Blair to quit within year
Thu Sep 7, 2006 12:50pm ET
LONDON (Reuters) – British Prime Minister Tony Blair moved to end a growing revolt in his Labour Party on Thursday by pledging to quit within a year but failed to silence critics who say a speedy change of leader is needed to win back voters.
http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=topNews&storyID=2006-09-07T165009Z_01_L07834953_RTRUKOC_0_US-BRITAIN-BLAIR.xml

Israel decides to extend naval blockade another 48 hours
Beirut airport Welcomes first direct flights
By Rym Ghazal
Daily Star (LEBANON)
Friday, September 08, 2006
BEIRUT: A much anticipated end to Israel’s blockade of Lebanon fell short of expectations Thursday, with Israel announcing that it would continue its naval siege until international forces took up their maritime positions. Israel’s last-minute decision to extend its naval blockade for another 48 hours came in response to a wave of domestic opposition from the military and families of two captured Israel soldiers to lifting the siege before the soldiers are returned.
According to Israeli public television, the Israeli Army is expected to completely withdraw its troops from Southern Lebanon by September 22, coinciding with the Jewish New Year.
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=1&categ_id=2&article_id=75327

Al-Qaeda video takes credit for 9-11
Friday 08 September 2006, 1:45 Makka Time, 22:45 GMT
AL-JAZEERA
A new videotape aired on Aljazeera television has shown Osama bin Laden and senior Al-Qaeda members meeting with some of the men who carried out the September 11 attacks against the US in 2001.
The 90-minute video apparently shows Bin Laden, the leader of Al-Qaeda, taking part in the planning and preparation of the attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people.
The footage, first aired on Thursday, also shows Abu Hafs Al-Masri, Al-Qaeda’s then military leader, and Ramzi bin Al-Shaiba, co-ordinator of the 9-11 attacks, meeting in Al-Qaeda’s training camps in Taliban controlled Afghanistan.
The tape also says that a previous unknown Arab Islamist, Abu Al-Turab Al-Urduni, supervised the training for the attacks.http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/1B135B31-508F-4E0C-93E9-5077551D1B9D.htm

GLOBAL NEWS HEADLINES:
US hands over control of Iraq military
Three Palestinians killed in Israeli raid
Lebanese soldiers killed in explosion
Sony delays Playstation launch
NASA to launch shuttle on Friday
Turks unhappy with Lebanon mission
Calls for more details on CIA prisons
Bush admits to secret CIA prisons
Jail terms for Bali bombing accused
Fire kills two on Russian nuclear sub
Putin arrives in Morocco
Ivorian cabinet quits over toxic waste
Pressured Blair hit by resignations
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/0D9D84D0-61FC-42D7-86C4-B730E24573CF.htm

INT’L Headline News by Central News Agency Taiwan
http://www.cna.com.tw/eng/info/wlhead.php?date=1157587677#200609070040

TAIWAN news headlines

PRESIDENT RETURNS TO TAIPEI AFTER SOUTH PACIFIC DIPLOMATIC TOUR
2006-09-07 10:41:33
Taipei, Sept. 6 (CNA) President Chen Shui-bian returned to Taipei late Wednesday after a two-leg South Pacific diplomatic tour that took him to Palau and Nauru.
Chen, who made a transit stop in the U.S. territory of Guam on his way home from Nauru, said his trip has set several records, including flying to Palau via his official plane, known locally as “Air Force One” which is a symbol of state sovereignty.
During his visit in Palau, Chen met with his counterparts from all of Taiwan’s six diplomatic allies in the south Pacific. “The First Taiwan-Pacific Summit has allowed us to forge multifaceted partnerships with our allies in the region,” Chen said.
After his arrival in Guam for a brief transit stop, Chen met with Raymond Burghardt, who as the American Institute in Taiwan chairman is the top U.S. liaison officer with Taiwan in the absence of official ties. Also present at the meeting was Taiwan’s Representative to the U.S., David Ta-wei Lee.
Following his return, Chen rushed to National Taiwan University Hospital where his wife Wu Shu-Jen is recuperating from influenza.

TAIWAN ASKS SWITZERLAND TO RETURN US$520 M IN ‘LAFAYETTE’ SLUSH FUND
2006-09-07 23:42:08
Geneva, Sept. 7 (CNA) The Swiss Department of Justice (DOJ) confirmed Thursday that Taiwan has filed a formal application for retrieval of US$520 million in frozen illegal commissions tied to its purchase of six Lafayette-class frigates from France in the early 1990s.

Other Taiwan News Headlines:
President Chen meets with AIT Chairman
Laborers to protest damage to livelihood
Prosecutors confirmed having questioned First Couple
KMT delegation to China to promote further opening up
Taiwan delegation leaves for NY to promote UN bid
BERI: Taiwan investment environment ranks 6th
Taiwan to benefit from Intel layoffs
NGO: Listen, don’t lecture, when dealing with the depressed
Stocks Down
http://english.rti.org.tw/Content/NewsArchives.aspx

Radio Taiwan Int’l
http://english.rti.org.tw/

According to United Daily News, the pro-KMT right-wing daily paper, the former DPP president Shi Ming-teh’s “Anti-Chen Shui-bian”(now renamede to “Anti-corruption” rally will start on 3pm 9th September at Ketagalan Blvd (the plaza in front of the Presidential Office)

She is from Uri Party, Rep. of Korea.
Born in 1975 at Kochang, Kyongsang Namdo, Korea.
favorite song is “I go” written and sung by Rumble Fish, Korean band,
the best food she like is tteok-pokk-ki (Korean rice cake boiled with Kochu=chilli sauce)
Her family has parents and 4 sisters
She hope to sustain the progressive government even after the next presidential election at December 2007, and the most favorite statesperson is Yoo Shimin or Han Myungsook (the fist female premier in Korea).
The reasons why she joined Uri Party are that she identified all the policies including unification, economy, political reform etc..

Tory

This is the first article which I wrote in the English blog.

I am just joining at the communications workshop hosted by the Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats, the international organization of Asian centrist, liberal political parties.

The meeting is held in Taipei, Taiwan, from 5th to 9th September, the participants are from the Philippines, Malaysia, Rep. of Korea, Thailand, Indonesia, Cambodia, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Singapore and, of course, Taiwan. It is regrettable that there is no attendance from the Democratic Party of Japan, also a observer.
Although my nationality is Japanese and am not a regular staff of the party, but working for Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party, so I will make presentation about my job for DPP — editing Japanese homepage and blog.

At this time, the course offer us (al the participants) to create new blog and to lesson to post an article in this WORDPRESS site. Hope for a good start for this blog.

Tory