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Exact Location of Hijacked Oil Tanker Unclear
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Somali sources say pirates took Saudi oil tanker near fishing village of Eyl
but US Navy sources say it will be anchored near Haradhere in central Somalia
Conflicting reports have emerged as to where Somali pirates, who seized a giant
oil tanker more than 800 kilometers off the coast of Kenya on Monday, have
taken the vessel. As VOA Correspondent Alisha Ryu reports from our East Africa
Bureau in Nairobi, the hijacking of the supertanker was unprecedented in terms
of the pirates' reach and in the choice of vessel.Undated picture of 'Sirius
Star' tanker conducting trial run in South Korea VOA sources in Somalia say the
Saudi-owned Sirius Star, carrying two million barrels of crude worth $100
million, is to be anchored near Eyl, a remote fishing village in the northern
Puntland region. Eyl has long been the base of operations for a group of
pirates, who have carried out dozens of attacks on ships this year in the Gulf
of Aden and along Somalia's eastern coast. Pirates in Eyl and the factional
leaders and businessmen who control them are holding nearly a dozen ships and
their crew and are believed to have earned tens-of-millions of dollars in
ransom payments. The U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet based in Bahrain says it has
information that the supertanker is to be anchored off another haven for
pirates near Haradhere in central Somalia. The head of the East African
Seafarers' Association in Mombasa, Kenya, Andrew Mwangura, says negotiations
for the release of the $140 million oil tanker and its multinational crew of 25
have begun. He says he expects the pirates to demand a far higher ransom for
the release of the vessel than the $1 million and $2 million the pirates have
previously demanded from ship owners. "We are informed that they are already
in touch with the ship owner but we do not know who far they [negotiations]
have gone," he said.According to Mwangura and other maritime officials, the
enormous weight of the cargo would have limited the 330-meter supertanker to a
top speed about 14 knots - slow enough for armed pirates in fast attack boats
to come alongside. British maritime journalist David Hughes says although the
newly-built Sirius Star sits higher in the water than older tankers, it would
not have been difficult for experienced gunmen to board her."The modern one is
higher than an old one. We are talking 10 to 15 meters. Not easy. Still, you
could get a ladder up," Hughes noted.The hijacking of the vessel, the largest
ever taken by pirates, took place despite the presence of warships recently
deployed by the United States, the NATO alliance and the European Union to
protect one of the world's busiest shipping areas.Many of the warships have
been conducting their patrols in the narrow shipping lanes of the Gulf of Aden,
where the number of successful piracy attacks on merchant ships have dropped
significantly in the past month.But Monday's attack occurred 830 kilometers off
the coast of Kenya in wide open waters that navies cannot adequately cover.
The United States' top military officer, Navy Admiral Michael Mullen told
reporters that he was stunned by the pirates' ability to operate so far from
shore.Journalist David Hughes says the attack signals a potential catastrophe
for the global maritime industry. "It means that nowhere from somewhere down
the middle of the Indian Ocean and westward is safe," he said. "And that means
you essentially cannot have normal merchant shipping in that huge area." The
U.S. Navy has not said whether it is considering taking military actions to
rescue the tanker.
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US Automakers to Ask Congress for Help
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But the Bush administration says it would be a mistake to make the money
available to manufacturers without requiring them to restructure and become
more competitive
Members of Congress have returned to Capitol Hill for a post-election session
to consider new measures to help the faltering U.S. economy, including the
automobile industry, which has faced plummeting sales, plant closings and
thousands of job losses. President Bush and Republican lawmakers say they can
not support a Democratic Party plan to help America's struggling auto industry,
which has suffered from rising fuel costs and the shrinking economy. The
Democrats are backing a plan to use $25 billion from the economic rescue plan
to help U.S. automakers. But the Bush administration says it would be a
mistake to make the money available to the car manufacturers without requiring
them to restructure and become more competitive. VOA's Deborah Tate reports
from Capitol Hill.Democratic congressional leaders would like to use $25
billion of the $700-billion financial rescue package passed last month to help
the ailing automobile industry.Senators Harry Reid (l), and Chuck Schumer (file
photo)Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is a Nevada Democrat:"We are seeing a
potential meltdown in the auto industry, with consequences that could impact
directly on millions of American workers, and cause further devastation to our
economy," said Senator Reid.But congressional Republicans and the Bush
administration oppose using part of the financial rescue package to help
automakers. They argue the money was never intended for the auto industry, but
to help struggling financial institutions. Some Republicans say bailing out
automakers would only reward those companies for mismanagement.Senator Chris
Bond is a Missouri Republican:"I do not support a blank check from the
government [to the auto industry]," said Senator Bond. "I want to make sure we
are not throwing good money after bad."Republicans, including the Bush
administration, believe that any help for automakers should come from a
$25-billion loan program approved by Congress in September to help the industry
develop more fuel-efficient cars.At least one Democrat, Senator Bill Nelson of
Florida, agrees."It is this senator's judgment that there should be no bailout
of the American automobile industry," said Senator Nelson. "There should not be
a reward for poor management. But because of the American jobs at risk,
because of American manufacturing at risk, I support a federal loan with
serious restrictions.GM Auto plant in Janesville, WisconsinProposed aid for the
auto industry is expected to be the focus of a Senate Banking Committee hearing
Tuesday, when the top executives of the big three U.S. automakers - Ford,
Chrysler, and General Motors - are to testify.The issue was also on the agenda
at a closed-door meeting between House Democrats and Treasury Secretary Henry
Paulson and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke Monday. Aid for automakers is
expected to be part of a broad economic aid plan to come before the Senate this
week. But prospects for passage of the plan, which would include billions of
dollars for road and bridge rebuilding, appear dim. Senate aides predict the
most that will be approved by lawmakers is an extension of unemployment
benefits.President-elect Barack Obama, who formally resigned his Senate seat
Sunday, has said, if a sweeping economic aid plan is not passed by Congress
now, it would be at the top of his agenda after he takes office in January.
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US Commits to Iraq Withdrawal by 2011, But Could Seek Extension
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US officials say agreement could be renegotiated in future, depending on
security conditions
U.S. officials say the agreement to withdraw all U.S. troops from Iraq in three
years, signed in Baghdad Monday, is a firm commitment. But they say it could be
renegotiated in the future, depending on security conditions. VOA's Al Pessin
reports from the Pentagon.Chairman of US Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Michael
Mullen, 22 Oct 2008At a news conference Monday, the top U.S. military officer,
Admiral Mike Mullen, responded "yes" when asked whether the agreement signed in
Baghdad earlier in the day requires all U.S. troops to leave Iraq by the end of
2011, regardless of the security conditions. But he also called the Status of
Forces Agreement, or SOFA, "adequate for what we need now." "Three years is a
long time," said Admiral Mullen. "Conditions could change in that period of
time. And, if we get to a point where this SOFA is agreed to, and have a
relationship with the government of Iraq tied to it, that we will continue to
have discussions with them over time, as conditions continue to evolve."At the
White House, Press Secretary Dana Perino also hedged on the withdrawal date,
sticking to the label "aspirational" that she and other officials have used in
the past."When you work with a partner on a negotiation, you have to concede
some points," said Dana Perino. "One of the points that we conceded was that we
would establish these aspirational dates."U.S. Ambassador Ryan Crocker, left,
and Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari, right, shake hands after signing
ceremony for security pact in Baghdad, 17 Nov 2008Speaking from Baghdad shortly
after signing the agreement with U.S. Ambassador Ryan Crocker, Iraqi Foreign
Minister Hoshyar Zebari told VOA's Kurdish Service it is too soon to say
whether any extension of the American military presence beyond 2011 might be
negotiated. He also said he expects Iraq's parliament to approve the agreement
within 10 days. It will replace a U.N. Security Council mandate that expires
at the end of the year.The U.S. decision to agree to a firm withdrawal date is
a distinct change from previous policy. Senior military officers and Bush
Administration civilian officials have always said troop reductions should be
based only on security conditions and should not be bound by timetables.
Admiral Mullen indicated Monday that current conditions and trends in the
insurgency and in the competence of Iraqi security forces give him hope that
the new timetable and the security conditions will not be in conflict by the
time the last U.S. soldier is scheduled to leave Iraq."Conditions continue to
improve in a way where we are allowed to withdraw forces, and we've done that
very specifically," he said. "And, as I've said for a significant period of
time, I am hopeful that conditions will continue to improve, so we can continue
to do that."Admiral Mullen said a full withdrawal of the approximately 150,000
U.S. troops in Iraq, along with their equipment, would in any case take two to
three years. He also said the agreement's requirement for a U.S. withdrawal
from Iraqi cities by the middle of next year is possible, but it will be "a big
challenge" to securely remove U.S. troops from Baghdad and the northern city of
Mosul by then. The top U.S. military officer said he is "comfortable" that the
agreement provides "adequate...authorities and protections" for U.S. troops to
do their jobs. Reports from Baghdad say the agreement increases Iraqi
authority over coalition military operations and allows for the prosecution of
U.S. troops in Iraqi courts in extreme cases.Asked whether the United States
could withdraw its troops from Iraq even more quickly than the agreement
requires, as President-elect Barack Obama has indicated he would like to do,
Admiral Mullen said he recognizes there are "other options" for U.S.
policy."Should President-elect Obama give me direction, I would carry that
out," said Admiral Mullen. "I mean, that's what I do as a senior member of the
military. What President-elect Obama has also said is that he would seek the
counsel of myself and the Joint Chiefs before he made any decisions. And so, I
look forward to that discussion, look forward to the engagement."Admiral Mullen
would not say what advice he will give Mr. Obama, but he said he believes
security conditions should continue to be considered as the new president
charts his Iraq policy.
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UN: Israel Violating Law in Gaza
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UN official says a half million Gazans have been forcibly deprived of their
rights, in direct contravention of international human rights and humanitarian
law
Palestinian women wait outside the Erez Crossing as they try to enter the Gaza
Strip, on the Israel-Gaza border, 14 Nov 2008The U.N.'s top human rights
official says the Israeli blockade of Gaza is depriving Palestinians of their
most basic human rights.High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay Tuesday
called for an immediate, full lifting of the blockade. She said it should be
followed by a strong humanitarian response to relieve what she called the
massive humanitarian suffering in Gaza.Pillay said one and a half million
Gazans have been forcibly deprived of their rights, in direct contravention of
international human rights and humanitarian law.Earlier Tuesday, Israel said it
will keep all border crossings with the Gaza Strip closed Tuesday because of
Palestinian rocket fire into southern Israel.The U.N. High Commissioner
condemned the Palestinian attacks, and appealed for both sides to stop
fighting. Israel shut its border crossings with Gaza after fighting erupted
earlier this month between Israeli troops and Gaza militants. The blockade has
led to shortages of food and fuel in the aid-dependent Palestinian
territory.Israel allowed a humanitarian aid convoy of 33 trucks into Gaza on
Monday.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP and Reuters.
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British Foreign Secretary Holds Talks in Damascus
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Talks between David Milliband, Bashar al-Assad widely seen as another sign of
increasing European efforts to ease Syria's diplomatic isolation
British Foreign Secretary David Miliband is in Syria for talks with President
Bashar al Assad, a visit widely seen as another sign of increasing European
efforts to ease Syria's diplomatic isolation. VOA's Sonja Pace reports from
London. Image released by Syrian Arab News Agency of Pres. Bashar al-Assad (L)
meeting with British Foreign Sec. David Milliband, 18 Nov 2008It is the first
visit by a top-level British official to Syria in seven years and it is being
watched closely.Damascus has come under sharp criticism for meddling in
neighboring Lebanon, for supporting militant groups, including the
Iranian-backed Hezbollah, for its close ties to Tehran, and for not doing
enough to stem the flow of foreign insurgents into neighboring Iraq. Foreign
Secretary Miliband told reporters he traveled to Damascus to talk about these
issues and about Syria's responsibilities."I think there have been some
important signs over the last year or so of Syria understanding the degree of
concern and seeking to change some of its actions," he said. "I think it is
very important that we continue to engage countries like Syria which wants to
be a secular state in the heart of a stable Middle East and try to explain how
it can play a big role in fostering that sort of stability."Washington has long
sought to isolate Syria because of its alleged support for terrorism, but a
visit to Damascus earlier this year by French President Nicolas Sarkozy was
seen as an indication that Europe was opting to engage Syria to try to bring it
out of its diplomatic isolation.Interviewed on British radio during a visit to
London, Israel's President Shimon Peres said Syria must stop arming and
supporting Hezbollah in Lebanon and show that it is ready to make peace. Then,
he said, the two sides can talk about regional issues and about the return to
Syria of the Golan Heights, which was captured by Israel in the 1967 Mideast
war and subsequently annexed. A student looks through binoculars from the
Syrian side of the occupied Golan Hights to see her family in Ein al-Tinehand
village (file photo) "If Syria will understand that they cannot have the Golan
Heights and keep Lebanon as a basis for the Iranians, then the decision will be
clear," he said. "But, if she [Syria] wants back the Golan Heights and to keep
her bases in Lebanon, which are really controlled and financed by the Iranians
- no Israeli will agree to have Iranians on our border. We do not need them
there." Syria has held indirect talks with Israel in recent months, under
Turkish mediation. Damascus has repeatedly said it wants to make peace, but it
has rejected Israeli demands that it sever its alliance with Iran and drop its
support for Hezbollah and Palestinian militant groups.
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India's Finance Minister Wants Rate Cut, Price Reductions
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Palaniappan Chidambaram says despite slowdown, agricultural sector remains
healthy and country's overall economy will quickly be back on track
India's finance minister is calling for price cuts, as well as a drop in
interest rates, to stimulate demand as growth slows in the nation of 1.2
billion people. Palaniappan Chidambaram says, despite the global economic
crisis, a dip in Indian exports and investors pulling money out of the country,
India's economy will be back on its high-growth track in six to 12 months. VOA
Correspondent Steve Herman in New Delhi reports.India's finance minister is
deriding the "gloom and doom" enveloping the domestic economic mood, contending
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's government is working "24-7" to take steps to
fend off the ill effects of a global slowdown. India's finance minister
Palaniappan Chidambaram Speaking at a summit of the World Economic Forum in New
Delhi Tuesday, Palaniappan Chidambaram called for Indian consumer lending rates
to drop several points from the current 13 percent level. He also says
industries - instead of sitting on inventory - need to accept a temporary cut
in profits to retain market share and do their part to stimulate consumer
demand."Hotels must cut tariffs. Airlines must cut prices. Real estate must
cut prices of homes and apartments they sell. Carmakers, two-wheeler makers
must cut prices," he siad. "The classic response to a demand slowdown is to
cut prices for a short time." The finance minister acknowledged some of the
other challenges facing India's economy: billions of dollars being repatriated
by foreign institutional investors, declining exports and a depreciating rupee
against the dollar. Some international economists say India's economic
overseers are still too concerned about inflation, preventing them from taking
immediate steps to cut interest rates. But domestic observers point out that
the government, with an eye on elections, is worried about a backlash at the
polls, if it cannot keep food prices under control. Chidambaram says, even if
India's annual growth rate dips to seven percent from its recent yearly
increases of about nine percent, that would be no reason don "sack cloth and
ashes." He predicts, although there will be a slowdown, the agricultural
sector - employing about half of all Indians - remains healthy and the
country's overall economy will quickly be back on track. "By the end of 12
months, we will back to the normal growth that we would like to have. There's
no reason to spread gloom and doom," he said. "There are negatives, but there
are positives. We should emphasize the positive and send out a message of
confidence and our ability to overcome this crisis." The finance minister
cautions action should not be taken based on the daily gyrations of the Mumbai
stock market. His comments come following the Group of 20 crisis summit of
world leaders. Prime Minister Singh and the finance minister attended the
meeting. Chidambaram says the G-20 has surpassed the G-7 as the "single-most
important forum for financial and economic issues of the world."
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China Says Tibetan Separatism 'Doomed'
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Beijing says it will never allow independence for region internationally
recognized as part of Chinese territory
China has harsh words for Tibet, saying it will never allow independence for a
region that is internationally recognized as part of Chinese territory.
Beijing's comments Tuesday came as Tibetan exiles hold a meeting in India to
decide the future of their campaign against Chinese rule in their homeland.
Stephanie Ho reports from the Chinese capital.Qin Gang talks to reporters in
Beijing (file photo)Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang says the
Chinese government's position on Tibet is "resolute."Qin says any attempt to
separate Tibet from Chinese territory will be "doomed." He also emphasized
that what he describes as the "so-called Tibet government in exile" is not
recognized by any other government.The Chinese spokesman made comments directed
at India, the country where many Tibetan exiles live and where Tibetan exiles
are currently holding a crucial meeting.The spokesman says China hopes and
believes India will live up to its commitment to forbid any separatist
activities on its territory.Tibet's top spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, fled
to the Indian hill town, Dharmasala, following a failed uprising against
Chinese rule in Tibet in 1959.He has publicly advocated a plan that recognizes
Tibet as part of China, but allows more autonomy for the region's unique
culture and religion. Recently, though, the Dalai Lama said he is losing hope
in his efforts.China flatly rejects his plan as tantamount to Tibet
independence.Tibetan exile groups are meeting in Dharmasala this week to
discuss the future of their cause.Some Tibetans have grown impatient with the
Dalai Lama's approach and insist on taking more drastic measures. They believe
their homeland was an independent nation before Communist troops invaded in
1950. China maintains that Tibet has been part of its territory for centuries.
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Sri Lankan Military Captures Key Rebel-Held Towns in North
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Sri Lankan army is on a major offensive to crush the rebels, who have been
fighting for a Tamil homeland for 25 years
In Sri Lanka, the military says it has captured key areas held by Tamil Tiger
rebels, in the north of the country. As Anjana Pasricha reports from New
Delhi, the Sri Lankan army is on a major offensive to crush the rebels, who
have been fighting for a Tamil homeland for 25 years.Rebels examine their
weapons in this handout picture released by The Liberation Tigers for Tamil
Eeelam (LTTE) website Tamilnet (file photo)A Sri Lankan military spokesman says
that the navy sank two Tamil Tiger boats, damaged another and killed several
rebels, Tuesday.The sea battle took place as troops consolidated their hold on
three strategic towns captured from the rebels in recent days. The most
important of these is Manukulam, which lies on a junction of a key highway and
another road leading to the main rebel stronghold. The army says the town was
used by the Tamil Tigers as a crucial supply route to the north.Manukulam was
captured Monday -- just two days after the military said it had taken control
of another key town, Pooneryn. from the rebels. Military spokesman, Udaya
Nanayakkra says the military now controls the entire western coast of the
island nation for the first time in a decade. He says this will hamper the
rebels from operating in the sea. "Complete western coastal area has been
liberated now and we have completely stopped the Sea Tiger activities in that
area," Nanayakkra said.The government says the recent battlefield successes are
"psychologically important" for troops trying to drive the rebels out of the
north, where they control vast stretches of territory. An independent
assessment of the fighting in the north is difficult, because journalists are
barred from the area.However, analysts agree that the military has made
significant advances against the rebels. But the head of Colombo's National
Peace Council, Jehan Perera, says the rebels, who are also known as the LTTE,
still remain a formidable fighting force. "Certainly the LTTE is under
pressure," Perera said. "LTTE has been giving way all the time… They have lost
large amount of territory. But from what we know they still retain the bulk of
their weaponry and also their core fighters, who number several thousands, so
it is still premature to say that the LTTE has been irreversibly weakened."
The Sri Lankan military's next target is the main rebel stronghold, Killinochi.
The government has vowed to crush the rebels, who have been fighting for an
autonomous homeland for the minority Tamil community since 1983.
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Global Economic Slowdown Hurts Migrant Workers
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Filipinos living in New York are worried about state of the economy because it
affects how much money they can send to relatives in their native country
While much of the news about the global financial crisis has focused on failed
Wall Street banks, migrant workers and their families around the world are
starting to feel the pain of slower economic growth. Pros Laput traces how the
crisis affects Filipino migrants overseas and their families back home. He
visited New York, Hong Kong and the Philippines and compiled this report,
narrated by Kate Pound Dawson. The U.S. economy is suffering its worst crisis
since the 1930s. What began as a slump in the housing market has exploded into
a global credit crisis. Unemployment in the United States is at a 14-year high
and is expected to worsen. This is bad news for the millions of immigrants in
the United States, particularly those who send money to their families in their
home countries. In Woodside, Queens, the heart of the Filipino community in New
York, everyone is worried, because the state of the economy here has
repercussions back home. Edilyn RecibeEdilyn Recibe, who has lived in New York
for 10 years, has cut back on the money she sends to her family in the
Philippines. Recibe says that if you lose your job here, it's a big problem.
Her relatives back home are worried, because they see news reports about the
weak U.S. economy. Recibe says her sister told her to keep her money because
she heard from the news that many people in America are losing their jobs. As
Americans cut spending, demand for Asian exports slows down, which means Asian
economies slow down. And in banking centers such as Hong Kong, the credit
crunch and the collapse of several international banks causes extra pain. More
than 130,000 Filipinos live in Hong Kong, most of them employed as domestic
workers. Abe de RamosAbe de Ramos is a financial analyst in the city. "We have
already seen some unemployment in the financial sector and in the trading
sector," Ramos said. "With greater unemployment within these households, they
would have lesser capacity to hire (a) domestic worker." Filipino workers
around the world sent more than $14 billion to the Philippines in 2007 - equal
to 13 percent of the gross domestic product. So, lower remittances will hurt
the economy. In Dapitan, a small city in the southern Philippines, remittances
helped jump-start the local construction industry. Alice BalladaresAlice
Balladares has a new two-story concrete house with a garage, built with money
sent by her daughter in the Middle East. Like many, she faces two problems:
increasing costs because of inflation, and shrinking remittances because the
U.S. dollar buys fewer Philippine pesos. Balladares says, yes, the family has a
beautiful house but the problem is meeting their daily needs. Like many around
the world who depend on remittances, she has had to cut down on spending. But
Raymond Regner, whose company handles money transfers to the Philippines in New
York, says remittances may not slow significantly because Filipinos have a
strong sense of responsibility toward their families. Raymond RegnerRegner says
that no matter what happens, a Filipino will send money, even if there's
nothing left for himself. He says they send money because people rely on them.
But many families in the Philippines are not so confident that they, and their
relatives overseas, will escape the effects of the weakening economy.
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'Quantum of Solace' Reveals Ruthless and Emotional James Bond
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Daniel Craig stars as popular secret agent in sequel to last year's 'Casino
Royale'
007 is back on the job in the 22nd film adventure of British secret agent James
Bond. Alan Silverman spoke with star Daniel Craig and director Marc Forster for
this look at Quantum of Solace.For the first time in this long-running series
the new film is a direct sequel to the previous one. In the 2006 hit Casino
Royale, Bond broke one of his cardinal rules by getting emotionally involved
with a woman, Vesper, who was blackmailed by a secret organization into
betraying him. Daniel Craig, in his second outing as 007, explains that Quantum
of Solace picks right up with the aftermath of that tragic end.Daniel Craig as
James Bond in scene from Quantum of Solace"It always felt like the end of
Casino Royale was the beginning of something: with the death of Vesper, this
idea of betrayal and also this organization, Quantum, which they are digging
into, there seemed to be unfinished business and we needed to tie those loose
ends up," Craig explains. "So it was very clear to me that we wanted to
solidify all those things. It was very easy for me to get back into that."In a
sweeping plot that spans the globe, Bond goes after the mysterious head of
Quantum - Dominic Greene, played by French screen star Mathieu Amalric - and
teams up with a beautiful woman - Camille, played by Ukrainian-born Olga
Kurylenko.Olga Kurylenko as Camille in scene from Quantum of Solace"Well, you
know, I've seen quite a lot of Bond movies so I've seen some 'Bond girls.' They
were all very different and I think my character is the only Bond Girl that is
so feisty," she says.And there are the hair-raising chases and daredevil
escapes that are trademarks of a Bond adventure. Craig enjoys the physical side
of the character and says if it looks like he is jumping from a rooftop or
crashing through a stained-glass dome that's because he is actually doing many
of those action scenes."They are as real as they can be, generally speaking,
and it is me most of the time,"notes Craig. "There are certainly moments when
someone far better skilled than I am takes over to do the really tricky bits,
but the jumps over the roof, the jump from roof to roof, the slide down …that's
all me. It was kind of fun."Director Marc Forster on the set of Quantum of
SolaceDirector Marc Forster is new to the espionage genre. His previous films
include the character-driven drama Monsters Ball and last year's literary
adaption The Kite Runner; and the German-born Swiss filmmaker says his take on
Bond mixes the action with emotion." The [action] sequence should feel like a
bullet," Forster explains. "It starts and keeps you on the edge of your seat
until the last frame; but at the same time it has this emotional layer over
Bond's character so you get these glimpses of understanding the emotional pain
of what he is living.""I think he is a violent character," adds the director,
"and I think that is where part of his pain comes from and also the way he
relates to women is not very healthy. I think there is a bit of overlap with
the villain and [Bond]. In the old times during the Cold War it was very
clear-cut between the good guys and the bad guys. Now I think it is much more
unclear who is good and bad or what these secret agencies really stand for. Are
they really there to protect the country or to serve the interests of a few
…what is really their purpose and where does Bond fit in there? I think part of
that anger or pain or violence comes out of that misplacement as well."Daniel
Craig and Olga Kurylenko in scene from Quantum of SolaceDaniel Craig says there
are more Bond stories to tell and he looks forward to playing the secret agent
again."I feel very confident now," Craig admits. "Whether we get the chance to
make another movie is always about the economics of it; but if we do, we can go
wherever we want. I think emotionally now we are very secure and there is
nothing not possible to do in a sense that we can go more 'Bond-like.' We can
have the submarine base. We can have all the things that have been missing from
these two movies. I feel very strongly that we are grounded now and I feel more
confident about the fact that we won't be harking back; we'll be reinventing,
hopefully, not letting anybody forget that it is Bond because, ultimately - as
I've said three or four times - it is a Bond movie."Quantum of Solace features
Dame Judi Dench as British intelligence chief "M." Giancarlo Giannini is Bond's
ally in the field. Jeffrey Wright plays American agent Felix Leiter; and young
newcomer Gemma Arterton makes quite an impression as Strawberry Fields. The
globe-trotting action ranges from the streets and rooftops of Tuscany and
Madrid to the deserts and mountains of Chile and the waters of Panama.
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