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Nepal’s Last King Moves To Forest Resort From Royal Palace

By Bernama, Kathmandu : Nepal's deposed king Gyanendra's new residence -- a forest retreat -- is a humble abode compared to the sprawling and luxurious Narayanhiti royal palace in central Kathmandu, Press Trust of India (PTI) reported. The Nagarjuna palace, located seven kms west of the capital, has a centrally-located two-storied bungalow called 'Hemanta Bas', with two bedrooms, a dressing room and a meeting hall called 'Hemanta Baithak' on the ground floor.

Tsvangirai-Mugabe handshake cements momentous talks accord

By DPA, Harare : Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai cemented their accord on talks about a powersharing government Monday with a much-anticipated handshake. Despite appeals from onlookers, the two leaders dodged a couple of opportunities to take each other's hand both during and after signing a framework for talks on a unity government at a ceremony in a Harare hotel.

Islamic State leader bans videos showing entire beheadings

London : The Islamic State (IS) radical group's leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi has ordered its militants not to issue propaganda videos showing the entire...

Russia, Georgia trade barbs, but talks to resume

By DPA, Geneva : Russia and Georgia are to resume talks Nov 18 following the suspension in Geneva Wednesday of their first direct parleys since they went to war in August, European Union (EU) Special Representative for Georgia Pierre Morel told journalists. Russia and Georgia accused each other of walking out of the UN-brokered talks. "De facto the discussion was broken off by Georgia, which refused to participate in the plenary session," Interfax quoted Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin, who headed the Russian delegation to the Geneva talks, as saying.

Rebels attack army base in north Sri Lanka

By SPA, Colombo, Sri Lanka : The Sri Lankan military says a Tamil Tiger attack on a military complex in the north killed 11 troops, one civilian and 10 rebels. Military spokesman Brig. Udaya Nanayakkara says the rebels attack the complex in Vavuniya early Tuesday with artillery, a ground assault and an air strike by the rebels' rudimentary air force. The military says it chased away the planes and shot one of them down. The military says troops killed 10 of the guerrillas who had attacked the complex, according to a report of the Associated Press.

Pentagon spent $1.6 trillion on weapons in 2007: Report

By Xinhua Washington : The US Defence Department's spending on weapon systems rose to $1.6 trillion in 2007, doubling $790 billion in 2000, according to a congressional report. The acquisition costs were 26 percent higher than the original estimates in 2007, and the spending on research and development were 40 percent over the budget, according to the report released Tuesday. Despite the higher-than-budget cost, about 72 programmes were still falling behind schedule, at a 21-month average, which include fighter jets, combat ships and satellites.

Terai protesters give Aug 5 deadline to Nepal government

By IANS

Kathmandu : With less than four months remaining for the crucial constituent assembly election, Nepal's eight-party government faces fresh disruption with two groups of ethnic protesters warning of a fresh stir after Aug 5.

One of the most powerful groups from the Terai plains, the Madhesi Janadhikar Forum, Saturday gave Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala's government eight days to meet its demands or face fresh agitation in the plains.

24 killed in Mexico gangland violence

By EFE, Mexico City : At least 24 people have been killed in separate incidents in the northern Mexican border city of Ciudad Juarez, which has been plagued in a vicious inter-gang drug war in recent times, authorities have said. According to the police, gunmen armed with assault rifles entered a drug rehabilitation center Tuesday night in the Papalote neighborhood and killed 10 people, including a woman, while those inside were celebrating the 199th anniversary of Mexico's independence.

Poland’s Lepper slams PM, plans return to cabinet

By RIA Novosti

Warsaw : Andrzej Lepper, Polish deputy prime minister and agriculture minister, whose recent dismissal by president Lech Kaczynski has provoked a government crisis, has said he plans to return to the cabinet.

UNDP provides aid to Myanmar

By IANS, Yangon : The UN Development Program (UNDP) has pledged to give $150 million development aid to Myanmar under a country program action plan for 2013-15, official media reported Tuesday.

Airbus 380 collides with building at Bangkok airport

By Xinhua Bangkok : An Airbus aircraft 380 collided with a building and a coach parked at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi International Airport Saturday morning. However, no casualties were reported. The aircraft, which was scheduled to fly to the Thai northern city of Chiang Mai for a show, was moving backwards when it collided with the building and coach. One wing of the plane was slightly damaged. Engineers said the engines were not affected and the wing could be repaired in several hours, Thai Traffic Radio reported.

Eight killed in Venezuela prison brawl

By EFE, Caracas : At least eight people have been killed and five injured in a brawl among inmates at an overpopulated prison in the southern Venezuelan state of Bolivar, a prison watchdog group has said. The incident occurred at the Vista Hermosa prison early Tuesday morning when a gunbattle broke out among the prisoners, Humberto Prado, the head of the Venezuelan Prison Observatory, told Union Radio. Media outlets reported that the bodies were taken to the morgue at the Hospital Ruiz y Paez in Ciudad Bolivar, some 800 km south of Caracas.

Canada’s first white Christmas in four decades

By Gurmukh Singh,IANS, Toronto : With snow blanketing the country from coast to coast Thursday, Canada had its first white Christmas in almost four decades. Since some parts of the province of British Columbia in western Canada generally don't receive much snowfall, the country has not witnessed a white Christmas since 1971. With 41 cm of snow Thursday morning, British Columbia's main city Vancouver, in fact, recorded the whitest Christmas in Canada.

At least 38 dead in Peru bus crash

By DPA, Lima : At least 38 people were killed and 56 others injured Monday when two buses collided in the northwestern Peruvian region of La Libertad, police said. Officials were unable to provide a reason for the accident, which took place on the Pan-American road, in the province of Viru. There were a total of 150 people on both buses, and the number of casualties could increase, local media reports said.

British MPs want cameras that make them look good

By IANS, London: British lawmakers have backed plans for new cameras to be set up in the House of Commons that will not show their bald spots, bags under the eyes and extra weight.

Russia must use nuclear deterrent to protect allies: Expert

By RIA Novosti Moscow : Russia must reserve the right to use nuclear weapons to protect Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) members in case of an imminent threat, a Russian political analyst said Wednesday. The CSTO is a post-Soviet security group comprising Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

Thousands evacuated after storm Halong hits Philippines

By Xinhua, Manila : Thousands of people were evacuated in the Philippines after tropical storm Halong hit the country's northern province of Pangasinan, ABS-CBN News channel reported Sunday. At least one person was killed in the storm Saturday. Many houses were destroyed as heavy downpour and strong winds continued to wreak havoc in the province, the report said. The storm changed its path Saturday and hit the Pangasinan province instead of the Ilocos Sur, as previously forecast.

PM: Terrorist elements in Mogadishu totally defeated

By NNN-ENA, Addis Ababa : The Prime Minister of the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) of Somalia, Ali Mohammed Ghedi, says the war is over and terrorist elements in Mogadishu have been totally defeated. The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) in a report monitored here quoted Ghedi as saying that the situation in Mogadishu was very calm and the displaced families were going back to their houses in Mogadishu over the past few days.

Russians in control of South Ossetian capital

By DPA, Moscow/Tbilisi : After three days of fighting between Georgian and Russian troops in the breakaway region of South Ossetia, Russian troops were in control of the capital Tskhinvali Sunday. Georgian forces have completely withdrawn from Tskhinvali, the Russian military said Sunday, thereby confirming earlier accounts by Georgia that its forces had withdrawn from the city. But Tbilisi denied that its forces had completely pulled out of South Ossetia.

Vatican to send 100 thousand dollars to earthquake-stricken Nepal

By TCN News, Vatican City: Following the earthquake that struck the territory of Nepal with extraordinary vehemence last weekend, the Pontifical Council “Cor Unum” has undertaken to send a first contribution of 100 thousand dollars for aid to the population.

Previous winners of the Nobel Peace Prize since 1998

By DPA, Stockholm : The Nobel Peace Prize is regarded as the top award for efforts towards a more peaceful world and prominent laureates include Mother Teresa (1979), the Dalai Lama (1989) and Nelson Mandela (1993). The award is handed out by a committee of the Norwegian parliament and the winners since 1998, including the citations given by the academy, were: 2008 - Martti Ahtisaari, Finnish ex-president and veteran peace broker was awarded the prize, with the Nobel Committee citing his efforts to solve conflicts on several continents and over three decades.

Cameron defends security services over ‘Jihadi John’

London: British Prime Minister David Cameron has defended the country's security services amid criticism they failed to stop Mohammed Emwazi, known as "Jihadi John",...

Hurricane forces UN’s New York office to remain closed

By IANS, United Nations : The UN has said the world body's headquarters in New York will remain closed for the third day Wednesday "due to the impact of Hurricane Sandy".

Africa Fights Sub Saharan Poverty

By Prensa Latina, United Nations : The UN International Fund for Agricultural Development announced on Wednesday it will finance the linkage of existing regional African agencies into the IFAD Africa network to fight rural poverty. The three-year IFAD Africa program will concentrate south of the Sahara and plans to focus on sharing experiences, promoting new ideas and financing programs. It will spend two of the four million dollars available to coordinate operations of similar networks in east, west, central and south Africa.

9/11 air pollution linked to stress disorder

New York: People who were exposed to a massive dust cloud of air pollution at Ground Zero when the 9/11 twin terror attacks took...

Maoist leader denies seeking poll postponement

By IANS Kathmandu : A senior Maoist leader Saturday said his party had not proposed postponing the coming election to April even as the controversial rebel youth wing began a civic campaign here to spruce up its tarnished image. Chandra Prakash Gajurel, also known as Gaurav, in charge of the Maoists' foreign affairs, Saturday told the official media that his party chief Prachanda had not asked for the Nov 22 election to be postponed to April 2008 as reported by the media.

Is LTTE in secret, indirect talks with US to surrender?

By M.R. Narayan Swamy, IANS, New Delhi : Sri Lanka's embattled Tamil Tigers may be engaged in secret though indirect talks with the United States for a face-saving formula to save its militarily-cornered leadership. It has been known that the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) has reached out to the new US administration, courtesy Norway, one factor why an upset Colombo stripped Oslo of its role as the peace facilitator.

Former Thai prime minister denies corruption charges

By DPA Bangkok : Thailand's coup-ousted premier Thaksin Shinawata Wednesday denied charges that he abused his powers five years ago by allowing his wife to bid for a plot of land in Bangkok at a government auction. The Supreme Court for Political Offences heard Thaksin's denial and then set the next trial date for April 29 to 30, to hear witnesses in the case against Thaksin and his wife Potjaman.

Chinese President Hu Jintao in Cuba

By Prensa Latina, Havana : Chinese President Hu Jintao, on a state visit to Cuba apparently to have a close look at the partially reforming new administration under Raul Castro, has said his visit seeks to deepen relations with the Caribbean island country. Hu, during his meeting with his Cuban counterpart Castro, said relations between the two countries have seen new progress in recent years, noting that Havana was the first in Latin America to establish diplomatic ties with Beijing in 1960.

China hosts 1st visit by Iraqi president, cancels debt

By Xinhua 

Beijing : China and Iraq on Thursday signed four agreements in Beijing, including one that canceled some Iraqi debt, as Iraqi President Jalal Talabani paid his first state visit to China.

    Chinese President Hu Jintao and Talabani attended the signing ceremony of the agreements after talking for an hour in the Great Hall of the People in downtown Beijing.

    No information was available about how much Iraqi debt would beset aside by China.

U.S. president arrives in Seoul for two-day visit

By Xinhua, Seoul : U.S. President George W. Bush arrived in Seoul on Tuesday to launch his two-day official visit to South Korea. Bush and his wife Laura Bush were greeted by South Korean Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan at the Seoul Airport, a military airport in the southern suburb of Seoul, with a brief welcoming ceremony. According to South Korea's Presidential Office, Bush is expected to have a summit meeting with South Korean President Lee Myung-bak Wednesday morning.

How do we fight the stagnation among Muslims?

By Farheen Sultana for Twocircles.net Muslims get excited whenever they hear words such as 'Subhan Allah' and 'Masha Allah' from politicians and actors. 'Oh...

Bush seeks to calm economic fears in State of Union address

By RIA Novosti Washington : In his final State of the Union address, the United States president assured lawmakers that the country's economy is not under threat, and urged support for an economic stimulus plan. George W. Bush also told the Democrat-dominated Congress in his speech on Monday that major breakthroughs were being made in Iraq, almost five years after the U.S.-led invasion.

20 killed in horrific Sri Lanka bus blast

By P.K. Balachandran, IANS Colombo : A powerful bomb ripped through a passenger bus in central Sri Lanka killing at least 20 people and injuring 50 Saturday, two days before the country marks its 60 year of independence. The blast took place in a bus parked at the main bus stand at Dambulla, nearly 150 km northeast of Colombo, Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara told IANS. The bus was on its way from tea-growing Kandy in the central hills to the Buddhist pilgrimage town of Anuradhapura in the north.

Rate of crime in Russian army down considerably 2007

By IRNA-Itar-Tass Moscow : The rate of crimes committed in the Russian armed forces went down considerably last year, Russia's Deputy Prosecutor-General, Chief Military Prosecutor Sergei Fridinsky told the Russian army daily Krasnaya Zvezda. "The levels of crime were down in all arms and services by 20 percent (Civil Defense troops excluded)," Fridinsky said, adding that was largely a result of joint efforts by prosecutors and military commanders.

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.

Police, nurses unhappy with low status: study

By IANS, Sydney : Police officers, nurses and even teachers, though buoyed by a strong sense of accomplishment, are unhappy at the low status and respect accorded their professions, according to a new survey. The majority of these professionals no longer see their calling as attractive compared with other careers, according to the Australian survey that may well find resonance in other societies. In fact, the survey found that many of these professionals felt that parents would not want their children to enter these careers.

US attacking Iran would be ‘murderous folly’ – warns UK archbishop

London, Oct 6, IRNA , Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams has criticized the neoconservatives of the Bush administration and accused them of "potentially murderous folly" for suggesting military action against Syria and Iran. "We do hear talk from some quarters of action against Syria and Iran. I can't understand what planet such persons are living on, when you see the conditions that are already there," the archbishop told the BBC after returning from a visit to Syria and Lebanon.

School with Indian kids named Britain’s best

By IANS, London : A primary school in Britain where the majority of students are of Indian and Asian origin has achieved the best exam results in the country.

‘Hindu Al Qaeda training suicide bombers in Nepal’

By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS

Kathmandu : A band of former soldiers, ex-police personnel and victims of Maoist guerrillas have united in Nepal to form a Hindu army with suicide bombers to fight Islamic and Christian zealots as well as communists.

Nepal: Madhesi armed groups ready for peace talks

By NNN-IRIN, Kathmandu : Peace talks are likely to be held soon with armed Madhesi groups that have been fighting for a separate province in the Terai, the flat southern region of Nepal, according to senior government officials. "We are making efforts to establish links with the groups of the Terai to hold a dialogue soon and create an environment conducive for peace talks with them," said the Minister for Peace and Reconstruction, Janardhan Sharma. He is also the coordinator of the recently formed government negotiation team.

Resettle Maoist army, humanise Nepal army: UN envoy

By IANS, Kathmandu : An envoy sent by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to assess Nepal's fraying peace process has asked the coalition government to rehabilitate the guerrilla army of the Maoists and democratise the national army, warning that Nepal still had two armies though the communist uprising had ended four years ago. "The question of the future of the two armies should not remain unresolved any longer," said B. Lynn Pascoe, UN undersecretary-general for political affairs, in a statement issued by the UN Thursday.

Hurricane Gustav plows through Cayman Islands

By SPA, George Town, Cayman Islands : Gustav swelled to a Category 2 hurricane early Saturday with winds near 100 mph (161 kph) after plowing through the Cayman Islands toward Cuba, gathering strength on a journey that could take it to the U.S. Gulf Coast as a fearsome Category 3 storm three years after Hurricane Katrina, reported ap. Gustav, which killed 71 people in the Caribbean, hit the Caymans Friday with fierce winds that tore down trees and power lines. It was expected to cross Cuba's cigar country Saturday and head into the Gulf of Mexico by Sunday.

Obama calls Sotomayor an inspiration for Americans

By DPA, Washington: Sonia Sotomayor, fresh off her swearing-in as the first Hispanic member of the US Supreme Court, was called an inspiration for all Americans at a White House reception by President Barack Obama Wednesday. Obama said the success of Sotomayor, a Puerto Rican origin who was mostly raised by a single mother in New York's impoverished South Bronx, should encourage others in the US to rise out of poverty or tough circumstances.

100 Dead in Nigeria oil pipeline fire

By IRNA, Pretoria : At least 100 people were killed and scores injured when fuel from a pipeline ruptured by a bulldozer caught fire and exploded in a village , the Red Cross has said. The fireball engulfed homes and schools at Ijegun village near Nigeria's biggest city of Lagos. Many of the dead, who included schoolchildren, were killed in the ensuing stampede as people fled in panic from the flames. "About 100 people have so far been confirmed dead from the fire," said a Red Cross official.

One in seven US households hit by hunger in 2008

By DPA, Washington : Nearly one in seven US households did not always have enough food last year as the country's deep recession struck even the most basic of needs for survival, according to government data released Monday. At 14.6 percent, the 2008 hunger rate is at its highest level since records began in 1995 and is up from 11.1 percent in 2007, the US Department of Agriculture said.

Nepal parties unite against monarchy

By Xinhua, Kathmandu : Representatives of newly elected political parties in Nepal have rejected any kind of sympathy towards the monarchy, the Rising Nepal reported Monday. The 25 parties poised to declare the country a republic within a couple of weeks met Sunday in a formal sitting for the first time to discuss mainly the Constituent Assembly (CA) procedures and formation of the new government. Even some small parties recognised widely as pro-king did not voice support to give continuity to any kind to monarchy, the report said.

Obama’s lead over Clinton in national poll shrinks to zero

By Xinhua, Washington : U.S. Democratic Presidential candidate Barack Obama's lead in the national poll has shrunk to zero after his rival, Hillary Rodham Clinton, won the Pennsylvania primary on April 22, said a poll released on Monday. According to the Gallup poll conducted on April 24 to 26, Illinois Senator Obama and New York Senator Clinton are now dead even at 47 percent among 1,240 Democratic and Democratic-leaning voters. It was the second survey that has been made after Clinton's win on Tuesday in Pennsylvania with nearly 10 percentage points lead over Obama.

Security contractors running counter to US mission: Gates

By DPA Washington : The mistreatment of Iraqis by private US security firms is in conflict with the overall military mission in Iraq, US Defence Secretary Robert Gates said. Gates Thursday said a plan needed to be worked out with the State Department, which hires the companies to guard US diplomats and other personnel, to bring the contractors under a single command. "Based on everything I've read and what our own team has reported, there have been instances where, to put it mildly, the Iraqis have been offended and not treated properly," Gates said.

Researchers developing more powerful solar cells

By IANS, Washington : University of Rochester researchers are designing more efficient solar cells by using special coatings that split light into colours like blue and red, to boost their power by 50 percent. Researchers then would then use different types of solar cell materials that each optimally absorbs energy from a light of different colour, said Duncan Moore, a professor at Rochester research, who is leading the team that is trying to boost this further by finding ways to intensify the light.

Grand Olympic opening spectacle, China’s moment in time

By Tarun Basu, IANS, Beijing : It was a moment China had awaited for decades. With a spellbinding ceremony before 100,000 people in a stadium crafted in unwrapped steel like some space-age bird's nest, China Friday launched the modern world's 29th Olympic Games, telling the world it had arrived. Billions around the world watched in awe.

Giant Cheesecake for Obamas inauguration

CHICAGO, Jan. 15 (NNN-XINHUA) --- A Chicago company will bake a 500-pound cheesecake topped with a special chocolate seal and bring it to Washington D.C. for Barack Obama's Jan. 20 presidential inauguration. In keeping with the Abraham Lincoln inaugural theme, Chicago-based Eli's Cheesecake Corporation will make the giant cheesecake with an apple-flavored middle layer, in homage to Lincoln's love of apples.

Nine people missing in Brazilian shipwreck

By Xinhua Brasilia : Nine people were missing after a boat carrying 22 people sunk in Pantanal, the world's largest area of wetlands in centre west of Brazil, officials said Sunday. According to the local fire department, 12 tourists and 10 crewmembers were onboard of the boat that sank near Porto Cercado, a point of reference for visitors in Pantanal. The reason of the accident was not yet known, but some survivors said they have heard a noise and then the boat sunk. The tourists hired the boat for a fishing expedition, said the local fire department.

Australia to end IELTS monopoly for student visas

By Paritosh Parasher, IANS, Melbourne : Australia will end the monopoly enjoyed by International English Language Testing System (IELTS) from Nov 5.

4 bodies recovered from Sunken boat off Aomori Pref

By ANTARA News/Kyodo Aomori, Japan : The Japan Coast Guard on Monday recovered a body from a sunken scallop fishing boat in Mutsu Bay off Aomori Prefecture and another three bodies from the seabed around the vessel, coast guard officials said. The coast guard said the bodies are of four of the eight crew members aboard the 5.1-ton Nikko Maru that became unaccounted for on Saturday. The bodies were identified by their families as those of captain Harumitsu Kawamura, 74 and three other crew members -- Chikashi Kawamura, 46, Takayoshi Kudo, 33, and Mikijiro Matsumoto, 28.

At least 27 killed in cold storage fire in South Korea

By Xinhua Seoul : At least 27 people were killed and 13 remained missing after a massive explosion at a cold storage house in South Korea Monday. The accident occurred in Icheon, 80 km southeast of Seoul, around 10 a.m. local time (0100 GMT) in the basement of a two-story warehouse and caused fire, police said. Local media said 57 people were working at the warehouse when the explosion occurred. The rescue workers have confirmed 27 dead and 13 missing in the accident. Seven people escaped safely while 10 wounded have been sent to hospitals after being rescued.

Strikes disrupt transport and government services in Greece

By DPA, Athens : Strikes by union groups upset by Greek government privatisation plans and pension reforms disrupted air transport, bank and state services Thursday. Ships remain anchored at the ports of Pireaus near Athens and in the northern port city of Thessaloniki and state carrier Olympic Airlines cancelled 40 flights and rescheduled another 24. Greek private air company Aegean also cancelled 28 flights and changed departure times for another 52 as air traffic controllers held a four-hour walkout.

More than 4,000 deserters rejoin Sri Lankan army

Colombo (Xinhua) : The Sri Lankan military said Friday that more than 4,000 deserters have rejoined the Army during a two-week amnesty period. Military spokesman Udaya Nanayakkara told reporters 4,394 deserters rejoined the Army between Nov 12 and Nov 24. He said this accounts for about half of the 10,000 soldiers who have deserted the Army due to various reasons. "After a short period of retraining they will be posted in the ranks they held when they deserted," he said. The spokesman also said soldiers who have completed their 12-year service are encouraged to rejoin the Army.

EU to work with Belarusian minister despite sanctions

By IANS/RIA Novosti, Brussels : The European Union has said that it will work with the new Belarusian foreign minister despite the fact that he is subject to EU sanctions.

Suspend Myanmar, dissidents tell Asean

By DPA Bangkok : Myanmar dissidents Thursday urged the Association of South-East Asian Nations (Asean) to suspend Myanmar's membership if the country's leadership continued to ignore international calls for launching a meaningful national reconciliation process.

British MP’s party gatecrashed through Facebook

By IANS, London : Hundreds of teenagers gatecrashed a private party held at a British MP's house after details were leaked on social network Facebook.

CIS set to hold air defense exercises in April

By RIA Novosti, Moscow : The Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) will hold air defense command and staff exercises on April 22 involving over 100 military aircraft, a spokesman for the Russian Air Force said on Monday. He said the exercises to be supervised by the Russian Air Force commander will be conducted by the joint CIS air defense control bodies under the military block's joint action plan.

Man with gun looking for Obama arrested in Washington

By DPA, Washington : A 64-year-old man with a gun was arrested Tuesday near the Congress building after he told police officers that he had a "delivery" for President Barack Obama, police officials said. The man had driven up to the US Capitol to talk to the special police officers who protect Congress and ask about Obama's whereabouts so he could deliver something, Capitol Police said in a statement. Police then questioned him and searched his vehicle. "The man admitted to having a rifle in his vehicle," police said.

Migrants flee in thousands as South Africa prepares to deploy army

By DPA, Johannesburg : A day after South African President Thabo Mbeki gave the green light for the deployment of the military to help curb a wave of xenophobic violence that has claimed 42 lives the exodus of migrants continued unabated Thursday. Nearly 9,000 Mozambican nationals have fled South Africa since the attacks on African migrants began May 11 in a township north-east of Johannesburg, South African radio reported. Mozambicans are thought to be the second-largest migrant group in South Africa after Zimbabweans.

‘Bush in final bid to capture bin Laden, hiding in Pakistan’

By IANS, London : George W. Bush has sanctioned a final attempt to capture Al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden before he leaves office, a newspaper said as the American president arrived on his last official visit to Britain Sunday. Bush, who will meet British Prime Minister Gordon Brown privately, has launched a renewed hunt for bin Laden along with British and Pakistani forces, the Sunday Times said quoting sources in Washington and London.

Gisele Bundchen not engaged to beau?

By IANS, London : Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bundchen is not preparing to marry her US quarterback boyfriend Tom Brady, according to the sportstar's father. Bundchen reportedly got engaged to Brady following his proposal on a private jet that took off from Teterboro Airport in New Jersey and landed in Boston, Massachusetts Dec 24, according to contactmusic.com. Brady packed the plane with four-dozen white roses and champagne for the joyous event, reportedly witnessed by Bundchen's parents who were also onboard.

Loud blast heard in Colombo

By IANS, Colombo : A loud explosion was heard Tuesday from the heart of Sri Lanka's capital Colombo. window.onload = function() {var adsPercent = 1;if(Math.random() <=...

Sri Lanka rejects call for probe into ‘war crimes’

By IANS, Colombo : The Sri Lankan government Thursday rejected a call for an international inquiry into alleged war crimes when the military crushed the...

Powerful Earthquake Jolts Northern Japan

By BERNAMA, TOKYO : An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.6 jolted northern Japan on Tuesday, the Japan Meteorological Agency said. The focus of the quake, which occurred at 13:24 p.m., was some 10 kilometers underground in the Chishima-retto region in Hokkaido, Kyodo News reported. There were no reports of injuries or damage. No tsunami warning was issued. The U.S. Geological Survey reported magnitude 7.O earthquake hit Russia's Pacific coast on Tuesday about 182 miles (293 km) east northeast off Kuril'sk in the Russia-held Kuril Islands, which is near Hokkaido.

Charred remains of 14 people found in Mexican village

By IANS, Monterrey (Mexico) : Remains of at least 14 people, including two teenagers, have been discovered in Mexico's northern state of Coahuila, said officials who blamed the drug cartels for the massacre, EFE reported. Prosecutors in Coahuila said the charred remains of at least 14-16 people were found in a field in the rural area of San Jose de la Rioja near the town of Arteaga. The forensics experts collected the remains, discovered by the army, for examination, the state prosecutor's office said.

Events planned in UK and USA to protest Modi, communal violence

By TwoCircles.net, Staff reporter London: A demonstration have been planned at Downing Street in London to protest Narendra Modi when he...

PEMEX taking back old oil fields

By NNN-Prensa Latina Mexico City : PEMEX (Mexican Oil) proposed the reactivation of 50 fields that are older or in the process of abandonment, following the increase of world's oil price. The project was undertaken by the Treasury Department and it has been indicated that 33 of the fields are located in the North region of the country while 17 others are in the south. These mature or in abandonment fields are those that presented difficulties in the extraction process using conventional technology and requires a lot of recovery procedures.

German parliament to take up case of alleged CIA killer commandos

By IRNA, Berlin : The domestic affairs committee of the German parliament is to deal with the issue of alleged CIA death squads in Germany when it meets on January 27, news reports said Thursday. The topic will be placed on the agenda following a request by the fraction of The Left party (Die Linke), the chairman of the German parliament's domestic affairs committee, Wolfgang Bosbach was quoted saying.

Thirty Russian aircraft take part in exercises over two oceans

By RIA Novosti Moscow : Over 30 Russian strategic bombers and long-range interceptors are participating in joint exercises with a naval task group in the Atlantic and Arctic, an Air Force spokesman said on Friday.

David Cameron leading in Britain’s polls

London : Britain's Conservative Party headed by Prime Minister David Cameron is leading in the general elections held on Thursday, winning 292 out of...

Russia raises oil export duty

By RIA Novosti, Moscow : Russia has raised export duty on crude oil to a record $495.9 per tonne, the finance ministry said Tuesday. The new duty, effective from Aug 1, has been raised by $97.8 per tonne over the existing rate, in line with world market trends, the ministry said. "We will reach a record export duty on Russian oil that will be fixed at $495.9 per tonne from Aug 1," Alexander Sakovich, deputy head of the customs payment department at the finance ministry, said.

U.S. to keep door open for talks with Iran – senior official

By RIA Novosti, Moscow : The United States will continue talking to Iran, but wants Moscow's cooperation in sending Tehran a signal that defiance of international demands will not go unpunished, a senior U.S. envoy has said. U.S. Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs William Burns was in Moscow on Thursday to discuss Iran and arms reduction with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov. "The United States believes we should keep the door open to negotiations and involve Iran in cooperation," he said in an interview with Gazeta daily published in Russian.

Nepal earthquake: Death toll climbs to 7,912

Kathmandu : The death toll following the devastating earthquake that hit Nepal on April 25 has reached 7,912, according to the latest update made...

Four gang war suspects killed in Pakistan

Islamabad: At least four gang war suspects were killed on Thursday in Pakistan's Sindh province during a gun fight with police. Sindh police claimed to...

Canada shooting ‘a senseless act of violence’: New Zealand

Wellington : New Zealand's Prime Minister John Key Thursday described the shooting incident near Canadian Parliament as "a senseless act of violence". "The reasons behind...

Obama to travel to Brazil, Chile, El Salvador

By IANS/EFE, Washington : President Barack Obama took a moment during his State of the Union address to the US Congress to announce a tour of Latin American nations.

North Korea assures US of halting uranium enrichment plan

By RIA Novosti Moscow : North Korea has reassured the US it will not develop its uranium enrichment programme, a high-ranking US official said Wednesday. North Korea also assured the US that it has no intention to engage in nuclear cooperation with other countries in the future, US assistant secretary of state Christopher Hill was quoted as saying by South Korea's Yonhap news agency. Two weeks ago Mike McConnell, the director of the US intelligence service, said the communist country has broken the pledge it made last year to halt all nuclear activities.

Cuba performs 5,100 kidney transplants in four decades

By IANS, Havana : Cuba has successfully performed over 5,100 kidney transplants since Feb 24, 1970, an achievement on par with that of developed nations, an expert said Wednesday.

US mobilises 6,500 troops for hurricane relief

By IANS, Washington : Some 6,500 US troops are being mobilised to conduct disaster relief and rescue missions in the country's east coast endangered by hurricane Irene, Xinhua reported.

Pilot programme slashes cardiac deaths by 73 percent

By IANS, Washington : An innovative programme combining nursing and pharmacy teams that work with cardiac patients and their doctors has slashed heart attack deaths by 73 percent. The team is connected by technology tools that help them deliver care proven to improve health outcomes. George C. Halvorson, chairman and CEO of Kaiser Permanente (KP), a healthcare provider, associated with the project, stressed the importance of caregivers' training, coordination, and ability to use technology in achieving better health outcomes.

Millionaire Hong Kong businessman escapes jail

By DPA, Hong Kong : A high-profile millionaire Hong Kong businessman was beginning a community service order Saturday after escaping jail for drunkenly groping two male taxi drivers. Stephen Gan Fock-wai, known as the Prince of White Flower Oil because of his company's health products, was ordered in a courthearing Friday to perform 180 hours of community service. He was convicted of assaulting two taxi drivers by fondling their thighs and crotches as they drove him home.

Man digs 60-metre tunnel, steals 30 tonnes of crude

By IANS/RIA Novosti, Moscow: A 52-year-old businessman in Siberia dug a 60-metre-long tunnel and siphoned off some 30 tonnes of crude oil from a pipeline, police said.

Seven die in China blast

By IANS, Beijing : Seven people were killed and 31 injured Monday when a massive explosion rocked a fast food restaurant in northwest China, authorities said.

A nuclear test would damage India-US ties, warns NYT

By Arun Kumar, IANS, Washington: An influential US daily Monday advised the Indian government to resist pressures to test a nuclear weapon, and said it would be a huge setback for New Delhi's relations with Washington and the battle against terrorists. "Indian nuclear scientists are trying to bully their government into testing a nuclear weapon," the New York Times suggested in an editorial titled, "Just Say No."

Hong Kong government defies protests, goes ahead with political reform

Hong Kong : The Hong Kong government took another step towards its plan of political reform for the 2017 elections to the region's chief...

Andhra student shot in US

By IANS, Hyderabad : In yet another attack on Indian students in the United States, a student from Andhra Pradesh was shot by some unidentified people in Tennessee. Shashank Pulluru, who was admitted to a hospital, hails from Hanamkonda town in Warangal district of Andhra Pradesh. He was studying MS at the Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro in Tennessee. According to information received by the family, he was shot by some African Americans when he, along with two of his friends, returned to their apartment after the classes Saturday.

Arbitration court for Asian state disputes in Singapore

By DPA Singapore : A Netherlands-based international arbitration court is setting up its first Asian centre in Singapore to resolve disputes between countries in the region, news reports said Tuesday. Deputy Prime Minister S. Jayakumar and the secretary general of the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA), Tjaco van den Hout, signed an agreement to establish the facility, the fifth of its kind in the world.

Spain sees arms exports fall

By IANS/EFE, Madrid : Spain's arms exports fell 43.7 percent in the first half of the year compared with the same period in 2011, the Industry Ministry said in a report released Wednesday.

Myanmar rebel leader shot dead in Thai town

By SPA Mae Sot, Thailand : A leader of Myanmar's biggest rebel group was shot dead at his home in a Thai border town on Thursday in an assassination immediately blamed on troops loyal to the former Burma's military junta. Mahn Sha Lar Phan, secretary-general of the Karen National Union (KNU), was shot at his two-storey wooden home by two men who arrived in a pickup truck, his wife Kim Suay told Reuters at the scene. He died instantly.

Wall Street continues to shed value on US bailout uncertainty

By DPA, Washington : US stocks dropped by more than one per cent, in the worst two-day slump in six years on concern that Congress would not act fast enough to adopt the government's $700-billion bank rescue plan that the central bank head says is direly needed to avoid a recession. Hardest hit companies included General Motors Corp., department store chain Dillard's Inc. and Regions Financial Corp., which tumbled more than seven percent. Members of the Senate banking committee Tuesday were sceptical over US Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson's plan.

China quake toll rises to 65,000

By Xinhua, Beijing : The toll in the May 12 killer earthquake in southwestern China's Sichuan province rose to 65,000 Monday, information office of the State Council said. According to the government reports, more than 360,000 people have been injured in the quake and 65,080 are still missing. About 14.38 million quake-affected people have been evacuated, the statement said. It also revealed that 83,527 injured had been hospitalised after the quake.

Tokyo killing spree warned on mobile-phone bulletin board

By DPA, Tokyo : A random stabbing spree that took place in Tokyo Sunday may have been warned about on a mobile-phone bulletin board, media reports said Monday. The Metropolitan Police Department was investigating messages that showed contemplated killing in Tokyo's electronics' centre of Akihabara Sunday afternoon. Tomohiro Kato, 25, hit three people with a two-ton truck Sunday before he stabbed seven people to death and injured 10 others. Police arrested Kato on the scene, who said he was "tired of life."

Dutch jets to join anti-IS mission

The Hague: Five Dutch F-16 fighter jets have arrived in Jordan to take part in the US-led military airstrikes against the Islamic State (IS). The...

Japan’s white paper eyes larger peacekeeping role, missile defense buildup

By Xinhua

Tokyo : A Japanese defense white paper said Friday that Tokyo will play a more active role in global peacekeeping activities and reinforce its missile defense system.

The annual report, which was endorsed by the cabinet on the day, is the first of its kind since Japan's former Defense Agency was promoted to a ministry in January, when the international peace cooperation activities were made one of the primary missions by its Self-Defense Forces (SDF).

US journalists found growing marijuana

By IANS, Washington : Two American journalists have been arrested after police found 11 marijuana plants growing in their yard, a media report said.

Asia”s top refiner Sinopec boosts crude oil output, refining

By KUNA Tokyo : Asia's largest oil refiner China Petroleum and Chemical Corporation (Sinopec) has increased its crude oil output to 291.67 million barrels last year, up 2.27 percent from 2006, state-run Xinhua News Agency said Monday. It added that Sinopec had also processed 155.58 million tons of crude in 2007, a year-on-year increase of 6.33 percent. Sinopec produced 283 billion cubic feet of natural gas in 2007, up 10.33 percent. Listed in Hong Kong, New York, London and Shanghai, Sinopec is the biggest oil producers in China.

Ex-NASA scientist jailed for 13 years

By IANS, London : A former NASA scientist has been sentenced to 13 years in prison after admitting that he tried to sell space and defence secrets to Israel.

Thousands visit UAE’s Shanghai Expo pavilion

By IANS, Shanghai : The UAE pavilion at the ongoing Shanghai Expo is attracting thousands of people daily. Firgilo Sosa, general commissioner of Panama's pavilion, said the UAE pavilion showcases history and current urban landmarks of the UAE. Tenj Kong, one of the visitors, told WAM that although he knows about the Islamic country, he was surprised at how well the pavilion showcased the country's progress. Another visitor said she was looking forward to travelling to the country after visiting the pavilion.

Motlanthe elected South Africa’s caretaker president

By DPA, Johannesburg : African National Congress (ANC) deputy leader Kgalema Motlanthe was elected South Africa's caretaker president Thursday in a landslide vote in the National Assembly in Cape Town. Motlanthe easily defeated Joe Seremane, candidate of the official opposition Democratic Alliance, 269 votes to 50 votes out of 360 cast. Forty-one votes were spoilt. "I accordingly declare the honourable Kgalema Petras Motlanthe duly elected president of the Republic of South Africa," Chief Justice Pius Langa, presiding over the vote, announced.

Delhi government to send school heads to Cambridge for training

New Delhi : The Delhi government will soon send 90 school principals to Cambridge University for an education leadership training exercise, as part of...

272 dead in Honduras prison fire

By IANS, Tegucigalpa : At least 272 inmates have been killed in a blaze at a prison in the central American nation of Honduras, Xinhua reported.

Russian food aid arrives in DPRK

By Xinhua, Pyongyang : Russia's promised food aid to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) has been shipped to a border city in the DPRK, the official KCNA news agency reported Wednesday. The aid, whose quantity was unspecified in the report, arrived at Sinuiju in the DPRK's northern Phyongan Province Monday. Distributed through the World Food Program at the DPRK, the aid represented the friendship between Russia and the DPRK and was an " encouragement" to the DPRK people, the report said.

Bank hostage drama in Portugal ends, police shoot suspect

By DPA, Lisbon : A hostage drama in a Lisbon bank Thursday took a bloody end as the police intervened and killed one of the suspects, with some of the incident broadcast live on Portuguese television. One of the robbers, who along with his accomplice had taken three people hostage in the bank, was shot to death. The second was seriously injured, officials said. The hostages were rescued, with one of them suffering minor injuries during the operation.

An entire town battles obesity among kids

By DPA

Washington : Children in Somerville town in Massachusetts are losing in a way that's making other communities in the US take notice.

IMF finds no favouritism in Strauss-Kahn affair

By DPA, Washington : The director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) did not abuse his authority in an extramarital affair he had with a subordinate and the fund's board said Saturday it planned to continue with Dominique Strauss-Kahn at the helm. The 24-member IMF executive board met Saturday to review an investigation into the matter and said in a statement it had "concluded that there was no harassment, favoritism, or any other abuse of authority by the managing director."

Seven survive plane crash in Brazil

By IANS/EFE, Rio de Janeiro : Seven people survived with only slight injuries when their small airplane crashed on a soyabean farm in the southern Brazilian state of Parana, a media report said.

Thai opposition submits no-confidence motion against government

By DPA, Bangkok : Thailand's parliamentary opposition submitted a no-confidence motion against the government Monday for its suppression of a two-month protest that left at least 85 dead. The Puea Thai Party submitted the motion with Upper House Speaker Prasob Sukboondej and Lower House Speaker Chai Chitchob, who have seven days to study it.

Russia set to continue prohibitive grain export duties

By RIA Novosti Moscow : The Russian government plans to extend prohibitive export duties on grain until July 1, 2008, Agriculture Minister Alexei Gordeyev told the press on Thursday. "We are planning to extend the duties until July 1, when the new grain year starts," the minister said. The government earlier fixed export duties on barley and wheat at 30% and 40%, respectively, rates that were set to expire in late April.

Ruling Fretilin Party dislodged in East Timor

By DPA

Sydney : East Timor is set to have a new government led by charismatic former president Xanana Gusmao after a coalition that excluded the ruling Fretilin Party of former prime minister Mari Alkatiri was cobbled together Friday.

Russia warns against NATO missiles on Syrian border

By IANS/RIA Novosti, Moscow: Russia cautioned Thursday against Turkey's intention to deploy NATO Patriot missiles on its border with Syria.

5,000 Chinese orphans get free insurance

By IANS, Beijing : Five thousand orphans in China have received a year of free medical insurance for treatment of "critical illnesses".

Las Vegas lures Indian middle class

By IANS, New Delhi : Las Vegas is shedding its naughty image for luring the middle-class Indian tourists to the city. The city of casinos, neon lights, nightclubs and snazzy stage shows in the middle of the deserts of Nevada, is shifting focus to conventional entertainment to draw more Indian footprints. It is eyeing the middle and upper middle class family segment from India, whose arrival to the US has shown an increase of 39 percent since 2006. According to Travel Industry Association (TIA), 567,000 Indian tourists visited the US in 2007.

Gate-crash a screwup, won’t happen again: Obama

By Arun Kumar, IANS, Washington : President Barack Obama was angry about the celebrity-hound couple who crashed the White House state dinner for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh last month and promised the "screwup" won't happen again. "What I know is what everybody knows," Obama said in a CBS interview aired Sunday night. "These people should not have gotten through the gate."

Russia views US proposals on Ukraine questionable

Moscow: Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Monday that Moscow is not satisfied with US proposals on settling the Ukrainian political crisis, and has...

No trade-off on NATO growth, missile shield: Bush

By RIA Novosti Kiev (Ukraine) : US President George W. Bush said Tuesday there would be no deal with Moscow on withdrawing American support for Georgia's and Ukraine's NATO bids in exchange of Russia's acceptance of a US missile shield in Europe. Speaking at a news conference in Kiev after talks with President Viktor Yushchenko, Bush signalled his support for the two former Soviet states' requests to enter the Membership Action Plan (MAP), a precursor for membership in the Western military alliance.

New Zealand, Jordan favourite tourist spots at Indian mart

By IANS, New Delhi : The New Zealand and Jordan tourism boards were a hot target of various domestic and international tour operators for business tie-ups at India's SATTE-2009 travel and tourism mart. The two countries are participating in India's oldest travel and tourism mart for the first time, hoping to secure the growing market for Indian outbound travellers, estimated to be over 10 million at present. The three-day event, the 16th edition this year, closed here Saturday. Sixteen countries participated.

AK rifles’ sales soar

By IANS, Moscow: Sales of AK assault rifles, the favourite of insurgents around the world, zoomed by 57 percent last year. The AKs are also used by some 50 armies around the world.

World Bank Plan Hurts Small Farmers

By Prensa Latina Hanoi : The World Bank's agricultural development proposal for poor countries worsens the crisis of small farmers, ActionAid organization warned Tuesday in Vietnam. Representatives of that organization, which fights poverty worldwide, and activists from other countries, are taking part in a one-day seminar in Hanoi to warn of risks posed by the WB approach.

Howard Jacobson wins Man Booker Prize

By IANS, New Delhi/London : Howard Jacobson won the Man Booker Prize 2010 for the book "The Finkler Question" at a glittering ceremony at the Guildall Hall in London Tuesday.

G8 hopes to give new impetus to Doha round

By DPA

Berlin : The leaders of the world's eight developed countries aim to give new impetus to the stalled Doha round of World Trade Organisation talks, according to a senior German government official speaking Tuesday on the eve of the G8 summit in Heiligendamm.

US judge refuses to order YouTube to take down anti-Muslim video

By IANS, Los Angeles : A Los Angeles judge Thursday refused to order YouTube to take down a controversial film clip, "The Innocence of Muslims".

Italian business confidence falls

By IANS/AKI, Rome : Italian business confidence fell in February as the euro zone's third-largest economy was mired in recession.

As tremors continue, toll reaches 8,567 in Nepal

Kathmandu : The toll from the April 25 devastating earthquake that was followed by several aftershocks, including a powerful one on May 12, has...

Over 20,000 Georgian refugees return home after conflict

By RIA Novosti, Tbilisi : Over 20,000 Georgians displaced by an armed conflict between Tbilisi and Moscow over breakaway South Ossetia have returned to their home villages in buffer zones, the UN refugee agency said on Monday. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (the UNHCR) said the armed conflict in South Ossetia had displaced a total of around 192,000 people.

Eight Singapore preschools urged to close due to virus

By ANTARA News, Singapore : Eight more preschools have been urged to temporarily close after another 540 cases of hand, foot and mouth disease were reported in a four-day period, health officials said on Tuesday. So far, 11 childcare centres and preschools have been forced to shut down for 10 days while teachers, administrative staff and cleaners scrub the facilities to stem the outbreak. Others were asked to voluntarily do so. The latest recommendations for closure bring the total to 34. So far 9,262 people, primarily children, have been affected.
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