RI hands over people-smuggler
RI hands over people-smuggler
EGYPT: Indonesia has extradited an Egyptian who organized a
doomed voyage to Australia for hundreds of asylum-seekers in
October 2001, according to judicial sources in Cairo on
Wednesday.
Mutaz Attia Mohammad Hasan, also known as Abu Quassey, was
handed over to the Egyptian authorities, who have been seeking
his extradition for the past year, on Saturday.
Australia had also been seeking the extradition of Abu
Quassey, who was held at an immigration detention center in
Indonesia after serving a six-month prison sentence for visa
violations.
He has admitted he organized the October 2001 voyage that led
to the death of some 350 mostly Iraqi asylum-seekers as they
headed for Australia in a dilapidated and overcrowded boat that
sank. --AFP
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ANPAu..r..
ATW-China-24 Hour News
China's state television begins a 'milestone' - country's first
JP/11/ATW
24-hour Chinese news channel launched
CHINA: A 24-hour news channel run by China's state television
went on the air on Thursday in a step that some say could
revolutionize the communist government's bland, tightly
controlled media.
The CCTV News Channel promises faster, more comprehensive
coverage, though it waited until four hours into its debut
broadcast to mention the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)
outbreak, which has killed at least 170 people in China and
infected thousands.
The new channel follows the Western model of live reports with
stylishly groomed anchors seated in front of a bustling newsroom
and jazzy synthesized theme music. The program includes current
affairs, business, arts and sports.
At the top of the 7 a.m. news, one hour after the channel went
on air, a reporter called in from Peking University's flag-
raising ceremony. The program also reported on developments in
Iraq and Middle East peace efforts with a report by telephone
from a correspondent in the region. --AP
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ANPAi..r..
ATW-SARS-GERMANY-ASIA
Schroeder to go ahead with Asia trip despite SARS
JP/11/ATW
Schroeder to go ahead with Asia trip
GERMANY: German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder will travel to Asia
in May despite the outbreak of SARS but will take a much smaller
delegation than planned, a government spokesman said on
Wednesday.
Scientists had told the government a large delegation could
lead to problems, so Schroeder will only be traveling with
economics minister Wolfgang Clement, Siemens AG chief Heinrich
von Pierer and a small group of civil servants.
He had planned to take 120 people with him, including
journalists and business executives from other firms.
Schroeder plans to visit Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and
Vietnam from May 10 to May 17. --Reuters
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ANPAi..r..
ATW-SAfrica-accident-bus
Eighty people feared dead in South Africa bus crash: police
JP/11/ATW
80 feared dead in S. African bus crash
SOUTH AFRICA: Up to 80 people are feared dead after a bus plunged
into a reservoir in South Africa's central Free State province on
Thursday morning, police said.
"At the moment the official count is five dead, but I do not
think there will be any more survivors than the 10 people we have
pulled from the wreckage," police spokesman Sam Sesing said
shortly after arriving at the scene of the accident scene outside
the town of Bethlehem, about 400 kilometers south of
Johannesburg.
The bus was transporting about 90 members of the Congress of
South African Trade Unions from Northern Province to a May Day
rally when it drove into the reservoir.
"The driver lost his direction while he was in Bethlehem and
followed a gravel road that lead to the dam," Sr. Supt. Sesing
said. --AFP