Pope acts to tackle money-laundering in Vatican

30 December 2010 - 12H44

Pope Benedict XVI (C) waves to people gathered in Aula Paolo VI at the Vatican during his weekly general audience. The Pope created a new financial authority in the Vatican in order to join the "fight against money laundering and the financing of terrorism."

AFP - Pope Benedict XVI created a new financial authority in the Vatican on Thursday in order to join the "fight against money laundering and the financing of terrorism."

Benedict's letter, which addressed "the prevention and opposition to illegal financial activity," comes three months after an investigation was launched into two senior figures at the Vatican bank.

"As of today, all organisations associated with the government of the Catholic Church... have become part of the system of juridical principles and instruments" set up by the international community, Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi said in a statement.

Lombardi said the Vatican was "committed" to fighting illegal activities such as "the recycling of the profits of crime" and "the financing of terrorism" by adopting international rules "to prevent and combat these terrible phenomena."

The Vatican's new financial authority should bring the Holy See in line with international standards.

By promising to adhere to European rules on money-laundering laid down by the Organisation for European Economic Co-operation (OEEC), the Vatican hopes to make it onto the "White list" of countries compliant with strict financial controls.

The changes come after an investigation into the Vatican bank -- also known as the Institute for Religious Works (IOR) -- for alleged violation of money-laundering rules.

In September, Italy's financial police seized 23 million euros from IOR after the financial intelligence office at the Bank of Italy noticed two operations by the bank that it deemed suspicious.

Italy sells 8 bln euros in bonds but rates jump

30 December 2010 - 12H05

A dog stands next to piles of uncollected garbage in Pozzuoli, 10 Km from Naples on Wednesday. Italy has raised more than eight billion euros in its final bond auction of 2010, but was forced to pay investors sharply higher interest rates amid eurozone debt crisis fears.

AFP - Italy raised more than eight billion euros (10.6 billion dollars) on Thursday in its final bond auction of 2010, but was forced to pay investors sharply higher interest rates amid eurozone debt crisis fears.

Indonesia picks Borneo for forest preservation plan

30 December 2010 - 12H21

A picture taken in August during an aerial survey organized by Greenpeace, shows deforestation taking place in Kerumutan peat swamp forest in the Indonesian province of Riau in Sumatra. Indonesia has chosen its Borneo island to conduct a pilot project aimed at cutting greenhouse gas emissions from deforestation, as part of a deal with Norway.

Graphic showing the effects of logging on the Indonesian and Malaysian island of Borneo.

AFP - Indonesia has chosen its Borneo island to conduct a pilot project aimed at cutting greenhouse gas emissions from deforestation, as part of a deal with Norway, an official said Thursday.

Norway agreed in May to contribute up to a billion dollars to help preserve Indonesia's forests, in part through a two-year moratorium on the clearing of natural forests and peatlands from 2011.

"Central Kalimantan (Borneo) is a province with large forest cover and peat land and has faced a real threat of deforestation," the country's Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD) head Kuntoro Mangkusubroto said in a statement.

Mangkusubroto said the provincial authorities are expected to manage the project properly, ensure its transparency, tackle any corruption and enforce the law against illegal loggers.

"We recognise and fully understand this heavy task, and are prepared to take this on," he said.

Greenpeace warned last month that the deal with Norway was in danger of being hijacked by timber and oil palm companies.

It said "notorious industrial rainforest destroyers" want to manipulate the Indonesian government's ambiguous definition of forests to funnel the funds into the conversion of forests to plantation.

The industries' current expansion plans -- which have support within some government ministries -- seek to treble pulp and paper production by 2025 and double palm oil production by 2020, Greenpeace said.

Indonesia is the world's third biggest emitter of greenhouse gases, due mainly to rampant deforestation by the palm oil and paper industries, which is fuelled by corruption.

Hong Kong posts record roadside pollution levels

30 December 2010 - 12H35

Traffic blocks a road in Hong Kong earlier this month. Hong Kong is set to record its worst-ever year for roadside air quality, amid more warnings over the public health hazard posed by pollution in the teeming metropolis.

AFP - Hong Kong is set to record its worst-ever year for roadside air quality, the government said Thursday, amid more warnings over the public health hazard posed by pollution in the teeming metropolis.

Curbside air pollution was at "very high" or "severe" levels almost 14 percent of the time during 2010, according to official data calculated by AFP.

The figures are a marked increase from 2009 when roadside air was poor about 10.5 percent of the time, and well above the 1.8 percent figure recorded in 2000, the first full year of publicly available data.

The "severe" category generates a government health warning advising the public to stay away from areas with heavy traffic.

Air pollution has become a major public health and economic headache for authorities in the city of seven million.

Emissions from the factory belt in southern China over Hong Kong's northern border, combined with local emissions from power plants and transport, have generated a thick blanket of haze over the city in recent years.

Green groups say authorities' efforts to combat the problem -- including fitting old buses with emissions-busting devices -- fall woefully short.

"We are very disappointed by the government's foot-dragging," Vivian Ngan, campaign manager of the Hong Kong-based Clean Air Network.

"Air pollution should be made a top priority as it endangers the lives of Hong Kongers," she added.

India makes new attempt to break political impasse

30 December 2010 - 12H40

Indian Prime Minsiter Manmohan Singh (C) arrives to attend the first day of the winter session of the parliament in New Delhi in November, 2010. The speaker of the Indian parliament called together all political parties on Thursday to try to end a legislative deadlock over a massive telecoms graft scandal.

AFP - The speaker of the Indian parliament called together all political parties on Thursday to try to end a legislative deadlock over a massive telecoms graft scandal.

The impasse, caused by daily opposition protests, paralysed parliament during its entire five-week winter session that ended on December 13 and now threatens the budget session beginning in February.

The protesters, led by the right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), have vowed to continue their demands for a cross-party probe into the sale of second-generation telecom licences in 2007-08.

Licences were sold at a fraction of their value, costing the treasury up to 40 billion dollars.

Meira Kumar, the speaker of the lower house, met with leaders of the ruling Congress party and the opposition BJP on Thursday afternoon. No immediate breakthrough was reported.

The government has constantly refused calls for a cross-party probe, saying other independent investigations are under way.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has also offered to appear before the public accounts committee to try to resolve the impasse before parliament reconvenes.

Due to the protests, no legislation was passed in the winter session and another deadlock could threaten the next federal budget.

Nintendo issues age warning on its 3D games

30 December 2010 - 12H55

Visitors examine Nintendo's portable videogame console with a 3D display called the "Nintendo 3DS" at a conference in Chiba, suburban Tokyo in September 2010. Nintendo has issued a health warning over the 3D function on its upcoming gaming console, recommending children aged six and under do not play with it to prevent damage to their eyes.

AFP - Japan's Nintendo has issued a health warning over the 3D function on its upcoming gaming console, recommending children aged six and under do not play with it to prevent damage to their eyes.

At a promotional event near Tokyo in January, "we will offer 2Ds alone to children aged six and younger as continuing to watch 3D images for a long time could negatively affect the development of their eyes," Nintendo said.

The new-generation DS console -- which enables users to play 3D games without special glasses -- missed the Christmas season but will be released on February 26 in Japan and in March in the United States, Europe and Australia.

Nintendo is to hold an admission-free three-day event in Chiba, east of Tokyo, from January 8 to let gamers try the new console ahead of its launch.

The Kyoto-based company issued the caution in a message posted on its website to those who plan to try the 3DS.

Nintendo noted that experts say 3D images -- not only those of the Nintendo 3DS but also those in cinemas and on television -- could affect the development of vision in small children.

The gaming gadget features the trademark DS dual screens, with the upper screen providing 3D images and the other controlled by touch with a stylus.

The illusion of depth can be increased or decreased so that games can be played in both 2D and 3D.

Nintendo called for use of the console's "parental control" function so that children aged six and below play only in 2D, and it noted that some people feel more tired when playing 3D games than 2D versions.

The hugely popular Nintendo DS has sold more than 130 million units worldwide and its new 3D feature has drawn keen interest from media and gamers.

Sony has released its PlayStation Move system, which enables users wearing special glasses to play 3D games using wand-shaped motion controllers.

In motion-sensing games, Nintendo's Wii has faced competition from Microsoft's Kinect for the Xbox 360 system, which lets players use body gestures and does not require handheld controllers.

President names new youth minister in wake of protests

Tunisian President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali named Abdelhamid Salama the country's new youth minister in a partial cabinet reshuffle Wednesday following weeks of unrest after a man killed himself to protest against rampant unemployment.

By News Wires (text)

REUTERS - Tunisian President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali named a new youth minister on Wednesday but left major portfolios unchanged in a partial reshuffle after rare violent protests by jobless youths, official media said.

In addition to the Youth and Sport portfolio, new ministers were appointed for trade and handicrafts, religious affairs and communication, the official TAP news agency reported.

It was the second time Ben Ali had reshuffled his cabinet this year. More significant changes were made in January with the appointment of new finance, defence and foreign affairs ministers.

Abdelhamid Salama was appointed Youth and Sports Minister to replace Samir Labidi, who was appointed Communication Minister.

.

Clashes broke out earlier this month in the Tunisian town of Sidi Bouzid after a man committed suicide in a protest about unemployment. The protests later spread to neighbouring cities such as Sousse, Sfax and Meknassi.

Ben Ali, speaking after protests by graduates demanding mainly jobs, said on Tuesday that violent protests were unacceptable and would hurt national interests.

Protests have been rare in Tunisia, which has been run for 23 years by Ben Ali and works closely with Western governments to combat al Qaeda militants, but have been gathering force in recent weeks.

The government accused its opponents on Monday of manipulating the clashes in Sidi Bouzid between police and young people on Dec. 19 and 20 to discredit the authorities.

Tunisia has become a regional focus of attention for financial institutions since announcing a plan to complete current account convertibility during 2010-12, and full dinar convertibility in 2013-14.

Tunisia remains prosperous compared with its African peers, but several international right groups say its government crushes dissent, an accusation it denies.