UN to probe sexual abuse claims in Cote d’Ivoire
By Xinhua
Abidjan : The United Nations (UN) peacekeeping mission in Cote d'Ivoire has said the UN would send an inspection team to the country next week to investigate cases of sexual abuse concerning some Moroccan soldiers.
Spokesperson of the UN peacekeeping mission, Hamadoun Toure, said Thursday that the inspection team, composed of UN and Moroccan experts, would release the results of the investigation as soon as possible.
Toure reaffirmed the UN's "zero tolerance policy" towards sexual exploitation and abuse.
Abidjan : The United Nations (UN) peacekeeping mission in Cote d'Ivoire has said the UN would send an inspection team to the country next week to investigate cases of sexual abuse concerning some Moroccan soldiers.
Spokesperson of the UN peacekeeping mission, Hamadoun Toure, said Thursday that the inspection team, composed of UN and Moroccan experts, would release the results of the investigation as soon as possible.
Toure reaffirmed the UN's "zero tolerance policy" towards sexual exploitation and abuse.
Short-staffed Argentine jail dresses up doll as guard
By IANS/EFE,
Buenos Aires : Two men serving time for armed robbery escaped from a jail in the southern Argentine province of Neuquen where a personnel shortage prompted administrators to dress up a doll as a guard and put it in a watchtower.
The convicts escaped last Saturday night from UP 12 prison after climbing one of its barbed-wire-clad walls under the impassive gaze of "Wilson", a doll holding down the post of a watchman, guards told Rio Negro newspaper.
Tibetan PM to launch campaign to resolve Tibet issue
Dharamsala : With the deadlock over talks between China and the Dalai Lama's envoys continuing for more than four years, the Tibetan government-in-exile Monday...
Russia to launch latest ballistic missiles
By RIA Novosti,
Moscow : Russia will conduct nine test launches of the latest version of its ballistic missile in the current year.
"One of the main tasks for us in 2008 is to test new (ballistic) missile systems and to extend the service life of the existing arsenals," Strategic Missile Forces (SMF) commander General Nikolai Solovtsov said Monday.
Moscow air defences to be strengthened next year: official
By RIA Novosti
Moscow : The main unit of Russia's Air Force protecting the western and central Russian airspace, including Moscow, will undergo a major overhaul next year, the commander of the 16th Air Army has said.
The 16th Air Army is the most important unit of the Special Purpose Command. Initially formed during the Second World War as a part of the Soviet Air Force, it is now the tactical air force component of the Moscow Military District, headquartered at Kubinka airbase near Moscow.
Australia offers help to find missing AirAsia flight
Adelaide : Australia's Foreign Minister Julie Bishop offered to help Indonesia in the search and rescue mission for the Malaysian plane missing since early...
Obama urges Congress to pass cybersecurity bill
By IANS,
Washington : US President Barack Obama has urged the Congress to pass a cybersecurity bill to boost digital defence against cyber attacks.
Hindujas on multi-billion pound spending spree in Britain
By IANS
London : The Hinduja brothers, whose global trading conglomerate once made them the richest men in Britain, plan to make Britain their core market and spend up to 2.5 billion pounds in acquiring assets that could include the FTSE 100 insurer Friends Provident.
UN Discusses Food Crisis
By Prensa Latina,
United Nations : A high-ranking UN official warned on Monday that aspirations of sustainable development are threatened by the disturbing world crisis triggered by soaring food prices.
"We must discuss thoroughly the problems which have eroded food security, and how we can prevent similar crisis in the future," said UN Under-Secretary General for Economic and Social Affairs, Sha Zukang.
The Chinese diplomat referred to the rise in food prices at the inauguration of the 16th session of the UN Commission on Sustainable Development.
Canadian parliament admits motion to call 1984 riots ‘genocide’
By Gurmukh Singh, IANS,
Toronto : A motion by an Indo-Canadian MP asking the Canadian government declare the 1984 anti-Sikh riots as 'genocide' was tabled in the country's parliament late Thursday.
Sukh Dhaliwal, MP for Newton-North Delta on the suburbs of Vancouver, was joined by Andrew Kania, MP from the Punjabi-dominant constituency of Brampton West on the outskirts of Toronto, in presenting the motion.
Watts shares red carpet with Tsunami survivor
By IANS,
Spain: Actress Naomi Watts walked the red carpet on Spanish premiere of her forthcoming film "The Impossible" with Tsunami survivor Maria Belon.
One killed, four injured in Pakistani shelling at LoC
Jammu: A civilian was killed and four others were injured on Monday in Pakistani shelling along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and...
Hope amid the ruins of China’s quake disaster
By Zhou Yan, Xinhua,
Beijing : President Hu Jintao flew to quake-ravaged Sichuan Province early on Friday, more than 80 hours after the most destructive earthquake in new China killed nearly 20,000 people there.
This shows China's top leadership has not given up hope, although the "golden 72 hours" for survival defined by many experts is over.
"If only there is the slightest hope, we will spare no effort; if only there is one survivor in the debris, we will never give up," Premier Wen Jiabao said over the debris of a collapsed school building where hundreds were buried.
Iran condoles with families of US school shooting victims
By IANS,
Tehran: Iran Saturday expressed condolences to families of victims of a shooting incident at an elementary school in the US state of Connecticut.
84 Chinese kids detected with lead poisoning
By IANS,
Beijing : Excessive levels of lead have been found in the blood of 84 children in China's Yunnan province, officials said.
The toxic element was detected in children under the age of 14 during a check conducted by the health department from July 2 to July 16, China Daily reported Monday.
The affected children experienced muscular spasms and suffered from nausea.
Excessive lead content can damage the nervous and reproductive systems, as well as cause high blood pressure and anaemia. In severe cases, it can lead to convulsions, coma and even death.
Murdered Russian journalist remembered
By DPA,
Moscow : Artists, journalists and human rights activists were among 800 people to gather in Moscow to commemorate the third anniversary of the murder of investigative journalist Anna Politkovskaya Wednesday, Russian media reported.
Russian Prime Minister and former president Vladimir Putin was the object of ire among the demonstrators, calling for a "Russia without Putin".
Politkovskaya, a Kremlin critic and investigative journalist who reported war crimes in the Russian autonomous region of Chechnya, was shot dead before her home Oct 7, 2006.
Foreigners held for fishing off missile test range
By IANS
Kendrapada (Orissa) : The police have detained 25 nationals of Thailand and Myanmar for fishing in the sea off a missile test range in Orissa.
"Three fishermen from Thailand and 22 from Myanmar were detained Thursday evening. Their vessel called 'Jalapari-3' was also seized." S.C. Panda, officer-in-charge of the Rajnagar police station, Friday told IANS.
They were fishing near the Wheeler's Island located in the Gahiramatha marine sanctuary in Kendrapada district, about 150 km from the state capital Bhubaneswar, he said.
New Zealand PM to auction arm cast for charity
By Xinhua,
Wellington : A cast worn by New Zealand Prime Minister John Key on his broken arm will be auctioned for charity, New Zealand media reported Thursday.
Key said Wednesday that he will put the cast on the TradeMe website and the money it fetches will go to a charity in Solomon Islands, the reports said.
He made a day-long visit to Solomon Islands capital of Honiara on his way back to New Zealand from a special Pacific Islands Forum meeting in Papua New Guinea. At that meeting, Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd had signed Key's cast.
Jerusalem mayor pledges to continue construction of new settlements
Jerusalem: Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat said Thursday that the planned construction of a new Jewish settlement in East Jerusalem will continue "with full force",...
UN to host global financial reform summit in December
By DPA,
Paris : French President Nicolas Sarkozy and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon have agreed that the United Nations will host an international summit in December on reforming the global financial system, the French daily Le Figaro reported Saturday.
It remains unclear who is to participate at the meeting, which Sarkozy and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown have said should be "a new Bretton Woods".
Myanmar’s political troubles hurting airlines, tourism
By DPA
Bangkok : Economic sanctions and flagging tourism forced an end to some operations of an airline owned by a tycoon connected to Myanmar's military junta, a letter circulated Friday said.
Air Bagan Limited said it would suspend flights between Myanmar and Singapore because of sanctions imposed against company owner Tay Za, a business partner of junta strongman General Than Shwe.
Obama condemns deadly bombings in Egypt, Nigeria
By DPA,
Washington : US President Barack Obama condemned as "outrageous" the separate bombing attacks that took place Saturday in Egypt and Nigeria that left at least 47 people dead.
Blast in Colombo, two wounded
By IANS,
Colombo : Two people were wounded in a minor bomb explosion near the Red Mosque in Colombo Saturday evening, defence sources said.
Two vehicles were also damaged in the blast around 4.55 p.m. The wounded were rushed to the Colombo National Hospital.
"According to available evidence, the blast occurred inside a van," the defence ministry said.
The motive behind the blast was not immediately known.
Human Rights must be at the heart of policy-making
LONDON, Dec 13 (APP): The international community has been urged to put human rights at the heart of policy making and to adopt self determination as a key driver to resolve conflicts in a democratic and peaceful manner, in accordance with international law. The call was given at a packed venue in the Houses of Parliament at Westminster where the cross party group ‘Parliamentarians for National Self-Determination’ (PNSD) marked International Human Rights Day 2007.
Lib Dems need veto in UK coalition government, says deputy leader
By IRNA,
London : Liberal Democrat MPs should have a veto on policies put forward by Britain’s coalition government, according to the party’s recently-elected deputy leader Simon Hughes.
“The parliamentary party on behalf of the wider party on big issues has to be able to say: ‘No, we can't go down this road’," said Hughes.
His call coincided with the centre-right Conservative-led government marking its first 100 days in office and a new poll showing a further decline in support for the Lib Dems, the centre-left junior partners in the coalition.
Solana rejects calls for sending European troops to Afghanistan
By KUNA,
BERLIN : EU High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Javier Solana expressed on Friday his rejection of calls for sending additional European troops to Afghanistan.
In a statement to "Abendblatt" newspaper, he said that Europeans now accounted for more than 50 percent of the international troops in Afghanistan, serving to their best ability and training Afghan soldiers and policemen.
He said that Europe had contributed 10 billion euro for reconstruction there since 2002.
Five dead, 17 injured in South Africa shooting
By IANS,
Johannesburg : Five people were shot dead and 17 injured when a group of armed assailants launched an attack in an eastern province in South Africa, police said Sunday.
US shuts down 150 websites to fight counterfeiting
By IANS,
Washington: US authorities have shut down 150 websites engaged in the illegal sale and distribution of counterfeit goods and copyrighted works, Xinhua reported.
We will continue to support US dollar: Australian PM
By IANS,
New Delhi : Despite concerns over the falling US dollar, Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd Thursday said his country would continue to support the currency.
"The US dollar will provide stability," Rudd, currently visiting India, said here while interacting with reporters and business leaders.
Asked whether Australia would support a common currency for the Asia-Pacific region, he said: "I would prefer to support the US dollar as the reserves and will continue to support it in the future because it will provide stability."
Four held in China for spreading doomsday rumours
By IANS,
Beijing: Four people have been detained in China's Chongqing city for spreading doomsday rumors, police said Saturday.
28 jailed in Beijing investment scam
By Xinhua,
Beijing : Twenty-eight people were jailed Monday by a Beijing court that found them guilty of running an investment scam that defrauded over 22,000 investors.
The accused, who all worked for the Yilin Wood Company, were alleged to have defrauded more than 22,000 investors of 1.68 billion yuan ($246 million) by promising high returns on sales of forestry plantations.
The scam, which is also referred to as a pyramid scheme, involves one salesperson recruiting other sales people, who in turn recruit more.
British judge favours limited use of Islamic law
By DPA,
London : Some principles of Islamic, or Sharia, law could be applied in parts to the legal system in Britain, the country's most senior judge has said.
The Lord Chief Justice, Lord Phillips said there was no reason Sharia law's principles could not be used in mediation or conflict resolution.
His remarks at a meeting of Muslim representatives in east London late Thursday followed an outcry in February over the suggestion by the Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams that the use of certain aspects of the law seemed "unavoidable".
Man jailed for organising Russian politician’s killing
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Moscow: The organiser of the 2011 murder of a politician in Russia has been sentenced to 13 years in prison.
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.
Nepal PM defends leaked tape, says he has over 100,000 fighters
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS,
Kathmandu : After a national outcry created by a leaked video tape, in which Nepal's caretaker Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda was heard saying he had inflated the strength of his guerrilla fighters almost five-fold during a UN verification, the Maoist supremo Wednesday defended himself, saying his People's Liberation Army (PLA) actually had over 100,000 fighters.
Israel to expand operation against Hamas if necessary
Jerusalem:Israel will expand its operation against Hamas "if necessary", Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Tuesday evening, as a massive manhunt for the killers of...
Unemployment rate hit record high in Greece
By IANS,
Athens : The jobless rate in Greece hit a record high of 21.9 percent in March, official data showed.
Taiwan seeks heritage status for complex Chinese characters
By DPA,
Taipei : Taiwan plans to apply for world heritage status for the complex Chinese characters that China stopped using after 1949 but Taiwan continues to use today, a newspaper said Thursday.
Taiwan plans to set up a task force in February to prepare for making the application to UNESCO, the United Daily News quoted Premier Liu Chao-Shiuan as saying.
Congress boosts jobless benefits as claims hit 16-year high
By DPA,
Washington : The US Congress agreed Thursday to extend unemployment benefits, a small portion of the massive fiscal stimulus sought by some Democrats, as the government said jobless claims hit a 16-year high last week.
A $6-billion measure to extend benefits by at least seven weeks was passed by the Senate in a voice vote after the lower House of Representatives passed the same bill in October. The total time that unemployed can receive benefits varies by state, but is typically 26 weeks.
Sarkozy stirs anger with Holocaust curriculum
Paris, Feb 16, IRNA ,President Nicolas Sarkozy dropped an intellectual bombshell this week, surprising the nation and touching off waves of protest with his revision of the school curriculum.
He said after the opinion poll carried by Le Point indicated his popularity dropped that "every fifth grader will have to learn the life story of one of the 11,000 French children killed by the Nazis in the Holocaust.
German gov’t urges efforts to add Islam to education programs
By IRNA,
Berlin : German Interior Minister Thomas de Maziere on Monday called on the country's 16 states to accelerate their efforts in adding Islam to their school curriculum.
Air China to issue 400 mn shares for more aircraft
By Xinhua
Beijing : China's national flag carrier Air China announced Thursday plans to issue up to 400 million A-shares - 5.1 percent of its total shares - to raise funds to purchase aircraft and replenish the company's working capital.
The company intends to utilize the proceeds from the offering to finance the acquisition of 15 Boeing-787 aircraft, 24 Airbus-320 series aircraft and 15 Boeing-737 series aircraft in an effort to increase the airline's transport capacity. It will also spend up to 1.5 billion yuan ($200 million) to supplement its working capital.
Salma Hayek weds on-off billionaire fiance in Paris
By IANS,
London : Mexican actress Salma Hayek has married on-off fiance Francois-Henri Pinaul in a surprise ceremony in Paris on Valentine's Day.
The Mexican actress, 42, and the French billionaire, 46, married in the City Hall in the St. Germain area of the French capital Saturday, reports dailymail.co.uk.
The decision to wed on Valentine's Day also has a special meaning for the couple, as their 17-month-old daughter is named Valentina.
News of their marriage comes as a surprise after they publicly announced the end of their engagement last July.
Ukraine parliament to vote on Tymoshenko as PM on Dec. 18
By RIA Novosti
Kiev : Ukraine's parliament will once again vote on 'orange' coalition leader Yulia Tymoshenko's nomination for prime minister on Tuesday.
Lawmakers changed voting procedures Friday after the flamboyant pro-Western Tymoshenko narrowly failed by a single vote to get backing for her appointment first time on December 11.
Two votes were held, with Tymoshenko both times receiving 225 votes, one short of the 226 required. The coalition blamed technical malfunctions.
Trains to shelter China’s quake victims during winter
By Xinhua
Beijing : Chinese authorities have despatched trains no longer in use to the quake-hit Sichuan province in the southwest as temporary winter shelters for those rendered homeless by the devastating May 12 earthquake, according to Beijing Youth Daily Thursday.
In all, 10 trains, each with six cars, are now in Guangyuan, north of Sichuan capital Chengdu, the daily reported. The trains are no longer in service.
Seats and rails on the trains were dismantled to make way for two-storey sleepers and a passageway. The trains will accommodate a total of about 1,200 people.
For Sale: A New Zealand village
By IANS,
Wellington : Want to own an entire village? Well, here's your chance. A tiny village, complete with a school and a fire station, is up for sale in New Zealand for $1 million.
Bill and Christine Hennah had bought Otira in 1998 after passing through and "feeling sorry for it". They paid $80,000 for a hotel, school, fire station and 18 houses.
Now, the couple, who are in their 60s, no longer have the energy to run the hotel while maintaining the village that has 40 residents.
They have put up the hotel for sale at $350,000. The entire village will cost $1 million.
European media body slams EU Presidency over press freedom
BRUSSELS, Jan 11 (KUNA) -- The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) accused Friday the Slovenian government of interfering in press freedom at home.
The EFJ in a statement said that political meddling with media in Slovenia casts a shadow over the countrys Presidency of the European Union.
Slovenia holds the current six-month rotating EU Presidency.
"The Government cannot spin its way out of the hard truth that government and politicians have been exercising undue influence on the way Slovenian media work," said Aidan White, IFJ General Secretary.
Gordon Brown fuelling racism: Keith Vaz
By IANS
London : British Premier Gordon Brown has come under stinging attack from Keith Vaz, a senior ethnic Indian member of his own Labour party, for his slogan of 'British jobs for British workers'.
Vaz, who is chairman of the home affairs parliamentary select committee, described Brown's controversial slogan as "employment apartheid" and said it risked fuelling racism.
Speaking at a parliamentary debate he said the slogan raised false hopes and implied foreigners were "stealing jobs".
Chinese official jailed for river pollution
Beijing: An environment agency official in China has been awarded six-year imprisonment for his involvement in a river pollution incident in 2013.
The official belongs...
Indian workers flee Niger Delta after abductions
By DPA
Abuja : Expatriate workers including Indians are fleeing the Niger Delta in Nigerial because of unending abductions by militants.
Over 18,000 British prisoners given early release
By IRNA
London : Over 18,000 prisoners have been released early under emergency measures introduced last summer to tackle the country's chronic problem of overcrowded jails, according to the latest government figures.
In January, 2,386 inmates were let out early, bringing the total number of early-release offenders in England and Wales since last June to 18,583.
News of the releases comes after the prison population reached a new record high of 82,180 earlier this month, more than the current jail capacities.
US drone completes sea-based test flight
New York: The US Navy successfully flew its new unmanned helicopter MQ-8C Fire Scout system for the first time from the guided missile destroyer...
Indonesia to build four nuclear power plants by 2025
By Xinhua
Jakarta : The Indonesian government plans to build four nuclear power plants by 2025 to meet electricity demand, an official said Wednesday.
"If one nuclear power plant can produce 1,200 megawatts of electricity, we need four plants by 2025 to meet our demand," State Minister for Research and Technology Kusmayanto Kadiman was quoted as saying by the national Antara news agency.
Italy, Britain confirm seven hostages’ death in Nigeria
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Moscow: Seven foreign hostages have been killed by a Nigerian Islamist group, the western governments said Sunday.
World Bank Supports Asean coalition Of Mercy For Myanmar
By Mohd Nasir Yusoff, Bernama,
Jakarta : The World Bank has given its commitment to fully support Asean secretariat's "Coalition of Mercy" in aid of cyclone-hit Myanmar, according to the Jakarta-based secretariat of the 10-nation regional grouping, Friday.
President of the World Bank Group Robert B. Zoellick, in a meeting with Asean secretary-general Dr Surin Pitsuwan in Washington Thursday, had offered Asean the bank's expertise in assessing the devastation and planning for recovery.
Salary top reason why employees in Asia quit
By DPA,
Singapore : The top reason why employees in Asia quit is unhappiness with their pay, a study by a human resources firm said Saturday.
It found 70 percent of the best employers see a large connection between improved performance and higher salaries.
While Asian employers have "increased investment" in compensation, they are not yet getting the "strategic and financial results", The Business Times quoted Hewitt Associates principal Nishchae Suri as saying.
Proposed Crimea referendum worrying, serious development: UN
United Nations: UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has emphasised the need for peace and stability in Ukraine's Crimea region where the announcement of a referendum...
International migration office bombed in Nepal
By DPA,
Kathmandu : At least two crude bombs exploded in the office compounds of the International Organization of Migration (IOM) in eastern Nepal, causing panic but no injuries, media reports said Tuesday.
The bombs were hurled at the IOM office compound in Damak town, about 450 km east of the capital Monday evening, the Kathmandu Post newspaper reported.
The IOM is involved in third country resettlement of Bhutanese refugees, which has been vehemently opposed by several political groups representing refugees.
LTTE suicide-boat attack damages one ship off Jaffna coast
By IANS,
Colombo : A Sri Lankan cargo vessel was damaged when the Tamil Tiger rebels Wednesday carried out a pre-dawn suicide-boat attack targeting two government merchant vessels off the Kankesanthurai harbour in the northern Jaffna peninsula, naval officials here said.
Navy spokesman Commander D.K.P. Dassanayake said that three explosives-laden suicide boats of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) targeted merchant ships Ruhuna and Nimalawa, off Kankasanthurai (KKS) harbour at 5.10 a.m. Wednesday.
South African peace conference called off over Dalai Lama ban
By DPA,
Johannesburg : The organisers of a peace conference in South Africa on Tuesday postponed the event indefinitely after the government refused to issue the Dalai Lama a visa to attend, causing other Nobel peace laureates to pull out.
The conference, which was due to be held Friday, had planned to promote peace through football in advance of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa next year.
IOC urged to act on media freedom abuses in China
By DPA,
Beijing : A human rights watchdog called Friday on the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to establish a mechanism for reporting violations of media freedom in China.
The Human Rights Watch (HRW) said rights groups had provided the committee with "extensive documentation" of abuses but insisted it had to do more than state its "disapproval" of attempts to hinder journalists' work.
"The IOC's public expression of concern is welcome, but it won't have any effect without real action," said Sophie Richardson, Asia advocacy director at HRW.
Chinese army to modernize its logistic sector by 2020
By Xinhua
Beijing : China has published a guideline for the development of a modern, efficient and flexible logistic sector for the People's Liberation Army (PLA) by 2020.
President Hu Jintao, who is also chairman of the Central Military Commission, recently signed the "Guideline on the Comprehensive Development of the Modern Logistic Sector" for the Army.
The army will complete modernization of the sector, which will help it fight and win wars in the age of Information Technology, according to the guideline.
Tropical Storm Krosa hits east China, forcing evacuation of one million
By Xinhua
Hangzhou : China has evacuated more than 1.41 million people from eastern provinces of Fujian and Zhejiang with no casualty reported after the powerful Typhoon Krosa landed the eastern coastal area on Sunday afternoon.
Indonesia blocks 1 mn porn websites before Ramadan
By IANS/AKI,
Jakarta : Indonesia's communications and information ministry has shut down more than one million pornographic websites ahead of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.
John Lennon’s killer denied parole for fifth timet
By DPA,
Los Angeles : Former Beatle John Lennon's killer was denied parole for the fifth time Tuesday, and will remain behind bars for at least two more years.
Mark David Chapman, 53, was denied parole from New York's Attica Correctional Facility because his release "would not be in the best interest of the community" parole board members said in a statement.
Lennon's widow Yoko Ono told the New York Daily News that she had personally asked parole officials to deny Chapman's request. "It's dangerous for him to come out. Not only for us, but for himself."
Taiwan, China to launch sea, air links
By DPA,
Taipei : Taiwan and China, enemies since the end of the Chinese civil war in 1949, will launch direct sea links, postal links and daily charter flights Monday.
Both sides made final preparations for launching the links Sunday with Taiwan issuing a stamp showing two doves carrying a letter across the Taiwan Strait - to mark the launch of direct postal service - while China was loading container ships to sail directly to Taiwan.
White House suffers cyber attack
By IANS,
Washington : The White House has confirmed its computer system was targeted in a cyber attack, but the effort was thwarted and no classified networks were compromised.
‘Sri Lanka unlikely to accept LTTE’s truce offer’
By IANS,
Colombo : A top Sri Lankan minister Tuesday expressed scepticism about the unilateral truce offer by the Tamil Tiger rebels for the upcoming Saarc summit, and said that the coalition government of President Mahinda Rajapaksa was unlikely to accept the offer.
"I do not think that the government will fall into this trap, because we have enough experience with these kinds of offers of ceasefire from the LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam) in the past 30 to 40 years," Sri Lanka's defence spokesman and Minister of Foreign Employment Keheliya Rambukwella told IANS over phone.
Muslim community in France is getting ready to combat Islamophobia
Paris : The Muslim community in France is getting ready to combat a rise in Islamophobic incidents after a series of deadly attacks in Paris, news agencies reported.
Attacks in France by militants -the Kouachi brothers and Amedy Coulibaly - have sent a shockwave of fear and anger through the country, a total of 20 people including the three gunmen were killed over three days.
Al Qaeda still determined to attack US: Report
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : Al Qaeda has not abandoned its goal of attacking the United States with a chemical, biological or even nuclear weapon, according to a new report by a former senior CIA official.
The report by Rolf Mowatt-Larssen released Monday by Harvard University's Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs portrays Al Qaeda's leaders as determined and patient, willing to wait for years to acquire the kinds of weapons that could inflict widespread casualties.
Teenager arrested in Netherlands over cyber attacks for WikiLeaks
By DPA,
The Hague : A 16-year-old suspected hacker has been arrested in the Netherlands for allegedly having attacked the websites of Mastercard and Visa, Dutch authorities said.
EU security policy must not be against Russia: Merkel
Helsinki : German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Monday said that the European Union's (EU) security policy must be "developed together with Russia, not against...
South African elections a test for President Zuma
By Vijay Naik,
South Africa will hold general elections to the National Assembly or the lower house of parliament and the state legislatures May 7....
Nepal to fast-track drafting of new constitution
Kathmandu : Nepal's constitution drafting body, the Constituent Assembly, is preparing to adopt a fast-track model to promulgate a new constitution for the country...
Sarkozy orders plane to rival Air Force One
By IANS,
London : Nicolas Sarkozy's dream of having his own presidential aircraft to rival the US' Air Force One will soon come true as the French president has ordered an "Air Sarko One", fitted with an air filter system so that he can smoke whenever he wants.
A specially-upholstered 150-million-pound Airbus A330-200 has been selected for the purpose and will be ready by October. It will include a meeting room, 60 business class seats, encrypted communications systems and a missile decoy system, the Daily Mail reported.
Giuliani pulls out of U.S. presidential race, backs McCain
By RIA Novosti
Washington : Former New York mayor and Republican candidate, Rudy Giuliani, officially pulled out of the U.S. presidential race after coming a disappointing third in Florida primaries.
Giuliani, who was until recently a favorite to head the Republicans in U.S. presidential elections due next fall, made the announcement at the Ronald Reagan Library in Simi Valley, California and said he was endorsing John McCain for the Republican nomination.
The secret of Tintin, 80
By Dipankar De Sarkar, IANS,
London : Fans around the world celebrate Tintin's 80th birthday Saturday just as a British politician-turned-columnist claims he knows things about the Belgian comic-book hero that the rest of us don't.
"A callow, androgynous blonde-quiffed youth in funny trousers and a scarf moving into the country mansion of his best friend, a middle-aged sailor? A sweet-faced lad devoted to a fluffy white toy terrier, whose other closest pals are an inseparable couple of detectives in bowler hats, and whose only serious female friend is an opera diva...
Sheepdogs shepherd endangered penguins in Australia
By DPA,
Sydney : Sheepdogs have proved such perfect guardians for a colony of fairy penguins on a small south-coast Australian island that conservationists are confident the caring canines can be recruited to safeguard other endangered animals from being savaged by foxes and wild dogs.
"We're now starting to see some great results," said Middle Island Maremma Project manager Ian Fitzgibbons. "We've had our best penguin count since we began in 2006 with over 80 birds counted in one night and I think we have about 26 chicks on the island too."
Romanian PM resigns
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Moscow : Romanian Prime Minister Emil Boc announced Monday the resignation of his government, media reported.
GM announces new cost cuts, axes Pontiac for survival
By DPA,
Washington : General Motors Corp. announced another round of drastic cost-cutting measures Monday in its latest bid for survival, including abandoning its Pontiac brand and offering bondholders, employees and the government a greater stake in the ailing automaker to cut its massive debt.
Facing a June-1 government deadline to prove its viability or face bankruptcy, GM said it would axe 23,000 jobs by 2011 - 7,000 more than previously planned - as well as close factories and quicken the pace of cuts to its vast dealership network.
Russia gears up for China bird flu
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Beijing: Russia is preparing to enhance sanitary control measures in case the bird flu situation in China deteriorates.
Hybrid rice gives hope of food self-sufficiency for Filipinos faced with rice crisis
By Xu Lingui, Xinhua,
Los Banos, Philippines : In the Philippines, rice is not just daily food, it is also a symbol of life sustaining a rice culture that the Filipinos have cultivated over hundreds of years.
As rice prices hit record high in May in the world market, long queues of low-income Filipinos have frequently been seen at the government rice supply centers. They just cannot afford to lose rice on the table.
UN official wants to meet Cuban political prisoners
By IANS,
Vienna : The UN special rapporteur on torture will insist on meeting political prisoners when he visits Cuba on behalf of the United Nations Human Rights Council.
Austrian jurist and academic Manfred Nowak said he plans to make "unannounced" visits to all kinds of detention facilities while in Cuba and to spend time with every type of detainee, including those being held for political reasons, EFE reported.
Chinese graveyard offers attractive jobs to young women
By IANS,
Beijing : A Chinese graveyard is offering jobs to five young women to work as funeral attendants for 100,000 yuan ($15,886) a year.
Boris Yeltsin’s statue vandalised in Russia
By IANS,
By RIA Novosti,
Moscow: A monument of late Russian president Boris Yeltsin has been vandalised in the Urals, police said Friday.
US consumer prices dip
By IANS/EFE,
Washington : Consumer prices in the US declined 0.1 percent in October, while the 12-month inflation rate stood at 3.5 percent, the Labor Department said Wednesday.
Iran’s nuclear achievement has angered US: official
By IANS,
Tehran : The US believes nuclear technology should be "monopolised" only by the West and is "angry" at Iran's achievements in this field, a top Iranian official has said.
The US should understand the reality of the Iranian nation and be interactive instead of provoking confrontation, Allaeddin Boroujerdi, head of the Majlis' national security and foreign policy commission, said Saturday.
Israeli DM confirms military operation in Gaza
By Xinhua,
JERUSALEM : The Israel Air Force (IAF) is currently "operating" in the Gaza Strip, Defense Minister Ehud Barak confirmed on Tuesday.
According to army sources, Barak made the remarks during the Herzliya Conference.
Meanwhile, during a tour of the Northern Command of the army, Barak also warned of a response to the attack in the Gaza Strip.
Earlier, Palestinian sources reported that residents of Rafah received a phone message warning them of an IDF operation in the area.
Russia, Allies for Security in Central Asia
By Prensa Latina,
Moscow : A powerful military group of CSTO (the Collective Security Treaty Organization) might accomplish political continence in Central Asia, CSTO Secretary General Nikolai Bordiuzha said.
At a press conference on Friday, Bordiuzha said members of the force would include Russia, Kazakhstan, Kirgizia, Tadzhikistan and Uzbekistan.
We expect the consent of all these countries to create a powerful, large group gathering brigades, regiments and divisions, including a rapid reaction contingent, he added.
Brazil sacks coach Menezes
By IANS,
Rio de Janeiro: Mano Menezes has been sacked as the football coach of Brazil following a meeting with the country's top football officials.
Millions of Africans face hunger as aid fails to flow
By Michael Logan, DPA,
Nairobi : United Nations agencies are warning of an impending food crisis in East Africa that could see millions facing starvation, but financial support is coming at a trickle as stretched governments and other donors struggle to find the resources to help.
Warnings of the need for urgent action to prevent a major humanitarian crisis have been coming thick and fast in recent days.
Ready to align with Left, but not at cost of n-deal: PM
By IANS,
New Delhi : Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Saturday said the Congress party was ready to take the support of the Left to form the next government, but not at the cost of giving up the nuclear deal with the US.
"I have enjoyed working with the Left. I have nothing personal against the Left parties... But it would not be at the cost of giving up the nuclear deal," he told CNN IBN news channel in an interview.
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...
Scientists develop authentic ‘tea shirt’
By IANS,
London : Scientists and fashion designers have developed a new fabric that is grown in a soup of green tea, sugar and other nutrients over the course of several days.
It has been dubbed the authentic "tea shirt" - an item from a range of clothing made from Britain's favourite beverage.
The material with a leathery texture is extremely lightweight and has been used to make shirts, jackets, dresses and even shoes, reports the Telegraph.
Nine killed in Egypt plane crash
By Xinhua
Cairo : A plane of multi-national peacekeeping force crashed in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula Sunday, killing nine people on board, an official of Multinational Force and Observers (MFO) said.
Myanmar forms press council
By IANS,
Yangon : Myanmar has formed a 20-member Core Press Council aimed at protecting journalists, laying down professional ethics and settling media disputes.
Privacy important for Kim Kardashian
By IANS,
London : Her day-to-day life is there for all to see through her show "Keeping Up With The Kardashians", but privacy is of utmost importance to reality TV star Kim Kardashian.
Ukraine government at odds over new talks in gas dispute
By DPA,
Moscow/Kiev : Ukraine's government is divided by internal differences over entering new talks with Russia to end the gas delivery impasse, news reports said Thursday.
Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko was quoted as saying by the Interfax news agency that a new round of talks on resuming gas transit to the European Union was scheduled for Saturday in Moscow.
However, President Viktor Yushchenko Wednesday evening rejected the Kremlin's invitation of a crisis summit with all gas-importing countries Saturday as not suitable.
China halts operations at hundreds of mines
By IANS,
Beijing : Chinese authorities have halted operations of hundreds of illegal coalmines in the country's resource-rich Inner Mongolia region, officials said Saturday.
Developing world could beat economic crisis: IMF
By DPA
Washington : Developing countries are well placed to weather the current economic crisis despite growth in the US coming to a virtual halt, according to a report by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Thursday.
The IMF also said industrial nations with more developed mortgage and financial markets have been struck harder by a correction in housing prices than poorer countries, where fewer people have access to credit.
Over 13 foreigners killed in Mumbai terror attacks
By Xinhua,
New Delhi : At least 13 foreigners were killed and 22 injured in the Mumbai terror attacks since it happened Wednesday night, officials said Saturday.
The earlier data released by India's Home Ministry on Friday said that eight foreign nationals were dead. The deceased included three German nationals, two Americans and one each from Japan, Canada and Australia.
These figures don't include the death of five Israelis in the Nariman House, whose killing was confirmed later by the police on Friday night, officials said.
Gordon Brown calls for new world order sans protectionism
By Dipankar De Sarkar, IANS,
London : British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has called for a "new global order" shorn of protectionism and he hopes that American President-elect Barack Obama would lead the way in helping build such a world.
In comments made ahead of this week's emergency summit of the Group of 20 (G20) developed and biggest emerging economies in Washington, the British leader also urged solutions to the global financial crisis based on a "new multilateralism".
Russia to spend $5 bln on Chechnya development in 2008-2011 – PM
By RIA Novosti,
Moscow : The Russian government will spend 120.6 billion rubles ($5 billion) on the development of the North Caucasus Republic of Chechnya over the next four years, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said on Monday.
The federal program for the social and economic development of Chechnya in 2008-2011 drafted by the government aims to create tens of thousands of jobs in the republic, boost industrial output 100% and create a resources base to develop local social and transport infrastructure, Putin said.
Hindu prayer opens Idaho state senate session amid protest
New York : For the first time the opening prayer for the Idaho state senate was said Tuesday by a Hindu cleric amid protests...
Deeply disturbed by Quran burning plan: UN chief
By DPA,
New York : UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said Wednesday that no religion in the world can condone the burning of the Quran.
Gold for Iran oil report speculative: India
By IANS,
New Delhi: An Israeli website has suggested that India has agreed to pay Iran in gold for oil purchases, but Indian authorities have called the report "speculative".
Bomb threat at Paris railway station
Paris : A railway station in French capital Paris was closed and evacuated Friday following a bomb threat, media reports said.
The state railway SNCF...
Sudanair plane makes emergency landing
By IANS,
Khartoum : Over 45 passengers survived after a Sudanair passenger plane made an emergency landing here at Khartoum airport Sunday following a technical snag.
Chinese jet successfully lands on aircraft carrier
By IANS,
Beijing : China has successfully conducted the landing of a fighter jet on its first aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, naval sources said.
Connectivity key aspect of India-Turkmenistan ties: Modi
Ashgabat (Turkmenistan): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said that connectivity is a key aspect of the relationship between India and the Central Asian...
UK arrests suspectes Tamil Tigers
By KUNA,
London : Three men have been arrested by British counter-terror police as part of an investigation into the Tamil Tigers, Scotland Yard said Tuesday.
The arrests are said to be part of a long-term investigation into the Sri-Lankan-based group.
Two men, aged 39 and 46, were arrested in dawn raids at separate addresses in south Wales and a third, aged 33, arrested in south-west London.
All three were arrested on suspicion of the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism.
A raid also took place in Surrey, outside London, Scotland Yard added.
US, Iran both need an attitude change: Washington Post
New York, Dec 20, IRNA , Changing American attitudes about Iran is as important as changing Iranian attitudes about the US, Washington Post said referring to what the US new administration should do with Iran.
"So as she prepares for her role as Secretary of State, Senator Hillary Clinton and the rest of the Obama foreign policy team should consider how a new American-Iranian relationship might advance American interests in Iraq and Afghanistan, and conceivably even the Arab-Israeli peace process."
French workers strike over Sarkozy’s economic policies
By DPA,
Paris : French workers from the public and private sectors went on strike Thursday to protest the economic policies of President Nicolas Sarkozy.
The second national anti-government job action this year will be accompanied by protest demonstrations in more than 210 cities and towns, trade union officials said.
The strike actually began late Wednesday when employees of the national rail network SNCF and the French oil giant Total walked off their jobs.
The SNCF said that only about half of all scheduled long-distance and regional trains on average were operating.
Muslims protest anti-Islam video in London
By IANS,
London: Some 10,000 Muslims Monday gathered outside the offices of Google in London to force the company to remove an anti-Islamic video from YouTube in Britain.
UK retailers selling garments made by exploited Bangladeshis
By IANS,
London : A British charity says the country's top retailers are selling clothes produced under inhuman conditions in Bangladesh and has called for a government legislation “to stop British companies profiting from abuse”.
The charity, War on Want, has said in its latest report that workers in Bangladeshi factories are paid seven pence for an hour's work, forced to labour for 80 hours a week and on top of it, there are reports of physical and verbal abuse.
Iran will not let uranium leave country after all, say officials
By DPA,
Vienna : An Iranian official has recently told the nuclear watchdog the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) that it does not want to allow uranium to be shipped out of the country, as suggested in an October international confidence-building plan, diplomats in Vienna said Tuesday.
Under the original IAEA plan, Iran would ship most of its low-enriched uranium to Russia and France, where it would be processed into fuel for a medical-purpose reactor in Tehran. The US also backs such a deal.
Hindraf chief’s daughter has birthday party in parliament
By IANS,
Kuala Lumpur : Malaysia's parliamentary opposition made a political point by attending the birthday party of the daughter of Hindu Rights Action Front (Hindraf) chief P. Waythamoorthy at Parliament House.
Six-year-old W. Vwaishhnnavi blew the candles on her birthday cake at the parliament lobby Wednesday together with some 30 Hindraf supporters and MPs. Another opposition MP present was Indian-origin N. Gobalakrishnan, The Star newspaper said Thursday.
Sweden says holds three suspected of terror plot
By SPA
Stockholm : Swedish security services took three Swedish citizens into custody on Thursday on suspicion of planning acts of terror and of financing terrorism, according to Reuters.
"Three people have been taken into custody," said Maria Martinsson, spokeswoman for the Swedish Security Service. "They are suspected of preparing terrorist activity and of financing
terrorism."
She said the three men detained at various addresses in the Stockholm area.
North Korea threatens response to naval exercise
By DPA,
Hanoi : The spokesman of the North Korean delegation at an Asian security forum said Friday that Pyongyang would physically respond to planned US-South Korean naval exercises.
"The Democratic People's Republic of Korea's (DPRK) position is clear - there will be a physical response against the steps imposed by the United States military," said Ri Tong Il on the sidelines of the Association of South-East Asian Nations' (ASEAN) Regional Forum in Hanoi.
Anand out of Mainz final for first time in 11 years
By IANS,
Mainz (Germany): World Champion Viswanathan Anand, an 11-time winner in Mainz, bowed out before the finals at a venue which has become synonymous with his name.
Anand lost two of his first three games and ended third in the four-man event, which is now called the Grenkeleasing World Rapid Chess championship in the Rheingoldhalle in Mainz. Anand had won the title every year in Mainz since Kasparov last won it in 1999.
The 11-time winner here, Anand scored 2.5 points while the top place went to Levon Aronian of Armenia and Ian Nepomniachtchi of Russia finished second.
No Christmas gravy for Europe’s ailing carmakers
By Nicholas Rigillo, DPA,
Brussels : Ah, the style of an Italian Ferrari, the solidity of a German Mercedes, the flair of a French Renault!
The car industry is not only Europe's pride and joy, it provides income for some 12 million families and last year generated a combined turnover of 551 billion euros ($700 billion), or about 5 percent of the continent's gross domestic product (GDP).
One in every three cars sold around the world is European.
Philippine rebels warn of ceasefire collapse with gov’t
By Xinhua,
Manila : The separatist Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in the Philippines warned Friday its ceasefire with government will collapse after August 31 unless the International Monitoring Team (IMT) is "revived."
Copenhagen Accord is sealed, finally
By Joydeep Gupta, IANS,
Copenhagen: The UN climate summit finally passed the Copenhagen Accord Saturday after two days of intense negotiations and backroom manoeuvres. The Accord, proposed by India and four other countries, is now "operational", a relieved UN chief said.
The Accord that is meant to be a first step towards fighting the climate change that is affecting millions worldwide was still held up for hours by four countries.
Fujimori awaits trial under tight security
Lima, Sep 24 (IANS) Former President Alberto Fujimori, who was extradited to Peru for trial on human rights and corruption charges, is being held under tight security at a National Police facility in this capital, the Spanish news agency EFE said.
The 69-year-old Fujimori arrived in his homeland Saturday, a day after the Chilean Supreme Court confirmed his extradition.
Russian president congratulates North Korea on 60th anniversary
By RIA Novosti,
Moscow : Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has congratulated North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il on the communist state's 60th anniversary, the Kremlin said on Tuesday.
Medvedev expressed the hope that traditionally good relations between Russia and North Korea would "strengthen and develop in the future, making a considerable contribution to maintaining peace, stability and security on the Korean Peninsula, and in Asia as a whole."
Serb presidential candidates go head to head in live TV debate
By RIA Novosti
Belgrade : The Serbian pro-Western incumbent president and his pro-Russian contender clashed Wednesday night in a live televised debate on Serbia's future ahead of a crucial runoff scheduled for February 3.
Serbian Radical Party leader Tomislav Nikolic is currently neck-and-neck in the opinion polls with pro-European incumbent Boris Tadic ahead of the February 3 runoff. Nikolic, seen as an anti-Western far-right figure, gained a five-point advantage in the January 20 first voting round, sparking concerns in the EU.
Tourism on upswing in Central America
By DPA
San Jose : The seven nations of Central America are seeing a strong upswing in tourism this year.
In 2007, as many as eight million people from all over the world are expected to visit Maya sites in places like Tikal (Guatemala) and Copan (Honduras); the wildlife refuges and beaches of Costa Rica; the Panama Canal; and the volcanoes and colonial cities of Nicaragua.
Nearly 100,000 tourists are expected from Germany alone, according to Pilar Cano, general secretary of the Central America Tourism Agency (CATA).
China to create 400,000 jobs for ethnic minorities
By IANS,
Beijing : China will create 400,000 jobs this year for ethnic minorities in the country's western Xinjiang Uyghur region, the government said Thursday.
China quake death toll, now 15,000, continues to soar
By DPA,
Beijing : Military helicopters flew aid Wednesday to settlements cut off near the epicentre of a devastating earthquake in southwest China that killed some 15,000 people and left tens of thousands missing in toppled buildings.
Heavy rain had initially prevented the helicopters from flying emergency aid to Wenchuan county, Sichuan province, while troops were still trying to restore the badly damaged main road to the county.
The nearby city of Mianyang reported more than 7,000 dead and an estimated 18,000 buried in collapsed buildings.
Seven killed in China building blaze
By DPA,
Changsha (China) : Seven people, including four women, were killed Tuesday when a fire broke out at a five-storey commercial building in central China, an official said.
The incident took place in Chaling County of Hunan Province, 200 km east of the provincial capital of Changsha.
The fire charred the first and second floors of the building, Xinhua reported.
Six people were injured in the fire.
The blaze was brought under control after two hours, a spokesman of the Chaling County administration said.
The cause of the fire is being investigated.