Protesters shoot arrows at Ulan Bator’s Government House
By IANS,
Ulan Bator (Mongolia) : About 50 protesters on horseback encircled the Government House here Friday and shot arrows at it to protest the lack of a referendum on parliamentary elections.
120,000 evacuated in China after breach in dykes
By IANS,
Beijing : Over 120,000 people were moved to safer places after continuous rains caused two dykes to breach in an eastern China province, officials said Friday.
Russia suspends airline after crash kills 47
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Moscow : Russia Thursday suspended the licence of a Moscow-based airline following a plane crash that killed 47 people last month.
Three dead in Russia small plane crash
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
St. Petersburg : Three people were killed when a privately-owned small aircraft crashed into a river in Russia, officials said.
18 killed in UN building bombing in Nigeria
By IANS,
Abuja : At least 18 people were killed Friday when a suicide car bomb rocked the UN building in Nigerian capital Abuja, officials said.
Tibet draws over 6mn tourists this year
By IANS,
Beijing : China's Tibet region is experiencing a good tourism season with both arrivals and revenue witnessing a record high in the first eight months of the year.
32 prisoners flee Mexican jail
By IANS,
Mexico City : At least 32 prisoners escaped from three jails in the Mexican state of Veracruz Monday, Xinhua reported.
Tougher security for nuclear facilities needed: UN chief
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
United Nations : UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has urged an increase in security standards for nuclear energy plants.
Ukrainian police to learn English for Euro 2012
By IANS,
Kiev : Ukraine's ministry of internal affairs plans to teach English to about 27,000 police officers ahead of the of Euro 2012 football championship, the government said.
No spaceship, yet NASA wants more astronauts
By IANS,
Washington : America's space organisation NASA has launched a massive recruitment drive to find new astronauts, despite not having its own spaceship for them to fly.
US growth facing serious headwinds: Official
By IANS,
Washington : Growth in the US faces serious headwinds and the country's high unemployment will linger for many years, said a senior Federal Reserve official Tuesday.
World Economic Forum calls for business innovation
By IANS,
Davos: Participants at the annual World Economic Forum here Wednesday urged the companies to focus on innovation to remain in business.
Liam Neeson to convert to Islam?
By IANS,
London: Actor Liam Neeson is planning to give up his Catholic belief and convert to Islam.
Russian budget deficit expected at 1 percent of GDP
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Moscow : The federal budget deficit this year may come in at 1 percent of GDP, Russian Deputy Economic Development Minister Andrei Klepach said Wednesday.
US, Japan discuss purchase of F-35 fighters
By IANS,
Washington : US and Japanese officials have discussed Japan's plan to upgrade its air force with the purchase of 42 F-35 fighter jets, US State Department said Thursday.
Zimbabwe to promulgate diamond policy
By IANS,
Harare : The Zimbabwean government Thursday said it is completing a diamond policy document which will lead to the crafting of the much anticipated Diamond Bill.
700 observers to monitor Russian presidential poll
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Moscow : Around 700 international observers will arrive in Russia to monitor the March 4 presidential elections, a top election official said Thursday.
Eight killed in China road accident
By IANS,
Beijing : Eight people died in a tourist bus accident in northern China Thursday.
The accident took place in Hebei province. Twenty-four others were injured.
China blames Dalai Lama for self-immolation
By IANS,
Beijing : A Chinese official Friday held the Dalai Lama responsible for a string of self-immolation by Tibetan monks, saying the Tibetan spiritual leader applauded them.
Congo blast: Toll rises to 200
By IANS,
Brazzaville : The toll in Sunday's arms depot blast here in the capital of the Republic of Congo has risen to 200, the country's presidential office said.
Nepal flood toll reaches 26
By IANS,
Kathmandu : The toll in the Nepal's Seti river floods triggered by an avalanche in the Annapurna range has risen to 26 with police recovering more bodies Tuesday.
Obama’s speechwriter gets sitcom job
By IANS,
London : A former speechwriter of US President Barack Obama has got a new job -- to write a sitcom about family life in the White House.
British MPs spend 27,000 pounds ruing dirty loos
By IANS,
London : An expensive study has found British parliamentarians complaining the most about their dirty marble-lined toilets in the Commons.
Japan okays multiple-entry visa to Chinese tourists
By IANS,
Tokyo : Japan will grant multiple-entry visas from July to Chinese tourists travelling to quake and tsunami hit areas, the foreign ministry said Tuesday.
232 Sri Lankans held while illegally migrating
By IANS,
Colombo : The Sri Lankan Navy has detained about 250 nationals who were trying to flee the country to Australia.
China plans further steps on weather modification
By IANS,
Beijing: China said Thursday it will take more active steps to enhance weather modification, in a bid to better serve agricultural production and disaster relief work.
Sri Lanka navy arrests 54 Australia-bound asylum seekers
By IANS,
Colombo : The Sri Lankan navy Thursday arrested 54 Australia-bound asylum seekers, Xinhua reported.
Australia appoints new sports commission chief
By IANS,
Canberra : Australian Sports Minister Kate Lundy Wednesday announced that John Wylie will be the new chair of the Australian Sports Commission (ASC) Board.
Rihanna copies Brown’s gold grills
By IANS,
Los Angeles: Singer Rihanna was spotted leaving a restaurant in California wearing a set of gold grills - just like ex-boyfriend Chris Brown.
Colombian peace talks to begin Oct 15, say rebels
By IANS/EFE,
Bogota: Representatives of Colombia's FARC rebel group said that peace talks with the Andean nation's government will begin Oct 15, a week later than originally announced.
Holmes flourishing in singlehood
By IANS,
Los Angeles: Actress Katie Holmes is reportedly flourishing in her life post the divorce from actor Tom Cruise.
Chinese teen killed in Ghana mine crackdown
By IANS,
Accra: A 16-year-old Chinese boy has been killed and over 100 others have been detained by police in Ghana during a crackdown on illegal gold mining.
15,000 Chinese officials probed for bribery
By IANS,
Beijing : Authorities have investigated more than 15,000 civil servants involved in 13,000 cases of commercial bribery in the last five years, a media report said Thursday.
Argentines stage huge anti-government protests
By IANS/EFE,
Buenos Aires: Hundreds of thousands of Argentines took to the streets in different parts of the country to protest President Cristina Fernandez's policies.
China’s export, import goes up
By IANS,
Beijing: China's trade surplus widened in October as growth of exports accelerated while that of imports remaining steady, data from the country's customs showed Saturday.
US eases import limits on Myanmar goods
By IANS,
Washington: The US Friday eased decade-old import restrictions on Myanmar goods just days before President Barack Obama sets foot on the Southeast Asian nation.
139 journalists killed on the job in 2012
By IANS/EFE,
Geneva : A total of 139 journalists from 29 countries lost their lives while doing their job in 2012, a 30-percent increase over 2011, the Press Emblem Campaign (PEC) said Monday.
U.S. House of Representatives Approves New Taxes on Oil Companies
By SPA
Washington : The U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday approved $18 billion in new taxes on the largest oil companies as Democrats cited record-high oil prices and rising gasoline costs in a time of economic difficulties.
The money collected over 10 years would provide tax breaks for wind, solar, and other alternative energy sources and for energy conservation. The legislation, approved 236 to 182, would cost the five largest oil companies an average of $1.8 billion a year over that period. Those five companies earned $123 billion in profits last year.
Sweden says holds three suspected of terror plot
By SPA
Stockholm : Swedish security services took three Swedish citizens into custody on Thursday on suspicion of planning acts of terror and of financing terrorism, according to Reuters.
"Three people have been taken into custody," said Maria Martinsson, spokeswoman for the Swedish Security Service. "They are suspected of preparing terrorist activity and of financing
terrorism."
She said the three men detained at various addresses in the Stockholm area.
Russia’s MiG delivers 12 upgraded fighters to Slovakia
By RIA Novosti
Moscow : Russia's MiG aircraft manufacturer will transfer on Friday 12 MiG-29 Fulcrum fighters, modernized in line with NATO standards, to the Slovak Air Force, a company spokesperson said.
The 12 MiG-29AS/MiG-29UBS fighters have been upgraded in Slovakia by the MiG company and Western firms for NATO compatibility under a 2004 contract. The Slovak Air Force has a total of 21 MiG-29 aircraft in service.
The official transfer ceremony will be held at the Sliac airbase in central Slovakia.
Ban Ki Moon Meets Cuban Foreign Minister
By Prensa Latina
United Nations : Cuban Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque met on Thursday with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and General Assembly chairman Srgjan Kerim, whom he invited to visit Cuba.
Sources from the Cuban delegation said that the Un Secretary General handed over to Perez Roque a written message addressed to the new Cuban President Raul Castro, wishing him the best.
He also wished Fidel Castro a prompt recovery.
The reform of the UN Secretariat, the work of the Council on Human Rights were among the topics discussed.
18 killed in two road accidents in South Africa
By DPA
Johannesburg : Eighteen people were killed within 24 hours in two separate road accidents in South Africa, including 10 football players travelling home from a game, the SABC public broadcaster reported Monday.
The 10 players were killed and six other seriously injured Monday when the minibus in which they were travelling collided with a pick-up truck on a highway in rural Eastern Cape province.
Seven of the players died on the scene and another died soon after being admitted to hospital in the town of Mthatha, according to the SABC.
UN chief urges more investment in women for development and peace
By APP
United Nations : UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has called for greater investment in women and girls, which will help further economic growth and advance development. “Investing in women is not only the right thing to do. It is the smart think to do,” Ban told a commemoration event at the UN Headquarters for the International Women’s Day, which falls on Saturday.
“I am deeply convinced that, in women, the world has at its disposal the most significant and yet largely untapped potential for development and peace,” he said.
Thatcher taken to London hospital for tests: official
By AFP
London : Former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher has been admitted to a London hospital where she is in a "stable" condition, its spokeswoman said Saturday.
Thatcher, 82, is expected to spend the night at Saint Thomas' Hospital in central London, to which she was reportedly driven from her home in the capital late Friday for precautionary tests.
One killed in Colombo blast
By IANS
Colombo : One person was killed and four others, including three school children, were injured in a bomb blast in south Colombo Monday morning, the Sri Lankan Army spokesman said.
"The bomb was kept in a flower pot in the middle of Galle Road opposite Roxy cinema at Wellawatte," military spokesman Brig. Udaya Nanayakkara told IANS.
Reports said the bomb was a claymore mine used mainly by the Tamil rebel group Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).
Spain’s socialists win re-election in close-fought vote
By RIA Novosti
Madrid : Spain's ruling Socialist Party has won re-election despite the country's recent economic difficulties, but has fallen short of an absolute majority and will have to form a ruling coalition.
Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero defeated Mariano Rajoy's Conservative Popular Party for the second time in a row, gaining 43.7 percent, narrowly defeating the conservatives with 40.1%, with almost all votes counted.
New York governor apologizes amid reports of links with prostitution
By DPA
Washington : New York Governor Eliot Spitzer has acknowledged that he had engaged in wrongdoing but did not confirm a story in The New York Times that he has been linked by investigators to a prostitution ring.
Spitzer apologized to his family and the public. "I failed to live up to the standard I expected of myself," he said Monday at a press conference in New York.
Emissions in China may upset global greenhouse stabilisation
By IANS
Washington : China's current carbon emission levels have set alarm bells ringing among environmentalists as they are likely to upset global greenhouse stabilisation efforts.
According to conservative estimates by researchers, carbon emissions in China will increase by 600 million tonnes by 2010, compared to 2000, reports Sciencedaily.
The R.K. Pachauri-headed Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) had said the region that includes China is likely to see a 2.5-5 percent annual increase in carbon dioxide emissions by 2010.
Find up to 500 missing Asian children: Keith Vaz
By Dipankar De Sarkar, IANS
London : The chairman of an influential British parliamentary group Tuesday said immediate steps needed to be taken to trace possibly hundreds of missing Asian schoolchildren thought to have been forced into marriages abroad.
Forced marriages are a problem identified with some South Asian populations in Britain, with Pakistanis thought to account for most of them.
Information gathered for the British parliament's Select Committee on Home Affairs suggests hundreds of children could be missing across Britain.
New storms expected to spread across UK
By KUNA
London : Britain was bracing itself for a second day of storms Tuesday.
As householders cleared up the floods and damage caused by yesterday's gales, forecasters predicted more of the same.
The London Weather Centre issued a severe gale warning for much of Britain tonight until tomorrow afternoon.
The storms are expected to strike further north than yesterday, with further disruption to transport and power supplies possible.
Russia may join WTO next year says Russian official
By RIA Novosti
Moscow : Russia may conclude negotiations on joining the WTO by the summer and could become a full member in 2009, the director of the Information Bureau on Russia's Accession to the WTO said on Tuesday.
"If nothing unexpected happens, Russia will be a WTO member from January 2009," said Alexei Portansky.
Some 20 senior officials of EU mission arrive in Pristina
By RIA Novosti
Brussels : About 20 senior officials of the EU's police and justice mission (EULEX) in Kosovo have arrived in Pristina, the mission's head French General Yves de Karmebon said on Tuesday.
Prior to the declaration of independence by the Serbian province on February 17, the European Union approved sending a 2,000-strong EULEX mission to Kosovo to replace the UN mission, which has been deployed there since the NATO bombing of Serbia in 1999. Kosovo has been a UN protectorate since the end of the conflict between Albanian and Serb forces.
Dolphin guides two stranded whales out to sea
By DPA
Wellington : A friendly dolphin saved two pygmy sperm whales stranded off a New Zealand beach, steering them out to sea, according to a Conservation Department worker quoted in a news report Wednesday.
"It was amazing," Malcolm Smith said. "It was like she grabbed them by the flipper and led them to safety."
He said he had worked for over an hour off Mahia, on the east coast of the North Island on Monday, trying to refloat the mother whale and her one-year-old male calf. After four unsuccessful attempts, he feared they would have to be euthanised.
31 killed in fighting in northern Sri Lanka
By DPA
Colombo : At least 28 Tamil rebels and three soldiers were killed in sporadic fighting in northern Sri Lanka as government troops continued their operations to recapture rebel-held territory, an army spokesman said Thursday.
Fighting was reported Wednesday in Vavuniya, 240 km north of the capital, in Welioya, 360 km north east of the capital, and in Mannar 320 km north of the capital, he said.
Some injuries, shops on fire in Tibet riots
By KUNA
Tokyo : Several people were injured and shops burned in clashes in Tibet's capital of Lhasa on Friday, China's official news agency Xinhua reported, citing witnesses. "There are a number of injuries resulted from the riots," the agency said, without giving details about the clashes.
Ten people confirmed dead in Lhasa riot
By KUNA
Tokyo : Death toll from Friday's riot in the Tibetan capital of Lhasa has increased from seven to 10, China's official news agency Xinhua reported Saturday, citing the Tibet regional government.
"The victims are all innocent civilians, and they have been burnt to death, " Xinhua quoted a local official as saying, adding that no casualties have been reported among foreigners.
China’s lawmakers endorse state leaders, government reform
By DPA
Beijing : China's parliament Saturday endorsed plans by the ruling Communist party to restructure government ministries and approved party leader Hu Jintao's second five-year term as state president.
In a single-candidate election of leaders recommended by the party, some 3,000 members of the National People's Congress also elevated Hu's heir-apparent, 54-year-old Xi Jinping, to the vice presidency.
The restructuring plan creates five "superministries" and gives a higher profile to environmental protection and energy saving.
Russian rocket fails to send US satellite into orbit
By Xinhua
Moscow : A Russian rocket failed to send into orbit a US communication satellite that was launched from Central Asia's Baikonur space centre early Saturday.
The AMC-14 satellite, atop of a Proton-M carrier rocket, was put into a orbit with the apogee altitude of 28,000 km instead of the planned 36,000 km, the Itar-Tass news agency said, citing Russian space agency Roskosmos.
The rocket blasted off at 02.18 Saturday from the Baikonur space centre.
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.
British chief justice flays Musharraf
By IANS
New Delhi : British Chief Justice Lord Phillips Monday severely criticised President Pervez Musharraf for sacking Pakistan's chief justice Iftakar Muhammad Choudhry last year and for failing to provide "the rule of law" to his country.
Chief Justice of England and Wales Lord Phillips of Worth Matravers was addressing members the Indian Supreme Court bar and bench in presence of Indian Chief Justice K.G. Balakrishnan among others.
Lord Phillips was leading a British delegation to an Indo-British Legal forum's meet here Monday.
Johnson ahead to become London Mayor
By IRNA
London : Conservative candidate Boris Johnson has opened up a 12-point lead to replace Ken Livingstone as the mayor of London, according to an opinion poll published Monday.
The survey for the London Evening Standard says that 49 per cent of voters would use their first-preference votes to back Johnson, a flamboyant former opposition front-bench spokesman, while only 37 per cent backed the current idiosyncratic mayor.
The Conservative candidate was also ahead of Livingstone on second-preference votes, which is used in the electoral system for London mayor.
Text of Barack Obama speech
By IANS
Washington : Following is the text of Barack Obama's speech delivered at Philadelphia Tuesday:
Two hundred and twenty one years ago, in a hall that still stands across the street, a group of men gathered and, with these simple words, launched America's improbable experiment in democracy.
Farmers and scholars; statesmen and patriots who had travelled across an ocean to escape tyranny and persecution finally made real their declaration of independence at a Philadelphia convention that lasted through the spring of 1787.
Visa public offer raises record $17.9 billion
By IANS
New York : Despite the general gloom in global equities markets, credit cards major Visa Thursday concluded the largest ever public offering in the US to raise $17.9 billion at $44 a share, above the expected price of $37-$42.
The company's shares will start trading from Wednesday on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol "V".
If the San Francisco-based credit card company decides to retain 40.6 million shares based on the over-subscription, in addition to the 406 million on offer, the public issue could raise as much as $19.65 billion, analysts said.
Russian fighter jet crashes in country’s Far East
By RIA Novosti
Moscow : The Russian Air Force has suspended all its Su-25 strike aircraft flights following a fatal crash in the country's Far East early Thursday, an Air Force spokesman said.
A Su-25 Frogfoot close-support aircraft crashed Thursday in the Primorye Territory, some 143 km from the port of Vladivostok. The pilot died in the crash.
"Today, at around 3.33 Moscow time (0:33 GMT), a Su-25 aircraft crashed during a training flight near the Chernigovka airbase, 143 km from Vladivostok," Colonel Alexander Drobyshevsky said.
US sent Taiwan nuclear missile components by mistake
By AFP
Washington : The United States mistakenly sent Taiwan four fuses used to trigger nuclear warheads on ballistic missiles in late 2006 and only discovered the mistake last week, the Pentagon said Tuesday.
The fuses were recovered Monday from Taiwan where they were believed to have been held in storage after being mistakenly shipped as helicopter batteries from a Defense Department logistics facility in the United States, senior Pentagon officials said.
Oil major BP recalls 148 employees from Russia
By RIA Novosti
Moscow : A total of 148 employees of Britain's BP working in Russia for TNK-BP have been recalled from Russia due to problems with registration, the Russian-British venture has said.
"We confirm that 148 employees of BP have been recalled from TNK-BP. The reason for their recall is that the status of their stay in Russia has not been fully regulated in line with Russian migration laws," a TNK-BP spokesperson said.
Sarkozy advocates closer French-British ties
By DPA
London : French President Nicolas Sarkozy, ahead of an official visit to Britain, has called for closer bilateral ties.
Both countries should perhaps "move from being cordial to being friendly," Sarkozy said in an interview with British broadcaster BBC.
"It has been long enough now that we have not been at war, that we are not wrangling," Sarkozy said.
Sarkozy said the friendship between Britain and France "shouldn't simply be a matter of principle", but one that is "fleshed out by concrete projects on the economy, immigration, security, defence".
One killed, several injured in Nepal pre-poll violence
By DPA
Kathmandu : One person was killed and several hurt in escalating pre-election violence in Nepal between rival political parties, media reports said Wednesday.
A Maoist cadre was killed after clashing with Nepali Congress party activists in Solukhumbhu district, 200 km northeast of the Nepalese capital Kathmandu.
The clash erupted after the two rival parties gathered at the same venue to hold election campaign rallies, the independent Kantipur Television reported.
At least 25 people, including a senior Nepali Congress leader and Maoist supporters, were injured in the clash.
India’s cautious approach on Tibet understandable: Dalai Lama
By IANS
New Delhi : Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama says India's "cautious" approach to the Tibet issue is "understandable".
"I always looked out of (sic) India from a holistic view. Then there is some incidence, here and there, being a little overcautious doesn't matter," he told TV news channel NDTV in an interview to be telecast Friday.
AK-47s Appearing More in U.S.
By SPA
Washington : The number of AK-47-type guns appearing in the United States appears to be on the rise, according to figures from the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), obtained by The Associated Press.
The number of such guns recorded after being associated with a crime appeared to rise even during a federal ban on assault weapons and has continued to climb since its expiration.
12 killed as Ukraine helicopter crashes in Black Sea
By DPA
Kiev : A Ukrainian helicopter crashed in the Black Sea Thursday killing 12 people and leaving only one survivor, officials at Ukraine's Border Troops command said.
It happened in the northwestern Black Sea, near the mouth of the Danube river.
A total 13 people, three flight crew and 10 passengers, had been aboard the aircraft at the time of the crash. Eleven of the dead were border security staff, and other person killed was a civilian.
The identity of the single survivor was not immediately made public.
Third person dead in U.S. hospital shooting
By RIA Novosti
Washington : Authorities in the U.S. state of Georgia have said that a third person has died following an attack at a hospital.
The three deaths resulted from shootings on Thursday at Doctors Hospital in the city of Columbus. The shooter, Charles Johnston, 63, a retired teacher, claimed that his late mother had received poor medical treatment in the hospital, authorities said.
Johnston arrived at the hospital armed with three handguns and first fired at a male nurse he blamed for his mother's death, saying: "Do you remember me? Do you remember my mother?"
No missile shield talks with Poles, Czechs: Russian envoy
By RIA Novosti
Brussels : Russia will discuss contentious US plans to deploy a missile shield in central Europe only with Washington, not with host countries Poland and the Czech Republic, Moscow's NATO envoy has said.
The US intends to deploy 10 missile interceptors in Poland and a radar in the Czech Republic, which it says will provide defence against 'rogue states' such as Iran, plans that Moscow views as a direct threat to its own security.
Answering a reporter's question in Brussels Friday, Dmitry Rogozin said: "We will talk with the US, but not with the Poles and the Czechs."
Colombia offers cash reward for FARC hostage release
By Xinhua
Bogota : Colombian President Alvaro Uribe has said he would pay cash to the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) for release of hundreds of hostages from its captivity.
He said he would pay the amount from a fund of $100 million for the release of hostages, including former politician Ingrid Betancourt, many of whom were held by the group for several years.
Outspoken Kremlin dissident reported missing in Berlin
By IRNA
Berlin : A Russian artist and Kremlin critic has been reported missing in Berlin for more than a week, the press said.
Police halted the search for Anna Mikhalchuk on Friday without any clear lead.
However, the investigation on the whereabouts of the 52-year-old dissident who is married to Russian philosopher Michail Ryklin, will continue, Berlin police spokesman Bernhard Schodrowski was quoted saying.
There are no signs for a politically motivated crime, added Schodrowski.
Ukraine signs deal with U.S. firm on nuclear fuel supplies
By RIA Novosti
Kiev : Ukraine's nuclear power utility Energoatom said on Monday it had signed a contract with the U.S.-based Westinghouse Electric Company on fuel supplies for its nuclear power plants.
Ukraine, which relies almost entirely on Russia for its nuclear fuel imports, has stepped up efforts in recent years to diversify supplies amid rising prices and energy disputes with Russia.
The document signed by the parties stipulates nuclear fuel supplies for Ukrainian nuclear power plants in 2011-2015.
Lhasa violence part of Dalai clique’s plot: China
By Xinhua
Beijing : China said Tuesday there are proofs that the March 14 Lhasa violence was part of the "Tibetan people's uprising movement" staged by the Dalai Lama clique.
The "movement" aimed at creating a crisis in China by coordinated sabotage in Tibet, interior ministry spokesman Wu Heping told a press conference.
He said that police have captured the primary suspects who allegedly organized, planned and participated in the March 14 violence in Tibet's capital city.
"The suspects are closely connected with the Dalai clique," he said.
Two more countries to join NATO – three left waiting
By DPA
Bucharest : NATO is set to take in two new members, Croatia and Albania, but alliance leaders Wednesday sidestepped a confrontation with Russia by leaving Ukraine and Georgia waiting on the doorstep.
In a widely expected move, the leaders of NATO's 26 current member countries, meeting in Bucharest, failed to reach an agreement on Macedonia, with neighbouring Greece blocking its bid to join the alliance over an unresolved dispute over Macedonia's name.
Poland against permanent Russian presence at US missile base
By RIA Novosti
Moscow : Poland will not agree to the permanent presence of Russian military observers at a proposed US missile base on its territory, the Polish foreign minister has said.
The idea of allowing Russians to monitor the proposed US missile bases in central Europe was one of the proposals forwarded by US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Defence Secretary Robert Gates, during their talks in Moscow March 18 with Russia's Defence Minister Anatoly Serdyukov and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
Obama suggests cabinet post for Gore if elected U.S. president
By Xinhua
Washington : U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama suggested on Wednesday that he would consider offering former Vice President Al Gore a cabinet-level post should he be elected president.
His Republican counterpart, John McCain, said that he has concluded a list of potential running mates with nearly 20 names, and would narrow it down in the next "weeks if not months."
US, Czech Republic agree on missile shield
By DPA
Bucharest : The US and the Czech Republic agreed Thursday to site elements of a US anti-ballistic missile system on Czech soil, the two sides confirmed in a joint statement.
"The United States and the Czech Republic are pleased to announce the completion of negotiations on a missile defence agreement. We plan to sign the agreement in the near future," said the statement released on the fringes of the NATO summit in Bucharest.
Germany cancels plans to mix ethanol with petrol
By DPA
Berlin : Amid growing fears that biofuel farming is harming the environment and driving world food prices, Germany Friday cancelled plans to mix more ethanol made from plants with petrol.
Environment Minister Sigmar Gabriel said the decision was taken because 10 percent ethanol in petrol would rot the hoses and gaskets of millions of auto engines. But he said an order for diesel fuel to contain 7 percent ethanol remained in place.
Beijing Police Nab Eight Foreigners Suspected Of Drug Trafficking
By Bernama
Beijing : Police in Beijing apprehended more than 20 people, including eight foreigners, in suspicion of using and trafficking drugs in two downtown bars, Xinhua news agency quoted Beijing's public security authority as saying early on Saturday.
Police in Chaoyang district were tipped off that some drug traffickers and users gathered in pubs in Sanlitun, a bar area popular among both Chinese and foreigners, said the press office of Beijing Public Security Bureau.
Ex-Japanese national in Nepal polls supporting monarchy
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS
Kathmandu : He came to Nepal in the 1960s to climb its mountains and decided to stay on. Now Takashi Miyahara, a Japanese national who has taken Nepali citizenship, is fighting the constituent assembly elections in support of the monarchy.
Ask Takashi what made him leave his homeland and set roots in the Himalayan Kingdom, and he has a ready answer.
"I love its natural beauty and the Nepali people," the 74-year-old mechanical engineer from Kawasaki says. "Except politicians."
At least 5 sailors missing in boat collision in South Korea
By SPA
Seoul : At least five sailors remain missing after a Chinese fishing boat collided with a South Korean cargo ship and sank off South Korea's southern coast early Saturday, South Korea's Coast Guard told Xinhua.
There were at least 7 sailors on the boat when it collided with South Korea's 6,049-ton cargo ship "Bright Ace" at about 8:40 a.m. Saturday (2340 GMT Friday) on waters about 370 km south of South Korea's southern most island of Mara, said Kim Hyung-wook, a police officer of the Coast Guard's Jeju Bureau.
Poland ready to talk missile shield with Russia, the U.S.
By RIA Novosti
Warsaw : Warsaw is ready to hold talks with Russia and Washington on the proposed U.S. anti-missile shield if it is deployed in Poland, the deputy foreign minister said.
At a meeting on Sunday in south Russia, U.S. President George W. Bush and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin once again failed to overcome their differences on the U.S. missile defense, but agreed to continue negotiations.
Susilo Asks Indonesians To Help Govt Save State Budget
By Bernama
Jakarta : President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Sunday asked the people to switch from kerosene to liquefied petroleum gas as part of efforts to save the state budget amidst surging global oil prices, Indonesia's Antara news agency reported Monday.
The people who were willing to use LPG were 'heroes', the president said at a dialog with residents of Cempaka Baru in Central Jakarta.
He said the government would continue to intensify the implementation of the kerosene-to-gas conversion programme to reduce fuel subsidy.
Moscow Authorities To Tighten Welding Safety Rules In Flat Repairs
By Bernama
Moscow : The Moscow authorities intend to tighten the welding safety rules during repairs at apartment houses, Russia's Itar-Tass news agency reported.
Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov is expected to sign a corresponding document on Monday.
Visiting the gas blast site at Academician Korolyov Street last weekend, Luzhkov pledged that he "will sign this ordinance on Monday."
"Summer is coming, and many Muscovites prefer to make repairs in their flats during this season of the year," the mayor said.
World Bank Provides US$15M To Improve Health in Laos
By Bernama
Vientiane : The World Bank agreed Sunday to provide over US$15 million to improve health activities in Laos from 2006 to 2010, Lao news agency (KPL) reported.
The agreement on the Health Service Improvement Project, along with a project to include ethnic group concerns in poverty reduction strategies costing about US$200,000, were signed by senior officials from the Lao government and the fund provider.
The Health Service Improvement Project is one of the priority projects under the Country Assistance Strategy between Laos and the World Bank.
Bush, Putin acknowledge failure on missile
By IRNA
Moscow : President George W. Bush has met with Vladimir Putin of Russia more than any foreign leader other than Tony Blair - 28 times - and has disagreed with few leaders more than he has with Putin.
In Sochi, Russia on Sunday, meeting for the last time as presidents, they again failed to come to agreement on perhaps the most contentious issue between them: American missile defenses in Europe.
35,000-year-old tools unearthed in Australia
By RIA Novosti
Moscow : Archaeologists in Australia have unearthed stone tools that are at least 35,000 years old, national media said on Monday.
The tools were discovered some two meters (6.5 feet) beneath the floor of a rock shelter near the Hope Downs iron ore mine site in the northwest of the country, about 950 kilometers (590 miles) from Perth, the capital of Western Australia.
Russia’s finance minister to talk IMF quota reform in U.S.
By RIA Novosti
Moscow : Russia's finance minister and first deputy prime minister, Alexei Kudrin, will visit Washington on April 10-13 for talks on IMF quota reform and sovereign wealth funds, a delegation source said on Monday.
Kudrin will meet with his American and Italian counterparts and International Monetary Fund and World Bank chiefs as part of the financial organizations' joint annual Spring Meetings in Washington on April 12-13.
Vietnam Cultivates Africa Relations
By Prensa Latina
Hanoi : Vietnam, seeking larger international presence, marked an important step in Africa with a recent visit by Vietnamese Communist Party leader (PCV) Nong Duc Manh to Angola and Zimbabwe.
On his first tour of Africa, Manh agreed in Maputo and Luanda to boost economic and political cooperation as well as in other spheres, as was expressed in joint communique.
Local political observers highlighted the signing of a draft agreement for economic, scientific, technological and cultural collaboration with the Angolan government.
NATO fighters again accompany Russian bombers near Alaska
By RIA Novosti
Moscow : NATO fighters accompanied Russian Tu-95 Bear strategic bombers on a regular strategic patrol flight on Wednesday, a Russian Air Force spokesman said.
Four Bear bombers and four Il-78 aerial tankers conducted a patrol mission over the Arctic and the Pacific Ocean and performed aerial refueling, which is the second exercise of Russian bombers near Alaska in three weeks.
"During the flight over neutral waters near Alaska, the Russian planes were accompanied by NATO fighters," Colonel Alexander Drobyshevsky said.
Kouchner to attend EU-Central Asia Ministerial Troika
By KUNA
Paris : French foreign minister Bernard Kouchner will be leaving on Thursday to Turkmenistan and then to Tajikistan where he will be holding talks there with top officials.
A statement for the French foreign ministry said here Wednesday that in Turkmenistan Kouchner will be taking part in the meeting of the EU Troika with Central Asian countries.
Boeing’s Dreamliner delayed to autumn 2009
By DPA
Washington/Seattle : The US plane maker Boeing Wednesday announced another delay in the launch of its long-range, fuel-efficient Dreamliner 787 jet, with the first now expected to be delivered in the third quarter of 2009.
The Dreamliner 787 was originally supposed to be ready for its commercial launch this May. The postponement is the third delay in the launch.
Delays for Chicago-based Boeing could come close to those experienced by European rival Airbus, which saw delays of 18 months for its A380 super-jumbo.
Russia, Poland in deadlock over missile shiled
By ANTARA News/RIA Novosti
Moscow : Russia and Poland have failed again to reach an agreement over the proposed U.S. missile shield in Central Europe, Russia`s Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Kislyak and his Polish counterpart, Witold Waszczykowski, met on Tuesday in Moscow to discuss U.S. plans to deploy elements of its missile defense system in Poland.
Zimbabwe election commission allows vote recount: Minister
By DPA
Johannesburg/Harare : Zimbabwe's election commission has accepted the recount of votes in five of the country's election districts, South African radio quoted Zimbabwe Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa as saying.
The Zanu-PF party of current President Robert Mugabe has been demanding a recount of the March 29 presidential vote and has challenged the party's defeat in elections to the 210-seat House of Assembly (lower house of parliament), claiming the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) bribed voters.
Russia says ready to provide support for Cyprus peace talks
By RIA Novosti
Athens : Russia will provide all the support it can to try and reach a peace settlement for Cyprus, the deputy foreign minister said on Thursday.
"We are happy that an opportunity to start negotiations emerged after a meeting in Cyprus between the two leaders, where they agreed to resume talks," Vladimir Titov said.
Greek Cypriot President Demetris Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat agreed on March 21 to resume peace talks to reunify the divided island, paving the way for a Turkish bid to join the European Union.
Eu Parliament calls on EU to adopt common stance to attend Olympic games or...
By KUNA
Brussels : The European Parliament condemned here today the repression by the Chinese security forces in Tibet and demanded an independent inquiry.
China says no to visit by UN human rights expert
By DPA
Geneva : China has rejected a request by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Louise Arbour, to visit Tibet in April, a UN spokesman confirmed Thursday.
Spokesman with the high commissioner's office Rupert Colville said: "The high commissioner had asked to visit but the Chinese authorities have said it would not be convenient at this time."
"China said Louise Arbour would be welcome later at a mutually convenient date," he added.
EU reform treaty advances as Slovakia signs on
By DPA
Bratislava : Slovakia Thursday became the ninth European Union (EU) nation to ratify the EU's reform treaty, as lawmakers of the ethnic Hungarian minority broke ranks with the rest of the opposition and backed the pact.
Prime Minister Robert Fico's conservative opponents had sought to block the Lisbon Treaty to press the government into changing a restrictive new press law.
Fico's coalition needed at least five opposition votes to pass the December 2007 pact, which overhauls institutions for the enlarged 27-member EU. The treaty passed by 103-5 votes, 13 more than required.
Indonesia To Host Asia-Pacific Defence Chiefs’ Meeting
By Bernama
Jakarta : Indonesia will host an annual meeting of the Chiefs of Defence (CHOD) of Asia-Pacific countries in the tourist resort island of Bali in November 2008, Antara news agency quoted the Indonesian Defence Forces (TNI) spokesman N Rear Marshal Sagom Tamboen as saying here.
The annual meeting will discuss various issues relating to military cooperation in Asia-Pacific countries, he said following a meeting between TNI Commander General Djoko Santoso and the chief of the United States Pacific Command (PACOM), Admiral Timothy J Keating, here on Thursday.
China unveils its own bullet train
By Xinhua
Beijing : China's first bullet train that can reach a top speed of 350 km per hour rolled off the production line Friday.
The high-speed passenger train is the latest in the China Railway High-speed (CRH) Series. It was manufactured by China Northern Locomotive and the Rolling Stock Industry Corp.
The eight-carriage train can accommodate 557 passengers. Three such trains would begin service on the new 120-km Beijing-Tianjin route before the Olympics starts in August, the manufacturers said.
Nepal Maoists emerge as major force after historic poll
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS
Kathmandu : A ragged group of people who dreamt impossible dreams and dared to take on Nepal's powerful army with homemade guns and bombs, Nepal's Maoist guerrillas established themselves as a formidable force in the 90s when they prevented elections and inflicted punishing losses on the security forces.
Armies still key factor in Nepal polls
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS
Kathmandu : Though Nepal held its first national election after nine years under a truce with its former Maoist guerrillas laying down their arms, the armies of the state as well as the former guerrillas still remain a key factor in deciding the poll results.
EU congratulates Nepal for ‘landmark’ polls
By IANS
Brussels : The European Union (EU) Saturday congratulated the Nepalese people for their "strong commitment to the democratic process in their country", EuAsiaNews reported.
Software to anticipate vehicle malfunctions being developed
By IANS,
Berlin : Cutting edge tools and software that will anticipate and prevent possible vehicular malfunctions are under development.
For example, trucks driving thousands of kilometres to deliver oranges from Greece to Scandinavia or Spanish vegetables to Germany, might break down midway, holding up supplies.
How can this problem be minimised, if not overcome? Testing potential flaws in wheel rims, engine or other parts required to work without failure over thousands of kilometres takes several weeks.
Terai emerges as Nepal’s new kingmaker
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS,
Kathmandu : After centuries of neglect, Nepal's Terai plains finally had its revenge when it emerged as the new kingmaker after the historic constituent assembly election.
In the days to come, the Terai, which accounts for over 40 percent of the population and 116 of the 240 constituencies, is going to be a dominant factor in Nepal's politics.
Russia to give nuclear safety report to IAEA Apr.18
By RIA Novosti,
Moscow : Russia will submit a report on its nuclear and radioactive safety to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on April 18 in Vienna, Russia's industrial safety regulator said on Monday.
The UN nuclear watchdog holds meetings of the world's nuclear power countries every three years to review the state of global nuclear safety. The talks are part of the Convention on Nuclear Safety (CNS), a major legally binding international treaty. The CNS meetings review operational and regulatory aspects of civilian nuclear power plants in the convention member states.
Putin to bring arms contracts worth $3 bln to Libya – paper
By RIA Novosti,
Moscow : Russia has prepared arms contracts worth $3 billion for outgoing president Vladimir Putin's visit to Libya this week, a business daily said on Tuesday citing defense and aircraft industry officials.
The Kremlin said on Monday Putin would visit the oil and gas-rich north African state on April 16-17 at the invitation of Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi, giving no details of the agenda.
Thai foreign minister backs China on Tibet, Olympics
By Xinhua,
Beijing : Visiting Thailand Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama Tuesday supported China's stance on Tibet and its hosting of the 2008 Olympics.
Noppadon told Chinese Foreign Minster Yang Jiechi that the Tibet issue was China's internal affair and his country strongly opposed linking the Tibetan issue with Beijing Olympics.
He also expressed his confidence that the Olympic Games to be held in August would be a success.
Both the ministers also discussed a wide range of bilateral, regional and international issues.
Venezuelan TV station under probe for airing ‘Simpsons’
By DPA,
Caracas : Government regulators have opened an investigation into a television station in Venezuela for airing the US satirical cartoon "The Simpsons" during prime child-viewing hours.
The Televen station took the show off the air two weeks ago after receiving a warning from the National Telecommunications Commission and replaced it with the beach and bikini classic "Baywatch" in the 11 a.m. time slot.
Televen faces punishments that include a fine and a three-day broadcasting blackout, the commission, also known as Conatel, said Tuesday in announcing the inquiry.
Ukraine ruling bloc confronts president over ties with opposition
By RIA Novosti,
Kiev : Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko's bloc accused the president on Wednesday of siding with the opposition, and set an ultimatum, saying he must either work with the cabinet or dismiss it
The 44th Executive meeting for SAARC chamber to be held
By SPA,
Islamabad : The 44th Executive Committee Meeting of South Association for Regional Countries (SAARC) Chamber of Commerce and Industry will be held in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on the side lines of the forthcoming SAARC Trade Fair.
This was decided in the 43rd Executive Committee Meeting of SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI) held under the chairmanship of Tariq Sayeed, said a statement.
Sri Lanka gov’t says 399 rebels killed in April
By NNN-Xinhua,
Colombo : The military in Sri Lanka said that 399 Tamil Tiger rebels have been killed in clashes with government troops in the north so far in April.
Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara, the military spokesman, told reporters on Thursday that 34 soldiers have also been killed while 236 soldiers injured in this period.
Nanayakkara added that 16 civilians were killed and 83 civilians were injured in the violence.
S. Korean Firm to Buy Mexican Copper Mine
By Prensa Latina,
Seoul : Thirty percent of the biggest copper mine in Mexico will be purchased Friday by a consortium led by South Korean state agency Korea Resources (KORES), reported news agency Yonhap here Thursday.
KORES assured the purchase agreement would be signed with Canadian enterprise Baja Mining Corporation in Washington.
The Baja Mining Corporation will invest 246 million dollars for a deposit in El Boleo, South Baja California.
Clinton official and friend endorses Obama
By DPA,
Washington : A long time friend of Bill and Hillary Clinton and a member of the former president's cabinet has announced he was endorsing opponent Barack Obama's bid for the White House.
Robert Reich, a renowned economist who served as Clinton labour secretary in the 1990s, announced his support for Obama on his blogging website Friday.
"My conscience won't let me be silent any longer," Reich said. "I believe that Barack Obama should be elected president of the US."
State takes custody of 416 children from polygamous sect
By DPA,
Washington : A court in Texas has temporarily taken custody of 416 children removed from a compound where an obscure religious sect practiced polygamy, the Fort-Worth Star Telegram newspaper reported online.
Texas Child Protective Services Division Friday argued that a "pervasive pattern" of sexual abuse and forced marriage involving under-aged girls justified its custody request.
The agency removed the children earlier this month from the Yearning For Zion Ranch, in Schleicher County in West Texas, about 300 km northwest of San Antonio.
Chinese Americans protest western media bias over Tibet
By Xinhua,
Washington : Over 300 Chinese Americans protested here against certain Western media and politicians' alleged biased remarks over last month's riots in Lhasa.
The protestors staged a peaceful demonstration Saturday in the Upper Senate Park that lies across the street from the US Capitol Building here.
Chinese Americans, overseas Chinese professionals and students took part in the event.
"American media, you can muzzle our voices, but cannot smother the truth!" read one banner.
Europe Commission: Nukes not Taboo
By Prensa Latina,
Brussels : The European Commission on Saturday advocated a nuclear way out to the rise in oil prices and climate changes, against some conceptions of atomic energy as a taboo subject.
The EU executive organ is studying the rise of private investment in the nuclear sector, even though the issue is in the center of strong debates in several European States such as Germany, Great Britian, or Spain, over security of the facilities.
Hindus, Sikhs most likely to vote in Britain: Study
By IANS,
London : South Asians are more likely to vote than others in British elections, with Hindus and Sikhs topping the group, an academic study says.
The study published by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, a social policy research charity, says South Asian turnout was one percentage point higher (approximately 59 percent) than non-Asians (approximately 58 percent) in the 2001 general elections in Britain.
UN environment chief sounds dire warning
By Joydeep Gupta, IANS,
Singapore : The global community runs the risk of the greatest policy failure in the history of mankind if negotiations on how to tackle climate change stay bogged down as they are, UN Environment Programme Executive Director Achim Steiner warned Tuesday.
Speaking at the inaugural session of the B4E (Business for the Environment) summit, Steiner expressed distress that at a recent meeting on climate change negotiations in Bangkok, "countries were rearticulating that others had to move first".