Sri Lanka Dynamite Attack Kills 10
By Prensa Latina
Colombo : A bomb explosion on a bus in the convulsive northeast of Sri Lanka killed at least 10 people Monday and left an incalculable number of wounded during celebrations for the 60th anniversary of independence from British rule.
The attack occurred in Weli Oya, where fierce fights between government troops and Tamil separatists are taking place, and celebrations are being held amid strong security measures.
Battle rages over African author’s war story
By DPA
Sydney : African author Ishmael Beah is untroubled by claims that his autobiographical "A Long Way Gone" is not the true story of a child soldier in Sierra Leone.
The Australian newspaper alleges Beah was 15 not 13 when he was recruited and that his war service was a couple of months rather than two years. It says a gun battle described in the book that left six dead inside a UN-supervised rehabilitation camp in Freetown, the capital of the west African country, was made up by the 27-year-old author.
Italian president prepares for general elections
By Xinhua
Rome : Italian President Giorgio Napolitano began on Tuesday procedures to dissolve parliament and set the country on the path to general elections, according to Italian News Agency ANSA.
In line with constitutional rules on the closure of a legislature, the head of state summoned the speakers of the Lower House and Senate to see him in the Quirinal Palace in the early evening on Tuesday.
Putin visions new development plans for Russia
By Xinhua
Moscow : Russian President Vladimir Putin outlined a series of new development strategies for the country at a State Council session here on Friday.
The president, who will step down after eight years in office following the March 2 presidential elections, said that Russia has so far failed to get rid of an 'inert' dependence on natural resources, the RIA news agency reported.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said here Friday that the world is facing a new arms race, RIA news agency reported.
Six killed in Colombian military plane crash
By DPA
Bogota : Three members of the crew and three soldiers were killed when a Colombian military aeroplane went down in the mountains south of the country, El Tiempo newspaper reported Sunday, citing a military spokesman.
The cause of the accident was not immediately known.
The military has not ruled out the possibility that rebels could have shot down the propeller plane, which crashed Saturday, but General Jorge Octavio Ardila Silva would not confirm this.
Ukraine, Gazprom hold last-ditch talks to avoid gas cutoff
By RIA Novosti
Moscow : Ukrainian and Russian energy companies will hold talks on Monday aimed at resolving their latest gas debt row that has prompted Gazprom to threaten a supply cutoff on February 12.
The Russian gas monopoly said on Friday it would halt natural gas supplies to the ex-Soviet country if it fails to pay its outstanding bill, currently at $1.5 billion and rising.
Ukraine's national oil and gas company Naftogaz denied it has any debts to Russia, and Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko blamed an intermediary firm supplying gas for the debt.
Bosnia’s peace accord original missing from archives
By DPA
Sarajevo : The original copy of the Dayton Peace Agreement that ended the 1992-1995 war in Bosnia-Herzegovina is missing from the country's presidency, media reported Thursday.
"We found out that the original copy of the Dayton Peace Agreement is missing from the archives of the presidency," President Zeljko Komsic told reporters in Sarajevo.
He said investigators would enter the presidential building to try to find out what happened to the document of great political and historic importance for Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Strong earthquake rattles Greece, no casualties
By DPA
Athens : A strong earthquake measuring 6.5 on the Richter scale rocked southern Greece Thursday and was felt as far away as Cairo, but there were no reports of injuries or damage, the Athens Geodynamic Institute said.
The underwater earthquake, which took place at 12:09 p.m. (1009 GMT), had an epicentre about 225 km southwest of Athens, in the area of Methoni, near the southern Peloponnese city of Kalamata.
Seismologists said the quake struck at a depth of 30 km, which probably minimised the damage, and lasted for about 15 seconds.
At least 15 shot in Illionis University class
Washington (ANTARA News) - A gunman wounded at least 15 people when he opened fire with a shotgun in a university classroom Chicago suburb of DeKalb, Ill. on Thursday, authorities said.
The shooting took place shortly after 3 p.m. (2100 GMT), when police received report that a white, male shooter with a shotgun and pistol opened fire in a lecture hall of the university.
Xinhua reports that the gunman is now dead, according to DeKalb police.
Meanwhile, a local hospital said it expects to receive 15 patients and have so far treated at least two.
McCain gets conservative boost from former rival Romney
WASHINGTON (AFP) - Former presidential hopeful Mitt Romney endorsed Republican front-runner John McCain on Thursday, boosting his one-time rival's chances of wooing wary conservatives and unifying the party against the eventual Democratic nominee.
Putting aside their sharp differences, Romney praised the former Vietnam war prisoner as a "true American hero" and urged the 291 delegates pledged to vote for him to switch allegiance to the Arizona senator.
Hindu prayer in senate of Mormon dominated US state
By IANS
New York : Utah, a state dominated by Mormons, created a religious milestone when its senate opened with a Hindu prayer with the chanting of Sanskrit mantras for the first time.
Rajan Zed, a prominent Hindu chaplain who has earlier read Hindu prayers in the US senate and state senates, read the opening prayer Wednesday from ancient Hindu scriptures before the Utah senate in Salt Lake City. After first delivering the prayer in Sanskrit, he read its English translation.
Nine killed in jeep accident in western Nepal
By SPA
Kathmandu : At least nine people were killed and dozens more were injured when an overcrowded jeep plunged off a mountainous highway in western Nepal, according to DPA.
The jeep plummeted off the narrow mountain road in Gulmi district, about 300 kilometres west of Kathmandu, police said.
At least 30 people were injured and many were in serious condition.
Police said they suspected overcrowding could have led to the driver losing control of the vehicle.
EU gives final go-ahead to send its mission to Kosovo
By RIA Novosti
Brussels : The European Union gave its final approval for sending a civilian and police mission to Serbia's breakaway Kosovo to replace the current UN mission, diplomatic sources in Brussels said on Saturday.
The separatist Serbian province is expected to unilaterally declare its independence on Sunday.
The sources said none of the EU member states objected to sending EULEX Kosovo mission, which comprises about 2,000 people, including 1,500 policemen.
Serbian opposition to Kosovo independence heightens
By KUNA
Sarajevo : Serbian opposition to an anticipated declaration of independence of Kosovo heightened on Saturday, at a time when the European Union called on Belgrade to forge a partnership with Kosovo and look toward a joint future within the European framework.
Kosovo, of Albanian majority and considered by Serbia as a part of its territories, is expected to declare independence on Sunday.
Belgrade TV broadcast fiery speeches by Serb President Boris Tadic and Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica, underscoring historic roots of Serbs in Kosovo.
Serbia Vs Kosovo’s Declaration of Independence
By Prensa Latina
Belgrade : Re-elected Serbian President Boris Tadic rejected the unilateral declaration of independence made by 109 members of the provincial Parliament of Kosovo.
Tadic said his government will never admit to the claimed sovereignty and called the world community for immediate annulment of this violation of international rights.
90 percent of genetically modified crops in developing world
By Luisa Massarani, IANS
Manila : Ninety percent of farmers growing genetically modified (GM) crops are in developing countries, according to a report.
The report, by the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications (ISAAA), said that GM crops were grown by 11 million small farmers in 2007 - 90 percent of the GM-growing farmers worldwide.
This was an increase of 18.3 percent from 2006, when some 9.3 million small farmers were represented, Scidev.net reported.
Army helicopter crash kills seven in South Korea
By DPA
Seoul : Seven people were killed Wednesday in South Korea when an Army helicopter crashed after completing a medical emergency mission, news reports said.
The UH-1H helicopter, carrying seven military personnel, crashed in the early morning near a mountain east of Seoul, national Yonhap news agency said, citing army officials.
After delivering an emergency patient to a military hospital near Seoul, the chopper was returning to its base when the accident occurred.
Investigators were looking for clues about what caused the predawn crash.
Greek banks damaged in arson attacks
By SPA
Athens : More than six banks and an insurance company were damaged in a spate of arson attacks in the early hours Thursday by unknown individuals, reports said, according to DPA.
No-one was injured in the attack.
Reports said the offices of an insurance company, more than six banks and three cars were damaged when a group of hooded youths smashed windows and then hurled petrol bombs into the buildings.
Colombian navy kills senior rebel leader
By IANS
Bogota : The Colombian security forces have killed a senior member of the country's largest insurgency group in a joint operation in Meta province, EFE reported Thursday.
Isidro Cardenas Moreno, a senior member of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) was gunned down in Filo Gallineto village in Meta province, the navy said Wednesday.
Cardenas was the head of the finance operations of the group's 53rd front. The government constituted a taskforce called Omega to launch joint military offensives against the FARC's central command in the province.
Timor Leste President on the Mend
By Prensa Latina
Dili : The countdown for Timor Leste President Jose Ramos Horta's return to his country has started, after he underwent a successful surgical operation in Darwin, Australia.
Medical sources from Royal Darwin Hospital said that Ramos, who was shot and wounded during an attack on his home in Dili, is coming out of the induced coma.
His doctors declared they are very satisfied with his reconstructive surgery on Tuesday, the last of five the president had.
Presidential spokesman Luke Gosling added the chief of State is
China, US agree to step up constructive, cooperative ties
By KUNA
Tokyo : China and the US agreed to step up bilateral constructive and cooperative relations and handle the bilateral ties "in a long-term and strategic perspective," the state-run People's Daily reported Wednesday.
The agreement was reached in a meeting in Beijing between Chinese President Hu Jintao and US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. The two sides also exchanged views on international and regional issues, such as the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula, the report said.
Russian tourists reported dead in Thai bus crash
By RIA Novosti
Moscow : An unknown number of Russian tourists may have been killed in a road accident in Thailand on Wednesday, a Russian Embassy spokesman said.
"A bus carrying Russian tourists from Pattaya to Bangkok was involved in a serious road accident. There were around 40 tourists on board the bus. Preliminary reports indicate there may have been deaths. Some injured tourists have been sent to local hospitals," Alexei Bulkin said.
An assistance center has been set up at the Russian Embassy in Bangkok, with diplomats on round-the-clock duty.
Sarkozy plans whistle stop call to Chad en route to South Africa
By KUNA
Paris : French President Nicolas Sarkozy will make a whistle stop call in Chad Wednesday for a few hours en route to a three-day official visit to South Africa, Sarkozys office said late Tuesday.
The French leader leaves Paris Wednesday afternoon and will meet later that day with Chadian President Idriss Deby, whom he has supported against a rebel coup attempt several weeks ago.
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.
Rana, Headley also planned to blow up Danish daily
By IANS,
Chicago : Two Pakistani origin men, Tahawwur Rana and his associate David Coleman Headley, indicted for the Mumbai terror attacks, also planned to use truck bomb filled with explosives to blow up a Danish newspaer.
A fresh indictment against Rana and Headley unsealed in a Chicago court Thursday also charges retired Pakistani military officer Abdur Rehman Hashim Syed and Ilyas Kashmiri, a leader of terrorist organisation Harakat-ul Jihad Islami (HUJI) in Pakistan described as having been in regular contact with Al Qaeda's No. 3, Sheikh Mustafa Abu al-Yazid.
Colombia’s plan to hire students as army informers faces flak
By IANS/EFE,
Bogota : The Colombian government's plan to recruit college students as military informers has evoked criticism across the country.
President Alvaro Uribe's decision to turn university students in the crime-ridden northwestern city of Medellin into army informers was an act of desperation and a sign that the violence was out of control, presidential candidate of the opposition Liberal Party Rafael Pardo said.
Greenpeace occupies Aztec-god sculpture in Mexico protest
By IANS/EFE,
Mexico City : Greenpeace staged a protest in this Mexican capital to press demands for an effective climate-change treaty, occupying the fountain that famed artist Diego Rivera dedicated to Tlaloc, the Aztec god of rain.
Amid a torrential downpour, unusual at this time of year in Mexico City, Greenpeace activists draped a banner with the message "Help! Treaty Needed to Save the Climate. Now!" over the sculpture of Tlaloc, feared by Aztecs as the bringer of floods and drought.
Johansson designs bag to raise funds for Haiti
By IANS,
London : After auctioning a date with her to raise funds for the Haiti relief fund, actress Scarlett Johansson has designed an exclusive handbag to raise money for the earthquake devastated nation.
The bag is emblazoned with an ancient map of the Caribbean country, with the message "Supporting the people of Haiti" written and signed by the "Lost In Translation" star, reported dailystar.co.uk
It will be available through Mango fashion stores across the world with all profits benefiting Oxfam's relief fund for Haiti, which was hit by a massive tremor Jan 12.
US authorities demand more information on Toyota recalls
By DPA,
Washington: US authorities sought documents from Toyota Tuesday over its handling of a series of safety recalls, part of a fresh investigation into the beleaguered carmaker's conduct.
The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is looking into whether Toyota Motor Corp acted quickly enough in responding to safety concerns over sticky accelerator pedals and faulty brakes in a number of models.
"Safety recalls are very serious matters and automakers are required to quickly report defects," US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said in a statement.
Ecuador may export electricity to Colombia, Venezuela
By IANS/EFE,
Quito : The Ecuadorian government has said it has overcome an electricity crisis and may even be in a position to export power to Colombia and Venezuela.
"We can say we've overcome the power crisis in the country," Electricity and Renewable Energy Minister Miguel Calahorrano said in statements posted on the website of the presidential press office.
The minister added that Ecuador currently has sufficient capacity to consider exporting power to Colombia, which he said may be interested because it is facing a problem of low water levels at its hydroelectric plants.
Thousands protest against French education reforms
By IANS,
Paris : Thousands of students and teachers took to the streets here Friday to protest against French President Nicolas Sarkozy's education reforms, Xinhua reported.
Demonstrations were also held in major cities like Strasbourg, Lyon, Marseille, Toulouse and Nice after eight major teachers' unions called for a countrywide protest.
Police said about 1,000 people participated in the demonstrations in Paris, but according to educational unions around 10,000 protesters took part.
Teachers from colleges, vocational and secondary schools participated.
‘France offers joint nuclear deterrence, Britain reluctant’
By IANS,
London : French and British officials have discussed a nuclear deterrence-sharing scheme but Britain has opposed the idea "so far" on grounds of political unacceptability, a media report said Friday.
The Guardian quoted an unnamed British official as confirming that the French government had proposed sharing the expensive task of patrolling the seas with nuclear weapons-armed submarines.
Known as "continuous at-sea deterrent", the task has currently been undertaken individually by the two countries at a projected future cost to Britain of up to 100 billion pounds.
Russia to resume space tourist programme in 2-3 years
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Moscow : Space tourists will be again able to fly on Russian Soyuz spacecraft to the International Space Station in two to three years, Russia's top space official said Friday.
Russia stopped sending tourists to space last year because the International Space Station (ISS) crew has increased from three to six, and all the places on board the spacecraft have been reserved for Russian and foreign astronauts.
Wayne Sharpe first American to do ‘Vande Mataram’ version
By Subhash K. Jha, IANS,
Mumbai: New York-based Wayne Sharpe, who is composing a new version of "Vande Mataram" for "Raajneeti", says he is the first American to work on the Indian national song.
"I specialise in background scores. Now I'm doing my first Bollywood song for 'Raajneeti'. It's a re-arrangement of 'Vande Mataram' with my version of the tune. I think I'm the first American to do this," Sharpe told IANS in an interview.
Teenaged Williamson joins New Zealand Test squad
By IANS,
Wellington: Teenaged all-rounder Kane Williamson has been included in the New Zealand squad for the second Test against Australia starting in Hamilton this week.
The 19-year-old right-hander replaces Daryl Tuffey, who broke a bone in his left hand when hit by a delivery from Australian speedster Mitchell Johnson in the Wellington Test Tuesday.
Mathew Sinclair also returns to the 13-man squad for the second Test, beginning Saturday.
UN envoy meets Afghan militant group
By IANS,
Kabul: UN envoy Staffan de Mistura Thursday met the representatives of Afghan warlord Gulbudin Hekmatyar's Hizb-e-Islami party in a bid to broker talks between the Islamic group and the government, Xinhua reported.
"The special representative of the secretary-general (Ban Ki-moon) met today (Thursday) the Hezb-e-Islami delegation, in accordance with the UN mandate and in consultation with Afghan President Hamid Karzai," the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said here in a statement.
“Poodle-time” over in UK-US special relationship, says author
By IRNA,
London : A Jewish author believes the recent report by British MPs on UK-US relations indicates that the “poodle-time is over” and Britain might have to change its policies with regards to US and Israel.
Uri Avnery told IRNA that the Israeli-Palestinian issue plays an important role in determining the level of relations between the United States and Britain.
Teenaged Everest challenger knocks on doors for funds
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS,
Kathmandu: She had been frantically trying to meet Bollywood's reigning badshahs Shah Rukh Khan and Akshay Kumar, though Bhagyashree Sawant is no star-struck autograph hunter. The 18-year-old from Maharashtra has been knocking on the door of the megabuck Indian film industry hoping they would financially support her plan to summit Mount Everest, the highest peak in the world.
But to no avail.
Closest UK elections in over 35 years
By IRNA,
London : Britons go to the polls next month to cast their votes in what could be the closest general election in over 35 years and the lowest turnout in almost a century.
The date of the elections on May 6 was confirmed by Prime Minister Gordon Brown Tuesday as the latest opinion polls show the opposition Conservatives leading the ruling Labour Party but perhaps by not enough in marginal seats to win an overall parliamentary majority.
Police to investigate blog over Sarkozy affair rumours
By IANS,
London : French police have launched an investigation to trace the bloggers behind the rumours that French President Nicolas Sarkozy and wife Carla Bruni were involved in relationships outside their marriage.
The news came a day after French president's chief communications adviser, Pierre Charon, suggested Sarkozy could have fallen foul of a "sort of organised plot with financial movements."
Dalai Lama expresses grief for China’s quake victims
By IANS,
Dharamsala: Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama Wednesday said he was "deeply saddened" by the loss of life in the 7.1-magnitude earthquake that struck China's Qinghai province, leaving about 400 people dead, an official statement said here.
"I am deeply saddened by the loss of life and property as a result of the earthquake that struck this morning. We pray for those who have lost their lives in this tragedy and their families and others who have been affected. A special prayer service is being held at the main temple here on their behalf," said the statement.
Iran ready for nuclear fuel swap
By IANS,
Tehran : Iran is ready to swap low enriched uranium for 20-percent enriched uranium, but only after the West wins back Tehran's trust, head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organisation has said.
"The only thing we are looking for is the objective guarantee in order to make sure that we get the 20-percent enriched uranium," Ali Akbar Salehi said in an interview with Press TV Wednesday.
US, Sri Lankan militaries in joint exercise
By IANS,
Colombo : The Sri Lankan military and the US Navy have conducted a joint humanitarian exercise in Trincomalee in the country's east, the US embassy said Friday.
The event included civilians from the Disaster Management Centre and the ministry of healthcare and nutrition. The focus of the exercise was humanitarian assistance, an embassy statement said.
The training included advanced trauma medical care and the safe disposal of unexploded ordnance, coping with post-traumatic stress, and preventive health care.
Cured leprosy patients ready to conquer Mt Everest
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS,
Kathmandu : Nearly three decades ago Raj Kumar Shah, then nine, had a traumatic experience that changed his entire life.
The son of a poor farmer contracted leprosy, still regarded as a scourge in the southern Terai plains where he lived. But the past has inspired him to undertake a unique venture -- Shah has announced an expedition to Mt Everest, the tallest peak in the world, by cured leprosy patients.
"The villagers demanded that my parents throw me out," remembers Shah.
Security alert as Nepal asks Maoists to stop military training
By IANS,
Kathmandu : Nepal's embattled government put security forces on alert Thursday and asked the opposition Maoist party to stop giving military training to its cadre nationwide ahead of a looming constitutional crisis.
Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal, who has been fighting an insistent demand by the former guerrillas for his resignation to avert a crisis next month, called a meeting of the cabinet as well as the chiefs of the three security agencies to discuss how to combat the Maoists if their anti-government protests turned violent.
I smoked pot, says Colombian presidential candidate
By IANS/EFE,
Bogota : A Colombian presidential candidate has revealed that he smoked marijuana like the majority of his classmates while studying at a US university.
Government-backed candidate Juan Manuel Santos, from the Partido de la U, admitted Sunday that he and his classmates used marijuana during their studies at the University of Kansas.
"During the university phase, I smoked marijuana just as almost all (my) colleagues at the universities did," Santos said.
Mexico extradites former governor to US
By IANS/EFE,
Mexico City : A former governor of a Mexican state has been extradited to the US on drug and money laundering charges.
Former Quintana Roo state governor Mario Villanueva Madrid, who was arrested in 2001 on a money laundering conviction, was handed over to US authorities Saturday night.
The former top official had allowed Colombian cocaine bound for the US to pass through Cancun city during his six years in office, the Attorney General's Office said.
North Korean involvement in sinking of warship obvious: Seoul
By DPA,
Seoul : The South Korean government for the first time pointed its finger at Pyongyang Wednesday for the sinking of one of its warships, saying North Korean involvement in the incident was "obvious".
An examination of the salvaged wreck showed it was sunk in March by "a strong underwater explosion generated by the detonation of a torpedo," Foreign Minister Yu Myung Hwan said at a meeting with European business representatives.
Asked by the press whether he thought North Korea was responsible, he replied: "It's obvious."
Peninsula heading towards war: North Korea
By DPA,
Seoul : North Korea Friday charged South Korea with creating an atmosphere in which war could break out at any time, a day after an international inquiry found that a North Korean torpedo caused the sinking of a South Korean warship.
South Korean President Lee Myung Bak, meanwhile, called a national security meeting to discuss his government's response after he vowed Thursday to take "resolute countermeasures" against what he called the North's "military provocation".
Spain hands down 1,000-year terms to bombers
By IANS/EFE,
Madrid : Spain's National Court has handed down sentences of more than 1,000 years each to three members of a terrorist group found responsible for a 2006 bombing that left two people dead.
The tribunal also ordered the three ETA terrorists - Igor Portu, Mattin Sarasola and Mikel San Sebastian - to pay 500,000 euros ($620,000) in compensation to the family of Carlos Alonso Palate and 700,000 euros ($870,000) to that of Diego Armando Estacio.
ASEAN labour ministers’ conference opens in Vietnam
By IANS,
Hanoi : The 21st meeting of the labour ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) opened here Monday.
Participants will discuss measures to enhance quality of human resources and are expected to adopt an action plan of the ASEAN labour ministers for the 2011-2015 period, Xinhua reported.
Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung said at the opening ceremony that the meeting will promote ASEAN labour cooperation and help reach the aims of sustainable jobs and social fairness initiated by the International Labour Organisation (ILO).
France supports measures against North Korea
By DPA,
Paris : France Monday joined the rising chorus of demand for North Korea to be punished for its sinking of a South Korea navy ship.
The French foreign ministry said it fully supported South Korean President Lee Myung Bak, who plans to ask the UN Security Council to deal with the incident.
"France stands behind its partners in the Security Council to make sure this aggression does not go unpunished," the ministry said in a statement.
The ministry called the March 26 attack that killed 46 South Korean sailors a criminal attack.
World’s mining sector is back to booming
By IANS,
Toronto : The world's mining sector is back to booming, according to a report by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) here Tuesday. The annual report, Mine: Back to the Boom, on the mining sector says the world's top 40 companies experienced major recovery in 2009 after big losses in 2008.
Toronto's stock exchange has the world's largest number of mining companies listed on it and the city is the venue of the world's biggest mining gathering annually.
Philippine Congress begins vote tally
By DPA,
Manila : The Philippine Congress Thursday started the official tally of votes for the country's next president and vice president over two weeks after elections were held.
More than 35 million Filipinos voted May 10 for a new president, vice president, hundreds of legislators and thousands of local officials.
The Philippines used a new automated election system in which voters fed their paper ballots into optical-scanning machines that then counted the votes and transmitted the results electronically to central servers.
We didn’t sink South Korean warship: North Korea
By IANS,
Pyongyang : In the first press statement two months after the sinking of the South Korean warship "Cheonan" in March, North Korea Friday said it was not involved in the incident, and asked Seoul to conduct an "objective and fair" probe.
Whether or not South Korea received the inspection group from North Korea was the key to judging the "Cheonan" incident, Pak Rim Su, head of the policy bureau of North Korea's National Defence Commission (NDC), was quoted as saying by Xinhua.
Obama arrives in Gulf as top-kill effort continues
By DPA,
Washington : US President Barack Obama arrived in Louisiana Friday to tour what has become the worst-ever US oil disaster, as energy company BP's critical top-kill operation to cap the ruptured well in the Gulf of Mexico entered its third day.
Obama's visit - his second to the region since the April 20 Deepwater Horizon rig explosion - comes amid growing local anger and frustration over the government's response to the disaster and BP's inability to cap the oil well.
Naoto Kan chosen Japan’s new PM
By DPA,
Tokyo : Naoto Kan was chosen as Japan's next prime minister by parliament Friday after he won an overwhelming victory in the ruling Democratic Party of Japan's presidential election.
Emperor Akihito is to appoint Kan Japan's 94th premier later Friday.
Kan served as finance minister and deputy prime minister in outgoing Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama's cabinet.
The Diet's vote came soon after Hatoyama and his cabinet stepped down Friday morning.
Backstreet Boys too boycott BP fuel
By IANS,
London : American band Backstreet Boys have supported the decision of metal band Korn to boycott British Petroleum's fuel as a mark of protest against the Gulf of Mexico oil spill.
The Backstreet Boys recently performed in Biloxi, Mississippi, where they witnessed the plight of animals because of the oil spill and decided to back up Korn by boycotting BP fuel, reports femalefirst.co.uk.
"I'm devastated by what I've seen first hand and on the news. I've always been a marine activist and seeing pictures of oil-covered animals breaks my heart," said Nick Carter.
46 die in China mine blast
By IANS,
Beijing: Forty-six miners were killed Monday in a coalmine blast in eastern China, Xinhua reported.
The blast occurred around 1.40 a.m. at Xingdong Number 2 Mine in Pingdingshan city of Henan province, officials said.
Seventy-two miners were at the mine, but 26 of them survived. The cause of the blast was not immediately known.
Russia, US seek to deepen economic ties
By DPA,
Washington : US President Barack Obama Thursday signalled his strong commitment to working for Russia's entry into the World Trade Organisation (WTO), part of a deepening economic agenda for the US and Russian leaders.
The WTO issue was an especially high priority for Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, who joined Obama for a press conference after morning meetings and lunch at a Virginia hamburger restaurant.
Mexico ends swine flu alert after 14 months
By IANS/EFE,
Mexico City : The Mexican government has announced the end of the health alert for swine flu after 14 months in which 1,289 people died in this country and 72,000 cases were registered.
Health Secretary Jose Angel Cordova Villalobos made the announcement at a press conference Tuesday.
The decision was taken unanimously Monday by the General Health Council after observing the evolution of the epidemic - which caused its last fatality in May - and in agreement with the World Health Organization and the Pan American Health Organization.
Bachelor boy Obama goes without birthday
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : President Barack Obama did not get to eat his own birthday cake as he turned 49 with only family dog Bo to keep him company on a trip to his home in Chicago.
Instead of taking the day off to celebrate, Obama Wednesday went to the Washington Convention Centre to address members of the AFL-CIO, the American union movement, where union president Richard Trumka revealed that he had planned a celebration for the commander in chief.
Spanish monarchs welcome Michelle Obama
By IANS/EFE,
Palma de Mallorca (Spain) : Spain's King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia, accompanied by Princess of Asturias Letizia, welcomed US first lady Michelle Obama and her daughter Sasha to a private luncheon before they concluded their vacation in Spain.
The wife and younger daughter of US President Barack Obama reached the Marivent Palace, the royal family's summer residence, shortly after midday Sunday after arriving by airplane from the southern coastal city of Malaga, where they had been vacationing since last Wednesday.
Politician, TV host hit each other during show
By IANS/EFE,
Brasilia : A senatorial candidate in Brazil and a television show host got into a fight and punched and kicked each other when the politician became irritated with the journalist's questions.
Former Congressman Joao Correia, who is running for a Senate seat from Acre state on a Brazilian Democratic Movement Party ticket, was being interviewed on TV5 by journalist Demostenes Nascimento when the fight started.
Correia became irritated at Nascimento's line of questioning and a heated argument started, prompting the show's director to go on a commercial break.
New York leads US list in new jobs
By IANS,
New York : New York leads a list of cities in the US that are poised to offer the maximum number of new jobs in the country after the global recession, an astounding figure of 600,000.
Unemployment in New York now stands below the national average, and the city will soon offer a total of 578,897 jobs in industries as Wall Street, healthcare and entertainment, economics experts have said.
Los Angeles follows New York and is expected to add 405,392 new jobs, while Chicago has the third-best future with an additional 344,740 projected jobs.
Japan’s premier challenged in ruling party leadership race
By IANS,
Tokyo : Ichiro Ozawa, dubbed as kingpin of the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), said Thursday he will run in the ruling party's leadership election next month.
"I decided to run in the election as former prime minister Yukio Hatoyama said he will give me full support," the former DPJ secretary general told reporters in Tokyo, Xinhua reported.
One tonne of cannabis seized in Gambia
By IANS,
Banjul (Gambia) : Three Gambian nationals and three Senegalese were arrested after over one tonne of cannabis was found in their possession.
Officers of the National Drug Enforcement Agency (NDEA) and the military arrested the six offenders in Seewol village in the country's western region, Xinhua reported Thursday.
The arrest was made following an intelligence report about suspected drug traffickers in Seewol, NDEA public relations officer Abdoulie Ceesay said.
China asks airline to change name after plane crash
By IANS,
Beijing : China's Henan province has asked the commercial carrier whose plane crashed during landing, killing 42 people Tuesday, not to use the word "Henan" in its name in a bid to protect the province's image.
The Henan Administration for Industry and Commerce announced late Friday that it has ordered a change of name of the airline back to Kunpeng Airlines, which had been changed to Henan Airlines in September 2009, Xinhua reported.
Officials said the name misled the public and tarnished the province's image.
Have kids outside marriage, pay hefty fines
By IANS,
Beijing : Married people in a Chinese city who have children outside their marriage will now face heavy fines up to 250,000 yuan ($36,725).
The Family Planning Commission in Chongqing city has passed a new regulation that says married people who produce offspring outside their marriage will face fines, China Daily reported Friday citing the Chongqing Economic Times.
An unmarried couple having a baby would be fined 6,000 yuan ($882).
Plane makes emergency landing in Russia
By IANS,
Moscow : A passenger plane with 81 people on board was forced to make an emergency landing after all of its systems failed, a media report said Tuesday.
The TU-154 Alrosa airlines plane, carrying 72 passengers and nine crew members, was on its way from the Siberian city of Polyarny to Moscow when its power supply, fuel pumps, radio link and navigation equipment failed, Xinhua reported citing Prime-Tass news agency.
Mind-reading machine can convert thoughts into speech
By IANS,
London : A mind reading machine has edged closer to reality after scientists found a way of converting thoughts into words.
South Korea, US hold air defence drills
By IANS,
Seoul : South Korea and the US began Friday massive eight-day air defence drills aimed at bolstering their operational capabilities, authorities here said.
US lost link with 50 nuclear warheads for 45 minutes
By IANS,
Washington : The US military lost communication with 50 of its nuclear missiles last week for about 45 minutes due to an engineering failure, the Wall Street Journal said.
China starts driverless metro service for Asian Games
By IANS,
Beijing: China's Guangzhou city, venue for the Asian Games, has launched a metro train service that can be operated without a driver.
Aung San Suu Kyi’s son visits her in Myanmar
By DPA,
Yangon : The youngest son of Nobel peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi arrived Tuesday at Yangon airport for a reunion with his mother for the first time in 10 years.
Quake jolts Japanese islands, tsunami warning issued
By DPA,
Tokyo : A 7.4-magnitude earthquake shook a chain of Japanese islands early Wednesday, forcing the Meteorological Agency to issue a tsunami warning.
China bans foreign words in local media
By IANS,
Beijing : China has banned the use of foreign words, particularly English ones, in the Chinese media.
UK unions warn 2011 will be ‘horrible’ year
By IRNA,
London : British trade union leaders are warning that 2011 will be a “horrible” year for people due to public service cuts and that the government will be faced with more angry protests.
Heavy rains leave 250 dead in Brazil
By IANs/EFE,
Rio de Janeiro : At least 250 people have died due to heavy rains, flooding and mudslides in Brazil during the past two days, authorities said.
Office of Sri Lankan opposition news website attacked
By DPA,
Colombo : Attackers broke into the offices of an independent news website in Sri Lanka early Monday, setting fire to equipment and the premises, police said.
No major damage in US due to tsunami: Obama
By IANS,
Washington: US President Barack Obama has said there was no major damage in the country from a tsunami caused by a massive earthquake in Japan.
Russian opposition holds Day of Wrath protest
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Moscow : Russian opposition activists gathered in downtown Moscow Sunday to hold a sanctioned Day of Wrath rally.
Sikh woman MP accuses Canadian immigration minister of lying
By Gurmukh Singh, IANS,
Toronto : An election contest here between two Punjabi candidates for the May 2 parliamentary polls has degenerated into a virtual mud-slinging match.
One killed in party organised through Facebook
By IANS/EFE,
New York : One person died and eight were wounded in a gun fight at a party in New York that was organised through social network Facebook, police said.