UNSC resolves to limit nuclear exports, punish violators
New York, Sep 24 (DPA) The UN Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution Thursday that allows the global body to address nuclear threats and adopts measures curbing the export of nuclear materials.
The 15-nation council adopted the resolution pushed forward by the US to open its one-day meeting on nuclear disarmament. US President Barack Obama called for the vote immediately after he opened the meeting.
FARC guerrilla wanted by US captured in Colombia
By EFE,
Bogota : A suspected member of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), wanted by the US on terrorism charges, has been arrested, Colombian authorities said.
Maribel Gallego Rubio, known as "Maritza", was arrested in Bogota, DAS security service said, without providing the date of the arrest.
The guerrilla was captured by intelligence officers with the support of Interpol Colombia.
Naked jogger wins court appeal in New Zealand
By IANS,
London: A high court in New Zealand has upheld the right to go jogging nude in a case involving a naked man who was arrested by police in a forest in the morning.
Bush renews call for offshore drilling
By DPA,
Washington : US President George W. Bush Wednesday renewed his call for lifting of a federal ban on oil drilling off the US coast and placed the blame for high petrol prices squarely at the feet of the Democratic-controlled Congress.
Bush acknowledged the economic struggles plaguing the US population and said lifting the offshore drilling ban would help lower surging petrol prices.
Lehman Brothers sitting on toxic nuke stockpile
By IANS,
New York : The failed investment bank Lehman Brothers sits not only on toxic sub-prime mortgage loans but also toxic nuclear stockpile.
According to reports, the bankrupt bank holds up to 50,000 pounds of uranium - called yellowcake - which can be upgraded to run nuclear plants - and make nuclear weapons.
Lehman filed for bankruptcy after the Bush administration refused to bail it out last September.
Sri Lanka to invest $4 bn in conflict-hit north
By DPA,
Colombo : Sri Lanka plans to invest $4 billion to develop infrastructure in the war-torn northern part of the country, President Mahinda Rajapaksa said Tuesday.
Rajapaksa said electric power projects, road development and restoration of the railway line to Jaffna, 396 km north of the capital, were high priorities.
"We are getting foreign aid from countries like Japan, India, China, Iran, Saudi Arabia and from donor agencies like the World Bank and Asian Development Bank to be invested this year," Rajapaksa said.
Our people should learn Hindi: Trinidad and Tobago minister
By Paras Ramoutar, IANS,
Port-of-Spain : Hindi should become a part and parcel of Trinidad and Tobago, a minister said here, adding that the language should not be restricted to the people of Indian origin.
New Zealand legislator urges no free trade with China
By DPA
Wellington : A New Zealand Green Party legislator urged the government Sunday to abandon plans to sign a free trade pact with China next month because of its action in Tibet.
Keith Locke said it would mean signing the deal over the dead bodies of Tibetan monks, the NewstalkZB radio network reported.
Locke, whose party supports the Labour-led government while staying out of a formal coalition, urged Prime Minister Helen Clark to speak out as the situation in Tibet, where 10 people have reportedly been killed, deteriorates.
Obama lets Hillary have her day at Democratic meet
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : One-time rivals Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama have agreed that she will receive a symbolic roll-call vote at the Democratic National Convention where Obama will be formally anointed the party's presidential nominee.
Obama, aspiring to be the first black US president, agreed to put his vanquished rival's name into the nomination as a way to "help us celebrate this defining moment in our history and bring the party together in a strong united fashion".
Absence of Nepali workers affects apple crop in Himachal
By Vishal Gulati, IANS,
Shimla: They have been crucial to the orchards of Himachal Pradesh for decades. But this year, farm hands from Nepal have failed to arrive and their acute shortage may delay the plucking of apples in the hill state.
"Most farmers in this apple growing belt have not been able to get Nepali workers for doing farm work this time," said Kanwar Dayal Krishan Singh, a farmer in Kotkhai in upper Shimla who has been waiting for labourers to arrive.
Thailand’s general election set for Dec 23
By DPA
Bangkok : The official decree setting Thailand's general election for Dec 23 was published in the Royal Gazette Wednesday, fulfilling the legal requirement for a return to civilian government.
A coup in Sep 2006 had ousted the government of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, when senior generals alleged corruption and plots to provoke violence between Thai citizens. The ruling junta pledged to hold new elections before the end of this year.
G20 summit begins amid massive police presence, protests
By DPA,
Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania) : Hundreds of police and military officers patrolled the streets of the US city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and were on high alert behind steel and concrete barricades as world leaders kicked off the two-day Group of 20 (G20) summit.
Outside the convention centre where the summit was being held, at least 500 protesters carried anti-capitalist signs and chanted: "Bankers, bankers, watch your back, we don't protest, we attack."
Michael Jackson delays Britain trip amid swine flu
By IANS,
London : Pop star Michael Jackson has reportedly scrapped a house-hunting trip to Britain in the wake of the swine flu outbreak.
The "Thriller" hit maker was set to visit Britain later this month to find a place to stay as he takes up residency at London's O2 arena from July for a string of comeback shows.
But he has delayed the trip amid health fears, reported femalefirst.co.uk.
Obama’s presidential library to be built in Chicago
Washington : The future library and museum commemorating Barack Obama's two presidential terms will be built in Chicago, the US president's foundation said.
The project,...
5,000 Chinese orphans get free insurance
By IANS,
Beijing : Five thousand orphans in China have received a year of free medical insurance for treatment of "critical illnesses".
Obama Wins Detractors
By Prensa Latina,
Washington : US Democratic Presidential candidate Barack Obama has won some detractors, due to his moderate stance on the war in Iraq and other issues in his domestic political agenda.
Obama, who backed the deployment of US troops at a debate during the primary elections, promised on July 3 that he would rethink his policy, after returning from a tour of the occupied territories.
Obama wins Oregon, Hillary Clinton takes Kentucky
By SPA,
Louisville, Kentucky : Barack Obama advanced to the brink of victory in the Democratic presidential race, defeating Hillary Rodham Clinton in the Oregon primary and moving within 70 delegates of the total he needs to claim their hard-fought nomination contest.
Clinton countered with a lopsided win earlier Tuesday in Kentucky.
Obama, who is seeking to become the first black U.S. President, said the night's contests gave him a majority of the delegates elected in all 56 primaries and caucuses combined.
Heavy Rain Brings Chaos In Hong Kong
By Bernama,
Hong Kong : Torrential rain blackened the sky and lashed Hong Kong here Saturday morning, forcing closure of schools and hospitals and widely disrupting traffic in the city.
The Hong Kong Observatory issued an amber rainstorm warning signal at about 5:15 a.m. here Saturday and soon upgraded the warning system to the highest black rainstorm warning signal at 6: 40, forecasting an average of rainfall exceeding 70 millimeters per hour.
Tropical storm Ketsana kills 11 in Vietnam
By Xinhua,
Hanoi: At least 11 people were killed and three others missing after tropical storm Ketsana made landfall in central Vietnam, a media report said Tuesday.
The storm battered the central Vietnamese provinces of Binh Dinh, Quang Nam, Yen Bai, Kon Tum, and Dak Lak. Binh Dinh and Kon Tum are the worst affected provinces, Vietnam News Agency reported, citing disaster relief officials.
Taiwanese trust Obama more than their own president: Survey
By DPA,
Taipei : A majority of Taiwan residents have more trust in US President Barack Obama than in their own president or Chinese President Hu Jintao, an opinion poll showed Friday.
The telephone survey of 1,004 adults by the Global View monthly magazine found that only 38.6 percent trust President Ma Ying-jeou, who lags well behind Obama's 46.1 percent trust rate.
While 35.4 percent trust Tsai Ying-wen, chairwoman of Taiwan's pro-independence opposition Democratic Progressive Party, only 17.5 percent trust Hu.
Jet Airways to start service to Toronto, Newark
By Paras Ramoutar
IANSToronto : Jet Airways is starting operations between Toronto and New Delhi via Brussels from Sep 5, and will fly to this city five times a week, the airline's founder and chairman Naresh Goyal said.
1, 000 soldiers in NATO-led disaster exercise in Finland
By SPA,
Helsinki, Finland : More than 1,000 soldiers from 25 NATO and partnership countries on Sunday battled imaginary flooding and storms, in the largest international exercise held in Finland.
The five-day drill is aimed at coordinating operations in a crisis between 15 NATO members and 10 Partnership for Peace allies. It included 130 civilian volunteers acting as victims and concerned relatives of people hit by a major storm and floods.
Time running out for Koirala – Nepal
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS
Kathmandu : On Monday, there was a mini furore here when Nepal's 84-year-old ailing Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala, a former heavy smoker who now suffers from chronic respiratory problems, was rushed to hospital with chest pain.
With just 99 days left for a crucial election that will make or mar Nepal, Koirala, who since his appointment last year has been functioning from his residence hardly ever going to parliament or his office, has been yet again advised rest by doctors.
US drone kills Uzbek militant leader in Pakistan
By DPA,
Islamabad : An important leader of an Uzbek militant group that is closely associated with Al Qaeda was killed in a recent US drone attack in Pakistan's restive tribal region bordering Afghanistan, Pakistani intelligence officials said Friday.
Najmiddin Jalolov alias Yahov, 37, was killed Monday when the four-wheel drive he was travelling in was hit by a single missile fired from an unmanned drone aircraft in Mir Ali area, North Waziristan district, which is a hotbed of Taliban and Al Qaeda militants.
Pride and prejudice bedevil EU-Russia relations
By DPA
Moscow : Almost 20 years after the end of the Cold War, the mutual suspicion that bred conflict still bedevils the relationship between the European Union and Russia.
"The Cold War narrative never went away. It existed in Russia throughout the post-Soviet era, and it's picking up again in the West," David Galbreath, an expert in international relations at Aberdeen University, told DPA.
On Friday, top EU officials are set to meet Russia's President Vladimir Putin in Portugal.
Chinese Finance Minister removed from post
By Xinhua
Beijing : China's national legislature Thursday removed Finance Minister Jin Renqing from office.
Xie Xuren, 59, director of the State Administration of Taxation, was appointed by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress to replace 63-year-old Jin.
Jin Renqing submitted a letter of resignation by himself, according to government briefing.
President Hu Jintao signed a presidential decree of approval for the replacement and made it public the same day.
Senior Zimbabwe army officer tells troops to vote for Mugabe
By DPA,
Johannesburg/Harare : A senior army officer has told soldiers in Zimbabwe's 35,000-strong army that they have to vote for President Mugabe in next month's run-off in presidential elections, according to the state-controlled Herald Saturday.
It quoted Major-General Martin Chedondo as saying that voting for Morgan Tsvangirai, the leader of the Movement for Democratic Change, would be to "sell out to the British and American imperialists".
EU Now Pro UN in Kosovo
By Prensa Latina
Brussels : The European Union advocated Monday to keep the UN mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) until the presidential elections in Serbia in May, to avoid provocations by Serbian-Kosovars in the zone of Mitrovica.
Slovenian Interior Minister Dimitrij Rupel said that his government supports the idea that UNMIK stays at the border between Serbia and Kosovo, artificially established with Pristina s unilateral declaration of independence.
EU signs first FTA with an Asian country
By EuAsiaNews,
Brussels : The European Union and South Korea signed here Wednesday a landmark Free Trade Agreement (FTA) the first the 27-member bloc has signed with an Asian country.
Brazil’s economy contracts after 17 years
By DPA,
Rio de Janeiro : The Brazilian economy contracted for the first time in 17 years in 2009, falling by 0.2 per cent, the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) said Thursday.
It was the first annual contraction of gross domestic product since 1992.
Brazil's GDP fell to 3.1 trillion real ($41.77 trillion), leaving the country of 199 million with a per capita GDP of $9.263, the institute said. In 2008, Brazil's GDP stood at 2.9 trillion real ($1.8 trillion).
Defiant Tibetans start freedom march to China from Nepal
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS,
Kathmandu : Defying the possibility of imprisonment or even death, over three dozen Tibetan monks and nuns have begun a secret "freedom march" to Tibet from Nepal to draw the world's attention to their demand for freedom and respect for human rights on the eve of the Olympic Games in China.
A resolute group of 23 monks, 17 nuns and two novices began the dangerous journey under secrecy Wednesday from the outskirts of Kathmandu in a bid to evade arrest by Nepal police, who have been put on high alert to stop anti-China protests in Nepal.
Sri Lanka: lay down arms and embrace demovracy, President Rajapaksa urges LTTE
By NNN-Govt Portal,
Colombo : President Mahinda Rajapaksa, pointing out that the struggle to eradicate terrorism from the Motherland has reached a critical point, emphasized that he will inform the LTTE that it can now lay down arms and embrace democracy.
The President made this statement while addressing the All Party Representatives Conference at the Presidential Secretariate on Saturday.
Regardless of how difficult it is to develop political solutions to political issues in the country, this is an effort that has to be made, the President pointed out.
Russian car firm recalls 45,000 vehicles
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Moscow : Russia's largest car-maker AvtoVAZ is recalling over 45,000 new Lada Granta cars over a minor defect, the auto giant said Thursday.
Activists’ boat damaged in clash with Japanese whalers
By DPA,
Sydney: An anti-whaling protest ship was taking on water after colliding with a security vessel of the Japanese whaling fleet in the Antarctic, the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society's leader said Wednesday.
Paul Watson said five of the six crew members aboard the high-speed trimaran were rescued and taken aboard an accompanying protest ship, the Bob Barker.
The captain stayed with the $1.5-million Ady Gil in the hope of saving it from sinking.
Nepal leaders vow to hold free, fair elections
By Xinhua
Kathmandu : Top leaders of three major Nepali political parties vowed Tuesday to hold the April 10 constituent assembly (CA) elections in a free and fair manner.
The leaders in a statement released after a meeting here called on all political parties and people to make the elections a success and consolidate democratic institutions in the country.
Obama’s classmates in Indonesia to hold party
By Xinhua,
Jakarta : Dozens of old friends of president-elect Barack Obama will hold a party at their elementary school in Indonesia where they studied with him, a school teacher said here Tuesday.
Barack Obama spent his childhood in Indonesia and studied at SDN Menteng 01 in Jakarta from 1969 to 1971 as his mother Ann Dunham was married to a Javanese, Lolo Soetoro.
More than 30 of Obama's classmates and the school teachers will hold the party Wednesday at the school, said vice principal Ahmad Solihin.
Shanghai to have 20,000 renewable energy powered cars
By IANS,
Beijing : China's Shanghai city will have about 20,000 cars that run on renewable energy in the next two years, an official said.
Euphoric Indian diaspora wait at Sydney venue to hear Modi
Sydney : Thousands of ecstatic supporters of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi gathered at Sydney's Allphones Arena, dancing and singing and chanting "Modi, Modi"...
UN chief urges donor countries to honor pledge to double aid to Africa
By Xinhua,
United Nations : UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, in remarks at the high-level meeting on Africa's development needs on Monday, urged donor countries to implement their 2005 pledge to double their aid to Africa.
"I appeal to all donors to implement the 2005 Gleneagles summit to more than double aid to Africa," Ban said, referring to the summit meeting held at the Scottish town of Gleneagles by the Group of Eight -- the United States, Japan, Britain, Germany, France, Italy, Canada and Russia.
EU to loan Ukraine over $800 mn
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Kiev : Ukraine and the European Union (EU) have signed an agreement for Brussels to loan Kiev 610 million euros ($811 million) in macro-financial assistance.
Parents influence child’s pursuit of math, medicine
By IANS,
Washington : Parental influence and access to math courses are crucial to their children's pursuit of careers in science, technology, engineering, math or medicine (STEMM), according to new research.
Jon Miller, Michigan State University (MSU) professor of integrative studies who led the study with colleagues, said the education of more researchers, engineers and others in the field of science is critical.
Paedophile scandal like banking collapse: Catholic leader
By IANS,
London : A Roman Catholic leader in Britain has compared the paedophile scandal involving priests with the banking collapse that led to recession worldwide.
Reacting to Obama plan, White House says it will take time to close Guantanamo
WASHINGTON, Jan 13 (KUNA) -- Reacting to reports that U.S. President-elect Barack Obama plans to issue an executive order on his first full day in office -- Jan. 21 -- directing the closing of the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, White House deputy spokesman Tony Fratto on Tuesday said President George W. Bush has always advocated closing the facility "over time".
South Korean bank freezes key interest rate
By IANS,
Seoul : South Korea's central bank said Thursday that it froze the benchmark interest rate at 3.25 percent for May, leaving the 7-day repo rate unchanged for 11 straight months.
Britain to raise marriage-visa age from Nov 27
By IANS,
London : The age at which someone can apply for a marriage visa to join their spouse in Britain will increase from 18 to 21 from the end of November, the government announced.
From Nov 27 both parties in a marriage will have to be 21 before a marriage visa can be issued, the home ministry said Tuesday in what it described as part of efforts to crack down on forced marriage and on “those who attempt to abuse the marriage visa route”.
Kyrgyzstan wants US out of Manas airbase in 2014
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Bishkek : Kyrgyzstan has reiterated that the US must withdraw all its troops from the Manas airbase in the country when the current lease agreement expires in 2014.
Myanmar president meets EU trade commissioner
Yangon: Myanmar President U Thein Sein met visiting European Union (EU) Commissioner for Trade Karel De Gucht in Nay Pyi Taw Thursday, said the...
Tunisia goes to polls for presidential election
London : Voting began in Tunisia Sunday for the first presidential election since the 2011 "Arab Spring" that triggered uprisings across the region.
MOre than...
Obama holds first presidential interview on YouTube
By DPA,
Washington : Barack Obama conducted the first interview of a sitting US President on YouTube Monday, answering text and video questions submitted by users and chosen in an online poll.
Obama last held court on the popular video site when he was running for president. Monday's interview took place amidst a concerted White House effort to incorporate the latest communications technology.
Last month for instance it launched an iPhone app for White House events, and convened a panel of technology leaders to advise on overhauling the government's use of technology.
UN regroups peacekeeping mission, launches relief efforts
By DPA,
New York : The United Nations carried out house-to-house searches in Haiti Thursday in an effort to find an estimated 160 missing UN personnel.
The earthquake in capital Port-au-Prince killed at least 39 members of the UN peacekeeping mission there, the agency said in New York.
The head of the UN mission in Haiti, Hedi Annabi, and his deputy Luiz Carlos da Costa are still unaccounted for. Both were in the Christopher Hotel that housed other UN personnel when the quakes struck Tuesday afternoon and the building collapsed.
British MPs found guilty of accepting free foreign jaunts
By IANS,
London: More than 20 British MPs have been found in breach of hospitality rules after accepting free overseas trips and raising issues about those countries in parliament but failing to declare a vested interest.
A BBC investigation Tuesday uncovered hundreds of breaches of parliamentary rules by MPs who accepted free overseas trips.
The British-ruled territory of Gibraltar, the Maldives and Cyprus were the favourite destinations of the MPs, who, between them, violated rules on more than 400 occasions.
North Korea to punish ‘non-mourners’
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Moscow : North Koreans who did not mourn the death of "Dear Leader" Kim Jong-il can face at least six months in prison, a South Korean media outlet said Wednesday.
Russia to have integrated radar system by 2010
By RIA Novosti
Moscow : Russia's unified automated radar system will be up and running by 2010, the commander of the Air Force Radio-technical Troops has said.
"The integrated automated radar system will be finalized by 2010," Maj. Gen. Anatoly Boyarintsev said, adding that it will integrate the technical capacities of all Russian agencies that have radar facilities.
Moscow : Russia's unified automated radar system will be up and running by 2010, the commander of the Air Force Radio-technical Troops has said.
"The integrated automated radar system will be finalized by 2010," Maj. Gen. Anatoly Boyarintsev said, adding that it will integrate the technical capacities of all Russian agencies that have radar facilities.
Russia refutes peace deal with Japan at APEC summit
By IANS,
Moscow: Russia has declined to settle the peace treaty issue with Japan during the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in the Far Eastern city of Vladivostok.
Shia symposium in Berlin promotes “friendship among religions”
By IRNA,
Berlin : An international one-day Shia conference here Friday stressed the need to promote "friendship among religions." "The core message of this conference is friendship among religions," said Iran's Ambassador to Germany Ali Reza Sheikh Attar in his opening address to the symposium.
Sheikh Attar's remarks were echoed by the Cultural Attache of the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran Homayoun Hemmati who urged "cooperation among all followers of religions."
He added the Shia school of thought emphasized "the unity of all followers of religions."
15,000 people want their names off US terror list
By Xinhua
Washington : More than 15,000 people have appealed to the US government since February to have their names taken off the terror-watch list that delays their travel at the US airports and border crossings, The USA Today reported Wednesday.
The complaints have created such a backlog that members of the Congress are calling for a speedier appeal system that would help innocent people clear their names, according to the report.
US confirms immigration talks with Cuba
By IANS/EFE,
Washington : The US government has confirmed that one of its top diplomats for Latin America will participate in a new round of talks on immigration issues with Cuba in Havana this week.
"The discussions will focus on how best to promote safe, legal, and orderly migration between Cuba and the United States," the State Department said in a press release Wednesday.
Led by Craig Kelly, the principal deputy assistant secretary of state for Western Hemisphere Affairs, the US delegation will have representatives of the government agencies responsible for immigration policy.
Nepalese decry ‘royal privileges’ for sacked king
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS,
Kathmandu : Ordinary Nepalese, cutting across party lines, have begun protesting the government's decision to allow deposed king Gyanendra to move into a summer mansion from the Narayanhity Palace, saying it smacked of "royal privileges" and went against the spirit of the newly declared republic.
South Africa’s burning man gives lie to African unity
By Clare Byrne, DPA,
Johannesburg : Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) councillor Innocent Gumbi is careful to attribute all his remarks about African migrants to the residents of Denver men's hostel, a workers' compound in eastern Johannesburg dating to the apartheid era.
"They say foreigners are getting ID books more quickly than the original people of this country," he says, standing in an open corridor on the first floor of the red-brick compound, overlooking a rubbish-strewn courtyard.
EU mulls financial aid for crisis-hit Ukraine
By IANS,
Kiev : The European Union (EU) is considering financial assistance for Ukraine to help it deal with its economic crisis, EU foreign policy...
Brazil sacks coach Menezes
By IANS,
Rio de Janeiro: Mano Menezes has been sacked as the football coach of Brazil following a meeting with the country's top football officials.
Moscow to present Sino-Russian space arms race control initiative
By RIA Novosti
Moscow : Russia will submit to a UN disarmament conference a joint Sino-Russian proposal for an international treaty to ban the deployment of weapons in outer space.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will present the draft treaty to the UN-sponsored annual Geneva Disarmament Conference on February 12.
The United States has been critical of the Russian-Chinese initiative, especially following China's anti-satellite missile tests last year.
Moscow : Russia will submit to a UN disarmament conference a joint Sino-Russian proposal for an international treaty to ban the deployment of weapons in outer space.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will present the draft treaty to the UN-sponsored annual Geneva Disarmament Conference on February 12.
The United States has been critical of the Russian-Chinese initiative, especially following China's anti-satellite missile tests last year.
British government outlines tighter rules on expenses
By DPA,
London : The British government Wednesday outlined plans for a reform of the discredited expenses system for parliamentarians at the centre of a scandal that has engulfed all the main political parties.
The tougher rules, agreed by party leaders, would introduce a system of external regulation for expenses claims in order to "put the reputation of parliament above reproach", deputy Labour Party leader Harriet Harman said.
Six killed in tourist plane crash in Peru
By DPA,
Lima : A small plane carrying tourists on a sightseeing flight crashed in Peru Saturday, killing all six people on board.
IMF warns of ‘unusually long, severe recession’
By Arun Kumar,IANS,
Washington : Warning that the current global recession is likely to be "unusually long and severe" and the recovery sluggish, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Thursday said restoring confidence in the financial sector is "critically important".
"Aggressive monetary and fiscal policy measures are needed to support aggregate demand in the short term," said IMF's latest World Economic Outlook (WEO), calling for "coordinated monetary, fiscal, and financial policies" to deal with the crisis.
Myanmar junta snubs UN secretary-general
By DPA,
Yangon : The Myanmar junta Saturday snubbed UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's requests to free opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, or even to visit the Nobel peace laureate, who is currently in a Yangon jail, sources said.
Ban arrived in Yangon midday Saturday from Naypyitaw, Myanmar's military headquarters, 350 km north of Yangon, where the UN chief met twice with junta supremo Senior General Than Shwe.
Shuttle Endeavour blasts off from Cape Canaveral
By SPA
Cape Canaveral, Florida : Shuttle Endeavour and a crew of seven are on their way to the international space station, AP reported.
The space shuttle blasted off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, early Tuesday morning to begin what is expected to be the longest space station mission ever. It is a 16-day voyage to build a two-armed robot and add a float-in closet for a future lab. Five spacewalks are planned.
Liftoff came in the middle of the night, and it was the first shuttle launch in darkness since 2006.
Seven killed in attack on Somali parliament: Report
By DPA,
Nairobi/Mogadishu : At least seven people have been killed in an attack by armed militias on the parliament building of Somalia, media reports said Sunday.
At least three mortar shells struck the building in an attack coming shortly after deputies had met to debate the government's new budget proposals Saturday, the Radion Garowe radio reported.
Hindu group protests razing of temples
By IANS
Kuala Lumpur : Members of a Hindu rights group in Malaysia have protested against the demolition of nearly 80 temples across the country in recent years.
Strong quake hits Java, Indonesia
By Xinhua,
Jakarta : An earthquake with magnitude of 5.9 rocked Yogyakarta province of Java Island in Indonesia on Sunday, meteorology agency said here.
The shakes of the quake was felt in nearby provinces of Central Java and East Java, Jajat Sudjatmika, an official of the agency said.
The quake was struck at 13:05 Jakarta time (0605GMT) with epicentre located at 135 kilometres southeast Yogyakarta province and ten kilometers under sea bed, he said.
I have stabbed my baby: British woman tells cops
By IANS,
London : A 23-year-old British woman stabbed her 11-month-old daughter to death, and called the police to say: "I've got a baby and stabbed her."
Asean sponsors conference on Myanmar cyclone
By Xinhua,
Jakarta : The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) has agreed to sponsor an international conference to boost global commitment to assist Myanmar in mitigating the impact of deadly cyclone Nargis.
The conference to be attended by representatives from the international community would be held in Yangon May 23, Antara news agency Tuesday quoted Indonesian Foreign Minister Hassan Wirajuda as saying.
"The detailed plan for the conference is still under discussion," the minister said in an interview with Antara Monday.
Two killed in Mexico plane crash
By IANS,
Mexico City : At least two people were killed Friday when a small plane crashed in Mexico, authorities said.
According to the public security ministry, the four seater Cirrus plane crashed in the mountain range of Xalatlaco municipality, 70 km west to Mexico City, Xinhua reported.
So far, rescuers have found the corpses of a man and a women, who are yet to be identified.
Putin To Hold Security Council Meeting On Space Sector Issues
By Bernama
Moscow : Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday will hold a meeting of the country's Security Council. It will focus on prospects for the development of the national space sector up to 2020 in all its aspects - ranging from manned space flights to defence security, Russia's Itar-Tass news agency reported.
Russian First Vice Prime Minister who supervises this sector said last month that such a meeting was being prepared.
Julia Gillard returns as Australian PM
By IANS,
Sydney, : Incumbent Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard Tuesday won the support of two independent MPs to reach the halfway mark in parliament and return to form a minority government, ending a 17-day political uncertainty in the country.
The independent MPs' support gives Gillard, the country's first woman prime minister, the narrowest of margins in the 150-member House of Representatives, bringing to 76 the number of parliamentarians willing to support Labor. The opposition Coalition led by Tony Abbott has 73 seats.
Colombian Government Proposes Meeting Zone
By Prensa Latina
Bogota : Colombian President Alvaro Uribe on Friday proposed creating a meeting zone to facilitate an exchange of hostages by the Colombia Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARC) and guerrillas now imprisoned by the government.
The initiative was a surprise since even until yesterday Uribe kept insisting he would not remove soldiers from a meeting zone for a humanitarian exchange any place Colombia, as FARC had insisted.
Chinese growth may decline in 2015: economist
By IANS,
Beijing : After about 30 years of fast growth, Chinese economic growth rate may see a visible declines in 2015, said an economist.
Bhutan’s ‘Nelson Mandela’ driven to Nepal refugee camp
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS,
Kathmandu : A 45-year-old Bhutanese of Nepali origin, who was released from prison after 17 years by the Bhutan government this month, has been forced to take shelter in refugee camps in Nepal.
The expulsion of Dhan Kumar Rai, dubbed the Nelson Mandela of Bhutan by Nepal's media for his long imprisonment, comes after the coronation of a new king and Bhutan's well-publicised plans of reform and modernisation.
Rai, who arrived in Kathmandu for medical treatment Friday, is suffering from heart and mental problems.
Iran not to strike any deal compromising its rights
Tehran: Iranian government said Tuesday that Tehran will never strike a deal with the six world powers which ignores or undermines Iran's rights.
"We do...
UN for faster phase out of ozone-depleting HCFCs
By DPA
Montreal : Delegates at the United Nations climate conference in Montreal have reached a landmark deal to accelerate by a decade the phase out of ozone-depleting chemicals.
The new timetable agreed upon Friday by environment ministers and high-level officials from 191 countries, meeting under the auspices of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), calls for the eventual phase out of ozone-damaging chemicals known as hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) by developing countries by 2030.
Austrian unemployment increases
By IANS,
Vienna : The Austrian unemployment rate rose to 6.2 percent in August despite improvement in sectors such as industry, trade and tourism, the APA reported.
British cattle factory to house 8,000 cows
By IANS,
London : An ambitious plan to set up a 50-million-pound cattle factory, where over 8,000 cows will be milked around the clock, has been unveiled in Britain.
First of its kind in Britain, the industrial-scale farm will house the UK's largest dairy herd in Western Europe inside giant metal sheds with little access to green grass or sunshine, the Daily Mail reported Friday.
The farm, where 8,100 'battery cows' will be milked around the clock, is expected to be built at Nocton, south of Lincoln.
Beyonce’s gifts expensive watch to Jay-Z
By IANS,
Los Angeles: Singer Beyonce has reportedly splashed three million pounds on a watch, which she presented to husband Jay-Z as a birthday gift.
South Korea buys Indonesian aircraft for coastguard
By ANTARA News,
Seoul : South Korea has signed a 90-million-dollar deal with Indonesia to buy four transport planes for the coastguard, officials said Tuesday.
Under the deal signed on Monday, Indonesia will deliver four CN235-110 aircraft by 2011, the Defense Acquisition Programme Administration said.
"They will be used for various missions," a spokesman told AFP, adding the plane, which is equipped with an advanced radar system, is already used by South Korea's air force.
Hundreds of dead civilians piling up in Sri Lanka war
By M.R. Narayan Swamy, IANS,
New Delhi : Hundreds of Tamil civilians, including children, have been killed and wounded in Sri Lanka's war against the Tamil Tigers, international relief agencies say, with some calling it a humanitarian crisis.
Although Sri Lanka insists that civilian deaths have been nil or minimal, there is growing disquiet in world capitals. Even the usually reticent international aid agencies are starting to speak out about the killings but opinion is divided as to who is more to blame: Colombo or the LTTE.
Beckham’s expensive holiday in Maldives
By IANS,
London: Footballer David Beckham has taken his family to an expensive holiday to Maldive islands.
Russia warns of retaliation against US missile shield
By RIA Novosti
Moscow : Russia considers US plans to install a missile defence shield in central Europe an attempt to weaken its nuclear deterrent, a foreign ministry spokesperson has said.
"If a radar (in the Czech Republic) along with missiles in Poland are deployed, this will be a military operation to weaken Russia's nuclear deterrent potential," Mikhail Kamynin said in a statement
The officials also made it clear that Russia would retaliate if the US insisted on deploying the missile shield in the region.
Profs want Pope visit cancelled
University physicists can't digest Galileo comment
(ANSA) - Rome, January 14 - A planned visit by Pope Benedict to Rome's most prestigious university has sparked protests from scientists there who are offended by his position on Galileo.
In a letter to the university's rector, 67 lecturers and professors said it would be ''incongruous'' for the pontiff to open the academic year at the La Sapienza university on January 17 and called for his visit to be cancelled.
KCNA: South Korean party delegation visits DPRK
By Xinhua,
Pyongyang : A delegation of the Democratic Labor Party of South Korea arrived here Saturday, the official news agency KCNA said.
Kim Ji Son, vice-chairman of the Central Committee of the Korean Social Democratic Party welcomed the delegation headed by its representative Kang Ki Gap at the airport, KCNA reported.
No further details about the visit was given in the report.
They survived Nepal’s quake but lost livelihood
By Vishal Gulati,
Ramkot (Nepal) : When 23-year-old Shalendar Lama of this village located in the western valley of Kathmandu found his way out of...
Fuel pollution in Kerch strait 50 times above normal
By RIA Novosti
Moscow : The concentration of petroleum products in the strait linking the Black Sea and Sea of Azov is 50 times above maximum acceptable levels after a tanker split open during Sunday's storm, Russian experts said Wednesday as authorities despatched special chemical absorbent to clean up the spill.
"Tests of water samples made by Russian weather service experts Nov 13 showed 2.5 milligrams per litre, which is 50 times above the acceptable concentration level," the service said in a statement.
Brazilian president says Castro well enough to resume office
By Xinhua
Havana : Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has said Cuban leader Fidel Castro has regained his health to go back to active politics.
Lula, who was on a daylong visit to Cuba Tuesday, met Castro and held talks over a variety of issues. He later said the Cuban leader was "healthy enough to reclaim his political role".
"I think Fidel will soon assume his political role in Cuba, his historic role in Cuba and the globalised world, " Lula said at Havana's international airport, winding up his tour.
US Congress considering short-term funding for carmakers
By DPA,
Washington : Speaker of the US House of Repersentative Nancy Pelosi has said Congress was considering a short-term funding deal for the US automotive industry and that a vote on some sort of bail-out for the Big Three was expected by next week.
Congressional leaders are to spend the weekend ironing out a deal over how to help the US automotive industry survive the economic
recession, specially Ford, Chrysler and General Motors (GM)- known as the Big Three.
200 evacuated from North Sea oil platform after gas leak
By SPA,
Oslo, Norway : Norwegian news agency NTB reports that about 200 workers are being evacuated from an oil platform in the North Sea after a suspected gas leak.
NTB says rescue helicopters were being sent Saturday to the Statfjord A platform to assist with the evacuations.
About 40 workers will remain on the platform during the operation.
Egypt slams HRW report on crackdown deaths as ‘biased’
Cairo : Egypt on Saturday slammed a report by New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) on the killings of supporters of ousted Islamist...
US, Russian astronauts arrive at space station
By DPA,
Washington : A Russian Soyuz spacecraft carrying two US astronauts and a Russian cosmonaut arrived Thursday at the orbiting International Space Station (ISS).
The Soyuz lifted off Tuesday from the Baikonur launch site in Kazakhstan with Americans Doug Wheelock, Shannon Walker and Russian Fyodor Yurchikhin aboard.
The 2221 GMT docking occurred over Argentina. It was the combined 100th flight to the ISS by US space shuttles and Russian Soyuz capsules.
6,000 hectares of poppy destroyed in Myanmar
By IANS,
Yangon : A total of 6,083 hectares of poppy plantation grown illegally in Myanmar were destroyed in the 2010-11 cultivation season, a media report said Monday.
Women refusing to remove niqab in Canada will be charged
By Gurmukh Singh, IANS,
Toronto : After the landmark niqab ban in French-speaking Quebec province last week, Canadian police now say they will charge anyone refusing to remove face-coverings, including niqab, when being booked after arrest.
Under Canadian laws, police always take mug shots of the offenders after their arrest.
Though no Muslim woman with a niqab has been arrested in the country yet, police said Tuesday that anyone refusing to remove face-coverings for a mug shot will face charges.
Blair set to be Mideast envoy despite opposition – Report
By IRNA
London : Tony Blair's controversial appointment as an international envoy for the Middle East looks set to be formally agreed before the outgoing prime minister steps down from power in Britain despite widespread opposition, it was reported Monday.
Thousands march to mark 150 years of the Red Cross
By DPA,
Solferino (Italy) : At least 8,000 people took part in a torch-lit march Saturday evening to mark the Battle of Solferino in northern Italy, the event that led to the creation of the Red Cross.
"It's really a very good thing to see so many people, especially young people, who are motivated to be committed to humanitarian work," Jakob Kellenberger, president of the International Committee of the Red Cross, told DPA.
"I am pleased people are here just to remember the disaster of war. ... They are also all aware the fight for peace is never-ending."
Brazilian oil giant announces new offshore find
By EFE,
Sao Paulo : State-controlled oil company Petrobras has announced the discovery of an estimated 25 million barrels of oil in Brazil's Atlantic waters.
The deposit is located in the Campos basin, off the north coast of Rio de Janeiro state, Petrobras said in a statement.
The light crude was found near the existing Marimba field and the proximity of installed infrastructure will make it possible to begin production at the new site by August 2010, the company said Monday.
Police chief goes on shooting spree in Russia, kills three
By RIA Novosti,
Moscow : A senior police officer shot dead three people and injured six others at a supermarket in southern Moscow in a shooting police said could have been sparked by a family row.
The police chief reportedly frequently quarrelled at home, with his wife being unhappy about the amount of time he was spending at work.
"At about 00.30 (Moscow time), Denis Yevsyukov killed the driver of a Chevrolet Lanos who dropped him at the store," Investigation Committee spokesman Vladimir Markin said Monday.
ADB to help combat land degradation, climate change
By Xinhua
Manila : The Asian Development Bank (ADB) will provide $2 million to formulate and implement policies to combat land degradation and reduce the risk of climate change in the developing countries, the bank said Wednesday.
"Investing in agriculture and natural resource research is an essential means of reducing poverty and stimulating agricultural and economic growth. It also improves productivity," said Tun Lin, natural resources economist of the ADB's East Asia Department.
Millions vote in Myanmar’s first election in 20 years
By DPA,
Yangon : Myanmar's military-ruled population voted Sunday in the first election in more than 20 years, designed to introduce "discipline-flourishing democracy".
Nepalese PM rules out republic before polls
By Sudeshna Sarkar
Kathmandu, Sep 17 (IANS) Nepal's Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala has ruled out the idea of scrapping the country's monarchy before the elections scheduled Nov 22, despite the Maoist threat to walk out of the ruling alliance and start a new "people's revolt" if this demand of theirs was not met by Monday.
Koirala, who last week urged the Maoist leadership not to quit the government at a time when Nepal was passing through a critical phase, remained resolute Monday despite the spectre of the ultimatum running out by midnight.
Serbian president ordered to pay fine over World Cup champagne
By DPA,
Belgrade: A Belgrade court ordered Serbian President Boris Tadic to pay a fine of 40,000 dinars ($617) for drinking champagne at a stadium after Serbia qualified for the World Cup in October, local media reported Thursday.
Tadic, along with the sports minister and a Belgrade city hall official, appeared last week in court where they faced misdemeanour charges for drinking alcohol at a sports stadium.
Russian provincial minister being prosecuted
By RIA Novosti,
Syktyvkar (Russia) : Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) has launched a criminal case against a deputy interior minister in Komi Republic in the northwest accusing him of divulging state secrets.
"We are investigating a case which involves officials from the interior ministry in Komi, including Vasily Lytoyev," investigation department spokesman Nikolai Basmanov said Monday.
The murder of Qandeel Baloch and the ‘honour’ in killing
By Parvin Sultana for Twocircles.net
Of the many vices that inflict a patriarchal society, honour killing is one. It arises from the idea that women’s...
‘No progress’ as talks in Kenya suspended
By DPA
Nairobi : Talks to end Kenya's crisis over disputed elections were suspended Tuesday after mediator and former United Nations secretary general Kofi Annan said there had been a second day without any progress.
"The talks have not broken down. The talks are still on but I'm taking steps to ensure that we accelerate the process and give peace to the people as soon as possible," a visibly annoyed Annan told reporters.
North Korea threatens to destroy South’s ‘propaganda’ loudspeakers
By DPA,
Seoul : North Korea Saturday said it would destroy loudspeakers spreading South Korean propaganda and threatened to turn the capital Seoul into a "sea of flame", a media report said.
Earlier in the week, South Korea began readying loudspeakers at 11 sites along the demilitarised zone in response to the sinking of one of its warships that led to the death of 46 sailors, South's Yonhap news agency said.
‘France offers joint nuclear deterrence, Britain reluctant’
By IANS,
London : French and British officials have discussed a nuclear deterrence-sharing scheme but Britain has opposed the idea "so far" on grounds of political unacceptability, a media report said Friday.
The Guardian quoted an unnamed British official as confirming that the French government had proposed sharing the expensive task of patrolling the seas with nuclear weapons-armed submarines.
Known as "continuous at-sea deterrent", the task has currently been undertaken individually by the two countries at a projected future cost to Britain of up to 100 billion pounds.
US lawmakers strike deal on trimmed down stimulus plan
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : Faced with mounting job losses, Democratic and Republican senators have struck a deal to pave the way for the approval of a trimmed down $780 billion dollar economic recovery package to prevent the economic crisis from turning into a catastrophe, as President Barack Obama put it.
The deal, announced on the Senate floor Friday night, followed two days of tense negotiations with Obama dispatching his chief of staff to Capitol Hill to reassure senators in his own party and called three key Republicans to applaud them for their patriotism.
Contador wins 2009 Tour de France, Armstrong finishes third
By DPA,
Paris: Alberto Contador won the 2009 Tour de France Sunday, the second Tour title of his career, outsprinting Luxembourg's Andy Schleck and seven-time Tour champion Lance Armstrong.
The 26-year-old Contador's margin over the 24-year-old Schleck was 4 minutes 11 seconds, the largest winning margin in several years. Armstrong was 5 minutes 25 seconds adrift to finish third in his comeback after four years away from the race.
Contador proved himself the strongest climber by far, and the Astana rider won one time trial and came in second in the other.
Helicopter crash kills four soldiers in Colombia
By IANS/EFE,
Bogota: Four soldiers died in a helicopter crash in central Colombia that was apparently caused by bad weather, the army said Monday.
The accident...
Nine Pakistanis released without charge, to face deportation
By Dipankar De Sarkar,IANS,
London : Nine Pakistani men, whose arrest over an alleged terrorist bomb plot in northwest England led to a row between Britain and Pakistan, have been released without charge.
They were among 12 men who were arrested by British police April 8 after raids on houses in the cities of Manchester, Liverpool and Clitheroe.
Two of the men are still being questioned while a third had been handed over to the custody of the UK Border Agency three days after the arrests, made over what Prime Minister Gordon Brown had described as a "very big terrorist plot".
Crocodile caused plane crash: Report
By IANS,
London : A plane crash in Democratic Republic of Congo that killed 20 people on board was caused by a crocodile hidden in a bag on the flight, a media report said here Friday.
Maoists capture Pashupatinath’s bathhouse
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS,
Kathmandu : Even as Nepal's Maoist Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda claimed his former guerrilla party was not seeking to interfere in religious matters, its cadres have taken over the house meant for the bathing rituals of revered Hindu deity Pashupatinath.
UN Goals Hit by World Economy Decline
By Prensa Latina
United Nations : UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon warned that the decline in world economic growth increases the challenges of the less-developed countries in their hope for progress.
At the inauguration of a debate at General Assembly on the going on of the Millennium Development Goals MDGs, Ban expressed concern for the increase of food prices, which threatens to deepen hunger and malnutrition.
Campaign Launched In China To Stop Domestic Violence
By Bernama
Beijing : More than 125,000 Chinese netizens have submitted their signatures to an on-line campaign against domestic violence, said China's Xinhua news agency quoting a report in a local media Thursday.
Their signatures were organised by lady.163.com, a website run by NetEase, and the Anti-Domestic Violence Network of the China Law Society as part of a global effort of the UN Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) to protect women from physical and mental abuse, English-language China Daily reported.
US Troops to Carry Guns in Peru
By Prensa Latina,
Lima : The Peruvian government tacitly admitted the possibility that the US troops to be deployed in the central region of Ayacucho fight irregular forces acting in the area.
Defense Minister Antero Flores-Araoz tried to justify that foreign troops carry assault rifles, responding to criticisms by opposition Peruvian Nationalist Party (PNP) leader Ollanta Humala, who recalled that according to the law, only Peruvian soldiers can carry such weapons within the country.
South Asian organisations in US accuse BJP of vendetta politics to persecute Muslims
By TCN News
The Alliance for Justice and Accountability (AJA) on Tuesday condemned the Indian Government for slapping criminal charges against Muslim activists, students, and...
Obama favoured by Hispanics over McCain
By DPA,
Washington : Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama is preferred over his Republican rival John McCain by Hispanic voters in the US, according to a new survey.
Obama beats McCain by 66 percent to 23 percent among registered Hispanic voters nationwide, the Pew Hispanic Centre said Thursday. The support for Obama represents a wider shift towards the Democratic Party.
Serbian Assembly Debates on Kosovo
By Prensa Latina
Belgrade : The National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia is debating a bill Wednesday defending Serbia's territorial integrity and ratifying that the UN Security Council is the only authority to decide the statute of Kosovo Province.
The document rejects possible unilateral proclamation of independence by that province, and warns that the government would reconsider diplomatic relations and other ties with those countries that approve such a declaration.
New Zealand parliament holds its first session after polls
Wellington : New Zealand's 51st Parliament Monday held its first sitting since last month's general election for the swearing-in of all 121 members.
David Carter,...
Efforts to combat terrorism should be redoubled: Rajapaksa
By IANS,
Colombo : South Asian countries should redouble their efforts to combat the common challenge of terrorism in the region, Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa said here Friday.
Addressing the thirty-first session of the Council of Ministers of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SSARC), President Rajapaksa said that terrorism and global financial meltdown are among several challenges South Asia was facing, and stressed that "common challenges require collective responses".
‘Strong relations with India, China major Bush legacy’
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : "Very aware" of the rise of East Asia and the emergence of China, President George W. Bush had built "strong relations" with India, China and other major powers of the region, says a senior aide.
"When historians look back on the last eight years, one of the key changes in the world, transformations in the world, will be the rise of East Asia and the emergence of China," said Dennis Wilder National Security Council Senior Director for Asian Affairs, Friday.
Japan, China agree to promote bilateral ties, resolve dispute
By KUNA,
Tokyo : Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda and visiting Chinese President Hu Jintao vowed Wednesday to promote bilateral strategic, mutually beneficial relations, with holding regular summits and either of the two countries' leaders visiting the other country every year.
During their summit meeting here, the two leaders also agreed to resolve a long-running dispute over energy rights in the East China Sea and to make the sea "a sea of peace, cooperation and friendship," according to a joint statement issued after the talks.
Nigeria terror attack toll rises to 162
By IANS,
Moscow: The toll in coordinated attacks by a radical Islamist group in Nigeria's northern city of Kano has risen to at least 162 people, a media report said.
Prabhakaran agrees to rescue mission by a Western country: Report
By IANS,
Colombo : Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger chief Velupillai Prabhakaran, who is said to be facing a military rout at the hands of the government troops, has "agreed to a rescue mission by a western country", a state-run media report said Sunday.
The report comes a week after the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) lost the cream of its fighting cadre, including a dozen battle-hardened leaders in the fight for Puthukkudiyiruppu. It was their last bastion where the rebels had maintained several military and naval bases and armoury over the past three decades.
US job openings rise
By IANS,
Washington: US employers posted more job openings in January than in the previous month, indicating further improvement in the job market, the Labor Department reported.
Britain’s flood emergency to get worse, warns government
By DPA
London : Britain's already dramatic "summer floods" which have paralysed parts of the country are far from over and further flooding is "very likely," Environment Secretary Hilary Benn said Monday.
"We believe that up to 10,000 homes have been or could be flooded," Benn told parliament in an update on the emergency which has hit central and south-west Britain.
With further rainfalls being forecast, the Environment Agency (EA) said that crisis point could be reached in some areas.
Voting underway in South Africa’s fourth democratic poll
By DPA,
Soweto (South Africa) : Voting was under way Wednesday in South Africa's fourth general election since the end of apartheid, in which the ruling African National Congress is aiming to retain its overwhelming majority in the face of new opposition.
Early voter turnout on a cold morning was lower at some polling stations than in previous elections since the country's first, euphoric multi-racial polls in 1994.
US allays India’s Afghan fears, admits ISI-Taliban links
By IANS,
New Delhi: In a delicate balancing act, the US Thursday assured India that Washington's ties with Pakistan were not to derail New Delhi's "laudable" role in Afghanistan's reconstruction and admitted that ISI-Taliban links posed a problem.
Days after talks between India and Pakistan broke down, US Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan Richard Holbrooke pitched for better relations between New Delhi and Islamabad.
He underlined that better relations between Washington and Islamabad were in New Delhi's interests.
US weapons programs over budget, behind schedule
By ANTARA,
Washington : Many major US weapons programs are running over budget and lagging behind promised production schedules, a report by an independent US auditor said Monday.
The cost of the 96 largest defense programs reached 1.6 trillion dollars in the 2008 fiscal year, 25 percent higher than initially budgeted, said the Government Accountability Office (GAO), the investigative arm of Congress.
For these weapons projects, "the average delay in delivering initial capabilities has increased to 22 months," the GAO report was quoted by AFP as saying.
Pakistani forces kill over 1,000 terrorists in 9 months
Islamabad: Pakistani security forces have killed 1,114 terrorists since the launch of an anti-terror campaign following the deadly December 16 attack on an army-run...
Floods Affect Southern Africa
By Prensa Latina
United Nations : UN agencies reported the critical situation in Southern Africa, especially in Mozambique, due to floods caused by heavy rains.
The UN office in Maputo said swollen rivers have killed seven people and displaced dozens of thousands, adding that despite good preparation, the situation may change due to the fury of waters.
Nongovernmental organizations in Mozambique warned that 250,000 people in the low region of the Zambezi Valley are at risk, as the level of the Cabora Bassa dam continues to increase.
President Mugage leaves for EU- Africa Summit
By NNN-New Ziana
Harare : President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe has left for Portugal to attend the European Union-African Union Summit to be held in Lisbon on Dec 8 and 9, Information and Publicity Minister Sikhanyiso Ndlovu says.
He added in a statement that First Lady Amai Grace Mugabe and senior government officials are accompanying the president, who left here Thursday. Foreign Minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi is already in Portugal as part of the advance team.
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