The America's Intelligence Wire articles from June 2006

The America's Intelligence Wire archives from June 2006

Woman Pleads Guilty to Aiding Teen Husband.
June 1, 2006... (From AP Online) A 37-year-old woman who married a 15-year-old friend of one of her sons pleaded guilty Wednesday to helping her husband escape from state custody. Lisa Clark was sentenced to two years in jail and three years'...

Iraqi police: bomb hits construction workers in central Baghdad, killing 2 and wounding 18.
June 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) A bomb struck construction workers waiting for work in central Baghdad, killing at least two and wounding 18, police said. The bomb was hidden in a plastic bag on Tayaran Square, where the laborers normally...

APEC trade ministers meet in Vietnam to push for WTO talks.
June 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) Byline: TINI TRAN Trade ministers from 21 Asia Pacific nations opened a two-day meeting Thursday in Vietnam focused on pushing for progress on stalled global trade talks. Ministers from the Asia Pacific...

China imposes new controls on luxury construction, bank lending to slow building boom.
June 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) Byline: JOE McDONALD China has banned use of new land for luxury villas and will tighten scrutiny of soaring bank lending, expanding a campaign to rein in a building boom and cool off roaring economic growth,...

Analysis: Alleged war atrocities in Haditha, Iraq have echoes of earlier military stains.
June 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) Byline: TOM RAUM Some words are synonymous with U.S. military disgrace. Abu Ghraib. My Lai. And now, perhaps Haditha _ the Iraqi town where two dozen unarmed Iraqi civilians allegedly were murdered by U.S....

China's biggest bank, ICBC, revamping operations ahead of US$12 billion IPO.
June 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) Byline: TOM RAUM China's biggest bank, the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, is revamping its management and operations ahead of an initial public offering in Hong Kong later this year that may raise up to...

Pakistan welcomes U.S. willingness to talk with Iran if it suspends uranium enrichment.
June 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) Byline: SADAQAT JAN Pakistan welcomed a U.S. announcement that it would join direct talks on Iran's nuclear program if Tehran agrees to suspend uranium enrichment. U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice...

Aid group urges U.S. to boost humanitarian funding for Myanmar.
June 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) Byline: FOSTER KLUG An advocacy group is urging the United States and others immediately to boost humanitarian funding for Myanmar to help address what it calls one of the world's most neglected crises. A...

Sri Lanka names senior government official to head cease-fire talks with Tamil rebels.
June 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) Byline: FOSTER KLUG Sri Lanka's government on Thursday named Palitha Kohona to lead its delegation at cease-fire talks with Tamil Tiger rebels in Norway, as the president prepared for talks with a senior U.S....

Japanese suicides top 30,000 in 2005 for 8th straight year.
June 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) Byline: FOSTER KLUG The number of suicides in Japan rose marginally last year, keeping the toll above 30,000 for the eighth straight year, amid a spate of suicide pacts forged over the Internet, police said...

China stock markets publicize alleged misuse of funds, urge repayment.
June 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) Byline: FOSTER KLUG China's stock exchanges on Thursday disclosed the names of major shareholders that allegedly misused funds raised by their units with publicly traded shares, and urged them to reimburse the...

Report: Deposed Chinese leader pleaded for freedom in letter to party leaders.
June 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) Byline: FOSTER KLUG Deposed Chinese Communist Party leader Zhao Ziyang, who died last year after spending 15 years under house arrest, wrote to party leaders in 1997 asking for his freedom, a report said Thursday....

In Peru, old-fashioned party politics may make difference for Garcia.
June 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) Byline: RICK VECCHIO Days before the runoff election that could return Alan Garcia to Peru's presidency, the headquarters of the nation's oldest and most disciplined political party is a mix of furious campaign...

Leader of East Timor rebel soldiers demands prime minister resign, be tried.
June 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) Byline: RICK VECCHIO The fired army commander whose rebellion triggered the collapse of security in East Timor demanded Thursday that the prime minister resign and be put on trial. Speaking to The Associated...

Moreno scores 100th goal as D.C. United down Crew.
June 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) Byline: RICK VECCHIO Jaime Moreno become the second player in Major League Soccer history to score 100 goals Wednesday, and D.C. United increased their lead atop the Eastern Conference standings with a 5-1 victory...

India, Pakistan to hold talks on promoting tourism, cultural exchanges.
June 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) Byline: RICK VECCHIO Officials from India and Pakistan were set to begin talks Thursday on easing visa restrictions for each other's citizens in a bid to promote tourism and cultural exchanges between the two...

India use drawn match for batting practice.
June 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) Byline: RICK VECCHIO Four India batsmen made half-centuries against Antigua and Barbuda to draw a two-day cricket match on Wednesday in preparation for the first test against West Indies starting on Friday. ...

Officials say they didn't get all details of lobbyist dealings about U.S. executive's trip.
June 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) Byline: PETE YOST Three ethics watchdogs testified that a Bush administration executive left out important details of his relationship with disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff, including information about a weeklong...

Dollarama undergoes major transformation: Discounter bulking up before possible IPO or sale.
June 1, 2006... (From Financial Post) MONTREAL - The cashier at the Dollarama store in a downtown Montreal shopping mall looked up with an expression on her face that said, "Are you joking?" She had just been asked when her store, part of Canada's...

Cardiome shareholders swallow $14OM error.
June 1, 2006... (From Financial Post) VANCOUVER - In the high-stakes realm of new drug approval, overworked staff at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration pore over hundreds of millions of pages worth of drug company data each year. So it's no surprise...

Latest REIT offers premium: All Extendicare holders get even chance at shares.
June 1, 2006... (From Financial Post) In the past couple of weeks, two Canadian public companies have announced plans to convert to an income trust. Two weeks ago, CI Financial made its decision, which requires the ratification of shareholders at a...

FP Summary.
June 1, 2006... (From Financial Post) MINING TAKEOVER BATTLES The chief executive of Teck Cominco Ltd. says Inco Ltd. shareholders he has met with are in favour of his bid for the company, rather than seeing Inco pursue its plan to combine with...

Controlling Russia's oil.
June 1, 2006... (From Financial Post) Russia yesterday warned Exxon Mobil Corp., Royal Dutch Shell PLC and Total SA they should cede some control of oil and gas projects as President Vladimir Putin tightens his grip on the industry. The government...

Help wanted: Must drink coffee, have moustache. Love of donkeys an asset: Juan Valdez.
June 1, 2006... (From Financial Post) The Colombian National Federation of Coffee Growers is seeking a mustachioed man in his mid-thirties who gets along well with donkeys to replace Carlos Sanchez, who has impersonated the Colombian coffee icon Juan...

Media declining viewership sinks rogers golf channel: Moving from basic cable.
June 1, 2006... (From Financial Post) Avid fans of the Golf Channel will find it more difficult -- and expensive -- to tune in when Rogers Cable Inc. bumps the channel next month to the far end of its programming universe. Rogers said the Golf Channel...

Man behind US$13.4B Kinder Morgan buyout once lost out on top Enron job: Lucky break?
June 1, 2006... (From Financial Post) Richard Kinder did not consider himself lucky when he quit Enron Corp. after losing out to college classmate Kenneth Lay for the top job. Ten years later, Lay is confronting up to 25 years in jail and Mr. Kinder is...

High demand, rising loonie put pressure on office rents across Canada: Office space.
June 1, 2006... (From Financial Post) Office occupancy costs in downtown Calgary will soon surpass those of Toronto and may catch up to mid-town Manhattan, the highest price office market in North America, a new report says. High demand, strength in local...

Kasten Chase fails to secure funding, bankruptcy to follow.
June 1, 2006... (From Financial Post) Kasten Chase Applied Research Ltd. said yesterday it will declare bankruptcy after efforts to find a buyer or fix its financial situation failed. The Mississauga, Ont.-based company, which provides data storage...

La Senza doubles net to $96.7M.
June 1, 2006... (From Financial Post) Net profit at La Senza Corp. more than doubled in the latest quarter from a year earlier on a 16% increase in sales to $96.7-million. Net profit from continuing operations rose to $4.1- million or 30 cents a share for...

AGF Funds Inc. - Announcement.
June 1, 2006... (From Financial Post) Blake Goldring, President and Chief Executive Officer of AGF Management Limited, is pleased to announce the appointment of Randy Ambrosie to the position of President, AGF Funds Inc. Mr. Ambrosie is responsible for...

Citibank launches mortgage aimed at Indo-Canadian buyers.
June 1, 2006... (From Financial Post) Citibank launched a new mortgage product yesterday aimed at the growing Indo-Canadian population in Vancouver and Toronto. The new product, offered by Citibank India, allows Indo-Canadians -- "Non-Resident Indians" --...

Toronto fund manager takes on NYSE Group: Demands that three former seat holders be named directors.
June 1, 2006... (From Financial Post) NEW YORK - NYSE Group Inc. holds its first annual shareholder meeting today as it continues with its aggressive push to create the first transatlantic stock exchange by merging with Paris-based Euronext. The...

Bank of China set for takeoff: Chinese IPO likely to rise when it debuts today.
June 1, 2006... (From Financial Post) Relieving the tedium of the 627-page prospectus for Bank of China's initial public offering is a section euphemistically entitled "Special Events." Over three pages, the bank and its underwriters detail the...

Selloff in emerging markets will last a few months, Citigroup economist predicts: Market watch.
June 1, 2006... (From Financial Post) The recent drastic selloff in emerging market assets is likely to continue for at least another few months, but it does not signal a meltdown, said Lewis Alexander, Citigroup's chief economist. Recent volatility will...

Hot sector runs into a bump: Winners will still emerge from material shortages.
June 1, 2006... (From Financial Post) NEW YORK - It seems as if now would be the time to shine for solar panel makers, but a lack of a key raw material will cloud the picture for many over the next couple of years. With concerns about high fossil fuel...

Commodity prices hit loonie.
June 1, 2006... (From Financial Post) The Canadian dollar shot to a 28-year high versus the U.S. currency yesterday, but gave up its gains later in the day as commodity prices fell while the greenback recovered ground. The currency finished at US90.79...

Crude down for first time in week.
June 1, 2006... (From Financial Post) Crude oil fell for the first time in a week after the United States offered to join European talks with Iran if the country halts uranium enrichment. Oil touched a record last month on concern the dispute over...

Bad drug reaction: Ontario's Bill 102, which aims to slash the province's drug costs, has provoked a storm of controversy. Herewith a few perspectives.
June 1, 2006... (From Financial Post) Ontario Pharmacists' Association The Ontario Pharmacists' Association calculates a real-world net loss of $269-million to pharmacy in Ontario if Bill 102 was to be implemented in its draft form. The calculation...

Paulsonomics may be an improvement.
June 1, 2006... (From Financial Post) An editorial from The Wall Street Journal: Well, that was a rude welcome. President Bush nominated Henry Paulson of Goldman Sachs and Wall Street to be his third Treasury Secretary Tuesday, and financial markets...

Energy-efficient country-style home: Design to appeal to empty nesters.
June 1, 2006... (From Financial Post) An upscale country design, complete with energy efficiency built in. Named the EnerQuality Corporation's Energy Star Industry Leader for 2005, Mason Homes offers Energy Star features as a standard at its Maple...

Mississauga.
June 1, 2006... (From Financial Post) Price range: $175,000 to $305,000 Location: Burnhamthorpe Road and Duke of York Boulevard Located in downtown Mississauga, Ultra Ovation is Tridel Dorsay's newest addition to their multi-tower Ovation...

Guelph.
June 1, 2006... (From Financial Post) Price range: $253,900 to $426,800 Location: Gordon Street and Lowes Road Located next to a conservation area in Guelph, Conservation Estates is a new low-rise community by Reid's Heritage Homes. Featuring...

Low-rise builders reaching for Energy Star: Mainstream design: Energy efficient on inside, no change outside.
June 1, 2006... (From Financial Post) Environmentally friendly technologies have been employed singly and in combination in one-off homes for years, but as production builders in the greater Toronto area increasingly go green, they have a new protocol to...

House prices continue to climb -- up 129% in parts of B.C.
June 1, 2006... (From Financial Post) If you're bragging that the price of your home has gone up in the past five years, you're not alone. Between 2001 to 2006, the price tags on Canadian homes have increased dramatically -- especially in Alberta and...

Getting to the root of air quality: Beneficial microbes.
June 1, 2006... (From Financial Post) Filling your cubicle or home with potted plants may improve your mood, but if you are interested in improving your air quality, roots are the way to go, according to Alan Darlington, a University of Guelph professor...

New Web site aims to educate urbanites on rainwater.
June 1, 2006... (From Financial Post) It's a given that cities are made of steel and concrete -- in Toronto's case, more than 70% of the city is hard surfaces such as roads, sidewalks, parking lots, driveways and roofs -- but try to imagine that only 50%...

Concrete evidence of cost savings.
June 1, 2006... (From Financial Post) What's different about developer Larry Miller's new luxury house in Royal Bay, a Victoria neighbourhood, is something the buyer may never see. Mr. Miller decided to go the extra mile in energy savings by...

South Australia knows how to conserve -- its government simply forbids water waste.
June 1, 2006... (From Financial Post) South Australia proudly proclaims itself to be "the driest state on the driest inhabited continent on the planet," on the Web site sawater.com.au. The South Australia government has imposed permanent water-control...

Thermal mass makes a cozy home.
June 1, 2006... (From Financial Post) Before you start to plan your new home, there's a term you've likely not heard of -- but should know. It's thermal mass. Simply put, thermal mass is any mass that absorbs and holds heat. When applied to houses,...

Our future -- on two wheels: 10 fun ways to cut back: Getting the whole family involved to save home costs.
June 1, 2006... (From Financial Post) The arrival of your family's energy bill in the mailbox is about as welcome as unexpected house guests on your doorstep. Children may hear their parents griping about the increased rates, the higher bills and the...

Small steps now can avoid big costs in future: 'Need five planets': Canadians rank high on world energy use.
June 1, 2006... (From Financial Post) OTTAWA - Canadians, as some of the biggest energy users in the world, are facing a rocky road as they confront the reality of higher prices for oil, gas and electricity, energy expert Bill Kemp warned at the recent...

Another man's treasure ...: Urban tree salvage: Toronto company creates furniture from waste.
June 1, 2006... (From Financial Post) Living in the city of Toronto, residents are aware of almost every part of their garbage, compost and recycling. But what about larger yard and garden waste? A Toronto-based company has found a way to take wood...

The design evolution: Vivavi: Company sells only sustainable home accessories.
June 1, 2006... (From Financial Post) While on a business trip to China for a bicycle-lock manufacturer, Josh Dorfman realized the future impact of one billion people's actions on the planet. This awareness fuelled Mr. Dorfman to create Vivavi, dedicated...

Kitchen with walkout to deck: Armour Heights.
June 1, 2006... (From Financial Post) ARMOUR HEIGHTS 151 Armour Blvd. (Bathurst Street and Wilson Avenue) Asking price: $469,000 Sold for: $442,500 Taxes: $3,636 (2005) Bedrooms: 4 Bathrooms: 2 Time on the market: eight...

Ron Thom-designed home takes advantage of natural light.
June 1, 2006... (From Financial Post) 20 Hunters Glen Rd. (Bloomington Road and Yonge Street) Asking price: $1.35-million Taxes: $10,040 (2005) - - - Canadian architect Ron Thom's (1923-1986) passion for light, space, simplicity of form...

Master bedroom with fireplace.
June 1, 2006... (From Financial Post) UPPER FOREST HILL 27 Coulson Ave. (Spadina and Russell Hill roads) Asking price: $1.549-million Sold for: $1.515-million Sold for: $1.275-million (2002) Taxes: $10,899 (2005) Bedrooms: 4+1...

Hedge fund manager Man Group adjusted profit climbs 51%.
June 1, 2006... (From CBS Marketwatch (Pulses)) LONDON (MarketWatch) -- Man Group , the world's largest publicly traded hedge fund manager, said fiscal year to March 31 profit before tax and exceptional items rose 51% to $1.31 billion, with funds under...

Vivendi shares up after settling tax dispute.
June 1, 2006... (From CBS Marketwatch (Pulses)) LONDON (MarketWatch) -- Vivendi shares outperformed the broader Paris market after settling a tax dispute with the Internal Revenue Service on the sale of DuPont shares in 1995. Vivendi agreed to pay $686...

Citigroup upgrades Suez, Gaz de France.
June 1, 2006... (From CBS Marketwatch (Pulses)) LONDON (MarketWatch) -- Citigroup upgraded Suez and Gaz de France , each to buy from hold, with the broker saying the merger between the two is very likely to go ahead. At current share prices, the merged...

Johnson Matthey posts profit, sales rise.
June 1, 2006... (From CBS Marketwatch (Pulses)) LONDON (MarketWatch) -- Chemicals company Johnson Matthey said Thursday that its fiscal 2006 profit rose to 151.3 million pounds, or 70.8 pence a share, from 114.5 million pounds, or 53.2 pence a share, a...

Gay Couples Seek Right to Wed in New York.
June 1, 2006... (From AP Online) Byline: MICHAEL HILL Lawyers for same-sex couples seeking the right to marry in New York told the state's highest court Wednesday they are being treated as "unequal citizens" and denied a constitutional right. The...

French Police Secure Poor Paris Suburb.
June 1, 2006... (From AP Online) Byline: CECILE BRISSON Police combed the rooftops in a troubled Paris suburb Wednesday in search of objects that could be hurled at them while others patrolled the streets after two nights of violence. Angry...

Military Ship Leaves Port of Olympia.
June 1, 2006... (From AP Online) Byline: RACHEL LA CORTE A ship carrying military gear bound for Iraq pulled away from this Puget Sound port Wednesday after a week of protests in which more than three dozen people were arrested. The protests ended...

Man Charged With Md. Road Rage Stabbing.
June 1, 2006... (From AP Online) Byline: RACHEL LA CORTE A man who said he was cut off in traffic grabbed a knife from his vehicle and fatally stabbed the other driver in the neck when they reached a stop sign, officials said. Michael Razzio...

Ask.com Adds New Search Tools for Blogs.
June 1, 2006... (From AP Online) Byline: MICHAEL LIEDTKE Ask.com is adding new tools to appeal to the growing online audience trying to track the latest commentary on blogs, marking the online search engine's latest move to become a more prominent...

States Setting Up Homeland Security Panel.
June 1, 2006... (From AP Online) Byline: ROBERT TANNER Seeking a bigger say in homeland security decisions, the nation's governors are creating a new, 50-state panel to give the states a single voice on national plans to prepare for threats from...

Leader of East Timor rebel soldiers demands prime minister resign, be tried.
June 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) Byline: ANTHONY DEUTSCH The fired army commander whose rebellion triggered the collapse of security in East Timor demanded Thursday that the prime minister resign and be put on trial. Speaking to The...

Japan blames North Korea for collapse of nuclear power incentive program.
June 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) Byline: ANTHONY DEUTSCH Japan blamed North Korea on Thursday for the scrapping of an international project to build nuclear power plants in the impoverished communist country, saying Pyongyang violated the spirit...

Suicide car bomb in western Afghan town kills attacker but no one else.
June 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) Byline: ANTHONY DEUTSCH A suicide car bomb blew up near a convoy of Afghan and U.S.-led coalition troops in western Afghanistan on Thursday, killing the attacker but hurting no one else, police said. The...

President urges East Timorese to forgive and forget, but more violence reported.
June 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) Byline: CHRISTOPHER TORCHIA East Timor's president urged police officers who were caught up in violence that has swept the capital to forgive and forget Thursday, but at least one person was reported killed in new...

North Korea warns it will take 'hardline' measures without U.S. concessions.
June 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) Byline: CHRISTOPHER TORCHIA North Korea called Thursday for a relaxation of U.S. financial restrictions as a condition for the country's return to six-nation nuclear disarmament talks, warning it would take...

UN praises relief efforts; survivors say food, medical care lacking.
June 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) Byline: EN-LAI YEOH Regions previously not reached by relief teams in remote areas of Indonesia's quake zone reported hundreds of additional deaths, pushing the death toll from last weekend's disaster to more than...

Indonesia begins slaughtering poultry in area hit by bird flu.
June 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) Byline: MARGIE MASON Officials began slaughtering poultry Thursday in an Indonesian village where preliminary tests showed a 15-year-old boy had died from bird flu, as the country struggled to battle a sudden rise...

Report: Tokyo shrine should remove executed war criminals: Japan's economic minister.
June 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) Byline: MARGIE MASON Japan's economic minister urged a Tokyo war shrine to remove war criminals from the list of war dead it honors to end criticism from Asian victims of Japan's wartime atrocities, a national...

North Korea invites chief U.S. nuclear envoy to Pyongyang.
June 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) Byline: MARGIE MASON North Korea on Thursday invited the chief U.S. nuclear envoy to visit the communist nation _ if Washington proves its commitment to an agreement last year where the North pledged to abandon...

Report: Monaco's Prince Albert acknowledges second illegitimate child.
June 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) Byline: MARGIE MASON Monaco's Prince Albert II has acknowledged he is the father of a second illegitimate child, a 14-year-old girl living in California, his lawyer said in an interview with France's Le Figaro...

North Korea invites chief U.S. nuclear envoy to Pyongyang.
June 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) Byline: MARGIE MASON North Korea on Thursday invited the chief U.S. nuclear envoy to visit the communist nation _ if Washington proves its commitment to an agreement last year where the North pledged to abandon...

Uzbek authorities close down U.S.-funded aid group for alleged proselytizing.
June 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) Byline: MARGIE MASON A court in Uzbekistan has ordered a U.S.-funded education aid group to close for allegedly trying to convert people in the predominantly Muslim country to Christianity, a government-run Web...

Indonesia begins slaughtering poultry in bird flu area; one death every 2 1/2 days.
June 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) Byline: MARGIE MASON Officials began slaughtering poultry Thursday in an Indonesian village where preliminary tests showed a 15-year-old boy had died from bird flu, as the country struggled with a sudden rise in...

Reports: Police foil alleged plot against Turkish premier, detain 9 suspects.
June 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) Byline: MARGIE MASON Police have foiled an alleged plot to attack Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan and have detained nine suspects, including military officers, newspapers reported Thursday. Authorities were not...

Report: NKorea prepares for long-range missile test; Japan, U.S. step up reconnaissance.
June 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) Byline: MARGIE MASON The U.S. and Japan have detected signs that North Korea is almost ready to test-fire a long-range ballistic missile, a conservative Japanese newspaper reported Thursday. Pyongyang is at...

Baloyi defends super featherweight title.
June 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) Byline: MARGIE MASON South Africa's Cassius Baloyi successfully defended his IBO super featherweight title for the fifth time, knocking down Manuel Medina three times in the 11th round Wednesday and winning by...

Japan blames North Korea for collapse of nuclear power incentive program.
June 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) Byline: MARGIE MASON Japan blamed North Korea on Thursday for the scrapping of an international project to build nuclear power plants in the impoverished communist country and urged it to return to regional talks...

South Korean court begins embezzlement trial of Hyundai Motor chairman.
June 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) Byline: JAE-SOON CHANG A South Korean court on Thursday opened a high-profile corruption trial against the chairman of Hyundai Motor Co., Chung Mong-koo, who is accused of embezzling company money to create a...