DAP: The breaking news in Cambodia: “Day for elimination of discrimination focuses on people of African descent” plus 9 more

UNITED NATIONS, March 21 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Monday said that this year's International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination is devoted to the plight of people of African descent, who he explained have experienced much racism throughout history.
"The discrimination faced by people of African descent is pernicious," Ban said in a message to mark the International Day. "Often they are trapped in poverty in large part because of bigotry, only to see poverty used as a pretext for further exclusion."
The International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination is commemorated on March 21 each year. This year, the day centers on people of African origins, as the UN has proclaimed 2011 is the International Year for People of African descent.
Ban explained that people all over the world should look to the anti-racism agenda of the World Conference Against Racism, held in 2001 in Durban, South Africa, which included as an important element the empowerment of people of African descent.
"The international year is an opportunity to advance this effort and recognize the vast contributions made by people of African descent to the political, economic, social and cultural development of all our societies," Ban said.
The secretary-general called on the international community to reflect on the "long and terrible history" of wrongs perpetrated against people of African descent due to racism, including the transatlantic slave trade. He said action should be taken against such harmful discrimination.
"Overcoming racism compels us to address public policies and private attitudes that perpetuate it," said Ban. "On this International Day, I call on member states, international and non- governmental organizations, the media, civil society and all individuals to engage meaningfully in the promotion of the International Year for People of African descent -- and to work together against racism whenever and wherever it occurs."

OTTAWA, March 21 (Xinhua) -- Canadian CF-18 Hornet jet fighters Monday flew their first mission to help enforce the United Nations no-fly zone over Libya, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) reported.
The Canadian jets, which flew out of a base in Trapani, Italy, did not participate in a bombing mission, instead serving as armed escorts for fighters of another nation that conducted the bombing.
CBC did not specify how many Canadian planes on the first mission, adding that the Canadian jets are expected to begin bombing missions as soon as Monday night.
Six CF-18 Hornet jet fighters, which left Canada on Friday, have been based in Italy and are ready to help enforce the United Nations no-fly zone over Libya within two days, the Canadian Minister of National Defense Peter MacKay said on Sunday.
The announcement came a day after the offensive began overnight Saturday with strikes on Libyan military targets by French fighter jets and by missiles from the United States and British war ships.
By Sunday, the coalition said the no-fly zone was in place.
Mackay said the jets will be taking part in sorties "within 48 hours" to join the United States, France and Britain in maintaining the no-fly zone.
He said, in an interview with CTV, a well-known Canadian television network, the jets will be part of an international effort to back a United Nations Security Council resolution that seeks to minimize attacks against civilians by the Libyan government forces.
The U.S. officials said earlier that Spain, Belgium, Denmark and Qatar will also contribute to the military operation, but Mackay said to date, Qatar is the only country that has announced its intention to take part although the mission had the endorsement of the Arab League.
The CF-18s from Canadian Forces base in Bagotville, Quebec, along with 150 personnel, arrived at a small airbase in Trapani, Sicily, around noon local time Saturday.
The military sources said the Canadian pilots will start flying missions once the military has approved systems for rules of engagement, command and control, as well as identifying friendly or hostile forces.
One of the factors complicating the process has been that the Libyan government and rebel forces are using the same equipment, the sources quoted by CBC.
Canada's fighter jets last took part in such a mission in 1999 when they joined the NATO bombardment of the former Yugoslavia to stop ethnic violence against Kosovo Albanians.
Canada has so far deployed its frigate HMCS Charlottetown, with 240 crew equipped with a Sea King helicopter, in the waters off Libya.
It also has one C-17 Globemaster strategic transportation aircraft and two C-130J Hercules tactical transportation aircraft as well as a military reconnaissance team of 13 soldiers in Malta.
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper said on Friday that Canada will send warplanes to help enforce the United Nations resolution establishing a "no fly zone" over Libya, despite the Libyan government's ceasefire declaration.
The UN Security Council on Thursday adopted a resolution to authorize a no-fly zone over Libya and called for "all necessary measures," excluding troops on the ground, to protect civilians under threat of attack in the North African country.
The UN resolution demands the immediate establishment of a ceasefire and a complete end to violence and all attacks against, and abuses of, civilians in Libya.
The member states can act "nationally or through regional organizations or arrangements" in taking these measures, the resolution says.
Libya declared a ceasefire Friday and pledged to end military action in the face of the UN resolution.

WASHINGTON, March 21 (Xinhua) -- Existing-home sales volume fell in February in the United States following three straight monthly gains, with prices further declining, fresh sign of the still slackening real estate market, a leading industry group reported Monday.
Existing-home sales, including completed transactions of single- family houses, apartments and condominiums, dropped 9.6 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.88 million units in February from an upwardly revised 5.4 million units in January. The levels are 2.8 percent below the 5.02 million pace in February 2010, the National Association of Realtors (NAR) said in a report.
Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, expects an uneven recovery of the property sector of the world's largest economy.
The median existing single-family home price nationwide further dipped to 156,100 U.S. dollars in February, 5.2 percent lower from a year ago, noted the report.
"Housing affordability conditions have been at record levels and the economy has been improving, but home sales are being constrained by the twin problems of unnecessarily tight credit, and a measurable level of contract cancellations from some appraisals not supporting prices negotiated between buyers and sellers," Yun added.
According to Freddie Mac, the national average commitment rate for a 30-year, conventional, fixed-rate mortgage rose to 4.95 percent in February from 4.76 percent in January.

WASHINGTON, March 21 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Department of the Treasury announced Monday that it will begin to wind down its remaining portfolio of 142 billion U.S. dollars in agency- guaranteed mortgage-backed securities (MBS), a further exit step from the massive financial rescue moves adopted several years ago.
"Starting this month, Treasury plans to sell up to 10 billion dollars in agency-guaranteed MBS per month, subject to market conditions," the department said in a statement.   "We are continuing to wind down the emergency programs that were put in place in 2008 and 2009 to help restore market stability, and the sale of these securities is consistent with that effort," said Mary Miller, assistant Treasury secretary for financial markets.
"We will exit this investment at a gradual and orderly pace to maximize the recovery of taxpayer dollars and help protect the process of repair of the housing finance market," Miller added.
U.S. Treasury acquired its portfolio of agency-guaranteed MBS under authority provided to it by Congress under the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008.

KIEV, March 21 (Xinhua) -- Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych congratulated WBC Heavyweight World Champion Vitali Klitschko with a confident victory in his title defense bout last week in Germany.
"Dr. Ironfist" Klitschko (42-2, 39 KOs) defended his WBC belt against Cuba's Odlanier Solis on Saturday in Cologne with a first round KO.
"I sincerely congratulate you with victory in the bout against Cuba's Odlanier Solis. I am convinced that this success is a considerable contribution to other achievements of national boxing and an example to follow for many Ukrainian athletes," Yanukovych said.
Mandatory challenger "La Sombra" Solis (17-1, 12 KOs) suffered his first career defeat after judges decided to stop the bout in the first round due to a knee injury of the Cuban, disappointing a sell-out crowd of over 19,000 spectators at the Lanxess Arena.
On the third minute of the first round, Klitschko delivered a short right-hand blow to the temple of the 2004 Olympic Champion causing him to wobble and then fall, twisting his knee.

BRAZZAVILLE, March 21 (Xinhua) -- A cargo plane crashed on Monday in the Republic of Congo's economic capital Pointe-Noire, killing several, witnesses told Xinhua from the southern city.
Media reports put the death toll at at least 14, quoting a police official at the scene.
The plane from the Congolese capital Brazzaville crashed into a residential area in the city failing to land on the sea, because of mechanic problems.
Ambulances rushed to the scene to move the bodies of victims to a morgue and the injured to the hospital, the witnesses said, adding they did not yet know the exact number of people killed in the tragedy.
Heavy losses of property were also reported.
The accident was the second in the Central African country since 2009, when an Antonov cargo plane crashed in the suburbs of Brazzaville.
In 2008, the Congolese government banned the type of Antonov from being used as a passenger plane.

KAMPALA, March 21 (Xinhua) -- Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni blasted the West on Monday for double standards over the conflict in Libya.
Citing the developments in Libya and Bahrain, Museveni accused Western countries of always using double standards.
While imposing a no-fly zone in a rival country like Libya, the West turns a blind eye to a similar case in Bahrain, one of the pro-West countries, he said in a statement.
Museveni is one of the five African presidents mandated by the African Union (AU) to tackle the crisis in Libya.
On Sunday, an AU mission cancelled its planned trip to the Libyan capital Tripoli for talks between Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi and rebels, because of the airstrikes launched by France, Britain and the United States.
The five African countries forming the panel of presidents on Libya also include South Africa, Mali, the Republic of Congo and Mauritania.
The African leaders met in the Mauritanian capital Nouakchott on Saturday, voicing opposition to foreign military intervention amid the Libya crisis, demanding Libya's sovereignty and territorial integrity be respected.

GAZA, March 22 (Xinhua) -- Israeli warplanes carried out seven intensive airstrikes on posts belonging to Islamic Hamas movement' s armed wing al-Qassam Brigades, injuring at least 17 people, medics in Gaza said.
Adham Abu Selmeya, spokesman of Gaza emergency and ambulance services, told Xinhua that 17 Palestinians were injured in the intensive airstrikes on the Gaza Strip, adding that two of them were in serious conditions.
Witnesses said they heard Israeli F-16 warplanes hovering over Gaza City, adding that they suddenly heard a series of explosions when the warplanes fired several missiles at several targets in the costal enclave.
Security sources of Hamas in Gaza said the warplanes targeted training posts belonging to al-Qassam Brigades, as well as metal workshops, a garage and a factory that makes bricks.
The Israeli airstrikes were a response to earlier makeshift mortar and rocket attacks fired from the Gaza Strip on southern Israeli towns and communities, including a Grad rocket that landed in the city of Ashkelon.
Earlier Monday, the deposed government of Islamic Hamas movement, which rules the Gaza Strip, and al-Qassam Brigades vowed to restore calm with Israel.

GAZA, March 21 (Xinhua) -- The deposed government of Islamic Hamas movement, which rules the Gaza Strip, and its armed wing al- Qassam Brigades vowed Monday to restore calm with Israel.
Hamas government said in a short press statement sent to reporters that "it still respects the national factional accordance over the security situation to foil the Israeli occupation plans to overcome its crisis on the expense of our blood."
Al-Qassam Brigades spokesman Abu Obeida said in another statement that if the "enemy" commits not to escalate but to end the aggression, "we will be committed to calm too."
The Gaza Strip witnessed a significant escalation Saturday when al-Qassam Brigades claimed responsibility for firing 33 homemade mortar shells at Israeli communities and army bases in southern Israel.
The group said the mortars attacks "were a natural response to the crimes of the Zionist enemy and retaliation to the ongoing Israeli airstrikes and tank shelling on the Gaza Strip."
Israel in return carried out a series of airstrikes, which targeted sites that belong to the security and police of the deposed government of Hamas, and shelled with artilleries the border areas, where five people were wounded.
Israeli warplanes carried out two airstrikes Monday night on training posts belonging to Hamas movement, witnesses said, adding that two explosions were heard in northern Gaza Strip.

ALGIERS, March 21 (Xinhua) -- The Algerian Customs have increased their staff on the Algerian-Libyan border to deal with the influx of people coming from Libya, the body's general director, Mohamed Abdou Bouderbala announced on Monday.
"We have multiplied the number of customs officers at Algeria's border with Libya to handle, within the time limit, the movement of people leaving that country," Bouderbala told reporters.
Thousands of people of different nationalities, including Algerians, have been entering from Algerian-Libyan border crossings, since Algeria started receiving displaced people fleeing violence in Libya on February 24.