Taiwanese embassy in Costa Rica closes after 63 years of ties
By DPA
San Jose : The Taiwanese embassy in Costa Rica has been closed down as 63 years of diplomatic ties between the two countries ended after San Jose established relations with China on June 1.
Bombardier’s profit dips 31 percent on cancelled orders
By IANS,
Toronto : Canada's Bombardier, the world's third largest maker of civilian aircraft, Wednesday reported 31 percent drop in its profits for the first quarter.
Attributing the decline in its income to a large number of order cancellations, the Montreal-based company said it earned $158 million in the first quarter as compared to $229 million during the same period last year.
Bombardier, which is also a world leader in rail and metro transport, said its quarterly revenue fell from $4.8 billion to $4.5 billion.
Russian Senate Revokes Agreement with Ukraine
By Prensa Latina
Moscow : The Russian Council of the Federation (Senate) revoked an intergovernmental agreement with Ukraine on the shared use of antimissile defense systems and control of outer space, signed in 1997.
Due to the situation caused by the radar stations in Mukachevo and Sebastopol, Russia decided to relinquish those facilities and derogate the pertinent agreement, explained the president of the committee for affairs of Commonwealth of Independent State, Vadim Gustov.
Only democracy can resolve Tibetan issue: Sangay
By IANS,
Sonipat (Haryana): China needs democracy for Tibet to gain "genuine autonomy", Tibetan Prime Minister Lobsang Sangay said Thursday.
Lawsuit dropped against director Berg
By IANS,
London : A lawsuit filed against “Hancock” director Peter Berg, alleging he played a part in the death of a golf cart driver, has been dropped.
Imdb.com reports that Berg was a passenger in a sport utility vehicle, which his assistant was driving, when the car struck the cart driven by 25-year-old Nick Papac in Arizona in August 2006.
The director was riding on a highway closed for the filming of his movie “The Kingdom”, where Papac worked as an assistant propmaster.
One of three French think Sakozy marriage hurt his image
By DPA
Paris : If French President Nicolas Sarkozy thought that marrying his glamorous girlfriend, singer Carla Bruni, would restore his standing with the French, a poll made public on Tuesday suggests that he was wrong.
In the poll, carried out by IFOP and published on the website of the weekly Journal du Dimanche, 31 percent of respondents said that Sarkozy's image "was damaged" because of his marriage to Bruni.
Only four percent said that his image improved, while two of three said that the marriage had no effect on his image.
Indonesian Police Force Arrive in Darfur
By SPA,
United Nations : A group of 130 officers from the Indonesian Formed Police Unit (FPU) has arrived in Darfur to strengthen the efforts of the joint United Nations-African Union peacekeeping force working to quell the violence in the strife-torn Sudanese region.
The Indonesian contingent will be based in El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur and headquarters of the joint force, known as UNAMID, which has been lacking troops and police, as well as key assets, since it was deployed at the start of this year.
Dalai Lama talks tough on Tibet’s uprising day
By IANS
Dharamsala : Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama, on the 49th anniversary of Tibet's uprising against Chinese rule Monday, said he would continue to criticise China until a mutual solution was reached on the Tibetan issue.
"The Chinese government severely criticises me when I raise questions about the welfare of the Tibetan people before the international community. Until we reach a mutually beneficial solution, I have a historical and moral responsibility to continue to speak out freely on their behalf," the Nobel laureate said.
Mexican government urged to protect journalist
By IANS/EFE,
Mexico City : Amnesty International has asked the Mexican government to guarantee the security of a journalist who has received death threats.
Albanian PM to convey situation in Kosovo to Muslim leaders at OIC Summit
By KUNA
Sarajevo : Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha said Thursday that he would convey to Muslim leaders, during the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) Summit in Senegal next week, the importance of supporting Kosovo and to acknowledge it.
Australian soldier held for threatening civilians
By IANS,
Sydney : A 28-year-old soldier has arrested in Australia for terrorising residents and motorists on a street with a replica rifle, an official said Sunday.
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.
UN Names New CEPAL Executive Secretary
By Prensa Latina,
United Nations : UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, named Mexican Alicia Barcena as new Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Latin America CEPAL, according to an official report disclosed Tuesday.
Barcena, who was Head of UN Department of Management, replaces Argentine economist Jose Luis Machinea.
With a long political, diplomatic and academic career, CEPAL new Executive Secretary acted as under-secretary of that regional organism for several years and was former chief of staff of former Secretary-General Kofi Annan.
India, South Korea to discuss nuclear cooperation Monday
By IANS,
New Delhi: After its bilateral nuclear accords with the US, France and Russia, India will explore possibilities of civil nuclear cooperation with South Korea, a member of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), when the leaders of the two countries meet here Monday.
"Both sides are keen to cooperate in this area. We are aware of their capabilities in this area," Gautam Bambawale, joint secretary (East Asia) in the external affairs ministry, told reporters here.
"But we will have to wait for directions from the political leadership first," he added.
Medvedev pledges response to U.S. missile shield
By RIA Novosti,
Rusutsu (Hokkaido) : Russia will respond to U.S. missile shield plans in Central Europe, President Dmitry Medvedev said on Wednesday, pledging at the same time that Moscow would not resort to 'hysterics' over the issue.
"I repeat once again, we are not satisfied with it, and I have said this to my counterparts. Of course, we will not get hysterical over the issue, but we will consider what steps to take in response," Medvedev told journalists after the G8 summit in Japan.
Nepal seeks donor support for economic growth
By DPA,
Kathmandu : The new government in Nepal led by the former Maoist rebels Thursday sought help from the country's key international donors for continued financial assistance.
The meeting between the government and representatives of donor countries and organisations was the first since the Maoist-led government was sworn in earlier this month.
It was also an attempt to instil confidence within the donor community, which has been apprehensive about the Maoist commitment to free economy and democracy.
Three people killed in attack, bombing in S. Thailand
By KUNA,
Kuala Lumpur : One soldier and two civilians were killed Tuesday in a shooting and a bomb attack staged by suspected separatist insurgents in Thailand's Muslim-majority far south, police said.
Local media quoted the police as saying that a Thai army private died early this morning after he and five other soldiers were seriously wounded when a powerful roadside bomb exploded near their armored vehicle in Narathiwat province yesterday afternoon.
Also on Monday, two men were shot dead in separate attacks in neighboring Pattani province, police there said.
Nepal journalist slain for seeking justice for murdered kin?
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS,
Kathmandu : Nepali journalist Uma Singh, hacked to death at her residence Sunday night, might have been killed because she was seeking justice for her slain father and elder brother.
About two years ago, Singh's father Ranjit Singh and brother Sanjay were abducted from Maheshpur village in trouble-prone Terai district Siraha, allegedly by Maoists. Their bodies were found two days later.
G8 leaders get down to business, seek climate change accord
By IANS
Heiligendamm (Germany) : Leaders of the world's key industrialized nations got down to formal business Thursday amid divisions over tackling climate change and strained relations between Russia and the West.
Rice calls for creative solutions, US hints no UN resolution on Gaza
By Joe Macaron WASHINGTON, Jan 22 (KUNA) -- US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice called on Tuesday for creative solution in dealing with the crisis in Gaza while blaming Hamas for the strips isolation.
"Ultimately, Hamas is to blame for this circumstance because if they were more responsible toward the international community, then Gaza would be connected to the outside world rather than cut off", said Rice in a briefing en route to Berlin.
Women activists call ask Philippines president to quit
By DPA
Manila : Hundreds of women activists Saturday marked the International Women's Day in the Philippine capital demanding the resignation of scandal-tainted President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.
The activists marched through the main streets denouncing the alleged massive corruption perpetrated by Arroyo, her family and allies.
Chanting "Gloria resign", the women carried a giant cardboard replica of a handcuff which they said should remind Arroyo that she has to answer for all her crime against the people.
Western bankers head East amid sub-prime crisis: report
By IANS,
London : More and more senior executives from London and New York are relocating to Mumbai and other Asian financial centres, driven by the recent economic downturn caused by the US sub-prime mortgage crisis, a newspaper reported Monday.
The Times said that with deals drying up in London and New York, executives were being served ultimatums of 'Mumbai, Dubai, Shanghai - or goodbye.'
Merrill Lynch, Morgan Stanley, Barclays Capital and Citigroup were among firms that have relocated senior executives to Hong Kong, Singapore and Mumbai and, in some cases, created jobs for them.
Agreement to increase American military presence in Philippines signed
Manila: The US and the Philippines signed an agreement Monday which will allow a larger presence of American troops in the military bases of...
Davidar fired by Penguin for sexual harassment, didn’t quit
By IANS,
Toronto : David Davidar, Indian-born president and CEO of Penguin Canada who announced Tuesday that he is voluntarily leaving the publishing giant, was actually terminated following a sexual harassment complaint by a former employee.
Joined by Penguin Group chairman John Makinson, Davidar had announced Tuesday that he is leaving the company to "pursue his successful writing career and other projects."
Obama for global faith dialogue with religious leaders
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : Noting that no religion, be it Christianity, Islam, Buddhism or Hinduism, teaches hatred, President Barack Obama Thursday said he will reach out to world leaders to foster a more productive and peaceful dialogue on faith.
"No matter what we choose to believe, let us remember that there is no religion whose central tenet is hate," he said during a speech at the National Prayer Breakfast. "There is no God who condones taking the life of an innocent human being. This much we know."
Ties with India Islamabad’s priority: Pakistan president
Islamabad : Friendly relations with India on the basis of mutual confidence and cooperation is Islamabad's priority but it wants India to resolve the...
Mass grave discovered in Peru
By IANS,
Putis (Peru) : The Peruvian government has excavated the remains of at least 60 people, including 15 children, killed in a massacre led by the military in 1984, Spain's EFE news agency reported.
The mass grave was discovered in Putis, some 650 km south-east of the Peruvian capital Lima, where 120 peasants were slaughtered in 1984, the report said Friday.
This was the biggest extra-judicial burial ever discovered in Peru, said prosecutor Cristina Olazabal, who is overseeing the excavation.
Three die in Peru mining accident
By IANS/EFE,
Lima : Three workers trapped by a cave-in at a mine in central Peru are dead, an official said.
Kim Jong Il visits China
By DPA,
Beijing/Seoul : North Korean leader Kim Jong Il arrived in China on a rare trip abroad early Monday, Japanese and South Korean media reported.
A photograph from Japan's Kyodo news agency showed the reclusive Kim standing near a saluting Chinese paramilitary policeman.
The agency said the picture and three similar ones were taken outside a hotel in the north-eastern Chinese port city of Dalian Monday.
Petrol In Australia Set To Hit A$1.50 A Litre
MELBOURNE, Jan 3 (Bernama) -- Australian motorists have been warned to expect to pay A$1.50 a litre for petrol as crude oil hits US$100 (US$1=RM3.28) a barrel.
Motoring group, National Roads and Motorists' Association (NRMA), predicted average petrol prices would top A$1.50 (A$1.00 = RM2.89) a litre within the week as international factors prompted the spike in crude oil prices, which had jumped more than 50 percent in a year.
According to the NRMA website, some Sydney motorists were already paying more than A$1.50 a litre.
Chinese president, Japanese PM discuss closer bilateral ties
By Xinhua,
Tokyo : Visiting Chinese President Hu Jintao and Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda held talks in Tokyo Wednesday on furthering the strategic and mutually beneficial relations between the two countries.
Chinese Foreign Ministry officials said the two leaders discussed bilateral relations and other issues of common concern.
The two leaders are expected to attend a signing ceremony for mutual cooperation documents and meet the press following their talks.
Newspaper run by Indian Canadian bags journalism award
By IANS,
Vancouver : The South Asian Post, a newspaper published by an Indian Canadian, has been awarded the Jack Webster Award for best community reporting for a story that led to the release of a man who was wrongly jailed on charges of rape.
The 22nd annual Jack Webster Awards, recognizing the best in journalism in the province of British Columbia, were presented here Thursday.
"This is a momentous day," said South Asian Post publisher Harbinder Singh Sewak. "Not only for our newspaper, but for the entire South Asian community."
52 mn pirated, porn publications seized in China in 2011
By IANS,
Beijing : Over 52 million pieces of pirated, pornographic and illegal publications were confiscated in China in 2011, authorities said.
Brazil to build observatory to study climate change
By IANS/EFE,
Sao Paulo: Brazil will build an observatory in the Amazon region to study the effects of global warming.
The project will be initiated in collaboration with Germany.
The 1,049-foot tower in the Uatuma reserve will begin operation in 2011.
Four more towers, about 260-feet high each, will be built around the main tower.
Germany's Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, Brazilian National Amazon Research Institute and the University of the Amazon will collaborate in the project.
Bush Reviews U.S. Economy
By SPA
Washington : The White House on Friday said that they are optimistic about the U.S. economy in the upcoming year.
The White House’s comments come as the U.S. Department of Labor released a report on Friday that showed that the unemployment rate is growing to 5 percent now, which is the highest since November of 2005.
Hate preacher Abu Hamza arrives in US
By IANS,
New York: Hate preacher Abu Hamza al-Masri arrived here Saturday after losing a long legal battle in Britain to avoid extradition to the US, CNN reported.
Clinton exits White House race, endorses Obama
By DPA,
Washington : Hillary Clinton exited the US presidential race Saturday and endorsed presumptive Democratic nominee Barack Obama, who clinched his party's nod for the general election earlier this week.
"This isn't exactly the party I planned, but I like the company," she told thousands of supporters gathered for one final rally in Washington.
"I ask all of you to join me in working as hard for Barack Obama as you have for me," she said, drawing cheers and spattered boos from the crowd after a bitter five-month battle that saw a series of state primaries held across the US.
US firms urged to tap investment opportunities in UAE
By IANS,
Abu Dhabi: United Arab Emirates (UAE) Foreign Trade Minister Lubna Bint Khalid Al Qasimi Tuesday urged the US firms to tap the investment opportunities in the country to bolster trade ties, WAM news agency reported Tuesday.
The UAE is a major trade partner of the US in the Middle East.
She told a visiting US business delegation that the UAE government has taken effective measures to deal with the global financial crisis.
Nepal peace pact in tatters on third anniversary
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS,
Kathmandu : Nepal's historic peace pact, which ended a decade of violent communist insurgency, turned three years Friday under the threat of unravelling.
On this date in 2006, the shadowy leader of Nepal's Maoist guerrillas, Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda, emerged in the capital from underground to ink a comprehensive agreement with the major parties.
The pact pledged peace, a new constitution and general elections within six months of that.
Goa to check tourists from Europe, Mexico for swine flu
By IANS,
Panaji : Goa's only airport will screen tourists arriving from Mexico, Britain and other European countries for traces of swine flu, officials said Tuesday.
"We are setting up two screening centres at the airport with the help of health department officials," Dabolim international airport director D. Paul Manikam told IANS.
"The tourist season is not yet over. Goa still has some foreign tourists coming in," Manikam said.
According to the tourism department, nearly 500 passengers from Britain alone landed in Goa through chartered flights in the last 15 days.
Teenage fan shot in Brazil violence
By IANS,
Rio de Janeiro : A teenage football fan of Brazilian top flight club Nautico is fighting for his life after being shot during a confrontation between rival supporters.
UK tribunal brings cheer to skilled Indian migrants
By Prasun Sonwalkar
IANSLondon : A ruling by a tribunal court, allowing an appeal by a highly skilled migrant from Kerala who faced deportation to India due to changes in immigration laws, has brought cheers to thousands of Indians in a similar situation here.
Bush to Iran: Come clean on nuclear programme
By DPA
Washington : US President George W. Bush Wednesday urged Iran to "come clean" about its nuclear activities or face further international isolation.
Bush said Iran should halt uranium enrichment and enter negotiations with the US and Europe to end the dispute over Tehran's nuclear ambitions.
"The Iranians have a strategic choice to make," Bush said. "They can come clean with the international community about the scope of their nuclear activities and fully accept a longstanding offer to suspend their enrichment programme and come to the table and negotiate."
Russia, Belarus defense chiefs sign communications deal
By RIA Novasti
Moscow : The defense ministers of Russia and Belarus signed an agreement on Saturday to set up a communications system between regional groupings of the countries' Armed Forces.
Russia's Anatoly Serdyukov and his Belarusian counterpart Leonid Maltsev met in Moscow for talks on bilateral military cooperation.
New German attempt to break nuclear impasse on Iran
By DPA
Berlin : In an attempt to break the impasse over Iran's nuclear programme, the German government has suggested setting up a "special area" where the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) can carry out uranium enrichment for newcomers to the nuclear club.
German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier has put the proposal, which is not new to the UN's nuclear supervisory body as meetings begin in Vienna to prepare the ground for a review of the 1968 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
Attacks on rebels continue in Sri Lanka
By DPA
Colombo : Air, sea and ground attacks on rebels by Sri Lankan security forces continued Tuesday in the northern part of the country as the government claimed that rebels lost as many as 500 cadres in three weeks.
A flotilla of rebel boats moving off the coast area of Pulmuddai, 320 km northeast of the capital, was attacked by the navy Tuesday morning, a military spokesman said.
Greek businessman freed after $18.6 mln ransom paid to kidnappers
By RIA Novosti,
Athens : A prominent Greek industrialist was released by his kidnappers on Monday after 13 days in captivity when his family paid a 12 million euro ($18.6 million) ransom, Greek television reported.
Giorgos Mylonas, the CEO of Greece's Alumil Aluminium company, was kidnapped by unidentified gunmen shortly before midnight on June 9 in Thessaloniki, as he was driving home with his wife.
The kidnappers later released his wife, but the businessman was taken hostage and a 30 million euro ($46.7 million) ransom was demanded for his release.
Bhutan refugees bid tearful farewell to Nepal
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS
Kathmandu : Twenty Bhutanese refugees, including a one-year-old child, Monday bid a tearful farewell to Nepal and the hope of ever being able to return home, as they headed for the US to start a new life after languishing for 17 years in closed camps.
Three refugee families with 20 members, who had flown along with 43 more peers from their shanties in Sanischare camp in eastern Nepal, sobbed and looked glum as they went inside Kathmandu's Tribhuvan International Airport to fly out to start life afresh in the US.
Nepal erupts in protests at attack on journalist
By IANS,
Kathmandu : Hundreds of journalists staged protest marches across Nepal Thursday, condemning the brutal attack on a young radio journalist in western Nepal and demanding tough punishment for the attackers who left her to die on a remote hill.
London stock market drops to four-year low
By Xinhua,
London : As markets across Europe plunged, the FTSE index in the London stock market notched up its third biggest percentage fall, dropping to a four-year low Monday.
At the close, the FTSE 100 index fell by 391.06 points, or 7.85 percent, to close at 4,589.19.
Mining and bank shares were the biggest losers.
The Royal Bank of Scotland was the worst hit, falling 20.4 percent.
France’s Ségolène Royal meets PM, discusses Tibet
By IANS
New Delhi : France's Socialist Party leader Ségolène Royal Friday discussed the situation in Tibet with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and underlined a "disconnect" between the Olympic ethos and alleged Chinese repression in Lhasa.
Manmohan Singh stated India's position on resolving the Tibetan issue through dialogue and the Tibetans' right to hold peaceful protests in India, official sources said. Singh also underlined India's growing relations with China and reiterated that the Tibet Autonomous Region is part of China.
EU to accommodate 10,000 Iraqi refugees
By Xinhua,
Brussels : The European Union (EU) would eventually accommodate as many as 10,000 Iraqi refugees to meet the resettlement target set out by the UN, officials said.
At a two-day EU meeting that opened here Thursday, the law ministers of the group welcomed the fact that some member states have already started receiving Iraqi refugees. They also encouraged other countries to follow suit.
People needing medical help, women, trauma and torture victims as well as members of religious minority groups would be benefited from this action, they said.
Pro-government supporters stage rally in Thailand
Bangkok : Pro-government supporters in Thailand staged a rally Saturday a day after anti-government protestors marched in Bangkok in a "final battle" to oust...
37 injured as New York ferry hits dock
By IANS,
New York : At least 37 people were injured when a ferry boat, carrying 252 passengers and 18 crew members, struck a pier as it approached the dock in New York's Staten Island, authorities have said.
The brakes failed Saturday on the Andrew J. Barberi ferry boat as it hit the dock of the St. George Ferry Terminal on Staten Island at about 9.25 a.m. local time, Janette Sadik-Khan, commissioner of the city's department of transportation, told NY1 television channel.
Russia wants to sign ceasefire deal: Sarkozy
By DPA,
Paris : Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has told French President Nicolas Sarkozy by telephone that he intends to sign the same agreement for a ceasefire in the Caucasus conflict that Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili has already inked.
Sarkozy's office announced Medvedev's verbal agreement to the ceasefire overnight Friday.
Sarkozy spent much of the last week trying to broker a truce in the war that started Aug 7 over the breakaway Georgian province of South Ossetia. France currently holds the rotating presidency of the European Union.
Powerful earthquake strikes Indonesia
By Xinhua
Jakarta : A powerful earthquake struck the western coast off Indonesia's Sumatra island early Sunday morning, but there were immediate report of casualties and structural damages.
According to the country's Meteorological agency, the quake measuring 6.2 on the Richter scale rocked Mukomuko district in Bengkulu province on Sumatra island at 09:52 a.m. local time.
Abkhazia says Tbilisi reluctant to resume peace talks
By RIA Novosti,
Sukhumi : The president of Georgia's breakaway region of Abkhazia accused Tbilisi during an annual parliamentary address Tuesday of trying to avoid resuming peace talks.
He said "Georgia is taking action depriving Abkhazia of a possibility to participate in the negotiating process, including attempts to maintain a regime of sanctions against the republic, obstructing any measures for Abkhazia's social-economic and humanitarian development and using special reconnaissance flights."
Ex-servicemen build tallest model rail track
By IANS,
London : Former British servicemen have built the tallest model railway track in the world at the St Pancras station here.
At 10-feet tall, the train track is already attracting much interest from passengers since it was unveiled Wednesday, reports telegraph.co.uk.
The project was sponsored by Royal British Legion Industries, a charity that helps put ex-servicemen back in work, after they were approached by toy manufacturers Tomica, a Japanese company.
Satiric political party wins council poll in Iceland
By DPA,
Reykjavik : An Icelandic political party founded in jest in the wake of the financial crisis has straightaway won a majority during council elections in the capital Reykjavik, the broadcaster RUV reported Sunday.
The Best Party of television comedian Jon Gnarr received 34.7 percent of votes cast over the weekend, snagging six of the 15 council seats and thereby becoming the largest party in the body, ahead of the traditionally leading Conservatives and Social Democrats.
Best Party members include artists and other prominent Icelanders.
‘Berlusconi doodled women’s knickers at EU climate summit’
By IANS,
London : Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi made doodles of women's underwear at a recent European Union summit and then passed them around to shocked leaders, a newspaper reported.
He etched women's underwear through the ages - from Victorian bloomers to thongs - as the leaders discussed climate change at the meeting in Brussels Friday.
His prank caused titters among some, but indignation among others who passed them back to him, the Mail on Sunday reported.
US Govt. Ignoring Suicide of Veterans
By Prensa Latina,
Washington : The US House Committee on Veteran Affairs accused the government agency in charge of dealing with former servicemen of ignoring the risk of suicide faced by many of them.
According to Robert Filner (Dem-CA), who is chariman of the US House Committee on Veteran Affairs, to neglect this situation is a criminal mistake.
We are facing a life/death matter here, handled with neglect, he said during a hearing to discuss the issue in Capitol Hill.
Bush Says Will Visit Russia After April NATO Summit
By SPA
Washington : President George W. Bush said Wednesday he will visit Russia after the April 2 to 4 NATO summit and was hopeful of reaching agreement with President Vladimir Putin on “some very important matters.”
Bush told reporters at the White House that the outgoing Russian leader had invited him to visit Russia after the NATO summit in Romania and that final details still being arranged.
“It’s important that we have good relations with Russia,” Bush said. “We’re optimistic we can reach an accord on some very important matters.”
New York finds traces of radiation likely from Fukushima reactors
By DPA,
New York : Traces of radioactive iodine, most likely from Japan's Fukushima nuclear reactors, were detected in New York, news reports said Wednesday, citing the state's health department.
Indian-origin man jailed for biting compatriot’s ear
Wellington: An Indian-origin man has been jailed and fined for biting off his former lover's new partner's ear in New Zealand, media reported Saturday.
During...
Ukraine PM Tymoshenko to meet Putin in Moscow
By SPA
Kiev : Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko heads for talks in Moscow on Wednesday, including a meeting with Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin, Reuters quoted her office as saying, a week after
Ukraine clinched a deal to avoid a cut in Russian gas supplies.
Gas rows between Ukraine and Russia, which supplies a quarter of Europe's gas needs, have been a big issue since a dispute between the two states disrupted export in January 2006.
Myanmar government, armed groups resume peace talks
Yangon : Negotiators of the Myanmar government negotiators and ethnic armed groups resumed their peace talks in the capital on Tuesday to finalise a...
Obama urged to end Bush’s Cuba embargo
By IANS,
Washington : Cuban dissidents in exile and US academics have urged president-elect Barack Obama to ease restrictions on travel and remittances to Cuba as a first step toward normalizing relations with the communist-ruled island.
Dissident leader Tomas Bilbao and former US diplomat Wayne Smith, told EFE, despite their different ideologies, they are united in their demand to eliminate a "failed" policy of isolation against Cuba.
Berlusconi makes first public appearance after facial surgery
By IANS/AKI,
Rome : Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi appeared in public Wednesday for the first time since undergoing facial surgery earlier this week.
US announces boost for FAO’s bird flu programme
By NNN-FAO
Rome : The United States will support FAO’s avian influenza control and prevention programme with an additional US$38 million, FAO announced Wednesday. The United States is one of the biggest donors to the agency’s programme.
With the new funding, US support to the FAO avian influenza programme has reached a total of about $63 million.
FAO is currently assisting more than 100 countries in their efforts to prevent and control avian influenza.
Cadbury rejects Kraft’s takeover offer
By IANS,
London : Britain-based global confectionery and processed foods major Cadbury Monday rejected the $16.7-billion hostile takeover bid by Kraft of the US, saying it "substantially" undervalues the company.
"Cadbury is an exceptional business worth much more than the offer put forward by Kraft," said company chairman Roger Carr in a statement to shareholders.
Mutharika wins Malawi’s presidential election
Lilongwe (Malawi) : Malawi's opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) candidate Peter Mutharika has emerged winner of the May 20 presidential race in the southern...
Disgraced Malaysian politician blames ‘certain partymen’
By IANS
Kuala Lumpur : Malaysian politician Chua Soi Lek, who resigned as health minister and lawmaker after being caught in a sex romp on video, has blamed "certain partymen" of his Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) for the scandal but has refused to elaborate further.
Chua, who resigned Wednesday, has acknowledged the woman in the DVDs as "a personal friend". Though media reports Thursday said she is a florist, details about her have not so far become public.
Obama will help improve healthcare in India: Bill Gates
By IANS,
New Delhi : Microsoft founder and philanthropist Bill Gates said here Wednesday that Barack Obama, who was elected the 44th president of the US, will help strengthen the global health fund and improve healthcare in India and abroad.
“I was not supporting any particular candidate but I am sure Obama will help improve the global health fund. I believe his commitment will improve healthcare in India and abroad,” Gates said.
Issues like polio, AIDS, malaria and pneumonia need global attention and “any one winning US presidency” cannot ignore them, said Gates.
Russia Rejects US-NATO Monopoly
By Prensa Latina
Moscow : Russia gives great importance to the Munich Forum, a platform to demolish the US-NATO monopoly in its vision for a collective system of global security, affirmed on Saturday a parliamentarian source.
The Russian delegation at the 44th International Conference will defend the principles formulated by President Vladimir Putin at the recent Council of State, emphasized the chief of the Duma Committee for international affairs Kontatin Kosachev.
Obama nominee to head transportation security withdraws
By DPA,
Washington : US President Barack Obama's nominee to lead the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) withdrew Wednesday, keeping the agency that manages airport security without a permanent head in the wake of the Christmas Day plot to blow up an airliner.
The departure came as Congress held a series of hearings related to the failed Dec 25 attack on a Detroit-bound flight, including intelligence failures in the run-up to the plot and efforts to combat terrorist groups in Yemen.
French are world champions in eating, drinking and sleeping
By DPA,
Paris : No one in the developed world spends more time than the French on eating, drinking and sleeping, according to a study by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) issued here Monday.
The study, titled Measuring Leisure in OECD Countries, found that French men and women above the age of 15 spend an average of about two hours and 15 minutes a day eating and drinking. That's nearly twice as much as Mexicans, Canadians and Americans.
Ahmadinejad says UN lost credibility after Iran resolution
By DPA,
Hamburg : Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Sunday the UN Security Council has lost its credibility after its adoption of a new sanctions resolution against Iran.
"After this resolution the UN Security Council has lost its credibility and this body has turned into a suppressive tool in the hands of world powers (against independent countries)," Ahmadinejad said in an interview with state television.
100 vehicles collide in Germany
By IANS,
Berlin: About 100 vehicles crashed in snowy conditions on a highway in Germany Tuesday, injuring several people, media reports said.
Morales’ comments on gays, chickens, baldness trump climate event
By DPA,
La Paz (Bolivia) : A three-day conference on climate change in the central Bolivian town of Tiquipaya made more headlines for the striking comments by Bolivian President Evo Morales than any concrete proposals.
"The chicken we eat is full of female hormones," Morales claimed Tuesday. "That is why men, when they eat this chicken, have deviations in their being as men," in a reference to homosexuality.
‘Need to regulate tourists, researchers in fragile poles’
By IANS,
Washington : A new coordinated set of rules to govern commercial and research activities in both of the highly fragile polar regions is urgently needed, according to experts meeting in Iceland for a UN-affiliated conference.
Climate change is causing the ancient ice lid on the Arctic Ocean to disappear fast, creating new opportunities for fishers and resource companies, and opening a potential new, far shorter ocean route between Europe and Asia, with billions of dollars tied up in ice-class ships.
Over 100 flights cancelled in Chicago due to snow
By IANS,
Chicago : Over 100 flights have been called off at the O'Hare International Airport in Chicago because of snow and difficulties in de-icing the planes, officials said.
Train hijacking foiled in Indonesia
By IANS,
Jakarta : An attempt to hijack a train carrying hundreds of passengers to their hometowns ahead of Eid was Saturday foiled by the police, an official said.
Record Abstention in S. Korean Elections
By Prensa Latina
Seoul : The Great National Party of South Korean President Lee Myung Bak won the legislative elections Wednesday, which registered the lowest participation index in the history of South Korea.
The Electoral Commission said 17.4 million people out of 37.8 million voted at the electoral colleges, representing 46 percent of the total participation.
With 90 percent of the votes counted GPN will get 152 of the 299 seats of the National Assembly and its rival, the United Democratic Party, will get 82 seats of 136 it had before.
Mexico, Central America propose global Green Fund
By DPA,
Tegucigalpa ( Mexico) : The summit on Climate Change and the Environment in Honduras approved a Mexican proposal for the creation of a global Green Fund.
The initiative sponsor, Mexican President Felipe Calderon, said the fund seeks to help in reducing polluting gases. He further stressed his own country's progress in the defence of the environment and the generation of energy from renewable sources.
The summit of Central American and Caribbean nations was held Wednesday in San Pedro Sula, 250 km north of Honduran capital Tegucigalpa.
Sikh woman killed her babies before dying: Canadian police
By IANS,
Toronto : A young Sikh woman found dead along with her three small children in Calgary in October killed the babies herself, according to investigations by Canadian police.
Harsimrat Kahlon, 27, and the babies were found dead in their apartment Oct 5 when the woman’s partner called the police.
The Chandigarh-born woman died due to childbirth complications. But before her death, she killed her children.
Their bodies were found inside suitcases hidden in the basement of the couple’s apartment in northeast Calgary.
Britain denies mulling the Zimbabwe solution for economy
By IANS,
London : The British government Thursday denied reports it was considering printing more money to kick start credit, amid speculation that interests rates were set to fall to a three-century-low.
The Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee was Thursday expected to reduce the base rate of interest by at least 0.5 percent, which would bring it down to 1.5 percent - the lowest rate since the Bank of England was founded in 1694.
In the bank's 315-year history, interest rates have never fallen below two percent.
Myanmar survivors emerge desperate for help
By AFP,
Labutta, Myanmar : Thousands of shell-shocked survivors of the Myanmar cyclone emerged Wednesday, desperate for food and water after trekking for days through flood waters littered with the bodies of the dead.
An AFP reporter who reached the remote southern delta hardest hit by the storm, which left more than 60,000 dead or missing, said there was virtually no food or fresh water in this ruined town blanketed by the stench of death.
Tinsel town to protest alleged killings of Tamils in Sri Lanka
By IANS,
Chennai : The Tamil film industry has joined Tamil Nadu's political leadership in protesting against Sri Lanka for alleged killings of the minority Tamils in the island, and has announced a massive demonstration in Rameshwaram next week.
Ace film director Bharathi Raja, considered close to the ruling DMK, told IANS that all people in the industry including actors would shun work Oct 18-20 to be present in the port city to hold a massive demonstration Oct 19 expressing their angst at Sri Lanka's alleged attacks on the Tamil minority in the island across the Palk Strait.
11,000-year-old human sub-species found in China
By IANS,
London : Scientists have found a previously unknown human subspecies, distinct from the present day Homosapiens, that may have lived in China 11,500 years ago.
Chad president wants quickly a planned European force
By SPA
Paris : Chadian President Idriss Deby issued a solemn call on Thursday for the planned European force to quickly take up positions in Chad.
The force has delayed deployment because of a rebel attack on the Chadian capital, N'Djamena, and ensuing violence. However, Deby has said he is in full control of the situation.
He told France's Europe-1 radio that had the force already been deployed it would have lightened the load, allowing him to remove troops at the border protecting refugees.
Huge diamond mine found in China
By IANS,
Beijing: A large diamond mine with a reserve of one million carat has been found in China's Liaoning province.
West blasts Russian election, Putin warns of ‘arms race’
MOSCOW (AFP) - Russia's presidential election came under new attack Friday from a Western democracy watchdog, as President Vladimir Putin warned in a major speech that his successor will have to compete in a new "arms race." In a fresh blow to the credibility of the March 2 poll to replace Putin, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) said that "an election where there is not a level playing field for all contestants can hardly be considered as fair."
Colombian volcano erupts in shower of hot ash
By SPA,
Bogota, Colombia : Colombia's Nevado del Huila volcano is erupting in a shower of hot ash.
Authorities have declared a state of alert and hundreds of people are being evacuated, the Associated Press reported.
The Colombian Institute of Geology and Mining said Monday night that the volcano was in the process of erupting.
There have been no reports of damage so far.
Goldstone rejects Israeli allegations of bias Gaza report
By DPA,
Jerusalem : The head of the UN fact-finding mission into last winter's Gaza war vehemently rejected Wednesday Israel's allegations against the report he wrote about the three weeks of fighting.
Israel has reacted sharply to the critical report by South African justice Richard Goldstone, charging among others that the mission's mandate had been one-sided and its conclusions predetermined.
Nepal ethnic group begins three-day Terai closure
By IANS
Kathmandu : Even as Nepal's government claimed to have completed a round of successful negotiations with the biggest group of ethnic protesters from the Terai region, another faction from the plains began enforcing a three-day shutdown from Monday, demanding the release of their arrested leaders.
At least 14 dead in mounting South Africa xenophobic violence
By Xinhua,
Johannesburg : The death toll in a week-long wave of xenophobic violence in South Africa rose sharply over the weekend as reports of people being burnt and beaten to death poured in from squatter camps around the business capital Johannesburg.
The police said that 12 people were killed over the weekend as shack dwellers in one poor community after another turned on migrants living in their midsts, beating them, sometimes fatally, torching their homes and looting their possessions.
Merkel congratulates Spain’s Zapatero on re-election
By IRNA
Berlin : Chancellor Angela Merkel on Monday morning congratulated Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero on his reelection, government spokesman Ulrich Wilhlem said during a routine weekly press briefing.
Zapatero's Socialist Party clinched 43.6 percent of the vote compared with 40.1 percent for the conservative People's Party, according to the Spanish Interior Ministry.
That will give Zapatero 169 seats out of 350 in parliament compared with 153 for the People's Party, official results said.
UN chief calls for decisive action on Zimbabwe crisis
By DPA,
Manila : UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon Wednesday urged African leaders to take "very decisive" steps to end a standoff between Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai.
The 15-member Southern African Development Community (SADC) has called for an urgent summit to end the deadlock between Mugabe and Tsvangirai over a unity government aimed at ending Zimbabwe's political crisis.
U.S. paper: Pro-China event reflects change in local Chinese community
By Xinhua,
Los Angeles : A recent demonstration by thousands of Chinese Americans against CNN commentator Jack Cafferty's anti-China remarks marked a milestone for the local Chinese community, the Los Angeles Times said Saturday.
Thousands of people, including students, business people and engineers from Chinese mainland, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Southeast Asia, rallied in front of CNN's Hollywood headquarters a week ago, calling for Cafferty's firing after he called the Chinese "goons" and "thugs," and a sincere apology from the network.
Nepal Airlines’ plane meets with accident during test fight
By IANS,
Kathmandu : A small plane belonging to Nepal's national carrier, Nepal Airlines, met with an accident Wednesday at the Tribhuvan International Airport during a test flight.
Details are awaited.
In the face of recall petition, Jindal vetoes legislative pay raise
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : Faced with a recall petition, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal vetoed a bill that would have doubled legislators' salaries but said lawmakers have "a right to be angry" with him for breaking his promise.
Republican Jindal, 37, the first Indian American governor of a US state, said he should not have promised lawmakers that he'd withhold his veto pen. "Today I am correcting my mistake," he said Monday in the state capital of Baton Rouge.
Tamil rebels make conflicting claims over Prabhakaran’s death
By DPA,
Colombo : Tamil rebels have made conflicting claims over the reported death of their leader Velupillai Prabhakaran, with one saying he was still alive and another confirming his death.
A day after Selvarasa Pathmanathan, the head of the department of international relations of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), issued a statement confirming Prabhakaran's death in fighting in northern Sri Lanka last Monday, another powerful group within the rebel movement contradicted the claim.
UK only major economy facing recession, says OECD
By IRNA,
London : Britain is the only major economy in the throes of recession, which will continue until next year, according to the the latest figures from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).
The OECD forecast that the UK economy will shrink by 0.2pc between now and the end of the year, the only negative growth among the G7 group of industrialised countries.
It is the first time a major international forecaster has explicitly said Britain is facing technical recession, when an economy declines for two successive quarters.
NATO must discuss causes of Caucasus crisis with Russia – Lavrov
By RIA Novosti,
Moscow : Russia and NATO must resume their dialogue starting with discussions on the causes of the August conflict between Georgia and Russia over South Ossetia, Russia's foreign minister said on Friday.
NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer had and informal lunch on Friday with Russia's envoy to the military alliance, Dmitry Rogozin, as the two sides start to normalize relations after almost all cooperation was halted in the wake of the conflict in the Caucasus and Russia's recognition of the disputed Georgian republics of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.
Foreign Ministry: China “has no choice but to react” to French leader’s Dalai Lama...
By Xinhua,
Beijing : After the French announced their leader would meet the Dalai Lama, China had no choice but to react, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said here Friday in a statement.
France made the announcement brushing aside China's stance and bilateral relations, Qin said.
Russian warships to visit Cuba Friday
By RIA Novosti,
Moscow : Three Northern Fleet warships will call at the port of Havana in Cuba Friday - the Russian Navy's first visit to the communist-ruled island since the end of the Cold War period, a navy spokesman said Monday.
"This will be the first visit to Cuba by Russian warships since the Soviet days," Captain Igor Dygalo said.
The Admiral Chabanenko missile destroyer and two support ships will stay in Cuba until Dec 23.
"Cubans will have an opportunity to visit the Russian ships," he said.
Sri Lankan president defiant over human rights criticism
Colombo: Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa promised to push ahead with development while opening a Japanese funded highway here Saturday, reiterating he would not...
US spying on UN leadership: WikiLeaks
By DPA,
London : The US is engaged in a spying campaign against the leadership of the UN, according to leaked diplomatic cables published by Britain's Guardian newspaper on its blog Sunday.
China to prepare draft action plan on human rights
By Xinhua,
Beijing : China will draft its first national action plan to protect human rights in the country, the government said Tuesday.
The action plan would cover aspects such as improving government function, expanding democracy, strengthening the rule of law, improving people's livelihood, protecting rights of women, children and ethnic minorities and boosting public awareness of human rights, a release of the State Council, the Chinese cabinet, said.
North Korea rejects South Korea’s offer of talks
By DPA
Seoul: North Korea has rejected an offer by South Korean President Lee Myun Bak to restart reconciliation talks, South Korean media reported Sunday, quoting the official North Korean daily Rodong Sinmun.
A commentary in the Rodong Sinmun criticised the offer as "rhetorical deception", and called Lee a "traitor", accusing him of adopting a "confrontational North Korea policy".
In a speech to parliament Friday, Lee urged North Korea to again take up reconciliation talks with Seoul in the wake of recent progress in nuclear talks with Pyongyang.
NATO airstrike on Afghan village kills 17 civilians
By XINHUA,
Kabul : At least 17 civilians have been killed in an airstrike by the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) against Taliban militants in southern Afghanistan's Helmand province, officials said Friday.
The Afghan National Army (ANA), supported by ISAF gunships, launched a massive offensive against Taliban militants in Nad Ali district Thursday morning, killing a number of militants, provincial police chief Assadullah Shirzad told reporters.
"However, some civilian deaths were also reported later in the day," Shirzad said.
Fiji declares martial law, threatens ousted leader
By DPA
Wellington : Fiji military strongman Commodore Voreqe (Frank) Bainimarama, who seized power in a bloodless coup last December, declared martial law Thursday and accused the prime minister he ousted of destabilising his regime.
Bainimarama said he had reinstated public emergency regulations, which permit the army to arrest people without bringing charges, to restrain former prime minister Laisenia Qarase who returned to the capital Suva Saturday from his home village on an outlying island for the first time since he was deposed.
Myanmar to hire gas turbines from Japan
By IANS,
Yangon : Myanmar will hire three gas turbines from Japan in a bid to ease the country's power shortage, the official media reported.
We admit our past mistakes, says Clinton on climate change
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : Assuring India and China that it wants their economies to grow, the US has told representatives of the world's leading economies that it is no longer "absent without leave" in the global warming debate.
"As I have told my counterparts from China and India, we want your economies to grow. We want people to have a higher standard of living," Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said, opening the first preparatory session of the Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate Change here Monday.
7-year-old girl’s query puts Michelle Obama in a spot
By IANS,
Washington : US President Barack Obama's wife, Michelle Obama, was put in an embarrassing position when a seven-year-old girl asked whether her mother would be deported for being an illegal immigrant. Authorities later said that the girl's mother won't be deported.
Michelle was on a visit with Mexican First Lady Margarita Zavala to the New Hampshire Estates Elementary School in Silver Spring, Maryland when she took questions from the young students.
The girl said: "My mom... she says that Barack Obama is taking everybody away that doesn't have papers."
Obama to convince India, China to support Dhaka at climate meet
By IANS,
Dhaka: US President Barack Obama has said he would "try to convince" Bangladesh's neighbour India and China to speak in Dhaka's favour at the climate summit at Copenhagen.
His assurance of support for Dhaka's case for special funds as it's a disaster-prone state came during a telephone call he made to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina before she left for the summit Monday evening, Star Online said Tuesday.
Brazil installs spy-proof email network
Brasilia: Brazil's defence ministry has started installing a secure digital communication network for federal government offices, a government source said.
The system aims to protect...
US missile defence aimed at Russian nuclear deterrent: Minister
By RIA Novosti,
Munich : The prospective US missile defence shield in Central Europe targets Russia's nuclear deterrent, Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov has said.
Speaking at the 45th Munich Conference on Security Policy Friday, he also said Russia is proposing a ban on the placement of strategic offensive weapons outside national borders in a new Russia-US arms reduction agreement.
Ivanov said Russia would not deploy Iskander missile systems in the Kaliningrad Region if the US gave up its missile shield plans.
Russia’s latest nuclear submarine to undergo more tests
By RIA Novosti,
Moscow: Russia's latest Borey class nuclear submarine, the Yury Dolgoruky, will undergo at least six more sea trials before it is inducted into the Russian Navy, officials said Monday.
The submarine, to be armed with the new Bulava sea-launched ballistic missiles (SLBM), successfully completed its first round of sea trials in the White Sea July 10.
"According to our estimates, the submarine still needs at least five or six sea trials before commissioning," said Anastasia Nikitinskaya, a spokesperson for Sevmash plant.
Nepal ushers in 2010 with a general strike
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS,
Kathmandu : Continuing with the past year's legacy of turmoil, the new year in Nepal dawned amid frustration and anger Friday with disadvantaged ethnic groups calling for a nationwide strike with little prior notice, leaving thousands in difficulties.
Even as the fear of an indefinite strike declared by the Maoists from Jan 24 dampened festive spirits, the nation was caught unawares as the Adivasi Janajati Brihat Morcha, an umbrella of indigenous and ethnic communities, called a closure countrywide Friday, hitting transport and business.
Taiwan woman dismembers unfaithful husband
By DPA,
Taipei : Enraged by her husband's unfaithfulness, a Taiwan woman killed him Friday in front of their 10-year-old grandson and then dismembered his body, police said.
Wu Ah-yin, 57, and her husband Chiang Tien-tsai, 55, were both pork sellers in Tucheng, near Taipei. The couple often quarrelled because Wu had a mistress and often stayed out late, Wang Jen-hong, spokesman for the Tucheng Police Bureau, told reporters.
US readies for ‘mass exodus’ from Cuba after Castro
By DPA
Washington : The US government is prepared for a possible mass exodus of Cubans after the death of elderly leader Fidel Castro, US-Cuba transition coordinator Caleb McCarry said.
"We have contingency plans for a possible massive exodus," McCarry said in Washington. "We have the obligation to secure our borders."
McCarry is one of the most controversial political figures in US-Cuban relations. The communist island interpreted the creation of his bureau by US President George W. Bush as a clear statement of purpose to annex Cuba in the near future.
Aguilera likes her fuller figure
By IANS,
Los Angeles: Singer Christina Aguilera prefers having a fuller figure.
New York city bill mandates stores to recycle plastic bags
NEW YORK, Jan 10 (APP) -- The New York city legislature passed a bill Wednesday requiring major stores and retail chains to collect and recycle plastic bags given to shoppers.
Under the measure, which cleared the City Council by a vote of 44-2, stores of 5,000 square feet or larger and chain operations with five locations in the city must provide recycling bins for plastic bags in a prominent place.
Stores are also required to print messages on the plastic bags they distribute that urge customers to return them for recycling.
Obama telephones Mandela, 20 years after prison release
By DPA,
Washington: US President Barack Obama telephoned Nelson Mandela Friday to commemorate 20 years since the iconic South African leader was released from prison, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said.
"Obama expressed the American people's great admiration for president Mandela, who was very appreciative of the call," Gibbs told reporters in Washington.
Simple headlines capture Obama’s momentous victory
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : American newspaper headlines captured the momentous nature of Barack Obama's election with a few pithy words that said it all.
A New York Times banner headline said simply "OBAMA". The Washington Times proclaimed "President Obama", the Washington Post declared "Obama Makes History" and USA Today said: "America makes history; Obama wins".
Food summit trying to hammer out stand on combating hunger
By DPA,
Rome : Delegates from some 50 nations attending a food summit in Rome were trying Thursday to hammer out a common agreement on how to fight world hunger, which has been exacerbated by the highest food prices in 30 years.
The three-day High-Level Conference on World Food Security was scheduled to end Thursday with an afternoon news conference by Jacques Diouf, director general of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), which hosted the summit.
Obama celebrates first birthday in White House
By DPA,
Washington: US President Barack Obama turned 48 Tuesday and plans to spend part of his birthday meeting with the 58 Democrats in the Senate to push his health care plan.
White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said Obama will discuss health care and the economy during the meeting. Some Democrats have balked at his exhaustive plan for reforming health care.
Obama celebrated over the weekend at the presidential retreat Camp David by bowling and playing basketball with friends, Gibbs said.
Started with borrowed money, Apple becomes world’s No. 1 company
By Gurmukh Singh, IANS,
New York : From a start-up launched with borrowed money to becoming the world's most valuable company, Apple has come a long way.
UN body denounces caste violence
Geneva : Senior UN human rights officials at a UN Human Rights Council event here have called for immediate efforts to end caste-based rape...
Global growth to contract for first time since World War II
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : Global growth is expected to contract by 1.7 percent this year, marking the first decline in world output growth since World War II, according to World Bank estimates released Tuesday.
GDP is projected to decline by 3 percent in OECD countries and by 2 percent in other high-income economies, said the new Global Economic Prospects update released on the eve of the London summit of Group of 20 advanced economies.
Bhutan to inaugurate new airport
By IANS,
Thimphu : Bhutan is to inaugurate its third domestic airport in Gelephu next month.
Chile: 6.7 magnitude quake rocks northern Chile, no victims or damage
By SPA
Santiago : A strong earthquake shook northern Chile early Sunday morning, in the same region where a temblor killed at least two people last month, but authorities said there were no victims or damage, reported ap.
The U.S. Geological Survey said the 6.7-magnitude quake at 5:09 a.m. (0809 GMT) was centered 130 kilometers (80 miles) north-northeast of the port city of Antofagasta and 1,219 kilometers (757 miles) north of the capital, Santiago.
A day earlier a moderate earthquake had rattled central Chile, causing alarm but no reported victims or damage.
Where brown bears roam – Kodiak Island is ideal for wildlife fans
By DPA
Kodiak (Alaska) : Alaska is considered one of the prime destinations for people who like to get far away from the madding crowd and who long to spend their days in unadulterated natural surroundings.
Fishing, hiking and wildlife observation are very popular thereabouts and Kodiak Island, the 9,000-sq-km land mass across the Shelikof Strait to the south of Alaska, is one of the best places to pursue all of these activities.
It is home to countless grizzly bears, eagles and fascinating marine life, including whales.