DAP: The breaking news in Cambodia: “Landmine killed two, injured one” plus 9 more

CAMBODIA, PORSAT, Sept 21, 2011-Landmine killed two Cambodian workers and one seriously injured in Klar Kropeu, along Tnot, Kor ko district in Pursat province, a police official said on Wednesday.

"The two died instantly after one of them touched a bomb.  They are in the age of 20s." said Bin Vanna, the police chief of Kro kor district said by phone.

For first half of 2011, landmines and UXOs killed 25 people and 87 injured.  Cambodia passed the civil war and landmines and UXOs has found at the last battlefield in the Khmer Rouge territory in western part of countries bordering with Thailand.

CAMBODIA, PHNOM PENH, Sept 21, 2011-Makuto Ikukibe, head of academy of Japan on Wednesday lectured about the policy and weapon for national defense of Japan to hundreds of Cambodian military student at military academy of Cambodia.

"Makuto ​said Japanese defense system from world war one to current system for defense field and materials for weapons have been used and management of defense field ."  "This will be a crucial role to contribute the bilateral ties for defense field between two countries," Neang Phat, secretary of state for defense ministry, said.  He also highlighted the Cambodia's defense policy during the war to current context.

"We also learn about how to manage the crisis and development of international defense system." he added.

CAMBODIA,​​ PHNOM PENH, Sept 21, 2011-Over 200 Cambodians from all walks of lives on Wednesday marked the world peace day at the ancient wat Phnom resort in Phnom Pend downtown with appealing the young to work for peace.

"We want to send our message for all people to love and work for peace in the world." Dy Thahoya, volunteer for peace group said.  He added that Cambodia has marked the world peace day since 2009 and UN marked its in 1982 to be for peace around the world.

TRIPOLI, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- Libya's National Transitional Council (NTC) forces have advanced to the southern desert city of Sabha Tuesday, while in other remaining bastions of the fallen leader Muammar Gaddafi, NTC fighters still face fierce resistance from pro-Gaddafi forces.

The NTC claimed to have taken control of the city's airport, fort and other locations, and seized a senior pro-Gaddafi general near the town, according to Tunisia's official TAP news agency.

Meanwhile, there were clashes Tuesday in central Tripoli. Four pro-Gaddafi members were arrested by the NTC after an exchange of fire, some witnesses said. The arrested may be the sons of a senior military official of the Gaddafi regime.

The clash started when Gaddafi loyalists fired rocket-propelled grenades toward the NTC fighters, which immediately prompted NTC fighters to fire back, a Xinhua eyewitness said. The clashes lasted for about half an hour.

In the western town of Sirte, NTC fighters had to reduce their military operations as the Gaddafi loyalists used civilians as human shields, a senior NTC officer said Tuesday.

He said the NTC was providing shelter to the civilians fleeing Sirte, which had decelerated their offensives.

The NTC was planning new tactics on Sirte, the officer said, adding that the fighters were in high spirits, having captured one of Gaddafi's armories near Sirte.

On the prolonged clashes in Bani Walid, NTC fighters admitted to having met with geographical difficulties. "Bani Walid is between mountains," NTC spokesman Ahmed Bani said, adding that the Gaddafi forces there still possessed snipers and long-range missiles, which had kept the NTC from approaching the town.

But what was certain was that the town had been "100 percent surrounded" by NTC fighters, Bani said.

The NTC promised it would not give up Bani Walid, and "would like to send the message to the people there that we (the NTC fighters) are coming," Bani said.

Bani was unable to confirm whether or not Gaddafi was in Bani Walid, but the fallen leader reminded the NTC of his presence Tuesday in an audio message through Syrian-based al-Rai channel, Al-Arabiya TV reported.

In the message, Gaddafi said NATO's planes would not be able to continue operations in Libya, and the country's system of rule was based on the people's will and could not be removed.

Just hours after Gaddafi's audio message, U.S. President Barack Obama vowed that the NATO mission would continue as long as the Libyan people are being threatened.

Addressing a high-level meeting on Libya at the United Nations, also known as the "Friends of Libya" meeting, Obama called on Gaddafi's loyalists to lay down their arms.

"I said at the beginning that we cannot and should not intervene every time there's an injustice in the world," he said. "Yet it's also true that at times the world could have and should have summoned the will to prevent the killing of innocents on a horrific scale."

The high-level international meeting on Libya hosted by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon marks the start of the process of reconstruction and nation-building in Libya.

Calling it "a historical day" for Libya, the UN chief pledged UN support for the North African nation "in every way we can" in helping it face the "large challenges" ahead.

On the same day, the NTC was recognized by the African Union (AU) and South Africa as the legitimate authority of Libya, according to the chairperson of the AU and South Africa's International Relations and Cooperation Department.

Before Tuesday's announcement, South Africa and the AU refused to recognize the NTC as the new legitimate authority in Tripoli. The AU had been clinging to its roadmap for the resolution of the conflict in Libya, which called for a consensual and inclusive government.

BEIJING, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- The People's Bank of China (PBOC), China's central bank, said on Wednesday that the country's newly increased yuan funds stemming from foreign exchanges totaled 376.94 billion yuan (59.1 billion U.S. dollars) in August, representing a five month high.

The figure also saw a sharp rise of 72 percent from a month earlier, according to data from the PBOC.

The nation's total yuan funds outstanding for foreign exchanges stood at 25.26 trillion yuan as of the end of August, the PBOC data showed.

Yuan funds outstanding for foreign exchanges have been growing at a more rapid pace since the beginning of this year compared to last. Monthly increases of new yuan funds averaged 335.63 billion yuan in the first eight months, compared to the average monthly increase of 272.35 billion yuan in 2010.

BEIJING, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- China on Wednesday condemned the suicide bomb attack that killed Burhanuddin Rabbani, former president of Afghanistan.

"We are shocked by the death of Mr. Rabbani and condemn the attack," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hong Lei said at a regular news briefing in response to a question on the situation in Afghanistan.

Rabbani, who served as chairman of the Afghan High Peace Council, was killed in his residence in the capital city of Kabul Tuesday evening.

Hong said that Rabbani made great contributions to advancing the reconciliation process in Afghanistan since taking office as chairman of the council.

The spokesperson also extended condolences to Rabbani's family.

"We hope wholeheartedly that Afghanistan will see peace and stability, as well as national reconciliation and development at an early date," he added.

HANOI, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- The Vietnamese people have joined volunteers across the world to respond to the World Moving Planet Day, which falls on this Saturday, reported the local Vietnam News newspaper on Wednesday.

On Saturday, about 1,500 volunteers across the country will participate in walking, cycling or skating in an effort to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and for a green environment.

In the capital Hanoi, hundreds of volunteers will gather in a big park and to shape into the number 350 (350ppm is the maximum safe limit for CO2 levels in the atmosphere, which is currently at 393 ppm), together with 350 cyclists riding along streets to promote environmental awareness.

In central Da Nang and Hue cities, people will join in planting trees, holding a recycling festival and a painting exhibition on environmental protection.

In southern Ho Chi Minh City, 350 cyclists will ride in streets to remind people of a green environment. Roller skaters, cyclists and hip hop dancers will perform under the theme, Moving Arts for Climate.

Since August, volunteers from 16 cities and provinces nationwide have responded to the Day through environmentally friendly activities, including a Month for Green Color at Schools, which was launched on Monday and will last through mid-October, during which students are encouraged to collect waste paper for recycling and hold artistic performances on environmental protection.

This is the third year Vietnam has participated in this event of global significance.

ANKARA, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- Members of the outlawed Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK) Wednesday morning attacked a police high school in the eastern province of Bitlis, killing one police student, local CNN Turks reported.

The PKK members staged the attack against the police school from a mountainous area, 12 km to the central city of Bitlis at 09: 10 local time (0610 GMT), the report said, adding that the wounded were taken to a hospital for medical treatment.

Late Tuesday, a rocket fired by PKK members targeting a police vocational school in the province of Siirt in southeastern Turkey fell on a vehicle heading for a wedding ceremony, leaving four people dead, including two women, and two others wounded.

Three people were killed Tuesday and 34 others were injured in an explosion probably staged by PKK in the Turkish capital of Ankara, a statement issued by Ankara Governor's Office said.

The PKK has recently intensified its attacks on Turkish troops and Turkish officials who have vowed to reciprocate with absolute determination.

Listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States and the European Union, the PKK took up arms in 1984 to create an ethnic homeland in southeastern Turkey. More than 40,000 people have been killed in conflicts involving the PKK during the past over two decades.

NEW DELHI, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- Thirty-five tourists, including two from Norway, were airlifted on Wednesday by the Indian Army from Lachung village, one of the worst-hit quake areas in Sikkim, reported the Press Trust of India.

Also airlifted were 16 people injured in the quake, the news service quoted army sources as saying.

The tourists, some of whom were wounded, were all in a state of shock, said the report.

The death toll from Sunday's killer earthquake in Sikkim now stood at 78, with 60 in Sikkim, according to official figures.

But the toll is expected to increase as dozens of workers were reportedly missing at a dam project in northern Sikkim, according to local media reports.

SEOUL, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- The Cheongju International Craft Biennale, the largest fine craft-based biennale in the world, raised its curtains on Wednesday, with the participation of over 3, 000 artists from 65 countries.

Under the subtitle "not just new, but necessary,"this year's biennale, which runs from Sept. 21 to Oct. 30, aims to explore the value of craft and the way it functions in today's context.

Since its debut in 1999, the biennale has been working toward promoting the host city, Cheongju, as the world's craft design industry center.

"This biennale will raise the value of life through combining and blending related genres such as design and fashion, as well as elevating the status of Cheongju as a high-class, cultural city," said the Mayor of Cheongju, Han Bum-duk, in his opening address.

The main exhibition of the biennale focuses on the essential quality and sustainability of craft by displaying 87 works including stained glass, wallpaper, tapestries, chairs and lamps.

The city expects the biennale to draw about 400,000 visitors this year.