News & Reports 2010-12-26

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In This Edition

China's central bank announced that it will raise the one-year lending and deposit interest rate for the second time this year, as the government continues its battle against surging prices.

At least 45 people were killed and 72 others injured in a suicide blast in front of a World Food Program office in Pakistan's northwest city of Khar.

Security tightened 1 up at diplomatic missions in the Italian capital Rome after parcel bomb attack at the Chilean and Swiss embassies.

And political crisis takes its toll 2 on the fragile economy in Ivory Coast.

Hot Issue Reports

Suicide Bomber 3 Kills at Least 45 in Pakistan

At least 45 people were killed by a female suicide bomber in northwestern Pakistan.

The bomber detonated her explosives-laden vest at an aid distribution centre in Khar, the main city in Bajur, a region near the Afghan border.

The bombing appeared to be the first suicide attack staged by a woman in Pakistan.

Abdul Shakoor, a soldier wounded in the attack, elaborated what has happened.

"She was spotted 4 coming out from the ladies gathering 5. She was there since the morning. One of our soldiers did not allow her to enter. She hurled 6 a hand grenade, causing a small blast, people started running, she screamed and after that she blew herself up. She was wearing a gray burqa."

The Pakistani Taliban has claimed responsibility for the attack through its spokesman, Azam Tariq.

Tariq suggested that the victims were targeted because most belonged to the Salarzai tribe, which was among the first to set up a militia 7 to fight the Taliban in 2008.

Police said the victims came from various parts of the Bajur tribal 8 region and gathered daily at the aid centre to collect food tokens.

The people were displaced by an army offensive against Taliban militants 9 in the region in early 2009.

The military first declared victory in Bajur following a six-month operation launched in late 2008.

But the army was forced to launch a follow-up operation in late January this year and declared victory again about a month later.

Meanwhile, police in Nigeria's central north Plateau State has confirmed the killing 10 of 32 people after three blasts rocked Nigeria's restive 11 Jos city.

The attack came a week after a Nigerian court sentenced 15 people to 10 years each in prison for involvement of the violent crisis in Jos in March that killed over a hundred people.

Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan has condemned 12 the bomb blasts.

Governor Jonah Jang of Plateau said all the attacks were carried out simultaneously 13; the aim of the masterminds is to spark up another round of violence. He described this year's Christmas as a black Christmas for Plateau people.

Security heightened in Italy after bomb attacks on embassies

Security checks at diplomatic missions in the Italian capital Rome were heightened on Friday, after parcel bombs went off at the Chilean and Swiss embassies on Thursday.

Mail bombs exploded in the hands of employees at the Swiss and Chilean embassies on Thursday, seriously wounding two people.

Italian investigators 14 suspected the attacks were the work of anarchists 16, similar to the two-day wave of mail bombs that targeted several embassies in Athens last month, including those of Chile and Switzerland.

Residents of Rome on Friday had mixed feelings about security in their city.

One man, who works at the Vatican, said security measures in Rome were "not satisfactory".

"I am convinced that sooner or later something will happen, because security is not that tight; maybe not at the Vatican, where security is efficient, but outside it is not satisfactory, especially in the underground."

Another resident, Massimo Avitale, however, was less concerned.

"No, I don't think we ought to be afraid, I think that in Rome we are all pretty much safe."

Late on Thursday night, the Italian news agency ANSA reported that a claim by anarchists was found in a small box near one of the wounded embassy employees.

It was being examined by anti-terrorism police, but Rome police headquarters refused to comment on the claim, which ANSA said was made by a group called the Informal Anarchist 15 Federation 17, or FAI.

Anarchists were blamed by authorities last week for bloody 18 clashes between protesters and police in Rome that marred 19 otherwise peaceful demonstrations 20 by students against a university reform law. The legislation received final approval in parliament on Thursday.

For Thursday's twin embassy mail bombs, less than three hours apart, Italian investigators are pursuing the "trail of anarchists-insurrectionists".

Since the September 11 attacks in the United States in 2001, security has been tight at public ceremonies in Saint Peter's Basilica and Square, and visitors have been subject to metal detector 21 checks and bag and backpack inspections 22.

Russia's Parliament Preliminarily Approves Nuclear Arms Reduction Treaty with U.S.

Russia's parliament gave preliminary approval to a landmark 23 nuclear arms reduction treaty with the United States on Friday.

In the first of three votes with 350 deputies supporting the treaty and 58 voting against, the State Duma supported the ratification 24 of the new START pact 25.

The Duma is dominated by the ruling United Russia party.

The treaty was signed by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and U.S. President Barack Obama in April.

Arms control experts say Russia is all but certain to ratify 26 the pact despite vocal 27 criticism from some lawmakers. It would cut the number of strategic nuclear weapons deployed 28 by the Cold War foes 29.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says it will cement ties between the two powers.

"We hope the new treaty will be supported by State Duma deputies, we believe there are the necessary premises 30 for this: the realization 31 of the treaty will strengthen the security of our country and international stability, will promote strengthening of the non-proliferation regime of nuclear arms and will become an additional factor to promote positive trends -- both in our relations with the United States and worldwide in general."

The U.S. Senate approved the treaty on Wednesday after a contentious 32 debate over its long-term implications for U.S. security.

Russia's defense 33 minister, Anatoly Serdyukov, assured Russia's parliament that the treaty would not undermine Russia's security.

"The new treaty significantly eases verification mechanisms 34, excludes special measures of control over the Russian mobile intercontinental ballistic missiles and reduces the amount of inspections."

Russian lawmakers plan to return to the ratification debate in January after a holiday. The ratification law faces two more votes in the Duma and one in the upper house before going to Medvedev for his signature.

The treaty will cut long-range, strategic nuclear weapons deployed by Russia and the United States to no more than 1,550 on each side within seven years. Deployed missile launchers will be cut to no more than 700 on each side.

Russia currently has an estimated 2,600 deployed strategic warheads, while the United States has 1,968..

Political Crisis Takes its Toll on Ivory Coast Economy

Prices are soaring in the Ivory Coast, as a violent political power struggle in the West African nation has begun to take its toll on the country's economy.

On Thursday, West Africa's central bank cut funds to Ivory Coast's incumbent 35 Laurent Gbagbo, adding pressure on the defiant 36 leader to step down after a disputed poll that world powers and neighbours say he lost.

An election on November 28 was meant to end the debilitating 37 crisis that has plagued the world's top cocoa grower since a 2002-3 war split it in two, deterring 38 investment and hampering 39 growth.

Instead, it has merely deepened it.

The power struggle between Gbagbo and his rival, Alassane Ouattara, over who won the election has escalated 40 into a dangerous standoff -- shutting down businesses and disrupting transportation.

Amadoun Dahogo, a cabbage seller in Abidjan's Adjame market, describes the situation.

"Since the crisis, the market is strange all prices have risen like that in an instant, everything is now expensive. We can't even buy produce anymore. One kilo of cabbage costs 800 FCFA ( 1.8 USD), really, we can't even do our market shopping anymore, and there are no more trucks bringing in produce."

While some shops have tentatively re-opened since protests and lethal 41 gun battles between supporters of each camp erupted last week, many shop owners and residents are too scared to leave their homes.

World powers and African states have thrown their support behind Ouattara, who set up a parallel government based in a lagoon-side Abidjan hotel heavily guarded by U.N. peacekeepers.

The United Nations General Assembly recognised the challenger as the legitimate 42 president.

A statement from the West African Central Bank, issued after a meeting of ministers in Guinea Bissau, said that only appointed members of the "legitimate government" would be permitted to access funds held in the central bank's accounts.

Mudslide in Colombia Leaves at Least 13 Dead

Thirteen people have died following a mudslide in Colombia. Another twenty five are injured. It happened in the rural town of San Gerardo, which is in the south of the country. More than eight houses were damaged.

Mudslide survivor 43 Sofia Chavez says it's a tragedy for her community.

"I feel distress 44, despair. People ran, the distress, the impotence of not being able to get everyone out who was suffocating 45 under the dirt, and the despair, the pain of al those people. This is not Christmas. We are sad in this little town. Everyone of us, family, loved ones, friends, neighbors that we lost."

This is the second major mudslide this month in Colombia. On December the 5th one hundred people died in the northwestern town of Bello.

There has been heavy rain over much of Colombia in the last few months. This has caused flooding that has killed over two hundred people. Crops have been damaged and one point seven million people have been forced from their homes.

Survivor Deison Diaz is one of the injured survivors 46 from the town of San Gerardo.

"To be honest, I didn't feel anything. I kind of felt when it was going under, but when I was going to start running, it was too late. I lost consciousness. All of a sudden I saw things collapse 47 on top of us and we got buried."

Earlier this month, President Juan Manuel Santos said the government would spend around five hundred and fifty million US dollars on disaster relief.

To help manage the disaster the Inter-American Development Bank has offered the Colombian government a credit of three hundred and fifty million US dollars. Bad weather has also hit the coffee, coal and agriculture sectors 48.

Elephants Dressed up as Santa to Hang out Christmas Treats in Thailand

Santa Claus has come to town, but this time as a gentle giant.

Elephants in the resort province of Ayutthaya, north of Bangkok, were dressed up in Santa costumes as they joined a Christmas parade making its way to school.

The elephant keepers and some tourists from an elephant camp home-stay resort joined in the Christmas cheer and wore Santa attire 49 as well.

Six elephants, ages between 8 months and 22 years old, are wearing red body covers, head gear and socks, some of them with Santa beards, danced and performed acrobatic stunts 50 in front of 3,000 elementary school students.

The crowd of children screamed in delight and scrambled 51 as the elephant Santas threw snacks, balloons, dolls and pencil boxes.

Jirasartwitthaya school is the largest private school in Ayutthaya province, with children attending kindergarten to junior high school.

Some tourists, who joined the event, handed out gifts to children.

Australian tourist, Julia Lamont, who will be spending Christmas at an elephant camp, could not help but compare the rustic 52 celebrations in Ayutthaya to the typical holiday rush in Adelaide, her hometown.

"I think people are very busy at home, you know, rushing around at the last minute. But this is nice to see children at school, enjoying themselves at this time. So It's lovely."

In return for treats, the children and teachers at Jirasartwitthaya handed out bananas to friendly elephants.

Thai elephants are an endangered species, and a national symbol in Thailand. Many of them are housed in elephants camps in Ayutthaya, the ancient royal capital.

Panic about UK student visas may be premature 53

The British government has published a consultation 54 on POTENTIAL reforms to the student visa system.

The Chinese media has reported widely on one proposal in particular: that the UK may cancel its Post-Study Work program, or PSW.

Currently, the PSW allows international students to work in the UK for up to two years after graduation.

Newspapers in China have framed the reform as a huge blow to Chinese studying in the UK. One suggested that 20 000 Chinese students may have to leave the country next year.

China Daily: fuel price hike worthwhile amid inflation

China's top economic planner, the National Development and Reform Commission, raised gasoline and diesel 55 prices by around 4 percent in its latest move in order to follow the international market.

The price rise came beyond many people's expectations as the country campaigns to curb 56 mounting inflation.

But an editorial in the China Daily applauds the move saying it wisely did not seek urgent benefits at the cost of strategic development goals.

The newspaper explains that the Chinese government is required to adjust domestic retail 57 fuel prices when international crude oil price rises by more than 4 percent over 22 consecutive 58 working days.

It notes the government was responding to international oil price increases of more than 8 percent since its last fuel price hike in October.

In light of high inflation, the government said the move will not affect public transportation, low-income groups or agriculture.

The editorial says it would be natural to postpone 59 fuel price hikes to fight inflation as China's CPI surged to a 28-month high of 5.1 percent year-on-year in November.

But the commentary stresses that it's more important to secure energy efficiency and sustainable development by raising the fuel price.

It notes China's average daily consumption of both gas and diesel hit record highs in November. Meanwhile, the country's dependence 60 on imported oil is likely to hit 55 percent by the end of this year, up from 33 percent in 2009.

The newspaper argues that such rapid increases in oil consumption and imports are unsustainable.

In conclusion, it says a gradual fuel price increase can serve as an effective way to encourage consumers to conserve 61 energy and lead a low-carbon lifestyle.

Beijing Times: supportive measures needed to facilitate anti-congestion 62 polices

The government of the Beijing Municipality is implementing 63 a series of polices to solve the capital's long-standing traffic congestion.

Some residents have already felt the bite as the municipal government has decided 64 only 240,000 new vehicle license 65 plates will be issued next year.

Car buyers in Beijing have formed long queues at auto 66 dealerships, eager to get a car before the new policy takes effect.

A commentary in the Beijing Times says the government should take further steps to support the fierce anti-congestion policy.

The newspaper notes that the number of new vehicle licenses 67 allowed for next year comprises only one third of this year's total.

Under the new policy, car registrations 68 will be allocated 69 by a number plate lottery 70 system, which has just come into effect.

Panic buyers purchased more than 30,000 vehicles last week, more than twice as many as normal.

The newspaper says the panic buying demonstrates people's worries about the new policy, which lacks supportive measures and has many uncertainties 71.

It points out that the government has not given details of how to issue vehicle licenses through lottery and also maintain fairness in the process.

The article says the limited license resources may compel advantageous 72 groups to use improper 73 or even illegal means to get a vehicle license.

Moreover, it suspects that a black market may come into being if no preventative measures are in place.

The newspaper says it's imperative 74 for the government to clarify the procedure of issuing vehicle licenses and put the process under effective supervision 75.

It stresses that transparency and fairness largely determine the success of the new policy and are the basis of public support for administrative 76 limitation of auto purchase.

In conclusion, the commentary warns that without public support, the anti-congestion policy will bring new problems as its effect on easing traffic jams is still in question