BBC Monitoring International Reports articles from April 2009

BBC Monitoring International Reports archives from April 2009

Pakistan minister says common strategy must to defeat Taleban.
April 30, 2009... Text of report by official news agency Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) Islamabad, 29 April: Interior Minister Rehman Malik said on Wednesday [29 April] that common strategy was must to defeat extremism and terrorism in Pakistan and...

Pakistan minister urges consensus, political stability to counter challenges.
April 30, 2009... Text of report by official news agency Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) Multan, 29 April: Foreign Minister [FM] Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi Wednesday [29 April] appealed to the Pakistani people to rise above their personal and party...

Pakistan: Spokesman says Swat Taleban fully honouring peace pact.
April 30, 2009... Text of report by official news agency Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) Mingora, 29 April: Spokesman of Tehrik e Taleban Swat (TTS) Haji Muslim Khan said on Wednesday [29 April] that Taleban were fully honouring and respecting the...

Pakistan president condemns Karachi violence.
April 30, 2009... Text of report by official news agency Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) Islamabad, 29 April: President Asif Ali Zardari while strongly condemning the violence in Karachi, which caused loss of precious human lives, said Wednesday [29...

Pakistan: Suspected US drone attack kills 10 militants.
April 30, 2009... Text of report by privately-owned Pakistan television Dawn News on 29 April No let up in drone attacks in Pakistan's tribal regions despite the repeated protests from Islamabad. Well, in the latest strike at least 10 alleged...

China says resolving issue of Taiwan's WHA role shows sincerity.
April 30, 2009... Text of report in English by official Chinese news agency Xinhua (New China News Agency) Beijing, 30 April: A Chinese mainland official said here Thursday [30 April] that resolving the issue of Taiwan's participation in the World Health...

S Korean minister departs Friday for Asian Development Bank meet.
April 30, 2009... Text of report in English by South Korean news agency Yonhap Seoul, 30 April: South Korea's Finance Minister Yoon Jeung-hyun will leave for Indonesia on Friday [1 May] to participate in the 42nd Annual Meeting of the Asian Development...

South Korea testing four suspected swine flu cases.
April 30, 2009... Text of report in English by South Korean news agency Yonhap Seoul, 30 April: South Korean health authorities said Thursday [30 April] that they are currently testing four suspected cases of swine flu amid escalating fears the deadly...

Japan to set up "fever clinics" to battle swine flu.
April 30, 2009... Text of report in English by Japan's largest news agency Kyodo Tokyo, 30 April: Japan will set up "fever clinics" at medical institutions nationwide that will solely treat people suspected of being infected with the new influenza...

India to start screening passengers from flu-hit nations 30 April.
April 30, 2009... Text of report by Indian news agency PTI New Delhi, 29 April: India will begin screening passengers from countries affected by the swine flu from Thursday [30 April], as it gears up to meet the threat by setting up special counters at...

Latest developments on swine flu worldwide - Chinese agency.
April 30, 2009... Text of report in English by official Chinese news agency Xinhua (New China News Agency) Beijing, 30 April: The following are the latest developments of swine flu outbreaks worldwide on Thursday, according to the World Health...

FTA between S Korea and six ASEAN nations to take effect 1 May.
April 30, 2009... Text of report in English by South Korean news agency Yonhap Seoul, 30 April: A free trade agreement (FTA) between South Korea and six member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on the service sector will take...

S Korea ex-president goes to Seoul for questioning in graft case.
April 30, 2009... Text of report in English by South Korean news agency Yonhap Seoul, 30 April: Former President Roh Moo-hyun, engulfed in an escalating corruption scandal, said Thursday [30 April], he felt deeply "ashamed and sorry" for disappointing the...

Japan introduces blanket inspection system for imported pigs.
April 30, 2009... Text of report in English by Japan's largest news agency Kyodo Tokyo, 30 April: Japan introduced a blanket inspection system Thursday [30 April] for pigs imported for breeding and other purposes into the country after the World Health...

Iran paper analyzes US foreign policy in Middle East.
April 30, 2009... Text of commentary by Dr Mehdi Motaharnia entitled "America's new foreign policy strategy in the Middle East" published by Iranian provincial newspaper Qods website on 28 April. The American officials' visits to the Middle East region...

UK parliamentary delegation, Afghan vice-president discuss war on terror.
April 30, 2009... Text of report by state-owned National Afghanistan TV on 29 April The first vice-president, Ahmad Zia Masud, has met a delegation from the UK parliamentary committee on international relations. According to information provided by the...

Iran warns against trips to USA, Europe.
April 30, 2009... Text of report in English by Iranian news channel Press TV website on 30 April Iran's Health Ministry has issued a statement urging people to avoid unnecessary trips to the Americas and Europe amid a swine flu outbreak. The...

Paper says jihad prestige of Afghan nation.
April 30, 2009... Text of editorial entitled: "Jihad and mojahed are common pride of our respected nation" by pro-government Afghan newspaper Weesa on 29 April This year, the anniversary of mojahedin victory was celebrated at government level by President...

Iran calls for "Persian Gulf" unity amid tensions with Arabs.
April 30, 2009... Text of report in English by Iranian news channel Press TV website on 29 April A top Iranian commander calls for unity among the Persian Gulf littoral states, asserting that the security of the regional countries cannot be ensured...

US eyes sending envoy to Asia, Russia for N Korea talks.
April 30, 2009... Excerpts from report in English by Japan's largest news agency Kyodo Washington, 29 April: The US special representative for North Korea policy plans to visit Asia and Russia from around the middle of next week for consultations on North...

Pakistan TV show discusses military operation in Swat, US involvement.
April 30, 2009... Karachi Geo News television in Urdu at 1305 GMT on 27 April relays daily current affairs program, "Crisis Cell," hosted by Sana Bucha, a journalist for more than six years. The program features an expert analysis on major issues ...

Third phase of polling begins on moderate note in nine Indian states.
April 30, 2009... Text of unattributed report headlined "Moderate polling in third phase Lok Sabha elections" published by Indian broadcaster Zeenews website on 30 April New Delhi, 30 April: Polling in the third phase of elections to Lok Sabha [lower...

Russia gives Kyrgyzstan promised 300m -dollar loan.
April 30, 2009... Excerpt from report by privately-owned Kyrgyz AKIpress news agency website Bishkek, 30 April: Russia has transferred 300m dollars as a loan to the Kyrgyz Finance Ministry's foreign currency account (US dollars) with the Kyrgyz National...

Ethiopian premier in talks with Germany state secretary.
April 30, 2009... Text of report in English by state-owned Ethiopian news agency ENA website Addis Ababa, 29 April: Prime Minister Meles Zenawi held discussion here on Wednesday [29 April] with state secretary of foreign office of Germany, Peter Ammon, on...

Afghan daily concerned about arrest of refugees in Pakistan.
April 30, 2009... Text of article by Q. Sadat in Pashto entitled: "Imprisoning, arresting, disturbing innocent Afghans are no longer tolerable" by state-owned Afghan newspaper Hewad on 29 April The media have reported that more than 50 Afghans have been...

Iran paper urges parliament to reject bill to lower voting age.
April 30, 2009... Text of report by hardline Iranian daily Jomhuri-ye Eslami website Text of editorial entitled "Ends do not justify the means" published by Iranian newspaper Jomhuri-ye Eslami website on 27 April. In the Name of God, the Merciful and...

Georgian protesters dump garbage outside Tbilisi mayor's office.
April 30, 2009... Text of report by private Georgian TV station Rustavi-2 on 29 April [Presenter] Participants in the ongoing protest demonstrations in Tbilisi visited the city mayor's office this evening. The protesters dumped garbage that had accumulated...

Sri Lankan defence secretary says war not stop until Tamil Tiger leader "taken".
April 30, 2009... Text of report headlined "'War won't stop until Prabhakaran is taken, dead or alive' says Secretary Defence" by Sri Lankan Defence Ministry website on 30 April: "My problem is not what the LTTE [Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam] will do...

US, UK "fertile grounds" for terrorists targeting Ethiopia.
April 30, 2009... Excerpt from an article by Tomson Bernard entitled "America: safe haven for terrorists targeting Ethiopia", published in English by pro-Ethiopian government Walta Information Centre website on 29 April Wednesday, 29 April: It is...

Shanghai launches virus protection system against swine flu.
April 30, 2009... Text of report in English by official Chinese news agency Xinhua (New China News Agency) Beijing, 30 April: Shanghai has adopted emergency measures similar to those used in the 2003 SARS outbreak to guard against the possible arrival of...

Japan, US agree to boost tie-ups to tackle global flu crisis.
April 30, 2009... Text of report in English by Japan's largest news agency Kyodo Tokyo, 30 April: Japan and the United States agreed Thursday [30 April] to boost cooperation to tackle the global influenza crisis and to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula,...

Iran ministers exploit media for political aims - paper.
April 30, 2009... Text of editorial by Sorush Ershad entitled "The actions of the government on eve of tenth elections" published by Iranian newspaper Mardom Salari on 28 April. The last days in the [political] life of the ninth government are coming to...

Iran president to open power plant in Fars Province.
April 30, 2009... Text of report by state-run Iranian TV channel one on 30 April [Presenter] A provincial meeting of the cabinet ministers will be held in Shiraz [the capital of Fars Province]. A meeting of working groups of industry and mining,...

Land mines targeting pro-government forces buried in Somali capital.
April 30, 2009... Excerpt from report by Somali pro-Puntland government website on 29 April Land mines were this morning buried along the road connecting Manapolio and Suuq Ba'aad in Mogadishu which is mostly used by Islamic Court forces that support the...

Georgia hails Council of Europe resolution on aftermath of war with Russia.
April 30, 2009... Petre Tsiskarishvili, the leader of the Georgian delegation at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), has said the PACE resolution on the consequences of the Georgian-Russian war of August 2008 adopted on 29 April...

Iranian reformist paper says Saberi verdict plays into hands of "enemies".
April 30, 2009... Text of editorial entitled, "A look at the court verdict on Roxana Saberi - a verdict and some questions", published by Iranian newspaper Aftab-e Yazd website on 28 April "Sometimes things happen in the Judiciary that are exactly what...

(Corrected) Tajik banker denies involvement in fraud.
April 30, 2009... (Reissue of item correcting publication date. A corrected version follows:) The former head of the Tajik National Bank and Deputy Prime Minister Murodali Alimardon has commented on a report by the Ernst & Young audit, which accused him...

Sri Lankan army says 115,000 civilians freed since 20 Apr.
April 30, 2009... Text of report headlined "58 Div troops close-in on LTTE: hostage rescue operation enters final phase" by Sri Lankan Defence Ministry website on 30 Apri:l During the past 48 hours security forces led by 58 Division infantrymen have...

Somali president reportedly threatens rival armed groups.
April 30, 2009... Text of report by Somali pro-Puntland government website on 29 April The president of the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia [TFG], Shaykh Sharif Shaykh Ahmad speaking to international media, spoke on many issues regarding...

Somali president holds talks with elders in capital.
April 30, 2009... Text of report by Somali pro-Puntland government website on 29 April Reports reaching us from sources close to President Shaykh Sharif Shaykh Ahmad indicate that he held talks with elders of the Hawiye Cultural and Unity Council early...

Malagasy forces arrest premier appointed by ousted president.
April 30, 2009... Text of report by French state-funded public broadcaster Radio France Internationale on 30 April [Presenter] There are no signs that the tension in Madagascar will ease soon. A new step has been taken in the political crisis. The prime...

Ugandan president back home after attending regional summit in Tanzania.
April 30, 2009... Text of report by state-run Uganda Broadcasting Corporation (UBC) Radio on 30 April President Yoweri Museveni is back home from Arusha, Tanzania where he joined other regional leaders of member states of the East African Community to...

Pakistan TV show discusses anti-Taleban war in northwest districts.
April 30, 2009... Karachi Geo News television in Urdu at 1600 GMT on 29 April relays live regularly scheduled "Today with Kamran Khan" program. Noted Pakistani journalist Kamran Khan reviews, discusses and analyzes major day-to-day developments with government...

Three killed in Azeri university shooting - agency.
April 30, 2009... Three people have been killed in shooting at a university in the Azerbaijani capital Baku, APA news agency reported on 30 April. A foreign student shot three Azerbaijani students in an incident at the Azerbaijani Oil Academy in the...

Sri Lanka says Tamil Tigers' unilateral ceasefire is "bluff".
April 30, 2009... Text of report headlined "LTTE unilateral ceasefire a bluff - defence spokseperson" by Sri Lankan Defence Ministry website on 30 April The Unilateral Ceasefire declared by the LTTE [Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam] is a total bluff as...

President to attend ceremony on Persian Gulf Day in southern Iran.
April 30, 2009... Text of report by state-run Iranian radio on 30 April Today [30 April] is National Persian Gulf Day. A ceremony will be held in Kish Island [in Persian Gulf in southern Iran] to nationally register the gulf as natural and historical...

Australia details boosted military, civilian commitment to Afghanistan.
April 30, 2009... Text of media release carried by Australian Department of Defence website on 30 April Today, the government announced a decision to enhance its military and civilian commitment to Afghanistan and specifically its intent to strengthen the...

Kyrgyz opposition leader taken into custody over "mass disturbances".
April 30, 2009... Text of report by privately-owned Kyrgyz AKIpress news agency website Bishkek, 30 April: The Pervomay district court of the [Kyrgyz] city of Bishkek has made a ruling to take the chairman of the [Kyrgyz] Green's Party, Erkin Bulekbayev,...

Daily views possibility of Czech president presiding over EU summit in June.
April 30, 2009... Text of report by Czech newspaper Mlada fronta Dnes on 27 April [Report by Viliam Buchert and Katerina Koubova: "Will Klaus Moderate Crucial Summit? Europe Is Nervous"] Brussels, Prague - Many politicians in the European Union are...

Kenyan MPs set up team to deal with outlawed Mungiki sect menace.
April 30, 2009... Excerpt from report by Kenyan privately-owned daily newspaper The Standard website on 30 April Members of Parliament from regions inhabited by the outlawed Mungiki have agreed to deal with the sect as a team. The MPs on Wednesday [29...

Residents in China's Guilin clash with police over military vehicle accident.
April 30, 2009... Text of report by Hong Kong Information Centre for Human Rights and Democracy on 28 April [Report: Accident Caused by a Military Vehicle Ignites a Serious Unrest and Clash Between Public Security Police and Thousands of People in Guilin,...

Georgian TV reports attack against party leader.
April 30, 2009... Text of report by private Georgian TV station Rustavi-2 on 30 April [Presenter] The [opposition] Labour Party leader [Shalva Natelashvili] has been subjected to an armed attack, one of the leaders of the party, Giorgi Gugava, has said. A...

Sri Lanka: UK, French ministers visit refugee facility.
April 30, 2009... Text of report headlined "French and British foreign ministers visit welfare centres" by Sri Lankan Defence Ministry website on 29 April The French and British foreign ministers - accompanied by several Sri Lankan ministers, the...

Uganda to increase salaries for junior police officers.
April 30, 2009... Excerpt from report by state-owned, mass-circulation Ugandan daily The New Vision website on 30 April The government is to increase the salaries of junior police officers by 12.5 per cent in the next financial year, starting in July. ...

Lithuanian political, business leaders say economy to start recovering in 2011.
April 30, 2009... Text of report by Lithuanian weekly magazine Veidas on 27 April [Article by Giedre Bolzane: "When Will Crisis End in Lithuania?"] When in 2008 Paul Krugman, a Noble prize winner for economics, was asked when the global economic...

Thailand requires all arriving passengers to go through thermal scanner.
April 30, 2009... Text of report in English by Thai newspaper The Nation website on 30 April Thai Public Health Ministry on Thursday adjust its measures to deal with Mexico human flu after World Health Organization raised alert level from 4 to 5. ...

European Parliament delegation condemns post-election violence in Moldova.
April 30, 2009... Text of report by Moldovan private ProTV on 29 April [Presenter] The European Union is not naive. We condemn the acts of violence against the people arrested [after the 7 April riots protesting the alleged rigging of the 5 April...

Another quake in south Kyrgyzstan reported.
April 30, 2009... Excerpt from report by corporate-owned Russian news agency Interfax Bishkek, 30 April: There has been another earthquake in Dzhalal-Abad Region of Kyrgyzstan. It measured six points. "An earthquake measuring six points at its...

Thailand to host ASEAN meeting on swine flu "within two weeks".
April 30, 2009... Excerpt from report in English by Thai newspaper Bangkok Post website on 30 April ["Asean unites to fight flu; Health ministers urged to plan for containment"] Southeast Asian governments will join Thailand in mapping out a regional...

Iranian minister attends Non-Aligned Movement summit in Cuba.
April 30, 2009... Text of report by state-run Iranian TV news channel on 30 April [Iranian] Foreign Minister [Manuchehr Mottaki] has said that the current global situation needs the formation of a new atmosphere based on justice and participation of all...

Swiss set up task force as man tests positive for swine flu.
April 30, 2009... Excerpt from report in English by Swiss Radio International's Swissinfo website on 30 April Switzerland has reported its first case of swine flu: a young man, who has just returned from Mexico, has tested positive for the virus. The...

Latvian commentary analyzes US president's 100 days in office.
April 30, 2009... Text of report by Latvian newspaper Latvijas Avize on 30 April [Commentary by Uldis Smits: "Inconvenient Partner Obama"] There have not been any special surprises during the first 100 days in office of US President Barack Obama. Among...

Moldova signs memorandum on end of Energy Community accession talks.
April 30, 2009... Excerpt from report by Moldovan news agency Infotag Chisinau, 29 April: Moldova may become a full-fledged member of the Energy Community Treaty (ECT) before the end of 2009, Fabrizio Barbaso, deputy director-general for energy at the...

Deputy Speaker secures release of Somali prisoners in Syria.
April 30, 2009... Text of report by Somali pro-Puntland government website on 29 April The deputy Speaker of the Federal Somalia Parliament, Muhammad Umar Dalha, has said that they have secured the release of Somali prisoners in Syria and are also...

At least seven killed, 12 wounded in Azeri university shooting - agency.
April 30, 2009... Text of report by private Azerbaijani news agency Turan Baku, 30 April: Seven dead and 12 wounded were taken from the Azerbaijani Oil Academy to hospitals as of 1100 [0600 gmt]. The Health Ministry told Turan that the casualty toll may be...

Hong Kong ready to raise swine flu alert level.
April 30, 2009... Text of report by Radio TV Hong Kong Radio 3 on 30 April [Newsreader] The health secretary, York Chow, says Hong Kong will raise its alert level on swine flu at any time. The level would be raised from the current serious to emergency if...

Militants blow up girls' school in northwest Pakistan - website.
April 30, 2009... Text of report by leading private Pakistani satellite TV channel Geo News website on 30 April Bannu: Another girls' school was blown up with explosives by militants in Bannu. Police sources told Geo News that unknown militants planted...

Ugandan government issues guidelines on swine flu.
April 30, 2009... Text of report by state-owned, mass-circulation Ugandan daily The New Vision website on 30 April The government has issued travel alerts to a number of countries affected by the swine flu epidemic as the first suspected cases of the...

Russian police bust transregional money-laundering group.
April 30, 2009... Text of report by corporate-owned Russian news agency Interfax Moscow, 30 April: The Russian Interior Ministry has neutralized a transregional organized group headed by the management of the Ekspress Kredit commercial bank which is...

Conservatives jumping on reformist candidate's bandwagon - Iranian paper.
April 30, 2009... Text of editorial by Mirza Baba Motaharinezhad entitled, "The historical Musavi; the reformist Musavi", published by Iranian newspaper Mardom Salari on 25 April The presence of [former Prime Minister] Mirhoseyn Musavi in the 10th...

Pro-Tamil website slams China's stance on Sri Lanka "massacre".
April 30, 2009... Text of report headlined "China's 'anti-people' stand handicaps UN action" by Sri Lankan TamilNet website on 30 April China's anti-people stand to consider the war in Sri Lanka as internal matter, despite open massacre and imprisonment...

East African leaders end standoff on common market.
April 30, 2009... Excerpt of report by state-owned, mass-circulation Ugandan daily The New Vision website on 30 April The five presidents of the East African Community [EAC], comprising Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi, yesterday agreed to have...

Bangladesh authorities tally arms missing after border guards' mutiny.
April 30, 2009... Text of report by Shariful Islam and Kailash Sarkar headlined "209 BDR grenades found missing: List of lost items finalised 2 months after carnage" published by Bangladesh newspaper The Daily Star website on 30 April Two months after the...

Global health body warns of meningitis epidemic in West Africa.
April 30, 2009... Text of report by French state-funded public broadcaster Radio France Internationale on 30 April While swine flu is taking centre stage around the world, Medecins Sans Frontieres has warned of the alarming rate of the spread of...

Serbian parliament approves scaled down 2009 budget.
April 30, 2009... Text of report in English by Serbian pro-western Belgrade-based Radio B92 website, on 29 April BELGRADE -- The Serbian parliament adopted on Wednesday [29 April] in Belgrade the 2009 budget revision. Revenues were reduced to RSD...

Kazakh premier criticizes lack of coordination on developing defence industry.
April 30, 2009... Text of report by privately-owned Interfax-Kazakhstan news agency Astana, 30 April: Kazakh Prime Minister Karim Masimov has criticized the work of [Kazakhstan's] Ministry of Industry and Trade, Defence Ministry as well as the Kazakhstan...

Pakistan officials lack masks, thermal scanners to detect swine flu at airports.
April 30, 2009... Text of report by Imran Ali Teepu headlined 'Scanners needed to detect flu virus at airports" published by Pakistani newspaper Dawn website on 30 April Islamabad, April 29: Although health officials have been deputed at all international...

Afghan provincial council resumes work after month-long protest closure.
April 30, 2009... Text of report by private Pakistan-based Afghan Islamic Press news agency Khost, 30 April: A provincial council has resumed its work after a month. Mr Gul Jamil, the deputy chairman of Khost Provincial Council, announced the reopening of...

Off-duty policeman injured in southern Serbia.
April 30, 2009... An off-duty policeman was injured in the back in the town of Novi Pazar in the Sandzak area of Serbia around 1916 gmt last night, the Serbian commercial Radio B92 website reported on 30 April. Quoting the local police administration, it...

Kenyan sets special police unit to fight arms smuggling.
April 30, 2009... Excerpt from report by Kenyan privately-owned newspaper Daily Nation website on 30 April A special police unit has been set up to curb smuggling of firearms and drugs into the country, the Nation has learnt. Senior Deputy...

Iran paper criticizes government for not denying Swiss president's remarks.
April 30, 2009... Text of editorial by Mas'ud Behnud entitled "Why is the government not denying?" published by Iranian newspaper E'temad-e Melli website on 28 April. It was expected that the Media Affairs Department of the Presidential Office would...

Armenian editor beaten up in capital.
April 30, 2009... Text of report by private Armenian news agency Arminfo 30 April: The editor of Armenia Today publication, Argishti Kiviryan, has been cruelly beaten up in Yerevan. His sister, Armenika Kiviryan, told Arminfo that he had been attacked at...

Russia refuses to comment on reports of its diplomats' expulsion from NATO.
April 30, 2009... Russia's mission to NATO has refused to comment on reports of the expulsion of two Russian diplomats from Brussels, Russian Interfax news agency reported on 30 April. "We are not commenting on this information," the agency quoted the...

Croatian medical officer sure Osijek woman not infected with swine flu.
April 30, 2009... Text of report in English by Croatian state news agency HINA ZAGREB, April 30 (Hina) - The head of the Service for epidemiology of contagious diseases in the Croatia's Health Institute, Ira Gjenero Margan, said on Tuesday evening it was...