Moscow residents shaken by wave of bombings

In this story: Anger at Indonesia boils over down under Spanish enclave draws Africans in search of better lives Pedal-power, three-wheeled taxis face uphill battle in China Setting sail on the path of history, peace About CNN World Report RELATED STORIES, SITES

By Kevin Grieves
CNN World Report

"Life in Moscow is not the same anymore." That's the conclusion reached by broadcaster ORT of Russia following a recent spate of bombings in the Russian capital that has turned apartment buildings into rubble and claimed several hundred lives so far this month.

Russian leaders pin the blame for the Moscow explosions and bombings elsewhere in Russia on Islamic militants. They say many of those suspected of terrorist activities are from Chechnya. Chechen militants have been battling Russian troops in Dagestan, on front lines far from Russia's heartland.

But the wave of bombings in cities like Moscow has shaken people's sense of security, and Russian officials have launched a massive police action in response to the attacks. ORT covered the security crackdown in the capital for CNN World Report.

Anger at Indonesia boils over down under

Anti-Indonesia protesters vent their anger in the streets of Australia

Stories of looting, destruction of property and even murder have been coming out of East Timor along with the refugees fleeing the violence there.

Pro-Jakarta militia members are accused of waging a campaign of terror in East Timor following the recent vote for independence. Some of those who fled East Timor say that the Indonesian military appeared to have been a willing accomplice in the violence. That charge, coupled with the Indonesian government's apparent initial reluctance to put a stop to the bloodshed, spurred anger from East Timorese and Australians in the streets of Australia, as captured by the cameras of CNN World Report contributor 7 Network.

Demonstrators took to the streets in Sydney, Melbourne and elsewhere, shouting slogans and spraying messages on walls denouncing Indonesia. Labor unions joined in the protest, staging a work stoppage at Sydney's international airport in order to disrupt the flights of Garuda, Indonesia's national airline. Demonstrators told 7 Network they hoped to send a clear message to the highest levels of Indonesia's government.

Spanish enclave draws Africans in search of better lives

Throughout the centuries, the Strait of Gibraltar has held a strategically important position at the western end of the Mediterranean Sea.

On the run from Spanish authorities in Ceuta

The port town of Ceuta, situated on the Mediterranean shores of North Africa across from Gibraltar, was able to capitalize on this location by profiting from flourishing trade traffic. What makes Ceuta unique is that despite its location on the northern tip of the African continent, it has belonged to Spain for more than 400 years.

The geographic circumstances of Ceuta have led in recent years to a different type of traffic. Spain's TV Galicia examined the problem of African immigrants illegally entering Ceuta in hopes of crossing the Strait of Gibraltar to Spain; thousands of Africans attempt to pass through Ceuta without documentation each year.

The issue goes beyond mere immigration legalities; human rights groups estimate that in the period between 1993 and 1998, over a thousand people were killed in the treacherous waters of the Strait as they tried to cross to Spain, often in small, handmade boats.

TV Galicia spoke with some illegal immigrants who were willing to pay as much as US$1200 per person to be smuggled across the waters to Europe by "modern slave traders." TV Galicia says the majority of Africans trying to cross into Spain are men between the ages of 16 and 30, who leave their families behind in hopes of finding work in Europe.

TV Galicia reporter Anton Axeitos asked some youngsters without documentation why they saw their future on the other side of the Strait of Gibraltar. "My brother Mohamed says that in Spain I can study ... learn Spanish, English ... everything that I can't do here," one responded.

Banking crisis shakes financial foundations in Uganda

Much of the world's attention at the end of 1997 was focused on Asia's floundering economies. But the African nation of Uganda began struggling with serious financial difficulties around the same time. The extent of Uganda's problems are just now becoming apparent.

Ugandan broadcaster WBS looked at what it calls a "banking crisis," reporting on the criticism of the country's central financial institution, the Bank of Uganda, as well as the Finance Ministry.

WBS reporter Yusuf Kalyango Jr. cited bad loans and fraud as the primary causes of the closures of four commercial banks in Uganda in the past two years. He added that the losses of the failed banks will cost Ugandan taxpayers millions of dollars per year.

Pedal-power, three-wheeled taxis face uphill battle in China

As the People's Republic of China prepares to mark 50 years since its founding, CNN World Report has been featuring closer looks at many aspects of Chinese life and society as part of CNN International's "Visions of China" programming.

Transportation and travel in China were the topic of several contributors' reports. Shanghai Television reported on the once-ubiquitous symbol of Chinese streets, the bicycle.

Chinese teens check out the latest bicycle styles

Shanghai Television reporter Zhang Weiqun says that even though there are still some 400 million bicycles in the country, enough for one in three people to own a bike, the two-wheeled conveyances are dropping off in popularity. The reason: the growing availability and appeal of motorized transportation.

While they once sold bikes as a primary means of transportation with little effort, bicycle manufacturers in China are now being forced to adapt to new market pressures. Bicycle buyers are younger than they used to be and have increasingly individual tastes.

Liu Dawei of Shanghai Putuo Cycle Company says his young customers are very conscious of the appearance of their bikes. "They prefer colorful, fashionable cycles which can make them look different from their pals."

Contributor Shanghai Oriental Television also took to the streets of the Chinese metropolis for "CNN World Report," examining the plight of disabled people who rely on three-wheeled motorized vehicles for a livelihood. Those vehicles were originally designed for the personal use of handicapped people, to help them get around. But many disabled people had been using their vehicles to help make ends meet by putting them into service as taxis.

Now, as Shanghai Oriental Television reports, the city of Shanghai is banning the three-wheeled vehicles due to concerns about traffic problems and "unruly driving." That's put the three-wheeled taxi business on the wrong side of the law in Shanghai, and it's pinched off a source of income for a large number of disabled people. But the report added that while disabled people are struggling to find work in other areas, the local government is pushing established companies to be generous in offering work to handicapped residents.

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Chinese prosperity helps overseas tourism take off

China is a favorite destination for international travelers. Last year, the Asian nation welcomed 63.5 million people across its borders. That's no longer a one-way street: China Central Television (CCTV) told CNN World Report viewers that the travel bug has now bitten many Chinese, who are traveling abroad in increasing numbers.

CCTV reporter Dai Sha-sha says greater prosperity is the driving force behind Chinese citizens' new-found love of overseas travel. "With more money and free time, an increasing number of Chinese are visiting different countries and regions and experiencing different cultures," she explained.

Setting sail on the path of history, peace

A group of 18 modern-day explorers set sail from Singapore recently on a reconstructed 17th-century Chinese junk to recreate a historic voyage. Over 200 years ago, Louis Antoine de Bougainville sailed around the world in a similar vessel, making his mark on history and leaving his name on the largest of the Solomon Islands in the South Pacific.

Singapore's TCS met up with the crew of the current voyage on board their junk, named La Boudeuse after de Bougainville's ship. The team consists of botanists, entomologists, marine engineers, photographers, writers and filmmakers, all of whom hope to document the areas explored by de Bougainville using a mix of modern technology and historical curiosity.

Setting a course for international understanding on the Peace Cruise

Explains La Boudeuse's captain Patrice Franceschi: "It is a link between the past and the future."

Another ship headed out to sea recently with the goal of overcoming some age-old animosities. The "Peace Cruise" docked in Istanbul, Turkey, giving NTV reporter Fatih Turkmenoglu an opportunity to speak with some of the 24 young people aboard.

One of the most striking friendships that has developed aboard the Peace Cruise has been between Turkish and Greek crew members. Relations between Turkey and Greece have historically been somewhat rocky, but shipboard classes such as communication techniques, cultural understanding and environmental awareness helped ensure that friendship prevailed on the Peace Cruise.

Now that the international group of 24 young people has been able to improve relations on their voyage, "... they wish to tell it to everyone," says Turkmenoglu.