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Clinton Urges China to Keep Buying US Debt
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Clinton says Washington must incur more debt to China to boost the ailing U.S.
economy and stimulate demand for Chinese products
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has urged China to keep buying U.S.
debt and to work with Washington in combating the global economic crisis.US
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton chats with Chinese Foreign Minister Yang
Jiechi in Beijing, 21 Feb 2009 Clinton was speaking Sunday before leaving
Beijing at the end of a four-nation tour of Asia -- her first overseas trip
since taking office.The top U.S. diplomat says Washington must incur more debt
to China to boost the ailing U.S. economy and stimulate demand for Chinese
products. She says it would not be in China's interest if the U.S. is unable to
get its economy out of a recession.China is the largest holder of U.S. Treasury
bonds. Clinton says China's continued investment in U.S. Treasuries is a
recognition of the interconnection of the U.S. and Chinese economies. Chinese
Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi told Clinton Saturday that both countries should
boost economic policy coordination and reject protectionism in trade.On Sunday,
Clinton met with Chinese women's rights advocates at the U.S. Embassy in
Beijing. She also attended a service at a state-sanctioned Beijing church and
answered questions from Chinese Internet users in a Web chat hosted by the
China Daily newspaper.Yang says he and Clinton also discussed their differing
views about human rights in China. He says China will continue to discuss the
issue with Washington on the basis of equality and non-interference in each
other's internal affairs.Before her talks, Clinton said the debate with China
over human rights should not get in the way of progress in other areas, such as
tackling climate change. Rights groups criticized that position, saying
Washington should make human rights a priority.Chinese rights activists
complained that police prevented them from leaving their homes to stop them
from speaking out or meeting with Clinton.Clinton says she will host Foreign
Minister Yang in Washington next month to prepare for a first meeting between
U.S. President Barack Obama and Chinese President Hu Jintao. The two leaders
are expected to hold talks on the sidelines of an April summit of the Group of
20 advanced and developing nations in London.Clinton's trip to Asia also took
her to Japan, Indonesia and South Korea.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.
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NYT: Obama Aims to Halve Deficit by 2013
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President aims to cut federal deficit down to $533 billion by 2013, plans to
present budget proposals to Congress this week
A U.S. newspaper quotes unnamed Obama administration officials as saying the
president plans to cut the U.S. federal deficit in half during the next four
years, down to $533 billion by 2013. President Barack Obama "The New York
Times" quoted the officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, as saying the
money will come from raising taxes on wealthy individuals, reducing spending in
Iraq and improving government efficiency. The outline for the budget plan will
be presented to Congress on Thursday. Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell
said on U.S. television Sunday on CNN's "State of the Union with John King"
that he believes President Obama's reported budget will raise taxes on small
businesses, and ultimately, hurt the economy.Analysts say the U.S. budget
deficit for 2009 is $1.2 trillion. That figure is before the $787 billion
economic stimulus plan adopted last week is taken into account. Meanwhile, U.S.
state governors are focusing on the stimulus plan during their annual meeting
in Washington.Most governors say the funds will help them maintain state
services despite the nationwide economic downturn. But many say state revenue
collections are so far below projections that the federal stimulus money will
not make up the difference.At least two Republican governors have said they may
refuse a portion of the stimulus funds earmarked for their states. Haley
Barbour of Mississippi and Bobby Jindal of Louisiana say they will decline
money aimed at expanding state unemployment insurance.Other governors, like
Michigan's Jennifer Granholm, a Democrat, have offered to accept any money
other states refuse.The state leaders are scheduled to go to the White House
Monday for a policy briefing.
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British PM Calls for Return of Traditional, Conservative Banking
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Gordon Brown says Britain needs a more responsible banking system
Writing in Britain's Observer newspaper, Prime Minister Gordon Brown is calling
for a return to old-fashioned, conservative banking practices. It is a change
for Mr. Brown who as Treasury Secretary for a decade was a proponent of the
light regulatory atmosphere in Britain's financial sector. German chancellor
Angela Merkel, right, and Britain's Premier Gordon Brown chat prior to a
meeting of European leaders at the chancellery in Berlin, 22 Feb 2009Back when
he was Treasury Secretary, Gordon Brown maintained that lighter financial
regulation created jobs and wealth in the economy.But that economic climate has
changed dramatically during the past six months, and the global downturn seems
to have changed his view.Writing in the Observer newspaper, Prime Minister
Brown says Britain needs a more responsible banking system.What he would like
to see is a return of more conservative, old-fashioned banking
practices.Interviewed on Britain's Sky News, Brown's Finance Minister in the
Treasury Department, Stephen Timms says because of the recent global economic
turmoil, the prime minister wants to see a number of changes brought in,
including increased internal oversight at the banks."One is around bonuses, to
make sure that those are focused in the future on long-term good performance
with claw backs if the good performance is not maintained," he said. "Second,
on strengthening the boards of banks so they can really understand the risks
that banks are taking on and can challenge the management of the banks if that
is needed because that has not always happened in the period we have just been
through."The prime minister also believes that worldwide cooperation is
essential to minimize the effects of this downturn.And Finance Minister Timms
says specifics must be worked out in the coming weeks."We need to learn the
lessons of what has happened for how we regulate banks in the future, including
internationally because one of the problems that has emerged over the last year
or so is gaps in regulation between different country jurisdictions," said
Timms. "And at the G-20 summit coming up in London on the 2nd of April, we
need to be looking at how we do a better job internationally with countries
cooperating on regulating the banks."Many observers agree that more
coordination is required. On Saturday, nearly 100,000 marched through the
streets of Dublin to protest against government cutbacks as the recession
deepens there and unemployment heads up.On Sunday, Mr. Brown attended a
gathering in Berlin where leaders worked on forging a European consensus before
the upcoming London summit.The prime minister will also be meeting U.S.
President Barack Obama in Washington on March 3, where economic discussions
will take center stage.
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NATO Confirms Insurgent Leader Killed in Southern Afghanistan
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NATO released a statement Sunday saying Mahmood died during a recent Afghan-led
military operation near Ghoresh, in Kandahar province
NATO forces in Afghanistan have confirmed that insurgent leader Mullah Mahmood
was killed in fighting with troops in southern Afghanistan.The alliance
released a statement Sunday saying Mahmood died during a recent Afghan-led
military operation near Ghoresh, in Kandahar province. It says foreign forces
supported the mission, and Mahmood was killed when he attacked troops after
being given the option to surrender.NATO says Mahmood was the mastermind behind
roadside and suicide bombings in southern Afghanistan, as well as other
criminal activities. In separate fighting in Kandahar, officials say
insurgents attacked a police patrol in the Panjwayi district late Saturday,
wounding two police officers. Authorities say international and Afghan troops
responded with a military operation that lasted into early Sunday, and six
fighters were killed during the battle.Southern Afghanistan is the center of
the Taliban-led insurgency.
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Iraq Seeks Arrest of Lawmaker in Parliament Bombing
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Iraqi spokesman says government is seeking to prosecute lawmaker Mohammed
al-Dayni, based on the confessions of two former bodyguards
Iraqi authorities have asked parliament to lift the immunity of a Sunni
lawmaker accused of masterminding a suicide bombing inside the parliament two
years ago.An Iraqi soldier keeps an eye on the bodyguards of Mohammed al-Dayni,
a Sunni lawmaker, during a raid on his home in Baghdad, Iraq, Sunday, 22 Feb.
2009An Iraqi military spokesman, Major General Qassim Atta, says the government
is seeking to prosecute lawmaker Mohammed al-Dayni, based on the confessions of
two former bodyguards.The bodyguards claim the politician sanctioned several
attacks, including the 2007 bombing that killed a Sunni Arab deputy Mohammad
Awad of the National Dialogue Party inside the parliamentary cafeteria.The
military played tapes of the bodyguards' interrogations during a news
conference Sunday. One of men interrogated was Dayni's nephew.The Iraqi
military spokesman says authorities are seeking Dayni's arrest and have taken
measures to prevent him from leaving the country.In a telephone interview with
The Associated Press news agency, the lawmaker rejected the charges as "untrue
and baseless." He suggested the allegations were politically motivated. His
location is unknown. The Islamic State of Iraq, an insurgent group linked to
al-Qaida, had claimed responsibility for the parliamentary bombing.In a
separate development, U.S. and Iraqi military officials have announced a new
offensive to crack down on al-Qaida and Sunni militants in northern Iraq.An
Iraqi military official says authorities have arrested 84 people in Nineveh
province since Friday. The U.S. military says the operation aims to allow the
government to restore essential services to the provincial capital, Mosul.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.
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Egypt Partially Opens Border With Blockaded Gaza
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The border crossings are a key issue in Israeli-Palestinian cease-fire talks
Egypt is partially opening its border with the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip. The
border crossings are a key issue in Israeli-Palestinian cease-fire talks.
Palestinian men wave red Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine and
Palestinian flags behind razor-wire at a demonstration calling on Egypt to open
the border with Gaza, 21 Feb. 2009Egyptian authorities opened the border with
Gaza for the first time in months, partially easing a crippling blockade. More
than 2,000 Palestinians students and medical patients, as well as stranded
foreigners, will be allowed to leave Gaza during the next three days. Both
Egypt and Israel sealed their borders with Gaza after the Islamic militant
group Hamas seized control of the territory nearly two years ago, ousting the
forces of western-backed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas . Egypt and Israel
are demanding a return to the previous situation in which officials loyal to
Mr. Abbas controlled the border crossings under an international agreement.
Former Palestinian Cabinet Minister Ziad abu Zayyad says the blockade has been
counterproductive. He says that after Israel's recent three-week military
assault on Gaza, Palestinians need normalcy. "And normalizing the life in Gaza
means opening the passages and allowing people to have all their needs through
the passages, whether to Israel or to Egypt," abu Zayyad said. "I think this
will be a major step to contributing to peace." Negotiations are currently
underway to reopen the border passages as part of a long-term cease-fire
between Hamas and Israel. But the Egyptian-mediated talks hit a snag, when
Israel linked any truce with the release of captive Israeli soldier Gilad
Shalit, held for more than two years by Hamas in Gaza. Israeli Cabinet Minister
Meir Sheetrit. "This time we have to bring back Gilad home," Sheetrit said. "I
think it is inconceivable to believe that we can live him there for more time.
It must be one of the conditions to open those passages and one of the
conditions for (a) cease-fire." Israel is prepared to release 1,000
Palestinian prisoners in exchange for Shalit, but Hamas insists the border
crossings must be opened first and that the two issues are not linked. Shalit
is a powerful bargaining chip that gives Hamas leverage with Israel, and the
group is in no hurry to give him up.
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Somali Pirates Seize Greek Cargo Ship
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Greek official say pirates seized MV Saldanha, as it headed toward Slovenia
with a load of coal
Piracy in the Gulf of Aden, off the coast of SomaliaPirates have hijacked a
Greek-owned cargo vessel in the Gulf of Aden, off the coast of Somalia.The
Greek merchant marine ministry says pirates seized the MV Saldanha early
Sunday, as it headed toward Slovenia with a load of coal.The ministry says the
ship was carrying 22 crew members, their nationalities unknown.Somali pirates
have received millions of dollars in ransom payments during a hijacking spree
over the past year. The attacks have continued despite increased naval patrols
by the U.S., European Union and other world powers.Some information for this
report was provided by AP and Reuters.
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Death Toll Rises in Bangladesh Ferry Sinking
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Death toll up to 39, and some people are still missing after small ferry packed
with more than 100 people sank
A Bangladeshi woman whose relatives are missing wails holding her child on the
bank of River Kirtankhola, south of Dhaka, Bangladesh, 19 Feb 2009Police in
southern Bangladesh say search and rescue workers have recovered another 12
bodies from a river following a ferry accident Thursday.Authorities say this
brings the death toll to 39, but they add that some people are still missing.
A small ferry packed with more than 100 people sank following a collision with
a cargo vessel in the Kirtonkhola river near Barisol. Many passengers managed
to swim to shore after the ferry capsized.Boat travel is common in the delta
nation, and fatal ferry accidents are frequent. A passenger boat sank earlier
this month after colliding with a smaller ferry, killing 10 people.Some
information for this report was provided by AFP and Reuters.
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Nigerian City Under Curfew After Clashes
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Police spokesman in Bauchi says calm has returned to city after security forces
moved in to stop the spread of violence
Nigerian officials imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew Sunday in the northern
Nigerian city of Bauchi following clashes over places of worship. Hundreds of
troops and police have been deployed to restore order after a day of rioting.
Gilbert da Costa reports from Abuja.An unidentified man on a motorcycle looks
at the sign board of the Sharia Commission in Bauchi, Nigeria (File)Police
spokesman in Bauchi, Mohammed Barau, told VOA Sunday calm has returned to the
city after security forces moved in to stop the spread of violence."The
situation now is calm. Everybody is doing his normal business; the affected
area is being covered by security personnel-mobile, conventional police,
military and other agencies. For now, the situation has returned to normal,"
said Barau. "Even the state government has imposed a curfew between six in the
evening and six in the morning."Residents say Muslim youths attacked Christians
and burned churches in reprisals over the burning of two mosques overnight in
the city. Muslims blamed the fires on Christians. The Red Cross says at least
four people have been killed and 28 injured in the clashes.Northern Nigeria is
predominantly Muslim but there are significant Christian communities in the
region.The region was hit by religious and political violence in November that
killed hundreds of people in the central city of Jos.Presidential spokesman
Olusegun Adeniyi told reporters President Umaru Yar'Adua has ordered the
military to contain the violence.Nigeria's 140 million people are split almost
equally between Muslims and Christians. Analysts say religious violence is a
major challenge for the government of President Umaru Yar'Adua, who came to
power in 2007 elections that were criticized by international observers.
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Lugar Urges Reconsideration of US - Cuba Relations
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Senator Richard Lugar says restrictive US policies have failed to achieve their
stated goal of promoting democracy in Cuba
Senator Richard Lugar, a Republican Senator, is urging the United States to
reconsider its relations with Cuba.US Senator Richard Lugar, R-Ind., chairman
of the US Senate's Foreign Relations Committee The Indiana lawmaker says
restrictive U.S. policies have failed to achieve their stated goal of promoting
democracy in Cuba.Lugar's views were expressed in a letter accompanying a
report set for release Monday.The report was prepared by Republican staff
members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee who recently traveled to
Cuba. The document calls for lifting Bush administration restrictions on
travel and remittances to Cuba. The report does not ask for an end to the
47-year-old U.S. trade embargo.During his presidential campaign, Barack Obama
said he would end the ban on travel to Cuba and on the transmission of
remittances.Senator Lugar said the election of President Obama and the
replacement of Fidel Castro by his brother Raul have created an opportunity for
the U.S. to reevaluate a complex relationship.Secretary of State Hillary
Clinton has ordered a review of U.S. policies toward Cuba.
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