US Official: Japan's Stance on Territorial Disputes
Normal;

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Undersecretary of State John Bolton says Japan's new assertiveness
in line with desires of many Japanese politicians to take their
country beyond its post-World War II pacifism

John BoltonThe U.S. government is taking a hands-off approach to
Japan's territorial disputes with its neighbors. However, one senior
American diplomat has expressed an understanding of Japan's stance,
calling it a natural evolution.

The top U.S. diplomat on arms control, while stressing that Washington
does not take sides on Japan's territorial disputes, say the country
is merely demonstrating that it is willing to look out for its own
security interests.

U.S. Undersecretary of State John Bolton said Thursday that Japan's
new assertiveness is in line with the desires of many Japanese
politicians to take their country beyond its post-World War II
pacifism.

"It's a question of the evolution of Japanese thinking on its own," he
said. "Japan has made it clear they want to resolve all of the
territorial disputes by diplomatic means and that's certainly
something that we agree with. Our kind of getting in the middle of it
is probably not the most productive way to proceed."

Mr. Bolton made the comment during a meeting with reporters as he
wrapped up a visit to Japan.

The Japanese government this week said it was taking over operation of
a lighthouse in the Senkaku islands, which China and Taiwan also
claim. Japanese nationalists built the lighthouse on an uninhabited
island in the East China Sea.

A foreign ministry spokesman in Beijing says Japan's action is illegal
because the Diaoyu islands, as they are called in Chinese, belong to
China.

Japan has unresolved disputes involving a number of islands with
China, Taiwan and Russia, as well as South and North Korea.

Officials here say Japan's assertiveness on the issue is in response
to increased activities in those waters by Chinese warships and survey
vessels.

Most of the disputed islands have little value. But the waters around
them are important, for control of sea lanes and the potential
maritime riches, such as seafood and mineral deposits.

Saudi Citizens Vote for the First Time in Municipal Elections

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Although voter turnout is reported to be very low, there is a new
sense of optimism in the kingdom

Saudi men began voting, Thursday, for municipal candidates running in
the first stage of the kingdom's unprecedented nationwide vote. The
Saudi government has begun a very cautious attempt to bring reform to
the oil-rich country. Although voter turnout is reported to be very
low, there is a new sense of optimism in the kingdom.

In trying to establish what the Saudi kingdom calls a mechanism for
Saudi citizens to slowly begin a process of democratic reform, the
first-ever municipal elections are being held in Saudi Arabia.

In the first part of a three-stage election, voting Thursday is only
taking place in the capital, Riyadh. Women cannot vote. Only about
150,000 men registered to vote in a city that contains a population of
over four million.

According to Sami Baroudi, the head of the political science
department at Lebanese-American University in Beirut, the small number
of registered voters indicates a lack of interest in the process.

"People are not taking these elections seriously," Mr. Baroudi says.
"Probably, they think that the municipal council is going to not have
that much influence. So, it reflects that these elections are not
really taken that seriously. And, again, not the whole council is
elected. Half of it is elected. The other half is appointed by the
government. So, it is not really a democratic way of choosing a
municipal council. But it is a start."

The vote in Riyadh will be followed by municipal elections in the
eastern and southern provinces of the kingdom, next month. Residents
in northern and western Saudi Arabia will vote in April.

Even if voter interest remains low, Arab affairs expert and former
Egyptian ambassador Abdullah al-Ashaal says a seed of democracy is
being planted in Saudi Arabia.

"I think having elections in Saudi Arabia now is very important,
because Saudi Arabia has normally had a different system, by which
elections were not counted as one of the tools," Mr. al-Ashaal says.
"So, introducing these elections, even if few numbers of people have
been registering, there is a new phenomenon in Saudi. And, I think
this is going to increase and develop. I am not worried about the
small numbers."

While the public may not be taking the elections seriously, the
candidates are. More than 1,800 candidates are vying for about 200
seats from the Riyadh area. Some contenders are reported to have spent
millions of dollars campaigning.

The Saudi government says, following the municipal elections, it
expects to hold provincial elections within four years.

Although political reform is not happening fast enough for many Saudi
citizens, even the harshest critics of the elections have said a slow
process is better than none at all.

Pope Returns to Vatican After 9 Days in Hospital

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Vatican spokesman says pope has been cured from breathing crisis which
led to his urgent hospitalization

Pope John Paul II waves to faithful from hospital windowThe Vatican
announced Thursday that after more than a week in the hospital, Pope
John Paul II has recovered and will be returning to the papal
apartment. But no information was provided as to the pope's schedule
in the coming days.

Chief Vatican spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls said the 84-year-old
pope has been cured from the breathing crisis which led to his urgent
hospitalization.

Dr. Navarro-Valls also said the pope's general health condition
continues to improve. He said a series of medical tests on the pope,
including a CAT scan, showed he was not suffering from any other
medical problems.

But the Vatican did not provide any details about the pope's schedule
after his return from the hospital.

It remains unclear whether he will be present for a blessing at
Friday's service in the Vatican for the Day of the Sick and whether he
will resume his daily private audiences and twice-weekly public
appearances on Sundays and Wednesdays.

The Vatican spokesman said the pope would take a look at his schedule
and then decide with his doctors.

The pope's return to the Vatican coincides with the start of Lent,
during which he has no public ceremonies scheduled. The pope will have
40 days to recover his strength before Easter.

Pope John Paul spent nine days in the hospital recovering from
breathing problems linked to the flu.

US to Raise Tsunami Aid to $950 Million

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Some of the money will be used to cover expenses already incurred by
the Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Defense
Department

Muhammad Rizkl is held by his mother Barona in a tent in a refugee
camp in Banda Aceh, IndonesiaThe Bush administration will ask the U.S.
Congress for $950 million to help nations hard hit by the Indian Ocean
tsunami.

Some of the money will be used to cover expenses already incurred by
the Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Defense
Department.  The bulk will cover reconstruction efforts, such as
rebuilding damaged infrastructure.

It more than doubles the original $350 million pledged by President
Bush.  U.S. officials say they always expected the aid total to
rise significantly as the scope of the disaster became clear, and the
relief effort moved from meeting emergency needs to long-term
recovery.

The head of the Agency for International Development, Andrew Natsios,
says more than six weeks after the tsunami, the survivors are leaving
temporary shelters and returning home.  He says a priority now is
replacing roads destroyed by the Indian Ocean earthquake.

"And we are now talking with the ministries in Indonesia and the
ministries in Sri Lanka to focus on projects that are their first
priority,” said Mr. Natsios.  “This is their reconstruction
program, not ours."

The funding will be included in an emergency spending bill that
already contains 81-billion dollars for military operations in
Afghanistan and Iraq.

Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz says American troops were
proud to help in the initial phase of the tsunami relief, assisting
with the distribution of fresh food, water, and other supplies. 
He says the magnitude of the recovery effort is huge.

"We in the Department of Defense, but also the American people more
broadly, having achieved an enormous humanitarian success in the early
days in preventing what could have been an even larger catastrophe,
now have, I think, a very large stake in making sure that success
doesn't go to waste because a subsequent recovery effort failed," said
Mr. Wolfowitz.

Mr. Wolfowitz, a former U.S. Ambassador to Indonesia, says the
outpouring of U.S. assistance has had quite an impact on the
Indonesian people.  He notes Indonesia, the country with the
largest Muslim population in the world, has a newly-elected democratic
government and could serve as a model for others.

"This challenge comes to a country that stands to be in the forefront
of that movement and I think it is therefore above and beyond the
humanitarian considerations which would be compelling enough. We have
enormous interests in seeing it succeed," he added.

American aid officials say overall, this is the most generous relief
budget ever bankrolled by the U.S. government.  Private donations
are also reaching record levels, with estimates putting the total at
more than $700 million.

Nepalese Police Arrest Anti-Government Demonstrators

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Six demonstrators arrested for trying to hold first major
anti-government rally since King Gyanendra took over government last
week

Riot policeman detains human rights activist during protestPolice in
Nepal's capital have arrested at least six demonstrators trying to
hold the first major anti-government rally since King Gyanendra took
over the government last week. It is the latest blow to Nepal's
political opposition, which has largely been silenced since the king's
actions.

Rights activist Laxmi Pariyar stood among a crowd of journalists and
on-ookers in central Kathmandu Thursday, at the location of a planned
demonstration.

Suddenly, Ms. Pariyar unfurls a small banner and begins shouting
slogans, calling for the repeal of the king's decision to take over
the government and for human rights to be protected.

Moments later, police bundled her into a waiting van and left.

Ms. Pariyar was among at least six activists arrested during what had
been promised to be the first major anti-government demonstration
since King Gyanendra declared a state of emergency last week.

The activists are angry about the king's decision to dismiss the
government. He has put political leaders and rights activists under
house arrest, censored the media, cut off telecommunications, deployed
troops to the streets of the capital and made it illegal to criticize
the government or the military.

Despite the crackdown, rights workers early this week announced plans
for Thursday's demonstration. Dozens of police were waiting - they not
only arrested those who dared to protest, but also blocked bystanders
and other protesters from the area.

Suresh Chandra Pokhrel is the vice chairman of the Human Rights and
Peace Society, called HURPES. Standing in a doorway, he was grabbed by
police and dragged away moments after he began speaking to
journalists, prompting shouts from onlookers.

"We strongly condemn the arrest of HURPES members and other human
rights activists. I can say that only - we strongly condemn," he said.

The international community has largely condemned King Gyanendra's
actions. He says he acted because Nepal's political parties had failed
to organize elections or end a conflict with Maoist insurgents, which
has ravaged Nepal's countryside for nine years.

On Thursday, the government released some senior politicians who had
been detained, but activists say dozens are still being held.

Leaders of Nepal's political parties say they are meeting secretly.
They want the international community to help them force the king to
reinstate the government, hold peace talks with the rebels and
organize elections.

Status of Tibetan Refugees in Nepal Remains in Limbo

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Last month, the Nepal government ordered refugee offices closed saying
they had not been properly registered Tibetans in Nepal are pushing to
have their refugee offices reopened - two weeks after the government
ordered them closed. The welfare center and the representative office
of the Dalai Lama - Tibet's exiled spiritual leader - help Tibetans
who fled Chinese rule of their homeland.

Since 1959, the Nepal representative office of Tibet's spiritual
leader, the Dalai Lama, has helped Tibetans who fled Chinese rule
adjust to a life in exile. With nearly 2,000 Tibetan refugees arriving
here every year, activists say the office and the welfare center in
Kathmandu remain vital in supporting Tibetans' human rights.

Last month, the Nepal government ordered them closed saying they had
not been properly registered. It did not elaborate.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has confirmed that
it works with the Tibetan welfare office locally in Nepal.

So the closures have shocked and confused many in the exile community.
Tsering Dhondup, an administrator of the refugee camp where most
Tibetans in Kathmandu live, says he is hopeful the offices will be
reopened.

"The government says it's shut down, they send a letter. But they
don't send people, police office to shut down it," he said. "They
never shut it. They just said it's illegal; it's not registered. So
the office is still there. So we would like to restore the office."

Activists believe China likely succeeded in pressuring Nepal to close
the offices, after officials in Beijing praised Nepal for its actions.

China invaded Tibet in 1950, and later annexed the region entirely. In
1959, Tibet's spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, fled Tibet for India
where he set up a government in exile in the city of Dharamsala. Since
then, hundreds of thousands of Tibetans have followed.

Many refugees use Nepal as a transit point on their way to India. But
some 20-thousand have chosen to remain in Nepal. The office of the
Dalai Lama and the welfare center offered assistance - including
working with Nepalese authorities to provide an identity card needed
for residence. Without that card, Mr. Dhondup says, he does not know
how Tibetans are supposed to get by living in Nepal.

"We cannot buy a vehicle. We cannot run the business. … So we say we
need restoration. We'd be happy to restore our office - please accept
this," he said.

Activists are calling on the international community to pressure Nepal
to reopen the Dalai Lama's office and the welfare center. But that may
be complicated. Last week, Nepal's King Gyanendra dismissed the
government, in part because of threats posed by an insurgency in the
countryside. With that much political turmoil, it may be some time
before the Tibetan refugee community gets the attention it says it
needs.

Thailand's Southern Unrest Continues After Election

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Prime Minister Shinawatra promises to continue his tough policy
against a separatist rebellion in Thailand's three southern
provinces


Thaksin Shinawatra Thai police say a bomb exploded at a stadium in the
southern province of Narathiwat during a ceremony attended by high
ranking officials, injuring six people.

However, Narathiwat governor Pracha Taerat was not hurt in Thursday's
blast.

Late Wednesday in the same province a villager was killed by a bomb
that exploded in a food stall shortly after rebels exchanged gunfire
with police.

In a separate incident Wednesday officials say arsonists destroyed a
school building.

Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has promised to continue his
tough policy against a separatist rebellion in Thailand's three
southern provinces.

His pledge came after the general election a week ago, which saw his
party win a landslide victory, despite failing to win a single seat in
the south.

Some information for this report provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.

Britain's Prince Charles to Marry

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Announcement that Prince Charles will marry longtime girlfriend
Camilla Parker Bowles surprised many, raises questions

Prince Charles and Camilla Parker BowlesPrince Charles of Britain,
first in line to the British throne, is to marry Camilla Parker
Bowles. The wedding is set for April 8 in Saint George's Chapel at
Windsor Castle.

The announcement of the marriage has taken Britain by surprise and
raises many questions.

Prince Charles and Mrs. Parker Bowles became romantically involved in
the 1970's and continued their relationship after they both married
other people.

The prince's first wife, the late Princess Diana, in a famous
interview on British television after her divorce from Charles, gave
her view of his relationship with Mrs. Parker Bowles.

"Well, there were three of us in this marriage. So it was a bit
crowded," she said.

The royal correspondent for the BBC (British Broadcasting
Corporation), June Kelly, says Queen Elizabeth has given the marriage
her stamp of approval.

"The question has always been would they marry, would they actually do
it, and would the queen give her approval," she explained. "Now,
clearly, all those obstacles appear to have been overcome."

The biggest question about the marriage has been whether it would be
approved by the Church of England, which the monarch heads. Mrs.
Parker Bowles is divorced and her former husband is still alive. There
are Anglicans who oppose the remarriage of divorcees. In 1936, King
Edward the Eighth abdicated so he could marry an American divorcee,
Wallis Simpson.

The church has taken no official position on Charles's remarriage, but
the former Archbishop of Canterbury, George Carey, recently urged the
couple to marry.

Public opinion is divided. The latest polls show nearly one-third of
Britons favor the marriage, a little less than one-third oppose it and
another third don't care.

Mexican President Boosts Security After Crackdown on Drug Cartels

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One of Vicente Fox's senior staff members accused of leaking his
travel itinerary to a drug cartel

Vicente FoxMexican President Vicente Fox is deciding how best to
change and strengthen his security forces and bodyguard protection,
following the arrest of one of his senior staff members, who is
accused of leaking his travel itinerary to a drug cartel.

The Mexican Attorney General's Office has confirmed that Nahum Acosta,
the official in charge of organizing President Vicente Fox's frequent
official trips around the country, is accused of leaking details of
the president's travel agenda to drug traffickers in Northern Mexico.
Acosta was arrested in the Presidential Palace last week. He has
worked in the travel office since 2001, and was a trusted senior
member of staff.

The Fox administration has arrested more drug cartel leaders than any
previous government, following the president's campaign pledge to make
the fight against narcotics traffickers his number one law and order
priority.

“We will convince them that this is a real challenge for us, and we
are going to win the battle against drug trafficking within Mexico,”
said Mr. Fox.

Last month, President Fox again upped the stakes, cracking down even
harder on the cartels. He ordered the Army and Federal Police to take
over operation of several key maximum security penitentiaries and
split up their most dangerous inmates, sending them into separate
facilities.   He has also reinforced several beleaguered
police forces on Mexico's border with the United States, where the
cartels are particularly violent.

Professor Celia Toro, an expert on drug cartels, is based at the
College of Mexico. She says a rash of drug-related killings is
directly related to the government's stepped-up campaign to dismantle
the drug cartels.

“The smuggling per se, or cocaine trafficking per se, doesn't bring
any violence,” says Ms. Toro.  “What brings violence is
increasing enforcement against them. Violence is a reaction against
more sophisticated or more powerful enforcement against them.”

Rolando Soliz spent 23 years in the U.S. Secret Service. During that
time he was bodyguard to presidents Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan and
Bush.  He is now the Director General of the Mexico City office
of Vance International Security firm.

Mr. Soliz says the fact that a drug cartel was able to penetrate the
inner circles of the president is a matter of great concern.

He says, while there are limits to the ability to keep the president's
trips secret, the security apparatus must be tightened to make his
travel safe.

“It's like moving around an 800 pound gorilla,” he explained. 
“Sooner or later, the public needs to know that he's coming to visit,
or will know that he's coming to visit a certain site, because he
doesn't travel just by himself. He's traveling with a large entourage.

President Fox himself is acknowledging he is under a greater
threat.  He has called for redoubled vigilance, saying the
conflict between the authorities and organized crime, has made the
drug gangs challenge the Mexican state.

ILO Expands Garment Industry Monitoring Project in Cambodia

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Cambodia's attention to decent labor practices has already made it
darling of socially responsible corporate buyers

Impoverished Cambodia has joined the International Labor Organization
this week in a new program to boosting monitoring of its garment
factories. The country is relying on its labor-friendly image to stay
competitive as the newest member of the World Trade Organization.

Cambodia and the International Labor Organization launched the 'Better
Factories Cambodia Project' to boost fair labor standards. The project
will introduce a web-based monitoring system in English, Chinese and
Khmer to highlight if garment factories are respecting or violating
international labor standards.

Cambodia's attention to decent labor practices has already made it the
darling of socially responsible corporate buyers, like sports giants
Adidas and Nike. As a result, Cambodia's fledging garment industry is
now worth almost $2 billion.

The U.N. labor organization now wants to help Cambodia maintain this
competitive edge against faster, cheaper manufacturing nations. This
is crucial now that Cambodia has lost special trade quota privileges
and has to compete as a new member of the World Trade Organization.

Sally Paxton, the general director of the I.L.O.'s Social Dialogue
program.

"We think that if the adherence to core labor standards is going to be
the selling point for the garment industry in Cambodia, that the
Cambodians, and I think they do fully recognize that the two of them
have to go hand and hand, and that buyers and that others look at
these issues when they're making choices about where to source," said
Sally Paxton.

Dan Henkle, the vice president of the U.S. clothing retailer Gap Inc,
says labor standards are a main reason why his company is one of
Cambodia's biggest buyers.

Gap Inc and the World Bank said this week they would train 650 factory
supervisors in seven Cambodian factories to improve labor standards
and dispute resolution. The one-year project will cost $80,000.

--------------------
Saudis Gingerly Experiment With Democracy
--------------------

Nationwide voting, for men only, will decide half the seats of local councils. But it's a start.

By Megan K. Stack
Times Staff Writer

February 10 2005

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — When the last strains of the day's final prayer call have rung off over the sands, the voters come through the darkness to a scabby, vacant lot. The political candidate has pitched a tent here, set out potted ficus trees and brought portable spotlights that wheel up into the desert sky.

The complete article can be viewed at:
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/wo...0,2748195.story

Pope Leaves Hospital Waving to Well-Wishers
By IAN FISHER
In a splash of showmanship meant to allay the worst fears
about his health, Pope John Paul II left the hospital,
waving to well-wishers as he was driven back to the Vatican.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/02/11/internat.../11pope.html?th

Japan-China tensions rise over tiny islands
Japan took possession of disputed Senkakus Feb. 9. By Robert Marquand
http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0211/p01s03-woap.html?s=hns

Crime along border pushes Mexicans into the US
The US State Department recently issued a travel advisory, but Mexicans
are being most acutely hurt by the recent security crisis. By Danna
Harman
http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0211/p01s04-woam.html?s=hns

Bosnia moves to help families of the missing
A new law may provide a model for survivors in Iraq and the families of
those lost in the Asian tsunami. By Beth Kampschror
http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0211/p04s01-woeu.html?s=hns

Unrest spills into quiet Kuwait
Four weeks of battles between Kuwaiti police and militants have killed
12; one ringleader died in custody. By Nicholas Blanford
http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0211/p06s01-wome.html?s=hns

Calm before the Chechen storm?
Rebels urge Russia to peace talks before Feb. 22 cease-fire deadline.
By Fred Weir
http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0211/p07s01-woeu.html?s=hns

--------------------
North Korea Escalates Its Nuclear Threat
--------------------

Pyongyang bolsters weapons claims and says it won't resume talks. U.S. and foreign officials publicly downplay private worries.

By Sonni Efron and Bruce Wallace
Times Staff Writers

February 11 2005

WASHINGTON — North Korea on Thursday made its boldest claim that it has atomic weapons and said it would not return to six-nation talks to negotiate an end to its nuclear program.

The complete article can be viewed at:
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/wo...0,7914097.story

Hundreds Dead, Missing as Pakistan Dam Bursts

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Officials say dam burst near coastal town of Pasni, sweeping villagers
into Arabian Sea Officials in Pakistan say more than 50 people died
and hundreds are missing after heavy rains caused a large dam to
burst, inundating several villages in a remote southwestern coastal
region. The heaviest rain and snow in 16 years have also killed dozens
of others across the country in the past week.

Officials in the southwestern province of Baluchistan say the dam
burst near the coastal town of Pasni, sweeping villagers into the
Arabian Sea. They say as many as 400 people are missing.

A spokesman for the provincial government, Siddique Akbar, says tens
of thousands of people have been affected to one extent or another,
and at least five villages were totally submerged by floodwaters from
the dam.

"Roughly speaking, 50,000 to 60,000 people are badly affected and the
worst affected are those villages, which were directly hit by these
heavy rains as well as the flood, caused by the breaking of the dam,"
Mr. Akbar said.

Mr. Akbar says Pakistani troops are helping provincial authorities in
the rescue operations.

"The relief measures are in progress," he said. "Army people and coast
guards have already reached the area and have started relief
operations. Helicopters have also been put in service."

The authorities have confirmed the weather related deaths of at least
another 31 people across the country.

Northern parts of Pakistan have been cut off, with roads buried under
several feet of snow. Weather officials say the rains and snowfall
will continue well into Saturday throughout most of the country.

Meanwhile, in neighboring Afghanistan, reports say the heaviest
snowfall in years has left at least 60 people dead throughout the
country. The weather is also preventing the recovery of bodies from an
Afghan airliner, which crashed into a mountain during a snowstorm last
week. All 104 people on board were killed.

Togo Protest Prevented as Mediation Hits Snag

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Unrest comes as West African leaders encounter logistical difficulties
in trying to convince new disputed leader to step down

Soldier walks on Lome street, FridaySecurity forces in Togo's capital
Lome have prevented a protest against the appointment of the son of
the late long serving leader as new president. The unrest came as West
African leaders encountered logistical difficulties in trying to
convince the new disputed leader to step down and allow elections.

Security forces fired tear gas to disperse hundreds of protesters who
had gathered in the Be district of Lome Friday, contesting the
military's installation of Faure Gnassingbe as Togo's new leader last
week.

Police wielding sticks also chased down demonstrators in the southern
opposition stronghold of the capital. Protesters responded by setting
tires on fire, sending a large plume of black smoke into the air.

One of the protest organizers, Harry Olympio, says several protesters
were injured. Mr. Olympio was previously considered a part of the
constructive opposition to the former leader Gnassingbe Eyadema. Mr.
Eyadema died Saturday of an apparent heart attack after 38 years in
power.

The so-called radical opposition is planning its own protest Saturday,
according to one of its organizers, Jean-Pierre Fabre.

Mr. Fabre says the government is cracking down on opposition because
it is in a weak position and he expects a similar reaction could take
place Saturday, but that protests should still go ahead.

Communications Minister Piteng Tchalla told VOA he is outraged by
these attempts at dissent. Demonstrations have been banned for two
months during a period of national mourning.

"Do you think it is normal that when the president of a republic has
died and he's not yet buried, politicians call people to manifest
[protest]?" he asked.

But civilians in the main market of Lome have told journalists they
believe it's time for the whole Eyadema family and its military regime
to go.

The West African regional grouping called ECOWAS organized a
head-of-state delegation to meet with the contested 39-year-old new
leader, Faure Gnassingbe, but the effort got off to a rocky start.

Nigerian officials want the meeting to be in the capital Lome, while
the Togolese are trying to have it in the northern city of Kara, a
stronghold for supporters of the late Mr. Eyadema.

This created confusion over where a plane carrying an advance Nigerian
delegation should land, and it ended up not landing in Togo at all.
Nigerian officials reacted angrily, recalling their ambassador to Togo
and saying this could justify immediate sanctions against the new
government.

ECOWAS says the delegation is meant to press for a return to
constitutional order. At the time of Mr. Eyadema's death, it was the
assembly speaker who was supposed to take over and call elections
within 60 days, but the parliament quickly changed those rules,
allowing Mr. Gnassingbe to remain president until 2008.

The European Union, former colonial power France, and the African
Union have called for quick elections.

http://www.iht.com/articles/2005/02/10/news/afghan.html

2 Afghanistan missions to merge

Mounting Discontent in Russia Spills Into the Streets
By STEVEN LEE MYERS
The protests unfolding in cities across 11 time zones is
raising questions about public support for the country's
course under President Vladimir Putin.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/02/12/internat...2russia.html?th

Germany Seeks Tighter Curbs on Protests by Neo-Nazi Party
By RICHARD BERNSTEIN
Government ministers announced plans to ban far-right
demonstrations during commemorations this year of the end
of World War II.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/02/12/internat...germany.html?th

Japan Urges North Korea to Rejoin Disarmament Talks
By JAMES BROOKE and DAVID E. SANGER
Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi of Japan urged North Korea
to re-engage in disarmament talks, a day after North Korea
said it had nuclear arms.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/02/12/internat...12korea.html?th

Sweden's Take on Private Pensions
By ALAN COWELL
Sweden, long known for its cradle-to-grave welfare state,
has already embraced a pension system that partly resembles
White House proposals for Social Security.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/02/12/business...pension.html?th

Rumsfeld Calls for NATO Unity in Fight Against Terrorism

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US Defense Secretary says it must be clear that one nation cannot
defeat extremists alone

Donald RumsfeldU.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld has called
for unity among NATO countries in the fight against terrorism.

Mr. Rumsfeld told the 41st annual international security conference in
Munich Germany, Saturday that the battle should not be confined to
issues where there is NATO consensus. He said it must be clear that
one nation cannot defeat extremists alone.

Earlier, German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder proposed creation of an
independent panel of experts that would review cooperation structures
between Europe and the United States and propose reforms by 2006.
German Defense Minister Peter Struck delivered the remarks after
illness prevented Mr. Schroeder from attending the meeting. The call
followed strong German-American disagreements over the U.S.-led war in
Iraq.

Two years ago, Mr. Rumsfeld dismissed Germany and France as "old
Europe" for their refusal to join the U.S.-led war. Today, the defense
secretary light-heartedly attributed those comments to the "old
Rumsfeld."

Togo Security Forces Crack Down on Protesters

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Opposition leaders say four people killed in violence that broke out
after thousands of demonstrators gathered to protest military move to
appoint Faure Gnassingbe president

Anti government protesters run away from Togo troops who used tear gas
and batons to disperse them

At least two people have been killed in Togo, as security forces moved
to quell a protest against the country's new leader, the son of the
long ruling Gnassingbe Eyadema. The protest came as the West African
regional group ECOWAS tried to convince Togolese authorities that the
new president, who was installed by the military, should step down.

Opposition leaders tell VOA, at least four activists were killed
during an aborted protest Saturday in Togo's capital Lome, while the
interior minister, Francois Boko, says two people were killed, after
police fired warning shots to disperse a large crowd surrounding their
vehicle. He says two policemen were injured.

Protest organizers say several thousand people gathered in the
neighborhood of Be to hold a peaceful rally, but that security forces
launched tear gas, chased down protesters with sticks, shot into the
crowd, blocked off streets and arrested many people.

Some of the protesters held up signs reading "Togo is not a monarchy,"
and "The coup will not succeed." They responded to the crackdown by
burning tires, setting up barricades and hurling rocks and pieces of
metal at police. Some of the protesters included children as young as
10.

The manager of a Lome radio station, which was forced to shut down,
Modeste Messavuussu, says ordinary citizens are now scared to leave
their homes.

"At the south of Lome, everybody is at home, because it is dangerous
to be on the streets, because there are many soldiers who are running
about," he said.

He says soldiers stormed his radio station early Saturday, demanding
$3,999 to allow continued broadcasting. Most other private radio
stations have also been taken off the air following similar demands.

One of the protest organizers and the main opposition candidate in
2003 presidential elections, Emmanuel Akitani, says the new government
is doing everything it can to prevent any opposition.

He says everyone who wants to be vocal about opposing the recent
transfer of power is being confronted by security forces.

The government has banned all public demonstrations during a two-month
period of national mourning for the late Gnassingbe Eyadema who died
last week after 38 years in power.

Saturday's unrest came as a Togolese delegation, which included
several generals, began meetings in Niger with the West African
grouping ECOWAS and its current head, Niger President Mamadou Tandja.
An aide to Mr. Tandja said there would be no negotiations.

ECOWAS is asking that the military appointed son of Mr. Eyadema, Faure
Gnassingbe, step down, and allow elections within 60 days as was
required in the country's constitution, before it was changed by
parliament last Sunday.

The head of the Togolese delegation, Prime Minister Kofi Sama, said
Togo's government will make itself available to all who want to help
Togolese through this critical time. Mr. Gnassingbe, who has been
given a mandate until 2008, was not part of the delegation.

Rescue Efforts Under Way in Flooded Region of Pakistan

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Nationwide death toll from heavy rain, snow has risen to nearly 250

Pakistani soldiers;rescue; villagers in AgoreA massive
rescue operation is under way in southwestern Pakistan, where heavy
rains caused a dam to burst earlier this week, inundating several
villages in a remote coastal region. Rescue workers have recovered at
least 80 bodies from the floodwaters. Hundreds of people are missing.
Nationwide, the death toll from heavy rain and snow has risen to
nearly 250.

Officials say the destruction of the dam in the coastal town of Pasni
sent tides of water through several villages, sweeping hundreds of
people into the Arabian Sea. As many as 20,000 villagers are either
trapped or left homeless by the floodwaters.

Thousands of Pakistani troops are said to be carrying out rescue
operations. President Pervez Musharraf has flown to view the scene
personally.

Siddique Akbar is the head of the provincial relief organization. He
says Pakistani troops are using all resources available to try to save
people, or recover bodies from the floodwaters.

"They are covering the area by helicopters, aerial survey, as well as,
they have their launches and boats, and they are out in the open sea
to see any missing bodies, or those who are still struggling for life
on the open sea," he said.

Mr. Akbar says the exact death toll is not yet known.

"Our conservative estimate for the last two nights has been that the
number of casualties, number of dead would be under 100," he said.

He says military transport planes and trucks are ferrying in food,
blankets, tents and other emergency supplies.

Meanwhile, heavy rain and snow elsewhere in Pakistan are blamed for
the deaths of 150 people. In the worst single incident, some 33 people
were killed in the Pakistan-controlled portion of Kashmir, when an
avalanche struck a hamlet in the Neelam Valley.

Nepalese Rebels Call for Nationwide Transit Strike Saturday

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Maoists, it appears, have been able to defy King's control of
media, by ordering the strike - possibly through word of mouth

Soldiers patrolling streets of KathmanduOne of the main reasons
Nepal's King Gyanendra fired the elected government last week and put
his own people in place was the government's failure to deal with a
long-running communist insurgency. To celebrate the anniversary of the
start of their campaign, Nepal's Maoist rebels called for a nationwide
transit strike on Saturday. VOA's Patricia Nunan traveled out of the
capital to the town of Khanikola, where she found that at least some
traffic was still moving.

In the town of Khanikola, about 30 kilometers outside Kathmandu,
soldiers man a checkpoint and inspect cars heading in and out of the
city.

Military officials say they're also providing mine-proof vehicles to
escort convoys of trucks deeper into the countryside, to counter the
Maoist threat of a nationwide transport strike to coincide with their
anniversary.

The Maoists, it appears, have been able to defy King Gyanendra's
control of the media, by ordering the strike - possibly through word
of mouth.

Japan Resists Formal Sanctions Against North Korea

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Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi says he understands calls for
sanctions but believes a combination of dialogue and pressure is best
way to proceed

Junichro Koizumi Japanese Prime Minister Junichro Koizumi has resisted
calls for formal economic sanctions against North Korea, which says it
will boycott further six-party talks on its nuclear weapons program.
But a new Japanese law that takes effect next month will effectively
cut into North Korea's maritime trade with Japan - a significant
source for Pyongyang of both cash and consumer goods.

Five million Japanese citizens signed a petition earlier this week
calling for formal sanctions against North Korea. On a visit to the
northern city of Sapporo Friday, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said
the time for sanctions had not yet arrived.

Mr. Koizumi says he understands the growing calls for sanctions
against North Korea, but he believes a combination of dialogue and
pressure is the best way to proceed.

The popular demand for sanctions is a reaction to North Korea's
refusal to provide full information on Japanese citizens it kidnapped
during the Cold War.

Tokyo has resisted imposing sanctions, fearing Pyongyang might
retaliate by refusing to resume negotiations over the separate issue
of its nuclear program. But earlier this week, the North Koreans
announced they would boycott further negotiations anyway. They also
said they already possessed several nuclear devices.

Mr. Koizumi warned against acting hastily in hopes of pressuring
Pyongyang back to the negotiating table. He said the matter must be
discussed with Japan's partners in the talks: Russia, China, South
Korea and the United States.

While he was urging caution, senior officials of his ruling Liberal
Democratic Party took a more hard-line approach. Acting LDP
Secretary-General Shinzo Abe addressed reporters in Tokyo.

Mr. Abe said  there is no need to refrain from imposing economic
sanctions against North Korea. He says the conditions "are ripe."

Tatsuo Kawabata, general secretary of the opposition Democratic Party,
agreed, calling North Korea's new position "a grave threat to global
security."

Even as the Japanese debate formal sanctions, however, an indirect
form of economic penalty is likely to be imposed against the North
next month. A new Japanese law will require vessels from certain
countries to be insured against shipwreck. Since few if any North
Korean ships have such insurance, this will give the Japanese an
opportunity to turn the vessels away.

Despite the two countries not having diplomatic ties, North Korean
merchant shipping to and from Japan is a significant source of both
cash and consumer goods for Pyongyang. The ships bring in seafood and
mushrooms, and take back used cars and second-hand machinery, which
are sold or passed out as presents in the North.

The five countries that have held three rounds of talks with North
Korea all continue to react calmly to Pyongyang's latest blast of
defiance, saying the six-party talks are still the best vehicle for
resolving the issue of the North's nuclear program.

On Friday, a North Korean delegate to the United Nations revived a
long-standing call for face-to-face talks with the United States, but
Washington once again turned that idea down.