kueytoc

S.Korea seeks law to protect actresses from sexual advances AFP - Thursday, April 29 SEOUL (AFP) - – South Korea is to bring in legislation to protect actresses after a survey found 60 percent of them said they had been pressured to have sex to further their careers, an official said Wednesday. The law will lay down strict rules on the establishment of entertainment agencies, a culture ministry official told AFP, adding unregistered agencies would be shut down. "The government will enact a law, this year if possible, to protect their rights," he said on condition of anonymity. On Tuesday the National Human Rights Commission published a survey conducted last year of 111 actresses and 240 aspiring actresses. Some 60 percent reported receiving sexual advances from people who could influence their careers. Such offers from wealthy businessmen, television programme makers, movie producers and politicians come through colleagues, entertainment agency officials and brokers, the state rights body said. In answer to specific questions, 22 percent of those interviewed said they were "forced or requested" by their agents to provide sexual favours while more than six percent said they were sexually assaulted. The survey showed 45 percent were forced to drink with influential figures, while 32 percent said they had experienced unwanted physical contact or sexual harassment. More than half said they had been offered "sponsorship" -- a secret contract under which they receive financial support from rich men in exchange for having regular sexual relations. The report included an account from an unnamed actress in her mid-20s, who said she is still suffering from a nightmarish experience with the boss of her agency. The actress said she was dragged into a hotel after the boss allowed her to buy expensive clothes and accessories. "He told me that I should know more about men if I want to be successful in this community," she said. The commission said the survey was conducted to raise public awareness following the suicide of an actress last year. Jang Ja-Yeon killed herself after suggesting she had been forced to have sex with influential figures to promote her career.

Any pic to show the size ?

Wat about the circumference measurement of its ARC tail ?

...or still got lots of room to ADD.

It's ECO-LAMP !

Sneaky PICs !

Dun think too hard mate...juz go for IT...Speed Gonzales !!!

Ferguson looks to Liverpool to hold Chelsea back 2 hours 18 mins ago Alex Ferguson is relying on bitter rivals Liverpool to keep up their fighting spirit against Chelsea on Sunday, even though their own Premier League title hopes are over. Ferguson's Manchester United could profit if seventh-placed Liverpool beat league leaders Chelsea at Anfield, or hold them to a draw. "I am confident and I have to be confident that Liverpool will be trying," Ferguson, whose side are one point behind Chelsea with two games to play, told a news conference on Friday. "Great clubs don't throw their histories away, they don't throw their traditions away for one game. They have been in 10 European finals and won 18 titles and that is a fantastic history and you don't throw that away." The United manager hopes to have striker Wayne Rooney and defender Rio Ferdinand fit for the trip to Sunderland on Sunday. The duo have been struggling with groin injuries. Rooney, who also had an ankle problem, picked up a complaint in training last week while Ferdinand aggravated his groin against Blackburn Rovers earlier this month. "We expect Wayne to join us in training and possibly Rio Ferdinand as well," Ferguson said. "We will see how they do but we have a couple of days. "Wayne missed last week's game against Tottenham to allow the ankle to settle. We don't have any issues with that now. Hopefully he is okay," he added. "Groin injuries can be a problem at this time of year when the grounds start to get firm but hopefully if he comes through today it gives us something to think about on Sunday." Rooney has scored 34 goals in all competitions this season for United. (Reporting by Chris Brereton; Editing by Clare Fallon) Chelsea looking to Terry for inspiration 1 hour 38 mins ago Chelsea need talisman John Terry back for what could be a title-deciding clash at Liverpool on Sunday, coach Carlo Ancelotti said. Despite the Premier League leaders thrashing Stoke City 7-0 last weekend while their captain was suspended for being sent off in his side's 2-1 defeat at Tottenham, the Italian made clear that Terry would slot straight back in. With two games remaining, and Chelsea just a point ahead of Manchester United, Ancelotti shrugged off the pressure and said he had no qualms about changing a winning team against a Liverpool side chasing fourth place and the final Champions League qualifying slot. "If we win two games, we will be champions," he said matter-of-factly on Friday. "John Terry will play because we need to have his character and personality in this game. "All the players are fit and are able to play. It is difficult to change a team that played very well against Stoke but Terry needs to play." Liverpool went out of the Europa League to Atletico Madrid after extra time in their semi-final second leg at Anfield on Thursday night but Ancelotti batted aside any suggestion that they might be demoralised or tired. "We have to play against a strong team. We have to play against fantastic players and in a difficult atmosphere," he added. "I don't know if it's better for us to play against the Liverpool that lost a chance of the Europa League final. TOUGH WEEKEND "They played two hours yesterday, maybe they will be a little bit tired. But I know very well that at Anfield I never see Liverpool tired. They play strong 90 minutes every game and I think they will do the same on Sunday," said the coach. While Chelsea have a tough weekend ahead, their sole rivals travel to Sunderland who are managed by United's former captain Steve Bruce. Ancelotti, a title-winning coach with AC Milan in Italy, ruled out any suggestion of Sunderland in any way helping United. "I don't think about this," he declared. "I think Sunderland will do the best to beat Manchester United and the same Liverpool for us. Every team has respect of this Premier League and every team has to do the best until the end of the matches." Chelsea stumbled badly at White Hart Lane, allowing United back into the title race, but Ancelotti felt able to laugh at his own expense a week later. Asked how he would prepare his players for the Liverpool game, he replied with a smile: "I am going to say the opposite to what I said against Tottenham. "I think it is easy to give my players motivation for this kind of game," he added. "It's 180 minutes to the end of the season and I think that every minute will stay in focus...and we can be champions. "I am not worried now," he added. "I am happy. We had a good week here in Cobham without problems. I hope to be happy at the end of this season. I may be worried, but now I have a good feeling." (Editing by Justin Palmer)

New contract for Neville keeps old guard at United 3 hours 34 mins ago The third pillar of Manchester United's old guard, Gary Neville, has been given a one-year extension to his contract after battling back from a career-threatening injury. Manager Alex Ferguson had already rewarded the veteran pairing of 35-year-old Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs, 36, new 12-month contracts this season. "We have agreed a contract with Gary Neville for another year and it is something we have been working on for a couple of weeks," Ferguson told reporters on Friday. "We are delighted with that and we think he deserves it for his contribution at the club. He has been fantastic. "You can keep a player with experience and not play him of course, but I don't think Gary would enjoy that. I don't think any of the three would enjoy that." Scholes, Giggs and 35-year-old Neville will go down in United folklore with an astonishing 2,074 appearances between them. Club captain Neville has made 597 appearances for United since his debut in 1992. It looked over for Neville in March 2007 when he suffered a serious ankle ligament injury and was out of action for almost 18 months but he has played 27 games this season and been mentioned as a potential member of England's World Cup squad. "The amazing thing about Gary is that he has come back from a serious injury in his thirties," Ferguson said. "To get to the level he is playing at today is astonishing. The man is doing it because of his determination and drive within himself not to give in. "He is getting the rewards for that and his performance levels recently have been outstanding." Reporting by Chris Brereton. Editing by Alison Wildey

Sad to hear ya decom plan...but do RETURN with a BIG BANG !!! ★♥｡◕‿◕｡♥★ And dun forget ya RHOM-RHOM before U GO-GO !

How's the coloration of the Goniastrea Favulus ?

How to 'tompang' U when U are away ??? Heh Heh

Dun forget to 'Wake Moi Up Before U Go Go'...hee hee

Ok will do but male Watanabei may not want to co-habit with ya 'Ah Kua' female. Heh Heh

Thai protester climbs out hotel to evade capture By TASANEE VEJPONGSA, Associated Press Writer – 16 mins ago BANGKOK – Thailand's political crisis took a surreal twist Friday when an anti-government protest leader climbed down a hotel facade with a rope to evade arrest and drove off with two police officers taken hostage by his supporters. Arisman Pongruangrong's escapade was the latest embarrassment for the government, which less than 30 minutes earlier had announced on national television that security forces were surrounding the hotel to arrest Arisman and other leaders holed up inside. Authorities have tried without success to end a monthlong sit-in by tens of thousands of "Red Shirt" protesters in some of Bangkok's most popular shopping and tourist districts. At least 24 people were killed last week when troops tried to clear one group of protesters. Friday's failed crackdown signaled the government was willing to risk another confrontation with the Red Shirts, who are campaigning to oust Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, dissolve Parliament and hold new elections. But it only served to anger the Red Shirts, who immediately declared a "war" on the government. "From now on our mission is to hunt down Abhisit ... This is a war between the government and the Red Shirts," Arisman, a charismatic pop singer-turned-activist, told supporters after his escape. Arisman is seen as a radical Red Shirt leader who has incited violence. He is wanted by police for leading an invasion of the Parliament building by hundreds of supporters on April 7 that forced lawmakers to climb a back wall to escape. VIPs were evacuated by helicopter. He had also led the storming of a Southeast Asian summit last year in the beach resort of Pattaya that forced the conference to be canceled. On Friday, with a rope looped around his waist, a visibly nervous Arisman slid down from a third-story ledge of the hotel into a waiting crowd of cheering Red Shirt supporters who led him to a getaway car. Arisman then returned and clambered on top of a van to give a short speech, to announce that the Red Shirts had seized two police officers — a colonel and a major general — as hostages to ensure his safety. "I would like to thank all of the people who saved me — you have helped save democracy," said Arisman, a one-time crooner of love songs and a Thai heartthrob. A second Red Shirt leader was seen climbing out of a hotel window and down a tree. It was not immediately clear if he escaped. Thousands of Red Shirts, mostly rural poor, have congregated in Bangkok since March 12. They occupied two areas, one of which troops tried to clear on Saturday, leading to clashes that left 24 people dead and more than 800 injured in the worst political violence in nearly two decades. The Red Shirts withdrew from that area Thursday and consolidated their forces at their second encampment in Rajprasong, the main shopping and hotel district of Bangkok. A convoy of Red Shirt protesters escorted Arisman to Rajprasong from the hotel. Earlier Friday, Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban announced on national television that a crackdown was being launched on the Red Shirts. He accused "terrorist elements" of infiltrating the Red Shirt organization to orchestrate Saturday's violence. "The terrorists within the demonstrators used war weapons," Suthep said in a television message. "I would like to ask innocent protesters to leave the demonstration area, in order to avoid being used as human shields," Suthep said. "The government from now on would like to carry out decisive legal measures against the Red Shirt leaders." Associated Press writer Kinan Suchaovanich, Jocelyn Gecker and Vijay Joshi contributed to this report.

Private home sales rise 47% on—month in March to 1,761 units Channel NewsAsia - Friday, April 16 SINGAPORE: Private home sales kept up their momentum in March, with 1,761 units changing hands, according to figures from the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA). This was up 47 per cent on—month and also the fourth highest monthly sales recorded since the start of URA’s monthly series in June 2007. Analysts said demand for new homes remains strong, despite more government measures to cool the market in February. The prime and outlying areas showed the highest level of market activities. New homes in the prime districts accounted for 720 units of total sales. Projects in the outlying areas accounted for 776 units transacted, while city fringe areas accounted for 265 units sold. The top two best selling developments were both in the suburbs. The Vision saw 236 units sold, while The Estuary had 212 units transacted. The third and fourth best sellers were 76 Shenton in the downtown area, which saw 202 units sold, and The Laurels, which moved 115 units. Of the top five best selling projects in March, only the Coralis was in the city fringe area. According to Colliers International, 44 per cent of sales in March were to HDB flat owners, up from 34 per cent in January and 33 per cent in February. Colliers said this may be due to HDB upgraders rushing to lock in their private property purchases for fear of being caught in a double whammy situation, where private property prices rise beyond their means and HDB resale flat prices fall after the government stepped in to curb speculative activity in the HDB resale flat market in early March. Going ahead, analysts said the sales volume and prices in the residential market are expected to continue to expand, fuelled by the expected growth in the regional economies and investment confidence. The expected gradual appreciation of the Singapore dollar may also result in higher demand for Singapore assets by foreign investors which would include real estate here. Ngee Ann Polytechnic real estate lecturer Nicholas Mak said in the absence of any market shock such as the introduction of a property capital gains tax, the number of private homes sold by developers could reach 13,000 to 15,000 units in 2010. He also expects the robust buying demand of private suburban homes to lead to more land sales by the government. He said that in the short term, such land sales would sustain the market activities and even contribute to the growth in property prices. Colliers expects the improved economic environment to give property market sentiment and confidence a further boost. It expects April’s launch and sales volume to stay robust at above the 1,000—unit level, but it said price—resistance — particularly at the mass—market level — may moderate sales from the strong performance in March. Colliers also expects the strong buying momentum to continue at least into the second quarter. CNA/vm

SNEF urges cautious approach to restoring CPF rate Channel NewsAsia - 2 hours 59 minutes ago SINGAPORE: The Singapore National Employers Federation (SNEF) has urged the government to take a cautious approach in responding to the labour movement’s call to restore the employers’ portion of the CPF contributions. Responding to the calls made by NTUC Secretary General Lim Swee Say on Thursday, SNEF President Stephen Lee said in a statement that any restoration of the employer CPF contribution rate should be done gradually to ensure that business recovery at the company level is not derailed. He added that an increase in the employer CPF contribution rate would raise the total wage costs and also impact the basic wage adjustment this year as employers would take the increase into account. And he hopes there is adequate lead time to any restoration so that employers can make the necessary adjustments. Mr Lee expressed concern that there were still some downside risks to a sustained economic recovery. Any increase in the employer CPF contribution rate would add to fixed wage costs and affect all companies regardless of their state of recovery. And this Mr Lee added, could hurt Singapore’s competitiveness. The SNEF said that going forward, raising productivity to mitigate higher business costs would be crucial. The current total contribution rate is 34.5 percent in which employers contribute 14.5 percent towards CPF while employees have to contribute the remaining 20 percent. The long term CPF rate target is 36 percent. CNA/fa

Exceptionally strong growth ahead for Singapore, and stronger dollar Channel NewsAsia - Wednesday, April 14 Singapore: Exceptionally strong growth was seen in the first quarter of 2010 and the Trade and Industry Ministry (MTI) says it now expects Singapore’s economy to grow by 7.0 to 9.0% during the current year. The revision upwards from an earlier 4.5—6.5% GDP growth is in view of the "exceptionally strong growth for the Singapore economy" in the first quarter and the overall improved outlook for external economies for the rest of 2010, MTI said in its news release on Wednesday. In view of the rebound of the Singapore economy and expected firm recovery with a more favourable global economic outlook the MAS will re—centre the exchange rate policy band for the Singapore dollar at the prevailing level and shift the policy band from zero percent appreciation to a modest and gradual appreciation. The decision to allow for a stronger dollar was influenced by the tightening of the labour market with the seasonally adjusted resident unemployment rate falling from 5% in September 2009 to around its pre—crisis rate of 3% in December, and an expected pick—up of wages this year. Overall, Singapore should see inflation in 2010 at between 2.5% and 3.5%, which is slightly higher than the 2—3% forecast earlier. Experts say the move to move by MAS indicates that the view that domestic inflation is the concern now that economic growth has settled in.

About 1,970 new housing units to be added to market from 4 sites Channel NewsAsia - Wednesday, April 14 SINGAPORE: More new housing units will be added to the market to give buyers more choices. The Housing and Development Board (HDB) will put on sale on Wednesday two residential sites in Sembawang and Sengkang. It also put two other sites in Punggol and Yishun on the reserve list for public tender early next month. They are expected to yield about 1,970 dwelling units. About 60 per cent or about 1,215 are Executive Condominium (EC) units. Market watchers told Channel NewsAsia that this supply of ECs will give the "sandwiched" class more room to choose. Situated at Sembawang Road/Canberra Drive), the land parcel in Sembawang sits in an established private residential area. It’s near Sembawang MRT Station and the bus interchange. It’s also close to neighbourhood shopping malls and schools such as the Singapore Sports School and Republic Polytechnic. The site can be developed for landed housing, condominiums or flats, and can yield about 290 units. The tender for this site will close on June 8. The land parcel in Sengkang (Sengkang East Avenue/Buangkok Drive), near Punggol Park, is accessible by LRT and two expressways. The HDB has proposed about 465 EC units. New EC units are sold with initial eligibility and ownership restrictions similar to public housing and will be fully converted to private housing after 10 years. The minimum offer price for this site is S$103,800,000. The tender for this site will close on 25 May. Next month, two more sites will be up for public tender at Punggol for ECs and in Yishun for condominiums. The lease term for these sites is 99 years. The HDB said the total potential supply quantum of 10,550 units from the Confirmed List and Reserve List for the first half of the 2010 Government Land Sales Programme is the highest in the history of the programme. Besides the GLS programme, there is also supply from projects in the pipeline, which have been initiated earlier, both from the government and private land sources. As at the fourth quarter of 2009, there were about 60,500 private residential units in the pipeline which would be completed over the next few years. Of these 60,500 private residential units, there was also an inventory of about 34,200 private housing units which have not been sold yet, and can be made available for sale within the year if the developers choose to do so. The HDB said the potential supply of land together with the supply from projects in the pipeline will be more than sufficient to meet the demand for private housing. The government will continue to monitor the market and ensure that there’s sufficient supply. If necessary, more supply can be injected via the second half of the 2010 GLS Programme. Chief executive officer of PropNex, Mohd Ismail, said those who have been feeling the squeeze will find some relief from the new supply of Exceutive Condominiums. "There’s been a fair bit of concern about this ’sandwiched class’ not being able to afford private property because of the increasing prices of the private property as well as rising prices of the HDB resale market. As such, the ECs will come in very handy," he said. Ngee Ann Polytechnic real estate lecturer, Nicholas Mak, said interest from developers will be high. He expects more than 10 bids for each site. "Some of these sites are actually in established residential areas, and one or two or them are even fairly near to MRT lines or LRT lines," he said. Mr Mak added that pricing for ECs typically ranges from S$250 to S$320 per square foot. New ECs are usually about 25 per cent lower than new private condos. CNA/vm

Oil price surge threatens economic recovery: IEA AFP - Wednesday, April 14 PARIS (AFP) - Rising oil prices threaten to crimp recovery in the world's leading economies, the International Energy Agency warned on Tuesday saying that unexpectedly strong activity could overheat the market. Higher prices and tighter lending conditions "could stall OECD economic recovery" the IEA said, referring to the 30 advanced economies of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development. But the IEA also said that the outlook for supplies of oil was improving. Oil prices fell during trading in London after the publication of the IEA's monthly oil market report, with New York's main contract, light sweet crude for delivery in May, dropping 41 cents to 83.93 dollars a barrel. Brent North Sea crude for May slid three cents to 84.74 dollars. The IEA said there were "questions over the sustainability of prices markedly higher" than the 70-80 dollars a barrel level. "Ultimately, things might turn messy for producers if 80-100 dollars a barrel is merely seen as the new 60-80 dollar a barrel," it added. The OECD, based in Paris, includes Britain, France, Germany, Japan and the United States, and the IEA is its oil monitoring branch. The IEA said current higher prices could be "sustained, raising anew concerns about the impact on the global economy. "Underlying concerns, in some quarters, that oil markets are overheated remain, setting the stage for a sudden reversal of fortune," it said. "For sure, a recovery in oil demand is moving apace," the IEA said putting the increase in the first quarter of this year at 1.8 mbd on a 12-month comparison. "So too, however, is global supply, up almost 2.0 mbd." The IEA said oil demand would be 30,000 barrels per day higher and total 86.6 million barrels per day (mbd) this year owing to unexpectedly strong economic activity in the United States, Asia and the Middle East. But it reported preliminary data showing that oil product demand in Europe shrank by 3.4 percent in February on a 12-month comparison. The data cast doubt "on the sustainability of Europe's petrochemical-led, manufacturing-based, export-oriented economic recovery," it said. "In addition, the thorny and unsettled issue regarding Greece's potential rescue from default and eventual contagion to other southern European countries has introduced a further element of economic uncertainty," it added. The IEA also noted a boost to the global refining industry which has been in the doldrums for two years and raised its forecast for oil supply from countries such as Canada and Russia that do not belong to the OPEC oil cartel. Non-OPEC output was revised up by 220,000 barrels per day to 52.0 mbd for 2010 "reaffirming a more optimistic supply outlook amid elevated price levels." The IEA said that global refining supplies rose in the first quarter of 2010 for the first time since 2008, indicating economic recovery. It estimated refinery throughput at 72.5 mbd for the first quarter, 800,000 barrels a day higher than the first quarter of 2009. This is the first annualised increase since the second quarter of 2008. "While China, India and Russia all posted record highs in February, European throughputs fell to their lowest level in 17 years," the IEA said. The organisation said it expected global refinery throughput to rise to 72.9 mbd in the second quarter "as global oil product demand growth gathers pace." Chinese demand, including refinery output and net oil product imports, rose by 19.9 percent in February on a 12-month comparison, the IEA said. Andrey Kryuchenkov, an analyst at Russian bank VTB Capital, said refineries were "dramatically increasing their crude throughput." Refineries are "returning from shutdowns and in anticipation of strong domestic fuel demand amid increasing industrial and farming activity," he said.

Thai protesters vow "final battleground" Reuters - 31 minutes ago By Nopporn Wong-Annan and David Chance BANGKOK - Thailand's anti-government protesters said Wednesday they would all congregate at a single site in a ritzy Bangkok shopping district, preparing for a "final battleground" with the authorities. The decision came after the death toll from Thailand's bloodiest political violence since 1992 rose by two -- a protester and a soldier -- to 23, according to medical authorities, and as the prospect of further violence looked set to clip growth in Southeast Asia's second-largest economy. "We will use the Rachaprasong areas as the final battleground to oust the government," protest leader Nattawut Saikua told reporters Wednesday. "There will be no more negotiations, no more talks." That means the "red shirts," who want Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to step down immediately ahead of new elections, will now consolidate their forces in the heart of the capital, rather than being spread out in two places. Bangkok was peaceful Wednesday during the second day of the country's three-day new year holiday as protesters called off a planned a march on an army base that Abhisit has taken shelter during the month-long campaign to topple his government. Tens of thousands of revellers took to the streets of Bangkok Tuesday night for the Songkran holiday, dousing each other with water and flour in traditional celebrations. However, tensions could flare again when the holiday ends and financial markets are likely to see renewed selling when they reopen Friday as the protests ramp up again, although the red shirts said they will decide their plans Thursday. Abhisit, who most political analysts had predicted would ride out the storm, appears more vulnerable now after the surprise announcement this week of an investigation into possible corrupt funding of his party and comments from the army chief that only polls could end a crisis that has gripped Thailand since 2006. Abhisit has said he could dissolve parliament by the end of the year, although his hand could be forced by a recommendation this week from the Election Commission that his Democrat Party should face charges of illegal funding. If the charges are upheld, Abhisit, who came to power in 2008 when the army brokered a deal in parliament, could be banned from holding office and Thailand's oldest political party could be dissolved. Any prosecution could take months, however. HIT TO BANGKOK ECONOMY The tense confrontation in the capital, which shows few signs of ending soon, could dampen economic growth as tourists stay away and as the prospect of further violence hits consumer confidence, economists say. Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thuagsuban ordered police to hunt for "terrorists" the government blames for the killings in Bangkok's old quarter Saturday. Even as Bangkok and the country partied Tuesday, the economic impact of the clashes that also injured more than 800 has already started to show with charter flights cancelled. Without an immediate resolution, Thailand's tourism industry, which accounts for 6 percent of gross domestic product and directly employs 1.8 million people, could be hit further. Investment bank Morgan Stanley calculates that economic growth this year could be reduced by 0.2 percentage points due to the impact on tourism. "However, the impact on Thai GDP will lie more in the effect on Bangkok: we estimate that the slowdown in Bangkok's GDP could take 0.1 percentage points to 0.6 percentage points off Thai GDP growth," economist Deyi Tan said in a research report. The unexpected violence at the weekend has prompted investors to desert Thailand. The stock market fell by over 3 percent Monday and credit ratings agencies have warned the economy could be damaged.

Maybe can find exotic corals & rare wrasseys ! Tiny Tokelau declares 11th Pacific whale sanctuary By RAY LILLEY, Associated Press Writer - 39 minutes ago WELLINGTON, New Zealand – The three-island territory of Tokelau declared itself a whale sanctuary Wednesday, adding a huge patch of sea to the total protected area of more than 7 million square miles that is off limits to hunting in the Pacific Ocean. The isolated group of coral atolls with a land area of just 5 square miles (12 square kilometers) has outlawed whaling in its 116,000-square-mile (290,000-square-kilometer) exclusive economic ocean zone, spokesman Foua Toloa said. Sanctuaries have only moral force, but are seen by supporters as helping support the recovery of decimated whale populations like the humpback and southern right whale. Toloa made the announcement at a conservation meeting in New Zealand that condemned continued whale-hunting by countries such as Japan. "Whales don't recognize national boundaries, and Tokelau would be remiss if we failed to support our Pacific island neighbors in the quest to help recovery of the whales in our region," Toloa said. About 1,500 people live in Tokelau, a U.N. protectorate that remains a colony of New Zealand and lies about 300 miles (500 kilometers) north of Samoa. Tokelau's new whale sanctuary takes the number of protected areas in the Pacific to 11, and together they cover some 7.2 million square miles (18 million square kilometers). The territory's declaration came as whale researchers and conservationists began a meeting of the South Pacific Whale Research Consortium in New Zealand. The grouping was formed by independent scientists to investigate the status of humpback and other whale species in the region. The group noted that despite a global moratorium on commercial whaling being in force since 1986 and an international whale sanctuary established in 1994 in the oceans around Antarctica, more than 3,000 whales are hunted and killed for their meat each year. Japan alone kills hundreds of whales each year in Antarctic waters. Consortium member, Scott Baker, associate director of the Marine Mammal Institute at Oregon State University, said whale sanctuaries send "very strong messages to the global community and particularly to the whaling nations ... that they are in a minority." The sanctuaries also help endangered whale populations return to their pre-exploitation numbers, he said. Sue Taei, co-chairwoman of the research group, said Tokelau was joining other Pacific nations in calling on whalers to respect sanctuaries, including the southern oceans' sanctuary where Japan hunts each year. Baker said Japan was breaking two agreements by hunting whales in the southern oceans _ contravening both the 1994 agreement to set up the sanctuary and the 1986 majority vote in the International Whaling Commission setting up the moratorium on commercial whaling. Japan classes its annual hunt _ mostly of nonendangered minke whales _ as scientific whaling within the commission's rules, but opponents regard it as illegal commercial whaling under the guise of science. The 11 Pacific nations and territories that have established whale sanctuaries within their ocean economic zones are: Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, French Polynesia, New Caledonia, Niue, Papa New Guinea, Samoa, Tokelau, American Samoa and Vanuatu. Two nations, New Zealand and Tonga, and two territories, Guam and the Northern Marianas, have passed laws banning the taking of whales from their economic zones but have not declared sanctuary areas.

Thai protesters to consolidate forces in Bangkok By DENIS D. GRAY, Associated Press Writer - 24 minutes ago BANGKOK – Anti-government protesters said they will consolidate their forces in the commercial heart of the Thai capital after canceling a march Wednesday on a military camp where the prime minister has sheltered during their month-old campaign to oust him. A failed attempt by security forces to flush thousands of so-called "Red Shirt" protesters out of their Bangkok encampments over the weekend ended with bloody street battles leaving 21 killed and hundreds wounded in Thailand's worst political violence in nearly two decades. Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban said arrest warrants were out for "terrorists" linked to the Red Shirts who had fired assault rifles and grenade launchers during the savage, chaotic confrontation Saturday, the Thai-language newspaper Matichon said. He said some of them were working as guards at makeshift stages set up by the protesters and that the protest leaders knew of their "terrorist acts." Both sides blame each other for the killings, with the government insisting its troops only fired over the heads of demonstrators. Reporters saw and photographed weapons in the hands of some in the clashes who appeared to be on the side of the protesters. Nattawut Saikua, a protest leader, said that by Thursday the Red Shirts would move out of a historic quarter of Bangkok to a second encampment, which they have occupied since April 3 and which is lined with upscale shopping centers and five-star hotels. "We would be more efficient when it comes to organization, and have one center when it comes to mobilization," he said. The shopping malls have mostly remained shut and hotels have seen large numbers of guests check out, causing millions of dollars in losses. Another protest leader, Weng Tojirakarn, said Tuesday night that the group was sticking to its demand that Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva immediately dissolve Parliament and hold elections. But he canceled an earlier announced "offensive" against the army camp where Vejjajiva has been staying. Weng said the Red Shirts would decide what step to take next after the end Friday of a raucous three-day celebration of Thai New Year, or Songkran, which doused some of the tensions that have kept Bangkok on knife-edge since March 12. The Songkran festival, an annual ritual of dancing, heavy drinking and water fights, saw revelers flooding some streets on Tuesday, driving around in pickup trucks packed with barrels of water, splashing pedestrians, passengers on buses and motorcyclists. In the tourist hangout of Khao San road _ a bar and hotel-lined street where violence between protesters and soldiers spilled over on Saturday _ foreigners joined in the revelry, firing at each other with super-sized water guns. An elephant, under the guidance of a handler, sprayed people with water from its trunk. "This is such a great relief from politics," said Jetsada Pinyomongkol, brandishing a giant pink-and-yellow water gun. "I think many people get sick of it. Everywhere you turn to it's Red Shirt this, government that. It's great that we could put the differences aside for at least today." At loggerheads in the yearslong struggle for power in Thailand are the rural supporters of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra _ whose ouster in a 2006 coup exposed the country's deep political divisions _ and the traditional ruling elite represented by Abhisit and his allies. The Red Shirts claim Abhisit, whose supporters include business leaders, the military brass and members of the urban middle class, took power illegitimately. Denchai Thanuson, a protester, said he decided to stay in Bangkok to "fight for democracy" instead of celebrating Songkran in his village in an outlying province. As he spoke his children clambered atop military armored cars crippled in the clashes and shot off their water guns. A new feature of the holiday this year were red bowls for throwing water printed with the slogans, "Power to the People" and "Dissolve Parliament." The pendulum in the monthlong power struggle appeared to swing in the demonstrators' favor Monday when the Election Commission ordered the dissolution of the ruling Democrat Party for allegedly concealing campaign donations, and the powerful army chief threw his weight behind calls for new elections. The moves were initially expected to blunt the Red Shirt demonstrations but protest leaders dismissed them as just a ploy by the government to buy time: The Election Commission ruling still must be approved by a court, a potentially lengthy process. The body found the Democrat Party guilty of failing to disclose _ as required by law _ that it received 258 million baht ($8 million) from TPI Polene, a cement producer, in 2005. "This is a long legal process. It can be a ploy for Abhisit to buy time," Weng said. Associated Press writers Kinan Suchaovanich, Vijay Joshi and Grant Peck contributed to this report.

Malaysian gets flogging for acid attack on wife By SEAN YOONG, Associated Press Writer - Tuesday, April 13 KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia – A court sentenced a Malaysian man to six years in prison and ordered him to be flogged with a rattan cane after he splashed acid on his wife for refusing to have sex with him, an official said Tuesday. Supian Hani Ismail began serving the prison term Monday after a district court judge in eastern Pahang state issued the sentence, a court official said on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to make public statements. The unemployed 47-year-old had pleaded guilty to a charge of "causing grievous hurt" to his wife by splashing a bottle of acid on her after she rebuffed his demand for sex on the night of April 7 at their home, the official said. Supian will also receive two lashes of a thick rattan stick, which generally leaves lifelong scars. Supian's wife was recovering in a hospital after suffering burns on her face, hands and other parts of her body, the national news agency Bernama said.