Ex-German chancellor blames Saakashvili for starting conflict
By IRNA,
Berlin : Former German chancellor Gerhard Schroeder blamed US-backed Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili for "triggering" the conflict in the Georgian separatist region of South Ossetia.
What sparked the present combat actions was the "Georgian invasion of South Ossetia," Schroeder said Saturday in an interview with the weekly Der Spiegel news magazine.
He branded Saakashvili a political "gambler", while warning against plans for a swift NATO membership of Georgia.
Prachanda faces first crisis as PM, as floods wreak havoc
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS,
Kathmandu : Nepal's Maoist chief Pushpa Kamal Dahal "Prachanda", who was sworn in as the republic's first prime minister Monday, faced his first crisis within 24 hours as floods ravaged the border area, leaving over 35,000 people homeless.
The 54-year-old former guerrilla chief who Monday took oath of office and secrecy in the name of the people, instead of god, strode into the Prime Minister's Office in Singh Durbar, the heart of Nepal's government where key ministries are located, at 10.30 a.m. Tuesday to combat the new crisis.
Tropical storm Fay hovers over northern Florida, dumping rain
By DPA,
Washington : Tropical storm Fay has come ashore in Florida for the third time, where the slow moving storm was dumping heavy rain in northern parts of the state near the city of Jacksonville.
The storm first came ashore in Florida Monday at its southern tip, Key West, and then crossed the southwest portion of the Florida peninsula before again moving offshore ahead of the latest landfall.
It earlier left as many as 50 people dead in flooding and landslides in Haiti and the Dominican Republic.
Russia keeps pulling back troops from Georgia
By Xinhua,
Moscow : Russia has kept moving troops out of Georgia and strived to fulfill its promise in a cease-fire agreement of withdrawing its forces from the Caucasus neighbor after several days of military conflicts.
RUSSIA WITHDRAWS TROOPS
All the troops will pull back to Russia's territory in ten days, Russian General Vladimir Boldyrev, the Chief Commander of Ground Troops said Thursday.
Peacekeepers' posts would open on Friday and Russian troops that are not involved in peacekeeping operations would return to Russia, Boldyrev said.
Ukraine celebrating 17th anniversary of independence
By IRNA,
Tehran : On the 24th August 1991 Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine (parliament) declared Ukraine as an independent state.
At the same year (December 1, 1991) over 90% of the people of reborn Ukrainian state confirmed the independence of Ukraine at the referendum.
10 hurt in LTTE air attack on key naval base in Trincomalee
By IANS,
Colombo : At least 10 Sri Lankan Navy sailors were wounded when Tamil Tiger rebels air-dropped two bombs on a key naval base in Sri Lanka's eastern port city of Trincomalee, defence authorities said Wednesday.
The attack, from a lightwing aircraft, took place late Tuesday.
Military spokesperson Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) had used a lightwing aircraft to drop two bombs between 9 p.m. and 9.15 p.m. on the Trincomalee dockyard area.
Miliband visits Ukraine, urges coalition against Russia
By IRNA,
London : British Foreign Secretary David Miliband is in Ukraine Wednesday to build what he called 'the widest possible coalition against Russian aggression in Georgia'.
His trip comes after Russian President Dmitry Medvedev formally recognized the independence of Georgia's regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, which Miliband warned was 'unjustifiable' and would 'further inflame an already tense situation'.
Suspected insurgents kill 3 villagers as Ramadan begins in Thai south
By Xinhua,
Bangkok : Insurgent violence continued in Thailand's deep south on Monday as militants shot dead three villagers as the Islamic Ramadan fast began, media here reported.
In an incident, a 61-year-old Thai-Muslim village headman was killed by the gunmen while he was driving in Bannang Sata district of Yala province, according to a report by Bangkok Post website. He was shot in the head with 9mm bullets.
’80-year-old’ leads war on Kosi in Nepal
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS,
Kathmandu : A man, said to be in his 80s, is leading the war on the raging Saptakosi river that has been spreading death, destruction and disease in Nepal and India since last month.
Nilendu Sanyal, a former engineer-in-chief in Bihar's water resources department as well as Flood Control Commission, is the architect of the blueprint that could tame the errant river and beat it back to its old course.
Russia builds floating nuclear power plant
By RIA Novosti,
Moscow : In a couple of years, a new kind of vessel will appear on the sea - the floating nuclear power plant (FNPP). The Academician Lomonosov, currently under construction in Russia, is only one project of the several FNPP being developed.
The formal keel laying ceremony took place in April 2007 at the Sevmash shipyard of the Russian State Centre for Nuclear Shipbuilding in Severodvinsk. After about a year and a half, the state-owned corporation Rosatom revoked the general contract, handing it over to the Baltiysky Zavod (Baltic Plant) Shipyard in St. Petersburg.
Teens who shun physical activity more likely to be ill
By IANS,
Sydney : Teens who shun physical activity are more likely to fall ill because of sedentary lifestyles, according to Queensland University of Technology researcher Kyra Hamilton.
Hamilton, who also has 15 years nursing experience, said the results were split fairly evenly down the middle: just under half (42 per cent) of the 423 teens surveyed were regularly active, and just over half (58 per cent) were not regularly active.
Asian policewoman in Britain complains of racism
By IANS,
London : The London Metropolitan Police (Met) may face a racism charge once again, this time from a senior Asian woman officer who is claiming she is the target of racist bullying and victimisation.
The case of Yasmin Rehman comes close on the heels of two recent cases of race discrimination filed by senior Asian officers Shabir Husain and Tarique Ghaffur. The employment tribunal dismissed Husain's case while police chief Ian Blair suspended Ghaffur even as his case is yet to come for hearing.
New Thai PM Has To Wait, Parliament Postponed
By D. Arul Rajoo, Bernama,
Bangkok : A crucial parliament session to pick Thailand's new prime minister was postponed to next Wednesday after about two thirds of the MPs, including those from the ruling People Power Party (PPP), staged a boycott due to dissatisfaction over the renomination of Samak Sundaravej who was sacked three days ago by the Constitution Court.
Namibia President Calls Raul Castro
By Prensa Latina,
Havana : President of the Councils of State and Ministers, Army General Raul Castro received a phone call from his Namibian counterpart Hifikepunye Lucas Pohamba, who supported the island"s people after the passing of the devastating Hurricanes Gustav and Ike.
In their talk, Raul expressed gratitude for the Namibian president"s concern and offered extensive information on damages caused by the meteorological events over the last 11 days, Granma newspaper reported Friday.
First Hindu school in Britain ready to begin term
By IANS,
London : Students will shortly begin their term at Britain's first Hindu school - the Krishna Avanti Voluntary Aided Primary School in Edgeware, north London, the area with the largest concentration of Hindus in the country.
The 'bhumi puja' (ground breaking ceremony) of the school was performed this June. The school will follow the national curriculum, but offer education based on Hindu values. Concepts of inclusivity and equality of all human beings, meditation, yoga and a strict vegetarian diet will reflect some of them.
US working hard to check Wall St impact on economy: Bush
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : As the US financial system reeled with the turmoil on the Wall Street, President George W. Bush assured that his administration was working to reduce disruptions and minimise the impact on the broader economy.
"As policymakers, we're focused on the health of the financial system as a whole," Bush said at the White House Monday, using the visit of Ghana President John Kufuor to reach out to the Americans "concerned about the adjustments that are taking place in our financial markets".
Engineer working to better engine performance, cut emissions
By IANS,
Washington : The five engines in Song-Charng Kong's lab have come a long way since Karl Benz patented a two-stroke internal combustion engine in 1879.
There are fuel injectors and turbochargers and electrical controls. There's more horsepower, better efficiency, cleaner burning and greater reliability.
But Kong - with the help of 15 graduate students and all kinds of sensors recording engine cylinder pressure, energy release and exhaust emissions - is looking for even more.
Nepal gives formal recognition to third gender
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS,
Kathmandu : A 21-year-old lesbian has become the first person in Nepal to be officially recognised as a third gender person under the Maoist-led new government, a move being hailed as a landmark for sexual minorities in a country still dominated by a strong feudal society.
Bishnu Adhikari, who was forced to leave her home in Pokhara town by outraged relatives and neighbours, Wednesday became the first person in Nepal to be given an official identity card that described her sex as "third gender" instead of the usual male and female categories.
Russia’s Lavrov to push new European security deal at UN
By RIA Novosti,
New York : Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will promote the idea of a new European security treaty this week when he attends the UN General Assembly, a RIA Novosti correspondent said Tuesday.
The General Assembly's annual ministerial session opens Tuesday amid uncertainty over the global economic outlook, continuing violence in the Middle East, concerns over Iran's nuclear program and the deterioration of relations between Russia and the West over South Ossetia and Abkhazia.
Dangerously overworked doctors risk own health and patients’ too
By IANS,
Sydney : Doctors and nurses might be risking their own health and that of their patients by being dangerously overworked, in some cases labouring as many as 17 hours daily, according to a new study.
Fiona McDonald, associate lecturer at the law faculty of Queensland University of Technology, has completed an extensive study, looking at the different laws in place to regulate working hours across six countries.
Finnish school shooter planned his act for years: Police
By DPA,
Helsinki : The 22-year-old man who killed 10 people at a trade school in western Finland Tuesday had apparently planned the massacre since 2002, police said Wednesday.
The gunman, whom police identified as Matti Juhani Saari, had left messages in his flat near the trade school in Kauhajoki, about 300 km north-west of Helsinki where the shootings took place.
Saari, who was also a student at the trade school, died Tuesday of self-inflicted wounds in hospital.
US House vote on nuclear deal postponed
By DPA,
Washington : The US House of Representatives held off Friday from voting on a White House plan that would allow the US to sell nuclear material and civilian nuclear technology to India.
The House debated the measure Friday evening but deciding to delay a vote on the agreement until at least Saturday. The measure must also pass the US Senate, which has not scheduled a vote but is expected to convene over the weekend.
Canada injects billions into markets to ease credit crunch
By IANS,
Toronto : With credit squeeze hitting Canadian markets, the Bank of Canada Friday announced injection of billions of dollars into term lending markets even as the finance claimed that the Canadian economy was doing fine.
In a statement, the nation's central bank said that beginning Sept 19 it has extended $8 billion to provide liquidity to term lending markets.
Russian president to promote new security treaty for Europe
By RIA Novosti,
Moscow : Russian President Dmitry Medvedev will address an international forum on global politics and security in France to propose the creation of a new European security system, the Kremlin website said on Tuesday.
The first annual World Policy Conference is being held at the French town of Evian on October 6-8 and has gathered global leaders, heads of states and international organizations, and leading experts on international affairs. Medvedev will deliver his address to the forum on Wednesday.
French Interior Minister to hold talks with Muslim leaders
By KUNA,
Paris : French Interior Minister Michele Alliot-Marie is to hold talks later Tuesday with major leaders of Frances Muslim community, the Interior Ministry said.
Alliot-Marie will receive the recently-elected President of the French Council for the Muslim Faith (CFCM), Mohammed Mussawi, and she will also receive representatives of the Regional Councils of the Muslim Faith (CRCM), a statement said.
The agenda is expected to cover a variety of topics including the growing need, and chronic shortage in some areas, of more Mosques for the Muslim faithful.
Two Japanese, US scientist win physics Nobel Prize
By IANS,
Stockholm : Two Japanese and a US scientist shared the 2008 Nobel Prize for physics, according to the prize committee Tuesday.
Yoichiro Nambu, Makoto Kobayashi and Toshihide Maskawa were named for the year's Nobel Laureates in Physics during a press conference at the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences here.
Japan-born US citizen Yoichiro Nambu of the Enrico Fermi Institute, University of Chicago was awarded "for the discovery of the mechanism of spontaneous broken symmetry in subatomic physics", a press statement said.
Russia to Launch Intercontinental Missile
By Prensa Latina,
Moscow : Russia will strengthen its strategic deterrent will during the Stability-2008 military exercise by launching a Topol-M intercontinental missile from the Plesetsk launch site, military sources confirmed here Tuesday.
The rocket will be launched from Plesetsk, in the Russian Federation's northern area, during the maneuvers from October 8-12, under command of the Strategic Rocket Forces (RSVN) Chief Nikolai Solotov, the command's press service reported.
Colonel General Solotov will mobilize about 3,000 troops and 250 weapons, the source said.
`Economic 9/11` exacting grim psychological toll in US
By ANTARA News,
Los Angeles : The murder-suicide of a Los Angeles financial manager who shot dead five members of his family before killing himself has highlighted the psychological toll of the economic meltdown.
The bodies of Karthik Rajaram, a 45-year-old business school graduate, and his wife, three children and mother-in-law, were discovered at his home in an upmarket gated community on Monday.
UN rights chief Pillay slams xenophobic attacks in South Africa
By IANS,
Johannesburg : United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay has condemned the brutal slaying of a Somali family in South Africa and urged the government to take measures to protect foreigners from xenophobic attacks.
Sahra Omar Farah, her two teenage sons, one of whom was deaf and her 12-year-old daughter were stabbed to death Friday in a frenzied attack at a small store run by fellow Somalis in rural Eastern Cape province.
Initial signs showed the woman and her daughter had also been sexually assaulted.
‘Dirty, deadly dozen’ pathogens expand, thanks to climate change
By IANS,
Washington : Health experts from the Wildlife Conservation Society have released a report that lists 12 pathogens that could spread into new regions as a result of climate change, potentially impacting human and wildlife health and global economies.
The best defence, according to the report's authors, is a good offence in the form of wildlife monitoring to detect how these diseases are moving so health professionals can learn and prepare to mitigate their impact.
Ukraine sent arms to Georgia during conflict -Russia’s NATO envoy
By RIA Novosti,
Brussels : Russia's NATO envoy has said that Ukrainian weapons were delivered to Georgia, and that the last delivery came as Georgian forces were attacking breakaway South Ossetia.
"The last such case [of arms supplies] took place on August 8," Dmitry Rogozin said on Wednesday evening.
Georgian forces began their attack on South Ossetia late on August 7, continuing it the next day. Russia subsequently launched a military operation to "force Georgia to peace." The operation was concluded on August 12.
Countries will work to avoid broader economic fallout: Bush
By DPA,
Washington : US President George W. Bush said Saturday that the world's economic powers will work closely to overcome the ongoing financial crisis and create a plan toward recovery.
"We will stand together in addressing this threat to our prosperity," Bush said. "We will do what it takes to resolve this crisis, and the world's economy will emerge stronger as a result."
Relatives of captive crew seek meeting with Ukrainian leader
By RIA Novosti,
Kiev : Family members of over 15 Ukrainians held hostage by Somali pirates for more than two weeks have gathered outside the offices of the Ukrainian president, the Unian news agency reported on Monday.
Around 20 relatives of the 17 Ukrainians on board the hijacked MV Faina said they would not leave until granted an audience with Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko.
The Faina, carrying at least 33 tanks and other heavy weaponry, was seized by Somali pirates on September 25.
Wall Street stages massive rally on European rescue plans
By DPA,
New York : Wall Street delivered one its largest gains ever Monday as a series of financial rescue plans around the world and efforts to boost liquidity heartened investors.
Stocks were up more than 11 percent on the major US indices.
In its largest-ever point gain, the blue-chip Dow Jones Industrial Average surged 936.42 points, or 11.08 percent, to 9,387.61.
What warming? Climate change slips down global priorities
By Chris Cermak, DPA,
Washington : You might call it the fourth crisis. While collapsing financial institutions plunge wealthy nations into recession and developing countries grapple with surging food and energy costs, the once urgent need to fight global warming seems to have taken a back seat.
Just last year, nearly every global and regional summit put climate change at the top of its agenda. Now it seems to have become an afterthought.
Strong earthquake rattles northeastern Greece
By DPA,
Athens : A strong earthquake measuring 6.6 on the Richter scale shook north-eastern Greece early Tuesday, but there were no reports of injuries or damage.
The underwater quake took place at 5:06 a.m. and had an epicentre northeast of Athens near Halkida and the island of Evia.
Two smaller earthquakes took place a few minutes later.
The earthquake startled people in Athens.
Hillary Clinton rules out another White House run, ‘probably’
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : Hillary Clinton has all but ruled out running for US president in 2012 and said she wasn't interested in any high-level positions if one time Democratic rival Barack Obama becomes president.
The former first lady, who fought a long and bitter primary battle with Obama for the Democratic ticket, told Fox News Channel Tuesday that her chances of making another bid for the White House were "probably close to zero".
Study sheds new light on dating violence
By IANS,
Washington : A new study sheds light on the lives of troubled teenagers, mostly from broken homes, who often witness violence at home, leading to them abusing their own girlfriends.
The study advocated taking a broader view of such behaviours within dating relationships to explore environments at school, home and community - that affect boys' lives and actions.
Autistic people make more rational decisions
By IANS,
London : People with autism-related disorders are less likely to make irrational decisions and are less influenced by gut instincts, according to the latest research.
Decision-making is a complex process, involving both intuition and analysis: analysis involves computation and more "rational" thought, but is slower; intuition, by contrast, is much faster, but less accurate, relying on heuristics, or "gut instincts".
Previous studies have shown that our response to a problem depends on how the problem is posed - the so called "framing effect".
Russia to offer $26 bn rescue package for beleaguered banks
By RIA Novosti,
Moscow : Russia's central bank will place a financial rescue package of up to $26.6 billion in unsecured loans Monday to bail out banks from the ongoing liquidity crisis.
Only banks rated by the international agencies Fitch Ratings, Standard & Poor's and Moody's Investors Service will be able to apply for the six-month loans.
The relief package and the eligibility criteria were approved by the Russian parliament and signed into a law Friday by President Dmitry Medvedev.
A government source said around 120 banks would be able to apply for the bailout.
Ex-MI5 chief says West over-reacted to 9/11
By IANS,
London : Former British spy chief Stella Rimington says the West's response to the 9/11 terrorist attacks in the US was a “huge overreaction".
In an interview with The Guardian newspaper published Saturday, the former head of MI5 says Al Qaeda's attack was “another terrorist incident" - not qualitatively different from any others.
"That's not how it struck me. I suppose I'd lived with terrorist events for a good part of my working life and this was as far as I was concerned another one," she said.
AIG halts lobbying after government takeover
By DPA,
Washington : Insurance giant American International Group Inc, which was bailed out of a cash-flow crisis last month by a loan that temporarily made the US government its majority shareholder, said Monday that it would stop lobbying in Washington.
A spokesman said that the company's Washington office would continue to monitor federal lawmaking to assess impacts on AIG, but that routine work to influence congressional legislation would stop.
17 dead in bus accident in Southern Bolivia
By SPA,
La Paz, Bolivia : A bus went off a curve on a mountainous road Monday in southern Bolivia, leaving 17 people dead and 30 injured, local media reported.
The vehicle carrying a sports team plummeted 200 meters off the pavement before coming to rest, DPA reported.
Maldives’ run-off presidential election goes peacefully
By Xinhua,
Male : The run-off presidential election in the Indian archipelago of the Maldives went on peacefully on Tuesday with no major violence being reported, elections officials said.
The incumbent President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom is competing with the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party's (MDP) Mohamed Nasheed in the election.
Election officials said 209,294 people were registered to vote in 403 polling stations in the country which consists of 1,192 small islands scattered across 800 km of the Indian Ocean neighboring India and Sri Lanka.
German consul general takes serious view of minor’s rape: lawyer
By IANS,
Panaji : The German Consul General Walter Stechel has taken a "serious view" of the rape of a minor German girl allegedly by the kin of three Goa ministers and will visit Goa on Sunday to review the probe status, the victim's lawyer said Monday.
The victim's lawyer also hinted that the state machinery was conspiring to ensure that Education Minister Atanasio Monserrate's son Rohit was not arrested.
"Mr Stechel has taken a serious view of the case and he is already taking up the matter with the authorities in Delhi," advocate Aires Rodrigues said.
British government seeks more ethnic minority women in public life
By IANS,
London : Minister for women and equalities Harriet Harman says Britain needs more Black, Asian and other minority ethnic women councillors after new data showed their numbers have fallen.
Only 149 out of 19,617 elected councillors across England are minority ethnic women this year, compared with 164 in 2006.
This represents less than one per cent of all councillors, although minority ethnic women make up more than five percent of the population. To fully reflect society the number of female minority ethnic councillors would have to rise nearer to 1,000.
At least 79 dead or missing in northern, central Vietnam by flood
By Xinhua,
Hanoi : At least 79 people were dead or missing in the northern and central flood areas in Vietnam, The Vietnam News Agency reported on Wednesday, citing the preliminary statistics from the Central Steering Committee for Flood Control and Prevention.
The victims included 22 in Hanoi, which has suffered the most. The central provinces of Ha Tinh and Nghe An reported 17 and nine deaths respectively.
Latin American leaders welcome Obama presidency
By IANS,
Miami : Leaders across Latin America Wednesday welcomed the election of Barack Obama as the president of the US, Spain's EFE news agency reported.
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva labelled the African-American senator's victory "extraordinary" and said he expected Obama to promote "stronger relations" among the US, Latin America and Africa, and to "end the blockade on Cuba".
Dispute over 25-cm land leads to murder, suicide
By DPA,
Phnom Penh : A dispute over a 25-centimetre strip of land in Cambodia ended with a man murdering his brother and sister-in-law and then committing suicide, media reports said Thursday.
Police in Prey Kanlaong province said 42-year-old Chev Thuy fatally stabbed his brother and sister-in-law and then hanged himself Tuesday after a drawn-out argument over the inherited parcel of land.
The Phnom Penh Post reported the family had previously asked the local land authority to help resolve the dispute but were unhappy with its resolution.
Palestinian militants continue rocket attacks on Israel
By RIA Novosti,
Tel Aviv/Gaza : Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip have fired at least three rockets at southern Israel on the third day of renewed hostilities that threaten a fragile five-month truce, the Israeli military said Friday.
The rockets exploded in deserted areas, without inflicting casualties or damage. Islamic Jihad, Gaza's second-largest militant group, claimed responsibility for the attack.
Obama: ‘We have to act swiftly’ on economy
By SPA,
Chicago : In his first public remarks since delivering his victory speech three days ago, President-elect Barack Obama vowed Friday that restoring the nation's economic equilibrium will be a priority of his administration.
In his first post-election news conference, Obama said "I do not underestimate the enormity of the task that lies ahead,"
Obama told reporters at the Hilton Hotel in Chicago, Illinois. "We have taken some major action to date, and we will take further action."
New Zealand awakes to new centre-right government
By DPA,
Wellington : New Zealand awoke Sunday to the prospect of a new centre-right government to steer the country out of its worst recession for years after a general election dumped the Labour-led coalition that had ruled since 1999.
Saturday's election produced a sharp jump to the right, leaving prime minister-elect John Key, 47, leader of the conservative National Party, and his free market allies in the ACT party, to govern for the next three years.
Europe’s finance reforms could face resistance
By Andrew McCathie, DPA,
Brussels : After leading the way in responding to the world financial crisis, Europe could be facing headwinds as it attempts to press on with a rapid and comprehensive overhaul of the global finance sector.
Gone are the high-minded calls for sweeping changes to the international financial system as proposed only a few weeks ago by French President Nicolas Sarkozy when panic selling engulfed share markets and sent shock waves across the world economy.
China:Differences In Talks With Private Envoys Of Dalai Lama
By Bernama,
Beijing : A Chinese central government official says recent talks with the Dalai Lama's private representatives were "frank and sincere," but serious differences remain, Xinhua news agency reported.
Zhu Weiqun, executive vice minister of the United Front Work Department (UFWD) of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, made the remarks at a press conference held by the Information Office of the State Council here on Monday.
13-year-old British girl wins right to die
By IANS,
London : A terminally ill British teenager has won a legal battle with her hospital to spend her last days at home with family and friends without any more treatment.
Hannah Jones, 13, who is suffering from a rare type of leukaemia, went to court when her local hospital drafted child protection officers to remove her from her parents' custody to force her to undergo a heart transplant.
The high court decided that she was old enough to make the decision for herself and the hospital dropped the case.
Russia to raise oil output by 20 percent
By RIA Novosti,
Moscow : Oil production in Russia will grow by up to 20 percent, and natural gas by 42 percent by 2030 in line with Russia's draft energy strategy, business daily Vedomosti reported Tuesday.
The draft, prepared by several research institutes and the energy ministry, will be submitted to the government in January after discussions and approvals.
In August the economics ministry set a task of ending the economy's dependence on raw material exports by 2020.
After Holocaust, next book on US election: Sam Bourne
By Azera Rahman, IANS,
New Delhi : Renowned author and British journalist Jonathan Freedland - whose pen name is Sam Bourne - plans to weave his next book around the US election campaign.
Having covered the polls this time when Barack Obama had his historic victory, he has enough matter in his hands to pad up his next bestseller.
"I am writing this in Chicago, after seeing Obama celebrate his election as president of the United States. My next novel will be set during a US election campaign," Freedland, 41, told IANS in an e-mail interview.
Medvedev looks forward to strong partnership with Obama
By RIA Novosti,
Moscow : Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said on Thursday he hoped to overcome ongoing disputes with Washington under the future U.S. president, Barack Obama, and that he looked forward to meeting him.
"I had a good conversation with him. I hope that with the new administration we will be able to build a normal, full-fledged partnership," Medvedev said in an interview with Le Figaro ahead of his trip to France for a Russia-EU summit due on Friday.
Eurozone officially in recession: Eurostat
By DPA,
Brussels : The 15-member eurozone officially slumped into recession Friday after its economy contracted by 0.2 percent for a second quarter in a row, the European statistical office said.
Figures from Eurostat showed that gross domestic product in two of the euro area's biggest economies, Germany and Italy, fell by 0.5 percent in the third quarter of 2008, after falling by 0.4 percent in the second.
The other eurozone heavyweight, France, saw its GDP grow by just 0.1 percent in the third quarter, after contracting by 0.3 percent in the previous three months.
Americans spend big on Obama souvenirs
By Andy Goldberg, DPA,
San Francisco/Los Angeles : The US economy may be deep in the doldrums, but there's one sector where enterprising entrepreneurs are still making a fortune.
Since last week's victory by Barack Obama, souvenirs of the president-elect are selling like the crash never happened, as his supporters and foreign tourists rush to get their hands on almost anything that commemorates the election of the first African-American president.
There are some limits, of course.
Chavez says Russia to build nuclear reactor in Venezuela
By RIA Novosti,
Moscow : Russia will help Venezuela build its first nuclear reactor in the northwestern province of Zulia, President Hugo Chavez said on Sunday.
Chavez had announced on Friday that Venezuela was in talks with Russia on nuclear energy cooperation, and the issue is likely to be discussed during Russian President Dmitry Medvedev's visit later this month.
Kalam’s visit hailed as Nepal’s pride
By IANS,
Kathmandu : Former Indian president A.P.J. Abdul Kalam's maiden visit to Nepal was hailed as a matter of pride and recognition for the new Himalayan republic that gave a rapturous welcome to the renowned scientist-scholar.
Kantipur, Nepal's biggest and most influential daily, Tuesday said Kalam's two-day visit to Nepal to address the convocation of a Nepali university, when in the past he had declined an invitation by the famed Oxford University, was not only a matter of pride and recognition for Kathmandu University but the entire nation.
US automakers plead for bail-out with skeptical Congress
By DPA,
Washington : Chiefs of the three US automakers went before Congress Tuesday seeking an emergency injection of government money to stave off bankruptcies that could cost the US economy millions of jobs.
The so-called Big Three - General Motors Corp, Ford Motor Co and Chrysler LLC - are asking for $25 billion from the $700-billion financial rescue package passed in October, arguing that the ongoing credit crisis has pushed their already struggling industry to the brink of collapse.
White House: Bush-Medvedev meeting possible in APEC summit
By Xinhua,
Washington : U.S. President George W. Bush and his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev may have talks when they attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum this weekend in Lima, Peru, the White House said Wednesday.
"Although there is not a firm time yet it is very likely that President Bush will meet with the president of the Russian Federation," U.S. National Security Council spokesman Gordon Johndroe said.
ICRC, Sri Lanka spar as India hands over relief
By IANS,
Colombo : India Thursday formally handed over to the international Red Cross nearly 1,700 tonnes of relief material meant for civilians displaced by war in Sri Lanka's north, but a top government official insisted that Colombo alone would distribute the aid.
Indian High Commissioner Alok Prasad handed over the gift certificate to Paul Castella, head of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Sri Lanka, at what the envoy said was "a simple but solemn occasion".
Flash funky nail shades for impact, says British nail technician
By IANS,
New Delhi : A crazy hairdo and wacky attire are striking, but what about your nails? Colour them in funky shades too to make a statement, says British nail technician Jacqui Jefford.
Jefford says this is the right time to wear crazy nails with loads of attitude and confidence.
"I have seen people carrying crazy hair styles and dresses with confidence, but most of them play it safe with nail colours. This is the right time to add funk to your nails and make a statement," Jefford told IANS.
Russia calls shots near Georgian, Polish presidents ‘provocation’
By RIA Novosti,
Lima : Shots fired close to the Georgian and Polish presidents' motorcade on South Ossetia's de facto border with Georgia on Sunday were a "provocation", Russia's foreign minister said.
Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili was reported as saying that Russian forces had opened fire on the motorcade.
"This is a clear provocation," Sergei Lavrov, who is accompanying the Russian president on his current Latin American trip, told reporters in the Peruvian capital, Lima.
India-Nepal border demarcated 98 percent: Pranab
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS,
Kathmandu : The over 1,800-km open border between India and Nepal that is one of the biggest thorns in bilateral ties is being freshly demarcated with 98 percent of the new survey completed, Indian External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee said here Tuesday, adding that all "differences and divergences" on border issues would be resolved soon.
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?"
Canada’s Ahmadiyya Muslims condemn attacks in Mumbai
By IANS,
Toronto : The Ahmadiyya Muslim community in Canada has condemned the "heinous and cowardly acts of terrorism" in Mumbai, which left at least 148 people dead and over 327 injured.
The attacks against India go against the teachings of Islam, community leaders said in a statement.
"There can be no justification for the taking of innocent lives and the infliction of violence and terror upon (defenceless) civilians, no matter what the pretext," said Lal Khan Malik, president of the Ahmadiyya Muslim community in Canada.
Kenya urges UN to tackle food crisis, Nigerian piracy
By Xinhua,
Nairobi : Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki has asked the United Nations to mobilise resources to tackle global problems, including high food prices and rampant piracy along the coast of Somalia.
A statement from the presidential press service said Kibaki called on the UN to help in coordinating efforts to stabilise global food prices and ensure an efficient movement of food from surplus to deficit nations.
Thai protestors to lift siege of Government House
By DPA,
Bangkok : Anti-government protestors in Thailand decided Monday to end their three-month occupation of the prime minister's office, but remained in place at Bangkok's two airports which they have shut down for almost a week.
People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) leader Chamlomg Srimuang urged supporters still at Government House to move out and join others at Suvarnabhumi International Airport and Don Mueang Airport.
The PAD occupied Government House Aug 26, depriving the prime minister and cabinet of their offices.
Google resorting to austerity measures: WSJ
By IANS,
New York : Feeling the pinch of the global economic slowdown and the US recession in particular, Google, the internet search engine giant, is resorting to austerity measures, The Wall Street Journal has reported.
Prominent among them include cutting new projects, ratcheting back spending, chipping away at perks and reducing employee strength. Such measure from Google, which is known for its generous perks, has come as a surprise to many industry watchers.
Russia-India trade to reach $10 bln by 2010 – deputy PM
By RIA Novosti,
New Delhi : Russia and India plan to increase trade to $10 billion by 2010 from this year's expected level of $7 billion, and diversify economic cooperation, a Russian deputy prime minister said on Wednesday.
Speaking at a session of the bilateral commission on trade ahead of the Russian president's visit to India, Alexander Zhukov said: "We are not only aiming to boost the figures measuring cooperation, raising trade to $10 billion by 2010, but we also want our cooperation to reach a modern level, by expanding investment and science and research ties."
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.
Indonesia urges EU to lift ban on its airliners
By DPA,
Jakarta : Indonesia has called on the European Union (EU) to lift its ban on the country's carriers from the 27-nation bloc's airspace after Jakarta passed a new aviation law, media reports said Thursday.
"There is no further argument for the EU not to lift the ban," Transport Minister Jusman Syafii Djamal was quoted as saying by the Indonesian daily Koran Tempo.
On Wednesday, the Indonesian parliament passed a bill to improve the country's air safety in response to demands by the EU after Indonesia saw a string of deadly air crashes.
More Than 20 Million Chinese Rely On Internet For News
By Xinhua,
Beijing : More than 20 million Chinese or 68.6 percent of the country's Internet users, are using the web to get their main source of news, the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS)reported.
CASS, a top academic institution, released the figure in the Blue Book of China's Economy (2009) report, Xinhua news agency reported Monday.
Strategic pact with U.S. would make Georgia strong – Saakashvili
TBILISI, December 22 (RIA Novosti) - Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili said on Monday that his country would become a strong state after it signed a framework agreement on a strategic partnership with the United States.
Georgian media reported that the agreement would be ready for signing by the end of the year and stipulate close political, economic and humanitarian ties, as well as cooperation in the security sphere.
"With the agreement signed Georgia will become stronger and will be able to travel the path to restoring its territorial integrity," Saakashvili said.
Strong earthquake jolts southern Philippines
By Xinhua,
Manila : A magnitude 6.2 earthquake jolted the southern Philippine region of Mindanao Thursday, the United States Geological Service (USGS) said.
The quake was recorded at 11.20 a.m. (0320 GMT), and the epicentre was 55 km southeast of General Santos city, or 1,095 km south-southeast of Manila at a depth of 207.5 km, the USGS said in a report on its website.
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.
Israel must end ‘unlawful’ attacks, says Amnesty International
London, Dec 29, IRNA ,Amnesty International Monday expressed its horror at Israel's ongoing slaughter of Palestinian civilians in Gaza, calling for an end to the massacre and for Gaza's emergency needs to be met.
"The horrific death toll risks growing due to the unavailability of adequate medical care for the hundreds of injured," the London-based human rights group said three days after Israeli air attacks killed over 300 Palestinians.
Czech Republic assumes EU Presidency
By KUNA,
Brussels : The Czech Republic, for the first time since joining the European Union (EU) in 2004, takes over the six-month rotating EU Presidency from France Thursday.
While the six months of the EU French Presidency were essentially marked by a series of international crises, such as the situation in Georgia, the global economic crisis and recent events in Gaza, the Czech Republic is expected largely to focus on European issues such as the Lisbon Treaty and oversee European Parliament elections in June.
‘British PM should have travelled to BBC studio’
By IANS,
London : The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) has been criticised after interviewing the British prime minister in his home rather than at the television channel's studios.
Instead of travelling to the studios, Brown allowed the BBC to hold a 'fireside chat' at his central London home for the flagship Sunday morning programme, the Andrew Marr Show.
The decision was slammed by opposition Conservative Party MPs, who accused the BBC of “cosying up” to the British premier by moving the entire programme to No. 10 Downing Street.
We captured Elephant Pass, control vital highway: Rajapaksa
By P. Karunakharan, IANS,
Colombo : Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapaksa Friday announced that the troops fighting their way into the remaining Tamil Tigers' strongholds in the north have captured Elephant Pass garrison, taking full control of entire stretch of the A-9 Jaffna-Kandy main highway after almost a decade.
"Our troops by noon today (Friday) fully captured the Elephant Pass. With this our troops have completely liberated the A9 main highway from the LTTE," President Rajapaksa announced in a televised address to the nation Friday evening.
Sri Lankan troops seize Elephant Pass, control key highway
By P. Karunakharan,IANS,
Colombo : The Tamil Tigers suffered another blow when Sri Lankan troops captured the Elephant Pass garrison Friday, securing full control of a vital highway after a decade, President Mahinda Rajapaksa announced to wild celebrations across the island nation.
The latest victory came exactly a week after the military wrested control of Kilinochchi, the political hub of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).
Costa Rica quake toll rises to 20, leaves thousands homeless
By IANS,
San Jose : The toll in Thursday’s devastating earthquake in Costa Rica has risen to 20, while thousands of people lost their homes in the aftermath, EFE reported.
The rescue work has been intensified after more bodies were found in the quake-affected areas of the Andean nation, the report said Saturday.
The earthquake measuring 6.2 on the Richter scale Thursday jolted Costa Rica as well as the neighbouring Nicaragua.
View masterpieces up close, through the Internet
By IANS,
Madrid : A joint project launched by Google and the Prado Museum allows 14 masterpieces belonging to the Spanish gallery's collection to be viewed in mega high resolution via the Internet, EFE news agency reported.
The project, dubbed "Masterworks of the Prado on Google Earth," will allow details of the paintings to be seen that the human eye cannot perceive directly, while the Prado becomes the first international museum making it possible to study reproductions of its paintings that are life-sized and more.
US mounts record security to keep Obama inauguration safe
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : Barack Obama will be sworn as America's first black president Tuesday under the tightest security ever, shielded by a new, heavily armoured Cadillac limousine, bullet-resistant glass, fighter planes overhead and Secret Service SWAT teams toting automatic weapons.
The president-elect himself will wear bullet-resistant clothing, speak behind a protective glass shield and ride in the inauguration parade in an armoured Cadillac limousine, with doors and windows so thick that he probably would survive a bomb blast, according to law enforcement officials.
Nepali president, prime minister congratulate Obama
By Xinhua,
Kathmandu : Nepali President Ram Baran Yadav and Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda have congratulated Barack Obama on becoming the US president, state-run newspaper The Rising Nepal reported Wednesday.
In a message to Obama, President Yadav, on behalf of the government and the people of Nepal, extended warmest congratulations to Obama.
"I also take this opportunity to express best wishes for the continued progress and prosperity of the people of the United States of America under your dynamic leadership," he said.
SADC leaders begin third summit on Zimbabwe political crisis
By IANS,
Pretoria : The leaders of the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) began an extraordinary summit here in South Africa Monday, in yet another attempt to eke a compromise from Zimbabwe's rival leaders on power-sharing, BuaNews reported.
Both Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe and opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader Morgan Tsvangirai are present at the meeting which is underway at the Presidential guesthouse in Pretoria and chaired by South African President Kgalema Motlanthe.
Indonesian Muslims banned from practicing yoga
By IINA,
Jakarta : Muslims in Indonesia are now banned from practicing yoga that contains Hindu rituals like chanting, but will continue to be allowed to perform it for purely health reasons, the chairman of the country's top Islamic body said today. Ma'ruf Amin said the Ulema Council issued the non-binding ruling following weekend talks attended by hundreds of theological experts in Padang Panjang, a village in West Sumatra province. Although the ruling is not legally binding, most devout Muslims are likely to adhere to it — as they consider it sinful to ignore a fatwa.
EU praises Obama opposition to protectionism
By DPA,
Brussels/Washington : The European Union (EU) Wednesday applauded US President Barack Obama for warning against protectionist measures in the midst of a global economic crisis.
Obama, in interviews with US television networks Tuesday night, said he was worried about the US Congress sending signals that could trigger a trade war between the US, the EU and other countries.
Excessive Festival Consumption Finds An Outlet Online
By BERNAMA,
BEIJING : Websites have provided a new platform for people, who received an overabundance of gifts for Spring Festival, or prepared too many presents, to shift their goods, Xinhua news agency said quoting a local newspaper report Saturday.
"The holidays have long been viewed, from the perspective of money and goods, as a time of excess. It always seems like too much every year," said Shen Qing, who received a dozen boxes of fruit as gifts.
Vietnam To Boost Seafood Exports To Russia
By BERNAMA,
HANOI : The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) is tightening its control over the quality and safety of Vietnam 's exported seafood products, with the aim of increasing exports to Russia, Vietnam News Agency (VNA) reported.
In addition, the ministry will give priority to seafood processors that have won contracts with Russian partners, as long as their products meet all of the necessary requirements and are accepted by the Russian Federal Service for Veterinary and Physio-sanitary Surveillance (VPSS).
US Senate debates economic stimulus deal
By DPA,
Washington : The US Senate spent much of Saturday debating the economic stimulus package on which lawmakers had reached a compromise a day earlier in a bid to pull the United States out of recession.A bipartisan group of senators put forward a tentative deal late Friday on a $780-billion recovery plan. The compromise would strip some $150 billion out of an earlier version of the legislation before the Senate.
EU seeks code of conduct for outer space activities
By Xinhua,
Geneva : A set of international code of conduct is needed to ensure safety and security of all outer space activities, the European Union (EU) has said.
One Tuesday, a Russian and a US satellite collided in space above Siberia.
EU said it had already been preparing a draft proposal for such an international code, and an initial draft text had been actually approved by the EU in December.
Aircraft crashes in New York state
BY Xinhua,
New York : An airliner crashed in the US state of New York, local media reported.
The crash occurred at around 10.20 p.m. Thursday (local time) in suburban Buffalo in northern New York State, as the 50-seat commuter plane crashed into a home, TV networks including CNN reported.
It remained unclear whether the crash caused any casualties on board or on the ground.
Plane crashes in upstate New York, 50 dead
By DPA,
New York : A commercial airliner crashed on a house and burst into flames late Thursday outside Buffalo, New York, killing at least 50 people.
The dead included 49 people on Continental Connection Flight 3407 and one person on the ground, officials said Friday. The fire was so intense that investigators were unable to approach the crash site early Friday morning. They subsequently managed to recover the cockpit voice recorders from the tail of the aircraft.
Al Qaeda has gained strength, active in North Caucasus: diplomat
By RIA Novosti,
Moscow : The Al Qaeda terrorist organisation has not become weaker but gained in strength, a Russian diplomat said Tuesday.
"We said Al Qaeda had been weakened financially, but that did not result in management loss. Today we see...that the organisation in some ways is more prepared for the current global situation," said Anatoly Safonov, the presidential representative for international cooperation on combating terrorism and organised crime.
Penelope Cruz becomes first Spanish actress to win an Oscar
By IANS,
Los Angeles : Penelope Cruz won the Academy Award for best supporting actress for her role in Woody Allen's "Vicky Cristina Barcelona", becoming the first Spanish actress to take home an Oscar.
The award, which was the first handed out Sunday, was a milestone for both Spanish film and for the actress, who had been nominated for an Oscar in 2006 for her performance in Spanish director Pedro Almodovar's film "Volver".
Republican senator urges revision of US-Cuba policy
By IANS,
Washington : Republican Senator Richard Lugar is pushing for a re-evaluation of US policy toward Cuba, considering that the economic embargo imposed in 1962 has not spurred democratic change in the communist-ruled state.
Lugar, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said in a letter accompanying a report Monday that although economic sanctions can be a "legitimate" tool of US foreign policy, in the case of Cuba such measures had failed.
Troops enter last rebel-held town in Sri Lanka
By IANS,
Colombo : Sri Lankan troops entered the last rebel-held town in the island's north after heavy clashes overnight, military officials said Tuesday.
Troops entered Pudukudirippu, 385 km north-east of the capital and were consolidating positions Tuesday morning, the army said.
It said Tamil rebels sustained heavy casualties in combat Monday and lost a large amount of weapons in the area.
The army said its forces suffered minor damage, but did not give any casualty figures for either side. There was no independent confirmation of the military operations.
Jade Goody begged doctors to kill her
By IANS,
London : British reality TV show star Jade Goody begged doctors to kill her after she was diagnosed with terminal cancer, it has emerged.
The star, who married fiance Jack Tweed during a fairytale wedding Sunday, told doctors to give her a fatal injection or pill that would end her suffering, reports thesun.co.uk
She and Tweed sobbed together as Goody was told nothing could be done to stop the cancer that has now ravaged her body.
Hope for quick resolution of Tibet issue: Dalai Lama
By Jaideep Sarin, IANS,
Dharamsala : Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama said Tuesday that there were reasons to hope for a quick resolution of the Tibetan issue and he had "full faith in the Chinese people" although the communist leaders had let the Chinese down.
In a statement on the 50th anniversary of the March 10, 1959 Tibetan uprising, the Dalai Lama said he would continue to pursue the "middle path" approach despite China's crackdown on Tibetans.
North Korea announces satellite launch in early April
By DPA,
Seoul : North Korea informed an international shipping organisation that it intends to launch a satellite at the beginning of April, South Korean media reported Thursday.
The International Maritime Organisation was told that the carrier rocket of the Kwangmyongson-2 satellite would be fired between April 4 and 8, the Yonhap News Agency reported, citing intelligence sources.
Google to offer content from European news agencies
By EFE,
Madrid : Content from eight of the national news agencies that own the European Pressphoto Agency (EPA) is to be made available on the Internet via Google News, under a new accord announced here.
Users of Google News will be able to access both text and photos from the participating agencies, EPA and Google said in a joint statement Tuesday.
"This new approach not only enhances the experience for users, it also gives proper recognition to journalists and publishers who work hard to break the news," Josh Cohen, Google News' business product manager, said of the initiative.
Former Peruvian president gets 25 years in jail
By DPA,
Lima : Alberto Fujimori, a former president of Peru, was Tuesday found guilty and sentenced to 25 years in jail for human rights abuses and crimes against humanity, including ordering the killing of 25 people.
In a historic ruling, the Peruvian court convicted the former democratically elected president, who fled his own country while still in office, for abuses committed during his presidency.
Fujimori, 70, immediately announced he would appeal the sentence. Earlier he sat in the courtroom and calmly followed the reading of the judgement by chief judge Cesar San Martin.
Energy agency again downgrades 2009 global oil demand
By DPA,
Paris : Worse-than-expected prospects for the world economy has prompted the International Energy Agency (IEA) to again revise downward global oil demand for 2009.
In its Monthly Oil Report, issued Friday in Paris, the IEA said that "after a flurry of downward adjustments by both public and private forecasters", oil demand for 2009 has been revised down by 1 million barrels per day, to 83.4 million barrels per day.
This is a drop of 2.8 percent compared to 2008, the IEA said.
World powers agree UN draft statement on North Korea
By RIA Novosti,
New York : The world powers have agreed on a UN Security Council draft statement condemning North Korea's rocket launch, diplomats said Sunday.
The five permanent members of the council and Japan agreed Saturday to the draft statement seen as a compromise between the supporters of tough measures against North Korea and restrained response to the communist regime's rocket launch.
According to the draft, the UN Security Council condemns the rocket launch by North Korea, which is in contravention of Security Council Resolution 1718.
We can feel and act independently of cultural stereotypes
By IANS,
Toronto : European cultures value independence and individuality while Asian cultures prize community and harmony. This East-West divide is well established but it has nevertheless intrigued and challenged researchers to test its validity.
The results of a study indicated that feeling good did indeed encourage the volunteers - both European and Asian - to explore values that were inconsistent with their cultural norms.
Goody’s Essex home on sale for a million pounds
By IANS,
London : The country home where British reality star Jade Goody died March 22 is up for sale for almost one million pounds.
The asking price for the Essex property is 949,999 pounds (1.39 million), reported dailymail.com.
All the money from the sale will be added to the trust fund set up for the reality star's sons, Bobby, 5, and Freddy, 4, who are now living with their father Jeff Brazier.
"The money from the sale will be put in a trust fund for the boys when they are older," said Jackiey, Jade's mother.
52,000 flee rebel-held area as LTTE ignores surrender deadline
By IANS,
Colombo : Men, women and children, some sick and some too old to even walk... It was a mass exodus from the Tamil Tigers held area in Sri Lanka's north with an estimated 52,000 people fleeing with whatever they could carry as the rebels failed Tuesday to meet Colombo's 24 hour deadline to surrender and troops forced their way into the no-fire-zone.
Television reports showed thousands of civilians fleeing the rebel held area, a mass exodus that began Monday.
Mexico increases confirmed swine flu count to 49
By DPA,
Mexico City : The number of confirmed swine flu infections in Mexico rose from 26 to 49, although the number of deaths was still at seven from the new strain of flu, according to laboratory results that Mexico's health authorities made public Wednesday.
In total, there have been 159 deaths and 2,498 infections in Mexico's flu epidemic. Of these, 1,311 remained in hospital. But most have not yet been identified as swine flu.
UN Security Council refuses to discuss killing in Sri Lanka
By DPA,
New York : Top diplomats from Britain and France were rebuffed Monday when some UN Security Council members refused their request to discuss the fighting in Sri Lanka, which killed more than 400 people during the past weekend.
The council members that opposed taking up the issue were not named publicly.
Foreign Ministers David Miliband of Britain and Bernard Kouchner of France were also joined by Austria's Michael Spindelegger, the federal minister for European and international affairs, to protest inaction by the 15-nation council at UN headquarters in New York.
Bullet removed from Chinese woman’s face after 42 years
By DPA,
Beijing : Doctors in the southwestern Chinese city of Chongqing have cut a bullet out of a woman's face 42 years after it lodged there, media reports said Friday.
The 3.3-centimetre bullet was removed from He Wenying, 65, Thursday at a hospital in the city, the Chongqing Evening News reported.
The bullet apparently hit He when it ricocheted through a thin wall during a fight in 1967 between rival factions of Red Guards amid the communist fundamentalism of the early Cultural Revolution.
The stray bullet lodged in the right side of He's face between her jaw and ear.
North Korea threatens military action against South Korea
By DPA,
Seoul : North Korea Wednesday threatened military action against Seoul, one day after South Korea joined a US-led initiative to intercept ships carrying illicit weapons, further escalating tensions on the Korean Peninsula.
The Stalinist state said it felt no longer bound by the 1950-53 Korean War armistice and would respond militarily to any foreign attempt to inspect its ships.
NGOs draft global ‘treaty’ to tackle climate change
By Joydeep Gupta, IANS,
Bonn : Frustrated by the way governments are dragging their feet on combating climate change, leaders of green NGOs from around the world have come together to present the climate treaty they want to see inked at a global summit scheduled to be held in Denmark in December.
The Copenhagen Climate Treaty, as they call it, will be presented to bureaucrats from over 180 countries meeting here (June 1-12) in an attempt to draft the official version of the treaty.
Poor sleep quality linked to increased risk of death
By IANS,
Washington: Do you stay awake till the wee hours of the night? Are you a poor sleeper? Then you may be at increased risk of death.
According to the latest research it is both quality and quantity that is important for maintaining health.
Results suggest that over the average follow-up of eight years, 854 of the 5,614 participants died. Two sleep-stage transition types were associated with higher mortality risk: wake-to-non-REM and non-REM-to-wake.
Russia says Iran’s election is its own business
By RIA Novosti,
Yekaterinburg (Russia) : Russia Tuesday said that no country has any business with Iran's recent elections which were accused of voting fraud and sparked mass demonstration.
"The issue of elections in Iran is an internal affair of the Iranian people," Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told reporters in this Urals city of Yekaterinburg where Russia is hosting a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), which is attened by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
North Korea’s plutonium plans violate UN resolution, says US
By DPA,
Vienna : North Korea's plans to turn its plutonium stock into atomic bomb material would violate the latest UN Security Council resolution, the US warned Wednesday.
Speaking at the first meeting of the IAEA's governing board after North Korea's second nuclear test in May, US representative Geoffrey Pyatt also called on the Stalinist state to return to the negotiating table.
Other countries including the US and China likewise urged North Korea to continue multilateral talks.
Free child soldiers fast, UN chief tells Nepal
By IANS,
Kathmandu: In his new report on Nepal, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called the discharge of child soldiers from Maoist camps "long overdue" and urged the government to do it at a "brisk pace".
The quarterly report, released in Nepal Saturday, will be discussed by the UN Security Council next week.
US to conduct major anti-terror exercise
By Xinhua,
Washington : The US law enforcement and intelligence agencies will conduct a massive anti-terrorism exercise in the country in collaboration with four other nations, officials said Friday.
All security officials in the country will participate in the five-day exercise that will begin Monday.
"It will be the first major exercise by the United States government that will focus exclusively on terrorism prevention and protection," the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) said in a statement.
Obama and Bill brought ‘enormous intelligence’ to White House: Hillary Clinton
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : Both President Barack Obama and former president Bill Clinton brought "just enormous intelligence" to the nation's top job, says the US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton comparing the way the two functioned.
"Well, I think both of them bring just enormous intelligence to the job," she told CNN in an interview broadcast Sunday when asked what was the principal difference between how her husband ran the White House and how her one rime rival for Democratic presidential nomination was doing it.
China stages its biggest maritime rescue exercise
By Xinhua,
Ningbo (China) : China's maritime rescue services staged their biggest exercise so far in the East China Sea Friday by involving 35 ships, three aircraft and 1,000 personnel.
The exercise was jointly held by the Ministry of Transport and east China's Zhejiang province, said He Yipei, deputy director of the Zhejiang Maritime Safety Administration.
The exercise began at 9 a.m. off the coast of Ningbo and lasted about an hour.
Canadian politician behind road-rage death banned from driving
By IANS,
Toronto : A top Canadian politician, who was charged in the killing of a cyclist in road rage in the heart of Toronto, has been banned from driving and ordered to deposit his passport with the police.
Michael Bryant, who till May served as the attorney-general in Canada's most powerful province of Ontario, spent Monday night in police custody after causing the death of 33-year-old cyclist Darcy Allan Sheppard.
Indonesian quake kills 200
By DPA,
Jakarta : At least 200 people were killed and many were still trapped under collapsed buildings one day after a powerful earthquake struck Indonesia's West Sumatra province, officials said Thursday.
"The death toll may increase because there are many people still trapped in buildings, shops and hotels," said Priyadi Handoko from the National Agency for Disaster Management in the capital Jakarta.
"We have received reports that up to 200 people were killed in the quake in West Sumatra," Handoko said, adding that at least 500 buildings were destroyed in the quake.
UN to send envoy as Nepal flood toll crosses 50
By IANS,
Kathmandu : As the flood toll rose in Nepal with over 50 people dead and thousands marooned in the western region, the UN Thursday said it was sending a special envoy to announce a disaster reduction plan.
Ousted Honduran government urges sanctions against coup leaders
By DPA,
New York : The foreign minister of the ousted government of Honduran President Manuel Zelaya called on the US to impose sanctions on the de facto post-coup government in Tegucigalpa.
Zelaya was removed from power by Honduras' military in June for planning a referendum on changes to the constitution to allow him to seek reelection. He managed to return last month to Tegucigalpa and has taken refuge in the Brazilian embassy there.
ASEAN inaugurates human rights body
By IANS,
Hua Hin (Thailand) : Leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations inaugurated the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) in the summit held here Friday, Xinhua reported.
The leaders announced "Cha-am Hua Hin Declaration on the Inauguration of the AICHR" to pledge full support to this new ASEAN body and emphasise their commitment to further develop cooperation to promote and protect human rights in the region, according to a press release issued Friday.
Tunisian president elected to fifth term
By DPA,
Tunis/Paris : Tunisian President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali was elected to a fifth term with almost 90 percent of the vote, the Tunisian interior ministry announced Monday.
With all the votes counted from Sunday's election, the 73-year-old Ben Ali was credited with 89.62 percent of the vote, the first time he has received less than 90 percent in an election.
In 2004, Ben Ali had garnered 94.48 per cent, after receiving more than 99 percent in the previous poll.
Somali pirates seize Thai vessel
By DPA,
Nairobi/Brussels : Somali pirates seized a Thailand-flagged fishing boat on Thursday, the European Union's anti-piracy force said, as a British couple also believed to be in pirate hands were reportedly taken into Somalia.
The European Union's anti-piracy patrol off Somalia NAVFOR said it had spotted the Thai Union 3 coming under attack by two pirate skiffs at 0530 GMT.
Czech court lifts final hurdle to EU treaty ratification
By DPA,
Prague : The Czech Republic's Constitutional Court Tuesday ruled the European Union's Lisbon Treaty "not at odds" with the Czech constitution, court chairman Pavel Rychetsky said.
That removes the final hurdle to ratification of the pact, which has been agreed by the bloc's other 26 member states.
The closely-watched ruling clears the way for Czech President Vaclav Klaus, the sole obstacle to the pact's coming to force, to ratify the accord. The EU wants the Lisbon Treaty to become valid Jan 1.
Shanghai Disneyland project approved
By IANS,
Shanghai : The Shanghai Disneyland project has been approved by the Chinese central government, authorities said Wednesday.
The disneyland is planned to come up in the Pudong new district of Shanghai, a Xinhua report said.
Disney President and CEO Robert Iger said that China is one of the most dynamic, exciting and important countries in the world, and this approval marks "a very significant milestone" for the Walt Disney Company in China's mainland.
Toll in Vietnam typhoon rises to 81
By IANS,
Hanoi : The toll after typhoon Mirinae hit the central Vietnamese provinces of Phu Yen, Binh Dinh and Khanh Hoa has risen to 81 Wednesday, a media report said.
An official committee for flood, storm prevention and control of Phu Yen province said that at least 81 people have died and many others have been injured by the typhoon, Xinhua reported.
Over 9,000 houses were damaged in the storm and thousands of people were rendered homeless in the province of Phu Yen and Binh Dinh. A large area of Phu Yen province was under water, the report added.
Kidnapped principal beheaded in the Philippines
By DPA,
Zamboanga City (The Philippines) : A kidnapped state school principal was beheaded by his abductors on a southern Philippine island, a regional military spokesman said Monday.
The head of Gabriel Canizares, 36, was recovered at dawn Monday at a petrol station in Jolo town on Jolo Island, 1,000 km south of Manila, Major Ramon David Hontiveros said.
Hontiveros said two motorcycle-riding gunmen, believed to be Abu Sayyaf rebels, allegedly threw a plastic bag containing the victim's head in front of the petrol station.
China a strong, prosperous nation, says Obama
By IANS,
Shanghai : The US does not seek to contain China's rise, visiting US President Barack Obama said here Monday, adding that China was a "strong and prosperous and successful member of the community of nations".
Obama made the remarks during a dialogue with Chinese youth in the Shanghai Science and Technology Museum in the country's economic hub here.
He said the world is fundamentally interconnected.
"The jobs we do, the prosperity we build, the environment we protect and the security we seek are all shared," Xinhua news agency quoted Obama as saying.
Obama writes to Brazilian president on Iran
By DPA,
Brasilia : US President Barack Obama wrote a letter to his Brazilian counterpart Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva to express his concern about the situation in Iran and Honduras, officials said Wednesday.
The letter was sent Sunday, a day before Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad arrived in Brazil on the first leg of a South American tour that will also take him to Bolivia and Venezuela.
Bolivian revenues from gas exports fall over $1 bn
By EFE,
La Paz : The revenues that Bolivia receives from natural gas exports will come in at roughly $2 billion for all of 2009, down from $3.16 billion last year, the Bolivian Hydrocarbons Chamber, or CBH, said.
The CBH, which comprises all the natural gas and oil companies that operate in the country, said Thursday in a special report that the "price factor" was the primary cause of the drop.
The main markets for landlocked Bolivia's natural gas are Brazil and to a lesser extent Argentina.
G77 asks Obama to join fight against climate change
By IANS,
Copenhagen: As US President Barack Obama received his Nobel Peace Prize Thursday, the Group of 77 countries called upon him to fight climate change by joining the Kyoto Protocol - the global treaty for the purpose - that almost all countries except the US have ratified.
Sending out the call from the Dec 7-18 climate summit here, Lumumba Stanislaus Di-Aping of Sudan - the current G77 chair - said: "We ask Obama and the US to join the Kyoto Protocol, because the world can't achieve an equitable and just deal to save the planet without participation of the US."
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.
Asia urged to plan stimulus exit to sustain growth
By DPA,
Manila : Asian countries must carefully time their exit from stimulus packages to sustain recovery from the global economic slump, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) said Thursday.
Haruhiko Kuroda, president of the Manila-based ADB, said each country needs to calibrate policy adjustments to individual situations also to cushion the region from future shocks.
Prince Harry’s deployment in Iraq to be delayed
By Xinhua
London : Prince Harry's deployment in Iraq will be postponed until the rest of his unit are familiar with their new surroundings, British tabloid newspaper The Sun reported.
Harry will fly to the war-torn country later than the other soldiers in his unit, The Sun quoted an unidentified army source as saying.
If the soldiers can acclimatize themselves to their surroundings before Harry arrives, they will be far sharper to the dangers of the inevitable first attack, the source told the paper.
How Sarkozy won and Royal lost the French presidency
By DPA
Paris : France's conservative president-elect Nicolas Sarkozy won Sunday's election nearly four months before the actual vote took place, thanks largely to a fatal miscalculation by his opponent, Segolene Royal.
Tributes paid to Indian origin anti-apartheid leader
By IANS
Durban : Rich tributes were paid to George Sewpersadh, the anti-apartheid leader of Indian origin, with mourners describing him as a people's hero during the dark days of apartheid.
Ousted Thai premier vows to fight “unfair” treatment in televised address
By Xinhua
Bangkok : Thailand's ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra delivered a televised speech from overseas to his supporters who rallied in central Bangkok Friday evening to demand step-down of the Council for National Security (CNS), who staged a military coup d'etat on Sept. 19 last year to oust Thaksin.
    The speech began at about 9 p.m.(1400 GMT) and lasted about 30 minutes, transmitted on a big screen set up at Sanam Luang, or Royal Field square, in front of an audience of over 40,000 demonstrators who were holding a rally there.
North Korea could shut down reactor in weeks: US envoy
By DPA
Beijing : North Korea could shut down its main nuclear reactor within a few weeks and allow negotiations on ending its nuclear weapons programme to make up time lost to a protracted bank transfer, US negotiator Christopher Hill said Monday.
US Senate moves forward on immigration law
By DPA
Washington : The US Senate voted Tuesday to move forward with a revised immigration bill that would strengthen border security, expand "guest worker" jobs and offer a path to citizenship to an estimated 11 million illegal immigrants in the United States.
China-Tibet dialogue has reached critical stage: special envoy
By IANS
New Delhi : The dialogue between China and Tibet has reached a critical stage as the two sides continue to have divergent positions on key issues, said Lodi Gyari, special envoy of the Dalai Lama after returning from Shanghai to Dharamsala - home to Tibet's exiled leader.
Children of Holocaust survivors to sue Germany
By DPA
Tel Aviv : Children of Holocaust survivors in Israel aim to file a suit in an Israeli court seeking compensation from Germany for their suffering as the "second generation," it was reported Friday.
Haaretz newspaper said a suit would be filed in the Tel Aviv district court Sunday, with the plaintiffs demanding their suffering be recognized.
The paper cites the suit as saying that "both the experiences of the second generation as well as studies show that the trauma has been passed on between the generations."