Taiwan stocks rally

A boost for Taiwan stocks on Monday as investors took cheer that a newly elected president will boost trade ties with mainland china.

Taipei's main TAIEX jumped 4 percent, at one (point) staging its biggest one day rally in more than 7 years.

Stock investor Chen Chih-yuan:

(SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin with English translation) STOCK INVESTOR CHEN CHIH-YUAN SAYING:

"Basically, various aspects of Taiwan's economy are now doing well. With a new direction from our next leadership, the opening up to Taiwan to the world will definitely boost the stock market."

The landslide victory of KMT party candidate Ma Ying-jeou over the weekend, raised hopes that Taiwan's sagging economy will receive a fresh boost.

China Airlines was among the top performers. Investors hoping Ma will fulfill a campaign pledge to start direct flights to mainland China.

Manufacturers such as chip maker TSMC also stand to benefit from better Taiwan-mainland ties. While firms already have some business in the mainland, there have been investment limitations.

Kevin Lin of Marbo Mutual fund.

(SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin with English translation) VICE-PRESIDENT OF MARBO MUTUAL FUND, KEVIN LIN, SAYING:

"We feel that in the short term the stock market will be affected and grow in strength. The main reason is that we have now a new leadership that is adopting a gentler approach towards cross-strait ties. So, this will definitely help to improve our ties with mainland China."

A new (president)(presidency) has certainly injected (confidence)(excitement) into the market here. But over the longer worries about the strength of the global economy with manufacturers and exporters a key (part) of the domestic economy.

Tara Joseph-Hui, Reuters, Taipei

landslide - an overwhelming electoral victory; "Roosevelt defeated Hoover in a landslide"

sagging - hanging down (as from exhaustion or weakness)
sag

v. sagged, sag·ging, sags

v.intr.

1. To sink, droop, or settle from pressure or weight.

2. To lose vigor, firmness, or resilience: My spirits sagged after I had been rejected for the job.

3. To decline, as in value or price: Stock prices sagged after a short rally.

World's most expensive violin

In one of the oldest buildings in Moscow, a gathering of Russia's arts and political elite.

For this recital it's not a case of what's being played or who is playing it, but the value of the instrument producing the sound.

Carefully kept beneath this red cloth is the world's most expensive violin, worth $3.9 million U.S. dollars.

The instrument was recently bought at auction by Russian businessman Maxim Viktorov.

He owns an extensive collection of the instruments, and says they're more than just show items.

SOUNDBITE: Maxim Viktorov, Russian businessman and owner of the Giuseppe Guarneri violin saying (Russian):

"I have a certain number of instruments which I often give to violinists even for permanent use. I usually give them to talented musicians who need a good instrument to perform."

The violin was made in 1741 by master violin maker Giuseppe Guarneri.

For its first public performance in more than 70 years, the instrument was entrusted to Pinchas Zukerman.

SOUNDBITE: Israeli violinist and conductor Pinchas Zukerman saying (English):

"Maxim has a vision. He has a vision to bring back the standard and the quality that Russia had many years ago. (This is his way of expressing his gratitude to being Russian, to bringing back to young people, to show the young people what standard is, what good instruments are and I congratulate him for that.)"

This performance was viewed by the violin's owner as a test.

There are now likely to be more performances, to larger audiences.

Andrew Potter, Reuters

gath·er·ing n.

1.a. The action of one that gathers.

b. That which is gathered or amassed; a collection or accumulation.

2. An assembly of persons; a meeting.

3. The collecting of food that grows wild, such as berries, roots, and grains.

be·neath adv.

1. In a lower place; below.

2. Underneath.

prep.

1.a. Lower than; below: a drawer beneath a cabinet.

b. To or into a lower position than: moved the picture beneath the light.

2. Covered or concealed by: The earth lay beneath a blanket of snow.

3. Under the force, control, or influence of.

4.a. Lower than, as in rank or station.
b. Unworthy of; unbefitting: It was beneath me to beg.

en·trust tr.v. en·trust·ed, en·trust·ing, en·trusts

1. To give over (something) to another for care, protection, or performance: "He still has the aura of the priest to whom you would entrust your darkest secrets" James Carroll.

2. To give as a trust to (someone): entrusted his aides with the task. See Synonyms at commit.

Iraq: Five years later

Five years on the fight is still raging in Iraq - but this response is a charm offensive.

This is British troops just north of their base at Basra Airport still trying to win hearts and minds.

Britain has been accused of abandoning Iraq's second city after sustained attacks last year - but a meeting with a tribal elder gives the RAF Regiment's Flight Lieutenant Jules Weekes a chance to re-engage.

The project is boosting the local economy, providing badly needed jobs and a glimmer of hope for Iraq's young.

SOUNDBITE: Mohammed, builder saying (Arabic):

"Projects like this are really important because the children will be able to go to school and give them a better future and we're very happy about it."

Engaging with what the military calls 'key leaders,' or influential locals, can produce dividends in more ways than one.

SOUNDBITE: Flight Lieutenant Jules Weekes, RAF Regiment saying (English):

"They are generally happy to see us. They are asking obviously for more ways in which we can help them and their communities and then in addition to that we ask them what their security situation is like and whether they have had any interaction with militant or Islamic groups."

As President Bush marked the fifth anniversary of the war with a swagger, a British military spokesman was more reserved.

Major Tom Holloway said even if troops were still in Basra in another five years, it would not amount to failure.

SOUNDBITE: Major Tom Holloway, British military spokesman Basra saying (English):

"If we are here in another five years our posture will be entirely different I mean you just have to look at campaigns in the Balkans where our posture throughout our Balkan operations changed from one end to the other. In Northern Ireland the same detail. So, military operations are constantly under review to match the situations on the ground."

The trouble is here Saddam Hussein may be gone but little else has changed.

These people are Marsh Arabs. They survived on the reservoirs and marshes that provided their livelihoods and their water. Saddam Hussein decided to blow up the dams which retained that water and destroyed not only the community but their livelihoods too. International money paying for the construction of the school behind me but there are 700 people in this village and they still don't have a clean water supply.

Five years to the day after invading Iraq, Coalition forces still have a fight on their hands - battling grinding poverty as well as a bloody insurgency - and a lack of basic needs.

Stuart McDill, Reuters, Basra.

raging - characterized by violent and forceful activity or movement; very intense;
sus·tain tr.v. sus·tained, sus·tain·ing, sus·tains - to keep in existence; maintain.

glim·mer n. a dim or intermittent flicker or flash of light.
swag·ger v. swag·gered, swag·ger·ing, swag·gers

v.intr. To walk or conduct oneself with an insolent or arrogant air; strut.
live·li·hood n. Means of support; subsistence.
grindv. ground (ground), grind·ing, grinds

v.tr. to crush, pulverize, or reduce to powder by friction, especially by rubbing between two hard surfaces: grind wheat into flour.

Tabloids make unprecedented apology

The mystery of Madeleine McCann's disappearance is back on the front pages of British newspapers.

But this is no ordinary story - the Daily Express and Daily Star are carrying unprecedented front page apologies to Madeleine's parents.

Kate and Gerry took legal action after numerous defamatory articles.

Their lawyer told the court they contained suggestions that they killed Madeleine, were involved in wife-swapping and sold their daughter to pay off their debts.

The newspapers admitted the allegations - the family's spokesman gave this reaction.

SOUNDBITE (English) CLARENCE MITCHELL, SPOKESMAN FOR GERRY AND KATE MCCANN, SAYING:

"We are pleased that Express Newspapers have today admitted the utter falsity of the numerous grotesque and grossly defamatory allegations that their titles published about us on a sustained basis over many months."

Express Newspapers - which published both tabloids - said it "regretted publishing these extremely serious, yet baseless allegations,"

It agreed to pay 550, 000 pounds in damages, that's 1.1 million dollars, to the Find Madeleine Fund.

SOUNDBITE (English) CLARENCE MITCHELL, SPOKESMAN FOR GERRY AND KATE MCCANN, SAYING:

"Express Newspapers, rightly acknowledge that we are innocent of all allegations that we may have been involved in Madeleine's abduction and we would like to reiterate that there is absolutely no evidence that Madeleine is dead or has been seriously harmed."

Madeleine McCann went missing during a family holiday in the Algarve last May.

The three-year-old's disappearance sparked a massive international search.

The McCanns believe she was abducted from a holiday apartment while they dined with friends nearby.

But despite a string of reported possible sightings she's never been found.


SOUNDBITE (English) CLARENCE MITCHELL, SPOKESMAN FOR GERRY AND KATE MCCANN, SAYING:

"We embarked on this course of action reluctantly, indeed with a heavy heart, as we did not wish the pursuit of it to become a distraction from our sole aim - finding Madeleine."

The McCanns remain official suspects in the case.

But they hope that status will soon be lifted - until she's found they say the search for Madeleine never will.

Sonia Legg, Reuters.

ut·ter tr.v. ut·tered, ut·ter·ing, ut·ters

1. To send forth with the voice: uttered a cry.

2. To articulate (words); pronounce or speak. See Synonyms at vent¹.

3. Law To put (counterfeit money, for example) into circulation.

4. To publish (a book, for example).

sus·tain tr.v. sus·tained, sus·tain·ing, sus·tains - to keep in existence; maintain.
re·gret v. re·gret·ted, re·gret·ting, re·grets

v.tr.

1. To feel sorry, disappointed, or distressed about.

2. To remember with a feeling of loss or sorrow; mourn.

v.intr. To feel regret.

n.

1. A sense of loss and longing for someone or something gone.

2. A feeling of disappointment or distress about something that one wishes could be different.
ab·duct tr.v. ab·duct·ed, ab·duct·ing, ab·ducts - to carry off by force; kidnap.

spark v. sparked, spark·ing, sparks

v.intr.

1. To give off sparks.

2. To give an enthusiastic response.

3. To operate correctly. Used of the ignition system of an internal-combustion engine.

v.tr.

1. To set in motion; activate: The incident sparked a controversy.

2. To rouse to action; spur: A cheering crowd sparked the runner to triumph.
pur·suit n.

1. The act or an instance of chasing or pursuing.

2. The act of striving: the pursuit of higher education.

3. An activity, such as a vocation or hobby, engaged in regularly.

sole adj.

1. Being the only one: the sole survivor of the crash.

2. Of or relating to only one individual or group; exclusive: The court has the sole right to decide.

3. Law Single; unmarried.

Israel taps into water business

With two-thirds of their country desert, Israelis appreciate the preciousness of water.

Unsurprisingly, perhaps, Israel has now emerged as a world leader in water recycling and water-saving technolgy.

The government says that 75 percent of waste water in Israel is reused.

And continued innovation could see that figure rise further thanks to companies like Aqwise.

It's developed a waste water recycling system which uses millions of small, specially designed plastic nuggets.

They provide an ideal environment to breed bacteria, breaking down harmful organic waste in treatment plants.

Yigal Master is from Aqwise.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) YIGAL MASTER, SENIOR RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT ENGINEER AT AQWISE, SAYING:

"These plastic things - they have a very high surface area, upon which the bacteria can grow and multiply. And the addition of these plastic carriers into an existing waste water treatment plant significantly increases the treatment facility of the plant."

And while companies like Aqwise harness the natural processes of bacteria, others are employing the natural power of light.

Based outside Jerusalem, the company Atlantium creates ultra-violet light technology which it says effectively and economically disinfects water.

Uri Levy is one of the company's scientists.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) URI LEVY, ATLANTIUM VICE-PRESIDENT OF PHYSICS AND ELECTRO-OPTICS, SAYING:

"Counter to other disinfection techniques like using ozone or using chlorine, this is very clean because it's basically using light - light that after being absorbed by the microbes leaves no byproducts."

The importance of water is engraved in Israel's 60-year history.

The country's first prime minister, David Ben-Gurion, declared that the state's future depended on "making the desert bloom".

His call has been well and truly heeded, so much so that annual revenues from Israel's water industry have hit one billion dollars.

But it's not just Israel's economy which stands to benefit.

With water scarcity threatening impoverished communities globally, Israel's expertise could yet save lives as well as money.

Darcy Lambton, Reuters.

071213-europe
LISBON - Europe's leaders sign treaty

European Union leaders have signed the Treaty of Lisbon to reform the bloc's institutions and give it stronger leadership.

MOREINFO: At an elaborate signing ceremony at Lisbon's grandiose Jeronimos Monastery, leaders said the treaty would open a new chapter in E.U. history by giving it a more robust foreign policy and more democracy in decision making. But Britain's Prime Minister chose to sign the treaty separately, sparking debate about the country's semi-detached attitude to Europe.

SCRIPT:

One by one Europe's leaders take their turn to sign the Treaty of Lisbon.

The elaborate ceremony marks the end of a long and often difficult process.

The E.U. has been trying to reform its institutions for 10 years.

And members - including Germany - now hope it will have a more robust foreign policy and a more democratic decision making process.

(SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN CHANCELLOR ANGELA MERKEL SAYING:

"We are very happy to be here. I believe this is an important day for Europe, and we have to make sure that this treaty will be ratified everywhere. And I think that Europe will enter a new stage with this treaty."

There was a party atmosphere during the signing although there was one party pooper.

Britain's Prime Minister Gordon Brown had a prior engagement and had to sign the Treaty late and alone.

For some it was a symbolic attempt by Britain to remain semi-detached from Europe.

For others it was another political boo-boo by a leader who's struggling after a series of gaffes at home.

Britain's Foreign Minister was, of course, not dwelling on that.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) BRITISH FOREIGN MINISTER DAVID MILIBAND

"A day for Europe to look to the future."

The Treaty is a toned down version of the constitution.

It's been adapted to consider 12 new members - mostly ex-communist countries.

The Commission's President is confident it will make the E.U. more effective.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) PRESIDENT OF THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION JOSE MANUEL DURAO BARROSO SAYING:

"The treaty of Lisbon will reinforce the union's capacity to act and the ability to achieve those goals in an effective way. As such, it will help the union to deliver better results to European citizens in an even more open and transparent way"

The Treaty will now have to be ratified by every member country.

Leaders will be hoping to avoid the 2005 "No" vote in France and the Netherlands.

This time only Ireland is planning a referendum, reducing the risk of an upset.

Sonia Legg, Reuters.

spark – activate
party pooper - a person who refuses to join in the fun of a party
engagement - appointment, date

boo-boo - an embarrassing mistake
struggle - to progress with difficulty: struggled through the novel
dwelling - a place to live in; an abode
upset - A disturbance, disorder, or state of agitation.

071203-germany

GERMANY - How green is Germany?

According to some scientists, climate change is one of the biggest problems mankind is facing.

MOREINFO: U.N. climate change talks in Bali in Indonesia are currently grappling with those issues, while a G8 climate conference is also taking place in Germany at the same time. Germany may be the world's third largest industrial nation, with powerful industry and known for its fast cars, but it also has a reputation as a leader in the fight against climate change. So just how green is Germany? Joanna Partridge reports for Reuters

SCRIPT:

All eyes are on Bali as crucial talks on climate change led by the United Nations get underway.

But a G8 climate conference is also taking place in Germany - a country with many contradictory attitudes to protecting the environment.

Germany - Europe's largest economy - is the world's sixth biggest emitter of greenhouse gases, and builds some of the most powerful and most polluting cars on the roads.

Add to this a government commitment to phasing out its nuclear power plants - and it doesn't appear a very "green" country.

But Germany is often hailed as one of the world's leaders in the fight against climate change.

It certainly is at the forefront of renewable energy technology, producing half the world's solar power.

And Chancellor Angela Merkel - sometimes nicknamed the "Klimakanzlerin" or climate Chancellor by the German media - made it her mission at this year's G8 summit in Heiligendamm to get the other G8 countries to agree that emissions cuts were needed in the fight against global warming.

Opening the G8 climate conference, Germany's Foreign Minister explained G8 countries have to act, and not just because they have the technological know-how:

SOUNDBITE: Frank-Walter Steinmeier, German Foreign Minister, saying (German):

"Aside from the technological question, I am convinced that those of us who are sitting around this table, who are partially responsible for and are producers of emissions, are also obliged to use this tool."

But some green groups in Germany aren't convinced by the politicians' rhetoric.

One of their complaints is the government's unwillingness to introduce a speed limit on sections of German motorway where there isn't one.

Environmentalists argue that speed restrictions could cut CO2 output immediately.

And they also disagree with the Merkel government's move to more coal-burning plants as nuclear power is phased out.

They say that - like so many industrial countries - there's still room to do more. And they'll be watching to see what is decided here in Germany, and in Bali.

Joanna Partridge, Reuters

phase out

To bring or come to an end, one stage at a time.
hail - praise vociferously; "The critics hailed the young pianist as a new Rubinstein"

acclaim, herald

applaud - express approval of; "I applaud your efforts"