The Star Online: World Updates
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- Coke says child's death in China not linked to product
- Clinton highlights democracy on last day of Myanmar trip
- Clinton highlights democracy on last day of Myanmar trip
| Coke says child's death in China not linked to product Posted: 01 Dec 2011 08:38 PM PST BEIJING (Reuters) - Coca-Cola Co defended on Friday the safety of its yogurt drinks sold in northern China, denying there was any link to the death of a child or the illness of three other people who had consumed the drinks, but said it removed the product from shelves in a precautionary move. Chinese media reports said an 11-year-old boy died in Changchun city in Jilin after he drank a strawberry-flavoured Pulpy Milky yogurt drink on November 28, and his mother was in intensive care after consuming the same drink. Another mother and her daughter became ill after drinking another bottle of the same drink in Jilin a few days earlier, but recovered after treatment, Coke spokeswoman Joanna Price said. "Our thoughts are with the affected families and we have reached out to them to express our concern and compassion," she said. "This case does not involve a product quality issue, and government authorities are carrying out detailed investigations at this time." After discussions with local authorities, the company and officials mutually agreed the product should be removed from shelves from stores in Jilin province and Coke is cooperating with the local investigation, she said. Local authorities said the beverages were tainted by pesticide, according to local media. There was no further information about how or when the pesticide could have been introduced into the drink. "Our first priority is always to ensure food safety and the quality of our products," Price said. "After learning about this incident, we immediately carried out comprehensive internal reviews of our production, logistics and other processes, and conducted 3rd party tests of the retention samples of the same production batches and found everything to be safe," she said. NUMEROUS CRACKDOWNS Food scandals are common in China, where numerous crackdowns on the country's food sector have had little effect as it continues to be beset by poisonings and toxin scandals that have shaken consumer confidence. Foreign companies are watched closely as they are generally perceived to hold to stricter standards. When western companies are accused of transgressions, it becomes big news in China. Wal-Mart Stores Inc, the world's biggest retailer, was hit by tough sanctions in the central city of Chongqing in October when authorities closed 13 stores for two weeks and fined the company 2.7 million yuan (269 thousand pounds) for selling ordinary pork as more expensive organic meat. Wal-Mart apologised and stepped up training for employees and dialogue with customers. Chinese government-run media also criticised U.S. healthcare products maker Johnson & Johnson last month for continuing to sell in some markets baby shampoo containing a preservative that is a possible carcinogen and allergy trigger. Johnson & Johnson responded that its products meet or exceed safety regulations in every market in which they are sold, but that the company is phasing out use of the ingredients in baby products worldwide. (Reporting by Terril Yue Jones and Beijing newsroom; Editing by Don Durfee and Muralikumar Anantharaman) Copyright © 2011 Reuters Full content generated by Get Full RSS. | ||
| Clinton highlights democracy on last day of Myanmar trip Posted: 01 Dec 2011 07:15 PM PST YANGON (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton held a final meeting with pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi on Friday as she wrapped up a landmark visit to Myanmar which saw the new civilian government pledge to forge ahead with political reforms and re-engage with the world community.
Clinton and Suu Kyi - the Nobel laureate who has come to symbolise the pro-democracy aspirations of Myanmar's people - held a private dinner on Thursday and met again on Friday at Suu Kyi's lakeside home, effectively her prison until she was released last November after years in detention. Standing in the foyer of Suu Kyi's house with staff milling around, Clinton said: "I know how important it is to have so many dedicated people around you. It makes all the difference." "The house looks wonderful," Clinton told Suu Kyi as she welcomed Clinton in. Clinton was later due to meet representatives of ethnic minority groups, some of which remained locked in bloody conflict with the army, as well as fledgling civil society organisations. She will aim to reassure them that the U.S. outreach to Myanmar's government does not mean it will ease pressure on human rights, political freedoms and rule of law in a country long a hallmark for authoritarian military rule. Clinton met President Thein Sein on Thursday and announced a package of modest steps to improve ties, including U.S. support for new International Monetary Fund and World Bank needs assessment missions and expanded U.N. aid programs for the country's struggling economy. She also said the United States would consider reinstating a full ambassador in Myanmar and could eventually ease crippling economic sanctions, but underscored that these future steps would depend on further measurable progress in Myanmar's reform drive. "It has to be not theoretical or rhetorical. It has to be very real, on the ground, that can be evaluated. But we are open to that and we are going to pursue many different avenues to demonstrate our continuing support for this path of reform," Clinton told a news conference on Thursday in the capital, Naypyitaw, before arriving in Yangon. U.S. ENGAGEMENT Clinton's trip - the first by a senior U.S. official in more than 50 years - represents an opportunity for both Myanmar and the United States, and both appear eager to press ahead with rapprochement. Myanmar's new leadership hopes the United States will eventually see its way clear to ease or remove sanctions, a step which could open the resource-rich but desperately poor country to more foreign trade and investment and help it catch up to booming neighbours such as Thailand and India. For Washington, improved ties with Myanmar could underscore President Barack Obama's determination to up U.S. engagement in Asia and balance China's fast-growing economic, military and political influence. U.S. officials said Clinton's visit was aimed at bolstering reformers in the government, but said it was clear that some powerful figures remained wary of reforms - throwing a question mark over whether the changes can be sustained. Clinton's dinner with Suu Kyi on Wednesday marked her first personal encounter with the veteran activist, who has played a central role in the Obama administration's decision to explore the possibility of new ties with the country also known as Burma. Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy will contest coming by-elections for parliament - seen as the next key test of the government's reform program - and Suu Kyi herself has said she will stand for election, another sign that the pro-democracy leader believes the changes under way are real. (Editing by Robert Birsel) Copyright © 2011 Reuters Full content generated by Get Full RSS. | ||
| Clinton highlights democracy on last day of Myanmar trip Posted: 01 Dec 2011 05:58 PM PST YANGON (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was due for a final meeting with pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi on Friday as she wrapped up a landmark visit to Myanmar which saw the new civilian government pledge to forge ahead with political reforms and re-engage with the world community.
Clinton and Suu Kyi - the Nobel laureate who has come to symbolise the pro-democracy aspirations of Myanmar's people - held a private dinner on Thursday and were to meet again on Friday at Suu Kyi's home, effectively her prison until she was released last November after years in detention. Clinton will also meet representatives of ethnic minority groups, some of which remained locked in bloody conflict with the army, as well as fledgling civil society organisations, aiming to reassure them that the U.S. outreach to Myanmar's government does not mean it will ease pressure on human rights, political freedoms and rule of law in a country long a hallmark for authoritarian military rule. Clinton met President Thein Sein on Thursday and announced a package of modest steps to improve ties, including U.S. support for new International Monetary Fund and World Bank needs assessment missions and expanded U.N. aid programs for the country's struggling economy. She also said the United States would consider reinstating a full ambassador in Myanmar and could eventually ease crippling economic sanctions, but underscored that these future steps would depend on further measurable progress in Myanmar's reform drive. "It has to be not theoretical or rhetorical. It has to be very real, on the ground, that can be evaluated. But we are open to that and we are going to pursue many different avenues to demonstrate our continuing support for this path of reform," Clinton told a news conference on Thursday in the capital, Naypyitaw, before arriving in Yangon. Clinton's trip - the first by a senior U.S. official in more than 50 years - represents an opportunity for both Myanmar and the United States, and both appear eager to press ahead with rapprochement. Myanmar's new leadership hopes the United States will eventually see its way clear to ease or remove sanctions, a step which could open the resource-rich but desperately poor country to more foreign trade and investment and help it catch up to booming neighbours such as Thailand and India. For Washington, improved ties with Myanmar could underscore President Barack Obama's determination to up U.S. engagement in Asia and balance China's fast-growing economic, military and political influence. U.S. officials said Clinton's visit was aimed at bolstering reformers in the government, but said it was clear that some powerful figures remained wary of reforms - throwing a question mark over whether the changes can be sustained. Clinton's dinner with Suu Kyi on Wednesday marked her first personal encounter with the veteran activist, who has played a central role in the Obama administration's decision to explore the possibility of new ties with the country also known as Burma. Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy will contest coming by-elections for parliament - seen as the next key test of the government's reform program - and Suu Kyi herself has said she will stand for election, another sign that the pro-democracy leader believes the changes under way are real. (Editing by Robert Birsel) Copyright © 2011 Reuters Full content generated by Get Full RSS. |
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