How a Sudanese boy came to be named '1 o'clock'
A shy toddler with a strange name is one thread in a larger story of
Africans now rebuilding interrupted lives - sometimes after decades of
war. By Abraham McLaughlin
http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0208/p01s03-woaf.html?s=hns

2 Mideast Rivals to State Intent to Halt Attacks
By STEVEN R. WEISMAN and GREG MYRE
Israeli and Palestinian officials characterized the
announcements to be made in Egypt as a cease-fire, but
there will be no joint declarations or signatures on a
document.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/02/08/internat...mideast.html?th

2 Koreas Forge Economic Ties to Ease Tensions on Their Own
By NORIMITSU ONISHI
For the two Koreas, the opening of North Korea's first
economic zone is filled with real and symbolic significance.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/02/08/internat...08korea.html?th

QUOTATION OF THE DAY -

"We expect a declaration on the Palestinian side on the cessation of armed conflict, the intifada. Israel will also make a unilateral declaration that says if the Palestinians cease fire, we will refrain from military activity."
- RAANAN GISSIN, spokesman for Prime Minister Ariel Sharon of Israel.


http://www.nytimes.com/2005/02/08/internat...mideast.html?th

Shiites Leading in Hussein's Home Province
By JOHN F. BURNS and JAMES GLANZ
Low Sunni turnout in Saddam Hussein's home province has
given a lead in the voting to a Shiite political alliance.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/02/08/internat.../08iraq.html?th

French Struggle Now With How to Coexist With Bush
By ELAINE SCIOLINO
For France, a new era of political realism is beginning,
starting with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's visit
to Paris.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/02/08/internat...8france.html?th

Nepal's King Cracks Down on Politics and News Media
By AMY WALDMAN
Nepalis now have no freedom of assembly, expression or
opinion; no right to information, property or privacy.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/02/08/internat...08nepal.html?th

Two Journalists Killed in Pakistani Tribal Area

http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=B78852:2F72C9D

Mir Nawab, Allah Noor shot dead while returning home from covering
ceremony marking truce agreement between government, local militants
Two journalists, Mir Nawab and Allah Noor, were shot dead Monday while
returning home from covering a ceremony marking a truce agreement
between the government and local militants.

A third colleague traveling with them was seriously wounded when
unknown assailants ambushed a bus the journalists were riding.

The men, both natives of South Waziristan where the killings took
place, were working for a number of Pakistani and foreign news media,
including Japan's NHK, the Associated Press and the Voice of Germany.

Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed says both the government and
a local journalists' association have petitioned Waziristani tribal
leaders to help investigate the murders. "We are putting this case to
the tribal jirga [council] … and the journalist organization requested
the tribal people to investigate and to arrest these culprits," he
said.

Mr. Ahmed says police are also trying to discover the identities and
motives of the killers.

Associates say the slain reporters had managed to photograph some
suspected militants Monday and that they were targeted as a result.

Over the past year and a half, South Waziristan has seen off-and-on
fighting between the Pakistani army and local militants.

The army has been tracking suspected terrorists and Afghan
anti-government insurgents believed hiding along the border with
Afghanistan.

While most of the tribal elders have cooperated with the government,
some local militia leaders are opposed to the army's presence, which
they see as representing the interest of foreign powers.

Local reports say pamphlets have circulated recently criticizing news
coverage of the conflict.

2 Suspended in UN Oil-For-Food Probe

http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=B78853:2F72C9D

Secretary-General Annan planning overhaul of UN management structure

Benon Sevan Two United Nations employees have been suspended after a
commission investigating the Iraq oil-for-food program accused them of
misconduct.

Benon Sevan, an undersecretary general who headed the oil for food
program, and Joseph Stephanides, currently head of Security Council
affairs, have been suspended with full pay while Secretary-General
Kofi Annan determines what action to take against them. The process
could take several weeks.

The commission Mr. Annan appointed to investigate allegations of
corruption and mismanagement in the $64 billion program concluded that
the two men, both Cypriot nationals, had misused their authority in
awarding contracts for Iraqi oil.

U.N. spokesman Fred Eckhard says the range of possible punishments is
narrow. "It can be anything from summarily dismissing them, the
secretary-general has the option to summarily dismiss them, or putting
a note in their file, or finding them not guilty at the other end of
the spectrum," he said.

The spokesman said the two men would have two weeks to defend
themselves in writing.

In the case of Mr. Sevan, the potential penalties would be almost
meaningless. For all practical purposes, he retired months ago. He is
being retained at a salary of $1 a year, mostly for the purpose of
cooperating with the oil-for-food investigation.

A U.S. government prosecutor was quoted over the weekend as saying he
would seek to prosecute Mr. Sevan. Several U.S. congressional
committees are also looking into various aspects of how the
humanitarian oil-for-food program was used corrupted.

Mr. Annan has said he would waive diplomatic immunity for any U.N.
officials charged with criminal behavior. But spokesman Eckhard says
the two U.N. employees face no criminal charges so far and remain
covered by immunity. "There's no action taken on immunity," he said.

Neither Mr. Sevan nor Mr. Stephanides have had any criminal charges
laid at their doorstep by the Volcker commission, although Mr. Volcker
did say his inquiry into Mr. Sevan was continuing. So it means they
continue with their pay. For Mr. Stephanides it's his full salary, for
Mr. Sevan it's his one dollar a year."

In addition to the one-dollar a year, Mr. Sevan is also receiving a
U.N. pension based on his 40-years of service to the world body. He
retired with the rank of undersecretary general at an annual salary of
about $125,000. Spokesman Eckhard says pension benefits will not be
affected by findings of the oil-for-food investigation.

Mr. Stephanides earns about $100,000 a year in his current position.
He is due to retire in less than six months. If he is fired, he would
leave with full pension benefits.

The Volcker commission did not accuse either Mr. Stephanides or Mr.
Sevan of profiting from their involvement in the oil-for-food program.
But commission chairman Paul Volcker expressed concern about $160,000
in cash that Mr. Sevan said he had received from an aunt in his native
Cyprus. The aunt, who died recently, was a retired government employee
with a modest income.

Mr. Sevan has denied any wrongdoing. He said through a lawyer last
week that he never took a penny illegally from the humanitarian
program he ran.

Secretary-General Annan, meanwhile, is said to be planning substantial
changes in the U.N. management structure to avoid any future scandals.
Several senior staff changes have already been announced, and Mr.
Annan is expected to address the issue further in a speech later this
week in London.

Protests Mount Against Togo's New Leader

http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=B78854:2F72C9D

African bodies and European governments are also mounting pressure
against what they are calling an illegal transfer of power A
stay-at-home protest in Togo against the replacement of the late
President Gnassingbe Eyadema with his 39-year-old son is heating up.
Meanwhile, African bodies and European governments are also mounting
pressure against what they are calling an illegal transfer of power.

Most markets, shops and banks opened Tuesday in the capital Lome, but
after residents quickly did a few errands, many of them returned home.
Teachers canceled classes for the day and told their students to lock
themselves behind closed doors.

Lome journalist Issaka Abass says some residents may be taking part in
the protest, but that many are simply scared of possible violence. He
says the army has deployed to prevent possible unrest.

"In Lome, yes, there are the forces of army who have taken the
strategic points," said Mr. Abass. "They are there, they are staying
there, and they are controlling the situation."

One of the protest organizers, opposition leader Jean-Pierre Fabre,
says he believes many Togolese will become emboldened and take part in
the second day of the protest called "Togo, a dead country."

"Nobody accepts the coup d'etat. And I don't know what the young
president will do, because we are going to fight him," added Mr.
Fabre. "We will not let him the time to say he is the Togolese
president. No, we will never accept that."

After Mr. Eyadema, who was in power 38 years, died Saturday of an
apparent heart attack, the army installed his son Faure Gnassingbe as
Togo's new leader. Sunday, the ruling-party dominated parliament
changed the constitution, canceling a provision for quick elections
and instead allowing Mr. Gnassingbe to stay in power until 2008.

The Interior Ministry has banned protests for two months, a time which
is being reserved for national mourning for Mr. Eyadema. But Mr. Fabre
thinks otherwise. "Naturally, we don't accept what the Minister of the
Interior says, and we will show it to him," he said. "We have tried to
do a demonstration, today and tomorrow, we ask people to stay at home.
We will see what we will do in the next few weeks."

The 53-nation African Union has threatened sanctions unless Togo
restores what it calls "constitutional legality." These could exclude
Togo from the body.

The 15-member Economic Community of West African States, of which Togo
is also a member, has also called the transfer of power illegal. It
will hold a special meeting Wednesday in Niger, to decide what course
of action to take.

Officials from France, the former colonial power, and the European
Union have called for quick elections. The European Union had been
discussing resuming aid to Togo, but officials say those discussions
are now back to zero.

Zimbabwe Begins Enforcing New Laws on Farm Takeovers

http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=B78855:2F72C9D

Many of these  farms have already been physically taken over by
ruling Zanu PF supporters

Zimbabwe has new laws to fast track legal processes for the state to
take over thousands of white-owned farms. Many of these farms have
already been physically taken over by ruling Zanu PF supporters, but
the paperwork is outstanding. Among the properties being processed
through the courts Monday are several farms owned and still operated
by South African and other foreign farmers.

The first case at the administrative court Monday was about the only
piece of land owned by an 81-year-old white South African man who has
lived in Zimbabwe most of his life.

His home is on the piece of land in question, in a dry ranching
district in southern Zimbabwe, and he wants to keep it.

He is one of a minority of white farmers who have never been attacked
or had their property invaded since President Robert Mugabe sent his
supporters to take over white-owned farms in 2000.

A recent amendment to the land law cancelled most previous criteria
which would exclude properties for confiscation, such as farmers who
owned only one piece of land, or foreign owned land or agricultural
estates, such as those producing sugar and tea.

The farmer's lawyer Rodney Makavsi told the court that the
independence of the judiciary was at stake. He said there were judges
who were beneficiaries of land from the government which made them
interested parties in this and similar cases. He said the constitution
guaranteed everyone a fair trial presided over by judges who were
independent from the executive arm of government.

In the last five years, most of about 4000 white farmers have been
evicted, often violently, from farms which were also their homes.
However the state's paperwork has fallen behind and only about 450
have been processed through the courts so far.

Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa vowed late last year that the
courts would make great efforts to complete the process. New courts
are being set up and cases are being held in judges' chambers.

Mike Clark, from the Commercial Farmers Union is following the case
for affected farmers in southern Zimbabwe, among them about 15 South
Africans. He links the fast track of land trials to next month's
parliamentary elections. "We look after about 40 farmers who are still
sort of farming," he said. "We have been relatively left alone until
now. There seems to be a mass acquisition program going on now, and
its very questionable. We have been left alone for so long and now
with elections...we have actually got these fast tracking of cases
coming to court. "

Mr. Clark said confiscation of foreign-owned land sends a clear
message that no foreign investment in Zimbabwe is safe.

Zimbabwe's law firms say they are clogged with the sudden rush of land
cases and that another new law gives them only five days to prepare a
defense.

Indonesian Prosecutors Ask for Eight-Year Jail Sentence for Bashir

http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=B78856:2F72C9D

Abu Bakar Bashir denies any involvement in bombings, also denies being
leader of Jemaah Islamiyah

Abu Bakar Bashir Indonesian prosecutors Tuesday asked for an
eight-year jail sentence for a controversial Muslim cleric accused of
having a role in a series of deadly bombings in the country over the
past several years.

The prosecutors' request for an eight-year prison sentence for
hard-line Muslim cleric Abu Bakar Bashir falls short of the death
sentence allowed under Indonesia's anti-terror law.

Bashir, alleged leader of the regional terrorist group, Jemaah
Islamiyah, is charged with inciting his followers to carry out the
2002 bombing attack on Bali, which killed 202 people, and the bombing
of the JW Marriott hotel in Jakarta in 2003.

J.I. has been linked to the al Qaida terror network, and many of the
group's members convicted in the two bombings were students at a
school Bashir ran.

The prosecutors told the court Tuesday that Bashir was guilty of being
involved in acts of terrorism that have cost lives or injured people.

However, the prosecutor says there is insufficient evidence to prove
Bashir and his supporters planned the acts of terror or incited others
to engage in terrorism.

The controversial cleric's trial began in November. One of Bashir's
lawyers, Wirawan Adnan, says the prosecution failed to prove its case
and should not have asked for an eight-year sentence.

"First of all my opinion to that is it's not realistic, it's
groundless and I believe it's ridiculous because really what happened
is the prosecution could not prove anything," he said. "We believe
that there was insufficient evidence to support that kind of demand."

The prosecution presented only one witness to testify that Bashir is
the leader of Jemaah Islamiyah. Other witnesses failed to link the
66-year-old cleric with the Bali or Marriott bombings.

Bashir has denied any involvement in the bombings and has also denied
being the leader of Jemaah Islamiyah.

The Muslim cleric was first arrested and convicted of immigration
violations shortly after the Bali bombing and was in jail during the
Marriott hotel bombing.

After he completed his original sentence last April, he was
immediately re-arrested for his alleged involvement in the bombings.

Mr. Bashir's lawyer, Mr. Wirawan, says he believes his client will
spend more time in prison, but not the eight years prosecutors asked
for.

"What I think is they probably could give Abu Bakar Bashir a lighter
sentence than, a lot less than what the prosecutor is demanding, but
they will not acquit Abu Bakar Bashir," he said.

Military Takes Control of Southern Areas of Philippines After Clashes

http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=B78857:2F72C9D

Fighting flared Saturday morning when a group of men attacked an army
detachment in Indanan district, in remote Sulu province Philippine
soldiers battled to regain control of areas in the Muslim south, where
clashes have broken out over the past several days. Nearly 50 people
have been killed in the fighting.

The fighting flared Saturday morning when a group of men attacked an
army detachment in Indanan district, in the remote Sulu province in
the Philippines' south.

A gun battle erupted in nearby Panamao town Monday when about 300 men
attacked government troops. Also, a military convoy sent as
reinforcement was ambushed, killing 13 Marines.

The Philippine military says the attackers were followers of detained
former Muslim rebel leader, Nur Misuari. The fighters are said to been
angry about a government offensive against the Abu Sayyaf terror
group, which took place in their stronghold.

Philippine military spokesman, Lieutenant Colonel Buenaventura
Pascual, says Mr. Misuari's supporters may have received help from the
Abu Sayyaf, which has links to the al-Qaida network.

"The armed forces are still pursuing the Abu Sayyaf and the Misuari
group. But we are now in control of the towns," he said.

The military has sent more troops to the area as reinforcements.

Nur Misuari led a Muslim separatist movement in the Philippines that
began in the 1970s. But in 1996 he signed a peace agreement with the
national government and was later elected governor of a predominantly
Muslim autonomous region in the south.

An uprising by Mr. Misuari's supporters protesting his failed
re-election bid in 2001 killed more than a hundred people. Since then,
Nur Misuari has been detained on rebellion charges but has not yet
faced trial.

Most Filipinos are Christians, but the country's southernmost islands
are home to a large Muslim community.

The Philippine army, with U.S. military aid, has been fighting the Abu
Sayyaf and other local terror groups. Hundreds of U.S. and Philippine
soldiers will begin their next annual military exercise later this
month.

Bush $2.5 Trillion Budget Seeks Domestic Cuts and Foreign Aid
Increases

http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=B78858:2F72C9D

2006 budget plan seeks to reduce about 150 domestic programs that
president says are inefficient or unnecessary

George BushAfter meeting with his cabinet at the White House,
President Bush told reporters his budget plan for 2006 seeks to reduce
about 150 domestic programs that are inefficient or unnecessary.

The president is proposing cuts in politically sensitive subsidies to
American farmers, reductions in the Medicaid health program that helps
the poor, and cuts in housing programs.

"It is a budget that sets priorities," he said. "Our priorities are
winning the war on terror, protecting our homeland and growing our
economy. It is a budget that focuses on results. The taxpayers of
America do not want us spending our money on something that is not
achieving results. It is a budget that reduces and eliminates
redundancy. It is a budget that is a lean budget."

President Bush is proposing cuts in domestic programs in an effort to
gain more control over spending and to reach his goal of cutting the
budget deficit in half by 2009.

The White House budget plan calls for the U.S. government to run a
deficit of $390 billion in 2006, down from a record $427 billion
projected shortfall this year.

Budgets for the Department of Defense and Homeland Security will
increase, and President Bush has allocated more than three billion
dollars for fighting AIDS worldwide.

The White House plan increases foreign aid, including three billion
dollars for the Millennium Challenge Account for developing countries
that are making progress on political and economic reforms.

President Bush called on Congress to support the administration's
priorities.

"I look forward to explaining to the American people why we made some
of the requests that we made in our budget," he said. "I fully
understand that sometimes it is hard to eliminate a program that
sounds good. But by getting people to focus on results - I am saying
to members of Congress show us the results as to whether or not this
program is working. I think we will get a pretty good response. I tell
you we go into this process upbeat."

The president's budget plan does not reflect the costs for his
number-one domestic priority, reforming the government pension program
called Social Security.

It also does not include additional spending for military operations
in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The president's budget is likely to spark months of debate on the
country's spending priorities, and members of Congress are expected to
resist many of the cuts in sensitive programs.

With Kyoto starting next week, a bevy of experts and scientists warn of future conflict over disappearing resources.

http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0208/dailyUpdate.html

http://www.crosswalk.com/news/1311667.html

Saudis Praised for Fighting Terror, But Incitement Continues

US, Indonesia mull closer ties
Joint tsunami efforts have spurred calls to mend military ties limited
by human rights concerns. By Tom McCawley
http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0209/p06s01-woap.html?s=hns

Forgive us our debts? Obstacles lie ahead.
G-7 approves debt relief, but British 'Marshall Plan' for poor
countries faces US skepticism. By Mark Rice-Oxley
http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0209/p07s01-wogi.html?s=hns

Argentina plays chicken with foreign investors
Feb. 25 is the deadline for bondholders to accept just 30 cents on the
dollar. By Brian Byrnes
http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0209/p07s02-woam.html?s=hns

For India's daughters, a dark birth day
Infanticide and sex-selective abortion yield a more skewed gender
ratio. By Uma Girish
http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0209/p11s01-wosc.html?s=hns

Kurds Press Role as Deal Makers
By EDWARD WONG
Early election returns indicate that the Kurds could well
be the power brokers in forming a new Iraqi government.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/02/09/internat.../09iraq.html?th

U.S. Asking China to Increase Pressure on North Korea to
End Its Nuclear Program
By DAVID E. SANGER and WILLIAM J. BROAD
President Bush quietly sent an emissary to see China's
president and urge him to intensify pressure on North Korea.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/02/09/politics/09prexy.html?th

NATO Defense Ministers to Discuss Training Iraqi Officers and
Expanding Afghan Operations

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Alliance's plan to train Iraqi officers has been hampered by the
refusal of some allies to take part in the mission  NATO defense
ministers meeting in the French city of Nice on Wednesday and Thursday
will try to agree on implementing the alliance's plan to train Iraqi
officers, which has been hampered by the refusal of some allies to
take part in the mission. But the alliance is expected to announce
progress on its efforts to expand its peacekeeping operations in
Afghanistan to the western part of the country in time for nationwide
parliamentary elections later this year.

NATO has been trying hard to drum up the necessary contributions of
troops and equipment from its members that will allow it to broaden
its operations in Afghanistan beyond Kabul, the capital, and the
northern region of the country.

But NATO officials say it now appears likely that the alliance will be
able to expand westwards as part of its aim to mount a peacekeeping
presence over the entire country by next year.

Italy, Spain and Lithuania have agreed to provide men and materiel for
the mission in the west and will join American units that will now
come under the NATO flag.

But the fate of a U.S. proposal to integrate the 8,000 NATO
peacekeepers and the much bigger U.S. combat force pursuing remnants
of the Taleban and their al-Qaida allies is still unresolved. France
and Germany have opposed the move, saying the task of NATO forces in
Afghanistan is to provide security for the Afghan government, not to
fight terrorism.

NATO officials say the alliance is still short of commitments from its
members for further expansion of its operations to other parts of the
country.

But its problems in Afghanistan pale when compared with the
difficulties it has encountered in trying to fulfill a mission
approved last June by NATO leaders to set up a program to train about
1,000 Iraqi officers a year.

NATO had hoped that at least 300 instructors would be engaged in such
training activities by now, but it has not been able to muster more
than half that number. And the training has not formally begun because
NATO is still waiting for its members to supply guards and logistics
personnel for the instructors.

France, Germany and four other members of the 26-nation alliance have
not only refused to send troops to Iraq but are preventing their
officers who are assigned to NATO from participating in any mission
inside the country.

But Germany has been training some Iraqi security personnel in the
neighboring United Arab Emirates, and France has offered to do the
same in Qatar.

NATO spokesman James Appathurai says it does not matter how or where
the allies are involved in the training mission as long as they
contribute to the overall program.

"And we want to be in a position where all 26 allies are providing
support, either in-country through training, outside of the country
through training, through equipment provision or through funding, but
that is a goal toward which the Secretary-General wishes to move or he
believes we can move," he said.

The defense ministers will also turn their attention to Kosovo, where
NATO has vowed to maintain its present force level in the restive
Serbian province to insure stability there. As the time approaches for
a resolution of Kosovo's status, NATO officials say they want to be as
well-prepared as possible for any new outbreaks of ethnic violence
between the Albanian majority and the Serbian minority.

Togo's Embattled New President Promises to Pursue Democracy

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Faure Gnassingbe entered politics just three years ago and faces
international condemnation over his accession to power

Faure GnassingbeIn a swearing-in ceremony boycotted by Western
diplomats, 39-year-old Faure Gnassingbe was installed this week as the
new president of Togo.

In his inauguration speech, Mr. Gnassingbe promised to respect human
rights. Monday, before parliament, he promised to push through
democratic reforms.

The military installed Mr. Gnassingbe as Togo's new leader, after his
father and former president of Togo, Gnassingbe Eyadema, died
Saturday. Mr. Gnassingbe's position was later sanctioned by parliament
who made him the new speaker of parliament, and changed the
constitution, which had stipulated elections should be held within 60
days.

The African Union has condemned the change in power, calling it a
coup.

An analyst from a British-based regional security publication, Jane's
Sentinel, Richard Reeve, says the army will probably use force to
support Mr. Gnassingbe, in order to maintain the dominance of his
father's minority Kabye ethnic group.

Although the Kabye dominate Togo's army they make up just 12 percent
of the population of about five million people.

"Given his backing for the army in the events of the weekend, the
experience under his father, and the way the military is structured in
parallel to politics in the dominance of the Kabye people from the
north, I think there's every chance that the military would use a
heavy degree of force to maintain their power," Mr. Reeve said.

The minister of interior issued a ban on public rallies, Monday,
saying that it is to observe a two month mourning period for the dead
president, but which opposition members say is really to silence
protest.

Mr. Gnassingbe may give the opposition more of a voice than President
Eyadema, as he wants to push for more western aid. As minister under
his father, Mr. Gnassingbe tried to unfreeze European Union aid money,
blocked off since 1993, when 20 pro-democracy protesters were killed.

Mr. Reeve says the new president is likely to let exiled opposition
leaders return to Togo.

"You can at least have the opposition come back to the country," he
said. "That's been paved substantially by the recent talks with the
EU. I think he is unlikely to want to jeopardize progress that has
been made so far in that direction, but he will look out to guarantee
the interests of the Kabye and the military."

Mr. Gnassingbe entered politics in 2002, when he stood for
parliamentary elections, which were boycotted by the opposition. His
father named him minister for telecommunications, mines and equipment,
in 2003, which critics took as a sign that Mr. Gnassingbe was already
being positioned to take over the presidency.

Kenya Hits Back at Donors, Diplomats Over Corruption Criticism

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Justice minister says foreign diplomats have no place dictating to
Kenyan government how it should fight corruption

Kenya Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs Kiraitu Murungi -
file photoKenya's justice minister says foreign diplomats have no
place dictating to the Kenyan government how it should fight
corruption. He commented one day after the United States
suspended its funding of government anti-corruption activities.

Kenya Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs Kiraitu Murungi
told reporters the United States had been particularly helpful in
setting up a fraud prosecution unit in the government.

Mr. Murungi said he is not happy that the United States suspended its
$2.5 million funding because of Monday's resignation of Permanent
Secretary of Governance and Ethics John Githongo, but Kenya must carry
on.

"We would have very much liked, appreciated, if the United States
could have continued supporting, especially the serious fraud
prosecutions unit," Mr. Murungi said. "If they have decided that,
because John Githongo has resigned, they are not interested in
continuing to fund these projects, then we, as Kenyans, will have to
continue funding those projects."

When U.S. Ambassador William Bellamy announced the funding suspension
Tuesday, he said the United States did not think the Kenyan government
is serious about fighting corruption.

Mr. Bellamy referred to a speech delivered last week by British
Ambassador Edward Clay in which Mr. Clay said he presented to
authorities 20 cases of government corruption.

Mr. Bellamy said the total value of those 20 cases would have been
enough to supply every HIV-positive Kenyan with anti-retroviral drug
treatment for the next 10 years.

Eight countries - including the United States and Canada - circulated
a statement saying Mr. Githongo's resignation poses what they call "an
extremely serious challenge to the credibility of the government's
anti-corruption policy."

Mr. Murungi responded by saying that diplomats have no right to
dictate to the Kenyan government how and when to eradicate corruption,
saying that the corruption fight "is essentially a Kenyan affair" that
is the government's responsibility.

"While the diplomatic missions are free to ascertain by all lawful
means the conditions and developments pertaining in the host country,
and promote friendly relations, and to negotiate with government, we
will not expect them to play the role of local, partisan, political
activists - this should be left to Kenyans," Mr. Murungi said. 

Mr. Murungi said his government, unlike the previous administration,
has set up structures to fight corruption, including the Kenya
Anti-Corruption Commission, the National Campaign Against Corruption,
and the Public Complaints Unit.

Maoist Threat Molds Nepalese Reaction to King's Takeover

http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=B7F338:2F72C9D

Last week, Nepal's King Gyanendra sacked government and ordered
crackdown against political rivals - putting politicians and activists
under house arrest and censoring the media

Soldiers keep vigil on a street in KatmanduLast week, Nepal's King
Gyanendra sacked the government and ordered a crackdown against his
political rivals - putting politicians and activists under house
arrest and censoring the media. Rights activists call the moves a
coup, but the king says he acted to end months of government stalemate
and to fight a Maoist insurgency in the countryside.

Teachers at the Bal Mandir school in the town of Dulekhel consider the
area safe from the threat of Nepal's Maoist insurgency. But one
teacher, Dhruba Prasad Chaulagain, had to flee his home village - just
60 kilometers away - when his life was threatened by the guerrillas.

Mr. Chaulagain says he believes in democracy and has full faith in it,
but if you do not agree with what the Maoists say, they threaten to
torture you, kill you or beat you.

Dulekhel countryside; VOA photo - P. NunanMr. Chaulagain's
experience is unusual in Dulekhel, a small town 32 kilometers from
Nepal's capital Kathmandu. Most here say they have not come into
contact with the Maoists - a guerrilla organization that occupies
about two-thirds of Nepal's countryside, contributing to the nation's
political turmoil.

Nepal's government has been at a virtual standstill since 2002, when
King Gyanendra first dismissed the government and handpicked a new
prime minister. The move led to months of bickering between the king
and political parties, in part over how to end the Maoist insurgency.
The instability also led to the government turning over twice before
King Gyanendra again dismissed the government last week.

This time, the king went further, putting political leaders and
activists under house arrest, censoring the media, cutting off
telecommunications, and deploying troops to the streets of the
capital. He also made it illegal to criticize the government or the
armed forces.

King Gyanendra says he acted because the political parties failed to
organize elections or end the Maoist insurgency. The moves were widely
condemned by rights groups and much of the international community.
But some Nepalese are grateful the king took matters into his own
hands.

Bhagwan Das Shrestra  VOA photo - P. NunanIn Dulekhel, shopkeeper
Bhagwan Das Shrestra says he worries about the threat posed by the
Maoists, who have been accused of stealing private property. He says
that before, it was democracy in name only and there was not any sort
of rule. But now that the king has taken over, he is happier because
earlier, if anyone came to loot his shop, he could not have said
anything. Now, he says, law is going to be restored to the land and
that sort of thing will not happen.

The Maoists launched their insurgency in 1996, in an effort to topple
the monarchy. The group loosely models their rebellion on the
teachings of China's late communist leader, Mao Zedong. Since then,
about 11,000 people have died - many in attacks by Maoists for
opposing them, or in attacks by the military for supporting the
rebels.

In Kathmandu, politicians and rights activists charge that King
Gyanendra is using the Maoist rebellion as an excuse to strengthen his
power.

Sujata Koirala of the Nepali Congress Party wants the international
community to stop all support to the government, including military
assistance it receives from several countries, including the United
States, to fight the Maoists.

"We are hoping that … democratic countries like America, the European
Union and our neighbor country India will not support the king's move
and they will not support by giving this undemocratic country
financial support, [and] aid," she said. "And we hope that they will
not give aid to the army. That is the only way how we can stop this
king taking power, because he has only guns with him."

Nepal's new foreign minister, Ramesh Nath Pandey, says he is confident
the donor countries will continue to support Nepal, because of the
international community's broader interest in fighting all forms of
terror.

"To support this government, to support our move, our efforts to
restore peace and security here, our commitment to defeat terrorism -
that is in accordance with the commitment of the free world on
democracy," said Mr. Pandey. "To do anything contradictory to it would
be contradictory to their own fate."

Residents of
Dulekhel;
VOA photo - P. NunanIn Dulekhel, many people say they were angry about
the king's actions - especially his decision to cut off phone and
Internet lines. But many, like this woman, also voice a certain
resignation. She says, that whatever steps the king has taken, they
are done, so people can just hope he can establish peace and security.

In Kathmandu, political party leaders say they are planning to take to
the streets to protest against the government. But it may be difficult
to convince many people that protests are the way to establish
stability for Nepal.

Cambodian Opposition Leader Campaigns for Democracy

http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=B7F333:2F72C9D

In a VOA exclusive interview, Sam Rainsy describes the support for his
international campaign to bring democracy to his country  

Transcript VOA interview with
Sam Rainsy, Member of Parliament, Opposition Leader, Cambodia

by VOA’s Jim Randle

February 8, 2005.

Sam RainsyMR. RANDLE:

Sir, welcome to VOA. I'm delighted you could be here today.

The U.N. Special Representative for Human Rights in Cambodia is
calling on the National Assembly to restore your parliamentary
immunity and the parliamentary immunity of two of your colleagues. Are
you encouraged by this?

MR. RAINSY:

Yes, very much. I'm very much encouraged by the reaction from the U.N.
Representative but also from U.S. senators and from the State
Department. I'm encouraged to see that people care about what is
happening in Cambodia.

MR. RANDLE:

Now, statements from organizations outside the country, the United
Nations, the United States, other places, what practical impact does
that have on politics within Cambodia? What is likely to happen?

MR. RAINSY:

It will have an impact, because Cambodia depends heavily on
international assistance. And the Cambodian Government needs
international assistance for its very survival.

MR. RANDLE:

What are you going to do? What's your next step as you try to rejoin
Cambodia's political life?

MR. RAINSY:

I will be asking for solidarity from members of parliaments around the
world. Because members of parliament have the right and the duty to
speak out and to speak up to defend the interests of their
constituents. And in the present circumstances, the authorities in
Cambodia is just trying to silence members of parliament from the
opposition party.

MR. RANDLE:

Have you met with, or do you expect to meet with, members of the U.S.
Congress or the U.S. Senate here today or this week?

MR. RAINSY:

Yes, I have been meeting with senators and members of the House. For
the next few days, I will have the honor to meet other members of the
Congress.

MR. RANDLE:

And earlier you said you were going to take your campaign, your
struggle, your -- however you want to characterize it -- from here to
where?

MR. RAINSY:

From Washington, D.C. to Europe, to Brussels, to Berlin, to London,
and, later on, maybe to Tokyo and to Canberra.

MR. RANDLE:

Are we going to see a functional democratic Cambodia in our lifetime?

MR. RAINSY:

Yes. We have to fight for it.

MR. RANDLE:

What brings you here to VOA today? Why did you come here?

MR. RAINSY:

I have the honor to speak to Cambodian listeners in Cambodia, because
VOA is the most popular radio station in Cambodia. People rely [on it]
for objective and balanced information from VOA.

MR. RANDLE:

Hun Sen's action, what do you think that says about his democratic
credentials? What does that do to his reputation?

MR. RAINSY:

I think Cambodia has suffered a setback. Democracy is now in a
difficult situation.

MR. RANDLE:

What does this problem, this dispute, what does it say to the donors,
the foreign donors, who are helping Cambodia?

MR. RAINSY:

Donors are entitled to see that their assistance is effectively used.
But unfortunately this is not the case in Cambodia. In order for
international assistance to be effectively used, we need democracy. We
need transparency. We need the rule of law. We need accountability.
And we need checks and balances, which imply a vibrant opposition. If
the Cambodian Government eliminates the opposition, there will be no
democracy, no governance, and therefore donors will waste the money
that they give to Cambodia.

MR. RANDLE:

Your wife is also a member of parliament, is that correct?

MR. RAINSY:

Yes, she is.

MR. RANDLE:

She still has her immunity. Is she likely to step forward and fill the
place that you once filled in parliament, the leadership role?

MR. RAINSY:

The 24 members of parliament from the opposition Sam Rainsy Party have
been working closely together and we will continue to do so.

MR. RANDLE:

Thank you very much.

MR. RAINSY:

Thank you.

Sudan Rejects Calls for International War Crimes Tribunal on Darfur

http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=B7F336:2F72C9D

Sudan tells UN Security Council prosecuting Darfur war crimes is an
internal matter

Sudan has told the U.N. Security Council prosecuting Darfur war crimes
is an internal matter, and should be done only after fighting in the
region is ended. The Council remains deeply divided over the question
of how to bring perpetrators of Darfur's war crimes to justice.

In a joint Security Council appearance Tuesday, Sudanese
vice-president Ali Osman Taha, southern rebel leader John Garang and
special U.N. envoy Jan Pronk painted a horrific picture of the
continuing bloodshed in Darfur. Mr. Pronk described conditions as
dismal, and said six months of negotiating had led nowhere. He told
the Council, "we urgently need a breakthrough". "Fighting on the
ground continues. The ceasefire has not been kept. Those responsible
for atrocious crimes on a massive scale go unpunished. Militias
continue to attack, claiming they are not part of any agreement. The
government has not stopped them," he said.

The Security Council has also failed to come up with a solution that
would stop the killing and bring the perpetrators to justice. Since a
commission of inquiry concluded last month that war crimes no less
serious than genocide had been committed in Darfur, diplomats have
been debating competing proposals for a war crimes tribunal

Secretary-General Kofi Annan and several Security Council member
countries favor referring the case to the International Criminal
Court. The United States, which opposes the I.C.C., has proposed using
a tribunal set up in Tanzania to try Rwandan genocide cases.

But Sudan's vice-president Taha told the Council Tuesday that his
county's judicial system is capable of handling the prosecutions. "We
are here to persuade the Security Council to see the wisdom and
rationale in bringing those accused to trial in Sudan. We believe
there are no grounds to warrant taking suspects outside the country,
and we feel such an action would very much help pushing things down,
to degenerate, rather than help people reconcile or maintain peace,"
he said.

The rebel leader, Mr. Garang said he agreed that Arab militias known
as janjaweed, who are accused of ethnic cleansing in Darfur must be
prosecuted. But he argued that the trials should be delayed until the
fighting stops. "The Janjaweed militia should be reined in and those
among them who are eventually proven to have committed serious crimes
and atrocities, eventually punished. After peace is achieved in
Darfur, not before, as that would be putting the Cart before the
horse, in which case both the cart and the horse would go nowhere," he
said.

Mr. Garang, who is to become a vice-president in a new Sudanese
government, has suggested formation of a 30-thousand strong
peacekeeping force including 10-thousand African Union troops,
10-thousand Sudanese government troops, and 10-thousand members of his
Sudan People's Liberation Army.

He said he is encouraged that the north-south accord he and
vice-president Taha negotiated could be used as the basis for settling
conflicts in Darfur and in eastern Sudan. "Despite what remains a grim
picture in Darfur, there is reason to believe, and I am optimistic,
that the comprehensive peace agreement signed on January ninth has now
considerably improved prospects for resolution of the Darfur
conflict," he said.

As they searched for a way to address the Sudan issue Tuesday,
Security Council diplomats privately admitted that estimates of the
number killed in Darfur may be understated.

The United Nations has put the figure at about 70-thousand, while
saying at the same time that as many as 10-thousand a month may be
dying. Several doctors and other experts have suggested the actual
figure may be several times higher.

The U.S. special envoy for war crimes issues Pierre Richard Prosper
briefed Council diplomats Tuesday on Washington's war crimes tribunal
proposal. Afterward, he told reporters he had no account of the number
killed, but said the key is to recognize that a response is needed now
to ensure effective accountability.

Diplomats say they do not expect any Security Council action on Sudan
before the end of this month.

Evidence Indicates North Korean Food Situation May be Worsening

http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=B7F33A:2F72C9D

UN World Food Program says North Korea recently cut daily food rations
to 250 grams of rice or cereal per person, per day

Malnourished N. Korean boy is fed vitamin and mineral-enriched
porridge supplied by UN World Food Program Even as millions of Asian
families are celebrating this week's Lunar New Year holiday with
feasts, North Korea remains in the middle of an acute food crisis. And
there are signs the country's dependency on outside aid may be growing
even stronger.

Every year since 1999, South Korea has supplied its impoverished rival
with 300,000 metric tons of fertilizer. But this year, North Korea has
asked for an unprecedented 500,000 tons.

Analysts say the request is the latest sign that the North is still
unable to produce enough food and that its dependence on donors is
increasing at a time when it shows little sign of resolving major
differences with the outside world. For a decade, North Korea has
needed foreign aid to feed its people, as natural disaster and years
of economic mismanagement have eroded crop production.

South Korean officials have said they will consider the request, but
only after North Korea returns to six-nation talks aimed at ending
Pyongyang's nuclear weapons program.

In a further sign of food shortages, the United Nations World Food
Program says North Korea recently cut daily food rations to 250 grams
of rice or cereal per person, per day. Brenda Barton, a spokeswoman at
WFP headquarters in Rome, says that is insufficient.

"That is half of what people need to survive on a day-to-day basis,"
she said.

Ms. Barton says the WFP aims to supplement those rations for 6.5
million North Koreans, more than a quarter of the population. To that
end, it appealed last month for 500,000 tons of aid. But many people
will still go hungry.

"We don't feed all the people in the country, and therefore there will
be people that are getting 50 grams less than what they're normally
getting," she said. "And for them, that can really be hardship."

Humanitarian groups say a major difficulty they face is in ensuring
that food aid reaches the neediest civilians rather than being
diverted to North Korea's armed forces or the ruling elite.

The WFP says it is satisfied that most of its aid reaches those for
whom it is intended: children, pregnant women and the elderly.

But Gerry Bourke, a WFP spokesman in Beijing, says Pyongyang has
reduced the number of times that WFP monitors can visit North Korea to
make sure aid goes only to those who most need it.

"One of its concerns was the level of monitoring and the frequency of
monitoring - and the number of international staff involved in
monitoring activities," he said.

The U.N. agency has a "no access, no food" policy and WFP officials
say they have been forced to stop food distribution in areas they
cannot visit. There is evidence that those the agency cannot now reach
are suffering.

Christian activist Tim Peters runs a charity in Seoul that delivers
food aid to North Koreans. He says that North Korean refugees told him
in China late last year the shortages are getting worse.

"The refugees told us that for the most part they have not seen food
aid within the last four or five years," he said.

Pyongyang's attempts to fix the situation appear to have backfired.
North Korea has introduced limited market reforms and ended price
controls in the past few years, in a bid to boost food production
after years of near-famine conditions. But most people cannot afford
the higher prices.

The food crisis was exacerbated when Japan - a major donor - suspended
most aid shipments in December. Japan acted in response to what it
considers North Korea's failure to fully account for the fate of
Japanese nationals Pyongyang admits abducting in the 1970s and 1980s.

Tokyo, which has threatened wider economic sanctions over the
abduction issue, also wants North Korea to return to the nuclear talks
with China, Japan, Russia, South Korea and the United States soon.

Japan, the United States and other countries say they are willing to
provide aid to North Korea once it has verifiably ended its nuclear
weapons program.

In the meantime, the World Food Program's Brenda Barton says North
Korean civilians will continue to suffer.

"The situation day by day for the population is still very tenuous.
People often don't know where their next meal is coming from," she
said.

Pyongyang has asked the international community for help in feeding
its people for more than a decade - after a famine that is believed to
have killed more than a million North Koreans. Regional experts say
the country's economy is so weakened it can no longer produce basic
sustenance for the population, and that its need for aid will continue
for years.

Pope Misses First Ash Wednesday Service in 26 Years

http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=B7F331:2F72C9D

John Paul II remains at Rome's Gemelli hospital

John Paul II waves to faithful from a window of Rome's Agostino
Gemelli hospitalPope John Paul II has not presided over Ash
Wednesday services at the Vatican for the first time in his 26-year
papacy.

American Cardinal James Stafford presided at Wednesday's liturgy in
the name of the 84-year old pontiff, who was rushed to the hospital
last week due to breathing difficulties brought on by the flu. Vatican
officials say the pope's health is improving. He remains at Rome's
Gemelli hospital.

The Polish-born pontiff's has long struggled with Parkinson's disease
and other ailments.

Some information for this report provided by AP and Reuters.

India Begins Human Trials of AIDS Vaccine

http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=B7F330:2F72C9D

Authorities say that in the first phase of the trial, the vaccine is
being administered to 30 male and female volunteers in the western
city of Pune India has started its first human trials of a vaccine
aimed at preventing AIDS. At the same time, authorities are promising
to step up efforts to slow the spread of the AIDS and HIV, the virus
that causes it, which now infects more that five million Indians.

Authorities say that in the first phase of the trial, the vaccine is
being administered to 30 male and female volunteers in the western
city of Pune.

N.K. Ganguly heads the Indian Council of Medical Research, which is
conducting the trials in partnership with the International AIDS
Vaccine Initiative from New York. Mr. Ganguly says the first phase of
the experiments will last about two years, but a successful vaccine
may still be a decade away.

"This is one thing which is like a marathon," he said. "Around eight
to 10 years it takes a product to be launched, but it all depends on
how fast we get results."

The vaccine being tested in Pune is aimed at fighting the strain most
commonly found in India. Human trials of vaccines against different
strains of HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, are being conducted in
several countries. But scientists say the ability of the virus to
mutate has hampered the discovery of a successful vaccine.

India's Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss has expressed hope that the
vaccine project will be successful. But he says that "85 percent of
the country's focus is still going to be on prevention."

Voluntary groups agree that halting the spread of the disease remains
a critical challenge for India, where the disease now affects more
than five million people.

I.S. Gilada heads one of India's leading groups working with AIDS
patients. He warns the number of infected people could grow five times
over the coming decade.

"If you look at the speed with which the virus is spreading, we are
not able to counter with the same speed through prevention as well as
through management," said Mr. Gilada. "The dynamics of the infection
are very big, it may become 20 to 25 million if we do not take
effective measures."

Health experts have repeatedly warned that the government
underestimates the size of the AIDS epidemic in India because official
figures leave out a vast number of people who carry the virus without
knowing or reporting it.

An estimated two-thirds of the victims live in rural areas where
health facilities are poor.

After first appearing in high-risk groups such as sex workers and drug
users, the virus has spilled into the general population.

Stars to Pay Tribute to Ray Charles During 2005 Grammy Ceremony

http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=B7F32C:2F72C9D

Beyond that, there are no sure things at the 47th annual Grammy Awards
February 13

The College Dropout Few mainstream hip-hop acts explicitly mention
religion, choosing to concentrate on more worldly matters. Kanye West
is an exception. This rapper-producer has earned 10 Grammy nominations
- tops among this year's acts. They come on the strength of his
debut solo album The College Dropout, whose single "Jesus Walks" is
nominated for Song Of The Year. This Chicago native produced hits for
Jay-Z, Alicia Keys, Ludacris, and other stars before himself stepping
before the microphone.

Song Of The Year is a songwriter's award; opposing Kanye West are John
Mayer, with "Daughters"; Alicia Keys, with "If I Ain't Got You"; Tim
Nichols and Craig Wiseman, for Tim McGraw's "Live Like You Were
Dying," and Hoobastank members Daniel Estrin and Doug Robb, for "The
Reason."

Kanye West also turns up in the Best New Artist category, which comes
with a qualifier: nominees aren't necessarily new, but must have
achieved mass popularity during the previous year. Take, for example,
Maroon 5. Back in the 1990s, this California rock act recorded as
Kara's Flowers. Adding another guitarist, they changed their moniker
to Maroon 5, and hit the best-seller charts with their Songs About
Jane CD which includes the Grammy-nominated single "She Will Be
Loved."

There's Best New Artist nominee Maroon 5, whose performance kicks off
the Grammy telecast on Sunday, February 13. Completing the field are
Latino rock trio Los Lonely Boys; teenage British blues rocker Joss
Stone; and country singer Gretchen Wilson, whose Here For The Party CD
was the best-selling debut album of 2004.

Alicia KeysAlicia Keys knows something about successful debuts. Three
years ago, the Manhattan native earned five Grammys on the strength of
her multi-platinum first album, Songs In A Minor. This year, Alicia
and her friend Usher are second among all nominees with eight apiece.
The two have known each other since they were teenagers, and their
chemistry sent "My Boo" straight to Number One last year. It's among
the nominees for Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group with
Vocals.

"My Boo," is also in the race for Best RB song, where it competes
against individual entries from both Usher and Alicia.

Although the Grammy judges were once criticized for their
conservatism, a younger membership has this year provided eye-openers
in many categories. Avant-garde Icelandic singer Bjork is a Best
Female Pop Vocal nominee with "Oceania," from her largely a capella
album Medulla.  Over in the Best Pop Collaboration category,

Johnny Cash and former Clash leader Joe Strummer sing Bob Marley's
"Redemption Song." Joe Strummer died of a heart attack in 2002, while
diabetes claimed Johnny Cash the following year. Finally, Beach Boys
leader Brian Wilson earned a Best Pop Vocal Album nod for Smile, a
project he began in 1967.

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/tribune-re...m/s_301797.html

Security officials back counterrorism center

Blair sorry for Irish jailed innocents:

In a video-taped statement released by Downing Street on Wednesday, Blair admitted the jailing of 11 innocent people for bomb blasts caused by the IRA was wrong.
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/05A...EC89D3E2F09.htm

http://tinyurl.com/468j8

Lawyers allege Canadian teen abused in U.S. prison camp:

The federal government has "abandoned" a Canadian teenager being held as a terrorism suspect at a U.S. prison camp in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, broadening a shroud of secrecy that has failed to ensure his humane treatment for nearly three years.
http://canadaeast.com/apps/pbcs.dll/articl...08/CPN/18216017

http://tinyurl.com/4v3hm

Berezovsky Claims Chechen Rebels Have A-bomb:

Chechen rebels could have an atomic bomb, Boris Berezovsky, Russian tycoon currently living in self-imposed exile in Great Britain, told the Komsomolskaya Pravda daily on the phone. Russian security officials refused to comment on Berezovsky’s statement.
http://www.mosnews.com/news/2005/02/08/berezobomb.shtml

http://tinyurl.com/657gb

Russia and China announce strategic partnership:

Sources say, Russia and China have formally joined hands to stop expanding American and European military as well as economic global influences.
http://www.indiadaily.com/editorial/02-03b-05.asp

China Poised to Overtake U.S. in 2020s-Author:

China's unprecedented rise, fueled by foreign investment and technology, has put the Asian giant on a path to surpass the United States economically by 2025, the author of a new book on China said on Tuesday.
http://www.boston.com/news/world/asia/arti...n_2020s_author/

http://tinyurl.com/3qnru

Philippines: 20 soldiers and 30 rebels killed:

Adan said a total of six battalions, three each from the Army and the Marines, or roughly 3,000 troops, are now in hot pursuit against 500 followers of former Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) Gov. Nur Misuari.
http://www.tribune.net.ph/headlines/20050210.hed02.html

Likud rebels plan ultimatum to PM: No referendum, no budget :

Opening a new front in their campaign to foil the disengagement plan, Likud rebels Wednesday were preparing to issue an ultimatum to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, declaring that they would vote against the state budget unless Sharon came out in favor of a national referendum on the pullout, Army Radio reported.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/537891.html

Amira Hass : The blood of Iman al-Hamas :

And the blood of Iman al-Hamas - on whose hands is her blood? With or without the confirmed killing, the soldiers in R.'s unit, with him or without him at the Girit outpost in Rafah, killed the 13-year-old schoolgirl who was walking on October 5 with her schoolbag in broad daylight.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/537863.html

Hamas history tied to Israel :

Israel and Hamas may currently be locked in deadly combat, but, according to several current and former U.S. intelligence officials, beginning in the late 1970s, Tel Aviv gave direct and indirect financial aid to Hamas over a period of years.
http://www.upi.com/view.cfm?StoryID=18062002-051845-8272r

http://tinyurl.com/gn2

Secret Israeli Units Lived Among Palestinians for Years :

Israelis are fascinated with the revelation that for the past 40 years Israeli Jewish undercover agents have been passing themselves off as Palestinians and have not only lived with and worked with Palestinians, but have even married and had children with Palestinian women living inside Israel.
http://www.washington-report.org/backissue...98/9812057.html

http://tinyurl.com/6koxr

Pakistan Army Pays More Than Half Million Dollars to Al Qaeda in Bizarre Deal
http://www.satribune.com/archives/200502/P1_deal.htm

http://tinyurl.com/43xcq

Asterisk Aside, Saudis Prepare for Their First National
Election
By NEIL MacFARQUHAR
Saudi Arabia embarks on its first nationwide elections on
Thursday and the exercise may end up being more than
symbolic.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/02/10/internat...10saudi.html?th

U.S. Nearly Triples Tsunami Aid Pledge, to $950 Million
By ELIZABETH BECKER
The administration will include the new aid in the $81
billion supplemental bill that it is expected to submit to
Congress next week.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/02/10/politics/10aid.html?th

China enforcing green laws, suddenly
Beijing has targeted 22 major energy projects to assess their
environmental impact. By Robert Marquand
http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0210/p01s02-woap.html?s=hns

Democracy rising in ex-Soviet states
Aftershocks of Ukraine and Georgia are stirring up rallies in Central
Asia. By Fred Weir
http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0210/p01s03-wosc.html?s=hns

In Saudis' first nationwide poll, candidates test limits
One campaigns to lift the ban on women drivers and movie theaters. By
Faiza Saleh Ambah
http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0210/p04s01-wome.html?s=hns

Freedom slipping in Southeast Asia
From Nepal's royal coup to the flight of Cambodian opposition leaders,
democracy is under assault. By Scott Baldauf
http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0210/p06s01-woap.html?s=hns