China hails Obama’s economic team, pledges cooperation
By Xinhua,
Beijing : China Tuesday congratulated Obama's economic team, saying the country would like to work with the new administration to promote bilateral ties.
"We noticed that US President-elect Barack Obama had nominated some members of his government, and we express congratulations to them," foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang said at a regular press briefing here.
"We would like to strengthen cooperation with them so as to further promote the Sino-US friendly and constructive cooperation in a wide range of fields," he said.
Israeli daily critical of India’s ‘slow’ response to terror strike
By IANS,
New Delhi : As India turned down Israel's offer to send its crack commandos to Mumbai to rescue Israeli hostages held in a Jewish centre, an influential newspaper in Tel Aviv has criticised "slow, confused and inefficient" response of Indian authorities to the terror attacks in Mumbai.
"In the first several hours after the Mumbai incidents began, the response of the Indian authorities was slow, confused and inefficient," said an article in Haaretz, entitled "Is Al Qaeda behind the Mumbai terror attacks?"
Report: U.S. military networks under cyber attacks
By Xinhua,
Los Angeles : Cyber hackers have launched a series of "malware" attacks on U.S. combat zone computers and the U.S. Central Command overseeing Iraq and Afghanistan, under scoring concerns about computer warfare, it was reported on Friday.
The attacks prompted senior military leaders to take the exceptional step of briefing President George W. Bush this week, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Thai premier ready to talk with protest leaders
By DPA,
Bangkok : Thai Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat said Saturday that he was willing to talk with protest leaders holding Bangkok's two airports hostage in their bid to topple his government but would not resign or dissolve parliament.
China urges Sarkozy to cancel meeting with Dalai Lama
By DPA,
Beijing : China Tuesday called on French President Nicolas Sarkozy to cancel his planned meeting with the Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama.
It was time for the French side to make a choice, foreign ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said in Beijing.
He also warned that political and economic ties between Paris and Beijing would suffer if Sarkozy pursued the planned talks.
France, which currently holds the EU presidency, should respect China's concerns and take concrete measures, he said.
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.
Ruling party edges ahead as Ghana election results trickle in
By DPA,
Nairobi/Accra : Ghana's ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) edged ahead in presidential elections Monday morning as results from across the West African nation trickled in.
Early results from 18 constituencies showed that Nana Akufo-Addo had around 53 percent of the vote, compared to 44 percent for his main opponent, John Evans Atta Mills of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC).
The other six candidates were, as expected, out of the race.
However, only a small percentage of the votes have been counted. Full results were expected within the next 60 hours.
Sarkozy to push for climate measures at EU Summit
By KUNA,
Paris : At the European Union Summit that starts Thursday afternoon in Brussels, French President Nicolas Sarkozy, over the next two days, will seek to pressure his 26 counterparts for broad measures to tackle global warming and adopt a plan to significantly reduce carbon dioxide emissions by the year 2020, diplomats said here.
But the French leader, who currently holds the rotating Presidency of the 27-nation EU, is likely to meet strong opposition to his proposals, despite support from the United Nations and many government and non-government actors.
Lashkar-E-Taiba members in Germany, interior minister says
By ANTARA News/DPA,
New Delhi : Members of the Pakistan militant group blamed for the terrorist attacks in Mumbai are residing in Germany, German Interior Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said Friday.
Schaeuble, who is on a visit to New Delhi, said the group, Lashkar-e-Taiba, had no organizational infrastructure in Germany, but individual members were living there.
The minister said there was no evidence to show the group was plotting attacks in Germany.
US withdraws support for power-sharing deal in Zimbabwe
By DPA,
Pretoria : The US Sunday said it could no longer support the planned power-sharing deal for Zimbabwe that would see Robert Mugabe retain the presidency. It also pledged to continue sanctions on Mugabe and those close to him.
US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Jendayi Frazer, speaking in neighbouring South Africa Sunday, said the US has lost confidence in Mugabe. She added he was "completely out of touch" and responsible for having turned Zimbabwe into a "failed state".
Cheney defends policies during “war on terror”
By KUNA,
Washington : Vice President Dick Cheney on Sunday defended the Bush administration's controversial policies on detainees, terrorist surveillance and intelligence gathering as justified during the "war on terror.
" In an interview on Fox News, Cheney said the Bush administration's policies were the main reason the country has not had a terrorist attack in seven years. He said he believed President George W. Bush exercised legitimate constitutional authority to help defend the nation and disagreed with calls to limit presidential authority.
Drug trade destroying forests in Peru: minister
By IANS,
Lima : Drug traffickers have destroyed nearly two million hectares of forests in Peru in order to grow coca, the raw material for cocaine, EFE news agency reported Monday, quoting the country's Environment Minister Antonio Brack.
"The traffickers invaded protected areas and cleared forests for land to grow coca," the minister said, adding that this activity has destroyed "nearly two million hectares of forest" in the country.
Stewardess convicted of stealing 168 items from flight trolley
By DPA,
Hong Kong : A former Hong Kong flight attendant who stole 168 items from the plane's trolleys on a single flight was Tuesday sentenced to community service.
Kwong Man-fong, 43, purloined biscuits, beer, mineral water, wine, chocolates, a sewing kit, pens, instant noodles and shaving cream on the Cathay Pacific flight from Auckland to Hong Kong July 27.
Two junior colleagues spotted Kwong, who had worked for the Hong Kong airline for 23 years, and reported her to the captain. She resigned and was prosecuted for theft by the airline.
Ban vows to assist in ridding Korean peninsula of n-arms
By DPA,
New York : UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said Monday he would provide "all possible efforts" to make the Korean peninsula free of nuclear weapons.
Ban's remarks were in reaction to North Korea's proposal to negotiate a peace treaty with the US to replace the ceasefire agreement that ended the 1950-53 Korean War.
North Korea also said it would return to the six-party talks if UN sanctions were lifted. The talks, which involved China, the US, Russia, Japan, and North and South Korea, were deadlocked by Pyongyang's refusal to end its nuclear programmes.
Rome clears Europe’s largest gypsy camp
By IANS/AKI,
Rome : Rome mayor Gianni Alemanno was accused of discrimination when he began clearing out Europe's largest gypsy camp in the Italian capital. The move was supervised by the Red Cross which said it would transfer the first 50 gypsies from the 40-year-old camp, Casalino 900, to another location in Rome.
"This is a great challenge, but in the end the law will win," said Alemanno, who was there to supervise the relocation.
Tuesday's move was the first stage of a move to relocate the illegal camp's 600 residents by the end of February.
US says Haiti rebuilding is a ‘long term’ commitment
By DPA,
New York : The US said Thursday its assistance to Haiti will be for the "long term" because of the massive destruction and cost of lives inflicted by the earthquake on the Haitian people.
Envoys from the US, Brazil, Canada, France, Haiti and Uruguay met at UN headquarters in New York to discuss their joint efforts to aid the Caribbean nation while expecting that more countries will join them.
Financial stability has improved but new challenges ahead: IMF
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : The global economy is at last emerging out of the crisis with financial markets rebounding after the collapse of Wall Street investment firm Lehman Brothers in 2008, but extraordinary challenges remain, says the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
US authorities demand more information on Toyota recalls
By DPA,
Washington: US authorities sought documents from Toyota Tuesday over its handling of a series of safety recalls, part of a fresh investigation into the beleaguered carmaker's conduct.
The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is looking into whether Toyota Motor Corp acted quickly enough in responding to safety concerns over sticky accelerator pedals and faulty brakes in a number of models.
"Safety recalls are very serious matters and automakers are required to quickly report defects," US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said in a statement.
Elephant research centre destroyed in Kenya flash flood
By DPA,
Nairobi : A research centre that has provided valuable insights into wild elephant behaviour has been destroyed by flash floods in Kenya, Save the Elephants (STE) said Thursday.
Heavy rains burst the banks of the Ewaso Ng'iro River, sending water crashing through the research facility and a safari camp in Samburu National Reserve.
Pandit says Citi now ‘fundamentally different’, much healthier
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : Citigroup's Indian American CEO Vikram Pandit says the troubled banking giant is today "fundamentally different" and far healthier than when he took over thanks to an over $45 billion government bailout.
"I am pleased to say we are in a far different and much healthier position," Pandit said in testimony before the Congressional Oversight Panel Thursday. The independent watchdog group oversees the $700 billion financial bailout.
The bank had returned to being a bank, not "a financial supermarket", he said.
Russia to resume space tourist programme in 2-3 years
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Moscow : Space tourists will be again able to fly on Russian Soyuz spacecraft to the International Space Station in two to three years, Russia's top space official said Friday.
Russia stopped sending tourists to space last year because the International Space Station (ISS) crew has increased from three to six, and all the places on board the spacecraft have been reserved for Russian and foreign astronauts.
Myanmar opposition party to sue junta over election laws
By DPA,
Yangon : Myanmar's main opposition party decided Friday to sue the military-run government for issuing unfair election laws, opposition sources said.
An executive meeting of the National League for Democracy (NLD) - which is headed by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi - decided to sue the government over election laws promulgated last week, NLD Rakhine member Aye Tha Aung said.
He said the NLD found clauses that excluded the participation of Aung San Suu Kyi and other political prisoners from the election process as unlawful.
Teenaged Williamson joins New Zealand Test squad
By IANS,
Wellington: Teenaged all-rounder Kane Williamson has been included in the New Zealand squad for the second Test against Australia starting in Hamilton this week.
The 19-year-old right-hander replaces Daryl Tuffey, who broke a bone in his left hand when hit by a delivery from Australian speedster Mitchell Johnson in the Wellington Test Tuesday.
Mathew Sinclair also returns to the 13-man squad for the second Test, beginning Saturday.
‘Black widows’ suspected in Moscow twin blasts
By IANS/AKI,
Moscow : Russia has said a gang of so-called 'black widow' extremists could be behind Monday's twin attacks by women suicide bombers on Moscow's metro stations which killed at least 38 people and injured over 60.
At an emergency meeting held at the Kremlin Monday, Alexander Bortnikov, head of the Federal Security Service (FSB) told president Dmitry Medvedev that the bombers were probably 'black widow' women.
Moscow blasts: Hundreds call for psychological help
By IANS,
Moscow : Hundreds of alarmed people called a Moscow psychiatric institute following two terrorist attacks in the Moscow subway, a spokesman for the institute said Tuesday.
Twin blasts occurred during the rush hour in one of the world's busiest transport systems Monday morning, killing at least 39 people and injuring around 70.
Closest UK elections in over 35 years
By IRNA,
London : Britons go to the polls next month to cast their votes in what could be the closest general election in over 35 years and the lowest turnout in almost a century.
The date of the elections on May 6 was confirmed by Prime Minister Gordon Brown Tuesday as the latest opinion polls show the opposition Conservatives leading the ruling Labour Party but perhaps by not enough in marginal seats to win an overall parliamentary majority.
Police to investigate blog over Sarkozy affair rumours
By IANS,
London : French police have launched an investigation to trace the bloggers behind the rumours that French President Nicolas Sarkozy and wife Carla Bruni were involved in relationships outside their marriage.
The news came a day after French president's chief communications adviser, Pierre Charon, suggested Sarkozy could have fallen foul of a "sort of organised plot with financial movements."
Dalai Lama expresses grief for China’s quake victims
By IANS,
Dharamsala: Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama Wednesday said he was "deeply saddened" by the loss of life in the 7.1-magnitude earthquake that struck China's Qinghai province, leaving about 400 people dead, an official statement said here.
"I am deeply saddened by the loss of life and property as a result of the earthquake that struck this morning. We pray for those who have lost their lives in this tragedy and their families and others who have been affected. A special prayer service is being held at the main temple here on their behalf," said the statement.
ISS astronauts struggle with faulty cooling system
By DPA,
Washington: Astronauts on board the International Space Station (ISS) were Wednesday struggling with a faulty valve on a newly installed ammonia tank, NASA said.
The new tank, which was installed Sunday by visiting Discovery astronauts Rick Mastracchio and Clayton Anderson, is vital to keeping the station's cooling system working.
"Mission control was having a problem activating the new ammonia tank. A stuck valve in one of the nitrogen pressurisation lines is thought to be the problem," NASA spokeswoman Katherine Trinidad said.
Maoists to seek no-trust vote against Nepal PM
By IANS,
Kathmandu : After vacillating for almost a year, Nepal's opposition Maoist party Wednesday decided to seek a no-trust vote against Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal.
"This government will not be able to draft a new constitution (within the deadline of May 28)," Maoist member of parliament and spokesman Dinanath Sharma told the media after the standing committee of the formerly outlawed party held deliberations Wednesday to decide its next strategy ahead of a "grand push" against the government Thursday.
Nepal Maoists call indefinite general strike from May 2
By IANS,
Kathmandu : On the eve of the 16th SAARC Summit scheduled to kick off in Bhutan from Wednesday, Nepal's volatile political situation worsened rapidly Monday with the former Maoist guerrillas announcing an indefinite general strike from May 2.
More cash-strapped Australian mums opt multiple birth
By IANS,
Melbourne : Birth rate of twins and triplets is set to increase as more Australian women undergoing in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) insist doctors to implant multiple embryos to reduce the cost of fertility treatment.
Despite multiple births carrying a five-fold greater risk of death, premature delivery or other complications, clinic chiefs say more couples are taking the chance.
US politician caught plagiarising Obama speech
By IANS,
London : A Republican congressional candidate has been accused of plagiarising US President Barack Obama's speech on "the crossroads of history".
Vaughn Ward, a former US Marine Corps officer and CIA operative, was running for the Republican congressional nomination in an election held Tuesday in Idaho.
The Telegraph reported Wednesday that Lucas Baumbach, a local party activist, tracked down a YouTube video that showed a strong similarity between Ward's speech in January and Obama's address to the 2004 Democratic National Convention.
UN urges Nepal to save derailed peace process
By IANS,
Kathmandu : As a dire constitutional crisis threatened to engulf Nepal from midnight with its interim parliament and ruling coalition headed for dissolution, the UN urged the political parties to put national interests first and save the imperilled peace process that had ended a decade of communist insurrection.
"Now is the time to put national interest first," UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urged the warring parties who refused to be reconciled hours before impending chaos.
French Concorde trial closes
By DPA,
Paris/Pontoise : A court trial resulting from the July 2000 crash of an Air France Concorde aircraft came to an end Friday in France, with a verdict expected in December.
The American airline Continental and five people face charges of manslaughter in connection with the crash, which killed 113 people.
The four-month long trial ended in the suburb of Pontoise with the defence for Continental presenting its side one last time.
US to battle oil leak for ‘months to come’
By DPA,
Washington : Efforts to siphon off the oil gushing into the Gulf of Mexico showed the first signs of success Sunday, but officials said it would take months to tackle the pollution.
Coast Guard Admiral Thad Allen said 1,500 tonnes of oil a day were now being captured by a new containment dome.
BP chief executive Tony Hayward said that is "the majority" of the oil leaking per day from a well head that ruptured when the Deepwater Horizon rig exploded April 20, killing 11 workers and causing the largest oil spill in US history.
Greenpeace protests trial of two who exposed Japan whaling scam
By IANS,
New Delhi : Environment organisation Greenpeace Tuesday held a demonstration to press their demand for justice for its two activists being tried in Japan for unravelling corruption in Japan's whaling industry.
The authorities in Japan have demanded 18 months' jail term for Greenpeace activists Junichi Sato and Toru Suzuki, who exposed corruption in the "Japanese government sponsored the whaling industry".
Emirates orders 32 more A380s from Airbus for $11.5 billion
By D. Balaji,IANS,
Berlin : Dubai-based Emirates Airline Tuesday placed a fresh order with Airbus Industrie for an additional 32 A380 super jumbos at a cost of $11.5 billion.
"This latest order, adding to 58 A380s we have booked, affirms our strategy to become a world leading carrier and establish Dubai as a central gateway to global air travel," Emirates chief executive Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al-Maktoum told reporters on the margins of the 100th Berlin air show here.
Oil spill could have powered 68,000 cars
By IANS,
Washington : The oil leaking in the Gulf of Mexico could have powered 68,000 cars, 6,100 trucks or 3,100 ships for a year.
James J. Corbett, a professor of marine policy at the University of Delaware, updates the numbers on his website based on the daily average estimated spill rate of 30,000 barrels.
The science team analysing the spill has estimated that it ranged between 20,000 and 40,000 barrels a day, nearly double the original estimate.
Davidar had consensual flirtatious relationship with Rundle: Lawyer
By IANS,
Toronto: India-born David Davidar, former CEO of Penguin-Canada, who was forced to leave his job ollowing allegations of sexual harassment, reportedly "had a consensual flirtatious relationship that grew out of a close friendship with a colleague Lisa Rundle," said a statement released by Davidar's counsel from Toronto Monday
46 die in China mine blast
By IANS,
Beijing: Forty-six miners were killed Monday in a coalmine blast in eastern China, Xinhua reported.
The blast occurred around 1.40 a.m. at Xingdong Number 2 Mine in Pingdingshan city of Henan province, officials said.
Seventy-two miners were at the mine, but 26 of them survived. The cause of the blast was not immediately known.
Italians declare 97 bn euros stashed off-shore
By IANS/AKI,
Rome: Italians who stashed money in off-shore bank accounts declared 97 billion euros in the last eight months since the government announced amnesty for tax evaders.
Under a tax-evasion amnesty between September 2009 and April this year, Italians have disclosed their hidden off-shore funds worth 97 billion euros, the Bank of Italy said in a statement Monday.
French parliament opens debate on veil ban
By DPA,
Paris : The French parliament late Tuesday began debating a proposed law to ban veiling of faces in public, a controversial move aimed mainly at traditional dress worn by some Muslim women.
If the bill becomes law, any woman wearing the face veil in public would be liable to a fine of 150 euros ($184), or be obliged to take a class in citizenship, or both.
In addition, anyone forcing someone to conceal her face because of her gender would face a maximum sentence of one year in prison and a fine of up to 30,000 euros.
White House says stimulus funded 3 million jobs
By IANS,
Washington : Even as President Barack Obama's administration claimed that the $787 billion stimulus had saved or created about three million jobs, the US Chamber of Commerce said he had "neglected" to focus on job creation.
In its latest stimulus report released Wednesday, the White House's Council of Economic Advisers using two different models estimated the Recovery Act has already created between 2.5 million and 3.6 million jobs.
US Congress approves financial overhaul
By DPA,
Washington : The US Congress Thursday approved the most sweeping overhaul of the financial sector since the 1930s, hoping to end Wall Street's riskiest practices and handing a major victory to President Barack Obama.
The Senate's 60-39 vote in favour of the broad reforms sends the landmark legislation to Obama's desk for signature. The lower House of Representatives passed the bill last month.
Panamanian court frees jailed reporter
By IANS/EFE,
Panama City : Veteran Panamanian journalist Carlos Nuñez was released from jail after spending 19 days behind bars for libel based on an article he wrote 12 years ago about a polluted river in the western province of Chiriqui.
"I am here for having defended a river of the Baru volcano, for having defended the residents and the people who struggle for an environment friendly to nature," Nuñez, 71, told reporters as he left El Renacer prison in Panama City.
Thailand may quit UN body over temple issue
By DPA,
Bangkok : Thailand has threatened to withdraw from the UN's World Heritage Committee if it approves a Cambodian management plan for an 11th-century Hindu temple straddling the two countries' border.
The Unesco World Heritage Committee was due to rule on the plan Thursday at a meeting in Brazil.
The temple, known in Cambodia as Phra Viharn and as Preah Vihear in Thailand, has been a bone of contention between Cambodia and Thailand for decades.
Bachelor boy Obama goes without birthday
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : President Barack Obama did not get to eat his own birthday cake as he turned 49 with only family dog Bo to keep him company on a trip to his home in Chicago.
Instead of taking the day off to celebrate, Obama Wednesday went to the Washington Convention Centre to address members of the AFL-CIO, the American union movement, where union president Richard Trumka revealed that he had planned a celebration for the commander in chief.
Miss Nepal faces old nemesis Ms Maoist
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS,
Kathmandu : Though struggling for more than a month to form a new government, Nepal's Maoist party however indicated Wednesday that they remained unwavering about a secondary target: Miss Nepal.
Nepal's oldest and most popular beauty pageant, to be held later this month, once again faces opposition from the Maoists' women's wing, which has kicked off a campaign to stop the contest.
The All Nepal Women's Federation (Revolutionary) has issued a press statement, asking for public support to stop Miss Nepal 2010 and warning of a street protest.
Politician, TV host hit each other during show
By IANS/EFE,
Brasilia : A senatorial candidate in Brazil and a television show host got into a fight and punched and kicked each other when the politician became irritated with the journalist's questions.
Former Congressman Joao Correia, who is running for a Senate seat from Acre state on a Brazilian Democratic Movement Party ticket, was being interviewed on TV5 by journalist Demostenes Nascimento when the fight started.
Correia became irritated at Nascimento's line of questioning and a heated argument started, prompting the show's director to go on a commercial break.
Man with grenade detained near Polish presidential palace
By DPA,
Warsaw : Polish police detained a 60-year-old man Wednesday who was allegedly carrying a disarmed grenade near the presidential palace, local media reported.
The man was allegedly threatening people near the palace that were defending a cross placed there to commemorate president Lech Kaczynski, who was killed with 95 others in a plane crash in Russia in April. The man faces up to 10 years in prison if found guilty.
The incident comes amid growing controversy over whether the cross should stay at the palace or be moved to a nearby church.
New York leads US list in new jobs
By IANS,
New York : New York leads a list of cities in the US that are poised to offer the maximum number of new jobs in the country after the global recession, an astounding figure of 600,000.
Unemployment in New York now stands below the national average, and the city will soon offer a total of 578,897 jobs in industries as Wall Street, healthcare and entertainment, economics experts have said.
Los Angeles follows New York and is expected to add 405,392 new jobs, while Chicago has the third-best future with an additional 344,740 projected jobs.
One tonne of cannabis seized in Gambia
By IANS,
Banjul (Gambia) : Three Gambian nationals and three Senegalese were arrested after over one tonne of cannabis was found in their possession.
Officers of the National Drug Enforcement Agency (NDEA) and the military arrested the six offenders in Seewol village in the country's western region, Xinhua reported Thursday.
The arrest was made following an intelligence report about suspected drug traffickers in Seewol, NDEA public relations officer Abdoulie Ceesay said.
China asks airline to change name after plane crash
By IANS,
Beijing : China's Henan province has asked the commercial carrier whose plane crashed during landing, killing 42 people Tuesday, not to use the word "Henan" in its name in a bid to protect the province's image.
The Henan Administration for Industry and Commerce announced late Friday that it has ordered a change of name of the airline back to Kunpeng Airlines, which had been changed to Henan Airlines in September 2009, Xinhua reported.
Officials said the name misled the public and tarnished the province's image.
Mind-reading machine can convert thoughts into speech
By IANS,
London : A mind reading machine has edged closer to reality after scientists found a way of converting thoughts into words.
Retired Myanmar generals join election fray
By DPA,
Yangon : Three of Myanmar's top retired generals have registered to contest the Nov 7 general elections as candidates of the main pro-junta party, officials said Wednesday.
US journalists found growing marijuana
By IANS,
Washington : Two American journalists have been arrested after police found 11 marijuana plants growing in their yard, a media report said.
South Korea, US hold air defence drills
By IANS,
Seoul : South Korea and the US began Friday massive eight-day air defence drills aimed at bolstering their operational capabilities, authorities here said.
150 dead in Haiti cholera outbreak: UN
By DPA,
Geneva : A sudden outbreak of a diarrhoeal disease suspected to be cholera has killed at least 150 people north of the Haitian capital, Port-au-Prince, UN officials said Friday.
US lost link with 50 nuclear warheads for 45 minutes
By IANS,
Washington : The US military lost communication with 50 of its nuclear missiles last week for about 45 minutes due to an engineering failure, the Wall Street Journal said.
Bodies of 26 Shanghai fire victims identified
By IANS,
Shanghai : Twenty-six bodies of the victims of the Shanghai high-rise blaze have been identified by DNA tests, Xinhua reported Wednesday.
Russian fighter crashes, crew untraced
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Moscow : A MiG-31 Foxhound fighter aircraft crashed Friday in Russia's Perm region. Though the two crew members ejected safely, they were yet to be located, officials said.
Sutil close to Force India contract renewal
By DPA,
Berlin: Adrian Sutil has reached an agreement in principle to renew his contract at the Force India Formula One team for the next season, the German driver's manager said Monday.
Quake jolts Japanese islands, tsunami warning issued
By DPA,
Tokyo : A 7.4-magnitude earthquake shook a chain of Japanese islands early Wednesday, forcing the Meteorological Agency to issue a tsunami warning.
China bans foreign words in local media
By IANS,
Beijing : China has banned the use of foreign words, particularly English ones, in the Chinese media.
German co-ruling party urges disbanding of army spy agency: report
By IRNA,
Berlin: A leading lawmaker of the co-governing Free Democratic Party (FDP) called for abolishing the country's military counter-intelligence agency MAD.
Heavy rains leave 250 dead in Brazil
By IANs/EFE,
Rio de Janeiro : At least 250 people have died due to heavy rains, flooding and mudslides in Brazil during the past two days, authorities said.
Obama urged to press Hu on missing lawyer, jailed activists
By DPA,
Beijing : Human rights groups Friday urged US President Barack Obama to press his Chinese counterpart, Hu Jintao, over missing lawyer Gao Zhisheng and other jailed activists.
No major damage in US due to tsunami: Obama
By IANS,
Washington: US President Barack Obama has said there was no major damage in the country from a tsunami caused by a massive earthquake in Japan.
Another earthquake rocks Japan
By IANS,
Tokyo : A strong earthquake of magnitude 6 on the Richter scale jolted Japan's Kanto region Wednesday, Xinhua reported.
Russian tourists reported dead in Thai bus crash
By RIA Novosti
Moscow : An unknown number of Russian tourists may have been killed in a road accident in Thailand on Wednesday, a Russian Embassy spokesman said.
"A bus carrying Russian tourists from Pattaya to Bangkok was involved in a serious road accident. There were around 40 tourists on board the bus. Preliminary reports indicate there may have been deaths. Some injured tourists have been sent to local hospitals," Alexei Bulkin said.
An assistance center has been set up at the Russian Embassy in Bangkok, with diplomats on round-the-clock duty.
Sarkozy plans whistle stop call to Chad en route to South Africa
By KUNA
Paris : French President Nicolas Sarkozy will make a whistle stop call in Chad Wednesday for a few hours en route to a three-day official visit to South Africa, Sarkozys office said late Tuesday.
The French leader leaves Paris Wednesday afternoon and will meet later that day with Chadian President Idriss Deby, whom he has supported against a rebel coup attempt several weeks ago.
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.
EU welcomes release of hostages by Colombian rebels
By Xinhua
Brussels : European Union's (EU) External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner Thursday welcomed the release of four hostages by the leftist insurgent group Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).
"I am glad to hear that the FARC has handed over to the Venezuelan government four Colombian former members of parliament who were held hostages for more than six years and are ill," Ferrero-Waldner said in a statement.
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.
Non-EU citizen in Britain? You’ll need an ID card
By Dipankar De Sarkar, IANS
London : Non-European Union citizens living in Britain will have to carry around biometric identity cards from this year, the British government announced Thursday.
The scheme to initially involve citizens from outside the 27-nation EU region is part of a government rethink of a controversial project to introduce compulsory identity cards for everyone living in Britain.
Politician shot ahead of Spanish poll
By DPA
San Sebastian (Spain) : A former Socialist councillor was shot dead Friday in the Basque town of Arrasate two days before Spain's general elections, officials said.
Isaias Carrasco, 42, was shot at least three times in the neck and elsewhere on leaving his house.
The Spanish government had raised terrorism alert in view of a possible attack by the militant Basque separatist group ETA.
The attack occurred on the last day of the electoral campaign, during which ETA has staged two bomb blasts that caused no injuries.
China to set up five new ‘super ministries’
By Xinhua
Beijing : China will set up five new "super ministries" in the current round of government institutional restructuring, the plan of which will be submitted to the ongoing session of the National People's Congress (NPC) or parliament.
According to the plan, the five new "super ministries" are the ministries of industry and information, human resources and social security, environmental protection, housing and urban-rural construction, and transport.
UNESCO Ditches Reporters Without Borders
By Prensa Latina
Paris : The United Nations Education, Science and Culture Organization (UNESCO) withdrew its patronage for today´s Online Free Expression Day, sponsored by the French non-government organization Reporters Without Border (RSF).
A UNESCO diplomatic source told Prensa Latina on Wednesday that the UN body had made the decision based on RSF´s "reiterated lack of ethics" and its attempts to discredit a given number of countries.
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.
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.
US, Russia soften tone in missile talks
By DPA
Moscow : Top US and Russian officials promised cooperation Tuesday in day two of talks here over vehemently disputed US plans to deploy a missile defence shield in Europe that Russia views as a threat to its security.
The strategic cooperation and security meeting was the first time US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Defence Secretary Robert Gates had face to face interaction with Russia's president-elect Dmitry Medvedev.
Science fiction guru Arthur Clarke dead
By IANS
Colombo : Science fiction writer Sir Arthur C. Clarke died here early Wednesday. He was 90.
The British-born Clarke, best known for his novel "2001: A Space Odyssey" and its two sequels, died of a cardio respiratory attack, said his personal assistant Rohan De Silva. The first part of the trilogy was made into a film with Stanley Kubrick as director,
A victim of polio, Clarke had been in a wheel chair for a number of years. He has authored 80 books and hundreds of articles.
Rights groups criticize conduct of dissident’s trial
By DPA
Beijing : Human rights organizations Wednesday criticized the trial of well-known Chinese dissident Hu Jia as unfair, saying his attorneys were prevented from properly defending him.
The lawyers had 20 minutes during Tuesday's four-hour trial in Beijing to present their case, were often cut off by court officials and were given just six days' notification of the trial date, China Human Rights Defenders said.
In addition, Hu's relatives and observers were barred from the proceedings, the rights group said.
Buddhist monasteries denied food in Tibet: German group
Berlin, March 24 (DPA) Quoting an unidentified person, a German group, the Tibet Initiative, has alleged that food and water was being denied to several large Buddhist monasteries during the unrest in Tibet.
"A humanitarian disaster threatens, since the monks are not being allowed out of the monasteries," said Wolfgang Grader, chairman of the Berlin-based Initiative, in a statement Sunday.
Boat sinks, killing, leaving missing 6 in Vietnam
By Xinhua
Hanoi : A boat sank in Vietnam's central Quang Binh province, killing two local people and left four others missing, local newspaper Labor reported Wednesday.
The boat carrying wood sank in Quang Ninh district on Tuesday due to its overload and drift water in Long Dai River. The six victims among 14 people on board included four men and two women.
Local relevant agencies and people are searching for the missing, said the paper.
Red-faced Clinton stokes Obama pastor row
By AFP
Washington : Democrat Hillary Clinton on Tuesday revived the row over the fiery racial rhetoric of Barack Obama's former pastor, saying she, unlike her White House rival, would have left his church.
Clinton's decision to reignite the controversy came as she battled to shrug off her own embarrassment, after admitting that her claims that she dodged sniper fire during a trip to Bosnia in 1996 as first lady were untrue. "I made a mistake, that happens.
Mexicans revive their unique heritage
By DPA
Mexico City : With nine square kilometres, it is the largest old city in the Americas: the historic centre of Mexico City has pyramids, cathedrals, cloisters, palaces and homes.
Some 1,500 historically valuable buildings, 80 museums, 200 monuments, 78 squares and gardens. However, the streets and the majority of the buildings have been in decline for many decades.
Since 1970 an estimated 200,000 residents have moved away. By the beginning of 2000, only 132,000 people continued to live amid the ancient ruins.
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.
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.
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."
Soldiers kill 10 Tamil rebels in fresh fighting in Sri Lanka
By SPA
Colombo, Sri Lanka : Government soldiers destroyed two Tamil Tiger rebel bunkers along the front lines in northern Sri Lanka Saturday after a battle that killed 10 rebels, the military said.
In a pre-dawn attack army troops pushed across the front lines and captured a 700-meter-wide (765-yard-wide) strip of rebel territory near Adampan village in the northern district of Mannar, said Brig. Udaya Nanayakkara, the military spokesman.
UN Human Rights Council affirms improvement of human rights situation in Sudan
By NNN-SUNA
Geneva : The UN Human Rights Council has unanimously approved an draft resolution on the human rights situation in Sudan, which referred to the improvement in the human rights situation in the country on the light of the positive developments in Darfur.
The resolution was considered objective and came far away from politicization and selectivity.
The draft resolution was sponsored by the African Group through consultation and contacts with the European Group and the backing of Russia, China and Cuba.
Sri Lankan eye banl in Pakistan
By NNN-Govt Portal
Colombo : Sri Lankan eye specialists have announced that an eye bank will be set up in Sialkot, Pakistan to provide free eye treatment including transplanting of corneas.
A.P.S. Abeysuriya, a Sri Lankan eye specialist said at the launching of a free cornea transplanting camp at the Aleem Welfare Hospital on Wednesday (26) that the proposed eye bank would be functional by December 2008 and that Sri Lankans will be donating corneas directly to the facility.
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.
Five dead in plane crash south of London
By SPA
London : A small plane crashed into several homes in a neighborhood outside London Sunday afternoon, killing all five on board, Scotland Yard reported.
The private aircraft crashed into a residential area in Farnborough, southeast of London, CNN reported.
The private aircraft, with a two-person crew and three passengers on board, apparently hit the roof of a residential building in the town of Farnborough, about 25 km (15 miles) southeast of London.
‘No tradeoff’ with Russia on NATO growth, missile shield – Bush
By RIA Novosti
Kiev : The U.S. president said on Tuesday there will be no deal with Moscow on withdrawing American support for Georgia and Ukraine's NATO bids in exchange for Russia's acceptance of a U.S. missile shield in Europe.
Speaking at a news conference in Kiev after talks with President Viktor Yushchenko, George W. Bush signaled his support for the two ex-Soviet states' requests to enter the Membership Action Plan (MAP), a precursor for membership in the Western military alliance.
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.
FARC to be blamed if Betancourt dies: Sarkozy
By IANS
Paris : French President Nicolas Sarkozy has said the Left-wing Revolutionary Armed forces of Colombia (FARC) would be held responsible if former presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt dies in their captivity.
"A decision on your part would suffice to save a woman from death and maintain the hope of all those who remain detained. Make this decision: free Ingrid Betancourt," the French leader said Tuesday in a televised message directed to Manuel "Sureshot" Marulanda, chief of Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), EFE news agency reported Wednesday.
Russia’s envoy to Britain voices concern over state of relations
By RIA Novosti
London : Russian Ambassador to Britain Yury Fedotov voiced concern on Wednesday over the lack of progress being made to improve relations between London and Moscow.
Bilateral ties have plunged to a post-Cold War low since the murder in London of Russian security service defector Alexander Litvinenko in 2006 and Russia's refusal to extradite London's chief suspect, Andrei Lugovoi.
Nepali Election Commission issues 60,000 cards for observers in elections
By Xinhua
Kathmandu : Nepali Election Commission (EC) has already issued 59,731 accreditation cards for representatives of 148 national organizations to observe the upcoming Constituent Assembly elections.
According to the EC Spokesperson Laxman Bhattarai, at the time of receiving recognition from EC, these organizations had proposed that they would deploy at least 93,245 observers across the country, reported The Kathmandu Post on Thursday.
Slovenia backs Brazil as permanent member of UNSC
By Xinhua
Brasilia : Slovenia supports Brazil's entry as a permanent member of a reformed UN Security Council, said a joint statement issued by Brazil's Foreign Ministry on Wednesday.
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva met with his Slovenian counterpart Danilo Turk on Wednesday, according to the joint statement.
Jamaican Arrested at FLA Airport with Bomb Parts
By SPA
Washington : A Jamaican man appeared before a U.S. court on Wednesday, after being arrested a day earlier for trying to board a plane with bomb components in his luggage.
Kevin Brown, who was arrested at Orlando International Airport on Tuesday, made an initial court appearance before U.S. Magistrate Karla Spaulding on Wednesday. A bond hearing was scheduled for Thursday, when further details about the case are likely to be made public.
Brown was stopped as he tried to board a flight to Jamaica when a “behavior detection officer” spotted him acting suspiciously.
Ukraine Opposition Greets NATO Refusal
By Prensa Latina
Kiev : Victor Yanukovich, leader of the Ukrainian opposition Party of Regions, welcomed the decision by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) to rule out membership for Ukraine.
Addressing a meeting against the government´s plan to join NATO, Yanukovich said he appreciated the position adopted by Germany and France, which did not make a decision against the will of the Ukrainian people, he claimed.
After stressing that Ukraine is a peace-loving country, the former Prime Minister claimed that remaining neutral is within Ukraine´s national interests.
130,000 People Take Chinese Language Test Worldwide Last Year
By Bernama
Beijing : About 130,000 people from across the world took the Chinese language test in 2007, China's Xinhua news agency quoted the Chinese National Office for Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language as saying.
The HSK -- Chinese level test - - had established 66 exam sites in 35 countries and regions, said Xu Lin, director of the office, at a meeting on Sunday.
"We must improve our management and innovate on the Chinese language test to provide more convenient and better service to foreign learners," she said.
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."
Mbeki urges Zimbabweans to accept poll outcome
By IANS
Pretoria : South African President Thabo Mbeki has urged all Zimbabweans to accept and honour the outcome of the presidential elections as the verdict of the people, BuaNews reported Sunday.
"We are waiting for the announcement of the results by the Zimbabwean Electoral Commission (ZEC) and hope everybody would accept the results," Mbeki said Thursday.
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.
EU regulators approve use of mobile phones during flights
By SPA
Brussels, Belgium : European Union regulators have approved the use of mobile phones on airplanes throughout Europe, the Associated Press reported.
The European Commission says the new regulation, which takes affect Monday, sets a common Europe-wide standard by which passengers can safely use their mobile phones during flights.
The new rules will pave the way for airlines to launch onboard mobile services later this year.
Vivianne Reding, the EU's telecommunications commissioner, is warning operators to keep the cost of calls made on aircraft at a reasonable level.
Greece to continue talks on Macedonia’s name within UN
By RIA Novosti
Athens : Greece will continue talks within the United Nations to resolve the naming dispute over neighboring Macedonia, which shares its name with a northern Greek province, the prime minister said on Monday.
The dispute has been running since Macedonia's independence from Yugoslavia 17 years ago, with Greece objecting to Skopje using the name Republic of Macedonia. Athens says this implies a territorial claim on Greece's province of Macedonia, the birthplace of Alexander the Great.
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.
DPJ Execs Decide To Reject Nomination Of Watanabe As Bank Of Japan Deputy Chief
By Bernama
Tokyo : Executives of the main opposition Democratic Party of Japan decided Tuesday to reject the government's nomination of Hiroshi Watanabe for the post of deputy governor of the Bank of Japan, even though some of the party's lawmakers indicated earlier that the nomination would be approved, Japan's Kyodo news agency reported.
But the DPJ leadership did decide to endorse the proposed promotion of BOJ Deputy Governor Masaaki Shirakawa to governor, party lawmakers said.
Indonesia Needs At Least 48 Weather Radars
By Bernama
Jakarta : Indonesia needs at least 48 weather radars set up across the country at a distance of 150 km from each other to predict extreme weather in more detailed and accurate ways, a Meteorology and Geophysics Agency (BMG) official said.
"Today Indonesia only has 14 weather radars consisting of 7 old and 7 newly-installed ones," Indonesia's Antara news agency quoted Tuwamin Mulyono said on Tuesday.
The BMG was planning to increase the number of weather radars in the country to 22 by 2010, he said.
Another Siberian villager seeks damages for fallen rocket parts
By RIA Novosti
Novosibirsk : Another villager in southwest Siberia plans to sue the space agency Roscosmos for compensation after rocket fragments fell on his land, the local administration said on Wednesday.
A resident of the Ust-Kumir village in the Republic of Altai said he is determined to seek compensation of moral damage after a 0.6-kg (1.3 lbs) rocket fragment was found in his hayloft in March.
17 Asian countries discuss nuclear pact
By Xinhua
Hanoi (Vietnam) : Representatives of 17 Asian countries including India are reviewing here the implementation of the Regional Cooperative Agreement (RCA) on nuclear science, a report said Wednesday.
The agreement for research, development and training, related to the nuclear science and technology for Asia and the Pacific, was signed in 1972. Vietnam signed the pact in 1981.
Other countries to sign the pact are Australia, Bangladesh, China, Indonesia, South Korea, Japan, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, New Zealand, Pakistan, the Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Thailand.
Researchers take a peep into bloggers’ world
By IANS
Washington : Researchers have turned the spotlight on a fascinating community of bloggers who exchanges ideas, information and knowledge on the web.
A University of California team examined the reading habits of 15 bloggers of various ages to determine how they consume content and interact with blogs and other blog writers.
Previous studies typically centred on blog writers, largely overlooking those who go online to read, comment and participate. Blog readers feel a responsibility to make insightful contributions.
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.
Ecuador defence minister, armed forces chief sacked
By IANS
Quito : Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa has sacked the defence minister and the entire military leadership over allegations that the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has infiltrated the country's intelligence set-up.
Defence Minister Wellington Sandoval announced his resignation Wednesday at the Presidential Palace and was immediately succeeded by Correa's personal secretary and leftwing Indigenous Social Movement leader Javier Ponce, EFE reported.
Head of Joint Chiefs of Staff Hector Camacho and Army Commander Guillermo Vasconez also stepped down the same day.
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.
Russian authorities resume talks with doomsday sect hardcore
By RIA Novosti
Penza : Russian authorities have resumed talks with the members of a doomsday sect still remaining underground in central Russia amid reports that two of the group have died.
Twenty-four members of the group, which went underground in November to wait for the end of the world, which they say will come in May or June, have left the dugout in the Penza Region in the last two weeks after most of the shelter's roof caved in following heavy rain.
Nepal votes to decide fate of Monarchy
By KUNA
New Delhi : Himalayan state of Nepal Thursday voted in a historic Constituent Assembly polls that will decide the fate of the 239-year-old Monarchy.
Voting started peacefully this morning, news agency Press Trust of India reported, quoting a election official. Nearly 6,000 candidates are contesting the election under proportionate voting system while 4,021 candidates are in the fray under direct voting system, the official said.
As many as 55 political parties are contesting the polls. 17.6 million people are eligible to exercise their franchise.
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.
UN chief not to attend Olympics opening ceremony
By DPA
New York : UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has informed the Chinese government that he will not attend the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in Beijing in August, a spokeswoman said Thursday.
Marie Okabe said Beijing was told of the decision "some months ago". She said the move was a result of scheduling issues and was unrelated to the widespread call to boycott the opening ceremony to protest China's alleged human rights abuses in Tibet.
China Blasts U.S House Resolution On Tibet
By Tham Choy Lin, Bernama
Beijing : China reacted with anger Friday at a resolution on Tibet by the US House of Representatives, asking Beijing to end its crackdown on non-violent protests in the Himalayan region.
China expressed strong indignation to this, its foreign ministry spokesman Jiang Yu said in a statement on the ministry website.
She said the resolution, sponsored by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, willfully distorted Tibet's history and was a rude interference into China's internal affairs, seriously hurting the feelings of the Chinese people.
Vote for change drives Maoist victory in Nepal
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS
Kathmandu : An overwhelming desire for change and increase in the number of young voters, many of whom cast their ballot the first time, drove the astounding victory of Nepal's Maoist party, a formerly banned underground organisation that continued to sweep the historic constituent assembly polls.
On Saturday, as counting continued for the second day, the former guerrilla party consolidated the leads it had wrested, engineering surprise upsets in the capital, once the fortress of the Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist Leninist (UML).
Russia summons Thai envoy over arms dealer’s rights
By RIA Novosti
Moscow : Russia has protested to Thailand over alleged violations in the rights of Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, recently arrested in a police operation in Bangkok.
"On Friday, Supot Theerakaosal, the ambassador of the Kingdom of Thailand, was summoned to the Russian Foreign Ministry, and a representation was made to him over the violations of the rights of Russian citizen V. Bout, arrested in Thailand at the request of the US," the ministry said without elaborating.
Bout, 41, was arrested in March in a joint police operation led by the US.
Tibet problem entirely internal issue of China: President Hu
By APP
Beijing : Chinese President Hu Jintao said Saturday that the Tibet problem is entirely an internal issue of China, and national unification features the conflict between the central government and the Dalai group, the state media reported.
“Our conflict with the Dalai clique is not an ethnic problem, not a religious problem, nor a human rights problem. It is a problem either to safeguard national unification or to split the motherland,” the Xinhua news agency quoted President Hu as saying.
Maoists maintain strong lead in Nepal Constituent Assembly poll results
By KUNA
New Delhi : Maoists have won four seats in election of the 240-member Constituent Assembly of Nepal, proceeding Saturday. The Communist Party of Nepal (CPN)-Maoist leaders Dev Gurung and Pampha Bhushal won from Manang and Lalitpur-3 constituencies while other two candidates -- Lila Sumai and Raj Kaji Maharjan -- have been elected from Palpa-2 and Lalitpur-2 constituencies, news agency Press Trust of India reported, quoting state-run Nepal Television.
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.
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 may take the reins of Russia’s ruling party
By DPA,
Moscow : Russia's ruling party said Monday it would create a new supra-leader post to offer outgoing President Vladimir Putin when he makes an appearance at its congress Tuesday.
"To this end we will make amendments to party charter ... It's not a simple technical question, but an important political question," news agency Interfax quoted United Russia chief Boris Gryzlov as saying.
Sri Lankans celebrate Tamil and Sinhala new year
By NNN-Govt. Portal,
Colombo : Sri Lanka celebrated the Sinhala and Tamil New Year on 12th and 13th of this month respectively.
Sri Lankan President, Mahinda Rajapaksa in his New Year message among others said:
We warmly welcome the Sinhala and Tamil New Year which brings unity and prosperity.
UN calls for concerted efforts to control rising food crisis
By DPA,
New York : The UN called Monday for a long-term policy on food grain production in order to avert famine amidst steeply-rising prices that threaten to undermine anti-poverty programmes.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon told a gathering of Breton Woods institutions, the World Trade Organization and UN trade agency that the rapidly escalating crisis in food availability around the world has reached "emergency proportions".
800 Spaniards to undergo health checks after radioactive leak
By DPA,
Madrid : Nearly 800 Spaniards will undergo health checks to make sure they have not been affected by radioactive material leaked from the nuclear plant of Asco I in the country's north-east in November, press reports said Tuesday.
Nearly 580 people have already been examined but there was no indication of damage to health from the leak.
The checks would nevertheless continue to confirm that nobody had been affected by radioactivity to a significant extent, the Nuclear Safety Council (CSN) said.
Pope calls on US to resolve conflicts diplomatically
By DPA,
Washington : Pope Benedict XVI Wednesday during his first visit to the White House called on the US to diplomatically resolve conflicts abroad, saying Americans have historically demonstrated a firm commitment to promoting freedom throughout the world.
"I am confident that this concern for the greater human family will continue to find expression in support for the patient efforts of international diplomacy to resolve conflicts and promote progress," said Benedict speaking in English.
Singapore, Malaysia Will Accept Any Decision On Pulau Batu Putih By ICJ – George...
By Zakaria Abdul Wahab, IANS,
Singapore : Malaysia and Singapore will accept whatever decision of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in the Hague on Pulau Batu Putih in the Johor Straits which has been a long standing and thorny issue in the diplomatic relations between the two close neighbours.
"Whatever is the decision, we will accept it," Singapore Foreign Minister George Yeo and his Malaysian counterpart Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim said Thursday.