European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 20, 2007, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Tuesday March 20 2007 stars and s trip is Page 11 sums grand Champion Asas Horyu manhandled fellow mongolian Kook Tenho sending him backward into the dirt during their bout Friday in the Spring grand sumo tournament at Osaka Western Japan Kyodo with cheating allegations and the influx of foreigners japanese ask if there witnessing the fall of the sumo by Eric Talmadge the associated press Tokyo in Japan Asas Horyu is a household name at just 26 the mongolian Muscleman has conquered the sport of sumo establishing himself not Only As the sole wrestler worthy of the lofty Honor of Yoko Una or grand Champion but As one of the Best grand champions in sumo history but now Hes also the focus of one of sums biggest scandals Ever one that has All of Japan wondering if their cherished ancient sport is on the take sumo has been reeling since the weekly Magazine Shukan Sendai published a series of articles alleging that Asas Horyu paid off his opponents to let him win a tournament last november when the mongolian marked a rare perfect 150 record to claim his 19th career title the Japan sumo association which supervises professional sumo wrestling conducted an investigation said it found no wrongdoing and lodged a defamation suit against the publisher of the Magazine one of the biggest in Japan i have never done anything like that Asas Horyu said is this How you Are rewarded for getting Strong but things have just gotten worse since the Maga Zine is standing by its report which also claims that other to ranking wrestlers have taken or bought Falls and at the beginning of a tournament now under Way in Osaka Western Japan Asas Horyu did something hed never done before lost his first two matches the allegations of cheating hit a particularly Sensi Tive nerve because to most japanese sumo is More than just a sport derived from ancient religious purification rituals sumo competitions continue to be held on dirt rings blessed by priests and often on the grounds of shinto shrines with its shinto Pedigree and centuries old roots few things Are As quintessentially japanese and few bastions of japanese Ness Are As revered by the japanese themselves the current scandal is by no Means the first bout fixing allegations go Way Back though none have been proven conclusively sums problems go deeper however because of its rigorous training regime few Young japanese Are willing to join its ranks the dearth of japanese Talent has opened the door to an explosion of foreigners like Asas Horyu who now dominate its top positions of the top 10 wrestlers now competing four Are from Mongolia and one from Bulgaria Asas Horyu has been dogged by the press Here since his Stellar Rise began in 2002 his Brash cocky style has irked some sumo traditionalists compounding some of the resentment is the fact that sumo Hast had a japanese grand Champion since 2003 we dont know the facts but where theres smoke theres fire said Isao Matsunaga a 74yearold Retiree in Tokyo even so he said Hes still a fan ill keep watching because its fun he said sumo is different from other sports 23 people missing after cargo ships collide Beijing two cargo ships collided in the East China sea Early sunday sinking one and leaving 23 people missing state Media reported officials were Able to Rescue six people the Xinhua news Agency said i a Brief report there was no word on the Fate of those missing although Xin Hua said Rescue efforts were continuing activist says Mugabe dictatorship in jeopardy London Zimbabwe is fac ing a critical moment that could see the end of the dictatorship of president Robert Mugabe the Leader of the country main opposition said sunday speaking by Telephone from Harare Morgan tvs Angira said he was recovering from injuries allegedly inflicted by police Dur ing a March 11 protest gathering things Are bad tvs Angira told the British broadcasting corps sunday am program but i think that this crisis has reached a tipping Point and we could see the beginning of the end of this dictatorship tvs Angira head of the move ment for democratic change was among scores of activists injured As police cracked Down on an opposition meeting in the Harare township of Highfield one activist was shot and killed mud flows from new zealand Volcano Wellington new zealand a potentially lethal mix of mud acidic water and rocks Tore Down the slope of new zealand mount Rua Pehu on sunday Emer gency officials said but there was no immediate threat to life the mud flow also known As a Lahar broke through a rubble Wall atop the mountains Crater Lake about am sunday morning triggering an Early warning alarm horizon regional Council said police arid civil defense work ers immediately closed roads and the nations main trunk rail track near the Southern base of the Mountain on new zealand North Island Sydney Harbor Bridge closes for 75th birthday Sydney Australia Down town traffic in Australia largest City came to a near standstill Sun Day while a massive crowd marched across the landmark Sydney Harbor Bridge to Cele brate 75 years since it was completed City officials closed the Bridge to vehicles to hold ceremonies celebrating the anniversary including a symbolic reopening and a commemoration of the 16 work ers who died building it German eur must take Lead to Cut emissions Berlin the european Union must set the example in reducing greenhouse gases a Leader of Germany opposition greens said sunday after g8 talks on climate change in which the United states objected to parts of the discussion a three Day conference ended saturday with a general Consen sus on most Points from members of the group of eight industrialized nations and five key develop ing countries China India Bra Zil Mexico and South Africa from the associated press Exchange rates military rates japanese yen March South korean won March euro costs March Dollar buys March British Pound March commercial rates Bahrain British Canada China Denmark Egypt Hong Kong Hungary forint 18720 Israel Japan yen 11674 Kuwait Norway Philippines Poland saudi Arabia Singapore South Korea won 94518 Switzerland Thailand Turkey new military Exchange rates Are those available to customers at military Bank ing facilities in the country of issuance for Japan South Korea Germany the Netherlands and the United kingdom for no local currency Exchange rates in purchasing British pounds in Germa Check with your local military Bank ing facility commercial rates Are inter Bank rates provided for reference when buying currency All figures Are foreign currencies to one Dollar except for the British Pound which is represented in dollars Pound and the euro which is dollars euro precious metals new York merc close Gold interest rates prime rate 825 discount rate 625 Federal funds Market rate525 3month Bill 502 30year Bond 470 sources the associated press Bank of America mothers pay is May 13th Send a 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