BERLIN, May 10 (Xinhua) — German Chancellor Angela Merkel stood firm Thursday on the necessity of fiscal austerity, warning that any growth based on new debt would push Europe back to the mire of economic crisis.

The chancellor came under heavy pressure recently for her prescription to the prolonged eurozone debt crisis — tough budget cuts and fiscal discipline, as voters in France and Greece voiced resentment against such courses by choosing candidates and parties lashing austerity and urging refocus on growth.scotty cameron putter

“Growth through structural reforms is sensible, important and necessary.” Merkel told lawmakers in a speech in parliament. “Growth on credit would just push us back to the beginning of the crisis, and that is why we should not and will not do it.”

Merkel stressed that cutting debt and boosting growth were “two pillars” of the wayout to the crisis, and slashing deficit and regaining competitiveness “are not contradictory”, but belonging to each other.TaylorMade R11S Irons

However, Sunday’s victory of Francois Hollande, France’s President-elect, as well as the failure of pro-reform mainstream parties in Greek election, added a big weight to those who questioned Merkel’s solution and campaigned for rewriting the EU’s fiscal pact and putting growth at the center stage.TaylorMade R11s Driver

Merkel seemed unmoved by these callings, insisting that euro bonds and leveraging, measures advocated by Hollande and other European leader, are not “miracle cures” or “golden path” as they hailed and would be reckoned as unsustainable solutions.

Instead, “the European sovereign debt crisis will not be beaten overnight,” she said. “Beating the crisis is a long and arduous process that will only succeed if we start at the root of the crisis — the horrendous debts and a lack of competitiveness of some European nations.”TaylorMade R11 Driver

On Monday, Merkel said that renegotiating the fiscal pact, a key part of Hollande’s successful campaign, “simply won’t happen.”

These remarks highlighted the basic difference between conservative Merkel and socialist Holland, the two leaders of Europe’s most influential nations, days before their first-ever meeting.TaylorMade RocketBallz Driver

Hollande is expected to fly to Berlin and meet Merkel on May 15, hours after his swearing-in ceremony earlier that day.

COLOMBO, April 27 (Xinhua) — Six Sri Lankan fishermen who were rescued from six-month captivity by Somali pirates said Friday that it was a miracle for them to return alive.Wilson BLX Tennis Racquets

The fishermen set sail from Negombo, just outside Colombo in September last year and were kidnapped by the Somali pirates in October together with their vessel.

The pirates had demanded six million U.S. dollars in ransom to free the fishermen and threatened the fishermen with death.

“We could not ever imagine of paying such a big ransom as we are poor fishermen,” Mary Lucilda, wife of one of the fishermen told Xinhua.Babolat Aero Racquets

“We are so happy to see them and it was like a real miracle,” said Lucilda Friday, a day after the six fishermen returned safely to their country.

Held in custody off Tanzanian seas, the fishermen were given a cup of small porridge of rice and two cups of muddy water a day to survive.

In addition the fishermen had to undergo severe hardship including regular beatings, burning with boiling water and threats at gunpoint to press their families to pay the ransom.

“It was such a tormenting experience and by the time we were rescued by the Spanish naval ship we had decided to get out of the boat risking even our lives,” said Dinesh Susantha, the youngest fishermen in the group.Babolat Pure Drive Racquets

“It was so hard to be away from the family and my six-year-old daughter and I underwent an agonizing experience,” said another fisherman Leon Rodrigo.

Sudden appearance of the Spanish naval ship was a miracle for all six fishermen at a time they had given up hopes for their lives.

“It was a real miracle as several such ships came close to our boat and went back on several earlier occasions. We had given up all hopes for our lives,” said Perumal Selvaraj on whom the pirates had thrown boiling water as he could not repair an engine breakdown of the captured fishing vessel.

The fishermen said as the days passed the pirates realized their families were too poor to pay such a massive ransom and they reduced the amount and at last queried as to how much their could pay for the release.

“Lately the pirates started to attack ships using our fishing vessels while keeping us in captivity there,” said Selvaraja.

On the last few days the pirates demanded the fishermen to capture a ship for them in order to get freedom.

The fishermen with seven pirates set assail but there was a severe engine breakdown half the way on April 19 when they were rescued by a Spanish warship.Wilson Tennis Racquets

The Spanish warship “Infanta Elena” which was part of ” Operation Atalanta” launched by the EU to fight piracy in the western waters of the Indian Ocean, came across the fishing trawler 50 miles off the coast of Tanzania and intercepted it.

Delighted by the reunion, the family members thanked the Spanish navy for rescuing their loved ones, meanwhile expressing disappointment with the Sri Lankan fisheries authorities for their slow action.

The Sri Lankan Minister of Fisheries Rajitha Senaratne has said that it was hard to get the six fishermen freed as they had to mediate with criminal pirates, not with diplomatic foreign mission.

The fishermen and fishermen rights groups complained that the lives of fishermen going to deep sea are not safe due to Somali pirates on the Indian Ocean.Babolat Tennis Racquets

The fishermen unraveled the details of sea pirating and said after being captured they were sold to another group.

While it is feared that there are at least another dozen Sri Lankans being held by Somali pirates, the fishermen confirmed seven Sri Lankans who were being held by the same group of pirates.

Shocked and shaken by the long dragged captivity, the fishermen and their families are skeptical over going back to sea.

“We will not allow our son to go back to fishing again,” said Mary Lucilda, mother of Jude Nishantha, a young hotel worker who had taken up fishing with the six-member crew.

The problem of Somali piracy added more struggle for Sri Lankan fishermen who already battle against fishermen from India.

A considerable number of Sri Lankan fishermen are arrested and detained by India annually and the two governments have so far failed to find a permanent solution to the problem.

HAVANA, April 8 (Xinhua) — Cuban leader Raul Castro welcomed his Venezuelan counterpart Hugo Chavez as the latter arrived in Cuba midnight Saturday for his third session of radiotherapy to treat cancer, local media said Sunday.scotty cameron putter

The leaders had an “animated and cordial talk” at the airport, the official daily Juventud Rebelde said.

Chavez Friday said he would return to Havana “to fight for his health and life.”TaylorMade R11S Irons

Before leaving Caracas, Chavez said he would return in time to take part in celebrations marking the anniversary of the April 11-13, 2002, attempted coup by the country’s opposition, which succeeded in forcing him out of power for 48 hours.

Chavez also predicted he would win the presidential elections on Oct. 7, and urged the opposition “not to try another violent (coup) attempt again.”TaylorMade R11s Driver

“Those who want to see me out of the presidency” should run for the office by registering as candidates, he said.TaylorMade RocketBallz Driver

Chavez is running for a third presidential term after 13 years in power, saying he wants to continue his economic and social programs for the welfare of the poorest sectors of his country.TaylorMade R11 Driver

ALGIERS, March 18 (Xinhua) — An Algerian Islamist alliance said on Sunday that it would boycott the upcoming parliamentary elections should there be evidence of fraud, the official APS news agency reported.

At a press conference, Hamlaoui Akkouchi, chief of the member party El-Islah (Reform), said The Green Algeria Alliance will withdraw from the elections, slated for May 10, if fraud is found to have occurred.ping drivers

Akkouchi further said the Algerian people should participate in protecting the legislative elections and his alliance may withdraw from the vote even before it starts if fraud is proved to have taken place during the organization process.

Besides El-Islah, The Green Algeria Alliance has two other members, namely Movement for Society of Peace and Ennahda ( Renaissance)ping irons

The alliance suspects that some fraud has already taken place as there is a massive subscription of military troops after the legal deadline.

Earlier, Secretary General of the Workers Party, Louisa Hanoune, said some 33,000 troops subscribed to the elections after the Feb. 21 deadline, which the party chief called an attempt of fraud.callaway irons

However, Algerian Prime Minister Ahmed Ouyahia dismissed the accusation as meaning to question the credibility of both the state and the army.

It has been a year since the earthquake and a major Tsunami devastated towns and cities over a 500 kilometer stretch of eastern Japan. Many Chinese residents also experienced this twin disasters. Some have decided to go back to Japan, after returning home for a while. Terrence Terashima visited a company in Japan where Chinese and Japanese employees are struggling to recover from the disaster.Wilson Tennis Racket

An immense tremor followed by massive tsunami engulfed the city of Ofunato on March 11th 2011. More than 400 lives where lost, over 3,600 houses and buildings were destroyed by the disaster.Babolat Tennis Racket

Song Chunmei, Zou Ying, Liu Zhenzhen, employees, said, “We were so scared. We were worried if the building would stay standing.”

City of Ofunato was rich in fishery resources, and like this canned fish factory Morishita Fisheries, many Chinese nationals were working in factories in the city when the disasters struck. Tiang Xiao Mei, a three-year veteran worker recalled the days she spent before returning to China.Head Tennis Racket

Tang Xiaomei(L)

Tang Xiaomei, employee, said, “We had no food, no water and electricity, so we had to take shelter in evacuation center until we went back home. We were lost.”

They managed to escape but the factories were destroyed, engulfed by the tidal wave. Mikio Morishita said he had to lay off all of 100 employees including 19 Chinese nationals.Prince Tennis Racket

Mikio Morishita, president of Morishita Fisheries, said, “None of us had experience such a disaster. I remember the Chinese employees leaving for home saying how worried they are about what would become of city they had lived, and this company.”Wilson Blx

CCTV’s Terrence Terashima said, “Many had thought it would take a year of even longer for the town to recover and companies rebuilt. Some are luckier than others, like Mr. Morishita’s company who managed to rebuild some of its operations within six months from the disaster. But for the Chinese employees it was a hard choice. Many of the family members were against for them to comeback.”Wilson Tennis Racquets

Tang Xiaomei, employee, said, “My child was Crying Mama do not go, I am worried about you.”

Song Chunmei, Zou Ying, Liu Zhenzhen

Song Chunmei, Zou Ying, Liu Zhenzhen, employees, said, “Our families have told us not to go back as there might be another earthquake. But we wanted to take part in rebuilding the company.”

Xiao Mei and her Chinese colleagues say, the city had become their second home and had become attached to this Japanese town. They wanted to be a bridge between the Chinese and Japanese communities.

Tang Xiaomei said, “I wanted to see the company rebuild. I wanted to see the city recover. I respect Mr. Morishita for his efforts and I love working here.”

Gradually Chinese nationals that lived in disaster stricken cities are said to be returning. Local communities say they welcome the foreign nationals returning. They said it was also a motivation for the residents to move forward.

NOI, March 5 (Xinhua) — The Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), in cooperation with the Vietnam-Sri Lanka Business Council and Sri Lanka Embassy in Vietnam, held here on Monday the Vietnam-Sri Lanka Business Forum to seek ways to promote cooperation and investment.Babolat Tennis Racquets

Vietnam and Sri Lanka share similarities in history and economic development. Vietnam believes that businessmen from the two countries will take full advantages of their countries’ potential in expanding cooperation and investment, which will contribute to develop the bilateral ties, addressed VCCI Vice President Hoang Van Dung.Wilson Tennis Racquets

The forum is a good chance for Vietnam to introduce foreign investors, including those from Sri Lanka, with information about the country’s investment environment, policies and orientations for future cooperation, from which bilateral trade ties will further be boosted in the coming years, said the VCCI official.

Sri Lanka is applying an open economy, so relations and cooperation between Vietnam and Sri Lanka will surely be developed to a new height, with contributions made by the two sides’ business circle, said Sri Lanka Ambassador to Vietnam Ivan Amarasinghe.

Participants to the forum exchanged information and find trade partners for cooperation in such areas as pharmacy, healthcare, real estate, seafood, agricultural tools, technology, chemicals, papers and foodstuff.Babolat Pure Drive Racquets

According to VCCI, Vietnam-Sri Lanka trade turnover has increased over the past years, reaching 113.2 million U.S. dollars in 2011 compared with 50.5 million U.S. dollars in 2009.Babolat Aero Racquets

Of the 2011 figure, Vietnam earned more than 83.3 million U.S. dollars from the exports, mainly with machines and spare parts, yarns, fabrics, plastics, chemicals, tea and rubber-made products, while it spent 29.8 million U.S. dollars for the imports such as animal feed, rubber, cotton and garments.Wilson BLX Tennis Racquets