotel after the prime minister announced the indefinite postponement of the Summit and the declaration of the state of emergency.</p>Chanthyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02917138286285731224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5759850391389777257.post-8374997995109512922009-04-12T02:52:00.001-07:002009-04-12T02:52:41.058-07:00ASEAN summit disruption by Red Shirt Demonstrators: A huge embarrassment for Thailand and Abhisit<h3 class="post-title"> <a href="http://ki-media.blogspot.com/2009/04/asean-summit-disruption-by-red-shirt.html"><br /></a> </h3> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4nYMiBfT-jeJ0dBTbz1w9aLHI4c19YPcU-t0aNWE287nyOyv-x8zavqvcmbcSNjFVRzSeP84L6puwoLLF3sWSNsOR705GS7BaM4fnT3-bVmoyFxD59VgOPd460175NJOnWxJXbadjrZSA/s1600-h/Red+shirts+demo+04-11-2009+00+%28Reuters%29.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 335px; height: 344px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4nYMiBfT-jeJ0dBTbz1w9aLHI4c19YPcU-t0aNWE287nyOyv-x8zavqvcmbcSNjFVRzSeP84L6puwoLLF3sWSNsOR705GS7BaM4fnT3-bVmoyFxD59VgOPd460175NJOnWxJXbadjrZSA/s400/Red+shirts+demo+04-11-2009+00+%28Reuters%29.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5323341164371397346" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic; font-size: 85%;">Armed security officers draw their weapons after supporters of ousted Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra tried to enter one of the venues of the 14th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits in Pattaya April 11, 2009. A summit of Asian leaders in Pattaya, Thailand, has effectively been cancelled after anti-government protesters broke into part of the conference venue, a Thai government spokesman said on Saturday. REUTERS/Sukree Sukplang<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgFRVzX-IdFdqiX4LRuUlhU1kuCqKJH73tPEAVDW92fy5473z6T3mMHXXhJ1isGsXVmsuQTrk-ielROTlZLCT_LL4MPm_jhG-NW4D5CT9p7VlvMgpQ18pN6mQeH6o6ttViEUw3rlpgnREW/s1600-h/Red+shirts+demo+04-11-2009+01+%28AP%29.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 399px; height: 249px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgFRVzX-IdFdqiX4LRuUlhU1kuCqKJH73tPEAVDW92fy5473z6T3mMHXXhJ1isGsXVmsuQTrk-ielROTlZLCT_LL4MPm_jhG-NW4D5CT9p7VlvMgpQ18pN6mQeH6o6ttViEUw3rlpgnREW/s400/Red+shirts+demo+04-11-2009+01+%28AP%29.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5323341161333853938" border="0" /></a>Anti-government demonstrators celebrate after storming past Thai soldiers as they force their way into the 14th ASEAN Summit convention center Saturday, April 11, 2009, in Pattaya, Thailand. A Thai government officials say a summit of Asian leaders has been canceled for security reasons. The announcement Saturday came after more than 1,000 anti-government protesters smashed through glass doors to storm into the convention hall where some of the meetings were scheduled to take place. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJJ9voNNJ4UMKJDzmtes5_ylo_CrL_dRzBSPkWx30jeNwrDDq8QzrQw8NNeepn9sI0r8ynKv0r4d2Qq5xcQ1Cjuy4eTr_XWDzyzB_AaCYBYj4yFUgsVfn_Eu9whWfamZgqcPqKQSlGUlJb/s1600-h/Red+shirts+demo+04-11-2009+02+%28AP%29.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 261px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJJ9voNNJ4UMKJDzmtes5_ylo_CrL_dRzBSPkWx30jeNwrDDq8QzrQw8NNeepn9sI0r8ynKv0r4d2Qq5xcQ1Cjuy4eTr_XWDzyzB_AaCYBYj4yFUgsVfn_Eu9whWfamZgqcPqKQSlGUlJb/s400/Red+shirts+demo+04-11-2009+02+%28AP%29.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5323341152891287538" border="0" /></a>Thai anti-government demonstrators wave their flags after breaking their way into the meeting venue of the 14th ASEAN summit venue on Saturday, April 11, 2009, in Pattaya, Thailand. A Thai government officials say a summit of Asian leaders has been canceled for security reasons. (AP Photo/Wong Maye-E)<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZfTOwWwcMdEneyr8km3fvPls22aHFEosonq84xML59862kchRQ3EtrhwXXMYj8YXovvrhgbRNiqYD7GSDDk2O8lGPlCa0RJYzX3b9OXv0k33PFHbuy1p_45I_YC4sy-Rkv9VJPSEpgzaM/s1600-h/Red+shirts+demo+04-11-2009+03+%28AP%29.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 399px; height: 252px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZfTOwWwcMdEneyr8km3fvPls22aHFEosonq84xML59862kchRQ3EtrhwXXMYj8YXovvrhgbRNiqYD7GSDDk2O8lGPlCa0RJYzX3b9OXv0k33PFHbuy1p_45I_YC4sy-Rkv9VJPSEpgzaM/s400/Red+shirts+demo+04-11-2009+03+%28AP%29.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5323342118607842386" border="0" /></a>A Thai military helicopter leaves a rooftop carrying unidentified leaders Saturday, April 11, 2009, in Pattaya, Thailand, following the storming of the 14th ASEAN Convention Center by anti-government protesters. A Thai government officials say a summit of Asian leaders has been canceled for security reasons. (AP Photo/David Longstreath)</span>Chanthyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02917138286285731224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5759850391389777257.post-31177436289395421982009-04-12T02:50:00.000-07:002009-04-12T02:51:27.220-07:00Thais To Hand Over Statue to Hun Sen<h3 class="post-title"> <a href="http://ki-media.blogspot.com/2009/04/thais-to-hand-over-statue-to-hun-sen.html"><br /></a> </h3> <div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGEopCbETrQDdrzEEHVP6C6OD8Cs_sVIEeaXWWprq0Yrt5RhKMu_qf7FtMCPa3tKxNFdJmhyphenhyphenIALUhY9qlpOppdUSbznHrHQuc5PwgRhaecKSxTZDT239sPILwMXxhDVDsEBSPO3bs3iQoB/s1600-h/Hun+Sen+kissing+returned+statue+%28Nation%29.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 255px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGEopCbETrQDdrzEEHVP6C6OD8Cs_sVIEeaXWWprq0Yrt5RhKMu_qf7FtMCPa3tKxNFdJmhyphenhyphenIALUhY9qlpOppdUSbznHrHQuc5PwgRhaecKSxTZDT239sPILwMXxhDVDsEBSPO3bs3iQoB/s400/Hun+Sen+kissing+returned+statue+%28Nation%29.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5323177542591618834" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic; font-size: 85%;">Hun Sen kissing one the returned Khmer artefacts<br /></span></div><br /><span style="font-size: 85%;">By <span style="font-weight: bold;">Chun Sakada, VOA Khmer </span><br />Original report from Cambodia<br />10 April 2009</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Prime Minister Hun Sen will return from an Asean summit in Thailand Sunday carrying a symbolic statue that signals the return of a handful of stolen artifacts from Cambodia’s ancient past, an official said Friday.<br /><br />Hun Sen is attending the Asean summit in Pattaya and was scheduled to meet with his Thai counterpart, Abhisit Vejjajiva, Friday afternoon, to reclaim one statue constructed during the rule of King Jayavarman VII, Chuch Phoeung, secretary of state for the Ministry of Culture, told VOA Khmer Friday.<br /><br />Jayavarman VII built the Bayon temple inside the Angkor temple complex.<span class="fullpost"><br /><br />The statue will be the first of seven artifacts to be returned, all the heads of gods or giants, taken from Cambodia by artifact thieves and confiscated while in transport in Thailand.<br /><br />“All seven of the statues were stolen and trafficked out of Cambodia during the war,” said Sri Thamrong, a senior adviser to Hun Sen. “Finally, they were arrested by the Thai authorities and we have shown the Thais documents to prove with evidence that all seven artifacts belong to Cambodia.”<br /><br />Thai authorities are holding 24 artifacts that are claimed by Cambodia.<br /><br />Abhisit is expected bring the six remaining statues to Cambodia on a visit later this month.<br /><br />“We will hold the hand-over ceremony for the ancient Khmer artifacts at the National Museum on April 17,” Chuch Phoeung said.</span></div>Chanthyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02917138286285731224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5759850391389777257.post-72738306764150460322009-04-12T02:49:00.000-07:002009-04-12T02:50:03.065-07:00Thai, Cambodian PMs agree to prevent border clashes<h3 class="post-title"> <a href="http://ki-media.blogspot.com/2009/04/thai-cambodian-pms-agree-to-prevent.html"><br /></a> </h3> <div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3mWSrH8KJ-imJcVJq1AwtgB5SZcZLxoAF6ewBeMNg9RdEcba1W6mM_Nk1bMGYusxj9Nu-FJwmO01DRs0jBYe-fILLAPog3MAv8UGxNUhFKEk_fnzfdm1Rj_r7TYDbVSFzzA_tS6ndxNVA/s1600-h/Hun+Sen+shaking+hand+with+Abhisit+%28TNA%29.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3mWSrH8KJ-imJcVJq1AwtgB5SZcZLxoAF6ewBeMNg9RdEcba1W6mM_Nk1bMGYusxj9Nu-FJwmO01DRs0jBYe-fILLAPog3MAv8UGxNUhFKEk_fnzfdm1Rj_r7TYDbVSFzzA_tS6ndxNVA/s400/Hun+Sen+shaking+hand+with+Abhisit+%28TNA%29.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5323080576119942002" border="0" /></a>PATTAYA, April 10 (<span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">TNA</span>) - Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and his Cambodian counterpart Hun Sen on Friday agreed to find ways to prevent border clashes between the armed forces of the two countries from reoccurring in future.<br /><br />Both leaders discussed last Friday's border spat on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summits in Thailand's eastern seaside resort town of Pattaya, they expressed regret over the latest clashes near the disputed ancient temple of Preah Vihear in which two Thai and two Cambodian soldiers died and nine Thai soldiers were wounded.<br /><br />Mr. Abhisit told a press conference after the meeting, the incident happened because of a misunderstanding. He also said the incident would not affect bilateral relations and both countries would use channels of communication if anything similar looked likely to happen again in the future.<span class="fullpost"><br /><br />The Thai premier said he would also visit Cambodia on April 18 to meet King Norodom Sihamoni, Hun Sen and other senior officials.<br /><br />Mr. Abhisit meanwhile returned one of seven stolen Cambodian artifacts from the 12th century during the discussion with Hun Sen.<br /><br />The remaining artifacts will be handed to the Cambodian government during Mr. Abhisit’s official visit.<br /><br />All seven antiquities were earlier stolen and carried to Thailand, but were seized by customs officials.<br /><br />Panithan Wattanayakorn, deputy secretary-general to the Thai prime minister said Mr. Abhisit also stressed to Mr. Hun Sen that trade and investment between the two countries would continue, especially on the <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">construction of the Highway 68</span> project which will link Thailand’s northeastern province of Surin with Cambodia’s Siem Reap province in that country’s northwest.<br /><br />Construction costs of the highway estimated at US$43.7 million is expected to become a significant boost to an already burgeoning tourism industry in Siem Reap.</span></div>Chanthyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02917138286285731224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5759850391389777257.post-69129244838871796432009-03-24T23:07:00.000-07:002009-03-24T23:08:04.811-07:00Ex-employee of U.S. State Department sentenced for snooping of presidential candidates' passport files<span id="Zoom">WASHINGTON, March 23 (Xinhua) -- A former employee of the U.S. State Department has been sentenced for snooping of passport files of President Barack Obama and other then-presidential candidates last year, the Justice Department said on Monday. </span><p><span id="Zoom"> The employee, Dwayne Cross, 41, was sentenced to 12 months of probation and ordered to perform 100 hours of community service, according to a statement from the department. </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> "Cross admitted that he had no official government reason to access and view these passport applications, but that his sole purpose in accessing and viewing these passport applications was idle curiosity," the Justice Department statement said. </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> The investigation was triggered one year ago when the State Department acknowledged the files of Senators and then-presidential candidates Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and John McCain had been improperly accessed. </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> The State Department at the time confirmed the file of Obama, now president, had been viewed three times by State Department employees without authorization. </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> The file contains passport applications, extensive private personal data, and other records with biographical information. </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> Two other State Department employees involved in the case also pled guilty. </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> One was sentenced in last December to one year of probation and the other is awaiting sentencing. </span></p>Chanthyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02917138286285731224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5759850391389777257.post-65220477771435669762009-03-24T23:06:00.001-07:002009-03-24T23:06:44.165-07:00Bailed-out JP Morgan Chase to spend $120 mln on corporate jets<span id="Zoom"> NEW YORK, March 23 (Xinhua) – JP Morgan Chase is buying "plush" new luxury jets for its high-flying financiers and building a fancy new hangar to house them, without using taxpayers' bailout money, The New York Daily News reported Monday. </span><p><span id="Zoom"> The report quoted ABC News as saying that the firm's plans to "splash out" 120 million dollars for two new Gulfstream 650 planes and 18 million dollars to renovate a hangar at Westchester Airport, a public airport located in the towns of Harrison, North Castle and Rye in Westchester County, New York. </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> JPMorgan Chase spokesmen was cited as saying that no taxpayers' money would be used to buy the planes and the purchases won't go through until bailout cash is repaid. </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> JPMorgan Chase got 25 billion dollars of the federal TARP (Troubled Assets Relief Program) money last year but as one of the last relatively healthy big banks, it claimed that it didn't really need it. </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> CEO Jamie Dimond has reportedly pushed back against criticism of fat bonuses and high living, calling it part of doing business on Wall Street. </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> Bad publicity didn't hurt the bank's shares: they were up a whopping 25 percent in Monday's big rally, says the report. </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> Netizens seem to be fine with the big spending. Gradsolo, one of the people who posted comments after reading the news, said "I have no problem with this." He noted that JP Morgan Chase should be allowed to buy the planes as "they are spending their own money, not ours." </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> Some even say that doing so is good for "stimulating the economy," says the report. </span></p>Chanthyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02917138286285731224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5759850391389777257.post-6353053213700530112009-03-24T23:04:00.000-07:002009-03-24T23:05:56.084-07:00Report: New York governor plans secret tax hike on rich<span id="Zoom"> NEW YORK, March 23 (Xinhua) -- New York Governor David Paterson and legislative Democrats have secretly agreed on an 8-billion-dollar two-year tax hike on individuals making more than 500,000 dollars a year that will "sunset" around the time he plans to run for election in 2010, The New York Post quoted legislative sources as saying on Monday. </span><p><span id="Zoom"> Also under intense discussion Sunday as lawmakers rushed to complete a budget by April 1 is a proposal to raise the state's 4 percent sales tax to 4.5 percent the total of which would jump to close to 10 percent in parts of the state with the addition of local sales taxes. </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> The sales-tax hike, too, would sunset at the end of next year or in early 2011, legislative Democrats was cited as saying. </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> The current top tax rate is 6.85 percent for all incomes over 25,000 dollars a year. Sources could not say Sunday what the rate would rise to for incomes over 500,000 dollars, says the report. </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> Asked about his comment on the tax-hike plan, New York billionaire mayor Michael Bloomberg said cutting expenses is "the first place you should go." </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> New Yorkers earning 500,000 dollars or more pay for more than half of the city's taxes -- and Albany (capital of New York state)should focus on cutting spending before taking from the rich, Bloomberg was cited as saying. </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> The mayor also said that taxing the rich could hurt the city in the long run. </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> About "51 or 52 percent of our taxes come from people who earn 500,000 dollars a year or more," he was quoted as saying, adding that some 5,000 people in 2006 paid 30 percent of the city's taxes. </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> The mayor said that if 1,500 of those top earners decided to move to Connecticut (neighboring state), "that would cut 10 percent of our tax base. That's another 3.5 billion dollars," says the report. </span></p>Chanthyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02917138286285731224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5759850391389777257.post-59451077588368942592009-03-24T23:01:00.000-07:002009-03-24T23:03:56.413-07:00Obama sees signs of progress toward recovery, appeals for patience<table style="width: 176px; height: 11px;" align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" height="11" width="176"><tbody><tr><td style="font-size: 12px;"><img style="width: 450px; height: 410px;" alt="U.S. President Barack Obama delivers a speech during his second prime time news conference at the White House in Washington, March 24, 2009. (Xinhua/Zhang Yan)" src="http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-03/25/xin_262030625083667179739.jpg" border="0" hspace="0" /></td></tr> <tr> <td style="font-size: 12px;"> <p align="left"><span style="color:#000080;">U.S. President Barack Obama delivers a speech during his second prime time news conference at the White House in Washington, March 24, 2009. </span><a href="http://www.chinaview.cn/photos/index.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#800000;"><br /></span></a></p></td></tr></tbody></table><span id="Zoom"><br /> by Liu Hong </span><p><span id="Zoom"> WASHINGTON, March 24 (Xinhua) -- Seeking to rally more support for his efforts to tackle the crisis, U.S. President Barack Obama assured Americans on Tuesday that there were "signs of progress" toward recovery, while pleaded for more time and patience. </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> "We will recover from this recession," Obama said at a prime-time news conference, the second he has held since taking office in January. "But it will take time, it will take patience." </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> He noted that "there are no quick fixes, and there are no silver bullets," adding "it will take many months and many different solutions to lead us out." </span></p><p> <table style="width: 176px; height: 11px;" align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" height="11" width="176"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="font-size: 12px;"><img style="width: 450px; height: 341px;" alt="U.S. President Barack Obama delivers a speech during his second prime time news conference at the White House in Washington, March 24, 2009. (Xinhua/Zhang Yan)" src="http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-03/25/xin_33203062508598282249911.jpg" border="0" hspace="0" /></td></tr> <tr> <td style="font-size: 12px;"> <p align="left"><span style="color:#000080;">U.S. President Barack Obama delivers a speech during his second prime time news conference at the White House in Washington, March 24, 2009. (Xinhua/Zhang Yan)<br /></span><a href="http://www.chinaview.cn/photos/index.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#800000;"><br /></span></a></p></td></tr></tbody></table><span id="Zoom"><br /><strong> COMPREHENSIVE STRATEGY</strong> </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> Obama faced tough questions about recent projections that his budget would create trillions of dollars in deficit over the next decade and potentially double the national debt. </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> But Obama argued that the 3.6 trillion dollar budget is a critical part in his "comprehensive strategy” to attack the current crisis on all fronts. </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> "It's a strategy to create jobs, to help responsible homeowners, to restart lending and to grow our economy over the long term. And we are beginning to see signs of progress," Obama said. </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> "That's why this budget is inseparable from this recovery -- because it is what lays the foundation for a secure and lasting prosperity," said the president. </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> The bipartisan Congressional Budget Office has projected that the budget deficit is expected to top 1.8 trillion dollars in the current fiscal year, which ends on September 30, 2009. </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> The CBO-estimated red ink is even higher than the 1.75 trillion dollars expected by the Obama administration for the current year. </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> For the next fiscal year, which starts on October 1, 2009, the CBO forecast a budget deficit of around 1.4 trillion dollars, about 200 billion dollars more than that the Obama administration had predicted. </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> The Republicans attacked the bill was too costly. "It's a hollow number," said Sen. Judd Gregg, the senior Republican on the Senate Budget Committee, who recently withdrew as Obama's nominee to head the Commerce Department. </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> "You're not getting savings if you're assuming spending that isn't actually going to occur," he said. </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> However, Obama signaled Tuesday that he was not concerned his massive budget could be threatened. </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> "We never expected, when we printed out our budget, that they would simply Xerox it and vote on it. We assume that it has to go through the legislative process," he said. "I am confident that the budget we put forward will have those principles in place." </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> <strong>BROAD POWER OVER FINANCIAL COMPANIES</strong> </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> Speaking in the East Room of the White House, Obama used the controversy over bailed-out AIG, urging Congress to grant his government broad power to seize non-bank financial companies whose collapse could jeopardize the economy. </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> He said such power could have lessened the problems at AIG and that he anticipates "strong support" from the public and Congress for the new authority. </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> "We should have obtained it much earlier so that any institution that poses a systemic risk that can bring down the financial system, we can handle and we can do it in an orderly fashion, that quarantines it from other institutions," Obama said at the conference. </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> "We don't have that power right now, that's what (Treasury) Secretary (Timothy) Geithner is talking about and I think there's going to be strong support from the American people and Congress to provide that authority," he said. </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> Both Geithner and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, who appeared at Tuesday's hearing in the House, called on Congress to grant the Treasury "legal means to manage the orderly restructuring of a large, complex non-bank financial institution." </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> "All institutions and markets that could pose systemic risk will be subject to strong oversight, including appropriate constraints on risk-taking," warned Geithner. "Regulators must apply standards, not just to protect the soundness of individual institutions, but to protect the stability of the system as a whole." </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> "AIG highlights the urgent need for new resolution procedures for systemically important non-bank financial firms," also said Bernanke. </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> The U.S. government currently has the authority to seize only banks. A change in the Treasury Department's power would need to be approved by Congress. </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> Earlier Tuesday, White House press secretary Robert Gibbs also said in television interviews that the expanded power would have given the government more options, and potentially more control to tackle the crisis. </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> "If the Treasury had resolution authority on AIG, you wouldn't have to put it into bankruptcy to change executive compensation, you could do that automatically," He said on CNN. </span></p><p> <table style="width: 176px; height: 11px;" align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" height="11" width="176"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="font-size: 12px;"><img style="width: 300px; height: 409px;" alt="U.S. President Barack Obama speaks during a prime time news conference in the East Room of the White House in Washington, March 24, 2009." src="http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-03/25/xin_26203062508368121583310.jpg" border="0" hspace="0" /></td></tr> <tr> <td style="font-size: 12px;"> <p align="left"><span style="color:#000080;">U.S. President Barack Obama delivers a speech during his second prime time news conference at the White House in Washington, March 24, 2009. (Xinhua/Zhang Yan)<br /></span><a href="http://www.chinaview.cn/photos/index.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#800000;"><br /></span></a></p></td></tr></tbody></table><span id="Zoom"><br /> <strong>STRONG DOLLAR</strong> </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> Obama also expressed his confidence in the U.S. dollar. "As far as confidence in the U.S. economy or the dollar, I would just point out that the dollar is extraordinarily strong right now," he said. </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> "The reason the dollar is strong right now is because investors consider the United States the strongest economy in the world with the most stable political system in the world," he noted. </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> He also said there is no need for a new global currency as an alternative to the dollar. "I don't believe that there's a need for global currency," said Obama, responding to a recent call by China's central bank Governor Zhou Xiaochuan. </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> In an article posted on the website of the People's Bank of China on Monday, Zhou proposed to create a super-sovereign reserve currency as part of reform in the international monetary system. </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> The desirable goal of the international monetary system is to "create an international reserve currency that is disconnected from individual nations and is able to remain stable in the long run, thus removing the inherent deficiencies caused by using credit-based national currencies," Zhou said. </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> The Special Drawing Right (SDR) of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has the potential to act as a super-sovereign reserve currency, said the Chinese central bank chief, admitting the creation of a new reserve currency is a long-term goal that requires foresight and courage from state leaders of various countries. </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> The SDR is an international reserve asset created by the IMF in 1969, and it is only used by governments and international institutions. </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> Last week, Russia announced a similar call for the introduction of a super-national reserve currency as part of the country's proposal to reform the international monetary and financial system at the upcoming London summit.</span></p>Chanthyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02917138286285731224noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5759850391389777257.post-3628724688255624362009-03-24T23:00:00.001-07:002009-03-24T23:00:47.486-07:00Obama sees Afghan build-up leads to eventual withdrawal<table style="width: 176px; height: 11px;" align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" height="11" width="176"><tbody><tr><td style="font-size: 12px;"><img src="http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-03/23/xin_3020306231754812826615.jpg" border="0" /></td></tr> <tr> <td style="font-size: 12px;"> <p align="left"><span style="color:#000080;">CBS' Steve Kroft interviews U.S. President Barack Obama for CBS' "60 Minutes" program, in the Oval Office in Washington, in this frame grab taken on March 20, 2009 and released on March 22.(Xinhua/Reuters Photo)<br /></span><a href="http://www.chinaview.cn/photos/index.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#800000;"><br /></span></a></p></td></tr></tbody></table> <p><span id="Zoom"> WASHINGTON, March 22 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Barack Obama hinted on Sunday that the ongoing U.S. military build-up in Afghanistan will eventually lead to the withdrawal of all foreign troops from the country. </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> "There's got to be an exit strategy... There's got to be a sense that this is not perpetual drift," Obama said during an interview with CBS's "60 Minutes". </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> Asked about the objective of U.S. mission in Afghanistan, he replied "Making sure that al Qaeda cannot attack the U.S. homeland and U.S. interests and our allies. That's our No.1 priority." </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> The president also said that so far he has found the job of president "exhilarating," and added that while he is reading more now, most of his reading consists of briefing books to bone up on issues. </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> Obama made the remarks as he is wrapping up his strategic review on Afghanistan. </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> Officials said last week that he is likely to announce his new Afghan strategy in the next few days. </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> His new strategy will include a plan to move U.S. troops to frontline garrisons in remote areas of the country instead of the present method of staying in large rear area bases and venturing into remote areas from time to time, according to media reports. </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> Obama has been conducting a complete review of the Afghan strategy since swearing-in in January. </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> He ordered an increase of U.S. troops level in Afghanistan by 17,000 last month. </span></p>Chanthyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02917138286285731224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5759850391389777257.post-21111608678879630822009-03-24T22:57:00.000-07:002009-03-24T22:59:08.807-07:00FAA: 14 killed in small plane crash in Montana<table style="width: 176px; height: 11px;" align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" height="11" width="176"><tbody><tr><td style="font-size: 12px;"><img src="http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-03/23/xin_4620306230917984232714.jpg" border="0" /></td></tr> <tr> <td style="font-size: 12px;"> <p align="left"><span style="color:#000080;">In this picture provided by Martha Guidoni via The Montana Standard, a fire burns inside the Holy Cross Cemetery after a small, singe-engine plane crashed in an area just south of the Bert Mooney Airport in Butte, Mont. on Sunday, March 22, 2009. Seventeen people, including several children, were killed in the incident, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.(Xinhua/Reuters Photo)<br /></span><a href="http://www.chinaview.cn/photos/index.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#800000;"><br /></span></a></p></td></tr></tbody></table> <p><span id="Zoom"> LOS ANGELES, March 22 (Xinhua) -- A total of 14 people, including seven children, were killed early Sunday when a small plane crashed near an airport in the northwestern state of Montana, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed Sunday night. </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> The single-engine Pilatus PC12 plane from Northern California crashed in a cemetery around 2:30 pm local time (20:30 GMT) in Butte, about 100 km south of the state capital Helena, said an FAA spokesman. </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> FAA operations officer Karen Byrd said the dead were seven Children and seven adults. Kristi Dunks, an investigator for the Southwest Regional Office of the National Transportation Safety Board, said there were no survivors in the crash. </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> The number of dead had been put at 17. </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> The aircraft departed from Oroville in Northern California probably for a ski vacation in Montana, but the pilot canceled his flight plan and headed for Butte, the FAA said. </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> The plane was attempting to land at the airport when it crashed, and officials at the airport said they had no radio contact with the plane, according to Dunks. </span></p><p><span id="Zoom"> Authorities were tight-lipped about the crash, saying an investigation is under way and the bodies of the dead had not been recovered by Sunday evening. Witnesses said there was a harrowing scene at the crash site. </span></p>Chanthyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02917138286285731224noreply@blogger.com0