FAO: New bird flu strain found in Nigeria

– The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation reported on August 12 that a new strain of bird flu has been detected in Nigeria, according to news agencies.

The newly discovered virus strain is genetically different from the strains that circulated in Nigeria in 2006 and 2007, FAO said, adding that it is more similar to strains previously identified in Italy, Afgahnistan and Iran in 2007.

The detection of a new bird flu strain in Africa raises serious concerns as it remains unknown how this strain has been introduced to the continent, according to a FAO official.

The official was quoted as saying that it seems to be unlikely that wild birds have carried the strain to Africa, since the last migration of wild birds from Europe and Central Asia to Africa occurred in September 2007 and this year’s southerly migration into Africa has not really started yet.

Nigeria reported its first case of bird flu in February 2006 and infected poultry in 25 states. The country has recently reported two new bird flu outbreaks in the northern states of Katsina and Kano.-

Australia seeks free trade deal with ASEAN

– Australia is hopeful of an early conclusion to a regional free trade agreement (FTA) with intensive negotiations underway, Foreign Minister Stephen Smith has said.

The potential deal between Australia , New Zealand and Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) was discussed at bilateral talks between FM Smith and his Indonesian counterpart Hassan Wirajuda in Jakarta early this week, according to local media.

“I look forward to the early conclusion to current negotiations on a comprehensive free trade agreement between Australia, New Zealand and ASEAN,” the Australia minister was quoted by The Age as saying on August 11.

In the lead-up to the target date of concluding negotiations at the ASEAN Economic Ministers – Closer Economic Relations Ministerial in Singapore on August 28, Australia is involved in intensive bilateral negotiations with key ASEAN countries to finalise tariff and services schedules, he said.-

United Nations helps countries solve food crisis

– The UN World Food Programme (WFP) has announced a 214-million USD aid to ease the effects of high food and oil prices in 16 needy places around the world.

The measure comes as nearly one billion poor people worldwide grapple with the “unrelenting global high food and fuel price crisis”, the Rome-based WFP said in a statement.

The money will help provide food rations to highly vulnerable groups; continuing to feed school-aged children even while school is out and giving supplemental food to pregnant women and young children whose mental and physical development is at stake, WFP said.

In addition, the aid expands food assistance to urban areas hardest hit by high food prices, including through vouchers and support for small farmers and markets in countries where WFP will purchase food assistance locally, the agency said.

Beneficiaries include Djibouti, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, Haiti, Liberia, Mauritania, Mozambique, Nepal, the Palestinian territories, Pakistan, Senegal, Somali, Tajikistan, Uganda, and Yemen.

At the world food security meeting in Rome in June, the WFP announced to aid 1.2 billion USD to 62 countries, worst-affected from the food price hike.-

Japan, DPRK agree to reinvestigate abduction cases

– Japan and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) agreed early August 13 to set up a committee to reinvestigate abduction cases of Japanese nationals and finish it by this Autumn, local media reported.

Once the reinvestigation starts, Japan will lift restrictions on people’s visits between the countries and allow chartered flights linking the nations, Director General of the Foreign Ministry’s Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau Akitaka Saiki was quoted as saying.

Saiki and Song Il Ho, the DPRK’s ambassador for normalisation talks with Japan, had met from August 11 morning in the northeastern Chinese city of Shenyang to work out details for implementing a June deal in which Pyongyang promised to carry out the reinvestigation.

While agreements were reached in Shenyang over the abduction cases, the envoys stopped short of achieving a consensus on how to deal with the Japanese radicals, who hijacked a plane to the DPRK in 1970, Kyodo News said.

They also failed to work out the details for carrying out Japan’s promise to allow the DPRK ships to enter Japanese ports if they are shipping humanitarian goods to Pyongyang.-

Beijing tights security during Olympics

Beijing (VNA) – Chinese police started security checks at park gates in China’s Beijing city on August 13 in a bid to keep knives and other dangerous items out of the area.

The move is part of China’s efforts to ensure safety for the Beijing Olympics 2008 in the wake of the fatal stabbing of a US tourist.

The Beijing city’s parks have established their own security teams, which conduct 24-hour patrols at major scenic spots, tourist routes and other crowded sites inside the parks, Xinhua News Agency reported.

It also quoted the Beijing Municipal Administration Centre of Parks as saying that local police and park staff carried out sample inspections. The police said fruit knives longer than 8 cm would be confiscated and tourists carrying large packages would be stopped for checks.

On August 9, a man stabbed two American tourists – one fatally – and a Chinese tour guide in downtown Beijing . The attacker then killed himself by jumping from the second story of the 13th-century Drum Tower , a popular tourist site.-

China to help solve nuke issue on Korean Peninsula

Hanoi (VNA) - China’s foreign minister pledged on August 13 to help resolve the nuclear issue on the Korean Penninsula when he met the Republic of Korean President Lee Myung-bak.

Visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi flew to RoK earlier August 13 for a two-day trip aimed at preparing for an expected visit by Chinese President Hu Jintao later this month.

Minister Yang reconfirmed China’s “unchangeable support and assistance” for the resolution of the nuclear issue and the improvement of inter-Korean relations, RoK’s President Lee’s office was quoted as saying in a statement.

Meanwhile, RoK’s President Lee was quoted as saying that he expected China to continue to play “a constructive role”’ in producing progress in international efforts to end the Democreatic People’s Republic of Korea’s nuclear program and in ties between the divided Koreas.-

APEC discusses new technologies for migration control

Hanoi (VNA) - High-ranking Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) officials have discussed strategies to apply new technologies to migration control systems at their meeting in the Peruvian capital of Lima.

On the second day of their 10-day meeting, which runs until August 23, delegates from the 21 member economies reported the technical advances made in border security control in their countries or regions, according to news reported on August 13.

Peruvian General Director of Migration and Naturalization Juan Alvarez was quoted by news agencies as saying that the discussions seek to reinforce security controls and guarantee the validity of visitors’ identification documents.

Equipment with biometric technology capable of reading passports with microchips will be used at the Lima-Callao International Airport during the APEC summit in November.

APEC groups Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, China, Hong Kong (China), Indonesia, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, the Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Chinese Taipei, Thailand, the US and Vietnam.-

Australia to help Indonesia ensure food security

– Australia plans to provide Indonesia 6.5 million AUD in aid through the World Food Programme (WFP) to deal with undernourishment in East and West Nusa Tenggara provinces caused by chronic food shortages.

The programme, lasting from 2008 to 2010, is a follow-up to the partnership between Australia and the WFP, Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith said in Indonesia on August 12.

“Nutritious food supplements will also be made available to those highly prone to undernourishment including pregnant and breastfeeding women, and children,” FM Smith was quoted by Antara news agency as saying.

He expressed hope the aid will help the Indonesian government control and respond to food shortages faced by people living in the two eastern Indonesian provinces.

“Australia has made a commitment to provide 323 billion rupiah (38 million AUD) in aid to improve Indonesia’s agricultural productivity,” he said.

He said the three-year programme will link farmers to researchers to improve the productivity and quality of harvest, including cocoa, corn powder and legumes.

The programme will also connect farmers with companies which will buy their harvest at equal prices, help farmers increase their income and reduce the poverty rate in rural areas, he said.-

Indictment filed against Khmer Rouge jailer

– The tribunal co-established by the UN and Cambodian government in Phnom Penh on August 12 brought its first formal indictment against a former Khmer Rouge leader.

The probing judges of the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) issued the indictment against Kaing Guek Eav, also known as Duch, who headed the Pol Pot government’s Tuol Sleng (S-21) prison camp in the 1970s, after their investigation into the case.

Sixty-six year-old Duch, charged with crimes against humanity and war crimes, has been the first suspect indicted by the UN-backed genocide tribunal which was set up two years ago.

His trial is expected to begin late September and last four months. Five judges, including three Cambodian, one French and one New Zealander, will join the trial.

Up to two million Cambodian people died of starvation, overwork and execution under the Khmer Rouge regime (1975-1979).-

Thailand manages to extradite former PM Thaksin

Bangkok (VNA) - Thailand has begun the lengthy process of trying to extradite former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who failed to appear at a corruption hearing and went into exile in London, a state prosecutor said on August 13.

State prosecutor Kosonlavat Intujunyong was quoted by news agencies as saying that history suggests it will be many years, if at all, before the 59-year-old telecommunications tycoon is sent home from London, a bolt-hole for many wealthy ex-politicians and businessmen keen to exploit generous visa rules and a long-winded extradition process.

State prosecutor Kosonlavat Intujunyong said a team of lawyers had been drawn up to look into Thaksin’s case. “We have to prove that what he did in Thailand was wrong under British law,” he added.

Thailand’s foreign minister was quoted by news reports as saying on August 13 that his ministry would revoke former premier Thaksin Shinawatra and his wife’s diplomatic passports after they fled to exile in Britain.

Thailand’s Supreme Court issued arrest warrants on August 11 for Thaksin and his wife, Potjaman after the couple failed to appear at the court.-