Venezuelan president starts blogging
By IANS/EFE,
Caracas : Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has started his official blog to have more interaction with his countrymen, less than a month after he joined online social networking site Twitter.
Chavez announced the creation of his blog www.chavez.org.ve at a meeting of the politburo of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) Tuesday.
According to state media, Chavez's Twitter account (@chavezcandanga), launched April 28, has more than 400,000 followers.
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.
Victims’ kins protest mosque plan at 9/11 site
By IANS,
New York : A community board has approved the construction of a mosque at the site of New York's World Trade Centre, which was destroyed in the September 11 terrorist attack, triggering protests by the victims' relatives in the city.
Relatives of 9/11 victims clashed with supporters of the proposed mosque near "Ground Zero", soon after members of Manhattan Community Board 1 approved the project with 29-1 votes. Nine members abstained the voting which concluded after four hours of debate.
Over 1,100 credit card frauds detected in Panama
By IANS,
Panama : Over 1,100 cases of credit card fraud have been detected in Panama in the last five years, officials said Sunday.
During the period 2005-2009, at least 1,136 cases were reported, Prensa Latina reported, citing a statement from the Directorate of Judicial Investigation (DIJ).
In 2009, there were officially 203 fraud cases and in the period January to April 2010, 75 complaints of credit card violation have been registered.
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.
Chance to stop Iran’s nuclear ambitions not yet lost: Gates
By DPA,
London : A combination of diplomacy and pressure could still stop Iran from developing a nuclear weapon, although "the clock is ticking", US Defence Secretary Robert Gates said in London Tuesday.
"We have not lost the opportunity to stop Iran from developing nuclear weapons," Gates said at a news conference after talks with Liam Fox, his counterpart in the new Conservative-led British government.
Gates said he hoped to see a new UN resolution on further sanctions against Iran passed soon, which would provide other nations with the legal basis to take additional measures.
Teenagers attempting suicide more likely to abuse partners as adults
By IANS,
Washington : Teenagers who attempt suicide before they are 18 are much more likely as adults to be aggressive toward their girlfriends or wives, including hitting and injuring their partners, says a new study.
This ground-breaking research is based on data from 153 males from higher-crime neighbourhoods who were assessed yearly from ages 10 to 32, and their romantic partners who participated when the men were ages 18 to 25.
Green algae off east China coast causes concern
By IANS,
Beijing: Green algae is spreading at a rapid pace in the coastal regions of China's Shandong province, causing concern among people that it might affect the local fishery and tourism industries, a media report said.
The coasts in Qingdao city are covered by green algae up to an area of 460 sq. km, Xinhua reported citing the latest monitoring figure by the State Oceanic Administration.
Its continuing spread might affect the local fishery and tourism industries, Ding Shugen from the Qingdao Committee of Municipal and Rural Construction, said.
Russia objects to citizen’s arrest in India
By IANS,
New Delhi: Russia has strongly objected to India over the detention of a Russian woman, Olga Timoshik, by Punjab Police for allegedly helping a suspected German spy.
Informed sources said a note sent by the Russian embassy to the ministry of external affairs alleged that the "police have been holding Timoshik in custody for more than 12 days without presenting any evidence against her".
Citing excerpts from the note, the sources said the situation surrounding Timoshik's arrest was "generating a response detrimental to India's image as a friendly nation among Russians".
No swimming, sex education – British county’s Ramadan guidelines
By Venkata Vemuri, IANS,
London : A British county council has issued guidelines for its schools for the month of Ramadan. These range from deferring swimming lessons to stopping sex education to respect the sentiments of Muslim students during the month.
Ramadan is expected to begin mid-August when all schools are closed for summer holidays. But it will continue till the first week of September when the new term starts.
South Africa’s ex-police chief sentenced for corruption
By IANS,
Johannesburg : South Africa's former police chief and ex-president of Interpol was sentenced to 15 years in prison for taking bribes, local judicial sources said Tuesday.
In the sentence, the judge said Jackie Selebi was found guilty of taking bribes from drug traffickers, Xinhua reported.
Selebi, who was awarded an International Human Rights Award in 1997, served as Interpol president from 2004 until Jan 12, 2008.
Libya to celebrate anniversary of Lockerbie bomber’s release
By IANS,
London : Libya is preparing to mark the first anniversary of the Lockerbie bomber's release with leader Colonel Muammar Gaddafi urging his countrymen to thank those who helped to free him, including former British prime minister Gordon Brown.
Gaddafi will also ask Libyans to pray for Scottish justice secretary Kenny MacAskill, who approved Abdelbaset al-Megrahi's freedom, The Sun reported Monday.
Gaddafi has ordered prayers to mark Friday's anniversary of the decision to free Megrahi from a Scottish prison on compassionate grounds Aug 20, 2009.
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.
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).
Putin’s daughter not to wed South Korean diplomat’s son
By IANS,
Moscow: Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's youngest daughter is not marrying a South Korean diplomat's son, his spokesman has said in response to a recent newspaper report.
Obama says Israel construction plans ‘unhelpful’
By DPA,
Jakarta: US President Barack Obama Tuesday said newly published Israeli plans to build over 1,300 homes on Palestinian land would not help efforts to reach peace in the Middle East.
Namibia detonator was just a test, says Germany
By DPA,
Berlin : A suspicious parcel containing a detonator that was found at an airport in Namibia and destined for Germany was a harmless test device, the German government revealed Friday.
British kids learn how to hack off thieves’ hands
By IANS,
London: Children as young as six in Britain are being taught brutal Sharia law punishments, including how to hack off a criminal's hand or foot, a media report said Monday.
Myanmar opposition leader discusses sanctions with US official
By DPA,
Yangon : US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Joseph Yun Friday discussed sanctions with recently released Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
India, Myanmar sign “Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty”
By IRNA,
New Delhi:In an effort to curb cross border illegal activities, India and Myanmar have ratified the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty on criminal matters.
45 killed in Libya protests
By DPA,
Cairo/Tripoli : Libyan security forces were expecting violent demonstrations Friday, a day after an estimated 45 people were killed in clashes across the country.
Earthquake wakes up Britain
By DPA
London : Britain's strongest earthquake in nearly 25 years woke up people across the country Wednesday morning, officials said.
The earthquake measuring 4.7 on the Richter Scale, according to the US Geological Survey, struck at 1.00 a.m. with its epicentre 48 km south of Hull, east Yorkshire, 205 km north of London.
The British Geological Survey (BGS) said the earthquake was of 5.3 magnitude and the epicentre was in Market Rasen in Lincolnshire. An aftershock with a magnitude of 1.8 was recorded by the BGS at 4.00 a.m.
Timor Leste Cheers Cuban President
By Prensa Latina
Dili : Interim President Fernando La Sama De Araujo of Timor Leste sent congratulations Friday to Raul Castro at his election as president of the Cuban State and Minister councils.
In his letter, La Sama de Araujo also said he wished good health to Commander in Chief Fidel Castro.
The acting president expressed the Timor Leste people's recognition "for the contribution of Cuba's collaboration to our country's social development, and reiterate its great importance to us."
German finance minister raises pressure on SPD leader
By SPA
Berlin : Finance Minister Peer Steinbrueck has increased the pressure on Kurt Beck, leader of
Germany's Social Democrats (SPD), by openly criticising him for approving loose cooperation with a far-left party, reuters reported.
Steinbrueck is one of three deputies to Beck and his criticism adds weight to an internal party rebellion against the SPD leader over his decision to use Left party votes to help the SPD seize power in the western state of Hesse.
Soil sinks along Yangtze riverbank in China
By Xinhua
Wuhan (China): The soil at a construction site along the Yangtze river in central China's Wuhan city is sinking, posing a potential threat to the riverbank, local authorities said Saturday.
The subsidence began Friday afternoon and continued through Saturday at a residential department in Hannan district about 100 metres from the riverbank, according to the city's emergency office.
Thatcher taken to London hospital for tests: official
By AFP
London : Former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher has been admitted to a London hospital where she is in a "stable" condition, its spokeswoman said Saturday.
Thatcher, 82, is expected to spend the night at Saint Thomas' Hospital in central London, to which she was reportedly driven from her home in the capital late Friday for precautionary tests.
Obama mocks VP talk as race heads to Mississippi
By AFP
Biloxi, Mississippi : Democrat Barack Obama Monday ridiculed talk by his White House rival Hillary Clinton that he could run as her vice presidential nominee, as their next clash loomed in Mississippi.
Some 20 senior officials of EU mission arrive in Pristina
By RIA Novosti
Brussels : About 20 senior officials of the EU's police and justice mission (EULEX) in Kosovo have arrived in Pristina, the mission's head French General Yves de Karmebon said on Tuesday.
Prior to the declaration of independence by the Serbian province on February 17, the European Union approved sending a 2,000-strong EULEX mission to Kosovo to replace the UN mission, which has been deployed there since the NATO bombing of Serbia in 1999. Kosovo has been a UN protectorate since the end of the conflict between Albanian and Serb forces.
Greek strikes disrupt flights, leave garbage uncollected
By SPA
Athens : Greece's largest labor union called a three-hour work stoppage Wednesday, disrupting flights and services, while other strikes in their second week left garbage uncollected and caused continued power outages, AP reported.
Striking workers are due to rally at Parliament later Wednesday amid growing union opposition to pension reforms currently being debated by lawmakers at committee level.
EU expresses concern over Armenia situation
By KUNA
Brussels : The European Union voiced Wednesday its concern about the situation in Armenia and called on the Armenian authorities to lift the state of emergency.
An EU Presidency statement Wednesday night expressed "particular concern" about reports of continuing arrests and called on Armenian authorities to release citizens detained in connection with their political activities and to refrain from further arrests of opposition leaders.
Armenian authorities arrested two leading opposition figures on Tuesday for alleged participation in violent protests.
‘Sabotage in Lhasa masterminded by Dalai clique’
By Xinhua
Lhasa : The government of the Tibet Autonomous Region has said that there had been enough evidence to prove that the recent sabotage in Lhasa was "organized, premeditated and masterminded" by the Dalai clique.
The violence, involving beating, smashing, looting and burning, has disrupted the public order and jeopardized people's lives and property, an official with the regional government said.
The sabotage has been strongly condemned by people of all ethnic groups in Tibet, he said in an interview with Xinhua.
Serbia’s split runs deep in struggle towards Europe
By Tony Czuczka, DPA
Belgrade : As Serbia heads towards early elections, even longtime friends are split between the vista of a place in Europe and anger at Western powers over the loss of Kosovo.
"I've never been to Kosovo," says musician Marko Grubic, 35. "The goal of every country should be for people to live better. That doesn't have much to do with Kosovo."
Across the table at a Belgrade cafe, his bandmate and friend of 10 years, Vladimir Marinkovic, differs sharply. For half an hour, they argue about their country's future.
Sri Lankan military says 2 police officers killed in blast
By SPA
Colombo, Sri Lanka : A roadside bomb attack blamed on Tamil Tiger rebels killed two police officers and injured Four others as they carried out a patrol Wednesday in Eastern Sri Lanka, the military said.
About 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, suspected rebels detonated a mine planted alongside a road in the Batticaloa district as a police patrol passed, the military said in a statement.
The blast instantly killed two of the officers, the military was quoted as saying by the Associated Press.
Hundreds demonstrate in Hamburg for freedom in Tibet
By IRNA
Berlin : Around 400 demonstrators, among them many exiled Tibetans, protested against China's ongoing security clampdown in Tibet, news reports said Wednesday.
The crowd carried banners calling for "Freedom in Tibet" and "Olympic peace - instead of repression".
Speakers at the rally said German trade relations with China should be linked to improving the human rights situation of Tibetans.
Germany has been the scene of of anti-Chinese protests over the past weeks in the aftermath of the Tibetan crisis.
Sri Lanka: three Tamil parties join hands ahead of Eastern provincial polls
By NNN-PTI
Colombo : Three Tamil parties have formed an alliance ahead of the first Provincial Council elections in two decades in strife-torn eastern Sri Lanka with the aim of installing a Tamil speaking person as the Chief Minister.
The Tamil Democratic National Alliance comprising People's Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE), the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) and a faction of the Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front (EPRLF) has been formed to ensure "unity of Tamil people" for the May 10 polls, PLOTE leader Dharmalingam Siddharthan said.
Russia agrees to return WWII stained glass panels to Germany
By RIA Novosti
Moscow : The Federation Council, Russia's upper house of parliament, approved on Friday a federal law to return six stained glass windows, seized by Soviet troops during WWII, to a church in Germany.
The document will be signed later by the Russian president.
The chairman of the culture committee, Alexander Dzasokhov, said: "The stained glass windows are unique, and have importance for history, art and science."
The senator added that Germany will cover the costs for transportation, security and authentication of the glass panels.
Colombia offers cash reward for FARC hostage release
By Xinhua
Bogota : Colombian President Alvaro Uribe has said he would pay cash to the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) for release of hundreds of hostages from its captivity.
He said he would pay the amount from a fund of $100 million for the release of hostages, including former politician Ingrid Betancourt, many of whom were held by the group for several years.
Ukraine signs deal with U.S. firm on nuclear fuel supplies
By RIA Novosti
Kiev : Ukraine's nuclear power utility Energoatom said on Monday it had signed a contract with the U.S.-based Westinghouse Electric Company on fuel supplies for its nuclear power plants.
Ukraine, which relies almost entirely on Russia for its nuclear fuel imports, has stepped up efforts in recent years to diversify supplies amid rising prices and energy disputes with Russia.
The document signed by the parties stipulates nuclear fuel supplies for Ukrainian nuclear power plants in 2011-2015.
U.S. backs plan for new Kosovo army – paper
By RIA Novosti
Moscow : The United States backs the creation of a new army in Kosovo with NATO's assistance and on the basis of the Kosovo Protection Corps, a Polish daily reported on Monday.
Last week U.S. President George Bush offered Kosovo, which proclaimed its independence in mid-February, assistance in building its own army and providing it with weapons. He authorized on March 19 arms supplies to Kosovo, saying it would "promote world peace."
FARC to be blamed if Betancourt dies: Sarkozy
By IANS
Paris : French President Nicolas Sarkozy has said the Left-wing Revolutionary Armed forces of Colombia (FARC) would be held responsible if former presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt dies in their captivity.
"A decision on your part would suffice to save a woman from death and maintain the hope of all those who remain detained. Make this decision: free Ingrid Betancourt," the French leader said Tuesday in a televised message directed to Manuel "Sureshot" Marulanda, chief of Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), EFE news agency reported Wednesday.
Oil refinery explosion in Russia kills three, injures three others
By KUNA
Moscow : Three people were killed and three others were injured Friday when an oil refinery exploded in the hilly terrain of Stavropol, Southern Russia, The Russian News Agency Itar-Tass said.
The agency added that fire and rescue operations managed to put the fire out. The refinery manufacturing the chemical polypropylene, was owned by Russian oil company Lukoil.
Germany cancels plans to mix ethanol with petrol
By DPA
Berlin : Amid growing fears that biofuel farming is harming the environment and driving world food prices, Germany Friday cancelled plans to mix more ethanol made from plants with petrol.
Environment Minister Sigmar Gabriel said the decision was taken because 10 percent ethanol in petrol would rot the hoses and gaskets of millions of auto engines. But he said an order for diesel fuel to contain 7 percent ethanol remained in place.
Putin cautiously hopeful about missile shield talks
By RIA Novosti
Sochi (Russia) : Russian President Vladimir Putin said Sunday he was cautiously optimistic that his country and the US will eventually resolve their disagreements over Washington's missile defence plans for Europe.
Putin and his US counterpart George W. Bush, during their final tete-a-tete Sunday to commemorate their personal ties before leaving offices in the Black Sea resort failed to resolve differences on the missile defence.
Bush, Putin acknowledge failure on missile
By IRNA
Moscow : President George W. Bush has met with Vladimir Putin of Russia more than any foreign leader other than Tony Blair - 28 times - and has disagreed with few leaders more than he has with Putin.
In Sochi, Russia on Sunday, meeting for the last time as presidents, they again failed to come to agreement on perhaps the most contentious issue between them: American missile defenses in Europe.
EU prolongs sanctions against Belarus officials
By RIA Novosti
Brussels : The Council of the European Union has prolonged sanctions against Belarusian officials by another year, until April 10, 2009, an EU spokesman said on Tuesday.
The sanctions were originally introduced after the EU refused to recognize the results of parliamentary elections in Belarus in October 2004. The sanctions include restrictions on entering the EU and the freezing of bank accounts. In April 2006, the list was extended from six persons to 37, including President Alexander Lukashenko.
Another Siberian villager seeks damages for fallen rocket parts
By RIA Novosti
Novosibirsk : Another villager in southwest Siberia plans to sue the space agency Roscosmos for compensation after rocket fragments fell on his land, the local administration said on Wednesday.
A resident of the Ust-Kumir village in the Republic of Altai said he is determined to seek compensation of moral damage after a 0.6-kg (1.3 lbs) rocket fragment was found in his hayloft in March.
Ecuador defence minister, armed forces chief sacked
By IANS
Quito : Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa has sacked the defence minister and the entire military leadership over allegations that the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has infiltrated the country's intelligence set-up.
Defence Minister Wellington Sandoval announced his resignation Wednesday at the Presidential Palace and was immediately succeeded by Correa's personal secretary and leftwing Indigenous Social Movement leader Javier Ponce, EFE reported.
Head of Joint Chiefs of Staff Hector Camacho and Army Commander Guillermo Vasconez also stepped down the same day.
Polish leader denies linking Russia-EU talks to NATO expansion
By RIA Novosti
Warsaw : Polish President Lech Kaczynski denied on Thursday having linked Poland's veto on Russia-EU cooperation talks to the admission of ex-Soviet states into NATO.
Kaczynski was quoted as saying in an interview on Wednesday with Reuters that Warsaw would hesitate to lift its veto on negotiations on a new treaty until NATO member states in the EU allowed Georgia and Ukraine to join the alliance's Membership Action Plan.
EU reform treaty advances as Slovakia signs on
By DPA
Bratislava : Slovakia Thursday became the ninth European Union (EU) nation to ratify the EU's reform treaty, as lawmakers of the ethnic Hungarian minority broke ranks with the rest of the opposition and backed the pact.
Prime Minister Robert Fico's conservative opponents had sought to block the Lisbon Treaty to press the government into changing a restrictive new press law.
Fico's coalition needed at least five opposition votes to pass the December 2007 pact, which overhauls institutions for the enlarged 27-member EU. The treaty passed by 103-5 votes, 13 more than required.
Armies still key factor in Nepal polls
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS
Kathmandu : Though Nepal held its first national election after nine years under a truce with its former Maoist guerrillas laying down their arms, the armies of the state as well as the former guerrillas still remain a key factor in deciding the poll results.
Sudanese plane crashes in Moldova, eight dead
By DPA
Chisinau (Moldova) : A Sudanese cargo plane crashed near the Moldovan capital Chisinau killing all eight aboard, the Interfax news agency reported Saturday.
The Antonov-32 twin turboprop had been taking off late Friday night from the former Soviet republic's main airport after a fuelling stop en route to Khartoum from Vienna.
The plane's crew reported engine problems shortly after take off, and attempted to return to Chisinau airport.
The An-32 crashed into the ground some 200 metres short of the runway and burned completely, eyewitnesses said.
Maoists maintain strong lead in Nepal Constituent Assembly poll results
By KUNA
New Delhi : Maoists have won four seats in election of the 240-member Constituent Assembly of Nepal, proceeding Saturday. The Communist Party of Nepal (CPN)-Maoist leaders Dev Gurung and Pampha Bhushal won from Manang and Lalitpur-3 constituencies while other two candidates -- Lila Sumai and Raj Kaji Maharjan -- have been elected from Palpa-2 and Lalitpur-2 constituencies, news agency Press Trust of India reported, quoting state-run Nepal Television.
UN envoy to hold Macedonia ‘name’ talks with Athens, Skopje
By RIA Novosti,
Athens : UN envoy Matthew Nimitz will visit Athens and Skopje this week to try and start talks over a long-running name dispute between the two countries, Greece's state-run NET TV said on Monday.
Greece recently vetoed Macedonia's NATO-membership invitation over the 17-year-long dispute with Athens, which objects to Skopje using the name Republic of Macedonia. Athens says the name implies a territorial claim on Greece's northern province of Macedonia, the birthplace of Alexander the Great.
Terai emerges as Nepal’s new kingmaker
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS,
Kathmandu : After centuries of neglect, Nepal's Terai plains finally had its revenge when it emerged as the new kingmaker after the historic constituent assembly election.
In the days to come, the Terai, which accounts for over 40 percent of the population and 116 of the 240 constituencies, is going to be a dominant factor in Nepal's politics.
UN calls for concerted efforts to control rising food crisis
By DPA,
New York : The UN called Monday for a long-term policy on food grain production in order to avert famine amidst steeply-rising prices that threaten to undermine anti-poverty programmes.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon told a gathering of Breton Woods institutions, the World Trade Organization and UN trade agency that the rapidly escalating crisis in food availability around the world has reached "emergency proportions".
Venezuelan TV station under probe for airing ‘Simpsons’
By DPA,
Caracas : Government regulators have opened an investigation into a television station in Venezuela for airing the US satirical cartoon "The Simpsons" during prime child-viewing hours.
The Televen station took the show off the air two weeks ago after receiving a warning from the National Telecommunications Commission and replaced it with the beach and bikini classic "Baywatch" in the 11 a.m. time slot.
Televen faces punishments that include a fine and a three-day broadcasting blackout, the commission, also known as Conatel, said Tuesday in announcing the inquiry.
Dozens of opposition supporters arrested in Zimbabwe
By DPA,
Harare/Johannesburg : Zimbabwean police said Wednesday they have arrested dozens of opposition supporters over a nationwide stay-at-home protest called to press for the release of election results.
A police spokesman was quoted by the BBC as saying 33 people had been arrested in Harare and four other cities since Tuesday's stayaway.
The opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), which called the protest to put pressure on President Robert Mugabe to release the results of March 29 election, claimed 50 of its supporters had been arrested.
Communists of the world rejoice Nepal Maoists’ win
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS,
Kathmandu : As Nepal's Maoists are set to lead the government after years of guerrilla war, congratulations are pouring in from communist parties worldwide who say the electoral victory would pave the way for a new world order.
On Thursday, the seventh day of ballot counting after last week's historic constituent assembly election, the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) - once hunted down by security forces and Interpol as a terrorist organisation - remained way ahead of its rivals, winning 119 of the 224 seats declared so far.
Sri Lanka gov’t says 399 rebels killed in April
By NNN-Xinhua,
Colombo : The military in Sri Lanka said that 399 Tamil Tiger rebels have been killed in clashes with government troops in the north so far in April.
Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara, the military spokesman, told reporters on Thursday that 34 soldiers have also been killed while 236 soldiers injured in this period.
Nanayakkara added that 16 civilians were killed and 83 civilians were injured in the violence.
Top Australian surgeon quits over incompetence claims
By DPA,
Sydney : One of Australia's leading trauma surgeons resigned Friday amid claims that he was incompetent and allegations that he billed the health service for surgeries that never took place, news reports said Friday.
German-born Thomas Kossmann, 48, was suspended in November from his post of director of trauma surgery at the Alfred Hospital and Melbourne's Monash University.
His decision to step down as head of Australia's biggest trauma centre comes after he was criticised by an expert panel set up by the hospital to look at his clinical performance.
Nepal celebrates second anniversary of king’s ouster
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS,
Kathmandu : A Hindu kingdom till two years ago and ruled by an iron-fisted king who believed he was an incarnation of god, Nepal will celebrate Wednesday the second year of overthrowing the shackles of a feudal regime with sweeping changes that includes a new government to be headed by its former hunted-down guerrillas.
Mugabe party retains seat in Zimbabwe vote recount
By DPA,
Johannesburg : The first results from a recount of votes cast in last month's elections in Zimbabwe showed President Robert Mugabe's Zanu-PF party retaining a seat that the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) had challenged.
The state-controlled Zimbabwe Electoral Commmission announced that Zanu-PF retained the Goromonzi West seat in the 210-seat House of Assembly.
The constituency is one of only two where a recount was demanded by the MDC, which won the Assembly vote held alongside parliamentary elections on March 29.
British court declares freezing of terrorism assets ‘unlawful’
By DPA,
London : The High Court in London ruled Thursday that the freezing of assets held by terrorism suspects was unlawful in Britain because it "bypassed" parliament.
The court ruled in favour of five men who had challenged the powers imposed in Britain under United Nations (UN) laws.
The men have so far not been charged with terrorism offences and argued that the confiscation of their assets had a "devastating and humiliating impact" on their lives.
All Chinese hostages in Indonesia set free
By Xinhua,
Jakarta : All five Chinese nationals taken hostage by a group of gunmen in Indonesia's Aceh province were released Tuesday after being held since Saturday.
The Jakarta-based Metro TV reported the five Chinese were taken to a local government office in Pining sub-district, Aceh province, on the northern tip of Sumatra island.
Their conditions were not immediately known and local officials were not available for comments.
A group of gunmen abducted seven Chinese workers and an Indonesian citizen in Gayo Lues district, Aceh province, late on Saturday.
UK arrests suspectes Tamil Tigers
By KUNA,
London : Three men have been arrested by British counter-terror police as part of an investigation into the Tamil Tigers, Scotland Yard said Tuesday.
The arrests are said to be part of a long-term investigation into the Sri-Lankan-based group.
Two men, aged 39 and 46, were arrested in dawn raids at separate addresses in south Wales and a third, aged 33, arrested in south-west London.
All three were arrested on suspicion of the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism.
A raid also took place in Surrey, outside London, Scotland Yard added.
Concern about environment enters world of home furnishings
By DPA,
Milan : The environment and climate change have become current and definitive topics in the design of home furnishings.
At Milan's furniture trade show, for example, designers showed several applications of reusable or recycled materials.
In addition, concerns about the environment are being conveyed, somewhat cryptically, by the use of crystalline and polygonal forms. They require less materials without causing the quality of the furniture to suffer.
Childhood intervention could prevent crime
By IANS,
Sydney : If children who are likely to commit crime are identified early enough, preventive measures can improve their future prospects, according to a new book.
Literacy, vocational training, living conditions and mentoring of children susceptible to committing to crime are key areas that need attention.
"We found that more than 60 percent of those we surveyed while researching the book had parents or other relatives who had spent time in prison," said Diana Kenny, co-author of "Young Offenders on Community Orders".
Hillary Clinton survives to fight another day
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : Hillary Clinton vowed to stay in the White House race after a narrow projected victory in Indiana even as Democratic party nomination frontrunner Barack Obama widened his lead with a massive win in the North Carolina party primary.
A relatively small 52-48 percent lead in another do-or-die battle Tuesday blunted the former first lady's argument that she is better placed to beat Republican John McCain in the November presidential poll than Obama who has found it hard to win over white working class voters in bigger states.
US asks Thailand to extradite Russian arms dealer
By RIA Novosti,
Moscow : Thailand has received an official request from Washington to extradite an alleged arms dealer to the US where he has been indicted on charges of conspiracy to kill Americans, officials said.
Viktor Bout, 41, a Russian, was arrested in March in Bangkok during a joint police operation led by agents from the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
"We have official confirmation that Thailand has received (Bout's) extradition request," press secretary of the Russian Embassy in Bangkok, Alexei Bulkin, said.
Rush on Everest as Nepal lifts ban
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS,
Kathmandu : More than 40 teams of mountaineers kicking their heels on the lower slopes of the Himalayas in Nepal heaved a sigh of relief Friday as the way to Mt Everest was opened following China's successful attempt to take the Olympic torch to the top.
"We anticipate improved weather conditions from May 16," said Ang Tshering Sherpa, chief of Nepal Mountaineering Association, the body entrusted with promoting mountaineering in Nepal.
"Statistics show that traditionally, the period May 21-27 is the best time to attempt Mt Everest and succeed."
Constitutional referendum underway in suburban areas of Myanmar Yangon division
By Zhang Yunfei, Xinhua,
Yangon : Local people in a remote suburban township of Hlegu in Myanmar's Yangon division were successively coming to polling booths in the township to cast votes on a draft constitution put forward in a nationwide referendum that kicked off early Saturday morning.
The nationwide referendum on the draft constitution was taking place as scheduled with people across the country going to poll to cast votes on the charter except areas including the biggest city of Yangon still declared as cyclone-hit regions.
US military plane flies aid to Myanmar
By DPA,
Bangkok : A US military aircraft left Thailand's U-Tapao Airbase Monday to deliver emergency aid to neighbouring Myanmar in the wake of a cyclone that has left an estimated 100,000 people dead.
The C-130 cargo plane departed the base 120 km south-east of Bangkok loaded with 12,670 kg of water, mosquito nets and bedding.
British Airways profits soar despite huge surge in fuel costs
By IRNA,
London : Britain's national airliner Friday reported a huge 45 per cent surge in record profits despite soaring fuel costs and its involvement in the disastrous opening of Terminal 5 (T5) at London's Heathrow airport.
British Airways (BA) unveiled pre-tax profits to Pnds 883 m in the year to March 31 from Pnds 611 m the previous year. In doing so, it reached a 10 per cent operating margin for the first time in its history.
Zimbabwe presidential run-off set for June 27
By DPA,
Harare/Johannesburg : Zimbabwe's presidential run-off election between President Robert Mugabe and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai will take place June 27, Zimbabwe Electoral Commission head George Chiweshe said Friday.
The date was also contained in a government gazette that appeared Friday.
Mugabe, 84, leader since independence in 1980 and accused of gross human rights violations, and former national trade union leader Tsvangirai are due to square off again after neither achieved over 50 percent of the vote needed for outright victory in elections March 29.
Bus falls off Nepal road third day in a row
By IANS,
Kathmandu : Another bus skidded off the road and fell into a river in Nepal Wednesday, the third such accident in as many days.
While the toll in the accidents Monday and Tuesday soared to 50, a passenger bus starting out from Gulariya, the main town in remote Bardiya district in farwestern Nepal, plunged into the swirling Karnali river.
Police and local residents rescued 25 passengers while some were still missing, private television station Sagarmatha Television said.
SCO Members Signs Agreements On Illegal Migration, Natural Resource Usage
By Bernama,
Astana : Representatives of the supreme courts of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) member states agreed to exchange their cooperation of judicial bodies in issues of illegal migration and natural resource usage.
In a two-day meeting here, the participants also agreed to exchange their corresponding legal declarations taken by the Supreme Courts, Kazakhstan's Khavar Agency reported Wednesday.
Chinese govt says death toll in Sichuan earthquake rises to 51,151
By SPA,
Beijing : A Chinese government spokesman says the death toll in last week's earthquake has risen to more than 50,000, according to AP.
Cabinet spokesman Guo Weimin told a news conference that the toll had reached 51,151, with 29,328 missing and nearly 300,000 hurt as of 10 a.m. (0200 GMT) Thursday.
The May 12 earthquake was centered in Sichuan province.
Kidnapped South Korean freed in southern Philippines
By Xinhua,
Manila : Unidentified kidnappers have freed without ransom a 30-year-old South Korean and a Filipino businessman kidnapped in March in a mountainous area in Mindanao, southern Philippines, police said on Saturday.
Senior Superintendent Adap Panares, provincial police chief of Lanao del Sur province in Mindanao, said 10 heavily armed men released Tae Jung, a South Korean who ventured on chromite mining, and his Filipino business contact Victor Macasieras Friday near Kapai town, Lanao del Sur.
EU foreign ministers approve partnership talks with Russia
By SPA,
Brussels, Belgium : European Union foreign ministers have approved plans to begin talks with Russia on a new partnership deal, the Associated Press reported.
The EU hopes those talks, which will start at a summit with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev in June, will lead to a new strategic partnership with its large eastern neighbor.
The EU ministers approved the negotiations at talks Monday.
Such a pact will cover economic and political issues, notably closer energy and trade ties.
First Spelling Bee announced for South Asian children in US
By IANS,
New York : Inspired by the fact that South Asian children routinely win laurels at the national spelling contests in the US, the first-ever annual Spelling Bee exclusively for them has now been announced.
Conceived and organised by Touchdown Media, a major South Asian American advertising agency, the 2008 State Farm South Asian Spelling Bee will start in end June with contests in eight regional centres across the country, culminating in the final on Aug 16 in New Jersey.
Pope Condemns Exploit of 3rd World
By Prensa Latina,
Vatican City : Pope Benedict XVI condemned on Thursday wealthy countries' exploitation of natural resources in Third World nations.
After welcoming in a joint audience for the new ambassadors to the Vatican of Tanzania, Uganda, Liberia, Chad, Bangladesh, Belarus, Guinea, Sri Lanka, and Nigeria, the Pontiff demanded international equity.
He highlighted that better off countries cannot indiscriminately appropriate what comes from the natural resources of developing countries.
Extradition hearing of Dr Patel delayed in US
By IANS,
New York : The hearing of Dr Jayant Patel's extradition to Australia, where he faces manslaughter charges, has been delayed by three weeks in a US court.
The district court judge ordered the hearing to now take place on July 16 in Portland, Oregon, instead of the original date set for June 26. Dr Patel's lawyer had requested postponement last week on the plea that Queensland police had failed to produce requested documents, nor given a valid reason for the same.
Asean, UN to help Myanmar assess cyclone damage
By Xinhua,
Yangon : A tripartite core group involving the Association of South-East Asian Nations (Asean), UN and Myanmar is working to make a joint assessment of the damage in Myanmar'sm cyclone-hit areas, state media said Tuesday.
In preparation to carry out the assessment, the Asean Emergency Rapid Assessment Team (ERAT) is training government officials, the New Light of Myanmar newspaper said.
UN Security Council backs Somali peace talks
By SPA,
Djibouti : Representatives of Somalia's civil society warned Tuesday of a worsening humanitarian crisis and called for the withdrawal of Ethiopian troops, saying their departure would accelerate a political settlement of the country's 18-year conflict, the Associated Press reported.
The representatives from nine groups met members of the U.N. Security Council, who came to Djibouti to encourage Somalia's transitional government and an opposition alliance to hold direct peace talks.
Mexico City plans gardens at rooftops
By IANS,
Mexico City : The capital city of Mexico has launched a unique project of greening the rooftops of all big buildings as part of an urban reforestation plan to improve environment and quality of air, EFE news agency reported.
To beging with, city's municipal transit authority will have its building, covering an area of 1,190 square meters, covered with bushes and grass.
The rooftop garden, which was created at a cost of 1.3 million pesos (about $125,000), was inaugurated by Mexico City's environment secretary Martha Delgado.
Irish anti-treaty voters moving ahead in opinion poll
By KUNA,
Dublin : The Irish pro-Lisbon Treaty camp suffered a devastating blow Friday after an opinion poll revealed the "no" side had surged ahead just a week before the country's referendum.
The poll, in The Irish Times newspaper, showed the "no" side in the lead by five percent.
Since the last survey the number of people intending to reject the treaty in the vital June 12 ballot has almost doubled to 35 percent, while the "yes" side has dropped to 30 percent.
Ireland is the only EU country to hold a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty.
East Ukraine coal mine blast leaves three injured, 40 missing
By RIA Novosti,
Kiev : Three miners are injured and another 40 are missing following an explosion in a coal mine in east Ukraine, the country's emergencies ministry said on Sunday.
The accident at the Karl Marx mine in the town of Yenakiyevo in the Donetsk Region occurred at 6:00 a.m. Moscow time (02:00 a.m. GMT) on Sunday when a gas and air mixture exploded.
"Three miners who were on the surface were injured in the blast, while the fate of 40 who were working underground remains unknown," the emergencies ministry said.
Most Australians believe they are worse off since election
By Xinhua,
Canberra : Over half of Australians believe they have become worse off economically since the Labor government came to power last November, a new survey showed on Monday.
An online poll conducted last month by mortgage brokers Loan Market and X Inc Finance Group found just 17 percent of respondents felt their financial position had improved since Laborre turned to power after 11 years in Opposition.
Some 54 percent of respondents believed things were worse than before Kevin Rudd became Prime Minister last November.
Earthquake hits Timor Leste
By Xinhua,
Jakarta : An earthquake with magnitude of 5.2 rocked Timor Leste on Thursday, with no report of damage or casualty, Indonesian meteorology agency said here.
The quake struck at 09:09 Jakarta time (0909 GMT) with epicenter at 291 kilometers northeast Dili, the capital of Timor Leste and at 100 kilometers in depth, an official of the agency said.
Timor Leste sits on a vulnerable quake hit zone so call "the Pacific Ring of Fire" where two continental plates meet that cause frequent volcanic movements.
Bush in Paris to meet Sarkozy, address OECD
By KUNA,
Paris : US President George W. Bush is expected late Friday morning in the French capital for a two-day visit to hold talks with President Nicolas Sarkozy on a variety of international issues, including Iran and the situation in the Middle East, diplomatic sources indicated.
On Friday, upon arrival from Rome, Bush is to address the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), which groups over 30 of the worlds most industrialized countries and major energy consumers.
Junta’s aid rules delay Myanmar cyclone relief: HRW
By AFP,
Bangkok : New guidelines adopted by Myanmar's ruling generals are further delaying emergency efforts to deliver aid to regions ravaged by the cyclone, human rights experts said.
The rules, issued on Monday, require UN and other aid groups to receive formal permission from Myanmar authorities to travel and to distribute aid.
Zimbabwe opposition chief quits run-off, handing win to Mugabe
By AFP,
Harare : Zimbabweans faced an uncertain future Monday after opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai abandoned a run-off election saying violence had made a fair vote impossible, in a move that virtually hands victory to President Robert Mugabe.
"We will no longer participate in the violent illegitimate sham of an election process," Tsvangirai, 56, told reporters at his home, saying he could not ask supporters to cast ballots "when that vote would cost them their lives."
Zimbabwe opposition leader in Dutch embassy as UN nixes runoff vote
By AFP,
Harare : Zimbabwe opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai remained holed up in the Dutch embassy in Harare Tuesday after pulling out of a run-off election he said should be declared "null and void" due to violence, a stance backed by the UN Security Council.
The Security Council on Monday condemned the violence and intimidation against the opposition in Zimbabwe and urged that the presidential runoff vote not be held Friday as planned.
Nepali PM to offer resignation: spokesperson
By Xinhua,
Kathmandu : Nepali Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala will submit his resignation at the Constituent Assembly (CA) meeting Wednesday with condition that it would be approved only after the appointment of the president.
Nepali Congress spokesperson Arjun Narsingh K.C. told Wednesday's The Rising Nepal daily that "the prime minister will hand over his resignation to the chairman of the CA on Wednesday. But the resignation will be approved only after the appointment of the president."
EU-Russia summit to focus on security, economy
By RIA Novosti,
Moscow : The European Union (EU)-Russia summit that opens Thursday will focus on steps to draft a European security treaty and ways of meeting global economic challenges, a Russian presidential aide said Wednesday.
The two-day summit in Khanty-Mansiisk, western Siberia, is the first with the EU since Dmitry Medvedev won presidential elections in March. The summit is widely expected to lay the groundwork for talks on a long overdue comprehensive security cooperation pact.
Many New York teenagers victims of sexual violence: survey
By IANS,
New York : A survey of 1,300 high school students here has revealed that 16.2 percent of them have been subjected to sexual violence, and in most cases the victims knew the perpetrators.
The three-year, comprehensive survey of students aged between 13 and 21 years, with 15 or 16-year-olds being in the majority, found that 16.2 percent of the teenagers had suffered sexual violence - a much higher figure than the national average of 7 to 10.2 percent.
Britons worried about financial future
By IRNA,
London : British families are more worried about the financial future than at any time over the last 26 years, according to the latest findings of a barometer poll on consumer confidence.
All five measures used by the monthly poll conducted by GfK NOP reveal public fears amid spiraling household bills as well as the lowest confidence about economic conditions over the next 12 months since 1982.
Sri Lankan military says 9,000 rebels killed in last two years
By Xinhua,
Colombo : About 9,000 Tamil Tiger rebels have been killed by government troops since the government launched its military offensive in August 2006, Sri Lankan Army Commander Sarath Fonseka told reporters on Monday.
Fonseka told a gathering of Colombo-based foreign reporters that 1,700 government troops were also killed and 4,000 injured in the past two years in the military action against the Libation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in the north and east.
The commander estimated that the LTTE still has about 5000 fighters, but "their capability has gone out."
AU summit closed after discussions on MDGs, food crisis and Zimbabwe
By Xinhua,
Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt : The 11th African Union (AU) summit closed here Tuesday after African leaders discussed the impact of soaring food prices, the situation in Zimbabwe, and how to achieve the Millennium Development Goals in Africa,
The AU leaders have shown great concern on the impact of soaring food prices on Africa.
"This sharp increase (in basic food prices) has had a particularly negative effect on African countries," Jean Ping, chairman of the AU Commission, told a meeting of AU foreign ministers.
Nepali major parties accord over Madhesi issues
By Xinhua,
Kathmandu : Major political parties in Nepali Constituent Assembly (CA) and agitating Madhes-based parties on Sunday reached an agreement to introduce a new supplementary amendment bill to the Interim Constitution.
Sailor, boat powered by waves arrive in Japan
By Xinhua,
Beijing : Japanese sailor Kenichi Horie said good weather and tasty fish sustained his spirits and body during the more than three months it took to sail from Hawaii to Japan in a boat powered by ocean waves.
"The sea was so calm, and the weather was so great throughout my journey. That's why it took me so long," he said Saturday.
Solana welcomes Serbian Parliament”s approval of new government
By KUNA,
Brussels : The EU's Foreign and Security Policy Chief Javier Solana welcomed on Tuesday the Serbian Parliament's approval Monday night of the new government which considers joining the EU a top priority.
"I welcome the formation of the new government in Belgrade and look forward to working with PM Mirko Cvetkovic and his cabinet," Solana said in a statement.
He further said that the EU expects the new government to push through with reforms and meet the conditions necessary for a closer relationship between Serbia and the EU.
DPRK calls for enhanced information cooperation among non-aligned countries
By Xinhua,
Pyongyang : The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) urged developing countries to enhance cooperation to establish a new international information and communication order, the official KCNA news agency reported Tuesday.
The developing countries should exchange technology and experience on the principle of collective self-reliance, meet each other's needs and cooperate with each other, said the head of the DPRK delegation to the seventh meeting of information ministers of the non-aligned countries held on July 3.
One farmer dead in clash between Philippine troops, Moro fighters
By ANTARA News/DPA,
Manila : One farmer was killed on Tuesday when fresh fighting broke out between government troops and Muslim separatist rebels in the southern Philippines, an army spokesman said.
The soldiers were on patrol in the village of Pagangan in Aleosan town in North Cotabato province, 960 kilometres south of Manila, when Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebels attacked them.
Lieutenant Colonel Julieto Ando, an army division spokesman, said a farmer was killed when he was hit by a stray bullet during the fighting.
Russian President considering response to U.S. missile defense deal
By Xinhua,
Toyako, Japan : Russian President Dmitry Medvedev Wednesday said he is considering response to the U.S. deal for a missile defense installation in the Czech Republic.
At a press conference after a 3-day Group of Eight (G8) nations which closed here Wednesday, Medvedev said Russia is deeply distressed by U.S. missile plan in Eastern Europe.
"We won't go hysterical over this, but we will weigh up our response," the president said at the news conference.
He continued to say that Russia is still open to talks with the United States on the issue.
Bush urges Congress to lift ban on offshore oil drilling
By Xinhua,
Washington : US President George W. Bush Tuesday urged the Congress to lift legislative restrictions on offshore oil drilling to help address rising fuel costs.
"It's been a difficult time for many American families," Bush told a White House news conference. "I think the system is basically sound, really."
Bush Monday lifted an executive ban on offshore oil drilling.
There are two prohibitions on offshore drilling, one imposed by Congress and the other by an executive order signed by former president George H.W. Bush in 1990.
Food crisis a wakeup call for Asian agriculture
By DPA,
Bangkok : When world rice prices hit $1,000 per tonne in May, more than doubling over five months, Asian governments were forced to take a serious look at their neglected agriculture sectors.
Before the Asian economic miracle of the 1980s and '90s, there was the green revolution of the 1960s.
Asia's green revolution combined the introduction of high-yield seeds for staple crops such as maize, wheat and rice with massive public expenditures on rural infrastructure. Productivity soared and famine became a thing of the past.
McCain meeting Jindal over VP selection: Washington Post
By IANS,
Washington : John McCain is to meet Bobby Jindal during a trip to New Orleans this week, reportedly over selection of a running mate by the Republican presidential candidate, The Fix politics blog of Washington Post said quoting sources close to the McCain campaign.
Australians consider themselves to have worked too much
By Xinhua,
Canberra : A national index released on Monday showed that the Australians believed they overworked and their job interfered with their life.
Most people wanted to work less with a working week of 34.6 hours, the 2008 Australian Work and Life Index produced by the University of South Australia showed.
That desire compared with an actual average working week of 38.2 hours, the index said.
UN approves new human rights chief
By RIA Novosti,
New York : The UN General Assembly has approved South African judge Navanethem Pillay as its new high commissioner for human rights.
Pillay, 67, who said she wants to be the "the champion of human rights in every part of the world," will take up her new post on September 1, replacing Louise Arbour, a former Canadian Supreme Court judge. Her term is for five years.
Born in the South African city of Durban, Harvard-educated Pillay, who is of Tamil descent, became the first woman to establish a legal practice in South Africa's Natal province.
Nepal PM says sorry, SAARC Summit row ends
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS,
Kathmandu : The sword hanging over Nepal's caretaker Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala's participation at the 15th SAARC Summit in Sri Lankan capital Colombo was lifted Wednesday after he apologised to other major political parties for not having consulting them about the trip.
"We decided to allow Koirala to attend the summit after he expressed regrets for not consulting the parties," said Communist Party of Nepal Unified Marxist Leninist (UML) leader Amrit Bohora.
Five killed in Ecuador helicopter crash
By IANS,
Quito : Five Ecuadorian soldiers were killed when an army helicopter crashed near the capital Quito, EFE news agency reported Saturday quoting military sources.
The Gazelle helicopter was on a routine flight from the La Balbina army base near Quito to Aerial Group No 43, when it crashed near San Miguel de los Bancos, some 100 km northwest of Quito, the army said, adding that all five soldiers aboard were killed.
The reason behind the crash was not yet clear and an investigation into the accident has been ordered.
New Sri Lankan fighting kills 40 combatants
By SPA,
Colombo, Sri Lanka : Sri Lankan troops repulsed an attempt by Tamil rebels to retake their recently captured stronghold in heavy fighting that killed 21 rebels and three soldiers, the military said Monday.
Thirteen rebels and three soldiers were killed in other clashes Sunday in the Mannar, Vavuniya and Welioya regions, bordering the rebels' de facto state in the north, said
Brig. Udaya Nanayakkara, the military spokesman was quoted as saying by the Associated Press.
UK government warns parents about child obesity
By IANS,
London : The British government plans to send reports of school weight checks of children to their parents in a move to check the growing problem of obesity. Parents will be told if their child is underweight, healthy or overweight as part of the fat-busting initiative.
Ministers claim the move is necessary because too many parents of obese children do not realise there is a problem, the Manchester Evening News reported.
But experts warn the new measure might prove confusing unless the results are accompanied by clear advice.
Pilots at Lufthansa sister company CityLine stage 36-hour strike
By IRNA,
Berlin : Pilots at Lufthansa sister company CityLine went on a 36-hour strike Thursday, leading to hundreds of flight cancellations and delays at German airports, according to media reports.
The German pilot union 'Cockpit' called for the labor walkout of more than 700 pilots working for CityLine, demanding a wage hike.
The strike started midnight and was expected to last until Friday noon.
The labor action affected airline traffic at nationwide airports, including Berlin, Munich, Hanover, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Leipzig, Stuttgart, Cologne and Duesseldorf.
Merkel discusses S. Ossetian crisis with Medvedev and Saakashvili
By IRNA,
Berlin : German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Friday called for an immediate end to military clashes in Southern Ossetia during her phone conversations with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and his Georgian counterpart Mikhail Saakashvili, news reports said.
She urged both sides to halt all military hostilities, deputy government spokesperson Thomas Steg was quoted saying.
No one could decide this conflict by military means, Merkel was cited saying.
The German leader said both sides had to do their share to seek a "political solution".
Former Pacific Islands Forum Sec-Gen Dies
By Bernama,
Wellington : Former Pacific Islands Forum Secretary General Greg Urwin has passed away at the age of 62, the Forum Secretariat announced on Monday, reports China's Xinhua news agency.
Urwin, who formally resigned from his post at the end of last month, died at his family home in Apia, Samoa, Sunday night after a short battle with cancer.
He had being ill for the past eight months.
Urwin travelled to Samoa last week to be with his family and loved ones before his death.
Sri Lankan president promises land to people in north
By Xinhua,
Colombo : Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse said Tuesday that his government would ensure the northern people the right to own their land.
"As much as we have given the eastern people their right to own land we will soon ensure that northern people would be free to do likewise," Rajapakse told a political gathering in Colombo.
The president was referring to his government's military thrust against Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) rebels.
Two mountain climbers freeze to death in Alps
By DPA,
Rome : Two mountaineers froze to death after apparently getting lost during a storm in Italy's northern Alps region, officials said Saturday.
Bodies of the two - a Dutch and an Englishman - were found at an altitude of some 4,000 metres and were brought back to the valley, officials in the northern Alpine town of Aosta said.
Italy's northern Alps region was struck Friday by thunder and hail storms.
Ex-German chancellor blames Saakashvili for starting conflict
By IRNA,
Berlin : Former German chancellor Gerhard Schroeder blamed US-backed Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili for "triggering" the conflict in the Georgian separatist region of South Ossetia.
What sparked the present combat actions was the "Georgian invasion of South Ossetia," Schroeder said Saturday in an interview with the weekly Der Spiegel news magazine.
He branded Saakashvili a political "gambler", while warning against plans for a swift NATO membership of Georgia.
US-Pakistan cooperation will continue: Rice
By Xinhua,
Washington : The US will continue to work with the Pakistani government, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said after President Pervez Musharraf announced his resignation Monday.
Rice thanked Musharraf, a key US counter-terrorism ally, for his help in the fight against Al Qaeda.
Musharraf, who took power in 1999 in a military coup, announced his decision to step down in a televised speech to the nation earlier in the day.
War will continue until last Tiger is killed: Rajapaksa
By IANS,
Colombo : Riding on public support for the ongoing war against the Tamil Tigers, President Mahinda Rajapaksa has declared that the military campaign will continue "until the last rebel is killed or every inch of land is captured", a media report said Tuesday.
President Rajapaksa made these remarks while addressing an election rally of his United People Freedom Alliance (UPFA) at Ruwanwella in Sabaragamuwa province Monday.
Merkel urges Georgian neighborhood confab without Russia: report
By IRNA,
Berlin : German Chancellor Angela Merkel has called for convening a meeting of Georgia's neighbors but without the presence of Russia, the weekly Der Spiegel news magazine said in a report to hit the newsstands on Sunday.
Merkel has already presented the initiative to French President Nicholas Sarkozy who holds currently the rotating European Union presidency.
The Georgian summit is to include countries like Armenia and Azerbaijan but not Russia.
Nepal PM leaves for China
By IRNA,
New Delhi : A day after swearing in his new cabinet on a note of discord, Nepal's first Maoist Prime Minister Prachanda Saturday left Kathmandu for Beijing, his first destination abroad after assuming office.
Britain warns Russia not to start a new cold war
By DPA,
London : British Foreign Secretary David Miliband warned Russia Wednesday not to start a new Cold War, and suggested the European Union (EU) and NATO should review their relations with Moscow.
"Russia is not yet reconciled to the new map of this region," he said after Russian president Dmitry Medvedev recognised the independence of Georgia's two breakaway regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.
Medvedev's "unilateral attempt to redraw the map marks a moment of real significance", Miliband said in a speech in the Ukraine capital Kiev.
Teens who shun physical activity more likely to be ill
By IANS,
Sydney : Teens who shun physical activity are more likely to fall ill because of sedentary lifestyles, according to Queensland University of Technology researcher Kyra Hamilton.
Hamilton, who also has 15 years nursing experience, said the results were split fairly evenly down the middle: just under half (42 per cent) of the 423 teens surveyed were regularly active, and just over half (58 per cent) were not regularly active.
Nepal’s first Maoist government unveils policies
By IANS,
Kathmandu : Nepal's first Maoist government Wednesday unveiled its policies and programmes, pledging to write a new constitution within two years and integrate the People's Liberation Army guerrillas with the state army in six months.
President Ram Baran Yadav presented the Maoist-led six-party government's policies before the interim parliament, which focused on an economic revolution that would be led by former revolutionary and new prime minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal "Prachanda" himself.
Asian policewoman in Britain complains of racism
By IANS,
London : The London Metropolitan Police (Met) may face a racism charge once again, this time from a senior Asian woman officer who is claiming she is the target of racist bullying and victimisation.
The case of Yasmin Rehman comes close on the heels of two recent cases of race discrimination filed by senior Asian officers Shabir Husain and Tarique Ghaffur. The employment tribunal dismissed Husain's case while police chief Ian Blair suspended Ghaffur even as his case is yet to come for hearing.
Venezuela accuses US of sponsoring plan to kill Chavez
By DPA,
Caracas : The Venezuelan government Thursday accused the US of sponsoring a plan to assassinate President Hugo Chavez, hours after he ordered an investigation into a military conspiracy to overthrow him.
Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro said Caracas had no doubt of Washington's involvement in the plot and would file formal complaints against the US in international fora.
"As investigations move on we will get to see to what extent (the US) was involved," Maduro said.
US working hard to check Wall St impact on economy: Bush
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : As the US financial system reeled with the turmoil on the Wall Street, President George W. Bush assured that his administration was working to reduce disruptions and minimise the impact on the broader economy.
"As policymakers, we're focused on the health of the financial system as a whole," Bush said at the White House Monday, using the visit of Ghana President John Kufuor to reach out to the Americans "concerned about the adjustments that are taking place in our financial markets".
Four injured after suspected LTTE bus bombing in Colombo
By IANS,
Colombo : An alert conductor ordered passengers to quickly get off a bus here Tuesday after noticing a suspicious parcel, which later exploded injuring four people, the military authorities said, blaming the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) for the blast.
A huge explosion rocked the bus at Horton Place in the upscale Colombo 7 region around 1.50 p.m.
Engineer working to better engine performance, cut emissions
By IANS,
Washington : The five engines in Song-Charng Kong's lab have come a long way since Karl Benz patented a two-stroke internal combustion engine in 1879.
There are fuel injectors and turbochargers and electrical controls. There's more horsepower, better efficiency, cleaner burning and greater reliability.
But Kong - with the help of 15 graduate students and all kinds of sensors recording engine cylinder pressure, energy release and exhaust emissions - is looking for even more.
Russia opposes new UN sanctions on Iran
By RIA Novosti,
Moscow : Russia is opposed to any new UN measures against Iran over its disputed nuclear programme for now, the foreign ministry said Saturday.
The statement came after six world powers met Friday to discuss a fourth round of UN sanctions against the Islamic Republic suspected of seeking to develop nuclear weapons.
The meeting in Washington brought no agreement.
Tehran insists it pursues nuclear research to generate electricity.
"We spoke out against extra measures by the UN Security Council at the current stage," the ministry said.
Chinese president hopes US moves will stabilise market
By Xinhua,
Beijing : Chinese President Hu Jintao Monday spoke to his US counterpart George W. Bush over the phone and expressed his confidence that Washington would overcome the financial market crisis being felt worldwide.
Bush briefed Hu on the latest development of the US financial market, saying his government was well aware of the scope of the problem, and had taken necessary measures to stabilize the domestic and world markets.
US market crisis: Lessons from Lehman’s collapse
By Li Bo, Xinhua,
Beijing : The US government's decision to take its hands off the country's fourth largest debt ridden bank Lehman Brothers and let it fall has sent a stark message to other financial institutions.
"Lehman's collapse was earth-shaking news for the world financial market. It blew away the myth that as long as they (the financial institutions) become large and reach far they can beg for government help when in emergency," said Jia Guowen, a financial analyst on a national TV programme.
US stocks plunge as Fed moves fail to calm investors
By DPA,
Washington : US stocks fell sharply again Tuesday as investors remained unconvinced that new lending avenues created by the Federal Reserve would unblock credit to the struggling US economy.
The three major stock indices each fell more than 5 percent. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell more than 500 points and the broader S&P 500 dropped below 1,000 points for the first time in five years.
Ukraine sent arms to Georgia during conflict -Russia’s NATO envoy
By RIA Novosti,
Brussels : Russia's NATO envoy has said that Ukrainian weapons were delivered to Georgia, and that the last delivery came as Georgian forces were attacking breakaway South Ossetia.
"The last such case [of arms supplies] took place on August 8," Dmitry Rogozin said on Wednesday evening.
Georgian forces began their attack on South Ossetia late on August 7, continuing it the next day. Russia subsequently launched a military operation to "force Georgia to peace." The operation was concluded on August 12.
Countries will work to avoid broader economic fallout: Bush
By DPA,
Washington : US President George W. Bush said Saturday that the world's economic powers will work closely to overcome the ongoing financial crisis and create a plan toward recovery.
"We will stand together in addressing this threat to our prosperity," Bush said. "We will do what it takes to resolve this crisis, and the world's economy will emerge stronger as a result."
Undercover cop in New Zealand lied to send 150 to jail
By DPA,
Wellington : A former undercover New Zealand police officer has confessed to lying in court testimony that sent at least 150 people to jail, a newspaper reported Sunday.
Patrick O'Brien, nearly 60, wrote to Chief Justice Dame Sian Elias, admitting perjury and saying that he was racked with guilt after carrying a "dreadful secret" for more than 30 years, the Herald on Sunday reported.
Australia moves to increase guarantees for bank deposits
By DPA,
Sydney : Australia is set to join other countries struggling to maintain investor confidence by raising the level at which it guarantees bank deposits.
The proposed threshold was 20,000 Australian dollars ($13,200) but the government is expected to raise this to 100,000 Australian dollars.
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has said previously that local banks had the resilience to withstand any runs against them, but he has since come round to the view that Australia needs to keep in step with guarantees offered for bank deposits in the US and Europe.
Germany to inject $95 bn in finance rescue scheme
By DPA,
Berlin : Germany is to inject 70 billion euros ($95 billion) into the banking system this week as part of a rescue plan for the world economic system, officials said Monday.
Up to 400 billion euros more would be offered in government guarantees.
A copy of the draft legislation obtained by DPA indicates Germany will set up a government fund that will inject money into the banks while accepting troubled assets from the banks as security.
Wall Street stages massive rally on European rescue plans
By DPA,
New York : Wall Street delivered one its largest gains ever Monday as a series of financial rescue plans around the world and efforts to boost liquidity heartened investors.
Stocks were up more than 11 percent on the major US indices.
In its largest-ever point gain, the blue-chip Dow Jones Industrial Average surged 936.42 points, or 11.08 percent, to 9,387.61.
EU leaders call for international summit on financial crisis
By RIA Novosti,
Brussels : The leaders of the EU's 27 member states have supported plans for an international summit on the global financial crisis, current EU president Nicolas Sarkozy told journalists in Brussels.
"We want a financial summit to take place before the end of this year, preferably in November," he said. "Europe will not let this crisis pass without taking action."
EU leaders gathered in Brussels on Wednesday for a two-day summit.
Sarkozy said that the summit should take place in New York, "where everything started," and lead to "a new capitalism."
Russian stock markets slide
By RIA NOVOSTY,
Moscow : Russia's RTS and MICEX stock markets sank below the psychologically important levels of 700 and 600 points respectively soon after the finance minister issued a stern outlook for the markets Friday morning.
Addressing the lower house of parliament, or the State Dumas, Alexei Kudrin said: "We expect declines in the oil price, and the stock market indices in the global economy. And, naturally, a lower global oil price will bring with it a lower oil price in our economy."
UK economy not expected to recover until 2011
By IRNA,
London : Britain's economy is not expected to fully recover from the current financial crisis for three years, according to a bleak report on the impact of an impending recession on the country's "real economy."
Ernst & Young Item Club said that the UK economy is already in recession after "deteriorated dramatically" in the past three months.
It forecast it will shrink by a further 1 per cent next year before starting to recover.
Its latest report Monday warned that widespread cuts in investment and employment are "inevitable."