CHILE ROCKS TO 8.8 MAGNITUDE EARTHQUAKE

BEIJING, Feb. 27 (NNN-Xinhua): The China Earthquake Administration (CEA) upgraded the scale of an earthquake striking Chile on Saturday afternoon to 8.8 magnitude.

In an earlier report, the CEA survey put the magnitude of the earthquake at 8.5.

The earthquake occurred at 2:34 p.m. (Beijing Time) in Chile. The epicenter was 35.8 degrees south latitude and 72.7 degrees west longitude, with a depth of 33 kilometers, said a statement from the CEA.

The location was about 100 km away from Chile’s second largest city Concepcion and 320 km from Chilean capital Santiago, it said.

Areas within 200 km of the epicenter have experienced a number of earthquakes, among which an 8.3-magnitude quake in 1939 killed 28,000 people, said the CEA.

About 400 km southwest to the epicenter, an 8.9-magnitude quake in 1960 claimed about 20,000 lives and triggered a tsunami that swept across the Pacific Ocean, killing scores of people in Japan and the Philippines.

The statement said the CEA is closely following the development of the situation there.

-NNN-XINHUA

OBAMA TO HOST NUCLEAR SECURITY SUMMIT IN SPRING

WASHINGTON, Feb 27 (NNN-KUNA) — US President Barack Obama will host a nuclear security summit at the Washington Convention Center in April, the White House announced late Friday.

“The purpose of the summit is to discuss steps we can collectively take to secure vulnerable nuclear materials and prevent acts of nuclear terrorism,” White House Spokesman Robert Gibbs said during a briefing.

As Obama stated in Prague last April, “nuclear terrorism is the most immediate and extreme threat to global security,” Gibbs said.

The summit will take place April 12 and 13. — NNN-KUNA

KUWAIT, LUXEMBOURG EXPRESS DETERMINATION TO DEEPEN BILATERAL COOPERATION

LUXEMBOURG, Feb 27 (NNN-KUNA) — Kuwait’s Deputy Premier and Foreign Minister Sheikh Dr. Mohammad Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah met Friday evening with Luxembourg’s Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn and discussed bilateral ties, EU-Kuwait relations, the Middle East peace process, Iran and the recent killing of a Hamas leader in Dubai.

“We had a very fruitful discussion today and I would reiterate our full support to the candidature of Luxembourg for the Security Council. This is a small token of appreciation that we can give to our friends in Luxembourg,” Sheikh Mohammad told a joint press conference after the meeting.

He noted that 19 years ago “Luxembourg stood beside Kuwait and helped Kuwait to regain its liberty. This is something we will never forget.”

On his part, Asselborn said, “We have good bilateral relations and very positive cooperation and we can increase them.”

Noting that Kuwait this year holds the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) presidency, he hoped that the EU and GCC would be able to bring the long-talked about Free Trade Agreement to a solution in 2010.

Asselborn said the Luxembourg-based Cargolux has have three flights a week to Kuwait.

“We are open to accept Kuwait companies here in Luxembourg,” he said.
Kuwait Petroleum International (Q8) has invested more than 50 million euros in Luxembourg.
Since 1983, Q8 has a storage capacity of six million litres and this is an essential element of Luxembourg’s national security and supply for petrol, noted Asselborn.

The Kuwaiti foreign minister said the technological base that Luxembourg can provide and the capital base that Kuwait can provide can work in a very harmonious manner.

“Luxembourg is a major hub for Q8 and Luxembourg is very business friendly. It provides unique opportunity for companies to be based here. We have the oldest sovereign wealth fund. It was established in 1955 by the Kuwait Investment authority and its Director is to visit Luxembourg,” he said.

“We agreed to work together to conclude the Free Trade Agreement between the EU and GCC in 2010,” said Sheikh Mohammad.

Sheikh Dr. Mohammad arrived here Friday afternoon on a one-day visit to Luxembourg.

The Kuwaiti delegation at the meetings included Director of the Foreign Minister’s Office Ambassador Sheikh Dr. Ahmad Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Sabah, Kuwait’s Ambassador to Belgium and Luxembourg Nabeela Al-Mulla, Counselor Bassam Al-Qabandi and other members of the delegation accompanying the minister.

They also discussed the recent criminal act that took place in the Emirates where a Palestinian national was assassinated using faked European passports, said Sheikh Mohammad.

“This is not only a violation of the Emirates’ and Dubai’s sovereignty, but also a violation of those countries whose passports were forged,” he said.

“We are equally concerned about the Israeli assassination of Palestinian history and heritage as we can see in Hebron where they are trying to confiscate the history of the Palestinians by claiming the Ibrahimi mosque.

This is of major concern for all peace-loving countries around the world,” said the Kuwaiti foreign minister.

On the assassination of senior Hamas leader Mahmoud Al-Mabhouh in Dubai, Asselborn said there “is really no proof as to who is responsible behind the killing.”

“There must be an investigation to prove the responsibility of this act. European passports have been manipulated to commit a crime and that cannot be accepted. We must find out who is behind this crime,” stressed the foreign minister of Luxembourg.
On Iran, the Kuwaiti foreign minister said that every country has the right to develop nuclear energy for peaceful purpose.

“We strongly encourage Iran to abide by the IAEA requirements,” he said, adding that the issue should be resolved through negotiations.

The Kuwait delegation later also held a meeting with very important finance figures from Luxembourg.

“Islamic finance offers us numerous opportunities to work together,” said Asselborn.

On the Middle East Peace Process, Asselbron said both sides support a two-state solution.

He described the decision by the Luxembourg-based European Court of Justice ruling on Wednesday on Israel as “interesting and very important decision.”

The court ruled that any company based in the West Bank or in east Jerusalem is not considered to be located in Israel.

“The borders of Israel in the view of EU are defined by the borders of 1967, ” he said.
Both sides are also interested to cool down the relations between Libya and Switzerland, said Asselborn.

Later the Kuwaiti delegation paid a visit to the site of European Satellite Society in Luxembourg. — NNN-KUNA

MALAYSIA: HUMOUR THERAPY CAN CURE CANCER

PETALING JAYA, Malaysia Feb 27 (NNN-Bernama) — As the old saying goes, “laughter is the best medicine.”

Medical expert Dr Alvin Chong on Saturday said even cancer patients were encouraged to engage in humour therapy to reduce the stress they were having due to the illness.

He said several studies had revealed that humour therapy could ease the pain suffered by cancer patients as the laughter could prevent the cancer cell from multiplying and spread to other areas of the body.

“When you make a person happy, it’s like a natural mechanism in the body. The immune system will be boosted up.

“Nowadays, there are many theories saying the reason why certain people develop certain types of cancer is because their immune systems are weak as a result of stressful lifestyles.”

He said this after the launch of Cancerlink Foundation’s silver jubilee celebration by former Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi here.

Dr Chong, who is also a volunteer at the foundation, said the humour therapy was mostly conducted by humour experts as part of the effort to cure cancer patients.

Earlier in his speech, Abdullah also advised cancer patients to be strong in fighting the illness and engaged themselves in outdoor activities.

He also shared his experience on seeing how his first wife, the late Endon Mahmood, had lived her life to the fullest even after she was diagnosed with third-stage breast cancer.

“Throughout her last five years living with breast cancer, Endon was more active than usual. She did not give any hint to the public that she was in pain. She just lived her life like nothing happened,” he said.

Endon succumbed to cancer on Oct 20, 2005.

Meanwhile, the Cancerlink Foundation also received a donation of RM80,008 from Sime Darby Foundation to implement its cancer awareness programmes.

Cancerlink Foundation was established in 1986 with the aim of providing cancer-related information as well as emotional and practical support for cancer patients and their families and friends.

– NNN-BERNAMA

MALAYSIA: MARA WILL BE MORE SELECTIVE IN SENDING STUDENTS ABROAD, SAYS MINISTER SHAFIE

SEMPORNA, Malaysia Feb 27 (NNN-Bernama) — Mara will be more selective, especially in terms of the field of study and university status, in sending its future students abroad.

Rural and Regional Development Minister Mohd Shafie Apdal said Mara would give more focus on fields which were vital for the country and that its students would only be sent to prestigious universities.

“In the future, we will focus more on uplifting the status of education in line with Mara’s objectives to help Bumiputera students, not only to pursue their studies locally, but also abroad.

“I want the students who we send abroad to pursue studies in the fields that can uplift their status and improve the country’s human capital standing,” he told reporters after opening the Mind Development Seminar jointly-organised by Mara Education Foundation and Semporna Umno here on Saturday.

Shafie said it was not fair for the government to spend billions of ringgit to send the students abroad if the course and the university chosen by the students was of the same status of local universities.

In other developments, Shafie said Mara Education Foundation would set up its secretariat in several hotspots nationwide to enable the educational assistance be channeled to the needy.

– NNN-BERNAMA

MALAYSIA: GET ACQUAINTED WITH HIGH-INCOME ECONOMY, SAYS SARAWAK STATE CM TAIB

KUCHING, Malaysia Feb 27 (NNN-Bernama) — The people should get acquainted with the high-income economic model pursued by the federal government to prevent them from being left behind, said Sarawak Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud.

He said the Sarawak’s previous economic model, which hinged on the people’s support and government aid, was no longer suitable in its second wave of development.

“The new development wave called for the private sector’s role to be intensified without relying too much on government aid,” he said when opening the 12th Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) Youth and Wanita Convention entitled “Transforming People Towards High-income Economy” at the Borneo Convention Centre here on Saturday.

Taib, who is also PBB president, said the political policies should be more open to woo investment while bridging the social divide between the people, including those living in about 6,000 villages and the interior.

The poor should enjoy a better life under the new economic model, he said, adding that “the role of politics is to mobilise the people to support the new economy driven by the private sector”.

Taib said the people should not depend entirely on the government and should use their resourcefulness to start business small before growing big.

He said as frontliners, PBB Youth and Wanita movements should go down to the grassroots to advise the people not to be hasty in grabbing economic opportunities without equipping themselves with knowledge.

“Do not be in a hurry, start small before gradually growing big. If you are growing too fast, you might go off track… let us stay on track,” he added.

On contest for senior posts in the party, he said it was a family affair but the party would not prevent newcomers “from expressing themselves as they might also have visions for the party while we train them to be matured in their thinking.”

Earlier, PBB Youth chief Fadillah Yusof said the party would enhance the livelihood of the people under the high-income economic model as the Barisan Nasional’s adversary was not the opposition but poverty and disunity.

Fadillah, who is also Deputy Science, Technology and Innovation Minister, said the country should produce knowledgeable and skilled workforce among youths to get the poor out of their doldrums.

PBB Wanita chief Senator Empiang Jabu said the movement sought 30 per cent women’s representation in the state leadership and administration as women could make a significant contribution to the state’s development.

– NNN-BERNAMA

ARGENTINA THANK LATIN AMERICAN SUPPORT ON FALKLANDS

BUENOS AIRES, Feb 27 (NNN-Prensa Latina):Argentine President Cristina Fernandez on Friday thanked fellow Latin American leaders for their support in its sovereignty dispute with Britain over the Malvinas(Falkland) Islands.

Speaking at a ceremony for “South America Sail 2010″ in Mar del Plata, 405 km southeast of Buenos Aires, Fernandez thanked fellow Latin American nations for the declaration issued by the Group of Rio during its summit in Mexico earlier this week.

“I want to thank all the brother countries of Latin America for their unbreakable solidarity in the case to reoccupy our Malvinas Islands,” Fernandez said in the presence of her Chilean counterpart Michelle Bachelet.

Fernandez and Bachelet witnessed event ,organised on the occasion of celebrations for the Bicentennial of both countries.

In a brief address, she said that support for Argentina’s position regarding the conflict with Britain over the Falklands is also a very strong self-defense throughout the region on natural resources.

We’re talking about that we are stealing, they are our non-renewable natural resources, she said and stressed that Britain seeks sovereignty to 14,000 miles away, which does not hold historical, geographical, or legal.

Referring to the presence of Bachelet, whom she called a “dear friend”, the Argentinian president also thanked him for his support and recalled that since the first day in office, she had considered strategic partnership between the two countries.

That will-she added – was translated into concrete actions, help and ended with the signing on 30 October 2009 of the Treaty of Integration and Cooperation of Maipu, the same place where 200 years earlier embraced José de San Martín and Bernardo OâÖHiggins .

Bachelet, meanwhile, also said be well pleased with the progress achieved in bilateral ties during his “historic strides in narrowing and institutionalizing our relations.”

The Chilean President also hailed the signing of an agreement for the establishment of cultural centers in Argentina and Chile in the capitals of the two nations.

These institutions, he said will continue to strengthen another aspect of our special relationship, the cultural.

-NNN-PRENSA LATINA

VENEZUELA IS CONTINUING INVESTIGATIONS INTO EVENTS CARACAZO

CARACAS, Feb 27 (NNN-Prensa Latina): Venezuela’s Attorney General Luisa Ortega said Friday that the Public Ministry is continuing its investigations into the slaughter of the Caracazo, which soon will identify about 15 victims of the tragic events.

Part of the investigation initially focused on the grave of La Peste, located in the capital’s South Cemetery, where presumably they were buried some of the protesters killed during the crackdown that quelled the revolt.

Ortega said that authorities are investigating 336 cases of dead, injured, tortured or disappeared as a result of the crimes committed by police forces and the army in 1989.

So far, he said, relatives of 18 people attended to support the process and we already have the cards pre-mortem of a similar number of casualties.

The Venezuelan Institute of Scientific Research is responsible for comparing DNA samples from 15 families, with those in the bones examined at the stage of identification, said told the Bolivarian News Agency.

“As an act of justice, not only has to find those responsible and impose the penalties provided by law, we must honor the people giving the dead to the family also hope to build a monument to the fallen” .

In a first step, the exhumed bodies, now skeletons, buried in the recesses of La Peste, and then a team of forensic anthropologists and determined the sex, height, age, height and race.

Of the 145 bodies found, 47 correspond to the time of the Caracazo, experts say.

The Prosecutor General’s Office said that few relatives of victims who have given the Public Prosecutor’s enough information to compare it with scientific findings.

“Many years have passed and some relatives died, some were very small at that time to remember.”

He explained that in 1991, when it became the first exhumation, which took the Committee of Relatives of Victims of the Caracazo, we worked with pre-mortem information, all these data were given to the NGO, however we have not had access to she lamented.

The great revolt (27 and 28 February 1989) came to condemn the neoliberal policies of then President Carlos Andrés Pérez.

So far it is unknown the exact number of dead and missing.

-NNN-PRENSA LATINA

INDIAN PM EMBARKS ON THREE-DAY VISIT TO SAUDI ARABIA

NEW DELHI, Feb 27 (NNN-PTI) — Prime Minister Manmohan Singh embarks on a three-day visit to Saudi Arabia today to bolster strategic ties, including defence and security cooperation, to promote greater stability in the region.

An extradition treaty and several other agreements are likely to be signed during his visit, the first by an Indian Prime Minister in 28 years, which is packed with a heavy agenda. Indira Gandhi was the last Prime Minister to visit the oil-rich Kingdom in 1982.

Noting that his visit carries “special significance”, Singh said in his departure statement that the Gulf region is an area of vital importance for New Delhi’s security and prosperity.

“There is great scope for opening new frontiers of cooperation in the areas of security, defence, science and technology, space, human resources development and knowledge- based industries,” he said.?NNN-PTI

COLOMBIA: IT CLEARS THE WAY TO THE PRESIDENCY

BOGOTA, Feb 27 (NNN-Prensa Latina): The constitutional ruling that disqualified the Colombian president, Álvaro Uribe, to opt for a second re-election now seems clear the way for presidential elections next May.

At least they recognize different actors in national politics, considering that the resolution issued by the Constitutional Court ends a protracted uncertainty reigned in the country, about whether or not Uribe would be a candidate for the presidency.

While he did not express clearly and objectively about its intentions by claiming a “crossroads of the soul, he argued that virtually paralyzed, at least until today, the various campaigns for the presidency, now wrapped in a rarefied atmosphere and unprecedented in the history of the nation.

For months, none of the candidates or applicants already enrolled openly discussed his proposals for government, in a scenario where everyone seemed to be waiting to see if the fight would last against Uribe and his machine, given to call the “steamroller Uribe.

After learning of the ruling reaction was swift, and the opinions expressed by candidates and political leaders predict ex-though short-a campaign centered between those who advocate a continuation of the policies pursued by the current president or the formulation of a new horizon for Colombia.

For the aspirant to the presidency by the Radical Change party, Germain Vargas Lleras, after the Court ruling “the country is entering a new phase.”

The high court ruled Friday “to declare unconstitutional the law in its entirety 13-54, 2009 by which it is calling a constitutional referendum.

Vargas Lleras said it was not time to look back and complement a proposed border security strategy and urban, so threatened at this time.

Moreover, former President Andres Pastrana said the ruling was “saved the Constitution” and strengthened democracy.

We are again returning to strengthen the institutions, he added.

He said that from this moment began in the country a real presidential campaign.

The referendum issue is no longer, whether or not re: the issue here is health and how to address citizen insecurity and this is what we should consider the candidates, he said.

Meanwhile, the former president Ernesto Samper said opening a new party in Colombian politics and there will be the best person to represent the country, after expressing optimism about the reunification of the Liberal Party.

Precisely the presidential candidate of that party, Rafael Pardo, said this is the opportunity to join Colombia.

“The Constitution of Colombia is safe,” he added, noting that it is time to end the war in the country.

It’s time to call liberals accompanying Uribe and other parties to say that the Liberal Party will keep the security policy, but with a more just Colombia, he said. On the other hand, the Conservative Party candidate, Andrés Felipe Arias, said he was saddened by the Constitutional Court ruling.

At this point I feel a great emptiness, as we feel the majority of Colombians, now what remains is to give all of me to continue the work of Uribe said.

The candidate for the Alternative Democratic Pole, Gustavo Petro, said the sinking of the referendum by the Constitutional Court, Juan Manuel Santos should be the happiest man, while former Minister of Defense could be the dolphin Uribe (of Uribe) to the president.

This has finally confirmed Tuesday his intention to enroll as a presidential candidate after declaring respectful of the resolution.

“Today I reaffirm that I aspire to be a candidate for President of the Republic, the Party of the U (Partido Social de Unidad Nacional). So I hope to report personally to President Álvaro Uribe, the time to thank and acknowledge the immense work of government “he said.

According to the former owner, who had stated that it would only be a candidate if Uribe did not show up, now is working corresponding to the legacy of safety and progress of the current president is not lost.

In his view, “the future of Colombia and the continuity of Uribe’s policies are at stake.”

We can not afford to take reverse, adds Santos, whom polls give a wide margin of popularity despite the controversies that engulfed his leadership of the Ministry of Defense.

The most recent poll by the firm concerned that if Uribe Datexco not a candidate, the minister would get 12 percent of the votes in the first round of presidential elections.

This provided consistent with the source, would be virtually tied with former mayor of Medellin, Sergio Fajardo independent.

Meanwhile, Uribe accept the verdict, while his followers from the leader, and seek continuity, presumably the former Minister Santos, through political pacts to avoid possible to divide the vote among supporters of Uribe president and the consequent possible loss away from the presidency.

“Without Uribe anything can happen,” he said in a recent interview with Prensa Latina presidential candidate by the Afro-Colombian Social Alliance Movement, former Constitutional Court Judge Jaime Araújo Rentería.

-NNN-PRENSA LATINA