News & Reports 2011-09-25

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In This Edition
 
US and Britain urge Israel and the Palestinians to respond positively 1 to a proposal put forward by the "Quartet" of Middle East mediators.
 
Revolutionary fighters push into Gadhafi's hometown of Sirte in the first significant assault in about a week as Libya's transitional leader addresses the United Nations that his country has been reborn.
 
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin declares that he will seek to return to presidency 2 in the 2012 election.
 
Economic leaders of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa say they are ready to act to help stabilize 3 the world economy.
 
 
Hot Issue Reports
 
Reactions Follow Palestine's UN Bid
Palestinian negotiator Mohammed Shaatyye says Palestinians will continue to push for U.N. membership even if the U.S. vetoes their application.
 
The remarks come after the Palestinians have formally applied 4 for UN membership.
 
"I should tell you many countries in the world has been vetoed more than once. Israel itself was vetoed three times. So it's not the end of the world that we will get an American veto. Regardless we will try again."
 
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has handed U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon a letter requesting full U.N. membership.
 
The United States has vowed 5 to use its veto if it comes to a vote.
 
Abbas' statehood request reflects a loss of faith after 20 years of failed peace talks sponsored by the United States, Israel's main ally.
 
Meanwhile, Israeli deputy foreign minister Danny Ayalon said moves in the U.N. could not deliver a sustainable peace in the Middle East.
 
"Israel is going to continue to wait at the negotiation 6 table and in the table we will settle all outstanding issues, including territories. But for that we have to sit and talk. In order to bring about a Palestinian state we have to honor previous agreements and that is bilateral 7 talks and a dialogue."
 
Meanwhile, common Palestinians and Israelis also reacted to Palestine's historic move in the UN.
 
In Ramallah, Palestinians were jubilant and hopeful.
 
"We have the right to ask for membership for our state in the Security Council like the other countries. Yes we are optimistic, God willing, that we will have a state like the others."
 
In Tel Aviv, meanwhile, many Israelis felt Abbas' UN speech was stronger than that of their own Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
 
But some still hoped that a negotiated peace agreement could be reached.
 
"We need to sit down immediately at the negotiating table and shut everyone in a sealed room and don't let them leave until they reach an agreement that is accepted by both sides, especially the Palestinians because they are at a boiling point."
 
The U.N. Security Council will meet on Monday to discuss the Palestinian application for membership in the United Nations.
Full UN membership can only be bestowed 8 by the UN Security Council.
 
Analysts 9 say Palestine's request will almost certainly be derailed, either by a failure to win the needed nine votes in the 15-member body or by a US veto.
 
US and Britain Urge Israel and Palestinians to Resume Peace Talks
Meanwhile, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair has called on Israel and the Palestinians to respond positively to a proposal put forward by the "Quartet" of Middle East mediators.
 
The Quartet - including the U.S., European Union, U.N. and Russia - wants both parties to draw up an agenda for peace talks within a month and produce comprehensive proposals on territory and security within three months.
 
"So there is then a very clear set of steps the quartet will take in order to support the parties in that negotiation. But I very much hope, and the Secretary-General just said this a little earlier, the parties will respond positively and agree to have the preparatory meeting and get this thing underway."
 
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton earlier urged Israel and the Palestinians to seize the opportunity to negotiate.
 
"The quartet proposal represents the firm conviction of the international community that a just and lasting 10 peace can only come through negotiations 11 between the parties. Therefore we urge the parties to take advantage of this opportunity to get back to talks and the United States pledges our support as the parties themselves take the important next steps for a two state solution, which is what all of us are hoping to achieve."
 
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed the call of the Quartet for a return to direct peace talks but said the talks' success depended on an equal willingness from the Palestinians.
 
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas accepts negotiations are still necessary, but argues statehood will put Palestinians on a more equal footing.
 
The United States also says it would veto any Palestinian bid that is put to a vote at the Security Council.
 
Libya De Facto PM Appeals for Asset Release at UN General Assembly
Libya's de facto Prime Minister Mahmoud Jibril has told the United Nations his country has been reborn after toppling Muammar Gaddafi and appealed for the release of remaining frozen Libyan assets.
 
In the first appearance by Libya's new leadership at the UN, Jibril told the U.N. General Assembly that Libya is on a new path to a constitutional democracy and reconstruction 12.
 
"Today, I stand before your excellencies to show the world that a new Libya is coming to life. Libya that looks forward.
Libya that has a view to redevelop itself. Libya that wants to overcome its pain, to reach out to the entire world. It wants to rebuild itself, to reform its history."
 
He also asked the U.N. Security Council to release all remaining Libyan assets out of an estimated $150 billion US dollars that were frozen under sanctions against Gaddafi.
 
U.N. diplomats 13 say there are technical problems to resolve before the release of all the assets, some of which they fear could fall into the hands of Gaddafi, his relatives or aides.
 
Back home, hundreds of revolutionary fighters pushed into Gadhafi's hometown of Sirte on Saturday in the first significant assault in about a week as Libya's new rulers try to rout 14 remaining loyalists of the fugitive 15 leader.
 
The former rebels captured some strategically significant places, including the city's eastern gate.
 
Explosions rocked the city of Sirte and smoke rose into the sky as Gadhafi's forces fired mortar 16 shells and rocket-propelled grenades at the fighters.
 
The two sides have been locked in a standoff since former rebels tried to advance on the city a week ago but were repelled 17 by fierce resistance.
 
More than a month since the then-rebels swept into Tripoli and pushed Gadhafi out of power, they are still struggling to overrun his remaining strongholds in the centre of the country and the south.
 
Putin to Run for Russian President in 2012
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said Saturday he would run for president in 2012.
 
He announced the long-awaited decision after being proposed by President Dmitry Medvedev at the ruling United Russia party's annual congress.
 
Medvedev made the proposal after Putin addressed the congress, saying he would head its list of candidates in the parliamentary poll. This indicates the president could enter the government after the elections.
 
"...Having agreed to supervise the party list, to get involved in the work of the Party and once we have had a successful performance in the elections, my readiness to take an active role in the government, I think it would be right for the congress to support the candidacy of party leader Vladimir Putin for president of the country."
 
Putin, who currently serves as prime minister, said he was honored by the proposal from Medvedev and decided 18 to accept it.
 
"Ahead of us we have a task of enormous scale. We have to build an innovative 19 economy, strengthen democratic institutions. But if we really want to achieve success, at the centre of our attention must always be the citizen of Russia."
 
Putin's presidential bid was widely criticized by Russian opposition 20 leaders.
 
But most Muscovites seemed to support the political arrangement. Denis is one of them.
 
"I am in complete agreement (with Putin becoming president). He's a very good, wise person - with him Russia will be better."
 
Putin was president from 2000 to 2008 but steered 21 Medvedev into the Kremlin in 2008 because he was barred from a third successive term by the constitution.
 
The presidential elections are scheduled for March. Experts say the lack of a powerful opposition means the United Russia candidate will almost certainly win control of the Kremlin.
 
Leading Economic Powers Meet amid Eurozone Debt and World Financial Crises
The world's major economic powers are pledging to launch a bold effort to deal with a chronic 22 slowdown in growth and a looming 23 European debt crisis which threatens to push the global economy into another recession.
 
However, as finance officials from around the world were in Washington for the annual meetings of the International Monetary 24 Fund and its sister lending institution, the World Bank, markets show no sign of buying into the new commitments.
 
Finance officials said they were undaunted by the initial adverse 25 market reaction and pledged to push forward with implementation 26 of their commitments, especially in the area of dealing 27 with the European debt crisis.
 
IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde warned that all economies needed to come together to deal with the slowdown.
 
"It is not just for the advanced economies to do what they have to do, it is going to require everybody to actually operate, so that we have a bit of a grand bargain to resist the crisis that we have unfolding at the moment."
 
The IMF's European Department Director, Antonio Borges, said the European sovereign debt crisis was not only limited to Greece.
 
"The impact of problems associated with Greece is small. The problem today is that we are beyond Greece. The real question about the problems in Greece is what will happen in the rest of Europe and whether the problem mushrooms; and that is why the markets are nervous."
 
Investors 28 are worried that Europe's debt crisis could destabilize the global economy at a time when growth has already slowed significantly due to a jump in oil prices earlier in the year and a pronounced slowdown in the world's largest economy, the United States.
 
BRICS Ready to Support Struggling World Economy
Economic leaders of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa say they are ready to act to help stabilize the world economy.
 
The so-called BRICS countries made the pledge in a joint 29 statement on the sidelines of the annual meeting of the IMF.
Russian Deputy Finance Minister Sergei Storchak elaborates upon the BRICS stance.
 
"We discussed in terms of cooperation, in terms of mutual 30 work on those threats which we are facing. We're trying to escape using such words as aid, assistance and so on and so forth 31. We will work on the issue together with the Europeans and together between ourselves."
 
But officials did not provide any further details on what that support would look like in practice.
 
Meanwhile, China's Central Bank Governor Zhou Xiaochuan says cooperation between emerging economies is vital for the world economy.
 
"BRICS countries represent quite a big share of the global economy in today's crisis period. The internal demand of each economy, I think, is important. So, we should find a way to enlarge internal demand in our economy and also enhance cooperation among BRICS countries."
 
Emerging markets in general have weathered the financial crisis much better than developed economies.
 
Struggling Eurozone countries such as Italy, Spain and Portugal have looked to states like China or Brazil to purchase their bonds or invest in local enterprises.
 
However, so far, commitments to provide support have been vague, with analysts saying that actual investments remained limited.
 
Chavez Returns Home from Cuba after Completing Chemotherapy
President Hugo Chavez has returned to Venezuela after completing his final round of chemotherapy in Cuba, vowing 32 to continue steering 33 Venezuela toward socialism.
 
Chavez expressed optimism the treatment was successful, saying he feels like being reborn.
 
The self-described "revolutionary" who underwent surgery in Cuba in June to remove a tumor 34 from his pelvic region, says tests have shown no signs of a recurrence 35.
 
"All evaluations 36 and reviews that have been conducted yesterday and today, to ensure my return have been positive from all points of view and we can say that thanks to these results, the chemotherapy phase is completed. We close the cycle of chemotherapy."
 
Chavez spent most of June in Cuba where he first had surgery on June 10 in an operation where doctors removed a pelvic abscess. That operation was followed by a second round of surgery on June 20 in which the unspecified cancerous tumor was removed.
 
The 57-year-old leader did not provide any detail of what kind of cancer he received treatment for.
 
But he plans to continue governing Venezuela after winning next year's presidential election, which is scheduled for next October.
 
Feminist 37 Groups Demonstrate in Paris
Hundreds of feminist activists 38 have staged a demonstration 39 in Paris in support of French writer Tristane Banon who has accused former IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn of trying to rape 40 her during an interview in 2003.
 
Banon said she wanted to protest against the alleged 41 lack of support given to women when they are assaulted or subjected to sexual violence.
 
"In my fight, I realised that there were huge problems in the way France deals with sexual assault cases today. I can't admit that tonight when we all go to bed, there will be 208 women raped 42 and only 12 women who will dare claiming for that just because they expect to be treated like I am, like a liar 43."
 
Strauss-Kahn has denied Banon's allegations calling them 'imaginaries'.
 
But Banon said she wanted a face-to-face meeting with Strauss-Kahn to see if he could look at her straight in the eyes.
 
The two are scheduled to come face-to-face in a confrontation 44 that will be part of a preliminary police inquiry 45 into Banon's complaint.
 
Investigators 46 would compare their versions of the incident in a Paris apartment in 2003, when she says he tried to rape her.
 
But the court did not say when the meeting will take place.
 
Daredevil Base Jumps from Helicopter Through Cave
An American professional base jumper successfully jumped and dived through a cave in a mountain of central China's Hunan province, while wearing a wing suit.
 
35-year-old Jeb Corliss jumped from a helicopter 1,830 meters above the Tianmen Hole, flew towards it, and traveled straight through it.
 
Corliss says the experience was spectacular.
 
"That was one of the greatest base jumps of my entire life. Thank you China, that was amazing."
 
The professional base jumper failed at his first attempt, attributing the failure to smoke brackets attached to his feet, but succeeded the second time round.
 
Corliss has become the first base jumper to "fly" in China.
 
Media Digest
 
China Daily: New Strain of Hybrid 47 Rice Offers Hope for Food Security
 
A new strain of rice, developed by Chinese scientist Yuan Longping, has yielded a harvest of nearly 14 tons per hectare in a trial field in Central China's Hunan province.
 
The harvest represents a new world record.
 
An editorial in the China Daily highly praises the scientist and his latest achievement, saying it will bring new benefits to global food security.
 
The newspaper notes that Yuan Longping, known as "the Father of Hybrid Rice," has helped transform China from a state of food deficiency to one of food security within three decades.
 
Yuan, now 81 years-old, first began his research in the 1960s, in an effort to develop better hybrid rice seeds. He received the World Food Prize in 2004, awarded by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization.
 
His hybrid rice has now been grown in dozens of countries around the world, covering some 3 million hectares in 2009, providing a robust 48 food source for many areas with a high risk of famine.
 
The newspaper calculates that if the planted area of his hybrid rice rises to cover about 50 percent of the world's rice fields, the overall output can increase by 150 million tons. Such a harvest world be enough to feed 400 million more people.
 
The commentary says Yuan's hybrid rice serves as a safe alternative before the disadvantages of genetically 49 modified plants are verified.
 
It cites the UN food agency, saying that Yuan's accomplishments 50 and clear vision have helped create a more abundant food supply and, by improving food security, a more stable world.
 
In conclusion, the China Daily editorial believes the scientist's continuing research offers even more promise for world food security and adequate nutrition for the world's poor.