Six dead as plane delivering transplant organs crashes
Washington : Six people were killed when a small plane delivering human organs for an ill patient crashed in Lake Michigan, authorities said.
G8 hopes to give new impetus to Doha round
Berlin : The leaders of the world's eight developed countries aim to give new impetus to the stalled Doha round of World Trade Organisation talks, according to a senior German government official speaking Tuesday on the eve of the G8 summit in Heiligendamm.
Bush seeks to strike conciliatory tone with Russia
Prague : US President George W. Bush on Tuesday sought to strike a conciliatory tone with Russia, angered over the US missile shield plans in Europe, with vows of transparency and yet another offer for Russia to join the US missile defence system.
German court limits G8 protests
Rostock (Germany) : Germany's constitutional court confirmed Tuesday zoning restrictions on demonstrations against the Group of Eight (G8) summit.
Russia to demonstrate new MiG at Le Bourget
Moscow : Russia will demonstrate the latest MiG fighter at the 2007 Le Bourget International Air Show outside Paris, a Russian defence industry official said Tuesday.
Belgian firm withdraws garment offensive to Hindus
Brussels : A Belgian garment company has apologized and withdrawn from circulation an undergarment with the picture of a Hindu goddess, following strong protests from the Indian community here.
Gerrard, Carragher extend their contracts with Liverpool
London : Midfielder Steven Gerrard and defender Jamie Carragher have extended their contract with Liverpool for four more seasons till 2011.
Ravi appreciates Indians in Suriname
Paramaribo (Suriname) : Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs Vayalar Ravi has praised the efforts of the Indian community in Suriname to preserve their culture and tradition.
US congressman indicted for taking bribes worldwide
Washington : US Democratic Rep. William Jefferson of Louisiana has been indicted for soliciting bribes worldwide, obstructing justice and engaging in racketeering, the Justice Department said.
Africa to dominate UN Security Council’s work this month
Belgian firm withdraws garment offensive to Hindu religion
Sri Lanka, India to conduct coordinated marine patrol
Colombo : The Sri Lankan government said Monday that it will conduct coordinated patrol with India over the maritime boundary between the two countries in the Palk Straits.
Yunus urges G8 to do more for poverty alleviation
Berlin : Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus urged members of the G8 club of wealthy nations Monday to show more commitment in the global fight against poverty.
Russia’s Valley of the Geysers destroyed by floods
Moscow : Russia's Valley of the Geysers, an area on the Pacific Ocean's Kamchatka Peninsula and listed on UNESCO's World Heritage list, was all but destroyed by a flood of water, mud and debris, the country's Natural Resources Ministry said Monday.
Russia wants timely payment for Iran’s nuclear plant
Kiev (Ukraine) : Russia could complete the construction of the Bushehr nuclear power plant promptly if Iran ensured uninterrupted funding, Russia's nuclear chief, on a visit to Ukraine, said Monday.
‘China, India must join fight against climate change’
Brussels : Emerging economic powerhouses must join international efforts in the fight against global warming, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said Monday.
Presidential term may be extended to seven years: Putin
Moscow : Russian President Vladimir Putin has indicated that the presidential term in Russia could be extended to five or seven years.
20 countries interested in floating nuclear plants
Moscow : A Russian nuclear official said Monday that over 20 countries are interested in the floating nuclear power plants (NPP) Russia is building.
Russian army chief’s visit to boost military ties
New Delhi : Russian army chief Gen. Alexei Fedorovich Maslov arrived here Monday on a five-day visit that is being seen as an attempt to restore his country's position as the pre-eminent supplier of military hardware to India.
Togo sports minister among 21 dead in chopper crash
Freetown/Nairobi : At least 21 people including Togo's minister for sport were killed when a helicopter shuttling passengers to the international airport in the capital of Sierra Leone caught fire as it came in to land, reports said Monday.
Indian, world newspaper circulation up, despite Internet
Cape Town : Newspaper circulations worldwide rose 2.3 percent in 2006 with Indian sales increasing most with 12.93 percent, the World Association of Newspapers (WAN) said here Monday.
Bush isolated on climate change heading into G8
Washington : US President George W. Bush heads to this year's Group of Eight summit determined to block binding cuts in greenhouse-gas emissions, leaving him isolated among other rich nation leaders who favour stronger action on global warming.
Hindu groups starved of funds in South Africa
Durban : Hindu groups in South Africa's KwaZulu Natal province are being starved of funds by the province's arts and cultural department allegedly on racial grounds.
Russia to retaliate against US missile system
Moscow : President Vladimir Putin has warned that Russia would take retaliatory measures against the deployment of a US missile defense system in Central Europe, Itar-Tass news agency reported Monday.
Nepal ethnic group begins three-day Terai closure
Kathmandu : Even as Nepal's government claimed to have completed a round of successful negotiations with the biggest group of ethnic protesters from the Terai region, another faction from the plains began enforcing a three-day shutdown from Monday, demanding the release of their arrested leaders.
Democratic hopefuls want end to Iraq war
Manchester (US) : Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton has said that her first act as president would be to end the US military presence in Iraq.
US climate plan must not substitute UN treaties: China
Beijing : The new climate plan of the US should complement rather than substitute the Kyoto Protocol and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), China's top economic planner Ma Kai said Monday.
Nepal squatters use medieval art for toilets, cowsheds
By Sudeshna Sarkar
IANSKathmandu : Priceless archaeological relics that could date back to the 14th century are being demolished in southern Nepal with unlettered, poor squatters taking over land abounding in such wealth and erecting shanties.
Copter crash kills 24 in Freetown
Freetown (Sierra Leone) : The crash of a helicopter at Lungi International Airport in Freetown killed all 24 people on board, a local newspaper reported on its website.
Progress needed in North Korean nuclear talks: ministers
Seoul/Jeju : The foreign ministers of China, Japan and South Korea said Sunday that the stalemate in negotiations on North Korea's nuclear programme had to be overcome urgently.
Sri Lankan workers injured in Indian ship fire
Colombo : An accidental fire Sunday on an Indian merchant vessel berthed in the Colombo dockyard injured 13 Sri Lankan technical staff, officials said.
Rebels claim capture of Sri Lankan military hardware
Colombo : Tamil rebels claimed Sunday to have captured equipment belonging to the Sri Lankan military after an attack in the country's north.
Invest in Maldives, fight climate change: Gayoom
Male : Maldives President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom Sunday called for global action to combat climate change that directly impacts low-lying countries and sought more global investment to spur his country to achieve the transition to a middle-income liberal democracy.
Indian shopping fest in Kuala Lumpur gets huge response
Kuala Lumpur : The Mid Valley exhibition centre in this Malaysian capital has turned into a virtual Indian bazaar for the 10-day Global Indian Shopping Festival (GISF) 2007.
Over 300 German police injured at protest against G8 summit
Berlin : More than 300 police were injured during a protest in the German city of Rostock Saturday against the upcoming Group of Eight (G8) summit in Germany, the local police department said Sunday.
Earthquake kills three, injures 290 in southwest China
Kunming (China) : Three people were killed and at least 290 injured after a strong earthquake with a magnitude of 6.4 on the Richter scale struck southwest China's Yunnan province Sunday.
Helping poor Indian students in Malaysia settle in life
Kuala Lumpur : A tuition centre set up in Malaysia 25 years ago to help Indian students from the lower income groups to perform better academically today boasts of having over 100 centres across the country.
Bush warms up to global warming with India
New Hindu temples to come up in Atlanta, Toronto
By Parveen Chopra
IANS
New York : Two beautifully carved marble temples depicting Indian heritage and civilization will be inaugurated in Atlanta in the United States and Toronto in Canada by a Hindu spiritual leader.
Bush, Putin face ‘tap dance’ at G8 summit
Washington : George W. Bush calls Vladimir Putin "my friend" but tension will be barely concealed at best when the US and Russian presidents meet at the Group of Eight summit.
Britain to withdraw from Iraq in a year: report
London : The British military is planning to pull its troops out of Iraq in a year or so as to strengthen its combat capability in Afghanistan, the Sunday Telegraph reported citing a senior military official.
Earthquake hits southwest China, two killed, 200 injured
Beijing : Two people were killed and at least 200 injured after a strong earthquake with a magnitude of 6.4 hit a county in southwest China's Yunnan province Sunday morning, an official source said.
Plot on New York airport foiled, three arrested
Washington : US authorities have foiled a plot to attack the John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, and three people have been arrested, CNN reported Saturday.
Violence at anti-G8 demonstration
Rostock (Germany) : Masked protestors smashed the windows of a police car and missiles were thrown at police in the first signs of violence during an anti-globalization rally Saturday in the northern German port of Rostock to protest at this week's G8 summit.
Foreign hostages released in Nigeria
Lagos : The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), Saturday announced the release of six foreign hostages kidnapped last month and promised to suspend attacks on oil installations for one month.
Tight Security around G-8 Summit
Berlin : German authorities have reinforced security around the G-8 Summit headquarters in the Baltic spa of Heiligendamm, with about 16,000 agents deployed.
Antarctic chill kills 31 in Argentina
Buenos Aires : The cold spell that gripped Argentina since early this week has left 31 dead, the Spanish news agency EFE reported.
New hotline between China and US
Singapore : China will in September finalize issues concerning a hotline with the US for handling emergency situations, a senior Chinese military official told the Sixth Asia Security Summit here Saturday.
German defence minister to visit India Monday
Berlin : German Defence Minister Franz Josef Jung began a three-nation tour of Asia Saturday, taking in Singapore, India and Pakistan, the defence ministry said.
83 disappeared finally get justice in Nepal, 854 still waiting
Kathmandu : After repeated urgings by the UN and rights groups, families of 83 people who disappeared after being arrested during the Maoist insurgency have finally received a semblance of justice.
US climate proposal no competition to UN talks: Bush
Washington : US President George W. Bush's call for global warming talks with a small group of key nations is not meant to sideline broader UN talks on cutting greenhouse-gas emissions, said a senior US official.
Chinese vice-premier dies
Beijing : Chinese Vice Premier Huang Ju died Saturday of illness at the age of 69.
Bush condemns Iran’s detention of Americans
Washington : US President George W. Bush condemned Iran's detention of at least four American citizens, including a radio correspondent and a top Middle East analyst.
US seeks dialogue with India, China on climate change
By Arun Kumar
IANSWashington : US President George Bush wants to initiate a dialogue with countries like India and China to establish a new international framework to address global climate change once the Kyoto Protocol expires in 2012.
Ravi urges Indian diaspora to retain cultural identity
By Paras Ramoutar
IANSPort-of-Spain (Trinidad) : The Indian diaspora which amounts to 40 percent of the 1.3 million people in Trinidad and Tobago have been urged, "to keep your cultural identity and religious faith" by a visiting Indian minister.
Heavy rain leaves 14 dead in Caribbean, Central America
Mexico City/Santo Domingo : Heavy rain in Central America and the Caribbean led to the deaths of at least 14 people as tropical storm Barbara continued to make up the Pacific coast.
Europe’s youngest state seeks clear path on first birthday
By Thomas Brey
DPA
Podgorica (Montenegro) : Even as it celebrates its first birthday with good grades from the big powers, Europe's youngest state, tiny Montenegro, is struggling to find its path politically, economically and diplomatically.
Bush reaches out to Putin ahead of G8 summit
Washington/Frankfurt : US President George W. Bush moved Friday to create a conciliatory mood with Russia ahead of next week's Group of Eight (G8) summit in Germany.
US committed to nuclear deal despite ‘technical issues’
By Arun Kumar
IANSWashington : The United States has declared it is clearly committed to the landmark civil nuclear deal with India despite some delay due to technical issues.
Construction of Caspian gas pipeline in 2008
Moscow : Russian prime minister Mikhail Fradkov said Friday the construction of a pipeline to pump Central Asian gas along the Caspian Sea coast and through Russia would begin in the second half of 2008.
Deora pushes energy diplomacy with Russia, Sudan
Paris : Russia has expressed keen interest in investing in India's energy sector, even as Sudan invited Indian companies to bid for oil assets in its territory and develop the upstream hydrocarbons business.
16 bodies of herb pickers recovered in Nepal
Kathmandu : Rescuers Friday recovered 16 bodies of Yarshagumba herb collectors who had gone missing in snowstorm at Dolpa district in northwestern Nepal.
Nepal government begins talks with Terai group
Kathmandu : The Nepal government Friday began formal talks with one of the most powerful groups in the Terai plains, reviving memories of the motions it had gone through with the Maoist guerrillas.
EU chief slams Bush climate plans
Berlin : European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso has sharply criticized plans outlined by US President George W. Bush to cut greenhouse gas emissions, saying the United States needs to set more ambitious goals.
Bird flu-hit localities in Vietnam rise to 14
Hanoi : Bird flu has hit Vietnam's northern Hung Yen province, raising the total number of affected localities nationwide to 14, according to a local veterinary agency Friday.
India main source of counterfeit medicines seized in Europe
Brussels : India is the number one source of counterfeit medicines seized in the European Union in 2006, according to EU statistics released in Brussels Thursday.
Smokers face high fines in Hong Kong
Hong Kong : Legislators on the city's health services panel Friday approved a proposal to impose a 1,500 Hong Kong dollar ($191) fixed fine for anyone who breaches tough new anti-smoking laws.
Only India can involve in Sri Lanka, says Rajapakse
Colombo : No country but India can involve in Sri Lanka's ethnic conflict, President Mahinda Rajapakse said in an interview published Friday, adding that there was a need to weaken the Tamil Tigers.
Former Miss Tibet is dead
Dharamsala : Tenzin Nyima, who won the Miss Tibet beauty crown in 2005, has died of meningitis, Tibetan sources here said. She was 24.
After storm, suffering overtakes Bhutanese refugees
By Sudeshna Sarkar
IANSKathmandu : After the waves of violence that lashed the Bhutanese refugees in Nepal this week, leaving four dead and over 90 injured, suffering has overtaken the survivors, with dozens missing, hundreds stranded and many unable to get medical treatment.
UN role in Sri Lanka ‘inescapable’: rights group
New Delhi : The need for UN monitoring of human rights violations in Sri Lanka is "inescapable", a leading rights body has said, warning that the global community was getting disgusted with Colombo.
Food shortages, abductions – Jaffna feels the pinch
Jaffna : Last year at this time 16-year-old Jeevun Kumaraswamy, who lives in Jaffna peninsula in northern Sri Lanka, was on top of the world. His school, Jaffna Central College, was competing against traditional rivals St. John's College in the centenary game of their annual cricket match. Jaffna was decked-out in flags. The kids were dancing in the streets.
‘Sons of soil’ mark Black Day, shut down Nepal
By Sudeshna Sarkar
IANSKathmandu : Condemning June 1 as a 'black day' in the history of Nepal's ethnic communities and flaying the failure of the government to address their grievances even after seven months, over 60 communities united under a common banner to enforce a countrywide shutdown Friday.
Russia rejects US-EU draft on Kosovo
New York : Russia will not back a new United Nations Security Council resolution draft on the status of Kosovo proposed by the US and the European Union (EU).
US, India business lobby launches ‘healthy India’ initiative
By Arun Kumar
IANSWashington : The US-India Business Council (USIBC) has launched a new initiative, Coalition for Healthy India (CHI), to improve access to healthcare in India, including access to the latest treatments and innovation.
Bush seeks global warming goal with India and China
Washington : US President George W. Bush said the United States might agree to a broad international goal for cutting greenhouse gas emissions if energy-hungry nations like India and China join in the commitment.
California boy is Spelling Bee after Indian fails to be
By Arun Kumar
IANSWashington : Evan M. O'Dorney, 13, a California schoolboy won the Scripps National Spelling Bee contest after early elimination of this year's favourite, Samir Patel, an Indian American contesting for the fifth time in a row.
Coke denies adverse business practices in India
By Arun Kumar
IANSWashington : The Coca-Cola company says that an American college's decision not to renew its contract this summer due to its allegedly adverse business practices in Colombia and India is based on "internet rumour and myth".
To speak to grandparents, NRI children learn Indian languages
Toronto : The desire to speak to grandparents and relatives in India who cannot speak English has prompted many second generation Indian Canadian children to learn Indian languages.
Norway named world’s most peaceful country
Stockholm : Norway is the most peaceful country of the world, according to the Global Peace Index, developed by The Vision of Humanity in conjunction with the Economist Intelligence Unit, said reports reaching here from Oslo Thursday.
US still willing for dialogue with Iran: Rice
Vienna : The United States is still standing by its offer made one year ago to change 27 years of US policy and talk to Iran if Teheran agrees to suspend its controversial nuclear programme, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Thursday.
Putin says missile tests were response to NATO actions
Moscow : Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday his country's recent tests of new ballistic missiles and possible withdrawal from an arms control treaty are a direct response to harsh, unreasonable actions by NATO countries.
Foreign donors pledge high standards in aid delivery
Colombo : Foreign aid donors and international agencies in Sri Lanka have released a set of "guiding principles" and pledged to work with transparency and impartiality to provide humanitarian assistance.
Turkish military says allies helping Kurdish rebels
Ankara : Turkey's military chief made a general accusation Thursday against some of the country's allies, saying they were providing assistance to Kurdish rebels in southeast Anatolia, the NTV television station reported.
Nepal leaders fix poll time, rescue parliament
Kathmandu : Nepal's deadlocked peace process inched forward again after the leaders of the ruling alliance agreed to hold the stalled polls in November and persuaded dissenting MPs to allow parliament to sit after remaining disrupted for nearly six weeks.
Dutch flight encounters turbulence, 10 hurt
Tokyo : A passenger flight of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines ran into air turbulence on its way from Amsterdam to Osaka Wednesday night, slightly injuring seven passengers and three crew members, according to Kyodo News.
Somalia rebuilding to cost $2 bn: UN panel
United Nations : A UN expert has worked out a $2 billion rebuilding plan for Somalia beset for more than 16 years with violence and chaos.
Nepal parties agree over November elections
Kathmandu : After being flayed for delaying the crucial election that is regarded as the key to peace and stability to Nepal, the ruling eight parties announced Thursday that the stalled polls would be held in end-November.
More protests in Venezuela over TV station closure
Caracas : Venezuelan opposition leader Manuel Rosales has called for a referendum on the leftist government's controversial decision not to renew the broadcasting license of the private RCTV channel as thousands of students demonstrated decrying what they called an attack on freedom of expression, reported the Spanish news agency EFE.
‘Sons of soil’ call for Nepal shutdown Friday
Kathmandu : An umbrella of nearly 60 communities, which were the first settlers of Nepal, have called for a countrywide shutdown on Friday to protest a nearly seven-year judgement that they say discriminates against their cultures.
Strict restrictions on entry to G-8 venue
Berlin : German authorities have put in place strict restrictions on entry to the Heiligendamm sea resort on the Baltic, where the G-8 (Group of Eight) summit meeting will be held next week.
UNHCR concerned at Indian forces clash with Bhutanese refugees
United Nations : The United Nations refugee agency is "extremely concerned" over a clash between Bhutanese refugees and Indian border forces on the Mechi bridge dividing India and Nepal.
Indian American boy fails to spell his plight
By Arun Kumar
IANS
Washington : Kunal Sah, the 13-year-old Indian American boy who hoped a strong showing in the Scripps National Spelling Bee contest might somehow reunite him with his deported parents, was eliminated in the preliminary rounds.
Mexican women defy taboos, prejudice to work in mines
Chihuahua (Mexico) : Two hundred women have overcome male chauvinism and superstition to carve out a niche - albeit tiny - in Mexico's expanding mining industry, reports the Spanish news agency EFE.
Indian food major Patak’s sold for 100 mn pounds
London : Patak's, the multi-million pound Indian food empire that has been riddled by conflict within the owning Pathak family, has been sold to food and clothing retailer Associated British Foods (ABF) for an estimated 100 million pounds.
Differences over nuclear deal not insurmountable: US
By Arun Kumar
IANSWashington : As Nicholas Burns, its key negotiator on the civil nuclear deal with India, headed for New Delhi, the US said some differences still remain over the implementing 123 agreement, but these are not insurmountable.
US accepting 59 refugees from Iraq, plans for 7,000
Washington : The US plans to receive its first 59 refugees from the Iraq conflict in the coming weeks, the first step to accept up to 7,000 refugees.
Gloucester’s new Asian mayor suffers heart attack
By Jaideep Sarin
IANSGloucester/Jalandhar : Hardly four days after taking over as the 527th mayor - and the first Asian to do so - of Gloucester city in England, Jalandhar-born Harjit Gill is in hospital after suffering a heart attack.
Row over donations to Brown by NRI industrialists
By Prasun Sonwalkar
IANSLondon : Prominent India-origin entrepreneurs Lord Sushantha Bhattacharya and Lord Swraj Paul are among 11 donors to Chancellor Gordon Brown's leadership campaign that received a total of 112,770 pounds in May, official figures say.
Divided UN Security Council creates Hariri tribunal
New York : A divided UN Security Council voted 10-0 to establish a tribunal for suspects in the murder of former Lebanese prime minister Rafik Hariri.
UN expert voices concern at human rights violation of US anti-terror steps
Pranab Mukherjee : EU-India ties expanding rapidly
Bush taps ex-trade negotiator Zoellick for World Bank
Washington : President George W Bush on Wednesday nominated former US trade negotiator Robert Zoellick to head the World Bank, tapping a seasoned diplomat to lead the anti-poverty agency out of bitter divisions over Paul Wolfowitz's leadership.
Indian firing on Bhutanese refugees: UN condemns violence
Kathmandu : The UN agency supervising the Bhutanese refugee camps in Nepal Wednesday condemned the violence on the India-Nepal border that left a Bhutanese student dead as Indian border security forces prevented thousands of refugees from marching to Bhutan.
British government ‘working urgently’ to free Iraqi captives
Austria bans 14 for life over doping scandal
Russia for better cooperation with EU
US likely to attend arms control treaty conference
Russia launches four US satellites into orbit
Chavez warns of closing another ‘anti-government’ TV station
Indian American body concerned over Bush plan
By Arun Kumar
IANSWashington : As US president George W. Bush began promoting his plan to legalise some 12 million immigrants, an association of Indian Americans expressed serious reservations against some of its key provisions.
Maharashtrians in France launch community forum
By Ranvir Nayar
IANSParis : A Maharashtra Mandal France (MMF) has been set up here to look after the cultural and business interests of the small but growing community.
Uncertainty over Burns’ visit to clinch nuclear deal
By Arun Kumar
IANSWashington : The US has injected an element of uncertainty into the India trip this week of its key negotiator on the civil nuclear deal, Nicholas Burns, indicating that differences still persist over the implementing 123 agreement.
‘Zoellick to be new World Bank chief’
Washington : President George W. Bush has chosen former US trade negotiator and diplomat Robert Zoellick to replace Paul Wolfowitz as World Bank president.
‘Zoellick to be new World Bank chief’
Netherlands probes alleged illegal adoptions from India
The Hague : The Dutch Ministry of Justice has launched an investigation into alleged illegal adoptions of children from India.
Indonesia rocked by strong quake
Hong Kong : A powerful earthquake measuring 6.1 on the Richter scale shook Indonesia Tuesday evening, said a bulletin released by the Hong Kong Observatory.
The epicentre of the quake, which occurred at 5.42 p.m. (0942 GMT) was said to be over the North Maluku island Halmahera. No casualties were reported.
German minister rebuke anti-globalisation protesters
16 dead, hundreds missing in search of Nepal’s miracle herb
Kathmandu : The search for a potent herb, known as jeevan buti or the life-giving herb, in northern Nepal's snowy mountain slopes has resulted in the death of at least 16 people while dozens have been blinded and hundreds reported missing.
16 dead, hundreds missing in search of Nepal’s miracle herb
Kathmandu : The search for a potent herb, known as jeevan buti or the life-giving herb, in northern Nepal's snowy mountain slopes has resulted in the death of at least 16 people while dozens have been blinded and hundreds reported missing.
National network to connect all knowledge institutions: Pitroda
By Mayank Chhaya
IANSChicago : A network of all knowledge institutions in India will be one of the most consequential outcomes of the National Knowledge Commission, its chairman Sam Pitroda says.
WHO slams tobacco industry’s untruths about smoking
Manila : The World Health Organization (WHO) Tuesday slammed the tobacco industry for spreading untruths about smoking in public places in a bid to counter an increasing number of smoking bans around the world.
Indian pilgrims injured in Nepal bus accident
Kathmandu : Over two dozen Indian pilgrims have been injured, three of them critically, when their bus skidded off the road in western Nepal.
Finland for more clean air interaction with India
By Vishnu Makhijani
IANS
Helsinki : Finland would like to ramp up its interaction with India in clean air technologies, even as it feels New Delhi can pressure the US into ratifying the Kyoto Protocol on reducing global warming.
India born entrepreneur to save African wildebeests
Los Angeles : An India born Silicon Valley entrepreneur's latest mission is to save Kenya's wildebeests who roam the vast Masai Mara National Reserve.
Indian American body raises $120,000 for child trafficking victims
Washington : A non-profit organisation led by Indian Americans has raised over $120,000 for a shelter, 'Haven of Freedom', for victims of child trafficking.
Abandoned on Everest: Survivor tells her story
By Sudeshna Sarkar
IANSKathmandu : "Oxygen. Oxygen. I must have oxygen." Winds tossed the desperate cry among the implacable mountains in the 'Death Zone' - the freezing, oxygen-scarce no man's land above 8,000 m. But there was no answer.
EU pushes Asian nations on climate change goals
Hamburg : Amid discord on climate change policy, ministers from Asia - including India's - met European Union members in the German port of Hamburg for talks on world crises.
Barak leads in Labour Party elections
Tel Aviv : Former premier and army chief of staff Ehud Barak was ahead in the first round of elections to choose the new leader of Israel's Labour Party, local media reported early Tuesday morning after counting of nearly all ballots.
No takers for a fast track to green cards
By Arun Kumar
IANSWashington : As President George Bush embarks on a mission to sell his plan to legalise as many as 12 million illegal immigrants, an Indian American official's blueprint to slash waiting times for green cards has found no takers.
Israel’s Labor party may need run-off to elect leader
Jerusalem : Exit polls released by two Israeli TV channels showed neither of the two leading candidates of the Israeli Labor Party's future leader, Ehud Barak and Ami Ayalon, received the 40 percent threshold to win in a single round of balloting.
Lula travels to India with ambitious economic plans
Brasilia : Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is scheduled to travel to India later this week, with the ambitious objectives of quadrupling bilateral trade and boosting the strategic association that both nations agreed on three years ago.
Bhutanese root for tradition in mock polls, no to industrialization
By Syed Zarir Hussain
IANSThimphu : Bhutan has elected a new mock parliament that promises to preserve the nation's traditions amid looming fears of anarchy and corruption swamping the cocooned Himalayan kingdom known as the 'last Shangri-la'.
29 Indian Americans among 286 spelling bees
By Arun Kumar
IANSWashington : A record 286 spellers, including 29 of Indian origin, are vying for more than $40,000 in prizes at the annual Scripps National Spelling Bee that gets under way here Wednesday. Among the Indian American contestants in the 80th edition of the event is Kunal Sah, 13, an 8th grader from Utah, who hopes to draw attention to his plight if he wins.
Shakira rocks Bhutan, as Shangri-la embraces modernity
By Syed Zarir Hussain
IANSThimphu : Once a sequestered nation, shy of opening up to the outside world, Bhutan, the land of fluttering prayer flags, massive fortress monasteries and oracles, is today in transition.
Japanese expedition clears 500 kg garbage from Everest
Kathmandu : A team of climbers have collected half a tonne of junk littered on the world's highest peak Mt Everest, expedition members said Monday.
Minister’s suicide saves face for Japanese prime minister?
By Lars Nicolaysen
DPA
Tokyo : The suicide of Japan's farm minister Monday harkens back to the country's feudal past, political observers said. They compared the death of Toshikatsu Matsuoka to the samurai practice of hara-kiri, or ritualised suicide.
Encouraging turnout in Bhutan’s historic mock polls
By Syed Zarir Hussain
IANSThimphu : The final round of mock elections in the Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan, a dress rehearsal for the planned transformation of the 100-year-old monarchy to democracy, ended Monday with moderate to heavy polling.
World Bank’s Vietnam investigation finds ‘irregularities’
Hanoi : A World Bank investigation into projects it funded at a troubled unit of Vietnam's Transportation Ministry found numerous "irregularities", but no direct evidence of official corruption, the bank announced at a press conference here Monday.
Beijing accuses US of promoting ‘China threat’
Beijing : China's foreign ministry Monday accused the US of continuing to spread a "China threat" in a new military report, and attempting to "interfere with China's internal affairs."
Cuba to build windfarms to generate power
Havana : In a bid to assimilate and expand power generation through the force of winds, Cuba will build three windfarms in 2077, for a gradual take off of the energy, according to government authorities.
Curfew in Bhutan refugee camp as tension escalates
Seeking to give a positive image to Hinduism in US
New York : About 30 students sat barefoot and cross-legged as they chanted Sanskrit verses and did yogic postures in an exercise conducted by the Hindu Students Council at North Carolina State University this weekend.
FBI wants more Sikhs to join the agency
New York : The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) would like to recruit Sikh youths in the US who possess Punjabi language skills.
Climber restores dignity to Everest’s dead
Kathmandu : Nine years after he gave up his attempt to summit Mt. Everest to save a dying climber, British mountaineer Ian Woodall returned to the world's highest mountain again this year with a new mission - to restore dignity to the woman he couldn't save and other victims.
Japanese minister attempts suicide, dies at hospital
Tokyo : Japanese Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Toshikatsu Matsuoka died Monday at a hospital after he tried to commit suicide by hanging himself in his living room at a parliamentary housing building in central Tokyo.
Japanese minister attempts suicide, dies at hospital
Yoga session at North Carolina State University
New York : The Hindu Students Council chapter at North Carolina State University held a prayer and yoga session during the weekend.
Climber rescued near Mt. Qomolangma’s ‘death zone’
Kathmandu : A Nepali woman who escaped Mt. Qomolangma's (Mt. Everest) "death zone" with little more than frostbite last week said her rescuers saved her life after finding her sick and unconscious some 8,500 meters up the mountain, The Himalayan Times reported Monday.
Japanese minister attempts suicide: Kyoto
Tokyo : Japan's Agriculture Minister Toshikatsu Matsuoka attempted suicide Monday amid a financial scandal and is in a critical condition.